Joseph Prince - Can I Ask God To Prosper Me?
Hello, church, what a blessing to come into your homes once again and just to participate with what God is doing in the church at this time, and to share with you the Word in season that I believe I received from the Lord for you at this time. And I just want to say also that you are always in my heart. In fact, I miss you all so much that I think of you all the time, and I'm praying for you all so that the Lord will keep you safe and protected during this time, that the Lord will bless you with family blessings, that you will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, even during this time of the circuit breaker and the lockdown, that you will come to know Jesus even in that time of Sabbath rest.
That's what I believe God is doing, allowing us to take a, maybe for many of us, a compulsory rest during this time where we sit and come to know him better. Don't use that time just to watch, you know, Netflix and Korean dramas, and all that. That's fine, but take time also to spend time with the Lord. Start reading up on some of my books that you have not been reading, right, and catch up with the daily devotional every single day, amen. Get to know the Lord during this time. And I believe that when things get back to normal, at least we know that we have spent that time fruitfully in the Lord, amen.
And I just want to say also that I shared with the pastors something the Lord gave me. Last few sermons, one of the sermons that I was preaching and while I was preaching, and I was seeing all of you in the Spirit. And the Lord said to me, "This is how pastoring is to be". And he gave me this verse, then and there he gave me this verse from Colossians chapter 2. If you look up here it says, Paul says, "For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ".
Now notice, Paul says, "Though I'm absent in the flesh", just like right now as your pastor, I'm absent in the flesh. I'm coming into your homes via technology, amen. But I thank God for technology. I believe this idea is the Lord, amen. God allows this invention and these breakthroughs in technology for such a time as this, amen. But yet, physically, I'm absent, but that doesn't mean that, you know, we pastor in the natural, we are confined to our senses, amen. Even in counseling, we should not be confined to our senses. The Bible says of the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 11, he will not judge based on the sight of his eyes, nor by the hearing of his ears.
So, I always advise my pastors and leaders, when they counsel, to always be sensitive to the Spirit, and that's how we pastor. and I was telling the pastors as well that we need to pass the all of you in the Spirit. though we are absolutely in the flesh bodily, we can still pastor you, pray for you in the Spirit. And when you are in prayer, let me tell you this, you are in the space that is actually spaceless. you are in the time zone that is actually timeless because God can just reach out to the other part of the world and touch you while I pray within the confines of my room.
So, it's the Lord of time and space all over again. The Lord, in prayer, we can travel thousands of miles in prayer. we can even touch heaven, amen. In prayer, we can even go into the very recesses of a man's heart that the Bible says it takes the Word of God to divide soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow we can pray for your healing. We can pray for God's breakthrough in the areas of your life without having to be there physically. Isn't it amazing? So, this verse is a great encouragement to me when I... I'm already practicing this. It's not as if God gave me that verse and then God is just confirming to me by giving me that verse to say that that's how it ought to be done.
Pastoring ought to be supernatural, amen. So, trust me that right now, all our pastors are praying for you. We are praying for you, and we are praying led by the Spirit. We are praying for areas in the church that we know needs help, or even individuals as the Lord brings them to our heart and mind, amen? So, know this, that you are loved, you are being fed, that you are pastored, even during this time, except we are not together physically, amen, but we are in the Spirit. And Paul says, "Even in the Spirit, I behold your good order, and your steadfastness of your faith in Christ", praise the Lord.
You know, I feel in my spirit that it's time for us to hear this Word. The Lord told me that, in fact, I was a bit reluctant to preach the Word that you were here today, but one of those messages, you know, that you would rather not because you feel like you'll be misunderstood, but the Lord said to me that a lot of people cannot pray without reservation, without doubts. They still have that reservation in their heart, they still have that voice as if telling them they should not be praying this prayer. I'm alluding to Psalms 91, and even voices right now saying that, "Yeah, there are people praying Psalms 91 and things like that, but we gotta keep it real, we gotta keep it real".
Now, I just want to address some of these things and look at the Scriptures because the Lord told me that he wants me to push on this. And he says that, "I want my people to be established to know that I love them, and I want them, I want them to prosper. And I want them to be protected during this time. And I want them to be in health". Amen, let's look at 3 John chapter 1, verse 2. It says, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers".
Now, the Apostle John would not express something that would not be God's will. God will not allow this statement to be put in his holy Scriptures if it's not inspired. Every Scripture, the Bible says all Scripture is God-breathed, amen, inspired by God. And I believe, not just in the idea of the subject that's inspired, but I believe in the plenary inspiration of Scripture. I believe that even the words are inspired of God. So, I believe that if John is expressing something in his heart that you prosper in all things and be in health, and yet it's not God's will, but it's just John expressing it, then it would not be in the Scriptures because in the Scriptures, John, or Peter, or Paul, they are just secretaries. They are just secretaries. They write down what the Holy Spirit inspired them, breathed on them to write, even the words are inspired.
For example, in the book of Galatians, Paul argues from one letter. He says that the promise is made to thy seed, singular, not to they seeds, plural. And Paul makes the argument, it's not the seeds as in the generation of Abraham, his descendants rather, his descendants, the Jewish people, he's not referring to the seeds there. The promise is given to your seed, singular. So Paul argues from just one letter, amen. Without the S in the English you would say that that seed is Christ, amen. So, even the letter itself is inspired by God.
Another time Jesus told the Sadducees who didn't believe, the Sadducees don't believe in resurrection from the dead and Jesus said to them, "You do err greatly", not knowing the Scriptures needed the power of God. And Jesus says, God says, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob". Now, at that point in time, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have passed on to be with the Lord, and yet the Lord used that verb, "I am", just one word, "am". In other words, I am still the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That means what? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is alive somewhere, amen. Because God says, "I'm still there God", amen? They are still alive. God is not the God of the dead but of the living, amen. So, he argues from there.
And notice the Sadducees never came back or reported by saying, "You cannot use an argument just from one word. Don't you know Scripture is just idea inspired, not word-for-word inspired"? They never said that to Jesus. They knew, even in that day, that his Scriptures are inspired, amen. So, John says, "Beloved", agapetos, and who better than John, the apostle of love, who knew that he was loved dearly by the Lord. He calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved, that God used him to express his desire for all of us. "Beloved, I pray above all things". In the King James says, "I wish above all things". In the New King James it says, "I pray".
Notice that word can be used for, prayer in the Greek can prayer or wish is used in both. For example, that same word is used, for example, in James where it says, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another". It can't be wish for one another that you may be healed, but rather pray. So, pray is also part of it. "I wish for you and I pray for you, that you prosper in all things and be in health, even as your souls prosper".
Notice, this prosperity, some people will say, "Well, this prosperity means, you know, just have a safe journey, have a good journey, you know, prosper in terms of your emotions", you know? They want to limit it in one or two areas only, okay? But prosperity here is used also in 1 Corinthians 16 where it says, and it says here, "Concerning the collection for the saints", this is talking about offering for the saints. Paul says, "As I've given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week", that's a Sunday like all of us do, "let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him". This word "prospered" is the same word used in the Greek for 3 John 2. "I pray that you prosper", same word used.
So, prosperity here, in fact, in the very same verse John is saying, "I pray that you prosper in", how many things? All things in the Greek, pass in every and specific areas, in all, in all areas, in every specific parts, amen, you prosper and be in health. Be in health, even as your souls prosper. Now, here's what some people will say, "Well, notice that your soul must prosper and all that", always assuming that people's souls are not prospering, but here it's a given. God is saying your souls are prospering because you are listening to the Word because you are believers, and because you are always attentive. Yeah, it doesn't mean we are perfect. It doesn't mean that we need to be in a place of perfect holiness, then God says, "Your souls are prospering".
No, in fact, you read this verse, it is characteristic, it is a given. Of all believers, your souls are prospering. So Paul says, your soul is prospering, amen. you are now the righteousness of God in Christ. When God looks at you, God sees you righteous in Christ, holy and blameless in Christ. That's how God sees you. Now, our behavior has not measured up. In fact, that's a journey for us, amen? But you never judge your position by your behavior. You always judge your behavior by your position. Your position is that God has made you righteous in Christ. At the cross, God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. So, that's our position, amen. That's who we are in God's eyes, amen.
But a lot of people just bypass the position and say it's important to behavior needs to measure up, but the thing is that you are judging your position based on your behavior. When you don't behave right, you are saying that at that moment, you are not righteous, or you are conscious that you fall short, and you can't pray the way you want to pray with boldness and in faith, because you feel that your behavior has affected your position. Now friend, that is having it the other way around. God wants you to judge your behavior by your position, amen, not judge your position by your behavior. Praise the Lord, amen. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus.
So, God is saying that your souls are prospering because you are a child of God, amen. And God says, "I want you to know this, all right, pray for each other that you prosper in all things". So, I'm praying for you, church. When I received this revelation from the Lord some time back, you know, I've been praying this for all of you, that God cause you to prosper in how many things? All things, amen, that's what I pray for, in all things in life, not just finances, in every area, in your marriage, in your relationship with your children, in your social interactions that you prosper in all things. And not only that, be in health, be in health. I pray for you that you be in health, that tells us God's will, even as your souls prosper.
So, God is saying he wants these areas of prosperity and health to follow your soul's prosperity, even as your souls prosper, which is a given. Once you're a believer, your souls are prospering, amen? So, God is saying, all right, "I wish above all things, and I pray above all things". And we need to pray. You know, sometimes we have this idea that because something is God's will, we don't have to pray for it to happen because it's God's will. Jesus died to give this to us, so we know it, amen, it's a done deal so we don't have to pray. But if you look at the Scriptures, prayer is something that you don't just pray for something to like, you know, people have this idea that God is not persuaded to do something and usually it's something good, but we need to pray to motivate God to do something good.
Now, friend, that's not prayer. Prayer is actually coming in alignment, and declaring your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. God already willed in heaven. You see, if you go to heaven right now, there is no COVID-19 virus there. In heaven, there is no sickness, there is no disease, that's why there's no hospitals in heaven. There is no shortage, there is no lack, there is no poverty, amen, in heaven. But you see, friend, in heaven, which is a standard that Jesus says, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". That's the measurement that the law says to pray as it is in heaven, not as it is in Timbuktu, or in a nation that is prosperous or whatever. He's saying as it is in heaven. That's how we have to pray, amen. That's God's will for us, amen.
So, we have to pray, "Our Father who art in heaven, your kingdom come, your will be done in my life, in my family's life. Your will be done on earth in our lives as it is in heaven". What does that mean? Is there sickness in heaven? No. So, if you're sick, you're praying for God's will to be done in your life, you are declaring in the kingdom of God, there is healing, amen, you are declaring wholeness to yourself, amen, hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
Now, here is where the reason the Lord wants me to preach this strongly is because, you know, there are voices today and it's been around for some time. They will say, "These are the people that believe in the health and wealth gospel". Now, you see how bad that sounds, health and wealth? And because instead of using the word "provision", they use the word "wealth" because it rhymes. It's sort of alliteration with health. So, but actually, does God want us to be healthy? Does God want us to prosper? Does God want us to have provisions?
Let's put it that way. Now, friends, God is against avarice. God is against the love of money. God is against us hoarding, being miserly, being stingy, amen. That's why God instituted in his Word tithing and offering because that breaks the backbone of covetousness, of greed, amen. It breaks, it removes the root of all evil, which is the love of money, not money, but the love of money. So friend, you cannot bless the poor.
You know, just the other day I was looking at some of the poor children in Tondo, in Philippines and our church is involved. Church, I just want you to know that you are now helping, right now, amen, helping and providing many kgs of rice to be given to the poor children living in the slums in Philippines in a place called Tondo. You are vitally involved in that, church, and for that, I thank you. I thank you for your generosity. So, we are looking for ways to be a blessing, not just in Tondo, but many other areas. We are also helping to support pastors during this time and around the world. And we are on the lookout always to be a blessing.
Now, we cannot do that if we don't have the means, we don't have the provisions, amen? So, the thing is that we talked about health and wealth, what's happening is that people, when they pray that God prospers them, they pray with reservation, they're not to show that God wants them to prosper. They will say, "God, prosper my business", but then there is that little, you know, niggly kind of feeling that in the back of their minds that God really doesn't want you to prosper, are you sure? And they probably watch a YouTube video, or they heard a sermon, or someone saying health and wealth, that kind of thing. And there's always that doubt.
