327-How to Rely on God When the Environment is Unsatisfactory#
327-How to Rely on God When the Environment is Unsatisfactory
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
Exodus 15:22-26
22 Moses led the Israelites away from the Red Sea and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days in the wilderness without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water there because it was bitter; that is why the place is called Marah. 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and tested them. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you! Thank you for leading us to your presence, where we worship and praise you. You give us your word and supply us; your word is our healing and our strength. You said that if we pay attention to your words, we will be blessed. We commit this time to the Holy Spirit to guide and renew every brother and sister. In times of unsatisfactory circumstances, let us learn to rely on you and overcome problems with your words. Please grant us wisdom and give us strength. We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen!
Do you know that the wilderness is very hot? The temperature in the Israeli wilderness can reach over 46 degrees during the day and drop to minus ten degrees at night, with a particularly large temperature difference. In such conditions, people can easily become irritable. When people are irritable, they easily forget God's grace and what He has done for us in the past.
What is the background of this? Moses led the Israelites away from the Red Sea. Do you know what happened after they crossed the Red Sea? It was a huge miracle that they all experienced. God parted the Red Sea, and they walked through on dry ground. If you were one of them, you would definitely be shocked. No matter how you felt about God's love before, at that moment, you would feel His extraordinary power because no one could do such a thing. How long do you think such a great miracle can last? Some say they hope to see miracles every day, to see healing miracles in the church, and transformations in their families. If you focus solely on this, I tell you, after three days, you will return to your original state.
Many people attend special meetings and see many people healed on site. They are also full of faith, saying, "I have faith, and I will live according to God's words." Three days later, just like a balloon losing air, the Israelites who experienced the miracle of crossing the Red Sea had great faith at that time. All the sisters were full of faith and formed praise teams without anyone telling them to praise God. They began to praise God, but just three days later, they started to complain because they couldn't find water. Did they forget the miracle? The miracle was still there, but miracles cannot fundamentally change your life.
Now we live under grace, but how does your life enter into grace? How can you see God's power every day? It is absolutely not through miracles, but through truth. If there is no truth in your heart, miracles will only last for three days, and afterward, you will still rely on yourself. When encountering difficulties, you may feel that God is great, but now there is no water. What people need is truth. At this time, the Israelites' response was to complain. The people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" The Bible may only say this one sentence, but one can imagine how difficult it would be to hear the complaints of nearly two million people. In the past, they were treated this way by others, and now all their complaints were directed at Moses.
It is really hard for a leader when believers complain to you without reason. "There is no water to drink." If Moses said, "You have no water to drink, I don't have any either. I don't have water while you don't have it; I am just like you." The people do not see this. When the environment is unsatisfactory, what do you do?
Sharing the first point: What do you do when the environment is unsatisfactory?
The road in the wilderness is not easy to walk. It is hot, and there is no other supply. People can easily become irritable. They walked in the wilderness for three days without finding water. The environment clearly came upon them; it was real and cannot be pretended away. Just like we receive grace, some people get sick, have financial problems, or family issues. Are these not real problems? If you tell them that the problem is not big and that Jesus is the greatest, will that solve the problem? If you tell them that God loves them, they cannot take it in. What they need is a way to solve the problem, not just a slogan.
What should be done at this time? The environment has come. Why is there such complaining? Why is there such a troubled mindset? Because God's promises seem to be different from what we expect. When Moses told the Israelites that the Lord sent him to save them from Egypt and that the place they were going to was a land flowing with milk and honey, did the people think like this? As long as they left Egypt, they would enjoy blessings. Let's look at the biblical basis; Moses did not deceive the Israelites; God told him this.
Exodus 3:7-8
7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
Let’s not talk about whether the Israelites had been to that place. Just based on this promise, were the Israelites particularly looking forward to it? They wanted to leave Egypt and go to a land flowing with milk and honey, which is a good and spacious land. They had hope in their hearts, knowing this was God's promise. But now, has the promise changed? No, God did not deceive them. Moses told the Israelites according to God's truth that God would bring them there. The Israelites said, "I will follow you." Moses and Aaron led them out.
But they did not expect to encounter the wilderness. Just like today, many people think that as long as they believe in Jesus, there will be no more storms, no more persecution and tribulations. God never promised this. God only said, "I will bring you to that place." Do not add your own thoughts to God's words; otherwise, you will find that God's promises are different from what you expected. People will experience a contrast and complain. In fact, no matter what happens in between, you must believe that in the end, God will definitely benefit you, and He will fulfill what He has promised.
