John 16:33 (NKJV): "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
In a time of prayer last week, I kept hearing the words "Be of good cheer", and that's when the Lord also reminded me of the verse above.
Then, I heard further from the Lord, and I released these words to the congregation on Sunday:
"Be of good cheer, for in Me, you shall overcome. This is a time to rise above and not to succumb under."
Looking at John 16:33 now, there is a stark contrast between 'in Me' (i.e. in Christ) and 'in the world' as spoken by Jesus Himself here. Let's look at the 'equation' below:
In Me (i.e. in Christ) = peace;
In the world = tribulation.
The word 'peace' here is 'eirene' in Greek, which basically means 'peace, quietness, rest', whereas the word 'tribulation' here is 'thlipsis' in Greek, which can mean 'pressure, affliction, anguish (severe physical/mental pain), burden, trouble, persecution'.
Matter of factly, the whole world seems to be 'down' and 'gloomy' recently with a spate of terror attacks, tragic accidents, natural calamities, and all in all, no news seems to be good news in the media nowadays (of course, with an exception of a few). And if one looks at the world today, it's just trouble, trouble, trouble everywhere with no reasons to cheer about, or are there?
But that's not what God says to those who are in Him! You may be in the world, but you are not of the world! (John 17:16) In other words, you don't have to succumb under the 'thlipsis' atmosphere of this world, but instead to rise above! That's why Jesus said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Why? Because you belong to a higher realm! In Matthew 6:10, Jesus said, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." See the words on earth here? God's kingdom (i.e. God's realm) on earth! And that's where righteousness, peace and joy can be found! (see Romans 14:17) It means you don't have to wait till you reach heaven to experience righteousness, peace and joy. You can live in this kingdom (realm) right now!
"Bro, I think you are out of touch with reality!"
No, I'm not! In fact, I'm living in the reality of God's realm, one that is higher than the earthly "trouble, trouble, trouble everywhere" realm! And mind you, this realm is real. The Word of God says so! This realm is where I can experience the fullness of joy (see also Psalm 16:11), even in a world full of trouble. And where there's joy (from on high), there will also be strength (to carry on and to look ahead)! The Bible says 'the joy of the Lord is your strength' (Nehemiah 8:10)
So, people of God, no matter what you may be facing in the world at the moment (whether it's a trial in your health, or in your finance, or in any other area of your life), take heart and be of good cheer, for Jesus has overcome the world. The word 'overcome' here is 'nikao' in Greek, from the word 'nike' (pronounced 'nee-kay') which means 'to subdue, to prevail, to overcome, to get the victory, to get success'. 'The world' here simply means 'everything or every challenge that the world throws at you'.
This is also a time to believe for your end-result (end-victory) in any area of your life! Joel 3:18 says it perfectly, 'And it will come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drip with new wine, the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; a fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Acacias'.
'New wine' here speaks of 'joy and celebration';
'Milk' here speaks of 'peace and comfort';
'Water' here speaks of 'refreshing and renewal'.
How about 'a fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Acacias' here?
Another meaning for 'Acacias' is 'Shittim' in Hebrew, which simply means 'thorns'. This word comes from the verb 'shotet' which means 'to pierce, to scourge, to flog, to beat/punish severely'. Some 2,000 years ago, Jesus Himself has suffered all those 'shotet' for you, so that this fountain of health and healing can now flow right into every part of your life right now - spirit, soul, body. Therefore, beloved of God, there's every reason to rejoice, be at rest and be blessed, for He has overcome for you. Amen!
Monday, April 20, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
The keys to your protection in this turbulent world
Psalm 91:1-2 (NKJV): He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.
The word ‘dwell’ here is ‘yashab’ in Hebrew, which means 'rest, remain, be settled, be established'. Therefore, ‘to dwell in the secret place of the Most High’ is 'to rest, remain, be settled, be established in the secret place of the Most High, i.e. His very presence'.
