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