Joseph Prince - God's Supply Unveiled In Elijah And Elisha
Hello, church, it's good to be back with all of you again to share God's Word with you, and I want to start off by sharing a testimony from a lady in Singapore. And she shares:
I am 62 years old, and since childhood, my mother would constantly abuse me with words of accusation and blame due to a personality disorder. As a result, I had been trapped in self-condemnation and depression, and even attempted suicide when I was 15 years old. And I also frequently experienced migraines. I started attending New Creation Church about three years ago, and Pastor Prince's messages on God's love and the gift of righteousness through Christ helped me out of that self-condemnation and depression. Every time I felt burdened and depressed, I would declare that I am the righteousness of God in Christ. The migraines disappeared six months after I started attending New Creation Church, and today I am free from decades of depression. Thank you for your teachings, Pastor Prince.
Praise the Lord. And the reason I'm sharing this is because we started a new series on Condemnation Kills, But The Spirit Gives Life, and we started last week talking about how this ministry of condemnation, otherwise known as the ministry of death, is actually the Old Testament ministry. And the result of this kind of ministry is, is actually to produce death. God never meant for law to bring forth death. God wants to show the perfection of the law. But in giving the law, the law cannot be true to itself. The law demands perfection and when it doesn't find it, it has no choice but to curse, to confer death upon the one that broke it.
Okay, so the way God ordained the law is to bring every man to despair so that no man can boast. In fact, in Romans, the purpose for giving the law is given to us in Romans 3, verse 19. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God". So, what's the purpose of giving the law? Not that we have something to boast about, amen, with our mouth. We got nothing to say, amen. It's to bring everyone to a place where every mouth is stopped and everyone is guilty before God. That's the purpose of the law. And God says, that every mouth may be stopped and all the woman become guilty before God. "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, no flesh, for by the law is the knowledge of sin".
So, the law does not give you the knowledge of righteousness, it does not give you the knowledge of God. In fact, to say that God is nothing more than just don't do this, don't do that, it's not to have the real understanding of God. Grace, on the other hand, reveals who God is, amen. Law is just a segment of God's demands and requirements as a holy God, amen, as a righteous God, but it is by no means the clearest expression of who God is. Let me say it like this, in the Old Testament, if you read the Old Testament, both testaments, in fact, the whole Bible is necessary and it's all inspired of God, God breathed, that the man of God may be perfect, in other words, completely equipped.
The word "perfect" there is not sinless perfection, but to be thoroughly complete and equipped, amen. So, the Scripture, that includes the Old Testament, amen. But in the Old Testament, we need to understand to rightly divide the Word, there is a huge difference. That's why we need to rightly divide the Word. In the Old Testament, it is like you do to become. Under the new we become, and then we do. Our doing comes out of who we have become, amen. The Bible says, for example, in the New Covenant, that we are now complete in Christ, then it says, walk you.
As you have received Christ by grace through faith, so walk you in him. You start with complete in Christ, and then you walk out that completeness, amen. You walk out of the sense that you are complete in Christ. So, God makes you complete in Christ. and then God says, "Walk as one, complete in Christ". God makes you righteous and then God says, "Walk as a righteous man". amen? So, we need to be aware of that. In the old, it is do, do, do. Under the new, it's done, amen? The law demands righteousness from sinful men who has no righteousness and then because he has no righteousness, the law cannot but curse him, amen.
So, the law demands, whereas grace supplies, supplies the gift of righteousness to man. And whatever else that man needs, Grace supplies, amen, to keep that in mind. So, when we look at verses like, "For sin shall not have dominion over you". And who amongst us who really love God who want to follow him, will not want to seize upon the fact that sin can have no dominion over us. Isn't that what we want also if we are ministers or pastors for our people, we want to sin to have no dominion over them. But how does this happen? In Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace".
So, under law, law demands, amen. So, you're not no more under the demand, the demand orientedness, amen, where you live a life feeling like you're always constantly being demanded on, upon, amen by God. "I need to do this for God, I need, I need, I need to do. I need to". But you are under grace. Grace supplies, amen. The law says you shall not, grace says I will. In the New Covenant God says, "I'll put my laws. I will be their God. They shall all know me. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. Their sins I will remember no more," amen. It's all God. It's God supplying, God doing, amen.
Another way of saying is that law is men working, men doing. Grace is God supplying, God doing for man, amen. And we need to be aware of this because practically every single day we can be either under law or under grace. And we saw last week that if you are under law, the moment you take your position under the law, amen, you come under the curse. And friend, that is no joke, amen. The Bible says the letter kills.
When God gave the law on Mount Sinai, it was on the day of the Feast of Pentecost, the first Pentecost that Israel celebrated. When God gave the law on Mount Sinai, 3,000 people died and that's what the Bible says in the New Testament, "When the day of Pentecost was fully come". This time God gave, not the law, but the Spirit, and 3,000 people was saved. And we saw how the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. And the nature of these covenants have not changed, people. All right, the letters still kills today. You come under the letter, all right, it will kill you, the law.
And let's go back to 2 Corinthians chapter 3 once again. It says here in verse 6 not we are sufficient, God has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not the old, there is no power. God doesn't supply the power for ministers to become ministers of the old, but ministers of the New Covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. The letter here is the law, but the Spirit is grace, amen, the Spirit of grace, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life, amen.
The next verse tells us, "Now in the ministry of death," now it calls the law the ministry of death. Just now he calls it the letter, now he calls it ministry of death. "Carved in letters on stone". This word "letters" is the same one as verse 6, letter kills, same word, grammar in Greek, letters. referring to the law because only the Ten Commandments... some people say we are not under law in terms of the ceremonial law, in terms of the feast, in terms of those things that are the 613 commandments that is in the law of Moses, but we are still under the Ten Commandments. Actually it's the opposite.
The verse here tells us clearly that we are not under the letters in stone, carved in stone. The only part of the law that was carved on stone with the finger of God, engraved on stones in the King James, is the Ten Commandments. The ceremonial healing of the sacrificial animals were never carved in stone, those were written on parchments of skin, all right? Only the Ten Commandments was written with the finger of God. Now, straightaway we think, are we not under the morality of the Old Covenant, the Ten Commandments? Don't we observe the Ten Commandments to live a holy life? No friend, today when you try to keep the Ten Commandments, the very attempt to keep it will stir up the flesh. When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
The strength of sin, 1 Corinthians 15:56, "The strength of sin is the law". The more you try to keep the Ten Commandments, the very command that it prohibits you, you will stir it up in your life, amen. When the commandment came, another place it says, when the law came in, sin increased, amen. Why did God do that? So that man will understand the nature that they have, their sinful nature. Because if you tell a man without the law, you tell a man, you know, adultery is sin. He says, "What is adultery? What is sin"? You tell him to murder someone is wrong is sin. "What is wrong? What is murder"?
