The Authority of Heaven and Earth Will Be Given to Those Who Seek Him

Recently, while studying the Gospel of Matthew, my faith has grown stronger. Each time I study the scriptures, I have new insights, and it is truly enjoyable and exciting to share different perspectives with everyone. Let us now examine Matthew Chapter 9, a chapter whose theme I have studied for a long time.

I have been pondering how to define good figs and bad figs. Figs represent Christians, God's chosen people. The difference between good figs and bad figs is significant! Someone asked me if they were a good fig or a bad fig. I think this is an excellent question, worthy of contemplation by all. Are we good figs or bad figs? What kind of Christians are we? This chapter we are examining will help us discern.

What is the main theme of Matthew Chapter 9? It would be problematic if we did not grasp the theme that Matthew intends to convey. It is a serious issue if the theme we derive from reading differs from what the author intends to express. If we deviate from the theme when reading the Bible, focusing only on trivial details, and fail to grasp the author's intended meaning, we are putting the cart before the horse.

If we persist in putting the cart before the horse, failing to grasp God's intentions, it will be disastrous. We may read the Bible, but fail to understand God's heart, ultimately becoming rotten figs. If one does not cultivate the habit of grasping the essence and the main theme, perpetual misunderstanding becomes a severe problem. I encourage everyone to read the chapter once before examining my interpretation. While reading, consider the author's intended meaning.

If we fail to grasp the author's intended meaning, our reading is in vain. If someone receives a letter from God but does not understand what God intends to communicate, the letter is in vain. If one consistently fails to grasp the key points, the situation becomes dire. Just as a boss assigns work to employees without specifying every detail, employees need to grasp the boss's intentions and implement the work effectively. If one fails to grasp the key points repeatedly, the work produced will inevitably be subpar.

If I were to write Matthew Chapter 9, I would first establish a theme that could connect the entire passage. The theme of the previous chapter is: the authority of those with Mingding Destiny; the theme of this chapter is: God will give authority to those with destiny.

When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man. (Matthew 9:8)

In this generation, if someone possesses authority from God and commands a virus to leave a patient, and the virus genuinely departs, that person is remarkable! If you regard my words as mere mythology, like stories from Liaozhai, rather than the word of God, it would be problematic. In fact, this generation desperately needs authority like that of Jesus. What kind of authority did Jesus have? A paralyzed man was brought before Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven. Some teachers of the law saw this and said to themselves, This fellow is blaspheming! (See Matthew 9:2-3)

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. So he said to the paralyzed man, Get up, take your mat and go home. Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man. (Matthew 9:4-8)

God will give authority to man, and the authority Jesus speaks of is the authority to forgive sins, because man's diseases are related to sin. This paralyzed man's condition was related to his sin. Jesus set an example for us, forgiving his sin, and he was healed. We may think that the paralyzed man received a great benefit, and indeed he did, but the greatest benefit is received by the one who possesses this authority. Is it not a treasure to possess such authority?

What kind of person can receive such authority? To whom does God give authority? Chapters 8 and 9 both discuss destiny. If a Christian is selfish, only loving himself, and without destiny, he is a rotten fig, and his Christianity is in vain.

Let us continue. Matthew, having seen this authority, began to follow Jesus. Matthew was not foolish; he longed to possess authority like Jesus. Peter followed Jesus, and when his mother-in-law was ill, Jesus touched her hand, and she was healed; when the paralyzed man met Jesus, his sins were forgiven, and he was healed. Seeing the miracles Jesus performed, Matthew knew this was a treasure.

This is better than any medical doctorate! If medical science could have healed the paralyzed man, it would have done so long ago; there would have been no need for him to seek Jesus. If someone today could make a paralyzed man walk, would he not have obtained a treasure? So this is truly a treasure! Today, we must know that theology is more scientific than science, because it concerns authority in the spiritual realm!

For example, how exactly did the paralyzed man get up and walk? Science cannot explain it. How then was he healed? It is because Jesus Christ will give such authority to man, because Jesus has the authority to forgive sins. The paralyzed man's condition was largely due to his sin. Jesus said his sins were forgiven, and he could get up and walk. This is miraculous! Once his sins were forgiven, the authority of Jesus Christ destroyed the evil spirit causing his paralysis! For sin leads to many diseases!

Why does Jesus Christ have this authority to forgive sins? Because Jesus Christ has Mingding Destiny! He takes our infirmities and bears our diseases! Later, Jesus was scourged with a whip, a whip with barbs that tore the flesh. Why did Jesus Christ endure this? Because He was to bear all our transgressions, and by His wounds we are healed, and by His precious blood our sins are washed away!

We must know that this authority is extraordinary! Matthew, having seen what Jesus did, considered it a treasure. Do our brothers and sisters also consider it a treasure? If you consider it a treasure, then nothing in the world can compare with it. However, we often underestimate the identity Jesus gives us, underestimate the destiny Jesus has for us, and underestimate the authority Jesus gives us. People value work, family, and many other things, but not God. Is this not foolish? To have such authority, capable of solving unsolvable problems, and yet not treat it as a treasure, is this not foolish?

So, brothers and sisters, let us no longer continue in foolishness, and begin to be wise. Like Matthew, when the Lord Jesus said, Follow me, he left everything and followed the Lord. Even if the Lord Jesus did not say such words to us, we would still be willing to follow Him! Some people ask me, Are you chosen by God? I believe I am chosen by God. Even if God did not say these words to me, I would say, God, you must choose me! If you do not choose me, I will knock on your door every day, I will bother you until you choose me! This is valuing the authority that Jesus gives!

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. (Matthew 9:35-38)

What does it mean that the harvest is plentiful? It means that God's people are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus said, The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few! Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field. Why? Because God will give His authority to those with destiny, to those who harvest the Lord's harvest! Therefore, Matthew said to send out workers to harvest the Lord's harvest, these are the good figs.

When we speak of sending out workers, we may think of asking God to send out thousands of people while we live comfortable lives. But no. God's intention is for us to yearn ourselves. We must say to God, God, the harvest you want to reap is abundant, but the laborers are few. Lord, I am here! Please send me! This is destiny! Do you think this is a disadvantage? It is not! This is acquiring authority! In the spiritual world, the authority of heaven and earth will be given to those who seek Him! Not seeking for others, but seeking for oneself! God, send me! God, send me! This is the theme of this passage!

The Lord Jesus Demonstrates His Authority

Later, Jesus continually demonstrated this in front of people. Matthew saw it with his own eyes, and Peter saw it with his own eyes. What was Jesus Christ demonstrating? He was demonstrating His authority. For example:

While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live. (Matthew 9:18)

We see that this man's daughter had just died, yet he still came to find Jesus. His faith was substantial! Could the Lord Jesus handle this situation? What was the result? Jesus went to his house, took the child's hand, and she got up! How many people have such authority? Many do not believe it, but I believe it! The Lord did not say to me, Come, follow me, I volunteered myself. I said to God, Lord! I will serve you!

I saw that the churches others built were not very good, so I volunteered myself, but I did not do well myself. So I knocked on the door every day, and as a result, when this authority was given, many people in the church were healed! As long as someone prayed, they got better, they got better! I am very excited, this is obtaining treasure!

We know that this girl had already died, but Jesus took her hand, and she recovered! This does not conform to science! In fact, spiritual authority is more scientific than science, because the Father upholds all things by the hands of His power, and all things are insignificant before Him. What He wants to do will surely be accomplished, whether a person has just died or whether Lazarus had been dead for four days, it is the same before Jesus because He has authority, because life is in His hands!

Today, if you and I become people of destiny, what great grace we obtain! If your family can also obtain such grace, how much medical expense would be saved! Of course, if they do not believe, then so be it. If they want to go to the hospital to see doctors, let them do so. We want to find those who are willing to believe!

This synagogue leader was remarkable. He saw with his own eyes what Jesus did and thought, Although my daughter has died, Jesus has authority in His hand. If He makes my daughter alive, my daughter will surely live. The faith of this synagogue leader is merely an example of manifesting God's power. As for whether this person will become a worker harvesting God's harvest, it is another matter.

This synagogue leader, having such faith, can obtain such grace. What choice did he make after receiving grace? The Bible does not record. But we can know that all who harvest the Lord's harvest receive such authority. If the gospel we preach is a gospel without power, then is what is harvested the Lord's harvest? No one knows. Jesus set such an example, and Matthew, seeing it from the side, was moved by the wise choice he had made. Because the prophets of all ages, the Jews, and the Israelites had not seen it. To make a paralyzed man walk, to raise the dead, these things that Jesus did are extraordinary!

On the way to the synagogue leader's house, Jesus encountered a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for 12 years. This woman had spent all her money, suffered much under the care of doctors, and had no hope in her heart. Hearing that Jesus was passing by, she said to herself:

because she thought, If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed. Jesus turned and saw her. Take heart, daughter, he said, your faith has healed you. And the woman was healed at that moment. (Matthew 9:21-22)

Faith can release the authority of those with destiny. I have authority, but if you have no faith within you, the authority is of no benefit to you. Jesus, carrying such authority, demonstrated it to His disciples. The person touched Jesus, and her disease was healed. As a result, word spread throughout that area, and the people there knew that there was such a divine person. People did not need to spend money; they could be healed by coming to Jesus. Jesus healed all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. How wonderful is this authority! The question is, do you want such authority? Jesus' demonstration had not yet ended:

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, Have mercy on us, Son of David! When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? Yes, Lord, they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, According to your faith let it be done to you; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, See that no one knows about this. But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region. (Matthew 9:27-31)

After Jesus completed these demonstrations, another demon-possessed man was brought to Him:

As they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, 'Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.' (Matthew 9:32-33)

If you were to witness such a situation, what would your reaction be? Your feeling should be that you have followed the right master!

