LETTING GO OF THE PAST

Recently I reviewed the messages I have been receiving in the month of Oct for the past 5 years. I was amazed to discover that the message had been consistent! The main message was to let go of the past and move on. God is doing a new thing in my life. I realised that I had come to the end of things, assignments that God gave me. It was like a winding down, a completion of the work. This was totally in line with the significance of Cheshvan being the month of completion.

In Oct 2010, I was told to let go of the past baggage I had accumulated in my last company because I was going to leave soon. I couldn't bring these things over to my new season of staying home. In Oct 2011, I was told to let go of the timing issue, be regarding the promise or my ministry. Ironically I sensed the Lord calling me to action in Sep yet nothing seemed to be moving in Oct. Ok, I told the Lord, I would wait until He moved. After that, in Nov, things really started moving faster and I felt I was out of the waiting mode. It was like arise and go. New things were springing up.

In Oct 2012, I was impressed upon the need to let go of old friendships of my old season. This one was tough because I am a sentimental person who values friendships a lot. Especially my friendship with one particular sister. After that I was careful to guard my heart and not let anyone cause me those heartaches again. But God assured me that He would bring me new friends, people who would love me, pray for me and support me in my divine destiny. At that time I was starting new friendships but no, they were not the divine appointments God was referring to.

Then in Oct 2013, after I communicated my decision not to extend my contract with the church office, it was a time of winding down. I was preparing the things to hand over to my colleague after she came back from maternity leave in mid Nov. Things were coming to an end regarding my assignment especially after the last CG leaders' service for the year. At the same time, new things were happening in the healing ministry. In Oct, I went for my first hospital visit. Things were so exciting then.

Oct 2014 was the month that I stopped serving in the church's connect points. Earlier the prayer and healing rooms were closed down to make way for the new connect points. When I saw it closed, my heart sunk. It was like a door of ministry closing on me. I knew it was time to exit this ministry. I was on sabbatical leave then but I continued to serve on Sundays till end Oct. I also communicated my decision to step down in that month. I closed the door of CG ministry behind me. It was a very difficult time for me to let go of this ministry which I once enjoyed so much. The end of my Sunday serving marked the closure of this chapter. I had to move on.

Finally in Oct 2015, there was another closure I had to make. Another door I had to close. This time, it was my involvement in the another ministry. Painful as the decision was, I knew it was His will. It always wasn't easy to inform the pastors that I want out of the ministry totally. But I think it is all in God's timing because it came at a time when there are new directions in this ministry, more commitments that I couldn't make. When the ministry just started, it was small and hence the commitments were minimal. I could handle that.

I wondered why I had to exit at this time, now that the ministry was going big. Yet I was told by God to let go of this ministry totally, to come out from it completely. Isn't it totally untimely? Perhaps to men yes, but not to God. Hence yesterday marked the end of my involvement with the ministry. It was a total of two years. Thank God this time round I wasn't as sentimental as I was when I exited the Sunday serving last Oct. I was in fact, happy. I still didn't know fully what is in store for me in the future. Roughly I know the new thing about ministry to mothers had started, yet the full picture hasn't been revealed yet. I don't know why God always tells me to shut the door behind me before the door ahead opens. I guess it's a step of faith. I got to trust Him.

Well, at least I take comfort that once this door closed, a new door is opening soon. God will not waste time. And in previous years, I noticed that the spiritual atmosphere started to change in Nov. Things started moving faster after completion of previous assignments and I was out of the waiting mode. Nov seems to be the month of manifestations after crossing over to a new season. New things began springing up speedily. It was a time of acceleration.

WHAT GOD HAS BEEN DOING

Preacher John Gray said that the process of shaking was meant to hide you and protect you. God hid certain areas of your development so that you can see people clearly. When the process is complete, the hidden things will spring forth, it was there all the while, just waiting for the appointed time to be revealed.

When I heard this, I remembered the Lord telling me that my development seemed obscure but it was part of His plan. He had to keep me hidden and protected until the time was right to reveal me to the world. And He also said that the devil was trying to blind me to the fact that I had so much latent potential within me. There was so much power of the Holy Spirit within me and if I only knew how to use it, it would be a great blow to the devil. No wonder he kept attacking me and distracting me all this while! Now it was his turn to shake and tremble.

Many times I don't understand what God said to me and I don't understand why certain things happened that way though I prayed against it. Now I see the big picture. God is the One who was initiating the shift through trials. He was shaking those non-beneficial things out of my life. When I come out of these trials, this shaking, I will have a new song. Through this shaking, God is showing me who I really am. And how such trials are necessary because I wouldn't be the same person if I got to destiny easily.

But when the enemy attacked you and you survived, it just meant that you are going to make it to the end. You got to start praising God now. When the process is complete, the hidden things will spring forth. God is preparing a table before you in the presence of your enemies. A move is a surface thing. A shift is foundational like a change in scenery, not just your circumstances. Something has just shifted. This changes everything. Give a midnight praise to God!

Looking back, I realised that I journeyed through two seasons and seven years passed. I forgot the number of times I went back to God asking Him when will the final close be. Each time I thought I didn't have the strength to carry on and wanted to give up, God would strengthen me and I would get back on my feet again. I came to a point I really couldn't be sure whether this is it, that I have finally come to the finish line, that the process was finally complete.

I guess I was beginning to be convinced that I was really reaching the end of this journey when I encountered Psalm 46:10 on 18 Jan, exactly seven years after God first gave me this verse in 2008. What makes me so sure that this is it, that I have finally come full circle since I had come across this verse many times in the past few years? I think it was the date which it appeared. I didn't think it was a coincidence that it appeared exactly on the same day seven years ago. And I still didn't realise it, for it was the Holy Spirit who brought this date to my remembrance.

The other thing which could possibly point to the end of this journey was that God gave me specific instructions for my new season in last Feb. He never said anything like this to me for the past six years, not when I had been pressing Him for answers. Yet it was God who came to me and prepared me for the change in season in Feb 2014. And I know by experience that after God spoke the word, usually things would fall into place in a matter of months. But this time it took a bit longer. It's been a year since He gave the word. Not only that, I have also closed a season of field ministry.

Recently the Holy Spirit has been revealing to me the work which God has done in my life for the past seven years. It was different from what I expected. I thought it was a journey of waiting for a promise but it turned out to be a journey of mind renewal. It was a necessary shift, a needful shaking of certain things in my life. I saw how my mindset was changed and how the mind renewal process was now complete. I discovered how I got to let go of things in the past seasons and only those things that could not be shaken would follow me into my next season. What God has done in the past 7 years was really to prepare me for the next cycle of 7 years in my life.

And so, after the stages of shifting and shaking, I believe what's left of the process is the springing forth, the revealing of my destiny. The unfolding of His plans in my life, how God isn't going to hide them anymore. It was clear since early March that my season has shifted and there is a new beginning for me. Many new things are already happening in my life since then. I cannot deny that my season has begun shifting and but now I have solidly moved into a new season. The divine shift has been completed. Praise the Lord!

