Joseph Prince - How To Make Spirit-Led Decisions
Thank you, Lord. Now, I'm gonna ask you to stand up, but somebody who has just been retrenched, and your whole life is like everything came down because you sort of expected and you knew this was coming, but you never know that it's gonna hit you this heart. You don't have to stand up. The Lord just spoke to me and told me that you will not suffer financially. It's gonna bless you, and I see like, now, this funny, laugh if you want, but I see like dollar sign, okay, and there are wings on each side. All right, God will cause it to fly swiftly to you. That's the Word I received, amen? And whether it's through a job, whether it's through someone blessing you, whatever it is, don't worry, amen, just in this service today, just worship the Lord, just enjoy his presence, and be aware that he loves you. Thank you, Father God. In Jesus's wonderful name, in Jesus's wonderful name, amen, amen, amen.
Somebody injured your right elbow. I think you were playing tennis or badminton, one of that, okay? And if you'll stand up and just stand up. If you can stand up and just move your elbow right now in Jesus's name, move it up and down. Move it up and down, okay? Move it a bit violently, so flay a bit so that we can see you. And I want people who are having, now who is that first, the elbow one? And the rest of you who have knee conditions, elbow conditions, stand to your feet right now and start moving that elbow, start moving that knee in Jesus's name. Stand up, okay, and start moving that area right now in Jesus's name, amen, amen, amen. Start moving it whether it's your elbow, amen.
Any hinge condition, you know, your joint, your pivot areas. Whether it's your neck, whether it's your elbow, there is a healing anointing right now. Move it, move it, amen. You've got to move it, move it, all right? Don't just stand there, just move it, because when you're moving it, it's like a match to gunpowder, you know, to explosive powder, amen? The combination is amazing. Now start moving, in Jesus's name. Now, who is the one that hurt your eligible with that game? Whoever it is, just wave your hand right now. All right, sister over there. Was it tennis? It was tennis. Okay, move your elbow now. Badminton, okay, no wonder. You should play goodminton. "Ah, Pastor Prince, that was so funny".
All right, move your, move your elbow. Are you okay now? Is it healed? All the pain is gone? Okay, praise the Lord. God bless you, amen? Amen. All right, those of you who are standing as you move your part right now, how is it? Once you know you are healed, amen, don't doubt, don't doubt. Okay, say, "Pastor, there's a release and the pain is gone". If that is you just do a wave, do a wave so that people can see and glorify the Lord, amen. Start waving, start, look at all this majority of them are all healed. There are one, two that is, that doesn't seem to have received just yet. I'm gonna pray for you in Jesus's name. Okay, leaders just run to them. Okay, the gentleman over there, and the lady over there. And the rest of you, one more time, wave if you have healed, you've been healed. Praise the Lord. And up there as well, praise God. Thank you, Jesus, amen.
Everywhere that's watching this right now, I know healing is happening there as well, because with God, God is a Spirit, amen. There is no distance and because you are part of a church wherever you may be watching this, even you're watching this in the future, the Lord is touching you and healing you in Jesus's name, amen. Praise the Lord for the vast majority of these precious ones. Now, gastric conditions, will you please stand? Yesterday especially there was an attack. Now, who was that when you had a bad attack yesterday of gastritis? I see gastritis. I see pain. I see you like in your case it's quite severe. If that is you, stand to your feet. The Lord wants to heal you, in Jesus's name. Thank you, Lord Jesus, amen.
Did you have a severe attack yesterday? Whoa, okay. I'm gonna pray for you. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Are you having it now? Okay, but it's not as severe as yesterday? Put your hand on your belly. Father, in the name of Jesus, touch my precious brother. There it goes, thank you, Lord. Lord Jesus, thank you for that healing right now. In fact, you are feeling like there are bubbles on the inside, and the Lord is just causing a healing, a calming of, you know, bro, let me just tell you this, I hear the Lord saying that it's precipitated by stressed, an area of concern and stress. And the thoughts have caused this to react. There's a physio condition to this that's caused by your, your mind, psychosomatic, but the Lord says he's touching you right now, as well as assuring you that that area of concern has been noted by the Lord.
In fact, he says that the answer is forthcoming, but there is a warfare going on. And you've been asking, "Why Lord," for so long, "Why"? And the Lord says there's been a warfare just like Daniel. The answer was given the very first day you prayed, and God is taking care of that condition that's causing you that situation that's causing you stress, amen. And the Lord is healing you as well, in Jesus's name. All right, check your tummy, bro. How is it? It's okay now? Praise the Lord. And you can tell later on when you eat curry, okay? All right, the sister and the brother, you receive? you're prayed for? You're prayed for? Did someone lay hands on them? Okay, let's give Jesus the praise, hallelujah. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Okay, you ready for the Word? Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Now, I want to address an issue that's been on my heart for some time, and I believe that the time has come. And we had a great leaders' meeting just a few days ago where all the leaders came, and we had a special time of Q&A with Pastor Prince so they can ask anything they want to us, amen? Except for that, that million dollar question, "Does Adam have a belly button"? Okay, so they asked me all sorts of questions. And we had a great time. Really, I enjoyed answering the questions. Before I know it, the night was over, okay? So, we might have part two. And also in one of the questions that was asked, I realized if I was smiling at Gideon, who was on my right, Pastor Gideon, and because we've been discussing this among the leaders.
You know, one of the things about people receive grace is that sometimes they go, you know, they receive grace, but they misunderstand the idea of works or being diligent or being hard working, amen? God expects us to be diligent. The Bible says time and time again, "The hand of the diligent maketh rich," amen? The Bible says that Joseph was a diligent man. The Bible says that as employees, we should serve our masters, and the context there, Old King James. It says employers, we'll say employers today, all right? And you know, the Bible says not with eye service just for them when they are looking at you to impress them, but with singleness of heart to the Lord. And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to man.
So, whatever you do in your workplace, do it as to the Lord, amen? You're sending emails, you know, even though it is the mundane daily tasks, the daily grind of work, do it as unto the Lord. Say "For you, Jesus," amen? Amen, say under your breath, "For you, Jesus". When you do something that a menial tasks even, you feel like, "What am I doing this? Why am I in this job"? Say "Lord Jesus, from now on, I'm gonna have this attitude, it's to you". Knowing, say this, knowing, you gotta know this. For verse 23 to happen, you gotta know this. Knowing that from the Lord, not from your boss, and sometimes your boss don't even notice what you're doing. And sometimes your boss reward the wrong person, amen?
You see, knowing that from the Lord, not from your boss, you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. You serve the Lord Christ. We're talking about reward here, amen? God will bless you. God will reward you, all right? It will not pass unnoticed by our Lord, amen. But many a times, we don't have this, we forget that God teaches us to profit. In fact, in Isaiah 48, it says here, "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer". Now talking to believers, right? Your Redeemer. "I am the Holy One of Israel. I am the Lord your God who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go". Remember this, God, when God teaches you, he always teaches you to profit. The Bible was written for your success. It was not written for his success because he is very successful already.
So, he wrote the Book of Wisdom, in this year hesed wisdom, amen, I hope that you are spending time in the Book of Proverbs asking God for wisdom every day. So, whatever you're faced with, God has a wisdom for you in His Word, by His Spirit. And these are the two main ways through his Word, as well as by Spirit, leading you, guiding you every day. But remember this, whatever he teaches you, whether from his Word or when you're hearing the preaching and the preaching is from his Word because I'm preaching the Word, nothing, nothing but the Word can help people, amen. Nothing but the Word can profit you. Nothing but the Word can prosper you, the Bible says.
God told Joshua, who has a big pair of shoes to fill in after Moses died, "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night and you shall make your way," what? Prosperous, amen? And then you shall have good success. Good success means you don't lose your family along the way. You don't lose your health along the way, amen? Good success. You shall make your way prosperous, meditate on God's Word. And by the way, do you realize that he didn't just say, "I hear God, I hear God. I don't read the Bible. I hear God for myself. I hear God". No, in fact, when God spoke to Joshua, he was probably thinking, "Oh, this big pair of shoes I have to fill. I mean, I don't feel I have the capacity. I don't feel that like, I'm really at the at the level of Moses, you know? I am so full of fears," or whatever.
And you got this three million people to lead into the wilderness, into the Promised Land. But what was he doing? He was reading his Bible or his scroll. In that time, all right, they had the scroll. And for God to say, "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth," that means he was reading it for God to say, "this book". God didn't say that book that you're not reading on the shelf. God says, "this book," that means he was reading it. And while you are reading God's written Word, he heard God's spoken Word. Oh, that was good. That was good. You came in all the way here just to hear that, it's good. Notice God was talking to him. God says, "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth," why? It was an open book for him, open scroll. He was reading the Word, the written Word, and then God gave him the spoken Word.
Many of us want the spoken Word. "How come God doesn't speak to me"? No, when you open the book, get cracking, open the book, amen? Listen to the Word, God will speak to you. And even if you're listening to a preaching, a preached sermon, amen, if it's full of the Word, God will speak to you from the Word. You will hear that Word that says, "This is the way, walk you in it". So, however God teaches you, right, through his Word or by his Spirit, and these are the two main ways, it is always the teach you to profit. Say "profit". Say "profit". Everyone wants profit. You work in a company, they hire you because they think that you will help them to profit, amen. Executives sit down together and discuss, and they have their fortnight meetings or whatever. You know, why? To discuss what, how to lose? No, how to make profits.
So God says, "I am the Lord your God who teaches you to profit". But when God teaches you to profit, you profit in every area. You profit in your family life, in your social life, in your health, in every area. Can have a good amen? So, that's the first thing you need to know God. When God teaches you, he teaches you to profit. It is for your own good. Can have a good amen? And that's why sin is always, always something that destroys profit. When you're on drugs, all right, that is sinful because you are destroying the temple that God has given you. You only have one temple, you know, people. You only got one house you live in, take good care of it. There is no such thing as, once you check out, you check out, you know? Once you leave this house, it's not that Singaporeans and, "I can buy another property, you know". There is no other property.
So, take care of this property you're in. Don't let it run down, amen? Don't put things in it that's not good for you, amen. Don't be smoking and all that and keep on saying that, "I can stop anytime I want to," no, you need the Lord's grace, amen? You need to know there's a problem. Don't keep on pumping yourself full of drugs, amen, whether it's, even it's prescribed drugs and all that. By the way, a disclaimer here. Unless the doctor tells you you must be on this, be very careful, don't get off this 'cause there's gonna be a rebound effect, whatever. Consult your doctor. But what I'm saying is that there are things that you are choosing to take, even Panadol, almost every pain, Panadol. Why don't you just fight it? Amen. Fight the headache for a while, amen.
Ask God to touch you and then believe God because if you always refer that, all these things, you know, it comes with a disclaimer also, right? They also have all the side effects. Whatever God creates, has no side effect. When man makes drink, a lot of side effects. And God's water no one improve on it. No one can improve on water, amen? Drink lots of water, praise God. Okay, so God teaches you to profit in every area. How does he do it? Through his Word and by his Spirit. Okay, this comes to the question, "Pastor Prince, I believe in rest, you know? We all thank God for the teaching you taught us on rest, and rest is power". Say "Rest is power," and that is true, amen?
In the outer court, in the tabernacle of Moses, outer court is busy, busy, busy. People are bringing their sheep, the priests were killing, slaying them, flaying their skin, putting everything in order on the bronze altar. And then the fire goes up, and then the smoke goes up, and the people go away forgiven because they transferred their sins to the lamb. So, busy, busy all day long people were coming. You know, there was a slaying and laying the animal on the altar, all kinds of activities outside. But when come into the Holy of Holies, perfect calm, no activity. So, likewise, you can be busy outside, but you are restful inside. That's what God wants for you.
I've never taught that, you know, do nothing. Sit down and say, "Relax, brother, relax," you know, and do nothing. The Bible actually says, and the apostle of grace Paul said, "If anyone will not work, neither should he eat". Oh, y'all didn't hear that, so I'm gonna say it one more time on this level. If any will not work, neither should he eat. In fact, the Bible says in the same passage, he's worse than an infidel who doesn't provide for his family, amen? So, he had this idea, "You know, Pastor Prince, I'm just relaxed, I'm entering into his rest". No, I've said time and again, and this is a definition. If you hear this definition, remember where it came from.
I shared this many, many years ago what the Lord said to me, "Rest is directed activity. Rest is not inactivity, rest is directed activity," amen. Sometimes and you sit down you feel frustrated, that is the Lord telling you, "Get up and start doing something," amen, amen? Start looking for a job or whatever. So, if you are, sometimes for example, your child is getting by with murder, you know, doing all kind of thing, being rude to the mom and not because he's tired, he's just rude, and he's saying things he shouldn't be saying, and learning things that, you know, from school or whatever. And you realize that, "Oh, nevermind, I'm gonna show him grace". Well, something inside you tells you, no, no, you better do something. And you, the more you don't do discipline, okay, you don't discipline him, the more frustrated you become.
So, notice you think you are resting, but Spirit of God is saying no. So, when you act on it, there's rest. There's rest in your spirit, there's rest in your wife's spirit. Even though you don't like it outwardly, but there's rest. And finally, the Bible says in Proverbs, "Correct your son, and he will give you rest". Now, there's rest for everybody, and there's even rest for him. He's crying for discipline, because in the child's mind, you know, in their emotional makeup, they feel like when you discipline them, not torture them, so don't go around here saying that, "You know, abuse and all Pastor Prince teaching". You can say what you want to say, right? ♪ Say what you want ♪ ♪ Say what they want ♪ We rejoice with the Lord, amen? But I'm teaching about discipline. Children know when they are disciplined, they really feel loved. So, you're giving him rest, can I have a good amen?
So, number one principle is always remember, God teaches us to profit. And how does he do it? He guides us, he teaches us, and teaching is not always pleasant. You know, Christians are so, especially charismatic Christians. You know, they are so flaky sometimes, not all of them, thank God. Not many in this church, hopefully, but they get flaky. You know, they come and say, 'Well, God, God is telling me to come to this church". I always get worried about people like that. So, do you enjoy the sermon? Do you enjoy? Do you feel at home here in your spirit? Do you feel like God is speaking to you in this church? Instead of saying that all those things, they say that, "God told me to come here". "Do you enjoy Pastor Prince sermon"? "No, not exactly. In fact, I have my own views about it". "Then why, why are you here"? "God told me to come". I guarantee you, God will also tell him to go one day, amen.
And you know when God will tell him to go? When he's been taught and when he's been disciplined, or when he's been corrected, he will go. And all of a sudden he will tell somebody else, "God told me to leave, lah". All right, God's name gets abused, amen? Why don't you just man up and say, "I decided to leave"? Amen, God doesn't... You know, how do you know a church is for you? When you're in the church, there's life and you find that God is ministering to you. You find there's answers. You find that, you know, that you are stronger when you leave. You feel fed, amen. There's feeding going on. Amen, you are being fed. Even Pastor Prince rabbit trail sometimes speaks to me, you know? And I feel like he's talking to me.
