Introduction

Today's sharing is titled: Those who truly worship the Father will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Recently, someone told me that I am an innovative person. Indeed, I enjoy doing carpentry and engineering. When I renovate my house, I consider how to install geothermal heating. I buy various components for experiments, and the results are excellent. The second comment they made was, Usually, an innovative person is out of touch with reality, but you are both innovative and down-to-earth. That's the assessment others have given me, lest I be accused of boasting.

Honesty means doing things conscientiously. Engineers have their engineering faith, philosophers have their philosophical faith, and there are differences between those who study arts and sciences. For engineers, only what can be produced counts. One of the characteristics of my preaching is that it is down-to-earth.

Last night, I was chatting with a sister who is a PhD. She once stumbled upon our website and started listening from morning till night. She said, Your sermons are very down-to-earth. Before I encountered your preaching, I had thousands of questions, but as I listened, the questions disappeared. Then, she also shared the sermons with her daughter, who also enjoyed listening. This is the evaluation people have given me, and I deeply know what kind of person I am. Don't be phony, for phoniness cannot last. If you become phony for too long, and it becomes a way of life, it's troublesome.

Our communion with God is futile if it is not grounded in reality. There are Christians who are suspended in mid-air in this world. I want to be a Christian who stands on the ground. Many Christians are not real; they don't know that our God is the God of the living, who cares about our lives on earth. They always say, Die and go to heaven, be saved by grace. Why do those who worship the Father worship Him in spirit and in truth?

I ministered to a sister with mental illness, casting out demons for three months. The demon said, Why is this person so difficult to deal with? One day, the demon started talking, and I thought of a trick. I told her, I will say a sentence, and you repeat after me. The spirit within her was a spirit of nitpicking. When I started to lead her in prayer to strike at this evil spirit, the sister became unable to speak. When I started leading her to say, Thank you, Lord, praise the Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, I invite the Holy Spirit to fill me, she was fine.

When I asked her to rebuke the spirit of nitpicking in the name of Jesus, my thoughts and intentions were transparent to the demon. The demon knew what I was thinking. How dare you be fake? God knows, and the demons know. We must be genuine people, especially those who cast out demons. A genuine person is contagious. I am very clear that as a preacher, I must be a genuine preacher. A preacher is one who preaches the word of life. Only if you have the word of life can you pass it on. People full of religious pretense like to wear large robes and walk around glittering in gold. If I found a tailor to embroider gold edges on my clothes and walk slowly, saying nice things, I could do it in five minutes, but it's useless.

Be a Truthful Preacher

To the brothers and sisters who come to me, I always tell the truth. Only the truth can truly hit your sore spots and help you grow. Preachers are meant to edify people and help them grow. What's the point if they can't grow?

Once, the mother of one of our brothers came to me. She said, Thank you, you've worked hard. Northeasterners are very good at talking. Her son came over and said to me, Don't listen to what my mother says; few of her words are true. I know, I am a Northeasterner, how could I not know? She is also a Christian, but she likes to be phony. I grew up in that kind of family. Of the ten sentences my mother says, no one knows which are true and which are false.

I have summarized this preaching profession: preachers must not only know not to be phony themselves, but also know when others are being phony with you. Preaching is a high-risk profession. Serving God, God is a spirit, and so are demons, so you must be a sincere preacher. The hypocrisy of the Pharisees is deadly. When I see someone with cancer, I will say it is a curse, but a preacher will say it is a blessing in disguise. Those who fear God learn to tell the truth. It is difficult to be a sincere preacher.

Recently, I have been pondering a serious question: Why are the people in Genesis so real and full of flesh and blood? Abraham's wife was taken away, and he did nothing about it, and nothing happened to him. God did not criticize him. I am gradually beginning to understand that the people in Genesis are all human, with flesh and blood.

Returning to the New Testament, I found that Paul was sincere in his actions, but when Peter was being phony, he rebuked him. Paul did business, supporting himself and his co-workers with his own hands. The Gentile churches were the churches that Paul established, and the Jerusalem church was poor and needed a lot of money, and Paul also supported them. Later, I discovered that those full of religious pretense are deadly. Paul was full of flesh and blood and very sincere.

I want to be a preacher like Paul. The brothers and sisters among us must continue to remove religious pretense, be real people, be real Christians, work with a sincere heart, and be people who are beneficial to society. Don't just talk about vanity of vanities. Let's start learning to do practical things. Our core value is to emulate Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul. We develop software, publish books, train people, etc. We integrate faith with work, we create value, and we live very sincerely. Being full of religious pretense is terrifying. Peter was being phony and lived by prayer and preaching. He gradually became very fearful, lacking the ability to make a living, and even fearing the congregation.

What we are doing today is designing houses, kitchens, and cabinets. I enjoy the carpentry trade. Yesterday, I was drawing on the whiteboard, figuring out how to make cabinets. It is better to be able to do than to be able to say. I study the Bible and seriously consider: What kind of preacher does God really want? Jesus said, Those who worship the Father will worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Scripture

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” (John 4:23-26)

Prayer

Lord, today, let us all have a sincere heart, let us come before you in spirit and in truth, without wearing fake masks; Lord Jesus, today, do wondrous works in our lives; Lord Jesus, you died for us, you rose for us, you gave us the power of the Holy Spirit to deal with our weaknesses and mortify the evil habits of the flesh; Lord Jesus, today, we come before you and worship you with a sincere heart; Lord Jesus, today, come and be our Lord, take control of our lives, deal with our bad habits, let us become more and more like you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Scripture Background

The background of this passage is very interesting. Jesus was passing through Samaria from Judea on his way back to Galilee. Jews would not take the road through Samaria. Jesus was a Jew, and when Jesus came into the world, incarnate in our midst, he intentionally passed through Samaria and encountered a woman drawing water. When this woman was drawing water, Jesus asked her for a drink, and the Samaritan woman thought to herself, You are a Jew, how can you ask me for a drink? The Samaritans knew that the Jews did not associate with them. Jesus replied:

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” (John 4:10-26)

We Must Truthfully Face Ourselves

This woman was a promiscuous woman. If the Pharisees encountered a promiscuous person, their reaction would be very negative. But Jesus knew in advance that this was a promiscuous woman. But Jesus didn't care about the woman's problem. In fact, Jesus passed through Samaria to minister to this woman. Because this woman was a real person. Let's think about it, are we real people? If you are not a real person, it is difficult for God to minister to you. If you are a real person, even worse than this woman, God will minister to us.

This kind of person is a promiscuous person, but what she is thinking about is the issue of worshiping God. Our God really doesn't care about your current situation, nor does God really care about your past situation. What God cares about is your truthfulness. So we must not rationalize our own errors. The words Jesus spoke to this promiscuous woman were unpleasant, but she did not explain herself. In fact, this woman was living a very hard life, and she wanted to be set free. The woman didn't necessarily like this kind of life, in such a life, no one could look up to her. In a place like Samaria, many people looked down on her. But she did not rationalize her own errors, nor did she cover them up with lies. She even went into the village to call everyone to come and see the prophet. She is a very real person.

God really wants to solve your problems. Our God is a spirit, and God can only solve those who truthfully face themselves. If you truthfully face yourself and know what kind of situation you are in, God can set you free. When you truthfully face yourself, you will long to seek and long to explore. Just as this woman solved her problems by longing to know God. There was a deep longing in her heart, she was deeply controlled by carnal things, unable to resist, and she wanted to get out of this control. Jesus came here to the well to release this woman from bondage.

Have a Proper Understanding of Yourself

When a person genuinely desires to resolve their own issues, God is already there waiting. You need to have a true sense of yourself. Is your self-perception balanced? Are we viewing ourselves in a truthful manner? I often encounter brothers and sisters who have a very high opinion of themselves, unaware of how others perceive them. If their self-assessment is genuine, rather than deceiving themselves with a lie, they won't end up living in a state of self-deception. Some people don't see themselves in a balanced way and are unwilling to address their problems.

For brothers and sisters to find liberation, there is only one path: to honestly face themselves. People shouldn't assume they are fine and have no issues. In reality, a person's state of being is evident through their life. Their life reveals everything in their spirit. If you can grasp this, learn to face God with openness, face yourself truthfully, and have a proper and objective understanding of yourself. The reason people are demon-possessed is that they have filled themselves with too many lies from the devil.

This woman was very clear about who she was, and Jesus knew who she was as well. Our God is a Spirit; we cannot deceive Him. It is best to say, God, how do you see me? and then compare ourselves with the words of the Bible. Don't be complacent; complacency hinders progress. Many brothers and sisters have become complacent, having been believers for many years and should have been raised up long ago to become mighty warriors. After becoming complacent, they still have a high opinion of themselves. They are a mess in ministry, healing, and deliverance, and equally inept at turning their families around. Many things are not good, yet they have an inflated sense of self. How can God help such people? God cannot help you. If you know your place, your state, and know God's expectations and requirements for you, you will find yourself deeply desiring the living water, deeply yearning to know Him, deeply wishing to be more like Him, and to manifest His glory.

Break Free from Playing Pretend

Let us ask ourselves, how much do we resemble Jesus, and which of our actions are like Jesus'? Our God is a Spirit, and He knows everything. If you deceive yourself and deceive God, you cannot move forward. One of my disciples went to a friend's birthday party and returned after 3 a.m. However, he found it difficult to explain and wanted to cover it up with a lie. Our God is a Spirit; how could He not know? Our God is capable, and it's okay if we don't do well; you are much better than the adulterous woman.

God has the ability to solve your problems, so what are you afraid of? Our God is our Heavenly Father, and He loves us very much. Our God became Jesus Christ and came into this world, died for us, was buried for us, resurrected for us, and gave us the promised Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is poured out, we have power. We transform from being powerless and unstrengthened to being powerful and strengthened. In the past, we dared not face ourselves truthfully and dared not admit who we were. God is a Spirit, and He is our Heavenly Father; what could be better than this? We must break free from playing pretend before God. Our God wants to bring us out of weakness, to make us a prosperous people, and to make us people who manifest God's glory.

Yesterday, I ministered to an entrepreneur who frequently suffered from insomnia, and he had a rich background. I knew that my God is full of compassion and love, so I boldly led him in prayer. I wasn't there to judge his past, but I hoped that he would experience God and know God. I taught him that our God is full of grace and mercy. I taught him the simplest prayer: Holy Spirit, fill me, Hallelujah. Actually, many of this entrepreneur's family members are Christians, but who really cares about his insomnia? Who can introduce this mighty God to him and save him from his insomnia? But I know that my God will surely heal him, even if he does nothing, as long as he has a heart that longs for God.

Our God releases us from captivity and sets the oppressed free; this is our God. Religiousness kills people, and performance-based systems often kill people. A performance-based system makes performance the foundation. In fact, it is not; faith is the foundation, and faith and works are not on the same level, not at the same height. Many people say that faith without works is dead, but many of the people I minister to receive healing without any works. They are like the Samaritan woman; they have not changed any of their actions, but they have a heart that allows God to solve their problems.

If we are religious preachers, we will hinder people from knowing God. This woman knew Jesus and did not encounter the Pharisees, so her life experienced a great transformation. The Spirit of God entered into her and released her from her distress. The living water of life entered her life, and she was liberated from her promiscuity. If she had encountered the Pharisees, she would have been condemned to a greater extent. We must come before God with boldness and say, You are my Abba Father, God, save me from this body of death!

My ministry is commendable in the eyes of the Pharisees. Many have been expelled from the church for promiscuity, but I released them from the spirit of promiscuity. This is facing oneself; we are all sinners. My ministry is down-to-earth, to set the captives free and to set the oppressed free, because our God is a Spirit and is all-powerful, a Heavenly Father who saves us from the sea of suffering.

We come out of performance-based systems and worship in spirit and truth. Today, if you are an honest woman, you know you need God and need living water, then be strong and courageous. God is looking for such people, those who don't need to wear a mask. Everyone needs God; no one can overcome the devil and the enemy on their own. By God's grace and mercy, we worship in spirit and truth. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had no religious flavor; they were sincere in their words and deeds.

In the Jerusalem church, Peter and the 120 disciples preached, filled with the Holy Spirit, and 3,000 people believed at once. At first, it seemed like a good thing, but later I saw that the Jerusalem church had failed. Everyone sold their property and gave it to the church, and they came to the church to eat and drink, but problems arose. I found that this was not the case with Abraham, because the Lord Jesus was coming soon, and it was not okay not to do anything. Later, I discovered that this kind of church was not working. When Peter heard that people from James's side were coming, he began to act insincerely. In the end, the church became poor, and God's blessing departed.

Spiritual People Are Very Real

Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, and Jacob were all wealthy people, and God was with them. This is very peculiar; being blessed means being wealthy. Follow their example, be an honest person; no one dislikes them. Some things are also written in the Bible, such as:

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. (James 5:1-3)

Being rich has nothing to do with being spiritual; spiritual people are often wealthy people. Restore the Genesis-style way of believing, restore Paul's way of believing, using his own hands to provide for the church and the apostles, doing honest work. Yesterday, I ministered to a sister who is a PhD, and her children are in college, but she still doesn't work. I communicated with her about this, but her faith is not that strong. People must learn to do honest work, to restore normal working life. Even if we don't need money, we need to restore God's glorious image. God blesses the work of our hands. Some Pharisees have bad habits, doing religious rituals all day long, but they are very poor. If you are financially poor, you need to restore your spirit. The church is restoring, building a real faith. Your work, life, and family are all spiritual matters. As your spirit prospers, so shall all things prosper.

A sister I knew before had depression, so she contacted her former pastor. This pastor didn't care about her depression, only that she couldn't go to the Charismatic movement. Thank God, God brought her out of depression through my hands. The Pharisees keep the religious rules and don't work. The church is restoring a pure system of belief, training people to become assets to society, but rather people who create value, who can become vessels to manifest God. Support the government's policies and begin to restore worshiping in spirit and truth. Some lazy people, repent today, become assets to society, remove the religious flavor, and become vessels to manifest God's glory, and deal with religious jargon.

Once a Korean pastor sat directly on the sofa to pray and waited all the time. His friends said they had a habit of seeking God in new places. I didn't see Jesus do this. I couldn't accept it, and I didn't see him like Jesus; he was full of religious flavor. When you interact with me, I am very normal, normal things, we live in reality. We are not becoming a social menace, but rather a stabilizing factor, solving problems, putting those who cannot live properly, the potential, back on track.

Summary

Faith is the faith of the living, manifesting God's glory. Everyone with bad habits becomes useful to society. Who doesn't like that? People full of religious flavor don't like that. Everyone begins to examine themselves, deal with the bad habits on themselves, and become vessels that manifest God's glory.