Monkey trap

We live in the times of the most material abundance yet we seem to be the most selfish. Many continue to steal God's money of tithes and offerings and think little of the poor/needy. We live in the times of the most abundance age of information yet relative to it, God's people seem to be the most ignorant in history. The bible is at our fingertips but most are illiterate to it. We live in the times of great peace yet many of God's people are complacent and lazy fattening their hearts for the day of the slaughter instead of preparing spiritual war for God's Glory.

James 5:5 (AMP) [Here] on earth you have abandoned yourselves to soft (prodigal) living and to [the pleasures of] self-indulgence and self-gratification. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

Many continue to say we are rich and we are need of nothing! If we are the last church then we are the Lukewarm church and it is not your neighbor. It is us!

Revelation 3:14-19 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusty and faithful and true Witness, the Origin and Beginning and Author of God’s creation:15 I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth!17 For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.18 Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].

Monkey trap: Hunters of monkey in South East Asia would place a bait or fruit into a trap with a small hole. The small hole is only large enough to slip the fruit in. When a monkey approaches the trap and places its hand in there, it would not be able to get its hand out with the fruit. When trappers approach, the monkey would panic but still would not let the fruit go. All the monkey has to do is let the fruit go and it would live. But stubbornly, it holds on to the fruit until it is too late. The monkey knows danger is approaching but the hunger and desire of the bait/fruit is too overwhelming. Perhaps, the monkey was self deceived into thinking the hunters would take him for a pet.

Many Christians are in a similar trap by the devil. Although death is approaching, they will not let the love of the world go. They will not let sin go. Many love their worldly entertainments. We want the love of the world and God. But scripture says we cannot serve two masters. Many Christians can look at Israel and call them secular Jews. I wonder how many non believers call the western church secular Christians? Perhaps, many Christians think God is a teddy bear and will over look all their willful unrepentant sins.

Even though the world may look and smell pretty with all it alluring seductive attributes, it is but death. Too many are still holding onto the world even though they know danger is approaching. Too many are waiting and believing the rapture will set them free from their bondage, sickness, addictions, misery, loneliness, and etc. But if you do not have the faith to overcome such things now, how is your faith greater to be rapture? The test is now. The time is now to overcome and rise as His sons and daughters who are overcoming the gates of Hell. It is time to count your costs making a choice to fully surrender and going broke for God.

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.

The days of greater works are approaching. The days of great darkness is approaching. If we cannot shine for HIM now, how are we to shine when it becomes more difficult? The church has reflected too much gray. He has told me He must allow it to become darker so His Light will shine brighter. His Light will shine from His sons and daughters who has overcome.

Revelation 2:17 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (conquers), I will give to eat of the manna that is hidden, and I will give him a white stone with a new name engraved on the stone, which no one knows or understands except he who receives it.

Revelation 2:26 And he who overcomes (is victorious) and who obeys My commands to the [very] end [doing the works that please Me], I will give him authority and power over the nations;

Fire of God

Steve Yong Kim

June 17, 2012.

 

Change my family

Many of us are praying for our families. We are praying for husbands, wives, and children to change. We may be praying for them to change and fully surrender their lives to God. However, our families will change to serve God with all their hearts when we change first.

If we are given a higher spiritual revelation over our families, then our husbands, wives, and children will change as we pray for them and as we change ourselves. Most of us are always looking at the other family member or other people expecting them to change when in fact God wants us to change first. When we do not change ourselves, our prayers will not get answered.

We must examine ourselves and ask God to help us root out the unforgiveness, resentment, hate, bitterness, hurt, jealousy, envy, pride, complacency, laziness, and etc that may be residing in our hearts. If we hold to such things in our hearts, the Lord will not listen.

We ourselves must be regenerated. In other words, we must become new creation or reborn. The old must die and the new must rise with Christ. If there is still too much of us still in our hearts, then God may still be waiting upon us. He is waiting while we may still be wondering why there has not been any spiritual progress.

Psalm 66:18 (NIV) If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

Fire of God

In which Name are we to baptize?

Water Baptism did not start by John the Baptist. It was not a new thing. They were doing it in the temple by the priest. John did not just initiate water baptism nor was he the first to preach repentance. Repentance was preached throughout the history of God's people. Water baptism like many things are a "type or shadow" to follow. But this is not to say that it has stopped or is irrelevant.

However, even John talked about another baptism by Him whose sandals John was not worthy to take off or carry. Jesus would baptize us by His Spirit and fire!  

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

When many read the English bible, when we see the word "baptize" or "baptism" we just in most cases assume it is of water.

Do all need to be baptized by water? Do all need to be baptized by His Spirit and Fire? Do all who are baptized by water make it to heaven? How about those who are not baptized by water, are they still eligible to make it to heaven? It is clear in the bible that our salvation must be worked out daily with trembling and fear. Even if people were baptized by water, it is not a guarantee they will make it to heaven. If this is the case, is there such importance as some may put it on how one should be baptized when it comes to which Name they should use? Paul said to avoid petty controversy over words. Because of translation issues there will be issues of semantics.  Perhaps, most important is to teach our people to be baptized by His Spirit and Fire.

