Surely!

Surely!

Isaiah 53:4
4Surely He has borne our griefs [sicknesses] and carried our sorrows [pains]…

While waiting for the manifestation of their healing, some people find it hard to believe that Jesus really took their sicknesses and pains, just as He took their sin and shame. If you are one of them, don’t feel condemned. Your Father in heaven understands. That is why He put the word “surely” there when He said, “Surely, My Son has borne your sicknesses and carried your pains.”

Once, my daughter Jessica was crying all night because she was not feeling well. She had been sick for a few days. In my study, I took out my Bible and the Lord led me to Isaiah 53:4 where it says, “Surely He has borne…” Now, I know the original Hebrew here and it says, “Surely He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains.” So I said, “Surely, He has borne Jessica’s sickness…”

But it was like the verse was just not real to me. Her cries seemed more real. Then, all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to a word in the verse that really revolutionized the way I saw the whole passage.

Notice the first word in the verse? It says, “Surely…” Surely, He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains. Now, look at the next verse: “He was wounded for our transgressions...” Every Christian knows and believes that Jesus was wounded for our sins, yet the word “surely” is not put here but in the earlier verse. I think God knew that we would find it hard to believe that Jesus also bore our sicknesses and carried our pains, so He put the word “surely” there to help us believe!

When I saw that, I put my Bible on the floor, stood on it and said, “Father, you know I don’t mean any irreverence, but I am standing on Your Word. Surely, Jesus bore Jessica’s sickness and carried her pain! I don’t care if I can still hear her crying. Surely, Your Son, Your beloved Son, bore her sickness and carried her pain! Hallelujah!” That night, the breakthrough came. That night, little Jessica was healed.

Are you or your loved ones suffering some sickness or pain right now?

Surely our Lord Jesus has borne your sicknesses and carried your pains. And as you believe this truth, surely, your healing and breakthrough will come!

Receive As You Hear The Good News

Receive As You Hear The Good News

Romans 1:16
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…

If you have been to motivational seminars, you would probably have heard the speakers say, “If you follow these five steps, then you will come to a place of financial increase.” They would probably have told you also that if you don’t succeed, it is because you did not follow the steps correctly or diligently.

Thank God that the gospel or good news does not work like that! The minute you hear or read the good news, and you believe and receive it, His Word goes forth to sozo (the Greek word for “save”) you, making you well, prosperous and whole, “for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”.

What is the good news? It is that God loves us so much that He gave us His Son to take our beating so that we can have His blessings without having to work for them. Right now, as you are reading this devotional, listening to a preacher or watching a sermon DVD, as you hear God’s Word, His power is released into your situation, working things out for you and turning your situation around for your good.

In Acts 14:8–10, we see Paul preaching the good news in Lystra. A man who was crippled from birth was listening to Paul. Paul, seeing that he had faith to be healed, said, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And the man leaped and walked! He heard the good news, believed it and was healed.

At a leadership conference in Oslo, Norway, where I was speaking, a pastor there shared how a well-respected businessman in his church was healed while listening to one of my sermon CDs. This man was deaf in one ear. And when he was listening to my teaching on the CD, his deaf ear popped open without anyone laying hands on him or praying for him! He was just listening to the good news when his ear opened. Now, that is what I call the power of God unto his salvation, sozo-ing him, making his hearing whole!

My friend, these miracles happen not because we follow some kind of formula faithfully, but because we hear the good news preached and simply believe it!

Convince Yourself, Not God

Convince Yourself, Not God

Mark 5:28
28For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

With a crowd thronging Him, Jesus was touched by a lot of people that day (Mark 5:31), but only the touch of one woman drew a response from Him. And her touch sparked off instant healing in her body, releasing her from a sickness that had plagued her for 12 years.

Do you want to know how to touch God and receive the miracle you need?

When the woman heard that Jesus was coming by her village, she said to herself, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” On her way to see Jesus, she probably told herself many times, “If I touch His clothes, I will be healed. I will be made whole.” We don’t know how long she had been saying that to herself, but she was convinced that Jesus would heal her.

If you are sick, convince yourself that Jesus is your healer and that by His stripes you are healed. You don’t need to convince God. He is not the one who needs to be persuaded because His blessing is already on you! It is you who needs to be persuaded that God has already given you your miracle. That is the reason you confess His Word — to convince yourself, not God, to persuade your heart, not His.

Some people confess their faith to others to convince God indirectly. For example, if they are believing God for healing, they go around telling their friends, “I am believing God for healing.” They are actually trying to convince or persuade God to heal them. They are telling God, “I’ve told so many people what I am believing You for. It would be very embarrassing if You don’t make it happen.” Their confession proceeds from unbelief and is used to manipulate God.

It is okay to tell others if you want to, so that they can stand in faith with you for your miracle. But don’t do it to prove your faith to God and to convince Him. You just need to convince yourself that God loves you and delights in blessing you. Just say to yourself, “By His stripes I am healed. I will not suffer lack. I am greatly blessed, highly favored, deeply loved!” And let God take care of the rest.

Is Anything Too Hard For God?

Is Anything Too Hard For God?

Jeremiah 32:27
27“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

Do you have a problem believing that the moment a sinner receives Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, he is saved? I believe that you will say, “No.”

Let me then ask you which is harder for God (though in reality, we know that nothing is hard for God): To save a soul from hell or heal a sick body? Of course, it is “harder” to save a soul from hell because God had to send His Son to the cross.

So if God has already given you the greatest miracle that you can ever receive, which is to pluck you out of the clutches of eternal damnation and give you eternal life, what is healing your body, saving your marriage, turning your rebellious teenage son around or giving you that business deal to Him?

Therefore, don’t think that when you come to God with a headache, He says, “No problem,” but should you come to Him with cancer, He says, “Cancer? Wow! Not that easy. This is more problematic. I will need more power!”

No! It may appear more difficult to us, but with God, nothing is too hard for Him because He says, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”

This was indeed the case for a church member who was suffering from ovarian cancer. After I had prayed for her, I told her, “This cancer is not a problem for God. Just believe that when God said that nothing is too hard for Him, it is so!” In a matter of weeks, she came back with tears in her eyes, testifying that she went back to the doctor and he pronounced her healed after he could find no traces of cancer in her.

Beloved, if it is a miracle you need, it is a miracle you will get. God has already given you the greatest miracle of eternal life, so why would He not give you all the other lesser miracles?

Nothing Is Wrong With God, His Word And You

Nothing Is Wrong With God, His Word And You

Song of Solomon 4:7
7You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you.

Sometimes, when we don’t receive our healing, breakthrough, restoration or miracle child, we can’t help but think that something is wrong with us. We tell ourselves, “Nothing’s wrong with God, nothing’s wrong with the Word, so something must be wrong with me!” My friend, if you think that your miracle depends on you, then you are on shaky ground.

In the old covenant, we see this “it’s all up to me” demand put on man. God’s part was to bless His people, but only if they played their part by obeying all of His laws. If they didn’t do their part, not only would they not be blessed, but the curse would also come on them.

Most of the time, they ended up under the curse because they just could not keep all of God’s laws. So God found fault with that covenant because though He wanted to bless man, man’s sins made it difficult for Him to do so. Man himself was the weak link.

In the new covenant, man has no part to play except to believe and receive. The new covenant of grace was cut between God the Father and God the Son — both infallible and more than able to keep the covenant.

God the Son is man’s representative. Jesus represents you and me. So in this covenant, how much we can receive from God depends on how good our representative is, how perfect His obedience is. Of course, Jesus is the perfect Man with perfect obedience. So in Him, we are qualified to receive all the blessings of God! We only need to believe and receive.

Jesus’ blood has been shed for the remission of all your sins. You are now the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) By His one perfect sacrifice, He has perfected you forever. (Hebrews 10:14, KJV) There is no spot in you!

Today, the devil has no right to tell you that you cannot be blessed because there is something wrong with you. So as you are waiting for your miracle, say, “Nothing’s wrong with God, nothing’s wrong with the Word and nothing’s wrong with me! I am going to receive my miracle!”

Nothing Is Wrong With God, His Word And You

Nothing Is Wrong With God, His Word And You

Song of Solomon 4:7
7You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you.

Sometimes, when we don’t receive our healing, breakthrough, restoration or miracle child, we can’t help but think that something is wrong with us. We tell ourselves, “Nothing’s wrong with God, nothing’s wrong with the Word, so something must be wrong with me!” My friend, if you think that your miracle depends on you, then you are on shaky ground.

In the old covenant, we see this “it’s all up to me” demand put on man. God’s part was to bless His people, but only if they played their part by obeying all of His laws. If they didn’t do their part, not only would they not be blessed, but the curse would also come on them.

Most of the time, they ended up under the curse because they just could not keep all of God’s laws. So God found fault with that covenant because though He wanted to bless man, man’s sins made it difficult for Him to do so. Man himself was the weak link.

In the new covenant, man has no part to play except to believe and receive. The new covenant of grace was cut between God the Father and God the Son — both infallible and more than able to keep the covenant.

God the Son is man’s representative. Jesus represents you and me. So in this covenant, how much we can receive from God depends on how good our representative is, how perfect His obedience is. Of course, Jesus is the perfect Man with perfect obedience. So in Him, we are qualified to receive all the blessings of God! We only need to believe and receive.

Jesus’ blood has been shed for the remission of all your sins. You are now the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) By His one perfect sacrifice, He has perfected you forever. (Hebrews 10:14, KJV) There is no spot in you!

Today, the devil has no right to tell you that you cannot be blessed because there is something wrong with you. So as you are waiting for your miracle, say, “Nothing’s wrong with God, nothing’s wrong with the Word and nothing’s wrong with me! I am going to receive my miracle!”

Your ‘Work’ Is To Enter His Rest

Your ‘Work’ Is To Enter His Rest

Hebrews 4:10–11
10… he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest...

A baby learns to sit first before he starts to stand and walk. The Christian life also begins with sitting. God “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. (Ephesians 2:6) How well we walk after that depends on how well we sit and rest in the finished work of Christ.

The promised land was a land of rest where God promised His people “large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant”. (Deuteronomy 6:10–11)

But for 40 years, God’s people wandered in the wilderness because they refused to believe that God had given them a land where everything had been prepared — the work was finished. They could not believe that God had given them a land full of riches to enjoy, a land which just flowed with His goodness.

Today, there are believers who still cannot believe that the work of Jesus is truly complete and finished. They are trying to complete a completed work, finish a finished work and defeat a defeated devil.

There are believers today who are always working and trying to produce their healing, prosperity, success and victory. God wants us to stop trying and start trusting in His love for us. He wants us to stop working and struggling, and start resting and believing in His grace toward us.

The only “work” left for us to do today is to enter His rest. We are to labor every day to enter His rest. We are to rest inwardly and believe that the work is done because it is a finished work, and trust in God’s undeserved favor toward us. We are to rest in Jesus our true ark, who will carry us through tempestuous waters.

So today, “if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts… be diligent to enter that rest”. (Hebrews 4:7, 11) Let’s enter His rest. Let’s enjoy sitting together with Christ in the heavenly places, then we will run and not be weary! (Isaiah 40:31)

Having All Things Added To You

Having All Things Added To You

Matthew 6:33
33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

You are probably a responsible person who is concerned about providing well for your family — making sure that there is food on the table, money for the children’s needs, comfort and education, and so on.

What does God have to say to us about these legitimate concerns? According to Matthew 6:31, He tells us, “Do not worry.” Now, He is not saying that we don’t need all these things because in the same portion of scripture He says, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:32)

So God cares about us having these things. He wants us to have all these things. In fact, He wants all these things added to us. And He tells us that the way these things are added to us is by us seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Therefore, our number one priority every day is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. It is not to seek to add these things to ourselves.

But what is righteousness? Righteousness is not right behavior. It is right standing with the Father. It is the clearance of all your guilt, which makes you able to stand before God. It is not something you get through right behavior. It is a gift from God. Paul calls it “the gift of righteousness”. (Romans 5:17) And to “seek” this gift is to be conscious of the fact that you have it, to confess that you are righteous in Christ.

So this righteousness we are told to seek is not right behavior, but right standing before God, which comes to us as a gift when we receive salvation. At the cross, Jesus didn’t just remove our sins, He also gave us His righteousness so that today, we can come boldly before the throne of God and receive freely everything that He died to give us!

Today, if you want to provide your family with the good things in life, be assured that your heavenly Father knows that you need these things. Just seek His righteousness, not your own righteousness, and “all these things shall be added to you”!

You Are Perfect In God’s Eyes

You Are Perfect In God’s Eyes

Hebrews 10:12, 14, KJV
12But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God... 14For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.

God sees you with no flaw, spot or imperfection, so honor His Word and the finished work of His Son by saying, “Amen!” Don’t doubt your perfection in Christ.

To see yourself as being far from perfect is not modesty, but a failure to understand the perfect sacrifice that Jesus has made for you.

The Bible tells us, “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Did you get that? You have not only been sanctified, that is, made holy, but by the same offering of His body, you have been perfected. You are both holy and perfect in God’s eyes!

Your sins have been purged perfectly. Today, Jesus is seated at His Father’s right hand not because He is the Son of God (although that is true), but because His work of purging your sins is completely finished and perfect!

So instead of being conscious of your sins, which is to have an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22), you can have a perfect conscience, a conscience that is free from the guilt and condemnation of sins.

When you find yourself conscious of your sins, just say, “Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your wonderful work at the cross. It is a perfect work that has removed all my sins completely.

“Holy Spirit, thank You for convicting me of righteousness, not my own, but God’s righteousness given to me as a gift. Keep on convicting me in the days to come, reminding me especially when I fail that I am still the righteousness of God in Christ.”

My friend, God sees you perfect without any spot of sin. He sees you covered in the beautiful white robes of His own righteousness. He treats you as a righteous man because that is what He has made you. So expect good things to happen to you because blessings are on the head of the righteous! (Proverbs 10:6)

The Gift Of No Condemnation

The Gift Of No Condemnation

John 8:11
11… “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

When Jesus was on earth, a woman caught in the act of adultery was brought before Him by the scribes and Pharisees, the religious mafia of His day. They tried to trap Him by posing a question that was difficult to answer: “Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” (John 8:5)

Jesus answered, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” (John 8:7) The scribes and Pharisees began to leave one by one till none of them were left.

The people in the crowd who wanted to condemn the woman could not. But Jesus, the only one in the crowd who truly had the power to condemn her, would not. He then asked her, “Woman… Has no one condemned you?” (John 8:10)

He spoke such words of grace to her because He loved her. Also, by asking her the question, He was giving her a chance to speak words of no condemnation to herself — “No one [condemns me], Lord.” (John 8:11)

Jesus not only spoke words of grace to her, He also gave her the gift of no condemnation — “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more”. It was when she received the gift of no condemnation that she had the power to “go and sin no more”.

Today, you have the gift of no condemnation because the Son of God was condemned for all your sins. (Romans 8:1) Today, God cannot condemn you when you sin because He is faithful and just to what His Son has done.

So if the devil tries to convince you that God is angry with you when you blow it, just say, “God does not condemn me today because He has already condemned Jesus at the cross 2,000 years ago!”

Unfortunately, we still hear people saying, “Go and sin no more first, then I won’t condemn you.” Maybe you have been saying this to yourself too. But God says, “I don’t condemn you. Go and sin no more.” He gives you the gift of no condemnation, so that you have the strength to go and sin no more!

God’s Love Demonstrated

God’s Love Demonstrated

Romans 8:32
32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

When we go through a trial, we tend to ask ourselves, “Does God really love me? How come I don’t seem to see it?” When that happens, it is time to bring in the cross, for God’s love for you is displayed forever at the cross.

God gave up His Son to suffer and die on the cross for you. Jesus was pierced in seven places for you — in His head by the crown of thorns, His two hands and feet by the nails, and His side and heart by the spear of a Roman soldier.

Jesus wore the crown of thorns on His head so that you can have a sound mind free from fears, guilt, depression, anxieties and stress.

When Jesus first showed His nail-pierced hands to His disciples, He said to them, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19–20) He wanted them to know that peace is found in His finished work, typified by His pierced hands. The more you see His finished work which has bought complete forgiveness of all your sins, the more your conscience will be at peace and rest.

Jesus’ feet brought Him to places where there was lack, diseases, rejection, condemnation and even death. And those feet were nail-pierced so that you do not need to be in such places yourself. He has rescued you from having to accept and suffer these things in life.

Blood and water flowed out of Jesus’ side when it was pierced. (John 19:34) Medical science will tell you that that means His heart had ruptured. Jesus died literally of a broken heart so that your heart can be filled with joy.

And just as Eve came forth from Adam’s side when he was sleeping, the bride of Christ, the church, came forth from Jesus’ pierced side and death. If He died to have you as His spotless bride, He lives today to care for you.

Beloved, the only man-made things in heaven today are those scars on His body. They will remain forever as tokens of His everlasting love and passion for you. So if God did not spare His Son, but delivered Him up for you, how will He not with Him also freely give you all things!

Beat The Odds With The Favor Of God

Beat The Odds With The Favor Of God

Ruth 2:2
2So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

Do you look at yourself and see only lack in the natural? Do you say, “I don’t have a good education”, “I am poor”, “I am too old” or “I am a divorcee”? I have good news for you. As a blood-bought believer and child of God, you have the supernatural favor of God!

In the Bible, Ruth was a poor Moabite widow who went with her mother-in-law to live in Bethlehem, a Jewish town where the inhabitants considered Moabites outcasts. But she did not wallow in self-pity and moan about being a poor widow of the wrong race in the wrong place. Instead, she believed that God would favor her and she declared, “I will find favor in the field that I glean from.”

In the natural, Ruth had everything going against her. But because she trusted in the favor of God, she not only became the wife of Bethlehem’s richest man when Boaz married her, she also became the great-grandmother of David and had her name included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ even though she was not a Jewess! That is what God’s supernatural favor did for her. That is the kind of blessing God’s supernatural favor can give you.

A church member shared how, due to unforeseen circumstances, she was late for a job interview. But she confessed God’s favor on herself before the interview and miraculously, the interviewers shortlisted her for a second interview.

There were about 40 other applicants with the right experience. And though she lacked the relevant experience, by the favor of God, she got the job which came with better pay and a car allowance that fully subsidized her car loan. Her new company was even willing to pay for her petrol and cell phone expenses — all because she believed and confessed that she had the favor of God!

Do not look at what you do not have in the natural and see lack. Trust in the favor of God and you will see blessings which your natural abilities cannot bring!

Life Above The Sun

Life Above The Sun

John 10:10
10… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

When you are not enjoying abundant life, you will feel as if life is full of toil. In your heart, life is meaningless and empty. You feel like someone “grasping for the wind”. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

It seems as if nothing you do adds up to much. The Bible calls this life “under the sun”. (Ecclesiastes 2:11) Someone who lives life under the sun may or may not know God, but God is either forgotten or not the center of things in his life. His thoughts are earthly and he does things to gratify his flesh. In the end, he finds life depressing and unfulfilled. Life under the sun is full of despair.

But this is not so with someone who lives life above the sun with God. For life with Him is filled with joy and pleasures at His right hand. (Psalm 16:11) Life is abundantly full and good just as Jesus promised — “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”.

When you live life above the sun, your thoughts are heavenward and you become Christ-occupied. You live for Him because you know that all things were created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16) When you live for His glory, your life takes on a new meaning and purpose.

God’s Word says, “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:17) The Greek word for “consist” means “held together”. In Christ, all things are held together. And that is why when Christ is the central figure in your life, you will have it all together. Your mind will be held together. Your hopes and dreams will be held together. Your family will be held together by the cords of His love.

Your life will not be empty, but full of God’s goodness because “Christ in you, [is] the hope of glory”. (Colossians 1:27) It is a wonderful life — this life lived above the sun. And you will have an even more wonderful life to come in heaven!

The Lord Is Your Refuge

The Lord Is Your Refuge

Psalm 91:1–2
1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”

Every day, we are bombarded with news of conflicts, natural disasters, diseases and new strains of drug-resistant viruses. We also hear of people losing their loved ones in freak accidents. And we ask ourselves, “Is there a place where I can take refuge from a world gone mad?”

Yes, there is! God foresaw all these things and He has promised in His Word protection from every evil known to man. There is no trap set by the devil that our Father cannot deliver us from, if we trust in Him and take Him as our refuge. That is His promise in Psalm 91.

Whether it is an earthquake at midnight, a crazy sniper, an unknown virus or a terrorist attack, God says, “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” (Psalm 91:5–6)

Because you have made Him your dwelling place, angels are watching over you right now. (Psalm 91:9–11) They give heed to the voice of God’s Word, so you should give voice to God’s Word. This means that you should agree with and speak what God’s Word says about His preserving and protecting you. Then, angels are sent to minister for you. (Hebrews 1:14)

My friend, don’t say, “If it can happen to them, it can also happen to me!” Say, “A thousand may fall at my side and 10,000 at my right hand, but it will not come near me!” (Psalm 91:7) The world says that you cannot but expect danger all around. God says, “You are in this world but not of this world. You have My protection because you are of Me and in Me.” (John 17:14–23)

You have access by faith into the secret place of the Most High where no evil can touch you. There is no need to fear living in the end times because the Lord is your refuge and fortress. His Word says so. And those who trust His Word completely find His Word completely true!

Blessed Is Everything That Comes Forth From You

Blessed Is Everything That Comes Forth From You

Deuteronomy 28:4
4Blessed shall be the fruit of your body…

The Bible records that Jesus’ spit healed a blind man (Mark 8:23–25), Peter’s shadow healed the sick (Acts 5:15), and handkerchiefs and aprons from Paul’s body drove out evil spirits and diseases. (Acts 19:11–12) This tells us that what comes forth from our bodies can be so blessed that it brings about blessings and miracles to others.

Indeed, God said, “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body…” He was not just referring to your children, or He would have simply said, “Blessed shall be your children.” No, God meant that everything that proceeds from your body will be blessed. All that is of and from your body will be of top-notch quality!

This includes your health. So even if your doctor has said that you have a particular medical condition in your body, just believe that God calls your health, the fruit of your body, blessed. And expect to walk continuously in divine health!

God calls your thinking ability, the fruit of your body, blessed too. You will impress your teachers and schoolmates in school with your mental prowess, or your superiors and colleagues at work with your innovative ideas and solutions. Your mental faculties will be of quality par excellence!

If you are married, you will enjoy a truly blessed marriage and a fulfilling sex life with your spouse. A secular song that laments, “I can’t get no satisfaction…” will never be true for you because God calls your marital relationship (both the emotional and physical parts of it), the fruit of your body, blessed!

If you are a parent, God calls your children, the fruit of your body, blessed. This means that they are special, having exceptional qualities. So the child you are taking care of is not just a child. You are holding a champion in your hands. He will grow up to be a general in God’s kingdom!

Beloved, because Jesus has paid the price — His body was beaten, scourged and pierced for you, all these blessings are yours. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body!

God’s Love Makes You Strong

God’s Love Makes You Strong

Ephesians 3:19
19… know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

If you were to thank God for something today, what would it be? For me, it would be thanking God for giving me Jesus. For when I see Jesus on the cross, I see the love of God overcoming everything for me. It causes me to say, “Thank you, Jesus! I love you, Jesus! I worship you, Jesus! Bless you, Jesus! Hallelujah!”

And as we worship and celebrate the love of Jesus in our lives, we will find ourselves changed, and we will see the mighty power of God displayed for us and through us.

This was the case in the life of David. His personal times of worship, of being absorbed in God’s love for him, changed him from a mere shepherd boy to a lion killer, bear killer, giant killer and finally, a king over Israel.

Now, no one on earth, no matter how strong he is, let alone a youth, can come against a lion and prize open its mouth to snatch back his sheep which the lion had carried away, unless God’s anointing is on him. And this was indeed what happened to David the shepherd boy who went after the lion, caught it by its beard, struck and killed it, and thus delivered the lamb from its jaws. (1 Samuel 17:34–37)

My friend, no man can truly enjoy living in this world without God’s strength in his life, God’s favor in his work and relationships, God’s protection for him and his family, God’s increase in his finances, and God’s health and healing for his body. Likewise, no woman can survive emotionally, socially or physically without God’s tender touch, loving presence, sweet assurance and words of life in times of need.

Beloved, as you feed on Jesus’ love for you, you will be filled with the fullness of God. Like David, God’s anointing will begin to operate powerfully in your life. And when you encounter spiritual lions, even the devil himself — when he comes like a roaring lion against you, your loved ones or your possessions — you will grab hold of his mouth and tear him apart!

Discerning The Lord’s Body

Discerning The Lord’s Body

1 Corinthians 11:24
24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Have you ever taken a close look at the Matzah bread that the Jews eat during their Passover meal? The bread, which is unleavened, is pierced with rows of little holes forming stripes. It is also slightly burnt. Many churches today use this bread for the Holy Communion.

Do you know why the bread is pierced, striped and burnt?

My friend, the bread that you hold in your hands when you partake of the Lord’s Supper speaks of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ when He bore our sins and sicknesses on the cross.

Like the bread, He was pierced in His brow by the crown of thorns as well as in His hands and feet by the nails. He was also pierced in His side by a soldier’s spear. The prophet Isaiah says, “He was pierced for our transgressions…” (Isaiah 53:5, NIV)

Like the bread, He was scourged on His back until His flesh was all torn and bloody, and His bones were exposed, so that today, you can say, “By His stripes I am healed!” (Isaiah 53:5)

What about the burnt marks on the bread? The full fire of God’s wrath fell on Jesus, burning up our sins into ashes, and at the same time, bringing out the fragrance of the offering of Jesus. Today, your sins and lawless deeds are but ashes, and your Father in heaven remembers them no more! (Hebrews 8:12)

So the next time you partake of the bread during the Holy Communion, know that Jesus was pierced for your sins and scourged for your healing. He bore God’s fiery judgment so that you will never be judged for your sins! He also bore your diseases and carried your pains so that you can walk in divine health!

When you discern these precious truths about our Lord’s body, you are partaking of the Holy Communion in a worthy manner. And you will not be weak and sickly, nor die before your time. (1 Corinthians 11:27–30) No, you will be strong and healthy, and you will live long!

Jesus Is Willing, Be Healed!

Jesus Is Willing, Be Healed!

Matthew 8:3
3Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.”…

Do you know that it is God’s will for you to be healed? In fact, Jesus always healed the sick who came to Him. The blind, lame, maimed, mute, deaf and demon-possessed — He healed them all! (Matthew 8:16)

The Bible says that he who has seen Jesus has seen the Father. (John 14:9) You want to see what God is like? Look at Jesus! He never gave sickness to anybody. You never find Jesus looking at a person, a fine specimen of a man, and saying, “Come here. You are too healthy. Receive some leprosy!” In fact, when a leper came to Him for healing, Jesus, full of compassion, told the leper, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

Unfortunately, there are some Christians who say, “It is God’s will for me to be sick. God has some purpose, some mysterious purpose for my situation. It is all part of His divine plan and we shall all know in the sweet by and by, the reason why!” But these same people go to their doctors to get well. They take their medication and rest. Why do they do that if they really believe that God wants them sick? Doesn’t make sense, does it?

Come on, what makes perfect sense is this: God wants you well. He wants you whole. His will is for you to be healed! In fact, He is so willing that He took all your sicknesses and diseases upon His own body, so that you don’t have to suffer them today! He allowed Himself to be beaten and scourged, so that by His scourging — by His stripes — you are healed! (Isaiah 53:5) Since He has already suffered the sickness on your behalf, why should you suffer it today?

So my friend, if you are sick, know that God did not give you the disease. Read every healing miracle that Jesus did in the Gospels and see how Jesus is the Lord who heals you. (Exodus 15:26) Hear His gracious words, “I am willing, be healed,” and know that they are as much for you today as they were for the leper!

The Power Of Your Words

The Power Of Your Words

Proverbs 18:21
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Most people, when they desperately want something, will say things like, “I am dying for that piece of cake!” Few will say, “I am living for that piece of cake!”

What is worse is that we are quick to mention death when things go wrong. We Singaporeans are quick to say things like, “Die lah! Die lah!” at the drop of a hat. Nobody says, “Live lah! Live lah!”

Yet, the truth is that every word you speak has power — to build or destroy hopes and dreams, to restore or cause loss, to heal or break the spirit, to bring delight or despair, to bless or curse — for God’s Word says that death and life are in the power of the tongue.

So stop lining your words up with the negative circumstances. Instead, start lining your words up with God’s Word and release the power of His Word to work for you.

For example, instead of speaking lack and poverty, say, “God’s Word tells me that the good things are already here. I therefore pronounce my life blessed. I pronounce my life prosperous. I pronounce my life great. Darkness and gloom, poverty and sickness, defeat and depression, will not be in my life!”

Instead of speaking sickness and death, say, “I will live long. I will not die young. Jesus died young for me so that I can live long for Him. I am the righteousness of God in Christ and God’s Word declares that no evil befalls the righteous. So no evil will come on me now and in the future!”

Instead of speaking fear over your children, say, “God’s Word declares that the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. Therefore, my children are delivered from every curse, every power of darkness and every evil. In the name of Jesus, I call forth a great, bright and blessed future for my children!”

God wants you to have a life filled with good days and an abundance of every good thing. So say, “In the name of Jesus, I command blessings, favor, health, prosperity, protection, dominion and power to fill my life!”

Rejoice, O Barren!

Rejoice, O Barren!

Galatians 4:27
27… “Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor…

Barrenness. What a painful and frustrating condition. Yet, in Isaiah 54, God’s Word to those who are experiencing barrenness is to rejoice — “Sing O barren”!

Why? Because in the previous chapter, it tells us that the chastisement for our peace fell upon Jesus. (Isaiah 53:5) The word “peace” here in Hebrew means completeness, soundness, health and prosperity. In other words, all these benefits are yours today because Jesus has already been punished at the cross for your peace. That is why you can start rejoicing.

So God wants you right now, in whatever area you are barren, to start rejoicing as if the fruit or yield you want to see has already come. He wants you to start thinking, speaking and acting as if the barrenness is no more.

If you are financially barren, start planning for what you would do when your finances increase. I am not saying that you go out and spend recklessly, but start making plans for wealth and increase. The time to do this is when you are still in what your natural eyes see as a barren stage.

You may say, “Pastor Prince, you don’t understand, the banks are chasing me!”

God says, “Rejoice because you are prosperous in Christ.” In Christ, you are already blessed with every spiritual blessing, including prosperity. (Ephesians 1:3) “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)

If you are sick, start planning to do what you have not been able to do. Don’t rejoice only when the healing manifests and the pain is no more. Rejoice now in your healing because Jesus has already borne your diseases and carried your pains, and by His stripes you have already been healed. (Isaiah 53:4–5)

Whatever barren situation you are in, rejoice and tell God, “Father, because of the sacrifice of Your Son, I am blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. You have already given me everything. So I am going to act like it is so and rejoice!”

Right Believing Produces Right Living

Right Believing Produces Right Living

Luke 19:8
8Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”

Zacchaeus was a tax collector. He was despised because he was a deceitful man, cheating people of their money and resorting to false accusations to get what he wanted.

One day, Jesus visited him. The Bible makes no mention of Jesus rebuking him for his dishonest lifestyle the whole time they were together. Instead, Jesus showed him grace and honor by spending time with him. Before long, Zacchaeus stood up and declared to Jesus that he would restore fourfold to anyone he had taken from illegally, and would even give half of his goods to the poor.

A moment with Jesus completely changed Zacchaeus’ heart. A moment with grace in person — without accusations, condemnation or judgment — caused such an inward transformation that in a short time, Zacchaeus was doing outwardly what was right and in a measure no man would have expected of him!

Many people want to live right. Their concern with right living makes them focus on themselves and the things they struggle with. But it is right believing that produces right living. If you are trying to break free from an addiction that has bound you for many years, believe that Jesus loves you so much that at the cross, He paid the price for you to be completely free from any addiction. Believe that by His stripes you are healed and delivered.

One member in our church had a smoking addiction. But each time he lit up a cigarette, he would believe that God was not judging or condemning him, and that he was still the righteousness of God in Christ. One day, he woke up impressed by the Spirit that that day would mark the start of a smoke-free life. Expecting to be assaulted by the usual cravings to smoke, he prayed this throughout the day: “Thank You, Jesus, for by Your stripes I am healed.” Before he knew it, the day passed without him lighting up or suffering any withdrawal pangs! And since then, he has been totally free of this addiction.

Today, if you want to experience right living, find out what Christ has done for you and what you have in Him — and believe it!

God Helps The Helpless

God Helps The Helpless

Psalm 63:7
7Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

I have had people tell me, “Pastor Prince, please pray for me. I can’t see a way out of the mess I am in. I know that this whole thing is my fault. Right now, I don’t even know whether God will hear my prayers.”

If you think about it, a whole lot of our troubles are of our own making. But it is when we deserve the punishment and not the blessing that we can receive grace — the undeserved favor and unmerited help of God!

When we stop trying to be deserving of God’s help, we find God more than willing to be our Savior. But when we continue to try to work things out, we are trying to be our own saviors. God will say, “Save yourself because I can’t help you when you don’t need My help.”

You might be thinking, “But Pastor Prince, don’t you know, God helps those who help themselves?”

Contrary to popular belief, this saying that “God helps those who help themselves” is not in the Bible! God does not help those who help themselves. He helps those who are helpless and dependent on Him. He helps those who look to Him as their only source of help for their problem.

If you say, “My problem is that I am weak.” God says, “That is not a problem. I am your strength.” If you say, “Lord, my face is the problem. I am ugly.” God says, “My face will shine on yours. I am your glory.” If you say, “Lord, I am the problem. I am a nobody.” God says, “I will make you a somebody.”

Unfortunately, many of us are still trying to help ourselves, thinking that for certain matters, we don’t really need God. But God says, “Without Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Do we really believe that? Or do we believe that without Him, we can still do some things to help ourselves?

Only when we realize that we can do nothing, and are nothing in and of ourselves, can we do all things through Christ who strengthens us! (Philippians 4:13) Then, we will see the undeserved, unmerited help and favor of God deliver us from every evil!

Believe And Act On The New Covenant

Believe And Act On The New Covenant

1 Samuel 17:45
45Then David said to the Philistine, “… I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Ever wonder why two people can hear the same thing and yet have very different responses? For one, what is said makes him afraid and discouraged. For the other, his heart is so filled with faith that he dares to come against the devil and what he is doing.

In the Valley of Elah, Goliath the Philistine giant taunted the armies of Israel for 40 days. When David came on the scene, he heard the same mockings of Goliath that the rest of the Israelites heard. But somehow, those same words which caused fear in the soldiers angered David. What did David know or see that the others failed to see?

David knew that he had a covenant with God. Now, King Saul and all the soldiers with him that day also had the same covenant with God, but only David believed the covenant. And he acted on his belief. So God caused his giant to come tumbling down.

If David had such a great victory even though he was under the old covenant, how much more you and I who are under the new covenant! Today, God is asking, “Where are my Davids who will believe the new covenant?”

What is the new covenant? It is the covenant of grace. And grace means unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor. God wants us to know that He has cut this covenant with us through Christ our representative. And according to the covenant, we have His undeserved favor. We are blessed because Jesus took our beating. Because of what Jesus has done on the cross, we have victory over every giant.

Isn’t that good news? Today, God wants you to stand before your “giant” and declare that in spite of what you are going through, in spite of what is happening, you believe that God is for you because of what Jesus has done for you. And then, before your very eyes, you will see the giants of accusation, intimidation, condemnation, disease and debt fall flat before you!

Boast In God’s Grace For You

Boast In God’s Grace For You

1 Corinthians 1:31
31… “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

If someone asks you, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” you would probably tell him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved,” wouldn’t you?

Well, a rich, young ruler asked Jesus the same question, but instead of telling him to believe in Him, Jesus gave him the law. (Mark 10:17–22)

Jesus saw that the young ruler lived his life taking pride in his ability to keep the law to earn salvation and the favor of God. But because of His love for the man, Jesus had to show him that those who live by the law must realize that their self-efforts cannot save them.

He therefore reminded him, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery… ‘Do not steal... ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” The young ruler showed that his trust was in his law-keeping when he replied, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”

So Jesus had to tell him, “One thing you lack… sell whatever you have and give to the poor… and come… and follow Me.” When the young ruler heard that, he walked away sorrowful.

When we boast of having kept the law, it will always point out something we lack or have failed to obey. The law is so holy and perfect that if we don’t keep even one iota of it, it has no choice but to judge and curse us. (Galatians 3:10) That is what the law was designed to do.

God does not want us to boast in our abilities to keep the law. If we are to have confidence in anything at all, if we are to boast in anything at all, it is in the grace of God. Only His grace can completely keep, save, heal, deliver and bless us.

So let’s not boast in what we have done or are able to do, but boast in His grace for us — that He is our strength, health, favor, prosperity, wisdom, hope, salvation and glory. That is how we will see ourselves enjoying our inheritance of abundant life!

Everlasting Righteousness

Everlasting Righteousness

Daniel 9:24
24“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness…

On Sunday, we hear a message that says, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.” On Monday, we are still confessing, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.” But come Wednesday or Thursday, we begin to confess our sins! Then, when Sunday comes, we get a fresh revelation of our righteousness in Christ and we start to confess our righteousness again. Why do we do that?

It cannot be that on Sunday, we are righteous. Then, a few days later, we become unrighteous because of sin, but are “re-righteoused” when Sunday comes again. No, our righteousness is an “everlasting righteousness”! Jesus has obtained “eternal redemption” for us. (Hebrews 9:12)

“But Pastor Prince, I have just sinned. How can I still be righteous?”

My friend, it is not what you do that makes you righteous. It is what Christ has done at Calvary. Romans 5:19 says, “For as by one man’s [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” It is the obedience of one Man — Christ — and not your obedience, that has made you righteous!

God wants you established in what Christ has done. He wants you conscious of your everlasting righteousness in Christ. How do you do that? You can listen to anointed messages that remind you of your righteousness in Christ. And don’t just know it in your head. Speak it. Every morning, tell yourself, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ!” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

You don’t need a revelation of how sinful you are. You know it when you sin. The devil reminds you of your sins. Even your friends and loved ones sometimes point out your sins. What you need, instead, is a revelation of how forever righteous you are in God’s eyes, especially when you sin.

And when you are conscious of this gift of righteousness that is everlasting, you will reign in life! (Romans 5:17) You will reign over sin, bad habits, sicknesses, lack and everything that holds you back from a victorious life!

Worship God As You Are

Worship God As You Are

Ephesians 5:27
27that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Have you been to a worship service where you stood with your hands raised, ready to worship God, only to hear the worship leader say, “Before we worship God, let’s all search our hearts”? Then, as you search your heart, before long, you dig up something that you don’t like. The next thing you know, your hands are no longer raised and soon, you find yourself sitting down — you don’t feel good worshiping God any more.

My friend, I have good news for you. Come and worship Him as you are. Come into God’s presence Jesus-conscious, forgiveness-conscious and grace-conscious! Come into God’s presence bringing only Jesus the spotless Lamb of God as your offering.

Your worshiping God is like the times God’s people in the Old Testament brought their offerings to the priest. The priest examined the animal sacrifice to ensure that it was without blemish. The priest did not examine the sinner. If the animal was without blemish, God accepted the animal sacrifice as well as the offerer who brought the animal.

So when you come into God’s presence, don’t do any self-examination and be discouraged when you find faults in your life. God does not examine you. He sees you through the full value, and all the loveliness and acceptance of His Son. (Ephesians 1:6) He sees you holy and without blemish!

Remember the woman who was referred to as a sinner, possibly a prostitute? She went to the house of the Pharisee who was hosting Jesus and wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair. (Luke 7:36–50) That was her act of worship.

She came to Him as she was. Yes, she knew that she had sinned, but she worshiped Jesus first because of who He is. She was Jesus-conscious. Then, she heard Jesus say, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48) She received the forgiveness she needed from Him.

Whatever you need from the Savior, come to Him as you are. Worship Him for who He is and then you will hear Him say, “Go your way. Your restoration has come. Your prosperity is here. You are healed. You have been made whole!”

The Sure Symbol Of God’s Love

The Sure Symbol Of God’s Love

Romans 5:8
8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Imagine this scenario: Your car tire blows and you are late for work. At the office, you find out that someone else got the promotion you had been hoping for. Then, you receive a call from home informing you that your kitchen pipes are leaking again. Before long, you hear a voice telling you, “If God loves you so much, how come all these things are happening to you?”

Perhaps you are asking the same question today and wondering if God really loves you. Well, I want you to know that you must never judge God’s love for you based on your circumstances. No, look at the cross instead! The cross is the sure symbol of God’s love for you. It is at the cross that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.

A teenager learnt that the cross indeed spoke of how much God loves her. At one point in her life, she was contemplating suicide as the only way out of her health problems. She had intended to take some Panadol tablets with a bottle of vodka. She was all ready to die when she started clicking aimlessly on some MP3 songs in her computer. And of all the songs that were on her screen, she picked a beautiful song written by one of our church musicians.

The lyrics of the song, sung by one of our church vocalists, spoke of being held by God’s love and being treasured in His sight. They touched this teenager. Sensing that an awesome God with His amazing love was reaching out to her, she abandoned her plan to kill herself. Not long after that, she wrote to our church and even met the worship leader who had sung the song. The worship leader counseled her and she came to know how much God loves her and how He has demonstrated His love for her through the cross.

Beloved, when you look at your life and find yourself wondering if God really loves you, look to the cross and see God’s outstretched arms. It will remind and reassure you of how much He loves you!

Superabundant Supply In Your Area Of Lack

Superabundant Supply In Your Area Of Lack

Philippians 4:19
19And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Are you facing a lack in any area of your life, be it finances, health or relationships? Know that in that very same area, God has already prepared His superabundant supply which will abound toward you, and on top of that, His grace and more of His grace!

In John 6:1–13, Jesus was with a large crowd of people who were hungry. The problem then was a lack of food. But Jesus knew that where there is lack, there is superabundant supply in His Father’s kingdom to overcome that lack.

His disciples, however, did not know that. They did not think the same way as Jesus did. They told Him that there was a boy with five loaves and two small fish, but they did not think that that would amount to anything. They said, “What are the five loaves and two fish among so many?” (John 6:9)

They saw only the problem, the lack. But Jesus took the little, lifted it up as He looked to heaven and gave thanks to His Father, whose supply is so much more than we can ever ask for.

When Jesus started distributing the little that was in His hands, a miracle happened. Five thousand men, not counting women and children, ate as much as they wanted and for as long as they were hungry!

The supply kept flowing as long as the need was there. And after they were so filled, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers! That is God’s superabundant supply. In God’s kingdom, there is no such thing as the Father not having enough or not wanting to give abundantly to His children. No, He promises that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!

My friend, God wants us to always be conscious of His grace abounding toward us and enveloping us. So let us, like Jesus, acknowledge God’s superabundant supply by thanking Him for it and for whatever is in our hands. Let us believe that His superabundant supply will flow and multiply the little that we have, and fill us up to overflowing!

Your Father’s Heart

Your Father’s Heart

Matthew 7:11
11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Let me tell you a true story I heard. There was a pastor whose young child was diagnosed with cancer. The day his boy was scheduled for an operation, this father cried out to God, “God, I’m almost 30 years old, but my boy is only about three months old. Why don’t you just take some years off my life and give them to my boy?”

Then, from deep within him, he heard the voice of God say, “I am not like that.” When the man heard that, he realized immediately that his son’s sickness was not from God. He also realized that if he, who has faults, could want his child well, how much more his heavenly Father. So he changed his prayer and said, “Father God, I come against this sickness and I ask you for healing for my child.” That day, on the operating table, the surgeons could find no trace of cancer in the child!

Today, God wants you to know that He is not the kind of Father who wants you sick and defeated, keeps you poor and wanting, refuses to provide for your needs and denies you your blessings.

When my daughter Jessica was younger, I bought a beautiful teddy bear for her. Teddy bears are her favorite toys and I could not wait to see her joy when she saw it. My joy is to see her happy. When she is sick and has difficulty sleeping at night, it hurts me to hear her cry. When she is crying, I cannot ignore her cries. I enter into her discomfort and pain even though I know that her sickness is something that will pass shortly. When she is in pain, I feel the pain too. When she is sad, I am sad too.

I believe that God gives us children to help us understand what His Father-heart is like. His joy is to enter into your joy and see you happy. If you, in spite of your faults, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to you when you ask Him! My prayer today is that you will know just how much your Father loves you!