Men Who Stand for the Undiluted Word of God

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Ezra 7

Ezra appears to be a silent labourer in the record of things. He was determined to go all the way for God's truth to be established among the heathen. A whole book was dedicated to him in the Bible, but he did not appear until this chapter (Ezra 7).

 “A whole nation was saved due to the determination of Ezra” (one man = one nation)

Prayer:

• Lord, please break our men and remake them to the vessels that befit Your Kingdom assignment. Help them to carry the humility that accompanies the manifestations of Your power in their lives.

1.                  EZRA'S PREPARATION (Ezra 7:6-10)

The captivity paved way for the glory of God in Ezra's life:

- His father (Seraiah) was killed by the king of Babylon (2^nd Kings 25:18-21) but he was not hindered by the loss or by an unforgiving spirit.

- He thoroughly furnished his life with the scriptures before directing others in it.

- He chose to follow God's perfect WORD and WAY - he did not take after his forefathers as magicians/astrologers (Chaldeans).

Prayer:

• Lord, release our men from any of their past experiences that are limiting them and Your work in their hands. Make them scribes that are inspired and instructed to revive the knowledge of scriptures. 

• Let our men become Heart cry scribes for this generation. To profit nations with the measure of Grace upon their lives, help them not to hoard Your Word but to be willing to communicate it for the good of others. 

• Make their lives fit for Your Work and help their lives to confirm their teachings at all times.

2.                  EZRA'S LABOUR (Ezra 7:13-23)

There was a spiritual restlessness in his heart towards attaining GOD'S REST in his spirit...

- He did not appear on the scene until there was work to do with those God raised with him, and no special title.

- He saw the order of things “in the hand of God” (The Beginning) and saw “the hand of God” (The Ending) as things were unfolding.

- He was given both the DIVINE and earthly authorities to act on behalf of God and for the good of others.

Prayer:

• Lord, help our men not to be too conscious of titles based on their privileged-contributions to Your Kingdom/Work. Let them always trace all things to You and see You in all things. 

• Lord, let our men make Your WORD the blueprint for their lives. Teach them to honour and magnify Your Word so they can become divine confidantes. Position them to trust You and Your Word.

  

3.                  EZRA'S TESTIMONY (Ezra 7:11-12 / 24-26)

He did God's WORK according to God's WILL and God's WAY.

-He stood on the undiluted Word of God for things that pertained to Jesus' life and Godliness.

-He saw to God's Word becoming the basis for appointing lawmakers and writing the  constitution of the land.

-He positioned himself to becoming the medium for fastening the Word of God into lives and situations.

Prayer:

• Lord, let our men see Your Will and Your Way in Your Work: To make everything around them conformable to the Word of God. 

• To become hammers of God, through which God's true word of life will be fastened to the lives of others.

4.                  EZRA'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GOD'S BACKING (Ezra 7: 27-28)

Through divine backing, Ezra managed his life and preached the Word of God by ways of purity, patience and prayers.

- He ascribed greatness to God for His unending mercies and grace.

- He attached the beauty of God through His Word to all things.

- He was a man of courage but attributed all his achievements to the miracle-working power of God's Word and God's Hand.

Prayer:

• Lord, open our men fully to the power and the beauty that is in the Word of God. To desire to run by the mercies of God and acknowledge divine opportunities in their lives. 

• Let our men launch out into things that will beautify the work of God in their hands and to be committed to showing forth the beauty of God in all they do.

LORD, PLEASE DO NOT WITHDRAW YOUR HAND FROM 

THE LIVES OF OUR MEN.

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Men Who Are Disciples Indeed

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Ezra 6: 13-22

Vs. 4-12

God arose on behalf of HIS people; expending all means possible so that the work of building was not truncated. Even today, God’s commitment has not dwindled; HE is passionate and ever ready to see to it that the work of building (first our lives and many others) is not aborted.

Vs. 14

So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

ü  Only the Jews (the Redeemed) are instructed to build (make disciples of all nations).

ü  They prospered in this through submission to human agents and instruments that God released to help mould and make them (disciplers).

ü  They started and completed their assignment under the leadership of CHRIST and following the commandment FIRST of the God of Israel and then, of men.

l  Fulfil Your desire Lord, of making our men matured disciples whom You can entrust lives unto.

l  Grant them receptive hearts that graciously submit to discipleship.

l  Help them run and finish their race well inside Christ.

Vs. 15-18

Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. 16 Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 And they offered sacrifices at the dedication of this house of God, one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.

ü  There is always cause to rejoice when a man fulfils destiny. We are carriers of the life of JESUS. When we allow HIM complete HIS work in us - the world rejoices; light shines and darkness cannot comprehend it; HIS GLORY fills the earth.

ü  God longs to see men stand on the full and complete Gospel. HIS heart is grieved when men settle for less and are reduced to shacks; abandoned/uncompleted property; or just a mere foundation without walls.

ü  Our men are God’s priest and Levites commissioned to make disciples that are built up and complete inside CHRIST.

ü  God has called our men to be co-labourers with HIM. Men who labour to celebrate the dedication of lives/hearts to God with JOY, both here on earth and in heaven.

l  Our men will heed God’s call on their lives early and also finish well.

l  Our men will not comfortably or ignorantly stand on sinking sand but on the full and complete Gospel.

l  We release our men to fulfil their mandate of dedicating disciples indeed, back to their Maker.

Vs. 19-22

19 And the descendants of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves; all of them were ritually clean. And they slaughtered the Passover lambs for all the descendants of the captivity, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21 Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the Lord God of Israel.  22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

ü  Make our men disciples indeed, who set themselves apart, and begin to lament for their nations.

ü  Let the life of JESUS in our men be so palpable that the hearts of kings turn to God.

ü  Lord, we ask for the hearts of the heathen as our inheritance.

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God's Outpouring

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Ezra 6:4-12

Recap- Chapter 6: 1-3 

• Men who treasure and keep record of God’s dealings and instructions to them.
• Men who build their lives/homes according to pattern shown via the Word of God.
• Men who will never deviate from the instructions of Scriptures regardless of the circumstances. 

Vs. 4-5

• God’s divine provision - expenses and material for building provided.

 Vs. 6-12

• Seeing tangibly, God’s out-stretched arm. 
• God contending with those who contend with HIM (The governors and Persians are instructed to keep away from them).
• God raised an advocate for Himself using a heathen (King Darius).
• God moved the heart of King Darius, who made a decree that the work of building MUST not be interfered with/ it CANNOT BE disrupted.
• King Darius under God proclaimed that the builders be not hindered (verbally as previously -see Ezra 4:1-5; physically- see Ezra 4:23-24; financially).
• Their provisions/sustenance as requested by the Priests was provided without fail; a heathen King made this his prerogative. 
• Death was the penalty of ANYONE who disrupted the work of building.
• The inheritance of those who disrupt the work of building was turned into a refuse heap. 

WHY WOULD GOD GO TO THIS EXTENT TO LAVISH HIS FAVOUR, PROVISIONS, DIVINE BACKING AND HELP ON THESE MEN? 

Vs. 10

• That the disciples offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to their God of heaven.
• That they become relevant and beacons of light in their communities and nation.  (Pray for the life of the King and his sons).
• That the life of JESUS in them finds continuity and the building work produces  disciples of ALL nations. 

GOD’S OUTPOURING IS NEVER TO MAKE OUR MEN FATTENED WITH SELF, PRIDE OR TO BE IDOLISED!!!!

   

PRAYER POINTS

• Cause our men to be people of faith. Men who launch out at Your bidding when the cost and building material are not immediately apparent. 

• Help the heart of our men to know that You never call a man to waste him. You never send forth without releasing what is needed to build. You always ensure that the Seed if Jesus in us will never be truncated or hindered. 

• Please Lord, address any concerns that may be hindering our men from following You all the way. 

• Stabilise the heart of our men so that the provisions/fruits of revival do not destroy them; that God's divine provision and outstretched arm further strengthens their conviction and love for you.   

• Help them to keep knowing that they were apprehended to manifest Jesus and commissioned to make disciples of all nations. 

• Let all that You do to ensure the fulfilment of Your purpose in our men make them love and fear You. Remove from their heart that which makes them want to capitalise on Your help as opportunities to advance their own purposes.

• Raising heathens as advocates for the propagation of the Gospel, divine daily provisions of food, materials and expenses are to let HIS KINGDOM COME and HIS WILL BE DONE. This sometimes brings men to their knees, cuts their hearts and brings brokenness. Help our men to capitalise on these opportunities to plant the Seed - Jesus.
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Build According to Pattern

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Ezra 6:1-4

Record Keepers 

• Men who are meticulous about documenting God’s dealings and instructions to them.