Does God know about the problems of the Israelites? Yes, "I have indeed seen their misery. I have heard their cries. I have come down to rescue them." What does Jesus mean? He wants to save His people from sin. When encountering problems in life, can Jesus save you? Yes, but what do we expect from salvation? We want to escape in an instant. Today I pray, and tomorrow it will be done. Ideally, I pray, and the next second it is done. We expect such a miracle. Do not forget that our God is not only a God of miracles; He is also in your life. Your life is not a miracle; it is a real experience of God. Every day you live in the supernatural, living in faith, and that is real.
Just like the Israelites entering Canaan, is this journey to be walked? In the process of walking, they will encounter these tribulations. This is a fact, but these tribulations are not set by God for you. God just wants to tell you that His promise has never changed. Even if you encounter tribulations now, He is teaching you how to overcome them, and your mindset needs to be changed. Many people, like the Israelites in Egypt, have left Egypt, but their hearts still have the mindset of Egypt. Most people say they have heard about grace for a long time, but their hearts still have a law mindset, wanting to obtain God's blessings by doing something, or saying, "Lord, I have believed for so long. Why haven't you blessed me yet?" This is all a transactional mentality.
Just like the Israelites, they have already been brought out of Egypt. Why is there a wilderness? Why is there no water? It seems different from what they expected. But they never thought that the Lord had shown them so many miracles. Now there is just no water. I believe you will provide water. This is the mindset of grace. When encountering difficulties, we do not ask God why. Why am I encountering this? We should say, "Lord, I believe you have the power to solve this." This is the real mindset we should have. You know He created heaven and earth and governs all things. He can do everything. Now can you say, "Lord! I believe you can give me water to drink, even if this water is bitter, you have the power to change it." This is called a life of faith.
I do not hope that everyone learns a whole set of theories. I know God created heaven and earth, and He governs all things. What good is that? Now there is no water. We need to experience His power in our lives. When God's promises are different from what we expect, we still have to believe that God is reliable. Hallelujah!
The Bible describes David's growth in detail. Did he later become the king of Israel? Although he had weaknesses and had sinned, his life was recognized by God. Let’s see how he grew. First, David was not well-regarded in his own family. He had many siblings, and the youngest, David, was a shepherd. In the wilderness, his parents may have forgotten him; he was not well-regarded. Let’s look at
1 Samuel 16:11-13
11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
From a young age, David was not well-regarded at home. Suddenly one day, the most prestigious prophet in the country came to his house and said, "I come with God's will to anoint one of your sons as the future king of Israel." Was Jesse very happy to hear this? His father was very happy, and the sons lined up to see who it was. One by one, they passed by, and none of them were chosen. The father thought it should be one of them, but it was not. When Samuel saw that none were chosen, he asked, "Is there no other son?" "There is still the youngest, tending the sheep." Did they forget about David? Let’s not talk about anything else. How would David feel when he later learned about this? Very disappointed, right? He did not know why his father could not remember him; he might feel unworthy. This is human perspective.
But David received comfort from Samuel. Samuel anointed him with oil in front of his brothers. From that day on, did David feel that he would become the king of Israel? Because once anointed, you are to be the king. Now I ask you a question: If this promise were placed on you, how would you live starting tomorrow? Would you expect a miracle to happen tomorrow, quickly let Saul come down, and I will go up to be king? God has anointed me!
From that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Did he have the Holy Spirit? Yes, he was prepared in every way, just waiting to sit on the throne. If it were you, when would you expect to sit on the throne? Immediately. Do you know how many years David waited? The Bible states that David was about seventeen when he was anointed and thirty when he ascended to the throne. Why is there such a difference?
Let’s take another person from the New Testament, Paul. Was he not great enough? But Paul served quietly in the church for fourteen years. Would you be willing? God tells you, "I will send you to be a light to the Gentiles. You will be zealous for me and do many things." Paul said, "I am willing." Fourteen years, staying in this church quietly, can you do that? Would you doubt that God has forgotten you, that the promise is false? I think David might have thought about this. Yesterday God anointed him and said he would be king. Now that Samuel has gone back to Ramah, can he doubt that Samuel spoke falsely? Why has the situation not changed? I still have to tend sheep tomorrow. This is the reality. Is this not an environment? When the environment comes, how do you rely on God? Now God's promise tells you, "I have anointed you to be king." But tomorrow you still have to tend sheep. Am I to be king over sheep? In the case of such a large gap in the environment, he did not know how to rely on God.
