God has led the work of our salvation at the front line of the gospel. With the help of Father and Mother, who always lead us silently and give all the credit to Their children, the history of the Old and New Testaments and the prophecies of this age have been fulfilled. There were many times in the past when we disobeyed God's will. Nevertheless, our heavenly Father and Mother have not turned away from us but have patiently waited for all of us to repent, and lead us to the everlasting heavenly home. For this, we give thanks and glory again to our heavenly Father and Mother.

Think of how the earth moves and the universe operates. There is God who works behind the scenes. If God's power does not work, the earth's revolution and rotation will stop and the whole universe will cease to operate in an instant. Even the things that we treat lightly and take for granted have been working in the hands of Father and Mother. Keeping this fact in mind, we, the people of Zion, should always be thankful and run the race of faith without being exhausted until we reach the kingdom of heaven.

God helps the people of Zion

God helped Moses to lead the Israelites, and helped Peter to lead the Early Church so that they would not surrender to Satan. The God who helped them has guided us until today, and helps us even at this moment. Let's confirm this through the Biblical teachings and testimonies.

Isa 41:10-12 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand . . ."

Isa 43:1-3 ". . . Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior . . ."

God said that He would be with us. All men are weak and lacking, but God is mighty. The Almighty God Himself said, "I will strengthen and help you; I will uphold you."

Sometimes we may face a fearful situation in the spiritual battle and be at a loss without knowing how to cope with difficult situations. However, any spiritual opponent or obstacle around us will be nothing at all.

Isa 51:6-7, 11 ". . . the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail. "Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults. . . . The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away."

God says to those who have His law in their hearts, those who come back to Zion, "You are My people" (Isa 51:16). God dwells in Zion where His appointed feasts are kept, and comforts the people who have His law in their hearts.

Isa 52:6-8 "Therefore my people will know my name . . . How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!' Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes."

God's people know His name. They know what the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is, who have worked respectively in the age of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. They also know the name of the new Jerusalem, the Bride of the Spirit. God tells those people in Zion not to fear because He will help them in any difficult situaiton. With the help of God, we've been able to get where we are today, and experience the moments of spiritual victory—the moments when we lead so many souls to the arms of Father and Mother.

God led the battle and its victory

In the history of the Bible, we can find out that when God helped His people, they were able to accomplish miraculous things beyond human expectations. About 3,500 years ago, the Israelites were able to completely defeat their enemies with the help of God. Through their history, let's confirm the fact that God always helps His people and opens the way for them to be victorious.

Ex 17:8-16 . . . Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning . . . Aaron and Hur held his hands up . . . so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."

Joshua went into the battle as Moses had told him, but it was not Moses or Joshua who led the Israelites to victory in the battle against the Amalekites, but God Himself fought the battle and helped them to win the battle. Since God led the battle to victory, it is written, "The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."

When the city of Jericho fell, it was not Joshua who destroyed the walls of Jericho, but God did. People easily remember the name of Moses or Joshua, but they often forget the existence of God who strengthened them and worked everything behind the scenes to lead them to the glorious victories. We should not only focus on the stories of the Biblical heroes, but think about who gave them great strength to become the heroes.

As the Israelites were able to conquer Canaan with the help of God, so we can enter the spiritual Canaan, the kingdom of heaven, because God helps us. As God helped His people in the age of the Father and of the Son, so in this age, too, God helps those who dwell in Zion, those who preach the good news of the gospel.

God rained down manna in the desert

People give attention to well-ripened fruits hanging on the trees in an orchard, but they often fail to consider the diligent hands of farmers who apply fertilizer, cut branches off the trees, protect the flower buds from frost, wrap each fruit to protect against insects, and so on. Nothing in the world comes without effort.

Now, let's think of how much effort or trouble it took for God in the invisible spiritual world to lead His people during their 40-year journey in the desert.

Ex 16:4-8 Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions . . ." . . . Moses also said, "You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him . . . "

God provided the Israelites with food in the wilderness where they couldn't find anything to eat. It is estimated that at that time the population of the Israelites was comprised of about 600,000 men over the age of 20, with their wives and children making up the remaining amount totaling about 3 million people. Although there were such a large number of people, God didn't let them go hungry without food even for a single day during their 40-year sojourn in the desert. He helped them in all situations, leading them safely through the dreadful desert and bringing them into the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey.

However, the Israelites cared for their own suffering and didn't think of how much God labored to feed them every day, even though He showed them His miraculous power, raining down bread from heaven every day and bringing forth water out of the rock for their thirst.

Now, we should think of how much our heavenly Father and Mother silently labor and suffer for us, and should give thanks to Them and put all our efforts to lead many souls to salvation.

God manages and fulfills the gospel work

If we look at a tree, it has branches, leaves, flowers and fruit. However, all these are merely visible objects attached to the tree and not the main controlling parts. People look at the beautiful flowers and the tasty fruit hanging on the edge of a branch, but sometimes they foolishly fail to look at the entire tree.

The essence of salvation is God. When we bear much good fruit through the work of salvation, we have to realize who brings forth fruit. In other words, we should deeply understand that it is not "me" who bears fruit, but that God allowed me, a mere branch, to bear fruit, and should give glory and praise to God. If we do so, the gospel will be preached more rapidly in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

Isa 14:24-27 The Lord Almighty has sworn, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand . . ." This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

The great task of saving the world is carried out by God Himself. So, it is our duty to be thankful to God for giving us the opportunity to participate in His work and prepare ourselves to be worthy of being used by God as clean vessels (2 Ti 2:21).

Those who claim to be wise and intelligent rely less on God. They try to carry out the gospel work by their own ability and come to get disappointing results. On the contrary, those who realize their weakness and think that nothing can be accomplished without God's help earnestly ask God to help them in all circumstances and bear much fruit.

We need confidence and courage, but we should not forget that it is God who fulfills everything. The great work of the gospel can be accomplished when we are empowered by the Almighty God and go to the ends of the earth to save the world. So, the Apostle Paul depended solely on God every day, saying that he was crucified with Christ and only Christ lived in him.

All of God's purposes are to take place, and bring us blessings. Believing this, we should depend only on God every moment of our life and willingly obey God's word in faith. Then we will be able to lead all people around the world to repentance from sin. When God makes people ready to receive His words by softening their hearts as hard as a stone and then the gospel is preached, the seed of the gospel can take root and bear fruit.

Pr 16:1-3 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue . . . Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

God surely fulfills what He has purposed. When we commit the management of world mission to God, it will surely be accomplished. If we try to accomplish it by our own ability, apart from God, the salvation work which God has planned cannot go forward at all. So, we need to pray. With Father and Mother's help accompanied by our earnestness, God's plan for saving the world can be fully accomplished.

God will guide us forever

We absolutely need God. Depending on God, who always keeps us from sin and guides us, we must accompany God in the great journey of saving the world.

Ps 48:8-14 . . . Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness . . . For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

God is our God forever and ever. The God, who was with Moses and was with Joshua, is with us today and guides us always. The God, who helped the Apostle Paul, Peter and all the saints of the Early Church, helps us in this age.

Ps 23:1-6 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me . . . Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Sheep are helpless, but they can escape all dangers with the help of their shepherd. The shepherd is the only one whom the sheep can rely on. God is our Shepherd.

Since God helps us, the Holy Spirit movement is now actively arising throughout the world and the gospel is rapidly spreading. If there is still something that hinders the Holy Spirit movement, it is "I myself." The work of the gospel is not accomplished because "I go," or "I do," but it is accomplished only when God is with us.

The world waits for those whom God is with. God allows the people, who always remember Him and contemplate His will, to witness the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit. God promised to be with us until the end of the age.

We should accompany Elohim, our heavenly Father and Mother—our Shepherds, and go into all the nations of the world to bring the good news to them, as God has purposed. Let us go, having God Elohim in the center of our hearts, and bear gracious fruit of the gospel abundantly in our own country and overseas as well.