Receive God's provision in a time of 'drought'!

The words of the Lord for this time:

"Even in a time of drought, weather-wise or economic-wise, and even in a time like this, I will know how to provide for those who look to Me and hear My words, as happened to Elijah in a time of drought those days. I will know how to lead you and guide you, even in ways you have never imagined possible."

Indeed, our God is not a dead-end God! Not only He knows how to protect you according to Psalm 91, He also knows how to provide for you! As long as you look to Him, put your trust in Him, and hear His words, you need not fear, no matter what happens in the world around you, or even in a time of pandemic like this. He will know how to make a way for you, and He will know how to bless you, as evident in the life of Elijah those days.

In 1 Kings 17, there was a drought in Elijah's time, due to the sins and abominations committed by King Ahab, who provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger more than all the kings of Israel before him (see 1 Kings 16:30-33). 

King Ahab gave himself to the worship of Baal. Now, what does 'Baal' mean here? It speaks of 'the masters of this world, instead of YHWH (the Lord God Almighty)'. In other words, King Ahab allowed the ways of the world (or the masters of this world) to take over (and infiltrate) the ways of God. And that's when the drought came.

But even in a time of drought like this, Elijah was still well provided for. What is the secret of Elijah? Obedience to whatever the Lord has spoken! In 1 Kings 17:2-5, when the Lord spoke to him to hide by the Brook Cherith which flows into the Jordan River, he did as the Lord has spoken. And there, the Lord even commanded the ravens to feed him!

When the Brook Cherith dried up due to the prolonged drought, the Lord then said to him further, and this time, he was to move to Zarephath where he would meet a widow (1 Kings 17:7-9). There, again, he was well provided for; and not only that, he became a blessing! Because of him, the widow and her son never suffered lack during the drought! (1 Kings 17:13-14)

You see? Just as the Lord had done for Elijah, the Lord wants you to know that He will always show you what to do, what steps to take, and how to go about, even in a time of 'drought' (weather-wise or economic-wise). Your part is to be obedient to His words and be responsive to whatever He has spoken. Flow with His Spirit, walk with Him, and He will know how to lead you and guide you, step by step. If you have taken the first step, He will show you the second step. And if you have taken the second step, He will show you the third step! So, fear not!

And then in 1 Kings 18, the Lord spoke further to Elijah; and this time, he was to present himself to King Ahab. A confrontation with the prophets of Baal and the prophets of Asherah ensued (at Mount Carmel), and Elijah had a great victory! The next thing that happened was the Lord gave rain again, and the drought ended! (1 Kings 18:41-45)

People of God, the Lord will stay true to His words and promises for you, as long as you do not give up on Him. So, whatever predicament or challenges you may be facing at the moment (especially in a time of economic 'drought' due to the pandemic like this), hang on strong and keep looking to the Lord, because the Lord will see to it that you will never be left at the dead-end! 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Receive priestly blessing to start your new year!

Numbers 6:22-26 (NKJV): And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace."'

Numbers 6:24 (NKJV): "The LORD bless you and keep you..."

The word 'bless' here is 'barak' in Hebrew, and it means 'to kneel (in order to bless)'. This speaks of your Heavenly Father kneeling in front of you, making Himself available to you, like a good father on earth kneeling before his child in order to minister and bestow good things to his child.

The word 'keep' here is 'shamar' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to hedge, to protect, to watch, to attend to, to guard, to surround (with divine embrace), to preserve'. This speaks of God's divine protection over you, guarding and keeping you in His divine embrace, so that no weapon formed against you shall prosper.

Numbers 6:25a (NKJV): "The LORD make His face shine upon you..."

The word 'face' here is 'paniym' in Hebrew, and this speaks of 'His front, His countenance'. This speaks of Him looking at you with favor, instead of turning His back against you. 

The word 'shine' here is 'owr' in Hebrew, and this means 'to show light, to give light, to let His glory fall (on you)'. In other words, His face illuminates (supplies light, brightens with light) on you, bringing light and brightness to your life.

Numbers 6:25b (NKJV): "And be gracious to you..."

The word 'gracious' here is 'chanan' in Hebrew, and it can mean either of these: 

(a) to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior;

(b) to favor, to bestow favor and mercy.

Indeed, He is the 'superior' and we are the 'inferior'. He is the Creator and we are the creation. He is God and we are not. Yet, He loves you so much that He would bend or stoop to show kindness to you. Your Heavenly Father is looking into your eyes and smiling at you, because He has pleasure in seeing you walking in His grace and His truth.

Numbers 6:26a (NKJV): "The LORD lift up His countenance upon you..."

The word 'lift up' here is 'nasa' in Hebrew, and it means 'to bring forth, to lift up (and carry you)'. You see, He doesn't just lift you up, but He also carries you in His arms, like a good father on earth lifting up and carrying his beloved child. 

Therefore, of whom shall you fear on earth? 

Numbers 6:26b (NKJV): "And give you peace..."

The word 'peace' here is 'shalowm' in Hebrew. It can mean 'peace, happiness, health, prosperity, safety, wholeness, wellness'. As you can see, 'peace' here isn't just about the absence of war or absence of fighting on earth. It is much, much more than that. It means your Heavenly Father is setting in place all you need to be whole and well, to be healthy and prosperous, to be safe and happy, so you can walk in victory on earth. It is supernatural peace. It is directly from heaven to you, not as the world give to you.

So, there you have it! A priestly blessing for you to start this new year! Receive every word of this prayer by faith!

To wrap up, the LORD says this in Numbers 6:27. "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."

The word 'put' here speaks of 'to pour, to invoke (to call upon His own name to help or bless you)'. In other words, the LORD, your Heavenly Father, pour His name over you and surround you with His name, the name above all names. When light comes, darkness has to flee. When darkness sees His name on you, darkness or any work of darkness will tremble and will have to run away!

Indeed, this is your time to arise and shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you (Isaiah 60:1). Amen!

Click here to watch the full video in TiC YouTube Channel

Get ready to move into the next level!

The Lord says:
"What I have spoken to you, and what I have given to you, this is the time to surrender it back wholly to Me! Like Abraham, this is the time to surrender your 'Isaac' to Me, and I will see to it that there will be providence and there will be a solution! Do not retract, and do not hold back! For I am getting you ready to walk into the realm of greater blessing, and I am bringing you to the next level!"

As happened to Abraham, there's going to be a time when the Lord will ask you to surrender to Him all that He has given to you. And for many of God's people, that time is now! No, the context here isn't about 'the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away', but rather, He is asking you to surrender, so that He can bring you into a time of greater blessing, and to the next level!

Let me show you from the Scripture. Genesis 22:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."'

The word 'Moriah' ('Mowri Yah' in Hebrew) here can mean 'The Lord will see to it, or the Lord will provide', from two words, 'Raah' (to see, to look on, to provide) and 'Yah' (the name of the Lord our God). Therefore, this name speaks of the Lord who will see to it that there's going to be providence (or solution) when you surrender to Him whatever/whoever you hold dear. In Abraham's context at that time, it was also a place of worship. Indeed, to worship is to surrender all of ourselves before the Lord!

Genesis 22:4-8 (NKJV) says, 'Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering."'

People of God, what are the 'Isaacs' in your life at the moment?
These can be whatever/whoever you hold dear.
Examples:
- your vocation, career, or business;
- your spiritual gifts, or talents;
- your God-given ministry;
- someone you hold dear (but you don't know what to do with him/her anymore).

Genesis 22:9-14 (NKJV) says, 'Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me. Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide...'

'Burnt offering' here speaks of 'your unreserved worship and surrender before the Lord', whereas 'ram' here speaks of 'the providence, the solution, or the answer that's coming your way'. In fact, 'a ram caught in a thicket by its horns' is actually a 'picture' of 'Jesus with the crown of thorns'! On the cross some two thousand years ago, He wore the crown of thorns, so that you can now wear the crown of blessings and the crown of God's glory!

Now, let's put a little imagination into the verses above. Imagine now Abraham on the way to that place of worship and surrender, and he suddenly changed his mind and decided to retract (or hold back) his son, Isaac. Can you imagine what would have happened? The ram wouldn't have appeared! Because the ram (i.e. the solution) that was to be provided by the Lord would also be somehow retracted (or held back)!

Look now how the Lord was getting Abraham ready for a time of greater blessing and the next level, after he had 'passed' the test of faith! Genesis 22:15-17 (NKJV) says, 'Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son - blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies."'

