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

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!

The door that God has opened, no one can shut!

I heard these words from the Lord recently:
"Tell My people I have given them the key to walk through open doors in the coming months. The doors that I have opened, no one can shut; and the doors that I have shut, no one can open. Humble yourselves therefore, and watch how I will turn things around for you!"

Indeed, people of God, the (good) doors that God has opened for you, no one can shut; and the (bad) doors that God has shut for you, no one can open! Many times, we sulk when things don't happen according to our own plans or ideals. We blame those who pray for us, and even blame God for not granting our own plans or ideals!

But little do we know that God has always been actively preventing evil from happening to us! Even right now, He is in the midst of shutting the (bad) doors for you - the doors that could have 'crushed' you, if you walk through them! He sees farther than us, and His ways are always higher than ours! (Isaiah 55:8-9) Your part is to humble yourselves, and let God be God!

For some of you who are going through a difficult time at the moment, take heart knowing that your God is not dead, but He is still very much alive in your situation. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and He can turn things around for you! The psalmist David wrote, 'I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles' (Psalm 34:4-6).

Let's go to the book of Isaiah now. In the days of King Hezekiah, there were two 'contrasting' personalities - Eliakim, a 'picture' of humility and fear of the Lord; and Shebna, a 'picture' of pride and self-glorifying. Shebna was initially the king's chief steward, having a high and honorable position. But he used it to glorify himself, and for selfish ambitions. Due to this, the Lord pulled down Shebna, and lifted Eliakim instead. Not only that, Eliakim was also given the key of the house of David, and he became the one to decide who could enter the king's chamber, and for whom the king's treasury was to be opened!

Isaiah 22:20-22 (NKJV) says, 'Then it shall be in that day, that I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your (Shebna's) robe and strengthen him with your (Shebna's) belt. I will commit your (Shebna's) responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open'.

You may ask, "Why was the key laid on Eliakim's shoulder?" Those days, key was worn on the shoulder of those who possess official authority and power. And 'shoulder' speaks of one's position and responsibility. As cross-reference for 'shoulder', Isaiah 9:6 says, 'For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder...'

The name 'Eliakim' ('Elya-qiym' in Hebrew) is a very interesting name. This name consists of two words - 'El' meaning 'God'; and 'Quwm' meaning 'to rise up, to lift up'. As Eliakim continued to be submitted and yielded to the Lord, serving humbly before the Lord, and having the fear of the Lord, the time eventually came when the Lord opened the door for him, and turned things around for him!

People of God, the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and He is still in the midst of lifting up and raising up the 'Eliakims' of today! He is looking high and low for those who are willing to acknowledge His lordship in their lives! Not just some areas of their lives, but all areas of their lives!

You can see the same pattern during Jesus' days on earth! Matthew 16:13-17 says, 'When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."

In Matthew 16:18-19, Jesus then said to Simon Peter, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock (i.e. 'on this revelation and confession that Jesus is the Lord'), I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven."

In other words, Peter was given the keys, i.e. the access (or opening) to operate in the kingdom of heaven; and whatever he 'locks' in the earthly realm will be 'locked' in the spiritual realm, and whatever he 'unlocks' in the earthly realm will be 'unlocked' in the spiritual realm! Such was the authority given to Peter!

You see, it all started when Peter began to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Son of the living God! Peter was blessed, because he gave Jesus the full say in his life, and the lordship over all areas of his life! And you know what? All that the Lord had spoken into his life eventually came to pass! Hallelujah!

Holiness is a strength

I heard these words from the Lord recently:
"A fresh wind is blowing, and a fresh wave is coming upon My people! It is a wind and wave of My holiness! Tap into it and receive it! Because holiness is your strength, and holiness is your power! And I will cause My people to move ahead with the strength and the power that they've never seen before!"

I then heard further:
"This is the time I am imparting My holiness upon My people, and they shall be holy, just as I am holy! And this holiness shall be a strength to them, and it shall be a power to them!"

In Ezekiel 36:23, the Lord says, "I will show the holiness of My great name, which has been profaned among the nations... Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes." In Ezekiel 36:25-27, the Lord says further, "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees..."

The Holy Spirit is a HOLY Spirit. As you can see in the Scripture above, the Holy Spirit imparts holiness upon God's people! See? Holiness isn't just your work. Holiness is by the ability of the Lord working in you! The Lord says, 'I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees...' Who moves who? The Lord is the One who moves you! Your part, people of God, is to let Him and do not resist Him.

Living in this world full of sinful (fleshly) pleasures and compromising lifestyles, it sounds 'un-cool' to walk in holiness of the Lord. But the truth is holiness is a strength!

As you receive His Spirit of holiness afresh and anew this new season, the Lord says you'll be moving ahead with the strength and the power that you've never seen before!

Look at Samson in the Scripture. As long as he kept himself 'holy' before the Lord, he had strength and power! That's where His true strength lies - 'keeping himself holy'!

What then is to be 'holy'? Contrary to what many people think, to be 'holy' doesn't just mean 'not sinning'. To be 'holy' is about 'being set apart, consecrated' for the Lord to work through you! Samson was a Nazirite (Judges 13:5). This word 'Nazirite' is from the word 'nazar' in Hebrew, simply meaning 'set apart'. As a Nazirite, he was not to touch a dead body, and was not to have a haircut! (see Numbers 6:1-8)

'Not touching dead body' is a 'picture' of 'not touching (or doing) unclean things', whereas 'no haircut' is a 'picture' of 'staying true to what God has started or given to us'. In other words, not letting ourselves be influenced (or adulterated) by the things (or the ways) of this world!

People of God, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are all in actual fact called to be 'set apart', i.e. to stay true to what God has started or given to us! We are not to let the world influence (or adulterate) us with its ways (or ideas)! It should be the other way round! Because we are made the 'head', and not the 'tail'! (Deuteronomy 28:13) By the way, to 'adulterate' means 'anything foreign added to the original, and causes the original to lose its quality'.

You see? As long as Samson stayed true to who God had wanted him to be, there's strength and power! In truth, his true strength lies in him staying true to his God-given calling! As long as he continued to do so, he would do great exploits for the Lord! But the moment he 'compromised', he lost it! (Judges 16:4-5, Judges 16:15-17)

People of God, as you look ahead to this next half of year 2018, the key to your great exploits for the Lord is also likewise - staying true to all that God has spoken to you! We can learn not just from the victories (and success) of those who have gone before us, but also from their mistakes. But the good news is it isn't too late yet. You can start now. Samson's hair re-grew (Judges 16:22). This speaks of a 'second chance' God had given him!

So, even if you think you 'blew it' in the first half of this year, will you believe the Lord can do a greater work in you for the second half of this year? This is your time to receive a new strength from the Lord, not look back, and begin walking in a greater manifestation of His Spirit and His power, going forward. In Jesus' name. Amen!