Not My Will But God’s Will (John 18:1-11
Our bodies, intelligence, and money, everything we have needs to be used as a holy weapon to glorify God. God has told us that we must use this as a holy weapon, not to save ourselves and kill other people, but to save other people.
Let us bless one another, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. I pray that the grace of God, spiritually and physically, may be upon all of the members of our church, that are worshiping at church, in their homes, out of state, and even in the hospital. God is moving even now, according to His Word. God doesn’t move according to our thoughts, but He moves everything in the whole universe according to His Word. Jesus Christ came to the earth as a complete God; He was also a complete man. The things that happened before He died on the cross for us were the things that happened in Mark’s upper room.
1. Gethsemane Garden
1) With his disciples (Jn. 18:1)
After He washed the feet of His disciples, they had the Last Supper, and up until last week, we talked about all of the things Jesus discussed and the prayer of Jesus to God and for His disciples. In this week, we are going into John 18, where Jesus Christ finished His words in the Upper Room and He and His disciples go to the Garden of Gethsemane, across from the Kidron Valley.
(1) As usual (Lk. 22:39)
What happened in the Garden of Gethsemane wasn’t recorded in the Gospel of John, but in Matthew, Mark, and Luke it records how Jesus Christ prayed until He was sweating blood. This Garden of Gethsemane is located on the Mount of Olives and He always went as usual to pray.
(2) Place of prayer
(3) Prayer for the death on the cross that was to come
Jesus Christ was about to die on the cross, and this was His final prayer to God. Prayer isn’t something you do just when you run into problems, but it is something you should do always like Jesus did as a usual habit. Prayer is our life. Because the Triune God is living and working right now, we must align ourselves to that.
2) Jesus’s prayer – A place that saves
When Jesus Christ faced the cross, He prayed saying that He didn’t want to bear the cross, that’s in Matthew 26:39 where it says Jesus Christ bent His face to the ground and prayed.
(1) Fell with his face to the ground (Matt. 26:39)
You have no idea how sincerely He prayed. He fell facedown on the ground and prayed, “Take this cup away from Me,” In other words he doesn’t want to bear the cross, “I thought Jesus was God, why is He praying like this?” It is because Jesus is God, but Jesus has physical pain as well. He was about to bear the cross, and physically speaking, it was difficult for Him.
When we, in the world, face a great problem, incident, or crisis that we cannot solve, then we have to pray. When something causes us great suffering or difficulty, we must pray, “Yet, not as I will, but as You will, Father.” Prayer is to submit your will. Most people will pray, “Father God, allow me to not bear the cross,” we pray to God to take away our problems, but it will never go away. Because Jesus Christ had to bear the cross for all mankind to be saved, He couldn’t avoid it just because it would be difficult for Him.
(2) “May this cup be taken from me” (Matt. 26:39)
When you first pray, you do pray for God to solve your problems, but if you have that level of faith until you die, your walk of faith will be difficult. At first, for someone who is sick, God will give them the answer of getting well, however, as one’s faith matures, they will pray that not their will, but for God’s will, even as they enter into a problem. Most religious prayers beg for blessings, “Take this problem away and give me blessings,” but that is a religious prayer that doesn’t have God. Even if someone believes in Jesus Christ, that is the prayer of a beginning level of faith.
(3) “Yet not as I will, but as You [Father] will” (Matt. 26:39,42,44)
We must align ourselves with God; we must not pray for God to align to our will. Jesus Christ repeated His prayer to God, “Take this cup away from Me, I don’t want to bear the cross, yet not My will, but Yours.” He prayed that three times, because having to die on the cross was not a simple matter for Jesus.
If the members of the church are able to restore this level of prayer, the world will be saved, because even now, God is saving the world; it is the believers who are blocking Him. All we need to do is go into the problem, but we try to avoid the problem and go against God, and we even fast to avoid the problem. For really intense believers, they would go into a 40 day fasting prayer to get rid of God’s will and follow my own will instead. Who would win in that battle? Of course God will. Then from our perspective, we make a confession of life that nothing works out according to my prayer.