David finally had an opportunity one day, which was his only chance to become famous, to fight Goliath. It was a battle that made him famous. In the past, he might have thought that God had anointed him to be king. From today on, he would exercise and learn. You could prepare yourself like this, but you do not know how long you need to prepare. In such an environment, people are most likely to become weak. One day, you might want to give up and stop preparing. Do I have to wait until I die for God to accomplish this? Many Christians would say, "Lord, when will you accomplish this? Do I have to wait until I die?" This is the environment coming. At this time, they do not see God's promise.
David indeed experienced so much in the wilderness. Some might say, "Is it so painful and difficult to become king?" For Saul, it was particularly easy. After God chose him, he quickly became king. He went out to look for donkeys and ended up becoming the first king of Israel. David might have thought, "If it were that simple, it would be great." But David's life was not like that. Some might compare the two and say, "Why is David faithful while Saul is so unfaithful?" One reason is that Saul's success came too quickly; he lost sight of himself. Sometimes we really dislike tribulations and hate these problems coming. But do you know that in these problems and environments, you will develop the necessary character? These characters are essential: patience, maturity; these are necessary. Only with them can you stand firm in a high position.
Do you know that Joseph in Genesis also took nearly fifteen years to rise to the position of prime minister of Egypt? He did not become arrogant in that position; he did not lose sight of himself. During those more than ten years, he knew God's will. Although he also knew from a young age what kind of person he was, I believe each of you may have revelations and visions from God. God once told me such words, but when things do not come to pass, what do you do? Do you continue to believe, or do you doubt? Do you rely on your own efforts? Many people rely on their own efforts, resulting in endless problems.
Let me give you a negative example. God told Abraham, "I will bless you, and I will make your children and descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore." This was God's promise to them at that time. But Abraham waited for twenty-five years. Today I want to ask everyone, God's promise is here, the environment is here. What should you do in this process? How do you rely on God? When Abraham was weak, God told him, "Abraham, can you count the stars in the sky?" Abraham counted and counted, and he could not count them. "Your descendants will be like this." Is this not the truth? God did not say, "I will show you a vision and fill you with the Holy Spirit." He just gave him a truth: "Look at the stars in the sky; your future children will be this many." He received it by faith.
This is what we need. God's promise is like this. When it has not been fulfilled, the environment still exists. We must learn to rely on God. Amen! Continuing to talk about David, after God anointed him to be king, he might have thought that God had a great work for him. But unexpectedly, the road to the throne was step by step. It was not easy to get in touch with Saul. Do you know what his first task was? Saul was troubled by an evil spirit. At this time, someone said, "There is a young man who plays the harp very well." So David was remembered. When David went to play for King Saul, Saul was healed. At this moment, if you were standing next to the king, what would you think? "We should switch places; you should play for me." If you do not know yourself, you would really think like this. Saul said, "You play well; stay by my side." Do you know what David did? He carried Saul's weapons. In the era of cold weapons and heavy armaments, his spear or staff was particularly heavy and required two or three people to carry it. David did this. Before Saul went to battle, David carried his weapons. "Here you go, King."
If God once gave you a promise and now asks you to do this, can you do it? This can also be called an environment. If you do not believe in God or complain in the face of this environment, you cannot see God's promise, and you will doubt. It is easy to become weak. At this time, people are particularly likely to forget God's promises. Later, when he killed Goliath and became famous, people thought, "This time I should receive God's promise." Originally, his life was still ordinary, but after becoming famous, Saul began to chase him and pursued him until Saul died. His life was even worse than when he was tending sheep.
I want to tell everyone that you have all received God's promises. Sometimes you may find that your life is like this. I can rise, but I have worked hard to climb a little, and suddenly I fall back down, even worse than before. Many people say that after believing, it is even worse than not believing. In your wilderness, you encounter Marah, eagerly expecting water, but when you drink, it is still bitter. You do not know what to do. Looking around, there is no hope. This is why the Israelites thought of returning to Egypt. Now you understand, right? Although there were whips in Egypt, at least it was not like now, where looking around, there is nothing alive, all is dead, with nothing to eat or drink. At this time, God wants to train them to rely on Him in everything. They do not understand God's will.
