You will rise again!

The Lord says: 

"After the darkest hour, comes dawn and sunrise! I am declaring to you that darkness has gone, and My light has come! This is your time to receive My power and strength to rise again! Rise above and over all those 'desolate' and 'desert' times! Rise above and over all those pains and sorrows! For your time has come to arise and shine!" 

Beloved of God, whatever 'darkness' or 'storm' that you've been going through recently, the Lord is saying to you today: "You will rise again!" 

Isaiah 60:1 (Amplified Bible) says, 'Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the Lord]; for your light has come, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord has risen upon you.' Amen! 

There can be times God allows a "winter" time in your life, when everything seems to be dormant, and nothing seems to be happening in your life. And sometimes you feel like your life is going nowhere. Take heart. The Lord hasn't forgotten you. 

There can be times God even closes certain doors for you. This is not meant to harm you or hinder you. This is actually to protect you and prevent certain future trouble or danger in your life. Maybe you cannot foresee it yet. And you may not even understand why. Some people may even question Him. Some people may even be angry at Him or have a "cold war" with Him. But you know what? God sees long term. God sees the end from the beginning. God sees farther than any one of us can. God knows better.

Of course, waiting time is never easy. Imagine you wait for the bus or the train, and the bus or the train takes ages to arrive. No one says it's easy. But God is assuring you today that He still has you in His mind, and He hasn't forgotten you. He still remembers His plan for you, which is of future and of hope. 

I mean, you look at Moses. You look at Joseph. You look at David. And many others in the Bible. All had to wait before God's promises came to pass in their lives. Each of them had their "downtime" as well. They saw darker times before the 'dawn' or before the 'sunrise', so to speak. 

Look at the example of Jesus now. After having been baptized by John the Baptist, this was the next thing that happened. Matthew 4:1 (NKJV) says, 'Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.' 

You see, it wasn't that He stumbled into the wilderness, but He was led up by the Spirit of God into the wilderness. So, instead of greater glory of God happening to Jesus after the water baptism, he was now led into the wilderness! In other words, from the cool waters of Jordan River where He was baptized, He was now led into the barren desert! From the water of baptism, now the fire of temptation or testing! 

The word 'wilderness' here is 'eremos' in Greek. It can mean 'solitary, desolate, desert, lonesome, waste'. Have you recently been going through a time you thought has been wasted? Or at least wasted in the eyes of this world? Take heart. To God, it wasn't a waste. It was a preparation time for even greater things for your life! 

Just like Jesus, why would He be led into the wilderness ('eremos') to be tempted or tested? Because God the Father had greater things prepared for Him! So it is the same with you, beloved. Hang on there! Hang on strong! Keep setting your eyes on God! Keep looking to God! Keep your focus on God! You know why? Because your 'dawn' time is coming! Your 'sunrise' time is coming! 

The word 'tempted' here in Matthew 4:1 is 'peirazo' in Greek. This word 'peirazo' is more accurately translated as 'testing' instead of 'temptation'. That is why many Bible scholars actually felt it is more proper to refer this 'temptation of Jesus' in Matthew 4 as 'the testing of Jesus'. 

You know what? Jesus passed this test! He passed with flying colors! How did He do it? He focused on God! He focused on the Word of God! Three times the devil tested Him, and three times Jesus said: "It is written... It is written... It is written..." The devil had no choice but to leave Him. 

See what's next. Matthew 4:13-16 (NKJV) says, 'And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali... The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned."' 

This prophecy of Isaiah came to pass! From that time onwards, Jesus embarked on His earthly ministry, preaching the kingdom of heaven wherever He went. In other words, the time had come for Jesus to arise and shine on this earth! 

The same it is with you, beloved. The time has come for you to arise and shine, whatever God has purposed for you to be and to do! 

Let's continue with Matthew 4:23 (NKJV). It says, 'And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.' 

The word 'healing' here is 'therapeuo'. It means 'to relieve (of disease), to cure, to put in order (what is not in order)'. I like this: 'to put in order (what is not in order)'. 

Today, the same it is with you! The Lord is putting in order what has not been in order in your life! Receive this by faith! Receive that healing! Receive that cure! Receive that 'therapeuo'! Spiritually and physically!

Matthew 4:25 (NKJV) then says, 'Great multitudes followed Him - from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.' In other words, from all over! And you know what? Jesus never looked back ever since. His ministry was effectively launched, and that changed the world like no one else had done before or after!

And it all began with Him being led into the wilderness ('eremos')! So, never doubt God when you seem to have been in your wilderness ('eremos'). Now, what is 'eremos' again? Desolation. Loneliness. Wastage. Desert. A time when nothing seems to be happening in your life. But you know what? These are times to prepare you for greater things! These are times to get you ready to launch! And the Lord is saying that time of 'launching' has come in your life! Amen!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

The time for repair is NOW!

Words from the Lord:

"If in the recent years you have suffered much damage to your physical health, emotional health, mental health, or even spiritual health due to whatever reason, this is the time to repair! You are entering a time for repair! What the enemy has inflicted upon you in the recent years, this is the time I am reversing it for you. Put all your trust in Me. Look to Me and My Word. I will make a way for you. I will show you the way. When I work, no one can reverse it. The enemy has to hands-off you. The enemy has no choice but to leave. Receive these words by faith." 

What is the definition of the word 'repair'? 

It can be defined as:

- to put right what has gone wrong

- to fix up what has been damaged

- to set right (what is faulty or worn) to a good condition again

- to restore something to working order

- to rebuild and reconstruct what has been broken 

Let's go to the Scripture for an example of God repairing His people. We go all the way to the days of Elijah. 

1 Kings 18:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth." So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.' 

An encounter between Elijah and Ahab was about to take place. Elijah represents YHWH, the true and living God of Israel, whereas Ahab represents 'the master of this world'. For the record, Ahab was one of the worst kings ever ruled in Israel. He had caused much damage to the people of Israel those days. In his twenty-two years as king of Israel, he did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him (1 Kings 16:30). And with the help of his wife Jezebel, he vigorously and violently promoted the worship of other gods in Israel, turning the people of Israel away from YHWH. 

In 1 Kings 18:19, Elijah said, "Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." 

By the way, who was Jezebel? She was a dominant force and influence on Ahab, persuading him to abandon YHWH and establish the religion of Baal in Israel. She influenced the whole of Israel to bow down to Baal and Asherah. 

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

In 1 Kings 18:30, Elijah then said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 

Interestingly, the word 'repair' here is 'raphah' in Hebrew. 

This word 'raphah' can be defined as:

- to make proper (what has been damaged)

- to mend (what has been torn)

- to bring cure (to a predicament)

- to cause to heal

- to make whole again

As you can see here, the Lord was about to 'repair' what has been 'damaged' in Israel those days. In other words, the Lord was about to 'raphah'. So it is the same in your life right now, beloved of God. Whatever damage that has been caused by the enemy against you, the Lord is right now and right here repairing it! 

1 Kings 18:38-39 (NKJV) says, 'Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!"'

You see, what the prophets of Baal failed, God did it! The prophets of Baal were imploring their gods, but no one answered. They did everything they knew how, but no one answered. But when it came to Elijah's turn, the Lord answered with fire! And all the people saw it! They saw it with their own eyes! And thus they fell on their faces, and they said, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!" 

Hallelujah! That was a great victory! The Lord God Almighty, the Lord God of Israel has triumphed!

That was during the days of Elijah. But the same it is for you right now. This is the time the Lord is also doing the repair, repairing you (and your situation) from any form of damage or brokenness in your life! 

Now that you have looked at an example in the Scripture, what do you do at this point of time? You meditate on God's Word!

The one question people ask is, "How to meditate on God's Word?" 

For example, if you need healing to your physical body, what do you do? You meditate on some Scripture verses that speak about your healing! 

I'm going to show you some Scripture verses on healing, personalized for you, so you can read it over and over again upon yourself. This is one way you can meditate on God's Word, that is by reading it out for your ears to hear. Why is it so important to read it out for your ears to hear? Because Romans 10:17 says, 'So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing (comes) by the word of God.' It means your faith arises when you hear the Word of God! This faith will overcome all those infirmities and predicaments! 

Here are some examples of Scripture verses on healing:

Psalm 41:3

The Lord sustains, refreshes, and strengthens me. He completely heals me from my infirmities.

1 John 5:14-15 

Now this is the confidence that I have in Him, that if I ask anything according to His will, He hears me. [Sickness is not His will. Divine health and wholeness is His will]. I know that He hears me, and what I ask of Him, I receive by faith.

Proverbs 4:20-22

I give attention to God's words. I incline my ear to His sayings. I do not let them depart from my eyes. I keep them in the midst of my heart. For they are life, and health to all my flesh.

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon formed against me shall prosper. [Sickness is a weapon of the enemy]. And every tongue that rises against me in judgment, I shall condemn. This is my heritage as a servant of the Lord. My righteousness comes from Him.

Deuteronomy 3:22

I do not fear, for the Lord my God Himself fights for me, and is for me.

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

God is still your Healer!

The LORD is saying to His people in this time and season: "No matter what you see around you, I am still your Healer! I am still your YHWH Rapha!"

Indeed, even in this time of pandemic, He is still the LORD your Healer! Whether it is physical healing (healing in the body) or inner healing (healing in the soul) that you need, the good news is He is here to heal you!

In some places nowadays, we may not be allowed to lay hands on those who need healing (due to SOP on social distancing or physical distancing). But that's never a problem, because there's no distance in the spiritual realm. In fact, there have been occasions in the Bible that shows healing can take place even from a distance.

Let's look at the Bible for an example. John 4:46-53 (NKJV) says, 'So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe." The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!" Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household'.

You see, whether there is laying hands or not, healing can still take place, because what's most important is we believe that He heals! 

Indeed, even now, He is still your YHWH Rapha, the LORD who heals! And He is still the same yesterday, today, and forever!

In the Bible, the LORD first identified Himself as YHWH Rapha during Moses' days. The Israelites had just left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea at that time. However, for three days, they traveled in the desert without finding water (Exodus 15:22). They then came across an area with water, but to their disappointment and dismay, they could not drink from it, because the water was too bitter to drink. They called the water 'Marah', which means 'bitter'. Their souls got bitter as well, and they grumbled against Moses (Exodus 15:24). 

As Moses cried out to the LORD, the LORD then showed him a wood (a tree). As Moses cast the wood into the water, the water miraculously turned from bitter water into sweet water (Exodus 15:25). It was right after the LORD healed the waters of Marah that He identified Himself as YHWH Rapha: "I am the LORD who heals you" (Exodus 15:26). 

This 'wood' (or 'tree') that was cast into the water is a 'picture' of Jesus dying on the cross (i.e. wood or tree) some 2,000 years ago to take away our sins, curse, shame, infirmities, or diseases. 

Isaiah 53:4-5 (NKJV) says, 'Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed'.

The word 'griefs' here is 'choliy' (khol-ee) in Hebrew, and it can mean 'disease, sickness, grief, anxiety, calamity'; from the word 'chalah' (khaw-law) meaning 'being weak, being sick, being dis-eased, being afflicted'.

And the word 'sorrows' here is 'makob' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'pain, anguish'; from the word 'kaab' meaning 'being sad, being bitter, being sorrowful, feeling pain'.

When Jesus died on the cross for us some 2,000 years ago, He has also borne all our griefs ('choliy') and carried all our sorrows ('makob'), so that we may have His goodness, wellness, wholeness, divine health, and divine healing.

Therefore, fear not even in times of pandemic like these, because He is still your Healer, and He is still the same yesterday, today, and forever - in Moses' days, some 2,000 years ago when He walked on earth, and even now in your life, and forever more. Hallelujah! Amen!

Click here to watch the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel