When slander strikes: Letting go and letting God

The Lord says for this time: 

"Whatever injustice that you've gone through recently, know that My grace is sufficient for you. I have seen all the injustices and wrongs that some have committed against you, and I will know how to repay for you. For I am a God of justice. Forgive and let go. Have a big heart. Be merciful, for I am merciful. Look to Me and trust in Me, for I will know how to take over from here, just as I've done for David." 

David's life was a rather eventful and dramatic one. It's epic. Full of twists and turns. No one can deny that. But for today, we shall go straight to 2 Samuel 16. 

2 Samuel 16:5-6 says, 'Now when David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. Shimei came out cursing continuously as David came. Shimei threw stones at David and at all the servants of David.' 

2 Samuel 16:7-8 says, 'Shimei said thus when he cursed, "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!"'

Now, that was a false accusation against David! As a matter of fact, David had no intention to kill Saul in the first place. It was the other way round. It was Saul who had wanted to kill David. And here Shimei was, when David was down and out because he had just lost his throne to Absalom at that time, Shimei had this audacity to throw stones at David and accuse David of all kinds of things! 

2 Samuel 16:9-10 says, 'Then Abishai (one of the commanders of David's army) said to David, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!" But David said, "Let him curse..."'

As you can see here, David just allowed Shimei to curse him and say whatever he wanted to say against him. In other words, David did not react or strike back. 

2 Samuel 16:13 says, 'As David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed him (David) as he went. Shimei threw stones at David and kicked up dust against David.' 

Still, David did not react or strike back. He let it be. Now, the background at that time was that David's own son Absalom had just declared himself king, taking over from David. It was a full-scale rebellion and coup against David. Driven by his ambition for power, Absalom had by then positioned himself to win the hearts of the people towards himself and away from David. Having seized power from David, he then pursued David, forcing David to flee Jerusalem. 

And here Shimei was, taking advantage of the situation to add further misery to David. But as you can see in 2 Samuel 16 here, David did not react negatively or take matters into his own hands. In other words, he let God be God. He let God take over. 

What can we learn from here? Whatever injustice committed against you, or whatever slander spoken against you, know that God is watching. God is not dead. He is very much alive. He sees everything from the beginning to the end. 

And what's your part? Your part is to let God take over. Let God be God. Now, of course, different people different situation. Whatever your situation may be, this same principle applies. 

Eventually, in due time, the tide began to turn in David's favor. Somehow, someway! You see, God has eyes. God is a God of justice. God saw what David had gone through and the injustices that David had experienced. One day, Absalom went into a battle with David's army again. But this time, while he was riding his mule through the thick forest, his head got stuck in the branches of a large tree, and he was left hanging there. He was then killed by Joab and Joab's armor bearers. By the way, Joab was one of the commanders of David's army at that time. 

Now that David had regained his throne as king from Absalom, David returned to Jerusalem. So, earlier you saw what Shimei said to David as David fled Jerusalem. Now David's coming back to Jerusalem. What was Shimei's response this time? You can see that in 2 Samuel 19:18-20. Shimei fell down before David and said, "Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart. For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore, here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king." 

What a change of tone! Far from those abusive words being hurled against David when David was down and out! 

Abishai then said, "Shall not Shimei be put to death? Because he cursed the Lord's anointed?" But David said to Shimei, "You shall not die." You see, to Abishai at that time, and even to many who read this part of the Scripture, it probably doesn't make sense why David said what he said here. In fact, some would even say, "Why was David so foolish to forgive just like that?" I mean, how magnanimous was David! 

Most importantly, God saw David's heart. 

Now, do you think Shimei really had changed after that? Let me give you the answer. The answer is no, if you refer to the Scripture. Shimei continued to be 'a pain in the neck', so to speak. And later on, he continued to do so even to Solomon, David's son who became king after David. You can see that in 1 Kings 2. 

So, let's go all the way to 1 Kings 2 now. 

1 Kings 2:36-37 says, 'Then the king (Solomon) sent and called for Shimei (yes, the same Shimei), and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere. For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die. Your blood shall be on your own head."'

1 Kings 2:38 says, 'And Shimei said to the king (Solomon), "The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do."'

You see, some things die hard. Shimei had proven again and again that he cannot be trusted. He eventually paid the price. So, it happened later, that the king (Solomon) was told that Shimei had gone out of Jerusalem. It was a blatant defiance against the king's order. In other words, Shimei broke his promise. He ate his own words, and therefore he had to pay for it with his own life. It's a checkmate for him. The king (Solomon) then commanded for Shimei to be executed. Well, the king had every right to do so. That's how Shimei died. And that's the end for Shimei. 

What can we learn from the Scripture here? 

Never seek revenge. Let God be God, and let God take over your situation, whatever situation you are facing at the moment. God who sees everything will know how to do His part, at the right time. And you see again and again how God did it for David. 

Beloved of God, the same it is for you. The people who try to hurt you, slander you, or throw false accusations against you will eventually pay the price. You don't even need to lift a finger, if God is on your side. So, yield your heart to God. Submit to God. Humble yourself under the mighty hands of God. Let God wash you clean, white as snow. A pure heart, and that's what God is looking for. And God will honor you for sure, and you will see your reward eventually. Amen! 

Like David, whether in the face of King Saul or Absalom, or even the less talked about Shimei that we looked at today, justice has been served in the end. And like David, whose name means 'Beloved', so are you today. You too are a beloved of God. Keep trusting in the Lord and His goodness in your life. Be patient. Persevere in the time of trial or persecution. The time will come when you shall see justice being served!

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This will liberate you!

The Lord says: 

"When many others choose to harbor unforgiveness, you choose to forgive and let go. There is power in forgiving and letting go. When you choose to forgive and let go, I will know how to take over and stand up for you. Receive therefore the grace to forgive. Release those who have spoken ill against you or done harm against you. I will come to your rescue and I will come to your defence." 

Matthew 18:21-22 (NKJV) says, 'Then Peter came to Him (Jesus) and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."'

Before I explain these verses, let's look at the definition of the word 'forgive'. The word 'forgive' here is 'aphiemi' in Greek. It can mean 'to lay aside, to leave it, to let go (a matter or a person)'. 

'To forgive' can also be defined as 'to stop feeling resentment or angry towards someone for an offense, flaw, or mistake.' 

But what does it mean by 'up to seven times' and 'up to seventy times seven'? What is the difference?

When you look at the meaning of '7' and '70' in Hebrew numeric, you will see something. 

'7' in Hebrew numeric can mean 'perfect, perfection, in a perfect way, complete in every way'. Therefore, to forgive 'up to seven times' means 'to forgive perfectly'. 

But you may say, "I find it very difficult to forgive perfectly!" 

That leads us to the number '70'. What is the number '70' in Hebrew numeric? It speaks of God's Spirit! Therefore, to forgive 'up to seventy times seven' means 'to forgive perfectly with the help of the Holy Spirit'. 

In other words, by yourself, you may find it hard to forgive, and sometimes even impossible to forgive. But with the help of God's Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, it is possible and it is so much easier. So, that is the difference between 'seven times' and 'seventy times seven'. 

'Seven times' can mean 'depending on your own self to forgive', whereas 'seventy times seven' can mean 'depending on the Holy Spirit to work in you to forgive'. 

This is possible, if you are willing to give the Holy Spirit a chance, and if you are willing to give yourself a chance. It is liberating. It is healing. It sets you free. That's why forgiveness is so powerful. 

By the way, do you know on what occasion the word 'forgive' was first mentioned in the Scripture? Speaking of The Law of First Mention. The answer is Genesis 50. And that's about Joseph forgiving his brothers for what they have done against him - throwing him into a pit and selling him off to be a slave in a foreign country. 

Let's look at Genesis 50:15-17. When Joseph's brothers saw their father (Jacob) was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil we did to him." So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying, 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespasses of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please, forgive the trespasses of the servants of the God of your father."

Let's look further in Genesis 50:19-21. Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. 

You see, Joseph could have exacted revenge on the brothers now that the father's dead. But he had a big heart. He chose to forgive. He chose to forgive his brothers for whatever harm done against him in the past. As a result, God's name is glorified. There's reconciliation and unity again among the sons of Jacob (or the sons of Israel). 

Now, all this happened simply because Joseph chose to forgive. May you choose to forgive as well. And may the Lord grant you the peace to forgive. 

Let's continue with Genesis 50:22-23. So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation. 

In other words, Joseph lived to see his great-grandchildren. That's the third generation. This is indeed a blessing! The blessing of a long life and the blessing of living to see not just his grandchildren, but his great-grandchildren. Amen!

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5 ways to overcome disappointment

We all have disappointment in life. This is part and parcel of life. We can get disappointed with life, we can get disappointed with people, we can get disappointed with our leaders, and if we are leaders, we can get disappointed with our followers or disciples. 

What is the definition of disappointment? 

We can define it as 'sadness or displeasure caused by the non-fulfillment of one's hopes or expectations'. 

It means something that you've hoped for, or something that you expect, whether in other people, or in any area of life, are not fulfilled. And that's how people get disappointed. Of course we can also cause disappointment to others. So, it can be two ways. We can get disappointed. But we also can disappoint others. 

We can cause disappointment to others in our decision on something. And who we are or what we do may disappoint some people who have certain expectation of who they want us to be or what they want us to do. If we are not who or what they have expected us to be or to do, they get disappointed with us. 

So you see, there are two ways - we can get disappointed, but we can also disappoint others. Our expectation of people, and people's expectation of us. 

However, we must remember that we do not live to please people or please people's expectation of us. We live to please God. We follow His instructions for us, even if some people are not happy with us or are disappointed with us. The most important thing is to stay true to who God wants us to be and what God wants us to do, and keep looking to God. We please God, and not man. 

But here's the good news. There are ways to deal with disappointment. There are ways to alleviate disappointment. There are ways to overcome disappointment. Here are 5 ways you can do so:

1. Learn to let go and forgive

1 Peter 5:6-7 says, 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.' 

Cast all your care upon the Lord. And this includes casting all your disappointments upon the Lord. And let Him begin the process of healing in your life, whatever may have disappointed you, or whoever may have disappointed you.

Ephesians 4:31-32 says, 'Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.' 

Just as God in Christ has forgiven you, therefore you forgive others. Forgive those who have disappointed you. Forgive those who have not met your expectation regarding who they are and what they do. You know why? Because if you allow disappointment inside of you to fester, it will lead to bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and even evil speaking. And this is definitely not good for health. It's only going to hurt you more. So, learn to let go and learn to forgive. And that's how your life will be happier, healthier, and more peaceful! 

Psalm 30:5b says, 'Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.' 

Whatever disappointment that causes sorrow to you, let the bygone be bygone, let the past be past. Today is a brand new day. You know what? This is the day that the Lord has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Indeed, joy comes in the morning. It's a brand new day for you. So, look forward, look ahead, and look not behind you. 

2. Learn to release and bless

This is just as important as Point Number 1. Because without a release, your life will be held back. You cannot move forward the way that you should be. And without blessing, there will be no closure to the situation that you are disappointed with. So, learn to release and learn to bless. That's how you can move forward in your life, and that's how your life can be light and easy. 

Psalm 34:18 says, 'The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite heart.' 

Whatever sorrow or sadness due to your disappointment, whether at your life, at people, at the authority, at your leader, or even at your follower, release them and bless them. Bless, and not curse. The Lord is near to you. The Lord understands your situation. And the psalmist wrote the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart. Indeed, He is here to set you free. He is here to help you to overcome. He is here to heal you and restore you. 

Romans 8:28 says, 'And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.' 

Sometimes, a certain disappointment in your life can be turned around into a great new appointment. God will know how to work things out for good for you. After leaving one phase of your life, the Lord will know how to move you on to the new phase of your life. And sometimes the Lord allows certain things to happen that causes you to be disappointed, so that you can be released to walk into the new, the brand new appointment that the Lord has for you. 

So, take heart, beloved of God. The Lord knows what He is doing in your life. You keep looking to Him. You keep loving Him. You keep allowing His unfailing love to fill you. And He will know how to lead you from here. 

3. Look to God, not to man

Man can bound to disappoint you, but God will not disappoint you. If you flow with Him, if you align with Him, if you humble yourself before Him, and if you live a yielded life to Him, He will not disappoint you. He will always show you a way. And He will always guide every step of your way. 

Colossians 3:23-24 says, 'And whatever you do, do it heartily (with an abounding heart, from the heart), as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.'

1 Corinthians 15:58 says, 'Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.' 

Man may overlook the good that you have done, but the Lord will not. Therefore, look to God, and not to man. 

The Lord is a great Rewarder. The Lord knows exactly how to reward you for every thing that you do as unto the Lord, even those things that you think are trivial or minor.

Romans 5:5 says, 'Now hope does not disappoint. Because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.'

Because the Lord your God loves you so much, He gives you hope. And this hope that He gives to you will not disappoint, when you look to Him and put all your trust in Him. 

