How to avoid danger and pitfalls in life?

There are many dangers and pitfalls in life. There are many "landmines" around us. If we are not careful, we may step on one. No doubt there is a place for God's sovereign protection for us, and we keep believing for that. But we can do our part too. It will save us from a lot of unnecessary sorrows or disappointments in life.

How to avoid danger and pitfalls in life? 

Key Number 1: Pray in the spirit

Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV) says, 'Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.' 

Romans 8:26-27 (NLT) says, 'And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.' 

The word 'intercession' here is 'huper entugchano' in Greek. In the context here, it means 'to come in between on behalf of you'.

This Greek word comes from two words: 'huper' and 'entugchano'. 

'Huper' in the context here means 'for the sake of you, on behalf of you'; and 'entugchano' in the context here means 'to entreat (or to plead) in favor of you'. 

You see? Not against you, but in favor of you! 

So, 'huper entugchano' in Greek literally means 'to come in between for your sake, on behalf of you, for your own good'. 

And that's what happens when you pray in the spirit! 

When you pray in the spirit, you are praying in the perfect will of God, even though your mind may not understand what you are praying! 

And what is the will of God for you? His will is He always want the very best for you! 

Key Number 2: Be led by the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:13-15 (NKJV) says, 'For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 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."' 

Romans 8:13-15 (NLT) says, 'For if you live by its dictates (i.e. your fleshly dictates, your sinful nature's dictates), you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, "Abba, Father."' 

You see, your God is a good Heavenly Father. And He will never lead you into evil, danger, or pitfall. A good earthly father will be likewise. How much more your Heavenly Father?

To be led by the Holy Spirit, it involves humility on your part. Be humble before the Lord. It also involves having an open and yielded heart before Him. 

So, never resist the Holy Spirit. Be open. Be yielded. Flow with His Spirit. After all, the Holy Spirit knows all things and sees further than anyone of us can. 

And that's how you can be led by the Spirit to be at the right place, at the right time, doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions! 

When you pray in the spirit, and when you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, if you sense peace from the Lord to go ahead on something, then go ahead. But if you sense there's just no peace, then abstain from (or avoid) that something (or situation). 

Holy Spirit is therefore a 'safety net' for you. After all, He is called the Restrainer. He restrains you from falling into evil, danger, trouble, or pitfalls in life. 

Aren't you glad you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in your life? Aren't you glad you have the Holy Spirit who sees further than you, who knows all things, who is Omniscient? 

And He will know how to lead you and guide you every step of the way, as long as you are open to the work of the Holy Spirit and the leading of the Holy Spirit!

Key Number 3: Seek right counsel

Apart from involving the Holy Spirit, you can seek right counsel from trusted, honest people. Surround yourself with people of integrity. Surround yourself with people who know how to walk with God. This is also a kind of 'safety net' for you. Otherwise, it will be like 'the blind leading the blind'. Not only the 'blind' falls into a pitfall, but you who are being led by the 'blind' will also fall into the pitfall! 

There are many examples in the Bible regarding seeking right counsel. But I want to share just one example. It's about Hanun, how he sought wrong counsel, and how he had to pay a heavy price for it. 

Don't be like Hanun. 

1 Chronicles 19:1-2 (NKJV) says, '...Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son (Hanun) reigned in his place. Then David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to comfort Hanun concerning his father. And David's servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.'

See what happened next. 

1 Chronicles 19:3-4 (NKJV) says, 'And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, "Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?" Therefore Hanun took David's servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away.'

What a way to return somebody's kindness! 

Not only did Hanun reject King David's good gesture and kindness, Hanun even embarassed and shamed these servants of David. All because of what? All because of some wrong counsel or wrong advice that he received from those around him!

When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, they began to spend unnecessary money to hire for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots to battle against David's army! 

Instead of openly receiving kindness from David, they now had to go into an unnecessary battle against David's formidable army! And in the end, Hanun and the people of Ammon paid a very heavy price, suffered huge losses, and their capital city of Rabbah was ravaged! 

So, may the Lord raise up around you people and friends who are spiritually matured, who know how to walk with the Holy Spirit, and who can give you sound advice and guidance. In other words, those who can help you to be better, not bitter! 

Prayer:

"O Lord God, fill Your beloved with Your Spirit. Let them be led by the Holy Spirit, because as many as are led by the Holy Spirit, they are called sons of God. Raise up the right people around Your beloved who would give good influence, good counsel, and good advice whenever needed. With the three keys that we have learned today, may Your beloved avoid any unnecessary danger or pitfall in life, and may Your beloved be well positioned for the greater blessings and greater things ahead of them. In the name of Jesus. Amen." 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

In times of trouble, God is your hiding place!

The Lord says: "In the spiritual realm, there's a very intense warfare happening at the moment, between angels and demons, forces of light and forces of darkness. Stand on guard therefore. Be on guard spiritually. Be vigilant. Never let the enemy deceive you or tempt you into sins or wrongdoings." 

As we begin, we ask for the Lord's presence to be here. We ask for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to flow like a river from heaven to you (who are reading this). 

I believe the Lord is not just speaking about the physical war that happens in certain parts of the world at the moment. But it's more than that. It is a spiritual war that's happening in the spiritual realm. For some of you, you may sense something is very weird in the spiritual atmosphere around you. That's because there's a very intense spiritual battle happening in the spiritual realm at the moment. But I want to assure you: Fear not! Because you are under the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ. In fact, the Bible says you are hidden in Christ! 

So, what does it mean by being hidden in Christ? What is it like? 

Colossians 3:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died (died to your old sinful self), and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.' 

The word 'hidden' here is 'krupto' in Greek, and it can mean 'concealed, kept secret, under the covering'. In the context of this verse, it means you are concealed in Christ, you are kept secret in Christ, and you are under the covering in Christ! From what? From any form of evil, danger, calamity, or whatever evil plans or evil work that is happening around you or against you! 

Colossians 3:1-4 (Expanded Bible) puts it this way, 'Since you were raised from the dead [raised] with Christ, aim at [aspire to; seek after; focus on] what is in heaven [the things above], where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Think only about [Set your minds on; Fix your thoughts on] the things in heaven [above], not the things on earth. Your old sinful self has died, and your new life is kept [hidden] with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, comes again [appears; is revealed], you will share in His [be revealed with Him in] glory.' 

As a believer of Christ, the Bible says you are hidden from any form of wrath, judgment, danger or calamity that's happening due to the sins and disobedience of the people on this earth!

Colossians 3:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Therefore put to death your members (i.e. 'in any area of your life') which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience...' 

That is why in times like these, beloved, it's so important to continue to walk in the Spirit, so that you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Continue to be led by the Spirit of God. Continue to follow the instruction and prompting of the Holy Spirit. Continue to be open to the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit knows how to lead you, guide you, teach you, and make a way for you to safety.

Aren't you glad that He is an all-knowing God? Aren't you glad that you have the Holy Spirit living inside you? He knows how to lead you and guide you, so that you will not fall into any trap (or pitfall) of the enemy. And that's how you will be kept hidden in Christ, kept safe and kept well - until the day He brings you home, or the day of His coming! Will you believe for this? Let's take God at His Word!

In cross-reference, Isaiah 26:20 (NKJV) says, 'Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.' 

The word 'hide' here is 'chabah' in Hebrew, which speaks of 'to hide (as in the bosom)'; like a little child hiding at the bosom or in the warm embrace of the loving parent. So, 'bosom' here speaks of 'being very close (intimacy) with someone stronger and bigger.' 

And who is that Someone stronger and bigger? He is the Lord! He is your hiding place! He is your refuge and shelter in times of need! And no matter what danger or trouble may come around this world, in Him you can hide! 

That's why I would like to reiterate it's so important to be open to the Holy Spirit. Because Holy Spirit knows all. Holy Spirit sees further than you. And Holy Spirit knows how to prompt you, lead you, and give you the peace whether you should go ahead on something or not.

This verse in Isaiah 26:20 does not necessarily mean you always hide inside your house, and not going out at all. This verse can instead speak of 'being hidden in the Lord amidst the spiritual warfare or spiritual shaking that's happening around you in this world'. 

So, beloved of God, be rest assured that 'in your going out and coming in', wherever you go and wherever you are, wherever the Lord leads you and opens the door for you, you are hidden in the Lord to keep you safe and well, no matter what happens around you in this perilous world - now and in the future. Amen!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Believe for your 24/7 protection!

Recently, the Lord has prompted me to preach about divine protection and angelic protection. So, I obeyed. Also, in the past few days, an extraordinary number of people from different places have asked us to pray for protection over their lives and their loved ones. I believe this is no coincidence. I believe there's a reason for everything.

So, the title today is 'Believe for your 24/7 protection!' 

What is 24/7? 

All the time! 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Let's go to the Scripture now. Some of these verses may be familiar to you, and you probably have read these verses many times before. But in a time like this, let us remember and declare these verses by faith all over again - for our lives and our loved ones! 

