1 Samuel Overview Part 4 - The Word Movement (I)

No matter what kind of difficult situations we are in, we will be the ones creating influence if we do not waver in our situation but are able to restore Emmanuel. In this week, I received the absolute answer in Jesus Christ. In this age where people have the same situations, one group of people tend to grow lukewarm, immune and in the flesh as they leave God further and further. Yet another group is in greater hunger, grow more spiritual and would put down their flesh to be close to God. This is the greatest revelation that Christ has given. One group fell, became angry and insolent because of Christ’s words. Therefore, do not fear when our neighbours fall because of His words. This is because God seeks out those who know the cornerstone, who want to set their whole life system up by Christ’s system. God’s will for the other group is for them to stumble. Therefore, I will not be afraid if people backslide in church now, but I only want to see how many people want to seek after the cornerstone, the guidance of Holy Spirit, and pray by this cornerstone. I am not afraid when God tells me to give difficult words of rebuke to some. The most important thing is whether you are willing to live by this word when you have heard God’s word,. At our age, it is okay that we are weak or cannot look over some things. At the age of 40 or 50, we will surely accomplish the work of God. But my question is whether the believers nowadays have a start to knowing God! People will know the people whom I will rebuke (those who attend discipleship training for e.g.) and those whom I will not (those who attend Sunday service, for e.g.).

1) Fundamental Problem (To Open our spiritual Eyes) - Our very fallen nature/ cannot see as we are under deception/ Sin

This cannot be learnt, but the eyes must be opened. I tell you, I am not afraid of problems. When I encounter problems, I will not continue to grumble or be in a sorrowful state. Because I have opened my eyes to the fundamental problem, I will not be afraid of problems. I see that many of our brothers and sisters are afraid of problems because they do not know where they will drift to with those problems.

Fundamental problem is the very state of our fallen nature. It is the state where we cannot see, are under deception, and are in sin. Our problems are not because of our own weaknesses or the difficult situations that surround us. I am not afraid of quarrelling with my wife or my children getting sick. I only fear when I cannot see God’s will in the quarrel or not seek God’s will when my children get sick.

If we understand the fundamental problem, we will then see the

2) Need for Jesus Christ (Cornerstone)

When we see the need for Jesus Christ, we will immediately receive freedom. Everywhere in the bible, whenever people who need Jesus would seek Him, and were healed! Do we need health, money, or any of the things that Jesus Christ has the ability to grant? Some people say that they know they need Christ because they are sick, and need prayers because of the weakness of their family, or because of the lack of money. However, if you do not see that you need Jesus Christ because the state of your life is so wretched, this is not to the core. If we see that we are so weak just because we are the sinners of sin and therefore, we need Jesus Christ, we are on the correct track to knowing Jesus. Our weaknesses are only a sign to us that our life is in a state that so easily loves the world, and they are there to show that we really need Jesus Christ! Therefore, do not ask why we are so weak and that God never gives me power over the weaknesses.

3) Children of God (assurance)

Fundamental Problem -> Children of God (assurance)

The bible says that we are children of God. However, we cannot restore this as we always think we still have a lot of problems. If I know about the fundamental problem, do I see that I need to destroy all of my life and rebuild everything by God’s word? Our problem is that we have no assurance. But God says that we are heirs of God because He has borne us. There is no fear in Him. Why are we then afraid? The things we do and receive will all be blessed. This is written by the word of God. Why do the children of God not think this way? Why do we go into thinking that, “Whatever we have invested and served in has no fruits”? But the Lord says that everything is a blessing! This is a spiritual speech. Unless we discover this, we will not be able to pray. Many believers are not praying. Their thanksgiving has no root.

4) Perfect Will

Fundamental Problem

+

Child of God -> Promise, Love, and Guidance

= Perfect will

I am better than a psychologist or a doctor. I have gone through God’s word in my heart and mind in prayer to know God’s will. Unless we have gone through this, we will not find the perfect will of God.

