Message from Amir Tsarfati

Now, the topic of the rapture of the church is often something that is either controversial – which means people don’t exactly know how to take it and they have very many different opinions about it – or often is completely neglected by thousands of thousands of churches all around the world. This is something that I believe is the work of the enemy. To neglect what is most likely the most important thing that can be promised to believers in Jesus is definitely to steal from them their only hope, their blessed hope, the main hope for every believer.

And the title of this message is “The Mystery of the Rapture”, and it’s not for nothing. It truly is a mystery. In fact, I want you to know that a mystery is not secret. Secret is secret and mystery is mystery. And when the Bible wants to talk about mystery, the Bible talks about mystery. When the Bible wants to say secret, the Bible says secret. Mystery and secret are two different things. Mystery is something that is not hidden, but is transformed from shadow to substance. Something that at a certain point we saw it, but we didn’t understand. Then, in light of new revelations, now we understand what it was all about. Yet, secret is something that is hidden and that we cannot see nor feel.

So when God reveals secrets, it’s something we never heard of. When God reveals a mystery, we are going to say, “Aha! Now I understand it.” And it’s interesting because for the entire Bible we find 33 times the word “mystery”. We find it in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel. The mystery that we’re talking about is that dream that Nebuchadnezzar had. And that mystery eventually was solved by God, the God of Israel, who revealed the true meaning of that dream to Daniel, for him to share with the king. And that mystery was all about things that existed and will come to pass. And then Daniel just interpreted it. He received an understanding of something that existed. Thus, it’s a mystery.

Yet, we find that word mystery also in Romans and Corinthians and Ephesians and Colossians and 2 Thessalonians and 1 Timothy and in the book of Revelation. In the book of Daniel, the mystery was all about the true God. The mystery revealed who the real God is. When all the other people tried to give their own interpretations, it was the Lord God of Israel that gave the true one.

But then as we move in Romans 11, there’s the mystery about Israel and God’s plan for Israel, which means Israel has been there. They are going through things, but there’s a mystery about their role even in the future that God in Romans 11, in light of Jesus and in light of New Testament, is indeed revealing to all people. So that’s Romans 11. In Colossians chapter 2, is the mystery of the true Messiah. Colossians 2:2 talks about a mystery about Christ. And if that’s not enough, in Ephesians 5:31-32, we see the mystery of the relationship between the church and Christ. It is a mystery.

“Mystery” is a word that reveals a wonderful truth about our relationship with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The word mystery means, “the counsels of God not revealed to ordinary mortals.” In other words, because we know the One who knows all, we know things others don’t and can’t know.

In Matthew 11 Jesus rebuked the cities where He did not do many miracles because of their unbelief. Then He said this:

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.”

Remember many of Jesus’ encounters, including all of His negative ones, we were with the supposed ultra religious of the day, the Pharisees. He revealed that things had been hidden from them and revealed to babes, who are symbolic of the spiritually uneducated.

Acts 4:13
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

Because they, and we, know Jesus, there are things revealed to us that those who are wise in their own eyes and supposedly prudent, meaning they think they have it all figured out, don’t know.

Because we know Jesus, we know He is coming again to receive us unto Himself. We know this will happen when the dead in Christ rise first, and then we who are still alive will meet Him and them in the air. Because we know Jesus, we know this event will last for only a twinkling of an eye, but the result of it will last forever.

Because we know Jesus, we know things others can’t know because they are spiritually discerned. Because we know Jesus, there are things revealed to us that are not understood by ordinary mortals, meaning those still spiritually dead.

A thing described as a mystery is not something we don’t or can’t know. It’s just the opposite. It is something unknown to those who don’t know Him.

1 Corinthians 4:1
Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

A steward is one who is charged with the responsibility of distributing the master’s good to others. We are stewards, caretakers, of the mysteries of God and charged with making them known in our homes, families, and churches.

Ephesians 6:19
“…and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.”

The gospel is the key that opens the door to understanding God’s mysteries. Without it, others will never understand the glory and hope of knowing God and all the things that those who know Him now see clearly.

Tell someone about Jesus today!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

No Smell of Smoke on You

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!

Daniel 3:26–27 NLT

There is truly no other god who can rescue like our God. Whatever circumstances you might be thrown into, our Lord Jesus is the fourth man with you in the midst of the fire. Notice how He didn’t stand outside of the fire, but was in the fire together with the three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when they were thrown inside for defying King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

This brings a whole new meaning for us when we read the verse, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6).

Our Lord doesn’t deliver you from afar; He is with you in the midst of your adversity. Call upon Him and He will answer you. When Jesus is with you, nothing can harm you!

Don’t you just love how the Word of God describes the three friends when they came out of the furnace? They were in the fire, but it had absolutely no power over them. It did not even leave a trace of smoke on them! Now, that’s a beautiful picture of God’s divine protection!

Beloved, as you call upon the Lord in your day of trouble, my prayer for you is that the trial you are going through will have no power over you; it will not even leave a smell on you. Instead, I declare in Jesus’ name that you will walk out of that challenge in your life and the only smell on you will be the fragrance of the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 2:14)!

And as the people around you witness how the Lord delivers you, may they come to know His wonderful name and give Him praise. Instead of being negatively affected by whatever trial you might face, I pray that you will receive honor and promotion just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Amen!

This devotional is adapted from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

The Ministry Of John The Baptist

'In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea.'

Matthew 3:1

These scriptures record the ministry of John the Baptist. He spent thirty years in the deserts of Judaea preparing for this ministry. Then it only lasted about six months before He baptized Jesus and men started following the Messiah. Yet in those brief six months He turned an entire nation to God.

He did not take the normal approach and go where the people were. He was out in the wilderness and the people came to him. He had no advertisements other than the testimonies of those who had heard him. He wasn't a flashy evangelist wearing the latest styles of the day. He didn't do anything the way the religious leaders taught it was supposed to be done in their seminaries, yet it worked.

In six short months, an entire nation was stirred in anticipation of their Messiah through a man who was not 'normal.'

One thing that keeps many of us from being used by God is our 'herd instinct.' We are so afraid of what someone else will think. We try to be like everyone else and then we wonder why we are getting the same results as everyone else. That's not smart.

John was completely yielded to the Holy Spirit and he succeeded against all the odds. Dare to follow the Holy Spirit, even against the crowd, and you will get supernatural results, too! Andrew Womack

Always Accepted in Christ

“You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD. . . . So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things . . . and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.”

Exodus 28:36, 38

In the Old Testament, Aaron was the first high priest of Israel. The high priest of Israel is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our permanent High Priest today. God instructed that the golden plate of the miter (headdress), which has the Hebrew words Kadosh Le Yahweh (“Holiness to the Lord”) engraved on it, should always be on the forehead of the high priest so that all Israel would be accepted before God.

What this means is that even when Israel failed in their thought life, they were still accepted by God because He judged the nation of Israel based on their high priest. If the high priest was accepted, the entire nation was accepted.

Today we have a perfect High Priest in Christ. It’s not your thoughts that qualify you to be accepted by God. Under the new covenant of grace, God is no longer judging you based on your thoughts. God judges you based on His Son.

If He is righteous, God sees you as righteous. If He is blessed, God sees you as blessed. If He is under God’s unclouded favor, God sees you as under His unclouded favor. If His thoughts are always perfect and filled with holiness unto God, God sees your thoughts as perfect in Christ!

Today when the devil comes to torment your mind, point him to Jesus. Jesus’ thoughts are always holy. Remember how the golden plate is always around the forehead of your High Priest and His thoughts are always filled with holiness to God.

Look at Exodus 28:38 again: “It shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.” Therefore, even when your thought life isn’t always perfect, know that Jesus’ thoughts are always perfect.

And it’s because of His perfection that you are always accepted in Him before God. God will never reject you because your thoughts are imperfect. He is looking at Jesus, and as long as His thoughts are holy, you are accepted!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.

God's Choice

'And she [was] a widow of about fourscore and four years,

 which departed not from the temple,

but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day.'

Luke 2:37

Let's suppose that Anna was fourteen years old when she married. She would have been 105 years old. Yet she was still fasting and praying night and day! Satan tries to convince us that God won't use us. He may cite things like age or lack of abilities, or failures that we've had. But just like Anna, there are many scriptural examples of the Lord using those who would be considered unusable by worldly standards.

Moses was eighty years old before he began to fulfill God's plan for his life and he worked right up until he was 120 years old. Abraham was in his nineties before he had the son that God had promised him.

Gideon was another one who looked unusable. He was hiding from the Midianites when an angel of God appeared and told him he was a mighty man of valor (Judg. 6:11-12). He couldn't believe it at first and had to have the Lord confirm it three times.

Truly, ...God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty... (1 Cor. 1:27-28).

If you feel foolish or weak, then you qualify. Let the Lord use you today. Andrew Womack

What Produces Peace in Your Heart?

. . . giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Colossians 1:12

Several years ago, I had the privilege of counseling one of my wife’s close friends. Wendy’s friend was a young Christian who attended another church. Over dinner, she shared that one of her spiritual leaders had told her that the Christian life was difficult, and that she had to suffer for the Lord and pay her dues. She was told that she had to work hard, pray hard, and make sure that she read the Bible every day so that God would be pleased with her.

Once she shared all that with us, I felt that it was my responsibility to tell her the good news. So I shared with her that we do not read the Bible because we want to qualify for God’s blessings. We read the Bible to find out about our blessings and inheritance in Christ.

See the difference? I told her that if I stopped reading the Bible for a few days, I should not be feeling guilty; I should be feeling hungry.

God is not pleased with us on the condition that we read the Bible, pray long prayers, and pay our dues. No, absolutely not! He is pleased with us because our trust is in Jesus, who qualified us.

The Bible never said that it is our works that qualify us. Today’s scripture says, “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

It is the Father who has qualified us, and He qualified us by sending His Son to save us. He has qualified us to be partakers of His favor, healing, provision, love, joy, peace, and well-being. All these blessings are the inheritance of the saints, purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. We partake of our inheritance by giving thanks to the Father for sending His Son.

I shared with this lady that she can wake up every day and say, “Father, I thank You that You have qualified me to walk in victory, healing, and supply.” I told her that she should not be racking her brains wondering what she must do to qualify for God’s goodness. His goodness is already hers!

There are too many teachings today telling believers what they must do to qualify for this and that. God’s way is for us to know that through Jesus, we are already qualified.

At the end of the dinner, I said, “Test whatever I have shared with you about the goodness of God, His grace, and Jesus’ work at the cross against what you have been taught. Which produces peace in your heart? Joy and peace are the trademarks of the kingdom of God. God is not the author of confusion.”

She reflected on what I had shared with her and said, “While I may not understand everything about Jesus because I am a baby Christian, I know that all you’ve shared has produced great peace and joy in my heart.”

Let me ask you the same question today: what produces more peace and joy in your heart—to know that God will never punish and condemn you again for your sins because Jesus has already been punished and condemned for you, or to hear that God is sometimes pleased but sometimes angry with you depending on how you perform?

Beloved, the answer is found in Jesus and His finished work. It is found in His grace, not in your own doing. By trying to qualify yourself today for God’s blessings with all your Bible reading, praying, and hard work, you are asking Him to assess and judge you according to your goodness and faithfulness.

Is that what you really want? If not, then begin to put your trust in the finished work of Christ today and enjoy peace, joy, and every blessing that flows from His unconditional love for you!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.

Come Boldly into Jesus’ Presence

“On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old.”

Amos 9:11

The prophetic passage above speaks of our time. The interesting feature about the tabernacle of David in contrast to the tabernacle of Moses is that it had no veil separating man and God. David could go directly to worship the Lord before the ark of the covenant.

When our Lord Jesus died on the cross and cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), the Bible tells us that at that precise moment “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51), opening the way into the Holy of Holies! Through Christ, there is no longer any separation between God and man. Whosoever believes in Jesus shall never perish. Hallelujah!

Isn’t it wonderful to know that when you are in Christ, all your sins are forgiven, and that you can come boldly to His throne of grace to worship Him? God has raised up the tabernacle of David with a new generation of worshipers who are not afraid of God and not afraid to draw near and receive His promise of divine protection. None of us can ever do enough to merit God’s protection, but praise be to God, we are all qualified by the blood of Jesus Christ!

On the night of the first Passover, when the children of Israel applied the blood of an innocent lamb on their doorposts, God said to them, “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” (Exod. 12:13). Jesus became that innocent lamb that was sacrificed for us when He shed His blood and died on the cross.

Today, as believers in Christ, His blood protects us. I’m believing with you that all evil, all destruction, and all danger shall pass over you and not come near you and your family. Let us come boldly to worship our Lord in the tabernacle of David where there is no veil. Come boldly under His wings and worship the Lord daily with the prayer of protection. His precious blood has been shed at the mercy seat for our total redemption, protection, and salvation.

Psalm 91 was written for worship. Come boldly into our Lord’s presence daily and pray the prayer of protection. There is no veil, no failure, and no shame that separates you from God today because of our Lord’s finished work at Calvary. Come before your heavenly Father, worship Him, and receive His protection for you and your entire household!

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

“For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV

Today I’d like to share with you a powerful truth that will help you see how you can effectively drive fear out of your life and keep it out. It is a precious truth that will garrison your heart and mind from the enemy’s lies.

Take time to worship the Lord, especially when it feels like overwhelming odds are against you. Do what King Jehoshaphat did when his enemies joined forces and amassed a formidable army to destroy Israel.

In the natural, Jehoshaphat knew Israel had no chance of winning the battle. But he chose to do something you and I need to learn to do whenever we are besieged by our enemies. He cried out to the Lord, saying, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chron. 20:12 NIV). Jehoshaphat then placed not commandos but worshipers at the head of his army, and this is what they sang: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever” (2 Chron. 20:21 NIV).

Instead of despairing because of their enemies, they chose to fix their eyes on the Lord, giving thanks to Him and singing of His love. This happened long before the cross of Jesus. How much more can you and I sing of His love, which never fails, which endures forever!

And do you know what happened? The Lord defeated Israel’s enemies by turning them against each other, and Jehoshaphat’s troops did not even have to lift a finger to fight. Instead, when they came to the place that was supposed to be their battleground, their enemies were already dead, and all they ended up doing was collecting so much plunder that it took them three days to collect it all.

In Jesus’ name, may this happen to you too. When you are overwhelmed by challenges, and you don’t know what to do or even how to feel, just cry out to the Lord and tell Him, “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.”

That’s the most powerful posture you can take, with your eyes fixed not on your enemies but on your Savior. As you focus on His love that endures forever, the Lord Himself will fight your battle for you (2 Chron. 20:15).

May you be so conscious of His perfect love that every fear is driven from your life, and may you walk away so much stronger than before your enemies tried to come against you!

This devotional is adapted from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional.

It’s All About God’s Love

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Luke 7:47

Her story is heartrending. In the Bible’s account, this woman in Luke 7 was described as “a sinner.” Many believe that she was a prostitute. When she came to Jesus, He did not chase her away, humiliate her, or condemn her for her sins. He knew how guilt had been eating her up on the inside and had compassion for her.

As she neared Jesus, she began weeping. Then, she washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with the precious ointment that would have cost her an entire year’s wages. Without hesitation, she lavished it on Jesus’ feet and worshiped Him.

In response, Jesus said that those who know and believe how abundantly God truly loves and has forgiven them will end up loving God very much. Simply put, those who have been forgiven much, love much. Those who have been forgiven little, love little. That’s why the emphasis of the new covenant is not about your love for God; it is about God’s love for you.

Do you see that your love for God in the new covenant is birthed out of a genuine and authentic relationship with Him? It is not a groveling display that is birthed out of the fear of punishment or religious obligation. Under grace, we are able to love God because He first loved us.

That is why people under grace become the holiest people you will ever meet. Their holiness flows out of their love relationship with Jesus! They have experienced His unconditional love in an intimate and personal way that transforms them. They just want to live lives that glorify and honor the name of Jesus.

Friend, we have all been forgiven much, but many don’t know and don’t believe this. Give up on trying to overcome your own failings, mistakes, addictions, and bondages, imagining that God requires this of you before you can come before Him.

When you fail, come to Jesus with boldness and confidence as this woman did. Feel free to weep in His sweet presence and simply worship Him. Pour out everything that is on your heart to Him.

Don’t worry, He will not heap more guilt and condemnation upon you. He will remind you of the cross and say, “Your sins are already forgiven. I have already paid the price for your sins at Calvary. Rest in My forgiveness and love for you.”

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.

Bold As a Lion

The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

Proverbs 19:12

Today, we are beneficiaries of God’s favor because His wrath against our sins has already been completely satisfied at Calvary. In Hebrew, the word used for “favor” is ratsown, which means His pleasure, delight, goodwill, and acceptance.

Our place of protection was purchased with the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Him, we have been made righteous, and all the blessings of the righteous, including protection, provision, and length of days, are our inheritance. That’s the place we are in today. Isn’t that beautiful?

No wonder the Scriptures tell us, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Prov. 28:1). It also tells us, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). A righteous man (or woman) is who you are in Christ, and when you pray the prayer of protection in Psalm 91, your prayers avail much for God answers your prayers!

I received a testimony of God’s divine protection from Sally, who lives in South Africa. Be encouraged as you read how she prayed for protection knowing that she is righteous in Christ:

I was driving a rented car when I heard a loud bang. Within moments, the car was on fire. I immediately switched off the engine to get out. But to my horror, I could not remove the seat belt or open the door! I was stuck.

Finally, I managed to get the door opened. By then, the flames were threatening to come inside the car and I had to close the door again because I was trapped by the seat belt.

I called out to Abba Father and just declared, “I am Your righteousness. You are the only One who can save me!” As those words were echoing in my ears and heart, I heard a click as the seat belt was released. I dashed out of the car.

When the fire department arrived, they were able to stop the blaze. I praise the Lord for delivering me safely out of this dangerous situation! I realized that the devil has long been defeated and we don’t have to fear anything anymore.

Praise the Lord for His deliverance and protection. I rejoice that we are shielded from danger because of the righteousness we have in Christ!

This devotional is adapted from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

Receive Jesus’ Shalom

A heart at peace gives life to the body.

Proverbs 14:30 NIV

The best way to know if you are embroiled in the things of the world is to be objective and ask yourself this: “Is my heart troubled?” I believe that the number one killer in the modern world is stress.

Medical doctors in my church have told me that if a patient has high blood pressure, they can advise the patient to cut down on sodium. They can also advise their patients to cut down on other excesses such as sugar or cholesterol. But as doctors, there is one thing that they cannot control in their patients, and that is their patients’ stress levels.

I personally believe that the physical root cause of many medical conditions today is stress. Stress can produce all kinds of imbalances in your body. It can cause you to age prematurely, give you rashes, cause gastric pains, and even lead to abnormal growths in your body.

To put it succinctly, stress kills! Doctors tell us that certain physical symptoms are “psychosomatic” in nature. That’s because these symptoms are brought about by psychological problems such as stress. Stress is not from God. Peace is from Him!