The word ‘trust’ here is 'bawtakh' in Hebrew, which means 'be confident, be sure, be secure', and in the verse above, the psalmist wrote it in the context of ‘putting confidence in Him by remaining in Him and following His leading/guidance’.
Only after the two key verses above, Psalm 91:3 then comes in with, 'Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence…'
Notice here that Psalm 91:1-2 holds 'the keys to your divine protection', whereas Psalm 91:3-16 that follows speaks of 'the whole list of protection you can expect to receive'.
People of God, where His presence is, there will also be His protection! And that's why it is so important to practice His presence (i.e. to know and be conscious that He is with you and for you). This is especially so for all of us who are living in these last days, and in this turbulent world.
'To trust in Him' is also 'to follow His leading/guidance', instead of insisting your own way (Isaiah 55:8-9). As you allow Him to lead/guide you, and as you listen to the ‘peace’ or ‘unpeace’ that He has put in you (on 'what to do' or 'what not to do'), you will then always end up 'in the right place at the right time', even doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions.
Romans 8:14 says, ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God (i.e. following His leading/guidance), these are sons of God'.
The word ‘led’ here in Greek is 'ago', which can mean ‘being driven, being carried, or being brought’. So, 'to be led by the Spirit of God' is 'to be driven, carried, or brought by the Spirit of God' to where (and what) He wants you to be!
Romans 8:15-16 then follows, 'For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father”. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God'.
Romans 8:15-16 then follows, 'For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father”. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God'.
You see, if you are led by the Spirit, you need not fear! The Word of God says so.
May your heart (spirit) be so tender and soft before the Lord, that you will be able to receive all that He wants to give you (including His leading/guidance). And you can be sure that He is here to help you.
In Ezekiel 36:26, the Lord says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh.”
The expression ‘heart of stone’ (or ‘stony heart’ in KJV) here speaks of ‘hard/hardened heart’, like the stiff-necked (hard-hearted) people in Moses’ days who eventually lost the protection of the Lord and missed out on the good things in the Promised Land (Exodus 32:9), whereas the expression ‘heart of flesh’ speaks of ‘soft/softened heart’ that is tender before the Lord.
In Ezekiel 36:26, the Lord says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh.”
The expression ‘heart of stone’ (or ‘stony heart’ in KJV) here speaks of ‘hard/hardened heart’, like the stiff-necked (hard-hearted) people in Moses’ days who eventually lost the protection of the Lord and missed out on the good things in the Promised Land (Exodus 32:9), whereas the expression ‘heart of flesh’ speaks of ‘soft/softened heart’ that is tender before the Lord.
In Ezekiel 36:27, the Lord then says, "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." In cross-reference, Philippians 2:13 says, ‘For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure’. This word ‘works’ here is ‘energeo’ in Greek, and it can mean ‘actively working, energetically working, effectively working, efficiently working, powerfully working’. Allow Him.
And finally in Ezekiel 36:28, the Lord says, "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God." 'To dwell in the land that I gave to your father' is 'to dwell in the blessings of Abraham' (see Deuteronomy 28:1-14).
By the way, one important aspect/part of the blessings of Abraham is, of course, God's protection. See the list below, as the words 'protection, protect, protected' are written in the brackets. Indeed, 'protection' is the fruit of a tender and soft heart before the Lord.
You see, it all begins from the heart. A heart that is tender and soft before the Lord is also a heart that will hear and obey what He has spoken and prompted.
Note: Of course, there will also be times when you aren't aware of the dangers around you (e.g. when you are fast asleep, or in any situation where you have no control of). That's when you just need to trust in the Lord's mercy and His sovereign hand of protection always.
You can now therefore be sure (see Psalm 91:3 again) that:
By the way, one important aspect/part of the blessings of Abraham is, of course, God's protection. See the list below, as the words 'protection, protect, protected' are written in the brackets. Indeed, 'protection' is the fruit of a tender and soft heart before the Lord.
You see, it all begins from the heart. A heart that is tender and soft before the Lord is also a heart that will hear and obey what He has spoken and prompted.
Note: Of course, there will also be times when you aren't aware of the dangers around you (e.g. when you are fast asleep, or in any situation where you have no control of). That's when you just need to trust in the Lord's mercy and His sovereign hand of protection always.
You can now therefore be sure (see Psalm 91:3 again) that:
Blessed (protected) shall you be in the city, and blessed (protected) shall you be in the country.
Blessed (protected) shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
Blessed (protected) shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
Blessed (protected) shall you be when you come in, and blessed (protected) shall you be when you go out.
The Lord will cause your enemy who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
The Lord will command the blessing (protection) on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless (protect) you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Amen.
Blessed (protected) shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
Blessed (protected) shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
Blessed (protected) shall you be when you come in, and blessed (protected) shall you be when you go out.
The Lord will cause your enemy who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
The Lord will command the blessing (protection) on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless (protect) you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Amen.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Hope in God!
Psalm 43:5 (NKJV): Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.
The word 'disquieted' here is 'hamah' in Hebrew, which means 'feeling troubled, a commotion within, a moaning (a sound expressing trouble, regret, pain, or suffering)', whereas the word 'hope' here is 'yachal' in Hebrew, meaning 'to wait with expectation'.
It was indeed in 'troubled times' that the psalmist wrote this verse, and the same it is for many of us these days. We are now living in what the Bible calls 'the last days' (see 2 Timothy 3:1-4). These are perilous times. These are also times full of contradictions and antagonism, when the best and the worst of everything all happen at the same time (see Isaiah 60:1-2). Every day, we hear news of terrorism, wars, disasters and troubles, but yet, these are also times of the great and marvellous work of the Lord taking place!
In spite of all the 'troubles' that we see, hear, or experience on earth at the moment, the truth remains that there is still every reason to hope. I am going to explain the reason why. As God's people, may our hope (in Him) continue to remain strong and alive, no matter what. Amen.
Romans 5:5 (NKJV) says, 'Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us'. The word 'hope' here is 'elpis' in Greek, which carries the meaning 'confident expectation of good, or confident anticipation of something good'.
In King James Version (KJV), the first part of this verse says, 'And hope maketh not ashamed'. It simply means 'this hope doesn't cause you to be shamed (or ashamed)'. Why? Because this hope is a sure hope (not a fickle, weak, or feeble hope that the world teaches), and it is founded on God's sure (and unchanging) love toward you!
Romans 8:35 (NKJV) says, 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?' Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV) then says, 'Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord'.
In other words, you become more than conquerors when you know that God loves you! In fact, the more you know and remind yourself of how much God loves you, the more you are going to see good things happening to you! And that's why today, you have every reason to hope! It is the 'confident expectation of good, or confident anticipation of something good'! This confidence is not a 'blind' confidence, but a 'rock-solid' confidence, because you know that God's love toward you never fails! (1 Corinthians 13:8)
How does God demonstrate (show) His love toward you?
Romans 5:8-9 (NKJV) says, 'But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved (rescued, delivered) from wrath through Him (Christ)'.
What Jesus has done for you on the cross some 2,000 years ago is the very foundation of your hope!
Because He has carried all your sins, punishment, and judgement upon Himself on the cross, you can now be sure of goodness and mercy following you all the days of your life! Psalm 23:6 (NKJV) says, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever'. See the words 'goodness' and 'mercy' here? These are in direct contrast to the words 'evil' and 'judgement'! I can now therefore have this 'confidence' that no matter what happens on this earth, 'evil' and 'judgement' shall not follow me! The Word of God says so!
And the good news is His words are always sure! Jesus Himself said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (see Luke 21:33)
You see, Jesus has a perfect 'track record', and if you look at the list below, all His words eventually came to pass:
Luke 22:31-34 (Jesus spoke about Peter's denial);
Luke 9:22 (Jesus spoke about His death and resurrection);
Acts 1:4-5 (Jesus spoke about being baptized with the Holy Spirit);
Luke 21:20-24 (Jesus spoke about the destruction of Jerusalem);
Luke 21:9-19 (Jesus spoke about the last days, i.e. our days).
Therefore, people of God, in these last days, there's also every reason to believe and continue to hope in Him, knowing that all His words and promises for you will never return void (see Isaiah 55:10-11), even when He spoke about His Second coming and His ultimate victory! (see Luke 21:25-28) Hallelujah! Jesus is alive!
The word 'disquieted' here is 'hamah' in Hebrew, which means 'feeling troubled, a commotion within, a moaning (a sound expressing trouble, regret, pain, or suffering)', whereas the word 'hope' here is 'yachal' in Hebrew, meaning 'to wait with expectation'.
It was indeed in 'troubled times' that the psalmist wrote this verse, and the same it is for many of us these days. We are now living in what the Bible calls 'the last days' (see 2 Timothy 3:1-4). These are perilous times. These are also times full of contradictions and antagonism, when the best and the worst of everything all happen at the same time (see Isaiah 60:1-2). Every day, we hear news of terrorism, wars, disasters and troubles, but yet, these are also times of the great and marvellous work of the Lord taking place!
In spite of all the 'troubles' that we see, hear, or experience on earth at the moment, the truth remains that there is still every reason to hope. I am going to explain the reason why. As God's people, may our hope (in Him) continue to remain strong and alive, no matter what. Amen.
Romans 5:5 (NKJV) says, 'Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us'. The word 'hope' here is 'elpis' in Greek, which carries the meaning 'confident expectation of good, or confident anticipation of something good'.
In King James Version (KJV), the first part of this verse says, 'And hope maketh not ashamed'. It simply means 'this hope doesn't cause you to be shamed (or ashamed)'. Why? Because this hope is a sure hope (not a fickle, weak, or feeble hope that the world teaches), and it is founded on God's sure (and unchanging) love toward you!
Romans 8:35 (NKJV) says, 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?' Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV) then says, 'Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord'.
In other words, you become more than conquerors when you know that God loves you! In fact, the more you know and remind yourself of how much God loves you, the more you are going to see good things happening to you! And that's why today, you have every reason to hope! It is the 'confident expectation of good, or confident anticipation of something good'! This confidence is not a 'blind' confidence, but a 'rock-solid' confidence, because you know that God's love toward you never fails! (1 Corinthians 13:8)
How does God demonstrate (show) His love toward you?
Romans 5:8-9 (NKJV) says, 'But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved (rescued, delivered) from wrath through Him (Christ)'.
What Jesus has done for you on the cross some 2,000 years ago is the very foundation of your hope!
Because He has carried all your sins, punishment, and judgement upon Himself on the cross, you can now be sure of goodness and mercy following you all the days of your life! Psalm 23:6 (NKJV) says, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever'. See the words 'goodness' and 'mercy' here? These are in direct contrast to the words 'evil' and 'judgement'! I can now therefore have this 'confidence' that no matter what happens on this earth, 'evil' and 'judgement' shall not follow me! The Word of God says so!
And the good news is His words are always sure! Jesus Himself said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (see Luke 21:33)
You see, Jesus has a perfect 'track record', and if you look at the list below, all His words eventually came to pass:
Luke 22:31-34 (Jesus spoke about Peter's denial);
Luke 9:22 (Jesus spoke about His death and resurrection);
Acts 1:4-5 (Jesus spoke about being baptized with the Holy Spirit);
Luke 21:20-24 (Jesus spoke about the destruction of Jerusalem);
Luke 21:9-19 (Jesus spoke about the last days, i.e. our days).
Therefore, people of God, in these last days, there's also every reason to believe and continue to hope in Him, knowing that all His words and promises for you will never return void (see Isaiah 55:10-11), even when He spoke about His Second coming and His ultimate victory! (see Luke 21:25-28) Hallelujah! Jesus is alive!
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