194-Who is Jesus in Your Eyes#
194-Who is Jesus in your eyes
(JP Text Group - Ren Wei Compilation)
Heavenly Father! We are willing to be completely embraced by You, and You are willing to bless us; we want to be embraced by You, focusing solely on You. Please lead this time, allowing us to set aside all our thoughts at this moment. You have prepared abundant blessings and provisions for us. Help us to fully receive Your supply here;
Let our hearts look up to You alone, longing for You; to know Jesus more and more, to understand all that You want us to receive! Especially bless every brother and sister who seeks You, so that our hearts and spirits are focused on Jesus. Heavenly Father! Thank You for supplying us with this time. We rest in Your presence, with calm and steady hearts, rather than restless hearts, receiving Your supply. As a new week begins, we desire to receive such power, and all glory be to You! In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!
Matthew 16:13-19
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father! We especially thank and praise You! Thank You for giving us a new week, allowing us to receive Your words, and let us look solely to You. Help us to know who we believe in, and let us know who Jesus Christ is; Jesus gave everything for us; we live a victorious life through You; let our thoughts turn to You, receiving supply from You. We commit the following time to the Holy Spirit, renewing our thoughts, entrusting all matters into Your hands, looking up to You. In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!
The topic of sharing is: Who is Jesus in your eyes
When you observe Jesus, it is not hard to find that He lived easily in the world. He encountered problems and difficulties, but Jesus always responded calmly. His life was relaxed and free, though He was busy, it was not chaotic, and He could always handle everything with composure.
So what I want to share is: Who is Jesus in your eyes? The degree to which you know Jesus Christ determines the level of blessing in your life. Whether in your body, in your life, in your work, or in your family, it is the same. Whether you seek physical healing, miracles, financial turnaround, or family relationship restoration, or if you are facing emotional issues or struggling with addictions, the extent of your change depends on your understanding of Jesus Christ. I am not saying that the degree of your change depends on your effort, but on your understanding of Jesus. How you view Jesus will affect how much grace you receive from Him.
In the scripture we just read, when Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
At this time, the disciples did not fully understand Jesus; they only knew that Jesus could perform miracles, heal the sick, was slow to anger, and was a gracious Lord. However, their understanding of Jesus was still unclear. The disciples answered, “Some say John the Baptist.” What is the characteristic of John the Baptist? He preached the baptism of repentance and the way of repentance and confession;
“Some say Elijah.” What did Elijah do? He was a prophet. When people mention Elijah, they might think of him as a prophet who could perform many miracles. People judged that Jesus might be Elijah because of the miracles He performed; “Others say Jeremiah.” What is the characteristic of Jeremiah? He proclaimed God’s words, and regardless of what others said, he insisted on speaking God’s words; “or one of the prophets.”
But these are all what others say. Jesus asked, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” We may hear others say who Jesus is in their eyes or hear many testimonies: who was healed, who had their family turned around, who had their finances restored, who had their family relationships repaired... We hear many testimonies, and we all want to receive all of this. We hope God enters our lives, into our daily lives, and brings change to everything. The point is not what others say Jesus is, but you need to know who Jesus is. The extent of our understanding of Jesus determines the extent to which our lives are renewed.
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” This is a very important declaration. Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Many people pay attention to the latter part of this sentence. I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church; the gates of Hades (the original text for “gates” is “door”) will not overcome it.
When Peter realized that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus said, “I will build my church on this rock.” What rock is it? It is the rock that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” All churches are built upon Jesus Christ. In other words, many people are eager to build churches, but if the church is not built upon Jesus Christ, the Son of God, it cannot withstand the devil. It will eventually be broken. However, when the church is built upon the rock of Jesus Christ, the gates of Hades cannot prevail against it, which proves that the church belongs to Jesus. Jesus has already defeated the devil, so the devil’s authority (the door) cannot overcome Jesus. Hallelujah!
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Why are they the keys of the kingdom of heaven? Did the keys of the kingdom of heaven really go to Peter? This is why some people want to elevate Peter, because the Bible says this, “Look, Jesus Himself said He would give the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter; can’t we curry favor with Peter? He holds the keys; if he doesn’t let you in at the door, how can you enter?” This is incorrect.