MY BIRTHDAY

I woke up feeling excited about today because it is my birthday. I can't wait to see what my Abba has in store for me. What kind of birthday present He has prepared for me...I was told to be expectant. There was a heavy downpour in the morning and I woke up to a cool refreshing morning. I was awakened by the sounds of messages on my phone. When I looked at my handphone, I saw so many well wishes from CG members. I felt so loved.

One member pointed out that there has not been rain for the past week and this morning's showers speak of God's blessings in my life. He said that I shall see more good days to come, days dripping with His goodness and abundance! Indeed this is like Leviticus 26:4 'I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.' What a wonderful way to start my birthday with heavy rains! This is really harvest season for me! Thank you Jesus!

When I went out during noon, I was at this Japanese restaurant. But I didn't go there for lunch. We had this rewards card that would be expiring by the end of the month. I wanted to exchange it for a $20 voucher. There were two free items (maki and gyoza) on the card but I wasn't going to eat there so I was thinking to forego that. But when the service staff asked me if I would like to eat in or pack the items, I was pleasantly surprised. I told them I would like a take-away. Later when I came back to pick up the items, the staff told me the kitchen made a mistake and prepared tempura udon for me instead of gyoza (Japanese dumplings). But they would not charge me for this item. It was free for me! This never happened to me before so immediately I knew it was Daddy God's doing! I felt so blessed.

Then in the afternoon, I was prompted to open the present that my brother and his girlfriend gave me on last Sunday. I waited till today to unwrap my present. To my big surprise, it was an Ashlyn Anne bag which I saw on Sunday and thought about buying! It couldn't be such a coincidence so I knew my Daddy God was the One behind it again! Thank God I didn't buy it on Sunday! It was like I just had that desire and then God fulfilled it. It was like so spot-on that I couldn't believe it! God is so good to me!

In the evening, Heng surprised me by bringing us to try out a new Korean restaurant. The food was quite nice, and I loved the side dishes. Recently I am quite passionate about Korean food because I keep seeing them eat their meals in the Korean dramas. Ha ha! I have been watching too much Korean drama too! Then we bought a small cake home to sing the birthday song, with Joshua playing on the piano as background music. I guess the best part of the day was when I received a prophetic word from an anointed sister, which was like God speaking to me! What a blessed day!

WELL-POSITIONED

This thought came to my mind recently but I haven't gotten down to writing it. I felt that I have been well positioned by God for such a time like this. These are exciting times we live in and I thank God for preparing us for His divine shifts, His move on earth. It's really important to be in position because when God moves, things happened really fast. So fast that we couldn't keep up if we are not well prepared. We might miss what He is doing if we are not ready to discern that God is moving in our midst.

As I read this prophetic word by Elijah Ministries, I realised the prophets have been saying that 2008 was the beginning of the third and final Apostolic Reformation. It was a time of new beginnings and transitions. They had been praying to strategise how to best position themselves to cooperate with this great move of God, and they encourage others to do the same. They emphasised the importance of understanding and participating in the major transition and new thrust of the Holy Spirit taking place in the Church today.

This Reformation will bring about a paradigm shift in the goal and purpose of the Church. Now we are receiving revolutionary, reformed thinking from the heart and mind of God. The expanded goal and vision of the Third Reformation Church is to co-labor with Christ in His passionate desire for the fulfillment of Revelation 11:15. The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever."

Christ's Third Apostolic Reformation and purpose is to use His restored Church to fulfill God's original mandate to mankind--subdue all things, take dominion and fill the earth with a mankind race in God's own image and likeness, bring more and more of God's Kingdom and will to earth, and transform nations into sheep nations (those who do the works of Christ. See Matthew 25:31-46). This is the end result of the saints taking the Gospel of the Kingdom into every aspect of society.

2008 was the year of new beginnings. It was the beginning of the new Third and final Apostolic Reformation. This Third Reformation would bring as much transition and fulfilling of God's purpose as the First and Second Reformation did. The prophets have been prophesying and interceding about this shift for many years. 2008 was the time for it to fully be underway. Whenever a move of God occurred, there was much action and anticipation ahead of time, during the "birthing" process, and even greater activity afterwards.

In 2008, God was releasing special supernatural grace and power to those who were willing and ready for Church Reformation. They would be those who demonstrate the Kingdom of God for the transformation of nations. There would also be much preaching and many books being written on the saints taking dominion, the Kingdom of God, transformation, wealth for Kingdom purposes, the Third and final Apostolic Reformation, and God's purpose for His Church, His Kingdom and planet earth.

2008 was a historical time for the Church. 2008 was a significant year for me too. That was the year when I received word from God to be still and know that He is God. I didn't know God wanted me to draw near to Him, to make this connection with Him for a purpose. A work He has prepared for me in my future. I was thankful that I obeyed His instruction then. It was also the time when I received revelation about the shaking going on. Little did I know that God has begun a work of transition in that year. I was going through a time of transition too. God was preparing me too.

Before this I never knew what was shaking, divine shift, birth pangs and birthing process etc. Whenever a move of God occurs, there is much action and anticipation ahead of time, during the "birthing" process, and even greater activity afterwards. I always wondered why God had to prepare me so much advance for this divine shift, for the birth. Later I found that it was like what the bible says about God sharing His secrets with His prophets before He does it.

Amos 3:7 'Surely the Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.' There is a purpose for sharing it in advance, so that His people can declare it with a prophetic word and then see it come to pass. Amos 3:8 says 'The lion has roared, who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken, who can but prophesy?' Now I have a better understanding of the role of prophets and gifts of prophecy in the Body of Christ, as well as why they have to give the word they received from the Lord. It is their mandate. They play an important role in preparing God's people and positioning them for the future work.

MATRIX MOVIE

We watched this classic movie with Joshua early this year. Joshua liked it a lot and said it was amazing that back in 1999, they could produce such a futuristic movie. I had to agree. In fact, I gleaned nuggets of truth which spoke to me now. One of which was about Neo. Morphous somewhat believed that he was the Savior of Zion to the point of sacrificing his life for Neo though Neo himself was not convinced. Well, when Neo met the Oracle, she told him what he wanted to hear. Neo was a person who didn't believe in fate; he believed he could change his life. Hence even if the Oracle prophesied that he was the Savior, he probably wouldn't have accepted it because it was fate. 

The Oracle already foreknew this so she said what he wanted to hear at that point. The truth was that Neo really was different from the others. I think he was destined to be the next savior. But it didn't matter who believed strongly in him or who told him so. Unless he came to see this truth and believe that he was really the savior, no one else could change his mind about who he thought he was. The interesting thing was he could move as fast as the agents and that he didn't die after being shot a few times. No, he did die but was resurrected. After his resurrection, he became much faster and could even destroy the agents. This was really a breakthrough. 

Watching him fight the agents, Morphous commented to Trinity that Neo was beginning to believe he was really the Savior. Well, did Trinity know? Yes she did because the Oracle told her that the one she loved would be the savior and she loved Neo. Right from the start, I believe. So when Neo was shot in the Matrix, Trinity spoke to him. She told him she wasn't afraid because the savior cannot die. And she knew he was the savior because she loved him. Hence he couldn't die. He wasn't supposed to die. After that, the impossible happened, he was revived and became much more powerful. 

It was very interesting to notice a similarity between me and Neo. Not the savior part but the believing part. All these years when I was waiting for the promise, I lost track of the number of times God assured me that this promise was already given. In His mercy, He even showed me visions of me carrying my promise. He also sent messengers to tell me that the promise was on the way. Yet somehow I still couldn't visualize myself wiht the promise. It was like God was trying to convince me, other people were trying to convince me but I wasn't convinced. 

It really wasn't easy for me to come to this position of belief. My heart used to be so hard of believing. It started out soft and malleable but after months and years of disappointments, my trust in God was severely tested. I found myself in a place where I couldn't bring myself to believe my appointed time had come because I was too afraid to raise my hopes to have them dashed again. God took a long while to convince me that His promise is still coming to pass and that my due season, my appointed time has finally come. 

God started telling me about my due season in last Nov after I confirmed stepping down. This time I was convinced that my time had really come. I became the one telling many others that God is preparing me for a season of childbearing. Then God kind of like sealed His message about my due season with Pastor Joel's theme for the year. It was cast in stone, I was like thinking 'This is really it!' Proverbs 23:7 says 'As a man thinks, so is he.' Pastor Prince also said that it doesn't matter what others say of you but what you see and say about yourself. It must be your own revelation. Start seeing yourself the way God sees you. See yourself healthy, strong and prosperous next year. Let the vision of God be your vision. 

TIME OF ANSWERED PRAYERS

I recently noticed that the tree in front of our living room is blooming with beautiful white flowers. I have never seen its flowers before. Interestingly I was brought to mind how this tree was pruned, cut down to its bare minimum at a time. It was a very sad scene of barrenness. But I knew one day the tree will grow back branches and in just a few months' time, the branches came out! And now the tree is sprouting flowers! The scene of barrenness has been transformed into fruitfulness and beauty! What a turnaround!

In contrast, the tree beside it, which used to bloom beautiful flowers seemed not to be growing as much. The leaves turned yellow and the tree looked bare. Maybe it is time for this tree to be cut down so that it could be rejuvenated. Oh the wonders of seasons that God has created! This also tells me that sometimes when we are in a barren season, and we are envious of other people enjoying harvest, we have to know they too, went through a time of barrenness. But after that season, they are enjoying their harvest. And those of us who went through a time of wilderness, of being in the fire and water, we can be heartened to know that one day the season will change. And we will surely come into a season of fulfilment and abundance (Psalms 66:12). Well, now is the time!

I was reading Doug Addison's latest prophetic word in Oct and I found his message talking about the same thing too. He said: God spoke to me that many people who have gone through difficult times are going to see a change happen. We are entering into a time of answered prayers. God has heard your cry and this year will bring about the fulfillment of some promises that you may have given up on or forgot. Those of you who have been crying and crying out for change are going to start receiving repayment for all your pain.

“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” Psalm 126:5

There is a time of change here for those who have “sown with tears.” Your turnaround is here as God has heard your cries and is answering your prayers. Your “sowing and weeping” is now turning into “sowing and reaping.” This means that God is repaying your pain! It is a time of restoration, when God is turning our sorrows into joy and ashes into beauty. Psalm 30:5 says 'Weeping lasts for the night but joy comes in the morning.' Joy will always come after a time of sadness. Praise the Lord for the joy of answered prayers!

REJOICE AND WORSHIP HIM

Recently I was impressed to rejoice and worship the Lord. Because I have received a word from the Lord through a sister which greatly encouraged me, He has lifted my spirits and my soul was no longer downcast. Then I read in Journals of the Heart about how worship creates an open portal between heaven and earth. As I tremble at His word, the earth shakes. And like a mighty underground spring, the Word dwelling in me is brought to the surface in a free-flowing fountain as I release praise and thanksgiving. It rises to the very heavens where it is returned in a downpour of revelation and truth.

Journals of the Heart also mentioned this. You will reap what you sow. Sow worship and you will reap desire to worship. In doing this you will bring life to the innermost parts of you being. Attitudes will change and doubt will become faith. Every attitude and doubt subjected to the atmosphere of worship is translated from the sphere of the impossible to the possible. Draw aside and be with God. Let your heart rejoice and be glad. God has everything covered and you will come to know this at a deeper level if you worship. Every act of worship is one more block in the house you are building for God. Let the innovative power of worship make a way where there is no way. Worship opens the doors of revelation (Psalms 25:14).

So wipe your tears away and start rejoicing now, start praising Him, start thanking Him in advance for the wonderful things He has done for you. If only you knew what He has in store for you, you will be rejoicing now. Nehemiah 8:10 says 'Go your way, eat choice food, drink sweet drinks...for the joy of the Lord is your strength.' God wants me to start having an expectancy of the big birthday present He has already prepared for me, waiting to be unveiled. God must be hiding grin right now, He just cannot wait to see my expression when that day comes. I am excited too.

RAIN

Over the years, I have grown to love fruits and fruitfulness. Maybe because I have been though a rather long season of barrenness, a scenery of green trees and luscious fruits seemed very attractive to me. It is a beautiful scene. Perhaps the barrenness caused me to appreciate fruitfulness much more. I love harvest times. Although I am not a farmer, I don't plant crops living in the city, I am intrigued by the process of sowing and reaping. It is truly amazing how a small seed can yield a big tree with many fruits with yet much more seed. Such is the nature of God's laws of multiplication. Little becomes much, few becomes plentiful.

Any farmer would have known the importance of rain. If there is rain in the latter months, the crops would be well watered and be plentiful. Without the much needed nourishment of rain, the crops would probably die. I read that Cheshvan is usually the month of rain. At this, I am reminded of Zechariah 8:12 which the Lord gave me in Nov 2011. 'For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their rain.'

A sister recently brought this verse Haggai 2:19 to my attention. 'Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree has not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.' When I read this, I instantly thought of Zechariah 8:12 and Leviticus 26:4 'then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its provide and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.'

Then I came across this article http://forerunnertv.com/blog/1417-cheshvan-revelation-rain. The writer said that the number 8 (Cheshvan is the eighth month of the Hebrew calendar) represents putting off the old, as in the “old man” and the “works of the flesh” – hence sanctify, manifest, reveal, die, death; and therefore, by implication: New Beginnings. Cheshvan is called the month of bool/bul. Bul in the Hebrew refers to heavy rain, increase, produce, fruit. It is also the month of new beginnings. I recall God saying in Jan about a new beginning from now on...could He be referring to a time as now?

The article also mentioned that the times we are in are “as the days of Noah.”  After the rain/flood, there was the New Thing. Rain is symbolic of God's Word ~ His Teachings ~ His Revelation as revealed through Jesus the Messiah. It is the spiritual, prophetic rain. The rain of the revelation of his Word is to bring life and fruitfulness to those who will come and receive. Those who will not receive will be left out.

Deuteronomy 32:1-2 'Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine (instruction, words, revelation) shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers on the grass.'

Cheshvan is the second month of the civil year (which starts on 1 Tishrei) and the eighth month of the ecclesiastical year (which starts on 1 Nisan) on the Hebrew calendar. In Hebrew, Cheshvan is written with the four letters: חשון. The borders (the first and last letters) of Cheshvan are chet – ח and nun – ן, which together spell the word chen – חן, meaning “beauty.” Does this remind you of horaios, the word beautiful, right time, fruitful, ready to produce?

The revelation of His Word is what transforms us as we go from glory to glory. We will experience floods of revelation as we dive into the deeper things. The rainbow, the mark of transformation, comes after the rain! In the Greek, revelation is the word which means appearing, manifestation, revealed and it is from the word apokaloopto which means (to take off the cover, unveil).

Jesus taught in parables to teach the mysteries of the Kingdom. He wants us to search out and understand the mysteries of His Word, His Kingdom, and His Nature. This will bring us into intimacy and oneness with Him. Revelation is an understanding or unveiling of the scriptures. When you have revelation, it is like the bible comes alive to you!

All life depends on water. Water is symbolic of prophetic revelation. Spiritually, we need the washing of the water if we are to bear true, good and lasting fruit. The former and the latter rains come and cause the buds to grow into fruit. Recently I read in Journals of the Heart about revelation knowledge. God says 'today I open the eyes of your heart to see My Word in a different way. No longer will it be just something you read and hope will come to pass. I am releasing revelation.' It isn't a coincidence. God is releasing His rain, His revelation from heaven in this season. Open heavens. He who have ears let him hear what the Spirit has to say.

LIVING ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

I was reminded of TD Jakes book 'Unlocking God's purpose in your life', a chapter that talked about what it means to live in this new dimension we have been launched into. This caused me to think about how living in this new normal is like. Recently I felt that it is time to function in this new capacity. An experience or moment of power is great but you need to learn how to move forward after that moment. How to start living and functioning at a new dimension as a new normal. The touch of power was simply a transfer point that would launch one from one dimension to the next.

I wonder how it is like living on this new level, new dimension of power. Like asking in Jesus' name and receiving answers to my prayers every single time. Having faith and confidence that whatever I asked for, I would surely receive it. I imagine living on a level where I can be with God while I am walking…while I am going about daily chores and administrations. I have learnt of God in the quiet place then busy places, though sometimes hectic, will be like pools of deep silence because we will walk in them together.

All the while I know that moment has the power to call something out of me that only functions at a new, higher level. This is why stuff inside me has not come to the surface yet. It's not that I don't have what it takes, I do. However, what's inside me is prepared and positioned for another level. If it came forth earlier, it would be destructive. If I started sharing, imparting, offering and releasing what I currently have stored up inside, no one would get it. I would be written off, they would call me crazy.

This moment when His power meets my potential is intentional. It is designed to launch me into a new level where everything inside me will have its place to come forth. I begin to visualise for once what it would be like on the other side of my moment. What happens when His power unleashes the potential within me? How will I be? How would I have changed? I might have a gift of faith so that when I lay hands on the sick, I know they will recover and they will. I might have a greater sense of discernment so that I can pinpoint the root cause in a person's life. And a greater revelation of His word and His power. I will see more signs, wonders and miracles in my life.

Honestly I really cannot imagine. Because I have never lived in that new level. It's like God's deliverance is different from us conquering a stronghold. Deliverance is well and good but not always His best. What He wants is for us to build our faith and exercise it, and in doing so, to obtain victory in all area of our life so we need not be bullied by the evil one again. I have a vision for my life. I hope to help God's people overcome the giants in their life, to come out of bondage but I cannot do it until I have overcome it myself. Then I can show them the way to and from the secret place of the Most High.

I was asking Heng last night what living on a whole new dimension means to him. He replied that for me, it would be walking in divine health. Where I used to have lying symptoms and need divine healing, the new level will see me living in divine health. It simply means that I wouldn't be bothered by the lying symptoms anymore. I will be healthy and strong all the time. This is such a wonderful thing considering I have been attacked in this area so many times. Finally I don't have to bother about the stupid lying symptoms.

Not only that, our children also will be walking in divine health. They will be healthy and strong. I will enjoy parenting to the fullest. And even if there are lying symptoms, I will know how to exercise my faith by praying for divine healing. Operating on this new level will also allow me to pray for other babies and teach other mummies to believe God for healing. This has been something on my heart for a couple of years: to minster to other mothers. May God empower me to arise and go in His power!

FEELING OVERWHELMED

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the new things God is doing in your life? These are big blessings and though you are thankful that He has brought you up to a new level, you feel inadequate and overwhelmed by the challenges of the new level. This is normal because in the previous level, you were comfortable, familiar with your surroundings, and already proficient in all you do. But when you got promoted to the next level, you suddenly realised that everything was so new and you had to pick up new skills. You seemed to be starting from ground zero all over again. It could be very scary as everything looked so alien to you.

Humans are so contradictory. One moment I was complaining about the lack of action, where is the new thing He is talking about. Then when the new things sprung up one by one, I got overwhelmed by the suddenness and the magnitude of it. I started to wonder what did I get myself into...yet there is no turning back, cannot go back to the previous level. Got to press on, press through the new levels. I kept telling myself yes I will surely cross over to the other side for I am still waiting for something significant to shift into place for me, though many things have shifted in my life.

I take heart at the thought that Jesus has gone before us and prepared the way for us. This time round, the divine shift is not just for me but for Heng and Joshua as well. But I don't have to worry so much, just take a step at a time. Soon this too will pass and we will all settle into the new level comfortably. Then I was also wondering how long more do I have to press on, for I already felt so weary again. I felt like I traveled a very long journey and I wondered if I would ever cross the finish line. Yet I felt indignant. I don't believe I won't cross the finish line. Again I didn't have the energy to think too far...I just want to rest in the Lord.

I asked the Lord to have mercy on me, not to test me beyond what I could bear. I told Him I really cannot take it anymore. I have reached crux point. The pressure is just getting too much. I asked the Lord where is the reward, the manifestation of the promise that He has been talking about? Some time ago I felt like I was soaring like wings on eagles and my strength was renewed by God. Waiting upon Him didn't feel so strenuous after all. But I didn't feel like that triumphant recently. I felt very vulnerable, overwhelmed by the changes ahead.

After I cried out to Him, pouring out my heart, I felt a release. I felt much lighter and better surprisingly. Nothing changed in the natural but I just had the quiet confidence that He has heard my cries and He is working on my issue the moment I cried out to Him. I just got to trust Him and give Him some time to reveal what He is doing. Thank God that when I woke up this morning, I was no longer downcast. Peace was restored to my heart. I watched a sermon titled 'The Pursuit of Happiness' and I decided that to rejoice despite of my circumstances, to praise God and worship. He is still worthy to be praised! God cares about my happiness.