Now, friend, something about the kingdom of God. It operates on faith, by grace through faith. In other words, if you are not in faith, without faith, it's impossible to please God. In fact, the Scripture says whatever is not of faith is sin. Now, think about that. Let that be a definition of sin in your life. We think of the big biggies, you know? We think of adulteries, murders, and things like that, sin. But Bible says whatever is not of faith is sin. Without faith, it's impossible to please God, amen?
So, like that woman with the issue of blood, do you remember the story? The Bible says there was a woman who was hemorrhaging badly for 12 years, and she suffered under the hands of many physicians. And as she grew, she grew worse actually. And she had spent all that she had, now she's poor. She had spent all she had and was nothing better, but rather grew worse. And the Bible says when she heard of Jesus, what do you think she heard about Jesus? When she heard of Jesus, did she hear about a Jesus that says that, "unless you are holy enough, you cannot receive my healing? Unless you have it all together, I cannot minister blessing to you". Is that the kind of Jesus she heard, a false Jesus?
The Bible talks about the devil will transform himself in these last days as an angel of light, amen, causing people to preach another Jesus. But we need to go back to the Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the Gospels, and the Scriptures that are inspired to see the Jesus of the Bible, the Jesus that you and I have fallen in love with, the one that first loved us and gave himself for us on the cross. What's Jesus like? When you look at Jesus, she heard of that Jesus and whatever she heard gave her confidence in spite of the fact that according to the law, she was not allowed to be outdoors among the public, amen, just very much like the COVID-19 virus at this time.
And yet, at the same time, this lady, the Bible says, she came in the press behind. Let's read, the Bible says, "When she had heard of Jesus, she came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said"... Now, in the Greek, she kept on saying imperfect tense. She kept on saying, "If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole". "And straightaway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed off that plague".
Friends, notice, the Bible says that she kept on saying to herself, "If I can just touch the hem of his garment, if I can just touch the very extremities of his clothes, I shall be whole". She didn't say, "I may be well, I might get well, perhaps I might get well, perhaps not". No, "I shall be whole" is a powerful statement. It is there is no uncertainty in that statement, amen? "I shall be whole". So, whatever she heard of Jesus, she heard of a Jesus who is willing to heal, who is willing to use his power on your behalf for your good, for your benefit, for your blessing. That's the Jesus she heard often, amen.
Now, her revelation of Jesus is not that full yet, amen. And most people that come to Jesus the first time around, they may have a faith about Jesus's goodness and willingness to use his power, but they don't know him personally. So, she came behind and took the healing, took the healing, so to speak, all right? And if you drop down, you'll see what Jesus said, the woman fearing and trembling when Jesus asked, "Jesus felt power left him and he says, 'Who touched me?' So, the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, she came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And Jesus said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well'". Your faith.
Notice, even though his power is involved, he didn't say, "My power has made you well, my grace has been sufficient for you". He didn't say those things. He said, "Woman, daughter, your faith, your faith has made you well". Now, one thing about faith, faith operates, not by us looking at our faith. Faith operates when we see Jesus in the fullness of his grace, amen, full of grace and of truth. The Bible says, Jesus, out of his fullness of all we receive, full of grace and truth. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The law was given, you know, the Ten Commandments was given from a distance. God even told the people, don't come near. He set boundaries on Mount Sinai, amen. The law was given. I can send you by delivery some good food. In fact, just the other day we sent some good food to one of the pastors for them to eat, amen. So, we can deliver something to someone, all right, via delivery, amen, especially during the times that we are in. And but that's not personal, isn't it? We are looking for the day when we can come and visit, become in person. But the grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Coming in person and giving from a distance is totally different. The law was given by a servant, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The law says, "Don't, don't, don't". Grace says, "I shall, I will, I will, I shall", amen. In essence, the law says, "I will not forget your sins, but I'll visit your sins to the third and fourth generation". Grace, on the other hand, says, "I'll remember your sins no more", amen. Your sins and iniquities I remember no more. "No more" means, there was a time in the Old Testament under the law where God remembered people's sins and would visit their sins as a judicial judge, to judge their sins to the third and fourth generation, but no more. Why? The cross changed everything. God so loved the world that God didn't want to show this part of his, you know, he is a judge, but that's not what he is in essence. He's love. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son".
Just like today, if you have a judge, amen, and a good judge, he's heart is not in all the judicial decisions, especially when he sentence someone to death, all right? I don't believe a good judge will have his heart in it, but he has to make a decree or a declaration based on the law, amen. If he doesn't upkeep the law, the whole universe would disintegrate. I'm referring to God. If God is not a God of his Word, he is not a just God. He's not a righteous God, amen. The whole universe would disintegrate, amen, and anarchy will rule, and that's what happened when Satan came against God. And Satan knew that God is a God of righteousness, a God of order, a God that's holy and just. But what Satan failed to realize is God, in his essence, is love.
In Micah chapter 6, it tells us this: "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy"... the word "mercy" here is "hesed", which is grace, "and to walk humbly with your God"? "So what does God require of you, O, man, but to do justice", that's what he says in the ESV. It says, "To do justice", that's what it is also in the original Hebrew from which this is taken from, "and to love kindness", you can talk about mercy and kindness being expressions of the word "hesed". And the word here is "hesed", which is actually "grace". "Grace", "hesed". "To love", "hesed".
Notice, even though the judge, like many of us leaders, we have to make decisions. Sometimes we make decisions that we are not proud of. We don't want to make that decision, but we have to. If somebody is abusing another person, we have to report it, constantly and refuse to respond to our counsel or refuse to repent of his ways and constantly hurt another person, we will report it, amen. We will tell on him. We will execute what is right to protect the other person or families that are involved, amen.
So these are decisions that's usually done righteously, nonetheless judicially, amen. But, you know, when we see people be incarcerated, even as a judge, a good judge will do justice. His hands will perform justice. A good leader, he will do justice, but his heart will always love, "hesed", he will love mercy. He will love kindness. He will love grace, amen? May all of us be leaders whose hearts love and cherish grace. We wanna show grace to people, show mercy, amen? Although sometimes we have to execute justice, amen, amen? Praise the Lord.
So God is like that. God has to do justice, but God says that, even in the Scriptures, in Isaiah, it says that God's anger is a strange act. For God, it's not himself. Yes, he does have anger, but you'll never find in the Scriptures, "God, rich in anger". It's always "God, rich in mercy". That's what he is. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". This God so loved you and I, even when we didn't care about God, and God is not in our thoughts, amen. Some of us, we don't even believe in him, in his existence, and, yet God loved us, and God sent his Son. God never asked our permission even. God loved us and sent his Son to die on the cross for all our sins, amen? The one who is perfect love, amen, came here, love incarnate, amen.
"The Word became flesh", and we took the one who did nothing wrong, who went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil. The Bible says, even Pilate who had to pass the sentence because he feared the Jews of his day, he actually said this. He said, "I find no fault in this man". The one that betrayed Jesus, Judas, with 30 pieces of silver, he, out of his own mouth, he threw the money down and says, "I have betrayed innocent blood", amen. The centurion who saw everything that happened at the cross, when Jesus, he cried out, most victims of crucifixion, they don't even have the breath left when they are stretched out like that for many hours. They don't even have the breath left, and, yet the Bible says at the end, Jesus cried with a strong, loud voice. He was Master till the end.
Death didn't overcome him, and he died. He didn't succumb. He gave. He dismissed his Spirit. The language in Matthew, it says, Jesus positioned himself for death, and he shouted, "It is finished", and, "Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit", and then he dismissed his Spirit like a King would. Hallelujah, praise the Lord. And this wonderful Jesus, when he died on the cross, God so loved us that God took our sins as well as our diseases.
That's what Isaiah 53, says, and Matthew 8:17. He took our diseases, and he carried it in his own body on that cross, and he did a clean sweep of all our sins that today God is not just satisfied. He is glorified by what Christ has done at the cross, so much so, that the Bible tells us that what is left is much more, much more, much more. It is not just payment to clear the deck. It is actually filling the deck with all the blessings and the goodness of God that otherwise we can never receive. It's not only making a thief who broke into your house, amen, not reporting him, that is merciful, okay, letting him go. That is merciful. But making him your adopted son, to adopt him into your family and having title to all the inheritance and to all the privileges and blessings of the family, that is something else. That's God's grace, people. Hallelujah.
So this God in our life, you know, talking about back to what we were saying, he wants you to prosper. He wants you to be in health, and, yet we are hearing voices that tell us, "Well, you know, you gotta be careful of that kind of thing". No, you be careful of greed. Be careful of being stingy. Be careful of the love of money. And you can have the love of money with no money in your pocket. You just think of money the whole day, amen. I'm not saying rich people are generous or rich people are bad. Don't generalize things like that. It doesn't mean poor people never have the love of money. You cannot say that. In fact, sometimes, when you don't have something, you think about it a lot, amen. You even crave for it.
So, friend, God wants you to prosper because it's prosperity with a purpose, amen. God wants you to be healthy because of all the gifts he has put in you in a calling he placed on your life, even when you're in your mother's womb, he wants you to fulfill it. There's no point dying before your time and then you go to heaven, and then God says, "Have you done what I told you do"? You can't say like the Apostle Paul, "I fought a good fight. I finished the course. I finished the race". You can't say, all right? But, friend, always there's this voice that comes in, and people have reservations in their heart to believe God, to pray for that to happen, okay?
Just like when Jesus, he came to the leper. Remember that? The leper. A leper was, the Bible says, this man, who was a leper, came to Jesus and says, "Lord, if you are willing". So he knew that Jesus could heal him because he said, "If you are willing, you can make me clean". He didn't doubt the Lord's power, but he doubted his willingness, amen? So we all have imperfect ideas about the Lord, and that's why we need teaching that is in line with Scripture, amen. Even the argument whether the Lord wants to heal or not, we can settle that once and for all.
Now, for a while, let's not talk about people who are not healed or people who have gone on, you know, and to be with the Lord. I, myself, have lost loved ones in my life. You know, when Wendy and I lost our child that was in the womb, I mean, it hurt. It was painful, amen, but I still preach that God heals. I still preach that God restores, amen. I still preach God is a good God, amen. God is a God, you know, his heart is always compassionate to his people, and like a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth and have mercy and compassion on his children.
The Word there is so beautiful. The Lord is merciful and gracious and compassionate. The word "compassionate" is like a mother having, you know, it's a word used for the womb, like a mother's love for a child. I mean, no, God's love is greater than a mother's love. But, friend, if you open yourself up, amen, to these voices that says, "Health and wealth", and "health and wealth", you know, and then you don't have the confidence to pray because these words have disturbed you, and they'll say, "What about Paul"? "What about the martyrs who suffered"?
All right, now, in the next message, stay tuned 'cause in the next message I will address some of these issues involving the martyrs, involving Paul, amen, and there is a place of suffering in the Bible, but we need to see it accurately, amen. Does not change the fact that, when you read John 2, ask yourself, is this Scripture? Is this holy Scripture? Amen, when Jesus went about healing all, and it says, "all", amen. Look at this verse in Mark chapter 6. It says here, "Wherever Jesus entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might just touch the hem of his garment. And as many as touched him were made well". How many? "As many".
Now, the Bible didn't say that Jesus healed everyone in Israel at the time because not everyone came to him. But the Bible says, "As many as reached out to him", "As many who trust in him", and would come to him because they know he loves them. They know that he's gonna use his power in them. "As many as touched him were made whole", amen. And Acts 10, verse 38, says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil".
So, here we see Jesus healing all that were oppressed, wherever he went about, and here, the healings and contacts of those who came to him, or he will go to them, amen, but he didn't heal everyone just by one swipe of his hand, everyone in Israel is healed. No. And neither can we save people, amen, from eternal destruction, amen, those who don't wanna believe in Jesus and his saving grace. There are people who attend, for example, a Billy Graham crusade. If you have been privileged to attend one of them, it's an amazing, amazing atmosphere, you know? You just feel the love of God throughout the whole thing.
I remember as a young boy attending one of his services, back then, in my nation, and Billy Graham was here, and what a joy, what a joy to be in that place. What a privilege, amen? But do you know something? There were so many people who came up to receive Jesus that night, but there were also many that I personally knew who also walked out without accepting Jesus. Now, does that mean because not many were saved? Now, many were saved, but also not many received Christ, amen. Not many responded to the salvation call.