5) Converse

Fundamental Problem -> Cannot pray (converse)

If I tell you to be joyful, can you be joyful? Unless you have gone through prayers in your hearts and minds, can you be joyful? Man is created this way. Joy cannot be brainwashed into man. God gives bliss; therefore there cannot be anything that cannot have joy. There, we must overcome the inability to pray.

I was busy the whole of this week. My third baby has just been born and I need to take care of my 2 other children, waking up in the middle of the night every night. My daughter became sticky towards me and cries every day. There is a slight thought that my daughter may remain this way for a long time, sleeping at 2am, yet waking up at 2am, needing comfort, and again at 5am. I received a lot of news recently. Lizhen and her daughter are infected with HFMD (Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease). Winnie’s 2 youngest children are infected with HFMD. Weisheng and Jesslyn’s children are also infected with HFMD. Meifeng messaged me asking why her child is so big but so small in courage. When I realized and found God’s plan in all these, I spoke to my wife, “I do not want to compare and talk about who is less fortunate so that we get more comfort. What God wants to say through me is who will stand up amidst such a situation in God? Is God’s word less than all these?” I talked to God that many parents go through this road where their children have high fever, sickness and are not getting adequate sleep. Therefore, shouldn’t I pray that when I go through this with my children, I gather evidences and testimonies? My life is for witnessing! Are we with no assurance with just grumbles and discouragement? Then God’s will never come to us and we are in suffering. I see that many mothers are like this, and shall we be like this? When I told my wife about this discovery, God gave me a sign so that my son overslept! This is only God giving me some face. I know my son’s sleeplessness will happen again, and indeed, the next day, my son woke up twice again.

Do we understand the above 4 points? This is called Emmanuel! Let us not be abstract so that we can all understand.

If we really know about Emmanuel, the answer that we received from Emmanuel is very deep.

Today we are going to dwell upon Mizpah Movement.

*Mizpah Movement

Eli had already failed in that age. This was because he did not know God’s desire. The more zealous he was, the more he was going against God.

Individual, family, Israel

High priest Eli lost everything, his family and even her daughter-in-law who gave birth to a child with a name that was cursed, and eventually died. Even Israel’s ark of covenant was lost. Many believers compromise their belief with desires of their flesh and with the world. They are so cunning at their workplace, but are so godly in the church.

High Priest Eli: 95% believers (people who serve)

In the past, I was like Eli! And I did not know about it. If we realized, many people who serve do not like attending prayer meetings. For the charismatic denomination, they only lift their hands up in the hope of creating an atmosphere, and for traditional churches, they go dry with teachings of knowledge. I have a group of Christian neighbours who are very amiable, with character similar to our sister Adrienne. Once I met a believer, and he asked me how many meetings we have. When I replied 4, he went, “Wow, then it must be very taxing on your members!” Is it taxing on us? But for such a person, it is impossible that the 4 gospelizations will happen on him. If I do not have the mindset of a 7-day church, when I return to church after some time, I will be in so much suffering and probably with a split personality between the church and this world. However, the believers of this age do not know about this! Therefore, I believe there is really a need for a Mizpah Movement in this era.

Different Era with Mizpah Movement

In Noah’s time, the ark was built.

In Abraham’s time, the world only wanted successes of its own, and Abraham came out.

In Moses’ time, when Israel was enslaved in Egypt, he brought Israel out of Egypt to receive the Laws of God.

In Judges’ time, when Israel went into weaknesses and failure, Samuel heard the voice of God.

In David’s time, when in exile, David embodied the very heart of God.

In the 400 years where there was no voice of God, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ came and preached the kingdom of God even though God had not stopped speaking.

In Martin Luther’s time, there were centuries of darkness, but the Reformation took place.

Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and independent churches followed suit.

I believe we need another Mizpah Movement . Do we have this realization when we sing the song Remnant? It is like God has built a terebinth and oak tree. If we do not cut off the big tree, it will block the work of God. Last week, I told you all that we must not go back to the ways of traditional Chinese churches. Their age is over. Look at their dryness, lukewarm and hypocritical ways, and messages with many theories. The charismatic churches proclaim that the spiritual God is everything but traditional churches do not mention this. Therefore, traditional churches continue to have divisions within their churches. It is not because of cults that they split, but because some preachers bring members out in the hope of restoring the Mizpah Movement that God gave in the first place. The Chinese traditional churches, pastors of lukewarm and chaotic living continue to rise. Therefore, to restore the Mizpah Movement process, there is the process of the charismatic movement. There is the mystery of God in this. God wants to renew through this. However, God does not want us to restore Emmanuel in bits and pieces like in the charismatic churches, but in full.

Born again (Every of God’s = promise) -> God’s word -> perfect will ->? Joy/praise -> 7 fields (evidence)

What is being born again? It is restoring everything of God. This is called promise. Use this to know God’s word and to discover God’s perfect will. With this, one can receive joy and praise every day, and receive evidences in his 7 fields. Therefore, when our children do some strange things, would we be afraid and we ask God to heal? In sister Keeren’s life, shall we use 10 influential pastors to pray and tell her to be healed immediately? This is against God’s will if God wants her to go through the process to acquire great testimonies. This is my emphasis that God will not give sufferings to His children for a second without His reasons. There is a full-time worker from the Church of Singapore. He testified that he prayed for his throat to be cured of soreness and he actually received healing. However, he could not give his daughter an answer, when his daughter laid in hospital after being diagnosed with cancer. The warmness he received from laying his hands on his throat was only a personal experience. He must know that if God heals, or if God does not, there is God’s promise in it.

Therefore, in all things, receive the Emmanuel answer. This is the most important.

Passage Reading: 1Samuel 7:3-17

Verse 4: The start is very important. Caleb saw the importance of the start by only wanting to get the reason and will of God because he knew the only problem, and the only answer. God continued to emphasize not to worship Him and also Baal and Ashtoreth idols at the same time, like how today’s believers of God worship God and the world with equal importance.

Verse 7: Immediately they met with problems. This is the convulsions of Satan! Why do we meet with problems immediately after resolution, etc?

Verse 9: burnt offering

Verse 10: Done by God

Verse 11: It was not by Israel. There was no need to take up weapons. But when we are living sacrifice, God works.

Verse 12: Ebenezer: God has helped us until now. Have we seen all our past like this?

Verse 14: During peace, Samuel could hold DT. Therefore, from this, David was raised up .

Verse 16: Samuel fixed and taught in three places: Bethel, Gilgal and Ramah, his hometown, like Paul who taught in Antioch, Ephesus, Rome..?

Verse 17: Judge means teach.

Mizpah’s restoration movement <7:3-17>

I discover that the Mizpah Movement started from one person. From one person Abraham, who heard the word of God and submitted, hope came upon the era where Abraham was in. From one person Moses, who heard God’s voice and went to Mount Horeb, Israel was brought out to know God’s will. Restoring the Mizpah Movement is not that difficult. How do we restore then? One day, that one person heard what most never heard. He continues to go to church, goes to work, and goes through a life of marriage. However, he saw the wonderful zealousness from God such that he could not stop talking about the ways of God. Some seek after what is inside of people’s heart and personal experience. Some do not understand spiritual things. What is the reason for the suffering one has now? The reason is Emmanuel. If you can see this, there is no reason to go with the flow. The whole evangelism movement in the family is done through one person in the family. The joyful spirit changes everything. A person who really believes God, and has understood the 4 gospelizations, how can he not talk about it?

1) Rid of idols, turn to Jehovah (repentance movement) Realization of flesh, death, sin

Repentance is not about not stealing, not having greed or not having an adulterous mind, where one becomes conscience-stricken or be in a state of suffering that one makes a resolution not to do it again. Repentance movement is about turning to God. It is “Oh! God has never left me at all!” Repentance starts from seeing that everything happens because of Him, He is always with me and He has always been working in my life. This realization is the most important. If you discover this kind of suffering of not knowing this information at all, you have the core.

Many churches talk about “vomiting” out sins we have committed against one another, by revealing all our dark secrets for the sake of cutting off the sin, and then having joy or in other words, having our conscience comforted. However, after that, let us ask them, “What is the Emmanuel evidence? Have you seen how God is linked with your work and marriage life?” When you look at their lives, they are not living in the will of God, and they do not know. Their lives are comfortable because they have an experience. This is not meeting God.

Bad things come about because one’s life has not turned to God. Moses repented when he killed someone in Egypt. But his repentance should be, “God has always been working on His people, but I am ignorant!” Moses always went to Mount Horeb, his meeting place with God, where God revealed to him that He wanted to use him to lead Israel out of Egypt. One day, he realized that he was in flesh, death and sin, therefore, everything he did was sin. What we must realize is the core. This is the difference between Gospel and Religion. The gospel talks about one’s very nature of motives and his nature of purpose. If your life, direction and purpose are for God’s actual purpose, it is restoration. Unless we restore this, we will only restore a bit, and then fall back again. Paul’s repented saying that he was the sinner of sinners. He said that he was the Hebrew of all Hebrews, and he was a high-ranking Pharisee. However, he said that he had not seen God’s desire and God’s zealousness. He lived in his own life, motives and purposes. This discovery is then true repentance. If not, his zealousness is going against God. Let’s think for a moment whether the people we know about who serve as leaders in the church, are searching for God’s perfect will to be a husband and a father. “Lord, what kind of father do You want me to be today?” There is practically no one. They go to church, preach, teach, and go home and they do own things. There is repentance, but they go back to do the same things. Man cannot continue to live in such a condition. Do not walk blindly.

2) Restore the sacrifice of blood / burnt offering (die and resurrect)

Do we know how burnt offering is done? The lamb is killed, allowing all blood to drip out. It is then skinned and the flesh is cut into pieces, and then finally, everything is burnt. Burnt offering movement is analogous to “I do not have anything” movement. This is the cross movement. This is about the sacrifice of the lamb of God. Let us read a few verses.

1Pe 3:18 “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”

-> According to spirit, flesh is put to death.

Heb 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
-> People are afraid of death for their whole life. This is suffering of the flesh and they become slaves. If you do not have “anything”, you do not have any more accusations.

Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death.

Jn 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Therefore my surname is not “Choo”, or “Lin”, but my surname is “Ye” (Jehovah/Jesus).

(1) Child of God (promise)

Jn 1:12-13 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

-> We are not born of people, but of God.

2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

-> When you think of this, quickly receive freedom. You are no longer the failure in your past. God wants to use all that you have. If you know this promise, everything has their uses!

Is 53:4-6 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

-> Because of His sufferings, we are healed.

We have the highest privilege. Like Rev Leechull, whom we honour very much, we do not talk to him disrespectfully. We treat him as a big pastor. However, to Sophia and Lee Song, Rev Leechull’s children, their tones when speaking to him are different from us. We must change to be like this. Those who have received the promise are like this. Those who are called children of God must change their thinking till this level.

(2) Power (Curse->blessing, inability -> power, weak -> strong)

Therefore, are we in weaknesses? Do not hang in your mouth that you are weak! If you know that you are a child of God and know His will, you are no longer in weakness. Power does not come like when you are hypnotized, but it comes when you know. Then curses will turn out to be blessings, inability will become your strength, and the weak will become strong.

Php 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

-> This power comes from Christ.

Eph 2:6-7 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

-> This power comes from the throne where Jesus sat and took dominion of everything.

Eph 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory.

-> This power comes from the Spirit.

Eph 3:14-21

-> The Spirit tells us to become strong.

Practically, where does our power come from?

Eph 5:16-21

-> Power comes when we love time, and know of God’s will.

Eph 6:10-18

Relying on the word of God, we put on this armour and pray. If we do not do so, how can we pray? If we do not pray, how does power come about?

Therefore, it is not about self-motivated power or cleverness, but it is from God’s power. It comes from knowing our identity and not from own motives. Then we get God’s purpose.

(3) Purpose (inheritance)

Mt 28:18-20 Make disciples of all nations.

Mk 16:15-21 Those who believed are saved, those who do not believe are already condemned. Those who have believed are safe from poison. Therefore, heal the nations.

Acts 1:8 Go to the ends of the world.

Jn 16:15-21 Do you love Me, my lambs and the inheritance I am giving you more than all these motives?

If we see ourselves as a child with a little less than the above, we are no longer a child but an orphan. Do not add some strength into this. Do not ask power from other areas. Ask from His power and His zealousness. If you add to inheritance your motives, you become less than a child of God. Then you lose yourself and your royalty. If you know this, you must confirm that your prayers are answered.

3) Philistines retreated and Israel regained her territory (overcoming victory)

Prayer answered v9 (Confirm)

(1) Confirm

Past -> thanksgiving

We must not skip this step. If you are a child of God, all your past must become thanksgiving. There is nothing that must be complained. You must use such a perspective to see. Your past is not bad.

Now: Emmanuel (evidence)

Receive evidence now of why you do this job, and why you lead this life. Do not hope for tomorrow for tomorrow may never come.

Future: vision, purpose

What kind of heart do we have when we wake up? When I am alone in the room, I thought about Emmanuel restoration and we will go to Indonesia and Malaysia. Why do you all not think this way? Is it that you are not a preacher now? Why do we gather this church? Our church and our career are for this very purpose. If you have a vision different from me, about business evangelism, discover God’s will to submit to Him. If you have such a picture, this is a dream. From this “Promise, Purpose, Power”, form your dream and your future. If you form your dream and future outside this promise, it is daydreaming. But if you form your dream and future inside the promise, you will get vision, and God will give you a more and more concrete vision. If we are basing on the four gospelizations, we are correct. If we are clearer, 4G means gospelizing the local church, then the all the churches will in turn be gospelized. It is then God allows me to meet Pastor Xueling through my meeting with Ronnie and June. If we dream like this in God, God will reveal to us more and more! If you do not have a dream, you will live in your current state for your whole life. God’s angels work according to the heart of the child of God. Therefore, prayers are surely answered.

After confirmation, what should you do before submission?

(2) Test and seek and submit

Confirmation is where you have not begun to “move”, but confirmation is that you already have everything. “Test and seek” is what you have not walked before.

Romans 12:1-2

-> “Living Sacrifice” means testing and seeking at all times.

Eph 5:15-21

-> I like this passage so much. Do not be drunk with the world, be Holy Spirit filled, test and seek and submit. This is the meaning of “living sacrifice”.

Flesh vs. HS

If you have tested and sought, you will know the discernment between the flesh and the Holy Spirit, and you will be able to differentiate and submit.

If you do not have the heart and everything around you is so chaotic, how can you test and seek? If you have no heart to pray, how can we receive His perfect will to submit? We must surely “test and seek”. Only then, you will find that His Word is living, sharp and active.

(3) Ask

When God’s only desire and motives are found, and checking, testing and seeking are done, one will naturally ask. But many believers just ask without knowing what God is doing. They do not know the road they are walking on,. Therefore, the requests they make are talking to the air.

Let me explain in a clearer manner. I am in the church, therefore I pray for brothers and sisters. I tell them God’s perfect will. Then when I see that they are willing to turn to God, I immediately “ask” in prayers for them. When another week comes by, I can see so much difference in him or her! But for some brothers or sisters whom I talked to by the pure word of God, there is no response. Therefore, I pray only for their temporary comfort, and I will not expect much from them.

High priest Eli can also make requests in prayers, right? If he is in the darkness of not knowing God, how can he ask? In the hospital, we comfort people with God’s mercy, and if God’s will is for him to be free, God will free. For some people, I ask the Lord frankly to bless them very directly , and for sure, what I ask will come to be fulfilled. However, for some people, their concern is only for their job, and therefore, I know that problems will always come. Therefore we are prophets, as what we know will surely be fulfilled.

4) Restore decrees, nation safe and peace (definite evidence)

The period of peacefulness is for the purpose of discipleship training. God wants to seek 12 people in our church, and the spiritual messages will continue to hit our hearts until that very pure heart has come out. Let us remember that through this message, you will go back to the office, face your boss, and to see all of God’s work. “Moses, take out your shoes because the place you are standing on is holy ground!” Remember this!

Taken from Discipleship Training, 19^th January 2007, 1 Samuel Overview Part 4.