Recording:

Seizing the Gates of the Enemy - President Hsieh Hong-chung

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will seize the gates of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (Genesis 22:1-18)

Today, let us reflect on an important topic: Seizing the Gates of the Enemy. We know that God blessed Abraham because he offered Isaac. Among the blessings He bestowed, there were three very significant ones, all related to Abraham's descendants:

First blessing: God blessed Abraham's descendants to be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.
Second blessing: God blessed Abraham's descendants to be able to seize the gates of their enemies.
Third blessing: God blessed Abraham's descendants to become a blessing to all nations on earth.

Therefore, we see that God has a wondrous plan for Abraham's descendants – God allows them to multiply for a purpose, which is to bless all nations. But the key lies in seizing the gates of the enemy, because Satan is our greatest adversary. He uses all sorts of methods to prevent people from obtaining salvation in Jesus Christ. Thus, Satan spares no effort, using every possible means to hinder people from knowing God. Therefore, God promised Abraham that his descendants would seize the gates of their enemies. This means that his descendants will liberate many people to enter God's kingdom and receive the salvation of Jesus Christ.

When it comes to seizing the gates of the enemy, we must understand that there are different interpretations from the perspectives of the Israelites and the Christians. From the Israelites' standpoint, we know that they are the physical descendants of Abraham. So, God promised Abraham that his descendants, the Israelites, would seize the gates of their enemies. This idea of seizing the gates of the enemy occurred during the time of Joshua. Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites conquered the strongholds established by the Canaanites in various cities and obtained the land flowing with milk and honey. This refers to Abraham's physical descendants.

For us, we are Abraham's spiritual descendants, and we must also, through Jesus, lead in conquering the strongholds established by Satan throughout the world. Relying on the name of Jesus to change communities, transform workplaces, and turn cities around, so that every nation can become a place where salvation flows. Therefore, seizing the gates of the enemy is the key, and this key is closely related to each and every one of us, brothers and sisters.

You ask, How can I seize the gates of the enemy? The enemy here mainly refers to the dark forces of Satan. The gates refer to the spiritual strongholds he has established in various places, hindering all arrogance that prevents people from knowing God. In your workplace, community, family, hospital, prison, and in many situations, we will see Satan establishing spiritual strongholds there, hindering people from knowing God. Therefore, seizing the gates of the enemy is very important for every Christian.

If we want all the nations on earth to be blessed, we must learn to fight, so that we can seize the gates of the enemy and let salvation flow in workplaces, communities, nations, and throughout the world. When God first made a covenant with Abram, He promised that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, but He did not include the phrase about seizing the gates of the enemy. It was only after Abram offered Isaac that God added the blessing of seizing the gates of the enemy. Therefore, seizing the gates of the enemy requires paying a price.

Please prepare yourselves. We will consider three aspects. Although these three aspects are not easy to achieve, they are God's deep expectations for each and every one of us Christians.

How Can We Seize the Gates of the Enemy?

First, Complete Obedience to God's Word

We see that Abraham was a person who completely obeyed God's word. When God asked him to offer Isaac, he got up early in the morning and immediately took action, completely obeying God's word. Complete obedience to God's word enables us Christians to seize the gates of the enemy. Joshua completely obeyed God's word and was able to conquer the difficult city of Jericho and seize the gates of Jericho. Achan, because he did not obey God's word and took what was devoted to destruction, loving gold, silver, and clothing, caused the Israelites to be defeated at the hands of Ai and was unable to seize the gates of Ai.

Therefore, we clearly understand one thing: Whether an individual is completely obedient affects the success or failure of the group's battle; the degree of our individual obedience affects the group's chances of victory. Achan's failure, because of his individual disobedience, affected the group's failure. Therefore, here we are not only talking about individual complete obedience but also about group complete obedience.

