Foreword

Today, we examine Numbers, Chapter 11. What had the Israelites experienced up to this point? The truth is, they had already witnessed the manifestation of Jehovah's wrath at Mount Sinai, yet they were unable to establish a heart of reverence for God. This generation of Israelites was quite peculiar. In Egypt, they cried out to God, and so God sent Moses to deliver them. They suffered greatly in Egypt, and Moses led them out, a process that was nothing short of remarkable. What did these Israelites witness at that time? They saw things unprecedented and unparalleled, events that were utterly astonishing. Having witnessed so much, how could they still not recognise God? They still felt that God could not resolve their problems, as if God was deliberately trying to finish them off.

God is Filtering Those with Faith

In my past service to God, I frequently encountered people like this. I had met such individuals, experienced God many times, only for them to turn around and say they had never experienced God at all! After experiencing God, they would utter blasphemous words. I was perplexed, wondering how such people could exist. One person had a neck ache, which was healed through my prayer. Three days later, they returned, claiming they had never experienced God.

I reminded them, Three days ago, when you came, your neck was in great pain. I prayed for you, and it was healed. How could you forget so quickly? I haven't forgotten yet! It was your neck that was hurting, not mine. I found it utterly baffling. In truth, we experience God's work countless times in this world, but even so many experiences may not change our inherent notions. In other words, those preconceived notions within us can severely constrain us.

The Israelites offended God at Mount Sinai, and God struck down a large number of them. Later, on the way out of Egypt, He began to discipline them again. At that time, they had only travelled for three days. Would such a march of three days be arduous? Yes, indeed it would be. Walking and walking, across hills and fields for three days, surrounded by desert and wilderness. I ask you, would the sun be scorching during the day? Would the wind be cold at night? Cold indeed! Perhaps there was no proper encampment or rest during those three nights. The scripture says this:

Then the cloud covered the tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. (Exodus 40:34-38)

Because the Bible states in this passage that they would set out when the cloud lifted, and they would encamp when the cloud settled. As a result, after marching relentlessly for three days, some began to complain. So what exactly was God doing? God was filtering out certain people, filtering out those who were unnecessary, the rabble, those who could not endure even a little hardship, those who lacked faith, those who had seen God's mighty deeds yet began to complain after only three days of travel.

What could such people accomplish? In truth, they could accomplish very little! They faltered after only three days of hardship. What kind of people were they? They were essentially people who could not see anything through to the end, capable of only walking for three days at most.

Those Who Covet and Complain Are Struck Down by God

I believe this chapter speaks of two matters, both related to people's mouths. The first is that people were struck down by God for complaining; the second is that people were struck down for gluttony, for eating and eating! God's most wondrous creation is the human mouth, which can speak and also eat.

Eating is a truly miraculous thing. I used to think, How troublesome! The mouth God created is not good at all because it requires eating, which necessitates cooking. One must buy food, plant it in the ground, harvest it, wash it, cut it, and then cook it in a pot. After all that effort, it's consumed in just a few minutes. Let us consider today: You order a lamb shank, pig ears, and a bottle of beer. Think carefully about how many times that beer was handled before it reached you. First, the grains were planted, then brewed, and the resulting beer was filtered and processed. Then it was bottled. By the time it reaches your table, it has undergone a long process. Yet, drinking it is just drinking beer, isn't it? This world is quite interesting!

The human mouth is fascinating. Some people make a profession out of being wine tasters, tasting wine and exclaiming, Ah! Good wine! They earn a living doing this. I find it strange. Why bother? Look at a car. Open the fuel tank, fill it up, and it can run for 500 kilometres. But a person, just standing around doing nothing for a day, will get hungry after six or seven hours. Doing nothing makes one hungry! Isn't that a pain? It really is a pain. A car doesn't consume fuel when it's not running, but a person, even when idle, will complain. There are such people.

I wonder, God! Why didn't you create people with a fuel tank in their pockets, so they could fill it up and run for 500 kilometres? In God's creation, He loves us so much that He wants us to savour delicious food. But this ability to savour delicious food also includes the ability to speak, which was originally a good thing, but has been misused.

