Prophetic words: A time for uprooting, cleansing and purifying!

As I was praying in the spirit the other day, I saw a vision of a strong hand uprooting the weeds in the garden. One by one the weeds were being uprooted, leaving no trace of the weeds, and not even the roots anymore. This process happened again and again while I was praying. I believe this is the hand of the Lord that uproots the weeds in that garden. 

I asked the Lord what these weeds and the garden mean.

The weeds can mean 'anything that is not from Him', and this includes all the wrong practices in our lives, and even the wrong practices in the church as a whole. 

The garden can mean 'our lives, the church as a whole, and His people' - any of these. 

The Lord then spoke, "Tell My people: This is a time of uprooting, cleansing and purifying. Let My hand uproot the weeds in your life, because I am setting you free from whatever that has bound you all these years. I am preparing and getting you ready for the greater glory and greater use in My kingdom." 

Beloved of God, what are the areas in our lives that need uprooting, cleansing and purifying? 

Different people different. Different church different. Let the Holy Spirit enlighten each of us. Take time to commune with the Holy Spirit. Set time for the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit will speak to us, show us, and enlighten us. It can be certain hurts in our life, certain wounds in our life, certain bitterness in our life, certain sin in our life, or whatever that is not of God that He wants to uproot in our life. Yes, even human traditions or human practices that is not of God. Or whatever 'tumor' or 'unwanted growth' in our life. Let God search our hearts. Let God shine into our spirit and soul, like a torchlight that shines into a room or a house.

For Scripture reference, we shall go straight to Matthew 15:1-2, 'Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."' 

Here's the background. These scribes and Pharisees came from Jerusalem to where Jesus was at that time, in order to investigate and assess the words and works of Jesus, and possibly to find fault with Him. So, they questioned Jesus on why His disciples did not follow the tradition of the elders of washing hands before eating bread. 

Now, the matter in question here had nothing to do with good hygiene. So, before you eat, by all means wash your hands for hygiene purpose. But as far as this part of the Scripture is concerned, it has nothing to do with good hygiene, but rather, the religious officials at that time were offended that Jesus' disciples did not observe the rigid and extensive rituals for washing hands before meals. 

In Matthew 15:3-6. Jesus answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother...' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" - then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition."

When Jesus' disciples were accused of transgressing the tradition of the elders, Jesus gave a very strong reply. Jesus replied that these leaders were far too concerned with their ceremonial rituals. The ceremonial washing were based on man-made traditions, and not the Scripture. Of course Jesus 'ruffled the feathers' of these religious leaders at that time. This was just one of the many conflicts He had with the religious leaders those days, which eventually caused them to deliver Him to be crucified. But you see, somebody has to speak the truth. And you know what? Jesus is the truth that came down! He is the way, the truth, and the life!

In order to understand Matthew 15:3-6 better, let's go to Mark 7:11-13 as a cross reference. Jesus said, "But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"' - (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." 

What is this 'Corban' here? In this practice, a son could say that his possessions or savings were Corban, i.e. 'especially devoted to God', and therefore unavailable to help his parents. Through this human tradition, a son could completely disobey the command to honor his father or mother, while looking ultra-religious! Jesus exposed this man-made tradition, and He called this as making the Word of God of no effect through these people's tradition. This is just one example of the many man-made traditions during Jesus' days. Now, in the context of our modern days, it is the same. Through the past many decades and centuries, so many man-made traditions have been added to the church.

In Matthew 15:7-9, Jesus continued, "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." 

In Matthew 15:10-12, when Jesus had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." 

In Matthew 15:13, Jesus said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted." 

This word 'uprooted' here is 'ekridzoo' in Greek, and it means 'to pluck out by the roots'. The word 'ek' means 'out', and the word 'ridzoo' means 'root (like the roots of a plant)'. When these two words are joined together, 'ek' and 'ridzoo', the compound word means 'to rip out by the roots'. 

Indeed, this is the time to allow the hand of the Lord to uproot whatever that's not of Him in our lives. Why? So that His work in us and through us will not be hindered, and we can express His kingdom without hindrance. So that we can experience His greater glory, and we can be of greater use for His kingdom! This is the gist of what the Lord wants to speak to us today through His vision and through His words. 

Matthew 15:15-20 says, 'Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Explain this parable to us." So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."'

Beloved of God, we can pray this prayer as an individual, "O Lord God, search my heart. Show to me if there's any area, or any attitude, or any practice in my life that is not of You. I want to be totally surrendered to You. I want to be totally submitted to You. I want to be totally yielded to You, so that You can use me for Your greater glory and for Your kingdom, and so that I can be used unhindered by You." 

Let us humble ourselves before the Lord. Let us allow the Lord to search our hearts. It takes humility on our part to admit and to let go of certain areas in our lives that is not of God. Please understand that this is not a condemning message, but this is a restoring message. Because the reason for this message is so that His work in us and through us will not be hindered, and so that we can walk in the fullness of His purposes and plans in each of our lives. Amen.

Let us pray: "O Lord God, we thank You that You are setting us free in this time and season, You are setting us free from whatever that has bound us all these years. You are preparing and getting us ready for the greater glory and greater use in Your kingdom. So, we allow You, and we allow Your hand to uproot any 'weeds' in our lives. We allow You to do the cleansing and purifying work in our lives, in our family, in our church, in our ministry, in our business, and in all that we put our hands to do. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

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The Lord will know how to defend you!

Words from the Lord:

"Stay innocent in Me, and keep your obedience before Me, no matter what people say or do against you in this world. Keep walking in what I have spoken for you to be and to do. I will know how to defend you. I will raise up the right people to favor you and open the door for you." 

When we talk about innocence, obedience, and the Lord knows how to defend and vindicate us, preachers usually preach about David. But today, we shall go to the New Testament instead, on the innocence and obedience of the early apostles in the early church, and how the Lord defended and vindicated them.

Soon after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached a message where three thousand souls were saved on that day. And then, a lame man was healed by the power of Jesus through Peter and John. Many people marveled at what had happened. The power of God was clearly evident for them to see. The Lord was using these apostles mightily, and many people were saved, healed and delivered; and many signs and wonders were done among the people.

Acts 5:14-16 (NKJV) says, 'And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also, a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.'

Do you see that? Notice these words '...and they were all healed'.

Great and mighty things were happening through the apostles at that time, and the power of God was at work!

However, some people were not happy, and they were feeling threatened. 

Acts 5:17-18 (NKJV) says, 'Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles (i.e. arrested the apostles) and put them in the common prison...'

Even then, something wonderful and supernatural happened.

Acts 5:19-20 (NKJV) says, 'But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, "Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life."' 

So, these apostles then went back to that temple and continued to preach the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ to the people. 

Acts 5:22-23 (NKJV) says, 'When the officers came and did not find them (the apostles) in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, "Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors. But when we opened them, we found no one inside!"'

Acts 5:24-25 (NKJV) says, 'Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priest heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. So one came and told them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!"'

Imagine how shocked the high priest, the captain of the temple, the chief priest, and all those in the authority were at that time, upon hearing that the apostles have escaped from the prison and went back to the temple to preach to the people! 

And of course they felt threatened and indignant. 

Acts 5:26-28 (NKJV) says, 'The captain of the temple went with the officers and brought them (the apostles) without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intent to bring this Man's blood on us!"'

But look here. Acts 5:29.(NKJV) says, 'But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men."' This is our key Bible verse for today. Look at the innocence of these apostles. Look at the obedience of these apostles. And no matter what threat came against them, they stayed innocent and obedient before the Lord!

You see, as for Peter and all these apostles, they couldn't help but to preach Jesus, because Jesus was so real to them! These apostles were eye witnesses how Jesus died and resurrected, and how He appeared to them after His resurrection. Forty days later, He ascended to heaven right before their eyes. And ten days after He ascended, they experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. They also saw how miracles, signs and wonders happened right before their eyes. So, these apostles were just preaching and sharing about how real Jesus is! 

Acts 5:30-32 (NKJV) says, 'Peter and these apostles said, "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."'

You see, the apostles saw how real Jesus is, and how real the Holy Spirit is! As they shared to the people, and with the accompanied signs, wonders and miracles happening right before the people's eyes, many believed!

And that's why all those who were in authority were feeling very threatened.

Acts 5:33-39 (NKJV) says, 'So when all these people in authority, they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill these apostles. Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and he commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he (Gamaliel) said to them, "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men... And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it - lest you even be found to fight against God."' 

What an advice from Gamaliel! 

You see, God knows how to raise up a Gamaliel to defend the apostles!

It is the same in your situation, in your ministry, and in all that the Lord has put in your heart to do! He will know how to raise up a 'Gamaliel' for you. So, fear not! Be bold and be very courageous to walk in His command for you and His blueprint for you. He will know how to defend you, just as He defended these early apostles at that time. 

By the way, the name 'Gamaliel' is from two Hebrew words: 'Gawmal' and 'El'. 'El' means 'God', and 'Gawmal' means 'to deal fully, to deal adequately'. 

To put it back into this context of how Gamaliel defended these early apostles, God will know how to deal fully with His people's situation! 

In your context, it is the same! God will know how to deal fully with your situation, no matter how some people may threaten you or come against you!

So, fear God, and not man. Man may speak ill against you. Man may try to persecute you. Man may try to do harm against you. But God will know how to defend you and vindicate you - as long as you stay innocent before Him and stay obedient before Him. Amen!

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Prophetic words: A time to repair, redo and restore!

The Lord says:

"For you who do My will, the enemy may be trying to attack you or do harm against you recently, be it in words, in works, or even in the physical body. But fear not! Because I have overcome for you! My blood covers you and My anointing destroys every curse that the enemy speak against you. Look to Me, and watch how I overturn and push back what the enemy does against you!" 

So, people of God, if you have been attacked left and right by the enemy recently, fear not! Because the Lord has overcome for you. And He is overturning and pushing back whatever the enemy does against you!

In Luke 10:19 (NKJV), Jesus Himself says, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." 

See the words 'nothing shall by any means hurt you'? Nothing whatsoever! And the Lord has given you the authority over all the power of the enemy! Not some, but all! So right now, in the name of Jesus, take authority over all the works and words of darkness that come against you, and hold the Blood of Jesus Christ against all these. Amen! 

In Acts 28:1-6, Apostle Paul, having escaped the shipwreck due to the stormy weather, landed in an island called Malta. The natives in the island showed kindness to him and those who were shipwrecked, because of the rain that was falling and because it was cold. But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 

But you know what? Paul shook off the viper and he suffered no harm. 

In cross-reference, remember what Luke 10:19 says? For those who walk with God and do His will, nothing shall by any means hurt them! 

By the way, 'serpents and scorpions' are 'pictures' of the danger or harm caused by the enemy against God's people.

Back to Acts 28:1-6. The natives of the island were actually expecting Paul to swell up or suddenly drop dead, because a viper's bite could be fatal. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm came to him, they changed their mind about him and concluded that he was a god! Of course Paul was just a man used by the Lord God Almighty, and they didn't know it at that time.

Therefore, be encouraged today, people of God! Whatever people may say against you, whatever people try to do harm against you, or whatever the enemy try to do harm against you, fear not, if you are flowing with the Holy Spirit, and you are just doing what the Lord tells you to do and to be. They may try to cause a dent to you. They may try to attack you. But the Lord has overcome for you. And the Blood of Jesus is effective to cover you. Not only that. You are going to see yourself being used even greater by the Lord! And this was exactly what happened to Paul at that time! 

In Acts 28:7-10, it happened that the father of Publius (a leading citizen in the island) was sick with fever and dysentery (a condition in the intestines that causes diarrhea containing blood). Paul then prayed for this father of Publius, and he was healed. The healing power of the Lord flowed through Paul! And when the rest of the people in the island heard about this, all who had diseases also came to Paul to be prayed for, and they too were healed. Hallelujah!

Right now, it is the same for you! The healing anointing is being released to you right now! Receive by faith! Be healed and stay healed, in Jesus' name! Not only this healing anointing is being released to heal you, this healing anointing is also being released through you, that as you pray for others, this healing will also flow to others! This is the message for this time and season for you, that your time to receive your healing, wholeness and wellness has come! Believe and receive by faith!

The Lord says further: 

"This is the time to repair, redo, and restore; be it in your spirit, your soul, your physical body, or even in a relationship. It's not too late yet. There's still time for you to let Me repair, redo, and restore you. Receive My Spirit and My power to heal and restore you. And receive My wisdom to redo what I have spoken for you to redo in your life." 

Yes, I heard these three words for this time and season: Repair, redo, and restore. Let the Lord repair your life. Let the Lord redo your life. Let the Lord restore your life.

What is 'repair'? 'Repair' means 'to fix something that is broken, torn or damaged'. Is there any area in your life that has been broken, torn or damaged? Maybe by the devil against you, or by people against you. But the Lord says He is repairing you, and He is fixing it for you right now; whether in your spirit, your soul, your physical body, or even in any relationship that the Lord has started for you and opened the door for you! 

What is 'redo'? 'Redo' means 'to do something again or in a different way'. It can mean you have done something right before, but you have become stagnant; and the Lord is now reviving it, re-firing it, and causing you to do it again! But it can also mean 'to do something in a different way'. Maybe what you used to do in the past does not apply anymore for this new time and season that the Lord has opened for you. And the Lord is teaching you to do it in a different way. Maybe it's in a ministry. Maybe it's in your vocation. Maybe it's in the way you do business. The Lord is right now giving you the wisdom to do it in a new way in this new time and season, because if you still do what you used to do in your old time and season and try to apply it in this new time and season, it may not work. The new wine is to be contained in the new wineskin, not the old wineskin. Otherwise the old wineskin will burst! 

What is 'restore'? 'Restore' means 'to put something back to its original or pristine (unspoiled) state'. Maybe certain aspects of your life have been broken by the enemy, and the Lord is right now bringing you back and putting you back to what He has originally meant for you to be! He is restoring you back to His blessing that carries no sorrow with it! He is restoring you back to your divine health and divine strength! He is restoring you back to His divine purposes and plans for your life! Hallelujah! 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we thank You because You have overcome for us, and therefore, nothing that is thrown by the enemy against us shall by any means hurt us. We thank You for Your Spirit who lives in us, and Your power that works in us and through us. We let You repair, redo, and restore any area of our lives that has been broken, torn or damaged. We receive Your healing, wholeness and wellness now. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

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Prophetic words: A new window is opening up for you!

The Lord says: 

"In the physical realm, you may look like you are going downhill in your life, or it seems like your best days are behind you. But I am saying to you that I am still adding upon you My spiritual substance, My anointing, My wisdom, even My strength. It doesn't matter how earthly men look at you. It doesn't matter what earthly men say about you. But I am in the midst of building you behind the scene, and I am in the midst of preparing you for greater things ahead of you." 

Let's look at the life of Joseph now. Interestingly, the name 'Joseph' in Hebrew is 'Yosef', which means 'YHWH has added'. This word 'Yosef' comes from the root word 'yasaf', which means 'to add, to increase'. 

Genesis 37:3-4 (NKJV) says, 'Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.' 

Genesis 37:5 (NKJV) says, 'Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.' 

To cut the story short, the dream was about his brothers bowing down to him. So, all these brothers hated him even more for the dream and the words that he had spoken to them.

Now, if you look at Genesis chapter 37, you would see that even though the Lord had given Joseph a dream about his future, and that his future is good; but in the physical realm, it was actually the beginning of him going downhill in his life, at least in the eyes of the world, of course. 

Not only did his brothers hated him, they even wanted to kill him! However, one of his brothers, Reuben, told them not to kill him, but cast him into a pit instead. They then sold Joseph to the Midianite traders who passed by, and these traders took him to Egypt. There in a foreign land, Joseph became a servant to Potiphar. Yet in those days, the Lord was still with Joseph, and Joseph found favor in his master Potiphar's sight. Potiphar therefore made Joseph overseer of his house. But just as things began looking up, Joseph was then accused by Potiphar's wife for something he never did. And that's how Joseph ended up in a prison.

Beloved of God, if you are in a situation where it seems like you are getting from bad to worse, and things are not getting better, take heart. The Lord is not dead. The Lord is still working behind the scene for you. The Lord is still preparing you and building you. Be patient. Persevere. Let the Lord do His part. He will know how to make things happen in His time. In His time, He will make all things beautiful for you. So, hang on there and hang on strong to the Lord.

By Genesis chapter 40, things began turning around for Joseph. It happened that the chief butler and the chief baker of the king of Egypt were thrown into the same prison where Joseph was. They both had a dream, each man's dream in one night. Joseph interpreted their dreams, and these dreams came to pass. The king restored the chief butler to his butlership, but he hanged the chief baker; just as Joseph had interpreted. After the chief butler was freed from the prison, he forgot Joseph. It was only after two full years later, when Pharaoh had a dream himself, and no one knew how to interpret Pharaoh's dream, that this chief butler remembered Joseph, and shared to Pharaoh that he knew of this Hebrew man in prison who could interpret his dream. Pharaoh then called for Joseph, and Joseph helped to interpret Pharaoh's dream. The rest is history. Pharaoh was impressed and he promoted Joseph only to be next to him. And you know the story, that during the seven years of famine, many people from different nations came to Egypt to look for food and to look for grains; and some of those were Joseph's own brothers. The dream that Joseph had earlier came to pass, because the brothers actually had to come and bow down to him.

You see, in the physical realm initially, it looked like Joseph was going downhill, and it seemed like Joseph's best days were behind him. But you know what, God works in ways that we cannot see. The Lord was actually 'adding upon' Joseph, preparing him and building him up for such a time. So it is the same with you. He is still preparing you. He is still building you. Just do not be discouraged. Keep looking to the Lord. Keep walking in His ways, just as Joseph did. Joseph walked in God's ways. He did not look at the left. He did not look at the right. He did not compromise. But he kept his faith before the Lord. And when the time came, the Lord promoted him. Beloved of God, your promotion time is also coming. Continue to allow Him to prepare you. Continue to allow Him to build you up. Continue to allow Him to get you ready for what is to come, the greater glory, the greater things ahead of you. Amen! 

Prophetic words for you:

"These next three years, there's still time to prepare, there's still time to let God build you up in your spirit. These next three years, I see a new window is opening up, a new era is opening up. And the Lord wants you to prepare for this new window, this new era, that's coming for your life. Many new things are coming your way. Many new things are unfolding right before your eyes. But fear not, because these are the good things that the Lord has prepared and has in store for you. But this is your time to allow God to build you and prepare you. Surrender your life to Him. Yield your life to Him. Draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you. Keep building yourself in the Word and in the Spirit. And you will be like Joseph. In due time, the window of opportunity will come for you. The window of promotion will come for you. A new horizon is opening up for your life."

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