3) Judas and chief priests, the Pharisees and army
Jesus Christ is in the small location of the Garden of Gethsemane, and they are there, praying to save lives. However, in John 18:3, we see there is another group of individuals there who are trying to kill Jesus. Because these people were habitually living in this way of killing Jesus, they came together to kill Jesus. Among them was Judas Iscariot, who did not see Jesus Christ as God Himself, but just a human leader. There was also the High Priest who was the highest level of the Israelite community, and in order to maintain their religious power over Israel, they have to kill Jesus. The Pharisees who were the most elite group in the Israelite community, had to kill Jesus to sell their legalism. There were 600 to 1000 Roman soldiers who forced their way to Jesus to kill Him, because they had to surround the entire Mount of Olives. The Roman army surrounded the Mount of Olives to capture Jesus.
(1) A place to make money
The things that happened in the Garden of Gethsemane are the same thing that is happening in this world, Judas Iscariot was a churchgoer who sold the name of Jesus to make money. They say, “The Gospel is trash; I need money.” The reason why Judas came to the Garden of Gethsemane was to sell Jesus and to make money for himself. There are people of God who are selling the Gospel of and the cross of Jesus Christ at such a cheap rate, just for their own success.
(2) A place to keep their status
The religious leaders of the Israelite nation had to kill Jesus to maintain their status and power.
(3) A place to keep their religious doctrine and honor
Israel was a Roman colony and there was a proxy king.
(4) A place for Rome’s politics
Because there could not be any political commotion, they had to send the Roman army to break down Jesus Christ, and just like in your location, your studies and your business, there are the people of God who pray for the will of Jesus Christ, and there will also be those who want to kill Jesus Christ for their own will, power, and authority. Your fields today are just like the Garden of Gethsemane.
2. Kingdom
Why did Judas, the High Priest, the Pharisees, and the crowd have no choice but to live this way?
1) Kingdom of the world – Darkness (Jn. 1:5)
John 1:5 says that Jesus Christ came to this earth as the true life and the light, but the darkness has not understood it. There is a large group of people who came to kill Jesus Christ is the light and all of those people are the darkness. All these people, the Roman soldiers, the Pharisees, the High Priest, and Judas were lost in their darkness.
(1) Dependent on torches and lanterns (Jn. 18:3)
Because they are lost in spiritual darkness, they need to see by carrying torches and lanterns. They try to kill Jesus, the True Light, while carrying torches and lanterns that give them physical light to see, so they can kill Jesus.
Why is this? Because they are seized by darkness, they don’t know that they need the True Light; if anything, these people only need the physical light that enables them to see physically. Even now, we live for these things. There was a power outage at my house a few days ago, and I couldn’t even prepare food because everything was done with electricity, so I said, “Let’s just starve and fast.” Even if you went to the restaurant, all of their power was out too. I was trying to take a shower, but it was so dark that I couldn’t, so I told my daughter to open the door a little bit because there was some light outside, but in my everyday life, I wouldn’t notice.
In your everyday life, where there is light, you’re very active and you think that light is just rightful. But what happens if there is a power outage? I have everything, but if everything is dark, there is nothing you can do, and that’s how you are spiritually. If we are trapped in a spiritual darkness, we think the only light we can rely on is the knowledge of the world. Even now, all the political wars that are going on in the Middle East are for oil, energy, and light.
(2) Dependent on weapons (3)
These people in the Garden of Gethsemane also brought their weapons because they need strength; just like America, we have the most weapons, that is why we are the strongest nation. They have no choice but to live this way.
(3) Dependent on the strength of the army (3)
These crowds think, “if we carry torches and lanterns, we can see where Jesus is hiding, and with our weapons, we can kill Jesus. If we have 600 to 1000 Roman soldiers, it will be simple to kill Jesus.”
2) The god of this age
Why do these people have no choice but to live this way? The answer is in 2 Corinthians 4:4.
