Ezra- Come Up and Out of Captivity

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MEN OF COURAGE!-Ezra 2:1

Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away,... Vs. 1a

The enemy seeks to waylay the hearts of our men with sin; sinful habits; love for the world and world system so that they are perpetually lost in Babylon.  This deters their manifestations as sons of God and perpetuates the groaning of the earth. Heeding God’s offer to arise, take up your cross, come, and follow Me is a call to come up and out of captivity. Yet, only a select few respond. Many others seemed satisfied to settle in Babylon.

Captivity- the state of being kept in a place (such as prison or cage) and not being able to leave or be free: confinement: impoundment: imprisonment

What is it that makes a man at ease in captivity?

Why would everyone not gladly accept the offer to come up and out of imprisonment?

Hebrews 11:24-27 (AMP)

²⁴ [Aroused] by faith Moses, when he had grown to maturity and become great, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

²⁵ Because he preferred to share the oppression [suffer the hardships] and bear the shame of the people of God rather than to have the fleeting enjoyment of a sinful life.

²⁶ He considered the contempt and abuse and shame [borne for] the Christ (the Messiah Who was to come) to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward and away to the reward (recompense).

²⁷ [Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible. 

• Help our men see that what Babylon offers are fleeting treasures, temporal and only a mirage.
• Like Moses, let our men be motivated by faith to leave Babylon- being unawed and undismayed by whatever consequences come their way.
• Our men must arise, never flinched- holding staunchly to their purpose in Christ.
• Let it dawn on our men, that the man of Calvary is the only remedy that releases men from captivity.
• Deliver our men from this body of sin (death) - let the cross and the work of grace save them from every captivity that hinders their rising and shining.
• Stabilise the hearts of our men to choose the person of Jesus and the principles of the cross over the comforts of Babylon.
• Help our men to discern environments that do not glorify Jesus and grace to re-align accordingly.
• Lord, help our men understand that anything they do that is not for and to Christ is considered idle service and idle investment. 

...and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his own city Vs. 1b

Our men will not come into their own city (inheritance) unless they arise, leave Babylon and come into Jerusalem (Christ). 

Ephesians 3:14-21

• Lord, help our men soberly and solemnly answer the question- ‘For which cause are they living?’ Vs. 14
• Confront our men with the question of ‘What are they bowing their knees to/for?’- Please engage their hearts until Christ become the answer to that question. Vs. 14
• Strengthen our men with might in their inner man by the help of the Holy Spirit. Vs. 16
• We ask that Christ through faith will actually dwell; settle down; abide; make resident and remain permanently in their hearts. Vs. 17
• Let them comprehend the breadth, length, depth and height of God’s love and be filled with the fullness of God. Vs. 18-19

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Ezra- Hear God's Voice

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MEN OF COURAGE!-Ezra 1

Ezra 1:5: "Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem..."

There was good response from some: Judah, Benjamin, the priests, Levites and individuals whose hearts God moved. They heard the voice of God beyond that of King Cyrus. Only those who hear God's voice above that of man can successfully arise. They knew that once they left captivity to build, they were not to come back no matter the challenges that came their way. Their decision to arise could not be reversed.

Those who arose did not confer with others to see their opinion. They heard the challenge and they arose. Yet they did not look down or critcise others for not arising with them. When God's call comes on us, ours is to arise. Our arising might be what God will use to encourage the fainthearted and fearful until they too can hear God. Our arising must never depend on another brother who is still considering whether to arise or not.

• Make our men of the stock that hear Your voice loud and clear, above the voices of those You use to mobilise them like Cyrus. Deepen their communion with You; let them trace Your dealings.
• Count them among those who respond to Your need and call once they hear You.
• Make their decision to arise and build be firm and irreversible, come what may. Let them look up always, not around. Not even to King Cyrus. Good as he was, he could not sustain in the days of challenges because he too was a man needing to look up.
• Help them depend on Your faithfulness rather than on man's mobilisation. Demas could not continue like Luke because his arising probably depended on Paul's mobilisation rather than on Your faithfulness. Once Paul became a prisoner of Rome, Demas forsook him and went back to love this present world in Thessalonica.
• Don't let them compare themselves with others but to know that Your dealing with them is unique though under a corporate umbrella. Rather, let them pursue Your plans for their lives knowing that each of their lives is meant to contribute something to the global move. United yet Unique.
• Don't let them look down on or criticise others for not hearing Your call yet; rather help them encourage others while they stay focused on their own call and arising. The call of Peter as a disciple and an apostle was different from that of Joseph of Arimathea, who also was a disciple. He fulfilled destiny- provided Jesus' grave. "And he made his grave... with the rich in his death;" (Isaiah 53:9).

Ezra 1:6. "And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered."

When they arose, they found much encouragement from the others. There was much release of provision and freewill giving for the labour. The fear of lack was thrown out.

• Enlarge the hearts of our men. Open also their hands and make them an encouragement by being able to release Your resources in their hands for the labour of building lives.
• For some of our men, part of their arising will be to make resources available for the labour, like the owner of the upper room. Make this unusual call clear to as many as You are calling thus. Help them know that the resources in their hands belong to YOU so they can let it go when needed.
• Forbid it that there will continue to be shortage of labourers because of narrow hearts and tight fists among some of our men. Make them liberal and cheerful givers. Don't let them wait to be asked or pushed before they give. Let them see giving as Your calling on their lives too.

Ezra 1:7-11. "Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah."

Even king Cyrus was moved to release all the loot of his predecessors. He returned everything that was stolen from the temple in Jerusalem. These were definite treasures, numbered and weighed. Nothing missing, all accounted for.

• Cause everyone who is holding something concerning the destinies of our men to graciously release. Give them favour before the good men (Cyrus), the leaders and disciplers that are holding things of God in trust, to bless them and release them into destiny as they arise.
• Cause the wicked one that looted from their destinies to release also. Give the command from heaven upon the lives of our men. "It is time to release My men. They have decided to arise!"
• Lord, let nothing be lost or withheld in the release of their destinies. Every grace, every training of life, etc... Lord, please bring a release to all. Make abundant provision to our men as they arise.
• Thank YOU for our men as they commit to arise, go up, and build. Cause them to follow YOU all the way, come what may.

The Voice Of The Master Calls Me

1. The voice of the Master calls me

"Take thy cross, come follow me."

I reply, "My faithful Saviour,

Here I am, I am for Thee."

All the way, I'll follow Thee Lord

Come what may, what ere betides

While I live and when I'm dying

I am Thine forevermore!

2. Though the way of Calv'ry's narrow

May be painful to the flesh

Full of trials and full of snares

It's the only road to life.

3. The more I give up my own life
More of Thine will I possess.
Along with Thy endless riches
O Jesus, Thou art my own.

4. Give me Thy grace and Thy glory

To follow Thee step by step.

Grant me peace, joy and victory
Right from now, all through my days.

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Ezra- A Call to Rise

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MEN OF COURAGE!-Ezra 1

Ezra 1:1: "...That the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled..."

Jeremiah 25:11. " And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years."

Jeremiah 29:10-11.  " For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Isaiah 44:28. "That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."

God's Word must be fulfilled. God's prophesies about Cyrus was within the context of a bigger picture- of the temple being rebuilt for the coming of the Messiah. Like Cyrus here, there is something written about each of our men, and, not just for them but within the context of a bigger picture- The return of the Messiah.

Ezra 1:1. "...that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying..."

King Cyrus put his proclamation in writing for record purposes. He wrote this around 2,500 years ago and it is still with us today. A man wanting in documenting God's dealings with him is a man who does not intend to go further than his human brain and mind would let him. A man of great limitations!

Ezra 1:2-3. "Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem."

To answer God's call to build is a call to go up, not down. It is a promotion. The pursuit of wealth and material provision is usually referred to as going down, e.g. Abram to Egypt. But God's call is an upward journey.

Also, King Cyrus kept repeating about the God who is in Jerusalem, not the one who dwells in the forests, in the sea, in the rock, etc. All other gods are man-made and they dwell in odd places. But the God who dwells in Jerusalem, "HE IS THE GOD." Even though at that time, Jerusalem was desolate and without a temple, but her God is the God. Our men must be convinced that their God is sovereign over all, the present challenges that surround His deity in our world notwithstanding. They cannot labour selflessly until they are thus persuaded.

Ezra 1:4. "And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem."

Even the material provision to do the work was not a problem. People were compelled to give abundantly. The fear of lack in God's labour must be dislodged from the hearts of our men as they begin to arise. They will not be like Elimelech who ruined a glorious destiny because of the fear of lack.

ü  Lord, there is something written about each of our men. Help them all to discover Your purpose for their lives in this end time revival.

ü  Help them know that Your purpose for their lives is not for a selfish end. Please help them see the bigger picture and submit to Your will in achieving this.

ü  Please do not allow Your end time purpose for revival to be truncated at their end.

ü  Help them to commit Your dealings with them to documentation so they can have reference points in the future, especially when the enemy comes to challenge their authority to arise and to build.

ü  Do not let them approach the task of building God's temple in men's hearts lazily but to put in their all and build altars to their encounters that will outlive them.

ü  May they see Your call on their lives as a going up, a promotion. May they not reduce Your great call to the level of material provision like Elimelech.

ü  Let our men be convinced beyond all doubts that You are the sovereign God, challenges notwithstanding. May the present distress not erase the fact that You are the only God, and that You have a dwelling place- in their hearts, their Jerusalem.

ü  Do not allow the fear of lack to shut the door of going up to build against our men. Make them men of faith, men of grace, men of truth, men of courage, and men of love for our God. Amen.

                        O Lord Cause Our Men To Arise Now!

Rise Up O Men Of God

(tune: "Breathe on Me Breath of God)

1. Rise up, O men of God!

Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.

2. Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.

3. Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up and make her great!

4. Rise up, O men of God

The trumpet call obey

Your Master says “I’M COMING SOON”

Rise up and make Him known

5. Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!

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Ezra- Who Will Arise And Build?

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COME DRINK NEW WINE! MEN OF COURAGE!-Ezra 1

ü  Open the ears of our men of courage to hear and understand Your instructions. Please make Your instructions easy, not hard to capture. "Who will arise and build?"

ü  As we prayed for them through Your instructions to Gideon, make them receive Your instructions and not take offence either with You or with the vessels that You use to bring these words.

ü  As we will be praying for them through Your Word in Ezra, please Lord, consecrate and sanctify their lives by Your truth. Your Word is truth. Amen.

ü  Do not allow any of our men to turn back under the guise of offence at Your Word or at the preacher.

ü  Purge our men, break and remould them until they find favour in Your sight and also bring them favour with men that they will be labouring with. Don't let them labour under disfavour.

ü  Empower and baptise our men with Your baptism so they can all finish their race well.

ü  In life and in labour, let their song be always "Christ in me!"

 It pays to serve Jesus. Make our men know this deep down in their hearts. Amen.

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Gideon- A Captive And A Captain Of God

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COME DRINK NEW WINE! MEN OF COURAGE!-Judges 6&7

GIDEON, A CAPTIVE OF GOD:

- His Interruption. Judges 6:11

- A Rude Shock. Judges 6:20

- His Destruction. Judges 6:25

- His Incapacitation/Downsizing. Judges 7:1-7

- Esoteric/Superstitious. Judges 7:9-15

- Naturally Unreasonable. Judges 7:16

Gideon a Disciple, Captive of God!

• Capture our Gideons and turn them into Your captives permanently.

GIDEON, A CAPTAIN OF GOD:

            - Judges 7:16-22

            - Man of Communion: For instruction and strategy.

            - He took responsibility: To hear and obey God even when it did not make battle sense.

            - A Simple but Firm Discipler: 
              Would not debate God's ways but simply discipled people to follow.

            - A Man of Faith: Believed in God. Believed in his men.

            Gideon a Discipler, Captain of God: "The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon."

• Wrought Your great victory first on our Gideons, them make them Your victors.

              
            Bring our men into partnership with Yourself as You did Gideon. Amen.

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