2 Timothy 2:14 (AMP)  Remind [the people] of these facts and [solemnly] charge them in the presence of the Lord to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good but upsets and undermines the faith of the hearers.

Acts 2:38 And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If you look at Acts 2:38, Peter is not talking about a water baptism. The last sentence is key. Do we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit because we are immersed in water or because we are baptized unto HIM by His Spirit?

If you look at the beginning of Acts chapter 2, you see that Pentecost had come. The apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit. They had received the gift of the Holy Spirit and it exploded as the gifts manifested such with tongue. God was pouring down His Spirit.

The apostles had desired to baptize the people with what they had just been baptized with, His Holy Spirit and Fire. Many churches do not teach this because they lack the Power of God to impart Fire or Holy Spirit so that others may be baptized by His Spirit. Therefore, they teach and emphasize water more. This is something they can do easily without much effort. But this is not to take away any importance of water baptism for it has its place. However, it is MORE important to be baptized by His Spirit and Fire.

Jesus is impelled to baptize us with HIS FIRE!! He has come to cast fire upon the earth.

Luke 12:49-51 (AMP)I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it were already kindled!50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and how greatly and sorely I am urged on (impelled, [a]constrained) until it is accomplished!

Can a person be saved without water baptism? Yes, they can. However, it is more imperative to be baptized by the Holy Spirit and Fire to survive and make this journey. The Lord has told me that dark days are coming. He must allow it to become darker so His Light will shine brighter. His Light will shine from His overcomers. We cannot overcome without the Power of the Holy Spirit.  We must be baptized by HIM.  

Acts 19:1-6 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the upper inland districts and came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.2 And he asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [on Jesus as the Christ]? And they said, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.3 And he asked, Into what [baptism] then were you baptized? They said, Into John’s baptism.4 And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, continually telling the people that they should believe in the One Who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus [having a conviction full of joyful trust that He is Christ, the Messiah, and being obedient to Him].5 On hearing this they were baptized [again, this time] in the name of the Lord Jesus.6 And as Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke in [foreign, unknown] tongues (languages) and prophesied.

Matthew 28:19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them [b]into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

In Acts 19, water baptism is referred as "Into John's baptism." In Matthew 28:19, it states, "baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus is not speaking of the water baptism but of the HOLY SPIRIT. There are churches which debate in regards to determine which name to baptize their people in water. Are they to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit as stated in Matthew 28:19 or in the name of Jesus as stated in Acts 2:38? Both these verses are not referring to water.

Is water baptism a prerequisite before being baptized by the Holy Spirit and Fire? Is water baptism a prerequisite before receiving His gifts? The answer to both questions is "NO." My wife is an example. She is yet to be baptized by water. But she was first baptized by the Holy Spirit and Fire before I was. I was baptized by water when I was twelve/thirteen years old. But it is because I have been baptized by His Spirit and Fire less than four years ago that you are witnessing the fruit there of. 

This note is not to discourage anyone from being baptized by water. If the Holy Spirit leads you, please by all means do so. But know there is a higher baptism that the Lord earns and is impelled us to be baptized with. Paul did not first ask people if they were baptized by water. He asked if they had received the Holy Spirit when they had believed onto Jesus in Acts 19.

Churches and individuals do not need to get involved over unedifying arguments over semantics. Those who possess the Power of God will, like Apostle Paul, lay hands and impart His Spirit and Fire so they may be baptized by HIM instead of arguing about semantics. Therefore, let us seek more of HIM so that we may be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT and consumed by HIS FIRE to be regenerated!

"Because God is a consuming fire. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of fire." -LR

Fire of God

Steve Yong Kim

June 14, 2012

Victory is by Faith and Prayer - Pastor Kim, Yong Doo

1 Samuel 7:4-12 “4So the Israelites put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only. 5Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the Lord for you.6So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.7Now when the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.8And the Israelites said to Samuel, Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.9So Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel.11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and smote them as far as below Beth-car.12Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and he called the name of it Ebenezer [stone of help], saying, Heretofore the Lord has helped us.”

Generally, people are very lazy and possess a lack of faith. Therefore the level and the amount of prayer and faith that God desires in us is not as sufficient as He would like it to be. Even when we possess faith, we would often gradually fall away toward the world. Therefore, God shakes us by using the evil spirits or demons to provoke us. The evil spirits are there to continuously attack us. What areas do they attack us? They attack our weakest areas. They are very persistent when it comes to finding out our weak spots. For example, if a person is mentally weak, the evil spirits will attack us in that area. The person can become mentally barren and dull. The person may even be diagnosed with schizophrenia. For those who are mentally stable, the evil spirits will come in another way. Everyone has a weak spot.

