These are notes on the sermon, The Lord Of Time And Space—Part 2, preached by Pastor Joseph Prince on Sunday, 12 January 2020, at The Star Performing Arts Centre, Singapore. We hope these sermon notes will be an encouragement to you!
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Every year, God wants His people to be prepared and to flow with Him in what He is doing. Not just what He has done in times past.
We are supposed to be geared to the times but anchored to the Rock—our Lord Jesus.
God is the one behind technological breakthroughs and latest innovations. They exist for the purpose of reaching out to a lost world and sharing the good news of Jesus.
God’s whole purpose in creating new things, not just in the area of technology but also in our personal lives, is for us to experience His goodness. He wants us to experience breakthroughs in our marriage, in our relationships with our family members.
God wants you to have a beautiful and blessed family life. If you don’t, He wants to do that for you.
Being able to enjoy your loved ones is prosperity.
Above all else, true prosperity is knowing Jesus. It will take an eternity to know Him more, but this year, we will experience an acceleration in knowing Him.
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In order to walk in God’s blessings, we need to understand what He is doing.
“of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;”
— 1 Chronicles 12:32 NKJV
“the sons of Issachar”— they were one of the 12 tribes of Israel. The different tribes were given different gifts. For example, the tribe of Benjamin was gifted in warfare. The sons of Issachar were given the ability to understand the times and therefore know what to do.
Pastor Prince shares that like the sons of Issachar, God has gifted his ministry with the same ability—to know the times we are in.
It's important to understand the times and flow with God’s timing.
An example of the importance of understanding the times is seen in David’s life. It is because David did not understand the times that he ended up having an affair with Bathsheba and murdering her husband later.
“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.”
— 2 Samuel 11:1 NKJV
“at the time when kings go out to battle … But David remained at Jerusalem” — Because David didn’t understand the times, He was not out at battle where he was supposed to be. He stayed in the palace, and that’s where he saw Bathsheba.
When we flow and follow the times God has for us, we will end up in a good place.
It is important for us to know what God is doing in our times—in this year 2020 that we are in. God does many good things, but what is the one thing He is placing emphasis on this year?
Even the secular world has themes for certain years/eras.
For example, the world calls 2007 onwards “the age of acceleration” because of the increase in technological breakthroughs and advancements, new companies launching, etc.
But the world was actually one step slower than the church because, in January 2006, Pastor Prince released a word from the Lord that 2006 would be the year of acceleration and being led by the Spirit.
And in 2007, the word for our church was that it was going to be a year of new beginnings. Whenever there is an acceleration, you will find new beginnings.
While God can move and do things in the world, it is more important for you to know what God is doing in the church and in your personal life.
God has great blessings in store for His church.
The world will get darker and darker, but the church will continue to get brighter and brighter. As the world gets darker, the glory of the Lord will rise upon you, and the world will be drawn by your brightness and the wealth of the Gentiles will come to you (see Isa. 60:2–3). This prophecy is going to happen in our times.
The Church:
2006 - The Year of Acceleration and Being Led by the Spirit
2007 - The Year of New Beginnings
The World:
2006
2007
These technological advancements drastically changed and accelerated the way we have communicated, socialized, and functioned since then.
These different companies did not sit down together and plan to launch their products at the same time, but God allowed for all these innovations to come together in one year. God ordained that 2007 would be the year of new beginnings.
Today, we are enjoying all the breakthroughs that happened back in 2007. All these creations have helped us to save and multiply our time.
Pastor Prince shares more examples of previous year’s themes that God gave our church coming to pass. He also shares how he received a word of knowledge about the Asian Financial Crisis before it hit and received another word of knowledge about when it would end. He spoke about this publicly back then and it all came to pass.
God knows everything, so it benefits us to come to church and hear the Word.
God can speak through man. Pastor Prince shares that he asks the Lord for wisdom so that he can speak as the oracles of God. He believes that God can speak through him and put His words in his mouth. If God can use a donkey to speak, God can use anybody (see Num. 22:28–30)!
The theme of this year, Time and Space, is based on the Temple of Solomon.
Recap of last week’s sermon, where Pastor Prince teaches on the Temple of Solomon:
Everything in the chambers within the Temple of Solomon speaks of what God wants us to experience this year.
“And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about: The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that he beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
— 1 Kings 6:5–6 KJV
There are 3 chambers in the Temple of Solomon
The first floor of the temple is where all the harvested grain, wine and oil are stored. It is also where the tithes are kept.
Pastor Prince shares the key verses from the Year of the Latter Rain (2019):
“For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you—
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.
The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,
And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.”
— Joel 2:23–24 NKJV
Last year, the Year of the Latter Rain, there was great emphasis on the grain, the wine, and the oil. The grain and wine speak of the holy Communion that brings healing.
After the rain, and the harvest of grain, wine, and oil, we can expect a restoration. The next verse says:
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,”
— Joel 2:25 NKJV
In recent weeks, Israel experienced record-breaking rainfall—the level of rain broke a 51-year record.
Just like Israel has experienced rain (a picture of God’s blessings), we as children of God can also expect to be inundated with rain, followed by a harvest, and then a restoration of the years the locust has eaten.
God is outside time and space because He created time and space. We are locked in time and space but He isn’t. The Lord can control and manipulate time and space for you.
“I returned and saw under the sun that —
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.”
— Ecclesiastes 9:11 NKJV
“But time and chance happen to them all” – God can manipulate time in your favor. He can accelerate, suspend, and reverse time.
There are moments when you do not want God to accelerate time but to suspend time, especially when you are doing something you enjoy, e.g. spending time with your loved ones.
Pastor Prince shares how when he picks his daughter up from school, he deliberately drives slower, takes a longer route because the time he has listening and talking to Jessica is precious and he wants to suspend the time he has with her.
Time seems slow for those who are suffering and swift for those who are enjoying it.
God can manipulate time for you in your favor.
Recap of last week’s teaching on the winding stairs in the Temple of Solomon
“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.”
— 1 Kings 6:7–8 KJV
Why are the stairs winding?
Winding stairs, compared to straight stairs, allow you to climb the maximum height, in the smallest possible space, in the shortest amount of time.
Because the winding staircase helps you get to the top in the shortest amount of time, the winding staircase helps you save energy.
And because it’s winding, you can’t see the final step (the whole journey), so you don’t feel overwhelmed by how far more you have to go. The winding staircase helps you be less stressed.
Only the Lord can see the destination. And He wants you to focus on each step, take one step at a time as He leads you. As you do so, you are going higher and higher without stress.
“And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about: The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that he beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
— 1 Kings 6:5–6 KJV
“nethermost chamber was five cubits broad” – the first chamber is “five cubits broad.” Five is the number of grace. We all start with grace.
The chambers get wider and wider with each level and we climb up to them via the winding staircase.
The Lord of Time and Space is going to bring you and your family to a higher level than ever.
You will go higher in your knowledge and understanding of Jesus. You will experience a greater intimacy with your spouse and your loved ones.
The first miracle of Jesus was at a wedding, and it proved that He is the Lord of time.
The purpose of the Bible is not to prove what science has discovered. Accurate science always ends up proving the Bible. The Bible is far ahead of its time because it is God-breathed, divinely inspired.
The first verse of the Bible introduces the 5 elements of science—long before the study of science came into existence.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
— Genesis 1:1
“In the beginning” — time
“God” — the greatest “force” to exist
“Created” — motion
“Heavens” — space
“Earth” — matter
And in the New Testament, Jesus demonstrates that He is the Lord of Time and Space in the first two miracles He performed.
All the miracles in the gospel of John are called signs because they reveal a facet of the Lord.
Jesus’ first miracle: Turning water into wine
“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.”
— John 2:1–2 NKJV
The bridegroom and bride ran out of wine, and Jesus’ mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:5).
This is good advice for us too. Whatever Jesus leads you to do, do it.
That’s the secret of the winding staircase—just take one step at a time. Just take the step in front of you.
If the Lord prompts you to go out and take a walk, do it. You are taking steps toward a fitter, healthier, and younger body. It’s not just about the scientific facts about the benefits of walking. It’s about obeying the Lord when He tells you to do it because that’s when you’ll see supernatural results. Supernatural results are much greater and surer than natural results.
It may seem like a simple step, but you are going higher.
God can accelerate time for you just like He accelerated the time it would normally take to create excellent wine.
It takes years to get excellent wine and Jesus did it in an instant. The wine was so good that the master of the feast said to the newlywed couple, “You have kept the good wine until now!” (John 2:10).
In this sign, Jesus revealed that He is the Lord of Time and He can manipulate time for your good.
The name “Cana of Galilee,” which is the place that this miracle and Jesus’ second miracle happened, means “to get by winding” (Cana means “get” and Galilee means “winding”).
This is a picture of the winding staircase in the Temple of Solomon.
Jesus’ second miracle: Healing the nobleman’s son
“Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee...So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.”
— John 4:43, 46–47 NKJV
The distance between Cana of Galilee and Capernaum is about 40.4km or 25 miles. This is the distance that the nobleman traveled to meet Jesus and ask Him to heal his son.
“Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household. This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.”
— John 4:50–54
“Yesterday at the seventh hour” — This shows that the father actually spent the night in Galilee. He didn’t rush home with worry, wondering if Jesus had really healed his son. He believed that his son was healed.
Jesus’ second miracle shows us that He is the Lord of space. You do not need the Lord to physically come down and touch you for you to be healed. What He wants is for you to believe Him, believe His Word.
Right where you are, as you believe the Word that is preached, you will receive your healing!
Pastor Prince shares a testimony from a man who was healed of a liver condition.
Pastor Prince screens the video of the theme of the year 2020: The Year of Time and Space.
Jesus demonstrates He is the Lord of time and space in the first two miracles we looked at earlier.
“What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”
— John 2:11 NIV
“This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.”
— John 4:54 NKJV
“first of the signs” and “second sign” — the Bible does not have any insignificant details. God calls out “first” and “second” of the signs because God wants us to know that Jesus is the Lord of Time and Space.
This year, you will find yourself being at the right place at the right time.
Pastor Prince shares a personal story about how the Lord confirmed the theme of the year through his son Justin.
Maybe the doctors have told you that your chemotherapy treatments or your recovery from an injury may take months or even years to recover. This year, you can trust God to accelerate your healing.
Trust God for an acceleration of your healing!
Sometimes, we don’t pray because we’ve forgotten that our God is the God who holds the universe in His hands. He is the Almighty God and our loving Father.
When you come to Him, don’t limit Him. And don’t tell Him how to solve your problem. For example, you might want a promotion, but don’t tell Him how to do it. He might lead you out of your company to another company and give you a promotion that way. Follow His leading and you’ll find yourself at a higher place.
As children of God, let’s pray for things only God can do!
We are in the days of Isaiah 65.
"It shall come to pass
That before they call,
I will answer;
And while they are still speaking,
I will hear.”
— Isaiah 65:24 NKJV
How many of you have experienced this? You mean to pray, but before you can, the answer shows up.
We are in the days where God has given His people real abilities like the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom, the word of prophecy and the gifts of healing. We get a glimpse of such power in fictitious superheroes, but God’s supernatural gifts are real.
God gives us these gifts not just for our own benefit, but for us to be a blessing to others and glorify Jesus. For example, a Christian surgeon can receive a word of knowledge from God about how to save a person’s life during an operation.
We walk in these gifts by following God’s leading inside us one step at a time.
Pastor Prince shows us a page of his notebook where he wrote down what the Lord revealed to him about the theme of the year.
This year, God will rebuild and restore the Tabernacle of David.
"On that day I will raise up
The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
And repair its damages;
I will raise up its ruins,
And rebuild it as in the days of old;”
— Amos 9:11 NKJV
The Tabernacle of David
What happens when the Tabernacle of David is restored?
"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord,
"When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.”
— Amos 9:13 NKJV
"Yes indeed, it won't be long now." God's Decree. "Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won't be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once — and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills.”
— Amos 9:13 MSG
When the Tabernacle of David is restored, we will see more praise and worship in the church. And then, blessings will overflow in our lives.
An example of how God accelerates time and space in the story of Philip and the eunuch
“Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.”
— Acts 8:26-29
“Arise and go toward the south”— Philip, an evangelist, was in Samaria where there was a revival and he had the gift of healing to heal the lame. At this point, the angel of the Lord told him to “go toward the south … this is desert.”
It defies natural understanding that God would tell Philip to leave Samaria (where there were breakthroughs happening) and head toward a desert (a barren land).
Sometimes, God’s ways may seem strange to us.
This brings out a principle of the winding staircase: A step may seem to take you in the opposite direction and away from where you want to be. But we have to remember that even if we cannot see where we are headed, we are moving higher and nearer to where God wants us to be with each step.
“Arise and go toward the south”— Philip did not receive any other instructions because God wanted him, like He does you and me, to take that first step first.
“So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."
— Acts 8:26–29 NKJV
“Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot" — when the Holy Spirit leads you to do something, do it. The Holy Spirit could lead you to a certain place, or He could tell you to spend more time listening rather than talking.
In the Bible, there are many instances where people simply obeyed the Lord’s instructions and saw their miracle:
When the Lord tells you to do something and you obey, supernatural results are released.
If you need a breakthrough in your business or your career, listen to God and obey (but don’t resign without getting another job first).
It’s also important to know that in this time of acceleration, you may not experience an immediate breakthrough for every single situation because there are some things God allows you to go through with time—to build perseverance, patience, and long-suffering with joy.
You just have to obey the Holy Spirit when He prompts you—one step at a time.
If the Holy Spirit prompts you to kiss your spouse, do it!
The prompting of God might seem small/insignificant and you might feel like it insults your intelligence, but follow Him! He knows better than you do.
One of the best things you can do for your kids is to love your wife in front of them. You are giving your children a sense of security when they see their parents love each other.
Back to Philip’s story:
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
— Acts 8:35–37 NKJV
“So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
— Acts 8:38–40 NKJV
“the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away”— Philip was literally teleported to another place. This is the Lord controlling time and space for him. The supernatural happened when Philip heeded God’s instructions, one step at a time.
This is the breakdown of Philip’s journey:
From Samaria to Gaza is about 150 miles, and the point where Philip encountered the eunuch and baptized him was another 30 miles.
Pastor Prince shows pictures of the ancient road where Philip encountered the eunuch and the place where the eunuch was baptized.
For the longer part of Philip’s journey, he was either on foot or on a donkey. For the shorter part of his journey, God teleported him. God had a purpose for Philip and knew where he needed to be at what time.
Pastor Prince encourages the congregation to keep coming and listening because there are more truths to uncover.
Jesus, the Lord of time and space, wants to heal and renew our youth this year!
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
— John 2:19–21 NKJV
“He was speaking of the temple of His body.” — The temple is not just a building, it is a picture of Jesus’ body.
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”
— 1 Cor. 6:19 NKJV
“your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” — The temple is also a picture of our bodies.
The Temple of Solomon has secrets on renewal of youth and restoration of health which will be revealed on the next few Sundays.
The Temple of Solomon is made up of parts that represent our body and our health
When God says our body is the temple of God, He is implying that the secret to youthfulness and health can be found in the Temple of Solomon.
Jesus, the Lord of time and space, not only wants to accelerate time and space to bring you blessings and promotion, but He also wants to use His power for the renewal of our youth and health!
“The Lord bless you with the blessings of Abraham, the blessings of Deuteronomy 28, in all its richest forms. The Lord bless your coming in and your going out. The Lord bless everything you touch. Your enemies come against you one way but they will flee before you seven ways. The Lord bless the fruit of your body. The Lord bless all your children. The Lord keeps you, preserve and protect you and your families throughout this week, from every harm, from every danger, from every infection, from influenza. The Lord protect you from it. And in the name of Jesus, the Lord protect you and your loved ones from the power of the evil one. The Lord smile on you, lift up His countenance on you, and grant you supernatural favor everywhere you go. And the Lord grant to you and yours His wonderful shalom wellbeing and peace in your spirits, souls, and bodies. In Jesus' name, Amen.”
We hope these sermon notes blessed you! If they did, we encourage you to get the sermon and allow the Lord to speak to you personally as you watch or listen to it.
© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2020
These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the sermon.
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