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Monday, January 25, 2016

Daniel the praying man, determined prayer by Pastor Kim Yong Doo

God’s word always has two sides. There is paradoxical grace within the Word of God and the will of God. In other words, although we may have to go through tests, suffering and difficulties, there is God’s will which He desires to teach you. We call this a paradox. Even though there may be tests waiting for us, but within the tests, there will be the will of God which we will need to find. There will be mercy within the suffering and also God’s wrath . When suffering, tests, and tribulation come our way, do not just look at itself but you must remember how God desires to lead us through the suffering, tests, and tribulation. God’s guidance is in the difficult situations. There are times we need to pray for a long period in order to find out the will of God. But also, there are many times that we need to face the certain situation and actually go through it to find out the will of God . We need to pray a lot and at the same time, we need to go into the reality. When you are fired at a job due to your mistake and wrong doings, do not say to yourself, “God does not want me to work.” In order to be recognized by any type of organization whether it is your workplace or the church, you need to learn on how to admit your fault, wrongs and mistakes.
God desires to speak to us through two ways, Logos and Rhema. There are times when God desires to speak to us through the way of Rhema. God desires to teach His feeling, impression, and will. But there are many people who knows a lot of word and theory but they are weak when it comes to the spiritual senses. Many people say the days of the holy gifts and direct revelation had ended. The church of Rhema manifests the holy gifts, revelation, glory and power. Logos and Rhema must work together for the good of the church. The churches need a healthy Rhema.
Daniel and his friends had prayed since they were teenagers with a united will and mind. In Daniel chapter 1:8 “But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.” (다니엘은 뜻을 정하여 왕의 진미와 그의 마시는 포도주로 자기를 더럽히지 아니하리라 하고 자기를 더럽히지 않게 하기를 환관장에게 구하니)
Daniel and his three friends were determined not to be defiled. They knew the food were offered to Idols. They had refused. Daniel and his friends were favored by God. If we want to be favored by God, what would be the our motive? There are conditions. There are things in which God will do and we need to do. What do we need to do? We need to keep our faith, virtue, keep away from drinking, smoking and other things of flesh. Also, we need to continuously pray and live by unshakable faith. If we fulfill the conditions, God will favor you. The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. He is still looking for those who are fully committed to him. The Lord hovers around to find the people who will carry out His will according to His desires.
Then God found someone who prays. This person has lost his nation. He was dragged as a captive. Daniel’s situation looked hopeless. But Daniel and his friends prayed. They were determined to pray. Praying becomes a habit to them. Daniel prayed for the restoration for his nation. Israel was forsaken because they were prideful and when they became prideful, they went over the line and had sinned. When they had sinned, God brought judgement and struck them. Through other nations God disciplined Israel. Through the pain and suffering, Israel repents. When they repented, God had restored them. Pride, sin, punishment, repentance and restoration, this was Israel’s vicious cycle. God is trying to properly raise His children but His children do not listen. His children have a strong self will and therefore they want to do according to what they desire.
Daniel was not a person who already had his spiritual eyes opened but when he continuously prayed, his spiritual territory was gradually expanded . There are many things we need to wait for as we wait for a long period of time.  As we pray and wait, we come to know God’s will. When Daniel had prayed, at first, he did not know how the answer of God will manifest. But as he continuously prayed, the answer of God began to manifest. When it comes to God’s power and prayers being answered, we need to fulfill conditions and pray. The person who fulfills the condition of prayer will receive prayers answered, power, and favor. You will be granted and come to know a greater power from God as you face greater tests. Do you have a problem? Pray!
“God! I have such and such a problem! But I know that you are much greater than those problem, so I will pray even more powerfully!!”
Then God will come and destroy those problems. When difficult circumstances are created in your lives, God desires us to be determined and powerfully pray as we proclaim with positive words staying innocent and pure!  Ever since Daniel began praying, something was forming. God allowed Daniel to know His revelation of the spirit and God spoke about the last days to Daniel. Because Daniel was a praying person, he even advised on many things to the king Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was amazed and proclaimed that Daniel was very wise and there is no one like him. Through praying christians, God will grant wisdom, knowledge, revelation, and interprets dreams.
In order for our mental and physical statuses to be restored, our spiritual status need to be restored first. But in most cases, christians live soulish lives. Because many live soulish and carnal lives, these people do not know what kind of spiritual condition they are in. In order for us to obtain the promises of God, we need to pray. Then God will work and manifest. God’s unlimited riches can be ours if we pray. To the people who prays, God will entrust some kind of a role. There are many churches in the world, but the people of the holy fire ministry is called to spread the fire all throughout the world in the last days. People who prays and properly believe in Jesus can change the future and policy of their nation. Before the future and the policies of a nation can be changed, we must repent first. Most of the times, the common christians do not like praying. Even pastors do not like praying. Many churches are not praying. The church that does not pray is not the church anymore. This means, christians who do not pray may not be considered a christian anymore. Christians are not to gather just to do a meditating type of prayer. You need to make yourselves to enjoy praying. Yes, it is difficult to enjoy praying initially, but as you pray more, the more you will know that praying is very important.
As Daniel continuously prayed, he began to see the spiritual territory. Then he realized that there is a pathway to spiritual realm. A pathway to the spiritual is through the consciousness. What are you conscious about as you live your daily lives. Through consciousness we can contact the spiritual realm and we may receive the energy from the spiritual realm. Through consciousness, the spirits come to us as well. If you are conscious about praying and determined to pray, the Holy Spirit who is also the spirit of prayer will come and make a spiritual pathway. What is the common pathway that forms consciousness? It is when you look with your eyes, hear with your ears, speak words coming from your mouth. Depending on what you see, hear, and speak, you need to really be careful not to complain, grumble and speak many negative, twisting, and  piercing words. These things can be energy that will tempt and delude you. These things can provoke your thinking and shake you. It will be great if we are all provoked by the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God. But people do things without consciousness and thinking. When people turn on the television without thinking and watch sexually lustful scene, then the pathway of the lustful evil spirits will be formed . If we look at things in which we are not suppose o, then the evil spirits can boldly come into our bodies. These evil spirits will seize the person’s soul and mind. When a person’s soul and mind is seized, the body will be seized as well. The result of the person will be living a life of “I don’t care, I will live as I wish.” And when this person dies, that will be the end of it, they will go to hell.
If we are not careful of what we see, hear, and speak, the evil energy will take away our energy of faith. In the spiritual realm, what you think and feel will be the spiritual substance. You need to choose. When we are negatively affected, we will feel the negative spiritual energy. In fact the feeling of it is very vivid and persistent . Then we need to know that the evil spirits are presently attacking us. When this happens, you need to perform the warfare prayer and cast it out. The words you speak through your mouth will become energy, power, and faith. So when you pray as you proclaim, the Lord will work and manifest for you. When you feel some kind of evil spiritual energy from the spiritual realm, if you do not cast it out, you will suffer the consequences. When you like some particular thing, you will ideally receive or accept it. When this happens, without one realizing, one’s spiritual territory will be determined. This could determine your lifetime destiny. We need to possess the power of the Holy Spirit because the power of the Holy Spirit can change our destiny and lives.
We need to discern if what we feel, experience or encounter is from the territory of hell. Our spirit and soul can become strong, weak, and sensitive. When the power of your spirit and soul becomes weak and when you are lacking in the word of God and prayer and if you are exposed to the filthy spirits, you can be changed negatively in an instant. Therefore, you need to be really careful of what you see, hear, and speak. We are spiritual beings. Whether you feel it or not, whether you realize it or not, you are surrounded by spiritual circumstances and spiritual beings. This world is the spiritual battle field. Among all the battles, the battle in our soul and mind is the most fierce. Once your soulish area such as the mental area is seized, the body will be seized as well. Once the body is totally seized, that person can be easily led to commit suicide. But because the Lord came and died on the cross, we now have hope of eternity.
Even though all the christians are placed in the spiritual battle field, so many of them do not know that they are in the spiritual battle field. Attending a church is not the end of it. We have been granted the ability to create the destiny of our faith within our daily lives. A newly created destiny can be made through our fervent prayers. There are all kind of blessings within your fervent prayer such as in finances, material things, marriage and so on.
When it comes to praying, sometimes it may feel easy or it may feel difficult. Everyone desire to possess faith. Most of the people believe that they possess faith. Normally people think their prayer is going well and they are a person of prayer. But in the eyes of God, there is faith that God approves or recognizes and there is a faith that we believe is faith. One’s belief of faith comes from one’s carnal mind and stays within one’s mental area. But genuine faith is when you focus your prayers on your spiritual areas. This will be considered real prayer and real faith. Faith and prayer will give us a different point of view in our lives.

In the book of Hebrews and chapter 11, talks about the faith that pleases God. Hebrews 11:6 (AMP) 6 But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

Determined Prayer

When Daniel first prayed, I don’t think he prayed to have his spiritual eyes opened. He had began a prayer life since his youth. As he continued to prayed, his prayer went deeper and his prayer soared higher as the time passed. As he continuously prayed, the territory of his prayer had become larger. When we continue to pray, our thinking process will be changed as we are graciously blessed through our prayer. Through prayer, our bodies, words, and spirit will enter into God’s grace. When this happens, we will continuously spiritually change.

When I was in the basement church, God once spoke to me. “In the future, you will encounter days where you will be very busy, and therefore, you will not even have a day to rest.”

But in reality, my family and I were living under the basement of a building. I was was thinking, “Well...it does not look as those such days will come..”

I had thought in such a way because when I looked at myself and the circumstances, there was no way I could have possibly thought I could be used in such a way. But later on, the more I prayed, I had realized that I had trapped God’s work and power within my thinking. When I prayed, my heart became peaceful and the worries disappeared. When I don’t pray, worries and my own thinking attacks me but when I prayed those things disappeared. I was a spiritual battle within myself. I had a friend who is also a pastor. We both prayed a lot. We were like competing. But the one who did not use too much of their brain or thoughts won. You have to put all yourselves into prayer. The more we pray and through our prayer, our soulish and carnal areas will be sorted out. Although many christians confess that they have faith to carry out their prayer lives, most of them are carrying out their faith lives in the midst of carnal circumstances . Most of them are performing carnal prayer. Carnal prayer does not head toward the spiritual. Until we enter deep spiritual prayer, we will have to go through fierce battles of mind, spiritual and flesh. We need to fiercely fight with ourselves. But when your prayer lives become weak and the quantity of your prayer time decreases, other things will begin to fill your heart. Whatever you see will fill your heart. Whatever you think will fill your hearts. Whenever you meet certain types of people, their words will influence you and settle in your heart. If anyone hurts you, that hurt will easily settle in your heart. When you meet someone, you will need to know how to create the spiritual atmosphere. If you are not able too then you have to know how to cut it off certain people and places. You have a life in society and you need to work (job) as well. Then you need to build the wall of faith as you pray and need to know what areas you need to be cautious.

Before God desires to give us some type of grace, He would make us pray a lot. Praying is not easy for a person who just begins to pray. When it comes to the Word of God, we would think about applying it but when we say, “No, no.. I think that’s too difficult”, we are the one who actually blocks the Word of God to come into our hearts. When our thinking, faith and prayer is uncertain, and when we have a difficult time making a decision, then we will never enter into the realm of God’s power.

Depending on your current condition, God will make a new plan for you. God will say according to your attitude, “I understand your situation but I see that you have come to realization. Although you used to speak negative words now I see that you are only speaking the word of thanksgiving. You wanted to curse but now, you keep your mouth shut and shout Hallelujah” God sees all our words, thoughts and actions.

Proverbs 16 (EXB) People may make plans in their minds [hearts], but only the Lord can make them come true [ from the Lord comes a responding tongue].

God will see the our fruit of words. Speak these words. “Thank you! God bless you, I can do it and hallelujah!”

Even if you made many mistakes and troubles, if you only try and devote yourself to the Lord with joy, God will pleasingly receive you. The difference between a person who is thoroughly trained and a person who is roughly trained will be distinguished when a war breaks out. Whatever areas you are prideful, God will fail you in those areas.

Sometimes, you need to do as you have learned, but sometimes you need to adjust your action according to each situation. Your faith needs to be precise. Your prayer must be solid. If your spiritual skills are not properly equipped, when you encounter crisis, you will panic and be frustrated.

Daniel prayed and fasted for three weeks. When tests, suffering and problems occur, the genuine faith of a person’s faith will be revealed.

The Angel Gabriel came and spoke to him. Arch Angel said, “When you had prayed, the crisis came”

When we pray, instead of power being poured upon us, crisis come first. The more you continue to pray, the more you will receive power. The more you pray your spirituality will be opened and the forces of darkness will come and try to hinder you. When you continuously head toward the power of God connecting the power of God, the spirituality will be opened. But at the same time, you will encounter some difficulties. Your household may encounter storms. You may experience difficulty in finance and spirituality. When people decide and determine to pray, a sudden discord between husband and wife will occur and become extra sensitive over nothing. The unseen forces prevent people from coming before God to pray. But we need to reconcile and pray. Satan will try to make you discouraged, frustrated and provoke you to get the last word. We need to wake up. When you overcome all these, you will have smooth prayer lives. When you have to adjusted in faith, spirit and prayer, you need to be careful of how you speak, and you need to speak as your foundation is of thankfulness and faith. When you overcome crisis, you will have another level of crisis. These crisis or problems are like mountains that you need to overcome.

When Daniel prayed and fasted, nothing happened to him during the twenty one days. But on the day twenty first day, the Archangel Gabriel came and explained to Daniel. When it comes to faith, the process is very important.

Daniel 10:12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.

But in the heavenly realm, a spiritual warfare had occurred. The prince of kingdom of Persia, satan tried to block Archangel from going to Daniel. But the chief prince, Michael had come and helped Gabriel. Gabriel had explained how the prayer answered comes regarding Daniel’s prayer request and how God had pleasingly received his prayers as a beautiful aroma and so on. God makes us pray and He rewards us with answers.

The Babylonian king made idols, and the king of Persia made idols as they exalted themselves. And when everyone had bowed before the idol/king, Daniel did not bow. Therefore he was thrown into the den of lions and had to go through many hardships. But he overcame all the hardships through the strength that came from prayer. Strength that comes from prayer is very significant. When we fervently and faithfully pray and have a faith, God will test us. Prayer requires test. If you have the proper faith, and when you try to live by faith, you will be tested. When the test began and if you are able to stand unshakeably firm, God will powerfully with you.

Psalm 91:7-8 (AMP) 7 A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But danger will not come near you. 8 You will only [be a spectator as you] look on with your eyes And witness the [divine] repayment of the wicked [as you watch safely from the shelter of the Most High]. 9  Because you have made the Lord, [who is] my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will command His angels in regard to you, To protect and defend and guard you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. 12  They will lift you up in their hands, So that you do not [even] strike your foot against a stone. 13  You will tread upon the lion and cobra; The young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 14  “Because he set his love on Me, therefore I will save him; I will set him [securely] on high, because he knows My name [he confidently trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never abandon him, no, never]. 15  “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 16  “With a long life I will satisfy him And I will let him see My salvation.”

These verse are applied to Daniel and Daniel’s three friends. God is saying, “You will see. I will make you go well before the eyes of the wicked people.”

These verses speaks of complete protection from God. When the people begin to pray gathering themselves to the Lord’s Church to live spiritually, the devil attacked them. There were casualties. The casualties were the people whose faith was not solid and the people who lived according to their thoughts. The people who lives soulishely. The people may have thought they had a faith. But when these people were exposed to tests, their thoughts were deluded and had become the target of satan and were eventually deceived. As long as you live according to the will of God and as long as you pray, satan cannot touch you. The Lord will protect you. In the spiritual battle ground, God will protect us. This is why it is such a happiness that you must live spiritually, by faith and continuous pray. With the precious Word of God, please overcome and obtain victory.  

Pastor Kim Yong Doo

Saturday, January 23, 2016

To be led by the Holy Spirit is a choice

The bible says that we are to be led by the Spirit of God. Just because we possess spiritual gifts does not mean we are being led by Him. The gifts and calling are given without repentance. Just because we possess the Holy Spirit dance, tongue, dreams/visions, prophecy, and etc does not necessarily mean we are being led by God.

Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 

To be led by God is a choice. This is why many Christians can still possess spiritual gifts and live a carnal sinful life. Rather than using the gifts of God to stay in His Presence and fighting to be delivered from their sins, their eyes are on the world. When I say their eyes are on the world, it is not just about lust, greed, pride, coveting, and such. They also include unforgiveness, keeping hurt and offense, disobedience, rebellion, disrespect, and the likes.

Galatians 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 

Scripture here says if we let the Holy Spirit guide us then we won't be giving into our sinful nature. Since many also have a hard time discerning the Spirit, they are led by the Holy Spirit through spiritual shepherds or pastors. When the reject the authority of their spiritual pastors, they reject God. 

We also have to remember what definition is to obey and follow. It is not partially obeying to pick and choose what one feels like. This is rebellion and pride. God considers us following and obeying Him when we FULLY obey in all area. Then we will be blessed. 

Romans 13:1-2 Every person must obey the leaders of the land. There is no power given but from God, and all leaders are allowed by God. The person who does not obey the leaders of the land is working against what God has done. Anyone who does that will be punished. 

We can possess spiritual gifts but the body wants to continue in its sinful nature. We need to make a choice to fully obey and submit. We cannot ask people to pray for us knowing that we do not want to choose to do right. We must choose to pray, forgive, humble ourselves, let hurt go, choose not to be offended, and such.

When we have fully chosen to be led by the Spirit of God no matter how long one has been a Christian, then we will bear true fruit of the spirit. We will no longer  be tossed around by everything you hear. You will no longer be confused. The bible says only babies (immature) are tossed around back and forth.

Galatians 5:17-23 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Possessing spiritual gifts does not define a person to be spiritual. Just because you see someone shaking or shouting in tongue does not mean they are spiritual people. Even though we are spiritual beings, a person looking spiritual can still be living a carnal sinful life. 

To be truly a spiritual person is one who walks and bears fruit of the Holy Spirit. For this is a mature grown Christian. He/she is one so has died to themselves possessing the love, patience, peace, joy, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and self control of the Lord. They are constant. They do not have temper outburst. They can endure all people. They possess kindness and gentleness that is enduring. They are overcomers. The love of God is perfected in them. May we strive to come to the fullness of our King.

Pastor Steve

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Pastor Kim Yong Doo, One's True Color

Matthew 13:18­30 (AMP) ​“Listen then to the [meaning of the]parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom[regarding salvation] and does not understand ​and​grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.20 The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy; 21 yet he has no [substantial]root in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles ​and​falls away [abandoning the One who is the source of salvation]. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the worries ​and​distractions of the world and the deceitfulness [the superficial pleasures and delight] of riches choke the word, and it yields no fruit. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands ​and​grasps it; he indeed bears fruit and yields, some a hundred times [as much as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.” 24 Jesus gave them another parable [to consider], saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [resembling wheat]among the wheat, and went away.26 So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the weeds appeared also. 27 The servants of the owner came to him and said, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have weeds in it?’ 28 He replied to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants asked him, ‘Then do you want us to go and pull them out?’ 29 But he said, ‘No; because as you pull out the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First gather the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

When Jesus delivered the Word of God, He had delivered it to all common people. These common people gathered as they had witnessed miracles, power , the authority of Jesus , and witnessing the casting out of demons. The people followed as Jesus performed signs and wonders. There were certain Words Jesus preached when many common people had gathered, and there were certain Words Jesus preached when He was with His personal disciples. He had preached differently. When many common people had gathered, He preached a general message mixed with parables. But when Jesus was with His personal disciples, He would precisely interpret His message. It is the same when perceiving heaven. The common christians think about heaven this way. They think they will go to heaven once they start attending church service, just believe in Jesus, pray, worship and praise. But in reality, in order to make it to heaven, within the context of salvation, people do not know how delicate ,different variables, how thorough , and there are things that we need to put much effort and striving to enter the Kingdom of God. The bible explains it all. You don’t lightly come to church, pray, and you do not just believe in Jesus with a light heart.

There is a certain color when it comes to faith and believe . There is some kind of true color in each person’s heart or field . What do I mean by color? It is about the soil. In other words, it is your heart. In order to have deep roots grow into your soil, you need to have good a heart/soil. You need to have faith, a good heart/soil, a good state of mind, a good state of mentality, a good state of spirituality, and a good personality and character.

When you read the four gospels as Jesus preached and interpreted His words, there was a difference when common people gathered and when His direct disciples gathered. To the common people, Jesus preached the easy and subtle words. But to His direct disciples, He did not preached such a way. Plus, His disciples wanted to know the parables. So they had asked Jesus. Jesus said, that His disciples were allowed to know the secrets of Kingdom of God but not to the common people. Anyone can follow Jesus and even becomes a fan. But when it comes to becoming His real disciple, it is different a story. The common people will not see or understand.

Matthew 13:13­14 (AMP) This is the reason I speak to the crowds in parables: because while[having the power of] seeing they do not see, and while [having the power of] hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand ​and​grasp [spiritual things]. 14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘​YOU WILL HEAR​​and​​KEEP ON HEARING, BUT NEVER UNDERSTAND​; ​AND YOU WILL LOOK​​and​​KEEP ON LOOKING, BUT NEVER COMPREHEND​;

The secrets will be interpreted by Jesus to His own disciples. God also expressed His words as yeast. But no one knows when yeast will work and expand. It is because yeast works inside. The transformation of a person begins from the inside of a heart therefore, no one really knows. The original meaning of “yeast” is “boiling passion.” In order for yeast to boil, it has to have passion. Therefore, whenever we listen to the Word of God, some kind of passion must come alive. Even though we may hear the word of God, but if passion inside of us does not come alive, we fail to make the Word of God the yeast. We are required to make the Word of God as yeast. It is our homework to ferment the Word of God when we hear His words.

Jesus had spoken about the parable of sowing seeds. He first spoke generally . Jesus said, “anyone can hear the word of the kingdom..” . Anyone can hear the kingdom of God. Whoever wanted to hear, they were allowed to come and listen. But not everyone can understand. When we fail to make God’s word as yeast and let it ferment in us to work, this will happen, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom[regarding salvation] and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” Whoever believes in Jesus will have the possibility to be saved. Jesus is basically telling them that although they came to Him to listen to the Word of God and to go to heaven, it will not be easy. Why can they not go to heaven? It is because they did not understand, realize, and recognize even after listening to the word of God. These kind of heart/soil is always opened to other things. The people with the such heart likes to listen to many other sources or people. In order for us to fully settle the word of God in our hearts, we need to put the word of God above all things in our lives. The Word of God must be above all other things, even above our family members such as children, wife, husband, work, job, and money. If we like to listen to the other sources or people and put other things above the Word of God such as family members and work, there will not be room for the Word of God to be firmly settled. You may have the Word of God in your head, but the Word of God does not sink into your heart or free will. This kind of heart/soil is like the road. This kind of heart is always distracted.

 “20 The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy;”​This kind of heart/soil has no strength to keep the word of God. It lacks spiritual power. Most churches preach generally. But they do not know or preach what may prevent us from going to heaven. They do not preach why we need to perform spiritual warfare. If we desire to know the concealed spiritual things such as why christians stumble, why they face tests, suffering, discipline and tribulation, God will lead us to know. There is a empty spiritual void or space within people. What does this mean? What is the spiritual thirst, spiritual impatience, or this earnest desire?

“This is it? Why do I face frequent test? For what reason do I suffer? What is the problem?”

Sometimes, proclaiming does not work. Sometimes, clinging onto the words “Jesus crushed the head of satan” does not work. We may know it theoretically but in reality, there are many things that do not work. Even in the classroom, teacher teaches equally to all students. But each student has a level of receiving the teaching. The one who receives the word or teaching is required to properly apply it. Some people learns quickly and some do not.

Whenever we listen to the Word of God, there will be someone who will interfere. When we listen to the Word of God, the bible says the evil one comes to snatch it away. The evil one comes to bring tribulation, persecution, test, and make christians stumble. When the seed falls on the road, the evil one will snatch it away. When the seed falls on the rocky soil, the evil one will come with a higher strategy (수준있게 다룬다).

The evil one will whisper, “You know why you stumble? Because of the Word of God!” The Word of God may fall on the heart, but this kind of person has no power or will to keep it (하나님의 말씀을 지킬 의지). There is no root. They are very weak.

I saw a scene with my opened spiritual eyes. Usually, the evil spirits come and threaten us by saying, “Do not pray! Do not pray!” But in some cases, the evil spirits plan with certain types of people, “Let them be for she/he does not have perseverance. Even if she/he prays now, she/he will not last long.”

 The devil will use the person’s nature, personality, and character. The devil hides behind the person’s nature and personality to work within their nature and personality. When this happens, no one will know, even the person whom the devil works behind. When this happens, no one will know if what a person speaks and do is by the person’s own will or the devil’s work. The devil will say, “Let us hide behind her/his speech! This person loves to speak piercing poisonous words. Their words are snappy and their hot temper makes them easily angered.” These are the abstract nouns. The evil spirits hide behind the words, thinking, nature, personality and character, habit , lifestyle , emotion, and hearts of people. If the demons had a shadow, we would know but the evil spirits hide behind the abstract nouns within us and provoke us to twist the words to make relationships twisted, and we then get angry.

Whenever I witness people complain and grumble, I feel eerie. I want to say, “If you continue to say complain and grumble, you have to know that the evil spirit also works with your words!” But I can’t really say it. God’s Spirit works with joy, happiness, thankfulness and comfort. People who serve God helps and serves others, even if they have to lose something, and their bodies become tired as God’s work may be difficult. However, they will go wherever God tells them to go and comfort others.

When you complain and crumble towards the Lord, “I can’t do this! This is too difficult!”

This kind of attitude will not edify you. When we work a lot, we would think that we will receive many rewards but in reality and in heaven, many things we have done already have not been awarded to us in heaven. Why? Because they have had their reward with their lips. When you get angry, you will crumble your reward. What if you repeatedly get angry? Even when it comes to doing God’s work or giving, it is better that you do things as the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing or knows. When you speak, then speak as though God himself were speaking through you as you comfort others. Speak words that will strengthen them and God will work through such attitude.

When people find out about their calling and mission, all they think about is the mission and fulfilling their calling rather than changing their nature, attitude, personality and character. People need to find the things that needs to be broken. They need to accept being broken through many suffering, pain and difficulties. Some people become a servant of God when they have never served, comforted others, but all they have done was lived a life according to their flash such as complaining, grumbling and cursing. There are things that God will do but there are things that we have to do which is to crucify many things about ourselves.

God will differently handle and discipline between lay believers and His servants. God will fearfully handle and discipline servants who are actually leading and serving God’s people. The judgement of servants will be greater than the lay believers. In the midst of following the Word of God, if persecution, test and tribulation comes, and when things begin to get difficult, your true colors will come out. For some christians, when they encounter little difficulties, they instantly lose their faith. In their wilderness, even after praising and worship as they shouted hallelujah, when they can no longer find water, they will complain and grumble and will want to go back to Egypt. You must give all your worries to the Lord. Too many christians worry. You must train yourselves daily. Please read the bible many times.

Proverbs 4:20­21 ​My son, pay attention to my words ​and​be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings. 21 Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart.

We need to compare and analyze. We need to know in what kind of heart condition does slump come? In what situation or circumstance does our mood go up and down? When we aware of our spiritual condition, then we need to be cautious in certain situations. Observe your reactions. When do you react properly? When are you not able to react properly? In what area do you do good and in what areas do you not do good? Observe and find the weak areas precisely and fix them. If you neglect those areas, you are actually making strongholds within yourself. Otherwise, you will not even realize as they form strongholds. Your habit will become a stronghold as well. Some people have many hurts and wounds. Their hurts and wounds become strongholds and it puts them under darkness. Let your hurts and wounds be healed and restored by the power of the Lord. Whether it is hurts or anything else, do not neglect them but instead, bring it to the Lord. When you truly bring it to the Lord, He will work for you.

People utilize their personality and habits the way they desire and it attaches to our bodies. These types of personality and habit are stronghold. We need to become like Jesus. People’s spirit and soul came from God but people’s mental and physical areas are in ignorance. Therefore, when we receive the power of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will lead us home.

Luke 8:8 8 And some fell into good soil, and grew up and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” ​Producing a crop a hundred times as great is definitely not a easy thing to do. But please pray that God will grant you the power to produce a crop a hundred times as great.

Pastor Kim Yong Doo

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Wash yourselves first

Isaiah 1:15-20 NLV So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you. Even if you pray many times, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood. “Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Take your sinful actions from My eyes. Stop doing sinful things. Learn to do good. Look for what is right and fair. Speak strong words to those who make it hard for people. Stand up for the rights of those who have no parents. Help the woman whose husband has died. “Come now, let us think about this together,” says the Lord. “Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are dark red, they will be like wool. If you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land. But if you are not willing and turn against Me, you will be destroyed by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Why do we feel our prayers are not being answered? God says to wash yourselves first. When we start to pray, one cannot just ask for the higher things whether that pertains to the spiritual or physical. HE says many hands are full of blood. There is still unforgiveness, hate, anger, disobedience to authority (spiritual and man), vengeance, self pity, temper, cursing, and the lies which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
This is why we must not try to get ahead of God. For all of us, we need to sustain in basic boot camp in which the Lord has us training. Some are grumbling because they think they deserve better. That is your pride.
God commands us, "Stop doing sinful things. Learn to do good."
First level for most of us is to learn basic obedience. This is hard for many because they think they are the ones who should be in authority. Those who exalt themselves, God will humble. When we obey, HE says we will eat the best of the land. When we disobey, we will be destroyed. Therefore, if we are not heading to the best of lands in our lives, perhaps, we need to humble ourselves and evaluate our lives. Submit to God, resist sin and the demons will flee.