Introduction

Today, the topic we are discussing comes from Romans 5:4. Many people use this passage, and my interpretation may not be entirely correct. I want to share my observations with you. I wouldn't call myself an observer, but I have noticed that this passage from Romans is often misused to an extreme degree.

This passage sounds good: Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. It is even used as lyrics in songs. However, after seeing it, I always feel like something is not quite right. Not all tribulations produce perseverance, nor does all perseverance produce character, and certainly not all character produces hope. He Shen was also very experienced, but he had little hope. If everything were produced in this way, there would be many experienced people in the world today. I often see people who have experienced tribulations, but they still seem very immature.

Recently, we received someone who reminded us of a couple who helped us establish the church in the early days. While I was preaching, he was criticizing me, a poisonous tongue who judged everything. I didn't mind what he said, but later he left us and messed up another church. Some time ago, a couple came to us because their child was sick. We ministered to them, and the child's illness was healed, but the adults' problems remained. They had experienced so many tribulations, but their speech was still immature. What did they say? They judged many important figures, including the Taipei Bread of Life Church. They served in the church, but couldn't handle their own child's illness. They sought our prayer and ministry, yet they still liked to judge others. This is tribulation gained in vain.

What is really going on? I will share my insights. I am not an observer or a theologian; I am simply exploring with you. You must carefully examine the Bible regarding what I say.

There was a sister in the church who served very enthusiastically. She could recite Romans, but she couldn't sleep at night and suffered from depression and arthritis in her legs. In this state, she kept telling herself, Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope... She endured it, and eventually developed more than twenty mouth ulcers. She came to me, and I don't particularly like reciting Romans, but I figured this out. When I ministered to her, her legs relaxed and her mouth ulcers disappeared. This was very interesting. She left a deep impression on me because when I ministered to her, she proudly told the sisters next to her, You should memorize Romans. When I can't sleep, I keep saying tribulation produces character, and character, hope. I didn't see much hope in her because she didn't understand it. Her heart was conflicted and struggling. People who serve in the church cannot accomplish much without a broad mind; petty people are deadly.

Today, I often hear people say that this sentence is good, and this verse has supported them until today. Later, I saw someone whose feet were swollen, and they kept enduring it until I prayed for them and their feet relaxed. This kind of endurance is not very meaningful because it is not endurance in faith. Endurance not in faith is meaningless. Can tribulation that produces this kind of endurance lead to character? No, becoming mature in the operation of faith is what matters.

Recently, we ministered to a sister who used to lose her temper whenever she got angry with her husband. Recently, she learned to discern good and evil, and whenever she felt angry, she would think, I cannot discern good and evil, I cannot discern good and evil. She forcibly suppressed her anger, which resulted in blisters in her mouth. Our sisters ministered to her and saw the blisters, asking, Are you saying a lot of negative things inside? We couldn't help but laugh at what she said: No, I'm holding back. In fact, she still wanted to say negative things. This doesn't solve the problem because it is not the operation of faith within her.

I can tell many such stories. It's not just this passage; if we distort many passages in the Bible, it will be troublesome. In today's church, the situation of distorting the Bible is very common. I know a friend who printed a stack of the last part of Mark: And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. He placed these words squarely on the church counter, but the pastor severely scolded him because their church could not preach this. The pastor said that this passage was not originally in the Bible and was added by people thousands of years later.

The situation of scripture being distorted is an unprecedented opportunity we face. God sees this and says, Whom shall I send? I raise my hand and say, God, here I am. Today, brothers and sisters among us should all take on this responsibility and understand the words of the Bible well. This passage from Romans refers to the practice of faith. Futile endurance without faith is meaningless and will not produce character. Some tribulations are caused by curses, and some are tribulations suffered for the kingdom of God. The difference is significant. If a person gets cancer and keeps saying tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope... what can they hope for? Eventually, the cancer spreads. There are also many misunderstandings about the word faith.

