Words from the Lord: "New ideas and strategies will flow this month!"

The Lord says: 

"This month is a month of breath of fresh air in the spirit for many of My people. There's a fresh revelation. There's a brand new purpose. There will be new ideas and new strategies that I am giving to you. A new chapter has begun. A new door has been opened. Walk in it. Receive it. Never mind if you have missed out in the past, but this is the time to begin to look forward to the new opening that I have for you."  

Joshua 1:1-2 (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 I am giving to them..."'

In Joshua 1:9, the Lord said further, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you..." 

That's what the Lord spoke to Joshua. And the Lord is saying the same to you right now!

At this point of time in Joshua chapter 1, there was a significant and pivotal change in Joshua's life. What was that pivot? God gave him new strategies. God gave him new mission. God gave him new purposes. As God has spoken to Joshua, God is speaking the same to you too! Not just that. God released His revelation to Joshua on how to go about, as he looked forward. That time has come for Joshua, both spiritually and physically. 

By the way, what is 'pivotal'? It is defined as 'of crucial importance in relation to the development and success of something'. In other words, the time is coming when you shall see something of greater significance happening in your life. That is the prophetic word for you at the moment. And it will be good!

So, Joshua chapter 1 is the key here. It is happening both spiritually and physically. In the spiritual realm and in the physical realm. It means not just in the spirit, but something you can see with your physical eyes. 

The Lord is saying this to you right now: "Be strong and be of good courage. Do not be afraid. Do not be dismayed. Get yourself ready to face a greater future!" 

Will you by faith receive these words? And whatever happens in the spirit shall be manifested in the natural, in the physical realm, in ways that you can see. Do not let the devil rob that from you! Also, receive a renewed strength from the Lord. Not just that. Receive new ideas, revelation, and even strategies from the Lord, as God opens new doors and new horizons for you! 

And the Lord is saying: "A major shift is coming! From the old to the new! It has begun!" 

Very interestingly, do you know Joshua actually had a name change prior to that? Many people actually don't know about this. So, it's not just people like Jacob or Abram who had name change. You know that, from Jacob to Israel, from Abram to Abraham. Each of these name change brought with it a change of character, and in turn, a change of fortune as well. Now, I'm not saying we all should go to the registration office and change our name. But what I'm saying is there will be a change of character and change of fortune in the spirit for you. And this change is to the better!

You see, throughout the Scripture, a name change is very significant and pivotal. One major example that we all know is from Jacob to Israel. That change led to something greater. So, it's not just about character change. It's more than that. 

How about Joshua? Let me show you in the Scripture. Numbers 13:8 (NKJV) says, '...from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun...' Notice this name 'Hoshea'. And then, Numbers 13:16 (NKJV) says, 'These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land (the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey). And Moses called Hoshea, the son of Nun, Joshua.' 

See? From Hoshea to Joshua! And it was Moses himself who called Hoshea a new name, Joshua. Now, that was a preparation point for something of greater significance to happen in Joshua's life. For the record, Moses at that time was getting his people to spy out the land of Canaan, the land which the Lord was about to give them. But you see, everyone who went to spy came back with negative report. They were afraid to take the land. There were two exceptions: Joshua and Caleb. They had a different mindset. They came back with good report. They saw new horizons and new opportunities, instead of difficulties. And you know what? The rest is history for Joshua and Caleb. They went into the Promised Land and conquered the land. 

Have you ever wondered what is the meaning of the old name 'Hoshea' and the new name 'Joshua'? 'Hoshea', the old name, simply means 'salvation' or 'deliverance'. How about 'Joshua'? 'Joshua', the new name, or rather, 'Yehoshua' as written in the Hebrew Bible, means 'YHWH saves' or 'YHWH delivers'. Some people may not notice this. But you see, something greater has been added! Where is the difference between the old and the new, 'Hoshea' and 'Yehoshua'? That difference is the name of the Lord God Almighty, YHWH, has been added to his name! 

To a stranger, that may not mean anything much. Nothing to shout about. But God! To God, and in the spiritual realm, it was like a major shift! It was like a major earthquake in the spirit that was about to shake and change history. And change it did! It was pivotal. It was of great significance. A change that marked the beginning of a new destiny and new journey for Joshua. And beginning at that point, God was assuring him that He is with Joshua. God's with him. God's backing him up in this new destiny and new journey. Joshua is not alone in this. God paved the way for him. And most importantly, God's with him in all the battles going forward! 

Now, the same it is with you, like Joshua, whatever 'opening' that God has for you, going forward! 

In Greek, this name 'Yehoshua' ('Joshua' in our English Bible) is translated 'Iesous'. This is actually the same form as Jesus' name in the New Testament. So, as you can see here, 'Yehoshua' (or 'Joshua') is a typology or a 'type' of 'Yeshua' (or 'Jesus'). 

For Yeshua (or Jesus), it was also at Jordan River that was pivotal. What happened there? He was baptized by John the Baptist there. You know what happened then and there? Heaven opened! The Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove. Now, mark this word 'descended', because I'm going to explain it to you later. Not only the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus, a voice from heaven declared, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 

You know what's the pivot there? That marked the beginning of something new in Yeshua's time on earth. And now you see the same for Yehoshua (or Joshua) in Joshua chapter 1. The Lord was preparing him to lead the people to cross that same Jordan River into the Promised Land. And the Lord said to Joshua: "Be strong and be of good courage. Do not be afraid, for I, YHWH, am with you." 

What is the significance of this Jordan River? There's a similarity here both to Jesus and Joshua. This Jordan River was pivotal to both of them. The name 'Jordan' is 'Yarden' in Hebrew, which is derived from the word 'yarad', meaning 'to descend' or 'to flow down'. 

In other words, like river of water flowing down from the mountain. Like a waterfall falling upon you. The spiritual significance of this is just as the river of water flows down from top to bottom, God's revelation, God's power, and God's Spirit flows down from heaven to earth upon you! You know what this means? All the good that God has for you from above is now beginning to fall on you! Receive this by faith! This is the revelation today. And this includes new ideas from above, new strategies from above, and even new strength from above! 

No wonder Joshua never looked back ever since. Now, the same it is for you, beloved. Amen! 

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How to survive and thrive in these chaotic times?

No denying we are living in a chaotic time in the world right now. So, how do you survive and thrive in these chaotic times? How do you rise above the 'storms' that the world is facing right now? 

