For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God

This is a beautiful verse that speaks about our relationship with God. It speaks more about our relationship with Him than about receiving guidance from God.

We like to quote this verse each time we speak of following the leading of God.

Sadly, it says in this verse (Romans 8:14) that "for as many as are led..." because the reality is that not many are led by the Spirit of God.

Admittedly, all born-again believers desire to be led by the Spirit of God. Who doesn't? However, it takes more than a casual interest from us to actually be included in the "for as many as are led..." category. As we ponder over this verse let us pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to us and draw us into a deeper reality and relationship with Christ Jesus.

Our natural minds think very differently from the ways of God. This is why our minds need to be renewed from the day we are born again into the kingdom of God. Even though our spirits are now made alive unto God, our old mindsets and thought patterns remain with us. Hence, oftentimes, in our pursuit of following God, we tend to align our thinking according to the old self. One example is in the area of being led by God. We would like to think that to be led by God would mean following a list of instructions. When we pray "Lord, lead me!" what we actually mean is "Lord, please show me Step 1, Step 2... on this... and that... " And we live in cycles of doubt and despair that God has not revealed His will to us or that He has not heard our prayers.

When we take a closer look at the life of Abraham, we do not see that God showed him all the steps he were to take after receiving the call of God to leave his hometown. More often than not, God's revelation comes to us in the form of pieces of puzzle. And how could we decipher His will when all we hold in our hands is but a piece of puzzle out of the total of 700 pieces which will ultimately be fitted together to form a beautiful picture? What is of utmost importance in our natural minds is to lay hold of the next piece of the puzzle but God's desire is for us to know Him that we may learn of His faithfulness. The One who holds the balance of 699 pieces of puzzle longs to reveal Himself to us more than just giving us a list of steps for us to fulfill His will.

In God's perspective, "these are sons of God" is His goal. One who is led by the Spirit of God knows God as His Abba Father. The converse is also true. If we begin to know God experientially, we will see that we are beginning to be led by His Spirit. Do we know Him as our Father? What kind of a Father God do we have? Do we seek to know His heart? In fact, we always tend to think that the ten commandments are but an arduous list of do's and don'ts. However if we were to look beyond the surface of these commandments, we would see the Father heart of God. We often fail to realize that we are given the Scriptures so that we may know Him, the Word of God made flesh, and not just to merely know the written word. Knowing God is a key to be led by the Spirit of God.

At the same time, we should also be aware that to be led by the Spirit of God is not an "answer-focused" pursuit. We are after the Person and not just the answers for our questions. Most of the time, we are desperate to hear a word from the Lord just for the sake of knowing the answer to our problem or to know a solution to our predicament. However, let us be reminded that the verse beautifully connects the leading of the Spirit of God with the sonship of God. As we begin to understand the ways of God and know His nature, we are in the process of maturity to be His sons and not just remain as little children. And naturally, we are led by His Spirit to be at the right place at the right time. However, when we are always focused to seek the answer or the solution, we will miss the Person and the relationship He offers and consequently may miss His leading altogether.

When we are being led by the Spirit of God, it speaks of us following a Person, the Spirit of God. We are not following a set of religious rules set by man for when we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we are free from the bondage of religious spirits. Yes, we need teachings and certainly doctrines are beneficial but we cannot be bound by a set of rules or laws at the expense of following the fresh leading of the Holy Spirit. It's easy for us to logically determine that if A+B=C then C-B=A. Unfortunately, most of the time, God's ways are not boud by such equations because God's ways are established in the supernatural laws of love, peace and joy which are always consistent with His character, not a set of man-made laws. The more we follow His character we begin to see His purposes unfold in our lives. One way of following Christ is to be found in His Presence. To be led by the Spirit of God speaks of being with God Himself. How can we hear, how can we see if we are not in His Presence?

Lastly, most Christians would like to think that they are led by the Holy Spirit not knowing that it could be the "self" or the "flesh" that is driving them. We would rather follow our own natural impulses than being led by the Holy Spirit when it involves something that would cause inconvenience to our flesh. This is because when we want to be led by the Spirit of God, our convenience is not His priority. We read in the Matthew 4 that Jesus was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness. And we know the rest of the story where our Lord Jesus emerged victorious after encountering the adversary and its venomous temptations. This is the most tricky part. We are told in Jeremiah that our heart is deceitful and we cannot deny that. When we "see that the fruit is pleasant to the eyes and the tree is good for food" immediately we would con ourselves into thinking this must be His will for me! What then is a sure way to avoid such self deception?

The answer is illustrated in the account of a father and a son at Mount Moriah. Isaac was bound and placed on the altar. He yielded his life into his father's hands. When we surrender ourselves and all our preconceived ideas and our strong will and place ourselves on the altar, we are the sons of God. Christ Himself, the Son of God laid down His life on the cross for us and accomplished the Father's will in His life. Do we want to be led by the Spirit of God? Do we desire to fulfill His will and purposes in our lives? God is also calling us to surrender ourselves fully to Him. To be led by the Spirit of God is to live a surrenderred life (not my will but yours be done) and to be His bondservant.

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Last Words of Wade Taylor

A friend of God, Wade Taylor had passed on into Glory on February 29th, 2012. I am one of the multitudes of lives who have been touched by the writings of this humble man of God. If you have never read any of his articles or books, I encourage you to check out wadetaylor.org (the photo on the left is taken from the site) and I am certain you will find spiritual treasures that will enhance your walk with God.

I strongly believe there is a prophetic message in the last email which was sent out by Wade on February 9th, 2012 which is reproduced below.

A Living Word for Your Spirit

God created all that was created in "six days" and on the "seventh day," He rested. Each of these days was an indeterminate period of time in which a particular aspect of creation was accomplished.

Peter limited these days to specific time periods by saying, "a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day."

Of this time, "six days" relates to man's time, and the "seventh day," to the Millennial Kingdom of God. The first four, "thousand year days" relate to the Old Testament, and the next two, "thousand year days," to the Church Age.

This time (six days) came to an end in the year 2000, and the time of transition into the Millennial Kingdom of God (seventh day) began.

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me... He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:20, 22

This "door" is at the end of the Church Age and is at the point of transition from the Church Age into the Millennial Kingdom Age. This is a conditional promise to those who have a "hearing ear."

The Apostle John was transported from his time, to the end of the Church Age, and he heard the voice of the Lord, knocking.

"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter." Revelation 4:1

It is very important to notice that this door opened only when John heard the voice of the Lord knocking, and responded (After this I looked). The result of a right response is being able to hear "things which must be hereafter." Jesus is yet knocking on the door of our temple, seeking those who will hear and respond. Thus, our ability to hear spiritually is very important.

When Jesus was twelve years old, He went into the temple of His day and time, and astounded all those who heard Him (Luke 2:42-47). When Jesus becomes twelve years old in His corporate body, He will again come into the temple. This time, He will come within the temple that we have become.

"Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" I Corinthians 3:16

During this year, 2012, when Jesus becomes twelve years old in His corporate body, He will begin to come within His present day temple (us).

"When He shall come to be glorified in His saints...." II Thessalonians 1:10

All that Jesus did in a single body, during His first coming, He will again do through a corporate body, in the progression of His second coming.

The end-time visitation of our Lord is about to begin, as the final judgments have been delayed.

"Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you. And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising." Isaiah 60:1-2

In the Old Testament, the glory came "upon" In the New Testament, the glory comes "within"

May each of us who desire our Lord's best, separate ourselves from all that could hinder our hearing the Lord's knock upon our spirit.

If we respond, as John responded, Jesus will come within our "temple" to affect the world of our day and time, beyond anything that has ever been seen.

And the Gentiles (unsaved) shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

The greatest visitation ever is about to begin.

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Change of Garments for the New Season

What does it mean to be in a New Season?
There are times when we fail to fully appreciate the meaning of so-called prophetic jargons. A very important prophetic phrase that we have been hearing is the dawn of "a new season". Undoubtedly, an excitement rises within us each time we hear that we are in a new season. However, to fully appreciate the significance of this prophetic declaration, we should ask ourselves, "What does it mean for me to be in a New Season?"

For different individuals, the New Season is being understood and perceived differently. Essentially, the prophetic thrust is that a change is taking place. In this post, we are going to look at one significant change that must first take place which in turn will help us appreciate the full impact of the prophetic declaration of a New Season over our lives.

New Season, New Garments. New Wineskins for New Wine.
In the natural world, we change garments with the change of seasons. To illustrate, we cannot be wearing winter clothings during spring and vice versa. Just as in the natural realm, the same is applicable in the spiritual realm. Hence, it is imperative that we catch this truth for us to fully appropriate what God is doing in our lives, families, ministries and nations. We are to put away the garments of the past season and to be ready to put on the appropriate garments for the New Season.

The parable of the wineskins aptly paints the picture of preparing for the New Season (new wine): -

Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved (Matthew 9:17)

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins (Mark 2:22)

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. (Luke 5:37-38)

Just as it is necessary to pour new wine into new wineskins, it is vital for us to remove the old garments and to put on new garments as we step into the New Season that God has ordained for us.

Joseph's Life, Our Story
This truth is beautifully exemplified in the journey of Joseph rising to his God-given destiny. In Joseph's younger days, when he was given the multicolored coat, it marked a new phase (season) in his life where he was looked upon as one who received special favor and attention of his earthly father. The next season of his life unfolded as this first garment was forcefully removed by his brothers. Against his will, Joseph was sold as a slave to Potiphar and we can see that after the multicolored coat was removed, he was then dressed in only a slave's garments.

Subsequently, we witness the next transition in his life as his Heavenly Father's favor upon his life quickly promoted him to be the overseer of Potiphar's house - obviously, now in a new set of garments fit for his newly promoted position. It did not take long for him to enter into the next divinely ordained phase of his life. Yes, it has to do with his garments again. With a little unexpected twist in his lifestory this time around, he inadvertently left his garments in the hands of Potiphar's wife when being pursued by the temptress. And a new set of garments await him - the prisoner's garments!

Joseph entered into different seasons in his life each time he changed his garments, whether willingly or against his choice. Finally, he entered into his divine destiny when Pharoah clothed him with the garments of fine linen along with a signet ring and golden chain.

The Word of the Lord tested Joseph
We read in Psalm 105:19 which says that "Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him." The whole journey of going through different phases and seasons in his life was described as "the word of the Lord tested him." Each time he passed the test, a new garment awaits him. Unlike how our natural minds would understand, it was not just promotions all the way - it included both promotions and demotions - from a natural perspective. But from a spiritual viewpoint, he was nearest to his destiny, especially when he was at the lowest point from a human perspective - confined in a prison and his only lifeline, the Pharoah's chief butler forgotten about him altogether.

From a spiritual perspective, we are now in God's ordained New Season, both individually and corporately. Circumstances are taking shape in the natural realm as this New Season materializes in our lives and the world around us. Some of us may have experienced a forceful removal of our garments (against our will) perhaps in the recent months or years. Take heart, it is a necessary transition for us to be rightly positioned so that we can be clothed with the new garments for the New Season. On the other hand, there may be others who have been looking forward to a promotion but somewhat experienced a demotion. The Spirit of the Lord is saying to you to be strong and take courage. You are on your way to your God-given destiny. There is also another group of people who have been longing to step into their God-given destinies for their lives and had in one way or another been tested by the word of the Lord - the word of the Lord for you is to get ready to step into the Kairos moment when you will be summoned to take your position and be clothed with the garments reserved for you.

"Garments"
Having seen the importance of the change of garments for the New Season, let us take a brief look at the spiritual meanings of "garments" in the context of this post. Firstly, "garments" speaks about our mindsets. We are exhorted to renew our minds. Each time we put off the old garments and replace them with new ones, we put away wrong mindsets and allow kingdom truths to be established in our minds. The Bible also teaches us that the spiritual battlefield is in our minds. Therefore, we are led into different phases in our lives as God's word tests us, refines us and renews our minds. Secondly, "garments" also speak about divine enablement. We are to be clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit for each new assignment in lives and also for daily living. This speaks about receiving the mantles that have been assigned for us. We can be receiving different mantles for different assignments in our lives or specific mantles for the divine calling and destinies in our lives.

