PUBLISHING RIGHTS RETURNED TO ME

Last July, Doug Addison was saying that there had been chains and contracts holding people back from many areas of their lives. Most people did not realise it. They had gotten used to operating within the limits placed upon them. God is removing the chains, the contracts and disarming the attacks against us.

He saw the angel with the contracts take them off to a blazing altar in the distance. The contracts and agreements that have held you back in the past were burned up in the fire of the Lord. As this was going on, new freedom was being released in the spirit. People's eyes were suddenly opening to things that happened long ago, things that needed to be broken off. As the new freedom came, they began to rejoice and worship God.

This was quite interesting as in Mar 2018, I received the letter from Charisma House confirming that the publishing rights for 'Beauty out of Ashes' were returned to me. It felt like God was removing the publishing contract and agreement. Though I was very sad when I had to buy back the remaining stocks of my books in Dec 2017, I knew that somehow this could be a contract that would hold me back in future. I just don't know it now. So I should rejoice and worship God because I have just been set free! It was a significant thing.

Recently I was thinking about this publishing issue. I realised that some sites are still selling my books while stocks last. And Creation House is still in operation. I also read some not so good review about this publishing house. So I decided to clarify with the staff.  He replied promptly to tell me they are closing down the co-publishing arm of the company, which is Creation House. But there are still outstanding contracts with some authors. When I went into the Charisma House website, I discovered that they no longer take in unsolicited manuscripts. The author has to go through a literary agent.

Suddenly the Lord made it clear to me why the contract was not to my benefit. I didn't know all these back in 2012. I was elated to be getting a publishing contract. Whether it was vanity publishing or not I didn't care. So long as I felt the price was reasonable I was okay to go with Creation House. Of course I was a little disappointed when I saw that it wasn't Charisma House. But it was fine as I had to start somewhere. I also trusted that the Lord was guiding my steps. The entire process with Creation House was very pleasant.

I didn't see it as a ripoff from the company by making me pay for the publishing cost. At least I got back 100 books. I spent more than $8000 for the co publishing and recently buying back my rights. I sold only 100 books at most which barely covered the cost. But then I felt it wasn't money lost to me. I saw it as an investment. Now I am more savvy when it comes to publishing as I know there are other cheaper options.

Besides the royalty was quite low and it didn't make sense that for ebooks, the royalty was 50%. Shouldn't it be at little or no cost to the publishing company? The Lord showed me that by buying back my books and my rights, I could actually earn more than just the royalties. So at least I could recoup some of the investment. I can sell my books at $10 and retain all of the proceeds. 

In future if I wanted to sell this as an ebook I could do so on another platform since I have the rights. It made sense for me to own the rights since I believe I paid for the majority of the publishing cost. In future if God made me famous as an author, I could go with another publishing house to reprint my first book. Hence I saw how all things work for my good.

I didn't see it back then. I thought God was shutting down the door to my writing ministry. I was so sad and cried as I thought the enemy finally succeeded in taking down this book. Besides the sales were not good so maybe that was why the company dropped my book. But even so, I realised that it was tough for an author to be noticed with a few books. An author had to keep on producing quality works. Marketing does help but only to a certain extent. Besides maybe the timing wasn't right back then.

Now I see how the old things had to die to make way for the new. Whatever it was, I choose to believe I was led by the Lord to go with Creation House. Yet God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change his mind. Even after so many years, He still holds true to His promise. Though it seemed like my book died a natural death with the closing down of Creation House, all this was a part of God's plan. God can resurrect this book.

Anyway all these belonged to the past season which is dying. Doug Addison said this is a time of the Book of Your Purpose being opened, but the old season must be allowed to die and fall away. I shall put all these behind and be expectant for the new thing God is doing in my life. And I trust God to restore double for the trouble. Even the money spent on publishing can be recouped. I would not agonise over the money spent because God can always give me the provision. I take it as sowing a seed into His kingdom which I will get a harvest one day. Soon. Now is the time for repayment. And it's not just the money but double honour for the shame I suffered.

FREE EBOOK: DOWNLOAD NOW!

Dear supporters of my blog, I have decided to offer this free ebook 'Flowing in the Spirit in Healing and Deliverance' that I published in Mar 2015. I hope that the message in this book would bless many who are seeking the Lord in areas of healing. Previously I was selling this book in Lulu.com for USD2.99 but now I am offering it as free for my readers, to show my appreciation.

I certainly hope that you can follow me via email and subscribe to my blog. You may click on this link to download the book. http://www.lulu.com/shop/avin-lee-mui-choo/flowing-in-the-spirit-in-healing-and-deliverance/ebook/product-22130148.html

For those of you who have difficulties opening the ebook, you can email me at avinlee77@gmail.com and I will most gladly send you a PDF copy of this book. Thanks again for your interest.

DISCERNING THE ENEMY'S TACTICS

Some time ago Heng and I were talking about marriages. Heng said when a woman cannot find a man whom she loves, she will not marry anyone just for the sake of marriage. But for a guy, it is different. Their physical need for a wife is greater than their need to connect. So to them, it is ok not being able to connect with the wife. Their emotional need wasn't as strong as the women. And maybe that was why Pastor shared during yesterday's service that a divorce affects the women much more emotionally than the guys.

He has seen through the years how after a divorce from an abusive relationship, the woman would come down with a sickness, most probably breast cancer. It was really very interesting that he made this observation. About how women are especially susceptible to accusations and condemnation compared to the men. So a woman in an abusive relationship would suffer more than a hen-pecked guy.

Somehow guys are less affected by divorces or abusive relationships. I really wonder why. Maybe women are more relational by nature and feel more easily condemned. We are more sensitive to comments and care more about others' opinions than the guys. Perhaps due to the fact that it was Eve who was tempted by the serpent at first and after she gave the fruit to Adam, women somehow blamed themselves for bringing sin into the world.

I too, have seen how the ladies around me suffer because they feel accused and condemned by their abusive hubbies. I felt that their self-worth was adversely affected. And they constantly had to do something to prove their worth, like to redeem themselves or to seek approval. And they could never really get over those abusive remarks made by their hubbies. It would be like a scar in their emotional lives and they would secretly resent their hubbies for treating them this way.

I saw how unfair it was for their husbands to make them feel guilty for something they had done or not done. Hence they are constantly under law, under demand, treading on thin ice. If they didn't perform well, then they would be subjected to their husbands' tirades. I often feel angry and indignant over this. What made the guys think they are superior to the ladies? Just because they are born males? It wasn't even something they earned. It was just God's grace on them.

In fact, I had been the brunt of such an abusive relationship before, hence I knew how it felt like. Accusations, guilt and condemnation. Emotional blackmail. Fear. It was horrible. I felt so helpless, so weak, so stuck. I wanted to get out of that prison but I didn't have the courage to. It was God who mercifully brought me out of it. My ex boyfriend thought he could control me with his emotional wiles but he forgot who was my backing. My God is so jealous of me, He will never allow me to live a subjugated life like that.

For women in a relationship like this, there can never be unconditional love for their husbands. They will secretly resent him though on the surface they may seem submissive. Their love is ruled by fear. Fear of punishment when they don't obey their husbands. Accusations will turn into guilt then condemnation. So accusations can kill. It's really that serious. Slowly, little by little over the years. It can make a woman so depressed and suicidal at times. It can bring on sickness and diseases, eventually death. 

I believe that the reason Pastor has been preaching about the ploys of the enemy is because God wants to set His people free. Free from such accusations and guilt. Wrong believing. Satan is har-Satan or the accuser of the brethren. He is our adversary or opponent in a law suit. He still thinks he is the custodian of righteousness so he will go around accusing man, finding fault with us when we sin.

His sole purpose of accusing us is to kill. He has no power to finish us off so he has to use our power. If we agree with his accusations, we are lending him our power to destroy our lives. But Christ has already redeemed us from our sins at the cross. So each time the enemy condemns us, we confess this 'I am the righteousness of God in Christ'. Christ is my sin, I am His righteousness. The enemy cannot do anything about us. He has to leave us.

That is why the teaching on grace is so important. Satan understands law and righteousness but not grace. He cannot understand God's love for mankind. The reason he is getting at us is so that he can get at God. He is still trying to devour those believers who are not established in Christ's righteousness. He is accusing them day and night with the purpose of murdering their souls.

We have to learn to say that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, each time the enemy tries to put some charge on us, make us feel guilty. Even in the area of food, we can have so much wrong believing. Romans 14:22-23 says 'Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, for whatever is not from faith is sin.'

Pastor clarified from the Hebrew meaning of the word 'condemned' that it isn't God who condemns us but ourselves. Don't agree with the devil. Don't do his job too! Condemnation will eventually lead to sickness and death. So whatever you do or not do, don't feel guilty. Let the Spirit of our Lord lead us in all things. Whatever we do, do it in faith. The blessing will come to us.

Pastor also said that in a court of law, if the one being prosecuted don't admit to his guilt and eventually he is cleared of the charge, then the burden of the guilt will return to the one prosecuting or the adversary. He has in turn become a murderer by accusing the innocent with the intention to put him to death with that charge. So when we confess that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, we refuse to take the guilt as Jesus has paid for our sins so we are cleared of the charge. Why should we be punished again when Jesus had already been punished for our sins?