Joseph Prince - How To Be Blessed God’s Way

TOPICS: Blessing

Take time to at least greet three or four persons around you. Look at them and, you know you are saying it by faith, say it. Don't worry, you're not lying, okay? Say, "Something good is going to happen. You look good," amen? But you say, "Pastor Prince, they don't look good". Say it by faith. That's what I say to Pastor Mark all the time, "Come on, you gotta say it". It's good to be in the house of the Lord, amen? And we had an amazing time for our midweek service. And those of you who didn't come, don't worry, you missed a lot.

All right, get ahold of the message disc, whatever format, you have MP3 and all that. Just get it because we shared deeper than just the story itself. We showed you the Hebrew behind the scene, because God was working behind the scenes, overruling, ruling, replacing, restoring, protecting, providing. It's simply amazing, and I am so glad that we get to do this, to study the Word of God together. I look forward to the next encounter tonight, amen? So, we are sorry for all those that we had to turn away, a few hundred of you, and it just goes to show that people are hungry. We are in the midst of a revival.

During the time of Evan Roberts Welsh Revival, people were so hungry for the Bible that the Bibles are all sold out in the villages, you know? They don't have Bibles that we have online and all that, but this was the early 1900s. People were so hungry for God's Word. Literally, they would queue up to hear God's Word and there's no space in their small village. And then what happened is they had to sit in the fields and Evan Roberts would have to raise his voice. But this is a sign of revival. What churches are praying for, we are experiencing, amen? People are excited about the Lord Jesus Christ. They are relishing God's Word. This is always the signs of a healthy soul, revival, amen?

And the devil hates revival. The Bible says, "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God," or "The Word of Christ" in the original. Many times God brings you out of yourself, out of occupation with self into occupation with Christ. All of a sudden, you see how lovely he is. All of a sudden, you see how much God loves you in sending his Son to die for you. God gave up his Son for you. And then when you are absorbed in God's love for you, all of a sudden you find that the faith that you are looking for is there. That's why the Bible says, "Faith worketh by love. Faith worketh by love". When you know God loves you, your faith will work. But don't try to focus on faith. Don't try to focus on getting your healing. Focus on the Word of God, but especially Christ, to see him afresh and anew. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see Jesus in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. When you see him, you become like him. Can I have a good amen? Amen?

Say, "Blessed". Say, "Blessing". Genesis 12, God said this to Abraham. Back then it was Abram. He wasn't Abraham yet. God says, "I will make you a great nation," and we all know this nation is Israel today. "I'll make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing". You see, God's purpose in blessing is that you, all of you, will be a blessing. You are always a blessing going somewhere to happen. And that's why if someone retrenches you or asks you to leave your company, whatever, the blessing just walked out.

♪ There goes his ♪
♪ only salvation ♪
♪ There goes his everything ♪

Okay, that's an old hymn. "I will bless you". Notice that all the younger ones don't know what's that. Anyway, praise God. "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. And in you, Abram, all the families of the earth shall be blessed". So, it's all about blessing, blessing. What is blessing?

Now, I don't want to give you what I know, and I know what's blessing, but I wanna give you a professor of Old Testament and ancient Semitic languages. His name is John Oswalt, and this is what John Oswalt said, and these are his own words, "Blessing, barach". Say, "Barak". That's the Hebrew word, "barak". All right, "barak" means "to confer abundant and effective life upon something or someone. To bless in the Old Testament means to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, et cetera". "Fecundity" means fruitfulness in childbearing, amen? This part here, go ask Pastor Matthews. He has the blessing of fecundity. Longevity. How many want all this? Amen, that's what blessing does. Blessing produces it.

Now, blessing is not these things, but blessing is the enduement with power. When God blesses you, he endues you with power for all these things to manifest or to be produced in your life. John Oswalt also says that, "Whatever may have been the ancient, near eastern conception of the source of blessing, the Old Testament sees God as the only source". God is the only source. It's not some man of God, some special prophet who prays for you, who blesses you. No, when we bless you, or even with the prophets in the Old Testament, when they bless the people, they always stand as a representation - representative leader for God's voice. They're actually executing God's voice. Can I have a good amen? And that's why they have to invoke God's name, because all blessing has its source only, and I repeat that, only in God. And all the people said amen.

And of course, we can talk about if this is blessing, then what is the curse? What is the cursing? Curse is of course the enduement with power for failure. Everything that you see here, you put the opposite, okay, and it's all part of the curse. Now, we live in a world where we see a lot of curses. We see a lot of things that is not working right. One day in heaven, like, the Lord taught us to pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". All your loved ones, if you have lost a loved one - I hate to use the word "lost," and yet it is a human word for understanding the grief that people are going through.

So, we still use that word, but actually it's a gain for them. The Word of God says, "For me to live is Christ, to die is gain". They are immediately in a much better place from us. In fact, they feel like praying for us, amen? They're in a place of perfect bliss, pure bliss, wonderful joy, great happiness. They will never be sick again. They will never grow old. They will never die ever again, amen. They behold the face of Jesus. For you by faith, for me by faith, for them, face to face. They listen to the angels singing, you know, like tunes and melodies you have never heard of. They behold vibrant, lush, brightest colors that you have never even fathomed this side of heaven. Pure joy, pure happiness. Don't forget, all these senses of your tongues, for example, God gave you all those senses. God is the source of all the pleasures of food, for example. Imagine, this is one area, everything in heaven cannot be lesser than earth. Everything is enhanced. Everything is greater. So, those who have gone on before, the Bible says they have gained. To die in Christ is to gain.

So, even if they don't receive healing, amen, we grieve, we cry, all right, because we are all humans, amen. Jesus himself, when he was a man on earth... I shouldn't say was. He still is a man in glory. Do you know there's a man in glory? There's a man in glory, amen, that wasn't there before. A man in glory, representing you and I. Jesus, at Lazarus's tomb, he wept. The shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept," amen? He wept because I believe that he knew that this wasn't the Father's dream for man, for man to die. So, God's heart is really out to bless and blessing will reverse the curse. So, blessing will reverse the disease in your life. Blessing will not just remove what is negative, but add on what is of heaven, what is of God, amen. Praise the Lord.

So, all men fell because man sinned. Even earth fell because of man's sin. So, to be like heaven, heaven there's no shortage, heaven there are no hospitals, in heaven there's nothing that is hurtful, nothing is destroyed. You don't need police in heaven, amen? Security is okay in heaven, praise God. Nothing hurts, nothing destroyed. So, the earth has fallen. The earth is dreadfully fallen and man refused to admit it. The Bible says, one of the saddest account in the book of Judges, right at the end, after all God raised the heroes and all that, Gideon, God raised Samson and all that. Right at the end, it says that every man did that which was right in his own eyes. We are back to this again. We are back to this again. It is like democracy gone to a crazy tangent. When people have access to social media, for example, everyone is saying what they think is right, amen? But does God have a standard?

You see, the thing is this. If you say, "Fire doesn't burn, technically it doesn't burn. What it does this. Technically fire is this, but fire is an illusion. Fire is not stable. Fire is this..." All kinds of opinions when you open the social media. But one thing, put finger there, finger burn, finger hot. Reality cannot change, all right? And you say, "You know, the law of gravity and all that, in some circumstances you can offset it and all that. Like the law of thrust and lift, as you are saying you can argue - technically we don't have to - the earth is flat". There are people who argue the earth is flat. Whatever it is, okay? But one thing I do tell you is this, if you jump off a high building, you will be flat. That law you cannot change. You can cry to the highest heaven and all that, and you can argue as much as you want, but you cannot change some laws that God has put in this universe. You don't break the law. You break yourself. Always remember that, amen.

So, it's smart when we learn God's ways of doing things. And God has left us a manufacturer's handbook. So, the word "barak" say, "barak". The word for blessing, blessed, is this Hebrew word, okay, "barak". Reading from right to left again, bet. Say, "Bet". Say, "Resh". Say, "Khaf". Barak. So, three letters that spell "barak," amen. The former President of U.S. is called Barack Obama. He always mentions this when he goes to Israel, that his name means blessing. Barak, all right? Beracah. There's a valley called Valley of Beracah in Israel, the Valley of Blessing, the one where God gave victory to Jehoshaphat against insurmountable odds. There were enemies that surrounded them and they were outnumbered, and yet, God turned the Valley of Weeping to the Valley of Blessing.

That's what God wants to do in your life today. The blessing is in the Word of God. It's not in our opinion. The reason I tell you all this about blessing is because many people, even Christians, even some among us, we still have this mentality, if you do good, you know, you're a moral person, you are not hurting people, you live a quiet, you know, good life, but all this based on your own definition, then God will bless you. Isn't this what we are told? Now, be very honest with yourself. Is this what you are told, that if you do good you'll be blessed? So, the disappointment comes when all of a sudden, you find that your ideas of morality, your unconscious expectation of God to bless you, is all foiled, is all confounded when you find yourself experiencing the opposite. And then you look at other people that you don't think deserve to be blessed because maybe you know their morality at work, maybe you know something else, but you seem to see blessing in their life. So, you cannot explain all that.

So, we gotta go back to the Bible and see God's definition, God's idea of how to receive blessing. Is that okay? Can I preach a sermon on how to be blessed God's way? Is that okay? So, this is the word "barak," reading from right to left, barak. The first two letters, straight away I'll tell you this, Hebrew and Aramaic are very close together. In fact, Jesus most likely spoke Aramaic. And probably about 60%-70% of their language there are similar. It's the pronunciation and all that that could be different, but it's still Semitic in its roots, okay? So, Hebrew and Aramaic, many times they share the same word. But here, this word "barak," the first two letters is "bar," which is "son". Now, in Hebrew it's "ben," right? But here it is "bar," which is "son".

Do you all remember Jesus telling Peter, when Peter says, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God," Jesus says, "Blessed are you Bar-Jonah," right? Simon Bar-Jonah. "Blessed are you Simon," Simon Peter, son of Jonah, "Bar-Jonah," amen? I look at some of you and your name is Lim, Lawrence Lim. Lawrence Bar-Lim. All right, some of you are Lee. James Bar-Lee. All right, or Tok, Joseph Bar-Tok. Interesting, huh? All right, so that's what it means. You all got it. So, the first word is "son". Isn't it interesting the word "blessing," God designed to be "son"? And the word "kahf," the last letter there, "kahf," is the word "open hand". Say, "Open hand". Put them together, you have the Son with the open hand.

Blessing always involves Jesus. The Father always has this in mind, even in the formation of the Hebrew language, all right? He form it in such a way that it is Jesus's spoken language, the Aramaic, and then it is "kahf barak," and then you see a picture of a man stretching his hand and blessing the sick. That's what he did with the leper. The leper says, "If you are willing, you can make me clean". Remember that? Would you like to see the leper one again? You wanna see the leper one again?

All right, now, I want you to sit back, because something's gonna happen right now when you watch this, okay? I feel today there's a special anointing for you to receive barak, blessing. Not just in the area of healing, okay? There is a special anointing that God, you know, spoke to me and said that there's gonna be a special anointing on this, that when you listen, when you listen and you watch, there is an anointing. He's gonna reach out and touch you, even if it's financial. Even if it's confusion, depression, allow the Lord to touch you, okay? So, sit back and watch.

Jesus: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 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.

Male: Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.

Jesus: I am willing. Be cleansed.

Barak, that was Barak, amen, blessing. Now, many of you have received. Just right now if you know you came in here with some condition and all that, the pain is gone, God is healing people, praise the Lord. Take a deep breath, someone with a lot of blocked nose, you'll find your nose is all cleared. Sore throat has been healed, amen. There's even an ulcer on your throat that if you swallow right now, the pain is no longer there. Don't doubt, the pain is gone, amen. The ulcer is healed, praise the Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Someone sitting with pain for some time and now you find that the pain is gone, praise the Lord.

Whatever condition you had, all right, whatever condition you had, praise the Lord, if you know it's gone, do a big wave all across this place, just wave, just wave. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, do a big wave. Camera, can you pick it up? Okay, stop focusing on me. Do a big wave, almost violent so the camera can see you. All right, sister over here, praise the Lord. Look at her over there, praise God. Look at that, look at that, look at this over there, way back there. All right, over there behind that brother, what happened? Yeah for some time, your throat? So, just now also when you swallow you felt the pain? Now you don't anymore already, it's all gone. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, thank you, Jesus.

All right, there was a sister... now we're gonna give the sister a chance, okay, sister what happened over here in the gray? You are the one with that and it's all gone? Praise God, thank you Jesus, thank you, Jesus. Is there anyone on this side here, anyone? All right, sir, what happened? You had rashes. You're pointing me to that side. It's serious rashes for five, six months. It's all gone? No more itchiness now? Completely. Oh, thank you, Father. Now, when he said that, there was some parents who says that, "I want that for my child". If that is you, stand to your feet, okay? We're gonna pray for you. Okay, praise the Lord.