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” refers to giving them to the church. Think about it, if someone wants to enter the kingdom of heaven, what method must they use? They must go through the church. Listen carefully, the church is not a building, it is not a structure; the church is a group of people redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Every person holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Only when we know how to enter the kingdom of heaven can we clearly tell the world, “Only by believing in Jesus can one enter the kingdom of heaven; there is no other way.” This is the key.
When we realize that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, we also possess the keys to the kingdom of heaven. “Whatever you bind on earth” refers to binding whom on earth? Binding the forces of the devil, “will be bound in heaven.” Do not misunderstand; the person who opposes you or curses you is not the real person; there is a force behind them: the devil. We need to bind the evil forces behind them in the name of Jesus Christ. This is what “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” means; the gates of Hades cannot prevail against the church.
“Whatever you release on earth will be released in heaven.” This refers to the release of souls, the release from sickness, the release from pain... Who holds these releases? The church holds them. In other words, shouldn’t you know what kind of authority you possess? Shouldn’t you know that you hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven? The devil’s authority (the gates of Hades) cannot prevail against the children of God. The degree of understanding of Jesus is crucial.
Today I want to tell you through the Bible how to expand your capacity to receive. We all hope to receive more grace from Jesus in the new year. How can we achieve that? First, you need to expand your personal capacity to receive. If your understanding of Jesus is very narrow, you won’t be able to receive much. You need to receive more through your understanding of Jesus.
Mark 6:1-6
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.
In Mark chapter 6, Jesus came to His hometown, which is Nazareth, and the disciples followed Him. When the Sabbath came, please listen carefully: Why was it on the Sabbath? Because Jesus was born under the law, and He had to preach to the Jews, which must be done on the Sabbath. “When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were amazed.” Brothers and sisters, we are not teaching things that people have never heard before; we are teaching the truth to others, to introduce Jesus to others, to tell them who Jesus is.
When many heard, they were amazed, “Where did this man get these things?” What did Jesus know? Jesus was teaching the gospel of the kingdom in the synagogue. Why couldn’t this group of people receive it? “What’s this wisdom that has been given him?” They thought what Jesus said was very reasonable, “What are these remarkable miracles he is performing?” They also saw that Jesus performed many miracles. However, not everyone who could see Jesus and hear Jesus and witness His miracles could accept Him; that is a different matter.
However, they said, “Isn’t this the carpenter?” The clash of thoughts began here: on one hand, they saw a different Jesus, on the other hand, they thought, “I know you too well; aren’t you just that carpenter?” We do not know when Jesus’ father Joseph passed away, but in any case, He became the man of the family, providing for all the family’s needs. So He took over His father’s trade and became a carpenter, a profession looked down upon at that time. “Isn’t this the carpenter?” This proves that the people of Nazareth knew Jesus since childhood; many may have even asked Jesus to make stools for them. So these people said, “Isn’t he the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?”
You see, on one hand, He could perform many miracles and preach many truths we have never heard before; on the other hand, they thought, “I know your parents. I knew you when you were a child; I even know your brothers and sisters...” It is precisely because of this that their understanding limited their ability to receive God’s grace.
In verse 5, Jesus could not perform any miracles there.
Brothers and sisters, why couldn’t Jesus perform any miracles there? Was it because Jesus lacked power? We can pray for people, but if that person refuses, is there any effect? No. This is the principle of praying for others; if they say, “I don’t know your God,” but if they say, “I am willing,” then it is fine. There is also a case where someone says, “One day, I saw a person on the street who was very pitiful, and I blessed him, and his sickness was immediately healed.” How do we explain that?
In fact, God encourages our own faith. God does not look at how that person is; God uses this situation to help us know Jesus. But if we want to pray for someone, and that person refuses, praying forcefully is ineffective because they do not accept it. Therefore, “Jesus could not perform any miracles there” does not mean Jesus lacked power, but the people there limited God’s ability with their own eyes.
I believe that once this issue is resolved, many people’s prayers will change. Three years ago, we spent a year specifically talking about prayer. We prayed for something, saying, “Lord, please accomplish things for us! Just accomplish it in this way; if I see this way, I will know it is You who accomplished it; I don’t believe in other ways.” Is this way correct? It is both correct and incorrect.
If you pray this way, you may limit the better blessings God wants to give you. If God sees that this thing is not good for you, at that time, if God wants to give you something better, He cannot give you this. We often ask why many of our prayers are not answered. If you think back carefully, it is simply that God did not accomplish it in the way we wanted. But God accomplished it in the best way for us. You must remember that the Heavenly Father loves you the most; perhaps He does not accomplish it in the way we want, but He will definitely give us the best. We just fear that you do not believe Him. If we say, “Lord, I do not believe You will accomplish it for me,” then God cannot do anything in this matter. Do you understand?
Although Jesus is wise and can perform miracles, if they refuse, Jesus cannot do anything. So first, we need to expand our capacity to receive. How do we understand our faith in God? Many people say, “I believe in Jesus,” but can you believe in Him in this matter? Yesterday, I heard a pastor’s sermon that instantly opened my mind. Do you know why we cannot believe? It is because we are too smart; we think we are smarter than God.
Not long ago, I watched a movie called "Hacksaw Ridge." Whatever the commander orders, the soldiers must obey; they must listen. In the Bible, God also hopes that we will obey Him in everything. Is God’s will correct? Of course, it is correct. I am here to tell you what faith is.
In the army, if a commander tells a soldier to move forward, and the soldier says, “I won’t go; there is a river ahead.” Are you very smart? Does your commander know about this? But he says, “Keep moving forward.” The soldier says, “No, there is a river ahead!” Do you know what the outcome is? If it is on the battlefield, the soldier who disobeys orders may be shot at any time because he has that authority. We might say, “Wow, are you asking me to follow him blindly? To obey him blindly?”
But in reality, this is the level of trust you have in your commander. Those who have been in the army know how much you trust your comrades; you entrust your life to them. I am just using this way to tell you what true faith in God is. For example, in the army, if the commander suddenly issues the command “Get down,” the soldiers will immediately lie down without hesitation because the soldier’s vision is limited. When the commander issues such a command, he must have discovered an enemy sniper ahead. The soldier did not see the danger, but the commander has seen it. The soldier should not think; he should obey immediately to be blessed.
God has written His words in the Bible, telling us to believe in Him and execute it. If you say, “No, not according to my reason; why is this so? This is contrary to reason; my reasoning does not make sense,” I’m sorry, you are destined to fail. The reason is that God’s vision is better than any commander’s vision in the world. The question is whether you can believe in this God. If you truly realize that Jesus is the King of the universe, then His words to you must be correct. What needs to be corrected is ourselves, not God’s words.
When accepting Jesus, first believe that the Bible is without error, and God’s words will not lead us to death. What we need to do is renew our thoughts and accept God’s words, and we will be blessed; otherwise, we will suffer ourselves. Jesus could not perform miracles in Nazareth; who suffers? Not Jesus. For Jesus, if this city does not accept Him, He can go to another city. We must know who Jesus is, who we believe in, and what kind of God He is.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
In the first chapter of Genesis, the word “Yahweh” does not appear; it is all “God said... what appeared afterward,” “God said... what appeared afterward.” The term “Yahweh” starts appearing from the second chapter, “Yahweh God.” What is the difference between these two?
Today, I want to share something interesting through the original text. The Chinese translation of “Yahweh” is translated from English, and the Chinese Union Version is translated from English. The English “Yahweh” should actually be called “Jehovah,” and in Hebrew, it is “Yahovah,” meaning the God who keeps the covenant. The meaning of “Yahweh” is the God who keeps the covenant. Do you remember who your God is? Yahweh! Yahweh has made a covenant with you.
