A time to 'undo' and 'redo' whatever that has gone wrong!

While worshiping and praying the other day, I saw a vision of a dirty, filthy, worn-out old carpet being rolled back into a bundle, and the next thing I saw was a brand-new carpet being rolled out. The color of the carpet was bright red, and it looked very much like those on which VIPs or presidents walk on.

That's when I also heard these words from the Lord: 
"This is a time to 'undo' and 'redo' whatever that has gone wrong, or whatever that has started on a wrong footing! Tell My people the grace to 'undo' and 'redo' their situation is very rich in this time and season. Be it in life, career, ministry, relationships, or even in health!"

By the way, if you look at the dictionary, one meaning of 'undo' is 'to reverse the effects of something gone wrong', and one meaning of 'redo' is 'to do something again, but now in a different way'.

This vision (that I saw) and the prophetic words (that I heard) immediately reminded me of Joshua's time when the people of God were crossing over the Jordan.

Here's what Joshua 3:13 says, ''And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the (River) Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap."

Joshua 3:16-17 then says, 'That the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea (i.e. Dead Sea), failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan'.

Every name and place in the Bible has its meaning. Interestingly, the waters of the (River) Jordan rose in a heap at a city called 'Adam', or in other words, the waters rolled back to a city called 'Adam'!

What is the significance of 'rolling back' the (River) Jordan all the way to 'Adam'?
The word 'Adam' here is 'Aw-dawm' in Hebrew, and it means 'mankind, or lowly man (due to sins that lead to curse and deterioration)', whereas the word 'Zaretan' ('Tsaw-rethan' in Hebrew) is from the root word 'Tsaw-rah', meaning 'trouble, affliction, adversary'.

Geographically, the River Jordan flows to one of the lowest places on earth, i.e. the Dead Sea. In fact, the very word 'Jordan' means 'descending'. This river flows out of the Sea of Galilee (where there is abundance of life), but its outflow descends and ends up in the Dead Sea (literally). This speaks of mankind 'descending' into judgment and death, from Adam downwards. By the way, 'Zaretan' speaks of 'the adversary' that came near and tempted Adam into sin!

But of course, the good news is as Joshua and the people of God those days crossed over opposite Jericho into the Promised Land, this curse was being 'rolled back' (or 'reversed')! Interestingly, one meaning of the word 'Jericho' is 'sweet-smelling fragrance'. 

The Old Testament is the 'shadow', and the New Testament is the 'substance'. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is the same for you today. As you cross over into the promises of God for your life, and as you look ahead to the 'sweet-smelling fragrance' of the Lord in your life, know that whatever curse (or whatever 'wrong footing' you may have started with) is being 'rolled back' (or 'reversed')!

Let Scripture interpret Scripture now. Romans 5:12 says, '...just as through one man (Adam), sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned...' and Romans 5:18 says, 'Therefore, as through one man's (Adam) offense, judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's (Jesus) righteous act, the free gift (of righteousness) came to all men...'

The word 'judgment' here in Romans 5:18 is 'krima' in Greek, and it means 'a judgment (or sentence) given due to a crime'. When Adam sinned, judgment (or sentence) fell on human race, resulting in weakness, sickness, deterioration, and death. Notice this isn't just about one's physical death, but also spiritual death. But thanks be to God, because through another Man's (Jesus) righteous act, we can now receive the free gift of God's righteousness. As believers, we are therefore spared forever from damnation and hell. In other words, no more spiritual death.

But how do you reverse (or offset) the deterioration in your physical body?

As a matter of fact, as long as we are on this earth, our earthly bodies are subject to ageing process and deterioration (even in our bodily cells and organs). Nothing on earth lasts forever. It is a fallen world. These are part of the effects of the judgment (or sentence) mentioned above. But the good news is the Bible does show us a way to reverse (or offset) this deterioration, so we can live strong and end strong!

Look now at what Matthew 26:26-28 says, 'And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission (forgiveness) of sins."'

Jesus was full of life and He walked in divine health while on earth. There wasn't any record of Jesus getting sick while on earth! Therefore, as we partake the Lord's supper (i.e. holy communion), we proclaim that His (perfect) body was broken in order to make us whole and well, here on this earth!

1 Corinthians 11:24-26 says, 'And when He (Jesus) had given thanks, He broke it (the bread) and said, "Take, eat, this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes'.

Notice 'in remembrance of Me' here? That is to say 'remembering Him and all that He has done for you on the cross'! In other words, forget Him not (and all that He has done for you on the cross)! 

Do I have any cross-reference in the Bible for 'forget Him not'? 

