Hang on strong, church!

The Lord says: 

"Hold on strong and persevere! Hold on strong to My Word, no matter what happens around you. Hold on strong to what I have spoken for you to be and to do. Hold on strong to My vision, mission and purpose for you. Keep looking unto Me, the One who is the author and finisher of your faith. Keep looking to My Word, for My Word will never fade away. Your patience and perseverance will eventually pay off." 

Beloved of God, hold on strong! Persevere in your faith! Hang on strong in what the Lord has spoken for you to be and to do! 

The word 'perseverance' here (in the context of God's words today) can be defined as 'persistence in being and doing what the Lord has spoken, despite the resistance that comes from the enemy'. 

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 and 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.' 

Hebrews 12:3 (NKJV) then says, 'For consider Him (Jesus) who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.' 

Let us read from New Living Translation (NLT) for Hebrews 12:1-2 now. 'Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.' 

Hebrews 12:3 in New Living Translation (NLT) then says, 'Think of all the hostility he (Jesus) endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up.' 

Beloved of God, if you have become weary, or if you are on the verge of giving up on something that the Lord has spoken for you to be and to do, the Bible has an answer for you. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith! Hold on strong!

Revelation 3:10-11 (NLT) says, 'Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.' 

Now, this was the message of the Lord for the church in Philadelphia those days. 

Let us rewind a little to Revelation 3:7-8 (NLT) now, 'Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open: "I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me."' 

See the words 'obeyed my word' here? And see the words 'I know all the things you do' here? It means the Lord knows all the good that you have done, yes, even the things that you have done in secret for the Lord. The Lord sees, and the Lord will know how to reward you openly. So, keep obeying Him, keep trusting Him, and keep looking to Him, no matter what happens around you in this world. Amen! 

By the way, what are the seven churches (the church in Philadelphia was one of them) in the Book of Revelation? These are seven major churches of early Christianity, namely, in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. So, seven in all. Interestingly, unlike the others, the church in Philadelphia was not given any particular rebuke from Jesus!

And what does the 'seven churches' here represent? There are many different views, depending on who that particular Bible scholar or Bible teacher is. But one view is that each church mentioned in the Book of Revelation here represents a period in church history. Each of these periods can be traced to a specific phase in the Body of Christ over time, from the beginning of the church till Christ's return. If you ask me, I would say we are now in the period of both the Philadelphia church and Laodicea church. This is the end-time. 

Between these two (Philadelphia and Laodicea), which kind of church are we? We all may want to do some soul-searching and look at ourselves. Let us not judge others. But let us look at ourselves. When I share this, I am looking at myself too. Are we Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13)? Or are we Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22)?  

By the way, 'Body of Christ' here means God's church as a whole, and we are all members and different parts of this one Body of Christ. Yes, one Body of Christ. Not two, not three, but one Body. You see, we can be kingdom-minded. We are talking about His kingdom here. God's kingdom, not our own kingdom or empire. Not 'my church is better than your church' or 'my church is bigger than your church' kind of mindset. But to see how God sees. To have His kingdom in mind. And in this kingdom, there is only one Head, that is Christ; and one Body, that is His church as a whole, i.e. the Body of Christ.

In Ephesians 4:1-6, the apostle Paul wrote: 'I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.' 

In Ephesians 4:11-13, the apostle Paul wrote: 'And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry (i.e. equipping the believers for the work of ministry), for the edifying of the body of Christ (i.e. building up the body of Christ), till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ...' 

The Lord has called some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Collectively, they are called the five-fold spiritual offices. What are their functions? There are two functions: Equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, and edifying of the Body of Christ. You see the words here? The Body of Christ! It means the church as a whole. The Lord has called these to equip and to edify, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. In other words, till we come to the maturity in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete ways of the Lord. It can also mean to see what God sees and how God sees His church, His body, i.e. the Body of Christ! 

You see, these gifts are given to some of us not to lord over others, or to take advantage of others, or to build our own kingdom. Instead, these gifts are for us to equip and edify (or build up) the believers, the Body of Christ! 

In Ephesians 4:14-16, the apostle Paul wrote: '...that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - from whom the whole body (each of us is part of this whole body), joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, and with this, it causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.'

In Ephesians 4:17-19, the apostle Paul wrote: 'This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.' 

What the apostle Paul meant here is that we in the Body of Christ should not let ourselves be contaminated by the ways of this world. We may be in the world, but we are not of this world. We are of God. We should instead walk in the ways that the Lord wants us to walk, having our spiritual eyes of understanding enlightened, and to see what God sees and how God sees, even how God sees His church.

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Receive the outpouring of God's love!

Season's greetings and happy holiday! Indeed this is a time to receive God's love and release God's love! This is a time for love in action! Amen!

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

So, this love of God, Jesus, came down! And He is love! And when this love is being poured out on you, you have every reason to hope! You know why? Because His love for you never fails, no matter what happens in this world or how 'hopeless' this world may be!

When His love is being poured out on you (and it's not just a trickle), not only you receive God's love, but you also release God's love to people around you! So, where there's God's love, there will be hope! 

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV), apostle Paul wrote, 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.' What Paul meant here was love is greater than all these mentioned here. 

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NKJV), Paul wrote further, 'Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...'  

And in 1 Corinthians 13:10 (NKJV), Paul also wrote, 'But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.' What is the 'perfect' here? God's perfect love! His love is prefect! It means when you receive God's perfect love in your life, whatever 'imperfection' in your life will just be a shadow, because you are so full of God's perfect love in your life! And this love never fails! That's why when you have this love, you have every reason to hope in your life!

In other words, God's perfect love is the solution to any problem, challenges, or situation in your life in this world! 

So, as you gather with your family and friends wherever you are, as you encourage one another with God's love, as you build and edify one another with God's love, as you worship God together, as you fellowship together, and even have foods and drinks together, let God's love be at the center of all your gatherings, that God's love be with you and fill you to the overflow!

As you've read just now in 1 Corinthians 13:4, notice that love's foremost fruits are patience and kindness. These are the first two characters in the list - 'patience or longsuffering towards one another', and 'kindness towards one another'! 

In Colossians 1:11-14 (NKJV), Paul wrote, '...strengthened with all might according to His glorious power for all patience and longsuffering with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.'

Let's look at the words 'patience' and 'longsuffering' here.

The word 'patience' here is 'hupomone' in Greek. It can mean 'cheerful (hopeful) endurance, constancy, patient continuance', and it comes from the word 'hupomeno' meaning 'to remain, to bear trials, to have fortitude, to persevere, to abide, or to endure (in spite of your circumstances around you).' 

There's a very thin line to draw between 'patience' and 'longsuffering', and that's why some teachers group these two as one same character.

The word 'longsuffering' here is 'makrothumia' in Greek. It can mean 'longanimity (not short-tempered), forbearance, fortitude, with long (enduring) temper, long spirited, long patience, patiently endure.' 

In short, if 'patience' is 'patience' per say, then 'longsuffering' is 'long patience or enduring patience'. That's basically the difference, a very slight difference actually.

You see, when you have God's love filling your life, whatever provocation against you or whatever that people try to 'trigger' you to react negatively, you will not buy that. Instead, you will respond with love, you will respond with patience and longsuffering, and you will respond with kindness. You will not render evil with evil, but you will return evil with good. And that's what happens when you are so full of God's love!

So, keep receiving God's love and keep releasing God's love! You can rely on His wisdom and the promptings (or the leading) of the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you on how you can show His love to others. Just look out around you, let His love flow out of you, and you can be sure He will continue to fill you and overflow you with His love (and even His provision) super abundantly. Amen!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your perfect love that never fails. We want to remember Your perfect love that never fails in our lives. We want to remember all that You have done for us on the cross some 2000 years ago. We want to continue to be the light that shine on others. As we receive more of Your love and Your light, this love will flow out to many around us, and this light will shine forth even in the darkest of places in this world. In the name of Jesus. Amen!"

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Why is prayer and waiting on the Lord so important?

The Lord spoke these words:

"I have hidden many of My people for a time. It is a preparation time. It is for the future glory. I am filling them with My anointing, My substance, My wisdom, and all that they need to emerge stronger than ever and more anointed than ever."

The Lord spoke further:

"I am raising up men and women whose hearts are for Me, whom I will work miracles, signs and wonders through them. A people steep in My Word and deep in My Spirit. A people who are being readied for a greater manifestation of My presence, power and glory, for a greater outpouring of My Spirit the world has not seen before."

I pray you will be one of these whom God has spoken. Indeed, this is a preparation time. Get yourself ready for the greater glory of the Lord in your life! How? By prayer and waiting on the Lord! Remember, prayer precedes power, and waiting time is never a wasted time!

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) says, 'But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.'

The word 'wait' here is 'qavah' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'entwined together (with God), gather together'. To be 'entwined together with God' is to be 'one with God'. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, '... he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him'. 

So, what do you do in a time of waiting on the Lord? You pray, you worship the Lord, you draw near to Him, you minister unto Him, and of course, you continue reading His Word!

Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV) says, 'And being assembled together with them (the disciples), He (Jesus) commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."'

See the word 'wait' here? 

The word 'wait' here is 'perimeno' in Greek, and it can mean 'to stay around (until it happens)'; from the words 'peri' meaning 'being around, being there', and 'meno' meaning 'abide, continue, dwell, remain, be present'. 

Interestingly, this word 'meno' is the same Greek word for 'abide' in John 15:4-5 when Jesus said "Abide in Me, and I in you; I am the vine, you are the branches, for without Me you can do nothing."

Acts 1:12-14 (NKJV) says, 'Then they (the disciples) returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.'

Altogether there were 120 disciples (Acts 1:15). And what did they do? They were praying and waiting on the Lord for the coming of the Holy Spirit! 

They knew they were about to receive a new level God's glory in their lives! In fact, Jesus had told them earlier that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon them (Acts 1:8).

Back to Acts 1:12-14. What is the word 'prayer' here in Greek? It is 'proseuche', and it means 'to pray to God (or to worship God) from the heart; to pray earnestly.' In other words, 'proseuche' is praying to the Lord with sincerity of heart.

And as they were praying and waiting on the Lord for some 10 days, see what happened next.

Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.'

The Holy Spirit came. The power of God came. The promise of the Father came, just as Jesus had spoken to them 10 days earlier. And their lives were never the same again! They began to preach the gospel of God's kingdom with the power of the Holy Spirit, accompanied with miracles, signs and wonders. And many who heard them and seen the miracles believed in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Interestingly, even after the coming of the Holy Spirit, the early disciples continued to practice prayer and waiting on the Lord as essential part of their lives! Why? Because they understood the power of prayer and waiting on the Lord. They would never go ahead to do something without praying and waiting on the Lord first! 

Acts 4:29-31 (NKJV) says, '"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." 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.'

See the word 'prayed' here?

You may ask, "Pray until when?" 

Pray until the impartation from heaven comes! Pray until the anointing and power comes! Pray until the instruction or direction from the Lord comes! Pray until God gives you the 'green light' to act!

Back to Acts 4:29-31. And that's when the disciples began to act on what the Lord had imparted or spoken to them, and they began to speak the word of God with a newfound boldness! Again, a new level of God's glory was upon them! And the Bible says great power and great grace was upon them all! (Acts 4:33)

Indeed, prayer is the pillar to any ministry of the Lord (even in anything that God has called you to do, including your business and your career). Prayer precedes power! 

One more example of praying and waiting on the Lord can be found in Acts 13:1-3 (NKJV). It says, 'Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.'

What do you do as you wait for His instructions (on what to do next)? Like the early disciples those days, keep ministering to the Lord and praying - until His time for you to act comes! By the way, to minister to the Lord is to draw near to Him and worship Him.

People of God, this is the time to keep praying and ministering to the Lord until the glory comes! It will be the glory of the Lord such that you have never seen before. Great and mighty doors of the Lord shall be opened for you, and you shall walk through them! You shall rise up stronger than ever before, and you shall do greater exploits for the Lord, going forward. To God be all the glory! Hallelujah!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Be at rest and do not worry!

The Lord says to His people at the moment:

"Be at rest and do not worry, no matter what challenges or issues you may be facing at the moment. I am a God who is never late to come to your help, if you look to Me. I am a God who knows how to make all things work for good to those who love Me and who are called according to My purpose."

One evidence of being at rest in Him is you cease worrying. 

In Matthew 6:25-27, Jesus says, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?"

In Matthew 6:28-33, Jesus says further, "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

What are the worries in your life at the moment? Let go all these worries to the Lord. There's nothing too hard for Him. With man, your situation may seem impossible to solve, but to Him, nothing is impossible. After all, He is the Creator of all the earth, the moon, the stars, the sun, and the whole galaxy, and He is still in control. He is a God who is never late to come to your help, and even if you have made a mistake in life, He will cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Hebrews 4:9-11 (NKJV) says, 'There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest...'

There are two words in Greek for 'rest' here. In 'There remains therefore a rest for the people of God', the word 'rest' here is 'sabbatismos' (from the word 'Sabbath') meaning 'rest, a type of heaven'. Indeed, to have this 'rest' ('sabbatismos') is to be in Him who is heavenly. In the heavenly realm, there is no violence, trouble, or 'unpeace'. 

And because He is the Lord of Sabbath (Matthew 12:8), if you are in Him, you are in His rest too. Remember the Bible passage about Jesus in the boat when there was a storm and the waves were beating the boat? When He awoke from His sleep, He said to the wind and the waves, "Peace, be still!", and even the wind and the waves obeyed Him (Mark 4:35-41).

The other word for 'rest' here is 'katapausis' in Greek, meaning 'rest, cease, settle down'. This is where the English word 'pause' comes from. To 'katapausis' is to cease, and this includes to cease from worrying. To 'katapausis' is also to 'settle down' (or 'be at rest'), because there's no problem, challenges, or issues in life that cannot be solved or 'settled', when you are in Him.

Even when you need to make an important decision in a new time and season, do not worry. Keep walking with Him and trusting in Him. When the time comes to make such decision, He will show you the way or what decision to make. Sometimes He would give the answer only at the very last minute or at the eleventh hour. Why? He is training you to put your trust in Him and look to Him all the way. Wait on the Lord till the answer comes. The answer will surely come. I know waiting is never easy, but waiting is just as important as doing. The Bible says, '...through faith and patience, you will inherit His promises' (Hebrews 6:12). You see, not only faith, but also patience.

The devil will always try to shake you out of your rest in the Lord. Sometimes the devil would even use people to cause you to be shaken out of your rest in the Lord. One easy way to lose your rest is when you start worrying. The devil would always try to put you in the place of worry, because when you worry, you lose your peace, your joy, and your rest. 

In John 10:10, Jesus says, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." You see, the devil (depicted as 'thief' here) would do whatever in order to steal, kill and destroy you, and that includes your peace, your joy, and your rest. 

But when you know you are in the Lord (in His 'sabbatismos' and in His 'katapausis'), the devil cannot touch you. And whatever 'storms' or 'waves' that come against you in life will never be able to 'drown' you. Amen!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC's YouTube Channel

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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Keep building what God is building!

The Lord says these words to His people:
"Keep building what I've called you to build! Keep restoring what I've asked you to restore! Cease not! For My eye is upon you, and My hand is with you! This is your time to yield your eyes to Mine, and your hands to Mine! And nothing shall be able to stand before you!"

The key chapters to read in this time and season is Ezra chapters 3-7. In these chapters, the Scripture shows us how the Lord had moved His people to return and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, having been in Babylonian exile for seventy years. The writer (Ezra) narrated how Zerubbabel (the governor of Judah), Jeshua (the high priest), and the rest of the priests and Levites began this work of rebuilding, only to find themselves facing resistance from the adversaries (Ezra 4:1-5).

This part of the Scripture is actually prophetic of our times as believers in the New Covenant today. If those days, the Lord was building His temple; today, the Lord is building His people. The former is the 'shadow', and the latter is the 'substance'. 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT) says, 'Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?' The word 'temple' here is 'naos' in Greek, and it simply means 'the dwelling place of God'. Indeed, you and I are 'the dwelling place of God'! 1 Peter 2:5 (NLT) says, 'And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What’s more, you are His holy priests...'

People of God, maybe in recent times you have grown tired of building what the Lord has begun in you. In fact, some of you are already on the verge of giving up. For some, it's because you haven't seen much fruit; and for some others, it's because you've grown tired in facing resistance from those naysayers. Whatever your reasons may be, the Lord is saying "Cease not!" Because the Lord who has begun the good work in you will continue His work until it is finally completed! (Philippians 1:6) He will give you new strategies! He will give you new resources! He will give you new strength! He will see to it that what He has begun in you, He will complete it, if you do not lose heart!

That was exactly what happened those days, as written in the book of Ezra. Interestingly, the name 'Ezra' (which is the Aramaic form of the Hebrew word 'Ezer') means 'The Lord helps'. Indeed, in the midst of resistance from the enemies (who tried to frustrate and discourage God's people), the Lord's help was evident, and the Lord's eye was with them. Ezra 5:5 (NKJV) says, 'But the eye of their God was upon them, so that the enemies could not make them cease...' Not only that, the Lord also sent prophets Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo to prophesy to them in order to edify them. And the prophets were with them, helping them as well! (Ezra 5:1-2)

The word 'eye' here is 'ayin' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'fountain, favor, presence'. In other words, the Lord's fountain of living waters (speaks of 'the Spirit of the Lord') was upon them, flowing in (and through) them! As a result, they never ran short of wisdom and revelation to complete the Lord's work! Of course, the Lord's favor was with them, and the Lord's presence was with them too! Now, how could they fail? Later on, the Lord even raised up a King Darius to issue a decree to let the temple be rebuilt and be firmly laid, with all expenses paid from the king's treasury! (Ezra 6:3-5)

People of God, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Bible says you are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He has prepared beforehand, that you should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). The Lord's eye ('ayin') is upon you, and His Spirit is flowing in (and through) you too! Be open and let Him. And just as the temple in Ezra's days was successfully completed, every good work that the Lord has begun in you will also be successfully completed! Receive these prophetic words into your life today! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Do not grow weary in waiting

The Lord spoke these words:
"Do not grow weary in waiting. Do not give up while waiting. Keep your focus on Me, and remain in My peace. Having given thanks for your answer, wait on Me and receive a fresh outpouring from Me. Never limit how I am going to make it happen for you!"

People of God, have you recently been discouraged or tired of waiting for your breakthrough or answer? For some of you, it even feels like you are losing it (or losing the battle), and you are on the verge of giving it all up - be it in waiting for your complete healing, a financial breakthrough, an answer to your problem, or a God-given prophecy/dream/vision to come to pass.

Admittedly, waiting time is never easy. But take heart, because Isaiah 40:29-31 says, 'He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint'.

The words 'wait on' here is 'qavah' in Hebrew, which can mean 'to collect from, to gather from, to look patiently, to wait expectantly'. In other words, it is a confident expectation (or a divine hope) that God will do what He has promised; yet He knows best how it will happen, and when it will happen. This word 'qavah' also implies while you are waiting, He is also in the midst of building you, preparing you, and works all things together for your good.

You may have heard people say 'waiting time is never wasted time'. There is a truth in this saying, provided you allow yourself to see your 'waiting time' as God sees it. In Isaiah 40:29-31, it is clear that God doesn't see 'qavah' as a dormant or passive time, but He sees it as a time of building and preparing you for the greater things to come.

On your part, it is a time of actively receiving, collecting and gathering from Him - be it His strength, His refreshing, His renewal, His wisdom, His anointing, and even His substance (or His character), so that when your breakthrough finally comes, you'll be ready for that next level!

But be vigilant and sober, because at a time of your waiting, the enemy will not sit still. In fact, he will do just the opposite from what God does for you. After all, he is called the adversary (1 Peter 5:8). The enemy will try to do anything to discourage you, or make you think your trust in God is in vain - that God doesn't remember you anymore, and God doesn't keep His promises! The enemy's final aim is that you'll give up on all that God has spoken to you. And when that happens, he wins! And I believe that is why Isaiah 40:29 says so emphatically (for those who are in a time of waiting): 'He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength'! Indeed, people of God, this is a crucial time to keep your focus on Him, and remain in His peace. This is your time to receive a new strength from Him!

Let us not be like King Saul who grew restless and anxious when the nation of Israel were besieged by the Philistines; so much so he began to take matters into his own hands (1 Samuel 13:1-14), instead of waiting for the arrival of prophet Samuel who had spoken earlier that he would SURELY come and show the way (1 Samuel 10:8). Interestingly, the name 'Samuel' in Hebrew represents 'The Lord has heard'. In other words, King Saul failed to see that 'The Lord has heard' is a God who keeps promises, and 'The Lord has heard' will SURELY come! In the end, King Saul's impatience cost him dearly.

But let us be like King David who in a time of waiting (for his victory and breakthrough), continued looking to the Lord and trusting in the Lord, as written in Psalm 121:1-4, 'I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep'.

Indeed, the Lord your God shall neither slumber nor sleep, but He is very much awake and alive, whatever your situation may be at the moment. This is your time to give thanks in advance because your victory and breakthrough will SURELY come! This is your time to declare that 'The Lord has heard'! And never limit how He is going to make it happen for you, because His ways are always higher than the ways of men (Isaiah 55:8-9). In Jesus' name. Amen!

Learning not to be 'reactive' to whatever that provokes you

I heard and released these words from the Lord recently:
"This is a crucial time not to be reactive to whatever that provokes you! This is a crucial time not to be overcome by anger! Because your future is at stake! Don't repeat Moses' mistakes! Instead of speaking to the rock, he struck the rock twice in anger! Let My Spirit fill you and let My Spirit flow in you! For you shall walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control!"

Galatians 5:22-23 says 'the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control', and Ephesians 4:26-27 says, '"In your anger do not sin"; Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold'.

What does it mean by 'Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry'?
It can mean:
- not prolonging your anger beyond sunset;
- not bringing your anger into your sleep;
- and of course, not brooding over it, stimulating it, or 'adding fire' to it!

If you notice the verse in Ephesians 4:26, the Scripture never says 'anger is a sin', but it says "In your anger do not sin". It shows to us that 'anger' is a real emotion, a very human emotion. Yet we are not to ignore it, or 'sweep it under the carpet'. Ephesians 4:30-32 says further, 'And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God... Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you'.

So, the question now is 'When does an anger cause us to sin?'
The answer is 'When we lose our temper! Or when we are overcome by that anger!' 
People of God, this is one area you've got to guard against in this time and season! Don't be overly-reactive to any 'provocation' against you! Don't go into unnecessary fights and quarrels! Take long, deep breaths often; and let the Holy Spirit fill you and flow through you!

Let us learn from the mistakes of Moses, whose uncontrolled anger eventually led to him being denied access to the promised land. You can see that in Numbers 20:1-13. By that time, the people of Israel had reached the Wilderness of Zin (Wilderness of thorn), but there was no water to drink there. The people then complained and contended bitterly with Moses, and even questioned his leadership. It was a time of great distress and frustration for Moses.

The Lord then gave the answer to the people's water woes, saying to Moses, "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals." So, Moses and Aaron gathered the people together before the rock; and Moses said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses struck the rock twice with his rod, and water did come out.

But the Lord was displeased because Moses did not heed His command exactly, and did not represent His heart of mercy and providence to the people. The Lord then spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."

What caused a great man of God like Moses to be overcome by anger, which in turn led to his disobedience to God's command, and eventually costing him the access to the promised land? It was due to his suppressed frustration. In fact, this frustration has been 'simmering' inside him for some time. Imagine the complaints, the contentions, the murmurings, the questioning of his leadership, the 'Why?', 'Why?' and more 'Whys?'; not just on that day, but for many, many days! All these came together, and it finally boiled over!

Of course, it wasn't easy at all for Moses. Yet, in spite of all these, the glory of the Lord still appeared to Moses in his time of need! (Numbers 20:6) The Lord was actually showing He's still with him, and He had never left him, nor forsaken him! And the Lord would even give him a solution!

People of God, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If you've been going through similar time of distress and frustration, or you've been tempted to 'react' adversely to a provocation, know that the Lord is still your very present help in time of need. He will never leave you, nor forsake you. And He will give you a solution too! Just do not be overcome by anger. Because by doing that, you are giving the devil a foothold. Instead, keep looking to the Lord, and let Him take over. I pray things are going to get better for you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Here are some biblical ways in dealing with whatever the world has to 'throw' against you:
- Pray in the Spirit always (Ephesians 6:18)
- Cast your care/burden/anxiety/frustration to the Lord (1 Peter 5:7)
- When you pray, forgive, so your prayer is not hindered (Mark 11:25)
- Bless, and not curse; pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:28)
- Praise the Lord at all times (Psalm 34:1)

In a time of delay, the Lord is busy working behind the scene!

Hebrews 6:10-12 (NKJV): For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

If you are having a sense of dissatisfaction or restlessness due to things stagnating in some areas of your life, know that He hasn't forgotten you! So, take heart. And while you are waiting for your breakthrough, Galatians 6:9 says, 'And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart'.

People of God, this is a time to keep looking to Him, and keep doing what the Lord had spoken for you to do currently! In due season, you shall surely reap, if you do not lose heart!

Hebrews 6:13-15 then continues with how God made a promise to Abraham, and after he (Abraham) had patiently endured, he eventually obtained the promise.

In Habakkuk 2:2-3, the Lord says, "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come..."

It is interesting to notice right after Habakkuk 2:2-3, the Lord says further in Habakkuk 2:4, "Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith." This verse contrasts the 'proud' (i.e. those who take matters into their own hands, instead of trusting in God's timing), and the 'just' (i.e. those who live by faith and patiently wait for the Lord).

The Bible says, 'So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God' (Romans 10:17). In other words, to live by faith is to keep hearing (and heeding) what the Lord says (through the Word), and not what man says (through their opinions)!

A.W. Tozer, a man of God, used to write, 'The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. We're still trying to give orders, and interfering with God's work within us'.

How true!

In this era of 'quick fixes', we can see many of God's people 'jumping the gun' because they can't wait to see the results they want (whether in ministry, in business, in career, etc). And they would begin to act on their own accord, instead of waiting for the Lord's timing and 'go ahead'! As a consequence, many find themselves having to 'back-pedal' soon after!

Proverbs 14:29 says, 'Whatever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered (impulsive) displays folly'. And Psalm 37:7 says, 'Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes'.

As you can see here, patience has its virtue!

Let us learn from Moses, whom the Lord had called to be a deliverer of the Israelites from the bondage of the Pharaoh. Having gone out to his brethren and looked at their burdens, he took matters into his own hands and killed an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-12). Upon hearing this, the Pharaoh sought to kill him, and Moses had to flee (Exodus 2:15). He ended up in the desert of Midian, and stayed there for forty years (Acts 7:30).

Forty years in the desert of Midian, when nothing seemed to be happening! It was as though the Lord had forgotten Moses! But the truth is, throughout those forty years, the Lord was indeed busy working behind the scene in Moses' life! It wasn't until he came to the end of himself that the Lord began to speak to him from the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-4). There was no looking back since then. Moses went on to fulfill his God-given destiny as a deliverer of the Israelites!

Let us look at David now, whom the Lord had destined for him to be the new king reigning over Judah and Israel. Having been anointed by the prophet Samuel at the tender age of fifteen, it wasn't until fifteen years later that David finally became the king over Judah; and another seven years and six months later, when he became king over all Israel and Judah (2 Samuel 5:1-5).

Through those 'waiting' years, the Lord was also busy working behind the scene in David's life! You see, preparation time is never a wasted time, though nothing promising seems to be happening during that time! Through those years, David had to escape several times from Saul who sought to kill him. But in the end, what the Lord had spoken eventually came to pass. There was no looking back since then. David went on to become the greatest king in the entire history of Israel!

I heard and released these words from the Lord recently:
"Though some things may seem monotonous and dead at the moment, know that I am in the midst of working behind the scene in your lives. Let Me do My part, and you will begin to see some good surprises. Though some things may seem to tarry for now, it is worth the wait. By faith and by patience, you will inherit the promises."

Receive by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Your perseverance and patience will eventually pay off

While praying in the Spirit the other day, I saw a vision of a hand throwing a lifebuoy (tied with a rope) into a very rough sea, and someone was hanging on to the lifebuoy. At the same time, I also saw a very dark shadowy figure beneath the sea trying to pull that person down (in order to drown that person). It was like a scene of 'tug of war' between the hand from above and the hand from below.  

That's when I heard the Lord speak:
"The enemy wants you defeated. The enemy wants you down and out. The enemy wants you to be pulled down to hell. But I, the Lord, have meant for you to triumph!"

I then heard further:
"This is what I am telling My people in this time and season: Your perseverance and patience will eventually pay off! This is a time to hang on strong to Me, for I will deliver you and win the battle for you, if you do not lose heart! And I say to you, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness'".

People of God, we are entering an extremely crucial time and season at the moment, and the battle in the spiritual realm is rather intense. What happens in the spiritual realm is reflected in the physical realm that we live in now. This is also a time many of God's people are tempted to 'lose heart' and 'give up'. Some in ministry, and some others even in life!

But the Lord has spoken clearly from the vision and the words that I received. This is a time to hang on strong to Him no matter what, and never allow the enemy to pull you down and drown you!

In 2 Corinthians 4:1, the apostle Paul wrote, 'Therefore, since we have this ministry (of the Holy Spirit), as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart'. 

And in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, he wrote further, 'But we have this treasure (i.e. Jesus) in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed'.

Here, the apostle Paul wrote of how he was being hard pressed, misunderstood, falsely accused, and persecuted; yet he did not lose heart, but instead, he looked to the treasure (i.e. Jesus) inside him. This was a man who had learned to rely on the excellence of God's power, instead of his own strength and ability.

People of God, whatever 'rough sea' you are going through at the moment, and no matter how 'weak' or 'powerless' you think you are (in that particular area of your life), turn your eyes away from yourself, and turn to Him. He is your very present help in a time of need. He is mighty to save, and His hand is strong enough to deliver you. Believing, you will receive. Amen!