Take a Leap of Faith

We serve a God who 'overanswers' our prayers and requests. 

                                                                             by Jenno Marco Misa

     All of us have dreams in life. Whether it’s buying a new house, finishing college, or getting married, we all have something in our hearts that we believe God for. We were not created to just barely get by, day in and day out, and wait for Jesus to call us home. On the contrary, we were created to be more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37).

     Some of our dreams are really big that we become uncertain if it could happen or not. Oftentimes, we end up asking ourselves, “Am I asking too much from God?”, or “I think my dreams are too far out that God isn’t capable of bringing it to pass”, or “I know God could, but I do not know if He would”.

     To begin with, God created all of us. He knows everything about us. From our weakest points, strengths, thoughts, plans, and the desires of our hearts –even the bad thoughts, sinful desires, and selfish ambitions, He knows all of it and yet, He still loves us. Nothing can be hidden from the eyes of God. 

     Ephesians 3:20 tells us this “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”. Take note of the part where it says, “exceedingly abundantly above all...” Isn’t it good news that God is able to do more than what we ask or think? So don’t worry about your dreams if they seem to be too big for you. You won’t be the one who will bring it to pass. God will. When you dream big, you are magnifying the size of your God. So go on and take a leap of faith.

     The next thing that would boggle our minds is “Is He willing to bring it to pass?” When Jesus was in one of the cities, a leper came to Him and asked if He would cleanse him. The leper didn’t doubt if Jesus could. He heard about Jesus’ power and compassion for the sick. But he doubted if Jesus would. In those times, lepers were outcasts and there was no physical contact allowed between them and the clean people, lest the clean will become unclean. This leper didn’t know any better. With all the doubt within him, he asked Jesus “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean”. And Jesus did more than what the leper could ask or think, he stretched out His hand, touched him, and said “I am willing. Be cleansed!” (Luke 5:12-13).

     Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So if you are not sure if Jesus will grant the desires of your heart, He is saying to you right now “I am willing!” We just have to ask. The scripture says in James 4:2 “You have not because you ask not.” The more we ask Him, the more we show our full dependence on Him. 

     So don’t let your flesh and wrong belief about God cage you and stop you from reaching your full potential in life. Jesus said that He came so that we might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). If Jesus has paid for it, it is yours! Go on and take a leap of faith, knowing that Jesus is with us wherever we are, He will continue to prosper whatever we touch, and that all things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28).

Jesus Is Enough

He is enough.

      Everything we need is in Christ Jesus. From physical to spiritual needs, Jesus is the answer. A lot of times we seek answers from the world, when the real answer is in the Word. The Word of God is Jesus Himself. In the book of John, the scripture says that ‘”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, NIV). Later on, the scripture goes on to say in John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us”. 

     The more we partake of the Word is the more we partake of Jesus and who He is, how perfect His perfect sacrifice is, and how finished His finished work is. Because of Jesus, we can now come boldly to the throne of God where we can find grace and mercy in times of need. 

     If we are sick, Jesus is our healing. If we are in debt, Jesus is our wisdom and supply. If we are in need, Jesus is our provision. When we are in fear, Jesus is our peace and courage. When we are in despair, Jesus is our comforter. When we are in darkness, Jesus is our light. Everything we need is found in Him.

     The more we tune in to sermons that unveil the person of Jesus, the more we are drawn into His loveliness, beauty, and perfection, and the light of this world will go strangely dim, until the main focus of your eyes is on Him and not on yourself. Simply by beholding Him, the Bible says, we are transformed into His same image from glory to glory.

Grace is Fresh Every Morning

Embrace each day knowing that God’s grace is new every morning.

                                                                     -Jenno Marco Misa

    Being in a world where you are on the very frontline of the demands of life can be very draining. If you are in the corporate world, the demands in the office can be very pressing until it gets on your nerves and steal away your joy. Or if you are a homemaker, the list of chores can roll up to the next town, and before you know it, you have forgotten that you too, need to take care of yourself.

      Has your life gone this busy? Have you felt like your 24 hours is too short compared to somebody else’s? Has your life gone very routinely that every day has become all the same? Have you ever wished that you would bump into something new for the next day?

      The Scripture tells us in Lamentations 3:22-23 “22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (ESV)”. Mercy here also means grace. We all have grace from God in all the things that we do. The verse tells us that this grace and mercy are new every morning. That means that although we are running out of energy and enthusiasm for doing the same things everyday, the grace of God does not ran out. As long as the sun rises and a new day comes, there is a fresh grace from God daily. So, embrace each day knowing that His mercy and grace are new every morning.