(1) Blinded minds (2Cor. 4:4)
It’s because the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the glory of the image of God,”
(2) So that they cannot see the light of the Gospel (2Cor. 4:4)
The god of this age who is Satan is blinding the hearts of all of these crowds who are trying to kill Jesus Christ, so they cannot see the True Light of Christ. They see Jesus but they can’t know Him and they don’t need Him because Satan makes their hearts blind. When Jesus Christ was fasting for 40 days, Satan came and found Him, Because He was fasting for 40 days, He must have been so hungry, and Satan came to Him to tell Him to turn the stones into bread. It is the voice of Satan that was trying to blind a Jesus Christ through His hunger. The way that Satan works is by blinding your heart, so if you follow your heart and emotions, that’s not good; Jesus casts out Satan with God’s Word. Jesus cast out Satan with the Word of God, saying that humans can’t live by bread alone but by the Word of God.
The second temptation of Jesus was, “If you are really the Son of Man, jump from this high cliff.” Satan will touch your pride and honor, and he makes your heart go blind and again, Jesus casts Him out, with the word of God, “Do not test the Lord your God.”
Third, Satan tests Jesus Christ by saying, “I will give you all the success and glory of the world just bow down to me this is how Satan work even to blind the heart of Jesus Christ, at that time, God gives him the word of God, “We must bow down and worship God only”
(3) My greed, Murderer, Lies (Jn. 8:44)
There was never a moment where the Gospel had gone inside the heart of Judas even though he was following Jesus as a disciple for 3 years. In today’s world, Judas would be a leader because He’s a disciple of Christ. Even in today’s world there are pastors like this, pastors who haven’t received salvation. Even among believers, there are people like this who haven’t received salvation; they are only doing everything for money, running their pastoral ministry for the sake of money. Even among believers, they live for the sake of money. They are using the Gospel, why? Because Satan has blinded their hearts.
3) Kingdom of God
Then what about us? What about Jesus Christ and His disciples? Those who live in the Kingdom of God have a different heart.
(1) I die and Christ is in me (Gal. 2:20) – With
Galatians 2:20 says I have been crucified with Christ and Christ lives within Me, that’s what it means for me to be living within Christ and that’s why Jesus Christ prayed, “Not My will, but Your will.” The old “me” was the “me” that was under sin, curses, and disasters. You shouldn’t follow your old “you,” and no matter how good of a “you” that might sound like it is still the old “you” that is caught in the curses and disasters of Satan.
The new life that you live is a life where Christ is living inside of you. I will go according to the Will that Christ desires, that is a life that enjoys being with Christ. I have to align myself with God because God is complete and has power, He has all the knowledge and wisdom.
(2) With us (Mt. 1:23) – Immanuel
There is nothing that is a problem to God, and that’s why it’s secure to give everything of yourself to God. Not only is God with me, but God is with us, the church. We have to align ourselves with God, that is why we follow the Word of God. We have to raise up all the members of the church who are weak and have lost their way with the Word of God and prayer.
The church isn’t a place where you elevate and assert yourself to make others fall. Those people will always be fighting because they have to raise themselves, “I have to elevate how correct I am to break other people down,” and that is the old “you” of curses and disasters. Judas and all of these crowds are coming to kill Jesus. We have to use the intellect and great weapons of the world to save people. However, if you’re not able to receive the grace of God within your heart then everything you do to try to save yourself is killing yourself and others.
Why are churches continually falling, why are the members of the church falling? It is because we believe in ourselves, which is not the object of our faith. We have been seized by Satan; we need the Word of God, and that’s why we listen to God’s Word, the Word of God that God desires. It doesn’t matter how righteous and noble you think your thoughts are; there’s nothing to that. God’s Word is much more accurate.
(3) In all things, God works for the good (Rom. 8:28) – Oneness
Now, in Romans 8:28, all things are used for God’s good purpose, meaning it’s all used to save lives. All of your failures can be used as good stepping stones to save lives. It doesn’t matter what kind of job you have. The people of the world argue about having a high or low rank, but in God’s Kingdom, it doesn’t matter at all. It doesn’t matter if you’re a slave like Joseph or a shepherd like David, but the real issue that is important here is, is everything that you’re doing in the good will of God to save lives? That is the Kingdom of God.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the results taking place of the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan that are warring over lives. Everything you see in the world, in the news, seeing it spiritually, it is divided into two sides: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan. If you don’t see this with your eyes, you’ll be wrapped up in the Kingdom of satan.
