254-It's All Jesus, Not Me#
254-It's All Jesus, Not Me
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Life of Eagles)
The topic we are sharing is: It's All Jesus, Not Me
Let's read the Bible together, Luke 22:24-34
24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
28 You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” 31 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You, thank You for preparing such a wonderful time for us to worship and praise You together. Today, may Your words renew my thoughts and intentions once again, allowing me to look solely to You, solely to the grace of Jesus Christ, and to the supply of grace from the Heavenly Father.
Please help me, let everything within me turn towards You. I am willing to repent before You, to be renewed by Your words. During this time, Holy Spirit, please help me. Thank You, praise You, in the name of our Lord Jesus, Amen!
Our topic: It's All Jesus, Not Me. This is the secret to living like Jesus after we believe in Him. Do you know what the secret is? It’s a very simple way to achieve what you cannot do. It is not obtained through effort; it is a very simple way. I also believe that many people, after believing in Jesus, especially hope to experience a victorious life. All who believe in Jesus do not do so to commit sins, but hope to live in this world like Jesus, hoping to overcome in all things like Jesus. How can we be like Jesus?
Jesus said very clearly, “The works that I do, you will also do.”
He has given us His authority and power, but the problem is that many people do not live out the likeness of Jesus. What is the difference? Is our spirit the same as Jesus? The spirit within us is the same spirit as Jesus, which proves that the power already exists within you. What exactly diminishes it? Overcoming in all things is what every Christian desires to pursue. We expect to live out such a pattern, but many people do not live it out because there are too many earthly thoughts that replace God's words.
Some may believe halfway. What does halfway mean? Half believe in God's words, while the other half relies on themselves. Some think they rely on Jesus 80% and 20% on themselves. Others think they rely on Jesus 90%, and when they encounter things they cannot solve, they can rely on Him for both big and small matters, but for things they can handle, they do it themselves. This is actually a 90% and 10% issue. Why? Because a person's thoughts have not completely let go. Do you know why Jesus could live out the likeness of the Father while He was on earth?
Jesus said very clearly, “I do all things according to what the Father has instructed me.” He did everything not according to His own thoughts, but according to the will of the Father, including His prayer before going to the cross. You will find that He had His own thoughts, right? Jesus was not afraid of death; He was afraid of being separated from the Father. That is why He said, “Father, if it is possible…”
Isn't there a slightly different thought here? Before, Jesus did what the Father said, but before going to the cross, He said, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…” He was referring to the separation from the Father on the cross. Did He separate from the Father? He asked for this, but immediately after, what did Jesus say?
“Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”
He still chose complete obedience. Jesus was the one who lived out the Father's words 100% in the form of a man in this world. If you want to live a life like Jesus in this world, you must learn to entrust everything to our Father in all things. The more you entrust, the less your part becomes, and the more victory you live out. It is actually very simple: without you, it is all Jesus, 100% Jesus, 0% you. Amen!
Some may have rarely heard of 0%, but I want to tell you: in the spiritual realm, when you truly achieve 0% of you and 100% of Jesus, you can indeed live like Jesus in this world, whether in your life, work, or interpersonal relationships.
Let us share the first point: When self-inflation occurs, problems continuously arise.
When problems arise, the devil has space to attack. When Jesus told His disciples that He would die for them, this was during the Last Supper when Jesus said, “I will die for you. You eat this bread and drink this cup, and after I leave you, you will do this often in remembrance of all that I have done for you.”
Did the disciples take the words of a dying man seriously? Immediately after Jesus finished speaking, in verses 23-24, the disciples began to argue, arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. They were not trying to sit equally with Jesus; they were weighing who could sit in the highest position besides their Master.
Jesus said, “In the future, my kingdom will be like this, and when you sit on that throne to judge the twelve tribes…” They said, “Wait a minute, Jesus, you go aside for now; let us discuss which position I will stand in to judge the twelve tribes.” Was Jesus directing their focus to this matter? Jesus wanted them to focus on the bread and the cup, to think about what it would bring them, to reflect on all that Jesus had done for them, so that they could overcome in all things. They cast aside the most important part and began to argue.