Barak is happening, people, amen. Told you God is anointing that video, amen, praise the Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Sister, what happened? Your blocked nose is gone, praise God. Thank you, Jesus, thank you, Jesus. Just one more, one last call for those who know you have received, you can shot out your healing. Just shout it out now, okay, wherever you are. We're not ready. Yes, what happened? Depression, that's precious. You know, it's gone. Two years and today is your birthday, and I believe it will not come back in Jesus's name, amen. In tears but to God be the glory, amen. Okay, parents who are standing on behalf of your loved one with skin condition, eczema and all that, I know how frustrating that can be, amen, applying on your child, your child is crying, your child is uncomfortable and all that, but Jesus loves your child. What he did for this leper, amen, he can do for your child in an instant.

Father in heaven in the name of Jesus, I release that healing right now upon the people and upon their loved ones, Father, that is that they're standing in proxy for. Father, everyone under the sound of my voice in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whoever they're standing for, I ask right now in Jesus's name, touch with your healing power that afflicted one. Cleanse that child's skin, Lord. Heal and give to the child strong, healthy resilient skin in place, Lord, in restoration, Lord, 120% more in quality, Lord, healthy quality skin, Lord. In Jesus's name, I pray for the one with the ulcer, I rebuke that ulcer in Jesus's name and command it to go in Jesus's name.

For whoever else for other conditions that your loved ones have right now, the Lord knows what it is. In the name of the Lord Jesus, Father, touch that person right now and make that person every whit whole. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and all the people said, amen. Believe it, you must tell the person, okay? Be seated. And especially if the person is not a believer or, you know, not a Christian that is walking with the Lord, then, you know, you need to tell them all the more, you know, or else they'll give the glory to some, some other thing, you know, whether it's medicine, or doctor, or whatever and many of you, they have tried this for many, many years. We're not against doctors. We're not against medicine but some of these things, they don't work for that particular situation. When God comes in, I am jealous to see that God gets the glory and that that person know it is the Lord. Can I have a good amen?

Say, "Barak". So, in Genesis 12 God says, "I'll bless you and you will be a blessing. You shall be a blessing". When God says, "I'll bless you and you shall be a blessing, that's the first mention in the Bible of the word "blessing". From the beginning of the Bible, Genesis 1, God says, "I'll bless them, man and woman, and make them great," all right? "I'll bless them". Be fruitful and multiply. God bless them. God blessed the animals. So, the word "blessed" is already there, but it's always in verb form. But when Abraham came on the scene, God chose Abraham and God says, "I'll bless you and you shall be a blessing," all right? "I'll bless you and you shall be a blessing". All of you, amen, all 60kgs of you. You're a blessing going somewhere to happen.

Look at your neighbor and say, "I'm a blessing going somewhere to happen". Look at the person on the other side now and say, "You are seated by a blessing," amen. So, blessing came in for the first time in the story of Abraham, when God chose Abraham. And this word "blessing" from blessed, a verb become blessing, a noun, you just add one letter. Just now we have Barak, now we have Barakah, a hei. You put hei there and you have blessing. When you have grace in your life, when you know that it's the grace of God, you believe in the grace of God, hei, we all know is grace, the breath of God. The picture is a window and the picture here is the Son. His hand is always the hand of grace. It's never a hand to punish. You never find the gospel that Jesus punished someone. "Oh, you are too fair skinned. You are too bright. You are too radiant. Come here, you need to learn about patience here, receive some leprosy. Okay, you are too full, you have too much provision and all that, come, come. All right, pass your food to Judas. Let him eat". No, he never takes away. He always adds. He always blesses. He always repairs. He always restores. He's always mending. He's always healing. He's always doing good, going about doing good, the Bible says, all right?

God wants you to be a blessing. I said, God wants you to be a blessing and I really believe. That's why I always say that when one of our ladies step into a boutique that no one seems to be there at that time and for some reason, it's not bustling with people usually people come in. In the Hawker Center, the same, I've seen it before. Our people walk in and people start bustling, amen. You are a blessing, even to your company. In spite of your mistakes, you are a blessing. A lot of good things are happening, I believe, because of you. So, God said to Abraham, "In you all nations of the earth shall be blessed".

So, "in you" refers to, number one, later on we'll see the development is Jesus, the seed. Jesus came from the lineage of Abraham, a Jew. For God so loved the world - God don't just love the Jewish people, amen? But the Bible says, "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son," but his Son came as a Jew. God chose Abraham and out of Abraham came the Jewish nation to be an example of blessing. And God told them, "If you don't want to be an example of blessing..." And remember these were under the law. "Then you'll be an example of cursing". So, we know that through the law, no one can be blessed and that's why when God gave the law, it includes blessing and cursing.

So, when they entered the land, there's a place called Mount Gerizim is today still there. My pastors and I have been there, Mount Gerizim and also Mount Ebal. God says 12 tribes, six tribes will be on Mount Gerizim to pronounce a blessing, six tribes will be on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curses. But the day came when they're supposed to announce the blessing, for some reason the Bible is silent. God told them, "Six years, six on this mountain, once I pronounce the blessing, once I pronounce the cursing". You know something, the blessing was never pronounced. What was pronounced was only cursing. God was illustrating something to us that even though the law, when you obey the law, there'll be blessing but because of the nature of man, because man has fallen, man cannot keep the law. They think they can keep the law, they cannot. Until now they still don't believe it, but they cannot. So, what is left is only cursing. If you come under the law, you'll be cursed. For as many as are the works of the law are under the curse, okay?

So, now we go to Abraham itself. God promised Abraham, right? This is Genesis 12. This was when he was 75 years old and yet is it possible that God promised to bless you? God says he'll bless you and you'll be a blessing and then you find yourself barren, blessed but barren, righteous but defeated, righteous but discouraged, righteous but depressed. Is it possible that you have the blessing of God, amen, you know, that God blessed you but it takes so long to see the baby? Is it possible that you can be in a place? In Abraham's case it was a baby and the delay, righteous but delay, why? What is happening, Lord? What is happening? So, we are looking at all these things as the Lord leads us as much as we can.

So, let's go to the story Genesis 15. "After these things..." Now these things here is that what happened was that Lot, his nephew, was captured by the enemy Chedorlaomer. Actually that was Iran at that time, Persia, all right, king of Babylon Iraq and Iran, they were in that region. And they came and they captured Lot, not just Lot, of course, but all of Sodom and Gomorrah and all the people in that area were captured. When Abraham heard about the capture of his nephew, Abraham armed only a few hundred of his home-grown servants, amen, of his men, and they pursued.

The last time I was in Israel, I actually went to the area where Abraham came all the way up to the north. It was amazing. He and his men marched all night. He was in Hebron at the south of look at the map of Israel, south. He marched all the way through the night, okay, and started fighting the next day after a road march. And you know what? He fought against four armies and defeated them all, and brought Lot back with all the spoils. And then, of course, y'all know the story, before Genesis 15 it's 14. He met Melchizedek and all that kind of thing. And Melchizedek blessed him but all of a sudden, in Genesis 15 he was afraid. "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, 'Fear not, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.'"

There was reason to fear because all of a sudden, you know, God gave him the victory. He knew that God gave him the victory but then he's afraid now of the retaliation. They might come back. They might have grouped up because they've been embarrassed, they realize that only a few hundred defeat so many thousands and all that. That's still a story of Israel today. The last war 1967 and all that, they were surrounded and, you know, they're outnumbered. 1973 was worse, amen? They were actually the enemies were making inroads and still they got it back. So, the God of Abraham is a God of Israel. He's still alive and well and he loves his people Israel, and he loves his people today and he's your Father, amen? To Israel, he's the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to us, he's Father. All the people said amen.

So, he says, "Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward". I have never seen, I have never seen in one chapter so many law of first mention. Once again, what's the law of first mention? In Bible interpretation, every time a subject is mentioned the first time, the meaning there usually it's the same meaning throughout the entire Bible, okay? That's God's way of helping you understand. Do you know that there are so many first time in this chapter alone? The very first verse has five first time mention, five first mentions. "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not Abram: I am thy shield, your exceeding great reward".

He was afraid so God's Word came to him in a vision. I believe the vision was a shield. In Hebrew, magan. If your wife's name is Megan, that's where it comes from, magan. Magan is a shield. God says, "I'm your shield and your exceeding great reward". No, God wasn't offering or selling insurance. God was just telling him, "I am your shield. I am your shield. I am your magan," amen? "I am your shield". It came in a vision. Notice the Word of the Lord came in a vision so it was a shield and God says, "I'm your exceeding great reward". And this word "reward," sakar, is a very interesting word. Elsewhere it's always used for hiring, hire, the hire, the payment, wages, salary. Throughout the Bible it's used for wages. It's actually the word for salary. God is saying to you, "Not only am I your protection, I am also your supplier. I'm your paymaster".

So, now you think you have lost a great job, let me tell you this, God is not just your salary, he's your exceeding great salary. He'll provide for you, not only provide for you, he'll protect you. Can I have a good amen? Hallelujah. "And Abram said..." First time, y'all know the first time? The first time is the Word of the Lord, the Word of the Lord. That's the first time this phrase appears in the entire Bible, "the Word of the Lord". And what is the significance? Many of you are not alert to this.

You say, how to hear God's voice? The Word of the Lord comes in a vision. You pray for someone, you have a vision, pray according to that, you know? And you are praying for someone and they're asking you to pray for their fear and then you are seeing this vision of a child that's afraid in the dark and all that. Maybe the child is this person who is now 40 years old, but he's afraid. That's where the fear came in, he was in the dark. He was left there alone by his parents. Then start praying, Father, in Jesus's name that fear that he had, Lord, that came in when he was suffering," and God gives you a vision. It's not a clear vision, then the lion roar, then the show opens, you know, you know? It is just a light vision.

Sometimes you pray for people, there's a light vision that comes up. Or when you pray for your family, when you're praying and things like that, you get a vision of your children and all that. And whatever you see, okay, God doesn't, you know, even when God tells you something danger, all right, most of the time he gives you vision that are positive and powerful. Pray that over your family. You see yourself prospering, you see yourself blessed, you see yourself, you know, going places and all that and accept that. Here you are sick, you are in the bed all the time, but God is giving you vision and the Word of the Lord comes to you in a vision.

Look at the first thing we learn. Number two, the word "vision" is the first time by the way, vision. It's the first time it appears in the Bible. So, the Word of the Lord appears for the first time, the word "vision" appears for the first time and the first version that we see in the Bible is, "God is your protection. God is your shield". What a vision to have when you travel. What a vision to have, you know, when you send your children to school, what a vision to have. With all the other pictures that you see in the news media and you know, the nature of news is always negative, okay? That's how news travel, you know?

And when people hear things, they want to know what happened to this person, and this celebrity, that person and all that. It's juicy, juicy. It's not juicy if it's positive, right? So, where do you find vision that is positive? From God's Word. Spend time in God's Word, amen. Your vision. Isn't it amazing that the vision God gives you is protection? Y'all need that, people. God is your protection.

Number two, the phrase first time mentioned "fear not" is the first time it's mentioned. Every time God says "fear not," Jesus's favorite expression, the most frequent expression of our Lord Jesus is "fear not". "Fear not, Abram, I'm your shield". Shield is first time mentioned, ha, ha, ha. Everything got to do with Abraham and the blessing. Shield first time is mentioned, magan, and your exceeding great reward. The word "salary, wages" is also mentioned first time and that tells you don't look to your boss for salary, God is the only source. If that salary is cut off, don't think it's the end of your world. Yes, it didn't work out. The investment didn't work out, God has something better for you. God is your source and what's gonna work out for you in the future, if you believe the Word of God, God works with faith, remember that? If you believe God's Word, not only will you have a salary, it'll will be an exceeding great salary.

I'm using the word "salary" because it speaks to us today and the word "reward" here is the word "salary, wages". Literally, it's wages. God says, "I'm your exceeding great wages". So, not only there's protection, there's provision, protection provision, protection, provision. I shared with them last Wednesday night, encounter night, that the word "provision" comes from and old Latin pro video. Video means to see. Pro means beforehand. God sees your need beforehand and the provision is already there. He's prepared the provision already. Just look to him, amen? You have the need, he has the provision. Don't look to yourself because don't look to man. Man also have other needs. So, they're gonna help you with to meet that need. In fact, the reason they help you is because they are looking for you to meet their need so their need is your money. That's the way the world works, right, right? They also are looking for their needs. There's only one person who really loves you, who cares for you unselfishly and that's God. So, protection and provision is in him.

