Prophetic words for 2023: A year of restful victory!

The Lord says: 

"This is a year of restful victory for those who look to Me! This is the year I am going to ward off and defeat every work of the enemy against you. Receive and claim your victory this year! The enemy has done much damage in the past year, but I will cause you to have the upper hand this year. Keep walking with Me and keep looking to Me, and nothing's going to stop My work in your life this year! This is the year to see your victory!" 

When many people in the world are restless, struggling and anxious in the year 2023, you, my friend, you will be restful, and you will see your victory and breakthrough! I declare this upon your life! 

And whatever damage that the enemy has inflicted upon you in the past year, the Lord is going to overturn it and overcome for you this year! Your part is to believe and receive. Amen! 

Too good to be true? Not if God's people continue to humble themselves and fear the Lord. These are the keys to how the Lord is going to appoint and order your steps, every step of the way, throughout the year 2023, in spite of whatever 'storm' that happens in the world in the year 2023. 

What is the meaning of '23'? We shall look at the number '20', then number '3', and of course number '23'. 

Number '20' can mean 'lifting up your open hands in worship'. So, keep worshiping the Lord, keep lifting up your holy hands, and open your hands before the Lord in praise and in worship. Because number '20' in Hebrew speaks of 'open hands, open palm of your hands'. 

Number '3' can speak of 'completeness, or complete victory'; just like the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit - Three in One, but One God. He is a complete God. So, '3' means 'complete victory for your life'.

And with '20' and '3', you get '23'. 

Number '23' can mean 'consecrated and set apart for the Lord (like the Levites)'. It means the Lord is reserving you for His goodness and for His glory; and therefore, there's no need for you to fight the war. You know why? Because the Lord will fight for you. 

As you begin this year, this is also a good time to meditate on the whole of Psalm 23. This is a psalm of God's assurance, protection, green pastures, guidance, and of course, blessings. I'm going to quote Psalm 23:4 that says: 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For You, O Lord, are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.' 

You see, He is going to see to it that He will be with you throughout 2023, as long as you continue to look to Him, seek Him, worship Him, hear His voice, and heed His voice. 

Let's go now to 2 Chronicles 20. This is regarding Jehoshaphat and how he saw a restful victory, in line with what the Lord has spoken for the year 2023. It happened that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them, came to battle against Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah at that time. Here, you see that the enemies were 'ganging up' against Jehoshaphat. 

But as Jehoshaphat and the people of the Lord began to seek the Lord and look to Him, He raised a Jahaziel in their midst to speak to them: "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude. For the battle is not yours, but God's." 

Indeed the Lord is saying the same to you, whatever situation you are facing at the moment: "Do not be afraid, do not be dismayed, in spite of the presence of the enemies. Because the battle is not yours. The battle is the Lord's." 

By the way, 'Jahaziel' is 'Yakhaz El' in Hebrew. It can mean 'Beheld of God'. In other words, God is watching over you, God is beholding you, and God is overseeing you. Therefore, you need not be afraid, come what may in the world in the year 2023! 

Now, the name 'Jehoshaphat' is 'Yehoshawfat' in Hebrew. It simply means 'YHWH has judged'. Indeed He is a God of Justice, and He is a Just God. He knows and understands what you've been going through in the past year, and He will know how to reward you this year. 

And just as happened for Jehoshaphat those days, the Lord will also know how to 'set ambushes' against all those works of darkness that seek your 'downfall', or all those works of darkness that seek to 'destroy' you. In fact, these works of darkness would be so confused that instead of inflicting 'damage' upon you, they would end up destroying one another!

And that's what the Lord meant by 'a restful victory' for you in the year 2023! 

Have a happy, blessed, and victorious new year!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel 

A time to declare the names of God!

Indeed this is a time to declare the names of God! Why? So that we can remind ourselves of who He is, through His name!

The names of God are basically divided into two groups: Elohim and YHWH.

First, Elohim or El. This speaks of the Creatorship of God, that He is our Creator. So, we want to be reminded of Him being our Creator.

Second, YHWH (Yahweh) or Jehovah. This speaks of the Redemption of God. It means not only He created us, He also redeemed us. 

Let's begin with the Creatorship of God. This has to do with the relationship of God with His creation. And we are His creation. This name 'Elohim' or 'El' shows that God is strong, God is powerful, and God is mighty. Hallelujah! 

By the way, Elohim is the plural of El (the singular), and this speaks of the plurality of His Divine Persons in the Godhead - the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Three in One, but One God. And it is this Elohim whom we worship, and there is no other. 

El Elyon - The Most High God (Genesis 14:18). He is the Most High in your life! There is nothing and no one higher than Him in your life. 

El Roi - The God who sees (Genesis 16:13-14). He knows all things. He knows you from the inside out. He sees all that you have been going through, and He understands you. 

El Shaddai - The God Almighty (Genesis 17:1). He is the God who is All-Sufficient. All sufficiency is found in Him. It means He is more than enough for you! It means when you have Him, you have everything. You will never need to suffer any lack, if you look to Him and walk with Him. 

El Olam - The Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33). He is the eternal, everlasting God; and He lives forever. We proclaim that He is a God who lives forever and ever in our lives!

El Gibbor - The Mighty God, The Great God (Jeremiah 32:18-19). No work of darkness and no work of the enemy can withstand Him. He triumphs over all. Because you are in Him, and He is in you; therefore you can triumph and see your victory too! Is any situation in your life too hard for Him? None! He will know how to make a way for you, and He will know how to give you the breakthrough and victory! 

Immanu El - God with us (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:21-23). God is with you. And that's what Immanu El means. He is God became flesh, and He came to this earth to die for you, so that you may have life, and life more abundantly. He carried away all your sins, your cross, your shame, your curse, and your infirmities, so that you are now blessed. And by His stripes, you are healed. On this day, let us remember that He is your Immanu El. He is not nowhere. He is now here with you! 

Let's move on to the Redemptive names of God, YHWH. Indeed, He is a God who redeems you. He knows how to save you, and He knows how to rescue you. And He is showing to you that He is a personal God. Therefore, you can have a personal relationship with Him. 

As you open your heart to Him, He will come near to you, and He will enter your life. And He will make your life abundant. He will make your life full of joy. He will give you the peace that you need in your life that you cannot find anywhere in the world. 

YHWH simply means 'I AM THAT I AM'. Yes, He is who He is, and He will be who He will be. This tells us that He is the eternal, the unchanging, and the unshaken God. He will be all that He ever needed to be. Therefore, you are blessed, because you have YHWH in your life!

YHWH - 'I AM THAT I AM' (Exodus 3:14-15). He is the Self-Existent God. And He reveals Himself to you and I. Why? In order to redeem us, save us, and rescue us. Blessed is the name of the Lord! 

YHWH Yireh - The Lord who will provide (Genesis 22:14). Is there any area in your life that is having lack? Let the Lord fill it, and let the Lord provide. Your part is to open your heart to Him. Believe, and you will receive.

