You have the power inside of you!

The Lord says: 

"Flow in My river! The river of My Spirit! Do not resist this river that is flowing in your life. Let go of all your burdens, struggles and worries to Me, and let Me bring you wherever My river flows. For I am bringing you deeper. Deeper than you've ever experienced before! And I am causing you to see many new things that you've never seen before! You'll begin to even see with your spiritual eyes in new ways! You'll begin to see My power working in your life like you've never seen before! You'll begin to see My glory as I begin to show you more of My glory! Look to Me and drink from Me, beloved. For I am revitalizing you and I am reviving you!"

Today, as you flow with the river of the Holy Spirit, let the Holy Spirit impart life upon you! 

John 6:63 (NKJV) says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." 

Not just everlasting life, but the Holy Spirit causes everything and every aspect of your life to become alive again! So, whatever that's dead or dormant in your life, let the Holy Spirit, the river of the Spirit refresh you, revive you, flow in you, and turn it alive again! 

The Holy Spirit has the nature and the characteristics like a river. As you flow with this river of the Holy Spirit, every good thing in your life shall flow too! 

Psalm 63:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.' 

As you receive and drink of the Holy Spirit more and more in your life, and flow with the Holy Spirit more and more in your life, what shall you see? You shall see more of His power and His glory! Why? Because the Spirit of God is the Spirit of power and the Spirit of glory too! 

Just like the river current, there is power. Nothing can resist it along the way. And this river of God has no limit and no boundary. This river of God is wider than any physical river that you can find on earth. In fact, if you look at the physical world, river water can even be turned into electricity. Hydroelectric power. Electricity being generated by the use of the force of the moving water of the river. 

It is the same in the spiritual realm. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of power. That's why praying in the spirit is a powerful weapon that God has given you. Because you are entering the realm of God's power. This power will blow all the works of the enemy away! 

You see, a walk with God is a walk with the Spirit of God. It is a very personal walk. It is between you and Him. No one in between. A deep communion and fellowship with the Lord. Deeper than any other relationship on earth. Deep calls unto deep. Today, the Lord is bringing you deeper. You shall see many things that you've not been able to see before. You will understand many things that you couldn't understand before. And if you have the Holy Spirit working inside of you, you will have no fear of whatever the power of darkness throws at you. You will have the power of God to overcome!

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) says, 'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.' 

The word 'power' here is 'dunamis' in Greek, and in our context, it can mean 'miraculous power, mighty work, abundance (that comes from God), the ability of God, the strength of God, the force of God, the miracle of God'. This 'dunamis' works in you and through you!

Philippians 2:13 (NKJV) says, 'For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.' 

This phrase 'works in you' is a present participle tense, and it can mean 'always working actively in you'. So, I can say, 'For it is God who always working actively in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.' Just like the river that never stops flowing in you and through you! 

So, let Him, beloved. Let Him flow and work in you always, actively, in you! You will know what to do in your life, in every season of your life! You will know how to go about your life, in every season of your life! You will never end up stuck or at a dead-end. Because the Holy Spirit will always have a way out for you. There will always be a solution for you. And that's what the Holy Spirit does in your life!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Words from the Lord: "Exciting times are ahead for you!"

The Lord says:  

"The coming months are months of unprecedented victory and breakthrough for many of My people! Serendipity and divine appointments are coming your way, even in ways and places that are unexpected or unanticipated. Look to Me. Walk in it. Take hold of it by faith. Stay in shape spiritually and stay sharp spiritually. Don't miss what I am going to show you going forward, for exciting times are ahead for you!" 

The word 'serendipity' (to people of this world) can be defined as 'the occurrence and development of events by chance in a good and beneficial way'. But as a beloved of God, when you are walking with the Lord and when you allow your life to be led by the Holy Spirit, serendipity is more like 'being set up or appointed by the Lord', rather than 'by chance'. 

This is a good news for you, because the Lord is setting up divine appointments for you. Amen! 

Psalm 37:23 says, 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.' The word 'ordered' here is 'kuwn' in Hebrew. It can be defined as 'be established, be properly set up, be set aright, be made ready, be provided, be prepared, be directed, be rendered prosperous, be fashioned, be ordained, be perfected'. 

The Lord can establish your steps, every step of the way. The Lord can set up good things for you. The Lord can make ready good things for you. The Lord can provide good things for you. The Lord can render you prosperous in this season of your life. Now, this can happen in any area of your life, be it in the ministry God has given you, in your career, in your business, or even in making new friends or entering into a relationship. 

This psalm was written by none other than David himself. He definitely knows what he's writing here. He has seen it all with his own eyes the goodness of God in his life, and how God delivered him from evil, danger, or trouble. From an unknown shepherd boy to be chosen to be anointed as a king by prophet Samuel. And then, he did great exploits for the Lord against Goliath and the Philistines, having great victory over them. After that, he survived attempts by King Saul who tried to kill him. And even after he had become king, he had to deal with an attempt to overthrow him as king by Absalom, one of his very own sons. Such an eventful life! Such a dramatic life! And at his old age, he wrote this psalm. 

And then, he wrote further in the same psalm. Psalm 37:25-29 says, 'I have been young, and now am old. Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful and lends; and his descendants are blessed. Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.' 

Earlier in the same psalm, David also wrote in Psalm 37:4-5, 'Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.' 

You see, David had gone through much in his life by the time he wrote this psalm, and he shared the keys to walking in the ways that are ordered and appointed by the Lord. This is a much better way to live your life than to strive or to try to make things happen by your own strength. 

Another example in the Scripture of 'being divinely appointed' is in the story of how Isaac and Rebekah met. 

Look here at Genesis 24:1-4. 'Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord... that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell. But you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac."' 

Genesis 24:10-14 then says, 'Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed... And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, "O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink', and she says, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink' - let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac."' 

See the word 'appointed' here? And see the word 'success' here? The word 'success' here is 'qarah' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to chance upon, to light upon, to bring about, to cause upon, to be appointed, to be set up, to make it happen, to send (something good)'.

Let's continue and see what happened next. Genesis 24:15 says. 'And it happened, before he (the servant of Abraham) had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah...'

And you know what? The rest is history. The story went this way. Rebekah was coming towards the well to draw water at that time, and when the servant of Abraham asked her to give him a little water to drink from her pitcher, she gave. Not only that. She also offered to draw water from the well for the camels to drink. Exactly as the servant of Abraham had prayed for! A divine appointment happened! 

So, that's for Isaac and Rebekah, and how they eventually got married! Now, this 'it happened' or 'being set up by the Lord' doesn't just apply in relationship or marriage, but this can happen in any other area of your life, be it in the ministry, in your career, in your business, or in every other area of your life. 

