What does it mean to repent?

Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

To repent means to change one's mind. It means to realise that you are going in the wrong direction and you turn back from the wrong and turn towards the right. Repentance means you change your mind and you prove your repentance by the way you live.

The prodigal son left His Father, took his share of the inheritance and went to a far off land and spent everything He had on wild living and was left with nothing in a foreign land. To feed his stomach, he joined himself to a farmer of that country who sent him to feed pigs and he longed to eat what the pigs ate because no one gave him anything to eat. In the midst of his turmoil, He thought about His Father's goodness, love, freedom and provision, he came to his senses, he changed His mind, he rose up and came back to his Father. This is repentance. Its when you realise that you cannot survive without the Father and run back to Him. The prodigal son came back and as soon as the Father saw him, He ran and hugged him, accepted Him and welcomed Him home. He gave his son a robe, put a ring on his finger, slaughtered a calf and celebrated the return of his son.

Friend, there is nothing good for you outside of God irrespective of how good it looks and feels. God has the best for you. He has an awesome and a great life for you, the abundant and victorious life. He gave us Jesus to demonstrate his immense love for us. Repent, change your mind and realise that your works cannot save you. Repent, believe that Jesus has done all the works that needed to be done for your salvation and recieve Him as your Lord and Saviour. Repent, if as a believer you have made mistakes and restore your fellowship with the Father for you are His child. Dont run away from Him, Run to your Father in the name of Jesus, for this is your time to rule and reign in life.

You are brilliant!

You are brilliant.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

II Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

God has given us an awesome and a rare combination, something that the world is desperately seeking for. God has given us His power, His love and His mind when He gave us His Holy Spirit.

You are a genius and an excellent person because you possess these three forces. You have the mind of Christ, you have the power and the love of God in you. In the world its impossible to find this combination of power, love and sound mind. You find power, but you don't find love and sound mind and if you find a sound mind and power, love is missing. Always there's something missing. In Christ, you have something that the world doesn't have and cannot get without Jesus. You are powerful, loving and you have a sound mind, which simply means you are an excellent person. You are brilliant. The verse doesn't say God will give it to you some day, it says God has given you. That means you have it now. When you acknowledge what you have and praise God for it, you will begin to see and experience the manifestation of these awesome realities. Settle this in your thinking by constant meditation and confession that you are brilliant because you have God's power, God's love and God's mind.

Friend, don't block these realities by speaking negative and stupid things about yourself. "I am no good, I can't do anything properly, I am so weak, my mind doesn't work and everything I do fails, I am just a horrible person" Change the way you speak. "Thank God that He has given me power, love and a sound mind through His Spirit. I am a genius and an excellent person. Everything I do excels and I am progressing and increasing in every area of life. Thank God for His goodness and for making me an excellent and a brilliant person" This is who you are! Hallelujah to Jesus!

“God has not given me a spirit of fear but of power, of love and of a sound mind. I am an excellent and brilliant person. Everything I do prospers. The Greater One lives in me. My life is a standard for the world and brings great glory to Jesus, my Lord. Hallelujah.“

Your helper : The Holy Spirit

John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

If you have recieved Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, then this verse is not a promise, its a fact, its a reality in you. The Holy Spirit abides with you and is in you forever. Praise God. Be conscious that God lives in you.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit is our Helper, which means He's with us and in us to help us. Thats His primary work. As believers, its important for us to understand that we cannot live the Christ life without the Holy Spirit, otherwise Jesus wouldn't have prayed for a Helper. Zechariah 4.6 says, "It's not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit", says the Lord of hosts. We don't have to live and walk alone, thank God we have a mighty Helper. The Holy Spirit will help you in everything, be it Bible reading, prayer, in your job, in your relationships, in your finances, in giving counsel, in making decisions, in choosing a partner and in any area that you need help. He will help you in overcoming bad habits, in overcoming sin and He will help you become more and more like Jesus. He will help you do everything in a right way that brings glory and honour to the Father and Jesus Christ.

Friend, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. He will show you how to parent your children in a godly way. You need His help. Take His help and live the glorious life that God has for you. Aim to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit by praying much in other tongues. Dwell on the word richly so you can easily discern His voice. Refuse to do anything without His help. He is ready to help you anywhere, anytime and in any situation for He is your mighty Helper. Make Him your senior partner and you will be never the same. This is your time.

Unity is strength!

Psalms 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it  is For brothers to dwell together in unity!

Jesus said through the unity and oneness of the body of Christ, the world will know that God has sent Him. Our unity is a great testimony to the world and it is a good and pleasant thing.

Unity among believers makes tremendous power available to us in all our gatherings. Praying for one another, supporting one another, forgiving one another, getting along with one other and considering others better than yourself is a great thing in the eyes of God. Paul said endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, which simply means that unity is work. Unity doesn't just happen, we have to endeavor and give diligence at maintaining unity among ourselves. We have an enemy, Satan, who is the spirit of division and works tirelessly in creating strife, discord and division among believers. Division is powerful because Jesus said, Any kingdom or house divided against itself cannot stand. Therefore we must use our faith, pray and work with God in producing and maintaining unity among the church. Unity doesn't just happen, it requires diligence and sacrifices but it's worth it.

Friend, God himself testified about the power of unity when he saw people coming together to build the tower of Babel. He said, nothing that they have imagined to do would be impossible for them. Unity is powerful. As long as they were in one heart and one mind, no one could stop them but as soon as there was confusion and division, the work stopped immediately. Start with youserlf. You take a step towards unity. Forgive. Forget. Bless. Appreciate. Resist the spirit of division. Live in peace with all. You are a peace maker and this is your time.

Don't be stressed. Only believe.

John 14:1
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."

Did you know your heart can be troubled? That's why Jesus said let not your heart be troubled. If you are not careful, you can easily allow what's happening around you and what people say to distract and disturb you.

Proverbs 4.23 says, Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flows the forces of life. Guarding your heart is your responsibility thats why Jesus said, You don't let your heart be troubled. A troubled heart results in a troubled health, a troubled relationship and a troubled life. Jesus said “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." Choose to believe Jesus, choose to believe His word. Choose to focus on His word and not the negative reports that Satan brings to you. Whatever you choose to focus and meditate on, decides whether you will be frustrated or at peace. Settle this in your thinking, you are an overcomer and nothing is impossible for you. Anything contrary to this, is a negative report and refuse to focus and meditate on it so you won't be distracted and disturbed. Fix your mind on the word just like Jesus fixed His mind on Psalms 22 when He was on the cross. The word will keep you at peace just like Jesus, in the midst of fierce winds and storms, was at complete peace.

Friend, refuse to be troubled by simply believing what Jesus has said instead of what anyone else says. Refuse to give any attention and power to negative things which are contrary to the word of God. Your best days are in front of you. Remember, there is no pit so deep that His love is not deeper still, With Jesus even in our darkest moments, the best remains and the very best is yet to be. Keep your eyes on Jesus and focus on Him, you will not fail, you will not sink, you will accomplish all that God has called you to do. This is your time.

Sweet smelling sacrifice.

Sweet smelling aroma.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Philippians 4:18
Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

Giving financially to the work of the Lord is a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice and is well pleasing to God. God loves a cheerful giver.

Psalms 24.1 says the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell in it. God owns everything. He doesn't need our tithes and offerings, He has no need of our money. The reason He commands us to tithe and give offerings is so He can bless us financially. Our giving is for our benefit. The Lord delights in our prosperity and wants to bring us to a position where we have all sufficiency in all things and thereby having an abundance for every good work. Glory to God. Jesus said the Father is glorified when His children bear much fruit. God wants to increase and prosper you. No seed of Abraham should ever be poor for poverty is under the curse and Christ has redeemed us from the curse of law by becoming a curse for us and the blessing of Abraham has come upon us. Financial prosperity is your inheritance. It's your redemptive right. Refuse to be poor. Choose to prosper and choose to increase.

Your giving positions you for increase. As you tithe faithfully and sow consistently in the kingdom of God, you will experience supernatural prosperity and your days of lack and scarcity will be over forever. Become a radical giver. Break all records. Develop a lifestyle of giving. Refuse to depend on the world system for the world system is failing but the kingdom of God is flourishing. Choose the kingdom way and be supernaturally prosperous and bless every nation on earth. This is your time.

“I am a giver. I am a tither. I am a sower. I trust God with my finances and I never lack financially. I live in the more than enough zone with more than enough for every need of my life. Hallelujah to Jesus, my Source and my Sustainer.”

God cannot lie.

Titus 1:2
in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

God will never lie because He cannot lie. His nature is truth and everything He says is truth. Everything that comes out of Him is truth.

It's impossible for God to lie, even if it costs Him everything He has, He will still speak the truth. Under tremendous pressure and fierce persecution, Pilate asked Jesus, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' He replied and said 'Yes, I am'. He knew this statement would cost Him his life, yet He proceeded with the truth. Numbers 23:19 says “God  is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?". God means what He says and He says what He means. There is no hypocrisy, flattery and duplicity in his words. His words are pure words like silver refined in furnace, purified seven times.

Friend, because God never lies, you can trust His word, you can step out on His word and you can hold firmly to his word. Nothing and no one can change His word. Heaven and earth will pass away but His words will never pass away. Times change, people change, governments change, climates change but His word never changes. Jesus himself stands as the guarantee of every promise that God has made in His word that if you believe it, it will be fulfilled in your life. Blessed be Jesus Christ, the Lord God of India.

Go higher!

Isaiah 55:8‭-‬9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Can you imagine the distance between heaven and earth? There is a huge distance and gap between the ways of God and our ways, between our thoughts and His thoughts. Heavenly ways and thoughts are absolutely different from the ways and thoughts of the earth.

You can never live and enjoy the higher life that God has for you by living according to the thoughts and ways of this world. Some one might say, 'We can never know the ways and thoughts of God because it's way too high and we can never reach it'. Man has reached the moon but How can he reach heaven to know the thoughts and ways of God? With man it is impossible but not with God, for with God all things are possible. Two thousand years ago, God sent his only begotten Son, Jesus to reveal the nature, the ways and the thoughts of God. Jesus is the image of the invisible God and exact representation of His being. In the new covenant, the thoughts and ways of God are revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. The thoughts and ways of God are collected and captured in God's word. As you behold Jesus by continually abiding on God's word, the Holy Spirit will reveal the ways and thoughts of God so you can live days of heaven on earth just like Jesus, your Lord.

Friend, as a believer of the Lord Jesus, renewing your mind is your number one priority and it's a daily process. To renew your mind simply means exchanging your thoughts and ways with the thoughts and ways of God. It means refusing to live by the ways and thoughts of the earth and building your life on heavenly ways and thoughts. You do this by constantly spending time in the word of God and allowing it to change your thinking. You are a citizen of heaven and the King of kings has sent you to the earth to reveal the character of your King and the culture of your heavenly kingdom. You will do well. This is your time.

Inspired by God.

II Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

How do you see the word of God? What is it to you? What does it mean to you? It's important we see God's word the way God sees His word.

From Genesis 1.1 to Revelation 22.21, every Scripture is inspired by God, it is God breathed. It's not the word of man or men, it's indeed the word of the living God. It's not a product of man's imagination, will or mind. God is the author of His book. The Bible is a life transforming book because it's divinely inspired. Peter says the word didn't come from any private interpretation but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Every word of God is inspired and breathed by God. It contains the life of God and therefore anyone who believes and receives His word steps into the path of ever increasing glory and will never be the same. Knowing this, we honour God's word and give it first place in our lives. God and His word are one, just like Jesus said, 'I and my Father are one'. Honouring God's word is honoring God for God and His word are inseparable. We don't change the word to fit our lifestyle, we change our lifestyle to fit the word. We honour God's word and thereby we honour God. The respect and honour you give to God's word is the respect and honour you are giving God. Make His word the final word in your life and step into the marvellous life He has for you.

Friend, unlike any other book, the Scripture is full of the life, the power and the wisdom of God. As you allow the word to teach you, to correct you, to reprove you and to instruct you in doing the right thing, you will become mature and equipped for every good work. See God's word as God sees His word. God's word is God's integrity. Give high honour, reverence and respect to His word for it is indeed the word of the living God. Love the word. Walk on the word. Speak the word. Be full of the word and abide in His word. You will never be the same.

Fierce opposition.

Psalms 62:1‭-‬2
Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

David wrote this psalm while he was facing fierce opposition. His son, Absalom had rebelled against Him, his trusted advisors and friends turned against Him and they were speaking and working evil against him and were after his life.

In the midst of such situations, David placed his expectations on God and trusted Him for salvation. He didn't look for salvation and deliverance from people, he said men of high status are a lie and men of low status are a vapour and putting them together on a scale, they are lighter than vapour. Under such fierce opposition, David said I will not be moved because God is my rock, my salvation and my defense. Everything happening around him was trying to get his attention, but he gave his attention, his mind to the Lord God of Israel. The Lord delivered him from his enemies and restored the kingdom back to Him. He didn't take revenge, He allowed God to take vengeance. Many times, we want to take revenge in our words and actions, but like David let us wait on God for our salvation is from Him. He is our rock, our salvation and our defense. He will fight for us. The battle is the Lords.

Friend, like David you may be facing rejection, rebellion, disloyalty, discouragement, disappointment and opposition on all sides, but I encourage you to do what David did, keep your mind on the Lord by meditating and speaking of His greatness and His power. "The Lord is my Rock therefore I will not be shaken. The Lord is my defense therefore He will defend me. The Lord is my salvation therefore He will save me. The Lord is my refuge therefore the enemy cannot touch me". Remember, the battle is the Lords and the victory is yours!

Satan, you cannot touch me!

Exodus 12:23
For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.

The blood of the lamb protected the Israelites from God's judgement against Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who refused to let His people go free. The destroyer couldn't enter and destroy the firstborn of the houses where the blood was applied. The lambs blood was their protection and their redemption from the judgement. This is a picture of the things to come.

We are not redeemed by corruptible things like gold and silver but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, a lamb without blemish and defects. We are redeemed from God's judgement, redeemed from the curse, redeemed from sicknesses and diseases, redeemed from poverty and redeemed from Satan and his forces. To redeem means to set free by the payment of a price. The blood of Jesus is the price of our redemption. Your redemption is not a promise, it's  a fact because Jesus shed his blood on the cross and when He rose again He placed His blood on the heavenly mercy seat and obtained eternal redemption for us. We are the redeemed of the Lord. Be conscious that the price has been paid, the blood has been shed and that your redemption is a fact and a reality. The blood of Jesus is the guarantee that Satan has no legal right to touch you or put anything on you.

Friend, like the Israelites, who applied the blood of an animal on their door posts,  we must apply the blood of Jesus on our lives, our families and everything that concerns us by having faith in the blood of Jesus and by speaking about it. "The blood of Jesus is over my life, my family and everything we have, we are redeemed from destruction and God's judgement. Satan, you cannot touch us, you have no right. Get out In Jesus name. The blood of Jesus has redeemed us. Jesus is our redemption. This is my time"

Listen and be profitable!

Isaiah 48:17
Thus says the Lord , your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.

God delights in the prosperity of His people. He is glorified when you bear much fruit. Jesus said, You have not chosen me but I have chosen you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain. Our Father is glorified when we bear much fruit.

This verse says He teaches us to profit. No matter where you are in this world and no matter what your job is, the Lord wants to help you prosper. Most people think God wants them to be poor, broke and frustrated. That's a lie from hell. 1st Timothy says God gives us all things richly to enjoy. Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in me and I in him will bear much fruit and without me you can do nothing. Our God is the God of increase. If we are walking with God and abiding in Him, it's impossible for us to be stagnant. With Jesus, you always increase, expand and flourish. Glory to God.  You might be studying in a college or working as an employee in some company or you may have your own business, wherever you are, always be conscious that God is highly interested in your prosperity so much so that if you listen to Him, He will teach you to profit. If you take the time to listen to His word and listen to the instructions of the Holy Spirit, you will never suffer a loss. Never. He will show you ways to get things done, He will give you the wisdom and the insight you need to make a profit and escape losses. The Holy Spirit will make all your endeavours profitable. Settle this in your thinking and let it be established.

Friend, based on this verse expect the Lord to teach and lead you into profit. Claim these promises in the name of Jesus. Stand on this verse and begin to thank God that your life and everything you do is profitable. God wants you to be profitable, prosperous and ever increasing. There is no stagnation in the kingdom of God. Increase is a result of fellowshipping with the Father. Invest considerable time in listening to and listening for the voice of God. Expect Him to do what He said He would do. Be ever increasing. This is your time.

The sacrifice of praise.

Hebrews 13:15
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Under the new covenant, Jesus by sacrificing Himself has made us priests of the Most High God. As a priest of God, you serve Him, represent Him and reveal Him. It's a huge responsibility and an awesome privilege that God has given us.

As priests of the Most High God, we offer spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. This verse talks about the sacrifice of praise. To praise simply means to speak good things about some one. David said, I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Praising God is a decision. Paul and Silas were beaten with rods, their clothes were torn and they were put in prison for living and preaching the Gospel. Naturally speaking, in such unjust circumstances your mind, your feelings and your body don't want to praise God. But Paul and Silas instead of complaining, grumbling and blaming the world, started praising God and singing songs. This is the sacrifice of praise. In the midst of darkness, you praise God for his goodness, in the midst of chaos, you praise God because He is a God of order. You don't feel like praising God, you don't want to praise God but you choose to praise God by faith. Praise is our weapon. We don't fight like the world fights, we fight differently and we fight with spiritual weapons which are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Offer to God the sacrifice of praise. He is well pleased with such sacrifices.

Friend, when Paul and Silas offered to God the sacrifice of praise, God showed up and there was an earthquake, bonds were broken and people got saved. Hallelujah. Your praise is Gods throne because God enthrones and inhabits the praises of His people. Refuse to complain, refuse to grumble, refuse to blame, refuse to lean on your understanding or on flesh and blood, start praising God and prepare a throne for Him through your praise. His presence makes all the difference. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Fight with invisible weapons!

2 Corinthians 10:3
Although we live in the world, we don’t fight our battles with human methods.

Our fight is not against flesh and blood, we don't fight people, we love people. Our fight and struggle is with Satan and his demonic spirits. Once you know this, you can use your energy wisely.

Although we live in this world, we don't fight like this world fights, we don't fight with carnal weapons because our enemy is not flesh and blood. Our weapons are invisible, spiritual and are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. We fight with spiritual weapons because our enemy is in the spirit realm. Satan uses people to hinder, frustrate and persecute us but we know the real enemy and therefore we fight wisely. We don't fight like the world, we fight a different enemy, we fight in a different way. Praise is our weapon. Love is our weapon. The word of God is our weapon. Prayer is our weapon. The name and the blood of Jesus is our weapon. We don't need sticks, stones, guns and bombs. That's not how Jesus fought, He fought by faith, by love, by prayer and He overcame the world. Jesus has defeated the enemy and has given us victory over Satan, over all his forces, over hell and over the world. Spiritual warfare is maintaining the victory that Jesus has given you. You are not fighting for victory, you are victorious and you are fighting to maintain your victory. Be victory conscious.

Friend, our weapons are more powerful than all nuclear bombs combined. What nuclear bombs cannot do, love can do. What atom bombs cannot do, faith can do. What swords cannot do, the word of God can do. What abuse cannot do, kindness can do. What depression cannot do, joy can do. These are mighty weapons. Use these glorious weapons, maintain your victory and keep your enemies under your feet. This is your time. Jesus is Lord and the best is yet to come.

Ask anything!

John 14:13‭-‬14
You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.  Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

Jesus says what He means and He means what He says. God doesn't lie nor changes His mind, for He is not a man that He should lie or a son of man that He should change His mind. God's word is God's integrity. He will not violate His word, therefore you can trust and rely completely on what He says.

What He said 2000 years ago is still true today because He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus said you can ask the Father anything in His name and He will do it. When you believe this and act on it, you will see Jesus bringing it to pass. You have his word on it and He cannot and will not break His word. 'Anything' refers to anything that is within His will. God's word is God's will. I John 5. 14 says if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. When we abide in His word, which is His will and He abides in us, we can ask whatever we desire and He will grant it to us. As little children, we must take Jesus on His word and start acting on it because He says what He means and He means what He says. His word cannot fail. Thats His integrity. James says you have not because you ask not. Asking God for what you want is crucial if you desire to see answers from God. One who refuses to ask will not receive. Jesus said ask and you will receive, for He who asks receives.

Friend, before you ask, find out from His will, from His word, scriptures that give you what you are looking for. Always start with the word. Once you have the verses, ask the Father in the name of Jesus and Jesus will do it. Give Him praise and thanksgiving because you know the integrity of Jesus and you are excited because it's just a matter of time and you will see the manifestation of your answers. Jesus brings glory to the Father when He does whatever you ask the Father in His name. It gives Him immense joy in glorifying the Father. Give Him an opportunity to glorify His Father. Ask anything! This is your time.

The world hates you! We love!

1 John 3:13
Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

As a believer, you are not only a partaker in the kingdom of Jesus but also in the suffering and patience of Jesus. The suffering of Jesus is the persecution and tribulation every believer faces for believing in Jesus and for walking on the word of God.

The world refers to people who don't believe what we believe. The world hates us because we don't follow the principles and ways of this world system. We have heavenly principles and ways which we live by. Light and darkness cannot walk together. God and Satan cannot walk together. Believer and unbeliever cannot walk together. You see, Satan is the god of this world and He has established laws, principles and ways that are in direct opposition to Gods word. The Apostle Paul said we live in the world but we don't belong to it.  Our lives are not governed and controlled by the world. Why did Jesus and his disciples faced such hatred from the people and the governing authorities? Because they refused to compromise and live by their standards and lifestyles. They chose a higher way, the high way of love and God's word. This resulted in much hatred and resentment from the worldly people. Jesus said to His disciples, If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as it's own but because I have chosen you out of the world, that's why the world hates you. Don't be surprised if the world hates you, Go on with Jesus, your crown awaits you.

Friend, persecution is a part of every believers life. We are partakers in the suffering of Jesus. You cannot live and walk the faith life without being persecuted. Get used to it and refuse to get distracted and refuse to give up on Jesus or on the word of God. Use persecution as a stepping stone to grow more in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and see persecution as an opportunity to manifest the love of Jesus. The world hates but we love for we are born of Love and born for love. God is love. This is your time.

Sin shall have no dominion.

1 John 3:9
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.

The day you received Jesus as your Lord, something actually happened. You became a new creation. You were born of God, born of His word, born of His Spirit.

Your nature was changed. You received the nature of God, the life of God in your spirit. You became brand new. The Holy Spirit in this verse tells us one who is born of God will not continue to sin and cannot go on sinning. God's seed is in you and you cannot go on sinning. It's impossible for one who is born of God to continue to sin and to live sinful lives. There is no doubt or uncertainty in that statement, the Holy Spirit knows exactly what He's talking about. There is power in God's seed, His nature is powerful and His life is an overcoming life. It's your nature to live righteously, it's your nature to live holy because God's nature is in you. As you focus on God's nature and meditate on who you are in Christ and what you have in Christ, you will begin to manifest that nature in all your life dealings. When you believe right, you will think right and then you will live right. Know yourself. Study yourself. Manifest yourself. You are born of God and you have His nature. This is who you are!

Friend, God doesn't sin and you have the same nature of God because you are born of God. You have His incorruptible seed in you and therefore you have God's DNA and it's impossible for you to live a sinful life. Develop an image of Christ identity and let it become a stronghold in your mind through constant meditation and confession of the word. Your nature is love. Your nature is righteousness. You nature is life. This is who you are. You are born of God and God's seed is in you. This is your time.

Confidence attacked?

I John 3:20‭-‬21
For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

Every time we sin, our heart condemns us, our conscience makes us feel guilty. We don't feel at ease. Many a times, to calm out hearts we try many things, just like Adam and Eve to calm their hearts made fig leaves suit but it was of no use. Jesus is greater than our hearts. His blood, His works is greater than our hearts.

Sin attacks our confidence before God. Every time we sin, we don't feel like praying or reading the Bible. We don't feel like going to church. We are afraid to preach the Gospel, to lay hands on the sick and to cast out devils. The verse says God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. God is greater than our feelings, greater than our conscience. When you make a mistake, you feel like running away from Jesus and that's exactly what Satan would want you to do. Don't be deceived, when you make a mistake, run to Jesus for He is greater than your sins, greater than your mistakes, greater than your feelings and your conscience. As you run to Him, confess your sins to Him and He will restore your soul and you will again develop confidence in the presence of God, Satan and the world.

Friend, every time you sin, your confidence is attacked, your courage is attacked and your boldness is attacked. Don't let condemnation keep you down. Don't let your feelings keep you away from God, run to Jesus for He is our Advocate with the Father and He is the payment for our sins and for the sins of the whole world. Run to Him, receive your forgiveness, restore your confidence and change your world. This your time. Jesus is Lord.

Wiped out!

Wiped out!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

1 John 2:12
I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

What an awesome thing it is to know that our sins have been forgiven. Everything wrong we ever did has been wiped out by the blood of Jesus. In Christ, God treats you as if you never sinned because the blood of Jesus has made you new. Glory to God.

God does not remember your sins and He finds no fault in you. Now you may find fault in you and others may find fault with you but God finds no fault in you. The only thing that matters is what does God say. That's all. He sees you perfect, holy and blameless. It's time we see ourselves the way God sees us. Have a God view of yourself. Your sins don't exist because the blood of the Lamb has wiped it out. Under the old covenant, by the blood of animals, sins were only covered but not taken away. Sins existed but it was covered as if there was a veil over it. But you are not in the old covenant, you are in the new covenant where you sins are taken away and wiped out by the blood of Jesus. Your sins are forgiven. God doesn't remember your sins. It's time we make a quality decision to forget all that God has forgotten. Many a times, believers struggle with the memories of their sins. The blood of Jesus is more powerful than your memories. The blood of Jesus cleanses your conscience from dead works. Have faith in the blood of Jesus.

Do not receive accusations from the wicked one concerning your sins, because your sins don't exist. You are in the new covenant, where every sin of yours have been erased and wiped out. Know your privileges and stand in the victory that Jesus has purchased for you. Don't be afraid and intimidated when the devil brings pictures of your past life, just be bold and say, 'The blood of Jesus has wiped it all out. It doesn't exist. I am a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away and behold all things have become new'. Once you know who you are and what you have, you will live in victory over sin all the days of your life. This is your time to reign in life.

"The blood of Jesus has wiped out my sins. I am forgiven. God doesn't remember my sins. I am a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away behold all things have become new"

Living sacrifice!

Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

The book of revelation says Jesus has loved us and washed us with His blood and has made us kings and priests to God. Every believer is a priest of God. You are a priest of the Most High God through Jesus Christ.

See yourself the way God sees you. As a priest of the Most High God, He has chosen you to serve Him, to represent Him and to reveal Him. It's a huge privilege and an awesome responsibility. As priests in the new covenant, we are to offer spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. We offer our bodies as living sacrifice to God. Our body belongs to the Lord and is for the Lord. Jesus purchased your spirit and your body with His own blood. Our body is not ours, it is the Lords and because it's His, we offer it to Him. In times past, we offered our body members to uncleanness, lust and sin but now as priests of God, we offer our body members to God for righteousness. Your body is not an instrument of sin, its an instrument of righteousness. Declare, 'My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. My body and every member of my body is the Lord's and is for the Lord because He has purchased my body with His own blood and I offer my body to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and well pleasing to God.' This is true and proper worship.

Friend, your eyes are the eyes of Jesus. Your hands are the hands of Jesus. Your body is the body of Christ. Be conscious, that He owns your body and offer to Him what is His, simply because He loves you and you love Him. Such sacrifice pleases Him and is holy and acceptable in His sight. Never doubt God's love for you. He has the best in store for you. You will see the goodness of God in the land of the living. This is Your time.

God's word is God's power.

Matthew 22:29
Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

The word of God is the power of God. God's word is full of God's power. If received and spoken by faith, the word can turn any situation around.

The word of God is a container of God's power. When God gives you His word, He's giving you His power. Peter could walk on water because He received the word of Jesus, 'Come'. The moment He received and acted on that word, God's power was released and He could walk on water. Release God's power into every area of your life by believing and speaking God's word. What human power and human strength cannot do, God's power can do. Nothing is impossible for God. God can turn around any situation in your favour. His power is available to you in His word through Jesus Christ. His word carries His DNA and his overcoming power.

Friend, God is no respecter of persons but He is a respecter of His word. God's power will be released for anyone who believes His word. The Pharisees and Sadducees refused to receive God's word and hence they never experienced God's power. Always be hungry for the word. Be a student of God's word for life. Be a hearer and a doer of God's word. Give God's word first place in your life and you will walk in God's power all the days of your life. This is Your time. Jesus is Lord and the best is yet to come.

The priority of prayer.

I Peter 4:7
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

We are living in the last of the last days and Jesus is coming back very soon. The Holy Spirit wants us to be alert and disciplined in our prayer life in these last days. Too much is happening all around the world and it is quite possible that believers can get distracted and lazy when it comes to prayer.

As believers, prayer is the priority of our lives. We can learn about the priority of prayer from the life of our head, Jesus Christ. Jesus, in his earthly walk was a man of prayer. Prayer was a vital and major part of his life. The disciples understood the importance of prayer in the life of their Master, no wonder they asked Him, Lord, teach us how to pray? In the early church, Peter refused to give up on his prayer when there was a food distribution issue. He managed the crisis in such a way that his prayer life wasn't compromised. Just like Jesus, Peter refused to let anyone or anything steal his prayer time. Prayer is the foundation for an effective life and ministry. Prayer is simply spending time with God, communicating with Him, worshipping and acknowledging Him and honouring Him every moment of your life. One of the ways you can be serious and watchful in your prayers is by setting your priorities in order. One of the reasons, Jesus didn't miss out on his prayer is because prayer was the number one priority of his life. Prayer must be the number one priority of our lives and it must not be compromised for anyone or anything or in any situation.

Friend, much happens in the world today and it can easily distract you and cause you to stumble if you let it. Keep your eyes on Jesus and pray without ceasing and He will turn all things for your good. Prayer gives God permission to get involved in your life. We need God's involvement and intervention, for without Him we can do nothing. If this was true in the life of Jesus, how much more for us. Be with Him, walk with Him and work with Him. This is your time.

Use your gift.

I Peter 4:10
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

As a significant member in the body of Christ, you have been given a gift by the head of the church, Jesus Christ to serve the church. It's imperative you identify your gift and use it to serve and bless the body of Christ.

The verse says each one has received a gift. Jesus didn't miss anyone. He has given His grace to every member of His body. You have a gift. The Lord needs you to discover and use your gift so that the His chruch can be blessed and edified. What's your gift? What's your grace?  People who have the gift of singing, they never struggle to sing because it's their grace, they do it with ease and passion. One who doesn't have the grace of singing struggles in doing so. May be you can speak well or probably sing well or manage and organise well or may be you can easily connect with people or you have real passion for children or you are passionate about playing some instruments or whatever your gift is, identify it and develop it. Your gift is your grace and thats the place where you won't struggle in serving the Lord and His people. The purpose of the gift is to serve the church for the glory of God through Jesus Christ.

Friend, the church needs your service. Don't let your gift die, don't wait for the right moment, now is the right time, Jesus is coming back. Start serving and blessing the believers by using your gift. God's grace has given you the gift and you use it by your faith. Believe that you are gifted and start contributing to the body of Christ. Refuse to be only a recipient, become a distributor of the manifold grace of God. Stay deeply connected to Jesus and your service will be fresh, joyful and impactful. This is your time.

Speak what you believe, not what you feel.

Genesis 1:3
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

Your life hangs on your words. Your words are your ceiling. You will never go beyond your words. Your words are your limit. Your words have the power of life and death. You are made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore we are to be extremely careful with our words.

I have heard people say, 'I speak what I feel'. The most dangerous way to live is to live by your feelings. Feelings are ever changing and unstable. You can't base your words on your feelings and expect to live the higher life that God has for you. God saw darkness all around but he said, 'Let there be light'. When we see darkness around, challenges, disappointments, injustice, bad reports, delays and failures, we don't feel like speaking the word. We feel like speaking what we see, hear and think. Like God, we have to refuse to let feelings dictate our words, we must refuse to let feelings decide what we speak. We must speak what we believe irrespective of how we feel. Think with me, "I see darkness and I feel it's all over but that's not what I believe in my spirit, I believe the word of God therefore I refuse to speak what I feel and choose to speak the word because I walk by faith and not by feelings." You can't speak the word only when you feel like speaking the word. Speaking the word is a decision. Feelings are governed by your five senses and your thoughts. One who is led by their senses or feelings can never talk light when they see darkness. God wasn't moved by what He saw, He wasn't moved by His feelings. He didn't let what He saw control His words. He was moved by what He believed. He believed His word and released it and it changed darkness into light. Hallelujah.

Friend, refuse to speak your feelings. Refuse to give voice to your feelings. I may not feel healed, blessed or anointed but I believe I am healed, blessed and anointed, therefore I say I am healed, blessed and anointed. To say what you feel is carnal or baby believers, to say what you believe irrespective of how you feel is spiritual or mature believers. There is creative power in your words. Think. Meditate. Speak what you believe and not what you feel. This is your time.

Why don't I receive from God?

James 1:7‭-‬8
For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he  is  a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Many a times, I hear people say, Why don't we receive from God? It could be a job, promotion, a spouse, healing or may be a house or something else. Why don't we get it? You see, God gives you everything by His grace, which is His unmerited and unearned favour. You receive His grace and everything else His grace provides by faith alone.

James says one of the reason believers don't receive is because they are double minded. A double minded says Yes in one moment and in the other moment says No. James compares a double minded person to a wave of the sea which is driven and tossed by the wind. A double-minded person is one who is unstable in all his ways, one who prays one thing but believes another thing and acts like some other thing. There is no stability, no agreement. Winds drive the waves to any direction they want but the same winds cannot move a mountain. One of the main causes of double mindedness is lack of word foundation. When you have no word foundation, you can be tossed and driven by anything people say, by anything you senses tell you and by any pressure that Satan brings across your path.

Friend, take some time and meditate on the scriptures that promise your answers and build a strong and lasting foundation on those verses because you know winds of challenges will come across your path to stop you from receiving what God's grace has freely provided for anyone who will take it. Refuse to waver, refuse to doubt God's word. Build a word stronghold and a word foundation in your mind. Be single minded on the word of God and you will receive everything God has for you. This is your time.

No more sacrifice for sins.

Hebrews 10:3
But in those sacrifices there  is a reminder of sins every year.

People under the old covenant sacrificed animals every year for their sins. The yearly sacrifices kept them in sin consciousness because it reminded them of their weaknesses, imperfections and failures.

Sacrifices under the old covenant did not remit or take away the sins of the people, it just covered them. Every year's sacrifice reminded them of their sins and inability to please God. As long as you depend on self effort for the forgiveness of sins, you will be trapped in sins consciousness. Sin consciousness is the biggest enemy of faith. It steals your confidence and makes you afraid and uncertain in the presence of God. Your sins cannot be remitted or forgiven by anything you do. Every human effort for the forgiveness of sins is a just a reminder of your inability to cleanse and rid yourself of sin consciousness. These sacrifices are a reminder of sins. The blood of bulls and goats, the washing of the body, shedding tears, self discipline and other practices cannot and will not forgive sins, it just reminds people the strength and power of sin.

Friend, Jesus sacrificed himself once and for all, shed his blood for your sins and rose again on the third for your justification. His sacrifice is a reminder of your righteousness in the eyes of God. His sacrifice and His blood reminds you that you are holy, perfect and blameless in the presence of God. His blood does not cover our sins, it takes it away, wipes it out. As you remind yourself of His sacrifice and build your confidence in what He has done instead of your efforts, you will move from sin consciousness to righteousness consciousness. Your sacrifices for sins reminds you of the strength and power of sin. His sacrifice for sins reminds us of the strength and power of His blood.