• Their scrolls are treasures stored away properly and can be easily assessed for referencing, reassurance, re-validation and passed on as an inheritance.

Men of Precision 

• Men who will only build according to the pattern/specification laid out by Jesus. Success to them equates to Jesus being the primary and singular architect and builder on all aspects of life.

• Unless Jesus is given full rights and authority to specify the materials and specifications for building, we cannot say that its foundation is firmly laid. “And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” - Exodus 25:40. 

• Men in whom Jesus has prevailed over so much that they can "do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." - John 5:19.

Prayer Points 

• Lord, please make our men meticulous with keeping records of Your dealings, instructions and their learning in the Spirit.

• Help them see their scrolls as treasures to be stored away and as inheritance for their seed. 

• Grant them foresight to document, we never know how You may use their documentation to bless other lives. 

• Holy Spirit, help our men build according to pattern, not haphazardly. Prevail over their hearts so much that they can do “nothing of themselves.” 

• Please do not allow our men to continue to build on sinking sand. Help them assess what is ‘under’ their ‘standing’. 

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Embrace God's Help!

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Ezra 5

The MERCY of God is always available physically and spiritually with an evidence of support, when building for the Lord. In the case of the builders in this chapter, there was a notable presence of God available to them – the Holy Spirit preaching the Gospel through the prophets, the prophecies made specifically for God's work by Haggai and Zechariah, and the joint efforts of   the four men of God – Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Haggai and Zechariah.

        Prayer:

•  Lord, thank You for sustaining Your work in the hands of our men. Please continue to make them the objects of Your MERCY and cause Your MERCY to prevail over their lives in all walks of life.
•  Lord, open the eyes of our men to the essence and the extent of the power of the Holy Spirit. Let the POWER OF THE HIGHEST overshadow them and overtake them until they surrender to You completely.

Our arch-enemy (the devil) perfectly understands the efficacy of the power of God in sustaining and reviving His work. The enemy is aware of the heavenly resources in place for anyone that is all out for the work of God, BUT his power is limited in tampering with any of these resources.

  

         Prayer:

•   Lord, please help our men to see beyond “the enemy – the devil” at all times. Help them to know and embrace the ability of Heaven in sustaining them, and in reviving the work in their hands.
•   Lord, fortify our men with the essentials of the CROSS, so much that it will be extremely difficult for them to look back until they are completely sold out to You.
•  CALL FORTH THE HELPERS OF DESTINY INTO THE LIVES OF THE MEN IN YOUR LIFE...(if you are a man, call your destiny-helpers for God's work into your life).  

When the Holy Spirit of God is recognised and given the due respect to do what only Him can do, God does things in HIS OWN SPECIAL WAY. Everything (good or bad) begins to work together for the good of the true children of God.

         Prayer:

•   Lord, let the courage of Jesus on His way to CALVARY collide with our men. Grant them the POWER that made Jesus to be rest assured of Heaven while He was on the CROSS.

Translated from Carnal to the Divine Life

- Gleaning at God's Faithfulness

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Acts 9: 1-6

Vs. 1 - And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest.

Is your man a Saul?
Is he not yet a follower/disciple of Christ?
Is he against disciples of the Lord and/or persecuting disciples of Christ?
Is he fully  absorbed, devoted and surrendered to a cause outside of Christ and the message of the full Gospel?

Prayer
Please uproot our men from the carnal nature and engraft them inside Christ.
Let them become followers of Christ.
Cause them to stand fully on the mystery of discipleship.
Give them a cause- let them be absorbed, sold out to making disciples of all nations.

Vs. 2 - And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

Let the heart of Jesus now inside them cease to find wealth, possessions, gain prominence, power, accolades or earthly knowledge. 

Prayer
Let Jesus in our men seek NOW and ALWAYS for SOULS; and to make disciples out of men and women.  

Vs. 3 - And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.

Prayer 
As our men journey on in this life, let the light of the World (Jesus) collide with them.
Make this encounter irreversible, definite, tangible, complete and progressive.
Open the eyes of their understanding to the mystery of the Gospel.

Vs. 5 - "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest..."

Prayer
Give our men an insatiable thirst to know and become like Jesus.
Let this divine thirst exceed and overcome every other desire in their heart.


