Articles/Blogs

[Editor’s note: Having just concluded IHOP Internship III last week, we are once again getting back into the grind and routine of life at the House of Prayer. Burning in the House for seven sessions a week…fasting on a weekly basis…growing deep in message… After the adranaline-rush and all the excitement that such an event brings, it’s always good to remind ourselves why we keep coming back day after day, week after week, event after event, to burn in His House and to sit at His feet.]

(This is Part 2 of our first article that can be found here.)

Prayer with worship is at the heart of a House of Prayer. This is because the Lord Jesus requires that Christians congregate across the earth, crying out for His return in fervent prayer with worship (Matt 9:15, Rev 22:17).

If prayer with worship is at the centre of all Houses of Prayer, this brings up a critical question: what happens when one doesn’t enjoy prayer?

This is something that many believers struggle with. In fact, Mike Bickle, the founder of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, testifies of this. In his younger years, he would tell God that he planned to persevere in prayer for an hour, but those times were more agony than anything.

But there is hope. God has mandated that believers congregate in prayer across the world, and that such prayers would bring joy (Isa 56:7)

Sustaining days, weeks and even decades in the House of Prayer boils down to this: we pray, because He enjoys us; He enjoys us, because our gaze at Him – weak, distracted, and however momentary – overwhelms Him!

He is overwhelmed when we stay engaged, seeking Him and Him only, even when we don’t seem to see, hear or feel Him.

How does this work? The Lord has buried this mystery in the Song of Songs, an allegory of how the Church (or the believer) grows from an immature bride who is dark and lovely (Songs 1:5) to one who comes out from the wilderness of a sinful world, leaning on her Beloved (8:5)

In the Song of Songs, the Shulamite woman (a “type” of the individual believer and the Church) learns to relish His love (1:2), the sweetness of His Word (2:5) and the joy of ministering to younger, less mature believers (5:8)

In Chapter 5, however, the Bride experiences a 2-fold crisis – at a time when she has overcome her fears to seek after Him, she loses two precious things – her veil (or ministry) is taken away, ironically by the leaders of the church (5:7). Even His sweet love – love that is more precious than all the delectable pleasures of the world (1:2) – is gone as He withdraws His presence momentarily to enable her love for Him to grow (5:6).

This is the much-feared “dark night of the soul” of which Saint John of the Cross wrote about – a term referring to the times when the saint doesn’t feel the presence of God. As ominous as this sounds, the Lord’s training school has this core module – training us to press into His presence, even when He says nothing, or little.

The Bride does well in this module. She doesn’t take it sitting down. In 7 verses, in Songs 5:10-16, she goes on to tell the daughters of Jerusalem (younger, less mature believers) about her lovesickness and determination to pursue Him. In these 7 verses – one of the longest passages in Scripture that go into fine, exquisite detail about the beauty of her Beloved – she calls Him the “chief among ten thousand,” “altogether lovely” and one whose “mouth is most sweet.” These are descriptions of Jesus that believers should spend their lives – and through eternity, for that matter – meditating on.

The response from Jesus (as typified by Solomon) is one of the climaxes of Holy Scripture. In Song 6:5, Jesus calls on the Bride to turn her eyes away from Him, as they have “overcome” Him!

This is profound and mind boggling. Jesus, the one who rules the skies and created the heavens, the One who is at peace and in perfect fellowship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, this same Jesus is overwhelmed, captivated and downright goes weak in knees when He sees the gaze of a weak, sinful broken believer!

As believers, this is a mystery that will take us years – again, even through eternity – to ponder and wonder about. When she doesn’t feel anything in her heart, He feels everything! Likewise, our hearts feel might feel cold and numb, but based on this truth, we can still reach out to Him in the poverty of our spirit, knowing that He is deeply, deeply moved. Indeed, His heart burns with holy passion for us when we reach out to him in weakness!
 This is the secret to staying and burning long in the House of Prayer. Sometimes, burning in the House of Prayer can be mundane and routine. In the House of Prayer, people can at times feel distracted and weighed down by cares. Sometimes, I have felt that my prayers are so weak that they have not even ascended to the ceiling. But knowing that He hears, and is deeply moved, motivates me to press in.

This is a mystery that we will through eternity meditate on and rejoice in.

We can live this out in 2 ways.

Firstly, this truth is buried in the Word. Even when our hearts are not moved, our minds are distracted and we would rather be somewhere else than burning in the House of Prayer, we know that He desires and is overcome by us – simply because His Word says so.
 Secondly, there will be times of sweetness when the Spirit of God touches our hearts with His love, or when He reveals His heart for us and His desire for us. Many of us who burn in the House can testify to this. In this His Word is validated by experience. Indeed, feeling His love, and loving Him back constitutes one of the sweetest, most delectable emotions imaginable this side of heaven!

This is what causes us to burn, and stay long in the House of Prayer. It’s not the music, the eloquence of the prayers nor the length of our intercession. Rather, it is about how our weak hearts move a strong God.

As part of a nation-wide partnership with various prayer networks in Singapore, IHOP – One Thing Ministries started the year by taking the first 50 days of 2015 (1 Jan to 19 Feb) to pray and fast for the nation. During these 50 days, we gathered in sacred assemblies at the House of Prayer to pray for our nation. Here’s an article on what God has spoken to us in contending for our nation.

We are also gathering in sacred assemblies from 31 July to 9 August 2015 to contend for the destiny for our nation. The House of Prayer will be open during these 10 days at the following times:

Mondays to Thursdays – 4pm to 6pm & 7.30pm to 9.30pm
Fridays – 6.30pm to 8pm (Devotional cum Intercession) & 8pm to 9.30pm (Teaching)
Saturdays – 4pm to 6pm & 7.30pm to 9.30pm
Sundays – 1pm to 3pm & 4pm to 6pm

The sessions are open to the public. Join us to pray for our nation!

See Meeting Schedule

(by Kay-Chong Yeo)

1. Blowing the Trumpet

Joel 2:1, 15
“Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand… Blow the trumpet in Zion, CONSECRATE A FAST, CALL A SACRED ASSEMBLY…”

The LORD spoke to me of the necessity for a season of consecration and contending in the year of Jubilee for the fullness of God’s destiny and plan for Singapore.

The year of Jubilee is a significant time for change: transition and turning. Our response to this prophetic word determines the spiritual outcome for generations to come. It is imperative that the Church seek God like Daniel (Daniel 9) and wage war like Timothy (1 Timothy 1:18).

Let’s celebrate the year of Jubilee through solemn consecration and contending for the release of the fullness of God for our nation: Prayer and Fasting are key.

2. The Word of God

The LORD spoke to me through two passages of Scripture pertaining to this call for a season of consecration and contending.

Joshua 3:3 – 6, 8
“And they commanded the people, saying, ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD you God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet it shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.’ And Joshua said to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.’… You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of Jordan, you shall STAND in the Jordan.’”

Church in Singapore: walk circumspectly into 2015. Stand firm. As in Joshua 3, we are slowly transiting from “Shittim to the banks of Jordan” and being prepared in the “3-day period” preceding the crossing of Jordan River. What, then, is the process of preparation to possess the Promise Land?

Re-alignment
During this period of transition, it’s time for us to RE-ALIGN our lives and focus on the Lord. Joshua 3:3 says,

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.”

The Israelites were to follow The Ark of the Covenant, the presence of God.

Likewise, it is time for us to re-align ourselves with the Lord through earnest soul-searching. Get rid of every distraction, and seek the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Surrender ourselves wholeheartedly to a holy God. He is serious! If we are not, we will be burnt by the All Consuming Fire!

Consecration
What is consecration? The word comes from the root word that means “to be holy”. Consecration simply means being set apart for God. More than just re-aligning ourselves with the Lord, we need to be completely consecrated to Him. God is holy and He is attracted to a people who are pure and holy.

In Joshua 3:5, the Lord commanded His people to consecrate themselves so that He could do great and wonderful things among them. Nothing is impossible with God once He has a consecrated people!

