301 - The Beauty of Knowing New People Will Make You Willing to Shed the Old Ones#
301 - The Beauty of Knowing New People Will Make You Willing to Shed the Old Ones
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
Ephesians 4:20-24,
20 But you did not learn Christ in this way. 21 If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! Thank You and praise You! Thank You for leading every brother and sister to Your presence in the first week of the new year, believing that today You will provide for us, so that everyone can receive supply. You are the Lord of blessing, and we are willing to look up to You. All our help comes from You. Please guide us during this time, let the Holy Spirit renew us through Your words. In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
The topic we are sharing is: The Beauty of Knowing New People Will Make You Willing to Shed the Old Ones
Many churches have been emphasizing: we need to put the old self to death, to renew our bad behaviors, and to have good conduct.
I want to ask: where does this strength come from? I believe that no one believes in Jesus to commit sin; everyone believes to live better, to receive more blessings from God, and to glorify Jesus.
The question is, where does this strength come from? If we do not learn to draw supply from God and look to His strength, we will rely on ourselves and still cannot live it out in life. This is why so many Christians, who especially want to live a life that glorifies God, cannot do so. Wanting is one thing; living it out is another.
During the New Year, we buy new clothes and dress our children beautifully. Before the Spring Festival, we clean our homes very thoroughly, looking forward to a new beginning. Many people start cutting their hair in February, starting fresh, which are all very good symbols.
Before the New Year, if someone has debts, they will settle their accounts. We have various preparations before the Spring Festival; this is called tradition, which means to remove the old and start a new year. Since it is a new year, it means shedding the old things. We are new creations in Christ, and during the New Year, we hope everyone can live out the style of the new man. The scripture we just read says that you must put off the old man concerning your former conduct, which is corrupted by deceitful lusts.
Sharing the first point: Put Off the Old Man
Why do we need to put off these old men? Look at what the previous verses say: because this old man lives in the deception of lust. When we do not know Jesus and His grace, we live in the deception of lust, and under this deception, we become worse and worse... This is the old life, a dead life. So what about life? This kind of life will lead to bad living. For those who do not believe in the Lord, it is impossible to expect them to live out the life of Jesus. For those who believe in Jesus and have the Holy Spirit, can we live out the life of Christ? Yes, but we cannot rely on ourselves; we must rely on the power of Jesus.
If it is the old life, a dead life, it is impossible to live out the style of Jesus. The old life is not good at all; it is a dead life that even we hate, and it gradually becomes worse, ultimately unable to build up others or ourselves. That is a bitter life. We see a person, Moses, who lived under the law. He wrote a poem, which was also his prayer.
Psalm 90:9-10
9 For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. 10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
When you read these few verses from the Psalm, where is your hope? Was Moses's life like this? He only knew God at eighty years old. Looking back at the first eighty years, they were all the suffering he endured for forty years. He felt that if life had no God, all of this would be like a sigh. Moreover, Moses said, "For all our days have passed away in Your wrath." After knowing God, Moses was actually fearful and trembling. He lived under the law, and when God required the people with the law, he could not live it out, so he was often fearful and trembling, worried about God on one hand and worried that the people would stone him on the other.
So Moses's life was truly a sigh, labor, and sorrow. We might say, "Moses was under the law." Are people who do not believe in Jesus like this today? A sigh, right? Before the Spring Festival, someone was chatting and said, "2018 was hard," and after the New Year, they said, "2019 is even harder." Is that not a sigh? No hope, not knowing where their way is, living as if under a curse. The elderly are even more so; looking back, there is nothing to boast about, just labor and sorrow.
Brothers and sisters, where is our hope? Moses saw the people suffering in Egypt. Did Moses live under the whip? He was never a slave. A person who has never been a slave sighs and labors like this; what about the Israelite people who were slaves? For four hundred years, they had been slaves to others, with not a penny to their name, living a life that was not even human. At that time, they looked up to God. Let’s look at a passage of scripture.
