Words for Year 2020 and beyond: "If you look to Me, you are never too late!"

The Lord says:
"Don't look back at your past mistakes. Don't look back at your lost time or lost opportunity. Look to Me instead. If you look to Me, you are never too late! For to Me, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day."

The Lord says further:
"I will know how to redeem your lost time or lost opportunity, and I will know how to accelerate you towards your God-given destiny!"

People of God, if you have lost your time, or if you have lost your opportunity in the past decade (for whatever reasons), take heart and be encouraged, because the Lord will know how to regain and restore what is rightfully yours in this new decade. Indeed, if you look to Him, you are never too late!

2 Peter 3:8 (NLT) says, 'But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day'. What does this verse imply? To put it simply, 'what humans achieve in 1000 years, the Lord can achieve the same in just 1 day'! By the way, the number '1000' in Hebrew numeric can mean 'divine, or divine completeness'. In other words, the Lord is 'divine' - 'outside of time', and 'not bound (or limited) by time'. Therefore, He will know how to redeem (gain back) your lost time or lost opportunity (in ways man cannot)! He is a God of all possibilities (even if man thinks it's impossible), if you look to Him! By faith, take these words with you, and receive by faith for your new decade!

One example in the Bible is none other than the apostle Paul. As you see in the New Testament, he was a 'latecomer' compared to Peter, James, John, and many other apostles in the early church. In fact, he was still 'breathing threats against the Lord's followers', when the other apostles were already in the thick of preaching the good news with signs, wonders, and miracles accompanying! But the Lord redeemed his lost time, beginning from the 'great light experience' (Acts 9:1-19), and later on, the Lord even sent the right person (Barnabas) to help him! (Acts 9:26-28)

The name 'Barnabas' is very interesting! From the tribe of Levi and from the island of Cyprus, his original name was Joseph, but he was nicknamed 'Barnabas' by the early apostles (see Acts 4:36). For the record, 'Barnabas' doesn't just mean 'Son of Encouragement', 'Son of Exhortation', or 'Son of Comfort'. In Hebrew, the name 'Barnabas' comes from two words, namely 'Bar' meaning 'son of', and 'Nubas' ('Nabiy') meaning 'prophet, someone speaking by the inspiration of the Spirit of God'. So, as you can see here, the Lord knew how to send the right person to Paul - not just to encourage and comfort him when others 'doubted' him (due to his past 'bad reputation'), but the Lord sent 'a prophetic voice' to guide him in that new stage of his life! 

For the year 2020, 2 Chronicles 20:20 will be a 'mainstay' among the many Bible verses God's people shall receive this year. This verse says in New King James Version (NKJV), 'So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."'

'Tekoa', by the way, is 'Teqowa' in Hebrew, and it means 'to blow the trumpet as a sign of victory, power, and authority'. Indeed, people of God, 'you shall enter a time of victory in the midst of the wilderness'! Therefore, for this year 2020, take courage, look to the Lord, and receive the prophetic voices that the Lord is sending to you, and whatever 'wilderness' that you are in at the moment, you shall begin to enter a time of victory, power, and authority! Just as you see in King Jehoshaphat's days!

How about the specific words from the Lord for the year 2020?

This year 2020 is a year of acceleration in many things, and the acceleration of many good things in God's people's life!

The word 'accelerate', according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as:
- to move faster
- to gain speed
- to progress from grade to grade more rapidly than usual
- to bring about at an earlier time
- to increase

What are His plans for you in the decade ahead?
- The new decade will be a decade of Him redeeming your lost time or lost opportunity.
- Your part is to keep moving forward, and do not allow yourself to be 'hounded' by your past.
- A decade of God's greater glory be seen in your life.
- A decade when He'll establish you for His kingdom.
- A decade when you'll begin to walk in greater authority.

Believe and receive for your new decade beginning 2020:

- The Lord will know how to establish you! 

- Don't be afraid to be a 'latecomer'! (in an industry or ministry)

- You are never too late!

- The Lord will 'accelerate' you!

- The Lord will send the right people to help you!

Let us give thanks to the Lord in advance, because this is going to be a new decade of God's greater glory be seen in those who look to Him. Amen!

Happy and blessed new year 2020!

Keys to your 'acceleration' in this new season

I released these prophetic words from the Lord as we crossed the half-way mark of this year 2016:
"As you connect with Me, there will be an acceleration in your life! You will see many things begin to speed up, especially in areas where you have been 'prisoners of hope'! This is a key time to seek Me afresh and anew for what is ahead!"