Like David, and like Isaac and Rebekah, all the above can happen to you as well! 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we receive by faith all that You have spoken for us today. We walk in it by faith. We want to be led by Your Spirit to be at the right place, and at the right time. Your Word says the steps of a good man are ordered and established by You. As David had experienced. As the servant of Abraham had experienced. As Isaac and Rebekah had experienced. And as many others in the Scripture that You have caused good things to happen to them. You are the same God to them in those days, and You are the same God to us today, in our lives. In the name of Jesus. Amen!"

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Sensing and hearing from God

The Lord says:

"This is a crucial time for My people to hear My voice. In fact, there are many secrets that I want to reveal to you in this time and season. Continue to live a life of holiness. Continue to live a life of submission. Continue to live a life of humility. Wash your hands. Wash your hearts. Let it be clean. Continue to stir up your spirit man. Don't let your spirit to slumber. Keep your spirit alert and ready for what's coming ahead and the glory days ahead!" 

Colossians 2:8 (NKJV) says, 'Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.'

Colossians 2:8 (Expanded) says, 'Be sure [Be careful; Watch; See] that no one leads you away [takes you captive] with false [deceptive] and empty [worthless] teaching that is only human [according to human traditions], which comes from the ruling spirits of this world, and not from Christ.'

It's for this reason in Colossians 2:8 that it's so important to be able to sense and hear correctly from the right spirit (i.e. the Holy Spirit), and not from other spirit or spirits of this world. 

In fact, some of these human philosophies or human traditions have even sometimes crept into the church, and contaminated or adulterated the church and what Christ has meant the church to be. 

Also, nowadays, there are so many 'predictions' or 'prophecies' being spoken around, that even some Christians are taking it without checking and sensing if these are really from the Holy Spirit, or if these are merely from the minds of men. So, that's why Paul wrote in Colossians 2:8 to be careful. Every prediction or every prophecy has to be tested. The Scripture says so. 

What are the keys to sensing and hearing in the spirit correctly? 

1. A life of humility, submission and surrender

There's no other way around it. Without humility, submission and surrender to God and God's Spirit, we cannot be effective in sensing and hearing from Him. 

2. A life of holiness

It is like a radio antenna that receives reception. If you clean it, the antenna can receive better and function better. If you remove any dirt, dust, or other contaminants that might interfere with the reception, the antenna can receive better and function better. It is the same with your spirit, if you want to receive more clearly from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, allow the Holy Spirit to clear anything that hinders your walk with God. 

3. A life of worship

This simply means a life of surrender to God. Because to worship God is to surrender to God. Worship is not just in songs and singing. 

In Hebrew, the very word 'worship' is translated as 'shachah', which literally means 'to bow down, to kneel, to prostrate oneself (before God)'. So, worship, in the truest sense of the word, is about the heart. It is about a heart and a life of surrender and submission to God. It is about lowering ourselves and humbling ourselves before God. It is not so much about the outward performance or outward show, but 'shachah' or 'worship' is essentially lowering ourselves in our hearts before the Lord. 

One example of this word 'shachah' or 'worship' in the Scripture is found in Genesis 22:5. That's when Abraham told his servants that he and Isaac (his son) will 'shachah' on the mountain, which is translated as 'worship' on the mountain.

Let's move on to 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NKJV) that says, 'Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.'

What are the things that have been freely given to us by God? One is His wisdom. Another is His revelation as to what you should do or what you should avoid, and even what's to come in the future!

Just a few verses before that, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NKJV) says, 'But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.' In The Expanded Bible, it is translated as 'the deep secrets of God'. 

That leaves us with the next question. In what way does God reveal His deep things through His Spirit? The answer can be found in 1 Corinthians 2:13 (NASB) that says, 'We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.' 

See the words 'spiritual thoughts' and 'spiritual words' here? In other words, one way God can speak to you is by placing intelligible thoughts and words in your spirit. It means thoughts and words that can be readily understood by you. These thoughts and words are deeply imparted by the Holy Spirit inside of you, and these are not the product of one's own mind or one's own logic. Some Bible teachers call this 'the voice of the Holy Spirit'. It means the voice of the Holy Spirit spoken into your spirit. 

What are the general characteristics of the voice of the Holy Spirit? 

1. It comes as a spontaneous impartation, not premeditated by the hearer (Matthew 10:19-20)

2. It comes with specific commands or instructions (Acts 13:2)

3. It is distinctly divine, and the hearer knows it comes at the right timing when he/she needs it (Acts 10:19-20)

4. It is always aligned with the Word of God and the will of God, and not contradict it (Isaiah 55:8-11)

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

I have a disturbing dream. Urgent message from the Lord!

I had a dream the other night. This may not be comfortable to some of you, but it is necessary for me to share this. Why? Because the Lord tells me to do so. I just want to obey God's instructions. 

In the dream, I saw a group of believers of Christ in a building. A commotion then broke out. Some gunmen broke into the building and kept shooting at the believers to kill them. It was not a good sight. Like everyone else in the building, I ran to look for cover. While I was doing that, the gunmen kept shooting and killing the believers of Christ. 

It's actually a long dream, but for this prophetic message today, it suffices to only share this part of the dream. Upon waking up, I asked the Lord why this dream. This dream isn't necessarily literal, but this dream can be symbolic in nature. As I woke up from the dream, I prayed in the spirit. I prayed in the spirit for some time. 

The Lord then said: 

"Tell My people... Be alert and be vigilant. For the enemy has begun coming out in full force against My people. It may even be done in a very subtle way. The aim is to destroy My people's faith and trust in Me. The aim is to confuse and to cause losses to My people. The enemy is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. This is not the Lion of Judah. This is a counterfeit. This is the enemy of the Lion of Judah. And he is on a 'mission' to destroy My people who have been caught unaware spiritually. The intention is to assassinate My people's faith and My people's walk with Me." 

Speaking of 'roaring lion' here, 1 Peter 5:8 says, 'Be sober, be vigilant (i.e. be watchful and alert in your spirit), because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.' 

The expression 'seeking whom he may devour' here shows that the enemy actually cannot 'touch' you or devour you, if you don't allow him to do so. The enemy is just seeking whom he may devour. You see, the Scripture never says the enemy will surely devour you. But the Scripture says 'seeking whom he may devour'. This means you can take the necessary steps to prevent the evil and to overcome the evil. And if God is with you, and with God's Spirit with you, you shall triumph over whatever that's being conjured up by the enemy against you. The truth is your God is infinitely greater and wiser than any plan, conspiracy, or strategy conjured up by the enemy. 

And then, one verse later, 1 Peter 5:9 says, 'Resist him, steadfast in the faith...' This is the solution that the Scripture gives us. Resist the devil. Turn away from the devil. And stay strong and steady in your faith and in your trust in the Lord. How? Keep receiving from God. Keep hearing God's Word. Keep receiving from the Holy Spirit. Remember, Word and Spirit, Spirit and Word. Keep worshiping the Lord. Worship Him in spirit and in truth. Keep praying in the spirit. Never underestimate the power of prayer. And as you pray, heaven comes down. God's kingdom come, God's will be done. 