Exodus 2:23-25
23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.
Now this group of people is the covenant people of God. Did they sigh? Because of their hard labor, they sighed and cried out. What is the meaning of life on earth? The sighing of slaves is one thing, but the sighing and labor of those who are not slaves shows that if a person is not in Christ, there is no hope. At that time, the Israelite people lived in great suffering. Would you want to live that kind of life? Our lives before we knew Jesus were also lives of suffering, an old life. If the Israelite people had not been saved by God from Egypt, their lives would have been like this, as they had lived like this for four generations, dying in pain, with no hope. But now God has heard their cries, and this is our hope.
What makes you different from the world is that your sighs, your labor, and sorrow, when you pray to God, He will turn everything around for you. He is your hope, so you should look up to Him. Amen! God heard their cries, not because they were pious, but because God remembered the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looks at the covenant; do you have a covenant with God? Some call it a blood covenant, which is the covenant Jesus made with us and God with His blood, an eternal covenant. This covenant guarantees one thing: when you encounter problems and pray to Him, God will remember the covenant of Jesus, listen to your prayers, and save you.
God looked upon the children of Israel and knew their suffering. So do not pray saying, "Lord! You do not know what I have gone through..." God knows everything. God is willing to bless us. God never forces us; He will not force His blessings upon you, nor will He compel you to accept and obey His words. He only wishes for you to willingly follow Him and pray to Him. When we pray to God, it means you acknowledge Him as your God, acknowledging Him as your help. Amen!
I believe everyone needs help. Help can be solved in two ways: one is self-rescue, saving oneself; the other is letting others save us. I hope everyone will pray to God and let our Lord save you. He knows your situation and knows how to save you thoroughly. Today I want to share: in the Passover, there is something very important called the removal of leaven, just like we clean the house before the New Year. Let’s look at a passage of scripture.
Exodus 23:15: You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib; for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed.
The Passover is equivalent to our Spring Festival. Before the Spring Festival, we first clean the house thoroughly. Why do we clean like this? Some say, "New Year's Eve is to remove the old and welcome the new beginning." Many people only do one thing: clean their homes, but who will clean the labor, sorrow, and sense of condemnation in their hearts? People cannot give you comfort. The dust of the heart and condemnation must be renewed and removed through the words of Jesus Christ to truly enjoy joy. God told the Israelite people to remove the leaven from their homes, to clean out all the old leaven. In the Bible, leaven usually refers to sin, evil, and moral decay.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8
7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Here, leaven also refers to the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees, because a little bit of erroneous teaching can influence a large group of people. I am preaching to you now, and if I make a mistake, you will also follow and make mistakes. As long as you believe and live like this, problems will arise. So brothers and sisters, this is what God is telling us: the teachings you hear will affect your life. If you watch negative things every day, what you pass on to your family is negativity, and what you convey to those around you is also negativity. But if you receive His supply, blessing, and hope from Jesus every day, you will bring this hope to everyone around you.
What is the problem with the Pharisees and Sadducees? They added human reasoning to God's words, making it impossible for people to fully believe God's words. When Jesus came, He carefully told His disciples: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." At first, the disciples did not understand and said, "Is it because we did not bring enough bread?" So Jesus said here,
Matthew 16:11-12
11 How is it you do not understand that I spoke concerning bread? But to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The leaven of the Pharisees refers to their reliance on the traditions of their ancestors and religious customs, disregarding God's commands, and misinterpreting God's words and will. The Pharisees and lawyers are rigidly adhering to rituals. These Pharisees and legalists added many things outside of their words and actions, replacing the Holy Spirit that comes from God. They thought it should be done this way... Many people also read God's words, but they say, "This does not fit our current situation; we should live our own way." Some people think they are very smart, but in reality, God's words are always timeless. Amen! This is something everyone must understand: God's words will never become outdated, even a thousand years from now; the power of His teachings will never change.
Why do you need to remove those old things? Because those old things do not benefit us much, so God told the Israelite people to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread during the appointed time in the month of Abib and eat unleavened bread for seven days.
Unleavened bread is what we call dead dough. Why were they not allowed to eat leavened bread here? The Old Testament is a shadow, and the New Testament is the reality. I just read that passage of scripture. The leaven here is a metaphor indicating that you should not add anything else to your teachings. Some say that the gospel we preach now was invented by someone; in fact, it is not. Returning to the Bible, you will find that what we do is simply removing the things that were artificially mixed into the past gospel, leaving only Jesus Christ.
Every time I preach, it is about Jesus Christ; this center will never change. I can give you some principles; these principles may solve your problems, but they will not necessarily solve his problems. However, if I give you Jesus, when each of you learns to rely on Jesus, problems can be solved. Amen!
During the Spring Festival, you can also think about what God wants me to see through these things. I tell some people that we actually have two Bibles: one is the one we hold in our hands, written on paper, and the other is this world. You will find that the world develops according to the Bible, and it will not be wrong at all. Whatever the Bible says, the world will develop accordingly. So God hopes that each of us has wisdom, to confirm that what is written in the Bible is true through the world. When you look at the Bible, believe that this will happen; when God says so, it will surely come to pass, which will increase your faith.
During the Spring Festival, God said, "Eat unleavened bread for seven days." Reflect on why so many factories open on the eighth day. We also celebrate for seven days, but no one knows why it is seven days instead of a month. In fact, this all comes from God. Let me tell you a little story about the Spring Festival. When we visit others during the Spring Festival, especially within these seven days, do we go empty-handed? Usually, we can go empty-handed to someone’s house, but during these seven days, we must bring something. Why do we have to bring something? We have a notion that during the New Year, we absolutely cannot go to someone else's house empty-handed. We do not know why we cannot go empty-handed; we can do so at other times, but why not during these days? It is not that they lack that.
In fact, these principles are all in the Bible. God told the Israelite people: "You shall not appear before Me empty-handed." During these seven days, you must bring gifts to find Me because I saved you. Now I want you to do these things to remember the great salvation I accomplished in you. Do you understand?
However, when it comes to us, we do not understand why we should do this. Many things are shadows; if we trace them back to their source, we will return to God. God's intention is: this month I brought you out of Egypt, so during these seven days, you must remember that I brought you out and remove the old things from your past. Teachings must be renewed. So God said, "You are unleavened bread." Do you acknowledge that you are unleavened bread now? What does unleavened bread refer to? There should be no malice or evil within you; you should have sincerity, true unleavened bread.
Unleavened bread is dough that will not rise, but if there is a little yeast inside, it will rise quickly. If your heart is filled with the words of Christ, which are the fruits of the Holy Spirit, joy, love, peace, gentleness, self-control... what comes out will be the fruits of the Holy Spirit. If there is a little evil inside, as soon as someone touches your sore spot, that evil will come out. Is this not the part we need to be renewed? Many people have already entered the New Year, but their minds are still in the past, still angry when they see that person. You are unleavened bread; you must remove that old leaven.
Some say, "I want to remove it, but I cannot." Who made you unleavened bread? You can never do it by yourself. Who made you a new lump? For the Passover lamb, Christ, has already been sacrificed. On the afternoon of the day they came out of Egypt, the lamb had already been killed, and the blood of the lamb was smeared on the doorposts and lintels. That night they came out of Egypt, and they were already unleavened bread, already a new lump. Although the Israelite people still looked the same as before when they came out of Egypt, how did God view this group of people? He said, "This is the army of the Lord." When you accept Jesus, at that moment, in God's eyes, you are the army of the Lord.
You are a new lump, not the past where three people gathered together, discussing family matters... just these things. But now we are different; two or three people gather in the name of Lord Jesus, discussing Jesus, proclaiming God's power, and there is power among us. When you keep this feast, do not use old leaven. We all celebrate the Spring Festival, and during the Spring Festival, we bless each other. Remember to extend this blessing throughout the entire year, not just during these seven days. Many people meet during these seven days, saying nice things, but once the New Year is over, they return to their old ways. We should not be like this; God's blessings are upon you every day. The unleavened bread of Jesus Christ is from beginning to end. Amen! Jesus Christ has already been sacrificed; you are always a new lump. You must believe one thing: Jesus can make you a new lump; He has changed your life. You are no longer the old life but a new life. Hallelujah!
Second point: Put on the New Man
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
You have become a new man, not as a result of your efforts, but because God has renewed you. When the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart, you become a new man. Some say, "My life has changed, but I want to live a new life. How do I live it out?" This is the part we pay special attention to. If believing in the Lord is merely to enter the kingdom of heaven, then you are already in the kingdom of heaven. However, our lives have not ended yet. What should we do? When life has not ended, we must live out this new life. How can we live out this new life? We must think about what Jesus has done for you, the power to live out a new life is in the scripture we just read, the love of Christ compels us.
Last night I watched a short video that talked about the Titanic sinking. About a hundred years later, another ship, which seemed to have set sail from Australia, also sank at sea, but that ship sank particularly quickly. Some things happened in between. There were 170 Christians on that ship, and they were the closest to the lifeboats and life jackets. They were a missionary group going to a place for evangelism, and when disaster struck, these 170 people rushed into the room with life jackets. Every one of them put on a life jacket and then jumped into the sea. Logically, these 170 people could have survived, but later people found that not a single one of them survived. What happened?
Later, someone specifically consulted and investigated those who survived. The sinking happened too quickly, and many people died because the sea water was too cold. At that time, there were less than three hundred survivors. These 170 people could have survived; why did they not? Later, those who survived all testified in unison, saying, "Actually, we were supposed to die, but while we were in the sea, suddenly someone came to me and took off his life jacket and put it on me."
He said, "I was surprised. Why did they do this? They were all young, in their twenties. Why would they save me?"
That person asked him, "Are you a Christian?"
He said, "I am not!"
"Then do you want to accept Jesus?"
He said, "I do not want to accept."
"So you must wear it because I am going to die. I know where I am going. You cannot die now; if you die, you do not know where you will go."
All 170 people testified in unison. Among them was a big man, very strong, weighing over two hundred pounds, covered in tattoos. A twenty-something sister came to him, took off her life jacket, put it on him, and then swam away. This big man thought, "I am a man; how can I take a little girl's life jacket?" So he chased after the girl and took off the life jacket he had just put on and gave it back to her.
He said, "I do not want yours; you are a woman; you should wear it."
The girl asked him one question: "Do you believe in Jesus?"
He said, "I do not believe."
"Then do you want to accept Jesus?"
He said, "I do not want to... don't talk to me about this."
Then the sister threw the life jacket back in front of him and said, "Put it on! I am going to die; I am with my Lord, but if you die, your family will be finished."
This man later testified after reaching the shore, saying, "That day I was saved twice: once my life was saved, and the other time my sins were forgiven." Through this group of Christians, he saw the love of Jesus Christ. You see, in this era, many people keep talking about the love of Jesus, about prosperity, and about how to get healing. But the most important thing is God's love; without God's love, how can one receive healing, prosperity, and health? When Jesus gives us these things, He does not ask us for anything. Just like when He gives you a life jacket, He does not require you to do anything for Him; just putting it on is enough.
You are blessed; even if the world were to be destroyed tomorrow, you would know where you are going. But the world cannot; they have no hope, will be very desperate, and will be very afraid. Brothers and sisters, it is the love of Jesus that compels us to witness for the world. Hallelujah! We think that Jesus died for all, and all have died. Now you are living not for yourself, but for Him who died and rose again. How do you live out the style of Christ? You must first receive the love of Christ! You must know how Jesus loves you, unconditionally loves you, forgives you, saves you, and heals you, so you can help others, just like those 170 Christians did. They sacrificed their lives in hopes that the other 170 could live. This beautiful testimony spread among them.
