You are a carrier of His glory!

The Lord says: 

"Prepare yourselves to be filled with My glory like never before! For I am raising up a people who will be carriers of My glory in a time like this! Just as in the days of Solomon when the temple was prepared, so are you who are the temple of My Spirit! I will show you the many things that the world cannot see. I will even show you what is to come. You shall walk in My Spirit and My revelation in deeper ways. Nothing of the flesh matters anymore!" 

1 Kings 8:10-11 (NKJV) says, 'And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.'

This happened in King Solomon's days. The word 'glory' here is 'kabowd' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'splendor, magnificence, honor, weight'. That is to say, the glory of the Lord is real, is present, and is tangible. It is the very presence of the Lord. For those who have experienced it, or even experienced a glimpse of it, you will know what I mean. It's so real, and words cannot fully describe it. 

As a beloved of God, you can experience this glory of the Lord and be filled with this glory of the Lord. In fact, people around you can actually sense it, and see the glory of the Lord in your life. 

Isaiah 60:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.'

Back to King Solomon's days. When the glory of the Lord filled the temple that Solomon built, nothing of the flesh mattered anymore. All that's of the world has become like a shadow. It's all about the Lord now. Not about the works of man or the achievements of man. Even the priest could not continue ministering, as you can see in 1 Kings 8:10-11 just now. 

With such awesome presence of the Lord, all Solomon could do was to turn around and release the blessings of the Lord upon the people at that time! You see, with the glory of the Lord so heavy upon you, blessings flow. 

Today, as believers of the Lord in the New Covenant, you and I are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. Not made with stones. Not made with bricks. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV) says, 'Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.' 

At this juncture of our lives, let us dedicate ourselves anew to the Lord. Ask the Lord to wash us and cleanse us.

What are the keys to God's glory manifesting in your life? 

1. Holiness and purity

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV) says, 'Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.'

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV) says, 'Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' 

Let the Holy Spirit fill you right now. The Holy Spirit is the HOLY SPIRIT. The Spirit of holiness. Let the fire of His holiness cleanse and wash us.

2. Worship and surrender

Romans 12:1 (NLT) says, 'And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.'

We worship Him not just with songs and music, but we worship Him with our bodies, presenting ourselves to Him as a living and holy sacrifice unto Him. 

3. Praise and thanksgiving

Psalm 50:14-15 (NKJV) says, 'Offer to God thanksgiving... Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.'

Psalm 50:23 (NKJV) says, 'Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation ('Yeshuwah') of God.'

As you live a life of praising Him and giving thanks to Him; not just in good times, but at all times; He will know how to show you His glory and His goodness. You will begin to walk in the realm of greater blessings and miracles.

Not just that. The power of darkness cannot have a hold on you or 'touch' you. You will have divine protection of the Lord. No matter how the enemies try to pull you down, they cannot succeed. Because you have the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ, and you have the glory of the Lord enveloping you and surrounding you. Amen!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Words from the Lord: "The fire is spreading!"

Ever since the Lord has spoken: "Let the fire fall!", and we have released this obediently two weeks ago just as the Lord has spoken, this fire has been spreading! I see in the Spirit that this fire from the throne of God is spreading to cities, towns, villages everywhere; crossing continents and crossing many countries. This fire is not going to be quenched by the enemy. This fire is going to spread and spread and spread! 

What is this fire? This is the fire of God's holiness. We need this in this time and season, before a great victory can happen in our lives. So, make no mistake about this. The fire of God is spreading across the nations and across the continents. Many will start to catch this fire!

Now, this is a time for alignment with God's will. Wash your hands, wash your eyes, whether it's spiritual or physical. There is Spirit of repentance all around. Turn away from sins. Confess your sins to the Lord. Return to His ways. 

Whatever your past may have been, or whatever you've been going through recently, surrender your situation to the Lord. Surrender your life before the Lord (in worship and surrender). Wash your hands and wash your eyes. Because this is the time God is calling us to return to the very heart of Him, to the intimacy with Him, to the very first love! 

So, clear what needs to be clear in your life! Don't miss this time and season. Because a great victory and breakthrough is coming your way! Now, in a time like this, the enemy will try to stop you and even attack your mind, attack your calling, attack your ministry, or attack whatever good that you do. The enemy will even put a lot of negativity into your mind to try to discourage you. And the enemy can use humans to do that. But you know what? Take authority and bind it, in Jesus' name! Fill your mind with the Word of God! Fill your mind with what God has promised you in the Word! 

As you receive this fire that purifies and makes you holy, you know what? The enemy cannot touch what is pure and holy before the Lord! So, receive this fire from heaven! Receive this upon your life! Let this fire burn away not just all your hurts, your sicknesses, or your pains, but burn away all the sins and burn away all those that are not in the will of God, so that you can be re-aligned. 

Just like a car being sent for alignment, our lives need alignment too. Why? So that our journey (our journey of faith) will not be bumpy, but it will be smooth. Whether it's a car or it's a human being, it is the same. We need to get in alignment!

Two weeks ago, I've released some Bible verses regarding fire, that fire doesn't have to be bad. Fire can be from heaven. It's the fire from the throne of God. And today, I'm going to continue with Bible verses. And this time, I go to 1 Kings 18 in the days of Elijah. 

1 Kings 18:17 says, 'Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?" And Elijah answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals."' 

Now, 'Baals' here in the context of our study today speaks about 'the masters of this world', or that we have given in to whatever that is worldly. And these have become masters of our lives, instead of YHWH the Lord, who is the Master, THE Master of our lives. 

In 1 Kings 18:19, Elijah said, "Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." 

By the way, Jezebel is the wife of King Ahab. So, right now, whatever spirit of Jezebel that tries to control you, that tries to oppress you, that tries to cause you to be stuck in that small box, little box; you take authority and bind it, in Jesus' name! You are set free! This fire of holiness is burning all the spirit of Jezebel, all forms of controlling spirit that come against you! You are now set free! Walk in your freedom, the freedom and the liberty that Christ has given to you!

1 Kings 18:20 says, 'So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.' 

Indeed, this is the time to 'choose ye this day who you are going to serve'. Are you going to serve the Lord? Are you going to give yourself before the Lord? Are you going to worship the Lord? Or are you going to bow down to the masters of this world (that have influenced so many Christians all over the world)? 

In 1 Kings 18:23, Elijah said, "Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it." 

So, two bulls here. One for Elijah, and one for all these prophets, the false prophets of course.

In 1 Kings 18:24, Elijah said further, "Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord. And the God who answers by fire, He is God." 

Look at the word 'fire' here. 

In 1 Kings 18:25, Elijah said to the false prophets, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it." 

So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" These false prophets prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice, no one answered, no one paid attention. In fact, all these false prophets, they were even cutting themselves with knives, trying to gain the attention of their false god. But you know what? Nothing happened. 

In 1 Kings 18:30, Elijah then said to all the people, "Come near to me." 

So all the people came near to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 

Do you see that? This is that time and season, people of God, for the Lord to repair us. Whatever that has been damaged by the enemy, whatever that has gone astray, whatever that has been broken in our lives, the Lord is repairing it and the Lord is restoring it. Yes, the Lord even restores your first love, if you allow yourself to. 

Elijah then put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, "Fill four water pots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood." Then Elijah said, "Do it a second time", and they did it a second time. And Elijah said, "Do it a third time", and they did it a third time. So, the water ran all around the altar. And he also filled the trench with water. 

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that these people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again." 

And you know what? The fire really came! And many who saw it, many who witnessed it, their first love returned. Their first love to whom? Their first love to the Lord their God! 

Now, it is the same with us. Maybe we have gone astray from the Lord. This is a time for us to return. This is a time we return to our first love, and return to that intimacy with the Lord. Yes, clear away what is not of the Lord, and receive a fresh new touch of the Lord! There is a refreshing touch right now. There is a release of God's refreshing right now. Receive this! 

1 Kings 18:38 says, 'Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench, the trench around the altar. And now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and they said, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!"' 

I pray right now that this fire from heaven is also being released upon your life, upon your home, upon all that you put your hands to do, and upon all that He has spoken for you to be and to do. Amen! 

And let's look at 1 Kings 18:40 now. 'And Elijah said to them (the people of the Lord), "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!" So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.' 

Now, all these prophets of Baal, the false prophets, these are symbolic of all the wrong influences in our lives, of all the work of darkness that have infiltrated into our lives, even damaged our lives, and of course controlled our lives. Be set free! The fire has come! This fire is destroying all those works of darkness that have infiltrated you all these while. You are now a new person! You are now a fresh person! There is a fresh new start for you! And you are going to make clear decisions from now on! 

You see, when there's holiness, when there's purity - in your spirit, soul, even in your body - you are going to make clear decisions! You know why? Because your mind is going to be super clear! And that's when you are going to make clear decisions for a greater future for your life! You will know what steps to take in your life. You will know what steps to avoid in your life. You will know when to move forward in something. And you will also know when you should be letting go of something, releasing it. 

So, my prayer today is that as you receive this fire that purifies, you are going to be so clear in your mind, you are going to be so clear in your spirit, and you are going to make right decisions. You are going to make right decisions in your life, for your family, in your career, and in the ministry, so that you are going to see greater and greater victory, going forward. Amen! 

Let us pray. "O Lord God, let the fire fall upon Your people! Let this fire spread like wild fire everywhere! It is a time to wash our hands and receive this fire of holiness in our lives. It is a time to return to You, and return to our first love, Jesus. It is a time You are touching many more lives through this fire that has been released from heaven. The enemy has to retreat and be defeated. Just like in the days of Elijah those days, a time of great awakening and a time of great outpouring is starting for Your people! Indeed, a time of cleansing has come! And a time of great victory has come! Just like what we have read in the Scripture today. In the name of Jesus. Amen." 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to pray the right and effective prayers?

Words from the Lord:

"I am teaching My people to pray the right prayers. I am teaching My people to pray effective prayers. Prayer is being one with Me and being in union with Me. This is the time many things in the spirit are going to be birthed forth by My people through prayer. This is the time to go deeper in your prayer life. Pray in the spirit and worship in the spirit!"

Indeed, this is the time to go deeper in prayer, just as the disciples of Jesus did those days leading up to the Day of Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit came). They were at the upper room, praying and waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-14). 

You see, prayer is not just petitioning to God and asking God to answer our prayer requests. There is a place for that of course, but prayer is much more than that! 

James 5:15-18 (NKJV) says, 'And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.'

What is the secret of Elijah? Why is it that whatever he prayed, God just caused it to happen? 

To understand that, let's go first to what Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23, "I do not pray for these (disciples) alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."

Now, Jesus set an example of a prayer life while He was on earth. 

Notice the words 'one in Us' here? 

In 1 Corinthians 6:17, the apostle Paul wrote, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.' 

Notice the words 'one spirit with Him' here? 

So, you see, prayer is a relationship with God. It is being one with God. I believe this is also the secret of Elijah in his prayer life. Prayer is oneness with God. In other words, being in union with God and being in communion with God - where God speaks and we hear; and we speak and God hears. It is a two-way communication. That is why prayer is a relationship. And it's from this oneness with God that every good thing from heaven flows - in you and through you! 

And as you release all that you've received from Him, things happen! John 15:4-5 says 'He is the vine and you are the branches'. It means all the 'nutrients' from heaven flow in you and through you! And that's how you bear fruits - even the fruits of your prayers!

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) says, 'But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.'

Interestingly, the word 'wait' here is 'qavah' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to be entwined together (with God), or to gather together.' You know what this means? 'To be entwined together (with God)' is 'to be one with God'! And that's how you 'gather together' all that heaven has for you! In other words, all the resources from heaven flow right into you and through you - when you 'qavah'! And that's also how your strength is being renewed, and you will mount up with wings like eagles! Hallelujah! 

Do you see something now? This is very exciting! Because prayer life need not and should not be dull and boring. If you have this revelation of what prayer is really about, I congratulate you, because your prayer life is going to become more and more exciting! And like Elijah, you too are going to receive lots of 'downloads' from heaven - and you will know what to do and how to go about - while on earth. Amen!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Get ready to move into the next level!

The Lord says:
"What I have spoken to you, and what I have given to you, this is the time to surrender it back wholly to Me! Like Abraham, this is the time to surrender your 'Isaac' to Me, and I will see to it that there will be providence and there will be a solution! Do not retract, and do not hold back! For I am getting you ready to walk into the realm of greater blessing, and I am bringing you to the next level!"

As happened to Abraham, there's going to be a time when the Lord will ask you to surrender to Him all that He has given to you. And for many of God's people, that time is now! No, the context here isn't about 'the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away', but rather, He is asking you to surrender, so that He can bring you into a time of greater blessing, and to the next level!

Let me show you from the Scripture. Genesis 22:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."'

The word 'Moriah' ('Mowri Yah' in Hebrew) here can mean 'The Lord will see to it, or the Lord will provide', from two words, 'Raah' (to see, to look on, to provide) and 'Yah' (the name of the Lord our God). Therefore, this name speaks of the Lord who will see to it that there's going to be providence (or solution) when you surrender to Him whatever/whoever you hold dear. In Abraham's context at that time, it was also a place of worship. Indeed, to worship is to surrender all of ourselves before the Lord!

Genesis 22:4-8 (NKJV) says, 'Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering."'

People of God, what are the 'Isaacs' in your life at the moment?
These can be whatever/whoever you hold dear.
Examples:
- your vocation, career, or business;
- your spiritual gifts, or talents;
- your God-given ministry;
- someone you hold dear (but you don't know what to do with him/her anymore).

Genesis 22:9-14 (NKJV) says, 'Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me. Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide...'

'Burnt offering' here speaks of 'your unreserved worship and surrender before the Lord', whereas 'ram' here speaks of 'the providence, the solution, or the answer that's coming your way'. In fact, 'a ram caught in a thicket by its horns' is actually a 'picture' of 'Jesus with the crown of thorns'! On the cross some two thousand years ago, He wore the crown of thorns, so that you can now wear the crown of blessings and the crown of God's glory!

Now, let's put a little imagination into the verses above. Imagine now Abraham on the way to that place of worship and surrender, and he suddenly changed his mind and decided to retract (or hold back) his son, Isaac. Can you imagine what would have happened? The ram wouldn't have appeared! Because the ram (i.e. the solution) that was to be provided by the Lord would also be somehow retracted (or held back)!

Look now how the Lord was getting Abraham ready for a time of greater blessing and the next level, after he had 'passed' the test of faith! Genesis 22:15-17 (NKJV) says, 'Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son - blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies."'

Very interestingly, The Complete Jewish Bible (CJB), which was written from a biblically Jewish perspective, translates this expression 'blessing I will bless you' as 'I will most certainly bless you'. You know what that means? The Lord was in effect promising Abraham that He will most certainly bless him, even in all circumstances, and no matter what circumstance he's in!

By the way, 'in all circumstances' here includes even the not-so-good times in the eyes of the world! And even in times like these, there's still no stopping you from walking in the realm of greater blessing!

Indeed, as descendants of Abraham by faith, you can now receive this same promise in your life too - that the Lord will most certainly bless you, even in all circumstances, and no matter what circumstance you're in! Hallelujah!

In your worship, the Lord will stand up for you!

John 12:3 (NKJV): Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

In recent weeks, I have been preaching on the heart of worship, like that of Mary when she took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. The very word 'spikenard' here comes from the Hebrew word 'nayrd', which means 'aroma', a 'picture' of our sweet aroma of worship unto the Lord.

In cross-reference, Song of Solomon 1:12 says, 'While the king is at the table, my spikenard sends forth its fragrance'. This was sung by the Shulamite (a 'picture' of 'you and I') for the king (a 'picture' of 'the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, i.e. Jesus Himself').

To worship is to surrender. It is the word 'proskuneo' in Greek, which can mean 'to prostrate oneself in total reverence and adoration towards the Lord'. To worship is to lay down your crowns before Him, no matter what other people may think or say about you. And Mary did just that by wiping the feet of Jesus with her hair. 'Hair' to a woman speaks of 'one's glory or crown'. 1 Corinthians 11:15 says, 'But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering'.

John 12:4-6 then says, 'But one of Jesus' disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it'.

'Three hundred denarii' was equivalent to about one year's wages for a worker those days, and that's a lot of money! It may sum up to tens of thousands of dollars today! As women rarely had inheritance those days, this jar of very expensive oil was probably Mary's only valuable thing that she had, and quite likely, her dowry. But she did not reserve any, because her focus was only on the Lord. This speaks of an 'unreserved worship', a sweet aroma of worship that pleases the Lord.

'Judas Iscariot' here speaks of 'the way and the mind of the world', i.e. 'the unrenewed mind', very much like Michal (the daughter of Saul) who despised David when she saw him leaping and dancing before the Lord as the ark entered the city of David (2 Samuel 6:16).

Watch now what John 12:7-8 says, 'But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."'

Instead of agreeing with Judas Iscariot, Jesus stood up and spoke up for Mary! And He said, "Leave her alone"! Not only that, He even went on to justify, explain, and defend what Mary had just done!

People of God, your total surrender and unreserved worship touches the heart of your Father in heaven, even if others in the world may mock at you or despise you, and see you as foolish.

And the wonderful part is, just like Mary, you too will see how the Lord is going to stand up and speak up for you, even at the most unexpected of times or circumstances!

A time to clear the clutter and put your house in order!

I heard and released these prophetic words from the Lord recently:
"Clear the clutter! Put your house in order! This is a time to go into deeper life of worship, deeper life of the Word, and deeper life in prayer! For you shall watch how I am going to call things into being swiftly, deftly, and suddenly! For there will be new surprises! And I am going to bring upon you unexpected blessings!"

Indeed, this is a key time to 'clear the clutter'! In other words, a 'house-cleaning' time! A time to weed out the excess, and a time to weed out the mess! As a verb, the word 'clutter' means 'to crowd (something) untidily'; and as a noun, it means 'a collection of things lying untidily, a mess'.

This is also a time to clear 'whatever has become your idol that takes away the first place of God in your life'. It can be the love of money, fame, a certain lust, or even a certain excess of entertainment (e.g. excessive online games). As you can see here, it does not necessarily mean a spiritual idol which is worshiped by people.

I don't believe the Lord is here to expose you or condemn you (Romans 8:1). But I believe the Lord wants you to get ready for the many new surprises and unexpected blessings that He's going to bring upon your life in the coming months! Your part is to be open to the Holy Spirit, and let the Holy Spirit help you and show you the areas in your life that need 'house-cleaning'!

In Isaiah 46:1-2, the Lord says, 'Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, but have themselves gone into captivity'.

The word 'carriages' here speaks of 'your vocation, your business, your God-given ministry, or even your life'. 'Bel' and 'Nebo' were the names of specific idols (i.e. the fake 'gods') that put a heavy burden on the house of Israel those days. Here in Isaiah 46, the Lord has become very personal and specific, even naming names of those idols! And He is doing the same even now for His people, because He wants to set His people free from any specific 'idol' in life!

At this point of your life, are your 'carriages' heavily loaded with 'idols' too? And you find yourself stuck in a 'mess' at the moment. Take heart, because it is never too late for the Lord to help you and deliver you! Allow Him. In Isaiah 46:3-4, the Lord says, "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb. Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you."

In Isaiah 46:8-9, the Lord then says, "Remember this, and show yourselves men... For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me." As you let go of those 'idols' in life, will you also respond to His call to go into a deeper life of worship, Word, and prayer?

Because in Isaiah 46:10-11, the Lord promises these (for you who remember Him, look to Him, and go deeper in Him), "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', calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it."

The expression 'bird of prey from the east' here refers to King Cyrus (see Isaiah 45), a pagan king from Persia whom God used as His instrument to set God's people free from the captivity of Babylon. This 'bird of prey' (or 'ravenous bird') is 'ayit' in Hebrew, which speaks of 'a hawk that is swift, deft, and has the ability to swoop suddenly to catch its prey'.

People of God, as you 'clear the clutter' and 'put your house in order' in this time and season of the Lord, watch how your unexpected blessings will come just as swiftly, deftly, and suddenly in the months ahead of you! Indeed, He can even use unexpected people (or situation), i.e. the 'Cyrus-es' of today, to bring it forth, and fulfill His purposes in your life! He has spoken it, and He will also bring it to pass! Amen!

A lifestyle of worship

I heard and released these words from the Lord on December 4, 2016:

"This is a month to dedicate yourselves to Me in worship. A lifestyle of worship! A lifestyle of worship! In all that you are, and in all that you do, worship Me!"

Don’t get me wrong. Not that at other times, you don’t worship. But this is a key month to dedicate yourselves to Him again in worship.

In John 4:23-24, Jesus says, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." 

The word 'worship' here is 'proskuneo' in Greek, and according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, it means 'to kiss (like a dog licking his master's hand)'. Other definitions of this word 'proskuneo' are 'to prostrate with a kiss' and 'to prostrate oneself in reverence and adoration'.

By the way, 'to prostrate' can be defined as 'to lay oneself flat on the ground face downward, especially in reverence and submission'.

Two times the Lord said, "A lifestyle of worship!", and I knew He had wanted me to write about this today. And so here am I, O Lord, at Your service!

I am fascinated by this particular definition of 'proskuneo': 'to kiss (like a dog licking his master's hand)'. If you have a pet dog, you'd know what this means. To the dog, you are like the world to him! To the dog, you are 'the leader of the pack', 'the master', someone whom he would look to and put his fullest trust!

With this illustration above, we can now understand better the very essence of what 'worship' ('proskuneo') is, in the context of your relationship with the Lord your God: Like a dog licking the master's hand, you look to Him (your Master) and put your fullest trust in Him (your Master) in all that you are, and in all that you do! 

Contrary to what many people think, worship isn't just in songs and melodies. Worship is a lifestyle! For those in worship ministry, your lifestyle reflects your ministry, and not just in your singing of songs, or playing of musical instruments. As someone who has been involved in worship ministry, I must admit that no doubt musical skills are important, but without a heart and lifestyle of worship, all these skills will become nothing before God. People may be impressed by your musical skills/talents, but God isn't.

Note: The Oxford Dictionary defines 'lifestyle' as 'way of life of an individual or group'; and Dictionary.com defines it as 'a way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group'.

Today, I want to introduce two words for 'worship' that you can find in the New Testament. First, 'proskuneo' (which I have explained above), and second, 'latreuo'. The second word is found in Philippians 3:3 written by the apostle Paul: 'For we are the circumcision, who worship ('latreuo') God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh'. The word 'latreuo' here in Greek means 'to minister (unto God), to serve God, to render service (unto God)'.

The apostle Paul then continued writing: '...If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eight day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith...' (Philippians 3:4-9, NKJV)

In the context of the verses above, 'latreuo' can therefore be defined as 'to minister (unto God), to serve God, to render service (unto God), without putting confidence in the flesh'. In other words, not by one's own ability, but God's ability!

The apostle Paul (who was entrusted by the Lord to write half of the whole New Testament) understood what true 'worship' is! He was living a lifestyle of worship through and through! The Bible never mentioned him playing musical instruments! But that doesn't mean he wasn't a worshiper of the Lord! Singing songs? Okay, the Bible mentioned that before! Not in a worship conference, or on stage in a worship service, but you know where? Inside the jail, together with Silas, and in the midnight hour! (Acts 16:25-26) Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he sang hymns to God! It just came naturally to him, even in the 'darkest' of hours! He was living a lifestyle of worship from the inside-out! Not a facade, not for show, but a 'proskuneo' and 'latreuo' before the Lord!

You see, you don't have to be in worship team/ministry to be a worshiper! But if you are in worship team/ministry, all the more you are to live a lifestyle of worship! Not just in songs and music, but in every facet (aspect) of your everyday life!

In all that you are, worship Him!

'Proskuneo': Looking to Him and putting all your trust in Him.

'Latreuo': Ministering unto Him and rendering service unto Him, putting no confidence in your own flesh.

For instance, my writing ministry is a form of worship unto the Lord. I did it upon the instructions (blueprints) given by the Lord, and just wanted to bless the Body of Christ unconditionally. I have never expected people to start writing to me and ask if they can use my materials. But many did!

People of God, in all that you are (i.e. 'called to be'), 'proskuneo' and 'latreuo' Him!

In all that you do, worship Him!

'Proskuneo': Looking to Him and putting all your trust in Him.

'Latreuo': Ministering unto Him and rendering service unto Him, putting no confidence in your own flesh.

The same it is with those many years of sowing seeds of God's love and kindness among the youths/college students in our (my wife and I) earlier years in full-time ministry. We did it upon the instructions (blueprints) given by the Lord, and just wanted to avail ourselves to care for these young people unconditionally. It was done as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). We have never expected anything in return, and we have never expected these young people to remember us later in their lives. But some did!

People of God, in all that you do (i.e. 'called to do'), 'proskuneo' and 'latreuo' Him!

The Lord knows how to reward you! 

Yes, even if you have not expected it, and you just wanted to render your unconditional service unto Him as a sweet aroma of worship (Philippians 4:18), be it in your time, your energy, your giving of finance, etc. Because He is a good God, and He loves to give you every good thing (Romans 8:32, Psalm 34:10), even in ways you have not imagined, or even if you never realize it. Colossians 3:23-24 says, 'And whatever you do, do it heartily (with an abounding heart), as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ'. Ephesians 3:20 says, 'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us'. 

And just as the Lord had spoken to Abram those days in Genesis 15:1, He is also saying these words to you who 'proskuneo' and 'latreuo' Him: "Do not be afraid, ... I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." Let it be so! Hallelujah!

Angels are at work for you!

Psalm 103:20-21 (NKJV): Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure.

The word 'angels' here in Hebrew is 'malak', meaning 'messengers', from a root word which means 'to despatch as a deputy'. In other words, they are created to despatch (bring) good tidings and good things from heaven to you! From the verses above, we also know that they are ministers (i.e. servants) of the Lord, 'who do His pleasure'.

Hebrews 1:14 says, 'Are they (the angels) not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for (i.e. serve) those who will inherit salvation?' Jesus Himself spoke about angels (see Mark 8:38, John 1:51). And in Matthew 18:10, He says, "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven." You know what this means? Never look down on any of these little ones, because they have their angels in the presence of the Lord, looking to the Lord for them!

And who are these 'little ones' here? In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus has the answer, "Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." He is talking about you and I! Those who will inherit salvation!

Now, I'm making sure everything I write about angels here does have Bible verses to back it up. You cannot write about angels merely by your own personal experience (or encounters) alone, as it can lead to error. But let's see what the Bible says about angels.

To begin with, there are about three hundred references to angels in the whole Bible, and this figure is more than enough to substantiate the existence of angels!

There are basically two categories of angels, namely 'the good angels' (who care about your welfare) and 'the fallen angels' (who are out to cause harm to you). These 'fallen angels' are led by none other than Lucifer, who was an archangel (i.e. angel of high rank) and leader of worship among the angelic hosts, but through pride and rebellion, he fell (see Isaiah 14:12-15).

You see, worship and pride cannot go together. To worship is to humble before the Lord, throwing oneself in total surrender to Him. Yes, even one's will and desire.

Let's continue with our studies on angels.

By the way, God forbid that we worship angels. Why? Because they are also created beings! Psalm 104:1-4 says, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with honor and majesty, who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain... Who makes (creates) His angels spirits, His ministers (servants) a flame of fire'.

The ministry (i.e. service) of angels are two-folds:
1. Worship (Revelation 4:8-11, Isaiah 6:1-3);
2. Work (Hebrews 1:14, Psalm 103:20-21).
To put it plainly, angels are worshipers, and angels work according to the Word of God!

Hebrews 12:22-24 says, 'But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all...' As you can see from these verses, when God's people gather together to worship the Lord, angels are there too!

Let's read Psalm 103:20 again. It says, 'Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word'. See? Angels are created and meant to do God's word, and to heed the voice of His word! And the truth is you too can be the voice that speaks God's Word! In cross-reference, Proverbs 18:21 says, 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit'. See how important it is to watch what you speak? Speak God's Word over your life (and situation), and you will even attract angels to work for you!

Someone asked me recently, "How do you activate the work of angels around you?" 

The answer is easy. Keep worshiping the Lord, and keep speaking (declaring aloud) the Word of God! And they will know how to respond accordingly. The Bible says so! You don't have to worry on behalf of them!

Another point about angels that's worthy of note is they 'excel in strength'! (see Psalm 103:20) Hallelujah! It means they are strong enough to 'bodyguard' you! Psalm 91:10-12 says, 'No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone'.

Read also the account in Acts 5:17-21, when an angel of the Lord came at night to open the prison doors and brought the apostles out. The angel even spoke to them and gave them instructions! People of God, the Lord can even open your eyes to see angels! In 2 Kings 6:15-17, when Israel was surrounded by a great number of the enemy's army, Elisha prayed that his servant would be able to see 'those who are with them are more than those who are with the enemy'. The Lord then opened the eyes of the young man, and then and there, he saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha! Israel went on to defeat the enemy with a great victory!

As I conclude this article, the truth is angels exist, and they are very much at work for you at the moment! Keep worshiping and keep declaring the Word of God over your life (and in every situation of yours), and they will do their part to clear the way for you!

The psalmist David wrote it so very aptly in Psalm 34:7, 'The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear the Lord, and delivers them'. The word 'encamp' here is a military word. It means 'to set up camp', or 'to establish a camp'. So, I can put it this way: 'The angel of the Lord 'set up camp' or 'establish a camp' all around those who fear the Lord, and delivers them'. See the words 'all around' here?

No wonder Elisha told his young servant in 2 Kings 6:16, "Do not fear (the enemy), for those who are with us are more than those who are with the enemy." Let it be so! In Jesus' marvelous name. Amen!

A time to worship like you have never been before!

2 Kings 17:36 (NKJV): But the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship...

2 Kings 17:39 then says, '... Worship the Lord your God; it is He who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies'.

The word 'worship' here is 'shachah' in Hebrew, which can mean 'to prostrate, to fall down (flat), to bow (self) down, to humbly beseech, to humbly surrender'.

Notice these two verses on worship appear in the Bible just before Hezekiah began to reign as the king of Judah (see 2 Kings 18:1). Indeed, the Lord God was preparing a man who would lead the whole nation to return to worshipping Him again! For the record, Hezekiah was one of those kings of Judah who did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and one who trusted in the Lord. He also held fast to the Lord and did not bow down to the king of Assyria who worshipped other gods (2 Kings 18:3-7).

As I was seeking the Lord for His prophetic words for this month, I heard:
"Worship! Worship! This is a time to worship like you have never been before! And I will show you how real I am. I will show you My glory. Prepare for My glory and anticipate My glory this month!"

Not that you never worship at other times, but I believe the Lord is saying this is a crucial time to worship! In fact, it is a time to worship like you have never been before! There will be new songs! There will be new melodies from heaven for this earth! Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs shall flow in such ways that you have never heard before!

I then saw a vision of an 'anchor' being firmly and strongly 'planted' in the seabed as I was praying for one of God's beloved in our midst. I asked the Lord what this vision means, and He impressed upon me that His strength is being 'anchored' deep in His people as they worship.

I then heard further:
"As you worship, I am planting My 'anchor' in you. I am your 'anchor'! I am your strength! I am releasing supernatural strength upon you and deep in you this time and season, and you will overcome every wave sent by the enemy against you. I will even use you to be a strength to many around you."

'Anchor' is made of strong metal (e.g. steel), and it speaks of 'strength' and 'assurance', no matter how the waves may be beating and hitting. Therefore, as you worship, know that He is releasing His supernatural strength and assurance upon you then and there. You will then be a strength and assurance to many other 'vessels' (or 'ships') around you that have been tossed and hit likewise by those 'strong waves'.

Back to Hezekiah now in 2 Kings 18 and 19. Interestingly, the name 'Hezekiah' means 'Strengthened of Yah' in Hebrew, from the words 'chazaq' (pronounced 'khaw-zak') which means 'to strengthen, to be strong', and 'Yah', which is 'the name of the Lord, the Most High God'.

In the fourteenth year of his reign as the king of Judah, Hezekiah was then faced with 'strong waves' that seemed hard to overcome. 2 Kings 18:13 says, "... Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them'. 'Sennacherib' here speaks of 'the wave sent by the enemy to rock your boat/ship/vessel', the enemy who tries to make you think that your God is small and He is not strong enough for your situation.

Mockeries, lies, and even threats followed thereon (see 2 Kings 18:17-37), and all these were meant to deceive God's people and to shake their faith in the Lord their God.

People of God, are you also in a situation where there's just no more strength to carry on? Or there's just no more strength to bring forth what God has put in you (say, a dream or vision you have received)? Or maybe you are already on the verge of giving it all up, as the 'storms' (or 'strong waves') around you seem to be too overwhelming for you.

2 Kings 19:1 says, 'And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it (i.e. all those mockeries, lies, and threats), that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.'

'To go into the house of the Lord' is 'to enter God's presence in worship and total surrender'. Indeed, in a time of worship and total surrender, you will also find strength and assurance. And that's when the Lord spoke through Isaiah His prophet: "Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him (Sennacherib), and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land." (2 Kings 19:6-7)

'Isaiah' ('Yesha Yah', meaning 'Yah has saved' in Hebrew) here speaks of 'the Lord who saves (delivers, rescues) you'.

2 Kings 19:14-15 later says, '... Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it (all those troubles and threats) before the Lord. Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, "O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim. You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth..."'

The word 'spread' here is 'paras' in Hebrew, and in this verse's context, it means 'to lay all your troubles (before the Lord), to break down (before the Lord)'.

And you know what? The Lord heard Hezekiah's prayers (2 Kings 19:20). He then literally shut out Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:27-28), and all His words against him (Sennacherib) eventually came to pass (see 2 Kings 19:35-37).

People of God, just as in Hezekiah's days, know that He is also now here for you, ready to embrace you and incline His ears to you. Know that He will never despise a heart that is broken before Him, and He will never turn down a heart that is totally 'spread' before Him. Indeed, one cannot worship the Lord with a hardened heart, or with a heart that puts up a 'front', a 'facade', or a 'mask'. This is the time to lay it all down.

May our hearts be so tender and soft before the Lord in worship and in total surrender. Amen.

Be a true worshiper

John 4:23: But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

A true worshiper of God worships in spirit and in truth. Let’s begin by defining the words ‘spirit’ and ‘truth’. The word ‘spirit’ here is ‘pneuma’ in Greek. It’s the deepest part of you, your spirit. ‘Pneuma’ is the word used both for the ‘spirit’ of man and the ‘Spirit’ of God. The word ‘pneo’ in ‘pneuma’ actually means ‘breath’. As true worshipers, we worship God with our spirit. We can even worship in the spirit, just as we pray in the spirit. The word ‘truth’ in John 4:23 is ‘aletheia’ in Greek. It means ‘truly, true, not concealing, not hiding anything.’ As true worshipers, we also worship in truth, or in other words, ‘just as we are’, without hiding anything from Him, or without ‘putting up a front’.

Let’s now look at the background story of this verse John 4:23. That was when Jesus met a Samaritan woman. Do you know who the Samaritans were? They’re a race formed when the Jews married non-Jews. They lived in a region called Samaria, and in those days, the Jews despised them, and they would never want to pass through these Samaritans' land.

However, Jesus did pass through their land. You may ask, ‘why did Jesus reveal such important truths about worship to a Samaritan woman?’ Not only that, as a woman in those days, she had no standing even in her own community. Worse still, she’s been living in sin (John 4:17-18). You may also ask, ‘why didn’t Jesus reveal these truths to the Pharisees, or anyone who’s of high-standing in Jerusalem?’ Well, nothing in Bible was written by accident. Here, Jesus was demonstrating God’s love for the Samaritans as much as He loved the Jews. God loves all of us. We can worship Him disregarding of our background or race. Also, Jesus revealed this truth to a Samaritan woman (instead of a ‘knowledgeable, intellectual’ Pharisee) because she was open, and was humble enough to acknowledge her weaknesses (John 4:19). In those days, worship has become a religious, outwardly act, 'just for show’ (instead of from the heart).

Today, God is looking at the heart of a worshiper, not how much ‘head knowledge’ one may have, or how ‘sophisticated’ one may be, or how high a position (even in ‘spiritual office’) one may be in. He is looking for those who are totally open to Him, those who worship Him ‘just as they are, without hiding anything from Him’, and those who are humble enough to acknowledge their weaknesses (like the Samaritan woman). These are the ones God is seeking for. Beloved, as said by the prophet Jeremiah, let us lift our hearts (and not just our hands) to Him in worship (Lamentations 3:41), and let us worship Him in spirit and in truth.

The power of worship

Acts 16:25-26: But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

When Paul and Silas were falsely accused (Acts 16:16-22) and then imprisoned (Acts 16:23-24), they began to worship God. They did not complain, find faults, wondering what went wrong, or got worried and anxious about their situation. They instead surrendered their situation to God in prayer and sang songs of worship (hymns) to God.

What is worship? It is ‘shachah’ in Hebrew, which means ‘to prostrate, fall down or bow oneself down.’ In other words, it means ‘to surrender ‘. In Greek, the word ‘worship’ is ‘proskuneo’, where the English word ‘prostrate’ come from. To prostrate is ‘to surrender, throw oneself in submission, or being yielded to a superior strength.’

So in Acts 16:25-26, Paul and Silas were worshipping God, surrendering their situation to God, resting and trusting God in total surrender. They chose not to worry, complain or sulk. Instead, they chose to worship, even in the middle of the night. Friends, when you are in your ‘midnight hour’, in the darkest hour in your life, and faced with a difficult situation, do not worry nor be anxious. Rest assured God is still here with you. And He is a great and awesome God, a miracle-working God. After all, He owns the whole galaxy. Put your trust in Him. Worship Him, just as Paul and Silas did. When we worship, we are actually surrendering our whole life, and the whole situation to God, allowing Him to take over.

You see, ‘worship’ and ‘worry’ are total opposites. To worship is to let God take over your situation, as you trust and rest in Him. To worry is not resting and trusting in God, but instead trying to figure out what to do with our own self-effort or strength. That’s the difference.

As Paul and Silas were worshipping, their breakthrough came. The ‘prison’ was shaken, the ‘chains’ loosed, and the ‘doors’ opened, by the power of God. Now don’t get me wrong. We do not worship God in order to get a result. In other words, we do not worship God to try to earn a breakthrough. Worship is not a human effort to earn something. We worship Him simply because of who He is, and how great and awesome He is, not because we want to try to earn a breakthrough or His acceptance. In fact, we are already accepted when He died for us on the cross. Our part is simply to believe on Him, and worship is an expression of our total surrender and trust in Him.

Beloved, it’s so good to worship God, and as you magnify Him in worship, trusting and resting in Him in total surrender, He’ll take over. Your ‘prison’ shall be shaken, your ‘chains’ shall be loosed, and your ‘doors’ shall be opened. Hallelujah!