Bible Reading: Matthew 3:11 — "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Luke 24:49 — "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” Acts 1:6-14 — “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, 'Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' And He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.' Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer [c]and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” Acts 2:1-4 — "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them [b]divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:17-18— "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy." Acts 2:39-42 — "'For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.' And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse generation.' Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." The Lord’s Promise of Revival in All the Earth In the New Testament, the Lord promised that He would bring revival to the whole earth. This call to revival originates from the throne in heaven. It is the will of the Lord, fulfilled through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture we just read shows that when John the Baptist came to testify about Jesus, many people came to be baptized by him. He testified, saying: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11) John baptized with water, but Jesus Christ came to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire—this is the promised driving force of revival. Then, the Lord Jesus truly came. Before His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, He could not yet send the Holy Spirit, because He had not yet been glorified. So while He was on earth, He preached, healed the sick, cast out demons, and fulfilled God’s will. Finally, He completed redemption on the cross. After His resurrection, when He gathered with His disciples, they asked, “Lord, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” The disciples were thinking of a revival of the earthly kingdom of Israel. But Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This means that what matters most in the Lord’s heart is not the restoration of an earthly Israel, but the revival of a spiritual, heavenly Israel—a global revival that begins in Jerusalem, spreads through Judea and Samaria, and reaches the ends of the earth. This worldwide revival does not depend on human talent, strength, or strategy. It requires waiting in Jerusalem for power from above—the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Only then can the testimony of Jesus Christ spread from Jerusalem to all nations. In other words, when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, He ignites the fire of revival. That burning Spirit starts in Jerusalem and spreads widely—through Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The fire of Pentecost was the spark that ignited the revival in all the earth. This promise was fulfilled at Pentecost, just as the prophet Joel foretold: “God says, in the last days, I will pour out My Spirit on all people.” This is the prophecy of global revival. The Holy Spirit at Pentecost Is the True Essence of Revival Fire Regarding the fire of Pentecost, let us offer further explanation. In the past six messages, we’ve looked at six instances of revival fire in the Old Testament—all of which were symbolic. Whether it was the fire before the Tabernacle, the fire on the rock at Ophrah, the flame on the rock at Zorah, the fire on Araunah’s threshing floor, the fire before the Temple, or the fire on Mount Carmel—each one was a foreshadowing of revival fire, representing the work of the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t until the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were gathered together, that “tongues as of fire appeared and rested on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” This was the true manifestation of revival fire—the Holy Spirit Himself descending and filling the disciples. From that moment, the revival of the whole earth began. The Fire of Pentecost Ignited the Revival of the Whole Church We know that ever since humanity’s fall, the whole earth has been under God’s curse and judgment. Yet through Christ’s redemption, humanity received a great salvation—not only restoring fellowship with God, but also becoming witnesses of Christ. Ultimately, Christ, the captain of our salvation, will lead many sons into glory (Hebrews 2:10). This salvation truly came upon humanity beginning at Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, it sparked a full revival. The once timid and retreating disciples rose up to become bold witnesses of Christ. Peter, along with the eleven apostles, stood up to preach, and that very day, three thousand people were baptized. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. They shared all things in common and were united in heart and mind. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. This was the beginning of the church-wide revival—the starting point of global revival. Beholding the Ascended Christ In Acts chapter 1, the Lord Jesus first said to His disciples: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  (Acts 1:8) After saying this, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. What follows is a significant detail we must pay close attention to: as Jesus ascended, His disciples were "look steadfastly"  into heaven. While Jesus was rising, their eyes remained fixed on Him—they were focused on the ascending Christ. “Look steadfastly” means "focus", it implies deep, unwavering attention. They kept their eyes on Jesus until He was no longer visible. After Peter beheld the ascended Christ, he was filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In his first message, he declared: "This Jesus whom you crucified, God has made Him both Lord and Christ."   (Acts 2:36) Peter saw that Jesus, a descendant of David, was to sit on the throne (Acts 2:30). His ascension was His enthronement in heaven. Peter saw it, and so did the other disciples. After seeing this vision of the ascended Christ, they returned to Jerusalem and prayed. This vision gripped them. Through prayer, they received the promised Holy Spirit and were powerfully revived. Dear brothers and sisters, if we want to receive the Holy Spirit of Pentecost and the fire of revival—burning continually and growing stronger—we must keep our eyes fixed on the ascended Christ. Our hearts must be directed toward the heavenly throne. Whenever our hearts turn toward the throne, the Holy Spirit is poured out and fills us wherever we are. Sometimes while preaching, I find myself drawn inwardly to the heavenly throne, and as I speak, the Holy Spirit is poured out. Each of us can be filled with the Spirit at any time. I used to have misconceptions, thinking that being filled with the Spirit meant falling to the ground, shouting, crying, or laughing. Yes, those manifestations often happen when the Spirit first fills us, as He breaks down our natural selves. But not every filling must look that way. The more mature we become, the more steady it appears. Living in the Spirit daily becomes as natural as breathing. If falling or crying were the only signs of being filled, then according to Paul’s command to “be filled with the Spirit,”  we’d hardly be able to function. Right? So being filled with the Spirit is a normal, everyday experience for a believer. Brothers and sisters, the most basic attitude and intention for receiving the Holy Spirit is this: He alone is Lord, He alone is King. When our hearts are turned toward the throne, the Spirit is poured down and we are filled. Over the past six or seven years, I’ve often prayed, and sometimes during prayer, the Spirit poured out powerfully. Other times, feeling weak, I’ve prayed earnestly for filling—kneeling for long periods, praying fervently—but the Spirit didn’t come. Even after days or weeks of prayer, still no filling. Strangely, sometimes when I wasn’t even asking, the Spirit was poured out abundantly—bringing release, freedom, peace, and joy. Why? What’s the key? What's the problem? Is it confession? Repentance? Fervency? No. Through years of failure and the Lord’s leading, I’ve come to see: the key is a heart fully turned toward the throne—He is the Lord, He is the King. When we behold Christ on the throne, in that very moment, the Spirit is poured out strongly—filling us from within and overflowing with His fullness. This is the most essential truth: when the Lord truly takes the throne in our lives and reigns as King, the Holy Spirit fills us. So in Acts chapter 2, when Peter explained the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, he said :"Being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, He has poured out what you now see and hear." This means that when Jesus was exalted to glory, honor, and authority—enthroned at the right hand of God—the Holy Spirit was poured out. Just as Revelation 22:1 says: " The river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb." Whenever our hearts turn toward the throne of the Lamb, when He reigns as King, the river of life flows among us. So what does it mean to experience Christ enthroned? From our side, when our spiritual condition shows the following two signs, it means the Lord has taken His throne in us. Praising First Sign Is Praising. When the eyes of a person’s heart are opened by the Holy Spirit to behold the ascended Christ—or when the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us—we naturally begin to praise: praising the Lord’s victory, His glory, His virtues, His supremacy, and more. In such moments of praise, He is enthroned. As the Psalms say, “Our God is enthroned upon the praises of Israel.”   (Psalm 22:3) The name “Israel” means “one who has wrestled with God and prevailed,” signifying victory, kingship, and authority. When we stand on the spiritual mountaintop of victory and begin to praise, the throne of the Lord appears. In other words, when our spirit worships and praises because we’ve seen the greatness, beauty, and triumph of the Lord—He is enthroned, reigning in glory. And as a result, the Holy Spirit is poured down from Him. A few of us coworkers often pray together in the mornings. Many times, as the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see the Lord, we burst into joyful singing: “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” And when we truly praise the Lord from deep within our spirit, the Holy Spirit is poured out, and we are all filled with His presence. Hallelujah! Falling Prostrate Another sign is that our fleshly self falls prostrate—this too is an experience of the Lord reigning from His throne. When the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord, Scripture records: "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne... Then I said, 'Woe is me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'" Whenever we cry out, “Woe is me! I am ruined,” recognizing that our fleshly nature deserves death, that our old self has no cure but death—and we fall face down before Him—that is when the Lord is truly seated on His high throne. So when we are enlightened, humbled, clothed in sackcloth and ashes, broken and repentant, those are often the moments when the Holy Spirit is poured out and fills us—that is the Lord reigning from His throne. Over the past few years, we’ve often experienced the Lord’s throne in these two ways: Sometimes through humble prayer, confession, repentance, and falling prostrate before Him. Other times, the opposite—overflowing with praise as we behold His faithfulness, love, mercy, victory, glory, and majesty. Especially during prayer meetings or breaking of bread, when true worship and praise arise from the spirit, we often experience the Holy Spirit being poured out continuously—here a wave, there a wave—not chaotic, but orderly and rhythmic, wave after wave of being filled with the Spirit. Praise the Lord! When this kind of Spirit-filled work appears in the congregation, many brothers and sisters are filled with joyful laughter, shouts of praise, and songs of hallelujah. These are the results of our hearts turned toward the throne. Brothers and sisters, at Pentecost, the disciples were baptized in the Spirit and filled with the Holy Spirit. They received power and their hearts burned with passion—because their hearts were turned toward the throne. Likewise, when our hearts are drawn to the throne, that is the prelude to being filled with the Spirit. Of course, some fillings are intense—like when D.L. Moody was filled, he had to quickly find a place to hide because he couldn’t bear it and had to ask the Lord to stop. But sometimes, when God brings sweet and deep communion, the Spirit fills us in a gentle, tender, and loving way. Either way, this fire of revival comes from above. To usher in revival on earth, we must receive it. Many of us already have, but some have not yet. This morning, may the Lord be gracious to us—may our hearts turn toward the throne, so that the Holy Spirit may fill us too. Obeying the Lord At that time, the disciples not only witnessed Jesus’ ascension, but they also followed His command to return to Jerusalem. Just as the Lord instructed, they obeyed—this is what it means to obey the Lord. Brothers and sisters, if you desire to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, you must continually obey the Lord. Acts chapter 5 records Peter standing up to deliver a powerful message. In that message, he said: “The Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”  (Acts 5:32) This means that God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him, because the Spirit is also called “the Holy Spirit given to those who obey.”  Therefore, obedience is essential to receiving the Spirit. We’ve often spoken of fire descending upon the burnt offering. A burnt offering represents the surrender of self to God—no personal choices, but submission to the Lord’s will and arrangement. This is obedience. And with such unconditional obedience, the fire naturally comes down. The more we obey the Lord and the Holy Spirit, the more we are filled with the Spirit. John said: “God gives the Spirit without limit.”  (John 3:34) This is a lifelong, inexhaustible experience—an endless filling. It’s like placing an empty bottle into the ocean. The amount of water inside the bottle is limited. But if both ends of the bottle are opened, the ocean’s water can flow through it continuously, from beginning to end of the year. If we receive the promised Holy Spirit by faith according to the Lord’s word, and rivers of living water flow from within us—letting the Spirit flow outward—it’s like both ends of the bottle being opened: water flows in from one end and out the other, endlessly. There was a sister who saw some Spirit-filled gatherings that were noisy and not quiet, and she strongly disapproved. As a result, she developed prejudice against the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Later, through God’s Word, she gradually discovered not only the reality of the Spirit’s outpouring but also the importance of being filled with the Spirit. She began to long for the Spirit’s filling and outpouring. She prayed to the Lord, expressing her willingness to receive the Spirit’s outpouring and filling—but she didn’t receive it. The reason was that she only wanted a quiet, calm experience that suited her preferences. She was unwilling to accept any expressions she considered embarrassing. Eventually, she was enlightened and realized that she had made her own choices about how the Spirit should come—she had not fully surrendered to let the Lord lead freely. So she offered herself to the Lord again, saying: “Lord, even if You want me to cry or laugh loudly, or fall to the ground—I am willing.” Because of this obedience, the Holy Spirit was poured out and filled her. In the end, she didn’t cry or laugh loudly, nor did she fall to the ground—but she received the Spirit’s outpouring, was filled, and spoke in tongues. Praise the Lord! A Heavenly and Transcendent Position When the disciples returned to Jerusalem, they went up to the upper room where they were staying to pray. The spiritual meaning of “going up to the upper room” speaks of standing in a heavenly and transcendent position—separated from sin, immorality, and the evil of this world, as well as from earthly customs, habits, impurity, entanglements, worries, and burdens. It is a realm of heavenly elevation and spiritual detachment. In such a state, the fire of Pentecostal revival can remain among us continually. But whenever sin enters, the Holy Spirit withdraws. Whenever the world or impurity creeps in, the Spirit departs. Because the Holy Spirit is holy, even when burdens, worries, or entanglements come in, He quietly leaves. He is as sensitive as a dove—any slight disturbance, and He flies away. You might ask, “Then should we stop doing anything?” Not at all. Outwardly, we still fulfill our duties—whether soldier, farmer, worker, merchant, man, woman, young or old—each in their own role. But inwardly, our spirit remains connected to heaven, constantly communing with the Lord through the Holy Spirit, living in the ascended life, and maintaining that transcendent, heavenly position. In this way, the fire of revival will not be extinguished, but will continue to burn within us with lasting intensity. Today, the reason we don’t see the fire of the Holy Spirit in the church is because the church has allowed sin to enter. Many believers, though baptized, live no differently from unbelievers. Even more troubling is when the church aligns itself with the world, losing its sanctified essence. No wonder revival is hindered and the power of the Holy Spirit is not evident. A Harmonious Spirit The disciples were all “of one accord,” which speaks of a harmonious spirit. Whether in a church, a family, or even within an individual, whenever the spirit is not in harmony, the work of the Holy Spirit immediately stops. At that time, the disciples were united in heart and spirit, and the fire of revival burned among them. Brothers and sisters, being blamed by others is a small matter; what matters is that you always maintain the unity of spirit given by the Holy Spirit toward others. We are not here to please people, but to please God. In daily life, it’s inevitable that we may offend or hurt others, or be misunderstood or opposed. But we must be careful to remain in harmony with others. If you truly have wronged someone, you should confess and reconcile with them. Our spirits must be in harmony with both God and man, without any barriers. Over the past few years, the Lord has taught me much in this area. Sometimes I’ve seen meetings filled with the Lord’s presence, and other times I’ve noticed the Spirit not moving, and the sense of His presence gradually fading. We know the Lord’s presence is tied to the movement of the Holy Spirit. In a preaching meeting, the Spirit finds a speaker as His vessel; in a prayer meeting, He finds someone to pray; in a fellowship meeting, He finds someone to share His word. The Spirit must be able to move freely in the gathering, finding an outlet to express His will—then the Lord’s presence is there. So remember: whenever our spirits are out of harmony, the Holy Spirit cannot flow and becomes blocked, and naturally, the Lord’s presence is lost. Sometimes in a meeting, the Lord’s presence suddenly disappears, and it feels as if the whole gathering has fallen from heaven to earth. Though there may be songs, testimonies, messages, fellowship, and prayer, inwardly we know the Lord’s presence is gone. The next morning, the coworkers kneel together to ask the Lord: “Where is the blockage? What is hindering the Spirit?” Gradually, it becomes clear—perhaps a brother and another brother, or a sister and another sister, are not reconciled. The Spirit is blocked in the meeting. So we kneel and pray for them—fervent, persistent prayer. The Lord hears, the issue is resolved, and His presence returns. Sometimes after prayer, we ourselves are enlightened and realize that among coworkers, there has been a lack of harmony, mutual support, and care. Thank the Lord—He gives us grace to confess to one another, and our spirits are reconciled. Then the Lord’s presence returns. Because of His mercy, He gives us a united heart, and our spirits are in harmony. The Holy Spirit can move freely again, bringing the fire of the Spirit, and the church moves forward. This shows that to maintain the fire of Pentecost, unity and a harmonious spirit are absolutely essential. Emptied by the Lord The disciples were in the upper room in Jerusalem, with one accord and devoted themselves in prayer. This devoted prayer speaks of their endurance and fervent intercession. Because they spent sufficient time pouring out their hearts before the Lord, they received much enlightenment and were emptied by the Lord. The more they were emptied, the more they were filled with the Holy Spirit. So the more a person is emptied, the more the Spirit fills them. The story of the widow in 2 Kings chapter 4 illustrates this: the more empty jars she borrowed, the more oil was poured into them—until there were no more jars, and the oil stopped flowing. Likewise, the more we are emptied, the more the Holy Spirit fills us—until we overflow. We cannot empty ourselves by our own strength. But wonderfully, when the Holy Spirit moves us to pray earnestly, we receive light and naturally begin to empty ourselves—through repentance, confession, renouncing the world, and judging the flesh. In this way, we are emptied by the Lord. In the ten days leading up to Pentecost, the disciples prayed continuously—morning, afternoon, and evening, without ceasing. What could have kept them praying so persistently? I believe much of their time in prayer was spent receiving divine light, humbling themselves, and continually emptying themselves. And finally, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out, and they were filled. The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost After the disciples received the spiritual preparation described in Acts chapter 1, chapter 2 begins with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and the result was a great revival. Peter, who had once cursed and sworn to deny Jesus when He was arrested—and who returned to fishing after Jesus’ death—was a broken man and a total failure, seemingly unfit to bear witness. But when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, tongues like flames of fire appeared and rested on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and became bold, standing up to preach. That very day, three thousand people repented and were baptized. This was the work of the Holy Spirit—a clear demonstration of His power. That power encompasses many dimensions: the authority of the Kingdom, the strength to deny oneself, the cost of bearing the cross, the power to obey, and much more. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit and great faith, spoke with wisdom and the Spirit. Even at the moment of martyrdom, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and prayed for his enemies. His ability to die as a witness for Jesus Christ came from seeing the ascended Son of Man and a result of beig filled with the Spirit. Dear brothers and sisters, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost ushered in a glorious revival. The baptism of three thousand people revealed the unprecedented work of the Spirit. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer—these were tangible expressions of revival. The apostles performed many signs and wonders. They shared all things in common, met daily in unity, and broke bread both in the temple and in their homes, eating with glad and sincere hearts. This was the fire of revival from the Holy Spirit, melting and bonding them together to live out the fullness of Christ’s testimony. Among them was the reality of God’s family—loving one another—and the number of those being saved increased daily. All of this was the glorious revival brought by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Revival Fire That Burns Across the Earth Not only was this revival for Jerusalem—it was meant for the whole earth. According to the Lord’s promise, as the church faced persecution, the disciples were scattered throughout Judea, preaching the gospel (Acts 8:4), and the fire of revival spread with them. On another front, the Lord sent Philip to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. The Pentecostal fire of the Holy Spirit followed him, and signs and wonders accompanied his ministry. The Holy Spirit worked powerfully, and the entire city was filled with great joy (Acts 8:5–8). Philip then preached the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch, a servant of the queen of Ethiopia (Acts 8:26–38), and the gospel reached North Africa. The flames of revival grew stronger, spreading far beyond Israel to the Gentiles. Peter later brought the message of salvation to Cornelius’ household in Caesarea, and the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He had at Pentecost (Acts 10:44–48). The fire of revival had reached the Gentiles. Then Paul was raised up. When he was called and saved, the Lord sent Ananias to lay hands on him so that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17). The fire of revival ignited in him as well. Controlled by the vision of Christ on the throne and covered by the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul was consumed by the fire of revival and carried it throughout Asia, bringing spiritual awakening and establishing churches across the region. Even now, this fire of revival continues to spread—growing stronger and more widespread. From Jerusalem, to all Judea, to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth—it burns! Burns! Burns! Until the whole earth becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. Hallelujah! <-- Back Part 2 -->

Bible Reading: 1 Kings 18:1-4— "And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, 'Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.' So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria. And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)" 1 Kings 18:16-24— "So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, 'Is that you, O troubler of Israel?' And he answered, 'I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals. Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.' So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, 'How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.' But the people answered him not a word.Then Elijah said to the people, 'I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.' So all the people answered and said, 'It is well spoken.'" 1 Kings 18:30-40— "Then Elijah said to all the people, 'Come near to me.' So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, 'Israel shall be your name.' Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, 'Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.' Then he said, 'Do it a second time,' and they did it a second time; and he said, 'Do it a third time,' and they did it a third time. So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water. And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, 'Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.' Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!' And Elijah said to them, 'Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!' So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there." Torn Between Two Hearts When Solomon ascended the throne, the fire before the temple ignited a revival in Israel, an unprecedented spiritual awakening. Not only did the glory of the Lord fill the temple, but the king and all the people rejoiced in their hearts at all the goodness the Lord had shown. It could be said that the revival had reached its peak. Sadly, in Solomon’s later years, he turned away from the commandments of the Lord. Seduced by his foreign wives, he followed other gods, and the flame of revival dimmed from blazing to flickering. After Solomon’s death, through several generations, by the time Ahab became king of Israel, the fire of revival had been extinguished—only ashes remained, a mournful remnant. The situation had become dark and terrifying. From the king down to the common people, all had fallen into a state of spiritual desolation and unimaginable decline. Forsaking the Word of God From the time of King Ahab, nearly all the people of Israel had “forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals.”  (1 Kings 18:18) Just like in today’s generation, many of God’s people do not fully believe in His Word. Even among us here, brothers and sisters, it’s likely that most do not wholly trust the Word of God. For if we truly believed the Scriptures, our lives would be transformed and bear different fruit. Nowadays, many believers are indistinguishable from unbelievers. Numerous Christian communities have long ceased serving God according to His Word. In fact, they often follow human opinions and traditions more than they obey the commands of God. Setting Up Idols Moreover, they “followed Baal” (1 Kings 18:18), with 450 prophets serving Baal and another 400 prophets of Asherah supported by Queen Jezebel—setting up idols apart from the Lord. This illustrates how God's people were no longer wholeheartedly relying on, loving, or serving the Lord. Instead, they secretly placed their trust, affection, and devotion in money, talent, power, and other people or things outside of God. At that time, God's people were already “wavering between two opinions” (1 Kings 18:21), no longer fully committed to following the Lord. Hidden Testimony This passage also speaks of some sorrowful realities. Many prophets were killed, and although a hundred prophets of the Lord remained, they were hidden away. In other words, the visible testimony had been lost—only a hidden witness remained. Even the seven thousand whom the Lord preserved for His name were merely passive, having not bowed to Baal, but also not actively bearing witness for the Lord. I’m not saying there are no Christians in this generation, but the testimony of Christ is neither strong nor radiant. Beyond the majority of believers being unfaithful and disloyal to the Lord, even the few who love Him fail to live out a bright and bold testimony. These conditions reveal how God’s people have become double-minded and have fallen from a state of revival. The Restoration of Revival But our God is a God of action. The fire on Mount Carmel clearly reveals His desire to revive His ministry, His works, and His people. In the same way, God intends to restore His work in this present age. There are several key points about the restoration of revival that we need to understand. God Initiates First and foremost, we must clearly understand that the work of revival is initiated by God—it is not something that can be achieved through human effort or striving. Though this point has been mentioned before, it bears repeating because of its great importance. Revival is always God's initiative. In 1 Kings 18:1, it says: “The word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.’”  It was the Lord who sent Elijah; Elijah did not volunteer himself to do God's work. He was in hiding, helpless and in refuge, when the Lord came to seek him, call him, and speak to him: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” At that time, the land had suffered a long drought and famine, under the judgment and wrath of God. Now, God was rising to restore His own work. Who initiated this? It was God. So to be honest, although we care about the church, the Lord cares even more. Though we long for revival, the Lord longs for it even more. It was the word of the Lord that came to Elijah; it was God who called him, who sent him, and who actively stepped forward to restore His work of revival. This is the first truth we must recognize. God’s Timing Another crucial point to understand is that the work of revival comes according to God’s timing. In 1 Kings 18:1, it says, “After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah.”  The phrase “after a long time” shows that revival requires patience and waiting. We all long for a great revival to sweep across the earth today—and surely the Lord will act, and He desires to do so. But here it says, “after a long time,” reminding us that we must patiently wait for the Lord’s appointed time. Sometimes we hope our children will love the Lord, our parents will receive grace, and our brothers and sisters will serve the Lord with fervent hearts. Yet they may not respond as we wish. As a result, we become discouraged, thinking the Lord doesn’t hear our prayers and that there’s no hope. But do not lose heart. “After a long time” means we must endure to the end and keep waiting—revival will come. God’s word specifically mentions “the third year.” The number three represents the Triune God, so “the third year” symbolizes God’s appointed time. When His time arrives, revival breaks forth. Scripture says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… a time to heal, a time to tear down, and a time to build”  (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3). Everything has its appointed time. Once God’s time comes, revival will arrive. Though we speak of the fire of revival, the authority rests entirely in the Lord’s hands. He initiates revival Himself, and it comes according to His timing. Talent, Power, and Methods Cannot Bring Revival We see how the Lord used Elijah—and likewise, He desires to use us. But before He does, He wants us to deeply understand and clearly recognize that human talent, influence, and strategies are of no use in the sacred work of revival. At that time, there was a man named Obadiah, the steward of King Ahab’s household. He feared the Lord and even hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets. He had ability and authority, yet he could not bring about revival. At most, he secretly honored the Lord and protected His prophets from harm—but Obadiah did not usher in revival. Furthermore, although there were a hundred prophets of the Lord, which is not a small number, they too could not bring revival. Even when adding the seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal, they had no part, no connection, and no remembrance in the revival. This shows that human talent, power, and all human methods are incapable of initiating revival. The only key to revival lies entirely in the fire on Mount Carmel. The Fire on Mount Carmel Rekindled the People’s Faith That day, fire fell from heaven onto Mount Carmel! When the people saw it, they fell facedown and cried, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!” The people all abandoned Baal and turned back to the Lord. Revival broke out among them! This shows that only the fire on Mount Carmel—symbolizing the Holy Spirit—can bring true revival. That’s why Zechariah 4:6 says, “'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts." It wasn’t through Obadiah, nor through the hundred prophets, nor through the seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal in secret. It was through the fire from heaven on Mount Carmel. Not by might or power, not by chariots or horses, not by strategies or wisdom…but by the fire from heaven—the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit—can the work of revival be accomplished. So now, let us examine how the fire on Mount Carmel came down. We’ll highlight a few key points. Rebuilding the Broken Altar of the Lord The first thing Elijah did was to rebuild the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. We know that the altar symbolizes the cross of Christ. In terms of spiritual experience, we can explore this from three key aspects: The Power of the Precious Blood The first aspect of rebuilding the altar is the restoration of the power of Christ’s precious blood. It’s not that the blood of Christ has lost its effectiveness, but rather that our consciences have become numb and unresponsive. Now we must rise up, receive the Lord’s illumination, and seek cleansing through His blood. As 1 John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” This is the foundation of God’s work of restoration—do not take it lightly, and certainly do not neglect it. Renewed Dedication The second aspect of this spiritual experience is renewed dedication. The altar has been torn down, symbolizing the loss of a life truly consecrated to the Lord. Before the altar is rebuilt, we cannot expect the fire from Mount Carmel to descend. Though we may have dedicated ourselves in the past and once had an altar, that altar is now broken, and we are no longer living a life of dedication. In truth, our daily living has lost its essence of consecration. The altar is destroyed and invisible—only a faint trace remains. Therefore, today we must rededicate ourselves and rebuild the broken altar. That’s why, during this mountain gathering, we must all renew our dedication! Scripture specifically records: “Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob.” The twelve stones represent the twelve tribes, meaning the altar must be built by all of God’s people—every brother and sister restored to a life of dedication. During yesterday afternoon’s group prayer, we said that if any brother or sister had not yet dedicated themselves, we should help them pray. That’s because the altar cannot be built with eight, nine, ten, or even eleven stones—it must be twelve. In God’s eyes, He desires full dedication from all of us. Each person must offer themselves, forming a complete altar, rebuilding what was broken, so that the fire from Mount Carmel may descend. Moreover, it says “the tribes of Jacob,” not “the tribes of Israel.” The name Jacob refers to our corrupt, selfish, and deceitful nature. So building the altar with the twelve tribes of Jacob means offering ourselves to God just as we are—flawed and broken—not waiting until we’re “fixed” to dedicate ourselves. So dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you has not yet dedicated your life to God, seize this opportunity to offer yourself. Join with the saints as twelve stones to rebuild the altar, so that God may send down His holy fire from Mount Carmel! Putting the Self-Life to Death The third aspect of rebuilding the altar is the experience of putting the self-life to death. The altar is not built merely as a model to be displayed—it is meant for the calf to be slaughtered, placed upon it, cut into pieces, and burned to ashes. This represents the deeper work of the cross. Brothers and sisters, in terms of experience, we are all offerings. The first step is to slaughter the sacrifice. Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Killing the sacrifice (the calf) signifies our experience of dying with Christ on the cross. We thank the Lord Jesus that when He died on the cross, He not only bore our sins and shed His precious blood to cleanse us, but He also crucified our old self with Him. This is a glorious truth—praise the Lord! The calf has already been slain; we have already been crucified with Christ. But God’s Word doesn’t stop at the slaughter—it also requires the calf to be “cut into pieces”. The slain calf must be cut into parts and placed on the wood. This signifies the deeper work of the cross. In terms of truth, we have already been crucified with Christ. But in terms of daily experience, we must be cut into pieces every day—meaning we must put the self-life to death daily. The apostle Paul said in Romans 8:13, “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” This is what it means. In truth, you and I have already been crucified—that’s recorded in Romans chapter 6. But in daily experience, the work of the cross deepens continually. It must work in us every day to put the self-life to death. This is the daily cutting into pieces—cutting one piece today, another tomorrow, and another the day after. Keep cutting: the chest, the abdomen, the waist, the legs, the hands, the feet—until every part of the body is cut into pieces. Today, the Holy Spirit comes with the cross of Jesus within us, working daily to put the self-life to death. This is what Romans chapter 8 refers to: “by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body.” We must remember that the Holy Spirit within us today carries the cross and is constantly working to put our self-life to death. In Galatians 3:1, Paul says, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.” This revelation comes from the Holy Spirit—it is the Spirit who opens our eyes and brings us into the experience of the cross. On the other hand, the Holy Spirit carries out the work of putting our soul-life to death daily. He deals with our self-centered nature, putting it to death day by day, cutting it into pieces day by day. Therefore, we must remain in constant fellowship with the Lord, obey the Spirit, and live in the Spirit. When we do, our old nature and flesh will naturally be stripped away, because the Spirit brings the death of the cross into us and works daily to put our self-life to death. Dear brothers and sisters, the more you pray and commune deeply with the Lord, the more you’ll find your old nature falling away. Sometimes, while enjoying sweet fellowship with the Lord, you’ll notice that situations which would normally provoke anger no longer do. Because the Holy Spirit, through the cross, has dealt with your flesh. Your new self, your spirit, is released. As Paul says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” That day becomes a victorious one. But if you don’t draw near to the Lord, your flesh will take over. Because the Spirit has no place in you and cannot carry out the crucifying work. So I urge you to live daily in the Spirit and allow Him to put your old self to death. Then the powerful effect of the cross will be revealed in you. There is also another deeper aspect of the cross, as described in 2 Corinthians 4:10–11: “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.” This means we constantly bear the death of Jesus in our bodies. The Lord often places us in situations of death. God arranges environments perfectly suited to us so that our fleshly nature must die. He knows exactly what we need and orchestrates it to bring us to the place of death. So that we carry the death of Jesus and His life may be revealed in us. For example, many young believers love freedom and dislike restrictions. They want to act as they please. Yet the Lord may arrange for them to have strict parents—stricter than most. While other parents may give their children freedom, yours may monitor everything: your studies, your friendships, your activities. You may feel annoyed and resent their interference. But God uses your parents to place your reckless nature into death, so you can no longer act freely. Eventually, you submit and accept the discipline, and your “arbitrary self” dies. This is what it means to carry the death of Jesus and be handed over to death for His sake. It’s the deeper work of the cross. We must humbly accept every person, situation, and environment that God uses to put our self-life to death. This is the deeper experience of cutting the calf into pieces. There was a sister with several children. Her eldest was obedient, but her second son was bright and academically successful, so she favored him. Yet he was disobedient. The more she hoped in him, the more God disappointed her. Eventually, he became passionate about dancing, and she couldn’t control him. God reminded her that she loved her son more than she loved the Lord. So she surrendered him to God. Miraculously, her son stopped dancing. God truly works—wherever death is needed, He raises up the environment to bring our self-life to death. If you are a proud person, the Lord will use circumstances to bring you failure so that you must become humble. If you love money as your life, God will raise up situations that make you weary of wealth. If you love your family above all else, God will cause you to be disappointed in your family. If you cherish vanity and reputation, God will ensure you are humilated and shamed. I used to be someone who always had ideas—quick to speak and full of opinions. But by the Lord’s mercy, over the past six or seven years, He has placed me under His throne’s control, teaching me to live a life of surrender. Now I hardly dare to assert my own ideas anymore—this is the Lord’s work. In recent years, whenever I insisted on my own plans, the results were often wrong and ended in failure. For example, I once insisted that the church should immediately begin evangelizing, and everyone followed—but the Lord did not confirm it. I had to admit my mistake and ask for His forgiveness. Time and again, anything born of my own opinion led to failure. Gradually, I stopped daring to assert myself. The Lord uses many sacrifices, many methods, and many circumstances to work in us—putting us to death, cutting us into pieces—until we unconditionally bow before Him. This is the deeper meaning of the altar experience. Remember, in the Old Testament, the most intense fire from heaven came in this context. On Mount Carmel, when the fire fell, it consumed not only the burnt offering but also the wood, stones, dust—even the water in the trench was dried up. This symbolizes the most powerful and thorough work of the Holy Spirit. If we want the fire of Mount Carmel—the most intense and penetrating work of the Spirit — we must go through the experience of the cross. The deeper our experience of the cross, the stronger the fire falls, and the more powerful and evident the Spirit’s work becomes. If we only accept a little of the cross, then the fire will only be a little. This is a reciprocal relationship. First comes the experience of the cross at Golgotha, then the outpouring and filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Elisha had the same pattern—only after crossing the Jordan did he receive the double portion of Elijah’s spirit. The widow first prepared empty vessels, and then the oil was poured into them. All of this shows that we must first go through a deeper experience of the cross before we can receive greater revival fire and stronger work of the Spirit. In the Old Testament, the holy anointing oil could not be poured on flesh. If our flesh has not been cut off and put to death by the cross, the fire will not fall powerfully, and the Holy Spirit will not work deeply in us. So you cannot be full of flesh and still pray, “Lord, pour out Your Spirit on me, fill me, I want to dedicate myself to You, use me.” That prayer cannot be answered. You must first deeply accept the cross’s work of putting the flesh to death—then the Holy Spirit can work powerfully and use you. Galatians 5:19–21 says, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” Look at all these things—if the Holy Spirit shines deeply into our motives, thoughts, actions, and conduct, we will see that we are full of flesh. How much we need the cross to cut and put to death our flesh—then the work of the Spirit and the fire of revival will come upon us in great measure. The Testimony of Faith Elijah not only cut the bull into pieces and laid them on the wood, but he went further by digging a trench around the altar and pouring twelve jars of water over the burnt offering and the wood. The water flowed around the altar and filled the trench. This was an act of faith—a testimony of faith. He believed that God would send fire from heaven to consume the soaking-wet sacrifice and turn it to ashes. This was a powerful demonstration of great faith. Brothers and sisters, the fire on Mount Carmel is always tied to the foundation of great faith. Scripture clearly shows us that we “receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14). The outpouring and filling of the Holy Spirit comes on the basis of faith. By faith, the Spirit is poured out and fills us. The work of the Holy Spirit is always revealed through human faith. That’s why Jesus Himself said, “If you believe, you will see the glory of God” (John 11:40). For the fire of revival to fall on Mount Carmel, there must be vessels of faith and testimonies of faith on earth—this is God’s principle of operation. Brothers and sisters, you and I must be witnesses of faith. The apostle told the Hebrew believers, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2). Because when you look at Jesus, faith arises. We ourselves have no faith—we are like mirrors facing the sun. A mirror has no sunlight in itself, but when it turns toward the sun, the sun enters the mirror. Likewise, we have no faith in ourselves, but Jesus is the source of faith. When we fix our eyes on Him, faith enters us immediately. So we must look to Jesus, continually gaze upon Him, and our faith will increase. If you look to other people, things, or circumstances, your faith will collapse. If Elijah had focused on the prophets of Baal—who danced wildly, shouted frantically, even cut themselves with swords and spears until they bled, yet saw no fire fall—his faith might have wavered. But he trusted in God. He knew God. He looked to God alone. He was a great witness of faith, and that’s why the fire of revival fell on Mount Carmel. Fervent Prayer Born of Faith from Knowing the Living God Then Elijah prayed. He said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel!” He knew the Lord he believed in was the “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” (Matthew 22:32)—the God of the living, the God who reveals Himself through faith. He recognized God as eternal, almighty, and fully responsible. Because he knew God, he offered a prayer of faith. Brothers and sisters, God is the God of the living, not of the dead. The “living” refers to those of us who live by faith. In other words, God reveals Himself as God through our faith. Elijah’s prayer to the “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” was a declaration of faith—and the Lord responded by sending fire from heaven. Brothers and sisters, when we pray in faith, the Holy Spirit is poured out. We know the Spirit most readily descends when we praise the Lord, because praise is the expression of victorious faith. When faith reaches its peak, it becomes praises—and then the fire of the Spirit falls. Elijah’s prayer was not only one of victorious faith, but also of deep fervency. He cried out, “O Lord, answer me! Answer me, so that these people will know that You, O Lord, are God.” He repeated “hear me” twice—showing the urgency and sincerity of his plea. James writes, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly” (James 5:17). Elijah prayed with faith and fervency, and immediately the fire fell on Mount Carmel. Likewise, at Pentecost, the fire of the Holy Spirit came down as a result of persistent prayer. The Holy Spirit Comes to Bear Witness to Jesus When the people saw the holy fire fall on Mount Carmel, they fell facedown and cried out, “The Lord—He is God! The Lord—He is God!” There was no other god. Just as the fire on Mount Carmel testified to the Lord, so too the coming of the Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus Christ. In His farewell discourse, the Lord Jesus said, “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—He will testify about Me” (John 15:26). The primary purpose of the Holy Spirit’s coming is to testify of Jesus. Whether the Spirit is poured out upon us, fills us, or works in various ways, His ultimate goal is to bear witness to Jesus. And when the people declared, “The Lord—He is God,” it meant that when the Spirit moves, God’s people are revived and return to the Lord, becoming witnesses of Jesus Christ. The Spirit’s work always draws us into the testimony of Jesus—that He alone is Lord, and Christ alone is King. Therefore, before the fire fell on Mount Carmel, even though we could preach extensively about Jesus, it had little effect. Only when the Holy Spirit comes and bears witness to Jesus as the Christ—causing people to see, believe in, and worship the Lord Jesus—does He receive glory and take His rightful place as first in all things. Dear brothers and sisters, let us not disobey the vision, we should bear witness to the Lord Jesus, by then we may bring in the work of the Spirit as represented by the fire on Mount Carmel. Only then can we truly testify of Jesus Christ. The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil. Because fire came down on Mount Carmel, all the people cried out, “The Lord—He is God! The Lord—He is God!” The Lord revealed Himself through fire, and as a result, all the prophets of Baal were destroyed. This signifies the coming and working of the Holy Spirit—Christ revealed through the Spirit—leading to the collapse of Satan’s power. For “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8) When the Holy Spirit works, He testifies of Christ, and the works of the devil are torn down. The whole church is revived. May the Lord raise up more people in this generation to bring forth the fire of Mount Carmel! <-- Back Next Chapter -->

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 5:1, 6— "So all the work that Solomon had done for the house of the Lord was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and all the furnishings. And he put them in the treasuries of the house of God." "Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude." 2 Chronicles 5:13-14— "the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: 'For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,', the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God." 2 Chronicles 6:12-15 —"Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands (for Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven); and he said: 'Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.'" 2 Chronicles 6:23— "then hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, bringing retribution on the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness." 2 Chronicles 6:32-35— “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name. When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause." 2 Chronicles 7:1-3— "When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: 'For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.'" 2 Chronicles 7;8-10— "At that time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt. And on the eighth day they held a sacred assembly, for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the Lord had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel." But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day Now we speak of the fire before the temple—this is the fire of revival reaching its peak. During the reign of David, the people of Israel were already ascending the slope of revival. When Solomon took the throne, the fire before the temple brought the revival of the saints to its highest point. Proverbs 4:18 says: "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” (ESV) Revival has no end. It is limitless, boundless, and cannot be fully experienced in one lifetime. It’s not as if we’ve reached the summit and can go no further. God is always moving forward, and so His people must also move forward. Naturally, revival continues to advance. Even if a church has been revived by the Lord, or you and I have personally experienced revival, remember this: the Lord desires to revive us again, and again, and again—unceasingly. Like the light of dawn, it shines ever brighter until the noonday. This is the kind of revival God desires—whether personal or church revival—it begins at dawn and continues forward… until the noonday. When Moses was 120 years old and about to pass away, his eyes were not dim, nor was his vitality diminished. He stopped at the spiritual summit—this was his peak, his noonday. Caleb was 85 years old, and as his days were, so was his strength—he had not weakened. This too was his peak, his noonday. Throughout the generations, all who walk in the path of God’s will. those who are witnesses of faith, their revival has no end. It continues until the day they meet the Lord, when life reaches maturity and their spiritual life reaches its highest point. Revival of the Israelites in Solomon’s Era Before we explore how revival can be sustained continuously, we must first mention the early revival during the reign of Solomon. The Old Testament records that when Solomon became king, his kingdom was firmly established, and the Lord was with him (2 Chronicles 1:1) Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees as abundant as sycamores in the lowland. (2 Chronicles 1:14–15) Not only was there peace throughout the borders, but surrounding nations also paid tribute and served him. (1 Kings 4:21–24) This was truly the peak of Israel’s prosperity—a golden age and a glorious revival. Soon after, the temple was completed. Solomon placed the sacred vessels into the treasury and brought the Ark of the Covenant into the temple. He offered sacrifices of oxen and sheep in such great numbers they could not be counted. The priests and Levites ministered, and at that moment, the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. This was a revival full of glory—unprecedented and magnificent. Praise the Lord! The Fire Before the Temple Ushering in a Greater Revival So when God’s people are revived, how can that revival not only continue without interruption or decline, but also keep advancing? Of course, this is the work of God—not of man. It is God’s doing, not human effort. Revival doesn’t happen simply because we desire it; it is the Lord who continually leads us forward in revival, like an eagle carrying its young on its back, bringing us to the destination. To bring about ongoing revival among His people, God sends fire from heaven before the temple. This fire enables the revived people to enter into a deeper, more sacred, fuller, and more glorious revival. 2 Chronicles 7:1 recorded that when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The people of Israel saw this and fell on their faces on the pavement, worshiping and giving thanks to the Lord. At that time, King Solomon and all Israel gathered as a great assembly and celebrated the feast for seven days. It was held in the seventh month—a Feast of Tabernacles—which foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ as King, a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven, full of the Lord’s glory and His kingship. Everyone rejoiced and celebrated the feast for seven days. On the eighth day, a solemn assembly was held. Afterward, the people returned to their homes with joyful hearts. This was a mighty revival—a glorious revival—the revival within revival. Hallelujah! Solomon’s Prayer Brought Down the Fire Before the Temple So how was the fire before the temple brought down? In addition to offering burnt sacrifices and other offerings, there was one even more important factor—Solomon’s prayer. 2 Chronicles 7 started with “When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven...” This shows that the primary factor in drawing down the fire before the temple was Solomon’s prayer. The verse opens with the moment he finished praying—and immediately, the fire fell from heaven. Brothers and sisters, prayer is forever the catalyst of revival. Wherever a church is rich in prayer, revival will flourish. Wherever saints love to pray, their hearts will be zealous, and they will serve the Lord tirelessly. We must value prayer—pray more, pray without ceasing, and pray without losing heart. Today, nearly every Christian church holds prayer meetings, but many have become mere formalities. When things don’t work out, people resort to alternatives: using the first half of the prayer meeting for Bible study or preaching, leaving only a small portion of time for actual prayer. This is like bribing the conscience—it's a deceiving prayer meeting in name but not in truth. Outwardly, it may appear to be a prayer gathering, but inwardly, it lacks the essence of true prayer. There may be the sound of prayer, but no spirit of prayer. Naturally, the effects of prayer are absent, and revival remains out of reach. But Solomon’s prayer was not like that. His prayer ushered in a greater revival. It was a prayer that was heard by God, aligned with the principles of the Holy Spirit’s work, and met the conditions for revival fire to descend. His prayer was in accordance with God’s will and was pleasing to Him. Now, let us examine the key characteristics of Solomon’s prayer: The Prayer of Humility The first characteristic is humility. When the people gathered, they witnessed a glorious scene: the glory of the Lord filled the temple, the Levites sang, and the priests blew trumpets, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. Logically, Solomon could have taken pride in this moment. When King Nebuchadnezzar saw the great city of Babylon he had built, he said: “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30) Likewise, when we achieve something, how easy it is to become proud like Nebuchadnezzar! But Solomon was not like that—he humbled himself even more. In front of all the people, he knelt on the bronze platform. He was an unparalleled king of wisdom, not only ruling Israel but receiving tribute from surrounding nations. In earthly terms, he was like the “king of kings.” Yet he knelt before the people to show that the Lord of heaven is the true King of kings, the only God worthy of worship from all nations and peoples. So Solomon knelt and prayed to God. This was a prayer of humility. He knew that revival came from the Lord, and that every blessing he received was from Him. Whenever I speak of humble prayer, it touches my heart deeply. This has been the Lord’s training in my life over the past six or seven years. I often preach—sometimes in Taiwan, sometimes in Southeast Asia—and when I see the Lord’s work and blessings increase, my old self tends to become proud. Not intentionally, but because of the Adamic nature—the flesh at work. The flesh loves recognition, praise, and glory. So the Lord stretches out His hand and brings me down to a place where I must humble myself. Whenever I become slightly proud, the Lord uses circumstances to restrain me. For example: the Lord’s presence is lost in a meeting, or the Holy Spirit stops working during ministry. At that point, I have no choice but to kneel and pray: “Lord, forgive me. I have not humbled myself. Have mercy on this sinner.” Through confession, repentance, and humility, the Lord’s presence returns, and the Holy Spirit begins to work again. This has happened repeatedly over the past six or seven years. Take offering as another example. These past few days, we’ve been offering ourselves to God—as if we’re giving Him honor or adding to His glory. Some brothers and sisters still struggle to surrender themselves to the Lord. But most have willingly offered themselves—praise the Lord! Truthfully, the fact that God accepts our offering is already an immeasurable elevation of our status. We are broken, filthy, and corrupt people, yet we are received by the almighty, holy, and glorious God. That alone should cause us to kneel in humility and gratitude, offering ourselves to Him. Imagine a beggar asking to be received into your home—who would accept him? Yet we are far filthier than any beggar, and God still welcomes us and accepts us as holy. Therefore, we should bow down in deep gratitude and offer ourselves to Him. When the Holy Spirit opens our eyes even a little, we should humbly kneel and dedicate ourselves to the Lord. Revival will come through this. Solomon understood his own insignificance, and that led him to pray with humility. Dear brothers and sisters, humble prayer is the pathway to Holy Spirit revival in the church. Consider the church in Philadelphia—it was full of love, had the Lord’s presence, kept the word of patience, and was given an open door by the Lord. But immediately after Philadelphia comes Laodicea. Why? Philadelphia was a church commended by the Lord, but once it lost humility and became proud—thinking it was rich and became wealthy and had need of nothing—the Holy Spirit said: “You are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Whenever humility is lost, a revived Philadelphia church can quickly fall into the state of Laodicea. Look at King Saul—wasn’t he a perfect example? At first, when anointed by Samuel, he was truly humble. He said: “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?” (1 Samuel 9:21) But after becoming king, he gradually grew proud. Eventually, he disobeyed the Lord’s command by sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock, and was rejected by God. Brothers and sisters, when we experience revival and want to move forward, we need even more humble prayer. This is the work of the Holy Spirit within us. On the other hand, God’s Word also reminds and enlightens us—we should be like Solomon, praying with humility. Fervent Prayer After Solomon knelt on the platform, he lifted his hands toward heaven and prayed. “Lifting hands to heaven” is an expression of deep sincerity and burdened heart—it’s entirely different from a casual or relaxed posture. Sometimes we pray kneeling, sometimes sitting or standing, and sometimes we lift our hands. When we lift our hands, it often reflects a resolute spirit and fervent heart. Brothers and sisters, Solomon’s gesture of lifting his hands to heaven revealed a genuine and earnest prayer. At the end of his prayer, he said: “My God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer made in this place.” (2 Chronicles 6:40) Today, many Christians offer perfunctory prayers—prayers that cannot bear God’s scrutiny or hearing. If God were to truly examine and listen to our prayers, we might feel ashamed. Fervent prayer arises from an urgent inner need, driven by a heavy spiritual burden. Naturally, God delights in answering such prayers. Earnestness and sincerity shake the throne of God, stir His heart to act, and prompt Him to stretch out His arm and display His power to accomplish His glorious work. Brothers and sisters, in the past few days our gatherings have focused heavily on information. But starting today, with only three days left, we must shift our focus to prayer. Without it, the fire of revival will not burn intensely. So in the afternoons, we hope to have group prayer—humble prayer, fervent prayer. We firmly believe that such prayer will bring down heavenly fire to burn among us. Throughout history, every revival in the church has been birthed through fervent prayer. Sometimes, in order to lead us into such prayer, God allows suffering to come upon us. When we face hardship and trials, we naturally turn to God with urgency. In times of trouble, we are compelled to pray wholeheartedly and fervently. As a result, the Holy Spirit begins to work—not only reviving individuals and families, but entire churches. Dear brothers and sisters, our prayers must not lose heart (Luke 18:1). We must pray fervently, watchfully, and tirelessly. The beginning of Acts shows us that the disciples devoted themselves to continual prayer (Acts 1:14) This led to the outpouring and filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2, birthing the church in unprecedented glory. The book of James also tells us that "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain… And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit." (James 5:17-18) This shows how powerful fervent prayer can be. Over six years ago, the Lord called a few of us in Taipei to begin praying—several hours each day. In the morning, we would first draw near to the Lord individually, then pray together for one to two hours. After breakfast, we prayed again for another hour or two. In the afternoon, we prayed again. Evening meetings also included prayer. Altogether, we prayed for several hours a day. Before long, the Holy Spirit descended. The fire of the Spirit ignited, and we were consumed by it. It burned away all lowly and impure things and melted even the mountains. Our hearts were ablaze. During prayer, we were so immersed in the flow of the Spirit that we lost all sense of time. Kneeling was not tiring—instead, we were filled with anointing and joy. The meetings overflowed with the Lord’s presence, and the number of saved souls kept increasing. Praise the Lord! Prayer to Know God Solomon’s prayer was also a prayer to know God, and this is a very important matter. Through several verses of his prayer, we can see some of his understanding of God. Beholding the Greatness of God When Solomon began his prayer, he said: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You”  (1 Kings 8:23). He recognized the greatness of God. Then he continued: “Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You”  (1 Kings 8:27). Solomon saw that God is the all-encompassing, almighty God of the universe. Oh, brothers and sisters, our God is the One who works wonders. When you truly behold His greatness, faith in prayer arises. When this great and almighty God is known by you and me, our faith is stirred. He can part the Red Sea, cause the sun to stand still in the sky, and raise the dead. What in heaven or on earth can compare to our God? Our Lord is on the throne—He is supremely great and incomparably powerful. When the Holy Spirit opens our eyes even a little, when we truly see and know Him, that is the moment He delights in most. And in that moment, prayer is answered swiftly. Holding Fast to God's Faithfulness Solomon also prayed, saying that God is the One who “keeps covenant and mercy… who has spoken with His mouth and fulfilled it with His hand”  (1 Kings 8:23–24).This is a prayer that clings to the faithfulness of God. If God were almighty but not faithful—if He didn’t keep His promises—what would we do? Praise God, He is not only almighty, but also faithful. What He promises with His mouth, He fulfills with His hand. Solomon knew God as a covenant-keeping and faithful God. We too must hold fast to His faithfulness in prayer, and then He will bring it to pass. George Müller was a man of extraordinary prayer. Throughout his life, over 50,000 of his prayers were answered by the Lord. He held onto the promise in Psalm 81:10: “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it” . Believing that what God spoke, He would surely fulfill, Müller went on to establish orphanages. So many orphans—day after day, month after month, year after year—were sustained purely by faith in the Lord’s provision. Without fundraising, he witnessed the faithful God providing for them. He became a living testimony of faith, proving that the living God is absolutely faithful and trustworthy. Paul also experienced God’s unwavering faithfulness throughout his life. That’s why he declared: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself”  (2 Timothy 2:13). Brothers and sisters, those who do not know God’s faithfulness are people without faith. They do not understand what it means for God to take full responsibility. The path of revival that God calls us to walk is a path of faith. We must hold onto His promises to walk this road of revival and witness His wondrous works and the glorious manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Trusting in the Mercy of God From the lengthy prayer recorded in 2 Chronicles chapter 6, we behold how Solomon knew to entreat the Lord by relying upon His lovingkindness and tender mercies. He recognized God's mercy and prayed: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant” (2 Chronicles 6:14). And again, “When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers” (2 Chronicles 6:24–25). This is the prayer of one who knows that God is full of compassion and mercy. Solomon understood that “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13), and such prayers are pleasing to the Lord. For He is the God who forgives iniquity, abounds in steadfast love, and is rich in mercy. Therefore, though we stumble once, we may rise again; though we fall twice, He still lifts us up. Even when we fail to offer ourselves, He bears with us patiently and waits in longsuffering. Brothers and sisters, we are all fallen and corrupted, blind to our own condition. If the Lord should mark iniquities, who could stand before Him? Yet when we turn to Him and willingly offer ourselves, He draws us with cords of kindness, with bands of love. He has loved us with an everlasting love, and though heaven and earth may pass away, His love shall never fail. Solomon trusted in the mercy of God and prayed accordingly. And the Lord heard him from heaven, and fire came down from heaven upon the altar. Truly, it was a most beautiful prayer. Upholding the Righteousness of God Solomon knew that God is not only great, faithful, and loving—he also clearly understood that God is righteous. Therefore, he prayed, saying, “Then hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, bringing retribution on the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness”  (2 Chronicles 6:23). Solomon prayed by holding fast to the righteousness of God. Brothers and sisters, as Christians, we must know the righteousness of God. We cannot be careless simply because God loves us. For example, if one is in debt and deliberately delays repayment, or even hopes the matter will be forgotten—this is not acceptable. The Word of God says, “Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny”  (Matthew 5:26). God is righteous; He will not condemn the innocent nor justify the guilty. Thanks be to God, when we understand His righteousness, our lives, work, and service wouild be in peace. For instance, if your superior treats you unfairly in the workplace, or your friends are unjust in society, you can pray to the righteous God. He will surely watch over you. We do not ask God for vengeance, but trust that He will uphold and preserve us according to His righteousness. Even the holy fire of God can only descend upon the foundation of righteousness. Therefore, we must pray with a heart that understands and upholds the righteousness of God. A Prayer for the Glory of the Lord’s Name We also see in Solomon’s prayer that he mentioned the Lord’s name two or three times. For example, “When a foreigner comes from a far country for the sake of Your great name and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven” . And again, “That all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.”   This is a prayer that seeks the glory of the Lord’s name. When a person truly prays for the glory of the Lord’s name, God will surely hear. Yet this is no easy thing—for man is fallen. Though we may say with our lips, “Lord, to You be the glory”, in our hearts we secretly grasp a portion of that glory for ourselves. In the hidden places, we still desire to be glorified. Therefore, such prayers are not heard by the Lord. Sometimes, even after praying earnestly for a month, half a year, or even several years, the Lord does not answer. For He knows that if the matter were granted, though He would receive some glory, we would steal an even greater portion for ourselves. On the other hand, we must ask the Lord to give us a pure and clean heart—just as the Lord Jesus prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You”  (John 17:1). This is also a prayer I often make. When I was preparing to go to the Philippines, I prayed in this way: “Lord, glorify me, that I may glorify You. Let Your glory rest upon me, that I may return it to You. But do not let me steal Your glory, nor glorify myself. Let me not receive glory from men (John 5:41), but seek the glory that comes from the only God. (John 5:44)". As a result, the Lord often hears such prayers—for He listens for the sake of His own name’s glory. Brothers and sisters, in our daily lives and actions, we often reveal our vanity, seeking glory from men rather than purely desiring the Lord’s name to be glorified. This is why our prayers do not bring revival. May we all receive grace to pray for the glory of the Lord’s name, that He may send down the fire of revival. Prayer to Confront the Enemy, Satan Lastly, we must speak of the prayer that confronts the enemy—Satan. Solomon prayed, saying, “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear from heaven their prayer and supplication, and maintain their cause”  (2 Chronicles 6:34–35). The path to revival is also a path of warfare. When the enemy—the devil—is defeated, revival breaks forth. Therefore, we must engage in prayer that confronts the adversary. When Nehemiah returned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, it marked the beginning of revival. The people labored with one hand holding a weapon and the other building the wall (Nehemiah 4:17). Revival requires warfare to be completed. Thus, we must pray warfare prayers, standing upon the foundation of the Lord’s victory, exercising spiritual authority to destroy the works of the enemy and bind the powers of darkness. Many do not believe in Jesus because the god of this age has blinded their minds. Likewise, many believers do not offer themselves to the Lord because their spiritual eyes are veiled by the enemy. They have not seen the glory of Christ nor felt the compelling power of His great love. These works of the enemy must be rebuked and broken in the name of the Lord, that we may manifest the victory of Christ and witness the revival of the Church. This kind of prayer—prayer that defeats the enemy—is also a prayer that ushers in revival. May the Lord open our spiritual eyes to see. The characteristics of Solomon’s prayer were key to ushering in revival and the descent of holy fire. Therefore, the beginning of chapter 7 declares: “When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices...When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down… they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever’”  (2 Chronicles 7:1–3). When the Holy Spirit descends in power, we cannot help but fall prostrate before Him. In recent years, I have witnessed several times the fire of the Holy Spirit descending from heaven. The Spirit’s work came so powerfully upon the church meetings that all were filled with awe and trembling. Many saw the Lord with their own eyes and could no longer remain seated—they naturally bowed down in worship. When the fire of the Holy Spirit descends, you and I cannot help but fall to our knees. It is impossible to remain seated; we must bow in reverence. For God has revealed Himself, and the fire of heaven has come down. This kind of overwhelming presence—where we cannot help but bow—is beyond description. Words cannot express it. May the same Spirit that moved Solomon to pray also move us, that individuals, families, and churches in the midst of revival may be led into even greater revival. <-- Back Next Chapter -->

Bible Reading: Judges 13:1–12 — Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A Man of God came to me, and His countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of God, very awesome; but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name. And He said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’” Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, and said, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.” And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the Angel of God came to the woman again as she was sitting in the field; but Manoah her husband was not with her. Then the woman ran in haste and told her husband, and said to him, “Look, the Man who came to me the other day has just now appeared to me!” So Manoah arose and followed his wife. When he came to the Man, he said to Him, “Are You the Man who spoke to this woman?” And He said, “I am.” Manoah said, “Now let Your words come to pass! What will be the boy’s rule of life, and his work?” Judges 13:19–20 — So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it upon the rock to the Lord. And He did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on— it happened as the flame went up toward heaven from the altar—the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar! When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. Judges 13:24–25 — So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. Another Revival The Bible speaks repeatedly of the Lord sending down fire to revive His people. This holy fire of revival symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Every time the Holy Spirit moves on earth, it brings a fresh revival to God’s people. This morning, we turn our attention to the flame on the rock at Zorah. We see that during Israel’s time in Canaan, the people often abandoned the Lord. When they forsook Him to serve the idols of the land, the Lord handed them over to their enemies. We’ve previously mentioned the revival during Gideon’s time, but not long after, the people again turned away from the Lord. This illustrates how, in our journey of following Christ, our spiritual condition often fluctuates—revival followed by failure, failure followed by revival...The Book of Judges recounts this cycle of Israel’s history: repeated failures and repeated revivals. The passage we just read speaks of Manoah and his wife giving birth to Samson. When Samson grew up and emerged, he once again brought revival to the people of Israel. Israel Under the Oppression of the Philistines In Judges 13, it says that the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. During Gideon’s time, they suffered cruel oppression under the Midianites. Now, they endured the harsh rule of the Philistines for forty long years. This was the consequence of God’s people straying from Him—they fell into a life of bondage and painful affliction. Brothers and sisters, think back: when we drift away from the Lord, don’t we also fall into a state of bondage and lose our freedom? As it is said in the Gospel of John, “...whoever commits sin is a slave of sin”  (John 8:34). To depart from God is to fall into sin, and the result is bondage to evil, domination by the flesh, and the encroachment of death. Such a person loses freedom and peace, and naturally cannot rejoice or praise. Let us examine ourselves: from the beginning of the year to its end, have we truly lived in freedom, release, and praises? If not, it may indicate that we’ve been bound—perhaps by sin, perhaps by the flesh, or even by the shadow of death—leading to a life of painful struggle, without joy or peace. God Chooses Vessels for Revival So how can we break free from the oppression of the enemy and experience revival? Remember this: it is not by our own strength that we revive ourselves, nor is there any method that can bring revival. Revival comes solely from God. This time is no exception—God Himself chooses the vessel of revival to restore His people. The Man from Zorah The passage we read earlier shows us that God chose a man from Zorah. The name “Zorah” means “a place of leprosy.” From a spiritual perspective, each of us stands before God as one afflicted with leprosy—defiled, corrupted, and unworthy. Yet God seeks us out, revives us, and even uses us to bring in revival. It is not because we possess any virtue or qualification to be used by God, but because of His merciful and gracious choosing. We are descendants of Adam, a rebellious race—all spiritual lepers! Just as the Lord prepared Moses for His use by first commanding him to put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, this reveals that whatever comes from man is leprous. Later, the Lord cleanse him. So before God, we are all leprous—unclean and defiled. From the inside out, from head to toe, we are utterly corrupted and spiritually repulsive. Yet God still chooses us, just as He found Manoah in Zorah. He chose Manoah so that he and his wife would give birth to Samson. This shows that the work of revival is initiated from heaven. It is governed by God, controlled by His throne. In the ministry of revival, man is forever powerless. Manoah’s Wife Not only that—Manoah’s wife was barren. If she could not bear children, how could she possibly give birth to Samson? This further emphasizes that revival is utterly impossible through human effort alone. Therefore, the Lord chose Manoah’s wife—who was barren and unable to conceive—to bring forth Samson as His vessel of revival. This was to make it abundantly clear to us that revival is entirely the work of the Lord. It is born out of His merciful and gracious election, according to His divine will, and accomplished through vessels fashioned by His own hand. The Flame on the Rock of Zorah Brings Faith and Trains Samson to Usher in Revival On one hand, God chose Manoah’s wife in Zorah to give birth to Samson. On the other hand, He used the flame on the rock of Zorah to strengthen the faith of Manoah and his wife. This empowered them to obey God’s command and, after Samson was born, to raise him in full accordance with the Lord’s instructions. As a result, Samson was able to fulfill God’s calling—serving as a judge of Israel for twenty years, repeatedly defeating the Philistines, and time and again ushering in revival for the Israelites. From this, we see that the flame on the rock of Zorah was a crucial key to ushering in revival. Now, let us consider: How can we draw forth the flame on the rock of Zorah today—so that faith may give birth to a “Samson,” and raise him to maturity as a judge, bringing revival to God’s people? Reverence Toward the Lord When Manoah’s wife encountered the Angel of the Lord, she attentively listened to His words, treasured them in her heart, and then went to tell her husband. This was an expression of reverence toward the Lord, just as it is written in the Book of Malachi: “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another” (Malachi 3:16) And what about Manoah? He, too, feared the Lord. After hearing his wife’s account, he prayed to the Lord. Because of his reverence, he sought the Lord in prayer, saying: “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born. ” (Judges 13:8) His desire to follow God’s will and obey His commands clearly reveals his heart of reverence. Moreover, when the Angel of the Lord was about to depart, Manoah tried to detain Him, further showing how deeply he and his wife revered the Lord. Dear young brothers and sisters, one of the most vital virtues for every Christian is the fear of the Lord. This is especially true for young believers. So, what does it mean to fear the Lord? To fear the Lord is to have a heart that dreads offending Him. When the apostles went out to preach, they faced opposition from the authorities who forbade them. Yet their response was: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) This shows that they feared offending God more than disobeying men. That is the essence of reverence. We should adopt this same attitude: to fear grieving the Lord, to fear causing Him sorrow. Some Christians say, “What’s the big deal if I sin? Failure isn’t that serious.” But they forget that God in heaven grieves over them. As it says in Genesis 6:5–6 : “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually....and He was grieved in His heart.” If we do not fear the Lord, we cause sorrow to His heart. Therefore, we must fear Him. As parents, we can somewhat understand this: when our children are disobedient, unruly, and defiant, our hearts are deeply grieved. How much more must our loving Father in heaven grieve when we disregard His will? I often observe that some young people, though they have believed in the Lord, show no reverence toward Him. When they speak about spiritual matters, their tone and attitude are no different from when they speak about worldly things. Their approach to church gatherings and service is equally casual and indifferent. Why is it that our student evangelism bears so little fruit? It is because when you speak to your classmates about salvation, your demeanor is no different from when you joke around with them. But if you truly feared the Lord, then when you speak of Jesus Christ, your words would carry sincerity and urgency. Your classmates would sense the reality and importance of what you’re saying. And through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, they might be moved to repent and believe in the Lord. Today’s Christians are far too casual. For example, during the breaking of bread, many brothers and sisters sit and chat idly. Normally, when we come to such a gathering, we ought to begin with personal silent prayer, saying: “Lord, I come to remember You. If there is any sin in me, please shine Your light upon it and forgive me.” Otherwise, when we partake of the bread and the cup, we are eating and drinking judgment upon ourselves. As Scripture warns: “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” (1 Corinthians 11:29) This applies to all gatherings. We come to meet the Lord, yet some treat it lightly—dozing off or engaging in other distractions. May the Lord grant us a heart that fears Him, so that our worship may be acceptable to Him. There was a servant of the Lord from whom I received great help. Every time he prayed, he knelt down—regardless of whether the ground was clean or dirty. He simply knelt and prayed. This, too, is an expression of reverence toward the Lord. If we have truly received grace and live a life that fears the Lord, it will ultimately usher in revival. No Wine or Strong Drink The angel of the Lord instructed Manoah’s wife: “Do not drink wine or strong drink.” This command signifies a life not given to worldly indulgence. In today’s world, where material abundance surrounds us, we are permitted to enjoy what God has graciously provided for our needs—but we must not become lovers of pleasure. Take this example: Suppose your parents build a house with a garden, a swimming pool, and all kinds of modern amenities. You may enjoy these with a heart full of thanksgiving, without rejecting them as worldly. After all, they are part of the Lord’s provision. On the other hand, if you live in a small, humble home, you should still give thanks and praise to the Lord for what He has measured out for you. Whether our circumstances are abundant or modest, we must thank and praise Him, for all things work for our good. Those who love worldly pleasures respond differently. When things are lacking, they complain. For instance, we are now staying in a hotel prepared by the Lord. Most things are well arranged, but due to a shortage of sofa beds, you may have to sleep on a wooden board. In such a situation, can you still say, “Lord, I thank You,” and remain joyful in your heart? If sleeping on a wooden board makes you unhappy, then you are one who loves worldly comfort. Manoah, his wife, and their son Samson lived by the principle of not drinking wine or strong drink—meaning they did not pursue worldly pleasures. Currently, I’m staying at a brother’s home. In summer, the upstairs gets very hot in the afternoon, so the room is equipped with an air conditioner. I use it without feeling I’m indulging in worldly pleasure, because it’s a proper provision arranged by the Lord. Six or seven years ago, I stayed in the same brother’s house in Manila. Back then, there was no air conditioning, and the afternoons and evenings were truly hot. I shared a room with another brother, and because of the heat, we laid mats on the floor and slept there—joyfully. We thanked the Lord when we had no air conditioning, and we thank Him now that we do. Whether our bodies are comfortable or not, we give thanks just the same. This is what it means to not love worldly pleasure. We use what the Lord provides, but we do not cling to it. That is the meaning of “do not drink wine or strong drink.” We know that drinking wine can lead to addiction—today a little, tomorrow a little more, and soon you cannot do without it. Likewise, worldly pleasures can become addictive and captivating. Therefore, not loving worldly enjoyment is what it means to abstain from wine and strong drink. Dear young brothers and sisters, in this age of intense temptation and deception, cultivate the habit of not drinking wine or strong drink. Do Not Eat Anything Unclean The angel of the Lord further instructed: “Do not eat anything unclean.” This command signifies the need to reject all sin and defilement. Young brothers and sisters must especially take heed—for today’s world is saturated with evil, immorality, and corruption. The Word of God also warned us: “An evil and adulterous generation…” (M atthew 12:39) Many sinful and impure things—lustful desires, selfish cravings, and corrupt influences—can lead to spiritual decline when we see or hear them. Therefore, we must completely reject these things. They are unclean, and to accept them is to consume what is spiritually defiled. The result? We cannot bring forth a “Samson”. To give birth to "Samson", we must not only abstain from wine and strong drink (worldly pleasures), but also from all that is unholy and impure. We must guard our hearts against the love of worldly enjoyment and be vigilant against the invasion of sin and defilement. Offering the Young Goat as a Burnt Offering Manoah’s offering of the young goat as a burnt offering is a picture of our own experience of consecration. For Christians to bring forth the fire of revival, offering ourselves is indispensable. And this offering is not a one-time act—it must be repeated, renewed, and sustained. Just as fire once fell upon the burnt offering before the tabernacle, now we see the flame on the rock in Zorah consuming the young goat. These signs reveal that revival fire always comes through offering ourselves as living sacrifices. Offering ourselves to God must be a daily, ongoing, and ever-renewing lifestyle. It is not enough to have once surrendered, living in continual consecration. Dear brothers and sisters, though you may have offered yourselves to the Lord in the past, perhaps you have lost the lifestyle of consecration. And so, your revival has ceased. May the love of the Lord stir us again to offer ourselves afresh, so that the fire of revival may continually ignite our spirits and burn brightly upon our lives. Offering the Grain Offering This time, Manoah offered both a burnt offering and a grain offering together. He did not offer the grain offering alone, because it contains no blood, and thus cannot be accepted by God on its own. This is God’s ordinance, without shedding of blood there is no remission. Therefore, the grain offering—symbolizing human conduct—must be presented alongside the blood-bearing burnt offering, which prefigures Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. The grain offering represents the flawless earthly life of Jesus Christ. During His thirty-three and a half years on earth, God observed Him closely and found Him altogether beautiful and without blemish. He never erred, and He fully manifested the living God. His radiant character drew people to follow Him. His divinely approved, true, good, and beautiful way of living was the grain offering presented before God. How Do We Experience the Grain Offering? The grain offering especially refers to our daily walk. By grace, God has sent the fire of revival upon us and it is burning among us. But how much this fire burns and how long it lasts depends on the quality of the grain offering we present in our everyday lives. We must pay close attention to this. Without a life of grain offering, the fire of revival may burn briefly, but it will soon fade. We do not desire a revival that only ignites us for a moment on the mountain of Baguio, only to vanish after we descend or after a few months. What we long for is a fire that continues to burn—spreading through every corner of the church, touching every brother and sister, and even sweeping across the entire island of the Philippines. For the Lord has promised that this fire shall burn from Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth . Fine Flour The first ingredient of the grain offering is fine flour. The word “fine” speaks of something soft, even, and well-refined. In our conduct on earth, we must not be harsh, coarse, excessive, or lacking—we must be gentle, balanced, and consistent. I once heard a seasoned and respected pastor say to a group of ministers at a spiritual retreat, “Don’t keep talking about being spiritual and forget to be human. We still need to be human!” His words revealed a misunderstanding of what it means to be spiritual—as if spirituality meant becoming angelic. But the Word of God shows us that a truly spiritual person is the most balanced and refined—living a life that expresses both God and authentic humanity. It is the heavenly life manifested in earthly living. The Lord Jesus, during His thirty-three and a half years on earth, lived the most balanced and refined life—just like fine flour. This time, we’ve come up to the mountain and received revival through the Lord’s mercy. But after going down—whether at home, in school, or at work—we must continue to express that same gentleness and balance. That is the fine flour of the grain offering. Mixed with Oil, Pour Oil, Anointed with Oil The second ingredient of the grain offering is oil. Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Some grain offerings are mixed with oil, others have oil poured or anointed upon them. Mixing with oil refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It means that the Spirit of the Lord lives within us, continually anointing, shaping, and blending our lives. Every time we obey the Spirit, it’s as though another measure of oil is mixed in. When He prompts, we respond. When He restrains, we stop. When we follow His leading, we live the life of a grain offering mixed with oil. To have oil poured or anointed upon us speaks of the Spirit’s outpouring and filling. We must continually seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit. This was the life of Jesus. Hebrews 9:14: “…how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God…” From the moment Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb, He was filled with the Spirit. For thirty years, He lived in quiet obedience at home, following the Spirit’s anointing—living the grain offering mixed with oil. At age thirty, when He was baptized in the Jordan, when He came up from the waters, the Spirit of God descended upon Him, poured on Him. God has anointed Him with the oil of gladness more than His companions. From that moment, Jesus was not only filled inwardly but also anointed outwardly. His entire being—inside and out—was filled with the Holy Spirit. And He lived His life in the Holy Spirit. This is the grain offering life of Jesus: mixed with oil, poured with oil, and anointed with oil. We too must live this way—fully yielded to the Spirit, inside and out, living a life of grain offering mixed with oil, poured with oil and annointed with oil. Without this, the fire of revival cannot descend. Even if it does, it cannot endure, nor can it be sustained and move forward. Dear brothers and sisters, when we received grace, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within us. He is alive and teaches us in all things. We must listen carefully. Years ago, while ministering in a certain place, a blind brother asked me, “What is the most basic lesson for spiritual growth?” I replied, “The most basic and essential lesson is to obey the voice of the indwelling Spirit—the anointing’s teaching. Whatever He tells you, do it.” He took this to heart and placed a box of matches in his pocket. Each time he obeyed the Spirit, he would place one matchstick in his pocket as a marker. One morning, in his morning watch, the Spirit prompted him: “Your wife was very tired yesterday. You woke up earlier—go wash the rice for her.” He obeyed and placed one matchstick in his pocket. Then he knelt down to pray. The Spirit said, “Your child left the shoes messy last night. Go tidy them.” He obeyed again—second matchstick. Then, “Pray for Sister So-and-so; she hasn’t been attending meetings.” He knelt and prayed—third matchstick. “Pray for the pulpit.” He interceded fervently—fourth matchstick. “Wake your children.” He did so—fifth matchstick. By Saturday evening, when he stood to testify, we learned he had obeyed the Spirit around forty times that day. We couldn’t help but worship and praise the Lord with joy. This is the grain offering. This is the life of one who offers it. Brothers and sisters, ask yourself: how many times in a day do you obey the Spirit’s voice? In a week? Some may not have obeyed even once. Some perhaps not in a month—or even a year. No wonder the church lacks revival. May the Lord have mercy on us. The Spirit’s outpouring and filling symbolized by pouring of oil also was mentioned by Peter on Pentecost. He quoted the words of the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh…” (Acts 2:17) If you and I are human, then God will pour out His spirit on us. This is God's promise. Just as we receive forgiveness once we believe that Jesus bore our sins on the cross. It’s not a special privilege—it’s a normal experience. God never create difficulties for His people. His salvation and gifts are by free and simple to receive. I once spoke with a learned man—full of knowledge and intellect—but he could not grasp the simple truth of Jesus bearing our sins on the cross. As Scripture says: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” For us, it's simple— believe and we are saved. Receiving the Spirit’s outpouring is just as simple. I once believed it was difficult, having read misleading teachings. But I later discovered that receiving the Spirit is as easy as receiving the cleansing of Christ’s blood—just believe. May the Lord pour out His Spirit upon us in these days, that each of us may receive Him fully. This is the experience of the grain offering: mixed with oil, poured with oil, and anointed with oil. The Covenant of Salt The third element of the grain offering is the salt of the covenant, which points to the eternal work of the cross. The work of the cross is eternally unchanging —this is what the salt symbolizes. Our acceptance of the cross is not limited to the day of our salvation; rather, it is a daily experience from the moment we are saved until the day we meet the Lord. In the simple aspect, this means daily cleansing through the precious blood. From deeper aspect, it means daily surrender to the cross, allowing it to put off our old self. We know that the blood Jesus shed is the seal of an everlasting covenant, granting us eternal forgiveness of sins. As Jesus said during the Last Supper with the disciples: “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:28) Thus, the salt of the covenant refers to the eternal redemption accomplished by the cross. We must draw near to the Lord daily, seeking cleansing through His blood. On the other hand, we must also take up the cross daily, denying and rejecting ourselves through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23) It's bearing the cross daily, not a one-time event. It is a continual experience through which we, by the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the flesh. (Romans 8:13) In this way, the fire of revival within us will not be extinguished. Frankincense The fourth element added to the grain offering is frankincense, which symbolizes the resurrected life of the Lord Jesus. From the day we were saved, the resurrection life of Christ has been within us, leading us daily to overcome death. As Paul declared: “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9 ) Oh! Here is a man named Paul—he lived above his circumstances and triumphed continually. Death could not hold him; hardship could not defeat him. This is the power of resurrection life, prefigured by the frankincense. In the book of Acts, even when Paul was imprisoned, he could still praise and sing hymns. (Acts 16:25) And when Peter was imprisoned, he rejoiced, saying they were counted worthy to suffer. (Acts 5:41) All of this is a marvelous and glorious manifestation of Christ’s resurrection life.This is the experience of frankincense in the grain offering. No Leaven Allowed Fifth, every grain offering presented to the Lord must be without leaven. Leaven symbolizes sin, and Christians are called to live lives free from sin while on earth. 1st John chapter 3 verse 9 says, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” This is a special exhortation to young believers: be vigilant—do not allow leaven into your life. The grain offering speaks of our conduct and character. Sometimes, out of fear of offending classmates or friends, one might compromise and fall into sin. That is how leaven enters. I thank the Lord for His keeping grace. When I was in school, I had two or three close friends—closer than even my own siblings. At the time, none of them believed in Jesus, and I had not yet experienced spiritual revival. We were very close. Later, after I was revived by the Lord, they came to invite me to watch movies during summer break. Refusing once or twice was easy, but saying no every time was difficult. But because leaven could sneak in when I watch movies. So I told them plainly: “I’m sorry, I’m a Christian. The Lord Jesus does not permit me to watch movies. Please forgive me.” At first, they didn’t accept it. But eventually, they had no choice but to respect it. That was a choice to reject a life with leaven. Brothers and sisters, in our daily walk, sin can creep in when we are not careful. When temptation comes, if we accommodate social expectations or follow worldly customs, sin enters immediately. You cannot say, “They’re just classmates,” or “These are dear friends visiting from afar, just this once won’t hurt.” Nor can you excuse yourself by saying, “Lord, forgive me, just this once.” Do not give sin any room. Remember, a little leaven leavens the whole lump. That’s why leaven is absolutely forbidden in the grain offering. No Honey Allowed The sixth principle, in the grain offering is “For you shall burn... nor any honey..." (Leviticus 2:11) This is a crucial point, yet one often overlooked by many Christians. Honey, which gives sweetness, symbolizes excessive emotion. Human beings are emotional creatures, and life inevitably involves emotional relationships—between friends, parents and children, spouses, and fellow believers. These connections are often sustained through appropriate affection. However, honey here refers to excessive emotios. Anything in excess becomes harmful, so it is with emotion. Over-involvement or overly intimate relationships can be likened to honey. Once this “honey” enters, spiritual things begin to deteriorate. In fact, honey can be so overwhelming that it causes the complete loss of spiritual vitality. In the early stage of my spiritual revival, I was fervent—zealous for the Lord, pursuing Him, preaching the gospel, and full of His presence. But after a while, honey crept in. Excessive emotional entanglements entered my life, and soon my spiritual appetite and experience began to fade. This was a season of failure following a great revival. That period of spiritual decline lasted more than half a year. I had no interest in reading the Bible, prayer lost its flavor, meetings and service felt dull, and my spirit was heavy. It was as if everything spiritual had been ruined. Young brothers and sisters, be especially watchful—do not let honey enter your life. When emotional indulgence floods in, it signals the bankruptcy of your spiritual treasure. Outwardly, you may still pray, attend meetings, and serve, but you know that the Lord is already at a far distance. And if that’s the case—what revival is left to speak of? Baked, Roasted, Fried Lastly, whether the grain offering is baked, roasted, or fried, each method of preparation involve fire, which symbolizes enduring fiery trials. The Lord may permit problems in the family where relationships feel strained. Perhaps your parents don’t understand you, or your children fail to honor you. Maybe there’s discord among brothers and sisters in Christ. It could be financial hardship, setbacks in your career, or painful blows from people, circumstances, or environments that feel unbearable. All these are the baked, roasted, and fried grain offering. May the Lord preserve us, that we might receive grace to live out the life of a grain offering. When we do, the fire of revival will continue to burn brightly among us. <-- Back Next Chapter -->

Bible Reading: Judges 6:1-6 — Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,  and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains. So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Judges 6: 11-21 — Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall [c]defeat the Midianites as one man.” Then he said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. 18 Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.” And He said, “I will wait until you come back.” So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them. The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. Then the Angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. Judges 6:24-27 — So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Now it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.” So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the Lord had said to him. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night. Judges 6:34 — But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him. The Lord Revives His Work Through the Vessels in His Hand This morning, we will reflect on the second flame of revival—the fire on the rock at Ophrah. The fire on Ophrah's rock points to key elements of revival. Before God revives His people, He first chooses a group of vessels to usher in that revival. These chosen vessels are often in a state of discouragement and despair. Thus, the Lord sends down fire to rekindle them, that they may be renewed in strength, receive His commission, and become witnesses for Him. Gideon serves as one of the finest examples among these vessels. Israel’s Bitter Oppression by the Midianites After journeying through the wilderness and entering the land of Canaan, the Israelites soon forsook the Lord their God, bowing instead to the idols of Canaan. In response, the Lord handed them over to the Midianites, allowing them to be oppressed and ravaged. Similarly, when we turn away from the Lord, He may allow suffering and trials to come upon us, causing us to endure various forms of hardship and sorrowful living. Devastation of the Harvest Not only so, but whenever the Israelites sowed their crops, the Midianites would come and destroy all the produce of the land. In the same way today, the enemy—Satan—seeks to utterly ruin the spiritual nourishment of Christians, preventing them from living a healthy spiritual life. So, what does it mean to have our spiritual nourishment destroyed? For example, when you and I were first saved, we loved reading the Bible and had a deep desire to pray. Our spiritual appetite was strong, and our capacity to receive was rich and full. But what about now? Due to Satan’s destructive interference, we suffer from spiritual indigestion, losing our appetite and attraction to things spiritual. Reading Bible no longer stirs interest—eventually, we stop reading altogether. This is falling into the enemy’s scheme and submitting to his oppressive influence. We know that our spiritual food comes from God’s Word. If you cease to read His Word, naturally, you are left without nourishment. Or perhaps, you continue reading the Bible outwardly, but it has become a routine religious habit, devoid of genuine life supply. You receive no satisfaction. There’s no difference between reading and not reading. Some may not read the Bible at all anymore. This shows that the spiritual food has been completely destroyed by Satan. Let me ask you—not how many meetings you’ve attended, nor what services you’re involved in at church—but have you been receiving spiritual nourishment in these recent days? Do you still enjoy reading God’s Word? Does it satisfy your inner being? In meetings, whether during the Sunday morning message or Thursday evening Bible sharing, have you received supply through the messages or fellowship of the saints? Do you sense the Lord speaking to you? If not, it may be that your entire spiritual appetite—the field God has cultivated in you—has already been ravaged by the enemy, leaving you with no spiritual nourishment. Extreme Poverty Because of the Midianites, the Israelites became exceedingly impoverished. This illustrates the spiritual poverty of believers whose spiritual appetite has been ruined. Unable to absorb God’s Word, they lack spiritual supply and experience severe spiritual deficiency. When giving testimony, they have nothing new to share—only recounting their salvation years ago or other outdated stories. There’s no fresh experience, no forward progress in spiritual life. Brothers and sisters, if we find ourselves in such a pitiful condition, the Lord begins seeking a Gideon. Threshing Wheat in the Winepress At a time when there was no food across the land of Israel, Gideon was found threshing wheat in a winepress. Although the Israelites had cultivated the land in Canaan, the Midianites had ravaged all the harvest, leaving nothing to gather. Naturally, with no one threshing wheat, there was no reason for anyone to press grapes in the winepress either. Yet in this hidden moment, Gideon secretly sowed grain, secretly harvested it, and was threshing it in the winepress. This scene speaks to the reality that, while many of God’s people today are enamored with the world and indulging in the desires of the flesh—losing interest in meetings, service, prayer, and Scripture—God finds a Gideon. This morning, the Lord is searching among us for a Gideon once more. Who Is Today’s Gideon? It is the one who sows in secret, who threshes alone in the winepress—whose spiritual roots run deep, and whose spiritual fruits are hidden. For example, when reading the Bible, this person receives nourishment from God’s Word—sweet and joyful—not only satisfying themselves, but also nourishing the brothers and sisters they fellowship with. That is today’s Gideon—faithfully threshing wheat in the winepress. Brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus is seeking such people. May each of us respond to that call and become a Gideon. Some were Gideons in the past—let them continue to be so. Others were not, but let them be one today. May the Lord have mercy on us, so that not only do we read His Word each morning here in the mountains of Baguio, but also continue reading after we descend. When you draw near to the Lord, His presence will be with you. And your heart will be good soil for His Word (the seed), capable of yielding fruit a hundredfold, abundantly supplying others. Discouraged and disappointed in the Lord's sacred commission When God found Gideon, what was his condition? Scripture tells us that he was deeply discouraged and disappointed regarding God's work and the divine commission. He had no faith and did not dare to accept the calling. When the angel of the Lord said, “ he Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor ” Gideon responded without faith: “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? " Because he did not sense the Lord’s presence, he had no confidence in the divine calling. Similarly, when the Lord entrusts us—to believe in Him, walk the path of revival, bring revival to the Church and across the land—we too respond with timidity, unbelief, and helplessness. Like Gideon, we say: “Lord, if You are with us, why are we facing such difficulties?” All we have is discouragement and despair! Our spirit becomes weary and faint! Gideon then said, "And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” In Gideon’s eyes, he could no longer see God’s works, so he naturally didn’t dare to accept the commission. Thus, he lacked the faith to take up God’s calling. He felt the Lord was not with him and saw no miracles. He believed the Lord had not stretched out His arm and was so discouraged that he thought they had been forsaken by God. But the Lord further commissioned him: “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” Gideon replied again: “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” This clearly shows how passive Gideon was before God's commission. Even though God longed to use him as a vessel of revival, Gideon was a man completely lacking in faith. And likewise today, when God desires to use us to manifest His work of revival, we too shrink back in fear like Gideon. The Fire on the Rock of Ophrah Brought Spiritual Courage and Revival—Empowering Testimony and Victory over the Enemy Praise the Lord! Here lies a tremendous spiritual turning point—the fire on the rock of Ophrah. This fire brought revival to the disheartened and despairing Gideon, renewed his strength to accept God’s commission, enabled him to bear testimony, and empowered him to overcome the enemy. Hallelujah! Right after the Lord had spoken, Gideon prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them under the terebinth tree and presented to the Angel of the Lord. The Angel of God told him to lay the meat and the unleavened bread on the rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the Angel of the Lord reached out His staff and touched the meat and bread. Fire came out of the rock and consumed them completely. The “rock” is a symbol of Christ, and the “fire from the rock” represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit from the ascended Christ, manifesting His marvelous works. The burning of the meat and bread signified God’s acceptance of Gideon’s offering. Thus, Gideon experienced a dramatic spiritual breakthrough—his discouragement and despair vanished like mist, and he was spiritually revived. Later, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he blew the trumpet to summon the people. Through Gideon’s hand, God delivered Israel and subdued the Midianites. He became a vessel used by God to bring revival to His people. The Lamb Placed on the Rock Dear brothers and sisters, Gideon did not possess great strength or courage by nature to save the people of Israel. He was, like us, exceedingly weak—lacking ability, boldness, and faith in the Lord’s calling. Yet the fire on the rock at Ophrah stirred him to rise up, bringing him revival and a spiritual turning point. Thus, Gideon became a vessel for God's work of restoration. May this fire on the rock of Ophrah also burn among us, ignited by the Holy Spirit given through Christ, so that we too may be revived and experience a spiritual turning point. How was this fire brought forth? There are three key aspects to note: First, offering the Lamb. Gideon placed lamb meat on the rock—this symbolizes Christ as the accepted sacrifice and also Christ as our life. Just as the Israelites ate the lamb when they left Egypt, we too must experience “eating the lamb”—receiving Jesus Christ as our very life. Before the Israelites ate the lamb, they had to apply the lamb’s blood on their doorposts (Exodus 12:7). Only then could they eat the lamb with unleavened bread. Today, we must first experience the sin offering, repentance of our sins and let the blood of Christ cleanse us of all our sins. Then we can accept Christ as our life. As Colossians 3:4 declares: “When Christ who is our life appears...” This is a glorious salvation. The Israelites could walk out of Egypt into the wilderness because they had eaten the lamb—drawing strength for the journey. To leave behind worldly entanglements and walk the spiritual path, we must live out “Christ is our life.” He is our strength, our driving force inside, leading us along the heavenly, spiritual path of the cross. There was a young brother, a college student nearing graduation. Since believing in the Lord, his heart was full of joy, and his perspective on life was completely transformed. He thirsted deeply for the Lord, pursuing Him earnestly, and had wholly dedicated himself to serve the Lord for life. While still studying, he also devoted time to spiritual learning. He joined morning prayer groups, went to class afterward, and spent all available time at the meeting hall reading the Word, praying, and seeking the Lord. This is a vivid testimony of Christ as life—overflowing with divine energy and spiritual vitality. Dear brothers and sisters, those who let Christ be their life walk in spiritual strength. They serve tirelessly, love Biible reading, cherish prayer, fear the Lord Jesus, love fellow believers, gladly serve, and joyfully love others—displaying the beauty of Christ in every moment and circumstance. If Christ is our life, we can walk the heavenly path. Or else how much we serve the Lord, care for others or how heavy the burden we bear, we are still weak to go forward. "Christ is our life" is the experience of offering the lamb on the rock. Only when He truly becomes our life, we can overcome worldly currents, the bondage of sin, earthly temptations, and even the power of Satan. We gain strength upon strength, running on the way to Zion. As the Word of the Lord promises in Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV): “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;They shall mount up with wings like eagles,They shall run and not be weary,They shall walk and not faint.” In this situation, the fire of revival will ignite naturally and powerfully. Unleavened Bread on the Rock Secondly, offer unleavened bread. On that day, Gideon offered lamb meat and also unleavened bread. Then fire came out from the rock and consumed both the meat and the unleavened bread. Unleavened bread symbolizes a life without sin. If we live a sinless and holy life, it will also bring forth the fire of revival. On one hand, we let Christ be our life; on the other, we let Christ be our holiness, enabling us to live a holy life. First Corinthians 1:30 says, “Christ Jesus, who has become...from God...our...holiness..." We have no holiness in ourselves, nor are we capable of being holy—it is God who makes Christ our holiness. Praise the Lord! When the Lord Jesus enters, His holy life dwells within us, and all that is defiled and unholy is driven out by that holy life, allowing us to live a holy life day by day. Hallelujah! Brothers and sisters, you must be holy, because the Lord’s word tells us: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14), for God is holy (1 Peter 1:16). Our spirit is a holy spirit, and the triune God we believe in is the Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Spirit—entirely holy. This meeting on the mountain is a holy assembly; we are a group of saints set apart. But in reality, are you and I living in holiness? Let me ask: Is our hair holy? Is our face holy? Is our clothing holy? Is our whole body holy? Are our words, attitudes, lifestyle, and actions holy? If not, if we have not offered unleavened bread, then we can not expect the fire of revival to descend. The fire of revival absolutely requires us to offer unleavened bread and live a holy life. That’s why Romans 12 begins with consecration and then immediately tells us, “Do not conform to this world” (Romans 12:2). Praise the Lord—yesterday, one brother obeyed. He felt his hairstyle was inappropriate, so he went and got a haircut. May our clothing, speech, attitude, and especially our intentions and motives all be holy—our entire being holy. Then the fire will descend, and we will see revival in the church. The main reason the church is not revived today is partly due to the invasion of sin, but even more so due to the subtle infiltration of worldly unholiness. If we are willing to thoroughly judge and cast out sin and worldly defilement, making the church holy, then we will immediately see great revival—and we will all be revived. Recently, we’ve been helping people who hear the gospel to be baptized. We found a young man who had just come to faith. Not only did he offer lamb meat, but he also offered unleavened bread. In the past, to make money, he would socialize and often take influential people to night club. But after hearing the gospel and accepting Jesus as his Savior and life, he felt deeply troubled and uneasy when he considered going to night club again. So he resolved to earn less money rather than lead people into sin at the night club. Brothers and sisters, here is someone who, after believing in Jesus, offered unleavened bread. The holy life within him compelled him to overcome an unholy lifestyle. In this adulterous and evil generation, not only is dancing sinful—even listening to worldly music is unholy. We should sing spiritual hymns as much as possible—the more we sing, the more joyful and liberated we become. It refreshes us, lifts our spirits, and brings release. As for popular secular songs, they should not be sung. Young people may carelessly sing them, and some may not sing outwardly but hum them inwardly. Then there’s television—I’m not saying all TV is off-limits. News, weather reports, educational science programs, or sports broadcasts—I wouldn’t say you can’t watch those. But many other programs will leave you unable to pray. Some unholy and defiled content enters your mind through your eyes and settles in your heart, making you an unholy person. So we must be very careful. Anything that makes us unholy must be rejected. If we truly offer both lamb meat and unleavened bread, we will surely invite the fire of holiness to descend among us. Pouring Out the Broth from the Pot Thirdly, pour out the broth. The angel of God instructed Gideon to pour out the broth from the pot, because offerings never included broth. Gideon obeyed the Lord’s command and poured it out. This symbolizes the need to empty ourselves of human talent, strategies, proposals, regulations, opinions, and preferences—all of which are like broth. Only when these are completely poured out can the holy fire, the consuming fire, the fire of revival descend. “So he said to me: ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ’ says the Lord of hosts.” — (NKJV) May the Holy Spirit open our eyes to deeply understand this truth: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit." (Zechariah 4:6) The work of the Holy Spirit is only manifested in Christ as our life and in a holy lifestyle. It is never revealed through human talent, power, or methods. The Holy Spirit does not endorse “man-made” efforts. He only reveals His wondrous power and incomparable glory in “God-ordained” works. May all who desire to serve the Lord come to see this divine principle. Jehovah-Shalom After Gideon witnessed the fire coming out from the rock at Ophrah, he cried out, “Alas… I am undone…” But the Lord comforted him, saying: “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it "Jehovah-Shalom" , meaning “The Lord is Peace.” This altar became a sign of testimony—a witness to the fire that came from the rock. It was the visible mark of Gideon’s encounter with the divine. Dear brothers and sisters, we are all witnesses of Christ on earth today. But can we become testimonies of the Lord’s peace, stability, and victory? The key lies in the fire that comes from the rock. When the work of the Holy Spirit comes upon us, the altar of Jehovah-Shalom is raised, and the Lord’s testimony is revealed. Wherever the Holy Spirit is at work—wherever there is fire—there is testimony. Where the Spirit is absent, there is no true testimony. At most, there may be altars built by human effort, but they are not altars of witness. When heavenly fire descends and the Holy Spirit works powerfully, the altar that is raised becomes Jehovah-Shalom—an altar of testimony. It declares that the Lord gives peace, the Lord preserves, the Lord watches over, and the Lord blesses. In all things, He takes full responsibility. Tearing Down Baal’s Altar and Cutting Down the Asherah Pole After Gideon built the altar, the Lord spoke to him that very night, commanding him to tear down the altar of Baal and cut down the wooden image beside it. Gideon obeyed the Lord’s command. This act symbolized the destruction of the enemy’s stronghold and a great spiritual victory. When our Lord Jesus was on the cross, He triumphed over the one who held the power of death—the devil. (Hebrews 2:14) The aged Apostle John declared: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8) Moreover, God entrusted authority to the Church, that whatever the church binds on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever thhe church looses on earth will be loosed in heaven.”(Matthew 18:18) And indeed, on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended, revival fire came from heaven. The Church triumphed gloriously. In the name of the Lord, the gospel was preached, and three thousand souls were saved and baptized in one day, delivered from Satan’s dominion and transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Signs and wonders followed, and Satan was put to shame and driven back. Thus, the Book of Acts records the Church’s victory over the enemy: “But the word of God grew and multiplied.” (Acts 12:24) “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” (Acts 19:20) The Spirit of the Lord Came Upon Gideon Later, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, entrusting him with the mission of revival. Gideon accepted this divine calling, blew the trumpet, and gathered the people of Israel to deliver them from the hand of the Midianites. His entire life became devoted to the work of revival. Today, the Lord also desires to fill us with His Spirit, that we may be used to join in the ranks of His revival work. May the fire that fell on the rock at Ophrah—the fire that gave Gideon spiritual courage, revival power, and the ability to bear witness, overcome the enemy, and fulfill his divine calling—also fall among us today! <-- Back Next Chapter -->

