1 00:00:01,100 --> 00:00:05,580 I would like to read the same scriptures 2 00:00:05,580 --> 00:00:10,060 that we read last, yesterday morning. 3 00:00:10,900 --> 00:00:18,600 1 Corinthians chapter 2, 1 Corinthians chapter 2, 4 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,500 verses 14 and 15. 5 00:00:27,210 --> 00:00:31,189 But the natural man does not receive the 6 00:00:31,189 --> 00:00:34,330 things of the Spirit of God, for they 7 00:00:34,330 --> 00:00:38,700 are folly to him, and he cannot know 8 00:00:38,700 --> 00:00:43,960 them, because they are spiritually discerned. 9 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:49,020 But the spiritual discerns all things, and he 10 00:00:49,020 --> 00:00:51,520 is discerned of no one. 11 00:00:52,830 --> 00:01:03,970 The letter to the Philippians, chapter 1, verses 12 00:01:03,970 --> 00:01:05,490 9, 10 and 11. 13 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,540 And this I pray, that your love may 14 00:01:11,540 --> 00:01:15,400 abound yet more and more, in full knowledge 15 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:24,890 and all intelligence, or all spiritual discernment. 16 00:01:25,870 --> 00:01:28,330 That ye may judge of and approve the 17 00:01:28,330 --> 00:01:30,770 things that are more excellent. 18 00:01:30,770 --> 00:01:35,310 In order that ye may be pure and 19 00:01:35,310 --> 00:01:41,610 without offense for Christ's sake, being complete as 20 00:01:41,610 --> 00:01:45,590 regards the fruit of righteousness, which is by 21 00:01:45,590 --> 00:01:50,330 Jesus Christ, to God's glory and praise. 22 00:02:00,060 --> 00:02:06,640 We are fellowshipping on this matter of spiritual 23 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,280 discernment. 24 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:19,170 I hope that to everyone, we sense the 25 00:02:19,170 --> 00:02:24,890 desperate need of spiritual discernment. 26 00:02:28,250 --> 00:02:30,830 Because we are living in such a day, 27 00:02:31,810 --> 00:02:40,640 a day of great confusion, and we need 28 00:02:40,640 --> 00:02:43,860 spiritual discernment. 29 00:02:45,740 --> 00:02:50,580 That we may be able to distinguish between 30 00:02:50,580 --> 00:03:00,770 true and false, right and wrong, spiritual 31 00:03:00,770 --> 00:03:11,420 or natural, soulish or spiritual, God's 32 00:03:11,420 --> 00:03:13,980 will or man's idea. 33 00:03:19,710 --> 00:03:24,350 We live in a world of great deception, 34 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:36,100 and we need spiritual discernment to see through 35 00:03:36,100 --> 00:03:42,600 the counterfeit, the darkness that is around us. 36 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:53,040 Spiritual discernment is necessary for us to live 37 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:57,540 a life that is pleasing to God. 38 00:04:00,030 --> 00:04:02,590 That walks in the will of God. 39 00:04:04,220 --> 00:04:09,220 So dear brothers and sisters, our burden is 40 00:04:09,220 --> 00:04:17,200 that in these last difficult days, God will 41 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,959 grace us with spiritual discernment. 42 00:04:25,310 --> 00:04:30,170 We mentioned yesterday morning that spiritual discernment is 43 00:04:30,170 --> 00:04:32,790 not a natural endowment. 44 00:04:34,710 --> 00:04:37,690 You know, we are all made differently. 45 00:04:39,260 --> 00:04:46,480 Some people are naturally endowed with more keenness 46 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:47,740 of senses. 47 00:04:49,580 --> 00:04:53,800 They seem to be able to see things 48 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:54,560 more clearly. 49 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,780 But this is not what is meant by 50 00:04:59,780 --> 00:05:01,840 spiritual discernment. 51 00:05:03,060 --> 00:05:05,940 Because spiritual discernment is not something natural. 52 00:05:05,940 --> 00:05:15,710 So, spiritual discernment is not the deep knowledge 53 00:05:15,710 --> 00:05:17,130 of the world. 54 00:05:18,370 --> 00:05:25,410 Some people have lots of worldly experiences. 55 00:05:26,850 --> 00:05:29,890 And because of that, they seem to have 56 00:05:29,890 --> 00:05:36,570 a kind of perception that other people may 57 00:05:36,570 --> 00:05:37,130 not have. 58 00:05:38,090 --> 00:05:42,150 But brothers and sisters, this is not what 59 00:05:42,150 --> 00:05:45,730 we mean by spiritual discernment. 60 00:05:49,890 --> 00:05:53,710 As a matter of fact, the more deeply 61 00:05:53,710 --> 00:05:59,310 you are wise and prudent in the world, 62 00:06:00,270 --> 00:06:03,250 the less spiritual discernment you have. 63 00:06:04,750 --> 00:06:08,230 You remember what our Lord Jesus said when 64 00:06:11,530 --> 00:06:18,940 He was rejected by Capernaum, Chorazin, and these 65 00:06:18,940 --> 00:06:23,760 places that He had worked many wonders and 66 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:24,820 spoke many words. 67 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,400 You remember our Lord Jesus? 68 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,140 He lifted up His eyes to heaven and 69 00:06:30,140 --> 00:06:34,940 said, Father, I thank Thee because this is 70 00:06:34,940 --> 00:06:36,320 Thy good pleasure. 71 00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:47,380 Thou dost reveal Thyself to the babes, but 72 00:06:47,380 --> 00:06:50,660 to the wise and prudent Thou dost hide 73 00:06:50,660 --> 00:06:51,280 Thyself. 74 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,420 So, dear brothers and sisters, it is not 75 00:06:55,420 --> 00:06:58,580 worldly wisdom that we are talking about. 76 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:03,500 Spiritual discernment is not psychic power. 77 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,220 Especially in these last days, the enemy is 78 00:07:10,220 --> 00:07:13,580 trying to stir up psychic power. 79 00:07:17,750 --> 00:07:20,510 But this is not what the Lord wants. 80 00:07:22,130 --> 00:07:30,040 It is something from God, something from the 81 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:34,640 Holy Spirit, something that deep in our spirit 82 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:39,540 we are given a discerning power. 83 00:07:41,530 --> 00:07:47,370 So, brothers and sisters, spiritual discernment is the 84 00:07:47,370 --> 00:07:54,530 spiritual ability to distinguish between the good and 85 00:07:54,530 --> 00:08:02,630 evil, to distinguish between true and false, to 86 00:08:02,630 --> 00:08:09,950 distinguish between flesh and spirit, between self and 87 00:08:09,950 --> 00:08:17,940 God, between what is of God and what 88 00:08:17,940 --> 00:08:18,680 is of man. 89 00:08:20,060 --> 00:08:23,920 And that is a spiritual discernment. 90 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:28,000 And that is something that we need very 91 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:29,840 much in our days. 92 00:08:32,390 --> 00:08:36,210 Now, this morning, we would like to go 93 00:08:36,210 --> 00:08:40,730 a step further and to see how do 94 00:08:40,730 --> 00:08:44,930 we come to this spiritual discernment. 95 00:08:46,270 --> 00:08:49,510 Now, unless you realize the need of it, 96 00:08:50,610 --> 00:08:56,410 and furthermore, you realize that you don't have 97 00:08:56,410 --> 00:09:04,290 it, as you should, then I think it 98 00:09:04,290 --> 00:09:06,950 is time for us to talk about how 99 00:09:06,950 --> 00:09:13,030 can we attain this spiritual discernment. 100 00:09:14,490 --> 00:09:17,810 But before we do that, I think we 101 00:09:17,810 --> 00:09:19,950 would like to clarify one thing. 102 00:09:20,770 --> 00:09:28,560 And that is, spiritual discernment is different from 103 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:33,300 that spiritual gift you find in 1 Corinthians 104 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:34,860 12, verse 10. 105 00:09:36,950 --> 00:09:39,790 Now, for the sake of the body of 106 00:09:39,790 --> 00:09:46,440 Christ, the Holy Spirit manifests Himself in the 107 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:51,160 body, in different members of the body, by 108 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,860 giving them different spiritual gifts. 109 00:09:54,860 --> 00:09:58,440 And one of the spiritual gifts is the 110 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:00,460 discerning of spirits. 111 00:10:03,620 --> 00:10:08,640 Discerning of spirits is a gift, is a 112 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:09,580 spiritual gift. 113 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,000 It is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. 114 00:10:15,660 --> 00:10:19,440 To some members of the body, the Holy 115 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:25,340 Spirit gives such a gift that they are 116 00:10:25,340 --> 00:10:28,320 able to discern the spirits. 117 00:10:29,300 --> 00:10:33,800 Now, dear brothers and sisters, there are many 118 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:39,660 spirits in the world, in the unseen world. 119 00:10:40,660 --> 00:10:45,180 Not only the Spirit of God, not only 120 00:10:45,180 --> 00:10:50,160 the good angels, good spirits, but there are 121 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:57,110 many angels who have rebelled against God. 122 00:10:57,990 --> 00:10:59,110 Evil spirits. 123 00:11:01,950 --> 00:11:07,650 So, we need to be able to discern 124 00:11:08,330 --> 00:11:12,690 whether it is God's Spirit or whether it 125 00:11:12,690 --> 00:11:14,250 is evil spirit. 126 00:11:19,650 --> 00:11:23,370 And as our brothers have all mentioned, how 127 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:33,170 Satan himself transforms himself as an angel of 128 00:11:33,170 --> 00:11:33,470 light. 129 00:11:35,150 --> 00:11:38,050 In other words, you find the evil spirit 130 00:11:38,050 --> 00:11:44,290 sometimes tries to imitate the Spirit of God. 131 00:11:45,210 --> 00:11:49,650 And that's the reason why we need the 132 00:11:49,650 --> 00:11:51,670 discerning of spirits. 133 00:11:54,780 --> 00:11:59,820 This is given especially to some members of 134 00:11:59,820 --> 00:12:00,760 the body of Christ. 135 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,540 Not all members of the body of Christ 136 00:12:04,540 --> 00:12:06,300 have such gift. 137 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,680 I thank God because He does not give 138 00:12:13,680 --> 00:12:17,400 the same gift to everybody. 139 00:12:21,810 --> 00:12:26,370 Because it shows us how we need one 140 00:12:26,370 --> 00:12:26,730 another. 141 00:12:27,510 --> 00:12:32,850 No one of us is perfect, complete, has 142 00:12:32,850 --> 00:12:33,610 every gift. 143 00:12:36,180 --> 00:12:38,720 If you do, you will not need your 144 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:40,060 brother or sister anymore. 145 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:45,660 But God is after the body, not just 146 00:12:45,660 --> 00:12:47,640 an individual. 147 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:49,560 We need one another. 148 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,620 So that's the reason why you find God 149 00:12:52,620 --> 00:12:56,680 gives to some members the discerning of spirits. 150 00:13:02,990 --> 00:13:07,650 Especially in the time of revivals. 151 00:13:09,330 --> 00:13:14,980 You know, when a revival comes, the Holy 152 00:13:14,980 --> 00:13:22,910 Spirit is working in a very prominent way. 153 00:13:24,050 --> 00:13:26,950 But when the Holy Spirit is working in 154 00:13:26,950 --> 00:13:33,270 such a manner, the evil spirit tries to 155 00:13:33,270 --> 00:13:34,070 confuse. 156 00:13:34,950 --> 00:13:38,410 And they will come in and work very 157 00:13:38,410 --> 00:13:38,850 hard. 158 00:13:40,590 --> 00:13:44,850 That's the reason why, especially in revivals, when 159 00:13:44,850 --> 00:13:49,550 the manifestation of the Spirit is so prominent, 160 00:13:51,010 --> 00:13:56,150 you find all kinds of confusion begins to 161 00:13:56,150 --> 00:13:56,630 come in. 162 00:13:57,350 --> 00:14:03,970 It is the enemy trying to confuse, perplex 163 00:14:03,970 --> 00:14:04,490 people. 164 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:13,220 For instance, during the Welsh revival in 1904 165 00:14:13,220 --> 00:14:17,140 and 5, if you know the history, you 166 00:14:17,140 --> 00:14:21,200 know that in Welsh there was a great 167 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:21,720 revival. 168 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:24,020 Many came to the Lord. 169 00:14:24,020 --> 00:14:28,540 And the manifestation of the Holy Spirit was 170 00:14:28,540 --> 00:14:29,260 clear. 171 00:14:30,820 --> 00:14:33,400 But at the same time, the enemy came 172 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:41,700 in and tried to imitate, counterfeit, and confuse 173 00:14:41,700 --> 00:14:42,160 people. 174 00:14:43,580 --> 00:14:47,120 And because of this, you find later on, 175 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:54,600 Evan Roberts, in cooperation with Mrs. Jessie Penn 176 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,600 -Lewis, they wrote that book called War on 177 00:14:58,600 --> 00:14:59,100 the Saints. 178 00:14:59,900 --> 00:15:03,920 Because that's the experience that Evan Roberts had 179 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:05,720 during the Welsh revival. 180 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,500 And with the knowledge that Mrs. Penn-Lewis 181 00:15:09,500 --> 00:15:14,200 had, they wrote such a book that delivered 182 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,900 many people who are in confusion and even 183 00:15:18,900 --> 00:15:21,600 in deception. 184 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,740 So especially at a time when the Holy 185 00:15:25,740 --> 00:15:33,140 Spirit is very clearly manifested, we need those 186 00:15:33,140 --> 00:15:38,100 with the gifts of discerning of spirits. 187 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:48,180 But spiritual discernment is different from the discerning 188 00:15:48,180 --> 00:15:49,000 of spirits. 189 00:15:49,940 --> 00:15:50,340 Why? 190 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:53,260 Because the discerning of spirit is a gift. 191 00:15:55,830 --> 00:15:58,890 And because it is a gift, the Holy 192 00:15:58,890 --> 00:16:03,230 Spirit just gives, not to all, but to 193 00:16:03,230 --> 00:16:07,030 some, according to His will. 194 00:16:08,110 --> 00:16:12,750 But spiritual discernment is not a gift. 195 00:16:14,630 --> 00:16:16,750 It is grace. 196 00:16:18,930 --> 00:16:24,950 Brothers and sisters, because it is grace, it 197 00:16:24,950 --> 00:16:25,690 is for all. 198 00:16:27,310 --> 00:16:29,950 That's the difference between gift and grace. 199 00:16:31,130 --> 00:16:33,210 Whenever you come to a matter of gift, 200 00:16:34,050 --> 00:16:38,690 you will find that some have, some don't. 201 00:16:39,830 --> 00:16:42,490 Some have this gift, some have other gifts. 202 00:16:43,170 --> 00:16:45,350 But of course, every member has a gift, 203 00:16:45,490 --> 00:16:50,780 at least, that we may function in the 204 00:16:50,780 --> 00:16:53,220 body of Christ, for the body of Christ. 205 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,520 But grace is impartial. 206 00:16:58,940 --> 00:17:00,820 Grace is universal. 