Economic storms. Geopolitical storms. Wars and rumors of war. Trade wars. Stock market meltdown. Uncertainties all around. Higher inflation. Job losses. Possible recession, or even depression. You name it. 

But you know what? In spite of all these, you can look to the Lord who is a God of wisdom and revelation. We don't look to man. But we look to the King of kings, the Lord of lords, Jesus!  

With the economic shakings and turmoil that's happening right before our eyes, more people are going to suffer. But no matter what happens around you, beloved of God, fear not! Because if you look to the Lord and put all your trust in the Lord, instead of in man, the Lord will show you a way. He will give you the wisdom and revelation that you need to rise above all these mess. 

The good news here is the Lord does have the answer. If you abide in Him and keep following Him (your True Shepherd), you will not need to fear. Like a sheep following the shepherd closely, you will find green pastures. You will be still and know that He is God. Jesus is Lord! You will be at peace in the midst of the storms. Amen! 

What can we do in such chaotic times?

1. Be ready to think 'outside the box'! 

To think 'outside the box' means to think in a different way from the status quo. The key is to ask Him. Ask Him for His wisdom and revelation how to go about. Now, 'wisdom' means 'knowing what to do and how to go about'. And that's when you will find your 'niche'. You will find a way out in the midst of the storms. 

2. Be ready to do something outside your 'comfort zone'! 

If you look at Luke 5:3-6, you would see how Jesus told Simon Peter to 'launch out' and 'spread the fishing net for a catch', when conventional thinking is that it's impossible to get a catch at that time of the day. For the record, Simon Peter and his fellow fishermen had already toiled all night and caught nothing. But you know what? When Simon Peter listened to Jesus and obeyed Jesus' instruction to spread the net again, he saw a great catch of fish! It was a miraculous catch! So much so he had to call his friends to come and help out! 

3. Be ready to change! 

I know change is uncomfortable. But this is a time of major changes. The Lord is in the midst of changing the way we think. The Lord is in the midst of changing the way we do things. The Lord is changing the way we perceive things. And He's saying that this is the time to prepare your 'new wineskins for the new wine'. That's what He said in Matthew 9:17. So, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you to make the necessary changes in your life. Now, different people different. The Holy Spirit will show you the specifics that works for you in this time and season. You see, what used to work in the past may not work in this new season. So, be open. Stay humble before the Lord. Your heart needs to stay soft before the Lord, like a sponge. Stay 'pliable' and willing when the Lord asks you to change certain things in your life or certain areas of your life. 

4. Keep sowing the seeds of love and kindness 

In other words, keep doing good to others. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:7-10 that we are not to grow weary while doing good, because in due season, we shall reap what we sow. So, if you sow love and kindness  to others, you will receive love and kindness in return. God will take care of that. God will see to it that it will happen. Because He's not dead. He's a God who is alive! But if you sow greed and hatred, you will reap the consequences of it. So, sow what is of the Holy Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Amen! When many people are tempted to do the opposite, you stay in the love of Christ, and keep bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. You will be rewarded openly. The Lord will know how to reward you even in ways you have not imagined yet. 

5. Clear what needs to clear! 

Clear away all those burdens! The Lord wants your life to be light and easy. In other words, clear your clutter! Clear away your unwholesome things! Clear away your sins! Wash your heart. Wash your hands. Let the blood of Jesus continue to wash you clean. Let the water of His Word continue to wash you clean. Let the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of holiness, continue to cleanse you from the inside out. Continue to spend time with the Word of God. Read the Word of God often. Pray in the spirit often. Walk in holiness and purity. Walk in humility and simplicity the way Jesus has taught us to walk. 

6. Be agile and flexible! 

What is 'to be agile'? 'To be agile' means 'to be able to move quickly and easily when the need arises'. Like a deer at the mountain. Even in rocky terraces and at the cliff, the deer is agile, able to move quickly and easily when the need arises. You may ask, "Where is the Scriptural proof?" Psalm 18:33 (NKJV) says, 'He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.' The Amplified Bible puts it this way, 'He makes my feet like hinds' feet [able to stand firmly and tread safely on paths of testing and trouble]; He sets me [securely] upon my high places.' 

7. Pray for the right opportunity and right timing! 

Keep praying in the spirit. Because praying in the spirit is praying in the perfect will of God. Perfect will of God for your life! The Lord will show you many secrets. So, let His Spirit of wisdom and revelation flow. The Lord will show you and guide you, even in dreams and visions. The Lord has been giving me many crucial dreams at night that helped guide me in my decision-making all these years. I'm glad I've obeyed all these guidances and instructions from the Lord. And recently He has also been showing me many things through dreams. And I'm heeding these guidances from the Lord. Now, I pray the same for you too. I pray that God will also speak to you even through dreams. And as you are led by the Holy Spirit, you will be at the right place at the right time, doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions in your life. Amen! 

Prayer:

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your guidances today. We thank You for the peace that surpasses all understanding to reign in our lives, in spite of all the chaos that are happening in the world right now. We thank You for Your leading and guidance. We want to walk in the right direction. We want to walk into the right opportunity, at the right time and at the right place. We continue to receive Your Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You and Your calling in our lives. We want to walk through doors that only You can open. We look to You, and not to man. For You see farther and You know better than anyone else on earth. In Jesus' name. Amen."

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Words from the Lord: "I will bring clarity to you this year!"

The Lord says: 

"As you look forward to this new year, walk ever closer with Me. Let My Spirit fill your life. Let My Spirit lead you and guide you. Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit. Even though there may be chaos and confusion in the world around you, I will bring clarity to you. You may not understand many things that have happened in your past, but many things are going to become clearer and clearer to you. You will begin to understand the many things that I am doing in your life. You will begin to see how I see. Look to Me and be led by Me, and you will see greater victories and breakthroughs this year." 

Yes, be led by the Holy Spirit every step of the way! Follow His footsteps, so to speak. He will know how to lead you, step by step, no matter what happens in the world around you, or what you see in the world around you. And look here. Your victory and breakthrough is not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. I'm going to explain what this verse means. 

So, let's dive straight into this verse. Zechariah 4:6 (NKJV) says, 'So he (the angel) answered and said to me (Zechariah): This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts.' 

Who was Zechariah? 'Zechariah' is 'Zekar Yah' in Hebrew, which simply means 'YHWH remembers'. To apply this in your life, indeed the Lord remembers you and remembers His covenant with you. You see, Israel was blessed because YHWH remembers the covenant He made with His people those days. 

Zechariah was a prophet and a priest in his days, having been born in exile during the seventy years of captivity in Babylon. But what happened here is the time came when God's people began returning to Jerusalem from Babylon. Zechariah was one of those who returned to Jerusalem. Here, the Lord used him to inspire the people to look to the Lord and to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem that has been destroyed. 

Who was Zerubbabel then? He too was among those returning to Jerusalem from Babylon, and as a governor, he was to take the lead in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Now, that's when the Lord spoke these words to Zerubbabel through the prophet Zechariah: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit'. 

By the way, the name 'Zerubbabel' means 'descendant of Babylon'. 'Babylon' speaks of 'the ways of this world (the ways of this fallen world)'. This word 'Babylon' comes from the word 'Babel', meaning 'confusion'. This speaks of 'the fallen ways of the world', or 'people doing things by their own might or power'. Remember the Tower of Babel in the Book of Genesis chapter 11? 

So, for Zerubbabel here, even though he had this noble calling of rebuilding God's temple in Jerusalem, God also wanted him to build it in God's ways, and not in the ways of this fallen world. In other words, not in the 'Babylonian ways' that he grew up learning. You see, God needed to tell this to Zerubbabel because Zerubbabel might still be influenced by the Babylonian ways of doing things. And that's when the Lord spoke to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit." By the Spirit of the Lord! 

Let's do a little study now on the words 'might', 'power', and 'Spirit', as written in Zechariah 4:6. 

The word 'might' here is 'khahyil' in Hebrew. It can mean 'force, power, riches, strength (whether of human or other worldly resources)'. 

The word 'power' here is 'kowach' in Hebrew. It can mean 'human ability or capacity, own human produce (including power of human persuasion or flattery)'. 

On the other hand, the word 'Spirit' is 'ruwach' in Hebrew. It can mean 'breath, spirit'. In the context of our study today, it means 'by the breath of God'. In other words, 'by His breath (that He breathes into you)'. 

Back to Zerubbabel now. Now you know Zerubbabel grew up in the Babylonian ways. And he was very likely still influenced by the Babylonian ways of doing things, which is 'by their own human might or power'. 

But God is saying there's a higher way! God's way! God's wisdom! God's revelation! 

Many believers today are like Zerubbabel. We are so used to the ways of this world (or the Babylonian ways) to achieve success, or to do business, or to go about our lives. Or even doing ministry in ways influenced by the Babylonian ways. Building own empire instead of building God's kingdom. Making a name for ourselves instead of giving God all the glory. Now, it may look like a success initially, but it also brings with it the loss of joy, conscience being compromised, and even getting unnecessarily overly stressed up. 

Now, don't get me wrong. God does give wisdom for us to live on earth, whatever our calling or vocation. He wants to see us having good success on earth. But God is also saying that it is by His wisdom and revelation. It is by learning to depend on the Lord, and lean not on our own human might or power. Yeah, trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding. In all our ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). 

So, let's not repeat the same mistakes as those who tried to build the Tower of Babel those days in the Book of Genesis. Let's look to the Lord's way instead. How? By allowing the Holy Spirit to lead. Now, when I say this, I'm saying this to myself too. Let us all humble ourselves as we look to the Lord this year. 

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NKJV) says, 'And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.' 'Power' here is 'the empowering and enabling of the Holy Spirit, instead of human's own power or human's own ability'. 

A few verses later, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NKJV) says, 'But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.' 

Yeah, the things that the world cannot see and understand, because their understanding has been darkened. But if you yield your life to the Lord, He will enlighten your spiritual eyes so that you can see how He sees. He will reveal to you the deeper things of the Spirit that the world doesn't know. He will also show you His wisdom. 'Wisdom' simply means 'knowing what to do and how to go about in your life'. Yes, this applies in your career, in your business, in the ministry that God has called you, and in every aspect of your life.

Romans 8:14 (NKJV) says, 'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.' See the words here: 'led by the Spirit of God'. 

So beloved, as we begin this new year, let the Holy Spirit fill us all in all. Let the Holy Spirit fill us to the overflow. Let the Spirit of God release upon us the wisdom and revelation that we need to see real good success on this earth. 

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, we want to be led by Your Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts right now. Fill us to the overflow. We need You even more and more, as we look forward in this new year. We want to be led and be guided by You every step of the way. We receive now Your wisdom and revelation. You have spoken today that You will bring clarity in our lives. We'll begin to understand the many things that You are doing in our lives. We'll begin to see how You see. So right now, at the beginning of the year, we entrust our lives entirely to You. Come take over our lives. Come do as You want in our lives. We yield to You. We submit to You. We humble ourselves before You. Indeed it is not by might nor by power, but by Your Spirit, as You have spoken today. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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How to make the right decisions in life?

The Lord says: 

"Many of My people are entering a time of decisions, decisions, decisions. Many are in such junctures and crossroads. In a time like this, I will teach My people to make important decisions according to My revelation. I will teach My people to discern and differentiate what is of Me and what is not of Me." 

Decisions, decisions, decisions! How to make the right decisions in your life? This is what we are going to tackle today. You see, in every season of our lives, we need to make decisions. Big decisions. Small decisions. And some decisions are so crucial, this would either lead us to greater things or cause us to stagnate in life. This is that time! 

To begin with, let's look at Paul and his team at Troas. They were at the crossroads in their ministry. Acts 16:6-10 (NKJV) says, 'Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.' 

At that juncture of Paul's missionary journey, the Holy Spirit did not permit Paul and his team when they tried to go to certain places or certain direction. As he was wondering what to do next, the Lord gave him a vision. Obedient as Paul was, he heeded this vision and they proceeded to go to Macedonia. It turned out to be a good decision, and many more people heard and received the Gospel of Jesus Christ during that journey. 

And then, Acts 18:9-11 (NKJV) says, 'Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.' 

As Paul continued his missionary journey and was in the city of Corinth, the Lord spoke to him in a vision once again. This time, the Lord encouraged him to keep speaking and teaching the Word of God and not to be afraid, even in the face of opposition and resistance. Heeding these words from the Lord, Paul continued there a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them. 

From the two examples here, you can see that Paul was a man who had learned to make decisions based on revelations and instructions of the Lord. No wonder in 2 Corinthians 12:1, he wrote, 'It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.' 

Paul went on to complete all that the Lord had called him to do while on earth, and the Lord also used him to write about half of the entire New Testament! 

But you may say, "This is regarding ministry." But no! It can also apply in every aspect of your life. In your career path. In your business path. Or in any area of your life. 

What was it in Paul that we can learn from today? You see, everybody wants to make the right decisions in life. But what can we learn from Paul today? I believe the answer can be found in Proverbs 22:4 that says, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.' 

In other words, by humility and the fear of the Lord, you will make decisions that will lead you to fulfill your God-given destiny in your life. When you have these two keys, 'humility' and 'the fear of the Lord', the Lord will surely honor you and help you in your decision making. I believe that was the secret of Paul. 

By the way, what does 'By humility and the fear of the Lord' mean? To humble before Him is to submit and yield to Him. Yes, yielding to His words and His instructions in total surrender, instead of being smart in our own eyes, thinking that we know better. To fear Him is to have deep reverence and respect toward Him and what He says. You see, not just toward Him, but also what He says. When He says so, we say so. When He says no, we say no. When He says move, we move. When He says stop, we stop.

May the Lord give you the discernment to know what is of Him and what is not of Him; when to move and when to stop; when to go to the left and when to go to the right. 

Ecclesiastes 8:5 (NKJV) says, 'He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; and a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment.' It means 'to discern what is the right timing', and 'the ability to make the right judgment in life'. You can also translate this as 'the ability to make the right decisions in life'. 

The word 'discern' here is 'yada' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to have understanding (of what is and what is not), or to recognize the difference (between what is and what is not)'. In our context today, what is of God and what is not of God. 

But what is the key to discern? As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. This is true even in training and exercising our spirit man and our spiritual senses to discern. How? Pray in the spirit. Pray in the spirit often. You know what? Every time you pray in the spirit, you are activating your spirit man, and you are exercising your spiritual senses to discern ('yada') and to recognize the difference between what is of God and what is not of God; what is of the Spirit and what is of the flesh (or what is of the devil). 

Hebrews 5:13-14 (NKJV) says, 'For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age (i.e. 'spiritually mature'), that is, those who by reason of use (i.e. 'by reason of practice') have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (i.e. 'what is of God and what is not').' 

See the word 'exercised' there? You see, you can have your senses exercised to discern (differentiate) what is good and what is evil; what is of God and what is not of God. And with that, you can make the right decisions in your life that will catapult you to greater things.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NKJV) says, 'Do not quench the Spirit (the Holy Spirit). Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.' 

As you exercise your spirit to discern, test the spirit. Hold on to what is of God (what is good), and let go of what is not of God (what is bad). When it's written 'test' here, it means: 'Is it Holy Spirit or is it a false spirit (or a spirit of deception)? Is it from God or is it not from God? Is the idea from God or is the idea merely from man?' 

And then, you can test it with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Does it have the fruit of the Spirit? Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV) says, 'But the fruit of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (or patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.' 

Another important key in making the right decisions in life is whatever decision you make must pass through the Word of God. In other words, it must be screened through by the Word of God. Why? Because Hebrews 4:12-13 (NKJV) says, 'For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.' 

The word 'discerner' here is 'kritikos' in Greek, from the word 'krino' meaning 'to differentiate, to distinguish, to decide (mentally or judicially) like a judge'. In other words, the Word of God discovers the condition and the intents of the heart, and it is a foolproof way to help you to make the right decisions in life. Why? Because the Word of God is plain and clear. It's simple, leaving no opportunity for error. 

You see, Word and Spirit, Spirit and Word! Never leave any of this out. The Word of God. The Spirit of God. This helps you to discern and to differentiate what is of the Lord and what is not of the Lord, so that you can make the right decisions that will bring you to greater heights in your life, and fulfill your God-given destiny in your life!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, sensitize our spirit man to discern and to differentiate what is of You and what is not of You. We want to make important decisions according to Your revelations and instructions. As we enter into a time of decisions, as we walk into junctures and crossroads in life, yes, all the more we need You, O Lord. Teach us. Help us. Guide us. We receive Your Word. We receive Your Spirit. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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Prophetic words: A time to advance and flourish!

Words from the Lord: 

"This new spiritual year is a year of moving, advancing and possessing! This is the year of moving from the old and advancing to the new. This is the year to possess your inheritance in Me and move into a new assignment that I have prepared for you!"

Further words from the Lord: 

"Like Joshua when he left the wilderness and moved into the Promised Land, a new strength and a new momentum is building for My people. Wisdom and revelation will be added upon My people. You will know the right direction to go, and the right way to do things. Fresh revelations will flow."

We have entered a brand new Hebrew year, a brand new spiritual year! 

The key for this new spiritual year is moving, advancing and possessing!

As I was praying in the spirit, the Lord gave me a vision. In the vision, I saw rows and rows of new palm trees growing right before my eyes. The trees are growing very fast, like even before someone finished planting a new palm tree, the tree before that has already grown to be a matured tree, bearing fruit. And I saw tree after tree, each one grew so fast and began to bear fruit.

I asked the Lord for the interpretation of this vision. And this is what the Lord said: "Like the palm trees, many things are going to accelerate in ways you cannot imagine possible. There's going to be a lot of movement and advancing in the spiritual realm, and it will be reflected in the physical realm. Like Joshua after crossing Jordan, the conquests happened so fast - in just that few years - as he led the people to possess their inheritance."

Some of you may ask, "What is the significance or symbolic meaning of palm tree according to the Scripture?"

Psalm 92:12 (NKJV) says, 'The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.'

'Palm tree' here is 'tawmawr' in Hebrew, from the original root word meaning 'to grow, to flourish, to shoot up, to go upright'.

For the record, palm tree is a fruit bearing tree. In fact, a palm tree bears fruit that is super nutritious. The fruit, or the dates of the palm tree, is considered one of the super foods even today. This fruit can sustain people's life for a long time even without them eating any other food. 

You see, not only palm dates are super nutritious, but palm dates can also sustain people's life for a long time. Therefore, 'palm tree' speaks of 'flourishing'. Beloved of God, you too are like the palm tree! You too will flourish! And this is what you're going to see happening in your life, as you look to the Lord and flow with the Lord!

Even as you begin this new spiritual year, the Hebrew new year (and this includes a big portion of the Gregorian year 2023), receive this grace from the Lord to flourish, to advance, and to shoot up! Not just that. You are going to triumph! You are going to overcome! And like Joshua, you are going to possess the inheritance that the Lord has wanted to give to you this brand new spiritual year!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your prophetic words today. We thank You that as we look to You and follow Your leading the way Joshua followed You, we shall advance and possess our inheritance that You have promised us. We want to be like the palm trees that flourish and bear much fruit, as we look forward and look ahead in our lives. We want to walk in the fullness of what You have prepared for us in this brand new spiritual year. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

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

Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and revelation

The Lord says:
"Ask and keep asking! Seek and keep seeking! Knock and keep knocking! Do not be afraid to ask, and do not hesitate to ask! I am your Father in heaven, and you are My children. Ask of Me, and you shall receive! Ask of the Holy Spirit, and it shall be given to you. Ask for My wisdom and revelation, as you prepare to move into the next level!"

Jesus said in Luke 11:9-10 (Amplified Bible), "So I say to you, ask and keep on asking, and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking, and you will find; knock and keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking [persistently], receives; and he who keeps on seeking [persistently], finds; and to him who keeps on knocking [persistently], the door will be opened."

Jesus then said further in Luke 11:11-13 (Amplified Bible), "What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you, then, being evil [that is, sinful by nature], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!"

See, your heavenly Father has great pleasure in giving you good gifts when you ask! Notice here, Jesus said 'how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit'! Interestingly, Jesus didn't say 'give money', 'give big house/car', 'give positions', 'give connections', 'give fame', etc! But He said 'give the Holy Spirit'! In other words, 'good gifts' here translates to 'the Holy Spirit'! You know why? Because when you have the Holy Spirit, you have everything! The truth is when you have the Holy Spirit to show you the way, and disclose to you what you should do (or how you should go about doing things), every 'good thing' will come!

Indeed, this is a key time to ask of the Holy Spirit - because He knows all things - even things regarding your future! And don't stop until you get the answer! Jesus said in John 16:13-15 (Amplified Bible), "But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]. He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Because of this I said that He [the Spirit] will take from what is Mine and will reveal it to you."

People of God, as you prepare for the new decade that's coming, and as you get ready to move into the next level, ask the Holy Spirit to disclose to you the wisdom, revelation, and even strategies that you need - be it in your family, career, business, ministry, or even investments!

You might ask, "Why do some Christians ask but do not receive?"
Some people ask but do not receive, because they ask amiss! In other words, they ask according to their own self-indulgent desires (motivated by lust, greed, pride), instead of asking for what is God's best for them! To put it simply, they ask with wrong motives! James 4:1-3 (Amplified) says, 'What leads to [the unending] quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war in your [bodily] members [fighting for control over you]? You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God]. You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires'. By the way, the word 'hedonistic' here is from the Greek word 'hedone' meaning 'engaged in the pursuit of own selfish pleasure or self-indulgence (motivated by lust, greed, pride)'.

You might ask further, "What then is the antidote to 'praying amiss'?"
The answer is by praying in the spirit! Because when you pray in the spirit, you are in effect praying God's perfect will for your life! Romans 8:26-28 (Amplified Bible) says, 'The Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will. And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose'.

You see, the truth is the Holy Spirit knows you better than you'd ever do! So, don't ask according to what your carnal mind think (or presume) is best for you, but ask of the Holy Spirit who knows EXACTLY what's best for you! And when the Holy Spirit begins to take it from here, you can be sure to walk into all that Ephesians 3:20 has promised you: 'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think, according to the power (of the Holy Spirit) that works in you'. Amen!

Get ready for your double portion!

1 Kings 19:19 (NKJV): So he (Elijah) departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.

The Lord has been speaking to me about Elijah-Elisha relationship as I was preparing for the year 2015. The chapters to read as you cross the threshold of 2015 are 1 Kings 19 and 2 Kings 2. These are crucial chapters for the year 2015.

The word 'mantle' (or 'coat') here is 'addereth' (i.e. something ample, like a wide garment/robe) in Hebrew, from the word 'eder' meaning 'amplitude (i.e. greatness, largeness, abundance), glorious, splendor'. This throwing of Elijah's mantle on Elisha here speaks of the adoption in a spiritual father-son relationship between Elijah and Elisha.

'Elijah' ('Eliyah' in Hebrew) comes from two words, i.e. 'El' meaning 'God, the Almighty, the Strength', and 'Yah', the name of the Lord God, the YHWH (Yehowah), the Self-Existent and Eternal God. 

'Elisha' ('Eliysha' or 'Eliyshuwa' in Hebrew) comes from two words as well, i.e. 'El' meaning 'God, the Almighty, the Strength', and 'Shuwa', which means 'riches, in abundance'.

If 'Elijah' speaks of 'the Spirit of God', then 'Elisha' speaks of you and I! Romans 8:14-15 says, 'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."' 

People of God, keep following the God of YHWH no matter what this year, like Elisha following Elijah! This is the key for you in the year 2015. And if you do so, this shall be a year of ‘double portion’ and ‘double honor’ for you. Isaiah 61:7 says, 'Instead of your shame you shall have double honor (double portion), and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double...'

As I was seeking the Lord for what the year 2015 brings, He gave a deep assurance with these words:

"My grace is enough for you for the year ahead, if you will look to Me."

By the way, His grace here speaks of His supply and His ability. Not by might (of men) nor by power (of men), but by the Spirit of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6-7).

Then, I heard further for this year 2015:

"This is going to be a year of pleasant surprises and a year the fountain of revelation is being opened for those who seek Me."

Notice the words “if you will look to Me”, and then “for those who seek Me” above? There’s a double emphasis here, and I believe the Lord wants us to know this is not for everyone, but for those who look to Him and seek Him.

For those who will, 'pleasant surprises' are waiting for you, even in the midst of gloominess in the world. Just never limit God - on what He can do for you, or how He’s going to do it! This is a year of endless possibilities. Like Elisha, not only did he receive a double portion and pleasant surprises, watch how he also walked in the fountain of revelation that’s being opened for him!

Elisha is a 'picture' of riches and abundance. To plow with twelve yoke (pairs) of oxen in the field at the same time is rather extraordinary, and he was with the twelfth when the mantle fell on him. He never looked back since then (1 Kings 19:21), and followed Elijah till the very end (2 Kings 2:11-15). That was the key to his double portion of anointing. By the way, the number 'twelve' doesn't just mean 'divine government or authority' in Hebrew numeric, but this number is also the number for 'divine power (or ability)'. In other words, the number 'twelve' speaks of the anointing!

Note: What is the anointing? It is ‘mish-chah’ in Hebrew, meaning 'unction', from the Hebrew word ‘mashach’, i.e. 'to rub with oil, to consecrate, to anoint'. ‘Oil’ here speaks of 'the anointing, enabling, or empowering of the Holy Spirit'. Jesus the Christ (the Anointed) Himself quoted Isaiah 61:1-2 (that opens the way to Isaiah 61:7), "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me..." as He began His earthly ministry (see Luke 4:18-19). 

Indeed, this is a year to receive the anointing like that of Elisha!

Look now how Elisha kept following Elijah no matter what.

2 Kings 2:1-2 (NKJV) says, ‘And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel'.

From Gilgal, meaning ‘wheel, rolling thing (like a whirlwind)’, Elisha kept following Elijah - to Bethel (i.e. house of God), then to Jericho (i.e. the fragrance/breath of God), and finally to Jordan, where he received the double portion (see 2 Kings 2:2-8).

May you also have the tenacity and perseverance to follow the Lord no matter what, throughout this year 2015. And that’s how you’ll eventually reach your ‘Jordan’ as well!

Interestingly, the name ‘Jordan’ (‘Yarden’ in Hebrew) means ‘descender’, from the word ‘yarad’, which can mean ‘to descend, to come down, to light upon’. In cross-reference, John 1:32 says, 'And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him (Jesus)."' And guess what? This too happened at Jordan! Let Scripture interpret Scripture!

The above speaks of the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit falling upon His people in a very special way this year 2015, such as happened in the life and ministry of Elisha those days!

2 Kings 2:8-9 (NKJV) then says, 'Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”’

2 Kings 2:11 (NKJV) continues, ‘Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven’.

The word ‘whirlwind’ (i.e. a sudden gush of wind that moves in circular motion) here comes from the Hebrew word ‘saw-ar’, meaning ‘to rush upon’. Many things will happen suddenly this year. Indeed, we have already entered a time and season of many suddenlies. This is the end-time. But fear not, because for those who look to Him and seek Him (with humility and the fear of the Lord), you’ll also be in for many ‘pleasant surprises’ that also come suddenly! Receive this by faith for your life and ministry. Amen!

Not only Elisha had pleasant surprises (1 Kings 19:19, 2 Kings 2:9), the fountain of revelation was also being opened for him, such that 'no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him' (see 1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

Here are the examples of miracles, signs and wonders performed through Elisha upon him receiving his ‘double portion’:

- Healing of water with salt (2 Kings 2:19-22)

- Widow’s jar of oil, and the oil multiplied (2 Kings 4:1-7)

- Raising the Shunammite woman’s son from death (2 Kings 4:32-35)

- Naaman’s leprosy healed as he dipped in Jordan seven times (2 Kings 5:10-14)

- The iron ax head floated when he threw in a stick (2 Kings 6:5-7)

And many more! Speaking about double portion!

Watch how Elisha moved by the revelation of the Lord each time! For each miracle, notice how he received afresh from the Lord, even in unprecedented ways - never being done by others before!

You see, the fountain of revelation was being opened for him in many interesting ways! Elisha just knew what to do. For example, one may ask, “Why not ask Naaman dip in another river instead of Jordan?” or “Why not ask Naaman dip eight times instead of seven times?” 

And I want to believe the same for you this year. When many do not know what to do, or how to go about anymore, like Elisha, ‘you will know’! In other words, the fountain of revelation is being opened for you! This year 2015 is going to be like that - for those who look to Him and seek Him (the way Elisha followed Elijah). 

See yourself like 'Elisha', and see the Lord like the 'Elijah'! 

Here are the ways to receive the anointing for double portion and double honor:

- Keep looking/seeking/following Him no matter what (even in difficult situations)

- Partaking through someone God has anointed (like Elisha to Elijah).

Revelation is like rainfall

Proverbs 29:18a (KJV): Where there is no vision, the people perish.

The word 'vision' here is 'chazown' (pronounced 'khaw-zone') in Hebrew, which can mean 'revelation' or 'prophetic vision'. This word comes from the root word 'chazah' (pronounced 'khaw-zaw'), meaning 'to gaze at, to see, to have a vision of, to prophesy'. 

Why is revelation so important? 

As a matter of fact, revelation is like rainfall. Without revelation, God's people perish. Without rainfall, the land perish (i.e. becomes parched), and therefore new crops cannot grow. 

The same it is with prophetic vision (or prophetic words). Either one receives it or resists it. If one receives, he'll see the vision (or words) coming to pass, as he takes heed of it and acts on it. If one resists, the rain cannot fall (not doesn't want to fall), and thus will not grow new crops.

In Israel, every new year (in Hebrew calendar) marks the beginning of rainfall in the land. That's when the farmers would start plowing, and then planting seeds. Hard ground gets wet by the rain beginning this time, and therefore plowing also begins (i.e. preparing the ground for new seeds to be planted). Generally, rainfall in Israel begins around this time (September/October), and increases by winter time (November/December). Even though some say there are four seasons in Israel (i.e. spring, summer, autumn, and winter), there are (in actual fact) two main seasons each year - summer (i.e. dry season) and winter (i.e. wet season).

"But I'm not a Hebrew, and I don't need to know all these!"

As God's people, you are blessed every time you learn to flow in God's divine timing and season.

We have just crossed into the Hebrew new year 5775, and many people asked me what this year 5775 brings (and of course, what the year 2015 in the secular calendar is going to be like). Have you noticed that God's calendar (say, 5775) usually begins about three months ahead of the secular calendar (say, 2015)? Spiritual first, and then physical (natural). Things happen in the spiritual realm first before it happens in the physical (natural) realm. For example, before God spoke "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3), this 'light' has already been conceived in God's mind first, before He spoke it into being. That's how 'light' came about in the physical (natural) realm!

These are the prophetic words for the Hebrew year 5775 (which includes a major part of year 2015 in the secular calendar) I received from the Lord during Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year) 5775 recently:

"This is a year the fountain of revelation is being opened for those who receive. Like the rain that falls on you, so will My revelation fall on you. New rain brings new things and fresh new revelation. For those who receive, you'll never run out or run short of revelation this coming year. Many in the world will come to the point when they do not know what to do or how to go about any more, but you will know, because this fountain of revelation is being opened for you."

People of God, this is also a time to declare that your drought season is over, and that God's presence, God's grace and God's revelation has begun falling on you like the rainfall - whether in finding job, finding new home, seeing divine health, or seeing any breakthrough in your life.

On Sunday, I released these words to the congregation of Triumph in Christ (TiC) as well:
"Prepare your ground. This is a time to till it and plow it. Get yourselves ready for His rainfall. He will give you seeds to plant this year. And you'll never run out of seeds. This is also a time to prepare to start planting! Seeds of love! Seeds of forgiveness! Any kind of seeds that He ever gives you!"

As I declared 'drought is over' a few days ago, immediately good reports came flooding in my email and phone from then on, and even by today, good reports are still coming in! Someone got a job after so long, someone's husband got a job contract after many months of waiting, someone got a breakthrough in his search for a new property, someone's brother was miraculously healed of stomach paralysis (and even his doctor acknowledged this as God's miracle!), someone's baby somehow got miraculously healed from a life-threatening disease... one by one just came in! I believe the list will grow from now on as I declare it to you! Just the other day, a lady whom I know called up, asking me to pray for her good friend's ten-year-old daughter who was kidnapped. As I prayed, I heard these words from the Lord and by faith, declared: 'This little girl is still alive and well, and the police already have clue where the kidnappers are, though they wouldn't tell'. You know what? Praise God! Just about three hours later, this same lady was so excited when she told me that the girl has been found alive and well, and the kidnappers have been caught by the police! Glory be to God! God is alive, and God is great!

As you walk into this new year, remember also the one key to getting out of your drought and receiving this fountain of rainfall (revelation) is forgiveness. Walk in forgiveness throughout this coming year. The fountain opens and rain falls on you as you decide to receive forgiveness and to forgive.

The power of forgiveness and the power of healing (and breakthrough) are connected. Forgiveness leads to your healing (and breakthrough). David wrote this very aptly in Psalm 103:1-3: 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases’. You see, forgiveness comes first, and then healing.

In fact, one of your important calling on this earth (like Jesus) is to forgive. Jesus did it in Luke 23:34. When He was crucified at Calvary, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” In Mark 11:25, Jesus said, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him…” If there’s going to be healing in any area of your life, the one thing to do is to forgive.

Matthew 9:1-8 shows that Jesus has the power to forgive. In Him, and as His beloved, you too have the power (i.e. ability) to forgive, because as He is, so are you in this world! (1 John 4:17) In other words, you have the power to declare what Jesus declares, in His name, of course. Matthew 9:8 confirms it by saying, ‘Now when the multitude saw it (forgiveness and healing of a paralytic), they marvelled and glorified God who had given such power (to forgive and to heal) to men’. Notice the word ‘men’ here? It’s plural! It means you and me too! Therefore, choose to forgive, and you’ll see heaven opens and the fountain of rain falling on you! It’s not like “If I feel like forgiving, I’ll forgive. But if I don’t feel like forgiving, I won’t forgive.” The truth is forgiveness is not an option, but is the key that opens heaven.

Psalm 32 written by David is a psalm of forgiveness. Verses 1-2 say, 'Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit'. In the same psalm, and in verses 4-5, David wrote, 'My vitality was turned into the drought of summer (because of sin). I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden'. Again, watch how forgiveness opens the fountain of rainfall (revelation) to fall! In verse 8, God responded to David, "I will (therefore) instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." By the way, the word 'eye' here is 'ayin' in Hebrew, and 'eye' speaks of 'vision' (or 'revelation'). In other words, God told David He would guide him with His vision (revelation)!

People of God, in the spiritual realm, God is most attracted to genuine and sincere acts of love and forgiveness from one’s heart, and He will surely bless you and help you. Love and forgiveness are connected. You can’t have one without another. You can’t love without forgiving, and you can’t forgive without love.

As His dearly beloved, know that God’s Spirit dwells in you (Romans 8:9). That makes all the difference, and that’s what make you a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). He will surely teach you and help you this coming year. Amen. Let us therefore humble ourselves under His mighty hand, and continue learning from Him. Have a blessed new year 5775!

God's Light brings authority, wisdom and revelation

Isaiah 60:1-2 (NKJV): 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.

People of God, this is the year of the Light! And Jesus is that Light (read John 1:1-18). John 1:4 says, 'In Him (Jesus Christ) is life, and this life is the light of men'. To be in Him is to be in the Light. In other words, when you have Him, you have the light (and of course, eternal life).

The word 'arise' here in Isaiah 60:1-2 is 'zarach' in Hebrew, which means 'to shoot forth beams of light, to appear on you like sunrise'. I can therefore paraphrase the verse this way: 'Even though darkness may cover the earth and its people, but as for you (the believers), the Lord will shoot beams of light on you and appear on you like the sunrise!'

With the Light comes authority. This Light brings with Him authority, i.e. the authority over darkness and all the power of darkness. Revelation 18:1-2a says, 'After these things, I (John) saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen..."

The word 'authority' here is 'exousia' in Greek, which can mean 'power, ability, privilege, force, freedom, competency, jurisdiction, superhuman'. You can find this same word 'exousia' in Luke 10:19: 'Behold, I (Jesus) give you the authority ('exousia') to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you'.
Note: 'Serpents and scorpions' here are pictures of 'the devil, or the work of darkness'.

'Babylon' comes from the word 'Babel', meaning 'confusion'. This speaks of 'the systems of the world, or the man-made structures/systems of this world'. The end-time is a time when God's way clashes with the worldly way, but in the end, God's way will triumph and exult over the 'Babylonian' way (see Revelation chapters 18 and 19).

With the Light also comes wisdom and revelation. The word 'illuminate' in the above verse is 'photizo' in Greek, which means 'to shed rays, to shine, to brighten up, to enlighten, to bring to light, made to see'. This word 'photizo' is derived from the word 'phos', which simply means 'light'. 'Light' is the source of 'enlightening'. I can therefore say 'with the light comes enlightening, but without the light, there's no enlightening'.

In cross reference, this word 'photizo' is also found in Ephesians 1:17-18: '...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened ('photizo'), that you may know what is the hope of His calling...'

The word 'wisdom' here in Greek is 'sophia', from the word 'sophos' which means 'to be clear (and not blur), to have clarity in what one is to do'. When the eyes of your understanding is enlightened, you'll be so clear as to what to do and what not to do in your life and vocation (calling)!

Not only that, the thing that has been 'veiled' (i.e. 'in the dark') now becomes 'unveiled' when the light brings with it enlightening. The word 'revelation' here in Greek is 'apokalupsis', meaning 'unveiled, disclosed, uncovered, brought to light'.

As you can see, light will always triumph over darkness. When the light comes, darkness will have to flee (1 John 2:8). There's no other way around it.

So, if there's any one word you can remember throughout this year, it is the word 'Light'. Be conscious always of the Light who is in you. Know also that you are in the Light (no matter what happens around you), and you'll rise above every darkness that covers the earth and its people, be it in health, in finance, in economy, or in any other area of life. Amen.

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NKJV): But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

God has secrets to be released to you, the things that 'eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man'. The word ‘revealed' here in Greek is ‘apokalupto’, which means ‘take off the cover, disclose, unveil’, and the words 'all things' here means ‘all spiritual things, deep things of God’.

Here are some of the questions people tend to ask me:

“How do you know what to do and what not to do?”

“How do you know things should be done this way, and not that way?”

“How do you know that person is the right person to work with, and that other person is not?”

“How do you know what message to preach (i.e. 'fresh spiritual bread from spiritual oven') each Sunday?”

“How do you know God is calling you to Penang, out of all locations?”

If I say, “I know that I know that I know”, those who ask probably won’t be convinced or satisfied with that kind of answer.

Notice the words 'deep things' in 1 Corinthians 2:10 can also mean 'depth, mysteries, profound, intense, far-reaching, great knowledge'. Let's now cross refer to an end-time prophecy in the Old Testament. Habakkuk 2:14 says, 'for the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea'. 

You see, it's not enough to just taste and experience the glory of the Lord (though this is definitely a great and wonderful experience). But in this end-time, God also wants you to have the knowledge of what God is currently doing, and how to move with Him!

But, how do you know (what God is currently doing, and how to move with Him) without receiving it first? 
And how do you receive without hearing it first? 
This is why learning to hear in the spirit (i.e. hear God with your spirit) is crucial in this end-time.

Amos 3:7-8 says, 'Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants...' God speaks, and He still is in the 'business' of speaking to you today! So, expect to receive His secret (or revelation) when He speaks to you! He reveals first before He acts or works through you (e.g. Joshua at Jericho).

When God speaks, He speaks to your spirit. The Bible says Holy Spirit imparts revelation to your spirit, not your soul or your body (see 1 Corinthians 2:11-13).

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they (i.e. the things of God) are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they (i.e. the things of God) are spiritually discerned'. 

And then 1 Corinthians 2:15 (NKJV) says, 'But he who is spiritual (in other words, the spiritual man) judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one'. 

Here is a contrast between 'the natural man' (1 Corinthians 2:14) and 'the spiritual man' (1 Corinthians 2:15). Let me explain:

'The natural man' here is translated ‘Psuchikos’ in Greek (from the word ‘psuche’ which means 'soul'), i.e. a person who operates his soul (mind, will, emotion) or a person who operates naturally, not spiritually. The 'soul' of man is a natural faculty, and is created for inter-human communication. In other words, 'the natural man' is a person whose spirit is uninfluenced by the Holy Spirit (i.e. the Spirit of God), and therefore cannot receive revelation from the Holy Spirit.

'The spiritual man' here is translated ‘Pneumatikos’ in Greek (from the word ‘pneuma’ which means 'spirit'), i.e. a person who operates the spirit (i.e. he who is of the spirit) or a person whose spirit is directed (or led) by the Holy Spirit. The 'spirit' of man is a supernatural faculty, and is created to receive revelation from the Holy Spirit. In short, your spirit is created for communication with God.

Notes:

The statement ‘they are spiritually discerned’ in 1 Corinthians 2:14 means ‘spiritual things are to be spiritually discerned, i.e. discerned by the spirit of man, not by the soul of man’. For example, only Joshua and Caleb could ‘see’, while other spies could not 'see' (Numbers 14:9). Both of them 'saw' with their 'spiritual' eyes, not 'natural' eyes.

The statement ‘yet he himself is rightly judged by no one’ in 1 Corinthians 2:15 means ‘his spirit cannot communicate with another person’s spirit’. In other words, your spirit cannot communicate with the spirit of another person (though to a certain extent, your spirit can perceive or discern the spiritual condition of another person).

You can understand His revelation when your spirit is joined with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him'. In other words, as a believer, you are in union with God, and He lives in you. 

There are two ways God can speak to you:
a) Extraordinary way: Audible voice of God (i.e. voice audible to your natural ears). For example, Saul on the way to Damascus (see Acts 9:3-7). This is not the normal way.
b) God speaks to your spirit: The Holy Spirit communicates with your spirit within you (see Matthew 10:20), instead of an audible voice to your natural ear. This is the norm for most believers.

"How does God speak in me?"
a) Receive directly in your spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12) - 'that we might know' (the word 'know' in this verse is 'eido' in Greek, which means 'be aware, behold, be sure, understand, see'), i.e. 'to see what God wants you to see, or to see what God sees'. 
b) God speaks in you with the Word (John 14:26) - 'bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you'. Holy Spirit teaches and brings to your remembrance the Word of God. In short, He speaks to you through the Scripture. 
Notice one verse later (in John 14:27) is God's assurance for you - because He speaks, and still speaks and guides, you have this peace that you are not left forsaken! 

"In what ways does God speak to my spirit?"
a) With signals/indicators (no content)
Inner witness (i.e. peace or no peace in your heart) - this is the simplest form of communication, but very reliable.
Stirrings in your spirit (i.e. promptings from the Holy Spirit within your spirit) - the Holy Spirit can place a 'burden' in your heart, for example, to pray for somebody.
b) With intelligible contents
Voice of the Holy Spirit, i.e. direction, command, or instruction from the Holy Spirit. This is not a 'product' of your mind, but comes from God, and therefore it carries the character of God.
Word of wisdom, i.e. specific instruction for specific situation, or specific direction to handle a specific situation.
Word of knowledge, i.e. revelation about a specific need, especially as you minister to others.
Dream & vision. 
c) By perceiving in the heart (or discerning with the heart) - this takes further training of one's spiritual eyes/ears (example in the Bible: Acts 5:3-4).

So, allow Him to communicate His thoughts, words, or even pictures to your spirit. Leave it to Him on how He's going to speak to you. Your part is to open your heart (like an 'antenna' receiving 'transmission'). Sometimes, His instruction or revelation may not even be logical or scientific to the natural mind (e.g. Joshua at Jericho). But His ways are always higher, and His ways will surely work. Amen!

Points to note: God's grace is more than enough for you. If you have made mistakes or made wrong decisions in life before, it's never too late for God to 'restore' or 'recover' you. He loves you enough to 'raise' you again, and to Him, time is never a hindrance. To Him, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day (2 Peter 3:8). What took a thousand years for human to accomplish, God can accomplish it in a day! God is great! Amen.