Vs. 6 - And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Prayer
Let their progressive understanding of Jesus result in absolute surrender to HIS will and Way.
Make the cry of our men ever be: “Who are You Lord and what would You have me do?”
Let them clearly hear God's instruction and directives in all situations; never leaning on their own understanding, but acknowledging Christ in all their ways.
May their actions always be on the premise of:" It was told us what we must do."

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Ezra - Be Conquered By Christ

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Ezra 4: 12-16

Vs. 12a - Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem,

Every man seeks relevance and desire to be fruitful. He strives to be the best and be outstanding. God’s prescription of upward movement only begins when a man: (1) Becomes a Jew (a follower of Christ) and (2) Comes into Jerusalem (grows; is grounded; rooted and established inside Christ).

Who our men should come into is CHRIST - not fame; knowledge, wisdom, power or mediocrity. 
Psalm 36:9 – For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.

• Lord, establish our men inside Christ. Make them stand on the full and complete Gospel.

Vs. 12b – and are building the rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations.

Every natural man is intrinsically rebellious and evil due to his fallen state. Men that God will release to restore rebellious and evil city (lives) must themselves be conquered by Christ. These men must be those who have seen Jesus dying for them on Calvary’s cross and have submitted their necks to the yoke of discipleship.

• Lord, grant our men the miracle of a divine life exchange and help them submit their neck to the yoke of discipleship.

• Send them forth having been conquered by Christ to continue the work of their elder brother, Jesus, in preparing men for the second coming of Christ.

Vs. 13 – Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.

We see the devotion, initiative, passion, due diligence, attention to detail and consequences on the part of the men working for an earthly king.
We see the contention for the souls of men.  If this city (i.e. lives) is built and its walls are restored (i.e. hearts are restored) – no more taxes, tribute… (loss of revenue signifies loss of souls).

• Lord, let the heart of Jesus pump out the very virtues in Christ in our men. The heart of Jesus that is burdened for lost souls; the heart of Jesus that is love; the heart of Jesus that desires all men to come to repentance; the heart of Jesus that seeks diligently to bring joy to the heart of God.

• Baptise our men with the zeal, passion, commitment, diligence and grace to prepare men for the second coming of Christ.

Vs. 14 – Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,

• Lord, release a burden into our men to further the Gospel of Christ throughout the globe.

Vs. 15 – so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed.

The end of every natural man (city) is destruction, eternal damnation and separation from Christ. The only agenda of the enemy is to kill, steal and destroy lives.

• Lord, may this never be the conclusion of the lives of our men. Please bring them inside Christ so that eternal damnation is not their end.

Vs. 16 – We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

As a woman, one of our charges is to bruise the head of the serpent.

• Lord, we cry out and plead that our men (city) would be built inside Christ, with their hearts (walls) set on Jesus.

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Ezra - You Have Come To Mount Zion

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Ezra 4: 1-14

Vs. 12  -  Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.  

Heb. 12: 22-24 – But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

• Lord, please bring our men into this prophecy.
• Let Your work be deep and thorough so that it becomes evident first to them and then, to the world that they are for CHRIST not Self.
• Cause their call and primary assignment to be to ensure that JESUS’ life has continuity in their lives and then release them to rebuild broken, shattered, deceived, damaged and fragmented lives.
• Let them be life sign posts that magnify, manifest and point men to the chief cornerstone (JESUS).

Vs. 13 – Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.

• May they invest their ALL to rebuilding lives on the full and complete Gospel.
• The profiting of the enemy must be frustrated, stalled and eventually stopped by the workings of Jesus inside our men.
• God, see the travail of Jesus over Your sons and may Your heart be satisfied.

Vs. 14 – Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonoured, we are sending this message to inform the king,

• Capture the heart, commitment and life of our men. Help them see that they are under obligation to the King of Kings. They are born to see to it that the message of the cross proliferates throughout the whole world. They are under obligation to decrease so CHRIST can increase.
• Help our men come to terms with the truth that it is not proper for JESUS to be dishonoured. It is not proper for God to continually be in a state of grief. It is not proper for the death of Jesus on the Cross to be wasted. It is not proper for men to stand on the sinking ground of an incomplete gospel.
• Send our men forth as YOUR messenger of LIGHT. Let them be the Full, Complete Gospel on two legs. Release them with the message of CHRIST, the hope of glory to the world.

