Rise above your circumstances!

The Lord says: 

"A time to praise! A time to praise! Breakthrough and victory is waiting for you who keep praising! Never give up praising! Surround yourself with the garment of praise! Praise till you see My glory and My power coming! Praise till you know the enemy is being defeated!" 

The Lord says further: 

"Rise above every news that you hear, and keep praising! Rise above every circumstance that you face, and keep praising! As you lift your voice in praise, I will make the way clear for you! As you lift your voice in praise, I will destroy the works of the enemy against you!" 

Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV) says, 'To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.' 

The word 'garment' here comes from the word 'ateh' in Hebrew, meaning 'to array oneself, to decorate oneself'. In the context here, it means to array yourself with the praises of the Lord. And that's how every form of heaviness or burden will be lifted away. That's what the Scripture mean here. 

So beloved, whatever situation you may be facing, or whatever not-so-good news you may have heard recently, continue to put on the 'garment of praise', arraying yourself with the praises of the Lord. Never give up praising. Praise like you have never praised this way before! Why? Because the Lord is saying your victory is at hand, and your breakthrough is on the way! 

Let's talk further about the power of praise, and why praises of the Lord should at all times be in your mouth. 

Psalm 149:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.' 

The words 'high praises' here is 'tehillah' in Hebrew, from the word 'haw-lal', and this word can mean 'to shine, to celebrate, to declare aloud, to make clear the way'. 

As you begin praising the name of the Lord, you are effectively making clear the way in every situation or circumstance of yours! 

Let's look now what happens when you let high praises of the Lord be in your mouth. The answer is amazing!

Psalm 149:7-9 (NKJV) says, 'To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment - this honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!' 

So, count it as your privilege that you can praise the Lord this way. This is an honor for you. Because as you praise the name of the Lord, and as you lift up His name, He will begin to do all that have been written here in verse 7 to 9. 

Remember, you are not fighting flesh and blood, but against the spiritual power of darkness that tries to cause all kinds of problems against you. As you begin to lift your voice in praises, and lift your hands toward heaven, watch how the Lord will begin to take over your situation, and watch how the Lord will begin to 'execute judgment' on the power of the enemy against you. This is what the Scripture says here. Let's take Him at His Word! 

In cross-reference, let's go now to a rather familiar passage in the Scripture. 2 Chronicles 20:22 (NKJV) says, 'Now when they (Jehoshaphat and the people of God) began to sing and to praise (the same word 'tehillah'), the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.' 

And look here at 2 Chronicles 20:23. What happened here is amazing. 'For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.' 

In other words, the Lord began to execute vengeance and punishment against the people who came against the people of the Lord. You see, the enemies got so confused that they destroyed one another! This, my friend, is the power of your praises unto the Lord. You are causing the power of the enemies to be shaken!

Today, the Lord is saying that you too are like the 'Jehoshaphat' of today! 

By the way, the name 'Jehoshaphat' comes from two words in Hebrew. 

'Yehow' (or 'Yehovah') means 'The Self-Existent and Eternal God'. Your Yahweh. The I Am Who I Am. The I Will Be Who I Will Be. The Great I Am. The Almighty God. The El Shaddai. 

'Shaphat' means 'To execute judgment'. 

Therefore, never underestimate the power of your praises. As you begin to lift up the name of the Lord, and declare that the Lord is great and greatly to be praised, the power of darkness will tremble. Something good is going to happen. The Lord will know how to turn things around for you! Hallelujah!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Praise, and be on your way to breakthrough!

The Lord says: 

"In this time and season, beware of the spirit sent by the enemy to discourage you and pull you down. Take authority and bind it. Focus instead on My power for your breakthrough. For this is the month for your breakthrough. As you enter this new month, don't stop praising! This is a month to praise like never before. Praise your way to your breakthrough and open door. If you have been feeling down recently, praise your way to a new purpose and strength in your life. Never miss this time and season for breakthrough and open door in your life!" 

Before we move further, let's go to the definition of 'breakthrough'. This word can be defined as 'an instance of removing any barrier', 'an instance of overcoming any obstruction', or 'an instance of new development after a stalemate'. 

Psalm 22:3-5 (NKJV) says, 'But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.' 

The word 'enthroned' here is 'inhabitest' in King James Version, or 'yashab' in Hebrew. This word can mean 'to stay, to dwell, to inhabit, to make (His) home, to be King'. In other words, as you praise Him, He makes His home in your situation, and takes His place to be the King over your situation. 

The word 'praise' here is 'tehillah' in Hebrew. It is an expression of awe for how great and awesome He is. It means 'to praise with high praises with all your heart and soul, totally focused and given in to Him, giving your highest praise and adoration to Him (for who He is)'. 

Have you recently been feeling like you are not good enough? Have you recently been feeling like you are useless and good for nothing? Or have you recently been dealing with low self-esteem problem, loss of confidence, or even loss of purpose in life? It's like there's just no more sense of purpose in your life, and no more sense of direction in your life. And you find yourself having no strength to look ahead in your life. 

Take heart, beloved. Focus away from yourself and from all these, and focus on the Lord instead. You know why? When you praise the Lord, you are effectively focusing on Him, and not on your own weaknesses, problems, challenges, regrets, or failures. 

As you praise the Lord, you are focusing on His greatness. He is great, and greatly to be praised! After all, He is the Creator of all the universe, the galaxies, the sun, the moon, the stars, and of course, this earth. Let Him take over your situation. There's nothing that's too huge for Him. He is always greater. He is always bigger. He is always stronger. And that's why He is worthy to be praised and extolled! 

The devil wants you to wallow in your self-pity. The devil wants you to regret over something that you have done. The devil wants you to stay in bitterness over something that you have lost. In short, the devil will do anything to pull you down and cause you to feel useless and defeated. Don't entertain him. Focus on the Lord instead by praising the Lord and keep praising the Lord! In fact, praise the Lord like never before! 

When Paul and Silas were in a seemingly hopeless situation, and seemingly at a 'dead-end' road in the inner prison, what did they do? Acts 16:25 (NKJV) says, 'But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God...' It means they were praising the Lord!

And see what happened next? Acts 16:26 (NKJV) says, 'Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.' 

The unthinkable happened. A miracle happened. Of course, your situation may not be exactly like Paul and Silas' situation. But you know what? To God, all things are possible! 

The background of what happened here is that some people were feeling very threatened by Paul and Silas. The masters of those who used the spirit of divination to make profit by fortune-telling were losing their business because of God's work through Paul and Silas. So, they worked out a plan to cause Paul and Silas to be dragged to the authorities, and eventually Paul and Silas were sent to the prison. So, there they were, stuck in the prison, and left in the cold, dark, place.

Now, how did Paul and Silas respond? They didn't wallow in self-pity. They didn't blame anyone. They didn't blame God. But instead, they praised God! Many people would have been tempted to put blame on themselves, on others, or even on God. But instead, they did the opposite. They praised the Lord! And praise they did! 

Beloved, maybe you too are in one of those darkest times of your life at the moment, or in your "midnight hour", so to speak. Maybe it's a seemingly 'dead-end' road, a challenging crisis, or a very difficult situation that you are facing right now. Do not lose heart. Like Paul and Silas, you can choose to praise the Lord and keep praising the Lord! 

I declare that your 'chains' shall be loosed! I declare that your 'doors' shall be opened! And you too shall see your breakthrough! Just do not limit how God's going to do it!

As for Paul and Silas, if you read further in Acts 16, what was initially a "midnight hour" eventually turned into an occasion of great breakthrough and even testimony of how great God is. Hallelujah! The same it is for you! Believe, and receive by faith!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, You are indeed a great and awesome God. Nothing is impossible to You. We do not want to limit You with our own limited minds. Instead, we choose to praise You. You have spoken this is a month to praise like never before. We enthrone You with our praises. We declare You as King over our lives. We declare that You reign in our situation and circumstances. We declare our breakthrough. We declare our open doors. We declare new purpose for our lives. We declare new strength in our lives. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

You have a weapon called 'Praise'!

Words from the Lord: 

"You have a weapon called 'Praise'! This is a key time to praise! Praise the Lord! Praise your way to your breakthrough and victory! Praise the Lord even when you are spiritually, emotionally, or mentally drained! Praise the Lord at all times! As you praise, watch how the forces of darkness is broken, and watch how many things begin to move forward in your life! Never underestimate the power of praise!" 

Indeed, there is this weapon given to you! A powerful weapon! Never underestimate it! God has given you this weapon called 'Praise'! So, praise the Lord! In good times! In not-so-good times! Praise the Lord at all times! Praise the Lord for who He is! Praise the Lord for He is great, and greatly to be praised! In fact, you can praise your way to your breakthrough and victory. Hallelujah! 

If you are in trouble, any form of trouble, praise the Lord! If you are in a dilemma in your life, praise the Lord! If you are worried or anxious about something, or even regarding your future, praise the Lord! When you feel down or discouraged, praise the Lord! And when you are drained spiritually, emotionally, or mentally, praise the Lord! Simply put, praise the Lord in good times and even in not-so-good times!

In today's message, I'm going to show you the power of praising the Lord. Yes, praising the Lord is not just in songs, but it can be in your declaration by faith as you speak it out into the spiritual atmosphere around you - that He is great, He is your victory, and of course, He is merciful! 

I begin with Psalm 9:1-3. This is a psalm by David, a man after God's heart. Let's see what he has declared: "I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. When my enemies turn back, they shall fall and perish at Your presence." 

The word 'praise' here in this psalm is 'yawdaw' in Hebrew. 

It can be defined in any of these three ways: 

- to shoot out (or pour out) with shout of praise

- to revere and declare with lifted hands

- to give thanks to the Lord for His greatness and mercy

Therefore, praise Him for His greatness! Praise Him for His victory! Praise Him for He is in control and He is sovereign! Praise Him because He is the Creator of heavens and earth, and all of the universe and the galaxy! 

You know what? When you begin to praise the Lord, when you use your mouth and declare it and speak it out, even shout it out aloud, something happens in the spiritual realm and something changes in the spiritual realm! The Scripture is consistent in this, that breakthrough comes as you praise! 

Of course not just that, it is good even for yourself, because as you praise the Lord, your focus is shifted away from yourself or your own problems, and your focus is shifted to the Lord and how great He is! In other words, you are lifting yourself out from your doldrums, and you are lifting yourself out from all your discouragement, anxieties, and worries! 

As you praise the Lord, know that there are also so many things that you can give thanks for, and that you can be grateful for! Don't focus on the negatives all the time. Instead, focus on the good that the Lord has done in your life! It's so important to be living a life of thanksgiving and to be grateful for what He has given to you! When you are thankful of even the little things that the Lord has given in your life, more is going to come! Hallelujah!

So, I want to declare upon you that whatever work of darkness or word of darkness that comes from the enemy against you, yes, as you praise the Lord, and as you magnify the Lord, all these works of darkness or words of darkness will have to flee. Amen! 

In Psalm 106:1-5, the psalmist wrote: "Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can declare all His praise?... Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh, visit me with Your salvation; that I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance." 

It means whatever trouble or situation you may be facing at the moment, the Lord can rescue you, the Lord can save you, and the Lord can come to your aid! Not only that! The Lord can set you free! The Lord can open a way for you! The Lord can lead you to your victory and breakthrough!

So beloved of God, rejoice and be glad because of all that we've read today, and begin to walk in the inheritance that the Lord has meant for you! And be rest assured that no matter what situation you may be facing at the moment, even the not-so-good ones, the Lord your God will know how to turn things around for you and work it out for your good. Amen! Somebody shout "Hallelujah!"

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to shine in a time of trouble?

The Lord says,

"Many of My people have forgotten to PRAISE! PRAISE! PRAISE! PRAISE! PRAISE seven times! PRAISE at all times! PRAISE even when you see no reason to PRAISE in the natural realm! For I am strengthening My people through their PRAISES! I will be enthroned in the PRAISES of My people! I am releasing a fresh anointing to My people through your PRAISES! And I am releasing a new sound against the enemy through your PRAISES!"

As you walk into this time and season to 'arise and shine' (Isaiah 60:1-5), and prepare yourself for the greater glory of the Lord in your life, one important key never to be missed out is PRAISE! Yes, PRAISE THE LORD! Don't forget to PRAISE!

In Isaiah 60:1-5, the Lord says, "Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you... Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you."

The word 'light' here is 'owr' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'brightness (in every sense), clear, happiness'; whereas the word 'darkness' here is 'khoshek' in Hebrew, meaning 'gloom, misery, destruction, sorrow, wickedness, trouble'. We can't deny that the world is getting 'darker' and 'darker', i.e. 'khoshek', because the Scripture says so. BUT for you and I, i.e. the people of God, our 'light' is also shining 'brighter' and 'brighter'!

So, PRAISE THE LORD! No, not praising the Lord for the 'darkness' (i.e. gloom, misery, destruction, sorrow, wickedness, trouble) in this world, but praising the Lord in spite of all these 'khoshek'! You may be living in an unprecedented world events, but the good news is you are also living in an unprecedented glory of the Lord being seen upon you! Hallelujah!

Here are the five keys on how to shine in a time of trouble:

1. PRAISE! (Psalm 119:164, Psalm 22:3-4, Psalm 150:6, Isaiah 60:18)
If you have been praising the Lord, keep on praising! You are on the right track! But if you have not been praising, start praising the Lord now! 'Praise' is like the 'switch'. Now, how do you switch on the light when you enter a dark room? You press the switch! In the spiritual realm, this 'switch' is PRAISE! Psalm 119:164 says, 'Seven times a day I praise You'. Number 'seven' here in Hebrew speaks of 'perfection', and therefore it means 'praise the Lord perfectly, i.e. unceasingly, at all times, no matter what!' Isaiah 60:18 says, 'Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise'. See here? You shall call your gates Praise! Why gates? Gates open and close! Gates are where people enter and exit their houses! So, what is your 'gate'? Your mouth! You use your mouth to PRAISE! PRAISE opens the way for breakthrough! PRAISE goes forth first, and everything else (good things) will follow suit!

2. BLOOD OF JESUS! (Exodus 12:5-7, Exodus 12:12-13)
As the Lord prepared His people to be delivered from Pharaoh those days, they were told to put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and on the lintel of their houses, so that when He strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt and execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, 'He will pass over them (His people), and the plague shall not destroy them (His people).' This 'blood of the lamb' here is a 'picture' of 'the blood of Jesus shed for you on the cross'. As you 'arise and shine', fear not, because the blood of Jesus has got you covered!

3. ANOINTING OIL! (Psalm 104:15, Psalm 92:10, Isaiah 10:27)
Every yoke and burden that the enemy tries to put against you will be destroyed because of the anointing oil. That's what Isaiah 10:27 says! Not only that, your strength will be exalted like a wild ox when you are being anointed with fresh oil, i.e. the anointing of the Holy Spirit! That's what Psalm 92:10 says! When you are 'in the oil', you will shine brighter! Don't believe? Pour some olive oil on the palm of your hand, and compare now between the part with oil and the part without oil. Which part is shinier? The part with oil, of course! People of God, you are 'in the oil'!

4. THE WORD OF GOD! (Hebrews 4:12, Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 6:17, Revelation 12:11)
The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. Ephesians 6:17 says so! When you have this 'sword', you can slay the 'giants', whatever these are in the world! No 'darkness' ('khoshek') can defeat you when you stand on the Word and take Him at His Word! Therefore, it is so important to be rooted and built up in the Word! Not just that, abounding in the Word too! Jesus is the Word! (John 1:1-5)

5. SEEK THE LORD! (Psalm 34:10, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7, Isaiah 55:6)
Psalm 34:10 says, 'The young lions may lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing'! In other words, in a time of widespread lack, recession, unemployment, or loss of income, those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing! The Lord will know how to show you a way where there seems to be no way. The Lord will know how to release His wisdom to you on what to do and how to go about, even in such 'khoshek' times; and the world will see it and know that His light has come upon your life. Amen!

For the full preaching video, click to watch

Be set free from the spirit of slumber, and awake to Jesus!

I heard these words from the Lord recently:
"Be set free from whatever that dampens you! Be set free from the spirit of slumber that's been sent to dampen you! This is a time to receive My power, so you shall arise again! This is a time to receive My Spirit, so you shall awake to righteousness again! Be set free, so you shall walk into the victories and open doors I have prepared for you this year!"

'To dampen' is 'to make (something/someone) less strong (or less agile)'. Imagine someone putting an extremely heavy, wet blanket over your head, and you find it hard to move around freely. Now, that's how it feels like to be dampened! And the same can happen in the spiritual realm!

Whether you realize it or not, the enemy has been sending the spirit of slumber to the Church in order to dampen what the Lord has promised to do this year. The enemy knows the Lord is going to cause a great awakening and arising in the Church, and he is trying to dampen it. From history, this would normally happen before the Lord is about to release a great outpouring, breakthrough, or fresh anointing to His Church!

One may ask, "How do I know if I have been 'dampened'?"

- If for no reason, your spirit seems dull, in a daze (stupor), numb, and you are in a state of spiritual lullaby!

- If for no reason, you just can't seem to hear God anymore!

- If for no reason, you suddenly become worldly and loses interest in the things of God (Word and Spirit).

But the good news is you can be set free from whatever that dampens you, and rise up again! Romans 13:11-14 says, 'And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lust'.

Indeed, when the light comes, darkness will have to flee! And who is the 'light' here? In John 8:12, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." Therefore, to 'put on the Lord Jesus Christ' is to 'put on the armor of light'!

The key is to praise! 

One sure-fire way to release this 'light' and triumph over the spirit of slumber is 'to praise'! Isaiah 52:1-2 says, 'Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from the dust, arise... Loose yourself (i.e. be set free) from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!'

What does 'beautiful garments' mean here? 'Garment of praise'! To 'put on your beautiful garments' is 'to put on garment of praise'! Let Scripture interpret Scripture. Isaiah 61:3 says, 'To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...' You see? The 'garment of praise' that overcomes and replaces 'the spirit of heaviness'! What then is 'the spirit of heaviness'? The spirit that dampens!

Ephesians 5:14-19 says, '..."Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." See then that you walk circumspectly (i.e. carefully, vigilantly, with alertness), not as fools but as wise... Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation (a waste); but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord...'

Note: The word 'hymns' here is 'humnos' in Greek, from the word 'hudeo', meaning 'to celebrate (in praises)'. 

Notice when you are awakened in the spirit, you will begin to understand what the will of the Lord is in your life! And the way to go is by praises that come forth from your heart to the Lord!

Praise leads to victories and open doors!

Acts 16:25-27 says, 'But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns (i.e. praises) to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep...'

The fact that 'the prisoners were listening to them' shows that Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises out loud! Faith arises when you begin to hear the Word of God being spoken out loud, even in your praises to the Lord! Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God! (Romans 10:17)

Miracles happen in an atmosphere of faith, and just as happened those days, believe that the very foundations of your 'prison' shall also be shaken!

It was a great victory for Paul and Silas, and not only were they set free, but along the way, the keeper of the prison was 'awakened from sleep' too, and he and his family were eventually saved and baptized! There's a prophetic meaning here. Your praises to the Lord is 'highly-contagious'! Not only shall you see your breakthrough, but along the way, lives around you shall also be 'awakened' from their 'slumber' and be set free from darkness!

Therefore, people of God, begin to praise the Lord without reservation, and begin to praise Him aloud! You can do it corporately (with others in the household of faith), and you can do it privately! Praise Him at all times! (Psalm 34:1-3) Praise Him for how great He is! Praise Him for how majestic He is! Praise Him for putting the sun in its place! Praise Him for causing the earth to keep spinning! Praise Him for His wondrous works of creating all the galaxies! When you praise Him, He is magnified over your situation, and whatever your problem is will in turn become smaller and smaller till it disappears!

This is a time to awake to Jesus, who is your righteousness! (1 Corinthians 15:34) Know that He who is the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption lives in you! (1 Corinthians 1:30) And if He lives in you, of whom shall you fear? This is a time to reclaim back whatever you have lost! Yes, even your spiritual alertness and sharpness! Declare that you are set free today! And declare that you'll begin to walk into greater (and greater) victories and open doors this year! Hallelujah!

Keys to your 'acceleration' in this new season

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let's continue with Zechariah chapter 9.

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

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

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

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

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

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

A time to take back what you have lost!

The Lord spoke these prophetic words as I was ministering last Sunday:
"This is a month to gain back what you have lost, and that includes even your calling in life! Turn your heart back to Me, and you will receive a new zeal and a fresh new perspective in your life! You will see yourself a 'giant', not an 'ant'! You will step on the mountain, and not succumb under the mountain!"

By the way, the word 'perspective' here means 'seeing correctly into the distance', and 'mountain' here speaks of 'challenges or problems in life'.

Then, the Lord spoke further:

"This is a key time to praise! Praise and keep praising this month, and I will show you how to take back what's meant to be yours, the way I have shown Caleb and Joshua in their days!"

The name 'Caleb' ('Kaleb' in Hebrew) means 'force', coming from the word 'keleb' meaning 'to attack (like a dog)', whereas the name 'Joshua' ('Yehowshuwa' in Hebrew) means 'The Lord (YHWH) saved', from the word 'yasha' meaning 'to save, to rescue, to deliver, to set free, to get victory'.

People of God, no matter what 'mountain' you may be facing at the moment, praise and keep praising the Lord! And watch how the Lord will lead you into a time of 'attacking' and 'getting your victory', just as He had shown Caleb and Joshua those days!

Let's look at Caleb now. The Bible says Caleb has a 'different spirit'. In Numbers 14:24, the Lord says, "But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it."

Have you ever wondered what made Caleb different? What's the secret of Caleb that caused him to enter the Promised Land and receive his inheritance?

The answer is found in the very tribe he represented, the tribe of Judah! Numbers 13:1-2 says, 'And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, everyone a leader among them."' 

The name 'Judah' ('Yehuwdah' in Hebrew) here comes from the word 'yadah', meaning 'to praise, to revere/worship with outstretched hands, to shoot forth'. See the word 'leader' in Numbers 13:2? Caleb was a leader of 'yadah'! In other words, Caleb was a leader of 'praise'! When others in Israel 'lifted up their voices in complaints' (Numbers 14:1-4) because of the 'giants' they saw (Numbers 13:27-33), Caleb 'lifted up his voice in praise'! The truth is something is broken in the enemy's camp when you 'shoot forth' your voices in the praises of the Lord!

You see? Caleb saw differently! He had a different perspective from others in Israel! He saw with the eyes of God!

And that's how he (together with Joshua) led a whole new generation of the children of Israel to take back what was meant to be theirs! For the record, the Lord had already shown their forefather Abraham long time ago that the land was meant for them (Genesis 15:18-21). In fact, Abraham dwelt in that land those days, but somehow through the generations after that, the land was lost! Now, they were there to take it back!

Someone confided in me the other day, "Pastor, I am just an 'ant' among the 'big players' in this industry I am in." But it was then that I was prompted by the Spirit to declare these words to him, saying, "When God is in you, you'll be turned from an 'ant' into a 'giant' in this industry!"

People of God, if you think you are an 'ant' (that is easily stepped upon by the enemy), think again! Because when you invite God into your life and your vocation, you too will be turned from an 'ant' into a 'giant'! 

See the word 'ANT' here? Now see the word 'GIANT'! What's the difference here? The alphabets 'G' and 'I'! Let's play some acronyms here. If 'G' represents 'God', and 'I' represents 'in', there you have it! When GOD is IN you, you'll be turned into a 'GIANT' in the spiritual realm! It will be reflected in the physical realm! And just like Caleb and Joshua, nothing's going to stop you from taking possession of the 'land' that God had promised you!

The 'land' here speaks of 'His promises and His vision' for your life! In other words, what He has spoken to you!

Let's go to Numbers 14:6-9 now. Here, Caleb and Joshua spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them."

Numbers 14:10 then says, 'And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel'.

The glory of the Lord appeared then and there as a 'sign' and confirmation (that the Lord is with Caleb and Joshua), and by the Lord's divine intervention, they were prevented from being stoned! 

And you know what this means? When you follow the Lord and walk according to His promises for you, He will also back you up!

Caleb and Joshua are 'pictures' of the apostolic people today, raised up by the Lord in this end time to do great exploits and to take back what was lost!

The word 'apostle' by the way comes from the Greek word 'apostello', meaning 'to set apart, to send out, to send forth, to set at liberty'. And that was exactly what Caleb and Joshua were called for those days! They were to lead a new generation of God's people into the land flowing with milk and honey! They were to set at liberty the old mindset that had bound many in their generation!

Someone asked, "Where are we now in the time-table of God?"

The answer is obvious. We are living in an apostolic era, 'where many run (go) to and fro, and knowledge shall increase' (see Daniel's end time prophecy in Daniel 12:1-4). People are traveling and moving around nowadays like never before in history, and transportation industry (particularly aviation industry) is definitely at its prime time.

God's people are being sent forth (out of their comfort zones) like never before, and this sending forth is not just about sending for missions (or to a country far away), but also a sending forth into the marketplaces, and into every industry (and every facet/aspect of society).

Indeed, God is sending many in this end time!

Let me clarify the difference between 'apostle' and 'apostolic' here. Some are called to be 'apostles' (see Ephesians 4:11-13), but ALL in the Body of Christ today are called to be 'apostolic'. Simply because the very word 'apostolic' ('apostolos' in Greek) means 'he that is sent, he that is commissioned'.

People of God, there is a place for each of you in this end time. No one is left out. Jesus Himself spoke, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

May the Lord cause you to 'see' His calling in your life with a new zeal and a fresh new perspective, and may you also be counted as the 'Calebs' and 'Joshuas' of today. Amen!

This is a key time to praise!

Psalm 22:3 (NKJV): But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.

The word 'praises' here in Hebrew is 'tehillah', which means 'laudation (or giving high praise) to God', from the word 'haw-lal' meaning ‘to clear the way, to shine (in the midst of darkness), to boast, to make a show, to celebrate (with a loud voice)’. 

There are other Hebrew words for ‘praise’, but we shall concentrate on this word ‘haw-lal’ today. This word 'haw-lal' is also where the word Hallelujah (meaning 'Praise the Lord') comes from.

Some might say, "Looking at my situation now, I have no reason to praise God." But the truth is you have all the more reason to praise God! From the Scriptures, you can see the likes of David and Jehoshaphat praising the Lord even when they were in 'difficult' and 'troubled' times! 

In good times, you praise, and of course in breakthrough times, you praise! But how about in troubled times? You praise also! In fact, keep praising till you see your breakthrough comes! Now that's exactly what David did! In Psalm 34:1-4, he wrote, 'I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise ('tehillah') shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears'.

"You mean I should praise God for the problem I am facing now?" No, I'm not saying you are to praise God for the problem. But I'm saying you praise God in spite of the problem you are facing now.

Let's go back to Psalm 22 where we started. I want you to see something here. I want you to see how 'praises' makes all the difference!

In Psalm 22:1-5, David wrote, 

'My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? Oh my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent.

But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.

Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.'

Before David mentioned 'praises' here, he wrote 'I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear'. But after he had mentioned 'praises', he wrote 'They cried to You, and were delivered'! One was 'unanswered', and the other was 'answered'! And look now what separates between these two? Praises!

Last Sunday, I heard and released these words to the congregation:

"This is a key time to praise! Praise, My people, praise! Do not give up praising! Keep praising in spite of your problems! Keep praising even in the midst of your troubles! Keep praising, and you will begin to see your breakthroughs!"

As you praise ('tehillah'), know that the Lord is enthroned! To put it simply, He is now made king! And as the king (for He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords), He now takes over, takes the lead, and takes full responsibility over that particular situation (or circumstance) of yours! And that's exactly what happened when Jehoshaphat (and the people of Judah) began to praise! 2 Chronicles 20:22-23 says, 'Now when they began to sing and to praise ('tehillah'), the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another'.

Why are 'praises' so important in a time of trouble or uncertainty? 

You can find the answer by studying the Hebrew letters for this same word ‘haw-lal’, i.e. 

"Hey-Lamed-Lamed".

'Hey' (the fifth letter in Hebrew alephbet chart) symbolizes 'man with raised arms', which speaks of 'Jesus, and all that He has done for you on the cross', whereas

'Lamed' (the twelfth letter in Hebrew alephbet chart) symbolizes 'the shepherd's rod and staff', which speaks of 'the Shepherd’s authority'.

The interpretation: When you 'praise', Jesus (your Shepherd) takes over your situation with His rod and staff!

Interestingly, Psalm 22 (about ‘the praises of the Lord’ in the midst of trouble and suffering) leads to Psalm 23 (about the Shepherd taking over)!

Your 'praises' activates the Shepherd to take over!

In Psalm 23:1-4, David wrote,

'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack). He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me'.

See 'He makes', 'He leads', 'He restores', and then 'He leads' here? All these are verbs, indicating 'actions' of the Shepherd!

By the way, here's the difference between a 'rod' and a 'staff':

A 'rod' is used by the shepherd to drive away the enemy. For example, the shepherd chases a wolf away with a good, hard whack. On the other hand, a 'staff' is used by the shepherd to guide the sheep in the right paths, to direct (or lead) the sheep from straying away, or to rescue the sheep when they fall into cracks (or crevices).

So, people of God, PRAISE! Praise the Lord over and above that particular situation of yours now, be it a health problem or a financial challenge, or any other situation you may be facing right now. And you'll be sure that your Shepherd will come and take over with His rod and His staff - the 'rod' to chase away the works of the enemy, and the 'staff' to guide, direct (or lead) and rescue you!

When you praise, your 'dead-end' shall be turned into a 'new road'! 

Just the other day, I saw a vision while praying for somebody. I saw the person in a car that had reached a 'dead-end', and the place was surrounded by thick, dark jungle, with no further road in sight. Then I heard the Lord say, "Switch on the head lights!" The lights of the car then beamed through the 'dead-end', miraculously clearing the 'dead-end' and opening up a 'new road'. A road not made by man, but by the works of the Lord! Now, that’s the power of ‘praise’! Remember ‘haw-lal’ means 'to clear the way, to shine (in the midst of darkness)'?

So, go ahead, 'switch on your head lights!' Praise Him, and keep praising Him continually! And you too shall see your 'dead-end' be turned into a 'new road'. Hallelujah!

Let the high praises of God be in your mouth!

Psalm 149:5-6 (NKJV): Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.

The words 'high praises' here is 'tehillah' in Hebrew, which literally means 'laudation', from the word 'haw-lal', which means 'to shine, to boast, to celebrate, to make clear the way'. I like the expression 'to make clear the way' here.

Look now what happens when you let the 'high praises' of the Lord be in your mouth. Psalm 149:7-9 has these amazing answers, '... to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgement - this honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!'

See 'this honor have all His saints' here? As a believer, you too are called His saints, brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ, and members together in the household of God! (Ephesians 2:13, Ephesians 2:19)

Indeed, whatever (difficult) situation or circumstance you may be facing at the moment, your 'high praises' of the Lord makes clear the way for you! Hallelujah!

In cross-reference, let's look now at 2 Chronicles 20:22, and in the days of Jehoshaphat. This verse says, 'Now when they (Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah) began to sing and to praise (same word 'tehillah'), the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated'.

What happened next was again, amazing! 2 Chronicles 20:23 says, 'For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another'.

In other words, the Lord 'executed vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples (who came against God's people)'. And the enemies got so confused they 'self-destruct' among themselves!

That, my friend, is the power of praise!

2 Chronicles 20:24-25 then says, 'So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their (enemies') dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much'.

Even though in the New Covenant, we are not fighting flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), know that you too are the 'Jehoshaphats' of today! By the way, the name 'Jehoshaphat' comes from two words in Hebrew, 'Yehow' which is 'Yehovah, the self-existent and eternal God', and 'Shaphat' which means 'to execute judgement, to govern, to rule'. As you keep on praising Him, He is the One who will execute judgement on every work of darkness that comes against you!

And of course you belong to the tribe of the Lion of Judah! Jesus is the Lion of Judah (see Revelation 5:5). The word 'Judah' here is 'Yehuwdah' in Hebrew, from the root word 'yadah', which means 'to praise, or to shoot out (in celebration)'. Indeed, you belong to a people who shall continuously praise Him till the very end, and till eternity!

Recently, I released these words to a congregation I was preaching to:
"A time to praise! A time to praise! This is not a time to give up praising Him! This is a time to rise above and over every situation or circumstance of yours, and keep on praising Him!"

Victory is waiting for those who keep on praising the Lord! Amen!

Let's look at another example of how 'high praises' makes clear the way for God's people, and this time, it's Paul and Silas. Acts 16:22-24 says, 'Then the multitude rose up together against them (Paul and Silas); and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks'.

And look now at Paul and Silas' response. Acts 16:25 says, 'But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them'. These words 'singing hymns to God' are translated in King James Version as 'sang praises unto God'. The word 'praise' here is 'arete' in Greek, which means 'to speak of (His) excellence, (His) greatness, (His) virtue, (His) power'.

When the multitude rose up against them, they did not allow themselves to succumb under the difficult situation or circumstance they were facing. Instead, they rose above and over! They looked away from their own problems, and began speaking of God's excellence and greatness - from being occupied with 'selves' to being occupied with God's excellence and greatness!

When God 'becomes BIG' (i.e. when God is magnified in your life), your problem will 'become small'!

You know what? Acts 16:26 then says, 'Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed'. And the rest is history. For the record, not only their 'arete' led to the prison doors being opened, history has shown that also marked the beginning of the gospel doors being opened to the whole wide continent of Europe! (see Acts 17:1, Acts 17:10, Acts 17:16, Acts 18:1)

Isaiah 61:1-3 says, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified.'

Interestingly, the word 'garment' here comes from the Hebrew word 'ateh', meaning 'to array oneself, to decorate oneself'.

Therefore, people of God, no matter what situation or circumstance you may be facing at the moment, like Jehoshaphat (and the people of Judah), and like Paul (and Silas), may you also continue to put on the garment of praise, 'arraying yourself' with the praises of the Lord, and keep on speaking of His excellence and greatness - till you see your breakthrough, and till you see the 'doors' are being opened for you too. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Your praise releases authority and open door!

Psalm 34:1-2a (NKJV): I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord...

This word 'praise' in Hebrew is 'tehillah', from the word 'haw-lal', which means 'to be loud and clear, to shine, to celebrate, to boast about God (His greatness), to make His name great (high above all else)'.

Let's go to the Hebrew alphabets ('alefbet') for this word 'haw-lal' now:
The consonants are 'h-l-l' (Hey-Lamed-Lamed).
'Hey' speaks of God's grace (i.e. supply, ability), blessing, and anointing;
and 'Lamed' is a 'picture' of a 'shepherd's staff, or rod', and is a sign of 'authority'. 'Lamed' can also mean 'to point forward, or to move forward with the authority of God'.

People of God, as you praise ('tehillah') the Lord, He will also supply you with the authority to point forward, or to move forward! Praise releases authority! Just as Moses raised his rod and the Red Sea miraculously opened, your praises will also release authority in the spiritual realm that causes breakthroughs and doors to be opened!

So, what is praise? Simply put it, to make His name great in your life! Yes, and high above all else, and over every situation in your life. 'He is great and greatly to be praised...' (Psalm 96:4).

The Bible also says 'God is enthroned in the praises ('tehillah') of Israel' (Psalm 22:3). In other words, He becomes King (in and over your life) when you praise Him! The enemy (the forces of darkness) may be trying to ‘spew poison’ against you, and will also do anything to try to dominate you, but God already has an answer for you this day! The answer is in your praises! Begin praising the Lord, and keep on praising Him! Because when you praise, He, the Lion of Judah is enthroned. 'Lion' speaks of 'authority and dominion'. The real authority and dominion in the spiritual realm is in the Lion of Judah (the king of your praises), and you are in Him! All the words (and works) of the enemy will therefore have to leave when you praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

No wonder the psalmist wrote, 'Seven times a day I praise ('haw-lal') You' (Psalm 119:164). 'Seven times' here is a 'picture' of 'perfection, or continuity'. So, people of God, let the praises of the Lord continually be in your mouth. Amen!

Let's look at the life of David now. He lived to sing praises unto the Lord! You see, like so many other people, David too experienced a 'dead-end' at one time! (see 1 Samuel 21:10-15) He was fleeing from King Saul, but ended up in King Achish's (the king of Gath's) path, who was also hunting for him! By the way, Goliath (whom David slain not too long ago) was this king's blue-eyed boy! So, as you can see, David was a marked man!

And how did David respond in such a 'dead-end' (or 'checkmate') situation? Okay, out of fear, he pretended to be mad! But what else did he do? Psalm 34:1-2 says, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord..." David began praising ('tehillah') the Lord! And you know what? God somehow opened a door of escape for him to the cave of Adullam! Not only that, God's authority was also with him, as he then raised up a new army of warriors from among those who were in distress, in debt, and discontented (1 Samuel 22:1-2). Praise the Lord!

So, people of God, for you too, how do you respond when you find yourself in a 'dead-end' road (or 'checkmate' situation)? You praise the Lord! What do you do 'when the going gets tough' in life? You praise the Lord! And what do you do if you find yourself stagnated and unable to move forward in life? You praise the Lord too! Let the praises of the Lord be released into the air loud and clear, in spite of what happens!

Recently, I heard these words from the Lord during a time of praise and worship:
"This whole month, as you praise, you're going to see things moving into order for your life. You're also going to see authority and doors being opened for you supernaturally. So, keep praising, no matter what. Never quit praising. Your praises unto Me will open a supply of My direction, revelation, and authority. Your praises will be the key to a year of authority and open door, and for heavenly wisdom to be released on you even as you move forward into the next stage of your life!"

Another Hebrew word for 'praise' is found in 2 Chronicles 20:21. It says, 'And when Jehoshaphat had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise ('ya-dah') the Lord, for His mercy endures forever."'

This word 'ya-dah' means 'to shoot up, to lift up hands and revere Him, or to throw oneself before Him'. By the way, this word 'ya-dah' is also where the word 'Judah' comes from.

Let's go to the Hebrew alphabets (alefbet) for this word 'ya-dah' now:
The consonants are 'y-d-h' (Yud-Dalet-Hey).
'Yud' is a 'picture' of 'hand';
'Dalet' is a picture' of 'door';
and of course, 'Hey' speaks of God's grace (i.e. supply, ability), blessing, and anointing.

Therefore, 'ya-dah' (Yud-Dalet-Hey) means 'the hand of God that opens the door to grace (i.e. supply, ability), blessing, and anointing for your life'. And that's exactly what happened to Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah those days! (see 2 Chronicles 20:1-30) When all of Judah were surrounded by a great multitude to come and battle against them, Jehoshaphat was instructed by the Lord to send out the singers and musicians to the front-line! (2 Chronicles 20:21) And when they began to sing praises, the Lord supernaturally set ambushes against all their enemies who got so confused they 'self-destruct' one another! (2 Chronicles 20:22-23) See His authority over the enemies at work here? Not just that, His hand then also opened the door for them to take away the spoils (valuables and precious jewelry) of the enemies. In short, He opened the door of blessing ('berachah') for them as well. Praise the Lord!

Let's look at another example now, and this time in the New Testament. When Paul and Silas were put into a prison at Philippi, instead of feeling sorry or angry, they began singing praises unto God! (see Acts 16:25 KJV). I like the word 'praise' here in Greek. It is pronounced as 'arete', which means 'to speak excellence (of God), to declare bravely (like a man), or to roar with a loud voice'. God then caused an earthquake, and all the doors of the prison were opened (Acts 16:26). The keeper of the prison, upon seeing this, and supposing all the prisoners had fled, tried to kill himself, but Paul and Silas stopped him. Falling down and trembling before them, he then asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." (see Acts 16:27-31) He and his whole family were then baptized on that same night! (Acts 16:33) Well, again, that's God's authority at work! Praise the Lord!

In conclusion, no matter how big your challenges may be at the moment, take heart, because there's an answer! Begin praising the Lord and keep on praising like David, Jehoshaphat, or Paul and Silas did. He is still the same mighty God, the Lion of Judah, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). And the praises that come forth from your mouth will also release His authority over that very situation of yours, and open the door of His supply, ability, blessing, and anointing for you, just as He did for His people those days. Amen!

Enforcing your victory through vehement praises!

Matthew 11:12 (NKJV): And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

In New International Version, Matthew 11:12 puts it this way: From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

Recently, the Lord spoke to me, "Tell the people to 'praise vehemently'!" Yes, 'praise vehemently'! That's how you become 'violent' in the spiritual realm! That's how you are 'forcefully advancing'! Your vehement praises overcome every obstacle! Now, I'm not telling you to be violent in the flesh. We are not fighting flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). So, how do you become 'violent' in the spirit? Or in other words, how do you 'forcefully advance' in the spirit? The answer is in your praises! To praise Him is to declare His name into the spiritual realm. Praise the Lord! He is your everything! He is your El Elyon (The Most High God), He is your El Shaddai (God Almighty, God all-sufficient), He is your YHWH Nissi (The Lord your banner), He is your YHWH Rapha (The Lord that heals), He is your YHWH Jireh (The Lord provides), and the list goes on!

To praise Him is therefore to proclaim His name, His power, His redemption, and His blessings into every situation of yours! By praising Him, you are actually 'bringing Him down to your atmosphere', and as He is enthroned in your praises (Psalm 22:3), you are allowing Him to become King over your every situation (instead of you trying to be 'in charge' over your current situation). By praising Him, you also can't help but to give thanks, because you are declaring how great and how good He is to you!

Note: Of course, your praises begin from your heart, not just an outward show.

People of God, we are living in violent times. No one can deny this. Our health gets 'violated'. Our providence gets 'violated'. At other times, even our inheritance in Him gets 'violated'! This is none other but the work of the 'enemy'. He tries hard to 'violate' you, i.e. to steal, kill, and destroy all the good things God has given you (or meant for you). Some of you may even have reached the boiling point of saying, "Enough is enough of me (or family) getting violated!"

But praise God! God has His 'antidote' for you! Your 'antidote' against the works of the 'enemy' is praise (& keep praising Him), and yes, violently! Let's 'take the bull by the horns'! Psalm 149:6 says, 'Let the high praises ('tehillah') of God be in your mouth, and a two-edged sword (symbolizing the 'Word of God') in your hand'. You destroy the enemy's works (& plans) by your praises and the Word being proclaimed (& released)!

The Oxford Dictionary says 'to be vehement' means 'being passionate, violent, forceful, showing (or caused by) strong feeling, having intense emotion, or great intensity'. That's what your praises should be! Praise and keep praising! It's like keep knocking the door! It's like using the hammer to hit (& keep hitting) the wall, and finally the wall crumbles! That's vehement praise! Keep praising until you see His glory and power! It means 'until you see a breakthrough right before your eyes'! That's violent praise! The Lord is calling His triumphant people for such!

By the way, the word 'violent' in Matthew 11:12 (NKJV) is 'seize, forcefulness' in Greek. So, despite or in spite of, say, whatever health condition you are facing at the moment, keep praising the Lord! You may not see a complete manifestation of your healing yet, but just keep praising! Even if in anytime you don't feel like praising, just open your mouth and praise, by faith! And shout aloud! Sing your praises out loud! Get hold of a good praise cd if you need to! Praise until the spiritual atmosphere changes! Praise until you know you are above (rise above), and not under (a circumstance)! And there, you have your victory! And that's how you praise your way to your breakthrough! Victory has already been won for you at the cross! But you need to 'enforce' it! 'To enforce' is 'to allow it to happen, or to cause it to happen'. You need to 'declare' it! You need to 'sign' your land title deed! Praise is not a self-effort thing of 'trying to earn your victory'. No! As a believer in the New Covenant, you praise because you know your victory has already been won at the cross! In other words, in the spiritual realm, your breakthrough and victory has already happened! Now, 'enforce' it! Your praises enforce your victory! Your praises declare your victory! It's like when someone gives you a gift (say, a land title), it's already given to you (and meant for you). But unless and until you 'sign' the land title deed (i.e. in agreement), you'll still not have it physically! So now, 'enforce' it! 'Sign' the deed! 'To sign the deed' here is 'to praise', and you'll just be one step away from your victory and breakthrough! Hallelujah! This is the power of praise! Glory be to God!

People of God, this is your time to advance! This is your time to walk into your full inheritance! Enough is enough of the devil's violation! Do you want to see yourself advancing from where you are now? Or do you want to see a breakthrough after being stagnant for so long? If you've done all that you've been taught, say, taken holy communion, beheld Jesus and His finished work, etc, then it's time to 'praise' now! Your praises is like your last piece of the 'jigsaw puzzle'. Your 'praises' will break down the 'wall' that has been hindering you all these while. That's when your breakthrough comes! Your 'praises' will break the 'chains' that has been stifling you all these while! That's also when your breakthrough comes! People of God, there's a clarion call to 'praise' right now!

Look now at Joshua 6:5 and Joshua 6:20. Here's an example of 'the violent takes it by force'. As Joshua led the people to 'praise vehemently', and as they gave a 'great shout' ('teruwah' in Hebrew, which means 'jubilation, shout of praise and celebration, acclamation of joy'), the wall of Jericho fell down flat, and the people of God 'utterly destroyed' all that was in the city with the edge of the sword (a 'picture' of the Word of God). See? Praises and proclaiming the Word!

In New Testament, look now at Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25-26. At midnight (a 'picture' of 'being in the darkest hour'), chained and locked in the prison, and as they prayed and sang praises unto God (see King James Version), God sent an earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, and that's how all the prison doors were opened, and everyone's chains loosed! You see, it didn't matter to Paul and Silas even if the other prisoners get offended by their loud voices of praise in the middle of the night! They continued to praise vehemently! They did not exactly know what to expect, but they just kept praising! In other words, they kept praising unashamedly! Triumphant people, don't be ashamed of your violent praises to Him! And that's when your breakthrough comes, just as it was for Paul and Silas.

Praises lead to your 'wall' crumbling down! Praises lead to your 'chains' breaking off and your 'doors' being opened! Praises lead to 'the captives being set free'! After an intense time of 'violent praise', there'll surely be peace and rest following suit. Wow! Let me back this up in the Bible. Not long after Matthew 11:12 (i.e. 'the violent take it by force') is Matthew 11:28 (when Jesus said, "I will give you rest"). By the way, the word 'rest' here is translated as 'Sabbath'. And after that, Matthew 12 continues with Jesus being the Lord of Sabbath. Do you see it? Say, for example, upon being awaken by a terrible (or scary) nightmare in the middle of the night, what would you do? Allow the spirit of fear to envelope you? No! Begin praying in tongues and begin praising the Lord violently! And as you praise, you can't help but also release the Word of God into the spiritual realm! And that's how you'll receive your peace and rest soon after.

You see, there's a difference between 'being passive' (i.e. being laid back, even escapism) and 'being restful' in the victory that the Lord has won for you. Choose to praise! Choose God's way of victory! And that's how you'll be triumphant in Christ, every day and in every area of your life. Amen!

The power of praise!

Psalm 119:164a: Seven times a day I praise You (YHWH).

Number ‘seven’ here in Hebrew means ‘perfect’. So, Psalm 119:164a actually means ‘praising the Lord perfectly, without limit, and infinitely’. In other words, ‘to praise Him as often as you can, without putting a limit’! Just as in Matthew 18:21-22, when Jesus said to forgive ‘seventy times seven’ in the parable of the unforgiving servant, he didn’t mean to say ‘forgive 490 times’. How about the 491^st time? What Jesus actually meant was to ‘forgive perfectly, infinitely, without putting a limit’, ie ‘as often as when there’s a need to forgive’.

Why do we praise the Lord? Psalm 145:3 says ‘Great is the Lord (YHWH), and He is greatly to be praised. His greatness is unsearchable (ie ‘beyond our understanding)’. In New International Version, it reads ‘His greatness no one can fathom (no one can measure)’. He, YHWH, is great above all else, and infinitely much greater than all of the sun, stars & moon, even the galaxies combined! This is our great God, the one and only God, YHWH whom only we praise & worship!

So, people of God, when you have nothing else (or nothing better) to say or do, or don’t know what to say or do, just praise the Lord!

Psalm 22:3 says ‘God is enthroned in the praises of Israel’. The word ‘praises’ here in Hebrew is ‘tehillah’, which actually means ‘high praise, laudation’. This word ‘tehillah’ comes from the word ‘hawlal’ which simply means ‘praise’. Note that ‘Hallelujah’ means ‘praise the Lord (‘Yah’ here is the name of God, YHWH)’. The word ‘enthroned’ in Psalm 22:3 is also translated as ‘inhabitest’ in King James Version. It is ‘yashab’ in Hebrew, which means ‘to dwell, settle, abide, sit down (seated), remain’. As a believer, you are the ‘spiritual Israel’, the ‘temple of the Holy Spirit’ where God dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16). 

So, when  you ‘tehillah’, you are ‘putting (enthroning) Him’ as King, Sovereign, Ruler in your life, over your home, in your situation, or over your organization, and even your community or nation! That's what the Word of God says! And when He is ‘enthroned’ in your praises (‘tehillah’), He takes full control (takes on Rulership) over whatever situation you may be in! He ‘inhabits’ the praises of His people (& you as believer are His people)! And when He’s made ‘King’ over your situation, all’s well indeed! After all, He is great, and His greatness no one can fathom! And if He is for you (with you), who can be against you? (Romans 8:31).

Beloved, my prayer is may ‘tehillah’ never depart from your mouth day and night! Psalm 149:6 says ‘let high praises (tehillah) of God be in His people’s mouth’! Amen! So, the next time you hear something ‘disturbing’, or hear of a ‘discouraging’ news, or anything that may have ‘lowered your countenance’, anxious not! God is still in control! He is still the King, no matter what! Look at what the Word of God says, and not what people say, or what the newspapers say! Just start praising the Lord! Just start singing praises to Him (in spite of...)! Let YHWH be enthroned (over whatever situation you are in), and praise (‘tehillah’) your way to your victory & breakthrough!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150:1: Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150:6 says, ‘let everything that has breath praise the Lord’. This verse is the conclusion of the whole book of Psalm. And the word ‘breath’ here is ‘nshammah’ in Hebrew, which includes all living things that have breath, including animals, not just we humans!

Now, what does the word ‘psalm’ mean? In Hebrew, this word is ‘mizmowr’, which means ‘give praise, to make music, or to celebrate in songs and music’. That’s what the book of Psalm is about!

The word ‘praise’ here in Hebrew is ‘hawlal’, which means ‘to shine, to make a show, to boast (about Him), to celebrate, or to give glory (to Him)’.

The Lord in Hebrew is ‘YHWH’, the utmost, holy name of God Almighty, the possessor of heaven and earth (Genesis 14:19), the ‘I Am Who I Am’ (Exodus 3:14), the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, the covenant God of Israel. That’s what ‘Hallelu Yah’ means - ‘praise the Lord (YHWH)’! ‘Yah’ is the short form of the name of the Lord (YHWH).

When you praise the Lord, you are actually 'shining' in (& for) the Lord! That's what 'hawlal' means! Your gloominess will definitely be lifted away, and be replaced with the shining light of the Lord! Have you seen flowers respond and blossom when the sun rises in the morning? That’s exactly how you’d be when you praise YHWH (shine in Him, and shine for Him)!

So, whatever your circumstance may be at the moment, begin praising Him now! Read how the psalmist praise YHWH in Psalm 148, Psalm 149, and Psalm 150. Every gloom that’s in you (or surrounding you) will turn to shine! My friend, this is the power of praise! So the next time you are in the midst of ‘gloominess’, or the atmosphere around you seems ‘gloomy’ or ‘oppressive’, begin to ‘Hallelujah’! Begin to sing praises to the Lord! The psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:164 to ‘praise Him seven times a day’! Now, ‘seven’ is the ‘perfect’ number in Jewish numeric. It simply means ‘let the praises of the Lord fill (saturate) you, and shine out from you throughout the day’! You’ll be glad you did, because every ‘gloominess’ will simply have to give way as the ‘light’ shines forth from you (every time you praise)! So if you have nothing better to say, why not start ‘praising the Lord’ now?