Very interestingly, The Complete Jewish Bible (CJB), which was written from a biblically Jewish perspective, translates this expression 'blessing I will bless you' as 'I will most certainly bless you'. You know what that means? The Lord was in effect promising Abraham that He will most certainly bless him, even in all circumstances, and no matter what circumstance he's in!

By the way, 'in all circumstances' here includes even the not-so-good times in the eyes of the world! And even in times like these, there's still no stopping you from walking in the realm of greater blessing!

Indeed, as descendants of Abraham by faith, you can now receive this same promise in your life too - that the Lord will most certainly bless you, even in all circumstances, and no matter what circumstance you're in! Hallelujah!

Being deeply rooted in the Lord

Colossians 2:7-9 (NLT): Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.

The word 'capture' here is 'sulagogeo' in Greek, and it can mean 'to cheat, to destroy, to strip, 
to spoil, to seduce, to lead you away (from the truth)'. Here in Colossians 2:7-9, the apostle Paul was emphasizing the importance of being deeply rooted in the Lord, without which, one can easily be deceived or be led away from the truth.

Imagine now a strong tree with deep roots. In the Bible, the Lord often likens us as 'trees' (see Psalm 1:3, Jeremiah 17:8). But is it possible to have strong trees with great branches without having deep roots? The answer is no. Because the trees would become top-heavy, and therefore easily toppled by the wind or storm. The same principle can be applied to us as believers. Using the analogy of trees, we cannot be strong trees without having deep roots in Him (and His Word), and that's exactly what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote to the church in Colosse!

In this world that we live in, there can be all kinds of 'storm' that we are faced with. At times, the 'storm' is so strong that it threatens to 'uproot' us! But the good news is when you are rooted in the Lord, and your life is built on Him, you cannot be so easily toppled or uprooted. Not only that, you will be firm enough to stay true to your calling in life, and to what the Lord has spoken to you! Proverbs 12:1-3 (NKJV) says, 'Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of wicked intentions He will condemn. A man is not established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous cannot be moved.'

Let's look now at the life of someone named Jehoiada in the Bible. We may have read about Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, etc, but many people may not have read about Jehoiada. So, we are going on the road less traveled today. And to begin with, who was Jehoiada? He was a priest who had served several kings of Judah. After Israel split into two kingdoms, i.e. Judah (the southern) and Israel (the northern), the southern kingdom (which included Jerusalem) remained more faithful to the Lord. Still, there were several kings in the southern kingdom who compromised the Lord, and turned to the worship of Baal (a 'picture' of the masters of this world).

'Jehoiada', or 'Yehow-yada' in Hebrew, simply means 'Jehovah knows'. Indeed, the Lord knows best, and He surely knows better than we all do. He knows exactly what to do, who to raise up, and how to go about - at the right time and right places. So, against the backdrop of the wickedness that was happening those days, the Lord used Jehoiada to put things back in order and make things right again. In fact, Jehoiada became a 'pillar' to Judah at a time when everyone seemed to have compromised or forgotten the Lord! And what's the secret here? Because Jehoiada was deeply rooted in the Lord!

Let me write further about Jehoiada now. He was married to the sister of King Ahaziah, and therefore was a brother-in-law to the king. But after King Ahaziah died, Ahaziah's power-crazy mother (Athaliah) smelled opportunity, and she began killing anyone with a potential claim to the throne, so she could become the queen mother! (2 Kings 11:1) However, she missed out one person, the youngest son of Ahaziah named Joash (who was only one year old then, and too young for the throne), when Jehoiada (and his wife) hid the baby in the Temple of the Lord! Jehoiada knew he needed to do the right thing, i.e. to preserve the rightful heir in the lineage of King David, according to what the Lord had spoken! (2 Chronicles 23:1-3)

So, Joash remained hidden in the Temple of the Lord for six years while the wicked Athaliah ruled over the land (2 Kings 11:3). But after six years, Jehoiada knew the time had come to make Joash known. So, he called the captains, the Levites, and other leaders to the city of Jerusalem, and told them that one of the king's sons was still alive, and he (Joash) was the rightful heir, being a direct descendant of King David! All these leaders then agreed to protect and support Joash as the rightful king, and they did everything as Jehoiada had ordered. Jehoiada then brought out Joash, the king's son, and proclaimed him king (2 Chronicles 23:9-11). The wicked Athaliah was eventually overthrown, and the temple of Baal was torn down (2 Chronicles 23:12-17).

