Words from the Lord: "You will find your rightful place!"

The Lord says: 

"This is the time of My great outpouring in many places like you've not seen before, in spite of the woes that you see on earth. The knowledge of My glory shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. Prepare yourself for the next level of My anointing, My wisdom, and My glory in your life! Ask of Me and you will receive. For those who have not found it, you will begin to find your rightful place in My kingdom!"

Habakkuk 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.' 

The word 'knowledge' here in Hebrew is 'yada', and it can mean 'to know by seeing', 'to know by recognizing', 'to know by comprehending', or 'to know by discovering'.

Do not be disillusioned by whatever you see the enemy or the power of darkness does on earth right now, and do not be anxious. You know why? Because the Lord's glory that's coming is greater! The Lord your God will triumph in the end! And His glory knows no bounds! His glory is infinite, unlimited, and unstoppable! No power of darkness can stop Him!

You may ask, "What is God's glory?" This can be defined as 'God's greatness, God's magnificence, God's presence, and God's power that you can see, you can sense, and you can experience'. 

This glory can be upon your life, your family, or over your locality, your city, or even a nation or nations!

The key in this current time and season is to continue to look to Him, to embrace Him, and to cling to Him! 

You will see yourself moving into the next level, a new level of His glory, His power, and His wisdom in your life!

The Spirit of wisdom and revelation is flowing to you, and His glory is falling upon you right now! Receive by faith. 

You will begin to see many things in different light. There will be new perspective. There will be new understanding of things and what God is currently doing in your life.

Blessed are you!

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Differentiating between what is of God and what is not

Recently, I dreamt of a person whom I know, a beloved of God, and he was approached by someone whom he has lost touch with for a long time but suddenly reappeared and wanted to meet up. The dream was so real. In the dream, I literally knew there was a red flag. I knew in my spirit that person who reappeared didn't come with good intention, and meant to take advantage of that beloved of God. 

When I woke up, I prayed for protection, wisdom, and discernment for that beloved of God. Now, why do I share this? Because the Lord also has a general message for all of us, His beloved. What is that message?  

The Lord says: "Beware, My people! Be alert, My people! The enemy has begun using very new means and new ways to deceive you and bring you into agreement with him! Do not buy all those deceptions! Do not allow yourself to come into agreement with what the enemy offers! This is the time to receive My wisdom and discernment to deal with all those trickeries of the enemy! I am releasing such wisdom and discernment upon you now!" 

Before we go further, what is the definition of this word 'discernment'? It is 'diakrisis' in Greek. It means 'to separate (what is, and what is not) thoroughly'. In the context of our message today, it means 'to separate what is of God and what is not of God'. In other words, is the 'offer' from God? Or is the 'offer' not of God? Or worse still, is the 'offer' coming directly from the enemy in order to trap you? 

I'm not just talking about financial scams here. It's more than that. I'm talking also about spiritual or religious deception. And all kinds of other deceptions. So, beware, God's people! 

That's why, in this perilous and dangerous time, you need the Holy Spirit in your life all the more! Communing with the Holy Spirit all the more! Walking closer and closer with the Holy Spirit all the more! You see, Holy Spirit should always be your closest friend and best friend in life! You know why? Because Holy Spirit knows all, and is all-wise, and is wiser than all the trickeries of human or the devil put together! 

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus said this: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless (innocent) as doves." 

Many people ask this question: "What does 'Be wise as serpents' mean here?" Don't get Jesus wrong. Jesus didn't say you become a serpent! No! That's not what Jesus meant. But what Jesus meant here is no matter how tricky or deceptive the devil or any bad person is, you are still able to handle it, counter it, and overcome it. In other words, God can give you this ability to deal with the most extreme of trickeries or deceptions that the devil or bad people conjure up. 

Now, here's a piece of good news for you. What is that good news? The Lord is releasing His wisdom and discerning ability upon you right now! Receive this by faith, beloved. You know why? Because you are going to need this. As you receive, you can develop it and train yourself to be more and more discerning. With this ability, you can detect and discern who is trying to take advantage of you, use you, or even abuse you. And with this ability, you can also detect and discern what is behind (or beneath) the outward show, facade, or sweet talk of certain so and so. 

But what is the key for you to have this ability? The key is to follow the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit! Remember, for those who are led by the Holy Spirit, these are sons of God (Romans 8:14). So, right now, let the Holy Spirit work in you, in the inside of you. With the Holy Spirit with you and in you, you can sense if you have 'peace' or 'no peace' in your spirit regarding something. You can sense if you have the 'green light' or 'red light' regarding something. The Holy Spirit will show you. Follow the Holy Spirit's leading, guidance, and direction, and you'll be doing fine. Amen! 

Therefore, beloved of God, allow your life to be Holy Spirit led, and not 'sweet talk' led, 'human idea' led, or 'human ideology' led. You know why? Because not every human idea is from God. 

What is the key to receiving the Holy Spirit's guidance? Spend time with the Word and with the Spirit! Remember, Word and Spirit, Spirit and Word! These are pillars in your walk with God! 

In John 8:31-32, Jesus says: "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 

Free in what? Free in every sense of the word 'free' here. Free not just from any bondage or curse, but also free from any deception or lies of the enemy!

In John 14:26, Jesus says: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name (He has already sent), He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." 

The more you spend time with the Word of God and the Spirit of God, the more likely you'll be able to discern correctly what is of God and what is not of God. There's really no other way around it. That's why the enemy will do anything to distract you from reading the Word of God and praying in the spirit. Because the enemy knows how powerful these are! 

As you read this message today, receive also the impartation of God's wisdom and discernment upon your life! Receive God's wisdom in a greater measure! Receive God's enabling in a greater measure! Receive discernment in a greater measure. Amen! 

Prayer:

"O Lord God, we want to respond to Your words today. We want to walk deeper in Your Word and Your Spirit. We receive Your divine wisdom to know what we ought to do and what we ought not to do. We receive discernment as to what is of You and what is not of You. Lead us, guide us, and teach us to make the right decisions in our lives, going forward. Lead us, guide us, and teach us to avoid the traps and pitfalls that the enemy has set for us. We thank You, O Lord, for giving us the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things, who is all-knowing and all-wise, and who sees farther than any one of us can see. In Jesus' name. 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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Ask for wisdom!

We all need God's wisdom in our lives. Why? Because He is infinitely wiser than us, and He knows better than us. Also, His ways and His thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Let's look at one example in the Scripture. 

In 1 Kings 3:5, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and the Lord said, "Ask! What shall I give you?" 

Indeed, at this juncture of our lives, the Lord is asking us: "Ask! What shall I give you?" 

In 1 Kings 3:9-10, Solomon answered: "Give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"

The word 'discern' here is 'biyn' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to separate or distinguish (between right and wrong)'. In other words, knowing what is the right thing to do, and what is not the right thing to do. 

In 1 Kings 3:11-12, pleased with Solomon's answer, the Lord then said: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; Behold I have done according to your words. See, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you."

In 1 Kings 3:13-14, the Lord said further: "And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes, and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days." 

You see, the Lord looks for the sincerity in one's heart. The Lord looks for the authenticity in one's heart. The Lord looks for the genuineness in one's heart. These are the keys or ingredients to walk in continuous divine wisdom of the Lord. 

So, beloved of God, as you yield before the Lord, as you surrender and submit before the Lord, and as you ask Him for His wisdom and discernment in your life, believe that the Lord is going to pour forth His wisdom upon you. 

Not long after that encounter with the Lord in the dream, and not long after the Lord had spoken to Solomon, there was a situation when the king needed wisdom to deal with a certain argument and contention. In this case, two women came to him in order to have an argument and contention settled. 

One of the women said, "Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone. There were only two of us in the house. But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead. But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't my son at all." 

The other woman then interrupted, "It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine." 

So you can see they were fighting and arguing about the ownership of that living child. 

"No," the first woman said, "the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours." 

And so they argued back and forth before the king. 

Now imagine that you are the king, and you are listening to both sides of the story. And they're arguing back and forth. 

The king then said, "Let's get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other. All right, bring me a sword." 

So a sword was brought to the king. 

The king then said further, "Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other." 

Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved the child very much, cried out, "Oh no, my lord! Give her the child - please do not kill him!" 

But the other woman said, "All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!" 

Then the king said, "Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother." 

And when all Israel heard the king's decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom the Lord had given him for rendering justice. 

The word 'wisdom' here is 'khokmaw' in Hebrew. It can be defined as 'the quality of having the right discernment and good judgment in a certain matter'. In other words, the quality of being wise. 

So you see, wisdom is a quality. Now, we all speak about the quality of life, or having a better quality of life. But I tell you something. Wisdom is one very important quality in our life. Therefore, ask and receive wisdom from the Lord. 

Now you see, we all need wisdom in life and in any form of decision making - be it in our household, in our business, in our career, in ministry, or in leadership in any capacity. In fact, every day in our life is about decisions, decisions, decisions - what decision we need to make, and what decision we need to check with the Lord. 

But there's a good news for you today. Because the Lord is saying to you that He will always be willing to give you the wisdom if you need to have that wisdom. You just need to ask. You just need to have the right heart before Him. And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That's exactly what the king (Solomon) said. 

Let's check it out in Proverbs 9:9-11. Here, the Scripture says: 'Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.' 

And by the way, the word 'wisdom' here is the same word 'khokmaw'. In other words, the quality of having the right discernment and good judgment. 

Beloved of God, as you walk in step with the Lord, you are also walking in that wisdom of the Lord that He is releasing to you, every step of the way. Aren't you blessed? 

Now you see, 'the fear of the Lord' means 'the reverence of the Lord', or 'to have reverential fear of the Lord'. It means whatever He says, you give your attentive ears to listen, to hear Him, to learn to yield and submit to Him; because He is God and we are not. 

And that's what the fear of the Lord is about. And it is this reverential fear, a reverential awe of the Lord, that leads to you receiving that wisdom from the Lord. So, ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be open to you. Amen! 

I believe this is a very crucial time to ask the Lord for wisdom, and also to pray for our national leaders to receive the wisdom from Him to know what to do and what not to do, and to make the right decisions.

Let us pray: "O Lord God, we thank You that You have given us Your wisdom. Your wisdom is greater than the wisdom of men. You always see further and You know better. We thank You for this privilege that we have as Your beloved, that we can walk in Your divine wisdom every step of the way, in every area of our lives. We also want to bless the authority that You have raised up to make the right decisions in the administration of the country. So, we lift up our hands and we bless those whom You put as the governing authority of the nation. Because the Scripture instructs us to do so. In Jesus' name. Amen."

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How to walk in step with God?

The Lord says: "Many of My people are entering a new season in their lives. Do not fear or be anxious, but rejoice in Me! Look not behind you, but look forward to the good that I have prepared for you! New season brings new supply of My grace and favor. New season brings new open doors for you. New season brings new people walking along your path. Walk in this new season." 

The Lord says further: "Keep hearing My voice and My words! Keep your heart right before Me and stay yielded to Me! That's how I will supply you with the wisdom you need in your new season. And you'll know how to go about and what to do in this new season of yours." 

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) says, '...of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command.'  

This name 'Issachar' here is 'Yissakar' in Hebrew, and it literally means 'He will bring a reward'. In the context here, the reward for being discerning and being in tune with the Spirit of the Lord is in knowing what to do and how to go about in each time and season of their lives!

How about the word 'times' here? It's 'paam' in Hebrew, and very interestingly, one meaning of this word is 'footsteps'. In other words, knowing how to follow the footsteps of the Lord and walk in step with the Lord! This is so important. You know why? Because when you follow the footsteps of the Lord and walk in step with the Lord, you will never need to worry about walking in the wrong direction in your life!

By the way, to walk in step with the Lord is to walk in exactly the same timing and pattern of movement as the Lord! Wherever He walks, you walk; and wherever He goes, you go!

Back to the verse just now. To put it simply, the sons of Issachar knew what to do and how to go about in each time and season they were walking in! 

May all of us be like the sons of Issachar! 

Of course the question here is how did they know their time and season? How did they discern and understand the times? What are their secrets? What made them different from the others? And what can we learn from them?

I believe the answer is in being open and yielded to the Spirit of the Lord! As a matter of fact, the more you are surrendered to Him and the more you are yielded to Him, the more you will be in tune with what He says, whether through His Word or through His Spirit! And that's how you will know, understand, and discern the time and season of the Lord in your life!

You see, the answer lies in this word 'footsteps'! Follow His 'footsteps'! Because that's when you will be where He will be, and walk where He walks!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Receive the impartation of supernatural wisdom!

We are still in this series of outlook for the year 2022 and showing you what you can expect to receive for this year 2022. 

The Lord says: "There'll be a new assignment for many of My people this year. Remember Proverbs 22 for this year 2022. Meditate on this Proverbs 22. Build your life around all that's been written in Proverbs 22, and you'll see greater blessings and increase in your life this year."

The Lord says further: "This is the year I am releasing supernatural wisdom upon My people who look to Me and seek Me. Receive the wisdom you need for 2022, because this is a pivotal year for many!" 

Beloved of God, wherever you are right now, the Lord is releasing His supernatural wisdom upon you! Receive by faith! This wisdom from heaven is infinitely greater than human wisdom that is finite. 

The Lord is also saying this year 2022 is going to be a pivotal year for many. I believe this is a year He is getting you ready for the greater blessings and increase, and even transfer of wealth that you have not imagined can happen to you, if you look to Him and seek Him. 

Now, back to our topic today. What is wisdom? I know there are many definitions of wisdom. In fact, I've taught you many times about the definition of wisdom from the Bible. But recently, as I was praying in the spirit, the Lord taught me Himself about what is wisdom. He taught me that 'wisdom' is 'doing what He says, even when the world or man thinks it is foolishness'. Now, that's how He taught me how to see wisdom! It means even if the world or man thinks that it is foolishness in what you are doing, eventually they will see wisdom in it. Because when you do what He says, you are blessed!

One example is Jesus Himself. It seemed foolishness to many people why Jesus gave Himself up to die on the cross. People were asking why didn't He save Himself? After all, He is the Savior! And He is the Son of God! He could have saved Himself! But why didn't He show His glory and show to the world that He is indeed the Son of God at that time? Instead, He went through the agony at the cross. He then died, was buried, and on the third day, He arose again. You know the whole story! But that's how He 'checkmated' the devil! So, what initially seemed foolish to man, eventually many began to see wisdom in what He did! 

1 Corinthians 1:27-28 (NLT) says, 'Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.' 

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 (NLT) says, 'The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent."' 

1 Corinthians 1:20-22 (NLT) says, 'So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in His wisdom saw to it that the world would never know Him through human wisdom, He has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.' 

By now, you would've already known that this year is the beginning of a major shift and major shaking in this world, especially in the economic arena. But fear not! Because God is releasing His supernatural wisdom to those who look to Him and seek Him! He will know how to show you a way to prosper and thrive even in the midst of the economic turbulences. 

As a matter of fact, everyone of us has a specific blueprint from the Lord. So, look to the Lord and seek the Lord for your specific blueprint in your life. Walk in it faithfully, in spite of what people may say against you or about you. They may say you are foolish. They may say all kinds of things against you. But keep your focus on the Lord. As you walk faithfully in all that you know the Lord has spoken to you, people will eventually see the wisdom in it, even if they see it as foolish at the moment. 

1 Corinthians 1:23-25 (NLT) says, 'So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.' 

Many people who do not believe in Christ and who doubt the authenticity of the Word of God would say, "How can God be foolish? How can God be weak?" They miss the point here. God is not saying that He is weak. God is not saying that He is foolish. But He is saying even if it is a foolish plan of God, it is still wiser than the wisest of human plans. And even if God has weakness, even that weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength! That's the correct interpretation of this verse here.

