Words from the Lord: "I will make things clear for you!"

The Lord says: 

"If you are in a state of confusion or chaos at the moment, seek Me and you will find Me. For I am not a God of confusion or chaos. I will show you the way forward. I will show you the clear path ahead. Things will become clearer and clearer, as you seek Me and look to Me. Let go of whatever past that holds you back, and get hold of Me. You will begin to see clearer and clearer along the way. You will begin to see and understand how I see and what I see for your life and your future." 

This applies whether in your career, in the ministry, in your business, or in any area of your life. So, take heart, beloved, if you have many "questions" about your life that are unanswered at the moment, or if you don't know what to do or how to go about in your life, at this juncture of your life. 

Just look at David when he ended up in the cave of Adullam. It was a chaotic situation prior to that. And he even had to pretend madness. 

Look here at 1 Samuel 21:10-12. That was the time when David was being "hunted" or pursued relentlessly by King Saul who was jealous of him. 'Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?" Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.' 

So, what did David do? 1 Samuel 21:13-14 says, 'So David changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see that man is insane. Why have you brought him to me?"' 

King Achish obviously didn't think that was the David the servants were talking about. Now, you might say, "What happened?" That was a far cry from the time when he slain the ten thousands! 

Or maybe in your situation, you too may be asking, "What happened to the dreams and prophecies regarding myself and my future?" 

Maybe you are struggling with life at the moment. Maybe you are in a state of confusion at the moment. Maybe you do not know what to do anymore, going forward. Now, that was probably how David felt at that time as well. You see, you are not alone.  

If you rewind back to 1 Samuel 16, just about five chapters back, David was at that time anointed to be king by prophet Samuel, and supposedly having a great destiny and future. He was the rising star in his land, so to speak. But what happened now? Has God forgotten His promises and words to David? This was likely in David's mind at that time when he pretended madness. He must be wondering how did he reach such a low point in his life? Wasn't his destiny supposed to be great? Wasn't his destiny was to be king, as spoken by prophet Samuel? It's like the whole world came crashing down on David. He was running for his life. He was escaping from King Saul. He even had to pretend madness, just to conceal his identity! 

See what happened next. 1 Samuel 22:1 says, 'David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.' Now, 'cave' here speaks of 'darkness, fear, out in the cold'. Indeed, it was a 'cave' experience for David at that time. He was fleeing from King Saul, and he had nowhere to go. So he hid in the cave. 

Maybe you too are feeling the same at the moment regarding your career, your ministry, or in any area of your life. Maybe you don't know what to do and how to go about at this juncture anymore. Maybe you are at a 'crossroad' and you don't know which way to go. Maybe you don't see much hope in your future.

1 Samuel 22:2 says, 'And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to David.' In other words, the outcasts, the overlooked, and the misfits in the society at that time. And some of them were there with David. These were the people bitter in their souls. The broken people. 

Instead of being surrounded by dignitaries or the powerful people in the palace, David at that time saw himself surrounded by these broken people. And the Scripture says, 'So David became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.' Yes, in the cave. Having the same 'cave' experience. And even at the time when David himself was broken, God could still use him to touch the other broken people in the cave and raise them up.

To cut the whole story short, these broken people eventually became some of David's most faithful and powerful men (when David became king later in his life). In the darkness of the cave of Adullam, David became like a 'light' to these people. As time went by, these same people were renewed. Their hope rekindled. They were changed. They were transformed. Hallelujah!

You see, of all places, it was in that cave that God began to make clear David's path, the path that eventually led to him becoming the king in Israel. 

I believe one thing David had inside of him that made the difference is he's a worshiper of the Lord. Deep inside him, he has this deep relationship with the Lord. He has this deep faith and assurance in the Lord that the Lord isn't dead, and the Lord hasn't forgotten him. Deep inside him, he trusted in the Lord, and knew it's not over yet for him. He knew the Lord still remembers His promises and destiny for him. 

This 'cave' experience became like a base where David rose up again. In fact, stronger than ever before. You see, at that time, David could have crumbled and given up everything. He could have regressed into a lonely man, or turned into a miserable man. But, no. He didn't. With the Lord in him and with him; and by the grace of God, he rose up. And it was here that he became the leader of this group of seemingly 'useless' people in the eyes of the society. Not just that. They even turned into mighty warriors of the Lord! 

In 2 Samuel 23, the time nearing the end of David's life, you can see the summary of the great things done by some of these mighty men who served with David. And some of them were actually among the four hundred in the cave of Adullam! 

Cross-reference to Psalm 142:3. David prayed this when he was in the cave of Adullam. 'When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path...' Yes, the Lord knew his path. And beloved, the Lord knows your path too. Now, the word 'overwhelmed' here is 'ataph' in Hebrew. Interestingly, this word can mean 'in darkness, in chaos, in confusion'. Exactly like what the Lord has spoken today!

You see, the Lord will know how to show you the path forward, if you look to Him and seek Him. He always sees the 'big picture'. He always sees the end from the beginning, even when you can't. Your part is to be patient. Keep focusing on the Lord, not on your own situation or your own doubts. Everything will become clearer and clearer when you look to the Lord. 

So beloved, whatever 'cave' experience that you are going through at the moment, take heart. Keep looking to the Lord and trusting in the Lord. Do you know that God does great things in the cave? Let me show you the proof. Elijah was in the cave when God spoke to him further about the details of what's to come, and about what he should be doing, going forward. In fact, Jesus Himself was in the cave where His tomb was (yes, that was a kind of cave), before He resurrected! 

You see? Your 'cave' experience; seemingly in the dark, and seemingly not knowing what comes next; can be where God begins a new dawn in your life, where God begins a new work in your life, and where God prepares you for something great in the future! 

Like David in the cave! 

Like Elijah in the cave! 

Like Jesus Himself in the cave! 

Let us remember Proverbs 3:5-6 that says, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.' 

Indeed, things are going to become clearer and clearer, as you seek the Lord, as you surrender yourself before the Lord, and as you continue to put your trust in the Lord. 

He will know how to direct your paths. He will know how to show you the way. He will know how to lead you into His destiny for your life. Amen! 

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Rise above your circumstances!

The Lord says: 

"A time to praise! A time to praise! Breakthrough and victory is waiting for you who keep praising! Never give up praising! Surround yourself with the garment of praise! Praise till you see My glory and My power coming! Praise till you know the enemy is being defeated!" 

The Lord says further: 

"Rise above every news that you hear, and keep praising! Rise above every circumstance that you face, and keep praising! As you lift your voice in praise, I will make the way clear for you! As you lift your voice in praise, I will destroy the works of the enemy against you!" 

Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV) 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, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.' 

The word 'garment' here comes from the word 'ateh' in Hebrew, meaning 'to array oneself, to decorate oneself'. In the context here, it means to array yourself with the praises of the Lord. And that's how every form of heaviness or burden will be lifted away. That's what the Scripture mean here. 

So beloved, whatever situation you may be facing, or whatever not-so-good news you may have heard recently, continue to put on the 'garment of praise', arraying yourself with the praises of the Lord. Never give up praising. Praise like you have never praised this way before! Why? Because the Lord is saying your victory is at hand, and your breakthrough is on the way! 

Let's talk further about the power of praise, and why praises of the Lord should at all times be in your mouth. 

Psalm 149:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.' 

The words 'high praises' here is 'tehillah' in Hebrew, from the word 'haw-lal', and this word can mean 'to shine, to celebrate, to declare aloud, to make clear the way'. 

As you begin praising the name of the Lord, you are effectively making clear the way in every situation or circumstance of yours! 

Let's look now what happens when you let high praises of the Lord be in your mouth. The answer is amazing!

Psalm 149:7-9 (NKJV) says, 'To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment - this honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!' 

So, count it as your privilege that you can praise the Lord this way. This is an honor for you. Because as you praise the name of the Lord, and as you lift up His name, He will begin to do all that have been written here in verse 7 to 9. 

Remember, you are not fighting flesh and blood, but against the spiritual power of darkness that tries to cause all kinds of problems against you. As you begin to lift your voice in praises, and lift your hands toward heaven, watch how the Lord will begin to take over your situation, and watch how the Lord will begin to 'execute judgment' on the power of the enemy against you. This is what the Scripture says here. Let's take Him at His Word! 

In cross-reference, let's go now to a rather familiar passage in the Scripture. 2 Chronicles 20:22 (NKJV) says, 'Now when they (Jehoshaphat and the people of God) began to sing and to praise (the same word 'tehillah'), the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.' 

And look here at 2 Chronicles 20:23. What happened here is amazing. 'For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.' 

In other words, the Lord began to execute vengeance and punishment against the people who came against the people of the Lord. You see, the enemies got so confused that they destroyed one another! This, my friend, is the power of your praises unto the Lord. You are causing the power of the enemies to be shaken!

Today, the Lord is saying that you too are like the 'Jehoshaphat' of today! 

By the way, the name 'Jehoshaphat' comes from two words in Hebrew. 

'Yehow' (or 'Yehovah') means 'The Self-Existent and Eternal God'. Your Yahweh. The I Am Who I Am. The I Will Be Who I Will Be. The Great I Am. The Almighty God. The El Shaddai. 

'Shaphat' means 'To execute judgment'. 

Therefore, never underestimate the power of your praises. As you begin to lift up the name of the Lord, and declare that the Lord is great and greatly to be praised, the power of darkness will tremble. Something good is going to happen. The Lord will know how to turn things around for you! Hallelujah!

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Break free from your past!

I had a dream the other day. In the dream, I saw someone I know who is God's beloved, and he is being constantly "haunted" by a certain idol of his past. The idol would just appear wherever he went, even though he had wanted to move on and forget those past. So, in the dream, I saw him struggling. He was struggling to ward off the idol. But the dream ended well. Eventually, with the help of other godly people, they all caught hold of the idol and broke it into pieces. That beloved of God was then set free. There's a breaking free. There's a new found joy for him. There's a fresh new start for him. 

The Lord then spoke: 

"Whatever from the past that has been 'haunting' you, there's now a breaking free! This is the time for breaking free! Because I want you to embrace the new. The new and exciting things ahead of you. Receive the anointing to break free from the past that holds you back and ties you up. Receive the anointing to break free from whatever curse that has bound you all these while. This is the time to receive such anointing. No more shall you be bound. There's a release right now. Receive also the joy that comes from heaven!" 

What is the meaning of 'to break free'? This can mean 'to escape from someone's hold'. In this case, someone you want to 'escape' from. This can mean 'to escape from the control of a person, group, or practice.' So, 'to break free' is 'to escape or to be released from such control.' 'To break free' can also mean 'to escape from whatever that bounds or imprisons you.' 

For you, beloved, it may not be like that person in the dream. It may not be a certain idol. It may be a certain person in the past. Of course, that person may not even know it. But in your memory, that person has been 'haunting' you. Or it may be an incident in the past that keeps 'haunting' you. Whatever it may be, there's one thing in common that you have with that person in the dream. What is that? You just want to move on. You don't want to be bound and tied up anymore by those memories of the past. Now, it may even be someone you fell in love with in the past or in your younger days, but things didn't work out. And you want to move on from there. 

So, different people different. Different people has different experience in life. Each of us has our own story in life. Today is the day of breaking free from those unpleasant memories. Receive the anointing by faith. I want to declare upon you, by faith, that you can now look ahead to the many new things, good things, ahead of you! Also, receive a new found joy and even new purpose in your life! The power of God is at hand right now to set you free, to cause you to break free, from whatever that has bound you! 

Isaiah 61:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.' 

Here, the prophet Isaiah spoke about Jesus, the Messiah. This has been fulfilled when Jesus came on earth. When He was in the synagogue in His hometown in Nazareth, He opened the scroll and read it, and said this has been fulfilled. That's in Luke chapter 4. 

So, this anointing has come. And in Christ Jesus, you can receive too. Yes, the anointing to set you free! The anointing for you to break free from whatever that ties you up! 

The word 'anoint' here is 'mashach' in Hebrew. It literally means 'to rub or sprinkle on with oil'. It can also mean 'to consecrate (or set apart) for the good works, for what's ahead of you'. 

For example, the priests in the Old Testament were anointed with oil before they began to serve the Lord. The oil that was rubbed on the head of those priests were an outward representation of the real spiritual work that's going on inside of them. That's for the priests in the Old Testament. But for you in the New Covenant, it works the same. It is a sign of the Holy Spirit upon your life, that the power of God is at hand to set you free and to empower you for what's ahead of you! 

If you look at Isaiah 61:1-2 just now, you'd see the word 'liberty'. The word 'liberty' here is 'deror' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to be free (from what bounds you), to move on (from the past), to clear away (from the past), to have a fresh new start'. 

Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV) 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; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.' 

You see here? Exchanging ashes with beauty. Exchanging mourning with joy of the Lord. Exchanging spirit of heaviness with praise. Instead of ashes, you have beauty. Instead of mourning, you have the joy of the Lord. Yes, your mourning turned into dancing. Dance of joy! And instead of spirit of heaviness, whatever that burdens you, you begin to praise the Lord! Praising the Lord with the liberty in your spirit and soul! And the Lord is right now releasing the oil of joy from heaven upon you! 

Those days, when people were in mourning, ashes would be put on the head. But now, the joy of the Lord is upon you! The oil of the Lord is put on your head instead! 

Now, why 'ashes'? When something gets burned and turned into ashes, it cannot be physically restored anymore. It's hopeless. It's gone. It cannot be turned back to the original shape before it's being burned. But you know what? Here, the Lord is doing a miracle. The ashes turned into something of a beauty again! That's what He is doing in your life right now. Receive this by faith! 

Isaiah 61:4 (NKJV) says, 'And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolation of many generations.' 

Even though this chapter is specifically referring to Israel, but this applies to you too who is God's beloved. You can receive all these promises in Isaiah 61 as well. 

God loves you, and He wants to restore and rebuild whatever in your life that has been ruined and broken down. So, this is your time for restoration and repair. No matter how deep the hurts may be, nothing is impossible for the Lord to repair and restore. Yes, repairing and restoring your life. 

So right now, beloved, surrender your situation to the Lord. Surrender all those past that have been pulling you back and holding you back. Maybe you feel that you have been tied up. Maybe you feel that you cannot move ahead to embrace the new that the Lord has for you. The Lord is saying to you right now that there's hope for you. Today, you can be set free. Today, the anointing has been rubbed on you. You can break free to embrace the new that the Lord has for you! Hallelujah!

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