This kind of group complete obedience will bring greater power, just like the one hundred and twenty disciples who completely obeyed Jesus' words in Jerusalem, waiting in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit filled and poured out upon them, and they changed the face of that city, turning the city of Jerusalem upside down and seizing the gates of Jerusalem. We see that they expanded rapidly and continuously to the left and to the right because the one hundred and twenty disciples completely obeyed Jesus, waiting in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them. Therefore, we see that complete obedience to God's word will definitely bring about changes in the city.

The problem is that our lives are often only partially obedient, not completely obedient. Because our faith grows from partial obedience to complete obedience. Abraham was not initially a person who completely obeyed God's word. He was partially obedient. God wanted him to leave his father's house, but he still accompanied his father to Haran. It was not until after his father passed away that he entered the promised land from Haran.

Therefore, we know that everyone's faith growth is a stage-by-stage process. We should not be discouraged. If we have ever been partially obedient or have fallen because of disobedience, we must continue to move forward like Abraham. God's expectation of us is to move from partial obedience to complete obedience. In offering Isaac, Abraham showed us the highest point of his faith, because of his complete obedience.

Abraham Had Two Reasons to Refuse Obedience to God's Word

Rational Obstacles

For all of us, one of the key factors that affects our complete obedience to God's word is rational obstacles. So-called rational obstacles mean that God's word cannot pass through our reason. We think about it left and right and find it difficult to obey. Just like Abraham, when he heard God tell him to offer his beloved Isaac, he thought about it left and right, and he found it difficult to obey. He could not understand why God gave him Isaac and then wanted to take Isaac away. This reason could not pass through, so for Abraham, it was really difficult to obey, but Abraham obeyed.

This is called a test of faith in the Bible. Every time the Bible talks about a test of faith, it is bound to challenge people's reason and disrupt people's rational thinking and logic. We can also say that if a test of faith does not challenge your reason and does not disrupt your logical thinking, then it is not a true test of faith. Because a true test of faith will inevitably leave a question mark in your mind. Therefore, when each of us faces rational obstacles, we must learn to completely obey, and we must emulate Abraham.

When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water, he said, “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said (Matthew 14:28-29). For a person who often fished in the Sea of Galilee, he knew that it was impossible for a person to walk on the water. He knew it very clearly rationally. But he walked on the water, because Jesus told him to come over. He believed Jesus' words more than his reason. This is called a test of faith. Any test of faith mentioned in the Bible is like this. This is a real test of faith.

When we want to seize the gates of the enemy, we will definitely encounter many attacks, and sometimes this attack makes us feel like it is impossible; but God says that if you continue to move forward, you will see the possibility. This kind of rational obstacle is a lesson in faith that every Christian will face, and this must be learned. Steve Long, the founder of Taiwan's Victory ministry, once gave a good example to illustrate the relationship between tests of faith and rational obstacles.

Once when he was praying, God moved him and said, Make a cross, and carry this cross to the nearby beach. He heard this and felt it was incredible to carry a cross and walk on the beach? That is a tourist attraction. If I carry a cross and walk there, wouldn't people say it spoils the scenery? This is difficult to accept, and reason cannot understand it. He continued to pray and said, Lord, am I hallucinating? The Lord said, No, go. Then he prayed again, It must not be. The Lord said, Go. The Lord had reminded him many times, but he wanted to seek confirmation.

He ran upstairs and said to his wife, When I was praying just now, God told me to carry a cross and walk on the beach. Do you think it is possible? His wife said, Oh, this is confirmed, because when I was praying just now, God told me:'Tell your husband to carry the cross and walk on the beach.'I think you should go. I will pray for you behind you. He made a cross and reluctantly carried the cross and walked on the beach. People who saw him said he spoiled the scenery and humiliated him, saying, Why carry a cross to the beach? You should go to church. Like Jesus, he endured people's humiliation and could not understand why God asked him to carry the cross and walk on the beach.