When our prayers are not fulfilled, do not lose heart. God has prepared the best for you. God does not want them to stay in the wilderness. You think the wilderness has nothing; that is normal. You cannot say that there are seventy palm trees and a water spring in the wilderness, and it is good to stay there. No! That is not the best place. God wants you to go to the beautiful land of Canaan. Hallelujah! Many people treat the world as their home, but this is not your home. Your home is above, where it is infinitely good. Most people spend their entire lives decorating their earthly homes, which is equivalent to settling down after encountering twenty springs and seventy palm trees after Marah. You feel that place is good because it is hard to find a spring in the desert. But that is not your home; perhaps that place is much better than before, but it is not the land of God's promise, which is much better than this.
When the environment comes, believe that you will continue to move forward. God will continue to shape you through this environment. David was constantly pursued and troubled by Saul. These were all David's environments. How did David overcome? I will tell you the method. He wrote many psalms. When does a person write psalms? Becoming a poet is actually very simple. You are either filled with love or filled with the environment. When a person suffers greatly, they can become a poet. Or when filled with God's love, they can also become a poet. David clearly belongs to the latter. But David could always see God in suffering. This was his only hope. If you carefully look at the psalms David wrote, at the beginning, he describes how miserable it is, but in the end, he says, "The Lord is my joy, my hope." This theme has never changed, no matter how many psalms he wrote, including the most familiar Psalm 23. He mentions, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," and later says, "You prepare a table before me."
Psalm 27:1-5
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. 3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. 4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will hide me in his shelter; he will hide me in the secret place of his tent and set me high upon a rock.
Even if you do not understand David's experiences, when reading the psalms, do you think he is in a place of peace or being pursued? It is obvious that the environment is not good. When the environment is not good, many people will complain like the Israelites. But what is precious about David is that although he also encountered environments, throughout his life, when Saul pursued him, he had no ability to fight back. He said to Saul, "King, you are pursuing me like you are pursuing a flea. I am like this; why don’t you let me go?" He had no strength in front of the powerful King Saul and did not know how to respond, but he knew that the only one he could rely on was my God.
I tell you, Jesus Christ is your only reliance. You can overcome all environments, no matter what the environment is; it does not matter. What matters is that you know Jesus can overcome. "The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?" This proves that he indeed has fear in his heart. We have fear; do not deliberately cover it up. If you have illness, do not pretend not to see it; that is deceiving yourself. You have an environment and fear. You say, "I fear the environment, but you are my God, so I do not fear."
"The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?" It is obvious that God is his protection. He indeed encountered environments. When reading 1 Samuel, you will find that there was a time when Saul caught David at noon. Saul did not properly act as king. Because David's reputation was greater than his, from that day on, Saul used all his energy to pursue David, making it his life's goal to find David and kill him.
One day, he finally found David. It was clear that if he just went over and caught David, he could kill him. Just a few steps away, at that moment, a soldier reported, "King Saul, the Philistines are invading." At that time, what was David doing? If the army surrounded you, you would definitely not be able to escape this time. In this urgent environment, what can you do? So he said, "The Lord is the stronghold of my life." This is for you to use, not just to memorize. It is for you to declare when you encounter these tribulations, when you see danger approaching, can you declare, "The Lord is my stronghold; you cannot reach me."
You can all recite Psalm 91. Can you say, "Even if thousands fall at my side, it will not come near me?" At that time, you will have faith. Do not say, "Lord, where are you?" David was watching Saul come over, and he said, "The Lord is my stronghold." Because now there is no escape, he can only pray and look up to God. This is the use of truth. Otherwise, when will you use the truth? In the church? When the environment comes, the way to rely on God is to use His words to speak to yourself, telling yourself that this word will surely come to pass in my life.
David might not have known what happened. Suddenly, those people retreated. It was so wonderful. Brothers and sisters, do you know? The soldiers reported, "The enemy is invading." At that time, Saul might have thought, "Why is this happening? I was just about to catch him." But he had to deal with national affairs first. Was David's experience just once? No, many times. That is why he has many declarations, saying, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress; He will lift me to the secret place." Where is the secret place in this world? It is actually where you are, where the enemy cannot reach you. This is the secret place. You cannot say, "Hide me in a place where even I cannot find." How is that possible?