True worshipper!

John 4:23
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

The Father seeks true worshippers. He is on the look out, searching for people who worship Him in spirit and in truth.

The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. The reason He's looking and searching for true worshippers is so that He can show His strength and glory in their lives. David was a true worshipper. God testified about David that he was a man after God's own heart. God showed his strength in David's life when He took him from being a simple shepherd boy to being the king of Israel. True worship is based on truth and it originates from the heart. Jesus spoke about the Pharisees, 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me and in vain they worship.' God wants your heart. He loves it when you worship Him with all your heart. He seeks for true worshippers who worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Friend, I encourage you to become a true worshipper of God, one who accepts and acknowledges that God is Creator, Source, Sustainer and Owner of all things and expresses it in his thoughts, words and actions. This is true worship. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one can come to the Father except through Him. Give God an opportunity to show Himself strong in your life and you will never be the same. Give Him true worship. This is your time.

You are priceless!

Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

God's love for you is beyond description. He loves you so much that He did not even spare His own Son for you. He sent Jesus to die for you and in your place. He is a Good Father.

Nothing could stop God from bringing you back to Him even if it costs Him everything He has. He gave His most precious, His most treasured, His only begotten Son just for you so He could have you back. In the eyes of God, your value and worth is beyond explanation, it's beyond words could ever decribe and minds can ever conceive. It's important that you see yourself as God sees you. Have a God view of yourself. You are not second class, useless or insignificant. You are extremely valuable, significantly precious and outstandingly priceless to God. You mean a lot to God, no wonder He didn't even spare His only Son for you. Believe the Father's love. Dwell and meditate on this crazy love. Explore the depths of this unconditional love. Scale the heights of this divine love. As you dwell on God's love, the Holy Spirit will enlighten you and give you revelations of the Father's love and make it a reality in your life. "My Father God loves me so much that He didn't even spare Jesus for me. I receive His love. I am extremely valuable to God. Thank you Father"

Friend, if someone doesn't even spare his own son but gives him up for you, then the question is, How much that person values you?. Do you realise, can you see How much God values you! How much He loves you! How desperate He is to have you! You can count on His love. You can trust His love. You can stand on His love for His love never fails. Recieve His love. Receive Jesus. This is your time. Jesus is Lord.

His faithfulness is your shield.

Psalm 91:4
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Jesus is faithful, which simply means you can trust him to help you at all times. He is not moved by the times or seasons. He can always be depended on, always be relied upon for He is our ever present help. It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man.

This verse says His faithfulness is our shield and armour. Your awareness of His faithfulness becomes your armour. Glory to God. We need no one and nothing as our shield and armour, His faithfulness is all we need. As we trust Him and rely on Him, we will see His faithfulness and His goodness in every area of our lives. Jesus is faithful to God and He is faithful to the ones who trust Him. Before he ascended to heaven, He said to His disciples, 'I am with you always even unto the end of the age'. He says what He means and He means what He says. He will not violate His word under any condition or circumstance, He will keep His word at all times for He cannot deny Himself. Therefore, you can trust His word, You can step out on His word, You can speak His word boldly, You can share His word for Jesus is faithful. You see, every one can leave you alone but Jesus cannot and will not leave you nor forsake you for He is faithful, He can be trusted. His faithfulness is not based on seasons or governments or what he can get from you, His faithfulness is solely based on His love for you, His unconditional love for you.

Friend, He is a shield to those who trust Him and act on His word. As you take His word and make it your number one priority, you will see the faithfulness of Jesus in your life. Build the word into your consciousness and let it govern the arenas of your life. Jesus is faithful in His love for you. He is faithful in protecting and providing for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Make His faithfulness your shield, make His faithfulness your armour and you can be assured that no weapon of hell or this world system can penetrate the shield and armour of His faithfulness. His faithfulness, His loving kindness is better than life.

Every king has a crown!

Revelation 3:11
Behold,  I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

The day you received Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you were born again and your name was written in the Lamb's book of life. In the eyes of God, you became a king the moment you got born again and every king has a crown.

Your crown of life awaits you in heaven. The crown of life is for those who have received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and have been faithful to Him till the last breath of their lives. It's for those who have been faithful to Jesus inspite of tremendous trials, challenges and persecutions, it's for those who didn't give up on Jesus inspite of all odds. The crown of life is for those who have endured till the end, for those who are faithful to the name of Jesus. The crown of life awaits you. At that great day, Jesus, the Kings of kings will place the incorruptible crown of life on your head and honour you for believing on Him and for being faithful to Him till the end. Many people start with Jesus but the love of the world, the love of money, the persecutions and challenges of life and the deceitfulness of sin steal their crowns away. Although they start with Jesus, they were not able to finish with Him. This won't be your case because by all means, you have not only started with Jesus but you will stick with Him and you will finish with Him. Glory to God.

Friend, don't let Satan take away your crown. You may be facing lots of challenges and pressure on all sides, I encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus. Don't you ever give up on Him. He will never give up on you. Never. Look to Jesus, consider Him, be faithful to Him and you will receive grace and strength to overcome the challenges of life, to resist sin and to be focused on kingdom expansion. Your crown awaits you. You will make it because Jesus is your Lord. This is Your time.