NOW THAT THE DAY HAS
BROKEN UPON OUR MEN OF COURAGE AND IN THE DAYS OF GOD’S POWER - Isaiah 60:1-3
Acts 16:16-34 – (TLB)
Verses 16-19 – “One day as we were going down to the place of prayer
beside the river, we met a demon-possessed slave girl, who was a fortune-teller
and earned much money for her masters. She followed along behind us shouting, “These
men are servants of God, and they have come to tell you how to have your sins
forgiven.” This
went on day after day until Paul, in great distress, turned and spoke to the
demon within her. “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of
her,” he said. And instantly it left her. Her masters’ hopes of
wealth were now shattered; they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before
the judges at the marketplace.”
· Mockery against the name of the LORD? Open the eyes of
our men and bestow upon them a discerning spirit, O Lord, to see and to
perceive souls who are under the captivity of darkness and bringing blasphemy
to the name of God, no matter the disguise.
· A demon possessed slave
girl… A fortune teller… earned much money for her masters. Lord Jesus, You who
came and proclaimed liberty to the captives, please enlarge the hearts of our men
to declare Your deliverance, which You completed on the Cross at Calvary over
souls of men under bondage.
· Verse
19 – Holy Spirit,
as You order the steps of our men of courage in their rising into the nations that You have
possessed for them, dash the hopes of every taskmaster; who are trading upon
the lives of God’s people, even when this leads to persecution for them.
Verses
20-24 - “These Jews
are corrupting our city,” they shouted. “They are teaching the people to do
things that are against the Roman laws.” A mob was quickly formed against Paul
and Silas, and the judges ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden whips. Again
and again the rods slashed down across their bared backs; and afterwards they
were thrown into prison. The jailer was threatened with death if they escaped, so
he took no chances, but put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet
into the stocks.”
· Thank You
Jesus for the gates and the cities which You have and beginning to give to our
men. Amidst the laws of the land, let them not compromise the teachings of the
message of the Cross with any other adulterated message. Help them to be focused
at all time on Jesus.
· John 15:21 – “If they persecute Me, they will also persecute you; because they do
not know Him who sent Me.”
Register it unto the tablet of
the heart of our men, O Holy Spirit, that the Cross separates us from the
world, and therefore gives them the grace to be ready to share in Christ’s
suffering and in the promise of the kingdom of Heaven being theirs. Help them
and give them the grace to take pleasure in persecution for Christ sake.
· Luke 21:12-13 - “But before all this occurs, there will be a time of
special persecution, and you will be dragged into synagogues and prisons and
before kings and governors for my name’s sake. But as a result, the Messiah
will be widely known and honoured.”
Help
our men to see You Jesus being glorified as they face and go through every
challenge/opposition on the field as they go forth for You; please take away
every fear, doubt, murmuring or groaning as it was prophesied of You – “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet
He never said a word.” Let it be said also of our brethren.
· Develop in them, Holy Spirit, to have
the courage and confidence like Paul and Silas; help them to be sensitive to
the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Verses 25-31 – “Around midnight, as Paul and
Silas were praying and singing hymns to the Lord—and the other prisoners were
listening - suddenly there was a great earthquake; the prison was shaken to its
foundations, all the doors flew open—and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
The jailer wakened to see the prison doors wide open, and assuming the
prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul yelled to
him, “Don’t do it! We are all here!” Trembling with fear, the jailer called for
lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down before Paul and Silas. He brought
them out and begged them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied,
“Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and your entire household.” Then
they told him and all his household the Good News from the Lord. That same hour
he washed their stripes, and he and all his family were baptized. Then
he brought them up into his house and set a meal before them. How he and his
household rejoiced because all were now believers!”
· Lord
Jesus, let our men not resolve to weapons or wisdom of men at very critical
times of persecution, but help them to look up to You for braveness; give them
the grace to master courage, to pray and to praise You.
· Paul and
Silas knew God’s will and truth, they allowed their faith to move God into
action, and therefore God released His power and produced the supernatural that
was beyond and above everything natural! Halleluiah!
Increase the faith of our
brethren Lord, as they go to possess these nations for You; help them to stand
firm in their faith, so that You can manifest
Your sovereign power and do the
miraculous, which no man will be able to gainsay but to declare, “This can only
be the hand of God.”
· “…and the chain of every prisoner
fell off!” – Thank
You Jesus, that on that day, You did not save and deliver only Paul and Silas,
but You opened the prison door to all them that were bound (Isaiah 61:1b); And so
Lord, cause it to happen that in every nation where the soles of the feet of
Your men of valour shall step, the captives shall be set free – those spiritually
blind will receive sight – the broken-hearted will receive healing in
accordance with Your Word.
· Enlarge
and baptise the hearts of Your men to have compassion for the souls of men that
are lost; every opportunity they come across, help them to witness and to lead
these men to Jesus the Saviour, for their eternal salvation.
Join this HeartCry Prayer- Every Friday 11.30am-12.25pm (UK time)