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Ezra - Hear Through God's Ears

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Ezra 4: 17 – 24

In Ezra 4, the people of God faced various means of persecution in their commitments to building the temple of the Lord. They refused to be interrupted but focused on their faith as they worked for God. They stood firm and united in the power of the Holy Spirit until the enemy gained entrance into their midst through their leaders.

Two letters arranged by the enemy:

Ezra 4:6-16... (the letter from the Samaritans and their companions)

1. Nations wrote a letter of accusation against the builders and there was great enmity against God and His people. The enemy was swift in stopping the work. (Proverbs 1:16)
2. They reproached the city of God (Jerusalem) and the subtlety of the devil was in full force.

Ezra 4:17-24... (the king's reply)

1. The king fell for the falsehood in the first letter and gave order against God's work.
2.   He connived with the enemy to achieve their evil intentions against the builders.

But...God will give us men that will rise above the confusing instructions of the leaders around the; men with righteous concerns for the things of God who are always ready to resent anything that brings dishonour to the work of God in their hands.

Revelation 12: 10-11

• Men that will rise above false accusations
• Men that will see through God's eyes
• Men that will hear through God's ears

PRAYER

• Lord, please give us men with deep integrity in You. Help them not to exchange their God-given integrity for the selfish instructions of the leaders around them. Establish them in having righteous concerns for You at all times.

• Lord, help our men not to depend on, or build, based on the words of others or the revelation of others. Let them see things as they are, in You. Let Your truth always prevail in their decision to arise for You.

• Lord, strengthen our men so that they will not be discouraged by their past mistakes or weighed down by the shame of the past. Expose whatever form or shape discouragement wants to take, in order to stop them from rising up to God's call in their lives.

• Lord, please do not make our men and Your work in their hands targets for the enemy. Shield them against the evil plot of the enemy so they will not fall prey or become victims of the plans of the devil as they build for You.

• Lord, help our men not to be distracted by those above them in every area as they get to work for You. Make them deep in all matters of the TRUE GOSPEL. Let our men develop DUE AFFECTION for Your work and make Your strength perfect in their weaknesses. 

• LORD, PLEASE MEET THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF ALL OUR MEN IN ACCORDANCE TO THE TASK YOU HAVE CALLED THEM TO DO FOR THIS GENERATION AND GENERATIONS TO COME.

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Ezra - Persecution Arises

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Ezra 4

Prayer Focus: Men who are currently persecutors but potential Ezras

We have prayed thus far for them to:

• Be uprooted from their sinful/carnal nature into the divine nature and established inside Christ.
• Give utmost priority to their post Calvary de-cluttering and resetting of mind.
• Make a concerted decision to become like Jesus and follow on in discipleship.
• Hear and heed God’s call for their lives.
• Become an embodiment of the full and complete Gospel.

Who Are They?

• Men whose foundation is on a fragmented Gospel.
• Men who are religious – they talk the talk but JESUS does not know them as HIS.
• Men who may have touched something of Christ but their encounter was not finalised.
• Men whom the enemy has deceived to think they are of God because they offer their time, talents, resources but not their very lives. Men who think that supporting “ministers of God” or godly causes secures their salvation.
• Men who may have been sold on the error that participating in religious rites (we sacrifice just as you do) qualifies them to be called Christians.
• Men who claim to know/seek God but happily see no problem mixing light with darkness.

These potential Ezras are eager to build for God….

• Their primary focus is what will You have us do instead of “Who are You LORD?”.
• They are not interested in becoming Disciples of Christ or slaves of righteousness. They want Jesus and also their own liberties.
• They will not first settle with getting rid of sin, dead works and sinful habits as their primary fruit of service to the LORD.
• They claim to seek God but have no personal understanding or revelation of JESUS.
• They are mistaken to believe that their involvement in works qualifies them to touch the holy things of GOD.

Prayer Points

• Let there be a heavenly arranged collision so that this Saul’s become the Pauls of tomorrow.
• LORD, capture and captive their hearts and reveal Yourself (Truth) to them.
• Let these men have a revelation of Jesus and let the veil of religion/fragmented gospel/error and delusion be torn away.
• Expose their hearts to TRUTH, LIFE and LIGHT.
• Let these men be objects of God’s mercy.
• Open their eyes so they can see their wretchedness outside of Christ and their destination outside Christ.
• Let them cease to be the devils workmen; make them Your captives - slaves of righteousness.
• Divert their cause in exchange for a heavenly destiny.

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NOW is the Time to Respond to God!

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2 Corinthians 6:1-2(KJV)

We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Revelation 22: 12-13(KJV)

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Following the first four chapters of Ezra in the Bible, God is now being deliberate and particular about where He is taking our men. He is now inviting them for a reassessment in their journey with Him – considering the deliverance (from captivity), promises (of re-gathering), instruction to get to work (mission of heaven), challenges (from all forms of oppositions) and His grace (help made available at every given time). God is demanding a level of commitment that is commensurable to His own commitment NOW.

• A call to pause and reflect on their journey so far – their present position in the plan of heaven for their lives.

•  A call to take stock of their obedience to the same vision, the same mission, the same unction and the same level of preparation for the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
•  A call to reflect on God's commitment through His promises, love, mercy and grace.

• A call to sit down and measure their lives with the demands of heaven.

•  A call to remember that they are SAVED BY GRACE (Ephesians 2:8-9), that they are NO LONGER SLAVES OF SINS and they are BAPTISED INTO CHRIST (Romans 6:3-6).

  *What will become of our men, if God decides to deal with them the way they are dealing with Him NOW?

                  NOW is the time to rededicate your ALL to God. REFLECT! RE-ASSESS! RESPOND!

  

PRAYER:

Reflect on the lives of all the men around you (if you are a man – reflect on your life) and pray following the outcome of your reflection.

• Lord, please help our men to deliberately begin to take the instructions of Heaven on-board wherever they are in every area of their lives. Let nothing matters to them until the vision of Heaven becomes established in their view of life, and also in their way of life. 

• Lord, grant them the GRACE THAT PREVAILS in all matters of their relationship with You. Let this Grace keep increasing the Love that will strengthen them in their daily walk with You, and also help them wherever they are weak in the knowledge of You.

• Lord, please help them to deliberately begin to drop anything they directly or indirectly value more than You. Let them see You in everything and in every way, open their lives to an irreversible encounter with You. 

• Lord, rid our men of all irrelevances to their walk with You. Please arise and step into all blockages to their swift response to You. Deliver them from all grips that are traceable to the systems of the world.

•  Lord, let them experience the joy that is in turning their worry lists to prayer lists. Being the head of the family, help them to be ahead in all things. LORD, GRANT OUR MEN THE BLESSED ASSURANCE OF HEAVEN IN A NEW WAY!

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Ezra - Build as Children of God, not as Children of Captivity!

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Ezra 4: 1- 2 (KJV)

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do, and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

The people of God were given different names in the old times in the Bible, due to the maltreatments they received from the hands of the Assyrians, Romans and Babylonians. They were called the “scattered seed” or the “children of captivity”.

Some of them were made captives in the hands of their enemies because of their disobedience to God – sins of idolatry, ungodliness, corruptions of all sorts, etc. (Psalm 78:55-62)

Although they were scattered abroad based on their wicked acts, lawlessness and abominations; God still brought them back together according to His promises of love and mercy for them.

 (Psalm 106:44-46)

Daniel was named among the children of captivity (Daniel 5:13 and 6:13) but he still fulfilled his destiny even in the land where he was carried away captive. Despite all oppositions and stereotyping from the pit of hell, our men are rising up to build as the “children of God” and not as the “children of captivity”.

Our men are building as:

“Sons of the living God” - Hosea 1:7-11 / Romans 9:25-26

“Children of Resurrection” -Luke 20:27-36

(They now have better things to think about than worldly affairs).

“Spirit-led sons of God” - Romans 8:14

“Sons adopted by God” - Romans 8:15

“Sons born of the will of God” - John 1:12-13

“Glorified sons of God” - Romans 8:16-17

PRAYER

• Thank God for the power of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that brought eternal freedom to all our men (young and old...). Praise God for all the benefits, privileges and rights they receive in Christ always.

• Lord we repent of all the negative names we have called our men (husbands, sons, brothers-in-law, brothers, nephew, male colleagues, male pastors...). Deliver them from the power of these negative names, and the names they have called or call themselves; that are having negative impacts on their lives...*(mention nicknames, aliases, native names, etc.)*

• Lord, unseat anything that is controlling the mentality of our men; let the mentality of Heaven take root in them. Let them be still in their inner being so as to receive the mind of the Spirit concerning their lives and their ways.

• Lord, set our men free from all forms of captivity they have experienced till now. Grant them total freedom from the power of money (mammon), the control of material possessions and the power of worldly affairs.

•  Lord, deliver our men from every area where they are being scattered presently. Gather their scattered emotions, feelings, etc. that are not giving them REST in their spirit man.

• Lord, we declare our men as the sons of the living God; our men will be dead to all the motions of sins. Move our men by Your Holy Spirit to do Your Will at all times. Lord, make our men the specimen of Your glory.

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Ezra - Build, Despite Ancient Enemies

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Ezra 4: 1- 2 (KJV)

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do, and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

• Following the completion of the ALTAR of God individually and collectively, the people started to build the TEMPLE of God (Ezra 3:8-13) by laying the foundation with praises and adoration unto God - the BUILDER of all things. This attracted the adversaries (enemies) into their midst.

• It is worthy of note that 'our adversary – the devil' hates the men of God with a passion because of their faith and their commitments to their faith. He will therefore seek every avenue to partner with them in an attempt to retard the work God has committed into their hands - 1^st Peter 5:8.

• Due to the glory that accompanies building for God, satan will always rage and the gates of hell will always fight to drag/slow down the work; or even stop the work completely. But those that are violent in Christ will surely overcome the violence from the devil – Matthew 11:12.

• One of the avenues the devil uses to discourage men from building for the Lord is by playing back all the areas they have failed in their endeavours...he presents a false representation of self to them in a way that will impact on them significantly in a negative way. But thanks be to God for the triumphant victory in Christ Jesus at all times - 2^nd Corinthians 2:14.

 Prayer:

• Thank God for counting our men worthy to be co-builders with Him. Thank God for not looking at their slackness in His work before committing this great work of building into their hands. Thank Him for baptising them with the Holy Spirit to build for His Kingdom.

• God, please block every doorway of opposition within and without in the lives of our men. Lord, deal with every household wickedness that is sponsoring the activities of any familiar spirit or monitoring spirit in every area of their lives. Lord, pull down every stronghold of wickedness in the lives of our men.

• Lord, please put an end to all direct or indirect evil partnership with our men. Grant them the courage to refuse every offer from the pit of hell. Strengthen their arms to bruise the head of the serpent in all forms and shapes at all times.

• Lord, rid the lives of our men of any legal ground for the operation of the enemy. Deliver them completely from the yoke of bad names. Begin to call them the NEW NAMES that Heaven has recorded for them, so they can fulfil destiny.

• Lord, grant our men the Grace to trust in You at all times. Let them know Your goodness as they build, Your glory that excels in all things and grant them divine backing at all times.

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Summary of Ezra 3

Join this HeartCry Prayer- Every Tuesday 11.30am-2.30pm (UK time)

Vs. 1 The people (in their thousands) gathered together as one man in Jerusalem; only because they were first ONE with God.

• Bring our men out of captivity and make them ONE with GOD.

Vs. 2 -7 The first duty after leaving captivity was to build an altar as it was written in the Law of Moses

• Don’t allow our men to be engaged in any project; ministry or ordination post Babylon. Let their first duty be to stand on the altar of the FULL gospel; restore their relationship with CHRIST on the altar of prayer, the Word, Worship and sacrifice.
• Help them diligently search the scriptures so that they build on CHRIST the Solid Rock and allow JESUS to be formed in them.

Vs. 8 Building of the physical temple started months after they arrived in Jerusalem.

• Let our men see the relevance of their waiting period. Bring them into their quarry experience/ dark room for moulding; sharpening and refining.
• Succeed and make profit over their heart and life.

Vs. 9-11 Jesus, let us see the miracle where not only our men arise but their sons, brothers and brethren.

• Bring all of our men into CHRIST. Let there always be a generation of our men that will follow CHRIST.
• Help our men stand in their divine role as builders of destinies; priests/watchmen and intercessors over lives and Levites who bring down the tangible presence of God.
• The nations/people that have been groaning will rejoice because ALL our men Arise, to lay the foundation of the FULL gospel of JESUS again.
• We will see revival because our men will tender their lives as ditches to be dug into, and Jesus, becomes the foundation on which every man stands.

Vs 12-13 There were mixed emotions- shouts of joy (young men) and sounds of weeping (ancient/old men).

• Holy Spirit, move our hearts both to rejoice over the goodness of Christ’s grace that has appeared to us all, and to grieve over the sins that made Christ become flesh to deal with Mr Iniquity.

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