Scripture

Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:4-5)

Prayer

Lord Jesus, today let us open our spiritual eyes and see the wonders in your word. Let us truly understand what Paul was referring to when he said: tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. Today, open our minds and open our eyes, so that we can become masters of practicing faith. Today, do wonderful work among us, so that every brother and sister can rise up and joyfully hope for your glory in any environment. May you personally pour out glory among us, so that the churches we build can work with you and be built according to your word, so that the church is built on your rock, demonstrating your great power and glory. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Scripture Background

This passage comes from Romans, and the theme of this book is For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. Later there is another sentence: from first to last. The whole book is about faith, and the gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. When we look at the scriptures, we must know what the whole book is about, know the author's meaning, look at the theme and the whole, and see what God's will is.

Everything that does not come from faith is sin. (See Romans 14:23)

Today, be careful in the lesson of faith. Tribulation that does not come from faith does not produce perseverance, perseverance that does not come from faith is also helpless, perseverance that does not come from faith does not produce character, and character that does not come from faith cannot produce hope. Character that does not come from faith, like He Shen, he is very experienced, he pushed the culture of corruption to the highest level in China, today's people cannot compare with him, he is the founding expert.

Faith is crucial. Returning to the Bible, we can easily understand it. Our brothers and sisters must begin to understand the basic methods of reading the Bible and read God's will. Today I will read Romans chapter 5 to you. In the previous chapter 4, it talks about what Abraham believed, the God who raises the dead and brings into existence what does not exist. In this chapter, Paul brings out Abraham to argue about faith. In chapter 4, he didn't finish the argument. In chapter five, Paul continues the argument. How does the apostle Paul himself practice faith?

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

Having peace with God is being like God, having the image of God. This is all about faith. How does the topic change? We also boast in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

If we read this carefully, it's all about the operation in faith. In the practice of faith, practice the faith of Abraham mentioned in chapter 4. Last week we talked about Abraham's faith, titled The God Who Raises the Dead and Brings into Existence What Does Not Exist. This kind of faith is useful. But some people don't think so. For example, if a person has a steel plate in their bone, they feel it is impossible to stand up. People like to take many human logics and human truths as truth. There are also many things that people cannot do, as if God cannot do them either. We humans often don't know the immensity of the universe, nor do we know that we should have a sense of awe. Don't you know that there is no impossible with God? Since God can raise the dead, what's the problem with the steel plate rotting? Actually, there is no problem at all. It's just that we humans think it's a big deal, but nothing is impossible with God.

Therefore, today I quote this scripture to discuss Masters of Practicing Faith. There is a saying on Douyin: This is a master, this is too amazing. I have seen many people use this recording, and I occasionally browse Douyin and share a little with everyone when I see it. How I wish our brothers and sisters were masters of practicing faith. If you are a master of faith practice, I tell you what will happen? The devil says: This is too powerful, this is a master, let's get out of here quickly. Because you are a master of practicing faith. How is faith practiced? Practiced in tribulation.

Today I want to tell you, let's not be polite. I can say to everyone: I am a master of practicing faith. Otherwise, how can I say it? If I said: I am not a master, I can't do it either. It's like I can't build a car, but today I'm telling you how to build a car, isn't that nonsense? Many things I have done are practiced in faith. What I believe is the word of God. I believe whatever God says, and I will implement it.

Some time ago, I shared my understanding of God's word, which all bear the mark of faith. For example, the sermon Trembling at the Word of God talks about believing in the word of God; Bearing the Marks of Jesus, The God Who Raises the Dead and Brings into Existence What Does Not Exist, Having Treasure in Clay Jars, and Becoming a New Creation are all about faith. Everyone can listen to them. I like listening to what I say. I say that listening to myself talk about faith is also edifying. Why? Because to be edified, one must focus on the eternal topic of faith. You can try it. When you have faith, you feel comfortable. When you don't have faith, you feel very uncomfortable inside.

A few days ago, a sister sent me a message saying that she was uncomfortable because she had lost faith, and her faith was built on the environment. The environment must be useless. She said: When I am with Teacher Liu, I have faith; when I am not with Teacher Liu, I have no faith. Faith is a wonderful thing, including our pastors, who must also learn to build people's faith while serving. When you serve, don't always think about solving people's problems, but build their faith. Because the Bible says very clearly: Your faith has saved you. It's not because of what Jesus Christ is like, of course Jesus Christ is very important, if you don't believe in Jesus, you can't do anything, the background of this scripture is about the practice of faith.

