Tuesday, March 8, 2016

A time to take back what you have lost!

The Lord spoke these prophetic words as I was ministering last Sunday:
"This is a month to gain back what you have lost, and that includes even your calling in life! Turn your heart back to Me, and you will receive a new zeal and a fresh new perspective in your life! You will see yourself a 'giant', not an 'ant'! You will step on the mountain, and not succumb under the mountain!"

By the way, the word 'perspective' here means 'seeing correctly into the distance', and 'mountain' here speaks of 'challenges or problems in life'.

Then, the Lord spoke further:
"This is a key time to praise! Praise and keep praising this month, and I will show you how to take back what's meant to be yours, the way I have shown Caleb and Joshua in their days!"

The name 'Caleb' ('Kaleb' in Hebrew) means 'force', coming from the word 'keleb' meaning 'to attack (like a dog)', whereas the name 'Joshua' ('Yehowshuwa' in Hebrew) means 'The Lord (YHWH) saved', from the word 'yasha' meaning 'to save, to rescue, to deliver, to set free, to get victory'.

People of God, no matter what 'mountain' you may be facing at the moment, praise and keep praising the Lord! And watch how the Lord will lead you into a time of 'attacking' and 'getting your victory', just as He had shown Caleb and Joshua those days!

Let's look at Caleb now. The Bible says Caleb has a 'different spirit'. In Numbers 14:24, the Lord says, "But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it."

Have you ever wondered what made Caleb different? What's the secret of Caleb that caused him to enter the Promised Land and receive his inheritance?

The answer is found in the very tribe he represented, the tribe of Judah! Numbers 13:1-2 says, 'And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, everyone a leader among them."' 

The name 'Judah' ('Yehuwdah' in Hebrew) here comes from the word 'yadah', meaning 'to praise, to revere/worship with outstretched hands, to shoot forth'. See the word 'leader' in Numbers 13:2? Caleb was a leader of 'yadah'! In other words, Caleb was a leader of 'praise'! When others in Israel 'lifted up their voices in complaints' (Numbers 14:1-4) because of the 'giants' they saw (Numbers 13:27-33), Caleb 'lifted up his voice in praise'! The truth is something is broken in the enemy's camp when you 'shoot forth' your voices in the praises of the Lord!

You see? Caleb saw differently! He had a different perspective from others in Israel! He saw with the eyes of God!

And that's how he (together with Joshua) led a whole new generation of the children of Israel to take back what was meant to be theirs! For the record, the Lord had already shown their forefather Abraham long time ago that the land was meant for them (Genesis 15:18-21). In fact, Abraham dwelt in that land those days, but somehow through the generations after that, the land was lost! Now, they were there to take it back!

Someone confided in me the other day, "Pastor, I am just an 'ant' among the 'big players' in this industry I am in." But it was then that I was prompted by the Spirit to declare these words to him, saying, "When God is in you, you'll be turned from an 'ant' into a 'giant' in this industry!"

People of God, if you think you are an 'ant' (that is easily stepped upon by the enemy), think again! Because when you invite God into your life and your vocation, you too will be turned from an 'ant' into a 'giant'! 

See the word 'ANT' here? Now see the word 'GIANT'! What's the difference here? The alphabets 'G' and 'I'! Let's play some acronyms here. If 'G' represents 'God', and 'I' represents 'in', there you have it! When GOD is IN you, you'll be turned into a 'GIANT' in the spiritual realm! It will be reflected in the physical realm! And just like Caleb and Joshua, nothing's going to stop you from taking possession of the 'land' that God had promised you!

The 'land' here speaks of 'His promises and His vision' for your life! In other words, what He has spoken to you!

Let's go to Numbers 14:6-9 now. Here, Caleb and Joshua spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them."

Numbers 14:10 then says, 'And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel'.

The glory of the Lord appeared then and there as a 'sign' and confirmation (that the Lord is with Caleb and Joshua), and by the Lord's divine intervention, they were prevented from being stoned! 

And you know what this means? When you follow the Lord and walk according to His promises for you, He will also back you up!

Caleb and Joshua are 'pictures' of the apostolic people today, raised up by the Lord in this end time to do great exploits and to take back what was lost!

The word 'apostle' by the way comes from the Greek word 'apostello', meaning 'to set apart, to send out, to send forth, to set at liberty'. And that was exactly what Caleb and Joshua were called for those days! They were to lead a new generation of God's people into the land flowing with milk and honey! They were to set at liberty the old mindset that had bound many in their generation!

Someone asked, "Where are we now in the time-table of God?"

The answer is obvious. We are living in an apostolic era, 'where many run (go) to and fro, and knowledge shall increase' (see Daniel's end time prophecy in Daniel 12:1-4). People are traveling and moving around nowadays like never before in history, and transportation industry (particularly aviation industry) is definitely at its prime time.

God's people are being sent forth (out of their comfort zones) like never before, and this sending forth is not just about sending for missions (or to a country far away), but also a sending forth into the marketplaces, and into every industry (and every facet/aspect of society).

Indeed, God is sending many in this end time!

Let me clarify the difference between 'apostle' and 'apostolic' here. Some are called to be 'apostles' (see Ephesians 4:11-13), but ALL in the Body of Christ today are called to be 'apostolic'. Simply because the very word 'apostolic' ('apostolos' in Greek) means 'he that is sent, he that is commissioned'.

People of God, there is a place for each of you in this end time. No one is left out. Jesus Himself spoke, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

May the Lord cause you to 'see' His calling in your life with a new zeal and a fresh new perspective, and may you also be counted as the 'Calebs' and 'Joshuas' of today. Amen!