New Year Message 2010

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall..

.. blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.

Happy New Year! In Jesus’ Name I bless you that God would enable you to see wonders in this new year 2010.

  • This year the desert place of your life will be turned into an oasis.
  • Your tears will be turned into joy.
  • Your feeble hands and weak knees will be strengthened.
  • God will fight for you and avenge your enemies.
  • He will do signs and wonders through His Church and His healing power will be manifest in great measure.
  • He will guide His people to walk in Holiness like never before.
  • Withering Ministries will blossom again.
  • True saints will return to their first love.
  • Worship anointing will be poured out in abundance.

May God Himself make these promises come true in your life.

These promises for the year 2010 come to you from Chapter 35 in the Book of Isaiah.

Giving a New Year promise is not all that easy! The reason?! The Bible has thousands of promises from Genesis to Revelation. Everyone of those promises are yours and mine everyday! In Christ, all these promises are yea and Amen. Christ’s Name itself is Amen.(II Cor. 1:20) Our beloved Father, Son and Holy Spirit are working real hard to see everyone of those promises become a reality in your life. Our Heavenly Father is not responsible if these promises do not fructify in our lives. You and I who live on Planet Earth are responsible.

Reflect on this. How many promises God gave you over the years for your life and ministry?! Why have they not come to pass? God is definitely not the reason. I will not even say your time has not come either. Seasons came and seasons went, but we have not experienced those promises because we have not opened ourselves fully to see these promises fructify in our lives. This year may God help you and me to boldly claim these promises and inherit them.

1. Springtime

This year the desert land will rejoice and blossom. Churches that were impoverished and dry will prosper and be satisfied.

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Is,35:1,2

The wilderness of Israel will blossom again and receive glory upon glory. She will receive beauty and honour. This promise is for those of us in Christ today. These blessings are our own. God is going to take every area of your life, prosper you and build you up.

Are you saying, “ I am unable to bear fruit. I am like a barren land. I have become like a cursed tree. I lost my former glory. I have traded my excellency and I have messed up the glorious ministry that God gave me.”

Are you saying, “ I let the devil squander my Apostolic Anointing! I lost the Prophetic Mantle that was upon me. As an Evangelist, I was called to carry the Good News of freedom and joy to thousands, but now I myself am a prisoner. I was called to Teach the Word and lead people in the Light, but now I grope in the dark like a blind man, searching for the Way. As a Pastor, I was called to guide my people to a closer walk with God, but now I wish there was someone to guide me.

Are you crying in agony like this?! God is looking at you and saying, This Year is Springtime! Those who drifted into a wilderness life will see the Glory and Greatness of God this year. God is waiting to restore to you the Glory of Lebanon and the Excellency of Carmel and Sharon. Opportunities will come your way this year. You will bear much fruit and be a blessing to thousands. God in His mercy has purposed it and He will do it.

Don’t fret that you have lost everything. Don’t wonder if you will ever bear fruit again. It is God’s will that even in your old age you bear fruit. ( Ps.92:15 ) It is God’s will that even in a dry season you will prosper. God gave a beautiful promise to Zachariah and Elizabeth. But many years rolled by before that word was fulfilled. By that time, Zachariah slipped into an ordinary life pattern. He had become like a withered flower. ‘God has placed me in the ministry’ he thought. ‘Let me be faithful and bid my time.’ Dejected Zachariah was burning incense in the Most Holy place in the Temple when suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to him and gave him and unusual message. The angel said, ‘You will bear a son who will be the prophetic forerunner for Christ the Messiah’. But Zachariah did not believe him. He looked at himself and thought of his wife. Their bodies were old. Their lives were like a parched land, a wilderness! Doubt filled his mind so much that he began debating with the angel!

If you are serving God in that dejected state of mind, God’s promise to you is This year, the former joy will return to you. Remember the time you sang and rejoiced in the presence of the Lord? He will restore that joy again. Remember you once served him with enthusiasm and joy and brought a great harvest to the Lord? God will restore to you greater joy and excellency.

If you serve God with a joyful heart, it will be a great blessing to you. But if ministry is burdensome and with sadness and monotony, you say, ‘ I have committed to serve Him. So I must go on.’ Then let me tell you, that is the most dangerous place to be in!

The Bible warns us in Deut.28:47-61 “ Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart…..you shall serve your enemies…..every sickness and plague will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed.”

But the days to see the Glory and splendour of our God have come. God’s servants will see the Glory of God. The Church will see the former Glory of God this year. You and I are going to see how great our God is in all His splendour and Majesty.

Why did our lives become a wilderness? Why did the glorious church become like a dilapidated building! We were called to blossom abundantly… Then why did we become like a parched land! There’s just one reason this happened. We failed to see the Glory of the Lord within us and thus doused it. We neither recognised nor respected the Glory of God. We did not give place to the Sweet Holy Spirit who came to dwell in us 24/7 to transform our lives into a magnificent Mountain of God’s glory! That is why we lost our beauty, sacrificed our excellence and were pushed down to this pathetic place.

Former Glory restored

Your sin and pride robbed you of the excellence of the Glory of God. Now God Almighty is longing to restore it to you. This year

“ At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honour and splendour returned to me. My counsellors and nobles resorted to me., I was restored to my kingdom and excellent majesty was added to me.” Dan. 4:36.

The banner of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was raised over 120 nations. He accomplished all that he set out to do. Even the birds and beasts trembled before him.(Dan 4:20-22). When he forgot that it was God Almighty who had blessed him and pride overtook him, his mind was shaken. Suddenly he was given the heart of a beast. He ate grass like an ox. He roamed the forests like a cow or a donkey. He suffered like this for nearly seven years. Finally when he lifted his eyes toward the heavens and understanding dawned on him, he realised that the Most high rules in the realms of men and He gives it to whomever He chooses. That very moment his friends and nobles came seeking him. His former beauty, honour, riches and ruler ship were multiplied and given back to him. This is going to happen to you this year.

If you have lost the glory of God, it does not imply that the Holy Spirit has moved out of your life. It just means that being quenched by you, the Holy Spirit was unable to move through you. This year you will see the power of the Holy Spirit work through you. You will blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. Glory and excellence will be yours. You will shine forth and celebrate God’s glory.

Right now, cry out to the Lord and say,

“ Lord, I open myself to see Isaiah 35: 1 &2 fulfilled in my life. Lord I dedicate myself to bear even the fruit that I did not bear in the past. Thank You that You will restore to me the years the locusts have eaten. Thank You for restoring my former glory, my excellence, my fruit bearing life and my calling that I once lost. To that end O Sweet Holy Spirit, You are working in my life. I submit myself unconditionally into Your Hands. Show me what I should do for You to rise with power and anointing.”

Learn to listen to His voice. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to all that Jesus said. This year instead of pouring out your heart to God, let God pour out His heart to you as you sit in His Presence. Then God will prosper you beyond measure. He will help you live a fruit bearing life again. Even in your old age, you will bear fruit and prosper. This year live alongside the River of the Word of God. Then your leaf will not wither. Fallen leaves will blossom again.

Return to your first love. It doesn’t matter how old you are. It doesn’t matter what degrading depths you have fallen to! It doesn’t even matter if you are like a desolate city right now. The Bible says in Songs of Solomon 2: 10-13

“ My beloved spoke and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away. For lo, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth. The time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with her tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.”

Your Lover, softly and tenderly calls you to Himself. Your winter is past and the rains are over and gone. Yes it is true that your life was built upon the Word of God yet the storms and floods dashed against you. But now winter has passed and spring has come. Fragrant flowers are beginning to blossom out again. Joyful songs of the birds reverberate. The voice of the turtle dove is heard in your land! The season when the fig tree did not blossom is fading away. The trees are putting forth their green figs again! Flowers on the vine that make the heart glad are giving forth their fragrance again. Your Lover is asking you to arise immediately and come away with Him to experience this. Keep your finger on this verse and claim it everyday till you experience it.

2. Strengthening Time

Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful hearted, ‘ Be strong, do not fear.” Say to them, “ Behold your God will come and save you.” Isaiah 35:3,4

This year the Lord wants to give you strength upon strength! The Lord’s final battle has begun. Now His people should not stagger or stumble. The Lord commands His Church to ‘Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His Might.’ (Eph.6:10)

You are neither poor nor are you a coward! This year God is commanding you to strengthen your hands. It is in your hands to ensure that your hands are strengthened and not weak. It is also your responsibility to strengthen your feeble knees. In the days to come you need to be strong in your inner man and in your mind. You should abound in faith. You and I are responsible for this. Children of God should not be touch-me-nots. This is battle time. You and I are in the war zone. We should not retreat in fear but we should aggressively attack the enemy.

Till now you may have had a fearful heart. Instead of meditating on the Word of God day and night, you were meditating on your problems. Instead of acknowledging God in all your ways, you acknowledged your hardships. That is why your hardships and tears increased. ‘As a man thinks so he is.’ This Heavenly Principle is unchangeable. You thought about your problem so much that now you have become the problem!!! This year you must put an end to it.

Cowards cannot covet a Mighty Ministry. The fearful in heart cannot attain the Glory Realm. With weak hands and feeble knees, you cannot become a Captain in the army! Have your hands become weary in well doing? Are your knees buckling? Though you spent hours in prayer, does it seem pointless because you have not seen the answers to your prayers?! Are you disappointed? Is anxiety gnawing deep within you? Are you living in a constant state of un surety? This year, things will happen that will make your hands tremble. Your knees might buckle. Incidents that shake your inner most being may happen. But they are not coming against you. Angry winds, devastating rains, storms, deluging floods or consuming fire cannot and will not harm the Church of God. Ravenous lions could not touch the righteous man Daniel. So rise up in boldness dear child of God and cast out the spirit of fear!

“ Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed” (Hebrews 12:12,13)

You only have to lift up your hands! When Moses’ hands were weary, Aaron and Hur held it up for him, but right now, to strengthen your weary hands, the Almighty God Himself dwells within you. He has given you His Spirit of power (2Tim.1:7). This year, more than ever before, God desires His children to rise up in boldness and audacity! God’s army is fearless. It is time to wield your ploughshare like a sword and beat the pruning hooks into spears! Stop saying I am weak. Instead boast that you are a strong soldier. This is the season for battalions of soldiers to rise up in the Name of the Lord!

This year make a firm decision to strengthen your faith. Read the Word of God more than ever before. Meditate on it and confess it with your mouth. May more messages be preached to stir up faith in people. May more preachers who strengthen weak hands rise up! May more prayer warriors who kindle the spirit of prayer in people rise up! May prophets who can see right into people’s hearts rise up and prophecy into their lives. Truly God will deliver you from the lion’s mouths. He will lift you up from the pit into which you were thrown. He will turn your captivity into freedom and joy. Be strengthened and do not fear.

Do not live in fear. Let faith arise in your life like never before. Faith comes from the Word of God (Rom.10:17). So this year, immerse yourself in the Word of God and be strengthened. With vengeance your God will come against your enemies. He will miraculously deliver you and give you rest. Be comforted!

3. Arbitrating Time

“Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.” Isaiah 35:4

This year, God is going to arbitrate for you. He will avenge the injustice done to you. He will destroy the locusts and palmer worms that stole from you. He will teach a lesson to your enemies who stole your joy. He will come and take vengeance on the people, circumstances and spirits that frighten you. That is why He looks you in the eye and says, “Be of good cheer”.

Towers that challenge the Lord will crumble. Groups that rose against the Lord will be scattered and dispersed. Winds of dryness will sweep the ungodly. The Lord will rise up like a fierce champion and fight for His people. Heart-wrenching events of the last days will be on the increase. Shocking events will happen. But…God will come running to miraculously save and deliver you.

Why are your hands weak? Why do your feet falter? Why is your heart troubled? And why are you terrified? Isn’t it because you saw the waves and the raging sea?! Wasn’t it because you meditated on the enemy’s threatening words?! This year, God desires to put an end to it.

Are you shuddering at what the devil is doing? Have you become prey to the devil and sickness? Here is God’s promise for you. He has come ‘to decree righteousness, to answer you, to avenge and deliver you.’ The word ‘Jesus’ means ‘One who saves’. With your own eyes, you will see God wreaking vengeance on your enemies. He will rise up in anger to avenge the blood of His saints. He will shamefully expose those who are secretly plotting against God. The Lord will surely answer you.

He will protect and deliver you from great danger. The sea of trouble before you will part like the red sea. Waters will stand like walls on both sides of you, but you will pass through safely. The same dangers and troubles that came against you will completely destroy the ungodly. God will deal with those who have the form of godliness and deny the power thereof. The net of God’s vengeance will trap the evil people who weakened your hands, troubled your heart, stole your wealth, harmed you physically and who tried to mar your testimony. At that time, be filled with God’s love and like Stephen, pray for their deliverance.

God will display His mighty power. He will wield His might. People everywhere will be gripped with fear. Newspapers will report terrible events and people will be fearful, but the children of God will rest in peace as one rests in the lower deck of a ship tossed in the storm.

Fear Not-Vengeance is His

This year God commands you not to shrink back when you look at what is happening around you and say, ‘Why should I work anymore?’ Enough of fearful living. Do not be troubled! Don’t loose heart hearing the doctor’s report. Don’t let go of the shield of faith. Don’t give heed to the words of those who say, ‘Give up! Why should you wage war anymore?’ Jarius’ relatives said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Do not bother the Teacher.’ Ignoring what they said, Jesus told Jarius ‘Don’t be afraid. Only believe.’ (Mark 5:35, 36) When Mary and Martha cried out in agony, Jesus said, ‘If you believe, you will see the glory of God’. (John 11:40) If you meditate on the miracles of Jesus, you will see that every time Jesus healed a person, He would encourage them saying, ‘Do not fear’ . With these words, He would build up their faith.

4. Gift releasing time

‘Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like the deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of jackals, where each lay, there shall be grass with reeds and rushes.’ Isaiah 35:5-7

This is the season when the church will reflect the glory of God through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. If the gifts are not operating, there is no redemption for the nations. Signs and wonders alone will drive the enemy and give the devil a drubbing. When the glory of God is restored to the church, gifts will come along with it. When the hands of the people of God are strengthened and they rise up in faith, signs and wonders will certainly follow.

When the people of God crave and cry for spiritual gifts, blind eyes will be opened, the deaf will hear, lame will leap like a deer, and the dumb will begin to sing. The need of the hour is that the blind from birth should see; a thousand deaf ears must be opened; the lame brought in on stretchers and wheelchairs must leap for joy. The dumb must sing and rejoice. Nations must see that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

My dear people, half-hearted desire for gifts is not good enough. Signs and wonders are good. But they shouldn’t be hidden. Don’t be satisfied with mediocrity - doing what you’ve always done. Meditate on the miracles recorded from Genesis to Revelation. Study what the Bible says about miracles and dedicate yourself to be a channel. Cry out to God in desperation that if signs and wonders did not happen in your ministry, it was useless. Signs and wonders don’t automatically happen. God desires that we yearn and cry out for them. God is looking for people who will set aside reason and seek a double portion of anointing like Elisha. (2 Kings 2:9) God’s eyes are seeking for Gideons who would read each miracle and cry out, saying ‘God, where are these miracles?’ (Judges 6:13)

The devil projects an image as if you are only desperate for God’s power and God doesn’t care. But do you know the truth? God has been waiting for many years for His miracles, might and glory to be revealed through you. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. (2 Chron.16:9)

The Holy Spirit who lives in you is able to easily perform miracles in your everyday life. He is a champion. If the Holy Spirit is revealed in your life and ministry, there will not be a single day without signs and wonders. However, we have quenched the Spirit. We have grieved Him, slighted and ignored Him.

At least now, repent and tell Him. ‘Sweet Holy Spirit, open blind eyes through me, open deaf ears and let the lame jump for joy. Let the dumb speak, and let the dead be raised.’ The church must come to a point of faith to believe that the dead will rise.(Matt.10:8).

This is the only way to reveal God’s glory that is hidden in you. God is very keen that his wonderworking power be revealed through you this year. Truly, there is no way our nation can come to Jesus but through signs and wonders. The only way to teach a lesson to false prophets and prophets of baal is to bring down fire from heaven like Elijah. You are an ambassador who should bring down fire from heaven. This is the time of God’s power. (Ps.110:3). This is the time of God’s wonders. This is harvest time. (John 4:35). This is redemption time.(2Cor.6:2)His hands are not shortened nor His strength diminished.(Isaiah 59:1)

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Holy Spirit is ready and waiting to raise up a standard against him like a tsunami! (Is.59:19)He laments over our lack of faith, our total disregard and our unholy lives. What made Jesus sad was the lack of faith in His disciples. “How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” (Matt.17:17) was His heart wrenching cry! Why did Jesus lament this way? When He saw His disciples not using the power of God in them but falter before satan and sickness, His heart was burning with anger. Till now, we have heard about signs and wonders. But this year, we need to understand the necessity for signs and wonders and give it top priority. Whoever receives this challenge will see great and mighty works of God manifest this year in their lives and ministry. Little children are going to work miracles in Jesus’ Name. A new generation is going to rise up for the Lord. Rejoice and be glad.

Life lived in the Holy Spirit is a life full of signs and wonders. The Holy Spirit inside you is longing to reach out and heal every sick person you see! Multitudes of sick people came to Jesus when He lived on the face of this earth. The Holy Spirit in Jesus went around healing thousands. The River of Healing rose up like a tsunami. The same Holy Spirit lives in you and me. Has that compassionate heart changed? Has His might diminished? Has His power subsided? No! The fact is that we have restricted the Holy Spirit. We have not understood how keen the Holy Spirit is to heal the sick!

This year, the healing power of God must burst forth from the Church of God! The Apostles received power and authority to heal all kinds of diseases and they did it wherever they went. Jesus sent out another seventy and they drove out demons and healed the sick. God is raising apostles this year. Please pray that every Bible College and Institution will teach and emphasis the need for signs, wonders and miracles.

Organise seminars on Signs and Wonders this year in your respective areas. If you hear about training courses on signs and wonders, boldly enrol yourself. Encourage gifted men and women of God in your Church to flow in the anointing. We have sick people in the church like never before. Every sickness that affects an unbeliever affects the believers also. Christ the Head of the Church looks at His own body the Church and weeps at the sickness afflicting it. He is zealous to drive out sickness from His body, the Church. Jesus hates sickness as much as He hates sin in you. Therefore join with the Lord in raising an outcry against sickness, illness and poverty in the Church.

Expect miracles in material blessings as well. Believe and expect God to provide material blessings in miraculous ways like when they took a silver coin out of the mouth of the fish. Just like He blessed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, He must bless your income. Expect an increase in position and income this year. Fulfil your ministry with signs and wonders. The Lord specifically desires that His Church take dominion and authority over demons and sickness in 2010. The Lord desires good health for you as much as He wants your ministry to flourish. Many will be raised from their sick bed to serve the Lord with renewed strength this year. We need strength for our bodies and our spirit. There will be an open door for all those who are serving the Lord with signs and miracles. Many invitations will come your way. Rise up! Resolve to manifest the power of God in 2010 like never before.

Let the River flow

The ability to work miracles is latent in you. Jesus referred to this ability when He said ‘rivers of living water will flow out from Him who believes’. ( John 7:38) It is the river of the Holy Spirit in you that will heal the sick. It is this river that will open blind eyes and feed five thousand with five loaves and two fish. This river in you will come forth as words of faith and tear down mountains. This river will open deaf ears. This river will raise the lame from their sickbed. Open the rivers within you and have an intimate walk with the Holy Spirit.

5. Fashioning Time:

God the Holy Spirit desires to move us into a deeper life and holiness this year. He is going to cleanse His church with zeal. He will not let His glory fade within you. In His righteous anger, He will drive out anything that causes chaos in you or defiles you.

 ‘ A highway shall be there and a road. It shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it., but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray.    Isaiah 35:8

God will adorn His bride with holiness this year. His people will see springtime; they will move with signs and wonders and rise up in power and strength. They will surely be the ones God will mould, bend and fashion the way He desires!!

In 2010, God will set right the Highway of Holiness. No one will falter on this Highway. It is a sacred Highway. There is no room for calamity or destruction on this Highway. Nothing unclean that defiles can enter this path. Even a fool cannot go astray on this Highway. No lion shall be there and even a footprint of a ravenous beast will not be there. Only the redeemed of the Lord will join this procession on this Holy Highway.

Yes, my beloved, God desires to make us holy through a wholesome refining process. He will burn the chaff within you and separate the wheat. Do not try shortcuts this year. It will not work. He will only speak the truth and what is right. Truth and righteousness should be your watchwords.

Wherever there is lying, stealth, deceit and underhand dealings, darkness and gloom will rule. Satan is a liar and the father of lies. When you speak lies, you open the door for satan to enter. This year God will not permit His righteous people to be in this state!!! Bitterness and enmity will defile you. The defiled cannot access the Highway of Holiness.

The Holy Spirit living in us is the Spirit of Truth. The path He leads us is a Highway and not a narrow path. It is such a straight road that even fools cannot go astray. This year resolve to speak the Truth and walk in the Truth. Avoid beating around the bush. Call a spade a spade. Do not backbite. Be bold enough to speak face to face. Stop cribbing. Stand up for the Truth. Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Truth. Every activity done on the sly, shunning the Holy Spirit opens the door for the devil.

You are safe as long as you walk the righteous path. You are safe as long as you are transparent and your private and public life are the same. You are safe as long as your thoughts, words and actions are undefiled and you tread the Holy path of the Lord. This is your protection; this is your security. The Highway of Holiness is your safe and protected path. In that Highway, lions that devour and wild animals that harm cannot enter. (1 Peter 5:8)

The Holy Spirit flood that manifests signs and wonders will send sin and uncleanness crashing to the ground. Woe unto them who work miracles and still hold on to unholy living. It is the same fate for those who do not live truthful and righteous lives. Why are wild beasts and evil spirits roaming freely in our lives?! Somewhere, sometime, we have given room for the devil. We have given room for lies and trickery. Let there be a deep repentance today. Say to the Holy Spirit, “Lord, transform me to be like Jesus. Holy Spirit, I resolve to live in intimate relationship with You that I may be made into the likeness of Jesus.”

The glory that surrounds you will deliver you from the devil, fear and destruction. Surely a holy life alone is a protected life, a secure life. A holy life is a life without fear. A holy life does not fret. A holy life is bright and glowing. A holy life is a powerful life. A holy life is a bubbling life.. It is a champion’s life!! Every blood washed believer should zealously strive for higher levels of holiness this year.

6. Time to Return

‘And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’   Isaiah 35:10

Yes. This year there is going to be joy, gladness, worship and singing among the people of God. God’s people will have an uncontrollable desire to praise the Name of the Lord. Praise and worship will be seen everywhere. The reason the church is devoid of joy and gladness is that we have failed to meditate and give thanks to God for His goodness. Instead we have meditated on our own problems day and night. The only antidote for this sickness is praise and worship. His people will return to Zion. They will return to worship. They will return to our God the Hero of Worship! They will break the cords of affliction that bound them and return. Believers who let the devil push them down and plough their backs will now return triumphantly with their heads held high. Those who had forsaken their first love will run into the presence of God. Those who had lost their love for prayer will return to the Church and rejoice in the House of Prayer. Then their sorrow and mourning will flee away. Once you return to the Lord, you will not have pain and weeping. The reason we go through sorrows and mourning is that somewhere along the way, we have lost our first love for God. But God is drawing us to Himself to bestow joy and gladness again. Hallelujah.

From the depths of my heart, I wish you all a Happy New Year!  May all these promises for the New Year 2010 come to fruition in your lives. God bless you.