These are notes on the sermon, Discern the Times We Live In, preached by Pastor Joseph Prince on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at The Star Performing Arts Centre, Singapore. We hope these sermon notes will be an encouragement to you!
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Every so often, we need to be reminded that God’s care for us is deeply personal and intimate. He knows everything about us—our joys, our struggles, our thoughts, and even the smallest details of our life, like the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). This is the loving nature of our heavenly Father. He’s not distant nor detached; He’s intricately involved and cares for us beyond measure. Because of this, we can trust Him and live by faith in His unfailing goodness.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. What does this mean practically? It means trusting in His love for you and in His Word, even when you don’t fully understand your circumstances. Faith empowers you to walk in the Spirit, transcending the limitations of your mind. While your mind, with its finite understanding, often wrestles with uncertainties, your spirit can perceive the truths revealed by the Lord—truths that surpass human logic.
When you face challenges or attacks, see them not as signs of defeat but as evidence that you have already received God’s provision. The enemy only attacks what carries value. For example, if you’re trusting the Lord for healing, remember this: You are not striving to be healed; you are already healed in Christ (Isa. 53:5). Stand firm in this truth.
Be like Eleazar and Shammah, two of David’s mighty men, who held their ground against the enemy, refusing to retreat despite overwhelming odds (2 Sam. 23:9–12), cling to God’s promises. Let God’s Word be the sword in your hand, inseparable from your being, empowering you to stand in faith until you see the manifestation of His promises.
It’s natural to want to understand every detail of your situation—to research, analyze, and plan your way out. But often, our pursuit of understanding doesn’t bring peace; instead, it breeds anxiety. The apostle Paul writes about “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). The word “surpasses” in the original Greek conveys the idea of God’s peace being superior to understanding.
When you don’t understand what’s happening, let go of the need to figure everything out and hold on to the truth that God’s peace is greater than your own human comprehension. Invite His divine wisdom and calm into your situation. Rest in your Abba’s peace and let it anchor your heart and mind, enabling you to rise above fear and uncertainty. This peace is not dependent on your circumstances but on His unchanging love for you.
Even as we trust implicitly in our Abba Father’s love for us and His goodness toward us, it is still important that we lean in to Him and discern the times we are living in. While the world may seem chaotic and uncertain, God is calling His people to understand the spiritual season we are in and to align our hearts with His purposes.
From the very beginning, everything on earth came into being through the spoken word of God. Creation itself finds its purpose and sustenance in Him, the Creator who spoke light into existence and formed the universe with precision and intent. Yet, in humanity’s pursuit of its own wisdom, they often lose sight of the divine, becoming blinded to the truths that God has revealed and unable to flow with Him. The apostle Paul describes this condition in Romans 1:21–22, concluding that those “professing to be wise, they became fools.” This is why it is so important for us to stay grounded in God’s Word, for it is through Scripture that we gain clarity in discerning His plan for the times we live in.
Our Lord Jesus Himself emphasized the importance of recognizing the spiritual significance of the seasons, saying to the multitudes,
Even today, people are skilled at predicting the weather or analyzing trends, yet they fail to grasp the signs of the times as revealed in God’s Word. We are called to live differently—to be attuned to the spiritual seasons, understanding that the Lord’s purposes are unfolding according to His perfect timetable.
From the apostle Paul, we learn about a pivotal event in this divine timeline—the rapture, where believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. It is a moment of transformation as our mortal bodies will be changed in an instant and we will be clothed with immortality. This event is not the same as the second coming of Christ, which occurs after the rapture.
As the Lord had Pastor Prince reveal in the Vision Sunday message, beginning this year, we are living in the prophetic “third day,” a time of revival, restoration, and renewal within the church corporately and also in the individual lives of believers. Hosea 6:2 tells us,
We discern the times accurately when we flow with the Lord’s agenda for the church, understanding that He is drawing His people closer to Himself, empowering us to live in victory, and preparing us for His return. To find out more about the theme of the year, The Third Day, here are the notes for the Vision Sunday sermon.
God assigns profound meaning to numbers, weaving their significance into the very fabric of Scripture and creation. In Hebrew, each letter in its alphabet has a corresponding numerical value as well as a symbolically rich pictograph, for example, the fifth letter hei (ה) represents the number 5 and is associated with a window. It is also linked to God’s grace.
So this year, 2025, is particularly significant as the number 25 is obtained by multiplying two 5s. This doubling signifies an intensification—a superabundance of grace that God is pouring out upon His people.
One of the most profound examples of the double occurrence of hei (ה) is found in God’s name, Yahweh, often translated as “LORD” in Scripture. Yahweh is composed of four Hebrew letters (read from right to left), and each letter carries a rich meaning that points us to the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ:
The double occurrence of hei (ה) in God’s name and its placements are no coincidence but of divine design. When we look at the associated pictographs depicted from right to left, what we would see is hand, window, nail, window.
This is an invitation for us to see with spiritual eyes what God desires for us to focus on: the finished work of the cross—where Jesus’ nail-pierced hands were stretched out in love to secure eternal life, forgiveness, and blessings for all who believe.
This divine design was also seen at the cross where Pilate ordered the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” to be displayed in three languages: Greek, Hebrew, and Latin (Luke 23:38). When read in Hebrew, the inscription is said to form an acrostic spelling Yahweh, God’s name. This is a divine declaration that our Lord Jesus, through His crucifixion, was fulfilling the redemptive plan of Yahweh Himself!
So our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross wasn’t just a symbolic act of forgiveness. It was forgiveness accomplished on a righteous foundation. Through His death, He upheld the demands of the law while extending unmerited favor to all who believe. It was the ultimate exchange—our sins placed upon Him and His righteousness freely given to us.
This redemption plan has always been at the center of God’s heart. In Psalm 22, King David foresaw the suffering Messiah crying out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” This messianic psalm also depicts God’s deep desire to bring us forever into His light and fellowship and the terrible price that was paid to achieve that.
So let the double occurrence of hei (ה) in God’s name assure you that His grace is not just sufficient but overflowing. Let it also remind you to rest in the Lord Jesus’ finished work and to live in the light of your Father’s boundless favor.
Beginning now, let’s take our place in the finished work of Christ and receive all the grace that God is releasing to us in this third day. Let His superabundant grace empower us to live victoriously, walk in boldness, and accomplish the purposes He has set before us. Let us also lean into His Word, embrace His Spirit, and remain sensitive to the spiritual season we are in, for truly, the Lord has great things in store for those who trust in Him.
When God breathes His grace into our lives, truly amazing transformations can take place. Grace has the power to renew, restore, and multiply in ways that go beyond human understanding. We see this clearly in the life of Abraham, the father of faith.
Despite his wrongdoings—such as lying twice about his wife, Sarah—God’s hand of protection never left him. This shows us that Abraham’s righteousness was not rooted in his performance but in his faith. Had justification depended on human effort, Abraham would have been disqualified. But God’s standard is far higher than what man can attain by his own efforts, and the only solution is found in our Abba’s grace. So rest confidently in His unmerited favor.
Abraham’s story also reveals God’s heart to bless and prosper us, especially in our family lives. When Abram, whose name meant “father of altitude,” was nearly one hundred years old and still childless by his official wife, Sarai, God breathed His grace into both Abraham and Sarai. By adding a letter hei (ה) to their names, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of multitude,” and Sarai, meaning “my leader,” became Sarah, a “princess.”
This name change was more than just linguistic; it reflected a significant shift in their identities and destinies. The transformation in their lives shows us two key areas where we can expect to see God’s grace and blessings in our own lives this year:
Abraham and Sarah’s journey reminds us to trust in and depend on God’s grace. Conversely, it also shows us what could happen when we put aside God’s grace and rely on our own efforts instead. As the couple struggled to conceive a child, they took matters into their own hands. Sarah gave Hagar, her maidservant, to Abraham, and Ishmael was born. While this seemed like a solution, it was rooted in human striving rather than trust in God’s promise and ended in more heartache and frustration.
Man often seeks solutions through human wisdom, devising methods and strategies to navigate life’s challenges. Yet, God’s desire is for us to look to Him and depend fully on His grace. And as we rely on Him, we are reminded to give Him all the glory and all the thanks for every good thing that comes into our lives.
Consider the story of King Nebuchadnezzar. God Himself elevated Nebuchadnezzar, declaring him “the head of gold” in Daniel’s interpretation of the king’s dream (Dan. 2:38). But Nebuchadnezzar allowed pride to cloud his heart, losing sight of the Lord’s goodness and sovereignty. As a consequence, he was humbled when he lost his sanity and was reduced to living like an animal, scratching the earth for sustenance for seven years. It was only when Nebuchadnezzar lifted his eyes to heaven, acknowledging that every blessing comes from the Most High, that his reason was restored. That very day, he blessed the Lord and regained his dignity and position (Dan. 4).
King David echoed this truth of God as the source of all our blessings when he proclaimed, “Both riches and honor come from You” (1 Chron. 29:12). He understood clearly that all success, provision, and victory flow from God’s hand.
Likewise, Abraham and Sarah experienced the fulfillment of God’s promise solely by faith. When they stopped striving and depended fully on His grace, they received the miraculous birth of Isaac. His arrival was not only a testimony to God’s power to bring life out of barrenness but also a reflection of God’s heart for families. Isaac, meaning “laughter” in Hebrew, symbolizes the joy and delight God desires for our homes. This was more than the fulfillment of a promise—it was a glimpse of God’s intention for His people to experience a joy that overflows into every area of their lives.
Our Lord Jesus expressed this same desire for His followers. Before going to the cross, He reassured His disciples of a joy that would endure: “that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). This wasn’t a fleeting or circumstantial joy but one that had carried Him through the most extreme suffering imaginable—the cross.
This same joy is available to us today, even in the face of challenges and trials. It is a joy rooted in the hope we have in Christ—a hope that looks beyond the present to His return for us in the rapture. As 1 Thessalonians 1:10 reminds us, we are called to live with joyful anticipation of this event, trusting that He will deliver us from “the wrath to come.”
No one except God knows when the rapture will happen. But the Scriptures remind us of the Lord’s patience and His love for humanity: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9 NIV).
In the Old Testament, we see a remarkable illustration of God’s patience in the life of Methuselah, whose very name in Hebrew means “his death shall bring.” This name was a foretelling of the judgment that would be meted out on the earth in the form of a great flood when Methuselah died.
Yet what is even more astounding is that Methuselah lived longer than anyone else in the Bible—969 years (Gen. 5:27)! His extended lifespan is a testament to God’s merciful nature; He delayed the judgment and gave humanity as much time as possible to repent.
God’s original intention was never for us to experience death but to live eternally in His presence, full of life and joy. He is the one who sustains us, and just as Daniel reminded Nebuchadnezzar that God held his breath in His hand and owned all his ways (Dan. 5:23), every breath we take is a gift from our Father! So remember to always be thankful.
As believers today, we are established in this truth of life forevermore when we focus on Jesus’ finished work at the cross. In 1 Corinthians 15:51–57, the apostle Paul declares this victory we have in Christ: “Death is swallowed up in victory… O Death, where is your sting?” This year, let us lift our eyes to Jesus and live expectantly of His return for us. He alone is worthy of all glory, and He alone is our source of eternal hope and abundant joy!
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© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2025
These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the sermon.
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