3. Person with sovereignty
When these crowds were coming to kill Jesus Christ, it says in John 18:4 that Jesus knew what would happen.
1) Person of prayer
People of prayer are bound to know.
(1) Know in advance (Jn. 18:4)
Some people think they can live their lives without praying, and that’s true if you’re God. “I don’t have to pray,” if you’re God, you don’t have to pray; however, if you want to live your life aligned with God, then you need to have prayer. The person who prays gains authority and knows what will happen in advance. I hope that every single person who studies or works will make the prayer of the Garden of Gethsemane as a habit in your life. Early Morning prayer becomes a habit. No matter when, you must set a time where you can be alone in prayer. Make it a habit to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane in your school, workplaces, and your fields, and that is how you can see God working in your fields. The reason you pray for your family is so you can see how God is working in your family. The Master of your company and the Master of your family is God. Prayer is what it means to align yourself to that God.
(2) The words of those with sovereignty can overpower the world (Jn. 18:5)
In John 18:5-6, All of these crowds are coming and they are looking for Jesus the Nazareth and when Jesus said “I am He” they drew back and fell to the ground, this is the characteristic of one who had sovereignty. When Jesus replied, “I am He,” the people fell back to the ground. People who don’t have strength will try to argue and fight, they will try to play “lawyer.” That might be correct and necessary, but those who have spiritual authority will be able to subdue them. Already, the heavenly hosts are fulfilling that work. Whenever you hold to the Sunday message and take this home and you pray, you have already conquered and subdued everything.
What happens if you don’t have this? You become enslaved by the world, and just without a fight you’re being seized, or you ask for favors and you’re begging, but you’re still enslaved. The one with authority is the one who prays. I hope you will be a person of prayer, then there’s no doubt about it. At the young age of 17, Joseph went as a slave without his parents, but the Pharaoh confessed, “I’ve never seen anyone who is so filled with the spirit of the Lord” Even though Joseph was a slave, Potiphar couldn’t do whatever he wanted to Joseph. Why is it that David who had the spiritual sovereignty was singing praise and the demon that was possessing king Saul fled? That’s someone who has spiritual sovereignty; it is the revealing of God’s power, invisible to your eyes. However, the people living in darkness will recognize it. “This person is the lowest person but the lions couldn’t do anything to him.”
Joseph was a slave, but Poitphar couldn’t do anything to him, and he needed Joseph. That is one who has spiritual sovereignty. You’ll be able to know what will happen to your business in advance. The reason why businesses fail is because they don’t know the future, but God knows the future and He will reveal it to those who pray, because we have to do world evangelization. God reveals the future in order to the one who prays in order to save.
(3) Place where the word is fulfilled (Jn. 18:9)
There’s no need to look for fortune tellers or prophecies. When Paul was about to go to Jerusalem, there were two daughters who prophesied saying, “Don’t go to Jerusalem,” but Paul said “That’s exactly the reason I have to go” these women’s prophecies were correct, he was thrown into prison in Jerusalem, but they said, “Because you will be thrown in prison in Jerusalem, don’t go.” That’s the difference between Paul and the prophesying women.
There’s no need to listen to prophecies; God will fulfill things according to His covenant. All you have to do is follow the covenant. When God called Paul, as the one who will proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles, the Israelites, and to kings, so Paul went. Because He was imprisoned in Jerusalem, it was an opportunity for him to be taken as a prisoner to Rome to proclaim the Gospel to Caesar. So, if there is anyone who boasts of their prophetic abilities, there is no need to listen to them. “I received a divination” but there is no doubt about it, God already gave us the prophecy that we will make disciples of all nations. The work you are doing must be prepared to make disciples of all nations, that’s the prophecy. “What will happen to my business?” There’s no need to worry about that, just align in the direction of saving people, that’s the covenant of God that will never change.
In John 18:8-9, Jesus Christ said, “I am the one you want so let these others (Jesus Christ’ disciples) go” and that was to fulfill the Word, “I have not lost one of the disciples You have given Me.” The work you are doing right now will take place according to God’s Word, but because you’ve lived your life so long apart from God according to your will you think it happens according to your will. God is alive but you think He is dead, that He is just standing still at the Throne of Heaven and you live your life however you want.
Look at Jesus today, all His actions were done to fulfill God’s Word. A normal worldly leader will make his lowly subordinates fight so he can save his life. It’s true, Jesus is important, and the disciples are all holding swords, and most leaders would say, “I have to save my life; go fight for me!” That’s what happens to us when we don’t have the Word of God; that’s our nature. We sacrifice other things to save ourselves, and people have no choice to be like if they don’t have the Word of God. However, the one who prays is the one who holds onto God’s Word, and I hope that the rest of your week will go into the life of fulfillment of God’s Word.
If you don’t know what this means, keep listening to the messages and sermons. The reason why you don’t understand even though you listen to the sermon is because you live your life so much based on your will. You think it’s so uncomfortable to shove your life into God’s Word, but that’s because you have the old nature that is used to living regardless of God’s Word, without interference. The way God works is according to the Word God gives you on Sunday and it will be fulfilled throughout the week, but the reason you think God is not alive is because you live your life regardless of the Word He gave you.
2) People who don’t pray
What happens to the one who doesn’t pray? During an unexpected incident, your nature will come out. Because some things happen so suddenly, Simon Peter’s nature comes out as he cuts off the ear of the High Priest’s servant.
(1) Use their own strength (sword) (Jn. 18:10)
Even though he is a saved child of God, and the Triune God is with Simon Peter, because he wasn’t praying, his nature came out. The region of Galilee was originally a place that was anti-government, so if possible, they always had a sword with them. The region of Galilee was a gathering of people who were always looking for an opportunity to take down the government and because this incident came out very suddenly, Simon Peter didn’t have time to think, but he just reacted and cut off the High Priest’s servant’s ear.
(2) Actions that block the word (Jn. 18:11)
If we do not pray, then we have no choice but to live a life where we are killing other people in order to try to save ourselves. How great of an action was Simon Peter’s action today? In John 18:11, Jesus says, “Put your sword away. Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?” Jesus Christ says that Simon Peter is wielding a sword that blocks the Word of God, but Jesus Christ had to bear the cross. Simon Peter thought he was doing the right thing by protecting Jesus Christ, but it was completely the opposite of God’s will.
It is the characteristic of someone who doesn’t pray and doesn’t receive grace through worship. They think they are doing the right thing, but they are blocking the Word of God, so they crumble without knowing why they’re falling, because they do everything, thinking it’s the right thing. What is the seat where they are doing that, though?
(3) Those who draw the sword will die by the sword (Mt. 26:52)
They act according to their old thoughts, enslaved by Satan, thinking they’re correct. The Lord says in Matthew 26:52 that the one who lives by the sword will die by the sword, but we all carry swords around with us. But instead of using that sword to save other people’s lives, we sharpen the sword to kill others and to try to save ourselves. Everybody is holding onto a sword to attack others and to elevate ourselves.
When Jesus Christ first sent His disciples out to the field, He didn’t give them any food, but He told them to sell the clothes that they had to buy a sword, so why is it that Jesus told them to buy a sword but not to use the sword? You are not supposed to use the sword to block God’s will and attack other people, you’re supposed to use the sword to protect yourself. Our bodies, intelligence, and money, everything we have needs to be used as a holy weapon to glorify God. God has told us that we must use this as a holy weapon, not to save ourselves and kill other people, but to save other people.
It’s simple to receive answers, you have to change yourself. Because without even realizing it, you have been imprinted, rooted, and have the nature of these things, and the answers of your life will come according to your roots. You think you’re doing the right thing, using your sword, but you don’t have any of God’s answers. That is the kind of Simon Peter that Jesus Christ woke up to use for world evangelization. God will give you that grace as well, why? Because God has chosen you. God will change us according to His grace.
3) Those who enjoy the Triune God
The fact that we are people of prayer means that we are enjoying the entity of the Triune God because He is complete and perfect. What does it mean to enjoy? The way to enjoy isn’t to hold onto what you desire, but to change yourself into what God desires. The more stubborn my daughter is, the more she suffers. She must align herself to her dad, and that is to her benefit. We have to align ourselves with God. We go into fasting prayer and diligence to ask, “God, give me my things, give me what I want,” and God gives us a little of it because He doesn’t want us to die. “God, heal my disease,” and He might, but what happens if you’re always praying for yourself until the day you die? Now, your prayer has to change to do world evangelization.
If you’re always asking, “Why isn’t there anyone to help me?” Aren’t you rejecting God’s existence? You are a child of God, enjoying God, why? Because of Jesus Christ, then God becomes your background. You must always think about this. Because you are a child of God, you have authority. People like this will survive even if they are alone.
(1) Independence, Spiritual reality, Opposite things
Members of the church, you must really correct your thoughts, such that even if there isn’t a single person helping you, you’re fine with God alone. Joseph was like that. His mother passed away and his dad had four wives, so there was no one to look after him, so he had to take care of himself, why? Because God is alive. Joseph was perfectly sufficient being alone because God was with him, watching over him, and fulfilling world evangelization through him.
The one who prays can see the spiritual facts. His older brothers were trying to kill him, and that’s a fact, but there was another fact hidden behind that. The reason they did that was because they were jealous of Joseph and they wanted the love of their father, but even behind that fact, there is a spiritual fact. The forces of darkness were giving this jealousy into his brothers’ hearts so they could kill Joseph.
Whenever you go into work, you have to see the spiritual fact. If your superiors are giving you a hard time, it’s because they themselves are afflicted. Joseph’s older brothers tried to kill and sell him because they themselves were afflicted. WIthout seeing this spiritual fact, you’ll always be scarred and manipulated and dragged around by Satan because of your scars. You must be able to see the opposite things.
One day, Joseph was unfairly accused and put into prison. He thought his life was over, but you have to see the opposite side. Inside the prison, there was a blessing God had hidden, and the ones who pray are able to see it. The answers are already prepared before you, but you don’t see it because you don’t pray. It’s because you try to interpret everything with your physical eyes; you only see the physical reality, you only see the outer unfairness. You must be able to see the answer of God, hidden within that. All of your decisions must be in the direction of saving people.
If you feel very offended, it’s possible you may quit your job. If you feel really bad about something, you can quit, but that’s what happens to everyone in the world, whether they’re a believer or not. However, the people who pray will make their decisions in the direction of saving people. It is not about whether you’re offended or not, or if this is beneficial to you, but you go in the direction of saving lives.
(2) Synergy, Crisis – Opportunity, No competition
We call this “synergy” which is saving everybody together, because that is the way we have been called. Even though we’ve been called in this way, we keep making decisions independent of God, in the opposite direction, but that’s why wherever Joseph went, the prison came to life, and wherever Joseph went, he made every decision in the direction of saving lives. Joseph’s crises were not a crisis, but it was an opportunity. He went as a slave, but it wasn’t a crisis; it was an opportunity. Was it a crisis that Paul was taken as a prisoner and convict to Rome? No, but it was an opportunity for Paul to go to Rome for free, with all his meals provided and all the protection he needed. Those who hold to the covenant can see that.
Nobody teaches this in the schools and you can’t come up with this in your deep thoughts. It’s within God’s covenant, Christ has finished all problems; the Lord is with me, and now Christ is doing the ministry of salvation through me, until when? Until all nations are reached, and I’m going in the direction of saving the 237 nations and 5000 unreached people groups. Then you will be able to see.
If you’re not aligned with God, you can’t see, and then you live your life thinking that crises are crises. People who are able to see this will win without competition. Joseph never had any competition when becoming the governor. There was no competition where there were a lot of governors with runners up; he was the only one. Look at David, there were wars, but it wasn’t a crisis; it was an opportunity. His father sent him on a dangerous mission, and in that opportunity, Goliath comes out and says, “Anyone who can fight me, come out!” But the one who holds to the covenant and prays will know that this is an opportunity. He overcomes Goliath, and because of that, he goes on to become King. There’s no competition.
Even if King Saul tried to kill him, there wasn’t a competition. David had the strength to kill King Saul, and that’s why, in the cave as Saul was sleeping, David cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe and shows him. David had the opportunity to kill King Saul, but David said, “How could I kill the anointed King Saul? God has to kill King Saul.”
(3) Re-creation, Summit, Desert, Absolute plan
There was an “only” that only Joseph could do, and that was the talent of dreaming. Through this talent of dreaming, he had the work of re-creation take place. Stop making excuses about what your job is like or what your education level is. You keep listening to the words of people who do not have God. “My skill level is only this much,” don’t say that; there is a talent given to each of us. For Joseph, it is dreaming, and with that “only,” God used it to do the works of re-creation.
There is something that only you can do; don’t even compare yourself to others, that’s not biblical. Why would two people be born the same way? Everyone is different. Start from the very bottom and go to the highest summit. Joseph was like that, everyone in the Bible was like that. Then the remnants and the next generation who are rising up, you guys are at the bottom level, but you need to have that foundation securely. In order for you to use your future to save the world, everything you work and study for must be related to saving the world.
Even if you’re running a restaurant, if only Korean people come, can you run a business? You must prepare so that everyone in the whole world can come, and that’s aligned with the Bible. If it’s a church but only Korean people come, is that all right? Especially in the metropolitan area of LA, we have to create a platform and system so that people from all nations can come. Because we have our limitations, we raise up the next generation to do this. That’s the reason they study in America and learn the English language, which is the language of the world. That’s why we have to make a globalized perspective so that all of their studies will be connected to saving the world.
Go into the place no one wants to touch; don’t go where everybody is going. There is a characteristic of the Jewish people, that they go where nobody else goes. Most people crowd into the place that works well for others. This is the wisdom that the Jewish people had for a long time. Even for their businesses, they always open two or three.
However, the work of God is for us to go into the places where no one else is going. We go into the wilderness, the desert where people don’t even give a second glance, and we do the work of God there. Every single place you go, I hope you will ask the question, “Why?” “Why did you send me to this church, God?” You’re shaking back and forth because you don’t have the answer to that question. “God, why did You send me to America?” Because you don’t ask this question, you’re always shaking, asking if you should stay in America or not. Until such a person discovers God’s plan for them, they’ll always be shaking.
“Why do I have to study this subject?” You must find God’s absolute plan for you, but because you can’t do this, you’re always going back and forth between this and that. “Why do I have to worship here, today? What is God’s plan?” Such a person is aligned with God. “Give me the Word, not the Word I desire, but the Word God desires for me. Give me the Word God will fulfill, not the Word that makes me feel good, but the Word that God desires of me. Before I seek the Word that comforts me, give me the Word of God that saves the world.” That’s the characteristic of people who pray.
The prayer that enjoys the throne of heaven and the Triune God Himself. Then, as you do this, your thoughts and will will continue to come up, but in the midst of prayer, you will break those thoughts, and you’ll know this when you pray. There are many things that take place, but when you pray to God about it, God will say, “Submit your thoughts. Swallow your wrath that uses your sword to kill people. Swallow your wrath that kills people with vengeful words; God will do that.” You’ll know this when you pray.
But people who do not pray are stuck in their own gain that they stand in the line that blocks God’s will. I hope you will begin praying starting today, right now. If you want to do this, you have to put your will into it. Just like when you want to study or work, you have to concentrate. If you want to pray to the point where it’s as natural as breathing, then at first, you must have a will or regimen because you move according to your subconscious, so you have to make a conscious effort to pray to God.
It’s not complicated, but take everything to God and ask God about it, then you will find a lot of things. I hope you will hold onto this blessing and be the people who will save the world. Let us pray holding onto the Word we have received.
Conclusion
1. I am one with God
2. We are one with God
3. For all our works to be used by God to save people
Prayer
God, we thank You. We believe You will work according to Your Word. Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the unlimited love of God, the indwelling, working, guidance, and communion of the Holy Spirit, be upon all the people of God who desire to live for the will of God, that is, world evangelization, be upon all the multiethnic people and the future generations, be upon all their businesses and academics, and upon all the members of the church who are suffering in their physical body, their spirit, and mind, be with us from now until forevermore always, amen.