'God, What's The Hurry?'

Luke 15:22
22“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.’”

If you are a believer, you are probably familiar with the story of the prodigal son that Jesus shared. Who do you think represents the father in the story? Jesus’ Father in heaven, of course. Jesus was giving us a picture of His Father, who is also our Father.

In the story, the father was seen running towards his son, who was returning home. (Luke 15:20) Do you realise that God is never described as being in a hurry in the Bible? God is always cool and composed. The only time He is portrayed as being in a hurry is in this story. The father held up his robe and ran. Where was he running to? And why was he in such a hurry?

The father was in a hurry because he had seen his son, who was still a long way from home. He was running towards His child. He could not wait to hold His child tight in His arms and to kiss him. (Luke 15:20)

The father was in a hurry to clothe him with the best robe. Once, a prince named Jonathan gave his princely robe to David, bestowing on him his princely position. (1 Samuel 18:4) God has put the best robe on us, and in doing so, He was not bestowing but reinstating our positions, which we had lost when Adam fell, as kings of the Most High God. (Revelation 1:6)

The father was in a hurry to put a ring on his hand. Like the authority held by the signet ring of a rich man’s son, God is eager to put back into our hands the authority to invoke His name so that we can walk in dominion every day.

The father was in a hurry to put sandals on his feet to assure him that he was still his son — only servants went about barefoot. God never wants us to feel like outcasts. We are always His sons and daughters.

Beloved, if God appears to be in a hurry, it is because He is in a hurry to assure you of your position as His precious child!

Called From Your Mother's Womb

Galatians 1:15
15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace...

God has specially called you from your mother’s womb. You have a calling and a destiny in Christ!

There are Christians who are called by God to be doctors. But I believe that among them are those separated from their mothers’ wombs for the healing ministry. They are passionate about seeking cures to alleviate the sufferings of humanity.

Likewise, I think that there are Christians who are called by God to be teachers in secular schools. But among them are those separated from their mothers’ wombs to be Bible teachers. What gives them tremendous fulfilment is seeing lives saved and transformed under their teaching.

What about those famous magicians you see performing tricks on television? They have a love for the mystical and supernatural. If they were to become Christians, they might just become prophets with ministries marked by the miraculous!

The apostle Paul knew that he was called from his mother’s womb. He had a misguided passion for God though, as he was persecuting the church, until he had his encounter with Jesus. (Acts 8:3, 9:1–6) If Paul, a terrorist to the early church, could be touched by Christ to become an apostle of grace, what about today’s terrorists who kill in the name of God? For all you know, if they receive Christ, they might just become trailblazers in the kingdom of God!

Now, don’t think that your calling has to do with your qualifications, abilities, achievements or even your walk with God. You were called from your mother’s womb. As a foetus in your mother’s womb, there was not much you could do — good or bad. That is why your calling is all by His grace. And since He has given you a calling, ask the Holy Spirit to help you discern the desires that He has placed in your heart, the passions that drive you in life, and fulfil your calling and destiny in Christ!

The Mind Of Christ Doesn't Grow Old

1 Corinthians 2:16
16... we have the mind of Christ.

“Oh dear, my memory is not as good as it used to be. I must be getting old.”

Have you heard that before? Maybe you have even said it yourself a couple of times!

But who says that as you grow older, you are supposed to forget things?

When the late Reverend Kenneth E Hagin was in his eighties, he was still healthy and strong. This amazing man of God would run around the platform as he preached. And if you have ever heard him preach, you would have heard him say things like, “In 1936, on September 13 at 3.30pm, it was a Wednesday…” Even at that age, the man’s memory was superb!

But he shared one time about how he had started to forget things when he was in his fifties. He had read a medical journal which said that every day millions of cells in our brains die. He didn’t realise it, but those words got into his spirit and he started to forget things.

So he asked the Lord, “What is happening to me?” And the Lord said, “You read that article and you believed it.” He repented and asked the Lord what he should do. The Lord said, “Confess My Word. My Word says that you have the mind of Christ, and the mind of Christ never forgets.” He started to confess that he had the mind of Christ and that was how his memory remained sharp for the rest of his life.

My friend, the Word of God says that you have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is not forgetful, slow or old! I don’t care how old you get. You don’t have to become forgetful. Don’t believe and confess what medical science or your friends say. Believe and confess the Word of God which brings life.

The power of life and death is in your tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) So use your tongue for life. Don’t sit around saying, “I am getting old and forgetful.” Say, “I have the mind of Christ. My mind is sharp and quick because it is the mind of Christ!” Believe it, confess it, and see your thinking and memory live up to it!

God Will Surely Show You Kindness

2 Samuel 9:7
7So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”

When the people in the palace heard that King Saul and his son Jonathan had died in battle, they panicked. Fearful that David was coming to seize the throne, and kill all the sons and grandsons of Saul, they ran for their lives. A nurse took Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, and ran. But as she fled, the five-year-old boy fell and became lame in both feet. (2 Samuel 4:4)

The poor boy would not have been crippled if they had known that David actually loved Jonathan and Saul, and would have looked after Jonathan’s boy because he had made a covenant with Jonathan. (1 Samuel 18:3)

In this story, King Saul represents the human race. He is like Adam who sinned against God and forfeited all that God gave to man. He had the position, but not the power anymore because of sin. Jonathan, who came from Saul, represents Jesus, who came as a human. Jonathan was not like Saul — he was good, just as Jesus is not like Adam — He is the perfect Man. David represents God. So Jonathan’s covenant with David speaks of Jesus’ covenant with God. Mephibosheth represents believers today who are “lame” in some way — sick, depressed, fearful, poor and so on.

Now, Mephibosheth became lame because of bad news that was based on a lie. Many believers today are suffering needlessly because they believe the wrong things about God. They think, “My sin has found me out! God is coming after me!”

Well, I have good news for all Mephibosheths: David is not after your life! When David looked for Mephibosheth, it was to show him kindness, to take care of him and restore to him the land that belonged to Saul his grandfather.

Likewise, God is not out to get you. He knows all about your sins and still loves you. That is why He sent Jesus as the payment for your sins. And because of Jesus’ covenant with Him, He says to you, “Don’t be afraid, I will surely show you kindness. I will restore all to you and you shall always eat at My table!”

The Mind Of Christ Doesn't Grow Old

1 Corinthians 2:16
16... we have the mind of Christ.

“Oh dear, my memory is not as good as it used to be. I must be getting old.”

Have you heard that before? Maybe you have even said it yourself a couple of times!

But who says that as you grow older, you are supposed to forget things?

When the late Reverend Kenneth E Hagin was in his eighties, he was still healthy and strong. This amazing man of God would run around the platform as he preached. And if you have ever heard him preach, you would have heard him say things like, “In 1936, on September 13 at 3.30pm, it was a Wednesday…” Even at that age, the man’s memory was superb!

But he shared one time about how he had started to forget things when he was in his fifties. He had read a medical journal which said that every day millions of cells in our brains die. He didn’t realise it, but those words got into his spirit and he started to forget things.

So he asked the Lord, “What is happening to me?” And the Lord said, “You read that article and you believed it.” He repented and asked the Lord what he should do. The Lord said, “Confess My Word. My Word says that you have the mind of Christ, and the mind of Christ never forgets.” He started to confess that he had the mind of Christ and that was how his memory remained sharp for the rest of his life.

My friend, the Word of God says that you have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is not forgetful, slow or old! I don’t care how old you get. You don’t have to become forgetful. Don’t believe and confess what medical science or your friends say. Believe and confess the Word of God which brings life.

The power of life and death is in your tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) So use your tongue for life. Don’t sit around saying, “I am getting old and forgetful.” Say, “I have the mind of Christ. My mind is sharp and quick because it is the mind of Christ!” Believe it, confess it, and see your thinking and memory live up to it!

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? If you ask a non-believing Jew why it has to be prepared this way, he may not know why.

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? 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, 10:17)

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 all the days of your life!

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, or die before your time (1 Corinthians 11:27–30), but you will be strong, healthy and live long!

Shepherd and Sheep By Pastor Joseph Prince

God wants us to rest in Him...

Jesus Bore Your Diseases!

Isaiah 53:4
4Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…

Imagine the dreadful disease leprosy eating a man alive. The poor leper in Matthew 8:2 could stand his suffering no longer, so he came out into the open to look for Jesus. He needed to know if Jesus was willing to heal him. So when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Matthew 8:2) The Son of God looked at the outcast with love in His eyes, reached out His hand, touched him and said, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (Matthew 8:3)

Perhaps you are suffering from some disease and wondering if God is willing to heal you? And you are not sure if He is willing because just as you have seen people get healed, you have also seen people not get healed. My friend, don’t look to people’s experiences, look to the cross! As surely as Jesus bore away your sins, He also bore away your diseases!

I want to give you a solid foundation today for believing this truth. In Isaiah 53, the chapter on our Lord’s crucifixion, it says in verse four: “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows”. Now, let’s learn a little Hebrew. The words “griefs” and “sorrows” here mean “sicknesses” and “pains” in the original Hebrew text. So Isaiah is referring to physical healing.

Once, I asked a Jewish friend to read this verse in his Hebrew Bible and tell me what it means. He told me that his Bible says clearly that Jesus has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains.

If that is not enough, look at Matthew 8:16–17: “… they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’” Matthew quotes Isaiah 53:4, saying that Jesus took our “infirmities” and bore our “sicknesses”. And the context is physical healing.

Beloved, if you will just believe this report, your days of sickness will be over. You will walk in greater health because the One who has surely borne your sicknesses and carried your pains says to you, “I am willing, be cleansed!”

What Have You Been Saying?

Psalm 91:2
2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”

When a great storm arose as Jesus and His disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, He did not say to His disciples, “The storm is here to teach us courage.” Instead, He took authority over the storm and said, “Peace, be still!” And there was a perfect calm. (Mark 4:39)

When He met the widow of Nain whose only son had died, and on another occasion, the two sisters whose brother Lazarus had died, He didn’t tell them, “God wanted to take him home.” No, He spoke to the dead son: “Young man, I say to you, arise.” (Luke 7:14) And standing outside Lazarus’ tomb, He said, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43) And both men came back to life.

What have you been saying about your situation?

When you feel the pain in your body, do not say of the Lord, “God wants me sick to teach me to trust Him more.” Instead, say, “Lord Jesus, I thank You that by Your stripes I am healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

While trying to make ends meet, do not say of the Lord, “The Lord keeps me poor to keep me humble.” Instead, say, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)

And if you have an intimidating boss at work, do not say, “The Lord is my patience, I will endure.” Instead, say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6)

We are living in the last days where there are terrorist bombings and new diseases being discovered, and the world is afraid. But we will not speak negative words and be fearful like the people of the world. Instead, we will speak God’s Word and reign over these things. Like the psalmist, we will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”

So find out what God’s Word says, believe it and say it to your situation. And because God’s Word cannot return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11), you will see what you believe and confess come to pass!

Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

Mark 8:29
29He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

Do you know that how you see Jesus determines what you receive from Him? If you see Jesus as your healer, you will receive healing. If you see Jesus as your refuge and fortress, you will receive protection.

The people from Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, saw Jesus in the natural. They said of Him, “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us?” (Matthew 13:55–56) They saw Jesus in the natural. They did not see Him as God in the flesh. As a result, He could not do many mighty works there. (Matthew 13:58)

Many people, including some philosophers, see Jesus of Nazareth as a good man who led an exemplary life. They feel that if all of us could live our lives like Him, the world would be a better place. They do not see Jesus as the bread of God who came from heaven to give life to the world. (John 6:33) They do not see Him as the one who came to give them living water so that they would never thirst again. (John 4:14) They do not see Him as the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) They do not receive from Him what they need because they do not esteem Him rightly.

But Jesus did not come just to set a good example. He came to be your Redeemer. (Galatians 3:13) He came to be your righteousness. (1 Corinthians 1:30) He came to be your Shepherd so that you will not lack anything. (Psalm 23:1)
Jesus asked His disciples once, “But who do you say that I am?” How you answer this question depends on how you see Jesus. And how you see Jesus is how you will receive from Him. So see Him as your God, as everything He claims to be in His Word, and He will do mighty works in your life!

You Matter To God!

John 10:3
3… he calls his own sheep by name…

Do you sometimes feel like you are just a face in a crowd or a number in a system? You are identified by your identity card number or passport number. Even when you see the doctor, you are called by your queue number. If you feel depersonalised and dehumanised, that is exactly how the devil wants you to feel — that you do not matter much to anyone, especially to God.

But you do matter to God! He calls you by name. He knows what you are going through and where you are hurting. He sees you and cares for you, just as He cared for the people when He first walked on earth.

On one occasion, Jesus crossed all the way to the other side of the lake, even defying the devil’s attempt to drown Him (Luke 8:22–39), because a man who was demonised was calling out to Him for help. Jesus heard him and crossed an entire lake just to go to him. My friend, Jesus came a long way from heaven to come to you. You certainly matter to Him!

Even now, if you have problems in your life, Jesus sees you and He will not pass you by. He will do for you what He did for the woman at Samaria. There was a shorter route from Judea to Galilee, but the Bible said, “He needed to go through Samaria.” (John 4:4) Jesus purposely took a longer route because He wanted to stop by Samaria to speak to the woman who had been searching for things to satisfy her in her life. Now, Jesus has come to offer you the more abundant life too. (John 10:10)

In Luke 5:12–13, Jesus touched the leper and healed him. Although He could heal from afar, which He did for the 10 lepers in Luke 17:12–14, Jesus chose to heal this leper by touching him. The leper had been dehumanised, after being cut off from society for such a long time. Jesus’ personal touch gave him more than a new lease in life — it made him whole.

In the same way, Jesus has a personal love for you because you matter to Him. He calls you by name, sees beyond your every fault and wants to meet your every need!

Call It Forth!

Romans 4:17
17… God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

“Pastor Prince, I feel the pain in my body. How can I go around saying that Christ has redeemed me from this sickness? How can I say that by His stripes I am healed?”

Well, God’s way is to call those things that are not as though they are. And because you are made in God’s image, you can also call those things that are not as though they are.

When God wanted to make Abraham a father of many nations, what did He do? He changed the way Abraham talked. At that time, Abraham did not even have a single child from Sarah because she was barren. So how could he become a father of many?

God changed the way he talked by changing his name from Abram to Abraham, which means “father of many nations”. (Genesis 17:5) Just imagine: From then on, every time he met someone, he would say, “Hi, my name is Father Of Many Nations.” Every time dinner was ready, Sarah would call out to Abraham who was out in the field, “Darling… Father Of Many Nations … dinner is ready! Father Of Many Nations…” You can just hear their neighbours saying, “They want a child so much they have gone mad!” But God changed the way Abraham talked, so that he called forth what God saw him already blessed with.

You know, when Jesus saw the man with a withered hand, He did not say, “My goodness! It is so withered!” He said, “Stretch forth your hand!” (Matthew 12:13) He called forth what He wanted. He looked at the paralytic and said, “Rise, take up your bed and walk!” (Matthew 9:6) He did not see the way it was in the natural. He saw the way God meant it to be and He called it forth.

Genesis 1 tells us that in the beginning, there was darkness over the face of the whole earth. God saw the darkness and He said, “Light be!” And light was. God called forth what He wanted and it became so! If it were you or me, we would probably have said, “Whoa! It is so dark!”

My friend, despite the pain, call forth your healing. It is pointless to state the obvious. No, change the way you talk. See the way God meant it to be, and start calling forth your healing and wholeness!

God Remembers Your Sins No More

Hebrews 10:17
17… “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

I don’t know about you, but I would say that Hebrews 10:17 is good news. God sees all our sins — past, present and future — and says, “Your sins I remember no more!” The words “no more” are a strong double negative in the original Greek text. In other words, God is saying, “Your sins I will never, by no means, remember!”

Has God lowered His standards? No, God is still perfectly holy. God did remember all our sins — 2,000 years ago at the cross. Every single sin we have ever committed or will ever commit has been punished to the full in the body of Jesus Christ, on the cross. That is why today, God remembers our sins no more. We should, therefore, not be sin-conscious.

Each time we fall into sin, God wants us to remember the cross and say, “Lord Jesus, you were sentenced for this sin I committed. You bore the judgment, so God will not judge me for this sin. You were condemned for this sin, so God will not condemn me for this sin.”

If you don’t revert to the cross, you will become sin-conscious and you will walk around with a certain expectation of judgment. And that expectation of judgment will give the devil a chance to make you think that God has something against you because of your sin.

You must come to the place where you know and believe that all your sins are forgiven, that there is no sin that will ever disqualify you from God’s blessings, that there is no sin that will ever send you to hell, because you are forgiven and saved eternally.

Hebrews 10:12, 14 says, “But this Man [Jesus], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God… For by one offering He has perfected forever… ”

We are perfected forever because of Jesus’ perfect work on the cross. We are perfected by God’s full acceptance and perfect delight in His Son’s work that has so glorified His holiness. So today, God says to you, “I will be merciful. Your sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Time To Use Your Authority

Exodus 14:15–16
15And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

The problem with the body of Christ today is not that we are not praying. We are praying. But many of us are praying desperate prayers. We are praying, “God, help… God, please… God, do something about the devil…”

If you are smiling a little by now, most likely, you know about such prayers and might have prayed a couple yourself. God does not want you to pray pleading prayers all the time. He wants you to use the authority He has given you to pray powerful prayers, to boldly command and to “stretch out your hand” to perform miracles.

When Moses stood before the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s armies in hot pursuit, the Bible tells us that he cried out to God. But God told him, “Why do you cry to Me?”

There is a time for you to cry out to God and there is a time for you to use your authority. God told Moses, “Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it.”

The “rod” you have is the name of Jesus. As you command in Jesus’ name, your “sea” will open and you will go on dry ground through the midst of your problem.

Do you realise that Jesus did not say, “Go and pray for the sick”? He said, “Go and heal the sick.” (Matthew 10:8) So stop pleading and asking, and start using the authority you have in Christ.

Jesus told the church, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore…” (Matthew 28:18–19) God wants you to go and use the authority that He has given you. And as you go, miracles will flow!

His Blood Keeps On Cleansing You

His Blood Keeps On Cleansing You


1 John 1:7
7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

During the day, the devil may whisper in your head, “You cannot go into God’s presence because you have not been reading your Bible and serving in church.” Or he will tell you that it is because of the sin which you have just committed.

The devil will always make you feel that you are not qualified or clean enough to go near God. But the truth is, regardless of how you feel and what you have done, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

In the original Greek text, the tense for the word “cleanses” denotes a present continuous action. This means that once you are a believer, the blood of Jesus Christ keeps on cleansing you from every sin!

So you can rest knowing that you are always forgiven in this continuous “wash cycle” of Jesus’ blood. Because you are continually cleansed, you are always in the light. Of course, you will fail here and there, but you are still in the light because the blood is there continuously washing you!

The Bible says that we overcome the devil, the accuser of our brethren, by the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 12:11) If you have sinned, remind yourself that Jesus’ blood keeps on cleansing you from every sin — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — and go on with God! The devil cannot defeat you when your faith is in the blood that cleanses you continuously.

Some Christians are guilt-stricken because their consciousness of their sins condemns them. Although Jesus’ blood continuously cleanses them, they hold on to their past mistakes and feel bad about them, thinking that they are being humble and holy when they do this. But this is nothing more than self-righteousness.

My friend, the eternal blood of Jesus Christ offers you eternal redemption and everlasting righteousness. My friend, it is time for you to accept the payment of Jesus’ blood as the final sacrifice!

From 'Deliverance' To 'No Evil Shall Touch You'

Job 5:19
19He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.

God will deliver you from all your troubles. (2 Timothy 4:18) But deliverance is actually not the best that God has for you because it implies that you are in trouble. God’s best for you is the place where no trouble or evil can touch you. And with God’s help, you will come to that place because the Bible says, “He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.”

This does not mean that God will deliver you only six times. It just means that as you keep believing God’s promises of protection, after some time, you will come to a place where no evil will touch you!

So when trouble comes, God does not want you to be discouraged. He wants you to know that it is only the devil trying to steal God’s Word from your heart. The devil is afraid of leaving God’s Word in your heart for even one second because he knows that it will lead you to a place where no evil can touch you. That is why he comes immediately to steal God’s Word from your heart.

He will do so by telling you, “Look, your child is sick. Where is God now?” You must not respond by saying, “Well, I guess it does not work. Maybe God’s promises of deliverance are not for my family.”

No, you must continue to stand on God’s promises. Say, “The previous flu my child had did not stay. God promises me deliverance and He did deliver my child then. So I will live life believing God’s promises of deliverance because His Word is true. And I will come to a place where no evil can touch me and my family!”

Even if in the next moment you happen to stub your toe against something hard, don’t be discouraged and wonder why God did not protect your toe. No, thank God that the devil had meant to cause greater harm to you but could not. Thank God that He delivered you. And keep standing on His promises until you come to the place where no evil can touch you!

Flow With Righteousness, Peace And Joy

Romans 14:17
17For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

If we are supposed to seek first the kingdom of God every day (Matthew 6:33), then we should know what the kingdom of God is in the first place. I used to think that the kingdom of God was the mission fields and that to seek it meant doing missionary work.

Then, I realised that the kingdom of God was not something outside you flowing in — “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking”, but something inside you flowing out — “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.

So to seek first God’s kingdom means to make it a priority every day to have your inner man flowing with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Righteousness is not your own righteousness based on what you do. It is not good works. It is a gift from Jesus who is your righteousness. (Romans 5:17, 1 Corinthians 1:30) God wants you to be established in the truth that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“Peace be with you” were the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples when He appeared before them after His resurrection. He also showed them His pierced hands and side. (John 20:19–20) God wants you to know that His Son’s finished work has given you peace. Your conscience can be at rest because your sin debt has been settled. You have peace with God, and the peace of God.

Joy will come into your heart when you see Jesus in the scriptures, worship songs or anointed preaching. It is the same joy from the Holy Spirit which filled the disciples’ hearts when they saw Jesus, His hands and His side. (John 20:20)

So every day, make it a priority to see yourself righteous in Christ. Don’t be conscious of your sins, but instead be conscious of your righteousness. And whether you are reading your Bible or listening to anointed preaching, see Jesus with His pierced hands and side, which speak of His finished work. See that your sins are forgiven, and you will flow with peace and joy. When you do this, you are seeking the kingdom of God!

Every Curse Destroyed In Your Life!

Galatians 3:13
13Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”).

Do you know that when Jesus died, our sins were forgiven because He shed His blood? Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22) But why did Jesus have to die on the cross, since the capital punishment of Israel during the time of Christ was stoning, not crucifixion?

Jesus died on the cross because He knew the law which says, “… for he who is hanged is accursed of God”. (Deuteronomy 21:23) And He wanted to redeem us from every curse of the law, so He went to the cross, “having become a curse for us”. Jesus took all our curses at the cross so that we can take all His blessings!

The moment you received Jesus, every curse in your life was destroyed. And the way you experience it is to simply believe and confess what Jesus has done for you. Say, “Because of Jesus, I am blessed.”

So even if there is an area in your life in which you feel oppressed, for example, a skin condition that refuses to heal, you say, “Christ has redeemed me from this skin condition. I refuse it and reject it in Jesus’ name because by His stripes, I am healed!” (1 Peter 2:24)

“But Pastor, my father died of cancer. His father died of cancer. And I have been told that there is a likelihood that I might get it. It is in our blood!”

Yes, but it is the blood of Christ shed at the cross that has redeemed you from all curses, including diseases like cancer. God put the curse of cancer on Jesus on the cross. And He puts all the blessings of Jesus on you. Therefore, the only things that will come upon you and overtake you are the blessings of Jesus!

Double For Your Trouble!

Zechariah 9:12
12Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

I am sure that you have heard of the expression, “When life throws lemons at you, make lemonade!” Well, I want you to know that when the devil throws lemons at you, God Himself will make lemonade for you! After all, the Bible says that God works all things together for your good. (Romans 8:28)

And He does it with style — He restores double for your trouble! Even if you have lost a husband or wife through a divorce, or a precious child through death, God can restore double to you, so that you end up having more than before, if not in quantity, then in quality!

Consider Job in the Old Testament. When Job lost everything, his friends told him to curse God and die. He refused and, instead, responded to God in faith, and “the Lord gave to Job twice as much as he had before”. (Job 42:10)

When David lost the child he had with Bathsheba, he stopped pleading and started worshipping God because He trusted in the mercies of God. Later on, God blessed David and Bathsheba with another son named Solomon, who became the wisest and richest king the world has ever known.

Today, God promises to restore double for your trouble — “Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.” If He declared it, He will do it! So you cannot but have hope that things will be even better than before. That is why in the same verse, He calls you “prisoners of hope”. Hope in the biblical sense means a confident expectation of good things happening in your life. You are a prisoner of that! You can’t help but wake up feeling hopeful. You can’t help but expect good things to happen to you!

So when trouble comes from the devil, don’t give up and say, “It is hopeless!” Don’t worry or get angry. Worship God like David did and see that trouble as an opportunity for God to bless you with more than what you originally had. And because God has declared it, be confidently hopeful that you will get double for your trouble!

Done As You Have Believed

Matthew 8:13
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

What are you expecting God to do for you today? Do you believe that God will respond according to your expectation?

When Jairus, distraught at the sickness that was claiming his daughter’s life, fell at Jesus’ feet, he entreated Jesus to personally come to his house to lay His hands on his daughter so that she would be healed. (Mark 5:23)

But do you know that Jesus can heal at a distance? He didn’t need to go to Jairus’ house to heal his daughter. Still, Jesus went and didn’t even chide Jairus for his little faith. He met Jairus’ expectation — his little daughter was raised from the dead that day. (Mark 5:41–42)

Why do I say that Jairus had little faith? Because there was a Roman centurion who came to Jesus about his servant suffering at home. He recognised the power Jesus had and asked only that Jesus “speak a word, and my servant will be healed”. (Matthew 8:8) Jesus told him, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” The centurion’s servant was healed that same hour, true to his expectation.

My friend, there is no particular level your faith must reach before God gives you what you are asking for. Your faith does not initiate God’s giving. God has already given to you all things that pertain to life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) His blessings are pressing on you already! And at whatever level of faith you are at, God will respond. Jairus needed Jesus to go to his house to lay His hands on his daughter, and Jesus did. The centurion just needed Jesus to speak a word for his servant to be healed, and Jesus did. He met both their expectations.
My friend, don’t fix your eyes on how much or how little faith you have. Fix your eyes on the One who loves you, who has already given you what you need. When you come to Him, simply believe that He is waiting to meet your expectation. He will say to you, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.”