Introduction

Good day to you all! Let us turn to the eighth chapter of the Book of Acts. This chapter reveals to us that persecution cannot hinder the Gospel; in fact, persecution not only fails to hinder the Gospel but also becomes an aid to it. Do you all think persecution is a good thing? If you do not think it is a good thing, then you probably do not yet understand the works of God. Our God is too divine; what He does exceeds the scope of our understanding.

Is Persecution a Good Thing?

Persecution is a good thing. In the beginning, after God created the heavens and the earth, and created Adam and Eve, He placed them in that location. God gave them a command to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. This concept of filling the earth does not seem to be deeply understood by the church. In fact, God does not like it when everyone huddles together, all chummy with each other, saying, You're good, I'm good, we're all good.

For example, people would like to sleep huddled together and eat their meals together, followed by gossiping about this family and that family all day long. What can people do when they are together all the time? They just talk, and after they finish saying edifying things, they start saying corrupting things. During the winter in Northeast China, when the temperature is 30 degrees below zero, everyone hides in their houses, sitting on the heated kang, idly chatting. This is how Northeast China's Erenzhuan and skits came about. However, the Christians in Jerusalem were not telling skits but were busy with idle chatter.

Where does everyone's persecution come from? Persecution comes from God. God sees that this group of people is too corrupt. They fight and snatch just for a small matter like a piece of fish or a fish ball. For example, when taking Holy Communion, people can't wait to eat as if it were a buffet. But the difference between Holy Communion and a buffet is vast. This bad habit persisted until the time of the Corinthian church.

On Holy Communion Sunday, everyone came to church hungry, thinking of eating their fill of the Holy Communion bread. They didn't even bother to break the bread; after eating a whole piece of bread, they still thought about eating several more pieces. God really couldn't stand it anymore. It was normal for one Stephen to die; it was also normal for God to raise up a group of people to persecute the church, and as a result, the church was scattered. This matter of scattering should be viewed in light of Genesis chapter 11, where many people gathered together to build the Tower of Babel. These people wanted the top of the tower to reach the heavens, lest they be scattered over the face of the whole earth.

The Tower of Babel is a powerful thing. Later, the church learned from the Tower of Babel so well that it didn't learn anything else. Big cathedrals were built, and the tops reached the heavens. Do not think that just because there is a cross on the roof, it is not a Tower of Babel; it is still the same. Therefore, it was a good thing that the Jerusalem church was persecuted. All persecutions throughout history and in all ages are good because persecution can cleanse the church.

And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison (Acts 8:1-3).

The church can try to imagine; if the people in the church become rich after believing in the Lord, then the church will definitely attract many people. Coming to Chinese Mingding Destiny to be blessed, salaries increase, businesses get better, illnesses are healed, everything is good. You see that it is good, but I see that it is not good because people have not obtained their Mingding Destiny. What is your purpose in coming? That is why I feel sadness in my heart. You must know that you come to be blessed because there is a group of people here who have dedicated their lives to God. If there is not a single person who loves God in this place, what blessings will you receive when you come? It would be more like sharing some curses with me.

Sometimes I am very moved. Why don't people take such a good path? It doesn't matter; my abilities are not enough to manage that matter, but God will manage it. God gives a persecution, and suddenly people are sent to prison, or Stephen is suddenly stoned to death. Then, do you still want to believe in the Lord? Do you still want this Gospel? If you still want it in this way, then that shows that it is true faith. So sometimes I secretly pray in the back: God, give him something powerful, let him taste something strong! Because if this Gospel is all good things, then all the flies and mosquitoes will come.

The church I am building does not like many people; I only like many treasures, not many pieces of trash. When serving, some people cannot distinguish between treasures and pieces of trash. When I am not sure, I continue to serve them as if I were serving God, and then wait for the matter to be revealed. It is so good to have God. God often arranges persecution for us, and suddenly He kills Stephen and then raises up Saul to persecute the church. Saul takes people to prison, just to prevent them from continuing to break bread with each other, eating with sincere hearts.

The matter of food became more and more complicated. Finally, they appointed seven deacons to manage the food. If someone manages the food and there is no persecution, then wouldn't someone always have to manage your food? Stephen was in charge of the food. The person in charge of the food was beaten to death, but Peter was still alive. If it were you, would you dare to manage the food? It is not easy to manage the food, and as a result, Philip was frightened and ran everywhere to preach the Gospel. Therefore, it is a great thing for the church to be persecuted.

Brothers and sisters, you must know that the peace and joy that everyone feels are not accurate. You have to go through the trial by fire; persecution will show you whether you are serious. In fact, it is normal for the church to make some mistakes. Gamaliel's words are very good: If this thing is from God, it cannot be stopped; if you stop it, you are resisting God, and God will destroy you.

