Your burden has been lifted!

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) says, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." 

In Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV), Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." 

In the context of these verses here, 'yoke' speaks of 'heaviness and burdens that exhaust you'. A yoke is a wooden equipment placed over the shoulders of oxen to pull a heavy load or to do labor work (for example, plowing the grounds). 

So, when Jesus says, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light", He is contrasting your heaviness with His rest. The word 'easy' in 'My yoke is easy' here is 'chrestos' in Greek. It means 'gentle, kind, gracious'. So, exchange your heaviness and burden with His gentleness. 

In farming, a younger ox is often yoked beside an older master ox. The older ox would carry much of the weight. This speaks of you walking with Jesus your Master, relying on Him and not relying on your own striving to carry all your burdens in life. 

So beloved, whatever your struggle may be at the moment, let Him carry it for you. You don't have to carry it all. You will never have to walk alone, because He is walking beside you. Do not be afraid. 

Jesus also says in John 14:27 (NKJV), "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 

Humans, imperfect as they are, may sometimes cause hurt to you or disappoint you. They may be leaders. They may be friends. They may be even family members. Maybe no one seems to understand you. But today Jesus wants you to know that He understands. He sees it all. He knows what you are going through. So, do not be afraid or be anxious. 

You can rest in His love and embrace, knowing that He will bring you through. He knows how to take over. Take heart. Whatever your situation may be, there's nothing that God cannot do for you. Let Him carry it. 

He understands that there are times you are so tired of it all. But no matter what, never let anyone or anything steal your peace. One thing for sure, He will never turn you away. So, surrender your future to the Lord. Surrender your career to the Lord. Surrender your family's situation to the Lord. Surrender all your struggles to the Lord. And yes, that includes your worries, your anxieties, your heaviness, your burdens, or whatever difficult situation you may be facing at the moment. You will find rest in His presence. 

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You have the power inside of you!

The Lord says: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Time to walk free!

The Lord says: 

"Your chains are broken! Time to walk free now! For My hand has set you free! Free from suppression. Free from oppression. Free from depression. Free to be who I want you to be. Free to walk in My purposes and plans for your life in this time and season." 

Yes indeed, it's time for you to be set free and to walk free! 

Let's look at Peter and how God set him free. 

Acts 12:1-3 (NKJV) says, 'Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church... And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter...' 

Acts 12:4-5 (NKJV) says, 'So when Herod had arrested Peter, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.' 

Acts 12:6-7 (NKJV) says, 'And when Herod was about to bring Peter out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers, and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone into the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.' 

The angel then said to Peter, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals". So Peter did. The angel also said to Peter, "Put on your garment and follow me." So Peter went out and followed the angel. 

You see, Peter didn't know what was done by the angel was real. Peter thought he was seeing a vision. Because this seemed surreal to him. It's like a dream. But mind you, it's real. Nothing is impossible to God! 

Beloved of God, God can do the same for you too, whatever your predicament may be at the moment. Just don't limit how God's going to do it.  

Let's get back to Peter now. Acts 12:10 (NKJV) says, 'When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord...' Hallelujah! Somehow the gate flung open! Of course, nothing is too hard for God. And thanks to the constant prayer of the people who prayed for Peter as well.

You see, when a 'door' is shut and locked on you, what do you do? You pray! Pray like the people prayed those days. Because when you pray, even though the door is shut by men, God's heaven's door will be opened! And when heaven's door is open, His light will shine into your situation! 

The words 'constant prayer' in Acts 12:5 is very interesting. The word 'constant' here is 'ektenos' in Greek. It can mean 'without ceasing'. It can also mean 'earnest'. In other words, 'sincere, intense, from the heart'. So, it's not just a 'lip service'. It's not just 'on the surface' kind of prayer. It's not 'just for show' kind of prayer. 

This word 'ektenos' is related to the word 'ektenes'. What is 'ektenes' in Greek? It literally means 'stretching out a muscle to its limits'. It can also be defined as 'stretching out all you can for something'. So, when you pray, you stretch out all you can to the Lord. Amen! 

Let's move on to Acts 12:11. When Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod." And you know what? Peter then went to see the people who were praying for him. He met the people there. Of course, all these people were astonished when they saw him. They couldn't believe their eyes. But after Peter told them what happened and how he was set free from the prison, they believed.

Beloved of God, just as for Peter, the Lord knows how to turn things around for you too. So, fear not! Keep walking in obedience to the Lord. Keep living a life of worshiping the Lord. Keep drawing near to the Lord. 

Even though Acts 12 here is talking about Peter's unique situation, this can apply in whatever situation you may be facing at the moment. Your God is still the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still your miracle-working God. He can and He will do a miracle for you too! Yes, even in ways you've never imagined possible. Amen!

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Receive the key to "pray heaven down"!

In the midst of what seems to be "hell on earth" in many places nowadays, the Lord has a good news for you. He has given you the power to "pray heaven down"! 

Yes, "pray heaven down" upon your life, your career, your business, your health, your household, or in any area of your life! Never underestimate the power of your prayer. Because God can do mighty things and great miracles through you!

Let's go to the Scripture now. James 5:16-18 says, '...The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.' 

Yes, receive the anointing like that of Elijah's! Receive this anointing for such a time as this! Whatever you pray, as long as you pray according to His will and His leading, it shall come to pass, and you shall see it happening! 

What is the key to receive this anointing? 

Matthew 16:13-16 says, 'When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."' 

Matthew 16:17 says, 'Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."' 

Here, you see that Simon Peter had the revelation of who Jesus is, that He is not like any prophet or teacher that have walked on this earth. He is more than that! He is the Son of the living God! He is God became flesh! 

In Matthew 16:19, Jesus said further, "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 

What does this Scripture verse mean? 

Whatever you 'lock', it shall be 'locked'! Whatever you 'unlock', it shall be 'unlocked'! Whatever you 'stop', it shall be 'stopped'! Whatever you 'release', it shall be 'released'! 

So, people of God, if you declare a stop to a certain problem, it shall be stopped in the spirit, and in turn, be reflected in the physical realm on earth! 

That's how you can "pray heaven down"! 

It means you pray on earth in His name, and it happens in the spiritual realm, and in turn, it will be seen and reflected in the physical realm! In other words, heaven comes down! And the good news is this can happen in any area of your life! 

You see, that's how powerful you are, if you have the revelation of who Jesus is in your life! He is not just a man, or a human prophet, or a human teacher. But He is God who came on earth in the flesh! He is the Son of the living God! Without Him, nothing was made that was made! 

John 1:1-4 says, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.' 

John 1:12-14 says, 'But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.' 

As you declare that He is the Son of the living God, He is the Word of God became flesh, He came and dwelt among us, and we behold His glory, you know what? This glory falls on us! This glory comes with it the anointing and the power of His Spirit! And as you receive Him by faith, He has given you this right to become His children. That's how you're entering into the realm of the supernatural! And that's when whatever you bind on earth, it shall be bound! And whatever you release on earth, it shall be released! 

So, as you declare the release of "heaven on earth", bringing hope in this hopeless world, and bringing truth to this world full of lies, you are "praying heaven down"! You are praying God's kingdom come, and God's will be done! 

In addition to your own life and your own situation, on the macro level, pray for God's kingdom come, and God's will be done even upon the nation (or the nations) that God has put in your heart to pray for. Yes, pray for the Lord to intervene and prevent certain evil from happening to the nation (or the nations) that you are praying for. 

If you know that the Lord has put in your heart to pray for a certain nation in this world, just obey Him. Pray according to what He has put in your heart to pray. There is a very intense spiritual battle for the nations in the world right now. This is a crucial time to pray. This is a crucial time to receive the anointing and the power to pray and to declare God's words into the spiritual realm. As you declare into the spiritual realm, it shall be reflected in the physical realm. It shall come to pass. You shall see this happening. Because you are praying in the name of Jesus, the mighty name of Jesus, the Son of the living God, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords! 

Ezekiel 22:30 says, 'So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land...' 

What's the background of this Bible verse? At that time, there was no one willing to 'stand in the gap'. But may you be one of those who would 'stand in the gap'! 

How do you 'stand in the gap'? You 'stand in the gap' through your prayers! In other words, you can "pray heaven down" or pray the perfect will of God upon the nation (or the nations) that God has put in your heart to pray for. Pray for His will be done. Pray for His light to shine. Pray for His glory to fall. When light comes, darkness has to flee! You can declare all this in the spirit! 

What other areas can you also pray for the nation (or the nations)? Pray for the right people to be raised up by the Lord for such a time as this! Pray for the "Samuels" of today. Pray for the "Esthers" of today. Pray for the "Davids" of today. Amen! 

Apostle Paul wrote this in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, 'Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.'

The word 'intercessions' here is 'enteuxis' in Greek, from the word 'entugchano'. This word can mean 'to visit, to fall upon, to effect upon, to make it happen'. 

So, as you do your part through your prayers, God is going to visit! God is going to effect His power upon! God is going to make it happen! His kingdom come, and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven! 

What if you do not have the exact words to pray? Just pray in the spirit. Because praying in the spirit is praying in the perfect will of God! 

Right now, let heaven be open! Let there be a release of God's anointing upon you! Let there be a release of God's power upon you! Let God's hands touch your hands! Lift up your hands, and let His power fall on you! Like the rain that falls on earth! Receive by faith. Hallelujah! 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we "pray heaven down". We pray for all the goodness of heaven be upon us. We pray for Your light to shine in the midst of the darkness. We pray for Your perfect will be done in each of our lives, and even for the nation and the nations You have put in our hearts to pray for. Let Your wisdom and revelation flow. Let Your glory fall. Let Your power be seen. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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New Spiritual Year. What does God say further?

The Lord recently put a deep burden in my heart to pray for the nations, especially certain nations in the world. Some of us may not be politicians, decision makers in the nation, or policy makers in the nation, but we can pray. In fact, this is a crucial time to pray for your nation, and for the nations that the Lord has put in your heart to pray for. Never underestimate the power of your prayer. God can do mighty things through your prayers. God can do miracles through your prayers. 

This is what the Lord say for this time and season: 

"Many nations are entering a time of crucial crossroads. There is a great battle happening in the spiritual realm over the nations in the world. This is a crucial time to pray. This is a crucial time to stand in the gap. Pray for your nation. Pray for the nation or nations that I have put in your heart to pray for. Pray for healing. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for wisdom. Pray for these nations to stand for the truth." 

People of God, don't give up hope for some of these nations. Pray for the Lord to intervene and prevent certain evil from happening to your nation, or to the nation (or nations) that you are praying for. Never underestimate the power of your prayer. 

James 5:16 (NKJV) says, 'Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.' 

James 5:16 (NLT) puts it this way: 'Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.' 

The words 'earnest prayer' here can mean 'praying from the heart, praying with all your heart, or praying persistently.' In other words, 'keep knocking at the door'. Yes, keep knocking at the door through your prayers! 

So, if you know that the Lord has called you to pray for your nation, or for certain nations in the world, just obey Him. Just pray according to what He has put in your heart to pray. 

Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV) says, 'So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.' 

At that time, there was no one willing to 'stand in the gap'. But may you be one of those who would 'stand in the gap'. How do you 'stand in the gap'? You 'stand in the gap' through your prayers. In other words, you can uphold in your prayers the nations that God has put in your heart to pray for. 

The Book of Ezekiel here shares about Prophet Ezekiel's visions that he had received from the Lord. At that time, certain nations have begun to rely on themselves and have turned away from the Lord. Instead of putting God first, they began to depend on their own wisdom and own human ways (or own desires). That happened in Prophet Ezekiel's days. And you know what? It also happens now. 

So people of God, pray for the nation (or the nations) that God has put in your heart to pray for. Of course, let us not pray with a judgmental attitude. We are not judge. It is God who is Judge. It is the Lord who raises up, and it is the Lord who pulls down. That is His part. But as for you and I, we pray with a good heart. Because God loves every tribe and every tongue in this world. 

Apostle Paul wrote this in 1 Timothy 2:1-3 (NKJV): 'Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.' 

The expression 'praying for kings and all who are in authority' here means 'praying for the leaders of the nation (or the nations) that the Lord has put in your heart to pray for'. 

We can lift up our holy hands and pray for the nation that we are living in, or our adopted nation, or the nation (or the nations) that the Lord has put in our hearts to pray for. 

Right now, the Lord is releasing His anointing upon you to pray, and for you to pray the right prayers. And even if you do not know what to pray, just pray in the spirit, because praying in the spirit is praying in the perfect will of God. Let God's perfect will be done, and let God's perfect way be done upon the nation (or the nations) that you are praying for. Amen! 

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) says, 'If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.' 

No nation in this world is perfect. Every nation has its flaws. But you can pray. Pray for forgiveness for whatever wrong that has been done in that particular nation. Pray for healing for the nation (or the nations) that the Lord has put in your heart to pray for. And leave it to the Lord to do His part. Your part is to obey His call to pray. Pray in the spirit. Pray according to the words that the Lord has put in your heart to declare and to speak out. Amen! 

Psalm 2:10-11 (NKJV) says, 'Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.' 

You can pray for the fear of the Lord (the reverence of the Lord) to be upon the leaders of the nation (or the nations) that you are praying for. 

Proverbs 21:1-3 (NKJV) says, 'The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.' 

May the Lord raise up the right people for your nation, or for the nation (or the nations) that the Lord has put in your heart to pray for. 

Last but not least, Isaiah 60:2-3 (NKJV) says, '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.' 

May the nation (or the nations) that the Lord has put in your heart to pray for walk in this light. Amen! 

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, You have spoken that this is a crucial time to pray and stand in the gap for the nation or the nations that You have put in our hearts to pray for. We pray for healing. We pray for forgiveness. We pray for wisdom. We pray for these nations to stand for the truth. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel 

Rise above the spiritual atmosphere in your land!

The Lord says: 

"This is the time to make the choice to rise above the spiritual atmosphere in your land. Do not allow yourself to come under or succumb under the work of the enemy. The enemy has been causing My people to feel down, defeated, or discouraged. But rise above all these! Lift up your hands in praise and worship! Declare My Word! Pray in the spirit! Take authority in My name! For no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every word that rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn! This is your heritage as My servant and My beloved. For I am your Righteousness, and I am your Victory!" 

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV) says, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me." 

In the Expanded Bible, it's written this way: "So no weapon that is used [forged] against you will defeat you [succeed]. You will show that those who speak against you are wrong [refute every accusation against you, refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment]. These are the good things [heritage] My servants receive. Their victory [vindication; righteousness] comes from Me." 

Indeed, whenever the enemy throws and hurls his words or works against you, or throws accusation against you, you rise above it! You condemn it! You refute it! Yes, never give in to the enemy! If the enemy says you are defeated, or if the enemy tries to discourage you or cause you to feel down, what do you do? You declare into the spiritual realm, you declare into the air, you declare upon yourself, that you already have your victory, because Jesus is your Victory! 

Always remember, just as Jesus has spoken: "It is written...", "It is written...", "It is written..." It is written in the Word of God! Therefore, use the Word of God! The Word of God is your weapon against the weapon of the enemy! 

Let us define the word 'weapon' in the context of the enemy's words or works. This word 'weapon' in Isaiah 54:17 is 'kel-ee' in Hebrew. In the context of the enemy's words or works against you, it can be defined as 'something prepared, whether spiritual or physical, that is used by the enemy to inflict harm or damage to you, or to gain advantage over you.' 

But fear not! Because you have been given the antidote to the enemy's weapon! 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NKJV) says, 'For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.' 

In the Expanded Bible, it's written this way: 'We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses [not merely human weapons; not of the flesh]. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy's strong places [strongholds; fortresses]. We destroy people's arguments [human reasoning] and every proud thing [pretension; exalted opinion; high thing] that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it obey Christ.' 

The word 'weapons' here is 'hoplon' in Greek, from the primary word 'hepo'. Very interestingly, the word 'hepo' actually means 'to be involved in, to be engaged in, to be busily occupied with'. Wow! You know what this means? It means the Lord your God has assured you that He is fully involved in, fully engaged in, and busily occupied together with you as you face whatever the enemy is throwing at you! In other words, you are not alone! He is fighting for you!

Now, just by having this revelation that 'If the Lord is for you, who can be against you?', you have already won! Romans 8:31 (NKJV) says, 'What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?' 

You see, the enemy will always try to find ways or opportunities to 'devour' you. But if you do not give in, and if you do not give him the opportunity, he can never 'devour' you! Therefore, be spiritually vigilant. Spend time reading the Word. Spend time praying in the spirit. Your spirit is being built up when you pray in the spirit. Lift up your hands in praise and in worship! Take authority in Jesus' name! Rise above, and not go below! You already have your God-given weapons to overcome all of the enemy's words or works that come against you! 

You see, the Lord your God cares to fight for you. He cares to win it for you. He cares to ward off all the words or works of the enemy that come against you. Remember, He is never absent, but always present with you! He is here with you, and fully involved together with you! And He is the One who breaks through for you. By your own self, you cannot. But with Him, you can. He is your breakthrough God. You just need to follow Him!

Philippians 2:8-11 (NKJV) says, 'And being found in appearance as a man, Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' 

Indeed, He is exalted, and He is the name above every name - of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those under the earth! And because you are in Him, therefore you too are exalted over and above all that the enemy throws at you! Hallelujah!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel 

Expect God to do great things in your life this year!

The Lord says: "You may have heard things are going to get worse on earth. But as for you My beloved, look to Me and put your trust in Me. Do not allow yourself to be afraid or be dismayed. In fact, expect Me to do something big in your life this year! Because I am releasing My super abundant grace and favor upon you, in spite of what is happening around you on earth."

Hallelujah!

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV) says, 'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us...' 

Whose power is this? His power! God's power! He who does great miracles! He who does great and marvelous things beyond our limited imagination! This word 'power' here is 'dunamis' in Greek, and it can mean 'miraculous power, miraculous ability, miraculous strength, mighty (wonderful) work'. 

So, in spite of whatever that's happening around you in this world, the Lord your God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think of, according to His 'miraculous power, miraculous ability, miraculous strength, mighty (wonderful) work' that works in you! 

Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition) puts it this way, 'Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]...' 

Hallelujah! 

Here, you see that the Lord your God is able to carry out His purpose and do super abundantly far over and above all that you even dare to ask or think of! He is an infinite God, and He is setting you free from your finite way of seeing things, and into the realm of His infinite, super abundant power that is at work within you!

Psalm 31:19-20 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion (shelter) from the strife of tongues.' 

You see, in spite of whatever that's happening around you in this world, the Lord has reserved for you His goodness, laid up for you His goodness, and prepared for you His goodness, if you trust in Him and fear Him! And no evil, no evil man, can touch you or take away the goodness of God from you! 

Isaiah 64:3-4 (NKJV) says, 'When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, the mountains shook at Your presence. For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.' 

He will know how to act for you, and He will know how to do great, marvelous things for you who wait on Him and hope in Him! In fact, He has begun to work behind the scenes for you, even if you can't see it with your finite, physical eyes yet!

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) says, 'And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus'. 

Not according to your finite mind, not according to the scarcity on earth, but according to the riches of His glory, His heavenly realm, His heavenly economy! 

This word 'riches' here is 'ploutos' in Greek, and it can mean 'fullness (of His wealth and possession), abundance'. And it's not just about material things, but more importantly the abundance of His wisdom and favor - heavenly wisdom and heavenly favor! 

So, people of God, are you expecting all that mentioned above to happen in your life this year? Are you expecting God to do great things in your life this year? You should be!

Your part today is to ask! Ask for all the above! Ask, and you shall receive!

Now that's what happened to Moses in Exodus chapter 33. At that point of time, Moses was very disappointed and frustrated with his situation. He was at a seemingly dead-end road, and he didn't know what to do anymore. And that's when he asked God. Exodus 33:18-19 (NKJV) says, 'And he (Moses) said, "Please, show me Your glory." Then the Lord said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."' 

Notice when Moses asked, "Please, show me Your glory", the Lord then answered, "I will make all My goodness pass before you..." You know what? The Lord has pleasure in showing you His glory by showing you His goodness! That is how God shows His glory! One way that God shows His glory is by manifesting His goodness in your life! And in Christ, you can receive!

This word 'goodness' is 'tuwb' (from the word 'towb') in Hebrew, and it can mean 'good in the widest sense, beauty, gladness, good pleasure'. Do you see that? The Lord has pleasure in sharing His goodness with you, His gladness with you, and the beauty of His glory with you! It's very much like a good earthly father who would want to share all the goodness with his beloved children. And how much more your Abba Father, your Heavenly Father? 

So, don't miss this time and season. This is your time and season to ask, believe and receive. Never let any naysayers talk you out of this! Never let the devil talk you out of this!

In Mark 11:24-25, Jesus Himself said, 'Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him...' 

Jesus was saying when you ask, ask believing, ask in faith! But do not limit God. Do not think that when you ask like that means like that, and that is how God's going to answer you - like that means like that! Never limit God. God can answer you even in ways that you cannot imagine possible. God can answer you in His sovereign way. It may not necessarily be in the way that you thought it's going to be answered. And that makes things so exciting, and that's what walking by faith means!

Of course there's one area that Jesus also mentioned whenever you ask and pray, "...if you have anything against anyone, forgive him..." Never let unforgiveness hinder what you ask from God. Never let unforgiveness hinder the goodness of God from manifesting in your life. Let go and release those who hurt you. Like a river, let forgiveness flow. As you receive forgiveness from the Lord, let this forgiveness flow in you and flow to others. Learn to let go. Learn to forgive others. And that's how you can walk in greater and greater measure of God's glory and God's goodness!

In Exodus 34:10, the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you." 

Here's the background to this verse: God's covenant with the people was being renewed after Moses had made the two new tablets of stone for God to write on. But before that, Moses broke the first two tablets of stone in frustration and disappointment, after seeing his people forgetting God, forgetting what God had spoken through him, and seeing that they began to worship the golden calf. It broke his heart. So, in his frustration and disappointment, he broke the first two tablets of stone that God had asked him to make. 

At that time, seemingly at a dead-end road, not knowing what to do anymore with his people, and not knowing what to do anymore with his life, Moses asked and pleaded God, "Show me now Your way!" (Exodus 33:13) and "Show me Your glory!" (Exodus 33:18) Moses also said, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here!" (Exodus 33:15) It means if God's presence does not go with him, he will not go any further. 

Beloved of God, are you currently in a situation like Moses at that time? Broken, disappointed, frustrated, not knowing how to go about anymore, not knowing what to do anymore? 

Take heart. The Lord loves you. The Lord sees what you are going through, just as He saw what Moses went through at that time - his disappointment, his frustration, not knowing what to do and how to go about anymore, seemingly at a dead-end road. 

The Lord will show His glory by manifesting His goodness to you, if you look to Him today. Just as He did for Moses, I want to believe from the bottom of my heart that He will do the same for you. He will show you the way. He will lead you and guide you from here. You need not be afraid or be dismayed. There's an answer for you. Amen.

Click here for the full message 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

How to pray the right and effective prayers?

Words from the Lord:

"I am teaching My people to pray the right prayers. I am teaching My people to pray effective prayers. Prayer is being one with Me and being in union with Me. This is the time many things in the spirit are going to be birthed forth by My people through prayer. This is the time to go deeper in your prayer life. Pray in the spirit and worship in the spirit!"

Indeed, this is the time to go deeper in prayer, just as the disciples of Jesus did those days leading up to the Day of Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit came). They were at the upper room, praying and waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-14). 

You see, prayer is not just petitioning to God and asking God to answer our prayer requests. There is a place for that of course, but prayer is much more than that! 

James 5:15-18 (NKJV) says, 'And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.'

What is the secret of Elijah? Why is it that whatever he prayed, God just caused it to happen? 

To understand that, let's go first to what Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23, "I do not pray for these (disciples) alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."