The word 'acceleration' is defined in Oxford Dictionary as 'increase in speed, make something move faster (or happen earlier)'.

What is the meaning of 'prisoners of hope' then? This expression is found in Zechariah 9:11-12, and it means 'those who have been waiting and waiting for an answer in hope (to their prayers)', or 'those who have been waiting and waiting but with no answer'.

Most of us would agree that 'waiting time' is never easy. The Bible says, 'Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life' (Proverbs 13:12). One illustration is like a prisoner waiting and waiting for the time to be set free from the prison, when one hour seems to be like a year, and one day seems to be like eternity!

But here's a piece of good news for you! The Lord is setting many 'prisoners of hope' free in this coming new season!

In Zechariah 9:11-12, the Lord says, "As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold (fortress), you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you."

Indeed, this is a time to remember your covenant with the Lord and return to Him who is your fortress! (Psalm 91:2) And watch how He is going to bring restoration to you, even double-fold!

Zechariah chapter 9 is a key chapter in this time and season of the Lord.

In Zechariah 9:9, the Lord says,
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation.
Lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt (young male), the foal (young one) of a donkey."

Notice I put the key words above in bold, because these are the 3 keys to your acceleration in this new season:
1. Release sound of praise at all times.
2. Remember and return to your covenant.
3. Humble yourself in all lowliness.

Release sound of praise at all times ("Rejoice greatly...")
Sound of praise will connect you to the Lord. Therefore, praise the Lord at all times, and never allow the wrong sound or atmosphere (e.g. murmuring) to pull you down! Psalm 89:15-18 says, 'Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound (of praise)! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favor our horn (strength) is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord...'

Remember and return to your covenant ("Behold, your King...")
Unlike an earthly 'contract', a covenant is not to be rescinded, and cannot be broken. This covenant between the Lord and you (when you opened your heart to receive Him as your personal Savior and Lord) is a covenant made with His blood shed on the cross for you. As a 'covenanted person', know that no evil can touch you or overwhelm you. His blood is effective in saving you and protecting you. In cross-reference, read Psalm 89:3-9, Psalm 89:28-29, and Psalm 89:34-37.

Humble yourself in all lowliness ("Lowly...")
Pride is the reason for all contentions and strife (whether in a family, in church, or in a nation). Like Lucifer who 'lifted himself' above God, pride is 'thinking that one is better, or knows better than others' (Isaiah 14:12-15). Proverbs 13:10 says, 'By pride comes nothing but strife...' Proverbs 16:18-19 says, 'Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud'.
Indeed, those who are proud will be pulled down, and those who are humble will be lifted up. Jesus Himself is the epitome of humility and lowliness, and therefore He was exalted high above every name, 'that every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that He is the Lord' (Philippians 2:8-11).
The Lord resists the proud, but gives grace (ability, supply) to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-6).
As a matter of fact, no one can pull down someone who has already gone down so low at the feet of Jesus!

Let's continue with Zechariah chapter 9.

In Zechariah 9:10, the Lord says, "I will cut off (take away) the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off (broken)."

In cross-reference, Psalm 20:7 says, 'Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God...'

The word 'chariots' here (same as in Zechariah 9:10) is 'rekeb' in Hebrew, meaning 'cavalry (i.e. soldiers fighting on horseback or in armored vehicles)'. This speaks of 'human ability', instead of God's ability; whereas the word 'horses' here (same as in Zechariah 9:10) is from the Hebrew word 'soos', meaning 'leaping like a horse'. This speaks of 'human power', instead of God's power.

To understand Zechariah 9:10 better, it is good to learn the meaning of 'Ephraim' and 'Jerusalem' first. 'Ephraim' in Hebrew means 'double fruitfulness', and 'Jerusalem' in Hebrew means 'founded peaceful'. These are the promises of the Lord for those who are willing to humble themselves and heed His voice, instead of putting their trust in human ability or power.

In other words, to see 'double fruitfulness' and be 'founded peaceful' (i.e. to experience wholeness and wellness) in your life, look to the Lord, and trust in His ability and power, instead of your own. Zechariah 4:6-7 says, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit...' Like the tower of Babel in the days of old (Genesis 11:4), every 'high thing' (prideful thing) built by men shall be 'pulled down' in this end of days.

Indeed, this is a time and season when you will see what Jesus has spoken in Matthew 5:3-10 coming to pass in every way:
"Blessed are the poor (humble) in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."