So verses 24-26 say,
24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
Isn't this Jesus's standard? Many times we have our priorities reversed. They began to argue about this, and Jesus said, “Alright, alright, first don't argue about who is the greatest. Let me tell you what the greatest is doing.” Is Jesus once again shifting the disciples' focus back to Himself? Among this group, who is the greatest? Of course, Jesus is the greatest. What does Jesus mean?
“Since you are arguing about who is the greatest, let me tell you that the high position in our kingdom is different from that of the world. In the world, the higher the position, the more you must call him benefactor and consider yourself a servant, but in the kingdom, it is not like that. What is the kingdom like? Whoever wants to be the greatest must become a servant, and whoever wants to be the head must become the youngest.
The kingdom is exactly the opposite. If you want to be great, serve more, serve everyone like a servant!” Is Jesus talking about Himself? For the past three years, what I have done for you, do you not understand why I died for you, why I let you eat this bread? Why argue about greatness? If you truly want to be great, then live like me!
Verse 28 says, “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials.”
If you believe in me, I will give you my kingdom, just as my Father has given me. Jesus used a very easy-to-understand way, which is the father-son relationship. Just as the Father has treated Jesus with grace, Jesus said, “Today I will also give you this way, so that you may live in this world like me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes.”
Are these things something that can be realized in the future in the kingdom? In the future, the kingdom should be just the opposite of the earth; in the kingdom, those in high positions are serving, and the greatest position is still serving. In the church, we should learn this because the church is a model of the future kingdom. All the families that believe in Jesus today should be like this. If you want to be the head of the family, how do you do it? Serve those little ones! What about in the church? Who wants to be great? Who wants to be the head?
You must first learn to serve everyone. Isn’t it the same in small groups? If you want to be a small group leader, you can, but first learn to serve everyone, rather than like the Gentiles, “Once I am in power, I will command you to do this and that… I will not do anything, but let you do it.” Jesus does not want us to do this. At this moment, are the disciples thinking this way? When the disciples heard Jesus talk about the thrones in the kingdom, they thought, “Wow, this is amazing! I need to think about which position I will sit in.” Jesus had already told the disciples, “I will die for you; you must remember all that I have done for you.”
Luke 22:16, “For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus said, “I am leaving; you stay here. You eat this bread, and through this bread, remember me until we meet again in the kingdom of God. At that time, we will drink new wine again.” As a result, the disciples thought about the matters in the kingdom of God, who would be in power, who would be in the highest position, and they completely forgot about the rest. They only thought, “After we get to the kingdom, what position will I sit in?” At this time, Peter was probably the most excited one. Why?
What did Jesus say next? “Simon! Simon! Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” Why didn’t He mention the other disciples? Perhaps Simon was the oldest and thought, “Don’t argue with me; I tell you, my qualifications are much older than yours. I have been following Jesus the longest; He found me first. I have left my family and business to follow Jesus; what qualifications do you have!”
At this moment, Peter may have had the advantage in words, so Jesus said, “Simon! Simon!” Was He pointing at Peter? “Don’t do this; you are already self-inflated.” The disciples' focus had returned to themselves. When they knew Jesus was the Son of God, they all had selfish thoughts, including Simon, James, and Peter… they all had selfish thoughts. Now Jesus was speaking to Peter, but let’s look at the other two.
Let’s look at a passage, Matthew 20:20-23,
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
Let’s see the difference between “self” and “the grace of Jesus.” The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to worship Jesus with her two sons, John and James. What was their purpose? “Jesus, I ask you for one thing; you must let my two sons sit beside you, one on your left and one on your right.” What about the other disciples?
Was this mother being pious, specifically seeking Jesus? “Oh, Jesus, just let my two sons sit beside you.” What did she mean? Why could this mother ask Jesus for this? The words behind were not spoken, “My two sons are very obedient; whatever you ask them to do, they can do it!” This was not said, right? Jesus asked her, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” How did they respond? “We are able.”
What does this mean? “Jesus, as long as you let me sit beside you, I can do whatever you ask me to do!” It is somewhat like what we talked about before with the Israelites, relying on their own efforts. Jesus immediately denied all of this, saying, “You will drink my cup. But to sit at my right and left is not based on human actions; it is based on God's grace, and He gives it to whoever He prepares it for.” Now do you understand?
Brothers and sisters, grace is given freely by God. Even so, after we read the entire New Testament, we know that James was the first martyr, and John was the last to die. It was indeed one on the left and one on the right, but not in the kingdom. What you ask of God, He will accomplish according to what is most beneficial for you, so do not worry about asking incorrectly; just ask Jesus. You will find that the disciples were all planning for themselves, which is why the devil had the opportunity to attack! You will see that it was all “self” at work.
Now, let’s look at a passage, 1 Peter 5:7-9,
7 Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
You must cast all your anxieties on God because He cares for you. When we hold anxieties in our hearts, generally speaking, self begins to take effect. If you have anxieties in your heart, what will you think about? Most people will think negatively because of anxiety! So what should you do when you encounter anxiety? Cast it on God. What does it mean to cast it on God? If I am holding something and I really cannot hold it anymore, I put it down and let God take it. When you let go, you will immediately feel relaxed. Whether you have let go or not, you can see if you feel relaxed or enjoy His rest. You say, “I let it go, but I still can’t sleep!” That means you haven’t fully let go; perhaps you only let go of 50%. You need to learn to let go of 100%. Letting go does not mean you do not care about anything and go to sleep; it means you completely look to God's grace and fully rely on His supply.
Be sober-minded and watchful; this is what Jesus has already taught us. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. The ones who cannot be devoured are those who cast their anxieties on God and are vigilant before the Lord. The devil cannot devour such people; they already have a firm faith to resist him.
Such people have a characteristic: their gaze is always on Jesus. In this situation, how can the devil devour them? Many times, we fall into the devil's trap and feel condemned when the devil says, “Look at you; your performance has been too poor lately. You lied, you cursed, your behavior is bad. With someone like you, how can you expect God to give you anything? It’s impossible!” If you fall for this, you will say, “Yes, my performance has indeed been poor lately! God must not love me; He won’t listen to my prayers.”
Have you fallen for it?
If the devil says this to you, but you are someone who understands God's grace, you will say, “Yes, you are right; I have indeed been weak lately, and I truly have no strength. But despite that, my Lord still listens to my prayers.” That is called firm faith.
Firm faith does not mean that when the devil roars, you roar louder than he does; even in your weakest moments, you should believe: My Lord is willing to give me grace; He is willing to love me, not based on my actions. I do not climb up to the position of Jesus' throne based on my actions. It is given by God. What does “given” mean? It means freely given, unrelated to your actions. Therefore, you must resist the devil with such firm faith; do not fall for his tricks, and do not be deceived.
Because you know that your brothers throughout the world are experiencing the same kinds of suffering. When suffering comes, what is the simplest way to overcome it? Believe that God is willing to give you grace. Some say, “Isn't it bad to rely on myself? Why should I be all Jesus and not me? If you say there is no ‘me,’ what meaning is there in living in this world?” The world always wants to express “me,” but Jesus says, “You should not live; you have already died. Now it is I who live in you.” Can we not have our own thoughts? Having your own thoughts is certainly good, but can you be sure that your thoughts are always correct and will achieve the results you want? Can you? Those who do not believe in the Lord all have their own thoughts and dreams, but can everything happen as they wish? No. But there is one who can: who? Jesus. While Jesus was in this world, all His thoughts were the Father's thoughts, right? All His thoughts were fulfilled, weren’t they?
If you live out the likeness of Jesus in this world, you can overcome in all things. This is the reason we must give up “me,” so that you can be like Jesus and overcome in all things. If you fully believe in Jesus, if it is all Jesus, and your heart is filled with the grace of Jesus Christ, then you will be full of His power. If a person is full of “me, me, me,” he is very likely to fall. We need to find references for this in the Bible. First, we know there is a passage in the Old Testament that describes the fallen one.
Let’s take a look at Ezekiel 28:11-17,
11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. … 17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.’
Some say this passage describes the fall of the devil, which is correct. But let’s think, in this world, it is not only the devil who falls like this; humans also fall due to pride. Look at how God treated those who served Him.
“Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre.” Do you know the cities of Tyre and Sidon? They were originally prosperous port cities, a grace given by God, but in the end, they became proud and did not recognize God. Finally, God said, “Alright, you will be completely blown away by the wind, and in the end, nothing will remain. Your city will become a place for fishermen to dry their nets.” In the end, it really happened; the city was not built. So He said to Ezekiel, “You must lament over the king of Tyre.” Of course, here it refers to the king of Tyre but also to those who possess God's grace yet are proud and arrogant.
Thus says the Lord God: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. In today’s terms, this is already remarkable in the world! You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering. Who can show off like this today? So far, is there anyone in the world who can wear so many precious stones? And all of this was not earned by his efforts; how did it come? It was all prepared on the day you were created; it was given by God, right? He did not realize that this was given to him by God.
You were an anointed guardian cherub. Do you know those two angels? I placed you on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. What did he see every day? Precious stones, good things like beryl, but he forgot God. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.
What does this “unrighteousness” refer to? Verse 17 has already told us: Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. Is it wrong for a person to be beautiful? Is beauty good? Ladies love beauty; beauty is not a bad thing. But when one becomes proud because of beauty, in the end, no one recognizes him, and that is where the problem lies. Therefore, we must wisely use all that God has given you.
Also, because of glory… is glory good? In the end, he corrupted his wisdom. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. You will find that they indeed became like a shining rock.
The disciples still did not understand that in the kingdom of God, the higher the position, the more service there is, and the more humble a person becomes. All his glory and everything he has received are given by God. Although Jesus is the Son of God, He washed the feet of the disciples and gave His life for sinners. Up to now, they still did not understand this point; they only thought of themselves. Because there was too much self, the devil attacked him, and he quickly fell. The one most self-righteous fell the hardest, referring to Simon Peter.
Luke 22:31-32,
31 The Lord said, “Simon! Simon! Behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Why “sift”? What is sifted out? The inferior, the bad, the weak are sifted out. If you are in the kingdom of God or in the grace of God, can the devil sift you out? No, when your “self” appears, the loopholes come out. Satan has already found a handle in Peter. Please remember: Satan is not omnipotent; he must work through certain things within people, which we call “selfish desires.”
That is why James tells us that selfish desires, when conceived, give birth to sin, and sin, when fully grown, brings forth death. Death does not appear all at once; it starts from selfish desires, and selfish desires are self-related. Now the disciples already had selfish desires. Did they all fall later? They all became weak and ran away! Do not arrogantly say before the Lord what you can do; it is God who gives you the ability to do anything.
At that time, Peter did not know that he had already given the devil a place to attack. At this moment, Jesus immediately said, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. When you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” What does Jesus mean by this? He knows the weakness of the disciples but does not condemn or strike them for it. “I know you will fall, but please remember: I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you stand up again, you must strengthen your brothers.” This proves that not only Peter fell, right? The disciples all fell.
Why did Jesus allow this to happen to Peter? Wouldn’t it be better to stop him? Wouldn’t it be good not to let Peter fall? Some people say today, “Lord, don’t let me be weak; don’t let me have those messy things; wouldn’t that be good?” When a person has self within him, he does not believe Jesus's words. I am not saying he no longer trusts Jesus; it is that in this matter, he does not believe Jesus. No matter how much you say, it will turn into a kind of justification.
It is like if a person does not recognize me, he will think everything I say is problematic because something is blocking his eyes. At this moment, Peter and the disciples were already blinded by selfish desires. When Jesus said these things, they thought, “Can we really fall? Are you joking?” Peter did not think he would fall. What did Peter say?
Let’s look at Luke 22:33. Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”
Was he sincere? So sincere that even I believed it. At that time, Peter said, “How could I possibly fall? How could I possibly abandon you? I am not that kind of person! Jesus, you know I am not that kind of person!” Why did he say this? He wanted to sit on the left or right; could he say otherwise?
Look at the people in the world; when they want to climb up, don’t they have to flatter their leaders? “I can do anything you want me to do; I can die with you.” Isn’t it also a way to fool others? At this moment, Peter was not genuinely willing to die for Jesus; he was not that kind of person. He did not know that his weakness had already given the devil an opportunity to attack.
Peter thought, “That kingdom is so good; I must go; I must sit in that high position.” As a result, after his self-righteous inflation, he did not listen to Jesus saying, “Peter, you will fall.” He did not believe it at all; instead, he rebutted Jesus. This statement also revealed Peter’s pride.
There is a passage in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Which comes first? If it is destruction, pride comes first. When a person is extremely proud, destruction follows closely; it is either the destruction of oneself or the destruction of others. A haughty spirit comes before a fall; before a person falls, he first becomes mad. When a person becomes mad to a certain extent, no one is as good as him. At this moment, Peter had already become this way: “Even if everyone falls, I will not fall; even if they do not recognize you, I cannot deny you; I can die for you.” How touching!
Immediately after, Peter denied Jesus three times, as you will know from reading Luke 22. You will find that Peter had just boasted about what he could do, and he immediately fell. This is a point we need to be cautious about, brothers and sisters. What is the reason? There is too much self; without Jesus, he fell completely. If he could remember Jesus's words, he would not have fallen.
When did he remember Jesus's words? After his complete failure. Of course, Jesus did not want to use this matter to strike Peter; He hoped that through this matter, he would know that he really could do nothing by relying on himself. He did not want Peter to continue relying on himself; He hoped Peter could fully recognize himself and completely rely on Jesus.
We share the second point: When a person recognizes his inability, he receives His power, and God's power can cover him.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, this is a passage spoken by Paul,
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
This passage must not be misinterpreted. Today, many people take away the latter part and only boast about the former, boasting about their weaknesses. Many churches are like this; when they come to the stage to give testimony, they absolutely cannot say, “I am strong,” or else you are proud. Boasting about one’s weaknesses is a kind of self-boasting, right?
If you are testifying for the Lord, testifying about what Jesus has done in your life, is that self-boasting? No, that is a testimony! As a result, they can only say, “Recently, I have been rebellious; God has dealt with me, and look, now my leg is broken.” People below say, “How pitiful! Let’s pray for you; may God have mercy on you! You need to repent and confess; you have offended God!” Sisters say, “Amen!” Alright.
There is nothing to boast about, right? If you go on stage and say, “I am really grateful to God; He has made me understand more of His love, and I feel my faith has grown greatly!” People below say, “Proud, get down! Paul boasted about his weaknesses; he was such a strong person, only boasting about his weaknesses. Why do you think you are strong?” Paul is telling us not to self-boast; self-boasting makes you unable to see God's power. We are like this; when we recognize our inability, we will rely on God's power!
There is an interesting law in the Old Testament regarding leprosy. At that time, people were very afraid of leprosy. When a person had a white spot on his head or body, he had to go to the priest, who was the one to discern. He would check the symptoms of the leprosy patient to determine if it was indeed leprosy. If it was confirmed, that person would be isolated to prevent spreading it to others and making others unclean. This is a very interesting passage in Leviticus.
Let’s read Leviticus 13:12-13 together,
12 If leprosy breaks out on the skin and the leprosy covers all the skin of the diseased person from head to foot, 13 then the priest shall look, and if the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall declare the diseased person clean; it is all turned white; he is clean.
Now there is a person who has two white spots on his head. The priest says, “This might be leprosy! You first go live outside the city for a week, and then come back.” After seven days, if the leprosy has spread, it is confirmed, “You have leprosy; from today, you cannot return to the city. From a hundred paces away, you must shout, ‘Hey! I am a leper; do not come near me.’”
What is the purpose of doing this? To prevent infecting others. When he is far away, he must tell others that he is unclean, so they should stay away from him! However, if this person’s flesh is covered with leprosy, he will look white as snow from head to toe. According to the law, how should it be said? If all his flesh has turned white, he is clean.
Can you understand this passage? Why is he unclean when he hasn’t turned completely white, but when he is completely white, he is clean? It is because he is too white. Wasn’t he not white enough before? What is the reason? Now you see this person; is he covered with leprosy? If we use percentages, it is 100% leprosy.
If a person has only a little leprosy on his hand, what will he do? Won’t he go find a doctor to treat it? Why? Just a little bit; I still have so much good flesh! I can treat it! So he goes to find a doctor. As long as there is a little hope, he will run around. However, if this person’s whole body has turned white, what will he do? If his whole body is white, he doesn’t need to find a doctor; no one can save him. This is called 100% leprosy. When a person is completely desperate, he will no longer struggle.
Think about it, have you experienced God’s healing, God’s power, and God’s salvation, especially when you had nothing to rely on and were desperate, and suddenly you found yourself saved from a dire situation? Many people experience God’s grace like this because at that moment, you were 100% leprosy; you no longer relied on yourself to struggle, and it was precisely at that moment that you found it particularly easy to receive God’s healing and God’s power. Why? Because it was 0% of you.
At that moment, you would say, “Lord, you take care of it! I will no longer struggle; I have become like this; what else can I struggle with?” When you rely on God, you find that things become successful. The reason is that at this moment, you are 100% relying on God, 0% of you! You no longer seek any means of healing or salvation from people.
Some are not 100% leprosy but 70% good, and 30% bad temper. They say, “I am just a little bad-tempered! I still have so much good in me; I look good, I am young, I have an education, I can do this and that; I am just a little bad-tempered! Why do you always focus on me?” They do not think this is a problem, right? Using their bad temper to hurt others, they do not think this is a problem; isn’t it just a bad temper? What is there? This is 70% good, 30% bad temper. Alright, you are unclean; do you understand?
Some say, “I am 50% good and 50% bad. I do not have any high achievements, but I do not have any big ambitions either; 50-50, half and half!” Congratulations! You are also unclean!
If a person says, “I really have nothing; I cannot do anything.” You will find that when he relies on God, it becomes simpler, and he can accomplish many things! Isn’t that a wonderful thing? Have you experienced such things? When you feel you can do nothing, even if there is a little effect, it is all done by God. The problem lies here; we still feel that we can do a little, and we have a little goodness, so we use that little goodness to condemn and criticize others. This is the problem.
Jesus is not just 30% good; He is the Savior of sinners. You will find that you are indeed a sinner. We cannot solve our sins by countless methods. Isn’t it simple to rely on Jesus? “I believe He has shed blood on the cross for my sins and has cleansed me.”
In the past, did you admit that you were a sinner from head to toe? If you are such a person, OK, look to the blood of Jesus, and it will cleanse you. If you say, “No, I am not that bad,” you will still rely on yourself. Today, many people still do not believe that Jesus has cleansed them of all their sins. Why? They have 0% or more of a part they feel they can do. Some even say, “I feel that ‘confession’ can make me clean and forgiven.” Is that so? No, your sins are forgiven not because of your confession but because the blood of Jesus has cleansed you, 100% cleansed, with no credit to you.
This is why when the law appears, many people strive to obey 0% or more, “I feel I can do this, I can do that…” As a result, they find they cannot do it. Just that little goodness of yours ultimately harms you. If that is the case, let it be simple; stop struggling! Let it go! Do not learn from Peter and the others. God allows us to experience the process of struggle until we are willing to let go of everything and solely rely on Him. You will find that 100% of the effect will come out. It is that simple!
We share the third point: Remember God's promises in the midst of circumstances and problems.
What should we do when problems arise? We cannot say, “It’s over, it’s over, it’s over; I’m doomed; God doesn’t want me anymore.” This is also a wrong thought. God is not that kind of God; you misunderstand God. How did Peter act after he fell?
Mark 14:72, “And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.”
Now do you believe? Why did he cry? He regretted: “How could I have said such big words? I actually said I could die with Jesus, and when they came to arrest Him, I ran away…” He immediately realized he could do nothing, and at that moment, he remembered whose words? The words of the Lord Jesus.
Did Peter deny Jesus? Was this sin small? Not small! The sin Peter committed at this moment is the same as that of Judas Iscariot; which is greater? They are the same; both sold Jesus, and there is no difference! Why are their outcomes different? When Peter realized he had sinned against Jesus, he remembered Jesus's words, so he went out and wept, right?
What did Jesus say? “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And what else? If you only remember this, you will completely abandon Jesus. What else did he remember? “Simon! Simon! Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” This is what gave Peter the strength to stand up again, “I know my Lord has long known my weakness, but He has not abandoned me; He is still praying for me!”
When we look at the Passion of Jesus, when Peter heard the rooster crow twice, had he already denied Jesus three times? There was a moment when Peter’s eyes met Jesus’s eyes… Many people say, “Did you see? Peter, Jesus looked at you, letting you know what you are!”
Is this the meaning? Did Jesus despise Peter? “You see, now you know you were wrong; hurry up and go cry!” It is not like this; Jesus’s eyes were filled with compassion, “Peter, I have prayed for you; please remember my words.” Amen! Today I share this with you; whenever you are weak, do not feel that the Lord has thrown you away; He is praying for you. After you stand up from that problem, you will strengthen those who have fallen like you. Isn’t that so?
Let’s go back to Judas Iscariot. Did he also sell the Lord Jesus? After he sold Him, because he did not have Jesus's words, he did not believe Jesus's words at all. So he went to the high priest and gave the thirty pieces of silver to the high priest, saying, “I have sold the blood of the innocent; I have sinned!” He knew he was wrong, and then he said, “Take this money; I do not want it!”
What did the high priest say? “You bear it yourself!”
You will find that the results are completely different. Both of them sold Jesus; both denied Jesus; both betrayed Jesus. But one met Jesus’s gaze and remembered Jesus's words, while the other went before the law and could only receive the condemnation and judgment of the law: “You bear it yourself!”
What does this mean? “Don’t think I will have a share in your sin; it’s impossible. You caused this trouble; you solve it! You must explain it to God!” How do you think Judas Iscariot could explain it? “Jesus is dead; how can I explain it?” So he thought and thought, and the only way to explain it was to hang himself. This is the difference between the two outcomes.
When you are weak and fall, when others condemn you, you indeed do not want to live anymore. Isn’t that the thought? We have already become weak to this extent; suddenly the pastor says, “Today I want to visit your home. Everyone has been saying for a long time that you have not come to church; I have seen you are not a good person; finally, this result has come out! I tell you, this is just the beginning; if you do not come to church, there will be even bigger things to come!” You think, “Lord, hurry up and take me away! I really do not want to experience this anymore!” Isn’t it the same? You will find that what you get is this?
Jesus said, “I know you will be weak, but I will not abandon you; I will pray for you. You will stand up again; I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.” Brothers and sisters, do you know that Jesus is praying for you? Do you know that our brothers and sisters also pray for each other? Do not think about why you can stand without falling. It is because many people are praying for you, Amen! That is the reason.
I also want to tell everyone that I can continue to stand here because I know many people are praying for me. If one day I become arrogant and do not believe that others are praying for me, I will quickly fall. It is not just me; all of you are like this. So you must believe that Jesus is praying for you. Even if you are in your weakest moments, you remember Jesus's words, not the words of some high priest. If you remember the words of the high priest, then you are doomed.
At this moment, Peter indeed knew, “I cannot do anything.” He had repented; he no longer boasted about himself. After this incident, the Bible no longer records Peter’s arrogant boasting. Instead, when Jesus asked Peter, “Peter, do you love me more than these?” Did Peter say, “Lord, don’t you know me? I have been with you for over three years; I cannot be that kind of unfaithful person! These fish do not count; I do not want fish; I only want you.” Did Peter say such words again? No, he said, “Lord, you know; you know what kind of person I am!”
If you know that God loves you like this, you can rest assured that His grace will fill you, and His power will be manifested in you. What Jesus means is, “I have prayed for you; you will not lose faith.” This is exactly what we should do for others. We come to church to receive God’s words and then comfort and strengthen each other, Amen!
So when you see someone weak beside you, what should you give them? Pray to God for them, let them stand up, and you can also tell them, “I have prayed for you; it’s okay; this is not a problem; let’s pray together.” Can’t she stand up then? Thank and praise the Lord!
At this moment, Jesus taught Peter how to do things in the future. Please listen carefully, “I have prayed for you; when you rise up, you must strengthen your brothers.” This is a message Jesus left for Peter about what you can do for me.
Do you know what the church is? The church is our training ground. After you receive grace and power from the Lord, you must practice it among the brothers and sisters in the church, use it, Amen! This way, the word can harmonize with our lives. If you say, “I really cannot love,” then first practice love among the brothers and sisters, and then it will be easier to love others.
After Jesus taught Peter how to serve, what is our service? Service is not about letting others tolerate us, understand us, and care for us. Instead, we come to church to receive His strength and grace from God and then use the truth to strengthen others.
In this way, others do not stand up relying on you; they stand up relying on the truth of Jesus Christ that you speak. Now do you understand? This is exactly my way of pastoring. I do not want you to focus on me. One day when I fall, you will fall with me, and it will be a big mess. You must always focus on the truth of Jesus Christ. Today, what we share here is the truth of Jesus Christ, and His truth will let you stand up again, just like Peter, who fell completely, but God will let him stand up again!
You must know that Jesus is praying for you. Even if you say that no one in this church is praying for you, Jesus is praying for you. In your weakest and most desperate moments, Jesus has not abandoned you; please keep this word in your heart! Others will rely on the words of Christ that we speak to stand up again. So when you comfort others, do not say, “Oh, don’t worry, sister; just endure a little longer, and it will pass.” Do not comfort like this. Give her God’s words and let her learn to rely on God’s words.
Last week in our fellowship group, the brothers and sisters shared very well about how to apply what they have heard. This is your beautiful testimony in life. I hope more can participate and apply the words or scriptures shared this week in your life. The more you use it, the more you will find Jesus’s power growing, covering you more and more. Today, I will give everyone a passage of scripture for meditation.
Psalm 91:2-7
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
Everyone changes the second-person pronoun “you” to the first-person pronoun “I.” This is our method of meditation; it is very simple. If you are currently experiencing some suffering, problems, trials, or weaknesses, do not think about what a certain “person” can give you; that comfort is temporary. You need to remember the promises God has given you in the Bible. This promise will let you stand up again, even if it is just one sentence; you can stand up again.
I remember there was a brother from a very far place who seemed to have a certain disease in his body and did not know what to do. After he went to the hospital for examination, he was very scared. The doctor said it might be cancer; all the indicators looked like cancer. When he went for a recheck, he was particularly worried. He asked me what to do, and I said, “I have prayed for you; God has given you six words, God’s promise: Do not be afraid; only believe!”
As a result, he kept this sentence in his heart and said, “Oh, thank the Lord! Do not be afraid; I am not worried about this problem anymore; only believe; I believe that the promise my God has given me is real.” As a result, when he checked again, the doctor said, “This is just an ordinary tumor; if you cut it out, it will be fine.” He was released in an instant.
Brothers and sisters, I want to tell you how to meditate on this passage. In any circumstance, you must remember the words of the Bible. This is why I want you to read the Bible. For newcomers to our place, if you have not participated in serving, I suggest everyone read the Bible three times or more; for those who have entered into service, ten times or more; this is our task. It is not that everyone must participate; if you gather here with us, please follow my method! This way will help you remember God’s words in times of trouble. At that time, you will feel full of strength, rather than thinking about what I said, which is useless. One sentence of God’s promise is enough for you.
Let’s read it by changing “you” to “I”,
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 For he will deliver me from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover me with his pinions, and under his wings I will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 5 I will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at my side, ten thousand at my right hand, but it will not come near me.
Anytime, especially when you have no hope, please remember this passage; this is your strength. You will find that after reading it, there will be faith within you, and I do not need to explain too much to you; it is very simple. Therefore, I hope all the brothers and sisters in our church are like this.
In the future, after you have been gathering here for a long time, when you encounter any problems, immediately a passage of God’s promise will pop up in your mind. At that time, you will originally feel like a deflated ball, and when someone steps on you, you will feel like you are deflated. But when you remember God’s promise, you will feel like you are inflated again, full of faith! What we fear is that we do not have it when we need it; that is the saddest thing! Everyone learns to meditate on the scriptures and applies this passage in your life this week, no matter what it is; this passage can always help you. Thank the Lord! Hallelujah, thank and praise the Lord!
Let us pray together,
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. Thank You for allowing me to come before You again through such words today. Yes, when it is all Jesus and not me, Your power is fully manifested in me. I am willing to live like this; I am willing to live like You in this world, experiencing all things in rest.
I believe this week is a blessed week. I believe You are my fortress; You are my God; You are whom I rely on. No matter what danger I encounter, I believe You will save me. I am under Your wings; You are the one who covers me. I do not need human covering; I need You. I cannot be without Your covering. I believe Your promises are faithful; You will never go against Your own words.
Today, in the face of Your promises, I am no longer afraid of the road ahead. I know that even if there are raging waves ahead, You are above the wind and waves. Even if the road ahead is uneven, You are with me; You will lead me to overcome in all things.
Thank and praise You. I am willing to fully rely on You. Please help me to experience You more in life, to let my heart be completely filled with You, all of You, and none of me. I know it is You who live in me; I have already died. Today, I live for Christ. Thank and praise You. All glory be to our Father in heaven. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen! Hallelujah!