Isaiah 7:9 - The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. The last part of that verse is often repeated by Christians but do we really understand what God meant?
The Lord gave that word to Ahaz, a one-time king of the Kingdom of Judah who also happened to be the father of King Hezekiah. This prophetic word was part of a larger message from God when the people of Judah were gathered behind the wall of Jerusalem because their nation was under attack. Two armies lay in wait beyond the city's gates - the Aramites and Judah's brother nation, the Kingdom of Israel.
Isaiah was sent to King Ahaz to tell him that the enemies at the gate would not overcome the city. He called their kings "smoldering firewood" and assured Ahaz there was no reason to fear them (Isaiah 7:4). And then, He had His prophet utter Isaiah 7:9. That verse was the condition on which God's promise hinged - if Ahaz didn't fear those kings and their armies, then the threatened destruction of Jerusalem and its people would not occur.
Often when people speak of Isaiah 7:9 they ignore the fact that it was a clause in a larger message to God's people. And because of this, many Christians are unaware that God's promises hinge on them not fearing the Goliath standing in their path. They are ignorant of Joshua and Caleb's announcement at Kadesh Barnea, the pronouncement that so pleased God that they were the only two men who survived God's culling of everyone in the wilderness who'd doubted Him. They were the only two of their generation to enter the Promised Land. Numbers 14:8-9 - If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."
Christians are called to only fear God and nothing else. When we allow a spirit of fear to get the best of us, we signal to God that we might need more time to become familiar with His faithfulness before He can release the land of milk and honey to us. If not, we'll enter and the devil will use tactics to scare us into relinquishing what we received. And in such an instance, the blessings meant for God's people could end up under the control of God's enemy.
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.
Look at that sentence. It is just a bunch of words until you realize the weight each carries for your journey into the promises of God. That verse is just a catchy Christian saying until you realize it is God's order to you and I to fix our faces like flint despite the attacks and oppression we face. Those words won't mean anything to us until we see that our faith is a platform we must prayerfully climb onto and not descend from until we have complete victory. If not, we will not stand at all.
And that is what happened in the time of King Ahaz. He feared the enemy and they eventually defeated him, killing 120000 warriors in one day and carting women, children and the aged as captives. That shall not be your portion IJMN, Amen. The Lord will help us take a Jairus stance as our Savior walks us to the miracle that is already on the way.
See you at Noon EST for fellowship.
FINAL MESSAGE
For those of us who will spend time watching the Presidential Election Debate tonight, please keep something in mind.
We need to pray for God's will to be done. Not ours.
Friday's P&P message speaks to this issue, but I just saw that the debate is tonight so I want to encourage those of us who say we believe in and serve a Mighty God to let that Mighty God lead.
Please be careful how you use your mouth and thoughts to speak or think about either candidate and their parties. Do not be tempted to sin against God in your freedom to express yourself. Remember that we have learned about how to discuss leaders, how to talk about other people (and how not to).
Lots of people will say lots of things. May the Lord place a guard upon our mouths and may we guard our hearts, IJMN, Amen.
God bless you!
My eyes on you I wanna reach out over you
Know you're feeling hollow
Hide in my shadow
Hear love calling, waiting to hold you
I'll cover your hurting
Cover your hurting
And I don't care if you don't feel brand-new
I'm here to fill a void in you, fill a void
No matter what you go through
I am still God
No matter what you go through
Falling deeper
Be still, be still, be still
I am still God
Be still, be still, be still
I am still God
CLOSING PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for another opportunity to gather in Your name and in Your presence. Hallowed be Your name. Thank You for bringing us together from different countries so we could worship You and stand in the gap for people.
Lord, as we go our separate ways, please remember us for our obedience in giving You due praise as well as praying for others. Meet each person who participated at their point of need. Wipe away their own tears and answer their personal petitions with speed and power whereby it is clear it could only have been You!
Thank You in advance for being the Prayer-Answering God. Thank You for being the Steadfast God. Thank You for being He who loves us all completely. The God who has promised to protect us as we stand firm in faith. The God who holds us up even when our faith isn't where we want it to be. Thank You, dear God.
IJN, Amen.
I'd like to encourage us all to read the Don't Break Faith With God series. Had to read it this morning and it was very helpful.
I also went back and read The Lesson In Repeated Patterns.
May the Lord bless you, no matter what you are going through.
LAST 10 MINUTES
If you read today's message then let me encourage you to (re)read the Don't Break Faith With God series. It will be a great refresher, especially if you are facing any giants in this season.
Now, let us declare the following over ourselves as children of God who have been empowered to bind and loosen here on earth as in heaven through the word of God, this Spirit and of course the name of the Savior -
By the grace of the living God, the I AM that I AM, we will stand firm in our faith and not be destroyed. We will not fall.
By the grace of our Heavenly Father, we shall not fear the smoldering firewood that is nothing but ask but pretends to have power when it doesn't.
And by the grace of our Almighty God, we will witness the marvelous miracles He will perform for our sake.
IJMN we have so prayed, Amen.
Glory be to You, Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Not just upon myself, but upon my friends.
Lord, I use this opportunity to lift them up to You, knowing that You want the best for them and have them at the top of Your mind.
Lord, I decree that each and every of the enemy's plans for my friends are destroyed by the power and fire of the Lord God Almighty. I call on You, who foils the devices of the crafty, to ensure that where my friends are concerned, the enemy will be greatly disappointed.
Father, I pray that Your purpose and plan for my friends will be fulfilled to the fullest. For Your word states that Your plans will not be thwarted. I pray that my friends will walk on the path of righteousness and grow in the knowledge of You. Cover them, God, in Your grace and mercy, IJMN, Amen.
From M22 - Father Lord I pray for sis @FFJ that you continue to increase her in supernatural wisdom, favour, knowledge and understanding. I pray that you continue to bless her and her loved ones. I rosy that you continue to perfect every aspect of her life IJMN Amen
From M22 - Father Lord I commit my siblings to you. I pray that you continue to work through them. I pray that you continue to renew, strengthen and prune them for your glory. I just really pray that you help them to continually seek you above everything else IJMN Amen
From JIR - Please Lord look over all widows and orphans. Please turn their mourning and sorrow into joy and gladness. Please bless them with the strength and courage to keep pushing through and bless them with the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Please touch their hearts Lord to turn to You and rely on You for strength and guidance. IJMN. Amen.
From M22 - Father Lord I pray for people that are ill and recovering. I pray that they experience your mighty healing power. Just as the woman with the issue of blood knew she would be healed by the hem of your garment. I pray you strengthen their faith as they wait on you for their healing. I pray that your healing power permeates every inch of their bodies. I pray that you coordinate the eyes and hands of surgeons to carry out successful surgeries IjMN Amen
Father, we thank you for the recent testimony about Auntie B that sis @Jesus Is Real shared with us.
God we use this opportunity to again glorify Your Name. Thank You for the good news tied to Auntie B and we know what You have started, You will complete.
We pray for her healing and the transformation of her body. Your word in Jeremiah 30:17 states, But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.'
Thus, we pray for the complete restoration of her health and that all wounds are healed. Take all the glory, Jehovah Rapha, IJMN Amen.
From M22 - Father Lord I pray that you take charge of election seasons in countries. I pray that you avert anu impending violence or rigging that may want to destabilize these activities. I pray that you protect citizens as they exercise their rights IjMN. I pray that you help them choose the right leader to move them forward IJMN Amen
From M22 - Father Lord I pray that you help us improve our hearts and minds. Help us to be consistent with your word in Philippians 4:8. Help us to meditate on your word when our minds are troubled. Help us to radically trust even when we can't see a way out. Thank you Mighty Father IjMN Amen
From M22 - Father Lord I pray for couples waiting on the fruit of the womb. I pray that you turn their waiting to fruitfulness. As they wait, I pray that you teach them and help them to depend on you and radically trust you no matter the reports. I pray that you break every cycles of failed IVFs, miscarriages and difficult adoption processes. IjMN Amen
Father, I thank You for Your word states that even the lawful captive shall be set free because of Your power, Your might, Your word and Your Spirit.
And so, Lord, I stand on Your word and declare that the strongmen holding souls captive on LSA are shredded for Your glory. I speak the name Jesus into every place they are gathered. I bind them in the name of the Savior Jesus and decree that their chains are broken and their captives are set free.
Every strongman of fear, lack, spiritual deafness and blindness, antichrist, lies, deception, gossip, slander, libel, rape, death, sexual perversion and immorality, suicide, intrusive thoughts, distractions, witchcraft, New Age practices, occult, demonism, devil worship, anxiety, self cursing, blasphemy, coarse language, thieving, and all others are broken. They fall and brash because the presence of my God is here. Like Dagon, they stand no more.
And God, as these souls experience liberty, I pray that they encounter Christ, believe and receive the Holy Spirit. That they be filled thoroughly so that those they were set free from cannot return with seven more evil spirits.
IJMN, I thank You for Your victory, Amen.
From M22 - Father Lord I pray for people across the world that don't know you or are still reluctant to experience you. I pray Lord that you open up their hearts and mind to see how much you love them and how much you want the best for them. Help them adjust as they come to know of your power and might. I pray that you surround them with wonderful believers, churches, fellowships and communities that will help them grow in their walk with you. I pray even in times of uncertainty, they will continue to experience you and walk steadfast with you IjMN Amen
From JIR - I pray for those looking for shelter and their next meal to be blessed with libations and shelter. I pray that You Lord lead them to a safe place so that their needs can be tended to. I pray that You watch over them Lord and they take You as their refuge. I pray that You give them the strength and courage they need to keep going and You provide them with opportunities to heal and get them back on their feet. IJMN. Amen.
From M22 - Father Lord I thank you for today's word on standing firm in our faith. I pray that you help us to continually walk by Faith and not by sight. I pray you help us to wait on you and not let wordly wisdom lead us astray IJMN Amen
PRAYER TIME
Pray for others
From M22 - Thank you Heavenly Father for today. Father I pray for the spirit of patience and to understand that things can't always go my way. Help me to continually trust you even in times of uncertainty IjMN Amen
From M22 - Thank you Heavenly Father for today. Father I pray for the spirit of patience and to understand that things can't always go my way. Help me to continually trust you even in times of uncertainty IjMN Amen
Lord, I thank You for Your grace. Thank You for being patient and loving.
Thank You for being kind and caring.
Hallowed be Your Name.
From JIR - Thank You Lord for being so good to my family and I. You have shown me and continue to show me how much You love me and I am in admiration of Your kindness and gentleness. Lord, I bow at Your feet before Your throne and thank You for the miracles and answered prayers in my life. I am nothing without You and it is because of You I am experiencing such peace and happiness. You are the reason for all things. Your power knows no bounds. Thank You Jesus. I will worship, magnify, praise and glorify You all the days of my life. IJMN. Amen.
Faithful God!
Thank You for Your mercy and compassion upon us Your children.
We give You glory, Lord.
Thank You God!!!
Surely, there is none other like You.
You exist alone. Have existed alone and will always exist alone as the only God!
I praise You, Jehovah, for stepping into the lives of my prayer subjects. I thank You for the testimonies shared with me. I thank You for the privilege to see You work things out BIG TIME for people.
I am in awe of You, my King. Thank You for being He who answers prayers. Nothing is difficult for You. No obstacle can keep You from flexing Your might on behalf of Your people and to Your glory.
I rejoice in You, my Lord. I rejoice in You, the God of gods!
Thank You, Lord, for choosing to sow the seed of Your word in us. Thank You for not deeming us as not worthy enough to receive that great gift.
God, help us all to be good soil in which Your word germinates, grows, and provides You a pleasing harvest.
Thank You so much that despite our bad choices in the past and our shortcomings, we can still come to You, having repented, and genuinely seek to become a fruitful field for Your glory.
Hallelujah!
I took this from sis @Jesus Is Real's recent testimony
...Thank You, Lord. There is no one greater or higher than You. I am in awe of Your greatness, my Almighty King. Thank You. All glory belongs to You. IJMN. Amen.
Father, thank You for being the only God. Great and mighty is Your Name. Your power is more than we can imagine.
All glory belongs to You God!
From JIR - I belong to You my King. Always and forever. I submit and yield my body to you Lord. Please use me as You please for Your glory. I am Yours. IJMN. Amen.
PRAISE TIME
Give God the praise!
From JIR - Thank You Lord for breathing life into us this morning and blessing us with another day. We are all here because of You and we thank You. Thank You for blessing us with another opportunity to draw closer to You and guiding us into P&P for fellowship. It is because of You all of this is possible and we praise You for it all. IJMN. Amen.
Thank you for this message @FFJ. I pray that we all take a Jairus stance as well when things get tough. It is easy to have faith in God when everything is going right. I find it hard to hold onto that same faith when things in life are not going so well. That is the true test. I feel God is opening my eyes more and more to how Almighty He is and showing me that nothing is impossible for Him. Between reading the Bible each day and the current events that have occurred in my life the level of awe and fear I have for the Lord has increased and it continues to do so. This is certainly helping with my faith and putting all things in God’s hands and just believing and knowing that He will take care of things. I am still a work in progress but the Lord is dealing with me and teaching me to trust Him more and more each day. The last thing I would want is for the enemy to put a damper in things because my faith isn’t strong enough. May our faith continue to increase in God, to the point of having the faith that king David had with Goliath or Jairus had with his daughter. IJMN. Amen
From CD - "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."
My brain associated that to as, when you step out of the boat, if you keep your eyes on King Jesus, you will walk on this water; however, when the distractions come and they will come, if you take your eyes off King Jesus, you will struggle to even tread water.
Lord, please continue to teach me to use my spiritual blinders to those things sent to get me off course and away from the path You have designed for me. Increase my discernment to better understand when I should fight and when I should just stand because You are doing the fighting for me. Increase my patience that I not only trust You, but that I trust Your timing as well.
IJMN
From EC - Amen and good morning ladies!
From M22 - Thank you Heavenly Father for another fellowship day! We give you all the glory and honour. We thank you for waking us up on this day. We thank you Father for finding us worthy. Father Lord we pray to please you and to always bring glory to your name IJMN Amen.
Thank you for today's word sis @FFJ. Today's word is timely. Just last night I was meditating on 2Cor 5:7 - We walk by Faith and not by sight and I listened to Pastor Vicky's song too. It's beautiful to see today's word aligns strongly with this scripture. Just like a lot of us, King Ahaz walked by sight, he didn't hold on to God's promise and tragedy occured. Today's word reminds me of a successful outcome of listening to God's promise. When Elisha told his servant to open his eyes and see the charioteers of heaven surrounding them even though the enemy armies were chasing after them. And also Jairus, who choose to hold on to his faith even when the crowd tried to discourage him about his daughter. I am grateful God is teaching us through his Word, sermons and even our fellowship to walk by Faith. I give glory to God because I know he will continually strengthen and renew our faith beyond measure. I pray that we continue to walk by Faith and not by sight and even when the enemy tries, we remind ourselves of all what God has done for us, what he will do and what he will continue to do IJMN Amen