You will rise again!

The Lord says: 

"After the darkest hour, comes dawn and sunrise! I am declaring to you that darkness has gone, and My light has come! This is your time to receive My power and strength to rise again! Rise above and over all those 'desolate' and 'desert' times! Rise above and over all those pains and sorrows! For your time has come to arise and shine!" 

Beloved of God, whatever 'darkness' or 'storm' that you've been going through recently, the Lord is saying to you today: "You will rise again!" 

Isaiah 60:1 (Amplified Bible) says, 'Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the Lord]; for your light has come, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord has risen upon you.' Amen! 

There can be times God allows a "winter" time in your life, when everything seems to be dormant, and nothing seems to be happening in your life. And sometimes you feel like your life is going nowhere. Take heart. The Lord hasn't forgotten you. 

There can be times God even closes certain doors for you. This is not meant to harm you or hinder you. This is actually to protect you and prevent certain future trouble or danger in your life. Maybe you cannot foresee it yet. And you may not even understand why. Some people may even question Him. Some people may even be angry at Him or have a "cold war" with Him. But you know what? God sees long term. God sees the end from the beginning. God sees farther than any one of us can. God knows better.

Of course, waiting time is never easy. Imagine you wait for the bus or the train, and the bus or the train takes ages to arrive. No one says it's easy. But God is assuring you today that He still has you in His mind, and He hasn't forgotten you. He still remembers His plan for you, which is of future and of hope. 

I mean, you look at Moses. You look at Joseph. You look at David. And many others in the Bible. All had to wait before God's promises came to pass in their lives. Each of them had their "downtime" as well. They saw darker times before the 'dawn' or before the 'sunrise', so to speak. 

Look at the example of Jesus now. After having been baptized by John the Baptist, this was the next thing that happened. Matthew 4:1 (NKJV) says, 'Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.' 

You see, it wasn't that He stumbled into the wilderness, but He was led up by the Spirit of God into the wilderness. So, instead of greater glory of God happening to Jesus after the water baptism, he was now led into the wilderness! In other words, from the cool waters of Jordan River where He was baptized, He was now led into the barren desert! From the water of baptism, now the fire of temptation or testing! 

The word 'wilderness' here is 'eremos' in Greek. It can mean 'solitary, desolate, desert, lonesome, waste'. Have you recently been going through a time you thought has been wasted? Or at least wasted in the eyes of this world? Take heart. To God, it wasn't a waste. It was a preparation time for even greater things for your life! 

Just like Jesus, why would He be led into the wilderness ('eremos') to be tempted or tested? Because God the Father had greater things prepared for Him! So it is the same with you, beloved. Hang on there! Hang on strong! Keep setting your eyes on God! Keep looking to God! Keep your focus on God! You know why? Because your 'dawn' time is coming! Your 'sunrise' time is coming! 

The word 'tempted' here in Matthew 4:1 is 'peirazo' in Greek. This word 'peirazo' is more accurately translated as 'testing' instead of 'temptation'. That is why many Bible scholars actually felt it is more proper to refer this 'temptation of Jesus' in Matthew 4 as 'the testing of Jesus'. 

You know what? Jesus passed this test! He passed with flying colors! How did He do it? He focused on God! He focused on the Word of God! Three times the devil tested Him, and three times Jesus said: "It is written... It is written... It is written..." The devil had no choice but to leave Him. 

See what's next. Matthew 4:13-16 (NKJV) says, 'And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali... The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned."' 

This prophecy of Isaiah came to pass! From that time onwards, Jesus embarked on His earthly ministry, preaching the kingdom of heaven wherever He went. In other words, the time had come for Jesus to arise and shine on this earth! 

The same it is with you, beloved. The time has come for you to arise and shine, whatever God has purposed for you to be and to do! 

Let's continue with Matthew 4:23 (NKJV). It says, 'And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.' 

The word 'healing' here is 'therapeuo'. It means 'to relieve (of disease), to cure, to put in order (what is not in order)'. I like this: 'to put in order (what is not in order)'. 

Today, the same it is with you! The Lord is putting in order what has not been in order in your life! Receive this by faith! Receive that healing! Receive that cure! Receive that 'therapeuo'! Spiritually and physically!

Matthew 4:25 (NKJV) then says, 'Great multitudes followed Him - from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.' In other words, from all over! And you know what? Jesus never looked back ever since. His ministry was effectively launched, and that changed the world like no one else had done before or after!

And it all began with Him being led into the wilderness ('eremos')! So, never doubt God when you seem to have been in your wilderness ('eremos'). Now, what is 'eremos' again? Desolation. Loneliness. Wastage. Desert. A time when nothing seems to be happening in your life. But you know what? These are times to prepare you for greater things! These are times to get you ready to launch! And the Lord is saying that time of 'launching' has come in your life! 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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Rise above your circumstances!

The Lord says: 

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

The Lord says further: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Shaphat' means 'To execute judgment'. 

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

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