Acts 1:8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
This is the work of the Triune God and the answer of 25. The term “Triune God” is something everyone knows. But the fact that the work of the Triune God is something else. The Holy Spirit and the work of the Holy Spirit are different matters. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God who originally exists, but when He comes upon us, we call it “the work of the Holy Spirit.” When this blessing appears in your studies and work, we call that the 25th hour. The term “25” is one we made up, but it means it’s not our timetable.
Do you know the man Pascal? He was a French mathematician, a physicist, and a philosopher. He lived a faithful life and became a theologian. He said, “Without personal quiet time, misfortune will come.” This means that if there is no secret of prayer, one cannot be happy.
All our church members should receive grace, but there is a particularly greater need for our church officers to receive grace. Officers are often very busy people. Since you’re older, you also have much experience. When you come to church, you have to work. You are in a situation where you must do many different things. Whether you work, don’t work, can’t work, do well or poorly—these all relate to being a church officer. If you’re not careful, you may miss the critical flow of the Word. Because you are important people, you must firmly hold to this covenant of the Word.
▣ Introduction – Prayer
Although it may seem like nothing, when we pray, the flow of the Word is included. It’s not just a simple prayer; it includes the flow of your life. This prayer includes not just simple life matters but also the flow of your work. That’s why this prayer is so important.
So, what is the beginning of prayer? Healing. What is the process of prayer? The fullness of the Holy Spirit. What is the conclusion of prayer? World evangelization. When you pray like this, it does not simply mean “I’m just praying.” Prayer includes this immense blessing—prayer is healing, it is the fullness of the Holy Spirit, it is world evangelization.
▣ Main Body – Answer
So today, as you worship and pray, you must always keep three things in mind: indwelling, guidance, and fullness of the Holy Spirit. The Triune God indwells within you through the Holy Spirit. This is where healing begins. The Triune God invisibly leads me through the Holy Spirit. This is extremely important. Following that comes the Triune God working powerfully and fully in me through the Holy Spirit. Then, even this very moment of prayer becomes a very important time.
1. Indwelling (1 Corinthians 3:16)
There are many verses in the Bible, but even just this one—“You are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you”—is clearly stated in the Bible. This is a critical verse. It’s a verse that cannot apply to unbelievers but applies to you. So if you just realize this one important thing—the work of the Holy Spirit, the work of God, the work of the Triune God and the answer of 25—everything changes.
So when you think and pray now, it may look like nothing, and you may think, “I prayed, so what?” But answers will surely come precisely. This kind of answer came, that kind of answer came—that’s important, but more importantly, these three answers (indwelling, guidance, fullness) will come.
We may easily think, “Oh, I’m facing too many hardships. This is too difficult for me.” But regardless, these three answers (indwelling, guidance, fullness) will surely come. This is important. The Holy Spirit is within you, the Triune God not only guides you but also gives you full power.
Throne
So the phrase “blessing of the throne” refers to this mystery (indwelling – 1 Corinthians 3:16).
1) 3·9·3
This is where the phrase 3·9·3 comes from. You must be assured. During today’s worship, believe this (3·9·3) is happening. That’s enough. Don’t worry about what kind of answer will come. Don’t worry about your future. Why? Because the Triune God works in you like this (3·9·3). It is certain. That’s why we hold to this covenant and worship today. You pray holding to this covenant throughout the week.
2) Remnant
Clear evidence appeared. The Seven Remnants only did this. The door to world evangelization simply opened, not because they tried. You must remember. It’s a razor-thin difference. Let’s speak about one remnant. Joseph didn’t try to become governor. While enjoying this (3·9·3) blessing, he became governor. So don’t think about the answer. This (indwelling, guidance, fullness) is the answer. Think about it—if the blessing of the throne has come upon you and your work, who can stop it? That’s why the unseen answer (indwelling, guidance, fullness) must come first. Even highly educated people, philosophers like Plato, realized something through their studies and insisted, “What is unseen is more important than what is seen.”
3) Nothing, Everything
Such people began with nothing but ended up saving everything. Why? Because this blessing (1 Corinthians 3:16, the throne) was within them. “It’s okay to have nothing,” they said. Even when David was being chased, he said, “I lack nothing.” He used such words. You must make that confession today. “I came to worship to enjoy this blessing, so nothing else matters.”
2. Guidance
Then, you will surely be guided. Remember three things.
1) Acts 13:1–4
Before doing anything, you must pray, even for just five minutes, and confirm that you are being guided by the Holy Spirit.
2) Acts 16:6–10
More importantly, when things don’t seem to work. What does Scripture say? “The Holy Spirit prevented them from preaching the gospel in Asia.” In such times, we quickly become anxious and shaken. “Why is the way blocked? Why isn’t it working?” That’s when you must hold to the covenant. God has prepared the real thing. It becomes a turning point. “To Macedonia,” it says. You must remember this.
3) Acts 19:1–7
Always first experience what happened on Calvary, Mount of Olives, and Mark’s upper room. If in every situation you enjoy this blessing through prayer, then surely God’s work and the answer of world evangelization will follow.
Resolve firmly: “In this opportunity, I must recover the real thing in my life.” You must recover the real thing. What good is recovering the fake? Recover the real. So many future generations will see your footsteps and say, “Ah, so this is the true gospel. Thank God for His grace.” You must leave that behind. It will surely come. Build the bartizan of the Triune God through prayer.
Suppose someone from Africa comes to our church. Then they must go back thinking, “Ah, we must pray like this for Africa.” They must recognize, “Ah, there was someone in this church praying for Africa, for me. This is who they were.” So even when you grow old and can no longer work and go to the kingdom of God, other disciples will continue that work. How amazing is that?
The missionary family McKenzie from Australia went to Africa, got sick while doing missions, and how could they have come to a poor country like Korea? They came to Busan. Even there, they became ill and couldn’t continue. So it would’ve ended there. But their descendants came. They built hospitals and churches and received many answers. That is beyond imagination. How could individuals go to another country like that? Think about it. Korea was in terrible condition at that time. Our country developed rapidly by God’s grace. Older folks would know. Even when I was young, if complications arose during childbirth, the baby would die. There were no countermeasures. The country was poor, so who would perform prenatal checkups? No one. They just gave birth. If the mother had complications, you couldn’t even know. So these missionaries built a small hospital, specifically, an obstetrics hospital. So we thought, “Wow, these people really prayed.” The name of the hospital has changed over time from “Women’s Hospital” to “Christian Hospital.” The prayer you are praying right now is tremendous. That’s how you are guided by the Spirit.
3. Fullness
When you’ve reached a certain point in the timetable, that’s fullness.
1) Acts 1:1
Christ becomes the concrete answer for you.
2) Acts 1:3
The kingdom of God is realized. It will surely happen. As you pray, the kingdom of God will come upon your work. Later, the kingdom will be realized.
3) Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.” The gospel will enter deeply and bring transformation to the culture. You must believe this. Those who believe this cannot help but pray. No matter how difficult your situation may be, it’s okay. Start this (entire message) prayer now. That’s everything. No matter how lacking your background is, it’s okay. Start this (entire message) prayer now. Then, as answers begin to come, you will realize something. What will you realize? “Ah, it’s such a relief that I didn’t receive answers in the past.” It’s a real relief.
I’m saying this while smiling now, but when I was younger, I was hopeless. I had hopes like “I will do this and that.” But none of that happened. And since I had no faith and didn’t know how to pray, I thought, “Maybe I’m someone who just doesn’t succeed.” One day, I asked myself, “Why is my environment like this?” though I didn’t say it out loud. “Why are my parents like this? Why is the church like this?” That was the vicious cycle. I wasn’t mentally ill, but I was at the level of being mentally ill. “Why am I like this?” Nothing was working. But after receiving even a little answer, I realized, “Wow, I was foolish.” I’m so glad those things happened.
You must receive this (entire message) answer today.
▣ Conclusion
What is the conclusion? When they held to the covenant of the Mount of Olives and devoted themselves to prayer, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:3
40 days. This doesn’t mean you must literally make it 40 days, but it means you must have this kind of time every day. What happens eventually?
Acts 1:14
“They all joined together constantly in prayer.” That’s enough. If today during worship you truly enter into deep prayer and receive grace, that’s enough. Answers will come later.
Acts 2:1–13
Then what happened when they went out? This kind of work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4) occurred. It will come. What happened later?
Acts 2:17–18
More importantly, they began to see the future. That’s enough. Don’t lose hold of this (main body).
Acts 2:42
Then worship came alive. This is everything.
Don’t be deceived by your current reality. If you are ill and continuously worry about your illness, that’s not prayer. That’s being seized by worry. But if you truly entrust it to God, receive grace and strength, then your body will also come alive.
So don’t try to receive answers—receive this (entire message) answer. You’ll have testimonies. At the Red Sea, when the people grumbled, Moses said this: “Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will bring you.” What does “stand firm” mean? Does it mean literally just stand there? That’s not it. It means throw away all your current thoughts and wait.
When they marched around Jericho, God commanded: “On the last day, shout—but for six days, do not open your mouth.” What does that mean? “Don’t be deceived by your reality.” Marching around Jericho brings up so much doubt. “Will this really work? What if they throw rocks from above?” If a few people start talking, “Does marching around Jericho really make it collapse? Is this even logical?” It’s not. But because God said so, and they obeyed, Jericho fell.
That’s why the most frequent word in the early church is “Only.” The phrase “They devoted themselves to prayer” has the same meaning. “They all joined constantly in prayer.” That phrase appears three times in Acts.
So today’s worship will surely come as this (entire message) answer. You must be assured. During worship, healing will take place unknowingly to you, and the blessing of the coming of God’s kingdom will occur unknowingly to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bless you. Let us pray.
Prayer. We thank You, God. Let today be a day of new grace. Let it be a day of turning point. Let it be a day of healing through the blessing of the throne. Let the glory of God and the kingdom of God come upon the places we must go. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.