Indeed our Lord God Almighty is perfect in all His ways, and He is strong in every way. He is indeed not foolish, and neither is He weak. He is a Mighty God, and He triumphs over every plot, conspiracy, plan, and trickery of the enemy. He has the final say and the final victory. And in Christ, you have this final victory too! 

The Lord spoke about the book of Proverbs just now. So, what is the definition of 'Proverbs' here? It is 'mashal' in Hebrew, and it simply means 'a parable or a sentence of wisdom'. If you look at the dictionary in English, this word can be defined as 'a short, well-known saying (phrase or sentence), stating a general truth or a piece of advice'. It can also be defined as 'a brief saying that gives good advice about life or that expresses what is wise and true'.

So, beloved of God, if there's any book in the Bible that you want to focus on as you start this year 2022, I would say it's the whole book of Proverbs! 

But today the Lord has also mentioned Proverbs 22 specifically. Somehow the Lord planned it this way: Proverbs 22 for the year 2022! Now, this is not a cliche, this is not a slogan, but this is what the Lord has spoken: Read Proverbs 22. Build your life around Proverbs 22, and you are going to see greater blessings and increase this year 2022! So, as for me and my house, we are going to meditate on the whole of Proverbs 22 as we start the year right! It indeed contains lots and lots of divine wisdom that you need for this year!

At the time of this writing, there are three verses in Proverbs 22 that the Lord brought me to special attention. 

First, it's Proverbs 22:11. It says, 'He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend.' 

The 'king' here can mean those who are in authority, the government, or the decision-makers. For many of you, the Lord is going to use you to influence the many decision-makers, wherever you are. Maybe you yourself are a key decision-maker in your city, in your nation, in your organization, or in your company. This is your time to receive His divine wisdom, and some of this wisdom cannot be found through textbooks. But these are the wisdom that have been released from heaven directly to you. And there are two keys here. The first one is to continue to have a pure and innocent heart before the Lord. And the second one is not to be too quick to condemn or judge others. Because when one finger points at people, three fingers point back! So, let this year be a year that God anoint your lips to speak blessings and not curse. And you are going to see some good changes according to God's perfect will. Amen! 

Second, it's Proverbs 22:1. It says, 'A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.' 

You know what this means? When you work on a good name for yourself and when you love favor of God more than great riches, silver and gold, you will not need to worry! Because all these material things will somehow come running to you! The Lord will know how to make things happen for you, and He will know how to set up divine appointments to prosper you! 

I hope you don't mind me writing this, but in the recent years, we cannot deny there's been quite a lot of "trust issues" that non-believers have against Christians generally. Maybe it's due to not-so-good testimonies of some Christians that caused non-Christians to not believe in Christians anymore. Maybe it's a bad character, personality, or attitude of certain Christians that caused non-Christians (or even relatives and friends who are non-believers) to not trust all that Christians say anymore. Maybe it's due to issues of integrity. Maybe it's due to scandals in church in various places. Or maybe even prophecies that have been spoken never come to pass at a certain timeline that certain prophets have said will come to pass. So, all these can be factors that caused non-Christians to not believe or trust Christians anymore. This is indeed a time of soul-searching and humbling of ourselves. But blessed are we if we do. Because that's how the Lord is going to turn things around, and many non-believers will begin to see the glory of the Lord so real - and they will not be able to deny it anymore!

Third, it's Proverbs 22:10. It says, 'Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.' 

This is the year to be bold to cut off, or even shut off your ears and shut off your eyes from the naysayers, the scoffers, and those who cannot understand what God is doing in your life. I'm not saying that you condemn them. But you pray for them. You pray for their spiritual eyes to be enlightened. Yet you are to focus on all that God has spoken for you to be and to do this year. Do not allow yourself to be diverted, discouraged, or distracted by all the 'noises' that you hear in the world. But stay focused on the Word of God! Stay focused on what God has spoken to you this year! And that's how you are going to see greater blessings and increase in your life, and you are going to be like a tree that bears good fruits this year! 

In conclusion, this is the third week of the outlook for year 2022 that the Lord has spoken through this ministry. Indeed, He has been speaking - line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little - but it's a complete picture by now. Thanks be to God! 

But for you today, the Lord wants you to just open your heart to receive His supernatural wisdom from heaven. Right now, there's an impartation of His supernatural wisdom being released upon you and upon all that you put your hands to do. He will give you the wisdom that's going to even confound those who are smart in their own eyes. 

Last but not least, the Lord will give you the peace, and the Lord will give you the revelation for you to do the right thing! 

So, I want to pray for you right now that you will be led by the Spirit of the Lord always to be at the right place, at the right time, doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions that will propel you towards the realm of greater blessings and increase this year. Amen! Hallelujah!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

How to prepare and position for year 2022?

It's that time of the year again! Usually about 3 months ahead of our Gregorian calendar's new year (and this time it's 2022!), I would seek the Lord on how to prepare for the year ahead. Also, this is in conjunction with the Jewish calendar, as we usher in Rosh Hashanah (the Head of the Year) 5782. 

Words from the Lord for this time and season: "This is a key time of receiving and replenishing in the spiritual realm. Be at the mode of receiving from Me, especially receiving My wisdom and My power to see a double portion increase in your life, going forward." 

So, this is the time the Lord wants you to be refreshed and replenished, as you receive His power, His strength, and His wisdom. 

The Lord is also in the midst of preparing and positioning you for your double portion, be it double portion of anointing, double portion of wisdom, double portion of favor, or double portion in every sense of the word, in a good way. 

Further words from the Lord (as you prepare for the new year): "This is a time of moving on from lack to multiplication. This is a time of moving on from transition to completion. This is a time of moving on from humiliation to glory. This is a time of moving on from barrenness to miracles, signs and wonders. Your transition time is ending. You are entering a new beginning in the realm of My wisdom, My double portion, and My miracles, signs and wonders."

People of God, whatever your troubles may be recently, or in the past season, the Lord is here to encourage you. He is in the midst of preparing you to receive double, even in the restoration of whatever you have lost, or whatever you have been lacking (or barren) in your life. 

Therefore, in spite of whatever 'bad news' you hear in the world at the moment, the Lord has this good news for you: Your double portion is coming! Your transition time is ending, and a new beginning is coming! Your time of moving on from lack to multiplication is here!

You know how many times Jesus said these words during His time on earth: "Fear not!" or "Do not be afraid!"? The same it is in this end time. So, no matter what you see or hear in this world, nothing takes away the truth that Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). Therefore, be of good cheer! Do not be afraid! Fear not, no matter what! Because you have the love of God (that never fails), the divine protection of the Lord, and the hand of the Lord be with you. And as long as you look to Him, He will know how to make a way for you (in spite of it all), and teach you how to make the right moves in your life! Believe and receive this by faith, as you prepare and position yourself for the coming year 2022!

Click here to watch the significance of the year 5782/2022

Receive grace and favor to overturn the works of the enemy!

Words from the Lord in this time and season:

"What the enemy tries to work against you, this is your time to receive the grace and favor to overturn its works! Like for Esther and Mordecai in the days of old, I will know how to overturn the works of the enemy and I will know how to turn things around for your advancement!"

People of God, in recent times, if you have been hindered by the enemy, or if you have been attacked by the enemy, fear not, because the Lord is saying to you, "Receive not only My wisdom, but receive My grace and favor to overcome! Look to Me, and I will know how to overturn the works of the enemy against you!"

Let's go to the book of Esther now. The background of Esther is that Mordecai (the cousin of Esther) raised her up and took care of her, because Esther didn't have father and mother since early on. 

Here in this book, King Ahasuerus (the king of Persia at that time) was looking for a new queen because he was offended by the previous queen, Queen Vashti. 

Esther 2:17 says, 'The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti'.

Notice the words 'grace and favor' here. In Hebrew, it's 'khane' and 'khehsed'. So, Esther obtained grace and favor in the king's sight more than all the virgins, and she was crowned the new queen. 

By the way, what is 'grace'? 'Grace' is God's ability and God's supply in your life. It means 'God's ability to do for you what you cannot do for yourself', and 'God's supply for you what you cannot supply for yourself'.

You see, people of God, not only do we need wisdom in life, but we need God's grace and God's favor in our lives too! 'Khane' and 'khehsed'! And no matter what challenges or predicament you may be facing right now, by God's grace and favor ('khane' and 'khehsed'), you will overcome and you will overturn the works of the enemy! God will reverse it for you - for your advancement and for your victory!

Let's study a little about Mordecai now. Even though this book is called the book of Esther, but Mordecai was just as prominent in this book. Proof? Look at chapter 10, the last chapter of this book, and you'll see the whole book of Esther is wrapped up with Mordecai's advancement. So, it's also a book about Mordecai!

Who was Mordecai? This man Mordecai was someone who love God, and who would not bow down to the ways of man that's against God. But because Mordecai did not bow down and pay homage to Haman (Esther 3:1-3), Haman then plotted to kill him. Not only did Haman wanted to kill Mordecai, Haman also plotted to destroy and wipe out the people of Mordecai (i.e. the Jews) entirely! (Esther 3:6-8)

Mordecai then told Esther about Haman's wicked plans. And that's when Esther took a big risk to meet the king, because anyone who entered the inner court of the king without being called to do so, that person would be put to death! (Esther 4:11-16) However, Esther found favor in the sight of the king (Esther 5:1-3). 

Esther then devised a plan to organize a banquet for the king, Haman, and herself - just three of them (Esther 5:4). Do you see that? Instead of telling it all to the king then and there about Haman's wicked plans, somehow Esther had the wisdom to organize a banquet first. Now, how did Esther have that wisdom? I believe it's because she feared the Lord. Proverbs 9:10 says, 'The fear of the Lord (reverence of the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom (knowing what to do, how to go about in life)'.

During the banquet, when the king asked Esther what's her request, Esther then requested for her life and her people's lives be preserved from the plan to annihilate and wipe them out (Esther 7:1-4). The king then asked who would dare to do such a wicked thing to annihilate her people (Esther 7:5), and Esther answered, "The adversary and the enemy is this wicked Haman!" (Esther 7:6) Can you imagine how terrified Haman was at that time? The king became very angry with Haman, and Haman was later executed on the very gallows that he had set up for Mordecai! (Esther 7:10) Things have been turned around!

People of God, fear not therefore if you have been a victim of plots, conspiracies, attacks, character assassinations, or even office politics against you. Continue to fear the Lord, because that's when He will give you the wisdom you need to turn things around (Proverbs 9:10). And continue to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, because that's when God will give you grace (1 Peter 5:5-6).

Indeed, you have an All-knowing, All-powerful, and All-present God, and He will know how to turn things around for those who fear Him, humble themselves before Him, and look to Him! Hallelujah!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, in times like these, we look to You and we receive not just Your wisdom, but also Your grace and favor ('khane' and 'khehsed') to overturn whatever the enemy is trying to work against us. Just as in the days of Esther and Mordecai, You are the same yesterday, today and forever. You are the same All-knowing, All-powerful, and All-present God who knows exactly the plots, conspiracies and plans of the enemy against Your people. And You know how to turn things around for our victory and for our advancement. Anything that has been hindered or seemingly dead-end in our lives, O Lord, we pray for Your divine wisdom, grace and favor to be released upon us this day. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

It's a key decision-making time!

Words for this time and season:

"It's a key decision-making time for many of My people in this time and season. Not minor ones, but major ones. But fear not! Because your decisions will bring you to the realm of greater victory and breakthrough. I will help you and guide you, if you look to Me. I will give you the discernment and the counsel that you need, if you look to Me."

Further words for this time and season:

"My people will not be deceived and cannot be deceived, if they hang on to Me, My Word and My Spirit. For My Word is able to make you wise. For My Spirit can help you to discern and to make wise decisions."

2 Timothy 3:13-15 (NKJV) says, 'But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.'

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) says, 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.'

Indeed, God's Word is able to make you wise, and God's Word also makes you complete, so that you will be thoroughly equipped for every good work that God has called you to do on earth. 

And in perilous times like these (2 Timothy 3:1-4), all the more you need His Word to guide you and prepare you for whatever that is to come in this world.

Proverbs 4:20-22 (NKJV) says, 'My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.'

Joshua 1:8 (NKJV) says, 'This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.'

Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten your spiritual eyes of understanding as you read His Word, because the Holy Spirit will lead you to all truth (John 16:13).

"O Lord, we come to You and we pray that You will sensitize our spirit right now, so that we will know and discern what is of You and what is not of You; and what is Your instruction and what is just a man-made idea. We desire to walk in Your perfect will and Your perfect way, and not walk according to mere human ways or the enemy's ways. We pray that You will give us the wisdom to make the right decisions in life, be it in ministry, in business, in career, in investments, or in any area of our lives. Guide us into all truth and lead us into the right direction that You have meant for us. And no matter how cunning or tricky the enemy may be in all his deceptions, we will not be deceived. We pray all these, in Jesus' name. Amen."

Click here for the teaching on how to make the right decisions in life

A 3-fold anointing is being released from heaven!

I have received three distinct parts of God's words to be released to you this week. Three very distinct parts, yet these are inter-connected. You need all three in this end-time! 

So, today is an apostolic and prophetic release, and not so much about teaching or pastoral message.

Words from the Lord - Part 1

"My perfect love for you casts out fear! Let Me take all your fears away, be it fear of sickness, fear of future, fear of lack, or any kind of fear that the enemy wants you to fall into. For many of you, this is the time to hang on there, even where there seems to be no headway in your situation. Look to Me and seek Me with all your hearts, and I will show you the way. I have not forsaken nor forgotten you. My love for you never fails, even when the world around you seems to fail."

1 John 4:17-18 (NKJV) says, 'Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.'

The word 'perfect' here is 'teleioo' in Greek, and it can mean 'completeness, fullness, perfectness, accomplished'. But do you know that John didn't just use the word 'teleioo'? John used 'teleioo teleioo'. It's a double 'teleioo', and it speaks of love that is "perfectly perfected" or "completely completed"! You know what this means? It's a double affirmation of God's perfect love for you, and that's why His love for you never fails! Receive His love being poured out for you today!

Words from the Lord - Part 2

"Stay innocent in Me and don’t be carried away or taken in by the wickedness and trickeries of this world. I will give you the needed wisdom if you ask of Me. I will give you the needed discernment if you ask of Me. Ask and you will receive. And whatever that is conjured up by the ‘serpent’ against you, you will be able to handle and overcome it."

In Matthew 10:16 (NKJV), Jesus says, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

Here, Jesus is not telling you to be a 'serpent'. But what He meant is whatever the 'serpent' (symbolizing the devil or his cohorts) throws at you or tries to deceive you, you will be able to handle it and overcome it.

Living in this perilous world, indeed God's love and God's wisdom need to go hand in hand. You walk in God's love, but you also need to walk in God's wisdom, because in times like these, many deceivers and scammers will surface.

Words from the Lord - Part 3

"There is a healing and wholeness taking place. My healing anointing has been released! I have arisen for My people, and I have begun to shoot My arrows against the power of the enemy. The dark clouds of the enemy is being pierced through My arrows. The dark clouds is beginning to scatter and disappear. Therefore, fear not! Start spreading this hope that I am giving to you, and stop spreading the fear that comes from the enemy! My people will begin to triumph and My people will begin to emerge stronger than ever before! I have opened the way for those who look to Me and seek Me."

Psalm 45:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Your (God's) arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies... Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.'

The word 'arrows' here is 'khayts' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'a piercer, a thunderbolt (i.e. a flash of lightning with a simultaneous crash of thunder)'; from the word 'khawtsats' meaning 'to sever or to cut off (in this context, the power of the enemy)'.

People of God, the healing anointing that's likened to 'thunderbolts' has been released to you from heaven! Receive by faith right now for your situation! God has begun to shoot His arrows against the power of the enemy that comes against you, and the 'dark clouds' of the enemy is being pierced through and scattered! Hallelujah!

In conclusion, this 3-fold anointing, i.e. power, love, and sound mind (wisdom and discernment) - has been released to God's people right now!

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) says, 'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.'

2 Timothy 1:7 (Expanded Bible) says, '[For] God did not give us a spirit [or the Spirit] that makes us afraid [timid], but a spirit [or the Spirit] of power and love and self-control [self-discipline; or good judgment].'

Timotiyos II 1:7 (Orthodox Jewish Bible) puts it this way, 'For Hashem (the name of God) did not bestow upon us a ruach (spirit) of pachad (terror), but of gevurah (miraculous power) and of ahavah (love) and of sound havchanah (judgment).'

You see? 'Gevurah' (i.e. miraculous power of God), 'ahavah' (i.e. perfect love of God), and sound 'havchanah' (i.e. sound judgment/wisdom/discernment for you to make sound decisions in life)!

You need all three! Receive all three! And you'll see yourself triumphing and overcoming all the works of the enemy that come against you in times like these! Amen!

Click here to watch the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

The sovereignty of the Lord

Isaiah 46:10 (NKJV): Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.'

Isaiah 48:12-13 (NKJV): "Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand up together."

These verses above show us that the Lord is sovereign in all His ways, and He knows exactly what He is doing. Man may plan, but it is He who has full say and final say. Indeed, He sees further and farther than anyone of us can ever see.

So, what does this word 'sovereign' mean? In Oxford Dictionary, the definition of 'sovereign' is 'having complete power or the greatest power'.

In the context of the Lord's sovereignty, this word can therefore be defined as 'having complete power to govern, i.e. governing His kingdom, which is above all the kingdoms (or ways) of man in this world'.

In short, the Lord's sovereignty simply means 'He is in control', even if many in this world think He isn't.

In 1 Timothy 6:12-15 (NKJV), the apostle Paul exhorted his spiritual son Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things... that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords."

Let's look at the same verses in English Standard Version (ESV): "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things... to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will display at the proper time - He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords."

See the word 'Sovereign' here? It is written as 'Potentate' in NKJV. This word is 'dunastes' in Greek, from the word 'dunamai' meaning 'be able, be possible'. In other words, the Lord is the only One who is able, and who makes all things possible when no other 'king', 'kingdom', 'lord', or 'lordship' can on earth. 

People of God, maybe you are going through a difficult time in your life at the moment, and you've been asking questions like, "Where were you Lord?", or "Why did you allow certain things to happen?" 

Admittedly, there can be times in life you just cannot understand why the Lord does what He does, or why the Lord allow something to happen. But this doesn't mean the Lord is not in control. Your part is to be patient and endure, and keep looking to Him and trusting in His wisdom. Yes, look to Him, and not to man. Because He always see further and farther than us, and He knows exactly what He is doing. Indeed, He knows how to work things out for good in your life, according to His sovereign plan and timing.

In His sovereignty and His redemption plans, Jesus had to endure humiliation, pain, betrayal, rejection, and be crucified on the cross. Seemingly a defeat in the world's physical eyes (and the devil thought he had defeated Jesus), the Lord eventually had the ultimate victory, even in the most unexpected or unimaginable ways. Darkness says, "It's impossible!" because darkness thought he has won. But the Lord is higher, greater, and smarter!

The same it is in whatever difficult situation you may be going through at the moment, and you are still waiting for that breakthrough to come. Take heart, because the Lord your God knows how to manifest it in His own time and display it at the proper time! Because He is the King of (all) kings, and the Lord of (all) lords!

Continue to submit to Him and draw near to Him (James 4:5-8). In His (perfect) time, He will make all things beautiful (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Indeed, He is still your faithful God who is at the throne. In Jesus' name. Amen!

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!

Wisdom of God vs wisdom of man

1 Corinthians 1:27 (NKJV): But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.

Many things that seem foolish to the world, God calls it wise, and many things that seem wise to the world, God calls it foolish! This is how antagonistic things can be between God's ways and man's ways! James 4:4 says, 'Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God'. And Romans 8:7 says, 'Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be'. By the way, the word 'enmity' here is 'echthra' in Greek, meaning 'adversary, hostility, opposition'.

It is just like blood transfusion. If a person with blood type A receives transfusion from a person with blood type B (and vice versa), you'd have a condition called 'ABO incompatibility reaction'. It means the body's immune system will attack the new (foreign) blood cells and tries to destroy them! Why? Because these are just simply incompatible!

Now, don't get me wrong. This doesn't mean we are to live like a hermit in the world! This isn't what God wants to convey to us. What He wants to convey to us is we are not to get sucked into the ways of this world, or the ways of our own flesh! Because these won't last, and won't stand when 'the rain descends, the floods come, and the winds blow and beat on the house' (Matthew 7:24-27). The 'house' here can speak of 'you, or whatever you are doing in life'.

Romans 12:2 says, 'And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God'. The word 'prove' here is 'dokimazo' in Greek, and it can mean 'to allow'. In other words, if you pattern not after the ways of this fallen world, but rather, be transformed by the renewing of your mind to pattern after God's ways, you are effectively allowing what is good, acceptable, and perfect will of God to happen in your life!

Let me show you some examples by referring to the Beatitudes (i.e. the blessings listed by Jesus) in Matthew 5:1-12. 

In Matthew 5:5, Jesus (the Word) says, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." 
But what does the worldly way say? "Those who are aggressive shall inherit the earth!" 

In Matthew 5:7, Jesus (the Word) says, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." 
But what does the worldly way say? "By hook or by crook, get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the can!"

In Matthew 5:8, Jesus (the Word) says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 
But what does the worldly way say? "Those who are cunning shall see profits/results!"

In Matthew 5:9, Jesus (the Word) says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." 
But what does the worldly way say? "Those who pull down others shall get promoted!" 

You see the 'opposites' here? That's exactly what 'enmity' or 'echthra' means! But people of God, choose God's ways today, and He will know how to back you up, even in ways you cannot imagine yet. Watch how He's going to take over your situation from here. Never mind if the world calls you stupid, foolish, or whatever they want to call you. Because what seems foolish to the world, God calls it wise! Why? Because you are building your 'house' on the rock (i.e. the Word), and not on the sand! (Matthew 7:24-27)

The wise referred to here in Matthew 7:24-27 is the word 'phronimos' in Greek, meaning 'those who are sensitive (to God), or those who have understanding (of God, who He is, and how He works)'. These are whom God will use to put to shame the 'wise' of this world. Let one of those 'phronimos' be you! "Blessed are you..." In Jesus' name. Amen!

Keys to making the right decisions in life

In every season of our lives, we need to make decisions. Big decisions. Small decisions. And some decisions are so crucial these would either lead us to greater things, or cause us to stagnate in life! Even right now, some of you may be asking, "Am I going to turn to the left, to the right, go straight, or stay put?"

The Lord spoke these words to me recently:
"Many of My people are entering a season of key decision-making time. Many are in such junctures and crossroads. But I will teach My people to make key decisions based on My revelation! Not of men, but of Me! Just as Paul received a vision in the night at Troas, and he proceeded to go over to Macedonia."

At Troas - the crossroads
In Acts 16:6-10, the Scripture says, 'Now when they (Paul and his team) 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 second missionary journey, not once, but twice did the Holy Spirit not permit Paul and his team when they tried to go to certain places (or direction). While wondering what to do next, the Lord gave Paul a vision in the night. Heeding this vision, they then 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! Put it simply, right decisions always lead you to greater things!

At Corinth - the mission field
In Acts 18:9-11, the Scripture 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 second 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 be afraid even in the face of resistance and opposition. The Lord also assured him that He is with him, and He is raising up many people in the city to receive his words. Heeding these words from the Lord, he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them!

Paul made decisions based on revelations and instructions of the Lord
From the two examples above, you can see Paul was a man who had learned to make decisions based on revelations and instructions of the Lord, and not of man. 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 in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, he wrote, 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day...' The Lord had indeed honored him for his humility and obedience; and as evident as it gets, not only did the Lord lead him through all his missionary journeys successfully, the Lord also used him to write half of the entire New Testament!

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says, 'Where there is no vision, the people perish...' The word 'vision' here is 'chazown' (pronounced 'khaw-zone') in Hebrew, which means 'a prophetic dream, vision, oracle, or revelation from the Lord'. This 'chazown' is a form of supernatural manifestation at certain 'junctures' or 'crossroads' in one's life (just as happened to Paul).

What was it in Paul that we can learn from?
Everybody wants to make right decisions in life. Even those in the world! But what was it in Paul that we can learn from? There are keys, i.e. the underlying principles, of course. To want to make right decisions often, but not having these underlying principles in life is like 'wanting to make pasta, but you have no wheat', or 'wanting to make pastries, but you have no flour'!

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'. That is to say, 'By humility and the fear of the Lord, you will make decisions that will lead you to riches, honor and life'! Yes, humility and the fear of the Lord! These are keys! When you have these two underlying 'ingredients' in your life, you know the Lord will surely honor you and help you in your decision-making! And I believe that was the secret of Paul!

What does 'By humility and the fear of the Lord' mean?
To humble before Him is to submit and yield to Him (His words or His instructions) in total surrender, instead of being a 'smart aleck', thinking we know better.
To fear Him is to have deep reverence and respect toward Him and what He says.

Proverbs 3:5-7 says, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil'.

Proverbs 9:10-11 says, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you'.

How do you correlate 'wisdom', 'knowledge', and 'understanding'?
To begin with, let's look at each of these words first.
'Wisdom' is 'knowing what to do and how to go about in life, even in making the right decisions'. 'Knowledge' is 'having intimate and personal knowledge of God, instead of mere intellectual and head knowledge'.
'Understanding' is 'the ability to discern, separate and distinguish what is of God and what is not of God'.

The expression 'the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding' can be read as 'the knowledge of the Holy One leads you to understanding'. It means the more you know God intimately, the more you will know and understand yourself, or God's will (and plans) for your life!

In other words, having knowledge of God causes you to have understanding 'what is of God and what is not of God', and that's when you'll have the wisdom to make the right decisions that eventually lead you to greater things in life!

People of God, as you look to Him afresh and anew this year, and as you let go of the past (even past mistakes or regrets), allow the Lord to teach you and lead you from here. And I declare your best is sure to come! In Jesus' name. Amen!