You see, Jehoiada became such a blessing to Judah because he stood firm on the Lord and all that the Lord had put in his heart to do. With his godly wisdom and sound advice to the king (Joash), Judah returned to the ways of the Lord and began to prosper again! Jehoiada lived an impressive 130 years, and was so highly-regarded by the people of Judah that he was buried in Jerusalem (City of David) among the kings! (2 Chronicles 24:15-16)

Beloved of God, will you too be like the 'Jehoiada' of today, even at a time when many others are compromising Him and His Word? Will you still choose to stay deeply rooted in Him and let your life be built on Him, instead of choosing the fallen ways of this world? Just as Jehoiada was such a blessing those days, may you too be likewise and be greatly used by the Lord for such a time as this. Amen!

The keys to prospering in a time of famine

I heard these words from the Lord recently:
"Look to Me, and keep looking to Me! Dwell in Me and My land. For My land is My Word. My land is where you receive your feeding. My land is where you have your spiritual food. And I will begin to show you the keys to your blessings in a time of famine."

Genesis 26 is the key chapter here. There was a famine those days (in Isaac's time), and in Genesis 26:2-3, the Lord appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you..."

What does 'Egypt' mean in this context? It is 'mitsrayim' in Hebrew, from the word 'matsowr', which means '(to put a) limit, bondage, besieged, or distress'. 'Egypt' here therefore means 'the way of the world (that has a limit)'.

How about the meaning of 'dwell in this land'? The word 'dwell' here is 'shakan' in Hebrew, which means 'to continue, to abide, to remain, to stay on, to rest in', and the word 'land' here is symbolic of 'the Word of God'. As a matter of fact, you generally eat of the produce of the land you are in! For example, if your land (or country) grows lots of rice, you probably would be taking in more rice in your diet. And if your land (or country) grows lots of barley, you probably would be taking in more barley in your diet. In other words, the land you are in is where you receive your feeding. The same it is with spiritual food! Your land is the Word of God! Eat therefore of the 'produce' of your 'land'!

Therefore, to 'dwell in this land' is a 'picture' of you continuing, abiding, remaining, staying on, and resting in the Word of God!

In short, the way of the world may suffer, but the way of the Word will prosper! Therefore, never put a limit on God (and what He can do for you) this year! As much as you are willing (for Him to use you), He is willing!

Genesis 26:12-14 then says, '... Isaac then sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man (Isaac) began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him'.

The word 'sowed' here is 'zara' in Hebrew, which means 'to plant, to disseminate, to spread, to scatter'. Proverbs 11:24-25 confirms the above verses, saying, 'There is one who scatters, yet increases more, and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself'.

Indeed, this is a time to dedicate yourselves to the Lord for Him to use, in every way that He wants to use you. Keep 'planting', keep 'disseminating', keep 'spreading', and keep 'scattering'!

As you sow your 'seed', be it financially (to ministries that the Lord has put in your heart to sow), or your energy, talent, spiritual gifts, or time (into what the Lord has put in your heart to do), watch how He's going to multiply it, even in miraculous ways. Just look at Simon Peter in Luke 5:1-7. As he allowed Jesus to use his boat, that very same boat that caught nothing became something! Simon Peter was so blessed with the bumper harvest of fish that he had to call out for other boats to come and help out! Believe the same it is going to be with you! As you give your 'boat' to the Lord for Him to use, watch how He's going to bless that 'boat'!
Note: Your 'boat' here speaks of 'what you have in your hands'.

Let's continue with Genesis 26:16-18 now. Here, Isaac was so blessed of the Lord that the Philistines envied him and even felt threatened by him! Abimelech (king of the Philistines) then said to Isaac, "Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we." Isaac did, but because he was so blessed of the Lord, wherever he went, blessings also followed him! Genesis 26:19 says, 'Also Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there'.
Note: In the context of an agricultural society those days, finding a well of running water was indeed a great blessing!

People of God, whatever 'famine' you may be going through at the moment (whether in your career, business, or in ministry), keep looking to Him and keep dwelling in His 'land'! Know that He wants to bless you and He wants to visit you this year! If God did it for Isaac that year, He can also do the same for you this year! Believe and receive by faith!

