In spite of the many predictions of doom and gloom that you hear in the year 2019 (e.g. the coming economic recession, the coming political turbulence, or increasing natural disasters), I heard the Lord speak these words for His people: "This is a year of recovery and greater blessings for God's people."
Let's begin with the definition of this word 'recovery'. It can mean 'the action or process of regaining possession of something stolen (or lost)'. Yes, be it in your health, finance, relationships, ministry, or career (vocation). In the context of your personal walk with God, it can mean a return to what the Lord has planned and purposed for your life.
Like Joseph in the book of Genesis, after being thrown into a pit, sold as a slave, being falsely accused by the wife of Potiphar, being thrown into prison, and being forgotten after doing a good deed for the chief butler, the time for his recovery finally came! And this recovery led to greater blessings in his life (and through his life)! Joseph never looked back since then.
People of God, get ready for such recovery in the year 2019! Your time has come! Like Joseph who had a change of clothing - from wearing a prisoner's clothing to wearing a provider's clothing, so shall you be! Genesis 41:14-15 says, 'Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it."'
You know what? The moment of breakthrough came for Joseph - after years in the doldrums! Indeed, Joseph turned from a prisoner to a provider! He used his gift (of interpreting dreams) to the fullest effect, and turned provider of wisdom to the king! Not only that, when famine finally arrived, he turned provider of physical food that brought much hope to the land (and even to the lands afar off)! So much so his own brothers (who had sold him as slave) came looking to him, not knowing this provider was their own brother!
People of God, what are your spiritual gifts and talents (that you have long forgotten through the years)? How about the plans and purposes of God in your life? By faith, declare that 2019 is a year of your recovery and breakthrough! And after a time of recovery, comes greater blessings! Joseph got back on track (at that juncture of his life), and he went on to fulfill all that God had spoken to him till the very end. Let it be so in your life too - as you cross into the year 2019. Hallelujah!
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
The Lord knows how to open a way for you!
The Lord spoke these words:
"For whatever setback that you have experienced recently, this is your time to receive a new strength and a fresh hope from Me. Look to Me, because I am setting you free for the new things ahead of you, even things that you have not seen or done before. For every opportunity that you have missed out this year, watch how I am going to open a way for you in the year ahead. Just don't limit how I am going to do it."
We all have setbacks at one time or another. It may be:
- an issue that hurts us;
- a relapse in something we work on;
- a disappointment that we did not foresee;
- an unfortunate interruption in progress.
People of God, whatever your setback may be in recent times, be it in relationships, in career, in ministry, in business, or in any other area of life, the Lord is offering you a fresh hope today. Look to Him, and trust in His infinite wisdom to make a way and open a way for you.
Isaiah 43:19 (ESV) says, 'Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert'. Indeed, if He can make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, He can do the same in your life, whatever your 'wilderness' or 'desert' may be.
Interestingly, there's actually someone in the Scripture whose name means 'The Lord opens a way'. His name is Jephthah ('Yiphtach' in Hebrew), coming from two words, 'Yah' (meaning 'the Lord') and 'pathach' (meaning 'open a way'). Notice that he's had his setbacks initially, but in spite of those setbacks, he ended up being listed among the heroes of faith in the book of Hebrews, alongside the likes of Gideon, Samuel and David, among others (see Hebrews 11:32).
Let's look at his background now. Reading from Judges 11:1-3, Jephthah was born to Gilead (his father), but his mother was a prostitute. As Gilead's wife also bore him sons, these sons drove Jephthah away from their home, because he was a 'son of another woman'. "You are not going to get any inheritance in our family," they said, "because you are the son of another woman." Speaking of being born at the wrong place, and into the wrong family! You can imagine all those years staying together with his brothers, he was being mocked, ridiculed, and even called names like "Hey, son of the whore!" or "Hey, son of the prostitute!" It hurts. It really hurts.
Now, having been dumped by his own family, Jephthah had no choice but to settle elsewhere. But the Lord was good to him, and he ended up in the land of Tob, where a group of 'homeless and worthless people' would gather around him and follow him as their leader. There, he gained a reputation as a mighty warrior, so much so when the nation of Israel came under attack by the enemy, those same brothers (who drove him away) had to turn to him and ask him to be their commander! (Judges 11:4-8)
Interestingly, of all lands, he ended up in the land of Tob! And you know what 'Tob' means in Hebrew? There are no insignificant details in the Bible. This word 'Tob' literally means 'good' in Hebrew. You see, even though Jephthah was 'kicked out' by his brothers, he eventually ended up in the good hands of the Lord! And in spite of his broken past and broken background, the Lord could still use him greatly - to bring deliverance for the nation of Israel (who was crying out to the Lord for help at that time)!
People of God, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Whatever your setback may be in recent times, let it go and don't look back. Receive a new strength and a fresh hope from the Lord today. The best is yet to come. Like Jephthah, you too are now in the good hands of the Lord! Hallelujah!
"For whatever setback that you have experienced recently, this is your time to receive a new strength and a fresh hope from Me. Look to Me, because I am setting you free for the new things ahead of you, even things that you have not seen or done before. For every opportunity that you have missed out this year, watch how I am going to open a way for you in the year ahead. Just don't limit how I am going to do it."
We all have setbacks at one time or another. It may be:
- an issue that hurts us;
- a relapse in something we work on;
- a disappointment that we did not foresee;
- an unfortunate interruption in progress.
People of God, whatever your setback may be in recent times, be it in relationships, in career, in ministry, in business, or in any other area of life, the Lord is offering you a fresh hope today. Look to Him, and trust in His infinite wisdom to make a way and open a way for you.
Isaiah 43:19 (ESV) says, 'Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert'. Indeed, if He can make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, He can do the same in your life, whatever your 'wilderness' or 'desert' may be.
Interestingly, there's actually someone in the Scripture whose name means 'The Lord opens a way'. His name is Jephthah ('Yiphtach' in Hebrew), coming from two words, 'Yah' (meaning 'the Lord') and 'pathach' (meaning 'open a way'). Notice that he's had his setbacks initially, but in spite of those setbacks, he ended up being listed among the heroes of faith in the book of Hebrews, alongside the likes of Gideon, Samuel and David, among others (see Hebrews 11:32).
Let's look at his background now. Reading from Judges 11:1-3, Jephthah was born to Gilead (his father), but his mother was a prostitute. As Gilead's wife also bore him sons, these sons drove Jephthah away from their home, because he was a 'son of another woman'. "You are not going to get any inheritance in our family," they said, "because you are the son of another woman." Speaking of being born at the wrong place, and into the wrong family! You can imagine all those years staying together with his brothers, he was being mocked, ridiculed, and even called names like "Hey, son of the whore!" or "Hey, son of the prostitute!" It hurts. It really hurts.
Now, having been dumped by his own family, Jephthah had no choice but to settle elsewhere. But the Lord was good to him, and he ended up in the land of Tob, where a group of 'homeless and worthless people' would gather around him and follow him as their leader. There, he gained a reputation as a mighty warrior, so much so when the nation of Israel came under attack by the enemy, those same brothers (who drove him away) had to turn to him and ask him to be their commander! (Judges 11:4-8)
Interestingly, of all lands, he ended up in the land of Tob! And you know what 'Tob' means in Hebrew? There are no insignificant details in the Bible. This word 'Tob' literally means 'good' in Hebrew. You see, even though Jephthah was 'kicked out' by his brothers, he eventually ended up in the good hands of the Lord! And in spite of his broken past and broken background, the Lord could still use him greatly - to bring deliverance for the nation of Israel (who was crying out to the Lord for help at that time)!
People of God, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Whatever your setback may be in recent times, let it go and don't look back. Receive a new strength and a fresh hope from the Lord today. The best is yet to come. Like Jephthah, you too are now in the good hands of the Lord! Hallelujah!
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Let His thunder and lightning clear the 'pollution'!
Job 36:32-33a (NKJV): He covers His hands with lightning, and commands it to strike. His thunder declares it...
The word 'strike' here is 'paga' ('paw-gah') in Hebrew, meaning:
- to come upon, to fall upon, to light upon, to strike on, to hit the mark;
- to encounter, to make contact with, as in 'heaven meets the earth';
- to intercede, to intervene.
Job 37:1-6 (NKJV) then says, 'At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from its place. Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, and He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth'; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength'.
In the above verses, it is clear that the Lord is the One who directs and rules over even the thunder and lightning. Indeed, nothing happens without the knowledge of the Lord our God!
In the physical realm, when thunder and lightning makes contact between the sky and the earth, mind you, no one can withstand it! And those who've had a 'close call' or 'near miss' with thunder and lightning strikes would certainly agree with me. They'd say, "You'd better hide, and avoid it at all costs!" That is how awesome thunder and lightning can be, as depicted in Job 37:1-6 above!
This phenomenon of thunder and lightning actually is a 'picture' of the reality in the spiritual realm. Indeed, when His spiritual 'thunder' and 'lightning' makes contact between the heaven and the earth, nothing can withstand it, and that includes the power of darkness, or the spiritual forces of darkness!
This phenomenon of thunder and lightning actually is a 'picture' of the reality in the spiritual realm. Indeed, when His spiritual 'thunder' and 'lightning' makes contact between the heaven and the earth, nothing can withstand it, and that includes the power of darkness, or the spiritual forces of darkness!
Now, back to the physical realm. Do you realize after the occurrence of thunderstorm, the air in the atmosphere seems cleaner and fresher? Why? There are of course many reasons. Logically-speaking, the rainfall that comes together with thunder and lightning washes the polluted and dusty air, resulting in clearer air. The strong wind gusts also play a role in clearing the air. But scientifically-speaking, during the occurrence of thunder and lightning, ionization happens, when the electrons and positive ions in the air become separated (further apart) than they were before. The strong electric field causes the surrounding air to 'break down', and this clears the overcast (or dullness), bringing clarity to the atmosphere!
This again reflects what actually happens in the spiritual realm! The truth is 'paga' ('paw-gah') as described in Job 36:32-33a happens when the Lord sends His spiritual 'thunder' and 'lightning'! And this 'paga' ('paw-gah') clears every form of 'pollution' that overcast (or dull) the spirit and mind!
By the way, who are the ones sending every form of 'pollution', so much so God's people become overcast (or dull), and therefore cannot see what God sees? None other but the power of darkness, or the spiritual forces of darkness!
By the way, who are the ones sending every form of 'pollution', so much so God's people become overcast (or dull), and therefore cannot see what God sees? None other but the power of darkness, or the spiritual forces of darkness!
I heard the Lord speak these words recently:
"If I can direct the thunder and lightning, nothing is impossible to Me. Don't be afraid to ask Me and look to Me for divine intervention, whatever your situation or problem may be at the moment. For I ever live to make intercession for you, and I am able to save and rescue you to the uttermost."
The basic meaning of 'intervention' or 'intercession' is 'to step in'. In other words, the Lord says don't be afraid to ask Him to 'step in', whatever your situation or problem may be at the moment. Because He lives, He rules, and He continues forever! And because He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present; therefore able to save and rescue you to the uttermost!
Hebrews 7:24-26 (NKJV) says, 'But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens'.
The word 'save' here is 'sozo' in Greek, and it can mean any of these: 'save, heal, deliver, protect, aid, rescue, make well, make whole'. And the Scripture says He is able to 'sozo' you to the uttermost (or utmost), far beyond what human can do!
The Scripture also says He always lives to make intercession for those who come to Him! Interestingly, this word 'intercession' (from the word 'tugchano' in Greek) carries the meaning 'to make it happen, or to effect upon'.
The Scripture also says He always lives to make intercession for those who come to Him! Interestingly, this word 'intercession' (from the word 'tugchano' in Greek) carries the meaning 'to make it happen, or to effect upon'.
Indeed, people of God, whatever your situation or problem may be at the moment, there is hope for 'sozo', because the One who is higher than the heavens can 'make it happen', when everything else on earth fails! Just never limit how He is going to do it!
Your part is to look to Him, and declare that His 'paga' ('paw-gah') time has come for your life! In Jesus' name. Amen!
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Do not grow weary in waiting
The Lord spoke these words:
"Do not grow weary in waiting. Do not give up while waiting. Keep your focus on Me, and remain in My peace. Having given thanks for your answer, wait on Me and receive a fresh outpouring from Me. Never limit how I am going to make it happen for you!"
People of God, have you recently been discouraged or tired of waiting for your breakthrough or answer? For some of you, it even feels like you are losing it (or losing the battle), and you are on the verge of giving it all up - be it in waiting for your complete healing, a financial breakthrough, an answer to your problem, or a God-given prophecy/dream/vision to come to pass.
Admittedly, waiting time is never easy. But take heart, because Isaiah 40:29-31 says, 'He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait 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'.
The words 'wait on' here is 'qavah' in Hebrew, which can mean 'to collect from, to gather from, to look patiently, to wait expectantly'. In other words, it is a confident expectation (or a divine hope) that God will do what He has promised; yet He knows best how it will happen, and when it will happen. This word 'qavah' also implies while you are waiting, He is also in the midst of building you, preparing you, and works all things together for your good.