In the past, we always recognized people based on appearances. This person has a higher status, is richer, or looks more handsome, and we are willing to help them. But now you should not do this. When Jesus came into this world, He did not have a beautiful appearance, but He had a heart willing to lay down His life for you. Amen! Perhaps the brothers and sisters around you do not have as high a position or beautiful appearance as the world, but they are willing to reach out to help you when you are in trouble, which is much better than those people. In Jesus Christ, we are a new lump, a new dough, connected together by Jesus. Amen!
I see that each of you is remarkable because each of you has the Holy Spirit. As long as you learn how to use the Holy Spirit, you will be extraordinary in the future. Just like me, I used to be a person who was tongue-tied and awkward; this is no exaggeration. I was very introverted, but who would have thought that I could share the testimony of Jesus with you here? It is the love of Jesus that changed me. The reason I am willing to give to you today without asking for anything in return is that someone once helped me like this, and I remember it in my heart. It is this love that compels me to do such things. If it were not for this reason, you would give up on other things, such as the temptation of profit, the temptation of money, and emotional connections; these will all change. Only when the love of Jesus Christ compels you will you not change.
The twelve disciples were all like this; they understood how Jesus loved them, so they risked their lives, even giving their lives to preach the gospel and save those lives. Brothers and sisters, remember that you are a new creation, made in the image of God. God, in Christ, has given us a new life or has reborn us, and at the same time has given us the power to live a new life. You must continually recognize the love of Jesus, gradually renewing yourself in this knowledge. The more we understand the truth, the more we think about how Christ loves us, the more power we will have to live out this new life. Hallelujah! You will become more and more like the Lord Jesus and live out the style of Christ.
Ephesians 4:21 says, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus,
There are three parts here. First, you must hear the word first. If you have never heard of Jesus, never heard the true word, you cannot believe in Him. Faith comes by hearing. Everyone should first learn one thing: learn to listen to the word. I do not recommend listening to too many people's sermons; listening to too many can cause problems. Find one or two that you recognize and continue to listen to them. As long as you persist in listening to my sermons for a year, your life will definitely undergo a tremendous transformation. Over the past few years, I have seen countless people transformed. This is not my ability; it is the power of the words of Jesus Christ. Amen!
In the new year, God will have new guidance for each person. You must also believe that God will have new guidance in your life, and your life will have new changes. What you need to do is let your mind be renewed according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Amen! I hope brothers and sisters will resolve to act according to God's words, making Jesus Christ the center of our lives. Correct faith will inevitably lead to a correct life. When Jesus was in this world, His life was stress-free. He was not laboring and sorrowful; He did many works, but His heart was joyful. He knew that everything He did was meaningful. This is the first thing: you must first learn to listen to the word.
The second is to receive His teaching, which means to receive His words. Listening is just the first step. After you listen, you must take this into your heart. Do not think that what is being said does not fit your current situation; just set it aside. You have heard it; you must receive it in your heart. It must enter your heart to have an effect on your body. Let the words of Jesus Christ become the standard of your faith, the standard of your life. Thus, you can rest assured that everything you do in life will be prosperous because God created this world, and He knows how this world operates. Therefore, the methods He writes for victory will surely lead to victory. Amen! You must continually receive... repeatedly meditate on God's words.
Let’s look at a person, Joshua, Joshua 1:7-8
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
At that time, Joshua had just taken over Moses's burden. You know that Moses's job is not easy, right? A group of people are under the law, and everyone has their own ideas and does not live according to God's ways. What should he do? After Joshua took on this burden, he thought: How should I guide this group of people? There are enemies ahead; what should I do? At this time, God personally told Joshua: Just be strong and very courageous. How can we be strong and courageous? Some say, "I do not want to be afraid; I want to be strong and courageous, but I cannot." Facing such an environment, such a family, how can I be strong? Many people always have countless reasons.
