Introduction

Good day, everyone. Let us turn to Acts chapter 19. This chapter narrates the Apostle Paul's initial ministry, with no mention of Peter. We are left to wonder what Peter was occupied with. To say that the theme of this chapter is the great spread and triumph of the Lord's word would be somewhat inaccurate. A more fitting theme would be that everyone heard the Lord's word, as Luke, in writing this chapter of Acts, intended to illustrate this very theme through the events recorded, encompassing both Jews and Greeks. Now, let us delve into the details piece by piece.

Receiving the Holy Spirit as a Key Component of the Lord's Word

And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus and found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” (Acts 19:1-2)

Apollos had a profound impact on later generations. The Bible does not record whether he was baptized in the name of Jesus to receive the Holy Spirit, but he frequently spoke of John’s baptism of repentance. A characteristic of Apollos was his eloquence. The Book of Luke mentions that Apollos emphasized the baptism of repentance in Corinth. We have also encountered many who speak eloquently without having been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Though they may expound the Bible articulately, they do not convey the Lord's word, because they lack the Holy Spirit, or being filled with the Holy Spirit, or being baptized in the Holy Spirit, which is a key component of the Lord's word.

Upon arriving in Ephesus, Paul encountered some disciples who, like Apollos, only knew of John’s baptism. The reason for Luke's writing in this manner remains unknown. Moreover, Luke did not investigate whether these individuals were related to Apollos. Nevertheless, the church in Corinth was indeed divided into factions of Paul, Apollos, and Peter due to the visits of Apollos and the Apostle Peter. These records may not be as significant to us now, as we have long understood them. However, previously, people were greatly puzzled, assuming that repentance and belief in Jesus were sufficient, which is not entirely the case. When Paul encountered these disciples, he asked if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed, which is precisely what he inquired.

If you are new to a Chinese Mingding Destiny church, you will find that we also ask whether you have received the Holy Spirit when you believed. Many have omitted this key component, which is inappropriate. Whether one has received the Holy Spirit is crucial, leading to questions about how to receive the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and so forth. Although the Bible does not provide detailed accounts, it does record the Apostle Paul asking this question.

And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:3-7)

Here, it is mentioned that everyone should hear the Lord’s word, but what does the Lord’s word entail? It is not merely repentance, belief in Jesus, and baptism in Jesus’ name, but also a crucial component: receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, which is praying in tongues. The reason this matter is so important, first and foremost, is that it is not Paul's invention, but Jesus’ invention.

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:4-8)

I am reiterating these words because some are new to my Bible study and may not know the context. For the brothers and sisters in our church, this is basic knowledge, but it is also for those who come later.

The reason Paul asked whether they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed is because it is a crucial component of our faith, related to one’s ability to have power. If you desire power and signs and wonders to accompany you, then praying in tongues and being filled with the Holy Spirit are essential. If one merely repents and is baptized in the name of Jesus, the Lord's word is incomplete. By this standard, many churches fall short, as they have omitted this key component. This not only deviates from Paul's teaching but also from the teachings of Jesus Christ.

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon them, and they spoke in tongues. Christians in that place engaged in praying in tongues. As for how to pray in tongues, there is no specific record. Throughout the entire Bible, there is no clear instruction on how to pray in tongues. Later, I discovered that praying in tongues is an exercise of faith. It is difficult for someone without faith to pray in tongues. They cannot open their mouths, fearing that an evil spirit will invade, which is a great insult to God. Does our God not have control over such matters?

Apollos and Paul never collaborated, so we do not believe in Apollos’ system, but in the logical system passed down by the Apostle Paul. Praying in tongues is, in essence, an exercise of faith. For example, when we pray in tongues together, do I feel anything? Does something control my mouth? No! If something controls your mouth, you must be cautious. That thing is detestable because the Spirit of God would not do that! Brothers and sisters should know that what we are discussing is summarized from the Book of Acts and is a theological system that is very much in line with the Bible.

Signs and Wonders Confirming the Word Preached

Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. (Acts 19:11-12)

The Apostle Paul prayed in tongues more than all of you. Although praying in tongues is a small gift, it is a significant one. Where do these signs and wonders come from? The Apostle Paul believed in the gospel of receiving the Holy Spirit. What does the Lord’s word say? When the Holy Spirit has come upon us, we shall receive power and be witnesses to Him in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Signs and wonders are evidence that those who believe will be accompanied by signs and wonders.

Signs and wonders come from the descent and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Some do not believe in being filled with the Holy Spirit, only in repentance. They believe that as long as one believes in Jesus, they will go to heaven after death. I find that way of viewing things to be a little off, because people have neither the ability nor the means to do anything. One pastor believed in Apollos’ logic. When he argued that Jesus is the Lord, he was also eloquent and articulate.

Once, after a meeting, I drove him home. On the way, he told me that he had chest pain and asked if I could pray for him. After I prayed for him, his chest pain subsided. However, when he returned to his church, he said that my doctrine of signs and wonders was not orthodox. I, on the other hand, felt that what he believed was not in line with the Word. The crux of the matter lies in which aligns more with the teachings of the Bible.

Healing the sick and casting out demons are indispensable components of the Chinese Mingding Destiny system. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, praying in tongues, healing the sick, and casting out demons are the gospel we believe in. With such a powerful gospel, no matter what circumstances we encounter or where we go, signs and wonders will accompany us. This is because we are doing what the Lord Jesus did. Therefore, I often ask this question: If the Apostle Paul were faced with such a situation, what would he do? If Paul cast out the demon, then we will do the same. If Jesus Christ were faced with this situation and cast out the demon, we would do the same. Although we may not do it perfectly, we will become more and more like Jesus and Paul one day.

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call on the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? (Acts 19:13-15)

The reason for this is straightforward: these individuals lack power. To what extent they believe, we do not know. However, if they did not believe, they would not have said, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches,” to command the evil spirit to come out. Logically, they had some faith. Therefore, it is a matter of not knowing God, which is related to not being filled with the Holy Spirit, as mentioned earlier. The Old Testament rarely mentions being filled with the Holy Spirit, although it is not entirely absent. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost occurred only after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, the demon recognizes Paul and recognizes Jesus. The only problem is if they do not recognise our brothers and sisters. Just as the scripture says, the demon recognizes Jesus, and also recognises Paul, but who are you? That would be troublesome. What is it related to? It is closely related to being filled with the Holy Spirit and praying in tongues. I encourage you all to pray in tongues abundantly. Someone like me, wherever I go, the demon must recognise me. Some time ago, I was serving a ninety-year-old person with dementia. As soon as the demon in the old man came up, he wanted to hit me. I said, You are quite capable! Do you want to challenge me? As a result, I ministered for a while and then left, because the family did not really believe. So, let it be.

Therefore, I want to tell everyone that whether the demon recognizes you is crucial. If you do not dare to cast out demons, the demon will certainly know. If you can cast out demons in the name of Jesus, the demon will certainly also fear you. Firstly, you must have the Word of God. We believe in this manner, and then signs and wonders will confirm the Word we preach. If the Word we preach cannot even cast out demons, what else can it cast out? Apart from being cast out by demons, what else can be done? This is the Word preached by the Apostle Paul, and it is also the Word of Jesus Christ. Therefore, from any angle, it can be demonstrated that Jesus is a demon-casting Jesus, Paul is a demon-casting Paul, and the Lord's Word is certainly a demon-casting Word!

Paul Shared Daily So That Jews and Greeks Would Hear the Lord's Word

In order for people to hear the Lord’s word and see the Lord’s word, one must know what the Lord’s word is, and have signs and wonders accompanying it to confirm it.

And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of that Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19:8-10)

When I read this passage, I noticed that the word reasoning was used twice. Upon careful consideration, something seemed amiss. Reasoning and persuading for three months concerning the things of the kingdom of God suggests reasoning or debating those who did not believe, who were hardened, and who posed many difficult questions to Paul, even speaking evil of that Way before the multitude. What is there to speak evil of in this Way? Receiving the Holy Spirit and gaining power is not wrong; performing miracles, healing the sick, and casting out demons is not wrong; solving people's problems, letting the captives be released, and the oppressed go free is not wrong at all.

Yet, people simply do not believe. Therefore, Paul worked diligently to persuade these individuals. It was not actually an argument with people, but rather answering some tricky and eccentric questions they raised. Paul's message was reasonable, and there were facts and God's Word to corroborate it. However, those individuals were hardened in their hearts, and since they could not win the argument with Paul, they turned to slandering God's Word. So Paul departed from them. However, Paul did not continue to argue with them but separated the disciples from them.

We must stand in Paul's shoes and not be confused by these words. Do not argue, for arguing is of no use. Those who believe, believe; those who do not, let it be. Let those with hardened hearts suffer if they wish; no one can persuade them. Believing is believing, and not believing is not believing; arguing cannot increase one's faith. Debating this every day in the school of Tyrannus—I do not understand Greek or Hebrew, but I understand English a bit, so I found the English version of the Bible, which uses discuss, not debate, but discuss.

This went on for two years, so that all residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19:10)

Paul let them hear the word of the Lord, not to compete or set up a ring. Hearing the word of the Lord means discussing and learning the word of the Lord daily. In those days, there was no New Testament Bible, only the Old Testament for reference. But the Old Testament also spoke of Jesus, plus miracles confirming the preached word.

At that time, these people heard the word of the Lord in that place and saw the miracles Paul performed. They burned the books of sorcery, witchcraft, or divination in front of Paul because they knew that sorcery could not solve these problems. Those books were worth 50,000 pieces of silver. If the inflation rate of 3% is calculated according to that era, it is now worth hundreds of millions.

Sharing daily, so that Jews and Greeks can hear the word of the Lord, is Paul’s consistent practice. In fact, Paul has high expectations for the Jews and hopes that his own people and family, the Jews, can also receive the word of the Lord. The school of Tyrannus should be an academic discussion venue at that time, said to be established by Tyrannus. They are famous professors or scholars and can also accept students for teaching.

The school of Tyrannus was run by a Greek who had little relationship with Jesus Christ but opened it to Paul to preach Jesus Christ. As a result, he persisted for two years, discussing the word of God in the school of Tyrannus every day. The theme of letting everyone hear the word of the Lord runs through this chapter. Paul wants everyone to hear the word of the Lord, see the word of the Lord, and see the glory of God.

Let people in Jerusalem and Rome also hear the word of the Lord

Why did Paul go to Jerusalem? Because he hoped that his own people, the Jews, could also believe in the way of the Lord Jesus. But people are very interesting; they do not believe what they see!

So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” (Acts 19:20-21)

At this time, Paul wrote the Book of Romans, in which he made a clear discussion and summary of the word of God. In the Book of Romans , he talked about the Jews, the law, and the covenant that Abraham made with God. Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem to preach the gospel to the Jews; he also wanted to go to Rome to preach to the Romans, that is, to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, which is what God calls us to do.

Do we have the ambition to spread this gospel to the ends of the earth? The word of the Lord is so magical! When we put the recording on the website, people click in and pray along, and many people are released. What a grace this is! Paul caused the people of Jerusalem and Rome to hear the word of the Lord. The word of the Lord carries power, can release the glory of God, and can also let people see the captives released and the oppressed set free.

If the gospel of Jesus Christ cannot set the captives free and set the oppressed free, is it still the gospel? Although there are prophets, evangelists, teachers, and apostles in the church, if they cannot set the captives free and set the oppressed free, a big question mark must be marked.

Brothers and sisters, you must know what Paul's logical system is. He owes Jews and Gentiles a gospel debt. He wants to travel all over the world, to the ends of the earth, so that people can hear the word of the Lord. This goal can be easily achieved in our generation. If the Apostle Paul could live to this day, I believe he would agree with what we are doing now. Do we also have this ambition in Paul?

Do we also have a feeling of owing many people a gospel debt? God has revealed this gospel to us, so don't hide it in quilts, pots, or pillows, or hide it underground. We must spread this beautiful salvation, the great power of God, to the ends of the earth so that everyone can hear the word of the Lord. We should also preach the gospel to the Jews. In fact, we Chinese have many things in common with the Jews.

We have received the true tradition of Jesus Christ from the Apostle Paul. God is with us, confirming the word we preach through miracles, and we must spread this gospel to the ends of the earth. I am so emotional! Because there is so much to do, but anxiety cannot solve the problem. We can only move forward step by step in a down-to-earth manner. There is always one thing in my heart that I am concerned about, that is, we still owe the people of the world a gospel debt. This is the Mingding Destiny we inherited from Paul. Until the people of this generation can hear and know that the truth transmitted by Chinese Mingding Destiny comes from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Word of the Lord Prospered Greatly

A person who preaches the pure gospel cannot but prosper, because God will surely make him very prosperous. God sits on His throne to see if there are people who seek Him and understand His will. If there is, God will surely choose this person as a treasure so that the word of the Lord will greatly prosper and triumph. This is what Paul did in that generation.

So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. (Acts 19:20)

This is so well said. To what extent will it prosper? It has affected an industrial chain.

About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.” (Acts 19:23-26)

There, every family bought shrines, and they would not haggle over the price. People would never buy a cheap shrine to save money. Demetrius made silver shrines of Artemis, and his business was very prosperous in that generation. However, the word of God was so prosperous that it affected this business because the problems that shrines could not solve were solved by Jesus Christ.

Many people were converted to Jesus Christ and burned the books of magic, including those with the logic of the god Artemis. They had realized that the problems that shrines could not solve had been solved by the word of God. In the spiritual world, only Jesus Christ can set the captives free and set the oppressed free, so it caused a sensation in the city of Ephesus. They have believed for so many years and still have a lot of affection for the god Artemis.

And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may fall into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be robbed of her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:27-28)

These people connected Artemis with the Ephesians. In fact, these people were harvested like leeks by the silversmiths, but they just haven't encountered any problems yet. People are really strange. For example, when a sister’s family member was in a taxi, the car was slightly scratched, but she fractured her bone in the car because her family worshiped many idols. I said: It’s useless to worship these idols! But she felt that if she didn't worship these idols, she might have lost her life. She was quite good at explaining it, but the problem was that she fractured her bone without the car crashing. Isn't this very strange? Her logic is the same as that of the Ephesians. The Ephesians were harvested by the silversmiths because of Demetrius's words, and they also linked it to the self-esteem of the Ephesians. This is a kind of hype, and the ignorance of people lies here.

So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. Paul wished to go in among the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. (Acts 19:29-31)

This is probably like holding a huge gathering in a large stadium. They arrested Paul's co-workers Gaius and Aristarchus and dragged them in to hold a criticism session.

And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. For you have brought these men who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. If Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this gathering.” And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly. (Acts 19:35-41)

This passage of scripture shows how prosperous the word of the Lord was at that time! There may not be many people in this generation who want to be disciples of Jesus Christ, but there are too many people who want to receive grace and freedom through Jesus Christ. I encourage everyone who has received the word of the Lord not to be afraid of being questioned, because there are miracles to confirm us. We must still rise up and continue to cast out demons and trample on the enemy of the devil.

Demons not only recognize Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul but also us. We must know that we are the Apostle Paul of this generation. We must not only imitate the Apostle Paul, but also continue to do what the Apostle Paul did not finish. Deliver the gospel to Jerusalem and Rome, and even spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, so that everyone can hear the word of the Lord and free people from the control of the devil. Then they can freely choose to trust God or trust others. This is our Mingding Destiny, this is what we must do. May God have mercy on us and be with us. May we all be able to walk in the will of God and accomplish what the Apostle Paul did not accomplish.

Our God is wonderful! In this generation, He has left some work for us to do. If all the work is done, then there is no point in us coming to this world. Recently, I have had a strong feeling that God created all things in the universe perfectly and handed them over to Adam and Eve to manage. There is still a piece of land left for Adam and Eve to manage. Similarly, there is also a piece of land left for the Apostle Paul. After many turns, it has come to this generation, and God has also handed us the unfinished work.

We don't know if we can complete it, but I hope everyone can continue to do it until Jesus Christ comes again. In this last generation, build an unprecedented church full of God's glory. Even the devil will be afraid of us. What a glorious Mingding Destiny this is! May God raise up our brothers and sisters and have the same aspirations as me in this generation to accomplish God's good will and plan for us.

May God bless everyone!