Good day to all, let us delve into the Book of Philippians. I have observed that during our Bible study sessions, many of you have been diligently attempting to identify the central theme of Philippians Chapter 1. Some suggest it is "unity of purpose in advancing the Gospel," while others propose, "whether by life or by death, Christ will be exalted in my body." There have been numerous other attempts as well.

Allow me to reiterate a crucial point: How do we discern the central theme? Identifying the theme is a pivotal key to studying the Scriptures. Without it, your reading may become muddled and confusing. The theme of Philippians is: "That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight."

How to Read the Bible

I wish to elaborate further on how to approach reading the Bible. It is imperative that you do not merely read to the author, but rather, extract what the author intends to convey to us. Was it written for the Philippian Christians? Yes, and it is also written for us. Typically, when someone writes to us, the primary intention is to inform us of what we are to do. If you read a letter filled with trivial chatter, it holds little significance. However, when the Apostle Paul, or our God, imparts a message to us, it is invariably intended for us to act upon the Word we receive. This is the crux of the matter.

I trust that you have been profoundly influenced by this method of Bible study. What, then, does the Apostle Paul intend for us to do in Philippians Chapter 1? "That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight." It is not merely an exhortation or a compliment, but a directive to understand how to act and implement this principle.

In truth, Paul held the brothers and sisters of the Philippian church in deep concern. Why such concern? I tell you, it is because their love lacked sufficient knowledge and insight. A group of individuals could easily deceive them. Indeed, I say to you, Christians are susceptible to deception. They become perplexed by minor issues, and even more so by significant ones. Yet, when a deceiver arrives, they are no longer perplexed, but readily follow the deceiver.

I tell you, this is not merely the Apostle Paul's concern, or his anxieties and worries. It is also the concern of our God. This is why Paul says: For God is my witness, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. Why? Because your discernment is deficient. Poor discernment is the root of many problems.

I believe this theme is a representative expression of how to read the Bible. Do not merely read and conclude, "Oh, Paul is joyful." Paul's joy is irrelevant to you. Or, "Paul is joyful because he has seen through life and death." Paul has seen through life and death, and he is joyful. But where is your discernment?

Often, the thoughts in our minds remain somewhat chaotic. For the past three to four years, our church has been striving to cultivate discernment in everyone. Why? Precisely to prevent the brothers and sisters from being so easily deceived and misled. There have been far too many instances of deception recently. I believe we must understand what the Bible is telling us.

The Background of Philippians

The church in Philippi was the first church established by the Apostle Paul in Europe. As recorded in Acts Chapter 16, Paul did not stay there long, but the people of Philippi were receptive, particularly a woman named Lydia, who sold purple cloth. Do you know what selling purple cloth entails? It means selling high-end fabrics; the most luxurious fabric was purple. What about selling blue cloth? Blue cloth was likely used for the deceased. Purple cloth was for the nobility and aristocracy. Lydia was likely a devout woman.

Upon arriving in Philippi, Paul attended their prayer meeting on the Sabbath and stayed in Lydia's home. It was in Lydia's home that the church was established. This is why Paul says, from the first day until now, you have been united in advancing the Gospel. The people there were remarkable; upon Paul's arrival, they already had a prayer meeting. These individuals were not primarily Jewish, but mostly Roman and Greek. Paul joined their prayer meeting and shared with them. Lydia recognized that Paul truly understood the Gospel. Previously, they believed in the Old Testament, but now they began to believe in Jesus. After believing in Jesus, I believe these individuals received many blessings, just as God has done among us.

Later, the Philippian church supported Paul's various ministries. For example, when Paul was in Corinth, the Philippian church provided him with considerable financial and other support. When Paul was imprisoned, the Philippians sent Epaphroditus to Rome to care for Paul. However, Epaphroditus became ill, severely so, nearly to the point of death.

I tell you, if Paul had seen Epaphroditus truly die, oh my, the anguish in his heart would have been immense. Praise the Lord, there were fervent prayers. Epaphroditus recovered from his near-death state. Thus, Paul sent Epaphroditus back to Philippi to bring comfort to the brothers and sisters there, lest they worry about Epaphroditus.

Paul Empathizes with the Heart of Jesus Christ

Given this background of Philippians, what was Paul's intention? The brothers and sisters in the Philippian church had many confusions in their discernment. Do not think this is merely praising the Philippian church; the praise is merely a prelude. The real substance is that the brothers and sisters in the Philippian church still had many confusions.

Therefore, the third point is that Paul empathizes with the heart of Jesus Christ, longing for the brothers and sisters in the Philippian church. Why empathize with the heart of Jesus Christ? Why long for the brothers and sisters in the Philippian church? Later, Paul even says:

For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. (Philippians 1:23)

I know that departing from this world to be with the Lord is far better, to rest from earthly labors. But for your sake, it seems that if I leave this world, you may not fare well. Do not think that merely because you, the brothers and sisters of the Philippian church, have supported me in this and that, that you are loving. Does your love have knowledge? Does it have sufficient insight? I have felt this before, and it is deeply distressing. When I had a heart attack and nearly died, oh, my heart could not let go, truly could not let go.

I know I am not afraid of death; what do I care about that? Departing from this world to be with the Lord is far better. Fortunately, I survived. Now that I have survived, I will share my heart with the brothers and sisters around me. I am truly concerned that in your current state, you cannot win the battle against the evil one. You are so carnal, so worldly, and your discernment is truly lacking. What can I do? So I tell you, this is how Paul felt.

There are many confusions. Paul was imprisoned for the Gospel, arriving in Rome to have his case judged by the Roman Emperor. He was waiting in line for the verdict. The brothers and sisters in the Philippian church did not know what was happening, what was going on. Then they saw: Oh, Paul is imprisoned. Then various factions emerged, each preaching their own version of the Gospel, creating chaos. Some were causing strife and division. The brothers and sisters in the Philippian church said, "God, Paul, where have you gone?" and they began to feel lost.

So Paul began to say that God is in control. He truly hoped that their love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. This is why we have identified this theme. Some suffer as a result of a curse. Is Paul's suffering a curse or not? Are you confused?

Then strange voices emerged in the Philippian church. Some began to have different ambitions and were unsettled in their hearts, not so firm in the Gospel they believed. What was the problem? The problem was that people did not know that God is in control, that God is truly powerful. God desires people to have love. But if that love is merely the love of a pushover, it is problematic. Therefore, your love must abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. When you have knowledge and insight, when you understand what is happening, you will no longer be afraid. Our God is so powerful, what do you fear? This is a crucial statement made by Paul in the Book of Philippians.

Able to Distinguish Right from Wrong

Some ask: "Teacher, is being able to distinguish right from wrong the same as discerning good and evil?" If you have knowledge and discernment in your love for God, and your insight abounds, then your ability to distinguish right from wrong is not the same as discerning good and evil. What is discerning good and evil? It is not merely distinguishing between right and wrong. Distinguishing right from wrong according to God's standards is correct. Distinguishing according to one's own standards is discerning good and evil. Distinguishing right from wrong according to God's Word and God's standards is normal.

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. (Philippians 1:9-10)

Is this well said? Can we distinguish today? After reading a book by Kazuo Inamori, you become confused. After listening to a few lectures by famous masters, you begin to be deceived. It is strange; sometimes, even after being completely deceived, you are still confused when someone tries to explain it to you, saying, "I think he spoke well." The person spoke well, but what was his purpose? His purpose was to deceive you out of your money. But if you were to sue him, he might return some of it to avoid making the matter public, because what they are doing is not entirely legal.

I believe we should be able to distinguish right from wrong; this is a pain in my heart. Can we truly distinguish? Often, we distinguish unclearly, often mistaking deceivers for good people and setting aside the Word of God. Therefore, being unable to distinguish right from wrong, not distinguishing according to God's standards, is a great tragedy in life.

For example, God says: You cannot love money; you cannot serve both mammon and God. Can you distinguish this now? You love money to the point of being burdened with debt, which is painful to see. Sometimes, I see brothers and sisters indulging their children, indulging their flesh, to the point of ruining them. They are decades old and still sponging off their parents. Is this tiring or not? It is because we cannot distinguish right from wrong, thinking that indulging the flesh is love.

Some say: Is there a problem with loving my child? There is no problem with loving your child, but there is a problem with how you love. That love is not loving your child; it is ruining your child.

Therefore, to be able to distinguish right from wrong, you must learn to distinguish. I have personally witnessed people being deceived, being deceived by the evil one, being led astray by the evil one. Sometimes, people ask: "Teacher, what exactly happened to him? Is there some hidden reason?" I tell you: What hidden reason? People are deceived because of ignorance. People who cannot distinguish right from wrong will be deceived, sooner or later. Therefore, I cry out to you again: Your love must abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. Can you distinguish? If you distinguish according to the worldly system of logic, I do not think you are far from suffering a loss.

Bearing Fruits of Righteousness

Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:11)

What kind of fruit do people bear in their lifetime? We, as brothers and sisters, must really ask ourselves this question. If we bear fruits of sorrow and suffering, without joy, only distress and entanglement, can that be good? The Apostle Paul lived with such joy, even in chains and in prison, even laying down his life for Jesus Christ. Why? Because his understanding was clear; he knew what God's Word said and what the consequences of his actions would be.

So, we must look at the fruit, bearing fruits of righteousness that are pleasing to God and glorify Him. Do our actions bring glory and praise to God? These are the questions we must ask. I see that we still have a long way to go, as many are unaware of their own condition. People live under a curse without realizing it, living in distress and suffering.

There was a sister for whom we had to take a great risk to bless her. For many months, she could not overcome the issue of giving. She lived in entanglement and suffering, without blessings. It's not that the church desperately needs offerings to talk about giving. If the church talks about giving for the sake of your offerings, I don't think that aligns with God's Word. The church doesn't ask brothers and sisters to give because it lacks money, but because we lack God's blessings.

After much questioning, she said, "I have given." But we could tell from the results that it was not true. Later, the relationship gradually improved, but our pastors had to pay a great price to build that relationship, and even then, the offering was meager. Can that bring blessings? That was the most basic offering for believers, not even touching on love, which should abound in knowledge and discernment. Even at the most basic level, on matters of self-blessing, she struggled to pass this test. Isn't that alarming? Her salary was three thousand, and her living expenses were also three thousand, leaving her with nothing each month.

Recently, it became even more interesting. In a first-tier city, her salary was six thousand, but her living expenses were nine thousand, including rent and food. Her mother said, "Child, when your father supported your studies, he gave you one thousand five a month. Now that you're working, we have to give you three thousand a month. We really can't afford it." What kind of logic is that?

Doesn't this world show that people desperately need blessings? This chaotic world is unbearable without God's blessings. I tell you, we must bear fruits of righteousness. We may not be so righteous yet, so let's talk about what blesses you.

I believe that brothers and sisters who know the benefits of giving will never be stingy with their offerings. I must tell you, that's how I started. When I first went to church, I was envious of the testimonies. Half a year later, I wanted to be baptized and become a Christian. Then they gave me lessons, which were more in-depth than theirs. They gave me a very superficial lesson, shared by an old man.

Oh my goodness, I could only save two hundred dollars a month. If I gave more than one hundred as an offering, what would be left? I was so conflicted. I tell you, walking home from church, it wasn't about bearing fruits of righteousness yet, but about wanting to escape poverty. I was so conflicted, it stirred my heart.

Later, I did the math. With two hundred dollars in savings each month, when would I ever become wealthy? I thought, forget it. I still want to walk the path of blessings. The decision in my heart was very powerful. This was also by God's grace. I gave all my savings as an offering!

I tell you, there were others who believed with me. But he didn't give 10%; he gave 5%. What were you going to do with that remaining 5%? I was puzzled. And indeed, he was not blessed, struggling to find a job. Don't suffer losses, do you hear? Bear fruits of righteousness. What are fruits of righteousness? They are fruits of faith.

Later, I tell you, I didn't learn to give from others; it was what I wanted to do myself. Calculate everything before tax and including public funds. If you're in Europe or America with a 40% tax, how much should you give? If this is a worthwhile investment, why not do it? Of course, besides giving, bearing fruits of righteousness also means walking according to God's Word. Giving is just a beginning, merely a start.

You might think I'm talking about pre-tax income because Singapore has low taxes. But I tell you, if you know this is a worthwhile investment, how will you decide?

So, the Philippians had passed the test of giving. Lydia, the seller of purple cloth, who welcomed Paul into her home, had a very close relationship with him. How much did she give? The Bible doesn't record it. But I tell you, the money that supported Paul and his ministry came from brothers and sisters like Lydia who loved God.

Even so, Paul said that your love should abound more and more in knowledge and discernment. Why more and more? Giving is just the starting point. Then what? Then a little more, and a little more, endlessly, more and more. That is bearing fruits of righteousness.

Paul's Circumstances Led to the Advancement of the Gospel

There was confusion: why was Paul arrested despite his service? I ask you a question: did Paul truly believe or not? If he didn't, we might think, "Let's not believe then." But Paul continued to believe in the Gospel despite his circumstances, and he was serious about it. Why? Because his understanding was clear. How did he gain that clarity? We must ponder this.

The Bible records Paul saying in prison:

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. (Philippians 1:12)

Did they really know? If they knew, there would be no need to say it. The Philippians were confused.

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. (Philippians 1:13)

Can you discern the meaning? He was in prison, and the guards watching over that prison were the whole palace guard. What exactly happened? I can create a story, but I can also make a bold assumption. Suppose one of the officers in the palace guard suddenly fell ill and was about to die from a strange disease.

The soldiers said, "That Apostle Paul is amazing." He thought, "Hospitals can't cure him. We have a prisoner in the palace guard who is incredible. Soldiers say that if his handkerchief touches someone, they are healed. I saw it with my own eyes. Boss, my officer, why not give it a try?" So, they brought him to Paul, and God's power was upon Paul. God's power and ability are beyond human imagination. He was healed!

Paul's reputation began to spread throughout the whole palace guard. "That prisoner is extraordinary; he is a divine man!" As a result, one told two, two told ten, and ten told a hundred. Whenever someone in the palace guard fell ill, they would bring them to the prison to see Paul. Paul was running a clinic there. So, that place experienced these things. I ask you, can prisoners be visited casually in prison? No, they can't. But Paul was fine; anyone could visit him.

The whole palace guard became Paul's friends. Can you understand? Paul was sitting in prison, and all the prison guards began to believe in the Lord with Paul. Oh my goodness! This is what it means for the Gospel to advance. He wanted to spread the Gospel to the Romans. Did he? Yes, he did. As a result, many locals, believers and non-believers, came to him by reputation.

So, Paul's chains there were clearly for the sake of Christ. I tell you, chains on the body cannot bind the presence of God in a person. And the presence of God, manifested in a person's body and mind, is even more precious, like shining gold. This is what it means for the Gospel to advance, but the brothers and sisters in the Philippian church were still confused. Paul's understanding was clear.

What did Paul say?

Because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:14-20)

Oh, how well said. I think this kind of suffering is good; this kind of suffering has God's glory. Suffering from cancer has no glory; it all comes from discerning good and evil and loving the world. The price paid by the Apostle Paul, Joseph the son of Jacob, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham was all worthwhile, leading to the advancement of the Gospel. This person is truly amazing. Can't God manage it? God can still manage it.

Remember, in the past, God's Word is established in heaven and will never change. If you preach the wrong gospel, you will be cursed. If you believe in the wrong gospel, you will also be cursed. Return to God and let our love abound more and more in knowledge and discernment. Don't be stubborn or obstinate. If you want to be stubborn, be stubborn in God's Word. This is Paul, who cannot be stopped by God's presence wherever he goes.

Seeing Through Life and Death

It is truly a tragedy if a believer cannot see through life and death and lives only for the sake of this physical body. Have you seen dead people? How many dead people have you seen? If you haven't, go to the crematorium and see; there are people there every day, queuing up all the time. Then you watch as people hold portraits and beat drums, and then they burn the body, and a handful of ashes comes out. Anyway, they don't let people watch now, and it's hard to tell which handful of ashes is which. What's the point? Every time I see a handful of ashes coming out of the crematorium, I see the person, after they die, put in a freezer and then taken out for a farewell ceremony.

Singapore is amazing. In Singapore, the farewell ceremony lasts for three days, with the body lying there, and a tent set up downstairs. You can go and see it every day for several days. After you've seen it, isn't it sobering? This person who is lying in the coffin, when they were alive, argued with people until their last breath. They were still argumentative even when they couldn't argue anymore. Their life was full of toil and trouble, striving for something meaningless, and in the end, they had nothing, empty-handed.

Paul saw through life and death. I must earnestly advise everyone, if you do not see through life and death, it is a tragedy, it is difficult to have joy. I tell everyone, if a person lives joyfully throughout their life, then you have a joyful life. But there are few joyful people. Especially those who recite difficult scriptures. Every family has its own difficult scripture to recite. Recite, recite. Insisting on fixing things, exhausting themselves, and not properly believing in the Lord. If people do not properly believe in the Lord, joy is stolen by demons. What remains is sorrow and worry. Look at those faces that are ugly, like bitter gourds. What is the reason? They cannot see through.
Brothers and sisters, if you truly see through life and death, you will definitely be very joyful. This matter, we cannot manage, we hand it over to God. That matter, we cannot manage, we also hand it over to God. What we can manage, we manage well. What we cannot manage, how can we manage it? Have you seen through it? This must be your love abounding more and more in knowledge and all discernment, you must compare it with the word of God.
This life is nothing but being deceived, a lifetime of debt. It is a lifetime of debt. Do you say it is hard? It is hard, how can it not be hard? In a person's life, I once shared with someone that there are two things that are very upsetting. First, lacking money. Second, being sick. It is better to have nothing than to have no money, it is better to have anything than to have a disease. But how can this goal be achieved? Everyone, tell me, does what you say count? What you say does not count. "It is better to have anything than to have a disease, it is better to have nothing than to have no money." But what people say does not count. If you look closely, what people say does not count. When sickness comes, can you control it? What you say does not count.
So the question arises. What kind of person can achieve this? I tell you, those who trust in God. If you are filled with the fruit of righteousness, you can distinguish between right and wrong, a person will be deceived less in their life, not even once, neither deceived by people nor deceived by demons.
A person's life, being deceived once is like going back to square one, depending on how big the stakes are. If the stakes are one million, your house is gone. If the stakes are ten million, you are completely impoverished and become blacklisted. Being able to distinguish between right and wrong. If a person is deceived twice, they return to the complete emptiness and chaos before creation. If they are deceived three times, they might as well go to, let's not say the eighteenth level, at least five or six levels of hell. If they are constantly deceived throughout their life, how foolish must they be?
So, in my heart, I have been a little worried recently. When can I make my brothers and sisters smarter? If you become smarter and run to another church, I am also happy. At least you will not be deceived. How can you not take the bait? Like a fish swimming well in the water, once it bites the hook, it is caught. If you live in this world and bite the hook of a demon once, you are caught, and then where do you go to reason? It is difficult to be deceived if you see through life and death. It is difficult to be deceived if you see through this little thing called living.
Therefore, in my heart, there is a deep hope. I hope that everyone will abound more and more in understanding, in knowledge, and in all discernment. See through, that living is nothing but vanity of vanities, living and living and then dying, and finally just a handful of ashes. So what are we entangled in? Can we be a little happier, do not be depressed. Some people say: I want to die, I want to die. I think, if you have the heart to die, do you not have the heart to live? Would it not be over if you lived with the faith to die when you die? Do not jump off a building, see through life and death.
**(According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what shall I choose? I do not know. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy of faith, (Philippians 1:20-25)**
I especially feel Paul's concern in his heart. I often say a sentence for everyone to hear, do not pick on me. I say: What kind of brain is this? I often say this, it makes me very anxious. So we must see through life and death!
## For your progress and joy of faith
If you believe in the true doctrine, you will definitely have joy. I tell everyone, use joy to measure, and you will never make a mistake. If a person progresses in the doctrine they believe in throughout their life, they will definitely have joy. Why? You will not be deceived. You see, this is how it is, that is how it is. For your progress and joy of faith. After repeatedly reciting this sentence, I always feel that it has been explained very clearly. What else can I say? I ask you, is the doctrine you believe in a doctrine of lying flat? No. The doctrine you believe in is constantly progressing in understanding and knowledge. If a person has no knowledge, what should they do? It is very difficult.
I can truly boast before my brothers and sisters, I am very joyful. You say: Why are you very joyful? I do not lack financially. How do I not lack financially? I will tell everyone: I decorated my own house myself. Others would spend one hundred thousand dollars, but I did it for ten thousand dollars. Would I lack money? I would not lack money. How many years would you have to save that ninety thousand dollars? Many years, it is not a joke.
I treat my own illnesses myself. I have God, I pray and I am healed. I can recover from near-death experiences. And I am not afraid of death. Some people say: Why do you not go to the hospital? What would I do at the hospital? I can handle the illnesses that the hospital can handle. I can also handle the illnesses that the hospital cannot handle. What would I do at the hospital? I can cure my mother's Alzheimer's disease. I can cure my mother's paralyzed waist. You say I am infinitely good!
If you do not have my ability, how much money would you have to spend? Hiring a caregiver, and then doing this, doing that, doing a bunch of things. Oh my goodness! I can even cure Alzheimer's disease. The key is that it does not cost money. None of the brothers and sisters in my family dare to argue with me. Hey, why do you not take Mom to the hospital? If you want to take her, you take her. If you want to spend money, you spend it. Everyone shuts up. Dare they ask? They dare not ask.
So this must be for your progress and joy of faith. I treat my own illnesses, I write my own software, I learn things myself, and I do not pay tuition. Unlike some brothers and sisters who learn things, they have to give people tens of thousands of dollars to learn. Problems that can be solved with money are not problems, but I solve problems without spending money. And I can also train people. I explain it clearly. Awesome! How joyful! Without that understanding, how can you have joy!
In the doctrine you believe in, you know nothing. Besides not knowing, you still know nothing. Where is the doctrine? There is no doctrine. And then you cannot understand, and you cannot see through life and death. And then when you get sick, you have to spend money to fix it, and you cannot fix it and you suffer. A tube is inserted, and then in the end it is very tragic, staring with your eyes and taking your last breath. What is the point of doing this?
When you all come among us, the best love I can give you, the best grace I can give you, is to encourage everyone to progress and have joy in the doctrine you believe in. Then people will constantly abound more and more in knowledge. If you say you open a Taobao store, can you abound more and more in knowledge, do not let the store go bankrupt. There are many people who go bankrupt.
Do not envy my ability at the beginning. My ability comes from God, from the word of God. If you want to follow, follow the word of God. In all the books of the Bible, you must understand Ecclesiastes. Vanity of vanities. And then if you understand Ecclesiastes, you understand Genesis. Recently, there was a couple in the United States. After listening to my first, second, and third chapters of Genesis, they said: Oh, it is so good! It is truly a treasure!
If you can understand all fifteen chapters of Genesis, and have the vanity of vanities of Ecclesiastes, and have the Mingding Doctrine of Genesis. Knowing why you live, and then constantly progressing in the true doctrine, this is the foundation. And then constantly being clear in understanding. Unlike that couple who said to me, oh, we have been in the evangelical church for so many years, listening to those Bible teachings. I also admire them, I said: You can persist in that place for so long, seeming to understand and seeming not to understand. You are very amazing to be able to persist for more than ten or twenty years. They also feel very amazing. But now they are progressing and having joy in the true doctrine.
## This is a spiritual battle
When you begin to understand, you realize that the spiritual realm is too real. When you are still an infant, God protects you, but you cannot always be an infant. Do you understand? You must constantly progress in the true doctrine. And then your love must abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment. When you grow up, you must take up spiritual weapons and begin to fight this spiritual battle.
The devil is too bad, so everyone should not think: Oh, it is so good that I believe in the Lord, oh, there is so much grace. That is just the beginning, that is the grace God gives you. Next, you must constantly deal with the very evil things within you, the things of the flesh, the things of the world.
As you grow, God will require you according to the requirements of a three-year-old, running errands. As you grow to seven years old, you will be required according to the requirements of going to elementary school. Some people say: Oh God, can you not do this? I just think it is so cute to be a little baby. You think it is cute, but God does not think it is cute. It would be scary if you only grew in age and did not grow in anything else. Short legs, big head. Would that not be a problem? Growing up into a giant infant, knowing nothing.
**(Which is evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. (Philippians 1:28-30)**
That is how it is, a person who cannot fight does not count. Those who could not fight in Numbers did not count. Today, we must thirst to become people who fight. I tell everyone, fighting is so good. Capturing territory, taking back what the devil has stolen. It all belongs to us. We are all fighters, capturing these demonic enemies. These demonic enemies have plundered many people's money. You have also snatched it back from the hands of the devil. How can you be poor?
Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment, and then put on the whole armor of God. Oh my goodness! It is so abundant. God will prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies, and hold a celebration for us. This is so good! How can people not have joy?
Philippians is not talking about joy. Without knowledge and all discernment, can you have joy? If someone says something to you, you freak out. If someone retorts to you, you cannot handle it and you collapse. How can you have joy? Without discernment, without knowledge, without love, and without true doctrine. Do you want to live a joyful life? When we conclude that it is a joyful life, how good is that! Without wisdom, you cannot have joy, without knowledge, you cannot have joy.
Everyone, put in some effort to deal with the laziness within ourselves. After dealing with our laziness, begin to constantly progress in knowledge, love, and all discernment. This is joy! How happy.
God! May you do wonderful work in our brothers and sisters. Raise us up, equip us. Let each of our brothers and sisters be able to become a mighty warrior, be able to plunder the enemy, and be able to live out the glorious image of God in this world. Amen! I saw many brothers and sisters saying amen. This is amen!
May God bless everyone!