324-The Answer You Seek is in God's Word#
324-The Answer You Seek is in God's Word
(JP Text Group - Organized by Yun Dan Feng Qing)
Matthew 4:1-11
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! As a new week begins, we come before you to receive your word. Your word is our strength in life and the answer to all our problems. The answers I need are in your word. No matter what problems we encounter, Jesus has the answers. Please guide us during this time as we receive your word and gain the supply and help that comes from you. We set apart this time, and may the Holy Spirit help every seeker of you. You know each person's needs, and provide for us in due time. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
God's word is our compass in life. Life cannot be like a movie, where we can start over after failing.
What to do when we fail? We must seek Jesus! He is the Lord of your life. Go to Him as your true self, and do not fear failure. If you live according to God's way from the beginning, there will be no failure, because our Lord Jesus has no failures. When Jesus lived on earth, He encountered tribulations and problems, but He could solve them. For our Lord, these are not issues. For those of us who believe in the Lord, what we encounter is not difficult, and it is not worth worrying or losing heart over, because the answers you seek are in God's word. Jesus has overcome the world and the devil. Brothers and sisters, if Jesus can overcome, you as His disciples can also overcome. What did Jesus rely on to overcome the world and the devil's schemes?
Share the first point: Where does Jesus' power to overcome the devil come from?
- The affirmation of the Father
Matthew 3:16-17:
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
This is what happened when Jesus was baptized: the Holy Spirit descended and filled Him. Do you know that something similar has happened to you? At the moment you accepted Jesus, the Holy Spirit also dwelled in you and is with you. From that moment on, wherever you go, the Holy Spirit goes with you. This is something you must be sure of. When the Spirit of God descended like a dove upon Him, there was a voice saying: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Up to this point, Jesus had not performed any miracles, healed anyone, or preached the gospel. His ministry had not yet begun; He had only gone to John the Baptist to be baptized. Before His ministry began, the Father had already affirmed Him.
Where do many people's problems lie today? They want to please the Father through what they do. Or they think that when they behave well, the Father will love them a little more and listen to their prayers. If they do not perform well, they feel that the Father is far away and no longer hears their prayers. This is where many people's problems lie.
I want to tell you through Jesus that His life on earth is our example. You should also believe that it is not based on what you do that the Father will be pleased with you, but rather the opposite: because the Father is pleased with you, you do what pleases Him.
The Father loves you not because of your good behavior or your good deeds. The Father accepts and delights in you because of Jesus. Jesus took your sins upon Himself on the cross, and you have been reconciled with the Father. Because of this reconciled relationship, it guarantees that the Father will always be pleased with you. At any time, you should tell yourself: I am God's beloved child, I am loved by God.
When you always remember this, even in weakness, discouragement, or temptation, you can rely on this strength to overcome. In parenting, parental affirmation is also very important. A parent's affirmation can give a child the strength to face difficulties. We must first learn to receive His strength from the Father to face life. Since we know our God does not fail and delights in you, you are His beloved child. In any problem, you can call upon Him, and He will surely listen to your prayers. Then you will have strength. This is the first point: the Father's affirmation gives Jesus the strength to overcome the devil.
Matthew 4:1, Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
This is not a standard we can refer to. It does not mean that after you accept Jesus, you should live in the wilderness for three and a half years and let the devil tempt you. Jesus did this for you. Why? Because someone was tempted by the devil and failed, and that person was Adam. Have the descendants of Adam overcome? After the Israelites came out of Egypt, they also entered the wilderness. The journey through the wilderness was only supposed to take forty days, but they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Did they overcome in those forty years? Look at how many times God gave them chances. If you divide forty years by forty days, how many groups can you form? God had already given them countless chances in their lives. Could they not pass in forty days? They never overcame until they died.
So Jesus came. He knew you could not overcome, not even a hundred times. The first thing He did was go into the wilderness. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to tell you one thing: before Jesus, everyone had failed in the wilderness under the devil's temptation, but He overcame. Why did He go into the wilderness? Because there was nothing in the wilderness. You know, the Israelites had God's provision in the wilderness. If they could not overcome with provision, how much less could they without it?
But Jesus had no provision. At the end of forty days, Jesus was hungry. He fasted for forty days and nights and was hungry. I do not oppose fasting. If you think you can please God through fasting, you are mistaken. Or if you think fasting will fill you with the Holy Spirit, that is also wrong.
Before Jesus fasted, the Holy Spirit had already filled Him. You do not need to achieve these effects through fasting. The purpose of fasting is to draw near to God, to communicate with God, and to listen to His word. This is acceptable, but do not think of fasting as a way to exchange for blessings.
Jesus fasted for forty days and nights at the most exhausting and hungry time, when His body was the most fatigued and weak. Why does the devil become the devil? Because he can always find your weak spot, always find where you are the weakest and most vulnerable, and will attack you at your weakest point. He came, and the tempter approached Him and said: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” What does the devil most want to destroy?
“If you are the Son of God.” This statement is a hypothesis. Let me ask everyone a question: Is Jesus the Son of God? But the devil, knowing He is, still says, “If you are the Son of God.” He wants you to forget your identity and doubt God.
In the beginning, Adam failed in this way: “If you eat from that tree, you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Adam thought, “Maybe this is true?” Now the devil tempts Jesus in the same way: “If you are the Son of God.” Do you know how damaging this statement is? You all sitting here today would say: “I know I am the Son of God.” But when you are weak, when you pray for something and there is no response for a month, two months, or three months, the devil comes,
“If you are the Son of God, if the Father really loves you, why doesn’t He help you?”
“You can hardly hold on; where is your God?”
…
Can you still withstand it?
“God doesn’t love you anymore; look at how many sins you have committed. Do you deserve God’s love? He has already abandoned you…”
You might think: “Maybe…” or “Perhaps…”
But then you remember, God’s word is there.
The devil says: “Where is your food? You have fasted for forty days; has anyone come to serve you?”
“Has anyone brought you food? Has anyone comforted you?”
It seems that no one has.
“You have fasted for forty days for what?”
At that moment, when you are at your weakest, the devil attacks you fiercely. Now you want to eat; the forty days of fasting has ended. Why has no one brought you food? If you were fasting, you would say, “I am fasting; I am not eating,” and you would have a reason. But now that the fast is over, where is your food? You are so hungry that you can hardly move; why hasn’t your Father sent angels to bring you food?
Brothers and sisters, at that moment, countless “whys” will bombard your mind. This is not just something Jesus encountered; it is also a problem we face in life. In your weakest and most confused moments, when you are in the valley, various negative voices constantly fill your thoughts, and the purpose is singular: to make you doubt God! To make you feel that God no longer loves you, to make you feel that you are not God’s beloved child.
Once you doubt that you are not God’s beloved child, do you know what the consequence is? You will break down and rely on yourself. The devil’s scheme is very terrifying; many people fall for it. He knows that as long as he makes you doubt that you are not loved by God, you will lose heart and become powerless, and he can deceive and use you.
The devil tempted Eve in this way, and Eve failed in this way. The Israelites in the wilderness failed in this way. Today, the devil also hopes you will doubt God, making you “feel.” Brothers and sisters, it is just a “feeling,” making you “feel” that God has abandoned you. How did Jesus overcome the devil’s schemes? He relied on God’s word!
- God’s word.
He did not determine His identity based on feelings or the surrounding environment but looked to God’s word.
Can you be certain that God loves you? Can you be sure that the Father loves you at all times? Where is your confidence? If your business is failing, your family is in disarray, your children are disobedient, and your surroundings are terrible, just like being in the wilderness, and a neighbor mocks you, “Aren’t you a believer in Jesus? You can pray; why doesn’t your God help you?” Where is your confidence? You can tell yourself, “God still loves me; I am still God’s beloved child.” If you care about what others say, then the devil is most terrifying because he will attack you with the most malicious words. Where does Jesus find His confidence?