Bible reading: Luke 12:49 — “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! " Leviticus 9:22–24 — Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. INTRODUCTION The Whole Earth Needs Revival from the Holy Spirit The main topic for the message in this special conference is: “The Fire of Revival.” Today, churches across the globe share a common longing for revival. Whether in the life of an individual believer, a family, or a congregation, there is an urgent desire for spiritual renewal. Yet revival is not something that can be orchestrated by human hands. It is entirely under the sovereign power of God. It cannot be promoted or encouraged by man—it must be initiated, propelled, and completed by God Himself. When God stretches out His mighty hand, revival comes. Therefore, we can only look to Him to send down the fire of revival to awaken His people. In Luke 12:49, the Lord Jesus Himself said, "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled." This fire was poured out at Pentecost—it is the fire of revival, the fire that burns, bringing renewal to believers, families, churches, and even the whole earth. Scripture records many instances where God sent fire to revive His people. In this series, we will examine six Old Testament types, each with its own background and perspective, to see how the Lord uses revival fire to lead His people into revival. We will also look at the true essence of revival as revealed in the New Testament at Pentecost. Chapter One: The Fire Before the Tabernacle This is the first Old Testament type of revival fire recorded in Scripture. Though familiar to many of God’s people, it is foundational and cannot be overlooked. For the sake of brevity and clarity, we will touch on it concisely. The People Complained When the Israelites left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, they sang and rejoiced because of the great deliverance the Lord had worked for them. This foreshadows how Christians, after believing in Jesus and being baptized into His name, experience the joy and peace of salvation and respond with praise. However, after journeying three days into the wilderness, the Israelites became thirsty and found only bitter water. They began to complain. This illustrates how Christians, soon after beginning their spiritual journey, may encounter hardship and begin to murmur against God. In the second month after leaving Egypt, they arrived at the Wilderness of Sin and complained again due to hunger. They said, “In Egypt, we sat by the meat pots and ate our fill. Now we’re in this wilderness, and the whole assembly is starving!” Likewise, many Christians, after believing in Jesus, find they can no longer enjoy worldly pleasures—movies, gambling, dancing—and begin to resist moving forward, even grumbling. Soon they faced thirst again, again they argued, and complained, and then they had to fight the Amalekites. Yes, brothers and sisters, this path is full of trials. It strips away earthly pleasures and carnal comforts, leading to frequent complaints. Later, at Mount Sinai, Moses went up for forty days and nights. When he delayed in returning, the people assumed something had happened to him and asked Aaron to make a golden calf to worship—greatly offending the Lord. Similarly, many Christians, after following the Lord for a time, begin to drift, setting up idols of career, status, and wealth, losing their single-hearted trust in God. This provokes the Lord’s anger and brings His discipline. The People Rejoiced At Mount Sinai, Moses led the people to build the tabernacle according to the Lord’s command. When it was completed, the people gathered before the Lord. The Bible said Aaron offered the sin offering, burnt offering, and peace offering, and "the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell facedown." (Leviticus 9:22–24) The Fire Before the Tabernacle — Bringing Joy, Encouragement, and Revival to the Israelites Ever since the Israelites left Egypt, apart from the joyful singing on the far side of the Red Sea, their songs had ceased. From that moment until they reached Mount Sinai, their joy had vanished, and their hope had disappeared. Walking the wilderness path was not a choice—it was a necessity. There was no other way forward. So they walked the road chosen by the Lord reluctantly with long faces, stiff necks, heavy steps, and burdened hearts. But this time, when fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat, the people saw it and rejoiced. Because of God’s presence, they fell facedown in worship. Their former complaints turned into shouts of joy. Their inner state was completely transformed, and their attitude underwent a 180-degree shift. Where once they were full of their own opinions, preferences, and decisions, now they bowed low before the Lord. Brothers and sisters, this is the blessed state of the people touched by grace, this is the revival brought by the fire from heaven. This fire of revival lifted the people out of hardship, suffering, discouragement, coldness, retreat, stagnation, and unbelief. It gave them hope, encouragement, courage, faith, and strength to rise again, renew their strength and walk the path ahead. The Start of Revival Now let us see how God brings down the fire of revival. Leviticus 9:22–23 shows us that this fire of revival was brought forth through three offerings. The first was the sin offering; the second was the burnt offering; and the third was the peace offering. Sin Offering How does God grant us revival? The first step is leading us to offer the sin offering. Jesus became the Lamb of atonement, bearing our sins. His blood cleanses us from all sin—this is the experience of the sin offering. In Old Testament times, when God's people sinned, they had to bring a bull, sheep, or dove to the altar and lay their hands on the animal’s head before offering it. This signified that the person was a sinner, and that their sin was transferred to the animal, which would then bear their guilt. As the animal’s blood was shed, the sin was covered, and God would no longer judge the person. This was known as presenting a sin offering. Yet the true sin offering is what Jesus Christ accomplished. So when the Lord Jesus came to earth, John the Baptist testified of Him, saying, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Jesus Christ came as the Lamb for atonement, offering Himself on the cross and shedding His blood to redeem us. Hebrews 9:12 says, “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." Praise the Lord Jesus Christ—He became our sin offering and bore our sins. This is the starting point of experiencing revival. Thorough Confession 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This word is spoken to all Christians, whether newly saved or those who have been saved for many years, we all have sin—so the issue of sin must first be resolved. If sin is not dealt with or thoroughly acknowledged, revival cannot happen. Praise the Lord! If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Revival begins with confession, so it must start from the sin offering. Many brothers and sisters have grown up through Sunday school or children’s ministry, yet have never truly encountered the Lord. I was one of them. I had heard all the stories—how Moses led Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, into the wilderness and into Canaan; how Jesus multiplied bread, healed the sick, cast out demons, and performed many signs. I even recounted these stories to others. Yet I had not been revived by the Lord—still loving the world and still seeking sinful pleasures. Then one day, the Holy Spirit moved me to kneel before the Lord and confess my sins from the heart. Under the illumination of His light, I saw my sins. The wrongs I had committed since childhood came flooding back—anger, fighting, stealing, lying, deceit, unrighteousness—sin upon sin playing before me like scenes from a film. The Spirit of sorrow worked deeply in me, stirring a heart of repentance. I couldn't help but weep bitterly, confessing each sin before Him. I don’t even know where the tears came from—they flowed endlessly like a stream. From that moment onward, I experienced tremendous revival. I was completely transformed. Walking felt like flying—every burden of guilt had fallen away, and my soul was instantly filled with peace, joy, lightness, and transcendence. Like a bird soaring above the clouds, or a fish swimming freely in the ocean—truly, I felt liberated and free. Not only was my spirit joyful, but even the environment around me seemed renewed. Everything appeared especially bright and lovely—as if the whole earth and everything in it was harmonious and kind. Brothers and sisters seemed even dearer and more lovable. So, dear brothers and sisters, now that the Lord has led us to Baguio, let us, under the illumination of the Holy Spirit, thoroughly confess our sins, ask the Lord for forgiveness, and sincerely offer the sin offering—so that heaven's fire may descend and bring revival among us. Meeting the Lord Today, many people are unwilling to fully confess their sins because they have not truly met the Lord. Whether you’ve been baptized, attended worship services, or regularly pray and read the Bible... the issue does not lie in these religious practices. The real question is: Have you ever truly met the Lord once? The clearest sign of someone who has met the Lord is surrendering to Him. When Saul encountered the Lord on the road to Damascus, he fell to the ground. Likewise, if you encounter the Lord, you will see yourself as a sinner—and that realization will cause you to fall before Him (not the outward being, but inner being). You’ll be compelled to confess your sins before God, just like Saul. If you have experienced this, then it proves that you have received grace. Otherwise, you have not yet met the Lord, I am concerned for you—because the wrath of God still remains upon you. Continued Confession of Sin Dear brothers and sisters, why does God require us to confess our sins? Proverbs 28:13 says, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.“ Isaiah 59:1-2 also says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you,s o that He will not hear." Romans 6:23 further declares, “For the wages of sin is death.” These verses clearly reveal that once a person sin, if it is covered up rather than confessed and forsaken, he will not prosperity. Sin separates us from God and causes Him to hide His face, refusing to hear our prayers. In such a state, spiritual revival is impossible—what remains is spiritual deadness, because the consequence of sin is death. When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, He cried, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). This profound moment reveals that when Jesus took upon Himself the sins of all humanity, the holy God saw the burden of sin upon His beloved Son and had no choice but to forsake Him. What a solemn truth this is! Therefore, whenever sin enters our lives, God immediately becomes separated from us—He sets us aside. Only through continued confession, relying on the blood of Jesus, can all barriers between us and God be removed. Brothers and sisters, we must welcome the light, sternly judge sin, confess it, and forsake it, so that the precious blood of Jesus may continually cleanse us. For “if we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Burnt Offering The second offering that brought down the fire of the tabernacle was the burnt offering . Burnt offering symbolized Jesus Christ offering Himself on the cross to God as a sacrifice pleasing to Him. Ephesians 5:2 says, "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." However, from our experiential standpoint, the burnt offering speaks of us offering ourselves to God in Christ, in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to Him. Romans 12:1 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Brothers and sisters, each one of us must offer ourselves to the Lord—because this is what delights His heart. When Aaron offered the burnt offering before the tabernacle, fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. The burnt offering symbolizes our consecration, while the fat points to glory. The fire coming out and consuming the burnt offering and fat illustrates that God accepted the offering, and that all glory belongs to Him. No wonder 1 Corinthians 6:20 declares, "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." How we long to be moved by Christ’s love—because He redeemed us at great price, may we willingly and joyfully offer our bodies as a living sacrifice unto Him. Then the fire of revival will come down, bringing in revival within the Church. Peace Offering The third offering that brought down the fire before the tabernacle was the peace offering . This refers to Jesus Christ offering Himself, so that through Him we might be reconciled to God. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Brothers and sisters, through the cleansing power of the precious blood and our self-offering in Christ, and by being reconciled to God through Jesus, we draw ever closer to Him. The deeper our union with God, the stronger the fire of revival that descends from heaven. It burns with increasing intensity—growing stronger, brighter, and spreading wider. The Fire of Revival During the Welsh revival, a servant of God greatly used by Him—Brother Roberts—was a man drawn by the Lord into a life of prayer. He prayed for several hours each day, experiencing the full cleansing of the precious blood and offering himself wholly to God. Through such prayer, he entered deeper union with the Lord. As a result, the fire of revival was brought down and spread across every corner of Wales, eventually igniting an unprecedented revival throughout the region. A few years ago, the Lord led a few of us to begin gathering for meetings. We started in a humble wooden hut under very limited circumstances. Outwardly, it was discouraging—especially when compared to another group we had been part of, where the gatherings were much larger. The contrast was stark. Yet once we truly obeyed and followed the Lord in gathering, He quickly led us into a life of prayer. We were often illuminated by the Spirit, confessing sins and offering the sin offering. We were stirred by His love to offer ourselves in burnt offering, and thus entered deeper communion with God through the peace offering. We prayed in the morning, prayed in the afternoon, and even prayed at night—spending several hours in prayer daily. We truly experienced the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering. Then the fire from heaven came down! The Holy Spirit was richly poured upon us, accompanied by signs and wonders, greatly encouraging us. Though we often placed limitations upon the Lord, His mercy prevailed. Several hundred people have already been baptized. God did not regard our weakness and failure, but remembered the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering offered through His Son—and He sent down the fire of revival. May this gathering on the mountain once again stir the Lord to rain down His revival fire! <-- Back Next Chapter -->

Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 21:1— “Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." 1 Chronicles 21:7–18 —“And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel.So David said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’And the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying,‘Go and tell David, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.’”’So Gad came to David and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Choose for yourself,either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.” Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.’And David said to Gad, ‘I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.’So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell.And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was destroying, the Lord looked and relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, ‘It is enough; now restrain your hand.’ And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.And David said to God, ‘Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep—what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O Lord my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people, that they should be plagued.’Therefore, the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” 1 Chronicles 21:26–28 —"And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the Lord; and He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering.So the Lord commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there.” Colossians 1:16–17— “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 — “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” Satan Hates the Revival of God’s People This morning, we will speak about the fire on the threshing floor of Araunah. When David was king, he led the people of Israel to victory over the Philistines, Moabites, Arameans, Ammonites, and other nations, establishing a strong and powerful kingdom of Israel. With the enemies subdued, peace reigned throughout the land. Yet it was precisely during this time of national prosperity and spiritual revival that Satan’s intense hatred was stirred. He could not bear to see Israel flourishing in revival, so he rose up to attack. This time, Satan did not use foreign nations to wage open war against Israel. Instead, he worked secretly, inciting David’s heart to take a census of the people. In doing so, David greatly sinned against the Lord. God had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Since God’s blessing is without limit, His people are not to be numbered. But David, provoked by Satan, acted foolishly and counted the people of Israel—thus gravely offending God. Revival Interrupted by Pride, Self-Satisfaction, and Self-Exaltation On the other hand, David’s decision to number the people of Israel revealed the pride, self-satisfaction, and desire for self-exaltation within him. This motive offended God, and as a result, He brought calamity upon Israel. Thus, the revival was interrupted, and its continuation came to a halt. In the same way, when a Christian is experiencing revival—or when a church is being revived—Satan will spare no effort to attack, doing everything possible to lead God’s people into failure. He cannot bear to see believers thriving in revival or churches flourishing in spiritual renewal. When believers are being built up, loving the Lord, pursuing Him, serving Him, and growing in spiritual stature, Satan refuses to remain passive. He seeks every opportunity to strike, especially when God’s people are inattentive or spiritually weak. He launches both open assaults and hidden schemes, using various deceptions and traps to hinder revival—not only stalling it, but causing decline and even spiritual collapse. Therefore, we must be especially vigilant. Whenever we experience even a measure of revival, we are prone to relax, lose watchfulness, and even become proud and self-sufficient. As a result, we fall into Satan’s cunning schemes, and revival is halted, leading to spiritual failure! When the Israelites conquered Jericho, their morale soared, and the people were filled with the atmosphere of revival—for the first great city of Canaan had fallen! Fallen! But when they went on to attack the next city, the small town of Ai, they suffered defeat. This was a painful lesson, a sobering experience that must serve as a warning. The reason for their crushing defeat after the great victory at Jericho was simple: they underestimated the enemy and relied on themselves. They did not seek the Lord before going to battle, nor did they depend on the Holy One of Israel in their advance. Likewise, when a believer is revived by the Lord—burning with zeal, strong in love for Christ, pursuing Him, serving Him—and begins to feel self-assured, that is often the moment when they are most vulnerable to failure in the smallest matters. As we mentioned yesterday, sometimes it’s just a little leaven that enters in, or a single drop of honey. Yet these small intrusions of leaven and honey can lead to the entire revival being stalled, and even to a state of spiritual decline and defeat. The Fire on Araunah’s Threshing Floor — The Restoration of Revival When a Christian or a church falls into failure after experiencing revival, how can that revival be restored? There is only one way: the fire on Araunah’s threshing floor. Though Satan uses every scheme and spares no effort to hinder and destroy the revival of God’s people, God is forever victorious. He continues to move forward, and through the fire on Araunah’s threshing floor, He restores His people from failure back into the condition of revival. After David’s failure, when the revival among the Israelites came to a halt, it was the fire on Araunah’s threshing floor that brought restoration—not only returning the people to their former spiritual vitality, but also laying the foundation for something greater. David, in obedience to the Lord’s command, instructed his son Solomon to use that very threshing floor—where the fire had fallen—as the site for building the temple. From there, the people gradually ascended to the peak of revival. In recent years, many young brothers and sisters have experienced revival from the Lord. At nearly every Baguio gathering, there have been moments of spiritual revival—some great, some small. Yet not long after, many gradually slipped. Some even returned to doing things that displeased the Lord and sinned against Him. So when we find ourselves in such a condition again, how can we be restored? As mentioned earlier, we need the fire on Araunah’s threshing floor. Only the work of the Holy Spirit—symbolized by that fire—can bring us back to our original place of revival. Now, we can look at David’s experience to understand how to call down the fire on Araunah’s threshing floor once more. Humbling Oneself to Receive Discipline and Rebuke After David’s failure, what became most evident in him was his humility in accepting God’s discipline and rebuke. Whenever we fall short, the Lord’s discipline and correction, whether severe or gentle, are always meant to bring us into humility. For God’s work of revival can only be manifested upon a foundation of humility. The Word of the Lord tells us: “God resists the proud,But gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) Many times, God blesses us and revives us. Yet, because we cannot bear the weight of His blessing, pride creeps in—our hearts are lifted up, and our spirits become stubborn. This forces God’s blessing to halt, for He can only give grace to the humble and must resist the proud. David was a deeply spiritual man. When he sinned against the Lord by numbering the people, he immediately humbled himself under God’s discipline and rebuke. The Lord sent Gad to present him with three choices of judgment: three years of famine, three months of fleeing before his enemies, or three days of plague in the land destroying throughout Israel. David, being a man who knew God, replied to Gad: “Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” (1 Chronicles 21:13) He recognized his own wretchedness, corruption, and utter brokenness. Apart from seeking God’s mercy, there was no other way forward. Outside of the Lord’s mercy, there is no salvation. David humbled himself, knowing that only by looking up in humility to God’s mercy could the revival be restored. When the angel of the Lord brought the plague, seventy thousand Israelites died. Revival came to a halt, and the nation began descending a sorrowful path. In that moment, David lifted his eyes to the Lord’s mercy and again declared: “ Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great.” His humility reached such depths that, when he saw the angel of the Lord at Araunah’s threshing floor, he and the elders clothed themselves in sackcloth and fell on their faces to the ground. “Clothed in sackcloth” signified deep sorrow and repentance—a visible expression of profound humility. “Fell on their faces” revealed a posture of desperate pleading for mercy and grace. David’s humble acceptance of God’s discipline and rebuke was ultimately accepted by the Lord. There was a brother who, when he first came to faith in the Lord, was in a very good spiritual condition. But after some time, he turned his heart toward the world. Whether indulging in the pleasures of sin or pursuing material desires, he spared no effort in enjoyment and was relentless in his pursuit—not wanting to fall behind others in worldly gain. He continued chasing after pleasure until the Lord’s loving discipline came upon him. One day, while riding his motorcycle, he crashed into a bridge pillar and fell to the ground. His hands, feet, body—even his face—were injured, requiring more than twenty stitches. It was in the hospital that he began to confess his sins and plead for the Lord’s forgiveness. And the Lord, in His mercy, healed him quickly. Yet within a few months, he returned to drinking and resumed a sinful lifestyle. So once again, the Lord’s discipline came. This time, his career suffered a major blow. That was when he truly repented and humbled himself. He knelt down and cried out: “Lord, have mercy on me, have mercy on me. This time I truly repent—it’s not a false repentance. I genuinely return to You. Please forgive me.” Because he humbled himself and accepted the Lord’s discipline and rebuke, revival began to stir in him again. He was then filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to walk in renewed revival. Brothers and sisters, humbling ourselves to accept correction and discipline is a foundational key to restoring reviva l . For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Restore the testimony upon the foundation of God's word Because of David's humble plea, the angel of the Lord instructed Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah. David obeyed and did as Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord. The Threshing Floor of Araunah The reason the Lord directed David to go to Araunah’s threshing floor carries deep significance. At that time, Araunah was threshing wheat—symbolizing the provision of food. This reveals that Araunah’s threshing floor is a place of spiritual nourishment, a place where God speaks. Dear brothers and sisters, whenever we begin to stray from the road to Emmaus and no longer walk the highway to Zion, we must quickly return to Araunah’s threshing floor—to the Word of God—to seek and wait upon the Lord. It means coming before the speaking God to wait and seek Him. Apart from this, there is no other way. You and I have only one destination: to come before the Lord and inquire of Him. For spiritual life, spiritual food, and spiritual words all come from the Lord. In other words, the Lord speaks through the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, and through people, events, and circumstances. There is no second place to go. Therefore, we must return to Araunah’s threshing floor. For example, if you’ve recently felt spiritually cold—living each day in a lukewarm, abnormal spiritual state—then come before the Lord in prayer and say:“Lord, what should I do in this pitiful condition? Now I’ve come to Baguio to attend a special conference. Lord, this is Araunah’s threshing floor. I’ve come before You to hear Your Word. Please speak to me.” When you do this, the Holy Spirit will surely work in a marvelous way, and revival will come upon you. There was a sister who, when she first believed, was fervent in her love for the Lord. But after a period of time, she gradually grew cold toward Him. One morning, the Holy Spirit suddenly reminded her: “Are you going to keep going on like this?” She responded, “Lord! What’s wrong with me lately? I don’t enjoy reading the Bible, I don’t like praying, and I hardly want to attend gatherings. Oh! How did I become like this?” Despite her lack of interest, she began reading the Bible. That day, she happened to read 1 John 4:8–9: "For God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him . ” She was struck by the words—God’s love was revealed to her. She continued reading and came to verse 16: “ And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.” These words touched her deeply. In her heart she said, “The Lord loves me like this—I should know it, believe it, and rise up to love Him.”So she rose up—she began attending gatherings, praying, reading the Bible, and even testified in the meetings. She was revived. Praise the Lord! Brothers and sisters, sometimes when we grow cold, fail, or backslide—when we’re walking downhill spiritually—the Lord disciplines us with love to humble us. But He doesn’t stop there. He wants to bring us to Araunah’s threshing floor, to the presence of the speaking God, so we may inquire of Him. Suppose you’re in Baguio and suddenly get a headache, or someone starts sneezing, or another has a fever. Don’t immediately conclude it’s because you didn’t cover yourself well or caught a chill yesterday. No—use these outward circumstances to seek the Lord. Ask Him: “Why do I have a headache, a runny nose, a fever?” The first thing to do is go to Araunah’s threshing floor and inquire of the Lord. A few months ago, while I was in Taipei, something suddenly appeared in my chest area. It hurt when I moved my hand. I immediately went before the Lord in prayer, seeking if He had something to say. The Lord said: “You’ve had a lot of work lately, running here and there, but you’ve spent too little time drawing near to Me. That is a sin.” I said, “Lord! Forgive me. I’ve truly spent too little time with You. My prayers are few, and my work is too much. Please forgive me.” After confessing, I asked the Lord if there was anything else I had done to offend Him. But I felt no further conviction—I was clear. According to the Lord’s word, I humbled myself and confessed. Then, in the name of the Lord, I commanded the illness to leave and the lump to disappear. After praying, the pain lessened in a day or two, and within a few more days, it was gone. Brothers and sisters, when we receive God’s discipline—whether great or small—it means revival is near. At that moment, don’t forget to return to the Lord, to Araunah’s threshing floor, and inquire of Him. If the Lord tells us something, we should do it. Building the Altar David did another important thing at Araunah’s threshing floor—he built an altar to the Lord, following the command of the Lord’s messenger. The altar symbolizes testimony, it refers to restoring the testimony based on the foundation of God's word. When God seeks to restore His work of revival, He must first obtain a group of vessels. Only then will the fire of revival descend upon these vessels, just as fire came down upon the altar. Brothers and sisters, it is my earnest hope that we may all, according to the Lord’s word, become vessels of testimony—rooted in the living word of God and living out the testimony of Christ. Offering the Burnt Sacrifice After David built the altar, he then offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and the Lord sent fire down upon the altar of burnt offering. This morning, we want to spend a bit more time speaking about the burnt offering. Throughout the entire Bible, we see that the fire of revival—representing the work of the Holy Spirit—most often descends upon the burnt offering. We’ve already seen the fire before the tabernacle—it came upon the burnt offering. We’ve also seen the fire on the rock at Ophrah, which burned when lamb meat was offered (which also symbolically refers to the burnt offering). Yesterday, we saw the flames on the rock at Zorah, again burning upon the burnt offering. And this morning, we see that when David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings at Araunah’s threshing floor, fire came down from heaven onto the altar of burnt offering. The Lord commanded the angel, who then sheathed his sword, and the plague was immediately stopped. The hindrances to revival were removed, and the forces that had destroyed revival were eliminated. Thus, the Israelites were restored from their failure—because the fire fell at Araunah’s threshing floor. When the Holy Spirit works, every difficulty—whether personal, familial, in ministry, in coordination—whatever the challenge, it all passes away. Every spiritual plague is completely wiped out. When the fire fell at Araunah’s threshing floor, the plague across the nation ceased, and all difficulties were resolved. But remember: this fire fell upon the burnt offering. The Beginning, Restoration, and Continuation of Revival All Require Burnt Offerings In recent days, many have been waiting for the fire of revival to descend. In truth, this fire has already begun to burn, and many have received it. However, it is not yet widespread—many brothers and sisters remain in a spiritually stagnant state. Therefore, we must earnestly ask the Lord to let the fire of revival spread to every corner of the church, so that every believer may be revived. But let us not forget: the beginning, restoration, and continuation of revival all require the offering of burnt sacrifices. Only then can the fire of revival descend from heaven. Brothers and sisters, each of us must offer burnt sacrifices here in Baguio. Offering Ourselves Repeatedly and More Deeply Scripture shows us that burnt offerings were offered every morning and evening—meaning we must offer ourselves repeatedly and more deeply. Some among us have already made such offerings many times, but we must continue. Others have never offered themselves before, and now is the time to do so. In previous messages, we’ve said that symbolically, the burnt offering refers to Jesus Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God—a fragrant sacrifice, pleasing to Him. In our experience, the Lord Jesus also stirs us with His love and leads us by His Spirit to offer ourselves to Him as pure virgins. Colossians 1:16 says: "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." This shows that the purpose of all creation is for Jesus Christ. God, in His infinite wisdom, has His eternal plan and ultimate goal. He created humanity and the universe for Christ. We were made for Him. We have to be clear that our shared goal is to live for Jesus Christ, as God ordained from eternity. Verse 17 continues: " And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." He upholds "all things by the word of His power." (Hebrews 1:3) We exist because of Him—not merely to eat, drink, and enjoy life, but to live for Jesus. God appointed Christ to inherit all things, so we must wholly live for Him. Therefore, we must offer ourselves more deeply and completely to live for HIm. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 says: "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." Whether from the perspective of creation or redemption, Jesus made and saved us to live for Him. His love—expressed through the cross and His shed blood—compels us. Paul, moved by this immeasurable and unfathomable love, urges us to live not for ourselves but for the risen Lord. So we must offer ourselves again and again. In the Old Testament, when a bull or lamb was placed on the altar, it no longer belonged to itself—it was set apart for God. Today, stirred by the Lord’s love, we place ourselves on the altar as living sacrifices, as burnt offering, offering ourselves to the Lord. Romans 12:1 says: " I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." God delights in this. When we offer ourselves in this way, heavenly fire descends—burning in you and me—and the Holy Spirit revives us. Brothers and sisters, let us once again offer ourselves more deeply and completely. Our life has only one meaning: to live for Jesus. Whether studying, teaching, doing business, being a parent or child—everything is for Jesus. There is no second purpose. With this clarity, our goal is firm and unshakable: a lifetime lived for Jesus. Our path is firmly set and unchanging: walking highway of Zion, the heavenly way, the way of the cross. This is the life of the altar, the life of the burnt offering. These recent messages focus on foundations. First is the experience of the sin offering—repentance, forgiveness, and peace through the blood of Christ. Second is the burnt offering—total consecration. Without this second foundation, no amount of teaching will help. If the foundation is not set, there is no way to build. We must first encounter the Lord, repent, receive peace of forgiveness, and experience His precious blood. Only then can we enter into the experience of offering ourselves. Without this second foundation, Christians cannot walk the path properly. Sometimes, God lovingly disciplines us to lead us to offer ourselves. When I was a teenager, I was moved by a sermon and offered myself to the Lord. But soon after, I turned to the world. One day, I became ill—my cheek swelled painfully, and I couldn’t sleep. The Holy Spirit reminded me: I had offered myself, yet I still love the world. I wasn't living for the Lord, but for my own future. I prayed, “Lord, forgive me. I forgot I had consecrated myself. I love the world for my future. Forgive me and heal me, and I will live for You. Whatever You want me to do, I'm willing to obey.” Within days, I was healed. That offering was deeper than before—but still not enough. A few years later, I again pursued worldly status. The Lord disciplined me again, this time not illness but through a life-threatening event. I repented and said, “Lord, this time I truly want to live for You.” He protected me and saved me from the disaster. Later, during a move of the Spirit in the church, the Lord spoke again: "Offer yourself completely, without reservation. Surrender yourself, give up your future and choices. Go whereever I lead you. Do whatever I ask of you. Surrender yourself without condition." I hesitated before the Lord's request, saying, “This is too hard. I have to re-consider.” But one night, the Lord said, “If you won’t offer yourself, I will take your life tonight. Then what future do you have?” Like the foolish rich man in the Bible, who planned to build a bigger barn and store his crops and goods. And he said to his soul, "... take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." But God said to him, "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" (Luke 12:20) Lord Jesus asked me that night, if I lost my soul today, shall I still plan for the future? I surrendered. I said, “Lord, You are sovereign. I give myself to You.” After I surrender myself, His love filled me. I knew He would never fail me. He loves me, His love and grace will not leave me all my life. He is responsible to lead me and keep me. I feel that His love is so great that I bow down on my knees and I offered myself fully, even publicly in church. I knelt and gave everything—my spirit, soul, body, eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet, my being, possessions, future, life, and family—to Jesus. I wept and offered myself sincerely, without reservation. Dear brothers and sisters, be clear and thorough in your consecration. Mark the time and place of your full surrender. You may realize your offering has not been complete, you still have reservation. It was not an offering without condition. Let the Holy Spirit lead you to lay the foundation and offer the burnt sacrifice—giving your entire future to the Lord. May this offering be made today before the Lord, so that the fire of revival from heaven may come upon us. Offering the Peace Offering To bring down the fire from the threshing floor of Araunah, another offering must be made—the peace offering. The peace offering refers to Jesus Christ offering Himself to God. Through His atonement, He brought peace, reconciling us to God. If we want to bring down the heavenly fire, we must not only offer the burnt offering—giving ourselves completely—but also offer the peace offering, which signifies deep fellowship and intimate union with God. We must live a life of continual communion and unity with Him. Just as a lamp must be connected to a power source to shine, and a fan must be plugged in to spin, all electrical appliances must be connected to power to function. In the same way, when you dedicate yourself to the Lord and are fully connected to Him, the fire from heaven will burn ever more brightly within you. We truly hope that each of us will wholly offer ourselves and come before the Lord, living in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, without any gap from God. May we experience His presence daily, commune with Him through the Bible, through prayer, and sometimes through hymn—living each day in truer, fresher, and deeper fellowship. When we offer the peace offering in this way, the fire from heaven will descend, consume us, and the church will continually be revived. The Foundation of the Temple Later on, it was on the very threshing floor of Araunah—where burnt offerings and peace offerings had been made—that Solomon, David’s son, built the temple. This temple, which symbolizes the building of the church, had its foundation laid on Araunah’s threshing floor, not anywhere else. This means that the church is built upon a group of God’s people who have truly encountered the Lord, thoroughly confessed and repented of their sins, been cleansed by the precious blood, offered themselves as burnt sacrifices, lived in deep fellowship with God, and received the heavenly fire—the powerful working of the Holy Spirit upon them. Only upon such a foundation can the church be built. Without fire descending from heaven, the temple cannot be built. Likewise, wherever the Holy Spirit is not at work, there can be no true building of the church. Remember: it is only upon the working of the Holy Spirit that the church can be built. Wherever the fire of Araunah’s threshing floor is present, there the temple will be established. Decision Dear brothers and sisters, if we desire to bring forth the fire of revival, then this morning we must take one specific action: to offer ourselves concretely to the Lord. This is a solemn moment, and we ask that everyone approach it with reverence before God. Whoever is willing to offer themselves to the Lord—whether it is for the first time, a renewed offering, or one made many times before—if you are willing and joyful in heart to dedicate your entire life to the Lord, please stand. Do not feel pressured; this must be voluntary. If you are willing to offer yourself to God, please stand. Thank the Lord—nearly all of us have stood, willing to give ourselves to Him. And to mark this moment with seriousness, we now ask all brothers and sisters who have stood to kneel in prayer, and formally present yourselves to the Lord before Him. <-- Back Next Chapter -->

Bible Reading: Revelation 21:1-2, 5, 10; 22:20   Ministering in the Attainment of the Testimony of the Fullness of Christ For the concluding message, we will refer to the book of Revelation as background for our message regarding the way of ministering. Awaiting the Return of Christ The last chapter of the book of Revelation written by the old Apostle John concludes with the words, “Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20) This points out another way of ministering, and this is ministering while awaiting the return of Christ. This is also one of the attitudes every Christian ought to have. In today’s Christianity, whenever we mention awaiting the Lord’s return, every person has his own viewpoints and opinions. Some make their explanations based on the Four Gospels, while a few on the Epistles. Now, how do we make ourselves ready to welcome the Lord’s return? Thank the Lord, the book of Revelation sums up the entire Bible by telling us how to await the Lord’s return. A Bride Beautifully Dressed Awaiting Her Husband Early on, we read Revelation 21 where it mentions the coming down of the new heaven and new earth. There is a Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Here, it tells us that when the Lord Jesus comes again, He will be the Groom and the church will be His bride. In a wedding ceremony, the bride has to be beautifully dressed before the groom comes to marry her. The Lord Jesus is already prepared and has long been waiting for the bride (the church) to be beautifully dressed. In other words, the moment the church is ready, the Lord Jesus will come right away to take her. As mentioned here, how then can the bride be beautifully dressed? This is explained by way of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. The Appearing of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem Once the Holy City (the bride, the wife of the Lamb) comes down out of heaven, it signifies that the church is fully prepared, and Christ will return. Therefore today, no matter what we do to get ready for the Lord’s return, whether through preaching the gospel, edifying the saints, or being filled with the Holy Spirit, they can all be summed up to the appearing of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. Today, the reason why the Lord Jesus keeps delaying His return is because the church has not yet attained to the condition of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. The Testimony of the Fullness of Christ What does this Holy City, the New Jerusalem signify? We must understand that every part of this city, the New Jerusalem, signifies Jesus Christ. This city reveals the greatness, power, holiness, authority, glory, riches, and beauty of Christ. In other words, this city manifests the complete fullness of Christ. City symbolizes testimony; because Jesus once told His disciples saying, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14) It means that the testimony is not to be hidden but must be seen by all. Therefore the Holy City, the New Jerusalem symbolizes the testimony of the fullness of Christ being manifested in the universe. If we read Revelation 1, it first records the appearing of the seven lampstands, thereafter, these seven lampstands shine out Christ, the Son of Man. Its spiritual meaning is that the church must reveal Christ, so that people may see Christ and gain Christ. This is the divine commission of the church in the end times. Serving in the Direction of the Testimony of the Fullness of Christ However, when we get to chapter 2, we see the conditions of the seven churches. Apart from the church in Philadelphia, the rest of the churches have shortcomings, weaknesses, and failures. This tells us that the churches failed to measure up to God’s standard, and had deteriorated and had become desolate. Therefore, in order that the church may be blessed, the Holy Spirit must do the work of getting the church back to God’s standard again. Hence, throughout the ages, God, through His Son Jesus Christ, has been constantly doing the work of restoration, establishing churches and building them up so that churches everywhere and throughout the ages may direct their goals toward the New Jerusalem and may continue to do the work of building up until the will of God may be fully realized. This is the significance of the appearing of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. Then, the Lord Jesus will return. How to Usher in the Appearing of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem How then do we serve the Lord? Thank the Lord, the book of Revelation again points out a way, which is to serve the Lord so as to attain to the testimony of the fullness of Christ. In these end times, we must set our sights on the goal that God has instructed us, in order that we may attain to the testimony of the fullness of Christ. May churches in all places find favor with the Lord and be led by Him to manifest the testimony of the fullness of Christ. Thank God, the Lord Jesus Himself made the promise saying, “I will build up the church.” This signifies that in order to attain to the testimony of the fullness of Christ, everything has to be done by the Lord Himself. On the other hand, after He ascended on high, He sent down the Holy Spirit, and through His workers, He established the church. At the same time, He raised up all the saints to do each one’s work of building up the church. As far as experience is concerned, how do we usher in the appearing of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem? The first part of Revelation 21 mentions the way to usher in the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. We shall refer to this Holy City, the New Jerusalem which John saw,  as background to our message while we discuss some important experiences in ministering to the attainment of the fullness of the testimony of Christ. Christ as the Head Who Leads Revelation 21:5 says, “He who was seated on the throne said.” These words tell us that Christ, who was seated on the throne, had come out and had spoken. Its spiritual meaning is that Christ is the Head who leads. This is the first point essential in the attainment of the testimony of the fullness of Christ. Christ is the Head – Seated on the Throne “Throne” is the king’s seat. “Seated on the throne” means the king is sitting on his throne and ruling with authority. Psalm 103:19 says, “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.” Brothers and sisters, any church that has Christ seated on the throne is a church that directs its goal toward the testimony of the fullness of Christ. May I ask if the church you are serving is one in which Christ is the head? Is the Lord seated on His throne?  Giving Out Orders – “Said” “He who was seated on the throne said.” The word “said” denotes giving out orders. Therefore if a church has the throne of Christ, then Christ will speak in that church. Today, there are some churches in which the moment you set foot inside, you will encounter the kingship of Christ; it makes you not dare to behave casually. However, there are also quite a few churches wherein the moment you enter, you will notice that here and there, man’s viewpoints and man’s opinions thrive, propositions vary, and things are in total confusion. I hope that through this, the Lord will restore us back to the Bible, and with a reverent heart, we may learn to listen to the Lord’s voice and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us. While the Lord Jesus was on earth, He once visited the home in Bethany. There Mary, Martha, and Lazarus received Him. It was indeed a beautiful and inspiring picture, particularly when we see Mary sitting down at the Lord’s feet listening to Him speak. O, the most important thing in the church is none other than to let Jesus speak and express His heart’s desire. Martha was not aware of this at that time, she figured that doing the external chores was what mattered most. Receiving and serving the Lord out of a sincere heart is indeed important, nevertheless, the most important and greatest blessing is to allow the Lord to speak. Therefore in order for a church to be built up, the first and foremost thing is to let Christ be enthroned and be the one to speak, because the church is the place where the Lord speaks, directs, and gives out orders. Let us look at the recordings in Acts 2:1-2. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound… came from heaven.” That sound from heaven was the special characteristic of the church. If no sound came from heaven, then no church will possibly be birthed. It is that sound from heaven that shook men’s hearts and caused man’s natural self to fall prostrate before God. The sound from heaven also denotes that the One seated on the throne is speaking. This is the first characteristic of a church that desires to attain to the testimony of Christ’s fullness. Hence, in ministering, we must learn to fear the Lord and not to speak casually nor give opinions as we please, nor to make out any plans or strategies on our own. Instead, we must come before the Lord in total humbleness, learn to listen to His voice, and wait for Him to speak. In the last days, God speaks to us through His Son (Hebrews 1:2). Where the Lord speaks, there the will of God is. At times, God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. Acts 13 records that when some prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch were worshiping and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:1-2) Hence, in ministering, it is a must that we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit speak. If the church is led by the Holy Spirit, only then will it be able to enter into the fullness of Christ. Then in Acts 15, when problems arose in the church ministries, the Bible records, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” (v. 28) This means that the feelings from the Holy Spirit are expressed through our lips. This way, the decisions that we make become an actual reflection of the Holy Spirit’s decisions. O, this is a church where the Holy Spirit speaks. Hence, the letters written to the seven churches in the book of Revelation all conclude with the same statement:  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” This tells us time and again that the church is not only the place where the Lord speaks, at the same time, it is where the Lord expresses His will through the Holy Spirit. Because of the Lord’s mercy, from the day I was called to serve the Lord, I never stopped learning how to obey the teachings of the Anointing. I must admit that for the first ten years, I incurred a lot of shortcomings and weaknesses. Each time we met to discuss matters at great length, because of differences in opinions, we often hurt one another’s feelings and ended the discussion on a sour note -- making it hard for the parties involved to step down with grace. Did we pray? Yes, we prayed. What message did we preach? We preached Christ enthroned and Christ as Head of the church. However, when it came to ministering, Christ was no longer the head but I was. Thank the Lord, after a while, I was able to obtain the Lord’s favor again and was led out of that congregation. He let me encounter difficulties in my ministry that made me feel so helpless such that I have to come before Him with bended knees several hours a day. I experienced continuous emptying by the Lord for several months before I finally came to touch the throne and understood what it meant to let the throne voice out and let the Lord speak. It was at this time that the Lord gave me a great spiritual turnaround in my ministry. At the same time, the Lord called me to put up an assembly in Taipei. At first, there were only a few people, but gradually it grew. Although the scale was not really big, it allowed me to learn one vital lesson, and that is, to fall prostrate and listen to the voice from the throne; at the same time to allow Christ to be the Head, thus entering into the actual experience of listening to the Lord speak. Before I decide on anything, I would first wait before the Lord, seek Him time and again, and inquire from Him the things I ought to do. When the Lord told us to preach the gospel, the co-workers and I would kneel down before the Lord and inquire about how we should preach, where we should preach, and when we should preach. This waiting and inquiring went on for a week or two, until finally we were able to attain clarity from what seemed so unclear before. Indeed, when we preached the gospel, many were saved. Again we fell facedown before the Lord and inquired, “Lord, when will the baptism be?” Step by step, we learned to obey the leading of the Lord and were able to experience a little bit of what it means for the church to enter into the fullness of Christ. Renewal by the Holy Spirit Revelation 21:5 says, “Behold! I am making everything new.” This tells us that the way to attain the testimony of the fullness of Christ is to accept renewal by the Holy Spirit. As far as representation is concerned, we notice that in the middle of the great street of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, a river of the water of life flows out from the throne of the Lamb into the entire city. Spiritually, this refers to the renewal by the Holy Spirit. In terms of spiritual experience, the day we were saved, we already obtained the washing of rebirth, nonetheless, we still have to continue receiving the renewal by the Holy Spirit without any disruptions. (Titus 3:5) A church that is not renewed by the Holy Spirit will become like the church in Laodicea. When you enter, you will encounter a deathly silence, full of worldly smell. On the contrary, when a church is renewed by the Holy Spirit, the moment you enter, you will discover that it is full of life and vitality, and overflowing with spiritual and heavenly atmosphere. Whether it is meeting together, having fellowship, singing hymns, praying, etc., the Holy Spirit is doing its work of renewal in that church. Behold! The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, in it everything has been made new. Let us take a further look at the conditions of a church that is being renewed by the Holy Spirit. Get Rid of Staleness – Bring Forth Freshness The human body that God created has a specific law called metabolism. If metabolism fails, the whole body becomes weak, withers, and dies. People who have kidney disease have poor blood circulation in their bodies, therefore a machine is needed to purify the blood. Because the moment the body loses its metabolism, it will die. In the same way, the church is the body of Christ. If there is no renewal by the Holy Spirit or if there is no spiritual metabolism to get rid of staleness and usher in freshness, the church will not only fail to progress, even spirituality will no longer be present. Therefore, it is a must that the church receives renewal by the Holy Spirit. Get Rid of Old Ways – Usher In New Ways What is the condition when one experiences renewal of the Holy Spirit? As far as experiences are concerned, it is to pray in the Holy Spirit, read the Word of God with one’s spirit, listen to the message (word) and be renewed by the Holy Spirit. All the ministries and activities of the church must never lack the renewal of the Holy Spirit in order for it to become a church that serves in the new ways of the Spirit. This is the work that the Holy Spirit wants to do. The assemblies in each locality, when first raised up by the Lord, have freshness indeed. But after five, ten, fifteen or more years have gone by, they gradually become stale; even ministering becomes traditional. Bible study becomes routinary. During Sunday morning worship, people pay ear service to the messages. If busy, one simply excuses himself from attending prayer meetings. Very rarely does one share in the Bible study meetings. Ministering gradually falls into a pattern of habit, tradition, and obsolescence. Romans 7:6 says, “By dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” This means we must serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. Today, although churches of Christ around the world have obtained new life from the Lord and a new position, yet they are retreating to the ministry of the Old Testament times. The New Testament ministry is one that enters into the testimony of the fullness of Christ -- by enabling people to meet the Lord. However, to be able to reveal Christ, one needs renewal by the Spirit to get rid of the old way of the written code and tradition. The so-called “serving in the new way” does not mean displaying new tricks. The question is about whether or not the ministry has the free leading of the Holy Spirit. Because our Lord Jesus is forever fresh and the work of the Holy Spirit is always onward, therefore we must serve in the new way of the Holy Spirit. In terms of experience, if the church is one that has been renewed by the Holy Spirit, not only have its viewpoints changed, even its methods have also changed. Some Christians who have been saved for thirty years come to the meetings every Sunday and listen to the messages; however, when they go home, they totally do not give any thought to spiritual matters; later, by coming under grace, they received renewal by the Holy Spirit; Jesus has now taken His rightful position in their lives and the world has gone out from them. Now, they come every Sunday morning to listen to the message, in the afternoon they join the small group meetings in pursuit of the Lord; they also join visitation groups and go out to preach the gospel; they rid themselves of their past old habits. They no longer follow the trend of this world, instead, they are mindful of heavenly and spiritual matters. They now follow the Holy Spirit. Christ is All Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” (Revelation 21:6) The significance of this statement is so rich and full. “Alpha” is the first letter in the Greek alphabet, just like our letter “A” in the English alphabet. “Omega” is the last letter in the Greek alphabet, just like letter “Z” in the English alphabet. These two letters encompass all the letters of the alphabet. Spiritually, it means that Christ is all. Christ is the Alpha Christ is the “Alpha” denotes that Christ is the beginning, the initiator, and the author.  Therefore, all life, work, and ministry in the church must be initiated and begun by the Lord. Anything that is not begun by the Lord will not be accounted for, because the Lord Himself warned us saying, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.” (Matthew 15:13) Every time we touch on this very serious matter, I feel very ashamed deep within because in our everyday living, even in our work and ministry, there are many matters wherein we are the ones initiating. The Lord, who is the Alpha, tells us that He is the Beginning as well as the Author. Christ is the Omega Not only is Christ the Alpha, He is also the Omega. “Omega” speaks of Christ as the Finisher. All the ministries in the church must be finished by Christ. They must never be accomplished through man’s ability, wisdom, or methods. It was because of this that Paul rebuked the believers in Galatia saying, “After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (Galatians 3:3) There was one time when I went back to Taipei. Right after my preaching, a sister came and talked to me. She had invested a large sum of money to open a restaurant, but her business did not go well; in fact, it was getting worse. She prayed, but the Lord did not listen. Time and again she confessed her sins, but the Lord still did not open a way for her. She now plans to close down her business, so I asked if she had inquired from the Lord before she opened the restaurant, but she could not answer me. All of a sudden, she was brought to an awakening by my question. I told her, “Since you were the alpha, the Lord will let you be the omega as well.” From here, we can see that if it is not the Lord who initiated the beginning, He will not take responsibility over the finishing. This same principle holds true in our various ministries. Not only that, even if Christ had done the beginning, we still need to look upon Him to do the finishing. Some brothers had been preaching the gospel for a long time without seeing any results. This is because they did not let the Lord be the Alpha. It does not mean that we need to do all the good works and all the good deeds. Indeed, we must work hard and not be lazy, nevertheless, we have to let the Lord be our Alpha. At the same time, we must be careful to allow Him to be the Omega by completely relying on Him to accomplish it. Christ is All Alpha is the first letter and Omega is the last letter. These first and last letters encompass all the other letters. The spiritual meaning refers to Christ, who is all and in all. Brothers and sisters, in the eternal plan of God, Christ is to be the all. Hence, Colossians 1:18 says, “And He is the Head of the body, the church, He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.” A step further, we see in Colossians 3:11, “but Christ is all and in all” meaning, He is in all and He encompasses all. In terms of experience, the ultimate finality of our life, work, and ministry is Christ becoming our all. Such is the way to attain to the testimony of the fullness of Christ. Therefore, whether we fail or we triumph, may the Lord open the eyes of our inner being so that we may truly see Christ to be our all. What is the church from a corporate point of view? Its significance is that Christ is the content of all things. Speaking from personal experience, we are saved by first listening and believing in the gospel, then knowing that Jesus is the Savior, and acknowledging that He is the Son of God and that we are sinners deserving doom and death. We thus call on the Lord Jesus and consequently, He comes into our lives and fills us with peace and joy. Then as we move another step forward, we experience Jesus to be our Shepherd. When I am in lack or in need, I would call on the Lord, and He would provide for me in due time. I also experienced the Lord to be true and living. Gradually, I came to experience His presence in my prayers. He often talks to me and I become aware that He is not only alive, He also leads me personally by His hand. At the same time, through the Holy Spirit, He often teaches me on what I am or am not supposed to do. So gradually, I came to know that Jesus is my Shepherd. Since the Shepherd leads His sheep out, He walks in front of them. The sheep listens to the Shepherd’s voice and He calls them by name. Slowly, as I attended meetings, I heard from the messages that Christ is my all. At first, I felt that this is something so mystical. Later, because of the emptiness within, I wondered if perhaps listening to music would brighten up my mood. So I turned on the music recorder and felt somewhat soothed within. However, deep within my spirit, I still had the feeling of dissatisfaction. Helplessly I came before the Lord praying, “Lord, I feel so empty within.” Amazingly, while I was praying, joy and glory filled my spirit. Only then did I truly experience Christ to be my contentment. He alone is the reason for my joy. In the past, I thought that material pleasures are joy to me, but now I realized that they are all but smoke and clouds that pass me by. They simply disappear in the twinkling of an eye. Later, I discovered that I have a very bad temper. When ministering with others, I often lose my temper. I found it really hard to change myself. Until one day as I entered into praying in the Spirit, I felt that the Lord was in me and I in Him; the great love of the Lord encompassed me inside out. The urge to lose my temper fell off my mind that day. It was then that I discovered that Christ had become my life. From that day on, step by step, I experienced Christ to be my strength, my rock, my fortress, my light, my peace, my joy, and my all… This is true not only for individuals, but for the church as well. David, in his old age, wrote a psalm saying, “Lord, You are my Lord.” David had experienced Christ to be the Head. “Apart from You, I have no good thing.” Meaning, Christ is my all. "The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods.” Whenever we replace the Lord with money or other material wealth, we tend to become worrisome and anxious. The moment you let your children take the place of Jesus, they will not only disobey you, but will hurt your feelings; because God has designated Christ to be our all and to be the church’s all. So how do we attain to the testimony of the fullness of Christ? We have to allow God to work in us to an extent that every bit and every drop is all about Christ. Filled with the Holy Spirit and Life Revelation 21:6 says, “To him who is thirsty, I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.” This spring symbolizes the Holy Spirit and life. Spring water flows without ceasing and is abundant without limit. This signifies the fullness of the Holy Spirit and of life. Therefore, to drink from the spring of the water of life means to be filled with the Holy Spirit and life.   Brothers and sisters, in order to attain to the fullness of Christ, the church needs the filling of the Holy Spirit and life. Life is the content, therefore, this life needs to grow and must be in balance with the Holy Spirit. Today, there are churches that give undue emphasis to the filling of the Holy Spirit, yet neglect the growth of life. It is because of the Lord’s mercy and grace that we have been able to give equal importance to both life and the Holy Spirit. This is because we are walking the pathway of life and we are pressing on in accordance with the Holy Spirit, so that life and the Holy Spirit may overflow in the church. Let us take a look at the book of Revelation. From the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, there is a river of life flowing down. This river of life symbolizes the flow of the Holy Spirit; in it  is the fullness of life. The river in Ezekiel chapter 47 and the river in Revelation chapter 22 are two distant rivers having close similarities. Both rivers are flowing down with trees on both sides. Trees symbolize abundant life. The bounty of life has reached a point where twelve kinds of fruit are yielded every year. There are twelve months in a year. Twelve is a number denoting fullness. Yielding fresh fruit every month denotes life in its fullness. I wonder if our brothers and sisters from overseas have tasted the world-famous Philippine ice cream called Magnolia. Magnolia produces a flavor of ice cream every month. The tree of life yielding twelve kinds of fruits in a year implies abundance and denotes freshness. The book of Ezekiel gives a more detailed recording of the river. Wherever the river flows, there will be large numbers of fish. Fish symbolize believers who are saved. This depicts the constant increase in the number of people being saved in the church. Thank the Lord for His blessings. For the past three years, although we did not hold any specific large scale gospel crusade meetings, yet because the fullness of the Holy Spirit and life has filled the church, the Lord added to our numbers daily those who were being saved. On the contrary, if a church has only a handful of people joining the meetings, how can the testimony of the fullness of Christ be known? It does not mean that having a great number of people is all that matters, but rather, it is whether or not a church is concretely manifesting the testimony of the fullness of Christ. Praise the Lord, in a span of three years, our branch in Manila had more than one thousand baptized believers. In May, another baptism will be held. I hope that before long, all the seats in the newly expanded assembly hall will be filled to overflowing. Just like what the book of Ezekiel describes about the large numbers of fish; that the number of people being saved will keep on increasing. We notice the presence of fishermen as well. This pertains to the increase in the number of those being called to serve the Lord full-time. All these speak about the condition of the filling of both the Holy Spirit and life. May the churches in every locality be filled with the Holy Spirit and life. Brothers and sisters, today, if we fail to walk in the pathway of life, we tend to drift away easily. “Life” is the central thought in the New Testament Bible, particularly in the entire Gospel according to John, which expounds on “life.” Therefore, we ought to minister in the pathway of life, so that we will be able to attain to the testimony of the fullness of Christ. Overcomers Revelation 21:7 says, “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” It means that this group of overcomers are the ones who will inherit the riches of the New Jerusalem. Who does the Bible refer to as overcomers? They are those whom the Lord has called; those who are representatives of the church. They represent the church in sufferings. They are also those who bring about the accomplishment of God’s will. The Calling of the Overcomers Revelation 2 and 3 talks about the time when churches become desolate, this is when the Holy Spirit repeatedly mentions the phrase “he who overcomes.” From the church in Ephesus up until the church in Laodicea, the Holy Spirit has been calling for overcomers. In the same manner, the Lord is repeatedly calling for the overcomers in the church today. Just when a great number of Christians have fallen weak, have failed, have backslidden, or have become untrue, there will be a group of Christians who will still follow the Lord from beginning till end, and remain faithful in serving Him. When others have become desolate, this group of overcomers continues to move forward. When others have no concern whatsoever for the church, zeal for the Lord’s temple continues to consume this group of overcomers. Overcomers Signify the Suffering Church Overcomers also represent the church that suffers in order to fill up what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions. (Colossians 1:24) Jesus Christ had already accomplished redemption on the cross for us today, and we need not do anything more; nevertheless, He still left something for the church. This implies that He expects the church to suffer with Him so that the church may grow. Hence, Paul told the Galatian believers saying, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…” (Galatians 4:19) Therefore the church has to have a group of overcomers who will be representatives of the church in suffering. Any church with people who are willing to represent the church in suffering for Christ will certainly achieve progress, attain abundance, and make continuous advancements. On the contrary, if one cannot find people in a church who are willing to suffer for the Lord, then that church will remain outside the testimony of the fullness of Christ. Of course, we are not supposed to brag of ourselves as overcomers while others are failures; nevertheless, we must not allow ourselves to fail because failure is abnormal. Today, many Christians have a wrong concept: they regard failure as something natural while being overcomers as something hard to achieve. They are not aware that failing is abnormal, while overcoming is normal. Our Lord is an overcomer and we have become overcomers with Him. Hence, there is no reason for anyone to fail. Overcomers are the representatives of the church. They represent the church in suffering in order to fill up what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, so that Christ may be formed in the church. Therefore when you and I experience the cross and accept its tearing work, then life will emanate from us, just like what Paul said, “Death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.” Paul was an overcomer. Because he suffered much for Jesus and for the church, as a result, life continued to flow out from him. The life that he imparted had offered help and provision to all the saints. During these last days, God is calling on overcomers to suffer with Him, so that they may enjoy glory together with Christ in the age to come. Overcomers Usher in the Accomplishment of God’s Will Overcomers eventually usher in the accomplishment of God’s will. They are people who accomplish God’s will. In terms of Old Testament representation, the 600,000 Israelite soldiers and the 2 to 3 million people who came up out of Egypt did so with great strength and vigor. They helped the elderly and supported the young in walking through the wilderness. However, in the end, those who were twenty years old and above perished in the wilderness, except for Caleb and Joshua, who led the next generation of Israelites into the beautiful land of Canaan. The beautiful land of Canaan represents the fullness of Christ. Who were those able to make it into the land of Canaan? Undoubtedly, only Caleb and Joshua; they were the ones who followed the Lord wholeheartedly -- year in and year out through thorns and brambles, they experienced tremendous sufferings. They represent the overcomers who ultimately led the generation after them to enter into the fullness of Christ, thereby accomplishing God’s will. May all of us be Calebs and Joshuas who will bring the church to enter into Christ’s fullness. A Full Knowledge of Christ Lastly, John was led by an angel to a great and high mountain where the Holy City, the New Jerusalem was shown to him, enabling him to touch on the content of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit Reveals Christ Revelation 21:10 records, “And He carried me away in the Spirit and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem…” The words “carried away in the Spirit” refers to obtaining the revelation by the Holy Spirit; while “the Holy City, the New Jerusalem” signifies the testimony of the fullness of Christ. Another way to put it is that it is the enlargement of Christ. Jesus took on flesh and became a Man. Now that this city has appeared; it means that Christ has enlarged. Being carried away in the Spirit and seeing the city means the Holy Spirit has revealed Christ. The words “showed me” means having obtained revelation and knowledge. Spiritually, it means that when we obtain revelation from the Holy Spirit, we will have a full knowledge of Christ. Now, how do we attain to the fullness of Christ? We need to come together and pursue to know Christ until we have obtained a full knowledge of Him. Brother Sparks once shared this testimony on the pulpit: One time, while he was having a conversation with Brother Meyer about Jesus Christ; he failed to notice that the sky outside has turned gray, and it was almost time for the meeting to start. As they were discussing and sharing about Christ, they became more and more engrossed, because they had come to touch not only on the fullness of Christ, but also on the glorious eternity. As a matter of fact, there is no concept of time in eternity. Nevertheless, since it was about time for the meeting to start, they could do nothing but to part ways, yet carrying with them the hope that in future eternity, they would get to know Christ in the resurrected body and in time eternal. O, how immensely great Christ is! Today our physical bodies live but for a few decades only. How, then, can we know Christ fully? May the Lord be gracious to us so that in the days to come, we may diligently pursue to know Him more. Comprehend How Wide, Long, High, and Deep Christ is Together with All the Saints Here, it tells us that the Christ whom John knew was an enlarged Christ. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he said that Christ has unsearchable riches, so wide, so long, high, and deep; in other words, without limit and without end. Therefore only when saints throughout the ages and throughout all generations come together will they be able to understand Christ. Why do we need to assemble together? So that together with all the saints we may understand the width, length, height, and depth of Christ and His unsearchable riches. Let us take the Bible study meeting as an example. We thank the Lord that during the past two years, the Thursday night Bible study meeting in our church in Manila has been enjoying the Lord’s mercy and grace. Brothers and sisters scramble and vie with each other to share about Christ, and time is usually not enough for all the sharings. In this meeting, everyone points out a little bit of his experiences, enlightenment, or principles he receives concerning the Christ he has known. You display the riches of Christ; he also displays the riches of Christ. This way, everybody contributes a point or two of what he knows about Christ; and through mutual fellowship, everyone gets to appreciate and enjoy the fullness of Christ. O, dear brothers and sisters, after this special conference comes to an end and all of us return to Manila, there will be two nightly meetings, one each on Saturday and Sunday, where representatives from the localities of the churches overseas will come together and share their knowledge of how wide, long, high, and deep and how precious Christ is. By sharing our knowledge about the fullness of Christ with one another, Christ, whom God has filled, will in turn fill us too. Attaining to the Testimony of the Fullness of Christ Ephesians 4:13 says, “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” It means that if the whole church knows Christ, this church will grow and mature until it finally attains to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. That is also the time of the appearing of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. Christ is in the church, and for the fact that we know Him, we will gradually mature until we have attained to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, which is depicted by the bride beautifully dressed who had attained to the testimony of the fullness of Christ, and then, Christ will return.  --- E N D --- <-- Back to "The Way of Ministry"

Bible Reading: Romans 12: 4-8 I Corinthians 12:13-27 Ephesians 4:11-13   “Ministering in Coordination with the Church” is an important topic because it is the key to the rise or decline and success or failure of the church. If the coordination of ministry within the church is strong, the church will flourish. On the contrary, if coordination in the church ministry is weak, the church will decline. The Church is the Body of Christ; We Must Minister in the Body Today, we believe that many young Christians in the church do have a direct relationship with the Lord in the vertical context. However, they are generally ignorant of the horizontal context, which is their relationship with the church. Because of this, a common behaviour existed, which is, after baptism, they neglected living a corporate church life of meeting together, such that they gradually wandered away from the church, and slowly began to fall away into loving the world and deserting the Lord. The elderly believers are no exception either. The key in determining how useful we may be in the Lord’s hands lies in whether or not we live a church life and minister within the body. Believers are Members of Christ’s Body and Must Not Depart from the Church “The church is the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 1:23) This clearly tells us that Christians altogether comprise one body. Whether Romans 12, I Corinthians 12 or Ephesians 4, these three areas in the Bible speak separately about the exercise of gifts in serving the Lord. However, a common factor exists, in that all of them mention the words “the body of Christ.” This means that no Christian should depart from the body of Christ. Take for instance our human body, if the foot should say, “Since I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it cannot for this reason cease to be part of the body. (I Corinthians 12:15) This means that not a single part of the body can detach itself from the body. The moment any part of the body detaches itself from the body, it will surely dry up and not survive. Likewise, the moment a Christian detaches himself from the church, he will surely grow weak and fall away. An interesting news article once appeared in a newspaper in Taiwan about a certain hospital’s postsurgery system of trash disposal. A foot, after having been amputated from a person’s body, was carelessly dumped into a trash bin. This system of improper waste disposal had led to many controversies in the medical world..... The instant a foot gets detached from the body, it becomes a dead part and eventually turns into waste. From here we could see that when a Christian departs from the church and gets detached from the body (church), although he may still maintain a life of private prayer and reading the Bible he has, in fact, lost his spiritual functions, and has gradually become spiritually destitute until he eventually dries up. This is similar to a branch being cut off from the grapevine. It withers away and gets thrown outside. It loses its function and can no longer bear fruit. Hence, Christians must live a church life and serve in coordination with all the saints; otherwise sooner or later, they will fall away, encounter failures, and become desolate. In 1953, I went to the Philippines for the first time to have fellowship with the church there. There was a young brother who went to see me several times for spiritual fellowship. However in 1961, when I returned to the Philippines hoping to see him again, I did not get to do so. I heard that he had left for the United States to pursue further studies. Nevertheless, every time I visited the Philippines, I always thought of him. Thank the Lord; I finally got to meet him again in Manila. We were so glad to see each other, we shook hands enthusiastically. In our fellowship, he recalled the time he went to the United Stated some 20 to 30 years ago to study:  He stayed in the school dormitory, and when Saturday came, he would go and stay at the home of a church co-worker and have spiritual fellowship with him. The following morning, being the Lord’s Day, he would attend the church meeting, after which, he would return to school on Monday. For a year he lived a normal Christian life. Nonetheless, before long, due to a hectic study schedule, he only attended the Sunday morning service and went back to school in the afternoon. Shortly after, his church meeting attendance was reduced to only once every two weeks, then once a month, then once every three months, and finally to just once in a long while. Because he had missed out on the meetings, he was not able to withstand temptations and enticements. He first learned to smoke...… then he continued to fall away until he no longer prayed nor read the Bible. Dear brothers and sisters, we are situated in the latter part of the century where pits, snares and temptations abound in the society we live in. Anyone who departs from the church and isolates himself will, sooner or later, stumble and fall away. I hope those brothers and sisters who had been attending meetings in the past will be all the more eager to attend meetings when you return home from this conference. Quite a few only attended the Saturday youth meeting, while others have given up coming to the meetings due to some home trifles. This kind of Christian, undoubtedly, does not have any spiritual foundations. Every Sunday morning we need to join the Breaking of Bread and fellowship with all the saints. We also need to attend the Sunday Message Service to receive spiritual nurturing. From the messages we heard, we need to digest them through prayers. Furthermore, we must participate in the ministries of the church, otherwise we will easily be ensnared by sin and the world to the point of falling away and encountering failure. If Christians do not take part in church ministries but listen to sermons alone, they will not be able to digest spiritual matters and their spiritual lives will not make any progress. Only when one takes part in the ministry will he gain true spiritual knowledge and experience to enter into the fullness of Christ. Here it talks about the body ---- on the one hand, it implies that we must not leave the church lest we fall and end up in failure. Members Depend on One Another to Minister, Survive, and Grow On the other hand, the body depends on its members serving in coordination with one another in order to survive and grow. The members depend on one another to survive. I cannot do without you, and you cannot do without me. Just as the feet cannot do without the hands, so the hands cannot do without the feet. The members relate with one another and do each one’s respective work in order to grow. Hence, Christians must participate in the ministries to carry out their functions; each person must exercise his gift(s). On the contrary, if a Christian does not serve, he will consequently ruin the body. Brothers and sisters, I hope your spiritual eyes will be opened by the Lord to truly see the severity of not serving. Do not think that it does not matter if you do not serve, anyway there are so many people in the church, it makes no difference having one less person like me. We need to know that the Lord uses the body as an example when referring to the church to imply that every member must be closely related and mutually dependent on one another for survival. I need you, and you need me. We help each other perform our functions. This way, the body will stay healthy, survive, and grow. No wonder Colossians 2:19 says, “..… connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.” Japan is widely recognized as the most outstanding nation in the world. They are top in the world when it comes to cooperation. The education system of that country is quite different from that of other democratic nations. The success or fall of a nation does not happen overnight. It requires twenty years or so of hard work and toilsome cultivation. From the most basic elementary education all the way up to college, there must be quality education in order that its people may render rightful contributions to society. Japan’s education gives tremendous emphasis to cooperation. I can still remember vividly that during our elementary school days we had a subject called Moral Cultivation which focuses mainly on the moral values of life. There was a particular topic that explained the importance of cooperation by using the body as an illustration. I would like to mention its main message: Once upon a time, the four extremities and the five organs of the body held a conference together. The feet said, “I am situated at the lowest part of the human body which is just too much for me. Every day I come in contact with the dirty ground while the entire weight of the body is pressed upon me. I want to excuse myself from walking today.” Upon waking up, the feet lay in bed and refused to move. The clock struck seven, then eight, yet it remained in bed and refused to get up. Nine o’ clock…ten o’ clock, the stomach began to grumble and protested to the mouth saying, “Why have you not delivered food to me?” The mouth replied, “Because the hand did not pass any food to my mouth.” So they questioned the hand, “Why did you not send food to us?” The hand replied, “The feet refused to walk. My hands are too short to find its way to the kitchen and get food.” Oh, the moment the feet decided not to move, the hands were not able to work too, the mouth was not able to chew, the stomach was not able to digest, and consequently, the entire body went limp and lay in bed all day. When evening came, the stomach cried of hunger and pain, then they all came to their senses and said to the feet, “Look, because you refused to walk, thinking you’re taking a rest, let’s see if you’re able to walk now.” With much confidence, the feet made an effort to move, that’s when it realized that its strength was all gone because the body had not taken any food or water all day long. Beloved brothers and sisters, this lesson had taught students the value of cooperation and the importance of doing one’s own duty. The feet have to walk, the hands have to get food, the mouth has to chew, the stomach has to digest, the intestines have to absorb.... when the whole body moves in consonance with all the parts, it will stay healthy. Today, quite a few places in the world are adopting this principle found in the Bible. The Scripture wants us to learn to serve as one body in the church, and this pertains to members serving in coordination with the body. If the feet refuse to move, the whole body will be affected. Even if the feet were to walk to where the food is, yet if the hands refuse to move, or the mouth refuses to chew, or the stomach refuses to digest, altogether they would impair the wellness of the entire body. In other words, as long as there is one member that refuses to cooperate, then the law of the body will be broken. Brothers and sisters, from here we could see that each one of us is a member of the body. If you do not serve, your individual losses may be just a small matter to reckon with; however if the law of the body gets broken, then it becomes a very serious problem. I hope that through this, we will all come to a renewed understanding that the church is the body of Christ, and that we ought to serve in coordination with the body. None of us can do without serving. If you do not serve, not only will you fall into spiritual destitution, you will also not make progress, while at the same time, suffer losses and impair the survival and growth of the Body of Christ. The Church is the House of God; We Must Minister in the House Once a person believes in the Lord and is born again and baptized, then he is born into God’s household. From thence on, he must live a life in the household of God. During Paul’s final years, he entrusted Timothy his commission. In his epistles to Timothy, he wrote, “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God.” (I Timothy 3:15) This means that Paul wanted Timothy to remain in God’s household and to live a church life. If I am delayed, you must remain in God’s house. This is my command to you: Do not depart from God’s house, which is the church; you must remain in the church, live, and serve together with others. While Jesus was on earth, He once told a parable, “A father had two sons. The younger son took his share of the estate, left home, and set off for a distant place. He squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, he began to be in need.” In the same way, each of us Christians has received from the Lord our share of gifts (inheritance). However, if you run away from the church, you will discover that your spiritual condition has become destitute. Thank the Lord the younger son later came to his senses and said, “My father’s house has a lot of food to spare, do I have to starve to death here?” Brothers and sisters, from here we could see that if we leave God’s household (church), our spiritual life will become desolate and impoverished just like the prodigal son who was later dressed in rags;  our testimony will suffer failure and bankruptcy. Hence, Christians not only must live in God’s house; they must also serve in consonance with others in God’s house. Moses was faithful in all God’s house. (Hebrews 3:2) A faithful servant is one who is faithful in all God’s house. We are merely little servants of God; that is why we must learn how to be faithful in God’s house. The brother who led the singing earlier once had an unpleasant encounter in serving. He felt so bothered within, he no longer wanted to serve. With a heavy heart, he went home. Since it was a Tuesday and there will be a prayer meeting later that evening, he struggled whether or not to attend. In the end, his decision to attend the prayer meeting took the better of him, so he went back to the meeting. Praise the Lord, he met the Lord in that meeting. He confessed and repented before God and was filled and renewed by the Holy Spirit. He was strengthened within. Two days later during the Thursday night Bible study, he testified how he had fallen weak and had contemplated not to serve any more. However when he returned to the prayer meeting, he experienced once again a spiritual turnaround. He discovered the preciousness of living a church life. He made the decision to remain in God’s house and to serve Him all his life, and never to leave the life and ministry of the church. We Need to Serve in the Church for It to be Built Up Now is the age of the Holy Spirit, as well as the age of the church. After the Lord ascended to heaven, all His works are centered upon the building up of the church. Apart from building up the church, the Lord had no other works. Although Christians may take part in many areas of ministry, all these sum up in the building up of the body of Christ. The topic for this year’s special conference is also “The Building Up of the Body of Christ,” because the heart of the Lord is in the church. Zechariah 1:14 says, “I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.” Jerusalem and Zion are both symbolic of the church. This means that although the Lord is in heaven, His heart is tied up with the church. Brothers and sisters, today if we want to satisfy God, we must commit ourselves to the building up of the church. Therefore the building up of the church can never be confined to one solitary action, but through every one of us serving in coordination with each other. The Lord Walks the Way of the Church The book of Revelation not only speaks about the future of the church, it also prophesies about the things that will come to pass during each period. The second and third chapters record the letters written to the seven churches. Each of the letters closes with this same phrase: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22) This means that the Holy Spirit is speaking to the church. It is true that whenever we draw near to the Lord, He speaks to us; even as we move about, the Holy Spirit is also speaking in us. But most importantly, the Holy Spirit is speaking to the church. When John wrote to the seven churches namely, the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, he ended all his letters with one same phrase: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.” This implies that the Holy Spirit sees the church as one unit; and when God speaks, it is therefore directed to the church. Today, the path that the Lord walks is the path of the church because He regards the church as a unit. Since we walk the path of the church, we must, therefore, minister in coordination with the church. God’s Blessings are Found in the Church The Letter to the Ephesians is a book that speaks about the church. It mentions the place of the church in God’s plan. Ephesians 1:3 says, “… who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Meaning, the church is where we receive God’s blessings. If we are in the church, we become people who are blessed. For instance, we see rains falling outside. Suppose we take a cup and place it outside under the rain, the raindrops will immediately fill up the cup. However, if it was only a small piece of glass sheet, even though the rain falls hard on it, it will not retain much water except for a few droplets on its surface. However, if this piece of glass sheet is shaped into a cup, then it will be able to collect an entire cupful of rainwater. The riches in this cup can then be shared by all. Likewise, the blessings of the Lord are found in the church. The church is the vessel that receives God’s blessings --- in it are the riches of the Lord. Therefore, we must serve in the church in order to inherit the riches from the Lord. The moment we depart from the church, we will not be able to enjoy His riches. Walking in One’s Own Way Causes One to Lose the Lord’s Rich Blessings No matter how great a person’s gift may be, as long as he walks his own way, he will gradually discover that the Lord’s blessings are no longer with him. In view of the Lord’s mercy, over the past three years, we were blessed with more than 1,000 newly baptized brothers and sisters. We did not invite any so-called evangelist or well-known preacher. Our young people were the ones who preached the gospel in their respective groups. The young brothers and sisters shared their personal testimonies while the young co-workers gathered the nets upon conclusion. In every baptismal meeting, there were more than a hundred, sometimes even more than two hundred, who came to be baptized. These are the bountiful blessings of the Lord found in the church. The Body of Christ Will Be Built Up If All the Saints Serve Together in the Church The reason we mention ministering in the church is because when all the saints minister together in the church, the body of Christ will be built up. Ephesians 3:18 says, “… together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” It means that, when all the saints fellowship and minister together in full coordination, the body of Christ will be built up, and the church will be filled with Christ. When the Apostle Peter talked about the church, he said, “We are like living stones being built into a spiritual house.” (I Peter 2:5) We (little stones) are being built up. If we are placed outside, we remain a single piece of stone and may become a stumbling block to others. However, if we are placed in the church in order to be built up, we will become a spiritual house. How lovely this would be. The Bible says that, when Solomon finished building the temple, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Likewise, when Moses went up the mountain and drew near to God, his face became radiant --- which shows the glory of God being manifested through his face; yet God’s awesome glory is that which fills the temple (church). As individuals, we may undeniably be spiritual, but since God’s glory is that which fills the church, we must therefore minister in coordination within the church. One will be Kept if He Serves in the Church Another point is that we must expose the schemes of the devil. All through the ages, the devil has been trying in countless ways and with utmost efforts to destroy the church. Satan is like a roaring lion that prowls around looking for someone to devour. (I Peter 5:8) Who are the ones it devours? They are those who run away from the church and walk their own ways. Matthew 18:18 records, “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Here it tells us that the authority of the church overcomes the power of Hades. When Peter obtained the revelation from Christ, the Lord took a step further by revealing to him saying, “The gates of Hades cannot overcome her (church).” It means that apart from the church, no individual authority can overcome Hades. Therefore, we must not depart from serving in the church if we are to be kept by the Lord. What the Apostle Paul had preached was no exception. In Ephesians 6:11 when he mentioned about ministering in the body, he said, “Put on the full armour of God so that you can stand against the devil’s schemes…” This means that the entire body of brothers and sisters has to put on the full spiritual armour in order to fight against the devil – not as individuals, but as a church. That is why if you and I were to depart from the church, then our protection is gone and we will become easy prey to Satan, the roaring lion. We, therefore, want to remind Christians over and over again that it is a must that you attend Sunday church meetings and not to absent yourself casually, to live a church life, and to participate in the various church ministries. You might, perhaps, wonder if the church has that much ministries for you to get involved in. Let me tell you this, the ministries in the church are widely varied. Prayer alone is one ministry that has no end. Simpson, a servant greatly used by the Lord, once said, “Prayer is the highest ministry,” meaning, of all the ministries, there is none that surpasses prayer. You must know that your prayer ministry is nobler than my preaching ministry on the pulpit. Praying out loud in the meetings is also ministering. Singing hymns is also ministering. Saying “Amen” out loud is also ministering. These are some of the most basic forms of ministering. Also, the visitation of saints, testifying, evangelizing…. and the like are all ministering. We ought to serve in the church in order to be kept. The Ministry of the Church is the Ministry of Coordination in the Body Since we are going to serve in the church, how then do we do it? Romans 12 mentions the gifts of life (grace). This means that once we are saved, we have obtained the Lord’s life (grace) and we all have our share of gifts; so it is but natural that we serve the Lord.  Romans 12 Talks About the Ministry in the Body of Christ--- Each Member Fulfills His Part Romans 12:5 says, “So in Christ we who are many form one body with many members, and each member belongs to all the others.” This means that we are the body of Christ; in the church, we interact with one another as members --- everyone standing in the position of a member--- in one’s own designated position, and exercise his gifts in serving the Lord. Suppose you are a hand, you will use this hand to get things and do work with it. Suppose I am an ear, then I will perform my function of listening. Suppose he is an eye, he will carry out his function of seeing. Everyone must faithfully exercise the portion of gifts he receives from the Lord. Perhaps you may wonder if you any have gifts at all, do not be anxious about what gifts you may or may not have. Even though we have no idea what gifts we may have, yet the most important thing to do is to participate in the church ministries. This is similar to a fruit tree. Before the fruit tree grows big, it is hard to tell whether it is an apple tree, an orange tree, a peach tree, or a plum tree. Nevertheless as time goes by, it starts to grow leaves and bear fruits. Now you can tell what tree it is. Therefore, all you need to do is pray, give praise, learn to visit the saints, preach the gospel, and actively practice sharing your insights and inspirations; after a while, your gifts will be revealed. If you do not serve, then your gifts will never be revealed. Romans 12:15 also tells us that each member belongs to all the others. Meaning, we must work in consonance with others to fulfill each of our roles. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, or encouraging, or teaching, he must work at it with all his heart. If it is contributing to the needs of others, or showing mercy, or leadership, and the like, he must be faithful in doing his share of these functions. I Corinthians 12 Talks About Members Serving In Coordination I Corinthians 12 talks about the gifts of the Holy Spirit which may also be called the miraculous gifts. In other words, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, then our gifts will be revealed. The gifts mentioned here put emphasis on the aspects of work and power, but more specifically, it talks about God who arranges each of us to be a part of the body.  God Has Arranged the Parts of the Body Just as He Wanted Them to be Look at verse 18, “In fact God has arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.” Perhaps God has arranged for you to be the hands, for me to be the feet, and for him to be the ears….. the Lord thus arranged us according to what He wanted. We simply do our share of the ministries in accordance with His arrangements. In actual practice, the leaders in the church ought to take special care when assigning ministries. They must never make arrangements at their own discretion, but rather they must learn to submit before the Lord, wait upon Him, inquire of Him, and assign ministries in accordance with God’s will. On the other hand, when brothers and sisters accept arrangements, it is very likely that we may not be pleased about it. However, you need to learn to accept the tearing work of the cross and God’s work of building you up. It is by serving that we allow Christ to increase in us. Believers Must Accept Arrangements and Minister in Coordination Actually, ministering in itself is not an objective, but a process; through ministering, I may decrease and Christ may increase. This is the objective in ministering. In the church, there are many areas wherein one can minister. For example, every year we hold baptismal meetings. There are different kinds of assignments in the baptismal ministry. Some are assigned the ministry of overall servants while others as ushers, name tag writers, number assigners, or back-up helpers for the wiping of faces, changing of clothes, arranging of slippers, and the like. There was a year when I assigned a brother to be the overall servant in a baptismal meeting. He, in turn, assigned a brother to take charge of the picking up of wooden slippers. A few years later, I assigned this brother to be the overall servant again. This time around he told me, “It is fine with me to take this assignment as overall servant, but as to the other services, may I request you to do the assigning for me?” I asked him why. He replied, “That year when you assigned me as overall servant, with no bad intention at all, I assigned a brother the task of picking up the wooden slippers. He misunderstood me, thinking that I humiliated him by assigning him to do such a demeaning job. He was furious at me and was not willing to forgive me from that time on.” Beloved brothers and sisters, if everyone behaves like him, then the entire congregation will bear grudges against me. When I assigned a certain brother or sister as overseer of a room that is hot, humid, and void of fresh air, they would probably hate this Brother X, wondering why he is dealing with me in such a way. “This kind of assignment is a torture to me…” Actually, every kind of service assignment is the Lord lifting us up. On the contrary, if everyone is not willing to accept service assignments like picking up slippers, wiping the floors, overseeing the rooms, and the like, not only will we encounter difficulties in holding baptismal meetings; in fact, every baptismal meeting will end up with misunderstandings and grudges among brothers and sisters. After going through more than ten baptismal meetings, there will be tens of people who have held grudges in their hearts. Therefore, brothers and sisters, every time we do service assignments, let us put ourselves in others’ position and show consideration to the overall servant. If everybody protests and is unwilling to accept assignments, how could one do according to his ability and build up the body of Christ? Hence, I Corinthians 12:18 says, “.…just as God wanted them to be;” meaning, the Lord has sovereign authority in His arrangements and eternal insights. His arrangement is the best and the most beneficial to us. Therefore in ministry, there is no position or rank --- whether high or low, noble or degrading. A spiritual man who cleans the washroom is still spiritual. On the contrary, if a carnal person should lead the church, that church is bound to be carnal. Therefore, do not question whether a ministry assigned to you is high, low, noble, or degrading, but rather what kind of an individual you are. Ephesians 4 Talks About How Workers Prepare the Saints for Works of Service Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Meaning when co-workers lead in the church, they must hold steadfastly to this principle of ministry:  to prepare God’s people for works of service. For a church to be strong, the greatest factor lies in its strong array of coordination among co-workers, elders, and deacons; and next to that, how all the saints serve together in coordination. In some churches, even though there are no formal titles given to co-workers, elders, and deacons, there is in fact a group of people who are serving faithfully and diligently. Just like in our branch in Manila, there are quite a few elderly sisters who, although they do not carry the title of deaconship, yet have manifested the functions of a deacon in their services. If a church has only a line-up of titles for its elders and deacons, yet people who enter that church cannot see the believers’ love for the Lord, or consecration, or diligence in serving, then that church has no future at all. On the contrary, if a church has a group of elders and deacons who lead all the saints to serve together with oneness of heart, then that church will surely make progress. I hope the leaders in every local church will delegate ministries to all the saints, enabling them to all come out and serve. Do not make assumptions that a certain brother is not good enough, or a certain sister is not capable enough, thus depriving them of any ministries. It is precisely the fact that they are not good enough or not capable enough that they need to learn. If they are good and capable, then there is no need to teach them. Delegate ministries to those who are incapable, and their gifts will be revealed. The leaders, no doubt, must display wisdom when assigning. The more accomplished saints on the other hand, need not decline out of modesty, but must be aware that once you decline, you will end up being a spiritual waste product. Hence, nobody can claim that he is incapable, because as long as you have the life of the Lord in you, your capability to serve is innate. Hence, through accepting assignments and learning, you will be made perfect. After World War II had ended, we recall how the United States had allotted funds to aid countries in the East like Japan and the Philippines. However, thirty years later, Japan had grown more powerful with each passing day while the Philippines had regressed. One of the main reasons is that Filipinos were generally sloppier in character and less willing to work hard unlike their Japanese counterparts who were more diligent and more willing to endure hardships. What is even more pathetic is the fact that recently many Filipinos not only refuse to work, they even go on strike everywhere. Today, a certain textile factory goes on strike; tomorrow a food company would follow suit; and still another day, a car manufacturer’s employees would stage a walk-out…. On the streets, strikers in groups lingered here and there carrying picket signs and placards, while the Japanese toil hard all day and all night. No wonder these two countries show very sharp contrast in terms of prosperity versus poverty. Dear brothers and sisters, the rise and fall of our church depend on whether or not all the saints are willing to accept assignments and diligently offer their share of services. Relying on the co-workers alone to serve is a sign of abnormality in the church. Today, many churches depend on their pastor alone. To understand the will of God, there must be a general mobilization of all the saints and the entire church body must serve. Learn to Minister in Coordination with the Church Lastly, let us look at how we can put these into practice as we learn to minister in coordination with the church: Hold Fast to Christ the Head This year, the slogan “Christ is the Head of the Church” (Colossians 1:18) is displayed in the assembly hall of our church in Manila. This verse says explicitly that if we want to serve in coordination with the church, the first step is to maintain a normal relationship with the Lord, which is to let Christ be the head. Not only in our individual ministry do we directly accept the Lord’s leading and let Christ be the head, but in our ministry as a church, we must all the more hold fast to Christ, who is the Head. If an individual or a church loses sight of this basic principle, he would surely deviate. This is analogous to the five sense organs and the four extremities in our body. How are they able to work together so naturally and harmoniously? The eyes see, the ears hear, the nose smells, the mouth speaks, the hands hold, the feet walk...… Undoubtedly, these five organs and four extremities are all controlled by the head. It is the head that directly controls the entire body --- not just one organ, but the entire nervous system --- not just the extremities and sense organs, but all the internal organs as well. Brothers and sisters, whether or not we can serve together harmoniously in the church, and whether or not we can be fruitful in our ministries, depend on whether or not we hold fast to Christ the Head. For a ship to sail securely in the vast ocean, it needs to rely on the compass, because only the compass can guide a ship to sail in the right direction. Once, there was a ship that hit a boulder. It was said that there was the presence of a mineral reef near the coast, which produced a magnetic force that altered the direction of the needle in the compass. Due to this slight deviation of the compass needle, the ship hit the boulder. Spiritually, if our relationship with the Lord is not accurate, there will certainly be discord in the ministries down the line. Therefore, we must hold firmly to this fact: that we must learn to submit ourselves before God, hold fast to the Head, and allow Christ the Head to take control and lead the church. I remember once not long ago, while walking to the Soler assembly hall, a group of people suddenly came running toward my direction. I realized then that there was a mentally deranged person who was throwing stones at passersby. Mentally deranged people are people whose nervous system are in disarray and are no longer controlled and ruled by the head. Likewise, when we minister in coordination with one another in the church but do not hold fast to the head, then things will surely go wrong. On the contrary, in the event that differences in viewpoints, opinions, and suggestions do arise, nonetheless, if everyone submits and holds fast to the Head, I believe everything will be readily resolved. Because Christ is the Head, all difficulties will be dispelled. Accept Assignments and Fulfill Individual Tasks Early on, we read in I Corinthians 12:18 that God had arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. This means that God, by His sovereign authority, assigns each of us to be a member of the body to carry out our respective functions. For this reason, we must learn to accept assignments and to work together in consonance with others. In terms of experience, if a responsible brother assigns me to do gospel visitation, I will accept. When he assigns you to shepherd the saints and you obey, then this is right. If he assigns you to be with someone whose personality is different from yours, but then you show resentment by refusing to serve, then you are rejecting his assignment to you. If you just take a look at the Lord Jesus while He was on earth, whenever He sent out His disciples, it was always in twos. This indicates that the disciples accepted assignments to work with one another. (Of course, another aspect of this spiritual implication has to do with testimony.) May the Lord allow us to see that we who are redeemed by His precious blood are brothers and sisters in the Lord, why then can we not love one another? The great love of the Lord is in us, enabling us to love the unlovable. Therefore in serving, let us learn not to insist on our personal selections, but to accept assignments, so that each one may perform his own part. This is similar to a symphony orchestra wherein there are trumpets, flutes, cellos, violins, etc. Suppose the conductor assigns you to play the flute but you refuse and, instead, insist on blowing the trumpet just because blowing the trumpet easily attracts more attention than playing the flute. As a result, everyone scrambles to blow the trumpet --- I want to blow the trumpet, you want to blow the trumpet, he wants to blow the trumpet. Imagine what will become of the entire situation. The orchestral concert will never get to play successfully. On the contrary, if I play the flute, he plays the violin, you blow the trumpet, and someone else plays the cello… then when all kinds of instruments come together and play, the music will sound so harmoniously splendid. O, how beautiful, how magnificent! Have Concern for Each Other I Corinthians 12:25 records, “So that there should be no division in the body but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” This means that when everyone is standing at his own position, serving in coordination with the church, there is a tendency for us to virtually distance ourselves with one another, even to the point of doing things independently. Therefore, we must learn to show concern for each other. For instance, when the foot gets bitten by the mosquito, the hand automatically reaches down to slap the mosquito. It will not wait for the skin to get swollen before it hits the mosquito. This is called having concern for one another. In serving with coordination, we must learn to be considerate of others, to show concern for them, and to give others the benefits. This is the virtue of serving. Not only would this enable all of us to be in harmony with one another, but also to love one another. Care for the Feelings of the Members Lastly, I would like to remind everyone about a specific point recorded in I Corinthians 12:26. It says, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.” Meaning, we must show concern for the feelings of the members. When everybody stands at his position serving the Lord, and someone conveys his inner feelings, then you ought to take heed, give consideration, and offer help. During the time of the apostles in the early church, when 3,000 were baptized and added to the church, all the believers were together and had everything in common. However, after some time, some of the men complained because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. When the apostles knew about this, they immediately decided to choose seven deacons to look after the food distribution work in order that they may devote their attention to prayer and ministry of the word. The apostles then chose seven men to be in-charge of the food as their way of taking care of the feelings of the members. On the contrary, if they did not care for the feelings of the members, this will eventually become a loophole that will give the enemy the opportunity to attack, and the church will be distracted and destroyed. May the Lord give us a sensitive spirit and lead us into learning to minister in coordination with the church, holding fast to Christ the Head, accepting assignments in fulfillling our respective duties, having concern for one another, and caring for the feelings of the members. <-- Back to "The Way of Ministry" Next Chapter -->

Bible Reading: Philippians 2:15-16 1 John 1:1-3 Colossians 3:4, 11 James 1:18, 25 Romans 8:28-29 Genesis 2:9-11   Thanks be to God who, in the past, had raised up three great ministers of the New Testament, namely Peter, Paul, and John. All three were apostles greatly used by the Lord, enough to represent the New Testament ministry. Amazingly, all three ministers preached the “Word of Life” throughout their ministerial lives. The Acts of the Apostles records that the Lord performed many signs and wonders among the people through the hands of these apostles, which eventually led to resentment from the High Priest and his associates. Consequently, they arrested the apostles and put them in public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail, and brought them out saying, “Go…..and tell the people the full message of this new life.” (Acts 5:20) Paul was no exception. He told the believers in Philippi, “Children of God… in a… generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe, you hold out the Word of Life.” (Philippians 2:15-16) He did not labor or toil in vain. His ministry was with a direction. He visited churches everywhere and proclaimed the Word of Life. Let us take a look at the Apostle John. He was the last apostle to depart from the world. During his time, the believers had strayed away from the foundations of life, so much so that a great majority of churches had deteriorated and had become desolate. The Lord commissioned him to do the work of revival. Hence, when he wrote the First Epistle of John chapter 1, he affirmed the main theme right from the beginning, “That which was from the beginning… concerning the Word of Life.” This clearly tells us that at that time, the church had already lost the Word of Life and had stopped progressing in the pathway of life. Because of this, he never stopped preaching the Word of Life. His ministry was to restore the Word of Life. In the course of serving the Lord, all the three great ministers preached the Word of Life. This tells us of the need for the church today to walk in this pathway of life. The “Word” in the “Word of Life” refers to the word in the original text; it also refers to the message. Peter preached the Word of Life; Paul delivered the Message of Life; while John restored the Word of Life. The purpose of delivering the word or the message is so that everyone may put them to practice and be able to live in it. While Jesus was on earth, He once pointed out two paths: “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) This was to guide the disciples on how to walk the pathway of life. It also points out the need for Christians to walk in this pathway of life. On the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter stood up and preached the first message which he quoted from the Psalms, saying, “You have made known to me the path of life.” These words spoken by King David indicate that all his life he was one who walked the pathway of life. No wonder God commended him as a man after God’s own heart. His life, work, and ministry had pleased God. From here we see that not only are we to walk in the pathway of life; moreover, we must serve the Lord in this pathway of life. Since this is so, then we must never stray away from this pathway of life in our ministry. Now, where does this pathway of life come from? It is brought about by the word (message) of life, and we walk according to it. What is the Word of Life The “Word of Life” is Christ becoming our experience in life. The Gospel of John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “Word” here refers to Jesus Christ. Because verse 14 says, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us…..full of grace and truth.” Following that, verse 18 says, “No one has ever seen God, but God the only begotten Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” We see here that Jesus Christ was the Word in the beginning, which later became the Word of Life. How come the Word in the beginning later became the Word of Life? Because Jesus Christ, who was in the beginning, not only came to the world as the Word who became flesh, after He had accomplished redemption, He also dwelled among us and became our experience in life. Hence, He is called the “Word of Life.” The Word in the beginning is the objective case, while the Word of Life is the subjective case. The Word in the beginning refers to Christ in heaven -- when He dwells among us and becomes the Christ of our life…. He is called the Word of Life. Thus, when the Apostle John wanted to restore the Word of Life, he had this to say, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life.” This shows that they had each experienced the Word of Life personally. Christ used to remain on the outside, but now He has become our inner life experience, and we testify of Him. So today, what we preach is not a doctrinal Jesus, not a religious Jesus, not even a historical Jesus, but Jesus who is in my life -- how he dwells in me, so that I may experience Him all my life. The Pathway of Life Points Out How One Can Enter into the Stage of Fullness of Life The Gospel of John 10:10 records the Lord Jesus saying, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” This means that not only do Christians receive eternal life, they also need to enter into the fullness of the life of Christ. That is why we need to walk in the pathway of life. It is by this pathway of life that our spiritual lives can continue to mature until they reach fullness. From the Bible we see that in order to enter into the fullness of life, there are generally three stages to consider. We will use the tabernacle in the Old Testament as representation. The tabernacle represents the church. Every part of the tabernacle serves as a representation of Christ, as well as, the lifetime experiences of a Christian. The entire process of the Church can actually be divided into three stages, these are: the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. These three stages also speak of the process of maturity in the life of a Christian. A Steadfast Life (Outer Court) – Christ as the Foundation A steadfast life can also be termed as a life with foundation. Hebrews 6:1 tells us, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation.” This means that the foundation has already been laid. Therefore, in the life process of a Christian, the first level is to live a life with foundation. Due to the fact that a large number of Christians did not lay any solid foundations, their spiritual lives have not been steadfast. Paul in I Corinthians 3:11 said, “…the foundation that had already been laid, which is Jesus Christ.” This clearly tells us that both the church and a Christian’s spiritual life are built upon only one foundation, and that foundation is Jesus Christ. After you and I have believed in the Lord Jesus, Jesus Christ enters into us and becomes the foundation of the pathway of our lives. This foundation itself is steadfast, firm, unyielding, unshakeable, and is already in us. This life of Jesus Christ is unchanging. Although heaven and earth change, Jesus Christ never changes. Peter described the life of Jesus Christ as a life that is imperishable. Grass withers and flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord (Word, Life) stands forever (I Peter 1:24-25). It means that this life transcends time and space; it is steadfast, firm, and surpasses heaven and earth. Now how do we build a steadfast life? We will simply mention three things of concern. First is prayer. Prayer is similar to an infant breathing. Once we are saved and born again, Jesus Christ enters into us…so does His life -- just like a baby who has just been born. Upon birth, the first thing the infant needs is to breathe. If a Christian lacks prayer, he is like an infant who has breathing inadequacy. Second is reading the Bible. Reading the Bible is like an infant feeding on milk. May I ask each of you here if you have already established a life of morning devotion – reading the Bible, praying and drawing near to the Lord? Third is assembling together. Assembling together is like a child living a family life. We are the Lord’s sheep. Sheep need to stay in the sheep pen and come in and go out together with the Shepherd, Jesus Christ. This refers to living a life of assembling together. All these are the basic experiences a Christian ought to have in order to live a steadfast life. A Growing Life (Holy Place) – Christ As Life After building a solid foundation in life, this life needs to climb up another level. Hence, when the spiritual lives of the Hebrew believers had stopped growing, the apostle wrote a letter to them saying, “Let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity.” This clearly explains that they need to enter into a life of fullness and attain spiritual heights. “Not laying again the foundation” implies that the foundation has already been laid. It means that you already have a life of constant prayer, reading the Bible, and assembling together. Nevertheless, you still need to continue progressing. We call this stage of progressing as the life that is growing -- just like Christians who, in the Outer Court, are now progressing into the Holy Place. We call this the process of growth. Brothers and sisters, we need to be Christians who grow. Obeying the Holy Spirit After a Christian has firmly established a life of prayer, reading the Bible, drawing near to the Lord, communing with Him, and fellowshipping with believers, he still needs to enter into a life of growth. In this regard, I would like to speak about three essential experiences. First is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and to abide in the Lord according to the teaching of the anointing. Christians in the first stage experienced Christ abiding in us, while Christians in the second stage experienced ourselves abiding in Christ. Romans 8:5-6 says that, “ Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”  Therefore, if a Christian listens to the teachings of the Anointing, he will be kept. On the contrary, if a Christian does not listen to the teachings of the Holy Spirit, he will suffer loss. Twenty years ago, there was a brother who was going to take a plane flight from Tai-Chung to Taipei. Very amazingly on that day, an inner voice told him not to go. He obeyed the inner teaching and did not go. Just as the plane was flying in mid-air, it burst into flames and everyone in that plane perished. News had it that Malaysia’s tycoon, Mr. Lu Yun Taw also perished in that flight. Hence, we must take heed to obey the Holy Spirit’s voice. A sister in Mainland China testified that one evening while she was sound asleep, the Holy Spirit suddenly woke her up and told her to quickly get out of the room. Without a doubt she got up, put on her robe, and walked out from her room to the living room. Shortly after, there was a loud bang and down came her ceiling. If she had tarried and did not obey the voice of the Holy Spirit, she will surely be smashed to death by the ceiling beams. The voice of the Holy Spirit (the teaching of the Anointing) is not a doctrine, but a pathway of life. A Christian who obeys the voice of the Holy Spirit shows that his spiritual life is growing. Have you already entered the stage of growth? A person who lives in constant fellowship with the Lord will be able to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. How wonderful that is! It is indeed glory increasing upon glory. Christ as Our Life At the same time, the more we obey the Holy Spirit, the more we will experience that He is there to teach us in all things, so that in all our behaviors and conduct, we may be able to do God’s will in the Holy Spirit. At this stage, Christ has become our life and He is alive in us. Just like what Paul said, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) Why is that? Because I have been crucified with Christ, now Christ lives for me, naturally, I have begun to live a victorious life. I Corinthians 1:30 says, “…Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.” This means that Christ has become our life. We know that each kind of life exhibits its corresponding kind of living habits. The life of a sheep exhibits a clean living, while the life of a pig exhibits a filthy living. When Christ is our life, He becomes our wisdom. Therefore, whether in our studies or in conducting our businesses, Christians need to inquire of the Lord. The Lord will be our wisdom and He will teach us what we ought to do. Not only that, Christ is also our righteousness. Based on experience, when you offend someone, something in you simply will not let you go. There are times when you talked excessively, you feel so uneasy within ….. Because Christ is righteous, He rebukes you within, so that our behaviors and conduct will be in conformity with God’s procedure and will. Thank the Lord! Christ is also our holiness. There are some Christians who, before believing in the Lord, had the habit of drinking. But now, the mere taste of liquor on their lips makes them feel horrible within. Although the Bible does not literally prohibit drinking, but amazingly, the mere taste of liquor gives them the feeling of defilement. Christ’s holy life simply would not allow this, therefore it causes your spirit to feel horrible. This is the experience of Christ being our holiness. Oh, brothers and sisters, a spiritually growing Christian must experience Christ as his life. Not only that, He gives us victory. Hence Christians must not regard failure as something normal. Failure belongs to Christians in the first stage. Once you have entered the Holy Place, you ought to live a victorious life -- since Christians who have entered the Holy Place have already done away with sins, worldliness, traditions, and trends. To be in the Holy Place implies being set apart. Not only have we overcome sins, temptations, and worldly enticements, we have overcome the lust of the flesh as well. A sister was fond of eating junk foods. Apart from taking her three regular meals, she still has to eat junk foods. If she does not eat junk foods, she will not be able to get through her day. The urge to eat junk foods had held her captive. One day she attended a meeting and heard that Christ lives in her. Her life changed the moment Christ became her life. Instantly, her bad habit of eating junk foods fell off completely. She now enters the stage of growth, wherein Christ has become her life. Ministering Christians in this stage minister by grace and their ministry progress in the Lord’s grace. I hope all of us are growing Christians, with each one serving the Lord. Parents nurture and teach their children. A child who is one, two, or three years old, is very loveable. When he turns four or five, he starts to go to kindergarten school. Upon reaching six or seven years old, he goes to elementary school. By that time, he already knows how to eat, get dressed, and go to bed by himself; at this stage, the parents feel very much relieved. When he gets to middle school, he starts to help with small house chores like arranging tables and chairs, cleaning doors and windows, washing dishes, mopping the floors, etc. From here, we can see that if a Christian does not minister, he remains to be a little child, because little children are unable to help with the house chores. May I ask each of you here if you are taking part in the church ministry by coordinating with others, such as, fellowshipping, praising, praying, singing, visiting, sharing, etc? If you participate in serving, then you are clearly a growing Christian. Brothers and sisters, the reason we are citing some practical examples and essential points is so that we may be aware that after a Christian is saved, he must pursue the Lord with all his efforts and means. Beginning from the first stage which is the Outer Court experience, he should enter the second stage which is the experience of the Holy Place, and finally the third stage which is the experience of the Holy of Holies, which is also a life of maturity. A Mature Life (Holy of Holies) – Christ is All Mature Christians have the three following main experiences: Through the Cross Christ is Formed In the beginning, Christ, who is in us, was not one with us. But gradually through the work of the cross, the Lord integrates his character in us so that we may, through our ministry, slowly spread the fragrance of Christ and manifest His image. Christians who are at this stage are those who have accepted the cross. Each time the cross does its work in us, the component of Christ increases once. This is how Christ is being integrated in us. In 1961, I travelled to the Philippines the second time and stayed there for a while. One time I boarded a ship to Cebu. While on board, a brother who meant well bought balut  (duck egg with fetus) for me to eat. He told me that eating duck fetus benefits the lungs. That was the first time I saw a balut . In it was actually a very tiny duck fetus with black hair all over. I was afraid to eat it but this brother ate it in front of me. The balut  is the egg laid by its mother duck. After the egg has been hatched, the duck fetus is formed. Just like Christ who is in us -- once we have gone through the work of the cross, Christ will be formed in us. “To be formed” signifies a life that has matured. Hallelujah! Allowing Christ to be our life not only makes us strong and victorious; moreover, Christ will be formed and integrated in us. Hence, Paul told the Galatian believers saying, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19) Live Out Christ’s Glorious Image II Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we, who with unveil faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” This means that when we come face to face in fellowship with the Lord, we will be renewed by the Spirit of Christ. Moreover, the inner workings of the cross enable Christ’s glorious image to be manifested and lived out through us. The working of the Holy Spirit, through the integrating work of the cross, bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit, as described in Galatians 5. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. This is not love that comes from the natural life, but is a divine love, an unconditional love, a love that loves the unlovable. There is also joy. This joy is not found in eating, drinking, or having fun, but finding contentment in the Holy Spirit; it is joy unspeakable and full of gladness. Then there is peace, so that we may live in peace and harmony with one another. There is also patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All these are the manifestations of the image of Christ, which is also being conformed to the likeness of God’s Son. A Mature Life James 1:18 says, “That we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.” Just like a mango tree, while some of its fruits have turned yellow, others may still be green. Thus the ripe and yellow fruits will be picked first. We too must enter into a life that is mature in order to become firstfruits for the Lord to enjoy. When Christ comes again, those believers whose lives are mature will be raptured first. Hence, Romans 8:28-29 says, “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him (those whose lives have matured) ……... predestined to be conformed (or “be molded” in the original text) to the likeness of His Son (a mature life).” Here it tells us that we can all live out the likeness of Christ, and be filled with Christ inwardly while manifesting Him outwardly. Brothers and sisters, how are we to serve the Lord? We must serve Him in the pathway of life. First, we need to take brothers and sisters to walk the pathway of life, so that they may establish a spiritual life that is firm and steadfast; next we must lead them into the level of growth of life; finally they must serve one another until their lives attain maturity. Value the Ministry of Life Over the Ministry of Gifts As you and I walk on this pathway of life and minister with all the saints, we will discover that there are two kinds of ministries in the church. One is called the Ministry of Gifts, while the other, the Ministry of Life. The Ministry of Gifts is About Work Accomplishments After a Christian is saved by grace, he can rely on the Holy Spirit to minister. Through prayers, one can receive power from the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. In general, the early stages of ministry are all about the ministry of gifts. Under the ministry of gifts, as long as one ministers by the power of the Holy Spirit, together with natural eloquence, and add to it diligence, he will be able to produce fruitful work. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He told a parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a journey; who called his servants…To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.” Talents signify gifts. The one who received the five talents gained five more. The one with the two talents gained two more. This implies exercising of gifts in ministry. The one who received one talent hid it in a hole in the ground. At long last when the master returned, he rewarded both the one who received the five talents and the one who received the two talents. He commended them as good and faithful servants. The one who received the one talent and hid it in the ground did not exercise his ministry of gifts; consequently, the master rebuked him and called him a wicked and lazy servant. From here we see that every Christian must do his best in exercising his gifts to serve the Lord. Whether in praying, reading the Bible, meeting together, praising, visiting, or preaching the gospel… no one can do without serving. At the beginning of this year, we shared the message about the “Ministry of the Priest”. We encouraged all the saints to exercise their gifts in serving. Thank the Lord for His grace, everybody responded well. One could immediately notice the accomplishment of works. At present, our church in Manila is divided into five groups. The youth meeting is subdivided into the high school group, college group, and career group. Then, we also have the sisters’ meeting and Sunday school. Recently, we also started the elderly brothers’ meeting. The response was very good and everyone participated in serving the Lord. As a result, we witnessed the Lord’s blessings. Many were saved and this pleases the Lord. However, the ministry of gifts can only attain to a certain limit in the scale of work. Ministry of Life Builds Up Testimony The second kind of ministry is the “Ministry of life.” After a person believes in the Lord and is saved, the Lord’s life enters him and he receives a divine life – a life that is eternal. This life has a capability to serve the Lord. Serving in the Pathway of Life is A Ministry of Life We serve according to this life. Even if we do not have natural eloquence, we can still be intercessory vessels in secret. By interceding for others, though no one sees you, God sees you in secret. This is an example of the ministry of life. Some people have combined gifts and life; of course this is the most ideal ministry. Suppose you do not have any noticeable gifts, nonetheless, through the ministry of life, which is letting Christ be your life, you accept the leading of the Holy Spirit to visit a certain brother; or perhaps you fellowship privately with a certain sister in the spirit, thus enabling her to receive comfort and provision. In other words, ministry of life is ministering in the pathway of life, serving continuously with Christ as our life, and serving the Lord in keeping with this life. A Ministry of Life Flows Forth the Life of Christ A step further in the ministry of life is to flow forth the life of Christ. The Lord once used the vine as an example. Christians are the branches, while Christ is the vine. Only when the branch is attached to the vine can it bear fruit naturally. In the same way, when a Christian prays and draws near to the Lord, he is enjoined to Christ the Head; naturally, whether he prays or visits, or comes in contact with people, he will bear fruit and flow out the life of Christ. Although there are some brothers and sisters who may not have any apparent gifts, at the same time, the life of Christ flowing out from them may not seem that abundant, yet they could make others feel the presence of the provisions of the Anointing. For instance, during Thursday night Bible study meetings, some people can express themselves eloquently which is truly admirable. Although there are some who may not be that adequate in expressing themselves, yet they are able to share the spiritual insights that truly come from their hearts, then they add to it the testimony of their own personal experiences. This indeed cuts through the hearts of the listeners. They are not touched by eloquence, yet they are able to feel the presence of the Lord and thus receive provisions. This kind of sharing of the word is called the ministry of life. A person with abundant life experiences will be able to discern which is a ministry of gifts and which is a ministry of life. Nevertheless, a big majority of people have a combination of both life and gifts. A Ministry of Life Builds Up the Testimony of Christ However, the ministry of life not only has an outward scope of work, inwardly, there is also the building up of the testimony. In short, the testimony of Jesus Christ is being built up in the church through their ministries. Actually, there is a difference between work and testimony. We have to pay attention to the testimony of the Lord. A normal ministry is one that imparts life along with the exercise of gifts; this way, the testimony of the Lord will be manifested. But today, there is a danger among Christians all over the world that they pay more importance to the development of gifts, at the same time giving undue emphasis to doctrines and ministerial skills, yet neglecting the building up of life. True enough, giving importance to the exercise of gifts may enlarge the scope of work, but this kind of ministry gives increase only to the quantity of works in the Christian religion. However, the ministry of life is quite different. The ministry of life increases the stature, as well as, the component of Christ in the church. When the Apostle Paul ministered in Ephesus, he did so in life -- by imparting life and preaching the fullness of Christ. Because of the work of the Holy Spirit, the church in Ephesus was built up, then Paul preached to them the Word of Life again. If we read the letters of Paul to the Ephesians, we will see how Paul expounded on the greatest revelation to the church there. To one’s surprise, from the time Paul departed from the world up to the time the old Apostle John was about to leave the world, the church in Ephesus had deteriorated. The ministries had lessened, and they had deviated into the path of the ministry of gifts. Hence, the Lord warned the church in Ephesus saying, “I know your deeds, you have persevered and have endured hardships… and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you. You have forsaken your first love.” (Revelation 2:3-4) “Love” is life. They had forsaken the Word of Life. When love is forsaken, then there will no longer be life. Life is filled with love, but when you forsake your first love, what remains is merely a few work activities and a few exercising of gifts. He said, “If you do not repent, I will remove your lampstand.” The removal of the lampstand implies the loss of Christ’s testimony, leaving behind just an outer shell of a certain scope of work where people can neither touch life nor come in contact with Christ. May we be warned by the Lord through this, that if we only have the ministry of gifts and not the ministry of life, then there will be no lampstand (testimony of Christ). Hence, not only do we exercise our gifts in the ministry, we must all the more pursue to enter the ministry of life, so that the testimony of Christ may be built up. We Must Value the Ministry of Life Over the Ministry of Gifts Although the ministry of life and the ministry of gifts are both important, still we must give more weight to the ministry of life rather than the ministry of gifts. I Corinthians 12 talks about the nine different kinds of gifts in the church. In fact, our church has a lack of these gifts. Nonetheless, the Corinthian church had enjoyed each of these nine gifts; yet Paul referred to them as infants and worldly. No wonder there were jealousy, strife, and factions among them, because their spiritual lives were immature and shallow. I remember when I was a little boy, I often squabbled with my older brother over trivial things, because we were just a few years apart in age. When I got to elementary school, we did not fight that often anymore. When I got to high school, we stopped fighting. Upon reaching college, not only did we not fight, we loved and helped each other. Although the Corinthian believers were enriched in every way in speech and in gifts, yet their lives were immature. Here it shows us that it is not enough to have the ministry of gifts alone, there must also be the ministry of life. Hence, immediately after Paul had written about the nine kinds of gifts in I Corinthians 12, he went on to talk specifically about love in chapter 13. He mentioned that if he should speak in the tongues of men and angels but have not love, he is only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. He meant that you must be filled with love as you provide for brothers and sisters. Then, in chapter 14 he explained how one can exercise his gifts. This shows us that we must exercise our gifts in love. Love connotes life. This is giving weight to the ministry of life over the ministry of gifts. From the Old Testament we see two staffs. One was the staff of Moses, which represents the ministry of gifts. This staff had performed many miraculous signs before the eyes of Pharaoh. How did this staff possess power? Whenever the presence of God is there, signs and wonders will naturally follow. Pharaoh had been the object of punishment quite a number of times by the staff in Moses’ hand. When they got to the edge of the Red Sea, Moses stretched out his staff and the waters parted so that all the Israelites were able to walk through. Later, signs and wonders continued to follow Moses’ staff. When the staff struck the rock, the rock opened up and living water flowed out… It was indeed a great gift. The other staff was that of Aaron. It was placed before the Ark of the Testimony alongside the staffs of the leaders of the eleven ancestral tribes. When morning came, all the eleven staffs did not show any changes except for Aaron’s staff which sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds. This staff represents the ministry of life. Later when they arrived at the land of Canaan, Moses’ staff of gifts no longer existed; only Aaron’s staff of life remained inside the Ark of the Testimony. Symbolically, this shows the fact that the ministry of gifts will pass away while the ministry of life will last forever. The ministry of life has eternal value. The ministry of gifts simply passes away after a certain generation. We must, therefore, value the ministry of life over the ministry of gifts. Learning to Minister in the Pathway of Life Lastly, let us see how we can learn to minister in the pathway of life. Have Nothing to Do with Issues --- Surpassing Reasons The book of Genesis records that there were two trees in the Garden of Eden, one is the tree of life and the other is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord prohibited our ancestors from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when they eat of it, they will surely die. (Genesis 2:17) But our ancestors could not withstand the serpent’s temptation. They ate of the fruit of that tree and as a result, they were banished from the Garden of Eden. Later, God placed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life. Since then, mankind was denied the chance to come in contact with life again. Thank God, His love endures forever. He does not harbor His anger forever. When we get to the New Testament -- it was through Jesus Christ, who opened a new and living way for us, that men’s entry into the path of life has been restored. “The tree of the knowledge of good and evil” is the tree of right and wrong. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are in contrast with one another. Therefore in serving, we must have nothing to do with issues, nor reason out any way we please. If you eat of the fruit from the tree of life, you will receive life. On the contrary, if you eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will die. In serving, we must be outright in rejecting anything that has to do with  right and wrong, reasoning, or arguments, but must go positively beyond reasoning. Do not touch right and wrong to avoid bringing in death. Hence, the Lord Jesus taught his disciples saying, “You have heard it said: ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you….…”  “Eye for eye” and “tooth for tooth” means that when somebody knocks off one of your teeth, you may also knock off one of his. When somebody gouges out your eye, you may also gouge his, because this is within reasoning. However the Lord Jesus said, “But I tell you”, ---- this means that the former falls within the context of the Old Testament law. Since we are now in the New Testament times, our ministry should not be of the law but of life. Therefore, the basis is no longer on reasoning, right and wrong, or good and evil. The more you struggle, the faster the spirit dies. If you serve according to reasoning, your spirit within will die, because the word of God says, “When you eat of it, you will surely die.” So the first step is: Do not touch issues. Have Nothing to Do with the Good and Evil --- Surpassing Morals “Good and Evil” refers to the virtuous and the bad. Doing good is a moral thing. However, we cannot minister in accordance with morals. Of course, “evil” is sin and we must never commit sin; but we must not presume that what is good is right. Oftentimes in the church, brothers and sisters may give suggestions out of good intention, however these are not necessarily accepted by the church and would consequently lead to misunderstandings. We must know that we cannot minister on the basis of good and evil because good and evil are simply morals. At most, they are merely standards set by the moral experts. We serve by life, which surpasses the morals of good and evil------this is God’s standard. We, therefore, serve in accordance with the disposition of God. One brother and two sisters in Christ were sent to serve in a newly-opened gospel work field. One day just as they were about to go out for visitation, a sick man unexpectedly came to their door and asked to be prayed over. They were so glad, thinking that the Lord had sent a gospel friend to them. They said to one another, “Let us pray with one heart and ask the Lord to heal this man’s sickness, and perhaps through the gospel we may be able to gain a soul.” Among the three, the two sisters figured that they have to first lead this friend to confession and repentance, otherwise the Lord will not hear their prayers. However, the brother deemed that they must first lay hands and pray for him so that when he gets well, he will eventually repent and believe and accept the Lord. So this brother stretched out his hand and prayed in a loud voice, commanding the sick man to be healed in Jesus’ name. While he was praying, these two sisters refused to say “Amen” because they kept thinking that they had forewarned this brother not to lay hands prior to confessing, and they did not want to have a part in his sin. After praying, the brother complained that they did not respond by saying “Amen” to his prayer. For this, they unpleasantly parted ways. Before long, the two sisters returned and reported the matter to me. After I heard this, I told them, “You have been serving the Lord for quite some time, why did you still eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Why quarrel over whether the right thing to do is to lay hands first or to repent first?” In serving, it is not by quarreling but by serving in humility with oneness of heart. Unless it contradicts the truth, otherwise, praying for the sick is not dictated upon by any truths. It is totally through the leading of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus prayed for the sick, He never required one to confess his sins first. Although the book of James tells us that we must confess our sins first, yet this is a matter of inward leading. Why must one insist? Here we see that in matters of serving, whenever we meddle with the good and evil, although outward work may result, inwardly, the spirit is dead. May the Lord show His mercy and grace to us so that in serving, we may learn to have nothing to do with the knowledge of good and evil, but to return to the tree of life (come before Christ), and do whatever He instructs us to do. Must Touch Life --- In Accordance with Christ The Lord Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” (Matthew 5:38-41) These are words spoken by Christ. We serve according to the word of Christ (Word of Life). The Word of Life surpasses both reasoning and the good and evil, and touches life. Dear brothers and sisters, as we serve in coordination within the church, it is inevitable that differences of opinions may arise, leading to frictions. Once in a while, arguments over trivial matters may occur and quarreling may eventually result, causing one to back out from the ministry. Hence, in serving, we must keep ourselves from touching on anything that has to do with right and wrong, or good and evil, but instead to learn to touch on life. The Lord Jesus Himself had lived a life that surpasses all. We need only to serve on the basis of this all-surpassing life. This is ministry in the pathway of life. In terms of experience, during our service in the church, we are easily surrounded by the pitfalls of good and evil and right and wrong; we may even argue ostensibly for the sake of someone else. All these are but fruits of the knowledge of good and evil, which when you eat of it, you will surely die. Christians need only to touch on life. When something happens or when opinions differ, we have to come before the Lord and inquire of Him through prayer. I firmly believe that all the problems will be resolved readily. At the same time, this is the way to minister in the pathway of life. Serving in Obedience to the Sensitivity of Life Anything that has life has sensitivity. When the life of Christ enters us, we will naturally develop a sensitivity of life. At the same time, life has its laws; so too with the life of the Lord----it also has its law----which leads us to serve Him. In serving, the sensitivity of life speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. Therefore we must be attentive to this sensitivity of life, only then can we serve in obedience to it. This is another way of serving the Lord in the pathway of life. Take for example the case of a mother who was careless in preparing milk for her baby. She mistook salt for sugar and mixed it with the milk. As soon as the infant tasted the milk, young as he was, he knew well to instantly push away the milk. Still unaware that the salt was in the milk, the mother kept coaxing and urging him to drink, nevertheless he spat it all out. Because life possesses the natural ability to discern: Outwardly it is hard to differentiate sugar from salt because both are white in color and finely sized; however, the sensitivity of life causes one to have the power to distinguish. Therefore, Christians who minister must learn to be perceptive to the sensitivity of life, and must serve in obedience to it. Then, imperceptibly, not only do we surpass reasoning and morals, in fact, because of it we may impart life, flow out Christ, and manifest Christ. May the Lord bless His message and lead us all to walk the pathway of life as we minister, so that the life of Christ may gradually fill our entire being, and that Christ may both be manifested and flowed forth. <-- Back to "The Way of Ministry" Next Chapter -->

Bible Reading:    Matthew 16:21-25 John 12:24; 15:2 II Corinthians 4:7-10   When the epistles in the New Testament mention about matters of serving the Lord, the first main point speaks of our need to minister in the grace of the Lord. If we read the epistles again carefully, we will discover that the word “cross” appears all across the epistles. The second point, therefore, concerns our need to serve the Lord through the tearing work of the cross. Every time we make mention of the cross, we easily connect our thoughts to the great redeeming love of the Saviour who shed His blood and gave up His life for us. This has always been our usual experience. However, there is a deeper aspect to the cross which involves the tearing down of man’s natural life so that Christ may be ushered in, thus allowing God’s will to be done. Therefore, the cross becomes a very important experience in a Christian’s spiritual life. First of all, we will look at the importance of the cross. Why must Christians experience the cross? Man’s Soul-Life Centers on the “Self” and is in Enmity with Christ After the fall of man, the soul takes control of our lives. What the worldly people term as mind (soul) actually coordinates with our body. Because the center of man’s life is his “self”, therefore he is selfish, thinks highly of himself, is self-confident, self-righteous, self-loving, self-pitying, etc. In everything, he cannot get away from his self life. At the same time, this “self” life is in enmity with Christ. If the “self” life is not done away with, you and I will forever become obstacles to God and will, in no way, be able to serve the Lord. Regarding the “self” life, there are at least three manifestations. Man’s “Self” Loves to be King and Refuses to Let Christ be Enthroned Because God created all things, in His eternal plan, He had appointed His Son Jesus Christ to have supremacy in all things and to be the center of the universe. Hence, in God’s eternal plan, no one else can be enthroned. In the whole universe, there is only one throne allowed. Why can’t two thrones exist at the same time in the universe? Because the book of Revelation shows us that after God’s will is finally accomplished, only the Lamb of God will sit at the throne. From here, it clearly tells us that there will only be one throne in the universe. However, after the fall of man, the soul-life wants to occupy the throne and become king. If there are a thousand people, then there will be a thousand thrones. No wonder the universe has become too disorderly. For this reason, God’s method of saving is to use the cross as the solution to tear down man’s thrones. We will first take a look at the condition of man desiring to be prominent as king and thus, not allowing Christ to be enthroned. After man’s ancestors have fallen, they turned God’s order upside down. God’s arrangement was for the spirit to control the soul and the body. However, after man had fallen, his “self-life” which is the soul-life, acted out and assumed kingship, thinking how nice it would be if there is no God in the universe, so that he himself may be the king. This is the manifestation of the soul-life. When we read the Old Testament Bible, we discover many places where men became king; the most concrete example being the story of the Tower of Babel. During that time, men came together and discussed with one another, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves…” (Genesis 11:4) From this historical fact we see that man wants to be prominent, to take his seat on the throne, to be king, and to rule over everything. This was indeed a great rebellion in the universe. Let us take a look at the book of Esther where there was an Agagite named Haman. This man Haman represents the flesh. From Haman we see many sides to the manifestation of the flesh, one of the greatest was requiring men to bow their knees to him. When Haman was informed that all the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down to him except Mordecai who neither knelt down nor paid him honour, (Note: Mordecai was a Jew and apart from God, he will not bow down to any person or any image) Haman was so infuriated that he devised a scheme to kill Mordecai as well as all the Jews in the country. Through this, we clearly see that man’s “self-life” is the spirit of kingship. In order to uphold his “self” in the highest position, he becomes unscrupulous by using foul means. This kind of soul-life that wants to be enthroned is indeed terrifying. Although we have believed in the Lord and have been saved by grace, and all of us have entered into the new creation; nevertheless our self life, because of its desire to stand out, still needs to be dealt with by the cross. We can see this condition in the church of Laodicea from the book of Revelation. The word Laodicea means opinions of the common people, which implies democracy. If a church is filled with men’s opinions, viewpoints and suggestions, naturally it has no room to accommodate Christ. As a result, the Lord said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” (Revelation 3:20) When man gets enthroned, all that the Lord Jesus could do is to stand outside the door and knock. No wonder when the Lord Jesus was on earth, He did not evade the Pharisees, but directly reprimanded them for desiring the most important seats in the synagogues and the place of honour at banquets. This tells us that man’s “self-life” loves to occupy the throne. Men’s Opinions (Ways) Represents the “Self,” Resisting God’s Will In the universe, God has His eternal plan. Through the course of time, His will needs to be done on earth. However, because of man’s opinions, ways, and designations that stand in the way of God’s will, they have become obstacles to God, such that God’s will cannot be done. We must know that the greatest difficulty in any church ministry is man’s opinions. In the ministry of the church, the most terrible thing that could happen is when man’s opinions emerge. Any church which has the most in terms of man’s opinions will result in the Lord standing outside the door. How do we know that man’s opinions (methods) emerge from the “self” (soul) life? Matthew chapter 16 records that day when the Lord Jesus told His disciples that He was about to go to Jerusalem to suffer many things and that He will be killed and on the third day be raised to life, Peter immediately rebuked Him saying, “Never, Lord!” Hebrews 10:5, 7 records, “When Christ came into the world, He said, ‘God, sacrifices and offerings you did not desire…’ Then I said, ‘Here I am --- it is written about me in the scroll --- I have come to do Your will, O God.’” Here it clearly says that the Lord had been doing the Father’s will all His life. In order to do the will of God, He needed to go to Jerusalem. But Peter rebuked the Lord saying, “Never.” This sincerity expressed by Peter showed his immense consideration. However, the Lord immediately reprimanded him saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” From here, we repeatedly see that man’s opinions are extremely terrifying. When man’s opinions come out, they stand in contrast to God’s will. When man’s methods come out, they hinder and resist God’s will. Hence, the Lord told the disciples who were following Him that, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself.” Meaning, he must put down his opinions and viewpoints, and deny himself. Because in ministering, man’s good intentions and superior opinions are but hindrances to God’s will. Man’s Strength Represents the “Self” and Resists God’s Great Power Galatians 5:17 says, “For the sinful nature (flesh) desires what is contrary to the Spirit.” God’s plan is carried out through His power (Holy Spirit) in the course of time. However, man, in the natural strength of his flesh, emerges in order to resist it. From here, we could see that the strength of the “self” resists God’s power. Let us look at Abraham, the forefather of faith, who was led by God to considerable spirituality. When God’s will was for Christ to be born out of Abraham’s descendants, He promised Abraham a son, Isaac. (Genesis 15:4) However, after a year had passed, even two, until the time he was old, Sarah remained barren. Later when Abraham could wait no longer, he listened to Sarah’s advice and begot Ishmael through her maidservant, Hagar. After this incident, God hid himself from Abraham, because in God’s will, Abraham’s descendants must be born of Sarah. During that time, God had intentionally made Sarah give birth only when she was old and past child-bearing age, in order to show that Isaac was begotten out of promise, and that he was a gift from God. However, Abraham could not wait and he begot Ishmael through Hagar. This is the display of man’s natural strength. As a result, the Arabs who were the descendants of Ishmael, have been in constant enmity with the Israelites up to the present time. The Israelites were subjected to constant harassments by the descendants of Ishmael. This actuality shows us that man’s strength always hinders the power of God. In short, man’s soul-life centers on the self and is in enmity with Christ. On one hand, man’s self wants to be king, while on the other hand, man’s will (method) hinders the will of God. Moreover, man’s strength resists God’s mighty power, thereby, intercepting God’s will on earth. The Cross Tears Down the Throne, Methods, and Strength of the “Self” As to the difficulties that man had given God, God’s way of salvation is through the tearing work of the cross. Often when we break bread, sing praises, and pray, we only mention the aspects of the great redeeming love and the precious blood on the cross. Seldom in our praises and prayers do we praise the cross of Christ for its work in tearing down our throne, our methods, and our strength. Here it tells us that our knowledge with regards to the tearing work of the cross has lagged very far behind. I hope that through this message, we will be brought one step closer to knowing, as well as experiencing, the tearing work of the cross. The cross is a very broad topic. We have seen all too many books authored by Madame Penn Louis, Brother Sparks, Brother Watchmen Nee, etc. Today, we simply cannot use one session to finish discussing this topic. Hence, we will be mentioning only the most central point and how to put it to practical use. Now we shall take a concrete look at the tearing work of the cross. The Cross Puts an End to “Self” and Ushers in the Reign of Christ Just before His very last moment on the cross, Jesus cried, “It is finished.” These words tell us that the cross puts an end to all that is of man. It means that each of us has been crucified with Christ and our “self” has been done with on the cross. However, in terms of subjective experience, the cross has another practical side to it. In terms of objective reality, when Jesus was crucified, we were also crucified with Him. As long as we believe, know, and accept, then not only did the precious blood of Christ cleanse us from our sins; at the same time, the “self” is also crucified with Christ. From now on, we receive the effectiveness of the precious blood and we also experience the “putting to death” by the cross. From the perspective of the practicality of the cross, the Lord will arrange people, events, and things to come our way to cause us to suffer shame, pain, losses, and blows, etc. All these things are to deal with our “self” and to cause us to step down from our thrones. A person who comes under the pressure of another person for a long time will gradually realize that the cross has but one purpose, and that is to tear down the throne of the “self” and to put an end to the self-life, eventually ushering in the reign of Christ. Hence, Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) In the Old Testament, Jacob was a typical example of someone who had a lot of methods, someone who was full of schemes, selfish, and crafty. Years later, while in his uncle Laban’s house, he went through twenty years of toil and pain and was completely subjected to long periods of the tearing work of the cross. In the end, he was completely transformed. When he came to Peniel, an angel of the Lord came and touched the socket of his hip, which caused his hip to be wrenched until he became limp. Since then, his name was changed to Israel. “Israel” means prince, which also means to reign. Hallelujah! Through the tearing work of the cross, Jacob finally allowed Christ to be king. The Cross Puts an End to Men’s Ways and Allows God’s Will to be Done We have already shared about Peter. That day, when he gave consideration to man’s suggestions and ways, he refused to let Jesus go up to Jerusalem to suffer many things. After Jesus had rebuked Peter, He said to the disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) Here, it tells us that the Lord taught Peter what denying oneself is about. It is to deny one’s own opinions and ways. This is the significance of carrying the cross. “Carrying the cross” is doing away with man’s ways and putting an end to man’s self. Therefore, whenever man’s ways take center stage in his service to the Lord, subsequently creating conflict of opinions and viewpoints, he must first learn to put down his suggestions, viewpoints, and opinions. Only by denying ourselves and carrying the cross can God’s will be carried out through us. From the recordings in the Bible, we repeatedly see that every time Peter was to make an opinion or give a suggestion, the Lord immediately interrupted him. In the four Gospels, there were at least three times that the Lord Jesus wanted Peter to learn to refrain from voicing out any suggestions and opinions. It was not until the Lord Jesus had resurrected and ascended to heaven did He commission Peter. True enough, when the day of Pentecost came, Peter and the eleven apostles were all filled with the Holy Spirit. When Peter stood up to preach his message, he mentioned Christ who was crucified. (Acts 2:23-24) He esteemed the cross very highly. No wonder when the Lord was on earth, He personally taught Peter and all the disciples to carry the cross. Even after the Lord had ascended to heaven, He continued to teach them and to reveal to them the significance of the cross. Hence, the day before Peter went to the house of Cornelius to preach the gospel, the Lord made him see a vision. Something was lowered to earth --- it was a large sheet that contained all kinds of four-footed animals as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat.” At that point in time, Peter’s old concepts and viewpoints had remained, that was why he replied, “Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” Immediately a voice from heaven corrected him saying, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 10:9-16) Time and again, Peter was corrected through the workings of the cross, and he had experienced the doing away of his own suggestions, methods, subjective opinions, and stubbornness. We are able to see that the cross tears down man’s throne and puts an end to man’s ways. Therefore, we must remember that any person, thing, event, setback, or unpleasant encounter that comes our way are all crosses being put to actual practice, and we should never take them lightly. The Cross Puts an End to Men’s Ability and Manifests God’s Power The fallen man not only delights in being enthroned and giving out opinions, he also relies on his own ability to do things. This natural ability poses a great difficulty in serving the Lord. Hence, I Corinthians 1:18 records, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” This clearly tells us that one great power of the cross is to save us and to put an end to our natural ability. Hence, in ministering, if we do not accept the cross, then there is no way we could serve the Lord. Zechariah chapter 4 records that when the prophet saw the vision of a solid gold lampstand with two olive trees by it, he asked the angel what they were. The angel answered, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:3-6) The “gold lampstand” represents the church as well as each individual Christian. This lampstand was made of solid gold, meaning it had undergone refining. This refers to the purifying work of the cross; it purifies man from all impurities, and gets rid of his natural ability; thus, making him to be like pure gold. Next comes the hammering stage. This is another step further in accepting the deeper workings of the cross until the gold lampstand is revealed. In terms of experience, we must first accept the purifying work of the cross, next we must go through the deeper workings of the cross so as to put an end to our natural ability, and finally we need a supply of olive oil to shine forth our light. Olive oil represents the Holy Spirit of life. Here it also points out the way to serve, which is to accept the purifying, pressing, and dealing of the cross, so that we may be able to serve by the Spirit (power) of the Lord. Only then can we allow God’s power (Spirit) to be projected through us. Thank the Lord that although man’s ability hinders God’s work, but through the cross, the Lord tears down man’s ability so that the great power of God may be manifested. Ministry that Does Not Go Through the Cross is Ministry of the Flesh and Will Not Be Approved by God When a person is saved by grace, although he had received in him a life of ministering, nevertheless he still needs to learn to accept the cross, otherwise when ten or twenty years have gone by, just because he did not accept the tearing work of the cross, he will not only pose a great difficulty to the church, at the same time, his ministry will not be approved by God. I hope that through this message the Lord will speak to me, as well as to anyone who cares to listen with all attentiveness. In many instances, whenever the message of the cross is preached in the pulpit, brothers and sisters in the audience tend to pinpoint their judgments on others. “Today, the words from the pulpit are exactly what this brother needs to hear; or, this definitely hits the mark on that sister’s problem; or, Lord, please open his (or her) ears so that the church may be spared from all the troubles he is causing.” Oh! Does one not know that those are precisely the words he himself needs to hear? We hope that the Lord’s mercy may come upon us so that we may humble ourselves and come to seek Him saying, “Lord, have mercy on me. May the words from the pulpit come upon me. In the past, I lacked a great deal of the workings of the cross, yet I hope that through this I may be able to take in your words and experience a spiritual turnaround.” How, then, do we know that a ministry that does not accept the cross is a ministry of the flesh? Let us take a look at the Corinthian church that had been fully equipped with eloquence, knowledge, and gifts. Whether in evangelizing, prophesying, performing miracles, or speaking in tongues – clearly the church abounded with every special kind of gifts. Unfortunately, though the gifts were present, the cross was not. Hence Paul said to them, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly --- mere infants in Christ.” (I Corinthians 3:1) Meaning to say, their spiritual lives were that of infants and were quite immature; besides, their ministries were of the flesh. Therefore, if we do not accept the cross, we will become a church that is of the flesh, and we cannot perform any spiritual service. That was why Paul made a loud appeal to the Corinthian church by emphasizing, “I resolve to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (I Corinthians 2:2) Furthermore, he mentioned about how terrible the service of the flesh is. I Corinthians 3:12-15 says, “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” “Wood, hay or straw” signifies man’s natural life. It refers to that which is of the flesh. After the fall of man, Genesis 6:3 tells us, “Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal (fleshly)…’” Hence, anything that comes out of man is of the flesh, and is rejected by God. In terms of representation, whatever is of wood, hay or straw will be burned up, which means that ministry that does not go through the cross are activities of the natural man; they are of the flesh and will not be approved by God. Ministry that is of the natural life, just like man’s opinions and methods, are not founded on God’s will. Since they do not conform to God’s will, they are all but hindrances, obstacles, and destructions in God’s sight. Hence, the Lord Jesus gave us this warning in Matthew chapter 7, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-32) Here, it clearly tells us that giving your all in ministering, to the extent that one’s body is sweating all over, yet not going through the cross, are merely ministries of the flesh and of man’s nature. God says, “Away from me!” This tells us that God will never give His approval to this. May the Lord be gracious to us, that when we minister in the days to come, we will pay careful attention to the will of God (passing through the cross), so that the Lord will not be faced with any more hindrances. Ministry that Goes Through the Cross is a Spiritual Service and is Approved by God Now we will present two kinds of ministries before you, one of which does not go through the cross while the other does. May each of us examine our hearts to determine which of the two our ministry belongs. Does my ministry undergo setbacks, attacks, and difficulties? Under circumstances like these, do I accept the cross repeatedly and continue serving? If somebody criticizes or passes judgment on me, or when opinions differ, do I remain obstinate, insisting on my own opinions and remaining passive, refusing to move forward, and outrightly rejecting the cross? How do we know that the ministry God desires are those that have gone through the cross, since this is the only spiritual service that He approves? For this, we would like to give some concrete examples to provide further explanations: A Living Sacrifice (Accepting the Cross) is What Pleases God When Romans 12 mentions about the entire church serving through the use of gifts, the first verse says, “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Here, it says that if we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, this is a spiritual act that is pleasing to God. What is a living sacrifice? In the Old Testament time, sheep and oxen were offered as sacrifices. This signifies that Christ offered Himself up as a sacrifice to God for His pleasure. In terms of spiritual experience, it implies putting our own selves in the position of the cross. On the other hand, when referring to the physical body, I, as an individual, am still a living being. That is why we call ourselves living sacrifices. This service is pleasing to God, and such service is considered a reasonable act. Furthermore, it says that we must exercise our gifts according to the level of our faith. If it is serving, let one serve with all his heart; if it is teaching, let one teach with all his heart; if it is encouraging…..and so on, one ministry after another. However, the first and foremost requirement is to be a living sacrifice. Being a living sacrifice must come first before the exercise of gifts. In other words, ministry that undergoes the dealing of the cross is the order prescribed by God. In terms of the Old Testament symbolism, after the judgment of the flood was over and the new heaven and new earth appeared, the first thing Noah did after he came out of the ark was to build an altar and offered sacrifices. The Bible especially records, “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in His heart, ‘Never again will I curse the ground because of man…’” (Genesis 8:21) From the fact that Noah built an altar and offer sacrifices pleasing to God, we are reminded that we have to first undergo the cross before we can come out to minister. True enough, there is pain in accepting the cross; nevertheless, for every pain that we go through, God is pleased; for every loss that we suffer, God is pleased; for every decrease in our “self-life”, God is pleased. The song goes, Thou hast made Thyself more precious Than all else to me In the place of what Thou takest Thou dost give Thyself to me. In the Second Forty Years of His Life, Moses Experienced the Cross, While in the Third Forty Years, God Commended His Ministry as “Faithful” Moses was no exception. During the first forty years of his life in Egypt’s palace, he was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, whether military, politics, economics…...he proved himself to be exemplary in both literature and military skills. He felt that he can now lead and rule over God’s people. Little did he know that when he came out to serve the people, he was met with rejection, and was later forced to flee to the Desert of Midian for forty years. Thanks be to God, in the second forty years of his life in the desert, he continually accepted the cross. I believe if someone would ask Moses what he had learned and what he had done during the forty years of his life in the desert, he would certainly say, “I learned one lesson, and it is called the cross.” Oh, during his forty years in the desert, no one remembered him. Gone were his throne, his methods, and his strength… After forty years of dealings by the cross, God’s calling finally came to him. God called him saying, “Moses, Moses, I will send you to Egypt to lead my people out.” Moses said, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? I am slow of speech and tongue.” Forty years ago, he was powerful in speech and action. (Acts 7:22) Now, forty years later, he became slow of speech and tongue. This is the tearing work of the cross, in order to do away with man’s eloquence, knowledge, ability, methods, and strength, prompting Moses to acknowledge that he is naught. The cross takes man to the position of nothingness. What is real ministry training? Training is not something that turns you into someone capable of doing all things. How about preaching the gospel? I can do it. Visitation? I can also do it. I can even edify the saints. My Bible reading is full of light. I can preach with style..