One important key to remember this year is 'to stay away from quarrels and contention', and 'don't get distracted by any enmity, opposition, or accusation'. Focus instead on where God wants you to be, and what God wants you to do. Keep on looking to Him and His well of running water (i.e. His blessings) for you. Know that He will surely have a place for you.

Here's what Genesis 26:20-22 say, 'But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, "The water is ours." So he (Isaac) called the name of the well Esek (meaning 'quarrel, contention') because they quarreled with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he (Isaac) called its name Sitnah (meaning 'enmity, opposition, accusation'). And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he (Isaac) called its name Rehoboth (meaning 'spacious, lots of room, broad place'), because he said, "For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land."'

The Lord then appeared to Isaac and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham's sake." (Genesis 26:24)

Indeed, He is your I AM God, a very present help in time of your need. In Revelation 1:8, He says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Notice 'who is' comes first here, and then only 'who was' and 'who is to come'? The Lord wants to show you that He is first and foremost the 'who is' God, the very present God to you! Not past, not future, but present and now here for you!

Last but not least, the one thing about being blessed of the Lord is that people will start to notice it! Why? Because the blessing of the Lord is tangible and is so real!

Here's what Genesis 26:26-29 say, 'Then Abimelech (king of the Philistines) came to Isaac from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army. And Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?" But they said, "We have certainly seen that the Lord is with you. So we said, 'Let there now be an oath between us; and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, since we have not touched you, and since we have done nothing to you but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord'."'

In summary, here are the keys to prospering in a time of famine:
1. Be where God wants you to be.
2. Dwell where God wants you to dwell.
3. Sow 'seeds', be it financially or in other ways.
4. Believe blessings will follow you wherever you go.
5. Stay away from quarrels and contention.
6. Focus not on the enemy, but on what God wants you to do.
7. Know that the Lord will surely have a place for you.
8. Fear not, because He is present and He is here with you.

My prayer for you this year is wherever you 'dig', there will be wells of water (i.e. blessings), and people will see that you too are the blessed of the Lord, to the glory of God, just as Isaac was those days. In Jesus' name. Amen.

'Crossing over' from blessing to blessing

Isaiah 43:1-2 (NKJV): But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine. When you pass through the waters (i.e. 'cross over' 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."

The Bible says we are to be fruitful and multiply! (see Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:1) However, to increase and multiply, there are times we'll also need to leave the 'old' and move into the 'new'. Isaiah 43:18-19 (from the same Isaiah chapter 43) says, "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Just an illustration here. If a plant in a small flowerpot keeps growing and you let it remain in that same small flowerpot, it will eventually outgrow the flowerpot. And what happens if you choose not to transplant it (i.e. uproot and re-plant the growing plant) into a bigger flowerpot? This plant will eventually wither and die prematurely! The same it is with us. The Bible says we are to grow from glory to glory, grace to grace, faith to faith, and blessing to blessing! But the moment we choose not to 'transplant' ourselves (say, from one season to another, as and when He leads us to), or move from blessing to blessing (one level of blessing to another level of blessing), we will also eventually 'go down'!

Abraham in the Bible is an epitome of a man who kept 'crossing over' from blessing to blessing! And of course, he did not 'go down'. One characteristic all through his life was that he's a man who always 'crossed over' whatever 'barrier' (again and again) into a new level of blessing. 

Genesis 11:31 was the beginning of Abram's many 'journeys' in his faith walk. It says, 'And Terah (Abram's father) took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there'. 

The whole entourage journeyed along the River Euphrates, and in order to reach Haran, they had to 'cross over' the Euphrates. Interestingly, the word 'Hebrew' is pronounced 'abar' or 'eber' in the language, which actually means 'cross over'! In other words, 'Hebrew' means 'cross over'! And who was the first Hebrew in history? Abram! In fact, this act of Abram's 'crossing over' the River Euphrates (and then, further 'crossing overs' all through his life) eventually defined his name and identity! In short, by continually 'crossing over', he later became known as 'Abraham', meaning 'the father of multitudes', or 'the father of many nations'!

Therefore, through his covenant with the Lord, Abraham's descendants (and all those grafted in) would also be a 'crossing over' people! That's you and me too, the believers today!

People of God, what are the areas the Lord has been speaking to you to ‘cross over’? For some, it may be a new business venture, and for another, it may be a career change, a ministry re-direction, or even a location change. Whatever it may be, a new level of anointing, blessing, and prosperity is awaiting you as you 'cross over', just as happened to Abraham!

