Introduction

Good morning. We are now at the final session of the Miracle Series: These signs will accompany those who believe. I tell you, these past few days, I have been walking in and out of my office. Some said, Teacher, you seem melancholy. I said, I am contemplating. You know the statue called The Thinker, with his fist propping up his chin. I have been The Thinker for many days. If a sculptor asked me to be a model, I guarantee I would do it well.

I have been The Thinker for so long, what have I been thinking about? The word believe. Do you know? I have believed in Jesus for so many years, and I find it really difficult to explain the meaning of believe. You say, I believe in Jesus. I ask, What do you believe about Jesus? I don't know how to say it. I believe in Jesus, but I don't know how to explain it. Do you have this confusion?

You can do an experiment when you go back. Ask the Christians around you, What do you believe? I believe in Jesus. What do you believe about Jesus? Their eyes will stare blankly at you. What do I believe about Jesus? Can you tell me what you believe about Jesus? I think you might as well be a thinker and contemplate what to believe, I believe in Jesus to have eternal life. Have you obtained it? You should have, but they can't explain it clearly.

These questions have troubled me these days. I am thinking, how can I explain believe clearly? I used to say that faith is a choice. I thought I explained it clearly, but now it seems not so clear. Martin Luther talked about justification by faith, but the word faith was not fully understood. There are still many people who believe in justification by faith. Where does it say, Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth? It is in Romans 10:10. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, and you will be saved. I tell you, many people don't seem to look like they are saved.

When I read the Bible, there is a passage where many people come before God, and Jesus says, I do not know you. This is shocking to me. They say, I know you, Jesus, I know you. This is very important. You know Jesus, but Jesus does not know you. It is useless. It is like the leader of our country; everyone knows him, but does he know you? He certainly doesn't know you. In a country of tens of millions of people, he can remember at most a few hundred names.

They say, Lord, I know you. It is useless. What good is it that you know the Lord Jesus, but the Lord Jesus does not know you? Are they saved? Do they believe in the Lord? They believe! But is their belief the same as the belief that Jesus speaks of? It is not the same belief. In Jesus' eyes, you do not believe. They say, We believe, we believe! Jesus says, You do not believe! What can you argue about争来争去争出个啥来? Now, let's try to solve this confusing problem.

What you think you believe is useless. What you think you understand is useless. Many people think they understand very well. I hold up one finger, How many fingers? One. Then I hold up two fingers, How many fingers? Two. You understand very well. Knowing two fingers is understanding very well? Just understand two fingers?

Many people want to be the richest person in the area, but only one or two people eventually become the richest, but many people think they will. Thinking is very corrupting and a very common phenomenon. These signs will accompany those who believe, but there are no signs for those who think they believe. Speaking of thinking, I think we must deal with this in the days to come。

Some people think they are doing a good job. Once, I took a plane for a long trip. He was working at home and felt that he was doing a perfect job. Why? He used to make mistakes every time he worked, but this time he finally did it correctly. Then there were a few stupid people around him who applauded him. When I came back, I saw, Who did this? Everything is messed up. This is a problem, that is a problem, all problems. How did they grow their brains? At that time, they thought I would praise him when I came back, but when I came back, I found a bunch of problems.

You know, we often encounter this kind of situation. Once I stayed outside for a few months and came back. Oh my God! When I looked at the bathroom, it was full of dirt and grime. How was it cleaned? You know, it can't grow垢for just a day or two. It must have been like this for several months to grow垢. He said: Teacher, every time I cleaned it, I worked very hard and was covered in sweat.

I said, Look, this is dirt, and that is dirt. He said, Teacher, I have a question. You can see this dirt, but why can't I see it? I said, Do you have to lick it to know that it is dirt? Of course, this is a joke. He thought I would praise him a few words, but it was all dirt. So, they labeled me: Teacher is a clean freak有洁癖.

Later I found that many people can't see the problem. I still don't understand how you can work so hard and still have so much dirt and grime? It's like many people study very hard, but they can't get into college. No matter how much you put in, if the result is not right, it is useless. It is the same with our belief in the Lord. No matter how well you believe, if you believe to the point of getting sick or getting into debt, do you think that is good? It is useless. Later I believed that they really couldn't see the problem. For those who can't see the problem, you should practice slowly.

Some people take the college entrance examination year after year. When you talk to them, you think they understand everything, and they also think they understand, but they just can't get in. Isn't this abnormal邪性? He said to me, I have been studying for so many years, I understand everything. Why is the exam result wrong? He thinks he understands, but he doesn't really understand. So Jesus asked, Do you understand? They said, We understand. Then Jesus glanced at them and thought, Understand what? You don't know anything.

Sometimes when I am discussing issues with our colleagues, he says that someone he is pastoring is like this and that. I sigh, They don't know anything, don't understand, but think they understand. Isn't this a tragedy? If Jesus asks you, Do you understand? Don't say you understand. In fact, Jesus will glance at you, You don't understand anything, and you still say you understand. Do you understand? Lord Jesus, I don't quite understand. Can you tell me what I don't understand? Just like you can't see the dirt?

If Jesus asks you, Do you love me? Oh, Lord Jesus, I don't seem to love you. Tell me, do you think I love you? If Jesus thinks you don't love him, adjust quickly. Do you understand? If Jesus asks you, Do you believe? Do you believe? Oh, don't say we believe. Jesus says, Believe what? You love me, love what? Understand, understand what? Of course, I am saying this with my own tone.

You know, one day Jesus asked Peter, Do you love me? He said, I love you. Then Jesus said, Feed my sheep. I ask you, did he feed them? No. He hasn't fed them yet, so what is he loving? Jesus asked again, Do you love me? I love you. This time Peter's tone was not very good. He thought, Why do you keep asking me if I love you? Do you seem to need love so much? I love you, love, love, endlessly. Sing a song for you, love, love, endlessly.

Jesus said, Feed my sheep. Did Peter feed them? No. Did he feed them later? No. He fed his secretary Mark to Paul. Do you understand? His secretary is Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark. Mark was Peter's secretary, his ghostwriter. What is written in the Gospel of Mark? It is Peter's preaching. Mark followed Peter as his secretary and wrote the Gospel of Mark.

But this feeding, this feeding, fed Mark to Paul. Of course, Paul didn't need a secretary. Paul was his own secretary. Why? Because he didn't feed him well. If you fed him well, would he leave? He was with Peter all day long装假, and Mark thought, What is this? Am I learning to be装假 with you? There was no feeding, and in the end, there was no feeding. Loving you is just empty words. Do you understand what love is? I don't know. This is fully reflected in Peter.

Do not think that I do not like Peter. I like his straightforward personality, but be careful. Jesus said, Be careful not to fall. Peter, that guy, I will not fall even if everyone else does. I am willing to die for you. What you say with your mouth is just a two-cent teapot, only the spout is good, the teapot is gone, only the spout is left. Jesus said, Forget it. Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.

It is easy to say, Do you believe in Jesus? I believe. Do you really believe? Why do you ask? Who can't say it with their mouth? I tell you, liars are the best at talking. Liars' mouths are much better than the spouts of teapots. So sometimes I feel it is very interesting and also very helpless.

Once I met a brother, we were eating together, and he wanted to run me out of power as soon as he opened his mouth. As soon as he sat down, Teacher, I don't like listening to your sermons anymore. Finally, I found someone who doesn't like listening. I said, What's wrong? He said, I know what you are going to say next as soon as you say the first sentence. Oh, so great. Later I challenged one of his weaknesses. I said, Speaking is easy for anyone, but can you do what I do? What have you done? You haven't done anything.

After the resurrection of Jesus, he criticized the disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. They felt very wronged. We believe. Jesus, why do you say we don't believe? Lord, if I didn't believe, why would I come here? They must have argued with Jesus. Why do you say that? I can find a thousand and one reasons to prove that I believe. Three years ago, I followed you. I watched you nailed to the cross. After you were buried, I cried my heart out. And now you say I don't believe. Do you have any conscience?

So what is called hardness? This is called hardness. If someone says you don't believe, admit that you don't believe. That is not called hardness. He criticized them for not believing, but they didn't admit it. Jesus said that this is called hardness of heart. This is not knowing that you are called unbelieving. If Jesus appears to us now, it is very likely that it will be the same evaluation. What we think is useless. You say you know the Lord, but the Lord doesn't know you. Isn't this a tragedy? You say you believe in the Lord, but Jesus says you don't believe. Isn't this a tragedy?

What is the belief that Jesus speaks of? These signs will accompany those who believe. This is the standard. You know, Martin Luther used Romans 10:10. What does he say? If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, you will be saved. But he left out the following sentence, Believe in your heart, believe what? Believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. This is very important.

But what kind of belief is Martin Luther's belief? Martin Luther did not have miracles accompanying him. He was very powerful. The Catholics still had exorcism, but exorcism disappeared with Martin Luther. If you go to the Lutheran church, which is the denomination of justification by faith, you are following Martin Luther's set. According to Jesus Christ's standard, these signs will accompany those who believe, but he has eliminated them all. Even now there are still many such situations, believing the powerful gospel into a powerless gospel. How powerful it is, even changing the gospel.

Do you know what the theme of Romans is? It is not justification by faith. The theme is, This gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. If you believe, this power is in you. So believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not about lip service. Believing in your heart is useful. After you believe, nothing is impossible. In Jesus Christ, there is no word impossible. Everything is possible. This is the faith that Jesus spoke of.

I want to explain it clearly to you. What do you believe? Believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The Jesus Christ we believe in really rose from the dead. Otherwise, where do our miracles come from? If you are sick now and are healed through prayer, it is because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Once a pastor's wife came to me and attended my prayer meeting. She had more than twenty canker sores in her mouth, as big as peanuts. When she opened her mouth, it was full of white spots. It was scary. If you have one inside, it hurts terribly. She had a mouthful of them. It was amazing. She was still sharing with the people attending the prayer meeting, I can recite Romans. Can you? I said, Stop it. You have canker sores all over your mouth. That is your belief. What good is it for you to recite Romans?

So, if we are to believe, we must believe in the faith that Jesus Christ speaks of. We have the 101 Course, which is From Seeker to Believer. If you read our second edition of the 101 Course, you will know that it is a very important framework. We also have a 102 Course called The Theoretical Foundation of Healing and Deliverance.

Someone heard me say one sentence, You must persevere one minute more than the devil. That's it. He only knows that one minute more, and he doesn't know anything else. Isn't that troublesome? He is confused by this one minute. He later said: I persevere two minutes more than the devil. One minute or two minutes, he forgot that before the 102 Course The Theoretical Foundation of Healing and Deliverance, there is a 101 Course that talks about the victorious church.

The victorious church is very important, because God will build His church on this rock, and the gates of hell will not overcome it. God will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven to His church. Whatever they bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever they release on earth will be released in heaven. This is the foundation of healing and deliverance. Climbing the spiritual peak is perseverance for one minute more.

We climb the spiritual peak because we cannot defeat the devil. It is very miserable to be often rubbed on the ground by the devil. Later we turned our direction, we climbed the spiritual peak. The power of spiritual warfare lies in the height of the spirit! This sentence is very important. Everyone should slowly琢磨 it.

So Jesus has defined the standard of faith.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. (Mark 16:17-18)

I ask you, if you lay hands on the sick and they are not healed, what do you do? If they are not healed, you must return to a foundation, and that foundation is building a victorious church.

What do we believe in? We believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead; what do we believe in? We believe in everything that Jesus Christ said; what do we believe in? We believe in the Lord Jesus. We should be like Jesus, we should imitate Jesus; we should be like Paul, we should imitate the Apostle Paul. God's word stands firm in heaven, and God's standards never change. Only we get it wrong. God will not get it wrong, and even the demons will not get it wrong.

If we believe that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, then are the trivial matters of your life – university entrance exams, job hunting, financial problems – still significant? They are mere trifles. If we believe that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, seeing the sick is a trifle. If we believe that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, money is a trifling matter. That is why Paul said this.

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)

This is a verse I often use: that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. It was our God who parted the Red Sea; it was our God who parted the Jordan River; it was our God who brought the Israelites out of Egypt; it is our God who brings His people to the Promised Land. Historically, all tragedies stem from man's unbelief. If people do not believe, there is no way to bring down God's power, and they will live in bondage.

Some say, “I believe, but why doesn't it work?” You have made a mistake. Where did you go wrong? You believed wrongly. I will tell you, you are wrong in one thing: ecclesiology! Jesus is building His church on this rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. You say, “I have an ecclesiology, but it still doesn't work.” Your level is not high enough; you merely have a concept, but you do not have the keys. What are the keys for? The keys are for opening doors.

Chinese Mingding Destiny is still climbing, still recognizing spiritual laws and the power of God. You say, “Is it so troublesome?” “Then what do you want?” “I thought believing was enough!” If you think believing is enough, you are finished. You must believe in God's word.

Some say that when they first believed in the Lord, there were many miracles, but later there were none. Do you know why? Many explain it as the “honeymoon period,” thinking that the relationship with God is like a honeymoon with their husband. Later, the feeling with their husband disappears, and the feeling with God also disappears; the honeymoon is over. The Bible has no such logic as a honeymoon period.

Then some people ask me, “Then what do you think is the matter?” This is easy to explain. When you are first born and cry, you are given milk to drink. If you cry at the age of twenty, you get a slap. Do you understand? “I want toys, I want milk.” Silly, you get a slap. So when we grow up, we are at home, “Mom, I want fried dough twists.” If the family is so poor, you want to eat fried dough twists? After eating fried dough twists, everyone will starve next month. Then she pinches your cheek with her fingers; that's your fried dough twist.

Faith is like a mustard seed. How can it not grow? In the beginning, there is a mustard seed, which is God's grace to you. Because you have the faith of a mustard seed, God begins to favor you; our God is so gracious. It's not that you initially believe to the point of explosion; the initial faith is just a mustard seed. But some Christians, as they believe, cook that mustard seed into a grain of rice and kill it. Then can there still be miracles? No, there are no miracles.

Therefore, faith comes from faith to faith; it is constantly growing. Today there is one mustard seed, later there are a hundred mustard seeds, and then there are ten thousand mustard seeds. That mustard seed grows into a towering tree. When your understanding is not clear, God makes up for it with grace, but if it is always unclear, He makes up for it with a slap. You say, “Is there such a thing?” Yes, this is God's discipline. If your understanding is not clear, God makes up for it with grace; if it is always unclear, He makes up for it with a slap.

Chinese Mingding Destiny is a theology of learning and growth. As grace increases, we will become more and more like the Lord Jesus, growing to the full stature of Christ. Having sufficient faith in understanding, that is Chinese Mingding Destiny. If it doesn't work, remember to quickly ask God, like me, “What am I doing wrong? What am I not doing right?” Don't stubbornly say, “I have mastered all the mysteries of Chinese Mingding Destiny.” Really?

Even if you have mastered all of Chinese Mingding Destiny, it is still just a drop in the ocean. You must pursue a greater knowledge of God. In the last days, the knowledge of God will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. Do not be satisfied! Do not stop! Keep pursuing, let God's grace keep flowing! May God's glory fill the whole earth! Do not let God's slaps fill the whole earth. If God's grace flows, God's slaps will also flow. Some say if it doesn't work, use glycerin enema, but a slap is better; glycerin enema is too dirty.

Those who are fearful, believe in God's power. Overcome fear in understanding. Those who are held captive, believe in God's power. Overcome captivity in understanding. Those who are sick, believe in God's power. Overcome the spirit behind the sickness in understanding. Those who are poor, believe in God's power. Overcome and defeat the spirit of poverty in understanding. By relying on God's power, build God's glorious church; this is the faith of Abraham. Having seen Jesus Christ rise from the dead, yet still not believing, how can you believe?

Those who have seen Jesus Christ rise from the dead do not believe; those who have seen the miracles performed by Jesus Christ do not believe. There was one remarkable person, Abraham, who had never seen anyone rise from the dead, but he believed that people would rise from the dead, believing that even if people turned to ashes, they could still be resurrected by God's power, and then make his descendants like the sand on the seashore and the stars in the sky. He had never seen Jesus Christ perform miracles, yet he believed. This is the difference between heaven and earth. We must imitate the faith of Abraham.

You must know that there are standards for everything; your feelings and your judgments are not accurate. We must erect a wall. Your eyes are not accurate; it looks straight, but after you finish it, it is all crooked. Why? People's hearts are crooked, and people's eyes are also crooked. Therefore, even experienced people like us must use laser rulers. Do not trust your feelings; trust God's word. God's word is established in heaven; that is the standard. Believe in the judgment of the Lord Jesus.

Scripture

Let us read this passage of Scripture again, Mark 16:14-20.

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Amen. (Mark 16:14-20)

Prayer

God, may your word be established in heaven. May our hearts turn to you. Lord, remove the stubbornness in our hearts, constantly remind us of our unbelief, remind us, tell us, so that we can return to your presence, knowing to believe according to your word. God, manifest your grace in us today, so that we can fully receive your revelation in understanding. Let us continually grow in understanding, and have sufficient faith in understanding.

Let our faith be built on your power, let our faith be built on your word, let our faith be faith in understanding, let our hearts be softened. Constantly knowing that the thing inside us is unbelief, let us be able to readjust and, according to your word, remove the feeling inside us, remove our self-righteousness. Let me constantly grow, growing to the full stature of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Scripture Background

Before ascending to heaven, Jesus gave instructions that were not recorded in the Gospel of Mark. He instructed them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait in Jerusalem. Wait for what? Wait for the Holy Spirit promised by the Father.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

After Jesus said this, He ascended into heaven on a cloud. There were about five hundred people present. The Lord told five hundred people, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there.” As a result, how many people waited in Jerusalem? One hundred and twenty. What did the three hundred and eighty do? Were they busy? “Lord, we want to preach your gospel.” If you do not have the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you have not received power, what kind of gospel are you preaching? Preaching a gospel without power?

After Jesus ascended to heaven, there were only one hundred and twenty people left on the scene. I feel sad for Jesus. Jesus had just criticized them for their unbelief and their stubborn hearts, and here comes another round of stubbornness. Even now, when we look at the white paper with black letters in the Bible, there are many people who do not believe, which is truly sad. It is just that people hear what Jesus says and then it is over. How much did these eleven disciples hear? The Bible records at least three times.

Jesus told them: I am going to Jerusalem to be killed, then die and be buried, and rise again on the third day. They did not hear it; their ears were stuffed with chicken feathers. After Peter heard Jesus say that I am going to Jerusalem to die and be buried, and rise again on the third day, he said, Jesus, this must never happen to you!” Peter was straightforward and talkative, and as a result, he was rebuked by Jesus. Jesus said, Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God but merely human concerns.” Because he heard good things as bad things, isn't that evil?

So these eleven disciples, Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief and their stubborn hearts, rebuked them for their unbelief and their stubborn hearts. What exactly is it? Because they did not believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. I think this is too evil. Before being crucified, He told you so many times, three times recorded, and there must have been thirty times not recorded? After telling them, they did not take it seriously.

Jesus said: I am going to Jerusalem to be crucified. They said: Hey, am I sitting on your right or sitting on your left? You will be the left prime minister and I will be the right prime minister. Someone came next to them, Get out of the way, I will be the left prime minister. Another person came, I will be the right prime minister. They were grabbing this thing. Their ears were stuffed with chicken feathers. What was in their heads? They must have been squeezed by the door. What kind of brains are these?

Jesus Christ rose from the dead, the tomb is empty, and then the authorities said that it was stolen by his disciples. Then there are a few women. I tell you, women are very powerful. These disciples are worse than women. These women believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Why? Because women do not follow logic. Women tend to follow miracles. These men may have engineer's brains. This resurrection from the dead is not very understandable. I do not understand it. I tell you, people do not accept what they do not understand.

He didn't understand, so he was rebuked by Jesus, saying: You don't believe. Then they said: Why don't we believe? We believe. As a result, they argued with Jesus. This story is made up by me. Jesus said: Hey, you people. I said you don't believe, and you say you believe. What are you arguing with me for? What are you quibbling me with? I said you don't believe, then you say how don't I believe? Isn't that it?

In my past years of service, when I correct the absurd things in the people I pastor, I know that when I correct it, they will argue with me. When they argue with me, I am so annoyed, which proves that he is right. I said: I don't want anything else. I only want one thing. I only want to hear you say one sentence. I won't get angry. I won't go crazy like this.

He said: You want to hear a sentence. What sentence? I just want to hear you say: Oh, I didn't do it right. What is the right way to do it? I just want this sentence. I just want to hear this sentence. In order to get this sentence, I have to get very angry, shout very loudly, and the whole building can hear it, so as to suppress these stubborn hearts. Only after finally suppressing them. So if you haven't been pastored by me, thank God. You don't mind when I haven't shouted at you yet. You haven't reached that volume yet. You can't stand it.

There is a sister who feels that the teacher K's this sister all day long, K's that brother all day long, and why doesn't he K another one? I K'd him, I K'd him before. When I K'd that one before, I will let it go first. I can't come up and K them all at once. I don't have that volume. I do it one by one. I call this Sun Tzu's Art of War, called divide and conquer. I won't tie them up to solve them together. I will solve them one by one.

