The Power of Beholding

The Power of Beholding

Beholding Jesus requires us to fix our eyes on Him and nothing else. By simply beholding Him, we can receive the blessings that He has already purchased for us by His stripes and the Cross.

However, in practicality, many try to behold Jesus and also try to behold something else as a backup. It doesn't work that way. Faith has no backup plan. Otherwise, it becomes doubt and you'll receive nothing from the Lord (James 1:6-8). He has already given, but the problem lies with us receiving.

In Matt 14:30, Peter was walking on water supernaturally as he was beholding Jesus until he 𝐬𝐚𝐰 the wind and began sinking. The word 'saw' in Greek is primarily used for 'seeing something physical'. What is physical and tangible will always try to distract you from beholding the spiritual (Christ).

Having ministered healing to thousands of people, I realised that many believers focus on the physical (symptoms) more than the spiritual (Christ). Instead of remaining steadfast on the One who is always unwavering, steadfast and faithful, we move and react according to the symptoms in the body.

Disclaimer: I'm not saying that it is easy. But it takes patient endurance to keep going after it.

John 1:29 says, "𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝, the Lamb of God."

The word 'behold' in Greek means 'look upon, perceive, attend to', which is similar to the Hebrew word in Numbers 21:9 when God told Moses to put a bronze serpent on the pole, and had the people 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 at it.

The word 'looked' in Hebrew means 'to look, behold, pay attention to.' In other words, '𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐞, and you shall live.'

The Israelites could not look away from the bronze serpent, or they would die. They could not say, "Let me have one eye looking at the serpent, and the other eye looking at other options." God had already given the instruction. They could choose to follow wholeheartedly and live, or half-heartedly and die.

The Old Covenant is a foreshadow of the true substance --- Christ Himself. We are called to behold Jesus (Jn 1:29).

Hebrews 12:2 says "Looking unto Jesus..."

The word 'looking' in Greek means '𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞, to fix one's gaze upon'.

If we want to receive the promise of healing already fulfilled by His stripes, then we need to 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, and behold Him and Him alone.

You can either behold Jesus or behold your physical symptoms. Only one of them is truth. Only one of them can be your true evidence (Heb 11:1; Rom 10:17; Matt 4:4; 2 Cor 5:7; Isaiah 53:4-5).

There is power in beholding, provided you behold Him in full power.

Universal Atonement

Jesus either healed ALL or NONE.

If a few were not healed when they came to Him, then He could not take the stripes and go to the Cross for humanity (Matt 8:16-17; Isaiah 53). Because what He did on the Cross is Universal Atonement ----- He did for the whole of humanity. This is why He had to heal all who came to Him. He could not miss even one person or the Universal Atonement would break apart.

Many regard physical salvation lightly as compared to spiritual salvation. Nothing is further from the truth. It is just as important. It is the Gospel. You cannot preach redemption and the atonement of Christ without talking about bodily healing.

It is so serious that if you don't talk about it, you are not preaching the Gospel. Because what you are saying is that Christ did not fulfill Universal Atonement, and that He didn't go to the Cross for the whole of humanity.

Martyrdom vs Ignorance

Martyrdom vs Ignorance

I have come across people who said that 'I'll trust God and take poison. Anyway, if I die, I go to heaven.'

That is an irresponsible statement filled with ignorance. Think about the following:

'I'll trust God and crucify myself on the Cross on Good Friday to re-enact what He went through. If I die, I go to heaven anyway.'

'I'll trust God and jump from the roof. If I die, I go to heaven anyway.'

There is a difference between martyrdom and ignorance. We cannot do the latter and think that we are fulfilling the former.

We are called to fulfill our assignment on earth. That's stewardship and responsibility as Kingdom people. Christianity is not about going to heaven. It's about living heaven on earth. It is in the NOW. 

The Great Escape teaches that you can go to heaven after you die. But the Great Commission teaches that you preach the Gospel to all creations on earth.

The former finds excuses to prevent the need to walk a difficult (or even persecuted) path. The latter requires patient endurance because of the narrow path.

Trusting God is not about ignorance. People perish because of a lack of knowledge. Trusting God is about knowing who He is and thus, who we are in Him.

Our bodies are meant to honour and glorify Him (1 Cor 6:20). We present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Rom 12:1). You cannot glorify Him and fulfill your assignment with a dying body. This is why when Jesus healed the sick bodies, everybody glorified God.

Our bodies are purchased possession. He is Lord over our bodies. So we don’t have the rights under Lordship to choose that we just wanna take the easy way out, or die and go to heaven.

We have been taught religion that is void of power. We 'spiritualise' our decision that is not rooted in the Word. Because it is easier to reason our way out of hard-pressed situations, than to follow the Word and walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Some poisons affect health in an adverse way. Healing is available for that. This is just a surface issue.

But some poisons are more than just health. It is a deeper issue that many don't see it. They are means to something deeper... to control and to get you buy into a system where you will eventually sacrifice the Kingdom in order to survive/thrive in that system. 

What appears as a desire will give birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it leads to death (James 1:15).

If you want to be martyred, be martyred because you are preaching the Gospel, not because of self-inflicted ignorance.

Divine Protection

Nothing Shall By Any Means Hurt You

The truth principle found in Psalm 91, Luke 10:19 and Mark 16:18 are meant for divine protection.

Psalm 91 is about divine protection from the enemy who is trying to attack you. It’s for defence.

Luke 10:19 is about divine protection from the enemy as you attack him. It’s for offence.

Mark 16:18 is about divine protection from the enemy as you advance the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Nowhere in the Word says that you can put God to the test (apart from the above-mentioned purposes) and expect divine protection. 

For example, if I know that cutting myself with a knife will result in bleeding, I cannot try to cut myself and expect divine protection. It doesn’t work that way. Yes, God can heal but there is no grace available for divine protection.

Similarly, if I know that something has poison, and I still choose to take it (not because I have no choice —— every single decision we make is still a choice; it’s whether we are willing to sacrifice some stuff for that choice), if it is not because I have to do it in order to advance the Gospel of the Kingdom, then there is likely no grace for divine protection, because you are putting God to the test.

There is a difference between being thrown into the lion’s den and intentionally walking into the lion’s den. There’s a difference between being placed into fire and playing with fire.

Healing is always available regardless of our foolishness. But divine protection is another matter altogether.

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You were bought (redeemed) at a price. Therefore, glorify God with your body.

Bodily Redemption

Many Christians think that our bodies are not yet redeemed by Christ. They always think of bodily redemption as something in the future when Christ returns.

They misunderstand redemption and glorification. Both are different.

Our bodies have been redeemed but not yet glorified until Christ returns.

There are three Greek words for ‘redeem’ in the Bible.

1) 1 Cor 6:20 says that our body and spirit have been redeemed (agorazo), or translated as ‘bought’ (in English) by Christ. This is one proof that our bodies have been redeemed.

2) Gal 3:13 says we have been redeemed (exagorazo) from the curse of the law (which includes sicknesses; cross reference to Deut 28:61). This is another proof that our bodies have been redeemed (from sicknesses).

3) Romans 8:23 is about the future redemption (apolutrosis) where we will get our glorified bodies and be completely released from the presence of any sickness. It becomes a reality that does not need any faith.

Currently, to be redeemed (point 1 & 2) from bodily sicknesses, it requires faith (Mark 11:23-24). Faith appropriates what Christ has redeemed us from. This is for NOW.

In future, we don’t need faith when Christ returns. We would walk in complete redemption as a constant reality.

Healing ALL

By healing ALL who came to Him before the Cross, Jesus proved that healing is the work of Redemption on the Calvary for the whole of humanity.

If He didn’t heal just one of them during His ministry, it would not be the work of Redemption.

Bodily Healing is for whoever regardless of whatever and whenever.

This is why healing is central to the Gospel and must be preached, without which, the Gospel is no longer the Gospel.

Holding Fast To Hope

When we look at SG, there isn't much hope. But when we look to Jesus, there is an Anchor of hope.

Our eyes must always be fixed on Jesus, the Author & Finisher of faith. Do not look to anyone else, not even the church. To have an unshakable faith, you need to place your trust in the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is steadfast, immovable, unchanging, unwavering and unshakeable.

For the past two years, what can be shaken has been shaken (and still is), and what is unshakeable has remained. While truth does offend, it is still truth. Jesus was never afraid of offending the religious.

What we have seen in SG about church institution is this... and I say it in general (not as a sweeping statement), our church will rise up and make a stand where legislation is not implemented, i.e. the LGBTQ and the marginalised. But when it is implemented, the voice is drowned for the sake of self-preservation.

If the LGBTQ is legalised in SG like in Europe, few will probably stand up to fight for truth.

We cannot really blame the pastors and leaders of our local churches, for they too, desire to have a peaceful life, with stable income, stable membership in the congregation. They don't wish to rock their own boats because they have families such as young children to take care of. They cannot afford to be penalised for the sake of the Gospel. This is not in our DNA in SG. We were never taught (since young) to pay the cost of discipleship. We were never taught to walk the talk while we talk the talk. And I'm saying this to all of us (myself included). We are generally not a bold and sacrificial generation of believers to begin with.

Put yourself in their shoes and see if you will really stand up for truth if you have more to lose than to gain. Instead of pointing at them, realise this: every leader is still an imperfect human. They are no different from any ordinary person. A ministry position does not change one's character and identity. Do not look to them as though they are 'high up' spiritually, or you will be disappointed. The Bible constantly tells us to put our trust in God, not mortal man.

Instead of questioning what they fail to do, the question we should ask ourselves individually is this: "Have I been standing up for truth? What is my part to play? Am I bold and courageous to rise up in such times?"

Yes, as an individual, you cannot impact much. But you can impact a few. God is not asking you to look at what an institution can do. He is looking at your own stewardship and responsibility. At the end of the day, you stand before Him one on one to answer for your words and deeds. The church is not going to answer for you.

In these past two years, I have learnt some lessons from non-believers and a Catholic lady who is not afraid of standing up for truth, at the expense of losing everything. I saw unity that isn't just a talk or a sermon on the pulpit or a prayer conference in the public, but one that is lived out in reality.

We have hidden our light under the bushel, instead of the lamp stand. We have not represented Christ accurately to the world who is crying for help.

Perhaps it's because we have not really looked to Christ for faith, hope and love. And it's time to awake to Righteousness. For Christ in us is the Hope of glory.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. - Heb 10:23

Healing In The Redemption

Healing In The Redemption

To teach divine healing without the Redemption will produce believers who have a zeal and some results for healing. They will lay hands on the sick and see them recover, but when faced with challenges without instant results, they will start questioning, "God, is it really Your will to heal?"

It doesn't matter how many miracles you have seen in your life. If you do not understand that divine healing is in the Redemption, you will allow the enemy to wear you out before you see the result.

Healing without the Redemption is wrong, just as the Gospel of the Kingdom without healing is not the Gospel.

The Testimony of Jesus Is The Spirit of Prophecy

The Testimony of Jesus Is The Spirit of Prophecy

The phrase has been used so frequently after being made popular by certain circles.

It is taught that if someone shares a testimony, for example, miraculous healing, it prophesies to the hearers that God is going to do it again, because it is His nature. Therefore, people should keep sharing testimonies so that others can get healed.

While the principle is true, this verse is not talking about that.

Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. - Rev 19:10

A text without the context becomes a pre-text for a proof text.

What John was saying is this... "The spirit (or the divine mind) of prophecy is to bear testimony to Jesus."

In other words, every prophecy should have this purpose ----- bearing testimony to Jesus. This is one easy way to discern the spirit of prophecy aka the spirit of the person prophesying to you, whether it is of God or not.

Barnes' Notes wrote, "The design of prophecy is to bear testimony to Jesus. The language does not mean, of course, that this is the only design of prophecy, but that this is it's great and ultimate end."

This also applies to us who prophesy to others. We need to weigh carefully if we are bearing witness to Jesus when we prophesy.

What about the importance of sharing testimonies in general? Yeah, it is vital, but we cannot use Rev 19:10 to teach on this. Because it has nothing to do with that passage.

Testimonies give you hope (Ps 119), because without hope in your heart, there cannot be faith (Prov 13:12; Heb 11:1). Faith, on the other hand, comes from the Word of God (Rom 10:17).

When someone hears a testimony (of healing), it strengthens his heart with hope, because he sees the nature and the goodness of God, that He would do the same for him again. Then, because of the Word preached or the Word already in his heart, he is able to receive his healing as a result of faith.

What's the point of this post? The Word of God must be rightly divided if we do not want to be deceived in the world that we are living in. The enemy knows and can quote Scriptures too. 

At the end of last year, I saw in a vision and shared that we need to go deeper into the Word than ever before, because it is the only way for Truth to be prevailed and lies to be exposed. It is the only way to grow in discernment in a world where what is true is made to become lies and lies are made to appear true.