Brothers and sisters, your workshop is almost finished. Do you recognize that? So, what will you have when it's over? You have to start checking now. Will you have a victory? Some of you right now have a victory already. Your workshop could be finished now. But there are others of you who do not have the victory yet. Some of you do not even know what a victory is yet in this workshop, a personal victory. You have not decided what you want to get out of this workshop. And then once you decide what you want out of this workshop, then you have to go with all of your energy, all of your might and fight as hard as you can to get that, so that at the end you can say you got the victory. If you spend all this time here and at the end you say, "Well, I don't know if I got a victory or not...," do you want that experience? Do you want to stand before Father and say, "Father, I don't know what I got, whether it was a victory or not?"

If you play sports, you keep score, and at the end of the game you know if you won or you lost. But in the spiritual game it's different. Most of us are not used to measuring how we're growing and changing. So you have to set goals for your spiritual life.

If you pray, I will give you the goal for your workshop. Ask, and you will receive what your personal victory would be in this workshop, and I'll tell you what your personal victory will be. But I guarantee it's not going to be easy. You're going to have to fight hard. You're going to have to break down your barriers. You've already been told so much by Rev. A. He's given you all the keys repentance and everything else. You have all that you need to get the victory. You have to decide what the victory is, and then you have to get it. And I don't think you should leave here until you get it. If you have to go to Rev. A., and say, "I need another 40 days. Give me lectures again," (do it). If there's another 40 days after this, then come back. There's no shame in not getting the victory as long as you keep trying to win. Giving up is what you should be ashamed of. Absolutely determine to get the victory.

But first, figure out what the victory is. Is the victory getting 100 on the test? Is that really what you'd be most proud of at the end? Is the victory giving your public confession? Is the victory going 40 days without drinking anything but water? What is your personal victory? When it's all over, what feeling do you want to have? You want to have the feeling, "I got it! I got it! The victory! It was really hard. It was really hard, but I got it!" That's what you want to have. It's the best feeling in the world.

Look at Father's life. Can you imagine when Jesus came to him and said, "Would you take responsibility to save this world?" And Father said, "No, I can't. I'm sorry. That's what I'm going to try to do, but I can't promise you I will because it's too heavy." (Crying) And Jesus came back a second time and asked Father, "Please, you're the only one. Please!" The second time Father said, "I can't promise. With all my heart that's what I want to do, but I don't want to promise that to you." Jesus came back a third time, and he said, "Please, please! You can do it. You can do it." Father could see what it meant. Father could understand. Even though he was 16 years old, he could see enough to see that he might have to be tortured, he might have to lose his teeth, he might have to lose his legs or his arms, he might have to shed so much blood. He might have to go a more difficult course than Jesus went. Sixteen years old, but he could understand at least that much. Finally Father said, "I will do it." (Crying)

You've got to make a decision. You've got to decide what you will do. I stand here like Jesus stood before Father and I ask you, "Please! Please, will you help us?" (Crying) People are suffering. Heavenly Father is suffering. Please, will you help us? And don't say lightly that you will! Think about it. Even say no. Father said no twice. But think about it. Will you take the responsibility? If you decide yes, then you've got the victory. You can never be defeated after that. Never! No person, certainly not Satan, he's just an angel. No person could defeat you. Not even death could defeat you.

There's going to be plenty of company. I'm doing all that I can to gather together as many as possible who will commit themselves. It's your life. It's your decision. It's your pledge. You decide. I've given my life already. It's not necessary for me to say that I'll do it, but I will. Never will I stop. Never! Never will I stop. I can't. (Crying) My Father is suffering! My brothers and sisters are suffering. I can't stop. I pledge before all of you I will never stop. If you want to have a relationship with me, then you will have it, because I will never give up until you have it. It will not be because I failed that you don't get a relationship with me. I am doing everything that I can for every one of you, from this side. You have to ask for my help. I can't help if you don't ask.

Brother: I want to say yes to you and Father, but can't feel absolutely confident of this. I want to say yes, but I don't trust myself. What can I do?

Heung Jin Nim: Most of you cannot trust yourselves. You've seen how you've lived your life. But your life has been influenced by Satan, all throughout your life because you were chosen by God from before you were born. Just as God knew that, Satan knew that and Satan has been working on you. I talked about this the other night. So you've watched your life, you look back, you play your videotape. You see how much you've wavered back and forth and how much you did evil things and good things and evil things and good things. So your basic conclusion is that you cannot trust yourself. And that's just the conclusion that Satan wants you to have. That was his purpose. He didn't attack you continuously all your life. He only attacked you in your weak moments. And he wanted to give you that concept that you couldn't do it. He wanted to make you believe that you couldn't trust yourself. And you believed it. And many of you still do.

But you are the sons and daughters of God. Satan is an angel. The sons and daughters of God are in the image of God. If they can separate from Satan, they can do whatever they want to do. They have the power. From this time forward you should know that I can help you, Jesus can help you, and thousands, millions of spirits can help you. If you decide to do something that's in the Principle, you can do it.

But I realize that you can't take that big a step in one evening, so you must share with each other. You must keep saying the right words. If you say, "I don't think I can," you take one step backwards. If you say, "I'm not sure if I can or not," you're standing in one place. If you say, "I want to," you take a tiny step forward. But if you say, "I pledge I will do it," you take a big step forward.

If you make a strong determination, don't you think Satan is really going to try and attack you? Suppose you make a strong determination and then you fail and Satan will say, "You're a failure." And you'll say, "Yes, you're right. I am." Is that true? You can't say that! You can't let Satan say that and believe it. You have to repent. Say, "I didn't make it this time, but I pledge again I'm going to do it!" And take another big step forward. And if you look back, you will have moved a lot.

You must always speak strongly. Don't say, "I wish I could do it." That doesn't accomplish anything. Say, "I am going to do it." Don't use the word "wish". Don't use the words, "I want to." Say, "I am going to do it," or "I am not going to do it." "I am the son of God. I am the daughter of God. I am in the image of God." Stand up. Be a man. Be a woman. Be a child of God. Be a child of True Parents. I will help you. If you feel fear, ask for my help. I am strong. I can see your potential that you cannot see. You need my help. That's all right. Listen to me. Don't listen to Satan. You must have a relationship with me. Or, you can have a relationship with Jesus. He'll help in the same way. Or President Eu, or Tiger Park. Whoever you feel is going to make you stronger, ask for their help. They will help you.

There's nothing wrong with being a child. Nothing wrong with saying, "I'm afraid. I'm new at this," because it's true. But a smart person, a responsible person, seeks the help that he needs to do the job that he says he will do.

Is there another question?

Brother: From Rev. A.'s lecture we learned that the degree of our accomplishment of Foundation of Faith and Substance can determine (our spiritual standing) even after we receive the Blessing. My question is, I heard that through the Blessing we can reach the top of the growth stage. My question is, how can we understand where we are standing in terms of our receiving the Blessing?

Heung Jin Nim: The standing is determined by your heart. The Blessing is the forgiveness of your sins. It's the point at which you can start fresh. The growth of your heart is your portion of responsibility. The Blessing is your grace. It wipes the slate clean. But still you have to develop good habits, develop your spirit. You all are destined to be great leaders. Before long, thousands of people will want to hear the Divine Principle. In the future, millions of people will come to hear you speak. Why? Suppose that one of Jesus' disciples was on the earth right now. How many people would want to hear him speak? Even if he was just a fisherman. All he did was follow Jesus around dum-de-dum-de-dum-de-dum. What level were Jesus' disciples at? None of them understood his heart, his mission, anything. They were simple fishermen, tax collectors. But wouldn't that person be the biggest celebrity in all Christendom if he were on the earth today?

Okay, you're in the same position. And you can stand before all those people and say, "I'm sorry. I fell asleep when Father was talking." And they'll still ask for you to talk about Father. They'll still want to know, "What was it like sleeping in front of the Messiah?" Wouldn't you, if you were in their position? They'll want to know every detail: "What was it like being so crammed in that room that you were sweating all over each other and your arms and your legs were all tangled up? What was it like? Please, I just want to have some taste of Father, my Father. I don't know my Father. (Crying) Please. Please help me get close to my Father." They'll beg you for anything that you can give them because you are here (now).

Next question.

Sister: I'm sorry to ask you this question, because you've already given so much heart to me, but I'm really concerned with what more to do. Because I can understand receiving words from you, and I can understand what that does for me, and I can understand sharing that with other people, but myself, I'm very scared to channel, because I'm really afraid, because of my own impurities, that I will think that you're thinking that I'm saying the wrong words. I'm really afraid of that. I feel so desirous of being open to you; so I really want to know what I can do to be a channel for you, but not to be a channel for Satan.

Heung Jin Nim: There's a tremendous amount of protection now in the spiritual world. The heavenly forces are really strong. So if you make the conditions of Foundation of Faith and Foundation of Substance, you're totally protected. Purify your motivation. When you channel, for what reason will you channel? Channeling is a way to grow faster, your spirit and my spirit can mix up when I speak through you, so you can feel what it feels like. And then the more relationship we have, then the more you can become like me.

All of you need to learn to channel in this sense. Even if you don't stand in front of everybody with your eyes closed and your hands like this, when you speak to brothers and sisters, you need to be able to pull from heaven what heaven wants to say to those people. That's channeling. When you witness, give your whole heart. In other words, give your original mind. Give God's love. Just channel God's love. It doesn't have to be a voice coming out.

There's nothing to be afraid of. When evil comes, you know it's evil. You feel it. You can tell. Your heart, if you listen, has the sensitivity of a lie detector. It knows what it's feeling. You just have to learn to listen to your heart. When you go out in the streets of New York, just try practicing. Just look at that person walking by and figure on a scale of one to ten, is this an evil person or a good person? You'll be able to tell. And really evil people will make you get goose bumps. When you feel the presence of evil, you know what it feels like, you've felt it before. If you feel that feeling, then don't channel. Cut it off.

Satan knows truth. Don't be deceived because it sounds like truth. Listen to your heart. Feel what's in your heart. Does it feel like something that you're really attracted to, that you really want to be with? Does it feel like love? Satan cannot give that feeling. Satan can speak Divine Principle. He can run circles around all of you with the Divine Principle. He's known Divine Principle millions of years. As you learn Divine Principle, it's to grow your heart.

In a practical way, you can ask those three people that learned how to channel today. They went through the same ring of fire that you plan to go through, that you will go through. I'll help you. It's a lot easier than you imagine it is. It's easier than standing up in front of this workshop and doing a public confession.

Next question.

Brother: I have a hard time going beyond the master/servant relationship. How can I meet you with my emotions?

Heung Jin Nim: Am I your master or your brother? I'm your brother. We are sons of True Parents. Do you think I want to be your Lord? Is that what I feel for you? Do I want to rule over you? Is that going to be fun for me? That's not fun. When you have real love, there's a subject/object relationship, yes, but it keeps changing and going around and around like an atom, the parts of an atom. You know, every subject/object relationship you have in love changes. Even you have a little tiny baby, that baby is the subject sometimes, and you act like a fool to be the object of that baby. Whenever you really love a person, you want to be that person's servant. You don't want that person to be your servant. I love you. I want to serve you. I want to help you. I do not want to be your master.

Next question.

Brother: Through some experience, I know that there's some kind of a barrier spiritually. I know I'm one of the very few Muslim members, from the Islamic realm, and historically there must be some kind of strong barrier, and through some kind of spiritual experience I had with St. Paul, he told me that he was kind of afraid of my ancestors. I've been trying so hard, so very hard, too hard sometimes, to connect to you. And this afternoon I had some inspiration about making some kind of condition, bowing down to True Parents and cold shower and this kind of thing. But I just want to know, I'm sorry, it's kind of an exclusive question, I just want to know, was it you inspiring me through that or some other spiritual being?

Heung Jin Nim: Yes. Even though there seems to be a great distance between you and me, still I can reach over that distance with thoughts. But you may not recognize direct give and take conversation with me because of the barriers that are in between us, but still it's possible to receive if you ask. It's possible for me to mobilize Mohammed and get him to answer you and give you insights and inspirations to make the next step, to make the breakthrough that you need.

Each of you represents different things. Your ancestors are all different. You were chosen to join this church. Many of you have a destiny to restore something in particular, like a Muslim might be responsible, after getting connected, to be a messiah for the Muslim world, to be a small Sun Myung Moon and bring all of those people. Who better to be the one who leads them to the True Parents except another Muslim? But in order to break through, you have to bring a breakthrough for all of them. So it's not just a personal thing. Each one of you is a representative of all of those people who could follow behind you. So if you are the first one to break through, you've really got to pioneer a more difficult course than anyone else. But I am calling to every one of you. Ask to receive somehow, some way.

It's possible that I can send messages through other brothers and sisters to you. Listen. Don't only listen when I speak through J. or T, but listen for me speaking to you through Rev. A., or through the brother or sister who's giving the lecture, or in the line getting your dinner. Listen for me to talk to you through somebody. They may not even be talking to you. They may be talking to somebody else behind you, but it's a message for you. I can even use little children to send a message to you. They're very open. I can put words in their mouths so easily.

Listen. You'll know when you get a message from God, from me. It'll hit you right in the heart. Just, "Uh, that's true. That was aimed at me." You know, you get that feeling sometimes. That's what's happening. All the time I'm trying to reach you, not just at 11 o'clock every night. When you're brushing your teeth, when you're putting on your socks, when you're combing your hair, I'm trying to get to you. Whatever you're doing, wherever you are, I'm trying to get to you. Even sitting on the toilet. J. was hesitating to say that.

Let's be real. I'm real. You're real I'm real. Let's be real together. And let's get victory over this world of evil.

One more question.

Sister: Public confession is so difficult, I would like to know what is the real power of it? What liberating value does it have? What kind of reason can you give for a person to do that?

Heung Jin Nim: It's not necessary in every case, but it's important that representatives break through and then everyone else can inherit that. When you're sitting and listening to someone, you're going through the agony of what they're going through at the same time. You're experiencing the emotions that you would be having if you were in his place confessing what you know are your sins. So all of you can be cleansed in the same way from one person doing it.

The point is to cleanse everyone to cleanse the whole workshop. The value is to kick Satan out of the workshop. The value is to make a holy place, a holy ground so that when you walk into that lecture room, there's no interference in listening to the Principle and receiving God's love through the truth. To kick out all manner of distractions from the lecture room (is the purpose).

Public confession is a means. It has a purpose. If that purpose is fulfilled, then there's no reason to keep doing it and have everybody one by one file up there and do it. It's not necessary. The external things that you do are valuable only when there's an internal benefit. If you got up there and confessed all your sins, but you didn't change, what's the purpose? What's the benefit? You went through the external thing, but nothing happened then it doesn't have any value. And if you can get the value in a different way or through someone else's experience, that's all that's necessary. It takes a lot of time for everybody to get up there and do that. We don't have all that kind of time. We all want to, you know, jump on the other side of that experience as fast as possible.

If you see someone who has a deep experience that you don't have, why don't you go to that brother or sister and say, "Please share with me. Help me get where you are." Why do you all sit around and don't talk to each other? Don't you have something you can learn from each other? Really share with each other? Don't share with each other how terrible the chicken is. Don't waste your time. Put it in the microwave, you know. Heat it up, or just don't eat. Don't spend your time thinking about those things. Spend your time investing yourself in brothers and sisters. If you have the best friend you ever had in your whole life after you leave this workshop, you got a victory. But if you don't invest yourself, you're not going to get a good friend out of this. One hundred percent! You've got to do what you're going to do one hundred percent.

Thank you so much. T., would you pray?