Abram said, "Lord God, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus"? So, he had a servant called Eliezer of Damascus and he says, "Look, if I die without an heir, then this guy will inherit everything". And then Abram says, "Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. Behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir," amen? I'm using old King James because I love this portion in the Old King James and I feel it's more accurate, "thine heir". So, God says, "The one that comes out of your body will be your heir". Drop down. "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now towards heaven". So, God brought him out obviously he was in the tent complaining, and God brought him out, he was in the tent fearful and God brought him out.

Sometimes when you feel depressed and you feel down and all that, go for a walk. Go out in the open. Look to the heaven, look at the stars at night and then you realize all of a sudden, what are your problems compared to God? They say that our earth, sun, and moon, sun moon, and our earth is fully in a galaxy, a group of galaxies called Milky Way. Then the Milky Way itself from one end to another end is trillions of years to travel, light years. And light travels at 196,000 miles per second, right? It takes about, I forgot, ten or hundred trillion years for just our Milky Way alone from one star to another star, and that's only part of the cluster of galaxies we are in. But this cluster of galaxies that we are in is actually part of millions and millions of galaxies all over the universe.

The naked eye, man can only see... an astronomer at Yale University actually tried it in a bright place at night, not in a bright place, it should be a dark place, very dark place but brightest sky, I should say. And then with a visible eye without telescope, you can see 9,069 stars. Average person about 4,000 so God brought him out and God says, "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall..." After I believe that's a pause. He start looking at the stars, obeying God's instruction. God says, "See, you can tell the stars. See if you're able to number them. And he said unto him, 'So shall your seed be.'" At the end of it God says, "So shall your seed be," the conclusion.

You know what Abraham, you know how Abraham reacted when God say that? Abraham says, "amen". How do I know he said amen? Because it says, "And he believed in the Lord," and it's the first time the word "believe" appears in the Bible, first time. And the word "believe" in Hebrew is amen and that's why we say amen. Amen means faith, believe, believe. He told the Lord, "amen". He amened the Lord. Literally in Hebrew, he amened the Lord. The Lord says, "So shall your seed be," he says "amen". "And the Lord counted his amen for righteousness". From then on God treated him as a righteous man. When he prays, God hears his prayer. Even when he fails, God still treats him like a righteous man.

And in this one verse, there are three first mention, amen, counted, righteousness, all appears for the first time and from then on you know that it will set the trend for the rest of the Bible. In fact, the Apostle Paul himself quoted this Paul and James. This phrase, "He believed in the Lord and God counted it to him for righteousness," appears in the New Testament three times. Paul used it once in Romans, also in Galatians. And then James used it also in his Book of James. So, it's a very important passage. It tells you what Abraham believed.

Now, I want to tell you something about a belief that even Josephus, the Jewish historian, he says according to Jewish tradition, all the stars that you see up there, they all separated from ancient times. They all separate into 12 constellations, 12 groupings of stars, Virgo all the way to Leo, all 12. Now, when I say that some of you are, "Oh, you know astrology". No, astrology is a perversion of what was original. The stars were not made by astrologers. The stars is made by God. In English only five words and "He made the stars also". Genesis chapter 1, the stars were made by God to tell a story before the written form came in. The written form came in by Moses on parchments of skin in 1490 B.C.

So before that, more than 2,500 years, all the way back to Adam, how did it know the gospel story? It all began with when Adam fell. God gave him everything, but God gave him a free choice. God cannot stop that free choice, right? But Adam fell. When Adam fell this is what was said, Genesis 3:16; "God said to the snake..." Okay, we don't have it up here but y'all know the story. God said to the snake, "The woman's seed will crush your head". So, that began the entire story of the Bible because the entire thing is all about the devil's trying to stop the seed from coming. Are you listening?

And up there in the stars - actually I don't believe for one moment that God was telling Abraham to number the stars, to count the stars. You see, look at the story, all right, God says, "Tell the stars if you are able to number them". "There it is, Pastor Prince, it says tell the stars if you're able to number them". And he believed in the Lord. I don't believe it's like he counted the stars and he counted maybe like that Yale University astronomer. He says, Nine thousand plus, Lord". Then God says, "Maybe 9,000 plus". We have a few million Jews even today, right? No, no, no, I don't believe that for one moment. I don't believe that. Because Paul he believed in the Lord as the gospel of grace for righteousness. This is how we believe.

I submit to you, this came to me many years ago in the '90s I sought the Lord. Now, what is already known by Christian scholars even in the 17th century and even by Josephus in his writing. Josephus, by the way, is a Jewish historian who lived during the time of Jesus. He was captured by the Romans. He didn't die but then he's a historian and he's what you call probably one of the most used extra biblical resource for Bible scholars today, theologians and all that. And he says that the story of the star, the 12 constellations was written, was given by Adam himself. So, that's the story goes all the way back, can you see that, amen? How do you read the stars?

Now, like I said, astrology now is perverted. So, there are people with books written. Even Marilyn Hickey has a book called, I think about the stars, the gospel in the stars. But in all these books, very few books written but in all these books never did they say that this story here, this part of the story here has got to do with Abraham reading the story of the stars. This came to me in the '90s, like I said. But the fact that the gospel was in the stars is already known by a few scholars, okay? But I believe that this part here, when I was reading this one day, I heard God's voice telling me, "Look at this word, tell the stars if you'll be able to number them. Tell the stars if you'll be able to number them".

And I looked up the Hebrew and the word "tell the stars" is not just to count, but to recount, to narrate to tell the story is the Hebrew word saphar. From saphar you get the book cepher. In Hebrew book is cepher. Saphar means to write, to tell the story. It is also the word for counting, yes? So, in the context you must see whether it's counting or tell the story. I believe he is telling the story. "Look at the stars, tell the story of the stars if you are able to saphar them again, number them is saphar. "See if you're able to tell the story". I don't think it was counting. It was the word narrate the story.

Now, to prove that, let me show you David's psalm where David used the word "saphar". Psalms 19, Psalms 19, "The heavens declare the glory of God," saphar. Declare it's not the heavens count the glory of God, right? Cannot be the heavens count the glory of God, right? So, it's the heavens, same word, saphar. So, I submit to you God was actually, and in fact, it goes on to say, "And the firmament shows his handiwork day unto day, utters speech". The word "utters" there is naba from where you get the word nabiy for prophet. Naba is to foretell, talk about the future, to prophesy the future. So, day unto day, the stars, the constellations actually was prophesying the future. Night unto night reveals knowledge. It's a story in the stars.

I don't have time to go through all the 12 constellations. Don't be happy about your particular one. You should forget what star you're born under. If asked what star you're born under, say, "The bright and morning one," amen? So, all right, we're not into astrology here, but it starts with Virgo, it ends with Leo, the 12 constellations. There is also one I want to call your attention to. I just called your attention to a few, okay, real fast. We have Virgos who's a woman. Before the whole thing is perverted, the woman actually is holding a baby. So, here you have the promise the woman. Genesis 3:15 God says, "I'll put enmity," God spoke to Satan, "between her seed and your seed, and her seed will crush your head and you will crush his heel".

Very interesting that in Scorpio in between, the sign, that's the sign of a strong man and a snake is biting him. There are three cluster of stars there that tell three story. One is an attack from the snake, all right, on man. Another one is the strong man holding the snake. And the third one is that he crushed the snake with his heel. And one of the stars is called Regal. Regal in Hebrew is your foot. Isn't that interesting? Then there's Libra. Libra is actually a pair of scales. Scales is used for trading. In Libra, you have the southern cross. The southern cross is actually in the Libra constellation. You know what's the southern cross? It is the emblem of the flag of New Zealand, they use the southern cross. It's also the Australian flag. It is also the Brazilian flag. It is the flag of the Papua, New Guinea flag.

And I know it's five nations, but here's a picture of the southern cross on a clear night. Can you see the word "crux," which is cross? That's the southern cross. Can you see it? We are drawing the line for you to see. When marinas or people who are seafaring people, when they're out there last time, they don't have those kind of like, you know, these kind of instruments that we have, that out there in the sea, that's why they say, "He's out at sea," lost, right? You look up. Whenever you're lost, look up, don't look down. And by the way, don't look around, they're also lost, amen? Look up. And when you look up, what happened is that you will see either the Orion very clear. An Orion is another beautiful story, all right, of a conqueror.

Let's say a strong man there, the coming of Jesus. An Orion in the cluster of the Taurus, but here is the southern cross. If you're lost, you do not know where is north, south, east, west, you look for the cross in the sky. When you find the southern cross, you know where's south. When you know where's south, if your house is west, you can just position your vehicle, your vessel, and you will find your way home. Find the cross, you'll find your way home, amen? Can I have a good amen? So, these are all beautiful pictures.

And by the way, the cross is the payment for the scale. That means price paid. The scale means it's trading, price paid, amen. So, the cross is the love of God making payment to the justice of God because the justice of God says the soul that sins must die. God loves man but God hates sin, amen? Just like you have someone with cancer whom you love very much, that means a loved one, a family member, you love that person, you love that child, but the child has cancer. How much do you hate for cancer? As much as you love the child? So, I always tell people this because they don't understand why does God, you know, hate sin and it's just confusing? No, no, no, it's the same for life. How much do you hate the cancer in the child? As much as you love the child.

When we hear about someone in the street who has cancer, it means nothing to us much unless you're a pastor who cares for, you know, whose heart is to pray for everyone to be saved and all that, but most people don't care about the guy in the street, am I right? Or people you see in the papers. But it's your own child, you feel it, why? Love, love makes the difference. Why does God hate sin in people's life? God can just say, "Forget it, let him go to hell," you know, God can have that attitude, right? But God doesn't. God is love. He knows when a sparrow falls. The Bible says Jesus says, "Even a sparrow that falls, God knows it. Are you not of more value than the sparrows"? So, you can never understand God's love which is so detailed. He's so powerful and so detailed, he numbers the hairs on your head. Isn't it amazing?

Another person is being healed right now of, I think you have a heart condition when you go back to the doctor. Right now you are feeling complete clearance. You find that strength is coming back to your body, right? You don't have to stand up but please go back to the doctor, verify it and let us know about it, and refer to this particular service, okay? And someone else in another service is also being healed of a heart condition. All of a sudden, I see like a vessel open up and blood is rushing out, okay? And now you feel strong in your heart. You literally you feel strong, okay? This is another service and I'm here to tell you that God is moving in all the services, and I just feel like God is touching hearts. I hear the Word of the Lord says, "Wait on the Lord, he shall strengthen thine heart". Many people try to be spiritualize it. Don't spiritual it, amen. It is all absorbing, physical and spiritual. He will strengthen your heart. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Father. His name is in your heart, right? The shin, amen? Praise the Lord.

So, here you go, that's why I believe in the '90s God was speaking to me about the fact that gospel is in the stars is already there, but none of them say that this is what Abraham believed. In fact, all the commentaries that I've read said that Abraham counted the stars but when you look at the word "saphar" it's also the word "tell the story". So, I believe here, no point saying count the numbers of stars and finally after 4,000 he says, "Oh God, wah, this is so many, ah? In fact, his descendants much more than that, right? So, God says, "Oh, you believe me, all right, you are justified". No, it must be the gospel story.

And how does your New Testament open up? With a story of a woman with a child, virgin, right? Am I right? How does the New Testament end? In the Book of Revelation, the conquering one, this baby is now the conquering one, the coming king. He's coming again and behold the lion of the tribe of Judah. So, if you start, people really do not know how to start the 12 constellation, where does it start. But the Bible tells you if you start with Virgo, you will end up with the lion, Leo. The New Testament Matthew starts with the virgin, it ends with the lion of the tribe of Judah, amen.

Now, the blessing. I'm gonna close with this, this phrase, "He believed in the Lord and God counts it to him for righteousness" is used in Galatians chapter 3. Oh, by the way, I must show you in Galatians 3, let me show you verse 8 first, okay? Before I show you verse 8, look up here. Another proof, Bible must always interpret Bible. So, just now I shared with you what the Lord showed me in the '90s, many years ago and, of course, you know I think that people will say, "Well, you know, yeah, the gospel in the stars and all that, but those people never said, this is what Abraham believed, but this is what I believed. But I'm telling you, church, there's a verse that confirms that God preached the gospel to Abraham and it's found in Galatians 3.

Drop down, verse 8, "And the Scripture," the Old Testament Scripture obviously, "foreseeing that God would," what? "Justify the Gentiles by faith". That's justification by faith. "Preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand saying, 'In you all the nations shall be blessed.'" God preached the gospel of justification by faith. God told Abraham that in you, in Jesus, referring to the seed and seeds, drop down to that verse. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made". He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, plural, but as of singular, one. "To your seed who is Christ". So, God preached, "Abraham, from you will come the seed, the promised seed".

God preached the gospel, anyone who believes. And in the night's sky last time, you know, before we had the Bible. Today, we don't have to look to the sky. You don't have to learn. Thank God we don't have to have a series on the 12 constellations, why? Because now we have the written Bible. If you have time, I don't have time so I'm gonna tell you right now if you have time, Psalms 19, the first seven verses. I'll show you right - it starts with the heavens declared the glory of God, right? Day unto day utters knowledge and all that. Now, if you go all the way down six verses, it's talking about the sky, the stars, the sun. It's all about nature out there in space.

But from verse 7 all the way to verse 14, the end of the Psalms 19, it talks about the Word of God, the Word of God, the Word of God. The law of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes. It's by the Word of God. Why nature and then God's Word? You know why? Long before God's Word came, it was nature. It was out there. But today we don't go to nature and sit down there, amen, and say, "I wonder what is that. Is that the conquering strong man or is that - I thought I saw the tail". No, it was a shooting star. Okay, so don't worry about that anymore, am I right? Okay, y'all with me so far?

Now, how to be blessed? Very simple, I'll leave this with you. Go back to the very start, verse 5, "God who supplies the spirit to you," like what he did just now and what he's doing for the rest of the services today, and what he's doing for you at home as well, as well as in GRC, all those who are watching, God has no time barrier. God lives outside time and God can heal right where you are, amen? And I see it today especially. Especially after watching that video, God told me right after the video people want to receive their miracles, so I thought I'll just pack up and go back, you know, because it's a very short service then. But God has his ways, amen?

So, here it says, "God who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does God do it by the works of the law, or by you keeping the Ten Commandments or by the hearing of faith"? Which is it? The hearing of faith. "Just as Abraham 'believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'" Abraham believed God, it was counted... this is from Genesis 15. "Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham". Then we come to verse 8, we read just now that the Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles, the non-Jews, you and I, by faith. We're all justified by faith. "And that's why God preached the gospel to Abraham, 'In you all the nations shall be blessed.'" Even in the natural, right, the descendants of Abraham are the Jewish people.

Most of the inventions that we have today, most of them are Jewish inventions. I can show it to you. Many of the things that you are using today for convenience is a Jewish discovery or a Jewish invention. Facebook, you have Zuckerberg, amen? I can name one after - even the chip was invented by a Jew. So, on and on, even in the fields of sciences, medical science, the top race that wins Nobel prize, and the Jewish people are minority race. The one that wins the Nobel prize the most are the Jews. Science, the Jews. Biology, the Jews. Literary geniuses, the Jew. God has given them a disproportionate influence for good. God meant it for good, but they can use it for evil as well, like Karl Marx. But the greatest Jew of all is Jesus Christ, God's Son, God in human flesh, but he lived as a man, anointed by the Spirit. And today there's a man in glory at the Father's right hand.

How to be blessed? Watch this, verse 9, "So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham". Go back again, look at verse 8, what is the subject in verse 8? That God would justify by faith. God would justify by faith, you see that? So, the subject is justification is by faith, not by your works anymore. I said, justification is by faith, not by your works anymore. Okay real quick, Romans 4. Romans 4, "What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works," by what he did, "he has something to boast about, but not before God".

What does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. What is this believe? Drop down. "Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but debt". If you work for it, God doesn't give it to just based on what he owes you, rather grace. If you work or something, God cannot give it to you by grace, unearned, undeserved favor. He has to give it to you based on debt, and God will be a debtor to no man. So, to him who works the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. "But to him who Does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly..." Work to be right with God, not having a profession, okay? I hope you understand. But to him who does not work, that means what? Work to get into God's favor. Work to be right with God. "To him who does not work but believes," like Abraham did on God who justifies, not the Godly, but the ungodly.

Now that faith, his faith is counted for righteousness. So, how can a holy, a thrice holy God justify the ungodly? God who said, "I'll be no means pass by the transgression of people," right, God's eyes, Habakkuk says, "Of purer eyes than to behold evil". How can a holy God bypass all that, man's sin, and then justify the ungodly? And God says, "If you believe that I will justify the ungodly, I will justify you, amen, your faith is counted for righteousness". Now, that means, "I'll treat you from then on as a righteous man". How can God do that? Only on one basis alone, the cross of Jesus Christ because at the cross, his Son died as our substitute. At the cross, Jesus bore your sins. At the cross, Jesus was judged in your place. So, God's judgment fell on Jesus and at the cross, Jesus gave us his righteousness, divine exchange. He took our sins, we take his righteousness before God.

So, now on that basis, the thrice holy God, who cannot pass by one sin, put all our sins on Jesus Christ at the cross and he was judged, condemned, and cursed at the cross on our behalf, the Bible tells us. So that we, now, receive his righteousness and we get what we don't deserve. Jesus got what he didn't deserve, now we get what we don't deserve, favor, blessings, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, the power for well-being in every area of our life. And this is hard for some people to take because people are always trying to get some glory for themself. They always want to do something. They always want to do something.

Friend, even in you think that the work of Jesus is 98%, yours is 2%, you still cannot give him the glory because your 2% will always makes you feel like you have a part to play. No, it's worthy is the lamb, not worthy is the lamb and me. So friend, hallelujah. This is the good news. How to be blessed. Those who are of faith, go back again, go back again to Galatians. Those who are of faith, what faith? "Those who believe they are justified by faith are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse". So, those who are of faith are blessed, those who are of the works - didn't even say those who break the law, mind you, but those who are of the works.

The moment you take your ground on, "Well, I believe that we gotta obey, all right, try our best not to disobey". No, morality's important but when you live by faith, you believe that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, morality is the fruit. But here you will end up under the curse because the moment you take that position, God says, "Must keep all the law". No such thing as doing your best. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them". You choose, you want to be under the law or under grace, amen? Abraham is under grace.

Now, therefore we confess, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ". A few weeks ago, I shared about the man who was watching pornography always in his car, that's how he hides from his wife and all that. Of course, later on the wife finds out about it, but he was still watching pornography and all that. And how did he find victory? By confessing, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ". And he shared it was very hard for him to do that, but he start confessing. While watching he was confessing, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ". Then one day he found that just from inside, true deliverance is always supernatural.

If you change yourself... by the way, a woman can never change a man. Y'all know that right or not? Even Esther's story, God used her but she didn't change the king. God changed the king's heart, right? The only time a woman successfully changes a man is when he's a baby. Change diapers, lah, okay. So, we have this picture of faith, believing right and this person, he was believing right, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ," even though he's actually sinning, he was in bondage, he didn't know how to stop. Many people are in this position. Guess what, one day he just had this desire no more to do watch it. It just fell off. By the time the wife shared the story, I think it was about six years? It's been six years, then she starts sharing the story of her husband. The husband and her are now serving in church, not this church. It was in Texas, this story happened. And they're rejoicing. True deliverance, when you confess, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ".

Recently the Lord spoke to me and the Lord says to me, "You know, son..." He was encouraging me. I was quite, not discouraged but it's like, humbling myself. You know, people was thinking that "Pastor Prince, you like to preach a lot on righteousness, the righteousness of God by faith, or I'm the righteousness of God by faith. I'm the righteousness of God by faith. Everything I hear is righteousness". It's almost like it's true, you know, I don't hear many people emphasizing the gospel which, what's the gospel? Justification by faith. Abraham heard that from God first, amen? Then God gave it to Paul. We are justified by faith, not by our works. And then I got a bit down because, you know, I need confirmation, Lord, and the Lord gave me a fresh confirmation.

Would you like me to share with you? And with that we'll close, okay? Supposing you're in trouble, whether it's a disease attacking you, today our enemies are no more physical, but whether it's a disease attacking you, sickness, or whether it is lack, financial lack, whatever it is, a debt, you know, your "ah-longs" are persuading you. Your creditors are after you, and you're being attacked. In those days for David, it's a real enemy. So, in Psalms 71 he says this, "In you, O Lord, I put my trust. Let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in your righteousness and cause me to escape. Incline your ear to me and save me". Now, how does God deliver him in righteousness? Now, this is the psalm that God gave me. I'm sure I read this psalm before, but I was needing some encouragement. "Lord, you know, is this the path? 'Cause I don't hear too many preachers preaching on righteousness by faith".

There's an army now, praise God, all over the world preaching the gospel of grace, but still I find that sometimes a lone voice. And this is what he brought me to, "How did I bring David out of his trouble? How did he escape? What caused him to escape? He cried out, deliver me in your righteousness". "But how, how Pastor Prince"? Same psalm, drop down, "My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day". The word "my mouth shall tell" is saphar. "My mouth will tell the story of your righteousness. My mouth will narrate, will recount your righteousness, not man's righteousness, your righteousness that comes to man as a gift. The Bible says today righteousness is a gift to be received.

So, God showed me this, "My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day". And God says, "This is what's happening with your people". All day long, they talk about, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ". And they talk about your salvation over here is, who? In Hebrew salvation is Jesus's name, Yeshua. Isn't this our story? If it's not, it should be. All day, if you're in trouble, some sort of trouble like I said just now, you want to escape. You want God to deliver you. All day long confess, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ". Let your mouth relate that. Let your mouth narrate that. Let your mouth tell of his righteousness, not yours, your righteousness. "My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, I do not know their limits".

I love the N.I.V. The N.I.V. says, "I can't even begin to describe it, words cannot even describe it," okay? Then you know what's gonna happen when you confess God's righteousness in your mouth, like when you say, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ"? Watch this, the next thing that happened, "I will go in the strength of the Lord God". You become strong physically, you become strong physically.

There was a time I was feeling fatigued and tired and all that, you know, for a few days and I said this is not something good, you know? I wanted God to give me strength. He gave me this verse. It was a time of seeking the Lord and God says, "If you want to go in my strength" By the way, the strength here is plural in Hebrew. It's great strength. I will go in the strength - how many want to go in the strength of the Lord? Well, make mention of his righteousness all day long. And his salvation is Jesus all day long, and you'll go in the strength of the Lord. Again he says, "I'll make mention of your righteousness, of yours only". It was like God is saying, "You think you are the one emphasizing it? David did that a long time ago". What an encouragement.

And you know how this entire psalm ends? And we're gonna end the service with this. We're gonna end the service and my message. Such joy when they hear I'm ending it. You know how this entire psalm ends? Like this, this is the last verse. Let's all read together. "My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long". What happened to all your enemies, to your diseases, to your financial lack, to your depression that come against you? They are confounded. "They are brought to shame who seek my hurt". All the powers of darkness, they all flee. They are confounded when all day long you confess, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ". It was like a voice from heaven encouraging his son, "Don't think you're the only one. The man after my heart, David, he confessed my righteousness all day long. And when you do it, your enemies will be confounded". Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord.

Every head bowed, every eye closed all across this place. Friend, 2,000 years ago, God sent his Son who died on the cross for your sins and mine, and that's where the divine exchange took place. That's where you received his righteousness because he received your sins, your curses, your judgment that was meant for you, fell on Jesus and God, who is holy today, cannot punish the same sin, the same crime twice. So, wherever you are right now, friend, you say, "Pastor, pray for me. I want this Jesus to be my personal Savior and Lord. I want to become the righteousness of God in Christ". The Bible says those who are of this faith are blessed with believing Abraham. Abraham lived to 175 years old. The Bible says he was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. The Bible tells us his wife's beauty was renewed. When she was 90 years old, even a king, a heathen king wanted her for his harem. And the Bible says this phrase at the end, "The Lord had blessed Abraham in all things," that means in all areas of his life.

The Bible says those who are of faith are blessed. Believers right now ask yourself, "Am I living in this faith? Am I actively declaring I'm the righteousness of God in Christ"? Doesn't have to be out loud. In fact, the last verse says, "My mouth shall tell" is the word "hagar". My mouth shall speak. The last verse says, "hagar". Instead of saphar, saphar is earlier part, but the last verse actually use the word "hagar" which is meditate, mutter. You can mutter softly under your voice that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, amen? And for those who do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, I want to lead you in this prayer right now.

Say, "Heavenly Father, Christ died for my sins and he rose from the dead without them. Hallelujah, the work is finished. All my sins are put away. I'm greatly forgiven, forgiven of all my sins, past, present, and future because Jesus Christ is my Lord. Thank you, Father. In Jesus's name, amen".

Stand to your feet. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Christians, your assignment is very simple, all day confess throughout this week, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ," amen. Give them the last verse one more time. Give them the last verse. Yup, the word "talk" is actually hagar here, the last verse. We have hagar. Hagar means to mutter, mutter. So, even when you're in a public place say, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ". When you are discouraged, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ," amen. When you're tempted, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ". And even when you fail, when you sin, "I'm the righteousness of God in Christ". Your enemies will be confounded and you will go in the strength of the Lord, amen.

Lift your hands all across this place. The Lord bless you and your families. The Lord make his face shine on you and be favorable to you and your loved ones. The Lord lift up his countenance on every single one of you and grant to you and your loved ones his shalom peace. May you be at the right place at the right time. God keeps you, protects you, preserve you from all dangers, harm, sickness, accidents, from all evil. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and all the people said, amen, amen. God bless you. You are dismissed.