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

The word 'weapon' here is 'keliy' in Hebrew, and it literally means 'an apparatus or equipment (e.g. an artillery) to consume or to destroy'; from the word 'kalah' in Hebrew meaning 'to consume, to destroy'. 

Here, the Lord is assuring you that nothing that tries to consume or destroy you shall prosper! And this, my friend, is your heritage as a servant of the Lord, and your righteousness comes from the Lord!  

In Isaiah 43:1-2 (NKJV), the Lord says, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; Nor shall the flame scorch you." 

As a beloved of God, whether you are on the land, at sea, or wherever you are, the Lord is with you 24/7! The Lord knows how to protect you and cover you from any form of danger (seen or unseen), and from whatever that tries to 'drown' you or 'scorch' you!

Psalm 91:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.'

Surely indeed! Not maybe! Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler (which speaks of 'whatever that tries to trap you') and from the perilous pestilence. So, you can believe for His divine protection over your life and your loved ones, and round about protection in every way, be it from virus, from accident, from violence, from bloodshed, or from whatever the danger may be!

Psalm 91:5-7 (NKJV) says, 'You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.' 

Whether day or night, no evil or danger shall be able to come near you, because as a beloved of God, you are under the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ! And the blood of Jesus Christ is effective to protect and cover you! Therefore, be not afraid!

Psalm 91:9-11 (NKJV) then says, 'Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.'

As a matter of fact, for everyone of us who is a beloved of God, He has also sent His angels to surround you and to be your 'bodyguards'! Whether you have seen them before or not, they exist for sure (the Scripture is clear about this), and they encamp around those who fear (revere) the Lord!

Psalm 121:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber; Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.'

A human bodyguard may fall asleep or slumber, but the Lord your God will never fall asleep or slumber! And He will not allow your foot to be moved. It means He knows how to help you by establishing you to stand firmly, and not allowing anyone or anything to overthrow you or shake you! By the way, 'foot' here speaks of 'standing firmly'. When you are on God's side, no evil will be able to overthrow all the good that God has destined for you! 

Psalm 121:5-8 (NKJV) says, 'The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.'

Notice 'preserve you from all evil'. There's no exception here ('all evil' means 'all evil'), whatever people may say about how strong a certain demon or evil spirit is! The Lord your God is greater! Let's take God at His Word! And He is also assuring you that He knows how to preserve your soul; and your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore! It means not only now, but your future as well, if you keep looking to Him and putting your trust in Him!

Psalm 18:1-3 (NKJV) says, 'I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies.'

Indeed, you can find shelter in the Lord your strength, your rock, and your fortress. Not only for your physical protection, but for your God-given calling and God-given purpose in life as well! Remember, this was a psalm written by David. Not only did the Lord protected him physically, the Lord also protected his God-given calling in life! If the Lord has meant for David to be king over Judah and Israel, no one could hinder or stop it!

Jude 1:24-25 (NKJV) says, 'Now to Him (to the Lord) who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.'

The Lord your God is able to keep you from stumbling - spirit, soul, and body! He also knows how to preserve you blameless and faultless before the presence of His glory. After all, He is wiser than any one of us humans. And because He is wiser, you can trust that He knows exactly what to do and how to go about with your life! And He knows exactly how to keep you safe from all forms of evil! Hallelujah!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

There is protection in God's presence

The Lord gave me a dream the other day. In the dream, I was in my father's house, and there was a commotion outside in the streets with huge groups of motorbikers looting and causing trouble. But we in the family were kept safe and protected, as long as we stayed inside the house. The looters and trouble-makers somehow did not try to enter our house.

Every time I have a dream about my father's house (the house where I grew up as a child), I would take note, because to me, my father's house has always been a 'picture' of 'my Abba Father's house', or 'being in God's presence'. 

This time, as I woke up from the dream, I immediately knew it has to do with believing for God's divine protection. As long as I stayed 'inside the house', I was kept safe and protected! This reminds me of Psalm 91:1-4 (NKJV) that says, 'He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.'

Indeed, God is assuring us that He is still a faithful Protector, no matter what happens around us. Trust in Him, who is your refuge and your fortress. And never let anyone make you waver in your trust in Him! The word 'dwell' in Psalm 91:1 is an interesting word. In Hebrew, it is 'yashab', which can mean 'stay, remain, continue, sit in quietness, return'. Do you notice the word 'return' here? I can also therefore say 'he who returns to Abba Father's 'house' shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty'!

Looking at what's happening around the world at the moment, there is no doubting that we are living in an increasingly dangerous and perilous times (Luke 21:25-28, 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Be it an increase in natural disasters or in crime, there seems to be no place that is particularly safe in this world! No, not even in some of the most liveable cities in the world! The truth is there's only one really safe place to be, and it's none other than being in God's presence! 

