【Excellent Sermon】

Audio Transcript

Introduction

Greetings! I am very glad to meet everyone online again. Recently, we have once again triumphed on the spiritual battlefield. How did this victory come about? Several brothers and sisters I pastor experienced severe manifestations of the knowledge of good and evil almost simultaneously. The devil's schemes are futile against me. In fact, these brothers and sisters are very clear about one thing: I love them very much. Without this foundation of love, it would be difficult for us to triumph!

Not only do they know it themselves, but the devil who deceives them also knows it. So the devil manifested itself, saying that it was also very tired. I asked it, Have you lost? The devil said, Yes! I continued, You lost last time, why did you come back this time? The devil said, Don't mention it. It seems to care about its reputation. Later, these brothers and sisters began to turn back one by one, not only turning back but also stepping onto a new stage in the spiritual path.

Sometimes we suddenly become self-centered and selfish, and sometimes we develop a state of judging the pastor with the knowledge of good and evil. But these things cannot take away the love for God in our hearts. It is because of this determination to love God that we can triumph in service through the Lord Jesus. Every time we are disturbed by such things, it is very uncomfortable and extremely difficult. Every time in this situation, the image of Jesus Christ being crucified for me appears before my eyes.

As you know, I really believed in the Lord because I had nowhere else to turn. After believing in the Lord, my entire condition underwent a tremendous transformation because I found a treasure. From the first day I believed, I was motivated by God's love. On the first day, when I sang hymns with a vague understanding, I began to cry and receive the great love released by Jesus Christ dying for me on the cross. Over the years, I have been constantly motivated by God's love. Often, my faith is on the verge of collapse, and I'm on the edge of giving up, on the verge of a breakdown, in a state of near death.

But I know that the Lord Jesus died for me and rose again for me, so that I no longer live for myself but for the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for me. It sounds a bit abstract, but it is the most real feeling in my heart. Love is a very good motivation. If a person cannot receive God's love, they cannot be motivated by it because they are very selfish inside. If a person has love from God, it is a giving love that will dedicate their life to God, offering their life. This motivation of love is extraordinary.

A mother saw her child trapped under a large stone slab. Because of her love for her child, she lifted the stone slab and rescued the child. After the child was rescued, when the mother went back to look at the stone slab, she couldn't lift it no matter how hard she tried. Where did that strength come from at the time? We cannot understand. That power of love allowed us to lift a stone slab that we normally could not lift at all. I think, love is a very good motivation! In the past few years, I have been reflecting on those events one by one. Until today, I can boast that the brothers and sisters I personally serve know for sure that my love for them is unconditional!

One sister I served had made mistakes and taken a detour in the past. I did not judge her with the knowledge of good and evil but served her wholeheartedly with the love of Jesus Christ, as if serving God. So when I was advising her on the phone, I ended up crying myself, and she was crying on the other end of the phone, all because of the love of Jesus Christ.

I think I have never given up on anyone. As long as we have a little bit of love for God in our hearts, we always have hope. I am not boasting about myself. I hope that through what I am sharing now, I can encourage everyone to use the love of Jesus Christ to motivate ourselves and stop being apathetic. Start being awakened by God's love again, knowing for sure that He died for us all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the Lord who died and rose again for them.

In another case, a sister was very ill. Why? Because she had a lot of worldly things in her mind. To be precise, she did have a love for God in her heart. However, her love for God could not surpass the love for herself. It doesn't matter. In the process of serving her, her illness gradually improved. I knew the root cause of her illness was the lack of love from God. In the process of serving her, she could clearly receive an important feeling: I would not abandon her.

No matter who I serve, especially those who judge me with the knowledge of good and evil, I feel hurt more or less in my heart. Because God's love motivates me, I know that from now on, I will no longer live for myself. It's normal for people to say a few words to me or retort a few words! Because I no longer live for myself but for the Lord Jesus.

Brothers and sisters among us, you are blessed! The devil knows clearly that it cannot snatch my brothers and sisters away from me. Such things not only happen today but also happened in the early church, and even in the days when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. Even in the time of Adam and Eve, the devil still did corrupting work.

Scripture

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you! Thank you for bearing my curse, carrying all my pain, and bearing my sorrows. By your punishment, we are given peace; by your poverty, we become rich; by your stripes, we are healed. Today, Lord Jesus, use your love to motivate us. May your great love motivate us, so that we no longer live for ourselves but for the Lord who rose from the dead. God, may you accept our determination. Lord, we completely dedicate ourselves to you, utterly reject the devil's lies, and no longer be deceived by the devil. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!

Scripture Background

The background of this passage is recorded in 2 Corinthians. What is 2 Corinthians about? Paul wrote three letters to the Corinthians in total: 1 Corinthians, an intermediate letter not included in the Bible, and finally 2 Corinthians.

At the time of 1 Corinthians, the Corinthians were deceived by some people, and they thought that Paul had used cunning to deceive them. In fact, Paul had never taken anything from them, and Paul was also serving them. The entire Corinthian church was established by Paul himself. But the people of the Corinthian church abandoned Paul, and they were very carnal, as you can see in 1 Corinthians.

The intermediate letter is not included in the Bible, and we do not know its contents. But from 2 Corinthians, we can know that Paul did write a letter, and the words in that letter were very harsh and difficult to hear. Paul felt sad and painful. When I read these words now, I often have the same feeling, sad and painful. He said that he wrote the intermediate letter with many tears. Paul said:

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. (2 Corinthians 2:4)

What happened later? Before Paul wrote 2 Corinthians, there was a young man named Titus who was very smart. He went to the Corinthian church and told the people there what Paul had told him. Titus was very good at handling affairs and sharing God's love. How do I know? In 2 Corinthians chapter 7, it describes Titus returning from the Corinthian church and bringing good news to Paul, saying that the Corinthians had untied all the knots because of his service there.

If you were a member of the Corinthian church and I were the Apostle Paul, if we could untie this knot, we would triumph again together through Jesus Christ. After the knot was untied, Paul was very happy. He had previously written the intermediate letter, and after writing it, he felt uneasy because the words in it were too harsh. I guess the intermediate letter was taken to the Corinthian church by this young man Titus, and then the people of the Corinthian church completely repented and received great comfort. These are all wonderful works of God. After Titus returned, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians.

Paul wrote 2 Corinthians to restore the relationship again. Some of the things described in the middle are beyond our imagination. Paul's love for the people of the Corinthian church was definitely not fake. I also have the appearance of the Apostle Paul and don't do fake things. As long as they are served by me, they all know that I am serious, and my service is like parents treating their children. When I serve, everyone often types in the group: Though you have countless instructors, you have but few fathers.

What is the reason for this? Serving like Paul has only one reason: God's love motivates me. I know, and the Apostle Paul also knew, that our lives are not our own; our lives are given by God. The miracle I experienced was not getting a life-threatening disease and then recovering, or experiencing earth-shattering changes, but simply finding a job to survive because of God's grace. But because of this, I developed a great interest in God and found the purpose for my life.

Originally, I was supposed to die, so today I live no longer for myself. This is impossible to express in words. In my heart, I always thank my God, otherwise, I would have been gone from this world long ago. It doesn't matter if I'm not in this world, the key is that there is no glory in death.

Our Lord Jesus died for us. I live no longer for myself but for the Lord Jesus who rose from the dead. It is precisely because of this that our motivation for serving is no longer for profit, no longer for confusing the word of God for the sake of interests, and no longer for pleasing a few people and a little offering.

The background of this passage describes a very interesting phenomenon. Our pastors should read 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians carefully. The words Paul said in these two books are like speaking to his own children.

Now in return for the same, (I speak as to children,) you also be open. (2 Corinthians 6:13)

Some of the things Paul said were harsh and difficult to hear. If our pastors only say good things when serving, then your service will not have the effect of Paul. Our brothers and sisters should learn Paul's way of speaking. This is an effective way of shepherding. The situation described in 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians is a very good case of transformation in conflict. Therefore, in language, my pastoral style is very similar to that of the Apostle Paul. Maybe sometimes what I say is a bit harsh, but the love of Jesus Christ is revealed in these harsh words.

We Must Understand the Devil's Schemes

I have been dealing with the devil for so many years and I am very familiar with it. The devil also knows that I am very familiar with it. As the saying goes, know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Knowing yourself and your enemy does not mean that I am controlled by the devil and then know myself and my enemy. Instead, we must understand the devil's schemes and be aware of them.

lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Corinthians 2:11)

Everyone should know what can be used to overcome the devil's schemes? Unconditional love is the key to overcoming the devil's schemes, not flowery words. Flowery words are useless with God, and are useless with the devil. Brothers and sisters should know what the devil's schemes are. The devil's schemes are to deceive people.

The devil's scheme is very simple: from the beginning to today, it is to make people fall into lies. The power of lies is that they prevent people from receiving God's love, and all they receive is the knowledge of good and evil, which is all harm. This is the scheme that the devil has been using since ancient times. A very important way to break this scheme is to serve with God's love. You can judge me with the knowledge of good and evil, but I will not judge you; you can be picky with me, but I will not be picky with you. This is the magic weapon for victory.

Brothers and sisters among us who have been served by me can testify for me. The Apostle Paul said that the people of Corinth were the Apostle Paul's own testimony. So we must know that the knowledge of good and evil is the devil's scheme. Once a person falls into the devil's scheme, they will become extremely painful. Because thinking according to the devil's lies seems very reasonable, giving people a thousand reasons to look at the circumstances, but there is no way to receive God's love.

There was a sister among us for many years who refused to change no matter how we served her. She was simply a model of judging with the knowledge of good and evil. This sister was not only very judgmental but also very selfish, very fond of controlling her husband. A few months ago, she had a fight with her husband, and she died soon after. A hospital examination revealed that she had a cerebral hemorrhage. All cerebral hemorrhages and myocardial infarctions are caused by the devil. Think about this devil's scheme, which is to deceive people and make them judge with the knowledge of good and evil. Among us, those who have experienced judging with the knowledge of good and evil have all suffered losses in themselves, with one disease or another, a body full of diseases.

When we see those who are controlled by the devil, you cannot treat them with the knowledge of good and evil. Only by releasing God's love with a broad mind can you let the other person fully receive God's love. The devil will say: You love him so much that I can only deceive him occasionally. It is difficult to deceive him completely. Why? Because everyone who has been served by me knows for sure that I am really paying the price to serve them. Although they occasionally find some faults, they know very well that I serve them as if serving God, so the devil has no effect on them. In addition, I know the devil's schemes, so I constantly lead them out of the devil's schemes.

Thanks Be to God Who Always Leads Us to Triumph in Christ

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

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Can you grasp the sense of excitement Paul conveys here? He witnessed the Corinthians' repentance, their renewed relationship with him, a bond even deeper than before. Who orchestrated this? Not Titus, not Timothy, and certainly not Paul, but God Himself! Compelled by God's love, we serve through His love. God bestows upon us a great reward: He always leads us in triumph in Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, if your hearts are overflowing with God's love, thank Him for always leading us in triumph in Christ.

Love is a remarkable thing, and divine love is even more so – it is the path to victory. **If one operates through the knowledge of good and evil, they will suffer loss and attract the spirit of death.** When one is reignited by God's love, we can begin to live for the Lord, discern the devil's schemes, and restore our reliance on God. Through the faith within me, He will surely grant us victory once again!

In my service, many have said hurtful things, even distorting the truth. But that does not matter, within my faith, I know God will lead me to triumph. Through repeated experiences, I am certain that our Lord Jesus is a victorious Lord, and the path He imparts to us is not only the path to eternal life but also the path to victory.

You can try it for yourself. If you are filled with the love of Jesus Christ, you will reject the knowledge of good and evil and choose to believe, no matter how dire the situation. The Corinthians were deceived, unleashing a barrage of unfriendly, critical, even slanderous remarks against Paul. Though pained, Paul did not lose his faith in God, trusting that through His love, the situation could be turned around.

In the ministry of the Apostle Paul, one thing we must acknowledge is that the Gospel is inherently the power of God. Not because of anything we have done or gotten right, but because the love of God is ignited within us. We should not be living in this world at all, but it is through Jesus Christ that we are able to live. From now on, we live for the Lord Jesus, serving anyone as if serving God. In this way, you cannot fail to triumph. Demons will fear you, and God will assist you.

## We Have This Treasure in Jars of Clay

Many among us have testimonies yet untold. We have changed the way we share testimonies. In the past, sharing a testimony was considered a complex task. Now, we realize it is quite simple – how illnesses are healed by God.

**But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)**

You must know for certain that choosing to love God, to be motivated by His love, to live for our resurrected Lord, is not a mistake or an absurd choice, because it is a treasure. And you will see that having this treasure in jars of clay demonstrates that this surpassing power comes from God, not from us.

Even if Paul's relationship with the Corinthians soured, even if numerous misunderstandings arose, Paul had a treasure in a jar of clay. Even the greatest apostle cannot replace God. Because of God's love, the Corinthian church turned back. Some brothers and sisters may find what I am preaching a bit difficult, but that is alright. You can receive it fully.

You will witness with your own eyes that we truly have a treasure in jars of clay. Our pastors must once again be motivated by God's love, and our brothers and sisters must also be motivated by God's love. Because this is a treasure, we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that this surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are merely recipients! This is God's plan, God's miraculous work! Therefore, nothing is beyond transformation.

We begin anew, motivated by the love of Jesus Christ. Know this for certain: it is not that after believing in Jesus Christ, everything is peaceful, nothing bad happens, and everything is fine, because we are at peace through the punishment of Jesus Christ. That is not the case! But one thing does happen: **we have a treasure in jars of clay, and this treasure will release God's surpassing power.** This power enables us to:

**We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)**

Remember! If you are a Christian with Mingding Destiny, you should often experience the power of God, even frequently encounter conflicts in your pastoring. But one thing is certain: after these conflicts, you are motivated by God's love, and when you serve again, God will not only grant you victory, He will also grant victory to those messed up Corinthians once more. This is the work of our God.

Over the past week or two, my heart has been greatly pained. Those I serve, those I love, are using the knowledge of good and evil against me, finding fault with me. Of course, I certainly have faults; how can a person be without them? But I have a treasure within! So, even when that feeling of pain enveloped me, I knew for sure in my heart that the Lord Jesus always leads us to triumph.

Because we have a treasure in this jar of clay, this treasure is not because of anything we have done, but it comes from our God. Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us regain the right to use the treasure, and this treasure will manifest surpassing power within us. Perhaps a strong conflict has already emerged in your pastoring. But do not be afraid! Every conflict is a transformation, every conflict is a painful experience, and it is also an opportunity to elevate the relationship. Because our God is a treasure!

## That is an Eternal Weight of Glory

Those who believe in the Lord are, in fact, those who serve God. What exactly do we, who serve God, have inside us? If we are only in it for some benefit in this life, then we are more pitiable than people in the world! If we are filled with the eternal weight of glory, then no matter if the Corinthians have wronged you or even thrown a bit of dirt at you; no matter how real the pain you face and the inner turmoil it brings, what we carry within is the eternal weight of glory!

Do you have such faith, such hope? This determines the effectiveness of our service! If we are only in it for this life, for some wealth, we will distort the Word of God. Because what we pursue within is that eternal weight of glory, this momentary light affliction is not worth comparing.

**Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)**

I long for our brothers and sisters to know that living in this world, one either suffers for loving the world and pays the price for worldly things, or pays the price for loving God; one either pays the price for this life or pays the price for eternal life. There is simply no such thing as not paying a price!

Was the Apostle Paul happy and joyful every day because of the Corinthians' betrayal and slander? Did he rejoice in the Corinthians' downfall? That was not the case! Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? None of us like to see anyone fall, especially those we serve.

When we see the path that people are walking and the words they are saying as very depraved, it is actually very painful in our hearts. If it is not painful in your heart, then that is strange; do you truly love God? If you take on a Mingding Destiny and build God's church, and you do the work of ministry in your service, which of those you shepherd falling would not cause you pain? If you do not experience pain, it would be a little strange.

Worrying about the affairs of the church all day, constantly in a state of spiritual warfare, will indeed create some problems with the body. What did Paul say?

**Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)**

It seems we cannot escape it. If there is a momentary light affliction, that is nothing to worry about. Because what we carry in our hearts is the eternal weight of glory! Even if it is for the sake of God's kingdom, for the sake of God's church, there will be worries, sadness, and pain, but that is absolutely not because of selfish reasons, but rather because of serving God.

I tell you, that is glorious, that is the eternal weight of glory! So what if our bodies have some issues? We continue to run forward with the Lord. Because the love of God motivates us, from now on we no longer live for ourselves, but for our Lord. If the love of God motivates us, all these things are nothing!

## We Have Seen Through Everything

What I am saying seems to be addressed to pastors, but who can remain in a state of not serving forever? You will surely be equipped and will constantly receive. But I tell you, if one does not see through these things, there is no way to move forward. Not seeing through is like looking at the world through a haze; however you look at it, you feel that money is very important, that living this life is very important, and you will not be able to walk this path! So Paul says:

**For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. Indeed, we who are in this tent do groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. (2 Corinthians 5:1-4)**

**Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. (2 Corinthians 5:5-9)**

Sooner or later, people will die; it is only a matter of time, and this is not very controllable. Therefore, one must see through life and death! If Christians do not see through life and death, if they do not see through this life, how can they possibly triumph? If one sees through life and death, if one no longer fears death, one will live very easily.

We are always confident and no longer fear anything! I tell you, **it is a very shameful thing for Christians to fear death!** Not only fearing death, but also those who are fearful and faint-hearted will experience the second death, as described in Revelation, and will be thrown into the lake of fire with burning sulfur. Therefore, **those who do not see through life and death will fear this and fear that.** To this day, many are still deliberating whether or not to get vaccinated; actually, it does not matter whether you are vaccinated or not; it does not matter.

Whether in the body or out of the body, we aspire to please God and to see through this life. If one leaves this world to be with the Lord, that is better by far, and one will not be stingy with life in this world. If one is not too stingy, constantly motivated by God's love, then one will serve these brothers and sisters for the sake of serving God, and will serve using God's love. Why serve with God's love? Brothers and sisters must know for sure, it is all because we have seen through everything!

**For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. (2 Corinthians 5:14)**

We must know for sure that Paul's service is not because of anything else, but because the love of Jesus motivates us. **What is the love of Christ? It is the love of dying on the cross!** Therefore, we are motivated by God's love, and we also choose to die on the cross, and we also choose to offer our lives. Then will you still worry about this and worry about that? No!

Are we not inviting demons in when we worry about those things? Are we not inviting demons in when we live in fear in this world? How can demons fear you? **Demons fear people like the Apostle Paul, demons fear those who have seen through life and death, demons fear those who have completely surrendered themselves to God and live for God, demons fear those who no longer care about living.**

Saying these things is not to boast that we are like the Apostle Paul. I want to tell everyone, may the God who motivates me also motivate you, may God's love not only motivate me, but also motivate you! Stop living in selfishness, stop living for yourself, and start living for our God!

## Conclusion: May God's Love Motivate Us!

**For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)**

Can this statement be understood? To this day, many are still living for themselves, and many are filled only with themselves. Should we not completely wake up, reject those thoughts of living for ourselves, completely reject those thoughts that invite demons, and completely reject those thoughts that cause us pain but have no glory? If we have to suffer, let us begin to suffer for glory, that is what is worthwhile.

If God's love motivates us and wants us to live for the Lord, will we still care about our bodies? We no longer care much about those things. For the sake of God's kingdom, for the sake of God's church, those worries, those pains, those hardships, will damage our bodies, but we no longer care much about those things. So what if someone throws dirt at us? It is no big deal. Brothers and sisters must begin to know that these things are no longer what we care about.

**What we care about is God's kingdom, God's church, and our Mingding Destiny in Jesus Christ!** So that we may serve this generation, bless this generation, and pay the price for it, willingly and gladly paying the price, even if it is hard, we will not hesitate. It is all because the love of Jesus Christ motivates us! Jesus Christ crucified for us must come alive before us, not only today, but every day, reminding us to live for the Lord every day!

May God bless everyone!