Why do evil spirits attack us? Why does it appear as though God is being silent and still? Why does it appear as though He is not intervening? We even at times feel as though He doesn’t really care. We must know that God knows all things and the things that are happening in our lives. He in fact knows when we are sacrificing, suffering, and in tribulation. He knows when our weak spots have been exposed and compromised by the evil spirits. He knows that we are persistently attacked.

God desires us to defeat the enemy with our faith. We have a free will to fight or be defeated. In those difficult times, it may appear or feel as though God has neglected us. But this is not true. God is basically granting us the opportunity to utilize and apply our faith in our particular situation. God then observes us. When the fight is too difficult, we may have to find someone to build our faith and help us get through. God will provide. God makes a way when we reach our limits. He is faithful that He will not allow more than we can handle.

Our faith determines the different variables we may encounter for our path. Tribulation also brings about different variables for our path. In difficult times, we have an option to either give up or press forward by trusting God. We must realize that the attacks by the evil spirits may be a good stimulant. It is actually demonic to attack people’s weak spots and persistently criticize them. But what about those who do evil and attack the weak spots with criticizm? They belong to Satan. This is why when we have to judge and advise people, we must be very careful with discernment.

We all long to have the gift and the power of the Holy Spirit but we must first be well balanced with the Word of God and prayer. Discerning spirits, prophesy, interpreting, and engaging in the Fire ministry are not the most salient works per se. The most important aspect in our ministries is the balance of God’s Word and prayer. Do we posses God’s love in us? Are we able to accept the people who make numerous mistakes and have many shortcomings? The type of ministry we are involved in is not as important as many assume it to be.

The evil spirits attack Christians all the time. What is their purpose? Why do they attack so much? It is the intention of the evil spirits to make Christians despair and give up. The disciples faced many temptations and trials just as Jesus did. But with Jesus winning on the cross and as the disciples were baptized by Holy Spirit and Fire they became victorious. We as disciples of Jesus Christ can never win if we are not baptized by the Holy Spirit. If we are not baptized by the Holy Spirit, we may be in a position in which we may be rejecting, mocking, or running away from Jesus. But when we are properly baptized by the Holy Spirit, we become a new person. We will even enter places where our lives will be at risk. We will be willing to die for the Lord if necessary. This is a real Christian.

Christians who possess real power will rarely show off their power externally. Those who possess power will naturally stand out. When our prayers flow abundantly, it will explode. We should not abuse the power given to us by flaunting it. The power is not to be flaunted in front of people. Otherwise, people will criticize and judge the manifestation of power if we use it to boast ourselves with it.

From the Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, a giant was named ‘Despair’ and the giant’s wife was named ‘Diffidence.’ They are the characters. Despair told his wife Diffidence, “Go and find two people and tempt them to commit suicide.” So Diffidence approached two Christians and tempted them and brought them into their home. Despair and Diffidence tried to make them commit suicide. But one night, the two Christians secretly ran away from the home of the giants. The two Christians had opened the door with the key named promise. What does this mean? They had faith in the promise of God that He would always be with them. He is our Father and He will lead us all the way to heaven. God has given us words of promise and He has promised us that He will save us. We must hold on to His promise and persevere.

When Christians awake and come to their senses, the demons are in crisis. They will sound the alarm. “Oh! What should we do! The people of God have awakened and have come to their senses!” From the scripture passage above, the people of Israel had worshipped the idols of Baal and Ashtaroth, they had forgot about their God. They had a prophet name Samuel, but he was of old age. But Samuel gathered all Israel to Mizpah. And he told them to repent and pray. So the people of Israel fasted, repented and poured out to God. They said “we have sinned against God”. Israel was worshipping other gods but now they give their worship to God. They had repented, fasted and prayed to God at Mizpah. When the Philistines heard the news, they went up against Israel. The Philistines wanted to destroy them. The Israelis gathered together to repent and pray to God, it was a spiritual meeting. It was not about having war against Philistines, it had nothing to do with war against the Philistines. But since Israel was doing something that evil spirits hated the most, which is to repent, pray and live by God’s word, the evil spirits agitated the Philistines to attack the Israelites. Demons become very frightened when leaders repent and pray. Because when the leaders change, whole congregations will change.

 What do the demons hate? They hate when God’s people come back to their senses. They are afraid when Christians repent. They are afraid when we have restored our passion and Faith to God and when we have restored our prayers. When God’s people come back to their senses, the demons will be in crisis. They are the ones that create all kinds of sickness. They create mental illness, spiritual illness, and physical illness. In order for them to drag us to hell, they will continuously attack us.

 When a country experiences revival, they will have all issues go well. When a church experience a spiritual revival, whole congregation will have all things go well. “Oh Lord! Please have mercy on our church and grant us spiritual revival! Please help us restore spiritual power!”