Yes, seeing that one in the family does nothing, just lying on the sofa watching TV, the remote control is the most precious thing to him every day. Indeed, you say you cannot be strong, and you cannot love him; this is a fact. But do you know how to change this? If you confront him and scold him, it will not have any effect. God's intention is: Joshua, if you look at the environment in front of you, you will be weak, but you must look at My promises. Just be strong and very courageous, and observe to do according to all the law which My servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left. Brothers and sisters, this is Joshua's secret to victory.
How do we understand this sentence today? You must be strong and very courageous, and observe the commands of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, there are four gospels, and we can see how Jesus lived in this world; that is our basis for living. After the New Testament, there are many letters, and each letter is written to address different problems we face. If you have problems, read these letters, and you will gain wisdom.
God tells you how to face your life. You must keep these words in your heart without turning to the left or right, so that wherever you go, you may prosper. How do we understand the word "prosper"? Smooth sailing, as the world says, "There are no obstacles ahead." Is that called prosperity? What God means by prosperity is: even if you encounter obstacles, even if you face great mountains, you will still overcome them. Do not be afraid of encountering difficulties and problems; these are not scary. As long as there is a solution, that is enough. Amen!
If you say, "I will get sick," there is nothing to be afraid of. If you catch a little cold, will you be afraid? "This won't do; I will die..." You would not think like that. You know this is too simple; it can be dealt with easily. So no matter what you encounter ahead, believe that: God's words are in my heart; He will make me prosper in everything, overcoming through God's words. You see, how powerful are God's words? When Jesus faced difficulties, did He not use God's words to overcome all difficulties? When facing the dead, how did Jesus raise Lazarus? He used God's words to bring him back to life. This is the power of the Lord we believe in, which can surpass all human thoughts and abilities; you must rely on His words to live. Amen!
You just need to resolve: Lord, I am willing to live according to Your words this year. That is enough; with this intention, God will lead you step by step. When Joshua had this intention, he did not know what enemies he would face ahead, but he knew: Your words are in my heart; I will no longer fear the enemies ahead; You always have a way.
Verse 8 says, this Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth but shall meditate on it day and night,
This is why we encourage everyone to read the Bible often, putting God's words in your mouth means you should often speak them out. When Jesus encountered difficulties, what kind of words did He speak? For example, when an unclean spirit tormented a person, making him jump and thrash... did Jesus ever say, "Wow! There are many tricks; the power is great"? Did He ever praise the devil? No, so we should not do such things; do not praise how great the devil is. Jesus said, "Unclean spirit, I command you to come out of this man." And then it was over.
You must believe you are in God's hands. Think about His words; He will surely lead you. Let God's words always be in your mouth; meditate on them day and night. Is it not about your mouth and heart? So that you may observe to do according to all that is written in this book. Then your way will be prosperous, and you will have good success in everything.
At the beginning of the new year, people hope that everything will go smoothly and prosperously. In fact, God hopes so too. The method is to listen to His words, receive His words in your heart, and have this intention to live it out. That is enough. The rest, the Holy Spirit will help you; as long as you have this heart, it will be easy.
Next, there is also the part about learning His truth.
2 Corinthians 5:4-5,
4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
What is said here, in this tent, refers to this body. This is a tent; we groan and labor in this tent, which is very normal. It is very normal for Moses to groan and labor; it is very normal for the Israelite people to groan and labor; it is also very normal for those who do not believe in Jesus to groan and labor. It is normal for you to groan and labor, but you can live supernaturally.
What should you do when you groan and labor? You do not say, "Oh! It would be better to die." Many people say, "If Jesus comes tomorrow, it would be great; I would not have to suffer like this." After groaning and laboring, they say some words, but God does not want us to live like this. He did not say, "Alright! As long as you complain, I will take you back." No, you still have a mission to complete on this earth.