Later it says, "When the wicked advance against me to devour me." When describing himself like this, is the environment good? You might say, "My situation is similar; the enemies are coming to devour me. What can I do?" Though an army besiege me, your environment should be much smaller than David's, right? David was attacked by the whole army. Where could he escape? "My heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident." How was he able to be confident? Look at the next part: "For in the day of trouble, He will hide me in His shelter."
David could always see. You see the tribulation and danger, but I see that God has placed me in His shelter. Is there really a shelter? No, it is in David's heart. This is called relying on God. David's heart believes that God has always secretly protected him, placing him in the Lord's shelter. That means that although I have danger around me, I am in God's shelter. This is called relying on God. Hallelujah! "He will hide me in the secret place of His tent and set me high upon a rock." These are adjectives. David truly relied on God to overcome when encountering tribulations and environments. This is why so many setbacks in life did not defeat David.
Jesus also encountered many problems in the world, but He overcame. Today you can rely on the power of Jesus to overcome in all your environments. This is relying on God. If you only see the environment, there will be no hope, and you will become discouraged and despair. The environment the Israelites saw was much more serious than David's, obviously. But at that time, the Israelites did not have this faith; they chose to complain. David saw God's salvation in the environment. Some say, "Since Saul is pursuing you throughout Israel, why not go abroad?" Is this a method? Let’s take a look.
1 Samuel 22:1-4
1 David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him. 3 From there, David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, "Would you let my father and mother come here with you until I learn what God will do for me?" 4 So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.
What was the environment like? Perhaps we have thought of countless methods. When encountering tribulations, we will also think of what methods can solve the problem. You keep trying hard, and you might imagine that since I cannot stay in this country, I will go abroad. David took this path, but what was the result? It was better not to go out. He had killed Goliath, but now he ran to someone else's territory. They did not believe him, so he pretended to be mad. At least in his own country, he did not have to do this. But when he got to someone else's country, he still had to pretend to be mad because others wanted to kill him.
So what would you do? Where to go? Just like in those TV dramas, "The world is so big, yet there is no place for me to stay." How to live? No matter where you run, there are enemies chasing you. David indeed faced this environment. Shouldn't the environments we face be much smaller than David's? How did he overcome? He kept looking up to God. What does relying on God mean? It means holding on to God's promises and using them in your tribulations. Even if you do not see the results, you still use them. When he escaped to the cave of Adullam, this was a turning point in David's life. At that time, he was actually acting like a bandit. Who were the people who came to David for refuge?
Verse 2 says that all those who were in distress, in debt, or discontented gathered around David, and he became their commander.
If it were you, you might think, "This is it! This might be the king." Did not God anoint me to be king? Now I have four hundred followers, but what kind of people are these? Looking at them now, do they have value? No, but I tell you, when David became king, these four hundred people were the ones who helped him establish his kingdom. Almost all the warriors came from these four hundred people. At first, these people were nothing. They were just like David, being persecuted, so they came to David. David said, "I am worse than you. I cannot even return to my country, let alone my home. My family is now suffering with me." In the past, his brothers were soldiers, but now his parents have come to him because David became famous after one battle.
What did David do? Now facing such a group of problematic people, how to shepherd them? Is it like a church? Those who come to church are often people with problems, you can say they are in distress, have issues, or are sick... You cannot say that such people are not wanted. In fact, it is not about relying on ourselves. If David relied on himself, he absolutely could not accommodate this group of people. They complained to him every day. "Enough! Do not say anything. I am worse than you." When I first established the church, the people God sent me were all people with problems, people with insomnia. At that time, I thought, "What should I do, Lord? I am almost insomniac myself. I do not know how to shepherd the church. I cannot find anyone, and now you send me someone with insomnia who complains to me every day that he cannot sleep." What should I do?
One day, God told me to pray for him, and I would see miracles. The church is to solve these people's problems. At that time, I bravely reached out my hand for the first time to pray for those who could not sleep. Although the doctrine I learned in the past was that I should not lay hands on others, lest I share in their sins, at that time, I did not care about anything else. Theories meant nothing to me.
