Being Pastoral Or Becoming Like Him

Being Pastoral Or Becoming Like Him

There are many truths in the Word which can be pretty offensive to those who are not ready to receive, whether it's due to past hurts, bad experiences, denials, disappointments, etc.

We want to ensure that we don't bruise them further. Yet on the other hand, Jesus did not call us to be pastoral. He called us to be like Him. Becoming like Him embraces every aspect of Him which includes Grace & Truth.

To compromise a little on truths so that grace can be extended is not Jesus. It's humanity. To compromise a little on grace so that truths can enforced is not Jesus. It's religion.

Jesus lived in the fullness of Grace and Truth. The words He spoke were often double-edged. Sometimes, they cut and offended. Sometimes, they healed and imparted life. His message was not the variables. The people were. The recipients were.

In the midst of trying to be pastoral, we have compromised truths in the name of grace & love. This is unhealthy. Because when we try to pacify one group, we actually hurt the other group who is ready to receive truths and appropriate the grace of God in tangible realities.

Jesus scattered the seeds regardless of His audience, because He knew that not every ground was ready to bear fruit. In fact, only 25% would be ready to receive His message.

Perhaps we need to take our focus away from the recipients and put it back unto Him. Only by beholding Him can we become like Him, who is neither pastoral or religious, but full of grace and truth.

For a hearer who cannot receive truth, impart grace.

For a hearer who cannot receive grace, impart truth.

Nonetheless, do NOT compromise any of them.

Christians Are Harder To Get Healed? Part 3

Christians Are Harder To Get Healed? Part 3

As mentioned in the previous post, every Christian has the same delegated authority from Christ. You get to decide HOW you use the authority, whether it is for good or bad.

Since death and life are in the power of the tongue and you shall eat its fruit (Prov 18:21), what you say and do will determine the kind of fruit that is produced in you.

There is no hindrance for healing (the power of God) to flow into a Christian's body from a minister (the one who ministers healing) except the unbelief of the minister (Matthew 17:20).

Very often, a Christian has received healing into his body when someone laid hands or ministered to him. Instant healing is a miracle and we always expect that. Yet sometimes, healing is sudden (happens suddenly on another day/time) OR progressive (the principle of the cursed fig tree).

I have shared about how identity allows a Christian to stay healed when the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy (Jn 10:10). But this post is not for that.

If the recipient of healing, particularly a Christian, does not understand his delegated authority, he can unknowingly use it to reverse the healing that has been released into his body by a minister.

God is not a liar. He said that you shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18). In other words, when the minister releases healing to the Christian's body, life flows from the Spirit into the Christian's body and healing has begun.

If the healing is not fast enough (depends on the power of God through faith), the Christian might not feel any change in his body yet. The fig tree had no immediate change though it's roots were drying up.

Should the Christian then say, "Nothing is changing... I'm not healed", he is speaking with the delegated authority, whether he knows or not. And he shall eat the fruit of what comes out of his tongue.

This can possibly reverse and stop the healing which he has received from the minister. We have seen this experientially a number of times, where believers got better, before the symptoms worsen.

As ministers (someone who ministers healing), we need to expect complete wholeness and take responsibility for someone's healing, instead of being quick to blame others. This will ensure our growth and remove every excuse of seeing others healed.  

Authority plays a part in keeping the healing that a Christian has received, because with authority comes responsibility.

This is why I think that every time when the topic of healing is taught in equipping sessions, identity and authority must also be taught together. Otherwise, a Christian can be activated in healing but soon be discouraged/disappointed because he does not know how to stand.

Good Tidings Always Draw People

Good Tidings Always Draw People

For the first 20-25 minutes, there was no one. People just walked past as they saw the sign "Free Spiritual Reading."

Two ladies eventually came. After releasing WOK, prophecies and healings on them, they began to call their friends to come over. More people were ministered to.

Curious passers-by began to speak to them as they shared their testimonies.

Soon there was a long queue formed horizontally as people waited eagerly for their turns to receive "spiritual reading".

Those who seek spiritual matters is close to the Kingdom. It does not matter even if they go to the wrong source, because they will eventually be found by Him as long as they keep seeking.

We saw about 95% instant healings except one who didn't feel any change. It doesn't mean that she isn't healed because healing can be sudden or progressive.

A confident lady was in tears when her heart was exposed to the Father who is seeking her. A man wanted our address to seek us out. Another wanted to give donation. A lady bought some drinks. Another wanted contact details. One asked, "Why are you guys doing it for free when everyone else is charging?"

The simplicity of the demonstration of the Gospel is what left people amazed by His goodness.

The Father's love is often the central theme in reaching the lost because everyone is looking for love and affirmation. We were created for that. Only through Him and in Him can love and affirmation be satisfied.

Christmas is not just a time to remember His goodness, but also an opportunity to demonstrate His goodness. Jesus is not just the reason for this season, He is the reason for every season, because every season is ready for harvest.

We have received the good tidings. It's time to bring them to others.

Christians Are Harder To Get Healed? Part 2

Christians Are Harder To Get Healed? Part 2

As shared in the previous post, it is interesting to see how non-believers get healed more easily than Christians (in fact, there is a particular group where I'm seeing almost 100%). 

But to come out with any reason outside the Word will reduce the power of God to our mere experiences. Getting rid of all hindrances allows the raw power of God to flow into people's bodies for healing.

When Jesus was on earth, His success rate was 100%. Everyone He healed was a non-believer though. But that does not imply anything. No unbelief could stop Him from healing the sick, because the power of God through Him had no limitation.

The only hindrance that prevents someone from getting healed is the unbelief of the minister (His disciples --- Matt 17:20), not the unbelief of the recipient (Mark 9:24). I explained this in details with Scriptures in a book.

Ministering healing to Christians is the same as ministering healing to non-believers, since the Bible does not separate them. In other words, there is still no hindrance for healing to flow into Christians' bodies.

However, we need to understand that Christians have the same authority as the ones ministering healing. The same delegated authority from Christ.

God gave us the privilege to use His authority. But He does not control HOW we use it. Authority can be used for good or for bad, depending on the fruit (nature) of the person using it.

Elisha used the authority to curse some youths, resulting in their deaths. The Bible does not say that God was the one who killed them.

Peter used the authority to judge Ananias and Sapphira, resulting in their deaths. The Bible does not say that God was the one who killed them.

Paul used the authority on Elymas, causing him to be blind for a period. The Bible does not say that God was the one who blinded him.

No one represented God perfectly except His Son (Jn 1:18; Heb 1:3; Col 1:15). Jesus demonstrated God's authority clearly and He only demonstrated life (with the authority) because He is the Life.

Since death and life are in the power of the tongue and you eat its fruit, a Christian chooses HOW he uses the delegated authority.

In the next part, we will see how it affects healing and the possible reason why Christians seem "harder" to get healed.

Christians Are Harder To Get Healed? Part 1

I have listened to a teaching that talks about Christians being harder to get healed, because there is a stronger resistance from the enemy. In other words, there is a spiritual warfare going on.

You can't find this in the Bible, though it made some sense. On the other hand, if we really want things to make sense, the enemy should resist even stronger for non-believers, because once they get healed, they are more likely to be born again.

After seeing thousands of people healed individually (not in healing meetings where you first preach the Word), I do agree that I have seen more non-believers healed than Christians. And some Christians seem to receive healing way faster than others. It used to baffle me because the stripes of Jesus paid for ALL with no favouritism.

We cannot afford to come out with a reason that is not in the Word. Because any reason will become a hindrance to see people healed.

Having said that, there are some vital principles in the Bible on identity and authority that apply to all aspects including healing. This is why we see Christians get healed and become sick again with the same issue because of a lack of understanding on identity and authority.

Identity is the key factor for staying healed after being healed.

Authority is the key factor for keeping the healing that has been received (or started by others who ministered to you).

I have shared many posts about identity and how to stay healed after being healed. So in the next post, I will share about the authority that Christians have, which has an impact on their healing.

P.S: Most of the spiritual warfare are fought in the mind (2 Cor 10:4-5). The mind is the true battlefield for the enemy.

The Importance of Integrity In Our Words Part 2

The Importance of Integrity In Our Words Part 2

The effectiveness of our words relies on the integrity of our words. One cannot be lying all the time and expect his words to produce fruit at the same time.

God is 100% effective because He cannot lie (Heb 6:18) ---- He kept the integrity of His Word. Every Word spoken by Him shall not return to Him void, but it shall accomplish what He has said (Isa 55:11).

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6). Everything that came out of His mouth when He was on earth is Truth. He bore the effectiveness of His words because He only spoke Truth.

For there to be integrity in our words, as shared in Part 1, it must flow from our spirit. For the spirit only agrees with the Word.

The more we tell lies (including white lies) in our daily lives, the more we renewed our mind to the wrong realm.

Neuroscience research shows that when a lie leaves your lips, your body releases cortisol into your brain. The brain has to work harder. Next, your memory goes into overdrive trying to remember both the lie and the truth. Decision making becomes more difficult.

The next time when you speak the truth (of God's Word), you subconsciously do not believe in what you said, because your brain has gotten used to accept lies as truths. There is no purity in the words.

Researchers added that the amygdala in your brain shows up less and less, as we lie more and more. Essentially, our guilt feelings tend to weaken and shrink. In the Bible, we call it 'the searing of conscience.'

1) If you shipwreck your conscience, you shipwreck your faith (1 Tim 1:19)

2) If you renew your mind to the wrong realm (Rom 12:2) by lying, you won't be able to manifest the perfect will of God.

If we want to see consistent results and effectiveness of God's Word through our mouths, then we need to realise the importance of integrity in the words spoken through our mouths.

 

Our daily lives matter. If you think that you can lie your way through in businesses, in your work and in the way you handle things in general, and yet you want to manifest the will of God through the Word, you might want to think twice. If your life has no integrity, you cannot uphold the integrity of His Word and you won't see the consistency of His Word in and through your life.