The Lord then said further: 

"This is the time to deepen your walk with Me, and walk ever closer with Me. Wash your heart. Wash your hands. Clear away what is unholy in your life, and begin walking in purity and holiness. Because the enemy cannot 'touch' what is holy. Keep receiving from My Spirit, for My Spirit is the Spirit of holiness. Let it flow into your life, and let Me cleanse what needs to be cleansed in your life. Present your life to Me all over again. And fear not. Because I am with you to help you. See My blood covering you. See Me covering you with My blood that has been shed for you on the cross." 

So beloved of God, fear not! God has a solution for you! 

How to triumph over the evil plans of the enemy? How to prevent those evil? How to overcome those conspiracies of the enemy? 

1. See yourself coming under the covering of God! 

Jesus has become your covering! Psalm 91:1-4 says, 'He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.'

The word 'cover' here is interesting. It is 'sawkak' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to shut up (the enemy), to defend (you), or to hedge (you)'. Like the parent eagle that spreads the wings to protect the eaglets. It can also mean 'to join together (with you) in the face of the enemy'. And that's what 'sawkak' means here. He is your covering. He is your defender. He is your hedge. He joins together with you against the enemy. He shuts up the enemy, and shuts out the enemy! 

And then, Psalm 91:5-6 says, 'You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.' 

So, fear not, people of God! If you look to the Lord, the Lord will know how to fight for you. The Lord will know how to shield you. The Lord will know how to lead you and guide you to be at the right place at the right time. Amen!

2. Walk in purity and holiness! 

Why? Because the enemy cannot 'touch' you if you walk in purity and holiness of the Lord. 

1 Peter 1:15-16 says, 'But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."' 

So, be holy in all your conduct. It means inwardly and outwardly. Not just a facade and for show in the outward to impress others. But holiness in the inward and also holiness in the outward. It means what is in the inside of a person is what is on the outside of that person. It means being consistent when the person is in the private and when the person is in the public. That's what God means here when He says, 'in all your conduct'.

So, right now, beloved of God, allow the Holy Spirit to wash you clean. Allow the Holy Spirit to clear what needs to be cleared in your life. Now, that takes humility on our part. That takes laying down our pride on our part. Present yourself to the Lord again. Re-dedicate yourself to the Lord again - spirit, soul, body; mind, will, emotions. 

Let your eyes be cleansed. Yes, spiritual eyes and even physical eyes. There is power in walking in purity and holiness. And you know what? Everything is going to be so clear in your spirit. You will begin to see and understand many things in the spirit. There will be clarity. You will begin to make right decisions in your life. Why? Because there is clarity in your spirit.

3. Walk ever closer with the Holy Spirit! 

You know why? As you walk closer and closer with the Holy Spirit, you become so in tune with the Holy Spirit, and you can 'catch' what the Holy Spirit wants to tell you or even warn you. Yes, the Holy Spirit can warn us. Why? In order to prevent evil, dangers, or pitfalls in our lives. 

The Holy Spirit can give you promptings. The Holy Spirit can give you dreams to tell you in advance what to go ahead and what to avoid, who to associate with and who to dissociate with, and when to move on and when to let go. In other words, when to go ahead and when to stop.  

In my personal walk with God, I thank God that He has helped me so many times in every season of my life through dreams He gives to me to show me my direction in life. At times, I do say this to Him: "What? Time to let go and move on again?" And then I would seek the Lord for further confirmation, and the Lord would show me further confirmation till I am convinced. Till I say: "Okay. Yes, Sir! I will obey, even though I don't fully understand yet why You do so." 

But as I look back in my life, I'm glad I obeyed Him all these while. And by the grace of God and by the help of God, I want to continue to obey Him every step of the way, going forward. 

That's why it's so important to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Walk closer and closer with the Holy Spirit. And that's when you'll be led by the Holy Spirit. That's when you'll be guided by the Holy Spirit. Not led and guided by your flesh, or by your own mind. 

And sometimes, when you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, it may even be illogical to your mind. But you know what? The Holy Spirit will not go wrong. He is all-knowing and all-wise. He sees farther than any one of us can. And He can lead you to be at the right place at the right time, every season of your life. You will not end up at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Romans 8:14 says, 'Those who are led by the Spirit of the Lord, these are sons of God.' 

You see, true sons and true daughters of God are those who are led by the Holy Spirit in every area of their lives. It means they allow the Holy Spirit to lead them in every area of their lives. Not just one area. Not just two areas. But in every area of their lives. These are the people who would bare their souls to the Lord. They will not keep anything from the Lord. They will not hide certain compartments of their lives from the Lord. They bare it all to the Lord. They worship the Lord in total surrender.  

In cross-reference, Ezekiel 36:27 says, "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." 

This is prophetic of our times now as believers in Christ. The word 'cause' here is 'awsaw' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to bestow upon (you), do a work in (you), bring (you) forth, or lead (you)'. So, the Holy Spirit can do a work in you and can lead you to walk in God's ways. That's what 'awsaw' means here. The Holy Spirit does all this inside of you, so that you will begin to walk in all that the Lord has spoken, instructed, and commanded you. That's what 'cause you to walk in His statutes' mean here. When He says so, you say so; when He says no, you say no. When He says go ahead, you go ahead. When He says let go and move on, you let go and move on. Yes, even at times you don't fully understand yet why He does so and so, or why He says so and so. But one day you will understand. He knows better. He sees further. Because He is God, and we are not. 

And you will also keep His judgments, as you can see in Ezekiel 36:27 here, "You will keep My judgments and do them." This can also mean you discern what is of God and what is not. You judge what is of God and what is not. You know how to differentiate and separate between what is of God and what is not. Amen! 

Prayer:

"O Lord God, sensitize our spirit to be so in tune with Your Spirit. Show us any area in our lives that hinders us from receiving and hearing from You. Let there be no hindrance anymore. Purify us. Sanctify us. Wash us white as snow. We want to be a people who are walking so close with You. We thank You for Your words today. In a time like this, lead us to be at the right place and right time. Teach us to be watchful and alert to our surroundings, both in the spiritual realm and physical realm. We want to be a people who are overcomers. We want to be a people who triumph over whatever plan, conspiracy, or work of the enemy. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Click here to watch the video in TiC YouTube Channel

Words from the Lord: "I will bring clarity to you this year!"

The Lord says: 

"As you look forward to this new year, walk ever closer with Me. Let My Spirit fill your life. Let My Spirit lead you and guide you. Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit. Even though there may be chaos and confusion in the world around you, I will bring clarity to you. You may not understand many things that have happened in your past, but many things are going to become clearer and clearer to you. You will begin to understand the many things that I am doing in your life. You will begin to see how I see. Look to Me and be led by Me, and you will see greater victories and breakthroughs this year." 

Yes, be led by the Holy Spirit every step of the way! Follow His footsteps, so to speak. He will know how to lead you, step by step, no matter what happens in the world around you, or what you see in the world around you. And look here. Your victory and breakthrough is not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. I'm going to explain what this verse means. 