Unity in Agreement
Unlike the Moses generation marked by grumbling and rebellion, the Joshua generation submitted eagerly to God-ordained authority. “Whatever you have commanded us we will do and wherever you send us we will go.” (Joshua 1:16). No wonder they possessed the “Promised Land’.

Encourage the army of God to unite in agreement so as to effectively contend for the fullness of God!

Joel 2:12 – 17
“’Now, therefore’, says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him – a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call the sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders,..Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and do not give your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

This is the clearest passage in the Word of God that describes exactly what God requires of us as we contend for a breaking in and a breakthrough of God. The principles of repentance to release mercy, deliverance and the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Joel 2:28 – 32 are not limited to Israel, but for all who hear and understand. It is a clear roadmap for the Body of Christ!

Joel 2:12 – 14 is a call to an individual response of consecration!

Joel 2:15 – 18 is a call to a corporate response to a sacred assembly of prayer and fasting!

3. A Three-Fold Call

God is calling the people of God in Singapore to 221 days of consecration and contending for Singapore in the year of Jubilee to fulfill her Antioch Calling. It will encompass:

1. A time of consecration (1 Jan – 9 Aug 2015)
2. A season of prayer and fasting (1 Jan – 9 Aug 2015)
3. A monthly sacred assembly (every Tuesday during the monthly Global Bridegroom Fast)

Let us take heed and respond to God in this time and season!

Prayer Focus

We are to focus upon Micah 2:13 for 221-days (January 1 to June 21) and to contend with God for the promise of breakthrough. From June 21 to August 9, the prayer focus can be found in the prayer guide from LoveSingapore.

by W. Choong

Last month (Dec 2014), we had an enjoyable time at the International House of Prayer (One Thing Ministries). About 40 people joined us for the IHOP Internship II, where Kay-Chong, director of One Thing Ministries, and Aaron Frazee – an intercessory missionary from IHOP-KC – taught on the whys, hows and whats of establishing a House of Prayer in the spirit of the tabernacle of David.

It was a stirring time hearing God’s heart for raising up houses of prayer all over the earth. And when different teams of participants tried out the harp-and-bowl model during the hands-on clinics, even more so! Singing and praying the Word, responsive singing to one another and just dwelling in the House of Prayer, hearing His heart, was enjoyable!

As many discover in real life – while the wedding day is easy and enjoyable, living out a marriage and with one another day-to-day, through the seasons and highs and lows of life, is not so easy. The same applies to burning in the House of Prayer – while singing and praying the Word at the Internship was enjoyable, doing it for the long-run requires sacrifice, commitment and adjustment in people’s lives. As the prophet Joel writes, solemn assemblies and consecrated fasts require sacrifices – elders will have to gather, nursing babes and children have to join in and even the bridegroom and his bride must come out of their wedding chamber (Joel 2:16).

In the long-run, something has to sustain people who want to burn in the House of Prayer. To paraphrase Shakespeare, then, how do the “happy few, we band of brothers,” stay focused on burning in the House of Prayer, after 11 years?

We are here, because He desires a resting place (Isa 66:1). From Moses to David, from Ireland’s St Patrick to the Moravians under Count Zinderdorf (where 24-hour-a-day prayer ran on for 100 years), God has always desired a place of rest where He doesn’t have to contend with man. This is a place where God is God, man is man, and all that God is and wants, man accepts wholeheartedly. His heart moves their hearts, and their hearts move His. They are one.

We are here, because God desires a Bride that will partner with Him in the end-time judgment that will come upon the earth in the last days.

Not all the prayers we pray at the House of Prayer are anointed; indeed, at times, our prayers feel weak and even uninspired. But our prayers at the House of Prayer count! The Lord in His tender mercy counts all of them in the golden bowls of incense full of the “prayers of the saints” in heaven (Rev 4:8)! And these prayers are critical in God’s plan to redeem the earth – Jesus uses them in the 21 numbered-judgment series (i.e. the seals, trumpets and bowls) that will see the Earth and all that is in it redeemed and restored to its rightful owner – Jesus.

We are here, because we are poor in spirit.

All that we are as Christians – how we come to know Him, how we grow to walk with Him, how we will live with Him through eternity – hinges on this fundamental beatitude.

We have to and must be poor in the spirit and know our spiritual lack, that all we have is nothing in His eyes. As a result we must press in for more of His grace and fullness in our lives. Therein lies the divine paradox of “holy frustration” – the more we see Him and know Him, the more we realise that we need to see and know Him more. While this might feel “frustrating,” it propels us forward in our pursuit of Him.

In this, knowing that we are poor in the spirit enables us to encounter God. A beautiful truth is revealed in 2Cor 3:18 – as we sing, pray and meditate on the Word before His face, we are transformed from glory to glory, to be more like Him! There is something powerful about using the written Word to interact with the Living Word (Jesus). The House of Prayer is an ideal place for meditation and transformation.

We are here, because Jesus is worthy!

Mere words are found wanting if one wants to express the inexpressible wonder and beauty of the God-Man Jesus. Think of a composite man or woman who encompasses the best attributes that humankind through history has ever had – he or she has the charisma of John F. Kennedy, the beauty and grace of Audrey Hepburn, the sublime ball-skills of Lionel Messi, the compassion of Mother Teresa, the wordcraft of William Shakespeare, the military genius of Winston Churchill and the brilliance of Albert Einstein.

Even so, Jesus will far surpass the “beauty” of such a composite man! The Scriptures scream out His beauty. All mere men of the Bible who saw Him – Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel, Paul – fell down and worshipped in light of His beauty and glory.

This is how it stands – it cannot be that the Starbucks, McDonalds’ and supermarkets of our land can hawk all kinds of earthly wares 24/7, but the Desire of All Nations (Hag 2:8), the Man who is the chief among ten thousand (Songs 5:10), is not adored and worshipped enough. To not have a place where Jesus is adored and worshipped 24/7 is indeed an injustice!

If we’re truly honest with ourselves, we’d realise we don’t really desire Him as He deserves to be desired. Why don’t we desire Him enough? Because we don’t really know Him. Why don’t we know Him? Because we don’t have enough revelation of who Jesus really is. That is why the all-time favourite apostolic prayer at Houses of Prayer around the world is Eph 1:17 – that the Lord will grant us a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that we may know Him more.

If Mary of Bethany lived among us today, she would not be very popular. After all, she would not be performing any miracles. She would not have many (or any) followers. She wouldn’t be very famous either.

But consider this. Jesus in Mark 14 says that her very act of pouring out a fine alabaster jar of spikenard on Him would be memorialised for all time. Each time that the gospel is preached, Jesus said, Mary would be remembered. How cool is that! And how so? Because Mary, more than any of the 12 apostles, knew Jesus’ heart. She knew that Jesus was going to the Cross and wanted to prepare Him for His burial. And how did Mary came to such a deep realisation of His heart? She simply sat at His feet, heard His Word and went after the one thing that would not be taken from her (Lk 10:39-42). She was able to carry out her extravagant act of worship in Mark 14 because of what she had been doing in Luke 10.

In the new year, particularly at a time when we go into a season of consecration, fasting and prayer for Singapore’s Jubilee year, let’s give Him the praise, worship and adoration that is due Him. If you can, do join us to minister to Jesus at the House of Prayer!

by W. Choong

Singaporeans have a penchant for queuing up for things, such as Hello Kitty dolls, Primary 1 school places, condominiums and concert tickets. All such things have some value, but the long queues that stretched out as Singaporeans lined up to for a last opportunity to pay their respects to Mr Lee following his passing in March was historic. At one point, the wait took as long as 8 hours, turning what was essentially a short stroll from the Padang to Parliament House into a long trek, involving a long detour towards the Esplanade and the Marina Bay floating platform, before one turned back towards the Singapore River and Parliament House.

My family joined the throngs of Singaporeans who braved the long queue. After 8 hours in the queue, we reached Parliament House at 5am. Even though their “batteries” were fully depleted by then, our boys aged 11 and 7 knew that this was a walk to remember. All the good things that they saw as we trudged slowly through the night that Friday – Singapore’s impressive skyline, Marina Bay, the Esplanade theatre and the bustling road infrastructure – were testament to Mr Lee’s hard work. This was a queue worth queuing for.

… our boys aged 11 and 7 knew that this was a walk to remember…

The Qualities That Defined Mr Lee

What made Mr Lee so special in the hearts of Singaporeans?

Among many of his fine qualities was the ability to see the vision and embark on a historic mission to achieve what seemed to be impossible. In 1965, as a newly-independent Singapore rued its separation from the Federation of Malaya, shorn of a hinterland and natural resources, Mr Lee bravely declared: “This was a mudflat, a swamp. Today, it is a modern city. And 10 years from now, it will be a metropolis – never fear!”

Mr Lee held fast to values such as honesty, integrity, respect for the rule of law and frugality – values that has made the Singapore brand so sellable today. He told off colleagues for wasting ice cream and used the same pair of running shorts for 17 years. In 1960, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency sought to bribe Mr Lee in 1960, to cover up a botched intelligence operation. Said Mr Lee: “The Americans should know the character of the men they are dealing with in Singapore and not get themselves further dragged into calumny. They are not dealing with Ngo Dinh Diem or Syngman Rhee. You do not buy and sell this Government.”

A strong sense of conviction drove Mr Lee. For years, he sparred with Westerners, Americans in particular, over Singapore’s unique style of democracy and the way he managed the media. While his political signature was controversial in the eyes of Westerners, it is inarguable that Singapore “unique” political system has netted attributes that are the envy of the countries all over. As one commentator put it – freedom is the ability to walk the streets unmolested, with women being able to ride public transport alone without fear. Freedom is the ability to live in one of the least corrupt cities in the world.

Passion Mr Lee possessed by the bucketload. So concerned was he about a younger generation of leaders taking Singapore down the wrong path, he said at a 1988 National Day Rally that “even from my sickbed, even if you are going to lower me into the grave and I feel something is going wrong, I will get up.”

Lessons for Forerunners

Mr Lee provides many lessons for forerunners who seek to prepare the way for Jesus� return to the earth. Mr Lee had a vision of Singapore as a bustling metropolis as he faced the storm of taking a third world country to the first world. Forerunners will face a much bigger storm – an eschatological convulsion that will see the release of judgments on the earth by Jesus, that will lead to the great falling away of many believers (Matt 24:11, 2Thess 2:3) and the death of millions of people on the earth. At the release of the fourth seal in Revelation 6, for example, a quarter of the world’s population would be killed by the sword, hunger and death. So it is critical to know why such events happen, by keeping in sight the vision of the glorious return of Jesus, his reunion with the saints on the earth, and the establishment of heaven on earth.

Mr Lee had a vision of Singapore as a bustling metropolis as he faced the storm of taking a third world country to the first world.

In the same way that Mr Lee held on to his values, forerunners burning at Houses of Prayer across the world should hold fast to IHOP values of intercession, holiness, offering our lives extravagantly to God and moving in the prophetic. These are not only values needed to sustain their services in the House of Prayer; these are eternal values that will follow them through all of eternity!

And as Mr Lee was conviction personified, forerunners need to have the conviction to sustain them in building up houses of prayer across the earth, in preparing the earth for Jesus return. John the Baptist dwelt in the wilderness, ate wild honey and wore clothes made of camel’s hair – a radical lifestyle as he sought to prepare the way for the Lord’s first coming. The Apostle Paul, seeking to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles in Asia Minor, suffered all kinds of sufferings, lashings and imprisonments because he considered it “all joy” to see the masses reached for Jesus.

Likewise, forerunners living out the Joel 2 lifestyle of fasting, weeping and mourning will have to go through some, if not many, inconveniences in building up houses of prayer. This could entail lost opportunities in the marketplace, encountering derision at the hands of critics and the constant need to burn in the House of Prayer continually, come rain or shine, in personal situations good and bad. This makes conviction all the more important – the need to know why one needs to continue to serve and ‘burn’ in the House of Prayer. Jesus is worth it all!

This leads us to passion. Everyone values the passion of the mountaineer who scales Mount Everest, the cyclist who circumnavigates the globe or a Steve Jobs who single-handedly forged new markets in technology. In a sense, people with passion are men possessed; they are possessed by grand visions, such that they will exert everything in their ability to attain them. In the same way, forerunners should be associated with active verbs so indicative of passion – passion for Jesus and the establishment of His kingdom on earth. We are called to vow not to go to our bedchamber until a house is established for God (Ps 132:2), to take by force His kingdom with a holy violence (Matt 11:12) and contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3).

People with passion are men possessed; they are possessed by grand visions, such that they will exert everything in their ability to attain them.

Mr Lee was seized by a vision, stayed true to his values even as he passionately sought to build Singapore. All the more, as forerunners, we should be seized by the vision of a beautiful Bridegroom King returning for his people, stay true to IHOP values and contend for the highest things of His heart with a holy passion!

God is inviting us to go higher in Him. He is calling us to leave our comfort zone and develop a history with Him. If we respond and press in, there will be many new experiences and breakthroughs in our lives. For some of us, we will see a breakthrough in our walk with the Lord. We will experience an intimate relationship with our God like never before. For others, the Lord may set you free from struggles, strongholds and bondage. We may also see our family relationships being restored, parents receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. And in terms of ministry, the Lord is going to bring us to a new height and dimension.

How can we be strong and courageous as we face the challenges of life? When the crisis hits and fear strikes its crushing blow, our spiritual muscles turn to mental mush; our fight turns to flight. How can we stay bold, strong and courageous?

As we wait upon the Lord for the promise of breakthroughs, many of us find ourselves struggling. We find ourselves struggling with fear, discouragement, disappointment, tiredness, loneliness and many others. Things seem to be more negative. You begin to wonder whether you will see victory and breakthrough in your life and ministry. Or if the promise is a mistake after all? The word of God for you is this: Arise and be strong & courageous!

We can identify with the great man of old by the name of Joshua, as we are expecting a breakthrough but yet living under the shadow of uncertainty, fear and discouragement. As we know, the book of Joshua begins with the announcement concerning the death of Moses. Splashed across the front page of “The Wilderness times”, Joshua reads the word, “Moses is dead.” This servant of God whom the people have followed for 40 years now retires for his heavenly reward. That is good news for Moses but bad news for Joshua, especially when Jehovah made the promotion announcement about Joshua’s new appointment as Commander-in-Chief. The weight of this divine appointment far exceeds the “glamour” that may accompany it. It is indeed a huge task to lead the people in battle against the Canaanites and to possess the land.

Standing across the Jordan under the gloom of grief over the death of his predecessor, Joshua must have found himself under the shadow of fear, uncertainty and doubt. He must be wondering whether he will eventually claim the promise which the Lord has given. That is why three times, the Lord commanded him, “Be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9). Indeed in verse 9, the Lord added, “Do not be terrified or discouraged.” The word “discouraged” literally means to be shattered, to be broken, to give up.

This too is God’s Word to us. Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified or discouraged. When faced with a mountain, do not quit! Keep on trusting till we climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath – or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine, of course with God’s help. So no matter what the next season holds, God’s Word to us is “Be strong and Courageous!”

How can we be strong and courageous as we face the challenges of life? When the crisis hits and fear strikes its crushing blow, our spiritual muscles turn to mental mush; our fight turns to flight. How can we stay bold, strong and courageous? God gave Joshua three pillars by which he can stand firm against every difficulty and problem.

The Promise of God First, God gave Joshua His promise with the promotion announcement. In verse 3, we read, “I will give you every place where you set your foot as I promised Moses.” God has solemnly sworn and promised the land to Joshua and His people. They are merely to possess this land of promise.

In the same way, God wants us to focus on the spiritual promises we have in Christ. Many Biblical scholars have compared the book of Joshua to the book of Ephesian. In Ephesians 1:3, we read, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” Remember every spiritual blessing belongs to us in Christ. And Paul ends the book by saying, “Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.” And throughout the book of Ephesians, God challenges us to remember and to act on and appropriate the spiritual blessings which are ours in Jesus Christ.

God wants us to focus on the promises we have in Christ. He wants us to claim the inheritance He has for us. Let us claim the promise of God with confidence. Let us believe that God will bring breakthrough upon everyone in our lives and ministry. Let us be strong and courageous as we wait for the promise of God to come forth. On what basis can we be strong and courageous? On the basis of God’s promise!

The Powerful Word of God The second pillar God gave Joshua in order that he may be strong and courageous is the powerful Word of God. Joshua was to hang on to the Word of God in obedience. To win military battles, Joshua was to obey God’s Word faithfully and fully. If Joshua wanted prosperity and success in the conquest of Canaan, he was to do the following: 1. The law was not to depart out of his mouth; he was to talk about it 2. He was to meditate on it day and night 3. He was to obey its command, to live according to it

In fact, the last is really what releases the power of the Word in our lives. First, we must know it. Then we must allow it to occupy our minds and our souls. Finally, we must act upon it in obedience. Then the power of God makes our paths straight.

The commitment to the Word of God must be central in our lives and ministry. It is not just another program or another “thing” to do. We must not allow the law to depart from our heart, soul, mind and mouth. We must read it, think of it, talk about it and most of all, to live it out! I am praying that we will be committed and grounded in the Word of God as a ministry, then we will be prosperous and successful, and will see breakthrough as the Lord has promised.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified or discouraged. When faced with a mountain, do not quit! Keep on trusting till we climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath – or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine, of course with God’s help.

The Presence of God Finally, we can be strong and courageous because the Lord’s presence is with us! The Lord assures Joshua of His presence. Just before Moses departed, Moses has said to Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:7, 8, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with His people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them. The Lord is the One who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” And when the book of Joshua begins, we see the words not of Moses but of the Lord Himself. God says in Joshua 1:5, “I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” Then in verse 9 again, “… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

The presence of God is with us! He will be with us in our offices, in our homes, in our ministry. We only need to believe, to doubt our doubts and to put our trust in Him who never leaves us or forsakes us. We must believe and claim the breakthroughs with faith and confidence. Let’s continue to be strong and courageous and ask the Lord for breakthrough till it comes. As we hang on to His promises, His powerful Word, and His presence, we will be strong and courageous!

by A. Ng

Timelines. I have a love-hate relationship with timelines. In the workplace, timelines are a great tool to help with managing projects, charting milestones and ensuring that preparations for an event or project are on the right track. However, in the event of unexpected delays and hiccups, timelines can seem like a countdown clock, with every second bearing down ominously as the deadlines loom closer and closer. They help me out, but sometimes also stress me out.

Timelines. The Father also has His timelines, whether we realize it or not. He had a timeline when He created the world in seven days. He had a timeline when He led the nation of Israel out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery. He had a timeline when Jesus came in the flesh 2,000 years ago to die on the cross for our sins. And He has a timeline for when Jesus will finally return to take His rightful place as King of the earth.

Unlike the timelines made by us at our workplaces, which are sometimes subject to change based on shifting circumstances, God’s timelines have been written from the foundation of the world, and do not change. In God’s timelines, there are windows of opportunity that open – opportunities that, if seized by us, could change the course of a nation. There are also events that will take place in His timing, whether we as individuals are prepared for them or not. These events affect human civilization on a planetary scale, and no nation or person will be exempt and left unaffected.

What do God’s timelines look like? Where do we as 21st Century believers living in Singapore fit along His timelines? What should we do, knowing where we currently are?

God’s Timeline for a Nation
In God’s timeline for Israel, He determined that every 50th year would be a year of Jubilee. In Leviticus 25, God commanded Israel to “consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants” (v10). It was a time for restoration, the cancellation of debts, the redemption of property, and the release of Israelite slaves. God emphasized His ownership of the land, the nation and each individual Israelite, and repeatedly commanded them to fear Him (v17, 36, 43). Indeed, the year of Jubilee was to be holy to the Lord (v12) and not to be taken lightly.

Could the Lord also have the same intent for His people in Singapore as we enter our nation’s first-ever Jubilee? What is the Lord saying to the Church in this day and hour?

Much more than simply celebrating and giving thanks to God for how He has blessed Singapore thus far (which is good and should be done), He is calling His people to a time of returning and restoration, consecration, and contending. He is calling us to return to Him with all our hearts, and to restore the First (and Great) Commandment to first place in our lives (Matt 22:37). He is calling us to a season of consecration – of setting ourselves apart from the world to be wholly His and yielded and aligned to what He desires. He is calling us to contend – to press in fervently and pray down His will for Singapore, that it may be done on earth as it is in heaven. Indeed, the Lord has in His sovereignty opened the window of opportunity this Jubilee year for Singapore. The future trajectory of this nation will depend on whether we, the Church, respond in obedience, or whether we continue to live life business-as-usual.

God’s Timeline for Human History
The urgency to respond and obey is amplified when we place Singapore’s first Jubilee in the context of an even larger timeline – the timeline of God for human history. Ever since the return of Israel to her land in 1948 after almost 2000 years of non-existence, the signs of the End of the Age as described by Jesus in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 have slowly begun to unfold on a global scale. Every other day brings news of earthquakes in various places, the emergence of new and deadlier diseases, the escalation of ethnic conflicts, and seemingly unsolvable economic and environmental woes. Anyone would be hard pressed to say that what Jesus prophesied in the Gospels as “birth pangs” signaling His return is not an apt description of what is happening in the world today.

Contrary to some who believe that we cannot know God’s timeline for the End of the Age and whether we are nearing His Second Coming, He has provided sufficient information in His Word to paint a relatively clear picture of this time, and especially so for human history’s final seven years. (See articles on Why We Should Know the Signs of the Times and 150 Chapters on the End Times). From as early as prophet Daniel’s visions to Apostle John’s revelations on the Isle of Patmos, God has given His people glimpses of this timeline – a timeline that we as believers today can search out, piece together, and grow to understand.

With regard to what we currently see around us, Jesus assured us that “the end is not yet,” (Mk 13:7) for “all these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matt 24:8). With regard to the years ahead, Jesus exhorted us to “know that [His return] is near – at the doors” (Matt 24:33), to “take heed” (Mk 13:23) and to “watch therefore, and pray always” (Lk 21:36), that we will not be caught unawares. Apostle Paul was unequivocal that as believers, we should be aware of the times and seasons, such that the day of the Lord does not overtake us like a thief in the night:
“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” (1 Thess 5:4-5)

An Appropriate Response
Knowing that the Lord has commanded us to be vigilant, let us press in for more understanding of His heart and plans as we witness the beginning of birth pangs. In this year of Jubilee, let us also take heed of His call for us to consecrate ourselves to Him and to contend for His will in a season of fasting and prayer. Through all of this, we need to fast and pray with an attitude that seeks to align ourselves with God’s very heart and plans. Let us not simply ask for the sake of gathering more information, but instead purpose in our hearts to obey whatever it is the Lord speaks and reveals, even if we do not yet fully understand. As we continue pressing in, He will speak with greater clarity.

As we as Singaporeans watch, fast, and pray for a deeper understanding of Singapore’s destiny in light of these times, could it be that God has raised Singapore up in this day and hour for a specific purpose? Have we fully grasped and understood the call of God upon our nation against the backdrop of God’s larger End-of-the-Age timeline? We do not; so let us press in earnestly during this year of Jubilee, gathering in sacred assemblies and trusting that the Holy Spirit will speak to us and give us perfect understanding in these latter days (Jer 23:20).

We also watch, fast, and pray to seek God’s wisdom as to how to live our lives and walk as believers in this day and age. What does consecrating our lives unto the Lord look like? What does it mean to live a life of circumspection? If it entails re-arranging our schedules to gather to pray, let us respond! If it entails studying His Word at a deeper level, let us respond! If it entails rending our hearts and removing the little distractions that hinder us from growing more intimate with God, let us respond! His grace is all-sufficient for whatever response He requires of us.

God’s timelines for our nation and the planet are fixed and objective and He is calling us as believers to align ourselves with Him. Whether we as individuals are prepared or not, His timelines will take place as written in His Word.

As a God who loves to partner with His people, He is inviting us to jump on board with what He is doing in Singapore and globally, as He steers the world we live in down the timeline of history.

Let us say yes to His invitation!