Does mean that it's not God's will? No, the Scriptures plainly tells us, clearly, God is not willing that any should perish, any, but that God is waiting, amen. He's long-suffering. He's patient, the Bible tells us, amen. He believes that his goodness, the more we preach his goodness, the more we preach that God loves you, amen, and the more you preach and share that and you witness that to your colleagues, to your friends, to your family members, amen, the more you share with them, hey, and you get them to tune in, amen, every time on Sunday. Invite a friend, amen. Get into the evangelistic spirit, amen. Praise God.
That's one of the most thrilling things you can do. The Lord loves it. He gave us a commission: "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel", and what better way than the Lord of time and space right now transcending time, transcending space, reaching out to more people? And our broadcast is reaching out to a lot of people. Why don't you invite a friend this coming Sunday, amen? Tell him to tune in. Make it easy for them. We are making a little invite ready for you, and you can just download that and just put your friend's name down and just invite a friend, amen? Invite people that maybe you're not close with but, you know, is your hairstylist, or someone that you go for a manicure with and, you know, people like this, invite them, amen, to tune in. Their lives will never be the same, amen, because you cared for them to invite them. Praise the Lord, amen?
So, just because not everybody is saved in a Gospel rally does not mean it's not God's will. Likewise, maybe pray for the sick, many are healed. We have so many testimonies, and I have many testimonies that I wanna share also as the Lord leads me. We have so many testimonies coming in, but there are always those, you know, the people that complain about health and wealth and trying to put people into this alliteration, make it sound so bad, "health and wealth gospel", you know. They will be the first one that say, "But many are not healed. Many are not healed". No, I don't talk about those in Billy Graham rally, those who walked away, all right, without Christ. I don't talk about them, "Many were not saved". No, I rejoice over the fact that many were saved because Billy Graham came to town, amen, and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I rejoice with that. Why don't you rejoice with that? Amen, praise the Lord. Doesn't change.
Friends, if there are Scriptures in your mind right now, because I'm focusing on this. There are a lot of Scriptures that you might ask, like, "What about the Apostle Paul? He suffered". And I said I'll share that in the next message. Stay tuned. But, for now, you need to know beyond the shadow of any doubt. Now, if reservations in your heart, for some of you, if you pray, "God, prosper this business that I'm embarking on", and you say, "Lord", of course, you know, you consult the Lord. Ask him for his wisdom first before you embark on any business or any investment. Ask the Lord first, and then, if you feel like the Lord wants you to be in it, pray, and pray that God will prosper you, amen? Doesn't mean that, "Oh, God wants to prosper me, he will prosper me". Pray for that to happen.
Notice 3 John 2, says, "I pray that you prosper in all things and be in health". Even though that's God's will, you need to pray that for your family members, for your sons and your daughters, and for your spouse. Pray for that to happen. Pray for your friends. Pray for that to happen in their lives, amen. You know, we have this idea that, just because it's God's will we don't have to pray. Remember the children of Israel when they were taken captive in Babylon? Prior to them being taken captive, Jeremiah the prophet already prophesied before the captivity that they will be in captivity, but only for 70 years.
Now, Daniel, when the 70 years was up in Babylon and Daniel was right now quite an elderly man, Daniel set himself to pray, even though he knew 70 years was up, he prayed. He prayed for the release of his people back to the Holy Land, back to the land of their forefathers, the land flowing in milk and honey that God promised them. He prayed for that to happen. He didn't just say, you know, "Jeremiah prophesied. Jeremiah is a godly prophet. His words come to pass. I don't have to pray", amen? No, pray, amen. You are now in Christ risen at the Father's right hand. You're position means, I say this in reverence. You can influence God. You can tell God, "God, you can make that happen", amen, amen.
You know, if you think about it, there are some things, it's not in the general will of God even, but you can ask God for it because you know that he favors you just like a shepherd with his sheep. All the sheep, you got the same green grass that he brings them to, but there are certain ones that you carry and give them special tidbits. Special little flowers that little sheep love, he doesn't give all the rest. For example, when Jesus was above the storm and the disciples were in the boat, they were so afraid and they thought it was a ghost, and Jesus says, "I am". And they knew he was the Lord. What did Peter do?
Now, the rest can say the same thing also, but what's Peter was come and say is, "Lord, if it's you, bid me come". And the Lord says, "Cool, man. Peter, come". No, he didn't say that. He says, "Come". All right? So Peter step out and Peter started walking. Peter started walking towards Jesus. Peter got to do something that he personally requested. He wasn't promised in any of the Scriptures. Even in the Old Testament there's no promise that say, "You will walk on the water". Amen? There's a promise: "The waters will not overwhelm you". But Peter had a desire to be where Jesus is. And Jesus says, "Come". It's a personal request, but Jesus says, "Come".
And then Peter took his eyes off Jesus and he looks at the howling winds and the high waves around. He says, "This is not supposed to happen. What am I doing"? He took his eyes off Jesus and he started to sink, and the Lord reach out and grab him. And what did Jesus say to Peter? "Peter, why did you doubt? Why did you doubt"? Now, when you take your eyes off Jesus and you look at the circumstances, Jesus calls that doubt. Amen. So when Jesus says come, all the power is in that one word "come". Amen. If Jesus says come, it doesn't mean go down. Amen. But Peter took his eyes off Jesus and started looking at the surrounding.
Now, it's as if some people are saying, "Well, you're just taking your eyes, you got to be real, bro. You got to be real. You got to be real". And you hear things like these and, "You know, I want to be real, bro. I want to be real". But, you know, be real according to God, amen? For example, being real right now is an excuse that we use for just indulging in depression, in fear. And yes, there's fear. And it's okay to acknowledge you're fearful, but I don't think, friend, that the Lord wants you to entertain fear, amen. Fear is sin in the Bible. I don't think that, it's okay to say that you are fearful, but you know what? Don't allow it to control your life, amen. It's okay to say that you are depressed, amen. But know that while you are depressed, God will not disown you.
In fact, recently we shared a sermon just a few weeks ago on one of my sermons that I preach about Elijah. It was when he was strong in faith, you know. I mean, God used people to feed him like the widow of Zarephath. Amen. God used birds to bring him food. That was like when he was strong in faith, right? But when he was depressed, remember when he was depressed he fled from Jezebel? The Lord himself, the Bible says the angel of the Lord, but it's actually pre-incarnated appearance of Christ. The angel is always the Lord Jesus, amen. He appeared and fed him when he was depressed. Yes, God will not disown you when you are depressed. But to say, "You got to keep it real. Stay depressed". Amen. "You got to keep it real, bro".
And whenever someone talks about faith and all that, "Hey, bro, you got to keep it real, you got to keep it real", we are actually surrendering to the forces that be. And you know something? We are taking our eyes off Jesus and looking at the circumstances. And it's as if, you know, people like this will go to Jesus and says, "Jesus". And Jesus grab Peter and says, "Peter, why did you doubt"? I think some of these people will probably come to Jesus and say, "Keep it real, Jesus. I mean, the storm is here. It's howling. Can you hear the winds? You got to keep it real, Jesus. You got to keep it real". No, friend. We are not denying the storm is raging. We're not denying the COVID-19 is around. We're not denying that. But we're not taking our eyes off Jesus. Amen, amen. He is greater than the storm. The Lord on high is above the waters, amen.
Acknowledge the problem like David did in his psalms. Usually, he would talk about the problem, then he says, "Selah moment". And then he said, "But you are my trust. You are the lifter of my head". Amen. "Though I'm surrounded by enemies", like all of us right now with the COVID-19 virus, "the Lord will lift me up". Amen. "I'll go to the rock that is higher than I". Amen. Praise the name of Jesus, amen. Praise the Lord. Imagine these people that talk about keeping it real if they're in the days of the 12 spies that Moses send to spy out the land, and the Bible says the 12 came back and this is what they said. Ten of them said that there are giants in the land, and the walls are huge and thick. "And we are like grasshoppers in the sight of these giants". Only two of them, Joshua and Caleb, says, "We are well able to take the land". Amen.
Look at the fruit of the land. The grapes are huge. Amen. I mean, they were like bumper crops, more than bumper crop. They were huge that they have to put it on the pole carried by two men, amen? And that has become the symbol of the Israel tourism. But these two had a spirit of faith. Now, are they people who are not real? Are they like denying there's a wall that's huge, the giants, the sons of Anak are really, really tall, and they look small in comparison. Are they denying all that? I mean, somebody will tell them, "Hey, Joshua and Caleb, stay real, bro. Stay real". No, their reality is actually God's promises, what God says. You got to be real, bro. Be real in the Word of God. Hallelujah. Amen.
It's okay to talk about your fears. In fact, if you don't acknowledge your weakness, grace cannot manifest. My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength, my dunamis. My power is made perfect not in your strength, but in your weakness. So you acknowledge your weakness. Amen. In fact, you don't have to look far to find your weakness. Amen? I mean, just living life, you see your weakness, amen? But all these voices that come and tell you, you know, remain natural. Be like the people of the world, amen, is telling us to disown our inheritance. We are a supernatural people. Our God is a supernatural God. His kingdom is supernatural, but we are so confined by time and space. We have become people who are conscious of the flesh.
In other words, walking in the flesh is actually making decisions or operating out of your five senses. "Unless I see it, I will not believe it". Oh, friend, there's a lot of things that you won't enjoy then, amen? "Unless I understand it, I will not enjoy it". If that is true, you should get out of every room there is air condition. Not everybody understands how air conditioning works. By your own theory, you should not be enjoying air conditioning. Because unless you understand everything perfectly, you cannot enjoy it. That's what you say, right? So, friend, please put all this aside. Know God's heart for you. God wants you to prosper. God wants you to be in health even as your souls prosper. Can I have a good amen? Amen?
And we're not denying the giants are there, we're not denying the COVID-19 virus is around, but we are looking to the Lord. In the midst of the storm, we know that the Lord is the answer, amen? We can be feeling fearful, but look at your emotions like something that comes on like a spectator, all right? Don't be ruled by it. It comes on, even like sometimes you feel anger towards a person. Don't act on it. Amen. See it come and see it go, but tell yourself, "This is not who I am". Amen? "I'm a new creation in Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit". Amen? But do allow yourself to be human. Yes, have all those feelings, but don't succumb to them. Do not allow yourself to be ruled by them. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
Now, when you look at a Scripture verse, that I think is going to bless you. It is taken from 1 Chronicles chapter 4, and it's the story of Jabez. "And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him with sorrow'". Now, Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. We ask ourselves the question, why was he more honorable? In fact, his entire story is only found in two verses: verse 9 and 10 of 1 Chronicles 4. That's all. So why was he more honorable than his brothers? The answer must be within these two verses, amen? It says that his mother bore him in sorrow. That's why she called him Jabez. And Jabez in Hebrews it means pain; actually, sorrow. Pain. Because she says, "I bore him with sorrow". That's why she called him sorrow or pain.
Now, Jabez called on the God of Israel, even though his name was pain and sorrow. Imagine your mother calling you, "Sorrow, come over here". But he says, "Even though, you know, that's what my mom called me and named me, that will not be my destiny". He called on the God of Israel and this is what he said. "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed". In the Hebrew, the word "blessed" is twice used here, that you were richly bless me. "Oh thou you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast". Would you call that prosperity? "'Enlarge my coast, and that your hand might be with me and that you would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me.' And God granted him that which he requested".
My friends, it's a simple prayer, but if you think about it, this prayer by some of the standards of the people that come against this kind of truth that we are sharing will be like a carnal request. And yet the Bible says he was more honorable. That prayer is a prayer that God deems honorable. God granted him that which he request. But let's look at the prayer. What did he ask? He asked that God will richly bless him. Amen? The word "barrack" is used twice in the Hebrew. Richly bless him. Bless him indeed. Amen? Is it okay to pray bless-me prayers, you know? Is it okay... if I don't pray bless-me prayers, I cannot be a blessing. Unless I am blessed, I got nothing to bless people with. A man can receive nothing except it's given to him from above. Amen.
So he prayed, "Thou would bless me indeed", richly bless me. And not only that he prayed, enlarge my coast. "Now, Jabez, why would you want to enlarge your coast"? You should be humble and just stay put and just within the confines that you are at. Why ask God to enlarge your coast? Because in that day and age, to enlarge your coast is to prosper. He is asking God to prosper him. Amen. "And that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil". Keep me from evil. There are people who wouldn't come against those who will claim Psalms 91. They said the people who are claiming Psalms 91, you know. But, friend, here in essence he's telling God, he's praying Psalms 91. He is saying, "Keep me from evil, that it might not harm me; that it might not grieve me".
One translation says, "It might not harm me". NIV I believe says that, all right? That it might not grieve me. Keep me from evil, amen. Can we pray that God will keep us from evil? Yes, even in the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name". All right? It says, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory". Imagine praying, "God, deliver us from evil". And we have this idea that, you know, sometimes evil comes, there's nothing you can say. Perhaps it's from God, and God wants you to accept it. No, no. No, friend. I'm not saying there'll be no troubles for the believer.
In fact, the Bible says all those that live godly shall suffer persecution. From what I see in the Bible, that's the thing that God promises for believers, that they will happen they will experience persecution. But even then, Jesus says, "Blessed are you. When men shall revile you and persecute you and speak falsely against you for my name's sake, rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven", amen? So Jesus says, "Leap for joy". Rejoice when you are being persecuted for his name's sake because you're a believer. When people mock you and scorn you and make fun of you and persecute you because you're a believer, Jesus says there's a reward, a great reward, not just a reward, but a great reward for you. "Leap for joy", my friend. Hallelujah. That's what he says, amen.
Now, when we think about what Jabez prayed, and the Bible says he was "more honorable than all his brothers", I think it is the fact that we look to the Lord, When we tell people that, you know, "God doesn't promise us". Now, don't talk about wealth because health and wealth, this alliteration, people put it together, and it sounds really bad as if the Gospel is just this and no more, but, friend, if you talk about health and provision, are these provided for us at the cross? Yes. At the cross, the Bible says, "The Lord Jesus bore in his own body our infirmities". Matthew 8:17, confirms that. It says, "Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses", quoting from Isaiah 53, the work of Jesus at the cross. "Not only he made his soul an offering for sin at the cross, but surely", and God put a "surely" there. Even when "He was wounded for our transgressions", there is no "surely" there although we know it was certain that he did it. "He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities".
When it comes to bearing our diseases, God put a "surely", because I believe the Lord knows that this is an area where people will doubt. So God says, "Surely he has borne our diseases and carried our pains", confirmed by Matthew 8:17, in the context of Jesus healing everyone that came to him in Capernaum, and it says, "That it might be fulfilled, what Isaiah says, 'Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses'", amen? So health is part of the atoning work of Christ, amen.
Now, I know, I know, like, I lost my child that had no heartbeat, you know, and my wife and I, we wept. It wasn't easy. But does that change God's Word? Does that change the fact that our experience negate God's Word, amen? No, friend, on the contrary. We believe God for restoration. We don't believe it's God's will that that happened. We don't believe that. One day, I'll see the child, amen, the child that's growing up in heaven, amen. But I know that there's also a principle of restoration. When you have lost something, amen, trust God for restoration. And the next child that came was actually Justin. And I'm telling you, Justin is a sevenfold restoration, and one of the, I even tell him, I told him the other day, "You know, Justin, you're the circuit breaker, you know, because the circuit breaker, to me, is like heaven on earth because you are here", amen?
He never fails to make me laugh every single day, and he's funny, amen. Love that boy. So he's definitely a restoration of the child that I lost... not lost, in a sense. The child is still in heaven, amen, a place that a child will never see any pain, never experience any evil, amen, ever again. And I'll see my child one day. Praise the Lord. But, friend, let's not have the attitude that, because I experienced this, I throw away the Word of God, amen, or hear voices of people who are governed by their denominational beliefs instead of the Scriptures. It's time for us to stand tall and believe God's Word, believe the goodness of his heart, amen.
Lean on his everlasting arms, amen, and know that God wants you to live the good life, or else Jesus wouldn't have said, "I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly", amen. That's what Jesus said. "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I am come", why do you come, Lord Jesus? "I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly", amen? I know life is not made up of two, three, four cars, or two, three houses. I know that. I know life, number one, is a soul at peace with God, knowing that you are now the righteousness of God in Christ. All your sins have been remitted from your life, amen, amen.
You are now a child of God. You are dearly loved, amen, and highly favored in Christ. That above everything else is the greatest blessings. It starts from there, amen. But then, in the here and now, amen, we talk about the, "sweet by and by", but what about now, in the "now and now", amen, where we are living? Doesn't God want us to trust him to provide for us? Doesn't he want trust us to trust him? It's not just provide just for us four, my family, us, and no more. No, that is selfish. You know, why don't you trust God for more so that you can be a channel of blessing, amen? Not be greedy, not be covetous, not be miserly, but be a channel of blessing to many, amen? Praise the Lord. And not only that, to believe God if you're sick, believe God for health, amen. And like Jabez, call upon God in the name of Jesus, every single day, amen.
Believe God, and this must be prayed daily. Like, for example, "Give us this day our daily bread". You cannot just say, the 1st of May, you start praying, "Lord, this month, give me monthly bread". It doesn't work that way. It works on a daily basis because God wants a relationship. So you pray every day, "Father, for this day, protect my family and I from the COVID-19 virus, amen". You promised, "Surely, you will deliver us from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence", amen.
That is from Psalms 91. So don't let anyone rob you of praying those psalms. It is still valid for us today. In fact, the very first verse tells us it's a New Testament reality because, "He who sits in the secret place of the most high", that is where we are right now. We are seated with Christ. And it ends with "Because he has set his love upon me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high", well, that is not the reality of our lives. "I will set him on high", you and I are set on high, far above every principality and power in Christ risen at the Father's right hand.
It is good for you once a while to pray like this: "Father, my family and I are in Christ risen, and I thank you, Father, that's where you have placed us far above the COVID-19 virus, far above every sickness and disease". "And what if, Pastor Prince, I come down with the COVID-19 virus? Does that mean that I'm out of God's will"? No, friend, don't even think that way. Know that God's will is for you to be well. So if you're infected, believe God for healing, and don't let anyone stop you from believing God for that, amen. Praise the name of Jesus.
I just wanna close. I know there are many, many questions that you are asking, and perhaps in the next sermon that I'll be sharing next week, you'll probably get to hear some things that God has put on my heart about some of these sufferings, and I pray in Jesus's name that I'm able to answer from the Scriptures, from the Word of God, some of your questions, but, you know, friend, we need to just meditate on the Word, amen. You know, some studies they have done, these studies tell us that, when you listen to a sermon preached, you retain about 10 to 20%, only 10 to 20%, but if you read on that subject, you retain about 20 to 40%.
Now, if you study on the subject, you retain 40 to 60%. Now, if you memorize, you memorize that subject, you memorize verses from Scripture, all right, your understanding will be, you retain 60 to 80%. But you know what's the golden key that cause you to retain 80 to 100%? Yup, you're right, meditation. Meditation will cause you to retain 80 to 100%. Take the Scriptures that I gave you just now and ask yourself, "Is this God's Word"? Amen. "Is this God's Word"? God calls Jabez honorable. Is it dishonorable for me to pray prayers like this, protection from evil? Is it this honorable? Jesus himself told us to pray this prayer.
So meditate on it. Ask yourself questions like this, amen, as you meditate. What you know, the disjoint between what you know the Scriptures promise you and what you're experiencing will be, will just come together, amen. It will drop from your head, right into your heart, where it start to influence and impart faith to you, and you start to walk in the reality of it. Meditation, amen. Meditate on the Word. Mull on it, think of it. By the way, if the questions are coming that you don't have answers for, or people start throwing questions, "What about this? What about that? What about this"? Never allow what you don't know to disturb what you do know.
3 John 2, 1 Chronicles 4, what Jesus did in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, he always healed. He never says, "I'm sorry. Today is not God's will for you". You need to know that. And someone who's a leper walks away, someone who is death walks away, a child who is sick walks away, never, amen? Meditate on this. Praise the Lord. And never allow obscure passages that people bring up, rob you of the joy from certain Scriptures, amen. Praise the Lord. As we look at our Lord Jesus, we never see him turning down anybody.
Another thing, when Jesus healed, look at Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He never qualified people before he healed them. He will say, "Those of you who are sick, come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, come unto me". That includes all kinds of affliction and burdens is on people. "Come unto me. I'm your answer. I'll give you rest", amen. He never told the people who are sick on the mountainside in Galilee, near the Sea of Galilee, he never says, "All right, those of you who are not right with your spouse, I can't pray for you yet for your healing until you get right with your spouse.
So you all, please, group together and stay over here, and those of you who have unforgiveness in your heart or you think that you have bitterness in your heart, and you're still dealing with it, I can't heal you. So you know what? You just stay in one corner down there until you resolve this first. And those of you who think you have unconfessed sin, all right, all of you, just sit down here and confess all the sins that you know before I can heal you". Did Jesus ever do that? No, he never qualified them. You know why? 'Cause grace is free. Grace is something that God wants you to have. Praise the name of Jesus.
Friend, if this has blessed you, I pray in Jesus's name that you encourage your friends as well with this word. Meditate on them. Don't just share something that is superficial with you, something that you know in your head but know in your heart, amen? Know this in your heart, amen, and I believe, I believe that you will be a good steward of his prosperity. I believe that you'll see your health spring forth speedily, amen? And you will believe God for those who are sick, that God wants to heal them. You won't pray with this faith-destroying word, "If it be your will, heal him". There's no power in that prayer for healing, amen. "If it be your will", is only you're not certain about God's calling in your life, whether it's this, or A or B. Then you can pray that prayer, but never put, "If it be you will, heal this person". You'll find that God never answers their prayer, amen. There's no spiritual intelligence in praying that prayer, amen?
So, friend, I pray in Jesus's name, I'm seeing right now people are being healed of all kinds of conditions, and I see someone here, you've been having stomach pains for some time, and you're very concerned. In fact, the devil has been shooting thoughts in your mind that it is something sinister, all right, that you're experiencing. Now, I want you to know that right now you're feeling a warmth in your stomach. In the name of Jesus, God is healing you.
A sister also, problems in your womb, and the Lord is touching you and healing you right now, in Jesus's name.
A Gentleman, you have been concerned about your prostate, and God is touching your prostate and healing your prostate right now. Receive it in Jesus's name. Some of you are experiencing warmth in that area. That's one of the ways that God manifests his healing, but don't depend on it all the time. Sometimes, you know, you don't feel anything, and God is healing you. And I'm calling out your condition right now. Just receive it in Jesus's name, hallelujah.
And there's somebody else here also. You've been experiencing, like, migraine headaches quite constantly, and you never experienced that before, but now it's coming like with a vengeance. Every other day, you will have it. And right now, God is healing you, and you're feeling like your whole head is being released right now, in Jesus's name. God is touching you. Receive your healing. Receive your miracle in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and be made whole in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Friend, if you have never made Jesus your Savior and your Lord, God still wants to heal you even before you come to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, amen? Experience that healing, amen? "The goodness of God leads you to repentance", but nonetheless, friend, Christ died for your sins on that cross. That's the Gospel message. God loves you. He sent his Son to die for you as your substitute, and on the cross, Jesus bore all your sins, and not only that, all that your sins demanded, the judgment, amen, that a holy God cannot but dispense.
So Jesus took your place. He became liable as your substitute through all the judgment and the curse and the condemnation that fell on him. So Jesus is the only one who can absorb it all, and after it's finished, he remained, amen? So, friend, he took it all, and he cried, "It is finished". It's all done, God glorified. Our sins forgiven and remitted, amen. Curse is broken, Satan vanquished. Every mouth that accuses, silenced. Hallelujah. Our conscience perched, amen. A new and living way is opened up to God. So, friend, if that is you, pray this prayer with me right now.
Father God, in the name of Jesus, I believe Jesus Christ died for my sins on that cross. He bore my judgment, and you raised him from the dead as a proclamation that what he did on the cross is perfect, and all my sins are perfectly put away, and that's why you raised him from the dead. Thank you, Father. Jesus Christ is my Lord, my Savior, and my God.
Friend, if you prayed that prayer right now, amen, I want to declare to you, your sins are forgiven. You are now a brand-new creation in the eyes of God. That's what God sees. God sees reality like no one sees reality. He sees a brand-new creation, created in righteousness and true holiness. You are now the righteousness of God in Christ, amen? Now you are a baby in terms of understanding the things of God, but in God's eyes, your position cannot change. You are now righteous in God's eyes, amen, and your behavior cannot change that position. But we want to learn more and more how to line up our behavior and our life according to our position, amen, and enjoy his inheritance. Praise the name of Jesus.
Well, friend, church, I miss all of you so much, and I look forward to the day, and the day will come. This is not gonna be forever. The day will come we'll all gather together again in the name of Jesus and look at one another and really cherish the moments that we have, amen? Praise the Lord. God bless you all. We'll see you again. Don't forget, tune in and invite a friend next week.