So, that means I'm your pastor, amen. If not, there's another church for you, and there are many good churches in Singapore, amen. I'm very concerned about, you know, I shared with the leadership the other day that there's a story in the Bible where there was a group of people that came to David when David was in the wilderness with his mighty men, amen? He wasn't king yet, he was in the wilderness. And these men came and one of them caught Amasai. And Amasai says, "We are yours. We are for you, David". And David said this, "Are you for me, or are you for my enemies"? Now, David should have said, "Are you for the Lord"? So, David wasn't spiritual, was he? No, he was smart. He didn't ask, "Are you for the Lord"? They will say, "Yes, I am for the Lord". But no, a good leader says, "Are you for me"? Sounds like, you know, you're self seeking, but it is not, it's wisdom and leadership. "Are you for me"?
And the Bible says the answer is that the Spirit came on this man to answer David. Why should the Spirit come on him to answer this? And this was his answer. He said, "We are yours, David. We are yours". And they became part of the mighty men, amen? Because you know why? God uses people. You say, "I'm for the Lord," amen, then you know what? You can do whatever you want to do. There's no accountability. There is no responsibility. There's no one to answer to, amen. But in the church environment when there's trouble, before you think of going for divorce, you consult another couple, you consult the pastors. You consult your counselors. You consult your care leaders, amen? You talk to them, why? Because God uses people.
And many a time, we want God to speak to us direct, and sometimes God wants to humble you, and God wants you to learn humility, God wants you to learn teachableness. In fact, right in 1 Kings 3, right after Solomon asked God for wisdom, the very next chapter, all right, is chapter 4 because 4 comes after 3. You know what I found in chapter 4? Nothing but an account of his ministers and his government, and one of them is a man, the Bible says his friend, the king's friend. He even put priority on friendship, amen? And, but more than one of them are recorders, amen, they are people who are, one of them is literally in the Hebrew, remembrancer, to remind the king.
There are people take down whatever happened, and then they remind the king. And years ago I asked the Lord, Solomon just received wisdom. He's the wisest man right now that ever, that ever was on planet earth at that time. Of course, Jesus is greater than Solomon, right? But at that time, he's the wisest man, right? But the very next thing he did was to surround himself with wise men because the Bible says, and he wrote this in Proverbs, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise". And not only that, he put himself in the position where they remind him, you see, the wiser you are, you won't take things for granted. You surround yourself with people who remind you, people that can speak into your life.
So, the first person is actually the priest. He is a pastor. The very first name that leads the entire administration is the pastor. He puts spiritual things first, the priest. He has a priest he can consult, even though you can call him like a CEO, but this guy, he's worth trillions today, factor in inflation and all that. He's a trillionaire, amen? And yet he runs a successful business by having a pastor that he can consult. Now, don't ask me to consult you, it's not possible, amen, but you know my leadership trickles down into all my leaders, into all the care leaders, and never, never make a major decision without consulting them. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise," amen?
"Well, Pastor Prince, I don't believe in this submission thing and all that, and I believe that God spoke to me, I'm going my way". Well, that's what happened when you don't understand what Jesus did. At 12-years-old, the Bible says he was in the temple listening to all the, you know, it's amazing, the Bible says. See the beauty of the Lord, the moral glory of Jesus? See the beauty of our Lord Jesus that even at the age of 12, he wasn't preaching like the Sermon on the Mount. He was asking questions, hearing them and asking questions from all the rabbis that were there, and look at the response. The Bible says, and then the rabbis were amazed at his answers, his understanding and answers, which means he was asking them questions and then they threw back the question at him, "What do you think"? When he answered, they were amazed at his understanding and answers.
What an amazing spirit at the age of 12, it wasn't proper for him to teach. It wasn't in place for him to preach to the adults. But what a beauty in the right season, his position was inquiring, asking, and only answering when asked, and he was the wisest man, wisest boy, you would say, at that time, amen? Come on. And the wisest one, very next verse the Bible says the parents came and said, "We are looking for you," and all that. And the Bible says, "He went back with them," and he did say, "Did you not know, I must be about my Father's business"? When actually they looked for all over the place in Jerusalem, didn't they know? They should have known he was in the temple, amen?
So, his first recorded words is, "Did you not know, I must be about my Father's business"? In terms of ministry. His last words in terms of closing the ministry on earth was, "It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit". What was finished? The Father's business that he came to do, to die for our sins as a redeemer, amen. Isn't it beautiful? But the Bible says he went back with them, he was subject unto them. Say, "subject". Now, the Bible says the very next verse, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man".
Luke Chapter 2, I think it's 24. All right, Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with man. He increased in wisdom. As God in the flesh, he didn't have to increase in wisdom. But as man, and he was fully man as well, he had to increase in wisdom because, you know, as a child, he's learning. But notice he increased in wisdom, not only in wisdom and stature, but in favor with God and man. He increased in favor. That tells me that whenever you submit, favor is released, amen. So, it doesn't mean that, "I only saw me two people who are smarter than me. I submit to people".
So, the Bible says like women, all right, wives, sorry, not women, wives. Not all women have husbands. So, "Wives, submit to your husband". It's not today, whoa man, the world has become politically correct, okay? But no one talk about inequality. No one is saying that women are inferior, no, no way. In fact, God, God always addressed the woman first in the Bible, amen. In Ephesians, in Colossians, God talks to the woman first. I asked-I noticed that Christ, man is the head, Christ is the head of the man, and man is the head of the household, the Bible says that, the responsibility lies with him. When Adam fell, all creation fell. Are you listening, people?
And yet, when God addressed marital relationship, God addressed the woman first. Whether it is in Ephesians, whether it is in Colossians, whether it's Peter writing in his 1 Peter, it's always addressing the woman first, why? I asked God this many years ago and God said to me, "Because women are smart". And God says, "I can get, they can understand me first. They can understand me first". Why do you think even the devil knew that and approached the woman? 'Cause Adam was A-dumb. All right so, you know, it doesn't really matter sometimes, you know, who is the CEO of the company. There's always an influencer around him. Talk to the influencer, amen? Woman, man is the head, but you are the neck. You can turn him any way you want, amen, but don't tell him, amen? Don't tell him.
So, it's not matter of inferiority, but we have different functions, amen. I said we have different functions. Don't try to make your eye run or jog every day. That's your foot, amen? Don't try to smell with your ear. "Wah, this curry, wah, this chicken curry, or this," you know, you gotta know your place and your function. Can I have a good amen? Find your place, hallelujah, and all of us are unique, but we are all equal in the eyes of God. We are all righteous in the eyes of God, amen, because we are the righteousness of God in Christ. So, there's no inferiority, but there are difference in functions, amen. The president of the United States has a different function but as a person, he's not more equal, amen?
So, we're all the same, but different function. I know, it's very popular, very, very popular now to talk about, you know, women can do this, women can do that and all that, only in the movies. We still need to protect them. There are a lot of physical things that, I know, I know, I know there are some of you, you work hard at the gym. I know, I know, I know, don't write to me. But as a whole, God wants us to protect you. God wants us to open the door for you as if you can't open the door yourself. God wants us to help you, help you up the stairs and all that. Don't lose that, enjoy that, amen? God wants guys or stand up and give the lady the seat in the MRT, you know, or in the bus. I mean, don't lose that. When you stand up, the lady's going, "Wah, you think I cannot, I cannot stand, ah? You think what"? You know, don't do that, enjoy it. Amen?
You know, there are things that you keep in your special cabinet like special porcelain, special dish, you know, that you don't use every day, why? Because they are precious. Women are supposed to be treated as precious, amen? Now, in fact, if anything, those are more, they are more to be treated with respect, and they are more, if I can say that in the words of someone. They are more equal animals farm, okay? They are more equal than the place he use every day, right? They are better off, right? And that's what women is like, but there's no inequality, difference in function. The CEO of a company is a CEO of a company. He's not a better person, amen? He has talents and gifts that's better for the role that he's in. Are you all learning so far? "So, what makes it a law, Pastor? If I do this and it becomes a law, I'm scared to be under the law". Rightly so because we are not under law, but we are under grace.