Yes! Absolutely! 

In Psalm 103:1-5, here's what David wrote, 

'Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; 

who forgives all your iniquities, 

who heals all your diseases, 

who redeems your life from destruction (that's 'rolling back' your destruction!), 

who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 

who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's'.

The word 'benefits' here is 'gemuwl' in Hebrew, and very interestingly, according to James Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, one meaning of this word is 'an act (of good), or a service given'! In other words, 'forget not His act (of good), or His service given'! 

What is that act (of good), or a service given in order to forgive you, heal you, and redeem your life from destruction? JESUS! AT THE CROSS! Forget Him not (and all that He has done for you on the cross)! 

Not just that! Because of what Jesus has done for you on the cross, you are now crowned with God's lovingkindness and tender mercies, just as David had written in Psalm 103! And because JESUS is the bread of life (John 6:48), you who partake of Him (who is the bread of life) shall also have your youth renewed like the eagle's! Hallelujah!

Live strong and healthy by partaking the Holy Communion

Matthew 26:26-28 (NKJV): And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat, this is My body." Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

As a believer, there are 2 things you should never miss, because these are meant to be great blessings for you - First, water baptism (which is 'one-off'), and the other, holy communion (which is practised continuously throughout your life as a believer). 

So, if water baptism is a public testimony for your salvation, then holy communion is about what comes after you know that you are saved. It is to remind yourself of your forgiveness/justification ('cup' representing the blood of Jesus) and healing/health ('bread' representing the body of Jesus) that comes from Him, as you look to Him and what He has already done for you on the cross. Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19).

Today, let's also clear any misconception about holy communion once for all. Contrary to what some people think, holy communion is never a ritual to be observed, but a blessing to be received, i.e. the blessing of health and wholeness for the believers. In fact, it is God's way of releasing His life, health, strength, and vitality to the believers in the New Covenant!

By the way, the practice of holy communion (i.e. breaking of bread) has always been an integral part of every believer's gathering in the early church those days (see Acts 2:42).

"But pastor, I don't see what this little piece of bread and this little cup of juice can do for me!"

Never underestimate what you partake during holy communion. There’s power in the act of eating. You see, it was a little piece (of fruit) Adam ate that plunged all of us into the 'vicious circle' of sin, brokenness and condemnation. So, to reverse this 'dying you shall die' effect or curse due to sin, God has also 'ordained' the little piece (of bread) and the little cup (of juice) for us to eat and drink in order to restore us back to our wholeness and wellness!

Let's now go back to the Old Testament for its parallel. The Bible says when God's people left Egypt on the night of Passover, none was feeble (i.e. weak and sickly) among them (see Psalm 105:37). That's quite amazing, considering there were about 2.5 million people leaving Egypt then! And yet none was weak and sickly!

What was their secret to health, strength and vitality then? I believe the answer lies in what they partook on the night of Passover. And as they partook, God released such supernatural health and strength into each one of them, that none was feeble during the journey! Exodus 12:8 says, 'Then they shall eat the flesh (of the lamb) on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it'. Exodus 12:13 then says, 'Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt'. 

You see? A 'picture' of the body and blood of Jesus! The above is in fact a 'shadow' of the Lord’s Supper (i.e. holy communion) instituted by Jesus before His crucifixion (see Matthew 26:26-28, Luke 22:19-20). Furthermore, the Lord's Supper was first celebrated on the same date as Passover then (see Luke 22:15). If what you see in the Old Testament is the 'shadow', then what you see in the New Testament is the 'substance'. Jesus is therefore the true (roasted) Lamb of God, and the unleavened bread ('matzah', i.e. the flat bread which is unleavened, baked, pierced with holes, and striped) eaten during Passover also speaks of Jesus Himself. If 'leaven' speaks of 'sin', then the unleavened bread speaks of 'Jesus, who is sinless'.

There is therefore a '2-fold' application as you partake of the holy communion, i.e. the bread (representing the body of Jesus that was broken for us) is for your health and healing, and the cup (representing the blood of Jesus that was shed for us) is for the forgiveness of sins. 

When you partake of the bread, know that you are receiving His health, healing and wholeness. His body was broken so that yours can be made whole! Jesus was never sick on earth. So, as you partake the bread, you are also believing that 'as He is, so are you in this world' (1 John 4:17). As a matter of fact, throughout His ministry on earth, He healed all who came to Him, wherever He went (see Luke 6:19, Acts 10:38). His very nature is indeed to heal and to make you whole! This is your right as a believer! And He has already paid it in full for you at the cross!

