Welcome to 2024! Are you ready? Do you feel secure? Are you focused and determined? To answer yes to these questions can only be possible with faith. We need faith to be ready, feel secure, be focused and determined. We have to be focused. As children of God, we have a future and hope! We have every reason to look forward to a new year no matter what it may bring! Because we know that God will use everything we go through to our benefit and for His glory! So - get excited! Did you know you are marked? Ephesians 1:14 says that the Spirit of God has marked us as God's own! Our enemy, satan, hates us because of that fact! Why are you surprised when you go through attacks? He wants you to fail, he doesn't want you to grow.

I think it's safe to say, we've all stepped into this trap far too many times! Perhaps you don't realize it yet, but after this message, you will come to the realization that many of your problems came about because you acted in kindness (out of the flesh) without discernment (out of the spirit) and you got yourself into great trouble this way. Just because it's good, doesn't mean it's God! Just because it seems to be the "right" thing to do doesn't mean you should be doing it! Just because you're expected to do it, or because you were asked, doesn't mean you should do it! We have an enemy, who will use anything and anyone to manipulate us into doing things, get involved in things we were never supposed to get involved with! There's a verse in Proverbs 22 which is hard to hear, but so accurate in describing this principle: "the naïve continue on and are punished by suffering the consequences of sin." Do you know what it means to be naïve? It means to show a lack of judgment, you are unsuspecting. It's the opposite of what the Bible says we should be: "vigilant & alert" because the devil is looking for opportunities to steal, kill and destroy in your life.

Our Heavenly Father corrects us. Which no one likes to experience, but it's indeed very, very necessary! This is something the Holy Spirit brought my attention to, something I had to work on and change in my life. When the Bible tells us to be weary of certain things, it's not to spite us, but to save us! Therefore, when the Bible says: - "never avenge yourselves" (Rom 12:17-19) - "do not give the devil an opportunity to lead you into sin by holding a grudge" (Eph 4:27) - "a shortsighted fool always loses his temper and displays his anger, but a wise man uses self-control" (Prov 29:11) When the Bible tells us these things, it's not take the fun out of life, it's to protect us against the devil getting access to us and destroying our lives! We all get done wrong: treated unfairly, misjudged, accused of things we didn't do, gossiped about, and perhaps you have every reason to be furious, however, when we engage in nurturing that anger, we react in a way (spitefulness) that is not becoming of a child of God - not only that - but you open yourself up to attack.

Jesus Christ never said that we would not face challenges or difficulties in this world. In fact, He said in John 6:33 NIV “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” This should give us great comfort to not let our difficulties steal our peace or our joy because Jesus Christ is aware of the troubles we are facing now and what we will face in the future. He did not tell us that we will face challenges to make us afraid, anxious or worried about the future, but so that we will have peace and comfort in the midst of the storm. Satan wants to use the troubles we face so that we will curse and reject God. So that we will see God in a bad light and start murmuring and complaining against Him. Unfortunately, many today have forsaken their faith because they failed to realize that hardships are part of life here on the earth. Many “Christians” say things like; “Why are innocent men, women & children being murdered? Why are there natural disasters, great poverty and suffering? Why are people dying to terrible diseases like cancer? If God is good, why does He permit these things?”

When a parent tells his child to be careful or issue a warning, it's because it's for the protection of that child. In the same way, when God instructs us in His Word, or issues a warning, it's because in obeying it, we will be protected. But when we don't do what God warns us not to do, how can we be safe? We all get frustrated. But the Bible warns us clearly about anger and frustration and therefore there are many reasons why we should not give in to these emotions: Refrain from anger because it only leads to more troubles! Psalm 37:8 A soft answer avoids wrath but a harsh word out of frustration leads to anger and more troubles! Prov 15:1 The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God! We cannot be representatives of God if we act in anger! James 1:20 When you sleep on your anger, it opens a door to the enemy, giving him access to your life! Eph 4:26 We will act like fools, make bad decisions, not be wise when we give in to our anger! Ecc 7:9 You are like a city without walls, no control over yourself, when you give in to your anger! Prov 16:32 

Do you have special occasions that you celebrate? Birthdays, Graduations, Achievements? Have you ever stopped to think why we celebrate special occasions? Every time we celebrate something, we are reminiscing on what was achieved. You are enjoying the result of toiling, working hard, sacrificing to get the result that finally came. Have you ever wondered why the Bible speaks so much about the importance of having joy in your heart? Let me teach you something: the devil wants you to forget what God has done for you! If you don't celebrate a breakthrough, a change, a healing, it's easy to just move along and forget what God has done for you! Then, when challenges come, doubt can creep in much easier because you never walked in the light of your testimony - you never celebrated and acknowledged what God did and doubt gets to enter your heart and mind! Joy is a fruit of the spirit (Gal 5:22), it strengthens us in difficult times (James 1:2), it's good for our health (Prov 17:22), it gives us hope (Rom 15:13). When you celebrate, you are showing your enemy, the devil, and unbelievers around you, that your God is real and powerful ! In fact, the Bible says in Revelations 12:11 that we overcome the devil with the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony!

If you are a child of God; a man or a woman born again by the Spirit of God, then you have every reason to rejoice as victory in this world is guaranteed to all of God’s children. “For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].” – 1 John 5:4 We have such a tremendous promise from God that no matter what difficulties we go through, He will deliver us from them all! “Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, but the Lord rescues him from them all.” – Psalm 34:19. Take comfort that Jesus Christ did not just give His precious life so that one day we can go to heaven and live happily ever after. NO! He has given us everything we need to overcome the uncertainties and challenges of this life; and not only overcome, but to have victory indeed!

Do you know the story of Blind Bartimaeus? There’s something very significant you must see (revelation) in this story. Bartimaeus was a blind beggar sitting beside the road, day in, day out. The Bible says he heard Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, but he didn’t call on Jesus of Nazareth, he said: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Why did he say those words? He knew, he had the revelation on who Jesus really was! When he called “Son of David” he understood that Jesus was the Messiah foretold! He knew that Jesus was the Healer and Deliverer! Even though he was physically blind, he knew and saw who Jesus was and because of that revelation, it caught Jesus’ attention and he received his healing! That is the power of revelation! Revelation opens the door to healing! Many times, when I pray for people for physical healing, God gives me a word of knowledge so that the healing can take place! The revelation opens the door to healing! Not just physical, but emotional healing too! What about curses? God showed me through a revelation dream that there’s a curse I needed to break over my life! Because of the revelation, breakthrough came just like it did for Bartimaeus!

As a son and daughter of God, we must settle in our hearts that this world is not our home. We are citizens of Heaven - Phillippians 3:20-21. That is where our home is. Here, we are only foreigners and temporary residents. (Heb 11:13) So, do not think it strange when people do not understand you or if you face various trials and difficulties. Jesus Himself said that if you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. But you belong to Jesus, that is why the world hates you! (John 15:18-19) The jealousy, envy, hatred, name calling, misunderstanding and various challenges are an attack on our heavenly callings! You see? God made us to be one with a difference! That is why we think, talk and act differently, because we were born to be a blessing to our generation. We are the light of the world and darkness has nothing to do with light.