Jesus Christ, the King of All People (Jn. 12:9-19)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.” We believe that Jesus is the Lord of our lives, and we believe that when Christ becomes our Lord, many blessings follow. The title of today’s sermon is, “Jesus Christ, the King of All People.” Depending on who the leader of a nation or an organization is, that organization will either thrive or collapse. Depending on who the leader of a family is, that family will be different as well. However, even if we do have a leader who is very strong and very wise, that is only in worldly things. It still is not eternal. Only the things of the Kingdom of God remain for eternity.
Humans were created in the image of God, this means that our life does not work out if we are separated from God. If there are any of you who are in the midst of suffering now, or your family is collapsing, or your personal life is collapsing, it’s because you have the wrong master in you. You need to change who is your Lord, so that is the main theme we will be talking about today.
1. Lazarus incident
After Jesus Christ came to earth, the last sign He showed to demonstrate that He was the Christ was to resurrect Lazarus from the dead. When Gentiles like us look at an event like that, we might just think it’s a generic miracle; however, the Jewish people had certain signs that this was the Christ.
1) A large crowd of Jews (Jn. 12:9)
(1) Came to see Jesus (Jn. 12:9)
(2) To see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead
(3) Many Jews believed Jesus (Jn. 12:9)
When Lazarus was resurrected from the dead, there were large crowds of Israelites that began to follow Jesus. They came to confirm whether Lazarus really was dead and resurrected to life, to see if Jesus really did the work of the Christ. After they confirmed that Lazarus was truly resurrected back to life by this Jesus, they confirmed that He was the Messiah and followed Him. What is the greatest influence? The greatest influence that you can give is that, by looking at you, other people are able to recognize that Jesus Christ is alive. Those are the things and the influence that went into other people because of Lazarus. It was not about Lazarus and what he did himself, but he was once dead, and by Jesus Christ, he was brought back to life, and that is being testified.
2) Chief priests
(1) Made plans to kill Jesus and Lazarus (Jn. 12:10)
At that time, there were Chief Priests, and back in those times, the political leaders and the religious leaders were one and the same. So, because all of these rumors were taking place, the Chief Priests decided, “We have to kill this Jesus,” and in today’s scripture, they even decided to kill Lazarus as well to quiet down the Israelites. That’s what you call, “humanism.” When people face a problem or a situation, their first thought is always, “Will this be a benefit to me, or will this be a disadvantage to me?” That’s humanism, but instead of arguing whether this is going to be a benefit or harm to me, it’s better to ask, “Is this God’s plan or not?”
(2) What the Pharisees were doing was useless (Jn. 12:19)
The Chief Priests in today’s scripture did not have a mindset like that. Even though they had so much knowledge of the scriptures and they were actually leading all of the Israelites, they were still at the level of an elementary student. They didn’t stop to think, “What is God’s plan or what is God’s knowledge about this?” Yes, it is fine if you learn a lot of things in the world, but even if you don’t know a lot of things in the world, there is something much greater: what is God’s plan? If you just simply ask this, you’ll begin to receive answers.
(3) Devil – Rulers, Authorities, Spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 6:12)
These are the Chief Priests, and Eph. 6:12 says that the devil is actually controlling the rulers and authorities of the world. There is an evil spirit, Satan, the devil, that goes into powerful people and brings them to positions in politics and other societal roles, because, what is it that the devil does? We need to know that. The devil was originally an angel that challenged God and tried to be like God, and because of that sin, this angel was corrupted and became the devil. The devil did not just become the devil by himself, but there were about ⅓ of the angels who were his followers and also became evil spirits. The Bible tells us that this devil is the ruler of the kingdom of the air and also orders around his evil spirits. Where do these evil spirits and the devil go into? They plow into the leaders, the rulers, the authorities, and the politicians of the world.
These evil spirits cause bad things to continuously happen, but it turns out it’s actually the devil working in the background to prevent us from believing in God. Because Satan himself tried to be like God, he tells human beings that, “You can be like God,” and he doesn’t directly say, “You can be God,” but he says, “You can be the master of your own life.” Those thoughts did not come to us naturally; Satan is controlling us in the background with those words. Humans were created as spiritual beings who can never live on our own; we were created to live by God, but the way that the devil destroys humans is by making us think that we can live on our own, without God, and being separated from God in this way is the beginning of every problem in life. Even right at this moment, the thoughts that are coming into your head, if they are not from God’s Word, then they are from the devil. Yes, I’m sure you have many thoughts going back and forth, however, are your thoughts from Christ and the Word of God, or are they from the world? Anything that does not start from the Word of God is coming from the world. These are actually thoughts that are coming from the ruler of the world, that is, the devil, and you will be dragged around according to your thoughts and emotions.
Why are we dragged around? Because I am my own master. The devil works typically in three channels. One, because I am the master of my own life, I have to take care of my physical needs like what I eat, and I get obsessed over my physical needs. That’s why people immigrate to America and they work to the bone, trying to make a living, but they are seized by Satan. The second way that Satan works is by making us reveal our own pride and our own glory and reputation in front of other people. Instead of standing in front of God, people stand in front of other people and try to exalt or reveal their own position or their own glory or righteousness. Then, when their pride is hurt, that becomes a scar for them. The scar is just a result; the cause is because I’m my own master. It’s because I am centered on my pride, and if somebody hurts my pride, I will never forgive them. Even my own family, I’ll never forgive them. That’s evidence that you are your own master, but in reality you’re being controlled in the background by the devil.
What is the third channel through which Satan attacks us? Satan promises to give us all the success and glory in the world if we just worship him instead, so Satan always prevents us from worshiping Jesus Christ, this means that Satan makes you worship something else for another goal or motive. So, if we’re not able to give our worship to Christ, it means we are seized or bound by something else. We’re so bound up by time, “I’m too busy, I’m too tired,” or, “I’m in a bad state today.” Yes, in reality you’re correct, but actually, that’s how the devil is working behind the scenes to prevent you from giving worship and glory before Christ. Then, what’s going to be the result? The devil is a robber and a thief. The devil will break into your consciousness and control it, regardless of what you desire. Because I am my own master, the devil is completely free to do whatever he wants with me.
Because Satan controls my thoughts, I think that these thoughts are mine, and I follow them. Then, the devil gives me thoughts that make me suspicious of other people, and Satan works to give me feelings of depression. From that point on, we cannot escape from ourselves. So, Satan is a robber and a thief, he breaks into us and takes us into these mental problems, and makes us completely trapped in addiction. What is the beginning of that? This is the result because, instead of making Christ the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords, I was trying to be my own master.
3) Religion
Then, what is religion? Religion is, instead of worshiping only Christ, you mix in everything that you think is good. It’s just like the Jewish people in the scripture we read today.
(1) Centered on the Law without Christ
They had all of the law and the scriptures, but they took Jesus Christ out of the context and only tried to keep the laws by their actions. So, by their actions, they thought they were clean and righteous, so, religion is a good thing, because it allows you to live a very clean and upright life, but that cannot set you free from the authority of the devil. Only Jesus Christ can set you free from the cruses, disasters, and authority of darkness. That’s the reason why the Chief Priests in today’s scripture went into curses and disasters. Even if you’ve gone to church for a very, very long time, if you do not know Christ surely, then without a doubt, your family will have disasters. Without a doubt, evil spirits will go in, and the characteristic of that is, they drag me into a direction I do not want to go. Satan makes it so that I do whatever I want to do, but in the end, I can’t escape. That’s what the devil does.
(2) Centered on humanistic actions
America is a place that is so good for Satan to play. Satan has made America, so that if we just rely on America a little bit, we’ll think everything is fine. There are so many churches here, but Satan prevents them from relying on only Christ. Even though they believe in Christ, Satan makes them rely more on democracy. Democracy is about being centered on people. If we become centered on people, we cannot overcome our spiritual problems. Then, the repeated problems in your family line will not be finished, and the suffering going on in America will not end, either. It’s not about being centered on humans; we must be centered on Christ.
Capitalism, we’re a nation centered on money. If money is controlling and dragging you around, it’s actually the devil dragging you around. It’s the same thing with Communism as well; any kind of ideology, if we prioritize that above the Christ, then the devil goes in. All of our morals and our ethics need to come out of Christ; however, if someone emphasizes morals and ethics without the Christ, they might be a very nice person, but they will be afflicted by demons. When I went to the mental institution, everybody was so nice. So, the goal is not to live a nice life. If you live your life very kindly but you’re centered on humans, you cannot overcome the devil. So, I went to do ministry at a mental institution for about a year, and there was a single man in his 50s, and he said he could hear the voice of both Jesus and Buddha in his ears. He graduated from Kyunghee University and went into the hospital, and he was already 50 by that time, meaning he had stayed there for decades. But if you look at the people there, they’re all so kind and gentle. All of the wicked and evil people are outside of the mental institutions in the world, and those people are seized as well; they’re just seized in a different way.
(3) Under the authority of Satan
Look at the people around you who are suffering from mental illnesses and problems; they’re all so nice, and the standard of the world is, everybody should be nice, but if you live a nice life by itself, you will be seized by the devil. Your nice personality needs to come out through Christ, that’s how the devil will not budge. Are there any of you who have something that you value higher than Christ? I went to another church yesterday to give a lecture for an anointing of an elder, and I said, “You will all be elders in the future and if you don’t want to say nonsense as an elder, you have to come to the answer of only Christ.” I will explain this example. I asked the senior deaconess sitting in the back, “What is the thing you enjoy the most in life?” That senior deaconess said, “Oh, back when I was a travel agent, I made so much money and I really loved that time of life,” and I told her, “That’s what prevents you from holding onto Christ,” and her face was smiling, but it completely changed.
Everybody has something they’ve experienced in their past that they think has the greatest value or is the best thing, but that prevents you from going into Christ. Are any of you still holding onto that now? Are there any women who are still holding onto images of themselves in their 20s when they could wear high heels and miniskirts, saying, “This is who I am”? Or, are there any of you who are thinking, “I’m so highly educated, I’m still alive,” or are there any of you who are thinking, “I used to be such a successful businessperson, this is the kind of person that I am.” If you truly know Christ, it means that everything else will seem like rubbish to you. How is it that this is objectively a good thing, but it seems like rubbish or trash to me? That’s what happens if you truly know the Christ; you think that everything else is rubbish in comparison.
Why is it rubbish? Because all of those things should be revealed within the Christ. Even right at this moment, you are holding onto something from your past, and that’s how Satan works to prevent you from holding onto Christ. Then, everyone’s face became so severe. They said, “Everyone’s the same, we’re supposed to be elders. How could this be?” So, people are bound to come to church and talk about the good things they’ve experienced in their past. For them, they are saying words that are correct, because from their perspective, these words are the best and they have the greatest value, and that’s what they’re saying, but those words are not Christ. The good things must come from inside of Christ, that is how the darkness cannot go in, that is how curses and disasters cannot go in.
2. Jesus – To Jerusalem
The second point, Jesus Christ goes into Jerusalem.
1) During the festival
(1) Great crowd (Jn. 12:12)
(2) Took palm branches and went out to meet him (Jn. 12:13)
Now, there’s a tremendous number of Israelites who have gathered at Jerusalem to observe the Passover Festival, when they were scattered all over the world. Now, these huge crowds of Israelites have gathered and are shouting, “Hosanna.” It’s the same thing as when a President is visiting another country, and they’ll have the red carpet rolling out from the airplane, and they’ll have the national guard welcoming them; they are shouting, “Hosanna.” We welcome and greet this president in, especially if it is another country’s president visiting our country, so they are giving the highest level of recognition, and that is by rolling out the red carpet in front of that person’s airplane, and then, the president of that nation will come and greet the visiting president.
(3) Hosanna – Save us (Jn. 12:13)
In today’s scripture, Jesus Christ is riding on a young donkey into Jerusalem, and the people are shouting, “Hosanna,” which means, “Save us.” Normally when there is a general who is victorious from war, they will come back riding a gigantic horse or steed; that is how people usually do it, and people will be clapping and cheering, “You’ve saved our nation, you had victory in war.” In today’s scripture, Jesus Christ is riding into Jerusalem on a small, baby donkey, and it seems like nothing grand, but the people are shouting, “Hosanna,” which means, “Please, save us.” This word, “Salvation,” is mentioned in the Bible multiple times, but it’s said in different ways. If your situation or environment is so difficult, people say, “Save me from here.” If you are financially in such difficulty, you say, “Save me from here.” Also, if you’re being attacked by your enemy and you need to be rescued from that situation, you say the same thing. However, the most fundamental usage of the word “Salvation” in the Bible is to save us from sin, death, and Satan.
2) Jesus
(1) King of Israel (Jn. 12:13)
Because He is the king of Israel, what that means is that He is the Christ and He is the Messiah. They recognized that. Most people did not see that, and it’s the same thing today. I’m sure, 2000 years ago, if there was a president, they would be riding on a very good horse, but Jesus Christ was born in a manger and now He is riding on a small, baby donkey.
(2) Rode on a young donkey (Jn. 12:14)
Let’s say, for example, He rode on a gigantic white steed, then many people would look towards Him, but He rode in on a small baby donkey on purpose. However, the people who received God’s grace to recognize that He is the Christ and He is the Messiah, began to welcome Him and chant, “King of Israel.” We must have the True King come. Is your family collapsing? The True King must come and reign over your family. Are your personal thoughts and your mental state completely collapsed? Then the True King must come and restore you. Are you lonely? The True King must come upon you and reign upon you, and in the Kingdom of God, there is true peace, joy, and righteousness. When the Lord reigns upon you, that itself is heaven. It is full of righteousness, joy, and peace.
Satan is continuously working; however, when Christ takes His rightful throne as the True King, that is when Satan, disasters, and darkness flee. For the people who are suffering because they are so oppressed and enslaved by Satan, the moment they accept Jesus Christ as their True King, Satan will flee. That cannot happen with American citizenship. It must be by Jesus Christ becoming my Lord in order to establish God’s Kingdom upon me. Then, His abilities will be revealed in my life. Everywhere I go, the things that were broken down or desolate will come to life. Even people who are very pessimistic or critical and judge other people, when they come to receive Christ, they will change. There are people who are continuously hearing things or seeing things. There are people where the devil plows into their thoughts and keeps giving them these thoughts to “kill, kill, kill,” or, the devil tells you, “Your life is destroyed because of that person so you have to kill them, or if you can’t actually kill them, at least, abuse them or be violent to them.”
So, the anger from your suffering is pointed to that person, and that’s why there’s so many shootings in America and cases of addiction, to “drink, drink,” and nowadays there’s a drug called fentanyl that makes people completely possessed. For our future generation, the future is so dangerous. They just go out with someone they think is their friend, and when they put a little bit of fentanyl into their drink, that person is out. It’s always the people who are close to you, your friends. Then, when you take that substance, you have this indescribable feeling. When people are suffering and tormented and they feel the effect of substances, it feels like they’re in heaven, but when the high runs out, they’re in hell, and immediately, they go back to the substance, but now, they don’t feel the same effect as the first time they took the substance, so now they have to take two, three times the dosage to feel the same way. It’s such a small amount and it’s so cheap, but it’s so effective. If people are suffering because they are lonely or they’re going through a difficult time, and then they experience this drug, ecstasy, then that becomes their Christ.
(3) Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion – Fulfillment of Old Testament (Zech. 9:9)
However, when the Israelite people were cheering on Jesus Christ, “Hosanna,” it says in today’s scripture, “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion,” so, what’s happening in today’s scripture is actually the fulfillment of a prophecy in Zech. 9:9 that says, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion.” These are the words that were prophesied in the Old Testament, and right at that moment when Jesus Christ is fulfilling that prophecy, instead of saying, “Rejoice greatly,” it says, “Do not be afraid.” It’s because they’re in a situation that is very fearful, they’re colonized by Rome. If they leave the Jewish church, they are persecuted and exiled, and that is why, instead of saying, “Rejoice greatly,” it says here, “Do not be afraid.”
Do you know where human fear comes from? The moment we are separated from God, we are met with spiritual fear. If the church does not teach biblical fear, they think they are afraid because of something happening. But there are people for whom, even if there is nothing fearful happening around them, they keep getting panic attacks. The moment humans are separated from God, we are automatically filled with spiritual fear, and because they are afraid and they are ashamed, they try to cover up their shame with humanistic efforts. People are trying to get rid of their fear right now by packaging themselves up with their success, their money, their education, their fame, or their reputation. But that fear will only go away when we are covered by the skin of the Lamb which represents the covenant of Jesus Christ. Through the Christ, we must meet with the One True God in order for our spiritual fear to go away. David confessed, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the reason I fear no evil is for the LORD is with me.”
Other than that, I’m sorry to tell you, but the land of America cannot protect you; even your husband or wife cannot protect you. If you have American citizenship, then the American military or police force will try to protect you. However, your American citizenship can never protect you from the attacks of Satan and the devil. Only when Christ becomes our king and the Kingdom of God is established within us, then God will protect us by sending His heavenly angels and hosts, because He is upon me and His Kingdom is within me, and now, in order to protect His nation, He mobilizes His heavenly angels and hosts. The angels of the Lord follow me everywhere I go because God’s Kingdom is inside of me and the King resides in me. The moment you resolve to go into your field of work or school, to fight the spiritual battle, the angels are mobilized, why? Because you are in the Kingdom of God, and we need to fight against the kingdom of the devil and win, so God will send His heavenly armies of angels ahead of us to destroy our enemies. It’s like that even in the world. In the everyday world, the police officers protect the civilians, but when there is a war, the soldiers are sent out. In our everyday lives, the angels of the Lord protect us, but then, when we resolve to fight the spiritual battle, God sends His heavenly armies. You need to know about the spiritual facts in order to confirm the fact that the victory is already won.
3) Disciples and the great crowd
(1) Did not understand (Jn. 12:16)
So, there are these Israelites who are cheering and chanting, “Hosanna,” but the disciples did not understand what was going on. The disciples were not able to understand why all these Israelites were waving around these palm leaves, and even the donkey thought that everyone was praising him, so he felt so good, right? Lazarus died and resurrected, and people flocked around to see Jesus Christ who resurrected Lazarus, but instead Lazarus thought he was the center of attention. Same thing with the baby donkey, because Jesus Christ is riding on top of the donkey, the donkey can also enjoy it. That’s our life. When people of blessing are attached to you, it’s because of the Christ inside of you, it’s not because you’re so good at relationships. If you’re really good at relationships, yes, people might be attached to you, but they’re not people of blessing. However, because of the Christ inside of you, people are attached to you, and those are the people of blessing, so you shouldn’t think, “It’s because of me,” but it’s because of the Christ inside of me being revealed, and that’s what I’m able to enjoy it as a side effect, just like the donkey. People are praising because of Jesus Christ, but the donkey thinks it’s because of him. That’s who we are, but we also enjoy the joy, but it’s because of the Christ inside of me.
(2) Only after being glorified – Incident of the cross (Jn. 12:16)
Later on, the disciples only realize that everything was happening after Jesus Christ died and resurrected. That’s when they realized, when the glory of Christ comes upon them, “Oh, this is why Jesus was telling us these things in the past.” We are the same way; when the Word is given to us, we don’t really understand it, but after time passes, we realize, “Oh, that’s what He was saying to me.” Your words and my words, they will all disappear. Everything you say, “Have you eaten? Have you done this?” It will all disappear, however, the Word of God that comes out of your mouth will be influential forever because the Word of God doesn’t disappear. If God gives His Word to somebody else, using your mouth, then those words will influence the other person forever. The reason why people say life is in vain or life is futile is because they just chatter without God’s Word, then everything will disappear. The only thing that will remain from me forever are the words that God speaks through me.
(3) Records written about Jesus and what people did to Jesus
(4) Many followed Jesus after they heard that he had performed signs (Jn. 12:18-19)
3. Jesus after the cross
So, the scripture happened before Jesus Christ died on the cross, but how should you and I live after the cross?
1) Incident of the cross
(1) Sin of mankind, Satan, Authority of Hell – Liberated (Jn. 19:30)
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was not only for the Israelites, but it was actually the death that solved the problem of sin, curses, death, and Satan for all of mankind. The problems of our curses can never be solved without the Christ. Satan will never be broken down otherwise; it must be only Christ.
(2) Became king of all peoples
Christ did not come as the King of Israel; He came as the King of All Creation. By the death of One, all of mankind was saved, and He is my Lord; He lives within me as my King. We have a relationship with Him, 24 hours a day, and that is why the Kingdom of God, heaven, continuously is established in me. We call that, “Happiness.” You are tasting the greatest of all great states that cannot exist on earth. In Buddhism, they try to practice asceticism to experience nirvana, but they can never experience that. They try to experience nirvana by emptying themselves, there are other religions that try to follow their own doctrines and actions to experience nirvana; however, when Christ is established in me as my Lord and King, that is when we are able to taste heaven. Once you get a taste of heaven, there is nothing on earth comparable. It’s the same thing with food, right? Once you’ve experienced the best tasting food, the normal food every day just doesn’t cut it anymore because you’ve experienced the greatest thing.