207 00:17:01,820 --> 00:17:04,400 Grace is given to all. 208 00:17:05,380 --> 00:17:08,500 Spiritual discernment is a grace. 209 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:09,859 Not. 210 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:16,619 That's the reason why it is open to 211 00:17:16,619 --> 00:17:19,480 all the brothers and sisters, to everyone. 212 00:17:20,380 --> 00:17:23,099 It is open to you, it is open 213 00:17:23,099 --> 00:17:25,640 to me, it is open to all. 214 00:17:26,460 --> 00:17:29,740 That is spiritual discernment. 215 00:17:35,980 --> 00:17:44,180 In a sense, every believer has a measure 216 00:17:44,180 --> 00:17:46,400 of spiritual discernment. 217 00:17:51,070 --> 00:17:52,910 It comes with life. 218 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,340 When you believe in the Lord Jesus, you 219 00:17:59,340 --> 00:18:00,120 are born again. 220 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:01,500 Born from above. 221 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,980 You receive a new life. 222 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:07,920 The life of Christ. 223 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:10,420 God's own life. 224 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:19,920 Now, with that life, you receive a certain 225 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:23,800 measure of spiritual discernment. 226 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:28,400 It comes with life. 227 00:18:33,410 --> 00:18:41,780 It comes with the quickening of your dead 228 00:18:41,780 --> 00:18:42,180 spirit. 229 00:18:43,620 --> 00:18:46,820 You know, we were all created with a 230 00:18:46,820 --> 00:18:49,560 spirit, a soul, and a body. 231 00:18:54,970 --> 00:18:57,670 With the body, we have the world consciousness. 232 00:18:58,730 --> 00:19:02,170 We are aware of the world around us 233 00:19:02,170 --> 00:19:03,810 by our five senses. 234 00:19:05,290 --> 00:19:08,510 With the soul, we are conscious of ourself 235 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:18,040 because we think, we feel, we decide. 236 00:19:20,380 --> 00:19:23,740 And with our spirit, we should be conscious 237 00:19:23,740 --> 00:19:29,440 of God because God is the proper environment 238 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:31,380 of our spirit. 239 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,840 But unfortunately, because of sin. 240 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,520 The Lord's word to Adam is, you shall 241 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:44,740 not eat the tree of the knowledge of 242 00:19:44,740 --> 00:19:45,360 good and evil. 243 00:19:46,220 --> 00:19:48,300 For on the day that you eat thereof, 244 00:19:48,660 --> 00:19:49,920 you shall surely die. 245 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:52,860 Die on that very day. 246 00:19:52,860 --> 00:19:54,560 Every moment. 247 00:19:55,900 --> 00:19:59,220 But we know Adam lived to over 900 248 00:19:59,220 --> 00:20:02,060 years old, physically speaking. 249 00:20:03,300 --> 00:20:07,300 And he begot sons and daughters, solitarily speaking. 250 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:08,940 He was alive. 251 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:11,240 But what was dead? 252 00:20:11,540 --> 00:20:12,580 The spirit was dead. 253 00:20:14,980 --> 00:20:19,980 When sin came in, the spirit was dead. 254 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,380 Now, it doesn't mean that the spirit as 255 00:20:23,380 --> 00:20:27,080 a created organ disappeared, annihilated. 256 00:20:28,380 --> 00:20:28,940 It's there. 257 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,840 But the spirit is dead to its proper 258 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:34,500 environment. 259 00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:38,340 In other words, it has lost its contact 260 00:20:38,860 --> 00:20:39,780 with God. 261 00:20:41,180 --> 00:20:46,800 And that's the reason why you'll find before 262 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:52,010 we were saved, we lost contact with God. 263 00:20:53,410 --> 00:20:55,670 God became an unknown to us. 264 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:05,340 People can communicate with evil spirit, but they 265 00:21:05,340 --> 00:21:07,360 cannot communicate with God. 266 00:21:09,630 --> 00:21:12,730 But thank God, when you believe in the 267 00:21:12,730 --> 00:21:15,650 Lord Jesus, you are born again. 268 00:21:16,090 --> 00:21:19,790 He that is born of the spirit is 269 00:21:19,790 --> 00:21:20,610 spirit. 270 00:21:21,850 --> 00:21:24,230 He that is born of the Holy Spirit 271 00:21:25,130 --> 00:21:26,710 is the human. 272 00:21:28,830 --> 00:21:33,390 Your spirit was quickened into life. 273 00:21:36,950 --> 00:21:37,570 Renewed. 274 00:21:39,150 --> 00:21:41,410 And not only you receive a new spirit, 275 00:21:42,230 --> 00:21:47,610 so your contact with God is instantly resumed. 276 00:21:48,450 --> 00:21:50,050 Calling out, Abba, Father. 277 00:21:51,930 --> 00:21:56,590 But the Holy Spirit came and dwelt in 278 00:21:56,590 --> 00:21:58,310 your new spirit. 279 00:21:59,770 --> 00:22:01,650 You know, in Ezekiel we are told, God 280 00:22:01,650 --> 00:22:04,850 said, I will give you a new spirit 281 00:22:04,850 --> 00:22:09,370 and I will put my spirit into your 282 00:22:09,370 --> 00:22:09,930 spirit. 283 00:22:10,750 --> 00:22:14,210 So dear brothers and sisters, we who believe 284 00:22:14,210 --> 00:22:16,990 in the Lord Jesus, we receive a new 285 00:22:16,990 --> 00:22:17,410 life. 286 00:22:18,150 --> 00:22:19,550 The life of God. 287 00:22:19,890 --> 00:22:22,230 The life of Jesus Christ. 288 00:22:22,930 --> 00:22:26,150 And at the same time, a new spirit 289 00:22:26,950 --> 00:22:30,270 with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 290 00:22:30,270 --> 00:22:35,570 And when that happened, you'll find a certain 291 00:22:35,570 --> 00:22:42,930 measure of spiritual discernment dwells in you. 292 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:56,500 You may not know about the Word of 293 00:22:56,500 --> 00:22:57,720 God much yet. 294 00:23:00,150 --> 00:23:01,050 You may be new. 295 00:23:02,770 --> 00:23:03,650 A new Christian. 296 00:23:04,830 --> 00:23:08,550 But dear brothers and sisters, there is something 297 00:23:08,550 --> 00:23:12,970 in you that gives you a certain amount 298 00:23:12,970 --> 00:23:14,770 of spiritual discernment. 299 00:23:15,790 --> 00:23:17,650 It is the life in you. 300 00:23:18,690 --> 00:23:20,890 It is the Holy Spirit in you. 301 00:23:23,140 --> 00:23:27,560 And that discernment does not come from outward 302 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,440 observation or knowledge. 303 00:23:31,100 --> 00:23:33,080 It comes from your spirit. 304 00:23:36,790 --> 00:23:43,050 Several years ago, a man got saved. 305 00:23:45,580 --> 00:23:48,840 He came from a heathen background. 306 00:23:50,340 --> 00:23:52,340 He did not know even the Word of 307 00:23:52,340 --> 00:23:52,600 God. 308 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:55,600 He was newly saved. 309 00:23:57,840 --> 00:23:58,720 But soundly saved. 310 00:24:03,300 --> 00:24:04,700 He went to Boston. 311 00:24:08,310 --> 00:24:09,210 He got to a meeting. 312 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:14,640 And he heard a message. 313 00:24:17,140 --> 00:24:19,080 Now remember, he was a new Christian. 314 00:24:20,260 --> 00:24:23,520 He didn't have much knowledge of the Scripture. 