YHWH Rapha - The Lord who heals (Exodus 15:26). He heals you from the inside out. He heals you in your spirit, in your soul, and of course in your physical body. So, what are the areas in your life that need healing? Just receive by faith! I declare that the Lord is here to heal you! Receive your healing! In Jesus' name. Amen! 

YHWH Nissi - The Lord your Banner (Exodus 17:15). Indeed, He is the Lord your banner and your victory. If the enemy has been inflicting damage into your life recently, look to the Lord. Because He has become your victory, and He will know how to overcome for you. Amen! 

YHWH Shalom - The Lord our Peace (Judges 6:24). In this world that is shaking, in this world that is full of turbulence, and in this world that is full of 'storms', the Lord is your peace. No matter what happens around you in the world, you can have this shalom peace of the Lord. This is the peace that money cannot buy, but for you to receive.

YHWH Shaphat - The Lord who is Judge (Judges 11:27). Maybe you have been shortchanged or taken advantage of by some people. Or maybe you think that life is not fair. But the Lord is here for you. He sees what you are going through. He is a just God. He will know how to reward you when nobody knows how. And when no one understands you, He understands you. 

YHWH Elyon - The Lord your God (Psalm 7:17). He is the Lord Most High. Yes, He is higher than every work of darkness that comes against you. And at His name, every knee shall bow, every tongue confesses, that He is the Lord. 

YHWH Raah -  The Lord your Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). We all are like sheep. The 'wolves' may try to eat us up. But the Lord our God is our Shepherd. In Him, we can find safety. In Him, we can find green pastures. Amen!

YHWH Gibbor - The Lord is Mighty (Isaiah 42:13). He is the Lord who is mighty to save us and rescue us. He is the Lord who is mighty to set us free from every form of curse or bondage in this world. 

YHWH Tsidkenu - The Lord our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6). No matter how we try, we cannot earn this righteousness. But because He is the Righteousness, and He lives in us, therefore we are made righteous by His grace, and by our faith. Amen! 

YHWH Shammah - The Lord who is there (Ezekiel 48:35). He is the Lord who is there for you. He is the Lord who is ever present in your life. There's not even one second that He is away from you. He is always here with you, wherever you may be. Amen! 

You see, each of these Redemptive names of God, YHWH, shows how YHWH meets every need of us in His redemptive power. 

And of course He is the Lord Jesus Christ! He is your Yahweh Yeshua Christos. The Lord Savior Anointed. He is the Lord who is everything that you ever need. Blessed are you! So, today we want to lift up His name. We want to declare His name. We want to proclaim His name. And we want to taste and see that He is good in our lives. Amen! 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

You are God's precious and beloved!

If you feel like you are not good enough or not successful enough in your life, you need to hear this. The Lord loves you and the Lord accepts you. You are not a failure in His eyes. You are the apple of His eyes. It means you are precious to Him and He has great love towards you. Don't let anyone or the devil talk you out of this. 

Remember this: The Lord loves you and the Lord accepts you. It's not about what you do or what's your 'performance' in your life, but it's about who you are in Him. You know why? Because the Lord doesn't measure success the way the world measures success. You see, the world measures success by these: fame, position, money. In other words, how much money you have, how famous you are, how many social media followers you have, what is your position in the society, what is your social status, how many big houses or big cars you have, etc. But you know what? The Lord sees inside of you. The Lord sees the heart. Just look at the twelve disciples that Jesus chose. He didn't choose His disciples using the criteria of fame, position, or money. If He did that, many of these disciples would have failed these criteria. 

Therefore beloved of God, be encouraged. You are precious in His eyes. God loves you. This is what the Lord wants to tell you at this time. And no matter what your age may be, and what situation you are in at the moment, look to the Lord. Remember this: You are not useless. You are precious in His eyes. You are His beloved. You are made righteous through your faith in Him. In fact, you have been forgiven of all your sins. You are cleansed and you are made holy through the blood of Jesus shed for you on the cross. 

Always give thanks to the Lord. You see, no one may understand what exactly you are going through, but He understands. He sees everything. He knows you inside out. 

So, open your heart, and lift up your hands before the Lord. Give yourself entirely to the Lord all over again. Yes, He can even use your hands, as you lift up your hands before Him. 

The Lord says: "Lift up your hands, for I am touching your hands. I am anointing your hands for My glory. I am releasing My power through your hands. Use your hands to bless! Use your hands as the extension of My hands!" 

Not only the Lord sees you as His precious, He's also inviting you to dedicate your hands to Him right now. Let your hands be cleansed and be washed by the Lord. Yes, the Lord wants to bless you - from top to toe; spirit, soul, body; mind, will, emotions. But today the Lord specifically says He wants to touch your hands. 

Psalm 134:2 says, 'Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.' It means to lift up your hands in His presence. Wherever you are now, He is here with you. You see, we can worship Him with our hands lifted, and not just in songs and singing. When you lift up your hands before Him, it is a sign of worship. And to worship is to surrender, to submit to Him, to yield to Him. As you lift up your hands, you are also blessing His holy name, just as what this psalmist wrote here. 

You see, the Lord created our hands not just for manual work, but as instruments of worship and channels of His blessing. Your hands are created as the extension of His ministry and His kingdom!

So, let's lift up our hands, and let us bless His holy name! Bless the Lord! Yes, the Lord is touching your hands right now. Let Him. Let Him release His anointing and His power upon you! 

1 Timothy 2:8, in the words of apostle Paul, "I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." You see, again, you can use your hands to bless. In fact, the Scripture says 'holy hands'. It means your hands are made cleansed and made holy; not by your own works, not by your own strength; but by the blood of Jesus Christ.  

Job 11:13 says: "If you would prepare your heart, and stretch out your hands toward Him." It means you can stretch out your hands toward the Lord - in blessing His name, in prayer, in worship, in surrender. So, as you prepare your heart, and as you let go, forgive, and receive this gift of righteousness through Him, you can stretch out your hands and bless His holy name. You can stretch out your hands in prayer. You can stretch out your hands in fellowshipping with Him.

And there's some more! 

Mark 16:17-18, in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

See the word 'hands' here? As you receive His anointing and His power, you can lay hands on the sick and let the Lord's healing flow through you and out of you. You are that channel of blessing! 

So remember this. Whatever your situation may be at the moment, or if you think your life is going nowhere, just look at your hands. Your hands are blessed hands. Yes, receive these words today. The Lord is releasing great things through your hands. Amen! 

Acts 5:12 says, 'And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people.' Acts 19:11 says, 'Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul.' 

Whether you are called into the apostolic ministry or not; whatever you are called for, whatever your situation may be, and wherever you are; the Lord can touch your hands, and the Lord can work miracles through your hands as well!

Acts 8:17 says, 'Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.' 

Your hands can even be the channel of the Holy Spirit filling other lives, the Holy Spirit baptism. And you know when you are so full of the Holy Spirit, you are blessed! Because the Holy Spirit in you will always lead you and guide you. You will never end up in any 'dead-end road', as long as you follow His leading and walk in His guidance, the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

And you know what? Your hands are not just for spiritual work, not just for healing, for signs and wonders and miracles, for the Holy Spirit baptism; but your hands can be used even in simple ways! Just a pat on the back of somebody can make his or her day! 

You see, the Lord can use your hands to encourage others when they are down. The Lord can use your hands to build others. And you know what? Those who encourage others will themselves be encouraged, and those who build others will themselves be built. Because what you sow is what you reap. If you sow encouragement to others, you yourself will reap encouragement. 

So that's why not only you are precious in His eyes, your hands are precious in His eyes too. Use it for His glory. Amen! 

Matthew 19:13-15 says, 'Then little children were brought to Jesus that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.' 

Indeed, as Jesus has shown as an example, your hands can also be used to bless and to impart to the new generation, the next generation. You can use your hands to bless, to impart good virtues, to impart grace and to impart wisdom upon children, the generation after yours, so that they will have a bright future. Hallelujah! 

See how much God can use you? And I'm just writing about your pair of hands today. I've not written about other areas yet. There are so many parts of our body and so many other areas of our life that I've not mentioned yet. But I'm just talking about your pair of hands today. And even then, the Scripture has so many verses on this!

Let us pray: "O Lord God, whatever our situation may be, we can look to You. Because in Your eyes, we are loved, we are Your precious, we are the apple of Your eyes. We worship You, and we surrender to You today. We receive Your touch today. Touch our hearts, touch our lives, and You have spoken today that You are touching our hands. We receive all this. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Why is it important to 'watch and pray'?

The Lord says He is in the midst of raising up many watchmen in this time and season. These are spiritual watchmen who would hear from Him and release His words to prepare the people for what's going to happen. They would even give early warning for any impending danger or potential trouble, so as to prevent certain evil or danger from happening to the people.

By the way, when it is mentioned 'watchmen' here, it can also be women. Indeed the Lord is raising up many such men and women for such a time as this. 

There are many references in the Scripture about 'watchmen'. For example, in 2 Kings 9:17, it is written, 'The watchman on the tower of Jezreel saw Jehu and his company approaching, so he shouted to Joram, "I see a company of troops coming!" King Joram then ordered, "Send out a rider to ask if they are coming in peace."'. 

Here, you can see that one function of watchmen is to keep watch against any physical threat or danger to a particular city. Those days, in cities, especially important cities, watchmen would be positioned on the high walls or at watchtowers, so that they can see far ahead into the distance, in order to keep watch against potential threat or danger against the city.

Today, we will look at the definition of this word 'watchman' according to the Scripture, and the functions of 'watchman', especially in the context of our New Testament times. 

The word 'watchman' here is from the word 'tsawfaw' in Hebrew, and it can mean any of these: 

- to peer into the distance;

- to lean forward and watch over;

- to be alert and be on the look out;

- to keep watch and observe;

- to sound the alarm and give a warning. 

Of course, watchmen can be physical watchmen, but it can also be spiritual watchmen, which is our topic of interest today. 

Why 'watchmen'? 

In the Scripture, 'watchmen' are like the guards who are given the task of protecting cities, towns, farms, and even fields. They are tasked with protecting all these from surprise enemy attacks or other potential dangers. They would keep watch and warn the people in the city of any potential threat or attack from outsiders. Not just that, watchmen are also tasked as 'scouts' to be on the look out for approaching visitors into the city, whether friends or enemies, as you can see just now in 2 Kings 9:17, when King Joram was inquiring if the visitors were coming in peace or not. Of course, what you see here in this verse was 'watchman' in the physical sense. But 'watchman' can also be in the context of spiritual and prophetic sense. 

You see, generally, everyone should be watching and praying. Jesus Himself said to His disciples to watch and pray (Mark 14:38). So, generally, everyone should watch and pray! However, some are appointed by the Lord for specific purposes as spiritual watchmen. And usually, they will have the prophetic dimension with them. Some are appointed by the Lord to be watchmen for a certain ministry, for a certain entity, for a certain family, for the nation (or nations), and some are watchmen for the Body of Christ. 

What do they do? 

They would be interceding. They would be 'standing in the gap' to ask the Lord to intervene, for example, for the future of a particular nation, or for what is happening in the Body of Christ. This is crucial especially in a challenging time like now. 

So you see, the Lord does appoint spiritual watchmen in preparing His people in this end-time. And He is preparing His people for what's coming in each time and season, and even sounding the alarm for what's coming. Why? In order to prevent His people from falling into trap, pitfalls, or temptation. 

But of course watchmen's task can sometimes be very challenging in its nature. Because not everyone would accept what they say. You can see that in Hosea 9:8, 'The prophet is a watchman over Israel for my God, yet traps are laid for him wherever he goes. He faces hostility even in the house of God.' 

Watchmen may face hostility from outside the Body of Christ, but watchmen may also face hostility from within, even among the believers. You see, there can be a situation when genuine prophetic voices are not heeded by the people, and these watchmen are even persecuted by their own people. Because many people tend to only want to hear what they want to hear, and reject what they don't want to hear. This is the 'price to pay' if one is called as one of those spiritual watchmen of the Lord. 

But if you are a spiritual watchman for the Lord, and you know you are one of those whom the Lord has appointed especially in this challenging, perilous time, I want to encourage you. Blessed are you! Because even though you may be persecuted in different ways, the Lord is with you! 

In Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus Himself said: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Hallelujah! It means the kingdom of heaven is upon you, working in you, and working through you. And you are the expression of the kingdom of heaven on earth. His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen! Jesus continued: "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." This is the cross-reference to Hosea 9:8 that we read just now. 

So watchmen, keep being faithful before the Lord, and keep speaking as His mouthpiece. Let Him put His words in your mouth. As you speak and declare, and as you do as He tells you to do, things are going to change according to His will. He is not dead. He is still very much alive. And He is still intervening. If there are times you don't know what to pray specifically, pray in the spirit, because praying in the spirit is praying in the perfect will of God. You are calling heavens down. You are calling the perfect will of God down on this earth. Amen! 

I want to pray for all the spiritual watchmen in our midst today. I pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to rest on you. I pray that your spiritual eyes will continue to be enlightened, to see and gaze into the many things in the spiritual realm. You are going to see many more things in the spiritual realm that the Lord wants to show to you. The Lord has appointed you for such a time as this, and not man. I want to release this anointing upon you. Grace upon grace be with you, and you will grow in this ministry, from faith to faith, from grace to grace, from glory to glory. Amen! Hallelujah! 

Prayer: "O Lord God, we thank You for Your words today that You are in the midst of raising up many spiritual watchmen. We bless Your holy name. We want to be faithful to be who You have appointed us to be. Teach us to be vigilant and alert to Your revelations. Teach us to function in more effective ways for Your name's sake and for Your glory. We humble ourselves before You, and we allow You to use us as You wish. In the name of Jesus. Amen." 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

If you need a miracle, watch this!

What does the Lord say for this week? He simply says: "My ways are higher!"

Indeed, His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts! 

You see, many times, His ways and His thoughts don't even make sense to our human minds. Because our human minds are limited. But you know what? He always sees farther, and He always knows better. After all, He is God and we are not. 

That's why it's so important to have a personal relationship and personal walk with the Lord. Because without this personal relationship and personal walk with the Lord, we will not be able to see the many things that He wants us to see. And if we can't see how He sees, or think how He thinks, we will miss out a lot on what He wants to show us or tell us. 

In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Lord says: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

The Scripture has many examples of miracles. One example is the miraculous healing of Naaman. 

So, we are going right into this story of Naaman, and how the Lord (through prophet Elisha) was so 'unconventional' in His ways of healing Naaman from his leprosy.

If you read 2 Kings chapter 5, you would know that Naaman was a successful man. But alas, he was a leper. For the record, in that era, leprosy was a dreaded and incurable disease that would eventually result in death. So, no matter how successful Naaman was as the commander of the army of the king of Syria, he had this devastating situation: He was a leper. 

Naaman then found out from a servant girl that there's a prophet in Israel who could heal him of his leprosy. Out of his desperation, he departed for Israel to seek his healing. 

As Naaman stood at the door of Elisha's house, Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." 

But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, "Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.'" 

Now, that's what Naaman thought with his own limited mind! 

Naaman was expecting Elisha to come out and greet him and just wave his hand over the place and heal his leprosy, just like that! But you know what? Elisha didn't even come out! Instead Elisha sent a messenger to him with this instruction: "Go and wash in the Jordan River seven times." 

This instruction didn't make sense to Naaman at all! Not only that, Naaman felt indignant too. Why? Because he was supposed to be the 'VIP', and he expected Elisha to come out and greet him, and to do according to what he had expected! 

But Elisha didn't. Elisha only sent a messenger. Elisha didn't 'perform the miracle' according to how Naaman had expected or wanted it to be!

Naaman then said further, "Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" 

So, Naaman turned and went away in a rage. He just couldn't see the 'logic' in what Elisha had said and instructed for him to do. 

But you know what? Elisha was just hearing from the Lord, and was just saying exactly what the Lord has spoken. You see, a true prophet will only say as the Lord says!

Back to Naaman now. 

After considering an advice from his servant, Naaman finally heeded this instruction from Elisha to go and dip seven times in the Jordan. And you know what? The result was for all to see! The Scripture says Naaman's flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. In other words, he was healed of his leprosy! Clean and clear! Total, complete healing and restoration to his body!

You see, the Lord our God is a God who is above our human logic. He is not just natural. He is supernatural. He is not a God who only sees the way this world sees. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). 

So, let us be set free in our minds! 

This is the time to ask Him to set us free from our limited minds! 

This is the time to ask Him to let us see in the ways that He sees! 

Never limit Him on what He can do and how He does it!

And you too will see your miracles and breakthroughs as well! 

Hallelujah!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Ask for wisdom!

We all need God's wisdom in our lives. Why? Because He is infinitely wiser than us, and He knows better than us. Also, His ways and His thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Let's look at one example in the Scripture. 

In 1 Kings 3:5, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and the Lord said, "Ask! What shall I give you?" 

Indeed, at this juncture of our lives, the Lord is asking us: "Ask! What shall I give you?" 

In 1 Kings 3:9-10, Solomon answered: "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?"

The word 'discern' here is 'biyn' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to separate or distinguish (between right and wrong)'. In other words, knowing what is the right thing to do, and what is not the right thing to do. 

In 1 Kings 3:11-12, pleased with Solomon's answer, the Lord then said: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; Behold I have done according to your words. See, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you."

In 1 Kings 3:13-14, the Lord said further: "And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes, and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days." 

You see, the Lord looks for the sincerity in one's heart. The Lord looks for the authenticity in one's heart. The Lord looks for the genuineness in one's heart. These are the keys or ingredients to walk in continuous divine wisdom of the Lord. 

So, beloved of God, as you yield before the Lord, as you surrender and submit before the Lord, and as you ask Him for His wisdom and discernment in your life, believe that the Lord is going to pour forth His wisdom upon you. 

Not long after that encounter with the Lord in the dream, and not long after the Lord had spoken to Solomon, there was a situation when the king needed wisdom to deal with a certain argument and contention. In this case, two women came to him in order to have an argument and contention settled. 

One of the women said, "Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone. There were only two of us in the house. But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead. But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't my son at all." 

The other woman then interrupted, "It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine." 

So you can see they were fighting and arguing about the ownership of that living child. 

"No," the first woman said, "the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours." 

And so they argued back and forth before the king. 

Now imagine that you are the king, and you are listening to both sides of the story. And they're arguing back and forth. 

The king then said, "Let's get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other. All right, bring me a sword." 

So a sword was brought to the king. 

The king then said further, "Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other." 

Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved the child very much, cried out, "Oh no, my lord! Give her the child - please do not kill him!" 

But the other woman said, "All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!" 

Then the king said, "Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother." 

And when all Israel heard the king's decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom the Lord had given him for rendering justice. 

The word 'wisdom' here is 'khokmaw' in Hebrew. It can be defined as 'the quality of having the right discernment and good judgment in a certain matter'. In other words, the quality of being wise. 

So you see, wisdom is a quality. Now, we all speak about the quality of life, or having a better quality of life. But I tell you something. Wisdom is one very important quality in our life. Therefore, ask and receive wisdom from the Lord. 

Now you see, we all need wisdom in life and in any form of decision making - be it in our household, in our business, in our career, in ministry, or in leadership in any capacity. In fact, every day in our life is about decisions, decisions, decisions - what decision we need to make, and what decision we need to check with the Lord. 

But there's a good news for you today. Because the Lord is saying to you that He will always be willing to give you the wisdom if you need to have that wisdom. You just need to ask. You just need to have the right heart before Him. And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That's exactly what the king (Solomon) said. 

Let's check it out in Proverbs 9:9-11. Here, the Scripture says: 'Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.' 

And by the way, the word 'wisdom' here is the same word 'khokmaw'. In other words, the quality of having the right discernment and good judgment. 

Beloved of God, as you walk in step with the Lord, you are also walking in that wisdom of the Lord that He is releasing to you, every step of the way. Aren't you blessed? 

Now you see, 'the fear of the Lord' means 'the reverence of the Lord', or 'to have reverential fear of the Lord'. It means whatever He says, you give your attentive ears to listen, to hear Him, to learn to yield and submit to Him; because He is God and we are not. 

And that's what the fear of the Lord is about. And it is this reverential fear, a reverential awe of the Lord, that leads to you receiving that wisdom from the Lord. So, ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be open to you. Amen! 

I believe this is a very crucial time to ask the Lord for wisdom, and also to pray for our national leaders to receive the wisdom from Him to know what to do and what not to do, and to make the right decisions.

Let us pray: "O Lord God, we thank You that You have given us Your wisdom. Your wisdom is greater than the wisdom of men. You always see further and You know better. We thank You for this privilege that we have as Your beloved, that we can walk in Your divine wisdom every step of the way, in every area of our lives. We also want to bless the authority that You have raised up to make the right decisions in the administration of the country. So, we lift up our hands and we bless those whom You put as the governing authority of the nation. Because the Scripture instructs us to do so. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Prophetic words: A new generation is arising!

The Lord says: "A new generation of apostolic and prophetic people is arising. For I will raise up a people who are bold to walk with Me and speak what I speak, even in a time when the spirit of antichrist is also arising. But My people will triumph. I will put My words in their mouth, and not them putting their words in My mouth. For I will raise up a people who fear no man, or are men pleasers, but a people who say only as I say, and do as I command."

Indeed, the Lord is raising up such people in this time. These are not men-pleasers. Men-pleasers are people who speak only what men wants to hear, what is sensational to their ears, or what is music to their ears. But it may not be what God says. They even put words in God's mouth, even though God never says it. Now, that's very dangerous.

But praise the Lord, because He is raising up a people who will not fear man, but fear the Lord. These are people who will not bow down to the Babylonian ways in the world. By the way, 'Babylon' is from the word 'Babel'. This speaks of men trying to build a name for themselves, or men trying to build their own empires, instead of allowing God to build His kingdom in His way.

The Lord is also raising up a people who will serve Him sincerely without being engrossed with wanting fame, position, or social status. In other words, these are like the reluctant people. Jeremiah was one. Elijah was one. In fact, after the wilderness experience, Moses was also one. These are people who have the sincerity of heart and will not put on a front or put on a show for others to see in the outward. Because the Lord is saying He is looking for people who are real. It means what you see in their outside is who they really are in the inside. They are not hypocrites.

These are apostolic and prophetic people who will declare as God declares, and say as God says. When He says so, they say so. When He says no, they say no.

One example is Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 1:4-8 says: 'The Lord gave me this message: "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as My prophet to the nations." But Jeremiah said, "O Sovereign Lord, I can't speak for You! I'm too young!" The Lord replied, "Don't say, 'I'm too young,' for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don't be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!"'

The time is coming when people who don't want it, the Lord is choosing them. And people who want it so much (but with wrong intention or motive), the Lord will turn His head away.

May you be one of those whom the Lord says, "This is a right one. This is a person who is real. This is a person who will not put on a show. And this is a person who will say, 'Yes Sir!' to whatever I have spoken for them to say and to do."

Jeremiah 1:9-10 says: 'Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, "Look, I have put My words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant."'

Interestingly, the name 'Jeremiah' is 'Yirme Yah' in Hebrew. There can be different definitions to this name. But I'm going to show you four. It can mean 'YHWH lays the foundation', 'YHWH establishes', 'YHWH appoints', or 'YHWH sends'.

In this time, He is laying the foundation in His people, He is establishing His people, He is appointing His people, and He is sending His people. Many of them have been 'hidden'. They don't look for attention. They don't want to be known. But the Lord knew them. And He is raising them up in such a time.

By the way, this new generation the Lord is talking about has nothing to do with physical age. Rather, the Lord is speaking about a new mindset, a new wineskin for the new wine that He is pouring forth. It is about those who have the same mentality as the Lord's - those who see the way He sees, not how man sees. 

So, it's not about one's physical age. It means one may be in his 50's, 60's, 70's or even beyond, but yet he sees the way God sees. Yet there are people who may be in their 30's, 40's, or 50's who may still be bound by lots of man-made traditions or old wineskins. And when the new wine comes, the old wineskin is going to break. So, it's not about one's physical age. Just look at Caleb and Joshua in Moses' days. Yet the Lord caused them to enter the Promised Land. Why? Because they saw how God saw. 

And this is the kind of people whom the Lord is raising up in such a time.

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to flow with the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit has the nature like a river, and as you learn to flow with this river of the Holy Spirit, therein lies the key to every good thing in your life, and all that you ever need on this earth that money cannot buy and the world cannot offer you. 

When you flow with the Holy Spirit, you are like on a canoe, flowing with the current of the river. This river will bring you somewhere - somewhere good of course. All His goodness, lovingkindness, revelation, healing, and provision will also flow in you and through you. Your life will be free and easy, as long as you don't resist Him. And as you flow with this river, you'll begin to walk in His perfect will for you. In fact, you'll begin to know yourself better and know who you are in Him.

So beloved of God, whatever your burden or problem may be in your life at the moment, take heart, because there's hope and there's a solution for you. Look to Him, and not to the world. Drink from Him, and He will know how to fill you, lead you and guide you. As you let go of all those burdens or problems to Him, and flow with the river of His Spirit, He will surely bring you to somewhere good.

Psalm 63:1-2 says, 'O God, You are my God. Early will I seek You. My soul thirsts for You. My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.' 

David wrote this psalm when he was in the wilderness. In such a time, he turned to nowhere else but to the Lord. 

So, if you too find yourself in a time of 'wilderness', look to the Lord, receive from Him, and drink from Him. 

The word 'thirst' here in Hebrew is 'tsawme'. It speaks of a need or a desire to drink something (whether literally or figuratively) especially in a time of drought, wilderness or dryness.

Psalm 42:1-2 says, 'As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God...' 

Whatever you may be facing at the moment, and no matter how 'dry' your situation may be, or what kind of 'wilderness' you are experiencing at the moment, the Lord can quench this 'thirst' in your life. 

The word 'thirst' here in Hebrew is 'tsawme', exactly the same as in Psalm 63, that is 'a need or a desire to drink something (literally or figuratively) especially in a time of drought, wilderness or dryness.' 

In John 7:37-39, Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 

Here, Jesus spoke concerning the Holy Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive. You are blessed today because the Holy Spirit has been given to you. 

The word 'thirst' here in Greek is 'dipsao'. It means 'a longing to be refreshed and replenished (literally or figuratively).' See the word 'longing' here? Indeed, like the deer that pants and longs for the water brooks, and as you drink from His Spirit, you shall be refreshed, renewed and replenished. 

So, how to flow with the Holy Spirit? We just need to look at David's life. No doubt he has his weaknesses too. But he lived a life of surrender and submission to the Lord. Also, he has a yielded heart to the Lord, and his heart was soft before the Lord. And he has learned to trust the Lord at all times, even in the most challenging of times.

You see, a Christian life is a very special walk with God. It is a very personal walk with God. Enjoy this walk. Enjoy this fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Because it is from here flows every good thing in your life. So let us return to the very essence and heart of what being in Christ means. Return to this very essence of walking with God. It's not so much about a set of rules or a set of religious laws, but a Christian life is deeper than that. It is this very special relationship with the Holy Spirit, a personal walk with Him, that matters the most.

Beloved of God, it is a special privilege to be in a relationship with the Holy Spirit, knowing that you can fellowship with Him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anytime, anywhere. And with this Holy Spirit with you, you need not be afraid, no matter what happens around you in the world. Why? Because you know that the Holy Spirit is Someone you can trust; and He will know how to lead you and guide you, step by step, every step of the way. Amen.

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

How to walk in supernatural health?

There are 5 points to how you can walk in supernatural health:

1. Keep your connection with heaven

Isaiah 26:3 says, 'You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.' 

2. Know your freedom in Christ

2 Corinthians 3:17 says, 'Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.'

3. Live a life of forgiveness

Ephesians 1:7 says, 'In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.'

Luke 23:34 says, 'Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."'

4. Live a lifestyle of Jesus

Mark 1:35 says, 'Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.'

Deuteronomy 5:33 says, 'You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.'

5. Enter Daniel's fast

Daniel 1:8 says, 'But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.'

Daniel 1:11-13 says, 'So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants."'

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to prepare for the year 2023?

There are 5 basic points that the Lord has spoken as you prepare for the year 2023:

1. Be led by the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:14-16 (NKJV) 

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

2. Don't look back

Genesis 19:15-16 (NKJV)

When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.

Genesis 19:17 (NKJV)

So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."

Genesis 19:26 (NKJV)

But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

3. Learn to be contented

1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NKJV)

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NKJV)

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

4. Stay focused on the Lord

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Colossians 3:1-2 (NKJV)

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

5. Walk in the supernatural realm

1 Kings 17:2-4 (NKJV)

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."

1 Kings 17:5-6 (NKJV)

So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.

Click here for the full prophetic message in TiC YouTube Channel

Feeling overwhelmed? Resort in the Lord!

The Lord says: 

"For you who have been overwhelmed, stressed, burdened, worried or anxious in your life, or you are facing a situation that you don't see any hope, look to Me and lean on Me. Like John who rested on My bosom, and like the man at the pool of Bethesda who trusted and believed in Me, I will carry your burden, and I will bring you through. There is no burden or situation in your life that I cannot carry. Cast all these care to Me, for I am the Lord who cares for you." 

We all know that we are living in a very uncertain time. But there's a good news for you. The Lord is saying that He notices you, He cares for you, and He is here to carry all your burdens, whatever your burdens may be at the moment. 

In reference to what the Lord has spoken just now, let's go to John 13:23 first. This verse says, 'Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.' And of course we know that he is John. You see the word 'leaning' here? Leaning on Jesus' bosom! The same it is for you right now. The Lord wants you to just rest in Him, lean on Him, and look to Him. Different people different. Your situation may be different from another person's situation. But the Lord knows it. The Lord notices it. And the Lord will bring you through. I declare that everything's going to be alright for you. Amen! 

The word 'leaning' here is 'anakeimai' in Greek. This word can mean any of these: 'to rest on, to lie on, to eat together with, to have deep fellowship with.' In other words, the Lord is calling you to just rest in Him, lie on Him, lean on Him, come to a deeper communion with Him and in intimacy with His Spirit. And that's how even in the midst of the 'storm' around you, you can still have peace and calmness in your life. 

John 5:2-4 says, 'Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.' 

As you can see here, 'Bethesda' is the name of a pool near the Sheep Gate at Jerusalem. And Bethesda is where its waters was believed those days to have healing and curative power to heal every kind of sickness. The sick, blind, lame, paralyzed, and people with all kinds of troubles and diseases would converge there to wait for their turn to be healed. 'Bethesda' in Hebrew can mean 'house of mercy, house of kindness, house with flowing water'; where people received the mercy of God, the kindness of God, and the healing water of God. 

But you know what? The problem is this: There's a long queue, and many people were waiting for that queue, waiting for their turn to receive their healing at the stirring of the water!

John 5:5-6 says, 'Now a certain man was there, and this man was there who had an infirmity 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to this man, "Do you want to be made well?"' 

Beloved, whatever situation you may be facing at the moment, the Lord is asking you the same. He loves you. He wants to heal you. He wants to restore you. It doesn't necessarily have to be a health condition like this man at Bethesda. It can be a soul problem. It can be a spiritual problem. It can be any problem you are facing in life at the moment. Whatever it may be, the Lord wants to visit you and meet with you. 

John 5:7-9 says, 'The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.'

Do you see the scenario here at that time? Everybody wanted to be the next person to receive the healing touch of God, but there's just no opportunity for this sick man. But you know what? Jesus came along. Jesus saw him. Jesus noticed him. Jesus healed him.

Maybe you too are in a situation where no one notices you, no one cares for you, and no one takes a second look at you. But the Lord is saying to you right now He is here for you. You see, in this world where everybody is after their own things; it is a rat race, it is a dog-eat-dog world, it is a world that can be cruel; and you feel that you have been forgotten, you feel that no one notices you; I have a good news for you. God is here. God notices you. You are not just one among many in the crowd, like what happened to that man in Bethesda. When no one else notices you, Jesus notices you! 

You know what? There's nothing in this life that cannot be solved when you are in Him, and when you learn to rest in Him, lean on Him, and look to Him. I believe this is the time He is going to minister to you directly. Yes, even if you are among a crowd of people, He notices you. And He is here to minister to you directly in your specific and unique situation. 

You see, one beautiful thing about the Lord your God is He has never forgotten you, and He has never stopped working in your life - whether you see it with your physical eyes or not - whether He is working literally or working behind the scene in your life. 

So, like the man at Bethesda, receive His touch right now. Receive His love. Receive His healing. Receive all that He wants you to receive right now. 

I sense that in this time and season, the Lord is opening the window of heaven and releases the rain from heaven, releases the rain of the Holy Spirit right into your life. This rain will bring blessing from heaven right into your life. Receive this heavenly rain. Receive on behalf of your household as well. Receive and be blessed. Amen! 

Now I want to point you to Psalm 71:1-3 that says, 'In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually. You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.' 

Do you notice there's this word 'resort' in the Scripture? And here you find it in Psalm 71, New King James Version. The word 'resort' here is 'bow' in Hebrew, and this word can mean 'to enter in, to run towards, to fall on (Him), to abide in, to confide in, to entrust something to someone for safe keeping'. 

For the record, this psalm was written by David in a time of uncertainty and trouble. Notice that David was writing, 'O Lord, I can resort in You continually...' And David means 'Beloved'. And you too, as a beloved of God, you can enter into His presence continually, you can run towards Him continually, you can fall on Him and lean on Him continually, you can abide in Him continually, you can confide in Him continually, and you can entrust your situation to Him for safe keeping continually. 

Isn't this good news in a time of uncertainty and trouble around us? 

You see, many people in this world seem to not know what to expect in life, or what to expect for their future. They are worried. They are anxious. They are feeling hopeless. They are feeling troubled. But you need not be one of them. You can still have peace and calmness. You can still rest in the Lord, even in the midst of all these uncertainties and trouble, even in a great storm on this earth, whatever the storm may be (e.g. economic storm, political storm, etc). It's like being in the eye of the storm, at the center of a storm, yet you are not affected by the storm. Now, this is what happens when you lean on Him, when you rest on His bosom, and when you rest in His presence.

So, do you see that? All these verses that I've shared with you today, it all ties up. And at the end of the day, you know that the Lord has this message for you, that He wants to meet with you, and He wants to encounter with you. Why? Because He loves you. He wants to heal you. He wants to rescue you. He wants to make a way for you. Amen! 

Let us pray: "O Lord God, we look to You. We lean on You. And we rest in You. Like John who rested on Your bosom, or like the man at the pool of Bethesda who trusted and believed in You. Whatever situation we may be facing at the moment, we can cast all these care to You, for You are the Lord who cares for us. Indeed there is no burden or situation in our lives that You cannot carry. You will see to it that You will carry our burdens, You will bring us through, You will know how to create a better future for each of us. We are grateful to You. We thank You for all that You have done in our lives. And we thank You in advance for all that You are going to do in our lives. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Words for now: In your weakness, He is your strength!

The Lord says: "There may be people who make life difficult for you at the moment, and those who oppose you or cause problem to you at the moment, but look to Me, for I will know how to turn it around for you. I will know how to turn it around for your good and for your victory. I will strengthen you, and My grace is sufficient for you. In your weakness, I will be your strength. Take heart." 

Beloved of God, if you have been going through a certain challenge in life, or going through some problems in life, or some people are opposing you or causing problems to you, take heart. The Lord says He is here for you, as long as you do what He tells you to do and keep your focus on what He has spoken for you to do. He will know how to turn things around for you. His grace is more than enough for you. 

For today, we are going to look at the life of King Hezekiah. 

2 Kings 18:13 says, 'And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.'

Here, you see that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against Judah and the people of God. This name 'Sennacherib' comes from the original word 'Senkerib'. The original meaning of 'Senkerib' is 'sin being multiplied'. So, this can speak of the spirit of darkness or the work of darkness that comes against you, that tries to persecute you and cause problem to you, as you walk with God on this earth. 

2 Kings 18:28-30 says, 'Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and spoke, saying, "Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you from his hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, "The Lord will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."''

By the way, 'Rabshakeh' was a title in the Assyrian kingdom those days, and Bible scholars believe he was the chief of staff or a governor who served the king of Assyria. Here, this Rabshakeh was challenging the people of God, "Don't let Hezekiah deceive you, or make you trust in the Lord!" In short, "Don't trust Hezekiah!"

Beloved of God, if you are in the same situation when someone tries to sow seeds of distrust against you or sow seeds of discord against you, just look to the Lord and trust in the Lord. He will know how to take over.

Fast forward to 2 Kings 19:1-3, 'And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth... Then Hezekiah sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. And they said to him, "Thus says Hezekiah: 'This day is a day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth."' 

Maybe you too are in a situation when you have no more strength to carry on. Remember what the Lord has spoken just now? In your weakness, He is your strength! And I'm going to tell you something very interesting here, what the name 'Hezekiah' means: 'Khizkee Yah' in Hebrew. It means 'Yah strengthens' or 'Yah is my strength'. 

So, in a time of weakness, or in a time when you feel you have no more strength to carry on, the Lord wants you to receive this strength from Him. Remember: 'Khizkee Yah'. Yah strengthens you. Yah is your strength. Yah is the name of the Lord your God. His grace is more than enough for you. His grace is sufficient for you. He will know how to give you the strength. And He will know how to add upon you the strength that you need!

2 Kings 19:5-7 says, 'So the servants of King Hezekiah came to prophet Isaiah. And Isaiah said to them, "Thus you shall say to your master, 'Thus says the Lord: "Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."''

Notice here: "...return to his own land." You know what that means? It means God's going to turn things around and push all those works of darkness back. In other words, God has started to take over!

It is the same for you, beloved! God has started! God has begun! God has started to turn things around for you! You've got to believe this! Remember, He is a God who is not dead. He is a God who is very much alive in your situation, whatever you may be facing at the moment. 

Let's continue with 2 Kings 19:21-22. Just now, the Lord spoke to Hezekiah. But now, the Lord spoke about Sennacherib. Here, the Lord said: 'The virgin, the daughter of Zion, has despised you, laughed you to scorn; The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head behind your back! Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice, and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel...'

2 Kings 19:32-34 then says, 'Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: "He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return; and he shall not come into this city. For I will defend the city, to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake."' 

Beloved of God, I want to declare upon you the same, that the Lord is going to defend you, and the Lord will know how to fight for you. You don't have to fight for yourself or by yourself. The Lord will fight for you. Because the battle is not yours. The battle is the Lord's. Amen! 

Now look what's written in 2 Kings 19:35-36, 'And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out and killed in the camp of the Assyrians, the enemy, 185,000! And when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses - all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.' 

You see again here? God took over and turned things around. Of course under the New Covenant, we are not fighting flesh and blood. We are fighting against the principalities and the power of darkness. We are fighting against the rulers of the darkness of this age. We are fighting against spiritual hosts of wickedness. You can see that in Ephesians chapter 6.

And finally, in 2 Kings 19:37, 'Now it came to pass, as Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his God, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword...' 

It means his own children killed him! And the so-called great and mighty Sennacherib was finally defeated! And he wasn't even defeated in a battle. But he was defeated by the people of his own clan. 

The power of darkness better not play a fool with the Lord God. See what happened to those who boasted against the Lord and the people who put their trust in the Lord?

Therefore, beloved of God, as much as the enemy had wanted to crush you, I tell you what, the good news is this: God will not allow it! God will turn it around for you and get back to the enemy! 

So, take heart, if you are just being faithful doing what God tells you to do in each time and season of your life. Whatever people want to say, let them say. But you stay focused on what God tells you to do. And God will take care of the rest. 

I want to declare upon you that 'No weapon that comes against you shall prosper, and every word of judgment that rises against you, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. Your righteousness comes from the Lord.' That's in Isaiah 54:17. Amen! 

Let's pray: "O Lord God, we thank You that as much as the enemy wanted to crush Your people, You will not allow it. You will know how to turn things around, and You will know how to get back to the enemy. We do not have to fight this battle. The battle is Yours. So, we can take heart in this truth, that You will know how to take care of the rest, as we stay focused on what You have spoken for us to be and to do. You will know how to strengthen us. In our weakness, You will be our strength. Your grace is sufficient for us. As you have done for Hezekiah; You are the same yesterday, today and forever; You can do the same for our lives too. In the name of Jesus. Amen." 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to receive and keep the joy of the Lord?

The joy of the Lord is your strength! 

When I say this joy of the Lord, it is the joy that comes directly from heaven. Unspeakable joy! It is not something that humans can conjure up in this world, or no matter how many hours people spend in the entertainment outlets, singing their blues away, and trying to find joy and happiness in this world. No, I'm not teaching you about the worldly way. But I'm teaching you about the joy that comes directly from heaven, that you can receive and walk in it. Hallelujah! 

Nehemiah 8:9-10 (NKJV) says, 'And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; Do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!"' 

Why is it so important to have this joy of the Lord? Because without this joy of the Lord, one will not have the strength to carry on in life. But when you have this joy of the Lord, you will also have the strength and vigor to carry on in life and to fulfill all that God has purposed for you to be (and to do). And that's what it means by 'the joy of the Lord is your strength'! 

The word 'joy' here is 'khedvaw' in Hebrew. It comes from this word 'khawdaw', meaning 'to rejoice, to make glad, to be glad', and this is interesting, 'to be joined (in this context, to be joined with the Lord)'. 

I don't have to elaborate on the words 'rejoice', 'make glad', or 'be glad'; but I want to pinpoint today on 'be joined with the Lord'. That's 'khawdaw'! When your spirit and soul are joined with the Lord, you will be filled with unspeakable joy. And this joy stays with you and dwells in you.

You see, He is the Lord who is the Source of true joy. You can receive this joy from heaven when you align with Him, when you do what He says, and be who He wants you to be in each time and season of your life. You know what? This joy money cannot buy. And this joy cannot be conjured up by any human being in this world. This joy comes from the Lord. And that's why it's so important for you to be joined with the Lord. Because as I've written just now, without this joy, it's not easy to have the strength to carry on in this life, especially in this world when everything is being shaken and is in turbulence. 

Some people may say they can find joy and happiness the worldly way, in all kinds of places, at the entertainment outlets, trying to make friends, and singing their hearts out all night long. All these will not last. But the Lord is telling you what will last. It's by receiving and enjoining ourselves with Him in our spirit and our soul. It is from the inside out. Not from the outside in. It will then emanate from your spirit and soul, and flow out to others. People around you can sense and feel this joy that you have! 

One way to keep this joy is not always be self-seeking, but to look out for others, and to share good things with others. Not just good food and good things, but how about spiritual food? Yes, that's the Word of God! So, whenever you have the opportunity, be a blessing to others, encourage others, pray for others, minister to others, and share the good news of Jesus Christ to others. Yes, it doesn't have to be done formally. It can be done anytime, anywhere, wherever you are. So, do something to surprise others. Do something to bring joy to others. Those who bring joy to others will themselves receive the joy. So, listen to the Holy Spirit what are the things that you can do, and how to do it? How can you be a blessing to others? How can the river of the Holy Spirit in you flow out through you? You see, there's something wonderful about letting the river of the Holy Spirit flow, not just only in you, but also through you to others.

Back to the book of Nehemiah now. In Nehemiah's time, the people of the Lord were told they should be rejoicing. You can read through the whole book of Nehemiah. They have overcome the opposition, i.e. from Sanballat, Tobiah, etc. They have overcome with the help of the Lord. Therefore, they have every reason to rejoice! So it is the same with you! Because Jesus who is in you is greater than he that is in this world! You have overcome, because Jesus in you have overcome! Therefore you have every reason to rejoice as well! 

Another reason for the people in Nehemiah's time to rejoice was because the Lord has shown to them that He has been with them, He is still with them, and He will still be with them. This assurance that the Lord is with them is one reason for them to rejoice. So it is the same with you! In Christ, you know that the Lord is with you, and the Lord will not leave you nor forsake you. So, even for this one reason, you can rejoice too! 

Beloved of God, you don't have to wait till you are in heaven to have this joy of the Lord. Heaven on earth! His kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven! One aspect of His kingdom is this joy that comes from heaven. You can walk in this joy while you are on earth. So, go ahead and celebrate today, rejoice and be glad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! Hallelujah! 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Prophetic dream: A murky river turned into a clean river!

I received a dream from the Lord the other day. 

In the dream, I saw a very murky, filthy and polluted river flowing into the sea. It was full of rubbish and no life seemed to survive in that river. And then I saw huge waves, wave after wave, from the sea approaching and overwhelming the river. The sea water looked so clean and crystal clear like I've never seen before on earth. Instead of the river flowing into the sea, it was the other way round. The crystal clear sea water overturned the river water and turned the river clean and pure again. 

How this works in the physical realm, or is there any scientific explanation to it, I don't know. I'm not a scientist or geologist. But it's definitely something supernatural that I saw, and that's for sure. 

I then asked the Lord what this dream means, and this is what the Lord said: 

"This is the time and season I have begun to rebuild, repair, heal and restore My people and My church back to My original vision and purpose for them. Like the river that I have shown, what has become impure will be turned pure again, and what has become unclean will be turned clean again. Nothing that the enemy does in this world or the Babylonian systems of this world will be able to withstand My works, as I prepare My people, pure, holy and unblemished, for what is to come, and for My coming glory." 

Indeed, the Lord has begun preparing His people, His church, like the Bride being prepared - holy, unblemished, pure - for the coming of the Bridegroom. 

And I want to share with you the explanation and interpretation to this dream with this life called Josiah, a truly outstanding king among all the kings of Judah those days. 

Josiah's heart was tender before the Lord (see 2 Kings chapters 22 and 23). His heart was tender to the Word of God and to the Spirit of God. This is the quality the Lord is looking for in His people in this end-time as well. 

The great reformation during Josiah's days was actually an example of simply returning to the Word of God, and doing whatever the Lord says.

This is also the time and season the Lord is calling us to return to the Word of God and to return to His ways, instead of bowing down to any man-made ways, or the Babylonian systems. 

By the way, 'Babylonian systems' simply means systems that are man-made (instead of coming from God), and it has its origins from the word 'Babel' and 'Tower of Babel', which speaks of humans trying to build something for themselves, or trying to build their own 'empires', even though the Lord never says so, or never asks them to do so. 

Back to Josiah now. 

What makes Josiah so outstanding among all the kings of Judah and Israel? You see, there are other good kings too, for example, David and Hezekiah. But what makes Josiah so outstanding, so much so the Scripture says 'there was no king like him, nor after him did any arise like him'? (2 Kings 23:25)

I believe Josiah was outstanding among the many kings of Judah those days, not just because of his obedience and tender heart towards God (even though these are real reasons), but what made him outstanding was due to the fact that Josiah at that time was living in a terribly wicked and evil time. He lived in a terribly wicked and evil era when even the priests were corrupted, and there was widespread idolatry being practiced all around. In fact, there were even idols in the temple of the Lord itself! (2 Kings 23:4-5)

So, Josiah's godliness stood out like a bright light in the midst of the surrounding darkness all around him in his era. That made Josiah so outstanding. He was not afraid to be different. He was not afraid to make a change. He was not afraid to restore what God has originally planned for His people. And he did not bow down to the status quo during his days. That made him an outstanding king. 

How is this life and example of Josiah relevant to our time?

This is a time for reflection. This is a time to return to His ways. What are the things (or practices) in our lives that we should do away with and clear away? In this time and season, let the Holy Spirit fill us. Let the Holy Spirit enlighten us. Let the Holy Spirit show us what are the areas in our lives, and in our church as a whole, that we should just do away with, and clear away, and return to His original vision and purpose that the Lord has for us and for His church.

God loves us. God loves His church. God loves His people. This is not a message of condemnation. This is a message of restoration. God loves us, and therefore He wants the best for us. He wants to restore. He wants to heal. He wants to repair. He wants to rebuild. And He wants His perfect will be done in His people and in His church. Amen.

Prayer: "O Lord God, as Your people, we are like the river that You have shown, and we therefore humbly surrender our lives before You, as You begin the process of rebuilding, repairing, healing and restoring us. Like the river that You have shown, what has become impure will become pure again, and what has become unclean will become clean again. You love us and You have never forgotten us, and we know that nothing the enemy does in this world will be able to stop the work that You have begun, as You prepare us - pure, holy and unblemished - for what is to come and for Your coming glory. All this we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel