Let your spiritual eyes be opened to see!

As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we want to declare that Jesus is alive! Hallelujah! 

Let's go all the way to Luke 24 now. 

On the third day after Jesus was crucified and buried, very early on Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. 

As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what He told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day." 

It was then that these women remembered what Jesus had said before. 

They then rushed back to tell the disciples of Jesus what had happened. But the disciples didn't believe them. However, Peter ran straight to Jesus' tomb to check it out himself. True enough, Jesus wasn't there anymore. 

That same day, two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along, they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus suddenly came and began walking with them. They didn't realize it was Jesus walking with them. 

Then Jesus asked them, "What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?" Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days." 

You see, they were talking about what had happened to Jesus, and how the priests and the religious leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy, and handed Jesus over to be crucified. 

Jesus then said to them, "You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn't it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering His glory?" Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. 

By the time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey, they begged Jesus, "Stay the night with us, since it is getting late." So He went home with them. As they sat down to eat, He took the bread and blessed it. Then He broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him!

The moment Jesus broke the bread and gave the bread to them, that was when their spiritual eyes were opened. This is a 'picture' of His body broken and His blood shed for you on the cross to set you free. Free from whatever bondage that the world has bound you. Free from whatever bondage that the devil has bound you. 

So beloved of God, never lose focus on what Jesus has done for you on the cross. Keep looking to Him, the Author and the Finisher of your faith. He died, He rose again on the third day, and He is now sitting in the heavenly places together with God the Father. 

The two from Emmaus then told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized Him as He was breaking the bread. And just as they were telling about it, Jesus suddenly stood among all of them! 

Jesus then opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. He said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.' You are witnesses of all these things." 

Beloved of God, this message is still being preached today, bringing hope to many lives all over the world. Hallelujah! 

In cross-reference, Ephesians 1:17-18 says, '...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints... '

What exactly is the meaning of 'the eyes of your understanding being enlightened'? It can be translated as 'the eyes of your heart being enlightened', or it can be translated as 'your spiritual eyes being enlightened'. 

Let's refer back to the two who were walking to the village of Emmaus. Their spiritual eyes were opened. The eyes of their hearts were opened. They began to see what Jesus wanted them to see. They began to understand what Jesus wanted them to understand. 

So it is the same with us as believers of Christ today. He is opening our spiritual eyes right now. He is enlightening the eyes of our understanding to see what He wants us to see, and to understand the many things that He wants us to understand; the things that the world can never understand. 

Let us pray:

"O Lord God, we thank You for the revelation of who You are in our lives. Let our spiritual eyes be continuously opened to see the many things that You want us to see. We have this assurance inside of us that You are the Lord, the One who is above all principalities and powers in the spiritual realm and in the physical realm. We have this revelation that we are strong in the power of Your might. Therefore, we do not fear, and we will not be affected, whatever happens in this world. Because we know we can always look to You and count on You. Our hope is in You. Our life is in You. All that we need in life is found in You. Amen." 

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How to stay protected when people slander you?

The Lord says: 

"For all the injustices that you have gone through or are going through in your life at the moment, you can look to Me and count on Me. Let Me defend you. Let Me vindicate you. For I am your Defense and I am your Vindicator. Just as what I have done for David in his days, I will know how to turn things around for you and make a way for you. Take heart therefore and do not be discouraged. Seek and you shall find. Ask and you shall receive." 

This message is especially for you who have been misunderstood by others, falsely accused by others, or blamed by others for something that you did not do wrong. There is hope for you. The Lord is your Defense. The Lord is your Vindicator. 

Before we go further, let's go to the definition of 'vindication'. This word can be defined in these two ways. First, 'proving that what someone said or did was right and true, after other people said it was wrong'. Second, 'proving that someone is not guilty or is free from blame, after other people have blamed or accused them'. 

This applies in any organization that you are in, in your career, in the ministry, or in any other area of your life. 

As long as you continue to stay faithful to the Lord and do according to what He has instructed for you to do, you need not be afraid, whatever people say or do against you. The Lord will know how to defend you and vindicate you. Amen! 

One good example in the Bible is David, a man after God's heart. No, he's not perfect. But one thing for sure is he's a worshipper of the Lord, and a man whose heart is for God. No matter what situation he faced, be it jealousy by others, betrayal by others, or some people were after his life, wanting to destroy him, the Lord has always been there to deliver him. 

Let's look at Psalm 54:1-2, a psalm of David. Here's a prayer of David: "Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth." 

Beloved of God, whatever you may be facing in this world, your part is to stay innocent before the Lord. Stay pure before the Lord. Follow His instructions. Obey Him. Obey His words. When He says so, you say so. When He says no, you say no. When He says move on, you move on. When He says leave, you leave. When He says stop, you stop. Whatever He says, you do. And you can be sure that He will know how to defend you and vindicate you. 

In Psalm 57:4-6, David wrote: "My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword... They have prepared a net for my steps... They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen." 

You see, if you look to the Lord and keep trusting in the Lord for His defense and help, you shall eventually see how the Lord can turn things around for you. This happened to David. And this can happen for you too. 

In Psalm 59:1-3, David prayed this: "Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men. For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord." 

By the way, 'David' means 'Beloved' or 'Beloved of God'. You too, my friend, are a beloved of God. So, you can put all your trust in Him, and you can believe and hope in Him with all your heart. Amen!

Just some excerpts from the very interesting and colorful life of David. 1 Samuel 18:5 says, 'So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.' 

At that time, David served under King Saul. And David was a huge success in leading the troop in battle. David won great victories. 

But what happened next? 

1 Samuel 18:6-7 says, 'Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. So the women sang as they danced, and said: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands."' 

When Saul heard this, he became very angry, and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands..." So Saul became very jealous of David. "How is it that these women credited David with ten thousands, and for me, only thousands?" In Saul's mind, he began to think that David's going to be a big threat to him. This shows the insecurity of Saul. Saul became so distressed and mad about what happened that he wanted to kill David! 

The next day, David was playing music with his hand in Saul's presence, as at other times. But this time, there was a spear in Saul's hand. Saul then tried to cast the spear at David, saying, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David somehow managed to escape. This marked the beginning of Saul "hunting after" David!

Beloved of God, your situation at the moment may not be like David's situation when somebody attempted to kill him physically. But this can also apply when people badmouth you, smear your name, or speak ill (or slander) against you with their tongue. A tongue can be as dangerous as a spear! 

Whatever your situation may be at the moment, trust in the Lord that there will be a way of escape, just as you've seen here for David! 

Keep trusting in the Lord's justice and the Lord's goodness in your life. The Lord sees. The Lord knows what you are going through. The Lord understands. The Lord hears your cries for help. 

And you know it, if you read further in the Scripture, David was eventually vindicated; but as for Saul, he died a tragic death. Even then, David did not rejoice over Saul's death. In fact, he was sad at Saul's death. 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, no matter what we are facing at the moment, we can look to You and count on You. You are our Defense. You are our Vindicator. Just as You have done for David those days, You will also know how to turn things around for us and make a way for us. We take heart therefore and we do not want to be discouraged. We continue to seek You. We continue to put all our trust in You, every step of the way. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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How to live a worry-free life?

The Lord says: 

"The enemy has been causing My people to worry a lot recently. Worry about the future. Worry about finance. Worry about income. Worry about career. Worry about ministry. Worry about health. Worry about what is to come. Even worry for family members. Take authority and bind whatever causes you to worry. Cast all your cares and concerns to Me, for I am the Lord who cares for you. I see the end from the beginning. I hold your future in My hands. Look to Me and trust in Me therefore, and everything's going to be alright." 

What is the definition of 'worry'? 

It can be defined as 'to feel (or cause to feel) anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems'.

But I have a good news for you. You can live a life that is worry-free. If you have the Lord with you, nothing is impossible to Him. You can believe for that. 

So, what is the 'antidote' to 'worry'? 

You use 'the sword of the Spirit', i.e. the Word of God! You use this 'sword' to 'slay' any worry and every form of worry. 

How do you do that? You meditate on God's Word. You think about God's Word. You fill your mind with God's Word. You speak out God's Word, so your ears can hear. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). 

So, learn to say 'no' to anything or anyone who speaks otherwise to you. This is not about denying reality. But rather, this is about surrendering your situation to the Lord and let His Spirit lead you and guide you. There will be a way. There will be a way out for you. God will see to it that this will happen, somehow, someway, even beyond what you can imagine or think of. 

Let's go to John 14:27 now. No matter what you are facing at the moment, even if no one understands what you are facing, Jesus is saying this to you: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Interestingly, just one verse before that, in John 14:26, Jesus says: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." 

Because the Holy Spirit is here to help you, you need not fear or be troubled, whatever your situation may be at the moment.  

Now look here in Mark 4:35-38. 'On the same day, when evening had come, He (Jesus) said to them (the disciples), "Let us cross over to the other side." Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"' 

In Mark 4:39-41, 'Then Jesus arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"' 

Who say Jesus doesn't care about your situation? Jesus cares. So, don't let anyone speak you out of it. And if He can calm the storm (which no human can), is there anything impossible for Him? 

You see, nothing technical about today's message. Today's message is simple. It's about faith. Simple faith. What is faith? Faith simply means 'a believing heart'. A heart that trusts in the Lord. 

Let's go on to 1 Peter 5:6-7 now. This same Peter was in the storm, and he witnessed Jesus calming the storm right before his eyes. No wonder he could write these words in 1 Peter 5:6-7. 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him (Jesus), for He cares for you.' 

To cast your care upon the Lord involves you humbling yourself under His mighty hand. In other words, not to be too proud to think that you can do it on your own. 

In fact, to worry means the person is not believing that God can take over and take care of the situation. 

So, worry is a form of pride. Why? Because when a believer feels anxious, he is convinced that he must solve the problem (or the situation) with his own strength (or ability), instead of trusting the Lord. 

Let's look at Matthew 14:25-27 now. 'Now in the fourth watch of the night (about 3 am in the morning), Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!". And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I. Do not be afraid."' 

In Matthew 14:28-31, 'And Peter answered Jesus and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So Jesus said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when Peter saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught Peter, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.' 

Here, you see the same Peter again. You and I know that it's impossible in the natural and physical realm for humans to walk on water. But here, Peter did it. However, Peter was soon affected by the wind that was boisterous. Peter began to feel anxious and afraid. Instead of looking straight unto Jesus, he looked at his left and right. And that's how he began to sink. 

So beloved, it is the same with your situation. Do not look to the left or to the right. Rather, look at the Word of God! Look at who He is in your life. Look at what He says to you in your life. Amen! 

Your God is a supernatural God! In other words, He is above the natural and physical realm. We humans may think logically from the physical realm. But your God is above this realm. He is a supernatural God. In other words, He can make things happen to you supernaturally. He is your miracle-working God. 

That's why, no matter what situation or problem you may be facing at the moment, there's nothing that's impossible to Him. If you look to Him and put all your trust in Him, He will know how to make a way for you, even where there seems to be no way. 

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." 

What's the background of this verse? You can read from Matthew 6:25 all the way to Matthew 6:33. 

Here, Jesus was talking about not to worry about tomorrow; not to worry about this or about that; not to worry about what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, etc. He was saying that we should not be like those in the world, as if God doesn't exist. But rather, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things that we ever need shall be added unto us. 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you are to run away from your responsibilities. I'm not saying you cannot plan. By all means, you can plan ahead - the next 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, even 10 years or beyond. But what I'm saying here is not to worry. Instead, let God be God. Let God's hand guide you and bring you, as He wills. Not your will, but His will be done. He has your best interest in His mind. He will never lead you into dead-end road or into trouble. He will always lead you into something that is of hope and of future. Amen! 

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, we let go of all our worries and anxieties to You. We cast all our cares and concerns to You, for You are the Lord who truly cares for us. Indeed, You see the end from the beginning, and You hold our future in Your hands. Your plans for us are always good, that gives us a hope and a future. We therefore look to You and put all our trust in You. We declare by faith that everything's going to be alright, as You have spoken today. Amen."

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Keys to overcoming deception and lies

The Lord says: 

"Be discerning in this perilous and dangerous time. The enemy will do anything to deceive you in a time like this. But fear not! For I have given you the spiritual tools that you need to discern. I have given you the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in you knows all things. The Holy Spirit in you will help you to discern what is of Me and what is not of Me. The Holy Spirit in you will help you to discern even the hidden intentions and motives of the enemy." 

What is the definition of this word 'discerning'? It is 'diakrisis' in Greek. It means 'to separate (what is, and what is not) thoroughly'. In the context of our study today, 'to separate what is of God and what is not of God'.

Some individuals have been gifted with this gift of discerning. But the good news is all of us believers can be enabled by the Holy Spirit to discern. Let's detour to 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 now about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 'For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits...' 

The word 'discerning' here is 'diakrisis' in Greek, which means 'to separate what is of God and what is not of God, or what is God's will and what is not God's will for you'. 

Just as every believer can pray for healing, but some have been specially gifted with gifts of healings, the same it is with discerning of spirits. Every believer can discern, but some have been specially gifted with this gift of discerning. But the good news is this: Whether you have been given this gift written in 1 Corinthians 12 or not, you can discern. Every believer, with the Holy Spirit's help, can discern!  

By the way, what exactly is this gift called 'discerning of spirits'? 

It is an enabling by the Holy Spirit to determine the source of something, be it from God, the devil, the flesh, or the world. In other words, the person who operates this spiritual gift can discern if something is from God, or something is not from God, whether it's from the devil, the flesh, or the world (the worldly ways or the worldly influence). 

So, this is a very crucial gift, especially in this perilous and dangerous time that we live in. 

Why is 'discerning' so important in this perilous and dangerous time? 

Here's the reason. Scammers, fraudsters, and conmen change tactics and strategies all the time. As a matter of fact, they do their 'homework' rather well. They do their 'R & D' ('research and development') rather well too. In other words, they always find new ways to cheat, to deceive, and to con. In fact, deception and scams are becoming more and more creative and extreme nowadays. It can even be religious or spiritual deception. It may look innocent and not harmful in the outward, but it's a trap. Beware, God's people! 

That's why all the more you need the Holy Spirit in your life in this perilous and dangerous time. All the more you should be walking and communing with the Holy Spirit very closely. Holy Spirit should be your best friend and best companion in life. Only the Holy Spirit knows all, and is all-wise, wiser than any human on this earth, and wiser than all the demons in the spiritual world and the physical world. 

Interestingly, Jesus taught His disciples to be wise as serpents! 

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus said, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless (or innocent) as doves." 

What does this statement 'be wise as serpents' imply? Don't get Him wrong. He didn't mean you become a serpent or a snake. God forbid that you become like a serpent that cheated Adam and Eve! But this expression 'be wise as serpents' implies 'the ability to deal with even the most extreme of trickeries and deceptions conjured up by the devil or by men.' In other words, no matter how tricky or deceiving the devil or the bad people are, you are still able to handle it, counter it, and overcome it. 

Here's another piece of good news. You can train yourself to develop this discernment. You can train yourself to detect the hidden motives of someone or the spirits behind the motives. In other words, what is beneath (or behind) the outward show or the sweet talk of a person. You can detect and discern who is trying to take advantage of you and use you (or rather, abuse you). 

The key here is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Because you have the Holy Spirit inside of you, dwelling in you, you can follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. For those who are led by the Holy Spirit, they are called sons of God. So, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit inside of you, and sense the peace (or no peace) inside of you, whether to be involved in that something, to join that something, to participate in that something, or to accept an invitation for something. This applies to religious invitation. This applies to business invitation. This applies to career invitation. This also applies to social invitation. 

The Holy Spirit will teach you and guide you. The Holy Spirit will lead you every step of the way, and in every aspect of your life. 

And here's what God wants to tell you today: Receive discernment like a godly priest!

Ezekiel 44:23-24 says, 'And they (the priests) shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In (times of) controversy, they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes...' 

Those days, the priests would receive the enabling to make a distinction between what's God and what's not. This is the cross-reference to 'discerning of spirits' that you see in the New Testament. 

But you may be saying, "Pastor, but that was the godly priest those days in the Old Covenant!" 

But I tell you what, under the New Covenant, you too are a priest! In fact, you are not just a priest, but also a king! You are a king and a priest! That's who you are as a believer in the New Covenant! 

You may ask, "Where's the proof, pastor?" 

1 Peter 2:9 says, 'You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.'  

You see these words? 'Royal priesthood'. King and priest! 

Who was Peter referring to? You and I! 

Whether you are called into the spiritual office of apostle, prophet, teacher, pastor, or evangelist; or whether you are in the business world or in the professional world, or whatever you do for a living, this verse in 1 Peter 2:9 includes you! 

Notice here again the words 'royal' and 'priesthood'. Yes, that's who you are! A king and a priest! A king who reigns with God in the spiritual realm, and a priest who represents God in this world! 

The difference between a king and a priest is this: A king reigns with God, whereas a priest represents God in this world. 

Today, the Lord is saying to you: You are a king and a priest! You reign with God in the spiritual realm, and you represent God in this world! And as a king and a priest, you too can ask for discernment! Ask, and you shall receive! Like King Solomon those days. Like what's written in Ezekiel 44 that you've read just now.

So, what is the key to receiving? Spend time with the Word and the Spirit! Never let your eyes depart from the Word of God, and never let your spirit be numbed by the ways of this world or the influences of this world. Commune with the Holy Spirit. Pray in the spirit. Go deeper and deeper in the Spirit. That's how you are more and more in tune with the Holy Spirit. 

You'll begin to hear from the Holy Spirit. You'll begin to discern from the Holy Spirit. You'll be able to differentiate between what's of God and what's not of God. You'll begin to discern what is authentic and what is counterfeit. You'll begin to discern what is truth and what is fake. You'll begin to discern what is of good intention and what is of not so good intention (or just for outward show). Amen!

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, let there be an impartation from Your Spirit upon Your beloved right now. We ask and we receive by faith. Fill us with the fullness of Your Spirit. Enable us to discern what is of You and what is not of You. Enable us to discern what is Your will and what is not Your will. Enable us to know what to do and what not to do. Enable us to know what path to take and what path not to take. We want to glorify You in every aspect of our lives and in our walk on this earth. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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