Throughout Isaiah 17, two themes consistently interweave: the first being God's judgment, and the second, His salvation and mercy. God, with all His might, judges mankind relentlessly, and in these days of judgment, some desolation is inevitable. It is a profound tragedy if one experiences desolation yet fails to turn back to God. Conversely, if one, in times of desolation, knows to turn towards God and look to their Creator, then those days of sorrow become days of grace.

God's Judgment is a Great Grace

It was through God's judgment that I turned back to Him and came to know Him. I was baptized in 1992 and came to know the Lord. Later, I established a church, building it with my own fleshly abilities. God then judged me, leaving me besieged on all sides, experiencing the nadir of my life. I then turned back to God, rediscovering Him, knowing that through Him and the Holy Spirit, I could build His glorious church. We must understand that God's judgment is always accompanied by grace, but it is never delayed. We must all be wise and transform God's judgment into His grace.

God is determined to bestow grace upon us, but His grace is often manifested through judgment because we stray from His path, deviating from His way. When we see brothers and sisters suffering oppression in their workplaces, living difficult lives, we must be vigilant—God is telling you to return to Him. When you turn to God, He will undoubtedly resolve your issues. I've experienced this in two rounds: the first led me to know Jesus, and the second taught me how to build God's glorious church. I believe these have become immense graces. In other words, God punishes man to liberate him from the corruption of the world. Now, God intends to punish Aram and Israel, but you will see that in the days of judgment, He leaves behind exceedingly glorious grace.

Turning to God, Crisis Becomes Opportunity

Once, I felt sorrow when I saw Christians in the church praying for Singapore's economy. You must know, it is difficult for people to believe in the Lord when a place experiences rapid economic development. However, economic crises are often times when many turn to the Lord. Church revival is inversely proportional to economic revival. Economic crises present the best opportunities for church revival. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must transform our thinking. God is a God of grace. When people have endured suffering and torment, and no longer build their hopes on money and material possessions, they learn to turn to God.

Turning to God transforms crises into opportunities. An economic crisis is not fundamentally about the loss of money, but rather about the transfer of money from one group of people to another. In essence, an economic crisis is a reshuffling of wealth, a generation filled with opportunities. Turning to God during an economic crisis is the greatest return in the crisis. Deepening one's knowledge of God in a life crisis is the greatest reward in life.

Be Wise, Understand God's Intentions

Do not think that after believing in Jesus, you can simply wait to go to heaven after death and live a carefree life on earth. If that's the case, God will surely judge you. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Previously, I enthusiastically used my fleshly abilities to build the church and serve. I thought I was like Job, serving and contributing financially, only to find myself besieged on all sides. I questioned God's fairness, especially when many betrayed, slandered, and mocked me. Later, throughout the process of church building, I began to learn to kneel and pray for extended periods. The Holy Spirit illuminated me, and I understood the problem. I believe many are trapped in this misconception. I advise you to be wise like me, knowing what the problem is when facing difficulties and whether you are walking in God's will.

I once loved God ardently, yet I was judged. I thought I was doing good, but it was not God's will. Perhaps the doctrines I preached and the things I did were impeccable from a human perspective, but they were not in accordance with God's heart. I believe there are many preachers among us who serve God wholeheartedly, yet encounter calamity. During prayer meetings, I mentioned that some of us are under a curse, and many were sensitive to this statement, protesting that they are not cursed. Therefore, I encourage everyone to understand that in your life, you may experience things that you do not recognize as curses, but the Bible clearly tells us:

If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, The LORD THY GOD; Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:58-61)

I was once a preacher, reading the Bible, praying, loving God, and serving Him, yet I was judged because I did not truly understand God's intentions and deviated from His path. Brothers and sisters, let us not think that our passionate enthusiasm equates to obeying God's word.

Constant Illumination by the Holy Spirit, Vigilance Over Oneself

Some often think that doing a few good deeds can cover our sins, but good deeds cannot cover iniquity. There was a man who performed many good deeds, jumping into the icy river in winter to save someone, only to discover later that he was a criminal and was arrested. People were confused because he risked his life to save another, so how could he still be a criminal? Can jumping into the icy water to save someone exempt him from his crimes? No. We must constantly seek the Holy Spirit's illumination, so we know where we have offended God. When we offend God in certain areas, our lives become defiled.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. (Haggai 2:11-13)

We do not judge right and wrong according to our own standards, but must rely on the illumination of the Holy Spirit. If these great and prolonged plagues, and grievous and extended sicknesses come upon us, what we must do is seek the Holy Spirit's illumination. In Isaiah, we see that God does not judge according to the good you have done, but judges according to the evil you have done. Whether it is Israel or Aram, they are both under God's judgment, and Jacob's glory vanishes. God is such a holy God, and if He judges you in this way, you need to continuously have your life molded by the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies your life. Do not rely on your abilities or flesh, but begin to learn to follow the Holy Spirit. When God judges you, and you encounter calamities and injustices, begin to earnestly seek the Holy Spirit's illumination.

Begin to possess a wise heart, and after obtaining a wise heart, begin to turn back to God. Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips (Isaiah 17:10). We are judged and desolate because we have forgotten God. I have received more grace than most, but in my busy work, I forgot God. There is one thing in my life that I deeply regret, so much so that I grind my teeth in frustration. In the past, when I was busy with work, working late into the night, beset on all sides, I did not know to kneel down and pray, seeking God. I forgot my God, and I forgot that He is the mighty Rock, upon whom I can rely. I went through a very dark period, and I regret that I did not know to seek God then. Until the end, I began to repent, turning all these calamities into my grace.

Constantly Be Vigilant and Turn Back to God

God often uses the hands of Gentiles to punish us. Therefore, if your boss often messes with you, you need to repent. If you encounter a very strange state in your life, and are persecuted and oppressed, we need to say, turn back to God, pray and call upon our God, and no longer forget that He is our Savior, our Rock. I thought that by being busy, I would eventually make a name for myself. Later, I encountered a mid-life crisis and became a pastor. I once swore that I would never be a full-time pastor, but later I found that my oath was useless. I have really seen too many tragedies happen to full-time pastors. Therefore, brothers and sisters, do not think that I am a volunteer. I was kicked down by God.

Here is an interesting story: A person fell into the water, and a young man went down and rescued him. After he was pulled up, a reporter held a microphone and asked him: Why are you so brave to save this drowning person? The rescuer replied: Who kicked me down? I think today, even if I am kicked down, it is grace. I think many people are kicked down. How many people are really willing? But I tell you, our God is truly full of grace and full of mercy. In my terrible situation, building a church, God did not crush me to death. Now, if your service is not in place, it doesn't matter. I was so bad back then, and God waited for me for so many years. So, if you, as a small family leader or group leader, are not in place in your shepherding, it doesn't matter if you lose a few people, but you must grow.

Turn Back to God, and God's Blessing Will Come

If you find that you have worked hard to plant and harvest, and then in the morning, all that you have harvested is gone, do not mourn for what you have lost, but rejoice for your turning back to God. In the day you plant, you hedge it in, and in the morning you cause your seed to sprout, but the harvest flees away in the day of grief and desperate pain (Isaiah 17:11).

ZQ's mother was a devout Christian who used to take him to church often, and God blessed him abundantly, so he was very rich. After his mother passed away, he forgot God and began to go his own way. As a result, what he planted and harvested was blown away by the wind, and he also incurred a lot of debt. But I am very grateful that the daughter he raised, Sister Xiaoyu, is really wonderful! Very sensible. Isn't this God's grace? So you must know that the days of God's blessing have come. The days of desolation will pass, and the days of blessing will come, but do not forget your God. As you keep running forward, you will find: When we forsake God and are judged by God, what will happen to those who oppress us and plunder us?

The nations rage like the roar of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind or like a whirling dust before a storm. At evening, terror strikes! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us (Isaiah 17:13-14).

You may encounter some oppression in your job, but I have good news for you: You must look to your Lord and your eyes must regard the Holy One of Israel. When someone oppresses us, it is God using them to judge us, but when we turn back, miracles will happen. Your life and the situation you face will be turned around! I think God's grace is so great, far beyond my imagination! I once offended God. Looking back, in 2010, I was already serving as a pastor in the church. I was working while being a pastor, which was quite difficult. My shepherding was not effective, and my church building was not effective either. I invested ten points of profit, but I got zero return.

In 2010, my father was hospitalized due to illness. I returned to China, and when I went back, I saw that he was not doing well. I could not do anything, my prayers were powerless, and I watched helplessly as my father was taken away by a cold. Today, what is a cold? A few blows will drive that ghost away. It is really a pity.

But I still did not wake up until God completely dealt with me and let me see the days of desolation come. God also remembered me. When I turned back to Him, He used me. You know how great this grace is. We sin and offend God, and we still think we are giving money and effort to serve Him. In fact, God does not need it. God needs our hearts. Starting in 2011, I began to turn back to God and build God's glorious church. I knelt down and prayed for a long time, and I am very grateful to this day.

XM rushed over from Hainan. When I saw her, I felt like I knew her very well. The internet makes us so peculiar. I went home last month to see my mother. I never felt like I had been separated from her for four years. I have not been back for four years, but I often see her because we are building God's glorious church together, running forward with the same Mingding Destiny and vision. Even my eighty-year-old mother, God remembers me because of my service. Every time my mother gets sick, no matter what the illness is, she recovers from the pain very quickly through prayer. My mother also has a desire to serve God well. Brothers and sisters, you know what a blessing it is to serve God! When we turn back to God from sin, God's judgment turns to those who plunder us.