Introduction

This sounds discouraging, because there are some people out there who just don't put in the effort! Anything truly valuable is indeed precious and not easily obtained. For example, the national college entrance examination (gaokao) is approaching, and there are many who are working hard. Some time ago, I received a call from a parent whose child was almost psychotic, as the mock exam results were not ideal. Effort is very important! Yet, even with effort, success is not guaranteed. Many people aspire to Tsinghua and Peking University, but that's not the key. The key is whether Tsinghua and Peking University aspire to you!

If those who strive still may not enter, then those who do not strive certainly will not. I am speaking about the Kingdom of God. Don't think I'm talking nonsense. The Bible says that those who do not strive can accomplish nothing. Among Christians, I am a very diligent and hardworking one. My output in ministry and pastoring is very high, surpassing most people. I know that the Kingdom of God is a treasure! I will do everything I can to squeeze in!

Although I really don’t know what the future holds, I can't control that. What I can control is to strive! I definitely know that effort offers a chance, while lack of effort guarantees no chance at all. When I see those Christians living a loose and undisciplined life, I feel very sad. I ask them, What did you do yesterday? What did you do the day before? They can't remember.

Pursuing Excellence

Some time ago, I asked the people around me to record what they did each day. Some recorded, some didn't, and some recorded once or twice and found it discouraging because they hadn't done anything of significance. This is because people are lax and casual. In time management, I am very disciplined. If you want to be above and not below, the head and not the tail, laxity is not an option! There are too many casual Christians, without pursuit or thirst, without effort or hard work, and they obtain nothing.

Some Christians say, I am saved. I ask, Really? Then they say, Why do you undermine my faith? What kind of people can enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Effort must also be directed in the right way. Can you enter the Kingdom of Heaven by striving for the gaokao? You cannot. The Kingdom of Heaven is more difficult to enter than Tsinghua and Peking University! We must understand one thing: don't wait until you reach the gates of Heaven to find that you cannot enter. This is like arriving at customs for an international flight without your passport.

A few weeks ago, I spoke about constantly rising and shining forth. Everyone is striving to climb the mountain of Jehovah, constantly knowing God, entering the house of the God of Jacob. That is mountain climbing! Not skiing. Sliding down is easy, climbing requires effort. A sister told me the other day, I just want to be an average Christian. I wondered why anyone would want to be an average Christian. Is it more joyful to live as someone striving for excellence or as someone mediocre?

In fact, not only in our generation, but throughout history, can mediocre people live well? For example, if you were average in college and then average at work after graduation, and after five years you are doing the same work as a recent graduate, how can an average person expect a raise?

The Kingdom of Heaven is Obtained by the Diligent

Establishing a church, the entire situation is a complete reflection of my inner character. Our church is definitely an excellent church, a shining church! The output of most pastors is not as high as mine, and the quality is not as good either. Our books are not only substantial in content, but also high in volume. I have written 50 books. People ask, How is that possible? Our church has high standards, and people are very vibrant! As long as you strive, it's always better than not striving! The Kingdom of Heaven is obtained by the diligent!

I often hear some Christians say, God is my strength and refuge, God is everything to me, and those who trust in God will not be put to shame. But then they say, I am weak. I wonder what kind of logic this is? My logic is that although I am weak, my God will make me strong. God is my refuge, my God is my strength, and my God will accomplish impossible things through me! Although the order is different, the results are completely different. Don't make excuses for yourself. Striving is a simple matter! Those who strive will definitely be better than those who do not.

One of my characteristics is that when I am a student, I enjoy studying; when I am working, I enjoy working; and when I am a pastor, I enjoy serving. My whole life is a life of enjoyment. Some people live a tasteless life, feeling uncomfortable as soon as they get to work. What's the point of eating, drinking, and having fun?

Scripture

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. (Matthew 11:12, NIV)

Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
“But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. (Luke 13:23-28, NIV)

Prayer

Lord, today raise up among us a group of people who shine and act as salt! Lord, the Kingdom of Heaven is obtained by the diligent, and we must strive to enter through the narrow door! Today, we ask you to add strength, for what is impossible for man is possible for you. Lord! We ask that you thoroughly deal with the bad habits in us, so that we can strive to perfection through your Spirit. We long to obtain the Mingding Destiny of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and also strive hard in this world, persevering to the end, until we obtain the crown of glory that you have given us. Today, encourage us to run forward, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Striving for Perfection

Entering the Kingdom of Heaven is a bit more difficult than entering Peking or Tsinghua University. I once wrote a book called Striving for Perfection, which is a Bible study on the book of Hebrews. Striving is very important. If you go to a place to mine for gold, you must put in a lot of effort and pay a heavy price. In our time, many people wanted to go abroad because the income was higher, so they worked hard to go abroad. It's the same with being a Christian. If you want to get good things, you have to pay the price. If the Kingdom of Heaven is a very, very precious thing, then those who do not strive will really not obtain it. Those who do not strive will not obtain treasures.

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. (Hebrews 6:1-15, NIV)

The meaning is simple: people must strive for perfection, strive to be as patient as Abraham, and then inherit what was promised. Brothers and sisters, don't think that being a Christian is just about peace among siblings. We must learn one thing: we can only enter the Kingdom of Heaven if we are like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. (Luke 13:28, NIV)

You stay with those you are like; never be like a ghost, neither human nor ghost. If you want to go to Jesus, you must be like Jesus.

Some jokes are quite interesting in this era. Some children don't look like their parents; they look like the neighbor Old Wang. If the neighbors all say that, it's embarrassing. Is that your son? So, some fathers and mothers, when they find that their children don't look like them, wonder if they were switched in the hospital.

Only Those Who Strive to Be Like Jesus Can Enter the Kingdom of Heaven

The word like is very interesting. People of the same family enter the same home; of course, this is a common saying. Only those who are like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob can enter the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven; otherwise, there would be no point in the Bible recording these things. Such a long piece was written, from chapters 12 to 50, a total of 38 chapters.

That was written by Moses 3,500 years ago; how much sheepskin would it take to write that long? But people just wrote that long because Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were so powerful, because their names were connected with God's name: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. If you don't have the appearance of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob have nothing to do with you. So, we must be like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Also, you must be like Jesus. The Bible speaks of striving for perfection, meaning that you begin to have the appearance of Jesus on you. Christians are little Jesuses, little Christs. Brothers and sisters, you must know that only those who strive hard to be like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and strive hard to be like Jesus, can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I am truly a person who strives hard to be like Jesus. I even dream of being like Jesus.

Early in the morning, I looked through the group chat and someone told me that they had a nightmare last night and had heart pain. I picked up my phone, recorded a few voice messages, sent them over, and asked how they were doing. They said that they only had pain when they woke up in the morning, but now it was gone, and they thanked me for my concern. I am so enthusiastic because I want to be like Jesus. Whether voice messages work or not, they definitely work. Voice messages are powerful. If you have my voice messages, it should be pretty good.

Once, when I was having lunch with someone, a sister called and said, Can you pray for me? I was busy at the time. She said, My child has been staring out the window and crying for three hours. I thought, Isn't this demonic? I heard her crying loudly over the phone. I left her a voice message, about ten seconds long. Ten minutes later, she called back and said that the child was better. Since this voice message worked, I often use it. People who are like Jesus are powerful; sending a voice message can knock down a demon, so we must strive to be like Jesus.

Jesus and Paul in the Bible were powerful. If a handkerchief that Paul had used fell on someone, that person would be healed. If you are like Jesus, that would be amazing. Being like Jesus isn't a matter of a day or two. Today I want to be like Jesus, and tomorrow I wake up and I'm like Jesus. I have seen people like Jesus like this: the first day they bought a large robe, made of yellow cloth. They also bought a pair of yellow shoes, a big bag, and a wig. When they walked, it made noise. This is suddenly like Jesus. But this kind of likeness is useless.

Pursuing Likeness to Jesus Requires Constant Effort and Perseverance

Many years ago, I went to Israel, and at that time I had severe rhinitis. Someone was sitting next to me who looked a lot like Jesus. As a result, when my rhinitis flared up, it disturbed his sleep and he was annoyed. Later, when I arrived in Israel, I found out that he was the speaker, and I couldn't listen to him. My nose was bleeding, and I was exhausted after seventeen hours, and he didn't sleep for seventeen hours either. I wondered, if Jesus were sitting next to me, what would he do? Jesus would lead me in prayer, command the spirit of rhinitis to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. That would be great!

It's easy to dress up like Jesus on the outside, but how can you be like Jesus? It's not about dressing up; that's useless. If you are like Jesus on the inside, you have to work hard and persevere! Those who strive obtain, those who do not strive do not obtain! We must step on the accelerator. If you can be like Jesus, you can bless many people, which is a very wonderful thing! Don't be like Jack Ma, dreaming of a thousand roads, thinking of millions of possibilities the night before, wanting to be the richest man, and then walking the same road the next morning. You have to set a small target!

Alibaba was also very difficult in its early days. We are building God's glorious church; don't think it's an easy thing! We eat less, sleep less, work more, and work very hard. Some pastors turn off their phones and go to bed at 10 pm sharp. I keep my phone on 24 hours a day. I am training a large group of brothers and sisters to serve like me, serving this generation! This is very critical!

Some people among us were healed. As soon as their illness was healed, they ran away, leaving me alone to deal with everything. I am very clear that I need to train more people who can serve this generation. Therefore, we have a foundational training ministry, a healing and deliverance ministry. All ministries are training people to do this. This is called striving. Only those who strive can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Some people always say that they are saved, but they don't look like Jesus at all. It's useless! This generation desperately needs a church like ours. I see many churches believing the gospel of powerlessness with no power at all. Isn't this deadly? How can we solve people's problems? I think our church is the most like Jesus, and our pursuit of the Bible is also the most like Jesus.

Seeing Through Everything in the World

What does it mean to be like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Once this topic is broached, I cannot stop talking! I get very excited when I speak about being like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham lived more than 400 years after the flood. Reading the Book of Genesis, one would realize that a considerable number of people survived the flood. Let us calculate; Genesis Chapter 11 says that Shem lived for 500 years after fathering Arpachshad at the age of one hundred. Shem was still alive when Abraham was born.

We must understand that Abraham was very clear about the flood. The stories were passed down orally in those days. Shem was Noah's eldest son and was saved in the ark! Abraham saw people being born and dying, and being very intelligent, he pondered these things. Some people cannot see it, nor have they considered that one day they too will lie in a coffin. I am very clear that one day I will lie in a coffin, so I contemplate what people are doing while they are alive.

People live in entanglement, frustration, discomfort, nonsense, and creating trouble for themselves, all vanity of vanities. After Abraham saw through the essence of life, he pursued the glory, honour, and incorruptible blessings. People live and then die, without Mingding Destiny, without God, and living becomes quite painful. This is not just individual vanity, but vanity of vanities.

This morning, I left a message for someone with a heart condition: you must see through it all! This person dreamt of a dog chasing and biting her, and she woke up with heart pain for several minutes. What if she hadn't woken up? Thus, people say: having taken off your socks at night, you do not know if you will wear them again the next day. That is how life is!

Last night, I ministered to a sister who was demon-possessed. Her discernment of good and evil was severe, and she spouted demonic words. We knocked the demons down, and she rejoiced! Isn't living a simple matter? Why must one live like this? Therefore, we must go to our most joyous God. Can a person rejoice without Mingding Destiny? One must see through the matter of money; money should not entangle you.

If we see through everything and cling tightly to God, which is also what Abraham did, God will bless us. We will cling tightly to the glory, honour, and incorruptible blessings! Our Chinese Mingding Destiny is about destiny, and there is no blessing outside of destiny. Some people yearn for a good future in this world, but your future is the coffin!

We Hope for a Crown of Glory, Honour, and Incorruption

One of the most important qualities of Abraham is seeing through things. Abraham truly saw through things! He had a son named Isaac; Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. After several decades, his son Isaac had grown into adulthood. Then one day, God said, Offer your son Isaac to me. Abraham really offered his son; he did not consult his wife or his son. Carrying a bundle of firewood, he walked towards the mountain for three days with his son.

The place where Isaac was offered is today's Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel. The Temple Mount is a memorial to the offering of Isaac, which is extraordinary! Can you do this if you don't see through things? Because I see through things, many things I do are incomprehensible to others. Because I see through things, I do not care about many things. I only care about striving to grasp my God and serve my God!

Do you think Isaac was unwilling to offer himself? Isaac was willing, having heard stories from his father Abraham since childhood. Thus, Isaac also saw through the matters of life and death, and what it means to live. When Abraham offered Isaac, Isaac did not resist at all because he knew that offering to God was infinitely good. Then God said, Good, it is enough that you have this resolve, and gave Isaac back to Abraham. Then He said, Blessing, I will greatly bless you.

Brothers and sisters, we must not misunderstand. Living must have blessings! Some people rely on their own abilities, desperately striving and toiling. If you strive after worldly dreams, that is vanity of vanities. Our striving is to enter the kingdom of heaven. Your striving is to build the Tower of Babel. Are you building the Tower of Babel, or are you striving to climb the mountain of Jehovah and enter the house of the God of Jacob? These are completely different.

Although our service is arduous, we know that it is full of hope. We hope for that crown of glory, honour, and incorruption. We know that our labour in the Lord Jesus Christ is not in vain; the kingdom of heaven will be attained by people like Jacob. Speaking of Jacob, there are many more stories. Jacob is like us; Jacob is even better than his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham.

I have written four books, one about Abraham, one about the time before Abraham (that unbelief is the root of all human problems), one about Abraham and Isaac, and one about Jacob, and then one about Joseph. I have spoken well of these four ancestors. If you are interested, you can buy my books; this is an advertisement and also a form of support for us.

Emulating Jacob, Who Prevails with God and with Men

Why must there be people like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph in the kingdom of God? Only those who strive to grasp God like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob can enter the kingdom of heaven. Do you know what kind of person Jacob was? Jacob was quite cunning. Dividing his household into two groups because he heard that his brother Esau was coming to kill him with four hundred soldiers, he was terrified. As a result he divided the household into two teams. He struggled for a long time at the ford of Jabbok. He was very afraid.

Esau came to kill, and Jacob ran away, thinking, At least there is another team. But this trick was a bit low. Then God sent an angel to ask Jacob to cross over. Jacob said, I will not cross over! Then he began to wrestle with God, grabbing God's thigh and saying, If you do not bless me, I will not let go! This is Jacob's character. Then God gave Jacob a new name called Israel. From now on, you shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, because you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.

What does it mean? Inwardly, he wrestled with himself. Today, you and I must wrestle with the self within us! Our wrestling is truly hard. According to our own will, we do not want to, but according to God's will, we know we want to follow God’s will. But that is a struggle deep in the heart. Esau is coming to kill me! Jacob ultimately trusted in God's blessing. Jacob said, God, bless me! Then God blessed him, giving him a new name called Israel.

Finally, he ran to the front of the line and became a cripple, limping in front of the line. How good our God is! When we cling tightly to God like Jacob, fearing nothing, his brother saw him limping far away. Originally Esau intended to kill Jacob, but God is really great, instantly changing Esau's mind. The two brothers recognized each other and wept in each other's arms because the kingdom of heaven had come upon Jacob. The reason the kingdom of heaven came upon Jacob is that Jacob clung tightly to God and prevailed with God and with men.

If you can overcome the flesh within you, overcome the fear of the flesh, you will enter the kingdom of heaven in the future. In Revelation, you will find that our fleshly things include timidity. Timid people cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Timid people will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone. We must know that people like Jacob will certainly attain the kingdom of heaven, because the kingdom of heaven is full of people like Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac.

Shouldn't we demand more of ourselves? You wrestle with yourself. Whenever you grasp God, you overcome your own flesh. I also know that there is a lot of wrestling inside, which feels very uncomfortable. When I feel uncomfortable, I secretly shed tears. But it doesn't matter; I cling tightly to God. I strive to overcome myself. I strive to rely on God to overcome the flesh within me. According to my own preferences, I don't want to do these things, but I do not seek my own pleasure; I only seek God's pleasure.

Be a Christian Who Rises Up and Shines

Today, our church has high standards. Isn't it a good thing to have high standards? Even if you can only achieve half of such high standards, it's better than having no standards at all. Do not make excuses. God is faithful. Constantly pursue excellence, be the best Christian, be a Christian who shines in the darkness, and manifest God's glory.

If you are this kind of person, even if the enemy is before you, he will not be able to do anything to you. God will raise you up to illuminate more people. Jesus has been resurrected for two thousand years and has obtained the crown of glory. In this generation, we must rise up like Jesus. Although I am weak, God is strong, and Jesus Christ is full of power, authority, and honour. A capable person will live a wonderful life. The path of Jesus requires effort. If you strive to be like Jesus, God will surely be pleased with your pursuit.

Even if there were a thousand or ten thousand more people like Jesus in this generation, there would still be too many to minister to. God manifests His glory through signs, wonders, and various abilities. You must take up the authority of Jesus Christ to serve this generation. Because of your service and mine, this generation will manifest God's glory and let God's glory fill the whole earth. We are people who bring hope. Jesus can overcome the temptations of the devil. Jesus Christ ministers to this generation with the power of resurrection, and we also minister to this generation with the power of resurrection. Is it hard work? Yes, it is hard work, but the fruit of our service will last until eternity.

Every time I think about God's plan for us, I am very grateful that I live in this generation and can release the captives and the oppressed. Thank God for creating a theological system through me. This system is called Chinese Mingding Destiny in China, Korean Mingding Destiny in Korea, and American Mingding Destiny in America. In any case, it is about destiny. Become a person with Mingding Destiny, and run hard forward like Jacob. Jacob paid a heavy price for his dream, and such a price is a glorious price. No matter where we are, we must preach the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Isn't Jacob also pursuing incorruptible blessings?

Start trying to let go of worldly dreams, and start using the spiritual dreams that Jesus Christ has given us to manifest God's glory, so that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I hope that our brothers and sisters can, because of my sharing, rethink how to live in the days to come. The days ahead will be increasingly challenging. Do you hear?

May God bless everyone!