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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Words from the Lord: "Exciting times are ahead for you!"

The Lord says:  

"The coming months are months of unprecedented victory and breakthrough for many of My people! Serendipity and divine appointments are coming your way, even in ways and places that are unexpected or unanticipated. Look to Me. Walk in it. Take hold of it by faith. Stay in shape spiritually and stay sharp spiritually. Don't miss what I am going to show you going forward, for exciting times are ahead for you!" 

The word 'serendipity' (to people of this world) can be defined as 'the occurrence and development of events by chance in a good and beneficial way'. But as a beloved of God, when you are walking with the Lord and when you allow your life to be led by the Holy Spirit, serendipity is more like 'being set up or appointed by the Lord', rather than 'by chance'. 

This is a good news for you, because the Lord is setting up divine appointments for you. Amen! 

Psalm 37:23 says, 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.' The word 'ordered' here is 'kuwn' in Hebrew. It can be defined as 'be established, be properly set up, be set aright, be made ready, be provided, be prepared, be directed, be rendered prosperous, be fashioned, be ordained, be perfected'. 

The Lord can establish your steps, every step of the way. The Lord can set up good things for you. The Lord can make ready good things for you. The Lord can provide good things for you. The Lord can render you prosperous in this season of your life. Now, this can happen in any area of your life, be it in the ministry God has given you, in your career, in your business, or even in making new friends or entering into a relationship. 

This psalm was written by none other than David himself. He definitely knows what he's writing here. He has seen it all with his own eyes the goodness of God in his life, and how God delivered him from evil, danger, or trouble. From an unknown shepherd boy to be chosen to be anointed as a king by prophet Samuel. And then, he did great exploits for the Lord against Goliath and the Philistines, having great victory over them. After that, he survived attempts by King Saul who tried to kill him. And even after he had become king, he had to deal with an attempt to overthrow him as king by Absalom, one of his very own sons. Such an eventful life! Such a dramatic life! And at his old age, he wrote this psalm. 

And then, he wrote further in the same psalm. Psalm 37:25-29 says, 'I have been young, and now am old. Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful and lends; and his descendants are blessed. Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.' 

Earlier in the same psalm, David also wrote in Psalm 37:4-5, 'Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.' 

You see, David had gone through much in his life by the time he wrote this psalm, and he shared the keys to walking in the ways that are ordered and appointed by the Lord. This is a much better way to live your life than to strive or to try to make things happen by your own strength. 

Another example in the Scripture of 'being divinely appointed' is in the story of how Isaac and Rebekah met. 

Look here at Genesis 24:1-4. 'Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord... that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell. But you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac."' 

Genesis 24:10-14 then says, 'Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed... And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, "O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink', and she says, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink' - let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac."' 

See the word 'appointed' here? And see the word 'success' here? The word 'success' here is 'qarah' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to chance upon, to light upon, to bring about, to cause upon, to be appointed, to be set up, to make it happen, to send (something good)'.

Let's continue and see what happened next. Genesis 24:15 says. 'And it happened, before he (the servant of Abraham) had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah...'

And you know what? The rest is history. The story went this way. Rebekah was coming towards the well to draw water at that time, and when the servant of Abraham asked her to give him a little water to drink from her pitcher, she gave. Not only that. She also offered to draw water from the well for the camels to drink. Exactly as the servant of Abraham had prayed for! A divine appointment happened! 

So, that's for Isaac and Rebekah, and how they eventually got married! Now, this 'it happened' or 'being set up by the Lord' doesn't just apply in relationship or marriage, but this can happen in any other area of your life, be it in the ministry, in your career, in your business, or in every other area of your life. 

Like David, and like Isaac and Rebekah, all the above can happen to you as well! 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we receive by faith all that You have spoken for us today. We walk in it by faith. We want to be led by Your Spirit to be at the right place, and at the right time. Your Word says the steps of a good man are ordered and established by You. As David had experienced. As the servant of Abraham had experienced. As Isaac and Rebekah had experienced. And as many others in the Scripture that You have caused good things to happen to them. You are the same God to them in those days, and You are the same God to us today, in our lives. In the name of Jesus. Amen!"

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Words from the Lord: "New ideas and strategies will flow this month!"

The Lord says: 

"This month is a month of breath of fresh air in the spirit for many of My people. There's a fresh revelation. There's a brand new purpose. There will be new ideas and new strategies that I am giving to you. A new chapter has begun. A new door has been opened. Walk in it. Receive it. Never mind if you have missed out in the past, but this is the time to begin to look forward to the new opening that I have for you."  

Joshua 1:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land I am giving to them..."'

In Joshua 1:9, the Lord said further, "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..." 

That's what the Lord spoke to Joshua. And the Lord is saying the same to you right now!

At this point of time in Joshua chapter 1, there was a significant and pivotal change in Joshua's life. What was that pivot? God gave him new strategies. God gave him new mission. God gave him new purposes. As God has spoken to Joshua, God is speaking the same to you too! Not just that. God released His revelation to Joshua on how to go about, as he looked forward. That time has come for Joshua, both spiritually and physically. 