Until he walked in front of a person, God let him talk to this young man, telling this young man to repent and accept Jesus' salvation, and revealing the young man's name and the sins he committed. He walked to the young man and called the young man's name directly. The man was shocked and thought how this stranger knew my name. Steve Long said, God just said to me that your sins are forgiven, because of Jesus' salvation, Jesus' blood has washed away all your sins. The young man immediately shed tears and accepted Jesus as his Savior on the spot.

The rational obstacle that Steve Long needed to overcome was that when he was sure it was God's word, but God's word violated his reason, he still did what God said. This is called complete obedience, so he seized the gates of the enemy. Satan established a strong stronghold in this young man's sinful behavior, but because of Steve Long's complete obedience, Satan's strong stronghold on this young man was broken, saving him to repent and returning to Jesus Christ. This is called seizing the gates of the enemy. If Steve Long had not obeyed God that day, I think the young man would have had no chance to repent and be saved. Therefore, rational obstacles are an important reason why we cannot completely obey God.

Emotional Struggles

Abraham could have said to God, God, why do you want to take back the Isaac that I love? He is the child born when I was 100 years old, and I love him so much that it is difficult to give him up. Sorry, my faith cannot support it. Find someone else. Abraham could have done this, because no one can give up such family affection. Abraham really needed to face emotional struggles and learn complete obedience, which was very difficult.

We will encounter a difficult problem, which is the issue of surrogate mothers. Many infertile couples hope to have children, but they are unwilling to adopt children, so they hope to be able to put their fertilized eggs in other people's wombs, which is called surrogacy. In medical ethics, this is a very controversial medical topic. In some states in the United States, people are allowed to be surrogate mothers, but in 1997, the first dispute between a surrogate mother and a client occurred in the United States. Because when a woman wants to rent out her uterus, she must sign a contract with the client.

The contract includes the following text, agreeing to the following words: I can help infertile couples have children, which is a gift from the Creator. I will, without question, give back the child I bore to the entrusted couple, which is the most perfect gift I can give. This is what the surrogate mother herself is willing to do. But after she was six months pregnant, she had an emotional connection with the fetus, so she was reluctant to give the child in her womb to the couple who entrusted her.

Even the court was very troubled, because the surrogate mother said that I would rather not take the 10,000 dollar commission or even be punished. I want to keep the child in my womb. If a surrogate mother has a deep emotional connection with her child during the pregnancy, so what about Abraham? Sarah was not a surrogate mother, and she gave birth to Isaac in very healthy condition. Isaac was the person Abraham loved most. Is this reason not enough to protest to God? But Abraham did not.

In the Old Testament, there is also person like this, whose name is Hannah. Hannah was infertile. She prayed to the Lord, Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life... (1 Samuel 1:11). God heard her prayer and caused her to conceive and give birth to Samuel. When we have not yet obtained something, it is easier to say to God, If you give it to me, I will dedicate what you gave me to you. It is more difficult to dedicate this thing to God after we get it. Moreover, it was even more difficult that Hannah did not give Samuel to Eli to raise, but she raised Samuel until he was weaned, which took two to three years. That was even more difficult.

So you discover that as the child grows up, Hannah faces more emotional struggles and it becomes more difficult for her. She needs greater faith to completely give Samuel to Eli so that he may serve the Lord for the rest of his life. However, because of her complete obedience to God, without keeping Samuel, Samuel was greatly anointed and used by God. In that era, he helped the Israelites to seize the gates of the enemy and revived the work of that era, enabling the Israelites to break away from the control of the Philistines. This was only because there was a mother who completely obeyed God. You will find that completely obeying God's words is not an easy task. There are rational obstacles and emotional struggles. But why was Abraham able to do it? Let's look at a scripture:

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. (Hebrews 11:17-19)

This passage provides the answer to Abraham's complete obedience to God's words. I call it supernatural faith. Here is a saying that he believed that God can raise people from the dead. This word thought refers to in Abraham's repeated thought on a rational level. So this thought is rational operation. He thought that God can raise people from the dead. This kind of rational is called supernatural rational, not material rational. Material rational would not think like that.

So why does he have this kind of supernatural rational? Because it tells us earlier that he seized God's promise, because it has been said that through Isaac, thy seed will be called. If Isaac dies, Abraham will have no descendants, even though he has Ishmael, Ishmael's offspring is not Abraham's seed. So the supernatural rational is using God's Words to think about God's business because God cannot violate his own words.

Every one of us Christians has to develop the ability of supernatural rational in order to seize the gate of the enemy. Through the words of the Bible and the revelation of the Holy Spirit, we must use the word of God to think about God's business. Instead of using people's rational to think about commands from God. If we want to seize the gate of the enemy in the workplace, region, community, hospital, and prison, we all need this kind of supernatural rational. Because Abraham had this kind of supernatural rational, he believed that even if Isaac died in the altar, God will raise him from the dead, and he seemed to have received back his son from the dead.

How Do We Know That Abraham Had This Supernatural Rational?

Speak Out Words Of Faith

Abraham said to his servants, Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”(Genesis 22:5) This scripture clearly states that Abraham seized the promises of God and making statements of faith. He believed that he could return with Isaac to his servants. Isaac would not be left on the altar.

Make Statements Of Faith

Isaac asked him that the firewood and the fire are all ready, where is the burnt offerings? Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:7-8) Abraham used faith to declare that God would prepare a burnt offering of lamb himself. You will find that, about Abraham's supernatural sense, make him take the message of faith. This faith, we called believe to the end of the faith. Even outside environment seems impossible. Things unimaginable, but Abraham is believed to the end. Even if Isaac died, God would still let Isaac resurrected.

This is what we should learn to seize the gate of the enemy, for the gate of the enemy is sometimes is not razed at once. Sometimes it needs to be like the siege of Jericho. Seven times around the city before it collapsed! This requires credible end to the faith. Always believe to the gates of the enemy, solid ramparts are torn down.

Second Point, We Want To Devote The Best To God

Abraham presented his beloved Isaac. To God, that is manifest to fear God. We believe that we are of God-fearing person, but fearing God do not just say so. Why?

Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.(Genesis 22:12)

Abraham's fear of God, is shown through the dedication of his beloved son. So dedicate Isaac's behavior as the shadow of Abraham's fear of God. Fear God, never just says is. Must see if you have to give the best to God. Fear God an important concept is to fear God's sovereignty. I believe that God governs all things of the universe. Every Christian, whatever our environment is favorable or adverse; is comedy or tragedy; we must have a very deep conviction, be God in control of everything. The sovereignty of God and we do not understand. But we believe that he in control of everything, all things work together. Under God's supremacy, let God and love of those who benefit. With this belief, Abraham's fear of God is manifested.

Abraham Believed In God's Performance

Unquestioning Trust

Although he has rational obstacles, but he has the supernatural rational, so that his unquestioning trust in God. This is not easy. When Daniel's three friends, not worship Nebuchadnezzar of the statue, their fate has been decided. That is to be thrown into the fiery furnace. But they are because of fear, unquestioning trust in God, so they said a word. But even if he does not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.(Daniel 3:18) Even if God did not rescue us from the fiery furnace, we will not worship your idols. This is an unquestioning trust.

====输出开始
 ### Unreserved Obedience

Paul had a profound understanding - because he knew that **God's sovereignty reigns over all; all things are from Him, through Him, and to Him.** Therefore, Paul said, *I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1 ESV)* Thus, **Abraham's fear of God was manifested in his unwavering trust and unreserved obedience in offering Isaac.**

We see it clearly in Job as well. Despite the great disaster he faced, Job said, *The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21 ESV)* Job's fear of God was fully manifested at that time, but it was very difficult. No one could face such great suffering and still say such words. Therefore, the angel said to Abraham, Now I know that you fear God.

God gives each of us, brothers and sisters, that which is best. It might be your children, your family, your work, your possessions, your parents, or your spouse. In your heart, you may consider one of these as the best. If God were to ask you for this best one day, would you be willing to show God through concrete actions that you are willing?

This is a path we must walk. **Gaining the gates of the enemy is inextricably linked to offering the best to God.** We see in church history and in the history of the Bible that all who were able to gain the gates of the enemy were those who, in their time, offered their best to God, and thus their era was transformed. May God help us.

 ### Third Point: Offering the Best to God is Also a Journey of a Broken Heart

If you pay attention, the fourth verse records that Abraham traveled for three days before reaching Moriah. In reality, it doesn't take three days to reach Moriah, as it's only about 50 miles from Beersheba. If we walk quickly, we could reach it in about a day and a half. But he walked slowly because his heart was heavy. For him, those three days felt like an eternity. He wanted to be with his beloved son as much as possible, yet he continued to move forward. Because in Genesis 22:6-8, we also see the conversation between father and son, and this conversation was the moment Abraham's heart broke.

*For Isaac asked his father, Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? Abraham said, God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son. (Genesis 22:7-8 ESV)* We see Abraham already raising the knife, preparing to kill Isaac. This is the most difficult thing to face. The previous journey was easier; he just needed to walk slower. The latter part of the journey was not easy because the altar was right in front of him, and he was about to lose his beloved only son. This was the most difficult.

It must be emphasized that in the Bible, gaining the gates of the enemy and a broken heart are indeed closely related. In church history, we also see such situations. What happened in Cali, Colombia, once again confirms that the journey of a broken heart is one of the most important keys to gaining the gates of the enemy.

In the 1990s, Cali was one of the most morally corrupt cities in the world and one of the cities with the most drug trafficking. While Pastor Julio was pastoring in Cali, he received a vision to unite the churches of Cali to overcome the enemy Satan's control over the people in that city through drugs and violence. However, no one responded to his vision. One day, he was shot dead by gangsters at the church entrance.

His wife rushed to the scene and saw a pool of blood on the ground. She couldn't accept that her husband was dead. She knelt there and prayed to the Lord, saying, Lord, I don't understand Your plan, but Your plan is good for my heart. At first, I didn't understand her prayer. Lord, I don't understand Your plan, I could understand that. But I know Your plan is good for my heart, I didn't understand, because this was a moment of a broken heart. How could it be good?

But during the memorial service, more than two hundred pastors from Cali made a covenant of unity with each other during this service. Later, the entire city of Cali was transformed. The entire city of Cali, under the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, trampled on the power of the enemy. Cali was no longer the city with the most drug trafficking, nor was it one of the most morally corrupt places. His wife saw the transformation of Cali and finally understood that although she could not understand her broken heart, wasn't this exactly what she and her husband had been praying for Cali for a long time?

So I know that a broken heart is something none of us wants, but it is necessary to gain the gates of the enemy. Do not be afraid. The Scripture tells us that you are not the first person to have a broken heart. Abraham was earlier than you. Jesus came into the world and died on the cross for our sins. He was a man with a broken heart. The Father sent Him into the world and watched His only beloved Son being nailed to the cross and suffering humiliation. The Father's heart was also broken.

But you will see, *He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32 ESV)* Within this broken life flows God's vast blessing. Olives must be pressed to obtain olive oil; grapes must be pressed to obtain wine. If life is not broken and the heart is not broken, the great power of life's nourishment cannot come to others.

Because Jesus' heart was broken and His body was broken, His salvation flowed out. Through His disciples, many cities around the world were transformed, and the gates of the enemy were gained. So let us not be afraid, because the Bible tells us that Abraham and Isaac walked together to the altar. I like the phrase walked together, but when we talk about the journey of a broken heart, please remember that you are not walking this journey alone. Abraham and Isaac walked this journey together.

Before Jesus was crucified, He said, *Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. (John 16:32 ESV)* Brothers and sisters, the journey of a broken heart is definitely not something you face alone. Before being crucified, Jesus knew that His body would be broken and His heart would be broken. The breaking of the body was due to whips, nails, and thorns; the breaking of the heart was because He bore the sins of the world, so that God the Father turned away from Him.

But He said, You will leave me. It seems like I am left alone to face the moment of a broken heart, but I tell you, I am not alone, because the Father is with me. Then Jesus told His disciples, *In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 ESV)* If **God moves among us to gain the gates of the enemy, but we will walk a journey of a broken heart, then I tell you that the Father will surely accompany you on this journey.**

Jesus' words tell us - In the world you will have tribulation, but I have overcome the world; because the Father is with Me, helping Me overcome the suffering on earth, so I will also be with you, overcoming the suffering in this world. Many times because of a setback, we retreat. Under the threat of the enemy, we dare not gain the gates of the enemy, **but the Lord says I have already walked ahead of you, and you can follow in My footsteps.**

Sometimes when I think about something, I have a deep feeling. I pray to God and say, Lord, I want everything that You give me, because in Christ Jesus, I have already received spiritual blessings. But God will ask you, Will you give Me everything that I want? I think this question is the reason for a broken heart. I want everything God gives, but I don't give everything God wants, because if you give it, your heart will break.

I have walked this journey, because my son passed away and my heart broke. I have a deep understanding. In such a journey of a broken heart, I am now standing firm because the Father God is with me. It is because Jesus walked this way that I can testify to you here. It's not that I don't have pain or tears. I shed a lot of tears, but to gain the gates of the enemy, a broken heart will definitely happen.

Let us **remember what Jesus said, Take heart, be courageous and continue to move forward, because I have overcome the world. Be courageous and continue to move forward. You are not alone. God is with you.** This is God's word of encouragement to us. To gain the gates of the enemy, we need to offer the best to God, even if it breaks our hearts.

 ### Fourth Point: We Must Wait for God to Supply Our Needs

Why do we say wait for God to provide what is needed? The **waiting I am referring to is not passive waiting, but active waiting. I call it costly waiting.** Abraham offered Isaac to God without knowing that God had already prepared a lamb for him. He knew that God would prepare a lamb Himself, but he had not yet seen the lamb that God had prepared. During this waiting period, he had to make the move of raising the knife to kill Isaac, but God stopped this from happening. **From this, we know that costly waiting is a key factor in gaining the gates of the enemy.**

It is like the Israelites circling the city of Jericho, circling it for the seventh time, paying the price of seven circles before seeing the collapse of Jericho. If we look at gaining the gates of the enemy from a spiritual perspective, how can we break down those strongholds of Satan that prevent people from knowing God in spiritual warfare? **We must pay the price of prayer. Only by paying the price of prayer can we see revival truly come.**

The term gates in the Bible symbolizes authority. Because the elders of Israel had authority, where did they judge the people? They judged the people at the city gates. Where did they discuss the city's welfare? They discussed it at the city gates. So gates in the Bible means symbolizing authority. Satan uses various spiritual strongholds around the world to lock people in his city, preventing them from knowing the salvation of Jesus Christ.

But when Jesus commanded His disciples, He said, *I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18 ESV)* Authority in the original text is the gates of hell. The authority of hell is the gates of hell, which means that the power of death is very great. Anyone locked within the gates of death can never get out again. But our prayers before God can bring down heavenly authority.

So **costly waiting is using heavenly authority, costly prayer, to break the power of death, to break down all the strongholds of Satan.** All the strongholds that hinder people from knowing God are completely broken down, so that people can completely submit their hearts to Jesus Christ. This is what we can do today. As we face the critical moment of Taiwan's transformation from 2009 to 2015, one of the most important things we can do is to pay the price of prayer.

Cindy Jacobs is a prayer warrior. She once mentioned that she and two other people were distributing gospel tracts in Red Square in Moscow, but no one paid attention to her, not even looking at her. No one wanted to receive her gospel tracts. She was very sad and asked God why these people didn't take our gospel tracts. God immediately reminded her that *the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV)* So she and the other two became a prayer team, praying quietly but with authority, because the authority of the Lord Jesus can overcome the authority of hell, can break down oppression, can break down the power of darkness, and break down the obstacles in people's hearts.

Then after they finished praying there and distributed the tracts again, everyone took the tracts, and some even said that one was not enough and they wanted two to give to others. She deeply realized that if she had not done such a prayer, relying on the Lord's authority to break the power of death and Satan's power, these people would not have been willing to take the gospel tracts. If we can see such things from distributing gospel tracts, I believe that if we continue to pray and pay the price of prayer, in 2015 we will see ten unbelievers grab a Christian and say, I want to go to church with you to worship God.

This is costly waiting. We cannot do nothing and then wait for ten people to come to us automatically. No, God can do this, God's power can do this, **but God is determined to let people work with Him through such costly prayer to accomplish such things, so costly waiting for us is costly prayer.**

**Conditional supply of needs.** We see conditional supply. Many times we say, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Jireh, but we don't say that Jehovah Jireh is that on the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. We tend to think that Jehovah Jireh will unconditionally supply everything we need, like the government giving us $3,600 consumption vouchers, everyone gets it. Generally speaking, Jehovah Jireh generously supplies everything we need.

But in today's Scripture, He supplies conditionally, **on the mountain of the Lord. You will not have supply on other mountains.** It's not that God doesn't supply you, but today's Scripture clearly tells us that on the mountain of the Lord there will be supply. What is the mountain of the Lord? That is, Abraham heard, Go to Moriah, to the mountain that I will show you. That mountain is Mount Moriah, the mountain where Solomon built the temple, the place where Abraham offered Isaac.

So Mount Moriah represents Abraham obeying God's command. He offered Isaac in that place, and then God prepared a lamb for him. What reminder does this give to those of us who offer sacrifices? Is the place where God has placed you now the mountain of the Lord? Your workplace, office, school, neighborhood, community - if we know that the place where God puts us is the place that God instructs us to go, then that place is the mountain of the Lord, and then there will be supply in that place. What you do for the Lord, God will richly supply you, this is called conditional supply, you must be on the mountain of the Lord. You must recognize the workplace, the community, the school, the prison, as the mountain the Lord wants to show you.

We see Missionary XX, God instructed him to go to Taipei. Then the city of Taipei is the mountain of the Lord that God promised. Everything he needs, the Lord richly supplies everything he needs. It used to be a very desolate place, now it is a very rich place. It used to be barren, now the grass is growing and the birds are flying, it used to be that one pig could not give birth to piglets, now one pig gives birth to 15 piglets, this is the God of Jehovah Jireh. Because He promised that his feet would step on the mountain of the Lord.

He is not from Taixi, but God instructed him to commit himself there in Taixi, so today he told me a message that God moved someone to donate 1.5 million to give us a luxury repair car. They asked us not to work hard in the children's service class. Now we have a headache, we don't have such a high-end car in Taixi, if I put it on the side of the road it might be stolen, I have to find a garage so it won't be stolen. I said, Lord, thank you, God of Jehovah Jireh! He never thought that God would move someone to donate such a good car to him. He must not have gone to Taixi for such a car, he went and then God supplied him with the car.

This is what I said on the mountain of the Lord, he is on the mountain of the Lord, and God will surely supply. God saw that he had a need, those children in the service class were very hard, and God gave it to him. Do you want a luxury repair car, then you go to the place that Jehovah directs you to.

Our school has a student studying theology. She has decided to dedicate herself to full-time ministry, but encountered some obstacles. Her husband objected to her because they had 1.2 million in debt. The boss of her company valued this sister very much. This sister was a supervisor in the company, and she was embarrassed to tell the boss that she was going to resign to study at seminary. But one day her boss suddenly came to her, with an apologetic face and said sorry, our company has not been operating well recently, we have decided to give you 1.2 million in severance pay. I don't know if that's enough? They were very happy in their hearts because God paid off their debt of 1.2 million.

This is the God of Jehovah Jireh. When your feet step on it, God will prepare for you. What are you still worried about? This is called conditional supply, so I believe that God is the same among us. God wants to help you in your workplace, in your community, in every place.

Finally, this is the Lion's Gate of Jerusalem. They have lions next to them, so it is called the Lion's Gate. But we prayed here that day, because this gate is the first to be martyred for the Lord Stephen, so we were moved. If God wants us to get the land and be called a blessing to all nations, there will inevitably be many people on the road to martyrdom for the Lord. To gain the gates of the enemy, we need to face the fact of martyrdom for the Lord. This is a very fierce spiritual battle. So we prayed earnestly there, Lord, please bless the Chinese, let all the Chinese in Taiwan, Hong Kong, mainland China know one thing, when we get the gates of the enemy, we cannot avoid martyrdom like Stephen.

Today's scripture has three places where Abraham said the same thing to us, this is: Here I am.
The first is in verse 1, after these things God tested Abraham and called to him, Abraham! And he said, Here I am.

The second is in verse 7, Isaac said to his father, My father! Abraham said, Here I am, my son. In fact, when Abraham heard Isaac ask him where the lamb for sacrifice was, his tears were about to fall. If I were Abraham, my tears would have fallen on the spot, Abraham was strong enough.

The third is in verse 11, the angel of the Lord called from heaven, Abraham! Abraham! And he said, Here I am. This Here I am is very enviable, because he received the great blessing bestowed by Jehovah, his descendants will increase, his descendants will gain the gates of the enemy, and his descendants will bless all nations on earth. Where are you? You want to be at the city gates and gain the gates of the enemy.

We enter the enemy's city through the city gates. This place of the Lion's Gate, if you study the history of Israel, when the June War broke out again in 1967, they were able to completely restore the city of Jerusalem and regain control from the Muslims, entering Jerusalem from the Lion's Gate. So since 1967, the Israelis have completely controlled the old city of Jerusalem, but this June War also killed many people. This is what I mean by, where you win the gates of the enemy, you must enter from the gates of the enemy, but it will definitely not let you in so easily.

So be prepared, where are you? Stephen was killed at the city gate. After he was killed, he gained Paul. Paul watched him being killed. Paul was chosen by God. Paul became another person who gained the gates of the enemy, turning over many cities along the Mediterranean coast. Paul also said, Here I am. So you see Paul, Stephen's complete obedience, not regarding his life as precious, many cities, the gates of the enemy were opened. They offered their lives as the best burnt offering, completely burning on the altar, and God also supplied them with everything they needed. During Paul's lifelong missionary journey, God supplied him in many ways with everything he needed.

So the question I want to ask everyone is: Where are you? On the key to gaining the gates of the enemy, it is not others but you. Apart from you, there is no one more critical. Because you are the most critical person.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us the precious word; Lord, Your word is the food of our lives. You say that we who are called by Your name are to love Your word, take Your word as food, and Your word is the joy of our hearts. Lord, we praise You! Because You say that those who eat your word will have their eyes brightened, their ears opened, and their minds cleared. Lord, You will awaken our souls through Your word! I bless every brother and sister in the name of the Lord, let us be clear-eyed before You, our ears can hear clearly, and our hearts can receive. Lord, remove all sleeping spirits, heavy ears, and unconscious eyes, so that Your word does not return to us in vain. Lord, always do Your work in us; Lord, through your words, may we gain the glory that You deserve, thank You for hearing our prayers, in the holy name of the Lord Jesus. Amen!