Introduction

Good morning. Let us turn to Matthew, chapter 16. This book is not easy to navigate. A sister once remarked that I always say it is difficult, yet I always manage to find it, as if I am trying to elevate myself. I am unsure if this is a compliment or a dig, so I will take it as a compliment for now. What is Matthew 16 really about? Each section may seem unrelated when read individually, but with clear comprehension, you can tie them together.

I have put considerable effort into studying this chapter. I believe I understand it, but whether you can comprehend it, may God have mercy. The theme of this chapter is: Do you truly understand? Let us consider the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth sections, all of which speak of whether people understand or do not. The most critical issue is that people sometimes understand, and sometimes do not. If you understand most of the time, but fail to understand when the devil deceives you, you are finished. You do not know if you will have another chance to return.

Understanding God's Works is Impossible with a Worldly Logical System

The theme of Matthew 16 is: Do you truly understand? In verses 1 through 4, the Pharisees and Sadducees come to test Jesus, asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. Having already seen Jesus perform miracles, they now ask Him to perform another. What are they doing? Moses threw his staff on the ground, and it became a snake. When he picked it up, it turned back into a staff. Jesus could have performed similar miracles, but He did not. Why? Had they not seen enough of Jesus’ miracles? They had, but they never understood what was happening. They thought to test Jesus again. So, Jesus said something.

He replied, When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. (Matthew 16:2-3)

In our daily lives, we observe the weather. If the sky is red and overcast in the morning, it will rain that day. If it is red in the evening, the weather will be fair. This is quite remarkable. They saw Jesus perform miracles, such as the lame walking, the blind seeing, the feeding of five thousand with five loaves and two fish, and the feeding of four thousand with seven loaves. These attracted thousands of people. How could the Pharisees not know these things? They knew. So why did they ask Jesus to perform another miracle? Because they were confused.

A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. Jesus then left them and went away. (Matthew 16:4)

This passage has caused much confusion for Christians today, who are not much different from the Pharisees and Sadducees of that time. They bring a worldly logical system, so they do not understand what they see, and they are very confused. These people are thinking in human terms, not of God, how could they possibly understand? They can understand the weather, but when Jesus casts out demons, they say it is by the prince of demons and associate it with the charismatic movement. What kind of logic is that?

Even worse, some people, after studying this passage, dogmatically claim that we cannot ask for miracles. How can they come to such a conclusion? Is Jesus saying that we cannot ask for miracles? The Canaanite woman came to Jesus seeking healing, and her daughter was healed. So why can’t we ask for miracles? Many say we cannot because they do not understand.

If we carefully read this passage, can we conclude that we cannot ask for miracles? No! Jesus said that no sign will be given to the Pharisees and Sadducees except the sign of Jonah. This means that the sign of Jonah is a sign of repentance; one must repent to see. Why do these people not repent? Because they are filled with a human perspective, and their minds are very confused.

They wonder how five loaves and two fish could feed five thousand people, claiming it’s impossible. The best word in the world is impossible, but with our God, all things are possible. God said, What is impossible with man is possible with God! Even without the descendants of Abraham, God can raise up descendants for Abraham from the stones. Our God can do all things.

After seeing the miracles, the Pharisees and Sadducees began to talk nonsense. Pastors often encounter such people. One day, a kidney cancer patient came to me, covered in pain patches. The smell of the patches was so strong that it lingered in my office long after he left.

As I went through the Bible with him, he said to me, If you interpret the Bible this way, God will judge you. I was deeply moved. Would God judge me, or had He already judged him? People are strange. God performed so many miracles through my hands, yet he called me an extreme charismatic. I was perplexed. Those who are like Jesus are labeled as charismatic, while those who are unlike Jesus are considered orthodox.

Today, we must be clear-headed. Problem solving is a crucial marker of Chinese Mingding Destiny. I believe that my God is a God who solves problems. If problems cannot be solved, it is because we are not walking in God's will. God is the God who heals us. The Bible says that by Jesus’ stripes, we are healed.

I have paid a heavy price in ministry. Sometimes when we pray, if it is not resolved in one day, we pray for two days; if not in two days, we pray for a week; if not in a week, we pray for two weeks; if not in two weeks, we pray for a month, and slowly we begin to understand God’s will. If we carefully observe the evangelical pastors, they preach with much excitement, but few people are healed. Occasionally, there might be one or two. Are they like Jesus? No.