Faith is the Core of Character

If you observe carefully, people with faith are very powerful. Faith not only operates in people who believe in the Lord, but also operates in people who do not believe in the Lord. Faith is a law. For those of us who believe in the Lord, our faith is built on God. I have had a habit since I was a child: once I decide to do something, I will definitely do it. I often hear people evaluate me like this: He will definitely accomplish what he wants to do. Then I will persevere until the matter is accomplished.

Many years ago, when I was preparing to write a book, many people said: What book are you writing? You should forget it, given your level. Can't I write a bad book? That's still a book, and I wrote better and better. Recently, I wrote a very satisfying Bible study book called Striving, which is a Bible study book on Hebrews.

Where does this character come from? It comes from faith. In children's education, it is clear what education is. Education is cultivating children's faith. Therefore, many parents do not know how to educate. Teachers make knowledge very important, which results in the loss of faith. Therefore, today I can accomplish anything because nothing can change. There are still some relatively bad people among us. When they get busy, they can't be seen at church gatherings, Bible studies, or leadership training. These people do not have character because they do not believe this is a good investment. Once I know that my God is precious, I will strive for it.

I have believed in the Lord for twenty-eight years, and I have not missed a single Sunday. I have calculated that twenty-eight years with fifty-two weeks each year adds up to more than a thousand days, and I have not missed one. Doesn't this prove the point? I never interrupt or give up, no matter who gets married or who dies, it has nothing to do with me. I will worship my God first, because I know in my bones that this is my most precious thing, and it is difficult for God not to bless someone like me.

Everyone should know that I have a kind of character inside, this kind of character is like a ship with a rudder, heading straight to the other shore, never drifting or circling. Being able to choose correctly is a kind of character. Yesterday a sister came to me and said: I feel uncomfortable every time I write a manuscript. As soon as she writes, her brain goes blank. I took my manuscript and showed it to her. After reading it, she said: So you also feel uncomfortable. Of course, who doesn't feel uncomfortable? It is not easy to write things clearly. Everyone should know that until today, my sermons are all verbatim manuscripts. I am sharing with you with a verbatim manuscript in my hand. I showed her the first draft, which was all messy, and there were many handprints in some places. Why? I kept scratching my head. I have written several versions, and what I am sharing with you now is my third draft. Where is there such a simple thing?

Therefore, I encourage everyone to make a choice when facing difficulties, I don't believe I can't do it. I encourage everyone to choose faith, choose to believe, and choose to overcome when facing difficulties. This kind of character will make you a master of practicing faith. If you carefully observe the people in this world, you must learn to practice faith, because the things concerning the future concern the judgment of faith. For example, some people say: I want to write a 'Dream of the Red Chamber' or a 'Journey to the West.' There is no need to do these, they have already been written; others say I want to open a Taobao store, then you don't need to do it either, Jack Ma has already done it. These do not require practicing faith. This world is always full of endless innovation, and any innovation is an operation of faith from nothing to something. Whether you are a believer or a non-believer, it is the same, so you must be a person of faith. The core of character is faith. A person with faith will have a clear judgment about the future, and as a Christian, you should operate in faith even more.

There was a person named Og Mandino, who was born in 1924. Why mention him? Because I have a book written by him on my table, called The Greatest Salesman in the World. Before the age of 28, this person had a very good job and a very good life, getting married and having children. He had a very beautiful wife, but in a chance opportunity he failed in his investment and lost his beautiful life. He committed unforgivable mistakes, and could not forgive himself, and his family could not forgive him, resulting in a broken family and loss of job. Since then, Og Mandino was tormented by the pain in his heart and lost faith in life. He later became a homeless person, wandering the streets all day long.

One day, he wandered into a church and met a very respectable pastor, who helped Og Mandino regain his newfound faith, and the pastor shepherded him, giving Og Mandino a Bible. Then he told him how to pray well, and at the same time the pastor gave him a list of books, the titles of which I will not read, in case you go looking for those things again. The key to what I am saying is not reading those things, reading those things is at most just knowledge, the important thing is that you have faith inside. So, you just need to listen to me more, right? These are my words, but you still have to study hard, I'll just give you a book title, so you don't feel like I'm teasing you, Think and Grow Rich and then a book The Power of Faith and many more. The list of books that the pastor gave him are all about building faith.

Later, when he was 35 years old, he founded a magazine, and in 1968 he published a book called The Greatest Salesman in the World, which suddenly became popular and topped the bestseller list. He wrote 14 books in his life. In fact, this Og Mandino believes in himself, but if people build their faith on themselves, it is actually very painful and cannot be built. We believe in God, our God is the God who brings into existence what does not exist. A homeless man one day became an outstanding entrepreneur, there are many such stories. Start building this kind of faith in God today, our God is a God who likes to prosper, our God is the God who brings into existence what does not exist, our God is the God of the living, our God is the God who blesses us.

A few days ago, a little boy kept playing games, and he kept losing, but he still kept playing, and his level kept dropping. The more it dropped, the more he wanted to play, and the more he played, the more frantic he became, and the more frantic he became, the more he lost. Why? His character lacks faith. In fact, the work of the devil is to corrupt people's faith. A few days ago, he was so frantic from playing games that he cried. His mother was anxious when she saw it. How can this be fixed? So she recorded a video for me. Later his sister saw it and said her brother was really bad. This is indeed the case, without character it is impossible to be respected, no one wants to respect a person without character.

Today, if you want to become a person with character and be respected, you must have something inside called faith. With this faith, you will have character, and with character, you will win the honor of many people. Therefore, yesterday I rebuilt his faith on the phone and encouraged him to start rising up to be a leader. Becoming a leader is not something I can do just by wanting to become a leader. It's useless. You can't do it if you don't have that character. Therefore, start shaping the character within yourself, which is to never become frantic even if you lose the game, and to have this kind of winning faith. Of course, it is best not to play that thing, what is the use of playing that thing.

What is faith? Faith is a choice. Understand that choice is powerful. Those in the valleys should know that you have nothing else to rely on. If you have the means, you can rely on your parents, but in reality, such conditions are rare. However, you can rely on one thing: choice. You can choose to believe. Indeed, the path of life is a series of choices. Giving up is a choice, and not giving up is also a choice.

Today, I encourage everyone to be a person of character, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance produces proven character. When we encounter tribulation, it doesn't disappear with a snap of the fingers. Such a thing doesn't exist. The question is whether we can persevere one minute longer than the difficulty, tribulation, or the devil behind it.

In fact, our healing and deliverance course is simple: you persevere one minute longer than the devil. If you persevere less than the devil or the difficulty you face—whether it's less an hour or less a day—even less a second won't do. You might immediately triumph, but if you give up, it's useless. It's like digging for gold: you dig and dig and then give up. What do you gain by giving up? Nothing. Then someone else comes along and digs it up. All your previous digging paved the way for them, didn't it? That kind of perseverance isn't perseverance; it's an inability to persevere, persevering only until you give up. I often hear people expressing a mindset of giving up between the lines. Some say, Oh, it's just like this. What they express isn't faith but resignation!

Around this time last year, we received a sister whose husband had just passed away, and her children were grown. She told the pastor who was ministering to her, Oh, there's no point in me living anymore. I want to die. People look down on me. I have no money and no ability. I might as well die. Anyway, I don't care about these things anymore; I've seen through it all. In fact, she was quite able to persevere, but this perseverance wasn't the perseverance of faith but perseverance in helplessness. If you observe closely, her perseverance was a sorrowful perseverance, but Paul's perseverance was joyful, even in tribulation, because there was faith inside. So in tribulation, we know that tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope, and we begin to constantly exercise faith.

It's very difficult for a person without ability because people look down on them, and they look down on themselves. People see us as worthless, and we see ourselves as worthless, often saying, Anyway, no one respects me; I don't want to care anymore. There are so many people like this, very many. More than a year has passed. May God give her faith; may she have character.

With faith and character, one can break through the difficulties they face, and then continuously grow, continuously improve, and continuously break through. Some people say, I'm fine as I am. In reality, that's not faith. Remember, our God is a God who prospers people. Everyone wants to live prosperously, but if you've already given up inside, how can God prosper you? So today, we must begin to continuously prosper, continuously exercise faith, and become experts in exercising faith. No matter what situation we encounter, we continuously exercise faith. It's difficult for anyone when they encounter difficulties, but some people persist until they triumph, joyfully exercising faith even in tribulation.

