Words from the Lord: "Prepare yourself to hear from Me!"

The Lord says for this time: 

"Many of My people are going to make crucial and key decisions in the coming months. Prepare yourselves to hear from Me, for there are many secrets and revelations that I want to show to My people who hear from Me. Great shall be the blessings for those who walk in My instructions." 

The Lord says further: 

"For this is the time I'm going to fix your life back to what it should be from the inside out. You will see yourself restored, renewed, repaired and healed in any area that has been broken. For I am teaching you to make the right choices going forward. Hear Me." 

In life, there are many decisions to make. From the biggest to the smallest day-to-day decisions. But as a beloved of God, you need not be worried or anxious. Because you have the Holy Spirit in you, leading you and guiding you, even giving you the confirmation you need regarding a matter. Confirmation can come in dreams and visions from the Lord, while you are praying, while you are reading or listening to the Word of God, or even still small voice. 

In my life, I've had many decisions to make too, in every season of my life. Some are crucial decisions, and some are difficult decisions. For example, relocating from one place to another, or moving from one season in ministry to another season in ministry. Pastor Sharon and I, as husband and wife, when one of us receives a dream or vision from the Lord, or receives a certain instruction of the Lord on something, we would seek the Lord together, and we would ask the Lord for at least two or three confirmation. We would wait on the Lord together. We would pray about it together. We would pray until "we know that we know" it is the right move. Beloved of God, you too can ask God for prayer partners who are sincere and willing to tell things as it is. May the Lord send you such people. 

Pastor Sharon and I, as husband and wife, we would write down whatever we have received from the Lord; be it a vision from the Lord, a dream from the Lord, or in any way the Lord speaks. Just as written in Habakkuk 2:1-2 (NKJV) that says, 'I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me... Then the Lord answered me and said: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it."' 

Once you are sure it is from the Lord, and with at least two or three confirmation from the Lord regarding a matter, then you can take the step of faith and act on it. 

How did Elijah know when it's the right time to move on from one place to another? The key is simple. A life of worship and surrender to the Lord. A life fully submitted and yielded to the Lord. A heart that is soft enough to obey God's voice and instructions, instead of being wise in his own eyes. 

From one place to another, and from one season to another, Elijah was guided by the Lord. Because the Lord knows better and sees farther. Some were to prevent certain danger from happening to him. Some seemed to be "Are you out of your mind?" kind of decision. Some, of course, were to move him to the next level of his prophetic ministry.

In cross-reference, Psalm 95:6-7 (NKJV) says, 'Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice...' Mark these words. Now, 'to worship and bow down' here means 'to humbly surrender to the Lord'. Not just in songs, but more importantly, in our hearts. A heart of worship and surrender. A heart of submission to Him. A heart that is fully yielded to Him. A heart that is soft before Him. That's what the Lord is looking for. And there, He will speak and show many things. 

Psalm 95:8-9 goes on to talk about 'not hardening our hearts', thinking that we know better; as in the days when God's people were in the wilderness; and for forty years, God was grieved with that generation. Because they did not know God's ways. 

Back to Elijah now. Elijah never hardened his heart before God. He listened to God's voice and instructions, every step of the way. His heart was yielded to the Lord. We all can learn from Elijah here. Because these are the keys. 

Examples of Elijah's relocations (or moving from one season to another):

1. The Brook of Cherith. The Lord instructed him to hide there, where ravens would feed him. 

2: Zarephath. The Lord instructed him to stay in a widow's house.

3. Mount Carmel. The Lord instructed him to confront the prophets of Baal. 

4. Mount Horeb. He journeyed to the mountain of God to commune with the Lord, and heard further instructions for the next step in his prophetic ministry.

For each of these, Elijah only acted upon receiving instructions from the Lord. Never once he acted without God or God's angel giving him instructions. 

We all need the Lord. Because He knows better. And because He has our best interests in His mind. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows us from the inside out. Each and every one of us!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, I want to pray for Your people here to be so in tune with Your Spirit, and be positioned to receive Your revelations and secrets that You want to tell them. Sensitize each of their spirit man to hear and receive from You. For great shall be the blessings if they receive from You and walk according to Your instructions for them. I bless each of God's beloved here with blessings and increase, as they make the right choices in life going forward, according to Your leading and guidance. In Jesus' name. Amen!"

Click here to watch the video in TiC YouTube Channel

How to make the right decisions in life?

The Lord says: 

"Many of My people are entering a time of decisions, decisions, decisions. Many are in such junctures and crossroads. In a time like this, I will teach My people to make important decisions according to My revelation. I will teach My people to discern and differentiate what is of Me and what is not of Me." 

Decisions, decisions, decisions! How to make the right decisions in your life? This is what we are going to tackle today. You see, in every season of our lives, we need to make decisions. Big decisions. Small decisions. And some decisions are so crucial, this would either lead us to greater things or cause us to stagnate in life. This is that time! 

To begin with, let's look at Paul and his team at Troas. They were at the crossroads in their ministry. Acts 16:6-10 (NKJV) says, 'Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.' 

At that juncture of Paul's missionary journey, the Holy Spirit did not permit Paul and his team when they tried to go to certain places or certain direction. As he was wondering what to do next, the Lord gave him a vision. Obedient as Paul was, he heeded this vision and they proceeded to go to Macedonia. It turned out to be a good decision, and many more people heard and received the Gospel of Jesus Christ during that journey. 

And then, Acts 18:9-11 (NKJV) says, 'Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.' 

As Paul continued his missionary journey and was in the city of Corinth, the Lord spoke to him in a vision once again. This time, the Lord encouraged him to keep speaking and teaching the Word of God and not to be afraid, even in the face of opposition and resistance. Heeding these words from the Lord, Paul continued there a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them. 

From the two examples here, you can see that Paul was a man who had learned to make decisions based on revelations and instructions of the Lord. No wonder in 2 Corinthians 12:1, he wrote, 'It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.' 

Paul went on to complete all that the Lord had called him to do while on earth, and the Lord also used him to write about half of the entire New Testament! 

But you may say, "This is regarding ministry." But no! It can also apply in every aspect of your life. In your career path. In your business path. Or in any area of your life. 

What was it in Paul that we can learn from today? You see, everybody wants to make the right decisions in life. But what can we learn from Paul today? I believe the answer can be found in Proverbs 22:4 that says, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.' 

In other words, by humility and the fear of the Lord, you will make decisions that will lead you to fulfill your God-given destiny in your life. When you have these two keys, 'humility' and 'the fear of the Lord', the Lord will surely honor you and help you in your decision making. I believe that was the secret of Paul. 

By the way, what does 'By humility and the fear of the Lord' mean? To humble before Him is to submit and yield to Him. Yes, yielding to His words and His instructions in total surrender, instead of being smart in our own eyes, thinking that we know better. To fear Him is to have deep reverence and respect toward Him and what He says. You see, not just toward Him, but also what He says. When He says so, we say so. When He says no, we say no. When He says move, we move. When He says stop, we stop.

May the Lord give you the discernment to know what is of Him and what is not of Him; when to move and when to stop; when to go to the left and when to go to the right. 

Ecclesiastes 8:5 (NKJV) says, 'He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; and a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment.' It means 'to discern what is the right timing', and 'the ability to make the right judgment in life'. You can also translate this as 'the ability to make the right decisions in life'. 

The word 'discern' here is 'yada' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to have understanding (of what is and what is not), or to recognize the difference (between what is and what is not)'. In our context today, what is of God and what is not of God. 

But what is the key to discern? As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. This is true even in training and exercising our spirit man and our spiritual senses to discern. How? Pray in the spirit. Pray in the spirit often. You know what? Every time you pray in the spirit, you are activating your spirit man, and you are exercising your spiritual senses to discern ('yada') and to recognize the difference between what is of God and what is not of God; what is of the Spirit and what is of the flesh (or what is of the devil). 

Hebrews 5:13-14 (NKJV) says, 'For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age (i.e. 'spiritually mature'), that is, those who by reason of use (i.e. 'by reason of practice') have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (i.e. 'what is of God and what is not').' 

See the word 'exercised' there? You see, you can have your senses exercised to discern (differentiate) what is good and what is evil; what is of God and what is not of God. And with that, you can make the right decisions in your life that will catapult you to greater things.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NKJV) says, 'Do not quench the Spirit (the Holy Spirit). Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.' 

As you exercise your spirit to discern, test the spirit. Hold on to what is of God (what is good), and let go of what is not of God (what is bad). When it's written 'test' here, it means: 'Is it Holy Spirit or is it a false spirit (or a spirit of deception)? Is it from God or is it not from God? Is the idea from God or is the idea merely from man?' 

And then, you can test it with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Does it have the fruit of the Spirit? Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV) says, 'But the fruit of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (or patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.' 

Another important key in making the right decisions in life is whatever decision you make must pass through the Word of God. In other words, it must be screened through by the Word of God. Why? Because Hebrews 4:12-13 (NKJV) says, 'For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.' 

The word 'discerner' here is 'kritikos' in Greek, from the word 'krino' meaning 'to differentiate, to distinguish, to decide (mentally or judicially) like a judge'. In other words, the Word of God discovers the condition and the intents of the heart, and it is a foolproof way to help you to make the right decisions in life. Why? Because the Word of God is plain and clear. It's simple, leaving no opportunity for error. 

You see, Word and Spirit, Spirit and Word! Never leave any of this out. The Word of God. The Spirit of God. This helps you to discern and to differentiate what is of the Lord and what is not of the Lord, so that you can make the right decisions that will bring you to greater heights in your life, and fulfill your God-given destiny in your life!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, sensitize our spirit man to discern and to differentiate what is of You and what is not of You. We want to make important decisions according to Your revelations and instructions. As we enter into a time of decisions, as we walk into junctures and crossroads in life, yes, all the more we need You, O Lord. Teach us. Help us. Guide us. We receive Your Word. We receive Your Spirit. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

Click here to watch the video in TiC YouTube Channel

How to make clear decisions in your life?

The Lord says: "Your launching time is coming! This is a key month to make decisions that will propel you to a brand new season and that leads you to the promotion that comes from Me. Many of My beloved are in such juncture and crossroad. Look to Me and abide in Me. Seek My will and My way. For the answers have already been given to you through My Spirit!" 

Many people ask these questions: "What does God want me to do?", "Should I hang on to it, or should I let it go?", "Should I choose this, or should I choose that?", "Should I move here, or should I move there?" 

5 keys in making clear decisions in your life:

1. Purify your heart and your mind 

2 Chronicles 29:3-5 says, 'In the first year of Hezekiah's reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. Then he brought in the priest and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square, and said to them: "Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place."' 

2. Shut off from the 'noises' of this world

Isaiah 28:23 says, 'Give ear and hear my voice. Listen and hear my speech.' 

Isaiah 55:2-3 says, 'Why do you spend money for what is not bread? And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good. And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live...' 

Psalm 46:10 says, 'Be still, and know that I am God...' 

3. Let go of your anxieties or worries to Him 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.'

Psalm 55:22 says, 'Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.' 

Philippians 4:6-7 says, 'Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' 

4. Spend time in the Word of God

Psalm 119:105 says, 'Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.' 

Psalm 119:130 says, 'The entrance of Your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.' 

5. Worship/Pray in the spirit

Romans 8:26-27 says, 'Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.' 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we declare that our launching time is coming! We thank You for leading and guiding us. We thank You that You always have a way for each of us. We thank You that You always want the very best for each of us. We pray as we make some key decisions in our lives, You will show us Your will and Your way. We shall be propelled to greater things ahead of us. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

It's a key decision-making time!

Words for this time and season:

"It's a key decision-making time for many of My people in this time and season. Not minor ones, but major ones. But fear not! Because your decisions will bring you to the realm of greater victory and breakthrough. I will help you and guide you, if you look to Me. I will give you the discernment and the counsel that you need, if you look to Me."

Further words for this time and season:

"My people will not be deceived and cannot be deceived, if they hang on to Me, My Word and My Spirit. For My Word is able to make you wise. For My Spirit can help you to discern and to make wise decisions."

2 Timothy 3:13-15 (NKJV) says, 'But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.'

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) says, 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.'

Indeed, God's Word is able to make you wise, and God's Word also makes you complete, so that you will be thoroughly equipped for every good work that God has called you to do on earth. 

And in perilous times like these (2 Timothy 3:1-4), all the more you need His Word to guide you and prepare you for whatever that is to come in this world.

Proverbs 4:20-22 (NKJV) says, 'My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.'

Joshua 1:8 (NKJV) says, 'This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.'

Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten your spiritual eyes of understanding as you read His Word, because the Holy Spirit will lead you to all truth (John 16:13).

"O Lord, we come to You and we pray that You will sensitize our spirit right now, so that we will know and discern what is of You and what is not of You; and what is Your instruction and what is just a man-made idea. We desire to walk in Your perfect will and Your perfect way, and not walk according to mere human ways or the enemy's ways. We pray that You will give us the wisdom to make the right decisions in life, be it in ministry, in business, in career, in investments, or in any area of our lives. Guide us into all truth and lead us into the right direction that You have meant for us. And no matter how cunning or tricky the enemy may be in all his deceptions, we will not be deceived. We pray all these, in Jesus' name. Amen."

Click here for the teaching on how to make the right decisions in life

How to make the right decisions in life?

The Lord spoke, "This month is a crucial month of making decisions for many of My people." So, let me give you some tips that had proven effective in my own life. I learned this by the revelation of the Holy Spirit and by my own personal experience in decision-making. 

