New Year Promise 2021

I wish you a bright, secure and Christ-like New Year 2021. The years may change, everything may change, but the Lord who holds the years is unchanging. As your Lord is, so shall your future be. You are in the hand of God, and if you walk in the spirit, there is absolutely nothing for you to fear about the future.

Remember, there is no hope for better and brighter days for this world and its people unless you, the light of the world, shine in their midst (Mt.5:14; Phil.2.15). It is God’s plain teaching in His Word, His sure and ever confirmed prophetic Word (2.Pe.1:19). The prophet Isaiah emphatically said, “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you” (Isa.60:2).

As the end of the world approaches, intense, deep and dense darkness will cover this earth and its people. This world will walk in utter confusion, fear, doubt and terrible panic. “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Pr.4:18). People who received Jesus as their own righteousness will be shining brighter and brighter like the sunrise. They will walk under an open heaven with clarity and assurance and certainty. There is no reason for a child of God to be troubled by looking at what is happening around. Settle this truth in your heart right now!

The Apostle Paul saw the last days of our world and warned us about it. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (2.Tim.3:1). Paul warns the church to KNOW assuredly that the last days are perilous times. Perilous times means times of great stress and unbelievable torture. It is too hard for people to bear or handle or even grasp. The depravity, the cruelty and utter selfishness of people will shock the world. “Evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2.Tim.3:13). Evil men and fraudulent hypocrites will grow extremely worse. The rich afflicting and swindling the poor, bold public atrocities, while the elite and the affluent will do their best to depopulate this earth. Demons of murder will deceive people into thinking the world is overpopulated and its population must be reduced. The humanistic intellectualism rebels and revolts against God and challenges the purpose of God’s creation.

But the Church of God will rise up with total dedication and radical consecration to serve the Lord with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Half-hearted Christians cannot stand in the end time turmoil. Spirit-filled Christians alone will stand tall and do exploits for God. They will grow from glory to glory, from righteousness to righteousness, from holiness to holiness into the stature and fullness of Christ (2.Cr.3:18; Rev.22:11; Eph.4:13).

Always remember: the laws for Egypt are not applicable to Goshen. In Egypt, it was frogs, lice, boils and darkness; in Goshen, no frogs, no lice, no pestilence but bright light. This is the law of God. This one truth will break the power of fear from you forever. The Bible talks much about the last days’ destructions. Jesus Himself said that wars and rumours of wars, hatred between nations, people rising up against one another, famines, pestilences, plagues and earthquakes are just the beginning of sorrows. Lawlessness and love of money will destroy human dignity. Men’s hearts will fail from fear and constant expectation of destruction. This world will see distress and perplexity of nations (Mat.24:1-14; Lk.21:25-28). While predicting the end time tortures, the Bible clearly describes the glory and splendour of the last days for the people of God.

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Ac.3:19-22). See the marked difference! People who received forgiveness of sins and renewed their mindsets, times of refreshing and spiritual strength will come from the presence of the Lord dwelling in them. Before Christ’s Second Coming, we will experience the greatest times of restoration of all things that we have lost. This is prophesied by all His prophets. Hallelujah!

Any Bible student and scholar will agree that we are in the last hour of the last days. We need to study the signs of the last days more than ever before. This will alert us to rise up above the natural lifestyle and to walk in our privileges and responsibilities in Christ. This is the time for God’s people to seek God’s deep intimate relationship and fellowship. The Church must know by deep revelation the safety and security we have in Christ. “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own esteem” (Pr.18:10-11). The rich man makes his own wealth his strong city. The famous people who are in highest authority make their position a high wall around them. Sadly, all such securities suddenly crumble and collapse, but the Name of the Lord is forever the strong tower for His righteous ones. You are the safest and most secure person in these times of trouble and stress. God Himself is your security, the great Rock and Tabernacle to protect you.

The prophecy of Isaiah will become reality in the lives of those who build their lives on God and His Word. “Then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain” (Isa.4:5-6). The people under Moses’ leadership were well protected by the pillar of cloud and by the pillar of fire throughout their wilderness journey. How much more will you be protected by the glory cloud that is covering you all the days of your life! God promises you that He Himself will be your shade in the daytime to cover you from the heat and in the night He will be a flame of fire to protect you from the cold and the evil one. The heat of this world, the storm and rain cannot harm you because of God’s glory covering you.

In this perilous and turbulent time, cling on to such Scriptures. See God as your tabernacle and place of refuge. Confess boldly like David, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock (Ps.27:5; Isa.25:4;). Christ in you is the hope of your glory, and His same glory will be a wall of fire all around you and everything that belongs to you (Zech.2:5). What a safety! People of God will know in real life Jesus as the great rock against the storms and the flood. Many such Scriptures will become a reality in your own life in the coming days.

Your Saviour Jesus made a clear distinction between the doers and the hearers of His Word, the lives built on His Words and the lives built on sand. Please meditate on these Scriptures and make sure your life is built totally on the Word of God: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Mt.7:24-27).

Even among believers the distinction will be clear between wise believers and foolish believers! Heavy rain and beating winds, destructive floods and tempestuous storms may try to hit believers’ lives as well. But those who practice, proclaim and fully act on the Word of God will be totally unaffected and even oblivious to all the trouble around them. Please make use of God’s protection and presence with you.

The enemies are coming like a flood, but the Spirit of the Lord lifts up the banner against the enemy as never before. It will look like we are surrounded by enemies, but remember that He has prepared a table before you in the presence of all your enemies (Ps.23:5). God wants you to rise up to your position and make full use of all His privileges He gave you. It is your time to become a place of refuge for those who suffer storm and rain. Be God’s pavilion to harbour people who suffer tremendous trauma. Be God’s strength to the poor and needy. Be God’s shadow for those who suffer heat. Be a voice of God in this perilous time. Be a Joseph and open your store houses in times of famine. Be God’s Obadiahs and protect people from Jezebelic tyranny. Be God’s captain to lead God’s army in these challenging times. Use your rod of authority and lead God’s people through the Red Sea. Be a God-carrier and bless those around you. This is your golden opportune time. “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you” (Isa.60:1).