Words from the Lord: "You are entering a time of restful increase!"

While praying, I saw a vision of the hand of the Lord handing a banner to His people. It is a banner of victory. As one person receives the banner, he passes it to another person. From one to another. But something miraculous happened. The banner multiplied! From one banner, there are now many banners. More and more banners, until the banners fill the land! 

This banner symbolizes 'victory' over the power of darkness that has been trying to steal, kill, and destroy what the Lord has purposed for each of His people. 

The Lord says: 

"Raise your hands and lift up your hands in praises! For I have given you this banner of victory! I have given you a new authority in the spirit and a fresh anointing over the sphere that I am giving to you. Be faithful to speak as I speak, and say as I say over those spheres. For victory is yours for the taking, and wherever I have placed you in this time and season." 

The Lord says further:

"I have won this victory for you. Rest in this victory that I've won for you. Do not let your eyes see with eyes of doubt. But see with eyes of faith. Faith to receive this victory that I've already won for you."

What does 'sphere' mean here? It means 'whatever the Lord has entrusted to you and given to you'. Yes, even in the land He has placed you in this time and season, wherever you are. There is a new authority and fresh anointing for you over all these spheres. 

Exodus 17:15 (NKJV) says, 'And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner.'  

'The-Lord-Is-My-Banner' here is 'YHWH Nissi' in Hebrew, from 'nes' meaning 'banner' or 'flag'. 'Nissi' means 'My Banner'. 'A banner that is raised high' symbolizes 'victory'. 

Here in Exodus 17, after the victory against the Amalekites, Moses built an altar to thank God and to give Him all the glory. 'Altar' in biblical context is a place representing worship and dedication to the Lord.

Psalm 20:5 (NKJV) says, 'We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners.' 

Isaiah 11:10 (NKJV) says, 'And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious.'

Isaiah 11:10 (The Expanded Bible) puts it this way, 'At that time the new king from the family [root] of Jesse will stand as a banner [standard, signal flag] for all peoples [nations]. The nations [Gentiles] will come together around [rally to; seek guidance from] Him, and the place where He lives [His resting place] will be filled with glory.' 

Here, the Scripture says His resting place (or dwelling place) will be filled with His glory. I am saying to you, that you (who are the temple of the Holy Spirit) are where His Spirit dwells! His resting place! Therefore, you are also full of His glory! Where His glory is, there is light! And where there is light, darkness flees! 

Prayer:

"O Lord God, let Your glory fall on us, and let Your light fill us all in all. We lift up our hands to praise You and worship You. We dedicate our lives to You and give You all that we are. For You are looking for hearts that are pure before You. You are looking for hearts that are all for You. We give ourselves to You in worship and surrender. You are giving us victory. You are giving us a new authority. You are giving us a fresh anointing. You are restoring our soul. Let our 'altar' be restored. Let our 'altar' be repaired. You are setting us free from every form of slavery in our lives. You are giving us rest. Restful victory and restful increase. We give You thanks for all that You have done. In Jesus' name. Amen!"

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Thanking God for the breakthrough!

The Lord says for this time:

"Give thanks in everything, and do not cease giving thanks. Give thanks even in advance for your coming miracle or breakthrough, whatever the situation or problem you may be facing at the moment. As you give thanks and as you look to Me, watch how My hand is going to work things out for your good." 

Philippians 4:5-7 (NKJV) says, 'The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God...' 

The word 'thanksgiving' here is 'eucaristia' in Greek. It can be defined as 'to show gratitude as an act of worship'. You see, giving thanks to the Lord is part of your worship to God! 

So, whatever your situation or circumstance may be at the moment, begin to give thanks to the Lord! Give thanks even in advance for your coming miracle or breakthrough that you need! 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV) says, 'In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.' 

The Apostle Paul wasn't saying you are to accept your problem in life as "fated", and that nothing can be done to improve your situation or your life. But what he was saying is in spite of your current situation or problem that you may be facing, you can give thanks to God, knowing that victory, miracle, or breakthrough is at hand!

Notice the words 'this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you' here. Do you see that? In Christ Jesus! Now, that makes a whole lot of difference! You know why? On the cross, some 2,000 years ago, He made that difference! He has carried away all your curse and all your problems when He died for you! Because of that, you are now blessed with every blessing that comes from the Lord! 

And that's why Apostle Paul wrote, 'In everything give thanks.' Yes, even if it's a challenging situation in your life! Because in Christ Jesus, there's already a victory, there's already a breakthrough, and there's already a miracle! And there's already a way out for you, whatever your situation may be! 