Recently, the Lord released these words in Isaiah 43:1-2 to me personally, and I believe this is also for those of you who have received 'greenlight' or 'confirmation' from the Lord to move on to the next level, but somehow, for one reason or another, there seem to be some hesitations. He 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.e. 'cross over' the waters), I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow (overwhelm, drown) you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you."

When a 'barrier' is overcome, you'll then begin to see God’s promise (or promises) spoken to you coming to pass! Isaiah 43:1-2 says 'He will be with you' as you ‘cross over’ any 'barrier'. So, fear not! And that's how you move from blessing to blessing! As a matter of fact, 'movement' is normally required in order for one to ‘cross over’ into a new season, and your inheritance as Abraham's descendants is to keep on moving in God's timing, like he did.

Prosperity will eventually come as you align yourself with God's timing and season. In other words, 'as He moves, you move', 'as He stops, you stop', and 'when He says so, you say so', 'when He says no, you say no'. 

This is also a time to meet with Him in His 'tabernacle' (shelter, tent, booth, hut, or 'sukkah' in Hebrew) and encounter His glory (see Nehemiah 8:14-17) like never before. New anointing is going to be released as you 'tabernacle' with Him.

When my daughter, Sophia was in her pre-school, one of our favourite pastimes was to build a tent together at home, and we would then dwell inside that little tent together and play. She loved it, and we would pretend we're really camping in the woods. We would eat our favourite snacks and drink our favourite drinks together. She especially loved being in the warm embrace of her daddy and mommy, especially on a cold, rainy day. There's just something 'warming' when you are in a tent together. You feel protected. You feel the 'togetherness'. You feel the 'oneness'. You feel loved. And you feel you are not alone. This helped me to understand the warm embrace of our Father God. The 'daddy and mommy' here speaks of ‘our Father in heaven’ and the ‘child’ here speaks of ‘you and I, the children of God’. And today, your Father in heaven wants to and enjoys 'tabernacling' with you (His children) too!

Also, as you move on and 'cross over', remind yourself to remain in His joy always. Nehemiah 8:10 says, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Receive this joy of the Lord today! 

Notice this joy doesn't come from the world, but comes directly from heaven. This joy will in turn be your strength. Never allow the devil (or anyone else) to take away this joy from you, no matter what 'bad news' you hear (say, from the media), or no matter what people may say against you. The enemy will do anything to rob you of this joy, because he knows if you lose your joy, you’ll also lose your strength. And if you lose your strength, it's never going to be easy to carry on and walk into the fullness of God’s plan and destiny for your life in the new season. But fear not! Because the Lord has promised in Isaiah 43:1-2 that 'He is with you', and 'through the rivers, they shall not overflow (overwhelm, drown) you'. Continue to look to Him and abide in Him (John 15:4-5). Amen.

Pronounce blessing over your life and your every situation!

Numbers 6:27 (NKJV): So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.

The word 'put' here is 'showphak' (from the word 'shaphak') in Hebrew, which means 'invoke, pour, spill forth, gush out, pour out'. In other words, we, the royal priesthood in the New Covenant (see 1 Peter 2:9-10) can invoke (call upon) the Lord's name (i.e. His character) upon our lives, our loved ones, or even our situation! By the way, 'to invoke' here is 'to call upon God (for help, protection, blessing, etc)'.
Note: A 'name' in Hebrew always describes a 'character', and God's character is always (and will always be) that of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

And what does God say He will do, on His part? He says "... and I will bless them."

Just before Numbers 6:27 was mentioned, the Lord told Moses to teach Aaron and his sons (the priests those days) the way to bless His people, saying:
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace."
Note: The word 'bless' here is 'barak' in Hebrew, which can mean 'speak well'. 

Today, as a believer in the New Covenant, and as God's people in the Body of Christ, you can receive the fullness of this blessing too! He also wants you to know that He is here to 'speak well' of you, and not to curse you (see Galatians 3:13-14). Believing this, and whatever He 'speaks well' of you shall come to pass in the physical realm. Amen!

In cross reference, Psalm 5:12 (NKJV) says, "For You, O Lord, will bless ('barak') the righteous; With favor You will surround him (the righteous) as with a shield." Wow! Not only do you have the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16), the Bible also says you, as the righteousness of God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), also have the shield of favor surrounding you! Praise God!