    If you are a homemaker and you have been taking your kids to shower everyday for 4 years already, don’t step into the next day with a drained and exhausted mentality, thinking that it’s just any other day. Be conscious of God’s grace everyday, that you too, are being bathed by God’s love and mercy everyday. Before you know it, you will be saying things like: “I’m not just bathing any other kid. I am bathing a child that came directly from God as a gift to me! I am bathing a champion! Or I am bathing the next president of my country!” When you are conscious of God’s grace being poured unto you, you will take the usual things into a whole new paradigm. Here’s the key: being conscious of God’s grace always leads you to increase in output without putting in more effort. It is always a restful increase.

     Start each day by tapping into His inexhaustible supply of grace. The more you tap into this grace, the more you make room for God to increase you in favor, wisdom, and influence.

Peace in His Presence

In His presence, there is peace.

                                                                        - Jenno Marco Misa

     Today, if you surf around the web or watch the news, you will hear different stories of wars, nations extinguishing their own kind, and many stories of countries setting up nuclear weapons to increase military influence. When you go to work, what awaits you is a stack of papers and reports that need to be done, deadlines that need to be met, and backlogs that your boss has been asking you to expedite.

     In the midst of all these, we often make the mistake of giving out our joy and peace. Everything that surrounds us seems to be as chaotic and pressing as can be. There seems to be no room for calmness.

    The Bible talks about the Peace that surpasses all understanding in Philippians 4:7. The whole verse says “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)”

    Isn't it wonderful that in the midst of all the trouble out there in the world, there is a place where we can run unto where no evil can come close? Philippians 4:7 tells us about that so called place: in Christ Jesus.

     Basking in Jesus’ presence is not something that’s so drastic where you hear a loud voice from heaven, or a shining light radiating from afar – although these stories happened many times in the Bible. To come into Jesus’ presence is simply to call on Him, invite Him, and involve Him in your everyday life. Once you do this, you will sense a deep and contagious peace from within which then envelops your heart, guarding you from any bad news, stress, or even happenings that are detrimental to you. By just basking in His presence, you will realize that although there are storms, stress, and bad news bombarding you, you don’t get ‘bothered’ by all these. This is not slacking off. This is being enveloped by Peace.

     This effortless peace comes neither through meditating on the high mountains nor by donating certain amount to charities and orphanages. This Peace that surpasses all understanding can only come by being conscious of Jesus’ presence in your life. Once you have Him with you daily, then there is no news too bad, no stress too pressing, and no war too frightening can ever move you out of that place of peace and rest.

Getting to Your Destination

Receiving lessons from God in a time you least expect.

                                                                               -Jenno Marco Misa

     Yesterday, I published a new entry in my blog called “God’s GPS system and Traffic Light’. It talks about knowing the right direction inorder to get to your destination without getting lost. Then I went on to discuss about the Pillar of Fire and Cloud and how the Spirit of God has become the modern day version of these pillars.

     Since I became a believer, I stopped believing in coincidence. I believe things happen for me, not to me, as what Joel Osteen often says. Well, this experience of mine has really blown me out of my patience and exhausted all the energy I had. Here it goes:

     I work as an Interior designer here in Singapore. Whenever a customer wants to engage with us, part of our job is to visit their house. And yes, that means we get to enter from one house to another. This time, I had an appointment at one of the Condo units located along West Coast Drive.

First attempt: saw the wrong overhead bridge

    Before I took off from our office, I was convinced that I know the place. I assumed that it was just somewhere around the train station. With this, I did not spend some time checking on the map to see what the best route was. Besides, I had my iPad with me to help me locate the place.

  When I alighted at the bus stop right in front of the train station, I immediately went to an overhead bridge nearby. I remember hearing my customer that it was ‘near’ an overhead bridge. One thing about Singapore, there’s a lot of overhead bridges here to give easy access to pedestrians and avoid the danger of crossing the busy highways and streets.

 Moments went by, I continued walking and walking. Then I walked some more, and walked even further. Starting to get impatient, I called the customer and he indicated that I was not on the right place. He told me that I was directly opposite to where I’m supposed to be. Anger started to sprout within me.

   Then I walked to the opposite side and lo and behold, the iPad map said I needed to walk very far. I was really angry, not to myself but to God. I asked Him: “How can You let this happen to me? Just yesterday I wrote about directions and how Your Spirit helps us in determining which way to go everytime we come into the crossroads.” I was literally blaming God. I knew that as God, He is all knowing. And with that, I expected Him to really tell me which way to go.

     I started walking from 10:30 and found the place around 11:25. And yes, that’s how far it was! With all the sweat flowing, something like a holy anger rose within, and I went on to blame God again for the second time. I told Him these words: “You knew it was this far, don’t You? Why did You not ask me to take a cab or a public transport? Why did You allow me to walk this far? How can You do this to Your beloved?”

     I got nothing but anger inside my mind during those times. Then here comes the best part now. I found the place already, and you would have thought that the agony of this story is over. When I lifted my eyes, I saw a huge and very long hoarding that is blocking the way. Hoarding is a means of protection by using metal sheets or other materials to fence an area where there is a construction going on. Then I told myself, “That’s it.’ I’m going back. There is no way that I’m going to climb over that hoarding just to get to that house.”

The whole place was hoarded up. There seemed to be no way.

     Right there and then, I heard a voice within me asking, “How do you think did the children of Israel feel when they had fought every fight, overcome every enemy, endured every journey, and made it in front of the Promised Land, only to find out that there was a huge wall blocking their way towards their destination? (This is the story about the walls of Jericho). When I heard the voice, the more I got angry because I knew it was God talking to me and teaching me Bible stories very untimely!

     I was already late for the meeting and I was obviously lost, and here He is, teaching me about the Bible in the midst of all these mess! In my thoughts, I said things like “God, can you try sometime later? I’m kind of lost now and I don’t know if the customer is still there waiting for me”.

     But the voice went on to elaborate more about what happened on that story when the children of Israel saw the huge walls of Jericho. With this experience of mine, I felt very exhausted and frustrated. Exhausted because I travelled on foot a long way, and frustrated because there were ‘huge walls’ (hoarding) blocking me from my destination.

     Then I told Him, I’m not going there anymore. I have lost my patience and I’m now going back to office. As soon as I started turning back, the voice asked me to look behind just one more time. Then I saw another street, just adjacent to the road that was closed up, and I thought to myself that “Hey, that ‘might’ lead me to the destination.”

      Curios and a bit relaxed now (but still exhausted though), I went down to that street. Then the voice asked me, “What did I tell Joshua to do before the walls of Jericho fell down?”. I answered “Shout”. Then He said, “Before that?” . Then I answered again “March around for seven times”. Then I heard He said “Right”. Then I became angry again, thinking that He was asking me to march around the place seven times. But just as I was about to march around, I saw the entrance gate of the Condo Units and I was so delighted to see that and immediately rushed in.

     While undergoing through this entire patience-melting journey, I realized and learned many things. Firstly, just because you are lost does not mean God can’t get you to where He has destined you to be. Many of us may have started on the wrong footing, yet God’s grace is so sufficient that He still leads us no matter how lost we have been. I think one of the reasons why I found my destination today is because I surrendered looking for that house using my own effort. The moment I surrendered, God worked. But as long as I was restless and busy trying to figure out the way, God cannot work in me.

     Secondly, just because you got lost by your own doing does not mean that God leaves you alone in finding out a way back to the right track. No. In fact, the Bible tells us that it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). I did not check my route beforehand, so I got lost. I could say that I got lost along the way because of my own doing. But how deep and wide is His grace that He still led me to the right way, despite me blaming everything to Him.

      Thirdly, just because you did something wrong does not mean you can’t hear God’s voice anymore. In fact, the Bible also tells us that after Adam and Eve partook of the wrong tree, they heard God’s voice and they were afraid (Genesis 3:10). Also, after Cain murdered his brother Abel, he heard God’s voice and he answered Him back impolitely with these words “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4: 8-9). When I heard that still small voice from within, I became angry because I didn’t want to have a Bible lesson at that time, in the midst of all the mess I have gotten into. But God, being all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present, has everything in His hands. He does not panic nor get nervous. He is peaceful, and His peace is very contagious.

      Fourthly, just because you feel angry toward God does not mean He gets angry at you too. No. And it’s all because of the cross of Jesus where the wrath of God against all our sins and lawlessness was fully satisfied. And since God does not get angry at you, He is very persistent in comforting you until His peace dawns on you. This made me so convinced of what my Senior Pastor Joseph Prince has shared, “God is actually the One holding your hand and not you holding His hand.”

      Lastly, just because your time was wasted when you got lost does not mean God cannot restore it. God controls the time. Although I was lost and got late for the meeting for over an hour, I still managed to meet them without them being angry at me. How gracious God is! Here’s a bonus: I was so thirsty when I got there. In my mind, I thought of asking God to provide me water out of those walls. True enough, the owner offered me a drink, not through the walls though. The meeting ended with everything on my favor: the client was not angry, I got the necessary details, I did my job, and best of all, I found my way.

      Isn't God a God of grace to use people like me to write about directions when I myself is very poor in it? Did He not say to let the weak say I am strong? To let the poor say I am rich? And to let the lame say I can walk?

    I will never be afraid to write about my weaknesses because in it, God’s strength is magnified. In every trial, grace super abounds. And in every crossroad, wisdom overflows. That’s the God that you and I serve!

God’s GPS System and Traffic Light

See Jesus lead us the way the Israelites were led by the Pillar of Cloud and Fire.

                                                                             - by Jenno Marco Misa

  Knowing where to go, which directions to follow, and what means of transportation to take brings much comfort to anyone traveling. Either you’re driving your own car, taking the public vehicle, or walking down the streets, knowing which way to go is a must if you want to reach your destination without getting lost.

     Nowadays, technology has made traveling very well guided with the advent of maps on mobile phones, not to mention the GPS system that’s helping out many since it came out in the late 1980’s.

     When it comes to God’s system, many people wonder if there is also a ‘GPS’ navigation system that tells the believer where to go or which road to take. As direction really matters, a believer normally looks up to God before he or she makes a decision, especially if it is a crucial one.

     In our lives, we all face many crossroads wherein a decision can make or break the future by its outcome. Some have crossroads in their marital life - a decision where not only the couple are involved, but also the future of the children. Some have crossroads in their career - moving into another job with a better pay or staying in the same job with a better schedule. Whatever it is, all of us, believer or not, come to a point where we ask “which way should I go?”

    Back in the time when God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, God did not just ask them to come out but personally led them on their way to the Promised Land. And it wasn’t something that’s invisible. God Himself led them in a Pillar of cloud by day, and a Pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21).

     The Pillar of Cloud kept the children of Israel shaded from the heat of the sun, while the Pillar of Fire kept them warm during the night. As they were journeying in the desert, the weather could be very playful and extreme: during a sunny day it could be scorching hot, yet can be extremely cold during the night. 

     Now, there have been many teachings and different approaches on this story. Many believe that God was demonstrating His protection wherever we go and whichever direction we take. But one important detail I would want to emphasize is that part which it says that “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night (KJV)”.

     Simplifying the verse, we can say that God was before them, in front of them and leading the way for them. They didn’t have to worry which way to go or what route to take. This makes sense to me as Jesus Himself said that He (referring to Himself) is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). I believe that in this story of the Bible, Jesus, in His pre-incarnate appearance as being the revealed arm of the LORD, was the One leading the children of Israel. Exodus 14: 19 says “Then the Angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them”. When Jesus moved in between the Children of Israel and the Egyptian armies, He caused darkness to the latter so that they were not able to launch any attack to the Israelites all night.

     Jesus, being the Pillar of Cloud and Fire, did not only lead them where to go. He also was the ‘traffic light’ of the children of Israel. Numbers 9:17 tells us that “And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents (KJV)”. 

     The Pillar of Cloud and Fire did not only lead them, but also gave them the ‘go and stop’ signal. They were guided both on which way to go, and when to go.

    One may say that these are all good back then but what about now? What about in the present times where the Pillar of Cloud or the Pillar of Fire is unheard of? How does a believer determine his direction in life? Is there a sort of an ‘access’ to this Pillar of Cloud and Fire?

     The answer is ‘Yes’. When the Day of Pentecost was fully come, He poured His Spirit and appeared in a form of a rushing mighty wind and in ‘divided tongues as of a flame of fire”. “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them (KJV)”. Does that ring a bell to you? 

     The Pillar of Cloud and Fire was leading the Israelites on the outside because it could not rest on their inside back then because there wasn’t any sacrifice yet that could clean them perfectly so God can dwell in them. That is why you will see the cloud resting on their tabernacle – an external structure where God dwells. Now under the New Covenant established on the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God has already been slain and sacrificed. But the Lamb did not remain in the tomb as He rose up like a Lion and defeated death as He rose from the dead and sat down at the right of the Father. Now that the blood of Jesus has cleansed us perfectly, the Spirit of God (who is both the Fire and Cloud) can now dwell in us. He does not have to stay on an external tabernacle anymore, but can now dwell in our bodies, which is the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19).

     But how come we don’t see it? How come we don’t see any cloud or fire from us? Could it be that the Bible is just pacifying us, making us believe that God is here even if it is not true? 

     That’s where faith comes in. Just because you don’t see it does not mean He is not there. This event in the Bible was NOT merely written so as to pacify us during the tough times and make us believe that God is really leading us when actually He is not. No! A thousand times NO! This was placed in the Bible so that today we will all know that there is a guide within us - that still small voice on the inside. I submit to you, the more we speak in tongues, the more wisdom will flow in us enabling us to make better decisions-decisions that always lead us to green pasture and still waters. 

     How do we know that we have made the right decisions? What is the indication that the outcome was influenced by the Holy Spirit?

     It is the presence or the absence of peace and rest. The leading of the Spirit always bear peace as its fruit – still waters. The absence of peace in your situation indicates that there is something that needs to be corrected. Inorder to rectify this, tune it to Holy Spirit’s voice by speaking in tongues. When you do this, listen to that still small voice from the inside and through that, I believe, is the way to get out from a troubled situation to a place of peace and rest. When you feel that indescribable sense of peace enveloping you, you know that God was leading you. In Hebrew, it is called Shalom.

     People may talk us out of it and may even say things like Christianity is a ‘funny’ religion as we believe in things that are unseen. Yet, that is the very essence of faith. Just because we don’t see it does not mean it’s not there. The world says that ‘Unless I see it, I won’t believe’. But faith says “I believe it, therefore I see it’. The eyes of faith can see things that unbelieving eyes could not.

Shake it Off and Praise

Receive God's power in a different way by praising Him in the midst of the trials.

                                                                                                            - Jenno Marco Misa

     When trials come our way, when things don't go the way we planned them to, or when the paybills come while payday is still a long way, the first base that's attacked in us are our shoulders. Before we get worried and our hearts troubled, the weight of the storms in life are first slammed onto our shoulders.

     When we want to carry something that's heavy, one of the effective ways is to put it onto our shoulders. In this way, we are able to move effectively while carrying the load. In the same way, the loads in life are first carried by our shoulders, not by our hearts. Long before there is fear, the burden comes first. Long before the sleepless nights, a tiring and exhausting day first occurs. And long before there is a prolonged predicament, a heavy shoulder is what we experience first.

     When we face challenges, we always say, "I feel very burdened", or "My problem is very heavy". We even say "I don't think I can carry this alone", or "I need somebody to help me carry the weight of what I'm going through now".

     The truth is, it is for no reason why the devil first attacks our shoulders. When our shoulders are heavy, our arms are directed downwards, towards the ground. When our shoulders feel heavy, our hands are directed towards the dust of the earth where the devil feeds. When our shoulder is heavy, the devil is preventing us from raising our hands upwards, towards the direction of heaven. He knows that when we raise these two hands and worship God, despite that heavy feeling that's weighing us down, his tactic is over. He knows that when we look away from our burdens and choose to worship God, he is finished.

     Praising God during the good times is good. When we have received the miracle we have been praying for, when our healing has come, or the breakthrough that we have been believing for has happened, it's right to praise God. But what about during the times when we feel like everything is going against us? What about the times when we feel like the weight of the whole world is on our shoulders? Or what about those times where there seems to be dark clouds always hounding above us? How can we have the heart to worship God in the midst of such trials?

     In the scriptures, (2 Chronicles Chapter 20) King Jehoshaphat faced this kind of problem. His battle seemed more insurmountable as a massive number of enemies (Moab and Ammon) have encamped against him. The safety of the kingdom was on his shoulders. Then a prophet came to Him (2 Chronicles 20:15) and said that he, Jehoshaphat, need not make a move on this battle for the LORD God Himself will fight. His position was to stand and see the salvation of the LORD.

     When Jehoshaphat heard this, he changed the formation of the army. Instead of bringing into the front line the mightiest warriors, he sent the worshippers first, singing "Praise the Lord, for He is good . His mercy and lovingkindess endures forever"(2 Chronicles 20:21). He started praising God even before he and his kingdom was fully delivered from the fangs of the enemies. Such response from Jehoshaphat pleased the LORD that the mighty God of Israel utterly destroyed all the enemies of Jehoshaphat.

    One thing we need to learn from this story is Jehoshaphat's heart of thankfulness and praise, even before the enemies were defeated. God must have been so pleased with it that He utterly destroyed the enemies. But take note, Jehoshaphat's worship was a response to the prophet's report. In other words, the victory has not happened yet, but he praised the Lord already. He must have been so persuaded that what the Lord said through the prophet, God is well able to do.

     How many of us here begin to thank God only after receiving what we prayed for? The story of Jehoshaphat is a good reminder to all of us that praising God in the difficult times opens the door of deliverance and victory. We need to be fully persuaded to the truth that God is willing and is more than able to save and deliver us no matter how insurmountable the situation looks.

    When Jesus saw the multitudes of about five thousand men, not counting women and children, He lifted His eyes to heaven and thanked His Father (John 6:1-14). He knew that God is Jehova Jireh, the Lord our Provider. After He thanked God, the two small fish and five barley loaves were multiplied greatly that it did not only feed the crowd, but had 12 baskets full of left-overs.

     On another occasion, Jesus was standing in front of His friend Lazarus' tomb . Lazarus has been dead for four days. Jesus, after declaring that He was the resurrection and the life, stooped down and thanked the Lord. Then He stood up and with a commanding voice, defeated death and called forth Lazarus back to life. And indeed, Lazarus came out, alive again(John 11).

     Notice that in the two events, Jesus thanked God even before the miracle took place. He knew that whatever He will ask, God was well able to give.

    When we choose to worship God, it is not so much on the praising, but more on the message that we convey to Him when we worship. It's as if we're telling Him "Jesus, I might be facing an enormous, gigantic, and insurmountable situation right now. But I know that when these are brought to you, these things become microscopic. I know that this problem looks bigger than me, but I also know that You are bigger than anything else. So I want to sing about that victory. I want to thank You in advance for my deliverance". When we do this and worship God, faith flows from within us without us even conscious of it. The moment we say this, it denotes a position of rest. And when we rest, God goes to work.

   Whatever that's weighing heavy on you right now, shake it off from your shoulders. We always see shampoo advertisements where the model will shake off the dandruff off his shoulders. That's how we should do it. Shake the worries off to the ground and start praising!

    Whatever your facing right now, know that just like Jehoshaphat, the Lord is telling you that you need not fight in this battle. God is saying to you right now that He is well able to bring down giants and utterly destroy all your enemies. Shake off that weight and lift up your hands and praise God. When you do that, you magnify the size of our God, instead of magnifying the weight of the problem.

Above and Not Beneath

He who was on high came down to where we were and lifted us up together with Him.

                                                                                          -Jenno Marco Misa

     You wont know how high and far above God has put you in Christ until you realize how busy the devil is trying to bring and pull you down.

     Part of our inheritance in Christ is the blessing of Deuteronomy 28:13 which says "And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them."

     The next question that comes into your mind would be "How on earth can I inherit this blessing when I was not fully obedient to the commandments of God"? 

     This is the good news: God is not looking at your obedience today, but to His Son's obedience. The Holy Spirit tells us in the Book of Romans (Romans 5:19) "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."

     Furthermore, the scripture tells us that Christ is the end of the law, fulfilled it in its pristine standard, and personally nailed it on the cross. And when He did this, He gave us His robe of righteousness the moment we receive Him as our Lord & Savior (Romans 10:4).

     Now that you understand why God is not looking at your obedience but to Jesus's obedience, the next thing you would want to know is how high and far above has God set you in Christ. Ephesians 1:21 tells us 

     "...far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come".

     When Jesus died, He did not die for Himself because He had no sin, He knew no sin, and in Him was no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). So when God raised Him and made Him sit down at His right hand far above all powers, it wasn't just to make Jesus above and Him only. He is seated there for our benefit, and not for His own. Remember that Jesus was all the while far above everything , long before He came as a man. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). This tells us that Jesus, being fully God, was already far above all powers since the beginning. 

     God made Jesus sit above everything for our sake, and not for His sake. He is there as our High Priest and Advocate. And as He is today, far above all powers and principalities, so are we in this world ( 1 John 4:17).

     So what things and powers are we above from? 

     When God sets you above, it means no evil power can dominate over you. It means there is no way Satan and all his demons can exercise authority over you. At your word, they tremble in fear. At your word, they depart. And with your position over them, they are no match against you. But what the devil does is that he makes the impression that he is bigger and more powerful than you. Don't let this lie deceive you of your position in Christ. Don't let it overthrow you from a position of victor to a position of victim. 

     Being above means that no sickness or pain has dominion over you. Jesus is not only above sickness, but He also paid the price of healing and wholeness when He allowed His body to be beaten, scourged, and broken on that scourging post. The price for healing has been paid. So everytime you feel that there is sickness in your body, command it to leave in Jesus's name. Talk to it, cast it out, and speak forth your healing and wholeness. If you think talking to sickness or any object is absurd, then consider Jesus. He talked to a tree, to the storm, and to the dead and all obeyed Him. Above all, the best way to come to your healing is by partaking the Holy Communion. When you do that, you not only cause an earthquake to Satan's headquarters, but you also remind all the dark forces (including your sickness) of the victory that Jesus gave you when He gave His life at the cross. 

     Being above also means that you are on top of your problems and storms in life, not the other way around. When the storms of life seem to overshadow you, remember your position in Christ. Take hold of your position and know that in every Valley, God always provides a door of Hope. What you need to do is to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Standing still doesn't mean laziness, being unproductive, or escaping and running away from your crisis. It means your part is to remain in rest inwardly, and know that He is God. He knows how to solve and get you out from the pit that you are in.

     Whatever enemy that your facing, know that your enemy is your footstool. Joel Osteen likes to say it this way "If you should talk to your enemies, talk to the bottom of your shoes because that's where he is".

Heavenly Citizenship through Christ

Live a life knowing that your true identity is in Christ and your citizenship is heavenly.

                                                                                               -Jenno Marco Misa

The world says: "Be perfect, and we will listen to what you speak, then we will obey you."

Jesus says: "I have perfected you, therefore, speak, and heaven will listen and obey you."

     There are many people today who are 'qualifying' us based on our highest educational attainment, social status, number of cars and possessions we have, or by the title that's attached to our name. The way they regard us depends on 'what we have, who we are, and what we have done".

     But the problem about this is not all of us have these things altogether in the society we are living and interacting with. In fact, there might not be one who has these things altogether.

     If you have attained degrees or masters, it's easy for people around you to give their attention and listen to what you say. If you have finished your doctoral, the more they will listen to you and will even drop everything just to hear what you whisper. If you are a CEO, then multitude will follow after you and do whatever you ask them to do without even asking why.

     In a world corrupted with self-effort and abusive power, it's a question how one man can influence people and be a catalyst of change, especially if he is just a 'somebody'. Without any title attached to his name, it's a big question how this task will be accomplished.

     I am so glad that Jesus has redeemed us and has set us apart. In other words, He has sanctified us and made us holy. And that means, we need not conform on how the world operates just so we can get to where we are supposed to be.

     The Bible puts it this way in John 15:19 " If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.".

     Furthermore, the Holy Spirit expounds in the book of Romans (Romans 12:2) "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

     Our Pastor , Joseph Prince, summarizes these two verses this way : "We are in this world, but not of this world".

    When Jesus was on earth, He took on the profession as a carpenter. He obviously did not have any Degree or Masters, but when He spoke or address the crowd, people's attention were always turned to Him (Matthew 15:20, Mark 7:14, Luke 5:1). He didn't have any doctoral level of education, but when He spoke, the dead came back to life (Luke 8:40-56, John 11:38-44) . And lastly, He wasn't a CEO, yet multitudes followed Him (Matthew 8:1, Mark 5:24, Luke 14:25). He has full authority and dominion over everything, may it be a storm, hunger and lack, or even death.

     The truth is, Jesus is above any educational degree or any CEO that has lived or will ever live. Well you may say 'Of course because He is God". Yes that's true. But He is also 100 percent Man. And the good news today is this: God has put 'you' in 'Him' the moment you make Jesus both your Lord and Savior.

     That is why we can have the same authority and dominion that Jesus exercised over all the things that He encountered. We can have that Christ-conscious boldness to distinguish ourselves from the world. And lastly, we don't need to worry if the world is going 'crazy' knowing that we are not 'of the world'.

     In the world today, they will ask you to be perfect first, before they will listen to what you say,then obey you.

    On the other hand, Jesus says to you:" I have washed you and made you perfect, therefore, speak in my name (to your enemies, circumstances, problems, or mountains) and heaven will listen to you, and obey you.

     The world focuses on who you are, what you have, and what you have done. On the other hand, God's focus is on who Jesus is, what He has, and what He has done. God looks at Jesus, and blesses you.

     The world says unless you toil, labor hard, and rest less, you wont make your life prosperous. On the other hand, God leads you beside still waters and lay you down in green pastures where you wont lack nor want. He also makes your cup run over . Isn't that 'Restful Increase'?

     The world says, "Unless I see it, I wont believe it". God says that when you ask, believe that you already have what you have prayed for, then you will have it.

     The busy world teaches you that you need many things. Jesus says to you 'One thing is needful".

     There are a lot more 'benefits' and blessings that were blood-bought for us, but not to the people of the world. But all these goodness are made possible, not because we have done good, or have prayed long enough, but because 2,000 years ago, Jesus fulfilled the law, personally nailed it to the cross, and brought in the New Covenant-the covenant of grace, which is solely based on what He has done.

     Now that we are under grace, God has put us in Christ. As He is, so are we in this world. It takes the Holy Spirit to understand the righteousness that God has imputed on us. This irrevocable and irreversible righteousness empowers us to reign in life knowing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead, lives inside us. Through Christ, we now have our eternally valid Heavenly citizenship.

Jesus is Noah's Ark

Noah built an ark, but he was actually painting a portrait of Jesus who was the true Ark.

                                                                               -Jenno Marco Misa

     Noah's Ark had three basic elements: wood, nails,& hammer. In the same way, the cross of Jesus had these three elements :wood, nails, & hammer.

     Noah's ark had the entrance door on the side, and all must enter there, man and beast , clean or unclean. In the same way, Jesus' side was pierced by a Roman spear, and immediately blood and water came out. The blood and water has cleansed all of us, circumcised in the flesh (clean or the Jews or uncircumcised in the flesh (unclean or the gentiles) . Jesus has become the Savior to both Jews and non-Jews.

     Noah's ark was built so he and his family can be saved from the flood. In the same way, the cross of Jesus brought in a flood, but this time, it was a different flood. The flood during Noah's time was a flood of judgement and death. In Jesus's time, it was a flood of mercy, grace, healing, and blessings.

     The flood lasted for forty days. After Jesus's resurrection, He stayed on earth for forty more days before He finally ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father (this was when all the saints buried in the city of David were raised from the grave) .

     Noah (whose name means rest) entered the ark and he and his family were saved. Finally, Jesus said to all those who are weary and burdened to come to Him and He will give them rest (Noah).

What is man that You are so mindful of?

"There is no mistake too severe that His grace can't reverse and no sin too great that His blood cannot wash."

                                                                    -Jenno Marco Misa

Out of the ashes, You breathed him to existence .(Gen 2:7)Out from slavery, You then parted the red sea. (Exo. 14:21)

Out of their complaints, You turned the bitter waters sweet. (Exo.15:25)

Out of their complaints, You rained down Manna (Exo. 16:4)

Out from the fire, You brought men out unharmed. (Daniel 3:26)

You turned water into wine for men to celebrate. (John 2:1-11)You called a sinful fisherman and made him a rock.(Matt.16-18)

You called a tax-collector to follow You.(Matt. 9:9)

You raised a man to life who has been dead for four days.(John 11:43)

You fed multitudes with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish.(John 6:1-15)

Because of the cross, all the claims of the law have been fully met. (Rom. 10:4)Because of the cross, the wrath of God has been satisfied. (Rom 5:9)

Because of the cross, man can reign in life.(Rom 5:17)

Because of the cross, sin has no more dominion over men.(Rom 6:14)

Because of the cross, men can stand as a new creation.(2 Cor 5:17)

What is man that You did everything, even laid down Your own life, to pay a debt You didn't owe?Truly, love is Your nature. It takes more than eternity for men to fathom the depths of Your amazing grace and love.

Holy Spirit and Fire

"Be someone whom the devil fears, instead of living a life fearing the devil."

                                                                                            -Jenno Marco Misa

     From the time the LORD prophesied in the garden of Eden that Jesus Christ will be born through a virgin to save mankind, Satan tried to stop Him from being born and did desperate acts, even to the point of corrupting the seeds of mankind. 

     When Jesus was born, Satan had the young male children killed, thinking to kill Jesus before He coube sacrificed as the Lamb of God.

     When Jesus rose from the dead, Satan tried to terminate all the disciples who were witnesses of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. 

     Before Jesus ascended, He said that He will not leave us as orphans and that He will send another Helper (Holy Spirit) who will be our Intercessor, Advocate, and Counselor. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity and when you get baptized by His Fire (the Fire of Yahweh), you will be speaking in tongues and in groaning which cannot be uttered. Now that Jesus has risen and that the Holy Spirit has been given, Satan's modus operandum is to accuse those who possess the Holy Spirit ,who speak in tongues, of being possessed by the demon (the same accusation he threw on Jesus). 

     Notice that we all have the Triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit. No wonder Satan is so threatened and so fearful that he now wants to stop this truth from spreading and keeps perverting it. He knows that when we are baptized by the Holy Spirit, Jesus can heal the sick through us, cast out demons through us, trample on serpents and the dark forces, and remind Satan of his shameful defeat 2,000 years ago at the cross of Calvary when Jesus crushed his head and rendered him powerless.

     Friends, let's not belittle the third Person of the Holy Trinity. He is the very Spirit of God poured out unto us for our very own advantage. Let us not be ashamed to continue speaking in tongues and be someone whom the devil fears, instead of living a life fearing the devil.

Don't back off from God's Blessing

"Don't settle for mediocrity when God has destined you for greatness".

                                                                        -Jenno Marco Misa

     After Moses sent out the 12 spies, ten of them came back with a bad report. This bad report stirred up a great fear and dilemma to all the tribes that they came to a point where they wanted to choose a leader, apart from Moses and Aaron, who will lead them back to Egypt. This event happened even after the children of Israel saw the great wonders and the saving grace which the LORD had done in the very sight of these people.

     How sad it is that many of us today have decided to back off or settle in mediocrity just because we heard 'other' people say that what lies ahead is 'impossible' to hurdle. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, they would prefer to remain slaves in Egypt rather than to inherit the land that the LORD has prepared and promised to them. They'd rather rot in slavery than to reign and possess the land through faith. They were not fully persuaded that God is always fighting their battles. No matter how enormous the enemies are, they always become microscopic in the eyes of the LORD God almighty.

     Let's not be numbered among those who doubt if the LORD will really fight our battles or not. Let's not be numbered among those who back off from the great promise of provision that God has prepared just because there are 'giants' along the way. But let's be numbered among those whose trust is in the LORD. He has always fought the battles for His people even back then. Knowing that He is the same today,yesterday,and forever, He is and will always be willing to fight your battles. And take note, when He fights, He always wins!

Peace in the Midst of the Storms

"Just because there is a storm does not mean there is no Peace. "

                                                                            -Jenno Marco Misa

     Many people get terrified by storms. Even Jesus's disciples, who were with Him when He performed the miracles, were also afraid in the same way as we are today. But Jesus showed us two ways to overcome this. One way is to speak to it (Mark 4:39) and the second is to walk over it (Mark 6:45-52). Both His word and His action indicated that He was above the storm. And the good news is, the same power and authority that Christ exercised over these things live inside us.

     Many a times, the storms in life that we encounter are not on the outside, but on the inside: worries about our work, finances, family concerns, and the fear of what lies ahead. Whatever it is, we all have troubled waters and storms stirring up the peace within us. God do not want these storms to have a hold on us. Instead, He wants us to exercise our authority over the very things that are troubling us. 

     Before Jesus finally ascended, He gave us His peace (Shalom). The same Peace that spoke and walked over the storm has now been given to us. Friends, let's make use and take good advantage of this Peace. It is not just a mere angel's peace nor Abraham's peace. It's the Lord Jesus Christ's peace (Shalom in Hebrew) . Let His peace arrest and imprison our hearts so that no matter how boisterous the storms maybe, we can always command it to go, or walk over it. As He is king over the storm, so are we in Him.