4. Put your trust in God, not on the world

The world can bound to disappoint you. The people in this world can bound to disappoint you. Remember, you are living in a fallen world. You are living in an imperfect world with imperfect people around you. Whether these are your family members, your relatives, your neighbors, your boss, your leaders, your colleagues, or even your followers, your subordinates, or your staff, all these people may disappoint you. That's why it is so important to learn to put your trust in God who is your solid Rock, who cannot be shaken. 

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.' 

Trust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding. Because the Lord sees further than us. Because the Lord knows better than us. Because the Lord knows what is ahead of us, when no one else in this world can. 

Psalm 27:14 says, 'Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!' 

The word 'wait' here can also be translated as 'hope'. So, as you put your hope on the Lord, He will know how to strengthen you. And you can therefore mount up again with wings as of eagle. You will run and not be weary. You will walk and not faint. 

5. Readjust your expectation on people

Readjust your expectation on certain so and so. It can be a family member, a friend, a leader, or a follower. 

Maybe we have too high hopes or too high expectation on somebody. And if that somebody does not meet what we expect of them, we get disappointed.

Psalm 73:23-26 says, 'Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.' 

It is so reassuring what the psalmist wrote here. Indeed, sometimes our flesh and our heart may fail. But the Lord our God is the strength of our hearts. The Lord our God will forever be the strength of our lives, if we do not give up looking to Him and putting our trust in Him. That's why this psalmist wrote in verse 23, 'Nevertheless I am continually with You'. See the word 'continually' here? 

Beloved of God, this is your time to be set free! Be set free from whatever disappointment that you have, whether it's due to people's wrong, or due to your own expectation and hopes are too high on certain so and so, or on a certain circumstance or situation. 

I declare by faith that you will come forth victorious, come forth happier, and full of the shalom peace of the Lord, ready for what's ahead of you, and ready for what He has in store for you. The best is yet to come! Amen!

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Expect God to do great things in your life this year!

The Lord says: "You may have heard things are going to get worse on earth. But as for you My beloved, look to Me and put your trust in Me. Do not allow yourself to be afraid or be dismayed. In fact, expect Me to do something big in your life this year! Because I am releasing My super abundant grace and favor upon you, in spite of what is happening around you on earth."

Hallelujah!

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV) says, 'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us...' 

Whose power is this? His power! God's power! He who does great miracles! He who does great and marvelous things beyond our limited imagination! This word 'power' here is 'dunamis' in Greek, and it can mean 'miraculous power, miraculous ability, miraculous strength, mighty (wonderful) work'. 

So, in spite of whatever that's happening around you in this world, the Lord your God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think of, according to His 'miraculous power, miraculous ability, miraculous strength, mighty (wonderful) work' that works in you! 

Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition) puts it this way, 'Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]...' 

Hallelujah! 

Here, you see that the Lord your God is able to carry out His purpose and do super abundantly far over and above all that you even dare to ask or think of! He is an infinite God, and He is setting you free from your finite way of seeing things, and into the realm of His infinite, super abundant power that is at work within you!

Psalm 31:19-20 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion (shelter) from the strife of tongues.' 

You see, in spite of whatever that's happening around you in this world, the Lord has reserved for you His goodness, laid up for you His goodness, and prepared for you His goodness, if you trust in Him and fear Him! And no evil, no evil man, can touch you or take away the goodness of God from you! 

Isaiah 64:3-4 (NKJV) says, 'When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, the mountains shook at Your presence. For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.' 

He will know how to act for you, and He will know how to do great, marvelous things for you who wait on Him and hope in Him! In fact, He has begun to work behind the scenes for you, even if you can't see it with your finite, physical eyes yet!

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) says, 'And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus'. 

Not according to your finite mind, not according to the scarcity on earth, but according to the riches of His glory, His heavenly realm, His heavenly economy! 

This word 'riches' here is 'ploutos' in Greek, and it can mean 'fullness (of His wealth and possession), abundance'. And it's not just about material things, but more importantly the abundance of His wisdom and favor - heavenly wisdom and heavenly favor! 

So, people of God, are you expecting all that mentioned above to happen in your life this year? Are you expecting God to do great things in your life this year? You should be!

Your part today is to ask! Ask for all the above! Ask, and you shall receive!

Now that's what happened to Moses in Exodus chapter 33. At that point of time, Moses was very disappointed and frustrated with his situation. He was at a seemingly dead-end road, and he didn't know what to do anymore. And that's when he asked God. Exodus 33:18-19 (NKJV) says, 'And he (Moses) said, "Please, show me Your glory." Then the Lord said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."' 

Notice when Moses asked, "Please, show me Your glory", the Lord then answered, "I will make all My goodness pass before you..." You know what? The Lord has pleasure in showing you His glory by showing you His goodness! That is how God shows His glory! One way that God shows His glory is by manifesting His goodness in your life! And in Christ, you can receive!

This word 'goodness' is 'tuwb' (from the word 'towb') in Hebrew, and it can mean 'good in the widest sense, beauty, gladness, good pleasure'. Do you see that? The Lord has pleasure in sharing His goodness with you, His gladness with you, and the beauty of His glory with you! It's very much like a good earthly father who would want to share all the goodness with his beloved children. And how much more your Abba Father, your Heavenly Father? 

So, don't miss this time and season. This is your time and season to ask, believe and receive. Never let any naysayers talk you out of this! Never let the devil talk you out of this!

In Mark 11:24-25, Jesus Himself said, 'Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him...' 

Jesus was saying when you ask, ask believing, ask in faith! But do not limit God. Do not think that when you ask like that means like that, and that is how God's going to answer you - like that means like that! Never limit God. God can answer you even in ways that you cannot imagine possible. God can answer you in His sovereign way. It may not necessarily be in the way that you thought it's going to be answered. And that makes things so exciting, and that's what walking by faith means!

Of course there's one area that Jesus also mentioned whenever you ask and pray, "...if you have anything against anyone, forgive him..." Never let unforgiveness hinder what you ask from God. Never let unforgiveness hinder the goodness of God from manifesting in your life. Let go and release those who hurt you. Like a river, let forgiveness flow. As you receive forgiveness from the Lord, let this forgiveness flow in you and flow to others. Learn to let go. Learn to forgive others. And that's how you can walk in greater and greater measure of God's glory and God's goodness!

In Exodus 34:10, the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you." 

Here's the background to this verse: God's covenant with the people was being renewed after Moses had made the two new tablets of stone for God to write on. But before that, Moses broke the first two tablets of stone in frustration and disappointment, after seeing his people forgetting God, forgetting what God had spoken through him, and seeing that they began to worship the golden calf. It broke his heart. So, in his frustration and disappointment, he broke the first two tablets of stone that God had asked him to make. 