When you partake of the cup, know that you are already forgiven and have been made righteous (i.e. in right standing with God) through the blood of Jesus. His blood was shed for you at the cross so that you have the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7).

So, as you partake of the holy communion, know that at the cross, Jesus didn't just carry all your sins, but He has also carried all your sicknesses, pains and bodily infirmities (see Isaiah 53:4).

"But why is it that some believers are afraid to partake the holy communion?'

Because they have probably misinterpreted 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 (NKJV) that says, 'For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep (i.e. dead). 

Notice the phrase 'for this reason' here. It is singular, and not plural (i.e. 'for these reasons'). It means there's only one reason many are weak, sick, or die prematurely, and that reason is 'not discerning the Lord’s body' (meaning 'they did not know why they are partaking of the holy communion').

On the other hand, the good news is when you believe and when you rightly discern the Lord’s body, i.e. knowing that His body was broken for your healing and His blood was shed for your forgiveness when you partake of the holy communion, you’ll in fact be reversing the 'judgement' to your body (i.e. the process of ageing, and 'dying you shall die') that began since Adam’s fall! In other words, the more you partake of the holy communion, the more you are going to hear people say, "Hey, you look younger and healthier every time I see you again!" Praise God!

“But pastor, I must confess all my sins before partaking the holy communion, right? What if I miss out on one sin? Does that mean judgement will follow me?" 

Well, that’s how the devil makes God's people afraid to partake of the holy communion, when the truth is it is meant to be a divine blessing to be received! 

This misconception probably stems from misinterpreting 1 Corinthians 11:27-28 (NKJV) that says, 'Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup'. 

What does it mean by ‘eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner’ here? Paul was not saying we should not partake because we are unworthy. If that's the case, no one should partake at all! Because all failed! We are only made worthy by His blood! So, Paul was actually referring to ‘those who do not know why they are partaking of the holy communion’. These are the people who may say, “Oh, it’s just a ritual or formality in the church!”, or “Oh, it’s just a piece of bread to fill your stomach, so that you’ll not be hungry during service!” 

‘Let a man examine himself' here then is 'to see if he is partaking the holy communion in a worthy manner', as explained in the previous paragraph. So, in the context of this verse here, Paul was not talking about ‘let a man examine all his sins and therefore confess them all’.

Note: Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I condone sin here. Sin is sin, and sin is detrimental to one's life. Here, I'm just describing what Paul meant when he wrote 'let a man examine himself'.

Finally, let's now go to 1 Corinthians 11:26. It says, 'For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes'. 

"Pastor, why and to whom I proclaim the Lord's death when I partake of the holy communion?"

Colossians 2:14-15 has the answer. It says, '...having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He (Jesus) has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it'. 

So, every time you remember His death by partaking of the holy communion, you are also in effect proclaiming to the principalities and powers that they have been disarmed and that Jesus has triumphed over them! In fact it is for this very reason that the devil is so very afraid of you partaking of the holy communion! Because by doing so, you are effectively proclaiming to the demonic spirits that Jesus has triumphed over them, and therefore every demonic spirit that works against you has no choice but to flee! Hallelujah!

Forgiveness & healing

Psalm 103:3 (NKJV): Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.

The word 'forgives' here in Hebrew is 'calach' (pronounced 'saw-lakh'), which means 'to spare (from any judgment), to pardon', and the word 'heals' here in Hebrew is 'rapha', which means 'to mend (by stitching), to cure, to repair, to make whole, to make complete'.

Forgiveness and healing go hand in hand. They are inseparable. Jesus Himself went about preaching the forgiveness of sins and healing all who were oppressed (see Acts 10:38). He also taught His disciples to do likewise and sent them forth (see Luke 9:2, Luke 10:9). Forgiveness leads to healing and wholeness. When Jesus ministered to a paralytic lying on a bed, He said, "Your sins are forgiven you... Arise, take up your bed." (see Matthew 9:2-7).

Let's now look at Exodus 12:7-9. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "And they (Israelites) shall take some of the blood (of the lamb) and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire,... Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire - its head with its legs and its entrails." The lamb here speaks of Jesus Christ Himself, your Passover Lamb, your sin offering & your burnt offering (i.e. roasted in fire) when He died on the cross for you some 2,000 years ago.

Notice the words 'blood' and 'flesh' here.

The blood was meant to protect God's people from judgment on that night (Exodus 12:12-13). As a believer in the New Covenant, Jesus' blood protects and covers you from the judgment of sin. All your sins have been punished when Jesus died for you on the cross. This speaks of forgiveness.

