Introduction

Recently, we often face situations that leave us confused, a habit that is detrimental. If one is often confused, it is indeed a critical issue. What is the root cause of this confusion? The root lies in unbelief.

The core of Christian faith lies in belief, but when people lose their faith, they fall into confusion. Recently, I have noticed many people being controlled by the spirit of the dragon, with symptoms such as I can't do it, I'm useless, I can't do anything, I've always been like this. There are many lies like these. Their lives have been corrupted by such things, and their faith is filled with a strong peasant mentality of no vision, no Mingding Destiny, no dreams, only small days. Thus, they are severely controlled by evil spirits.

Today, we will reflect on the issue of often being confused, which is a very common phenomenon. Brothers and sisters, are you often in a state of confusion? If you are often confused, you should start to understand whether you are being controlled by the spirit of the dragon.

Recently, I met a person, a leader in the church, who had numbness in his hands and feet. He told me a lot, I have the Holy Spirit in me, so evil spirits won't dwell in me! It sounded reasonable, but I couldn't find this statement in the Bible.

In this generation, many things sound right but are never mentioned in the Bible. Can this person avoid falling into confusion? Can we get out of confusion? Those who are often confused will die in the wilderness. You may be a Christian who came out of Egypt like the Israelites, but whether you can enter the Promised Land depends on whether you are often confused. They observed God's actions for forty years but did not understand His ways, and then died in the wilderness, all of whom were displeasing to God.

Today, as brothers and sisters, when we begin to move forward in healing and deliverance, we must thoroughly deal with the state of often being confused in our hearts. I think this brother's numbness in his hands and feet is a serious condition. To me, this is typical of the spirit of the dragon. The spirit of the dragon causes confusion. Why are people cursed? It is because they do not carefully observe and follow God's words. Why are people blessed? It is because they carefully observe and follow God's words.

Today, brothers and sisters, we need to understand one thing: Do you really understand God's words? Are the words you speak truly what God says in the Bible? If the words you speak sound reasonable but are not God's words, then you have a big problem. Why? Because man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. If we continue to move forward in healing and deliverance, the area of thoughts and intentions must be dealt with. Next, we will deal with this peasant mentality. Today, to live abundantly, I will talk about the peasant mentality. This peasant mentality plunges people into confusion, so people must begin to think carefully about what causes us to often be confused.

Scripture

So I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ (Hebrews 3:10-11)

The Journey from Confusion to Faith

Lord, today you guide us through this passage, let us come out of confusion, let us take the Israelites who died in the wilderness as our example, let us often come out of confusion in our hearts. Lord, let us watch your works with faith, knowing that your mighty arm has never been shortened, we know that you are the God who created the universe, we know that you uphold all things with your powerful arm. We come before you with faith, no matter what difficulties we encounter, we are not confused, no matter what situation we encounter, we still choose to believe, and you will surely lead us into your rest, into the promised land you have given us. Lord, we look to you today, restore our inner faith, let your words come alive in us, let us have faith in your words in our hearts. We thank you, praise you, let your words come alive in us again today, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Background of the Scripture

What event is this passage describing? It is describing why the Israelites died in the wilderness. Was dying in the wilderness God's plan? Never. Did God intend to bring the Israelites out of Egypt to wipe them out in the wilderness? God never had such a plan, but the Israelites' reaction to God was often confusion, and then they died in the wilderness, which angered God. The days of provoking God's anger are hard to imagine. They saw many miracles and wonders in Egypt, but they were often confused. When they left Egypt, what did they do? They plundered so many families, taking gold and silver treasures. Did God make them poor? No. What did God let them experience? No. It was all God's mighty arm striking the Egyptians, causing all the firstborn sons and livestock in Egyptian families to die.

We humans are also like this, often seeing God's actions. Have we not experienced God? We have, but after experiencing God, we immediately become confused when problems arise. The miracles and wonders that the Israelites saw in Egypt were unprecedented and unmatched. Many Christians among us have also experienced amazing miracles and wonders, but when problems arise, they immediately become confused. When they reached the Red Sea, they immediately said, Seeing the Egyptian army behind us, don't we have graves in Egypt? God was able to bring you out of Egypt, so can't God help you today when Pharaoh's army is chasing after you? This kind of confusion is very surprising. I myself have never understood it until I pastored a church and saw too many people like this.

Is the lack of water real? Yes, it is. But how big is the lack of water compared to coming out of Egypt? It's just a small matter, but the Israelites immediately became confused and started complaining. The first time there was no water, they complained, but it didn't matter. God provided for them and solved their problem; the second time there was no water, they started complaining again. What kind of people are these? God could bring them out of Egypt, God could lead them through the Red Sea on dry ground, God supplied water when they had no water the first time, couldn't they learn a lesson the second time there was no water, that God could definitely help me get through this time too? Instead, they started complaining again. Then the third time there was no water, they started complaining again. They didn't know what it meant not to complain, they complained about every little difficulty.

Analysis of the Reasons Why the Israelites Failed to Enter the Promised Land

Christians today are also like this, thanking God when things are going well, but not knowing how to overcome when encountering difficulties, and then immediately becoming confused again. Some people even say, you can't get your PR, don't you think it has something to do with Pastor Liu's church? What does not getting a green card have to do with the church? Nothing at all. We need to know that the Israelites in the wilderness watched God's actions for forty years, but did not understand God's ways. Today I want to discuss with you the main reasons why the Israelites could not enter the Promised Land:

The First Reason: Testing God

:So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw my works.(Hebrews 3:7-9 )

What is testing God? I don't think many people's explanations are good. Testing God is not believing in God. How to test? They said, Don't we have graves in Egypt? This is testing God. They made a golden calf and said that this is the God who brought us out of Egypt. What are these people doing? Doing things that are hard to believe. So we need to know what testing God is. Many people use this peasant mentality to measure God's mindset. They thought that God brought them out of Egypt to kill them in the wilderness, testing God. In fact, unbelief is testing God, which is a critical thing. You can try being confused? I often see my leaders being confused. Once they are confused, they get tangled, become negative, and then a lot of things happen, which is actually useless.

Everyone has experienced God, but why do they still provoke God's anger after experiencing God? Don't we know in our hearts that it is something that provokes God's anger? We know, but we just think it should be okay. You can try once, twice, three times, but you don't know how many times God will put you in the wilderness and let you die in the wilderness without being able to enter the Promised Land. Why is David a man after God's own heart? Not that David didn't sin, but David repented quickly when he sinned.

Brothers and sisters, it is very dangerous to tempt God with a hard heart. You don't know when God will say, This is a generation that I loathe! Then we will die in the wilderness. Do you know that forty years in the wilderness is a heavy punishment. Is there manna to eat? There is manna to eat, and some people think it's good. Eating manna is not good, eating the same food every day for forty years, you try it. For forty years, their shoes didn't wear out and their clothes didn't tear, but they wore the same clothes for forty years, the old wave died, and the next wave continued to wear them, wearing the clothes of the dead, because you can't buy clothes in the wilderness. Is it really good? Not at all. The wilderness is not God's plan. Entering the Promised Land, entering the land flowing with milk and honey is what God has prepared for us. Why do we harden our hearts? Because we don't want to think about God's actions, we only think about our own things. Testing God is a very critical thing.

Persevere in Faith, Overcome Confusion

In reality, encountering difficulties is like sparks flying when striking iron. What one encounters in life is beyond control, neither yours nor mine. However, whether these issues become blessings or curses depends entirely on our inner response. When we do not understand God's actions, we view problems through human eyes. If we understand God's actions, we view problems through God's eyes. No matter how big the problem, it can pass in the blink of an eye. Today, we must all be strong and fully understand God's actions. Do you understand my logic? It's very simple; follow my logic to think. If our God can create the universe, which is so vast, with billions of galaxies, God can manage it. Earth is so small, and humans on Earth are even smaller. I ask you, can such a powerful God manage the things we encounter in our lives? He can! And He absolutely will! Because He loves us!

The most critical thing for a person is not understanding God's actions. Think carefully; this passage is about the Israelites who died in the wilderness. Did the Israelites who died in the wilderness encounter a lack of water? Yes! Could it be solved? Yes! And God solved it every time! Did they pass through the Red Sea? They did! So why didn't they believe in God's actions? God sent ten plagues upon the Egyptians, which the Israelites saw with their own eyes, and then they came out of Egypt. Why didn't they believe that God is a mighty God?

Among us, we have testimonies of this person being healed and that person being healed. So why don't we still believe in God? Why don't we understand God's actions? Today I tell you: You must understand God's actions, and you must also understand that God caused those Israelites to die in the wilderness, which is also God's action, although not God's plan. Those who provoked God's anger, causing them to die in the wilderness, wandering in the wilderness for forty years, not understanding God's actions, were often confused. Why are people confused? Because they often view problems through human eyes. When they view problems through human eyes, they worship the golden calf, failing to understand God's actions. If you are someone among us who does not understand God's actions, you need to reflect on whether you are like those Israelites.

Third Reason: Deceived by Sin, Hardened Hearts

But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)

Because they have a logical system of their own, everything seems reasonable to them. How can we live without water? How can we live without money? How can we live without food? How can we live without a job? They have a whole set of logic; their logic is to live for the sake of living.

Hold Firm to the Hope and Confidence We Had at First

So, brothers and sisters, you need to carefully consider whether you will become like the Israelites who died in the wilderness. If your heart is hardened, I urge you to turn back. What do I urge you to turn back to? You don't need to talk about anything else, just talk about the miracles and wonders and the grace of God that you have experienced. So, the author of Hebrews gives us several ways to solve the problem; the key to solving the problem is to persevere to the end. So in Hebrews 3, it says:

But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. (Hebrews 3:6)

If we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory, what is the hope and confidence in which we glory? The hope in which we glory is that we will obtain eternal life, we will not perish, and we will enter into eternal life. Confidence, why is confidence needed? If a believer has no confidence, I tell you, you won't be able to believe.

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

Revelation speaks very clearly that the cowardly are thrown into the lake of fire. You say, I am cowardly. Being cowardly is not an option; being cowardly is unbelief. If you truly believe that God is in control of everything, believe that God reigns in our lives, you will not have this confusion. So, brothers and sisters, begin to hold firmly to your confidence and the hope in which you glory, and you will enter into the house of God.

We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. (Hebrews 3:14)

So brothers and sisters, it's all about persevering to the end, so Revelation also says persevere to the end, the one who endures to the end will be saved. Many people do not persevere to the end, enduring to the end.

Many people think they have already believed in the Lord, believed in Jesus, and can go to heaven after believing in Jesus. But when they die, they fall into hell. Who can they reason with then? Because they did not hold on to their initial faith to the end. Today, brothers and sisters, begin to persevere, persevere, and keep persevering... You will have the image of Jacob, the image of Joseph, the image of David, and the image of Jesus Christ. So perseverance to the end is key.

Do Not Be Deceived, Reject Living a Small Life

Man's greatest enemy is a small-farmer mentality, living a small life. The devil's most powerful trick is to make people live a mundane life. I don't want to swear, but I think that was the last time I officiated a wedding for someone. If you want someone to officiate your wedding in the future, don't look for me. I don't want to officiate your wedding. You can find whoever you want.

Why is man's greatest enemy living a small life? Because when people live a small life, they forsake God. Of the weddings I have officiated in the past, only Alpha and Omega remain today. The first couple stayed with us, and the last couple was very simple. Living a small life is a very simple thing, just pursuing marital bliss, you love me and I love you.

What vision? What dreams? Eating, drinking, playing, and traveling together, isn't this the will of God? Isn't marital love the will of God? I was choked and speechless. That is the will of God, but what's the problem? Living a small life will cause people to perish. So people gradually evolve to the point where they find a church downstairs from their home or near their home. Why? Because it's convenient. They believe because it's convenient. If it's inconvenient, it's too much trouble, so they won't believe.

So the biggest enemy, you know, is when people start living a small life, with marital bliss. You say they don't go to church, but they do sometimes. You say they don't serve, but they do a little bit occasionally. If you say they don't, they still do a bit, but basically it's to satisfy their inner comfort. They feel that they still believe in the Lord, and it's pretty good. But if God asks you to give up your life, to give up your family, would you still want to? Probably not.

So a person gradually loses their dreams, gradually loses their vision, and gradually becomes un-destined. Just like Lot, step by step approaching Sodom, and finally entering the city of Sodom. Isn't life still going on? I think the problem is: Actually, Lot is a bit wronged; the key is really in Lot's wife.

Persevere in Faith, Reject the Temptation of a Small Life

Lot's wife is a very worldly person; she just wants to live a good life. If you want to live a good life, what's the problem? There's no problem with living a good life, but people lose their vision, lose their destiny, can't see clearly, and don't care much about life and death, or where they will go in the future. These are not issues they consider at all; perhaps they will get a little self-comfort.

Brothers and sisters, I think the Israelites in the wilderness did not dare to enter the Promised Land. On the one hand, it was because they did not believe; on the other hand, and most importantly, it was because they wanted to live a small life, wanting to preserve their own lives, but ended up losing their lives. In the forty years in the wilderness, that generation of Israelites all died in the wilderness. They wanted to live a good life their whole lives, but they never lived a good life, becoming the most tragic story of that era.

The Israelites had personally seen God's actions, but when compared to living a small life, they felt that living a small life was more important, and everything else was not important. What vision? What dreams? What about Jacob's character? What about all these things? They forgot everything, only remembering one thing: how should I live my life?

Conclusion: Hold Firm to the Initial Faith to the End

So brothers and sisters, after reading this passage today, I want to make a conclusion: There is nothing in this world that can guarantee you, the only thing that can guarantee you will obtain the Promised Land is to persevere to the end with what you believe in, with the hope you hold on to, persevere to the end.

So from today onwards, understand that the initial faith is a trust in God. I think when the Israelites came out of Egypt, they absolutely had trust in God. The moment you believed in the Lord, you also had absolute trust in God. Hold on to that faith to the end, hold on to that hope to the end, and we will have the character of Jacob.

When we begin to pursue these small lives, being intimate with each other, loving each other, then people will fall into suffering, gaining it but not feeling anything, and losing it but feeling extreme pain. So people will definitely pass through the wilderness road when they come out of Egypt. Passing through the wilderness road is not without problems, there are problems. But God will definitely solve our problems, the problem is whether you believe or not.

Brothers and sisters, begin to tidy up the hope inside, tidy up the faith inside, and continue to strike the devil, the enemy. Thoroughly remove the small-life mentality, thoroughly deal with it. Then I tell you, you will definitely enter into the abundant life that God has promised, Amen!