In the process of trying to solve people’s problems, we continuously adjust our understanding of God’s word. What we thought we understood, we did not really understand. Only when we solve people's problems do we realize that we truly understand. Putting God’s word into practice is true understanding. Brothers and sisters, beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They have human logical systems in their minds, and they do not understand what they see.

Once, I spoke about Wang Lin conjuring snakes from empty pots, and many said it was fake. I wondered, how could they be so sure? When I was young, I saw many people in Northeast China worshiping fox spirits. For a time, many people fell ill, and they would place a piece of red cloth on a bowl, take it to the mountains, kneel down, and pray. When they uncovered the bowl, there would actually be something inside. They would eat it and be healed.

When I was little, I saw fortune tellers who were incredibly accurate, beyond human imagination. I do not think it was fake because my eyes saw it. Many say it was fake and has been exposed. I do not think Wang Lin's events were fake. If they were, why were they not exposed during his lifetime? If we do not look at problems with spiritual eyes, we will be confused.

For example, how did SARS come and how did it disappear? No one knows. How did this virus simply vanish? Some say it was because the weather got warmer, but what kind of explanation is that? Recently, I discussed opening a shop with some people. We need to train people to make a living and live practically. A young man among us said that eating is very spiritual. For example, if noodles are cooked in one place and taste great, many people will come to eat. But if the same method is used in another place, the taste will change. The food business is very spiritual.

Living to thirty, forty, or fifty years old, it is impossible not to experience spiritual things. There are many things we do not understand. But if we observe carefully, we will not be so self-righteous. What can we conclude from what Jesus did and what I have done? Some people conclude with this faction or that faction, which is very strange.

The Pharisees and Sadducees of that time are similar to Christians today, always assuming that what others do is fake because they are filled with human logical systems. Therefore, Jesus said to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples were confused. Not only were the Pharisees confused, but those who followed Jesus were also confused. They personally witnessed God feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, yet they were confused. They thought it was because they had not brought bread, so they had to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees.

Jesus said, Do you still not understand? Facing our situation, it is quite difficult to make things clear to us. Making us understand God’s will is like making ants understand human thoughts. The things in people are stubborn. If the human element is not dismantled, everything will seem confusing. People’s minds are filled with human logical systems. People can learn a lot of physics and chemistry, but can this replace God’s truth? No! Learning these often confuses us, and people think that God is also bound by physical laws.

What our God does transcends human laws. If it aligns with human laws, that is human. What can we conclude from seeing what God has done, feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish? If you carry a human logical system, you will be controlled by the old master. When we were casting out demons from a sister, we told her that she would live out God’s beautiful image!

But the old master in her began to manifest, saying, “It’s no use. Even if you cast me out, I will come back because her thoughts have not changed, and she still needs me.” So, we must completely dismantle the human logical system within us. If we have a mixture of human logic and God’s system, it will become increasingly confusing.

Beware of the Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:11-12)

Matthew realized that many of the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees were human. Recently, I saw a post that looked very strange. A famous pastor from Hong Kong was speaking on Genesis: Esau and Jacob were not harmonious because their parents were biased. Isaac liked to eat and drink, and before his death, he did not forget to eat wild game. The mother liked Jacob because Jacob was a homebody, and mothers usually like the company of their children. What is this about?

The post said that because Rebekah was very biased, Jacob did not return for her funeral when she died, and the curse had to be borne by the mother. Is this kind of teaching in accordance with the Bible? Some also say that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lied; is this God's will? A seminary professor said that whenever he spoke about Genesis chapter 38, he felt very broken down because Judah fell. What kind of understanding is this?

Today, the teachings of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees are quite common in Christianity. They simply do not care about being like Jesus; they care about the issue of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lying. But the key point is that God did not criticize Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for lying.

Have you seen the person who said this solve any problems? They have never solved any problems! What Jesus could do, they cannot do; what Jesus did not do, they do a lot of. What Jesus said, they do not say; what Jesus did not say, they say a lot. When did Jesus criticize these people? Never! When did the apostle Paul criticize these people? Never! None of the prophets criticized these people! What is the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees in this generation? It is imposing human meanings onto God. Do you want to force God to respect your meaning? No, we should force ourselves to respect God's meaning!

Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must begin to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. This yeast can make people increasingly confused and disordered. This is their teaching. What is their teaching? It is a human logical system. Today, if we use a human logical system to interpret the Bible, it would be hilarious. We must walk out of the yeast of the Sadducees and Pharisees!

If our past in traditional churches has deeply polluted us, listen carefully today. We must beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees! After seeing the miracles, the Pharisees and Sadducees told Jesus to perform another one. What were they doing? They simply did not want to solve the problem. A hunchback was in the synagogue, and no one cared. But when Jesus healed him, these people said that Jesus violated the law of keeping the Sabbath. These people simply do not want to solve people’s problems.

The Key to Solving Problems is Putting God’s Word into Practice

If you want to be a Christian who solves problems, a pastor who solves problems, what can you conclude? I tell you, I have paid a great price to solve problems! I have been a good child since I was young, never upsetting my parents and disliking saying harsh words. But to solve problems, I was forced to say harsh words. Why? Because seeing these problems unsolved made me upset!

For example, many children are very naughty, and their parents are helpless. They bring their children to me, and I begin to seek solutions, finally finding them in the scriptures. The Bible says that the rod can solve problems. Some ask, Is the rod really necessary? Yes, it is! I was beaten when I was young, but I was rarely beaten because I was very well-behaved. But I found that there are not many people as well-behaved as me. What is the problem? If we want to solve problems, we must break through many moral, religious, superficial, and other bondages. These must be dismantled within us!

It is difficult to solve problems if we carry a human logical system! What problems did the Pharisees and Sadducees in the Bible solve? They could not solve the problems that Jesus could solve. Today, there are many people like the Pharisees and Sadducees in Christianity!

Once, when I went out to minister, I met a pastor who pushed a mentally ill person possessed by a dragon spirit to me for ministry. This mentally ill person was very severely possessed. The pastor came over and said, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command the demon to leave!” Then he told me, “You continue to minister!” He turned around and left.

After he left, I began to minister to this mentally ill person and immediately knocked the evil spirit down, and the person returned to normal. Although he recovered, my words were quite harsh. Why? Good words do not solve problems! I also want to say good words so that everyone is comfortable. You are okay, I am okay, you sleep your sleep, I sleep my sleep, which doesn't solve the problem. What matters is whether we put God’s word into practice. Today, there are countless people who treat God’s word as a myth, but very few put God’s word into practice.

The Victorious Church is Built on the Rock of Jesus Christ

People are ruined by taking the fleshly, worldly, and human perspectives and seeing them as the foundation for living! That’s why Jesus said, “Do you truly comprehend the feeding of five thousand with five loaves and two fish, and the feeding of four thousand with seven loaves?” If we see Jesus acting like this today, would we still worry about worldly things? All our needs are met in Jesus Christ.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, Who do people say the Son of Man is? They replied, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But what about you? he asked. Who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

Jesus replied, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. (Matthew 16:13-20)

Who is Jesus? If you see what Jesus did, what can you summarise? Conclude that Jesus Christ is the Savior who is to come, He is the Son of God, He is the Christ, and He is the Savior! Blessed are those who trust in Him! This was not told to you by flesh and blood, for flesh and blood cannot tell Peter, but our Father in heaven revealed to Simon Peter that Jesus Christ is the Messiah who is to come, and the Lamb of God. He bears our burdens and carries our sins.

Jesus will build His church on this rock. What does this rock refer to? It refers to God’s revelation, God’s word! The powers of hell will not overcome it! I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven! This is the only time Jesus mentioned the church, and it is also the only verse. We can ponder what the church is and what the work of the church is.

Today, many people, carrying the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees, do not understand this passage. The church must be built on God’s word, on God’s rock, and on the truth of Jesus Christ, and the powers of hell will not overcome it. Many people cannot explain what “the powers of hell will not overcome it” means. The church that I see is often overcome by the powers of hell. Is that built on the rock of Jesus Christ? No. Is that the church? It seems like it, but it seems like it's not.

God will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Have you really received the keys of the kingdom of heaven? Can you really draw on the resources of the kingdom of heaven? Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Binding and loosing are the most basic works of the church, and this is what Jesus Christ revealed to us when He defined the church.

We must never be mistaken. Many people say that your church has the gift of casting out demons, but our church does not. Your church has this gift and that gift, but our church does not. God has different arrangements and different destines for different churches. How can such things be? It shouldn't be like that. The church must hold the keys of the kingdom of heaven, be able to bind the spiritual forces of darkness on earth, and be able to set free those who are oppressed by the devil on earth; this is the victorious church!

From Matthew to Revelation, what can you conclude? If the church is not victorious and many problems cannot be solved, is that according to God’s will? We must know exactly Jesus’ definition of the church. In other Bible studies and courses, I often quote this passage. This passage must be imprinted in your mind!