By the way, what is 'pivotal'? It is defined as 'of crucial importance in relation to the development and success of something'. In other words, the time is coming when you shall see something of greater significance happening in your life. That is the prophetic word for you at the moment. And it will be good!

So, Joshua chapter 1 is the key here. It is happening both spiritually and physically. In the spiritual realm and in the physical realm. It means not just in the spirit, but something you can see with your physical eyes. 

The Lord is saying this to you right now: "Be strong and be of good courage. Do not be afraid. Do not be dismayed. Get yourself ready to face a greater future!" 

Will you by faith receive these words? And whatever happens in the spirit shall be manifested in the natural, in the physical realm, in ways that you can see. Do not let the devil rob that from you! Also, receive a renewed strength from the Lord. Not just that. Receive new ideas, revelation, and even strategies from the Lord, as God opens new doors and new horizons for you! 

And the Lord is saying: "A major shift is coming! From the old to the new! It has begun!" 

Very interestingly, do you know Joshua actually had a name change prior to that? Many people actually don't know about this. So, it's not just people like Jacob or Abram who had name change. You know that, from Jacob to Israel, from Abram to Abraham. Each of these name change brought with it a change of character, and in turn, a change of fortune as well. Now, I'm not saying we all should go to the registration office and change our name. But what I'm saying is there will be a change of character and change of fortune in the spirit for you. And this change is to the better!

You see, throughout the Scripture, a name change is very significant and pivotal. One major example that we all know is from Jacob to Israel. That change led to something greater. So, it's not just about character change. It's more than that. 

How about Joshua? Let me show you in the Scripture. Numbers 13:8 (NKJV) says, '...from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun...' Notice this name 'Hoshea'. And then, Numbers 13:16 (NKJV) says, 'These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land (the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey). And Moses called Hoshea, the son of Nun, Joshua.' 

See? From Hoshea to Joshua! And it was Moses himself who called Hoshea a new name, Joshua. Now, that was a preparation point for something of greater significance to happen in Joshua's life. For the record, Moses at that time was getting his people to spy out the land of Canaan, the land which the Lord was about to give them. But you see, everyone who went to spy came back with negative report. They were afraid to take the land. There were two exceptions: Joshua and Caleb. They had a different mindset. They came back with good report. They saw new horizons and new opportunities, instead of difficulties. And you know what? The rest is history for Joshua and Caleb. They went into the Promised Land and conquered the land. 

Have you ever wondered what is the meaning of the old name 'Hoshea' and the new name 'Joshua'? 'Hoshea', the old name, simply means 'salvation' or 'deliverance'. How about 'Joshua'? 'Joshua', the new name, or rather, 'Yehoshua' as written in the Hebrew Bible, means 'YHWH saves' or 'YHWH delivers'. Some people may not notice this. But you see, something greater has been added! Where is the difference between the old and the new, 'Hoshea' and 'Yehoshua'? That difference is the name of the Lord God Almighty, YHWH, has been added to his name! 

To a stranger, that may not mean anything much. Nothing to shout about. But God! To God, and in the spiritual realm, it was like a major shift! It was like a major earthquake in the spirit that was about to shake and change history. And change it did! It was pivotal. It was of great significance. A change that marked the beginning of a new destiny and new journey for Joshua. And beginning at that point, God was assuring him that He is with Joshua. God's with him. God's backing him up in this new destiny and new journey. Joshua is not alone in this. God paved the way for him. And most importantly, God's with him in all the battles going forward! 

Now, the same it is with you, like Joshua, whatever 'opening' that God has for you, going forward! 

In Greek, this name 'Yehoshua' ('Joshua' in our English Bible) is translated 'Iesous'. This is actually the same form as Jesus' name in the New Testament. So, as you can see here, 'Yehoshua' (or 'Joshua') is a typology or a 'type' of 'Yeshua' (or 'Jesus'). 

For Yeshua (or Jesus), it was also at Jordan River that was pivotal. What happened there? He was baptized by John the Baptist there. You know what happened then and there? Heaven opened! The Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove. Now, mark this word 'descended', because I'm going to explain it to you later. Not only the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus, a voice from heaven declared, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 

You know what's the pivot there? That marked the beginning of something new in Yeshua's time on earth. And now you see the same for Yehoshua (or Joshua) in Joshua chapter 1. The Lord was preparing him to lead the people to cross that same Jordan River into the Promised Land. And the Lord said to Joshua: "Be strong and be of good courage. Do not be afraid, for I, YHWH, am with you." 

What is the significance of this Jordan River? There's a similarity here both to Jesus and Joshua. This Jordan River was pivotal to both of them. The name 'Jordan' is 'Yarden' in Hebrew, which is derived from the word 'yarad', meaning 'to descend' or 'to flow down'. 

In other words, like river of water flowing down from the mountain. Like a waterfall falling upon you. The spiritual significance of this is just as the river of water flows down from top to bottom, God's revelation, God's power, and God's Spirit flows down from heaven to earth upon you! You know what this means? All the good that God has for you from above is now beginning to fall on you! Receive this by faith! This is the revelation today. And this includes new ideas from above, new strategies from above, and even new strength from above! 

No wonder Joshua never looked back ever since. Now, the same it is for you, beloved. Amen! 

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