Sunday sermon by Pastor Rajesh Mathew, Cornerstone church, 5 May 2024 

2 Kings 25:27-30- In the year that Evil-Merodach became king of Babylonia, he showed kindness to King Jehoiachin of Judah by releasing him from prison. This happened on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year after Jehoiachin had been taken away as prisoner. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. 30 Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived. 

4 months are completed in this month, the number 5 years a symbol of grace. May there be an increase of God’s grace in your life. May His Grace increase and increase over your life.

In Hebrews, the number FIVE means or implies the following:

• Strength 

• Alertness 

• Torah- the first 5 Books 

• The five-fold office – Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Teacher, Pastor 

• The Gospel 

• Increase

• Fast movement – going forth in fast movement 

• Protection 

WHEN THE ANOINTING OIL OR THE HOLY OIL WAS MADE, FIVE SPICES WERE USED. THE HOLY OIL.May God the Holy Spirit spice up your life. 

• There is a measure for each spice. God has given each of the men and women of God certain spices. There is a unique spice for each of their ministries. Benny Hinn has his own spice! There are unique ingredients and experiences that stir up certain spice in their lives. 

An extra anointing and grace that spices up your anointing in Jesus Name. 

DAVID PICKED UP FIVE SMOOTH STONES FROM THE BROOK.

• There was only need for one but God gave him 5. You may need only one but God will give you 5. One word from the mouth Jesus is enough today for your breakthrough. What I sin your hand is more than enough. 

The grace that is within you is enough! Clap your hands and worship Him. 

JESUS USED FIVE LOAVES TO FEED A 5000.

• Sometimes when you step out for ministry you have very little but God multiplies it. May this month turn around to become a month of supernatural increase. 
• Let me see your faith in action when you hear the word of God. 

GOD CREATED BIRDS, FISH OF THE SEA IN THE FIFTH MONTH.

Both these move fast.

Files that are lying without being moved, lying delayed to move fast. Things that are stuck will speedily  move this month.

The Birds created in the 5th month are migratory, they move from one land to another. Certain journeys to new lands, new nations, new states by the seed of God’s Word will open up for you. May you move into the ministerial anointing taking you to new lands, new states for the glory of God and for the sake of the gospel.

In the Old Testament, there are five types of offerings.

1) Burnt offerings 

2) Meal offering- to give thanks to God 

3) Peace offering – This is what we have through Jesus. Once the peace offering was made, they believe symbolically that they are one with God and they eat from the same altar. There is a fellowship within this offering. 

In the 5th month when you offer sacrifice of praise, worship and thanks, you will enjoy a unique intimacy with the Holy Spirit. As if you and God are eating together. May the Holy Spirit such a realm in your life.

May you walk and dwell in Christ and carry the presence of God.

4) Sin offering 

5) Trespass offering

• All these offerings reflect Jesus who died for us 2024 years ago that took away our sin and punishment on our behalf. Today you and I have the freedom to call the Father ABBA FATHER! 

All these sacrifices and offerings point to Jesus. 

• You need faith in Action if you believe this. You need to declare that you will not walk as a slave to sin or to the devil but you will come under the authority of God. I will not walk in disease, curse or bondage. I will walk in the gift of freedom that Jesus has given me freely. May there be a faith action in your life, for the miracle working power of God to flow in your life. 

JESUS IS SUFFICIENT 

The Book of revelations speaks about the different churches.

THE FIFTH CHURCH IS THE CHURCH AT SARDIS.

• Sardis means the red ones. It is not the redness due to the heat but the reflection of the Blood of Jesus. You are washed in the blood of Jesus.
• Sardis means the escaping ones. The ones who have come out! God has brought you out and brought you into His presence. You should come jumping out of debt, you have no permission to sit inside of debt! Get out of disease! Come out of traditions and worship Him in Spirit and Truth! Jump out of fear and curse.
• The Holy Spirit made you jump and come out. Worship Him in Spirit and Truth. You should jump and dance and worship HIM. The Holy Spirit has brought you out. I am going to jump and jump and glorify God.
• You are the escaped ones. Like the three young men who came out of the fiery furnace. The fourth person of Jesus had brought them out and there was no smell of fire upon them. • There is a faith that brings you out! Come out of the Lion’s den by faith. 

In the fifth month, the church will act prophetically to become all that SARDIS represents! When God created you with the DNA for success, for soaring high and for victory. 

• God had exploits and progress in mind when He formed you. He created you not to be under but to be above. It is an insult to Calvary if you are down and not above. God created you and made you to do great exploits. And You got to do it by faith.
• People who know their God shall be strong and do great exploits. Do you know Jesus? Then be strong and do great exploits.

THE MEANING OF THE WORD EXPLOIT IS AN INTERESTING OR A DARING ACTION OR ACHIEVEMENT. 

• You have the DNA. You are a child of God. You are not a child of the devil. If you understand this the get ready to see faith in action. You should see this in your financial, spiritual, marital and business life.

Ispeak EXPLOITS over your life. May you carry out exploits in your family that nobody has done before. May you walk in the grace and faith to do exploits this 5th month.

It doesn’t matter how far the devil has gone in your life, he can be stopped by faith. 

• Today, submit to God and resist the devil by faith, to put a full stop to his work in your life and your children’s lives

2 Kings 25 

1) GOD’S GRACE FOUND THIS KING AND LIFTED HIS HEAD

• The spotlight of GOD’s grace came upon him, in his generation. It is a pictorial image of some peoples’ lives. It is an Old Testament picture of New Testament children of God. • “Evil Meradoch”. His name itself is Evil. He was the king of Babylon and in his time, even without him realising he lifted up the head of Jehoiachin.
• What does this mean? No matter how evil a person is, GOD can still use him as an instrument for someone else’s deliverance. Psychologists say you are only four people away from one who can help you. Therefore, treat everyone with respect and love. You never know who God will use to lift up your head. Do not belittle anybody. Don’t look at somebody’s clothes and look down upon people. Anybody can be used for your promotion and your increase!
• The first thing that evil Meradoch did was he lifted up the head of Jehoiachin. You can never succeed in life if your head in not lifted up. The central nervous system is through the spine and the brain is in the head, eye, ears, mouth, tongue, nose are all within the head! If your head is affected, your entire life is affected.

Therefore, the first thing that grace does is lift up your head. 

• If you lose your hand, you can still live but if you lose your head, can you survive? Therefore, God first lifts up your head. HE is the glory and lifter up of my head.

The devil also first attacks your head. 

Zechariah 1:18-21- 18 Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. 19 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?” He answered me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.” 

• ‘So that no one could raise their head’. The devil attacks so that you will keep your head bowed, worried, anxious, ashamed. But today in the Name of Jesus those horns that are raising up against you to scatter you are broken, Jesus is giving that to you. Even in your family life, in church and in business, the devil’s horns come to destroy the head. Don’t ever stand with the head hanging low.
• In the book of Genesis, we see that the serpent was cursed with the curse that his head will be crushed.
• In the spiritual realm, God destroys the head of the devil and the devil tries to attack our heads. But today you take refuge in Jesus and may the works of the enemy be broken and destroyed in Jesus Name.
• Lift your hand and say, ‘My head shall be lifted. I will not allow the devil to touch my head. It is bought by the Blood of Jesus., My family life, my church life and my business life are blessed by the Lord. The Lord is the glory and the lifter of my head.” 

The Holy Spirit will lift up some of your heads. Your posture too will change, you will not walklooking down, you will look up! Your body language will change. The grace will flow for that.

• Joseph saw dreams and he interpreted it. There was a blessing that was upon Joseph’s head by the laying on of Jacob’s hand. In the prison there was a butler and a baker. One lost his head and one saw his head lifted up. There won’t be one who will lose his head in this congregation. Your heads will be lifted. You should know how to protect your head! 

There are many healings taking place here in the head. All of you who are having issues in your head, pray! Central nervous system related, chances of stroke and high blood pressure leave your life. May God Himself anoint your head and may his blessing be released over your head.

The Anointing is like a crown. I have a crown upon my head. I will not walk like a slave. 2) BROUGHT HIM OUT OF PRISON 

• One always comes out by grace. Your mind had to be freed by grace, let mental battles cease. May you stop overthinking. That is a demon to disturb you. Let that bondage be broken in Jesus name. 

Let Faith in action free your mind. May you come out of mental prisons. 

• I saw a person with a tattoo “born to lose”. One person asked the person who tattooed ‘why would anyone tattoo that?’ The person replied saying it is tattoo on the mind before tattoo on body.
• Declare that “I am born to do the will of God, I am born to glorify Jesus Christ, I am born to succeed, I am born to walk in victory, and I am born to serve God. Let every thought of failure be broken from your mind. I am coming out of every mental prison. 

There is also the prison of the mouth. 

• Some people if you open your mouth, only words of failure come. 
• The prison of works. Saul, before he came Paul was stoning the people of God. Don’t throw stones. Don’t sow what is bad. You will reap what you sow. Do not sow bad things. Don’t use your mouth and works to bring people down but use them to bless.
• Every prison that is making me do negative things and speak negative things, leave my life. May you come out of every emotional prison. ‘Nobody loves me, I am tired of my life, nobody is there for me’. Let every prison door open this morning. 

Let there be an earthquake in your home today. Send a spiritual earthquake Lord. Open every prison door. 

• Lift your hand and say- ‘I am coming out’. I am coming out of every financial prison in Jesus Name. Faith in action! 

I was praying last few days for a financial breakthrough and when I was doing so, the Holy Spirit started making me write- what all I need to give. He started making me list 15 people’s names. That is the only way you will come out of your financial prison- By giving! 

• I am walking out of my financial prison. I am coming out of every prison of the devil and financial prison. I am not sitting in it. I am coming out.

3) CHANGED HIS PRISON CLOTHES

• Change out of your prison clothes. It means that you are going to next level. Wear the mantle of righteousness, salvation and authority. Every other dress to be removed. Every clothing that represents my slavery to be removed. 

4) SET HIM ON THE THRONE 

• It refers to Authority and dominion. I speak it over you. Daily allowance and daily blessing were released over his life by the Lord. Amen, hallelujah! 

This month, even before it ends, some of you will need to have an emergency thanksgiving. Mighty doors will be opened up. I will see faith in action by grace, Emergency thanksgiving.

GOD WILL DO GREAT THINGS FOR ME. HE IS A VERY BIG GOD!