Once we have fallen away or have been pushed out from our spiritual lives, it is very difficult for us to get back to restoration. When we stop serving Jesus as our spiritual Lord, the evil spirits will lead us to be worse than before we were a Christian. In today’s scripture, when the Philistines went up to Israel, the Israelis panicked. They asked Samuel to pray for them unceasingly. It is the same today when it comes to us. If not everyone in our family, at least someone has to pray for our family members unceasingly. The Church is the same as well. If not all, somebody in the church must unceasingly pray for the church. When Samuel unceasingly prayed and gave burnt offering, God answered him. The Lord thundered with a great voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. The Lord desires us to solve the problems that way. God wants us to resolve all matters with prayer.

When the Israelites sinned against God, He raised a war against Israel. When God decide to punish Israel, He rose up the gentile people. Then Israel repented. It repeated continually. Israelites repented every time. There was a time when the Philistines attacked Israelites and stole the Ark of the Covenant knowing that the Israelites worshipped and believed in Jehovah God. But because of Ark of the Covenant, the Philistine became devastated. They realized they could not touch the Israelites. They realized that the Israelites were protected by Jehovah God. But as time passes they forgot about what they have learned or experienced. It is the same with us. We must properly believe and have a faith that correlates our walk as Christians. Our behavior and walk as Christians should be an example to the world so they may fear the Lord. We have no other way except with the Word of God, faith, repentance, and our prayers! We must break out of our standards and excel pressing into more of God with our prayers/worship/word. Every day we must have a new record, so to speak, in our churches by manifesting God’s power. New records must be broken continuously every day. We must seek a deeper relationship with God every day. God’s power is as same as yesterday, it is available today. It is not only for the days of old. God’s power must continuously manifest in our house hold, to our children, in our churches. God’s power must continue to set new records.

Once Israel repented and was restored by God’s power, peace came to the land of Israel. Verse 14,“The cities Philistines had taken from Israel were restored Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel rescued (the cities’) territory from the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.” This is the conclusion. When we properly serve God, He will grant us grace to bless the people of the world. Therefore, through Christians, people of the world and Christians can be in harmony and live together in peace. We can be a blessing to each other only if we serve God properly.

Let us cling on to today’s word. Where we stand must become Mizpah. We must find the areas that have not changed in us and then we must pray for that area of our hearts. If we are mentally weak, we must pray for the mental weakness. If we have some type of physical sickness, we must pray on that area. The way to have a victory is by faith and prayer. I pray that all of you receive God’s blazing Fire. Amen.

Abstract sermon by Pastor Kim, Yong Doo, The Lord’s Church, South Korea
Pastor Kim, Yong Doo is author of “Baptize by Blazing Fire.

Translated by Yoojin Kim and Steve Yong Kim
June 21, 2010

You MUST receive the Holy Spirit - Pastor Kim, Yong Do

2011. 2. 4 (second service)
 Acts 2:1-4 AND WHEN the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place,2When suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting.3And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them.4And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues), as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words].

Acts 1:7-8                                                                                            
7He said to them, It is not for you to become acquainted with and know what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed years and seasons (their critical niche in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power. 8But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

Within the food chain, there is a “natural enemy” in the ecosystem. In order to prevent a particular animal from reproducing infinitely, God created a natural enemy to control the number of animals on the earth. He created a natural enemy for all living creatures except man to balance and be in harmony with the natural world.

In the spiritual realm, Christians have a natural enemy as well. An obstructive relationship is formed with the evil spirits. The evil spirits drag and throw ambiguous souls who do not know God to the bottomless pit of hell. God has given me a mission to expose the operations of hell. For this mission, I had to first learn how to tolerate and endure the pain of my physical body. As the demons traverse around the world like as if it is their house, do you know how many Christians are being legally deceived and deluded by the demons?

DO YOU KNOW WHO FEEDS THE DEMONS? IT IS US WHO FEEDS THEM. We commit sin and open the pathway for demons to legally come in to us. But then, we blame all the wrong doings on the demons and we give all kind of excuses. If you have a spirit of anger that particular spirit will prompt you to get angry. But instead of suppressing that moment of anger, if you decide to burst out in anger, you have just fed the spirit of anger in you. Demons are like parasites. They live in us as they feed on us. Do you have a spirit of lust? Then you must know that if you think of lustful thoughts and perform lustful behavior, you are now feeding the spirit of lust. Do not blame your actions on the devil or demons. YOU MUST UTILIZE EVERY EFFORT AND UTILIZE ALL OF YOUR STRENGTH TO CRUCIFY ALL OF YOUR DISPOSITION AND DESIRES OF THE FLESH ON THE CROSS! You must be broken! You must be fully changed!

The churches gather together and do bible studies. They do disciple training and through this process they also raise seminary students. There are too many churches and pastors only teaching salvation and how it is easily obtained. BUT SALVATION IS NOT SO EASILY OBTAINED! They would use scripture such as Romans 10:10 “For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.” There will be no one who cannot be saved if we only have to confess it with our mouth the Lord is our Savior once in our life time. When I had visited hell, I witnessed the countless number of Christians who were in the bottomless pit of hell.

Please read Galatians 5:20-21, Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, JEALOUSY, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies), Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. How can it be clearer than this that they cannot inherit the kingdom of God? This explains the condition of Christians who cannot enter heaven. We must always check ourselves. Are we in any of those conditions? There are too many Christians who have falsely secured themselves with salvation after they had just and only confessed the Lord is their Savior. But that is very wrong. They think salvation is so easy.

YOU AND I MUST GO BEFORE GOD DAILY WITH A TREMBLING REVERENT HEART FOR YOUR SALVATION. In my past experience with the Lord, when the Lord showed me different churches, He compliments certain churches by saying, “Ah! I’m so pleased, I am very pleased~” But when He looked at the other churches, I see the wrath in His eyes; I saw the flaming fire from the Lord’s eyes.

One time, a African girl was invited to one of the churches in America. She was gifted with spiritual eyes. She was able to witness what was going on in the spiritual realm. As she came up on the church pulpit to give her testimony, she became frozen. As she held the microphone with one hand she could not speak a word. The people in the church gazed at her face. The African girl had a fearful facial expression. She was trembling!! The pastor of the church asked her why she wouldn’t speak; she then barely opened her mouth.

When she came up to the church pulpit, the Lord showed her a scene and it shocked her, and she became afraid. Oh my brethren, can you even guess what she had saw? The faces of people in the church all had faces of wolves. When those church people got together, they were busy back biting and slandering one another. They would gather within their own sub groups and cause divisions. They all even acted like wolves as if they were looking for a prey to tear down. The Lord then showed the other part of the church members. The other part of the church members had a face of a pig. Those people only knew about their possession such as money. They were greedy for money. This is the look of the modern church! Our churches are in a big danger!

The Lord commanded had me to thoroughly keep Sundays Holy with proper tithing. In today times, the pastors and their congregations throughout most churches freely spend money on Sundays to entertain themselves. They spend for their luxury and to please themselves. They dine out and go shopping on the Lord’s Day. Please read Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to do away with or undo the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo but to complete and fulfill them.”

I have witnessed a countless number of Christians being thrown into the pit of hell. I do not care if anyone tells me that I’m in a cult. I would be more than happy to be called a cult if people do not have to go to hell.

Keeping Sundays holy with proper tithing is not a just a law but it is a commandment! God in fact came not to undo the law but to fulfill them. Even if we cast out demons and manifest God’s power, if we break the law (10 commandment), we will end up in hell. Please read Matthew 7:23, “And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].” He commanded them to depart from Him! It does not matter how beautifully one confesses their faith to God. If our confessions are not assisted by God, then our confessions are only human creed.

Look at Peter. (John 13:37) He confessed passionately to the Lord that He will lay down his life for the Lord. But remember, even before the Lord was actually crucified on the cross, he denied Him three times. A confession without the Holy Spirit’s help is only human creed. After Jesus was crucified on the cross, Peter was devastated. He went back to his home town to be a fisherman once again. Since Peter was a central leader among the other disciples, when Peter was shaken by devastation, the other disciples also went back to their home town as well.

So then the Lord came to Peter. After He had prepared lunch, He asked Peter three times, “The son of John Simon, do you love me?” Even though Peter denied the Lord three times, He did not rebuke Peter but instead He checked his love for Him. But Jesus already knew Peter’s heart. He was asking Peter that ‘Peter! Do you possess the faith in you that I can work with?’

Even though Peter had denied the Lord three times, the next step was waiting for Peter. The day of Pentecost was waiting for him. The incident when thousands of people had repented through Peter after he was full of the Holy Spirit. The Lord was asking, ‘just because you had denied Me, how long will you be in self pity? You must go and feed my sheep!’. So what should we do? We must come before the Lord and we must be on our knees! The next step is waiting for us. You must not wander around between the day of Pentecost and the day of resurrection.

What would the Lord say about the modern churches who have made the churches into cafés and a sports center? He would say, ‘why would you stubbornly keep such a service in which I will not manifest Myself  or My work?’ THE ECCENCE OF THE CHURCH IS TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF HELL! The Church must be a church where people can spiritually live righteously, and be changed through prayer. But in these last days, the people go to the church to rest and relax. The church is now perverted into the place to hold meetings of their pleasure. It has become a bazaar place. If the humanistic pastors capture the church, the essence of the church will become dim. They will all go under and perish.

Your family can be blessed if you act and move yourself first. You must start first. The word of the Lord must be pierced into your heart. You must be changed first. In order to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, you must prepare yourself. Even though the Holy Spirit lives in you, He will not do the things that you have to do or required to do. You must pray. You must change. These things are the things YOU must do. When you try and you put in all of your effort, God will grant you strength to perform and overcome. God will not touch our freewill. God did not make us into robots. God respects our freewill as much as possible. The moment we believe onto Jesus our Lord, we instantly became spiritual soldier and we have to engage into the spiritual battle ground. The test is now waiting for us.

The moment we believe in Jesus, the trials, tribulation and tests will be waiting for us. As you go spiritually go deeper, the stronger test will also come. If you are not prepared to go through discipline, you will not be able to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. If you receive the power of the Holy Spirit, you will be witnessing Jesus Christ to people without hesitation. You will become bold. You will be able to boldly preach the gospel even at the places where there is a presence of absolute (negative) force. But current day Christians have lost their identity. If we cannot handle and fulfill the mission as a Christian, how can we enter into heaven?

There must always be the devil’s blood on our swords. We must have his blood on our Holy sword of word and prayer. We must bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is “Love”, “Joy”, “Peace”, “Patience”, “Kindness”, “Goodness”, “Faithfulness”, “Gentleness”, “and “Self-control”. The churches and individuals must prepare thoroughly in order to receive the power of Holy Spirit. But if our character is not changed, even if God granted us the power of the Holy Spirit, it is more likely to be perverted (degenerated). Even though you receive the gifts, there is a possibility for you of going to hell.

Unless we resemble the Lord’s character who loved us unto the death of the cross, all the gifts we receive will be only in vain. By the grace of God, even after a person received the power of the Holy Spirit and if a person’s character still does not resemble Jesus Christ, that person is a fake! I witnessed so many people in hell who had visited heaven by the grace of God, they had received the gift of prophecy, spiritual insight, a gift of healing and all other types of gifts but they ended up in hell.

After we received the power of the Holy Spirit, if we use it to earn money or use our gifts to judge and condemn others, I know where that person is heading when he dies. We must claim the promise of God which is in the bible. We must claim it as ours and we must target the promise of God. We must grab His promise into our palm. Please, create the circumstances, Lord. If you pray for the condition or circumstances which God can work, it will be created.

In the early Church, even though they classified saints by their position, all of them possessed the same power of God. All the people at the Lord’s church (South Korea) are all Fire ministers. In the book of Joel 2:29, “Even upon the menservants and upon the maidservants in those days will I pour out My Spirit.” After Jesus was ascended to heaven, He promised to send Holy Spirit. In order to receive the Holy Spirit, they must not leave the Jerusalem.

We must have victory over our desires of the flesh and we must struggle to live according to the word of God. This way, the condition which God can work in us will be created. In order to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we must put down which we used to depend on and maked our decisions. Read Acts 19:2, “And he asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [on Jesus as the Christ]? And they said, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Those two disciples knew gospel but did not know about the Holy Spirit. Even though we know scripture, if we do not claim it as ours and experience it, all the work of the Holy Spirit in the book is irrelevant to us. In order to experience the power of the Holy Spirit, we must claim it with our prayer before God. When are we desperate for the Light? When it is most dark. If you do God’s work without the power of the Holy Spirit, your work will be vague and will stray from the core. You must accurately discern your problem which you are facing now. You must cling on to the core. In order to see through the core, you must be filled with Holy Spirit.

When Elijah brought the Fire from heaven, what was the fire burning on? Water caught the Fire. The impossible was then possible. The Holy Fire dried and sucked up the water. Fire will not come down on an empty alter. You must become a sacrifice in order for the Holy Fire to engulf us. You must become a sacrificial offering in our work places and businesses. We must have a whole hearted dedication of sacrifice.

Even though this is the age of Holy Spirit’s unlimited power, it looks like His power has been exhausted. Brethrens, the forces of demons are unlimitedly multiplying; people who believe in Jesus can’t even properly receive the power of Holy Spirit and be multiplied! You must powerfully pray in faith. Do not boast your faith just with your mere word, but you must observe within yourself if God’s power is practically being manifested in and from you! Whatever you do, do it with love of the Lord.

In order to understand the supreme order or counsel of Jesus, you must receive the Holy Spirit. When you have properly received the power of the Holy Spirit, the proper vision (your mission) will be given to you by God. When we are baptize by the power of Holy Spirit, we can become the Lord’s witness and will go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the end of the land. We are God’s living vessel. We must receive the power of Holy Spirit so that we can powerfully spread out gospel.

When we cry out in prayer with faith, the Holy Spirit will lead us into the deeper part of the spiritual realm and will pour down the power. I pray that you will unceasingly pray with endurance. Amen.

Pastor Kim, Yong Doo
South Korea, The Lord's Church
Author "Baptize by Blazing Fire"
Translated by Yoojin Kim and Steve Yong Kim
February 27, 2011

Bearing or Stealing His Glory

Before the devil or aka "Lucifer" fell, he too was made for God's Glory. His name "Lucifer" meant light bearer. He was the light bearer for God. In other words, God's Glory was shining from him.  Lucifer had saw and experienced the greatness of God's Glory but he had erroneously taken it upon for himself and he then became full of himself. Instead of seeing the beauty of the Lord through God's Glory, the devil through pride retained it for himself.

God's children are to be the salt and light of the world to shine God's love and Glory so that other may be drawn to HIM. Whether we are given wisdom, revelation, power, spiritual gifts, talent, singing,  intelligence, discernment, healing gifts, beauty or other anointing, we must know such glory comes from HIM and are HIS. If we take it upon ourselves and become full of ourselves with such gifts, we would then be stealing His Glory. It would then be pride working in us and thus we would be falling as the devil had fell.

Proverbs 3:6 (AMP) In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

Many today continue to steal His Glory including His own children. People do not realize how it can be so dangerous to receive spiritual gifts and power. Many do not have the foundation of His Word but desire the higher things of God. We must ask ourselves for what reason are we asking? Are we asking to strengthen our low self esteem? Are we asking so that we can feel good of ourselves? Are we asking because we are seeking attention? Are we asking for all the wrong reasons? Yes, Paul said to desire them but as we receive more, we must die more. We must be grounded in His Word. Otherwise, we can become corrupted and deluded.

Isaiah 10:15 (AMP) Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him who wields it back and forth? As if a rod should wield those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift itself up as if it were not wood [but a man of God]!

We are to be empty vessels for His Word, Power, and Glory to flow through. We were created for His Glory.  As the verse states, if we are the ax, are we to boast of ourselves or against the one who chops with it? If we were an ax, then our part would be to obey and let God use us. But there are too many Christians who would boast of how beautiful they are with their words, deeds, and attitude. Even our physical beauty is His and from HIM. If they were removed, then what would we be boasting of ourselves? Let us give the credit and glory where it belongs. Let us decrease and He increase! We must no longer exist and when people see us, they must see Jesus in us. They must see God! They must no longer see the old you. It is not about your individualism. It is about becoming more like HIM!

Isaiah 60:1 (AMP) Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you

God lets us bear His Glory to so that our lives will Glorify HIM! When we rise to a new life, when we become reborn, when we are new creations, when our old is gone and the new has arrived in Christ, then we can shine the Glory of the Lord and His Glory may rise upon from us.  Know your places. Whether we have been called to be servants, preachers, apostles, preachers, teachers, or evangelists, know the responsibility and accountability and serve HIM with love but also with trembling and fear. For we are serving a KING OF KINGS!! We are not serving a teddy bear! We serve a Living God! Do not serve HIM with complacency or negligence.

Isaiah 66:2 (AMP) For all these things My hand has made, and so all these things have come into being [by and for Me], says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I will look and have regard: he who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit, and who trembles at My word and reveres My commands.

Jeremiah 48:10 (AMP) Cursed be he who does the work of the Lord negligently [with slackness, deceitfully]; and cursed be he who keeps back his sword from blood [in executing judgment pronounced by the Lord].

Isaiah 42:8  I am the Lord; that is My name! And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.

Paul addressed the Corinthian church that many were taking the bread and cup in an unworthy manner and thus many were in judgment, sick, and dying. They were bringing a sentence of their own verdict of judgment.


1 Corinthians 11:29-30 (AMP)For anyone who eats and drinks without discriminating and recognizing with due appreciation that [it is Christ’s] body, eats and drinks a sentence (a verdict of judgment) upon himself. 30 That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason many of you are weak and sickly, and quite enough of you have fallen into the sleep of death.

Today, this still rings true in many of our churches. But at the same time, many serve HIM or had served HIM negligently stealing His Glory. And this is the reason why many are weak and sickly falling into the sleep of death as well.

Many people do not see their own pride. And it is such pride that prevents people from repenting and seeing the truth. We all need more humility. The Lord said, it is through humility and when we humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways He will heal our lands. May He put salve on our eyes and ears so that we may humble ourselves seeing our own error so that we may repent. May you continue to stay in that First Love state always.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (AMP)  If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

He will not hear us from heaven nor forgive and heal us if we do not humble ourselves. Perhaps it is time to ask God if we have been prideful?

Fire of God
Steve Yong Kim
June 7, 2012

The things that God desires from us - May 15, 2010

Micah 6:6-8 (AMP) With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?

People are impossible to train if they do not possess essential characteristics. Because we hold on to things that we consider very important, God uses trials and hardships to discipline us. We can never be trained properly due to the sufficiency of daily life and the abundance that surrounds us through culture and civilization. We are finally trained properly when our circumstances and conditions become poor and difficult. When we have been stripped and with nothing left to rely on to face difficulties, we are now ripe to be trained.

When God disciplines or trains His chosen people, it is not because He does not love us. He is training and disciplining us to be set apart as His Holy people. When we are faced with difficult circumstances, we can be trained as we dig ourselves in prayer. If we are not placed in difficult situations, we will not be afflicted to the point where we would run to God in prayer. It is through difficulties that God compels us to pray. Our lives can be pictured as passing through continuous mountains. Our lives are filled with countless and continuous obstacles. All those obstacles and mountains are training grounds for us to enter into heaven. Because of the process, we are prepared incrementally a step at a time.

