Receive this fire that helps you to advance in your life!

I saw this vision during a time of prayer. It's a vision of fire coming from above. This fire aglows. This fire lights up the room that's dark. It's a fire from God! I could literally feel the presence of God in the room where I was praying. I saw this fire burning away the hands that sabotage, the hands that disrupt, the hands that disturb, and the hands that cause danger or evil. 

Then, I heard the Lord say, "Whatever that sabotages, whatever that disrupts, whatever that disturbs, and whatever that causes danger or evil to you, this fire from heaven, the fire of God, the fire of the Holy Spirit, burns all these away." 

The Lord said further, "This fire is clearing away the hindrances that the forces of darkness have put against you. This fire is clearing your path. This fire is clearing your path in life, your career path, and whatever path that I have destined for you to walk in. This fire goes out in every direction, and it destroys every hand of evil or hidden hand that tries to come against you, whether in the spiritual realm or in the physical realm." 

The Lord also said, "This fire is holy. The fire of holiness and purity. This fire cleanses. This fire purifies. This fire burns away the chaff or whatever that's undesirable. This fire brings light to whatever that is darkness in your life. Keep receiving from Me. Keep this fire burning. Like the lamps burning on the lampstand in the Temple in the days of old. For this fire will never go out. This fire keeps on burning and touches many lives around you." 

In Leviticus 24:1-2 (Expanded Bible), the Lord said to Moses, "Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from crushed olives. That oil is for the lamps so that these lamps may never go out." 

Leviticus 24:3-4 says further, "Aaron (the priest) will keep the lamps burning in the Meeting Tent from evening until morning before the Lord... This law will continue from now on. Aaron must always keep the lamps burning on the lampstand of pure gold before the Lord." 

Beloved of God, like the Tabernacle or the Temple those days, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit under the New Covenant! (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Now, this fire is not an ordinary fire. This is the fire of God. This is the fire from heaven. This is the fire of the Holy Spirit. This fire clears the way for you to fulfill your God-given destiny. This fire accomplishes things for you. And when God accomplishes for you, no man can stop it! Why? Because this fire is greater! This fire is greater than any force of darkness that tries to come against you. 

The Lord then said, "This fire will not die. This fire cannot be defeated. This fire cannot be vanquished by the enemy. As you open your heart and continue to receive this fire inside of you afresh and anew from Me, I will see to it that no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every word that comes against you in judgment, you shall condemn and overcome." 

As I was praying, I also kept hearing this word "haba" in Hebrew. This word can be found in Psalm 118:26. Let's read from the Expanded Bible. 'God bless [Blessed be] the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless all of you from the Temple [house] of the LORD.' 

See the words 'who comes' here. In Hebrew, the statement "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD" is read as "Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai". 'Baruch' means 'Blessed'. 'Haba' means 'He who comes'. 'B'shem' means 'In the name of'. 'Adonai' means 'The LORD'. 

"Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai". Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! 

Let's zero in on 'who comes'. It is 'haba' in Hebrew. Specifically, the word 'comes' is 'ba' in Hebrew. It can also mean 'befall (like the light or fire that falls on you), embrace, abide, enter'. 

Who is this that 'haba'? Who is this that brings light? Who is this that comes with fire? Who is this that enters? 

Psalm 119:130 says, 'The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light; their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple.' 

Now, that's the key: A simple heart and a childlike heart. A life that clears oneself of the complication that's in this fallen world. And that's how you're going to receive and be enlightened. Welcome Him. Welcome this light. Welcome this fire. 

Who is this 'Word of God', as in 'Your words give light' here in Psalm 119? None other but Jesus! He is the Word of God became flesh, and He dwelt among us (John 1:14). And He comes with the fire that burns away infirmities and sins. This same fire has been released upon you! He is igniting in you this fire that keeps burning! Like in the Tabernacle or the Temple of God in the days of old!

As you receive this fire, and as you continue to pray in the spirit, let God show you many things. Let God illuminate you. Let God enlighten you. Let God cause you to see the many things that you couldn't see in the past. Let God show you His secrets! 

Interestingly, one verse after Psalm 118:26 that we've read just now, Psalm 118:27 (Expanded Bible) says, 'The Lord is God, and He has shown kindness to us...' This can also be understood as 'has illuminated us' or 'has given light to us'. Amen!

Today, the Lord is calling you and inviting you to join Him and embrace Him! Embrace His light. Embrace His fire. Because He is in the midst of illuminating you. He is enlightening your spiritual eyes of understanding. Many things that you couldn't see in the past, you shall begin to see. Many things that you couldn't understand in the past, you shall begin to understand. Things will be made so much clearer for you!

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Why you shouldn't be worried or anxious about your future

God wants to tell you this: 

"Don't allow yourself to regret or think about what could have been or what should have been. Trust in Me for your future and trust in My timing for your life. I am still in control. All things will eventually work out for your good. I still remember My plans and destiny for you. These plans are always and will always be the best for you." 

Trust God that He knows what He is doing in your life. 

Imagine an artist drawing a masterpiece. At first, you do not know what he's drawing. You cannot figure out what he's drawing. You may be asking, "Does the artist know exactly what he's doing?" or "Does the artist have any idea what he is up to?" Of course, if he is a good artist, he already has an idea! 

It is the same with God. God is in the midst of drawing a masterpiece, a great artwork in you. Soon you will know the full picture. And it's going to be good! But you've got to believe. 

Maybe there's no open door yet for you. Maybe there's no breakthrough yet for you. Maybe nothing significant seems to be happening in your life right now. Or maybe some things you've wished for have yet to happen or are delayed. 

Be patient. God sees all that. He is still very much alive in your situation. Your breakthrough will come!

Psalm 27:14 (NKJV) says, 'Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord.' 

Two times it's written here: "Wait, wait."

This word 'wait' here in the original Hebrew is interesting. It's not like what you understand this word 'wait' in English. This word 'wait' is 'qavah' in Hebrew. In our context about waiting on God here, it can mean 'to gather (strength) from the Lord, to look patiently to the Lord, to collect (strength) from the Lord, to bind together with the Lord (like two ropes binding together)'. 

Do you know this word 'qavah' actually comes from the word 'qav' in Hebrew, meaning 'rope' or 'cord'? 

Imagine you are a rope or a cord, and you are binding together with another rope or cord, a much stronger one. That's a picture of God and you! God and you. You and God. Binding together! Nothing's going to be able to cut it off. That's what it means here by binding together two ropes. In your weaknesses, He is your strength. He is going through it together with you!

So, no matter how cruel this world may be, God is with you! He is 'binding together' with you! He is going through all this with you! 

This psalm was written at a time David was going through a difficult patch of time, and he was in great distress. He was being hunted by King Saul. He was on the run. King Saul wanted to kill David, even though David didn't commit any wrong. In fact, David won a victory for King Saul. But King Saul wanted no threat to his throne as king. King Saul wanted to finish him off!

Instead of losing hope on God, David learned to 'qavah' and trust in the Lord his God. He believed this time of danger and persecution would finally end. He just had to wait things out. Of course, little did he know that this was also part of God's training in his life to prepare him for something greater. 

