GOD WILL SURELY SHOW YOU KINDNESS

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

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

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

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

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

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

GRACE WHEN YOU LEAST DESERVE IT

Not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

Philippians 3:9

The grace of God is the unearned, undeserved and unmerited favour of God. When God answers you in your most undeserving moment, that is grace. That is His amazing, unmerited favour! At your lowest point, in your darkest hour, His light shines through for you and you become a recipient of His unmerited favour, and a recipient of favour can’t help but want to extend grace to others.

My friend, in and of ourselves, we don’t deserve anything good. But because we are in Christ and in His righteousness, God will not withhold any blessing from our lives today. Our part is not to struggle in our own works and be independent from God, but to focus on receiving all that we need from Him.

I believe that the more righteousness-conscious you are, the more you will experience God’s unmerited favour. When the voice of disqualification comes to remind you of all the areas that you have fallen short in, that’s the time to turn to Jesus who qualifies you and hear His voice. That is the true fight of faith! The fight of faith is to fight to believe that you are made righteous by faith and not by works. Paul, speaking of his own achievements under the law, said that he counts them all “as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3:8–9).

So there are clearly two types of righteousness in the Bible: (1) A righteousness that comes from your obedience and from you trying to earn your way to attain it. (2) A righteousness that comes from faith in Jesus Christ.

Only one of these has a solid, unshakable foundation. One is built upon you and your ability to keep the law, while the other is built upon the Rock of all ages—Jesus Christ. One can only give you the occasional confidence to ask for God’s favour, depending on how well you perceive you have done. The other gives you confidence ALL THE TIME to access His unmerited favour, even when you feel that you are greatly undeserving.

What do you want to depend on when push comes to shove—your wavering righteousness or the perfect, rock-solid righteousness of Jesus? It is your faith in the righteousness of Jesus that gives you the right to God’s unmerited favour. Today, because of what Jesus did on the cross, you can expect good things to happen to you. You can ask God for big things and reach out to the blessed destiny that He has for you and your family. His righteousness is your right to God’s unmerited favour! Don’t let any voice of accusation tell you otherwise!  (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries, used with kind permission)

WHICH IS EASIER TO SAY?

Let me ask you a question which Jesus asked the Pharisees: “Which is easier, to say [to the paralytic], ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’?” (Luke 5:23).

In the context of ministering to a paralytic, saying “Your sins are forgiven” is probably easier. Why? Because you don’t need an outward manifestation to prove that his sins are forgiven. But when you tell him, “Rise up and walk,” he must rise up and walk, or you will look very foolish! So that makes saying “Your sins are forgiven” easier than saying “Rise up and walk.”

The truth is, what is seemingly more difficult for man in the natural is not so for God. With God, physical healing is clearly “easier” for Him than forgiveness of sins. The latter is the “harder” and greater miracle because it required God to deliver up His beloved Son to take on all our sins and shed His blood on the cross.

Yet, when faced with a loved one stricken with cancer, or when gripped by mounting debts after being jobless for a long time, we seem to find it harder to believe and say that God has already given us the breakthroughs we need, than to believe and say that our sins are forgiven. Saying that our sins are forgiven seems easier than saying that God has already given us the miraculous physical healing, supernatural financial breakthrough or divine favour at the next job interview.

But since God has done the “harder” and greater miracle of “having forgiven you all trespasses,” there is nothing He will not do for you (see Romans 8:32)! In fact, if you think that there is something that God is withholding from you, you are implying that that something is greater than the forgiveness of sins which Jesus died to give you! But nothing can be greater than the perfect sacrifice of Jesus.

So hear the Lord telling you today, “Your sins have been forgiven you. You have perfect acceptance before God. Rise up and be healed! Rise up and walk in health, wisdom, favour, protection and wholeness!” (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries, used with kind permission)

JESUS—THE ONE WHO ALWAYS BELIEVES

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Mark 9:23

Mark 9:23 has been traditionally taught to mean that you can have your miracle if YOU can believe. If you can’t believe, then Jesus isn’t going to give you your miracle.

But if you study the Greek structure of the verse, it’s actually saying, “Can you believe that all things are possible to Him [Jesus] who is always believing?”

That makes a world of difference! It’s not about how well or how much you can believe, but WHO you believe. Jesus is the only one whose faith is always constant and never wavers. His faith never fails! And if you can believe that all things are possible for Jesus who never doubts, never wavers, then you are on your way to receiving your miracle!

Beloved, have faith not in your faith, but in Him who always believes and always wants to do good to you!  (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries, used with kind permission)

BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR POSITION IN CHRIST

In this verse, Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” He did not say, “I am the vine, try to be the branches.” In other words, He wants us to realize that we are already the branches. We do not have to struggle to become the branches.

As His branches, we only have to abide or remain in Christ our vine. How do we do that? We do that by simply being conscious every day of our position in Christ. Because we have received Christ, we are in Christ and are accepted in the Beloved (see 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1:6) God accepts us because we are in the Beloved and He is in us. And that is how God sees us today when we come into His presence.

What the devil wants to do then is to get you to focus on your condition instead of your position in Christ. The condition you are facing could be financial lack or deteriorating health. The devil wants you to focus on your condition and forget your position—that you are the righteousness of God in Christ and that you are seated with Him in heavenly places at the Father’s right hand (see 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:6). He wants you to forget that you are an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ (see Romans 8:17).

The devil knows that once you focus on your position in Christ, it will give you the power to change your condition and circumstances. John 15:5 says that you will bear “much fruit.” This means that when you pray against any lack, abundant supply will flow. When you pray for healing, sickness will leave.

My friend, none of these things can happen by your own doing, but by His life which flows through you. Just as sap flowing through the branches of a vine will cause them to bring forth fruit, His life flowing through you will bring forth a bountiful harvest of provision, healing and miracles. You only need to remain conscious of who you are in Christ!  (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries, used with kind permission)

GOD WANTS YOU TO DRAW FROM HIM

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

Did you know that giving to you actually brings joy to God’s heart? When you place a demand on Him—like look to Him to heal you—you let Him be God. When you draw from His fullness—His abundance of life, health and blessing—you delight Him!

That’s why God wants you to come expectantly to Him for your healing today. See Him ready to pour His abundance out for you. See Him rejoicing when you call upon Him. As you see His heart of love that always wants to give to you, you will see your healing manifest!  (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries, used with kind permission)

MOVED BY THE SPIRIT, NOT HUMAN HONEY

Imagine yourself walking past the prodigal son sitting in the pigpen (see Luke 15:11–24). You look at him and see him salivating for the pigs’ food. Believing that it is good to show kindness, you give him money to buy food for himself.

That is human kindness which says, “I am a Christian. I should be kind, good and forgiving.” Such human sweetness or kindness may be likened to honey. Interestingly, while we elevate it, God tells His people not to bring Him a grain offering with honey in it.

The grain offering speaks of Jesus’ life on earth. Not mixing honey in the grain offering speaks of how the compassion and goodness we see in Jesus during His earthly ministry were all divine. There was no “honey” of human goodness, which is inevitably tainted with human weakness.

In retrospect, the worst thing one could do for the prodigal son was to give him money when he was in the pigpen. Not only would he not have gone home, but what the Lord was doing in his heart would also have been spoiled. This is what happens when we go by the goodness of our human hearts instead of the goodness of God in our hearts, which is directed by His love, wisdom and perfect timing.

My friend, God does not want you to be moved by what you see but by His Spirit. There were many needy folks surrounding Jesus during His time on earth. But He did not heal every sick person around Him, feed every hungry stomach he passed or raise all who were dead. Isaiah 11:2–3 tells us that the Lord was not moved by what He saw or heard. He was moved only by the Spirit.

You too have the Spirit in you (see 1 Corinthians 3:16). Be moved by Him. Follow the peace that He puts within your spirit to do or refrain from doing something. That peace is the peace of God. Acting on that peace will cause God to be exalted, and His divine goodness and kindness to really be a blessing to you and others!  (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries, used with kind permission)