Maybe the devil was afraid of what was coming now that the divine shift has occurred. So he tried to make me fearful of all the changes, whether we can cope with the higher level of our destiny. The fact was that I had begun my involvement in the mothers' group and that is a new beginning. He cannot stop it so he tried to discourage me, make me feel vulnerable and inadequate. Pointing all to myself. But I forgot it wasn't me, it was all God's doing so He alone will see me through. 

God assures me that my steps are guided by Him and I am right on track for receiving my promise. I haven't gone off course or distracted, in fact I will be reaching the finish line very soon, hence the increase in attacks and pressure. But surely there will come a day when I will look around and say 'I can't believe it happened, I can't believe that this thing turned around.' Oh how I look forward to that day and I believe it is coming very soon. Praise the Lord! 

14 OCT 2015: MY BLOG IS FIVE YEARS' OLD!

I was so caught up with the new things in my mind, especially the Mothers' Group that I forgot about the 5th year anniversary of my blog! It was a kind sister who reminded me about it yesterday! She wrote it in an email to inform me yesterday but I only realised it when I read it today! I really want to thank God for reminding me when I forgot about it. I want to thank God for His faithfulness in those five years. There were so many times I wanted to give up blogging, wondering if people ever read my blog or even if it was making an impact in people's lives.

But the Lord kept me going on, reminding that it is not about me but about sharing what He wants me to tell the world. It is about Jesus. Thank God for five good years of blogging and may the Lord bless me with many more good years of writing ahead of me! All praise and glory to Jesus! I am excited at this five year mark because the Lord said it is an important milestone. I am excited at where the Lord is bringing me to from now on...

MOTHERS' SUPPORT GROUP

Today is the first time I am attending this mothers' group. I am very excited and have been looking forward to this day. This signifies the beginning of a new season for me. For many years I wasn't comfortable to fellowship with mothers though they are a group of people dear to me, close to my heart. However, due to my own inadequacy and self-consciousness of waiting for my second child, I wasn't able to face pregnant mothers.

It was a very big group and quite hard to get to know all of them. Well, the good thing was that they have smaller groups by zone. So I am under Northeast zone. Their sharing was amazing and I felt really happy to be there. I loved the fact that I could see babies crawling and toddlers running around. I was just sharing with the smaller group that it took me so long to get over my self-consciousness to come to this meeting. Then one of the mothers said it was a breakthrough. Indeed it was. Praise the Lord!

Still there was a little bit of anxiety because I didn't know anyone except the leader. I had to make new friends which wasn't something I had been doing. As you know, I have been isolated for the longest time and I am more comfortable relating to the Lord. But I can get quite bored at times, especially after I stepped down totally from field ministry and things had been quiet with my writing ministry. Hence I was open and looking forward to the new things God is doing in my life.

I prayed about it and the desire to join this mothers' group came. And when He opened the door, I knew it was something He wanted me to focus on this season: Motherhood. I don't know where this will lead me to, all I know was to step out when He called. My act of obedience will enable Him to do miraculous things in my life. I just had to trust Him.

When the leader talked about David asking what rewards would one get if he defeated the giant, it then occurred to me that my reward is here because I too, have just defeated one. I would be inheriting my Hebron soon. I also got this feeling that somehow God was going to reward me for taking the first step to attend the mothers' group. Though it was my own desire, He was the One guiding me through my desire.

After the Lord dealt with me in these areas of bitterness, jealousy, self-consciousness and comparison, today I have grown to be a better person. My character has been built up. I am no more the person I used to be, as easily distracted by people or things around me. I have learnt to discern His voice and focus on what He is doing in my life, blocking out the noise and distractions. I have learnt to run my own race and not to compare.

I am not exactly there yet, still learning but at least I have grown in the Lord and become more mature spiritually. Maybe that was why God thought I was ready to connect with the mothers' group. Now I am more prepared to step out of my comfort zone to face my vulnerabilities. When I was there at the meeting, I found that I knew so little about motherhood, like I was just starting out...got to learn all over again!

As I sat in the meeting, I saw things I never did before. I saw that this is a new thing yet a restoration. It then occurred to me afterwards that apart from the first six months of motherhood, I didn't exactly have a fulfilling season in the past. I thank God that Joshua was an easy baby and a great joy to take care of. But what I struggled with back then was the childhood sicknesses. They were a joy stealer. I couldn't enjoy motherhood as much when Joshua fell sick. Then there was this void in my life, my longing for ministry work.

Initially I was very happy to join the mothers' club in my old church...but after a while, their conversation really bored me to tears. I just wasn't enjoying the constant focus on our kids. That time I was also struggling with whether to go back to work and if not, how about our finances etc. But I thought to myself: there has to be more to life than just motherhood. I didn't understand that it was just a season, a passing phase. Had someone told me so, I might have embraced it more. Maybe the constant focus on kids put me off, so much so that I shunned away from fellowship with mothers all these years. In short, I didn't enjoy my first time motherhood as much as pregnancy. It wasn't a good experience, or beautiful memory.

Another thing that I realised was this. The first time I became a mum I didn't know what I wanted. This second time I am more confident and sure of what I want. As I hear the sharing about waking at nights, feeding the babies, kids hospitalised, I kind of shuddered. Though I am looking forward to being a second time mum, a part of me says I don't want to go back to the level of parenting before. This time I want to ask God for a higher anointing so that I could parent on a new level. I believe God will grant me a restoration of the motherhood experience.

DESTINY IS WITHIN YOU II

In July I read this book 'Destiny is within you' by Musa Bako. Today I am reminded to share about some nuggets of truth which will bless you.

To know for sure what is in your heart is of the spirit and not the flesh, you will need to develop your spirit. To develop your spirit you need to spend more time in prayer, studying and meditating on the word of God. By this, you grow your spirit to a level where it can understand and discern the voice of God - where it can easily receive from God and rule over logic. Until your spirit starts to rule over your senses, until you clearly know the voice of the spirit, you are going to get it wrong. If your spirit is not developed, you will follow your emotional drives and mistake it for your spirit. When you are driven by emotions, which are unstable and easily swayed, you will follow shadows.

God can reveal your future through prophecy. Prophesies are given for direction. However, know that God will not speak to you first through a prophet because every child of God has direct access to Him. God likes to deal with you directly; He wants you to personally know Him and develop a relationship with Him. God likes to interact with you and walk with you. He will speak to you through prophecy only when He needs to clarify or confirm what He has told you before.

He will speak to you about something you have not known or heard before through prophecy only when He has tried to get that message across to you directly but He couldn't get your attention. Perhaps you had distractions or you have yet to grow to discern and understand His voice. In this light, the prophecy could trigger something in you. Know that all prophecies must line up with God's word and must resonate with your spirit for them to be the word of God for you.

How you look or feel at the moment is immaterial. It doesn't matter where you are right now for the challenges you face do not have the power over your destiny. What is important is what God is saying about you and what you believe. You may be stuck right now, but it is not the end of your story. You may not have the right contacts at present, but God can still make a way where you see no way. You may not be in the right location but He can reorder your steps and bring you to where He wants you to be.

We know that destiny won't arrive in one day so there will be a space of time between now and then. In the meanwhile, things may not go as we have planned. Things may appear as tough and impossible. But no matter what happens, we must maintain our trust in the Lord. Don't allow the enemy to make you accept the present circumstance as your fate. This is not where you belong. If you stay the course and keep holding on and on, it's only a matter of time until the thing God says will happen.

In our pursuit of destiny, we sometimes fail and need to try again. Sometimes we need to make a fresh start in order to break through and make headway. Starting all over is not a sign of defeat but of courage and determination. Sometimes making a fresh start is needful to gain control. Making a fresh start simply means you are back where you were before, with a new chance to start all over again. God is merciful. He gives us second, third, as many chances as we need to overcome that enemy. It is an opportunity to do what you have done before in a different way. It could mean the start of something new, something you haven't experienced before. You might find that until you start to make a move into the unknown, you might never make meaningful progress.

HEBRON

The sermon I watched that Dutch Sheets preached on 3 Oct in Singapore is titled 'Fullness of destiny'. Isn't it apt? In last June, he preached about a time of transition and now he preached on fullness, like fullness of time. As I watched, my spirit leapt because it was the same thing God has been impressing me upon a few months ago. But it was about me taking possession of my Hebron.

Dutch Sheets said God is looking for individuals who will allow Him to take them through "Hebron" experiences where they become intimate with Him and learn humility, where we decrease and He increases in their hearts. Through such individuals, He will then bring them into a new season of apostolic anointing.

I had a deeper revelation of what Hebron means. Hebron is the place where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were buried. It was the place of the patriarch burial. And Hebron is the place where David was declared King and then he ruled over Judah first. Hebron seemed to connote a place of intimacy with the Lord. Like how Abraham was a friend of God.

Set in the Judean Mountains about 30 km south of Jerusalem, Hebron stands 930 metres above sea level, making it the highest city in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. It is also the largest city in the West Bank. It was near Hebron that God made a covenant with Abraham, that he would be “the ancestor of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:4). Abraham had pitched his tent “by the oaks of Mamre” (Genesis 13:18), 3 kilometres north of Hebron. Here Abraham offered hospitality to three strangers, who told him his wife Sarah — then aged 90 — would have a son (Genesis 18:10-14).

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, about 700 years after Abraham, the men he sent to spy out the land of Canaan returned from the Hebron area with a cluster of grapes so heavy that two men carried it on a pole between them. Later, King David ruled Judah from Hebron for seven and a half years before moving his capital to Jerusalem.

Dutch Sheets was saying that a person needs to come to a place where he puts intimacy with God above everything else in his life before God will make him famous. Such a person carries the heart of God like David and only serves His interests. He doesn't care for glory or honour or fame or riches. He only cares about extending God's kingdom on this earth. He only cares about making the name of Jesus known to all.

It was only after Hebron that King David next took over Jerusalem and reigned as King over Israel. Finally the prophecy came to pass, some 20 years later after he was first anointed as King by Samuel. What a long and arduous journey! Jerusalem is also called Zion. It is a place of prominence. Before God puts a person on a place of prominence, He will have to let him go through Hebron. Only if he passed the test can God make use of him for His kingdom purposes. Such people who have a heart of God, if put into a prominent position of authority and influence would be a great terror to the enemy. They will cause great damage to the kingdom of darkness.

Dutch Sheets said in this season, God is raising up the remnant army of warriors, people who have been hidden till now. God is going to catapult them to visibility and place them on a position of prominence. Such people when placed in position of influence will not seek their own interests but to lift up the name of Jesus. They will seek God's glory everywhere they go. Are you one of them, whom God has called? If so, get ready for the next move of God!

GIFTED ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME (GEP)

Singapore has this programme called the Gifted Enrichment Programme or GEP. This is a highly selective academic programme. It is designed to identify the 1% of students from each academic year with outstanding intelligence. The tests, administered at primary three, are based on verbal, mathematical and spatial abilities (as determined by two rounds of tests). Those students will then be transferred from normal classes to the GEP classes, if those students are in a school without those classes, they will be transferred to another school with those classes. Those classes will bring the students to higher levels (such as higher mother tongue, complex mathematics, intensive science and a wider expand of English knowledge/facts).

Joshua had taken his screening test in end Aug. I still remembered he was so tired that he slept in the afternoon. He said those questions were super tough and he had to use up a lot of his brain juice. I told him GEP tests were generally tougher than school tests. I sat for one while I was in primary six. I nearly puked at those questions. Joshua said he didn't have time to finish the math paper so he thought he would fail. 

I didn't pray about him getting selected because I wasn't thinking about putting him in a GEP as I wasn't even sure if he could make it through the first round. But I did find out about that Programme through Internet. That was when I took a look at the sample questions and I nearly flipped. Boy are they tough! If I couldn't answer those questions, I didn't expect Joshua to be able to answer. Hence I never prepared him for such GEP tests. To me, giftedness is not something a child can prepare for. He either has it or not. If he has it, then it should already be lying dormant, waiting to manifest. You cannot bring forth giftedness out of nowhere. It is a gift from God.

Well, the night before, it occurred to me that it was already early Oct and there was still no news of the GEP results. I was thinking maybe if we didn't receive the notification now then maybe he wasn't selected for round 2. This was okay with me because I still love him no matter what. But deep down I was hoping if only God could grant me this desire, I would be so happy and so grateful to Him. Because it would mean that he is among the top 10% of his cohort. Not just his school but his entire cohort. 

Yesterday Joshua came home from school looking so happy. He was holding a letter in his hands. He asked me to guess what it was. I told him he got selected for the GEP round 2. He was like thinking: 'What a coincidence! How could my mum have possibly known?' I was in cloud nine when I read his letter and realised that it was a dream come true! God answered my desire exceedingly and abundantly. It was beyond my wildest dream because I didn't think it would happen! Besides we didn't even prepare him for those tests, unlike some parents who started enrolling their kids in GEP preparatory classes way before. 

This is really God's grace. Joshua was surprised he got selected too! He thought he failed! He said only seven in his class got selected. Joshua was so happy but he didn't want to go for round 2. He didn't want to be put under that stress again. But later I showed him what round 2 was, as two of the papers would be testing on general ability which was an area he loved. He seemed to have a great interest in IQ tests. While others would cringe, he just got more excited. 

Of course Heng and I hoped he could go for it. Well after all, how many kids were given that opportunity? Whether he gets into GEP or not is secondary, at least he tried. I didn't care much about being selected for GEP because that would be even more stringent, only top 1% of the entire cohort. To me, being the top 10% is good enough. Besides we also didn't want to put him through too much stress. But his daddy just wanted him to rise up to the challenge. As for me I was still seeking the Lord for direction. I also told Joshua to pray about it and ask God to show him. I assured him that I would not force him if he didn't want to. 

Thank God that today Joshua told me he was fine with giving it a try. It has to be God who changed his mind because he didn't seem to bulge yesterday. Anyway we just take one step at a time and leave the outcome to God. After all God has already prepared the path for Joshua. Thank You Jesus.

COMPLETION OF A WORK

Yesterday I was impressed upon the completion of a work. This came after I read about what the Hebrew month of Cheshvan means. Cheshvan comes after Tishri, which is the month Rosh Hashanah falls on. Cheshvan will start about middle of October. It comes after the Jews' summer vacation, after the busyness and excitement of their High Holidays. It’s a time to settle down and get things done. At least for a moment you can feast your eyes on the project you have completed for work. In that moment, there is nothing left to accomplish. The work is done.

At the time of King Solomon, the Jewish people labored for seven years to build the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Their work was finally completed in the month of Cheshvan. A pilgrim would spend the year raising his flocks and tending his orchards before choosing the choicest of his accomplishments to bring to the Temple, yet the goal of all of the work and preparation was the moment of being that happened during the sacrifice. A soul that had done all it must to prepare to come close to its Creator could, for a moment, just bask in the light and the depth of that connection.

I was reminded of what I read in Aug 2011. Max Lucado, a famous Christian author, was describing how he felt nearing the end of writing a book. Towards the end, with the finish line in sight, there comes a numbing of the senses and you want to finish strong. You reach deep for the intensity you had months earlier but the supply is scarce. You need a kick, a surge, an inspiration, like a second wind. Max said he found the inspiration to finish well in this. Upon the completion of a project, he enjoys a rite of celebration. It involves two phases. The first is a quiet moment with God. The purpose is to relish. To delight in the sweet satisfaction of a completed task.

The runner feels the tape against his chest. How sweet is the wine at the end of the journey! So for a few moments, God and he savour it together. Next he would feast or enjoy a good meal at a restaurant. Throughout the meal he allowed himself only one thought. I am finished. Planning of future projects was not allowed. He indulged in a make believe world and pretended that his life's work was complete.

Through the process of time, I almost forgot what it is like to finish a work, complete a task. Especially a long-drawn one like this with many false closings. But now, I believe I have really come to the end. Since end Sep, I have come across messages that talked about pressing through, persevering, not giving up my confidence for it will be richly rewarded. And so I believe I am nearing the finish line. Finally it is in view. And today when I watch John Gray's sermon, he also talked about God who started a good work in us will bring it to completion.

As I put all these together, it would seem like God is saying October is the month of manifestation, the celebration and thanksgiving of the harvest, a time of completion, a time of basking in that moment of completion after years of waiting or labouring and enjoying the fruits of our labour. This is certainly in line with the messages I have been receiving for the past month about manifestation, coming to pass, fulfilment of dreams etc. As well as messages about victory, harvest and rewards. Enjoying the fruits of my labour, my reward for putting my trust in God. 

A SEASON OF ISOLATION

I read Pastor Joel's blog on 2 Oct. He was sharing about how a time of isolation was actually a time of consecration. God will never take something away without giving you something better in return. At the time, you may not be able to see it, but if you'll stay in faith and not let the disappointment sour your life, you'll come out prepared, qualified and ready for the next level.

He found that sometimes God will take you through a season of being alone. That's a time you can draw closer to God. When you normally give your energy and affection to another person, you now turn it towards God. Without that aloneness, you would never have the depth, the consecration and the character you need. Don't fight a season of isolation. If you'll embrace it, you'll discover something that otherwise you would never have.

Remember, we're all going to have these bumps in the road, these seasons of isolation; the threshing floor experiences. The separation may be uncomfortable, but it is making you better. It's getting you prepared. You may have lost something, but you need to get ready, you're about to gain something a whole lot better. I believe and declare: You're going to come through every adversity stronger, wiser, refined, purified and ready for the fullness of your destiny!

I can still remember the times when I felt like I was so isolated and cut off from the world. What I didn't know was when I felt most disconnected from the world was the time I was most connected to God. He even told me to separate myself from my mum's family. The separation was very uncomfortable and I felt guilty so many times. But now I saw how this separation has made me better and God worked for the good of my relationship with my mum.

Indeed with that aloneness, I would never have the depth, the sanctifying and the character I need. As much as I disliked it, I thank God I didn't fight a season of isolation. As I embraced it, I discovered something that otherwise I would never have. Truly I discovered who I am in Christ and how God is like. I also found out that those things I gave up for Him were actually not things essential to life, as in these were things I could do without. But I couldn't do without my connection with God. That is essential for out of that connection flows life-giving waters.

It seemed like after I came out of the threshing floor, overcame my last giant, God is now telling me to arise and fly. I have gained so much more through the refining process than I lost. I now understand why certain times God could deliver me from those situations but not others. It was needful and necessary for me to go through the fiery furnace because it was the only way to burn away those ropes that kept me bound. It was only through such difficult times that I came out stronger, wiser, refined and ready for my next level of divine destiny! It was all a part of His plan.

FEAST OF TABERNACLES (SUKKOTH)

One Sister was saying that she was excited what message Pastor would be preaching during Sukkoth. I roughly know this is the Feast of Tabernacles when the Jews build booths to remember how the Lord led them in the 40 years of desert. But I didn't know what it really means to the Jews or exactly when it falls on. As I researched about the month after Rosh Hashanah, I realised Sukkoth started from last Sunday (27/9) and ended yesterday.

It is an agricultural festival that originally was considered a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest. The celebration of Sukkoth, and the harvest season that defines it, alludes to the profundity of this transience. The temporary nature of seasons. A planted seed emerges from the earth as an entirely new entity, yet in its distinct physical form it bears the same seed that initially conceived it.

In anticipation of the harvest season, the farmer sends a seed on a long descent into the darkness of the soil. In this foreign abyss, it begins a lengthy process of growth and change. In order to meet its potential as viable produce, the seed must abandon its initial form. Throughout the process of physical transformation, it ascends through the soil along the same path that defined its planting. As it breaks through the earth, emerging as its fully formed self, it would appear that the result is entirely distinct from the seed that was planted. But fascinatingly, the plant bears seeds identical to the seed that began the journey.

With a little more than the patient hand of the gardener, tepid water and tended soil, the insignificant seed struggles with great tenacity on the darkened journey back to its origin. On Sukkoth, the Jews enjoy the fruits of its labor and learn from its resolve. May we fight through these foreign soils with the tenacity of the little seed, never forsaking our journey until our emergence from the darkness of exile. When we inevitably surface, we will have finally brought our omnipotent Gardener the bountiful harvest He envisioned.

It also signified the temporal nature of seasons. No matter how stuck you may feel in the desert, it will come to an end. Hence the temporal nature of living in booths. Like how Dutch Sheets said eventually you will come to the kairos and horaios moment at some point. It also reminded me of how the seed once planted in darkness (in isolation), made its journey out of the soil into the light. And how it continues to blossom and bear fruits. It is a process of transformation just like the butterfly. Even though the end result looks very different from the seed, interestingly it will produce seeds that looked like its beginning. The seed may look ugly but the fruit will be beautiful. Just like the butterfly.

2015: THE TURNAROUND YEAR

I just like to share about Cindy Jacob’s prophetic word for 2015.

This is the year when God will give His people the chance to recalibrate in the midst of what will seem to be a whirlwind year. To recalibrate means to correct in mid-course, modify, amend, change, metamorphose, renovate, transform, or turn. The good news is that God is going to release the anointing, wisdom, and supernatural ability needed to change your circumstances on a whole new level. Remember that God often speaks to us in unusual ways in the midst of shakings and whirlwinds—and sometimes it’s a recalibration word.

Job’s thoughts were out of alignment with God’s. There are many things that are out of proper alignment, but God is going to set them in proper order if you believe. This year God will show you how to move from helplessness to hopefulness! This will be a year when God will hear your cry. In this whirlwind season, the strategies for turning even the most desperate situations in your favor will be given to those who seek God's face. God is going to turn around your impossible situations.

Rest

The 15th day of the month in the Hebraic calendar represents rest. There will be a new emphasis on the Sabbath's rest. The admonition was given by the prophets that each person should seek the Lord about how to enter into rest in this season. For some it will be to take a Sabbatical. Others will adjust their schedules not to work on Sundays. Others will cut down their workloads or schedules. Everyone, in some manner, needs to make a change in their lives to enter into rest.  This will empower you to overcome the giants you faced in the last season and be refreshed as you enter into a new season.

This is also what is known in Hebrew tradition as the shemitah year or the 7th year of the 7-year agricultural cycle. This is not just a usual Sabbath year, and this re-enforces the need for rest.  What is true rest for some may not be restful for another. The number 5 represents grace in the Bible, and a special grace will be given in the midst of the whirlwinds.

Avoid distractions that will take away from your focus on the central things God is giving you to accomplish. It could be said like this: “Don’t take on assignments that God will not hold you accountable for, things that will hinder your ability to complete with excellence the assignments for which He will hold you accountable.” There will be swirling around you, but don't be pulled off of your God-given assignments.

In the Hebrew calendar, this is the year 5775, and the two fives represent double grace or the double portion. This is a continuation of the double portion season from last year. Expect grace for fulfillment, to complete, and to finish. Again, in the midst of the whirlwinds and trials, worship is the key to see your release!

Divine Midnight Turnarounds

This is going to be a year for divine midnight turnarounds. There is a significant contrast between what was and what is to come. The midnight hour is that dark time when we have to choose between believing God or the devil, where we either say that God is faithful or we experience a faith failure by letting our emotions rule. Paul and Silas worshipped God when in chains, and at the midnight hour, God gave them the turnaround (Acts 16:25). The Lord will remove your chains at the midnight hour!

Samson lay down until midnight but then got up and tore the doors off the city gate (Judges 16:3). Supernatural strength comes at the midnight hour! Deliverance from the Egyptians came at the midnight hour (Exodus 11:4). The Lord will move on your behalf at the midnight hour. You will be released from any oppressor! God will require us to stand firm in the midnight hour of changing seasons. We cannot afford to stay in the old season. As mentioned above, the word “recalibrate” indicates  metamorphosis; the picture is appropriate because it involves a struggle.

The Enemy’s Plans For You Will Boomerang

Esther 9:1-4 speaks of the turnaround from the plans of their enemy that God gave His people. Interestingly, in verse one, this Hebraic word "turned" in the Strong's Concordance is the number 2015! It means “to overturn, to turn around, to transform and reverse.”

This is the year of divine reversals! The number 15 in scripture is linked to victory and harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles, Unleavened Bread, and Purim all happen on the 15th day of the month.

Esther 9:24-26 says that the evil scheme the Jews’ enemy, Haman, had worked out came back onto his own head (boomeranged). This was a divine turn around at the Jews’ midnight hour! So what has the enemy been plotting against you? It’s going to boomerang right back onto his head!

EFFORTLESS INCREASE

I happened to see this blog by a young university graduate. It was a financial blog in which he chronicled his journey of earning, saving and investing his money. He called it his $1 million Personal Financial Diary. His aim is to have a net worth of $1 million by 38 years old. When I looked at his net worth at 26, it was already at $102,000. Actually I considered it quite an achievement considering he just graduated and also taking courses (Chartered Financial Analysis). He was already giving tuition while schooling and managed to save at least $50,000 when he graduated.

Perhaps due to his background in finance, he goes very much in-depth into investing in stocks and shares. He is very good with financial planning for his life. In fact, he was so disciplined that he watched his daily spending, limited to $10 per day. In order to achieve his target of saving $500,000 by age 33, he also has to seek his girlfriend's understanding. No luxury items, no pampering, no holidays, not even movie shows! I really salute his girlfriend! She must have shared the same financial goals as him!

He has a very well laid-up plan for his future, like planning to have kids only at 32 or 33 years old, after his flat has reached the Minimum Occupation Period of 5 years. After which he will rent out his flat and stay with his in-laws as they can help take care of his child. He hopes to generate passive income of $3500 from his flat rental so he doesn't need to work so hard and can spend quality time with his family. He forecasts that they will be able to save at least $3500 monthly by then. He has already projected an estimate of his future expenses.

Actually in the past I would be so amazed by his meticulous planning. Of course there is nothing wrong in having a target and plan for your life but I learnt through experience that Proverbs 16:9 'In his heart a man plans his course but it is the Lord who determines his steps' is so true. I was never so intentional about planning my life when I was a fresh graduate. I was actually quite blur then. I never knew about financial planning. The closest I knew was saving up and planning for my wedding and home! After that when we still had leftover savings, we thanked God and went on to buy our first car! We didn't think too much about how much it cost to maintain a car in Singapore...we just went ahead to do it by faith, trusting that God will provide.

It was only after I stayed home that I started keeping track of our household expenses mainly because my hubby is the sole breadwinner and that I have more time now to do such things. But even so, I wasn't even planning our finances till retirement, not even for our son's future university education. Yet in my years of staying home, I realised that we were never in lack. In fact, God prospered us with just one income. And so we don't really plan for our financial future to that extent. We just go with the flow. We don't have any targets as to how much net worth to obtain by what age.

But what we do is we keep an open mind about wealth and riches. We will enlarge our vision, stretch our tents so that we can be a better receiver. We know that it is our Father's good pleasure to give us His kingdom so we enlarge our minds to accept the great plans He has for us. And yes, we continue to tithe and sow seeds into His kingdom because the spiritual law of seed time and harvest always works. When you sow a seed and water it, you can always expect a harvest though it may not be immediate (Mark 4:4-8).