Now, Jesus set an example of a prayer life while He was on earth. 

Notice the words 'one in Us' here? 

In 1 Corinthians 6:17, the apostle Paul wrote, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.' 

Notice the words 'one spirit with Him' here? 

So, you see, prayer is a relationship with God. It is being one with God. I believe this is also the secret of Elijah in his prayer life. Prayer is oneness with God. In other words, being in union with God and being in communion with God - where God speaks and we hear; and we speak and God hears. It is a two-way communication. That is why prayer is a relationship. And it's from this oneness with God that every good thing from heaven flows - in you and through you! 

And as you release all that you've received from Him, things happen! John 15:4-5 says 'He is the vine and you are the branches'. It means all the 'nutrients' from heaven flow in you and through you! And that's how you bear fruits - even the fruits of your prayers!

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.'

Interestingly, the word 'wait' here is 'qavah' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to be entwined together (with God), or to gather together.' You know what this means? 'To be entwined together (with God)' is 'to be one with God'! And that's how you 'gather together' all that heaven has for you! In other words, all the resources from heaven flow right into you and through you - when you 'qavah'! And that's also how your strength is being renewed, and you will mount up with wings like eagles! Hallelujah! 

Do you see something now? This is very exciting! Because prayer life need not and should not be dull and boring. If you have this revelation of what prayer is really about, I congratulate you, because your prayer life is going to become more and more exciting! And like Elijah, you too are going to receive lots of 'downloads' from heaven - and you will know what to do and how to go about - while on earth. Amen!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Receive priestly blessing to start your new year!

Numbers 6:22-26 (NKJV): And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace."'

Numbers 6:24 (NKJV): "The LORD bless you and keep you..."

The word 'bless' here is 'barak' in Hebrew, and it means 'to kneel (in order to bless)'. This speaks of your Heavenly Father kneeling in front of you, making Himself available to you, like a good father on earth kneeling before his child in order to minister and bestow good things to his child.

The word 'keep' here is 'shamar' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to hedge, to protect, to watch, to attend to, to guard, to surround (with divine embrace), to preserve'. This speaks of God's divine protection over you, guarding and keeping you in His divine embrace, so that no weapon formed against you shall prosper.

Numbers 6:25a (NKJV): "The LORD make His face shine upon you..."

The word 'face' here is 'paniym' in Hebrew, and this speaks of 'His front, His countenance'. This speaks of Him looking at you with favor, instead of turning His back against you. 

The word 'shine' here is 'owr' in Hebrew, and this means 'to show light, to give light, to let His glory fall (on you)'. In other words, His face illuminates (supplies light, brightens with light) on you, bringing light and brightness to your life.

Numbers 6:25b (NKJV): "And be gracious to you..."

The word 'gracious' here is 'chanan' in Hebrew, and it can mean either of these: 

(a) to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior;

(b) to favor, to bestow favor and mercy.

Indeed, He is the 'superior' and we are the 'inferior'. He is the Creator and we are the creation. He is God and we are not. Yet, He loves you so much that He would bend or stoop to show kindness to you. Your Heavenly Father is looking into your eyes and smiling at you, because He has pleasure in seeing you walking in His grace and His truth.

Numbers 6:26a (NKJV): "The LORD lift up His countenance upon you..."

The word 'lift up' here is 'nasa' in Hebrew, and it means 'to bring forth, to lift up (and carry you)'. You see, He doesn't just lift you up, but He also carries you in His arms, like a good father on earth lifting up and carrying his beloved child. 

Therefore, of whom shall you fear on earth? 

Numbers 6:26b (NKJV): "And give you peace..."

The word 'peace' here is 'shalowm' in Hebrew. It can mean 'peace, happiness, health, prosperity, safety, wholeness, wellness'. As you can see, 'peace' here isn't just about the absence of war or absence of fighting on earth. It is much, much more than that. It means your Heavenly Father is setting in place all you need to be whole and well, to be healthy and prosperous, to be safe and happy, so you can walk in victory on earth. It is supernatural peace. It is directly from heaven to you, not as the world give to you.

So, there you have it! A priestly blessing for you to start this new year! Receive every word of this prayer by faith!

To wrap up, the LORD says this in Numbers 6:27. "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."

The word 'put' here speaks of 'to pour, to invoke (to call upon His own name to help or bless you)'. In other words, the LORD, your Heavenly Father, pour His name over you and surround you with His name, the name above all names. When light comes, darkness has to flee. When darkness sees His name on you, darkness or any work of darkness will tremble and will have to run away!

Indeed, this is your time to arise and shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you (Isaiah 60:1). Amen!

Click here to watch the full video in TiC YouTube Channel

Those who despised you will come running to you!

The Lord says, "This is the time I am anointing you to shine for Me! Arise and shine, for your light has come! And My glory is falling upon you! Receive My light and My glory by faith! Those who despised you in the past will come running to you! Those who shunned you in the past will begin to remember you and honor you! This is not the time to give up hope, no matter what the devil throw at you! This is the time to arise and shine, for your light has come!"

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

Many of you would have learned from life experience that just before the light comes, it always seem like that's the most hopeless and darkest time. That's when the devil would also try to take advantage to discourage you and 'kill you off'! The devil always aim to steal, kill and destroy God's people!

Even in the Scripture, just before the beautiful promises of the Lord in Isaiah 60, you'd find Isaiah 59! Let's go to Isaiah 59:9-10 now. This part of the Scripture says, 'Therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness! We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places'.

You see, just before the Lord declared "Arise, shine; For your light has come!" in Isaiah 60, there's a part in a chapter just before that says, "We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!"

For the record, Jesus went through a time of darkness too, before His glorious rising! 

Mark 15:27-32 (NKJV) says, 'With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors." And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!" Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him'.

Luke 22:63-65 (NKJV) says, 'Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?" And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him'.

People of God, know that your Jesus has gone through a time of darkness too, and He understands fully what you've been going through in times like these. 

No matter how 'dark' things have been, keep looking to Him, and He will know how to make a way for you. Remember, He knows your future (more than anyone else on earth), and He knows the end from the beginning!

And if you've been despised by others, snubbed by others, ignored by others, shunned by others, or bypassed by others in the past, be rest assured the Lord understands and sees all these as well. Why? He has gone through all these before!

But I have a good news for you. The time is coming when the Lord is going to cause many who used to despise, snub, ignore, shun or bypass you to begin to run to you! They'll begin to honor you, remember you, and appreciate you!

Let's go back to Isaiah 60 now. I know this chapter is specifically for Israel. But as people of God, you too can receive all these promises by faith, in the name of Jesus!

Isaiah 60:4-5 (NKJV) says, 'Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 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'.

Isaiah 60:14-15 (NKJV) says, 'Also the sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; And they shall call you The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations'.

Therefore, people of God, at this juncture of your life, it is so important to hang on to God! Hang on to your hope in God! Trust that He knows what He is doing and He knows exactly what to do in your life, going forward. Trust Him! Let Him lead. Don't fight with Him. Yield to Him. And you too will begin to see all the promises in Isaiah 60 coming to pass in your life! Hallelujah!

For details of this message, watch here in YouTube

Aligning with Him, His will, and His Word

I heard the Lord say these words for this new season:
"Align! Align! This is the key word for this new season. Align with Me! Align with My will! Align with My Word! Not with your flesh! This is also a key time to pray, just as the disciples prayed in the upper room! Your prayers will launch you into where I have planned for you to be, and what I have planned for you to do!"

Proverbs 16:3-4 (ESV) says, 'Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established'; and Psalm 37:5 (NKJV) says, 'Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass'.

The word 'commit' in both verses here is 'gawlal' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'roll off onto, align'. See the word 'align' here? In other words, the Scripture says as you 'align your work to His work' and 'align your way to His way', you'll see what you do be established, and the Lord shall bring it to pass (make it happen)!

The next question one may ask is, "What does the word 'align' actually mean?"
If you look at Merriam-Webster dictionary, 'to align' is 'to bring into line, to place (or arrange) things in a straight line, to come into precise adjustment or correct relative position'.

I will explain this word 'align' using 'car' as analogy for your 'life'. Just as a car has its 'lifespan', you have a 'lifespan' too! Just as a car needs to refuel, you need to refuel too! I can go on and on for this analogy. But I shall get to the point now: Just as a car needs 'tire alignment', you need a 'tire alignment' too!

Why do you need a 'tire alignment'?
- for smoother ride ahead of you;
- help tires perform properly;
- help tires last longer;
- improve handling of the car;
- keep the car from pulling into one direction.

How do I know if I need a 'tire alignment'?
- your car pulling to the left or right;
- your steering wheel is off center (when you drive straight);
- steering wheel vibration (making it uncomfortable to drive).

Further notes:
'Tire alignment' is actually an adjustment of a car's suspension (the system of springs and shock absorbers that connects a car to its tires). It is NOT an adjustment of the tires themselves. It is an adjustment of the angle of the tires, which will affect how the tires make contact with the road.

And there I have explained it! If a 'car' speaks of your 'life', then the 'tires' speaks of your 'hands' and 'feet', i.e. 'the works you put your hands on', and 'the places you set your feet on'!

As you can see from the notes above, 'tire alignment' is NOT an adjustment of the tires themselves, but instead, it is an adjustment of a car's suspension that connects a car to its tires! In other words, it is an adjustment in the inside of you! What is 'adjusted' in the inside will in turn bring the right effects in the outside!

For a 'smoother ride' (or for your works to be done properly, and the effects to last longer), there will be times you need an 'alignment'! People of God, the time is NOW!

And the key to your alignment with God is none other than PRAYER! Indeed, this is a crucial time for such! Be it for your life, ministry, career, business, or even nation!

Acts 1:12-14 says, 'Then they (the apostles) 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... These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (seeking, asking, entreating God)...'

After seeing Jesus ascending toward heaven (Acts 1:9-10), the apostles returned to Jerusalem and went into the upper room where they were staying. Joined by the others, they spent time praying - waiting on the Lord and aligning themselves with the Lord!

You may ask, "What does praying have to do with aligning?"
Praying has everything to do with aligning! When you are praying, you are aligning with His will and His Word! You are praying His will to be done! You are praying according to what His Word says! You see, prayer without aligning with the Lord is no prayer at all!

And that's what the apostles and disciples of Jesus did! Ten days later, on the Day of Pentecost, the Lord began to move in unprecedented ways! He poured out His Spirit in ways never seen before! (Acts 2:1-4)

As for the apostles and disciples of Jesus, their launching time had come! From there, they went forth with boldness, sharing the Good News wherever the Spirit of the Lord lead them! They never looked back since!

People of God, likewise, your prayers in this time and season will launch you into where He has planned for you to be, and what He has planned for you to do, moving forward. And yes, even in unprecedented ways! Prepare for your launching time!

A time to clear the clutter and put your house in order!

I heard and released these prophetic words from the Lord recently:
"Clear the clutter! Put your house in order! This is a time to go into deeper life of worship, deeper life of the Word, and deeper life in prayer! For you shall watch how I am going to call things into being swiftly, deftly, and suddenly! For there will be new surprises! And I am going to bring upon you unexpected blessings!"

Indeed, this is a key time to 'clear the clutter'! In other words, a 'house-cleaning' time! A time to weed out the excess, and a time to weed out the mess! As a verb, the word 'clutter' means 'to crowd (something) untidily'; and as a noun, it means 'a collection of things lying untidily, a mess'.

This is also a time to clear 'whatever has become your idol that takes away the first place of God in your life'. It can be the love of money, fame, a certain lust, or even a certain excess of entertainment (e.g. excessive online games). As you can see here, it does not necessarily mean a spiritual idol which is worshiped by people.

I don't believe the Lord is here to expose you or condemn you (Romans 8:1). But I believe the Lord wants you to get ready for the many new surprises and unexpected blessings that He's going to bring upon your life in the coming months! Your part is to be open to the Holy Spirit, and let the Holy Spirit help you and show you the areas in your life that need 'house-cleaning'!

In Isaiah 46:1-2, the Lord says, 'Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, but have themselves gone into captivity'.

The word 'carriages' here speaks of 'your vocation, your business, your God-given ministry, or even your life'. 'Bel' and 'Nebo' were the names of specific idols (i.e. the fake 'gods') that put a heavy burden on the house of Israel those days. Here in Isaiah 46, the Lord has become very personal and specific, even naming names of those idols! And He is doing the same even now for His people, because He wants to set His people free from any specific 'idol' in life!

At this point of your life, are your 'carriages' heavily loaded with 'idols' too? And you find yourself stuck in a 'mess' at the moment. Take heart, because it is never too late for the Lord to help you and deliver you! Allow Him. In Isaiah 46:3-4, the Lord says, "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb. Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you."

In Isaiah 46:8-9, the Lord then says, "Remember this, and show yourselves men... For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me." As you let go of those 'idols' in life, will you also respond to His call to go into a deeper life of worship, Word, and prayer?

Because in Isaiah 46:10-11, the Lord promises these (for you who remember Him, look to Him, and go deeper in Him), "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure', calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it."

The expression 'bird of prey from the east' here refers to King Cyrus (see Isaiah 45), a pagan king from Persia whom God used as His instrument to set God's people free from the captivity of Babylon. This 'bird of prey' (or 'ravenous bird') is 'ayit' in Hebrew, which speaks of 'a hawk that is swift, deft, and has the ability to swoop suddenly to catch its prey'.

People of God, as you 'clear the clutter' and 'put your house in order' in this time and season of the Lord, watch how your unexpected blessings will come just as swiftly, deftly, and suddenly in the months ahead of you! Indeed, He can even use unexpected people (or situation), i.e. the 'Cyrus-es' of today, to bring it forth, and fulfill His purposes in your life! He has spoken it, and He will also bring it to pass! Amen!

Be overlaid with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and with prayer!

I heard and released these words from the Lord recently:
"I am calling you to persevere in prayer! I am calling you to endure in prayer! There is a call for such right now! Just as Solomon's temple was overlaid with gold, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit! And the time has come for you to be overlaid with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and with prayer!"

'Solomon's temple being overlaid with gold' here speaks of 'you (the temple of the Holy Spirit) being overlaid with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and with prayer'. Why do I say that? Because in Hebrew, the word 'gold' is 'zawhawb', and this word is described as 'something gold-colored, as oil'. As you can see here, 'gold' is synonymous with 'oil'. 'Gold' also speaks of 'the glory of the Lord', and just as the temple those days was filled with the glory of the Lord, so are you today, the temple of the Holy Spirit! (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Let's go to Exodus 17:8-11 now, 'Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed'. 

What is the meaning of 'held up his hand' here? Let Scripture interpret Scripture. In 1 Timothy 2:8, the apostle Paul wrote, 'I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting'. See the word 'pray' here? And see the words 'lifting up holy hands' here? So, obviously, the Lord is speaking to us about prayer here! 

Interestingly, the word 'Amalek' comes from the word 'amel' in Hebrew, which means 'toiling, suffering, laboring with much sorrow', and these are exactly what the enemy want to see happening in God's people! But thanks be to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! And the key to receive that victory is through prayer!

Do not give up praying!

Let's go to Exodus 17:12-13 now, 'But Moses' hands became heavy (i.e. weary/tired of being held up); so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword'. 

How do you interpret the above verses? Is there any help for you who have grown weary in praying? The good news is yes, help is at hand! And who is this help? Let Scripture interpret Scripture again, and we shall go to Romans 8:26 now, 'Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered'.

You see? The answer is the Spirit Himself! The Holy Spirit, who is your Helper! (John 16:7, John 16:13)

And as you pray in the Spirit, things will begin to work out! Romans 8:27-28 then says, 'Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints (that's you and I!) according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose'.

So, people of God, if you have grown weary in praying in the language you know (you have even exhausted all the words that you know, and you're not seeing much results), let go of your own limited ways, and let God! He is unlimited and infinite in all His ways! And that's when God takes what is in His mind, and put it into yours! And as you declare it out with your mouth (though your mind cannot understand what you say), things will soon begin to happen! And that's how the will of God is being done in your life!

And what is the will of God for you? 3 John 2 says, 'Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers'. And that's exactly what happened to Moses and Joshua those days! Exodus 17:14-15 continues, 'Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek (i.e. toiling, suffering, laboring with much sorrow) from under heaven." And Moses built an altar and called its name, 'The-Lord-Is-My-Banner' (YHWH Nissi)'. Hallelujah!

Today, the Lord has also become your Banner, your Victory, your YHWH Nissi; just as in Moses and Joshua's days! This is a time to be overlaid with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and with prayer, and you shall begin to walk in greater and greater victories! Receive this oil from heaven right now, and let it overflow in every area of your life! Amen!

Guard your heart with all diligence!

I heard these words from the Lord recently:
"Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life! The enemy has been trying to sow seeds of discouragement, disorientation, and condemnation to many of My people recently. But fear not! Look to Me and I will help you! My Spirit is with you! Choose to keep your heart right before Me no matter what. Hear Me and follow Me, and I will bring you through!"

By the way, 'to disorientate' means 'to cause (somebody) to lose all sense of direction, or to cause confusion'.

In New King James Version (NKJV), Proverbs 4:23 says, 'Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life', and in New International Version (NIV), this verse reads, 'Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life'.

As a matter of fact, everything that happens in and around you depends on what's in your heart. If your heart is 'right', everything will start to fall into place, but when your heart is 'departed', everything will also fall apart! You can see the same happening in the lives of the different kings in Judah and Israel!

The word 'keep' or 'guard' here in Proverbs 4:23 is 'natsar' in Hebrew, which can mean 'to protect, to maintain'. How about the word 'heart' here? It is 'leb' in Hebrew, literally meaning 'the center of everything'. According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, it not only speaks of your spirit, but also your soul (i.e. mind, will, and emotions).

People of God, before you see breakthrough or new things coming your way, the enemy will (more likely than not) try to stop it by sowing seeds of discouragement, disorientation, or condemnation in you. He will want to keep you small. He will want to keep you miserable. He will want to keep you thinking you are good for nothing. He will want to keep you believing that the Lord will never forgive you for the past mistakes you've made in life. But these are all lies! And this is when you choose to guard your heart above all else, and in turn guard your mouth!

In Matthew 12:34-37, Jesus Himself said, "...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

In cross-reference, Proverbs 18:21 says, 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit'. Notice also Proverbs 4:23 (about 'guarding your heart') leads to Proverbs 4:24 that says, 'Put away from you a deceitful (devious) mouth, and put perverse lips far from you'. You see? What's in your heart will eventually flow out in your words! And what you say (in your words) will in turn determine what you will be!

Today, I want to point you to the importance of guarding your heart by learning from Jehoshaphat's mother and of course, Jehoshaphat himself. Not the usual teaching about his great victory against the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir (2 Chronicles 20:1-30), but let's look at other aspects that are rarely taught.

Jehoshaphat's mother, Azubah:

2 Chronicles 20:31-32 says, 'So Jehoshaphat was king over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord'. 

There's no accident why a name is mentioned in the Bible. Everything in the Bible was written for a reason. And here, Jehoshaphat's mother, Azubah was mentioned right in between the lines of Jehoshaphat's reign as king and how he did right in the sight of the Lord! This goes to show her influence as a mother, and the important role she played in Jehoshaphat's life! Otherwise the Bible would not even mention her name if she's not worthy of note!

But rather interestingly, this name 'Azubah' in Hebrew actually means 'desolate, forsaken', and it can even mean 'deserted, ruined, miserable, lonely, sad, hopeless'. By the meaning of her name, she seemed like a neglected person, and probably even forsaken by others, even though her father's name 'Shilhi' (meaning 'weapon, armor') sounded great!

A lesson one can learn here is whatever your current situation (or 'desolation') may be at the moment, keep your heart right and guard your heart, and you too will begin to see 'fruit' in your life! You see, Azubah's fruit was Jehoshaphat, the great king who brought great victory to Judah! Praise the Lord! 

Jehoshaphat's mistake and shipwreck:

2 Chronicles 20:35-37 says, 'After this (Jehoshaphat's great victory), Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made ships in Ezion Geber. But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works." Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish'.

The word 'allied' here can mean 'join (together), couple (together), have fellowship (close friendship) with, associate with, align with'. Here, the Bible says because Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahaziah who acted very wickedly, the Lord destroyed his work! 

In studying those who have gone before us, it is important to learn not just from their victories and acclaims, but also to learn from their mistakes. And here is a classic case of learning to guard your heart and be careful who you choose to align with (associate with). If the Lord gives the 'go ahead', you go ahead. But if the Lord gives a 'check' in your heart, or even warnings (through dreams, etc), better heed Him. You will be spared some heartaches!

A lesson one can learn here is to guard against aligning (associating) with the wrong people who may intentionally or unintentionally bring you down. Temptation (or the lure of this world) is also everywhere (whether it's lust, greed, or pride), and many have fallen into it. But fear not! The Lord has promised that His Spirit is with you!

The importance of praying in the spirit:

Some people say the key to guarding one's heart is by self-discipline (i.e. 'the ability to control one's feelings and overcome one's weaknesses'). Now, don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with exercising self-discipline, but self-discipline alone can only take you so far. One day, sooner or later, you'll find yourself so tired and exhausted of having to keep guard by your own self-effort! You need the Holy Spirit! Many people do not know that to guard one's heart in God's way is to pray in the spirit often! And it's as easy as flowing in a river!

When you pray in the spirit:

- it is your spirit that prays (1 Corinthians 14:14)

- you are speaking to God (1 Corinthians 14:2)

- your spirit is activated (1 Corinthians 14:14)

- your spirit is encouraged and edified (1 Corinthians 14:4)

- your spirit is built up on your most holy faith (Jude 1:20)

- you are praying the perfect will of God (Romans 8:27)

- it is part of your weapon against the enemy (Ephesians 6:18)

- it helps you to go deeper in your spiritual life (Romans 8:26)

- it helps you in your weaknesses (Romans 8:26)

- you find spiritual rest and refresh (Isaiah 28:11-12)

Praying in the spirit leads you into a higher realm, a supernatural realm, high and above every human (worldly) reasoning and rationalizing. You will rise above the worldly atmosphere and begin seeing things from the Lord's point of view. After all, Christianity is supernatural! You can see this all over the Bible! And when you pray in the spirit, rivers of living water (i.e. the Holy Spirit) will begin flowing in and through you! (see John 7:37-39) 
It is the Holy Spirit that:

- gives you the divine encouragement

- leads you and guides you

- pushes open the 'doors' for you

- clears every hindrance that you face

- releases supernatural joy unto you

- releases shalom peace unto you

- brings perspective back into your life

A time to rise above like the eagles!

The whole world is in the midst of unprecedented levels of politicking and mind-battles at the moment. People are 'attacking others' and 'defending themselves' like never before! Everyone's trying to save their own neck! But people of God, this is when you choose to rise above all these worldly (fleshly) atmospheres created by men and pray in the spirit all the more! That's how you will be like the eagles soaring high and above every 'storm' in this world!

And when you seem to make lots of mistakes in life lately, or your mind begins to fear men (and seek to please men) more than God, start praying in the spirit and keep on praying in the spirit! Get 'connected' with the Holy Spirit again! You'll be sure to gain back perspective of what the Lord wants you to see, instead of what the world wants you to see! To put it simply, you'll begin to make the right decisions in life again! Why? Because the Holy Spirit is all-knowing, and He will always lead you into all truth!

Last but not least, remember, when you pray in the spirit, it is your spirit that prays. And when your spirit is activated and strong, it will dominate your whole being (in and around you). You will not succumb under the worldly influence, or cave in to worldly pressures so easily. The apostle Paul had this revelation of the power of praying in the spirit (i.e. praying in tongues), and he even wrote that he prayed in the spirit more than others (1 Corinthians 14:18). No wonder the Lord entrusted him to author half of the entire twenty-seven books in the New Testament!