The time for repair is NOW!

Words from the Lord:

"If in the recent years you have suffered much damage to your physical health, emotional health, mental health, or even spiritual health due to whatever reason, this is the time to repair! You are entering a time for repair! What the enemy has inflicted upon you in the recent years, this is the time I am reversing it for you. Put all your trust in Me. Look to Me and My Word. I will make a way for you. I will show you the way. When I work, no one can reverse it. The enemy has to hands-off you. The enemy has no choice but to leave. Receive these words by faith." 

What is the definition of the word 'repair'? 

It can be defined as:

- to put right what has gone wrong

- to fix up what has been damaged

- to set right (what is faulty or worn) to a good condition again

- to restore something to working order

- to rebuild and reconstruct what has been broken 

Let's go to the Scripture for an example of God repairing His people. We go all the way to the days of Elijah. 

1 Kings 18:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth." So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.' 

An encounter between Elijah and Ahab was about to take place. Elijah represents YHWH, the true and living God of Israel, whereas Ahab represents 'the master of this world'. For the record, Ahab was one of the worst kings ever ruled in Israel. He had caused much damage to the people of Israel those days. In his twenty-two years as king of Israel, he did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him (1 Kings 16:30). And with the help of his wife Jezebel, he vigorously and violently promoted the worship of other gods in Israel, turning the people of Israel away from YHWH. 

In 1 Kings 18:19, Elijah said, "Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." 

By the way, who was Jezebel? She was a dominant force and influence on Ahab, persuading him to abandon YHWH and establish the religion of Baal in Israel. She influenced the whole of Israel to bow down to Baal and Asherah. 

In 1 Kings 18:23-24, Elijah said further, "Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." 

In 1 Kings 18:30, Elijah then said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 

Interestingly, the word 'repair' here is 'raphah' in Hebrew. 

This word 'raphah' can be defined as:

- to make proper (what has been damaged)

- to mend (what has been torn)

- to bring cure (to a predicament)

- to cause to heal

- to make whole again

As you can see here, the Lord was about to 'repair' what has been 'damaged' in Israel those days. In other words, the Lord was about to 'raphah'. So it is the same in your life right now, beloved of God. Whatever damage that has been caused by the enemy against you, the Lord is right now and right here repairing it! 

1 Kings 18:38-39 (NKJV) says, 'Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!"'

You see, what the prophets of Baal failed, God did it! The prophets of Baal were imploring their gods, but no one answered. They did everything they knew how, but no one answered. But when it came to Elijah's turn, the Lord answered with fire! And all the people saw it! They saw it with their own eyes! And thus they fell on their faces, and they said, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!" 

Hallelujah! That was a great victory! The Lord God Almighty, the Lord God of Israel has triumphed!

That was during the days of Elijah. But the same it is for you right now. This is the time the Lord is also doing the repair, repairing you (and your situation) from any form of damage or brokenness in your life! 

Now that you have looked at an example in the Scripture, what do you do at this point of time? You meditate on God's Word!

The one question people ask is, "How to meditate on God's Word?" 

For example, if you need healing to your physical body, what do you do? You meditate on some Scripture verses that speak about your healing! 

I'm going to show you some Scripture verses on healing, personalized for you, so you can read it over and over again upon yourself. This is one way you can meditate on God's Word, that is by reading it out for your ears to hear. Why is it so important to read it out for your ears to hear? Because Romans 10:17 says, 'So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing (comes) by the word of God.' It means your faith arises when you hear the Word of God! This faith will overcome all those infirmities and predicaments! 

Here are some examples of Scripture verses on healing:

Psalm 41:3

The Lord sustains, refreshes, and strengthens me. He completely heals me from my infirmities.

1 John 5:14-15 

Now this is the confidence that I have in Him, that if I ask anything according to His will, He hears me. [Sickness is not His will. Divine health and wholeness is His will]. I know that He hears me, and what I ask of Him, I receive by faith.

Proverbs 4:20-22

I give attention to God's words. I incline my ear to His sayings. I do not let them depart from my eyes. I keep them in the midst of my heart. For they are life, and health to all my flesh.

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon formed against me shall prosper. [Sickness is a weapon of the enemy]. And every tongue that rises against me in judgment, I shall condemn. This is my heritage as a servant of the Lord. My righteousness comes from Him.

Deuteronomy 3:22

I do not fear, for the Lord my God Himself fights for me, and is for me.

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

God's restoration is at hand!

Joel 1:4 (NKJV) says, 'What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.' 

Are you in a situation when the enemy has been trying to 'eat up all your blessings' and trying to steal, kill, and destroy God's vision and God's purpose for you? 

It's like one comes after another, and the enemy is unrelenting in trying to devour all that the Lord has built in your life. 

Beloved of God, if you are one of those who are going through such situation, take heart. Help is at hand. God's restoration is at hand.

In Joel 1:4 about the locusts, Joel was describing the present state of God's people at that time. They were devastated by successive swarms of locusts. First, chewing. Then, swarming. Then, crawling. And finally, consuming. At that time, Judah was experiencing this devastation. The time was extremely critical and difficult. It's like swarms and swarms, and waves after waves of devastation continued on and on against God's people. But thanks be to God this Book of Joel gave God's people much hope!

Now, this is the good news for you today as well. Whatever your situation that you may be facing at the moment, I want to encourage and assure you that there is hope, my friend. Keep looking to the Lord who is your only hope. 

After all, the name 'Joel' means 'Jehovah is God', or 'Yahweh is God'. Interestingly, this constitutes a short confession of faith, very much like in the New Testament, the confession 'Jesus is Lord'. 

Indeed, Yahweh is God, and Yeshua is Lord! He is the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords! Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, that He is the Lord! In heaven, on earth, and under the earth! Who can withstand Him? No one! 

And in Him, there is hope, and there is restoration to whatever that the enemy has destroyed. There is hope for you! The Lord is in the midst of restoring whatever that you have lost. Just do not limit Him how He's going to do it, and in what way He's going to do it. 

People of God, if you ask me what is the book in the Bible that we all should read in this time and season, it would be the Book of Joel. Take some time to read it. It's not a long book. The Lord will speak to you and assure you. 

This is the time He is in the midst of restoring (to you) what you have lost, and restoring (to you) what the enemy has stolen from you! Prophet Joel put it aptly here in Joel 1:19-20, 'O Lord, to You I cry out; For fire has devoured the open pastures, and a flame has burned all the trees of the field. The beasts of the field also cry out to You, for the water brooks are dried up, and fire has devoured the open pastures.' 

As you cry out to the Lord, Joel 2:18-19 says, 'Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, and pity His people. The Lord will answer and say to His people, "Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, and you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations."' 

I know Prophet Joel at that time was referring this to God's people and God's land. But right now, the Lord is also speaking this to you regarding your situation. 

Joel 2:21-22 says, 'Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvelous things! Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, and the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.' 

What a promise from the Lord! 

So fear not, no matter what you have been going through. And fear not, no matter what you have been hearing, or whatever news that you have been hearing at the moment. Just keep looking to the Lord. Just keep putting all your trust in the Lord. And the Lord will know how to do His part. 

Joel 2:23-24 says, 'Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you - The former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.' 

This is God's assurance and promise for you, no matter what you are going through at the moment. The Lord is faithful. The Lord has been faithful, the Lord is faithful, and the Lord will still be faithful to you, as long as you keep looking to the Lord, and as long as you keep surrendering, submitting, and yielding your life to the Lord. 

Now, this is the key verse for today. The Lord says in Joel 2:25, "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust..." 

The word 'restore' here is 'shawlam' in Hebrew. It can mean any of these: 'to make good, to make amends, to give again, to recompense, to pay back, to prosper, to make complete, to keep safe, to make peace, to reward, to make perfect, to make whole'. 

As you can see here, there is a broad meaning to this word 'shawlam' or 'restore'. Yes, all those 'fruits' in your life that the enemy has destroyed, broken, or stolen, the Lord is restoring to you. Yes, for some of you, even those 'wasted years' that you have had, the Lord will know how to restore back to you all those 'wasted years'. 

In short, the Lord is restoring you, and the Lord is making your life fruitful again! 

In Joel 2:26-27, the Lord says, "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame."

In Joel 2:28-29, the Lord says, "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days." 

Indeed, in spite of all the plans of the enemy against God's will, God visions, and God's purpose for your life, the Lord is visiting you in a time like this. Get ready for dreams from the Lord. Get ready for visions from the Lord. He is pouring out His Spirit like never before. 

The Spirit of the Lord is moving right now. The Spirit of the Lord will fall upon many, like you've never seen before. The Lord is visiting many all over the world, even in dreams and visions. 

The Lord is visiting you, and the Lord is visiting many more all over the world, even in supernatural ways. This is the time! And He's going to open the spiritual eyes, and enlighten the spiritual eyes of many.

Now, this is not my idea or my imagination. But this is what the Scripture says. I am just saying what God says. I am just quoting from the Scripture regarding this time and season of the Lord. So my friend, take heart, and fear not. The Lord is at hand. The Lord's restoration in your life is at hand. Receive this promise of the Lord by faith, even in your situation that you are facing now. Just do not limit how God is going to do it, and in what way He is going to do it. Because His wisdom is unfathomable. His wisdom is unmeasurable. His ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Amen! 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to respond and prepare in a perilous time like this?

We cannot deny the war that's currently happening in the Middle East will likely have a chain reaction in the rest of the world. In other words, it's going to spread like wildfire. In short, the world is at war!

When you see what's happening in Israel and the surrounding nations, and it's happening like never before seen in the past fifty years, then you can't help but to take note. Why? Because Israel is like a time clock. The clock is ticking! 

One of the biblical ways how the Lord reveals the times and seasons is through the events that are happening in this world. 

So, in a perilous time like this, how do you (as His people) respond and prepare yourselves? 

Of course, you can pray. Pray for the nations that He has put in your hearts to pray for. And never cease praying.

Let's go to what Jesus has said in the Scripture regarding the time and season, particularly the last days. 

In Mark 13:28-30 (NKJV), He said: "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near - at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place." 

In Mark 13:32-34 (NKJV), He said further: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch." 

In Mark 13:35-37 (NKJV), He then said: "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming - in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning - lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" 

So, this is the key word now: "Watch!" 

The word 'watch' here in Greek is 'gregoreo'. It can mean any of these: 'Be vigilant, be watchful, be alert, to take heed, to keep awake, be on guard, be discerning'. 

Even though different believers and Bible scholars may differ on the events leading to Jesus' coming, and what must happen first before Jesus returns, no one can deny that Jesus is coming soon! How soon is soon? I would say looking at the events happening in the world nowadays, the time is near! 

I'm going to show you five ways to respond and prepare in a time like this:

1. Be on guard and be discerning

In Mark 13:5-8 (NKJV), Jesus said: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many. But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows." 

In Mark 13:21-23 (NKJV), Jesus said: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand." 

In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (NKJV), the apostle Paul wrote: 'Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.'

In all the Bible verses you've read here, the warning of the Scripture is consistent, and that is to be on guard and be discerning. 

2. Don't lose hope

In Titus 2:11-13 (NKJV), the apostle Paul wrote: 'For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...' 

The apostle Paul reminded us that Jesus' first coming brought salvation, and he also instructed us to live soberly, live righteously, and live a godly life in this present age.

And see the words 'blessed hope'? What is this 'blessed hope'? The expectation of Jesus returning and receiving us. That is the blessed hope! 

3. Encourage one another

In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (NKJV), the apostle Paul wrote: 'For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.' 

You see, the promise that the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout in 1 Thessalonians 4 here is followed by this command to comfort one another, or in other words, to encourage one another.

4. Keep doing what God has asked you to do

Whatever vision, mission, and purpose that the Lord has spoken for you to be and to do, keep doing it. Yes, in each time and season, keep doing it. At different junctures of your life, the Lord may re-strategize you, and the Lord may re-direct you. Your part is to follow Him. Be led by His Spirit.

In Mark 13:7-10 (NKJV), Jesus said: "But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations." 

The good news of the Lord Jesus Christ and of His kingdom must first be preached to all the nations, and then the end will come. This is God's commission and mandate for each of us as a believer of the Lord. You see, Jesus warned of troubling events as we near the end of the age, and that includes the persecution of believers. But Jesus also added that nothing, not even persecution, should distract us from this one essential thing, that is to continue to preach the gospel to every tribe and tongue. 

In Acts 1:8 (NKJV), Jesus said: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

5. Look up! 

Look up to Him and His Word! Do not let your eyes depart from looking to Him and His Word! Be vigilant and be ready, as if the Day is today! Turn away from your sins. Clear what needs to clear in your life. Don't delay, people! Cleanse your heart. Cleanse your hands. 

In Psalm 24:1-6 (NKJV), David wrote: 'The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.' 

In Psalm 24:7-10 (NKJV), David wrote: 'Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.' 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Hang on strong, church!

The Lord says: 

"Hold on strong and persevere! Hold on strong to My Word, no matter what happens around you. Hold on strong to what I have spoken for you to be and to do. Hold on strong to My vision, mission and purpose for you. Keep looking unto Me, the One who is the author and finisher of your faith. Keep looking to My Word, for My Word will never fade away. Your patience and perseverance will eventually pay off." 

Beloved of God, hold on strong! Persevere in your faith! Hang on strong in what the Lord has spoken for you to be and to do! 

The word 'perseverance' here (in the context of God's words today) can be defined as 'persistence in being and doing what the Lord has spoken, despite the resistance that comes from the enemy'. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV) says, '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 and 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.' 

Hebrews 12:3 (NKJV) then says, 'For consider Him (Jesus) who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.' 

Let us read from New Living Translation (NLT) for Hebrews 12:1-2 now. 'Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.' 

Hebrews 12:3 in New Living Translation (NLT) then says, 'Think of all the hostility he (Jesus) endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up.' 

Beloved of God, if you have become weary, or if you are on the verge of giving up on something that the Lord has spoken for you to be and to do, the Bible has an answer for you. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith! Hold on strong!

Revelation 3:10-11 (NLT) says, 'Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.' 

Now, this was the message of the Lord for the church in Philadelphia those days. 

Let us rewind a little to Revelation 3:7-8 (NLT) now, 'Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open: "I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me."' 

See the words 'obeyed my word' here? And see the words 'I know all the things you do' here? It means the Lord knows all the good that you have done, yes, even the things that you have done in secret for the Lord. The Lord sees, and the Lord will know how to reward you openly. So, keep obeying Him, keep trusting Him, and keep looking to Him, no matter what happens around you in this world. Amen! 

By the way, what are the seven churches (the church in Philadelphia was one of them) in the Book of Revelation? These are seven major churches of early Christianity, namely, in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. So, seven in all. Interestingly, unlike the others, the church in Philadelphia was not given any particular rebuke from Jesus!

And what does the 'seven churches' here represent? There are many different views, depending on who that particular Bible scholar or Bible teacher is. But one view is that each church mentioned in the Book of Revelation here represents a period in church history. Each of these periods can be traced to a specific phase in the Body of Christ over time, from the beginning of the church till Christ's return. If you ask me, I would say we are now in the period of both the Philadelphia church and Laodicea church. This is the end-time. 

Between these two (Philadelphia and Laodicea), which kind of church are we? We all may want to do some soul-searching and look at ourselves. Let us not judge others. But let us look at ourselves. When I share this, I am looking at myself too. Are we Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13)? Or are we Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22)?  

By the way, 'Body of Christ' here means God's church as a whole, and we are all members and different parts of this one Body of Christ. Yes, one Body of Christ. Not two, not three, but one Body. You see, we can be kingdom-minded. We are talking about His kingdom here. God's kingdom, not our own kingdom or empire. Not 'my church is better than your church' or 'my church is bigger than your church' kind of mindset. But to see how God sees. To have His kingdom in mind. And in this kingdom, there is only one Head, that is Christ; and one Body, that is His church as a whole, i.e. the Body of Christ.

In Ephesians 4:1-6, the apostle Paul wrote: 'I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.' 

In Ephesians 4:11-13, the apostle Paul wrote: 'And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry (i.e. equipping the believers for the work of ministry), for the edifying of the body of Christ (i.e. building up the body of Christ), till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ...' 

The Lord has called some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Collectively, they are called the five-fold spiritual offices. What are their functions? There are two functions: Equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, and edifying of the Body of Christ. You see the words here? The Body of Christ! It means the church as a whole. The Lord has called these to equip and to edify, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. In other words, till we come to the maturity in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete ways of the Lord. It can also mean to see what God sees and how God sees His church, His body, i.e. the Body of Christ! 

You see, these gifts are given to some of us not to lord over others, or to take advantage of others, or to build our own kingdom. Instead, these gifts are for us to equip and edify (or build up) the believers, the Body of Christ! 

In Ephesians 4:14-16, the apostle Paul wrote: '...that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - from whom the whole body (each of us is part of this whole body), joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, and with this, it causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.'

In Ephesians 4:17-19, the apostle Paul wrote: 'This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.' 

What the apostle Paul meant here is that we in the Body of Christ should not let ourselves be contaminated by the ways of this world. We may be in the world, but we are not of this world. We are of God. We should instead walk in the ways that the Lord wants us to walk, having our spiritual eyes of understanding enlightened, and to see what God sees and how God sees, even how God sees His church.

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel