RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

Jesus said to him [Peter], “…lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” Matthew 17:26–27

Whatever you need, Jesus knows where you can get it, and whom you can get it from. Jesus can position you at the right place at the right time!

When Peter wanted to pay the temple tax, Jesus told him to get it from the first fish that he would catch in the sea (see Matt. 17:26–27). Then, when Jesus needed a donkey to ride into Jerusalem, He told two of His disciples which village to get it from (see Matt. 21:1–3). When Jesus needed a place to eat the Passover with His disciples, He gave two of His disciples' specific instructions on who to meet and follow, and what to say to the master of the house, who had already furnished and prepared a large upper room (see Mark 14:13–15)!

My friend, isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus knows what you need and has already gone ahead into your future and made provision for your good success? As you put your trust and rest in His heart of love, His peace will lead you to do the right thing at the right time, at the right place! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).  

RECEIVE AS YOU HEAR THE GOOD NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

My friend, these miracles happen not because we follow some kind of formula faithfully, but because we hear the good news preached and simply believe it! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

HE GIVES HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU

For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11–12

What a wonderful promise we have in the above passage! In the same way, the angels surrounded Elisha and his servant and protected them, they are surrounding us and protecting us today, because God has given them charge over us to protect us! When we choose to make Him our habitation, He charges His angels to watch over us and to surround us with His divine protection.

Now, did you know that Psalm 91:11–12 was quoted by the devil when he tried to tempt our Lord Jesus? He brought our Lord to the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” To this Jesus replied, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’” (Matt. 4:5–7).

The temptation of our Lord Jesus in the wilderness is the only instance in the Bible where the devil is recorded quoting Scripture. But the devil deliberately misquoted verse 11. The devil misquotes the Bible because he is the father of lies. Verse 11 actually reads (boldface mine): “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”

I asked the Lord why the devil left out the words “to keep you in all your ways” and He directed me to Proverbs 3:6–7 (boldface mine), which says: “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.”

You see, the devil didn’t want to say the words “to keep you in all your ways” because that would be tantamount to reminding believers of Proverbs 3:6–7—to acknowledge God in all our ways. So he conveniently left out that whole portion. But praise the Lord, we know that this is what the Lord has promised: “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways” (boldface mine). Our part is to simply acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He shall direct our paths, protecting us along the way! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

CONVINCE YOURSELF, NOT GOD

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE CROSS HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Under the old covenant, it is true that God’s protection was conditional. But for you and me today, it is vital that we read and understand Psalm 91 through the lens of the new covenant—through the lens of the cross. We are no longer living under the old covenant. We have a new and living way (see Heb. 10:20)! Under the old, protection is achieved. Under the new, protection is received. I have covered the differences between law and grace extensively in my other books such as Destined To Reign and Grace Revolution so I won’t delve too deeply into this subject here. All I really want you to see is this: The cross has made a difference.

At the cross, God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Today, we are the righteousness of God in Christ! Because we are righteous in Christ, we can receive the promise of Psalm 5:12, which declares, “For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour, You will surround him as with a shield.” Naturally, we can’t always watch our backs. But supernaturally, God has got us covered all around. His abundant supply of grace (unmerited favour) encompasses us like a mighty and impenetrable force field, surrounding us 360 degrees and twenty-four hours a day!

Coming back to Psalm 91:14, how do we set our love upon God today? We set our love upon God by meditating on, talking about, and listening to preaching about His love for us! Remember, it is not about our love for Him, but His love for us. It is about us meditating on Bible verses such as, “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life” (John 3:16, AMPC).

There is protection and deliverance from destruction when you believe in God’s love for you. Set your mind on how greatly loved and dearly prized you are. The more conscious you are of the Lord’s love for you, the more His protection will manifest in your life! (Article; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).  

IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beloved, if it is a miracle you need, it is a miracle you will get. God has already given you the greatest miracle of eternal life, so why would He not give you all the other lesser miracles? (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).  

MORE WITH US THAN AGAINST US

“Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”2 Kings 6:16

In the days of the prophet Elisha, the king of Syria seized upon an opportunity to capture Elisha who was in the city of Dothan. He mobilized a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city one night. He wasn’t prepared to take any risk of the prophet escaping.

Early the next morning in Dothan, when Elisha’s servant went outside, he saw troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. He and Elisha were completely surrounded by enemy forces intent on killing them. The servant flew into a state of panic and cried out to Elisha, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15).

Put yourself in the shoes of Elisha’s servant. You (and I) would probably have been filled with fear too. But here’s where I want you to pay close attention, because there is a powerful truth I want you to catch. Without faltering, Elisha calmly told his servant, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16).

I can just imagine how the servant must have felt. There was absolutely no logic in what Elisha had just said. There were just the two of them against a whole army! Had his master gone mad?

Before the servant could work himself into an even greater panic, Elisha prayed a simple prayer: “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17). And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant. Then he saw that the hillside all around them was filled with blindingly magnificent horses and chariots of fire. God’s army of angels was flanking them on every side, ablaze with the glory, beauty, and majesty of the Most High. As the servant marvelled, he realized that the Syrian forces were utterly dwarfed by the angelic army.

Why had the young servant been fearful while Elisha was fearless? The answer is this: They saw different things. The young man saw the great Syrian army. But Elisha saw an even greater angelic army on chariots of fire. Elisha had spiritual insight.

My dear reader, would you commit the above Scripture to heart? If you are in a constant fight with fear, meditate on this Scripture and fortify your heart with this promise. Whether you find yourself besieged by debts, attacked by what doctors call a terminal illness, or constantly anxious over the safety of your children, remember this powerful verse. The God of angelic armies is with you. No weapon formed against you shall prosper (see Isa. 54:17)!  (Article and picture used with kind permission). 

NOTHING IS WRONG WITH GOD, HIS WORD AND YOU

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today, the devil has no right to tell you that you cannot be blessed because there is something wrong with you. So as you are waiting for your miracle, say, “Nothing’s wrong with God, nothing’s wrong with the Word and nothing’s wrong with me! I am going to receive my miracle!” (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).  

THE WISDOM OF CHRIST IN ACTION

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

1 Corinthians 1:30, KJV

Beloved, when you depend on God’s wisdom to succeed today, you will see whatever you do prosper. Simply observe how our Lord Jesus always flowed in divine wisdom in His earthly ministry. For example, look at what happened when the Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery to Him. The Pharisees came to Him and quoted from the law, saying, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” (John 8:4–5).

They thought that they had succeeded in trapping Jesus because if He told them to stone her, then they would accuse Him of not demonstrating the forgiveness and grace that He had been preaching about. If He were to say that they should not stone her, then the Pharisees would accuse Him of breaking the law of Moses and bring a charge against Him.

The Pharisees were probably gloating over the clever trap that they had devised. That is why they confronted Jesus in the public area around the temple. They wanted to embarrass Him in front of the multitudes that had come to hear Him teach. Now, observe the wisdom of Jesus in operation. He simply told them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” (John 8:7).

What majesty! They came to Jesus with the law of Moses and Jesus gave them the perfect standard of the law. Without flinching, He simply challenged the person who was perfect before the law to cast the first stone. The Pharisees who had come to ensnare Jesus began to walk away one by one, completely silenced. This same Jesus, with all His wisdom, is today our ascended Christ, who is seated at the Father’s right hand, and whom the Bible says is “made unto us wisdom!”

From this and other accounts of Jesus in the Gospels, we see how in everything He does, our Savior is altogether lovely. He is never early, never late. He is always at the right place at the right time. He is always in perfect peace and there is no sense of hurry about Him. When it was time to be tender, He was infinitely gentle, gracious and forgiving—we see this from His response to the woman caught in adultery (John 8:10–11). When it was time to overturn the tables of the money changers, He did it with passion. He was never frazzled by the Pharisees’ attempts to trip Him up and was always flowing with divine wisdom. He is steel and velvet, meekness and majesty, perfect manhood and deity. This is Jesus and you are in Him! Begin to see yourself in Christ, who is always flowing with divine wisdom, always in control of the situation, and the same wisdom that flows in Him will flow in and through you. (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

YOUR ‘WORK’ IS TO ENTER HIS REST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. Ephesians 1:17–19

If God tells us that wisdom is the principal thing, then it behoves us to know and operate in the “spirit of wisdom.” But do you know what the “spirit of wisdom” is? Look at the prayer (above) that the apostle Paul prayed over the church in Ephesus. The spirit of wisdom and revelation is in the knowledge of Jesus! The more you know Jesus and have a revelation of His unmerited favour in your life, the more you will have the spirit of wisdom. I challenge you to pray this prayer for wisdom on a regular basis because when you increase in the knowledge of Jesus, He will surely lead you to good success in every aspect of your life.

Note that when Paul was praying this prayer for the believers in Ephesus, they were already filled with the Holy Spirit. But Paul still prayed that God would give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation in their knowledge of Jesus. It is one thing to have the Holy Spirit inside you, but it is another thing to let the Holy Spirit inside you flow as the spirit of wisdom and revelation. And as you pray to be led by the spirit of wisdom today, be confident that you will experience the Holy Spirit leading you in Jesus’ divine and unmatched wisdom. When the Holy Spirit leads you in the wisdom of Jesus, there will be no impossible situation, no insolvable problem and no insurmountable crisis. The wisdom of Jesus in you will help you to successfully navigate all your trials and cause you to prevail over all your challenges! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).  

HAVING ALL THINGS ADDED TO YOU

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

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

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

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

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

Today, if you want to provide your family with the good things in life, be assured that your heavenly Father knows that you need these things. Just seek His righteousness, not your own righteousness, and “all these things shall be added to you”!  (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).

WHO YOU ARE IN GOD’S EYES

We love Him because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19

Do you believe that God loves you with an unchanging love today? Even if you’ve just failed or made a mistake? This, my friend, is where the rubber meets the road in our Christian walk every day.

I’m here to tell you beyond the shadow of a doubt that God loves you with an everlasting love. His love for you is unconditional (see Titus 3:3–5, NASB). It is a love that is so pure, pristine, and marvellous. It has nothing to do with your performance, but everything to do with who you are in His eyes—His beloved. The emphasis of the old covenant of the law was all about your love for God, whereas the emphasis of the new covenant of grace is all about God’s love for you. The sum total of the law under the old covenant is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:5, see also Matt. 22:37, 40).

Let’s be honest here. Have you ever met anyone who can love God this way? Of course not. It’s a human impossibility. The law was designed to show us that we are incapable of loving God perfectly.

Knowing that man wouldn’t be able to fulfil His commandment to love Him with all his heart, all his soul, all his mind, and all his strength, do you know what God did? He demonstrated how only He could love us with all His heart, all His soul, all His mind, and all His strength when He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us from all our sins with His own blood. That is why the new covenant is all about God’s love for you and not your love for Him! Under grace, God doesn’t want you to focus your thoughts on, “Do I really love God?” That’s not the focus of the new covenant. Under grace, God wants you to focus on His love for you. Therefore, the questions you should be asking yourself are:

“Do I know how much God loves me today?”

“Do I really believe that God loves me right now?”

Choose to believe right about how God loves you today. It makes all the difference in the world to how quickly you are able to get back on your feet and go from faith to faith and strength to strength in your walk with Him. (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

YOU ARE PERFECT IN GOD’S EYES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My friend, God sees you perfect without any spot of sin. He sees you covered in the beautiful white robes of His own righteousness. He treats you as a righteous man because that is what He has made you. So expect good things to happen to you because blessings are on the head of the righteous (see Proverbs 10:6)! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).  

THE DIFFERENCE IS THE CROSS

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

John 10:10

Soon after the tragedy of September 11 had taken place, some believers publicly declared that God was judging America because of her sins. When I heard that, I could just imagine some terrorist somewhere in Afghanistan agreeing with them and thinking that “god” was indeed using him to judge America. Can you see that something is amiss when both believers and terrorists agree on the same thing? Thousands of people died and many families, friends, and loved ones were thrown into grief. How can that be the work of our loving Father? Read the Bible for yourself. It says that God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet. 3:9). Terrorism is the work of the devil. It is not the work of our loving Father.

But Pastor Prince, didn’t God use Elijah to call down the fire of judgment on those who opposed him?

Yes, the story of a literal fire judgment that fell upon the enemies of the prophet Elijah is told in 2 Kings 1:1–15, and there are other accounts of God’s judgment in the Old Testament, such as upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24–25). But God wants us to be able to rightly divide His Word (2 Tim. 2:15). He wants us to be astute in rightly dividing and clearly separating what belongs to the old covenant of law and what belongs to the new covenant of grace. He wants us to be able to distinguish what occurred before the cross from what occurred after the cross and to understand the difference the cross has made. Many believers today are living as if the cross did not make any difference!

Don’t just take it from me that God will not call down the fires of judgment on you today. See for yourself what Jesus Himself said about what Elijah did. Do you remember the time when Jesus wanted to enter a certain village in Samaria, but the people there refused to receive Him? When Jesus’ disciples saw that the people rejected Jesus, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” Now, how did Jesus respond to them? Did He say, “That’s a great idea! You are truly disciples who carry My heart”? No, of course not! Read your Bible. He turned to His disciples and rebuked them firmly, saying, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (Luke 9:54–56).

My friend, the Spirit of Jesus in the new covenant of grace is not the spirit of the old covenant of law during Elijah’s time. Jesus wants you to have full assurance in your heart today that He did not come to condemn or destroy you. He came to save you (John 3:17)! The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that you may have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). He wants you to live a life marked by His love, power, and blessings. Where there are broken relationships, they are mended. Where there are bad habits, they are broken. And where there are challenges, you emerge victorious. Hallelujah! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

THE GIFT OF NO CONDEMNATION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Unfortunately, we still hear people saying, “Go and sin no more first, then I won’t condemn you.” Maybe you have been saying this to yourself too. But God says, “I don’t condemn you. Go and sin no more.” He gives you the gift of no condemnation so that you have the strength to go and sin no more! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).  

HIS PERFECT LOVE DRIVES OUT EVERY FEAR

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

If you think that God is mad at you or that He is out to punish you, how can you have faith that He hears your prayer for healing? How can you believe Him for your miracle?

Yet, the truth is that God loves you so much that He gave you Jesus, heaven’s best, so that you will NEVER be cut-off from Him no matter what you’ve done or not done. Jesus went to the cross for you so that God will always be with you and for you, to heal you and do good to you.

When you have a deep revelation of how much God loves you, you can’t remain sick for long. You won’t be afraid that He may be keeping His healing power from you. Keep feeding on His perfect love for you. Keep meditating on it. It’s the sure antidote to fear! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).

GOD’S LOVE DEMONSTRATED

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE ROARING LION

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8

Isn’t it interesting in the above passage that the devil has to seek out those whom he may devour? This means that he can’t devour everyone. Don’t surrender your authority to him and be found among those whom he can devour! Also, did you notice that he roams about like, or as, “a roaring lion”? I asked the Lord why the devil goes about as a roaring lion and not some other creature. He led me to Proverbs 19:12, which says, “The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion” (boldface mine). The devil is an imposter who goes about as a roaring lion because he is imitating the King of kings, our Lord Jesus, the real lion of Judah. He wants people to think that our King is full of wrath, anger, and rage against us. He comes at us roaring with the voice of condemnation, accusation, and shame.

Satan wants you to have the impression that you have failed God, and that He is not only disappointed with you, but is also downright furious with you. Now, if you believe that about God, would you be taking refuge under the shelter of His wings? Would you be taking your rightful place of authority, power, and strength? Of course not. In fact, you will flee from God!

Believers who are under a cloud of condemnation won’t pray Psalm 91, the prayer of protection. They feel unworthy of God’s promises and, in fact, are expecting punishment and judgment from God. That is exactly where the devil wants you to be. When you run away from God, you are running straight into the devil’s snare. You abdicate your place of authority when you abdicate your place of intimacy with God.

Beloved, you need to know this: You are loved. God is not mad at you. In Christ, you can have the confident assurance that you are forgiven, loved, and righteous (see Eph. 1:7, Rom. 8:37, 2 Cor. 5:21). The Lord Jesus has taken all your punishment at the cross so that today, you can enjoy His undeserved, unearned, and unmerited favour. God sees you in Christ, who is completely spotless and without blame.

Based on our own deeds, none of us qualifies for His protection. But because of what our Lord Jesus has done for us on the cross, we can all come boldly to His throne of grace (see Heb. 4:16). Because of what He has done, we qualify to dwell in the secret place with the King of kings, where the phony “roaring lion” has no power over us! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

ARE YOU FULLY AWAKE?

Awake to righteousness, and sin not.

1 Corinthians 15:34, KJV

Perhaps you find yourself under a constant siege of condemnation because you have been wrongly taught that the Holy Spirit convicts believers of their sins. You believe that the condemnation you feel is a result of the Holy Spirit’s conviction when it actually originates from the accuser. Rather than the Holy Spirit being your Helper, convicting you that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, that God will never abandon you even if you have sinned, you are left to struggle with sin, condemnation, and fear. It is time to “awake to righteousness.” As Pamela in Maryland discovered, when you do, oppression, bondage, and sin cannot maintain their hold in your life. Here is Pamela’s testimony:

Dear Pastor Prince, at fifty-nine years of age, I was recovering from multiple fractures in my right ankle and fibula. In the first month, my mobility was severely limited and my physical condition weakened. During that season of stress, I was oppressed and tormented by strong feelings of fear of abandonment and rejection, experiencing panic attacks almost daily. I was plagued by nightmares and became unable to sleep—due in part to pain medication, but also to the extreme anxiety. Some nights, all I could do was read the Bible until I was exhausted and finally able to sleep.

One day, I came across your television program and was“hooked.” Every day and evening, I watched your program, soaking up the words of life that you were speaking to my soul. I soon ordered one of your books. For the first time in my life, I heard that it was not the Holy Spirit convicting me of sin, but my conscience. As I read through the book, it was like water to my soul. I read it through three times, each time getting more freedom and peace.

Now, at the age of sixty, I am healthier, happier, and freer than I have ever been in my life. I have been delivered from the stronghold of the fear of abandonment, neglect, and rejection that had oppressed me for most of my life. I have been able to forgive those who physically, emotionally, and sexually abused me, and to repent of my disrespect, self-hatred, bitterness, and resentment.

Today, I am confident that my heavenly Papa loves me, not because of anything I have or have not done, but because of what Jesus did for me. I am continuing to learn that I am completely accepted and righteous in His beloved Son, Jesus, who is altogether lovely, trustworthy, and gracious. Now, I spend my days loving Him and being loved by Him, and I am better able to bless and serve others. Thank you!

Beloved, if you are struggling with condemnation, fear, and sin, the power to overcome is found in knowing that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. When the Bible says, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not,” it means that the more you realize that you are indeed righteous in Christ, and that you are righteous apart from your works, the more you will be empowered to live righteously. Let the truth sink in and be set free by the knowledge that the Holy Spirit is your Helper, given by God to convict you of righteousness. You are the righteousness of God in Christ! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

LIFE ABOVE THE SUN

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

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

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

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

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

You have access by faith into the secret place of the Most High where no evil can touch you. There is no need to fear living in the end times because the Lord is your refuge and fortress. His Word says so. And those who trust His Word completely find His Word completely true! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

THE LORD IS YOUR REFUGE

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

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

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

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

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

You have access by faith into the secret place of the Most High where no evil can touch you. There is no need to fear living in the end times because the Lord is your refuge and fortress. His Word says so. And those who trust His Word completely find His Word completely true! (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission). 

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

My friend, God is with you today because of His precious Son, Jesus. For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son, and His name is Immanuel. God gave us Jesus. The presence of Jesus in your life is a free gift from God. There is no amount of good that you can do to earn the presence of Jesus. There is no number of good works that you can perform to merit His favour. His presence in your life is a free gift. Now, because you did nothing to deserve His presence in your life, there is nothing you can do that will cause His presence to leave you. Once you have received Jesus into your heart, He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)!

“But Pastor Prince, when I fail, doesn’t Jesus leave me?”

No, Jesus is right by your side to encourage you and restore you to wholeness. You may say, “But I don’t deserve it!” That’s right. That’s what makes it His unmerited favour in your life. There is a beautiful psalm that says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand” (Psalm 37:23–24). When you fail, Jesus is there to uphold you. Unlike some of your so-called “friends,” He does not just take off. You can count on Him. He is a faithful, dependable and trustworthy friend. Even when you have failed Him, He is right there with you, ready to pick you up and restore you to wholeness. Amen! The Bible talks about a friend who “sticks closer than a brother.” That’s Jesus! Beloved, lean on His constant presence. Draw on His unfailing strength and support for you today. (Article and Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).