2024.05.28 – 237 Tuesday Disciple Training Lecture 2 – Field Gospel Message Lessons 73
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20
In our first session, we confirmed why answers come and why they do not. If there are idols inside us, or if we have satanic bartizans built up within us, we cannot receive answers.
Sometimes, yes, pastors can be a source of grace for believers. But when church members receive answers themselves — especially when elders receive answers — the pastor gains real strength. It gives pastors a stronger sense of identity in ministry and fills them with great grace.
For me, there are unforgettable moments. I used to assume that pastors preaching and evangelizing was natural. But when I witnessed lay members doing these things, I was deeply shocked. I didn’t express it outwardly, but inwardly, I felt as if something inside my life had shifted.
One example comes from a man named Hwang ○○ from Busan — he’s now with the Lord. This man was a 5th-degree black belt in Taekwondo — essentially, an instructor. You want to see how much this man treasured the gospel? When he went to serve in the military, naturally, he should have written down that he was a 5th-degree master — but he didn’t. He just left it blank. He thought to himself: “I must focus on sharing the gospel while I’m in the military.”
By God’s grace, the officer teaching Taekwondo there was transferred elsewhere, so people began searching for someone who could replace him. That’s when they found out he was a 5th-degree master, and he became the instructor in the army. Because of that, he didn’t have to go through the usual drills — he taught soldiers Taekwondo directly. And through that, he began evangelizing.
He showed me a list of the names of those who accepted Christ in the military and asked me to pray for them. After leaving the army, he ran his own Taekwondo academy, but he did something unusual: he put up a sign saying, “I’m not very skilled, so only those who believe in Jesus, or are willing to believe, should come. If not, don’t bother coming.”
And yet, God blessed him so much. He taught Taekwondo while preaching the gospel on a chalkboard to students, and because he was excellent at what he did, his academy grew rapidly. At that time, in Busan city, his academy had the largest number of students among all Taekwondo schools. Everyone in Busan knew who he was. Seeing someone like that… it moves you. He lived entirely centered on the gospel. It left a deep impression on me.
Here’s another story. At the time, I was an associate pastor, and he was just a regular layperson. One day, he got promoted to a high position at a bank. Naturally, his church celebrated, his family celebrated — everyone congratulated him. But two weeks later, he came to me on a Sunday and said, “Pastor, I’m planning to resign.”
I asked, “Why? You just got promoted!” Everyone else was happy for him, but he explained: “I once prayed to God and made a covenant — one day, I would become a missionary.” And as he thought about it during this season of being celebrated, he realized: “Isn’t this the time to go? If I wait until I’m old and retiring, going to missions just because I have nothing else left… would that be right?”
It shocked me. I told him I’d pray. When I asked, “Where are you planning to go?” he said he didn’t know yet. Usually, when people prepare for missions, they pick the country first, right? But he said, “I’ll go wherever God sends me after my interview.”
When I asked him about financial support, he said, “We do not accept missionary support.” That shocked me even more. “What? You’re going as a missionary with no external support?” He said, “I’ve been preparing personally.”
Soon after, he told me he would be leaving for the Philippines to enter graduate school. He said, “Please pray for me — I have one month left to pass my driver’s license exam.” I told him it would be difficult. Back then, if you failed the test once, you had to wait a month before retaking it, and I had failed once myself. I even joked, “Jo Eun-Taek failed 11 times.”
But his reply stunned me: “Pastor, I’ll pass.” I asked, “How are you so confident?” And he said, “Because God knows I only have one month.” And sure enough — he passed. That was a layperson.
There was another young adult in the same church — a successful businessman and a true man of prayer. He lived completely for the gospel. When he started his first store, he specifically chose the worst commercial areas of Busan, where shops were struggling and failing, and he opened there intentionally. He prayed, set up worship, and invited God’s presence into those places. And incredibly, business began to flourish.
By the time he had opened his fourth store, he came to me and said: “Pastor, last week I fasted.” I asked, “What happened? Did something bad occur?” Normally, people fast when there’s a crisis. But he said, “No, nothing happened.”
So I asked why, and he replied, “I’ve started becoming greedy. And that frightened me. So I fasted for a week and prayed to God, confessing my greed and asking for forgiveness.” He told me, “Whether my business succeeds or fails, I leave that to God. If I make money, I’ll give offerings, support missions, and continue evangelizing.”
What could I say to that? These lay believers understood why God was giving them answers. And that was what I taught during our first session: many criticize idol-worshiping nations, but the reality is that the idols and bartizans inside us are far more terrifying. What are we going to do about them? That’s what we addressed first.
Introduction — Challenge (Plan)
Now, in this second session, we must discuss something very important: if we are certain of God’s will, we must challenge boldly. The problem is, many of us challenge without first being sure of God’s will. Among all challenges, what’s the very first one?
Today’s message title is: “Overcoming the Spirit of False Prophets.”
1) Identity (No Excuses)
The very first challenge is your identity. Who am I? That’s the starting point. God has called us — do you understand how important that is? There is no excuse for not responding to this calling.
(1) Parents — Look carefully at the parents who raised the remnants. Look at the challenges they made — they’re remarkable. Take Moses’ mother, for example. She made a decisive challenge. She entrusted Moses to God, sending him into Pharaoh’s palace, believing God would use him to evangelize Egypt.
(2) Leaders — Look at the leaders who raised the 7 remnants. They were incredible, too.
(3) The 7 Remnants — Among them, the 7 remnants…
(4) The Early Church — And then look at Paul and the early church…
(5) Romans 16 Members — Finally, the people in Romans 16 made their own decisive challenges.
Before engaging in spiritual battle, you must first receive this answer. Once even one of you properly stands within the covenant and receives God’s answer, that’s it. Pastors must hold firmly to the gospel, and church leaders must receive God-given answers. That is where your challenge begins. Once God’s plan becomes clear, challenge boldly. This is the second secret you must never forget.
2) God’s Preparation
How do we challenge? There are many things we could say, but the most important challenge is this: challenge what God has already prepared. God has laid the foundation — we simply step into it.
(1) Acceptance / Transcendence / Answer (7 Bartizans) — Accept everything, transcend everything, and find the answer. Challenge until the answer comes. This is called the 7 bartizans. Wait for them, and you cannot fail.
(2) Acceptance / Transcendence / Response (7 Journeys) — First comes the answer, then comes the response. This is called the 7 journeys. We must enjoy what Christ has given us. Don’t worry about anything. Accept everything. Even those who try to harm you — accept them. They cannot succeed against you. Even when someone does wrong, God Himself will correct them.
(3) Acceptance / Transcendence / Solution (7 Guideposts) — After transcending everything, what’s next? Sharing the solution. This is called the 7 guideposts.
You must enjoy this blessing constantly. Today’s first session was about the starting point of our lives; this is the lifelong goal we pursue.
3) Spiritual Battle
Third, where must we challenge? In the arena of true spiritual battle.
(1) Satan Kneeling — When you truly enjoy prayer, the first thing that happens is this: Satan kneels before you. Even more important than Satan being bound is this — Satan bows before Christ, and therefore under your authority in Christ.
(2) Satan Bound — Once Satan has knelt, he must be bound.
(3) Satan Driven Out — And finally, Satan is driven into outer darkness.
This is the essence of spiritual battle. When this happens, tremendous works will arise without fail. Your faith and prayer are sufficient for victory.
Alright — I will continue translating the rest of this sermon completely from where we left off, starting from the Main Point through the Conclusion and Prayer, following your formatting, terminology, and numbering exactly.
Main Point
Now, let us move into the main point. The answer here is this: we must overcome the spirit of false prophets. But how can we overcome if we are not properly equipped? This isn’t simply about “false prophets” themselves, but rather the spirit of false prophets.
1. Why can we not avoid spiritual battle? (John 15:18-19)
- Why it is unavoidable
- Who the world truly is
- Who you truly are
- What it means to belong
the midst of so many circumstances, we must understand this truth: we cannot avoid spiritual battle. It is an unavoidable fight. In John 15:18-19, Jesus Himself explained it:
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. But because you do not belong to the world — because I have chosen you out of the world — that is why the world hates you.”
What does this mean? The “world” here represents the system controlled by Satan. So the meaning is this: “The world that belongs to Satan will hate you.”
And why? Because you belong to Christ. And if you belong to Christ, the enemy is Satan, who rules the world. The one who owns you determines who opposes you. Since you belong to God, and the world belongs to Satan, this is a battle you cannot escape.
That’s why Paul also said:
“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
2. Satan’s strategies and methods of attack
We must understand how Satan works and how he challenges believers.
1) 1 Peter 5:8-9
The Bible says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” He actively seeks believers to attack and destroy. But notice the verse just before that: “Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.”