Okay, so the Bible says in Galatians, why then the law, why did God bring in the law? That there might be transgression. So, there is sin, but sin is not necessarily transgression. But once, for example, you'd like to speed, okay, but then when you are on a road and it says 90 kilometers an hour, and you transcend that and you go beyond that, now not only it's not just a sin, it's a transgression because you have transgressed a law. So, the commandment came in so that the sin might become transgression, people will understand that they have sinned. But the very thing that God gives man to make man guilty and shut his mouth before God, man is trying to use that to justify himself. And also, you must remember that the attempt to keep the law produces immorality, okay? But grace produces true holiness.
You know, it's like when a man attempts to be humble and he's conscious of it, usually he's not very humble in the way he goes about it. And if he has achieved it, how does he write a book saying, "Humility and how I achieved it". I don't know how. You know, it's not real humility, but it's pseudo humility. And nothing irks me like to see someone trying to be humble, and it's not real and he's proud about it and not even conscious that he's proud. But the humility that comes by grace is the fruit of the Spirit, amen, temperance, self-control, love, joy, peace, amen, meekness. All that are the beautiful fruit of the Spirit and it comes as a result of grace.
And it's wonderful to see someone who is humble and the person is not even conscious of it. The radiance that comes on the face of someone that you see, and you see Jesus in the person's face, the glory of God and the person's face, and the person is not even aware of it. That's the kind of morality that God wants us to have, a moral elevation, almost like a heavenly, it is a heavenly character actually, amen. It is not this pseudo morality that we try to attempt and then when no one is looking, you know, we don't have it in our hearts, we only have it in our actions. No, no, no, it's not behavior modification. Grace is all about heart transformation, amen, friend.
But more than that, this passage we just read tells us that the law is the ministry of death, that means it minister's death and that really answers the question about how people today who are moral, who are good people, some of them are dying young, some of them are just like they have all kinds of death in their lives manifesting, depression. Like this lady, you know, because she condemned herself because of condemnation of her mother and all that, and she has migraine headaches and all that. A lot of people are in this kind of situation, and they don't even realize it is all because of condemnation, condemnation on themselves or self-condemnation or condemnation from others, maybe a husband, maybe a wife, maybe a parent, amen. Your parent might be dead, but the condemnation is not. You're still being burdened by the condemnation, that sense of condemnation, and it all comes from the law. And the Bible says, the Bible calls the law the ministry of condemnation and the ministry of death.
Let me read this. "Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation". Now he calls the law the ministry of condemnation. So, you have the letter that kills, which is the law. Then he calls it the ministry of death, then now he calls it the ministry of condemnation.
Now, if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed in glory, and the grace ministry is the ministry of righteousness. It confers righteousness as a gift, amen. So, sinful men can stand in the presence of a holy God because of the gift of righteousness, amen. And we have all Jesus to thank for and to give the glory to, amen. That's why the life of grace is a life of thankfulness, a life of rest, a life of glorifying God where you're not even conscious that you're walking in that heavenly radiance and the moral elevation. There is not the holier than thou kind of holiness, but a holiness that draws people to Jesus, amen, amen, amen. Praise God.
And notice, it is now called the ministry of condemnation because it's all the same thing. It's referring to the law. It's called the ministry of condemnation. Do you know when you read the Old Testament, I was sharing this just now that when you read the Old Testament, you must see that the Old Testament is a ministry of condemnation, amen. Nine times out of ten, the prophets in the Old Testament was sent to minister condemnation. Yep. And God make no apologies for it because they were under the law, and the Lord cannot but condemn if you come short of it.
So, the prophets in the Old Testament ministers condemnation, and that is their ministry, whether it's Jeremiah, whether it's all the prophets and all, they all are sent to minister condemnation. Now, there are a few exceptions like Elisha. His ministry, as contrasted with Elijah, is a ministry of grace. Elijah is a prophet of judgment. Elisha is a prophet of grace. Elijah, his name means Yahweh is God, okay? Elisha, his name means my God saves. like Yeshua, Yahweh saves, my God saves, amen. It's a prophet of grace. And the ministry of Elisha has doubled the miracles of Elijah's ministry.
Now, if you look at Elijah, his ministry was a ministry of judgment. All right, predominantly it's judgment, and it seems like his ministry commends with because of the idolatry of Israel, all right, there's no rain. But before there's no rain, God, it's as if God gave the choice to this prophet Elijah, that you choose what kind of judgment you want to bring on the people. You can actually say famine for one year, or famine for two years, but instead he says this, all right, there'll be no dew nor rain.
Let's read that in 1 Kings 17. "Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, 'As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.'" Doesn't say 3 1/2 years. Later on we know it's 3 1/2 years. But notice, "At my word," he says, "At my word". It's as if God said, "Elijah, you choose what you want to bring upon the land". This is something that God allowed him to have and he says that, "You know, there'll be no dew nor rain all these years".
Okay, we know it, later on it's three-and-a-half years. But even then, was God's heart really in it? Because the in James it says Elijah was a man of like passions as we are, all right? And he prayed earnestly that it would not rain. Why does he have to pray earnestly that it will not rain? It's almost like he has to pray that it will not rain, amen. So, it's not as if like, because of sin, there is no dew nor rain automatically. It's as if his Word. He pronounced the judgment, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain. And it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain.
Notice that the word "earnestly" is not in the second place where it's a blessing. The rains came, this time he just prayed, and the rains came. And you read carefully in the account, it's like God is so eager to bring rain. God says to Elijah, "I'm gonna bring rain upon the earth". But he never said, "I'm gonna bring famine upon the earth". So, God's heart, you see, God's heart, even when he has to execute judgment, he does not afflict the sons of men willingly.
Lamentations 3 tells us he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. His heart is not in it, but he allowed Elijah to choose this because to teach Elijah the ways of judgment and the ways of grace, and to tell him, you know, let Elijah know that men's hearts will not turn to him based on punishments. Man's heart can return to him based on grace, and it's a lesson that Elijah had to learn. And one of the first things God told him when the famine came on the land and because he prayed earnestly for it to happen, and at his own word, he had to feel it as well. He was at the Brook Cherith and God says, "Go there, I'll provide for you". But then God sent ravens.