(3) Lord of my life – With (Gal. 2:20)
You will never be able to escape from your addiction; however, if you get a taste and experience Jesus Christ even a little bit, then even addiction cannot overcome you. You won’t need the substance anymore. In this world, there is nothing that gives us more ecstasy in our emotions than drugs. If you haven’t experienced Christ yet, of course you have no choice but to get addicted. Christ came as the King of all Kings. Think about this very objectively and logically right now, is there anybody in your school, your work, or your field, who is testifying of only Christ? There may be people who are relaying a vague Jesus, but is there anyone who is relaying, “Only Jesus”? Is there anyone who is saying, “Only Jesus is everything”? If we don’t have this “Only,” then the darkness goes in; that’s why even as we live our walk of faith, we have no strength. Even as we live our walk of faith, we are seized by something else and we are obsessed with it. However, once you have “Only Christ,” the darkness will run away, and curses and disasters will break down. That’s what we call, “Christ,” and Christ is not just “Christ,” it is “Only Christ.”
2) God’s kingdom – Mission (Ac. 1:3)
(1) Proclaim Christ to all nations, peoples (Mt. 28:19-29, Mk. 16:15-18)
The moment you acknowledge that testifying of this is the only reason and goal for your life and for your job, then God’s Kingdom will be established, because the King of all Kings and the King of all Creation needs to be established everywhere. When you hold onto that as the mission of your entire life, then God will guide you forward. However, if you’re not holding onto that mission of establishing God’s Kingdom and instead you’re holding onto the mission of “I just want to live a good life for me,” then you’ll be overcome by disasters. Jesus Christ is the King of all nations, and He said, “Make disciples of all nations.” He said, “Proclaim the gospel to all nations, heal them, and cast out demons, and these are the signs that will follow those who believe.” Are there any of you who are suffering from migraines that have no medical reason, and even if you go to the hospital, they can’t diagnose it? May you cast that out in the name of Jesus Christ. There are people who say, “Oh, well when I cast it out in the name of Christ, it goes away for about a minute, but it keeps coming back,” then, keep casting it out. Even if you go to the hospital, they can’t fix it; you can’t go anywhere, that’s what it means to be oppressed and tormented by demons, and the medicine is using the authority in the name of Christ, because that is Christ.
(2) Authority of darkness – Christ’s kingdom (Col. 1:13)
Until the devil is completely bound, but there are some people who tried a few times and say, “It’s not working,” but the devil knows that is what you’re saying. Keep doing it until the devil is bound and cast out, until you fight and win, and the devil knows how much you’ve resolved in your heart or not. I’ll tell you one more thing. In the region where you live, there are religions. Think about it carefully. What is that religion? They are not believing in Christ, then, if they pray for, believe in, and worship something else, then the evil spirits begin to work in that. Let’s say the evil spirits working upon that religion is of sexual immorality, then that region will be filled with sexual immorality, or if that is the evil spirit of powerlessness, then that entire region will be lost in poverty, or let’s say, the evil spirits working there cause diseases, then everyone in that region will be sick.
You need to know this when you look at the religion in your region. Because the people inside those religions are not just there; they are praying, they are chanting, and when they do those things, Christ is not working; evil spirits are working. Then every time you see that, I’m sure you won’t stay still; You’ll realize, “I have to worship and pray here.” There’s the Scientology movement that is trying to do healing, and next to the Scientology building, there is an Indian meditation center, and then there’s the Mormon Church that adds things on top of Christ, and then there’s also a Sikh church from India and a Jewish Lodge building, and if you go on 5th and Vermont, there’s a Muslim Temple that has over 1000 people gathering. And there’s different types of Buddhists everywhere you go, and Hollywood is completely crowded with hospitals, there are people who are going to hospitals because of diseases of demon-possession; there are people who are mentally sick due to demon-possession, and this is the place where all of the people with physical abnormalities and sicknesses gather.
