Embrace the 'new' and the good that God has for you!

The Lord says: 

"Taste and see My goodness in your life going forward. But you need to let go of the 'old' and what you have moved on from in your life, and embrace the 'new' that I have for you now. Let there be such a release in your spirit and your soul right now. For what I have in store ahead of you will be good!" 

The Lord says further: 

"Begin to cast down every word and every work sent by the enemy against you. Begin to cast down everything sent by the enemy to pull you back to the 'old' of your life. But this is your time to embrace all the good and the 'new' that I have for you ahead of you. This is your time to secure and receive all the good that I have for you, by faith." 

I heard the word 'embrace' two times here. I believe this is the key word for us now: 'Embrace'. To embrace what? To embrace all the 'new' and the good that God has for you!

This word 'embrace' can be traced back to two Latin words, 'in' and 'bracchium', literally meaning 'in the arms (of)'. 

This word 'embrace' can also mean 'to surround, to encircle, to hold closely (especially with great affection)'. 

This works both ways: You embracing the Lord, and the Lord embracing you! 

One way to describe the goodness of God in your life is to picture the Lord's arms wrapping around you, surrounding you, encircling you, and holding you closely and lovingly in His embrace! And in His embrace, you can rest secure!

Deuteronomy 33:12 (NIV) says, "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders." 

This expression 'rests between His shoulders' can be understood as 'being in the embrace of God'. 

Deuteronomy 33:12 (The Message) puts it this way: "God's beloved; God's permanent residence. Encircled by God all day long, within whom God is at home." 

See the word 'encircled' here? Encircled by God all day long! Encircled by the goodness of God all day long! All the time! And the best news is whatever happens around you in the world, your God is always 'at home' in your life! Always present in your life! Always here for you! All the time! 

Psalm 34:8 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' 

Psalm 34:8 (Amplified) puts it this way: 'O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.' 

The word 'good' here is 'towb' in Hebrew. It can mean 'good (in the widest sense)'. In other words, 'good in every way'. This word 'towb' can also mean 'beautiful, bountiful, sweet, gracious'. 

So, taste and see that the Lord is beautiful to you, the Lord is bountiful to you, the Lord is sweet to you, and the Lord is gracious to you! And let this goodness of God be poured into your life right now! 

Psalm 23:6 (Amplified) says, 'Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.' 

Beloved of God, surely what's beautiful, what's bountiful, what's sweet, and what's gracious shall follow you all the days of your life! Make this declaration upon your life right now!

Psalm 31:19-20 (Amplified) says, 'How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You, which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of man! In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots and conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.' 

You see, the goodness of God in your life encompasses all aspects of your life. God even shows His goodness in your life by sheltering you from the plots and conspiracies of man, or even from the strife of tongues!

Psalm 107:8-9 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.' 

This is another aspect of the goodness of God. He satisfies whatever that is lacking in your life. He fills what is empty in your life. He fills you with hope. He fills you with joy. And of course, He fills you with His unfailing love. When everything else in the world fails, the Lord's love for you never fails. And that is the assurance of the Lord for your life right now. 

Declare that the Lord is altogether good in your life! 

He knows how to work things out for good for you! 

He knows how to turn your sorrow into joy! 

He knows how to turn whatever that's bad in your life into something good! 

And whatever the enemy throws at you, the Lord will know how to turn things around for you! 

Amen!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

You can count on the goodness and faithfulness of God!

The Lord says for this time:

"Count on My goodness and faithfulness in your life. Yes, even in the midst of the situation around you and the situation that you see in the world right now. Look to Me, for I am still your faithful God. My faithfulness towards you has never changed." 

The Lord wants you to know today that He is still your faithful God, and He will still be. So, trust Him that He will continue to show Himself faithful in your life and in every situation you face in your life. 

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV) says, 'But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.' 

The word 'faithful' here is 'pistos' in Greek, which can also mean 'trustworthy, sure, truthful'. As you can see here, the Lord isn't just your faithful God, but He is also your trustworthy, sure, and truthful God!

From this word 'pistos' here, notice that 'to be faithful' is 'to be truthful'. You see, He is a God who cannot lie. Hebrews 6:18 (NKJV) says, '...in which it is impossible for God to lie...' Like a relationship between husband and wife, one cannot say he or she is faithful unless he or she is truthful. The same it is with God, whom the Scripture says is the Bridegroom, and we His bride. 

The word 'establish' here is 'sterizo' in Greek. This word can mean 'to strengthen you, to steadily set you on the right path, to set you resolutely in the right direction'. So, to establish you is to strengthen you, to steadily set you on the right path, and to set you resolutely in the right direction. And of course, 'to guard you' is 'to watch over you, to preserve you, to be on guard for you'. And that's who God is to you, beloved, no matter what happens around you or what happens in the world around you. 

You can personalize this verse to yourself: "The Lord is faithful to me, and the Lord establishes me, and the Lord guards me from the evil one." You can say this again and again. Amen! 

You may have heard the teaching about your faithfulness to God, and there is definitely a place for such. But today, the Lord is talking about His faithfulness towards us. It's a two-way relationship between you and God, God and you. He is faithful to you, and you are faithful to God. In fact, He is still our steadfast and unchanging God, even if at times we may have been unfaithful to Him. Why? Because He is a God who is patient towards us, even in our weaknesses and unfaithfulness. We thank God for that. We thank God for His mercy and grace towards us. 

Beloved of God, if you may, read both 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians in a time like this. These two books are not just about you being faithful to Him and He is faithful to you, but these two books also speak of our time now, the end-time, and how we can prepare for the return and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

You see, we don't want to set date of the Rapture and the return of the Lord. Why? Because the Scripture says that 'of the exact hour and day, no one knows, except God the Father'. We don't want to overstep God's Word. But we can prepare our lives. We can prepare ourselves by living holy lives, ready for Him any time. Why? Because He can return at the hour we never expect. 

In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said, "But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." And then, in Matthew 24:42-44, Jesus said further, "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming... Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 

So, according to 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians, what can you do in a time like this? 

1. Continue to receive His love and be abound in His love

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).

2. Continue to receive His sanctification and walk in holiness

For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8).

3. Focus on your God-given calling and God's vision for your life

For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner; not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:11-13).

4. Be sober, watchful, and vigilant 

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep (i.e. 'slumber in our spirit'), as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8).

5. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Words from the Lord: "Discern, not be deceived!"

The Lord says for this time: 

"Discern, not be deceived! In this perilous and deceiving world that you are living in right now, I have given you the wisdom and discernment that you need to walk tall above all these deceptions. Be it sensational news, fake news, false prophecies, false predictions, persuasive words, manipulation, or trickeries conjured up by those who are of the spirit of this world, you will have the sure protection when you walk with Me. I am sensitizing your spiritual ears right now. I am enlightening your spiritual eyes right now. I am filling you with My Spirit right now." 

Colossians 2:3 (NKJV) says, 'In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' 

The word 'all' here in Greek is 'pas', and it can mean 'all, every, any, the whole, whatsoever, thoroughly'. It means you can be sure that as you seek Him, you will have all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that you need to walk tall above all the deceptions, trickeries, or manipulation conjured by people of this world. 

Do you know in what context Paul wrote this verse? Let's look at the next verse. In Colossians 2:4, Paul wrote, 'Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.' 

In Colossians 2:8, Paul wrote further, 'Lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world...' In other words, from the spirit of this world, and not from the Spirit of God, or from Christ. 

Obviously, Paul was addressing this topic of being deceived or being cheated by whatever that is from the spirit of this world. And yet, if you look back at Colossians 2:3, 'In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge', what Paul meant here is, do not fear, because in Christ, and when you walk closely with the Holy Spirit, you will have the flow of God's wisdom and knowledge! 

Anything can happen in this world nowadays. People would think of all kinds of ways to sensationalize stories, to gain attention, to gain followers, to get more subscribers or viewers, to manipulate, and even to deceive others. They can do it so convincingly that gullible people will somehow so easily fall for it. 

So, today, the Lord is saying to all of us, beloved of God, "Be careful." 

Indeed, this is a deceptive world that we live in today. In fact, what you see with your physical eyes may not be the truth, and what you hear with your physical ears may not be the truth. That's why God's people need to be enlightened in their spiritual eyes and be sensitized in their spiritual ears to be able to see and hear what many in the world fail to see or hear. 

That's why also, beloved of God, it's so important to walk closely and in intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because there's round about protection here. So, let heaven touch you right now. Let the Holy Spirit touch you right now. Wash your heart. Wash your ears. Wash your eyes. Wash your hands. Purify your life. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is speaking to you right now. Be in quietness and listen. 

Let His Spirit flow into your spirit. You can sense "peace" or "no peace" in your spirit regarding something. You can sense "green light" or "red light" in your spirit regarding something. To go ahead, or not to go ahead. To believe, or not to believe a certain news. You will be able to pick up any "red flag" in your spirit. You will be able to notice or recognize any warning sign or signal that will cause you to be alert and be careful when you hear of something that people say or something that the social media tells you. 

And with the Holy Spirit teaching you and prompting you, you'll even be able to discern what is a lie and what is not a lie, who is cheating and who is not cheating, who is speaking from their own mind and who is speaking from the Spirit of God. 

You'll be able to discern who is speaking from the mouth of God and who is overstepping God's Word. Your spirit can sense.  

Let's look at one example in the Scripture. Let's look at Peter now. One of the earliest situation that Peter had to face upon receiving the enabling of the Holy Spirit was he had to face deceitful people. In Acts 5:3, when a certain man named Ananias lied to him about the proceeds from the sale of a possession, Peter then said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" Peter was discerning enough in his spirit to discern even a lie or a wrong intention. You know why? He allowed the Holy Spirit to work in him and to speak inside of him. In other words, he was open to the works of the Holy Spirit in him, even in this area of discernment. 

This wasn't the first time Peter walked in God's wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. Prior to that, the Scripture also mentions that the rulers and the religious leaders those days marveled at the wisdom and boldness of speech in Peter. In Acts 4:13, they were asking among themselves, "Isn't this Peter uneducated and untrained? How could he suddenly have such wisdom?" And that's when they realized Peter had been with Jesus! 

The wisdom of Jesus had rubbed on and been imparted on Peter. Beloved of God, the same it is with you right now. Let the wisdom from heaven be rubbed on you and be imparted on you. Amen! Receive this by faith right now. 

When you receive this wisdom from God, you need not fear, come what may, in this world. You see, Jesus is the Source of all wisdom and knowledge. He is all-knowing. He sees farther than anyone on earth can see. He knows better. And you are receiving from this Source. 

In this prophetic message today, let the wisdom from heaven be released upon you right now. Like a river, let His Spirit flow into you right now. Open your heart and open your mind. Anything that hinders your spiritual eyes from seeing correctly and your spiritual ears from hearing correctly, let all this be washed away by this river. 

Drink from this river of wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. Let this river lead you, guide you, and prompt you, every step of the way, in every situation and circumstance. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Click here to watch the video in TiC YouTube Channel