Some people do not have the keys of the kingdom of heaven because God simply did not give them. Why did God not give them? What would God give them for? They do not bind what they should bind nor loose what they should loose. All these things that Jesus Christ did on earth transcended our understanding of things. If one can do what Jesus did, would people still be confused? But those people do not practice God’s word, do not want to solve problems, and still claim to be Christians and pastors.

Worldly Value Systems Hinder Renewal

Does the story of the five loaves and two fish tell of God feeding people with bread, or is it a revelation of truth from God? The feeding of five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, and the feeding of four thousand with seven loaves and a few fish, is meant to reveal a truth, not just to fill bellies. It is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Lamb of God, who redeems us from the power of darkness, so that we can overcome the authority of the underworld through Him!

Some often ask me, are all diseases related to evil spirits? Many, after being Christians for years, still ask, are all healed? Even if I have not healed everyone, the Bible says everyone is healed, and I firmly believe God's word will be fulfilled among us! Some believe, some don't. How can one believe with human eyes? Looking at everything with human eyes only leads to confusion.

Among those I've ministered to, many have left the church. Why did they leave? Because they were unwilling to pay the price I paid. They felt they could not live well paying the price I do. But I believe one cannot live well without paying such a price, because I believe in God's word.

Some testify on stage about a finger that ached for a year, and how it finally healed after seeing both Chinese and Western doctors. I wonder if this is a testimony, or a humiliation of God's name, or the church. Many think it's normal not to be healed. We must remove the human logic system within us.

Why do people have spirits like Old Horse inside? Because they live by human logic. Some fill their heads with children, work, and life, living by these things. What kind of life can they live? I can only say good luck.

Peter had just said, Jesus, you are the Son of God, the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, the Lamb of God. Jesus then said, I must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” (Matthew 16:22)

How easily we are influenced by human ideas! If you have many human logic systems within you, during the shantytown renovation (renewal) process within us, those things become stubborn nail households. Today, we must continue to tear down human things.

Strive to Mind the Things of God, Not the Things of Men

But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:23)

Can we understand this? Peter had just said Jesus is the Son of God, yet Jesus said He would suffer much and be killed. They only heard that Jesus would be killed, not that Jesus would rise from the dead on the third day, not that Jesus is victorious. He said, Far be it from you! This must not happen to you. How evil is Satan! Did Peter know what he was saying? He did not know.

Today, we involuntarily reveal Peter's mindset of minding the things of men. Later, Peter fell far short of what God wanted to entrust to him because he greatly minded the things of men. He minded the things of men in his consideration of Jesus, and his wife. He built the Jerusalem church, minding the opinions of many, but not the things of God.

Be careful, there are many strange things. For example, we see ten virgins, five are thrown into darkness, and the other five are received by Jesus into the kingdom of God. Many pastors, including Rick Joyner, when interpreting this, say that the darkness is not really darkness, but another place in heaven. The Bible has never interpreted it this way.

Some say they saw Lot in heaven, but Lot was a man who lost his Mingding Destiny, whom God saved because of Abraham. When did Jesus ever praise Lot? Jesus never praised Lot, nor did the prophets. So today we must be particularly careful to discern whether it is the mind of man or the mind of God.

We read Hebrews, understanding that we must strive to pursue, strive to enter into perfection, strive to be like Jesus. We must strive to deal with the minding of the things of men, the minding of the flesh, the minding of the worldly logic systems within us.

Peter at that time greatly minded the things of men. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, had not been victorious, what would the path ahead look like? Who would you and I rely on today? How would we rely on them? Are we truly willing to pay the price for God today? Are we willing to be like Jesus, not caring about suffering much? Even if we are killed, we do not care, because we will surely be victorious, and life and death are no longer within our consideration. As long as we live one day, we will mind the things of God for one day, and as long as we live one day, we will implement God's word!

If Anyone Would Follow Jesus, Let Him Deny Himself

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

Many think that having cancer is taking up their cross, but that is carrying Old Horse. Minding the flesh and loving the world to a certain extent leads to cancer. Taking up one's cross is to pay the price for many, becoming a blessing to many.

Some get cancer, are taken care of by others, and still think they are great. That is astonishing! Today, there is too much confusion in Christianity. There are many of these so-called testimonies, like not being healed of cancer, but saying that the person is strong or tenacious. What is in their heads?

If there are many human ideas inside a person, how can they not be tormented to death by demons? We who mind the things of God also suffer, but not because of sickness. In the Bible, Peter, the Apostle Paul, and the Lord Jesus, none of them died of cancer! They were all people who gave themselves for the kingdom of God.

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:25-26)

What can a man give in return for his soul? Today's Christians have many, extremely confused interpretations of the word life. This generation needs to clarify the concepts of these words one by one, which is a huge project. Many Christians think they have much life, but I think their lives are not even as good as a monk's.

What can a man give in return for his soul? This life is imitating Jesus, because Jesus is our life, Jesus is our way, Jesus is our truth, Jesus is the example we should follow! Let us examine ourselves, in what ways are we like Jesus?

Whoever loses his life for Jesus will find it, this is life. So some, with worldly logic systems, cannot understand. Do you truly understand today? If you truly understand, you will surely have a Mingding Destiny, because my Mingding Destiny is to build God's glorious church, my Mingding Destiny is to imitate Jesus Christ, to become a blessing to many, and to suffer much for Jesus without regret. I will lay down my life for God.

Chinese Mingding Destiny is not just about receiving grace from God, but about becoming a blessing to many. We are not like the Canaanite woman, asking Jesus for bread, asking Jesus for grace. We must obtain Mingding Destiny, we must imitate Jesus, grow to maturity, and live out God's glorious image.

Brothers and sisters, let us examine ourselves carefully, do we truly understand what it means to be a Christian? To be a Christian, to follow Jesus, is to deny oneself! Are you willing to forsake your business, work, and family for God? In fact, God is not asking you to forsake them, but to understand in your heart that God is our life, and this is the most important thing in our lives.

A few days ago, I was worried about one of our brothers, who is not young and suddenly lost his job. I saw a phenomenon in him. He used to work in a travel company, and the travel company went bankrupt. Then he went to another company, and that company also went bankrupt. This time he went to work in a gambling company doing IT, and the company went bankrupt again, and now he is unemployed.

I said to God in my heart, God, please give me the courage to tell him plainly that what he needs most is to love God! Have mercy on him! But I still lacked a bit of courage. One day he told me that he had found another job, and my heart was immediately relieved. Our God is truly a God who provides Manna! All our needs are met in Him.

This brother of ours is in his forties, almost fifty, the peak period of mid-life crisis. I have seen that over the years, he speaks eloquently, but has not successfully pastored anyone. I earnestly told him that he must change, and I hope this brother can truly understand in his heart.

Today, there are still many among us who do not understand. For example, many people's lifestyles are: I must have God, and I don't know what to do without God, but I cannot love God like you do, because I still have to work, date, get married and have children, etc.

Is this true understanding? If you truly understand, you should know that those things cannot really give you anything. In fact, we only need to look around us, look at our family members, and look at the many people you have seen in your life, and we will know what Paul taught about resting content.

We often choose those things that seem to be good for us, but actually harm us. We choose those things that seem to be a loss, giving ourselves for God, losing our lives, but gaining life. Chinese Mingding Destiny is definitely not just a theology of receiving grace, Chinese Mingding Destiny is a theology of completely giving one's life!

Do you truly understand today? We who are like this lack nothing by relying on God. If a person wants to love both the world and God, they will gain nothing. Either demons will mess with you, or God will send a demon to mess with you.

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. (Matthew 12:39)

What is this adultery? This adultery is loving both God and the world, wanting to gain benefits from both the world and from God. I tell you, I will never do that, because I know what the result of doing so is. I will wholeheartedly love God, and I will lack nothing in my life, but not in order to gain benefits, but in order to be like Jesus, to become a blessing to many!

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, do you still have nail households inside you? If you still have stubborn worldly things inside you, we will constantly tear them down, until we completely tear down all worldly logic systems! We must truly understand that Jesus is everything to us, and God is everything to us. One day we will stand before God and receive His glorious crown. May He prepare a glorious crown for us in the eternal kingdom.

One day, we will come before God and tell Him, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. In eternity, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. I congratulate you who have such courage and faith, you are a person with treasure in your heart.

From now on, worldly things, all things are insignificant. Only Jesus Christ becomes the supreme treasure within us, and this treasure enables us to display immense power through earthen vessels. This power will shake this generation, so that this generation can see the glory of God, and so that the knowledge of God fills the earth like the sea fills the ocean. This is our dream.

May God inspire us to run this heavenly road together, until we see the glory of God filling the whole earth. The little things in our lives are insignificant before God, there is no lack, no trouble. There is only one thing, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus!

May God bless everyone, Amen!