1 Corinthians 15:57 (NKJV) says, 'But thanks be to God, who gives you victory through Christ Jesus our Lord.' 

The word 'gives' here in Greek is both in present tense and continuous tense. It actually means 'keeps on giving'. In other words, God keeps on giving you the victory and breakthrough that you need! That's why the Apostle Paul was saying to give thanks to God, for the very fact that God keeps on giving you the victory and breakthrough in your life!

2 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.' 

Do you see the word 'always' here? The word 'always' here really means 'always'. Not 'sometimes'. Not 'often times'. Not even 'almost always'. But 'always'. Period. 'Always' means 'always'. We give thanks to God because He always leads us in triumph in Christ! You see, to triumph is not just to have the victory, but also to celebrate the victory that He has given us! 

Are you facing a difficult situation in your life at the moment? Maybe it's a health issue. Maybe it's a mounting debt. Maybe it's a problem that seems to have no solution. Whatever your situation or problem may be, take heart in what the Lord has done for you on the cross. Look to Him and all that He has done for you on the cross. His finished work on the cross! 

And because He has done all that for you, you can begin to give thanks! Yes, even give thanks in advance for your coming victory, breakthrough, and even miracle!

Psalm 107:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.' 

Do you see that? Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! As a believer in Christ, you are the redeemed of the Lord! And let you say so! Say what? Give thanks to the Lord! Let the redeemed of the Lord (that's you) give thanks to God! Why? Because He has set you free, and He has redeemed you from the hand of the enemy! 

The words 'give thanks' here is very interesting. It's 'yada' in Hebrew. It literally means 'to shoot out your adoration and gratitude (towards the Lord)'. In other words, as you praise the Lord and honor the Lord for His greatness and for all the good that He has done, you also express your thanksgiving to Him for His goodness! 

In my life, I know He has never failed to help me, and deliver me, even from the darkest of situation. He has always been there. And I believe He will not fail you too. He definitely has a way out for you! 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel 

You can experience the goodness of God!

In recent days, I was reflecting on the goodness of God in my life. I felt I needed to declare the goodness of God in this time and season, as many people are feeling hard-pressed and feeling down, even sometimes for no apparent reason. In fact, I've been ministering to many such people recently. Now, this is something spiritual. 

So, in a time like this, I want to declare in the spirit that the Lord is altogether good! 

Yes, no doubt, I do have my share of challenging times in different seasons of my life too, but what I know is the Lord just knows how to deliver me and rescue me. All the time! Every time! In every season of my life! He is so real!

So, whatever your past may be, let it go to the Lord. Let the bygones be bygones. There is a fresh anointing being released upon you right now. You can have a fresh new start!

Give thanks to the Lord that whatever that's past, the Lord has forgiven you, and the Lord has fresh new things in store ahead of you! 

This is your time to be set free from your past, whatever that past may be! And this is your time to begin walking in the realm of the fullness and the goodness of God! 

To start off with, let's go to Psalm 23:6. Here, David wrote: 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.' 

You see, 'all the days'! Not 'some days'. Not 'a few days'. But 'all the days'! 

The word 'goodness' here is 'towb' in Hebrew. It can mean 'good (in the widest sense), good things, bountiful, beautiful, favor, kindness, pleasantness, sweetness, gladness'. In short, all of the goodness of God! 

Another beautiful psalm that David wrote is Psalm 34. Here, he wrote about tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. This word 'good' here is the same word 'towb'. Let's read Psalm 34:8 now. 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good ('towb'); Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' 

In other words, he was writing about experiencing the goodness of God in real ways! 

Yet another beautiful psalm composed by David is Psalm 136. Here, he declared the goodness of God as first and foremost in his thanksgiving unto the Lord! 

Let's look at Psalm 136:1-5 now. The word 'good' here is, again, the same word 'towb'. 'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good ('towb')! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever.' 

Notice in Psalm 136 here, David put 'the goodness of God' at the very top, and only then, he wrote about 'God of gods', 'Lord of lords', 'God who alone does great wonders', and 'God who by wisdom made the heavens'. You know what that means? David had this revelation that God is first and foremost good, and only then, He is the Lord of all things, the Lord of signs and wonders, and the Lord of wisdom. But first and foremost, God is good! 

That's the revelation that David had, that God is good, in spite of whatever he may be facing at that time! 

You see, the enemy will always try to downplay the goodness of God. And he will do whatever he can to stop you from seeing, and believing, and experiencing the goodness of God in your life. Why? Because he knows how powerful God's people can be when they have this revelation of the goodness of God, like David did! 

The enemy certainly doesn't want to see many "Davids" in this world, i.e. those who not only have the revelation that they are God's beloved, but also the revelation that God is indeed good in their lives! 

Yes, we must admit that David had his share of troubles and challenges in life as well. But, instead of wallowing in all these, he chose to trust in the goodness of God, as you can see from the psalms you've read just now. David went on to become arguably the greatest king ever lived in the history of Israel!

What are the good things in your life that you can give thanks for? Having a good family. Having good friends. Having good health. Having good career. Having financial freedom. Or there must be something good in your life that you can give thanks for at the moment. Surely, there must be something good in your life! Now, focus on those 'good'! 

Don't get me wrong here. This is not about a 'feel-good message' that denies the reality. No! But what I'm saying here is, in spite of all those troubles around you, or all those bad news around you, you can still choose to see that the Lord is indeed good in your life! And let this goodness of God grow in your life, and in every aspect of your life! 

Don't just look at the 'big things'. How about those smaller things in life that you can give thanks for? Give thanks for your home. Give thanks for your bed. Remember, there are many people in this world who don't even have a good bed to sleep on. In other words, they are homeless and sleeping on the streets. Give thanks for the food on your table. Remember, someone out there may not even have such.

There are so many things for you to give thanks for, if you really look around you. Ask the Lord to show you the many other good things in your life, no matter how small or insignificant you think these may be. 

Begin to thank your way to more and more good things that are coming, instead of falling into the enemy's trap of blaming your way to more and more doom and gloom in your life. Begin to give thanks to God for the smaller things in your life, and bigger things will certainly come your way! Try it, and you'll be amazed how this works! Yes, David did! And you are next!

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your fresh anointing for us right now. We thank You that You want us to look ahead and receive the many more good things that You want to give to us. We are now therefore set free from our past, and we begin to walk in the realm of the fullness and the goodness of God. We declare new and exciting times are ahead of us, in spite of all those bad news that we hear around us. Indeed, surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here to watch the video in TiC YouTube Channel

How giving thanks will lead to your breakthrough

Every week, we seek the Lord for the timely revelation in the Word to be released to you. 

So, what does the Lord say to us for this week? 

"Keep giving thanks and do not cease giving thanks, even giving thanks in advance for your breakthrough or miracle, whatever your situation or problem may be at the moment. As you give thanks, and as you keep looking to Me, you will begin to see My hand working even in ways you cannot imagine." 

So, give thanks in everything, even in advance for the things to come. Believe that God is going to show you many more good things that you cannot imagine!

Psalm 107:1-2 says, 'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.' 

Indeed, as a believer, you are the redeemed of the Lord! And let the redeemed of the Lord give thanks! Give thanks to the Lord because He has set you free and has redeemed you from the hand of the enemy! 

The words 'give thanks' here is 'yada' in Hebrew. Very interestingly, it literally means 'to shoot out your adoration and gratitude (in this context, towards the Lord)'. In other words, you express your thanksgiving to Him even as you praise Him and honor Him! What a privilege to be able to give thanks to the Lord - as the redeemed of the Lord!

Philippians 4:4-7 says, 'Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' 

So, choose to rejoice, in spite of all the sorrows or chaos of this world. Rejoice always! And that's what Apostle Paul wrote! Give thanks in all circumstances! Give thanks because God is still here, and God will know how to make a way for you, going forward!

The word 'thanksgiving' here is 'eucaristia' in Greek. It means 'gratitude as an act of worship'. You see, giving thanks is an act of worship! In other words, being grateful to God is part of your worship to God! Remember this! 

For some of you, you may be anxious or worried about your future. Maybe there's just no headway, no inkling, or no clear guidance (yet) how your future is going to be like. Now, even if this is the case, just give thanks in advance. Because when the time comes, the Lord will let you know. Remember, God is never behind time. God is always on time!

Colossians 2:6-7 says, 'As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.' 

Give thanks as well because your spiritual eyes are open and you have Christ in your life. The fact that you have Christ living in you, unlike some people in the world, is reason enough for you to give thanks! 

So, beloved, as you walk this walk of faith, and as you are being rooted and built up in Him, let your thanksgiving be abounding! Live a lifestyle of thanksgiving everyday! In every time and season, whether it's good time or not-so-good time, give thanks to the Lord! 

Maybe you think you have no reason to give thanks at the moment. Maybe it's because of the current economic downturn, and you have been affected in one way or another. But just give thanks knowing that God will make the way clear for you and secure your future! 

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 says, 'But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.' 

Give thanks for the victory that God has given to you, through the Lord Jesus Christ! With such assurance and revelation that He has overcome for you and has the final victory for you (no matter how the forces of darkness try to create or wreak havoc in this world), you can therefore continue to abound in all that God has called you to be (or do) on earth! 

So, don't be overly engrossed with who that Anti-Christ is. And don't be so engrossed about trying to relate the world events with the Tribulation. But focus on the Lord instead, knowing that in John 16:33, Jesus has said, 'Be of good cheer! I have overcome the world."

You see, there are so many verses in the Scripture that we can count on about thanksgiving! So, make no mistake about why it's so important to give thanks to the Lord!

Now, here's a wonderful part about giving thanks: How giving thanks will lead to your breakthrough, miracle, and even provision! And I'm pointing you to none other but Jesus!

John 11:41 says, 'They took away the stone from the place where the dead man (Lazarus) was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me."' 

The background here is Lazarus was already dead for four days, and there was already a stench. But Jesus said to take away the stone from the place where Lazarus was lying. You see, Lazarus was not arisen yet at that time, and there was no result yet. But Jesus gave thanks first in advance. And then He said, "Lazarus, come forth!" And the rest is history. 

So, beloved, whatever situation in your life that is hopeless, dead, or seemingly dead-end road, let's learn from Jesus. Even before you see any results, just give thanks in advance! Give thanks for the answer. Give thanks because God knows how to clear the way for you. Give thanks because God knows how to turn a dead-end situation into 'rivers' and 'garden' for you! 

Let me show you another example how giving thanks will lead you to your breakthrough, miracles, or even provision! 

In Matthew 15:36, Jesus saw the multitude, and there were four thousand men besides the women and children; and there was nothing to eat, except seven loaves of bread and a few little fish. As He gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitude, multiplication happened! A miracle of supernatural provision happened! And all those people who were there ate and were filled, with seven large baskets full of fragments (leftover)! 

So, beloved, if you have been suffering or going through lack at the moment, give thanks in advance for your provision that's coming! 

I know some of you may be saying, "But that's Jesus. That's not me! That's Jesus! Jesus gave thanks, and He got the results!" I want to tell you something. You can see your results too, because you have the name of Jesus! As a believer, you can use the name of Jesus, and you too can see your miracle in your own unique situation! Why? Because the same Jesus those days is the same Jesus who lives in you today!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Why is giving thanks so important?

Ephesians 5:20 (NKJV) says, 'Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...' 

Some people may say, "What if I have no reason to give thanks?" It is understandable, especially in perilous and challenging times like these, or if a person is facing a health problem or financial problem. In situations like these, it is hard to give thanks. But what does the Bible say? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) says, 'Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you'. 

Philippians 4:4-7 (NKJV) says, 'Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus'.

The word 'thanksgiving' here is 'eucharistia' in Greek, which means 'gratefulness/gratitude (as an act of worship, well-pleasing to God)', from the words 'eu' (well, good) and 'charis' (grace, favor, forgiveness). You see, your thanksgiving to God is in effect an act of worship, well-pleasing to God!

Therefore, never underestimate the power of giving thanks! Because when you start giving thanks (in spite of whatever you face in this world), something good happens, and you will see good changes in your life (even in your situation)! Believe and receive this by faith!

These are 5 ways (or reasons) why giving thanks is so important:

1. Giving thanks causes you to remember His goodness
Psalm 106:1 (NKJV) says, 'Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever'.

2. Giving thanks causes you to appreciate who God is in your life
Psalm 107:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy'.

3. Giving thanks causes you to experience God's presence in deeper ways
Psalm 100:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name'.

4. Giving thanks causes you to triumph over despair and discouragement
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place'.

5. Giving thanks causes you to be relieved from stress and health problems
Psalm 30:11-12 (NKJV) says, 'You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever'.

For details of this message, click here to listen to the preaching. 

Declaring and experiencing the goodness of God

The Lord says,
"Talk to My people about My goodness! Let them taste and see that I am good! Let this month be a month My people declare and experience more and more of My goodness!"

Wow! What a month we are entering into! A month to declare and experience more and more of God's goodness! Therefore, whatever 'ugliness' or 'pains' that had happened to you in the previous months, this is your time to be set free from these, and this is your time to walk into the realm of God's goodness!

To start off with, let's go to Psalm 23:6, and here, David wrote, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever'. The word 'goodness' here is 'towb' in Hebrew, and it means 'good (in the widest sense), good things, 
bountiful, beautiful, favor, kindness, pleasantness, sweetness, gladness'.

Another beautiful psalm that David wrote is Psalm 34. Here, he wrote about tasting and seeing that the Lord is good ('towb'). In other words, he was writing about experiencing the goodness of God in real ways! Let's read Psalm 34:8 now, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' Hallelujah!

Yet another beautiful psalm composed by David is Psalm 136, and here, he declared the goodness of God as first and foremost in his thanksgiving unto the Lord! Let's look at Psalm 136:1-5 now,
'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good ('towb')!
For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever.'

Notice in Psalm 136, David put the goodness of God at the very top, and only then he wrote about 'God of gods', 'Lord of lords', 'God who alone does great wonders', and 'God who by wisdom made the heavens'! You know what that means? David had this revelation that God is first and foremost good ('towb'), and only then God of gods, Lord of lords, God of signs and wonders, and even God of wisdom!

You see, the enemy will always try to downplay the goodness of God, and he will do whatever he can to stop you from seeing (and believing) the goodness of God in your life! Why? Because he knows how powerful God's people can be when they have this revelation of the goodness of God, like David did! The enemy certainly doesn't want to see many 'Davids' in this world, i.e. those who not only have the revelation that they are God's beloved, but the revelation that God is good in their lives! Yes, we must admit that David had his share of troubles in life too, but instead of wallowing in these, he chose to trust in God's goodness, as you can see from the psalms above! David went on to become the greatest king ever lived in the history of Israel, hands down!

People of God, what are the good things in your life (that you can give thanks for)?

Having a good family? Having good health? Having good friends? Having good career? Having financial freedom? Maybe one of these? Or there must be something good in your life that you can give thanks for at the moment!

Don't just look at the big (wow) things! How about those smaller things in life (that you can give thanks for)? 

Examples: Nice bed, nice pillow, nice bolster :) 

Remember, there are many people in this world who don't even have a good bed to sleep on. In other words, they are homeless and sleeping on the streets!

Why not ask God to show you the many other good things that you are currently tasting and seeing in life (no matter how small or insignificant you think these may be)? Why not begin to thank your way to more and more good things that are coming, instead of falling into the enemy's trap of blaming your way to more and more doom (and gloom) in your life?

To sum it up: Begin to give thanks to God for the smaller things in life, and bigger things will certainly come your way! Try it, and you'll surely be amazed how this works! David did, and you're next. Amen!

The power of giving thanks

The Lord spoke these words:
"There is power in giving thanks! This is the time to give thanks for your answer, even in the midst of your problems, challenges, or troubles! There is no problem too difficult for Me! Look to Me, and give thanks in advance for the better things ahead of you. For I am close to those who put their trust in Me!"

We have been taught to give thanks for the good things that have happened to us. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is a good thing to do. But the Lord wants us to take one step further, that is to give thanks for the better things that are coming! Jesus did that while He was on earth! He gave thanks in advance, and Lazarus was raised up, even after being dead for four days! (John 11:41) He gave thanks in advance, and the multitudes had more than enough to eat, even with just the initial five loaves and two fish! (John 6:11)

So, people of God, go ahead and give thanks for the better things ahead of you! You don't see it happening yet, but this is the time to thank your way to better things to come! Give thanks for His divine health, whatever your health condition is at the moment! Give thanks for His supernatural providence, whatever your financial situation is at the moment! Give thanks for His wisdom and favor, whatever project or mission He has called you to do, going forward! And begin to walk in it by faith!

The Bible says in Nahum 1:7 (NLT), 'The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him'. The expression 'is close to' here is 'yada' in Hebrew, which can mean 'knows, recognizes, answers, cares for'. In other words, no matter what problem or trouble you are facing at the moment, the Lord knows, recognizes, answers, and cares for you!

To put it simply, He ALREADY has an answer for you! Your part is to give thanks in advance for the answer that's coming! And never limit how He is going to work it out for you!

Let's go to the book of Nahum now. At one time, in the days of prophet Nahum, no nation had been able to stand against the Assyrians. They had great military might, and they were greatly feared by the surrounding nations. In fact, they had overthrown some nations, and they were now setting their sights on Judah!

People of God, you and I are like the 'Judah' of today, a people whose praises are to the Lord. 'Judah' in Hebrew means 'praise', whereas the 'Assyrians' speak of 'the problems, challenges, or troubles' that come against you.

But thanks be to the Lord our God, because through prophet Nahum, the Lord brought comfort to Judah, and pronounced judgement on Assyria! Nahum 1:13 (NLT) says, 'Now I will break the yoke of bondage from your neck and tear off the chains of Assyrian oppression'. By the way, the name 'Nahum' ('Nakhuwm' in Hebrew) means 'comfort'; from the word 'nakham' meaning 'to comfort, to console'.

You see, invincible as the Assyrians were, only our Lord is TRULY invincible! He is all-powerful and He rules over all the earth, and of course over all the problems, challenges, or troubles that come against us! In this, we give thanks to the Lord; for He is great, and greatly to be praised!

Nahum 1:8-9 (NLT) says, 'He will sweep away His enemies in an overwhelming flood. He will pursue His foes into the darkness of night. Why are you scheming against the Lord? He will destroy you with one blow; He won't need to strike twice!' Notice the Bible says it is the Lord who will sweep away His enemies, and it is the Lord who will pursue His foes! Not you and I! Because the battle belongs to the Lord. Our part is simply to put our trust in Him, and thank Him for the victory!

So, people of God, go ahead and give thanks for your coming victory and breakthrough! Declare it by faith upon all those areas (of your life) that have come under the 'Assyrian oppression'! The Lord loves you (His children) and will be with you; but He opposes those who attempt to hurt you. And the good news is He is never too busy for you, because He is all-present! This is your time to give thanks to the Lord, because just as He had done for Judah in Nahum's days, He will do the same for you today. Amen!

In everything give thanks!

1 Thessalonians 5:18: In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

It’s easy to give thanks when good things happen. However, the Bible says ‘in everything give thanks’. You know what does 'in everything' means? It includes the time when you are facing a problem or a difficult situation. Yet the Bible says, even in these, give thanks.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you are to accept your problem as ‘fated’, and nothing can be done with it anymore. That’s not what the apostle Paul meant in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. The Bible says it is God's will for you to prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

When you give thanks (in spite of your current problem), know that your victory or breakthrough is at hand. Notice the words ‘for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you’. Now that makes a whole lot of difference in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, and Christ Jesus has made all that difference! He has already taken your curse, sickness, or any other problem when He died on the cross (Isaiah 53:4-5), and now you are blessed and healed, and now you have your victory and breakthrough! All these have been done for you when Jesus said "It is finished!" (John 19:30) on the cross. What you can do now is to believe and receive. That's why the apostle Paul wrote 'in everything give thanks', even in 'not so good' situation, because in Christ Jesus, there’s already a victory, there’s already a breakthrough, and there's already a 'way out' for you!

Let’s do some cross-reference in the Bible now. 1 Corinthians 15:57 says 'thanks be to God who gives you victory through Christ Jesus our Lord'. The word ‘gives’ here in Greek is both in present tense and continuous tense. It actually means ‘keeps on giving’. It means God 'keeps on giving' you the victory or breakthrough you needed. He has indeed won every victory for you on the cross. That's how blessed you are in Christ! And 2 Corinthians 2:14 says 'thanks be to God who always leads you in triumph in Christ'. The word ‘always’ here really means ‘always’, not ‘sometimes’, ‘often’, and not even ‘almost always’. God always. Give thanks to God who always leads you in triumph in Christ!

Why do you normally say "thank you" to someone? You say it when that someone has helped you, or at least promised to help you. It's the same when you say "thank you" to God. When you thank Him, you are actually and effectively saying thanks for His help! He is indeed your help. He has indeed carried your debt, your sickness, or your every other problem on the cross. Even if you don't see your breakthrough coming immediately, it doesn't mean nothing's happening. When you believe and receive, something has happened in the spirit, and what happens in the spirit will soon be reflected in the natural.

Are you currently facing a 'difficult' situation? Maybe it's a mounting debt, a sickness, or a problem that 'seems to have no solution' at the moment. Be encouraged, my friend. To God, nothing is ever impossible (Matthew 19:26). Only believe. In my life, I know He has never failed to deliver me, even through my 'darkest of hours'. I believe He'll never fail you too, and He'll definitely show you a 'way out'. Take heart.

Beloved, begin to give thanks, and let it flow in your heart, and out in your speech, because your victory and breakthrough is at hand!