TAKE A WALK INSTEAD

A quick browse through the map of Causeway Bay to determine the quickest route to Victoria Park, the Bay Market, Royal HK Yatch Club and the HK Central Library provided many options. Board a taxi, bus or the underground MRT or simply put in some effort and WALK, as the distance can be covered with ease in 15-25 minutes depending on the destination. Causeway Bay's chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan.

Causeway Bay at night, at Kingston Street

Plying the KL-HK route over some years in the early 2000s meant a couple of week stay on work assignment. Usually the morning culture would be to hop onto the MRT, one of the most extensive criss-crossing HK.

This particular day was an exception, since the official assignments were scheduled towards the later part of the day. And walk I did, through the Bay Market area, passing through hundreds of storefronts. In the process, I enjoyed smelling the smells (not all of it), hearing the sounds, watch the traffic, study the people and stopover at some shops. This made me feel part of the Wanchai District. 

WALK TO WORK

It took me time and effort, but it was well worth it.

Whilst at a coffee stopover, I realised, we are all in a journey called the Christian life, wherein we are faced with similar choices. We can take the easy route, depending on others to give us quick-fix solutions, all our instructions by this shortcutting our way past a good prayer-life or speedreading a portion of scripture and term it 'devotion'. Sometimes we just plug in a devotional DVD whilst driving as a replacement for that 'going away' from the hustle and bustle, to be alone with our Maker.

Why not take that walk with God today? But first, delight in it.  As you map out your course, choose to 'seek Him with all your heart.' - Psalm 119-2

Read also Psalm 119:1-16:

1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart—
3 they do no wrong
but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts
that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast
in obeying your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame
when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.
8 I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me.
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

TO ENJOY YOUR WALK WITH GOD, KEEP IN STEP WITH HIS WORD

THE BELIEVER AND HIS AUTHORITY IN CHRIST

The church I attend has for over the nine months or so engaged in active intercessory prayer for this nation in the wee hours of the morning. Never has at any time has so many faithfuls turned up to wage warfare in the spiritual realms. Here our focus is on the forth-13th coming general elections. Time and again the prophetic word has gone forth with the lord's assurance of a shaking, more like an earthquake in the political realms. This morning's (17th March) prophecy yet again echoed that. I was especially glad to have another brother in Christ join in the morning service and one who has been working very hard to rally the people of Sarawak for change, in YB Baru Bian.

And how poignant is this in today's context. Engaging in intercessory prayer among the believers has some considerations. 

Ephesians 6: 13-18 has this to say- Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

There is a need to release the authority bestowed on a believer. The bible in Ephesians 2:6 states; 'and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.' This speaks of authority. To further understand this we need to recognize God dwells in the third heaven which is the highest. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 supports this. Others scripture text supporting the existence of more than one heaven are:

Genesis 1:1, Hebrew 4:14, and

Ephesians 1:20 states Jesus is seated with the Father.

Satan on the other hand dwells in the heavenlies below Jesus. Ephesians 1:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.


Daniel 10:13-But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Here, an example of the hierachy of satan and his hordes is recorded when an angel of God is interrupted by the prince of Persia (demonic prince) and Kings of Persia (commanders in satan's army of lower ranks) from coming to Daniel's rescue. Clearly a case where this demonic army rules over the nation of Persia on earth. 

In Daniel 10:20 there is a reference to another principality, the prince of Greece. so its clear there are demonic armies over nations, cities, districts, towns and cultures. But take notice they are only in the second heaven whereas we are seated with God in the third with satan under our feet. That denotes our place of authority.

As joint heirs seated with Christ, the authority is released through speaking or confessing by faith. The scripture verses supporting this are found in:

Proverbs 18:21 - The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Romans 10:10- For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Genesis 1:3- And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

The opposite of faith is fear. Both are same except that they bring opposite results.


Fear is a demon spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7- For the Spirit God gave us does not make us fearful, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

What you fear eventually happens - Job 3:25-What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.


The two utmost weapons in the exercise of our authority are the Name of Jesus and the Word of God (spoken).
It is in speaking the Word of God by faith and with authority, power is released.


Revelation 12:11 supports this - They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Others supporting scriptures are:
Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 149:6-9 & Matthew 4:1-10


Some pertinent illustrations as to how to execute this authority in its given order are given below:

To REBUKE - Luke 4:38 & 39 - Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.


To COMMAND - Mark 11:23- Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.


To DEMAND - John 14:13 - And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.


To BIND and LOOSE - Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Here it is important we SPEAK to the problem (read Mark 11:23) and COMMAND it to be bound.ie Bind It. COMMAND it to depart, ie Loose It. Finally DECLARE in faith that it is Done.


At all times the above should be done:

In the name of Jesus
Do it in Faith
Do it with Authority

With this in mind, the urgent appeal is for the body of believers to engage in intercessory prayer for this nation facing its 13th General Elections. The pressing issues standing in the way of a free and fair elections against which we are to pray against are :

Rumors of civil unrest should the incumbent/s lose by leaders, past leaders and pro government NGOs,
Phantom voters (increase of this in areas the opposition won in GE12),
Illegal voters ( conditional issuing of Mykad to immigrants with bumiputra status),
Threats and intimidation to civil servants from voting freely the candidates of their choice,
Attempts to cheat by replacing ballot boxes with pre-determined pro government voting slips,
Election Commission's partisanship with the government(refusal to be apolitical and refusal to act on actual problems highlighted).
Attempts to sabotage opposition's victory by EC's Returning Officers (refusing to collate votes and validating in the presence of representatives from all contesting parties and observers).
Failure of UMNO controlled government to allow opposition adequate airtime over TV and Radio,
False reporting and twisting of facts by government controlled media,
Attempts to falsely accuse opposition MPs with intention to place them under arrest,
Spreading lies about the achievements of the opposition's state government,
Inciting provocative racial sentiments,
Attempts to move voting centers in areas favorable to opposition parties with little or minimal notice,
Deliberate act of sabotaging the achievements of the opposition held governments by daily false reporting in the government controlled media,

Attempts to return a corrupt government to power,

Attempts to return a racist government to power,

corrupt and crooked politicians will not be returned to power,

Money politics and bribery to end,

Weather conditions on campaigning and polling day/s.