You may have heard people say 'waiting time is never wasted time'. There is a truth in this saying, provided you allow yourself to see your 'waiting time' as God sees it. In Isaiah 40:29-31, it is clear that God doesn't see 'qavah' as a dormant or passive time, but He sees it as a time of building and preparing you for the greater things to come.
On your part, it is a time of actively receiving, collecting and gathering from Him - be it His strength, His refreshing, His renewal, His wisdom, His anointing, and even His substance (or His character), so that when your breakthrough finally comes, you'll be ready for that next level!
But be vigilant and sober, because at a time of your waiting, the enemy will not sit still. In fact, he will do just the opposite from what God does for you. After all, he is called the adversary (1 Peter 5:8). The enemy will try to do anything to discourage you, or make you think your trust in God is in vain - that God doesn't remember you anymore, and God doesn't keep His promises! The enemy's final aim is that you'll give up on all that God has spoken to you. And when that happens, he wins! And I believe that is why Isaiah 40:29 says so emphatically (for those who are in a time of waiting): 'He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength'! Indeed, people of God, this is a crucial time to keep your focus on Him, and remain in His peace. This is your time to receive a new strength from Him!
Let us not be like King Saul who grew restless and anxious when the nation of Israel were besieged by the Philistines; so much so he began to take matters into his own hands (1 Samuel 13:1-14), instead of waiting for the arrival of prophet Samuel who had spoken earlier that he would SURELY come and show the way (1 Samuel 10:8). Interestingly, the name 'Samuel' in Hebrew represents 'The Lord has heard'. In other words, King Saul failed to see that 'The Lord has heard' is a God who keeps promises, and 'The Lord has heard' will SURELY come! In the end, King Saul's impatience cost him dearly.
But let us be like King David who in a time of waiting (for his victory and breakthrough), continued looking to the Lord and trusting in the Lord, as written in Psalm 121:1-4, 'I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep'.
Indeed, the Lord your God shall neither slumber nor sleep, but He is very much awake and alive, whatever your situation may be at the moment. This is your time to give thanks in advance because your victory and breakthrough will SURELY come! This is your time to declare that 'The Lord has heard'! And never limit how He is going to make it happen for you, because His ways are always higher than the ways of men (Isaiah 55:8-9). In Jesus' name. Amen!
"Do not grow weary in waiting. Do not give up while waiting. Keep your focus on Me, and remain in My peace. Having given thanks for your answer, wait on Me and receive a fresh outpouring from Me. Never limit how I am going to make it happen for you!"
People of God, have you recently been discouraged or tired of waiting for your breakthrough or answer? For some of you, it even feels like you are losing it (or losing the battle), and you are on the verge of giving it all up - be it in waiting for your complete healing, a financial breakthrough, an answer to your problem, or a God-given prophecy/dream/vision to come to pass.
Admittedly, waiting time is never easy. But take heart, because Isaiah 40:29-31 says, 'He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait 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'.
The words 'wait on' here is 'qavah' in Hebrew, which can mean 'to collect from, to gather from, to look patiently, to wait expectantly'. In other words, it is a confident expectation (or a divine hope) that God will do what He has promised; yet He knows best how it will happen, and when it will happen. This word 'qavah' also implies while you are waiting, He is also in the midst of building you, preparing you, and works all things together for your good.
You may have heard people say 'waiting time is never wasted time'. There is a truth in this saying, provided you allow yourself to see your 'waiting time' as God sees it. In Isaiah 40:29-31, it is clear that God doesn't see 'qavah' as a dormant or passive time, but He sees it as a time of building and preparing you for the greater things to come.
On your part, it is a time of actively receiving, collecting and gathering from Him - be it His strength, His refreshing, His renewal, His wisdom, His anointing, and even His substance (or His character), so that when your breakthrough finally comes, you'll be ready for that next level!
But be vigilant and sober, because at a time of your waiting, the enemy will not sit still. In fact, he will do just the opposite from what God does for you. After all, he is called the adversary (1 Peter 5:8). The enemy will try to do anything to discourage you, or make you think your trust in God is in vain - that God doesn't remember you anymore, and God doesn't keep His promises! The enemy's final aim is that you'll give up on all that God has spoken to you. And when that happens, he wins! And I believe that is why Isaiah 40:29 says so emphatically (for those who are in a time of waiting): 'He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength'! Indeed, people of God, this is a crucial time to keep your focus on Him, and remain in His peace. This is your time to receive a new strength from Him!
Let us not be like King Saul who grew restless and anxious when the nation of Israel were besieged by the Philistines; so much so he began to take matters into his own hands (1 Samuel 13:1-14), instead of waiting for the arrival of prophet Samuel who had spoken earlier that he would SURELY come and show the way (1 Samuel 10:8). Interestingly, the name 'Samuel' in Hebrew represents 'The Lord has heard'. In other words, King Saul failed to see that 'The Lord has heard' is a God who keeps promises, and 'The Lord has heard' will SURELY come! In the end, King Saul's impatience cost him dearly.
But let us be like King David who in a time of waiting (for his victory and breakthrough), continued looking to the Lord and trusting in the Lord, as written in Psalm 121:1-4, 'I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep'.
Indeed, the Lord your God shall neither slumber nor sleep, but He is very much awake and alive, whatever your situation may be at the moment. This is your time to give thanks in advance because your victory and breakthrough will SURELY come! This is your time to declare that 'The Lord has heard'! And never limit how He is going to make it happen for you, because His ways are always higher than the ways of men (Isaiah 55:8-9). In Jesus' name. Amen!
Monday, November 19, 2018
The power of giving thanks
The Lord spoke these words:
"There is power in giving thanks! This is the time to give thanks for your answer, even in the midst of your problems, challenges, or troubles! There is no problem too difficult for Me! Look to Me, and give thanks in advance for the better things ahead of you. For I am close to those who put their trust in Me!"
We have been taught to give thanks for the good things that have happened to us. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is a good thing to do. But the Lord wants us to take one step further, that is to give thanks for the better things that are coming! Jesus did that while He was on earth! He gave thanks in advance, and Lazarus was raised up, even after being dead for four days! (John 11:41) He gave thanks in advance, and the multitudes had more than enough to eat, even with just the initial five loaves and two fish! (John 6:11)
So, people of God, go ahead and give thanks for the better things ahead of you! You don't see it happening yet, but this is the time to thank your way to better things to come! Give thanks for His divine health, whatever your health condition is at the moment! Give thanks for His supernatural providence, whatever your financial situation is at the moment! Give thanks for His wisdom and favor, whatever project or mission He has called you to do, going forward! And begin to walk in it by faith!
The Bible says in Nahum 1:7 (NLT), 'The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him'. The expression 'is close to' here is 'yada' in Hebrew, which can mean 'knows, recognizes, answers, cares for'. In other words, no matter what problem or trouble you are facing at the moment, the Lord knows, recognizes, answers, and cares for you!
To put it simply, He ALREADY has an answer for you! Your part is to give thanks in advance for the answer that's coming! And never limit how He is going to work it out for you!
Let's go to the book of Nahum now. At one time, in the days of prophet Nahum, no nation had been able to stand against the Assyrians. They had great military might, and they were greatly feared by the surrounding nations. In fact, they had overthrown some nations, and they were now setting their sights on Judah!
People of God, you and I are like the 'Judah' of today, a people whose praises are to the Lord. 'Judah' in Hebrew means 'praise', whereas the 'Assyrians' speak of 'the problems, challenges, or troubles' that come against you.
But thanks be to the Lord our God, because through prophet Nahum, the Lord brought comfort to Judah, and pronounced judgement on Assyria! Nahum 1:13 (NLT) says, 'Now I will break the yoke of bondage from your neck and tear off the chains of Assyrian oppression'. By the way, the name 'Nahum' ('Nakhuwm' in Hebrew) means 'comfort'; from the word 'nakham' meaning 'to comfort, to console'.
You see, invincible as the Assyrians were, only our Lord is TRULY invincible! He is all-powerful and He rules over all the earth, and of course over all the problems, challenges, or troubles that come against us! In this, we give thanks to the Lord; for He is great, and greatly to be praised!
Nahum 1:8-9 (NLT) says, 'He will sweep away His enemies in an overwhelming flood. He will pursue His foes into the darkness of night. Why are you scheming against the Lord? He will destroy you with one blow; He won't need to strike twice!' Notice the Bible says it is the Lord who will sweep away His enemies, and it is the Lord who will pursue His foes! Not you and I! Because the battle belongs to the Lord. Our part is simply to put our trust in Him, and thank Him for the victory!
So, people of God, go ahead and give thanks for your coming victory and breakthrough! Declare it by faith upon all those areas (of your life) that have come under the 'Assyrian oppression'! The Lord loves you (His children) and will be with you; but He opposes those who attempt to hurt you. And the good news is He is never too busy for you, because He is all-present! This is your time to give thanks to the Lord, because just as He had done for Judah in Nahum's days, He will do the same for you today. Amen!
"There is power in giving thanks! This is the time to give thanks for your answer, even in the midst of your problems, challenges, or troubles! There is no problem too difficult for Me! Look to Me, and give thanks in advance for the better things ahead of you. For I am close to those who put their trust in Me!"
We have been taught to give thanks for the good things that have happened to us. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is a good thing to do. But the Lord wants us to take one step further, that is to give thanks for the better things that are coming! Jesus did that while He was on earth! He gave thanks in advance, and Lazarus was raised up, even after being dead for four days! (John 11:41) He gave thanks in advance, and the multitudes had more than enough to eat, even with just the initial five loaves and two fish! (John 6:11)
So, people of God, go ahead and give thanks for the better things ahead of you! You don't see it happening yet, but this is the time to thank your way to better things to come! Give thanks for His divine health, whatever your health condition is at the moment! Give thanks for His supernatural providence, whatever your financial situation is at the moment! Give thanks for His wisdom and favor, whatever project or mission He has called you to do, going forward! And begin to walk in it by faith!
The Bible says in Nahum 1:7 (NLT), 'The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him'. The expression 'is close to' here is 'yada' in Hebrew, which can mean 'knows, recognizes, answers, cares for'. In other words, no matter what problem or trouble you are facing at the moment, the Lord knows, recognizes, answers, and cares for you!
To put it simply, He ALREADY has an answer for you! Your part is to give thanks in advance for the answer that's coming! And never limit how He is going to work it out for you!
Let's go to the book of Nahum now. At one time, in the days of prophet Nahum, no nation had been able to stand against the Assyrians. They had great military might, and they were greatly feared by the surrounding nations. In fact, they had overthrown some nations, and they were now setting their sights on Judah!
People of God, you and I are like the 'Judah' of today, a people whose praises are to the Lord. 'Judah' in Hebrew means 'praise', whereas the 'Assyrians' speak of 'the problems, challenges, or troubles' that come against you.
But thanks be to the Lord our God, because through prophet Nahum, the Lord brought comfort to Judah, and pronounced judgement on Assyria! Nahum 1:13 (NLT) says, 'Now I will break the yoke of bondage from your neck and tear off the chains of Assyrian oppression'. By the way, the name 'Nahum' ('Nakhuwm' in Hebrew) means 'comfort'; from the word 'nakham' meaning 'to comfort, to console'.
You see, invincible as the Assyrians were, only our Lord is TRULY invincible! He is all-powerful and He rules over all the earth, and of course over all the problems, challenges, or troubles that come against us! In this, we give thanks to the Lord; for He is great, and greatly to be praised!
Nahum 1:8-9 (NLT) says, 'He will sweep away His enemies in an overwhelming flood. He will pursue His foes into the darkness of night. Why are you scheming against the Lord? He will destroy you with one blow; He won't need to strike twice!' Notice the Bible says it is the Lord who will sweep away His enemies, and it is the Lord who will pursue His foes! Not you and I! Because the battle belongs to the Lord. Our part is simply to put our trust in Him, and thank Him for the victory!
So, people of God, go ahead and give thanks for your coming victory and breakthrough! Declare it by faith upon all those areas (of your life) that have come under the 'Assyrian oppression'! The Lord loves you (His children) and will be with you; but He opposes those who attempt to hurt you. And the good news is He is never too busy for you, because He is all-present! This is your time to give thanks to the Lord, because just as He had done for Judah in Nahum's days, He will do the same for you today. Amen!
Sunday, November 11, 2018
Entering a season of clarity!
The Lord spoke these words for this time and season:
"This is a season I am giving clarity to My people! This is a season My people shall be set free from whatever that limits their spiritual eyes of understanding!"
The Lord spoke further:
"When everyone else is blur, My people will be clear! For I am raising up a people who are clear in their spiritual perception and spiritual understanding. Like Joseph, even when he was surrounded by the dark prison!"
The word 'clarity' here can be defined as 'clearness as to perception/understanding; free from ambiguity (or blurriness); the state of being clear to the (spiritual) eye'; whereas 'spiritual perception' means 'the ability to see, hear or become aware of something through your spiritual senses'.
Ephesians 1:17-19 (NKJV) says, 'that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power'.
Indeed, people of God, when everyone else in the world is blur, you are clear! Let the anointing of the Holy Spirit fill you right now, and set you free from any form of 'limitation' against your spirit!
One example you can see in the Bible is Joseph. You may read Genesis chapters 39, 40 and 41, as you walk in this time and season. In Genesis 39, you'd read about Joseph being taken down to Egypt, and how Potiphar (an officer of Pharaoh) bought him from the Ishmaelites. The very word 'Egypt' in Hebrew is 'Mizraim', and this word says it all, literally meaning 'a place of bondage, a place of limitation, being besieged'. However, the Lord was with Joseph. His master saw it, and made Joseph the overseer of his house (Genesis 39:1-5).
As Joseph was good-looking in form and appearance, his master's wife began to cast longing eyes on him, and wanted to 'lie with him'. Joseph refused, and after an 'incident' which was not his doing, his master's wife reported it to her husband. And that was how Joseph ended up in the prison (Genesis 39:6-20). People talk about 'double portion', but here in Joseph's situation, he experienced 'double limitation'. As if being sold as slave in Egypt was not enough, he was now thrown into prison! In other words, he was in a 'double bondage'!
People of God, just like Joseph those days, maybe you too are in a situation where there's just no breakthrough in sight. Far from it, in fact. Not just that, you are 'bound' by the 'limitations' people put against you, and you are now 'trapped'. But take heart. Because as long as your heart draws near to the Lord, He will know how to draw near to you! In Genesis 40, you'd see in spite of all the external 'darkness', 'bondage' and 'limitation' imposed on Joseph, his spirit was never 'limited', and never 'in bondage'. In fact, his spirit was so clear that he could interpret the dreams of the butler and the baker correctly! (Genesis 40:1-14)
Two full years later, Pharaoh had a dream and a subsequent dream; but no one in Egypt could interpret those dreams. No, not the magicians, and not even the wisest men of Egypt! In Genesis 41, you'd see Pharaoh's heart was troubled because of those dreams. The butler then remembered how Joseph interpreted his dream correctly, and he said, "Now there was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him our dreams, and he interpreted our dreams for us... And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us." (Genesis 41:12-13) Hearing this, Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon (Genesis 41:14). And the rest is history. Joseph successfully interpreted Pharaoh's dream, and he even gave sound advice.
You see, Joseph had a spiritual understanding and perception that no one else in Egypt had. And this was acknowledged by Pharaoh, someone who did not even know the Lord! In Genesis 41:37-39, the Scripture says, 'So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you."'
People of God, if Joseph could be 'clear' in his spiritual understanding and perception even from the dark dungeon (surrounded by an atmosphere of negativity), and from a place of bondage, you too can be 'clear' wherever you are in this world! The truth is external 'darkness', 'bondage' and 'limitation' cannot get a hold of your spirit, if you don't allow it!
This is your time to declare that your spirit is set free - free to draw near to the Lord, and free to receive from the Lord! And yes, wherever you are, and in whatever situation you are in right now! May you too be raised up by the Lord to be like the 'Josephs' of today! One in whom is the Spirit of God, and one used by the Lord to change the 'world' around you - through any of the spiritual gifts He has given to you. In Jesus' name. Amen!
"This is a season I am giving clarity to My people! This is a season My people shall be set free from whatever that limits their spiritual eyes of understanding!"
The Lord spoke further:
"When everyone else is blur, My people will be clear! For I am raising up a people who are clear in their spiritual perception and spiritual understanding. Like Joseph, even when he was surrounded by the dark prison!"
The word 'clarity' here can be defined as 'clearness as to perception/understanding; free from ambiguity (or blurriness); the state of being clear to the (spiritual) eye'; whereas 'spiritual perception' means 'the ability to see, hear or become aware of something through your spiritual senses'.
Ephesians 1:17-19 (NKJV) says, 'that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power'.
Indeed, people of God, when everyone else in the world is blur, you are clear! Let the anointing of the Holy Spirit fill you right now, and set you free from any form of 'limitation' against your spirit!
One example you can see in the Bible is Joseph. You may read Genesis chapters 39, 40 and 41, as you walk in this time and season. In Genesis 39, you'd read about Joseph being taken down to Egypt, and how Potiphar (an officer of Pharaoh) bought him from the Ishmaelites. The very word 'Egypt' in Hebrew is 'Mizraim', and this word says it all, literally meaning 'a place of bondage, a place of limitation, being besieged'. However, the Lord was with Joseph. His master saw it, and made Joseph the overseer of his house (Genesis 39:1-5).
As Joseph was good-looking in form and appearance, his master's wife began to cast longing eyes on him, and wanted to 'lie with him'. Joseph refused, and after an 'incident' which was not his doing, his master's wife reported it to her husband. And that was how Joseph ended up in the prison (Genesis 39:6-20). People talk about 'double portion', but here in Joseph's situation, he experienced 'double limitation'. As if being sold as slave in Egypt was not enough, he was now thrown into prison! In other words, he was in a 'double bondage'!
People of God, just like Joseph those days, maybe you too are in a situation where there's just no breakthrough in sight. Far from it, in fact. Not just that, you are 'bound' by the 'limitations' people put against you, and you are now 'trapped'. But take heart. Because as long as your heart draws near to the Lord, He will know how to draw near to you! In Genesis 40, you'd see in spite of all the external 'darkness', 'bondage' and 'limitation' imposed on Joseph, his spirit was never 'limited', and never 'in bondage'. In fact, his spirit was so clear that he could interpret the dreams of the butler and the baker correctly! (Genesis 40:1-14)
Two full years later, Pharaoh had a dream and a subsequent dream; but no one in Egypt could interpret those dreams. No, not the magicians, and not even the wisest men of Egypt! In Genesis 41, you'd see Pharaoh's heart was troubled because of those dreams. The butler then remembered how Joseph interpreted his dream correctly, and he said, "Now there was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him our dreams, and he interpreted our dreams for us... And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us." (Genesis 41:12-13) Hearing this, Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon (Genesis 41:14). And the rest is history. Joseph successfully interpreted Pharaoh's dream, and he even gave sound advice.
You see, Joseph had a spiritual understanding and perception that no one else in Egypt had. And this was acknowledged by Pharaoh, someone who did not even know the Lord! In Genesis 41:37-39, the Scripture says, 'So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you."'
People of God, if Joseph could be 'clear' in his spiritual understanding and perception even from the dark dungeon (surrounded by an atmosphere of negativity), and from a place of bondage, you too can be 'clear' wherever you are in this world! The truth is external 'darkness', 'bondage' and 'limitation' cannot get a hold of your spirit, if you don't allow it!
This is your time to declare that your spirit is set free - free to draw near to the Lord, and free to receive from the Lord! And yes, wherever you are, and in whatever situation you are in right now! May you too be raised up by the Lord to be like the 'Josephs' of today! One in whom is the Spirit of God, and one used by the Lord to change the 'world' around you - through any of the spiritual gifts He has given to you. In Jesus' name. Amen!
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Dare to be different!
I heard these words from the Lord recently:
"Like Caleb who has a different spirit, will you stand firm in Me when many others do not believe? Like Caleb who has a different spirit, will you stand firm in Me when many others fall away in this end-time?"
I then heard further:
"This is a time I am raising up a people who are like Caleb, a people who will not go with the worldly flow, but the Holy Spirit flow! This is a time I am raising up a people who dare to be different!"
The key chapters to read in this time and season are Numbers chapters 13 and 14. Here, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them." So Moses sent them according to the command of the Lord... Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.... the list goes on; and in total, all twelve of them.
Interestingly, the word 'Caleb' in Hebrew means 'attacking force'; whereas 'Jephunneh' in Hebrew means 'he will be prepared'. Indeed, the time has come for a people who are like the 'Calebs' of today to be prepared - a people who will stand firm in the Lord, and not go with the worldly flow, but the Holy Spirit flow!
As the people those days returned from searching out the land promised to them, ten of them gave bad report. Only Caleb and Joshua gave good report. And here's what those ten said, "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak (giants) there." (Numbers 13:27-28)
By the way, the word 'Anak' ('anaq' in Hebrew) literally means 'like a collar (or chain) to choke or to strangle'.
It was then that Caleb quieted the people and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." But the majority (the ten men) said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we... There we saw the giants; and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:30-33) So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!... Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" (Numbers 14:1-3) Alas, because the word 'Egypt' ('Mizraim' in Hebrew) speaks of 'bondage, besieged, distress'.
But Caleb and Joshua spoke to all the congregation, saying, "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us... Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them." And as the congregation said to stone them with stones, the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting then and there! (Numbers 14:6-10) In other words, the glory of the Lord came as a sign from heaven, and intervened against the stoning! You know what? The Lord will back you up when you stand firm in Him, and what He says!
People of God, like Caleb, will you stand firm in the Lord even when many do not believe, or many are 'falling away' from the truth that sets free? See 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3. Or will you bow down to the 'ten spies' (i.e. the popular/majority voices against the Lord)?
In this end-time, when the spirit of anti-Christ is trying to swarm the people of the world, turning many believers away from the truth in Christ, and darkening their spiritual eyes, will you still stand firm in the Lord and say 'no' to anything that compromises you, or your God-given calling? That's exactly what Caleb and Joshua did, in spite of the 'overwhelming majority' that came against them! They dared to be different! Not because they wanted to be different for the sake of being different, or they had nothing better to do; but rather they knew the Lord had spoken!
"Like Caleb who has a different spirit, will you stand firm in Me when many others do not believe? Like Caleb who has a different spirit, will you stand firm in Me when many others fall away in this end-time?"
I then heard further:
"This is a time I am raising up a people who are like Caleb, a people who will not go with the worldly flow, but the Holy Spirit flow! This is a time I am raising up a people who dare to be different!"
The key chapters to read in this time and season are Numbers chapters 13 and 14. Here, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them." So Moses sent them according to the command of the Lord... Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.... the list goes on; and in total, all twelve of them.
Interestingly, the word 'Caleb' in Hebrew means 'attacking force'; whereas 'Jephunneh' in Hebrew means 'he will be prepared'. Indeed, the time has come for a people who are like the 'Calebs' of today to be prepared - a people who will stand firm in the Lord, and not go with the worldly flow, but the Holy Spirit flow!
As the people those days returned from searching out the land promised to them, ten of them gave bad report. Only Caleb and Joshua gave good report. And here's what those ten said, "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak (giants) there." (Numbers 13:27-28)
By the way, the word 'Anak' ('anaq' in Hebrew) literally means 'like a collar (or chain) to choke or to strangle'.
It was then that Caleb quieted the people and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." But the majority (the ten men) said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we... There we saw the giants; and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:30-33) So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!... Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" (Numbers 14:1-3) Alas, because the word 'Egypt' ('Mizraim' in Hebrew) speaks of 'bondage, besieged, distress'.
But Caleb and Joshua spoke to all the congregation, saying, "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us... Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them." And as the congregation said to stone them with stones, the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting then and there! (Numbers 14:6-10) In other words, the glory of the Lord came as a sign from heaven, and intervened against the stoning! You know what? The Lord will back you up when you stand firm in Him, and what He says!
People of God, like Caleb, will you stand firm in the Lord even when many do not believe, or many are 'falling away' from the truth that sets free? See 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3. Or will you bow down to the 'ten spies' (i.e. the popular/majority voices against the Lord)?
In this end-time, when the spirit of anti-Christ is trying to swarm the people of the world, turning many believers away from the truth in Christ, and darkening their spiritual eyes, will you still stand firm in the Lord and say 'no' to anything that compromises you, or your God-given calling? That's exactly what Caleb and Joshua did, in spite of the 'overwhelming majority' that came against them! They dared to be different! Not because they wanted to be different for the sake of being different, or they had nothing better to do; but rather they knew the Lord had spoken!
In the end, those who disbelieved died in a plague, and could not enter the land promised to them (Numbers 14:37); but as for Caleb, the Lord said, "But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it." (Numbers 14:23-24)
People of God, the Lord is indeed raising up the 'Calebs' of today - a fearless generation, a people who will not be 'shaken' by whatever they see in the world, but a people who see with the eyes of faith! This is your time to receive the oil of the Holy Spirit on your head, and let it flow right to your robe; just as a priest was anointed those days! You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
In 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, the apostle Paul wrote, 'With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you'. In Jesus' name. Amen!
In 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, the apostle Paul wrote, 'With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you'. In Jesus' name. Amen!
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Receive discernment from the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV): For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits,....
The word 'discerning' here is 'diakrisis' in Greek, meaning 'to separate (what is, and what is not) thoroughly'. Note that some individuals have been especially gifted with this gift, but all can be enabled by the Holy Spirit to discern.
The Lord spoke these words recently:
"This is a key time to desire the gift of discerning, and a key time to receive discerning from the Holy Spirit. Teach My people to develop it, and teach My people to use it in these perilous times."
Why the gift of discerning is so important in this end-time?
Scammers, fraudsters, and con men change tactics all the time! That's why you need the Holy Spirit! Because only the Holy Spirit knows all, and is all-wise! In fact, this gift of discerning is becoming increasingly important in this end-time (perilous times), because deception will become more and more extreme.
What exactly is this gift called 'discerning of spirits'?
It is an ability enabled by the Holy Spirit that allows you to determine the source of something, whether it is from God, the devil, the flesh, or the world.
Jesus taught His disciples to be wise as serpents!
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus says, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless (innocent) as doves." The expression 'be wise as serpents' here implies 'the ability to deal with even the most extreme of trickeries and deceptions conjured up by the devil'.
The good news is you can develop this discernment, i.e. the ability to detect the hidden motives of someone, or the spirits behind the motives. In other words, what is beneath (or behind) the outward show (or sweet talk)!
Jesus warned His disciples about the coming deception!
Here's what the Scripture says in Matthew 24:3-5, 'Now as Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name,... and will deceive many..."' Interestingly, when the disciples asked Jesus to reveal the sign of His return, Jesus answered first and foremost with warning of the coming deception! Only after that, He followed it up with 'wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places' (Matthew 24:6-7).
Ask for discernment, just as King Solomon asked!
In 1 Kings 3:9, King Solomon said, "Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" 1 Kings 3:10 then says, 'The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing'. The wisest mortal man who ever lived asked God for discernment when he started to reign as king, and the Lord was pleased with it!
Receive discernment like a godly priest!
Here's what the Scripture says in Ezekiel 44:23-24, 'And they (the priests) shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In (times of) controversy, they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings...'
Those days, the priests received the enabling to make a distinction between what's God and what's not!
You too are a king and a priest!
Today, as a believer in the New Covenant, you too are a king and a priest! 1 Peter 2:9 says, 'You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light'. Notice the words 'royal' and 'priesthood' here? Yes, that's who you are! A king and a priest! A king who reigns with God in the spiritual realm, and a priest who represents God in this world! And as a king and a priest, you too can ask for discernment!
The key to receiving: Spend time with the Word and the Spirit!
In John 8:31-32, Jesus says, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
The word 'discerning' here is 'diakrisis' in Greek, meaning 'to separate (what is, and what is not) thoroughly'. Note that some individuals have been especially gifted with this gift, but all can be enabled by the Holy Spirit to discern.
The Lord spoke these words recently:
"This is a key time to desire the gift of discerning, and a key time to receive discerning from the Holy Spirit. Teach My people to develop it, and teach My people to use it in these perilous times."
Why the gift of discerning is so important in this end-time?
Scammers, fraudsters, and con men change tactics all the time! That's why you need the Holy Spirit! Because only the Holy Spirit knows all, and is all-wise! In fact, this gift of discerning is becoming increasingly important in this end-time (perilous times), because deception will become more and more extreme.
What exactly is this gift called 'discerning of spirits'?
It is an ability enabled by the Holy Spirit that allows you to determine the source of something, whether it is from God, the devil, the flesh, or the world.
Jesus taught His disciples to be wise as serpents!
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus says, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless (innocent) as doves." The expression 'be wise as serpents' here implies 'the ability to deal with even the most extreme of trickeries and deceptions conjured up by the devil'.
The good news is you can develop this discernment, i.e. the ability to detect the hidden motives of someone, or the spirits behind the motives. In other words, what is beneath (or behind) the outward show (or sweet talk)!
Jesus warned His disciples about the coming deception!
Here's what the Scripture says in Matthew 24:3-5, 'Now as Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name,... and will deceive many..."' Interestingly, when the disciples asked Jesus to reveal the sign of His return, Jesus answered first and foremost with warning of the coming deception! Only after that, He followed it up with 'wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places' (Matthew 24:6-7).
Ask for discernment, just as King Solomon asked!
In 1 Kings 3:9, King Solomon said, "Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" 1 Kings 3:10 then says, 'The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing'. The wisest mortal man who ever lived asked God for discernment when he started to reign as king, and the Lord was pleased with it!
Receive discernment like a godly priest!
Here's what the Scripture says in Ezekiel 44:23-24, 'And they (the priests) shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In (times of) controversy, they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings...'
Those days, the priests received the enabling to make a distinction between what's God and what's not!
You too are a king and a priest!
Today, as a believer in the New Covenant, you too are a king and a priest! 1 Peter 2:9 says, 'You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light'. Notice the words 'royal' and 'priesthood' here? Yes, that's who you are! A king and a priest! A king who reigns with God in the spiritual realm, and a priest who represents God in this world! And as a king and a priest, you too can ask for discernment!
The key to receiving: Spend time with the Word and the Spirit!
In John 8:31-32, Jesus says, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
In John 14:26, Jesus says, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
The more you spend time with the Word and the Spirit, the more you'll be able to differentiate between what's God and what's not; very much like a bank officer who is trained in every detail of an authentic money note, and if anything that's counterfeit, he will immediately know!
People of God, as you are reading this article, let there be an impartation from on high upon you right now. Indeed, this is your time to receive discernment from the Holy Spirit, and for some of you, even in a greater measure! Let Him fill you and enable you for such, and let His name be greatly glorified through your life and ministry. In Jesus' wonderful name. Amen!
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Never stop seeking Him and looking to Him!
2 Chronicles 16:9a (NKJV): For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
The word 'strong' here is 'chazaq' (pronounced 'khaw-zak') in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to prevail, become mighty, become established'. I can therefore say 'the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself prevailing, mighty, and established on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him'.
The background of this verse can be traced to the life of King Asa (2 Chronicles chapters 14, 15, and 16). He was a king who initially did what's good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places of pagan worship. He also commanded the whole of Judah to return to the Lord God of their fathers, and to seek the Lord God of their fathers (2 Chronicles 14:1-6).
And when Zerah the Ethiopian came against Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, knowing that Judah were outnumbered, King Asa cried out to the Lord his God, "Lord, there is no one like You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, You are our God. Do not let mere mortals prevail against You."(2 Chronicles 14:11) So the Lord struck the Ethiopians, and the Ethiopians fled. As a result, the whole of Judah had rest all around. And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of King Asa (2 Chronicles 15:19).
Now, what could have gone wrong for King Asa? 2 Chronicles 16:1-3 says, 'In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa. Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, "Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me."' Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel to attack them.
At that time, Hanani the seer came to King Asa and said, "Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand." And Hanani continued, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars." (2 Chronicles 16:7-9)
Upon hearing these words, King Asa was angry with Hanani the seer; and he threw him into prison. Tragically, not many years down the road, King Asa became severely diseased; and even in his disease, he did not seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 16:10-13). What a sorry end to someone who started so well. And it needn't have been this way for him.
I heard and released these words from the Lord recently:
"Look to Me, and keep looking to Me! Never stop! What I have begun in you, continue in it; continue to seek Me, and you will always find Me! Look to Me, not to the ways of man or the ways of this world; even when you have already tasted and seen some victories in life. For My eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Myself strong on behalf of those whose heart stays loyal to Me!"
People of God, there are lessons we can learn from those who have gone before us. Not only the success stories, but also the mistakes of those who have gone before us. It is one thing to rely on the Lord when we have nothing, or when we are broke. As the saying goes, "The only way is up!" But it is another thing to continue to rely on the Lord and look to the Lord even when we are already 'doing well', or have tasted and seen some success or victories in life.
Indeed, the Lord is looking to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those who continue to stay loyal to Him. May our hearts continue to stay loyal and soft before the Lord, even as we continue to grow in our spiritual stature. Amen.
The word 'strong' here is 'chazaq' (pronounced 'khaw-zak') in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to prevail, become mighty, become established'. I can therefore say 'the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself prevailing, mighty, and established on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him'.
The background of this verse can be traced to the life of King Asa (2 Chronicles chapters 14, 15, and 16). He was a king who initially did what's good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places of pagan worship. He also commanded the whole of Judah to return to the Lord God of their fathers, and to seek the Lord God of their fathers (2 Chronicles 14:1-6).
And when Zerah the Ethiopian came against Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, knowing that Judah were outnumbered, King Asa cried out to the Lord his God, "Lord, there is no one like You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, You are our God. Do not let mere mortals prevail against You."(2 Chronicles 14:11) So the Lord struck the Ethiopians, and the Ethiopians fled. As a result, the whole of Judah had rest all around. And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of King Asa (2 Chronicles 15:19).
Now, what could have gone wrong for King Asa? 2 Chronicles 16:1-3 says, 'In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa. Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, "Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me."' Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel to attack them.
At that time, Hanani the seer came to King Asa and said, "Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand." And Hanani continued, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars." (2 Chronicles 16:7-9)
Upon hearing these words, King Asa was angry with Hanani the seer; and he threw him into prison. Tragically, not many years down the road, King Asa became severely diseased; and even in his disease, he did not seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 16:10-13). What a sorry end to someone who started so well. And it needn't have been this way for him.
I heard and released these words from the Lord recently:
"Look to Me, and keep looking to Me! Never stop! What I have begun in you, continue in it; continue to seek Me, and you will always find Me! Look to Me, not to the ways of man or the ways of this world; even when you have already tasted and seen some victories in life. For My eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Myself strong on behalf of those whose heart stays loyal to Me!"
People of God, there are lessons we can learn from those who have gone before us. Not only the success stories, but also the mistakes of those who have gone before us. It is one thing to rely on the Lord when we have nothing, or when we are broke. As the saying goes, "The only way is up!" But it is another thing to continue to rely on the Lord and look to the Lord even when we are already 'doing well', or have tasted and seen some success or victories in life.
Indeed, the Lord is looking to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those who continue to stay loyal to Him. May our hearts continue to stay loyal and soft before the Lord, even as we continue to grow in our spiritual stature. Amen.
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Rejoice, for the Lord has granted!
I heard the Lord speak these words recently:
"Rejoice, and again I say rejoice. For I am encouraging you to keep a heart of rejoicing. Because I have heard your heart cries, and have begun to move in ways that seem impossible to you in the past. Rejoice in advance for the greater things that are to come. Do not look at the current or recent circumstances, but look to Me. For I have granted you My favor, just as I have granted Hannah My favor."Let's read 1 Samuel 1 to see the details of what happened to Hannah.
1 Samuel 1:1-3 (NKJV) says, 'Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah... And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh...'
When Elkanah made an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah, and all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah, he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah. However, Peninnah would provoke her severely to make her miserable. Therefore Hannah wept and did not eat (1 Samuel 1:4-7).
Interestingly, the name 'Hannah' in Hebrew means 'Favored', from the word 'khawnan' meaning 'to favor'; whereas the name 'Elkanah' in Hebrew can mean 'God has created, God has redeemed, God has purchased'. Therefore, 'Hannah' is a 'picture' of you, beloved and favored of the Lord who has created, redeemed, and purchased you by the Blood of the Lamb.
Interestingly, the name 'Hannah' in Hebrew means 'Favored', from the word 'khawnan' meaning 'to favor'; whereas the name 'Elkanah' in Hebrew can mean 'God has created, God has redeemed, God has purchased'. Therefore, 'Hannah' is a 'picture' of you, beloved and favored of the Lord who has created, redeemed, and purchased you by the Blood of the Lamb.
Now, depending on who says it, words can either bring blessing or misery. In Hannah's situation, the words of her rival (Peninnah) affected Hannah rather badly, and she was deeply grieved due to those constant words of provocation.
People of God, like Hannah, maybe you too have your share of 'Peninnahs' in this world; and due to your current (but temporary) 'barrenness' or 'lack of breakthrough' in certain areas of your life, your 'Peninnahs' have been piling misery on you with their unkind words. But take heart, because just as for Hannah, the Lord remembers you, and He is a God who hears the cries of your heart.
In her 'barrenness' and 'childlessness', Hannah then promised God that if He would give her a male child, she would give him to the Lord all the days of his life. As she continued praying, Eli the priest saw her lips moving, but her voice was not heard. Therefore, Eli thought she was drunk. But Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord." (1 Samuel 1:15)
People of God, like Hannah, maybe you too have your share of 'Peninnahs' in this world; and due to your current (but temporary) 'barrenness' or 'lack of breakthrough' in certain areas of your life, your 'Peninnahs' have been piling misery on you with their unkind words. But take heart, because just as for Hannah, the Lord remembers you, and He is a God who hears the cries of your heart.
In her 'barrenness' and 'childlessness', Hannah then promised God that if He would give her a male child, she would give him to the Lord all the days of his life. As she continued praying, Eli the priest saw her lips moving, but her voice was not heard. Therefore, Eli thought she was drunk. But Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord." (1 Samuel 1:15)
Eli then answered and said, "Go in peace and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him." (1 Samuel 1:17) Upon hearing these words, Hannah went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad (1 Samuel 1:18). In other words, she believed what Eli the priest had said, and she began to rejoice! Do you see something here? Just one sentence from Eli the priest settles it all!
A priest, by the way, is a 'picture' of someone representing the Lord. You see, Peninnah's words through the years had no more effect the moment Hannah heard Eli's words! It's like all those negative words have been totally wiped away! No more room for Peninnah's words! No more vacancy for Peninnah's words! Because Hannah's mind was now filled with the words that proceed from the mouth of the Lord! She never looked back ever since. Let it be so for you too!
Soon after she returned with Elkanah to their house at Ramah, Hannah indeed conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19-20). And for all the 'pounding' and 'provocation' by her rival against her in the past many years, the Lord began to 'redeem' her and 'visit' her again and again, so much so she conceived and bore three more sons and two daughters! (1 Samuel 2:21) Speaking of being totally set free and entering the realm of breakthrough! Hallelujah!
People of God, just as Eli the priest spoke over Hannah those days, the Lord wants to speak over your life today! This is the time to believe that your breakthrough has come, and you are moving to the next level! This is the time to declare that you are set free from the words of your 'Peninnahs' - words that sought to steal, kill, and destroy your life (and your destiny)! Let the Lord your God speak life into you right now, and declare that He has granted! In Jesus' mighty name. Amen!
Monday, September 24, 2018
There is restoration in God's presence
Joel 2:25-26 (NKJV): So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust...You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.
As I was seeking the Lord the other day, I saw a vision of a big patch of wounds on the forehead of a person's face. It didn't look good, and I didn't like it. I then prayed and asked the Lord what this means. Soon after, the Lord began to give assurance that He is here to re-constitute the face, and to restore the face to its original beauty.
That's when the Lord spoke these words:
"No matter how bad or terrible your 'wounds' may be, there is hope for restoration. Look to Me, and receive from Me, because your time for restoration is now!"
It's then that I realized this vision doesn't necessarily have to do with one's face, but rather, it speaks of any area in one's life that has 'defaced', 'deformed', 'deteriorated', or 'declined'.
Back to Joel 2:25, the word 'restore' here is 'shalam' in Hebrew, and it means 'to make complete, to make good, to be full again'. Indeed, whatever area in your life that has been 'eaten up' by the enemy, the Lord is here to 'shalam' you, and to make you whole again!
Another time this word 'shalam' appears in the Scripture is found in Isaiah 57:15-18 that says, 'For thus says the High and Lofty One, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry... I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, and restore comforts (solace/assurance) to him, and to his mourners."'
People of God, here's the key to receive the fullness of His restoration for you! See the word 'dwell' here? The Scripture says the Lord dwells with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. This word 'dwell' is 'shakan' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'stay, lodge, inhabit, rest, remain'. I can therefore also say 'The Lord remains with him who has a contrite and humble spirit'. In other words, His presence remains with the humble, i.e. those who are yielded and surrendered to Him. And the next thing you see is His healing, His leading, and His restoration!
As I was seeking the Lord the other day, I saw a vision of a big patch of wounds on the forehead of a person's face. It didn't look good, and I didn't like it. I then prayed and asked the Lord what this means. Soon after, the Lord began to give assurance that He is here to re-constitute the face, and to restore the face to its original beauty.
"No matter how bad or terrible your 'wounds' may be, there is hope for restoration. Look to Me, and receive from Me, because your time for restoration is now!"
It's then that I realized this vision doesn't necessarily have to do with one's face, but rather, it speaks of any area in one's life that has 'defaced', 'deformed', 'deteriorated', or 'declined'.
Back to Joel 2:25, the word 'restore' here is 'shalam' in Hebrew, and it means 'to make complete, to make good, to be full again'. Indeed, whatever area in your life that has been 'eaten up' by the enemy, the Lord is here to 'shalam' you, and to make you whole again!
Another time this word 'shalam' appears in the Scripture is found in Isaiah 57:15-18 that says, 'For thus says the High and Lofty One, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry... I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, and restore comforts (solace/assurance) to him, and to his mourners."'
People of God, here's the key to receive the fullness of His restoration for you! See the word 'dwell' here? The Scripture says the Lord dwells with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. This word 'dwell' is 'shakan' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'stay, lodge, inhabit, rest, remain'. I can therefore also say 'The Lord remains with him who has a contrite and humble spirit'. In other words, His presence remains with the humble, i.e. those who are yielded and surrendered to Him. And the next thing you see is His healing, His leading, and His restoration!
In Luke 6:6-10, the Scripture says, 'Now it happened on Sabbath, that Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered... And He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other'.
Here, 'right hand' speaks of 'the work of your hand', and the restoration that happened can also mean God restoring the work of your hand. By the way, the word 'restore' here is 'apo-kathisthemi' in Greek, meaning 're-constitute (in health, or in any area), re-appoint, re-designate, re-make, re-set'.
In Mark 8:22-25, the Scripture says, 'Then Jesus came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly'.
Here, 'a blind man seeing' can also mean God restoring His vision for your life. In short, restoration is turning all the 'de' to 're', returning you to whatever God has meant (purposed) for you to be!
People of God, just as you have seen in all the examples above, the Lord is saying your time for restoration is now!
What are some of the restoration you need now?
It may be due to:
- loss of trust (let the Lord restore people's trust in you);
- loss of rights (let the Lord restore what actually belonged to you);
- loss of health (let the Lord restore divine health/strength to you);
- loss of ability (let the Lord restore the work of your hands);
- loss of vision (let the Lord restore His vision for your life).
Last but not least, how about restoring your understanding of God's love for you?
Romans 8:31-35 says, 'What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 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 continues, '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'.
Therefore, no matter how badly you have 'blown it' in life, know that there is hope for your restoration. To man, it may be impossible; but to God, all things are possible!
Being in His presence is simply knowing that God is present (not absent) with you, and God is for you. And just as written in Isaiah 57:15-18, let us all return to His presence, because in His presence, there is the fullness of His restoration for each of us. Amen!
Being in His presence is simply knowing that God is present (not absent) with you, and God is for you. And just as written in Isaiah 57:15-18, let us all return to His presence, because in His presence, there is the fullness of His restoration for each of us. Amen!
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
There is protection in God's presence
The Lord gave me a dream the other day. In the dream, I was in my father's house, and there was a commotion outside in the streets with huge groups of motorbikers looting and causing trouble. But we in the family were kept safe and protected, as long as we stayed inside the house. The looters and trouble-makers somehow did not try to enter our house.
Every time I have a dream about my father's house (the house where I grew up as a child), I would take note, because to me, my father's house has always been a 'picture' of 'my Abba Father's house', or 'being in God's presence'.
This time, as I woke up from the dream, I immediately knew it has to do with believing for God's divine protection. As long as I stayed 'inside the house', I was kept safe and protected! This reminds me of Psalm 91:1-4 (NKJV) that says, '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." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.'
Indeed, God is assuring us that He is still a faithful Protector, no matter what happens around us. Trust in Him, who is your refuge and your fortress. And never let anyone make you waver in your trust in Him! The word 'dwell' in Psalm 91:1 is an interesting word. In Hebrew, it is 'yashab', which can mean 'stay, remain, continue, sit in quietness, return'. Do you notice the word 'return' here? I can also therefore say 'he who returns to Abba Father's 'house' shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty'!
Looking at what's happening around the world at the moment, there is no doubting that we are living in an increasingly dangerous and perilous times (Luke 21:25-28, 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Be it an increase in natural disasters or in crime, there seems to be no place that is particularly safe in this world! No, not even in some of the most liveable cities in the world! The truth is there's only one really safe place to be, and it's none other than being in God's presence!
The word 'cover' in Psalm 91:4 is another interesting word. In Hebrew, it is 'sawkak', which means 'protect, defend, join together (with you)'. This verse can therefore mean the Lord is joining together (with you) for your protection. In other words, He wants to be involved in it together, just as a good earthly parent would for his (or her) beloved child!
When Jesus died for you on the cross, He already had in His mind to carry your troubles and sufferings, so you can have shalom peace now. Jeremiah 29:11 says, 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope'.
People of God, know that God's will is (and will always be) for your safety and protection. Let no one make you think otherwise. Because He is a good Abba Father to you (Psalm 34:8). The Word of God says so. Trust in Him therefore for your divine protection, and continue to stay in His presence, because that's where the enemy cannot touch you. Amen!
When Jesus died for you on the cross, He already had in His mind to carry your troubles and sufferings, so you can have shalom peace now. Jeremiah 29:11 says, 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope'.
People of God, know that God's will is (and will always be) for your safety and protection. Let no one make you think otherwise. Because He is a good Abba Father to you (Psalm 34:8). The Word of God says so. Trust in Him therefore for your divine protection, and continue to stay in His presence, because that's where the enemy cannot touch you. Amen!
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Treasure God's presence more than anything on earth!
The Lord spoke these words as we crossed into the Hebrew year 5779:
"Look to Me, and bring the 'ark' back! For this is the year I will entrust you with My greater glory and My greater things! For you are entering a time of greater exploits, greater blessings, and greater victories in your lives, just as David was!"
And He spoke further:
"As I have done for David when he became king, I will do the same for those who treasure My presence more than anything on earth! But this is a key time to let go! Let go of those past struggles and defeats! Let go of those past hurts and betrayals! Let go of your Saul's time, and enter into your David's time!"
2 Samuel chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8 are the key chapters to begin with in this new year. As you walk into a brand new spiritual year in your life, begin as David did when he first became king! One of the first things David did (upon reigning as king over all of Israel and Judah) was to bring the ark of the Lord back to its rightful place! The 'ark' here, of course, speaks of 'God's presence, God's glory, or Jesus Himself''.
As the ark of the Lord was being brought to the City of David, 2 Samuel 6:14-15 says, 'Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet'.
It is very interesting to see David wearing a linen ephod here, instead of the king's royal robe. After all, he had already been anointed a king, and could have just 'acted like a king'! But no, he was in the streets, dancing his heart out before the Lord, and worshiping the Lord with gladness! What other people say didn't matter to him at all, because he knew nothing else would be more important than the Lord Himself!
A linen ephod was customarily worn by a priest those days; and a 'priest' is always a 'picture' of 'servanthood', not 'kingship'. And here lies what's truly inside David's heart - a heart that acknowledged there's a greater King whom he serves - the King of kings, the Lord of lords!
You see, David could have celebrated 'himself' as king, but instead, he chose to celebrate 'the Lord' as king! In other words, he treasured God's presence more than anything else on earth, and yes, even his own 'kingship'! No wonder the Lord began to entrust him with greater glory and greater things from that day onward!
Beloved of God, as you begin this new year 5779, you too are like the 'David' of today! Begin just as David did when he reigned as king over all of Israel and Judah! Begin by celebrating the King of kings today, and acknowledge Him as the King over ALL areas of your life! Let go of those past struggles and defeats! Let go of those past hurts and betrayals! Let go of your Saul's time, and enter into your David's time! And declare that you too are walking into greater exploits, greater blessings, and greater victories, just as David was (2 Samuel 8:1-18). Amen!
"Look to Me, and bring the 'ark' back! For this is the year I will entrust you with My greater glory and My greater things! For you are entering a time of greater exploits, greater blessings, and greater victories in your lives, just as David was!"
And He spoke further:
"As I have done for David when he became king, I will do the same for those who treasure My presence more than anything on earth! But this is a key time to let go! Let go of those past struggles and defeats! Let go of those past hurts and betrayals! Let go of your Saul's time, and enter into your David's time!"
2 Samuel chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8 are the key chapters to begin with in this new year. As you walk into a brand new spiritual year in your life, begin as David did when he first became king! One of the first things David did (upon reigning as king over all of Israel and Judah) was to bring the ark of the Lord back to its rightful place! The 'ark' here, of course, speaks of 'God's presence, God's glory, or Jesus Himself''.
As the ark of the Lord was being brought to the City of David, 2 Samuel 6:14-15 says, 'Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet'.
It is very interesting to see David wearing a linen ephod here, instead of the king's royal robe. After all, he had already been anointed a king, and could have just 'acted like a king'! But no, he was in the streets, dancing his heart out before the Lord, and worshiping the Lord with gladness! What other people say didn't matter to him at all, because he knew nothing else would be more important than the Lord Himself!
A linen ephod was customarily worn by a priest those days; and a 'priest' is always a 'picture' of 'servanthood', not 'kingship'. And here lies what's truly inside David's heart - a heart that acknowledged there's a greater King whom he serves - the King of kings, the Lord of lords!
You see, David could have celebrated 'himself' as king, but instead, he chose to celebrate 'the Lord' as king! In other words, he treasured God's presence more than anything else on earth, and yes, even his own 'kingship'! No wonder the Lord began to entrust him with greater glory and greater things from that day onward!
Beloved of God, as you begin this new year 5779, you too are like the 'David' of today! Begin just as David did when he reigned as king over all of Israel and Judah! Begin by celebrating the King of kings today, and acknowledge Him as the King over ALL areas of your life! Let go of those past struggles and defeats! Let go of those past hurts and betrayals! Let go of your Saul's time, and enter into your David's time! And declare that you too are walking into greater exploits, greater blessings, and greater victories, just as David was (2 Samuel 8:1-18). Amen!
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Being entrusted with His glory and greater things
I released these words to a congregation I ministered to recently:
"Get ready for Me to entrust you with My glory, and the greater things that you have not imagined yet! For you are entering a time of greater blessing and greater victory! Many will see My blessings so real in your lives, just as many have seen My blessings so real in Obed-Edom's life! Look to Me and follow Me, and I will bring it to pass!"
We are crossing the threshold to enter into the Hebrew year 5779! Shanah Tovah! Have a good year! And as you cross over into a new year of the Lord for you, get ready for His greater glory and for greater things to happen to you!
Never mind if in the past season, you have been obscured, sidelined, or even misunderstood by others, because the Lord says things are going to start changing around you! In fact, the year ahead is a year He is entrusting many things to you, even things you have not imagined yet!
Note: The word 'entrust' can be defined as 'put (something) into someone's care/stewardship'.
The past weeks have been a time the Lord was calling His people to humble themselves under His mighty hand. I have written about this last week. Pride is very subtle, and we often do not even know there's an element of pride in our lives. Even if we do, we may not want to admit it! That's when we need the Holy Spirit more than ever. We need Him to speak to us and work in us. We need Him to correct us and guide us. Greater blessing comes when we allow Him to do His work in us. Jesus says, "Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)
Let's go to 2 Samuel chapter 6 now, and we shall look at someone named Obed-Edom. In 2 Samuel 6:9-10, the Scripture says, 'David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite'.
Here's the background. Soon after becoming king over all Israel and Judah, David wanted to bring the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. In our context, the ark of the Lord here is a 'picture' of 'the glory of the Lord, the presence of the Lord, i.e. Jesus Himself'. It was a good intention, but it was not done correctly (in the way the Lord had commanded it). Instead of sanctifying themselves first and having the Levites carry the ark on their shoulders by its poles, they set the ark on a wheel cart; and that's how they brought it out of the house of Abinadab (2 Samuel 6:3). Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were tasked with guiding the cart - Ahio in front, and Uzzah behind. As they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark. God's anger was aroused because of Uzzah's irreverent act, and He struck him. Uzzah died then and there (2 Samuel 6:3-7).
David was terrified, and the plans to bring the ark into Jerusalem had to be aborted. David decided he would not move the ark to Jerusalem for the time being, and it was then that he entrusted the care of the ark to Obed-Edom. Interestingly, this name Obed-Edom was never mentioned anywhere in the Scripture prior to this ark incident, and little was known about him. But you do get a clue from his name. 'Obed' here is from the word 'abad' in Hebrew, meaning 'to serve humbly, or to worship', whereas 'Edom' is a nickname of Esau, the older twin brother of Jacob. 'Obed-Edom' therefore speaks of 'a person who has been concealed, unknown, and unrecognized by others; but one who has been humbly serving and worshiping the Lord faithfully all these while'. In short, he was a man of humility and faithfulness. And now, his time out of obscurity had finally arrived!
2 Samuel 6:11-12a says, 'The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. Now it was told King David, saying, "The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of the Lord."' Indeed, blessings follow wherever the 'ark' goes! Obed-Edom 'housed' the 'glory of the Lord', and greater things began to happen in (and around) his life! You see, the blessings in one's life will never go unnoticed! Others will see it so real, and they will know the Lord is with him/her! And so it was with Obed-Edom! And when David heard of it, he came and brought up the ark of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem with gladness! (2 Samuel 6:12b)
One may ask, why was the 'blessing' not evident when the ark was kept in Abinadab's house, but was so evident when the ark was kept in Obed-Edom's house? The answer is simple. I believe it was because Obed-Edom treasured the ark! It is the same today for all of us. How much do we treasure the glory of the Lord and the presence of the Lord in our lives?
In fact, Obed-Edom treasured the ark so much that when the time came to move the ark from his house to Jerusalem, Obed-Edom chose to follow the ark! He actually had a choice. He could have stayed where he was, but he chose to move with the ark! You see, his desire for the Lord caused him to do whatever it took to be close to the Lord! The Scripture tells us that he later became a doorkeeper for the ark, as he continued to be a worshiper of the Lord! (1 Chronicles 15:24, 1 Chronicles 16:1-5)
And finally, 1 Chronicles 26:4-6 says, 'The sons of Obed-Edom were Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad, Joah, Sacah, Nethanel, Ammiel, Issachar, Peulthai: for God blessed him. Also to Shemaiah his son, were sons born who governed their fathers' houses, men of great ability'. Not only Obed-Edom was greatly blessed, his whole family (even the generation to come) was greatly blessed too! Let it be so for your life, your household, and all that you put your hands on, as you look ahead to a new year! Hallelujah!
"Get ready for Me to entrust you with My glory, and the greater things that you have not imagined yet! For you are entering a time of greater blessing and greater victory! Many will see My blessings so real in your lives, just as many have seen My blessings so real in Obed-Edom's life! Look to Me and follow Me, and I will bring it to pass!"
We are crossing the threshold to enter into the Hebrew year 5779! Shanah Tovah! Have a good year! And as you cross over into a new year of the Lord for you, get ready for His greater glory and for greater things to happen to you!
Never mind if in the past season, you have been obscured, sidelined, or even misunderstood by others, because the Lord says things are going to start changing around you! In fact, the year ahead is a year He is entrusting many things to you, even things you have not imagined yet!
Note: The word 'entrust' can be defined as 'put (something) into someone's care/stewardship'.
The past weeks have been a time the Lord was calling His people to humble themselves under His mighty hand. I have written about this last week. Pride is very subtle, and we often do not even know there's an element of pride in our lives. Even if we do, we may not want to admit it! That's when we need the Holy Spirit more than ever. We need Him to speak to us and work in us. We need Him to correct us and guide us. Greater blessing comes when we allow Him to do His work in us. Jesus says, "Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)
Let's go to 2 Samuel chapter 6 now, and we shall look at someone named Obed-Edom. In 2 Samuel 6:9-10, the Scripture says, 'David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite'.
Here's the background. Soon after becoming king over all Israel and Judah, David wanted to bring the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. In our context, the ark of the Lord here is a 'picture' of 'the glory of the Lord, the presence of the Lord, i.e. Jesus Himself'. It was a good intention, but it was not done correctly (in the way the Lord had commanded it). Instead of sanctifying themselves first and having the Levites carry the ark on their shoulders by its poles, they set the ark on a wheel cart; and that's how they brought it out of the house of Abinadab (2 Samuel 6:3). Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were tasked with guiding the cart - Ahio in front, and Uzzah behind. As they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark. God's anger was aroused because of Uzzah's irreverent act, and He struck him. Uzzah died then and there (2 Samuel 6:3-7).
David was terrified, and the plans to bring the ark into Jerusalem had to be aborted. David decided he would not move the ark to Jerusalem for the time being, and it was then that he entrusted the care of the ark to Obed-Edom. Interestingly, this name Obed-Edom was never mentioned anywhere in the Scripture prior to this ark incident, and little was known about him. But you do get a clue from his name. 'Obed' here is from the word 'abad' in Hebrew, meaning 'to serve humbly, or to worship', whereas 'Edom' is a nickname of Esau, the older twin brother of Jacob. 'Obed-Edom' therefore speaks of 'a person who has been concealed, unknown, and unrecognized by others; but one who has been humbly serving and worshiping the Lord faithfully all these while'. In short, he was a man of humility and faithfulness. And now, his time out of obscurity had finally arrived!
2 Samuel 6:11-12a says, 'The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. Now it was told King David, saying, "The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of the Lord."' Indeed, blessings follow wherever the 'ark' goes! Obed-Edom 'housed' the 'glory of the Lord', and greater things began to happen in (and around) his life! You see, the blessings in one's life will never go unnoticed! Others will see it so real, and they will know the Lord is with him/her! And so it was with Obed-Edom! And when David heard of it, he came and brought up the ark of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem with gladness! (2 Samuel 6:12b)
One may ask, why was the 'blessing' not evident when the ark was kept in Abinadab's house, but was so evident when the ark was kept in Obed-Edom's house? The answer is simple. I believe it was because Obed-Edom treasured the ark! It is the same today for all of us. How much do we treasure the glory of the Lord and the presence of the Lord in our lives?
In fact, Obed-Edom treasured the ark so much that when the time came to move the ark from his house to Jerusalem, Obed-Edom chose to follow the ark! He actually had a choice. He could have stayed where he was, but he chose to move with the ark! You see, his desire for the Lord caused him to do whatever it took to be close to the Lord! The Scripture tells us that he later became a doorkeeper for the ark, as he continued to be a worshiper of the Lord! (1 Chronicles 15:24, 1 Chronicles 16:1-5)
And finally, 1 Chronicles 26:4-6 says, 'The sons of Obed-Edom were Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad, Joah, Sacah, Nethanel, Ammiel, Issachar, Peulthai: for God blessed him. Also to Shemaiah his son, were sons born who governed their fathers' houses, men of great ability'. Not only Obed-Edom was greatly blessed, his whole family (even the generation to come) was greatly blessed too! Let it be so for your life, your household, and all that you put your hands on, as you look ahead to a new year! Hallelujah!
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Entering a season of honor
The Lord spoke these words recently:
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."
The Lord spoke further:
"This is a key time to choose to humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Pride is very subtle, and sometimes we don't even know there is an element of pride in our lives. Furthermore, most people would never admit there is pride in their lives. But nothing takes away the fact that pride destroys, and pride is the major reason why God's people cannot see their destinies fulfilled.
Today, we can learn much from the life of Jacob in the Bible. There's no doubting that the Lord had great plans and a great destiny for him. But before he could see all these come to pass in his life, the Lord had to work in him and humble him first!
Speaking of sibling rivalry, Jacob had competed with his older twin brother Esau since they were in their mother's womb. He wanted his brother's birthright (Genesis 25:29-34), and later on, his brother's blessing (Genesis 27:1-29). When Esau found out that Jacob had taken away his blessing, he became very bitter against Jacob, and he said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" (Genesis 27:36)
So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father Isaac blessed him. At that time, Isaac was already old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see. Esau then said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are very near; then I will kill my brother Jacob." (Genesis 27:41) Jacob had no choice but to flee from Esau.
Let's pause for a moment at this juncture of Jacob's life. Have you noticed that in all of Jacob's 'tricky-ness' till that point of time, it actually got him nowhere? Not only did he not receive any tangible inheritance, he even had to run for his life empty-handed! In fact, his next twenty years would be spent as a 'servant' to his uncle Laban! Fast forward, and after a time of humbling under his uncle Laban, Jacob said, "Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times." (Genesis 31:41)
Interestingly, it was only in these humbling years under his uncle Laban that the Lord actually began to bless Jacob in real ways, giving him both a family and great possession! As Jacob moved on, and went on his way to the land God had promised him, he also had to humble before his brother Esau. Having heard that his brother Esau was coming to meet him together with four hundred men, Jacob was greatly distressed, fearing that Esau would attack him and his family. Jacob then said, "I will appease him (Esau) with the present (gift) that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me." (Genesis 32:20).
The night before the meeting with Esau, something remarkable happened. Jacob was alone by himself when a Man (or the Angel of the Lord) appeared to him, and Jacob wrestled with Him until the breaking of day. When the Man saw that He did not prevail against Jacob, He touched the socket of his hip, and it became out of joint. And the Man said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." (Genesis 32:24-26)
But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me." So the Man said to him, "What is your name?", and he said, "Jacob". The Man then said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel..." (Genesis 32:26-28)
Do you notice that Jacob was so strong in himself (or rather, so full of himself in getting what he wanted) that even the Man could not prevail against him? So much so the Man had to touch the socket of his hip, putting it out of joint, making him helpless! Limping from then on, Jacob couldn't wrestle further, and it was then that Jacob began clinging to Him, and pleaded for blessing!
Now, what does 'limping' means here? It means 'the end of his own strength, confidence, or pride', and 'an acknowledgement that he cannot progress further unless he clings to (and depends on) the Lord'! Do you see something here? Jacob discovered that pride (i.e. relying on self, instead of the Lord) would lead him nowhere! And not until he learned to cling to the Man that he was blessed!
By the way, the name 'Israel' means 'he will rule with God; he will have power (as a prince) with God'. What a change from the name 'Jacob', which literally means 'heel-catcher, supplanter, deceiver'! A name change is a result of a change in character, and Jacob had certainly come a long way!
Through all the circumstances that he had gone through, and by the work of the Lord in his life, he was finally a changed man, and he knew that he needed to cling to the Lord for blessing! He had finally learned to humble himself! And with it, came honor! Not only did he have a new name, he also saw his older brother Esau accepting and receiving him again! (Genesis 33:3-4) Indeed, humility before the Lord brought him into a new season in his life - a season of honor! And the rest is history.
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."
The Lord spoke further:
"This is a key time to choose to humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Pride is very subtle, and sometimes we don't even know there is an element of pride in our lives. Furthermore, most people would never admit there is pride in their lives. But nothing takes away the fact that pride destroys, and pride is the major reason why God's people cannot see their destinies fulfilled.
Today, we can learn much from the life of Jacob in the Bible. There's no doubting that the Lord had great plans and a great destiny for him. But before he could see all these come to pass in his life, the Lord had to work in him and humble him first!
Speaking of sibling rivalry, Jacob had competed with his older twin brother Esau since they were in their mother's womb. He wanted his brother's birthright (Genesis 25:29-34), and later on, his brother's blessing (Genesis 27:1-29). When Esau found out that Jacob had taken away his blessing, he became very bitter against Jacob, and he said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" (Genesis 27:36)
So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father Isaac blessed him. At that time, Isaac was already old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see. Esau then said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are very near; then I will kill my brother Jacob." (Genesis 27:41) Jacob had no choice but to flee from Esau.
Let's pause for a moment at this juncture of Jacob's life. Have you noticed that in all of Jacob's 'tricky-ness' till that point of time, it actually got him nowhere? Not only did he not receive any tangible inheritance, he even had to run for his life empty-handed! In fact, his next twenty years would be spent as a 'servant' to his uncle Laban! Fast forward, and after a time of humbling under his uncle Laban, Jacob said, "Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times." (Genesis 31:41)
Interestingly, it was only in these humbling years under his uncle Laban that the Lord actually began to bless Jacob in real ways, giving him both a family and great possession! As Jacob moved on, and went on his way to the land God had promised him, he also had to humble before his brother Esau. Having heard that his brother Esau was coming to meet him together with four hundred men, Jacob was greatly distressed, fearing that Esau would attack him and his family. Jacob then said, "I will appease him (Esau) with the present (gift) that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me." (Genesis 32:20).
The night before the meeting with Esau, something remarkable happened. Jacob was alone by himself when a Man (or the Angel of the Lord) appeared to him, and Jacob wrestled with Him until the breaking of day. When the Man saw that He did not prevail against Jacob, He touched the socket of his hip, and it became out of joint. And the Man said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." (Genesis 32:24-26)
But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me." So the Man said to him, "What is your name?", and he said, "Jacob". The Man then said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel..." (Genesis 32:26-28)
Do you notice that Jacob was so strong in himself (or rather, so full of himself in getting what he wanted) that even the Man could not prevail against him? So much so the Man had to touch the socket of his hip, putting it out of joint, making him helpless! Limping from then on, Jacob couldn't wrestle further, and it was then that Jacob began clinging to Him, and pleaded for blessing!
Now, what does 'limping' means here? It means 'the end of his own strength, confidence, or pride', and 'an acknowledgement that he cannot progress further unless he clings to (and depends on) the Lord'! Do you see something here? Jacob discovered that pride (i.e. relying on self, instead of the Lord) would lead him nowhere! And not until he learned to cling to the Man that he was blessed!
By the way, the name 'Israel' means 'he will rule with God; he will have power (as a prince) with God'. What a change from the name 'Jacob', which literally means 'heel-catcher, supplanter, deceiver'! A name change is a result of a change in character, and Jacob had certainly come a long way!
Through all the circumstances that he had gone through, and by the work of the Lord in his life, he was finally a changed man, and he knew that he needed to cling to the Lord for blessing! He had finally learned to humble himself! And with it, came honor! Not only did he have a new name, he also saw his older brother Esau accepting and receiving him again! (Genesis 33:3-4) Indeed, humility before the Lord brought him into a new season in his life - a season of honor! And the rest is history.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
'Humility' and 'the fear of the Lord' go hand in hand
Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV): By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.
The word 'humility' here is 'anavah' in Hebrew, literally meaning 'taking the lowly place'; and in this context, 'taking the lowly place before the Lord'. It speaks of submission to the One who knows better, and who holds our lives in His hand. It speaks of the willingness to lay down our pride, and let Him have the full (and final) say in our lives. Jesus Himself taught us that 'whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted' (Luke 14:11).
How about 'the fear of the Lord'? This expression speaks of 'a deep reverence (or a deep respect) for the Lord'. As you can see in Proverbs 22:4, 'humility' and 'the fear of the Lord' go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. Why? Because true humility before the Lord is when you 'fear the Lord more than you fear man'!
Humility and the fear of the Lord! The Bible says these are the two keys to riches (including the riches of His wisdom), honor (i.e. He honors you, and raises up many who honor you), and life (i.e. whatever you do, there will be life)!
Some people see 'humility' as 'whatever people tells you to do, or whatever people invite you, you have to oblige', even if the Lord says no, or even if you have no 'peace' inside you to do it. That's not true humility. That's fear of man. As a matter of fact, deep inside every human is a yearning for approval. But it is better to seek approval from the Lord than approval from man. Proverbs 29:25 says, 'The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe'.
The paradox here is sometimes you may seem to be humble before man, but you are actually being proud before the Lord, and sometimes you may seem to be proud before man, but you are actually being humble before the Lord! What matters most is what the Lord says, not what man says! And whatever He says, you do! When the Lord says so, you say so. And when the Lord says no, you say no. Because the Lord sees further (and farther) than man, and is infinitely wiser than man (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Psalm 75:6-7 says, 'For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is judge: He puts down one, and exalts another'. The word 'exaltation' here is 'ruwm' in Hebrew, which can also be translated as 'promotion, elevation, or a raise'.
In Psalm 75:6, this word 'ruwm' is written in the context of 'a person's desire for self-advancement'. However, Psalm 75:7 implies that this 'advancement' cannot be gained merely through any outward plan of man, but rather upon humility and the fear of the Lord. Because it is He who puts down one, and it is He who exalts another.
Zechariah 4:6 says, 'Not by might, nor by power (of man), but by the Spirit of the Lord', and 1 Peter 5:6 says, 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time'. Indeed, the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of grace, and it is by His ability and His supply of wisdom that we can be who He has destined for us to be. Amen.
The word 'humility' here is 'anavah' in Hebrew, literally meaning 'taking the lowly place'; and in this context, 'taking the lowly place before the Lord'. It speaks of submission to the One who knows better, and who holds our lives in His hand. It speaks of the willingness to lay down our pride, and let Him have the full (and final) say in our lives. Jesus Himself taught us that 'whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted' (Luke 14:11).
How about 'the fear of the Lord'? This expression speaks of 'a deep reverence (or a deep respect) for the Lord'. As you can see in Proverbs 22:4, 'humility' and 'the fear of the Lord' go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. Why? Because true humility before the Lord is when you 'fear the Lord more than you fear man'!
Humility and the fear of the Lord! The Bible says these are the two keys to riches (including the riches of His wisdom), honor (i.e. He honors you, and raises up many who honor you), and life (i.e. whatever you do, there will be life)!
Some people see 'humility' as 'whatever people tells you to do, or whatever people invite you, you have to oblige', even if the Lord says no, or even if you have no 'peace' inside you to do it. That's not true humility. That's fear of man. As a matter of fact, deep inside every human is a yearning for approval. But it is better to seek approval from the Lord than approval from man. Proverbs 29:25 says, 'The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe'.
The paradox here is sometimes you may seem to be humble before man, but you are actually being proud before the Lord, and sometimes you may seem to be proud before man, but you are actually being humble before the Lord! What matters most is what the Lord says, not what man says! And whatever He says, you do! When the Lord says so, you say so. And when the Lord says no, you say no. Because the Lord sees further (and farther) than man, and is infinitely wiser than man (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Psalm 75:6-7 says, 'For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is judge: He puts down one, and exalts another'. The word 'exaltation' here is 'ruwm' in Hebrew, which can also be translated as 'promotion, elevation, or a raise'.
In Psalm 75:6, this word 'ruwm' is written in the context of 'a person's desire for self-advancement'. However, Psalm 75:7 implies that this 'advancement' cannot be gained merely through any outward plan of man, but rather upon humility and the fear of the Lord. Because it is He who puts down one, and it is He who exalts another.
Zechariah 4:6 says, 'Not by might, nor by power (of man), but by the Spirit of the Lord', and 1 Peter 5:6 says, 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time'. Indeed, the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of grace, and it is by His ability and His supply of wisdom that we can be who He has destined for us to be. Amen.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
With pride comes downfall, but with humility comes honor
Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV): Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Pride is a killer. It destroys. It brings about a downfall. Indeed, it is so important for us to guard our souls against pride. The Bible also says, 'When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom' (Proverbs 11:2). The root word for this word 'pride' in Hebrew is 'zuwd', which carries the meaning 'to be presumptuous'. In other words, 'seeing oneself greater than who he/she really is'.
In Ezekiel 28:11-15, the Bible says, 'Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God... You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God... You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you."'
Who is the Lord referring to here? None other than Lucifer (who would later be called satan). You see, he was the seal of perfection, filled with wisdom, perfect in beauty, anointed, and established by the Lord. He was a 'cherub', an angel who directly attended to God, a 'picture' of beauty and innocence, and was placed in the garden of God in order to protect it.
Now, what could go wrong, looking at all the good the Lord had endowed him? The Bible says all these came to a halt, at the point of 'till iniquity was found in you'.
What then, was this 'iniquity'? In Ezekiel 28:17-18, the Lord gave the answer, "Your heart was lifted up (became proud), because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground... You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities... Therefore I brought fire... It devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you."
As you can see here, Lucifer's iniquities began when his heart became proud. He became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire the glory (and honor) that belonged to the Lord alone. As a matter of fact, the sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride. This actually represents the beginning of sin in the whole universe! Instead of protecting the garden of God, he defiled it; and instead of leading others to worship the Lord, he wanted to be worshiped! (see Isaiah 14:12-15)
As for Lucifer, because of his pride, he was eternally condemned. But thank God you and I are the children of God, and not mere servants (like Lucifer). We have redemption. We have hope. Because we have our Lord Jesus Christ who died for all our sins.
This topic of 'pride' is definitely not the most popular topic to write. But I am writing here because the Lord is about to bring many of His people into a new season - 'a season of honor'.
The Lord spoke these words recently:
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."
People of God, this is a very important time to let the Lord teach us and work in us, especially in the area of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Let us not follow after Lucifer, but instead give the Lord full right and full say in our lives. For the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).
Pride is a killer. It destroys. It brings about a downfall. Indeed, it is so important for us to guard our souls against pride. The Bible also says, 'When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom' (Proverbs 11:2). The root word for this word 'pride' in Hebrew is 'zuwd', which carries the meaning 'to be presumptuous'. In other words, 'seeing oneself greater than who he/she really is'.
In Ezekiel 28:11-15, the Bible says, 'Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God... You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God... You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you."'
Who is the Lord referring to here? None other than Lucifer (who would later be called satan). You see, he was the seal of perfection, filled with wisdom, perfect in beauty, anointed, and established by the Lord. He was a 'cherub', an angel who directly attended to God, a 'picture' of beauty and innocence, and was placed in the garden of God in order to protect it.
Now, what could go wrong, looking at all the good the Lord had endowed him? The Bible says all these came to a halt, at the point of 'till iniquity was found in you'.
What then, was this 'iniquity'? In Ezekiel 28:17-18, the Lord gave the answer, "Your heart was lifted up (became proud), because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground... You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities... Therefore I brought fire... It devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you."
As you can see here, Lucifer's iniquities began when his heart became proud. He became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire the glory (and honor) that belonged to the Lord alone. As a matter of fact, the sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride. This actually represents the beginning of sin in the whole universe! Instead of protecting the garden of God, he defiled it; and instead of leading others to worship the Lord, he wanted to be worshiped! (see Isaiah 14:12-15)
As for Lucifer, because of his pride, he was eternally condemned. But thank God you and I are the children of God, and not mere servants (like Lucifer). We have redemption. We have hope. Because we have our Lord Jesus Christ who died for all our sins.
This topic of 'pride' is definitely not the most popular topic to write. But I am writing here because the Lord is about to bring many of His people into a new season - 'a season of honor'.
The Lord spoke these words recently:
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."
People of God, this is a very important time to let the Lord teach us and work in us, especially in the area of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Let us not follow after Lucifer, but instead give the Lord full right and full say in our lives. For the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
A time to ride the wave of the Holy Spirit!
I heard and released these prophetic words recently:
"This is your time to ride the wave of My Holy Spirit! Get yourselves ready, and move with Me! For I am imparting, and I am teaching My people to be in tune with My wave! Catch My wave, and you'll begin to see many things I've wanted you to see!"
As I was contemplating on the prophetic words above, I couldn't help but to imagine a surfer riding the wave in the ocean. Before a surfer can ride the wave, there's got to be wave in the first place. So, let's study a little on the dynamics of ocean waves:
1. Wind causes energy (like how windmill works).
2. Ocean waves get their start when wind blows the open ocean.
3. Ocean waves are therefore 'energy moving through water'.
Note: 'Dynamics' is defined as 'scientific study of the forces that produce movement'.
As you can see above, without the wind, there would be no wave. The same it is in the spiritual realm. If the 'wind' represents 'the Holy Spirit', then the 'wave' represents 'the move of the Holy Spirit'. Who then, is the 'surfer'? You and I, 'the people of the Lord'!
Indeed, the Lord is moving, and the wave is coming! For some of you, a new cycle has begun, whether in ministry, or in some other areas of life! Get yourselves ready, and move with Him! As He moves, you move; and you'll begin to see many things He's wanted you to see!
Sharon (my wife) released these words recently:
"There is a ministry cycle with different stages for everyone. To some, a new cycle has begun. To some others, it is moving from one stage to another in the same cycle. It is an elevation from where you are! Some of you will begin to venture into what you have been gifted and trained. Some of you will rise up to mentor others. Some of you will start working on leaving your legacy."
She then released further:
"Some of My people will only go through one ministry cycle but some will go through many ministry cycles. Do not worry about the span of your ministry stages and cycles. Trust Me, and you will not miss your time and season. Follow My instructions, you will enjoy and fulfill your assigned stages and cycles."
People of God, what is your 'time' now? Elijah knew his time. Elisha knew his time too.
Let's read what 2 Kings 2:1-4 say, 'And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel. Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" Then Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they came to Jericho'.
2 Kings 2:5-8 then say, 'Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" So he answered, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on. Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground'.
And 2 Kings 2:9-11 say, 'And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven'.
As Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven, a new cycle began for Elisha. Notice many things are caught, and not just taught. Elisha received his double portion. It was an 'elevation' from where he was in his old cycle.
People of God, that 'Elisha' time has come for many of you who have been 'hidden' by the Lord all these while. There is a release. There is a wave. Begin to ride the wave that's coming! Don't miss this time and season! For the Lord is raising many new generals, majors, captains, and lieutenants that will bring shockwaves in the camp of the enemy. I declare that you are part of this great move of the Lord that's coming. Stay faithful, keep looking to the Lord, and He will bring it to pass. Amen!
"This is your time to ride the wave of My Holy Spirit! Get yourselves ready, and move with Me! For I am imparting, and I am teaching My people to be in tune with My wave! Catch My wave, and you'll begin to see many things I've wanted you to see!"
As I was contemplating on the prophetic words above, I couldn't help but to imagine a surfer riding the wave in the ocean. Before a surfer can ride the wave, there's got to be wave in the first place. So, let's study a little on the dynamics of ocean waves:
1. Wind causes energy (like how windmill works).
2. Ocean waves get their start when wind blows the open ocean.
3. Ocean waves are therefore 'energy moving through water'.
Note: 'Dynamics' is defined as 'scientific study of the forces that produce movement'.
As you can see above, without the wind, there would be no wave. The same it is in the spiritual realm. If the 'wind' represents 'the Holy Spirit', then the 'wave' represents 'the move of the Holy Spirit'. Who then, is the 'surfer'? You and I, 'the people of the Lord'!
Indeed, the Lord is moving, and the wave is coming! For some of you, a new cycle has begun, whether in ministry, or in some other areas of life! Get yourselves ready, and move with Him! As He moves, you move; and you'll begin to see many things He's wanted you to see!
Sharon (my wife) released these words recently:
"There is a ministry cycle with different stages for everyone. To some, a new cycle has begun. To some others, it is moving from one stage to another in the same cycle. It is an elevation from where you are! Some of you will begin to venture into what you have been gifted and trained. Some of you will rise up to mentor others. Some of you will start working on leaving your legacy."
She then released further:
"Some of My people will only go through one ministry cycle but some will go through many ministry cycles. Do not worry about the span of your ministry stages and cycles. Trust Me, and you will not miss your time and season. Follow My instructions, you will enjoy and fulfill your assigned stages and cycles."
People of God, what is your 'time' now? Elijah knew his time. Elisha knew his time too.
Let's read what 2 Kings 2:1-4 say, 'And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel. Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" Then Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they came to Jericho'.
2 Kings 2:5-8 then say, 'Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?" So he answered, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on. Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground'.
And 2 Kings 2:9-11 say, 'And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven'.
As Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven, a new cycle began for Elisha. Notice many things are caught, and not just taught. Elisha received his double portion. It was an 'elevation' from where he was in his old cycle.
People of God, that 'Elisha' time has come for many of you who have been 'hidden' by the Lord all these while. There is a release. There is a wave. Begin to ride the wave that's coming! Don't miss this time and season! For the Lord is raising many new generals, majors, captains, and lieutenants that will bring shockwaves in the camp of the enemy. I declare that you are part of this great move of the Lord that's coming. Stay faithful, keep looking to the Lord, and He will bring it to pass. Amen!
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Empower, not encumber!
Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV): "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
The word 'rest' here in Greek is 'anapauo', meaning 'to rest, to refresh, to be at ease', and it isn't just about finding rest from the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but in the right context, finding rest from the heaviness and encumbrance of religious rules, bureaucracy, and legalism.
This was the actual reason Jesus spoke these words, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". He was speaking to those who had been trying to carry an impossible load, namely the man-made rules and standards imposed upon them by the religious leaders of the day.
The word 'labor' here speaks of 'trying to work it out to the point of utter exhaustion', whilst the term 'heavy laden' speaks of 'a great load being dumped on a person'. As you can see here, Jesus was addressing those who were exhausted (or burnt-out) from trying to measure up to the expectations of the religious leaders of the day!
I heard the Lord saying these words recently:
"Make Christianity as simple as the Bible says Christianity is! Make life as simple as the Bible says Christians are! Empower them, not encumber them!"
As a matter of fact, Jesus came to set us free! Freedom from not just the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but also from the religious yoke set by men! What then is a yoke? It is a wooden crosspiece fastened on the neck of two oxen to pull together a load when working in pairs. You see, the ox isn't alone under the weight of the wooden crosspiece. That's speaking about you. There's another ox to help him. And that's speaking about Jesus. A yoke is in effect a 'picture' of the 'cross', and Jesus is here to help you carry your 'cross', burden, heaviness, and shame!
Of course, Jesus paid a very heavy price to set the people free! He ruffled the feathers of 'the powers that be' (the religious leaders) of His days, so much so that they sought to kill Him! But He stayed true to His calling on earth, obedient till the very end, even to the point of death on the cross! Today, He is exalted above all names, that every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that He is Lord!
Hebrews 4:15 says, 'For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin'.
- He suffered assassination attempts, both character assassination and physical assassination (Matthew 2:13-16, Luke 4:28-30).
- He suffered rejection from His own disciples, and even His brothers did not believe in Him (John 6:41-66, John 7:5).
- He suffered sorrows, and wept. Raising Lazarus back to life sealed His very own death (John 11:35, John 11:48-50).
- He suffered betrayal from His own at the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1-3).
- He suffered great pains, humiliation, and loss of breath on the cross (John 19:17-30).
Beloved of God, whatever your 'cross', burden, heaviness, or shame may be at the moment, know that there's nothing that He cannot understand (or sympathize with you). Like the ox that carries the weight of the wooden crosspiece, let Him also carry them all for you, as you continue to walk side-by-side with Him. Amen.
The word 'rest' here in Greek is 'anapauo', meaning 'to rest, to refresh, to be at ease', and it isn't just about finding rest from the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but in the right context, finding rest from the heaviness and encumbrance of religious rules, bureaucracy, and legalism.
This was the actual reason Jesus spoke these words, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". He was speaking to those who had been trying to carry an impossible load, namely the man-made rules and standards imposed upon them by the religious leaders of the day.
The word 'labor' here speaks of 'trying to work it out to the point of utter exhaustion', whilst the term 'heavy laden' speaks of 'a great load being dumped on a person'. As you can see here, Jesus was addressing those who were exhausted (or burnt-out) from trying to measure up to the expectations of the religious leaders of the day!
I heard the Lord saying these words recently:
"Make Christianity as simple as the Bible says Christianity is! Make life as simple as the Bible says Christians are! Empower them, not encumber them!"
As a matter of fact, Jesus came to set us free! Freedom from not just the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but also from the religious yoke set by men! What then is a yoke? It is a wooden crosspiece fastened on the neck of two oxen to pull together a load when working in pairs. You see, the ox isn't alone under the weight of the wooden crosspiece. That's speaking about you. There's another ox to help him. And that's speaking about Jesus. A yoke is in effect a 'picture' of the 'cross', and Jesus is here to help you carry your 'cross', burden, heaviness, and shame!
Of course, Jesus paid a very heavy price to set the people free! He ruffled the feathers of 'the powers that be' (the religious leaders) of His days, so much so that they sought to kill Him! But He stayed true to His calling on earth, obedient till the very end, even to the point of death on the cross! Today, He is exalted above all names, that every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that He is Lord!
Hebrews 4:15 says, 'For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin'.
- He suffered assassination attempts, both character assassination and physical assassination (Matthew 2:13-16, Luke 4:28-30).
- He suffered rejection from His own disciples, and even His brothers did not believe in Him (John 6:41-66, John 7:5).
- He suffered sorrows, and wept. Raising Lazarus back to life sealed His very own death (John 11:35, John 11:48-50).
- He suffered betrayal from His own at the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1-3).
- He suffered great pains, humiliation, and loss of breath on the cross (John 19:17-30).
Beloved of God, whatever your 'cross', burden, heaviness, or shame may be at the moment, know that there's nothing that He cannot understand (or sympathize with you). Like the ox that carries the weight of the wooden crosspiece, let Him also carry them all for you, as you continue to walk side-by-side with Him. Amen.
Saturday, July 21, 2018
God knows how to raise up people who will appreciate you!
I woke up one morning and heard these words from the Lord:
"Not everybody in this world will appreciate you (for who you are and what you do), but there will always be some who will appreciate you (for who you are and what you do)."
I then heard further:
"Give your very best to those who accept and appreciate you. Like David and those who were in the cave of Adullam, and how he turned them into great, mighty men of God!"
As a matter of fact, whether you are a minister of God, or you are in any vocation on earth, there are bound to be people who will not appreciate you (for who you are and what you do). But take heart, because the Lord your God sees your heart, He knows exactly how to raise up people who will accept and appreciate you! You can see the same in David's life, in Paul's ministry, and even Jesus Himself prepared His disciples likewise when He sent them out for the harvest!
David
Though David served Saul with all his heart and did many great things for him, Saul did not appreciate him. In fact, Saul was jealous of him, and wanted to kill him! David had to flee, and he ended up in the cave of Adullam.
1 Samuel 22:1-2 says, 'David therefore departed 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. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented (bitter of soul) gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him'.
In actual fact, these people didn't look promising at all, but the Lord used David to raise them up to be great, mighty warriors!
You can see that in 2 Samuel 23:8-39! Here are some of them:
Josheb-Basshebeth - chief among the captains, he killed 800 men at one time!
Eleazar - he fought the enemy till his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword!
Shammah - when others fled, he stood his ground in the middle of the field!
Abishai - he lifted his spear against 300 men and killed them!
Benaiah - he killed two lion-like heroes of Moab and killed a lion inside a pit!
Paul
"Not everybody in this world will appreciate you (for who you are and what you do), but there will always be some who will appreciate you (for who you are and what you do)."
I then heard further:
"Give your very best to those who accept and appreciate you. Like David and those who were in the cave of Adullam, and how he turned them into great, mighty men of God!"
As a matter of fact, whether you are a minister of God, or you are in any vocation on earth, there are bound to be people who will not appreciate you (for who you are and what you do). But take heart, because the Lord your God sees your heart, He knows exactly how to raise up people who will accept and appreciate you! You can see the same in David's life, in Paul's ministry, and even Jesus Himself prepared His disciples likewise when He sent them out for the harvest!
David
Though David served Saul with all his heart and did many great things for him, Saul did not appreciate him. In fact, Saul was jealous of him, and wanted to kill him! David had to flee, and he ended up in the cave of Adullam.
1 Samuel 22:1-2 says, 'David therefore departed 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. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented (bitter of soul) gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him'.
In actual fact, these people didn't look promising at all, but the Lord used David to raise them up to be great, mighty warriors!
You can see that in 2 Samuel 23:8-39! Here are some of them:
Josheb-Basshebeth - chief among the captains, he killed 800 men at one time!
Eleazar - he fought the enemy till his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword!
Shammah - when others fled, he stood his ground in the middle of the field!
Abishai - he lifted his spear against 300 men and killed them!
Benaiah - he killed two lion-like heroes of Moab and killed a lion inside a pit!
Paul
Though Paul was sent out by the Lord for his missionary journeys, there were some along the way who did not appreciate his teachings.
Acts 19:8-10 says, 'And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks'.
Tyrannus was open-minded in allowing Paul to use his school's facility. 'Tyrannus' in this context represents 'those who appreciated Paul's teachings'.
The disciples of Jesus
Luke 10:1-3 says, 'After this (i.e. talking about the cost of discipleship) the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go. And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves."'
In Luke 10:4-7, Jesus said, "Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages..."
The Hebrew/Aramaic expression 'son of peace' here speaks of 'those who receive and appreciate you'. In other words, those who show peace to you, and those who accept and appreciate you (for who you are and what you do).
Therefore, people of God, whether you are in David's situation, Paul's situation, or as disciples of Jesus, you can be sure there will be the cave of Adullam, the school of Tyrannus, or the 'sons of peace' being prepared and readied for you! Give your very best to those who accept and appreciate you, and let the Lord use you to turn their lives around for His glory!
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