Do you all find that the year, the past year, as well as the past years, pass by so fast? Just when you are bringing down the decorations from the Christmas tree, alright, you’re putting them up again. We are now facing a new year, so it’s not just me, right?
It’s all of us experiencing that. It’s as if time has accelerated. Well, this year, God’s going to reverse time.
Many of us, we regret things in the past, we fear things in the future. Your body is in the now, but your mind is in the past or in the future, and that’s the realm of fear and worry: the future is anxiety, and the past is regret, remorse, and self-condemnation. Live in the now.
Look at this verse, 2 Corinthians 6:2, for he says, "In an acceptable time, I have heard you," God is talking, "and in the day of salvation, I have helped you. Behold, look, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
" Wow! You know, when I saw this, I always hear this verse used for salvation calls, right? You’ll find ministers saying, "Now is the day of salvation, now is the accepted time, so accept Jesus now.
" And that is true, that is true, but let’s not forget the word salvation there, soteria, is an all-inclusive word. It is not just saved from eternal destruction; it’s not just safe to go to heaven. It includes salvation in all its forms to do with things that came after the fall.
For example, when Jesus healed the woman who touched the hem of His garment, He turned around and told her, "Your faith has sozoed you," right? But the sozo is the verb of soteria, the noun— it’s the same word. So, salvation also includes healing.
Perhaps you received some bad news last year, and the condition is still in your body. But let me say this to you: now is the day of healing, okay? Now, now.
So, you must not live in what the doctor said; that is past, it’s no more. Now, all right, you are in the now. Some of you are not living in the now because you are living in the future.
Also, you know why? Or you see people around your cemetery, you see people attending your funeral— how dare you? Are you there yet?
No, but I got this condition. That’s not it! Listen, your condition— I can tell you this— compared with those that God has healed, there are many that God has healed of that condition.
There’s no condition that God has not healed with men. Even the things that are impossible are possible with God. You are not there yet, you’re not there!
You are in the now. Yes, physically the problem is still there, and perhaps your last visit, the doctor says it’s actually getting a bit worse. But you’re still not there.
You are now. You are in the now, and as long as you live in the now, it’s a place of healing. It’s a place God says, "Where I’ll do miracles for you.
" Fear, worry, and regret cannot exist in the now. But we don’t live in the now. Some of you listening to me preach right now, you’re not listening to me.
You’re thinking about what to eat, how fast to go there before the queue comes. You’re not there yet. You are now here, now, and the healing of God is flowing.
The salvation of God is flowing. The grace of God is flowing. And it’s all in vain.
It’s all in vain because you’re waiting for the next time. "Oh yeah, my tree request’s later. " Even as fast as later, you might think, "Ah, that’s when I get blessed.
" No, you’re missing the now. And my children, they are growing up so fast and all that, and I just want to finish off PSLE. I used to think that.
And when Justin was in Primary 1, he finished it last year. Time just flies! But I told myself, in Primary 1, actually, I told myself even when he was born (because the first one, I spent a lot of time in the future for Jessica, my first one)— I spent my time in the past, regretting the things I’ve done, or whatever.
I never really fully enjoyed the moment. So, the next one, I told the Lord, I’m going to enjoy every moment, live in the now. God is saying, live in the now.
Whenever you find yourself moving away from the now to the future in fear and worry, or to the past in regret and dark thoughts, put yourself back and say, "Jesus, You are in the now. I see You in this current situation. " Even at the clinic, pull back to the now and say, "Lord, You are.
I am. " You are listening to this conversation, and You have the answer. And when you pray, live in the now, believe that you receive it in spite of the fact that you don’t have it yet because you will have it if you believe.
If you believe, because there’s a realm of grace, a realm of answered prayer. Can I have a good amen? Amen!
