A dream from the Lord: "I saw a group of people and a wooden raft..."

The Lord gave me a dream the other day, and here is how it goes. 

I saw a group of people. These are good people and God-fearing Christians. They were pulling a wooden raft into a river in order to leave a remote place. There were ropes tied at the different corners of the raft. The river had shallow water, and the water level was only about the height of the waist. 

However, as they were in the water, instead of sitting or standing on the wooden raft, keeping themselves clean and dry, they went into the water and floated face up to pull the ropes with their mouths. They swam backstroke in order to pull and move the raft away from there. I was baffled! Aren't they supposed to treat the raft as a means of transport? Why would they make life difficult for themselves? 

So, I asked the Lord what is the meaning of the dream. 

And this is what He said. 

The Lord is saying to His beloved: 

"I have easier ways for you to get out of your troubles and unproductiveness, but you chose the difficult ways. You chose to believe in the wisdom of your ancestors, in the wisdom of influential people, and in the wisdom of the majority, instead of believing in Me. You chose unnecessary sufferings and making needless errors, instead of waiting on Me. Try choosing Me and My wisdom instead, and see how I can turn things around for you! Look to Me! I always have the solution for you. Is there anything too difficult for Me?" 

You see, in Christ, you have been set free from sins and the principles of the fallen world. You have the Spirit of God to lead you and guide you to an abundant life. So, allow God to speak into your life and guide you in everything you do today. 

Colossians 2:8 (NKJV)

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 

As you have read here, the Lord wants us to seek Him for His wisdom, instead of seeking and relying on the wisdom of the world. Read the whole chapter of Colossians 2 today, if you can. You will understand better what caused you to be bound in the past, and you can choose to be set free in Christ. Amen! 

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

Here, it is written that it's only when your mind is renewed by the Word of God, that you can prove or perceive correctly the will of God for you. So, meditate on this specific Bible verse until your thoughts begin to align with His thoughts for you. 

1 Corinthians 2:12 (NKJV)

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 

Dear beloved, since you have the Spirit of God teaching you about the things freely given to you, let's not be bound by words, values, and principles of others that hold you back from the freedom and a better future in Christ. Amen! 

Let us pray:

"Father God, I choose to seek Your counsel and advice. I choose to be patient and wait for Your instruction and direction. Teach me how to see, hear, and discern what is from You and what is not from You. Renew my mind according to Your words so that I will be sensitive to the leading of Your Spirit. I pray all this, in the name of Jesus. Amen."

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Are you ready to 'think outside the box'?

This is what the Lord has been speaking to me recently:

"I am always in the midst of doing new things among My people. Those who choose My way will always be thinking outside the box!"

The Lord is always doing new things. Nothing stays dull or stale when you walk with Him. I've seen this throughout my walk with God. So, be ready for new and exciting things in your life, going forward!

By the way, 'to think outside the box' is 'to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective'. 

The Lord is real and He is willing to help you and give you the solutions in your life, as long as you stick to Him and seek Him.

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV) says, 'Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert'. 

Indeed, the Lord can make a way for you where there seems to be no way. There will be no dead-end road for those who look to Him and trust in Him. If He can make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, you can be assured He will know how to make a way for you, whatever your situation may be at the moment.

There are some old ways, methods, or systems that do not work anymore in a new season. Therefore, you have to let go of those, and ask the Lord to teach you the new ways, methods, or systems that will work in a new season. 

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV) says, 'But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

In order to forgo the 'old thinking', you will have to substitute it with a new thinking. 

But how do you receive a new thinking from God? By knowing the thoughts of God!

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 (NKJV) says, 'But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God'.

You see, only the Spirit of God knows exactly what is in His mind (i.e. what His thoughts are). And this Spirit of God dwells in you! When you seek Him, spend time with Him and pray in the spirit (pray in tongue), the Spirit of God can tell you what you need to know and what you are to do in each new season or new phase of your life! 

Therefore, if you have the Spirit of God dwelling in you, you don't need to fear! You don't have to fear facing the future. You don't have to be afraid of the unknown in the future. Because when you seek Him, He will tell you what exactly you need to do and what steps to take, be it in your life, career, business, or ministry! 

Of course, when the Spirit of God speaks to you regarding what to do and how to go about doing it, there may be some people who will not be ready to hear it or accept it. They may judge you or even mock at you. But if you know the Spirit of God is the One who has spoken to you regarding that new way, new method, or new system, it will just be a matter of time before those critics or 'noises' will be silenced, when your results show!

So, take heart. There is no dead-end road when you have the Spirit of God in you. He will know how to make a way for you, and you will see yourself excelling in each new season or new phase of your life, no matter what happens around you in the world. Amen!

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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!

      

Seeing from God's perspective

Not long ago, the Lord gave me a dream in which someone was showing me a type of fruit that was awful in texture and dirty with mud. It looked unappetizing and I was quick to deem it inedible. However, after the fruit was cleaned and the skin was peeled off, it appeared to be a kind of nutritious nut I like, only in greater size and portion than the normal ones. It surprised me that what I had initially detested and perceived as useless turned out to be something precious to me. 

Then, a few weeks later, while I was looking for a pair of shoes that had been misplaced, the Lord spoke. He said, “My people have misplaced their 'shoes'. They need to put on the right 'shoes' that fit them and enable them to run to their destiny comfortably.”

As I was studying the Bible, trying to relate the ‘fruit’ to the ‘shoes’, the Lord led me to the story of Moses and Joshua.

Exodus 3:5 (NKJV)

Then He said (to Moses), “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

Joshua 5:15 (NKJV)

Then the Commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Why did God ask Moses and Joshua to take off their shoes/sandals? Was it because their shoes were dirty? Or, was it supposed to be an act of humbling before the Lord? Most people would quote these two reasons and you cannot deny that they are good answers. But, there is another reason the Lord wanted to show us.

When God asked Moses to take off his sandals at the burning bush, He was about to tell Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. But Moses was not ready. Moses had been shepherding sheep for his father-in-law for almost 40 years. From a royal prince of Egypt, he was reduced to a nobody in the desert. His mind was trapped in smallness, and with a wrong image of himself, not being the person God wants him to be.

As for Joshua, he was about to conquer Jericho when he was told to take off his sandal. He had seen how his people failed to obey God and died during the past 40 years in the wilderness. Also, he had always been a follower and disciple to Moses, but now, he had to be the leader. And it was the first and biggest battle that he had to fight without Moses being there to stand in the gap spiritually.

You see, the Hebrew word for shoe or sandal is [Na‘al]. It is from the root word [Nâ ‘al] which means ‘to fasten up, enclose or lock’. It speaks of the perception and mindset that you have allowed to be fastened, enclosed, or locked up in your mind. If it is the correct perception that you have, it will lead you to success and prosperity. But if it is the wrong perception, you need to remove the wrong ‘shoes’/mindset.

Romans 8:7-8 (NKJV)

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Any mindset that is against God’s perspective is carnal and worldly to Him. The word ‘please’ here in Greek is [arěskō] which means ‘to be agreeable’. If we see, perceive and do things according to the worldly and fleshly ways, we will not be able to agree with the ways of the Lord.

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The above verse says that you need to allow your mind to be renewed and transformed by His Word and Spirit (see also Colossians 2:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 2:9-10). The word ‘prove’ here is [dǒkimazō] in Greek, which means ‘discern, approve, allow’. Only a renewed mind is able to discern, approve, and allow the will of God. In other words, it is only when your mind is renewed according to His Word and Spirit will you acknowledge and co-operate with God to allow His will to be done, in and through your life.

Luke 15:22 (NKJV) - the prodigal son

“But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.”

Allow your Abba Father in heaven to put on the precise ‘shoes’/perspective for you. Allow Him to restore you into the precise purpose and calling as to why you are born on this earth. Allow Him to place you at the precise position - both in the Body of Christ and in the ‘marketplace’ - wherever it may be in this time and season.

The Lord is looking for people who are willing to take His thoughts and perspectives seriously, to be ‘up close and personal’ with Him, to seek only His will and instructions, and to act upon His words. Are you willing?

Worship for your breakthrough

The Lord spoke 3 times that this is a very crucial time for His people to worship Him:

1st: A vision of a river with rushing water pushed open a door. The Lord said, “Worship Me, and out of you will flow the rivers of living water to push open the door of breakthrough for you.”

2nd: Then, the Lord said, “Worship Me. I will cause the crooked way to be straightened and gates with iron bars to be opened for you.”

3rd: Again, the Lord said, “Worship Me from your heart. I will cause you to see the direction of My wind, where it will come from and where it will go to.

I believe the Lord meant your personal worship to Him. Our God is not crazy for fans to worship Him as an idol. When He asks for your worship, it is always for your benefit. In this case, it is for your breakthroughs in life, be it in relationship, finance, career, studies, etc.

God can teach you to get breakthrough
1st: A vision of a river with rushing water pushed open a door. The Lord said, “Worship Me, and out of you will flow the rivers of living water to push open the door of breakthrough for you.”

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV)
Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

In your time of worship, you will reach a moment when you feel your burden being lifted up. You will feel lightened and happier. That is because you allow the rivers of God (Holy Spirit) to move in your life through your worship. Rivers is ‘nᵉhar’ in Hebrew with the root word ‘nâhar’, meaning ‘to sparkle, to be cheerful, to be lightened’. In the presence of God, your heaviness is lightened and your sadness is exchanged with His joy.

But don’t stop worshiping after you feel your burden is lifted up. Many worshipers of God stop worshiping right after they feel the presence of God. God wants you to worship Him not just to enjoy His presence. He wants you to come to Him so that He can teach you something in His presence. 

John 7:37-38 (NKJV)
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Drink is ‘pinō’ in Greek which means ‘imbibe’. Other meanings of ‘imbibe’ are ‘assimilate, absorb, learn, acquire, grasp’. The Lord invites you to come to Him and worship Him so that you can assimilate your mind with His, and so that you can absorb, learn, acquire, and grasp ideas or spiritual gifts from Him. After seeking and receiving from Him, out of your heart and your life will flow with His ideas or spiritual gifts that can change circumstances and transform lives.

To worship God is to seek His face and His way. As you worship God, your burden will be exchanged with His joy. In His presence, you will be taught with His knowledge, understanding and wisdom to get breakthrough for difficult situations. 

God can raise people to help you get breakthrough
2nd: Then, the Lord said, “Worship Me. I will cause the crooked way to be straightened and gates with iron bars to be opened for you.”

Isaiah 45:1-4 (NKJV) 
Thus says the LORD to His anointed, 
To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held – to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings. To open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut; I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me.

Prophet Isaiah prophesied about King Cyrus 150 years before this king of Persia was born. Though he was a pagan king, the Lord protected him, empowered him and used him to destroy the Babylonian’s kingdom. Through his victory over Babylon, God’s people were freed from 70 years of captivity and slavery in the foreign land. After conquering Babylon, the Lord moved the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put in writing that he was called by the LORD God of heaven to help His people rebuild His temple in Jerusalem (see Ezra 1:4).  

Ezra 1:5 (NKJV) 
Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. 

Philippians (NKJV)
For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Soon after, the Lord also stirred up in His people the zeal to rebuild the temple and the wall of Jerusalem. The first batch of Jews who went back and settled at Judea was of King David’s linage. And that’s where the Savior Jesus was born, in Bethlehem, which is in the southern region of Judea. Subsequently, the city of Jerusalem and the temple in Jerusalem were rebuilt. These had enabled the fulfillment of the prophecy where the Messiah, Christ Jesus would die on the cross outside of the city of Jerusalem and the veil in the temple would be torn. The Lord had planned everything perfectly, one thing after another through centuries apart, making His redemption for the Jews and the whole world a reality until now. 

You see, God can use anyone to fulfill His plan on earth. When God’s people turned away from idol worship and cried out to Him during their captivity, He sent a King Cyrus to save them. If you would choose to worship Him instead of allowing yourself to be drowned by the overwhelming situation around you, He can raise up people (whether they are people in authority or common men) to lend you a hand.

To worship God is to admit your frailty and that you need the Almighty God. It signifies you taking your hands off to let His hand intervene. As you worship God, His Holy Spirit will stir up the hearts of people to give you favor and to help you, be it the non-believers, brethren in Christ, or even yourself (God can stir your heart to do things His way so that eventually you are helping yourself). 

God wants to share His secret with you
3rd: Again, the Lord said, “Worship Me from your heart. I will cause you to see the direction of My wind, where it will come from and where it will go to.”

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (NKJV)
As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything.

Wind is ‘rûwach’ in Hebrew which also means ‘breath’ or ‘spirit’. The above scripture is saying that no one could understand the mind or the heart of God. 

John 15:15(NKJV)
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 

Jesus has promised that He will make those who believe in Him (and walk in His ways) His friends, and they will also know His thoughts (see 1 Corinthians 2:16). By the way, the word ‘friends’ in John 15:15 is ‘philos’ in Greek, which actually means ‘dear, fond of (as in a friend)’. In other words, Jesus calls you His dearly beloved, someone whom He is fond of (as in a friend).

1 Corinthians 2:9-12
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man know the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

 God allows you to know His thoughts by filling His Spirit in those who believe in Him.

To worship God is to fellowship with Him who is your closest confidant. As you worship and fellowship with God, He will tell you what He is doing in your life or in the world currently. He will also reveal to you things to come (see John 16:13). You will always be ready for any issue that may come in the future. As a result, you will have breakthrough after breakthrough and prosper in everything you do.

People of God, always plan time to have personal worship and fellowship with God. Know that He wants you to have an abundant and triumphant life on this earth. Nonetheless, worship Him simply because you know that He loves you.

Have life and peace

I woke up one morning and the verses in Romans 8:5-6 kept ringing in my mind. As I continued meditating on the verses and praying in the spirit, the Lord started telling me many believers do not have abundant life and peace because they have been seeing and doing things in carnal/worldly ways.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded Is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6 NKJV)

It is not easy to not worry if you read newspaper or talk to people about the world situations now a day. The crumbling world’s economy structure, rise of crime, increasing environmental and air pollution, shortage of food and fuel supply in the future and etc, none of these will not cause anxiety to the hearts.

But the Lord said, if you would set your mind on the things of the Spirit and seek Him, you will know His ways. When you know His ways, you will have peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7) because you will have the understanding that He is always in control indeed. And you will have the wisdom to living an abundant life (1Timothy 4:8; Psalms 37:9). The world may see your faith and obedience as foolishness, but worldly wisdom is foolishness with God (1 Corinthians 3:18-19).

Let’s take a scenario. Say, you are working in a big company and there is rumor being passed around that the company will go bankrupt soon. Many of your colleagues have started looking for other jobs and they are willing to compromise on their salaries as long as they find a steady job immediately. If you have been setting your mind on the things of the flesh, you would immediately follow suit and couldn’t stop worrying about your future. But if you have been living a close relationship with the Spirit of God, you would first seek spiritual understanding for your current situation and soon enough the Lord will provide you the wisdom to act. Say, the Lord tells you to stay put in the same company and work as normal. You obey willingly while being the laughing stock of your resigning colleagues.  You are labeled as a fool who waits to doom. However, very soon, their laughter stops. Your company gets a huge project and its share value rises highest in the company’s history. Best of all, you get promoted to take over the position of your manager who had just left for a smaller company. So, where will you set your mind today, the worldly way or God’s way?

By the way, are you a thrifty person? If you are being thrifty because you feel responsible as a good steward of the resources provided by God, keep it up. But, if you are being too thrifty because you are worried that you will lose out in the big sale, or you are always suspicious of people taking advantage of you, or you will not buy anything unless you get to bargain until the last cent you deem deserved, that’s poverty mentality. If you have been spiritually minded, you will have the confident that even if a loaf of bread is going to cost you $100 one day, the Lord will still be able to provide you a comfortable life.

Can you remember the time when you were still under the care of your parent and didn’t have to worry what you are going to eat the next day? Setting your mind and living in the Spirit will enable you to experience the same kind of life, putting yourself under the direct care of your Heavenly Father. You will be fed directly from your Father’s hand. It is possible to grow old yet not worn out by the hardships and troubles of this world. Start meditating and speaking Roman 8:5-6 to yourself and seeking the Lord diligently today. Be set free from anxiety and get a life filled with the peace of God. Have a great life!

Set your mind on the goodness of God

Many people tell me God ‘put’ them through ‘bad’ experiences so that they can win over those circumstances. First, I thank God that they have been liberated from their problems. But I would also tell them it isn’t God who ‘put’ them into trouble. Would you want to believe in a God who ‘put’ sickness in you and then later heal you? Or would you want to believe in a God who causes you to be hurt and then later restore you?  

God says in Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV), “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God is saying that He always has good thoughts toward you and He wants you to have a good future.  If God always has good thoughts toward you, it means He will always be good to you. If He could sacrifice His only Son Jesus for you, is there any good thing that he won’t give you? (see Romans 8:32).

But, does God sometimes ‘allow’ disappointment? Yes, He does, but He is never the cause of your disappointment. More often than not, it is one’s human presumption and pride that cause disappointment in life, and God sometimes allows disappointment in order to wake you up from ‘spiritual stagnancy’ and turn you back to Him, so that you will be able to see the better things He has in store for you.

“Blame it on the devil then!” Some may say. But can the devil really hurt you? No, He actually can’t. He can’t harm you unless you give place to him (Ephesians 4:27). In fact, Jesus had already disarmed the devil and his demons when He died for you on the cross some 2,000 years ago (see Ephesians 1:20-21). The Bible also says as a believer, you are raised up together and seated together with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-6). You may ask, “If this is so, then why there are so many believers still suffering in life and not living in victory?”

Here’s the truth: The devil is not the factor, but your mind is!

The Mind-Game

The devil cannot ‘touch’ you directly. So, he would try to weaken your trust in God by playing ‘mind-game’ with you. The devil’s strategy is to distract you from the way and the truth of God, and his weapon is his accusation against you (Revelation 12:10). He accuses you day and night in order to make you fall into:
a) Self-condemnation (e.g. “I am not good enough!”, “I am not anointed enough!”),
b) Self-effort (e.g. “I suffer this problem because I didn’t please God enough!”). Self-effort also leads to strife and bitterness among God's people when their expectation or anticipation is not met (e.g. "I have sacrificed much but my leader still doesn't recognize my ability and promote me!").

So, how do you overcome the devil’s scheme?

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11 NKJV).

We have learned much about the blood of Jesus, and meditating on the Word of God, but here, I want to emphasize on the 3^rd point, i.e. “they did not love their lives to the death”. What does this statement mean? Does this statement mean you shouldn’t love your life? No! In fact, God loves you so much, and He wants you to have a good life! The word ‘lives’ here is translated as ‘psuchē’ in Greek, which can mean ‘the mind, or the soul’. Your soul includes your mind, your will, and your emotion. So, this verse actually says God’s people overcame the devil by not loving their own ‘mind or soul’, or more specifically, their own ‘ways’!

I have heard of believers who want God to bless them, but at the same time, they aren’t willing to give Him the freedom to lead them in His ways. In other words, they want God to bless them in their own terms and own ‘ways’. They would also look at their circumstances with their own ‘natural eyes’ or ‘natural mind’, using only human logics, human knowledge, or earthly wisdom to try to solve their problems, and therefore, God is not given a chance to share His knowledge and wisdom.

As a matter of fact, the flesh will never agree with God’s Spirit. This is also the reason why many people make hasty and foolish decisions, e.g. giving up on their marriage too quickly, committing suicide, etc as they perceive with their own ‘natural mind’ this is the only ‘way’ available.  If only they know, agree, and believe that God is ‘absolutely good’ to them, and their God is omnipotent (all powerful), things would have turned out very differently!

God’s Goodness Expressed through Jesus

In Genesis 3:1-8, Adam and Eve were supposed to focus on tending the Garden of Eden and enjoying the goodness of God for them. But the devil manipulated and turned their ‘eyes’ away from God’s original plan for them, and into strife & self-effort by accusing God. When they doubted and disobeyed God, self-condemnation set in. Imagine if Adam and Eve were to choose to focus and set their minds continuously on the goodness of God, all the unnecessary problems they faced wouldn’t have happened!

“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. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death… For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh (sarx = body, human nature with its frailties[physically/morally/passion]), but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind (sarkikŏs = pertaining to flesh) is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please (arěskō = be agreeable with) God.” (Romans 8:1-2, 5-8 NKJV)

Because of the fall of Adam, God came up with a redemption plan for humankind by sending the ‘second Adam’, Jesus Christ (see Romans 5:12-21). He is fully man (100% man) and fully God (100% God), and therefore, He came to suffer the full brunt of men’s punishment (religious law) and God’s punishment (against sin) on the cross, so you can be set free! His work on the cross is sure, certain, perfect, 100%! In fact, He had never bargained for a lesser sentencing. He gave it all, unreservedly, and He did it all with you in His mind. So, how can He not be 100% good to you?

“The Lord is my shepherd… Surely (i.e. certainly, 100%) goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:1-6). Therefore, instead of settling for less by focusing on the things of the flesh (i.e. worldly ‘ways’ or carnal mentality), choose to set your mind on the ‘sure, certain, 100%’ goodness of God, Jesus your Shepherd, and receive all of His goodness for you!

The same free-will God has given to Adam is also given to you today. You are free to choose! As a believer, you have already made the choice to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and Lord into your life. Now that you have become a child of God, you have another choice to make for your life, i.e. the choice of where to focus your mind. Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You. Because he trusts in You.”

To have a renewed mind that agrees with God, start meditating on the goodness of God over your life today. Give time for the Lord to speak to you before you make any important decisions. He will surely guide you and lead you, because He is 100% good to you. Believe that He is always and all-together good to you, all the time!

I want to make a prophetic declaration to you who are reading this message now. If you are currently facing a difficulty or even a dead-end road, I declare that God can still create a new way out for you! I declare that He can open a new door of opportunity for you! Nothing is impossible for Him! Set your mind on Jesus, and declare, believe, and receive the goodness of God over yourself.  Amen!

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV)