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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A change is coming!

The Lord says: 

"My beloved, a change is coming. Change for the better. So, do not lose heart. Keep looking to Me and waiting on Me. Those who wait on Me shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. Many of My people are entering a time of transition. This is a transition to the better. This is the time to receive My anointing afresh and anew. This is the time to receive a new strength that comes from Me. You shall run and not be weary. You shall walk and not faint." 

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.' 

We shall study these two words 'wait' and 'renew' in Hebrew today. 

The word 'wait' here is 'qavah' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to collect, to gather (together), to expect, to hope, to look to, to bind together'. Picture this as 'being intertwined together with the Lord', like ropes twining together. This word 'qavah' can also be defined as 'to be joined together (with the Lord)'. 

Let's look at the word 'renew' now. It is 'khawlaf' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to change, to exchange, to spring up, to move forward, to sprout afresh'. 

This is also a time for exchange!

Exchange your infirmities (or whatever health problem) that you have with His divine health. Exchange your lack with His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Exchange your sorrow with His joy. Exchange your dead-end with His breakthrough and open doors. Exchange your hurts, pains, disappointments and shame with His wholeness and restoration. 

This is your time for 'khawlaf'! This is a time of renewal and refreshing for you! Yes, this is also a time of restoration, repair and recovery for you! 

Job 14:7-9 (NKJV) says, 'For there is hope for a tree; If it is cut down, that it will sprout again. And that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.' 

In cross-reference to Isaiah 40:31, this word 'sprout' is the same word 'khawlaf' in Hebrew, the same as the word 'renew' in Isaiah 40:31. 

Beloved, whatever area in your life that has become hopeless, you are going to see yourself 'khawlaf' again! You will sprout again! You will spring up again! You are going to move forward again!

Job 14:14 (NKJV) says, '...All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes.' 

This does not necessarily mean waiting to change from mortal body to immortal body, even though this is our ultimate destiny. But you know what? This change can also happen while you are still on earth! In other words, a change for the better in your life, a change for the better in your health, a change for the better in your career or your vocation, a change for the better in the ministry that you put your hands on. Yes, a change for the better in any area of your life while you are on earth! 

By the way, 'hard service' here can mean 'your current struggles, your current warfare, your current challenging situation, or a difficult time that you are in'. 

See the cross-reference with Isaiah 40:31 again? Those who wait on the Lord, those who hope on the Lord, those who collect and gather from the Lord, those who are joined together with the Lord, those who keep looking patiently unto the Lord; and for these people, the Lord is saying: "A change is coming! A change for the better is coming!" 

Very interestingly, the word 'change' here in Job 14:14 is 'khawlaf' again in Hebrew. So, earlier, you saw 'renew', and you saw 'sprout'; and now you see the word 'change'. These are all the same word 'khawlaf'' in Hebrew. 

Right now, surrender all your struggles in life to the Lord. Let the Lord 'khawlaf' you. Let the Lord renew you. Let the Lord cause you to sprout again. Let the Lord change your situation and circumstances. 

In God's eyes, despite Job's miserable situation with his health and physical condition, and all the problems that he had encountered, there's hope for a change of circumstances! Even if Job didn't think so at that time! Job felt like there's no more hope, Job felt like it's over, and Job felt like his days were numbered. But God! 

The truth is God has never forgotten or forsaken Job. God has never abandoned Job. As a matter of fact, God still remembered Job. God still has a beautiful plan for Job. Now it is the same with you and your situation. And you know what? When Job acknowledged who God is, God began to intervene in his life. It was a divine intervention. Job began to look at the Lord in a fresh new way. As a result, a renewal happened to Job. A 'khawlaf' happened to Job. A change happened to Job. Change for the better. Job saw his breakthrough. And he never looked back ever since. Job was restored. Not only that. God blessed Job double, twice as much as he had before. 

So beloved, this is that same time. This is that time of transition. This is a time for your 'khawlaf'. Remember this word 'khawlaf'. 

