You Can Call the Shots 3

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

O LORD our Lord, how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.  Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all [things] under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, [and whatsoever] passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth! Psalm 8 verses 1 to 9, 

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. Job Chapter 22 verses 27 to 28.

The early Church called the shots severally. They refused to be silenced despite several harassments, threats to life and intimidation by the religious leaders of the day. As they chose to obey God rather than men (Acts Chapter 4 verses 18 to 31); the Church grew, the word of God multiplied and the believers were strengthened and comforted; and God worked many miracles by the hands of the Apostles.

Additionally, the early Church called the shots by rebuking sin, particularly the sin of deception and falsehood. The consequences of the sin of deception and falsehood by Ananias and Sapphira was enough warning and deterrent against sin as the Bible records that great fear came upon the Church and all those who heard the story. Please read Acts Chapter 5 verses 1 to 11 for details.

King Herod dared to stretch out his hand against the early Church. He took the Church unawares and killed James the brother of John. When Herod saw that his evil act against the Church pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter. However, the Church successfully called the shots against Herod’s harassment of the Church through constant prayer for the deliverance of the Apostle Peter from the unjust death sentence by King Herod.  Though Peter was already sentenced and imprisoned; bound with two chains between two soldiers and surrounded by several other guards, about to be killed; the Church kept praying, praying without ceasing.

The Place of Intercession in the Healing of the Nations

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Intercession is not a one off event. It is an ongoing activity that you continue doing until the will of God is established (Isaiah Chapter 62 verses 6 to 9).

The basis of intercession is the word of God therefore every intercessor must know and understand the word of God and desire that the word of God takes root in the hearts of people so that their lives are transformed to Christ-likeness. Intercessors respond to situations according to the Word of God – God heals all diseases so they pray for healing. Jesus is the savior so they pray for people to be receptive to and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, pray for Christians to mature in Christ Jesus.

Intercession is a work of the Holy Spirit therefore no one can lay claim to being an intercessor. This is because intercession is the work of the Holy Spirit and because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ (Romans Chapter 8 verse 9), intercession is an ongoing work by both Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Please see Romans Chapter 8 verses 34, 26 to 27, Hebrews Chapter 7 verse 25, and Isaiah Chapter 59 verse 19. He is the one who lifts a standard and that explains why intercessors have to keep asking God for mercy because only Christ who died for the redemption of man can actually condemn (Romans Chapter 8 verse 34a and if Christ who paid the supreme price for the redemption of man through the shameful death on the cross is always interceding and not condemning, we have absolutely no right to judge and condemn.  Rather, we should request grace from God to intercede because God wants all people to come to repentance and life in Christ Jesus. Please see Matthew Chapter 18 verses 11 to 14, 2^nd Peter Chapter 3 verse 9, 1^st Timothy Chapter 2 verses 1 to 6, James Chapter 5 verses 19 to 20, Jude 22 to 23, 1^st John Chapter 5 verses 10 to 21.

Intercession should not be made for sin leading to death (2^nd Timothy Chapter 4 verses 14 to 15, 1^st Thessalonians Chapter 4 verse 8, Romans Chapter 8 verses 1 to 32, 2^nd Thessalonians Chapter 2 verses 1 to 12, Hebrews Chapter 6 verses 1 to 8 and 2^nd Peter Chapter 2 verses 1 to 25.

The Place of Fasting and Prayer in the Healing of the Nations 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

King Hezekiah also fasted when Sennecherib threatened the destruction of Jerusalem (Isaiah Chapters 36 verses 21 to 22, 37 verses 1 to 21). God responded to the cries of His people for deliverance and dealt hard blows to Sennecherib and his army (Isaiah Chapter 37 verses 35 to 38).

King Jehoshaphat also proclaimed a national fast to ask help from God when Moab, Ammon and the inhabitants of Mount Seir allied themselves against Judah. As usual and this is quite instructive, God always responds to the cries of His people to Him. God responded and instructed the Judeans to march to the battle front but not with spears and swords or bows but with instruments of praise to offer quality praise to God. As they praised God, the three enemy nations turned against each other; first Moab and Ammon against Mount Seir and thereafter Moab and Ammon against each other. The Bible records that not one of them escaped and when they were done slaughtering each other, the Judeans took three days in carting off the loot the enemy nations left behind (2^nd Chronicles Chapter 20).

Ezra the teaching priest proclaimed two different fasts and prayers. The first was to seek divine direction, favor and protection as they journeyed from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem (Ezra Chapter 8 verses 21 to 23). God answered their prayers. The second fast and prayer was in repentance for violation of the commandments of God concerning marriage to the people God instructed Israel not to intermarry with. Particularly dreadful was the fact that the leadership, especially some of the Levites were the worst offenders. Immediately Ezra commenced fasting and praying for repentance (Ezra Chapters 9 and 10). The men guilty of this trespass repented and the nation was forgiven, healed and restored.

The Place of Fasting and Prayer in the Healing of the Nations 1

 Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Fasting and prayer are major components of healing the nations. Fasting and prayer should always be accompanied with genuine repentance.

The prophet Jonah was asked by God to deliver a judgmental prophecy of God’s intended destruction of Nineveh on account of their wickedness. Initially, Jonah disobeyed God but as Jonah obeyed God and proclaimed the message, the people of Nineveh were convicted of sin, turned to God in repentance through fasting and prayers for forgiveness of sins. The Bible   records that God pitied them and relented. It is significant to note that it was not the mere act of fasting that made God pardon them. It was the state of their hearts – they turned from their evil ways. Additionally, they humbled themselves through the fast. That explains why the Bible instructs believers not to rend their garments but their hearts and return to the Lord. This was exactly what the people of Nineveh did. Please see Joel Chapters 2 verses 12 to 13, 1 verse 14 as well as Jonah Chapter 3 verses 5 to 10.

It is also instructive to note that this was what Daniel did. Daniel accompanied his intercession for the restoration of Israel with prayer and fasting. Please see Daniel Chapter 9 verses 1 to 3. Nehemiah also fasted and prayed when he learnt about what had befallen Jerusalem – the distressing state of the survivors coupled with the broken down walls and burnt gates (Nehemiah Chapter 1 verses 1 to 4). The Old Testament prophet Samuel also led the people of Israel fasting and prayer as they returned to the Lord after practicing idolatry. Please see 1^st Samuel Chapter 7 verses 1 to 17. Quite instructive is the fact that as they fasted and prayed, the Philistines attacked them but God gave them overwhelming victory.

Healing the Nations Through Prophesying 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The Bible records that the elders of the Jews built and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built the temple and finished it. Please see Ezra Chapters 5 verses 1 to 2; 6 verse 14, Haggai Chapters 1 and 2, Zechariah Chapter 1 verses 12 to 21, What is pertinent is what Haggai and Zechariah prophesied (the content of their prophecies and the Spirit by whom they prophesied). They prophesied by the Spirit of God; and the words which they spoke by the Holy Spirit were life to the people, the words quickened the people and helped them to prosper in the rebuilding of the temple and the temple was completed despite the severe opposition by the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin.

The forms of opposition include false assistance designed to frustrate the work; discouragement; use of counselors to frustrate the work, accusation and force of arms (Ezra Chapter 4 verses 1 to 23). Eventually the work ceased. But because God had spoken His word and His word does not return unto Him without accomplishing what the word was sent to do (Isaiah Chapter 55 verses 8 to 13), He raised the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to speak hope, strength, confidence and restoration to His people. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah continued prophesying to the people in the name of God and the people were strengthened and encouraged to continue rebuilding the Temple (Ezra Chapter 5). As they spoke, the people rose up and began to build the house of God, hugely supported by King Cyrus whom God had purposed to use (Isaiah Chapters 44 verses 26 to 28, 45 verse 13). The fierce opposition to the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem by the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin was quashed by prophesying. Additionally, the Bible records that the completion of the temple brought healing and restoration of dignity, true worship of God as well as restoration of all things to Judah.

Prophesying the Word of God into the situation, the people and the land as evidenced in the valley of dry bones when Ezekiel prophesied the Word of God into the very dry bones in the valley certainly brings God’s healing to the nations. The very dry bones represent utter hopelessness – a situation that was probably beyond redemption because the people had lost all hope and believed that nothing could be done to redeem the situation. Apart from being very dry, the bones were also very many. This is symbolic of the mindsets of many people, utter hopelessness for them as a people and a nation.