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9:35)

The Lord Jesus lamented that there were too few workers

Everyone must understand that those who can see such authority have discernment. However, some who see this authority might say, Lord, I have no problem following you, but I have three children at home, an elderly mother in her eighties, and a husband. How will I manage? Today, if we possess such authority, isn't it more powerful than ten mothers in their eighties or thirty children?

We must realize that the key to solving problems lies in whether we have spiritual authority. Without this authority, if your children or elderly mother are oppressed by demons, wouldn't the outcome be disastrous? And if we have this authority, will we perform poorly in our work? Will our families suffer? Don't be mistaken; their problem is the need for this authority. Jesus lamented that there were too few workers, too few people with Mingding Destiny, too few good fig trees, and too many rotten ones.

Jesus Christ ministered on earth for three years, serving countless people, including the ruler of the synagogue's dead daughter, the blind, the woman with the issue of blood, the demon-possessed mute, and so on. But when Jesus ascended, only 500 people witnessed it. And at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended, only 120 people were praying. In over three years, Jesus ministered to countless people, yet only 120 remained. When I read this passage, I felt a sense of lament, and I said to God, God, I don't need too many; I just need those 120 people with Mingding Destiny. But God has been gracious to me today, and many of our brothers and sisters often serve God with Mingding Destiny and fervor.

Among us, if we only seek to gain benefits, only want to bask in the light of those with authority, and don't want to become people who possess authority, isn't that foolish? I encourage those who read Matthew chapter 9 to clearly understand God's will. God desires that more workers be raised up, able to see the needs of this generation, and seeing those who are distressed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. We then begin to yearn, to yearn to become shepherds whom the Lord Jesus Christ can use, to become servants, not those who are served.

If you are among us, having personally witnessed the miracles I have performed and the miracles performed by the leaders of the pastoral districts, can you make a wise choice like Matthew? If so, say to God, God, I want to become your worker. Please send me. I am the worker you need. I want to shepherd your flock. I want to obtain heavenly authority. I am not just a person who has faith to receive grace, but my heart is also moved by you. I want to imitate you, walking the path of service you have walked. I also want to go through all the towns and villages, proclaiming your gospel everywhere, and healing every disease and sickness.

What a wise choice! Let us today be moved by the Spirit of God and ask God to send us!

Why does God lament that there are few workers? Because there are too few who do things according to God's heart. Were not these Pharisees serving God? Were not the scribes serving God? Were not those who fasted serving God? But they did not do things according to God's heart; they did things outside of God's will. The Pharisees were astonished when they saw Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners. These Pharisees, who were supposed to be serving God, said, Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?

Jesus lamented, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. How clear is this statement! Those who need God are the ones who seek Him. What is the point of giving to those who do not need God? The Pharisees saw people's needs and the longings in their hearts, yet they turned a blind eye. Later, the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus, and even they could not grasp God's heart.

Then John's disciples came to him and asked, 'How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?' (Matthew 9:14)

How much God lamented! Is fasting so important? God desires mercy, not sacrifice. Fasting and prayer are merely sacrifices. Some people say, God, I want to pray, I want to draw near to you, but they do not know God's will. God sees many sheep distressed and helpless, without a shepherd, and is deeply saddened. Today, God is raising up a group of people among us who see that God's will is to desire mercy, not sacrifice. If someone is sick among us and happens to find me before the sermon, what should I do? I should lead the sick person in prayer before preparing my sermon.

God desires mercy, not sacrifice. If a sheep falls into a well, many people will say, I am fasting and praying. The Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist only cared about those things. Why did they not care about what God cared about? Why do we fast and pray? Because fasting and prayer are for us to have the strength to fulfill God's Mingding Destiny. If we fast and pray just for the sake of fasting and praying, what is the point? It is like living just to live, or eating just to eat. What is the difference? There is no difference. Fasting and prayer alone cannot enter into God's heart.

There are too few who do things according to God's heart. When many people are worshiping, and they see a demon-possessed person acting out, they drag that person out. Why? Because they cannot deliver that person. They think that the person is causing trouble. Are those few songs more important than delivering someone oppressed by demons? They are not that important. But many churches consider the songs they sing to be very important, and many of their teachings are absurd, directly contradicting God's word. God desires mercy, not sacrifice. Is it so difficult to gain heavenly authority and deliver a demon-possessed person? It is not that difficult. The situation in the church today is critical!

Form and Essence, External and Internal

Jesus said:

No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. (Matthew 9:16-17)

What is Jesus talking about? Jesus is talking about new wine and new wineskins. Only new wine and new wineskins can both be preserved. Today, we must not only have essence in our worship of God, which is the wine, but also the external form. We must not abandon the essence for the sake of the external form. If there is only a wineskin without wine, it is useless. We must know that fasting and prayer are just a form. What is the essence? It is that God desires mercy, not sacrifice. God's will is to set the captives free and release the oppressed.

The most essential and basic work of our church is to set the captives free and release the oppressed. The gospel we preach is to teach people, to proclaim the powerful gospel, to heal every disease and sickness, and to release those oppressed by demons. We can have external forms, such as singing songs, but the purpose is to fulfill God's will in this generation. Today, we have obtained such a Mingding Destiny, obtained the authority that God has given from heaven. We want to bring God's people into God's kingdom. We must have not only new wine but also new wineskins.

You ask me: How can I avoid becoming a bad fig tree? Those bad fig trees were once good, fresh fig trees, but why did they become rotten? Because they are often old wineskins with old wine. But if we constantly renew ourselves, we will become good fig trees. Can fasting and prayer guarantee that you will not be a bad fig tree? If you are like the Pharisees, can you guarantee that you are a good fig tree? If you are like the Pharisees, seeing what Jesus does, seeing the power of God that Jesus manifests, and yet you say that He casts out demons by the prince of demons, can you be a good fig tree?

If a person cannot grasp the essence of things but only pursues a superficial form, you will be a poor employee as an employee. You will be poor as a boss, a manager, or a professional, because you only care about the form and not the essence. Not caring about the essence is a critical problem. Whether I am training people to write programs, to do project management, or to read the Bible, I always focus on grasping the essence. I often say to people, Have you understood? Have you grasped the essence of things? If we do not use our brains, do not think, and do not grasp the key, we cannot be good Christians.

We must understand that we must not only have the external form but also the internal essence, new wine in new wineskins, constantly renewing ourselves. Only that which is constantly renewed will become alive. Once something stops renewing, it is dead. If begins to renew, it will definitely grow. If Christians are striving and constantly growing every day, how could they become rotten fig trees?

A Christian who does not desire to grow, who simply stays in the same place, feeling content and going about their life as usual, will eventually become a rotten fig tree. God will allow plagues, mildew, diseases, scorching winds, and all bad things to come upon you, because God is determined to deal with these rotten fig trees. So brothers and sisters, we have no choice. The only choice is to continuously know God, continuously renew ourselves, renewing the external and the internal, and become new wine in new wineskins.

What Kind of People Are God's Harvest?

What kind of people are truly God's harvest? Did Jesus go to hospitals to visit the sick and say that He would heal them? Jesus did not do that. Those who were sick came to Jesus on their own initiative, and they were healed. In fact, there were many others who did not seek Jesus. Why? Because those who did not seek Jesus thought that He cast out demons by the prince of demons. They preferred to think about being saved rather than being healed. Is it really possible to be saved with such thinking? This is a confused gospel.

Everyone must understand that those who seek God and have faith are God's people. Those who have faith experience God's power in their lives. Those who do not believe do not need God at all. In fact, the Pharisees were a very strange group. They would not come to Jesus if they were sick, nor would they come if they were not sick. They felt that they were doing well enough like that, because the Pharisees were the upper class in Israel. They were well-clothed and well-fed, wealthy, and did not have much need.

The Pharisees also had no mercy on those in need. They said that it was because they were sinners. Today, we must come out of the Pharisees' bad habits and begin to show pity, like God. When we see many who are in need, we should have compassion for them, because they are distressed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. These are God's harvest.

Do you think I would gather those who are not God's harvest? Those who go to the hospital, if they want to come to me, I will serve them. If they do not want to come to me, then forget about it! What is God's harvest? The Pharisees are definitely not. The tax collectors and sinners longed to be close to Jesus, but the Pharisees shut them out. So Jesus stayed with them. Therefore, those with Mingding Destiny do not judge people according to their outward appearance, but according to the needs and longings in their hearts.

Let us meet the needs of this generation, meet the needs of those who long for God's word, meet the needs of those who have their own needs but are shut out by the Pharisees, distressed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. We shepherd them, restore them to health, enable them to enter into their Mingding Destiny, and help them grow continuously. One day, they will say, God, please send me. I want to be the one to harvest your crops. I want to obtain your heavenly authority! Lord, send me out. I want to imitate your ministry to manifest your glory and to fulfill your will!

May God bless everyone!