At that time, seemingly at a dead-end road, not knowing what to do anymore with his people, and not knowing what to do anymore with his life, Moses asked and pleaded God, "Show me now Your way!" (Exodus 33:13) and "Show me Your glory!" (Exodus 33:18) Moses also said, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here!" (Exodus 33:15) It means if God's presence does not go with him, he will not go any further. 

Beloved of God, are you currently in a situation like Moses at that time? Broken, disappointed, frustrated, not knowing how to go about anymore, not knowing what to do anymore? 

Take heart. The Lord loves you. The Lord sees what you are going through, just as He saw what Moses went through at that time - his disappointment, his frustration, not knowing what to do and how to go about anymore, seemingly at a dead-end road. 

The Lord will show His glory by manifesting His goodness to you, if you look to Him today. Just as He did for Moses, I want to believe from the bottom of my heart that He will do the same for you. He will show you the way. He will lead you and guide you from here. You need not be afraid or be dismayed. There's an answer for you. Amen.

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Don't take matters into your own hands

The Lord says:
"My people shall be set free from bitterness! My people shall walk in healing and sweet waters! Even when you've been betrayed, unfairly treated, taken advantage of, or falsely accused of, do not take matters into your own hands. For I have spoken, 'Vengeance is Mine, and I shall repay'. Trust in Me and look to Me instead, and I will cause you to see your vindication in due time!"

Have you been in a situation when you've been betrayed, unfairly treated, taken advantage of, or falsely accused of something? Take heart, because the Lord knows how to vindicate you and defend you, when you look to Him. Romans 12:19 (NKJV) says, 'Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord'. Romans 12:19 (NLT) says it this way, 'Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the Lord'.

I would like to point you to someone named Absalom in the Bible. It was a tragic ending for him, but it needn't have been so. Indeed, we have much to learn not just from the success stories in the Bible, but also the tragic stories in the Bible.

Absalom has always been portrayed in a bad light in Bible studies. But the truth is he did not become bad overnight! In fact, he started off as a good boy and a good brother! It was only after his beloved sister (Tamar) was raped by his half-brother (Amnon) that he allowed bitterness to set in, and unfortunately, this bitterness in him grew! (see 2 Samuel 13:1-21)

Here, we learn bitterness (that is not dealt with) will lead to a person committing more and more wrongs. The Bible says Absalom hated Amnon because he (Amnon) had forced himself on his sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13:21). Revenge has been in his mind since then. And he waited two full years before he finally got his opportunity - by getting his servants to kill a drunk Amnon at a feast! (2 Samuel 13:23-29)

Instead of looking to the Lord and letting the Lord take over, Absalom took matters into his own hands. As a consequence, he had no choice but to flee (2 Samuel 13:37-38). Not many years after that, he rebelled against his own father (David), usurping his own father's reign as king (2 Samuel 15:1-6). The Bible says he stole the hearts of the men of Israel (2 Samuel 15:6).

Now, the big question is why did Absalom eventually conspire to topple his own father (David)? Here are the likely root causes. Maybe he felt his father had not done enough to protect his beloved sister? Or maybe he felt his father had not done enough justice as the head of the family? In other words, Absalom kept hurts against his own father. For the record, Amnon was the eldest son of King David, whereas Absalom was the third son (from a different mother). So, there's always a possibility that Absalom felt his own family had not been treated fairly, or given enough attention. In a polygamous family like David's, there're bound to be jealousies, insecurities, conspiracies, and competition among the wives and children (from the different mothers).

Beloved, maybe you too feel your own parents (or leaders, superiors, comrades, etc) have not done enough for you, or have failed you? Forgive. Let go. Don't let bitterness set in and grow any further. Look to the Lord instead, because He loves you, and He knows how to take over from here. Receive your healing waters from heaven right now.

Cut the long story short, Absalom eventually died during a battle with his own father's army (2 Samuel 18:9-15). It needn't have been so. What a tragic ending to someone who was so talented and full of charisma; someone who could have been greatly used by the Lord for His kingdom. Upon hearing the news of Absalom's death, David wept bitterly and mourned for his son (2 Samuel 18:33).

Lesson learned. Bitterness kills. It's not worth it at all to keep bitterness in our soul. One thing will lead to another, and it only leads to further misery. Be set free therefore from bitterness, and begin to walk in healing and sweet waters. Amen.

Love your enemies. How and why?

"Love your enemies? Oh, come on! It can't be real!" This is one of those reactions I often hear when this phrase "Love your enemies" is mentioned. It seems like a very unreasonable instruction to follow, especially in a dog-eat-dog world that we live in today. Hard as it may be, I personally find it very true and liberating to the soul.

Watch what Jesus says in Matthew 5:43-45, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven..."

Before I write further, let me explain the word 'enemies' here. It is 'echthros' in Greek, and in the right context of what Jesus has said here, this word implies 'fellow human beings', and not 'satan'. When Jesus was to be crucified at Calvary, He prayed, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:34) He was saying to forgive 'those people' for putting Him to death, and He didn't mean to say forgive 'satan'. So, we are talking about loving our fellow human beings here.

The word 'echthros' here can therefore mean 'people who hate you, people who are hostile against you, or people who have ill-will against you', and it comes from the word 'echtho', meaning 'to hate, to be hostile'.

In cross-reference, let's look now at what happened to Stephen in the book of Acts. He was a man full of faith and power of the Holy Spirit, and he did great wonders and signs among the people. However, there were people who weren't able to take it, and they secretly induced others to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." They also stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they seized him, brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses who said, "This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us." (see Acts 6:8-15) Stephen then addressed them, beginning from the call of Abraham, to the patriarchs in Egypt, how God's people were being delivered by Moses, how God's people rebelled, and finally how God's people resisted the Holy Spirit (see Acts 7:1-53).

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and sought to kill him. They cast him out of the city and began stoning him. And there was this young man Saul consenting to his death. Acts 7:59-60 says, 'And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep'.

Stephen definitely did not die in vain, because God answered his powerful, 'love your enemies' prayer. Saul (who was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord) later had a great light experience when a light from heaven shone around him and Jesus spoke to him. He was a changed man ever since, and he began preaching Christ, much to the astonishment of the people who heard him (see Acts 9:1-22). This same Saul went on to become the apostle Paul that we know, the man who wrote about half of our New Testament today!

How do you apply the above in your life today? Well, you may not be literally or physically 'crucified' (like Jesus) or 'stoned' (like Stephen), but how about being 'crucified' and 'stoned' verbally? You know what I mean. People verbally abusing you. People bad-mouthing you. People gossiping against you. People falsely accusing you of something that you are innocent of. People who speak ill of you because they don't understand (yet) what you are doing. The list goes on.

Let's look again at what Jesus says in Matthew 5:43-45, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven..."

What does it mean by 'that you may be sons of your Father in heaven' here? Why sons? The answer is simple. Because sons are heirs. Because as sons, you have every right to receive all forms of inheritance that the Father wants to give you - divine health, divine favor, divine wisdom, divine victory, and of course, liberty in your spirit and soul.

That's why I believe 'loving your enemies' is liberating. In fact, it's therapeutic. It liberates us. It sets us free to receive many more forms of divine inheritance meant for us, and in greater measures unimaginable to our minds.

You see, love and forgiveness go hand-in-hand. You can't say you love, but you never forgive. So, as you receive God's love and forgiveness in your life, love and forgive others too. It isn't easy of course, but it's necessary. And so that your prayers will not be hindered. Jesus says, "... whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him ..." (Mark 11:25) As a matter of fact, unforgiveness (or holding grudges against another person) is detrimental to your own health. It's like drinking poison but expecting the other person to die. Let go, and let forgiveness flow.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying we are to condone or agree with whatever wrong people have done against us. I am not saying we don't stand up for what is right, or what God has called us to be (or do) in spite of the 'persecution'. Neither am I saying we should bow down to the evil people have done against us. But I am saying we can begin to see those 'perpetrators' the way God sees them. We can begin to see them in the love of God. We can begin to pray for God's love to fall upon them. You see, when everything else fails, God's love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). If God can change a Saul into a Paul, there's really nothing too difficult for Him. And God's will is that none should perish, but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

We can pray God's love upon those who are most hostile against God's Word. In fact, many in the most unreachable and darkest places are beginning to experience Jesus in supernatural and real ways. Many have received dreams and visions from the Lord directly, without even having any contact with Christians. There have been numerous account of people seeing Jesus in white appearance, like a bright, shining light. What happened in the book of Acts is unfolding in greater measure in this end-time. You see, we can even pray God's love upon the persecutors, the abductors, or the terrorists.

How about in our day-to-day lives? We can pray God's love upon those who have ill-will against us, in our workplace or anywhere else. We can pray God's love upon those who conspire against us. We can pray God's love upon those who try to do harm to us. We can pray God's love upon those who try to pull us down. I have tried it. It works. Because God's love works.

A time to receive forgiveness and a time to release forgiveness

Mark 11:23-25 (NKJV): For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him...

The word 'forgive' here is 'aphiemi' in Greek, which can mean 'to leave (the matter) and let alone, to leave (the matter) and let go, to lay aside (a hurt or a fault), to pardon and send away, to release and send away'.

I heard and released these words to the congregation recently:
"Forgive! The grace to forgive is here. This is a time to receive forgiveness and this is a time to release forgiveness, so that your prayers will not be hindered!"

And then I heard further:
"This is a time to release and send away those 'prisoners' you have been keeping in the 'prison' of your heart!"

Indeed, to 'bottle up' hurts, faults, anger or resentment (against anyone who may have hurt or offended you) is like keeping that person (or persons) in the 'prison' of your heart. It is burdensome. It is taxing. It is cumbersome. It kills off joy in life! In fact, some of these 'prisoners' might not even know they have hurt or offended you in any way, but you've been keeping them in your 'prison' all these years!

Some might ask, "But what does forgiveness have to do with prayers being answered?" Friends, it has everything to do with your prayers being answered! The Word of God says so. Otherwise, Jesus (for He is the Word of God) wouldn't have mentioned about forgiveness when He spoke to His disciples about prayers being answered!

As our cross-reference, let's look at Matthew 18:18-20 now. Here, Jesus said, "Assuredly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

And watch what comes right after the verses above! Matthew 18:21-22 then says, '...Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Then Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."'

Do you see again how 'forgiveness' is connected to your prayers being answered?

Not only that, forgiveness leads to healing as well! David wrote in Psalm 103:1-3, '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...' Notice forgiveness comes first, and then healing follows? In other words, every healing (whether it's for an individual, a family, a land, or even a nation) begins with forgiveness.

"But what does it mean by 'up to seven times' and 'up to seventy times seven'?"

A lot of people don't understand what Jesus meant here, and different Bible commentaries may interpret it differently. But when you look at the meaning of 'seven' and 'seventy' in Hebrew numeric, you will understand. Let me explain. If the number 'seven' means 'perfect, or perfection', then 'to forgive up to seven times' simply means we are 'to forgive perfectly'!

"But I find it hard, even impossible to forgive perfectly!"

And that's when the number 'seventy' comes in! Interestingly, do you know what the number 'seventy' means in Hebrew? It means 'God's Spirit'! Therefore, 'to forgive up to seventy times seven' actually means 'to forgive perfectly with the help of God's Spirit (i.e. the Holy Spirit)'! In other words, of course you may find it hard, even impossible to forgive perfectly by your own human effort, but with the help of God's Spirit (i.e. the Holy Spirit), it's so much easier!

In short, here's the difference between 'up to seven times' and 'up to seventy times seven':
'To forgive up to seven times' = depending on your own self (own human effort) to forgive perfectly.
'To forgive up to seventy times seven' = depending on the Holy Spirit to work in you to forgive perfectly.

As you can see above, it does take the Holy Spirit to work in us to forgive perfectly! Simply because the Holy Spirit is perfect, whereas you and I (by ourselves) aren't! Also, the Holy Spirit is first and foremost the Spirit of love (see Galatians 5:22-23), and this love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says, 'Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...' 1 Corinthians 13:10 then says, '...when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away'. See the word 'perfect' here?

Indeed, Jesus is the personification of God's perfect love that never fails (see 1 John 4:16), and it is out of this perfect love that forgiveness flows. Luke 23:32-34 says, 'There were also two others, criminals, led with Jesus to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots'.

And you know what? Philippians 2:8-11 shows us just what happened to Jesus soon after! The Scripture says, 'And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father'.

When you learn to forgive, God's name is glorified!

By the way, do you know on what occasion was the word 'forgive' first mentioned in the Bible? It's in Genesis 50:17, about Joseph forgiving his brothers after their father (Jacob) had died. Here's what Genesis 50:15-21 say, 'When Joseph's brothers saw that their father (Jacob) was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may repay us for all the evil we did to him." So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died, he commanded, saying, 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants." Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them'.

As a result, there was a wholesome reconciliation and unity among the sons of Jacob (Israel), and indeed, God's name is glorified! Simply because Joseph had learned to forgive - a far cry from those days when he brought bad reports against his brothers (see Genesis 37:2). He has certainly been changed by the Lord through the years, to the glory of God the Father.

Beloved of God, may the Lord also grant you peace and a heart to forgive. In Jesus' name. Amen.

You can be so free from your past!

Romans 8:1 (NIV): Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The word 'condemnation' here is 'katakrima' in Greek, which means 'an adverse sentence, or a condemning verdict', from the root word 'krino' meaning 'to judge against, to punish, to sentence, to damn, to condemn'.

In other words, this word 'katakrima' speaks of 'a guilty verdict' followed by a judgement and punishment. And that's exactly what the devil wants you to think you are - guilty as a criminal, and then judged, punished, and condemned!
Note: This word 'katakrima' is where the English word 'crime' comes from!

How many of you have recently been 'haunted' by a past? It may be a past mistake, a past failure, a past hurt, a past disappointment, a past relationship, or even a guilt feeling that just can't seem to go away! You have even tried every means to forget those past, but somehow all of a sudden, those past memories just came rushing back at you. Some even have nightmares that reminded you of those past!

To 'rub salt to the wound', the devil would then try every way to keep reminding you of those past, making you feel so 'rotten' about yourself so much so that you have no more strength and courage to look forward in life. Now that's what he does best! After all, his name is called 'ha satan', literally meaning the accuser or the condemner! In fact, Revelation 12:10 says 'he (the accuser of our brethren) accuses our brethren day and night'! In other words, his job is to 'point fingers' at you day and night!

But thank God Revelation 12:11 then says, 'And they (God's people) overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...'!

Now that's great news!

Know that some 2,000 years ago, Jesus has been condemned on the cross, so now you don't need to be!
And His blood has already been shed for the forgiveness of your sins (and that includes all your past!).

Let's look at Romans 8:1 again. Notice the word 'now' here? This word is 'nun' (pronounced 'noon') in Greek, which simply means 'now, present time, at present'.

And who are those in Christ Jesus? That's you and I - the believers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

I can now phrase Romans 8:1 this way: "There is now, present time, at present no 'guilty verdict' for a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ!"

Praise God! And you know what? It means you are set free and so free from any guilt! Because He has carried them all!

Therefore, don't 'punish' or 'incriminate' yourself any further. The devil will always want you to think that you are cursed, 'beyond help' and 'deserving of further punishment', and he will always make you think that you are still being punished and will never find a way out. But he's a liar, a deceiver! (see Revelation 12:9)

Shut your ears from the deceiver's words, and hear the Word of God instead!

Jesus says 'you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free' (John 8:32).

You may be searching the world over, but the truth is the only place you can find no condemnation ('katakrima') is in Christ Jesus!

People of God, will you allow the Lord Jesus Christ to love and embrace you all over again? He is here for you now. Know that you are never too 'filthy' for Him to love and embrace, no matter what had happened in your past. There's really nothing too 'filthy' that He cannot carry for you. After all, He was counted as a 'criminal' more filthy than a murderer, when the people chose to ask for Barabbas (a murderer) to be released instead of Him (see Luke 23:18-19).

Indeed, this is a time to throw away your 'scribbled, crumpled, messed-up paper of your past' and receive 'a fresh new piece of paper' from the Lord. I saw a vision of a beautiful spectrum of colours on a new piece of paper (like that of a rainbow, but much more heavenly than any rainbow I have ever seen on earth) while praying for someone recently.

I then heard these words from the Lord:
"Don't be afraid to start anew again. Let go of those past to Me. I have carried them all. My grace is rich enough for you to start afresh and anew. This is a time to consecrate yourself before Me again, and watch how I am going to do new things in your life in the days ahead."

Note: 'To consecrate' is 'to dedicate oneself for the Lord to begin working afresh and anew'.

Receiving your restoration and forgiveness

Jeremiah 31:3-4 (NKJV): ... Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.

The word 'build' (or 'rebuilt) here comes from the Hebrew word 'banah', which means 'repair, restore'. Notice the word 'again' here? Yes, He can do a miracle and build you again. And if He can restore the glory of 'virginity' again in His people, there's nothing that He cannot do for your life, no matter what had happened, or what mistake (or mistakes) you have made recently.

Though this chapter (Jeremiah 31) speaks about the nation of Israel, it is also applicable to you, because you too are God's precious child. And if you will return to Him, there is forgiveness for you. Sorrows will be turned to joy, and mourning into dancing. 'Tambourines' here speaks of 'joy and celebration', and He wants you to be 'adorned' with such again.

The word 'virgin' here has spiritual meaning, not just literal (or physical) meaning. There are two Hebrew words for the word 'virgin' in the Bible, namely 'bethuwlah' (see Genesis 24:16) and 'almah' (see Genesis 24:43). In Jeremiah 31:4, this word 'virgin' is 'bethuwlah', from the root word meaning 'separated', and implies 'something so precious, like a treasure (or a rare, hidden gem)'.

In Christ, you too are separated unto God (i.e. made holy), 'precious, like a treasure (or a rare, hidden gem)' in His eyes. You may not think so (how precious and valuable you are), but the truth is this is how God sees you today - washed by the Blood of Jesus, made holy, precious, like a treasure (or a rare, hidden gem), and bought with the price of His own Son!

Jeremiah 31:16-18 then says, 'Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, and they (God's people) shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope in your future, says the Lord. That your children shall come back to their own border (i.e. where they are meant to belong or supposed to be). I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself; "You have chastised me, and I was chastised, like an untrained bull; Restore me, and I will return. For you are the Lord my God."'

The word 'restore' here speaks of  'returning to the starting (original) point (where one is supposed to be), or receiving back something that was lost'. The word 'Ephraim' here is from the word 'Ephrathah' in Hebrew, meaning 'fruitfulness'. As God's precious child, you too are supposed to be fruitful in all that you are (or do). This is His original plan for you!

Know also that no matter what mistake (or mistakes) you have made in life, He still loves you. And the Bible says He loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). In fact, He loves you so much that He's willing to carry them all just for you! All the sins, the cross, the shame! (Isaiah 53:3-5)

In Luke 5:17-26, a group of men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Jesus. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the roof (tiling) into the midst before Jesus. And when He saw their faith, He said to this paralyzed man, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." He then said to this man, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.", and immediately this man was being restored and made whole, to be who he was supposed to be.