Beloved of God, the same it is for you. The Lord is preparing you for something greater! So, as you 'qavah' or wait on the Lord, it's not like nothing is happening. The Lord is in the midst of strengthening you! The Lord is doing something inside of you! The Lord is strengthening you in many ways. 

Why? So that when your eventual success or breakthrough comes, you are ready, and you will not fall under the "weight" of that success. In other words, you're up to it. You're up to the new heights that God is bringing you to! 

So beloved of God, trust that God's timing is always the best for you. God knows the perfect moment to act in your life! 

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You're not too late yet!

The Lord is saying to you: "There's a fresh outlook for you right now. There's a fresh release of hope and strength upon you right now. Receive all this, and rise above the gloominess and the darkness of this world." 

In a vision I saw while praying, I see you like a car being painted with a new coat of paint. It's as good as new. It's like a brand new car. There's a fresh and shiny 'gloss' on this car now. It's so different from the same car that's dull and dated prior to that. There's a touch of freshness on the car. It's like the car has been revitalized, refreshed, and renewed. 

The Lord is saying to you that you are like that car. It was tired, dull, and dated. But the Lord is bringing the 'gloss' back to you! The Lord is putting a new touch on you. It's the same you, yet it's a new you. You'll begin to see many things in a new light. You'll begin to have a new outlook. This is what the Lord is saying to you right now. 

There's just this sense of hopelessness and negativity among a lot of people in the world nowadays. In fact, some even feel that life is so unfair to them. For some others, they have been so exhausted in this life struggle, life is nothing but hopeless. Now, if you sense the spiritual atmosphere around you, you would know there's this air of pessimism. The outlook of many people in all parts of the world seem gloomy about the world and the future. Not only among the young people nowadays, but across all ages. 

Beloved of God, no matter what you've been going through recently, you don't have to come under this negative atmosphere. Today, the Lord is releasing His anointing and His power for you to break free from all this! The Lord is leading you above this gloomy spiritual atmosphere right now. Let Him lead you. Let Him bring you on His wings, like that of an eagle's. This is the time to rise above and not go under! 

So, if suddenly for no apparent reason, you feel that you're getting stuck in your life, or you feel like your life isn't going anywhere; or recently things never go smoothly the way you've wished it to be; or recently a lot of time has been wasted on things that suddenly crop up out of nowhere; you are not alone! The Lord sees and understands all that. 

And the Lord is saying to you: "Put all your focus on Me. Put all your heart on Me. And watch My hand turn things around for you. But you've got to trust Me. You've got to believe. There's going to be a turnaround for you. Hang on strong and be patient. Do not give up just yet. For you'll begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel." 

Jeremiah 29:11 says, 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.' 

Isaiah 41:10 says, 'Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' 

Joshua 1:9 says, 'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.' 

Psalm 40:1-3 says, 'I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth - Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.' 

As I was reading all these Bible verses, I heard the Lord saying: "There will be new things and new horizons for you. Just don't look back. It's not too late for you just yet. Be set free from whatever that has overwhelmed you and has cast a gloom upon you. Be set free! For I'm giving you the power to rise above and to start afresh!" 

Receive all this by faith, whatever your situation may be right now! 

The Lord is also saying to you: "I have never been late. I am never too late for you. You think that I am late. But I am never too late for you. For I see time not as man sees time. To Me, a thousand years is as a day, and a day is as a thousand years. So, look to Me and put your hope on Me. For I can turn things around for you in ways that you cannot imagine. For I am the Lord your God." 

I mean, if you look at Lazarus, he was four days dead. There was already a stench on his body. And the sisters, Mary and Martha, told Jesus, "If only You were here earlier, Lazarus our brother would not have died." But to Jesus, He was never late. Jesus' on time. And you know that miracle. Lazarus rose from the dead! 

So beloved of God, whatever your 'dead' situation may be, or whatever your hopeless situation may be, the Lord your God is saying to you right now He's never too late for you! He sees time not as you see time. He is above time. He rises above our chronological time. And He is on time for you! Of course, things may not happen exactly like it used to be. Some things don't happen two times. But don't limit yourself with your past, or what you used to be in your past. Because the Lord is giving you a new horizon. New things are coming your way!

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You have the power inside of you!

The Lord says: 

"Flow in My river! The river of My Spirit! Do not resist this river that is flowing in your life. Let go of all your burdens, struggles and worries to Me, and let Me bring you wherever My river flows. For I am bringing you deeper. Deeper than you've ever experienced before! And I am causing you to see many new things that you've never seen before! You'll begin to even see with your spiritual eyes in new ways! You'll begin to see My power working in your life like you've never seen before! You'll begin to see My glory as I begin to show you more of My glory! Look to Me and drink from Me, beloved. For I am revitalizing you and I am reviving you!"

Today, as you flow with the river of the Holy Spirit, let the Holy Spirit impart life upon you! 

John 6:63 (NKJV) says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." 

Not just everlasting life, but the Holy Spirit causes everything and every aspect of your life to become alive again! So, whatever that's dead or dormant in your life, let the Holy Spirit, the river of the Spirit refresh you, revive you, flow in you, and turn it alive again! 

The Holy Spirit has the nature and the characteristics like a river. As you flow with this river of the Holy Spirit, every good thing in your life shall flow too! 

Psalm 63:1-2 (NKJV) 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.' 

As you receive and drink of the Holy Spirit more and more in your life, and flow with the Holy Spirit more and more in your life, what shall you see? You shall see more of His power and His glory! Why? Because the Spirit of God is the Spirit of power and the Spirit of glory too! 

Just like the river current, there is power. Nothing can resist it along the way. And this river of God has no limit and no boundary. This river of God is wider than any physical river that you can find on earth. In fact, if you look at the physical world, river water can even be turned into electricity. Hydroelectric power. Electricity being generated by the use of the force of the moving water of the river. 

It is the same in the spiritual realm. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of power. That's why praying in the spirit is a powerful weapon that God has given you. Because you are entering the realm of God's power. This power will blow all the works of the enemy away! 

You see, a walk with God is a walk with the Spirit of God. It is a very personal walk. It is between you and Him. No one in between. A deep communion and fellowship with the Lord. Deeper than any other relationship on earth. Deep calls unto deep. Today, the Lord is bringing you deeper. You shall see many things that you've not been able to see before. You will understand many things that you couldn't understand before. And if you have the Holy Spirit working inside of you, you will have no fear of whatever the power of darkness throws at you. You will have the power of God to overcome!

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) says, 'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.' 

The word 'power' here is 'dunamis' in Greek, and in our context, it can mean 'miraculous power, mighty work, abundance (that comes from God), the ability of God, the strength of God, the force of God, the miracle of God'. This 'dunamis' works in you and through you!

Philippians 2:13 (NKJV) says, 'For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.' 

This phrase 'works in you' is a present participle tense, and it can mean 'always working actively in you'. So, I can say, 'For it is God who always working actively in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.' Just like the river that never stops flowing in you and through you! 

So, let Him, beloved. Let Him flow and work in you always, actively, in you! You will know what to do in your life, in every season of your life! You will know how to go about your life, in every season of your life! You will never end up stuck or at a dead-end. Because the Holy Spirit will always have a way out for you. There will always be a solution for you. And that's what the Holy Spirit does in your life!

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Words from the Lord: "The tide is now turning to your favor!"

The Lord says: 

"For you who have gone through a time of shame, humiliation or dishonor, do not be disheartened and do not be discouraged. For I am remembering you, and I am bringing you into a new season of double honor!" 

The Lord says further: 

"Look not behind you, and look not at those shame that's behind you! But look to Me! Look ahead of you! For I am turning the tide to your favor! I am opening new doors for you! I am opening new windows of opportunity for you! I am opening new horizons for you that you have not imagined before! Now is your time to be set free! Now is your time to possess double! Now is your time for breakthrough!" 

Isaiah 61:7 (NKJV) says, 'Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double...' 

Even though this verse is about the restoration of Israel, and the coming of the Messiah, this verse can apply specifically to your life too! This 'double honor' here signifies a time of restoration and rebuilding in your life! 

There's going to be a reversal of fortune for you! The Lord can open doors for you that no man is able to open. Even impossible doors and inconceivable doors! Walk into this realm by faith! 

Isaiah 61 was written in the context of ruins and shame that the people of God had those days. They have suffered humiliation at the hands of the Babylonians. They were downtrodden. They were humiliated. They were left without any hope, whatsoever. But through Isaiah 61, God brought a renewed hope for them. The same it is for you, beloved! 

If you are currently in the same situation in your life, and you see no more hope, and if you think time is not on your side anymore, take heart. The Lord says He can do a miracle for you! Give yourself a chance again. Just do not give up and do not lose heart. 

Maybe you think you are like Job in the Bible, and no one seems to understand what you are going through. Even in such a situation, let's look at what's written in Job 14. 

Job 14:7-9 (NKJV) says. 'For there is hope for a tree; If it is cut down, that it will sprout again. And that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.' 

The word 'sprout' here is 'khawlaf' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'renew, refresh, recover, restore, repair'. So, whatever area in your life that you see as hopeless, God is going to 'khawlaf' you again! You will sprout again! You will spring forth again! And the power of darkness that's so convinced that you are already 'dead and buried' shall be in for a huge surprise! They will say, "It's impossible!" But to God, all things are possible! And God says, "It is possible for you!" 

Job 14:14 (NKJV) says, 'All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes.' 

This does not necessarily mean waiting to change from your mortal body to immortal body, or when you are in heaven, even though this is your ultimate destiny. This change can also happen while you are still on earth! In other words, a change for the better in your life, in your health, in your career, or in the ministry! Yes, a change for the better in any area of your life! Right here! Right now! 

By the way, 'hard service' here can mean your current struggles, your current warfare, your current predicament in your life, your current challenging situation, a difficult time that you are facing at the moment, or even a personal crisis that you are facing at the moment. 

Whatever it may be, a change is coming to your life! A change for the better!

The word 'change' here in Job 14:14 is again the word 'khawlaf' in Hebrew. Earlier, you saw 'sprout', which means 'renew, refresh, recover, restore, repair'. Now you see this word 'change'. These are all the same word 'khawlaf' in Hebrew. This is the "now word", "the key word", in this time of your life! 

The enemy may say to you, "You are a dead wood." But God says the opposite. God says to you, "You are sprouting again!" Choose ye this day who you are going to believe! 

What is a 'dead wood'? It means 'dead as in dead'. In other words, 'no longer useful'! But not you! God says, "You are going to sprout again!" God says, "You are going to 'khawlaf' again!" 

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Words from the Lord: "You will find your rightful place!"

The Lord says: 

"This is the time of My great outpouring in many places like you've not seen before, in spite of the woes that you see on earth. The knowledge of My glory shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. Prepare yourself for the next level of My anointing, My wisdom, and My glory in your life! Ask of Me and you will receive. For those who have not found it, you will begin to find your rightful place in My kingdom!"

Habakkuk 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.' 

The word 'knowledge' here in Hebrew is 'yada', and it can mean 'to know by seeing', 'to know by recognizing', 'to know by comprehending', or 'to know by discovering'.

Do not be disillusioned by whatever you see the enemy or the power of darkness does on earth right now, and do not be anxious. You know why? Because the Lord's glory that's coming is greater! The Lord your God will triumph in the end! And His glory knows no bounds! His glory is infinite, unlimited, and unstoppable! No power of darkness can stop Him!

You may ask, "What is God's glory?" This can be defined as 'God's greatness, God's magnificence, God's presence, and God's power that you can see, you can sense, and you can experience'. 

This glory can be upon your life, your family, or over your locality, your city, or even a nation or nations!

The key in this current time and season is to continue to look to Him, to embrace Him, and to cling to Him! 

You will see yourself moving into the next level, a new level of His glory, His power, and His wisdom in your life!

The Spirit of wisdom and revelation is flowing to you, and His glory is falling upon you right now! Receive by faith. 

You will begin to see many things in different light. There will be new perspective. There will be new understanding of things and what God is currently doing in your life.

Blessed are you!

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Be renewed and refreshed, and receive the fullness of His joy!

The Lord says for this time: 

"Rejoice and be glad, for I am your God and I have loved you with an everlasting love! This is your time to receive the joy that comes from Me! Be set free from all your griefs and sorrows, and look to Me! I am now breaking every yoke and burden in your life! I am now destroying every curse and unwholesome word that has been spoken against you! I am setting you free right now! I am renewing and refreshing you, as you return to Me and receive from Me!" 

The Israelites are observing Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot) at this time of my writing. 

What is 'Sukkot'? What is the significance to the believers of Christ under the New Covenant? 

Before that, let's look at the word 'Sukkot'. The Hebrew word 'sukkot' is the plural of 'sukkah', which means 'booth' or 'tabernacle'. That's why this festival is also called 'Feast of Booths'. 

What does this Feast commemorate? It commemorates the forty years the Israelites wandered in the desert after escaping slavery in Egypt. They were living in temporary shelters, i.e. 'sukkot'. It also commemorates God's miraculous provision for them all those years. 

The word 'sukkah' in turn is derived from the word 'sakak' in Hebrew. This speaks of 'to be covered (by the Lord)' or 'to join together (with the Lord)', as the Israelites dwell in booths or 'sukkot'. 

Deuteronomy 16:15 (NKJV) says, 'Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.' 

See the words 'you surely rejoice' here? Surely rejoice! In New International Version (NIV), this is translated as 'your joy will be complete'. 

Flowing with this season of the Lord, as believers under the New Covenant, this is also a time for you to rejoice and receive the fullness of joy that comes from the Lord, and your joy shall be made complete! 

This is also a time of renewing your fellowship with the Lord, and coming and returning into His presence. Maybe earthly things have made you dry. Maybe many matters of this world have encumbered and burdened you, and you need a renewal and refreshing in your spirit and your soul. This is your time to receive such renewal and refreshing from the Lord!

In fact, this is also a time for you to give thanks to the Lord, and celebrate His goodness, His provision, and His blessing in your life. Yes, even in advance, for what is ahead of you! 

You see, where His presence is, there's fullness of joy! The joy that money cannot buy, and that the world cannot give. Because this joy comes directly from the Lord! Now, as a believer under the New Covenant, you can look to Jesus who is the Source of joy! 

Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed, and in the New Testament revealed. It means the Jesus whom you know in the New Testament was present all throughout the Old Testament through prophecies, typology, and as a foreshadow of what is to come in the New Testament time that we are living in today. 

Isaiah 53:4 (NKJV) says, 'Surely He (Jesus) has borne your griefs and carried your sorrows...' So that you can have His joy! This happened when He died for you on the cross some 2,000 years ago. 

Beloved of God, whatever grief or sorrow, bitterness or pain, hurt or brokenness that you may have suffered recently, let go all these to the Lord. In exchange, open your heart to the Lord again, and receive the outpouring of His joy from heaven into your life! Yes, let it flow right now! Heaven is open right now. Let the joy of the Lord flow unto you. Yes, you! 

God's Spirit is also the Spirit of joy! And when His joy comes, sorrow has to flee! 

Maybe recently you have suffered a loss. Maybe a loss of a loved one. Maybe you have suffered a certain heartbreak or betrayal. Maybe a loss of certain opportunity or job. Or maybe some people have said something about your life that has greatly disturbed you or affected you. 

Whatever it is that had happened, the Lord understands your situation. The Lord understands all those griefs and sorrows of yours. Today, the Lord says to look to Him and look ahead of you. The Lord wants to refresh you today with the refreshing that comes from Him, like a waterfall! The Lord wants to set you free from your griefs and sorrows, and release the joy that comes directly from Him. Receive all this by faith! 

Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV) says, 'To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...' 

Receive this oil of joy! This oil of joy destroys every grief, sorrow, yoke, burden, or bondage in your life! Be set free from your heaviness and captivity, and receive the fullness of His joy! And this joy of the Lord shall be your strength to carry on and look ahead in your life. Amen! 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your presence and for Your covering over our lives. We surrender to You all our griefs, sorrows, burdens, and heaviness, and in exchange, we receive Your oil of joy. Let Your Spirit of joy overflow in our lives right now. Let Your refreshing fall upon us like the waterfall, renewing and reviving us right now. We acknowledge there have been times the earthly things and earthly matters have made us dry, and even diverted us from You. But we now return to You and receive from You. We return to our first love that is You. We return to our fellowship with You. And let our spirit be filled with the fullness of Your joy right now. Right here! Today! In Jesus' name. Amen!" 

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Trusting God for divine protection

In recent days, I've been dreaming about some people whom I know, and I saw them either heading towards danger or already in danger. Each time, I woke up to take authority and pray to prevent any evil or danger from happening to them.

For you as well, beloved of God, pray and believe also for the Lord's divine protection be with you, your loved ones, and whoever the Lord has put in your heart to pray for. 

Now, don't get me wrong. Not that at other times you don't pray for divine protection. But what I'm saying is this is a very important and crucial time to pray. Why do I say so? Because I heard the Lord saying these words: 

"Pray! A crucial time to pray! Be watchful and be alert to your surroundings! For the power of darkness has begun sending many cohorts to cause harm to My people. It is happening all around the world. But fear not! Look to Me for your divine protection and angelic protection. For I am your shield and your covering. I will lead you under the shelter of My wings." 

Psalm 91:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge...' 

In Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV), the Lord says, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me." 

The word 'weapon' here is 'keliy' in Hebrew, and it literally means 'an apparatus or equipment (e.g. an artillery) to consume and destroy', from the word 'kalah' in Hebrew, meaning 'to consume' or 'to destroy'. 

The devil comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. But beloved of God, fear not! Because the Lord is assuring you that nothing that tries to consume or destroy you shall be able to do so. You know why? Because you are a beloved and a servant of the Lord, and your righteousness comes from the Lord!

In Isaiah 43:1-2 (NKJV), the Lord says, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; nor shall the flame scorch you." 

How reassuring! As a beloved of God, whether you are on the land, at the sea, or wherever you are, the Scripture says the Lord will be with you. Yes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At all times! The Lord will know how to protect you and shield you from any form of evil or danger, and from whatever that tries to "drown" you or "scorch" you, as long as you look to Him and put all your trust in Him! 

Psalm 121:5-8 (NKJV) says, 'The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand... The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore.'

You see, there's no exception here. All evil means all evil. In other words, the Lord preserves you from all kinds of evil and all kinds of danger. And no matter how strong the power of the enemy or the power of darkness may be, the Lord your God is greater than all these! 

Your 'right hand' speaks of your 'stronger hand'. It also speaks of your 'working hand'. In other words, the Lord is protecting all the works of your hand. The good works that you do with your hand!

Psalm 18:2-3 (NKJV) says, 'The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies.' 

So, call upon the Lord, and look to Him. Because He knows very well how to save you and deliver you from any form of evil and danger that is conjured up by the enemy. Amen! 

Prayer:

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your protection and for Your angels whom You've sent to guard us. We thank You for leading and guiding us under the shelter of Your wings. We look to You and we call upon You. We come to You, our fortress and our shield. We thank You for the Holy Spirit that continuously guides us and leads us. We thank You for the Scripture promises that we have confessed and declared today. We take You at Your Word. We believe every word that You have spoken through these verses. Yes, we believe even for our loved ones and for all those whom You have put in our hearts to pray for. In Jesus' name. Amen!"

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Thanking God for the breakthrough!

The Lord says for this time:

"Give thanks in everything, and do not cease giving thanks. Give thanks even in advance for your coming miracle or breakthrough, whatever the situation or problem you may be facing at the moment. As you give thanks and as you look to Me, watch how My hand is going to work things out for your good." 

Philippians 4:5-7 (NKJV) says, 'The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God...' 

The word 'thanksgiving' here is 'eucaristia' in Greek. It can be defined as 'to show gratitude as an act of worship'. You see, giving thanks to the Lord is part of your worship to God! 

So, whatever your situation or circumstance may be at the moment, begin to give thanks to the Lord! Give thanks even in advance for your coming miracle or breakthrough that you need! 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV) says, 'In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.' 

The Apostle Paul wasn't saying you are to accept your problem in life as "fated", and that nothing can be done to improve your situation or your life. But what he was saying is in spite of your current situation or problem that you may be facing, you can give thanks to God, knowing that victory, miracle, or breakthrough is at hand!

Notice the words 'this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you' here. Do you see that? In Christ Jesus! Now, that makes a whole lot of difference! You know why? On the cross, some 2,000 years ago, He made that difference! He has carried away all your curse and all your problems when He died for you! Because of that, you are now blessed with every blessing that comes from the Lord! 

And that's why Apostle Paul wrote, 'In everything give thanks.' Yes, even if it's a challenging situation in your life! Because in Christ Jesus, there's already a victory, there's already a breakthrough, and there's already a miracle! And there's already a way out for you, whatever your situation may be! 

1 Corinthians 15:57 (NKJV) says, 'But thanks be to God, who gives you victory through Christ Jesus our Lord.' 

The word 'gives' here in Greek is both in present tense and continuous tense. It actually means 'keeps on giving'. In other words, God keeps on giving you the victory and breakthrough that you need! That's why the Apostle Paul was saying to give thanks to God, for the very fact that God keeps on giving you the victory and breakthrough in your life!

2 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.' 

Do you see the word 'always' here? The word 'always' here really means 'always'. Not 'sometimes'. Not 'often times'. Not even 'almost always'. But 'always'. Period. 'Always' means 'always'. We give thanks to God because He always leads us in triumph in Christ! You see, to triumph is not just to have the victory, but also to celebrate the victory that He has given us! 

Are you facing a difficult situation in your life at the moment? Maybe it's a health issue. Maybe it's a mounting debt. Maybe it's a problem that seems to have no solution. Whatever your situation or problem may be, take heart in what the Lord has done for you on the cross. Look to Him and all that He has done for you on the cross. His finished work on the cross! 

And because He has done all that for you, you can begin to give thanks! Yes, even give thanks in advance for your coming victory, breakthrough, and even miracle!

Psalm 107:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.' 

Do you see that? Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! As a believer in Christ, you are the redeemed of the Lord! And let you say so! Say what? Give thanks to the Lord! Let the redeemed of the Lord (that's you) give thanks to God! Why? Because He has set you free, and He has redeemed you from the hand of the enemy! 

The words 'give thanks' here is very interesting. It's 'yada' in Hebrew. It literally means 'to shoot out your adoration and gratitude (towards the Lord)'. In other words, as you praise the Lord and honor the Lord for His greatness and for all the good that He has done, you also express your thanksgiving to Him for His goodness! 

In my life, I know He has never failed to help me, and deliver me, even from the darkest of situation. He has always been there. And I believe He will not fail you too. He definitely has a way out for you! 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel 

Embrace the 'new' and the good that God has for you!

The Lord says: 

"Taste and see My goodness in your life going forward. But you need to let go of the 'old' and what you have moved on from in your life, and embrace the 'new' that I have for you now. Let there be such a release in your spirit and your soul right now. For what I have in store ahead of you will be good!" 

The Lord says further: 

"Begin to cast down every word and every work sent by the enemy against you. Begin to cast down everything sent by the enemy to pull you back to the 'old' of your life. But this is your time to embrace all the good and the 'new' that I have for you ahead of you. This is your time to secure and receive all the good that I have for you, by faith." 

I heard the word 'embrace' two times here. I believe this is the key word for us now: 'Embrace'. To embrace what? To embrace all the 'new' and the good that God has for you!

This word 'embrace' can be traced back to two Latin words, 'in' and 'bracchium', literally meaning 'in the arms (of)'. 

This word 'embrace' can also mean 'to surround, to encircle, to hold closely (especially with great affection)'. 

This works both ways: You embracing the Lord, and the Lord embracing you! 

One way to describe the goodness of God in your life is to picture the Lord's arms wrapping around you, surrounding you, encircling you, and holding you closely and lovingly in His embrace! And in His embrace, you can rest secure!

Deuteronomy 33:12 (NIV) says, "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders." 

This expression 'rests between His shoulders' can be understood as 'being in the embrace of God'. 

Deuteronomy 33:12 (The Message) puts it this way: "God's beloved; God's permanent residence. Encircled by God all day long, within whom God is at home." 

See the word 'encircled' here? Encircled by God all day long! Encircled by the goodness of God all day long! All the time! And the best news is whatever happens around you in the world, your God is always 'at home' in your life! Always present in your life! Always here for you! All the time! 

Psalm 34:8 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' 

Psalm 34:8 (Amplified) puts it this way: 'O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.' 

The word 'good' here is 'towb' in Hebrew. It can mean 'good (in the widest sense)'. In other words, 'good in every way'. This word 'towb' can also mean 'beautiful, bountiful, sweet, gracious'. 

So, taste and see that the Lord is beautiful to you, the Lord is bountiful to you, the Lord is sweet to you, and the Lord is gracious to you! And let this goodness of God be poured into your life right now! 

Psalm 23:6 (Amplified) says, 'Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.' 

Beloved of God, surely what's beautiful, what's bountiful, what's sweet, and what's gracious shall follow you all the days of your life! Make this declaration upon your life right now!

Psalm 31:19-20 (Amplified) says, 'How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You, which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of man! In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots and conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.' 

You see, the goodness of God in your life encompasses all aspects of your life. God even shows His goodness in your life by sheltering you from the plots and conspiracies of man, or even from the strife of tongues!

Psalm 107:8-9 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.' 

This is another aspect of the goodness of God. He satisfies whatever that is lacking in your life. He fills what is empty in your life. He fills you with hope. He fills you with joy. And of course, He fills you with His unfailing love. When everything else in the world fails, the Lord's love for you never fails. And that is the assurance of the Lord for your life right now. 

Declare that the Lord is altogether good in your life! 

He knows how to work things out for good for you! 

He knows how to turn your sorrow into joy! 

He knows how to turn whatever that's bad in your life into something good! 

And whatever the enemy throws at you, the Lord will know how to turn things around for you! 

Amen!

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You can count on the goodness and faithfulness of God!

The Lord says for this time:

"Count on My goodness and faithfulness in your life. Yes, even in the midst of the situation around you and the situation that you see in the world right now. Look to Me, for I am still your faithful God. My faithfulness towards you has never changed." 

The Lord wants you to know today that He is still your faithful God, and He will still be. So, trust Him that He will continue to show Himself faithful in your life and in every situation you face in your life. 

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV) says, 'But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.' 

The word 'faithful' here is 'pistos' in Greek, which can also mean 'trustworthy, sure, truthful'. As you can see here, the Lord isn't just your faithful God, but He is also your trustworthy, sure, and truthful God!

From this word 'pistos' here, notice that 'to be faithful' is 'to be truthful'. You see, He is a God who cannot lie. Hebrews 6:18 (NKJV) says, '...in which it is impossible for God to lie...' Like a relationship between husband and wife, one cannot say he or she is faithful unless he or she is truthful. The same it is with God, whom the Scripture says is the Bridegroom, and we His bride. 

The word 'establish' here is 'sterizo' in Greek. This word can mean 'to strengthen you, to steadily set you on the right path, to set you resolutely in the right direction'. So, to establish you is to strengthen you, to steadily set you on the right path, and to set you resolutely in the right direction. And of course, 'to guard you' is 'to watch over you, to preserve you, to be on guard for you'. And that's who God is to you, beloved, no matter what happens around you or what happens in the world around you. 

You can personalize this verse to yourself: "The Lord is faithful to me, and the Lord establishes me, and the Lord guards me from the evil one." You can say this again and again. Amen! 

You may have heard the teaching about your faithfulness to God, and there is definitely a place for such. But today, the Lord is talking about His faithfulness towards us. It's a two-way relationship between you and God, God and you. He is faithful to you, and you are faithful to God. In fact, He is still our steadfast and unchanging God, even if at times we may have been unfaithful to Him. Why? Because He is a God who is patient towards us, even in our weaknesses and unfaithfulness. We thank God for that. We thank God for His mercy and grace towards us. 

Beloved of God, if you may, read both 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians in a time like this. These two books are not just about you being faithful to Him and He is faithful to you, but these two books also speak of our time now, the end-time, and how we can prepare for the return and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

You see, we don't want to set date of the Rapture and the return of the Lord. Why? Because the Scripture says that 'of the exact hour and day, no one knows, except God the Father'. We don't want to overstep God's Word. But we can prepare our lives. We can prepare ourselves by living holy lives, ready for Him any time. Why? Because He can return at the hour we never expect. 