I trust that you are beginning to understand why Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Now, Jesus would not have used the word “peace.” The Greek New Testament renders “peace” as eirene, but since Jesus spoke Aramaic-Hebrew, He would have used the word “shalom”—“Shalom I leave with you, My shalom I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”

In the Hebrew vernacular, “shalom” is a very rich and loaded word. There is no English word that can accurately encapsulate the fullness, richness, and power contained in the word “shalom.” Hence, English Bible translators were only able to translate it as “peace.”

But while the word “shalom” includes peace, it means so much more. Let’s look at the Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon to get a better idea of what Jesus meant when He said, “Shalom I leave with you.”

The Hebrew Lexicon describes “shalom” as completeness, safety, soundness (in body), welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment, peace used of human relationships, peace with God especially in our covenant relationship, and peace from war. Wow, what a powerful word!

This is the shalom that Jesus has bequeathed you: His completeness, His safety, His soundness, His welfare, His health, His prosperity, His peace, His quietness, His tranquility, His contentment, His peace in human relationships, His peace with God through the covenant made at the cross, and His peace from war. All these, my friend, are part of your inheritance in Christ today!

Can you picture the full implications of what it means to experience Jesus’ shalom in your life? Can you picture your life being free from regrets, anxieties, and worries? How healthy, vibrant, energetic, and strong you will be! Thank the Lord for this blessing today and start enjoying His shalom in every area of your life.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

He Was Born A Savior

'For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.'

Luke 2:11

Jesus did not grow into being Lord and Saviour. He was born that way. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). What a great mystery!

How could Almighty God limit Himself to the form of a man? And even if He did that, how could he possibly start as a baby? These questions defy human ability to fully understand.

At the dedication of the first temple, Solomon said, 'But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!'

(2 Chr. 6:18) How much less the body of a little child!

Part of the answer lies in the fact that God is a spirit (Jn. 4:24). Spirits are not limited by time and space. In Jesus' spirit, He was the eternal God who created the universe. The physical body of Jesus was just His 'earth suit' that He used to manifest Himself to mankind. All of Jesus' deity could fit inside that body.

Even though this is still hard to grasp, it helps us understand how Christ Himself can live in us as believers (Col. 1:27). If all the glory of God could fit inside the physical body of Jesus, then all the fullness of God can dwell in us too (Jn. 1:16). Believe that Christ is in you today.

God’s Wisdom Brings You Promotion

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you."

Genesis 41:39–40

In Genesis 39:3–4, we see how when Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph, and that everything he touched prospered, Potiphar immediately promoted Joseph and placed him in charge over all the affairs of his house. Similarly, when Pharaoh saw that the Spirit of God was in Joseph and that there was none who was as wise and as discerning as Joseph, Pharaoh placed him in charge of the whole of Egypt (Gen. 41:38–41).

My friend, I want you to note this: Joseph knew that God was the source of his wisdom. When Pharaoh said, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it,” Joseph immediately replied, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Gen. 41:15–16).

Joseph knew that his wisdom was a result of the Lord’s unmerited favor and would not take any credit for it. Clearly, here was a man who understood grace, and could be trusted with increase, promotion, and more good success.

Observe the wisdom of Joseph in action. Joseph did not just interpret Pharaoh’s dream. He went on to advise Pharaoh on how to take advantage of the seven years of abundance to prepare for the seven years of famine that were revealed in his dream. Did you notice how Joseph’s wise advice led to the creation of a position of influence for himself?

That is how the wisdom of the Lord operates. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” Joseph knew that his wisdom was a gift from the Lord. He knew that he did not earn it and that it flowed from the Lord’s unmerited favor toward him.

The Lord’s ways are amazing. See the extent of Joseph’s promotion in Genesis 41. In the space of less than an hour, he rose from a lowly prisoner to the highest possible office in all of Egypt. That, my friend, is the unmerited favor of God! No striving, no self-effort, no compromises, and no manipulation, just pure grace and grace alone made all the difference in Joseph’s life!

Remember that when the Lord is with you, you are a successful person. It may feel like you are in a prison now, stuck in a hopeless situation, cast away and forgotten like Joseph was, but the story is not over yet! The Lord’s promotion is around the corner. Whatever situation you are in right now, do not give up.

If you are caught in a situation where you don’t know what to do, it is time to humble yourself and ask the Lord for wisdom. The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

To ask the Lord for wisdom is to say, “I can’t, Lord, but You can. I give up on my own efforts and depend entirely upon your unmerited favor and wisdom.” As you receive His wisdom, riches and honor, as well as long life, will follow after you (Prov. 3:16). Run to Him right now!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

Message from Amir

How many of you have the Holy Spirit in you? A few? Now, that Holy Spirit that is in you is the Spirit of what God? Israel. The God of? Israel… Israel. So if you are born again believers, sealed with the Holy Spirit of the God of Israel, could it be that you will hate the Jews, the people of Israel? You have no idea how many people go to church on Sunday, claim and proclaim to be Christians, and they hate the Jews.

Now, why is that? It’s because they don’t know the One who is the Holy One of Israel. To them, maybe, He will say, “I never knew you.” It’s obviously people who claim to know Him who say, “Hey, we did this and that in Your name. We know You.” “Well, I don’t know you. How can you do all of this and still hate My brethren?”

In fact, anyone who is left from the tribulation who has come against the brethren of the Lord will not be allowed into the Millennial Kingdom.

The Apostle Paul told Timothy in the last chapter of his final letter that a time would come when men would not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears they would heap up for themselves teachers and will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

This is consistent with what he wrote to the church at Thessaloniki in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, that before the antichrist could be revealed, there would be a mass defection from truth.

Isaiah 43:2-3
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

Malachi 3:6
“For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”  

If the Lord doesn’t change, then that means He is still the Holy One of Israel, their Savior. It is therefore beyond understanding how so many in the church today deny that modern Israel is biblical Israel or claim that the church has replaced Israel. These are defections from the truth. If the Lord is still the Holy One of Israel and is their Savior, who is the Israel being referred to? It can’t be the church, of which He is the head, because the Jews are an ethnic group and the church is not. The Jews are also the ethnic group through which Jesus, the Holy One of Israel and King of the Jews, entered the world. 

If He doesn’t change and He is King of the Jews, how can anyone who calls themself a Christian hate the Jews? To say that God has cast off His chosen people infringes on the omniscience of God. God doesn’t have the character to make wrong choices and to chose Israel and then cast off Israel is completely inconsistent with what we know of His nature. By the way, King Saul is not an example of God choosing and casting off. Saul was the people’s choice; David was God’s. 

Jeremiah 31:35-37
Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.” Thus says the LORD: “If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD.”

As long as the ordinances established by God at creation continue, we can be assured He has not cast off His chosen people for all that they have done. And if He hasn’t done so, we shouldn’t either. Antisemitism is not a characteristic that should be found among God’s people. It is the doctrine of demons, and its rise is a sign we are in the last days!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

God Is on Your Side Today!

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31

Romans 8:31 contains a powerful rhetorical question and I encourage you to memorize it. Unfortunately, there are still some believers today wondering, “Is God really for me?”

Well, my friend, the Word of God does NOT say “maybe God is for us” or “hopefully, God is for us.” It simply says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Indeed, when God is for you, what opposition can succeed against you? When God Himself fights for you, defends you, and vindicates you, what adversity or adversary can stand against you? There are none! Hallelujah!

“But Pastor Prince, how did God come to be on our side? Even though I am a Christian today, I still fail and fall short of God's holy standards. I still lose my temper on the road now and then, and from time to time, I still get angry with my wife and kids. Why should God be on my side when I fail? Don’t you know that God’s holy?”

All great questions. Let me tell you why God is on our side. The answer is found at the cross. The blood that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shed on the cross put God on your side. Today, God can be for you even when you fail because Jesus’ blood has washed you whiter than snow!

Have you seen Cecil DeMille’s movie, The Ten Commandments, or the animation, The Prince Of Egypt? Do you remember what happened on the night of the Passover? The children of Israel put the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.

What did the blood do? The blood put God on their side! None of the families who had applied blood on their doorposts had to fear the death of their firstborn children.

Now, think about this for a moment. Were the firstborn children of Israel spared that night because of their perfect behavior and conduct, or were they spared because of the blood of the lamb? Of course, it was because of the blood of the lamb!

In the same way, God does not bless you, as a new covenant believer, based on your perfect behavior and conduct. He is for you today because of the blood of the perfect Lamb—Jesus Christ.

That is why as believers today, we don’t have to fight for ourselves. I like to say it this way: “If God is for us, who can come successfully against us?”

Always remember that God is on your side today because of Jesus’ blood. His holiness and righteousness that men are afraid of are now on your side because of Jesus’ blood. His unmerited favor is on your side and all of heaven’s resources are yours because of Jesus’ blood!

Now, who can come successfully against you? No sickness, no disease, no creditor, no evil accusation, no gossip—no weapon formed against you, can come successfully against you (Isa. 54:17)!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

Faith Is Released by Speaking

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way . . . “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:4–6, 8–10

Let’s take a moment to examine today’s scripture and what the apostle Paul says about the power of speaking in the new covenant of grace. In this passage, you see the differences that he skillfully laid out for us between the old and new covenants.

Christ marks the end of the law and the beginning of the new covenant. It is the gift of righteousness versus righteousness by works. Faith versus works. Believing versus working. Speaking versus doing.

It is vital for you to recognize the differences between the two covenants. You see, the new covenant is about right believing, whereas the old covenant was about right doing. The new covenant is about the power of speaking well, whereas the old covenant was about the power of working well.

I believe in the power of right believing. When a person believes right, he will live right. When a person believes that he is made righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ, he will be inwardly transformed to live right, and the spirit of godliness will be evident in his life.

He won’t just be outwardly fulfilling the letter of the law for fear of punishment with a heart that is not right. The grace revolution is about inside-out transformation. It is about a heart emancipated by grace.

A person transformed by grace not only keeps the law of God outwardly, but His heart is also full of Jesus. He overflows with generosity, he is passionate for his spouse, and he is zealous for good works and the glory of His Savior, Jesus Christ. See the difference? It’s like night and day.

Your words are powerful. The Bible says that the word of faith is near you, “in your mouth and in your heart” (Rom. 10:8). Notice that it is first in your mouth, and then it drops into your heart.

When you speak words of faith, what you speak will finally drop into your heart, and what is in your heart will lead you. So when you are sick, speak well over yourself, declaring, “Lord Jesus, I thank You that by Your stripes I am healed.”

It is important that under the new covenant you are not working for your own righteousness in order to be healed and blessed. Moses says this of the righteousness that is by the law: “The man who does those things shall live by them” (Rom. 10:5). The focus is on doing.

What about the righteousness that is of the new covenant? According to Romans 10:6, “the righteousness of faith speaks.” The focus is on speaking. Therefore, speak! Open your mouth and speak! Faith (believing) is released by speaking.

You and I are made in the image of God, who, when things were very dark at the beginning of creation, didn’t say, “Wow, it is so terribly dark here!” He didn’t speak about the darkness. He did not speak what He saw.

No, God spoke forth what He wanted to see. He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Gen. 1:3–4). God saw light after He spoke it. When Abram was still childless, God changed his name to Abraham, which means “father of many nations” (Gen. 17:5). When the man with the withered hand met our Lord Jesus, Jesus spoke the word, asking the man to stretch out his hand, and the man was completely healed (Matt. 12:10–13).

With physical eyes, man saw Abram as barren and the man with the withered hand as an invalid. But our Lord saw and spoke differently! We serve a God “who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Rom. 4:17).

I love the King James translation, which says our God is a God “who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” He quickened the dead and brought nonexistent things into existence with His spoken words!

You are made in His image. The same can and will happen for you when you see and speak what you believe and want to see!

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.

Knowing His Name

“I will protect those who trust in my name.”

Psalm 91:14 NLT

Did you know that Jesus came to reveal only one name of God to us? Our Lord Jesus came to reveal the name “Father.”

Father speaks of family and of closeness and intimacy. You can know God as Elyon, the Most High. As El Shaddai, God Almighty. As Yehovah, the Lord, the covenant-keeping God. As Elohim, mighty Creator of the heavens and the earth.

Every name is so significant as each one reveals a wonderful aspect of our God. But when you know God as Father, all His virtues, attributes, and power work for you to set you on high and deliver you.

Our Lord Jesus prayed, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are” (John 17:11). The Greek word for “keep” here is the word tereo, which means to attend to carefully, to take care of, to guard, to watch, and to preserve.

What is the name through which you will be kept guarded and protected? FATHER. Beloved, I want you to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have a heavenly Father who loves you, who gave up His all for you, and who is vigilantly watching over you!

He is your Father. Your Daddy. Your Abba.

That is the name by which He wants you to call Him. When my son, Justin, has a nightmare, he doesn’t call out, “Pastor Prince!” He just cries out, “Abba!” and I am there, ready to take on any monsters hiding under his bed.

In the same way, you can have complete assurance that when you call upon your Father, He will answer you. You can have full confidence in your Father’s protection and deliverance for you and your family, not because of your love for Him, but because of His love for you.

This devotional is adapted from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.

Acknowledge Jesus’ Presence by Giving Thanks

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

There are Christians who know in theory that Jesus is with them, but they do not actively practice His presence. For me personally, one of the best ways to practice the presence of the Lord is to thank Him all the time. You can give thanks to Him for everything. Just say, “Lord, I thank You for this beautiful sunset. I thank You for Your love and for surrounding me with good things and good friends.”

There is no limit to what you can thank Him for since every good and perfect gift that we enjoy today comes directly from Him (James 1:17). Even if you have had a rough day at work and you are facing a seemingly impossible challenge, you can practice His presence.

The moment you realize that your heart is heavy with worry and your mind is plagued by anxiety, share your challenge with Jesus and thank Him that this problem is not bigger than His hands. Begin to surrender it to Him and depend on Him for His strength, power, and peace.

As you do that, you are already practicing the presence of the Lord. And as you honor His presence and behave like He is indeed with you, He sees it as faith in Him and intervenes on your behalf for your success in whatever situation you may be in.

It is sad when Christians behave like some husbands who bring their wives to a party, only to ignore them completely. Their wives could be right there with them physically, but these guys are so engaged with their own friends, talking about the stock market, economy, or latest game on television, that their wives might as well not be with them.

Ladies, do you know men like that? Now, men who are reading this, I know you are not like that, so don’t get offended, all right? I know you cherish and love your wife. What I am trying to illustrate is that just because someone is with you physically, it does not mean that the person feels appreciated by you. Appreciation only occurs when you start acknowledging the presence of that person.

What I like to do is to look at Wendy across a room crowded with people, and when our eyes connect across the room, it is as if the rest of the people fade instantly into oblivion, and only Wendy remains. I want her to know that I appreciate her for coming along with me to that dinner event or meeting.

I am not claiming that I am sensitive to Wendy all the time, but there are moments when I do want to make it a point to make her feel special. She is special to me, but to actually appreciate her and to make her feel special is something else altogether. Like all husbands, I am still growing in this aspect.

Now, what does the word “appreciate” mean? It means “to increase in value.” If you appreciate someone, the person increases in value in your eyes. My friend, the Lord is already with you, so start to practice His presence. Begin by thanking Him, appreciating Him, and increasing His value in your eyes, and you will see Him acting on your behalf.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.

Satisfied by Grace Every Day

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

John 6:35

I want to encourage you to make listening to the good news of Jesus a daily priority. Listen, I know just how crazy and busy our days can get. But when the day is over and we have heard nothing about Jesus, we feel empty, stressed out, worried, fearful, and depressed.

My friend, Jesus is the bread of life and the living water. No matter how busy we get, it is prudent not to neglect feeding on His person. I know that in the natural, this can sound simplistic. You may be asking yourself, “How can simply listening about Jesus change things in my life and circumstances?”

The truth is, the things of God are really not complicated. Just think about the woman who suffered from hemorrhaging for twelve years. Simply hearing about Jesus and His grace infused her with so much hope, so much faith, and so much courage that she was able to receive the healing she had started to believe for. Don’t underestimate the power of hearing about Jesus just because it sounds simple.

There is a beautiful verse in the psalms that says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12). Do you want to know the secret of numbering your days and not allowing a single day of your life to be put to waste? The key is found in verse 14, where it says, “Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy.” The word “mercy” here is the Hebrew word hesed, which means God’s grace. God is telling us to be satisfied every day with His grace.

I suggest that before you do anything—read the papers, check your emails, or make that important phone call—start the day with Jesus and be satisfied with His grace. You can read a devotional about God’s grace, feed on the Father’s love, meditate on His grace, listen to a message that is all about Jesus, and open up His love letter—His Word—to you.

But Pastor Prince, my mornings are crazy! How long do I spend doing this?

How much must I read, listen, or pray?

Beloved, the key is not to be legalistic about it. If morning doesn’t work for you, then find a time that best suits your schedule. It could be during your lunch break or just before you go to bed. The key principle here is to be satisfied daily with His grace. Feed on Him until your heart is full and satisfied with His grace. It’s really not about the duration or how much, but your level of satisfaction.

Enjoy God’s presence daily. He loves having a relationship with you and wants to fill your heart with His grace, peace, wisdom, and joy.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.

You Matter to God!

He calls his own sheep by name.

John 10:3

Do you sometimes feel like you are just a face in a crowd or a number in a system? You are identified by your social security number. Even when you see the doctor, you are called by your queue number. If you feel depersonalized and dehumanized, that is exactly how the devil wants you to feel—that you do not matter much to anyone, especially to God.

But you do matter to God! He calls you by name. He knows exactly what you are going through and where you are hurting. He sees you and cares for you, just as He cared for the people when He first walked on earth.

My friend, He will do for you what He did for the woman in Samaria. The Bible says that “He needed to go through Samaria” to get from Judea to Galilee (John 4:4).

Now, any Jew of His day would have taken a different and longer route to avoid going through Samaria because they hated the Samaritans, though the way through Samaria would have taken much less time. But Jesus deliberately took the shorter, avoided route, just so He could stop by Samaria to speak to the woman who had been searching for something in her life to satisfy her.

This woman had had five husbands and the man she was living with was not her husband. Clearly, things had not been going right in her life. She was probably looking for answers and fulfillment, and must have felt ashamed about her failed marriages and current lifestyle.

Yet, in spite of all this, she mattered to Jesus! He needed to go to her to minister to her. And indeed, after she met Jesus, the perfect Man, she was transformed. She was no longer ashamed, and went into the city to tell the people about Him (John 4:28–29).

Beloved, Jesus wants to meet you wherever you are at in life and minister His grace to you. You certainly matter to Him. He came to give you life and life more abundantly (John 10:10).

You are not just a face in a crowd or a number. No, He knows you by name and has a personal love for you. And in spite of the mess that you might be in, He wants to meet your every need and make your life beautiful!

This devotional is taken from the book Destined to Reign Devotional—Daily Reflections for Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living.