The Joy that Comes From Sincere Sorrow

UV 4307/10000 The Joy that Comes from Sincere Sorrow Blessed are those who mourn (over their sins and repent), for they will be comforted ( when the burden of sin is lifted). Matthew 5 v 4 Each beatitude is related to a specific fruit of the spirit. When we repent and mourn over our personal sin, we are comforted by the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and our spirit of mourning is replaced by one of joy. We feed a great relief as if a big weight has shifted off our shoulders. This uni-verse, then is the one related to the fruit of joy. Though we are saved by faith when we first repented and placed our faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, we need to keep practicing mourning daily and from time to time over specific sins as long as we live even as it is necessary to bathe every day in order to maintain our personal hygiene. We are to mourn as that part of us which caused us to sin is to die or to be put to death on the cross. The other beatitudes – to be poor in spirit is related to the fruit of humility. To be gentle is related to the fruit of kindness and patience. To hunger and thirst for righteousness is related to the fruit of goodness. To be merciful is related to love even as God forgave us in His agape love and Christ chose to pay the price for our sin. To be tolerant of insults, persecution and false accusations is also related to this beatitude of mercy. To be pure in heart is a choice or in other words related to the fruit of self control. To pray and work for peace is related to the fruit of peace. Hence, it does not mean that Jesus is asking us to only practice one of the attributes or beatitudes but with the help of the Holy Spirit to manifest all nine. When we give priority to practice all the nine principles that Jesus taught and so manifest all the nine fruit of the spirit, we will be exceedingly joyful. We may not see our rewards and “promised land” on earth but we will see it from afar in heaven and the hope will keep us from being frustrated, from questioning or doubting God, from weakening in our faith. All these attitudes or attributes are useful in responsibly and effectively putting to use each of the nine spiritual gifts- gifts of healing, doing miracles of deliverance, other miracles, speaking in tongues, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, gift of discernment, prophecy, discernment of spirits.

Word's Worth

UV 4306/10000 Word’s Worth But Jesus replied, “ It is written and forever remains written, “ Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4 v 4 Jesus, as the Author of life and of our faith knew and uncovered for all mankind the fundamental principles of life. In this uni-verse, Jesus countered the devil’s tempting words challenging Him to prove His deity by turning stone into bread. Jesus was extremely hungry as He had fasted for forty days and nights in the wilderness. The devil was trying to take advantage of a weak moment- a physical weakness due to lack of food for an extended period of time. Moses had likewise fasted for forty days and nights. The long fast was intended to both strengthen Jesus spiritually and to test Him. But Jesus replied to the tempter with the uni-verse. The verse implies that though we live physically and we need food and water to sustain us, what sustains us spiritually is the word of God. Every word from God counts. This is the reason that I have over the past eleven and three fourths of an year meditated, analysed every word in each uni-verse as the Spirit laid it upon my heart. Every word has life-giving, life-sustaining, life-enhancing power like nutritious food has as far as the body and its organs are concerned. Just as food contains even medicine and vitamins needed for the body in its various functions, every word in scripture contains and releases healing to our spirits and minds. Every word is part of the sharp edge of a spiritual sword or part of the strong base of a spiritual shield. The principles of life and of eternal life are contained in the word. We need to believe that every word in scripture is actually the utterance of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, committed to writing by faithful men through the generations. We need to trust that God is able to do unto us as it is written in the word. We need to believe that Jesus is the ultimate word of God incarnated in flesh. It is in Him and through Him that our every inner need is met, satisfied, fulfilled. The hope of the promises of God, the authority of the commands of God, the anointing of the Holy Spirit are released in us as we intake the word. The word is the fuel that lights up our lives. We have an apt word for every situation in life. We need to meditate on each word and phrase and apply it to our lives. The word is the wisdom from above meant for our internal needs and our eternal needs, that is pure, serene, perfect. We need to treasure each word as if it is more valuable than pure gold. We need to taste each word as if it is sweeter and more delicious than wild honey. We need to handle each word carefully as if it is a sharp weapon. We need the help and training of the Holy Spirit to analyse and interpret the word correctly.

Our Primary Identity

UV 4305/10000 Our Primary Identity But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right ( the authority, the privilege) to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in ( adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name. John 1 v 12 We, who believe in the name of Jesus, that He is the Son of God, the Messiah sent by the Father to save all mankind from sin and its consequences, are declared by Jesus as the children of God, born not of flesh but of the Spirit. As children of God, we have many rights, privileges and authority derived from the name of Jesus. Just like the constitution of a country gives its citizens a bill of rights, we have a biblical bill of rights, privileges and powers. We have the right as children to call Him, “Abba, Father”. We have the right to supernatural provision, the right to supernatural protection, the right to being taught by Him, the privilege of talking to Him at any time and for any reason. We have the right to live for eternity. We have the right to every blessing and every promise of God in the name of Jesus, the first born. We have the right to inherit His mantle of leadership and influence in the kingdom of God. Our primary identity is no longer that derived from our earthly parents of nationality, religion, community. Our primary identity is derived from our kinship to Jesus. We, also deem it a privilege to suffer like Jesus in this lifetime. We have the privilege of sharing His divine nature that enables us to endure such suffering. We share in the authority of Jesus over the angels as well as the demons. We have the privilege to experience the truths of the beatitudes taught by Jesus as we reflect those attitudes. We have authority over disease, natural phenomena, the spirit world for Jesus demonstrated such authority. We believe nothing is impossible for us as we are children of God. We have the right to seek the Lord’s help to overcome our inner weaknesses and temptations. We have the right to seek His counsel and comfort at all times and in any affliction. We have the right to seek deliverance from any issue, problem, conflict or affliction. As children of God, we have the right to rule over the political, economic and social structures of this world. We have the authority to command satan and his fallen angels to flee at the mention of the name of Jesus. We have the right to enjoy every good thing or blessing in this world without any sense of guilt. As children of God, we trust in the name of Jesus wholeheartedly, we trust in the word of God as His revealed will, we depend on His grace in every circumstance.

The Arrows of the Lord

UV 4305/10000 The Arrows of the Lord Your arrows are sharp; The people (nations) fall under you; Your arrows pierce the hearts of the King’s enemies. Psalm 45 v 5 God’s word is like a sharp arrow and can penetrate even a stony heart, to turn it into a soft, sensitive one of flesh and blood. The Lord Jesus is the only true king who rules the nations with truth, humility and righteousness. When we bow to Him, acknowledging Him as King of our lives, He sends arrows into the hearts of leaders and people following them in all nations. Our prayers direct the arrows to the hearts of different people in all nations. The mythical Cupid’s arrows pierce hearts of humans to fill them with romantic love while the arrows of the Lord cause people to love God and man with agape or unconditional love. When we allow the Lord to bend and shape our lives and careers, He uses us as His bows to fire His arrows into the hearts of people we relate to. Our responsibility is to surrender to His will and He chooses the targets to be fired at. The enemies of the King refers to satan and his agents, the fallen angels, the demonic spirits that plague mankind. These forces fire the fiery darts of the enemy into the minds of human beings to cause sorrow, loss, death and destruction. The results are the mishaps, tragedies, crimes, wars that result from the negative influence of these nefarious forces on humanity. In contrast, the arrows of the Lord are life-giving, life- changing, empowering, enabling and enhancing. These arrows never miss or fall short of their targets. The word of the Lord which the metaphor of arrows represent has a powerful, transformative effect on us. Instead of resisting it, we should welcome, cherish and relish the word and its influence in our lives. The word penetrates like a sharp arrow the layers of insincerity and hypocrisy that cover our hearts and makes our hearts sensitive to the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It plants the seed of faith, hope and love deep in our hearts that will grow and bear much fruit in all seasons of our lives.

