1 JAN 2023, SERMON BY PASTOR RAJESH MATHEW 

Psalm 65:11- You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with  abundance. 

NLT version- You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

PROMISE: THIS IS A YEAR OF GOD’S OVERFLOWING. 

THIS IS A SUPERNATURAL YEAR OF OVERFLOWING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND IN THE GRACE OF GOD. 

The psalmist starts off like this- “Praise awaits you in Zion”. The start of an “overflow” is your praise. When the children of God come to church together, the Lord awaits your Praise. Give Him the sacrifice of Praise. If you are ready to do that, The Lord will make sure your paths are overflowing with His grace and blessing! Open your mouths and shout out your THANKS to Him. 

PRAISE IS GIVING ATTENTION TO GOD. 

• When my kids come to me and if I am busy on the mobile, they will keep calling till they catch my attention. Look only to His face and pay full attention to HIM. FOCUS ON JESUS and JESUS alone! 

IN 2023, HELP ME TO FOCUS AND PAY ATTENTION ONLY TO YOU! 

• The name that is above every name! Just keep your focus on the One who died for us. I am glorifying you and I am focused on YOU LORD! 

Psalm 65:11- CROWNING THE YEAR 

CROWN IN HEBREW MEANS SURROUNDS WITH GOODNESS! THE TYPES OF CROWNS

1. THE CROWN OF HIS ANOINTING OIL 

Psalm 23:6- Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me.

• Without doubt or suspicion. For certain! You are sure that GOD;’s goodness and mercy will follow you all through the days of your life.
• Generational disease and the devil are not what follows me. It is not disease and cancer. Something is following me. In 2023 it is goodness and mercy of God. In 2023 it is his goodness and mercy that will hunt me down.

OVERFLOWING GOODNESS AND MERCY ARE FOLLOWING US THIS YEAR! 

In Israel you see the Jews praying at the Western Wall. They keep moving and praying. When you ask them why they do so, they say because their God is a moving God, a God who is not static but alive. He hears and listens to us. He acts for us. HE COMES DOWN FOR US AND DOES MIRACLES FOR US. He 

listens to your praise this morning! He is God who brought down the walls of Jericho, and parted the Red Sea. He is God who moves! 

THE LORD IS SAYING THAT HE WILL CROWN YOUR HEAD WITH HIS GOODNESS THIS YEAR. HE WILL CROWN YOU WITH HIS ANOINTING OIL. 

• In the Old Testament, only Kings would be crowned. You are not an insignificant person. You may not have money or wealth or maybe you are living in debt, but remember that you are a king through the Blood of Jesus. 
• The crown symbolizes authority. Elvis Presley is called the king of rock and roll. Michael Jackson is called the King of pop music. We also to refer to Virat Kohli as King Kohli. You are a king you belong to the church of the living God. 
• Walk straight into 2023. Don't bend down before anything that causes your crown to fall off. Even if you go through some hard places, mercy and goodness will follow you because of the crown of His anointing and goodness upon you. Inside this Oil is God’s goodness. 

IN 2023, I WILL NOT FALL OFF AND BREAK BECAUSE I HAVE THE ANOINTING OF GOD UPON MY HEAD. 

2. THE CROWN OF BEAUTY 

Isaiah 62:3- You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

• He crowns you with beauty. The beauty that comes from the anointing oil. Sarah was old but still, king Abimelech felt a desire for her. God is giving you a crown of beauty. This is not the beauty that comes from Fair and Lovely.
• God will increase your beauty because of the anointing oil. God will give you a crown of beauty. • No matter how hard your paths are, there is an overflow even inside them.

THIS YEAR, GOD WILL GIVE YOU A CROWN OF BEAUTY. 

3. THE CROWN OF REJOICING 

1 Thessalonians 2:19 -19After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!

• This crown is for people who bring people to Jesus. Those who spread the gospel will receive this crown of rejoicing. 
• This morning I commission you to be a soul winner. May everyone whom you speak to, pray for, and interact with, come to Jesus. Like the Samaritan woman who won an entire town to Jesus, may you shake cities and towns for the glory of God. Let all those who are hearing us all over the world, I commission you to be soul winners for the glory of God. You are a soul winner. 

4. THE CROWN OF LIFE 

James 1:12- 12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing & temptation. Afterward,they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

• Those who are writing exams this year, study well. I am not talking about those exams. • The ones who face trials are blessed. Trials will come. But even within that by the grace of God, you will be victorious. Heaven will give me a crown of life. So many people walk and live for worldly crowns. There is a Crown of Eternity. 
• When you speak of the Crown of Goodness, don’t miss out on the Crown of Eternity. 

1 Corinthians 9:25- 25 And everyone who competes for the prize [a]is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

• The one who disciplines his body will receive an imperishable crown.
• Ruling over your flesh, running looking unto Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit overcoming trials and challenges. All of this is not wasted. You living a Holy Life is not a waste. Setting yourself apart and walking in consecration is not useless. Getting out of the wrong relationships is not unprofitable. Heavens will reward you. 
• Here is a word for a person who has been cheating others. You will be a well-known evangelist in this land. God is speaking to somebody here this morning. 
• He will crown you! Be filled with the Holy Spirit wherever you are.

WHAT IS THE OVERFLOW? 

THE WORD OVERFLOW MEANS THE DISPLAY OF HIS SPLENDOR. A SHOWCASE OF HIS CAPACITY TO DO FAR TOO MUCH!

• Luke 13 talks about a woman bent over for 18 years who was set free. Despite being a daughter of Abraham, the devil had kept her bent over and bound. You may be a child of God, but today no matter where you are bound, the Lord will break your bonds. Everything that has kept you bent over, imprisoned, this morning may you receive full freedom. Where has the devil bound you? May you be set free. God is glorified when you are set free. You are a person to jump and sing and rejoice in the Lord

I AM NOT A SLAVE TO BONDAGE, TO THE DEVIL, TO DISEASE, BUT 2023 IS THE YEAR WHERE OLD BONDAGES BREAKING AND WE WALKING IN FREEDOM! 

• Goodness and glory are not displayed in you in the way God had intended for you and created you for. But God's goodness will show forth. No matter how old your bondage is, God will do it this year. In 2023, old bondages will leave and you will walk in freedom and blessing. 
• Some people look so sad in church. I wonder how they look at home. I visited a few people at home and there they are even more sad! Some people are happy at home but the moment they come to church, they become long-faced and serious. It is an old bondage. You can be free in church, you can laugh in the Spirit, you can run in the Spirit and rejoice in the Lord. May you experience such freedom and may your face reflect His glory.

The life inside you must flow out. Imagine ten liters of milk boiling in a vessel. It boils and the heat and pressure will push the milk out. That bondage is breaking. The limitation of the vessel is breaking off.It will overflow into your kitchen, even into other rooms if there is a large quantity! When you go through hard places, face difficulties and pressure, the goodness of God will flow beyond capacity and limitations will break off.

OVERFLOW IS LIMITATIONS BREAKING OFF. IN 2023, THIS WILL HAPPEN 

A man of God prophesied for 2023 and said- just rejoice in the Lord. Joy in the Lord. Rejoice in Jesus. Do everything rejoicing in God. It's a decision. I will serve Him, give to Him, and do all my work with great joy. May the Lord restore your joy in Jesus.

JOY IS A DECISION. 

• No matter what happens in 2023, I have the crown of His goodness and mercy, I will still rejoice in the Lord. Keep rejoicing in the Spirit and that’s where the devil is defeated. May that joy flow out of you.

THE BIBLICAL MEANING OF OVERFLOW IS TO FLOW OVER BOUNDS. TO FILL A PLACE TO CAPACITY AND SPREAD BEYOND THE LIMIT.

• Just imagine and visualize your life free and rejoicing, imagine and visualize you walking in God’s great goodness. Visualize you walking in liberty even in hard places. Holi Spirit will help you visualize.

Deuteronomy 15:6- 6 For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.

THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID TO ME THAT SOME OF YOU HERE WILL BECOME BANKS. SOME OF YOU MAY BE SHOCKED BY THIS. WHEN GOODNESS OVERFLOWS, YOU WILL LEND UNTO NATIONS AND BECOME BANKS. YOU WILL BECOME A GLORY BANK 

• You will not borrow but you will lend. Change your position.
• God will make you a lender. Position yourself not as someone with hands stretched to borrow but to give! If people need money, they will come to you.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8- But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

• It speaks of grace. God blesses us according to how we sow. There is sufficient criticism against this teaching but I will still preach and I don’t worry about what you will think. Don't allow the devil to steal your blessing. Sow generously and you will reap generously. 
• This year, buy at least five pairs of dresses and give at least 3 to others. Buy 5 pairs of shoes and at least 3 of those, you give to others. Buy 2-3 cars and give at least 2 to others! Don’t you want to be a giver? 
• Let the goodness of God manifest in your life to such an amazing extent. May you be able to give to the poor and to your neighbors. 

