It's time to strengthen yourself!

Words of prophecy:

'This is the time to strengthen yourself! This is the time to strengthen your faith, your hope, and your love in the Lord! Strengthen yourself! Never allow anything, anyone or any occurrence in the world to rob away your strength in the Lord! Look to God and not to man. Always remember the Lord your God who has saved you, covered you, protected you, prospered you, and loved you. Never forget all His goodness in your life! Strengthen yourself in the Lord!'

Probably almost every believer knows that the Bible talks about faith, hope and love (in 1 Corinthians 13:13). It is very simple, right? But, you see, faith, hope and love in the Lord combined together makes up as a solid foundation that we as believers must continue to build on throughout our walk with the Lord. It determines how solid our relationship with the Lord is, especially when we meet with challenges in life.

 
So, how to build and strengthen our faith, hope and love in the Lord? Let's start with the strengthening of faith in the Lord first.

Strengthen your faith in the Lord

Hebrews 11:35-36 (NLT)
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

Throughout my life as a believer and a minister of God, I have seen how some believers blamed God, doubted Him, and drifted apart from Him whenever things didn't go well according to their expectations. But, ironically, those bad occurrences were mostly due to human's own sins or mistakes. 

On one side, it might be their own mistakes. People tend to blame God for not stopping them from committing a sin or making a wrong decision. Well, maybe the Holy Spirit had been prompting and nudging them countless times. But they were probably too enticed by temptation or too desperate for achievements, than seeking the Lord for guidance instead. You see, I always believe that if God tells you to do or not to do certain things, He would show you the ways to go about it too. I wouldn't say there won't be any challenges, but I believe He will provide you the solution for every situation.

However, if a mistake has been made, just humble before God and let Him help you to rectify it. Don't try to hide from Him. There is nowhere in this world that He cannot find you.

On another side, it could be the mistakes made by their own heroes or the people they looked up to. This happened so frequently because human tend to unknowingly look for heroes to (quote unquote) 'worship' in their lives. It's so upsetting to see immature believers easily lost their faith in God whenever the Christian leader or minister, or the group of people, or the organization, or the political party, or the nation they used to look up to disappointed them. Now, our faith will not be easily shaken if we learn to look to God directly instead of having to find a hero to look up to all the time. Any hero is zero before God! Only God is infallible!

Now, let's look at some of the experiences Elijah went through as he walked closely with the Lord. 

1 Kings 17:15-16 (NLT)
So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
Remember the widow and her son in the village of Zarephath? God told Elijah to stay with them and provided them with food throughout the famine. 

Everything went well until…

1 Kings 17:17-18 (NLT)       
Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Then she said to Elijah, "O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?"

Without any clue, the child died of sickness and the widow accused Elijah for the death of her son. Elijah must be so shocked and dumbfounded! But thank God Elijah had faith in His God event though God didn't tell him this situation would happen beforehand. 

1 Kings 17:19-22 (NLT)
But Elijah replied, "Give me your son." And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?" And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him." The Lord heard Elijah's prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived!

You see, if Elijah didn't have faith in the Lord, he would have been devastated by the situation. He would end up blaming God, probably leaving the widow's house, living miserably and not fulfilling God's calling for his life. But he had faith in his God. He was convinced that God called him there, so there must be a solution for any challenges that came his way. And true enough, the child was revived!

1 Kings 17:23-24 (NLT)
Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. "Look!" he said. "Your son is alive!" Then the woman told Elijah, "Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you."

Praise the Lord! Elijah must be really relieved to see the child alive again. He knew if the Lord has never said it's time for the child to die, then the Lord would revive the child no matter what. 

Now, please don't go around and trying to revive any dead body by prayer unless the Lord specifically tells you so.

1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

You unknowingly allow the enemy to attack and deplete your faith for Him, whenever you agree with the thoughts and ways of the people in the world that go against His words. You see, you were saved by grace through faith (that's in Ephesians 2:8). It's because you have faith in His existence and His love for you that you confessed Jesus as your Savior, and started a relationship with Him. Therefore, when you guard your faith, you are also protecting the precious relationship that you have with your Abba Father!

Let's look at the strengthening of hope in the Lord next.

Strengthen your hope in the Lord

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?


The Lord is the everlasting God,


the Creator of the ends of the earth.


He will not grow tired or weary,


and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary


and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,


and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.


They will soar on wings like eagles;


they will run and not grow weary,


they will walk and not be faint.

Hope here is 'qavah' in Hebrew. It also means wait, look for.
Therefore, those who hope, who wait, who look for the Lord will renew their strength in the Lord!

Let's look at Elijah when he waited on the Lord for the rain to come after more than three years of famine.

1 Kings 18:41(NLT)
Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!"

God told Elijah to approach Ahab and announce to him that a rainstorm is coming soon. Elijah must have a very strong relationship with God to declare it boldly especially after more than three years of famine. 

Have you been in despair for too long that you dare not even wish for a breakthrough in your life? May the Lord give you a miracle as you hope on Him. Amen!

1 Kings 18:42-43 (NLT)
So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, "Go and look out toward the sea." The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, "I didn't see anything." Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.

So, Elijah waited on the Lord and prayed for the rain to come. He definitely put all his hope in the Lord's promise that the rain would come. He didn't give up even after his servant came back six times saying that he didn't see any cloud. Elijah knew he could put his hope on the God of promise! He never gave up on hoping and waiting on the Lord! Elijah knew if the Lord had said it, He will fulfill it! 

1 Kings 18:44 (NLT)
Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, "I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea." Then Elijah shouted, "Hurry to Ahab and tell him, 'Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don't hurry, the rain will stop you!'"

1 Kings 18:45-46 (NLT)
And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab's chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.

Here, Elijah did not just have his faith and hope strengthened in the Lord, he received special strength physically from the Lord to even run ahead of Ahab's chariot. This proved that what is written in Isaiah 40:31 really works! So, wait and hope in the Lord, and you will have your physical strength renewed as well. Hallelujah!

Romans 15:13 (NLT)
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And this is my prayer for you too, that you will be filled with confident hope as you wait for your breakthrough in the presence of God.

Finally, let's looks into the love for God.

Strengthen your love for the Lord

John 14:21 (NLT)
Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.

Yes, I totally agree with this Bible verse, i.e. to love means to obey. Not obeying out of obligation, but out of love and trust! As a mother, I want my child to listen to my advice because she knows that I love and care for her, and that I want the best for her. And with her willingness to listen and act on the advice I gave to her, I felt my love for her being reciprocated. I believe it is the same for our Abba Father in Heaven. He wants us to obey Him because He loves us and He knows what and which and who and where are the best for us. Of course, that is provided we are willing to seek Him for His specific instructions and commands for us, and act on them. 

1 Kings 19:3-4 (NLT)
Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died."

Personally, I am very impressed by Elijah. Even when he thought he was the only believer or prophet of God left on earth, overwhelmed by the feeling of being like a failure and knowing his life was in danger, he ran away in fear and weariness, yes, but he didn’t run away from God!

You know, it takes a strong bond in a relationship to have such trust, knowing you are still loved and cared for, no matter how you fail or mess up in your life. Whether it is the relationship with God, your spouse, children, siblings or friends, it takes the bonding that can only be nurtured and grown by love and trust over time.

And do you realize that, just like Elijah, those who love and obey the Lord, their needs are always provided for? Whether it was at the Brook Cherith, being fed by ravens, at the widow's house at Zarephath, or even under the broom tree at the wilderness, God always fed Elijah well!

My family can testify this. Every time we obeyed God's instruction for us, whether it is for our spiritual ministry or for our family, we always saw God's providence in our lives. It is so true!

1 John 4:19 (NKJV)
We love Him because He first loved us.

None of us could be saved if God didn't send Jesus to die for us on the cross and rose to life again. None of us could come to the real knowledge of God and accepted Christ unless God's Spirit first witnessing in our hearts. Our salvation in Christ alone proves that God has first loved us. We just need to reciprocate His love for us. 

Prayer
"Father God, teach us to grow and strengthen our faith, hope and love in You and for You. Help us to stand firm especially in this end-time when love gets colder while people are being tossed to and fro by different bad news in the world. We want to be full of Your understanding and wisdom in every time and season of our lives, obeying Your instructions and commands for us. And we know that as long as we love You and obey You, our needs will be provided for all the days of our lives. We love You, Lord because we know that You first loved us. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here to watch the video in TiC YouTube Channel

Prophetic words: A change of guard is coming!

Words from the Lord:

"The season is changing. The time has come. There will be a ‘changing of the guard’

worldwide. Do not panic. Do not fear. Look to Me because I am the Judge that puts

one down and raise up another."

Further words from the Lord:

"I am raising up a new generation! I am looking for a people who will take My

instructions seriously as their mandate! I am looking for a people who will not look

back to the old ways or carnal ways! I am looking for a people who is fully convinced

that My ways can only do them good! Assuredly, I say, this new generation that

I raise up will rise above all circumstances and thrive no matter what comes their way!"

I believe this 'change of guard' does not just happen in the worldwide political and financial spheres, but it is also in the Body of Christ.

And in the Body of Christ, this new generation that the Lord is raising up doesn't just apply to younger people or younger believers. The common ground this new generation have is they submit and obey the Lord based on personal revelation that they have received through their close walk with the Lord.

Recently, the Lord led me to read the book of Joshua again from chapter 5 to chapter 7, i.e. right after the people of God had crossed the Jordan river. 

So, let us go to chapter 5.

A new generation

Joshua 5:2 

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, "Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time."

Joshua 5:5-6 

For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised. For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord - to whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, "a land flowing with milk and honey."

When the Lord told Joshua to circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time, it was not to circumcise those who had already gone through it. 

By the way, many of those who have been circumcised had died because of old age or due to their disobedience to the Lord. 

But this second time of circumcision, it's to set apart the new generation, i.e. the people who were born on the way out of Egypt or in the wilderness. Their age might vary but they all had not been circumcised. 

This circumcision is the evidence of their covenant with the Lord, that they are to follow and obey His instructions only.

A new generation raised up by the Lord Himself

Joshua 5:7

Then Joshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

Joshua 5:9

Then the Lord said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.

'Gilgal' literally means ‘rolling’. And ‘rolled away’ here in Hebrew is ‘gâlal’, which also means ‘removed’.

You see, this second circumcision was very crucial and significant because it was right before they conquer Jericho. And in order to conquer Jericho, the Lord needed a people who would seriously obey His instructions, without any doubts in their minds.

Now, take note that this new generation had not been in slavery in Egypt before. So, this generation that the Lord raised up Himself, they grew up eating manna from heaven, seeing miracles, signs and wonders, and experiencing the power of God in their daily lives.

So, can you imagine that when the Lord gave them the instruction to march around the wall of Jericho for seven days, which sounds ridiculous and stupid to the mind of any common people, none of them voiced any doubt at all. Because they knew, they were fully convinced, they grew up with this faith that if the Lord says it, He will fulfil it!

How many of you want to live with this kind of faith and lifestyle?

How many of you want to see the power of God manifesting in your life as common events?

How many of you want to experience the real things in Christ and not just being termed as a religious person?

I do!

I have experienced how God moved powerfully in my life and in the lives of people I have ministered to. Whenever He spoke and we obeyed, something great always happened in our lives!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Take time to rest, because the time to act will soon come!

The Lord gave me a vision of the word 'rest' and as I sought the Lord further, this is what He said, 

"Take time to 'rest' because the time to act will soon come. There is no benefit in restlessness. 'Rest' in My presence so that you will know exactly and specifically what to do when it is your time to take action!"

What is the definition of 'rest' to you? Let us look into the Bible the 'rest' that God wants you to have. 

Hebrews 4:1-3a (GNT): Now, God has offered us the promise that we may receive that rest He spoke about. Let us take care, then, that none of you will be found to have failed to receive that promised rest. For we have heard the Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did them no good, because when they heard it, they did not accept it with faith. We who believe, then, do receive that rest which God promised. 

You see, God wants you to receive and enter His rest, just as He had rested on the 7th day after creating the world, and to rest in the finished work of His Son, Jesus on the cross. This is so that you will be able to walk in His calling and His will for you, by His grace. A similar message was told to the Israelites during Moses' time. But they disobeyed because they did not believe that they will receive any good or benefit by entering into the rest of God. Only those who believe that God is real, powerful and that He can respond to them will experience the true rest He wants to give them.

Hebrews 4:6-7 (GNT): Those who first heard the Good News did not receive that rest, because they did not believe. There are, then, others who are allowed to receive it. This is shown by the fact that God sets another day, which is called "Today." Many years later He spoke of it through David in the scripture already quoted: "If you hear God's voice today, do not be stubborn."

Do you know what that means? Hebrews 4:6-7 says that as long as you believe, you can enter His rest today, or any day! God was angry with the Israelites during Moses' time because of their unbelief. So, He spoke through King David later on and changed the 7th day (Sabbath) to enter His rest to 'Today'. You can cross-refer to Psalm 95. Whether you enter God's rest as an individual or assemble together to worship Him as a church (as stated in Hebrews 10:25), no specific day is required of you. Any day is your Sabbath when you receive and enter God's rest!

If you have not been spending time with God, condemn yourself no more. There's no point spending time blaming yourself. Today is the day to enter His rest! Now is your time!

Hebrews 4:10 (GNT): For those who receive that rest which God promised will rest from their own work, just as God rested from His.

Do you realize the significance of 'God resting from His work' after He had finished creating the world? 

God rested when He had completed His work perfectly and satisfied with the outcomes. So, by entering God's rest, you too will have satisfactory outcomes, and you can be at peace and be at rest! It means when you turn away from all the activities or matters that occupy your mind and start spending time with Him, you are entering God's rest! You are receiving the grace of God to get the solutions to solve your problems, and the wisdom of God to get your work done in the best and most innovative way!

The reason the Israelites had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years was because they failed to see the benefit of entering God's rest. They had no faith in God and they only knew how to complain whenever they did not get what they wanted. So, if you have friends who need to stop the vicious cycle of spinning around with their problems, teach them to enter into God's rest today!

Hebrews 4:11-13 (NKJV): Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

When you enter God's rest and spend time with Him, His Spirit will start working inside you, speaking the word of God to you. He will correct you of any wrong mindset or wrong actions. Allow Him! You can't hide your flaws and weaknesses from Him anyway, because everything is transparent before Him. Understand that He will not condemn you, because there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (as stated in Romans 8:1). 

But this is also the area many Christians fail. They are reluctant to allow the Spirit of God to work in their lives and change them. Hence, many are still struggling with their sins and weaknesses. It takes humility and a heart of repentance to let Him change you. But know this, those who humble before the Lord will suffer no shame. 

So, let the Holy Spirit realign you with God's will and values. When your mind is aligned with His, you will have a clear idea of the next step, or the next action you are supposed to take. Your problem will appear to be so small before you. All my life I have witnessed this: Nothing can stumble those who have rested in the presence of God!

Hebrews 4:14-16 (GNT): Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God - Jesus, the Son of God. Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin. Let us have confidence, then, and approach God's throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.

There is nothing that Jesus cannot understand when it comes to your problems, sufferings, sins, weaknesses, anxieties, etc. He knows you as who you are. So, knowing that He knows you inside-out, come before Him and enter His rest without reservation. Receive His mercy and His grace. Let Him help you. He knows what's best for you. Resting in His presence, no problem can be too big for you. Amen!

But then, you might ask, "How do I enter into God's rest?" 

Since Psalm 95 is quoted in Hebrews chapter 4, you can learn from King David how he entered God's rest. King David praised God, he sang to God, he gave thanks to God, and he worshiped God by surrendering his life totally to God. He learnt to trust God for protection and provision since young. He was never bothered about his image as a king (as someone in high position) when he sang and danced before God. He humbled himself and repented when he was rebuked by Prophet Nathan for the sin he committed. He lived a lifestyle of worship and total surrender to God. He didn't fight back even when his own son (Absalom) took over his throne, because he knew his life and his future was in God's hand. And he lived a life of blessing and honor from God. A simple faith and trust in God! That's how King David entered God's rest. And that's what we can learn from him.

You can also learn from Apostle Paul, the way he received and entered God's rest just as he had written in Romans 8:26-27 and in 1 Corinthians 14:15. Apostle Paul encouraged others to pray and sing with their mind (i.e. with the languages they understand) and also to pray and sing with their spirit (i.e. to pray and sing in spiritual tongues given by the Spirit of God). Apostle Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 14:18 that he thanked God that he pray in the spirit more than the others. That's one way how he entered God's rest and received the revelation for many of his written epistles in the New Testament.

Another person you can learn from is Timothy (Apostle Paul's advice to Timothy as stated in 1 Timothy 4:14-15). When you meditate on the words that the Lord has spoken to you specifically, whether it's through prophecy, visions or dreams, He will empower you. When you enter into God's rest by meditating on His specific words for you, you are tapping into His anointing and power in His presence. So, think and talk often about the specific words that God has spoken to you. Practice those gifts and talents that He has imparted to you. And you will see good success. Amen!

Listen to the whole message in TiC YouTube channel. Click watch.

Look to God, not 'heroes' or 'worldly systems'!

Prophetic words for now: 

"If you are in the midst of facing challenges, do not forget God! Don’t allow circumstances and the enemy to dampen your faith in God. Stop relying on carnal wisdom. For some of you, reject the temptation of attempting to adopt the same approach or method by your ‘neighbours’ just because they seem to be doing well now. In spite of the difficulties now, remind yourself and your loved ones of all the good things God has done for you. Seek Him for His wisdom and solution. If God could help you in the past, He can definitely help you now, and He will surely help you in the future. So, reserve that special place in your heart for Him, only for Him."

Indeed, in times like these, remember God's goodness in your life, no matter what happens around you or no matter what happens in the world. Keep looking to God and keep trusting in God, not any human 'heroes' or any man-made 'worldly systems'. 'Heroes' or 'worldly systems' may fail, but the Lord your God will never fail you!

1 Samuel 12:6-8 (CEV) says, 'Then Samuel told them: The Lord brought your ancestors out of Egypt and chose Moses and Aaron to be your leaders. Now the Lord will be your judge. So stand here and listen, while I remind you how often the Lord has saved you and your ancestors from your enemies. After Jacob went to Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the Lord for help, and He sent Moses and Aaron. They led your ancestors out of Egypt and had them settle in this land'.

Time and again throughout history (or rather 'His story'), the Lord has always been there to help His people go through difficult times. He has done it before, and He will do it again. Your part is to keep looking to Him and keep trusting in His goodness.

1 Samuel 12:9-11 (CEV) says, 'But your ancestors forgot the Lord, so He let them be defeated by the Philistines, the king of Moab, and Sisera, the commander of Hazor’s army. Again your ancestors cried out to the Lord for help. They said, "We have sinned! We stopped worshiping You, our Lord, and started worshiping Baal and Astarte. But now, if you rescue us from our enemies, we will worship You." The Lord sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to rescue you from your enemies, and you didn’t have to worry about being attacked'.

Never forget God in times like these. Spend time with Him. Never let anyone or anything in this world dampen your faith in God. Keep reminding yourself that if He has done good for you before, He can do it again, if you do not look to the left or to the right.  

1 Samuel 12:14 (ESV) says, 'If you will fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well'.

Instead of looking to 'human heroes' or any 'worldly systems' (because none of these is perfect), look to God, keep following Him and keep obeying His voice. He is the only One who is perfect in all His ways, and He is still (and will always be) the All-Powerful One. 

And it will be well with you. 

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Speak and receive your breakthroughs!

The Lord says these words to His people,
“From now on, speak, profess and proclaim My words to receive your breakthroughs! Rise up and take your position in Me. Command with My words to take hold of your circumstances.”

Have you been wanting to see a change in yourself and in your circumstances? If the answer is a 'yes', it is now crucial for you to inculcate the habit of speaking God's words over your life!

You might ask, "Why do I need to speak out God's words?" or "Can't I just meditate His words silently in my mind?"
Well, there must be a reason to do so considering that...
~ God spoke everything into existence (see Genesis 1)
~ God told Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones and they lived (see Ezekiel 37:1-14)
~ Jesus spoke to the wind and to the sea to stop the windstorm (see Matthew 8:23-27)
~ Peter spoke to Aeneas for healing to take place (see Acts 9:32-35)
~ Paul spoke with authority to deliver the possessed slave girl (see Acts 16:16-18). 

Now, if words are so important, what have you been speaking to yourself? What have you been speaking regarding yourself to others? What have you been speaking over your own circumstances?

It is written in Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV) that, 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.' So, choose to speak good words, especially to yourself. Moreover, it is written in Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV) that, 'Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.' This goes to show that it is very important to keep your mind and your heart aligned with godly values so that you will speak right! Philippians 4:8 in the Bible is a good verse for you to start meditating and proclaiming aloud, so that you will think and speak only things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, of virtue, and praiseworthy. Amen!

Let me clarify that speaking God's words over yourself is not merely practicing positive thinking or positive speaking the way you would be encouraged to do in any motivational seminar. The Bible says that Jesus is the Word of God (see John 1). Jesus also said that the words He spoke are spirit, they are living and powerful, and they impart life to those who speak or 'eat' of them! (see John 6:51-63) So, here is the spiritual truth - when you keep speaking God's words over yourself, you are actually 'eating', 'digesting' and 'absorbing' His words until you bear the same 'spiritual-DNA' in your spiritual being and mindset. This is also one of the important keys to having the mind of Christ. Hence, only those who are willing to believe and willing to practice speaking God's words over themselves will truly experience real and powerful transformation in their spiritual and physical lives!

There are 3 ways of speaking the powerful words of God over your life:

The Power of Speaking 'Logos'

'Logos' is the general written word of God in the Bible for every believer of Christ. 'Logos' communicates God's ability to do something, or His general will on a matter such as love, joy, peace, grace, salvation, healing, providence, success, etc. 

Many Christians do not experience the transformation of character and improvement in life because they do not know how to make use of the 'logos'! Reading and knowing God's words as head knowledge alone is never enough. 

Let me give you one of the many examples of speaking 'logos' over yourself.
Say, you are encumbered with worries and anxieties:
First, personalize a related part of the Scripture such as Philippians 4:6-7 this way, "I am anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, I let my requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and mind through Christ Jesus."
Next, speak the Scripture out loud over yourself again and again until you can memorize it well. Then, speak it out loud over yourself every day (say, 20, 30, 40, or 50 times a day) until you can sense the peace of God in your heart and mind.

In doing so, you are 'eating', 'digesting' and 'absorbing' the Scripture verses into your spirit, soul and body. God's thought for you would become your own thought. Instead of trying hard to talk yourself into not worrying, you allow God's words to be at work in your life. By the time you realize it, you would have been set free from anxiety and you are dwelling in the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. And because God's words are spirit and life, they do not just work in you, but they stay in you and become your own thoughts, i.e. they become one with you! The next time when new challenges arise in your life, these living words that dwell in you will automatically rise up to push back any thought of worry or anxiety in your mind.

You may apply the above approach with any relevant part of the Scripture to deal with sin, guilt, hatred, offense, envy, low self-image, competitiveness, insecurity, etc. The goal should be allowing yourself to be transformed by His 'logos' as you speak it. 

The Power of Speaking 'Rhema'

'Rhema' is a specific word from God that applies to you personally. God gives you 'rhema' by speaking through a specific part of the Scripture that touches your heart deeply, or by dropping an anointed thought, or through words of prophecy.

You can find many examples of God speaking 'rhema' to His people in the Bible. 
One of them is in the life of Abraham. It is an example of 'what God wants a person to become'. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham so that he would fulfill his calling to become the father of many nations (see Genesis 17:3-5). Surely Abraham would be telling his family members, relatives, and friends the reason for the change of name. And every time he heard his name was called by others, he was reminded of his calling as 'the father of many nations'. But just because there is someone else today who fancies that name, it does not make that someone else 'the father of many nations' the way Abraham was called to be. Because the calling is only for that specific Abraham in the Bible!

Another example of God speaking 'rhema' to His people is in the life of Gideon. It is an example of 'what God wants a person to do'. God told Gideon to choose only those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth to drink water, and there were only three hundred men who did so (see Judges 7). He was to send back the rest of the people who got down on their knees to drink water. He then spoke and conveyed to the three hundred men the specific 'rhema' of the Lord. Because they obeyed the specific 'rhema' of the Lord and carried out His instructions without doubt, Gideon and the three hundred men won the battle against the Midianites. But not any army commander today can simply adopt 'Gideon's method/way', because it was the 'rhema' and the specific instruction of God only to Gideon alone!

By now, you would have a clear understanding that whether it is a personal instruction to the people of God as seen in the Scripture, or a specific method/way of doing ministry/business from God to each of us, a 'rhema' is a specific word from God that only applies to the one who receives it. Simply copying, imitating, or adopting the 'rhema' of others will not necessarily work for you.

Have you received a 'rhema' from God? Do you know what God wants you to be? Do you know what kind of life and blessings God wants you to experience? Do you know in what way He wants you to carry out your ministry/business?

If you have received your 'rhema' from God, meditate on it, speak it aloud over yourself and put it into practice until you see the will of God is done in your life. If you have not received any 'rhema' for yourself, start asking God for His personal 'rhema' for you today!

The Power of Speaking 'Kairos' Words

To speak 'kairos' word is to speak 'the right word at the right time', with the leading of God's Spirit.

There are many examples in the Bible where lives were changed after 'kairos' words were spoken.

Jesus have always been at the right place, speaking the right word at the right time. One example is in John 4:5-42. Jesus entered a city called Sycar in Samaria, stationed Himself by the well of Jacob, sent all His disciples away to the city to buy food, and met the Samaritan woman who came to draw water at noon time. Jesus' first few 'kairos' words to her were, "Give Me a drink." This Samaritan woman entered into a conversation with Jesus, and later became the first person to hear Jesus teach about worshiping God in spirit and in truth. Not just that, through her, many more Samaritans heard about Jesus and believed in Jesus!

In Acts 8:26-39, Philip was told by an angel of God to go toward the south along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. He went, and was at the right place and the right time to meet the Ethiopian eunuch who served under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians. Philip was led by the Spirit of God to go near and overtake the chariot of the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip then heard him read the book of Isaiah. Philip's 'kairos' words to the eunuch were, "Do you understand what you are reading?" Immediately, Philip was invited into the chariot and he was able to preach the gospel to the eunuch. Eventually, the eunuch of great authority and influence was saved and water baptized!

You see, sometimes the Spirit of God might prompt you to speak 'kairos' words to people you may or may not know. Just follow the leading of the Spirit of God and you will see the work of God being established through your life!

Rise above the worldly ways

Every living thing especially human being has the innate instinct for survival and self-preservation. On a positive note, it is a responsibility to oneself. But, when that sense of responsibility is being influenced by the worldly ways, it brings about the manifestations of lust, greed, pride, strife, jealousy, hatred, bitterness, resentment, etc. And if those negative feelings and fleshly desires are not ‘nipped in the bud’, they could lead to oppression, obsession, and even possession by evil spirits. Even if one has strong self-control against fleshly manifestations, harboring negative emotions in the soul may eventually lead to serious physical illness. 

So, how do we differentiate what is ‘responsibility to oneself’ and what is ‘manifestation of fleshly desires’? And how do we arrest worldly influence and stay away from it?

Proverbs 16:2-3(AMP)

All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions],

But the Lord weighs and examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth].

Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him],

And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].

Commit (gâlal) = to roll.

Plans = aims, objectives, hopes, desires.

The first and foremost thing to do is to surrender your will and desires to the Lord. Believe it or not, the Lord knows every intent and motive of your heart, both the good and the bad. But He is not here to judge you and condemn you, unless you choose to turn away from Him forever. He is here to help you, if you would allow Him. Jesus died for your sins to make you right before God the Father. As a result, His Spirit can now dwell in you to teach and guide you (see John 16:13-15).

Therefore, always listen to His Spirit witnessing to your conscience. Choose to obey His prompting inside your heart, whether to repent, to forgive, or to let go. After that, seek the Lord for His specific instructions for you. When you lay down your own desires and choose His desires for you, the Lord will surely speak to you. He will speak either through words of prophecy, or through anointed dreams, or through the Scriptures you are reading during your time of personal devotion with Him, or in other ways that He sees fit for you. Choose to follow His specific words spoken to you and stand firm on them. By then, your desires and your plans for your life will automatically be aligned to His will instead of your own fleshly desires.

Let’s look into the lives of Abraham and Lot for an example:

Genesis 12:4-5 (TLB)

So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him, and Lot went too; Abram was seventy-five years old at that time. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—the cattle and slaves he had gotten in Haran—and finally arrived in Canaan.

Abram (whose name was not changed to Abraham yet) took care of his nephew, Lot, after the demise of his brother. When the Lord told Abram to leave for Canaan, he took Lot along as a responsible uncle.

Genesis 13:5-7 (TLB)

Lot too was very wealthy, with sheep and cattle and many servants. But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds. There were too many animals for the available pasture. So fights broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot, despite the danger they all faced from the tribes of Canaanites and Perizzites present in the land.

You see, everything was alright until both Abraham and Lot had become very wealthy. They both had too many flocks and herds for the available pasture. Instead of guarding themselves from their common enemies, their herdsmen fought against each other.

All of us need to learn from this mistake of fighting and rivalry against one another, be it among siblings, friends, brethren in Christ, church groups, ministry groups, or ministers of God. There need not be any comparing and competing with one another. Complementing yes, but not competing. We are to support one another to push away forces of darkness instead of going against one another.

Genesis 13:8-9 (TLB) 

Then Abram talked it over with Lot. “This fighting between our men has got to stop,” he said. “We can’t afford to let a rift develop between our clans. Close relatives such as we are must present a united front! I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want that part over there to the east, then I’ll stay here in the western section. Or, if you want the west, then I’ll go over there to the east.”

Abram took the initiative to talk things over with Lot. And he gave preference to Lot to choose the land of his choice.

Spiritual stature doesn’t grow with age, but with the values and substances of one’s heart. Spiritual stature cannot be increased through material gains (i.e. wealth, academic qualifications, titles, positions, etc) but by what you sacrificially and generously give away to bless others.

Genesis 13:10-12(TLB)

Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan River, well watered everywhere (this was before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah); the whole section was like the Garden of Eden, or like the beautiful countryside around Zoar in Egypt. So that is what Lot chose—the Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants, and thus he and Abram parted company. For Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain, settling at a place near the city of Sodom.

Reading between the lines, Lot didn’t seem to give the respect due to Abraham as someone who had taken care of him ever since his father died. He seized the chance when given the choice and chose what he thought was the best for himself and his future. Was he being plainly immature because he was too spoilt by his uncle? Or was it because he couldn’t care less for the old uncle who was no longer useful to him? Only God knows.

Abraham did not hesitate to give preference to Lot because firstly, he cared for Lot, and secondly, he had found his security in God. He knew God was able to bless him as long as he depended on God. He understood that God was able to bless him more than what he could give away!

Genesis 14:14-16 (TLB)

When Abram learned that Lot had been captured(by King Chedorlaomer and his allies), he called together the men born into his household, 318 of them in all, and chased after the retiring army as far as Dan. He divided his men and attacked during the night from several directions, and pursued the fleeing army to Hobah, north of Damascus, and recovered everything—the loot that had been taken, his relative Lot, and all of Lot’s possessions, including the women and other captives.

Abraham was willing to risk his life to save Lot when he was captured. He did not keep grudges against his self-centered nephew, and when God wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah later on, Abraham pleaded on behalf of Lot and his family. In other words, Abraham went all out to help Lot when he was in trouble. Such was the ‘bigness’ of Abraham’s heart, and God had surely seen it. No wonder God entrusted him with many descendants, and he eventually became the father of many nations!

It is how you react to the misfortune of those who have wronged you that shows your real character. God sees how much He can entrust you with His people and His anointing by looking at the ‘bigness’ of your heart.

Have there been competition for titles and positions in your church? There is no real position in God’s kingdom unless it is the calling and job description that is given directly by the Lord. Only ‘rabbits’ and ‘donkeys’ get tempted by ‘the dangling carrot’ put up by men. He who is greater is he who serves without asking and aiming for any title or position (see Luke 22:24-27). The Lord who sees your heart of serving (Colossians 3:23) will know how to honor you in ways you cannot imagine yet.

Have there been fierce office politics in order to get promotion in your organization? Know that your God is the biggest Boss and when He gives you the promotion, no earthly boss can pull you down. If you understand this, you won’t ever again want to dirty your hands playing office politics or backstabbing others!

Have there been fighting (and competing) for members among different church groups? Pastors and leaders, do you know that God doesn’t measure your faithfulness according to the number of members you try to persuade to join your church? Increase comes from the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:7). There's no need to fight and compete for numbers. God sees your faithfulness according to how sincere you pour your life on building whoever He has entrusted to you. 

All in all, when you choose to follow God's ways instead of copying the patterns and ways of this fallen world, you have indeed risen above, and have now been made the head and not the tail (see Deuteronomy 28:13). Amen.

Do you understand God's perfect love for you?

If you understand God’s perfect love for you:

- you will have no fear, be it the fear of man or the fear of difficult circumstances

- you will reciprocate His love by choosing to flee from temptation and thus not falling into sin easily

- you will seek and follow His specific instructions for you because you know He holds your best future in His hand

You will have no fear

1 John 4:18 (TLB)

We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; His perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what He might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what He might do to us and shows that we are not fully convinced that He really loves us.

Many people have all kinds of fear holding them captured nowadays. They have fear for the future, fear of being sick, fear of being in lack, fear of rejection, fear of being taken advantage of, etc. But as believers of God, if you are still being ‘haunted’ by fear, you are not living in the liberty whence Christ had set you free (read John 8:36 & Galatians 5:1).  

According to 1 John 4:18, you have fear because you are not yet fully convinced that God really loves you. You are afraid that God might punish you for the sins that you have committed. You are afraid that He will not heal you from your sickness. In fact, sometimes you suspected that it could be Him who put the sickness upon you. You are still not sure if God is hearing your prayer for financial breakthrough. Sometimes, you thought that He intentionally allow you to go through sufferings in life. At times, you even concluded that He had chosen to ignore you or give up on you.

It is because God loves you that He sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, to die for your sins on the cross so that you are no longer condemned but saved through Him (read John 3:16-17). If you have committed a sin, repent before the Lord and ask for His forgiveness. He will surely forgive you. Don’t run away from Him! Know that your God is a good God and He does not keep grudges! (read Romans 2:4)

Now that you know God loves you dearly and perfectly, surrender all your fears to Him. Receive the assurance of His love, His care, His healing, His wisdom, and His providence in your life.

You will flee from temptation

2 Timothy 2:22 (TLB)

Run from anything that gives you the evil thoughts that young men often have, but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. Have faith and love, and enjoy the companionship of those who love the Lord and have pure hearts.

In 2 Timothy 2:22, Timothy was told by Apostle Paul to stay away from people who could lure him into temptation. He was advised to join the company of those who love God. Why? Because people who love God won’t want to do things that could hurt His feeling! Love begets love. You will learn to love God after understanding and experiencing His love for you (read 1 John 4:19).

Human beings tend to love themselves (being fleshly, selfish, carnal, or self-centered) more than in consideration for others. Because of that, they tend to give in to their fleshly desires, and therefore be tempted and sin. How effectively can you stay away from temptation and not sin for the sake of meeting religious requirements or social expectations? Jesus said you have already committed a sin once you have a sinful thought or imagination (read Matthew 5:27-28).

On the contrary, when you are in love with someone who loves you, you would want to please him (her). You would try your best not to hurt or disappoint him (her). You would not want to see him (her) sad or cry. You can’t bear to even have any sinful thought that makes you betray him (her) in your mind. The same goes with loving God! You can only resist temptation effectively when you are deeply in LOVE with God!

You will seek and follow His specific instructions for you

Jeremiah 29:11 (TLB)

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Most people have their own ideal plans for their future based on their own upbringings, values, and natural talents. But will all these plans work perfectly for them? Are these plans made just to fulfill family or social expectations?

But the people of God are told to entrust their plans into God’s hand (read Proverbs 16:3). Why? Because the God who loves you is also the God who sees the beginning and the end (read Revelation 1:8, 17). He sees the future that you could neither see nor imagine. Only He can lead you to the perfect path, the best vocation, the right spouse, and even the right friends. Only He knows how to help you avoid stepping on the ‘landmines’, and overcome all the challenges along your path.

When you truly understand that such an all-knowing and all-powerful God actually love you dearly and has the best plan in store for your life, you will never hesitate to seek Him and follow every instruction that He gives you!