Introduction

Good morning! Let us turn to 1 Samuel, chapter 23. Both 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel are narratives, and we must discern the underlying themes the author intends to convey through these stories. In this chapter, it appears that both David inquires of God, and Saul invokes God's name. It seems they are both aligned in seeking divine guidance, yet upon closer examination, their outcomes differ significantly. Therefore, I have titled this chapter Being a Person After God's Own Heart, and I will explain the reasons behind this choice step by step. In essence, the entire Bible chronicles individuals who are after God's own heart and those who are not, allowing us to observe the contrasting consequences of their actions.

A Person After God's Own Heart Seeks Matters Aligned with God's Will

Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. (1 Samuel 23:1-2)

When the Philistines attacked Keilah and plundered the threshing floors, David was in the midst of being hunted down. He had to be constantly vigilant about concealing his whereabouts, for if he were discovered, Saul would immediately mobilize thousands to destroy him. Yet, at this crucial juncture, David inquired of the Lord whether he should engage the Philistines in battle. Many find this perplexing; from a military perspective, it seems entirely irrational. The city under attack was under Saul's jurisdiction and had no direct connection to David, who was a fugitive. He could have easily ignored it. However, David possessed a remarkable quality: upon receiving the information, his first thought was to discern God's will.

God desired David to begin learning how to govern the people of Israel, and David himself was keenly aware that the future kingdom of Israel would be entrusted to him. Although he had not yet ascended the throne, it had already been promised to him. David was not seeking divine guidance on how to evade Saul's pursuit, but rather how to resolve the crisis facing the people of Keilah, who were under attack and being plundered by the Philistines. However, in seeking divine guidance, he found himself without the support of his men.

This was a profoundly difficult decision. David had already inquired of God, and if God instructed him to attack the Philistines, he could not refuse. Yet, if he chose to go, his men were unwilling to follow. Was he to engage in battle virtually single-handed? It was an undeniably awkward predicament. If I were in his shoes, I might have refrained from asking in the first place. But David was an extraordinary man, and I am eager to learn from him how to be a person after God's own heart. A person after God's own heart seeks matters aligned with God's will. When David inquired of God, the response he received was to attack the Philistines and save Keilah, immediately stirring up a hornet's nest and causing trouble.

And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come unto Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? (1 Samuel 23:3)

The siege of the city could potentially last for days. Upon learning of David's presence, Saul could swiftly encircle them, trapping David and his six hundred men, potentially leading to their annihilation. Anyone would perceive this as perilous; David's actions not only exposed his location but also appeared to be a suicidal endeavor. Ordinary people would question David's judgment as a leader. Pursuing matters aligned with God's will often entails substantial risks. David's men were unwilling to join him in what seemed like a death wish. However, David believed that while they could choose not to follow him, he was obligated to do what pleased God.

Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and smote them with a great slaughter, and took away their cattle. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. (1 Samuel 23:4-5)

Over the years, I have greatly admired David. A man as astute as he undoubtedly considered the potential ramifications. However, David was not deterred by the possibility of his men deserting him; they were free to go wherever they pleased. He understood that victory in battle depended on his God, the same God who enabled him to slay Goliath, not on the capabilities of his ragtag band of followers. David's commitment to doing what pleased God meant that his thoughts and intentions were not dictated by the opinions of others. They had to yield to his vision; he would not compromise his convictions.

Do you detect a hint of David's spirit in me? I will not abandon my convictions nor allow myself to be swayed; I am determined to be a person after God's own heart. Others are welcome to leave if they so choose; I do not lack for stinky tofu. While you may consider me of the same ilk, it does not diminish my resolve to be a piece of stinky tofu that pleases God. By striving to be a stinky tofu that pleases God, we transform from malodorous to fragrant.

Ordinary people might perceive David's pursuit as unreasonable, lacking both the necessary conditions and common sense. However, David's perspective differed; upon receiving the news, he faced a choice: either prioritize self-preservation by setting aside God's will or forsake his own desires to pursue God's will. We must recognize that God is sovereign; the most foolish thing a person can do is forget their humanity and believe they can protect themselves independently, which is ultimately impossible. In their attempts to safeguard themselves, they often develop cancer, ankylosing spondylitis, or paralysis. I choose to be a person after God's own heart, regardless of the circumstances. This is the essence of a person after God's own heart seeking matters aligned with God's will. I am deeply convinced that God remains sovereign in all circumstances.