The word 'cover' in Psalm 91:4 is another interesting word. In Hebrew, it is 'sawkak', which means 'protect, defend, join together (with you)'. This verse can therefore mean the Lord is joining together (with you) for your protection. In other words, He wants to be involved in it together, just as a good earthly parent would for his (or her) beloved child! 

When Jesus died for you on the cross, He already had in His mind to carry your troubles and sufferings, so you can have shalom peace now. Jeremiah 29:11 says, 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope'.

People of God, know that God's will is (and will always be) for your safety and protection. Let no one make you think otherwise. Because He is a good Abba Father to you (Psalm 34:8). The Word of God says so. Trust in Him therefore for your divine protection, and continue to stay in His presence, because that's where the enemy cannot touch you. Amen!

Under covering

Psalm 91:4 (NKJV): He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge...

Psalm 91 is our key chapter here. Take time to read and meditate on the whole Psalm 91 today.

I had a dream the other day. In the dream, I was in my house with my family, and there was an 'attack’ of roaring waves from the sea. Another 'attack' was 'canon balls' being shot by the 'enemy' towards us. Then & there, we were scrambling for safety, and somehow, nothing happened to us, though our house was damaged quite a little. Then, I saw my father-in-law (to me, he is always a ‘picture’ of protection & security), and with much calmness, he went over to the enemy’s place and returned with a basketful of the very type of those 'canon balls' thrown at us! In short, he actually plundered the enemy with much ease.

This is the interpretation: My father-in-law here is a ‘picture’ of God our Father. He is showing Himself strong and calm. He is showing Himself Sovereign and in full control. And because He is All-knowing, All-present, and All-powerful, He can just enter the enemy’s ground and plunder them for you. God is assuring you today that in whatever challenge you may be facing now, He is still your God. Just 'be still (be at rest), and know that He is God' (Psalm 46:10).

It also really doesn't matter what 'wrong' you may have committed in the past. It doesn't have to 'haunt' you anymore. Surrender these to Jesus at the cross. The truth is God still loves you, and He will never laugh nor mock at you or your past. Yes, He may be saddened by those 'wrongs', but in spite of it all, He still loves you! 

"How do you know, pastor?"

The Bible says so. Let's go all the way back to Genesis chapter 3 now. When Adam & Eve made a big mistake (of listening to the serpent & fell for his 'trick'), God was of course saddened. But He never laughed nor mocked at them. In fact, He still wanted to relate with them (Genesis 3:8-10). They, however hid themselves, ashamed, knowing they've done a wrong. They knew they have also lost their 'glory' as a consequence, realizing their 'nakedness'. But you know what? God did something amazing. For the first time ever since creation, He had to kill an animal (which was actually also His own creation) for its skin just to 'cover' Adam & Eve from their 'nakedness' (Genesis 3:21).

This 'sacrificed' animal (to make 'coat' of skins) is actually a ‘picture’ of Jesus being sacrificed on the cross for you & me. His blood was shed to 'cover' you from the judgment for your sins. The word 'coat' or 'tunic' of skin here is 'kethoneth' in Hebrew, which actually means 'covering'. Such is His great love for you. Such is His Father's heart for you. Today, as a believer, know that you are under His covering. He covers all your past shame & failures. Not only that, He also covers you from harm & danger as well. Be conscious of His covering today.

People of God, just as He covers you, I also can't emphasize further how important & crucial it is for you to ‘cover’ the people under your care, especially in such time when you see much 'chaos' and 'confusion' in the world. Recently, as I was covering for someone in prayer, I heard the words, “Avoid trunk road as you drive”. It was a 'check' in my heart. I didn’t know the details, but I just prayed in the spirit. Now, this can happen when you 'cover' someone in prayer. God may speak something to you in order 'to prevent evil'. So I called the person and asked her to be extra careful (yet not fear), as a precaution as she travels this time. She came back thanking me, knowing that God has indeed protected her!

'Cover' your family in prayer daily. Cover your children in prayer daily. Children need even more ‘layers’ of protection. Cover them by the blood of Jesus, spirit, soul, and body. As a pastor (or a shepherd), I know it’s very important to cover my ‘sheep’ (in my 'field') daily as well. A shepherd does not just ‘feed the Word’, but he also covers in prayer.

As I end my writing today, I pray the whole Psalm 91 for you right now. May you be blessed. Goodness and mercy of the Lord be with you always. Amen!