Now, you must understand as a prophet of the law, as a man who observes the law, to receive food from the ravens, which is an unclean bird according to the law, it's really very humbling for Elijah. And God had to show him, God had to humble him to show him that the ways of judgment is not gonna work. So, it's a huge lesson. Okay, I just want to tell you this right now that Elijah is a great man of God, you know, for his time and his season. He was obedient to God. You know, he has his faults and all that, but one of the things the New Testament talks about Elijah we need to be aware of is this, when the time came for him to pray before God to intercede for Israel, he did not do what Moses did. Moses would rather be accursed, be cut off that the people of Israel might be saved.
But Elijah, look at Romans 11, what Paul said about Elijah by the Spirit. In Romans 11, verse 2, "God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel". Now, he didn't plead with God for Israel, amen. He didn't have the same heart like Moses. He pleaded with God against Israel saying, "Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"? So, he justified himself and condemned God's people. "But what does the divine response say to him"? What did God say to him? "'I have reserved for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' Even so then at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace".
Friend, God rebuked Elijah, actually, and this happened towards the end of Elijah's life where he went to Mount Sinai, otherwise known as Mount Horeb. And there he encountered God, and God told him, "What are you doing here, Elijah"? Twice God asked him, "What are you doing here, Elijah"? And he says, "Oh, your people tore down your altar," and he spoke bad about God's people. He pleaded with God against Israel, and he justified himself. "I alone am left, I'm the only one who kept your commandments. I'm the only one left".
And you know what God told him? God says, "I have reserved for me 7,000 men who have not bowed their knees to Baal". And not only that, in the same discourse, because of his posture of justifying himself and condemning Israel, even though Israel had sinned, God said to him, "Now I want you to anoint Elijah the prophet in your room, in your room". In other words, in your place. Your ministry has come to an end. It's very sobering for Elijah to realize that because right after he left Mount Horeb, he went to anoint Elijah his successor, and it's a lesson that God does not want to show judgment, even though the people are ripe for judgment, the people are, in fact, asking for it, yet God's heart is not into it. And God wanted Elijah to learn that.
So, even at the Brook Cherith, God had to send ravens. You know, it is a rebuke to him to receive food from unclean birds, he being a prophet of the law. His ministry is to call people back to the law of God, you know, and that's the picture there of Elijah. That's why Elijah appeared on Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus was transfigured. The Bible says his face shone, his clothes shone, became glistening and bright with Shekinah glory. And the Bible says glistening in Luke 9 means a radiance that came from within. It wasn't a glory that came from outside upon Jesus. It was he radiated glory, and his face was transformed, his clothes were glistening white, dazzling white, like no, no fool on earth could whiten them, the Bible says. And then Moses appeared, Elijah appeared.
Now, who is Moses? He's a representation of the law, and Elijah, a representation of the prophets, amen. And they testified to the righteousness of God. Do you remember how Peter actually said, and Peter, James and John were there. Jesus's three disciples were there, and they woke up from their sleep to see Jesus's glory. And then they said, Peter said this, "Lord, it's good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles". Obviously, it was during the Feast of Sukkot or tabernacles. "Let us make three booths, one for you, one for Elijah, one for Moses". In other words, he's putting Jesus's grace on the same, same level as the law and the prophets.
And the Bible says a bright cloud overshadowed them. When God gave the law, the Bible says God says, "I come to you in a thick cloud". There was darkness, a dark cloud, but here you have a bright cloud because it's the time of grace, amen. Jesus's grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. There was a bright cloud that overshadowed them. And because Peter had spoken up and put Jesus on the same level as the law and the prophets, the Father says, "This is my beloved Son. Hear him," not hear them, not hear the law in the prophets. No, hear him. The new has come.
Folks, and we need to learn this lesson of the Mount of Transfiguration. We are to listen to Jesus, amen? To listen to the voice of grace, not the voice of the law or the prophets, amen? That's why Jesus brought Peter, James, and John. Peter's name means stone. The law was carved on stones, engraven on stones. "James" means to supplant or to replace, and "John" is God's grace. His name means God's grace, so you can say that the law has been replaced by God's grace, or grace supplants the law. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. And we are to learn the lesson to hear only one, Jesus, in our lives, amen?
So, Elijah from the Brook Cherith. God sent him after he saw the brook dried up, amen? He had to see the suffering that he pronounced upon the people. He had to see how the land is suffering, and then God further humble him by showing him how his grace triumphs over everything else. He wanted Elijah to learn grace. And you know what God did? God sent Elijah to a widow of Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, the place of Sidon, the province of Sidon.
Let me tell you this. The Sidonians, Sidon, and Jesus mentioned this in his preaching in his hometown, Nazareth. He actually alluded to this. He says that, "now there were many, many widows in the land of Israel, in the days of Elijah the prophet, but to none of the widows in Israel was Elijah sent, but to the woman of Sarepta". And then, Jesus says, "A city of Sidon". A city of Sidon. Why is this important, the city of Sidon? Do you know that the problem with the land and all that is Israel at that time was because of Jezebel? Whose husband, Ahab, married her, and because of that reintroduce the worship of Baal into the whole place and cause the people to worship Baal. And, as a result, there is, you know, all these things have come upon Israel, all because of this woman, Jezebel.
And, you know, who is she? She's from the city of Sidon. She's from the city of Sidon. She is the princess. She's a daughter of the king of Sidon, and now Jesus says to none of the widows of Israel was Elijah sent, but to the widow of Sarepta, a widow who was a non-Jew, a Gentile from the city of Sidon. And Jesus mentioned the city of Sidon. No wonder the people got so angry. They didn't understand God's grace. God's grace triumphs over everything else. From the very city of the most, you know, you can say where sin abounds, grace super abounds.
God sent Elijah to that city, and God was teaching Elijah about his grace, but Elijah was kinda slow in learning about grace. And he went to the city, and then you know the story, how he asked a lady to make a piece of bread for him. And he says, assured the lady, "Don't worry, all right? The barrel of meal will not fail, and the oil flask will not cease". And it was so all the days that Elijah was living there, right? The barrel of meal kept on flowing, and the cruse of oil never failed.
So, here we see that God was teaching him his ways. And, finally, you know, Elijah, after the great battle of, you know the story of how he called fire from heaven, and that ought to tell him that the fire did not fall upon the nation, upon guilty Israel at Mount Carmel. The fire should have fallen upon the king. Who was their king? Ahab, the husband of Jezebel. And upon all the prophets of Baal, and upon all the nation, the guilty nation of Israel, but instead the fire fell upon the sacrifice, upon the sacrifice, which is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross. And then, the people shouted, "The Lord is God. The Lord is God".
And, you know, he ought to learn from there that God's heart is not in pouring fire upon the people, but in pouring fire upon his substitute, his Son, whom he dearly loved, whom he gave up to be our sacrifice. God loves us. Now, a number of years after that, the people did not learn their lesson of Mount Carmel. Okay, so they came against Elijah, who was sitting on the mountain. And a strong indication there it's still Mount Carmel where he was seated a number of years after that, and this time when they came to arrest him he called fire from heaven, and the fire consumed the 50 soldiers, amen? With the leader, okay?
And then, they send another one. You know, King Ahab sent some more, and then again the same thing happened, consumed, you know, the soldiers. This time because they rejected the sacrifice of Mount Carmel, a picture of Calvary's cross, they had to face the fire, okay? Just like the world, if they reject Jesus Christ, there is a judgment coming, amen? In the end, the Bible tells us, after Jesus returns, amen? So, here we see that God want to teach Elijah the ways of grace, amen? God wanted to perpetuate the covenant of Abraham, which is unconditional, the covenant of grace, but the Lord came in.
And it's very interesting that in the book of Romans it says, "Moreover the law came in". The word came in is the word come alongside. It's not God's main agenda. Grace is God's main agenda. That's why God cut the covenant with Abraham. It's an unconditional covenant of grace, but the law came in, or came by the side. Literally, it's the word that is used for "came alongside". It's an addendum. It's added to, all right, to the covenant of grace, and it was added for a reason. The people said that, "all that", you know, even before God gave the Ten Commandments, the people said, "All that God commands us, we are able to do". Remember? God told Moses that, "I wanna make this nation a kingdom of priests unto me," amen? And God said, "How I brought you on eagle's wings". It's a picture of grace.
They did not come out of Egypt because of their goodness. In fact, Joshua later on says that they worship other gods, even in Egypt, but God brought them out by grace. And God want to continue the covenant of grace with them. But you know what they said at the foot of the mountain? They said, "All that the Lord says to us, we will do," but the language in the Hebrew is very strong. "Kol asher", "Kol" means everything. "Kol asher diber", The Word of God. "Kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh". "Na'aseh" means "we can do it". We will do it.
Now, that is man presuming on his strength, which he has none, to keep the law that he has not even heard of. God has not yet even given the Ten Commandments. God gave it in the next chapter, chapter 20, but here even before they hear the Ten Commandments, they vowed they'll keep all the ten, all right? They vowed they'll keep everything, and you know the very first thing you see is the golden calf. So, that's what happens when men put them self under law. It does not produce that moral elevation, that moral beauty that we long to see in the lives of God's people. Instead, it produces sin. When the law came, the Bible says, "Moreover the law entered," alongside, "that the offense," the sin, "might abound. But where sin increased, grace super abounds". Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen.
And later on, we find that Elijah was upset because, you know, King Ahab's wife, Jezebel, says, "I'm gonna kill him. Today, I'll kill Elijah". And then, he ran. He ran because he was afraid of Jezebel, a woman. That's what happens when you take your eyes off God. And you know where he went all the way? You know that God took care of him, and God provided for him, even though the journey wasn't assigned by God. God didn't say, "Go to Mount Horeb". You know where he went to? Horeb is Mount Sinai. He went back to Mount Sinai.
He's a prophet of the law, and he went back there for answers, and he went back there to complain against, not for. Not to pray for, but to complain against God's people. And Paul wrote it in Romans 11, how Elijah pleaded with God against Israel, and, you know, God doesn't appreciate that. So, he went there. Let's see what happened when he reached Mount Sinai. "And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold", this is the same place where God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses and the nation of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. And that cave is the same place where, I believe, Moses saw the back parts of God, amen? It's the same cave. "And spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"
Imagine God saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah"? That means he's not supposed to be there. "What are you doing on this mountain of the law? What are you doing on law ground"? Not grace ground. Law ground. "What are you doing here, Elijah"? And he says, "I have been very zealous". Notice the self-justification and the condemning of others. "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.'"
So, notice the I, I, I, the consciousness of self. That's what happened. That's why he was fearful. That's why he fled from Jezebel. He took his eyes off God and put it on himself, and here he's justifying himself. The result of people being under law is self-righteousness or self-justification. You see a lot of that, amen? And condemning others. When you justify yourself, you condemn others, and here he condemned Israel.
And Paul mentioned this part of the life of Elijah in Romans 11 by saying how Elijah pleaded with God against Israel and in these words. And then, drop down. Then God said, "Go out". Why? Why go out? Because Elijah was in a cave, amen? And the law makes you afraid. The law makes you hide yourself. The law makes you retreat into a cave. And God says, "'Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind".
Now, this first manifestation of the storm and all that was seen in the life of Elijah, remember? Before the rains came, after the victory of Mount Carmel, amen? And before the rains came, there was a storm, and Elijah was praying, and there's a storm. That was his ministry. And you know what God is saying? "All your ministry of, that is spectacular and all that, amen, is not the thing that will turn the hearts of the nation back to God". God was showing him that all the punishments will not turn the people back to God, amen? The Lord was not in the wind.
And then, it says here, "After the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake". And that's also the ministry of Elijah, right? But God was not in the earthquake, right? And then, it says this, "And after the earthquake a fire", and that's the ministry of Elijah on Mount Carmel, amen? Evidenced by the fire that fell. "But the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire", fire always speaks of judgment, and here it says God was not in the fire. "But after the fire," after the fire, "a still small voice". So, God was not in the wind. God was not in the earthquake. God was not in the fire.
I remember many years ago there was a group. I don't follow the group, but I remember the name of the group, "Earth, Wind & Fire". And the Lord is not in the earth, wind, or fire. He's not in the earthquake. He's not in the wind. He's not in the fire. He's not in all these expressions of judgment, but he is in the still small voice. And in all these expressions of the earthquake, wind, fire, and all that, Elijah was still hidden, hiding in the cave. But when he heard the still small voice, see what happened. "It was, when Elijah heard it," the still small voice, "that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave".
The only thing that can bring sinful men like Adam, who was hiding behind the trees, out from where he is to the presence of God is grace, the voice, the still small, gentle voice of grace, amen? Only grace can turn people's hearts towards God. Only grace can reach out to the most hardened sinner and melt that heart. All the judgments cannot do it. Even in the book of Revelation, look at this, in the book of Revelation it says this, "They blasphemed", 16:11, "They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds".
Even with the extreme punishment, men's hearts are still very hard. Punishment will not turn their hearts, and God is demonstrating one last time how punishment cannot turn people's hearts. Not because of the impotency of the punishment, but because of the hardness, the extreme rebellion of man's heart. But man is not aware of his heart.
Now go back to the story of Elijah again. The only thing that brought Elijah out of the cave to stand before God was a still small voice, and God wanted Elijah to learn. Oh, yeah, by the way, when he was complaining how, "the people of God have broken your altar. They killed your prophet. They've done this," speaking against Israel, you know what God said to him? "Elijah, I have reserved 7,000 people who have not bowed their knees to Baal. Don't think you're the only one left. I have 7,000 by the election of grace". Not only that. Because he came speaking against God's people, God says, "You know what? Your ministry is over". In essence, God says, "Anoint your successor". Should have been God says, "Anoint your successor, Elisha," Elisha, who is the prophet of grace, okay?
So, we need to understand the story of Elijah and Elisha to understand law and grace, as well, and the ministry of the Old Testament. Folks, we are not under the ministry of the Old Testament. A lotta people, they want the days of Elijah to be upon us. Remember how John, the apostle of love, you know, James and John in Luke 9. And what happened is that Jesus entered a village of the Samaritans, and the Samaritans did not receive Jesus, because his face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. "And when his disciples James and John saw this," you know what they said? "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did"?
So, there are Christians today even they think that the example of Elijah is something sanctioned by God. Now listen, my friend. It's not God's heart and look at how Jesus answered both of them. "But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and said, 'You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.' And they went to another village". Amen. Nothing to him. Just went to another village. "If you reject me, in a sense, it's your loss," amen? He just went to another village. Notice Jesus didn't rebuke the Samaritans. Jesus rebuked the two disciples who said, "Let's call fire down on them," amen? So, we can't carry this spirit of the Old Testament on us today.
You know, there are prophets in the New Testament, amen? There are people, they give prophecies for every believer, as well, amen? But notice the prophecies we give today. Some people say, "You know, our prophecy is gonna be like the Old Testament. It must have judgment in it. You know, you must tell it like it is. You must, like, whack the people, amen, with hard words. Then you are a real minister of God". Is that really the spirit of what God wants? You do not know what spirit you are off. You might claim to be the spirit of Elijah, but Jesus doesn't approve of it, amen?
And the spirit of the prophets today in the New Testament, look at this. 1 Corinthians 14, verse 3. It says, "He who prophesies", this is New Testament now. This is New Testament now. "He who prophesies speaks," what? "Edification," building up, "exhortation," exhortation is calling near, "and comfort to men". "He who prophesies speaks edification, exhortation, and comfort to men". So, today if you prophesy it's gotta be, you know, in these areas of comfort, building up, edification, or calling near. It is no more judgment. It is no more... yet there are people who think, like, if you're a prophet and you bring some heavy stuff to the people, then you are a real prophet, amen? "May your tribe increase," you know? And they condemn all those who preach edification, exhortation, and comfort.
Now, friend, in the Old Testament it was true that many of the prophets, many. We have exceptions, but many of the prophets are prophets of ministry of condemnation, amen? And then, the false prophets amongst them were those who tried to preach comfort to the people. Yes. Amen. And God had it so in the Old Testament, but in the new, listen, those who pronounce judgment, they do not know what spirit they're of. They're under the rebuke of Jesus, amen? Today, the prophets speak through edification, through exhortation, and through comfort. Not just prophets, but anyone who prophesies, amen? And prophesy here is not referring to preaching, my friend. It is every believer can prophesy, speak on behalf of God.
You know, I think that I wanna see this increase in our church. You know, during this time you can go on Zoom, and you can just WhatsApp your friend. You can just contact your friend. You know, whenever you feel like someone comes to your mind, someone comes to your heart, just you feel like, you know, God's light is shining on you, just tell them, "You know, I feel that favor is coming your way. I don't know what you're going through, but something good is going to happen to you".
You know, In some circles they'll say that, "Oh, this is the ministry of people who are easy believism and greasy grace," and that kinda thing. Actually, this is the New Testament ministry. It is through edification. It's through exhortation. It's through comfort. And we do not know how many people need to hear that word, and when your word comes in just at the right time, oh, how it lifts people up. The Bible says, "Exhort one another daily, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin," amen? In other words, every day we need to be encouraging one another. Every day, we need to give a word of comfort to someone, amen? That's our ministry.
You know who is the last minister of condemnation? You know who is the very last one? John. John the Baptist. The Bible say so. Look at Matthew 11:13. Jesus himself is... these are Jesus's words. Jesus said, "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until," who? Until who? John. So, the ministry of condemnation ends with John. I like it because John's name means God's grace. All the prophets and the law, right, culminates in God's grace, right? He was the last prophet of judgment. He was the last prophet of condemnation, ministry of condemnation.
By the way, the ministry of condemnation in the Old Testament is of God. It was sent to minister condemnation, amen? But we cannot bring this ministry back today in the new covenant, amen? It will cause death in the church. It will cause God's people to be depressed and, you know, you are jumbling up the covenants, my friend. And not only that, Jesus will rebuke you, because you do not know what spirit you are off, okay? Amen. So, I hope you see this. And does that mean we don't study the old covenant? No, we study the old covenant, my friend. Of course.
You know what? The other day, you know, when we study old covenant, Pastor Prince's sermons, most of my teaching and preaching down through the years, I would safely say more than 50% is from the Old Testament. It's just my calling and the ministry that God has given me, but the Bible says, "You shall bring forth the old because of the new, the treasures of the old. You shall bring forth the stores, or the treasures, of the old because of the new". The way Jesus interpreted the Old Testament, remember, on the road of Emmaus to the two discouraged disciples, they were walking back to Emmaus. Jesus appeared, and Jesus expounded to them the solution to their depression. The solution to their discouragement is for Jesus to expound things in the Scriptures concerning himself.
Let me just share with you something really fresh, okay? Just the other day, the other day, I was going through the law portion and, like I said, more than 50% of my ministry preaching comes from the Old Testament, amen? And I bring forth the old because of the new, because I know the new, hallelujah? Amen. The new covenant, the grace, and you can bring it up, amen? And to see Jesus in the shadows. I was reading this portion the other day, Numbers 30. Let's look at it. It says, "Every vow and every binding oath to afflict her soul, her husband may confirm it, or her husband may make it void. Now if her husband makes no response whatever to her from day to day".
Let's say a woman makes a vow before God, and the husband makes no response whatever to her from day to day. Now, in verse 13 it says the husband can make it void. Notice every vow, every binding oath the woman makes before God to afflict her soul, her husband may confirm it, or her husband may make it void. But, however, if he doesn't say anything, "If her husband makes no response, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her; he confirms them, because he made no response to her on the day that he heard them. But if he does make them void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt. These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses".
I was reading this the other day, and I was telling myself, "What vow is this? What is this"? A woman vows before God, and then her husband hears it, but the husband says nothing about it, all the vows will stand. She'll become liable for it, amen? In other words, the vow, if she didn't keep her vow and the result is death, then death will be her lot in the future. If the husband hears it, but the husband, on the other hand, can negate what she says and stop it there and there, okay? But, however, if the husband allow some days to pass and finally he wants to negate it, right, he says that he shall bear her guilt.
So, when I read this it's like, you know, if you read it superficially and all that, it's just a vow, right? Do we apply that today? Do we teach in our churches, "Husbands, you know, be aware of what your wife is saying. And if she makes a vow, right, you need to void it"? Or maybe you can learn a principle of helping our wives and all that, but, more than that, the Scriptures unveil Jesus. The woman here is Israel, or the church. And remember Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai. Even before Israel heard the Ten Commandments, they made a vow. "Everything that God says, everything that God will say, in other words, we will keep. We vow to keep them all," right?
Now, God did not say anything at that time, 'cause God wanted them to learn about their natures and about sin. So, what happened is that if time passes by, sometime back, and then the Lord wants to negate everything they said. In other words, to void everything they say so that the curse, the death that would incur if she does not keep her vow, shall come on her, and the husband now has compassion. The husband says, "You know what? I don't want her to incur the wrath and the death and the punishment," okay? The husband will bear her guilt. Isn't that the picture of our Lord Jesus? So, what happened? In order for him to redeem Israel and to redeem us from the curse of our vow to keep all the law, he bore our guilt, amen?
So now, we are no more under the law. We are no more under the curse of the broken law. We are no more under the law. Full stop. Amen. Because Jesus, in order to bring us out of the law, he has to die on the cross. One of the reasons Jesus died on the cross, besides burying our sins, is in Galatians 3:13. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree')".
Do you know that Jesus could have died by stoning? Amen. I mean, why not? He can still bear our sins, right? And then die by stoning, because stoning was the standard punishment sanctioned by the law. Crucifixion is not. Crucifixion is a Gentile idea. The Romans used crucifixion because it came from the Phoenicians, right? And it's a cruel form of torture, but Jesus died by crucifixion. Why? Because there is another law that says anyone that hangs on a tree is cursed. So, not only Jesus died to bear our sins away and to carry our diseases away, to bear our judgment away, but the reason he died on the cross on the tree, which is not the standard punishment of the Jewish practice. But he died on the cross is to fulfill the fact that for you and I to no longer be under the law. There'll be a curse, right? But he bore the curse for us, amen? Therefore, we're not under the law righteously, amen? Praise the Lord. Amen. Jesus redeem us from the curse, hallelujah? Amen.
So, for Jesus to forgive us of our sins, for God to forgive us our sins, Jesus has to carry our sins in his own body and die. But that can happen by stoning, isn't it? But, no, God wants something else to redeem us from the curse of the law so that we don't come under the curse of the law if we can't keep all the words of the law, because don't forget what we learn. Cursed is the man who who does not do all things. Not just the best you know how. No, no. The best you can. No, no, no, no. You must do all, or else you're under the curse.
So, Christ, to redeem us from this curse... by the way, the curse of the law, you can read all about it in Deuteronomy 28. Involves sickness, involves death, involves poverty, breakdown of marriage, breakdown of family relationships, children, parents, and all that. It's terrible. You can read all about it in Deuteronomy 28. Christ redeemed us, you and I. He ransom us from the curse of the law, so we are his wives, like Israel is the wife of the Lord, amen? And also the church. In order for him to redeem us, amen, to void our vow to keep the law, he has to bear our guilt. We don't bear our guilt. He shall bear his guilt.
And when I read Numbers 30 and I saw this, wow! You know, I got so excited in my study. Oh, I tell you it's like, "Wow, man"! I feel like preaching it there and there, amen, for anyone who'll be ready to hear. In fact, I did preach it to my wife. I don't know if she got it or not at that time, but, you know, it's like what has the vows and all that gotta do with Jesus and you and I? Amen.
So, Elijah had to learn the lesson, amen? That what will bring the sinner out of his cave, out of his place of hiding to God's presence and the blaze of his glory and to stand before God is that still small voice, the message of grace, amen? Only the goodness of God will lead people to repentance. Pastors and leaders, I pray that you will receive this in your heart, amen, as week by week we minister as ministers of the new covenant, the ministry of righteousness. You know, all the revivals in the past, many of the revivals is a mixture. There's a ministry of condemnation.
"But, Pastor Prince, there was such glory in the revivals". Yes, in fact, the ministry of condemnation has glory. Read 2 Corinthians 3. Notice that it says, "The ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory", there was glory there, but it says, "That the Israelites cannot gaze at Moses's face because of his glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory"? Now look at verse 9. "If there was glory in the ministry of condemnation", so, you see, even the ministry of condemnation had glory. So, some of these revivals that use ministry of condemnation, amen, it had glory. It had glory. But it says, "The ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory". Hallelujah.
Friend, you ain't seen nothing yet, and God is raising all over the world ministers of grace, ministers of the new covenant, and he is equipping us to become ministers, able ministers of the new covenant. Not of the letter that kills, but the Spirit gives life, hallelujah? And this ministry of righteousness, this end-time revival, will far exceed all the revivals of the past that had a mixture. A lot of his ministry of condemnation. And God did not say those ministries had no glory, but many a times the results did not last. The results was, because the glory of the old covenant, the glory of the law, is ever dissipating like the glory on Moses's face. And that's why Moses wore a veil over his face. When he talk to God, he remove the veil. But when he came out to the people, he put on the veil, but the people saw here and there before he put on the glory there.
And you ask why did Moses mask himself? He was a very wise man, because, you know, he knew that the glory was fading away. The glory was fading away. Today, he had glory on his face and next few days he didn't mask it. Now people look at Moses's face, and then they see the glory is dissipating. They'll say, "Something happen to Moses. Maybe he sinned. Maybe he backslided these few days. Something happen". So, friend, the Bible says, "We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory", this is how the chapter ends, "We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory".
Now, this is the English Standard Version and there are quite a number other version that says "we all, with unveiled face," but, actually, the veil was on Moses's face. If you read carefully the context it says that, even today when they read the Old Testament. Let's go back to that. "Since we have such hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end".
So, where was the veil? Not on the Israelites' faces. It was on Moses's face, okay? "But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they," the Jewish people, "when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ was it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read". By the way, "Moses is read" is the first five books of Moses, which is Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. The Torah, right? And to this day when the Pentateuch, "Whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts," just like just now I brought up from the book of Moses, Numbers 30, about the vow. But you know what? I shared with you with no veil. I lifted the veil and showed you Jesus, right? That's how we should read the Old Testament. That's how we should study, even the five books of Moses, see Jesus everywhere, amen?
And here it says, "But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is," what? "Freedom. And we all, with unveiled face", but the context, I was studying this and a lot of theologians also agree that unveiled can be our face is unveiled, but it can also mean beholding Jesus. His face is unveiled, amen? Because just like the veil was on Moses's face, not on Israelites. Not on the Israelites. It was on Moses's face, but today we look at Jesus and there's no veil.
And every ray of his face, right, that shines out tells us our sins are gone. Your sins are gone. All the light on his face says your sins are removed. Your sins are gone. Your sins are forgiven, amen? Put away, amen? No more curse over your life. No more wrath from God. No more punishment coming your way and your family's way. The more we see Jesus, the more we are transformed into the same image. It's a glory. You know, when Moses came down from the mountain, the people ran away from Moses. They were afraid because the light on his face was frightening, because it was the light of demand, the light of the law, the light of the law. "You must. You must. You must not. You shall not. You shall not". It was a light, and people sense it. They ran away.
When Jesus came down the Mount of Transfiguration, the Bible says the people ran towards him. The people ran towards him because the light of the new covenant. The light says your sins are remove. Your sins are gone. The curse is lifted, amen? Now blessings are conferred on you. You have the gift of righteousness to stand before God, hallelujah? I'm so happy that I get to preach this, man. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. At the foot of Moses's mountain. That when he came down, you know what the Lord can do? The Lord can only do this: he saw the people building a calf and worshiping the golden calf and as a result he had them killed. He killed the sinners and destroyed the golden calf.
When Jesus came down the mountain, there was the work of the enemy, as well, but this time it was a child that was demon-possessed. And the father came to Jesus and say, "Please, you can do anything. Please, please, help us". And Jesus cast the demon out. See, the law destroys the sinner with the sin, but grace, grace judge the demon, judge the disease, and separates and saves the sinner from the sin, saves the sick person from the disease, amen? Only grace can do that, my friend. Hallelujah.
So, today we ask our self are we under grace? "Am I a minister? Am I mix-up minister"? And don't be a mix-up minister. Jesus, one time, he said this, and it was in response to a question that the Pharisees asked his disciples when they saw Jesus eating with the publicans and the tax collectors and sinners. They had no guts to approach Jesus, so they approached Jesus's disciple and says, "Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners"? And Jesus answered, "Those that are well don't need a doctor. It's those who are sick". Not only that. Keep on reading. He says that no one can take new wine and put it into the old wineskin.
Now, the old wineskin usually is made of goatskin. After some time it becomes old, right? It becomes hard, hard and brittle, okay? And then, when you put in new wine, all right, fresh wine, when you put new wine, what happen is that the wine inside the goatskin, the old goatskin, will ferment. But because it is no more flexible, the skin is no more flexible, when it ferments, it's hard, right? It will burst. Then you lose the new wine, and you lose the skin, the goatskin, so Jesus says you must put new wine into new wineskin.
Now, many a times we teach that for church culture, for how, you know, church administration and governance need to be in new wineskin, but, actually, when Jesus taught it he was talking about the two covenants. You cannot put new wine, grace, into the law. The law is rigid, right? You cannot put grace. You cannot mix them both, amen? What man calls balance, Jesus calls mixture. You're either under law, or you are under grace. I pray that you will be under grace, my friend, because the law kills. It's not only a ministry of condemnation. It's a ministry of death, amen? But the Spirit gives life. The more we teach grace, the more life is imparted to every cell of your body, amen?
Life is imparted to your soul, to your mind. You feel like your brain comes alive, amen? All the dead spots in your brain comes alive. And the more you teach life, like this lady I shared just now, the depression goes away. Why? Life swallows up death, hallelujah? Amen. The Spirit gives life. The Spirit gives life. The Spirit gives life. Condemnation kills. The Spirit gives life. If you are under the law and you're demand-minded, you're demand-minded, you'll minister death to your loved one. Usually, they are the first ones to receive that ministry of death because you're under that law.
My friend, even though you mean well for your family, amen, above everything else you want your family to enjoy life more abundant, but if you're under the law you cannot but minister death to them, amen? You will say things that you don't mean to say, and you will act in ways you didn't mean to act. But, friend, if you're supply-oriented, again the first beneficiaries will be your family. When you're under grace you feel like loving them. You can take it when they have their flesh manifestations. You're able to swallow that up, amen? And perhaps your family will see Jesus in you, and they will see that moral glory that shines out from you, amen? And you are able to because without the grace of God, without being under grace, we cannot shine, amen? Hallelujah.
And I believe, my friend, it's gotta do with the health of your body. I believe your health will spring forth speedily when you're under grace and not under the law. And don't forget there is a curse under the law. You cannot just say, "You know, I'll do what I can". No, no, the law doesn't understand what you can or what you're able to. The law does not understand do your best. The law says do all, or else the curse will come, so, friend, we are no more under the law. We're under grace. "For as many as of the works of the law are under the curse, those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham". Amen. In Jesus's name. Praise the name of Jesus.
I see the Lord touching bodies right now. I see there is someone you have a neck condition, and the neck condition is such that when you move, I think move to the right, yeah, when you move to the right you have a pain. You cannot move all the way to the right. Right now, the Lord looses your neck in Jesus's name. You are set free in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank God for that. Hallelujah.
Somebody with cancer. I see that there's a growth, and it's cancerous, and you know about it, and the doctors have told you about it. I see it shrivel up, shrivel up, shrivel up, and gone in Jesus's name. Go back to the doctor. And if that is you, please write to tell us, okay? All these things that God is showing, write to tell us what is happening.
And somebody with an elbow condition, stretch your elbow right now in Jesus's name. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus.
Somebody with abscess, something that your gums is, like, swollen at the back, and the Lord is healing you right now. Touch your gum. Touch your gum right now in Jesus's name and see what the Lord has done. Praise the name of Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
There is someone else here. I see, like, your heart area. You've been having pains in that area, and you actually said before the service or during the service just now, I see recently you said to the Lord, "Lord, if you have Pastor Prince call out the condition". I know it is not a heart condition. I know it's something else, but it's not a heart, I'm telling you right now it's not a heart condition. You feel the pain. It could be a muscle pull or something like that, but the Lord has healed you of that even in Jesus's mighty name. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
There's someone who's watching right now, and you've been having nightmares three days in a row. Three nights in a row, you've been having nightmares after nightmares after nightmares. In Jesus's name it stops now, amen? Tonight, when you sleep, your sleep will be sweet, and you will know it is the Lord, the Spirit giving life, amen? The Spirit giving life. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
I see a man. You have not informed your wife. You have not told your family about the financial difficulties that you are in. In fact, you have been trying your best to, like, make them feel that there is more than enough, and you've been praying secretly to God. You've been praying, but you've not been sharing with them. Friend, let me announce to you right now, you know who you are, supply. I see God opening up the, like, the windows of heaven and just pouring out supply along your way. When you receive the supply, you will know it is not ordinary. You will know that God chose a means by which to bring you the supply, and please tell your wife when it happens. Please tell your children when that happens, amen? And please write to us and let us know what has happened. Praise the Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus. I give you praise and glory and honor, Lord.
Yes, there's a couple. You've been saying to God also, "If, Lord, if you tell us through Pastor Prince, you know, that we'll have a baby, we'll keep on believing. We'll keep on believing". Yes, you know who you are, and God is saying, "I've heard your prayer, and the baby shall come". Amen. You shall have a baby, and the baby will have God's favor on him, and the baby will be full of life, full of joy and he'll bring great joy to both of you. Don't give up. Don't give up, amen? God has heard your prayer. Hallelujah. Amen. Isn't this ministry through edification, through exhortation, through comfort? Amen. Spirit giving life to you, amen? Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Somebody else, you cannot move your arm all the way to the back. Stand up right now wherever you are. Forget about the person on your right and left, you know, whoever watches you. Start doing a wave right now with your arm, amen? And you'll find the Lord has set you free. Hallelujah. Please write to the church and let us know about it, will you? Thank you, Lord Jesus.
A shoulder condition. Yeah, move the shoulder right now. Again, you cannot move. You don't have free mobility with that shoulder. Now move that shoulder. Yeah, do rounds with it in Jesus's name and see what the Lord has done. Amen. Free gifts. Charizomai. Freely given to you. Praise the name of Jesus. Amen. Jesus paid it all. It's time for you to receive, amen? Thank you, Jesus. Receive it in Jesus's name.
And I pray for everyone that's watching this, Father, whatever their ailments may be, whatever their sickness may be. Thank you, Lord. You are greater than any physician. You are greater than any medical procedure. Father, in the name of Jesus I thank you the things which are impossible with men are possible with you, so in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pronounce everyone's body, Lord, that's watching this right now healed from that affliction, healed from that disease, healed from that condition that they are wanting the deliverance and healing from, Lord, in the name of Jesus. Let favor rise in every heart. Receive your miracle, my friend, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Be healed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.
You know, I'm so blessed to be God's delivery boy. That's all I am. Amen. I just hear what the Lord says, and I deliver, and I deliver. Can you see how God is supply-oriented, amen? Under grace. And he justm, that if only we have greater capacities to receive, amen? Greater capacities. You know, all that we have today is by grace, and that's why Paul prayed that God will give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, because it's already given. We just need to have the spirit of wisdom, having our eyes enlightened to see what we already have, or what has been given to us. Amen, friend. I pray for you in Jesus's name. That God will give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your understanding be enlightened that you may know, amen? You may know in Jesus's name all that is given to you. Hallelujah. Praise the name of Jesus.
And, friend, if you're watching this right now and you tell yourself, "Why am I watching this guy," you know? And maybe a friend ask you to watch, but you're asking, you go, "Why am I watching this guy? And I'm watching all the way to the end," you know, it's because God is calling you home, to his side. God is calling you to the place of his house where there's abundance, and God is saying, "Come home to love. Come home into my arms. Yeah, I'm not holding your sins against you. I love you. I'm not offering you a religion. I'm offering you reality. I'm conferring upon you the gift of righteousness, amen? Because my son died for you. My son died for your sins. I'm not looking at your sins. I'm seeing your need for me, your need for my love, your need for my provisions, and I'm seeing you, son. I'm calling you, my daughter, home to my heart of love". So, if that is you pray this prayer with me right now. Say this from your heart. I'll help you pray. Say this:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the gift of your son, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you Christ died on the cross for my sins. Thank you for raising him from the dead. Thank you, Father, Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior. Hallelujah. I'm now greatly blessed, highly favored. I'm highly favored, and I'm deeply loved. In Jesus's name.
Congratulations. You are now born again. It is not a religious experience. It is a reality. It's the greatest miracle of all, the miracle of new birth. You've just been born again. You are now a citizen of heaven, amen? You are now a child of God, with the nature of God and the life of God flowing in you, amen? And God's Spirit indwells you, amen? Continue to tune in. Keep on learning the ways of the Lord, amen? And continue getting blessed and blessed and more blessed, amen? Because God keeps on blessing. Praise the name of Jesus. Amen. Church, stand to your feet. Hallelujah. Let me pronounce the blessing on you for this coming week.
The Lord bless you and your families throughout this week. The Lord bless you and your loved ones. The Lord bless you with the blessings of Deuteronomy 28. The Lord bless you with the blessings of father Abraham, and the Lord grant you, each every one of you, divine protection, his own hand protecting you, the blood of his son covering you, you and your families throughout this week from the COVID-19 virus, from every infection, from every disease, from every danger, from every harm, from all the power of the evil one through the blood of his son. And the Lord favors you, smiles on you. Always he smile throughout this week, amen? And just expect favor everywhere you turn, amen? The favor of God is on you. The Lord be gracious to you and your loved ones, and the Lord grant to you and your families his wonderful shalom, wholeness, and peace in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And all the people said amen.