It is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. A mantis cannot stop a train with just one arm. It is useless. We must know that God's work is so great! Can't God manage the church? Peter allowed a large group of people to eat and drink in the church. Even if God told him, he would not listen. He made up a lot of stories and ate with joyful and sincere hearts, and persecution immediately came. As a result, from then on, there was no more food, and the church was scattered to various places. This is God's greatest work.

Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid of me making mistakes, and I am not afraid of you making mistakes. No one's mistakes can stop God's work. We must be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and govern it. Manage the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and the beasts on the earth, and even manage the spiritual realm. Those churches that promote happiness groups seem to be very happy. We used to be even happier than them. At that time, I did not know how to build a church and preach the Gospel. We preached braised beef, roast chicken, and roast duck in the church, with good food and drinks, and as a result, the work was ruined.

At that time, my thinking was so foolish. When I think about it now, I am still a little scared. Why didn't God kill me at that time? I thought about preaching the Gospel in that way. How could people believe if I told them about Jesus? The current happiness groups are the same; to preach the Gospel, you have to wrap dumplings for people first, but what you attract are dumpling buckets, just like what I attracted at that time were roast chicken buckets and roast duck buckets, all of them rice buckets. Brothers and sisters, you must know that the church cannot engage in this kind of greasy business, and I deeply repent of what I have done in the past.

Now our church does not have these greasy things. There is only service and work. How great a church like this is! The people who manage the food are scattered everywhere, and now there is no need to manage the food. The Gospel is spread to various places without hindrance. This is the work of God. Looking at everything from God's perspective, everything is good. Do you all believe it? God is so powerful that He can deal with someone like me without even using a little finger. It is the same for you. The more the church was persecuted in that generation, the more purified and prosperous it became. Therefore, persecution is a good thing. Thank goodness for God! For this group of us to get to where we are today, God often allows some things to happen to us so that we can have a clearer mind; otherwise, as we walk, we will not know where we are going.

The More Persecution, the More Miracles Are Manifested

Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed (Acts 8:4-7).

Those who were once chosen to manage the food, that is, the master chefs in the cafeteria, became people who performed miracles, and they also healed many paralytics and cripples. If Peter and the others had been a little smarter at that time, they would have sent them out to preach the Gospel earlier, instead of doing anything about the food. Stephen would not have had to lose his life. It is only after a little blood is shed and someone dies that many people are willing to repent. In our generation, sometimes people may not repent even when they are about to die.

I thank God! My heart is relatively soft. As soon as I see that I have not done something right, I quickly repent. When I was a child, as soon as my dad was about to beat me, I would quickly admit my mistake and avoid a lot of beatings. If God gives you a signal and you do not listen, and then gives you another signal and you still do not listen, God will discipline you. It is the same principle. So when persecution comes, miracles will be manifested, and then you will understand that persecution is the work of God. Otherwise, what can these people do if they hide in Jerusalem all day long?

Many people's blood pressure rises from eating, and they develop acne and pimples, and they have many problems from eating. As soon as the church is persecuted, miracles will be manifested! This has been the case throughout church history. The persecution at that time was not like it is now. Now, when we pray for miracles and wonders to be manifested, there is not so much persecution. In the days when the church was persecuted in the past, people did not have to do much, and miracles would be manifested on their own. Not only were there many miracles, but the testimonies given were also incredible.

Therefore, the more persecution there is, the more miracles are manifested, and there does not necessarily have to be a great victory. If people can hold on to the truth in the midst of persecution, that is a great victory. Now we have to work hard to win victories everywhere. The environment is so good that it seems a little difficult to win victories. So once a demon comes, we are extremely happy because we have finally caught an opportunity to win.

If we ask for some persecution, we seem to not be able to bear it; if we do not ask for some persecution, we have to bring in a demon to win a victory. Preaching the Gospel was very powerful in that era. This passage records Philip, who was in charge of the food. In fact, there were many people who were like Philip. If those in charge of the food were so powerful, then wouldn't those in charge of prayer and preaching be even more powerful? We are talking about persecution cannot stop the Gospel. Persecution is a good thing. It not only cannot stop the Gospel, but it also becomes an aid to the Gospel.

Those Who Practiced Sorcery Also Believed the Gospel

Those who practiced sorcery also believed the Gospel. How powerful must this Gospel be? The miracles that Philip performed must have surpassed the sorcery that Simon practiced. Of course, evil cannot overcome good. As soon as Simon saw Philip, his sorcery would not work. This is true; if you have the opportunity, you can try it with the glory and aura that you have from God. Many who practice sorcery are most afraid of Christians being near them because as long as a Christian is near them, their magic power will not work well.