I found a problem. When I prayed for them, the person was healed and could sleep. After that, he began to evangelize, and God brought people one by one. The people brought in were all problematic. It is somewhat like David. David solved these people's problems and comforted them. Perhaps he used God's words; otherwise, how long could he comfort them in his own situation? David gave them a vision, saying, "Believe that my God will accomplish what He has promised. I will definitely become the king of Israel. Will you follow me?"
Did he give them God's truth? Have you noticed? When you problematic people come here, do I not tell you the same? Do not look at me; it is useless because I also have problems. But when you come here, I can give you God's truth. I tell you, God has promises for me, and He has promises for you. You can also rise up. These distressed, indebted, and troubled people eventually became David's loyal soldiers. These people are remarkable. To this day, I no longer fear people with diseases or those possessed by demons coming to church. For us, this is nothing.
Originally, I trained some brothers and sisters in the church to cast out demons, commanding the demons to leave in the name of the Lord Jesus. It is very simple, but it requires training. David might have trained these people; otherwise, they would not have become elite soldiers. I have trained everyone on how to use truth and authority. You should be familiar with it, right? God said, "First, you must declare." These need to be practiced in daily life, and casting out demons is one of them.
There was a sister (before she believed), who was possessed by a demon, and even taking a bus was a problem. One day she said her situation was particularly bad and was quite irritable.
The brother who brought her said, "Can you bring her here?"
I said, "Sure, if she really cannot take the bus, we can go to her."
The brother said, "Try to bring her here. You pray for her. If she really cannot come, then you can come over because the distance is quite far."
I said, "Okay."
So it was confirmed. That day when she got on the bus, she used the trick I told her, commanding peace to fill her in the name of the Lord Jesus. She came, and when she arrived, she sat in the back. I was preaching up front, and I did not know it was her. After the service, I originally wanted to ask her if I could pray for her. I had already contacted the brothers and sisters to pray for her and lay hands on her to cast out demons, but she did not give me the impression that she wanted me to pray for her. Later she said, "How about this? You pray at the place where we stay." On the way, she told me, "When I entered this church and sat in this place listening to the sermon, I felt something leave my body. I am no longer afraid; the thing that affected me is gone."
Our brothers and sisters were very disappointed. "Really? Not even a big demon? I have not even reached out my hand, and it has already run away. What is the point?" Many people are afraid of casting out demons, but for us, this is no longer a big deal because we are often trained to use God's truth. David could train these people to become elite soldiers for a reason. Amen! They relied on God. This is relying on God, brothers and sisters. This group of problematic people relied on God together, experiencing God's great power in life. When you encounter problems, are you still afraid?
This is why among David's four hundred warriors, there were three who crossed the enemy's camp to get David water to drink. Why did they have such courage? They had been trained by David before. Have you ever thought about why so many people fall away in the face of the environment and say they do not believe anymore? It is because they have been trained too little or do not know how to rely on God in life. When the environment comes, they do not know what to do.
I tell you, rely on God like David. Amen! In the face of the environment, David still chose to believe in God's promises. Just like David said to the king of Moab, "Please let my parents come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me." In such an environment, David still said, "I need to wait and see what God wants to do with me." Today I tell you that when you encounter difficulties and tribulations, you can pray to God. After praying, pay attention to see if the environment around you changes. You will see what God wants to do in you. You will definitely see it because after you pray, there will definitely be changes in the environment and people.
For example, if you pray for certain things, suddenly a distant relative visits you and says some words that resolve your doubts. You will know this is God's guidance. Amen! Today angels can help you in various ways. It does not have to be through listening to the sermon, but listening to the sermon is one of the most important ways. David, up to now, still believes that this environment is beneficial for him. When the time comes, God will surely fulfill His promises.
Sharing the second point: What Jesus accomplished on the cross changed everything.
Exodus 15:25 says that Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. He threw the tree into the water, and the water became sweet. The Lord established a ruling and instruction for them there and tested them.
When the environment comes, you can complain like the Israelites, or you can seek help from God like Moses, coming to God in prayer. He cried out to God, seeking God's will. The turning point for the Israelites was that tree. The key is not what kind of tree it is, but that this tree is the solution. Knowing who this tree symbolizes is enough. Amen! It may be a gourd tree or another tree; in any case, it symbolizes our Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Can Jesus Christ enter your environment and change it? He can bring you from the land of death to the land of life, from the kingdom of enemies to the kingdom of His beloved Son, from darkness to light, and from curses to blessings. These are all things Jesus can do; just let Jesus enter your environment.
