Men of Courage Arising 2

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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.

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Saints and Faithful In Christ

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Ephesians 1:1-6 (KJV) - “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Paul was so sure of who called him and without doubt knew what he was called to do. May they fit this description (Apostle Paul gave these three descriptions) -

1) Saints

·       They are saints - set apart, separated and called out of this world. Set apart because they have been cleansed from what excludes them from the presence of God and cleansed from pollution (the old nature).

·      They are God’s own people; separated unto Him, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and a holy nation (1Peter 2:9)

Acts19:8-10 (KJV) – “And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.⁹ But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.¹⁰ And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”

·         Paul set apart disciples to teach in the school of Tyrannus (Acts19:9).

·         Separated to learn at the feet of the Lord.

 

2) Faithful

·       It means to exercise faith (Be not faithless but believing) - Full of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

·        Faith in the incarnate, believe that He came in the flesh, believe in the fact that Christ came to die, His blood was shed for the remission of our sin and that He is risen and seated on the right hand of God the Father and believe in the person of the Holy Spirit.

·         Men who are faithful to that which is committed to them.

3)  Men who are in Christ Jesus

Prayer Point

·        Father, we thank You for choosing them before the foundation of the world.

·       Lord, we pray that they may know of a certainty that they are men whose calling and election is sure.

·       Lord, make our men disciples and disciplers indeed who are ready to receive instruction and also instruct others in the way of Christ (Acts19:1-6).

·       Help them to continue and let there be no break or drawing back (verse10.)

·      Father, let there be a dramatic increase in discipleship.

·       Men who are leaders and training others to be leaders also and willing to invest their time in the lives of others.

·       Men who exemplify the life of fatherhood and make both spiritual and biological sons after Christ.

·        Men who are filled and full of the Holy Spirit and manifesting in the fruits (inner life of Christ) and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

·        Patient in service and being patient to serve.

·       They keep the faith, hold to the faith, contend earnestly for the faith, defend the faith, established in faith and consistent in faith.

·        Men who are reliable, dependable, blameless and above reproach in Jesus name.

·       Lord, may they always know that it is You working through them and not of themselves.

                                                                                                                          

The City of Ephesus (The world, their location)

·         Ephesus was a great city and a worshipper of idol, paganism, magic.

·         They had mixed ethnicity (Greeks, Jews, Egyptians).

·         Men were out to make merchandise of men through sorcery and witchcraft.

·         The disciples of old also experienced the challenges of our generation.

·         This present world is full of false religions, idolatry, witchcraft and paganism.

·         We live in a society of mixed ethnicity.

·         Men are seriously making merchandise of men in a grievous way.

·         They are in this world but not of this world.

For Our Men of Courage

·        Men who are different from the men of the world.

·        Lord, as the door of the city of Ephesus was open to the Gospel, we pray that every location where You have positioned the men will be an open door to preach the word.

·       Father, let them walk in the authority You have given them to confront evil and rebuke the works of darkness.

·        Lord, as they go and preach Your Word (the complete Gospel), let it be accompanied with signs and wonders.

·         Give them a word and wisdom that their hearers will not be able to gainsay.

·        Lord, as they preach the Gospel, may they by Your spirit persuade and turn away the heart of men from false doctrines (Acts19:26) and wreck havoc to the business of the merchandiser and let them be converted.

·       Father, grant them a discerning spirit.

·       Make them flames of fire.

·         That they will have profound influence in the world around them.

·         Arise oh Lord and scatter the enemy and show forth Your praise; the gates of hell will not prevail over them.

·         May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give them grace and peace. (verse 2)

THE MEN ARE MATCHING ON (2X)                                              

THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL

THE MEN ARE MARCHING ON

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Men Of Faith And Prayer

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Hebrews 11:1-6; 32-24 (KJV)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

“ And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

Prayer Points

·       Father, we thank You for our men of courage arising to work in faith in this daybreak, knowing that faith comes from hearing Your Word.

·       Keep them in the place of meditating upon Your Word.

·       Lord, let Your spirit shed light upon Your Word that they may know the reality and authenticity of Your Word.

·       We thank You for the men of old who have set an example for them to follow.

·       Jesus, You are the author and finisher of faith, help them to look only unto You as You have called them to arise in the assignment of Your kingdom.

·       Lord, let their hearts be more and more calm, quiet, and having a settled assurance, that the Lord will use them to bring increase to the kingdom assignment.

·       Lord, we pray that their faith be strengthened in the midst of trials.

·       Pray that they will be able to take God at His Word and rely upon it.

Proverbs 16:3 (KJV) - “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” 

·       Father, as they commit their works unto the Lord, let their thoughts be established.

·       Let their plans fit into Your perfect will.

·       Help them to walk by faith and not by sight.

Proverbs 3:5,6. (KJV) -  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” 

·       Lord, may they trust solely in You and not their ability. 

Proverbs 11:3 - “The integrity of the upright shall preserve them.”

·       Father, may they be upright in all You have called them to and let them always attribute the glory to God.

1 Corithians16:13 -14 (NLT) –“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”

·       Father, as they carry out the assignment, keep them watchful and on guard.

·       Deliver them from wrong entanglement or whatever mars the truth.

·       Help them to manifest the truth all through their lives.

·       Help them to fight the good fight of faith and to quit as men and be strong, standing steadfast in the faith against false doctrine, trials and persecution.

1 Peter 1:5-7 (NLT) – “And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honour on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

 

·       May their faith, when tried prove to be precious than gold.

 

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Men of Courage Arising 1

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NOW THAT THE DAY HAS BROKEN UPON OUR MEN OF COURAGE AND IN THE DAYS OF GOD’S POWER: (Isaiah 60:1-3)

Acts 16:1-40 (TLB)

Verse 6-8  “Next they travelled through Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit had told them not to go into the Turkish province of Asia Minor at that time. Then going along the borders of Mysia they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus said no. So instead they went on through Mysia province to the city of Troas.”

·       Thank You JESUS for the day that has broken upon our men of courage; that has lifted them up out of every slumber/sleep; that has shaken them out of every fear while they were threshing wheat like Gideon; that has made them to know that, “it is no longer business as usual anymore”; like it dawned on Moses on Mount Horeb; that has brought all their numerous doubtful questions of, “How would…?” “What will become….?” “Who would I say….?” “Why me at this….?” “What if….?” Like Moses to rest upon You; thank You JESUS for making them to know that it is not that they qualify for it, amidst past objections that they are/have raised; thank You JESUS for making them to realise that it is not of their strength, “For by strength shall no man prevail” – 1 Sam 2:9; THANK YOU JESUS!

·        Now LORD, cause our men as they are responding to Your call and are rising to do the will and work which You GOD has called them to, let it be in accordance to the instruction of the Holy Spirit. Help them to embrace what the Spirit accepts and to decline what He rejects. Help them to move inline with the will of GOD and in the way of GOD as they proceed.

·       Let the Spirit of Jesus begin to activate the hearts of our men to be in agreement in their walk and work with Heaven. “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

·       Help them not to process Your divine command with their human knowledge; as they are on the field, help them to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace – (Eph 4:3). Blot out every spirit of confusion from the midst of our men which is contrary to GOD’s command - spirit of,  “I know it all”; spirit of “over-familiarity”; spirit of “I have been there before you.”

Verse 9-10  “That night Paul had a vision. In his dream he saw a man over in Macedonia, Greece, pleading with him, “Come over here and help us.” Well, that settled it. We would go to Macedonia, for we could only conclude that God was sending us to preach the Good News there.”

GNB – “they decided”      AMP – “confidently inferring that”      MESSAGE – “knew now for sure”      KJV – “assuredly gathering that”

·        Holy Spirit, set at work in the minds of Your disciples as they arise to shine Thy glory. Let them be convinced jointly in unity with You as they proceed unto the fields in these various nations. Help them to process what they see and what they hear to be in tune with You.

·       Enable them to see the spirit of teamwork, not only with each other but along with You, JESUS.

·       Breathe upon them, Holy Spirit, to seek Your face, Your counsel, at every crucial moment on the way. Activate their hearts to know that salvation belongs unto GOD, and that they are only vessels through which Christ wants to be projected.

·       Holy Spirit, speak comfortably into the heart of Your men concerning the needs of the nations, as well as the strategy You GOD has implemented to use inorder to save the souls of men; (see JESUS divine way in Mark 8:22-26 & Mark 10:46-52).

·         Let Your men not miss Thy divine timing in reaching out to save souls and in their place of primary assignment (not to drag behind and not to be too forward). Holy Spirit, order their steps to be at the right place at the right time.

Verse 13-15 “On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank where we understood some people met for prayer; and we taught the Scriptures to some women who came. One of them was Lydia, a saleswoman from Thyatira, a merchant of purple cloth. She was already a worshiper of God and as she listened to us, the LORD opened her heart and she accepted all that Paul was saying. She was baptized along with all her household and asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am faithful to the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we did.”

·       “All Paul did was to open his mouth and with the in-filling of the Holy Spirit, speak the Word of GOD.” “Register it unto the heart of our men, O LORD, that You are the One at work in them, a completed work that awaits Your divine manifestations."

·       “It was the LORD that opened the heart of Lydia, else all Paul was saying as powerful as the message was, could have been wasted.” Let our brethren know that the power of the message has nothing to do with their utterance/eloquence, but see themselves as rods in the hands of CHRIST who sees the heart and showeth mercy unto all men. Therefore let the message be rich in JESUS, deep in JESUS and is joy-producing in JESUS [CHRIST crucified, CHRIST glorified].

·        As You use Paul to impact the complete Gospel to Lydia, inorder to multiply disciples at Thyatira, cause our men of courage to deliver the true Gospel unto soul(s) on the field so that their hearts will be affected and they turn back unto GOD; (Remember how Jesus affected the heart of the Samarian woman, thereby bringing revival into Samaria).

·         “… She was a worshiper of GOD….” Who is a true worshiper? – those who worship GOD in spirit and in truth. Help our men of courage not to be carried away with denominational worshipers with incomplete truth of the Gospel. Let them be determined to go all out for Thy truth to be established in the lives of men/women they come across on the field, O LORD.

·        “Lydia was baptised along with all of her household. She received the visitation of the Comforter in a new way and in a new dimension, even though she was a worshipper of GOD. The visitation of the Holy Spirit did not stop with her alone, but also unto her ‘nation of people’ It was a new dawn for her entire family and the land of Thyatira.” “Therefore cause our men of courage to see from Your perspective, O LORD. Give unto them a copy of Your eyes of revelation – to see beyond the natural to the supernatural.

 

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