【Original Audio Bible Study Recording - Mandarin - Theme: You Will Cause These People to Inherit the Promised Land - Shared on June 12, 2019】

Grasping the Theme When Reading the Bible

When we read the Bible, grasping the theme is of utmost importance. I have a habit of leading everyone to find the most important theme, which is a method of thinking. If you can master this method, no matter what version of the Bible you read, or what deviations there may be, you should not stray too far from the topic. So, what is the theme? It is the central idea that can run through the entire chapter.

Suppose we define the theme of this chapter as, Be careful to obey all the words of God, and your way will prosper, and you will have good success. Then, how do we string together the other words? It is actually a bit difficult. There can be many options for the title of this chapter, but not every option can connect all the words. I tried a few titles for this chapter, and after trying them, I found that this title is more appropriate: You Will Cause These People to Inherit the Promised Land. The promised land is the land promised by God to their ancestors.

If we use this theme to connect, firstly, this land is promised by God. If Joshua wants to bring the Israelites to the promised land, he needs to have a strong and courageous character, because he will cause these people to inherit that land. This is actually Joshua's Mingding Destiny.

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7-9)

Joshua needs to do this, and secondly, he needs to be careful to obey. If he can be careful to obey, his way will prosper in everything, and he will have good success in everything. This connection is quite good.

Later, Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh: You must also cross over; this is my Mingding Destiny, and it is also the Mingding Destiny of your Israelites, until all of us can inherit the land. Then you can return to the east of the Jordan River, the land that God has allocated to you as an inheritance.

And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.” (Joshua 1:16-18)

God not only told Joshua to be strong and courageous, but He also told him through his subordinates, the Israelites, to be strong and courageous. Because Joshua was to cause these people to inherit the promised land, to obtain this promised land, Joshua had to be even more strong and courageous. I think choosing this theme is a very interesting attempt. Of course, you may have better options, but let's try to think about this matter around this theme.

God Calls Those with Mingding Destiny

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. (Joshua 1:1-3)

We need to know one thing: God's promises are faithful. No matter how rebellious the Israelites are, God will choose a person or a group of people to rise up and inherit that land. This person is Joshua. God chose this person, and that is Joshua's Mingding Destiny.

Brothers and sisters, do you know? When I read this sentence, I began to relate it to myself. Aren't we a group of people called and chosen by God? Isn't our Mingding Destiny to allow more people to inherit the promised land? I felt a calling, a calling that God said: Arise, go over this Jordan with all the people, into the land that I am giving to Israel.

I think this is not only written to Joshua, but also to all who are willing to take on the Mingding Destiny and cause God's people to inherit the promised land. Every place where the sole of our foot treads, God has given to us according to His promise.

All who are willing to take on the Mingding Destiny, who can cause God's people to inherit the promised land, can firmly grasp God's promise, and in all the days of their lives, no one will be able to stand before them. As God was with Moses, so He will be with such people as Joshua. He will not leave us or forsake us, so we should be strong and courageous. Because we are a group of people with Mingding Destiny, our Mingding Destiny is to cause the people to inherit the promised land.

I now feel even more deeply about reading the Book of Joshua than I did several years ago. Why? Because I clearly see God in our midst, clearly see many people coming into our midst, and God causes them to experience His miraculous promises. What God does exceeds our requests and thoughts. I think that all who enable God's people to obtain the promised land, in all the days of our lives, no one will be able to stand before us, God will be with us, and we will also be a person who is careful to obey.

So, brothers and sisters, when we read the Bible, we must not read it for others, but we must read it for ourselves. If we are willing to be like Joshua, these promised words are all promised to us, so our way will prosper, and we will have good success.

In All the Days of Your Life, No One Will Be Able to Stand Before You

This is a spiritual word. Why? Because God will surely be with us. Why will God be with us? Because we have a Mingding Destiny from God. If we take on a Mingding Destiny that comes from God, how can God not be with us? If God is with us, who can stand before us? So we should be strong and courageous! This is very straightforward.

In the past period of time, we have fought with the devil round after round, and in each round of battle we have experienced God's presence with us. Some time ago, we almost fell from the state of walking on a tightrope. A colleague who served God with me, she collapsed. She was my colleague, the closest person. She wanted to die. Her whole state looked like a mental illness. All the states were very bad. Whether she had Mingding Destiny or not, anyone who saw this situation would feel very uncomfortable.

At that time, the faith in my heart was also dying. But every time I thought of God being with us, and of the miracles that God had done in us in the past, I thought, I am a person with Mingding Destiny, I must lead the brothers and sisters into the promised land, I must let every brother and sister experience God's promise!

So I began to brew my faith, although my heart was still very heavy and uncomfortable. I discussed with other brothers and sisters how to serve this colleague, while tidying up the dying faith in myself. I served for a day or two, and until the third day, the situation was still very serious, but I firmly believed in my heart that God would be with me, God would surely make me victorious, I believed that this sister could definitely come out of this situation, and I continued to serve with this faith.

I told her: Do you know? We all love you very much. Her reaction was full of uncertainty. I think no matter what kind of person, they all need love very much, but once a person falls into the idea that we only keep her in our team when she feels useful, and we will kick her away when she is useless, she is not sure that we love her.

I tried my best to tell her: It's not like that. We don't serve according to whether people are useful or not. Our Mingding Destiny is to lead people to enter the promised land. It's not because people are good enough, but because Jesus died for us while we were still sinners, and God's love is manifested in this.

In the past few days, perhaps many brothers and sisters have had some misunderstandings, but I would like to share with you during this time that no matter who you are, no matter what your ability is, if you are willing to obtain the promise with us, we will do our best to bring you into the promised land, because this is our Mingding Destiny, not because you are useful, but because you are willing, willing to run forward with us, I will not abandon any of them.

God will not abandon any of us, and I will not abandon any of God's people. God said: I will never leave you nor forsake you. Many times, it is actually people who forsake God, not God who forsakes us. In the Old Testament, God said this: Turn to me, and I will turn to you.

God is the God who controls the universe, and He loves us so much that He actually said in such a humble way: If you turn to me, I will turn to you. I said: God, you are truly a great God. This is really my inner voice. In fact, in the days of serving God in the past, I have made many mistakes, some of which were very outrageous, but God did not crush me. God has abundant mercy and grace.

So I want to pass on God's abundant grace and mercy, to enable God's people to inherit the land with us, not because they have the ability or not, but because they are willing. As long as they are willing, we will inherit the land together, obtain God's promise together, and then constantly pass on this unconditional love from God, freely received, and freely given.

In a short period of time, a miracle happened, and this colleague was released from the lie. I said, God, you are really too wonderful. I think this is God's unconditional love. If we go to the garden of our Heavenly Father's love, if you want to obtain God's great power, then this is that power. I think I have done something that leads brothers and sisters to constantly experience God's promises. If you have experienced God's promises in our midst, it is because of a group of people with Mingding Destiny.

Some people say it well, the key to a person's life is who you know, or who you are with. If you follow Korah, you may already be in the depths of the earth. If you follow Joshua and Caleb, then you are by the side of Joshua and Caleb, entering the promised land together. In my past days of service, I found this sentence to be great:

In all the days of your life, no one shall be able to stand before you. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. (Joshua 1:5-6)

When the whole faith is about to collapse, it is really necessary to be strong and courageous, it is really necessary to have God's presence, it is really necessary to see that no difficulty can stand before us. It turns out that a person with a Mingding Destiny is so powerful! Leading God's people to obtain the promised land, what a glorious Mingding Destiny and calling, and what an exciting thing.

I encourage the brothers and sisters among us, you may have just come to us not long ago, may not be clear about what Mingding Destiny is, may not understand what I am talking about in terms of understanding. But I tell you, the Bible says this: In all the days of your life, no one will be able to stand before you.

Some people say, I really want to be such a person. If you really want to be such a person, you will cause the people to inherit that land. You may ask, am I worthy? It's not whether you are worthy or not, but whether you are willing or not, because there is nothing else mentioned here, only what kind of person you want to be.

God's promises, no matter how many, are Yes in Christ. And so through him also is the Amen spoken to God for our glory. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Stepping forward, bit by bit, I have come to increasingly realise that in the spiritual realm, no demon can stand before me. Later, I discovered that my team members were also continuously gaining this ability; to be strong and courageous is a response of faith.

It was not because Joshua was inherently strong and courageous, but because Moses had died, and Joshua had to take over the burden from Moses. He had to manage millions of Israelites, and he was extremely fearful in his heart: Can I lead them into the Promised Land? Because people fear, worry, and feel uncomfortable, they call upon God. Why did God tell Joshua to be strong and courageous? Because Joshua was not a naturally strong person; because he was weak, God encouraged him to be strong and courageous.

Brothers and sisters, always remember that God's response to us is in response to what we ask Him. If we say to God, God, make me strong and courageous, then you will surely be strong and courageous. This sentence is repeated several times. There is nothing better in the world than being with God. God is with those who have a Mingding Destiny, and because we have a Mingding Destiny, God is with us. Our destiny is to lead brothers and sisters into the Promised Land.

When I am Weak, Then I am Strong

My co-workers are delivered, not because I was originally strong, but because I was weak, and God became my strength. On the day I ministered to my co-worker, I was almost collapsing, lying on the sofa as if I were about to die. I could not wait to leave this world, but I knew that God still had a Mingding Destiny on me. Then I lay down for a few hours, tidied myself up, and stood up again with strength. I said to God, God, I am really weak. Then I remembered Paul's words:

Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

When our sister quickly came out of that state and became more and more free, I understood that it was not because I was strong, but because I was weak, but God was my strength, God was my power. I said, God, I will not lose any of those you have entrusted to me. It was not because Joshua was strong, but because Joshua was weak, so God said, Joshua, be strong and courageous. It was because Joshua was weak that God said again and again:

Be strong and very courageous. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

These words are comforting. God's presence is not something invisible or untouchable. God's presence is clearly visible. You will see one spiritual victory after another, and in battle after battle, the devil is constantly defeated before us, and one captive soul after another is released among us. I think in the days to come, this battle of continuous transformation and liberation will continue to move forward.

The previous period of time was the most difficult for me. Many of the co-workers around me entered into a hidden discernment of good and evil, and one by one they seemed to be on the verge of collapse. But I thank God that God is faithful. After they were released, I saw the whole team more united and stronger than before. Why? Because we are a group of people with a Mingding Destiny.

You say, I don't know what a Destiny is? I will tell you: Your destiny is to enable others to receive God's Promised Land. Why does God allow you to go smoothly wherever you go? Why does God want to be with you? Why does God tell you to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid or discouraged? Why does God say that I will be with you and will never leave you nor forsake you? It's because of Mingding Destiny. This is a very fundamental thing in Chinese Mingding Destiny.

We Live to Build God's Glorious Church

We do not live for our own families, but for God's family, for God's church, for the body of Jesus Christ. We do not live for ourselves, not for our own work, not for our own lives, and not for our own healing. We live to accomplish God's great plan in this generation, and we want to be vessels in God's hands to manifest his glory.

Brothers and sisters, think carefully about why many people do not receive the promises? Why do many people see themselves as Christians, but do not see God's promises fulfilled? Because they have no Destiny. No matter how long you have been a believer, maybe you have just come and you do not know much about God, you are just carrying a lot of problems.

But I tell you, no matter how small or humble you are, you must become a person with a Mingding Destiny. There is no blessing outside of Destiny, and no promise outside of Destiny. This Destiny is to become a person who serves God's people, a person who leads God's people to receive the Promised Land, and a mighty warrior of battle.

You say, but I am weak. In fact, Joshua was also weak, and Jesus was sometimes weak, but whenever we rely on God, we are strong, and our weakness is God's strength. During this period of time, I prayed in tears, and I said: God, who is weak that I am not sad? Who falls that I am not anxious? These are Paul's words in his letters. God helped me, and I finally understood what Paul meant. God's strength is manifested in us who are weak.

When we trust God, we are strong; when we trust God, we trample on the devil and the enemy; when we trust God and no longer rely on our own abilities, we see brothers and sisters released from the hands of the devil.

How fortunate I am to have such a God, who does not rebuke me for my weakness, but manifests his strength because of my weakness, and manifests God's wisdom because of my foolishness. I am becoming less and less reliant on my own abilities, and I feel more and more that trusting in God is such a wonderful thing. To trust God, one must be a rigorous person, and must carefully obey the word of God, and not deviate to the left or right, so that you can be successful wherever you go. The word of God must not depart from your mouth, but you must meditate on it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.

Building God's glorious church requires building according to God's word. I thank God that God has given me a rigorous way of thinking. I constantly read God's word and ponder it, especially the letters of the Apostle Paul. He clearly explained how to build God's church and clearly explained God's salvation. I thank God for giving me a rigorous heart so that I can build step by step according to God's word. Although I have made many mistakes in this process, God is a God full of grace and mercy. He guides me step by step to build his glorious church until I see his glory constantly manifested.

Building God's Glorious Church Requires a Rigorous Attitude

Every brother and sister needs a rigorous attitude and needs to carefully obey the word of God, rigorous in obeying and rigorous in thinking. We still have deviations even when we meditate on God's word day and night, let alone being careless? Can carelessness see God's glory? Know that building God's glorious temple is a heavenly matter. If earthly work cannot be rigorous, how can heavenly work be rigorous? Whether it is Moses, David, or Solomon, they are all rigorous people. Is building God's temple not as dangerous as an atomic bomb?

So we must be rigorous. No matter what kind of Christian you are, you must repent today and be a rigorous person in any case. Have a trembling heart for the word of God and work out this salvation. Everyone wants to prosper in everything, and our paths are full of smoothness. But have we meditated on God's word day and night? Have we carefully obeyed God's word?

Building God's glorious church and leading God's people into the Promised Land is not something that can be done casually. We should implement what God says. If we want to boast, we should boast about what God has done among us.

If you see what God has done in you among us, know that it is not because of you, but because before you, a large group of people paid a heavy price for you. You come among us and receive it easily, but are you willing to have a rigorous heart to receive the word of God?

If you are willing, you will surely receive what God said: No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. Your path can be prosperous, everything will be smooth, and the Lord your God will be with you. This is the promise God has made to all who have a Mingding Destiny and to all who have a burden.

So we need to start thinking about these words: Are you a person with a Mingding Destiny? The word Destiny is spoken the most among us. If Joshua was a person without a Mingding Destiny, would God say this to him? If he was just a person who lived in a perfunctory manner, living for himself, what Destiny? God's kingdom? God's glory? God's people receiving the Promised Land, have nothing to do with him. He just wants to eat well, drink well, and have fun. Would God give him such a promise?

People can muddle through their lives, but sooner or later they will have to pay it back. People can live for God with a Mingding Destiny in their lives, and what is lived out is God's clear presence with us, and we can trample on the devil and the enemy. Do you want God to be with you? Just like being with Moses. If you are willing, you must be a person like Joshua, and you will clearly see God's presence.

These days I am really very grateful to God. A co-worker fell off a ladder while working and sprained his hip. He was in so much pain that he seemed unable to stand up. I grabbed his hip bone and, in the name of Jesus Christ, commanded his hip bone to be completely released. In less than a minute, the whole person completely returned to normal. Why? Because God will be with those who have a Mingding Destiny.

A person with a Mingding Destiny, God will be with you. Is this not your lifelong pursuit? Why don't we be a person with a Mingding Destiny? There is no meaning in swiping Douyin, it can only eliminate God's presence. We do God's work with a rigorous heart and a heart of fear and trembling. How can God not be with us? If God is with us, our God will make God's people glorified, and our God will make the words we speak be fulfilled. What a wonderful thing this is!

Summary

In the past few years, the lives of ordinary people were just one acre of land, two cows, wife and children on a warm bed. They lived like this, but did they live out glory? No. Brothers and sisters who are struggling between Mingding Destiny and their own lives, you only have one answer, which is to obtain Mingding Destiny. Letting go of your own life will not collapse. These words may put some pressure on you, but this is the key to solving our problems.

Without God's presence, there will be the presence of demons, and everything will not be prosperous. But with God's presence, everything will be prosperous. The choice is in our hands, what kind of choice are you going to make? As for me and my co-workers, we will surely enable God's people to inherit the Promised Land. No matter how hard it is, no matter how cruel the battle is, no matter how frequently the devil comes, we will fight once for every time it comes, we do not care. Because God will be with us, paying the price is nothing, because this is our Destiny, and we will pay the price of our lives for this. This is a wonderful choice!

May God bless everyone!

Joshua List