2023.03.26 District Message
Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:11-13
〔Nation〕 〔Healing〕 〔Summit〕 – 〔Answer〕
If you use your Sunday well, it becomes an immensely valuable time. When you worship, the kingdom of God is being established. And while you are worshiping, healing takes place without you even realizing it. You must worship to that extent. Even if the answer does not come immediately, if you worship properly and hold firmly to grace, you will become the summit. And you cannot memorize everything you hear in the message, nor is it easy to remember it all. Even pastors, if you ask them, may not remember the sermon from last week, because they deliver so many. The best thing is for you to receive an amazing answer through this—through the nation, healing, and summit—while worshiping today. Even if you get something wrong, it’s okay. If you truly pray, God will correct it for you. And sometimes, due to our personality, we may hold onto things excessively. Then God adjusts it for us. When we are weak, He strengthens us. This—nation, healing, summit, and answer—is the most precious timetable for worshiping throughout the entire day. And since our environment is good, I’ve even seen some people praying while basking in the sunlight on a mountainside. That’s good.
When I first began entering the field for the evangelism movement, I was shocked by what I found. Naturally, I met believers—and unbelievers as well—but among ten people, all ten had no assurance of salvation. What can you do then? They believe, attend church, but have no assurance about what salvation really is. One time, while I was holding revival meetings around the country, a revivalist named Pastor Shin Hyung-Kyun invited me to his church. He was more pure and sincere than I expected. When I gave a message, he laughed and clapped with joy—something most people would not do. He asked me to continue training his church. He was very sincere, and he wanted me to train his church officers and evangelism disciples.
But that time, my team made a mistake. At Pastor Shin’s church, there were church leaders, and our team led them all to pray the prayer of acceptance. That’s how pure Pastor Shin was. When he heard about it, he said, “Ah, our church really needs training.” Yet his assistant pastors opposed it. He was so honest that he told me directly, “Hey, my assistant pastors seem to feel pressured, so they’re opposing it.” I quickly realized what was going on and said, “It won’t proceed well, so it’s better not to continue this time.” And he agreed.
Why am I sharing this concern? Because even people who go to church are like that—they lack assurance of salvation. They’ve received salvation but have no assurance of it. Moreover, there were people who came to our Darakbang meetings, received grace, and later joined heretical groups like Shincheonji.
“Christ” – The absent one [Seat] – Thought, heart, soul, background → [Brain] ← [3·9·3]
This means that Christ is missing within me. “But I believe!” you may say. Yet what’s missing is the seat of salvation and of the Holy Spirit. In theological terms, there is a concept of the “seat” of salvation—where salvation is established. If the Holy Spirit of salvation has taken His seat, assurance comes. But if not, you waver. Theologically, this seat of salvation is the soul. We have thoughts and hearts, but the most important thing is our soul, which is connected to eternity. All these important aspects reside in the brain. When the brain is weak, many difficulties arise. When this part—thought, heart, soul, background, brain—changes, healing takes place. So, if any of you are struggling, even with depression, don’t be discouraged. These parts—thought, heart, soul, background, brain—must change. When the blessing of 3·9·3 comes upon these, it becomes power.
Even if change hasn’t happened yet, there’s no need to despair. It just means that these areas are still weak. You know Christ, but you must be strengthened. Ultimately, those who have many spiritual difficulties are like that because this part has not yet been changed.
▣ Introduction
Because this is not taking place, about five kinds of confusion arise. You must help such people. In church, the sermon is already set, but you can continue speaking personally to people you meet. Church leaders, because of the blessed position God has given you, can help others effectively. Of course, it’s helpful when pastors care for believers, but when church leaders do it, people feel deeply cared for as fellow members of the church.
1. No assurance
Because they don’t understand these things (Christ—the absent one; seat; thought; heart; soul; background; brain; 3·9·3), they lack assurance. It’s not that they have no faith or that they are wrong; they just haven’t gained this assurance. That’s why, in your local districts and regional churches, you must help people with this. Just a little help produces great results. For example, among teenagers—some get into trouble, commit crimes, go to the police station. But if you help them a little in this area (thought, heart, soul, background, brain) and help them accept Christ, tremendous change takes place. Who would want to live that way? Some people go in and out of prison ten or twenty times. You must help them.
2. No guidance of the Holy Spirit
Even while attending church, they cannot be guided by the Holy Spirit because they are weary. You must help them in this.
3. No answer to prayer
They know within themselves that they have no answers to prayer. Thus, they lose strength to pray. If we realize that prayer brings answers, wouldn’t we pray with strength? But it’s not happening.
4. No understanding of salvation
They keep hearing the message but have no deep understanding of what salvation really is.
5. No discernment
Because they are spiritually weak, they cannot discern properly. They don’t know the content of salvation or how to distinguish between the work of the Holy Spirit and the work of Satan.
▣ Main Message – Local Districts, Regional Churches, the Three-Day Weekend Age
Just thinking about this brings answers. You will gather in your districts, meet in regional churches, and especially during the three-day weekend age of our church, our remnants will come. What a precious opportunity! You only need to remember three words.
1. Genesis 1:27
This restores the original blessing of God’s image and salvation that was given to us. You must remember these three Bible verses.
2. Genesis 2:7
“The Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”—your soul must come alive.
3. Genesis 2:18
Finally, the blessing of the Garden of Eden must be restored in our lives and families, but since we are not enjoying it, you must explain this as the core.
1. Genesis 1:27 [Christ – The Way]
How can we receive this blessing of Genesis 1:27? We cannot do it on our own, but that is not a reason to despair. God opened the way through Christ. That is the first point. The starting point of salvation is not people seeking God, but God sending Christ to seek us. Through Christ, He promised to give us strength and salvation. Those who suffer true spiritual problems cannot solve them by their own strength. They have no way, so God must change them—and that change happens when you explain it. Without explanation, they cannot change.
[Ephesians 2:1] [Ephesians 2:2] [Ephesians 2:6]
You must read these verses carefully. They explain that people are “dead in their transgressions and sins.” You must explain what sin and transgression are—most people don’t know. Sin means leaving God; transgression refers to the wrongs that follow. Since people left God, it’s natural. God gave Christ as the way to save us from this. Ephesians 2:2 says people “follow the ruler of the kingdom of the air.” They follow the spirit of the world. When problems arise, they go to fortune tellers. But Christ has set us free from that. Ephesians 2:6 says we had no qualification to go to heaven, yet “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms.” That means He resolved our past, present, and future.
Some people stand on the street holding placards. One kindly says, “Believe in Jesus and go to heaven.” Another harshly says, “Jesus saves; unbelief brings hell.” Maybe someone will be saved even seeing that, but strictly speaking, that’s not entirely right. It’s not “believe in Jesus and go to heaven”—you must be saved to go to heaven. The moment you know and believe in Christ, you are freed from the past (Ephesians 2:1), saved in the present (Ephesians 2:2), and later go to heaven (Ephesians 2:6). When you meet the sick, don’t say, “If you believe and pray, you’ll be healed.” Say precisely, “If you receive salvation through Jesus Christ, you become a child of God. As a child of God, the Holy Spirit works in you, and when you pray, you receive answers.” Accuracy matters.
You, too, must pray with Genesis 1:27, 2:7, and 2:18. One day you’ll realize, “Ah, this is how God is leading me.”
A professor at Korea Maritime University once testified to me: Many institutions contacted the university about a faculty hire—even the Prime Minister called the university president. The president, overwhelmed, told his staff to cancel the entire recruitment. Later, a new round opened, and this deacon was hired. He said, “I had no background or connections—I just submitted my résumé. I believe God sent me to this university because there are students who must receive the gospel.” That’s exactly right.
In your journey ahead, such answers will come. Did the king of Egypt want to appoint a Hebrew as prime minister? No. But he couldn’t avoid it. That’s how the answer came. So don’t worry about your job—just receive the best answer where you are. Even in cleaning, you can succeed. As you enjoy this blessing through worship all day, one day you will confirm, “Ah, this is how God answers.” You must taste this. Otherwise, you’ll be swayed by every voice.
2. Genesis 2:7 [Assurance – Gratitude]
When this blessing comes, through Christ, assurance and deep gratitude arise. You say, “Ah!”—that’s thanksgiving.
3. Genesis 2:18 [Evidence]
Then, evidence begins to appear. The Triune God works invisibly, truly. That’s how He works. That’s why when worship begins, the pastor always says, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
The Throne
When the blessing of the throne comes upon you, that is called the “kingdom.” “He spoke about the things concerning the kingdom of God for forty days.” When this answer comes, you begin to see transcendence of time and space, and the 237 nations. One day, while worshiping, an unprecedented and never-repeated answer will come—that is the answer.
The Three Ages
Then evidence comes that changes your past, present, and future—the three ages. Don’t lose hold of this. From that moment, prayer becomes natural and easy.
▣ Conclusion – [Prayer] [Rhythm]
I truly love praying. Prayer now has rhythm for me. Honestly, I have many frustrating matters. I must pray. Even abroad, while others rest, I must work and prepare messages all night. I can’t enjoy tourist sights. When assistants say, “Pastor, this is the restaurant we visited before,” I don’t remember. Life passes like that, and it’s often exhausting. Many people around us—when we converse—don’t connect well. You must pray.
1. Set times
If it’s hard, just set a specific time to pray, even briefly.
2. Unceasing
Then prayer will begin to flow naturally. That’s unceasing prayer. When this happens, health and many other blessings come.
3. Concentrated
When important matters arise—good or bad—take them before God in concentrated prayer.
Pray like this during today’s worship. May you receive great spiritual strength, and may it become a time when even hidden illnesses are healed by God’s power.
Prayer. God, we thank You. Let us enjoy and proclaim the best things You have given us today. There are so many suffering people who struggle because they have not heard; grant us the blessed life to share the gospel with them. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.