And Romans 6:14 says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under law, but you're under grace". And we have defined grace as God giving. Law is man working, right? Another way of saying it is, grace supplies. Supply, grace and supply is synonymous, amen. Grace is God supplying. Law is god demanding. Okay, got it? Does that help? So, whenever I'm functioning, I'm still working, but if I am functioning and I think that God is demanding it of me and I'm doing it by my own effort, that is someone under law. But if I am doing the same thing, you see, I'm still doing. Hello, I'm still doing.
But when I'm doing it knowing that God is supplying me the wisdom, God is supplying me the charisma, God is supplying me the illustration or whatever, in my case, it's preaching, amen, God is supplying me, then it becomes a rest. But many a times, I'm sweating outwardly, you know? I'm perspiring. I'm, you know, I'm really, y'all know, right? Guys perspire, horses sweat, women sparkle. Okay, sparkle like diamonds, okay. We all sweat.... Receive it, brother. And whenever you do anything, you feel like, you know, "I got so many things to do today. I got so many things to do. I got so many things. Effectively, you are under law, but if you say, "Wow, I got so many needs. Today I'm gonna get extra supply, greater supply from God. I'm gonna see how his supply is. I'm gonna be expecting it". That is under grace. Can I have a good amen, people?
So, there is a place for rewards in the in the kingdom of God, amen. Now, before I come to the rewards part again, I just want to share this, that in the church of Jesus Christ, we all have different giftings. Can I have a good amen? But God has put leaders there because they are called to be leaders. It's a gift, leadership is a gift. It doesn't mean his superior. Like I said, he's on the same foundation, but there's something about sometimes a leader is there, but someone more intelligent is actually underneath, under him. Like I said, women and men, God said to me he spoke to the women first, he wrote to the women first because women are intelligent. They'll get it first, amen?
So Jesus, at the age of 12, submitted to his parents and increased in wisdom. Esther was at a beauty contest to find the next queen for the king of Persia. There were many women. I mean, Persia was the largest kingdom at that time, so the beauty contest is not like our Miss Universe and, you know, the typical kind of, it's a huge contest, probably go on for days. And yet, the Bible says Esther got it, Esther won it. The Bible used this word, "Esther found favor in the sight of all the people". But read carefully the preceding verses. It says, "There was a man in charge of all the women," the king put him in charge. He's probably a eunuch, and the Bible says his name was Haggai, and actually in Hebrew, it means meditation. Isn't it interesting? And Esther didn't want anything.
All the women, the Bible says they can they can bathe for six months in myrrh if they want. In fact, they were required to. They can ask for any clothes they want, any kind of makeup. They can ask for anything for the contest. But Esther asked for nothing but what? Haggai, the king's keeper, in charge of the women, she only wanted what he recommended. And most likely than not, he knows exactly what the king wants, right? Wisdom, you know, she said, "I'll submit to you". And guess what. She found favor. Nonetheless, there's wisdom, but God still gave her favor, and she became the next queen. You know, we think we know it and then we're left high and dry. Humility before honor. The Bible says before honor, there's humility. Whenever you see someone honored, somewhere along the way, there's humility. He was willing to learn. He was willing to be corrected.
People tell me things sometimes. So, sometimes I ask them, "You want you want me to help you, guide you, counsel you, or you're just telling me"? There's a difference, you know? There are people who just tell you. Are you with me so far? "Well, Pastor Prince, I'm scared to do anything because I come under law". What do you mean? "I'm afraid I'll be doing out of my effort". Look, it is you doing it, not a zombie. All right, all of you are doing it. When God tells to do something, you are doing it. Listen, God doesn't move by himself. He has ordained it that way. Listen, God without us can do anything, right? We all know that. But his way is that he will not want to do anything without us. There's a verse that says in 1 Corinthians 2, we are co-laborers with God, co-laborers with God. "But what can we do? What can we supply"?
Now, we can't supply the power, we can supply the gifts, we can't supply the anointing, we can't supply the success, we can't supply the circumstance to be created in such a way that is conducive for us, but God can do it. So, what is our part? Our part is to obey. Our part is to co-labor with him. God moves here, I move here. In fact, Jesus used the analogy, "Come, take my yoke upon you". He's speaking to people who are farmers and people working the the lands, agricultural system, and people involved in husbandry, and he told them, "Take my yoke on you. My yoke is easy, my burden is light". So, they understood that. For them to train a younger ox, they will hook the yoke to the next older ox, amen? And the older ox is more experienced, but the younger ox is not. But whenever the older ox wants to move right and the younger one wants to move left, he better turn right because the older ox is stronger or else he'll have a stiff neck.
And that's why they use the word "stiff-necked" for people that are rebelling. You know, it's matter of flowing with God. When God tells you to do something, you do it. You flow with him. Can I have a good amen, amen? And God moves right, you move right. God moves left, you move left. There are times God doesn't move, and you stop. When God stop, you stop. But when God moves, you move, amen? When the older ox wants to drink from the pool of water there, all right, he wants to drink, well, the other one says, "Well, I just drank just now. I don't want to drink too much". Well, you better drink. He's leading you to drink.
There are times, you all know this, and you're watching TV and there's nothing on TV, you just wanna watch. And inside your heart, there's something saying, "Read Pastor Prince's devotional". You are hungry for the Word, you know? Then you see a devotional down there, you know, the one that you put down there in your house in case people come and see, "Ah yeah, he's spiritual. You know, Pastor Prince devotionals are there". You know the one? And you feel that opening up, "Ah," you know? It's good to put all these things near your television because every time there's a advertisement and all that, just read, amen? Amen, and put around your toilet also, your toilet bowl, near that area, you know what I'm saying, amen?
You receive a lot when you are relaxed. What little you read sometimes is amazing how God can speak to you. So, there are times God says, "Open it, open it," and you don't want to read it. "I'll do it later," but later when you open it, the flow is no more there. There is such a thing because, why? When he's drinking, you better drink. You'll receive such feeding, amen. When he's not, and you are trying to, there's such a tediousness to it. How many have experienced this in your life? Now, you know what is effectively not being under law? The Apostle Paul wrote this to Galatians, Galatians 5, verse 18, I think it is. "If you are led by the Spirit, You are not under the law". So, don't be afraid, "Oh, this is law, that is law". No, are you led by the Spirit?
If you are doing something and you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law, hello? If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. You see, if I just teach you being led by the Spirit, then you can forget about accountability, you know, talking to people, listening to the counsel of the wise and all that. I just follow the Spirit, that's why they create all that foundation first. It's important you understand that. But then at the end of the day, let me just tell you this, God wants every believer to be led by the Spirit. Can I have a good amen? And even counsel, you need to hear whether the counsel confirm what you have in your spirit.
By the way, the counsel will never tell you to go against your God-appointed leadership. It will never tell you to go against your marriage vows. It will never tell you to go against your, what you know in the Word of God is moral and what is immoral, amen. You can go against what is immoral, but what is proper and what is right, he will never tell you to, "Yeah, it's okay to commit adultery in your case because your wife is not responding as he should". Never, don't ever hear that and think it's the Holy Spirit. Be a man. You be a man, you be a man. Man up and say, "I did it. I chose my course," all right? Don't go and try to blame God, and don't try to get her to do Bible study with you.
That's so nauseating to me to hear people, you know, in adultery doing Bible study. You are deceived. Come here, come here, come here, pyah! You know what I'm saying or not? Sorry, sorry, whoa brother. You want to do that right, Lawrence, amen? They need the five-fold ministry, you know what I'm saying? Man up. And if that lady, you know, I mean... okay, I won't go, okay... Not everyone is smiling, so. How do you know you are under law? You're not led by the Spirit, but if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law, which means you're under grace. It's not matter that we are dead to the law, now we are free to do whatever we want, no. We are dead to the law to be married to Jesus Christ, and he's gonna lead us by his Spirit, amen. How does the Lord lead us?
Well, on the on the Passover night in the upper room Jesus told his disciples, "While I'm present with you, I'm telling you these things. When the Holy Spirit, the Comforter the Paraclete, the one that come alongside you to help, now, he's gonna come and he will teach you all things". Show them that verse. Drop down, okay. "He's gonna come," all right, "and he will teach you all things," verse 26, "and bring to your remembrance all things". Say, "All things". So whatever it is, I know some people confine this to just the Bible. No, "all things" means "all things". "He will teach you all things," means "all things". Parenting, amen, your work, your career, your social life. Whatever it is, he's gonna teach you all things. And then bring all things to your remembrance whatever Jesus has spoken to you. You have heard what the Lord said, and then he will remind you.
See, the Holy Spirit is also a Reminder, a Remembrancer, amen. And it's not here, but it says, in the upper room Jesus says, "He will glorify me". The Holy Spirit never glorifies man. He always comes to glorify Jesus. God teaches you to profit so that you will glorify Jesus, amen. He wants your life, your marriage, your children, your entire person to be one that radiates with the glory of God. When God had his way, nobody was sick. Only when man sinned, sickness came in. When God had his way in the garden, nobody was poor. Poverty came when man sinned. When God had his way, there was no stress. No need for psychiatrists. When God had his way, everything is perfect. And guess what? When you follow God's way, he will teach you to profit.
So I don't care whether people, "The prosperity gospel," and all that, just bring them before Adam fell and ask the question, "When God had his way, when the world was under God, what was it like? Was there poverty? Were there hospitals"? No, abundance, peace. And when Jesus says, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," how is heaven like? Are there any hospitals in heaven? Are there any Supreme Court in heaven? Is there any? By the way, the court that's in heaven is the throne of Grace for us. There is a court in heaven, all right? But I'm talking about places to judge you, to send you to hell. No, only one, God's throne.
And for that, all believers are not are not gonna be sent to the lake of fire, amen. All believers will never stand before the great white throne judgment. They'll stand before the bema seat of Christ, which is another message altogether, which I've shared another time. So, listen, listen. Everything is perfect. You walk on streets of gold in heaven. The music is harmonious. Nobody is out of tune, even you. You have a new body. So when the Bible says, "I teach you to profit," what do you think it is? Teach you to do to be poor so that you learn to be holy? Some people have this a religious concept. That's not the Bible. Look at when God has his way.
The mess in our life is self-manufactured. We didn't listen to the prompting and now we are suffering for it. Even the food we eat, whatever it is, you know, or the medicine we take, we gotta make sure we listen to the Lord, amen. When it comes to medicine, I told you just now the disclaimer. The doctors tell you that you have to be on it. All right, you make sure you're on it. In fact, when you listen to the Spirit, he will always tell you, "You are in this level. Work with that level". Trust God to give the doctor wisdom. Before you go to a doctor, ask God to give him wisdom. "But he's not a believer". Never mind, there's a natural wisdom that God gives also to unbelievers. It's in the Bible, amen? Are you with me so far?
That brings us to the next thing. Whatever crisis you are in, whatever trial you are going through, whatever need that is pressing against you right now and it's staring you in the face, what do you do? Number one, ask God for wisdom. James 1: "If any of you lacks wisdom". This is James 5, verse 5 here. It's actually after the passage before this. And the passage before this opens up talking about greetings and all that, but then it says about trials. So it's in the context of trials. Don't go through a trial not asking God for wisdom. And people, you know, ask them, "Have you asked God for wisdom"? "Oh, yeah, mmm, oh yeah, I haven't". You know why? Because you think you can handle it. You think that something will help, come and help you or whatever. You're expecting the natural things will turn around. That's why you didn't ask God for wisdom.
So in any trial you are in, the first thing you do, ask God for wisdom. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally". Look at the nature of your Father, your heavenly Father. He gives liberally. Say, "Liberally". Ay-yi, no power. Say it loud, "Liberally," amen. "Liberally". "Liberally, and upbraideth not," or without reproach, without reproach. "Upbraideth" is old King James. Without reproach, he doesn't scold you for asking wisdom. In fact, he delights in you asking for wisdom. When Solomon asked for wisdom, the Bible says, "The speech pleased the Lord". And the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So he will not scold you. He will give to you liberally.
In fact, not many people are asking for wisdom. So, you know what? Take that as well. The throne of Grace is not crowded, so come and receive. "Let him ask in faith," when you ask God, ask in faith with no doubting, "for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think he shall receive anything of the Lord". The only thing the Lord wants you to know, all right, about him is that he will give to you liberally when you ask for wisdom and he will not scold you. So please honor him by asking in faith. So after you ask God for wisdom, say, "Father give me wisdom concerning this, in Jesus's name," and then, only then, you can rise up, amen. You don't have the answers in your head, but you have received wisdom, maybe it's not imparted to your understanding yet, and then start doing the next thing. This is where the Holy Spirit starts leading you, all right? But after you ask for wisdom, then you can expect the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you.
And that's why I go back to John again, and John 14 says: "Peace I leave with you". Immediately right after the Holy Spirit is mentioned, Jesus mentioned the Holy Spirit teaching you all things, he mentioned, "Peace I leave with you". There was a boy up here a few Sundays ago that quoted this, John 14:27. Yep, he memorized this verse. Or not in your service, second service. My son came up and gave his memory verse from, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you". Now, why did Jesus mentioned peace immediately right after he talked about the Holy Spirit teaching you all things? Because the Holy Spirit teaches on the wavelength of peace. So when you do something and you don't have peace, don't do it. You're about to embark on a career change. And the more you talk to your wife, the more you'll discuss, of course, weigh the pros and cons, you know? Consult your leaders. Consult your pastors if you want, all right? Just talk about the pros and cons and all that. Don't just depend on yourself.
Remember, following the Spirit doesn't bypass all these things. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise". And then you sit down there, and then who knows? Someone who tell you, "Hey," that, "yeah, you know it looks very glorious and nice, but don't, don't. You know, I know a close friend who has been there, and they got burned, and all that". Oh, yeah, thank God. At least you know, you consult people and you find out from people that are counselors. The Bible says, "In the multitude of counselors there is safety". Didn't say, "In the multitude of friends". They must be counselors, people with God's counsel and wisdom. And yet there are many in this church. Oh you, I gotta say, 'Amen,' to all this. Amen, Pastor Prince, hallelujah.
And before you sign a contract, you know, if you sense there's no peace, then stop for all. Discuss with your wife. Your wife say, "I don't know why". Well, don't say, "Don't know why. Don't know why". Give me a logical reason. I don't know why. Women are more intuitive. That's why the woman was hanging around the middle of the garden, amen. The man wasn't. She was more intuitive to the things of the Spirit. That's why she was the first to hear the voice of the evil spirit, amen, the devil's voice. But women are more inclined. Well, women can sense things about people long before, you know, the man can find out in their head. They can say, "I don't know about this guy". We do not know. The guy says, "Don't judge people, okay"? Nobody can say, "I don't know why, don't. There's something about, something scratchy," amen. Consult your wife.
You know, I'll tell you this. There's a teaching out there that says, "When God gives you peace, you know it's God". Now, the thing is this. You should always be at peace. I will teach it this way. Whenever there's no peace, your peace is affected, then listen. There's the Lord leading, you telling you. 'Cause many a times, you know, you should be at peace. Peace is your default mode as a believer. "Peace I leave with you," have peace, amen. So, how do you know when you're out of it? The peace is affected. In fact, there's a verse that says, "Let the peace act as umpire," in the Amplified Bible in Colossians. "Let the peace of Christ act as umpire continually". In a tennis game, the umpire says, "Out," it's out. No point breaking the racquet down and scolding the umpire and all that, it's out. Nowadays, they have all the, you know, playback video and all that to show whether the ball is in or out, but that's what the umpire does.
The peace of Christ says, "Hmm, out, hmm, yep," amen. Are you listening, people? You meet someone. They offer you something, and something is scratchy and sounds too good to be true, it usually is too good to be true. The only thing that's too good to be true, it sounds like sounds too good to be true, but it's really true because it's really good, is the gospel. So if you have this scratchy feeling, listen to it. Because those people don't have the Holy Spirit in them. You do, and he's in you, and he will lead you, amen. Yes, with peace, but you are in peace all the time. Listen when your peace is affected. When you do something and your peace is affected, don't do it.
There are times I don't even, I bought something already, right? I tasted it and I feel a peace that same time. Of course, I go by my taste. God gave me taste. I taste and then this is a 50/50. Or the other ones that overnight food or whatever, but something inside me says, "Don't touch it". I say, "Whoa, it's $5, you know"? My Singaporean mentality to go, "Whoa, $5, you know"? And the Lord says, "No, don't touch it". There are other times I must tell you, all right, I disobeyed that. Hungry, and it's $5, and it's the only store there. So I ate it. I ate it, but it never stayed in my body. That whole day it was trying to find its way out. You all have been with me. Don't laugh, don't, hey, hey, hey, you all have been doing the same thing also and something inside you, "Oh, never mind, never mind".
And another time, I remember I was in a hurry. Justin was just born at the time and I told Wendy, "I'll take out Justin". Then we took turns. We were outside, and then I rushed to eat my food at a hawker's stand, I still remember. And, man, choked on something. And that's the only time I spend time in hospital overnight because I can't remove it. They had to put me, you know, under anesthesia and removed the thing from my throat. I remember something inside me, "Don't, don't rush. Don't rush, don't rush. It's better not to eat than to rush". But I said, "No I'm hungry". "Hungry" means "must eat". Tried to remove it, it didn't come out. So, God leads us with the peace. Or the way it's done practically is when your peace is affected, amen?
Romans 8:16 "The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God". This is how verse 14 happens: "For as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are sons of God," "huios". These are mature sons of God, "huios". When you are led by the Spirit, you are the kind of son that really pleases him. You are led by the Spirit and then he says, "You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear". The context here is very important. In the Old Testament, they had a spirit of fearing God in the wrong way. That's the context here, "The spirit of bondage again to fear". This word again is there because the Old Testament saints had this fear of God, but this spirit that we receive is the spirit of sonship. Forget the word "adoption," okay? It's actually the word, which is sonship from "huios". "We have received the spirit of sonship by which we cry, 'Abba, Father.'"
You know, our Father is with us, amen? Our heavenly Father is here now, amen. He gave us some gifts just now, amen. He's speaking to us now. He loves us. So we have a spirit that respond. And when we say, "Father," it's not like God is so far away in the universe somewhere in the north side of Zion, you know I mean somewhere far away. No, when we say, "Father," it's family. There's a Father is higher than the names that we learn in the Old Testament. And wonderful as they are, glorious as they are, amen, reverential as they are, "Father" is higher than any other name in the Old Testament. Say, "Father," and feel loved. Feel the love of God. You're a son.
That's how you are led. You must have the spirit of sonship because, if not, you are thinking that you are led by the Spirit, but it's not the Spirit. And that's why, you know, I remember last time, you know, in care groups or cell group and all that, there was a lady. I remember being in a Christian bookstore and I wasn't known yet. I wasn't a pastor then. I remember, and they had a lot of cell groups and all that in churches and all that. So I remember someone saying, "You know, this lady in my cell group, I'm telling you, you know, it was so terrible. Her hair is, like, so long and her makeup, blah, blah, blah, blah". And I'm sitting in there reading a book and I'm thinking to myself, and all that came up in my spirit was this: "Jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous". You know, it's so obvious.
I was a young Christian and young man as well at that time, and still I was picking up that spirit of jealousy. You see, I don't know why when she come in, the Spirit tell me that "no, she is doing something wrong". The Spirit tell me, very spiritual. Those who are the least spiritual use God's name the most. Just remember that. Even when God speaks to me, many a times I don't even tell my pastors what God said to me because it doesn't open up for discussion. I wanna hear their views. At the end, when it all comes to the same conclusion, I know, "Yes, confirm it's God". But they need to follow that journey. If I come and say, "Hey, guys, God told me that". Whoa, "God already tell you. What is there to say"? So I don't do that. I know what God said. And many a times, I know what God has said to me, but I need them to follow me in this journey. I need them to bear witness. Okay, talking about bad witness.
Now here it says, "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God". Now, what's bearing witness? If someone is that in in a court situation, right, you are summoned as a witness. What does that mean? That means you are there to witness to an action already taken. Usually it's criminal action. You are a witness of a person's character or you're a witness of something. So, in other words, something has happened already. The character is there ready. The criminal act has been done, has been executed. You are there as a witness. What does that mean? It means you just tell what you see. You just witness to what you see, right? The thing about, "Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God".
The most important area is to know you are a child of God. I remember years ago in my previous church, when I started speaking in tongues, I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and all that. My deacon brought me to be prayed for by a well-known minister, and he specialized in deliverance. He command my tongue to stop in Jesus's name. He command the demon inside me to name itself, you know? The demon name, I just know is, "My name is Joe," you know? And the demon come. They called it Joe. Anyway, then he summoned all kinda things. "Pray in tongues, pray in tongues". I pray in tongues, and then he summoned Michael to come down and asked Michael to bind this, and did all kinds of things. Finally, he was tired, I was tired, everyone was tired. So he said, "Let's take a break". It don't mean it's a stubborn demon. All because I spoke in tongues.
So he went one corner, I remember, as a young boy, you know, a boy of 14 or 13 at the time. Just blur, you know, don't know what happen. I wanna to do what's right, but I got baptized in the Holy Spirit. And then one of his leaders came beside me. Looked around, make sure his pastor is not around. He say, "Just now during your, what you pray in tongues, do you hear the word you say? 'Shekinah, shekinah, shekinah,' this 'shekinah' means 'glory,' you know"? I didn't know that. He's the first person that ever told me that "shekinah" is "glory". Then he ran off. He was one of the pastor's assistants, one of the pastor's associate pastors, maybe a secret tongue talker, hallelujah. No, the witness is always to tell you, you are a child of God. But all the while, when he told me at the end of the conclusion, he said, "You're not even saved". He told me I'm not even saved.
I don't know, but there's one part where even ignorant as I was at that time. Something inside me rose and said, "No, I'm saved". The next day, I told my deacon in my church, "There's one thing I don't agree with, you know"? I said, "I know I'm saved". He told me, "Don't worry about that, you are. Ignore that," he said. There's a witness and all of us even though our minds struggle with some passages in Scripture or, you know, that kinda thing we hear, preaching that says, "You can lose your salvation". Something inside you says, "No". If you listen to that, you will say, "No". So, in the first area, it tells you, best witness that you're a child of God. What about other things in life? Yes, he will bear witness with you, but bearing witness is this.
A lot of people don't understand. Bearing witness means you take the action. You study, students, means you study. As you are studying, then he can lead you. Nuh-uh, he doesn't bear witness with this passage, all right? This is not the topic that he wants you to focus on. Then he can tell you. Study these topics. You don't have much time all right? He can lead you then. But you don't open the book, "Lord, speak to me. Lord, speak to me. Lord, speak to me. Lord, speak to me. Which book, which topic, Lord? What are the questions that will come out"? Or you sit down and say, "Lord, I'm not gonna go, you know, to church. I'm not gonna. Lord, you just bring the men to me. Lord, I just think that if Michael is the one, that you'll bring Michael in front of me".
It's not God's way. All right, God's way is that you go to church. If you are a single, you go to that, you know, join care group, mix around, get involved in the church, amen. Of course, church not the only place you can find your life partner, but very safe. A lot of the heroines in the Bible, they all found their mate at the water, at the well, lesson. Anyway, safe, but it's possible you can find some way. Of course, God is sovereign, amen. But you can't sit at home and do nothing and expect, "Boom". "Yo, my name is Albert". It doesn't work that way, doesn't work that way, okay? Are you listening? I mean, you don't get down there and say, "What job you want me to do, Lord? What job, what job, what job," you know? Oh, "Give me a job, Lord, give me a job. Give me a job," amen.
You go through and then he's bear witness with you, and you go for the interview. You gotta be there. You gotta feel the interviewer. You gotta feel the environment. You gotta sense it. And if you find something shrinks, something's not there, then go for another one, you know? And the first place I worked, it looked horrible. The place looked horrible, amen. And there was a smell from the restaurant coming upstairs, you know, and they frying salted fish or something like that. But that place, man, I flourished in that place. My boss became a believer. We brought him to Christ. It was a place that prospered me. God is the one that prospered, but God used that place.
So you don't go by what you see. You sense the environment. You sense it. You sense even the interviewer, the person, the words that are spoken. You sense it. When you sit down do nothing, how can he guide you? That's why God cannot guide a parked car. You cannot tell a car that's parked, turn right, turn left, maintain ah, steady ah. It is there all the time. And some Christians think, oh this is the, this is grace. This is rest. No, it's not. Rest is not inactivity, it is Spirit-directed activity. It's not inactivity. Sometimes when you're inactive, you feel blah, you feel frustrated, because the Spirit of God wants you to do something. Get up, amen? Unless you do something, how can he bear witness unless you're moving, you are doing something, unless you are executing, how can he bear witness? Only when you execute, he says yes, he bears witness with it.
If there's no action, there's nothing to bear witness. God told: this is how God does things. I'm bringing this to a close. How does God operate? God user people I said. God says, "I provided me a king among his sons". I love this in 1 Samuel 16, the very first verse. The thing about the environment and the world that we're living in today, being a Christian means persecution. You are being made fun of, being mocked. That was how Israel was at that time. They were mocked by the Philistines. They were the oppressors. There was no champion. Their king was a coward. He was under an evil spirit of depression. And then God says to Samuel, "I have provided me a king among Jesse's sons".
I'm telling you, regardless of what you see in the world today, regardless of how you see the churches sometimes not exactly in united, that's how Israel was, yet God said, "I have provided me". God has his people. God has every need, all right, provided for long before it was a need. So, God has provided a king among his sons, and this is the one that will put an end to the Philistines' rule, amen? "I provided me a king," among whose sons? Jesse's sons. God didn't even mention his name. So, Prophet Samuel had to go to Bethlehem, the town of David where David was, and he had to go the house of Jesse. All he know is Jesse's name, doesn't know which son. He has seven sons. War, they're all men of war. And David was in the field as a shepherd boy, the youngest. So, the father says, "You want to see my boys"? He says yes.
So one by one, they passed by. The first one was tall, dark, and handsome and God says, "This is not the one". He never told the father. The prophet says, "Next," next one came, not the one, not the one, not the one, not the one until the last one, not the one. He said, "Are these all your sons"? Then the father say, "Oh yeah, I remember I got one more son". Imagine if you are his son, imagine. Have you been there before where you are the last to be remembered, huh, last to be called on in a, you know, in a football game or whatever? You're last to be chosen. David was the last one but when he came in ruddy, the Bible says, amen, sweat pouring down, amen, probably smell like sheep. God's says, "This is the one," he anointed it.
Now, my question is this, have you noticed even a prophet does not know who is it until one by one they must pass by, one by one? God doesn't bypass the process of going for a job interview, getting to know people and then when they're in front of you, then you can bear witness, amen. If you're a lead of the Spirit, you're not under the law. You know, there are times that God says don't preach, but God says, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel," right? But there were time Paul wanted to go to Macedonia, and the Spirit of God allowed him not, the Bible says. And the next verse says, "A vision came to him at night," a man in Macedonia. So, didn't allow him to preach in Asia Minor, it wasn't time yet. By the ways, that's present-day Turkey. And it wasn't time yet, so God wanted the gospel to go west to the Grecians, and then a vision happened.
But, you know, some people have this attitude, "As long as the gospel is preached, I don't care". But maybe God doesn't want you to preach the gospel at this time in that place. He has another place for you. So, you're not just open door, open door may not just be a sign, but open door is one of it. But when you look at an open door in the counsel of wise men and then the witness of the Spirit, you know you're on the right track. I shared with y'all before, you remember the story of Paul? He was a prisoner on board the ship, Roman ship bound for Rome. And then he told the centurion, "I perceive that this voyage will be with much damage". But the Bible says he told the centurion, the Roman centurion, "Don't leave yet, I perceive".
How does he perceive? In his spirit. "That is a voyage will be with much damage". But the guy rather listen to his helmsmen. The helmsman, the Bible says, notice the wind was blowing just right and he's an experienced helmsmen. So, he told the centurion, "time to go". Y'all know what happened, right? There was a storm, an unexpected storm called Euroclydon and it smashed against the sheep, and they were all depressed. And for days and days, they never saw the sun. It was blocked. And then the Bible tells us that Paul stood up and says, "Guys, y'all should have listened to me". I love it. "Guys, y'all should have listened to me. Nonetheless, take courage, God has shown me that we'll not be killed. We'll be marooned on an island, which is called Malta, which means honey, a picture of land of milk and honey.
When you follow the Lord, you can either reach there peacefully, or you can go there by planks. Finally, you know, they went there, the storm broke against the ship. They were stuck between a rock and then smashed the back. And they all went on planks and all that. But all the while Paul says, "I perceive that this voyage will be much damage". How many of you like to have a vision from the Lord or got, you know, a vision coming up and you see things, right? You all like that, right? But don't look for it, amen? If you look for a vision, the devil can deceive you. But number one, ask God for wisdom. Always ask God for wisdom, then consult your leaders around you and how they feel. They also have the Holy Spirit in them, not just you. Consult them, make sure they are counselors, these are counselors, not just friends, amen? Because there's a good thing and there's a God thing. Don't just do a good thing. The good is the enemy of the God thing. Many a times you settle for less.
So, after that, ask God for wisdom, seek counsel, and then, listen to the Spirit. Take an action. You feel like this the right action, you'll now be really sure. "I'm not too sure". Take the action, amen? As you think the action, you will sense in your spirit that the peace is affecting you. And if you have done that, then God may give you a vision. But again, you don't look for it. God may give you a vision, like what Paul did. Paul went out to preach the gospel. He asked God for wisdom. He went out to preach the gospel. He has his friends around him, amen? He always went with someone. And then not only that, he listened to the spirit. Spirit said, "Don't preach to Asia Minor this time". Then a vision happened to Macedonia.
Years ago, and I'll close with this, years ago as I was learning these things, I was already a pastor then, but God was bringing me deeper into some of these things. And I was asking God to teach me to move more in the Spirit, and to, you know, more for ministry. But the Lord taught me how to flow with him. I remember one night, and the World Cup was on, I still remember, and this was years ago. And the World Cup was on, and I had a meeting, I think a leaders meeting, in the office. And it went quite some time past midnight. And the the World Cup was in the place where you can watch it at midnight, just like the recent one. So, I was kind of like going a bit fast. If there are TP here, all right, I was going fast, but I think I was still in the speed limit.
Okay, I was like, you know, it was my favorite team playing. I was rushing back on the expressway and all of a sudden, when I zoomed past, I saw someone climbing over the central divider, right? And it was an older man. So, I just went straight. Nobody was there so it was late at night, about one o'clock, one plus. Zoom, and, you know, I saw the old man climbing over the central divider, all right, and I just went straight. So, I went straight, the peace was affected. The Bible says follow after love, and desire spiritual gifts. It could have said, "Be loving". Doesn't say that. It is says follow after love as if love is a person. Follow after love. The Holy Spirit will lead you with the peace and also with his love.
When you have compassion for someone, text them, amen? You have compassion for somebody or even at the workplace where the cleaners in the food court, they are cleaning. One person just like sort of like feel compassion for the person. Give her some money, you know? I mean, and tell her, yeah, so I need. That's all you need to do. I guarantee you next time you go back there, your table is the first one they will clean. But we're not looking for that, we're not looking for that. We are looking to be a blessing. A little kindness goes a long way. Follow after love. When there's love for some, stop and say, "I gotta talk to this child. I gotta bless this person. I gotta text this person. I gotta say something that God's favor is shining on you today, something like that. Follow the love".
So anyway, I was driving and it was quite some distance away. I was arguing with that peace. And I had felt so much love for that old man, I don't know why, okay? And I just stopped at the side of the road. Now, I don't recommend is, okay, but it's just a unique situation. There was not many cars on the road, one plus. I had to stop at the shoulder because he was crossing right way back there. So, I sort of like looked behind and just reversed near the shoulder all the way until I saw him. So, I stopped and I went to him. And later on I found out he's at Giovanni's, all right, based in here in Singapore. An elderly guy, probably in his early 80's. And I said, "Can I help you"? You know?
And by the way, he was still in the central divider. I had to bring him across to the other side. Say, "Can I help you"? And he was speaking to me in Malay. And I didn't understand. He was saying that, "I just look, I want to eat," he says. "I'm looking for a place to eat". I said, "Very hard to find a place to eat here, this kind of place". I say that, "Where is your house"? "Oh, it's down there, but nobody home". You know I said, "Oh man, what do I do now"? I just bring him to eat, lah. "Why don't I just bring you to eat"? "No, no, I'm looking for that place". He mentioned a place that I don't understand, you know? And he says, "I eat there, sometimes I eat there. I'm looking for that place". I said, "What place? You tell me. I bring you somewhere, okay? I bring you somewhere to eat". "No, no, I want to go that place. I don't go anywhere, I just want to go to that place".
You know, so I said, "Never mind, you come to my car first". So, he went to my car I say, "Lord, what do I do"? So, I obeyed, I follow after love, I obeyed the peace, or at that point, the lack of it, amen? And then now what's left? "What do I do, Lord"? I'm telling you just like that, just like that. Don't look for it. I didn't look for it, I didn't expect it but the vision came up and the vision was a food court at Hawker Centre in Singapore. And later on I found out it's called ABC Center where you lived, you know, down there. And I saw the ABC Center and I saw it, I saw it. I've been there before. I said, "Hey," I said, "Is it the ABC Center"? "No". And then he described to me. I said, oh boy, I thought was go out, I was excited, you know? Say, "Never mind, I bring you to eat, okay? I bring you to eat".
Then I drove all the way, find a U-turn somewhere, and I went all the way to the ABC Center in Alexandra Road, you know? I went all the way there, then when I came down there he say, "This place, this place"? He say, "Yeah, yeah," you know? So, I brought him, you know, then straightaway, there's a Malay shop with the teh tarik guy down there. The guy say, "hey," call his name. And he brought him down there, sat down there, then he was meeting like an old friend. And they said that, "Wah, this guy very pitiful or not"? The guy told me that, the Hawker told me this. He said that, "Poor guy," he said that, "many a times, his son just abandon him at home. He doesn't eat, you know. Only some here weekends". And that wasn't a weekend, by the way. Say that, "Terrible, ah"? But for me I was like in a daze. I was like, you see, I was asking the Lord to teach me more about obeying his voice.
See, all these things are obeying the voice of God, and this is what he led me to. He led let me to, first of all, ask him for wisdom. So, I asked God for wisdom to know how to be led by his Spirit, for him to teach me to profit, asked for wisdom to profit in every area of my life. Ask God for wisdom, amen, to know his voice. Ask God for wisdom. Actually, to know his voice is a redundant statement, you know? A baby knows a mother's voice, even though there's a group of ladies down there. A baby can even tell. "My sheep hear my voice". He didn't say, "My sheep learn to hear my voice". So, take it for granted, you're a child of God, you know his voice. Your confession of faith should be, "I know Jesus's voice. I hear his voice," amen? But being led, I asked God to teach me more, to be more sensitive. Nothing wrong with God's part, it's my part. So I said, "Teach me". So, ask God for wisdom.
Number two, get counselors around you, amen, discuss with them, people you trust. And number three, even while they are discussing, you can sense your spirit and take the first action. Don't just say, "I'll sit down there. I've been sitting for six months, still I do not know is it A job or B job, which job to go for? You know, A university, or this university? Of course, university has a time limit but, you know"? No, no, just go on this step. "Okay, I'm going for A. Lord, I've asked you for wisdom. Everything seems to point to this direction. If I'm wrong, tell me, Lord". And as you plan and go on, if there's a lack of peace or there's an increase of peace, you know you're on the right track. And if need be, after all those things are done, then if God needs to give you a vision, he will give you a vision. But don't look for a vision first, never.
When I say vision, I don't mean like vision outside, you know, all right? But I'm talking about vision on the inside. Many a times, God gives a vision that seems to float from the inside, all right, to your mind's eye. You can see it. Many times the gifts of the Spirit, the same thing as well for me, okay? Have y'all learned something? And there's many areas to cover but I pray that I've said what the Lord wants me to say, amen. Give Jesus the praise, the glory, and the honor, hallelujah. Amen, amen. Stand to your feet. Real quick, I just want to pray for those of you you say that, "I want Jesus to be my Savior and Lord. I believe Christ is the only one that can bring full salvation into my life. I'm lost, and I need Jesus, and I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and I want the Spirit of God to lead me and guide me".
Well, the only way that Jesus can fill us with the Holy Spirit is for us to be born again. We need to be saved. You need to be born again. Those who are born once only die twice. There's a death to come in the lake of fire, the Bible tells us. But those are born twice, born into this world naturally and born spiritually, may only die once, amen? The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If that is you, pray this prayer with me right now.
Heavenly Father, I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and I believe he died on the cross for my sins, was judged in my place so that I'll never be condemned for all my sins. The blood he shed through that blood, all my sins past, present, and future, are forgiven, remitted. Thank you, Father, that you raised Jesus from the dead when all my sins were all put away. Thank you, Father, Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. In Jesus's name.
And all the people said, amen, amen, amen. Praise the Lord, all right. Lift your hands all across this place.
This coming week, Father in heaven, I ask that you teach your people. I ask, Father, in Jesus's name, that you will hone, Lord, their skills and make them more sensitive, Lord, to the wonderful Holy Spirit on the inside of them. Father, even in their marriage, in their parenting, in their social relationships, in their work, in every area, lead them to profit, cause them, Lord, to prosper. Grant them good success. And Father, I thank You, Lord. I pray that everyone here under the sound of my voice will be a trophy of your grace, that people will look at them and say, "I want what they have". They leave naturally but such a supernatural touch on their lives. Let this be the testimony, Father, of everyone under the sound of my voice. And Father in heaven, protect every single one and their families from harm, danger, and from all evil throughout this week. In Jesus's name.