The fortune-telling old woman that I often talk about always avoided me after I believed in the Lord, and later she did not like to come to my house anymore. She herself said that it was because she was afraid that going to my house would not be good for us, but I think she is not that kind. Actually, that was not good for her. Once, my sister followed her and bought some things for seeking immortals and worshiping Buddha. After she bought them, she lived a very uncomfortable life. I told her not to buy those things anymore and that it would be better to follow me and believe in the Lord. My sister said no, the old woman's fortune-telling was very accurate, and she had received many benefits from the old woman.

I turned around and declared in the name of Jesus: The old woman's fortune-telling on my sister will never be accurate. After a while, my sister went to ask the old woman again whether she could make money doing this and that business. The old woman said that she could make a lot of money, but she lost a lot of it. From then on, my sister never went to her for fortune-telling again. The authority on Christians is very powerful. At that time, although it was not a victory, it was still effective. Everyone must know one thing: We all have authority, glory, and aura from God!

When Simon, who practiced sorcery, saw what Philip was doing, he felt that this Gospel was better than the sorcery he practiced. Of course, the Gospel is better than sorcery. Behind sorcery is an evil spirit and a demon, while behind Philip is the Spirit of God. This Gospel has spread so widely that even those who practice sorcery have believed the Gospel. In fact, our pastors have also pastored many who raised little ghosts and did various tarot card divinations. In the end, very few of them can beat Jesus.

====输出开始
Without persecution, Philip would still be minding the food at the church, but this persecution drove him from Jerusalem to Samaria. How he made a living remains a mystery, but it would not be difficult for God to empower him to make a living. If a person has God’s power, making a living is a simple matter. This passage highlights that persecution not only cannot stop the Gospel but can also help spread it and purify the church.

## The Powerful Also Received the Gospel

There are many in this world who seek God because everyone knows they are just human, knowing their own limitations. The problems that people can solve on their own are very limited, and many, even if they are very capable, are still filled with confusion about the future. We must grow well in the Word of God, so that we can answer others' questions accurately and adequately.

**Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” (Acts 8:26-29)**

This eunuch was equivalent to a finance minister, sitting in a luxury car, reading the Book of Isaiah as he traveled. Some might ask, Does someone so wealthy need to read the Book of Isaiah? This eunuch was a wise man. Although he was rich and powerful, he knew he was just a man, and many problems could not be solved with money or power, so he came to seek God. As he read the Book of Isaiah, the Spirit of God prompted Philip to approach him.

Here I want to emphasize that I do not encourage everyone to pursue the speaking of the Holy Spirit. If you really need it one day, the Spirit of God will surely tell you. It is not difficult for the Spirit of God to let you hear a voice; I have experienced this personally. I had a job that God arranged, which was to let my boss hear a voice. Everyone must know that God never tells anyone to do this business to make a lot of money. The Spirit of God does not do such things.

**So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation his justice was taken away. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” (Acts 8:30-33)**

The powerful eunuch invited Philip into his chariot to explain the meaning of this passage. Philip sat next to him and explained what Jesus was about, and the eunuch immediately believed the Gospel. How many lonely souls are crying out in the darkness in our generation? If some pop stars had met me earlier, they wouldn't have needed to commit suicide if the suicidal demons were cast out! There is so much need in this generation; brothers and sisters, arise! If you meet the finance minister and think about asking him for favors, then that’s where the trouble starts.

You lack nothing, except the power to preach the Gospel. With the power to preach the Gospel and the presence of God, what else do you lack? Don't think that getting into a luxury car is a big deal; in fact, you are much more precious than that car. Never think that knowing a few big shots will make a difference; know that you are more precious than those big shots! We are all children of God, more noble than those big shots.

The souls crying out in the darkness in the world, now they will see the glory of God, see the work of God because of us, and we will also hear God's call on us. The powerful also received the Gospel because of persecution. Without persecution, Philip would still be the cafeteria manager, dealing with mundane things. Having to cook three meals a day for 50,000 people, how much food would you have to prepare, and what would be the point of working so hard?

We are no longer those who manage food; we are to be channels of blessing. Before, this eunuch read the Bible without understanding it. Can the Old Testament be understood if it is separated from Jesus Christ and the glorious church of God? There are still many people rushing to Jerusalem for pilgrimage. Know that the church now is Jerusalem, is Mount Zion, is the temple of God, the tabernacle of God. People no longer need to go to Jerusalem; if you want to come, come to our Chinese Mingding Destiny! We have no habit of pilgrimage here; everyone comes to work.

We must all begin to be raised up by God. In the future, you will not only preach the Gospel but also shepherd the flock of God. If anyone feels they cannot, we can teach you, so there are no more excuses. I have taught people who think 2+3=8, if you just know 2+3=5, you will definitely be able to learn. There are many people who do not understand the Bible. Now, let us transmit the best Gospel in the world through our Chinese Mingding Destiny, so that people will be blessed through us because we explain the Bible very clearly. Philip used to manage food in the cafeteria; now he manages the Gospel. You can too! Some of us who manage food at home can now become the chief managers of the Gospel.

## Receiving the Holy Spirit is a Key Component of this Gospel

The Gospel preached by many churches is not the real Gospel. Some Christians turn pale at the mention of the Holy Spirit. If people turn pale at the mention of ghosts, I can understand, or perhaps they themselves are ghosts, so it is normal for them to turn pale at the mention of the Holy Spirit. Actually, even if I encounter a ghost now, I will not turn pale because I have God! Many churches do not dare to talk about the Holy Spirit, and if they mention speaking in tongues, they tell people to be careful. Can’t God manage it? Of course, God can manage it!

**Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-15)**

The Bible says that if you have not received the Holy Spirit, then the baptism you have received is John's baptism, which is baptism after repentance. However, the most crucial component of the Gospel is receiving the Holy Spirit. The first receiving of the Holy Spirit was at Pentecost, the descent of the Holy Spirit, that is, speaking in tongues. Since the first descent of the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues, then subsequent receiving of the Holy Spirit should also be speaking in tongues.

God's work is consistent and never chaotic. Let's digress a bit. Our God has never changed from ancient times to the present. Our God never changes. His love and anger also never change. This is called consistency. People also have three basic attributes. For example, a car always moves forward when you press the accelerator and stops when you press the brakes. A properly functioning car follows this principle when you press the accelerator and brakes. But some broken cars rush out when you press the brakes. Some people are like this broken car, unstable and inconsistent. As important as consistency is stability, like the Toyota and BYD that don't break down easily now. In addition to these two characteristics, there is also flexibility. Once a person has these three attributes, they will be very powerful.

**When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)**

Speaking of this, did God change the formula? Of course not!

**But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)**

So Philip's power came from being filled with the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, let's try it. I'll teach you the best prayer, which is to often say with me: Filled with the Holy Spirit, Hallelujah! Some who haven't believed will ask: What do I do when something happens? It doesn't matter, I'll write you a few words, which are: Filled with the Holy Spirit, Hallelujah! There really are people who follow and learn, and it really works. Of course, what I teach is not chanting scriptures, but I preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Everyone must know that receiving the Holy Spirit comes from Jesus Christ, and later came to the Apostle Peter. The Apostle Peter may have done wrong in other things, but he did the right thing in receiving the Holy Spirit, and it is absolutely true. The current faith has lost the key step of being filled with the Holy Spirit and has lost its power. A powerless Gospel of Jesus Christ is ruined. So to gain power is easy, which is to pray in tongues a lot, and it will definitely work. This is the key component of the Gospel.

Having said that, let's talk about why Peter was so sure that being filled with the Holy Spirit is very important. He actually always had something on his mind, stuck in his throat. That is, he denied Jesus Christ three times because he was not filled with the Holy Spirit. Everyone must remember that Peter still had some ability. He was very clear about being filled with the Holy Spirit. At this time, he began to become strong, but Peter had a fatal flaw, which was that his understanding was flawed. Later, the Gospel preached by the Apostle Paul mentioned that the faith in Jesus Christ must have both understanding and power.

**What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. (1 Corinthians 14:15)**

You must be filled with the Holy Spirit, and also read the Bible. Understanding is indispensable. So you must gain power and also gain understanding. Many people think that being filled with the Holy Spirit is everything, as if being filled with the Holy Spirit once is like a car being filled with gas and being able to run for a lifetime. In fact, this cannot solve people's problems in understanding. Although being filled with the Holy Spirit is an important component of the faith in Jesus Christ, it still cannot replace people's understanding of God. Chinese Mingding Destiny theology inherits the theological system of the Apostle Paul because Peter, although he followed Jesus for three years, still could not read very well until his death. So we must study hard, and never be like Peter, who, although filled with the Holy Spirit, did not have a good understanding.

We must restore the pure Gospel, which is to restore the Gospel preached by the Apostle Paul. Our church also inherits the theological system of the Apostle Paul. However, although we have restored being filled with the Holy Spirit and gained power, it is more difficult to open up in understanding. Speaking in tongues seems to be done with an open mouth, but it is very difficult to get everyone to study and read, learn to grasp the main points, and take notes.

For this reason, I have put in a lot of effort, determined to lead everyone to not only be filled with the Holy Spirit and gain power but also to be fully acquainted with God in understanding and to learn a normal way to make a living. Although this is difficult, it cannot stop us from having God. I believe this is God's will, so there are no difficulties. Since it is God's will, we will desperately run forward on this path.

After you come to Chinese Mingding Destiny, you will find that you are living a very fulfilling life every day. You have never been so fulfilling before. Now you are so busy that you don't even have time for insomnia. Doing this is to improve everyone's understanding, otherwise it is easy to go astray. Once a person goes astray, God will definitely discipline you, and another small persecution will be enough to make you suffer. May God bless everyone!