What does God see in us? When your mission is completed, God says, "Come back!" Then we can go back. I am like this, so I do not fear death. As long as I finish my ministry, if God says, "You can come back," then I will come back. If today I pray, "Lord! I want to go back," and God says, "Your ministry is not finished yet," then I will have to stay here. This is how we view life.
Indeed, we will groan and labor in this tent and face aging and various problems in our bodies. However, you do not have to take this off; you are willing to put on that, which is the resurrected body of Jesus. When you put that on, you will see one thing: this mortality will be swallowed up by life. Did Jesus overcome death? After Jesus rose from the dead, could death still hold Him? No.
Verse 5 says, "Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God."
In life, you must see how God cultivates you, how God allows you to live out a life that overcomes the flesh! How can you live a life on earth like that in heaven? Many people also talk about "on earth as it is in heaven." How can you live on earth as it is in heaven? First, your heart must have God's words; receive these words and then live them out. Where God is, there is heaven. If Jesus is here with me, then this place is the kingdom of God.
If you are unwilling to believe God's words in your heart, even if you were to go to heaven, you might say, "What is this? It is a bit different from what I imagined." Now you can enjoy joy, not labor and sorrow, sighing and saying, "It will be better after I die." This is not hope; our hope is that it is good in this world, and it will be better in the future. I hope everyone will first listen to God's words, receive these words in your heart, and then live them out, having experiences and testimonies, rather than remaining in the stage of hearing and receiving.
Too many people talk about grace, listen, and are receiving, but many people say, "I already know all these things; what you are talking about is childish. Can you talk about something fresh?" You will find that generally, those who complain like this still do not solve problems in life. So how can we elevate our quality of life? How can life be elevated? It is to live out what you have heard. Recently, I have been mentoring some people, teaching them how to use the authority of Jesus. In fact, everyone should be familiar with this. After every meeting, everyone prays together, declares together, and serves one another. However, many people have never used it. They know that Jesus has authority and has given authority to them, but no one has ever prayed. A very important step is to live it out.
When you live it out, have testimonies and experiences, you will feel that God's words can truly inspire you, and you will be willing to pursue more of God's words. When God solves a small problem in your life, you will no longer be so afraid and worried about the bigger problems.
This year, I hope everyone will live out God's words; you are unleavened bread in the new man. Amen! Let the words of Christ always fill you. Resolve to say, "I will live according to God's words; no matter how the world lives, that is their business. I must live according to God's words." The Holy Spirit can elevate you and help you; God is the one who cultivates us, and He has also given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.
Brothers and sisters, I hope that this year everyone will have testimonies. This testimony does not refer to being healed from illness; it refers to truly encountering God's presence in your life. This establishes your personal relationship with God. The cross has two aspects: one is vertical, which is our relationship with the Father in heaven. No one can help you. I can preach to you; I can pray for you, but your relationship with God must be personally experienced by you. You must know that God's words have authority. Unless one day you reach out to pray for yourself, for your children and family, and for those around you, as long as you do it, you will see that God is using me. Otherwise, even if I tell you many testimonies, you might say it is just coincidence or perhaps you have greater faith. It is not so.
Everyone can establish a relationship with our Heavenly Father. In the middle is Jesus; is not Jesus hanging there on the cross? You look at the Father through Jesus; He loves you and is willing to bless you. At the same time, His love compels you to live out the style of Jesus. Amen! So everyone must establish this relationship with the Father, and you will continuously understand His words, His revelations, and guidance. In that case, you will be remarkable.
Joseph in Genesis was a person who understood God's guidance. In any environment, he learned to be content and learned to pray to God. The path God led him was also different from his family. God exalted him, and he became a blessing to many. You can too. God hopes that each of us will play our part, and then this church, this lump of dough, will be remarkable. You must renew your mind. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
You are not striving to become a new man; you are already a new man. Amen! Just like we said today, you are not striving to enter the new year. Even if you do not strive, can you enter the new year? You have entered it. Even if you lie there with your eyes closed, you have already entered. What you need to do is renew your mind; it is already 2019. Even if you do not acknowledge it, is it not so? Yes, you are a new man. Even if you do not acknowledge that you are a new man, you are still a new man. What you need to do is acknowledge this fact, then accept in your heart that it is 2019, and say, "I want to start anew with new goals in 2019." That is enough; this is called renewing your mind and putting on the new man.
What does it mean to put on the new man? Do you need gentleness? Some say, "I need it; my temper is too explosive; I need gentleness." God says, "I have given you the garment of gentleness; come and put it on." Is this very difficult? Just like when you buy a new outfit for your child before the New Year and say, "Put on this new outfit; when you go out, you will look brand new." Is this very difficult? As long as he puts it on, does his appearance change?
So brothers and sisters, God has given you all kinds of blessings. You just need to realize that you are a new man and then put this on, and you will naturally change. When God gives you His gentleness, joy, self-control, patience... to wear as clothing, you will have these. What do you need? Discover your problems; it is not scary. You know that the Lord has corresponding solutions for what you need. You can pray to Him, and He will give it to you.
Do you lack love? Pray to God and let His love clothe you. Hallelujah! So you are putting on the new man, which is created in the image of God, in true righteousness and holiness. You do not need to strive to become a righteous person or strive to become holy; it is not necessary. When you put on the new man, you already have true righteousness and holiness. At the same time, believe that you have already possessed the image and likeness of God. Amen!
This point you must meditate on; otherwise, you will not understand it at all. Adam and Eve fell for the devil's trick because they did not know they already possessed the image and likeness of God, already had true righteousness and holiness, and thought they did not have it, so they were deceived by the devil. Do not be like this; believe that you are already a new creation. You say, "What should I do while living on earth?" Think more about what the new creation looks like, and then live it out. Hallelujah!
Isn't it simple? So listen to the word more, meditate on the words of Christ; this is your new man's appearance. If you say, "I still have no concept," it is very simple. Go read the four gospels and see what Jesus was like when He walked on earth: He had authority, compassion, and mercy. That is also what you have inside you. The more you meditate, the more this power will be released. Hallelujah! This is your new man's appearance and the blessings you possess.
When you believe and receive, you must live according to God's words, resolve to live according to God's words, no matter what others say; I will believe this way. This is why many people have told me during this time that their finances have turned around, their families and marriages... have all turned around, by doing just one thing: listening to the word and believing.
Many people say, "My spouse used to have such a bad temper, but I did just one thing: every day I blessed him in the name of Lord Jesus, and it really changed." This method is not used by the world. The world says, "He is like this; do I still have to praise him and bless him? Isn't he going to heaven?" The world does not do this, but we must do it because this is God's way. Amen! The reason we can change and willingly follow Lord Jesus is that we see the love of Jesus.
So I hope that this year, you will live out the style of Jesus, letting those around you see the love of Christ through you. Amen! Thank and praise the Lord! You are not striving to become a new man; you just need to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and live out the new life you already possess inside. This is a righteous life, a holy life. Holiness means being different from the world; God has set you apart. So I also believe. Do not look at how the world is; do not look at how the world complains; you must believe that you are in God's supply. Amen!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank You and praise You! Thank You for renewing us through Your words. We groan and labor in this tent, but we are willing to put on the new clothes You have given us, possessing the image and likeness of God. I am a new creation; through the salvation of Jesus Christ, I am already in You. I possess Your authority and Your likeness, and I can live out this likeness. You give me strength, and the Holy Spirit will surely renew and lead me. I can be strong and courageous through You. Please give me a heart that is willing to listen to Your words, let Your words not depart from my mouth, and let me meditate on Your words day and night. Your words are filled with power, authority, and glory. In this week, I am willing to use Your words to live out a different life. This is Your authority; You are my best testimony, and I also want to be Your best testimony. In the name of Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen!