Paul’s warfare and weapons

We finally reach a key survival tactic, how do Christians win wars? Apostle Paul is really an expert in this field judging from the long list of challenges he went through and his always emerging as the victor and not the victim! I have done a simple chart with the key Bible verses from 2 Corinthians 10. Please read the whole chapter for a better understanding. Paul’s other letters speak of how we can control and train our thought life. For example, Philippians 4:8 is a good place to start your meditation.

Philippians 4:8  (NKJV)

Meditate on These Things

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

2 Timothy 1:7  (NKJV)

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

the stuff a great king is made of

The word received on the third day of the 18th week. Very relevant and prophetic. Psalm 64 written by the anointed King David at a time when he was oppressed by the wicked but he chose instead to stay in rejoicing in the Lord! In the midst of major and persistent setbacks he always switched his focus on the Lord. He meditated on and proclaimed the goodness and greatness of God and continued to put his trust on God regardless how persistently hurtful and vengeful his enemies were. God called David, “a man after My heart.”

Dvid was a very smart, capable and brave man. He was a powerful warrior, shrewd diplomat, and talented musician and poet. He was also the architect whom God spoke to and gave the whole detailed building plan for the temple. He did well in accumulating wealth too. He handed over a great fortune to his son Solomon to build the temple for God. He could have lived a peaceful and relaxed life in his own familiar country place with beautiful pasture, streams and flocks of sheep, writing poetry and songs, worshiping and praising God. But he was chosen and anointed by God to become king for Israel, for a mission assigned by God. The former king, King Saul failed as a king. David had to become king. He brought the tribes of Israel together as a unified nation. Did he expect an easy life? No. David knew his destiny but he lived and equipped himself faithfully before God for his seemingly impossible assignment. From his many writings we can see that he could hear God and aligned himself rightly with God’s strategy. This is the stuff a great king is made of.

Psalm 64 (NKJV) David was a prophet king. What he saw would happen to his enemies in the future indeed happened. His enemies’ secret schemes were exposed and they fell into their own snares.

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
4 That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter;
They talk of laying snares secretly;
They say, “Who will see them?”
6 They devise iniquities:
“We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”
Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.

7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they shall be wounded.
8 So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
All who see them shall flee away.
9 All men shall fear,
And shall declare the work of God;
For they shall wisely consider His doing.

10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.
And all the upright in heart shall glory.

a fitting confession for a king to declare

1 Timothy 1:11-13 King James Version (KJV)

11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

King James Version (KJV)Public Domain

what should a nation do to be great again?

This is still the watchman’s message to nations who would be great. I posted the original blog on 6/26/2016 after the Brexit vote. The nation was not given the right to choose their anointed leader because one out of two candidates opted to hand over the leadership without further contest as a result of media pressure. The initial prophetic move became stagnated until today.  In the same year there was another election that started a second prophetic move which again was bitterly countered by the media. Just as predicted, the move seemed even more impossible than Brexit. But it has moved and is still moving strong.

Personally, the watchman watches the global economy. When nations are strong and booming in their respective economy, the global economy booms and more people on earth will benefit. When nations are weak in economy and continue to live by debts, donations and social welfare handouts, poverty and related evil grow deep roots and human sufferings increase.

I ask the Lord what to pray when I pray for national leaders. The word I was reminded of is “BOLDNESS”, which was what the disciples prayed for in Acts 4:29. “Grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word”.

Deuteronomy 8:18 But you shall remember [with profound respect] the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore (solemnly promised) to your fathers, as it is this day.

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord brings [true] riches, And He adds no sorrow to it [for it comes as a blessing from God].

2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even while we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

AAAJ watchman

GOD SPOKE TWICE.
What should a nation do to become great again?
1. I am reminded of the successful examples in the Book of Ezra and Book of Nehemiah.
Rebuild your Temple of God/churches. Rebuild your walls: physically by demarcation and sovereignty over your borders (spiritual defense too).
I pray the Lord’s Spirit be poured out mightily upon you.
When you align with God’s plan and His words you will be great again.
Prosperity and peace.
Booming trades and bountiful harvests.
No one will lack.
You will be the head and not the tail.

2. READ THE BIBLICAL LESSONS ON EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL LEADERS: FINANCE MINISTER Joseph, PRIME MINISTER Daniel and his friends, COMMANDER prophet Samuel, SPIRITUAL LEADER prophet Elijah, EDUCATIONIST Scribe Ezra, CIVIL GOVERNOR Zerubbabel, Nehemiah and many more.

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healthy aging: brevity of life, longevity factor, ever presence of my God

My dear brethren, when asked once, in his mid-60s, what surprised him most in his old age, Billy Graham answered without hesitation: “the brevity of life.” The brevity of life has caught up with even centenarians. Looking back this watchman too is shocked at the speed of time. After walking with the Lord for a long long time how did Enoch feel? What did he talk to God about? I sometimes ask. 365 years seem a long time to us. But most men lived long before the flood. Adam lived 930 years. Methuselah lived 969 years old. Noah lived 950 years. God talked to them. They talked to God. After the flood, some men lived to over a hundred years though not as long. Abraham 175 (born 1946 years after Adam), Isaac 180.

One thing that stands out is the relationship they had with God. Being able to hear God and talk to God is something that we all need today. Can we? Yes. God has given every born again believer the Holy Spirit who lives in us and talks to us. We are joined to the Lord and one spirit with the Lord. (1 Corinthians 6:17) There are many teachings on how we can hear God today. We can enjoy the longevity of life span on earth and not miss out our daily walk with God engaging in friendly two way conversation with Him, just as Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses and many others did. God called Abraham His friend.

To live to such old age one needs to be healthy and youthful. God has set man’s life to be one hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3) Moses lived to 120. His eyes were not dimmed nor his natural vigor diminished. (Deuteronomy 34:7) David testified in his psalm that his youth was renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:5) Sarah lived until 127 and died. After that Abraham (137 and above) married again and had other sons.

One man that stood out was Caleb. Caleb was known for his strength in his spirit, soul (mind and will) and body wholly. God described Caleb this way, “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.” (Numbers 14:24) At 85 Caleb was as strong as he was at forty including his strength for war, going out and coming in, because he wholly followed God and held fast to God’s promises spoken to him through Moses. (Joshua 14:6-14)

When we sum up the lives of all these men of faith in the Bible, we can see that the significance of life is the “quantity in terms of quality”. Quality can only come from their relationship with God. They had lived in the presence of God.

My first spiritual breakthrough after being born again for thirty years was knowing God in the spirit just as Jesus has emphasized that God is Spirit (John 4:24). Since then I have walked with a new passion and assurance in the spiritual reality of God and the truthfulness of His words which are spirit and life (John 6:63). Looking at all the past miracles God has done in my life I too hold fast to the promises and prophecies that the Lord has spoken. I am looking forward to this year with increasingly renewed strength to live in the ever presence of my God. I pray that you too, expect the same with confident hope. Age is no excuse.

Bible verses Joshua 14:6-14
6 Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. 12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”

13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. 15 And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim).

Then the land had rest from war.