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

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

Let go of your worries and let God lead you!

Words from the Lord: 

"Let go of all your worries to Me. Let go of all your anxieties to Me. Surrender to Me what's to come in your future. Cast all those burdens and concerns to Me. For I am the Lord who is still in control. I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will show you My way. I will show you the way you should go. Look to Me therefore, and do not let your heart be afraid nor be troubled." 

Indeed, look not at what's happening around you in the world, but look to the Lord! Let go of all those worries and concerns that you may have, and let God be God. Let God lead you. Let God guide you. Let God speak to you.

There can be 101 reasons why people are worried nowadays. For example, climate change, geopolitical concerns, wars and rumors of war, the possibility of a nuclear war, the struggling world economy, social injustices, religious persecution, and many more. You name it. And all these are in addition to the worries on one's personal front. For example, one's future, one's job security, one's health concerns, one's financial concerns, the future of one's children, and the list goes on. 

But beloved of God, whatever your worries and concerns are at the moment, know that your God is here for you, and He is still in control. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying all those worries and concerns are not real. But what I'm saying is instead of dwelling on all those worries and concerns, look to the Lord who is all-knowing. The world may not have the answer for you. But the Lord has the answer for you! 

Right now, as you cast all your cares and burdens to the Lord, His anointing and power is being released upon you, and you are now set free! You are set free to soar like an eagle again! The Lord is the One who's going to lead you and guide you, not the world. I declare that you are going to see greater and greater breakthroughs and victories in your life. I declare that you are going to see many more good things happening in your life. Amen!

As you let go of all your worries and concerns to the Lord, begin also to position yourself to hear from Him and receive from Him. You know why? Because He is still in the business of speaking and revealing His will and His way to His beloved. And you too are His beloved! 

There are eight major categories that you can find from the Scripture how God can speak to you and reveal things to you (regarding your life and your future). It's crucial to know this and learn this, because the world has become so uncertain and unpredictable nowadays. Let the Lord anoint your spiritual ears to hear and receive from Him clearer and clearer, so that you can make the right decisions in your life and take the right steps in your life, going forward. You shall be led by the Holy Spirit to be at the right place, at the right time, doing the right things, saying the right things, making the right decisions, in every season of your life. Amen! 

What are the ways God can lead you and speak to you?  

1. Through the Word of God. 

2. Through thoughts and impressions while you are praying. 

3. Through dreams and visions. 

4. Through your conscience or inner witness. 

5. Through God's voice. 

6. Through prophecies given to you. 

7. Through angels. 

8. Through circumstances or happenings in life. 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

How to be at the right place at the right time?

How to be led by the Holy Spirit to be at the right place at the right time? Yes, even doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions? 

You let God be God! You let God lead, and you follow! 

When the Lord leads you, it may sometimes boggle some people's mind. They may not understand your decision based on God's leading in your life, and they may even question your decision. But if you have a deep relationship with God, and you know that you know it's God who has spoken to you, you just follow. One day, they will understand. Yes, this applies in the area of relocation, career choice, vocational choice, ministry direction, family decision, and every other aspect of life. 

Each one of us should seek the Lord for His specific direction and 'blueprint' for each time and season.

For example, where should you be moving to? 

When you flow with Him, He will always know how to lead you to the right places and at the right timing. 

So, let Him lead you, and you follow. 

Another example is, how do you know if you should be moving or you should be staying put? 

Listen to the Holy Spirit inside of you. Follow His leading. 

Direction and confirmation from the Lord can come through the sense of peace or no peace inside of you regarding a matter. 

It can also come through still small voice of God inside of you. 

It can even happen while you are praying in the spirit, and all of a sudden, a thought that you've not premeditated just 'drop' on you, and you know that you know it is He who has spoken. 

He can also speak to you while you are reading His Word.

Of course, He can also speak to you through dreams, through visions, through prophecies (prophecies have to be tested), through angelic visitations, or even through an audible voice. 

Let's look at some examples in the Scripture. 

In Matthew 2, this example is in the context of a family's decision. Here, Joseph had to make some key decisions right after Jesus was born. 

Matthew 2:13 says, 'Now when they (the wise men) had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child (Jesus) and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."' 

As news broke out that Jesus was born, King Herod (the king at that time) wanted to know where Jesus was. King Herod was feeling threatened and troubled by this birth.

Matthew 2:14 says, 'When Joseph arose, Joseph took the young Child (Jesus) and His mother (Mary) by night and departed for Egypt, and was there all the way until the death of King Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."' 

Joseph heeded what the angel of the Lord said to him. He took the young Child (Jesus) and the mother (Mary), and fled to Egypt. They stayed there until there's further word from the Lord. 

Matthew 2:19 says, 'Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and this angel said, "Arise, take the young Child (Jesus) and His mother (Mary), and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."'

Again, Joseph heeded. He arose and took the young Child (Jesus) and His mother (Mary), and came into the land of Israel. As you can see here, Joseph was a man who feared the Lord. He obeyed the leading and the direction of the Lord every step of the way. 

Matthew 2:22 says, 'But when Joseph heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."' 

And that's how Jesus grew up in the city called Nazareth. 

As you can see again, Joseph was led by the Lord to be at the right place at the right time, every step of the way!

I pray that you will also be like Joseph. You will also be led and guided by the Lord to be at the right place at the right time in every season of your life!

Let's look at another example now in Acts 16. This is in the context of ministry or vocational direction. This can apply to your ministry, if you are a leader in a ministry of the Lord. Or this can also apply to any vocation in your life that you have dedicated to the Lord. 

Acts 16:6-7 says, 'Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of God did not permit them.' 

How did they know this? 

Because they were walking with the Spirit of God! The Spirit of God led them (to go ahead or not to go ahead), and they followed.   

Acts 16:8-10 says, '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.' 

Paul heeded this vision in the night, and he immediately made preparations with his fellow ministers to go to Macedonia to preach the gospel there. 

As you can see here, Paul and his team too were led by the Lord to be at the right place at the right time, every step of the way, during their missionary journeys!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, we acknowledge that You are God and we are not. You lead, and we follow. Lead us to be at the right place at the right time in each time and season of our lives. Sensitize our spirit-man to 'catch' what You want to say to us. Sensitize our spirit-man to hear from You, and to see how You see and what You see. Open our spiritual ears. Enlighten our spiritual eyes. Whatever You say, we follow. We humble ourselves before You. We want to obey Your voice and Your leading. That's how we are being led by You to be at the right place at the right time, doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions in our lives. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Let Him lead you into the 'pleasant places'!

Psalm 16:5-6 (NKJV): O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I believe one of the great secrets to David's rise and success is found in his own 'miktam' (engraving of words from the heart) written in Psalm 16. The word 'portion' in Psalm 16:5 here is pronounced 'maw-naw' in Hebrew, which means 'allotment'. David believed God has given him an allotment (portion), i.e. His inheritance for him, and his cup 'runs over' (see also Psalm 23:5). Not only that, he also believed God has always been maintaining (upholding) his portion (including his destiny in life)!

In Psalm 16:6, David wrote, 'The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance'. The word 'lines' here is 'kheh-bel' in Hebrew, which actually means 'God's measured inheritance (or portion) for him'. Yes, in fact, each of us as God's beloved has also been given a measure of His inheritance. And this 'measured inheritance' has fallen to you in pleasant places! What is the word 'pleasant' here in Hebrew? It is 'naw-eem', which can mean 'delightful, sweet, agreeable'. I like the word 'agreeable' here. It means God always wants to lead you to places where there are people who are 'agreeable to you' and 'agreeable to God's vision/calling for your life'! In other words, people who are sons and daughters of peace toward you!

Recently, I heard these words during a time of worship and prayer:
"The new wind from the Lord has begun blowing. This wind is getting stronger and stronger, and it's blowing on you too! Many of you thought you have lost your time or opportunity, but the Lord says you have not lost your time or opportunity yet. Tap into this new wind that is getting stronger and stronger! Like an eagle, you'll soar with this wind. Don't let anyone or the devil make you think you have lost your time or opportunity. You are still on time. You are still on the right track. And your best opportunity has yet to arrive, and is coming!"

People of God, if you are reading this, these words are for you too. Let this new wind of the Spirit blow and lead you on.

Psalm 16:7 then says, 'I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel'. This word 'counsel' is 'yaw-ats' in Hebrew, which can also mean 'guide, advice, purpose'. Yes, begin to bless the name of the Lord who has given you new purpose. New wind brings new purpose!

Psalm 16:11 confirms this purpose. It says, 'You will show me the path of life', i.e. 'the path that leads to life, and not death or trouble'! See? The path that leads to life! This is His purpose for you in this new season! And as you continue to remain in His presence, there's also the fullness of His joy.

And finally, David wrapped up this 'miktam' (Psalm 16) with 'At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore'. Now, who is at God's right hand today? You (who are in Christ)! Because Christ is at God's right hand (see Ephesians 1:20), as He is, so are you! (1 John 4:17) The word 'pleasures' here is again 'naw-eem' (same as in Psalm 16:6), which can mean 'delightful, sweet, agreeable'.

So, we can now conclude that it is God's pleasure to always lead you to 'pleasant places' or 'agreeable places' while you are still on earth! Let His wind blow and lead you this new season!

What is the definition of 'pleasant places' or 'agreeable places' in God's eyes? 

It is 'a place of favor where there are many sons and daughters of peace toward you'! However, let me qualify my words here - What the world sees may not be what God sees in regard to 'pleasant places'. For example, to most people in Joseph's days, Egypt wasn't a 'pleasant place' at all (with all the oppression from Pharaoh, etc), but to Joseph, it was a 'pleasant place' (where he prospered and received great favor from Pharaoh himself!). To most people in David's days, the Cave of Adullam wasn't a 'pleasant place' at all (where only those in distress, in debt, and discontented were), but to David, it was indeed a 'pleasant place' (where he found favor and started to build an army from scratch!).

You may be going to one of the more 'liveable' cities on earth, but you may still get robbed! You see, as a matter of fact, there's really no completely safe place in this world, because we are all living in a fallen world. The only real safe place is found when you are in His presence (see Psalm 91:1-2). On the other hand, you may be in one of the more 'notorious' cities on earth, but because God has called you there (and to fulfil His purpose there), you'll still be safe and surrounded by sons and daughters of peace! (where no evil can succeed to touch you) No doubt, there may still be some challenges wherever you are, but because His grace is strong enough for you, you will triumph! Some people may still gossip about you or speak against you, but if God is with you, you need not fear.

So, it's not about how nice a place is from the worldly point of view, but where God wants to lead you to. In short, it doesn't mean a 'pleasant place' in God's eyes has to be pleasant in worldly eyes.

And wherever God leads you and orders you to go, He'll also see to it that He'll back you up! That's exactly what happened to David himself!

Here are some of David's 'pleasant places' in his walk with God on earth:

(a) The Valley of Elah (see 1 Samuel 17:17-51) - he happened to be at the right place and at the right time, positioned to defeat Goliath (who represented the Philistines). Here, David pulled down the 'stronghold' of the Philistines. By the way, 'Elah' can also mean 'stronghold' in Hebrew.

(b) The Cave of Adullam (see 1 Samuel 22:1-2) - he escaped to this cave where the people (those in distress, in debt, and discontented) gathered to him. God was with him, and he became captain over them and started to build an army from scratch (i.e. from nothing).

(c) The City of Hebron (see 2 Samuel 2:1-7) - he was anointed king of Judah here. 'Hebron' means 'a place of joining together, or a place of associating together'. When the Lord raises you up or promotes you, He'll also cause people to gather to you. This happened to David when he obeyed God's instruction to go to Hebron.

(d) The City of Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 5:1-10) - 'the wind of the Spirit' then swept him to Jerusalem, where he reigned as king over all of Israel and Judah.

2 Samuel 5:10 then put it aptly, 'So David went on and became great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him'.

The secret we can learn from David this day? He believed and lived by all that he has written in Psalm 16, and therefore, he went on to become one of the great kings (if not the greatest) in all of Israel and Judah. He has indeed walked into God's very inheritance for his life.

People of God, you too are the 'Davids' (i.e. God's beloved) of this day. Will you also allow God's Spirit to blow and lead you to the 'pleasant places' meant for you? Indeed, at His right hand are 'pleasant places' forevermore (Psalm 16:11). This, my friend, is your good inheritance (Psalm 16:6) that is meant for you. Amen!

The key to His leading is your hearing!

2 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV): Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

Notice the word 'always' here? According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, this word in Greek means 'every when, at all times, ever (more)'. See the words 'at all times' here? Let me rephrase 2 Corinthians 2:14 now: 'Now thanks be to God who 'every when, at all times, ever more' leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place'! I like the words 'at all times' here. Praise God! You see, the Word of God never says 'sometimes' leads us, or even 'often' leads us, but the Word of God says 'at all times' leads us!

When someone leads, someone else is to follow! So, by the same token, when He leads, somebody is to follow too! And that's you, His people!

And how do we follow if we don't hear from Him first?

Therefore, the key to His leading is your hearing!

People of God, this is a time and season for new beginnings! Our God is always a God of new things. And the key to the new things (that He's going to bring forth) is in hearing Him. This is a time to hear His strategy. Ask Him for His strategy, and you'll receive (Matthew 7:7-8). Listen to His instructions as well. This is a time to be like Mary who said, "Be it unto me according to your word" (Luke 1:38) when angel Gabriel came to her with God's heavenly strategies and instructions.

And that's how God's will and God's destiny for your life will come to pass (and come to full completion) in this new season of yours, just as happened to Mary!

As you would have known, Mary eventually gave birth to Immanuel (literally meaning 'With us is God'). So, as you hear Him and walk in His plans and strategies for you, you too will also 'give birth' to 'whatever you do, with you is God'! In other words, His hands will be upon you in all that you do from now on!

Let us also not be like Simon who did not take God's words (or instructions) as it is. Let's go to Luke 5:1-11 (NKJV) now. When Jesus said to him (Simon), "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4), he (Simon) then answered, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." (Luke 5:5)

Notice Jesus mentioned 'nets' but Simon answered 'net' here? Notice one is plural, and the other is singular? Well, Simon probably had thought (with his own logics and from his own experience as a fisherman) that it'd be rather impossible to get a big catch at that time of the day! Consequently, he had to 'scramble' for another net (from another boat) because his own net was breaking and his boat was sinking! (see Luke 5:6-7) You see, he would have been spared all those 'anxieties' had he listened and acted exactly on what Jesus had just said! In the end, God's words will still accomplish and will never return back to Him void! (Isaiah 55:11)

I know it's never easy to let go of the old (i.e. a pattern, a system, a way, or even a structure) or something you hold dear (or are familiar with), but this is the time to move on for the new things to come (so that new things can come)!

Many times, we tend to close the door that God has opened for us, and more often than not, this 'closed door' is all in the mind (i.e. our old mindset or old way of seeing things), as Simon was. But will you allow Him to 'lay the ax on those old mindsets' that may not work anymore in the new season? Matthew 3:10 says, 'And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire'. Blessed are you if you allow Him, because this is a time and season of renewal, and for new sprouts and shoots to grow! (see Job 14:7-9)

For some of you, this is also a time to ask God for His strategy to be debt-free and stay debt-free. The Bible says 'owe no one anything, except to love one another' (Romans 13:8). When you are debt-free, you can then be who and what God intends for you to be in full measure! In other words, freedom from debt allows God to use you in the fullest measure, and for you to be who and what He wants you to be. Trust me, I've been in severe debt before many years ago, and I know what I'm talking about here!

So, people of God, wherever you are in the world right now, and if you are still in any form of financial debt, I pray in Jesus' mighty name that you'll be set free from debt, and that you'll only 'lend, but not borrow'. Amen! Believe for it, and I pray you'll also receive even His specific strategy to be set free, especially in the next seven years (see Genesis 41:47-57). This is also a time for transfer of wealth (see Isaiah 60:11-12) for the expansion of His kingdom. Let Him also lead you in triumph in Christ even in any of your investments these seven years. In Jesus' name. Amen!