A third understanding of the word "garments" includes a fresh revelation of Jesus. The Scriptures talk about the saints being clothed in garments of salvation and righteousness and we know that Christ is indeed our righteousness and our salvation. Each time we receive a fresh revelation and a fresh understanding of Jesus, His attributes and His nature, we receive new garments in our walk with God. Fourthly, "garments" also speaks of position and identity. It is imperative for us to step into the spiritual position and identity that God has prepared for us for each phase of our lives.

Joseph's Secret
Joseph's secret of triumphing in each season of his life leading to the day he stepped into his God-given destiny was the recurrent theme that "the Lord was with Joseph..." Let's get into the place where God is pleased to be with us all the time. This is called practising the Manifest Presence of God. This is the key to us entering to the season God has divinely ordained for us.

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Prophetic Insights for 2012

Indeed, much has been said about the New Year 2012 which we have just crossed over and entered into. With the passing of each year, we are to remember and prepare for our Lord Jesus Christ's second coming. Yes, He will come again and He will come again soon.

In this post, I will briefly share some of the things that I believe the Lord has shown me concerning the year 2012. I pray that the Holy Spirit will quicken His Word and speak His rhema Word to us personally that we may align and rightly position ourselves before God this year and to see its fulfillment in our lives.

1. Authority
I saw in a vision, a pair of hands holding something that looks like a necklace with a key hanging on the necklace. "Key" speaks of authority and I believe the Lord is bestowing an increase of His authority for His bride this year. When the necklace is held by the pair of hands, a heart-shape is formed. The use and release of His authority is linked to the divine revelation of His love and our walking in His love - love for God and our neighbours. This also involves a life of obedience (and repentance) on our part.

2. Blessings
This is a year where God will pour out His tremendous blessings upon His bride. We will see the fulfillment of the promises of His blessings that He has given us in the past. Expect great measures of His blessings - blessings that will not add sorrow to our lives but divine blessings to empower us to do what He has called us to do.

3. Revival
This year, may will be a part of God's move amongst His people. Just as on the day of Pentecost, there will be an outpouring of God's Spirit and love [suddenly] in the midst of His hungry and seeking bride. It is a time to re-dig the wells of intimacy and renewal in our personal lives and ministries. How much do we treasure the Lord above all else?

4. Divine re-connection
Relationships that have been disrupted in the past through misunderstandings [or any other reasons] will experience reconciliation and reconnection this year. The key is not to rely on our own understanding (what we know based on our past experiences or our own abilities) or man's limited advice. As we step into God's calling for our lives (what He has called us to do and seeing who we are in Him), broken relationships will be mended through the work of the Holy Spirit.

5. No more bread of sorrow
There will be no more eating the bread of sorrow. There is fresh manna every day for us - fresh supply of His provision and fresh supply of revelation. The old is gone, the new has come. It's not a time to dwell in the past but to arise and partake of God's richest provisions - His righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost!

6. Expansion
Many will also experience an expansion (larger boundaries) in their lives and ministries. Our part is to remove the old boundaries (and limitations) and we will see God's grace at work in our lives extending our boundaries. Get ready to expand the capacity of our hearts and our role is to maintain purity of hearts.

7. Abundance
John 10:10 - The thief comes only to steal. kill and destroy but Jesus comes to give life and life abundantly. This verse is quickened to me on New Year's day. I believe that this is a season of abundance and restoration for His bride. What the enemy has stolen, we declare 7-fold return this year. This divine work of restoration is connected to the theme of "Jubilee" from the Scriptures. We declare "Jubilee" over every area of our lives!

Prayer: -

Father, words are not adequate to express our gratitude for Your love and faithfulness to us in the year 2011. You were with us all through the ups and downs. May we love You and know You more each day of 2012. May Your glory be revealed more and more through Your bride. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. All glory and praise to you forever and ever. Amen.

“Oh that in 2012, you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!”

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