For example, if you particularly dislike someone and get angry every time you see them, you can look at them through Jesus. If a family often quarrels, it is because Jesus is not in that family. If colleagues often quarrel in the company, it is because Jesus is not in the middle. If Jesus is in the middle, it becomes harmonious. Hallelujah! Believe that Jesus has accomplished everything; He can change your current environment. This is nothing. He has prepared blessings and is ready to give them to you.
Let me share something about Israel to encourage everyone. A person under the Old Testament was so blessed; how much more are you? Sixty years ago, the state of Israel was not a fertile and productive land. The southern part was covered by desert, which accounted for more than half of the country's area. More than half of their country was desert, and the remaining thirty percent was high saline-alkali land or mountainous areas. Those who have traveled to Israel know that there is really not much to see. So if you want to travel, it is better to travel in China. Their place really has nothing to see. Looking at their geographical structure, there is nothing to boast about, especially looking back sixty years ago; it was truly a desert land. Only twenty percent of the total area was arable land, and even this was distributed in the narrow coastal areas and river valleys of the Mediterranean. The land suitable for farming was not concentrated in one place.
If this is the case for such a country, how do you manage it? Is this not God's promise, saying it is a land flowing with milk and honey? But does it look like that now? What should be done? Should they not establish a country? After two world wars, they decided they must have their own country. But what about the current situation? God's promise tells you, "I will bring you into a land flowing with milk and honey." They believed this, but how do they enter? How can they see this? The environment has come; the promise is here. Which one will you choose? How do you rely on God?
At that time, their founding president, Weizmann, said, "Just give us a bowl of water and a seed, and our nation can survive." Who gave them such faith and courage? They held the Bible, believing that God had promises. Just give me a seed and a bowl of water, and that is enough. Hallelujah! Now you know why the Israelites can do business all over the world and do it best? They believe in God's promises; this is the source of their faith.
Do not forget that they believe in the Old Testament. They believe that God governs all things, just like I said earlier. In such a resource-scarce country, they face extreme water shortages every year. From north to south, the annual rainfall is thirty to three hundred milliliters. Do you know how much three hundred milliliters is? It rains this little every year. Simply put, it is less than the rainfall in Xinjiang, China. Many times, the raindrops have not even fallen to the ground before they evaporate. In such a country, how can they believe that God's promises will be fulfilled?
I think the difficulties they encountered are much greater than yours. If you understand this, you should believe that if it were not for God's blessing, they would not survive. Why does the Bible particularly mention the spring rain and the autumn rain? Because it is too important. Without this rain, it would be over; there would be no harvest that year. What use is three hundred milliliters of rain in a year? But they believe that the Lord watches over the city. Do you know which scripture they often rely on? Let me read one of them for you, and you can also meditate on it.
Joel 2:23-24
23 Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. 24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
When this was said, had anything happened? Not yet. Joel was just giving them a vision, saying that one day they would see this. Now it seems that they have nothing, but God will fulfill it, just like the miracles our ancestors experienced back then, that land flowing with milk and honey. God will restore it to you. This is what they hoped for. So when they founded their country, they relied on this scripture to start reclaiming land in the desert. They planted gourd trees and olive trees in the desert, using their hands to restore their homeland. They believed that the Lord would surely bless them, just like our ancestors did in the land of Canaan.
Do you believe it, brothers and sisters? It is this faith and strength that changed this country. They also believe that God will surely send rain to nourish the land. What is Israel like today? Do you know? Sixty years have passed. The saline-alkali marshes of that year have turned into fertile fields. The desert is now filled with olive trees, vegetable gardens, and fruit orchards. They raise fish in the desert, and the yield of crops has increased sixteenfold. Moreover, three percent of the population is engaged in agriculture, and one farmer can feed four hundred people. According to today's agricultural standards in Israel, the earth can support three times the population. According to the current views of the Israelites, food will never run out; famine is impossible. They also export a large amount of grain, flowers, vegetables, and fruits, accounting for forty percent of Europe's export volume. How can such a small country have such great blessings? They believe in this promise. Even when they have nothing, they still believe in this promise. Amen!
When I came here, I had a hope. Back then, there was only one table here, and nothing else. But as I stand here, I believe I see many people here who will be transformed by God. Many will witness God's glory here. Now this has been realized, but I believe greater things are yet to come. Amen! What I mean to tell you is that even the Israelites under the Old Testament were so blessed; how much more are you, the spiritual descendants? You do not need to suffer like the Israelites to obtain God's blessings. The blessings you receive today come from Jesus. Your blessings, your supply, and your thoughts should be greater than those of the Israelites. If you open your mouth wide, God will surely fill it.
Even in the current environment, you should rely on God like this. Just like the Israelites, when they had nothing, they still believed that God is my joy. He will give me the appropriate autumn rains and send down abundant showers. Do you know that saying this in that environment requires faith? Because it has never rained heavily there; it only rains three hundred milliliters a year. To say such words is indeed to believe in God's promises. Can you rely on God like this in your environment? Believe that Jesus Christ has turned all your curses into blessings and has reversed everything for you. You are no longer believing in an empty doctrine. You must hold on to God's promises in the environment and declare, "This is for me."
Galatians 3:27-29
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
This is God's promise to us. However, many Christians do not receive this inheritance. In the face of the environment, they choose to complain, retreat, and change their ways. This is not good. I just mentioned that Abraham once tried hard. When he did not see children, he had Ishmael, and the consequences have continued to this day. If he had held on to God's promise at that time, would Isaac have been born? Yes, he would have. He just needed to hold on to God's promise. Even without Ishmael, Isaac would have been born.
Should you believe in this way today? Do not say it is impossible. "I cannot wait; I need to try a little." This will lead to endless problems. Believe that you are still the one who inherits according to the promise, according to what promise? The promise God gave you in Christ. You need to find it in the Bible. Amen! Then hold on to this one. This is for me. I will wait until this thing is fulfilled and I see it completely. Besides this, I will not think of other methods.
I have a covenant with God. I said, "Lord! In the past, I have struggled a lot in the world. When I serve you, I will no longer earn a penny in the world to support my family. I believe you will provide abundantly for me." Over the past ten years, many people have approached me after hearing my sermons, including big business owners who appreciated my eloquence, saying, "Come to our company; I will give you this and that." I said, "I’m sorry." Because I know God's promise is better. Of course, this is my own covenant. This is what I hold on to. You should also do the same. After holding on to God's promises, say, "This is mine. I believe God's promises will surely come to pass in my life." Hallelujah! Because you are Abraham's descendants, you inherit the blessings given to you by the salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross. Amen!
Romans 4:16 says, "Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham."
If you think that what I shared about David or the Israelites today can be so blessed, believe that you can too. Amen! People inherit by faith. They also relied on faith. They were under the Old Testament, and the focus was still on faith, believing that God would send the spring and autumn rains. Believe! Therefore, this is called grace. Hallelujah!
Grace is not a doctrine or a subject; grace is a person, and His name is Jesus. So you need to rely on Jesus, believe in the grace of Jesus. You belong to grace; you belong to Jesus. The promise is guaranteed. What does guaranteed mean? It will surely be fulfilled. No matter what others say, no matter how bad the environment is, it will surely be fulfilled in you. This is called guaranteed. It is guaranteed to all descendants. Are you one of those descendants? Yes! Not only to those who are of the law; although the Jews also receive God's blessings, you belong to another part, which is also given to those who have the faith of Abraham—that is you. Amen! Do not look down on those under the law. They can also inherit this blessing; it depends on how much they can believe. You can also inherit; it depends on how much you believe. I hope everyone fully believes in God's promises. When tribulations come, hold on to God's promises and still believe that He is my Lord, and I can rely on Him. Amen!
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you! Thank you for renewing me through your words. When the environment is not good, you are still my Lord. I want your promises to be fulfilled in my life and hold on to your promises, no matter what others say, no matter how bad the environment is. Even if I fall into the valley time and time again, I believe that on the day I reach the valley, I will begin to rise. God will lift me up and place me in His secret place, in His shelter. This is His word for me. Let Jesus enter my environment. I want to see Jesus, not the bitter water, because when Jesus enters the environment, the water becomes sweet. Thank you for giving me your words. You want me to pay attention to listen to your words and act according to your words. You are my healing God. You can heal the bitter water of the Israelites and heal my soul, heal my current environment, because you are my loving Lord. Thank you and praise the Lord! Bless all the brothers and sisters who hear the word. We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen!