282-Hope in the Darkness#
282-Hope in the Darkness
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
The topic we are sharing is called: Hope in the Darkness.
Luke 11:34-36,
34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful, lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, with no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! A new week has begun, and this is a week of blessings from You. You will be with every brother and sister, You will provide for us, and in our circumstances, You will give us hope. At all times, You will not let us be discouraged or despairing. You are my only hope, my eternal hope, and the way out for us all. We completely surrender this time to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that we may receive Your personal provision and be renewed in strength. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
Looking at the scripture that Jesus shared with us, your eye is the lamp of your body. Why is the eye the lamp of the body? There is a saying, “The eye is the window to the soul.” Through the eyes, one can see the joys and sorrows within a person. Some people's eyes smile, while others, when you look into their eyes, you can see their inner anger.
The eyes of a Christian are actually the lamp of our soul. Through the eyes, we can see what is truly inside us. The Bible says, if your eye is healthy, some people's eyes will shine; this person is full of light. If the eyes are bad, they do not even know what their purpose in life is, nor do they understand the benefits of their ideals and dreams. This person's eyes are bad, and their whole body is in darkness.
In verse 35, Jesus tells us, therefore, you must be careful. In 1 Corinthians 11, when taking communion, one must examine oneself, not to examine your sins, but to examine whether the light or darkness within you has dimmed. How can you discern what is inside you? Just look at your eyes. Look in the mirror, and you will know.
Sometimes, if you dislike your own eyes, it proves that there is darkness within. This is a test to examine whether we are in darkness or light. If it is darkness, what should we do? How do we drive away the darkness? In the name of the Lord Jesus, let the darkness disappear. Does it work? But this is not God's way. In the beginning of Genesis, the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. What did God say? He said, “Let there be light,” and the light entered, and the darkness disappeared.
What if there is darkness within you? Let Jesus enter, let the words of Jesus enter, let the promises of Jesus enter, and you will have hope. Hallelujah! If your whole body is full of light, with no darkness at all, then you will surely be joyful, and you will become the light for others, able to illuminate others. In reality, everyone will experience dark times in life—loss, illness, or heartbreak from children or spouses. If we focus our eyes on these things, it is easy to become discouraged, give up on dreams, and stop moving forward. But God uses these dark places to work for us; this is part of His plan, ultimately to perfect our character.
You should see your current situation as a seed. A seed cannot sprout under bright light; it must be buried in the ground, in darkness, for its life to germinate. Similarly, you may have hope, dreams, goals, talents, and various gifts, but when you experience some trials, you find that these trials actually awaken some gifts you didn’t even know you had. Do you understand?
Some special skills and talents are brought out. For example, in humorous situations in relationships between men and women, everyone understands. The relationship between men and women can be fragile; some women easily overthink. When they want to investigate their husbands, they become natural detectives, knowing how to uncover the issues without being taught. Did the trials bring this out? If this skill is used to inspire positive things, that would be remarkable.
Similarly, in these persecutions and trials, God's gifts will continually be revealed to you, showing you that God is shaping you to play a greater role and become a help to more people. Every spiritual figure in the Bible has gone through dark periods. Moses killed a man in Egypt and spent forty years in the wilderness; that was a dark time in his life. But during those forty years, his inner life was constantly changing. Through the environment, Moses's character was shaped. Last time we shared that Moses was very humble, which was actually developed during those forty years in the wilderness. His patience and humble character were enhanced. Without those experiences, he would not have been able to fully trust God's words to part the Red Sea. That dark time expanded his horizons.
When do you know your horizons need to be expanded? When trials come, when darkness arrives. God’s purpose in expanding your horizons is solely to allow you to receive greater blessings. Esther was an orphan raised by her uncle. We might say her life was tragic; she was lonely and forgotten, which was a dark period in her life. But one day, God placed her in the position of queen, precisely because she had no one to rely on but God. God also used her time of loneliness to show her that everything was given by Him. During that time, she prayed to God and used her authority to save the people of Israel.
Elijah was a great prophet who also experienced great discouragement. Although he had previously fought against 450 false prophets, after being threatened by Jezebel, Elijah became disheartened and asked to die under a broom tree; that was a dark time in his life. But these were parts he had to experience. The dark period actually contributed to his greatness. So, brothers and sisters, do not think that your whole life is in darkness; it is not.
David was pursued by Saul for many years. Today, many people name themselves David, even those who do not believe in the Lord, like to have a picture of David with a harp, but they do not know why they want that. In fact, that is the realm everyone wants to achieve: overcoming the odds, turning the impossible into possible.
How did David possess such beautiful character? He was pursued by King Saul, living in fear for many years, yet God called him “a man after my own heart.” He experienced these trials; the trials do not come from God, but God uses every circumstance to help us grow and shape our character, teaching us to trust Him. Our spiritual muscles become stronger. In dark times, your prayers may increase compared to usual. Thank and praise the Lord! You know better how to rely on God and cherish His grace.
People only realize how important health is when they are sick. Similarly, we only understand that relying on God brings joy when we are in trials. So at that time, we become quiet and no longer pray as if reporting work, but sincerely cry out to God. In dark times, you will reassess the priorities in your life. Tell many people to put God first and to pray to Him when facing problems. Many people know this, but when will they actually use it?
When true trials come, when there seems to be no solution, and after counting all your friends, you find none can help you, at that moment, you cry out to God, truly humble yourself, putting down everything you once considered a priority, and now put God first. You become more devout than ever. In fact, during this period, your relationship with God is established. You can put everything down, spend time drawing close to God, and begin to appreciate everything God has given you with a fresh perspective.
So some lessons can only be learned in dark times. Brothers and sisters, stop complaining about your circumstances: who has hurt you, how terrible your situation is, or how others view themselves... In times of trial, focus solely on God, thinking: how can I solve this problem, how can I get out of this situation, and let go of all these burdens.
Indeed, some lessons cannot be learned in times of peace. Through the Bible, we can see that every time the Israelites were at peace, they forsook God, and in times of trial, they began to cry out to God for salvation, and God always intervened. We do not like these circumstances, we do not like darkness, but we cannot avoid them because we always have our own thoughts. But remember: God uses these terrible environments to work for you, ultimately making you stronger.
Romans 8:24-28,
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? (Some ancient manuscripts: Why hope for what is seen?) 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Our salvation is in hope, not just in believing in Jesus, but also in how to live each day after believing in Jesus, we need to have hope through Jesus Christ. Here, hope is defined for us: who hopes for what can be seen? (Why hope for what is seen?) I want to see you, and I have seen you; is there still a need to hope? No, only I know you are coming, but I have not seen you yet; this is called hope. This kind of hope is joyful. I know you are coming, and I am particularly happy that you are finally coming. This hope is a very joyful expectation, and this waiting is not painful; do you understand?
It says here, but if we hope for what we do not see, we will wait for it with patience. What are we hoping for today? For example, if you pray to God for something while in suffering, you pray, “Lord! Please save me from this suffering.” Everyone expects that after praying, the suffering will disappear in the next second. This is the expected result. However, in most cases, after praying, there is no effect, and doubts begin: “Lord! Where have you gone? Are you not listening to my prayers? Is it because I am not doing well enough...”
It is not about waiting patiently; instead, you start to become anxious. Some people say, “God has a timing for everything! It doesn’t matter whether you pray or not.” In fact, this is a statement of discouragement. God does indeed have a timing, but God also listens to our prayers.
A couple of days ago, a sister asked me, after we pray, does God fulfill our prayers immediately, or does He fulfill them according to His timing? If you say it is according to God’s timing, then praying is useless. The Israelites cried out to God, and God said, “When the four hundred thirty years are completed, I will bring them out.”
That means you can pray, but until four hundred thirty years are up, you will not be saved. If that is the case, then our prayers are useless. Are many people falling into this misunderstanding? What is the difference between praying and not praying? If God has already told you that your period of suffering will last forty days, and from today you say you will not pray anymore. If you do not pray, you will lose hope. You need to pray and declare God’s promises: “Lord! I know that in forty days my suffering will end, and the abundant blessings You have prepared for me will come. Everything I am going through is temporary.” When the time comes, God will fulfill it, and you will not be surprised at all; you already knew God would fulfill it. Amen!
Now do you see the difference? Praying and not praying are not the same. God does have a timing for everything, but our prayers are also effective. When you pray, you benefit and have hope. Our prayers do not give God hope; whether we pray or not, God is always a God of hope. He can always give hope to people, but when you pray to God, you have hope. Whenever you pray, there is hope; just pray. When you do not see results, continue to pray with hope. The Holy Spirit will guide you, allowing you to live in rest. If you do not pray, there is no rest.
Some developments can only happen in darkness. If you are always in the light, your potential cannot be realized. Without adversity, problems, or enemies, it sounds good, but it will hinder your growth. The scripture we just read says, if we hope for what we do not see, we will wait for it with patience, and waiting patiently is a joyful expectation. Amen!
