Introduction

Good day, everyone. Today we continue with the third sermon in our series on the theology of victorious warfare: "Only Those Who Can Fight Count." What is God’s true intent? When the Israelites marched out of Egypt, God declared that the army of the Lord had departed. Make no mistake—this was not a crowd of tourists on holiday. This was the army of the Lord God. When God commissioned Moses to lead them out, His explicit instruction was to bring His army out of Egypt.

There they stood, trapped between the Red Sea in front and the Egyptian army closing in from behind. Moses raised his staff, and the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. The Egyptians pursued them into the seabed. But God closed the waters, drowning the entire Egyptian army. Later, Moses composed a song of praise: "The Lord is a warrior."

Our second sermon was titled "The Lord is a Warrior." Let me tell you plainly: only those who can fight actually count. There is a clear logical connection here. If the Lord is a warrior, then you, created in His image, must also be a warrior.

Our God is a God of liberation who delivered us from Egypt. He is the God who leads us into the Promised Land. He is a warrior who fights on our behalf and secures our victory. To be a disciplined soldier of God is a position of great strength; it is how we claim His promises.

There are several types of Christians in this world. You must ask yourself which category you fall into. Are you the polite, soft-spoken type? Politeness is well and good, but if you are not a fighting soldier of God capable of winning battles, then no amount of refinement will cover up your fundamental weakness.

The Mingding Doctrine is a theology of victorious warfare. This is not a common perspective. Last week, I searched the internet—Google, Baidu, AI tools—looking for the phrase "only those who can fight count." I found nothing except my own sermons. This proves that the theology of victorious warfare is sorely lacking in today's world.

Why did we develop this theological framework? It was born out of my deep frustration with what I observed in local churches. I saw countless believers suffering from illnesses without receiving healing. It was not an isolated issue; it was widespread. Yet, pastors would comfort them by saying, "This sickness is a grace from God," or "It is meant to teach you patience." To me, this is utterly absurd.

I find no such logic in the Bible. Perhaps you can, but I certainly cannot. How can sickness be called a grace? Sickness is an evil, not a blessing. I remember watching a testimony video that left me completely bewildered.

It was a documentary they produced about a brother with nasal cancer. The camera crew tracked his decline until his death. By the end, the cancer had horribly disfigured his face. It was gruesome. I asked myself: how does this glorify God? I see no precedent for this in Scripture. The biblical reality is clear: all who came to Jesus were healed.

I was deeply troubled. Is this what passes for a testimony? What exactly does it testify to? His endurance in suffering? This is a complete misunderstanding of the Gospel. Later, when I founded our church and studied the Book of Numbers, I realized that only those fit for war are counted. If you cannot fight, it is a tragedy. When churches are not built as God's army, and Christians are not trained as His soldiers, they end up believing in a Jesus who bears no resemblance to the Jesus of the Bible.

Once, a young sister in her thirties came to me. She suffered from severe urinary frequency and had to wear adult diapers. It looked like a lifetime sentence. I ministered to her. After the Sunday service, I asked her what her previous church taught. She told me her pastor had preached a sermon titled, "If God Does Not Heal You, Will You Still Believe?" Have you heard this kind of preaching? "If He does not heal you, will you still believe?"

Why should you believe in a God who refuses to heal you? Those who grew up in our church have probably never heard such defeatist talk. But if you come from the outside, you likely have. It makes me wonder: instead of asking "Will you still believe if God does not heal you?", why do you not ask yourself, "What if God wants to heal you, but your faith is entirely misplaced?"

After I ministered to her that day, she no longer needed diapers. Two weeks later, I followed up with her. My approach to ministry is systematic—I follow through to the end, though I will not impose if someone rejects the help. She told me, "Pastor, I am completely cured." We believe that God is our healer. If one or two individuals fail to receive healing, it is not because God has failed or His promises have expired; it is because we have failed to align ourselves correctly.

Recently, I met a former colleague from many years ago who is a Christian. One look at him revealed his poor health—his joints were deformed, his knees were failing, and he was in constant pain. We had not met in decades, and he shared his struggles with me. It has been a hard road for him. When I asked which church he attended, he named a highly traditional denomination. They could not claim God's promise of healing, yet they pride themselves on being the most orthodox. The Jesus he believes in is simply not the Jesus I know.

I briefly shared with him the logic of the Mingding Doctrine, victorious warfare, and claiming God's promises. It was like poking a hornet's nest. I had to back off quickly because he was absolutely convinced of his own theological superiority. He quoted Scripture at me: "All things work together for good to those who love God." I was astonished. What possible "good" comes from chronic, debilitating sickness?

Then he quoted verses on endurance. Yes, the Bible speaks of endurance, but that means standing firm in battle until victory is won. His version of endurance was to tolerate sickness until he died unhealed. What is the utility of that? It is completely illogical.

I reject these arguments as unbiblical. No matter how clever their rationalizations, the plain text of Scripture does not support them. The Bible states clearly that everyone who came to Jesus were healed. Go and check it yourself. Why then do people remain unhealed? It is not because God's promises have failed. It is because we have failed to understand how to claim them.

In all my years of ministry, I have rarely heard other churches teach that the church is God's army. This is a truth we must emphasize. Few speak of the Lord as a warrior; they prefer to view Him merely as a distant, sovereign Lord. But the Sovereign Lord is the one who parts the Red Sea and fights our battles ahead of us. It is as simple as that.

If Christians cannot fight, the church becomes useless. I categorize Christians into several groups. The first group remains slaves in Egypt until they die. The second group leaves Egypt under Moses but panics when they realize they have been drafted into God's army. They complain about the rigorous training in the wilderness and wish to return to Egypt. Consequently, they perish miserably in the desert. These are the believers who provoke God's anger.

The third group desires the Promised Land but is paralyzed by fear, and they too die in the wilderness. Finally, there are those like Joshua and Caleb, who know that God fights ahead of them and are determined to possess the land. My deep desire is for all of you to become Joshuas and Calebs, claiming what has been promised. To believe in God and yet die in the wilderness without inheriting His promises is a tragedy of the highest order.

We must establish a fundamental principle: human experience is not theology; only the Word of God is theology. I was a disciplined student in my youth, and I understand the scriptures clearly. I founded this church because I could no longer tolerate the defeatist doctrines preached elsewhere. They destroy faith. So, I built a church where we preach the uncompromised Word of God.

Consider a well-known pastor who remained unhealed. He suffered from severe gastrointestinal and excretory issues—highly distressing ailments. He was plagued with sickness from head to toe. Is there any glory in remaining sick? Why was he not healed? Because he believed his illness was a badge of honor, a result of exhausting himself for God's work.

I have never understood this logic. How does serving God result in a body broken by disease? The truth is, these people suffer from a martyr complex, believing they are making a grand sacrifice. This is sheer nonsense. I once ministered to a pastor with brain cancer. When I asked him how he fell ill, he complained, "As pastors, we only get one day of rest per week."

One day is not enough? Many committed Christians do not even get that. I tried my best to untangle his flawed thinking. Under the Chinese Mingding Doctrine, we view ministry as a privilege and a grace, not a burden. But they view service as hard labor.

Since my twenties, I have not taken a single day off. Am I sick? No. Working in partnership with God is where we find true rest. Sitting at home watching television is merely physical idle time. To view partnership with God as labor is an insult to Him. It is no wonder that pastor died a miserable death from brain cancer.

I supported him during his final days, which was a heavy task. I was an obscure pastor, and I have no desire for fame. Fame is a liability. I prefer to remain anonymous. Do not promote my name; promote only the name of Jesus Christ.

This experience solidified my theological foundation. Human experience is not theology. If you are not healed, God is not at fault; you are. A lack of healing proves only one thing: you have not done things correctly. Why then do people remain sick and unhealed?

First, the church is not built as an army. If your church is not structured as a fighting force, it is out of alignment with God's will. If you build the church incorrectly and preach a distorted gospel, you will bring a curse upon yourselves. Let me repeat: build the church wrongly, preach the wrong gospel, and you will face the consequences.

Second, even if the church is an army, you are not acting as a soldier. You are a deserter, destined to perish in the wilderness without victory. Or perhaps you are in the army, but you are a coward. You refuse to enter the Promised Land, spread bad reports, and destroy the faith of others. You, too, will die in the wilderness.

I challenge you to become a disciplined soldier of God. It is the only way to live. Our vision and mission are clear: to claim every single promise of God. They belong to us. Yes, warfare involves risk. But when you fight with a "if I perish, I perish" resolve, you will find that God preserves your life to inherit His promises. Death is not that easy to find when you are fighting His battles.

Only those who can fight count. You must make yourself count in God's army. Put on the armor of Jesus Christ, stand up, fight, and claim His promises. Wilderness training is demanding. The Levites had to pack up the tabernacle and the Ark, march, and then pitch camp all over again. No sooner had they settled than the order came to move. It is tedious, but this is how discipline is forged.

Why this constant movement? You march for three days only to find no water. How do you react? If God can part the Red Sea, can He not provide water? This is the test. Is it difficult? Yes. Is it troublesome? Absolutely. But if you are afraid of trouble, you will end up in far greater trouble.

Recently, a sister among us showed signs of demonic manifestation during deliverance. She became highly irritable, complaining that the process was too troublesome. Doing things right always requires meticulous, step-by-step effort. But doing things wrong leads to disaster. We must cast out this spirit of laziness and fear of trouble.

Thank the Lord. Warfare is designed to forge you into God’s elite soldiers. To be counted, to fight, and to enter the Promised Land, you must be fearless in the face of death. You must drive out these giants. Let me tell you, deliverance is possible for many things, even for those with dull minds.

How does a dull mind develop? Let me analyze this for you: it comes from a fear of taking trouble. People want instant results. They want a quick fix, but they fail instantly. Then they try another quick fix, hoping for a graceful turnaround, only to fail again and remain exactly as they were. To be God’s elite soldier, you must train rigorously on the parade square, endure the wilderness, and then go to war.

I have ministered to many foolish people who look for shortcuts. Once, I ministered to a woman howling in pain from a leg ailment. Her husband was a pastor serving in a church. During the day, we were in a class together. She was grimacing in pain. I asked, "What is wrong?" She replied, "My leg hurts terribly. It is bearable now, but at three in the morning, the pain becomes unbearable. I could not sleep at all last night."

I said, "That is simple. Call me when the pain starts tonight." I led her in prayer for two hours, from 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM. The pain subsided, and she slept well. The next day, we returned to class. Her husband, a well-known pastor, said to me, "Pastor Liu, you should ask God for the gift to just snap your fingers—snap—and have her healed instantly."

I thought to myself: "You are a famous pastor. Your wife is lying right next to you. Why didn't you just snap your fingers?" It took me two hours of relentless, hard prayer to get her leg healed! A "finger-snapping" pastor trains "finger-snapping" soldiers—if the first snap fails, they give up. I am not like that. If it does not work the first time, I keep going. I fight on until the pain is completely gone.

Many people talk like this, saying you should ask God for such "gifts." But that is not a gift; it is discipline, training, and warfare. It took eight years of bitter resistance to drive out the Japanese invaders. Even if it took eighty years of war, I would still fight to drive them out! What is this nonsense about an "instant snap"? Jesus Christ could do it, but I have not reached that level of training yet.

If the Holy Spirit fills me without limit in the future, perhaps I will be able to do it instantly. But one must progress from inability to ability. If a man is not trained on the parade square, he will perish on the battlefield. Warfare is a training of faith, and even more, a training of courage.

Life is a battle, and no one can escape it. You either fight and win the promise, or you fear the battle and die in the wilderness. Warfare is the discipline of faith; it is the discipline of confronting bad habits. It is co-working with God and the beginning of victory. Warfare yields rich dividends. Fight, become God’s elite soldier, be counted in His army, and manifest His image.

Remember, only those who can fight are of any value. What battles have you fought? Some brothers and sisters like to come and show off in front of me. I speak bluntly; you must tolerate me. People constantly advise me to speak more gently. Many have done so, not just one. You are merely one of many. But I cannot change this trait of mine; perhaps this is a battle I too must fight.

Although my words are harsh, it does not matter. We have developed "Xiao Mu" (an AI assistant). Our algorithms are not yet optimal, but once we upgrade the capacity and algorithms, I will release it to everyone. Xiao Mu speaks very pleasantly and provides excellent emotional value. Unlike my blunt speech, it will comfort you, praise you first, and then point out your problems.

Life is a battle. It does not matter whether the words are pleasant or harsh, as long as you can claim God’s promises. If you had listened to the Apostle Paul, you would surely have offered him advice: "Paul, why do you speak so harshly? Can you not be more polite?" Even in those days, people tried to teach Paul how to be a pastor. Paul was unpolished in speech. I found theological basis describing Paul as rude in speech and unimposing in appearance.

I am not making excuses for myself. It is a bad habit, and I must correct it gradually. My speech may be rough, but my doctrine is not. My sole desire is for all of you to join me in claiming God’s promises, possessing the Promised Land, and becoming His elite soldiers. God created all this to mold people into His likeness. This is a grand examination—the ultimate exam of life—to test whether you belong to God’s elite army.

Scripture

On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Desert of Sinai. He said: "Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army." (Numbers 1:1-3)

Prayer

Oh God, we resolve to be Your elite soldiers now. We want to be counted in Your army. Your will is for the church to be Your army, a mighty army. You will go before us and fight for us. Oh God, let every brother and sister among us become Your elite soldier to claim Your promises.

Oh God, begin the work of training in us now. Discipline us so that we may become victorious soldiers. Remove all fear from within us, and rid us of the aversion to taking trouble. Eradicate our bad habits, deal with us, and conform us to Your image. Oh God, You are a warrior, and we must be warriors too. Throughout our lives, with Your presence, we will fight relentlessly to set the captives free and release the oppressed. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Scripture Background

Before and after the Exodus, it was the army of the Lord that marched out of Egypt. Whether you like it or not, you have been conscripted. When crossing the Red Sea, God parted the waters. Later, Moses concluded: "The Lord is a warrior." The word "warrior" does not just mean a common soldier; it refers to a mighty commander, like Guan Yu or Zhang Fei.

Then they entered the wilderness. They marched until there was no water. They marched further and found water, but it was bitter and undrinkable. They marched on, and again, there was no water. They kept marching, found water, but it was foul. This is my description, but the point is they were constantly tested and pushed to their limits. Consequently, the Israelites became utterly bewildered.

They thought, "What am I doing here? Was I not better off in Egypt? There was meat in the pots." They longed for that meat like poor children longing for a feast during the New Year. They never wanted to enlist, yet they found themselves in the army.

This census came after a period of intense training—climbing Mount Sinai, constructing the Tabernacle. Once the Tabernacle was completed, they were commanded to take a census. This census was to count those capable of fighting, organized by families, clans, and names. Our theme is clear: only those who can fight are of any value. Those who cannot fight do not count.

After the census, were there any real fighters? The Israelites were bewildered, including Korah and the 250 leaders. They wondered, "How did I end up as a leader in this army?" Korah asked, "How did I become a commander of thousands or hundreds?" They were clueless; they had no desire to serve. Military service is hard work. Whether you want to serve or not is not your decision. God decided it; He decreed it without consulting you.

In Singapore, every male citizen must serve in the military. In Israel today, both men and women must serve. On the streets of Israel, you often see young women in uniform carrying rifles. Everyone must serve. In Singapore, if you attempt to evade National Service, you go to jail. There is no escaping it.

I once had a colleague who harbored deep resentment about military service, much like Korah and the 250 leaders. Let me tell you, in the army, you cannot avoid training. No one asks for your permission; once you are in, you train. This colleague of mine is now seventy. When he was young, Lee Kuan Yew was ruthless—he drafted every single young man into the army for rigorous training.

Carrying a 20-kilogram pack and holding a rifle, he had to leap across a wide trench. He was tall and heavily built, not particularly agile, but he jumped. Because of the resentment in his heart, he fell. In the army, if the man in front falls, do you stop jumping? No. If you fall, that is your own hard luck. During the drill, men jump one after another without pause. The man behind him landed squarely on his leg, breaking it. He was sent to the hospital.

Once his leg healed, he returned to duty. Crossing the trench again, he fell once more. The man behind him landed on him, injuring his lower back, causing him to urinate blood. In the army, if you tell your corporal or platoon commander that you are urinating blood, the officers will not believe you. They will assume you are malingering, trying to find an excuse. Consequently, his treatment was delayed, and his hospital stay was quite miserable.

Why was he so unfortunate? If you are called by God to be a soldier, yet your heart is filled with resentment, this is what happens. Look at me: since I serve God, I do so gladly. If I do not serve Him with joy, woe to me. I am not foolish. Unlike those who serve with bitterness and end up plagued with illnesses, what is the point of that?

When the Israelites left Egypt, they began the census. This concept was established early on: the elderly, women, and children could not go to war. Only those twenty years old or more, capable of wielding a sword, were counted. Look at how many times the phrase "men twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army" is repeated in the Book of Numbers.

It is repeated countless times. If I were to write the Bible, I would not waste ink like Moses. It is mentioned over twenty times in the Book of Numbers, including in chapter 26. Why go through such trouble? I would simply create an Excel spreadsheet: "Men twenty years old or more able to fight: Tribe of Judah, so many; Tribe of so-and-so, so many." How efficient that would be! But Moses wrote it this way deliberately, fearing you might miss the point. It is written over twenty times, yet you still fail to see it.

Exodus is a vital book, so how did you miss this? You must understand that this repetition underscores its supreme importance. In the end, out of all those counted, only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land. The rest perished in the wilderness, objects of God's disgust.

Is this not a powerful revelation? Do you still fear taking trouble? People come to the Chinese Mingding Doctrine and complain about having to take notes. Taking notes is the simplest of disciplines! Yet they cry, "Oh, forget it! This ministry, that ministry, classes, and notes—it is too much trouble!" Let me tell you, avoiding training is far more troublesome. Do things right, and you will have minimal trouble. Do things wrong, and you will face endless trouble.

I thank God that my mind is clear. If I build the church wrongly—building one that cannot fight or win, serving God only to be ground into the dirt by the devil—how much suffering would I endure? Would that not be a disaster? Why would I do such a foolish thing? From day one of building this church, I resolved that even if I am left entirely alone, this church will be built strictly according to God’s Word. Even if I am the last man standing, so be it.

I have no desire to build a church only to end up plagued with sickness, living under a curse, with a face like a bitter melon. Why bother? If we do it, we must do it right. In the census, Korah and the 250 leaders were swallowed up when the earth split open. Why? Because they refused to fight. They had no desire to be soldiers; they preferred to return to Egypt as slaves!

If I were to lead these people back to Egypt as slaves, would Moses agree? Certainly not! And what was their solution to Moses' disagreement? "Let us eliminate Moses and return to Egypt!" But even if you eliminate Moses, can you eliminate the God who stands behind him? I cannot help but think their brains must have been kicked by a pig—a donkey would be too generous.

What happened to those who wanted to return to Egypt? Their end was disastrous. After the census, twelve spies were sent to Canaan to see if it was indeed a land flowing with milk and honey. When they returned, good heavens, ten of them brought back a bad report and died on the spot! Their message was: "We cannot go! Entering is suicide! There are giants there!"

I look at this and think: this is not just foolishness; it is sheer stupidity. You went in, you came out safely, carrying massive fruits. The giants did not harm you. Why then did you conclude you could not go? They feared death, and because of that fear, they died on the spot. What kind of logic is this? It defies common sense. I have no patience for such stupidity; it leaves me utterly baffled.

God’s will is clear. Do not fight against it. The church is God’s army. Do not resist God, and do not turn the church into a social club for eating, drinking, and playing. The church is an army, designed to train brothers and sisters to be elite soldiers. I accept the hardship. I will not offend God; therefore, this is how we must operate. Only those who can fight actually count. You must drill this truth into your head.

You either dominate, or you are dominated. Let me tell you, being dominated is a miserable existence. If you dominate, you are in control; you can regulate the force. But if others dominate you, you have no control over how hard they strike. I refuse to be dominated; I choose to dominate. This may sound harsh to some ears, but it is the hard truth. Remember, what we dominate are demons, and demons must obey us. Praise the Lord! This is the very essence of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine.

During his reign, David built Israel into the most powerful empire in its history. He was a warrior. Consequently, the nation prospered, grew immensely wealthy, and formidable. Our brothers and sisters must understand: believing in Jesus Christ is not about believing in Santa Claus. Believing in Jesus Christ means becoming His elite soldiers. This is how the pieces fit together.

In the days of Jesus Christ, He said, "Leave everything and follow Me." Why? Because this is an army. Whether you like it or not, you must leave it behind. You cannot go to war dragged down by domestic baggage. This is the background of this scripture. The theme is simple: only those who can fight actually count.

Being God's Soldier is Grace

Being a soldier of God is grace. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine strongly emphasizes several things: serving is grace, not a chore, not a mere contribution. It is grace; serving is gaining. Look at my service—does it look like a chore? Over the years, people have told me that serving God is hard. I ask them, "Why is it hard?" Of course, if you do it wrongly, it seems easy at first, but the consequences make it extremely difficult later.

Let me tell you, I thoroughly enjoy being a pastor. My logic is simple: being God's soldier is grace. My choice is either to receive grace or to incur wrath. Why would I want wrath? If I serve God properly, being His soldier brings grace. Why choose disaster? If you spend your days complaining, God will only add to your troubles, making things far worse. Therefore, if I do not serve properly, woe to me—as Paul said. Being God's soldier is grace.

"Just as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness." (Galatians 3:6)

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

Because of his faith, Abraham received the reward of righteousness. Brothers and sisters, when we come before God, we must possess this same faith. No matter the circumstances, we must believe that God’s word will never fail. This is our spiritual lesson and the key to our growth. May the Lord help us to rely on Him more, to experience His faithfulness and power. Amen.

Anyone who leaves this or that for the sake of Jesus Christ will surely receive a hundredfold in this life, and eternal life in the age to come. Some people are just foolish. They did not do well in primary school; they only read half the sentence. They only see the "leaving behind" and miss the "gaining." Forgive my bluntness, but you need to go back to primary school and learn basic comprehension. How can you fail to understand such simple words? Is it a loss, or is it a gain?

Why is it that for so many years, I have not taken a single day off, yet I am not tired? It is because what I receive is grace. If I were boasting of my hardships, I would be showing you a miserable face. But I do not. I love to work; work is an absolute pleasure. Some people do not get tired playing mahjong because they love it. Some do not get tired serving God because they love to serve. Others play video games all day and feel great because they enjoy it.

I do not play video games, I do not play mahjong, and I certainly do not play golf. I only fight demons. This is my passion. Having such a passion is wonderful; it is what I live for. Work is grace, serving is grace. It is not others who benefit; it is you who gains. When I ask you to serve, I am not imposing a burden on you. I am leading you to receive grace. Many of you make mistakes in your service, doing it all wrong, and yet you think highly of yourselves before I even correct you.

Being God's Soldier is an Exercise of Faith

To count as God's soldier, you must undergo the exercise of faith. Let me ask you: will you die if you go in? Will you die in battle? Those who die are always those who fear the fight. Remember this: on the battlefield, if you lack flexibility and sharp instincts, you are in deep trouble. In the Second World War, British pilots had a survival manual. Those who followed it strictly all died.

Those who were mentally agile survived. A person of faith has the resilience to endure until salvation. Therefore, a person of faith must be adaptable. If you lack faith, you will hesitate, overanalyze, and panic. It is like running down from the tenth floor during an earthquake straight into the basement, only to be buried when the building collapses. Panic is fatal.

Faith is entering to possess the Promised Land. Those who predicted death died; those who claimed the promise received it. This is the exercise of faith—having an "if I perish, I perish" resolve. I have realized that if you believe God goes before you as a warrior—the Lord God fighting on your behalf—victory is one hundred percent guaranteed. What is there to fear? Why fear absolute victory? To this day, I have never lost a single spiritual battle.

Someone asked me, "Pastor, what is the longest healing and deliverance session you've done?" My answer: until the day I die. But let me tell you, even if I die, what I have prayed for will be accomplished. I believe everything is an exercise of faith. Know that God fights before us. Cowardice is fatal; cowardice is simply unbelief.

Being God's Soldier is Working Together with God

When we go in to fight the giants, is it I who fight, or is it God? We fight together! Is it God who gets the glory, or is it I? We share the glory! I do not want to be separated from God. We operate as one. This is working together with God. God is my project manager, and I am His team member. Together we fight and win. What could be better?

What enemy, what giant can stand before God? If they cannot stand before God, they cannot stand before me. You might ask, "Why are you so arrogant?" My pride is in my God. I work with Him; my glory is inseparable from His. We are a unified team, working in partnership with God.

The Bible speaks of Enoch, who did not taste death but was taken up alive. He walked with God on earth. What God did, he did; what God said, he said; wherever God went, he followed. This is walking with God. If you walk with God, you cannot die, for our God is the living God.

Being God's Soldier Requires Total Commitment

Does total commitment mean you lose out, or do you gain? You gain immensely! Let me tell you a story. In our area, there was a pair of twins. At birth, they were like tiny kittens—underweight and frail. Normal babies weigh six or seven pounds; how do you survive at two pounds? As they grew, they remained extremely thin and weak—what we call "skinny," just skin and bones.

Their mother favored one and disliked the other. The favored one stayed at home, while the unfavored one was sent to the army. In the military, he underwent brutal, rigorous training. The army does not care if you are skinny or fat; if they order you to carry twenty pounds, you carry it. There are no excuses. Two years later, he returned as a strong, robust young man. His brother, however, remained frail and skeletal.

You must realize that when you join the army, you must commit totally. If you are told to carry ten pounds, you carry ten; if twenty pounds, you carry twenty. In those days, the rifles were heavy—the incredibly heavy AK-47s. It was hard work.

But because of this total commitment, he became a real man. As a recruit, if a veteran kicked you, you endured it. That is how he was forged into a strong man. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in God's army, you cannot afford to hold back or be weighed down by domestic affairs. We must train now. What you surrender, you gain.

Being God's Soldier is God's Will

God does not want you to be a weak, skeletal soldier. His will is for you to become strong and robust. Why else does the Bible repeat this so many times? It is God's will. He repeated it nineteen times because He did not want you to miss it. If you still fail to get the message after nineteen times, you deserve to be disciplined.

God’s will is for you to grow into maturity, attaining the full measure of Christ. In the future, God will grant you much grace and appoint you to govern His kingdom. In God’s kingdom, the most critical element is the army. If you build a church without an army, you will simply be crushed and humiliated by demons.

Why do people fail to receive God's promises? It is not because God made a mistake, nor because His promises have expired. It is because people refuse to fight; they lack the mindset of a soldier. Among some pastors and church leaders I have met, when I share this message, their response is: "Who can actually do that?" I am dumbfounded. How can you say you cannot do what is required to receive grace?

Being God's Soldier Manifests His Image

Our God is a warrior. Are you one? If God is a warrior and you are not, then something is fundamentally wrong. The Book of Revelation describes Jesus Christ with a tongue like a sharp sword, eyes like fire, and a body like burnished bronze—awesome and terrifying. The image of our God is certainly not Santa Claus, nor is He a well-fed, fat chef.

Our God is formidable, awesome, and highly exalted. All glory, honor, power, and authority belong to Him. Do you want this? If you are not a soldier, you cannot possess it, and you will end up living a miserable life. If you do not win in the spiritual realm, that is the root of all your problems. If you are a preacher listening to my sermon, do not nitpick my blunt language. I may be a plain-spoken man, but my message is solid.

If your life is currently miserable, it is because you do not count. You are not in God's army; you cannot fight. If you are not financially prosperous, it is because you cannot fight. If you are plagued with sickness, it is also because you cannot fight. You must rise up, leave Egypt, cross the wilderness, and enter the Promised Land.

Do not fear, and do not worry. No matter how many promises God has made, they are all "Yes" and "Amen." You must fight and win to possess the Promised Land. The logic is absolutely clear. We must believe with this kind of faith. If your flesh is too strong, fight it. Be God's elite soldier and put to death the misdeeds of the body.

If the demons are strong, be God's elite soldier and grind them into the dirt. Once the demons in your own life are dealt with, we will go and cast out the demons in others, setting the captives free and delivering the oppressed. Offer yourself as a living sacrifice and manifest the glorious image of God. What a noble calling that is!

This concludes my sermon. May God bless you all.