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.

Set free from the limitation and bondage in the mind

During one of the prayer meetings recently, the Lord said that He is in the midst of removing the limitations you (the Body of Christ) have permitted to set in your mind. Some of these limitations are self-imposed or being inflicted by others. These limitations have become a bondage and a deterrent in your life. In order to advance to the greater things that He has for you, let Him remove the limitations that bound your mind.

Gideon - Set free from fear, intimidation and sense of inadequacy

During Gideon’s time, Israel had been oppressed continuously by the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites would come against Israel time and again to destroy their produce and take away their live stocks. In fear and hunger, the people of Israel had to hide themselves in dens and caves in the mountains.

Gideon was secretly threshing wheat in the winepress away from the eyes of the enemy when the Angel of the LORD appeared to him.

Judges 6:12, 14-15 (NKJV)

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” …   Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.”

Gideon had grown up in the environment of fear and intimidation imposed by the enemy. Also, he had a self-image problem because he deemed himself the most insignificant in his clan and among his siblings. No wonder he doubted the Lord who was saying something about him that was too good to be true.

However, after getting some concrete confirmation from the Lord, he allowed the Lord to change his mind and to guide him in the mission to save Israel. Eventually, Israel won the battle against the Midianites and were liberated from the oppression of the enemy.

Judges 8:22, 23, 28 (NKJV)

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “ I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.” ...Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.

Gideon allowed the Lord to set him free from the fear of failure, from the intimidation of the enemy, and from the sense of inadequacy that limited his mind. He allowed the Lord to give him a new self-image. He rose up to be a military leader who saved the people of Israel from the Midianites.

However, Gideon knew it was not by his own might that he became who he was. He understood that it was by the leading and the enabling of the Lord that He became successful. Therefore, he was fully convinced and convicted that only the Lord can rule over the nation, not just any king or man-made government. Thereafter, the Lord made him a judge and a prophet over Israel. And Israel had peace, away from war from then on.

Are you one of those who are struggling with fear, intimidation and low self-image? Fear of failure, fear of rejection, intimidation by bullies, being taken advantage by others, sense of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and the list goes on. Just as Gideon was, allow the Lord to renew your mind and give you a new identity in Him!

Peter - Set free from guilt and disappointment

John 13:37-38 (NKJV)

Peter said to Him (Jesus), “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

Peter was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. He had set his mind to follow Jesus and even to die for him. None of the disciples knew then that Jesus was going to be executed on the cross. So, Peter could not accept it when Jesus said that he cannot follow Him to the place He was going.

John 18:17, 25-27 (NKJV)

Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”  …  Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

However, after Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Him exactly three times, just as Jesus had spoken. Peter must be feeling devastated upon hearing the rooster crowing, remembering everything Jesus had said to him. Why did he deny Jesus? For someone who was ready to fight for Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane, had he become a coward? Was he feeling confused in such unthinkable and chaotic situation? Was he angry with Jesus that He did not allow him to fight back? Had he concluded that sacrificing for a non-hero is no longer worthwhile? Only Peter knew what was playing in his mind when he denied Jesus. But one thing for sure, Peter went back to his profession as a fisherman with deep guilt and great disappointment.

John 21:15-17 (NKJV)

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

After Jesus rose up from the dead, He went to meet His disciples (Peter included). Turning things around, Jesus offered Peter three times to be restored back to his calling and ministry. Peter allowed Jesus to set him free from his guilt and disappointment. He was restored back to his apostolic ministry. He preached the gospel to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost, thousands were saved, and the first church was born.

Are you one of those greatly sorrowed by guilt and disappointment too? Stop beating yourself with questions like “Why did I do it?” or “Why didn’t I do it?”. Stop punishing yourself for a mistake you have committed in the past. Jesus will surely forgive you if you turn to Him in repentance (see 1 John 1:9). Stop blaming yourself for a lost opportunity due to your ‘incompetency’ in the past. Jesus is able to help you rise up again if you are willing to seek His guidance. As Peter did, forgive yourself and allow the Lord to heal you. Let the Lord restore you to be the person He has always wanted you to be!

Paul - Set free from bad reputation and wrong perception

Paul, whose name then was Saul, was on the way to Damascus to persecute more believers of Christ. During the journey, he encountered Jesus in a great light experience. That experience changed his belief, his vocation and his direction in life. He became a believer and started preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Acts 9:20-21, 26 (NKJV)

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

You see, Paul already had a bad reputation among the believers of Christ. Before his conversion, Paul was well known for breathing threats and murder against the disciples of Jesus. After his conversion, no matter how Paul tried to convince the believers of his sincerity, they were still afraid of him. It must be really difficult for Paul because there was such distrust in him and his initial ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ. But Paul did not give up.

Acts 9:22, 27-28 (NKJV)

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. … But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.

In spite of all the rejections, Paul held on to his great light experience in Damascus and the revelation he had received from the Lord. He focused and worked on his ministry calling. Eventually, he was cleared of the ‘bad reputation’ and accepted by the Body of Christ. Through his ministry, many people from at least fifty cities were saved. He had also raised up ministers of God such as Timothy, Titus, Aquila, Priscilla, and many others. Moreover, almost half of the books in the New Testament were written by Paul. What a change of image and identity!

Are you one of those with ‘bad reputation’ or ‘bad track records’? Have you been trying hard to turn a new leaf of life but yet still trapped in the vicious cycle? Or have there been people who harbor wrong perception of who you really are? Has it been difficult to receive respect and trust from people around you due to your past? Start praying and asking the Lord for a renewed mindset. Then, allow the Lord to speak His revelation into your life. As Paul did, hold on to your deeper experience with the Lord and meditate on His revelation for you (through the Word, prophecies, or dreams/visions from the Lord). May a Christ-like identity begin to grow in you, and may the new identity soon be witnessed and affirmed by the people around you. 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!

   

Forgive to bless

The Lord gave me a dream one Sunday, early in the morning. I saw myself outside of a classroom. Then, I saw a young lady whom I have known for some years. She was walking into the classroom and pulling along a leopard as if it's a tame dog. The leopard had wounds all over its body. When she was trying to settle the leopard before taking her seat in the classroom, the animal went out of control and caused havoc in the classroom. Everyone ran for their lives. The lady tried to control the leopard but to no avail.

I knew what the Lord was trying to convey but didn't know the purpose of the dream until I shared it to my husband before we left for church. He was going to preach about blessing others that day. The dream was an add-on in God's message for the church.

The Lord gave me understanding that the leopard was that lady's heart. Knowing her background, she's the type that keeps offense and hurts inside her heart though she appears to be fine all the time. I know her struggles. Though she has sincerely been trying to be a blessing to others, she still continues to hurt others with her speech or actions, intentionally or unintentionally. And people tend to avoid her so that they won't be hurt.

"As in water face reflects face, so a man's heart reveals the man." (Proverbs 27:19 NKJV)

You see, your heart controls your whole being. Who you are today is the end-result of the substance you have in your heart. So, what you allow to be kept in your heart is very important. If you keep offense, you will offend others. If you keep hurts, you will hurt others. But if you have been receiving the love of Jesus, love will always overflow from your heart.

Unrealistically, many believers try to appear to be 'kind' people without allowing the Lord to heal and deal with their lives. As a result, they hurt more people and outsiders judge them as having 'double-identity' or being 'two-faced' Christians.

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV)

In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus wasn’t telling you about God's strictness. Our heavenly Father is loving and merciful, but He is bound by the free will He gave to His creations. Your decision will determine what flows out of your life. If you want to be a blessing to others, choose to forgive those who had hurt or offended you, so that blessings could flow through your life. Allow the Lord deal with you from the core or the root of your problems and set you free. He can help you to forgive and bless without having you to strive for it.

"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:44-45 NKJV)

How do you know you have forgiven those people who had hurt or offended you? The answer is, when you can bless them in your prayer, then in your speech, finally in actions.

Once your life is cleared of offenses and hurts, do not allow new ones to come in. Arm yourself with forgiveness and God's love. My prayer is that your life will be a great blessing to many other lives.