Why does Genesis chapter one not mention “Yahweh”? Because man had not yet been created, so in the first chapter, “God” is referred to as “elohiym.” “Yahovah” is the covenant-keeping God. In the first chapter, there was no covenant made with man. Therefore, God created everything; did He want to make a covenant with us? No, He created everything first and then placed man in it, making a covenant with humanity.
You can say, “God is my God; His name is Yahweh, also called ‘Yahovah.’” But in the first chapter, “elohiym” is used, referring to the Creator. Many people say, “Lord... Lord...” To be precise, they are using “elohiym.” Are there many lords in the world? Do other religions also call Him Lord? But there is only one God, “Yahovah,” who is the God who makes covenants with us.
Do you know what kind of covenant God made with us? The covenant of Jesus Christ on the cross. Amen! What does such a covenant bring you? For example, when signing a contract, you should know all the contents written in the contract. Knowing that “Yahovah” God made a covenant with us means that here lies our blessing. But if we only say “elohiym,” it is just a Creator and has nothing to do with us.
In the first chapter of Genesis, the term “elohiym” is used, meaning the Creator, and it is in plural, referring to the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created the heavens and the earth. When the second chapter begins, it uses “Yahweh God,” which combines to mean “Yahovah—elohiym.” It means “God has made a covenant with me today.” So when Adam called out to God, he was referring to “the God who made a covenant with me...” The covenant God made with Adam was, “I will bless you; you will manage everything; you can eat freely from all the trees in the garden.” This was the covenant God made with Adam.
Through Jesus, God also made a covenant with us, so we need to know this God. Do not call out “Lord, Lord” emptily; know that He is the God who made a covenant with us. What is the content of the covenant? The New Testament and the Old Testament; God has written all the blessings in the Bible, which we are to inherit. The covenant God made with us is written here; who is our mediator? Jesus Christ! We do not believe in an empty Lord; “Ah! I believe in the Most High God,” shouting slogans is useless. We need to know that He is a God who has a covenant with us, so “Yahovah” is God’s name, and “elohiym” is His work. He is the Creator, and He is the God who makes covenants with us.
For example, take me as an example; a teacher is my position, but my name is not teacher; Jesus Christ, “Christ” is His position, “Jesus” is His name. So His position is Christ, the Anointed One, and His name is Jesus. His work is to save His people from sin. What does the name Jesus mean? To save us from sin. So no matter what problems we encounter, we can call on Him because He has made a covenant with us; He is here to save us. No matter how bad we are, He will not abandon us; He will definitely come to save us. This is the Jesus we believe in.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
How did the serpent change the way people receive God’s words? Let’s take a look, “The serpent said to the woman, ‘Did God...?’” What was removed? “Yahweh” is gone, leaving only “elohiym,” which is what we call Lord. “Didn’t the Lord say that you could eat from any tree in the garden?” It made you forget that God is the God who made a covenant with you. Many people also say, “Lord... Lord...” It should be accurately said “Lord Jesus.” We know the meaning of “Jesus.” Why do many people find their problems solved when they call on Jesus? Jesus Himself carries power; Jesus is the name of God, the One who saves us. No matter what we need now, Jesus can help us.
However, the serpent removed “Did God really say you must not eat?” One more thing, do you know why the serpent could only speak this way? Because he has no right to call on “Yahovah,” because God has never made a covenant with the devil. God has never made any covenant with the devil; He has only made a covenant with us. Amen! Many people think that Jesus paid the price for the devil on the cross; what does that have to do with the devil? God owes the devil nothing; we owe God only. Jesus paid what we owe God, allowing the covenant between us and God to be reactivated. Thank and praise the Lord!
Some may say, “Isn’t it too serious? Lord Jesus, Jesus, and Lord are all the same, right?” In fact, there is a difference. When we know that there is such a difference in God’s name, when we pray, we may only need to say “Jesus,” and the problem will be solved because that name already represents all the covenants you have with God.
Matthew 26:20-25
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” 23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped bread into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
During the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” Everyone would be sad and ask, “Lord, is it I?” But there was one person who was different. Look, Judas Iscariot and the eleven disciples are different. They had followed Jesus for more than three years; the other disciples all said, “Lord, is it I?” But only Judas Iscariot said, “Rabbi, is it I?” “Rabbi” means teacher, and “Lord” means the one who made a covenant with me.
Before this, Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?” Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of the living God.” When we establish our faith on this foundation, we will see a different God. If you merely think of Him as a teacher, then what He speaks is just reasoning; there are many people in the world who can articulate reasoning and can speak many truths, but they cannot bring life to people. If you think today’s teaching is just a pile of knowledge, a pile of theories, it will not bring you any change. Unless you see Jesus in the word, you will receive His life from Jesus; that is the difference.
Many people listen to the word only for knowledge, saying, “Ah! Today’s teaching is not very meaningful”; or say, “Today this pastor is singing and dancing on stage, it’s too interesting.” Such people gain nothing. The focus is not on the preacher performing on stage; the focus is on who he is introducing. If he clearly introduces Jesus, and we accept this Jesus into our hearts as our Savior and as the God who made a covenant with us, this will change our lives. You will say, “Lord! Come and change me, renew me!” and you will not say, “What he said makes sense, and that doesn’t make sense; he is just a rabbi.”
In Judas Iscariot’s heart, Jesus was just a teacher. He did not believe that Jesus could save him, and Judas Iscariot spoke out what was filled in his heart. Jesus said that what a person is filled with in their heart, they will speak out. Judas Iscariot also followed Jesus; he also witnessed Jesus perform miracles, but his understanding limited Jesus’ ability.
When he thought of Jesus as just a rabbi, he betrayed Jesus and regretted it. Here I want to ask everyone a question: Many people say “repentance” means “regret.” Did Judas regret? He regretted; he knew he sold the wrong person. He took the thirty pieces of silver to the high priest and said, “I have betrayed innocent blood; I am guilty.” Did he confess? He did, but he still died. Why? The reason is simple; he sought the wrong person! He should not have taken the thirty pieces of silver to the high priest; why not seek Jesus? If you seek the wrong person, it will lead you to a worse situation; it would be better not to seek him.
Judas indeed regretted and confessed. When he went to the high priest, the high priest said, “You bear it yourself!” and threw the money back at him. Judas must have thought, “I have sold Jesus; He has been killed; how can I bear this? How can I repay a life?” Judas could only die. The devil began to work in his heart, “If you die, you won’t have to feel guilty anymore; you won’t have to live in such pain...” As a result, Judas died.
This is the function of the law; it condemns us after we make mistakes, rather than saving us like Jesus does after we sin. Therefore, how you understand the Lord is very important. Today, when we make mistakes, do not seek the high priest; it will lead you to a worse situation. Seek Jesus. Jesus will lift us up because He is the Savior; He is the God who made a covenant with us.
Did Peter commit a sin similar to that of Judas Iscariot? Both sold Jesus; it was just a different way of selling! In God’s eyes, both committed sins, but what is the difference between them? Peter did not seek the high priest. If Peter had sought the high priest, his outcome would not have been much better. The high priest would say, “Did you know He is a heretic? He was crucified; you will die too…”
But Peter sought the Lord whom he believed was life; he knew that no matter what, he should seek Jesus. So when Jesus died and resurrected, standing on the shore, he ran towards Jesus without hesitation. Jesus lifted him up again, without rebuking Peter, saying, “You guy! You followed me for three and a half years, saw so many miracles; how can you still not remember? How can you not believe me?” Jesus lifted him up once again.
So at any time, when we come before the Lord of life, we must know that He has made a covenant with us; He said He will never leave us. When Jesus shed His blood and sacrificed on the cross for us, He is the God who will never abandon us. No matter how we are now, whether we can understand Him, He is always willing to give us time to know Him.
1 Samuel 17:45-47
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
David was a man after God’s own heart. At about seventeen years old, he had a correct understanding of God. Let’s look at 1 Samuel 17:45-47 (after reading the scripture). A seventeen-year-old boy had such an understanding of God. I do not want to discourage anyone today; I want to tell you that you need to have a correct understanding of God.
If we have the understanding that David had at that time, all the problems in our lives would not be problems. At that time, David said, “Today the Lord will deliver you into my hands.” The Philistines also had gods, but David used the name of “Yahweh,” the one who made a covenant with me, the God who created the universe. Just think, when you mention God’s name this way, you immediately have faith.
“The God who created the universe, the God who made a covenant with me” means what? He stands on my side. I am not fighting you with anything else; I am fighting you with the God who created the universe, using His power to fight you. His name is Yahweh; He will deliver you into my hands.” David knew that it was not by my strength that I would defeat you, but by God’s power. Amen!
“Let all the world know that there is a God in Israel.” Here, “elohiym” is used, meaning the Creator. Before David came, the Israelite army and the Philistines had faced each other for forty days. The people of Israel were very afraid; they were afraid to the extent that they did not know what their God could do.
Many believers, when encountering problems, become fearful, discouraged, and hopeless. What is the reason? They forget who their God is; they forget that the God who made a covenant with them is with them; they forget how great God’s power is, so they become afraid. David knew this, saying, “I will defeat you today; I will defeat you in the name of my God. I want the whole world to know that our nation has a God; our God is the Creator.” Thank and praise the Lord!
When David mentioned Yahweh, he referred to the God who made a covenant with me. Do you know that you can overcome life? Because Jesus has made a covenant with us; do you know why we can often be victorious in life? Because God is our victor; do you know why we are blessed this year? Because God has already bestowed blessings and made a covenant with us. We must always connect the Bible with ourselves; we must always connect Jesus with ourselves. God is the God who has made a covenant with us; He is the God who has signed a contract with us. Do not always feel that the Lord seems far away; He is in our hearts. He is responsible for all our daily needs and everything.
“Let all the world know that there is a God in Israel; and let this multitude know that Yahweh saves, not by sword or spear, for the battle belongs to Yahweh.”
Who does the victory in battle depend on? Yahweh! David’s wording is very precise; he called out the name of the Lord, “Yahweh,” the God who made a covenant with me. I suggest that everyone often say the name “Jesus Christ” in life; do not replace it with “Lord,” because when we call on Jesus, it represents that He will save us from sin. He becomes the God who acts, who is with us all the time. David knew the difference between these two.
Recently, I have heard some sermons from some people; a very good passage of scripture was made a mess of. They said, “Why did Saul fail? Why did David succeed? Because Saul did not have the anointing, and David succeeded because he had the anointing.” What does this have to do with the anointing? David succeeded because he could correctly understand our God. If we connect with the anointing and the gifts, then everyone should pursue the gifts; where does Jesus go? All gifts come from the Holy Spirit, and all come from God’s words. We need to correctly understand God’s words, and various gifts, abilities, and anointings will arise. Correctly understanding God’s words and correctly understanding our God is crucial.
What I want to tell everyone is: Jesus is our Lord; we can call Him “Lord Jesus.” Jesus is His name, and He is here to save us from sin; Christ is His position; He is the anointed one. And we can be called “Christians,” which proves that we are also people with God’s power. This is a covenant, a covenant between us and God, where Jesus serves as our mediator, connecting us with the Heavenly Father. This relationship is forever tightly bound together.
How well does Jesus understand the Heavenly Father? Jesus fully understands the Heavenly Father. We also need to have a correct understanding of God. Some people think He is my friend; some say He is my Heavenly Father; these are all correct. During His three years of ministry, Jesus almost always prayed, calling out “Father...” Only once on the cross did He say, “My God, my God...” At that moment, He bore the sins of all of us, and He could not call Him Father. This proves that Jesus’ understanding of the Heavenly Father is correct.
We also need to have a correct understanding of God. We can say He is Jesus Christ, He is my Heavenly Father, He is my friend, He is my teacher, He is my Savior... The most important thing is that we must know He is the God who made a covenant with us; He is the God who has a relationship with us. He is not a distant God, making us worship Him like beggars every day, giving us a little grace; it is not like that. He is a God who is willing to love us, who is willing to renew us, who is willing to give us the best. He does not force us to accept all of Him; the more we know, the more He gives us. Therefore, we should know Him more through reading the Bible.
Galatians 4:1-6
1 What I mean is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
At the moment we accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts; He is our Heavenly Father. Today I also tell you that we are heirs; the Heavenly Father is willing to give us all His blessings, power, and authority, just as Jesus said to Peter, “I will build my church on this rock; the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” We have already received authority. Today, God not only gives us such authority but also makes us heirs, people who inherit.
God is more willing for us to grow up; He does not want us to remain as children. Children cannot bear His greater blessings. Today, God has redeemed us from under the law, allowing us to receive the status of sons; we are sons, and we can call out “Abba Father.” No matter what happens this year, we should call on the Heavenly Father, pray to Him; He is the God who has a relationship with us. This relationship is like that of a loving father and son. No matter what, we are His sons; He is willing to change us, and He is willing to give us all that He has.
The Lord who created the heavens and the earth is our Father; Jesus is our best friend, our best partner; He is also our bridegroom. When we understand all this, we can pray to Him in everything through the Holy Spirit. He is our faithful helper; He is our guide. He guides us not into pain but into abundance.
As the meeting comes to an end, I encourage everyone to pray to Him together. Perhaps in the past, when we prayed, we said, “Lord! Lord!” But from now on, we can call Him “Daddy.” I suggest that everyone pray to Him using the title “Daddy.” When we open our mouths, He can hear us.
At this moment, He can give us comfort; we are the ones He loves, the ones who inherit His inheritance. He does not care what we are like now because He knows everything about us; He knows what we need. As long as we are willing to open our mouths and treat Him as our Father, He will come to help us. There is no need to hide anything before Him; we can entrust everything to Him, hand over our burdens to Him, give our worries and pressures to Him, and He will grant us His rest now. Hallelujah!
He knows everything about us. Do not worry about the road ahead; He will not let us walk alone. He is with us; He knows our weaknesses, and He can make us strong again. This Lord loves us very much; the Heavenly Father loves us, so He sent His only beloved Son into this world, not to condemn us, but to save us through Him. Not only does He save our lives, but in our daily lives, He is also willing to let everything be abundant. He does not want us to live a life of curse, poverty, and bondage like Adam; He wants to come and release us.
Open our hearts to receive His words, receive His promises, and do not hide ourselves anymore. We are not before the world; we are before a loving Father. We can tell Him everything. Right now! He can grant us comfort. Abba! I am willing to give You everything; we know You will listen to what we say. Abba! We know You will not abandon us; You are listening to the prayers of every brother and sister, knowing their inner needs, and You are comforting them.
Abba! I know You will not abandon me. I was originally a person with problems, but You still love me. I do not know the road ahead; I am very worried, but You know everything. I am willing to entrust everything into Your hands. I will no longer worry; I will no longer be anxious. Please help me, renew me, and let me not live by my own will but solely believe in You. Place a renewed heart within me, let me know You more, and let me know You are my loving Father.
Heavenly Father! Thank You and praise You! Thank You for loving me like this! Thank You for not abandoning me! Although I will still make mistakes, although many times I do not understand Your will and may complain about You, I know You will not abandon me. You are the God who made a covenant with me; You are the Lord who created the heavens and the earth. Jesus is my helper; You have placed the Holy Spirit in my heart to remind me—I am loved by You in Christ; I am righteous; I am the one who is pleasing to God. Not because of my good behavior, but because You love me.
In the new year, I am willing to express my gratitude to You. I am willing to try to believe in You in everything, to add Your blessings to my life, and to live a victorious life. I know You are my Lord; You are the Lord who loves me, who will never abandon me; You are my Father.
Lord! I am willing to speak to You as I would to my father. I know You will listen and accomplish things for me in the best way. From this moment on, I am willing to give everything to You. I thank You for this; thank You for loving me like this. Thank You for starting a new week. I will live with this love and strength. I believe Jesus is always with me; You are the Lord who is with me. You are my helper, my provider. I will no longer fear the journey ahead; You have prepared everything for me, and I will live by Your power. Thank and praise the Lord; all glory be to You. In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!