As you can see above, God's restoration work flows easily when you know that in Christ, you are already forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). Forgiveness leads to healing and restoration. As you receive your forgiveness, may you also forgive yourself and forgive others, so that your prayers will not be hindered (Mark 11:23-25). And if you find it hard to forgive, trust that He will help you. Philippians 2:13 says, '... for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure'. Amen.

In Christ, you have the forgiveness of sins

Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV): In Him (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Are you feeling like your hope has gone up in smoke because of something that you've done wrong, or a sin you've recently committed?

Maybe it is something that you promised God you won't commit it ever again, but yet you found yourself committing it all over again! And now, you are really feeling bad about it and wish you could turn back time. You may even be feeling that God is really angry with you right now, and is all-out to punish and suffer you from now on!

Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV) says, 'In Him (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace'. It says here 'we have'. It doesn't say 'we try to get' the forgiveness of sins!

And because His work on the cross is complete and perfect (Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 9:12), your forgiveness is also therefore complete and perfect! Make no mistake about it. Complete forgiveness means all the penalties for your sins can no longer fall on you, because they have already fallen on Jesus' body at the cross. Isaiah 53:5 says 'the chastisement (punishment) for your peace (well-being) was upon Him'. So, you see, not only are you forgiven, Jesus has also carried your punishment as well! The Word of God says so.

"Pastor, in that case, does it mean that as a believer in the New Covenant, I don't need to repent?"

God has definitely not gone soft with sin under the New Covenant. A sin is a sin, and a sin still has to be punished. Just that Jesus in all His grace has carried upon Himself your punishment (Isaiah 53:5). So, of course there is a place for repentance. 'Repentance' is 'metanoia' in Greek, which actually means 'change the way of thinking'. When a believer who is under grace realizes he has done wrong, he then 'repents', i.e. acknowledge it with God, and then 'change his ways', yet also knowing that he has already been forgiven, through the blood of Jesus Christ.

So, my point here is it's not about you don't acknowledge or repent (i.e. change your ways). What I'm saying is 'you don't have to beg and keep begging Him for forgiveness', because under grace, you are already forgiven, whether it's your past, present, or even future sins!

I know of many believers who are still struggling and begging God for forgiveness, and even after crying and pleading Him hard, they still aren't sure if they really have been forgiven or not! That's the problem. This in turn causes 'guilt' within, which then leads to 'fear' (that something bad's going to happen to them due to those sins they've committed), and eventually this 'fear' leads to stress, depression, and even sicknesses. See how one leads to another?

So, in conclusion, all is not lost and hopeless yet for you. What you need to do now is to settle it in your heart once for all, that as a believer, you already have the forgiveness of sins, because God sees you in Christ, not by what you do, but by what He has already done for you on the cross. Amen.

Forgiveness & the Holy Spirit

Colossians 2:13 (NKJV): And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.

I can personalize the above verse this way: In Christ, I have been forgiven of all trespasses and now made alive together with Him.

The word 'forgive' here is 'charizomai' in Greek (from the word 'charis', which means 'grace, gift, joy liberality'). According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, this word 'forgive' can mean 'to freely give ('charis') and let go (of that person/situation) with liberality, or to grant favor and kindness (to that person)'. In short, to forgive is to give grace.

The words 'made alive together' here is 'suzoopoieo' in Greek, which actually means 'to be made alive by being in union with Him, i.e. communion with Him'. It means your communication with God is no more dead, but is made alive!

Remember, God is not dead! He is still very much alive today, and will always be! And He still very much wants to communicate with you today, as He did Moses, Elijah, or David. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So, 'to be made alive together' here means you are not dead or numb spiritually so much so until you can't 'catch' what God wants to say to you! Many believers today miss out on what God has in store for them simply because they are spiritually too 'numb' to hear from Him!

See the co-relation between 'forgiveness' and 'being led by the Holy Spirit'?

Forgiveness leads to you being made alive together with God (i.e. alive in your communion with Him). And when you are communing with Him, you'll hear His direction and guidance, for sure. He is the One leading you, like a senior partner leading a junior partner in a partnership! (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Note: 'To commune with Him' is 'to communicate with Him (2 Corinthians 13:14) and being in union with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17)'.

Forgiveness leads to you hearing correctly (and objectively), not just in ministering to others, but also in hearing "what's God and what's not" in your own everyday life!

Beloved of God, receive forgiveness (for your own guilt, wrongs or sins) from Him (Colossians 2:13), and then let this 'river' of forgiveness flow out as you forgive others (i.e. to give grace, and to let go with liberality). Romans 5:8 says, 'God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us'. You see, forgiveness takes a big heart, and God has indeed shown us the example (see Romans 5:8). As He is, so should we be in this world! So, freely you receive His forgiveness, freely you also release forgiveness to others.

Forgiveness opens the channel for you to hear from God correctly, and that's how you'll always be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right things (instead of ending up in the wrong place, at the wrong time, all the time!). When there's forgiveness, the flow of the Spirit through you will not be hindered any more! No more 'rubbish' (e.g. hurts, bitterness, grudges, etc) in the 'river'! Now, this, my friend, is the key to hearing from God correctly, be it for your own life, or as you minister to others.

When you allow Him to lead you this way and live a 'let go' life, your life will also be restful. In fact, there's no better way to live your life than by 'letting go' and flowing with the 'river' of His Spirit. Romans 8:14 says, 'for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are called sons of God'.

I heard these words during a prayer gathering recently, and I want to share it with you today:
"As you let go of the old ways, and as you let go of the people of your past (especially those who have hurt you), My grace is sufficient for you to receive My new ways and My new things. There'll be renewed and fresh impartation I'm giving you. You'll meet new people and experience new things... better things... and even things that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things that I have already prepared for you."

In Jesus' name. Amen.

Forgiveness releases God's power through your life!

Luke 23:34a (NKJV): 'Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

At the time of this verse, Jesus was already up at the cross, having been scourged, mocked, and humiliated, even though He did no wrong, and even after Pontius Pilate found no wrong in Him (Luke 23:4).

But because He forgave, this led to God's power and resurrection being released, so much so that even death could not hold Him! You see, He released forgiveness just before He died, and He then reaped the 'benefit' of resurrection (on the 3rd day). Such is the power of forgiveness!

In Acts 7:54-60, as Stephen was being stoned to death, he cried out, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And you know what? Jesus actually stood up and took notice!

Note: Also, not long after the stoning of Stephen, Saul (the person behind Stephen's death) was so dramatically changed by God's power (i.e. through a great light experience) that he eventually became a man greatly used by the Lord! (see Acts 9:1-9)

People of God, when you make the choice to forgive, God will also stand up (for you) and take notice!