It's rather interesting to learn this word 'favor' here. It is pronounced 'ratsown' in Hebrew, and in this context, it means 'God's delight, God's acceptance, God's good pleasure, God's favor'. And you know what? Let me paraphrase and personalize Psalm 5:12 using this word 'ratsown' now. Here it goes: "God is blessing me (the righteousness of God through Christ) right now; and His delight, His acceptance, His good pleasure, and His favor is also surrounding me as with a shield right now!" Receive this promise and pronounce this over your life by faith today. Amen!
Note: 'To pronounce' here is 'to declare, or to announce into the spiritual realm by faith'.

So, people of God, don't just see yourself as God's beloved (you'll always be, because you are in Christ), but also see yourself surrounded by blessing today! Yes, like the Abrahams of today! A person so blessed, and a person overflowing with blessing! So blessed that others are also blessed through you! That's who you are!

Recently, I heard this, and now I want to release it to you: "Receive the blessing that breaks stagnancy (in any area of your life), that releases a new wave of favor and breakthrough in your life these two months." People of God, if you have been going through a time of stagnancy, these words are for you to receive. God will even cause you to be a 'place' of blessing to many around you.

This is also a time to begin pronouncing blessing over your loved ones (spouse, children, parents, etc). Yes, even over some of the ministers of God (or pastors) who have been 'feeding' you and 'covering' you spiritually, not just always finding fault, flaws, or imperfections in them.

For ministers of God (or pastors), this is a time to receive a heart like Abraham's - a big heart to bless, and not to curse. I know it's not a nice feeling to find out that some of your 'sheep' have been talking a lot about you (negatively) behind your back, but in spite of this, still bless! (no matter how difficult it may be, but by His grace, you can, because He is here to help you)

By speaking words to bless (and not to curse), you are also allowing God to open the floodgates of blessing over your life, your ministry, and your situation. Watch Him take over those situation of yours from now on. I believe He will not and cannot fail you. Amen.

The above also applies for anyone who is faced with a difficult situation in the marketplace at the moment, or in the course of your working life or personal life. Take heart. The Bible says 'He makes His face shine upon you', not 'hiding His face from you'. Receive His grace (His ability) and His shalom peace right now, and for your every situation this day. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The Blessing of the Lord makes you rich

Proverbs 10:22 (NKJV): The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.

The word 'rich' here is 'ashar' in Hebrew, which can mean 'to grow in richness, to make rich, or to cause you to be rich'. In other words, God's blessing in your life causes you to be rich! Here, I'm not just talking about being rich in finance. The blessing of the Lord makes you rich in every good thing, and this good thing can be in health, in wisdom, in revelation, in favor, etc!

2 Corinthians 8:9 says 'though He (Jesus) was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich'. Here, you see a great exchange happened when Jesus died for you on the cross. In fact, He literally lost everything there, and He did it with you in mind, and for your sakes!

What then is the opposite of 'blessing'? Curse! Galatians 3:13-14 tells us that 'Christ has become a curse for us, so that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us'. The Bible also says 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'! Someone used to ask, "Is it really necessary for Jesus to die on a tree (i.e. a wooden cross)?" The answer is yes. Why? Because it was from a tree that Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:1-7), and therefore 'curse' came (Genesis 3:16-19), and so, in order to redeem you and reverse this curse, it was also necessary for Him to die on a tree as well.

When you live in His blessing, Proverbs 10:22 also says 'He adds no sorrow with it'. Praise God! It means 'no sorrow attached'! It also means 'no strings of whatever sorrows attached'! It means when He blesses you, He blesses you. Full stop. Period. No strings attached! For example, if God blesses you with say, an 'open door' to a lucrative career, it need not be 'attached' with you having to sacrifice your health, or even family!

Isaiah 53:4 says, 'Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows...' Psalm 127:2 says, 'It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows...' In fact, the word 'sorrow' here (i.e. 'etseb' in Hebrew) in Psalm 127:2 is the same word 'sorrow' in Proverbs 10:22, which can mean 'pain, worry, grief, hurts, bitterness, anguish, burdened, in a sorry state, or toiling/laboring with much pain and difficulty'. The good news is Jesus has carried them all for you at the cross, and therefore today, you can now be set free from all those 'sorrows'!

So, whatever 'sorrow' ('etseb') you may have at the moment, let all these go to Jesus. See all these hung on the cross, and see Jesus in all His love carrying them for you right now. He is here to carry them all, and there's really nothing that He cannot take or carry. After all, He had suffered the worst that the devil could ever hurl against anyone - spirit, soul, and body! In return, receive also the joy of the Lord, which is your strength.

People of God, my prayer for you today is that you are being set free from all those 'sorrows' of yours, and as you move on from here, Proverbs 10:22 shall also go with you every step of the way from now on. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Your drought is ending, and your rain is coming!

1 Kings 18:1 (NKJV): And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth."

'Elijah' here speaks of 'God coming down and presenting Himself to humankind'. Some 2,000 years ago, God came down (John 1:11-14) and presented Himself to humankind, and with Him also came grace and truth (John 1:17). Not only that, victory had also been won for us (those who believe) when He died on the cross!

On the other hand, 'Ahab' here speaks of 'humankind', yet susceptible to influences, whether good or bad. In Ahab's case, he was very much influenced by his wife, Jezebel, worshipping and serving Baal, and provoking the Lord God of Israel (YHWH) to anger more than all other kings of Israel who were before him (1 Kings 16:31-33). This led to God proclaiming a drought in the land (1 Kings 17:1).
Note: 'Baal' speaks of 'other gods'.

Let's now go to the background leading to the rain coming. Elijah then said to Ahab in 1 Kings 18:19, "Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." Interestingly, the word 'Carmel' literally means 'orchard, fullness of blessing, fruitful field, or a plentiful place', derived from the Hebrew word 'kerem', meaning 'vine, vineyard'.

In other words, Elijah called on the people to gather at Carmel, a place of 'fullness of blessing', where they would witness who the real 'Vine' is! (see also John 15:1, John 15:4-5) Today, God is also calling the people to return to the 'Vine', the very source, where the 'orchard, fullness of blessing, fruitful field, or a plentiful place' is! It's a call to stay connected with Him, just like a 'branch' to the 'vine', no matter what happens in this end-time.

That's why Elijah threw a challenge to all the people those days, saying, "How long will you falter (waver) between two opinions? If the Lord (YHWH) is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." (1 Kings 18:21) People of God, this is an important time to continue to fix your eyes on Jesus and not waver or doubt, no matter how the 'Baals' of today may try to 'side-track' you.

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

The prophets of Baal soon tried to call down fire, but in vain. They even cried aloud and cut themselves with knives until blood gushed out on them! (1 Kings 18:28) Yet, there was still no fire! This speaks of men's 'self-effort' to try to earn the favor of their 'gods'.

When it came to Elijah's turn, he then said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down (1 Kings 18:30). He then put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, "Fill four water pots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood." (1 Kings 18:33) This indeed is a beautiful 'picture' of the sacrifice of Jesus on the (wooden) cross! At the cross, blood and water also came out from the body of Jesus, as He was being nailed and pierced.

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah said, "Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and I have done all these things at Your word." (1 Kings 18:36) Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench (1 Kings 18:38). This is a 'picture' of Jesus becoming the burnt offering for you on the cross. And just as fire consumed the burnt sacrifice in Elijah's time, God is also well-pleased with the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross! And when the work was completed, Jesus said, "It is finished!" (John 19:30) This happened in the ninth hour, at the same time of the evening sacrifice!

Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord (YHWH), He is God! The Lord (YHWH), He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39)

This also marked the ending of drought, and the beginning of rain (speaks of 'blessing') again for Israel (see 1 Kings 18:41-46). It is the same today. As a believer, know that He is here for you too, even if you've failed Him time and time again (just like the people in Elijah's days). Look to Him, draw near to Him, and call on the name of the Lord again, no matter what you are faced with right now. With men, it may be impossible, but with God, all things are possible (Mark 10:27), just as happened in 1 Kings 18. He can turn things around for you, just as He did through Elijah.

People of God, 'drought' is a curse. It's never meant to be when God created man (and woman) and the Garden of Eden! Today, it's also never meant for you too. Indeed, He has never changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So, whatever your 'drought' may be at the moment, know that Jesus has already become a 'drought' ('curse') for you on the cross (Galatians 3:13), and in exchange, you now have your 'rain' ('blessing'). Believing this, and you'll receive. In Jesus' name. Amen!