Be set free from the spirit of slumber, and awake to Jesus!

I heard these words from the Lord recently:
"Be set free from whatever that dampens you! Be set free from the spirit of slumber that's been sent to dampen you! This is a time to receive My power, so you shall arise again! This is a time to receive My Spirit, so you shall awake to righteousness again! Be set free, so you shall walk into the victories and open doors I have prepared for you this year!"

'To dampen' is 'to make (something/someone) less strong (or less agile)'. Imagine someone putting an extremely heavy, wet blanket over your head, and you find it hard to move around freely. Now, that's how it feels like to be dampened! And the same can happen in the spiritual realm!

Whether you realize it or not, the enemy has been sending the spirit of slumber to the Church in order to dampen what the Lord has promised to do this year. The enemy knows the Lord is going to cause a great awakening and arising in the Church, and he is trying to dampen it. From history, this would normally happen before the Lord is about to release a great outpouring, breakthrough, or fresh anointing to His Church!

One may ask, "How do I know if I have been 'dampened'?"

- If for no reason, your spirit seems dull, in a daze (stupor), numb, and you are in a state of spiritual lullaby!

- If for no reason, you just can't seem to hear God anymore!

- If for no reason, you suddenly become worldly and loses interest in the things of God (Word and Spirit).

But the good news is you can be set free from whatever that dampens you, and rise up again! Romans 13:11-14 says, 'And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lust'.

Indeed, when the light comes, darkness will have to flee! And who is the 'light' here? In John 8:12, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." Therefore, to 'put on the Lord Jesus Christ' is to 'put on the armor of light'!

The key is to praise! 

One sure-fire way to release this 'light' and triumph over the spirit of slumber is 'to praise'! Isaiah 52:1-2 says, 'Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from the dust, arise... Loose yourself (i.e. be set free) from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!'

What does 'beautiful garments' mean here? 'Garment of praise'! To 'put on your beautiful garments' is 'to put on garment of praise'! Let Scripture interpret Scripture. Isaiah 61:3 says, 'To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...' You see? The 'garment of praise' that overcomes and replaces 'the spirit of heaviness'! What then is 'the spirit of heaviness'? The spirit that dampens!

Ephesians 5:14-19 says, '..."Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." See then that you walk circumspectly (i.e. carefully, vigilantly, with alertness), not as fools but as wise... Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation (a waste); but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord...'

Note: The word 'hymns' here is 'humnos' in Greek, from the word 'hudeo', meaning 'to celebrate (in praises)'. 

Notice when you are awakened in the spirit, you will begin to understand what the will of the Lord is in your life! And the way to go is by praises that come forth from your heart to the Lord!

Praise leads to victories and open doors!

Acts 16:25-27 says, 'But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns (i.e. praises) to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep...'

The fact that 'the prisoners were listening to them' shows that Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises out loud! Faith arises when you begin to hear the Word of God being spoken out loud, even in your praises to the Lord! Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God! (Romans 10:17)

Miracles happen in an atmosphere of faith, and just as happened those days, believe that the very foundations of your 'prison' shall also be shaken!

It was a great victory for Paul and Silas, and not only were they set free, but along the way, the keeper of the prison was 'awakened from sleep' too, and he and his family were eventually saved and baptized! There's a prophetic meaning here. Your praises to the Lord is 'highly-contagious'! Not only shall you see your breakthrough, but along the way, lives around you shall also be 'awakened' from their 'slumber' and be set free from darkness!

Therefore, people of God, begin to praise the Lord without reservation, and begin to praise Him aloud! You can do it corporately (with others in the household of faith), and you can do it privately! Praise Him at all times! (Psalm 34:1-3) Praise Him for how great He is! Praise Him for how majestic He is! Praise Him for putting the sun in its place! Praise Him for causing the earth to keep spinning! Praise Him for His wondrous works of creating all the galaxies! When you praise Him, He is magnified over your situation, and whatever your problem is will in turn become smaller and smaller till it disappears!

This is a time to awake to Jesus, who is your righteousness! (1 Corinthians 15:34) Know that He who is the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption lives in you! (1 Corinthians 1:30) And if He lives in you, of whom shall you fear? This is a time to reclaim back whatever you have lost! Yes, even your spiritual alertness and sharpness! Declare that you are set free today! And declare that you'll begin to walk into greater (and greater) victories and open doors this year! Hallelujah!

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord

Psalm 37:23 (NKJV): The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.

The word 'ordered' here is 'kuwn' in Hebrew, meaning 'appointed, established, set up, prepared, fashioned, ordained, guided, directed'. Indeed, the steps of a good man are 'appointed, established, set up, prepared, fashioned, ordained, guided, and directed' by the Lord, and He delights in his way! 

If there's any psalm that is a 'must-read' as you begin this new year 2017, it's Psalm 37. Take some time to read this whole psalm and let the Lord minister to you. This psalm was written by David in his old age, having gone through much and 'seen it all' in life. In Psalm 37:25, he wrote, 'I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread'. 

This psalm addresses the problem of evil (and evildoers) we all face on this earth, and how we (the righteousness of God through Christ) respond to it. This psalm also addresses some questions people often ask: 

"Why do wicked people seem to prosper and good people seem to suffer?" , or 

"Why do the bad guys escape scot-free and having a gala time, but the good guys seem to be deprived of what they deserve?"

Some might even ask, "Where then is justice? Is there no justice on this earth?"

I was praying in the Spirit the other day when the Lord suddenly spoke these words: 

"Tell My people if they have been a victim of 'injustice', this is the year I am going to bring justice to them. Look to Me, for I am the Lord of justice. Like slaves being treated with injustice, this is the year I am going to set many free." 

In Psalm 37:28, David wrote, 'For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints...' So, people of God, if you have been a victim of 'injustice', be it in the workplace, in your family circle, or anywhere else, let the Lord comfort and assure you with His words today. David himself had been a victim of 'injustice', and he certainly knew what he was writing here. 

In Psalm 37:1-4, David wrote, 'Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good. Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart'. 

The direct opposite of 'delighting' is 'blaming'. This is a time to stop blaming yourself or blaming God (for whatever 'injustice' that had happened to you), but instead look to Him and feed on His faithfulness. Psalm 37 was written to assure you that your current situation is only temporary, and that the Lord will know how to reverse it for you. He is our sovereign God and He is a God of justice. So, take heart. 

The word 'evildoers' here is from the word 'raw-ah' in Hebrew, which means 'to spoil, to do wickedly, to do mischief, to break into pieces'. It speaks of 'people who try to break you into pieces by their deeds', or 'people who are out to harm you (physically, mentally, or emotionally) out of their own insecurity, jealousy, or hatred against you'. 

Let's look now at what David had gone through. After a great victory over Goliath the Philistine, and having won some great battles, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, and they said: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." These made Saul (who was the king then) very angry, and the saying displeased him. So Saul eyed David from that day onwards, and he began finding ways to kill David (1 Samuel 18:6-30). David had to run for his life, and into the wilderness. 

In the wilderness, David had the opportunity to kill Saul who sought to 'finish him off', but he spared Saul's life, not once, but twice (1 Samuel 24:1-22, 1 Samuel 26:1-25). 

Now who's the 'bad guy' here? Saul! 

And who's the 'good guy' here? David! 

Yet, 'status quo' remained for a time, and while Saul went back to his comfortable palace, David went back to the rugged wilderness! Speaking of personal 'injustice' on the part of David!

So, how did David respond in such a time of 'injustice'? In Psalm 37:5-6, David wrote, 'Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday'.

Saul eventually ended up tragically (1 Samuel 31:1-10), but David ended up as a king who reigned forty glorious years! (2 Samuel 2:1-7, 2 Samuel 5:1-5)

In Psalm 37:7-9, David wrote further, 'Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret - it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth'. 

The word 'wait' here is 'qavah' in Hebrew, and it means 'to bind together (by twisting, like a cord), to join together, to gather (together), to collect, to look patiently, to look with expectation'. This same word 'qavah' is also found in Isaiah 40:31 that says, 'Those who wait ('qavah') on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint'. As you can see here, this 'waiting' is not a passive 'waiting'.

People of God, as you 'join together' with the Lord and as you look patiently to Him in these 'evil days', know that the Lord is with you (just as He was with David), and know that you too will begin to inherit what the Lord has meant for you to inherit here on this earth! 

And of course, just as David's steps were being ordered by the Lord as he faced the many adversaries and evildoers in his days, let the Lord also lead, guide, and direct you every step of the way, as you walk into greater (and greater) victories and open doors this year. 

Note: From Psalm 37, we can therefore learn to:

1. Submit to the Lord and His perfect timing (Psalm 37:1-11);

2. Trust in the Lord that He is sovereign and in full control (Psalm 37:12-26);

3. Depart from evil and stay righteous in the Lord no matter what (Psalm 37:27-40)

Psalm 37:39-40 wraps up this psalm with these words: 'But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them (set them free); He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save (rescue, aid) them, because they trust in Him'. Amen.

Prophetic words for the year 2017: A year of great outpouring and a year to be set free!

I heard these words from the Lord for the year 2017:
"This is a year of great outpouring from heaven! A year of many signs and wonders! This is a year of the Church on fire! The glorious fire! This fire is the fire of the Holy Spirit! This fire shall light up the Church and overcome the darkness that surrounds it. Humble yourselves therefore, and you shall see a brand new authority being given to you and a fresh anointing being poured out on you."

I then heard further:
"This is also a year of great deliverance for those who look to Me! For I will deliver you out of the hand of the 'Pharaoh' in your life, and I will set you free, just as I have done for Israel through My servant Moses."

Some of you might ask, "What are the 'Pharaohs' in my life?"

'Pharaoh' is 'paroh' in Hebrew, and it comes from the root word 'para', meaning 'to refuse'. It speaks of 'anyone/anything that refuses you (or tries to stop you) from walking in the will of God'. But the good news is the Lord is setting free many of His people this year, to be who (and what) God has meant for them to be!

Let's look at the name 'Moses' now, and see what this name means in our context. It is 'Mosheh' in Hebrew, literally meaning 'drawing out (of the water)', and it comes from the word 'mashah' meaning 'to pull out (from danger), to rescue'. Indeed, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are all like Moses, being rescued from 'drowning' in this world filled with sin and curse!

And for those of you who have been in 'wilderness' (like Moses had), this is a year for you to receive a brand new authority to do great exploits for the Lord! You will be set free from the 'lid' or 'limitation' that has been put against you all these while. For some of you, a God-given calling that has been 'suppressed' and 'stifled' (by people or circumstances in the past) will surface again. For some others, a talent that has been 'hidden' or 'refused' will emerge again. But this time, there's going to be a fresh anointing upon you, even in ways you have never imagined possible!

Let's go to the Scripture now.

Exodus 3:1-8 (NKJV) says, 'Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord said, "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land. to a land flowing with milk and honey..."'

By the way, the word 'Egypt' here is 'Mitsrayim' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'besieged, in bondage, being limited'.

As you can see here, a time of great deliverance was at hand, and God saw Moses ready this time around. A God-given calling had indeed surfaced again, but now with a brand new authority and a fresh anointing!

Notice in Exodus 4:1-5, Moses answered the Lord and said, "But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you'". And that's when the Lord asked, "What is that in your hand?" And Moses said, "A rod." The Lord then asked him to cast the rod on the ground, and then reach out his hand to take it again. 

The word 'rod' here in Hebrew is 'matteh', which speaks of 'a rod for walking and ruling purposes'. It speaks of 'guidance (as you walk with the Lord), and authority (as you do great exploits for the Lord)'. A rod can also be used to chase away the 'enemies'.

Notice in Exodus 4:20, the Lord actually called 'the rod of Moses' as 'the rod of God'! See? 'The rod of Moses' became 'the rod of God'!

You know what this means? The Lord can use what is yours (e.g. talents, giftings, etc) and turn it into a great instrument for His glory! And as Moses stretched out this 'rod', signs and wonders happened, and even the Red Sea opened up!

People of God, as you look ahead to this new year 2017, fear not, because the Lord will be with you and go with you. Believe and receive this assurance by faith. Let the Lord also use what is in your hand, and bring tremendous blessing to you, through you, and to the lives around you this year. In Jesus' name. Amen!