There's a co-relation between 'forgiveness' and 'God's power being released'. In other words, forgiveness releases God's power to flow through your life! This power is His very own power, His resurrection power. And as you forgive, you'll see His resurrection power flowing (in & through you) in any area of your life that has been 'powerless' or 'dead'. This may be in your family relationships, health, career, business, ministry, or in any other areas.

Imagine the pipe of your wash-basin (or sink) getting clogged up. More often than not, this doesn't just happen overnight! Little by little, here and there, the tiny bits of grains or fragments would accumulate, and eventually become a huge 'blockage' that causes 'flooding' and 'clogging'! When this happens, the running water cannot flow as freely as it should anymore. Now, the same it is in life! Those tiny bits of grains or fragments are like those little hurts and unforgiveness (here and there) that clog up your 'passage'!

Have you been 'running out' of God's power recently? Or it seems many prayers of yours also went unanswered nowadays. People of God, it's time to allow God to 'purge' your 'passage' again!

You see, God doesn't just want you to know you are forgiven of all your trespasses (Colossians 2:13), He also wants you to receive His grace to forgive others (see Matthew 18:21-35).

When Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" (Matthew 18:21) Then, Jesus answered, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:22)

The word 'forgive' here is 'aphiemi' (pronounced 'af-ee-ay-mee') in Greek, which means 'to lay aside (a situation or issue), to let go (of a situation or person)', while the expression 'seventy times seven' simply means 'to forgive perfectly, or to forgive all the time'.

"Wow, pastor, that's no easy feat at all. It's easier said than done!"

You see, just as no one is able to keep the law (The Ten Commandments) perfectly (not even Moses himself), likewise, no one in his or her own self-effort is able to 'forgive perfectly' and in every situation, all the time. All have fallen short of God's 'standard' (Romans 3:23). Only Jesus can keep the law perfectly (i.e. fulfill the law perfectly). And that's exactly why we need His grace (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). It's when you cannot, that's when He can! And one definition of  'grace' is 'God's ability to do for you what you cannot do for yourself'. True forgiveness is therefore supernatural. It's by receiving His grace to forgive.

'To forgive' a person is 'to let go (of him or her) from the prison of your mind or emotion'. As you let go, your burden and stress will also be lifted away. Any medical doctor will agree that burden or stress in the soul can in turn lead to many forms of physical sicknesses (e.g. high-blood pressure, hypertension, etc).

Is there anyone you've been keeping in the 'prison of your mind or emotion'? Or has there been any hurt, offense, strife, or unforgiveness you have not let go of? How about any 'unfair treatment' you've been receiving?

'Forgiveness' is about 'letting go' the person (or issue) into God's care and blessing, even to the point of wishing that person well. 'Unforgiveness', on the other hand, is about 'keeping the person (or issue) in the prison of your mind or emotion, which in turn causes unnecessary burden or stress to your own life'.

"But, pastor, it isn't fair at all!" I used to say this too, and that's when I heard, "Was it fair for Jesus to die on the cross?" And yet, He forgave. Yes, even when He was in such great pain.

So, it really doesn't matter who's more right or more wrong here. The irony is that many times, that other person may not even know you have been 'keeping' him or her in your emotional 'prison'. See, you got so stressed up and burdened by 'keeping' (or 'servicing') him or her in your emotional 'prison', while he or she may currently be having a jolly good time somewhere on earth! I don't know about you, but I think it's not worth it at all!

So, make the choice to 'let go' now, and God will take over and help you. Allow Him. His grace is more than enough for you, and He's here with you. He'll stand up and take notice the moment you make this choice! That's how powerful forgiveness is! As you 'release', His 'river' ('running water') is going to flow through you again! This 'river' is His very own resurrection power! Not only that, you'll also see many areas that have been 'dead' be revived again by this 'river'. And the good news is you'll also start to see your prayers being answered easily from now on! You'll begin to walk in favor after favor, not failure after failure!

Notice there's also a co-relation between 'forgiveness' and 'prayers answered'. Read Mark 11:23-26 as a whole, and you'll know what I mean. Notice the word 'forgive' in the midst of Jesus talking about 'whenever you stand praying' (see Mark 11:25). See? Not only 'unforgiveness' blocks God's power, it also blocks your prayers from being answered! The Bible says so.

People of God, as you receive His forgiveness, He also wants you to receive His supernatural ability to forgive others! The choice is yours. Make the choice now, and you'll begin to see His grace flowing like never before. Amen!

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.

Receive God's forgiveness

1 John 1:7b: And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

The word ‘cleanses’ is ‘katharizo’ in Greek. It means ‘to cleanse, purify, or purge.’ It comes from the word ‘katharos’ which means ‘clean, clear, or pure.’ The blood of Jesus Christ is effective to cleanse us from all sin. The word ‘all’ here is ‘pas’ in Greek. ‘All’ means ‘all’. In Greek, this word can mean ‘any, every, the whole, whatsoever, thoroughly.’ So, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from every sin, whatsoever, all our sins.

In 1 John 1:9, it says, ‘if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’. The word ‘confess’ here is ‘homologeo’ in Greek. It comes from two words, ‘homo’ which means ‘the same’, and ‘logos’ which means ‘say’. So, the word ‘homologeos’ means ‘to say the same, or to acknowledge’. God says He is faithful to forgive us. The word ‘faithful’ here is ‘pistos’ in Greek, which means ‘sure, true, trustworthy’. So, God is sure to forgive us, when we acknowledge our sins, and he cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

Because He cleanses you from all unrighteousness, you are now made righteous in Christ. To be righteous here means 'to be in right standing with God'. The interesting word here is ‘cleanses’. In Greek, this word (in 1 John 1:7 and 1 John 1:9) is both in present and continuous tense. It actually means ‘keeps on cleansing’. We can illustrate this like a waterfall, which never stops washing and cleansing the stones in it. It’s a 'waterfall of forgiveness', from the time you first received Jesus. It means God continually cleanses you of your sins.

When you know you are forgiven, you will be healed, in spirit, soul and body. You'll even start to see healing in your finance, in your family, in your career, in your relationships, etc. Psalm 103:3 mentions forgiveness before healing comes. In Luke 5:20-24, when a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus, Jesus said, ‘your sins are forgiven’, before He said, ‘rise up and walk’.

Beloved, receive your forgiveness now. You can because Jesus has done it for you on the cross. When you know you are forgiven, your healing will start flowing!