My spirit, my spirit thirsts.

I am empty. I have nothing, nothing at all for my flock.

The church is now full of jealousy and strife.

People are slandering each other.

We've had it with you Pastor Cho. Get out! (Get out!)

Show them to me now!

O Lord, please listen to my prayer! My Lord! Please!

Brother Min, there really isn't any further need

for us to have any discussion about this at all,

this talk of the Lord returning to do a new work.

Since we met, I've been studying.

I've looked at a great number of verses.

I'm quite convinced that it is absolutely impossible.

We must trust what we learn of the Lord in the Bible.

Brother Min, we cannot accept what you've said to us.

You see the reason why I'm here is that Pastor Cho called me.

After much study of the Bible,

I'm convinced Pastor Cho is right.

Pastor Cho, Elder Ahn.

There are many problems

and all churches are in desolation.

And you know, things are only worsening as each day passes by.

Isn't this crisis worth thinking about

and considering with some depth?

To tell the truth, I haven't got the energy to do this.

You see all of my energy should be

given to my young church and nothing else.

For I believe with all my being

if I just rely on the Lord, it will thrive.

Pastor Cho, Elder Ahn.

You know in your hearts that the sins of the church grow each day

in every sect and every denomination.

The churches grow more desolate and chaotic.

Co-workers scramble against each other for fame and attention.

Believers become cold in their faith.

They follow the flesh and they follow the worldly path.

People who used to pursue God actively

become powerless to break away from their sins.

They all become weak and drop out.

We have to find the cause of the desolation of the religious world.

The cause? And what, may I ask you, could that possibly be?

The cause is that

the church has long since lost the Holy Spirit's working.

Oh really? And all of this is according to you!

But how could you condemn everybody?

I will grant you

that there are a number of churches who've lost the path.

The fact is there are some churches, too, that are led by the Spirit.

How then can you say

all of the churches have sunk into desolation

because there's no working of the Holy Spirit?

Your words are well and truly this: absolutely one sided.

Now, there are some churches who focus on missionary work

and they are full of grace.

The believers attend church regularly and live in a good state.

You sit there and plainly say

that there is no working of the Holy Spirit.

It doesn't accord with the facts.

Actually,

the important question of whether a church is led by the Holy Spirit

can't be measured by believers' good works

or by believers' zealousness and energy.

It is indeed judged quite simply

by whether they can receive the supply of life

and whether they keep gaining new knowledge of God.

Do you understand?

Simply put, if they can only keep some rules,

but have no way to hear the truth,

and in addition, have no new knowledge of God,

never receive supply in spirit or grow in life,

and their practical problems can't ever be solved,

then it's clear that they have no working of the Holy Spirit.

We simply must commit ourselves to look underneath the surface.

And we must judge in accordance with the actual spiritual condition.

In fact we know full well

that now the entire religious world is in desolation.

And the churches have no working of the Holy Spirit.

And this fulfills the prophecy in Revelation.

Again I will grant

some of the things you are saying have some sense to them.

But, in fact, wouldn't you agree that it's true that

the church has been on a wild ride

for the past two thousand years?

There's never been a church that always prospers!

So, yes, perhaps the church is in a kind of slump.

But it's going to come back.

If we truly repent before the Lord, all of us,

and do the work of spreading the gospel,

I am sure our churches' revival will soon be here.

Pastor Cho, in the end time,

the entire religious world is trapped in desolation.

It's not a short term concern.

Actually, the church is desolate in the end time,

because God has done a new work.

That is impossible!

Just now you said that God has done a new work?

How dare you!

Listen! What you are saying is not according to the Bible!

What I mean is the church is the body of our Savior Jesus Christ.

I'm sure we will see a revival of the church if we keep our trust in Him.

Speaking of this question,

let us recall the desolation of the temple at the end of the Age of Law.

It's important that you understand.

We all know that, originally, the temple was full of God's glory.

In the temple, the priests served Jehovah reverently.

And none of them dared do it as they wanted.

Otherwise, they knew they would be burned with fire

from the roof of the temple.

But later on, the priests came and offered lame sacrifices.

People exchanged money and sold oxen, sheep and doves in the temple.

Why didn't God's discipline and punishment come upon them?

Because...

Why did the temple become such a den of thieves?

Can you tell me?

I am sure you're going to tell us.

You see it is because God had left the temple quietly,

and started a stage of new work outside the temple.

When the new work started,

God no longer upheld the old work any more.

So the Holy Spirit no longer supported the work in the temple,

but instead upheld the work of Jesus.

At the time, the followers of the Lord Jesus

all enjoyed the joy and peace brought by the working of the Holy Spirit.

They had the new way to practice

and received the supply of the living water of life.

Although, the Judaic priests, the Pharisees, and the people

who held on to the law and didn't accept Jesus

lost God's discipline for not having the working of the Holy Spirit anymore.

They no longer had reverence of God in their hearts.

As a result, the temple became "a den of thieves."

Just as it is written in the Bible:

Similarly, the reason for the desolation of today is that

God has already left the churches of the Age of Grace.

He's started a new age and done a stage of new work.

Unfortunately, people haven't kept up with it.

How can you compare the churches of today with those two thousand years ago?

How can you say that we can't receive the working of the Holy Spirit

without believing in Almighty God?

Humph!

You're saying we'll die of hunger and thirst

if we don't believe in Almighty God?

Is that really possible?

Pastor Cho, I actually shepherded more than one hundred believers before.

But later, that originally prosperous church gradually became desolate.

At that time, I read my Bible often, I prayed hard every day,

and I sought out God here and there, fasted and watched…

I tried all kinds of ways, I tried everything,

and yet never gained what I wanted from God, His guidance.

I became dryer and dryer in spirit.

There was no light in my preaching.

I helplessly watched the brothers and sisters

live in a weak and negative condition,

farther and farther away from God…

When at last, after countless days,

there seemed to be no way out,

I was fortunate indeed to accept Almighty God's end-time work.

I got the watering and the supply of life

and my spirit was truly nourished.

And I also found that all those who accepted Almighty God's work

regained the working of the Holy Spirit and lived in light.

From Almighty God's word,

I understand the reason for the desolation of today's religious world.

It is because God has left behind the church of the Age of Grace

and started a brand new work.

God's eager heart is that

we can come out of the desolate world as soon as possible

and keep pace with God's work.

So please, if you will now allow me to read Almighty God's word.

Page 209.

The word of Almighty God couldn't possibly be clearer:

Now God has taken back the working of the Holy Spirit

from the church of the Age of Redemption.

He does all His work on those who keep pace with His footsteps.

So then those who believe in Him

receive from Him the abundant supply and the watering of the words of life,

and they are satisfied in spirit.

All of the other churches are suffering a terrible famine.

For that, they must come to seek the true way

and keep pace with God's footprints,

lest they fall into darkness and lose the salvation from Almighty God.

Wait a minute! It is just not according to the Bible at all.

Jesus says clearly,

The faith and love of many grows cold

because iniquities are multiplied.

Of course, it is not arranged by God.

In fact, it is caused by the sinfulness of man.

Additionally,

it is even less because God has done some new work, understand?

Well then, if it really is caused by man, it can be turned around.

But if it's out of God's will and the Holy Spirit doesn't work,

no matter how great man's effort is, in the end, it won't help.

Like now, facing the desolation of the church,

all the co-workers tried every means they could think of

to revive the failing church.

Look what they do: some increase missionary work,

and then others try to strengthen religious training,

and then some... (Oh come on.)

What could be so wrong with those things?

They're okay as far as that goes.

But really, what result will that bring?

On the outside,

it appears as if the church is lively, and immersed in activity.

But believers still feel weary in spirit,

and the church is still desolate.

More serious than that,

they are not rebuked or even disciplined,

even after they commit sins.

As a result, most of them lose the fear of God.

All of these phenomena are enough to show

that the present desolation of the church is not caused by man.

It is because they don't keep pace with God's footprints

and then lose the working of the Holy Spirit.

What the "Eastern Lightning" followers share really make sense.

No wonder so many good sheep have been stolen by them.

Allow me to read just one paragraph of Almighty God's word.

Please turn to page 974.

Through Almighty God's words,

we know that now the entire religious world has become desolate,

not because of man's deed,

but it is because the working of the Holy Spirit has moved on.

God indeed has done a stage of new work.

That this is true, is undeniable.