He Carries Us

UV 4304/10000 He Carries Us Even to your old age I am He, and even to your advanced old age I will carry you! Be assured I will carry you and I will save you. Isaiah 46 v 4 God not only cares for us but He carries us. He carried us while we were in our mothers’ wombs, implying that He was involved in forming, shaping and protecting us in the womb. He carried us while we were young and vulnerable. He carried us on His shoulders like a shepherd carries a young lamb. He carries us on His wings like an eagle. He carries us through the storms of life. He carries us when we are old and He carries us even in our advanced old age implying nineties and beyond. When we believe, pray over, claim this uni-verse the promise of living into old age and advanced old age becomes operational in our lives. It is not only an assurance of longevity but of protection all our lives and till the very end and beyond. When we die, He carries our souls to His side in heaven. When we are carried by someone, it is the ultimate care we are receiving. The person carries us has the confidence and the strength to carry us. The Lord is the only one capable of carrying us. He is strong enough to carry an entire nation – Israel on His shoulders. We have total protection when the Lord carries us. We, on our part, need only to carry this seed, the promise, this uni-verse in our hearts and minds all the time. The seed will grow and bear fruit in our lives in a variety of ways so that our faith in the Lord is complete. There is a saying that when we carry the Bible when we are young, the Bible will carry us when we are old. Life is larger than law but the Bible is larger than life. In all the diverse challenges of life, this uni-verse can uphold our faith, strengthen us, encourage us. The assurance we derive from such a portion of scripture fills us with hope and joy. The Lord carries us in all stages of our lives as He loves us more than even our own mother or parents. He is the One who sustains us, who supports us, provides for us, protects us and fights for us. We begin our journey in Him, end it in Him and continue into eternity with Him. We are never alone, never isolated, never abandoned for the Lord surrounds us with His love.

His Way, Our Highway

UV 4303/10000 His Way, Our Highway And I will make all My mountains a roadway, and My highways will be raised. Isaiah 49 v 11 We begin life by being stubborn and thinking, “ My way or the highway!” We change to some extent when we hit some roadblocks. But the Lord promises to make His way our highway. Every path we take becomes a virtual “road to Emmaus” for the Lord accompanies us on whichever road we take. Jesus said, “ I Am the Way!” In other words, Jesus is the way to eternal life, truth, peace, happiness, health, success, holistic prosperity, destiny, fulfilment. So we can walk in Him and walk with Him, too. Further, the Lord promises in this uni-verse to make all our problems a path to help us progress to where He wants to see us in terms of character, faith, testimony, contribution. The word of God is the sledgehammer to break the rocks in our mountains, to level it and flatten it to build the highways of the Lord. The word gives us guidance on what we should do immediately or today ( a lamp unto our feet) as well as in the short, mid-term, long term and in eternity ( a light unto our path). Not only does the Lord build a road or highway for us to traverse through life but shines a light on our pathway. For every problem or mountain we face in our lives, there is a promise or a specific word from the Lord in scripture. Building a roadway through mountains or by clearing mountains is not an easy task. It takes time, effort, discipline, energy, technology and sometimes even explosives and heavy machinery. The Lord will give us explosives from the word to blow up the spiritual strongholds, the barriers that stand in our way. He does not just give us the blueprint for the highway to be constructed but He stands with us as we build the road. The landscape keeps changing in our lives. Sometimes, we are travelling in a desert with no landmarks to guide us. Even in the desert where it is difficult or impossible to lay a good road, the Lord will enable us by His grace. The ways of the Lord are higher, much higher than the ways of man and hence, the highways of the Lord are raised far above the human ability to perceive, imagine or think of. As we engage in road building with the Lord, we will experience, see and hear things that the eye has not seen nor the ear heard or entered even into our very imagination. Every time we confront a mountain or a challenge in our lives, we are moved by the Lord to the next level of faith, hope and love. The purpose of the journey is not to get somewhere but to experience newer and deeper facets of our relationship with our Road Builder- the Lord.

The Daily Need for Self Examination

UV 4302/10000 The Daily Need for Self Examination God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Genesis 1 v 31 Even God evaluated what He had made. He examined the results of creation and had it validated. We, too, need to evaluate, examine and validate whatever we do. We need to check the quality of all our efforts in every field. We need to examine everything we do every day of our lives and aim to make improvements, changes in the days that follow. If we have the habit of introspecting and evaluating for some time every evening, it would be a very useful practice. We need to check in what ways have we fallen short of the image of God in our thoughts, words, actions and reactions. Having identified these shortcomings, we need to confess it to the Lord daily, seek His help to overcome it in the future. If there is some area where we need guidance, we can seek the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Our evaluation needs to be honest and truthful, not hiding anything from the Lord. Under the new covenant, any willful acts, any hidden sins, any unintentional errors can all be confessed and the Lord promises to cleanse us of all unrighteousness and set our record straight. We need not seek our validation for anything we do from any people other than the Lord but we can consider the feedback and constructive suggestions of people whom we trust. Every new day is an opportunity for us to make amends, to make changes for the better. As long as we are examining our lives in the light of the word of God and using it as a plumbline to verify if our lives are being built in alignment with the cornerstone Jesus, we are on the right track. Making ourselves accountable to an inner circle of believers or colleague is another useful way we can get frank and valuable corrections and endorsement as well of our decisions, actions and responses. We should not be emotion-driven, mood-driven, impulse-driven or even reason-driven. We need to be spirit-driven. We need to have clear standards or principles based on the word to evaluate ourselves. We should also check if our actions each day help us advance towards realizing the vision God has given us, the purpose set for us.

Faith As A Process of Calling

UV 4301/10000 Faith as a Process of Calling And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. Genesis 1 v 5 Faith is calling into being that which is not as if it is. Hence, it is a creative process. God used this process to call into being order out of chaos, light out of darkness, life out of dead matter. Even day and night divisions were called into being by God. We are to enjoy every day as the verse says, “This is the day the Lord has made (created). We shall rejoice and be glad in it.” Each day we are to rejoice with what the Lord has called into our lives and call into being that which we lack or need. We can approach God also through Christ only by faith. We call into being that which is not – righteousness, holiness as if it already is. God’s word has such power. Our words too have power. We can call into being that which is not as if it is. When we do so in the name of Christ, the authority of Christ is established as the basis for our faith, the foundation of all that we pray, speak, do. Naming a blessing or counting it is also a way of concluding the creative process of faith- for example, the names we give children can be a lifelong remembrance for them, us and others of the favour of the Lord. We suspend our senses when we exercise faith. To some extent we also suspend our sense that asks us to disbelieve and to only believe that which we can perceive with our senses. Apart from praying in the name of Jesus, when we pray on the basis of a scripture verse or portion, it is powerful. Sometimes, even a phrase or part of a promise verse that we hold onto as relevant for our need is also effective as the basis of our faith process. For we are calling into being that which is not, that which we need-say, a healing, a job, a financial provision, wisdom to take a decision while on the horns of a dilemma or a crossroad situation in life, a deliverance from oppression. After praying, we need to see with our spiritual perception that we are in the process of receiving that which we called into being though it is not perceivable yet by our senses. Hence, being thankful, hopeful and joyful during the period of waiting for the answer is part of the process of faith. Taking the first steps in some venture or in fulfilment of a vision as if God has already answered us is another way of confirming or affirming our faith. We can have hundred percentage faith only in God and His Word. The percentage of faith or trust we exercise in respect of other people, the things of this world, in ourselves is necessarily much less. Our positive confessions are also useful in calling into being that which is not, that which we are in need of in order to be joyful, strong and victorious in life. When we affirm our faith that God is answering our specific prayer request, we set in motion in the spiritual realm certain force or power that will bring it into being. One of the greatest objects we can use the faith process of calling into being is our own edification- the building of Christ-like character, of the birth and growth of the fruit of the spirit in our inner being. In Hebrews 11 v 34, the phrase- “out of weaknesses, were made strong” speaks to this kind of expression of faith. Faith is often referred to by believers as a muscle. Just like there are different kinds of muscles in our bodies, some strong depending on both natural endowment and constant exercise, some less developed, in our faith life, each of us have prowess or potential in certain areas of expression of faith. Our prior experiences or testimonies of others give rise to our own confidence or trust in God in these areas.

The Stone of Faith

UV 4298/10000 The Stone of Faith For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes ( symbolizing infinite intelligence, omniscience). Behold, I engrave an inscription on it,” declares the Lord of hosts,” and I will remove the wickedness and guilt of this land in a single day. Zechariah 3 v 9 Often, we can understand a verse of old testament only in conjunction with a portion or verse from the new testament. This verse when it is read along with the promise in the book of Revelation which speaks of a white stone makes complete sense. Jesus is the white cornerstone of our lives, the stone with seven eyes or complete knowledge, understanding and wisdom. When we build our lives around and on this foundation of faith in Jesus, the Lord removes our own guilt and that of our people in a single instant, the moment we put our trust in Him. We can then sit with peace with our neighbour under the vine (symbolizing prosperity) and the fig tree ( symbolizing peace). We become a branch of the tree of eternal life, producing the fruit of the spirit. The Joshua, spoken of in this uni-verse, is the high priest. The angel of the Lord appears to him and promises that the dirty clothes symbolizing his sinfulness would be replaced by the rich robes of salvation. He was adorned with a turban to symbolize the power to rule. He was asked to walk in the ways of the Lord and to serve God. If he did so, he would have free access to the presence of the Lord and would govern over the house of the Lord. The same promise is extended to believers of Christ, today. The Lord has removed our soiled clothes and given us the white clothes of salvation, crowned us with the helmet or turban of assurance and hope. Unlike the rest of the world who are perishing in their wickedness and hopelessness, our hope in Christ fills us with joy and strength. With a stone, the young boy David became the victor in the battle with the giant Goliath. Faith is the stone that Daniel sees in his vision, the stone that is not cut with human hands but is of divine origin. With faith, we can break down the feet of clay of the strongholds of wickedness of this world. The people of this world appear to be stronger than us but their weaknesses ( clay) is mixed with their apparent strengths. Wicked, ungodly people may be very powerful, healthy, personable, wealthy, influential but their feet of clay are broken by the white stone rolling down on it. They will come crumbling down in a single day, on the day of their judgement or on the day of their end just as we are saved in a single day or single moment. This is the sovereign will of God for He chooses one and rejects another. He chose Abel and rejected Cain. Cain was the stronger one but his strength was mixed with lack of reverence for God. Abel was killed but his innocent blood foreshadowed that of the Messiah Jesus. God chose Jacob and rejected Esau. Esau was the stronger one but his strength was mixed with lack of self control and greed. Jacob had many struggles but he emerged victorious. To one, the stone is a stone of stumbling that leads to his downfall, to the other, it is the stone of strength, victory and endurance.

The Process of Sanctification

UV 4297/10000 The Process of Sanctification Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through ( that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged- consecrated to Him- set apart for His purpose); and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and ( be found) blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I Thessalonians 5 v 23 God has called us, separated us from the world. He is the One who gives us eternal peace. We are no longer restless and insecure. We are confident of our salvation by faith in Christ. Yet, we are being sanctified so that we conform to the first born, Jesus. He is the One who sanctifies us and makes us pure, whole and complete. We are like the vessels in the temple that are consecrated and set apart for the Lord. Our spirit, souls and bodies are sealed with the Spirit of God, washed in the blood of Christ and we should strive to stay blameless or blemishless in the sight of God and man. We are accountable to God and Christ for every thought, word and deed. Christ uses the agency of the Holy Spirit and the word to sanctify and complete us. The more we yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and apply the word, the process of our sanctification is speeded up. The word penetrates like a surgeon’s scalpel to the point where soul and spirit and body meet. It also washes and cleanses our inner being. We should always be filled with the lively hope that Jesus is coming back as Lord, that the day of the Lord is near. Instead of being complacent, we need to be sober and alert, energetic and eager to meet the Lord. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure for they shall see God.” Our eyes are opened to see God when our hearts and minds are purified. Our faith is not complete unless our inner being is refined and freed of all impurities, the lusts of this world. Both what goes into us and what comes out of us needs to be pure. The words we speak need to be sent through five filters to conform to the edifying “ THINK” and speak pattern the Lord commends us to practice continually: it it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring hope and faith in God and Christ and the good things of life? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind? We will not stumble, as St James wrote, if we are refining our speech by sending our thoughts and words through these five effective filters. Our tongues will be veritable instruments of peace and of salvation used by God.

Focus on the Lord

UV 4296/10000 Focus on the Locus-the Lord and Giver of Life Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything of praise, think continually on these things, ( center you mind on them, and implant them in your heart). Philippians 4 v 8 What or who is true, honourable, right, confirmed by God’s word, pure, wholesome, lovely, brings peace, admirable, of good repute, excellent, praiseworthy? When I look around, I find no one or no one thing reflects all these qualities except God and Christ. Therefore, the apostle Paul is asking us to think continually or continually focus on God. He is the locus of all creation. The Creator and Redeemer occupies central point or locus in our lives. Everything we think, speak and do reflects and relates back to Him. The extent to which we think about Him, we too will experience truth, justice, honour, purity, wholesomeness, love, peace, excellence and become worthy of praise, admiration. The amazing thing is that Paul is asking us not to meditate on God in our quiet times but all the time. Elsewhere, Paul says, ( in Thessalonians), “ Pray without ceasing.” When our minds are stayed or focused on God, His Son Jesus, our peace is established. Our purpose is fulfilled. Our eternity is guaranteed. When we think, meditate on God, pray to Him continually, it implies that we will thank and praise Him, also continually. God becomes our grand obsession, our only legitimate obsession for anything else that distracts detracts from His greatness, His glory. This is the reason, God declares Himself to be a jealous God. When God encompasses us, He becomes our compass. We find our direction, our light, our strength, our success in Him. But, are we capable of continually thinking, meditating, praying, praising God, distracted as we are by the world and its attractions and burdens, the longings of our own senses and urges? The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. We need the power of God to overcome the weaknesses of our flesh. The Lord knowing this, sent us, gifted us the Holy Spirit, the Breath or Ruah of God. He mingles with our every thought, every word, every breath, every moment, every effort and so enables us to focus on the Locus- the Lord and Giver of Life.

The Signet Ring

UV 4295/10000 The Signet Ring “On that day,” declares the Lord Almighty, “I will take you, my servant Zerubabbel son of Shealtiel,” declares the Lord, “ And I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. Haggai 2 v 23 When we lower our hearts before God as servants, He raises us like kings before man. On the day, we first humbled ourselves before God and believed that He is the One and only One who existed before all creation and caused all creation and further, He sent His Son Jesus to redeem mankind, we are taken by God Almighty. No one else can take us thereafter. He declares us as spiritual descendants of David to reign and rule like kings over the spiritual realms. We are like the signet ring of Almighty God. We are the final seal of approval, the symbol of ultimate authority over all powers on earth and all powers of darkness. No king has power to flatten a mountain but we have authority to flatten the mountains, to alter the landscape of human lives, to live with purpose, power and meaning. A signet ring is valuable- therefore, we are valuable. It is irreplaceable. We have the authority to issue decrees and declarations in the name of Jesus. A decree with the king’s seal is carried out even in the far reaches of a realm. It has power as long as it is not recalled or cancelled. Hence, the decrees we issue cannot be revoked unless we do so. A signet ring has the logo or court of arms of the owner so that it leaves an impression on that to which it is stamped or affixed. Hence, we are to leave an impression of the Almighty in all we think, speak, do or relate to. The Lord makes us or prepares us to be His symbol of authority and power. He uses His word to fashion us in His image. He uses our life experiences and encounters to shape us. A signet ring is strong and durable and hence, we are to be strong and enduring by His grace. We are symbols and emblems of God on earth. By carrying out His will in our lives and through our lives, we become His signet rings. We are signet rings with a difference, however. For we are not only symbols of God’s power and sovereignty but we are also to reflect His love and grace for though we do not deserve to serve Him as His representatives on earth, as His emblem of authority, He has chosen us in His love while we were yet, disobedient and sinful. Hence, we need to blend authority with love, humility and gentleness in the same manner as Jesus, our Saviour first and also, Lord and King. We are to always be mindful of our sinful past and stay guarded against falling into sin again and to be always grateful to the Lord for choosing us for salvation and to adorn His finger as a signet ring.

Shining Through Areas of Darkness

UV 4294/10000 Shining Through Areas of Darkness Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Isaiah 60 v 1 The call to arise comes to us as we are sitting in some areas of our lives in the darkness, the gross darkness of this world. Since the light of the world has come into our lives – Jesus Christ, we are to have no truck with darkness of this world- the evil brought on by sin and godlessness in this world. We are now restored to the glory of the Lord. We are to no longer dwell in hamartia or shortcoming. We are surrounded by the greatness of God. We are not to think, speak or do anything or desire anything that smacks of darkness or sin. Since we are part of the light, part of the solution, part of the way, the life and the resurrection, we have to stay apart or far from the darkness of this world. The light that has come into our lives is the personal knowledge of God, the knowledge of God as our Saviour, Redeemer, the God of Jacob or Israel. He is the Light by which we are able to see all things. He is the One who saves us from the darkness of this world. Darkness is therefore, synonymous with ignorance. We are freed from our ignorance. Knowledge is power and therefore, our new knowledge of God empowers us. The more knowledge of God we store in us, the more light or energy or power shines or radiates outward from our inner being. Both our influence and impact increases manifold in all the areas where we formerly dwelt in darkness. Since we belong to the Light, we have no excuse to continue in darkness. Hence, we need to keep examining our lives and see if any remnant of darkness remains in us, consciously or unconsciously and get progressively rid of it. The more we grow in the light, the further we go. The traces of ingrained darkness that remains in us needs to be first, identified in the light of His word, removed with the help of the Light. These areas of darkness might not just be wilful acts but could be disbelief in certain aspects of our faith. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to both identify these areas of darkness and to overcome it in His light.

Anointed to Rule

UV 4293/10000 Anointed to Rule This is what the Lord says to His anointed, to Cyrus ( king of Persia), whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him, and I will ungird the loins of kings ( disarming them); To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: Isaiah 45 v 1 Those who are chosen by God are also anointed or equipped by Him. We are enabled by His grace and power to fulfill His purpose in our lives. He holds our right hand to empower us, to give us the authority, power and dominion over the nations. By virtue of his anointing or His authorization, we can strip kings of darkness and their earthly representatives in all nations of their defensive armour. We can disarm them of their weapons of destruction. The Lord will open doors before us that no man can shut. He will give us opportunities to demonstrate the power and authority of God on earth that no one can take away or block. We have a royal and eternal destiny like King Cyrus. Like King Cyrus saw himself as a servant king, who serves the living God, we are servant Kings in the order of Jesus Christ, the Anointed One. We are anointed or filled with the Holy Spirit to build God’s kingdom on earth like Cyrus was anointed to have the temple and Jerusalem re-built. The resources of heaven, the army of God is available to us for the fulfilment of our calling. The Lord also promises to go ahead of His people and to remove the obstacles even if these be as large and seemingly insurmountable as mountains. Even the strongest of doors cannot withstand His power. He can reach through bronze doors to deliver hidden treasures into our hands. He calls us personally and by our first names like He called Cyrus even when the latter did not know anything about the God of Israel. We have the advantage of knowing Him more fully thanks to the word of God which tells us in great detail who He is, what kind of person He is, the extent of His power and authority, His great love for those who trust Him. Any demonic force or power that rises against us, we can subdue in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Some of these forces try to kill us or destroy or weaken us with our inner strongholds of fear or doubt. Some try to rob us, causing us hurt and inner injuries. Some try to steal from us subtly so that we are not even aware of it. The satanic array of forces though they number 666 threats, dangers, viles against us are no match for the sovereign power of God and that of His people. Since God’s presence surrounds us like a cloud, defends us like a fire, since He holds our right hand and guides us in all our important areas and decisions, we can be confident of victory over all the 666. If we take a year as having 365 days, an average of one to two kings of darkness attack us on a daily basis. We should know from this uni-verse that we can strip them of their armour, neutralize their power to harm us. Once we exercise our kingly authority delegated to us by the Lord God, their strongholds will come crashing down and they cannot come near us to steal us of our mental or emotional peace, affect our holistic health of spirit, mind or body, impact our finances, our reputation, our emotions, our relationships, our present or future or eternity.