The flesh was meant to be eaten to give strength and sustenance through the Israelites' journey. In fact, Psalm 105:37 says 'there was none feeble among His tribes' after the Lord's Passover! As a believer in the New Covenant, Jesus' body was broken so that yours can be made whole. By His stripes, you were healed. This speaks of healing.

The sacrificial lamb in Exodus 12:7-9 therefore served 2 purposes:
(a) The blood protected God's people from the judgment.
(b) The flesh provided God's people with health, strength, and sustenance for their journey ahead.

Likewise, as a believer in the New Covenant, the communion you partake serves these 2 purposes as well:
(a) The 'juice' you partake (representing Jesus' blood) is to remind you that your sins have been forgiven.
(b) The 'bread' you partake (representing Jesus' body) is to remind you that your body has been made whole.

Believe for both every time you partake the communion, because you are meant to walk in His forgiveness, health and wholeness every day! Amen.

Jesus has taken your 'cup' of death, so you can now receive His 'cup' of life!

In Luke 22:42, Jesus said, "Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." What did Jesus actually mean in this conversation with God the Father? Some people think Jesus was saying He wish not to go through the humiliation or suffering (or pain) of arrest (& eventually the suffering at the cross). But was that really all? Jesus couldn't stand the humiliation, pain & physical/emotional suffering? I truly believe He could stand all these.

So then, what did Jesus actually mean? Let's look at the word 'cup' in Luke 22:42 first. It is ‘poterion’ in Greek, which means ‘a drinking vessel; a situation/happening one goes through, a lot, a fate, a portion’. So, ‘to drink the cup’ means 'to go through the situation/lot/fate/portion, no matter how bitter or sweet it is to go through'. Now, I don’t like to use the word ‘fate’, as I don’t believe in statements like, “Well, I’m fated to be poor and a failure all my life”. However, let's look at this word in the context of Jesus at the cross. He had to go through it (in order to reconcile men to God). He had to 'drink' this ‘cup’ of poverty, failure, or defeat on the cross, so that you can now drink the ‘cup’ of blessing, prosperity & victory!

Now, the truth is it wasn't really the physical/emotional suffering or humiliation (at the hands of His persecutors) that Jesus wish not, but it was His 'separation' from God the Father (read Mark 15:33-39). This Father-Son relationship cannot be separated. They are One. Jesus Himself said, "I and My Father are One" (John 10:30). This Father-Son relationship is like ‘sun & light’. To separate this Father-Son relationship is like 'separating the sun from its light'! The sun 'loses its glory' when it loses its light. This Father-Son relationship is a relationship of love, and they are inseparable. But for once (& for all), they had to separate so that we can become ‘one’ with God again (Romans 5:8, Romans 8:35-39). Such is God’s amazing love for you and me!

In Mark 15:33, this 'separation' of Father & Son was even reflected in the natural realm ('there was darkness over the whole land', i.e. no sunlight). What happens in the spiritual realm is reflected in the natural realm.

The Father was separated from the Son (Jesus) at the cross (Mark 15:34-39), so now we are ‘at-oned’ (atoned) with God again (for sin has separated us from God, and the wages of sin is death). God the Son (Jesus) who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we can now be the righteousness of God (in right standing with God) through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Certain things happen only once in eternity. Jesus was separated from His Father once and for all, as a perfect offering on the cross (Hebrews 10:14) for you and me. He has paved the way for you to eternal life (John 3:16, John 14:6). The cross made all the difference!

Jesus was totally God but also totally man (yet with no sin) in his 33 years on earth. He took on the bodily form, like you and me. So, of course He could also experience pain, even the physical ones. But the greatest pain is still the pain of separation. Pain (whatever pain it may be) never originates from God. Pain is a consequence of sin (Genesis 3:16). The first time 'pain' was written in the Bible was after the fall of Adam & Eve (i.e. Eve had to give birth in pain). But the good news is Jesus has already carried all your 'pain' on the cross, so you will not!

In your communion time, as you partake the drink, say, “Jesus, thank you for drinking (taking) my ‘cup’ of death, so I can now drink (receive) your ‘cup’ of life”. Jesus has indeed taken your 'cup' of death (bitterness) so that you can now have the 'cup' that runs over (overflowing with sweetness & the goodness of God). How do I know? Psalm 23:5 says so. Begin looking to Jesus as your Shepherd, and you'll have this 'cup'! He has taken this 'cup' of separation at the cross, so that you have the cup of 'at-one-ment' (atonement, i.e. 'at one', reconciled with God again). And not only that, Psalm 23:5 also says 'He prepares a table (banquet) before you in the presence of your enemies'. You know what? Victory is yours for the taking now. The devil has already been defeated. Celebrate your victory today!