Flames of Revival represent the state of thriving while alive. Last Sunday's theme was Breaking the Curse of Poverty. We need to consider, after breaking the curse of poverty, what should we do?

Why should we repent when the kingdom of heaven is near? Because we unknowingly took the wrong path in the past. When a person is poor and suddenly finds a little money, or eats a bowl of noodles, they feel content. In their heart, they believe money is very important to them. However, even if they become very wealthy, if they still think money is the most important thing, they will still not be happy.

A Westerner named Maslow developed the theory of different levels of human needs, from basic needs to security, to material and spiritual needs, and ultimately to the realization of self-worth. God created humans with a clear understanding of how they can live well. He tells people that they must have a Mingding. If you want to live well, then you must pursue a high level of Mingding – the realization of self-worth.

People need Mingding. I rarely hear people talk about Mingding, but in every conversation and sermon, I like to talk about Mingding. Why do I live well? Because I am very clear about what God has told me: I must have a Mingding and emulate Abraham. I have no worries about food and drink, and I have broken free from poverty and disease. I need a purpose for living. Those who dedicate themselves to Mingding live the best lives.

Recently, I have been busy with work, and the fire within me has been suppressed, which is very uncomfortable. Today's topic, Flames of Revival, is to release this fire and live in excitement. This is what makes life wonderful.

The Bible records that Peter fished but caught nothing, but Jesus told him to steer the boat to a certain place to catch fish. When he discovered that he could indeed catch fish, he knew the power of Jesus, and he made a decision: to follow Jesus. I used to not understand why so many people followed Jesus when He simply said, Come, follow me. It turns out that many people are looking for meaning in life. Peter must have thought, When will fishing ever end? He also longed for a meaningful life. Therefore, he followed Jesus and from then on, caught men like fish.

Catching men like fish is much more exciting than making money! Whenever I live a small life, I suffer and worry; whenever I dedicate myself to God, the fire in my heart is ignited – this is rejecting spiritual poverty. No longer taking making money as our mission, but starting to catch men like fish, giving people hope and mission as our Mingding.

I have a conviction that this group of ours will influence a generation and may even be recorded in church history. People need stories, life needs great stories. Ignite the fire of life's revival to burn and influence this generation. I hope that this flame of revival can ignite the fire in the hearts of every brother and sister, and your life will be wonderful.

I am not trying to fool anyone. I am honestly telling you that you must release the fire within you, otherwise you will feel depressed and suppressed. When I live out the passion of life, my life becomes wonderful.

Come out of spiritual poverty and live an abundant life, catching men like fish like Jesus. When I live a small life, the pressure is very high, but when I am zealous for God, I am very happy. From Peter's story, let us understand the meaning of life, no longer pursuing money and power, but leading people to believe in the Lord and spreading the Gospel of power.

I believe that this small group of ours can bring revival to this generation. I have this hope. Our inner lives are no longer worldly. Ignite the fire of revival within and influence this generation; that is my dream. I also hope that the fires in the hearts of the brothers and sisters will be ignited while preaching! Yesterday, someone who listened to my sermon contacted me. I encouraged him to pray more and release himself, and he suspiciously said, Religious people are all like this. How have you also become like this? But I know that only after people become fervent can they bring about the revival of life.

A fire ignited in the heart brings life and will surely lead to a wonderful life. Abraham's life was very wonderful. Money was not a problem for him. His mission was what he was concerned about. He longed every day to bless others. We must also have such a heart. If we worry about our own lives every day, it is really depressing, but living for the Lord will lead to prosperity. Let us be fervent together.

Peter was such a person, thinking that fishing to make money was meaningless, but that people like Abraham were truly powerful. Why mention Abraham? Those who bless him are blessed, and those who curse him are cursed. People in the world speak very spiritually. What we care about, we invest our lives in, and that is what we will talk about.

If our lives are not wonderful, we need to overcome the past, see worldly problems as small, and see godly things as big, and start to ignite the small flame in our hearts.

2. Scripture

But many of those who had heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. (Acts 4:4)

3. Prayer

Lord, we see Peter catching men like fish, and we desire to do the same. Let the fire in our hearts be ignited. We want to put down the things of life and pursue You, filling our lives with Your wonderful testimonies and stories. Let our lives come out of depression and dullness and live wonderfully! In the name of the Lord, amen.

4. Background

In Acts chapter 1, the apostles were constantly praying on the Mount of Olives until the Holy Spirit came upon them. Before that, Jesus was always with them. After teaching the apostles, Jesus ascended to heaven. Jesus said to them, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” (Acts 1:8-9)

After this, they received the power of the Holy Spirit, and Peter's sermon led three thousand people to believe in the Lord. When I read this, I was also thinking about how to preach a sermon that would lead so many people to believe in the Lord. Not long after this, Peter preached in a place and prayed for a lame man, who was able to walk on the spot.

After this, Acts chapter 3 speaks of preaching again, leading another five thousand people to believe in the Lord. What is this chapter about? It is that these people were walking in Jerusalem, praying, praying, praying, and the fire of the Holy Spirit came down. Then they received power.

Preaching for three or five minutes and having people changed after listening is rare, only one or two. Actually, I read this passage over and over, but I didn't find the key.

Five thousand people believed in the Lord, and then Peter was arrested, but as a result, five thousand people believed in the Lord. This is the whole background. It sounds quite exciting, doesn't it? In the blink of an eye, five thousand people believed in the Lord. Many people study the secrets of church revival, and they hold church growth seminars, all studying this passage. I really like studying this passage; it is so good.

A few years ago, I led a Bible study on the Book of Acts. While studying, I discovered a few secrets, and today I will talk about a few more. The first is that one hundred and twenty disciples were praying fervently there. Many years ago, I longed to have one hundred and twenty elite soldiers. The one hundred and twenty disciples prayed to such an extent that for seven or eight consecutive days, the place was filled with spiritual movement and victory.

What is the reason? It is that there were one hundred and twenty disciples praying in the beginning. Jesus ministered in the world for so many years, and in the end, these one hundred and twenty elite soldiers were left. Then the Holy Spirit descended, followed by the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. Then there was dedication and prayer. After all, how should I put it? The Bible says that God will restore and pour out His Spirit on all flesh.

Young men will see visions, and old men will dream dreams. Today we begin to prepare for battle. We now have restored visions and dreams after being filled with the Holy Spirit.

5. Where is the Key to Revival?

Today I want to say that miracles and wonders will be manifested even more, and the lame walking from birth, miracles and wonders are springing up among us like mushrooms after rain. How Peter explained this event, God will raise up a prophet like Jesus:

Yes, and all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ (Acts 3:24-25)

This is the key to revival: people starting to become like Abraham, people starting to become like Jesus. Some time ago, I had a fire smoldering inside me. Brothers and sisters must begin to revive.

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19)

The blessings we share are the blessings of Jesus, the blessings of Abraham. The flames of revival are to become a blessing to others, not a stumbling block. Start longing to become a blessing to this generation. Abraham was a fervent pursuer of Mingding. People live and live and then die. A life without Mingding goes to hell.

Today we begin to fervently pursue Mingding. Some time ago, I went to a place to share that we should be like Jesus, and they said there was no problem. Our lives must illuminate this generation and become a blessing to others. God will pour into your lap, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. Your vessel must also be large enough. If your vessel leaks, it won't work either. A vessel that carries Mingding.

6. Key to Revival One: The Fire of Revival Starts with Mingding

If you don’t even understand the matter of living, what should you do? Living must have a dream. If your dream is money and material things, this is not according to God's heart. God wants us to catch men like fish. If you see through it, that living is meaningless, we can enter from a vain life into a meaningful life. So brothers and sisters, begin to restore the visions and dreams inside, and let our lives be rekindled. Our hope is no longer that our finances will be turned around, or our families. Our vision is to long to become a blessing to this generation. I wish all our brothers and sisters knew that our church is a church with a Mingding.

When you are busy all day long, don't say that there is demonic control. Even people without demonic control will enter into control. The things we struggled with in the beginning are meaningless. Start longing to emulate Abraham.

7. Key to Revival Two: Fervently Pursue Being Like Jesus

There are many stories about Jesus Christ. If you long to be like Jesus, it is not difficult. Fervently pursue being like Jesus. Many people add me online and say these words right away. I am very gratified. We must pursue being like Jesus and live fervently in this world. How I long that, because of my faith, miracles can be manifested. Do brothers and sisters know? Performing miracles is like Jesus. I wish all brothers and sisters would build God's glorious church to manifest God's miracles. Let us know Jesus not by wise and persuasive words, but by the testimony of the Holy Spirit's power. We must restore our fervent desire to emulate Jesus. How did Peter speak when pursuing being like Jesus?

Master, You are the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them, and it is You who said by the Holy Spirit, through our father David Your servant, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples devise futile things? ‘The kings of the Earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.’ For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to occur. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:24-31)

Emulating Jesus is in accordance with the Bible. If everyone in this generation thirsted to be like Jesus, then this generation cannot but be blessed.

In my own view, China's strength has God's will. Today, we are Chinese on this land, and we must bless this land of China. I once went to a church of Wenzhou people, and the song they sang was called Flames of Revival. What a wonderful promise this is. What this generation needs is people like Jesus. It can set people free from control, turn dregs into talent, and turn talent into people like Jesus. Our lives begin to burn like a fire in the world.

8. Key to Revival Three: Restore a Lot of Prayer

The fire of revival must restore a lot of prayer so that the Holy Spirit can pour down more. In the book of Acts the fervent prayer of 120 disciples is essential, even today for as many people who are believers, let us maintain as what happened on the day of Pentecost as we pray to bless China and to become a blessing to all the nations on this earth and to the people as we begin to pray let the fire within us be released!

There is a hidden power inside you. If this power does not become a blessing to the world, it will become corruption. This is human nature. Therefore, release the fire inside you, release the strength inside you, and we will receive power to perform miracles, heal and deliver, and become a blessing to many people. Then, such people will not be poor, will not be controlled by disease.

Today, there are still many people living in a state of being paycheck to paycheck and having no property. Today, we must begin to rely on God to solve these problems, if you believe that the Heavenly Father is rich.

9. Conclusion: Ignite the Fire Within Our Hearts

The fire of revival is ignited from within us, and you will become a blessing to those around you, blessing the lives of others.