A life of submission and surrender

The Lord says:

"Whatever situation you are facing at the moment, do not be wise in your own eyes and do not put your confidence in your own strength, but let Me take over. Let Me bring you from here. Let Me carry you through from here. For I am the Lord who cares for you. Do not allow yourself to hang on to the past, but let it go to Me. For I am beginning to do a new thing in your life. I will show you the necessary directions and instructions that you need. I will make the path straight for you. Humble yourself therefore, and live a life of submission and surrender."

Psalm 146:8 (NKJV) says, 'The Lord raises those who are bowed down.' 

The words 'bowed down' here is 'kaphaph' in Hebrew. In the context of this verse, it can mean 'to stoop (lower down) humbly in emptiness (before God)'. In other words, emptying ourselves from pride, emptying ourselves from wrongful thought, and emptying ourselves from thinking that we know better. And for those who 'kaphaph', the Lord raises them! 

Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV) says, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.' 

The word 'humility' here is 'anavah' in Hebrew. In the context of this verse, it can mean 'lowering oneself in meekness (before God)'. Here, lowering oneself isn't just an outward show for people to see. Instead, more importantly, it is first and foremost done inside of you or in your heart. So, it is not so much about bowing down or lowering down one's head, but rather, bowing down or lowering down one's heart before the Lord. 

James 4:6-7 (NKJV) says, 'But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore, submit to God...' 

The word 'submit' here is 'hupotasso' in Greek. In the context of our study today, it can mean 'to subordinate oneself (to God), to be obedient (to God), to be subjected (to God)'. 

Don't get God wrong. He is not like a taskmaster. He doesn't look at us like a slave being bound. But when we allow ourselves to be subordinated to Him, to be obedient to Him, or to be subjected to Him, many evil or danger can be prevented. Why? Because He sees farther than us. He knows what are our pitfalls. He knows what are the 'landmines' or 'traps' ahead of us. So, when we humble ourselves before Him, we are effectively allowing ourselves to be led and guided by the Holy Spirit. 

The devil will always want to try to influence us, whether through humans or through thoughts, or even through human ideologies or human philosophies. And that's how people get influenced and swayed away. But when you are subjected to God, you will not be subjected to any of these influences. You will not be deceived. You will not be so easily taken advantage of by the devil. You see, the devil can use humans to do that. You will not be lured by how the devil thinks or how the devil wants you to think. 

That's why the Scripture says, 'Resist the devil, and the devil will flee from you.' (James 4:7) That's why the Lord is calling us to live a life of submission to Him. It is not to enslave us. It is to make the way straight for our future. 

1 Peter 5:5-7 (NKJV) says, '"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.'

The word 'humble' here is 'tapeinoo' in Greek. It can mean 'to lower oneself', and in the context today, 'to lower oneself before God'. Again, you see 'to lower oneself before God' here, as we have explained earlier. It is a life of submission before God. It is a life of surrender before God. It is a life where you have the mindset of needing Him more than anything else or anyone else on earth. Now, that is the essence of what 'humility before God' is. It is about laying down your hearts before God, instead of being haughty and proud in your own eyes or in your own ways. 

And that's why Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.' In other words, 'make smooth or make straight your paths'. 

You see, all the Bible verses that we've read today tie up together. And that's what the Lord wants to tell us in this message today. 

Proverbs 11:2 (NKJV) says, 'When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.'

How do we receive wisdom from God? By humbling ourselves before God. How do we see our paths smooth and straight ahead of us? By humbling ourselves before God.

In 1 Peter 5:5-7 just now, notice that Peter didn't stop at saying, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble", but he continued by saying, "Casting all your care to Him, because He cares for you". 

To take things into your own hands instead of casting all your care to the Lord is like saying, "I can do it myself. I don't need God." But one aspect of humbling ourselves before God is to 'cast all our care to the Lord'. 

In life, there will always be things that we cannot fully comprehend or understand as to why certain things happened. But beloved of God, whatever has happened in and around you, or no matter what has happened, the Lord wants to assure you today that He knows what He is doing in your life, and He sees the end from the beginning. Your part is to let it go to the Lord, and live a life of submission and surrender before Him. There will come a day you will begin to understand the many things that you cannot understand now. So, the Lord is calling you to be patient. Yet, the Lord is saying to you He is still in control. The jigsaw puzzle will eventually be solved, so to speak. But one thing for sure is the Lord always and will always have your best interests in His mind. Amen! 

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Prophetic words: A time to receive fresh anointing and new strength!

The Lord says: 

"The door that I've opened for you, no man can shut. The calling, vision and purpose that I've shown to you, no power of the enemy can take it away. So, fear not! Keep receiving My strength to run with My calling in your life! Keep looking to Me for My goodness and My victory in your life! Keep trusting in My name and My guidance for your life! The best is yet to come! You are entering a new season of breakthrough in your life! What I've spoken, no man or work of the enemy can reverse it!" 

The Lord says further: 

"This is the season I am releasing a fresh anointing and authority to you! There will be new assignments for you. There will be new surprises for you. There will be new doors of opportunity for you. Your part is to look to Me and receive by faith." 

Indeed, beloved of God, look not behind you, but look ahead of you. Look to the Lord. Because the Lord is about to show you His glory, His goodness, and His victory! This is your season for your breakthrough! Receive these words by faith!

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV) says, 'Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.' 

You may have read these verses many times in your life. But this is that time and season! This is the time and season that He is doing a new thing in your life! Don't miss this time and season! And when He opens the door for you, no man can shut! But you've got to do one thing. You've got to not look behind you. You've got to look ahead and look forward in your life. Yes, look forward to the many new things that He has in store for your life!

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT) says, 'But forget all that - it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.' 

Forget about those "trophies" or those "acclaims" of your past. You can cherish them of course, but do not just remain there. Instead, keep looking forward and keep running with the Lord's new assignments for your life. Why? Because greater things are in store for you. The best is yet to come! 

This is also the time to receive new strength from the Lord! Yes, this is the time to rise up and run with this new strength that the Lord is giving you!

Exodus 23:25-27 (NKJV) says, 'So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land. I will fulfill the number of your days. I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.'  

The Lord will ensure that you will not be barren. Your 'land' will be fertile and fruitful. You will be well provided for, and you will be well protected. Not only that, the Lord will give you long, full, and abundant life. That's what the Scripture says here. Believe for it! 

In fact, the enemy will be terrified, because the Lord is with you. They will flee from you, wherever the Lord leads you, and wherever the Lord puts you! As you walk hand in hand with the Lord, and as you obey His instructions every step of the way, the work of darkness will have to hands off you! This is the Lord's promise for you!

Exodus 23:28-30 (NKJV) says, 'And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you... Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land.' 

Indeed, the 'land' and the 'ground' that the Lord has given to you, the Lord also says you shall see your increase! Whatever the Lord has given to you, no one can take it away! You will triumph! You will see your victory! So, in spite of the current situation that you may be facing, whatever 'doom' or 'gloom' that you may be facing at the moment, or if you are surrounded by the power of the enemy against you, fear not! Because the Lord has promised that you shall see your increase, and your path is going to shine brighter and brighter! 

As He leads, you follow. You will not go wrong if you follow Him. But one thing that you need to do is to continue to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. Humility is always the precondition before great things happen. This is consistent in the whole Scripture. Humility always comes first, and then honor comes. The opposite is also true. With pride is downfall. 

Proverbs 18:12 (NKJV) says, 'Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility.' 

The word 'humility' here is 'anawvaw' in Hebrew. It can mean 'a heart that is lowly and down-to-earth'. It can mean 'a heart that is not lifted up'. In the context of our lives before the Lord, 'a heart that is in full submission to the Lord'. It means when He says so, you say so; and when He says no, you say no. It means you walk in full obedience and submission to the Lord. This is humility before the Lord. And when there is humility, there will be honor.

Proverbs 29:23 (NKJV) says, 'A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.' 

Interestingly, this English word 'humble' comes from the Latin word 'humilis', which means 'lowly'. This word 'humilis' in turn comes from the word 'humus', which means 'ground'. In other words, 'to be humble' is 'to stay down-to-earth', or 'to stay grounded', no matter what. You may have heard the saying that goes 'honesty is the best policy'. Now of course, being honest is a good virtue. Keep it up. But I tell you what, in the spiritual world, in the spiritual realm, staying humble is an essential key to receiving honor. This is where Lucifer failed. So, it's not just 'honesty is the best policy', but 'humility is also the best policy', especially in the spiritual sense. Because with pride comes downfall. But with humility comes honor.

Let's get back to our prophetic words today. We go all the way to Joshua 1:1-3 now. These are familiar verses for many of us. But this is that time, this is that season for you to receive all that the Lord has spoken in Joshua 1! We've looked at what the Lord has spoken to Moses. But now, we shall look at what the Lord has spoken to Joshua. Indeed, after Moses, it's Joshua's time! And yes, your Joshua's time has come! It's a new beginning! I heard from the Lord that indeed many of God's people at this juncture of their lives, they are in this transition right now. They are in this transition from Moses' time to Joshua's time! 

Joshua 1:1-3 (NKJV) says, 'After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them - the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses."' 

Joshua 1:5-7 (NKJV) says, 'No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.' 

Indeed, do not turn to the left or to the right, but turn to the Lord! The Lord is giving you a new vision. The Lord is giving you a new purpose. The Lord is giving you a new assignment that's going to catapult you and propel you to greater heights and greater victories, both in the spiritual realm and also in the physical realm. Receive this by faith! 

So, what is the time and season for you right now? It's your 'Joshua' time! Just don't look back, but look ahead of you. Receive a fresh anointing from the Lord right now! Receive a new strength from the Lord right now! Receive the victory and breakthrough for your life right now! And begin to experience the goodness of God in your life like never before. Amen!

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Keys to prospering in a time of uncertainty

What is the difference between carnal prosperity (the worldly way) and biblical prosperity (the godly way)? 

Biblical prosperity is long-lasting. It is not driven by greed, but it is driven by faith. It brings no sorrow with it. It stands strong and cannot be shaken, whatever the economic condition in this world may be (even in a time of economic recession or economic depression).

Here are the keys to biblical prosperity:

1. Biblical prosperity begins in the inside of you 

3 John 1:2 (NKJV) says, 'Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.'

When you begin to see how God sees you (that you are a beloved and blessed of the Lord), you will begin to prosper in your soul, and in turn your health, and even materially. 

2. Biblical prosperity involves humility on your part

Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV) says, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.' 

What does humility have to do with prosperity? Humility has everything to do with prosperity. Because the Bible says 'God resists the proud, but God gives grace to the humble'. What is 'grace' here? It means God's ability or God's supply for you from heaven. 

Deuteronomy 8:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandment or not.'

The Lord does sometimes humble us and test us. When He has purified us and we have learned to humble ourselves, He will begin to promote us and prosper us. Of course we don't have to wait for the Lord to humble us through circumstances. We can choose today to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

3. Biblical prosperity involves obedience on your part

Deuteronomy 8:18-20 (NKJV) says, 'And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.' 

How do we obey the voice of God? By opening our hearts and be willing to listen to His voice. The sheep hears the Shepherd's voice. Whatever He says, we do. He knows better than us, and He sees further than us.

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The end is going to be good!

As I was seeking the LORD for the message for this week, this is what He says: "Many of My people are hurting. Many of My people are disappointed. But bless one another, not curse."

Indeed, this is a time to bless one another in the Body of Christ. There's been too much division in the Body of Christ recently, and everywhere you see God's people 'drawing swords against one another'. 

The LORD is also saying to 'stop shooting at one another', lest the whole Body of Christ will implode. This is an urgent and important message. The real enemy is not within, but outside the Body of Christ.

It is better to choose to walk in humility, rather than to be forced to walk in humiliation one day. You see, there is a difference between 'walking in humility' and 'walking in humiliation'.

Ephesians 4:2 (Amplified) says, 'With all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another in [unselfish] love'.

Ephesians 4:2 (Expanded) says, 'Always be [or Be completely] humble, gentle, and patient, accepting [putting up/bearing with] each other in love'.

This is also a time to bless your nation. Pray that God will teach and guide your nation's leaders to do the right thing and have divine wisdom to make the right decisions.