Put it simply, these are the 5 keys that the Lord has taught me:

1. Purify your heart

- 2 Chronicles 29:5 (NLT): He (Hezekiah) said to them, "Listen to me, you Levites! Purify yourselves, and purify the Temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all the defiled things from the sanctuary."

- Matthew 5:8 (NKJV): Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

2. Shut off from the 'noises' of this world

- Matthew 9:23-26 (NLT): When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. "Get out!" he told them. "The girl isn’t dead; she's only asleep." But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside. 

- Isaiah 30:15 (NLT): This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength."

3. Spend time in the Word

- Psalm 119:130 (NKJV): The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

- Psalm 119:105 (NKJV): Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

- Acts 4:13 (NKJV): Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

4. Worship/Pray in the spirit

- Isaiah 25:1 (NLT): O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.

- Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV): Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

5. Let go your worries to Him

- Psalm 55:22 (NLT): Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

- Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT): Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

For details of this message and explanation to all the Bible verses above, click here to listen.

Keys to making the right decisions in life

In every season of our lives, we need to make decisions. Big decisions. Small decisions. And some decisions are so crucial these would either lead us to greater things, or cause us to stagnate in life! Even right now, some of you may be asking, "Am I going to turn to the left, to the right, go straight, or stay put?"

The Lord spoke these words to me recently:
"Many of My people are entering a season of key decision-making time. Many are in such junctures and crossroads. But I will teach My people to make key decisions based on My revelation! Not of men, but of Me! Just as Paul received a vision in the night at Troas, and he proceeded to go over to Macedonia."

At Troas - the crossroads
In Acts 16:6-10, the Scripture says, 'Now when they (Paul and his team) had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them'.
At that juncture of Paul's second missionary journey, not once, but twice did the Holy Spirit not permit Paul and his team when they tried to go to certain places (or direction). While wondering what to do next, the Lord gave Paul a vision in the night. Heeding this vision, they then proceeded to go to Macedonia. It turned out to be a good decision, and many more people heard and received the gospel of Jesus Christ during that journey! Put it simply, right decisions always lead you to greater things!

At Corinth - the mission field
In Acts 18:9-11, the Scripture says, 'Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them'.
As Paul continued his second missionary journey and was in the city of Corinth, the Lord spoke to him in a vision once again. This time, the Lord encouraged him to keep speaking and teaching the word of God, and not be afraid even in the face of resistance and opposition. The Lord also assured him that He is with him, and He is raising up many people in the city to receive his words. Heeding these words from the Lord, he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them!

Paul made decisions based on revelations and instructions of the Lord
From the two examples above, you can see Paul was a man who had learned to make decisions based on revelations and instructions of the Lord, and not of man. In 2 Corinthians 12:1, he wrote, 'It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord'. Paul went on to complete all that the Lord had called him to do while on earth, and in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, he wrote, 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day...' The Lord had indeed honored him for his humility and obedience; and as evident as it gets, not only did the Lord lead him through all his missionary journeys successfully, the Lord also used him to write half of the entire New Testament!

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says, 'Where there is no vision, the people perish...' The word 'vision' here is 'chazown' (pronounced 'khaw-zone') in Hebrew, which means 'a prophetic dream, vision, oracle, or revelation from the Lord'. This 'chazown' is a form of supernatural manifestation at certain 'junctures' or 'crossroads' in one's life (just as happened to Paul).

What was it in Paul that we can learn from?
Everybody wants to make right decisions in life. Even those in the world! But what was it in Paul that we can learn from? There are keys, i.e. the underlying principles, of course. To want to make right decisions often, but not having these underlying principles in life is like 'wanting to make pasta, but you have no wheat', or 'wanting to make pastries, but you have no flour'!

The answer can be found in Proverbs 22:4 that says, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life'. That is to say, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord, you will make decisions that will lead you to riches, honor and life'! Yes, humility and the fear of the Lord! These are keys! When you have these two underlying 'ingredients' in your life, you know the Lord will surely honor you and help you in your decision-making! And I believe that was the secret of Paul!

What does 'By humility and the fear of the Lord' mean?
To humble before Him is to submit and yield to Him (His words or His instructions) in total surrender, instead of being a 'smart aleck', thinking we know better.
To fear Him is to have deep reverence and respect toward Him and what He says.

Proverbs 3:5-7 says, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil'.

Proverbs 9:10-11 says, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you'.

How do you correlate 'wisdom', 'knowledge', and 'understanding'?
To begin with, let's look at each of these words first.
'Wisdom' is 'knowing what to do and how to go about in life, even in making the right decisions'. 'Knowledge' is 'having intimate and personal knowledge of God, instead of mere intellectual and head knowledge'.
'Understanding' is 'the ability to discern, separate and distinguish what is of God and what is not of God'.

The expression 'the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding' can be read as 'the knowledge of the Holy One leads you to understanding'. It means the more you know God intimately, the more you will know and understand yourself, or God's will (and plans) for your life!

In other words, having knowledge of God causes you to have understanding 'what is of God and what is not of God', and that's when you'll have the wisdom to make the right decisions that eventually lead you to greater things in life!

People of God, as you look to Him afresh and anew this year, and as you let go of the past (even past mistakes or regrets), allow the Lord to teach you and lead you from here. And I declare your best is sure to come! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Knowing God's will and making the right decisions

As I was seeking the Lord for the prophetic words for this month, I heard Him say:
"It is a key month to inquire of Me and to seek My will. Abide in Me, and I will teach you and show you My will and My way. Many of My people will enter a season of decision-making that will cause them to bear much fruit in life."

As I received these words, the Lord also gave me a vision of an apple tree with many branches full of ripe, red apples, ready for the picking. This is a 'picture' of decisions you make that lead to health, life, goodness, and stability in life.

Back to the prophetic words above. Why do you need to know God's will for your life? The answer is simple. So that you can make the right decisions in life that lead to health, life, goodness, and stability in life! Many people make decisions first before seeking God's will, and that's where the trouble starts. It's akin to shooting first before aiming!

Before we go further, it is important to know that God's will for you is always to save you, heal you, restore you, and prosper you (2 Peter 3:9, 3 John 1:2). This is the underlying principle that you must know. His thoughts for you are always thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

In fact, Jesus drank the cup of suffering and separation so that you don't have to! In Mark 14:36, Jesus said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." The word 'will' here is 'thelesis' in Greek, from the word 'thelo' meaning 'to determine, to choose, to intend'.

He was praying this prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, knowing that He would soon be separated from the Abba Father. You see, they are one (John 10:30) and they cannot be separated, just like the sun and light cannot be separated. But for once, they had to (see Matthew 27:45-46), because He had to carry all our sins on the cross! So that we can now have this assurance that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). He did it all for you and I whom He loves.

He has chosen you and intended for you to bear fruit in life
Notice the word 'will' in Greek can mean 'to determine, to choose, to intend'. The next principle you need to know is He has chosen you and intended for you to bear fruit in life.

Ephesians 1:4-5 says, 'Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will'.

In John 15:15-16, Jesus says, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain..."

"How to know God's will for my life?"
This is a question people often ask me. I would say the one most important key to knowing God's will is to abide in Him. In other words, to stay connected with Him, moment by moment, day by day. Talk to Him about everything. Take time to immerse yourself in reading the Word of God and praying in the Spirit. It is in a deep, personal and intimate relationship with Him that you will soon receive the latest 'instructions' as to what to do and how to go about. His Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and He will never lead you into trouble.

In John 15:4-5, Jesus says, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
The word 'abide' here is 'meno' in Greek, meaning 'to remain, to stay, to dwell, to wait on, to be present'.

David learned to abide in the Lord and wait on the Lord
The Bible says David was 'a man after God's own heart' (1 Samuel 13:14). David learned very early that he had to continue to abide in the Lord and wait on the Lord in order to have good success. Not long after he became king over all Israel, the Philistines deployed themselves against him. 2 Samuel 5:19 says, 'So David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the Lord said to David, "Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand."'

Notice the words "Shall I..." and "Will You..." in the verse above. As you can see here, David would not go ahead unless and until he had received a specific instruction from the Lord. David learned to be present (to hear from the Lord) and to wait on the Lord first. As a result, he had a resounding victory (2 Samuel 5:20).

David learned to depend upon the Lord for every new decision
Now, watch what happened next. The Philistines then came up and deployed themselves against David once again. 2 Samuel 5:23-25 says, 'Therefore David inquired of the Lord (once again), and (this time) the Lord said, "You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer'.

What if David had assumed (or presumed) he should go up against the Philistines without asking God first, just because he had won a battle earlier? Chances are he would not have gained a total victory. David had learned to depend upon the Lord for every new decision he's about to make, every step of the way.

The lesson we can learn here is: When He says so, we say so. When He says no, we say no.

The Lord is here to help you!
Like David (whose name means 'beloved' in Hebrew), you too are God's beloved. Therefore, know that your battle is His battle. The battle is the Lord's. He is here to help you, no matter what the challenge (or challenges) you may be facing right now.

In John 14:16-18, Jesus says, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."

1 John 2:27 says, 'But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him'.

People of God, allow the Lord to anoint your spiritual eyes and ears today, so that you will begin to see and hear the many more things that He wants (wills) to make known to you, such that 'eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him' (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). Amen.