Build Yourself Up – Spirit, Soul, and Body December 16, 2019 bizadmin He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself… 1 Corinthians 14:4 BUILD YOURSELF UP—SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY Many Charismatics believe that when you speak in tongues, you edify or build up your spirit man. Well, that is only one-third true. The Bible does not say that the speaker edifies his spirit. No, it says that the speaker “edifies himself.” This means his entire self—spirit, soul, and body. So he who speaks in tongues builds up not just his spirit, but his soul and body as well. Beloved, if you are feeling emotionally drained or just physically tired from a hectic week, begin to pray in tongues and allow the Holy Spirit to edify you. God’s Spirit in you knows exactly what you need and will rest and recharge your—spirit, soul, and body—as you yield to Him and pray in tongues. Sometimes, when I am tired after a long flight and still need to preach at a conference, I will pray in tongues to edify myself. I have found that when I do this, despite the jet lag, I will have the strength and clarity of mind to preach an anointed message and do whatever I need to do for the day. One of our congregation members, a 74-year-old brother, decided to build up his body, specifically, his heart. He had discovered that two of his arteries were 70 percent blocked and five smaller vessels were 80 percent blocked. So during a church service, when I asked those who wanted to be healed of heart problems to stand up, he stood up, placed his hand over his heart and prayed in tongues. He shared that at that moment, he believed that the Holy Spirit touched him and he became a different person. When he went for his medical check-up, his surgeon found that all the blockages in his arteries and blood vessels were gone! Even a scheduled heart-related operation was canceled as there was no longer any necessity for it. Indeed, he was a different person. He literally had a change of heart, a new heart from God! Beloved, you may not have a heart condition, but you can still pray in tongues for your area of need. Start building yourself up today—spirit, soul, and body—and enjoy the healing, well-being, power and wisdom that only the Holy Spirit can bring!
Divinely Arranged, Beautifully Timed December 13, 2019 bizadmin He has made everything beautiful in its time… Ecclesiastes 3:11 DIVINELY ARRANGED, BEAUTIFULLY TIMED Nothing happens to you by accident when you have God in your life. Even a “chance” meeting with someone is part of His plan to set in motion His blessings in your life. Such was the divinely arranged meeting of the Shunammite woman and Prophet Elisha. It led to the prophet pronouncing over her the blessing of a miracle child even though she was barren and her husband was old (see 2 Kings 4:8–17). A few years later, it was this friendship with the man of God, which saw her through a crisis when her son fell seriously ill and died—Elisha raised her son back to life (see 2 Kings 4:18–37). When God is the one orchestrating the events in your life, neither lack nor danger nor destruction can affect you. When famine hit the land, the Shunammite woman’s family did not suffer because through Elisha, God had told them to leave the land. They went to the land of the Philistines and dwelt there throughout the seven years of famine (see 2 Kings 8:1–2). God can place you at the right place at the right time, even though your daily decision-making. The Shunammite woman returned to Shunem after the famine had ended. She then decided to appeal to the king of Israel for help to regain her house and land, which had been illegally acquired by others during her absence. This decision brought her before the king on the same day that Elisha’s servant Gehazi was in the audience with the king. The king wanted to hear all about the miracles performed by Elisha. This gave the Shunammite woman the opportunity to share firsthand with the king how Elisha had raised her son from the dead. The thrilled king then ordered the restoration of her house and land, including all the proceeds of the field from the day that she had left until then (see 2 Kings 8:3–6). The Lord had timed and set up everything beautifully for her! Beloved, God can also make all things beautiful in its time for you. As you involve Him in your daily life and trust His love for you, you too will see Him lead and place you at the right place at the right time to enjoy His blessings. -Joseph Prince
Jesus Blood Speaks Better Things December 13, 2019 bizadmin to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:24 JESUS’ BLOOD SPEAKS BETTER THINGS Today, forensic science tells us that blood has a voice. DNA can be extracted from just one small drop of the murderer’s blood and the results used in court as evidence. So blood in a sense can speak. And when it is the blood of Jesus, it “speaks better things” than that of Abel. Abel’s blood cried out, “Vengeance! Vengeance!” after his brother Cain murdered him (see Genesis 4:8–11). But Jesus’ blood cries out forgiveness for our sins, healing for our bodies, and peace and soundness for our minds. It cries out protection for our coming-ins and going-outs, good success for the works of our hands, the righteousness of Christ as our acceptance before God and much more! In the Bible, Jesus’ blood speaking of “better things” is found in the context of the last days when things are being shaken, so that the things which cannot be shaken will remain (see Hebrews 12:27). God wants you to know that you will not be shaken when you put your faith in Jesus’ blood, which speaks better things for you. That is why God wants you to see Jesus’ blood shed for you in every area that causes your heart to tremble and your confidence to be shaken. For example, if you are afraid of losing your job, speak the blood of Jesus over your job. His blood cries out, “Favor with his boss!” And in these days when you are shaken by fears that terrorism may strike anyone, anywhere, anytime, plead the blood of Jesus which cries out, “Protection and deliverance!” When fear rises in your heart as the doctor gives you his prognosis, plead the blood of Jesus over your body. His blood cries out, “Healing and wholeness!” The eternal blood of Jesus, which speaks better things, will never lose its power. Beloved, see that you do not refuse Him who speaks (see Hebrews 12:25). See that you keep hearing the voice of grace, which speaks salvation, righteousness, protection, deliverance, provision, and healing over your life!
God Abundantly Supplies All Your Needs December 6, 2019 bizadmin And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 GOD ABUNDANTLY SUPPLIES ALL YOUR NEEDS According to this verse, you are rich. You are not trying to be rich. It does not matter how much you are earning or how much you have in your bank account. You are rich because as your need arises, God’s supply will be there for you. This was the case for a church member who worked as a consultant. For months, he could not secure any major deals. But while attending one of our church camps held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he received a word on the financial provision. After the camp, he extended his stay in Kuala Lumpur and bumped into an old friend who gave him a big project that paid a huge sum! He needed a breakthrough, and God abundantly supplied his need. In the Bible, there is an account of a couple who had a big need on their wedding day. They had run out of wine. Now, you would expect wedding couples to know how many guests to expect on their big day and to plan accordingly. But perhaps this couple did not have the money to buy enough wine. Whatever the reason was, Jesus saved them from embarrassment and shame. He saved the day when He supplied their need by miraculously turning six pots of water into top-quality wine (see John 2:1–10). Our Lord Jesus abundantly supplied the need of that couple. Beloved, whatever needs you have, God wants you to know that His supply will be there for you. You have His Word for it. He promises that He will supply all your needs, not just some. And He will supply all your needs according to and not out of His riches. This means that He lines up from A to Z all of His resources for your every need! My friend, rejoice that you are rich “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” This is far greater and more dependable than the temporal riches that you might have from any earthly source!
Creation Can’t But Redemption Can December 3, 2019 bizadmin And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. John 9:7 CREATION CAN’T BUT REDEMPTION CAN! When Adam sinned and fell, everything about creation fell. Yet, people today are still putting their trust in creation. For example, they try to become healthy by eating what is called the “Eden diet”—vegetables and no meat. They are acting as if creation did not fall. They also forget that there are people who eat well and exercise regularly, and still drop dead in the prime of their lives! Thank God that what creation cannot do, redemption can and did. Jesus demonstrated this when He spat on the ground, made clay with the saliva and put it on a blind man’s eyes (see John 9:6–7). Now, it is certainly unusual to put clay on a blind man’s eyes because he would become doubly blind! So why did Jesus do that? He was demonstrating to us that all our body parts come from the ground and that because creation is fallen, the work of creation cannot open a blind man’s eyes. But the work of redemption can! That is why He sent the blind man to the pool of Siloam. The word “Siloam” means “Sent,” referring to the sent one, Jesus. When the blind man washed his eyes in the pool of the sent one, he received supernatural healing for his eyes. Beloved, when we go to Jesus, the sent one who came to redeem us with the price of His blood, and we rest in His finished work, we will receive the miracle we need. If we believe that by His stripes we are healed (see Isaiah 53:5), we will have greater health than those who trust in creation. Jesus was sent to redeem us from every curse that came upon creation with the fall of Adam (see Galatians 3:13). He has redeemed us from sickness, pain, sorrow, depression, poverty and even death. The world may know Him as the Creator. But today, we know Him as our Redeemer. Where the work of creation cannot save us, His work of redemption can and has!
Use Your Double Portion of Speaking Power November 23, 2019 bizadmin But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people… 1 Peter 2:9 USE YOUR DOUBLE PORTION OF SPEAKING POWER God calls us “a royal priesthood.” This means that we are kings as well as priests under the king-priesthood of Jesus Christ. This has never happened before in the history of God’s people. In the Old Testament, kings and priests were two distinct groups of people. You were either a king or priest, but not both at the same time. Today, because we are in Christ, we are king-priests—a royal priesthood. This means that we have a double portion of speaking power because as kings, “Where the word of a king is, there is power” (Ecclesiastes 8:4), and as priests, “by their word every controversy and every assault shall be settled” (Deuteronomy 21:5). So if you are a Christian businessman, you will have an edge over worldly businessmen. What you say about your business deals will come to pass. And if you are falsely accused, know that by your every word, every controversy and every assault will be settled! And as a king-priest parent, when you bless your children, your words have the power to set in motion supernatural events which will bring them into God’s abundance and superabounding grace. And there will be such an act of courage and resilience about them that it will empower them to win the fights of life! When the devil comes to you and says that you will die young because your father and grandfather died young, or that you will never be successful because you are not well-educated, you must remember that the devil is neither a king nor a priest. There is no power in his words. But there is power in yours because you are a king-priest in Christ! So instead of agreeing with him, believe and declare, “I will not die young. With long life, He will satisfy me and show me His salvation!” Say, “The Lord will make my way prosperous and give me good success!” Use your double portion of speaking power and see these blessings come to pass! -Joseph Prince
God is Raining Blessings on You November 20, 2019 bizadmin The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. Deuteronomy 28:12 GOD IS RAINING BLESSINGS ON YOU In the Bible, rain usually speaks of blessings. Even today, Israelis thank God when it rains because they know that when He gives them rain, their blessings will be plentiful. Their cattle will feed in large green pastures and eat cured, winnowed fodder. And when they see rivers and streams of water flowing from their mountains and hills (see Isaiah 30:23–25), they know that times of refreshing have come. Likewise, you can expect God to rain His blessings on you and bless the work of your hands. Then, you will come to a place where you will “lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” In fact, Jesus wants you to know that this is a blessing that He died to give you because when He died, He did not even have a tomb of His own. He was laid in a borrowed tomb so that you can have the power to lend. Indeed, our church bears testimony to this blessing. When I first joined the church full-time, it was very small—about 100-odd members. The Lord has, however, rained His blessings on us and blessed the work of our hands. Today, we have a congregation of more than 30,000 members and we are still growing. In fact, our church is lending its support to many ministries, both locally and overseas. We continue to see God pouring His blessings of provision and increase on us, and we thank Him for all the good things that are happening to us. My friend, there is nothing you can do about the rain but to let it fall. So just expect God to rain His blessings on you! Let them fall! And you will be blessed with more than enough, so that with your needs and your family’s needs more than met, you can be a blessing to others too! -Joseph Prince
Your Standing is Wrapped up in Jesus November 19, 2019 bizadmin Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17 YOUR STANDING IS WRAPPED UP IN JESUS In the Old Testament, the Israelites’ standing as a nation before God was wrapped up in the standing of their high priest. What the high priest was before God, so was the entire nation before God. If the high priest sinned, he brought guilt on his nation, and God would reject the entire nation no matter how law-abiding the people were or how faithful they were in bringing their sacrifices. Conversely, if their high priest was without fault and acceptable to God, God would accept the whole nation even if the people were sinful. Unfortunately, the high priests of Israel often failed because, like any human being, they were imperfect. Thank God that today, you and I have Jesus as our High Priest, who is 100 percent Man and 100 percent God. As our High Priest, His standing before God is always right. Jesus is always acceptable and pleasing to the Father. Therefore, we can never lose our acceptance with God because as our High Priest, Jesus only brings righteousness to His people. In heaven right now, Jesus our High Priest is seated at the right hand of God the Father (see Romans 8:34). This means that God does not look at you. He looks at Jesus. If Jesus is good, you are good. If Jesus is accepted, you are accepted. If God sees Jesus perfect, then He sees you perfect. If Jesus is righteous, then you are righteous. And we know that Jesus our High Priest is good, accepted, perfect and righteous, which means that that is how God sees us! My friend, you cannot lose your right standing because Jesus Christ is your High Priest. To lose your standing, Jesus has to lose His standing first. But we know that we have in Jesus a High Priest who is perfect and who cannot fail. So you need never be afraid or conscious of your faults when you come before God. Because your standing is completely wrapped up in Jesus your High Priest, you can come to God boldly and receive all that you need from Him! -Joseph Prince