Sometimes, during prayer sessions, I play the song Jehovah Sits Enthroned as King. Despite its popularity, even in times of great calamity, God remains on His throne. However, many forget God's sovereignty when faced with difficulties, attempting to take control themselves. Failing to be a person after God's own heart is tragic. Some are foolish, seeking matters aligned with God's will, only to question God's affirmative response to their plea to attack the Philistines. It is preferable not to ask at all; having asked and received divine approval, they then cite unfavorable conditions and impossibility. This is the epitome of foolishness. Either refrain from asking or avoid receiving such news. Upon hearing such a message, God is testing you to see if you will pursue matters aligned with His will.

As a pastor, one often faces temptations when establishing a church: whether to bless someone, pray for them, or minister to them—these are critical decisions. Someone may not appear to be destined for greatness, but whether they are destined or not is unimportant; the crucial question is whether I should do what pleases God, and having sought divine guidance, I must act accordingly. You must be certain that if one clings to their life, they cannot proceed. I have reached this point because the matter of life and death no longer holds significance for me. While this may sound boastful, it is the truth; otherwise, progress is impossible.

For instance, if faced with a situation that entails personal loss, should you proceed? To a person after God's own heart, suffering loss, paying a price, or taking risks is inconsequential; Jehovah God remains eternally sovereign. When faced with a situation, there will be struggle, but ultimately, one must steel oneself and proceed wholeheartedly. Then, one discovers that it was the right decision because victory brings spoils, including livestock and meat, which were initially unattainable. David inquired of Jehovah God again, and God instructed him to go to Keilah, promising to deliver the Philistines into his hand. Upon believing and acting accordingly, he indeed emerged victorious.

Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. (1 Samuel 23:10-13)

David entered Keilah in triumph, but someone informed Saul, who promptly besieged the city, trapping David. However, David now sought not to allow Saul to destroy the city on his account. David was not concerned about his own life or death. Previously, the priests of Nob had been killed by Saul because of David. Now, Keilah had been spared from the Philistines, and David did not want Saul to destroy the people of Keilah because of him.

God revealed to David that the people of Keilah would indeed deliver him to Saul. People are inherently unreliable; do not expect to receive any favors from them. Upon hearing this, David and his six hundred men departed from Keilah, without resenting the ingratitude of its inhabitants. A person after God's own heart seeks matters aligned with God's will, and any benefits received in Keilah are merely byproducts; David did not concern himself with them.

God Delivers Enemies into the Hands of Those After His Own Heart

You must remember this: If your requests remain unfulfilled, it is because they are not aligned with God's will. If you are not aligned with God's will, your petitions are futile; a person after God's own heart receives answers to their prayers. The reason I have established Chinese Mingding Destiny is because I have personally witnessed in the church that the prayers of most brothers and sisters go unanswered, only to discover later that they were misaligned. Have you noticed that in your previous churches, diseases persisted for ten or twenty years despite prayers? Over time, a notion developed that it was God's good pleasure. However, it seems strange that God's good pleasure would cause illness. Yet, upon coming into our midst, diseases are often quickly healed. Many find this miraculous, but it is because there are people here who are after God's own heart.

In reality, whether prayers are heard depends on God. God hears the prayers of those after His own heart, and God delivers enemies into their hands. Why did the Philistines suffer defeat? We do not know. The Philistines were not easily subdued, and David's six hundred men were untrained and undisciplined. The defeat of the Philistines had little to do with the prowess of these six hundred men; it was because David was a person after God's own heart, which is exceedingly good.

Some frequently say that I am too willing to suffer personal losses, but I am content, for I am determined to be a person after God's own heart. Some fail to recognize the value of this and persist in actions that displease God, leading to their demise. God delivers enemies into the hands of those after His own heart. David and his men seized the livestock of Keilah and rescued its inhabitants. In essence, the entire episode was a test by God to determine whether David was after His own heart, self-seeking, or motivated by personal desires. Upon testing David, God discerned his true nature, which greatly pleased Him.

I often struggle with matters that confront me. I am quick and capable, and I can perform many tasks well. After completing them, I ponder whether to charge for my services. To be honest, it would be disingenuous to say that I do not want to receive payment. How wonderful it would be to receive such income and dedicate it to God. However, priests are not to profit from their labor. Priests are not to engage in business; they must freely receive and freely give. This, like David, is a test.

After much inner turmoil, I finally understood God's will: I am to bless this generation, not profit from it. Opportunities abound, but setting a small goal of earning a billion first would lead to trouble. The thought of money makes my mind race and I feel agitated. Later, I realized that God is quite remarkable; He makes me feel uneasy whenever I think about money. I began to understand that instead of dwelling on money, I should focus on blessing others, and God delivers enemies into my hands. If you are from a church and require ministry, I will gladly assist, not because of your importance, as I do not prioritize church size, but because I am determined to be a person after God's own heart.

A pastor once asked if I could minister to a member of their congregation who had cancer. If the cancer patient had approached me directly, I would certainly minister to them. I am not concerned about which church you belong to; I am only concerned with God's will. However, since the pastor approached me, I set a condition: Since it was a member of their church, I would minister for one hour, and the pastor would partner with me for one hour, a one-to-one ratio. You have already received the offerings; I do not need your money. Just observe how I minister, and then you can minister in the same way. However, the pastor hesitated, claiming he did not have the time. He had time to minister to people from other churches, but not to his own congregation. Such pastors are preoccupied with matters that do not please God.

Actually, I have won the battle, and the spoils are all mine. Do not think that I am doing something at a loss. In accordance with God's will, after fighting the battle, I have conquered the devil and the enemy in the spiritual realm. The devil obediently sends the money. Therefore, Chinese Mingding Destiny has summarized a rule: Be a person who pleases God, and God will deliver the enemy into your hands. If you defeat the enemy, the money in the enemy's hands is all yours. Some people do not know this and think that I love money. I often say that those who come among us, if they truly become people who please God, their finances and health will surely be blessed by God. If you are a person who pleases God, your finances will surely be blessed. Because driving out one demon earns one reward; drive out another demon, and God will give you another reward. Originally, the priest's reward comes from God, and he will receive many spoils.

At that time, the grain in David's granary was almost gone, so God directed a farce to encourage David to fight this battle. He let the Philistines attack Keilah, and then told David to go and fight Keilah as well. He did as he was told and won the war, receiving the reward. Everyone, see how good this is. David became a person who pleased God, and the support for the entire army was provided. This is never being in need throughout one's life. In other words, God sends money to David, just like we pray for people's deliverance, and God sends money. In fact, it is God who makes the demons send money, and God does not even need to reach out himself. Everyone, do not misunderstand. I want to emphasize that you should be a person who pleases God, do not just hear about the money being sent. If you only remember that it is good to have money, but forget the preceding condition of being a person who pleases God, then it will be troublesome.

The Key is to Be a Person Who Pleases God

And Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, having an ephod in his hand. (1 Samuel 23:6)

The previous chapter already mentioned that Abiathar fled to Keilah to see David. Here, more details are given. Abiathar met David at this time. What needs to be noted here is that the key is not the ephod, the Ark of the Covenant, nor the cross or Holy Communion, the bread and the cup, but the person who pleases God.

And David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. (1 Samuel 23:9)

When reading this, do not be misled into thinking that it is all the ephod that is working. In fact, even without the ephod, God still listened to David's prayers. The reason David wanted to bring the ephod over was because he now had the ephod, and bringing it over to pray was to honor the ephod. If David had the ephod but did not bring it to pray, he would be showing off. After David prayed, God responded to him, saying that Saul would definitely come down, and the people of Keilah would definitely hand David over. At the same time, Saul also said a sentence.

And Saul was told that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. (1 Samuel 23:7)

Whether it is Evangelicals, Charismatics, or other denominations, including our Chinese Mingding Destiny, they all say that God delivers the enemy into our hands. Here, Saul also says this, holding up the banner of God very high, but in his heart, he is not a person who pleases God. Saul had already been rejected and was a useless person in God's eyes. It is useless to bring out God's name. Today, some people hang up a church sign, some have a pastor's certificate, and some even have a Master of Theology degree or even a doctorate. None of these are as good as the fact that pleasing God is better. The key is to be a person who pleases God.

This Saul, who did not please God, if he had heard that David was in Keilah and had rushed there immediately with speed, then his pursuit of David would have succeeded. But he delayed inexplicably, and as a result, David led six hundred men out of Keilah before Saul arrived. So how did David know that Saul was coming? Because David had informants. God motivated someone from Saul's side to tell David that Saul was coming. The scriptures do not elaborate, and it may have been an angel disguised as a human being who ran to Keilah to tell David. This is also possible.

The key is how good it is to be a person who pleases God. Saul also had an ephod in his hand. If we calculate based on the ephod, it would not be clear. Saul had an ephod in his hand, and David also had one. Saul's prayers were ineffective, but David's prayers were effective. The difference is not in the ephod, but in the person. You build a church, and I build a church. Why are my prayers more effective when I build a church? Do not think that I am boasting, this is really the case, I am just stating a fact. The difference lies in the person, the person is the key.

If the ephod was effective, then it would be good. A business that produces ephods would definitely be busy. If we put them on Taobao for sale, even if we sell 10 sets a day, that would be 100,000 immediately. The ephod cannot be sold cheaply, at least it must cost 10,000 per set. The cost would probably be about one hundred yuan, which is 99% profit. As soon as everyone knows that this company produces ephods, a venture capital of 50 million US dollars will be sent immediately. Make it strong, make it big, and let the whole world buy ephods, that would be amazing. Financing, listing, and immediately cashing out, but the ephod is not like that. A person who pleases God is difficult to replicate, and cannot be replicated. It is not even easy to copy the things in my brain into your brain.

I encourage everyone to develop a good habit of being a person who pleases God. If you are a person who pleases God, whether or not you have an ephod does not matter. The biggest obstacle to being a person who pleases God is that people have their own way of doing things. If we replace our own way of doing things in our minds with God's words, it will be easy.

Some co-workers come to me and talk a lot. I ask them which sentence is God's word, and the two of them immediately look at each other, and then they are stuck. Because after saying so much, not a single sentence is God's word. As soon as they open their mouths, they are talking about how powerful this person is, and how not powerful that person is; the teacher likes this person, does not like that person, and they start to compete. To be a person who pleases God, you must know what God's word is saying. The biggest loss we can suffer in this life is to become a person who does not please God. God has already chosen you, has already given you a Mingding Destiny, and you still insist on doing your own thing, being a person who does not please God, then that is a tragedy!

God Does Not Deliver David into Saul's Hand

And David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. (1 Samuel 23:14)

And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David made haste to get away from Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. (1 Samuel 23:26)

Saul arrived in Keilah only to find that he was late, and David had already left. Later, Saul continued to search everywhere, but he walked on this side of the mountain, while David walked on that side of the mountain. This is very interesting. Saul may have also been holding the ephod, asking God to deliver David into his hands. He also felt that it was too miraculous, and firmly believed that God would deliver David into his hands in this place.

Saul was also a man of prayer, but in the end, when he really could not do it, he went to consult a medium. He sought David every day, but the problem was that he had not completely figured out the situation he was facing. If Saul went to fight the Philistines, God would cause Saul to triumph. Because the Philistines came to harass the Israelites, fighting the Philistines was something that pleased God. But now it is not about comparing anything else, but about an era of comparing who is worse. If we were to compare with how bad David is, then it would be fine, but not only would prayer be useless, but doing anything would be useless. Saul is such an example.

Now some people are saying that the economy will collapse in 2023, and no one knows where it will collapse first. This world is about comparing who is worse, seeing who can last longer than others. Everyone is working hard, fighting, scrambling, and struggling, just like in a game of Go, where offensive and defensive moves do not give way to each other and are entangled together. The final difference lies in a breath, comparing who is less skilled, comparing who has a shorter breath, because the one with the shorter breath will collapse first, and the one with a slightly longer breath will be the winner. God does not deliver David into Saul's hand because David is more pleasing to God than Saul. Or rather, Saul is not as pleasing to God as David. Once you understand this, things are that simple.

If the various churches in this world are competing with each other, we will not participate. It is just that when others are competing, although we do not snatch anyone's sheep, we cannot stop the sheep from鑽ing in. Of course, sometimes we deliberately open a door to let them in. Because they are so hungry, we cannot stop them from coming in if we do not let them in. But once they come in and get fat, they do not want to leave. To be honest, no matter what church it is, encountering Chinese Mingding Destiny is enough to give them a hard time. I am still often deliberately hiding and not rushing up, really not wanting to make other churches work so hard.

Once, a pastor's child got cancer, and I ministered to his child with this pastor. In the beginning, I told this pastor not to let the members of their church come into contact with us, because it would be very embarrassing in the future. I was thinking of him, but he was very confident and did not care. As a result, the embarrassing thing really happened later, and he even spoke ill of me behind my back, thinking that I had snatched his sheep. In fact, I was always pushing them out, but because he did not give the sheep spiritual food, he starved the sheep until they were emaciated. As soon as they came into contact with us, anyone who had a pursuit ran to us.

When I study the Bible, I also repeatedly declare that if you are a pastor, do not let this embarrassing thing happen again, lest you scold me in the back in the future, I am so wronged. If you are afraid of the sheep leaving, then do not be a pastor who does not please God. If you insist on being a pastor who does not please God, then you can only compare who is worse. Otherwise, if you encounter a pastor who is more pleasing to God than you, you will definitely be very embarrassed. Those who are willing to change have only one way, let us be people who please God together. There are sheep everywhere, no need to snatch them. To be a shepherd who pleases God, you must know that a good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Here it is said that the opponent Saul encountered was David. Although he himself also prayed, and also used God's name. He also felt that God would deliver David into his hands, but he was just a little short. The problem was that he was not as pleasing to God as David, so he could not compare with David. As a result, he had already surrounded David three layers inside and three layers outside, but he did not first destroy David before withdrawing. If he had quickly destroyed David at that time, he would have eliminated the hidden danger, and he would not have to worry about David's affairs anymore. But Saul did not, and coincidentally, at this time, someone suddenly came to report the news.

But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. (1 Samuel 23:27)

The Bible does not record who the messenger was who came to report the news. It is also possible that God sent an angel disguised as a human being to tell Saul. However, this crucial moment broke Saul's attack. He was about to destroy David, but in the end, he failed. This is like many people doing business, and when they are about to reach the final stage, they fail. If you find that you are such a person, then you are an unlucky person, which is actually related to whether you are pleasing to God. A person who pleases God will not fail at a critical moment. Because God is in control of everything, and God is in control of all businesses on earth, you have no place to reason.

Some people may have come to our Chinese Mingding Destiny for four or five years. In terms of growth, it would be enough to make a show in other places. They may have also made an ephod, but they are just a little short in the matter of pleasing God. Although you can learn anything here, whether it is my pastoring, the Chinese Mingding Destiny system, or the 101 course, 《Genesis》, you can learn it, but if there is no matter of pleasing God, then you have not learned the foundation, and it is all in vain!

Listen to my advice, if you still fail when doing things, then you know that there seems to be a bit of Saul's flavor inside, and you always fail at the last moment. This depends on your inner choice, what is your core interest? Some people say that they have decided to be a person who pleases God, so how can they still fail? That is because they are not in their bones, it is useless to just think about being a person who pleases God in their hearts, at a critical moment they are still a person who is greedy for life and afraid of death.

Be a Person Who Pleases God

A person who pleases God lives in God's grace all his life. Although he has God, there may still be many trials, but he scores a perfect score in front of God every time. Even if you cannot score a perfect score, it does not matter, try to score a passing grade. A person who pleases God will definitely experience all kinds of trials, but it does not matter, we have already resolutely decided to be a person with a Mingding Destiny. Whatever trials come before us, the first thing we consider is what God's will is. It is not that I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me. But it is that I would rather let the world betray me than I would never betray the world. This is a person who pleases God, who only pleases God!

May God bless everyone!
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