315 00:24:25,610 --> 00:24:28,550 But when he was listening to the preacher, 316 00:24:29,770 --> 00:24:34,210 when the preacher said, We are God-men. 317 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,400 Something within him said, No. 318 00:24:41,780 --> 00:24:42,580 It cannot be. 319 00:24:45,660 --> 00:24:48,940 Now, he cannot explain it because he has 320 00:24:48,940 --> 00:24:50,040 no Scripture knowledge. 321 00:24:53,390 --> 00:24:58,550 But somehow he sensed something is not right. 322 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:05,800 And later on, he said, He said to 323 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,080 call a person a man of God, that's 324 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:09,580 reasonable. 325 00:25:13,540 --> 00:25:18,520 But to call a man God-man, that 326 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:19,480 doesn't sound right. 327 00:25:23,740 --> 00:25:25,520 Now remember, this is a new Christian. 328 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:28,880 He has no Scripture knowledge. 329 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:33,920 But there is a certain amount of spiritual 330 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,240 discernment in that person. 331 00:25:41,270 --> 00:25:46,010 Our brother mentioned last night, 1 John, little 332 00:25:46,010 --> 00:25:57,020 children, babes in Christ, and 333 00:25:57,020 --> 00:26:00,180 in 1 John chapter 2, you'll find that 334 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,880 the apostle John said to little children, You 335 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:10,540 are living in the last hour, and the 336 00:26:10,540 --> 00:26:12,860 spirit of antichrist is everywhere. 337 00:26:15,370 --> 00:26:17,330 Now how are you going to live through 338 00:26:17,330 --> 00:26:19,130 such a world? 339 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:26,240 Babes are easily misled. 340 00:26:28,060 --> 00:26:32,560 They will be swayed by every wind of 341 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:33,240 doctrine. 342 00:26:34,340 --> 00:26:37,040 When people come in with one doctrine, you 343 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,220 are blown in that direction. 344 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,140 And people come in with another doctrine, you 345 00:26:42,140 --> 00:26:44,240 are blown another direction. 346 00:26:45,260 --> 00:26:48,060 Babes are easily swayed. 347 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:49,120 Why? 348 00:26:49,260 --> 00:26:52,820 Because they do not have the right knowledge. 349 00:26:56,530 --> 00:27:01,750 But thank God, even babes in Christ, God 350 00:27:01,750 --> 00:27:08,390 has given provision to deliver us from deception. 351 00:27:13,380 --> 00:27:13,700 Why? 352 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:20,520 Because the anointing dwells in us. 353 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:26,500 The Holy Spirit who dwells in us is 354 00:27:26,500 --> 00:27:27,700 the anointing. 355 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:31,060 Why does He use the anointing? 356 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:37,060 Because the anointing means that the ointment is 357 00:27:37,060 --> 00:27:44,160 softly, tenderly applied upon some wounds and make 358 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:44,800 you feel. 359 00:27:49,150 --> 00:27:51,490 That's the way the Holy Spirit works in 360 00:27:51,490 --> 00:27:52,270 our spirit. 361 00:27:53,530 --> 00:27:59,670 And He is there as our teacher, unfailing 362 00:27:59,670 --> 00:28:00,390 teacher. 363 00:28:00,390 --> 00:28:03,510 He will teach us in all things. 364 00:28:03,890 --> 00:28:06,150 And remember, these words are spoken to little 365 00:28:06,150 --> 00:28:06,590 children. 366 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,060 As little children in Christ. 367 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,940 The Holy Spirit who dwells in us is 368 00:28:15,940 --> 00:28:25,530 teaching us incessantly, in everything, great and 369 00:28:25,530 --> 00:28:26,050 small. 370 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:30,840 And whatever He teaches is true. 371 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:33,260 And is not a lie. 372 00:28:35,540 --> 00:28:37,120 You know, how can we know this is 373 00:28:37,120 --> 00:28:38,620 a lie or this is true? 374 00:28:40,260 --> 00:28:42,780 Sometimes lie looks very much like truth. 375 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:54,140 The Holy Spirit, He will teach you in 376 00:28:54,140 --> 00:28:56,740 great things and in small things. 377 00:28:57,320 --> 00:28:59,400 And whatever He teaches is true. 378 00:29:00,380 --> 00:29:01,380 It is not a lie. 379 00:29:02,700 --> 00:29:05,480 And if you obey the teaching of the 380 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,700 anointing, you abide in Christ. 381 00:29:10,500 --> 00:29:14,540 Brothers and sisters, that's the reason why you'll 382 00:29:14,540 --> 00:29:19,420 find even as little children bathe in Christ, 383 00:29:20,100 --> 00:29:23,680 God has already given us a provision. 384 00:29:24,940 --> 00:29:29,420 A certain amount of spiritual deservance. 385 00:29:33,630 --> 00:29:41,810 Now, of course, being young, in spiritual things, 386 00:29:43,230 --> 00:29:44,310 you may be mistaken. 387 00:29:45,930 --> 00:29:48,790 And that's the reason in the same portion 388 00:29:48,790 --> 00:29:53,290 of Scripture, the Apostle John said, what you 389 00:29:53,290 --> 00:29:56,610 have heard from the beginning, if you keep 390 00:29:56,610 --> 00:29:59,910 what you have heard from the beginning, then 391 00:29:59,910 --> 00:30:02,950 you abide in God and you abide in 392 00:30:02,950 --> 00:30:03,290 Christ. 393 00:30:03,790 --> 00:30:09,100 In other words, because there is the possibility 394 00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:13,920 of being mistaken, therefore, you really need to 395 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:19,650 go to the Word of... 396 00:30:19,650 --> 00:30:21,310 to check with the Word of God. 397 00:30:21,310 --> 00:30:25,070 If you find it in the Word, or 398 00:30:25,070 --> 00:30:27,990 if you cannot find it, if it agrees 399 00:30:27,990 --> 00:30:32,450 with the Word, or it is opposite to 400 00:30:32,450 --> 00:30:37,910 the Word, contrary to the Word, then, with 401 00:30:37,910 --> 00:30:41,850 the leading of the Spirit within you, and 402 00:30:41,850 --> 00:30:46,710 with the Word of God before you, you 403 00:30:46,710 --> 00:30:51,350 are able to discern what is of God 404 00:30:51,730 --> 00:30:53,070 and what is not. 405 00:30:57,900 --> 00:31:05,420 Now, unfortunately, among God's people, there is a 406 00:31:05,420 --> 00:31:08,140 basic lack. 407 00:31:14,350 --> 00:31:19,310 After we are saved, we are not being 408 00:31:19,310 --> 00:31:25,320 taught of this inward way of life. 409 00:31:27,610 --> 00:31:32,390 We are being led away from living an 410 00:31:32,390 --> 00:31:36,050 inner life, an inward way of life, that 411 00:31:36,050 --> 00:31:40,190 is, a life by listening to the voice 412 00:31:40,190 --> 00:31:47,400 of the Holy Spirit, by having that inward 413 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,880 relationship with God. 414 00:31:51,100 --> 00:31:55,000 We are led astray to the outward. 415 00:31:57,460 --> 00:32:04,560 We are being taught of many rules and 416 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:05,200 regulations. 417 00:32:06,260 --> 00:32:10,240 We are told that if we want to 418 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:13,040 be a good Christian, what are the things 419 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:15,320 that we should do, and what are the 420 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,320 things that we should not do. 421 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:22,020 And further than that, we ourselves make many 422 00:32:22,020 --> 00:32:25,780 laws and rules and regulations for ourselves. 423 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:31,200 We all have our own standard of living 424 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:32,200 a Christian life. 425 00:32:32,540 --> 00:32:36,160 What a Christian life is and we make 426 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:39,540 all kinds of rules and regulations for ourselves. 427 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:44,780 We bind ourselves with outward laws and rules. 428 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,660 Our walk is an outward walk, not an 429 00:32:48,660 --> 00:32:49,320 inward way. 430 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:55,480 And because of that, we neglect to hear 431 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:57,220 the still, small voice. 432 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:03,720 We do not have the habit. 433 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:08,880 You know, there are spiritual habits we need 434 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:09,580 to cultivate. 435 00:33:11,220 --> 00:33:20,720 Just like with our physical life, there are 436 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:26,080 certain habits, good habits, you need to develop. 437 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:30,320 And as Christians, we need to develop certain 438 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:31,860 spiritual habits. 439 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:36,720 And if we don't develop these habits, then 440 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:46,400 you'll find our spiritual senses are 441 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,540 dormant, are not being used. 442 00:33:57,150 --> 00:34:01,090 So dear brothers and sisters, it is very 443 00:34:01,090 --> 00:34:04,750 important that at the start of our Christian 444 00:34:04,750 --> 00:34:09,050 life, we need to realize what God has 445 00:34:09,050 --> 00:34:10,130 given to us. 446 00:34:11,150 --> 00:34:11,630 Life. 447 00:34:12,530 --> 00:34:13,310 A new life. 448 00:34:14,909 --> 00:34:20,610 You know, spiritual discernment is a matter of 449 00:34:20,610 --> 00:34:21,050 life. 450 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:27,800 It is not a matter of outside knowledge. 451 00:34:29,380 --> 00:34:32,820 Some people may have great knowledge, but they 452 00:34:32,820 --> 00:34:35,139 have little discernment. 453 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:40,219 Spiritual discernment is based on life. 454 00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:48,219 The life of Christ in you as manifested 455 00:34:49,219 --> 00:34:50,860 by the Holy Spirit. 456 00:34:51,820 --> 00:34:56,940 Now, that is the foundation of spiritual discernment. 457 00:34:58,780 --> 00:35:01,800 So if you let this new life in 458 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:07,120 you develop, grow, then your spiritual discernment also 459 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:07,540 grows. 460 00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:13,020 If you neglect this inner life, then your 461 00:35:13,020 --> 00:35:17,040 spiritual discernment will not grow. 462 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:22,860 You know, every life has its nature. 463 00:35:26,720 --> 00:35:30,860 Our old life, that identical life in us, 464 00:35:31,340 --> 00:35:32,200 has its nature. 465 00:35:32,980 --> 00:35:34,060 And what is nature? 466 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:43,120 It always goes in the direction of sin, 467 00:35:46,150 --> 00:35:46,910 of rebellion. 468 00:35:49,210 --> 00:35:51,730 That's the nature of human life. 469 00:35:53,250 --> 00:35:57,010 That's the reason why a baby, the first 470 00:35:57,010 --> 00:35:59,590 word that he knows, and says no. 471 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:06,960 That is the first indication of Adamic life. 472 00:36:08,660 --> 00:36:10,480 A life of rebellion. 473 00:36:13,870 --> 00:36:15,790 To sin is natural. 474 00:36:16,750 --> 00:36:19,610 Not to sin is unnatural. 475 00:36:21,570 --> 00:36:25,650 Now, if you follow that natural life, if 476 00:36:25,650 --> 00:36:28,090 you develop according to the nature of that 477 00:36:28,090 --> 00:36:34,530 life, there is no reason to be surprised 478 00:36:35,090 --> 00:36:39,550 that you live such a corrupted, sinful life. 479 00:36:40,170 --> 00:36:41,730 Because that's what it is. 480 00:36:43,390 --> 00:36:47,170 But dear brothers and sisters, God has given 481 00:36:47,170 --> 00:36:48,910 us a new life. 482 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:53,500 It is God's uncreated life. 483 00:36:55,580 --> 00:36:57,080 It is the life of Christ. 484 00:36:58,460 --> 00:37:01,220 It has been demonstrated on this earth. 485 00:37:02,340 --> 00:37:05,240 What kind of life that life is. 486 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:07,800 So pure. 487 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:10,060 So holy. 488 00:37:11,900 --> 00:37:13,020 So righteous. 489 00:37:14,020 --> 00:37:14,980 So loving. 490 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:20,820 Full of light. 491 00:37:21,720 --> 00:37:22,940 No darkness at all. 492 00:37:23,980 --> 00:37:28,080 Dear brothers and sisters, this is the nature 493 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:30,060 of this life in you. 494 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:35,860 And what you need is to cultivate that 495 00:37:35,860 --> 00:37:36,240 life. 496 00:37:37,700 --> 00:37:39,600 Follow the nature. 497 00:37:42,050 --> 00:37:46,340 When you are faced with a problem, this 498 00:37:46,340 --> 00:37:50,600 life within you, the Holy Spirit who dwells 499 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:55,040 in you, He will tell you which direction 500 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:55,520 to go. 501 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,440 If you go in that direction, you feel 502 00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:05,240 peace and life within you. 503 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:10,400 If you go against the direction, you feel 504 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:11,800 death in you. 505 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:13,480 Spiritual death in you. 506 00:38:14,260 --> 00:38:17,000 I believe, brothers and sisters, we all have 507 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:18,040 such experiences. 508 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:23,120 When we are faced with a problem, we 509 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:26,440 do not know what to do, and if 510 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:30,280 we follow our natural life, our natural like 511 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:33,180 and dislike, well, we will go a certain 512 00:38:33,180 --> 00:38:33,560 way. 513 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:37,460 But somehow you find there is another life 514 00:38:37,460 --> 00:38:40,380 within you that is clean. 515 00:38:41,580 --> 00:38:42,260 Holy. 516 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:43,840 Separated. 517 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:49,220 That shrinks back from such. 518 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:53,220 And if you persist, follow the natural life, 519 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:54,740 what happens? 520 00:38:55,300 --> 00:38:57,400 Now, that is the difference between a Christian 521 00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:58,320 and a non-Christian. 522 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:04,360 A Christian should not sin, but a Christian 523 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:05,100 can sin. 524 00:39:07,060 --> 00:39:08,880 Now, suppose you sin. 525 00:39:09,900 --> 00:39:12,220 What's the difference between you and a non 526 00:39:12,220 --> 00:39:12,580 -Christian? 527 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:19,660 Arguably there is no difference, but actually there 528 00:39:19,660 --> 00:39:20,160 is difference. 529 00:39:20,900 --> 00:39:23,940 Because a non-Christian who sins, there is 530 00:39:23,940 --> 00:39:24,780 a pleasure there. 531 00:39:26,620 --> 00:39:27,680 He feels comfortable. 532 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:32,980 He feels that he gets a sense of 533 00:39:32,980 --> 00:39:33,740 false glory. 534 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:40,740 But with a Christian, if you sin, you 535 00:39:40,740 --> 00:39:41,600 feel miserable. 536 00:39:45,330 --> 00:39:45,850 Why? 537 00:39:46,090 --> 00:39:48,470 The new nature in you says, no, that's 538 00:39:48,470 --> 00:39:49,710 against my nature. 539 00:39:52,580 --> 00:39:57,920 Brothers and sisters, as believers, how we need 540 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:01,480 to follow the new nature within us. 541 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:07,320 If you develop that nature, it will become 542 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:07,820 a habit. 543 00:40:09,220 --> 00:40:13,860 And when habits are formed, a character begins 544 00:40:13,860 --> 00:40:14,440 to appear. 545 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:21,020 The personality of Christ is being revealed, manifested 546 00:40:21,020 --> 00:40:22,200 in your life. 547 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:27,940 So, dear brothers and sisters, spiritual discernment is 548 00:40:27,940 --> 00:40:29,080 a matter of life. 549 00:40:31,500 --> 00:40:34,680 There is no shortcut to spiritual discernment. 550 00:40:40,270 --> 00:40:48,270 You need to follow, seek the eternal life. 551 00:40:48,850 --> 00:40:52,730 As the scripture says, follow life. 552 00:40:55,530 --> 00:41:01,690 You need to exercise your spiritual senses. 553 00:41:02,950 --> 00:41:07,290 You know, brothers and sisters, in Hebrews chapter 554 00:41:07,290 --> 00:41:12,290 5, verse 14, we are told, you know, 555 00:41:12,350 --> 00:41:16,010 babies, they can only eat milk. 556 00:41:17,770 --> 00:41:18,770 Now, what is milk? 557 00:41:19,130 --> 00:41:20,930 Milk is pre-digested food. 558 00:41:22,310 --> 00:41:23,770 You cannot eat meat. 559 00:41:24,450 --> 00:41:26,070 You cannot eat solid food. 560 00:41:26,070 --> 00:41:30,450 So your mother, she will eat meat, she 561 00:41:30,450 --> 00:41:33,070 will eat solid food, and she will digest 562 00:41:33,070 --> 00:41:36,170 them, and after it is digested, it becomes 563 00:41:36,170 --> 00:41:40,110 milk for the babies, to nourish the babies. 564 00:41:41,090 --> 00:41:47,290 Now, why is it that babies cannot consume 565 00:41:47,290 --> 00:41:48,190 solid food? 566 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:53,040 Because they are not skillful in it. 567 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:57,780 They have not been exercised. 568 00:42:01,860 --> 00:42:05,100 But for grown-up, you are able to 569 00:42:05,100 --> 00:42:11,540 consume solid food, because you are skillful. 570 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:19,340 You have exercised your senses, and having exercised 571 00:42:19,340 --> 00:42:24,120 your senses, you are able to consume solid 572 00:42:24,120 --> 00:42:24,540 food. 573 00:42:27,450 --> 00:42:29,810 Spiritually, this is the same thing. 574 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:35,000 We need exercise. 575 00:42:38,710 --> 00:42:41,850 You remember Paul said to Timothy, in 1 576 00:42:41,850 --> 00:42:52,540 Corinthians 4, verses 7 and 8, Exercise 577 00:42:52,540 --> 00:42:55,320 yourself unto godliness. 578 00:42:57,960 --> 00:43:02,440 We need to exercise ourselves unto like God. 579 00:43:06,270 --> 00:43:11,070 Physical exercise, exercise of the body, has little 580 00:43:11,070 --> 00:43:11,510 profit. 581 00:43:14,100 --> 00:43:15,120 There is some profit. 582 00:43:16,180 --> 00:43:20,020 Especially with young people, you need physical exercise. 583 00:43:21,460 --> 00:43:23,180 It is profitable. 584 00:43:26,130 --> 00:43:27,950 You cannot study all the day. 585 00:43:29,350 --> 00:43:31,810 You need to take time out to have 586 00:43:31,810 --> 00:43:33,050 some physical exercise. 587 00:43:34,170 --> 00:43:35,890 It is good for your body. 588 00:43:37,890 --> 00:43:43,630 But physical exercise, its profit, is little. 589 00:43:46,040 --> 00:43:47,860 It gives you a healthy body, that's all. 590 00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:53,580 And it's just for a short time. 591 00:43:56,320 --> 00:43:59,960 Your life duration. 592 00:44:02,180 --> 00:44:10,330 But spiritual exercise, exercise unto godliness, is profitable. 593 00:44:12,250 --> 00:44:14,930 Not only in this age, but even in 594 00:44:14,930 --> 00:44:16,110 the age to come. 595 00:44:21,940 --> 00:44:27,080 But brothers and sisters, do we exercise spiritually? 596 00:44:31,850 --> 00:44:33,430 What is spiritual exercise? 597 00:44:36,510 --> 00:44:43,940 You know, in the Roman days, especially with 598 00:44:43,940 --> 00:44:49,500 the Greeks, their beauty is bodily beauty. 599 00:44:50,820 --> 00:44:56,160 So they send their children to gymnasiums to 600 00:44:56,160 --> 00:45:03,900 develop a well-formed, go through all kinds 601 00:45:03,900 --> 00:45:05,760 of exercises under a tutor. 602 00:45:06,740 --> 00:45:10,940 So that they can develop an all-round 603 00:45:10,940 --> 00:45:12,180 beautiful. 604 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:19,620 But as believers, we need to go into 605 00:45:19,620 --> 00:45:20,740 the gymnasium too. 606 00:45:22,720 --> 00:45:24,560 Our gymnasium is the world. 607 00:45:28,100 --> 00:45:35,900 Your everyday life, everyday occurrences and events, people 608 00:45:35,900 --> 00:45:41,900 you meet, things you face, events that come 609 00:45:41,900 --> 00:45:48,020 to you, all these are the instruments in 610 00:45:48,020 --> 00:45:48,780 the gymnasium. 611 00:45:51,230 --> 00:45:54,950 And we are there to exercise. 612 00:45:58,510 --> 00:46:00,730 To exercise our spirit. 613 00:46:05,140 --> 00:46:06,720 Under a tutor, of course. 614 00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:13,820 Now, physically, if you want to exercise, you 615 00:46:13,820 --> 00:46:15,100 need an instructor. 616 00:46:17,750 --> 00:46:19,770 Otherwise, probably you may hurt yourself. 617 00:46:21,070 --> 00:46:22,850 Spiritually, the same thing is true. 618 00:46:25,020 --> 00:46:27,820 For us to have spiritual exercise, we need 619 00:46:27,820 --> 00:46:29,440 a tutor, an instructor. 620 00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:33,860 And thank God, He has provided us an 621 00:46:33,860 --> 00:46:35,460 instructor, the Holy Spirit. 622 00:46:36,520 --> 00:46:38,340 He is our instructor. 623 00:46:39,600 --> 00:46:44,840 He knows exactly what we need to develop 624 00:46:44,840 --> 00:46:46,460 that spiritual discernment. 625 00:46:48,790 --> 00:46:52,430 So He puts us into all kinds of 626 00:46:52,430 --> 00:46:53,230 circumstances. 627 00:46:53,850 --> 00:46:57,670 Dear brothers and sisters, we often say, to 628 00:46:57,670 --> 00:47:00,510 a believer, there is nothing by chance. 629 00:47:02,570 --> 00:47:07,290 God has ordered the details of our life. 630 00:47:08,310 --> 00:47:12,670 The Holy Spirit has arranged every circumstance for 631 00:47:12,670 --> 00:47:12,950 us. 632 00:47:14,230 --> 00:47:16,770 We call it the discipline of the Holy 633 00:47:16,770 --> 00:47:17,190 Spirit. 634 00:47:17,990 --> 00:47:20,810 And here you find He arranges all kinds 635 00:47:20,810 --> 00:47:24,010 of circumstances and puts us in there. 636 00:47:30,490 --> 00:47:34,490 But there, He wants us to exercise. 637 00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:41,380 Dear brothers and sisters, the more you exercise 638 00:47:41,380 --> 00:47:49,960 your spirit, the more sharp, sharper it becomes. 639 00:47:53,430 --> 00:47:56,310 We need to exercise our conscience. 640 00:47:58,620 --> 00:48:01,220 A Christian conscience is very important. 641 00:48:09,900 --> 00:48:19,200 You know, in the world, everybody has a 642 00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:19,620 conscience. 643 00:48:20,980 --> 00:48:25,420 That is the last trace of the function 644 00:48:25,420 --> 00:48:28,480 of the spirit that still remains. 645 00:48:28,960 --> 00:48:30,080 And thank God for that. 646 00:48:30,620 --> 00:48:33,220 Because otherwise, we would never be saved. 647 00:48:35,520 --> 00:48:39,660 But God left a little trace of conscience 648 00:48:39,660 --> 00:48:40,020 there. 649 00:48:41,340 --> 00:48:44,800 So our heart can be pricked, our conscience 650 00:48:44,800 --> 00:48:46,940 can be pierced. 651 00:48:48,320 --> 00:48:56,170 But to a fallen man, the conscience is 652 00:48:56,170 --> 00:49:00,290 not of standard. 653 00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:07,760 Because the conscience of standard, the standard of 654 00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:09,520 conscience, is God. 655 00:49:12,280 --> 00:49:22,450 Not culture, not history, not custom, not 656 00:49:22,450 --> 00:49:22,830 teaching. 657 00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:24,650 It is God. 658 00:49:26,430 --> 00:49:30,230 So the conscience of an unbeliever is not 659 00:49:30,230 --> 00:49:30,830 dependable. 660 00:49:34,280 --> 00:49:36,780 Even a robber says, I do everything by 661 00:49:36,780 --> 00:49:37,460 my conscience. 662 00:49:43,620 --> 00:49:48,420 A cannibal can eat another person and find 663 00:49:48,420 --> 00:49:49,840 very proud of it. 664 00:49:51,160 --> 00:49:52,800 His conscience never bothers him. 665 00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:59,660 But to a believer, brothers and sisters, especially 666 00:49:59,660 --> 00:50:04,660 young brothers and sisters, the moment you are 667 00:50:04,660 --> 00:50:11,550 saved, your conscience of the heart has been 668 00:50:11,550 --> 00:50:12,490 cleansed. 669 00:50:14,850 --> 00:50:20,350 And God has become the standard of your 670 00:50:20,350 --> 00:50:20,850 conscience. 671 00:50:22,770 --> 00:50:28,310 The Holy Spirit is speaking to you through 672 00:50:28,310 --> 00:50:29,030 your conscience. 673 00:50:30,330 --> 00:50:33,950 So sometimes we say the conscience is the 674 00:50:33,950 --> 00:50:35,090 voice of God. 675 00:50:36,720 --> 00:50:39,980 We need to learn to listen to the 676 00:50:39,980 --> 00:50:41,580 voice of our conscience. 677 00:50:45,850 --> 00:50:47,770 Often times you find there is a battle 678 00:50:47,770 --> 00:50:48,150 there. 679 00:50:52,940 --> 00:50:58,360 Your reasoning says yes, but your conscience says 680 00:50:58,360 --> 00:50:58,700 no. 681 00:51:02,170 --> 00:51:03,290 Listen to your conscience. 682 00:51:06,060 --> 00:51:08,000 You need to exercise your conscience. 683 00:51:09,400 --> 00:51:13,640 When your conscience is pricked, when your conscience 684 00:51:13,640 --> 00:51:19,320 is touched, do not quench it. 685 00:51:19,320 --> 00:51:21,780 Do not neglect it. 686 00:51:22,820 --> 00:51:23,920 Listen to it. 687 00:51:25,360 --> 00:51:26,520 Pay attention to it. 688 00:51:33,440 --> 00:51:37,990 We need to keep a conscience without offense 689 00:51:38,120 --> 00:51:39,660 before God. 690 00:51:42,450 --> 00:51:46,690 That is exercising our spiritual sense. 691 00:51:48,050 --> 00:51:52,630 When you exercise your spiritual sense, then your 692 00:51:52,630 --> 00:51:55,430 spiritual discernment gets sharper. 693 00:52:00,770 --> 00:52:07,290 In whatever area you are being dealt with 694 00:52:07,290 --> 00:52:16,810 by God, in that particular area, you are 695 00:52:16,810 --> 00:52:18,470 very sensitive. 696 00:52:21,510 --> 00:52:25,730 Whenever something happens in that area, you discern 697 00:52:25,730 --> 00:52:26,610 it immediately. 698 00:52:27,490 --> 00:52:29,990 Not only in you, but in other people. 699 00:52:33,050 --> 00:52:36,650 But in places where you have neglected your 700 00:52:36,650 --> 00:52:44,040 conscience, you will be kept in dark yourself 701 00:52:45,140 --> 00:52:47,600 and also in other people. 702 00:52:48,840 --> 00:52:51,200 You will not be able to detect it 703 00:52:52,700 --> 00:52:57,320 because you have not exercised your conscience. 704 00:52:58,780 --> 00:53:08,770 To distinguish between good and evil, we need 705 00:53:08,770 --> 00:53:10,770 to exercise our intuition. 706 00:53:13,760 --> 00:53:16,300 That is the direct knowledge from God. 707 00:53:17,220 --> 00:53:21,860 God speaks to us directly, to our spirit. 708 00:53:25,460 --> 00:53:28,660 It is not information that we gathered from 709 00:53:28,660 --> 00:53:29,080 outside. 710 00:53:31,840 --> 00:53:36,200 It is a direct speaking of God. 711 00:53:37,360 --> 00:53:39,960 We need to exercise our intuition. 712 00:53:41,780 --> 00:53:46,620 We need to exercise our communion power to 713 00:53:46,620 --> 00:53:47,780 commune with the Lord. 714 00:53:49,150 --> 00:53:53,710 The more you commune with the Lord, the 715 00:53:53,710 --> 00:53:56,290 keener will be your perception. 716 00:54:04,310 --> 00:54:07,290 Brothers and sisters, there is so much we 717 00:54:07,290 --> 00:54:07,930 need to learn. 718 00:54:09,250 --> 00:54:12,070 As a matter of fact, the exercises not 719 00:54:12,070 --> 00:54:15,110 only of our spirit, all the functions of 720 00:54:15,110 --> 00:54:17,210 our spirit need to be exercised. 721 00:54:17,910 --> 00:54:20,630 The more you exercise them, the sharper they 722 00:54:20,630 --> 00:54:21,010 become. 723 00:54:23,260 --> 00:54:28,800 But even our soul needs to be exercised 724 00:54:28,800 --> 00:54:29,060 too. 725 00:54:34,280 --> 00:54:42,180 We need to exercise our will to submit 726 00:54:42,180 --> 00:54:43,660 to the will of God. 727 00:54:47,160 --> 00:54:50,760 We need to exercise our mind to have 728 00:54:50,760 --> 00:54:51,680 the mind of Christ. 729 00:54:54,280 --> 00:54:57,860 We need to exercise emotion that we may 730 00:54:57,860 --> 00:55:01,140 be delivered from the natural emotion. 731 00:55:02,140 --> 00:55:06,680 And our emotion be expression of the love 732 00:55:06,680 --> 00:55:07,080 of God. 733 00:55:10,310 --> 00:55:12,510 That is why we need to deny ourselves. 734 00:55:12,510 --> 00:55:15,750 Take up the cross and follow the Lord. 735 00:55:16,510 --> 00:55:17,550 This is exercise. 736 00:55:18,770 --> 00:55:21,550 And this exercise is in the soulical realm. 737 00:55:23,330 --> 00:55:26,770 And we need to exercise even spiritually in 738 00:55:26,770 --> 00:55:27,770 the physical realm. 739 00:55:30,750 --> 00:55:33,250 You remember Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 740 00:55:33,250 --> 00:55:37,990 9, I buffet my body and put it 741 00:55:37,990 --> 00:55:38,890 underneath me. 742 00:55:41,520 --> 00:55:43,620 We will not allow our body to rule 743 00:55:43,620 --> 00:55:44,300 over us. 744 00:55:46,130 --> 00:55:49,810 You know, body has its own lust, has 745 00:55:49,810 --> 00:55:50,590 its own passions. 