Matthew 4:4, Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
If you have even a little doubt, you might comfort yourself by saying, “Well, I am not living on bread alone; I am living on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” We can also say this: if you have already doubted God, saying this is just deceiving yourself. It is like when you are not feeling well, and your neighbor mocks you, you say, “My God will bless me.” If you say this before doubting, your heart is unsettled and uncertain.
Jesus is not like that. Jesus believes that man lives not on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. This is the foundation of His belief. No matter the circumstances, even if He is in the desert without any supply, He believes that the Father loves Him and is His provider. Jesus does not deny that people need food, but He affirms that God’s word is more important than food. Is this not a fact?
Where does our food come from? From the words that come from God’s mouth! In the beginning of Genesis, the words that came from God’s mouth created this world and all that is in it. Everything we eat, use, and see is created by the words of God. Jesus believes this, and you should be equally convinced!
Do not speak according to the environment; you should speak to your environment based on God’s promises. Hallelujah! We live by God’s promises. You do not need to defend or prove yourself against people’s criticisms, especially false criticisms, malicious mockery, or attacks. You only need to believe in God’s promises and trust that His word is your answer. The answer you seek is in God’s word!
The way Jesus overcame the devil was: “It is written.” When the devil saw he could not deceive Him, because His mind was filled with His Father’s words, what could he do? If one scheme fails, he will try another. Let’s look at the second temptation:
Matthew 4:5-6,
5 The devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
The temple itself was very high, and there was a wing in front of the temple. Standing there and looking down, you could see crowds of pilgrims everywhere. The devil said, “Jump down from here!”
Brothers and sisters, do you know where Jesus is at this moment? He is still in the wilderness! This is in His prayer; the devil took Him to the temple in a vision. Have you ever had a similar experience? For example, when you are praying in church, you close your eyes and suddenly find yourself at home. This is all happening in your mind and can also be called spiritual warfare.
Now this battle has come. The devil took Him to the temple and said: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.” What is the purpose of jumping down? To prove that you are the Son of God. Do you know how terrifying this scheme is? If we are not careful, we will fall for it. “Come, prove that you are the Son of God. Show me where your God is. Do you need to prove it? If you believe that this God is indeed your Father, who loves you more than the world, do you need to prove it? No! Because this relationship is in your heart. Your relationship with the Father does not need proof; it only needs belief!
Brotherly love, parental love, and friendship are not based on proof; proof will lead to problems. It is about belief! Now the devil has used God’s words, “For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Didn’t you just quote God’s word? I am using God’s word too. Isn’t that scary? If you do not understand the Bible, how can you overcome the devil? We do not just read the Bible; we must read it correctly. Otherwise, we will still be deceived. Does the devil read the Bible? Yes, but he does not read it to believe; he reads it to attack God’s word!
Do not think that everyone who reads the Bible believes in Jesus. Many do not believe; they are just looking for faults. The devil is one of them. At this moment, the devil is also using God’s word, but he is distorting it, testing the authenticity of God’s word, leading people to extremes.
I tell you: false beliefs are more terrifying than false actions! Correct beliefs produce faith and good actions! These two are not in conflict. If you believe incorrectly, your actions will not be correct. If you believe incorrectly, there will be no correctness afterward. Let’s look at this statement: “For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Is this a verse from the Bible? Do you know where this verse comes from?
Psalm 91:9-12
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
What is the devil best at? Slightly altering God’s words. For example, if I say, “God loves you,” is this correct? But do you know how the devil says it? “Does God love you?” These two meanings are completely different.
It is the same statement, but adding a word or a question mark changes the meaning. The devil indeed uses God’s words, but he distorts them and takes them out of context. We must look at the context; we must not take a verse and casually think about it, as it is easy to fall into the devil’s trap. We must see what the surrounding text is saying.
The context of this verse is not to test God but to tell us that He is our refuge. No matter what difficulties we encounter on our journey, He will surely help us. Is this not the meaning? What has the devil changed it into? On a very smooth road, you have dug many pits. After a month, you say, “I want to walk this road again and see if I will fall into a pit.”