Let me give you the simplest example: we pray, “Lord! I wish You would come.” If Jesus comes, everything ends, and our lives also end. But have we lost hope? On the contrary, that is the realization of our greatest hope. You say, “Lord, hurry and come tomorrow.” Will God fulfill that? No, God will fulfill it according to His timing. But when you pray like this, there is hope; you know that each day is one day less, even though you do not know when that day will be. But you are filled with joy.
Those who do not believe say, “I do not know when this day will end.” We have an end, brothers and sisters. We have hope because we know Jesus will surely come. We cherish each day. How you choose to spend this day is either joyfully or in sorrow and distress. When we have hope, you are joyful. Hallelujah!
Some say, “When there are circumstances, I cannot be joyful.” That’s right; God knows your situation, so God has a solution. Moreover, our weakness has the Holy Spirit’s help. You say you are weak and cannot be joyful, feeling sorrowful and distressed; the Holy Spirit helps you. We do not know how to pray.
So what should you do when you are weak? God has already given us the method, which is to pray, and He has given us the simplest way. Many times, we are so weak that we do not even know what to say in prayer. At this time, you can use the gift of tongues to pray. It says here, the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, meaning He prays with us. Simply put, it is praying in tongues. The Holy Spirit comes to guide us, helping us pray together. When we do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit personally gives you strength.
He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Although you may not understand, you know the Holy Spirit is with you, praying with you. This matter has already reached God, and your prayer will surely have hope. The fear is when you say, “I pray but do not know what it means, so I might as well not pray.” Two outcomes arise: when you continually pray in trials, darkness, and suffering, you will have hope. At least you must believe: all things work together for good for those who love God. If the Lord tells us, “After believing, you will not encounter any trials,” then that statement is meaningless. All things, including the bad things we do not want to see or the bad environments that come upon us, will ultimately benefit us. Hallelujah!
Brothers and sisters, as I mentioned earlier, without adversity, without enemies, it sounds good, but in reality, our lives will not grow. David, in his youth, was a pitiful person. Do you envy David? How good David was; he became king and was not arrogant, unlike Saul, who forgot who he was after becoming king, or Solomon, who became arrogant after becoming king and married many wives.
Does David seem humble? After becoming king, he still prayed to God. Among these three, only David experienced the most suffering, while the first two hardly experienced anything. Solomon did not go through much, and Saul did not either. David, in his youth, was a very pitiful child.
Do you remember when Samuel anointed David as king? At that time, Samuel did not know who it was and told Jesse, “Bring all your sons.” Samuel asked, “Are these all your children?” Jesse replied, “There is still one, tending sheep in the wilderness.”
If you were treated like this at home, how would you feel? It is clear that David, in his youth, was not well-regarded; his brothers were at home preparing to be kings while he was in the wilderness tending sheep. But God did not give up on him. Perhaps David, in his youth, also wanted to play with his friends, but he had no opportunity; he had to take care of his father’s sheep. Month after month, year after year, he was alone in the wilderness, with no one to talk to. It seemed his life had no hope, although he had dreams that seemed almost unattainable. However, those years of solitary shepherding were precisely preparing him for his days of prominence. When the time came, he defeated Goliath and became famous in one battle. Amen!
We all see how David appeared after becoming famous and particularly look forward to having days like his, but how many people are willing to cultivate that character? Many of David’s psalms were actually written in the wilderness, during persecutions, and while fleeing. David is much like us; once he became comfortable, he sinned. However, those classic psalms were precisely written during his worst times. These successes may seem very simple, but they were born from David’s hope in the darkness, and his hope was solely in our God.
When he was tending sheep in the wilderness, to whom could he express his frustrations? To the sheep? He could only pray to God. When he looked at the heavens and the earth, and at the sheep, how did he understand the Father’s love for him? In dark times, how did he look up to God? When things did not go well, even if he did not understand, when he felt God had forsaken him, he still did one right thing: he had hope in God.
David may have maintained an attitude that, although things were terrible now, he believed God was his shepherd, that God would surely make all things work together for good, and that God was expanding his horizons. Thus, David learned patience and to trust God in the wilderness. When the time came, he was exalted and became the king of Israel. As I mentioned earlier, many of David’s classic psalms were written in suffering and trials. They have now become a comfort for many.