(3) Works of the Holy Spirit – God’s kingdom (Mt. 12:28-29)
What do you think is happening spiritually? It’s not an average thing, that is why we need a church that testifies of only Christ, and a church that heals with only Christ. Because the churches are not saying this, Satan is using other things like Scientology to give the fake version of healing. With that kind of culture, Satan is using Hollywood to spread that kind of culture all throughout the world; however, the Lord desires to raise up the church that holds onto “Only Christ,” without that, we will never be able to save. You might talk about Christ a little bit, and then you talk about community service or volunteering, you’ll ever be able to do it. When you go out into the field, most of the churches are closed. When I went to El Salvador, there were sorcerers everywhere. These sorcerers and warlocks received the evil spirits and the demon-possession to be able to heal people or save people. Pastors from churches go to El Salvador, they lose all their strength, and then they run away. Why did Crust come to earth? He came as the King of all Kings; He came to destroy the devil’s work, He came here to set us free from all of the curses and disasters of our sin. When the churches do not hold onto Only Christ, then these sorcerers and these demon-possessed people are exerting their strength. Satan works in a very subtle way, Satan works and you don’t even realize it, that’s America, the Superpower Nation. That is why only Jesus Christ, when only Jesus Christ Who is the King of all Kings and the King of All Creation, is established in me and my field, then the darkness will flee.
3) Only Holy Spirit (Ac. 1:8)
(1) Me – Filling of Holy Spirit
As soon as you wake up in the morning, pray for the Holy Spirit of Christ to fill you, in other words, establish God’s Kingdom within me. Today, may the kingdom of God be established in my work or my school fields. Allow me to work and to study for the Kingdom of God. “First, seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness,” that is what we must do first. Matthew 12:28-29 says we must first bind the strong man. You go out to work, but is it really going to work like that? Satan has seized the entire field with the strong man. You might think that something is working out a little bit right now, but later on, spiritually you will completely collapse. You try so hard to make so much money and it feels like you’re making a lot of money, but it ends up all being wasted on things you eat, wear, and sleep. That’s exactly what happened in Matthew 4, where the devil marks you focused on physical needs.
(2) Field – Pray with a gathering of 2-3 people (Mt. 18:19-20)
Pray first for the Kingdom of God to be established, and when you go to your job or your field, gather two or three people and pray together. In your region, wherever you live, two or three people gather together and pray in the name of Jesus Christ, then, “I will be with you.” First, break down the darkness. You might try to do something physically well yourself, but that should follow answers from the Lord. Once you begin to pray like this, then all the forces of religions, idols, and evil spirits, will begin to run away and break down in your region. You must first break down that darkness in order for the works of restoration and light to take place. Is it hard for you to hear what I’m saying right now? Am I speaking in phrases or in a fourth dimensional world with flying cars right now? Should I tell you how to run a good business? Should I tell you how to make good relationships? Should I tell you how to train your mind and your mental strength? I’m telling you about Christ, when Christ is established as the King of you, in your family, your region, your job, and your schools, that is when the kingdom of Satan will be broken down. And because He came as your King, that is why you study and work while you pray, then Christ will be revealed. Do not pray while working; instead, work while praying. Worship while you’re in prayer. That’s what I’m saying. Do you understand?
(3) Works that revives lives – Witness (Ac. 2:40-41)
Then, God’s works will take place upon you, you will come to life and everything around you will come to life. Even your collapsed business will be revived. Do you think God is bored and has nothing to do but to just give you a hard time at your job? Do you think that God is bored and He just destroyed you with a state of addiction. When God’s Kingdom is established, everything will be restored. May you have a blessed week.
Conclusion
1. All things in prayer
2. Works of God’s answers
3. Witness to save people
Message Prayer
Let us pray together holding onto the Word we have received.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We have returned Your materials as offering. We pray that everywhere this offering is used, may Your glory shine into the world and all curses and disasters be broken down, and we pray that you will bless all the hands that have given the offering to break down Satan and cast out the evil spirits in the field. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
God, we thank You. We pray that You will bless Carlos as well as the family of Pastor Sungmin Kim, that they may be the witnesses who establish Your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
Announcements
1. Online zoom early morning prayer (Mon.-Fri. 5:30, Sat. 6AM) – Raise the bartizan of prayer
2. Hollywood camp – Temple
3. West Coast Winter Retreat: 12/26-12/28
4. Offering can be given to the church venmo: @Antiochmissionchurch
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, guidance, working, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire to enjoy and testify of Jesus Christ, Who is the King of all Kings, be with them from now until forevermore always, amen.