In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said, "But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." And then, in Matthew 24:42-44, Jesus said further, "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming... Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 

So, according to 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians, what can you do in a time like this? 

1. Continue to receive His love and be abound in His love

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).

2. Continue to receive His sanctification and walk in holiness

For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8).

3. Focus on your God-given calling and God's vision for your life

For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner; not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:11-13).

4. Be sober, watchful, and vigilant 

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep (i.e. 'slumber in our spirit'), as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8).

5. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

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Words from the Lord: "Discern, not be deceived!"

The Lord says for this time: 

"Discern, not be deceived! In this perilous and deceiving world that you are living in right now, I have given you the wisdom and discernment that you need to walk tall above all these deceptions. Be it sensational news, fake news, false prophecies, false predictions, persuasive words, manipulation, or trickeries conjured up by those who are of the spirit of this world, you will have the sure protection when you walk with Me. I am sensitizing your spiritual ears right now. I am enlightening your spiritual eyes right now. I am filling you with My Spirit right now." 

Colossians 2:3 (NKJV) says, 'In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' 

The word 'all' here in Greek is 'pas', and it can mean 'all, every, any, the whole, whatsoever, thoroughly'. It means you can be sure that as you seek Him, you will have all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that you need to walk tall above all the deceptions, trickeries, or manipulation conjured by people of this world. 

Do you know in what context Paul wrote this verse? Let's look at the next verse. In Colossians 2:4, Paul wrote, 'Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.' 

In Colossians 2:8, Paul wrote further, 'Lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world...' In other words, from the spirit of this world, and not from the Spirit of God, or from Christ. 

Obviously, Paul was addressing this topic of being deceived or being cheated by whatever that is from the spirit of this world. And yet, if you look back at Colossians 2:3, 'In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge', what Paul meant here is, do not fear, because in Christ, and when you walk closely with the Holy Spirit, you will have the flow of God's wisdom and knowledge! 

Anything can happen in this world nowadays. People would think of all kinds of ways to sensationalize stories, to gain attention, to gain followers, to get more subscribers or viewers, to manipulate, and even to deceive others. They can do it so convincingly that gullible people will somehow so easily fall for it. 

So, today, the Lord is saying to all of us, beloved of God, "Be careful." 

Indeed, this is a deceptive world that we live in today. In fact, what you see with your physical eyes may not be the truth, and what you hear with your physical ears may not be the truth. That's why God's people need to be enlightened in their spiritual eyes and be sensitized in their spiritual ears to be able to see and hear what many in the world fail to see or hear. 

That's why also, beloved of God, it's so important to walk closely and in intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because there's round about protection here. So, let heaven touch you right now. Let the Holy Spirit touch you right now. Wash your heart. Wash your ears. Wash your eyes. Wash your hands. Purify your life. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is speaking to you right now. Be in quietness and listen. 

Let His Spirit flow into your spirit. You can sense "peace" or "no peace" in your spirit regarding something. You can sense "green light" or "red light" in your spirit regarding something. To go ahead, or not to go ahead. To believe, or not to believe a certain news. You will be able to pick up any "red flag" in your spirit. You will be able to notice or recognize any warning sign or signal that will cause you to be alert and be careful when you hear of something that people say or something that the social media tells you. 

And with the Holy Spirit teaching you and prompting you, you'll even be able to discern what is a lie and what is not a lie, who is cheating and who is not cheating, who is speaking from their own mind and who is speaking from the Spirit of God. 

You'll be able to discern who is speaking from the mouth of God and who is overstepping God's Word. Your spirit can sense.  

Let's look at one example in the Scripture. Let's look at Peter now. One of the earliest situation that Peter had to face upon receiving the enabling of the Holy Spirit was he had to face deceitful people. In Acts 5:3, when a certain man named Ananias lied to him about the proceeds from the sale of a possession, Peter then said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" Peter was discerning enough in his spirit to discern even a lie or a wrong intention. You know why? He allowed the Holy Spirit to work in him and to speak inside of him. In other words, he was open to the works of the Holy Spirit in him, even in this area of discernment. 

This wasn't the first time Peter walked in God's wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. Prior to that, the Scripture also mentions that the rulers and the religious leaders those days marveled at the wisdom and boldness of speech in Peter. In Acts 4:13, they were asking among themselves, "Isn't this Peter uneducated and untrained? How could he suddenly have such wisdom?" And that's when they realized Peter had been with Jesus! 

The wisdom of Jesus had rubbed on and been imparted on Peter. Beloved of God, the same it is with you right now. Let the wisdom from heaven be rubbed on you and be imparted on you. Amen! Receive this by faith right now. 

When you receive this wisdom from God, you need not fear, come what may, in this world. You see, Jesus is the Source of all wisdom and knowledge. He is all-knowing. He sees farther than anyone on earth can see. He knows better. And you are receiving from this Source. 

In this prophetic message today, let the wisdom from heaven be released upon you right now. Like a river, let His Spirit flow into you right now. Open your heart and open your mind. Anything that hinders your spiritual eyes from seeing correctly and your spiritual ears from hearing correctly, let all this be washed away by this river. 

Drink from this river of wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. Let this river lead you, guide you, and prompt you, every step of the way, in every situation and circumstance. In Jesus' name. Amen!

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Words from the Lord: "Your life will never be the same again!"

I had a dream the other night about three persons whom I know, all of whom are God's beloved. 

One is a leader, and in the dream, one after another follower or disciple of his seemed to desert him or walk out on him. He was of course downcast and discouraged. The next person I saw in the dream was someone who seemed to have lost direction and purpose in life, not knowing what to do in life anymore. And the third person was someone who seemed to have some kind of marriage problem or relationship problem. 

When I woke up from this dream, I prayed for each of them. I know this kind of dream is given so that I will pray. I will pray for the good of these people. So I prayed for God to heal and restore whatever area that needs to be healed or restored in these lives. 

That's also when the Lord spoke these words: 

"Tell My beloved, whatever your hurt, pain, regret, or even trauma may be, this is the time for you to be set free! Surrender all these areas of your life to Me, for I am extending My hand to heal you and restore you. Receive by faith. My grace is sufficient for you. My power to heal and restore is at hand. I will make all things new for you. I will cut rivers in the desert for you." 

The Lord is saying to you that He is sending miraculous supplies of water to 'water' you. You see, 'water' can speak of 'refreshing, healing, restoration'. The Lord is also saying to you that He can make whatever that is barren or deserted in your life to turn into fruitfulness and wholeness again. Not just that. He also makes all things new in your life! 

Revelation 21:5 (NKJV) says, 'He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."' 

Indeed, the Lord is faithful to His words. This is His assurance of His renewal work in your life. Not just in His eternal plan for your life, but also currently, at present, in your life! 

The word 'new' here is 'kainos' in Greek. It speaks of 'freshness' or 'refreshing'. It speaks of 'renewal' or 'being made new again'. So, if it's a relationship trouble that you are facing at the moment, the Lord is refreshing it again! And the Lord is making all things new again! 

This word 'kainos' can also speak of 'being new in the inward, in the spirit, and in substance, not just in the outward'. In fact, it also speaks of 'being made entirely new again, as if the past has been erased away'. 

This word 'kainos' can also be found in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) that says, 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new ('kainos').' 

You see, only God can do this work of renewal in us and to set us free, that humans by themselves cannot. It is not just about a regeneration in your spirit, or your salvation. It is also about God doing a change in your life to the better. Not just physically, but also in your spirit and your soul. It is also about 'turning over a new leaf' in your life in ways that only God can do. 

One example in the Gospel about a substantial and real change, both in the inside and outside of a person, can be found in Luke chapter 5 about this paralyzed person being brought to Jesus. 

Luke 5:17 (NIV) says, 'One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.' 

That's also when some men came carrying a paralyzed man on the mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When these men could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 

When Jesus saw their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." 

You see, beloved, whatever your situation may be, Jesus will always have time for you, even in the midst of His "busy-ness", or in the midst of the multitudes of people looking for Him. In other words, He is never too busy for you, no matter how big or small your problem may be. 

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven', or to say, 'Get up and walk'?" 

Now, the background here is that some of Jesus' audience were the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. These were the religious leaders at that time. In fact, some had come from afar. These Pharisees were zealous in their religious laws. But you know what? Many of them were only focused on outward obedience to the law. It means obedience for people to see, but not so much in the inside of them. Also, they believed God only loved them and those who did exactly what they did. So, they began to judge others who were not like them. 

So, here they were, sitting there with critical eyes and hearts against Jesus, waiting to twist and pounce on some words that Jesus said. And so, here Jesus was, looking at the men bringing the paralyzed man down from the rooftop. He saw their faith. He saw their determination to help their paralyzed friend. He also said that this man's sin has been forgiven.

And you know what? That's when the Pharisees pounced. They were trying to catch Jesus with His words. They began to accuse Jesus of blasphemy. They may be correct in believing that God can forgive sins, but they failed to see that Jesus is indeed the Son of God who has the authority to forgive sins. Their hearts were hardened. 

The Scripture says, 'The entrance of God's words brings light...' (Psalm 119:130). The Scripture also says, 'Jesus is the Word, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory...' (John 1:14). But these Pharisees' hearts were not enlightened to see all this. 

Jesus then said, "But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take your mat, and go home." Immediately the paralyzed man stood up in front of them, and went home praising God. His life was changed - in the inside and in the outside, spiritually and physically. Everyone was filled with amazement and gave praise to God.

You see, Jesus did both - to forgive sins; and to heal, restore, and renew a person physically. To man, both real forgiveness and the power to heal are impossible. To man, the physical part in fact seems harder because it has to do with something visible, and you have to show proof to the physical eyes; whereas forgiveness is invisible. But to God, both are easy. Jesus was showing that if He had the power to restore that paralyzed man, He also had the authority to forgive his sins. It's like one is the confirmation of the other. 

Beloved of God, today is the same. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the same God those days in Luke chapter 5, and He is the same God in your life right now, today! Maybe your situation or problem is physical, or maybe it is not physical. Whatever you have been "paralyzed" by recently, be it a certain lingering sin in your life that seems so hard to be set free from; or a hurt, a regret, or a trauma in your soul that seems so hard to be set free from, the Lord is here to meet you right now. Not just that. He's also here to forgive you and heal you, just as what you have seen in the Scripture here. 

This paralyzed man's life in Luke chapter 5 was never the same again! Not only did he receive forgiveness and renewal in his spirit, he also began to walk free physically. His life was never the same again! I declare the same it is with you, beloved. Your life will never be the same again! 

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Persevere, you are not alone!

The Lord says for this time: 

"Persevere in what I've called you or spoken for you to do in this season of your life. Look unto Me, and not your surroundings. Keep your focus on Me, and not those challenges you may be facing. Don't give up and don't give in, no matter what. Keep running this race that has been set for you. For I am giving you the strength that you need. You will soon see yourself reaping with joy!" 

Psalm 126:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.' 

Beloved, this is what God is saying to you right now. Your waiting time will not be wasted. Your many hours of sowing unto what the Lord has spoken for you to do, and even your tears will not go unnoticed. 

The Lord sees all these, and He will know how to reward you in due time. So, be patient with His timing. Keep looking unto Him, and do not doubt. You will surely reap with songs of joy. This applies in any area of your life, be it in the ministry, in your career, in your business, or in any area of your life. 

Galatians 6:9-10 (NKJV) says, 'And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.' 

Well, sometimes in our walk of faith, it's easy to lose heart and feel like giving up. But the Scripture again exhorts us not to grow weary while doing good. The good that God has spoken for you to do in this season of your life. You see, season comes and season goes. When one season ends, we walk into a new season. But in each season of your life, there is a reason. Flow with God's season for your life. Don't look back. Keep looking ahead. Keep building what God is building in your life right now, and in this season of your life. Again, there will come a time you will reap with songs of joy!

Why do I share this? Because the Lord has spoken, and I just want to be faithful to release what God has spoken for this time. The Lord also knows there are people out there who are actually on the verge of giving up doing good, doing the good that the Lord has spoken for them to do, or on the verge of giving up running the race that God has set before them. If you are one of them, you are not alone! The Lord sees it, and the Lord knows exactly what you are going through. 

And right now, He is releasing His fresh new strength upon you, even refreshing upon you. Receive all this by faith. For some of you, even your walk of faith may have been challenged recently. Maybe some things have happened around you that cause you to doubt God, or to have 'question marks' as to why certain things happened. Maybe it's a passing of someone you know or someone you hold dear. Maybe it's an unexpected event that has happened in your life. Whatever that causes you to doubt or to have 'question marks', the Lord is saying to you right now: "I am still here for you. I will walk with you. I will see you through all this." 

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 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.' 

The word 'cloud' here in ancient Greek was a figure of speech which indicates 'a large group'. This can imply 'all the men and women of God in the history of mankind' or 'all the angels in the spiritual realm'. The writer of Hebrews here pictured that you are surrounded by all of them, as if you are running your race in a stadium full of spectators surrounding you and cheering you all the way till the finishing line.

You see, you are not alone here. So, ignore all those detractors. Cast out all those doubts. Because those who are cheering you are many more than those detractors. What are these 'cloud of witnesses' cheering you on? They are cheering you to continue in your faith, and to run your race with endurance!

This brings us to the word 'endurance'. The word 'endurance' here is 'hupomone' in ancient Greek. It literally means 'going steadily on with focus and determination, and without getting deflected'. By the way, 'to get deflected' means 'to cause something to change direction, or to turn aside from the straight course'. So, 'hupomone' can be interpreted as 'not changing direction or not turning aside from the straight course, but instead, running with focus and determination towards the finishing line'. 

In Acts 20:24 (NKJV), the Apostle Paul said, "But none of these things move me... so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus." 

None of those challenges moved him. None of those detractors moved him. He stayed focused on Jesus. Again here, just like in Hebrews 12, the Apostle Paul pictured himself as a runner, running a race to the finishing line, and that nothing could keep him from finishing the race that has been set before him. 

You see here, Paul specifically said 'finishing his race'. And he's going to finish his race with joy. That's what he said here. Now, the same it is for each of us. Each of us has a specific race to finish. It is not so much about competing in a race with others. It is our own race that God has specifically catered and set for us. In other words, our own unique race. Not to compare with others. 

The expression 'looking unto Jesus' here implies 'looking away from other things and having our eyes fixed on Jesus'. The Greek word for 'looking' here is 'aphorao'. It is more than what we usually understand about this word 'looking' in English. This word 'aphorao' is a much fuller word. It actually means 'looking attentively and single-mindedly, and looking away from everything else'. And it is not just looking unto Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross per se, but also looking unto Him for His guidance, His encouragement, His strength, His wisdom, His revelation, and so on. 

You see, He is everything to us. He is the all-encompassing God to us. A God who is more than enough for us. Amen! 

And of course, He is the author and finisher of our faith. That is to say, He is not just the author of our faith, but He is also the finisher of our faith. In other words, He is with you at the starting line of your race and He is with you at the finishing line of your race, and all along the race, everything in between, every step of the way! 

So, take heart, beloved. Indeed, the good work that He has begun in you, He will bring it to full completion. Philippians 1:6. I like this version in Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. 'And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.' 

So, what's your part now? Stay the course! Keep receiving His love and assurance along the way! Keep receiving His joy and strength along the way! When you receive His joy, you will also have the strength to carry on and finish your race. The Scripture says 'the joy of the Lord is your strength'. 

The power of God is here right now. The strength of God is here right now. The anointing of God is here right now. Receive all this by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen!

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When slander strikes: Letting go and letting God

The Lord says for this time: 

"Whatever injustice that you've gone through recently, know that My grace is sufficient for you. I have seen all the injustices and wrongs that some have committed against you, and I will know how to repay for you. For I am a God of justice. Forgive and let go. Have a big heart. Be merciful, for I am merciful. Look to Me and trust in Me, for I will know how to take over from here, just as I've done for David." 

David's life was a rather eventful and dramatic one. It's epic. Full of twists and turns. No one can deny that. But for today, we shall go straight to 2 Samuel 16. 

2 Samuel 16:5-6 says, 'Now when David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. Shimei came out cursing continuously as David came. Shimei threw stones at David and at all the servants of David.' 

2 Samuel 16:7-8 says, 'Shimei said thus when he cursed, "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!"'

Now, that was a false accusation against David! As a matter of fact, David had no intention to kill Saul in the first place. It was the other way round. It was Saul who had wanted to kill David. And here Shimei was, when David was down and out because he had just lost his throne to Absalom at that time, Shimei had this audacity to throw stones at David and accuse David of all kinds of things! 

2 Samuel 16:9-10 says, 'Then Abishai (one of the commanders of David's army) said to David, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!" But David said, "Let him curse..."'

As you can see here, David just allowed Shimei to curse him and say whatever he wanted to say against him. In other words, David did not react or strike back. 

2 Samuel 16:13 says, 'As David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed him (David) as he went. Shimei threw stones at David and kicked up dust against David.' 

Still, David did not react or strike back. He let it be. Now, the background at that time was that David's own son Absalom had just declared himself king, taking over from David. It was a full-scale rebellion and coup against David. Driven by his ambition for power, Absalom had by then positioned himself to win the hearts of the people towards himself and away from David. Having seized power from David, he then pursued David, forcing David to flee Jerusalem. 

And here Shimei was, taking advantage of the situation to add further misery to David. But as you can see in 2 Samuel 16 here, David did not react negatively or take matters into his own hands. In other words, he let God be God. He let God take over. 

What can we learn from here? Whatever injustice committed against you, or whatever slander spoken against you, know that God is watching. God is not dead. He is very much alive. He sees everything from the beginning to the end. 

And what's your part? Your part is to let God take over. Let God be God. Now, of course, different people different situation. Whatever your situation may be, this same principle applies. 

Eventually, in due time, the tide began to turn in David's favor. Somehow, someway! You see, God has eyes. God is a God of justice. God saw what David had gone through and the injustices that David had experienced. One day, Absalom went into a battle with David's army again. But this time, while he was riding his mule through the thick forest, his head got stuck in the branches of a large tree, and he was left hanging there. He was then killed by Joab and Joab's armor bearers. By the way, Joab was one of the commanders of David's army at that time. 

Now that David had regained his throne as king from Absalom, David returned to Jerusalem. So, earlier you saw what Shimei said to David as David fled Jerusalem. Now David's coming back to Jerusalem. What was Shimei's response this time? You can see that in 2 Samuel 19:18-20. Shimei fell down before David and said, "Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart. For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore, here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king." 

What a change of tone! Far from those abusive words being hurled against David when David was down and out! 

Abishai then said, "Shall not Shimei be put to death? Because he cursed the Lord's anointed?" But David said to Shimei, "You shall not die." You see, to Abishai at that time, and even to many who read this part of the Scripture, it probably doesn't make sense why David said what he said here. In fact, some would even say, "Why was David so foolish to forgive just like that?" I mean, how magnanimous was David! 

Most importantly, God saw David's heart. 

Now, do you think Shimei really had changed after that? Let me give you the answer. The answer is no, if you refer to the Scripture. Shimei continued to be 'a pain in the neck', so to speak. And later on, he continued to do so even to Solomon, David's son who became king after David. You can see that in 1 Kings 2. 

So, let's go all the way to 1 Kings 2 now. 

1 Kings 2:36-37 says, 'Then the king (Solomon) sent and called for Shimei (yes, the same Shimei), and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere. For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die. Your blood shall be on your own head."'

1 Kings 2:38 says, 'And Shimei said to the king (Solomon), "The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do."'

You see, some things die hard. Shimei had proven again and again that he cannot be trusted. He eventually paid the price. So, it happened later, that the king (Solomon) was told that Shimei had gone out of Jerusalem. It was a blatant defiance against the king's order. In other words, Shimei broke his promise. He ate his own words, and therefore he had to pay for it with his own life. It's a checkmate for him. The king (Solomon) then commanded for Shimei to be executed. Well, the king had every right to do so. That's how Shimei died. And that's the end for Shimei. 

What can we learn from the Scripture here? 

Never seek revenge. Let God be God, and let God take over your situation, whatever situation you are facing at the moment. God who sees everything will know how to do His part, at the right time. And you see again and again how God did it for David. 

Beloved of God, the same it is for you. The people who try to hurt you, slander you, or throw false accusations against you will eventually pay the price. You don't even need to lift a finger, if God is on your side. So, yield your heart to God. Submit to God. Humble yourself under the mighty hands of God. Let God wash you clean, white as snow. A pure heart, and that's what God is looking for. And God will honor you for sure, and you will see your reward eventually. Amen! 

Like David, whether in the face of King Saul or Absalom, or even the less talked about Shimei that we looked at today, justice has been served in the end. And like David, whose name means 'Beloved', so are you today. You too are a beloved of God. Keep trusting in the Lord and His goodness in your life. Be patient. Persevere in the time of trial or persecution. The time will come when you shall see justice being served!

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