Let us look at how rich the psalms are, 2 Samuel 22:3-7,
3 My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, and my refuge, my Savior; you save me from violence. 4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 5 For the waves of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; 6 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 7 In my distress, I called upon the Lord; to my God I called. From his temple, he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.
Why does David have so many descriptions of God? He is my rock, my refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge. Can you describe what God is to you? He is my Savior; think about what else? He is my Savior. Why does David have so many descriptions? He is my rock; when he was weak and shaken, he stood firm on God’s word, so he knew what a rock was; He is my shield; when he faced danger, God protected him, so he knew God was this shield; He is the horn of my salvation; He is my stronghold; isn’t God the one who lifted him up?
He has so many adjectives, and behind each adjective is a seemingly arduous experience. If you read carefully, “For the waves of death encompassed me,” you should know what he experienced; it was certainly not joy. That was a very undesirable outcome. “The torrents of destruction assailed me,” you may not know what torrents of destruction are, but you certainly know what things cause fear. It is very frightening; he experienced a lot of fear.
“The cords of Sheol entangled me,” now you understand what the cords of Sheol mean; it could cost him his life. King Saul pursued David, and how many times did David almost die? The cords of Sheol were around his neck. “The snares of death confronted me.” After so many dangers, David overcame them. He knew that relying on himself could have cost him his life many times. Looking back at the past painful experiences, if it were not for God’s repeated rescues, he would have died countless times. I have counted at least more than ten times; that is why I can cherish every day.
David said, “In my distress, I called upon the Lord; to my God, I called,” because he knew God could save him. No one could help him; he could only pray to his Lord. “He heard my voice from his temple; my cry came to his ears.” This verse, you should remember in your heart: no matter what trials, sufferings, or persecutions you are in, as long as you pray, God hears your voice from His temple, and your cry has reached His ears. This means God is accomplishing beautiful things for you. Even in trials, in the darkness of life, you must still have great hope in our Lord. He will make all things work together for good, so that you will ultimately benefit.
Let me share a passage everyone likes, Psalm 23. Even those who do not believe in the Lord study this psalm and say it is beautifully written. They say it is good because of the earlier part: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” How beautiful is this description? I lie down in green pastures, with a gentle breeze blowing, beside still waters, with streams flowing by me; how beautiful and peaceful that scene is.
In fact, under what circumstances did David write Psalm 23? We need to understand a bit about the Middle Eastern context. The survival of sheep depends on the shepherd, who leads them to find food and water and protects them from the attacks of wild beasts. David was the same when tending sheep. So who is the protector of the flock now?
David himself; he is the protector of this flock that has no fighting power. Sometimes lions come, sometimes bears come, and they attack the flock. David can only step forward bravely, chasing after them to save the sheep. If these wild beasts wanted to attack David, he would grab their beards and kill them. To take care of the flock, David endured heat during the day and cold frost at night, exhausting his strength just to protect this flock. In our view, what is there to live for? There seems to be no way out; at such a young age, he is always tending sheep...
But in this process, David understood a relationship. David made a connection and reflection on his experience as a shepherd, realizing one thing: I am God’s little sheep. Just as I protect my flock, my Lord will protect me. He understood that this seemingly meaningless task became incredibly meaningful. Every day, he thought of ways to protect the flock, and in this process, he understood that every day the Lord was protecting him and providing for him. Last time I shared with you, how you treat your children reflects how the Father loves you. But our love is little; the Father’s love is greater.
In a time of suffering, reflect on David’s situation. He saw how he protected the flock, and the Lord protected him in the same way. Even when he faced great danger, he declared: The Lord is my shepherd. We may just say this, but David had actual experiences.
David understood very well that this Lord of heaven and earth leads me to green pastures and beside still waters. It is this God who, when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, does not forsake me. Perhaps at that moment he thought, when I encounter difficulties and the valley of death, my brothers and father are not there, but my Lord is.
So, brothers and sisters, do not be discouraged. Do not say, “When I am in suffering, where are my coworkers? Where are my friends from church? Where is my family?” Do not look at these; know that your Lord is by your side. He is the most powerful one. In green pastures, we all say, “Lord, I love You so much.” But in the valley of the shadow of death, can you trust God? By still waters, you can say, “Lord, thank You for Your grace.” In the valley of the shadow of death, in front of your enemies, can you praise our Lord?
So I encourage you, even in the valley of the shadow of death, still have hope in your God. He has not forsaken you. Perhaps you feel lonely and forgotten, but that is just your feeling. Our Lord has promises for you; He will never forsake you. Even when your life is not going well, He is still leading you. The darkness is just part of His plan. Perhaps you do not understand, but faith is built in all kinds of environments, learning to rely on God in various circumstances, bravely believing that God is blessing you. Even in dark times, God can use adversity to ultimately benefit you. So David’s life once walked through the valley, through darkness, but his hope was, You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
God comforted David like this, and today He comforts you in the same way. In front of your enemies, most people are like John, saying, “Lord! Quickly come down from heaven and burn them all.” Hoping to completely eliminate the enemies, but how does your faith grow? David finally understood one thing. Do you think he had never prayed like this before? “Lord! The beasts have come; hurry and eliminate them.” But the beasts still ate his sheep. In the end, he realized, I should not pray like this; I need to have a more hopeful prayer.
In front of my enemies, You prepare a table for me. This means the enemies are still there, but the faith and hope God gives you are in front of your enemies. God prepares a table for you; eat in front of your enemies, enjoy joy, enjoy peace. This is the strength I want to give you. We always think we can enjoy peace and joy when the storm has calmed down, but God wants you to transcend all circumstances. God has already bound the enemies, saying, “Come! I have prepared a table for you; let your enemies see how you are blessed.” Hallelujah!
Do not say, “Lord! Hurry and remove this environment; I do not want to see this.” God says, “No, you should see something else. I have prepared a table for you; it cannot harm you. What you should see is that the feast I have prepared for you is greater.” Hallelujah!
He anoints my head with oil; my cup overflows. This is the feast God has prepared for you. The enemies think this way can make you fail, make you feel sad, condemned, fearful, and lost, but you are not like this. After going through these things, you have become even stronger. The devil is a loser. Every time I feel weak, I think the devil is really pitiful. Why? His schemes are far inferior to our God.
I have said before, the devil’s greatest failure was crucifying Jesus. When Jesus was on earth healing people, releasing people, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, the devil tried every means to kill Jesus. As long as he killed Jesus, he could no longer “deceive the masses.” This was his mindset, so he used the surrounding Pharisees and finally killed Jesus. What he did not expect was that this was precisely a method God used. Why do I say this is the devil’s greatest blunder? He thought that as long as he killed Jesus, no one would threaten him anymore. What he did not expect was that killing one Jesus would stir up countless others. After Jesus died and resurrected, the Holy Spirit was poured out on everyone who believes in Jesus. Now the devil sees us; every believer is Jesus.
Those who believe in Jesus are clothed with the robe of Jesus Christ. In the eyes of the devil, this is Jesus. In the past, he only saw one; the other disciples were very weak. Now, after killing Jesus, all the disciples have become Jesus. They wield the Father’s authority, performing miracles of resurrection, healing the sick. What Jesus did in the past, now the disciples are all doing. What is frightening is that we do not know and still feel afraid. In fact, you can overcome these circumstances; this is your greatest hope and the feast God has prepared for you. You have experienced loneliness, betrayal, and illness. In God, you have hope; you have a new beginning. Amen!
Many times we say, “Lord! Give me more blessings; I want to be a channel of Your blessings.” God says, “Okay! I need to expand your channel a bit first.” God begins to shape you, and you say, “Lord! I do not want to be Your channel anymore; it is too painful.” In fact, it is like this, brothers and sisters. When we want to bless others, God first expands our horizons, allowing you to have the capacity to bear His blessings. Even in times of life’s disappointments, we should not give up or lose hope.
Today, if we want to be a blessing to others, do we need to expand our horizons? If you bless others, will they definitely accept it? If you do not expand your horizons, you will be hurt more severely than others. When you share the gospel, others say, “Jesus is great; He loves you. Will everyone accept it?” Many times, the response is, “Stay away from me; if you talk about Jesus again, we will cut off our relationship.” If you have not expanded your horizons, you will immediately become discouraged. “Lord! I will no longer share the gospel.” But when God expands your horizons, no matter how the other party responds, you will still bless them and introduce Jesus to them because you know that only Jesus can save them. Hallelujah!
John 12:23-24,
23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
How did Jesus gain glory? The meaning here is “I will be killed.” One Jesus died, and countless Jesuses appeared. Does Jesus have to die first? If Jesus does not die, how do we have a chance? So Jesus uses the seed as a metaphor, but it is absolutely not like some people say, “You must strive to kill your old self; you must strive to kill yourself.” God never says you must strive to kill yourself. How does God do it?
It is through various environments and trials that we look up to God, placing our hope in God’s promises. In the process of waiting patiently, we throw away past thoughts, constantly being renewed by God’s word, continually experiencing God’s power and presence. Just like David, if David had not gone through that experience in the wilderness, being pursued by others, he would not know how real God’s words are.
If we do not have such experiences, we only know that God’s words are good, and God’s promises are good. I know... You know too much; what you lack is experience. When we experience it, we will say, “Lord! Your promises are true.” Of course, some people say, “Under grace, I do not want to experience these; I want to be a grain of wheat that does not die, displayed in a museum.” Then how can your purpose be fulfilled? A grain of wheat preserved in a container for others to admire will never realize its life’s value; it will always just be a grain of wheat. We cannot see its life unless it is planted in the soil, beginning a miraculous change.
Staying in a comfortable place will not expand. When facing adversity, its resilient life will be manifested. Only when it is planted in the soil, entering a dark period, does the outer shell begin to fall off, the old life dies, and it begins to grow, blossom, and bear fruit. Some people’s problem is that they want to bear fruit but do not want to be planted in the soil. How can that yield a hundredfold harvest? This is very difficult; they do not want to experience that process.
Brothers and sisters, when wheat is sown in autumn, does it not have to go through a harsh winter? Only after going through winter and summer does the wheat taste good. We think we do not want winter, but winter is good. Without winter, this grain of wheat might have been lost, eaten by other things. It is precisely winter, which we feel is so cold, that you know what? All your enemies have died. After the heavy snow, many pests die, which actually benefits the wheat. Do not say, “I do not want to encounter trials; I do not want to go through winter; I only like spring.” When the wheat goes through winter, spring, and the hot summer, its nutrients are rich.
If you ask the seed, “Do you want to experience winter, staying painfully in the soil?” It would generally say no. It does not want to go into the soil because it is too dark, too lonely, and uncomfortable. It does not want others to walk over it. It seems buried, but in fact, that is not its endpoint; it is precisely its beginning.
Brothers and sisters, even if you are encountering trials now, that is not your endpoint; you are merely passing through the valley of the shadow of death. That is not your final outcome; it is just part of planting life. You have the power of God within you. You must go through that lonely period, that dark period, and then your life will burst forth.
Are you envious of Paul? His name seems to be more popular than David’s. People hope to become Paul. Do you know how Paul’s life was shaped? He spent more than three years in the wilderness of Arabia, experiencing loneliness and environment, and then his life began to flourish.
We say, “I do not want to go through that process; I just want a flourishing life.” That is not God’s principle. In darkness, the old life dies, but it is the beginning of new life. Originally, that seed died, and when it breaks through the soil again, it is filled with the power of new life. It is no longer just a seed buried in the soil; it can bloom beautifully, grow vigorously, and ultimately bear thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold fruit. Amen!
To this day, I have not found anyone who planted a grain of wheat and harvested it as a grain of wheat. Otherwise, it would have died and not come out of the soil. As long as it can come out, bloom, and bear fruit, it becomes a head of wheat, and on that head are thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. God’s word is absolutely accurate.
So our old life is gone; it is not as you say, “It is over.” On the contrary, it is the beginning of becoming. After the life changes, if you ask the seed if it likes this life now, it will say, “I do not like that dark time, but I know that was God’s blessing. I really like how I am now because I can see the multiplying life has begun.” Looking back at the past trials we experienced, they have become the reason we can expand our containers and bear greater blessings today.
So do not say, “This difficulty is too terrible; I do not want to see it; move it away.” No! You need to be in it, allowing God to give you the strength to overcome it. Jesus knew His life would experience darkness and death, and then countless seeds would be produced. That is why He willingly died, spending three days in the grave. This is what Jesus experienced, and afterward, it was a resurrected life. Do we not all envy that?
In the past, we already envied the life of Jesus before He died, but before He died, people could still grab Jesus, whip Him, and humiliate Him. After dying and resurrecting, who can still catch Jesus? Who can still lock Him up? No one. Therefore, the life after death and resurrection is more powerful. The life after going through darkness is more powerful.
Thus, the current trials are temporary. After going through this, your capacity will be expanded, and God will fill your container with blessings. Therefore, each of us will experience darkness. In darkness and suffering, you feel buried, negative thoughts constantly invade you, and you think the good days are over. This is why most people, especially in family life, when encountering such persecution, will say, “These days are unbearable.” In fact, in this process, if you experience God, it will be a 180° turnaround. Do not turn 360°; that will bring you back to where you started.
After a 180° turnaround, you will be grateful for God’s salvation in your life. Those who have experienced such a great turnaround often have lasting gratitude towards God. It is precisely those who have never experienced God’s grace who say, “God’s grace is so good.” When encountering trials, this person disappears, and later when asked, they say, “I do not believe anymore; I do not feel that this Lord has anything good for me.”
Brothers and sisters, it is in this process that you truly need to experience God. Do not give up. In trials, you should sing to God. Amen! In the psalm that David gave us earlier, he mentioned many problems: the waves of death, the torrents of destruction, the cords of Sheol, the snares of death. But he called upon God. How did he do it? I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised.
Originally, David’s secret was to sing in the face of suffering because most psalms are sung. When they went to the temple, they sang psalms as they walked. These were actually songs. David wrote these down, proving he had sung them before. When did he sing these? In difficult times, in dark times, in suffering, he began to sing God’s promises, so some songs are very meaningful.
If you choose the wrong song, that would be troublesome. I once shared a testimony about a very peculiar church. Every time they sang a song, it was “The Lord’s House is Desolate.” Originally, that church had quite a few people, but in the end, no one remained, and the church closed down.
The brothers and sisters could not understand why this happened. I asked, “What is your favorite song?” They said, “The Lord’s House is Desolate.” They sang it to encourage everyone to be more positive and hopeful. But after singing that song, there was no longer any hope; the more they sang, the more desolate it became. Brothers and sisters, we should not choose such songs. Never sing these in times of discouragement.
In school, a roommate of mine had a breakup. At that time, I sang a song by A-Du to him, and while singing, he felt like he did not want to live anymore. “I should not be in the car; I should be under the car...” His mood was already terrible, and singing a song of despair only made him want to live less, and in the end, he did not even want to eat. Brothers and sisters, what kind of songs should we sing in trials? Joyful songs. You say, “Lord, I am in so much pain,” then sing joyful songs. Thank and praise the Lord! What if you are ill? Never sing, “Suffering is a blessing; what is illness...” Never sing that. If you do, you will feel lost, thinking, “When will this end?”
Once, a sister had a skin disease for nearly thirty years and had never worn a skirt. Later, she believed in the Lord, and during that time, I recommended her a song by Little Grass, “You are the God who heals.” After going home, she played that song and sang while crying, then said, “Lord, You are the God who heals. You have healed millions; You can surely heal me.” As she sang, her illness was healed. If you choose the wrong song, thinking suffering is a blessing, the more you sing, the more uncertain you will feel about that blessing. When will it end?
David’s psalms often describe what kind of environment he was in, and then he says, “I sing to You, I call upon You. I know You have heard my prayer.” This is a characteristic of all of David’s psalms. He often describes his terrible situation at the beginning, and then he says, “I know You are my Lord; You will save me.” So he says, “You are my stronghold...” His hope is in God.
So, brothers and sisters, I wish for you to learn some catchy songs, especially when you are feeling down, to sing songs that lift your spirits. Especially in very difficult environments, sing that song “It is This Love,” and you will realize how intimate your relationship with the Lord is. You will see He has been seeking you. He says, “Look, the winter rain is over.” We are not saying we are in the cold winter now? God says, “Look! The winter rain has stopped; spring flowers are blooming. I invite you to go out with Me; you will find it is beautiful.” So in trials, He is our hope; in darkness, He is our hope. Amen!
Proverbs 4:18, “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”
God’s way of calculating is different from ours. How did God calculate the days in Genesis? There was evening, and there was morning; this was the first day. We calculate days from morning to evening. Therefore, the path of the world becomes darker and darker until it is night. But our path starts in the evening and becomes brighter and brighter until noon, which is when the sun is at its strongest.
So when you recognize the Lord Jesus in your darkest moments, you know to walk toward the dawn. Once you enter the dawn, darkness will no longer be seen. This is our day; this is the path of the righteous. Do not say, “My days are getting darker and darker; there is no hope.” That is the path of the world. You should declare: My days are like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until noon. Amen!
1 Thessalonians 5:5-9,
5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The letters to the Thessalonians are about hope in the last days. This passage tells us that we are all children of light. Even if children of light fall into darkness, they are still children of light. We are all children of the day. Paul tells us clearly that you are not of the night or of darkness. Even if you are in darkness now, you do not belong to it; you are merely passing through. Therefore, do not sleep.
Brothers and sisters, we must interpret this spiritually. Do not take it literally and say, “From today, I will not sleep.” The spiritual meaning is that we should not be like others, unable to see the development of this era. We must know that when Jesus Christ returns for the second time, that will be the brightest light that comes. Before that, the darkest night will also come. So we must be prepared in our hearts. Do not say, “I know, I hope the light will come; I do not want to be in darkness.”
Before Jesus comes, it will definitely be the darkest time. At that time, people will say, “It is over; there is no hope.” Suddenly, your greatest hope arrives. This will surely happen. Therefore, do not sleep like others; always be alert. You need to know what time it is.
The day of the Lord is near, so do not say, “I still do not understand, so I will just eat and drink.” Do not do that. You should be spiritually alert and understand this era. If darkness comes, you should have hope, which proves that light is coming soon. The darker it is, the closer the light is.
Verse 7 says, “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.”
Unbelievers either sleep at night or get drunk at night. But we are awake and sober at night because we have hope. Do you remember the wedding at Cana and the parable of the five virgins? Those all happened at night. Weddings in Israel are different from ours. We hold weddings at noon when the sun is strongest, while weddings in Israel happen late at night. That is why someone shouts, “The bridegroom is coming!” because everyone is asleep. When our Lord Jesus returns, it will be the same situation; everyone will be in darkness, but some will be asleep while others are alert. When the trumpet sounds, you should think, “I know the Lord Jesus is coming.” Those who are asleep are asleep at night, and those who are drunk are drunk at night. But we are awake at night, and we have hope because we are waiting for the bridegroom’s arrival. Hallelujah!
The darker it is, the faster the bridegroom is coming. Brothers and sisters, remember, He cannot come at dawn; He must come at night. This means Jesus will come when we do not know. He saves you when you have the least hope. Here it says, since we belong to the day, we should be sober. How to be sober is also told here: putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. The parts that can be sober are not from us; they come from God, from God’s promises. So ultimately, one sentence: In your trials and darkness, you must have hope in God; He is your strength; He is your eternal hope.
Verse 9 says, “For God has not destined us for wrath.”
Please remember, you believe in Jesus not to suffer more. Do not compare suffering. How many times have you been disciplined by God this week? Did your leg break? We should share, “Lord, today how much grace have I received from You? Even in suffering, I have not lost Your hope.” But to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, when do you need to be saved by the Lord Jesus? In trials, when you fall into snares, you need to be saved. So when you are saved, or even in trials, if you still have hope in God, you can become a testimony for others. Hallelujah!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! Thank You and praise You! Thank You for letting us know through such words that even in darkness, we still have hope. You make all things work together for my good. Although some things I do not understand, I know You are still in control. Although some things I do not comprehend, I know You are for my benefit. You are my hope; You are my strength; You are my stronghold; You are my ever-present help in trouble. I thank and praise You! Let me experience Your words in my life. No matter what I encounter, let me experience Your presence. Thank and praise You! All glory be to You. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
Begin to partake of communion:
In the name of the Lord Jesus, I set apart this bread. From this moment on, it is no longer ordinary bread, but the body of my Lord Jesus Christ, given for me. Lord, You laid down Your body so that I can have support in my illness. Through Your body, I receive healing. I know You are my hope. Thank and praise You!
As everyone partakes of communion, you can think before the Lord what Jesus can do for you at this moment. If you have illness in your body, you can receive healing through this communion right now. What you possess is living hope. Hallelujah! Let each of us open our mouths and pray before the Lord...
You must believe that God has heard your prayers and is willing to accomplish them for you. At any time, you are a person of hope. Even if illness is upon you, at this moment, you must believe that by the stripes of Jesus, I have already received healing because His body has been given to me. I receive this promise. Hallelujah! Thank and praise You!
In the name of the Lord Jesus, I set apart this cup. From this moment on, it is no longer ordinary wine, but the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, shed for me. Jesus, You shed Your precious blood so that all my sins are forgiven. Therefore, today I believe I am justified by faith. I can stand in grace; I have living hope because I am in the covenant, and I can receive Your blessings. Each person comes before the Lord to pray...
In the name of the Lord Jesus, bless the brothers and sisters. As a new week begins, believe that you carry the blessings of Jesus Christ. You are people of hope; your hope is in heaven. Your hope is because God has given you promises. Therefore, believe that wherever you go, He is with you. He is your strength, your help, and your ever-present support in trouble. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I bless you and your family to be free from all diseases. The new week is a week full of blessings, a week full of God’s power. God will bless all that you do. You will also be a blessing to others. Hallelujah! Thank and praise the Lord! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!