I. Introduction

Good day to everyone! Today, I'm sharing a topic titled: Substance. This is part 6 of the Chinese Mingding Destiny character series. This character must possess substance. The difference between a character with substance and one without is vast!

You see, I am a Northeasterner, and my mother was a very superficial person. Her words were always pleasing to the ear, but during mealtimes, in an era where having enough food was a feat, if a neighbor came by, she would say, Come, come, eat! After he had his fill, the children would go hungry. In those days, earning money didn't guarantee enough to eat. So, this person actually ate, given my mother's enthusiasm. The result? The child definitely didn't get enough to eat, with only that much rice available.

Once the neighbor left, my mother would say, He has no sense of propriety, actually eating when offered! What kind of talk is that? I disliked it greatly, finding it insincere. I raised this point with my mother several times, but she wouldn't listen, accustomed as she was to playing these superficial games. If you were talking to someone like me, I would say: We don't have enough food in our house; you can sit there and watch us eat first. Don't come by when we're eating next time. If I didn't offer you food, I'd feel embarrassed; if I did, my children wouldn't have enough to eat. Is there anything wrong with what I said? There's nothing wrong with it. People think Northeasterners are grounded, but actually, they're not.

One of our brothers lived a miserable life, only seeking me out when his eyes could no longer focus. He was deceived, failed in his work, his company went bankrupt, and his wages were miserably low. Later, his mother came: Oh, thank you, Pastor Liu, for taking care of my son. Heavens, as if I were his son's savior. Then her son chimed in, Pastor Liu, don't listen to my mother; she complains at home. Ah, I said, I know. She's a Northeasterner; my mother is the same.

Later, I believed in the Lord. After believing, I encountered strange phenomena that greatly troubled me. I used to lead Bible studies and be a small group leader. Our church pastor was interesting; offstage, he was a normal person, but once on stage, he would adopt a affected tone. Later, I said, Pastor, you speak like a normal person offstage, so why do you put on airs when you're on stage? He said, That's what they teach in seminary; you can't graduate otherwise. Two different personas, on and off stage—many times, I couldn't get used to it.

Another time, someone came from afar, and I drove to pick him up and take him out to eat. I was newly converted then, and loved the Lord dearly. As soon as someone arrived, I would welcome them, happy to pay the price. I thought that hosting a big-shot pastor would mean hearing some solid, spiritual things, but no. During the meal, their words onstage were different from what they said offstage. Fortunately, I'm a patient person; I don't like to stumble easily.

From that time on, I resolved that if I were to become a pastor, I would be the same person onstage and offstage. So today, I'm especially thankful to God that I've become a pastor who is the same person onstage and offstage. If you get close to me, you'll see that it's true—this pastor is really the same. I often tell jokes, and even though I've told them many times, I don't get tired of them. A little talking, a little laughing; it's comfortable, and life isn't so tiring.

In the church, I encountered things like: Jesus loves you, and I love you too. I'd say, Give me a break; how do you love me? Stuck. Isn't that being pretentious? People would say, Why can't you say something nice? I'd say, I really don't like that. Anyone who has interacted with me, when they've flown in to check me out, finds that this guy's actually quite interesting. They call me this guy, and it's OK with me. They find that this guy has no horns on his head and looks like a normal person. Of course! I'm the same onstage and offstage; what am I pretending to be? Someone said, Pastor, you even get fevers? Of course, I'm a sinner.

I grew up in this hypocritical Christian environment, and my family was also a hypocritical family. Then I grew up in a hypocritical church. I tell you, I was really determined to eat this meal with substance. Why? Because insincerity is no good! For example, some people say, Brother, I'll pray for you. I say, Great, pray for me right now. They say, I can't, I have something to do. I say, That's just bull, you're good at talking nonsense. I know they won't pray for me at home either. A month or so later, when I see them again, I ask, Did you pray for me? They say, What was I supposed to pray about? Oh, they've forgotten everything!

This is how Christians grow up in a hypocritical church, which shaped my mindset: I want to be a person of substance. I wanted to be a person of substance since I was young; I didn't want to be a hypocrite. Because in my mind, I have the idea that hypocrisy is not in line with God's will! I never say, Ah, brother, I'll pray for you. I don't play that game. Later, I used to type a lot. Do you all use WhatsApp? A chat tool? The chat groups are full of this: Brother, I love you, may God bless you. All of it, all superficial. But such an environment has shaped my mindset as a grounded pastor. I thank God, I really thank God! Not solving problems! Not solving problems makes the two-cent teapot all spout.

Once, I drove a pastor home. He said, Pastor Liu, I have chest pains; could you pray for me? I said, Sure, I'll pray for you. I prayed for him, and he got better. After he got better, he went back to his church and said, Pastor Liu is a super charismatic. I wondered, what kind of brain is that?

Later he told me, Pastor Liu, the scale of what you do isn't big enough. I said, How is it not big enough? He said, Like you writing resumes for people, helping them find jobs, training them for interviews—the scale of what you do isn't big enough. I said, What is your scale then? He said, My scale is the Muslim world, the Middle East, Indochina, Central Asia. I thought, it's all this. Oh my God, I can't do what you do! I said, Why don't you go to the galaxy to preach the gospel? Just take over the entire galaxy. Forget it, I see you, you're a mess; you're full of ailments! I thought, my scale isn't big enough. What I hate most is that fake scale, empty rhetoric, shouting slogans, and not solving problems!

What I solve: If you have depression, you'll definitely be healed here; if you have cancer, you'll definitely be healed after listening to me. I really serve until I'm spitting blood, and I want to continue serving. So far, I haven't spat up any blood. I've always thought that a church that solves problems is a grounded church. That also means truly paying the price. To this day, people still live in much falsehood. Are you living in much falsehood? If you find out today, tell me. I can really help you.

I find that this happens especially frequently. I went to a place, and they called me to hold a special meeting. I typically don't like attending these events. After going there, I was a pastor, and they were also pastors; they were embarrassed not to say to me, Pastor Liu, please come up on stage and minister for a bit. The first day when they were ministering, they prayed and the microphone went poof! Have you all seen that before? People fell to the ground in droves. Some were jumping around on the ground, others were lying quietly. They covered them with towels, afraid they'd run away. I thought that was pretty good. Then they said, Pastor Liu, come and minister for a bit. I don't like doing all that, waving banners, blowing trumpets, shouting! I said, Raise your hands if you're sick. Good heavens, almost everyone raised their hands. I said, What's the matter; did you all lie down in vain yesterday? What was the point of lying there?

Later, I first solved their lumbar and cervical problems. People who know me know that I like to solve these problems first. As soon as I started adjusting their lumbar and cervical spines, a large number of people lined up. Later, I found that Christians have many illnesses. Why? Because they engage in too much falsehood. Yes, being falsely overweight! Then I thought, how am I going to fix this? I brought two co-workers. With so many patients, I was a little dumbfounded. I said, Let's do it this way; I'll lead everyone in prayer, and you can hold on to the back of the person in front of you and form a line. Grab the shoulders, and they felt much better after praying with me. Later, I found that I couldn't finish ministering there.

Then a pastor brought someone who was possessed by a dragon spirit, probably mentally ill, saying, In the name of Jesus Christ, the spirit of depression, the spirit of mental illness, come out! Then they said to me, Come, Pastor Liu, you come and minister to him. I reluctantly ministered to him. I thought, I wouldn't play these games with you all again! I thought, there are many churches, and every Sunday, some people go up on stage and collapse for a while, so please don't label me as being charismatic. Charismatic churches are like that. Our church's Bible studies are absolutely first-rate, and we emphasize the word of God very much. Healing and deliverance are absolutely first-rate; solving problems is absolutely first-rate.

One of those who fell was a good friend of mine, every Sunday, he would go to church and fall. When I went to his house to see if his condition had improved, it was actually still the same. After the service, we went out for tea together, and I tentatively, softly asked: Every week you go to church and keep falling down, how come I have never observed you improving? He told me that: I feel more energetic after every time I fall. I said to him: Ah, so the energy and spirit comes from falling down, how come falling down is not causing mental issues? This has been happening so often that is why I have never understood it; I do not do things like that.

There was a sister from Germany whose mother had terminal kidney cancer which I was ministering to, I am not sure if she still alive or passed away, or if she has left to go to another church. As I was ministering and praying for the mother, her condition began to show signs of healing and improvements; the mother even introduced me to another person who had nearly been blinded by an impending and progressive eye disease. My stories are too many to be told here; but the point of my sharing is neither about the mother’s kidney condition nor the progressive blinding eye disease; it was about the the daughter that saw me ministering through prayers. When the daughter saw me ministering in prayer, the sister asked me: “Pastor Liu, can you pray for me as well?” I asked her: “Which condition are you looking for prayer for?” The sister replied that she had been suffering terribly under the terrible effects of migraines for the last twenty years of her life, from her teens to her thirties. I said with excitement that it was not a problem as I loved doing such things as solving problems. As it turned out, after only five minutes of prayers, the migraines were instantly and comprehensively healed!

Both the senior pastors were my acquaintances. The German sister then asked: “Can I ask one question?” I said: “Please tell me!” She said that she had attended countless and innumerable prayer healing events with well-anointed high-level pastors praying for her, but nothing had ever been effective. And she went on to ask why after only five minutes of prayer, I could instantly heal and release her from the terrible migraines. I replied that those celebrity level ministers never truly cared nor placed their heart in ministering to her. And they will pray for you without being heartful, then without a bat of an eye leave you completely without any lasting help or support. I further went on to say that I will not release any person that comes to me for help before the spiritual release is completed, before the spiritual release is completed. “Aha, I understand.” the sister exclaimed. With the devil and demons meeting someone like me that is wholeheartedly dedicated to the mission, the demons are bound to be defeated. However, one must obey what I say afterwards - to turn away from the world.

The question is, “Can I release you before exorcizing and expunging the demonic influence?” The answer is a resounding “no”. When the sinister forces meet someone like me, aren’t they destined for doom? When individuals seek solace and healing with me, complete restoration becomes a reality, contingent, of course, on their commitment to heed my guidance. Yet, what transpires when one finds themselves entangled in worldly affairs? I extend my prayers, only to witness the recurrence of the ailment as they succumb to the allure of the temporal. A cycle ensues, marked by supplications, followed by indulgence in earthly pleasures, perpetuating a seemingly endless loop. Nevertheless, fret not, for as long as your resolve remains unshaken, so too shall my dedication endure, a testament to my unwavering patience. In pondering the matter, I contemplate: Were the Lord Jesus present, what course of action would He undertake? Assuredly, He would proceed in the same vein, for I aspire to emulate His example, albeit as a humble imitation.

The senior pastor and his wife were once living in the same unit whilst having the opportunity to seek support from an event/conference; the conference was organized at the occasion of the senior pastor being the the landlord. Whilst I generally do not like to participate in such activities; if I was to stay at the unit as a temporary resident, I must be respectful for the organizing church. The truth is that I had never understood about such conference meetings anyway; I dislike doing so and instead prefer the method of ministering to individual people instead of gathering scores of people and leading them in yelling and meaningless “woo ha” screams, collecting money from vulnerable people; instead I choose to be different. It’s not about grandiose gestures or self-aggrandizement but about genuine problem-solving, and that’s what I am built to be, nothing else. It so happened that the conference meeting lasted for the first two days. I instead chose to stay in the unit. However on the last day, out of respect,. I still attended about 30% of the conference, whilst using the rest of the time to serve on an individual basis within the unit.

The conference attendees happened to return to the unit staggering and slouching. The first senior pastor shared about the issue of suffering from insomnia and and inability to eat in the days leading up to the event because of anticipating that all the conference attendees will discover about his wife’s depression, whom he thought that he had been successfully hiding the situation from. Hearing this, I immediately ministered to the senior pastor’s wife and she was instantaneously released from this heavy burden. He shared that he had the issue for as long as the last twenty years. I simply invited the senior pastor over and immediately ministered to him as well. As the truth is known by a few, the senior pastors were thinking: “why should should I receive support when both of us senior and leading pastors?”; however what they were thinking will not influence me as I have the skills and tools in doing so. The senior pastor was completely dumbfounded and filled with gratitude.

I firmly believe the Lord Jesus also acts in the same method by caring individually about the person; it is not about singing worship songs ( I have a terrible singing voice!), in reality what is absolutely damnable is the practice of all forms of deception!. In my days of working in the profession of supporting people with IT computer issues through being in customer support, I can firmly attest to the disastrous events from being in such professions. What happens if someone does their assigned tasks terribly but is asked by the boss the reason why their reports have not been done well will they simply blame the software or networking services issues? This is despite the fact that the issue has nothing to do with the reasons mentioned. As the entire organization is heavily in demand of using both software and networking services at the workplace, whoever works as the “software and the network guy” becomes the easiest and the most convenient to blame. These means that I am busy cleaning up and receiving the blame all the time, and that is why I am absolutely in distress and in distaste and antipathy towards all deceiving and deceitful activities and habits. I am absolutely enraged at the issues mentioned but can still sympathize for their reasons; as they had no other logical and socially acceptable reasoning or excuses other than the IT issues. Oh well, despite the fact that I became the scapegoat, I still get paid too!

In the landscape of religious ministry, it's not uncommon to hear proclamations of pastors being occupied with various commitments. However, has anyone ever encountered me admitting to being swamped with duties? Seldom, if ever. If perchance such a declaration were to escape my lips, it likely serves as a mere deflection tactic. Should the inquiry arise regarding my availability for ministerial assistance, and I respond with an alleged busyness, rest assured, the underlying message conveys the insignificance of the matter at hand when juxtaposed against other ostensibly pressing concerns. In truth, my adeptness at prioritizing tasks ensures I am far from inundated. The perception of busyness is often a facade, concealing the actuality of affairs. Should you honor me with your presence, you shall invariably discover a congruence between my demeanor both publicly and privately. Moreover, the revelation shall dawn: I am seldom encumbered. The expenditure of scarce resources to traverse vast distances warrants nothing short of genuine attentiveness and care. Although, admittedly, I do not generally serve in this form. Yet, by the grace of circumstance or providence, should one of my esteemed colleagues or a burgeoning spiritual leader find themselves within my sphere of influence, rest assured, my devotion to their spiritual nurturing shall know no bounds. For I eschew superficiality in favor of efficacious problem-solving. As such, even whilst navigating responsibilities as a customer service representative, my commitment to addressing needs expeditiously shall never waver. Take, for instance, the recent occurrence involving a malfunctioning blender owned by the sister of an acquaintance. Did I, perchance, resolve the matter with swift dispatch? Indeed, I did. My proficiency in expediting resolutions stems from my adeptness at task management, thus mitigating the sensation of busyness.

Hence, the propagation of falsehoods ensues through processes of distortion and amplification. This phenomenon is subsequently christened the Mandela Effect. Are you familiar with the concept of the Mandela Effect? What, pray tell, does it entail? Notwithstanding his vitality, many erroneously believe Nelson Mandela to have perished long ago. Nelson Mandela, a figure of profound significance in both the preceding and current centuries, presided over the transformation of a once prosperous South Africa into a nation beset by poverty. Despite his continued existence, widespread conviction persisted regarding his demise. Upon his eventual passing, declarations emerged: But surely he passed away some time ago?

The essence of the Mandela Effect lies in the dissemination of misinformation. Indeed, certain erudite individuals have furnished pertinent professional insights, which I shall proceed to elucidate: It denotes a collective misremembrance of historical events by the populace, diverging from the factual record. Prevailing scientific communities lack empirical evidence substantiating the veracity of this purported effect. Essentially, it epitomizes the propagation of inaccuracies. Consider, for instance, the television series Journey to the West, where prevalent belief suggests the occurrence of a scene involving immersion in boiling oil within the 1980s rendition. However, in actuality, such an episode was notably absent during that era. Nonetheless, widespread conviction asserts its presence, thus exemplifying what is colloquially termed the Mandela Effect.

The Mandela Effect is misinformation snowballing, where a falsehood becomes truth through repetition. But engineers are different. When they build something, it either works or it doesn't; a plane either flies or it doesn't; a missile either hits its target or it doesn't. We address the problem head-on. Later, I adapted the Mandela Effect to my own version: Slow work, inflated ego, and ultimate failure – that's my Mandela Effect. Making excuses, harming oneself and others, and distorted memories. The most important thing for a pastor is to be genuine, and to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to be authentic. What do you all think? Not quite satisfied with my interpretation of the Mandela Effect? That's alright; his Mandela is different from mine, or perhaps, slow-delivering.

What I want to talk about today? It's about authenticity; it's paramount. They say Northeasterners are genuine; well, someone like me, a Northeasterner, am truly genuine. Some of you are puzzled by inflated ego, aren't you? It means someone unreliable, scatterbrained. Just hearing it, I say, Does it sound good when you act so high and mighty? No, it doesn't. Inflated ego doesn't sound pleasant; learn some Northeastern dialect. It's like saying scatterbrained. Today, as we read the scriptures, let's not be high and mighty or use Northeastern slang.

II. Scripture

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:37-42)

III. Prayer

O God! Today, let us be genuine disciples, doing as You say. O God! You are a faithful God, and we shall be faithful disciples. O God! You are a God who gave Your life for us; today, we also offer our lives to You. O God! We shall be Your disciples, for even a cup of water given to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple will be rewarded. How much more reward shall we, as disciples, receive? O God! Inspire each of our brothers and sisters today. Each one yearns to be a genuine disciple. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

IV. Scriptural Background

If you search for the word genuine, you'll find it's a pet phrase of Jesus. Jesus often said, Truly I tell you, or I truly and certainly tell you, right? Search it, and you'll see. With digital versions now, it's much easier to tap and find everything. Genuine is a catchphrase of Jesus Christ! Why did it become a catchphrase? Because Jesus, like me, lived in an era of deceit. In that fake and hypocritical environment, people might think Jesus' words were just like those of others – all talk and no action.

So, to emphasize the weight of His words, Jesus would say, Truly I tell you, I am not Mandela, I am Jesus, and I am telling you truthfully. Do you understand? The concept of discipleship that Jesus emphasizes is profound: being a disciple of Jesus Christ is a remarkable thing, but many have distorted it. Look, welcoming you is like welcoming Jesus – imagine that! Earlier, it was said:

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37-38)

Welcoming a disciple is welcoming the Lord. Welcoming the Lord is welcoming the One who sent the Lord Jesus Christ. So, there is something very interesting about people. Receiving a prophet, not in Jesus' name, but in the name of a prophet. Do you all understand now? If you receive me because I am Teacher Liu, you will gain what I have! That's quite remarkable!

“Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. (Matthew 10:41)

If you don't quite get it, I'll explain: It's not for any other reason. If that person is a disciple, if that person is a disciple of Jesus Christ, unbeknownst to you, but you welcome and accept them. Acceptance means receiving what they say, and then you will gain the benefits that he got from God.

Remember, you need to follow me back to elementary school and study the lesson. If it is in the name of a disciple, for example, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, because of my name as a disciple, you give even the smallest brother or sister in our church a cup of water, a cup of cold water – no need to heat it, no need for fancy tea, just a cup of tap water, maybe with some ice. Giving this little one a drink, that person will certainly be rewarded. Can you see what God is emphasizing? What Jesus is emphasizing? How important the name of a disciple of Jesus Christ is! If you are a disciple, because of your name, give another little one a drink, and that person will be rewarded. I ask you: Is that disciple powerful or not? That disciple is extremely powerful!

Now I am going to critique people again, don't think that I like to critique people. There was a pastor who wanted to go on a mission, and he brought a large group of his disciples. Like pastor, like disciples. They were very eager to go on missions. Do you know why they were so eager to go on missions? Because before the missions, they would stand on the stage, and everyone would crowd to the front of the church: Ah, we are going to mission to Mandela in South Africa! We are going north, east, everywhere! Then they would recite a scripture: If anyone gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, you will certainly be rewarded, and many people would offer money. Pastor, here's some money for water! As a result, they received a lot of money, not just a cup of water, but a truckload.

Many people particularly like to quote the passage about giving a cup of water to a little one. But if these pastors are little ones, are they disciples? Pastors aren't little ones They like to act like them, because little ones can collect tea money. They are mistaken; they should be pastors, but they are acting as little ones because little ones can collect that tea money. They really need to go back and reread elementary school, because they have not understood the lessons. So, brothers and sisters, you need to know that the Gospel of Matthew, which is where this story is found, teaches the sending of disciples, from the fifth verse of the tenth chapter.

As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:7-8)

Did you see them go out singing? No. What did they go out to do? Did they go out to be little ones to collect money? No. What did they go out to do? To proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is near, to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons. To solve problems! Sickness is definitely not a good thing. To do what? Am I making myself clear? Write this down in your notebooks today: Usually, a genuine person must clearly state what to do and how to do it. You must know that being a disciple is not easy, it requires paying a price, but the rewards are also very high. When you go out to heal and drive out demons, you need to be told how to do it: don't bring money, don't bring a change of clothes. Don't bring bags, and God will provide. So, this passage speaks of a few things: I tell you the truth. Did you all see it? This passage tell us what to do? How to do it? First: don't bring money, because people will provide; Second: you are like sheep among wolves, so be as shrewd as snakes. You have to be as shrewd as serpents to be able to solve and deal with the problem of demons. Then you go on to say:

Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:21-22)

Do you understand? In other words, later you need to know one thing:

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:26-31)

Wow! That's so well said! Don't be afraid to die. The first point: after you go, what should you do? Heal the sick and drive out demons; the second point: how should you do it? Don't bring luggage, because there will be supply for you. You should be as cunning as serpents, like wolves entering sheep. Then, do not be afraid. Then again, a man's enemy is his own family.

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. (Matthew 10:32-36)

Do you all begin to understand? If you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must do this, you must do it this way, then you must not be afraid of death, and then you must begin to have character, and a person's enemy is his own family. This is the background of this passage. Then it speaks of today's scripture:

Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; (Matthew 10:37)

But after being a disciple:

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:42)

What is this really talking about? It's talking about how great these disciples were! Do not rush to be little ones in order to receive red envelopes, to receive the money for that cup of tea; it is to rush to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, to give, not to receive. Do you think what I am saying is what the Bible says? If it isn't, let's slowly figure it out.

V. The Office of Disciple is Real

The office of disciple is quite real; the Gospel of the Kingdom is healing the sick. I tell you that sickness is definitely not a good thing, so Chinese Mingding Destiny places great emphasis on healing the sick and casting out demons, and this ability to heal is freely given. In the tenth chapter of Matthew, how much training did the twelve disciples receive? They had very little training, they were nothing! But today, many churches make healing and deliverance very profound, when in reality, they are not. Being a disciple is what is profound, being a disciple is what is difficult, and healing and deliverance is actually a simple matter.

At the beginning of our church, before Chinese Mingding Destiny had even begun to take shape, our whole church was still quite desolate, and we were still caught in the struggle within the knowledge of good and evil, the healing of the sick and casting out of demons had already surpassed many, many people. We were doing healing and deliverance many years ago. Why? Not because we did well enough, but because casting out demons in the name of Jesus Christ is actually a very superficial understanding. Healing and casting out demons is very superficial, so that is given freely and given away freely.

Yesterday I heard a very interesting pastor, he went to a healing and deliverance evangelistic meeting. I know the pastor who was doing the healing and deliverance too, because some of our church friends came from there, he's a charismatic pastor. As a result, this charismatic pastor went to another city, where his church was located, to attend this healing and deliverance meeting. As it happened, the person leading the healing and deliverance meeting knew one of our sisters and stayed at her house. After staying there, this sister helped him organize the entire healing and deliverance meeting. As a result, the pastor who went to other people's meetings returned and said something: I would rather choose to offend people than offend God, and he did not want to participate. What was it? He was afraid of those around him, afraid that he would lose his job.

Later, people often asked him: You have to ask carefully, what spirit is behind this healing and deliverance? Many people think what spirit is behind healing and deliverance? How are they different from the Pharisees of those days? At that time, they said that Jesus' ability to heal came from Beelzebub. The people at that time investigated this, and today many people are investigating what spirit is behind healing and deliverance? This person didn't ask me, but if they had asked me, if these evangelical pastors had asked me, then I would have asked in return: What spirit is behind you who do not heal? Do brothers and sisters know today that the office of a disciple is a very real healing of the sick and the casting out of demons? What spirit is behind it if you do not heal the sick and cast out demons? So, do you all know what it is? So it’s the Mandela Effect”, all talk but no action.

So, can brothers and sisters know today that if you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, the power to heal the sick and cast out demons is definitely given to you? Because this is the first thing God wants you to do as a disciple. If you preach the Gospel of the Kingdom without healing and casting out demons, what Gospel are you preaching? This is the most basic work. So, in the logical system of Chinese Mingding Destiny, healing and deliverance is the most basic work of the church, not some high and mighty work. If you make healing and deliverance a high and mighty work, then it's troublesome. It's not relying on your ability, but on God's ability, is it real? If every church today can understand this tenth chapter of Matthew, is this not a real duty? It is the duty that a disciple should fulfill, not going out to preach the gospel, leading people to believe in the Lord, preaching a gospel without power, what is the use of a gospel without power?

VI. The Needs of the Disciple are also God's Real Provision

Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. (Matthew 10:9-10)

Is it clear? So, don't brothers and sisters know when reading the Bible that God will really provide? Later, I discovered that money is not the problem at all. This world is very spiritual! Do you know to what extent money is spiritual? When you heal the sick and cast out demons, you will find that money comes in. This is a miraculous thing, don't think that because I said this, you will feel: Wow, I have to go heal the sick and cast out demons, because Pastor Liu said that money will come in when you heal the sick and cast out demons. Then your purpose is wrong, the purpose is not to make money. But later, I discovered that the church that casts out demons, the church that is victorious over demons, the demons will send money. For example: if one country fights another country, the defeated country must pay war reparations, have you discovered? After World War II, Japan had to compensate China, and Germany had to compensate the surrounding countries, that was a very astronomical amount of money! So, the defeated must pay the victorious.

Later, I realised that after I had exorcised the demon, it kept repeating the same phrase: I will bring you money at twelve o'clock, I will bring you money by bullock cart and horse carriage. I wondered why the demon kept saying this. Sending money is a good thing, isn't it! I never liked to believe in ghost stories. But later, as brothers and sisters gradually practice, you will find that every time you can cast out a demon from a person, I tell you, you will really find yourself blessed financially, it's particularly miraculous! So, how good it is to be a disciple! Still need to worry about money? There is no need to worry about life at all. If a demon-caster can trample on the devil and enemy in the spiritual world, do you need to worry about money? No need. I tell you the most deadly thing is to be defeated by the demons. If you are defeated by the demons, then you will be poor as a church mouse. So, everyone slowly and carefully examine.

A pastor spent several million dollars to build a church in a very remote place. The church he built was one that does not cast out demons. As a result, those millions of dollars were wasted, and he ended up losing everything! Praying in the church all day long, praying for what? God, send people here, God, send people here. If you don't cast out demons, where will people come from? If you don't solve problems and do real things, how can God possibly provide in a real way? If you don't do real things, God will also play tricks on you. If you play tricks with God, God will also play tricks with you. The needs of the disciples are the real supply of God.

Seven, Really Need to Add being as shrewd as snakes

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16)

This sentence is only in Matthew; the other Gospels do not have it. I wonder why we need to be like snakes? You have to know how snakes walk! Snakes always move in curves; they don't move forward like a stick! They move forward in a winding manner. What does it mean to be as shrewd as snakes? I tell you, if you really want to solve problems, there is no straightforward way. For example, if I sell something to you, have you noticed? Have you noticed that salespeople have to beat around the bush? Do you understand? If you say, Buy it! I won't buy it! Then people will leave, and you can't sell it; you can't do it.

So today, I have to teach everyone that if you want to solve people's problems, you really need to make a few turns. If you want to solve people's problems, you really need to be as shrewd as snakes, because the object you are fighting against is the devil. If you are not shrewd enough like a snake, you really can't handle it. Later, I found that in these past years, I have been casting out demons and playing dialogues with demons, and I found that my language skills have greatly increased. After most people deal with me for a few sentences, they are embarrassed.

Have you noticed that I am quite good at speaking? How did it come about? It came from dealing with demons. For example, a demon comes to me and says, Forget it; you don't really like serving him, do you? Wow! This guy is powerful. In fact, I really don't like serving this person; it's really annoying and a bother. You should know that often when you are serving, you really have this feeling. As a result, the demon knows this feeling of mine, and it says, You don't like serving him. Wow! If you have nothing to say at this point, you are in trouble. But I always have something to say. Everyone knows my classic line: According to my own preferences, I don't like to serve. But according to God's word, today you have to go out! You have to leave my sister, leave my brother. Powerful, right? According to the desires of my flesh, I don't like it, but I don't walk according to my flesh; I walk according to God's word. Really, you have to be as shrewd as snakes.

Later, I discovered that all our brothers and sisters, if you want to be disciples, you must learn to shepherd. If you love God, you must learn to shepherd. If you want to do shepherding, you must be as shrewd as snakes. Your mouth must be powerful. If your mouth is not powerful, you can't do it. You need to know that many times, people and demons are not easily distinguishable. But I can see that this is a demon. Later, anyone who has crossed swords with me knows that my words are powerful and carry authority. Those who have crossed swords with me find that they can't win against me. Why? Because I have the shrewdness of a snake inside. I am not Santa Claus. The Bible does not say, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be like Santa Claus. There is no such statement. As soon as I come up, I slap! give you a point, targeting the fatal spot.

I think today, brothers and sisters, you need to be as shrewd as snakes. Originally, I wanted to talk about being as shrewd as snakes as the main topic today. Later, I found that it was only mentioned once in Matthew. I felt like it could be inserted here to talk about it, but it's better to talk about being real. The seventh point is about being real and adding shrewdness like snakes, not foolishly real, do you understand?

Eight, Disciples Must Truly See Through Life and Death

If you cannot see through it, you cannot be a disciple. You must see through it in a real way, not a false way, not seeing through it sometimes and not seeing through it at other times.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:30-31)

Can you understand that? Have you noticed that someone who really sees through life and death and someone who sometimes sees through it and sometimes does not are on completely different levels? If you really see through life and death, you will find that nothing that comes to deal with you can scare you. Nothing can deal with you. Why? Because you are not afraid of death, so who can deal with you? Demons are afraid of those who are not afraid of death. This is why when I cast out demons, problems that even anointed pastors cannot solve during their healing and deliverance crusades can be solved by me. The only regret is that people are so used to being unreal that when they encounter someone real, they don't believe it. Did you understand? Suddenly encountering me, they say, This teacher says he has seen through life and death. What is that? How can anyone in this world see through life and death? They say this kind of thing.

Years ago, a pastor's wife got cancer. Everyone said, Let's pray for her. Then I said that I minister to cancer patients, and I am very skilled at it. I am particularly good at dealing with this. Then I said, Do you need me to minister to you? If you need me to minister to you, here is my phone number; you can call me anytime. People came up with a sentence. Can you feel the tone in it? Thank you. What does that mean? It means, Forget it. Can you hear that? Thank you, forget it. I have never seen such ministry in the world. In the past, I just dealt with it perfunctorily, and now someone comes up acting so strange and unreal. Forget it; no need. I was rejected.

Later, she died. After fighting cancer for five years, she died and lay in the coffin. It happened that my friend was presiding over the funeral. Later, I took my coworkers to attend the funeral to see how that thing was done. This time, I really didn't need to pray. Why? People have become accustomed to doing the Mandela Effect. Everyone has become falsely accustomed to saying to each other, Jesus loves you. Suddenly, they encountered someone as real as me and said, Forget it. They are not used to it. They thought I was fooling them, thinking I wanted something from them. What could I want from them?

Nine, Family Members Will Really Hinder You From Being a Disciple

Family members will definitely hinder you from being a disciple. Think about it, your family wants to live a comfortable life, but you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. How will this work out? You want to dedicate your life to God, but your family wants you to dedicate your life to them. Have you noticed that once you start loving Jesus, your husband comes over and says, What's going on? Do you love Jesus more than you love me? He says, Do you love me or Jesus? If you say, I love Jesus, how can this marriage continue? It's not good. Unless you are as shrewd as snakes, making up stories like me to shut his mouth.

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:34-38)

These words are spoken. Who can meet this standard? But what is so great about it? I am just like that. Living becomes a very simple matter. So, you must know that when you become a disciple, you will encounter real obstacles. Do you have this kind of character, or do you not have this kind of character? Do you compromise, or do you persevere? This matter is very interesting. I think that many Christians are in a lukewarm church, being a Christian, and no one in their family objects. But once you become strong and say, I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, it's over. If you don't have a bit of the shrewdness of a snake, you really can't get through it; it's not easy.

So, you must know that no matter what stories we make up, in your bones you must be a person with a certain character, which is Today, I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ; don't stop me. You can't stop me. So, if you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must be strong. You can't keep living off others. If you are always living off others, how can you be strong? So today, everyone starts to reshape themselves. Reshaping yourself is also a real thing, starting to do real work, no longer living off others, starting to support yourself in a real way, not only being able to support yourself but also being able to provide for your family. Then you will be powerful.

Brothers and sisters, you must know that it is a battle. It is not easy to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is a battle that is trained this way. I tell you, I have this kind of character inside. If I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, don't stop me. You can't compare with Jesus. Do I love you? I still love my Jesus. I love my Lord; I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I want to obtain the rewards in eternity. That is how I have come to this point. No one can stop me; this is my bottom line. Let me clean the toilet, no problem. Clean up the house, no problem. Even if I take care of all the housework, no problem. But you can't stop me from being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Serving those cancer patients, paying the price, no one can stop me. Healing the sick and casting out demons is my most basic work.

Ten, Disciples Must Really Dedicate Themselves to God

Dedicating yourself to God is a character trait.

Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39)

Can you understand this sentence? If you can understand this sentence, you can be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Dedicate your life. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. This is the root cause of many diseases. The root cause of diseases is because they cannot cast out demons, so the demons come to bully you. So, you must begin to lay down your life for Jesus, begin to be a healing and demon-casting disciple. The demons in front of you will be defeated by you. Not only can you defeat the demons in your own body, but the demons in the people you minister to will also be defeated by you. I think becoming a disciple, even giving a cup of water to a little one will be blessed, and they will be blessed because of you, the disciple.

Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward. (Matthew 10:40-42)

Don't be that little one, and don't be the one who gives a cup of water. Be the disciple! This is God's will. Don't do it the other way around. It would be bad if you did it the other way around. A disciple brings a little one, and then someone gives that little one a cup of water. Then he wants to receive a reward. Because of the name of the disciple, what reward should that disciple receive? A disciple lacks no good thing. This is a character trait. Okay, today, let's start being real with God. Our God is faithful. God is a Spirit, so you must worship Him in spirit and in truth. No longer shouting slogans, no longer preaching a false, powerless gospel. Today, start doing real things, which is to solve problems. If your studies are not good, improve them in a real way. If your work is not done well, do it well. If you don't have the ability of engineering technology, learn the thinking methods of engineering technology and solve problems. Then, in a real way, minister to those little ones around you. After giving a lot of unreal examples, I want to make a summary.

Eleven, Summary: Just Be a Real Disciple

If something is not good, you can learn it. What's so difficult? Not much to it. Be vigilant. After giving a lot of unreal examples, it is to make everyone vigilant. Stop playing fake. Playing fake will lead to death. Your store cannot give you life, your work cannot give you life, your children cannot give you life, your parents cannot give you life. Only God can give you life. Being a disciple is what God wants us to do. What's so difficult? With the character of dedicating your life to God, there is no impassable mountain. Even large and small mountains must be flattened. This is the disciple of Jesus Christ.

Let's sing a song and prepare to receive today's offering. If you do not understand the meaning of offering, please do not give. Because the church is not a place to offer money, the church is a place to offer life. Are you willing? If you are willing, sing a song with me called I Am Willing. If you do not understand the meaning of offering, please do not offer! Have you identified with Jesus? Follow God for life, giving up everything to follow God. This is a character trait. Unless you see through life and death, can you make such a decision. Unless you recognize that being a disciple has extremely rich rewards, you can make such a decision. If you can't let go, then don't let go. Really let go; this is a good choice.

At this time, everyone raise your hands with me to do a short prayer. I will say a sentence, and everyone repeat after me: God, I just want to be your disciple. I just want to love you above all else! God, I just want to give up everything for you. I will no longer be that little one; I want to be your disciple. God, may you accept my offering and be with me, so that I can preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, and not only that, but also really walk according to your word, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen!