You can be so free from your past!

Romans 8:1 (NIV): Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The word 'condemnation' here is 'katakrima' in Greek, which means 'an adverse sentence, or a condemning verdict', from the root word 'krino' meaning 'to judge against, to punish, to sentence, to damn, to condemn'.

In other words, this word 'katakrima' speaks of 'a guilty verdict' followed by a judgement and punishment. And that's exactly what the devil wants you to think you are - guilty as a criminal, and then judged, punished, and condemned!
Note: This word 'katakrima' is where the English word 'crime' comes from!

How many of you have recently been 'haunted' by a past? It may be a past mistake, a past failure, a past hurt, a past disappointment, a past relationship, or even a guilt feeling that just can't seem to go away! You have even tried every means to forget those past, but somehow all of a sudden, those past memories just came rushing back at you. Some even have nightmares that reminded you of those past!

To 'rub salt to the wound', the devil would then try every way to keep reminding you of those past, making you feel so 'rotten' about yourself so much so that you have no more strength and courage to look forward in life. Now that's what he does best! After all, his name is called 'ha satan', literally meaning the accuser or the condemner! In fact, Revelation 12:10 says 'he (the accuser of our brethren) accuses our brethren day and night'! In other words, his job is to 'point fingers' at you day and night!

But thank God Revelation 12:11 then says, 'And they (God's people) overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...'!

Now that's great news!

Know that some 2,000 years ago, Jesus has been condemned on the cross, so now you don't need to be!
And His blood has already been shed for the forgiveness of your sins (and that includes all your past!).

Let's look at Romans 8:1 again. Notice the word 'now' here? This word is 'nun' (pronounced 'noon') in Greek, which simply means 'now, present time, at present'.

And who are those in Christ Jesus? That's you and I - the believers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

I can now phrase Romans 8:1 this way: "There is now, present time, at present no 'guilty verdict' for a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ!"

Praise God! And you know what? It means you are set free and so free from any guilt! Because He has carried them all!

Therefore, don't 'punish' or 'incriminate' yourself any further. The devil will always want you to think that you are cursed, 'beyond help' and 'deserving of further punishment', and he will always make you think that you are still being punished and will never find a way out. But he's a liar, a deceiver! (see Revelation 12:9)

Shut your ears from the deceiver's words, and hear the Word of God instead!

Jesus says 'you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free' (John 8:32).

You may be searching the world over, but the truth is the only place you can find no condemnation ('katakrima') is in Christ Jesus!

People of God, will you allow the Lord Jesus Christ to love and embrace you all over again? He is here for you now. Know that you are never too 'filthy' for Him to love and embrace, no matter what had happened in your past. There's really nothing too 'filthy' that He cannot carry for you. After all, He was counted as a 'criminal' more filthy than a murderer, when the people chose to ask for Barabbas (a murderer) to be released instead of Him (see Luke 23:18-19).

Indeed, this is a time to throw away your 'scribbled, crumpled, messed-up paper of your past' and receive 'a fresh new piece of paper' from the Lord. I saw a vision of a beautiful spectrum of colours on a new piece of paper (like that of a rainbow, but much more heavenly than any rainbow I have ever seen on earth) while praying for someone recently.

I then heard these words from the Lord:
"Don't be afraid to start anew again. Let go of those past to Me. I have carried them all. My grace is rich enough for you to start afresh and anew. This is a time to consecrate yourself before Me again, and watch how I am going to do new things in your life in the days ahead."

Note: 'To consecrate' is 'to dedicate oneself for the Lord to begin working afresh and anew'.

Psalm 71 - a psalm of refuge in a time of affliction and trouble

Psalm 71:3 (NKJV): Be my strong refuge, to which (whereunto) I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.

The word ‘resort’ here is ‘bow’ in Hebrew, which means 'to enter in, to run towards, to fall on (Him), to abide in, to confide in (to entrust something to someone for safekeeping)'.

Psalm 71 is a psalm of refuge for those who are in a time of affliction and trouble. David penned this psalm in his old age, at a very difficult time of his life when his own son (Absalom) betrayed and rebelled against him (see 2 Samuel 15:1-14).

Are you also currently in a situation where you just do not know what to do (or how to go about) anymore? It may be a lingering health problem, a family feud that seems to have no solution, or a very tricky issue in your workplace. Or it may be your finance or your future, and you find yourself staring at a dead-end. It may even be a very hurting betrayal of friendship or trust. Or you simply have lost hope in life.

Whatever your situation may be at the moment, I pray for the strength and sustenance of the Lord to be with you, and may you find refuge and encouragement through this psalm. 

The expression "Be my strong refuge" is translated as "Be my rock of refuge" in King James Version (KJV). 'Rock' speaks of something 'unshakeable', in contrast to 'shifting sands'. The word 'refuge' here is 'makhaseh' in Hebrew, which means 'a shelter, a place of hope, a place of trust, a hiding place'.

In Matthew 7:24-25, Jesus says, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings (i.e. commandments or instructions) of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."

'House' here speaks of you, your life, your household, your ministry, or the things that you set out to do. Notice the words "and it did not fall"?

Back to Psalm 71:3 now. The word 'commandment' here is 'tsavah' in Hebrew, which speaks of 'an instruction (or a message) that puts (sets) things in order', and the word 'save' here is 'yasha' in Hebrew, meaning 'save, set free, help, avenge (fight for you), deliver, defend, rescue, get victory'.

In Psalm 71:1-2, David wrote, 'In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me'.

'To escape’ here is 'pawlat' in Hebrew, which means 'to slip out, to be carried away safely, or to be delivered (from the affliction or trouble)'.

Let’s look at another example of how the Lord gave a ‘commandment’ (‘tsavah’) that saved a sticky situation. When Moses came to a ‘dead-end’ with no way of escape in sight, he looked to the Lord his God and put his trust in Him. 

He then said to the Israelites, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14)

That's when the Lord gave His ‘tsavah’ to save (‘yasha’) the situation: “Lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” (Exodus 14:16)

Is there anything impossible to the Lord? 

The Word of God says He is still the same God today as He was those days (Hebrews 13:8), and therefore He can also make a way of escape for you too, no matter what affliction or trouble you may be facing at the moment. 

Man or organization may fail you, but He cannot and will not fail you, because He loves you. And when there's no one else you can turn to, know that He is (and will always be) here for you - your rock of refuge, your shelter, your place of hope, your place of trust, your hiding place. Take heart.

May you see the light at the end of the tunnel real soon. This is my sincere prayer for you today. Amen.

A time to worship like you have never been before!

2 Kings 17:36 (NKJV): But the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship...

2 Kings 17:39 then says, '... Worship the Lord your God; it is He who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies'.

The word 'worship' here is 'shachah' in Hebrew, which can mean 'to prostrate, to fall down (flat), to bow (self) down, to humbly beseech, to humbly surrender'.

Notice these two verses on worship appear in the Bible just before Hezekiah began to reign as the king of Judah (see 2 Kings 18:1). Indeed, the Lord God was preparing a man who would lead the whole nation to return to worshipping Him again! For the record, Hezekiah was one of those kings of Judah who did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and one who trusted in the Lord. He also held fast to the Lord and did not bow down to the king of Assyria who worshipped other gods (2 Kings 18:3-7).

As I was seeking the Lord for His prophetic words for this month, I heard:
"Worship! Worship! This is a time to worship like you have never been before! And I will show you how real I am. I will show you My glory. Prepare for My glory and anticipate My glory this month!"

Not that you never worship at other times, but I believe the Lord is saying this is a crucial time to worship! In fact, it is a time to worship like you have never been before! There will be new songs! There will be new melodies from heaven for this earth! Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs shall flow in such ways that you have never heard before!

I then saw a vision of an 'anchor' being firmly and strongly 'planted' in the seabed as I was praying for one of God's beloved in our midst. I asked the Lord what this vision means, and He impressed upon me that His strength is being 'anchored' deep in His people as they worship.

I then heard further:
"As you worship, I am planting My 'anchor' in you. I am your 'anchor'! I am your strength! I am releasing supernatural strength upon you and deep in you this time and season, and you will overcome every wave sent by the enemy against you. I will even use you to be a strength to many around you."

'Anchor' is made of strong metal (e.g. steel), and it speaks of 'strength' and 'assurance', no matter how the waves may be beating and hitting. Therefore, as you worship, know that He is releasing His supernatural strength and assurance upon you then and there. You will then be a strength and assurance to many other 'vessels' (or 'ships') around you that have been tossed and hit likewise by those 'strong waves'.

Back to Hezekiah now in 2 Kings 18 and 19. Interestingly, the name 'Hezekiah' means 'Strengthened of Yah' in Hebrew, from the words 'chazaq' (pronounced 'khaw-zak') which means 'to strengthen, to be strong', and 'Yah', which is 'the name of the Lord, the Most High God'.

In the fourteenth year of his reign as the king of Judah, Hezekiah was then faced with 'strong waves' that seemed hard to overcome. 2 Kings 18:13 says, "... Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them'. 'Sennacherib' here speaks of 'the wave sent by the enemy to rock your boat/ship/vessel', the enemy who tries to make you think that your God is small and He is not strong enough for your situation.

Mockeries, lies, and even threats followed thereon (see 2 Kings 18:17-37), and all these were meant to deceive God's people and to shake their faith in the Lord their God.

People of God, are you also in a situation where there's just no more strength to carry on? Or there's just no more strength to bring forth what God has put in you (say, a dream or vision you have received)? Or maybe you are already on the verge of giving it all up, as the 'storms' (or 'strong waves') around you seem to be too overwhelming for you.

2 Kings 19:1 says, 'And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it (i.e. all those mockeries, lies, and threats), that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.'

'To go into the house of the Lord' is 'to enter God's presence in worship and total surrender'. Indeed, in a time of worship and total surrender, you will also find strength and assurance. And that's when the Lord spoke through Isaiah His prophet: "Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him (Sennacherib), and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land." (2 Kings 19:6-7)

'Isaiah' ('Yesha Yah', meaning 'Yah has saved' in Hebrew) here speaks of 'the Lord who saves (delivers, rescues) you'.

2 Kings 19:14-15 later says, '... Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it (all those troubles and threats) before the Lord. Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, "O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim. You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth..."'

The word 'spread' here is 'paras' in Hebrew, and in this verse's context, it means 'to lay all your troubles (before the Lord), to break down (before the Lord)'.

And you know what? The Lord heard Hezekiah's prayers (2 Kings 19:20). He then literally shut out Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:27-28), and all His words against him (Sennacherib) eventually came to pass (see 2 Kings 19:35-37).

People of God, just as in Hezekiah's days, know that He is also now here for you, ready to embrace you and incline His ears to you. Know that He will never despise a heart that is broken before Him, and He will never turn down a heart that is totally 'spread' before Him. Indeed, one cannot worship the Lord with a hardened heart, or with a heart that puts up a 'front', a 'facade', or a 'mask'. This is the time to lay it all down.

May our hearts be so tender and soft before the Lord in worship and in total surrender. Amen.