5 keys to hearing in the Spirit

I heard the Lord say: "Learn to hear from Me, just as Samuel heard from Me. Ask for it, and you will receive. Let your spiritual ear be sensitized and ready to hear. For I am now awakening My people's ear to hear what I have to say. I am showing My people what they should do and what they should not do in this new season. I am refreshing My people from their weariness and purposelessness, so long as they would humble themselves to hear Me and heed Me." 

Many people ask this question: "How do you hear from God?" The Bible certainly has the answer. Of course the first person you can think of when it comes to hearing from God is none other than Samuel. In fact his name 'Samuel' has to do with hearing from God. It is 'Shemuw-El' in Hebrew, meaning 'Heard of God'; from the word 'Shama' meaning 'to hear attentively, to give ear, to hear carefully, to hear in order to obey', and 'El' meaning 'God'. 

I believe we are now in this time and season like Samuel, when many people in this world are spiritually blur and 'hit and miss', but you, beloved of God, are like the 'Samuels' of today. You are the people who will hear from the Lord. You will not be spiritually blur. You will continually hear from the Spirit of God, and you will know what to do in your life. I want to declare this upon you. Amen! 

1 Samuel 3:1-4 says, 'Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli (the high priest those days). And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow dim that he could not see, and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, "Here I am!"'

At that time, in Samuel's younger days, revelation from the Lord was scarce. Even the priest was blur in the Spirit. But the Lord began to speak to Samuel, even in times when many in his days were spiritually blur. Samuel was being trained by the Lord to be clear, to hear clearly from the Lord. 

Right now, the Lord is anointing your spiritual ear as well. Let the Lord touch your spiritual ear. Let the Lord open your spiritual ear and awaken your spiritual ear, so that you will hear what God has to say in this new time and season. Amen!

1 Samuel 3:5-6 says, 'So he (Samuel) ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." And he (Eli) said, "I did not call; lie down again." And he went and lay down. Then the Lord called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Eli answered again, "I did not call, my son, lie down again."' 

As you can see here, the young Samuel was still learning how to hear from God, and how to differentiate between the voice of God and the voice of man. But you see, you've got to start somewhere, just like Samuel. Samuel has got to start somewhere too. You and I know that Samuel went on to become a great man of God, who would hear from the Lord to anoint David as king. 

1 Samuel 3:8-9 says, 'And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you did call me." Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.'

See the word 'hear' here? 

1 Samuel 3:10-12 says, 'Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears." Then the Lord said to Samuel: "Behold I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle (it means many will be awakened, and many will be shocked upon hearing it). In that day I will perform against Eli, all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end."' 

Now over here, God was about to judge Eli's household, because his sons were corrupt and Eli did not restrain the sons. 

And then 1 Samuel 3:18-19 says, 'Then Samuel told Eli everything that he heard from the Lord, and hid nothing from him. And Eli said, "It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him." So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.'

You see over here, Eli still had some godliness in him, even though he was somewhat spiritually blur. So these words of Samuel spoke to Eli. Eli was awakened about it, and he acknowledged what's been said by the Lord. Eli knew the Lord has spoken to Samuel. 

Now, here lies the first key. What was the key of Samuel hearing from God, but not Eli, not Eli's sons? Samuel was innocent and pure before God. That's the difference. So that's key Number 1. Stay innocent and pure before the Lord, no matter how complex the world has become. Clear yourself from every form of deception, lies, or even corruption - in your spirit, soul, and even in everything that you put your hands on to do.

In John 10:27, Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." So, you are the sheep, and Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Hear Him. Pay attention to Him, to His voice. The word 'hear' is 'akouo' in Greek, meaning 'to give audience, to give ear to.' Just like Samuel was a good sheep to God, and he was obedient and faithful to what God has to say; so are you and so can you be. You will hear the voice of God, and you follow whatever He says. And that's how you are going to fulfill God's destiny for your life on this earth! 

In John 10:28, Jesus said, "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." Now, this is interesting. You know what this means? No one can snatch you away from Jesus, as long as you continue to hear His voice and follow Him! Therefore, hear Him and follow Him. Because when you hear and follow Him, His voice, His way, His will, and His words for you, no evil can snatch you away from Him; and no evil can snatch you away from His plans and purposes for your life on earth! So, key Number 2 here is to stay humble and yielded before the Lord, like the sheep towards the Good Shepherd. Hear Him and follow Him. And that takes humility on your part. That takes yieldedness on your part. That takes submission on your part. 

Isaiah 50:5 says, 'The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.' Here, Isaiah heard from the Spirit of God regarding Jesus the Messiah who was to come. This verse is actually talking about Jesus and how Jesus obeyed till the point of death, never turning away from His Father. But having said this, this verse also applies to Isaiah himself. After all, the name 'Isaiah' is 'Yesha Yah' in Hebrew. It means 'Yahweh is Salvation'. It's a typology, a 'type' of Jesus. In fact, the whole book of Isaiah is likened to a mini-Bible. 66 chapters in total represents 66 books in the Bible (39 - Old Testament, 27 - New Testament). You can see that God has spoken a lot of things to Isaiah - 66 chapters in the whole book of Isaiah! 

Many people would ask this question: "How do I identify God's voice from other voices?" It is true there are three major kinds of voices - voice of God, voice of your own flesh, and voice of the evil spirit. The answer is simple. Whatever you hear must be 'screened through' the Word of God, and cannot contradict the Word of God. 

Another way to be so sensitive to the voice of God is by getting yourself familiarized with the Holy Spirit. How? Pray in the Spirit often. Get yourself familiarized with the Holy Spirit. When you are so familiar with the Holy Spirit, you will know how to differentiate between His voice and the voice of your own flesh or the voice of the evil spirit. 

One more question people may ask, "When is the best time to hear from the Holy Spirit?" The answer is simple. Anytime is a good time! After all, God is 24/7. He is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Your part is this: As long as you get rid of all those 'noises' of this world, or even from social media for a while, and just spend time exclusively with Him, read the Word of God, pray in the Spirit, worship Him, lock yourself in your own room (or your prayer closet), and just enjoy being in the presence of God; you are actually positioning yourself to hear from God! 

So, the answer is anytime is a good time, as long as you make time for God. As far as I am concerned, practically speaking, I find between 4am and 6am is best. You know why? That's when I would wake up and feel refreshed. Now, when your spirit, soul and body - all 3 parts of you - are well rested and refreshed, you are more likely to hear from God. So sleep early and wake up early when it's still quiet, and when many people are not awake yet. First thing in the morning, come into His presence and hear Him. Now this is just my own practical advice. Different people may be different. Because some people are morning people, and some people are night people. Go with what suits you best.

Isaiah 50:4 says, 'The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning. He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.' You see here? 'He awakens Me morning by morning'! Early in the morning, when you are fresh! In fact, that's Jesus' lifestyle! Jesus woke up early and often withdrew Himself to hear from His Heavenly Father. As Jesus is, so are you! 

May the Lord awaken you to hear from Him, just as Isaiah 50:4 says! Though this is about Jesus, the same can apply for you, just as the same applied to prophet Isaiah himself. God can awaken your ear! So Isaiah tells us how he received his messages from God - in the morning - when he's most rested and refreshed, and most sensitive to the promptings and voice of God. That's when you too would receive many things and revelations from God! Yes, even saying refreshing words to the weary or the purposeless. Not only it refreshes others, but it also refreshes you!

So, prepare yourself, be refreshed and be well rested - spirit, soul and body - and you are more likely to hear from God. Now, Holy Spirit can speak to you in many ways, for example, in the inside of you, through your thoughts, through the Word of God that you read, or even in an audible voice!

Proverbs 6:22 says, 'When you roam, they (the Word of God) will lead you; When you sleep, they (the Word of God) will keep you; And when you awake, they (the Word of God) will speak with you.' You see here? When you awake from your sleep, the Word of God will speak with you!

5 keys to hearing in the Spirit:

Number 1: Stay pure and innocent before the Lord, no matter how complex this world has become. Keep yourself from deception, lies, and corruption. 

Number 2: Stay humble and yielded before the Lord. Like the sheep to the Good Shepherd, hear His voice and follow Him. To follow Him, you've got to humble yourself and say, "God, You are God, I am not. I will follow You because You know better than me." 

Number 3: Be refreshed - spirit, soul and body. This is the practical part. You are more likely to hear correctly and precisely from the Lord when you are well rested and fresh, after a good night's sleep. So wake up fresh and spend time with the Lord!

Number 4: Read the Word of God often. No shortcut here. The more you read, the more likely He will speak to you!

Number 5: Pray in the Spirit often. Again, no shortcut here. The more you spend time praying in the Spirit, the more likely He will speak to you!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

How to make plans in the Spirit?

The Lord has spoken for this week: "Look to Me and seek Me, and I will show you My plans and purposes in your life. Be patient to wait on Me. My Spirit will lead you and guide you. My Spirit is teaching you to discern and differentiate what is My plan and what is mere man's plan." 

With these words from the Lord, I'm going to write on how to make plans in the Spirit (i.e. how to plan in the Spirit), or how to purpose in the Spirit. The Bible has something to say regarding this. 

But before that, I want to ask you, "Who are you actually?" You are a spirit being. You are a spirit who lives in a body (a physical body) and have a soul. So, first and foremost, you are a spirit being. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, apostle Paul wrote, 'Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' 

You see here, apostle Paul wrote there are three parts in a human being - spirit, soul (consists of your mind, will, and emotions), body (physical body). But out of these three parts, your spirit is who you really are. Your spirit is real. It is not just a bodily organ. Some people call it a heart, some people call it a belly. But it's not just a bodily organ. It's not an imagination. It's not an idea. But your spirit is real. It's your real self. You are first and foremost a spirit being, and I call it spirit-man. 

In fact, your spirit should dominate your whole being. People exercise their physical body and nourish themselves with good food and proper nutrition. Nothing wrong. People exercise their soul by training their mind, by receiving education. No problem. But you know what? Many people in this world neglect the most important part, the essential part, the real them - that is the spirit. Now, the way to strengthen or nourish your spirit is by none other than feeding yourselves with the Word of God and praying in the Spirit. See? Word of God and Spirit of God. Word and Spirit. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus says, '...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' Jude 1:20 says, 'But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.' 

So today, I want to point you to your spirit being, because that is the most important part of your whole being, yet it's the most neglected part by the world. So how do you nourish yourself? How do you strengthen your spirit being? You've got to exercise your spirit. You've got to give it proper nutrition. You've got to feed it well. Feed with the Word of God. Pray in the Spirit to build yourself up on your most holy faith. See again? Word and Spirit. These are the two important pillars in your Christian life. 

I continue. In Romans 1:9, apostle Paul wrote, 'For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.' 

You see, Paul served God with his spirit. He never wrote 'with his soul or body', though of course these two parts (soul and body) will be involved too. Because we are a tripartite being. Three parts. But one person. But I tell you what, first and foremost, it is his spirit that serves God. The word 'serve' here is 'latreuo' in Greek. It simply means 'to minister unto God' or 'to worship God'. It means we minister unto God with our spirit. We worship God with our spirit. We worship God by doing what God says we do on earth, by obeying His callings, His plans and purposes for us on earth. And that's part of our worship before the Lord. To submit ourselves before Him. Because He is God, and we are not. 

The word 'spirit' here is 'pneuma' in Greek. It can mean the spirit of a man (or of course a woman), or the spirit-man. We humans are spirit beings, remember this. So, whatever we do on this earth, whether in our worship before the Lord, our ministering unto Him, in our walking with Him, in doing whatever God asks us to do, we are serving Him with our spirit. 

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 ('pneuma') and truth.' The word 'worship' here is 'proskuneo' in Greek. If you look at the definition in James Strong's Concordance, he defined 'proskuneo' here as 'to kiss'. It means to touch God, to be in close proximity to God. That's what 'to kiss' means. And interestingly, he put it this way: 'like a dog licking his master's hand'. So imagine your pet dog licking your hand, so excited to see you when you come home, so longing to want to spend time with you as the master. Now, that's how James Strong defined 'proskuneo'. Like the dog licking his master's hand, so it is the same with us as we worship the Lord. We 'proskuneo' before the Lord. We want more of Him. We long for Him. We will miss Him when we are far from Him. Of course, 'proskuneo' can also mean 'to prostrate before God', 'to submit or surrender to God'. You see, not necessarily with music and songs. You can worship of course with music and songs, but worship before the Lord is more than just music and songs, as you see from the definitions above.

With the right understanding of who you actually are (you are first and foremost a spirit being), now let's see what the Scriptures say about 'making plans in the Spirit'. Remember our topic here is 'How to make plans in the Spirit?' Because in order for you to make plans in the Spirit, you've got to know who you are first. You are a spirit being, and therefore whatever you do, you do it with your spirit. You serve God with your spirit, you worship God with your spirit, and now, like Paul, you can make plans in the Spirit. Look at this verse here in Acts 19:21: 'When these things were accomplished (in the context here, the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed in Ephesus), Paul purposed in the Spirit when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."' You see, Paul was purposing in his spirit, making plans in his spirit, to go to Jerusalem, and after that, he wanted to go and see Rome. The word 'purpose' here is 'tithemi' in Greek. It can mean 'conceive, set forth, present, commit'. So Paul was conceiving in the Spirit his plan to go to Jerusalem and Rome. He was setting it forth before the Lord. He presented it before the Lord. He committed it before the Lord. Therefore, to make plans in the Spirit, or to purpose in the Spirit, is to present an idea or a thought before the Lord. You see, even in making plans, Paul was doing it in the Spirit first! 

So we are not talking about making mere man's plans. It's easy to make man's plans by just using your mind to plan for your life. But I tell you a better way, a way that will always lead you to your victory and to fulfill your God-given destiny. It's planning the way the Bible teaches us to plan, i.e. planning according to His will, His plans and His purposes in our lives.

Acts 17:27-28 says, '...so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each of us; For in Him we live and move and have our being...' See the word 'move' here? Not just in Him we live, not just in Him we have our being, but in Him we move! It means your moving here and there! You know what this means? Your direction in life!

Through the many years of me walking in the Spirit, and teaching people in serving with the spirit and moving in the Spirit, I've learned not to go ahead with any major decisions in life unless and until I have sought the Lord and get confirmation (or 'green light') from Him first. Now that's super important. Because a lot of people are just like 'punching in the air'. They never aim first. They shoot everywhere, but never aim. But when you receive a thought or an idea, present it before the Lord first, and then pray and seek the Lord. Even if the Lord leads you to fast (fast and pray), go ahead. Pray in the spirit. Read the Word of God. And wait on the Lord. Learn to be patient before the Lord. And the Lord will give you the confirmation, even more confirmation. And if it's not from the Lord, the Lord will give you 'counter-confirmation', saying no to it. But if it's from the Lord, the Lord will surely give you 2 or 3 more confirmations. So, pray, fast, seek the Lord, be patient, read the Word of God. Never mind if people call you 'slow poke', because they are so impatient, but you be like the eagle, do it right first time in catching the prey. You know, sometimes even 30 days, 60 days, or even many more months, God may still be silent regarding a certain matter that you present to Him. This is especially so if it is a major decision, like a new direction in your ministry, a new direction in business, moving from one location to another location, bigger kind of investment (e.g. buying properties), deciding your career path, etc. Ya, sometimes God can be silent for many days, even months. Just be patient. Don't give up praying. Don't give up waiting on the Lord. Keep seeking, keep praying in the spirit, till there is clear confirmation or answer (whether through dreams, through thoughts that are not premeditated, etc). And when you receive the confirmation, act accordingly, and there will be results! 

If you look at Acts 16:6-10, you would know that apostle Paul has been seeking the Lord regarding direction in his ministry (for him and his team), 'Now when they 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.' 

So you have this example in the Scripture, especially of apostle Paul. He never went ahead in his life and ministry before seeking the Lord first, and when he has received confirmation, only then would he go ahead. So, go directly to God is the best! That's what apostle Paul did. If other people say anything or give opinion (suggestion) what you should be doing, what you should not be doing, what they think is best for you, or what is the best decision that you should make, if other people, other than God, give you all kinds of opinions, you need to check with your spirit first. You need to check your inner witness, your inward witness. You need to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you first, a sense of whether there is peace or no peace. Ahhh... (if there's peace). Ugh Ugh Ugh... (if there's no peace). Check with your spirit first. You know why? Because many times I have heard people complaining this way: "I was taking this so and so's advice, but it turned out to be a bad decision." And you know what, some of these advices may even be so-called 'prophecies'. Of course no denying prophecies from the Lord (that's not premeditated by man), when man speaks as God speaks, can lead to great breakthroughs or into the right direction. Never despise prophecies from the Lord. But what I mean here is even prophecies need to be tested. KIV (keep in view) first, when you hear someone prophesy about you. Wait on the Lord further to sense peace or no peace. Does your spirit respond with 'a leap of joy'? Or repulsiveness? Or simply neutral? Wait on the Lord and seek the Lord, to see if there is confirmation or counter-confirmation (it means God refuting or rebuking that 'prophecy'). May the Lord sensitize your spirit-man. You know why I say this? Because some 'prophecies' may just be merely that 'prophesier' imposing his will or his idea on you. Or that person merely saying it from his mind, perception, or opinion regarding your situation. But it may not be from the Lord. In other words, to put words in God's mouth by saying, "I heard God says this...", "I heard God says that..." 

Now, be extra careful. Every prophecy needs to be tested. You can see that in 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21, 'Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things, hold fast what is good.' You see, test all things, including prophecies. 

Back to the Macedonian call to Paul and his team, and how God did not permit them to go certain direction. The fact here is there can be times the Lord does not permit us to go to a certain direction, or move to a certain direction. You know why? Because He sees further than us, and knows better than us, even if at times we ask, "Why not?" Or even if at times we just cannot understand why cannot? Why God does not permit it? But you know what, God is God. God sees the end from the beginning. So, your part is just flow with Him, flow with His direction, even His timing. Speaking about patience here. And as you flow with Him, His direction and His timing, you are going to see your destiny being fulfilled on earth. You know why? Because God always has your best interest in His mind, and He has the best plan for us. 

So, if you are in the midst of seeking the Lord to make a major decision in your life, be it in ministry, your career, your family's direction, your business, or whatever it may be, remember all that have been taught today. As you present before the Lord, learn to wait on Him. Be patient. The Lord will surely speak. And if you are not sure, you KIV (keep in view). Put yourself in 'neutral gear' before the Lord. Present it before the Lord further. That's how you make plans before the Lord. And let God speak to you in different ways that He wants to speak to you. And when you have confirmation, you go ahead, and you are going to see your results for sure! 

Let's pray: "O Lord God, we ask that You sensitize our spirit-man so that we'll be like that antenna, spiritual antenna, that will receive Your reception, spiritual reception. We want to flow with You, Your plans in our lives, Your direction in our lives, even Your timing in our lives. Be it in ministry, in personal life, in family plans, or in career or business plans. Teach us to be patient to wait on You. We thank You because You are teaching us to discern and to differentiate what is Your plan and what is mere man's plan, what is God's idea and what is mere man's idea. We want to walk in Your idea for us. We want to walk in Your plan and purposes for us. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Why you shouldn't be worried in a time like this

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

This is what the Lord says for this time: 

"No one knows the day or the hour of My coming, not even the angels. So, do not worry as you wait for My coming, but keep looking to Me, keep walking in My plans for you, and make full use of your life on earth. Keep holding on to My Word, because My Word will always lead you to all truth. Do not allow yourself to compromise, even when many around you compromise. Let Me continue to sanctify and purify you by My Word, by My Spirit, and by My blood."

We are living in a very exciting time, the end time. But just do not fear, because in Christ you have the final victory. There's a paradox of what is happening right now in the world. In some parts of the world, people are compromising in their faith, and some even fall away. The Bible calls it apostasy. Yet in some other places on earth, at the same time, great outpouring of the Holy Spirit is happening as well. Indeed, the gospel of the kingdom is being preached to all the world like never before! (Matthew 24:14)

At the time of this writing, the Great Tribulation is not yet, and the Antichrist has not yet been revealed. But the time is near. Of course people would ask this question, "How near is near?" You know what, God's answer is this: "Don't worry." 

So the message is clear today. Don't be worried and don't be engrossed with when the Great Tribulation will happen, who will be the Antichrist, or when will the Antichrist be revealed. Just continue to walk in God's plans and God's calling in your life faithfully. Continue to make full use of all that God has given to you (His giftings and His talents for you), so that you can continue to be a blessing in this world. You know why? Because even many centuries ago, people have already asked this question: "When is the Great Tribulation?", "Who is the Antichrist?", "When will the Antichrist be revealed?", or "When will the world end?" And even many centuries ago, people have already said, "The end is near!" 

But of course remember this: Live your life as if Jesus is returning tonight. It means be ready even if He returns tonight! Cleanse your heart and cleanse your hands. Let the Word and the Spirit continue to wash you and cleanse you. But yet keep walking in God's calling every day and keep planning ahead for your life. Yes, still have savings and still invest wisely. Because you'd never know when the end will actually come. Because Jesus Himself said no one knows the hour or the day. It can be anytime now, but it can also be many years from now. So don't worry when people say, "The end is near!" Your part is just to be prepared, to continue to live a life that is pure before the Lord, and continue to allow the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the Blood of the Lamb to wash you. You know why? Because you gain nothing by being worried or being engrossed with when the Great Tribulation will be, who the Antichrist is, when will the Antichrist be revealed, and how near is near! No one can claim they know exactly. But of course I want to tell you this. The signs are there already, especially since Israel became nation again in 1948. And you know it, if you have lived long enough, many things have accelerated since then. You can see this with your own eyes. 

Jesus says in Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."  You see, if anyone claims to know the date, they are directly contradicting this verse. And also, God's way of seeing time is very different from our human way or human logic of seeing time and calendar. 2 Peter 3:8 says, 'But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.' In other words, what humans can achieve in one thousand years, God can accomplish it in just one day! 

I continue with 2 Peter 3:9, 'The Lord is not slack concerning His promise (i.e. His promise of His coming for you, the Bride of Christ, the church), as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.' And this is the heart of God. He tarries, He hasn't come. Why? Because He wants to see more lives on this earth be saved. His will is that none should perish! Therefore this is a very important time to continue to be the 'light' to the world, to keep preaching the gospel, to share the Word of God to as many people as you can.  

2 Peter 3:17-18 then says, 'You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand (you know of this promise of God), beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.' 

No matter what happens in the world, no matter how the spirit of deception wreak havoc in this world, as a believer, you have the blessed hope of His coming for you. But Peter has also reminded us to keep our watch, lest we fall from our own steadfastness in the faith. 

Paul wrote this in 1 Timothy 4:1-2, 'Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith (and that's the falling away or apostasy), giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.' Here, Paul wrote that in the latter days (i.e. in the end time which we are living in right now), many people's conscience become numb (no more feeling). It's like hot iron touching the skin, and there's no more feeling on the skin. So it is the same with one's spirit. There's no more sense of right and wrong anymore for some people. In other words, wrong becomes right, right becomes wrong. In fact, some people call the Bible outdated or primitive. They only want to hear what they want to hear. They don't want to hear what they don't want to hear, even though that is the word of truth which will bring blessings to them! 

But as far as you are concerned, beloved, keep looking to Jesus, keep looking to all that He has done for you on the cross, and keep pointing people to Jesus, till He returns for you, the Bride of Christ, the church! 

Keep putting your trust in Him, and as long as you keep walking in the Word and in the Spirit, He will know how to establish you and guard you. And that is the assurance God gives to all of us today. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 says, 'Brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you (i.e. the word of the Lord will continue to spread quickly, and people will honor it), and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.' 

The word 'establish' here is 'sterizo' in Greek. In this context, it can mean 'the Lord strengthens you', 'the Lord steadies you (i.e. make you 'steady' in a volatile time)', or 'the Lord sets you in the right direction'. When the spirit of the world keeps luring the people (even the people of faith) into the wrong direction (or 'pitfalls'), the Lord will know how to 'set you in the right direction'! That is a great assurance for those who keep looking to Him and keep trusting in Him!  

The word 'guard' here is 'phulasso' in Greek. In this context, it can mean 'the Lord keeps you', 'the Lord watches over you', 'the Lord preserves you (till the day of His coming)', 'the Lord saves you', or 'the Lord rescues you'. In other words, the Lord will know how to make a way of escape for you, and the Lord will know how to shield you from the evil one! 

And this is wonderful. 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18 says, 'Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.' See the words 'always in every way' here? Not sometimes, but always! Not only in some ways, but in every way! Remember Jesus said in John 16:33, "In Me you will have peace, even though in the world you will have tribulation. Therefore, be of good cheer, because I have overcome the world." 

The word 'peace' here in Greek is 'eirene'. It can mean 'peace, quietness, rest'. In other words, the Lord gives you peace always in every way, the Lord gives you quietness (even in the midst of the storms or troubles in this world), and the Lord gives you rest (in spite of all that happens in the world). And in this context, 'eirene' can also mean 'being at one with Him'. It means 'you in Him, and He in you' always in every way. Blessed are you! 

So no matter what happens in the world, know this: Jesus has already carried your judgement when He died for you on the cross! So now you are blessed! And you have the shalom peace in you. Shalom peace can literally mean 'nothing broken, nothing missing' in your life! So, fear not and worry not! As long as you keep walking in His grace and in His plans (and purposes) for your life, you will have this 'peace always in every way' - till you see the Lord Himself descending from heaven with a shout, with the voice of archangel, and with the sound of His trumpet! And that's when you shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air! (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) 

What a glorious time that will be! This is the blessed hope that we have in Him. So, let's not give up, but keep hanging on to the Word of God, keep hanging on to the promise of God, and comfort one another, knowing that all that God has spoken in His Word, He will bring them to pass! Hallelujah! 

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