746 00:55:51,770 --> 00:55:54,470 We need to control it, put it underneath 747 00:55:54,470 --> 00:55:54,910 us. 748 00:55:55,990 --> 00:56:01,230 That is not asceticism, ill-treating our body. 749 00:56:01,470 --> 00:56:01,730 No. 750 00:56:02,930 --> 00:56:04,670 That is discipline in it. 751 00:56:05,490 --> 00:56:07,890 So we will not be controlled by the 752 00:56:07,890 --> 00:56:09,050 passions of our body. 753 00:56:09,590 --> 00:56:12,370 But we are able to put it underneath 754 00:56:12,370 --> 00:56:17,950 us and become slaves to the righteousness of 755 00:56:17,950 --> 00:56:18,270 God. 756 00:56:19,070 --> 00:56:20,330 These are exercises. 757 00:56:21,530 --> 00:56:25,730 Dear brothers and sisters, Christians today are not 758 00:56:25,730 --> 00:56:26,550 exercising. 759 00:56:32,050 --> 00:56:34,070 We do not even know how to be 760 00:56:34,070 --> 00:56:36,530 a Christian, live a Christian life. 761 00:56:38,010 --> 00:56:39,990 We all live outwardly. 762 00:56:44,790 --> 00:56:45,570 It is not real. 763 00:56:49,320 --> 00:56:54,160 A real Christian living is a life with 764 00:56:54,160 --> 00:57:00,640 the spiritual exercises going on all the time, 765 00:57:03,500 --> 00:57:09,580 led by the Spirit of God, increased in 766 00:57:09,580 --> 00:57:17,110 the knowledge of God, knowing Him, gaining Christ, 767 00:57:19,530 --> 00:57:24,230 and our spiritual discernment is increasing. 768 00:57:27,150 --> 00:57:28,530 It comes with life. 769 00:57:34,770 --> 00:57:57,600 But then, dear brothers and sisters, sorry, spiritual 770 00:57:57,600 --> 00:58:00,320 discernment is sacred. 771 00:58:09,510 --> 00:58:18,810 You know, in spiritual things, on the one 772 00:58:18,810 --> 00:58:26,020 hand, it is glorious, but on the other 773 00:58:26,020 --> 00:58:29,480 hand, very dangerous. 774 00:58:32,870 --> 00:58:38,790 Spiritual discernment is a glorious thing, because you 775 00:58:38,790 --> 00:58:43,570 are able to discern, know what is right, 776 00:58:43,850 --> 00:58:48,710 what is wrong, know God's will and man's 777 00:58:48,710 --> 00:58:53,490 opinion, know what is of yourself and what 778 00:58:53,490 --> 00:58:59,220 is of God, what is the soul, what 779 00:58:59,220 --> 00:59:02,200 is the spirit, the world and God. 780 00:59:02,620 --> 00:59:04,180 I mean, it is glorious. 781 00:59:10,140 --> 00:59:11,420 It is very dangerous. 782 00:59:15,560 --> 00:59:25,060 Spiritual discernment, if it is not exercised with 783 00:59:25,060 --> 00:59:31,720 humility, it is the most dangerous thing. 784 00:59:38,480 --> 00:59:44,020 Spiritual discernment has to be accompanied by humility. 785 00:59:47,110 --> 00:59:50,390 As a matter of fact, spiritual discernment is 786 00:59:50,390 --> 00:59:51,230 self-knowledge. 787 00:59:54,080 --> 00:59:54,940 You know yourself. 788 00:59:57,720 --> 01:00:02,160 Brothers and sisters, you cannot know God if 789 01:00:02,160 --> 01:00:03,400 you do not know yourself. 790 01:00:05,970 --> 01:00:08,090 But you will not be able to know 791 01:00:08,090 --> 01:00:09,850 yourself by yourself. 792 01:00:11,010 --> 01:00:14,330 Our heart is deceitful above all things. 793 01:00:17,910 --> 01:00:26,410 Self-knowledge comes through dealings, through discipline, through 794 01:00:26,410 --> 01:00:30,630 exercises, through the growth of life. 795 01:00:33,420 --> 01:00:35,540 As you grow in the Lord, you know 796 01:00:35,540 --> 01:00:38,530 more of Him. 797 01:00:38,710 --> 01:00:45,710 You know more how miserable, wicked, nothing good, 798 01:00:46,810 --> 01:00:48,290 in yourself. 799 01:00:49,690 --> 01:00:51,170 It gives you this knowledge. 800 01:00:52,210 --> 01:00:56,710 And with this knowledge, you know God, how 801 01:00:56,710 --> 01:00:58,730 good, how perfect. 802 01:01:04,020 --> 01:01:11,280 But unfortunately, you will find if spiritual discernment 803 01:01:11,280 --> 01:01:17,030 is developed, and you develop a certain point, 804 01:01:18,630 --> 01:01:22,530 when you begin to be proud, of your 805 01:01:22,530 --> 01:01:23,850 spiritual discernment. 806 01:01:26,610 --> 01:01:30,230 Because you can see what others do not 807 01:01:30,230 --> 01:01:30,950 see, you see. 808 01:01:33,370 --> 01:01:36,810 And when pride begins to come into your 809 01:01:36,810 --> 01:01:40,950 life, brothers and sisters, that's the downfall. 810 01:01:42,470 --> 01:01:44,230 You enter into deception. 811 01:01:45,450 --> 01:01:48,170 And that deception is the darkest of all 812 01:01:48,170 --> 01:01:48,630 deceptions. 813 01:01:57,670 --> 01:02:03,710 You become proud, you become critical, you become 814 01:02:03,710 --> 01:02:09,410 hard, you are totally deceived. 815 01:02:14,370 --> 01:02:16,090 You think you are always right. 816 01:02:20,380 --> 01:02:22,480 You think you always see the right thing. 817 01:02:23,800 --> 01:02:27,440 And because you see, you cannot bear other 818 01:02:27,440 --> 01:02:27,860 people. 819 01:02:32,830 --> 01:02:36,210 This is the risk, the danger of spiritual 820 01:02:36,210 --> 01:02:36,910 discernment. 821 01:02:38,310 --> 01:02:42,990 Therefore, spiritual discernment has to be accompanied with 822 01:02:42,990 --> 01:02:43,630 humility. 823 01:02:45,250 --> 01:02:47,910 As a matter of fact, it should humble 824 01:02:47,910 --> 01:02:48,310 you. 825 01:02:49,670 --> 01:02:52,730 Because if you can discern, you see how 826 01:02:52,730 --> 01:02:59,340 bad you are, how nothing you are. 827 01:03:00,220 --> 01:03:03,480 Everything is God's grace that you can even 828 01:03:03,480 --> 01:03:04,020 exist. 829 01:03:07,020 --> 01:03:09,440 Everything is grace, grace, grace. 830 01:03:10,700 --> 01:03:12,100 It should humble you. 831 01:03:13,420 --> 01:03:15,960 It should not elate you. 832 01:03:16,500 --> 01:03:19,840 But unfortunately, that's what we are. 833 01:03:21,740 --> 01:03:24,860 And we fall into deep deception. 834 01:03:28,450 --> 01:03:30,870 So dear brothers and sisters, there is a 835 01:03:30,870 --> 01:03:31,610 warning here. 836 01:03:33,970 --> 01:03:38,350 Spiritual discernment is not for boasting. 837 01:03:42,170 --> 01:03:43,770 It is not for criticizing. 838 01:03:48,880 --> 01:03:52,960 It is for your spiritual maturity. 839 01:03:54,360 --> 01:03:57,680 And it is for your spiritual ministry. 840 01:03:59,320 --> 01:04:04,140 With spiritual discernment, you are able to minister 841 01:04:04,680 --> 01:04:06,860 to your brothers and sisters. 842 01:04:07,820 --> 01:04:10,540 Because you know what they need. 843 01:04:11,840 --> 01:04:13,180 You know where they are. 844 01:04:15,760 --> 01:04:18,400 You are not deceived by outward appearance. 845 01:04:20,260 --> 01:04:21,880 You touch people's spirit. 846 01:04:22,860 --> 01:04:24,820 You sense what is within. 847 01:04:25,740 --> 01:04:28,860 And you are able to help what other 848 01:04:28,860 --> 01:04:30,680 people are not able to. 849 01:04:32,360 --> 01:04:35,960 That is the use of spiritual discernment. 850 01:04:36,420 --> 01:04:42,590 So dear brothers and sisters, seek spiritual discernment. 851 01:04:43,810 --> 01:04:51,310 But remember, always, in love and in humility, 852 01:04:56,660 --> 01:05:05,360 Lord, there is something that Thou does desire 853 01:05:05,360 --> 01:05:06,740 to give to Thy people. 854 01:05:09,590 --> 01:05:18,430 Something needed, desperately needed, important to 855 01:05:18,430 --> 01:05:23,630 our own self and to the maturity of 856 01:05:23,630 --> 01:05:24,150 the Church. 857 01:05:25,570 --> 01:05:32,220 Lord, we do pray that if it is 858 01:05:32,220 --> 01:05:34,500 Thy will, that we want it. 859 01:05:35,400 --> 01:05:38,180 But we want it for Thee, not for 860 01:05:38,180 --> 01:05:38,700 ourselves. 861 01:05:39,940 --> 01:05:44,940 Oh, keep us always in humility and in 862 01:05:44,940 --> 01:05:45,300 love. 863 01:05:47,360 --> 01:05:48,700 We ask in Thy precious name.