May 16th(Sat), 2015 Pastor Ock Soo Park’s Cyber Fellowship Let us read Ephesians chapter 2, verse 2.
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”
I read this one verse. Not long after receiving salvation, nearly 2 years later, what amazed me was the fact that all the problems and difficulties I had before receiving salvation, were completely organized in a span of 2 years. In the past, I thought such problems would never be solved. I was even more grateful because before receiving salvation, I used to lie a lot. I thought my habit of lying would never be fixed, and that this sin would never be washed. Therefore, I was so happy when I was finally able to live a bright, glorious and beautiful life apart from sin.
When I preached the Gospel there were those who received salvation, and some whom I could not communicate with, but I always returned with joy and happiness. However, once in a while fleshly greed and desires strongly erupted from my heart, and I knew that I was going to suffer for the rest of my life if I continued living this way. But still I wanted to live for myself. The heart of going against God’s Word and following after fleshly desires continually arose within me, and it stirred the heart of wanting to rebel against God’s Word.
A couple of days ago, I read an article in the newspaper about a certain man who shot and killed several people at a reserve forces training ground. As I read the article I thought to myself, “Ah, I wonder how much pain, agony and hopelessness he endured?” People are unaware at first, but as we live spiritual life there comes a point when we have the same heart as the Samaritan woman, who after living riotously, roughly and following fleshly desires with her heart, realized, “Ah, I am so exhausted of this kind of life. I really do not want to live like this, but why am I doing so? I really loathe it. I really hate it.” After having such conflicts she met Jesus.
When the Samaritan woman met Jesus, he said unto her,
“Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
The Samaritan woman could have replied, “How can such water exist, who would believe that? How can there be water which causes you to never thirst after drinking it? It doesn’t make sense!” However, this woman said,
“Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”
In other words, we are rebellious and difficult to control. Satan forms such people. .
On the other hand, God’s guidance for me removes the rebellious heart inside of me, so that I do not only receive when it is understandable and good, but God changes me into a person who accepts the word, even though it is hard to understand and difficult to accept. That is the case of the Samaritan Woman.
“Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.”
Despite seeming like nonsense, the woman accepted those Words into her heart.
“Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”
Ephesians chapter 2 verse 2 tells us,
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”
Now when the spirit that works in the children of disobedience reigns over me, it makes my heart to go against, disobey, rebel and become aggressive.
On the opposite hand, when Jesus enters our heart the Bible tells us, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” What is the heart of Jesus? “Thought it not robbery to be equal with God,” and “took upon him the form of a servant” and “became obedient unto death.”
Therefore when the spirit of Jesus enters within me, He chases away the rebellious, evil and devilish heart in me. When the heart of Jesus settles into my heart, I am able to be obedient unto death and possess that kind of attitude for my heart.
After receiving salvation and when living my life, I was so happy when I obeyed and followed God’s Word. Things turned out so beautiful and blessed, but although my heart was truly happy, at times I had a defiant heart against God occur strongly within me and wanted to follow after my flesh. I cannot follow after my flesh without defying God. In other words, if I want to follow the desires of my flesh, I must defy God.
Satan has worked so many times to make my heart go against God and follow the desires of my flesh. I thought in my heart several times, “Am I going to end up becoming a fool? Am I going to suffer for the rest of my life? Will this cause me to be at loss?” However, when I remembered my life before receiving salvation, I was unable to follow my desires. That is why I obeyed and followed God’s Word, and lived a life of having the same heart as God. When Satan strongly works in us a heart to defy, oppose and rebel, the very first thing Satan does is make us think that we are great, intelligent and mighty. It makes us to judge and despise others.
The reason is because we rebel and oppose, and therefore lose the heart of wanting to listen to others obediently, adapting and also following. The people around you will then begin to hate you, which will then cause you to become isolated and be by yourself. While your heart is isolated, Satan takes advantage of it and stirs a rebellious and violent heart within you so that you clash as you meet people, and an even more violent and rebellious heart arises from within you. This evil spirit drags our heart into such an evil direction. The heart that caused the reserve army soldier to shoot an innocent man to death was such an evil and hardened heart.
That is the heart Satan gives us. In the past we opposed and defied because we were led by the spirit that worked in the children of disobedience. But after entering inside of Jesus, we became pure like sheep, and as we received the Word of God we became one with God. And so our hearts were at peace, glorified, and were able to live joyful lives. I am not happy because preaching the Gospel is easy. I am happy because my heart is one with God. Although preaching the Gospel seems difficult and tiresome, it brings about so much happiness.
I went through deep hardships, tiredness and doubts when I tried preaching the Gospel without the heart of God. A couple of days ago, a certain brother called me. “Pastor, please pray for me. I have a cerebral infarction.” This brother had a cerebral infarction once in the past due to holes in his heart, and now the state of his body had worsened to a point of no use. “I prayed before God and even received your prayer, and then I was completely healed. However, recently several people spread distrust about the church to me, and while listening to those rumors I had another cerebral infarction. I thought I was going to die. They told me I need to have surgery performed on my heart. I was in a similar situation before, but God healed me. That is why I want to receive your prayer once again. Pastor, even if it is through the phone, please pray for me.”
The brother received a heart to oppose and defy the church, oppose the servant and God, and that is why he had a heart to oppose all things. He did not know at first, but once he began experiencing heart problems, he realized, “Ah, I was someone who opposed and worked amongst the sons of disobedience, but when I came back to the Lord my heart was healed through prayer. But I have opposed God once again. That is why God is opposing me!” The brother desperately told me that he was going to return to God, and I prayed for him through the phone. “I believe that this brother is healed. He is healed.” I was so happy to shared such words of faith.
God desires an obedient heart however some people possess defiant hearts and say, “I don’t need the servant of God, I can receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit.” There are many people who go against the church, against the Gospel and are led by the evil spirit without even knowing it. The unfortunate thing is that they were people who used to defy God, but returned back to Jesus. However, Satan made them return to their old selves and defy God. Nevertheless, God poured grace this brother, and made his cerebral infarction reoccur so that he obeyed and succumbed to Jesus. I am so grateful that he is now follows the church and receives the guidance of God, and is led by the servants of God.
I am sure that there are still many people who have the evil heart of Satan inside of them, so they oppose, defy and are led by that evil heart. God is so pleased when such people succumb and obey Jesus once again. I hope that you may change into precious brothers and sisters that share peace and happiness with Jesus. Thank you.
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