Maybe you too are in a challenging situation right now, and everything seems to be hopeless. Maybe it's your health. Maybe it's your career. Maybe it's your business. Maybe it's even in the ministry. Take heart, beloved. Just as the Lord intervened in Job's situation, God can do the same for your life. And the Lord is saying to you right now again: "Change is coming! Your renewal is coming! Your revival is coming! Your breakthrough is coming!"

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A time to refresh and renew!

The Lord says: "I am refreshing what has become weary in your life. I am setting you free from the weariness that hinders you from progressing in your life. This is the time to receive My refreshing and renewal. There will be new life again! There will be new hope again! There will be new passion again! There will be new strength again!" 

Maybe you feel like a plant that's withering. You feel like your growth is stunted, whether spiritual growth or career growth. You feel like you can't lift up your head high anymore. You feel like there's no headway in your life. You feel like you are going nowhere. Or you feel like your future is bleak.

Whatever it is, the Lord is 'watering' you right now. He is 'watering' you afresh and anew again.

In Jeremiah 31:23-25, the Lord says: "When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and its towns will once again use these words: 'The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.' People will live together in Judah and all its towns - farmers and those who move about with their flocks. I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." 

The word 'refresh' here is 'ravah' in Hebrew. It means 'to fill with abundance of water' or 'to breathe new life'. Interestingly, this word 'ravah' is from the word 'ruwach', meaning 'breath of God' or 'Spirit of God'. 

Indeed, it is the breath of God or the Spirit of God that can truly refresh you. It is the breath of God or the Spirit of God that can breathe new life and fill you with fresh new hope and strength. This is the time for you to receive, especially if you've been feeling weary and tired in your soul, or if you've been feeling hopeless and passionless in your life. 

The context of Jeremiah 31:23-25 here is that the Lord had spoken about the day when His people would say: 'The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.' Not only would they be restored spiritually and materially, they would also be refreshed. 

The same it is with you, beloved. You will find new passion again. You will find new hope again. You will find new strength again. 

Maybe recently your progress in life seems to be hindered. It seems like there's just no breakthrough. It's like there's just no way out from whatever that you are stuck with. 

But the Lord has a good news for you today. He has spoken this is your time to break free. This is your time to declare: 'The Lord bless me, I am a prosperous city, I am a sacred mountain.' Amen!

Let's move on to another part of the Scripture. In Isaiah 44:1-4, the Lord says: "Do not be afraid, O Jacob, My servant, O dear Israel, My chosen one. For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your children. They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a river bank." 

Even though these words are for the people of God those days, this applies to you too. Because you too are God's beloved and God's children. 

The word 'thrive' here is 'tsaw-makh' in Hebrew. It means 'to spring up, to spring forth, to grow again, to be full of life again'. Let this be so for you too!

This is your time to receive afresh and anew from the Lord. This is your time to receive a fresh new hope and a fresh new strength for what's ahead in your life. In Jesus' name, I declare by faith that greater things are ahead of you, and the best is still to come. Amen! 

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

The Lord says: 

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

The Lord says further: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Year 2022: Be refreshed and revived!

I saw a vision while I was praying in the spirit the other day. In that vision, I saw an almost dead (but not fully dead) plant being refreshed and revived. It's being watered and being refreshed again, after a long drought. I saw droplets of water being released from heaven like rain, watering and refreshing the plant, and the plant became full of life again. It's like the Spirit of refreshing is being released upon the plant. 

I asked the Lord what this vision means, and the Lord said: "Those who have been wearied and discouraged last year will find freshness this year. A breath of fresh air from heaven is being released to those who look to Me and seek Me. There will be some good surprises and new open doors for those who walk faithfully and remember My covenant." 

The Lord then said: "If you have been worried, wearied, exhausted, listless, hopeless, or even 'dead and buried', know that I am breathing a fresh air from heaven for you this year. Expect a welcome change in your life this year!" 

The Lord said further: "There'll be new open doors and new openings for you, and I will open it wide for you, if you keep remembering My covenant and walking in My covenant with you." 

Upon hearing what the Lord has said, I asked Him for Scripture verses, and He reminded me of Psalm 116.

Psalm 116:8-9 (NKJV) says, 'For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.' 

Thank the Lord for His refreshing and deliverance this year. Thank the Lord for the good that is to come this year. Thank the Lord that He has kept you from falling last year, and you are now ready for the many good things ahead of you this year!

Psalm 116:12-13 (NKJV) says, 'What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.' 

As a believer in the New Covenant, always remember all that Jesus has done for you on the cross. He died for you on the cross to set you free. So, no matter what happens in the world this year, continue to call upon the name of the Lord, look to Him and seek Him. He will know how to lead you and guide you to safety and blessings. The world may be getting darker and darker, but as you remember your covenant with the Lord, you are going to be different. Not only do you receive refreshing and deliverance from the Lord, you will also see the light and the glory of the Lord. Indeed, this is the time for you to arise and shine!

Back to the beginning of Psalm 116. Psalm 116:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord: "O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!"' 

Though the context of these verses is about Jesus regarding the time of His crucifixion, this can apply for you too, especially if you have been "dead and buried" last year. The good news is the Lord is here for you right now, refreshing and delivering you, and preparing you for the good that's coming this year! 

Psalm 116:5-7 (NKJV) says, 'Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple. I was brought low, and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.' 

In spite of the many 'shakings' in the world this year, be at rest. Continue to look to Him and seek Him, and He will know how to deal bountifully with you and bless you, even in ways unimaginable to you. 

Psalm 116:16-17 (NKJV) says, 'O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.' 

Give thanks because the Lord has 'loosed your bonds', and you are now set free. Give thanks in advance for the good that's coming to your life this year. Give thanks in advance for the open doors and new openings that the Lord has prepared for you this year!

The Lord also reminded me of 'dry bones being revived' in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 37:10-11 (NKJV) says, 'So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel." They indeed say, "Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!"' 

Though these verses are in the context of Israel, this can apply for you too in the context of what had happened in the past one to two years - "Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!" But the time has come for the Lord to breathe new life and new hope in your life! Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 37:12-14 (NKJV) says, 'Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it," says the Lord.' 

Again, though these verses are in the context of Israel, this can apply for you too, in that the Lord is releasing His Spirit in you afresh and anew. The Lord will know how to place you in the right places this year. There will be open doors for you. And whatever 'grave' situation you have experienced in the past years, the Lord is causing you to come out from it. He is bringing you into 'a land of blessing' in order to prosper you!

Ezekiel 36:29-30 (NKJV) says, 'I will deliver you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations.' 

No matter what 'drought' you see in the world this year, you will not suffer 'famine'. Instead, you will be fruitful and see increase in all that you do. Impossible as it may seem to man, but the Lord your God is a God who does great miracles, signs and wonders. There is no one like Him. Therefore, declare fruitfulness and increase for your life this year. Believe and receive. In Jesus' name. Amen!

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He is refreshing what has become stale!

The Lord says:
"I am refreshing what has become stale in your life! I am causing you to break free from the staleness that dampens you! I am releasing My fresh wind and fresh rain to clear what has become stale! There will be a new life again! There will be a new vigor and passion again! This is the time to receive that refreshing!"

Let's go to the Scripture now. Jeremiah 31:23-25 (NIV) says, 'This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: 'The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.' People will live together in Judah and all its towns - farmers and those who move about with their flocks. I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."'

The word 'refresh' here is 'ravah' in Hebrew, literally meaning 'to fill with abundance of water, to breathe new life', and interestingly, this word 'ravah' is from the word 'ruwach' in Hebrew, meaning 'breath of God' or 'Spirit of God'.

The context of the verses above is that the Lord had spoken about the day when His people would say, "The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain." Not only would they be restored spiritually and materially, they would also be refreshed, i.e. 'filled with abundance of water' and 'breathed with new life'!

But how do you apply these verses in your life today?
The Lord is setting His people free from the 'captivity' that has kept them defeated, stale and small all these while! Therefore, declare by faith that your time of breaking free has come - free from those 'chains' and 'bondage' that have held you down - and declare by faith these same words upon yourself, "The Lord bless me, I am a prosperous city, I am a sacred mountain!"

In Isaiah 44:1-4 (NLT), the Lord says, "But now, listen to Me, Jacob My servant, Israel My chosen one. The Lord who made you and helps you says: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, My servant, O dear Israel, My chosen one. For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your children. They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank."

Notice that not only the Lord made you, but He also helps you. If you look carefully, one is in past tense (i.e. 'made you'), and the other is in present tense (i.e. 'helps you'). It goes to show He is presently and continually helping you! So, there's nothing to be afraid of, whatever your 'crisis' or 'situation' may be at the moment. He will not leave you forsaken or forgotten even now!

In fact, the Lord has promised to 'pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields'. And He will even do the same on your descendants, or whatever your 'offspring' may be, including the works that you put your hands on! This is the time to declare all the above will begin to 'thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank'! By the way, this word 'thrive' is 'tsaw-makh' in Hebrew, meaning 'to spring up, to spring forth, to grow again, to be full of life again'. Let it be so for your life. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Practical tips to keep yourself fresh and stay fresh:
1. Pray in the spirit often (Isaiah 28:11-12)
2. Meditate on what the Lord has spoken to you (Habakkuk 2:2-3)
3. Talk to the Lord what to add, what to cut down in life (Proverbs 15:13-15)
4. Get rid of your physical and emotional clutter (Ecclesiastes 3:6, Isaiah 43:18-19)
5. Clear your mind from worry and entanglement (1 Peter 1:13)

Empower, not encumber!

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV): "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."

The word 'rest' here in Greek is 'anapauo', meaning 'to rest, to refresh, to be at ease', and it isn't just about finding rest from the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but in the right context, finding rest from the heaviness and encumbrance of religious rules, bureaucracy, and legalism.

This was the actual reason Jesus spoke these words, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". He was speaking to those who had been trying to carry an impossible load, namely the man-made rules and standards imposed upon them by the religious leaders of the day.

The word 'labor' here speaks of 'trying to work it out to the point of utter exhaustion', whilst the term 'heavy laden' speaks of 'a great load being dumped on a person'. As you can see here, Jesus was addressing those who were exhausted (or burnt-out) from trying to measure up to the expectations of the religious leaders of the day!

I heard the Lord saying these words recently:
"Make Christianity as simple as the Bible says Christianity is! Make life as simple as the Bible says Christians are! Empower them, not encumber them!"

As a matter of fact, Jesus came to set us free! Freedom from not just the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but also from the religious yoke set by men! What then is a yoke? It is a wooden crosspiece fastened on the neck of two oxen to pull together a load when working in pairs. You see, the ox isn't alone under the weight of the wooden crosspiece. That's speaking about you. There's another ox to help him. And that's speaking about Jesus. A yoke is in effect a 'picture' of the 'cross', and Jesus is here to help you carry your 'cross', burden, heaviness, and shame!

Of course, Jesus paid a very heavy price to set the people free! He ruffled the feathers of 'the powers that be' (the religious leaders) of His days, so much so that they sought to kill Him! But He stayed true to His calling on earth, obedient till the very end, even to the point of death on the cross! Today, He is exalted above all names, that every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that He is Lord!

Hebrews 4:15 says, 'For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin'.
- He suffered assassination attempts, both character assassination and physical assassination (Matthew 2:13-16, Luke 4:28-30).
- He suffered rejection from His own disciples, and even His brothers did not believe in Him (John 6:41-66, John 7:5).
- He suffered sorrows, and wept. Raising Lazarus back to life sealed His very own death (John 11:35, John 11:48-50).
- He suffered betrayal from His own at the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1-3).
- He suffered great pains, humiliation, and loss of breath on the cross (John 19:17-30).

Beloved of God, whatever your 'cross', burden, heaviness, or shame may be at the moment, know that there's nothing that He cannot understand (or sympathize with you). Like the ox that carries the weight of the wooden crosspiece, let Him also carry them all for you, as you continue to walk side-by-side with Him. Amen.