Questions for Reflection
What are the spiritual roots of Alzheimer's disease?
What are the specific manifestations of indulging the flesh? Why should we not indulge the flesh?
Many find it difficult to deal with the flesh. What are your thoughts on this? How should we deal with it?
Whose flesh are you most likely to indulge? What do you plan to do about it?
Introduction
Greetings! Let us delve into the Book of Proverbs, chapter 23. If you can grasp the essence of Proverbs, it is difficult not to become wise! Why would anyone not want to become wise? It is because of ignorance. In ignorance, a man acts according to what he knows, leading him to become increasingly foolish. You will find that people do not deliberately spoil things, nor do they intentionally act in a certain way. Rather, they are driven by an internal force, following that inclination; they adhere to their set of knowledge and beliefs, resulting in the tragedies of human existence. Have we, as brothers and sisters, experienced transformation after reading the Book of Proverbs? If you persist in living according to your original mindset, you will inevitably meet with calamity.
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. (Proverbs 23:29-33)
These are profoundly spiritual matters, this passage deals primarily with issues related to eating and drinking. The title for Proverbs chapter 23 is The Tragedy of Indulging the Flesh, and I find this title largely fitting. One must observe while living, for without observation, one remains unaware of the true circumstances, leading to misinterpretations.
How does Alzheimer's develop? Why do some develop Alzheimer's in their old age, while others do not? Recently, I have noticed an increase in cases of Alzheimer's, and I have personally dealt with numerous patients suffering from Alzheimer's and depression. I tell you, Alzheimer's is the tragedy of indulging the flesh. Do you desire to suffer from Alzheimer's in your old age? It is exceedingly easy to succumb to Alzheimer's – simply indulge the flesh diligently. If we, as brothers and sisters, attempt to live a life of indulging the flesh, the outcome will be woe, abruptly ending your journey.
Let us carefully observe those who are wounded without cause; after indulging the flesh, they experience sorrow, distress, and strife, and then utter lamentations. Therefore, you have gained insight because I have exhaustively researched the matter of indulging the flesh; whether you believe it depends on your Providence. Careful observation reveals that many are gluttonous. There is a saying, The child is father to the man, which means that one can foresee a person's future from their childhood behaviour. More profoundly, one's habits influence their entire life. Indeed, this is often the case; some children are gluttonous, while others are not. If you are in your twenties and still gluttonous, then it is problematic.
If you were gluttonous as a child, and your parents encouraged this gluttony, fostering a habit of overeating, I can foretell your fate: you will experience inner distress, contentiousness, unwarranted lamentations, and even injuries for no apparent reason. Behind frequent injuries lies the influence of demonic forces! Therefore, we must understand that to indulge the flesh is death. One who indulges the flesh is an enemy of God; one who indulges the flesh cannot obey God's word; for one who indulges the flesh, only tragedy awaits.
Some lack the ability to earn money, yet possess a great talent for spending it, and this is quite common. I, personally, rarely order takeaway meals costing more than thirty dollars. If you were to interact with me, you would find that I am a frugal person. Do not assume that frugality equates to a poor quality of life. I do not prioritize eating and drinking, nor am I particularly gluttonous, but when friends from afar visit, I will still offer them food and drink. It is perfectly normal to host a friend today, another tomorrow, and yet another the day after.
The Tragedy of Gluttony
For a period, many friends visited, and I constantly entertained them with food and drink. After a while, I would fall ill. Later, I realised that prioritising eating and drinking, and constantly indulging in them, can easily lead to sickness. When I was young, growing up in a large compound of hundreds of households, I rarely heard of anyone falling ill or suffering from cancer. In reality, it is because people eat and drink too well that they become ill. Back then, no one had heard of diabetes; it was only when life improved that people began to develop diabetes. People have become unable to endure hardship, but capable only of enjoying pleasure; a craving palate is truly a tragedy!
We must reflect deeply on the extent of our own gluttony, and whether it can be changed, because a craving palate is, in truth, a craving demon. Some are born with a stronger inclination towards gluttony, while others are less so. You do not know whether the food enters your stomach or the demon's, fattening it up, and then it torments you all day long – is that not tragic? The entire Bible essentially speaks to the issue of indulging the flesh, and man's earliest sin was related to eating. Therefore, I offer this advice: if you do not deal with it, it will deal with you, because gluttony is an exceedingly wicked demon.
Yes, your heart will utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast: “They struck me, but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?” (Proverbs 23:33-35)
The most direct response of one who indulges the flesh and loves the world is to have strange thoughts and hear strange voices, and then one's eyes will see strange things. What else could it be but demons when one hears or sees strange voices? These are all demons brought on by gluttony, ultimately biting like a serpent and stinging like a viper.
Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. (Proverbs 23:31)
Therefore, from now on, let us have a profound understanding of indulging the flesh.
Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with the rod, and deliver his soul from hell. (Proverbs 23:13-14)
Those who indulge the flesh must be disciplined with a rod, for you must discipline someone with the intelligence of a child, yet who is not a child. Some children are too old to be disciplined, but if it is still possible, discipline them. Because if they are not disciplined enough when they are young and do not know reverence, they will indulge the flesh when they grow up. There are also many mothers who indulge their children's flesh even more than their children indulge their own. As a result, the children become accustomed to indulging the flesh and develop depression when they grow up. Among us, there are children who suffer from depression, and their mothers bring them to me for prayer, and then always say that I am doing something wrong, shifting the blame onto me.
The mother indulges the child's flesh from a young age, claiming to love the child, but ends up spoiling the child into something that is neither human nor demon. I am here giving the child an antidote, while she is there giving the child poison; I am here dealing with the child's flesh, while she is there indulging the child's flesh. I spend a lot of time here, and she spends a lot of time there, and then we compete, racing against time.
One mother said to me, I do discipline my child, I often beat him. One day when we met, her child was being rambunctious, and I witnessed her disciplining the child, raising her hand high, and then just as she was about to hit the child, she suddenly patted him lightly as if tickling him. If beating a child is like tickling him today, and like tickling him tomorrow, is that not harming the child in the long run?
When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. (Proverbs 23:1-3)
Rulers do not invite people to eat casually. When a ruler invites you to dinner, it is to see what you can do. If he sees you being gluttonous, he will know that you are useless. In fact, this is an evil thing done by the evil spirit behind the scenes. The ruler invites you to dinner, thinking you are a talent, but discovers that you are a fool. It is already good enough if he does not kick you out. Therefore, deceptive food here refers to demons deceiving people.
There is a well-known story about food. In the Book of Esther, there was a man named Haman who was invited by Queen Esther to dinner, and while eating, he died on the very gallows he had prepared. So when we sit with rulers, we must know why we are there, not just to eat and drink. A glutton's mind goes blank as soon as he eats something, and he starts talking nonsense, thinking of nothing else. The tragedy of indulging the flesh lies here, and in the end, indulging the flesh makes one forget important matters.
When a person indulges the flesh, the first thing he feels is his mouth. The mouth is a very spiritual organ, so if it is not handled well, it is a tragedy. All those who are gluttonous, if they do not change this habit, will attract demons. This demon is the old horse, and the old horse torments people very cruelly. Those who are controlled by the old horse become somewhat senile at a young age. Once these people are like this, they become lazy. You rarely see gluttonous people being diligent; they are always fat and heavy, weighing hundreds of pounds, with sluggish minds and clumsy movements. You rarely see any experts in any industry who are fat and heavy.
When people indulge the flesh, they become lazy. They become sleepy after eating too much, and then they start sleeping, and in this way people become poor. When people are poor, they want to make money, but they have no wisdom, and they still think they are smart. Foolish people all think they are smart, and then they rely on their own cleverness to work hard, hoping to earn more money, eat more food, and sleep more hours, but they become even poorer, and then they want to have money even more, and then they have to use their own cleverness to work hard to earn more money.
It is a tragedy to indulge the flesh and not walk the right path. The first spiritual organ that causes the tragedy of indulging the flesh is the mouth, and the second spiritual organ is the sexual organ. The mouth is a very spiritual organ, and it feels that this is delicious and that is delicious. If everything you eat tastes the same, then it is meaningless. Another very sensitive organ is the sexual organ. In the realm of indulging the flesh, both the mouth and the sexual organs are very evil things, and the force they generate pushes people toward corruption. As people walk under their influence, calamity comes, strife comes, sorrow comes, and injuries come. You can carefully review the path you have taken in the past to see if it has been like this.
Therefore, people must be careful. The mouth and the sexual organs are both physical sex organs, so their feelings are very strong. These things are very demonic, so if you control them well, and if you don’t control them, that is your Providence. In fact, it is very easy to control them. Just hold on for a while, and it will pass, and you don’t need to hold on for too long. If you encounter these things and want to deal with them, you will definitely be able to overcome them. If you want to deal with them twice, or three times, you will definitely overcome them. This is not only faith, but it is also indeed the case.
Everyone must know that Jesus Christ nailed His own body to the cross and completed the greatest work, which is that before Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, no one could overcome his own flesh. But the event of Jesus Christ being nailed to the cross accomplished a great miracle that was unprecedented and will never be repeated, which is that the Spirit of God can help us deal with the flesh. Everyone must know that the Spirit of God can help you, you can try it. For example, if you are extremely hungry, or if your sex organs are very uncomfortable, what should you do? Go to your pastor and pray in the spirit. Do not tinker with it yourself, because tinkering with it yourself will cause problems.
If you could overcome it, you would have already. If you can't, you must seek your pastor, that's what shepherding is. Some people can shepherd, but some cannot be shepherded. Some people listen when you talk to them, but others just do their own thing. Continuing to do your own thing is not building the church. Praying in the spirit, this is the will that God established before the foundation of the world. God already had a great plan: to unite people in Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ, to be overcomers. Although the feeling of wanting to eat and the sensations of sexual organs are very strong, and once the sexual organs are activated, you really want to have sex with someone, only to feel uncomfortable afterward. The reaction is strange, but you can definitely overcome the desires of the flesh through the Holy Spirit.
They struck me, but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink. (Proverbs 23:35)
After a person indulges in the flesh, they feel extremely uncomfortable. Then you seek me out, and it doesn't matter if you sin again next time, I understand you.
Dealing with the Flesh
For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men. (Proverbs 23:27-28)
People must deal with their flesh. Why does the Bible spend so much space talking about not indulging in the flesh? Because it's fundamental. The devil is not the root of the problem; the flesh is the root. If you get confused while dealing with it, don't come to me for exorcism, come to me to exorcise your flesh. The reactions of the human flesh are varied. If I can help you deal with the flesh, it will solve calamities, sorrows, strife, lamentations, pain, undeserved injuries, and even eye problems. It's not difficult to deal with the flesh at all because nothing is impossible through the Holy Spirit.
Through the Spirit of God, the great grace that Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the cross, we can overcome through Jesus Christ. But today, almost no churches deal with the flesh; they might even help you indulge in it. Many churches indulge people's flesh, indulging you into disaster, and then call it God's blessing. I think if things continue like this, these discomforts, disasters, diseases, and curses will fall on the pastor. Indulging people's flesh not only harms others but also harms oneself in the end.
Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol. (Proverbs 23:27-28)
You must discipline children with a rod; how can they grow up without discipline? Children need to be disciplined. When people first believe in the Lord, they are spiritual infants. So, if the flesh of a spiritual infant is not dealt with, how can they grow and overcome? The most important part of shepherding is dealing with the flesh, but it is also the most difficult. The fleshy thoughts inside people are strange and evil. But you feel it is normal because you don't know, and then you walk into disaster. Why? Because to set the mind on the flesh is death, to set the mind on the flesh is hostile to God.
We must choose to be spiritual people or carnal people, to obey the flesh or to obey the Holy Spirit. If you want to be a person who obeys the Holy Spirit, you just obey the Holy Spirit. If you want to obey the flesh, you just obey it. No one can stop you; it's all your choice. If you want me to stop you, you must first choose to be a spiritual person, choose to obey the Holy Spirit. If you can't obey at first, that's okay; I can help you, that's called wisdom.
For their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their case against you. Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. (Proverbs 23:11-12)
The hope of a carnal person will be cut off, but the hope of a spiritual person will not be cut off. So, we must begin to have wisdom in our hearts and walk the right path. People always like to take crooked paths, always wanting to make quick money, resulting in tragedy.
Do not toil to acquire wealth; cease from your own understanding. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for surely it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:4-5)
When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for surely it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:5)
We should see through money. After observing for a while, I found that many rich people also don't quite understand why they are rich. Their money seems to come like a gust of wind, and of course, it can also be blown away by a gust of wind. Money is an illusion, but our God is faithful. If you fix your eyes on illusory wealth, you will find that how the money comes and goes is completely inexplicable. Some people's money is calculated in the hundreds of millions, while others' money is calculated in pennies, and they don't have much money even when they die. However, once people indulge in the flesh, their view of money becomes strange.
I have observed patients with Alzheimer's disease and found that this disease is closely related to the love of money. If your parents are still obsessed with money in their seventies or eighties, they are not far from getting Alzheimer's disease. The love of money can attract the demon of Alzheimer's disease. Some people are already in their eighties or nineties, and they don't really need much money, and they have enough money, but they still want more money. When people love money, they invite the spirit of Alzheimer's disease. A few years ago, I ministered to a patient who saw many things from the underworld, hell, death, and strange things. He sat at home and kept saying there was a fire, but there was no fire at all, but he could see it. So, we must all know that spiritual things ultimately bite like a snake and sting like a viper. Do you want to do this?
First of all, the mouth is a spiritual organ, and secondly, there is another spiritual organ, the sexual organ, which are both concentrated manifestations of the flesh. Eating is a spiritual thing, and some people say that someone uses their lower body to think. In fact, when that energy comes up, this person can't control anything and doesn't use his brain at all, but their sexual organs determine what they want to do. The third is money, which is neither a sexual organ nor a spiritual organ, but money is a very spiritual thing. People who indulge in the flesh usually rely on money because they live by the flesh.
Someone said that his mother has symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but she doesn't want the money her children give her. You have to understand this logic. In the end, what she wants is for her children to take care of her in her old age, which is actually raising a horse. In order to achieve her goal, she will give you money to make you happy. Everyone should slowly ponder these things. She knows it very well in her heart, but because of ignorance and the logic of indulging in the flesh inside, she finally attracts the demon of Alzheimer's disease.
Conclusion
Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way. Be not among drunkards or gluttons. (Proverbs 23:19-20)
This says not to associate with those who indulge in the flesh. Of course, if that person is your mother, you still have to associate with her. Other than that, don't find another person with Alzheimer's disease to be your good friend. There is no good in such friends gathering together to eat and drink, only a bunch of demons following you. Turn our hearts to God, and let our eyes delight in the path God has prepared for us, that's called wisdom.
I will give the family members of Alzheimer's patients an idea here, but I'm afraid you can't do it. If you are soft-hearted and can't do it, you can only be bullied by the Alzheimer's patient. You must know that patients with Alzheimer's disease are very good at bullying family members and causing a lot of trouble. So, when family members fight wits with them, they must be a little bit stronger, and comfort the patient with wisdom on the one hand. For example, tell him, There is absolutely no problem with living this little life; I will take care of you. I have plenty of money and can definitely support you. My money is yours. From now on, you don't have to worry. But you have to be obedient and don't mess around, or I will really discipline you!
Then explain to the patient how the devil is manipulating him from behind. If he messes around, you will really discipline him, so he must be strong. Do as I say, one good deed at a time. If you can control him, you will have a lot less trouble, and he will have a lot less trouble. If my idea is not implemented well, people will think we are torturing the elderly. Actually, it's not. Behind that is the demon of Alzheimer's disease, you must have spiritual vision. If you deal with Alzheimer's disease like me, it will definitely be good.
Not only do the elderly mess around, but children also mess around. When children come to me, I also have a way. This is closely related to shepherding, and shepherding must have a close relationship. You must let the child know that you love him, that you care about him, and that you are not harming him. When the relationship is right, anything can be done. If you want to harm him, even a dog knows it, let alone a person. So, if you can't handle people, you can go watch Cesar Millan.
Cesar was born in Mexico and later came to the United States and started a dog training business, training dogs in a first-class manner. His way of training dogs is not to let the dog owners indulge in the dog's flesh. Owners often indulge in the dog's flesh, indulging the dog into a mad dog. After Cesar trains the dog, the dog becomes well-behaved, and the dog is comfortable, and the people are comfortable. The same is true, indulging people's flesh will also spoil people. If you train people well, the person being trained will be comfortable, and the person training will also be comfortable.
Some people may be confused as to why I compare people to dogs? Let me explain, a carnal person, a person who indulges in the flesh, is a beast. The flesh is beastly. A person has beastly characteristics because the flesh is too strong. If a person has wisdom and intelligence and becomes a spiritual person, his flesh will not become a beast, and his reaction will not be a beast's reaction. Although people have two legs and dogs have four legs, the reactions inside carnal dogs and carnal people are not much different.
If a person gets Alzheimer's disease, there is basically no chance to train him to be a person with Mingding Destiny. Until today, I have not successfully trained a person with Alzheimer's disease to become a person with Mingding Destiny. But training the children of people with Alzheimer's disease to become people with Mingding Destiny, that might be possible. Although you can't train them to be people with Mingding Destiny, you can solve their problems.
You don't have to talk to him about Mingding Destiny anymore. You tell him this, My money is your money, my house is your house, your retirement is all on me, don't worry. Then you discipline him again, there must be reason. Everyone must know that if a person is carnal, his soul will definitely go to Sheol. From today on, brothers and sisters, let's be people with Mingding Destiny, deal with our flesh, and after successfully overcoming it, you can manage your parents, which is the best blessing for them. Remember, indulging in the flesh is death, indulging in the flesh is tragedy, and all tragedies start from here.
May God bless everyone!