This isn’t just saying, “Don’t worry.” It’s saying: “Completely surrender your concerns to God.” When you don’t, Satan uses your anxieties as an entry point to attack you.
2) 2 Corinthians 11:14
Satan disguises himself “as an angel of light.” He appears attractive, convincing, and even “holy,” deceiving countless believers and churches.
3. How we must equip ourselves (Ephesians 6:10-18)
▷For more detailed explanations, refer to the Field Gospel Message, p.126.
Paul clearly instructs us to equip ourselves for battle:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Our fight is not against people, flesh, or blood — our fight is against spiritual powers of darkness. And Paul lays out how to arm ourselves:
- Helmet of Salvation — This is absolute assurance of salvation. Without this, you cannot overcome. When hardships come, we proclaim: “The gospel is the answer.” When problems arise, we declare: “The gospel is the solution.”
- Breastplate of Righteousness — Cover yourself with the righteousness of Christ, not your own works.
- Shield of Faith — Deflect every fiery arrow of doubt and fear.
- Sword of the Word — Use the Word of God to cut through deception and lies.
- Belt of Truth — Secure everything with the unchanging foundation of the gospel.
- Shoes of the Gospel of Peace — Be ready to take the gospel wherever God leads you.
- Prayer at All Times — After putting on all the armor, we are commanded to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions.”
This is how we stand firm and fight. Without equipping ourselves this way, we cannot overcome the spirit of false prophets.
4. Paul used the Roman military as an illustration
Paul used the example of Roman soldiers to help us understand this spiritual battle. Think of how soldiers prepared:
- Protective gear — to guard against attacks.
- Defensive tools — to shield themselves when under assault.
- Offensive weapons — to strike back when needed.
- Guarding responsibilities — to hold their ground firmly.
Just as Roman soldiers never stepped onto the battlefield without being fully armed, believers must never enter daily life unequipped spiritually.
5. The attitude of those who engage the enemy
What posture must we take when entering battle? Scripture gives us two key passages:
1) 1 Corinthians 15:47-48 (and concluding verses 57-58)
At the end of this chapter, Paul declares: “Your labor in the Lord is never in vain.” In Christ, not one of your efforts is wasted. You will never lose your reward.
2) 1 John 5:4-5
This is God’s promise: “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
Victory belongs to those who hold to this covenant.
♠Conclusion:
Morning / Night (Strength) — Noon (Everything / What You See — 10 Platforms, 10 Secrets)
From now on, you must absolutely secure your morning and night time. These are the times when you restore spiritual rhythm and strength through prayer. Without them, you cannot stand.
Interestingly, even people deeply entrenched in idol worship have their own “quiet hours” where they meditate, pray, or draw spiritual strength. But here’s the difference: for us, this strength comes from God alone.
The true challenge happens during the day — in the field, at work, at school, in real life. That’s why you must turn everything you face into God’s blessing. This is the prayer of the evangelist:
“God, help me turn every person, every event, and every circumstance into Your blessing.”
This is exactly what Joseph did. Being sent to prison was not failure — it became the pathway to his greatest success.
Moses, when exiled in Midian, wasn’t hiding — God was preparing him to restore the covenant.
David, when being hunted, wasn’t defeated — it was God’s process of shaping him into the greatest king.
Elijah, though seemingly suffering under King Ahab, experienced the greatest victories — defeating Aram without even fighting.
Israel’s captivity in Babylon wasn’t the end — it became the starting point for saving the 237 nations and the 5,000 tribes.
And in the era of the fiercest persecution, the early church received the greatest answers. The clearest example of this is Paul.
For you listening to today’s message, hold onto this: people without the gospel will say countless things. But you must respond like this: “God already knows everything.” That’s where the secret lies.
- The 10 Platforms — your unshakable foundations.
- The 10 Secrets — the hidden keys for your journey.
Holding onto these makes your steps the walk of the evangelist.
That’s why it doesn’t matter how few members your church has. If even one of you receives God’s answer, history begins in that church. Build just a few solid bartizans, and God’s work will surely begin.
From now on, enjoy this. When you worship, when you listen to the message, when you deliver the message — enjoy it to the fullest.
For me, during worship, especially when we sing hymns, I offer deep prayer between the lines. That’s when I pray my most important prayers. It’s such a precious time.
Enjoy these blessings every moment. This is your strength. This is your challenge.
Take this to heart. After a short 10-minute break, we’ll conclude with the final wrap-up.