Do not be afraid of this vast army of darkness, for the battle is not yours, but God's!

  

 

Bishop Silas conducting Vancouver Oratorio Society, VOS Chamber and Schola Cantorum singing Parry's I was Glad:

https://youtu.be/Qr4RThsdEjY?si=wh3sT_i3QE8kTgX6

Bishop Silas conducting Schola Cantorum Emmanuel and Vancouver Oratorio Chamber Choir singing Palestrina's O Beata Trinitas:

https://youtu.be/O4wiyr8oa_Y?si=l_cp4aRfVMRzaL6b

Please click this link for the video version of today's blog :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL5fbMz-e7Q

Silence

1.   Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence

      2.   Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace and feel His presence. Exhale your worries.

     Praise and Thanksgiving

1.   Think through your day, all the times that made you smile. 

2.   Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people

3.          **Sing a song to praise the Lord

      Please click this link to worship with us - 

      

       Be with You: City Harvest Church, Singapore

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epkh71WTUFs&list=RDEpkh71WTUFs&start_radio=1

      10,000 Reasons

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3K3roEF36k

      

     Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method) 

      https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to shine on you that you are able to discover your sins and be willing to repent:

     “Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God and having Jesus as my Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

2.  Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

     "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sins to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gifts to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

3.  John Stott's daily prayer of Christlikeness (Christopher J.H. Wright, Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017, 13)

**Please click this link to read how God used John Stott to change my life:https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/

           "Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.

             Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

             Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

Today's Time with Abba: Psalm 78:65-72, 2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37; Romans 10:14-11:12; Proverbs 20:4-6

Please click this link for today's Time with Abba one year Bible: http://twa.pastoralcareschool.org/

To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link:http://twa.pastoralcareschool.org/

Key passage:  

    Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.  Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.  You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

                                                 2 Chronicles 20:14-17

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through today's TWA passages we have just read. Offer this time to Jesus as you listen to Him.

The topic I received today from Jesus is: Do not be afraid of this vast army of darkness, for the battle is not yours, but God's!

      When King Jehoshaphat was facing with the vast army of enemy, he was instructed by Prophet Jahaziel that he did not need to fight, just commanded all his soldiers to take up their positions and stand firm. Wow! God sent an ambush to destroy all his enemies!

Many people missed what did King Jehoshaphat do before God acted like that. Just as King Jehoshaphat's eighth generation, King Hezekiah did not need to fight but God sent an angel and then that night killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. So, what did Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah do?

Fasting and praying, put on sackcloth and repent, cry out to God!

The whole world is being attacked by the vast army of all kinds of disaster and darkness. I strongly believe if we have Jahaziel in Jehoshaphat time and Isaiah in Hezekiah's time to ask people to fast and pray, to put on sackcloth and repent, to cry out to God, God will act and darkness will be no more!

   Our church, Richmond Emmanuel Church launched a church-wide one year fasting for the success of our Promised Land project. Participants had to fast one meal a day weekly for a year, from September 10, 2023 to September 8, 2024. We had more than 180 brothers and sisters joining and God blessed us in a miraculous way. 

     We had our consecration service on September 8, 2024 Sunday with the Chairman of Anglican Mission, Archbishop Masimango and Bishop of Sabah, Archbishop Melter and me consecrated our new church. And, we will have our 30th Anniversary Thanksgiving Eucharist and Banquet on September 13, 2026. Praise the Lord!

     Yes, the battle is not ours, but God's! 

      Thank you, Lord Jesus for leading us to win many spiritual warfares!

     Dear Lord Jesus,  

     Help us to know that if we are willing to fast and pray, to put on sackcloth and repent, to cry out to You, You will act and darkness will be gone. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

Reflect on these questions:    

1. What inspiration have you received from today's catch and what have you heard from Jesus now?

     2.  What is your next step to be more closer to Jesus, to be holy - that is to do what Jesus wants you to do and not to do what Jesus wants you not to do?

    

     Family Corner:

     Find an opportunity to share with your family the importance of today's message. 

       

       Please click this link to Old Testament Psalm 78 blog: 

      https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2021/04/day-78-2021-reward-or-punishment-its.html

       

     

       Please click this link to today's Old Testament 2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37blog and video:

https://timewithabbaprayinglisteningenglish.blogspot.com/2025/07/how-can-you-do-that-to-me.html

       Please click this link to today's Old Testament Proverbs 20 blog:  

       https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2021/07/day-170-2021-how-to-take-your-next-step_31.html

   For the Chinese version of this daily blog and video, please click this link (中文版請按此連結):

    https://timewithabbaprayinglisteningchinese.blogspot.com

     

     

       My first blog "Devotion on Fire"  was written in English only  (July 17, 2009年7月17日至November 22, 2012年11月22日). Each day one chapter of Bible, from New Testament and then Old Testament. Completed in four months and three years:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/blessings-from-rev-dr-john-stott.html

My second blog "Discipler 123"  was written in both Chinese and English (March 6,2011to December 31, 2016 ):

https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2011/02/day-1-choose-light-away-from-darkness.html

and "Time with Abba" blog and video (January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2024): 

https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2017/01/1-2017.html

 

 

Connecting Workshop 2025(Session 2)

Bishop Silas Ng on Three Streams

 https://youtu.be/xiSOSFF9Iw0?si=puDWFD9Cx01ADm-o