Exercising Faith in Tribulation

Many of the things we encounter today are choices, but in life, we will inevitably encounter many things we cannot choose. For example, Joseph being sold into Egypt wasn't his choice. Jacob fleeing to his uncle's house was also forced; otherwise, his brother would have killed him. But whether we encounter our own chosen mistakes or problems in our life that we cannot choose, take them as materials for exercising faith, regardless of whether they are worldly or spiritual matters.

Today, everyone must understand that exercising faith isn't necessarily all very spiritual things. There are many examples I can give. For example, Jesus cursed the fig tree, and the fig tree withered and died. What benefit was there? In fact, there wasn't much benefit. It was just an exercise of faith. For example, Peter walked on water. What do you need that for? Are you going to walk across the Atlantic Ocean to America? It doesn't have much use, but it's material for exercising faith. So today, we must seize every opportunity to exercise faith.

A few days ago, wasn't there the Wuhan coronavirus? Because of the coronavirus, many businesses had to close. One of our sisters opened her business, and the local government kept coming to her. She asked me if this was an attack from an evil spirit. In fact, it's not an attack from an evil spirit; it's an exercise of faith.

It's okay to close for a few more days. What's the big deal? But we always feel that it's not good to close for a few more days. If we use our brains today and exercise to become experts in faith, we can make a judgment of faith. Don't tempt God. For those of us who run businesses, it's best if these things don't happen. For example, If a case is really discovered and it spreads to others, won't that become negative news? Wouldn't it be better to open later and exercise our faith like that? But if a case happens to appear and becomes another death, that would be troublesome. So when we encounter these things, we exercise our faith until we are skilled, and everything will turn into good.

For example, this matter of closing or not closing, opening or not opening—it's just an exercise of faith. We don't live today because our business is open, nor will we die if our business is closed. It's not like that. So, a person with faith will be joyful no matter what they encounter. If we are frowning, what kind of faith is that? Oh no, it's over… That's not faith. It's nothing serious; the sky won't fall. A person with faith is joyful no matter what they encounter. If you can't rejoice in these things, it's because you don't exercise faith in small things. But my logic is simple: we must exercise faith in small things.

If you don't practice with 20 kilograms, you have to take 50 kilograms. If you can't lift 50 kilograms, can you lift 100 kilograms? You can't. So we must start exercising in small things. Some people have a cold: I have a cold; I'll take some medicine. I don't need to bother God. I'll bother God when I get cancer. They don't even have faith to heal a cold. How will they get faith when they get cancer? Many people are like this; they can't even understand basic logic. Some children sprain their ankles: It's okay, it takes 100 days for bones and tendons to heal. Can't you pray about it? Many ankle sprains have been healed through prayer.

That night, I received a phone call. The child at home was making a ruckus, and I couldn't get through. I waited a long time, but I still worried, so I called again and finally got through. It turned out that the child's hand had been caught in the door, and the area was blue and bruised. I said, That's easy. I'll lead you in prayer. After praying for a while, I asked how it was, and they said, It's the same. I often hear this kind of thing because I'm used to it. This kind of thing can't stop my faith. I continued to pray, and after 20 minutes, the blue color on the finger disappeared, it completely returned to normal, and the child no longer hurt and could move freely. I thought sprained ankles and caught hands—isn't it good to exercise faith in these small things? If you don't exercise faith when you're not going to die, can you exercise it when you're dying? So when you encounter things, whether they are tribulations or not, exercise faith.

What should you do if you encounter difficulties in studying or writing? Charge through. It's good to encounter difficulties in studying today because we encounter difficulties in studying. For example, one of our leaders said that someone came today or they ministered to someone today. I said, You don't need to exercise faith in these things you're skilled at. How is the thing I arranged for you to study going? It's not working. Besides my hair hurting, my whole body hurts. I said, I know. Let it hurt. If you charge through, you'll gain it. For example, isn't it tiring for a first-grade student to read? But if you look at first-grade things today, you won't find them interesting because you don't need to look at these things now. But when you read second-grade things when you're in the second grade, it's also difficult. So anything you learn, anything you break through, is difficult. What should you do? Exercise our character in faith.

Today, a sister sent me a long message, and I was very encouraged after hearing it. When she listened to Hebrews chapter 5, the dragon inside her began to be released because this sister's whole body hurt whenever she studied, and it still hurts now. As a result, she listened to the Bible study on Hebrews 5, Learning to Grow to Maturity, and began to feel uncomfortable. It doesn't matter that she felt uncomfortable. She began to break through in faith, and the devil was defeated. It turns out that the weakness in our character is related to faith. We force ourselves up through the weakness in our character, and we break through. Because when you are forced to that point, tribulation produces perseverance. If you are a person of faith, you will persevere to the end and triumph, and your whole mind will be renewed and transformed.

A person is also exercising faith even when there is no tribulation. When there is tribulation, joyfully exercise faith in small things and be a person of faith. God will never put a lesson on you that you can't do. If we don't usually exercise faith and don't exercise faith when there is no tribulation, isn't that troublesome? People of the flesh naturally dislike tribulation and discomfort. If a person caters to the flesh, they have no faith and can't accomplish anything. If you don't have tribulation today, create an environment to practice faith. God instructed Abraham: Go to the place I will show you. But he didn't know where to go. Then Abraham began to move his family. If we carefully read Abraham's life, everything was actually a struggle. Every struggle requires faith. Later, I developed a habit. I didn't want to struggle before, but the losses were great.

In 2007, I wanted to buy real estate in Shanghai. It wasn't that I didn't have the money to buy it at that time; I thought Singapore was pretty good, and I didn't want to struggle at that time. But if you don't struggle, God will struggle you. Struggle doesn't require faith. Later, I realized that wasn't going to work; God was struggling me, so I began to actively struggle. People are filled with fear of the future in the process of struggling, not knowing the results of the future struggle, not knowing what will happen in the future. But at this time, in faith, we know that in tribulation, there is perseverance, perseverance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. So, filled with hope for the future, we are not put to shame because the power of the Holy Spirit is upon us. So Abraham's struggle was a struggle of faith, a struggle of faith to the point of skill, full of hope. We must set goals and pressures for ourselves and continuously shepherd and train ourselves in the church.

I often train people. You might shed some tears when you are being trained by me. Some time ago, a couple said after being trained, I have never experienced such humiliation in my life. They grew after returning home and weeping bitterly. People can only grow like this in life, and it's difficult to break the love of face. If you are a person of faith, you are joyful at all times. This is the reaction of faith. If you are frowning inside, that is not faith; that is unbelief, that is without hope.

Beginning today, enjoy challenges, enjoy tribulations, enjoy doing anything because God reigns in us, God exercises faith in us, and God wants us to become experts in exercising faith, and then we can joyfully hope for the glory of God. A person who experiences tribulation will definitely see the glory of God. In this process, you will see what is true faith and what is false faith, what is true perseverance and what is false perseverance. They are immediately separated.

God is looking for treasures that can be used. We need to exercise faith the most when we are ministering to people. We need faith the most when we are breaking down people's fleshly things. So, in growth, continuously exercise faith. Growth is key. Until today, I am still constantly growing. Thank God for letting me pay a heavy price in building the church. Thank God for letting me constantly face challenges so that I can constantly grow. The faith I exercised before is child's play today. The faith I exercise today is the real exercise because we are constantly climbing spiritual peaks. When we are climbing, our vision of things is new every day. This is what a true Christian is.

Becoming Skilled in the Exercise of Faith

Once, when I was casting out demons, God opened my eyes and I saw a group of demons. They said, How unlucky, we ran into this old man. A few days ago, one of our sisters was ministering, and I happened to walk over to watch her minister. Then she let me hear what the person she was ministering to was saying: How unlucky, we ran into this old man. I said, Which old man? You, this old man! I've become an old man. It turns out I'm an old man of faith, an expert in exercising faith.

Within faith, in the words of faith, I have become a master strategist. We must know that what the devil fears most is a person of faith. Without faith, you can't get rid of it. Having authority without faith is also useless. Today, begin to become skilled in the exercise of faith, persevere to victory, and every exercise is an experience of God's promise, and every exercise tramples the devil under your feet. You are like a heroic general, overcoming all obstacles and facing down enemies, so that when you encounter the devil, the devil immediately panics.

In encountering anything, know clearly in your understanding that it is not blind faith, but clear faith, clearly knowing in your understanding that our God is exercising us, clearly knowing how to handle it, without panic, without irritability. Doesn't the Bible say, In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength? (Isaiah 30:15). A person of faith clearly knows that our God reigns!

In the Book of Acts, Paul encountered a storm at sea. The two hundred people on board were so scared that they were incontinent, thinking they would surely die this time. But Paul ate and drank as usual. The people on the ship thought, What kind of person is this? Later, Paul told them, Don't worry, you won't die. God told me last night that none of your lives will be lost. Everyone was relieved. Fortunately, there was a person of faith like Paul on board. In the end, although the ship was destroyed, no one died. Afterward, everyone disembarked on an island. Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake, and everyone thought Paul would die, but after waiting for a long time, he didn't die, so they thought Paul was a true god! Then, the island chief's father developed a high fever. Paul went and prayed for him, and the illness was healed. This kind of person is amazing!

Paul understood spiritual things very clearly. Everyone should use spiritual eyes to read Paul's epistles and the words he spoke, using spiritual words to explain spiritual things. It is a tragedy if Christians do not understand the laws of the spiritual realm. In one of the groups I'm in, the messages sent in the group all day long are about masks, alcohol, and disinfectants. Can these things compare to Jesus? They will be scared out of their wits when they encounter a storm.

Today, let us be like Paul, joyfully hoping that the glory of God will be manifested among us. This is faith, hope, and the love of God! We will never be put to shame because we have experienced so much of God's love, time after time, until today. In the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, when Liu Bei went to the Kingdom of Wu, Zhuge Liang prepared three brocade pouches for Zhao Yun, instructing him to open them when he encountered difficulties. Zhao Yun was initially dismissive. When he really encountered a problem, he opened a brocade pouch and found that the Prime Minister was truly prescient! When he encountered a difficulty a second time, he opened another brocade pouch and again found that the Prime Minister was prescient. By the time he got to the third brocade pouch, Zhao Yun was filled with faith in Zhuge Liang!

Today, the brocade pouches that our God has prepared for us are the promises in Jesus Christ. No matter how many, they are all yes and amen. As we open one brocade pouch after another, we begin to joyfully hope that one day we can come before God and receive the crown of glory! So these momentary and light afflictions are only ingredients for exercising faith! Today, let us begin to love God and seek God's kingdom and righteousness. For a person of faith, living is a very simple thing! A person of faith can turn everything into the benefit of life!

Growing to the Fullness of Jesus Christ

We must know that we must grow to the fullness of Jesus Christ. Today, in our church, we are encouraging everyone to be like Jesus. Looking around, there are not many Christians in this world who are like Jesus. I long to seek one thing: that every one of our brothers and sisters may be full of the stature of Jesus in spiritual knowledge and in spiritual faith, becoming experts in exercising faith. One day, if you say to your disciples, Look at this fig tree. I will curse it to wither, and the next day your disciples say, Teacher, the fig tree you cursed yesterday has withered today! and you say, Is that so? Actually, I knew it would wither when I cursed it yesterday. This is being full of the stature of Jesus Christ!

Never give up, only move forward with strength, until you receive the crown of glory, fighting a good fight in this world, until we see the face of the Lord. Even the devil will say when it sees you: This person is formidable. This is an expert! Let our ministry be filled with enthusiasm and faith in joy and hope, and constantly pass on the faith of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the person you are ministering to, like Auggie, although a homeless man, will become a prosperous person in the future because of your ministry! God is doing amazing work in this generation, and we are entering into this work.

Today, in this generation, God needs a group of disciples who are full of the stature of Jesus Christ. God is raising up our Chinese Mingding Destiny, raising up a group of people who receive our system of theology, giving themselves completely, like Jesus Christ, restoring the powerful gospel of God. If we suffer for the gospel, we will also be glorified together, knowing the Son of God, and growing to maturity.

Every time we grow, we will hear angels applaud for us. Every time we climb, we will see the devil trampled under our feet, like Jesus Christ triumphing.

May God bless everyone!