So, let's dive straight into this verse. Zechariah 4:6 (NKJV) says, 'So he (the angel) answered and said to me (Zechariah): This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts.' 

Who was Zechariah? 'Zechariah' is 'Zekar Yah' in Hebrew, which simply means 'YHWH remembers'. To apply this in your life, indeed the Lord remembers you and remembers His covenant with you. You see, Israel was blessed because YHWH remembers the covenant He made with His people those days. 

Zechariah was a prophet and a priest in his days, having been born in exile during the seventy years of captivity in Babylon. But what happened here is the time came when God's people began returning to Jerusalem from Babylon. Zechariah was one of those who returned to Jerusalem. Here, the Lord used him to inspire the people to look to the Lord and to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem that has been destroyed. 

Who was Zerubbabel then? He too was among those returning to Jerusalem from Babylon, and as a governor, he was to take the lead in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Now, that's when the Lord spoke these words to Zerubbabel through the prophet Zechariah: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit'. 

By the way, the name 'Zerubbabel' means 'descendant of Babylon'. 'Babylon' speaks of 'the ways of this world (the ways of this fallen world)'. This word 'Babylon' comes from the word 'Babel', meaning 'confusion'. This speaks of 'the fallen ways of the world', or 'people doing things by their own might or power'. Remember the Tower of Babel in the Book of Genesis chapter 11? 

So, for Zerubbabel here, even though he had this noble calling of rebuilding God's temple in Jerusalem, God also wanted him to build it in God's ways, and not in the ways of this fallen world. In other words, not in the 'Babylonian ways' that he grew up learning. You see, God needed to tell this to Zerubbabel because Zerubbabel might still be influenced by the Babylonian ways of doing things. And that's when the Lord spoke to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit." By the Spirit of the Lord! 

Let's do a little study now on the words 'might', 'power', and 'Spirit', as written in Zechariah 4:6. 

The word 'might' here is 'khahyil' in Hebrew. It can mean 'force, power, riches, strength (whether of human or other worldly resources)'. 

The word 'power' here is 'kowach' in Hebrew. It can mean 'human ability or capacity, own human produce (including power of human persuasion or flattery)'. 

On the other hand, the word 'Spirit' is 'ruwach' in Hebrew. It can mean 'breath, spirit'. In the context of our study today, it means 'by the breath of God'. In other words, 'by His breath (that He breathes into you)'. 

Back to Zerubbabel now. Now you know Zerubbabel grew up in the Babylonian ways. And he was very likely still influenced by the Babylonian ways of doing things, which is 'by their own human might or power'. 

But God is saying there's a higher way! God's way! God's wisdom! God's revelation! 

Many believers today are like Zerubbabel. We are so used to the ways of this world (or the Babylonian ways) to achieve success, or to do business, or to go about our lives. Or even doing ministry in ways influenced by the Babylonian ways. Building own empire instead of building God's kingdom. Making a name for ourselves instead of giving God all the glory. Now, it may look like a success initially, but it also brings with it the loss of joy, conscience being compromised, and even getting unnecessarily overly stressed up. 

Now, don't get me wrong. God does give wisdom for us to live on earth, whatever our calling or vocation. He wants to see us having good success on earth. But God is also saying that it is by His wisdom and revelation. It is by learning to depend on the Lord, and lean not on our own human might or power. Yeah, trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding. In all our ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). 

So, let's not repeat the same mistakes as those who tried to build the Tower of Babel those days in the Book of Genesis. Let's look to the Lord's way instead. How? By allowing the Holy Spirit to lead. Now, when I say this, I'm saying this to myself too. Let us all humble ourselves as we look to the Lord this year. 

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NKJV) says, 'And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.' 'Power' here is 'the empowering and enabling of the Holy Spirit, instead of human's own power or human's own ability'. 

A few verses later, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NKJV) says, 'But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.' 

Yeah, the things that the world cannot see and understand, because their understanding has been darkened. But if you yield your life to the Lord, He will enlighten your spiritual eyes so that you can see how He sees. He will reveal to you the deeper things of the Spirit that the world doesn't know. He will also show you His wisdom. 'Wisdom' simply means 'knowing what to do and how to go about in your life'. Yes, this applies in your career, in your business, in the ministry that God has called you, and in every aspect of your life.

Romans 8:14 (NKJV) says, 'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.' See the words here: 'led by the Spirit of God'. 

So beloved, as we begin this new year, let the Holy Spirit fill us all in all. Let the Holy Spirit fill us to the overflow. Let the Spirit of God release upon us the wisdom and revelation that we need to see real good success on this earth. 

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, we want to be led by Your Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts right now. Fill us to the overflow. We need You even more and more, as we look forward in this new year. We want to be led and be guided by You every step of the way. We receive now Your wisdom and revelation. You have spoken today that You will bring clarity in our lives. We'll begin to understand the many things that You are doing in our lives. We'll begin to see how You see. So right now, at the beginning of the year, we entrust our lives entirely to You. Come take over our lives. Come do as You want in our lives. We yield to You. We submit to You. We humble ourselves before You. Indeed it is not by might nor by power, but by Your Spirit, as You have spoken today. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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Words from the Lord: "The rain has begun falling! Your drought is coming to an end!"

The Lord says: 

"Your drought time is coming to an end! There's a renewal happening in My people! There's a fresh release of My Spirit and My living waters on those who have been going through a time of barrenness. My rain has begun falling! Heaven is open! I am pouring My Spirit on those who need refreshing! I am causing life to return again! Your land will be filled again! Your rivers will flow again!"

Before we go further, what is the definition of this word 'drought'? In geographical or physical terms, it can be defined as 'a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water'. In an agricultural society, this is a big thing, people! Because it affects the very livelihood of the people in the land. In short, no water means no life! 

In your context, your situation may not be a geographical or physical drought, but it may be spiritual drought, financial drought, drought in your career, drought in your business, drought in the ministry, or any kind of drought in any area of your life. 

Even if at the moment, there seems to be no sign of the 'drought' ending in your physical eyes or in the physical realm around you, and there seems to be no sign of any 'rain cloud' coming, keep trusting in the Lord and keep looking to the Lord! Just like in Elijah's days when he asked to look at the sky for any sign of rain coming!

In an agricultural society like in Israel those days, the coming of rain is synonymous with drought coming to an end. Beloved of God, this can apply to you spiritually or in any area of your life that has been going through a time of drought. 

I declare that the rain from heaven is coming upon your life! There will be a new life! There will be refreshing! There will be renewal!

After a great victory at Mount Carmel, let's look at 1 Kings 18:41 onwards now. 'Then Elijah said to Ahab (the king), "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundance of rain."' At that time, the land had been experiencing a long drought and severe famine for several years (about three and a half years). Maybe you too have been experiencing some kind of 'drought' recently. Take heart. Rain is coming! There will be refreshing and renewal again! 

Let's read further. 1 Kings 18:42-43 says, 'So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."' 

Elijah knew once the false prophets of Baal were defeated and the worship of the false god of Baal stopped, the drought in the land would also stop. It means rain was about to come. That's why he told his servant to check it out for any sign of rain. In the meantime, what did Elijah do? He went to the Lord in prayer, and he worshiped the Lord. 

1 Kings 18:44 says, 'Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he (the servant) said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So he (Elijah) said, "Go up, and say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.'"'

Elijah was a man of faith. He would not take no for an answer, even if the servant couldn't see any sign of rain yet. Elijah just knew the rain's coming. He had this deep confidence in the Lord that the time for rain is coming! 

The same it is in your situation. Never give up on the Lord doing His part. Keep looking to the Lord. Keep praying. Keep declaring God's purposes in your life to come to pass. Keep waiting on the Lord, and keep hoping in Him that He will make good His promises in your life.  

So, even with the little sign of cloud, as small as a man's hand, and based on this sighting, Elijah knew an outpouring of rain was about to come. That's why he told Ahab to prepare the chariot. And true enough. See what happened next. 1 Kings 18:45-46 says, 'Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.' 

God's promise of rain came to pass. The long drought was finally over. The rain has come. Hallelujah! And look here. There was a supernatural empowering on Elijah, so much so he even ran ahead of Ahab's chariot!  

Beloved of God, there's also supernatural empowering from heaven being released upon you right now. There will be a renewed strength in your life. There will be a new vigor coming in your life. You shall begin to see a new purpose in your life. You will look ahead with great hope and anticipation. Amen! 

The Lord says further:

"Watch My hand making things happen in your life! Watch My hand making things happen even in the nation or the nations of the world. My rain is coming! For I am calling you to declare what you see and hear from Me! For I am raising up many watchmen and watchwomen in this time and season, who see how I see, and to declare it!" 

Yes, declare what you see and what you hear from the Lord! Declare it into being by faith!

Isaiah 21:6 says, 'For thus has the Lord said to me: "Go, set a watchman; Let him declare what he sees."' 

See the word 'watchman' here? What is the purpose of a 'watchman' (or 'watchwoman')? The answer is here: To declare what he sees (or what she sees) in the spiritual realm. It means, as the Lord says, you say. And as the Lord puts in your heart to declare, even in your prayer time, declare it into being. Be faithful in this, and God will show you even more and amazing things to come! 

Looking back at Isaiah 21 here, what is the definition of 'watchman'? The word 'watchman' here is 'tsaphah' in Hebrew, from the word that means 'to lean forward, to look into the distance, to watch, to observe'. 

So, you lean forward to hear from the Lord. The heartbeat of the Lord. What the Lord is doing in each time and season. What the Lord is doing right now. And you walk accordingly. And if He asks you to declare it, you declare it faithfully. 

It can also mean 'to look into the distance'. Yes, to look into the future. The Lord is going to show you, as you open your heart to the Lord, surrender to the Lord, and yield to the Lord. Yes, as you commune with the Lord. As you worship the Lord. As you pray in the spirit. And you'll be able to watch, and you'll be able to observe what the Lord is doing. You will cause many people to avoid their pitfalls. You will prevent evil through your prayers. You will declare things into being. Even in the nation or nations that the Lord has put in your heart to pray for. And this anointing of the watchman is being released upon you right now!

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Don't buy the lies of the devil!

Words from the Lord: 

"Just as in the natural realm, the biological father is connected (or tied) to the biological son by blood, your Heavenly Father is connected (or tied) to you His son or daughter by the Holy Spirit." 

The Lord has been speaking this statement during the week.

So today, we are going to talk about the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit in you bears witness that you are a son or daughter of your Abba Father. We are going to talk about your sonship and your relationship with your Abba Father. 

The Lord also wants you to go deeper in your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Your relationship with Him is what matters the most. Not any position on earth. Not any material thing on earth. These are not as important as your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because when you have Him, you have everything. Yes, everything you ever need in this life! He is your lifeline and your only real hope, especially in this perilous time. 

Many believers or even ministers of God have this fear that God will give up on them, abandon them, or 'disown' them whenever they've made a mistake or didn't fulfill what God had told them to do. 

But today, the Lord is giving you this assurance that He is a Good Father. He doesn't get disappointed with you that easily (the way humans in this world do), simply because He already knew your weaknesses and inadequacies even before you knew Him or you knew His calling for your life. 

The enemy will try to make your relationship sour with the Lord. The enemy will try to throw accusations about Him, and throw condemnation at you. But be rest assured that your Heavenly Father, your Abba Father, will always have your best interests in His mind.

Let's go to the Scripture to back up what we are saying today. 

Romans 8:14 (NKJV) says, 'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.'

Romans 8:15-16 (NKJV) says, 'For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit (the Holy Spirit) Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.' 

Ephesians 1:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.' 

The expression 'adoption as sons' here in Greek is 'uihothesia'. This is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted heir. 

Galatians 4:6-7 (NKJV) says, 'And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.' 

The word 'heir' here is 'kleronomos' in Greek. It simply means 'a sharer of an inheritance' or 'inheritor'. In other words, you can have a rightful share in all of His inheritance. Why? Because you are a son or daughter of your Abba Father in heaven. 

1 John 3:1 (NLT) says, 'See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know Him.' 

This love of your Abba Father for you never fails. When everything else in this world fails, this love never fails. So, beloved, whatever you may be facing at the moment, or you feel as if God has given up on you or abandoned you, the Lord is saying to you right now that He loves you. He is your Abba Father, your Daddy in heaven who loves you. Let Him embrace you right now. Let Him assure you right now.

Reject every form of accusation or condemnation against you. Don't buy the lies of the devil. Don't buy the lies of those who do not know who God is. 

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NKJV) says, 'Now He who established us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) in our hearts as a guarantee.' 

See the word 'guarantee' here? A guarantee! What is a guarantee? A formal assurance that a promise is fulfilled and kept!

What is 'sealed' then? It means putting His very own signature, His name, on you! That you are His! That you belong to Him! That you are His son or daughter! And He is your Abba Father who loves you! 

Let's look at another version now. The Contemporary English Version. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (CEV) says, 'And so God makes it possible for you and us to stand firmly together with Christ. God is also the One who chose us and put His Spirit in our hearts (in our spirit) to show that we belong only to Him.' 

I like this version. To show that we belong only to Him! And this, beloved, is the work of the Holy Spirit who works in you, and who bears witness inside of you. Bears witness of what? That you belong to Him, and you are His son or daughter! That He is your good Daddy in heaven! 

With all these promises in the Scripture, there is no reason for you to be afraid of anything, knowing that if God is with you and you are His beloved child, who and what can come against you? 

Know and remember always, that no matter what you may be facing at the moment, your good Daddy in heaven is here for you and with you. And the Holy Spirit is here living in you and bearing witness in you, that you are so deeply loved, and you are God's very own child!

Let us pray:

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your assurance in the Scripture today. We look to You, because You are our Abba Father and we are Your sons and daughters. Because of the Holy Spirit living in us, we have this assurance that we are deeply loved by You. We have this assurance that we are not alone and we will never be abandoned by You. We can also be assured that You will always know how to lead us and guide us in every season of our lives. This is the assurance of our Abba Father for us today. In this, we are grateful. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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You are a carrier of His glory!

The Lord says: 

"Prepare yourselves to be filled with My glory like never before! For I am raising up a people who will be carriers of My glory in a time like this! Just as in the days of Solomon when the temple was prepared, so are you who are the temple of My Spirit! I will show you the many things that the world cannot see. I will even show you what is to come. You shall walk in My Spirit and My revelation in deeper ways. Nothing of the flesh matters anymore!" 

1 Kings 8:10-11 (NKJV) says, 'And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.'

This happened in King Solomon's days. The word 'glory' here is 'kabowd' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'splendor, magnificence, honor, weight'. That is to say, the glory of the Lord is real, is present, and is tangible. It is the very presence of the Lord. For those who have experienced it, or even experienced a glimpse of it, you will know what I mean. It's so real, and words cannot fully describe it. 

As a beloved of God, you can experience this glory of the Lord and be filled with this glory of the Lord. In fact, people around you can actually sense it, and see the glory of the Lord in your life. 

Isaiah 60:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.'

Back to King Solomon's days. When the glory of the Lord filled the temple that Solomon built, nothing of the flesh mattered anymore. All that's of the world has become like a shadow. It's all about the Lord now. Not about the works of man or the achievements of man. Even the priest could not continue ministering, as you can see in 1 Kings 8:10-11 just now. 

With such awesome presence of the Lord, all Solomon could do was to turn around and release the blessings of the Lord upon the people at that time! You see, with the glory of the Lord so heavy upon you, blessings flow. 

Today, as believers of the Lord in the New Covenant, you and I are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. Not made with stones. Not made with bricks. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV) says, 'Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.' 

At this juncture of our lives, let us dedicate ourselves anew to the Lord. Ask the Lord to wash us and cleanse us.

What are the keys to God's glory manifesting in your life? 

1. Holiness and purity

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV) says, 'Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.'

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV) says, 'Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' 

Let the Holy Spirit fill you right now. The Holy Spirit is the HOLY SPIRIT. The Spirit of holiness. Let the fire of His holiness cleanse and wash us.

2. Worship and surrender

Romans 12:1 (NLT) says, 'And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.'

We worship Him not just with songs and music, but we worship Him with our bodies, presenting ourselves to Him as a living and holy sacrifice unto Him. 

3. Praise and thanksgiving

Psalm 50:14-15 (NKJV) says, 'Offer to God thanksgiving... Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.'

Psalm 50:23 (NKJV) says, 'Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation ('Yeshuwah') of God.'

As you live a life of praising Him and giving thanks to Him; not just in good times, but at all times; He will know how to show you His glory and His goodness. You will begin to walk in the realm of greater blessings and miracles.

Not just that. The power of darkness cannot have a hold on you or 'touch' you. You will have divine protection of the Lord. No matter how the enemies try to pull you down, they cannot succeed. Because you have the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ, and you have the glory of the Lord enveloping you and surrounding you. Amen!

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How to hear clearly from God?

"How do you hear from God?" 

"How do you know what to do and what not to do?" 

"How do you know things should be done this way and not that way?" 

"How do you know that person is the right person to work with, and that other person is not?" 

"How do you know God is calling you to do certain things, or move to a certain location?" 

These are some of the questions people often ask me. 

Now, if I say, "I know that I know that I know", those who ask probably won't be convinced or satisfied with that kind of answer. 

So, to begin with, let's go all the way to 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NKJV). 'But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.' 

Look at the three parts that I've underlined here: 'revealed', 'all things', 'deep things'. 

The word 'revealed' here in Greek is 'apokalupto', which means 'take off the cover, disclose, unveil'. In other words, God wants to share many secrets with you. May your spiritual eyes be opened to see, and your spiritual ears be opened to hear.

How about the words 'all things'? Now, 'all things' here means 'all spiritual things'. You see, the spiritual things are the deeper things of God. 

Notice the words 'deep things' here. It can mean 'depth, mysteries, profound, far-reaching, great knowledge'. In other words, deeper knowledge. Deeper knowledge of what? Deeper knowledge of what God wants to tell us, or the secrets that God wants to tell us. And the Scripture tells us that He reveals all this to us through His Spirit. 

Amos 3:7-8 (NKJV) says, 'Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants...' 

See the word 'reveals' here? See the word 'secret' here? You see, God is still speaking, and He is still in the 'business' of speaking to you today. So beloved, expect to receive His secrets or His revelations when He speaks to you. He reveals first before He acts, or before He works through your life. 

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they (the things of God) are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' 

Then, 1 Corinthians 2:15 (NKJV) says, 'But he who is spiritual (i.e. the spiritual man) judges all things...' 

See the contrast between the natural man and the spiritual man here. 

The natural man here is translated 'Psuchikos' in Greek, from the word 'psuche', which means 'soul'. The natural man here is a person who operates only from his soul. This is a person whose spirit is uninfluenced by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God; and therefore cannot receive revelation from the Holy Spirit. That's what the natural man is, according to the writings of Paul here. 

How about the spiritual man? The spiritual man here is translated 'Pneumatikos' in Greek, from the word 'pneuma', which means 'spirit'. The spiritual man is a person whose spirit is directed or led by the Holy Spirit. He operates with his spirit, not just with his soul. 

As a matter of fact, the spirit of a man is a supernatural faculty, and is created to receive revelation from the Holy Spirit.

The statement 'spiritually discerned' in 1 Corinthians 2:14 means 'spiritual things are to be spiritually discerned', i.e. 'discerned by the spirit of man'. For example, only Joshua and Caleb could "see", while the other spies could not "see" (Numbers 14:9). Both Joshua and Caleb saw with their "spiritual eyes", not with their "natural eyes". 

So you see, the Scripture tells us that our spirit is created for communication with God, not just to worship God, and to fellowship with God. 

How do you receive from the Spirit of God? 

1 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV) says, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him'. 

In other words, as a believer, you are in union with God, and He lives in you. His Spirit lives in you, and His Spirit reveals deeper things inside of you. You can understand His revelations and His secrets when your spirit is joined with Him (i.e. having a personal relationship with Him). 

There are two ways God can speak to you: 

1. Extraordinary way. This can be an audible voice of God, i.e. 'voice that is audible to your natural ears'. For example, Saul heard the audible voice of God with his natural ears on the way to Damascus. This is not the usual way, but this is becoming more and more common in this end-time. 

2. God speaks to your spirit. It means the Holy Spirit communicates with your spirit within you, instead of an audible voice to your natural ear. 

And this is what we are going to focus right now, i.e. God speaking in your spirit, to your spirit, within your spirit. 

"How does God speak inside of me?"

1. You can receive directly in your spirit. 

1 Corinthians 2:12 (NKJV) says, 'Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.' 

You see, that's where we get this expression: "I know that I know that I know"; that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 

The word 'know' here is 'eido' in Greek, meaning 'to be aware, to behold, to be sure, to understand, to see'. It means to see what God wants us to see, and to see what God sees. 

2. God speaks inside of you with the Word of God. 

John 14:26 (NKJV) says, 'But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.' 

The statement 'bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you' here means 'the Holy Spirit is teaching us and bringing to our remembrance the Word of God, and what we have learned from the Word of God'. In short, He is speaking to you through the Scripture. That's why reading the Bible is so important. Never let your eyes depart from the Word of God. 

Very interestingly, just one verse later in John 14:27, Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 

This is God's assurance for you, because He speaks, and He still speaks and guides you. Because of that, you have this peace that you are not left forsaken. So, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

"In what ways does God speak to my spirit?" 

1. With signals or indicators. 

For example, inner witness, i.e. 'peace or no peace' in your heart. This is the simplest form of communication, but it's very reliable. Do you have peace to go ahead, or do you have no peace to go ahead? Listen to the Holy Spirit inside of you. Yes or no? Peace or no peace? Go ahead or not go ahead? 

Another example is through stirrings in your spirit. It means promptings from the Holy Spirit within your spirit. The Holy Spirit can stir your spirit to go ahead on something or prompt your spirit to go ahead on something. 

2. With intelligible contents.

For example, voice of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can direct you, command you, or instruct you through His voice inside of you. This is not a product of your mind. This is not a mind play. But this comes from God. Therefore, it carries the character of God. 

Another example is through word of wisdom. The Holy Spirit can reveal to you a specific instruction for a specific situation, or specific direction to handle a specific situation. 

Another example is through word of knowledge. The Holy Spirit can reveal to you about a specific need, especially as you minister to people. For example, while you pray for somebody or minister to somebody, the Holy Spirit can drop words inside of you about that person's specific need, and you minister to that person accordingly. 

And of course, another way is through dreams and visions. If it's from God, it's vivid, it's clear, and it's not confusing. When you wake up from the dream, you can remember it, as if you've just watched a drama. Write it down. Ask the Lord for the interpretation. The Lord will speak. The Lord will tell you. The same it is with vision. You can receive vision from God while you are praying or reading the Word of God. 

3. By perceiving with your spirit, or discerning with your spirit. 

To perceive with your spirit, or discern with your spirit, this may require some training with your spiritual senses. But this is possible. 

One example is found in Acts 5:1-4 when Peter discerned with his spirit regarding a lie. 

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Let this river flow into your home!

As I was praying for someone who is a beloved of God the other day, I saw a vision of a beautiful, crystal clear river flowing down from the throne of God. This river flowed right into that person's home. 

The Lord then said this vision is also for every beloved of God. So, it's not just for that particular person. But this vision is also for you who are reading this. 

That's when the Lord also said: "My river is bringing healing to your home. My river is bringing restoration to your home. My river is bringing peace to your home. My river is bringing provision to your home. My river is bringing refreshing to your home." 

The Lord said further: "Surrender to Me your sicknesses. Surrender to Me your brokenness. Surrender to Me your strife and disharmony in your home, if there's any. Surrender to Me your lack. Surrender to Me your staleness. Let My river flow right into your life and your home. Receive and drink by faith." 

Yes, beloved of God, receive all that the Lord has spoken today. This river comes from the throne of God. This river is for you and for your home, wherever you are, and whatever situation you may be facing at the moment. 

Have you been going through strife or misunderstanding in your household recently? Have you been going through certain challenges in life recently? Or have you been suffering lack recently? Or maybe you have been going through a difficult situation in your office, at your workplace, or in the ministry. 

Whatever your situation may be, come and receive from this river of God! This river is flowing right now. This river brings healing and restoration. This river brings refreshing. This river brings everything that you ever need in your life. 

We want to go to some Bible verses on the river of God, and what this river brings. 

Let's begin with Psalm 65:9-10. The psalmist wrote: 'You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth.' 

See 'the river of God' here? Whatever your situation may be, I declare that this river from the throne of God has been released upon you, your family, your household, your home! 

Psalm 36:7-9 says, 'How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.' 

Because the Lord loves you, and you are precious in God's eyes, it is God's pleasure to release this river to you. Wherever this river flows, it brings life. 

So, what's your part? The psalmist said here: "Drink from it." Yes, drink and receive by faith! 

Psalm 1:1-3 says, 'Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.' 

If you read the news recently, there may be some recession happening in some nations of the world. But as for you, beloved, I want to declare upon you, wherever you may be, yes, even in the nation or the nations that have recession: "But you shall drink from this river. You shall still be fruitful. Your leaves shall not wither. And whatever you do shall prosper." Amen! 

Let's move on to Ezekiel now. In Ezekiel 47:7-9, Ezekiel said: 'When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he (a messenger of God) said to me: "This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there, for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes."' 

This is the river of the glory of God. This is the river of the Holy Spirit. And this river is now here flowing right into your life and your home! 

I know Ezekiel was referring to the temple of God here. But beloved, under the New Covenant, you too are the temple of God. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That's what the Scripture says. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit where the Holy Spirit dwells in. Check it out in 2 Corinthians 6:16, 'For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people."' 

Ezekiel 47:12 says, 'Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine (for healing).' 

You see? Your fruit will not fail, in spite of whatever shakings, whether it's economic shakings, recession, slow economic growth, zero economic growth, or negative economic growth.

Let's go all the way now to Revelation 22:1-2. 'And he (an angel of the Lord) showed me (John) a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb (the Lamb of God, Jesus). In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.' 

As you receive from this river, you yield fruit every month. Not once in a long time. Not once in many months. But every month. In other words, every month there's fruitfulness. 

Yes, pray for your nation. Let healing flow into your nation. Not just that. Let healing flow into your household. Let healing flow into the ministry God has given you. Let healing flow into your business. Let healing flow into your career. And of course, let healing flow into your physical health. 

Isaiah 58:11 says, 'The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.' 

You see, in this river, not only is there healing, restoration, and refreshing; but there is also guidance, wisdom, and revelation. This river has everything you ever need in your life. This river comes from the throne of God. This river is from heaven. The river of the Holy Spirit. This is not like any other river on this earth. This river can never dry up! 

This river is in abundance. This river will continue to flow, as long as you open your heart, receive and drink from it. This river is for you. Amen! 

Last Bible verse of the day. In Isaiah 44:3, the Lord says: "For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring." 

What are the areas in your life that you are 'thirsty'? What are the areas in your life that you suffer lack? By faith, receive this verse. The Lord is filling those lack. And look here. It's not just a trickle of water. It's an outpouring of God's river.

Receive and drink from this water. He is pouring it forth upon you. His Spirit is upon you. His Spirit is upon all that you put your hands on. His Spirit is even upon your offspring, your household, your family, your home. Hallelujah! 

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5 keys to a happier you!

The Lord says:

"There's a release! There's a release from your past, whatever your past may be! Released from your past bondage! Released from your past hurts! Released from your past bitterness! Released from your past curse! Released from your past cycle! Released from your past trauma! My anointing has been released to you to set you free! Walk in this new cycle! Walk in this new season! This is the time to walk in the new freedom that I've given you!" 

What is the definition of this word 'release'? It can mean 'allow (or enable) to escape from bondage, allow (or enable) to be set free, allow (or enable) someone to move and flow freely'.

Isaiah 61:1-2a (NKJV) says, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." 

In cross-reference, Jesus quoted this in Luke 4:18-19, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

This word 'anoint' here is 'maschiah' in Hebrew. Literally, this word 'maschiah' can mean 'to rub oil on'. As the oil is being rubbed on you, you are being empowered and enabled. So, 'to anoint' is 'to empower', and 'to anoint' is 'to enable'. Not just that. 'To anoint' is 'to consecrate, to set apart, to make holy'. 

2 Corinthians 3:17 (The Expanded Bible) says, 'The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.' That is to say, 'where the Spirit of the the Lord is, there is this anointing, there is this power of God that sets you free from your bondage'. Therefore, right now, there's freedom for you! You can now walk in this freedom! 

Beloved of God, let this anointing be released upon you right now! This anointing destroys every yoke and bondage in your life. This anointing destroys all those past in your life, so you can now walk in a new phase, a new season, and a new cycle in your life!

John 8:36 (The Expanded Bible) says, 'So if the Son (Jesus) makes you free, you will be truly free [free indeed].' Free to be what? Free to be who God wants you to be, and free to do what God wants you to do in this new time and season!

Galatians 5:1 (The Expanded Bible) says, 'Christ set us free so that we could live in freedom [to a place of freedom, or by means of freedom].' Indeed, it's for this freedom that Christ has set you free! Free to walk in God's destiny for your life! Free to walk in God's plans and purposes for your life! Free to walk in God's perfect will for your life! 

Psalm 119:45 (The Expanded Bible) says, 'So I will live in freedom [liberty], because I want to follow [seek] your orders [precepts].' If you choose to follow the Holy Spirit, and if you choose to follow the instructions of the Lord for your life every step of the way, you are indeed walking in the freedom and liberty that God has for you! So, we are not talking about anarchy here. But we are talking about freedom in the Holy Spirit. Freedom to walk in the ways of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will always lead you and guide you. The Holy Spirit will never lead you into trouble. 

So, whatever your situation may be in your past, you are now set free! By faith, receive this anointing and be set free! As you flow with the Holy Spirit, you are walking in God's perfect will for your life. That's how easy it is to live a life that's in communion and in communication with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in you. And the Holy Spirit will know how to lead you and guide you in the right direction! 

Now, with this freedom that you have, knowing that you have been set free and released for this new season ahead of you, here are the five keys to walk in a happier you, and to enjoy your new season to the fullest! 

Number One: Live in the present moment

Take one day at a time. You can plan ahead. You can plan for your future. But never forget to live in the present moment. Never forget to live in the now. Live today. You can't control your past and your future. But you can make full use of your present moment. So, live in the now. Enjoy your present moment. Learn to appreciate all the good things and the good people around you at present. 

Number Two: Forgive and let go

Let the past be past. Let the bygone be bygone. You have a fresh new start today. And you have wonderful things ahead of you. So, look forward to it. Just do not hold grudges against anyone, whoever that person may be. It's so refreshing and liberating to live a 'let go' life. So, right now, receive God's unending and unfailing love for you. Let His love fill you. And He will know how to help you let go and forgive. 

Number Three: Be thankful and grateful

Be thankful and grateful for what the Lord has given you. Do not compare with others. Each person's path in life is unique and special. The fact is no one else is like you. You are unique and special in God's eyes. So, thank the Lord because He sees you as His beloved, and you are the apple of His eye. Psalm 17:8 says, 'Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings.' The Lord wants to keep you as the apple of His eye. In other words, He sees you dear. He sees you precious. He sees you not how the world sees you. He sees you as His beloved. You are the apple of His eye. Today, the Lord wants to assure you that you are indeed the apple of His eye. Learn to live a life of contentment. You become happier if you are living a contented life. So, be thankful and be grateful for all that the Lord has given to you. And yes, be thankful and grateful in advance for all the good that the Lord is going to give to you!

Number Four: Flow with the Holy Spirit

I cannot emphasize enough how important this key is. Flow with the Holy Spirit. Not against the Holy Spirit. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of joy. One of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is joy. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. You can see that in Galatians 5:22-23. So, receive this joy of the Lord. How? By flowing with the Holy Spirit. Not against the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's nature is like that of a river. When you flow with the Holy Spirit, like a canoe flows with the river, life becomes easier and life becomes more fruitful. You are flowing with the current of the Holy Spirit. You are not coming against the current of the Holy Spirit. That's the key. Now, when the Holy Spirit gives you peace regarding something or a certain decision you are about to make, you follow the peace. If the Holy Spirit never gives you the peace regarding something, you avoid it. That's how you can walk guided and led by the Holy Spirit. That's how you can avoid certain pitfalls and traps in life. 

Number Five: Start each day with the right focus

What do you think of the first thing you wake up in the morning? If you have the right focus as you wake up in the morning, you already have a head start. Start the day right, and many things will be right. Start the day with your personal time of praise and worship, reading and receiving the Word of God, and praying in the spirit. As you pray in the spirit, the Holy Spirit may even give you ideas and revelations on what to do and how to go about each and every new day. So, the first thing you do when you wake up is remember God and think about Him. Start by focusing on Him. Don't pick up the phone to check news or social media yet. But start with God. Start with personal time of praise and worship. Sing a song from your heart to the Lord. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, making melodies in your heart. Sing to the Lord, exalt Him, worship Him, and bless His holy name. Read and receive the Word of God. Eat of His fresh daily bread, the Word of God. Pray in the spirit. Let the Holy Spirit fill you all in all. Let the Holy Spirit fill you with joy. Let the Holy Spirit fill you with love and peace. And that's how you start each day with the right focus. You will surely see the difference! 

Let us pray:

"O Lord God, we thank You that You have released us from our past. We thank You for setting us free from our past bondage, past hurts, past bitterness, past curse, and even past cycle. Right now, we receive Your fresh anointing that sets us free. We begin to walk in this new cycle. We begin to walk in this new season. We begin to walk in this new freedom that You have given us. We can now look forward to many more great and wonderful things ahead of us. In Jesus' name. Amen."

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