…all these are simply not. Training is about accepting the work of the cross; just like Moses, who was led by the Lord through the second stage of forty years of his life. He was completely struck down by the Lord, and was made to admit that he was nothing. After Moses went through the work of the cross, God led him through the third forty years, whereby he was sent to lead His people out of Egypt. Indeed, Moses went in obedience to the command of the Lord, and led the people to come out of Egypt. Through forty long years in the wilderness, the journey was indeed rough and difficult. How was Moses able to lead the two to three million Israelites? The Bible records the rebellion of the people for ten times. If Moses had not undergone the forty years of life in the Desert of Midian, he might either roll up his sleeves and beat these people up, or he might just walk out and leave them alone. Thank the Lord! Forty years of going through the cross had made Moses fall facedown before the Lord through each adversity. The outcome of such ministering prompted God to commend Moses in Hebrews 3:2 saying, “He was faithful in all God’s house.” May the Lord have mercy on us, so that we may learn to accept the tearing work of the cross each day and allow our ministry to be pleasing to Him. Aaron’s Budding Staff May Serve How, then, can we distinguish and prove that going through the cross is a spiritual service pleasing to the Lord; while not going through the cross is fleshly service and does not favour the Lord? Aaron’s budding staff is the most obvious example. When Moses served as leader, his brother Aaron also served with him. During that time, a group of leaders disagreed with them by refusing to accept God’s order of hierarchy among His people. In this regard, the church ought to take special precaution because God has His order of hierarchy in all the affairs of the church. However, a group of leaders who were unsubmissive in their hearts attacked Moses and Aaron saying, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?” All noises imply that they had been fighting for positions. This is often the condition of the present-day churches all around the world. When the days of serving the Lord get longer, then fighting for position, power, and glory may result. When that group of people refused to accept the leading of Moses and Aaron, God told Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Place them in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony.” Amazingly, the next day, when Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony, he saw that only Aaron’s staff had sprouted, budded, blossomed, and produced almonds, while the others were dry. By this, God revealed that Aaron’s staff had resurrected and possessed life. The fact that God had vindicated Aaron’s staff proves that Aaron alone may serve, while the remaining eleven staffs represent men’s natural life, which had withered and had become desolate. Nevertheless, only one of the staffs went through one night (the cross), and finally sprouted and blossomed (resurrected). Having God preserve the budded staff of Aaron in the Ark clearly tells us that going through the cross is a spiritual service favoured by God. The Cross Produces a Life of Service and Makes Christ Increase Since we cannot serve God with our natural life, how then can a life of service be produced? Thank the Lord, John 12:24 says, “If a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it will produce many seeds.” The Lord Jesus spoke of Himself as a kernel of wheat. Saints are also kernels of wheat. However, if this kernel of wheat does not fall to the ground and die, it remains a single seed. Only when it falls to the ground and dies… which implies going through the cross… can it then produce many seeds, thus imparting life and allowing Christ to increase. Hence, in serving the Lord there is no other way apart from accepting the cross, because true service and true spiritual life are rendered only by way of the cross. In terms of experience, how do we allow this kernel of wheat to fall to the ground and, thereby, produce many seeds? Only through accepting the cross and dying to self will Christ be able to fill us. This is the law of life, as well as, God’s way of salvation. Therefore, we must cherish the cross, because the cross not only produces a life of service, at the same time, it allows Christ to increase. Early on, we read in John 15:2 which says, “… cuts off every branch… that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit…. prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Symbolically speaking, each believer is a branch. Whenever we preach the gospel, lead people to salvation, share in meetings, give provisions to people, then we are branches that bear fruit. When branches begin to bear fruit, the Lord will do His work of pruning (the cross) in us, so that we may bear more fruit (produce a life of service and allow Christ to increase). Just like grape cultivation that is currently very popular in Taiwan. Not only does the volume of grape production increase each year, the quality of the grapes improves as well. Why is this so? It is because plant specialists continually pay attention to improving its breed and quality year by year. Through continuous corrections and pruning, these plants bear fruits in abundance. From here, we could see that if we do not accept the cross, then we cannot produce a life of ministry. If there is no cross, then there is no way one can minister. The Bible tells us that Joseph was a branch that bore many fruits. He went through long periods of experiencing the cross. At home, he was hated and envied upon by his brothers; later in Egypt, he suffered many injustices and adversities. He experienced the cross. In the end, he became the governor, providing food so that all the people in the land may live. Learning to Serve in the Tearing Work of the Cross Every time we serve the Lord, we ought to examine our hearts. Have I been torn apart by the cross? One year may have gone by, and am I still unbroken and undisturbed? Two years have gone by, and am I still my old self? Or have I shown great changes? Today, it may be quite easy for us to serve in the Lord’s great love; indeed we need to serve in the great constraining love of the Lord, because love is the motivating power in serving Him. Nevertheless, it is equally important that we accept the pruning and tearing work of the cross so that Christ may increase in us. Therefore, we shall mention three more points to make us learn all the more diligently. Offer Our Bodies as Living Sacrifices, Fully Exercising Our Gifts Romans 12 mentions that when we serve, we must first offer our bodies as living sacrifices. Next, each must perform his respective function and exercise his gift. Therefore, every time we serve, always remember that we are a living sacrifice. Before a bull or a lamb becomes a burnt offering, it has to go through the process of killing, cutting into pieces, and then burning. Killing, cutting, and burning all signify the experiences of the cross. This is like encountering blows, pain, tearing up, losses, difficulty, shame, unfavourable circumstances, etc… yet we are still able to gladly accept them and remain enthusiastic in serving the Lord. Submit Under God’s Mighty Hand I Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” If God is gracious to you and me, He will certainly put us in the midst of difficult circumstances that will give us a hard time. During this time, we must rely on the Lord’s grace in order for us to submit ourselves under His mighty hand. Hence, whatever things that come to us are of God’s mighty hand because the Lord has established His throne and His kingdom rules over all. Any person, event, or thing that comes our way has passed through His mighty hand. Therefore, in the midst of adversities, we must not blame anything above or anyone below; instead, we must humble ourselves. This is what is meant by accepting the tearing work of the cross. The hymn says, Do you falter then, or, true to death, Just die on the cross in the way, Till the fulness of life from the Living One Is filling you day by day? The miracle that involved David killing the giant enemy Goliath is so well-known throughout the world. David did not only accomplish a great deed for the Israelites, his heroic courage has been highly admired and greatly respected by people all through the ages. However, with such a great character as David, we noticed that he too had learned the lessons of the cross in great depth. David was still a young lad when the prophet Samuel anointed him as king. Not only was he kept from reigning immediately as king, he was sent by God to the working field of the cross to enter into a much deeper experience of the cross. After David was anointed king, he was antagonized many times by King Saul’s pursuits and attacks; and he lived the life of a wanderer without any permanent place to stay. In this present time of the twentieth century, few people understand the sufferings of a wanderer. Thank the Lord! Yesterday the pumping station of the dams in Baguio City broke down and we were waterless. Brothers and sisters woke up early this morning to find no water coming out of their faucets. At noon, when they turned on the faucet again, there was still no water. Although we did not grumble out loud, yet we were beginning to feel irritated within. Why is there no water yet? We kept waiting until dusk, and still, not a drop came out. Although we did not speak out, but were we not grumbling within? The brothers and sisters from overseas were very polite. When I saw them I asked how they were doing. All of them replied, “We are fine. We are fine.” This is the acceptance of the cross. I hope it is not only in Baguio that we accept the cross, but that all through our lives we may accept the cross. David was assigned to a life of painful wandering. He knew deeply that this was the mighty hand of God. That was why when he wrote Psalm 39:9, he said, “I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for You are the One who has done this.” He neither complained about Saul’s unreasonable treatment against him nor did he resist Saul’s unreasonable intimidation toward him. He kept submitting himself under God’s mighty hand. No wonder he was enthroned as king. For us, although the lesson of the cross is so profound and extremely hard to learn, may the Lord be gracious to us so that we may altogether come to learn of it until we master it. Ministering by Grace Amidst Difficult Circumstances II Corinthians 4 mentions that we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. This “treasure” is Christ Himself. It is the Lord’s power of resurrection. He is the source of our provisions. Therefore, we can rely on this source of grace: though we are hard pressed on every side, we are not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Meaning, in whatever difficulties we are in, we have already overcome. Because by the grace of the Lord, through every difficult circumstance, we may accept the tearing work of the cross and continue to serve Him. May the Lord lead us and make us minister in the tearing work of the cross, which is pleasing to Him. <-- Back to "The Way of Ministry" Next Chapter -->

Bible Reading:              I Thessalonians 5:28 II Peter 3:18 Romans 4:4-6 II Corinthians 8:9 John 1:14 II Corinthians 12:9-10 Introduction Thank the Lord, this year His leading has allowed us to hold the first Overseas Special Conference. I sought and waited before the Lord as to what message He would like me to share in this conference. The Lord gave me a clear burden to speak about “The Way of Ministry.” The Lord Jesus Himself said in John 14:6, “I am the Way.” As far as the principle of ministry is concerned, Christ is our way. Nevertheless, in the actual ministry, have we really made Christ our way? In the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, practically every book mentions about the matter of ministering. In last year’s Conference, we had adopted the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles as background for our messages in regard to the way of ministry. Although the central points discussed in each of the messages were different, the nature of the contents, however, was one and the same, Christ Himself. For instance, the people in Southern China eat rice. Although a lot of Chinese eat rice by boiling them, some also eat them in the form of porridge, while others steam them and make them into rice cakes especially during occasions like New Year….… Regardless of the way they cook and eat them, they are all derived from rice. The same is true with our ministry to the Lord. Whether it is preaching the gospel, visiting the saints, edifying the saints, or building up the church, etc., we have but one way: Christ alone is our way, and He alone is our method. Our messages for this special conference are taken from the Epistles and the book of Revelation. Both the spiritual meaning and contents for our messages have been extracted from these books. With reference to the Way of Ministry as mentioned in the Epistles, the book of Revelation, the four Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles -- in which areas are they different from one another? Both the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles emphasize the universality of the testimony as well as the expansion of work, while the Epistles, beginning from the book of Romans to the book of Jude, including the book of Revelation, emphasize on how this testimony is to attain to the realm of fullness. Now we will be using the Epistles as background for our messages on how we can minister to the Lord so that the testimony may be established, and that the church may be built up. The importance of building up the church is so that God may work in us, and that we may be dealt with and be built up by God. Therefore, much attention will be given to the aspect concerning life, particularly to the inward workings of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, the expansion of work and the universality of the testimony emphasize mainly on the aspect concerning gifts, particularly to the outer workings of the Holy Spirit. Concerning the building up of life, most of the things mentioned in the Epistles are from Paul’s experiences in serving the Lord; because Paul’s ministry had attained to God’s standard, particularly in his later years, when he was about to bring to completion his commission, he said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (II Timothy 4:7) Hence, his ministry had served as model and example for all of God’s children throughout the ages. At the same time, most of the Epistles in the New Testament were written by the apostle Paul in accordance with the will of God. We cannot mention them book by book due to limited space, but we will simply sum them up by touching on the most essential points regarding how we should minister so that the testimony of the Body of Christ will be built up. The first message we would like to share is about Ministering in the Grace of the Lord. If we carefully read the Epistles written by Paul, we will discover that at the end of each Epistle, he usually writes the words, “May the Grace of the Lord Jesus be with you always.” Sometimes he used “goodness,” and other times “grace.” Although the Chinese translations may differ from case to case, nevertheless they all refer to grace. Because Paul often mentioned these words when concluding his Epistles, he had, in effect, pointed out the way of ministry, which is, ministering in the grace of the Lord. In other words, for every Christian to serve the Lord and to build up the church, he must do so in the grace of the Lord. Regarding how one can minister in the grace of the Lord, we will mention five important points:  What is Grace? Early on, we read in Romans 4:4, “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.” Just like among us, there are some sisters who work as school teachers. Suppose she was hired at a salary of P2,000 a month, as long as she reports for work and teaches her class at the designated time every day, when payday comes, she will surely be given P2,000 even without asking the school authorities because this is what she is entitled to receive. If the school pays her P200 less and she gets only P1,800, then she has all the right to demand whatever money is lacking because this is what she is supposed to get. Therefore when a man works, his wages are credited to him not as a gift, but as an obligation. God Did It for Me What, then, is grace? It is receiving freely without working for it. There are two explanations for grace. Outwardly speaking, it is God who is doing all the work for me, be it preaching the gospel, visiting believers, sharing in small group meetings, etc. Outwardly, it may seem that I am busy serving the Lord, but actually it is God who is doing all these for me. This is called grace. Brothers and sisters, in learning how to serve the Lord, we must know that God is doing everything for us. It is not I who can do anything, because any work done by me -- by my own strength, or by my wisdom and ways, is not counted as grace. Grace is God doing the work for me. We have young sisters among us who have just graduated from college and are now working as kindergarten teachers. We even have one who is a kindergarten supervisor. When a 4- or 5-year old child goes to kindergarten school, what does he do in class? Does he not merely eat, drink, and sing? These fun activities are even graded by the teacher. At the end of the semester when the report cards are given out, the child proudly shows it to his mother saying, “Mama, I did well in school.” His mother takes a look and indeed his grade shows a 99. O, the kindergarten student simply eats, drinks, plays, and sings, and gets a grade of 99. This is called grace. How incredible they think they were for getting a grade of 99 just by eating, drinking, playing, and singing, completely ignorant of the fact that the cookies they ate in school were prepared by the teacher; the milk they drank were mixed by the teacher; the singing, playing, and dancing were all taught by the teacher; and the children didn’t have to do anything at all. This is called grace. Thank the Lord! In serving the Lord, all is of grace. Everything is prepared by the Lord Himself for us. However, those who are ignorant and whose spiritual eyes are not yet opened tend to think that it was due to their efforts. You have to know that if the Lord takes back His Holy Spirit, no matter how busy you work from morning till night, you will still not be able to save a single soul. Christ as My Provision Within What is grace? Outwardly speaking, God is doing the work for me. Inwardly speaking, Christ is my provision. Jesus Christ is my source of provision within. The Gospel of John 1:14 says , “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us… full of grace and truth.” Here, it tells us that Jesus was the Word who took on flesh and came to the world to bring us abundant grace from God. Hence, when we believe in Jesus, the Word who became flesh, He also dwells in you and me. He provides for all our needs, so that we may experience Him. Christ, who is in you and me, becomes the source of provision. This is grace. Hence, Madam Guyon once wrote a song that goes, “Christ could have been born in Bethlehem for a thousand times, but if He does not live within your heart, salvation remains unaccomplished.” I remember the time when I was ministering in the southern region of the Philippines more than ten years ago. One day, I saw a store sign on the street that says “XX Father and Son Company.” It was a company put up as a partnership between a father and his son. I felt quite amazed because in Taiwan, I have never seen such kind of name. I found out later that this has to do with a father who made so much money from business that he wanted to hand down the inheritance to his son. So he put up a father-and-son joint venture corporation, with the son as the general manager and the father as chairman of the board. I immediately related my thoughts to the present time wherein Jesus and we (all the saints) have also entered into a father-and-son joint venture corporation to serve God together. Thank the Lord! The inheritance of our physical father is that of a limited corporation, but the inheritance of God, our Father in heaven, is an unlimited corporation because God’s riches are immeasurable. I believe the father-and-son corporation in the south certainly involved an enormous capital. As the general manager, the son takes charge of the business. It does not matter if he makes money or not. Even if he loses a million pesos, the father, who is a multi-millionaire, will certainly pay for his son’s losses. However, if he earns money, then that is even better. Since the father is a rich tycoon, he can provide for his son’s needs without limit. The son needs only to put his best into the business. The father does not care if the business loses money, as long as his son learns the skills of doing business. Let us take a look at the son, from the time he emerges from his mother’s womb to the time he is grown up, his father has been earning money to nurture him, to bring him up until he becomes an adult. Furthermore, his father provides him with abundant capital to start the business. The son inherits all these from his father; therefore the father is the son’s source of provision. This practical example illustrates how Christians minister in grace, which means that we are in partnership with the Lord. We work as general managers and the Lord’s boundless grace is our source of provision. Therefore in our lifetime, the first and foremost thing we have to acknowledge is that, the Lord is our source of provision in order that we may serve Him all our lives. It is by Grace that Believers are Saved, become Victorious and Grow Today, many Christians have the misconception that after a person gets saved, he simply waits to go to heaven. He is ignorant of the fact that after he is saved, he needs to continue his pursuit for spiritual growth and learn to serve the Lord. Being saved by faith is but just an entry point. Saved by Grace Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Here it tells us that we are saved through faith, not by works. Is not this so? Has anyone among us who believed in Jesus ever purchased his rebirth with money or obtained salvation by works? No, not one. We are saved through faith. Any Christian, regardless of how great his sins may be, as long as he believes in the Lord, will be forgiven. As long as he believes, he will receive salvation. Since we have all experienced God’s gift of salvation, I need not mention it again. Victory by Grace In II Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul mentioned a thorn in his flesh that caused him much suffering. Three times he pleaded with the Lord to take this thorn away from him. In the Bible, the number “three” speaks of an important juncture, just like the Lord Jesus who prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane. When Paul pleaded three times with the Lord to take away this thorn in his flesh, the Lord answered him, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (v.9) Here it tells us about a spiritual principle, and that is, Christians gain victory by grace. No wonder Paul went on to say, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.” Formerly, these troubles were overwhelming, but now they have become my delight. Because the Lord’s grace is sufficient for me, by grace I am able to transcend and live a victorious life. Several years ago, I was able to visit the great city of New York for the first time. A brother took me to see the World Trade Center. It was a tall, majestic, and steadfast building whose top reached to the skies — a 110-storey skyscraper. We lined up with the crowd and took the elevator. It was not long before we got to the top floor of this tall building. As I stood on top of this gigantic building and viewed the entire great city of New York, I was amazed at the greatness of its architect. What amazed me more was the daily crowd of people who go up and down uninterruptedly to view and admire this huge structure, without even one of them taking the stairs from the ground floor all the way to the top. Brothers and sisters, I believe if someone would climb up ten flights of stairs, he will surely be out of breath. If he would climb fifty flights of stairs, I am sure he would be wailing out loud. But today, there are many Christians who rely on their own determination to live a victorious spiritual life. No wonder they get tired of being Christians and they no longer want to serve the Lord. Why is that? Because they feel that it is too much trouble for them. They are the ones who rely on their own efforts to climb up the skyscraper on foot, completely ignorant of the Lord’s grace that abundantly provides for them.  The Lord had accomplished everything for us, and all we have to do is to take the elevator to get to our destination. From this, we could see that it is neither by gritting our teeth nor by clenching our fists in sheer determination that we overcome sin, the world, and the flesh, but entirely in the grace of the Lord by which we gain victory. Growth by Grace Spiritual growth is not an exception. II Peter 3:18 says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Paul also said, “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (II Timothy 2:1) These tell us that it is not by law nor by one’s own self, but rather by grace that one gets to become a Christian. By grace, one is victorious, and by grace, one grows. Most of the Chinese homes in the Philippines have maids. Some girls as young as 12 or 13 years old were hired as house helpers at a monthly rate of 400 to 500 pesos. All that the maid does is work hard and be fed. With the passing of time, she grew up from a 12 or 13- year old to an 18 or 19- year old adult. All throughout this period, she gets paid while working, at the same time she also grows up from being fed. This, however, is not considered grace. Such is not the case with children. The moment they came out of their mother’s womb, they were nurtured. From age 1 to 2, then to 10, and all the way until they reach 20 and become adults, all the food, clothing, shelter, and the things they need, had been provided by their parents. Growing up in such a way is called growing up in grace. Up to this point, we cannot help but praise the Lord with a loud voice because we all grew up in grace. It is the grace of Christ that causes us to be saved, to overcome, and to grow. Hallelujah, what a grace! What a blessing! Serving by Grace to Fulfill Our Ministry God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt for the purpose of serving Him in the wilderness. We who are redeemed by the Lord, likewise, have a divine commission, which is, to serve the Lord. But how do we fulfill our commission of serving the Lord? We must know that it is absolutely by grace that we can fulfill such a commission and entrustment. This is something very important which we must bear in mind. If everyone ministers by grace, we will certainly see the great blessings of the Lord. Last year, we mobilized the entire body of the church into ministry, and all the saints responded in one accord. Some assumed the burden of visitation, while others assumed the burden of preaching the gospel..…. Because of God’s mercy, over the last three years, more than a thousand people were baptized. This is the Lord’s blessing. However, there were some who, after a month or two of visitation ministry, grew tired and stopped doing visitations; while others, though putting pressure on themselves to keep going, had eventually lost their momentum because they did not know that they should rely on the grace of the Lord to fulfill their commission and entrustment. Because of this, we would like to mention two points. Serving by Grace will Enable Us to Overcome Weaknesses The Lord’s leading in each one of us is to bring us to the point of admitting our own weaknesses. A person who possesses spiritual fervor, or who has gifts, or who relies on his own fleshly nature to do things, will never admit his failures. He is unaware that his gifts were given by God. Hence, the Lord has to lead him to a condition of weakness and allow him to fail repeatedly, so that in the end, he cannot but admit that he is truly helpless. Right at that moment, the Lord will give you and I sufficient grace to undergo a spiritual turnaround, so that we may turn from relying on our fleshly nature to relying on His grace. The thorn in the Apostle Paul’s flesh made him aware of his own weaknesses. It also made him wonder how he could fulfill the ministry and accomplish the commission given him. But the Lord answered him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul then understood that God’s good will was to lead him into experiencing weaknesses so that he may yield himself completely to Him, so that he could no longer make resolutions on his own but totally surrender himself to the Lord. Immediately, he experienced the Lord’s grace and strength resting upon him. Hence he went on to say, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (II Cor. 12:10) I remember many years ago on the day just before the summer conference, I suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous; my stomach ached so much and I had diarrhea. At that moment I prayed to the Lord, “Lord, have mercy on me! I will be taking a long ride up the mountain early tomorrow morning to speak at the conference.” Halfway through my prayer, I vomited again until there was nothing left to vomit, and I felt even dizzier. I was completely drained of energy to vomit. I was not even able to go back to my bed to rest. Suddenly, the verse from II Corinthians 12:9 surfaced, “My grace is sufficient for you.” I placed my hand over my forehead, not only was I feeling dizzy, I also had a slight fever. However, the word of the Lord is powerful. The following morning at six, by the Lord’s grace, I was able to take the bus to Baguio. Halfway through the journey, I felt a lot better. When we arrived at Baguio, I was totally healed. Not only was I able to stand at the pulpit to preach, I was able to fulfill my ministry in a much better way than before. May glory be to God who bestows all grace! Although each person’s encounters and experiences are unique, God eventually uses difficulties to force you to a point where you want to let out a long sigh and no longer feel like serving Him. However in the midst of sufferings, persecutions, and hardships (as though you have come to a dead end), His grace suddenly comes on you and me to enable us to undergo a spiritual turnaround, so that we may serve Him by grace. Every time you feel like you are unable to continue serving Him, that is, when the Lord is leading you to the end of the road, right at that moment, you praise Him by faith saying, “Lord, I rejoice for you have brought me to this dead end, I know that now is the time to serve you by grace, now is the time to fulfill my ministry.” Serving by Grace will Enable Us to Overcome All Difficulties “Weakness” is internal while “difficulties” are external. Yet, we all need grace to continue serving. The Apostle Paul told us in II Corinthians 8, “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy……” “Most severe trial” refers to the condition of being in desperate straits with no way out. In terms of experience, while ministering together with others, you’ve probably met some brothers and sisters who were not of one mind with you. Opinions differ and disputes prevail – such that you are unsure of whether to advance or retreat and you are unable to decide on which is right. Thank the Lord! Our church in Manila has been kept by the Lord. Everybody worked together in one accord in expanding the church. Some offered money, while others, time….. It was indeed very well-coordinated. However, all of us must be ready for possible difficulties ahead. As we work together in the ministry, if, and when, our opinions are locked in a stalemate, let us remember the grace given to the Macedonian churches, in that they had overflowing joy amidst their most severe trial. From the example stated above, we see once again that grace enables us to overcome difficulties. There is a hymn that goes like this: The cross that He gave may be heavy, but it never outweighs His grace… I am satisfied to know that with Jesus here below, I can conquer every foe. This is like ship in the vast ocean; when the tide recedes, the ship gets stuck in shallow waters and cannot move. But when the tide rises, it buoys up the ship and allows it to flow back on the water, and no boulder in the ocean is able to deter it. Hence, it gets to move forward freely. This is also true in the pathway of serving the Lord. Just like the ship which advances with the rising tide, we too are able to serve the Lord by His grace. If you and I do not rely on the grace of the Lord, then it will be difficult for us to move forward even one single step along this pathway of ministry. In Paul’s experiences of serving the Lord, he said this of himself, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them --- yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (I Corinthians 15:9-10) This clearly tells us that indeed all the apostles worked very hard, nevertheless Paul worked harder than all of them. “Yet not I (Paul), but the grace of God that was with me.” When it comes to the sufferings Paul had gone through in II Corinthians 11, we cannot bear to read on. He said, “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold… ” However, he said, “Yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” Paul was a true model of someone who served by the Lord’s grace. May the Lord be gracious to us and lead us into learning to serve by His grace as we fulfill His commission to us. The Principle of Serving by Grace --- Allowing Others to Gain Through Our Nothingness Look at what Paul said about the principle of ministering by grace in II Corinthians 8:9. He said, “..…the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” It says here that Jesus Christ is an abundant God. All the fullness of God dwells in bodily form in Christ. (Colossians 1:19) He is the treasury of riches without limit. However, when he came in the flesh to this world for our sakes, He was born in a small, crude, and lowly manger. Since childhood, He was brought up in a carpenter’s home in Nazareth. For 33 years, not only was he deprived of a comfortable and luxurious life, He was even humiliated and despised, mocked and rejected… for our sakes. This speaks of the grace of Jesus Christ. He became poor so that we may become rich. Here it shows us the principle of serving in grace, which is, through our nothingness, we enable others to gain all. Therefore in our ministry, if we stand in the position of having nothing, if we stand in the position of being poor, and if we look at ourselves as nothing, having nothing, and capable of doing nothing, as a result, others will be able to gain all. In simple terms, we enable others to gain all through our being nothing. This is the principle of grace. The moment we think that we have, then others will not gain any help from us; because the principle of grace is that you must stand forever in the position of nought, so that the Lord may manifest His all. The apostle Paul in Philippians 2:5-8 concretely mentioned how Jesus stood on the principle of grace. First, it mentions, that Jesus who was equal in glory with God, did not hold on to such equality, but made Himself nothing, meaning, He regarded Himself as totally nought. Furthermore, He willingly humbled Himself, taking the very nature of a servant. Not only that, He stood in the position of a sinner and submitted Himself unto death. O! Death means there is nothing left. Because this kernel of wheat had fallen to the ground and died, it produced many seeds, thus imparting boundless life to all. From here, we could see that as we minister, we must ask for the Lord’s mercy and grace so that we may learn to keep standing in the position of nought. Sometimes when I encourage brothers and sisters to share a few words in the meetings, they declined by saying they have nothing to share. I said, “Hallelujah! This is good.” If you have nothing, then the Lord will have His way. If you think that you have something, I would rather that you do not share. Because the principle of grace is that through our nothingness, others may gain everything. This is one who has full understanding of the way of ministry. The moment you think that you already have, then you have already fallen out of grace. We have to forever stand in the position of nought because that was also the first step that Jesus took: He humbled Himself and came to dwell among us, full of grace and truth. The second step was He emptied Himself so that others may receive provision. Jesus poured out His life, he shed His blood on the cross. The result is that we may have eternal life and have it more abundantly. Through emptying Himself of everything, He enabled us to richly gain all things. This is the grace of Jesus Christ. Not one of us is an exception. If we always see ourselves as nothing while relying on His grace to minister, we will discover that through us, many people will gain help and provision. After the People Power Revolution in February last year, Mrs. Aquino took office as president of the Philippines. Upon hearing this news, countries all over the world were concerned about her policy of running the nation. A reporter from Taiwan once interviewed the lady president, “Being the newly elected president, may I ask who had influenced you the most?” In return she asked the reporter, “Who do you suppose it was?” The reporter replied, “I guess it had to be Cardinal Sin.” She said, “No.” “Then who was it?” She said, “Someone you will never expect -- a Catholic nun by the name of Christine Tan.” She came from a well-known wealthy family and grew up in comfort and luxury. After her father died and left her a vast inheritance, she sold everything and distributed them to the poor in the slums. From then on, she stayed and suffered with the poor. Before Mrs. Aquino was elected president, the two had maintained close contact with each other. Because she sold off all her possessions and had given up her dignity, this had deeply moved and influenced the president. Hence, Mrs. Aquino has willed that in the future, if ever she will be elected president, she will look after the needy. When ministering, whether or not we can impart life and allow people to obtain help, it has nothing to do with our gifts. Christians nowadays give so much importance to eloquence. As long as they can collect testimonies, stories, and illustrations that sound interesting, then match them with Biblical truths to form a piece of sermon, they can go anywhere to speak. In our case, we do not take the pathway of gifts but rather, the pathway of life. We impart life and Christ to others. Our pathway is based on the principle of grace, and on how we impart life to people. We stand firm on the principle of grace, and constantly put ourselves in the position of nought, so that through our nothingness we enable people to gain all, to gain everything. Learning to Minister in the Grace of the Lord Since serving in the grace of the Lord is so important, how then, in the practical aspect, do we enter into serving in the grace of the Lord? Entering into the Ministry of Grace by Faith Romans 5:2 tells us, “We have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” Here, it clearly tells us that first of all, it is “by faith” that we can receive grace from the Lord. I believe no one here is not capable of doing this. Is it not so? If we have to pay a price, who then can serve? Hallelujah! It is by faith that we enter into the grace of the Lord, and as long as we do not stay out of grace, then everything will be fine. However, the moment we have doubts about the Lord and our faith wavers, we immediately stay out of the Lord’s grace. Therefore “faith” serves as the most basic requirement. Let us take a look at the Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness. The Lord had given them sufficient grace. Nonetheless from beginning till end, they harboured a sinful, unbelieving heart. Hence, they missed out on the Lord’s grace and were not able to enter into rest. (Hebrews 3:17-19) True, they were living under the law at that time, nevertheless the principle of grace was no different.  The principle of grace existed even before the laws were given. By faith Abraham received grace and was justified freely. After him, all of us became the descendants of faith. Like him, we also enter into grace by faith and receive the Lord’s grace by faith.  A Ministry that Boasts of One’s Weaknesses In Paul’s ministry throughout his life, we observe one special quality, and that is, him boasting about his weaknesses. How I wish all of us will boast about our weaknesses because whenever we acknowledge our weaknesses, grace not only flows unceasingly to us, we also receive grace from the Lord in the midst of our weaknesses. In the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah, whom God had greatly used, was a warrior of faith. His first training in the lessons of faith occurred in the Kerith Ravine. Day by day God sent ravens to feed him with bread until the waters in Kerith Ravine dried up. The Word of the Lord came to him again saying, “Go at once to Zarepath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” He obeyed the Word of the Lord and went there. The widow of Zarepath was exceedingly poor. It turned out that Elijah was the one who sustained her life. After a long time of training in faith, Elijah’s faith grew. Then God sent him to Mt. Carmel to battle the prophets of Baal. By faith he prayed for fire, and fire fell down from heaven on the altar. Nevertheless, to one’s surprise, after having experienced such great victory in faith, he succumbed to the intimidating statements from the queen and became completely discouraged. Subsequently, he fled from Mt. Carmel to the desert to pray for death under a broom tree. Elijah’s prayer for death under a broom tree speaks of his faith that had weakened. Not only that, “he lay under the broom tree and fell asleep.” (I Kings 19:5) Symbolically speaking, “sleep” implies the end of the natural life. During this time, an angel prepared a jar of water and a cake of bread baked over hot coals, then he woke him up and told him to get up and eat. After he ate and drank, he went back to sleep. The angel came back the second time, touched him and told him to get up again and eat and drink, then he told him, “The journey is too much for you.” Strengthened by the food, he travelled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. Thereafter, he anointed Hazael as king of Aram, and Jehu as king over Israel. He also anointed Elisha to be the man who will succeed him as prophet. From this example in the Bible, we repeatedly see that when the natural man is being led by God to the point of weakness, God’s grace will then come and enable us to serve and fulfill our ministry by grace. A Ministry that Relies on Christ as Life Colossians 3:4 says, “Christ, who is your life.” How do we experience Christ as our life? By learning to abide in Christ and allowing Christ to abide in us. To put this to practice, we need to live a life of more praying and drawing near to the Lord. Better still if we could receive revelation from the Holy Spirit so we can see that it is not I, but Christ who lives in me. We must let Christ be our life, our wisdom, our righteousness, our holiness, our redemption, and our all…… for Him to lead us and to teach us. Humbly Looking to the Lord to Give More   Grace James 4:6 says, “But He gives us more grace.” Meaning, all of God’s riches and grace are to be given to us. However, the words that follow this verse serve as warning to us: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Hence, we must all learn to humble ourselves, come before the Lord and look up to Him saying, “Lord, I need more of Your grace.” This was also Paul’s experience. After he met the Lord on his way to Damascus, throughout his life he never disobeyed the vision that came from heaven. He was constantly controlled by the vision of Christ, until the last years of his life just before he departed from the world, he wrote a letter to Timothy saying, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners --- of whom I am the worst.” (I Timothy 1:15) Here it tells us that from the time Paul got saved until the time he departed from the world, he continually stood in the position of being the worst among sinners; he admitted his unworthiness to serve the Lord. Because he never departed from the position of self-humility, he received the greatest grace, and thus accomplished the commission that the Lord had entrusted him. May the Lord bless His words and lead us to enter into the reality of serving Him in His grace until He returns. <-- Back to "The Way of Ministry" Next Chapter -->