Isaiah 51:1- Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him.”

• He was called alone and he was blessed. He came alone but when the blessing came, he grew. • In my life, when the blessing comes, I will grow, and boundaries will break. Not just financially and materially. May the grace, giftings, goodness and anointings grow and increase in my lie. • God calls you out alone and then increases and multiplies you!

JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN

In the Bible, a mother had two children- Joseph was the older, and Benjamin was the younger. We are speaking about Rachel.

Joseph is the shadow of Jesus.  • Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers with bread and Jesus was sent by the Father as the bread of life. • Joseph’s brothers rejected him and Jesus too was rejected. • Joseph was sold for 20 silver coins. Jesus was sold for 30 coins. • Joseph was falsely accused and put in prison. Jesus too was falsely accused and had to stand before Pontius Pilate. • In both places there was a Judah. The one who betrayed them both. • Joseph too had two robbers near him and Jesus was two robbers. • Joseph married a gentile woman. Jesus’ bride is the gentile church. • When Joseph came, his brothers did not understand him. The Jews too did not believe or understand Jesus.

They were two brothers from the same womb. In the New Testament, if Joseph symbolizes Jesus, you symbolize Benjamin. 

1. JOSEPH GAVE FIVE TIMES MORE FOR BENJAMIN: When the brothers came to Joseph in the season of famine in Egypt, Joseph gave Benjamin five times more than all the other brothers. Goodness and abundance are five times more! When others got one chapatti, Benjamin got 5 chapattis. When others go one chicken leg, Benjamin got 5 chicken legs. When others received one shirt and pants, Benjamin was given 5 pairs! This is being filled with the goodness of God. 

JESUS IS YOUR ELDER BROTHER. THIS YEAR GOD WILL DO BEYOND YOUR DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES. HE WILL SEND FIVE TIMES MORE! 

2. JOSEPH HELD ONLY BENJAMIN TIGHT: This year, hold Jesus tight. Intimacy with Christ. If someone asks you the reason for your growth, tell them you held CHRIST tight. 

INCREASE START WHEN YOU COME INTO A TIGHT GRIP WITH JESUS. THIS YEAR OLD ON TIGHT TO JESUS 

3. THE CUP IN BENJAMIN’S SACK: In the sack of Benjamin was a cup. Others only had a sack but no cup was in it. But inside Benjamin’s sack was a silver cup. It reflects Redemption. The cup is the one in which people drink wine. It signifies the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

• Sitting close to Jesus, holding Him tight, within that experience of the Holy Spirit will be revealed. May that dimension be opened up for you. May the experiences of the Holy Spirit unfold within it.
• Your sack has something that nobody else has- Your redemption because of the Blood shed by Jesus on the Cross. In this redemption is the blessing of five times. 

Genesis 44:22-22And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

• This reflects the close relationship shared between the Father and Benjamin. • The Lord is longing to embrace you. You may be busy but He wants you. May you have a close relationship with the FATHER.

Genesis 44: 30-31- 30 “Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

• The Father was so close to Benjamin that as the verse shows us, he would die if he found out that Benjamin was not with the brothers. 

IN 2023, MAY YOU HAVE A LOVE RELATIONSHIP OF THAT DEPTH AND INTENSITY AS THE FATHER AND BENJAMIN HAD. MAY YOU BE INTIMATE WITH THE FATHER AND WITH JOSEPH JUST LIKE BENJAMIN WHO WAS

CLOSE TO HIS FATHER AND TO HIS BROTHER JOSEPH. THIS IS THE SECRET OF YOUR OVERFLOWING BLESSING- CLOSENESS WTH THE FATHER AND WITH JESUS. 

• This year the Lord will cause you to be the Benjamin generation. The ones with a relationship with It was due to Benjamin that the brothers were able to have access to the palace. • It was due to Benjamin that the brothers were able to enter the palace, sit with Joseph and dine with him. If you hold tight to Jesus, because of you, your family members will experience the blessing of God.

The Holy Spirit is saying that because you are closely connected to the Father, your family will gain access to Jesus.

• The heart of the Father and Benjamin cannot be separated. 

THIS YEAR THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN WILL ARISE. YOU WILL OBTAIN EVERYTHING DOUBLE, BOUNDARIES WILL BREAK AND GOODNESS WILL MANIFEST. THE GENERATION THAT WILL BE FILLED TO THE OVERFLOWING WITH THE GOODNESS OF GOD 

2023, OVERFLOWING WITH THE GOODNESS OF GOD