We all may have differing political views (that is our right, and that is everyone's right), but God is the One who raises up and God is the One who pulls down. He knows what He allows to happen and what He doesn't allow to happen. He is, after all, a Sovereign God. He knows what He is doing. He sees further than anyone of us human can.

1 Timothy 2:8 (Expanded) says, 'So, I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up their hands in a holy manner [their hands in reverence; holy hands], without anger and arguments [quarreling; disputing]'.

1 Timothy 2:8 (ESV) says, 'I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling...'

Let's go to Daniel chapter 7 now. This is an important chapter to read in this time and season. In this article, I shall write about the fourth beast (signifying the fourth kingdom), because we are still living in this time of the fourth kingdom, before the coming of the Ancient of Days (the LORD our God) to rule and reign forever and ever.

Daniel 7:19-22 (ESV) says, 'Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom'.

You see, all the kingdoms of this earth come and go. These kingdoms are not permanent. They rise and they fall. Look at the Babylonian kingdom. Look at the Medo-Persian kingdom. Look at the Greek kingdom. But the time is coming when the kingdom that the LORD shall establish is forever and ever.

Daniel 7:23-25 (ESV) says, 'As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time'.

This fourth kingdom is the current kingdom on this earth, that speak 'pompous words' against the Most High God, wear out the saints (persecuting God's people), and even think to change the times and law of the LORD our God.

But let's see what happens next. 

Daniel 7:26-27 (ESV) says, 'But the court (of heaven) shall sit in judgment, and his (fourth kingdom's) dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; His kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.'

In the end, God's kingdom shall rule and reign, and His kingdom shall be the everlasting kingdom. Mark these words: This kingdom shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. And who are these 'saints of the Most High'? You and I who are in Christ!

Daniel saw all these long before our time. Daniel saw the sovereignty of the LORD, and that the LORD sees the end from the very beginning.

You see, it is so important to persevere in times like these and keep your eyes fixed on what the Word of God says, because the end is going to be good!  

James 1:2-4 (Expanded) says, 'My brothers and sisters [fellow believers], when you have many kinds of troubles [trials; testing], you should be full of joy [consider it all/pure joy], because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience [perseverance; endurance]. [And] Let your patience [perseverance; endurance] show itself perfectly in what you do [have its full effect; finish its work]. Then you will be perfect and complete [mature and whole; or completely mature] and will have everything you need [lack nothing]'.

In other words, to persevere through difficult times will cause you to come to a place of greater spiritual maturity.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God'.

Let us pray:

"O LORD God, we ask for Your divine encouragement and divine touch in a time like this, when there's so much uncertainty about the future. We know You are a Sovereign God and You are still in control. You see further than anyone on earth can see, and You know the end from the beginning. Therefore, we take heart in this truth, and we take courage, knowing that You already have the ultimate victory for us, your saints. In Jesus' name. Amen."

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Prophetic declaration for 2021

For this year 2021, the LORD is saying to you:

"Arise and shine! This is your time to receive My light and My glory! The world will get darker and darker, but My glory will be shown upon you brighter and brighter! So, fear not! Your time to arise and shine has come! Many who have despised you will come running to you! Many who have overlooked you will come acknowledging you!"

Isaiah 60:1-3 (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. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising'.

And the LORD says further:

"Your key this year is to stay close to Me! Stay close to Me and walk with Me. As I move, you move. As I stop, you stop. Like the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, you shall follow Me."

"Make this your first and foremost priority: Intimacy. Nothing else matters more than being in intimacy with My Spirit this year! For I am looking for humble and yielded hearts whom I will pour My glory upon! Walk in this key, and you will see how the promises I have spoken in Isaiah 60 shall come upon you, even in ways you cannot imagine!"

People of God, no matter what happens around you in this world, stay close to the LORD and walk with Him closely this year. This is the key for the year 2021. As you walk in intimacy with His Spirit and humble yourself under His mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6), you will see all the promises of God in Isaiah 60 coming to pass in your life.

As for the nations, many nations and cities will be humbled this year, if they do not choose to humble themselves. Let not your nation or city be one of those. Pray and ask for forgiveness and healing for the sins, disunity, strife, corruption, pride, or whatever the LORD has put in your heart to ask for forgiveness and healing. 

Pray especially to let go of pride. The Spirit of God is grieved when there is pride. Pray for the leaders in your nation or city (e.g. government leaders, political leaders, church leaders, etc) to learn to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God this year.

2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (NKJV) says, 'If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place'.

The word 'humble' here is 'kana' in Hebrew, and it means 'to bend low (before the LORD), to come into subjection/submission/obedience (before the LORD)'. 

1 Peter 5:5-6 (NKJV) says, '... Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time'.

Indeed, when God's people humble themselves, God gives grace. God's grace can mean God's ability and God's supply from heaven. This includes the supply of His light and His glory. And this is how it ties up with the promises of God for you in Isaiah 60.

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What are the keys to riches, honor and life?

The Lord says these words: "For many of you, the devil has been trying to make you feel helpless and hopeless! The devil has been trying to make you feel like out of control in your life! Take authority over the devil and put all these to a stop!"

People of God, ya, put all these nonsense of the devil to a stop! Take authority in Jesus' name, and declare: "Even though many things in this world seem to be out of control, but God, You are a God who is still in control of my life!"

There's a renewed hope and refreshed hope being released to you right now! Don't let the devil talk you out of it! But instead, receive by faith a renewed hope and a refreshed hope from the Lord, no matter what challenges you've gone through recently! 

In fact, this is your time to declare the Lord has paved the way for a greater future for you! Amen!

The Lord says further: "Commit everything you do to Me! Roll all your cares and concerns to Me! And I will show you the way to lasting riches, honor and life!"

Psalm 37:5 (NKJV) says, 'Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass'. 

The word 'commit' here is 'galal' in Hebrew, and it means 'to roll it all'. 

As you 'roll all your ways' - your life, your career, your business, your relationships, your health, your problems, your fears, and even your frustrations onto the Lord, He will know how to take over from there. 

It also means to believe that He is trustworthy, and to acknowledge that by yourself, you are insufficient to cope with the pressures, complexities and challenges in life. Now, this requires humility on your part. Because not everyone on earth will admit this. But blessed are you if you do.

Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV) says, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life'. See, these are two keys to lasting riches, honor and life. First, humility. And second, the fear of the Lord!

Let's talk about 'humility' first.

In Matthew 5:5 (NKJV), Jesus says, 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth'. In cross-reference, Psalm 37:11 (NKJV) says, 'But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace'.

You may be asking: "What does it mean by 'inherit the earth' here?" 

To 'inherit the earth' simply means whatever the Lord wants to give to you on earth, no one can take it away! Indeed, He has given you an inheritance, and it's yours! The Bible says you are an heir of God! (Romans 8:17) But there is a way to receive it, as written in Matthew 5:5 and Psalm 37:11!

Interestingly, the word 'humility' in Proverbs 22:4 is 'anavah' in Hebrew, and the word 'meek' in Psalm 37:11 is 'anav' in Hebrew. So, these two words - 'humility' and 'meek' share the same root word 'anav'! To 'anav' literally means 'to be lowly, meek, humble (before the Lord)'!

How about 'the fear of the Lord'? 

To fear the Lord is to have a deep reverence and respect before the Lord, and being found obedient to whatever He has spoken. It is to acknowledge that He knows better and He sees further. And He knows what's best for us. Amen.

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The Lord will not miss you out in this new decade!

The Lord has spoken that for many of God's people who have been 'submerged' in the past decade, He is going to cause them to 'emerge' and 'rise up' stronger than ever in this new decade. Like old and worn-out 'warships' that have become rusty and useless in the past decade, the Lord is going to give these 'warships' a fresh coat of paint and fresh ammunition, useful and refreshed for His greater glory in this new decade. Behold, He makes all things new! And if you are reading this, let it be so for you! I therefore declare in Jesus' name, that this new decade will be your best decade yet. Amen!

Indeed, when you look to Him, you are never too late! And be rest assured that He will not miss you out! He will know how to redeem your lost time or lost opportunity, and He will know how to accelerate time for you in ways you cannot imagine possible. So, don't look back, and don't linger in your past defeats/failures, because the Lord is definitely not done with you yet!

There is an 'overcoming' and 'overthrowing' anointing being released to God's people at the moment. Receive by faith! Don't miss this time and season to receive, because those who receive will see themselves rising up in ways they never thought possible! The floodgates have been opened, and whatever 'stronghold' the enemy has put against you in the past decade will not be able to stand any further! These 'strongholds' will crumble, and will be swept away by the strong currents of the Lord!

Isaiah 59:19 (NKJV) says, 'So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him'. This is one of the most misinterpreted verses in the Bible. It should be 'like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him (i.e. the stronghold of the enemy, the sin, the curse)', and not 'when the enemy comes in like a flood'! Isaiah 59:19 (NCV) puts it this way, 'Then people from the west will fear the Lord, and people from the east will fear His glory. The Lord will come quickly like a fast-flowing river, driven by the breath of the Lord'. And Isaiah 59:19 (NASB) puts it this way, 'So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun, for He will come like a rushing stream which the wind of the Lord drives'. You see, this is the Lord's flood! Another example of the Lord's flood in the Scripture can be found in Psalm 90:5 (NKJV), that says, 'You (the Lord) carry them away like a flood...' So, the interpretation for Isaiah 59:19 should be this flood that comes from the Lord will lift up a standard against the work of the enemy that had stifled you (and attempted to destroy you). Let the Lord's flood come!

As I prayed further, I heard the Lord say these words:
"Stay true to what I have spoken to you and what I have promised you this year. As I begin to accelerate you and raise you up to be who you are meant to be, it is crucial to stay humble and keep your feet on the ground, no matter how successful or prosperous you've become." 

Indeed, in this new decade, it is extremely crucial for God's people to stay humble and keep their feet on the ground. To 'keep your feet on the ground' is to 'remain sensible, level-headed, and not get carried away (by success or achievements)'. Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV) says, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life'. And Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV) says, 'Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall'. So, people of God, when the Lord causes you to increase in your sphere and influence (be it in your community, industry, or ministry), stay humble and keep your feet on the ground. Watch your ego, and don't let it puff up, no matter what. The Lord who sees your humility in the inside of you will know how to honor you and entrust further things to you.

Continue to live a life of yieldedness, worship and surrender to the Lord, and He will know how to lead you every step of the way. In Romans 12:1, the apostle Paul put it aptly, 'I beseech [urge] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice [of worship and surrender], holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service'. And in Romans 12:2, he continued, 'And do not be conformed to the world [the pattern, the ways of this world], but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove [allow] what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God [in your life]'.

Do you see something here? Verse 1 leads to verse 2. In other words, you cannot have verse 2 (good, acceptable, perfect will of God) without first having verse 1! A life of yieldedness, worship and surrender to the Lord will always lead to a life that is good, acceptable and perfect will of God, i.e. walking in the very best that God has intended for you on earth. Amen!

Entering a season of honor

The Lord spoke these words recently:
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."

The Lord spoke further:
"This is a key time to choose to humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Pride is very subtle, and sometimes we don't even know there is an element of pride in our lives. Furthermore, most people would never admit there is pride in their lives. But nothing takes away the fact that pride destroys, and pride is the major reason why God's people cannot see their destinies fulfilled.

Today, we can learn much from the life of Jacob in the Bible. There's no doubting that the Lord had great plans and a great destiny for him. But before he could see all these come to pass in his life, the Lord had to work in him and humble him first!

Speaking of sibling rivalry, Jacob had competed with his older twin brother Esau since they were in their mother's womb. He wanted his brother's birthright (Genesis 25:29-34), and later on, his brother's blessing (Genesis 27:1-29). When Esau found out that Jacob had taken away his blessing, he became very bitter against Jacob, and he said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" (Genesis 27:36)

So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father Isaac blessed him. At that time, Isaac was already old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see. Esau then said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are very near; then I will kill my brother Jacob." (Genesis 27:41) Jacob had no choice but to flee from Esau.

Let's pause for a moment at this juncture of Jacob's life. Have you noticed that in all of Jacob's 'tricky-ness' till that point of time, it actually got him nowhere? Not only did he not receive any tangible inheritance, he even had to run for his life empty-handed! In fact, his next twenty years would be spent as a 'servant' to his uncle Laban! Fast forward, and after a time of humbling under his uncle Laban, Jacob said, "Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times."  (Genesis 31:41)

Interestingly, it was only in these humbling years under his uncle Laban that the Lord actually began to bless Jacob in real ways, giving him both a family and great possession! As Jacob moved on, and went on his way to the land God had promised him, he also had to humble before his brother Esau. Having heard that his brother Esau was coming to meet him together with four hundred men, Jacob was greatly distressed, fearing that Esau would attack him and his family. Jacob then said, "I will appease him (Esau) with the present (gift) that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me." (Genesis 32:20).

The night before the meeting with Esau, something remarkable happened. Jacob was alone by himself when a Man (or the Angel of the Lord) appeared to him, and Jacob wrestled with Him until the breaking of day. When the Man saw that He did not prevail against Jacob, He touched the socket of his hip, and it became out of joint. And the Man said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." (Genesis 32:24-26)

But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me." So the Man said to him, "What is your name?", and he said, "Jacob". The Man then said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel..." (Genesis 32:26-28)

Do you notice that Jacob was so strong in himself (or rather, so full of himself in getting what he wanted) that even the Man could not prevail against him? So much so the Man had to touch the socket of his hip, putting it out of joint, making him helpless! Limping from then on, Jacob couldn't wrestle further, and it was then that Jacob began clinging to Him, and pleaded for blessing!

Now, what does 'limping' means here? It means 'the end of his own strength, confidence, or pride', and 'an acknowledgement that he cannot progress further unless he clings to (and depends on) the Lord'! Do you see something here? Jacob discovered that pride (i.e. relying on self, instead of the Lord) would lead him nowhere! And not until he learned to cling to the Man that he was blessed!

By the way, the name 'Israel' means 'he will rule with God; he will have power (as a prince) with God'. What a change from the name 'Jacob', which literally means 'heel-catcher, supplanter, deceiver'! A name change is a result of a change in character, and Jacob had certainly come a long way!

Through all the circumstances that he had gone through, and by the work of the Lord in his life, he was finally a changed man, and he knew that he needed to cling to the Lord for blessing! He had finally learned to humble himself! And with it, came honor! Not only did he have a new name, he also saw his older brother Esau accepting and receiving him again! (Genesis 33:3-4) Indeed, humility before the Lord brought him into a new season in his life - a season of honor! And the rest is history.

'Humility' and 'the fear of the Lord' go hand in hand

Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV): By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.

The word 'humility' here is 'anavah' in Hebrew, literally meaning 'taking the lowly place'; and in this context, 'taking the lowly place before the Lord'. It speaks of submission to the One who knows better, and who holds our lives in His hand. It speaks of the willingness to lay down our pride, and let Him have the full (and final) say in our lives. Jesus Himself taught us that 'whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted' (Luke 14:11).

How about 'the fear of the Lord'? This expression speaks of 'a deep reverence (or a deep respect) for the Lord'. As you can see in Proverbs 22:4, 'humility' and 'the fear of the Lord' go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. Why? Because true humility before the Lord is when you 'fear the Lord more than you fear man'!

Humility and the fear of the Lord! The Bible says these are the two keys to riches (including the riches of His wisdom), honor (i.e. He honors you, and raises up many who honor you), and life (i.e. whatever you do, there will be life)!

Some people see 'humility' as 'whatever people tells you to do, or whatever people invite you, you have to oblige', even if the Lord says no, or even if you have no 'peace' inside you to do it. That's not true humility. That's fear of man. As a matter of fact, deep inside every human is a yearning for approval. But it is better to seek approval from the Lord than approval from man. Proverbs 29:25 says, 'The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe'.

The paradox here is sometimes you may seem to be humble before man, but you are actually being proud before the Lord, and sometimes you may seem to be proud before man, but you are actually being humble before the Lord! What matters most is what the Lord says, not what man says! And whatever He says, you do! When the Lord says so, you say so. And when the Lord says no, you say no. Because the Lord sees further (and farther) than man, and is infinitely wiser than man (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Psalm 75:6-7 says, 'For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is judge: He puts down one, and exalts another'. The word 'exaltation' here is 'ruwm' in Hebrew, which can also be translated as 'promotion, elevation, or a raise'. 

In Psalm 75:6, this word 'ruwm' is written in the context of 'a person's desire for self-advancement'. However, Psalm 75:7 implies that this 'advancement' cannot be gained merely through any outward plan of man, but rather upon humility and the fear of the Lord. Because it is He who puts down one, and it is He who exalts another. 

Zechariah 4:6 says, 'Not by might, nor by power (of man), but by the Spirit of the Lord', and 1 Peter 5:6 says, 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time'. Indeed, the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of grace, and it is by His ability and His supply of wisdom that we can be who He has destined for us to be. Amen.

With pride comes downfall, but with humility comes honor

Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV): Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Pride is a killer. It destroys. It brings about a downfall. Indeed, it is so important for us to guard our souls against pride. The Bible also says, 'When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom' (Proverbs 11:2). The root word for this word 'pride' in Hebrew is 'zuwd', which carries the meaning 'to be presumptuous'. In other words, 'seeing oneself greater than who he/she really is'.

In Ezekiel 28:11-15, the Bible says, 'Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God... You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God... You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you."'

Who is the Lord referring to here? None other than Lucifer (who would later be called satan). You see, he was the seal of perfection, filled with wisdom, perfect in beauty, anointed, and established by the Lord. He was a 'cherub', an angel who directly attended to God, a 'picture' of beauty and innocence, and was placed in the garden of God in order to protect it.

Now, what could go wrong, looking at all the good the Lord had endowed him? The Bible says all these came to a halt, at the point of 'till iniquity was found in you'.

What then, was this 'iniquity'? In Ezekiel 28:17-18, the Lord gave the answer, "Your heart was lifted up (became proud), because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground... You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities... Therefore I brought fire... It devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you."

As you can see here, Lucifer's iniquities began when his heart became proud. He became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire the glory (and honor) that belonged to the Lord alone. As a matter of fact, the sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride. This actually represents the beginning of sin in the whole universe! Instead of protecting the garden of God, he defiled it; and instead of leading others to worship the Lord, he wanted to be worshiped! (see Isaiah 14:12-15)

As for Lucifer, because of his pride, he was eternally condemned. But thank God you and I are the children of God, and not mere servants (like Lucifer). We have redemption. We have hope. Because we have our Lord Jesus Christ who died for all our sins.

This topic of 'pride' is definitely not the most popular topic to write. But I am writing here because the Lord is about to bring many of His people into a new season - 'a season of honor'.

The Lord spoke these words recently:
"For many of My people who have gone through a time of dishonor and shame, I am bringing them into a season of honor. But before honor is humility."

People of God, this is a very important time to let the Lord teach us and work in us, especially in the area of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Let us not follow after Lucifer, but instead give the Lord full right and full say in our lives. For the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).

Preparing to walk in the supernatural and manifest glory

I had a dream the other night. In the dream, I was going to pray for two persons in a house. First, a man looking like a businessman having a certain status, power, position, and privilege, even in the church. As I approached him to pray for him, he pointed me to another direction, turned away, and therefore, I could not pray for him. Second, a child looking like a difficult child having an attitude problem. As I approached him to pray for him, God's love touched him so deep that he shed tears. People were shocked, wondering how could this be. They knew this must be God's doing!

Having woken up from the dream, I asked the Lord what this dream meant. Of course, one of the first questions that came to mind was, 'Who, between these two persons, experienced the manifest glory?' The answer is obvious. It has to be the child! That's when I heard these words from the Lord: "Teach My people how to prepare for the supernatural and for My manifest glory this year!"

The word 'manifest' can be defined as 'something evident, apparent, clear, and obvious to the eye'. It means people will see and will know the glory of the Lord is upon you! Isaiah 60:1-2 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'.

People of God, no matter what happens around you in the world, this is your time to walk in the supernatural and manifest glory of the Lord! Supernatural manifestations, supernatural events, supernatural healing, supernatural health, supernatural providence, supernatural finance, supernatural favor, supernatural wisdom, supernatural open doors, and the list goes on! Believe and receive by faith in your life this year!

The dream also reminded me of Matthew 18:1-4 that says, 'At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."'

Notice the expression 'enter the kingdom of heaven' here. This word 'kingdom' is 'basileia' in Greek, meaning 'rule, reign, power (like a royalty)'. I can therefore say to 'enter the kingdom of heaven' is to 'enter the rule, reign, power of heaven'. In other words, walking in 'heavenly rule, heavenly reign, heavenly power'! Where? In heaven only? No! Here on earth as well! In Matthew 6:9-10, Jesus taught us to pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom ('basileia') come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven'!

But you see, there is a key here, as mentioned in Matthew 18:1-4, i.e. becoming 'like little children'. In other words, being 'child-like'. What does it mean by being 'child-like'? It simply means 'innocence, having total trust (and submission)' before the Lord. This involves humility on our part. God gives grace (His ability, His supply) to the humble, but He resists the proud (1 Peter 5:5). Yes, indeed, this is a time to lay down our pride, put down our 'masks', and do away with our 'facade'. And be 'child-like'. There is a difference between being 'child-like' and being 'childish'.

People of God, may we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). Amen.

Note: The secrets of apostle Paul walking in continuous 'kingdom of heaven' on earth, as written in 1 Thessalonians chapters 3,4,5:

A. Receive His love, and you'll love one another
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 (NKJV): And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

B. Receive His holiness, and you'll walk in holiness
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 (NKJV): For this is the will of God, your sanctification ('hagiasmos'= holiness); that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God... For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. 

C. Focus on your calling, and not be a 'busybody'
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NKJV): That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

D. Being watchful and sober in your spirit
1 Thessalonians 5:5-9 (NKJV): You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

E. Rejoice always and pray without ceasing
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NKJV): Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench (extinguish, put out) the Spirit.

Keys to making the right decisions in life

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keys to your 'acceleration' in this new season

I released these prophetic words from the Lord as we crossed the half-way mark of this year 2016:
"As you connect with Me, there will be an acceleration in your life! You will see many things begin to speed up, especially in areas where you have been 'prisoners of hope'! This is a key time to seek Me afresh and anew for what is ahead!"

The word 'acceleration' is defined in Oxford Dictionary as 'increase in speed, make something move faster (or happen earlier)'.

What is the meaning of 'prisoners of hope' then? This expression is found in Zechariah 9:11-12, and it means 'those who have been waiting and waiting for an answer in hope (to their prayers)', or 'those who have been waiting and waiting but with no answer'.

Most of us would agree that 'waiting time' is never easy. The Bible says, 'Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life' (Proverbs 13:12). One illustration is like a prisoner waiting and waiting for the time to be set free from the prison, when one hour seems to be like a year, and one day seems to be like eternity!

But here's a piece of good news for you! The Lord is setting many 'prisoners of hope' free in this coming new season!

In Zechariah 9:11-12, the Lord says, "As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold (fortress), you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you."

Indeed, this is a time to remember your covenant with the Lord and return to Him who is your fortress! (Psalm 91:2) And watch how He is going to bring restoration to you, even double-fold!

Zechariah chapter 9 is a key chapter in this time and season of the Lord.

In Zechariah 9:9, the Lord says,
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation.
Lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt (young male), the foal (young one) of a donkey."

Notice I put the key words above in bold, because these are the 3 keys to your acceleration in this new season:
1. Release sound of praise at all times.
2. Remember and return to your covenant.
3. Humble yourself in all lowliness.

Release sound of praise at all times ("Rejoice greatly...")
Sound of praise will connect you to the Lord. Therefore, praise the Lord at all times, and never allow the wrong sound or atmosphere (e.g. murmuring) to pull you down! Psalm 89:15-18 says, 'Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound (of praise)! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favor our horn (strength) is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord...'

Remember and return to your covenant ("Behold, your King...")
Unlike an earthly 'contract', a covenant is not to be rescinded, and cannot be broken. This covenant between the Lord and you (when you opened your heart to receive Him as your personal Savior and Lord) is a covenant made with His blood shed on the cross for you. As a 'covenanted person', know that no evil can touch you or overwhelm you. His blood is effective in saving you and protecting you. In cross-reference, read Psalm 89:3-9, Psalm 89:28-29, and Psalm 89:34-37.

Humble yourself in all lowliness ("Lowly...")
Pride is the reason for all contentions and strife (whether in a family, in church, or in a nation). Like Lucifer who 'lifted himself' above God, pride is 'thinking that one is better, or knows better than others' (Isaiah 14:12-15). Proverbs 13:10 says, 'By pride comes nothing but strife...' Proverbs 16:18-19 says, 'Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud'.
Indeed, those who are proud will be pulled down, and those who are humble will be lifted up. Jesus Himself is the epitome of humility and lowliness, and therefore He was exalted high above every name, 'that every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that He is the Lord' (Philippians 2:8-11).
The Lord resists the proud, but gives grace (ability, supply) to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-6).
As a matter of fact, no one can pull down someone who has already gone down so low at the feet of Jesus!

Let's continue with Zechariah chapter 9.

In Zechariah 9:10, the Lord says, "I will cut off (take away) the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off (broken)."

In cross-reference, Psalm 20:7 says, 'Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God...'

The word 'chariots' here (same as in Zechariah 9:10) is 'rekeb' in Hebrew, meaning 'cavalry (i.e. soldiers fighting on horseback or in armored vehicles)'. This speaks of 'human ability', instead of God's ability; whereas the word 'horses' here (same as in Zechariah 9:10) is from the Hebrew word 'soos', meaning 'leaping like a horse'. This speaks of 'human power', instead of God's power.

To understand Zechariah 9:10 better, it is good to learn the meaning of 'Ephraim' and 'Jerusalem' first. 'Ephraim' in Hebrew means 'double fruitfulness', and 'Jerusalem' in Hebrew means 'founded peaceful'. These are the promises of the Lord for those who are willing to humble themselves and heed His voice, instead of putting their trust in human ability or power.

In other words, to see 'double fruitfulness' and be 'founded peaceful' (i.e. to experience wholeness and wellness) in your life, look to the Lord, and trust in His ability and power, instead of your own. Zechariah 4:6-7 says, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit...' Like the tower of Babel in the days of old (Genesis 11:4), every 'high thing' (prideful thing) built by men shall be 'pulled down' in this end of days.

Indeed, this is a time and season when you will see what Jesus has spoken in Matthew 5:3-10 coming to pass in every way:
"Blessed are the poor (humble) in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

The hand of the Lord that opens the doors

I heard these words from the Lord for this month:

"This is a month of open doors! In My terms and in My ways! Watch My hand do the impossible this month! Look to Me and never limit Me! Watch My hand deliver you this month! Watch My hand work in your situation this month! Watch My hand open the doors for you, when it seems impossible to men! I will open those doors in new ways that your mind cannot imagine!"

I then heard further:

"There's a release of My faith from heaven this month! A faith big enough to see your 'mountains' removed! Receive from Me boldly, and walk in it boldly!"

The word 'mountains here speaks of 'problems, or hindrances'.

Let's do a little study on the hand of the Lord now.

In Isaiah 41:18-20, the Lord says, "I will open rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine and the box tree together, that they may see and know, and consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it."

The word 'hand' here is 'yad' in Hebrew, which actually means 'the open hand, indicating power, means, or direction'. See the word 'open' here? It is this 'hand' that opens 'rivers' and 'fountains' in the midst of every form of 'desolation' and 'valley' in your life, and it is also this 'hand' that opens the 'doors' for you, even in the midst of impossibilities! And when He opens the door, no man can shut it! (Revelation 3:8)

In John 10:9, Jesus says, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." It is interesting to note that the word 'pasture' here is 'nome' (pronounced 'no-may') in Greek, which can mean 'food, or feeding'. This word 'pasture' therefore speaks of you feeding on every good thing that comes from the Lord!

Let's go back to Isaiah 41. In Isaiah 41:10-13, the Lord also says, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish... Those who contended with you, those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'"

People of God, if you have been faced with a 'mountain' in your life recently, take heart in this assurance from the Lord today, that He is here for you and His hand is here to hold you.

The word 'hand' here is 'yamin' in Hebrew, which means 'the right hand, indicating a strong hand'. In other words, His hand is strong enough to help you to overcome, no matter what or how big your 'mountain' may be. Look to Him and never limit what He can do for you!

Let's go to the New Testament now for our cross-reference. The early church was severely threatened by the rulers of the people and elders of Israel at that time, and the believers were forbidden from speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:13-18). It was at such time that they prayed, "Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29-30)

And watch now what happened when the hand of the Lord began moving! Acts 4:31-34 says, 'And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul... and with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked...'

You see, when the hand of the Lord began moving, no one (and not even any governmental authority) on this earth could stop Him! And in spite of all those threats and persecution against the people of the Lord, the Bible says 'through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people' and 'believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women' (Acts 5:12-16). Hallelujah!

People of God, let the hand of the Lord be upon your hands too, and in all that He has called you to do on this earth! Know that His hand is heavenly and supernatural, high above and more powerful than all that the 'enemy' can 'throw' at you! There's therefore no need to fear or be dismayed, whatever your situation may be at the moment!

Your part is to continue to humble yourselves under His mighty hand, casting all those cares of yours upon Him (1 Peter 5:5-7).

By the way, to 'humble yourselves under His mighty hand' is to acknowledge that He is greater, stronger, and smarter than you in every way. After all, He is the One who created the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the galaxies! So, why not let Him lead you and guide you instead? And as you flow with His leading and guidance, that's when you also know there's no need to struggle or strive in all that you do, because His hand has taken over!

During morning prayer last Sunday, my wife (Pastor Sharon) saw a wonderful vision of 'rivers of living water flowing out from those who look to Him, so strong that it pushed open the doors on earth'!

People of God, this is also your time to declare that the hand of the Lord is with you, and He is mighty enough to push open every door that the 'enemy' has shut against you! Your time of breakthrough is at hand. Receive by faith, and walk in it boldly! In Jesus' name. Amen!

A call to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God

Psalm 146:8 (NKJV): ...The Lord raises those who are bowed down...