A few days ago, I saw a joke about a wife who loved to prank her husband. She dug many pits on the road home just to make her husband fall in. The next day, she wanted to see if the pits were covered and if he could see them, but she forgot how many pits she had dug. As a result, she fell in herself.
Actually, the devil wants you to do this. This is called testing God. If you still do not understand, let me explain further. When you encounter difficulties on your journey, God will help you overcome. When you encounter problems, God will help you overcome; there is no doubt about it. But what does the devil want you to do? He wants you to create difficulties for yourself and see if God can help you.
For example, Mark 16 says that believers will have signs following them, such as being able to handle snakes and not being harmed by any poison they drink.
If we take out two segments, what does this verse mean? It means that if you really encounter a snake, and it bites you, you can shake it off your hand, and you will not be harmed. Has this happened? When Paul’s ship was leaking, they drifted to a small island. Everyone was very cold, and while they were making a fire, a poisonous snake bit him. At that moment, Paul shook the snake off. Everyone knew it was a poisonous snake, but Paul was not harmed or killed. Was this a miracle? That verse was fulfilled.
But if the devil were to explain this verse, what would it look like? It would be best to buy a rattlesnake and let it bite you to see if you die. Didn’t God’s word say so? “You will be able to handle snakes.”
Do you know what testing God means? This is testing God.
The latter part of the verse is the same. If you drink any poison unknowingly, God will protect you, but it does not mean you should deliberately test it by increasing the concentration of poison and drinking it to see if you die.
Do you know what the answer is? If he dies and goes to heaven, what will he ask? “God, are you playing with me? Isn’t this promise there? Didn’t it say that if you drink any poison, you will not die? You will not be harmed? Why did I die?” Did God’s promise fail? This is testing God.
God’s intention is that if there is danger ahead, He will protect you, lifting you up with His hand. Even if there are pits, He will help you walk through them. But the devil means, “Come, jump off the roof.” If you look at this verse again, do you understand? This is testing God. Jesus’ answer to the devil is very simple:
Matthew 4:7, Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
In verse 8, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. He said to him, “All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me.”
In the first two temptations, people might overcome, but in the third, ninety percent of people will fall. This temptation is too great for many people to resist. The devil says, “I will give you the whole world. I will give you whatever you want. Do you want to be a king? I will give it to you! Do you want wealth? I will give it to you! Just do one thing: worship me.” Would you be willing? Those who love money, those who desire power, would be willing, right? What’s the difficulty? Isn’t it just to worship me? What’s the big deal? But let me tell you why we should not do this: because the devil is a liar.
A liar means he will tell you what you want to hear. He does not need to fulfill his promises. He will say he can give you whatever you want, but only if you give him your life. You give him the most real thing, and he deceives you. In the end, you will ask, “Why did you deceive me?” He will say, “I was deceiving you from the beginning. What do you want?”
You cannot win against him. The best way is not to believe his lies. No matter what he says, do not believe his lies. You should believe God’s word, for this God truly cares for you.
The devil is a liar; he cannot give you these things. He has worked hard to deceive Adam; how could he give them to you? Many people are deceived by others’ sweet words. They clearly know some people are liars, yet they still fall for it. Especially younger sisters, when a boy sweet-talks them, they will believe he is the most handsome, the best, and the most promising man. They will say they will only marry him. They are captivated by his words. Why do many people regret after getting married? Because at first, he said he was great, but after marriage, they find out it is not the case. It would have been better if he had said, “This is who I am.” But the sisters do not believe and say they do not want someone like that.
What the devil loves to do and can do is deceive! Of course, this is not one-sided; if there is no selfishness, you will not be deceived. I often talk about some investment schemes with high returns; why do some people fall for them? It is because they want money that they get deceived.
If you do not believe from the beginning, and if God says to do the right thing, you will do the right thing without even thinking about it, and you will not be deceived. The fear is that we have such thoughts in our hearts, especially the desire to take advantage, which leads us to fall into others’ traps. Brothers and sisters, believe that when the devil offers you something, he wants to take away even more from you.
What is grace? It is a gift given freely, something you do not deserve and should not have. Only our Jesus can give you grace! The devil cannot give it; he gives you a little but takes away much more. For example, you know many fortune-tellers, but how many of them have become rich through fortune-telling? They are proficient in everything, knowing the past and the future. Why haven’t they become wealthy?
Have you thought about this question? They can know your past and future, guide you to success. Why can’t they do it themselves? Because the devil uses them and will never let them become that way. The promise of giving you all the kingdoms and their splendor is the devil’s words. Look at those possessed by demons who are fortune-tellers; what is their fate? Those truly possessed by demons and who can predict accurately are not envied by people; they either lack limbs or are blind.
In the past, I studied these and chatted with some people. One of them was a friend who could predict accurately and was possessed by a fox spirit. Later, he dared not engage with these things anymore. They call it revealing the secrets of heaven, saying that revealing too many secrets will bring retribution. He said, “My eyesight is getting worse.” Within a year, he became unable to see. He knew this was a curse. At that time, the demon inside him said, “If you cannot find a successor, you will die in my hands. When you die, I will make sure your family and children will not have peace.”
Brothers and sisters, do you still believe the devil will give you the kingdoms and their splendor? It is impossible; no matter how sweetly he speaks, he is deceiving you. But there is one who truly gives to you: Jesus! He is always waiting for you. People look down on Jesus and do not believe His words because Jesus speaks too directly; He does not use sweet words. Jesus has spoken, but people do not believe. This is a terrifying thing. We must remember that the devil will not give you these things. If people listen to the devil’s words, their fate will be the same as Adam’s. He will not fulfill his promises, and you will suffer more losses.
What happened to Adam when he listened to the devil? Did he become like God? Did he discern good and evil? He did, but what good did it do him? Not a single benefit; it would have been better before. Before, he did not know evil, which was a good thing. He lived in goodness and joy; how wonderful! But he wanted to discern good and evil. Where does evil come from? He had to believe the devil’s words to know what evil was.
Brothers and sisters, be assured that you are loved by God. Grace and truth come only from Jesus Christ. Only He gives you unconditional love and supply. In this world, only Jesus sacrificed His life for you. He is willing to bless you and give you the best.
You must find the answers in God’s word!
Do not seek permanent love or eternal wealth from people; that does not exist. Only in Jesus Christ is there! In verse 10, Jesus once again responded to the devil. Look at Jesus’ method:
Verses 10-11,
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Jesus saw through the devil’s schemes at a glance, so He said to the devil: “Leave me.” Brothers and sisters, if the devil often tells you in your ear, “Don’t believe in Jesus; don’t you want to get rich? I can make you rich.” You should say: “In the name of Jesus Christ, go away.” Do not believe his lies; do not engage with him. Never say, “First tell me what you can give me.” You will definitely fall into his trap. The best way is not to listen to what he says; just say, “Leave me.” Amen!
No matter what promises you make to me, I do not believe your words, and I will not be deceived.
If someone often speaks sweet words and makes exaggerated promises to you, be careful. Check if it aligns with the Bible. If this person speaks fantastically, do not believe it! Just leave. Either let him leave you or you leave him. It is that simple. The only one you should serve, who can give you the kingdoms and their splendor, is Jesus! The devil’s things are obtained through deception; what can he give you? And all of this, our God owns! He can give you what you want: eternal life, does Jesus have it? Health, does Jesus have it? Wealth, does Jesus have it? Glory, does Jesus have it? He has it all! There is one Jesus who surpasses all gods; do not seek other gods; it is useless!
If selfishness is mixed into service, it is easy to be deceived and used by the devil, resulting in severe losses. Here we mention service. What is service? It is not just doing things in church but cooking at home, raising children, working, and interacting with people. All of these are called service. Helping others, comforting others, or communicating with others is all service. But what do you use to serve people? If it is mixed with selfishness, it is easy to be used by the devil. Brothers and sisters, know that you are serving the Lord Jesus! God will surely help you!
When the devil deceived Jesus, Jesus said: “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Do you know what this means? Jesus overcame with just one statement: “I only believe in this Lord!” Amen! It is that simple. Do not tell me about so many other lords, even if you mention the god of fertility, the god of crops, the god of water, or the god of the moon…
Sorry, I only believe in Jesus! No matter how many testimonies your god has, I only believe in Jesus! Holding onto this is enough! This God is already the greatest; why seek others? When the devil saw he could not win, he had to leave. Comma, afterward, angels came and attended him.
Did God come at the right time? If your prayers have not been answered and your circumstances have not changed, it does not mean they will never change. When the time comes, angels will come to help you. Our Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. The fear is that we think the Father has abandoned us, that He no longer loves us, and that He cannot help us. Do not have such thoughts. Continue to pray about this matter, and you will surely see God’s blessings upon you. In times of weakness, God will not abandon you.
After the devil left Jesus, angels came to attend to Him. As for how they attended to Him, we do not need to think about it; perhaps they made Him some porridge. In any case, they will provide what He needs. Do not think about getting anything from the devil; he will not give it; he is deceiving you, leading you to death without accountability. Only our God can give you. Hallelujah!
Brothers and sisters, when you encounter problems in life, believe that the answers you seek are in God’s word. God’s promises are the answers that help you overcome all problems. You should read the Bible regularly and find where those promises are. When you have problems or weaknesses, hold onto those promises. God will not disappoint you. Amen! Thank you and praise the Lord. The above is how Jesus resisted the devil. Regardless of the circumstances, Jesus’ focus was on the Father.
James 4:7, Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Many people think the devil is very powerful, and we are easily trampled underfoot. I tell you, this is a false belief. Is the devil that terrifying? As long as you believe and hold onto God’s word, no matter what he says, he will flee. He will realize he cannot deceive you, so why waste time? The fear is that you have a wavering heart; the devil will keep drilling into that, and the hole will get bigger and bigger, leading you to deceive yourself. At any time, hold onto God’s word, regardless of the circumstances, and believe that God loves you. Amen.
What is the way to overcome and resist the devil? Submit to God’s word! It is written! Do you believe what is written? Hold onto one of the promises and meditate on it every day, regardless of the circumstances. No matter how many thoughts the devil sends to your mind, I will believe in God’s promises. When he sees that you are stubborn, he will flee. Thank you and praise the Lord. This is the best way to resist the devil: submit to God’s word.
The weakness of Christians generally occurs when they do not gather for a long time, do not read the Bible, and do not receive comfort. This is when the devil finds it easiest to attack. If we often communicate God’s word together, often talk about Jesus, listen to sermons, and read the Bible, the devil will see that this is a strong wall and will keep his distance; otherwise, he will lose his teeth and flee. Therefore, anyone who stays away from God’s word for a long time will become weak. When the devil sees you are weak, he will attack you. The best way to resist the devil is to submit to God’s word.
Share the second point: The answer you seek is in God’s word.
Proverbs 4:20-21
20 My son, pay attention to my words; turn your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart.
Solomon knew that the best way to overcome the devil and the world is to keep God’s word in your heart. God has given us a very clear path so that you can have answers to all problems, and that is God’s word. We need all the answers and methods, and they are all in the Bible. If you read the Bible thoroughly dozens of times, looking at the world and your current business, you will see the way. All businesses have principles; there is a way to seek, which can also be understood as words or paths, and they are all correct.
However, some Christians have not broken through in certain areas because the devil constantly diverts their attention, ultimately leading them away from the only thing that can help them overcome: God’s word. This is the trouble. Today, the devil will stop at nothing to prevent Christians from opening the Bible and hearing the truth. Why is it particularly difficult for some people to come to church? Because the devil knows that once they go to hear the word, their hearts will open, and they will gain the strength to overcome. He will stop them from going. Do you know? The devil is very clear that once you understand the truth, you will overcome, and he cannot bind you anymore. Let’s look at God’s admonition to the Israelites.
Deuteronomy 11:18-21
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
Is this blessing good? Isn’t the latter part what we particularly desire? Your days and the days of your descendants. How wonderful it would be to do everything smoothly and prosper in all things! This is the fruit we all eagerly anticipate, but many people are unwilling to do the earlier part. Are the Jews not a model for the world today?
Many people take the Jews as a template to learn from them, but you can imitate their outward things; how do you imitate what is inside? They have God, and you do not. What is the use of imitating an empty shell? Even if you have plastic surgery to look like a star, you are not that star. You are far from it; the inside is different. What is the use of having the same appearance? We need to learn what is inside them; how did their blessings come about?
You should meditate on this passage when you go back, and you will understand how important God’s word is. You must keep my words in your heart. First, it must be in your heart. Today’s message is that God’s word must be in your heart. You should read God’s word more. Even if you cannot remember it now, it does not matter. Keep reading and reading, and when the time comes, the words will come out.
Keep them in your mind; that is in your soul. Tie them as symbols on your hands; what does this mean? It means that what you do with your hands should reflect God’s word. Amen. Bind them on your foreheads as symbols; where is the forehead? It is where you think.
Do you know about 666? It is also on the forehead and the hand. Why these two places? One is for thinking, and the other is for action. But God tells you where the answer to victory is: to wear God’s word on your forehead and tie it on your hands. Your actions and thoughts should be governed by God’s word.
The latter part also says that it is not just for yourself but also to teach your children. What should you teach your children? To keep God’s word in their hearts, to keep it in their minds, to tie it as symbols on their hands, and to bind it on their foreheads. It is about copying, constantly teaching God’s word down. You should do it, and let your children do the same.
Whether sitting at home, walking along the road, lying down, or getting up, you should talk about it. Talk about what? God’s word. Brothers and sisters, do you know why there is so much bitterness and complaint in the world? What do they talk about? “That neighbor is terrible; today he broke my window again. My child is really troublesome; he did something again today…”
If you keep discussing these things, can your heart be at peace? You should let your heart talk about Jesus Christ and what He did for you on the cross. When you talk about Jesus, your faith begins to grow, and miracles happen. Your heart will be filled with peace and joy. Many people want peace and joy; it is simple. Just let your heart and mouth speak the words of Jesus. Who cannot talk? You say, “I don’t have faith right now.” It does not matter; keep witnessing for Jesus, and the more you speak, the greater your faith will become. The more you speak, the more you will have; the less you speak, the less you will have.
You should also write it on the doorframes of your houses. When you go out, what do you see on the doorframe? God’s word. When you go out, you have peace; when you come home, you see a line of words on the doorframe: “You will enter in peace.” How wonderful! God’s word will be everywhere, and thus God’s word will always be in your heart, and God’s blessings will always accompany you.
And on the gates of the city, when you go out to do business or work, you will also hope for God’s peace to be upon you. So they would see “shalom” at the city gates, indicating that God is with you. Nowadays, you see people putting “Immanuel” on their cars; this is good. You must know what this means: God’s peace is with you. This is God’s promise; hold onto it! When you act this way, we are not relying on these to obtain blessings but allowing these things to fill our hearts with God’s word, and then the answers will come. Amen!
It is not about me speaking for an hour and you getting a little answer; I am just giving you a way to live. God will grant you wisdom in the areas of your life. He will bless the work of your hands, allowing you to see with your own eyes. This is God’s power.
How good will your days and your descendants’ days be? I promise you that you will multiply on the earth, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
God wants us to carry out these words for our benefit. God hopes that every day of your life is filled with His grace and blessings. This is what God wants us to do. Initially, was this not God’s intention? God’s intention has never changed. Think about it: before Adam sinned, God had created everything in heaven and earth. God let Adam enter into rest with Him. If Adam had not sinned, what would his days have been like? They would have been joyful. God hopes that your days will be even better than that.
If a mirror is broken and glued back together, it will have cracks. People cannot do better than before; even if glued back, there will be scars. But do you know what God will do? If you fail, God says, “I will compensate you, give you back what you lost, and it will be better than before.” Adam ruined the world God created, corrupted it, and brought a curse upon it. God said, “No problem; I will create anew. How about a new heaven and a new earth? It will be better!”
In the future, how will your body be? It will be better! This is God’s power. You must believe that even if you suffer some losses now, what God will give you will be better than before. The answer you seek is in God’s word. The devil’s disturbances are very subtle, and many times they are difficult to detect.
Let me give some examples: For instance, if you are binge-watching a series and have many important things to handle, you cannot come to the gathering on Sunday. The devil’s scheme is simple; he hopes you will take your eyes off God’s word, and you will fail. For example, if you want to come to the gathering, the devil says, “You don’t need to go every week; it’s the age of grace; once a month is enough; it’s the age of grace; just go once at Christmas.” On such a hot day, why bother? It’s more comfortable to stay at home with the air conditioning and watch TV. After all, you are saved and loved by God…
Isn’t this also using God’s word? The key is that when you do this, your eyes and thoughts are shifting away from God’s word to other places. Gradually, you will not even realize when it becomes a habit, and not gathering will not matter anymore; not listening to the word will not matter either. The devil is always doing such things. But when you come to the gathering, you will gain something; your thoughts and ideas will be renewed by God’s word, and you will have faith to face life.
I want to tell everyone: God’s word is irreplaceable! Every day, fix your eyes on His word, let His word dwell in our hearts, and meditate on His promises repeatedly. Finally, I will read a passage of scripture to conclude and share how Joshua succeeded in everything; you can too.
Joshua 1:7-8
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
God not only gave the word to Joshua but also told him: My word must be meditated on regularly. When you meditate repeatedly, you must act on it so that you may be careful to do everything written in this book. I do not want everyone to hear just some knowledge of grace. Do not say, “I have heard all this before.” Yes, when will you use it? That is when it becomes yours.
Let me tell you a little story:
In the past, there was a very famous speaker whom many people loved to listen to. He said, “This is my last speech; after this, I will stop speaking.” When he arrived in this city, the young people were very eager to listen. After the first day’s speech, the audience applauded enthusiastically and shouted wildly. The old man said, “Tomorrow will be even more exciting.”
Everyone was very excited to go home. On the second day of the speech, the old man repeated what he had said the day before. The audience was puzzled; although it was the same speech, they still gained something. The old man said, “Tomorrow is the last day; tomorrow will be the most exciting.”
Everyone was very excited for the last day. On the third day, the old man went on stage and repeated what he had said on the first day. At this point, a young man in the front stood up and questioned, “Old man, are you fooling us? You have only spoken the same thing for three days. What do you mean? Are you still a master speaker?”
The old man replied, “Yes, young man, the fact that you can recognize that I have spoken the same thing for three days means you have been listening attentively. I hope you not only listen but that each of you can speak it out.”
Do you understand? Many times we want to hear something new, something fresh, some revelations we have not heard before. This is good, but the food that can nourish us is often the most common food, the food our bodies need the most. Jesus’ words can be meditated on repeatedly; this is the most important. It is the food of your life! It is the source of your strength! I do not hope that everyone will just listen and finish; I hope that after you listen, you can also speak it out, and you will experience the power of this life and the power of God’s word.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! Thank you for bringing us into your word. The answers we need are in your word. Jesus overcame the world and all the temptations of the devil through your word. I can too. I believe I am loved by God and that the Father is willing to bless me and give me the best.
I am a vessel of the gospel. No matter what problems I encounter, I know the answer is with you. I will never be ashamed or lose hope because you are the final answer! You are the beginning and the end. As a new week begins, no matter what kind of environment I encounter, I believe you will help me, uplift me, and give me the best blessings. I am willing to meditate on your word every day and let your word become the standard of my life. Please guide me. Thank you and praise you. All glory belongs to you. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!