Audio Recording:
Transcript:
Are You the Treasure God Seeks?
In previous sessions, we discussed the principles of speaking. The human mouth is remarkable! Today, let's shift gears from the act of speaking to the individual: Are you the treasure that God seeks? God is constantly searching for treasures, collecting those worthy and discarding the rest as refuse.
Are You the Treasure God Seeks?
Firstly, I would like to add to the previous sermon, Authority in Words. Praise God, our brethren and sisters, newly arrived or recently baptised in our church, understand within months that their words carry authority. Last week, as I was organising things in my office, I overheard someone praying next door. Their prayer was filled with faith and authority, deeply touching me.
Where does this authority come from, or why pray in this manner? Because they choose to believe that their words have authority. Such individuals frequently experience miracles. Not only are they healed themselves, but those around them are also healed through them. Such individuals are extraordinary.
Often, we have no particular feelings or visions; all we can rely on is the decision within our hearts. Choosing to believe that the words we speak have authority, choosing to declare them in this way, allows us to witness God's wondrous deeds.
Someone who chooses not to believe will endure their circumstances alone. But if they choose to believe, they will experience God’s wondrous works. Which experience is better? Naturally, those who choose to believe will fare better. This is why I often experience God's wondrous works. Even if I do not see immediate results, I still choose to believe, and the outcome is that I witness God's wondrous works.
In the Bible, Abraham and his wife were long past their child-bearing years, but he prayed in faith for 26 years and had Isaac, a child born according to God's promise. I know that many prayers may not be fulfilled in my lifetime, but I believe that even after I depart this world, my spirit will witness God personally fulfilling what I prayed for. This is faith!
Believing that God's promises are faithful allows us to see God's faithfulness. While we are alive, we often see miracles, but miracles in the church, in Jesus Christ, are not extraordinary events; they are quite natural. A supernatural event becomes a natural way of life.
In the days ahead, the brothers and sisters in the church must, in faith and with authority in their words, rebuke the dark forces that create problems and command them to depart, and they will see the problems resolved. Everyone must engage in the ministry of healing and deliverance, which is only the most basic task in Jesus Christ.
One sister was fearful. Initially, I had to use my faith to lead her faith in prayer, and she was delivered from fear. However, the spirit of fear often came to disturb her again. Later, she practiced praying on her own, rebuking the spirit of fear with authority in her words, and the spirit departed. Her own prayers became effective, and she was completely delivered, no longer fearful.
The feeling of fear is terrible, but God can, through a person's belief and their verbal declarations, release them from fear. Christians must be like Jesus, even speaking like Jesus. Jesus spoke with authority and command. Do not be falsely humble. Start working through the authority that God has given you. Without authority, there is no power. With authority, when you declare through your mouth, it is powerfully effective. Humans are amazing, and the human mouth is a very spiritual and wondrous organ. Why do you see miraculous things happen? Because God has given us authority. We must use the authority often. Not using the authority is a disservice to God and ourselves.
Many do not know they have authority, and their mouths are filled with complaints, grievances, or destructive words. From now on, speak words of authority. When you declare in this way, God will fulfil what you say. Someone in the church has believed for a long time and personally experienced God's healing, yet due to a bout of diarrhea, sent a message saying they could not attend the gathering. This person is pitiable, having authority in hand but not using it.
Frequently using the authority God has given will lead to experiencing more of God's power, seeing God's glory, and suffering less pain. Why is it that among Christians, some speak with authority while others have authority but speak without power, appearing like the scribes in the Bible? Because some believe, and some do not. Only those who believe receive it. God is looking for such people.
Use authority to release the captives, including ourselves. This is the very first task for us Christians. It is recorded in the scriptures that when the Lord Jesus preached in the synagogue, He said,
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. (Luke 4:18-19)
See, it's all spoken with the mouth. Later, Jesus mentioned building the church, saying, Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19)
Do not think that you can only do this after your life has reached a state of perfection. In fact, you can do it as soon as you believe in the Lord. It is the responsibility of everyone in our church to do healing and deliverance. Do not miss any opportunity to practice.
A higher level is *to discipline my body and keep it under control, (1 Corinthians 9:27)*It is easy to be like Jesus externally, but it is more difficult to be like Jesus internally. New wine must have new wineskins. You must constantly renew yourself and overcome yourself. While we preach the gospel to others, we must not lose this gospel ourselves. So, using authority is one level, which is grace. The moment you believe in the Lord, you receive authority. Overcoming oneself is another level. It is a pity to have authority but not use it. If you do not deal with the things of the flesh within, but only outwardly wear Jesus, that is just a wolf in sheep's clothing. Only when the inside is constantly renewed into the likeness of Jesus, that is what Jesus wants.
This is what the scripture refers to when it says that those who cast out demons, heal, preach the gospel, and perform miracles ultimately become people whom the Lord Jesus does not know. Why is this? Because they only know how to use authority but do not know how to renew their lives, causing their lives to fall into a very miserable state. I say this not to tell you that casting out demons, healing, and deliverance are unimportant, but to remind everyone not to think that doing these things makes you great. It is not because of you; it is freely given to you through the grace of Jesus Christ. Be careful. When using the grace given by the Lord Jesus to cast out demons, heal, and deliver, do not think that it is a high-level thing. Recognize that it is an initial-level thing. The highest level is no longer I who live, but Jesus Christ who lives in me. Next, the brothers and sisters must ascend the mountain of the Lord and enter into the level where Jesus Christ lives within us.
Rick Joyner wrote in his book: You must ascend the mountain of the Lord, climb to a height where it is written, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) That is a place where the devil cannot reach. If you are still struggling and suffering over many things, it means you have not yet climbed to the highest point and must continue to strive. When you climb to the highest point, and you become the true Jesus Christ within, the devil cannot attack you. That is the most powerful thing, and that is the treasure that the Lord is looking for. Now, everyone should listen to my sharing today with the question of whether you are the treasure that God is looking for.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. Matthew 13:44-48
There are some difficulties in interpreting this passage. The difficulty is, who is this man? He finds a treasure, hides it, and then joyfully sells everything to buy the field, all speaking of collecting the good. If you read these verses together, then the treasure and the good refer to people. The man refers to God. Some people interpret it as man referring to people. When people encounter the gospel, they regard the gospel as a treasure. There is nothing wrong with this interpretation, because the Bible is often double-edged.
Thank God, I think this interpretation is also very good. You sell everything you have, pay all your price, to gain the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is also very good. But the casting of the net and collecting the good in vessels cannot be understood. Maybe someone says they can understand, that we go out to preach the gospel and pick up the good, but in fact, it is not we who are picking, but God who is picking. So I think another interpretation is better: The Lord Jesus is the one looking for treasure. The Lord Jesus finds us and treats us as treasures. It is touching that God sees us as treasures, so God sells all that He has and buys us back.
I am flattered by this interpretation, because I am a treasure in God's eyes. The Lord Jesus died for me on the cross, washed away all my sins, saved me from the hands of the devil, and gave us everything. Many large companies are looking for talent, including Alibaba, and there are headhunting companies searching all over the world for talent. The question is -- are you talent? In God's kingdom, God is also looking for talent, but God will not pay you a high salary like those big companies. Our God gives Himself to you and me. So in any case, I must be a talent in God's kingdom and not miss the opportunity to become a treasure in God's eyes. Thank God for such grace. Some may not understand, but I believe that there is nothing better than becoming a treasure in God's eyes.
Removing Confusion
First Point: God's Election and Man's Choice
Because the Bible often mentions God's election, some people have the wrong idea and say, You are chosen by God, but I am not. It is a pity for those who have such thoughts, because these are all lies made by the devil. Generally, the devil's lies have two characteristics:
- All things are done by God, and you can do nothing.
- You must do all things, and God can do nothing.
These are all wrong ideas. God will do things, and you must also do things. We must work with God. This is the mystery of the gospel.
What is the correct concept? The correct concept is that it is both God's election and the choice within man. Let’s break it down - The enemy of the Israelites was the Canaanites. The Israelites and Canaanites were enemies for generations. There was once a Canaanite woman whose child was seriously ill, and this woman went to Jesus and asked Jesus to cast out demons and deliver her child. As a result, Jesus said that what is given to the children cannot be given to the dogs, meaning that the gospel I give to the Israelites cannot be given to you Canaanites.
But this Canaanite woman was very wise. She loved her child very much and believed that only Jesus could help her, and only Jesus could save her child. She said to Jesus, Even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table. As a result, Jesus said, Because of your faith, your child is healed.
Is God stingy? God is not stingy. God tells us through this incident that many things are not only God's election but also our own choice. God's election is what you cannot do, but the choice within you is what you can do. We can choose to do something to make God choose us. We should all learn from this Canaanite woman, even if I am a dog, I will pick up the crumbs from the table, and you will get the benefits of this gospel. So the Bible says, If you humble yourself and recognize that He is God, He will exalt us when we humble ourselves.
Second Point: Even if God chooses you, you must still be careful not to lose this grace
For example, the Bible records that God once chose a man named Saul. When God chose Saul, Saul was an insignificant person from the smallest family in the tribe of Benjamin in Israel, but God chose him and raised him to the throne of Israel. Saul began to fail to accept God's election and could not do things according to God's words, so that he lost everything. Everyone should learn a lesson from Saul and not think that since you are a Christian, you will definitely be saved. Do not have this blind confidence, but should strive towards perfection.
Later, God chose David, and David held on to God tightly for the rest of his life. What I want to share is that God indeed has election, but there is indeed a loss of this election. In fact, God sees everyone as a treasure. He wants everyone to be saved and no one to perish. (See 2 Peter 3:9) God's heart is very big. He hopes that everyone can be saved and does not want anyone to fall away. Even if they are not chosen by God, as long as they come to God like that Canaanite woman, God is willing to choose her. In fact, God's election is very interesting.
Those who read the Bible know Peter and John. When Jesus was walking by the sea, He said to Peter and John, Come, follow Me. They left their nets and boat and followed Jesus. This is a special election. God calls you, and you can follow or not follow. I encourage everyone to choose to follow Jesus, because Peter and John were rough fishermen covered in fishy smell. On the surface, they did not look like treasures, but even such people, one wrote 1 Peter and 2 Peter, and the other wrote Revelation. These two people became people who changed thousands of lives in later generations. A fisherman, because he followed Jesus’ call and did not lose this grace, became a name praised by generations.
Today, the Lord Jesus is calling you. Will you follow God like Peter and John? Every time we sing hymns, we hope to love Him wholeheartedly. Isn’t God calling us? God is eager for us to be like Peter and John, to become people who change this generation, or for future generations to be changed because of you.
Among them, the Apostle John is very interesting. He wrote the Gospel of John himself. In the Gospel of John, he calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved, but other Gospels do not record this. Thank the Lord, if you are chosen, you must always recognize that you are the disciple whom God loves, and respond to God's election like John and Peter.
Man's Choice Can Still Change God's Will
None of the brothers and sisters in the church can hear God saying, Come, follow me. It is all our own feeling that believing in the Lord is good, and we choose to believe in Jesus. Some of us brothers and sisters were not originally intended by God to be chosen, but because of your own choice, you came before God, and God treasures you, because your own choice has changed God's will.
Pastor Zhou Shenzhu likes to tell a story: 37 years ago, he came to the Lingliang Church because the pastor at the time was leaving and needed to find a pastor to take over the work of the Lingliang Church. They found Pastor Zhou Shenzhu. At that time, Pastor Zhou thought of filling in for a year first, and then replacing him when the church found other candidates. Pastor Zhou loves Jesus, but does not love the church, because the church has many problems. After coming to the church, his favorite person was the one in charge of the meeting hall, because that person never asked Pastor Zhou what the vision of our church was. Others would often ask Pastor Zhou what our vision was.
One day, when he was reading the Book of Ephesians, he saw a passage of scripture and received a feeling that the church should become a glorious church, and God would receive glory through the church. The most basic vision of Lingliang Church is to build a glorious church, and a glorious church can change people's lives. As a result, Pastor Zhou began to choose to continuously build a glorious church. From then on, a seed was sown, and today there are 386 Lingliang Churches all over the world, and we are one of them, inheriting this vision of a glorious church.
Like Pastor Zhou Shenzhu, who did not love the church very much before and did not want to do this work too much, just wanting to cope with it, but his inside changed. Whether it was God's feeling or his own choice, we are not sure, but one thing is clear, that he himself chose to obey this vision. Today, I would also like to challenge everyone, how many people are willing to choose to follow the vision of Lingliang Church, build a glorious church, transform people's lives, and let everyone experience God with us. Do you know how many people in this world are living in pain and helplessness?
Coming to the Taipei Lingliang Church conference this time really made me see that there are too many people in the world who need Jesus Christ. In the place where Pastor Liu Tong preaches, there is a Muslim country. Preaching the gospel in a Muslim country means that stones will be thrown up at any time. Pastor Liu Tong is preaching the gospel with fear and danger. It is really not an easy task. Many Muslims are very much in need of the gospel. There are too many needs in their lives that cannot be solved. When they begin to know that Jesus Christ can solve their problems, Pastor Liu Tong makes a call, and many people come forward to receive Jesus Christ.
Today we need to start restoring our heavenly dreams, and this is our choice. You can choose to do your job well in your small circle, study well, and live this kind of life, or you can choose to be a blessing to all nations and start to be a blessing to many people through Jesus Christ. If you really have such a choice to build a glorious church, I think even if God had not chosen you before, God will also choose you because you have such a determination. Because you are walking on the road that is precious in God's eyes, that is the treasure in God's eyes. I believe that many of us are treasures in God's eyes, and we all make such a choice, choose to attend meetings steadily, and choose to pass this gospel to the people around us. What is a treasure? A treasure can shine.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:43
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3
I encourage everyone to be a blessing to many people, introduce Jesus Christ to them, and their lives will experience transformation and miraculous changes. If you lead many to righteousness, you will shine like the stars forever. God sees you as a treasure, so everyone must restore the mission within us and be a treasure in God's eyes. We don't know for the time being whether God has chosen us, but we can make a choice to do what God tells us to do. Then pass on the blessings, healings, and grace we have experienced without charge, so that more people can experience what we have experienced—that is to lead many to righteousness, and many people will be blessed because of us, which is what the Bible first revealed:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3
This is God's will. If the space in our hearts is too small, we will become garbage in God's eyes. Let us put aside the grievances in our hearts and become treasures in God's eyes. This is just a choice. A choice in a moment can accomplish God's glorious church and become a blessing to all nations; a choice in a moment can also become garbage in God's eyes. Whether God has chosen us is not something we can do. Whether we can become treasures in God's eyes depends on our own choice. You can choose to be an eagle, soaring in the sky, showing God's glory, and becoming a mighty warrior of God; you can also choose to be a chick, eating a few small worms on the ground every day. This is your choice.
God has a Mingding Destiny for each of us. If you don't understand it, you can pray to God. God is a living God, and He will surely reveal it to you and tell you the Mingding Destiny He has for you. Even if you don't know, you will know when you walk into the church, making people disciples of Jesus Christ is the Great Commission, building a glorious church. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 2 Timothy 2:21 If a man cleanses himself, that is man's choice. If a man chooses to do noble things, he will become a noble person; if a man chooses to do humble things, he will become a humble person.
Let us take our eyes away from the work, schoolwork, exams, boss, and other things in our lives, and focus on God. Many times your choice prevents God from helping you solve your problems. Can't the God who created all things in the universe solve the problems in your life? When your heart is like Abraham's, and you begin to choose God's kingdom, trust God, and take on the mission God has for you, the difficulties of your life will be trampled under your feet. Amen!
The Kingdom of Heaven is for Those Who Strive to Enter
Once you have made a choice, you must put aside all worries. The kingdom of heaven is to be entered by striving, and those who strive will obtain it. Never make a choice and fail to implement it. My heart is willing, but I am often weak and often lack the strength to do what I want. That is just our own excuse. We should all have the idea of squeezing in with all our might.
Our God is the God who makes something out of nothing. Today, although we have not seen churches established in Africa, Europe, and China, do you have such a mission in your faith? We must often declare with faith and become treasures of God's kingdom. The kingdom of God is—as long as you have a dream and an attitude of squeezing in, God will make you a treasure. Amen!
Conclusion: Do we choose to build God's glorious church, become God's glorious vessel, and a treasure in God's eyes?
Let us pray together: Lord, we are willing to be that treasure before You. We thank You, Lord, thank You for paying the full price for us, and nailing Your only begotten Son Jesus Christ on the cross to pay the full price of redemption for our sins, so that we can live out Your image. Lord, thank You for such grace, thank You for seeing us as treasures, and we are also willing to see ourselves as treasures in Your eyes before You. Lord, we ask You to personally teach us, let us know how to become treasures in Your eyes, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!