The word 'bowed' here is 'kaphaph' in Hebrew, having the same root word as 'kaphan', which means 'to hunger for, to yearn for, or to stoop (lowering down) humbly in emptiness (before God)' in the context of the verse above.

Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV) says, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life'. Here, the word 'humility' is 'anavah' in Hebrew, which means 'condescension (i.e. lowering oneself), modest and meek (before the Lord)'.

See the words 'lowering down' and 'lowering oneself' in the above paragraphs? By the way, humbling (or lowering) oneself before God is first and foremost inward (in the heart), instead of an outward religious act. So here, it isn't so much about bowing down one's head (or body), but bowing down one's heart.

1 Peter 5:5-6 (NKJV) says, "...'God resists the proud, but gives grace (i.e. His supply, His ability) to the humble'. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time."

According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the word 'humble' here is 'tapeinoo' in Greek, which means 'to lower oneself, to bring low, to abase (before God), to be humiliated in circumstances or in disposition'. See the words 'lower oneself' again?

From the above, you can also see there are two ways to humble:
1. In circumstances, i.e. when one is forced to be humbled by circumstances.
2. In disposition, i.e. when one chooses to humble now (or places oneself to humble now).

In fact, some of you are even led to go into a time of fasting. Let the Holy Spirit guide you and help you as you fast. Take this time to worship, meditate on the Word of God, and pray in the spirit. As a believer in the New Covenant, just remember that you don't fast to try to earn (or strive for) God's merit or favor. In Christ, you already have God's favor (because of what Jesus Christ has done for you on the cross). One good reason to fast is so that your flesh can be 'tamed' (or 'humbled'), and your spirit can be 'sensitized' to hear from Him clearly again. In short, your spirit will have the 'upper hand' over your flesh (or the flesh's desires) as you fast.

James 4:6-7 (NKJV) says, "But He gives more grace (i.e. more of His supply, His ability). Therefore He says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

You see, He is a God who always wants to give us grace (and more grace). The key is to humble ourselves before Him. The word 'submit' here is rather interesting. It is 'hupotasso' in Greek, which can mean 'to subordinate (for He is superior), to be obedient to Him, or to be subjected to Him' in the context of this verse.

So, to humble before God is also to obey (or follow) all His instructions and directions for your life (even above all your own ways). And when you allow yourself to be subjected to Him, you will not be subjected to the devil. These are antagonistic. When you have one, you won't have the other. Therefore, if you choose to be subjected to Him, the devil has no choice but to flee from you.

Recently, I heard these words during a time of prayer:
"This is a time to humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. There is a call for such. As you humble, you will receive new strategies for the months ahead. Some of you will also receive directions and instructions to re-strategize, to approach things in a new way, and to see or do things in a new way. A time to give Him your own confidence in the flesh, thinking that you can do it by your own strength or intelligence. A time to also let go of the things that you thought you know so well, the ways that you have always known, even the old things that you hang on to."

He is indeed shaking His Body at the moment (and this will eventually rub off on the nations) to prepare for His Coming. Whatever that can be shaken will be shaken. He is shaking every work of the flesh in His Body (the Church), every 'man-made' way, or things/structures/systems that are not from Him. But take heart. As long as we are willing to be corrected and stay humble before Him, He will surely work in us and through us for His glory in this end-time. Amen.

Humility leads to God's kingdom come

Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV): By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.

The word 'humility' here in Hebrew is 'anavah', from the word 'anav', meaning 'lowly, meek, a mindset of needing (Him)'. The word 'fear' here in Hebrew is 'yirah', which means 'reverence, deep respect'. Interestingly, the word 'honor' in this verse is translated 'kabowd' in Hebrew, which means 'glory, weight, splendor'. In other words, 'humility and the fear of the Lord leads to God's glory manifesting in your life'!

How about the word 'life' in this verse? In Hebrew, it is pronounced 'khah-ee' and has a very wide span of meaning. It can mean 'fresh, strong, lively, up and running, merry, restore, revive, be made whole, or recover'.

To humble before God is to surrender to Him. How do you surrender to Him? You surrender to Him in worship. To worship Him is to surrender (your spirit, soul, and body, i.e. your whole self) to Him and to His will. The Bible says, 'His kingdom come, His will be done' (Matthew 6:9-10).

Note: Know also that His will for your life is always the best. Proverbs 13:22 says, 'a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children'. Just as a loving, responsible dad would get his lawyer to help him write a will for his children, making sure that they'll have what they should have after he leaves this earth, your Father in Heaven also wants His will be done in your life! Matthew 6:9-10 can therefore be translated this way: 'His kingdom come, His inheritance be done'. Amen! What are some of His 'inheritance' for you? These include divine health, wisdom, revelation, love, joy, peace, blessings, prosperity, and every other good thing on earth! In fact, God also wants Heaven to be your inheritance as well! Such is His immeasurable 'wealth' for you. Praise God! He is altogether good!

So, you want 'His kingdom come, His inheritance be done'? Humble under His mighty hand! John (the Baptist)'s humility those days opened the way for the King to come (see John 1:23-27). Humility also leads to more good things coming your way, and in greater ways. Proverbs 11:2 says, 'When pride comes, then comes shame. But with the humble is wisdom'. Jesus Himself chose to humble (at the cross), and that's how He was also exalted high above all names (Philippians 2:5-11).

What does it mean to be humble before God? To say that you are humble before God is to say that you need Him and depend on Him more than ever before. God indeed 'gives grace to the humble and resists the proud' (1 Peter 5:5-7). Notice Peter didn't stop there in this sentence, but he continued by saying, 'casting all your care to Him, because He cares for you'. To take things into your own hands (instead of casting all your care to Him) is like saying, "I can, and I can do it better than God!", instead of saying, "Lord, I need you and depend on you to lead me on from here."

Finally, give yourself all over to Him again (Romans 12:1-2). Choose to re-align to His will and His way today. He sees farther than anyone can ever see (& knows better than anyone can ever know) on this earth. By humility and the fear of the Lord are His kingdom come and His glory being manifested in (and through) your life. There's no other way around it. Just look at John the Baptist, Peter, and even Jesus Himself! And instead of being conformed with the ways (and values) of this world, allow yourself right now to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may walk in all that is good, acceptable, and perfect will of God (for your life). Amen!