In the days of Micah, the idea or definition of God by the Israelis was incorrect. The way they approached God was incorrect. If we read today’s sermon scripture (Micah 6:6-8), it appears as though nothing is wrong. But we must discern what God may think is important. God desires us to live according to His Will and He wants us to change. 

Generally, we miss the point of God’s will and we end up wandering in circles. We are then out of focus and our focus must be aligned with God’s will. It does not matter how much money we have. If we do not properly believe or know Jesus, then our lives are still wandering in circles. It would be as a person attending church and was not saved. It would be such a pity for that person.

Many people desire to experience the full blessings of God. They want to experience the Living God. In fact, they try eagerly to find out what they must do to be blessed and experience Him. But it is not that easy. We often think we are prepared and ready to be used, especially as we go through trials and tribulations. But in reality, we are not even close to being ready.

As John Wesley led the ‘Holy Club’, he emphasized prayer, bible study, and helping the poor. He had once traveled on a ship headed to America. He was fearful of the heavy seas and he shivered. But as he witnessed the Moravian saints who were in the same ship praising hymns and giving thanks to God, he was extremely shocked. With this experience, he was assured of his salvation and no longer doubted. Even though we may be saved, God prevents us from guaranteeing our own salvation. Even though we are within the assurance of salvation, God mentions through His Holy Words for us to continuously work out our salvation with trembling and fear.

Philippians 2:12 (AMP) Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, [a]with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

Israel was in much distress due to their spiritual sin. In their distress, they attempted to resolve their issues. However, their method was incorrect. They attempted to utilize their own effort to worship God. They did not worship as God desired. Israel desired to have an encounter with God. Therefore, they sacrificed a one year old calf but it didn’t work. They then sacrificed one thousand lambs but that didn’t work either. They then gave huge amounts of oil that would have filled 10,000 course of a river but that didn’t work as well. When all failed, they went as far as to give up their first born on the altar to sacrifice like the gentiles did. Israel thought God was the one who was being silent, quiet, and still. They thought God was nonchalant. Therefore, the Israelis thought in order to get the attention of God or get Him to move, they had to do something special.

God is very interested in all the things that are occurring in this world whether it is trivial or significant (Psalm 121:3-4, Jeremiah 33:3). Even though it may appear that God is either silent or still, He is still working. It is simply a different way of working than how we perceive work to be defined with our finite minds.

God is very gentle in character. He works and manifests His Word in a gentle way. God has already given all of the revelation through His written Word, the 66 books in the bible. God has revealed Himself. He revealed His thoughts, heart, and actions. It does not matter how one’s revelation is holy and spiritual, we must first reflect it through His Word and then discern it. We must sort it out and clarify it.

People are the instruments that God utilizes. People are God’s living instrument and pathways. Therefore, if we want to be used, our character must first be changed. Our character being defined as thought, emotions, and will. God will utilize the people who are dressed in holiness and cleansed. God will use them as His pathway (James 4:8, Joshua 3:5).

Without thinking or evaluating one’s unbelief, unchanged characteristic, and personality, one cannot just go ask God to show Himself or ask Him to move on their behalf. It is unreasonable thinking. God will use a person according to the measure of their faith. If a person or church has much faith, God can actively utilize the individual or church. Once a man named Moses was trained and became a man of significant faith. As a result, the mighty events of Exodus occurred. God is determined to set His plans in motion but if there are no persons available for Him to utilize as His pathway, He cannot work. If there are no individuals to utilize, God will become silent. He can be silent for hundreds of years if there are no individuals or people to use. We must become a powerful pathway for God so that He can work powerfully and mightily through us.

What God desires in us are our actions to be justly, love mercy, and walk in humility with our God (Micah 6:8). Let us change our thoughts, emotions, and our way of looking at faith. Let us just pour out our being from the inside out before God. If you pour out what is deeply inside your thoughts and heart to your spouse or family, you will most likely end up fighting with your emotions.

The bible has instructions on what we should do and what we shouldn’t do. Do not try to find another manual outside the bible. If we shake off every old emotion, regrets, complaints, He will then speak to us. He will listen and fix us. We must come before the Lord and shake all the junk off without relying on any other source. Only then will our faith get stronger and the areas that were distorted or twisted are restored and straightened. Furthermore, our thoughts will be more board, our faith will be restored, and our thought and minds that were once deluded and ruled by man will be restored and we eventually will come to our senses.

Do not wander in the wrong places but let us come to the temple. Come to God. Let us fix and restore the areas that are in error. God will then use us as His pathway and His instrument.

The Lord’s Church
Sermon by Pastor Kim, Yong Doo, Inchoen, S.Korea
Author of Baptize by Blazing Fire
Translated by Yoojin and Steve Kim

May 15, 2010