The human mouth can utter pleasant words or unpleasant words; it can speak edifying words or complaints that make us grumble. When we examine this closely, it becomes clear that someone who cannot speak properly is truly lacking. That is why our church is trying to train people to speak well. What kind of person can speak well? Someone who speaks edifying words. Some people speak with a sour tone as soon as they open their mouths, and when they are unhappy, their speech becomes harsh and agitated. Who wants to see that? No one does, and neither does God.

If a person cannot speak well, often uttering sour, unpleasant words, and their temper flares up easily, causing them to rage and speak nonsense, that person is not wise. If you have this flaw, heed my advice: Get rid of the habit of speaking negatively, complaining, losing your temper, and cursing. You will become wiser. If you can overcome this flaw, you will be very intelligent. Let's not talk about anything else. Based on your temper tantrums alone, you won't accomplish much.

My parking space requires the installation of a charging station, which is a perfectly reasonable request. I approached the property management office, and they asked me to fill out some forms. I filled out all the required information, but heard nothing back. Could I have lost my temper with them? I could have gone to them and demanded, Who is your leader? What are you doing? Perhaps a big argument would have solved the problem. But I felt I shouldn't do that. I have my own way. I exercised some patience, visiting them once today, once tomorrow, whenever I had time. Eventually, they agreed to let me install it, and the problem was resolved.

So I believe that in some situations, one must speak well. If one speaks without weight or substance, it won't resolve the issue. Today, brothers and sisters, we must understand that God created the human mouth for speaking. But there is a vast difference between speaking well and not speaking well, so everyone must learn to speak. Those who speak well are wise, and those who do things well are wise. If you want to train people to be wise, there are two types of training: First, training in speaking well; second, training in using their hands to do things.

What about the people God created? Adam and Eve, after being created, were in a state of glory, their entire bodies radiating light. How do I know they radiated light? Our Chinese language is quite interesting. Two naked people, Adam and Eve in their original state, did not see each other's shame because their whole bodies were emitting light, in a state of glory.

How can I know this? It's not difficult to understand. Moses was on the mountain with God for forty days and nights, and when he came down, his face shone like a light bulb. If Adam and Eve were illuminated by God and were constantly in His presence, wouldn't they radiate light? But we haven't seen this ourselves, we're just speaking hypothetically. What happened then? Eve saw the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which was both pleasing to the eye and good for food. She thought that eating it would make her wise, so she was deceived by the serpent and ate the fruit.

What happened after eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? The opposite of what she expected. They began to see their nakedness, because the light was gone. They were originally clothed in glory, but now that the glory was gone, they were left naked, and they saw their shame. Then they began to make skirts and clothes out of leaves to wear. Then they began to feel fear, living in fear, and不敢看见神了。This is the result of their transgression related to food. At this point in the story of the Israelites, they craved meat. Craving meat was not the end of it. They asked, Who will give us meat to eat?

We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost us nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna before our eyes. (Numbers 11:5-6)

What kind of people were these? I will tell you what kind of people they were: the rabble among them. I tell you, they were idle and hungry! When someone is idle and hungry, that idleness and hunger are unbearable!

Emerging from Greed

While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. (Numbers 11:33)

Many human ailments stem from what we eat. We must exercise moderation, not be gluttonous. God is not pleased with those who love to eat immoderately. Jehovah and the devil engaged in dialogue, and Jesus said, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. In other words, there is a close relationship between living and eating. The logic of humans is: Man is iron, food is steel; a single meal missed causes hunger. Yet those who frequently fast and pray are healthy. In the past six months, more and more brothers and sisters in our church have been eating only one meal a day. They haven't gone hungry, they haven't lacked anything, and their bodies have become stronger.

In this generation, we don't need to eat three meals a day. Eating when we wake up, then eating again at noon even if we're not hungry, then eating another meal in the afternoon even if we're still not hungry. This kind of eating easily leads to illness. The human mouth needs to be controlled. God created humans to enjoy the goodness of food, but humans misuse this function, not only failing to enjoy the goodness of food but also forfeiting their lives for it.

Do humans live for food? Many people can do without anything else, but they can't do without food. They use their mouths to indulge themselves. Why are they gluttonous? People think that eating will keep them healthy, but gluttony actually leads to more illnesses, such as the three highs: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia. When I was a child, forty or fifty years ago, if we occasionally heard that someone had diabetes, it was like a joke. We thought it was a disease of the wealthy. Today, many people have this disease, and it all stems from eating too much.

The carnal nature of a person can be seen from what they eat and what they say. A carnal person will complain if they walk for only three days, because they are indulging their flesh. If someone is picky about their food, complaining that this is not good and that is not good, that is also fundamentally carnal. Carnal people cannot endure much hardship, they like to be idle, they don't want to go hungry, and they love to eat. These people live to fill their bellies, wanting to work less and eat more.

Therefore, the rabble among them had a strong craving, wanting to eat meat, and this craving forfeited their lives. While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. This cannot be blamed on God, because God had shown them the ten plagues during the Exodus. God showed no mercy to the Egyptians, and He will show no mercy to the Israelites either.

Today, God will show no mercy to you or me. If you are a greedy person, gluttonous and pleasure-seeking, you will forfeit your life because of your eating, drinking, and playing. Either you will contract a serious illness, or God will send down the most severe plague to strike you down. If you cannot control your flesh, your mouth will certainly complain. Brothers and sisters, manage yourselves well. Liking to work is a virtue. The rabble cannot endure idleness and hunger, and they are very picky about food. Manna is actually an excellent food, its taste like fresh oil. Dew would fall on the camp, and the manna would fall with it. After eating it for many days, people wanted to eat meat. It is not eating that ensures our strength does not wane; eating too much will lead to high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. This is the most severe plague, brought on by overeating.

We must emerge from greed, especially in eating. Eating was originally a blessing created by God, but people have made eating their life's destiny, as if living is only for eating, and not eating will lead to death. Such people will forfeit their lives, because those who indulge the flesh do not please God. Indulging the flesh is enmity with God, it is death, and those who indulge the flesh cannot obey God's law. Whether or not to indulge the flesh is our choice.

I have many virtues, and I particularly love to work. When I start working, I forget about my own life, neglecting food and sleep, often serving until midnight and forgetting that I haven't eaten all day, yet my health is better than many others. Don't think that man is iron and food is steel. If man is iron, then God's word is steel. Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Do not disobey God's word, do not complain or grumble; speak edifying words, and begin to release faith in God. Even if you have not experienced God's power and seen God's work among us, you should still begin to fear God.

A young businessman spends all day diligently earning money. I told him that earning money can solve some problems, but it cannot solve sudden disasters. Sudden disasters determine a person's destiny; earning money cannot determine one's destiny. We must fear God, for disasters come from God. Those who indulge the flesh will invite God's judgment, and God will strike them down with the most severe plague. God is a God who loves you, but God cannot love those who indulge the flesh. Those who indulge the flesh are enemies of God. Those who hate God, God will repay them with disasters; those who love God, God will bless them with grace and mercy. God does not tolerate impurity in His eyes.

Numbers is about how there were originally six hundred thousand soldiers. God will strike down those who indulge the flesh; He will strike down those who complain; He will strike them down batch after batch. God is filtering His army. Some people cannot fight, complaining after only three days of walking. The training in the People's Liberation Army is much more rigorous than that. If you cannot endure it, you will be punished. That is the army. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were to enter and possess the land, which originally belonged to them but had been occupied by the Canaanites. This required very difficult training. Living a life of idleness, eating, and laziness is just waiting for disaster to strike.

Fear God, Not Calamity

Fear not external things, but rather the inclination to indulge the flesh. Fear not external things, but rather the lack of destiny, the tendency to complain at the slightest hardship. Some question how we can live such devoted lives to the Lord. But it is precisely through such devotion that we thrive. Those who complain, who indulge the flesh, should not be followed; lest we be struck down with them. I must tell you that today, many non-believers speak words that I find more commendable than those of some Christians.

They observe those who claim to believe, and remark that they cannot believe in our Lord because these believers remain indulgent of the flesh, selfish, and focused on their own appetites. They continue to complain and exhibit many faults, preferring idleness to industry. Such behaviour is untenable.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us not emulate such individuals, lest we be sifted out by God. In this generation, if you harbour a resolve to serve God wholeheartedly, like Joshua and Caleb, dedicating your life to the service of your God above all else, I assure you, you will receive manifold blessings. God will doubly bless each person who overcomes.

What manner of God do we serve? Our God is the One who parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. Our God rained down manna from heaven, sustaining millions of Israelites. Our God desires those who can wield a sword in battle, the 600,000 able-bodied men. Counting the elderly, the weak, and the children, there would have been millions. In the wilderness, they neither planted nor harvested, yet they were fed daily and were satisfied. Is there any question?

Truly, man lives by the word of God. With God, all problems become manageable. Without God, all problems become insurmountable. Without God, how can you prevent calamity? Indulge in fine food and clothing, and calamity may punctuate your life with a comma, turning you into a disabled, chronically ill person. What then? Struggle. Living a life of incontinence, joint pain, and cancer, undergoing treatment after treatment. Is this enjoyable? Not at all.

Renounce Fleshly Indulgence, Become God's Elite Soldiers

Therefore, brothers and sisters, I say to those who believe in God, be certain of this: if you are one who indulges the flesh, you cannot please God. If your heart is set on enjoying the pleasures of this world—fish, meat, leeks, onions, garlic, watermelon—you will succumb to ailments. Recently, during prayers for healing and deliverance, I observed that sometimes, pinching the area where the demon resides would cause the afflicted person intense pain. If a demon inhabits a place, a mere touch elicits cries of agony.

I discovered that pinching that spot often led to swift deliverance. However, some cannot be touched; they must carry their demons. If a mere touch causes them to cry out, if you do not confront this, if you indulge the flesh, will you not attract demons? When a child falls ill with a fever, we might suggest pinching the Dazhui or Hegu points, but if done lightly, what effect will it have? None, because fundamentally, the person indulges the flesh.

Today, I implore all of you with all the strength I can muster: to indulge the flesh is death! If you indulge your child's flesh, your child will die. If you do not wish them to suffer, the best approach is to confront their flesh. Many parents raise their children with indulgence. Observe the result: the children develop numerous ailments. Why? Because they are never disciplined.

Some parents raise their children haphazardly, to the point where both grandmothers cannot manage one child. They bring the child to me, carrying him. A toddler, heavy and refusing to walk, carried all the way. Singapore is hot, yet they carry him. As they hold him before me, his legs kick incessantly. His grandmothers are exhausted. I cannot bear to watch.

A grandmother who indulges the flesh combined with another grandmother who indulges the flesh results in double indulgence. I asked if I could take charge. I took him to the small dark room in the back, turned on the light, let him play and fidget. I corrected him quickly. After that, the child feared me. I handed him back to his grandmothers. Not only did they not need to carry him home, but he also helped carry the gifts I gave them. This is far better, but many cannot accept it.

Another flawed approach is to reason with children. What reason can you impart to a child? A session of discipline with a cane is far more effective. One child cried incessantly before me. I disciplined him. Cry, will you? Don't try tricks with me. After the discipline, the child was well-behaved. I will share the method later; it involves a bit of roughness. But simple and direct methods of discipline work well. He would stop as soon as he heard my footsteps. He knows everything.

If you wish to become a soldier of the Lord, an elite soldier, you must be one who confronts your flesh. Two things to confront are our consumption and our speech. Do not complain about minor discomforts. What others can do, you can do as well. Some time ago, one sister amusingly asked if she could not remain among us if she could not serve those in need until two in the morning. I replied, Then sleep! What happened? She was tormented by demons, and now her financial and health conditions are dire. What is the point? She indulged her flesh, often dining alone in restaurants to pamper herself.

Those who indulge the flesh are more prone to cancer. Why? Because it violates God's principles of creation! Brothers and sisters, we must begin to understand the spiritual world in the realm of the spirit, and the principles that govern it. Understand clearly that it is not the flesh that gives life, but the spirit. The flesh is of no benefit. Eating, drinking, and attempting to improve the body are futile. If you wish to resolve bodily issues, I tell you, spiritual means are far more effective.

I have not seen David die of cancer, nor Moses suffer from dementia in old age. I have not seen Joshua unable to fight in his old age, nor Caleb enter Canaan as a frail and infirm old man. Caleb was a mighty warrior even at eighty, and Joshua could still fight fiercely in Canaan at over a hundred. Moses could still climb mountains at 120. To resolve these issues, we must win in the spirit! If you cannot prevail in the spirit, you can choose indulgence, but you will conclude that indulgence is ineffective.

To this day, I still encounter Christians who pull out packets of powder from their bags, cut them open, and mix them with hot water. I ask, What is this? A nutritious meal. Made of beans and fruits. I tell them to stop. How long have you been taking it? You are still in this wretched state. Those things merely pass through the body, but what comes from the heart defiles a person. Those words corrupt others and themselves.

We are saved by faith, is it not? We live by the word of God. Whatever God says, we do. We do not accept God's word only when it is reasonable. Even if it sounds unreasonable, the result of acting according to it will prove its effectiveness. Even if you disagree with eating and drinking, you must accept that you cannot control disaster. You strive to earn money, but disaster can bring you back to square one. What is the benefit?

God is sifting through His church, building a mighty army of victors. Those who cannot fight, who indulge the flesh, who cannot march, who cannot endure hardship, will be sifted out. They will complain, and their mouths will crave, for they are carnal. They will live and die like beasts. Understand clearly that in that generation, those who indulged the flesh died, and in this generation, they too cannot survive.

I have encountered people with terminal illnesses who desperately want to live. I am the opposite; I yearn to be taken home by God. But God disagrees. If so, I must heed His words, serve Him and this generation well, and be a blessing to many. Is it difficult? Yes! Spiritual warfare is never easy.

Tonight, brothers and sisters, what do we confront? We confront the great fish, the hydra, the sea monsters, the sources of our problems, the old horses. I have found that fasting and prayer are most effective. Fasting and prayer declare to the world that we do not live by food, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. If you have struggled to overcome something, begin to learn fasting and prayer. Do not indulge the flesh.

The other night, at three in the morning, just as I lay down, a sister called me. I answered. What I heard was just someone indulging the flesh. She spends thousands on health supplements each year. Is it any wonder she is ill? As soon as I answered, I scolded her. Do you feel better now? She said she did. What does this sister lack? The training of God's army, the ability to confront fleshly indulgence and bad habits.

Begin to confront your mouth, manage your words. Eat less; you will not die. Your illnesses are mostly self-inflicted through overeating. Begin to live spiritually, fight victorious battles in the spiritual realm. Health supplements cannot solve your health issues; food cannot solve your health issues; meat cannot solve your heart problems. To die with meat still between your teeth, to be struck down—why? Why be an enemy of God?

Tell God that you are ready to confront your flesh completely, to be a victorious soldier! Manage your words and care less about the food you eat. Only care about the word of God, to receive your destiny! Become an elite soldier, a mighty warrior, to strike down demonic enemies and live a glorious life! God is restoring your glorious image, the image you originally possessed like Adam and Eve at creation.

Though we are born sinners, we thank God that Jesus Christ has died for us, been buried for us, risen for us, and opened a path to eternal life. It is a true and living way. By Him, confront your fleshly habits, cling to God's promises, and aspire to be a blessing to many. Emerge from selfishness, from fleshly indulgence, and from complaining. Become a person of great faith. Your problems will be solved!

(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.) Numbers 12:3