So after I have been doing this and that, I finally understand it. I tell you what to believe? Believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. This is called believing! I believe in Jesus. What do you believe? I believe that Jesus goes to heaven. Can you go up? You think, many people believe in Jesus, but they can't even drive out the evil spirit behind a cold. What else can you do?

I once went to a church, and later God had mercy on me and didn't let me go there again. That church was very interesting. If you were sick, they would introduce you to a doctor. You didn't have any money in the first place, but you became even more penniless. All the money went to the doctor. Oh, he did a good job of being a pimp, being a pimp for the doctor through the church. I tell you, I finally understand that they don't believe in the power of God and they don't believe in the word of God. That's the whole thing.

Their faith is their feeling. Brothers and sisters, get rid of that feeling. Believe in the power of God, believe in the word of God. Their faith has no system, because they believe in one word of Jesus' mouth, not all words. They have no pursuit and they are not rigorous. They just do whatever they want according to their own feelings. Ah, I am saved when I believe in the Lord. Do you believe? No. So I have to explain this faith clearly.

Let Your Faith Depend Only on God's Power

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (1 Corinthians 4:20)

The only person who inherited this set of logic from Jesus Christ was probably Paul. When Paul was spreading this gospel of God, he maintained this pure gospel. Where is the key to this pure gospel? This is the power of God. Therefore, in Paul's time, the gospel of Jesus Christ was still very powerful. He said:

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)

This aligns with the faith that Jesus Christ spoke of, believing that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. In Abraham's time, Jesus had not yet come, and the Old Testament was not yet complete. Abraham's faith was in believing that God could raise people from the dead. All who pursue glory in eternity, who pursue eternal life, who pursue the imperishable glory in eternity, must believe in the resurrection of the dead.

If you believe that death is the end, you cannot believe in Jesus. You might as well trust the hospital and spend all the money you earned before sixty on the hospital after sixty. But we believe in the power of God.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (1 Corinthians 4:20)

Chinese Mingding Destiny is based on reading these words and putting them into practice. As a result, we have seen many of God’s miraculous works. If you believe, you will receive. I tell you, if you pursue eternal life, God will give us that imperishable glory. How wonderful is that! Without the power of God, how hard it is for us to live in this world.

Before Chinese Mingding Destiny took shape, in the early stages of building the church, I saw that the brothers and sisters were suffering too much, especially those who were sick. I longed for the power of God to be manifested. It is easier now, but when exploring this path in the early days, I only believed in the word of God. I did not trust my feelings.

Let Your Faith Be Built on the Word of God

Do you know what Jesus said?

Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

In all the doctrines and theological systems of Christian faith, we have received a great grace. I have read the Bible so many times. I wore out an English Bible when it was still in paper form, and read three Chinese Bibles. Now I can't wear them out; when the phone breaks, I just replace it.

After reading it so many times, one day I suddenly realized that this sentence is very powerful: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. So I opened the electronic Bible and searched for every word. Oh my goodness! I was stunned at the time. From the Pentateuch to Revelation, it all spoke of every word, not just one word, not out of context. If you search for every word, wouldn't that be troublesome?

I said, God, your every word, even if I chop it up until I die, I still won't be able to finish chopping it up. How can I deal with every word? This is impossible. God's word is like seawater filling the ocean. I looked at the dozens of books I read on WeChat Reading, and I already had a hard time reading them. Thank God! God gave me a revelation: every word is not understood in this way. Originally, every word, God told me, is a complete system. When you read Genesis, you can establish a complete system.

In fact, from Genesis to Revelation, it is all one system. But later, as we read, we discovered that some things are not in this system. Once a system is established, it becomes easy. You read Genesis in this system, Deuteronomy in this system, Samuel in this system. Once you establish a system and sort it out, each according to its kind, the truth of God is a complete system, and truth has varying degrees of importance.

Thank God! Every word finally has a solution. If you ask me to memorize Romans, I would be a mess. If you ask me to memorize every word, that is simply an impossible task in this lifetime. Originally, it is a complete system. Later, we in Chinese Mingding Destiny abstracted God's word from the Bible little by little, abstracting a complete system. Why is the church the army of God? Because the church is the army of God, fighting spiritual battles. So the church must be built according to the army of God. How do we know? It is written in Exodus, when they came out of Egypt,

All the Lord’s forces marched out of Egypt. (Exodus 12:41)

It was that group of beggars, slaves in Egypt, wearing rags, smelling bad. It was really, I tell you, if you saw the pictures, it would be unbearable. Why? Because it was like walking the Long March, their faces were so thin.

So don't miss a word from God's mouth. Everyone must not take things out of context. If you persist one minute more than the devil, two minutes more than the devil, it is useless. The most useful thing is the most important thing. Because the church, God will build His church on this rock, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Let me tell you something by the way, casting out demons is divided into two categories. One is called the power of Hades, which is easy to deal with. The power of Hades is closely related to diseases. The other is not called the power of Hades, but fallen angels. The boss of the fallen angels is a dragon. The spirit of the dragon is really different from the power of Hades. What do these fallen angels use? They use the deceit of the serpent, cunning, trickery, and lies to deceive people.

Why is it easy for prayers to heal diseases? Because diseases are related to the power of Hades. Overcoming the power of Hades heals the disease. Like snakes are related to lies, so people are often controlled by lies. The keys of the kingdom of heaven are all related to the church. So brothers and sisters, the foundation of your healing and deliverance is the victorious church. Do you understand this time?

Let Your Faith Be a Faith Based on Understanding

Faith is a choice, but how you choose makes a big difference. Think about it, if I choose to believe, my belief may be a superstition. I burn incense in the temple, and my child will do well on the college entrance exam. How are these two things connected? Remember, superstition has no understanding. Our faith is built on understanding. How do we believe with understanding? Why do we need understanding? Everyone knows that understanding is knowing the truth of God, knowing the spiritual laws, and knowing the spiritual laws with understanding.

Yesterday I received two of my juniors who are in the same major as me. They came to see me, so I invited them to dinner and also shared what I was doing with them. They loved listening. When we talked, both of their elderly family members had suffered from Alzheimer's disease. If I told my junior, “Oh, believing in the Lord is simple, just believe blindly,” wouldn't that be troublesome?

So much of my faith is about explaining spiritual laws, explaining the truth of God, and telling the story of God. There are spiritual principles behind these miracles. If you don't know it with understanding, what is it? Faith that is not based on understanding is unbelief. So Jesus criticized his disciples, saying, You do not believe. Why? How can you believe if you don't know anything?

Jesus was going to be crucified and rise from the dead. “Oh? Is that so?” Oh my goodness! Then he just told them, You must wait in Jerusalem. Hey, three hundred and eighty people don't know where they went. Wait for what? Ah? Wait for the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit will come upon us, and we will receive power? Don’t we have power?” That's all they were thinking. Sometimes I wonder what kind of brains these are? How were these brains grown?

So having sufficient faith in understanding is not just a choice. At first, it is a choice, but later you are still messing around blindly. At first, there is grace, but later there are slaps. “Teacher, why am I like this? Is it because the honeymoon period with God is over?” Now is the slapping period for you. So we must fully know God in understanding. Fully know God's will in understanding; fully know God's plan and the laws of God's actions in understanding.

For example, blessing and curse, you have to read carefully. If you observe carefully, you will know that blessing and curse are very powerful. If you covet the house of the elderly, how will you live in a curse your whole life? If you touch the Ten Commandments, so don't be foolish. Let us fully know God, don't stop!

I don't mean to be sexist. I just say that whether you are male or female, don't be like an old woman. Let me define the meaning of an old woman slightly. Old women like to talk nonsense, gossiping. Like when living in a bungalow, the old men and old women and the old gossips in the yard all came out with a small stool, talking about the east family and the west family, knowing nothing, just talking nonsense. Now it is also like this in the villages, sitting at the door eating melon seeds, liking to talk nonsense, understanding is not clear.

You say that if a person's stomach is not clear, there can be an enema. You say that if the brain is not clear, how can you deal with the lack of understanding? I can't pour an enema into the brain. So Chinese Mingding Destiny is very anxious, and we must also be calm and secure with faith. What is the rush for? How do you deal with this thing? Why is this brain not clear? Why is it stuck? If it really doesn't work, I will replace the door of your house. Why? Because the door of your house is squeezing your head. Changing the door is useless, changing another one is still squeezing.

In the coming years, the work before Chinese Mingding Destiny is how to make people know God in understanding, how to make people receive the grace of God, how to make people become smart, and how to make people be able to learn. We are a research institution, we are a training institution, we are to build people up and restore the glorious image that God created in them. You hear, Oh, teacher, I want too. Then don't be foolish. You have to constantly pursue in understanding.

Often Think That You Have Done It Wrong

This sentence must become a core value of Chinese Mingding Destiny: often think that you have done it wrong. Why did Jesus criticize the disciples for being hard-hearted? They didn't realize that they were wrong even when they were wrong, and they were still arguing. Oh, Jesus is tired. Look, I have risen from the dead, and I am sitting in front of you, and then I say you don't believe, and you are still arguing with me. How hard-hearted are you? I don't ask for anything else, I just want to see you say: Oh, we call this unbelief? Wouldn't that be simple?

I believe, I believe. What are you believing? What Jesus wants from us is for our hearts to soften, Oh, it's wrong to do it this way. So the most golden rule of Chinese Mingding Destiny is to often think that you have done it wrong. Why? Because our knowledge of God is still very limited. If the results are wrong after practice, adjust quickly. Practice again, adjust in faith, never argue.

Oh, those who argue, they feel that they are the spokesperson of truth, they simply think that they are the truth of truth. Didn't several Christian friends die? If I wanted to tell them that cancer is a curse, they wouldn't listen. What curse? This is God's grace. Oh my goodness, if you want it, I will give it to you, just keep it well. It's hard, they died.

Don't be hard-hearted, often think that you have done it wrong. This is what God wants from us. If you think that you are wrong, there is hope for correction; if you think that you are not wrong, but there is no result of believing in the Lord, miracles do not follow you. Then someone says: If believing in the Lord is not like this, then how should it be? This is the most common saying.

Now we no longer say among us: How many Jesuses are there? We all say: I want to be like Jesus. Those who have just come may have this reaction, Jesus, are you people's brains broken? How can you still imagine Jesus? Jesus let us imitate him, didn't he? Is being like Jesus God's will that you don't know? That professor at the seminary, How do I know what Jesus thinks? I am not Jesus. What is this brain? It was squeezed crooked by the door of the seminary.

Any door can squeeze people's brains, but the word of God will not squeeze your brains; the word of God will make you smart; the word of God will let you draw God's grace. Compare with God's standards, never take yourself as the standard, always take God's word as the standard. Someone says: Your Chinese Mingding Destiny is the gospel of grace. I say: Chinese Mingding Destiny is not necessarily right. This sentence is too right.

We often say that what we say is not necessarily right, that is, the sermons I preach are not necessarily right, but God's word is established in heaven, you should seek it well. I am just explaining God's word so that after you listen, you can say, Ah! I must often think that I have done it wrong. Ah! I cannot be hard-hearted, I cannot be self-righteous, I must follow God's standards. Thank God, thank you, you finally understand.

Continue to grow and grow to the full stature of Jesus Christ. If you look up this saying, you will definitely find it. I am not saying that I have already obtained it, but I am striving to pursue it. Let us strive to pursue during our days on this earth, leaving the elementary teachings, do you understand? Now we are talking about faith, so hope and love have not been talked about yet? Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. Love is also the most excellent way, do you understand?

There is no end to our growth. I tell you, the most deadly thing is the stubbornness of Christians and these pastors. Why? They don't grow. So you see, God's grace is slowly decreasing, and God's slaps are coming. They all live in Oh, I want to drink milk. Snap! May God's slaps fill the whole earth, that is, we people have to be slapped in the face, and we have to understand it. Everyone can see that there are many people being slapped in the face in the church, oh, these are all graces.

Why not strive to pursue? It is good to change quickly when God wants to kick you, strive to pursue, and God will become the strength of your growth. Sometimes I say that my shepherding is to kick you into blessing, that is probably the meaning. But if we continue to grow, if we continue to pursue being like Jesus, I ask you, will slaps come? No, grace will come, the power of God will come, the power of Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead will be manifested on us.

From now on, gain Jesus Christ as the most precious treasure. Consider everything as dung, only to gain Jesus Christ as the most precious treasure, because all authority in heaven and on earth and under the earth has been given to my Lord Jesus Christ, and He has given this authority to us. We can turn the clouds and rain in this spiritual world, we can trample on the enemy, and all problems can be solved.

We used to be very excited, but now we are not excited. Do you know why? We used to say, Wow, we have solved the medical problem. All diseases have been healed in the presence of Jesus Christ. Later we found, Hi! Far from it, far from it. We need to start recovering to the full stature of Jesus' growth. This is the ultimate goal we are pursuing.

May God bless everyone! Amen!