Neutrality is Not An Option

Week 6 -Day 2

I believe that there will be more and more lines drawn in the sand, more and more issues for those who carry the name of Christ to decide: 'Where will I stand? Will I STAND FIRM WITH God and on His Word or will I stand on the wrong side of truth and therefore against Him (Matt. 12:30)?'

This is no time to be neutral, undecided, or double-minded (wavering, uncertain).  Double-mindedness only leads to being unstable in ALL our ways (James 1:5-8, 4:7,8) and therefore 'unable' to STAND, being 'tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming...'  (Eph. 4:14). 

We are warned of those who creep in unnoticed (Jude 1:4) and twist the application of truth (turning the grace of God into licentiousness). We are told that some will pay attention to 'deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons' (1 Tim. 4:1), and we are instructed to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints (Jude 1:3).

Choosing to be 'neutral' is not an option. On the issue of sin, God is not neutral, and the culture cannot redefine sin. 

Being 'neutral' and 'silent' will not only be part of the problem, but it will also be siding with the enemy.

One 'whose heart is completely His' stands on the truth of the Word and is not afraid to proclaim it.

"Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.  What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows." Matthew 10:26-31


(This is part of a 6 week prayer strategy series. To return to 'watch the ramparts' homepage: click here)

Awaken, Arise, and Practice What You KNOW

Week 6- Day 1 

May we realize who we are and what we have in Him, be encouraged, and use our God-given authority.

It's as if the enemy has thrown a cloak of hopelessness over the church in an attempt to silence us from using the authority that he knows we have. 

If you are at all feeling hopeless, shake off that cloak; it is NOT from Him.  Hopeless, with the God of Heaven with Whom all things are possible?

May we know who we are by knowing Who He is.  

May we daily be renewing our mind in His word, where we see what He has done, what He does, what He promises to do, and more importantly- Who He is.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, knowing the end from the beginning and holding it all. This truth brings great hope.

"For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, 'My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure'; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country.  Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it." Isaiah 46:8-11

Will you AWAKEN, arise, and put into practice all that you say that you have faith for?  You have faith that He 'can'.  Now have faith that He 'will', along with the attitude that "even if He does not" (Daniel 3:17,18), you will do the right thing and trust the consequences to a sovereign God.  And go and DO...(Luke 6:46-49).

You, who have been given weapons of warfare that are divinely powerful (2 Cor. 10:3-6), will you choose to use them?  Choose.  It is not a question of if you can, it's a "will you?"

May His people call on His Name, allow Him to heal up their own woundedness, be appalled at sin among His people rather than expecting it (Ezra 9:3-10:6), walk in repentance and put away any form of evil from their midst, serve Him with their whole hearts (1 Samuel 7:3), pray, and go make disciples.

What if through our prayers we could take the oxygen, so to speak, the 'fuel' out of the flame of evil and infuse it instead into the flame of the true Light, which is so much greater (John 1:1-13, 8:12), shining brightly for the world to see: Him, high and lifted up. Could prayer 'shift' the 'fuel' from evil to the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to feed the flame of righteousness and snuff out the flames of evil burning brightly? That would be revival. 

Awaken and fast and pray for that shift- the shift to snuff out evil and ignite truth and righteousness.  Pray for the turning of the tide. The Creator of the real tides is fully able to shift this 'negative tide of change'.

Be filled with His boldness and big faith to move into the midst of the darkness and bring His powerful life-changing LIFE.

"..pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith;..." 1 Tim.6:11 and "be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,

fulfill your ministry." 2 Tim. 4:5

(This is part of a 6 week prayer strategy series. To return to 'watch the ramparts' homepage: click here)

Go, Make a Difference

Week 5- Day 7

May God raise up a mighty group of warriors who will stand for truth and say, 'Enough!' 

May there be a holy uprising that won't just take what the enemy is doing lying down and saying, 'It is what it is. What can we do about it?' 

May our eyes be opened to truly SEE the outrageousness of all that is not of God that’s going on in our world and see that 'our' response has been: 'Who will fight? Who can? Who can change this tide?’ rather than, as it should be (like David),

‘Who is this that should taunt the armies of the Living God?!’

May the 'armies of the living God' rise up in faith and 'seeing' the truth of His holiness and His call to godliness in His Word (1 Tim. 6:3), walk in a manner worthy (Col. 1:10). May the attack of the enemy against that very truth be seen, and taking up the divinely powerful weapons of warfare and righteousness for the right hand and the left (2 Cor. 6:7,10:4), go make a difference! 

Pray, fast, and rise up in His bold confidence, trusting in the name of the Most High God and none other, asking, 'What would You have me to do?' And even before hearing the answer, decide to say, ‘yes’ .

‘The Lord God is my strength 

[my source of courage, my invincible army];

He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet

And makes me walk

[not to stand still in terror, 

but to walk forward with spiritual confidence] 

on my high places 

[of challenge, trouble, suffering, or responsibility].”                               

 Habakkuk 3:19 AMP

He calls us to 'action' and promises to be with us. May we seek Him for strategies for revival.

-What would He have you do?

-Ask God to show you areas in your sphere of influence (and even outside what you would consider your sphere, this nation for example) where it is time to say, ‘Enough!’.  Ask Him to make you bold with strength in your soul (Psalm 138:3) and show you what He may have you to do about that?

-Review the week.  Are there any steps of obedience you need to take? Any insights that you need to make sure you don’t ‘lose’?

(This is part of a 6 week prayer strategy series. To return to 'watch the ramparts' homepage: click here)

May We Not Speak Against God

Week 5- Day 6

As Psalm 78 continues, we see that the people of God forgot His deeds and His miracles which He had shown them (this should not have been: see Deut. 4:9,10).  He wrought wonders, divided the sea and caused them to pass through, made the waters stand up like a heap, led them with the cloud by day and all the night with a light of fire, split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths (Ps. 78:12-16), yet they forgot.

  Had all the extraordinary become so ordinary for them?  They had seen the miracles, as have we.  They heard the stories, as do we.  

     Yet, it says, they still continued to sin against Him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. And in their heart they put God to the test by asking food according to their desire. 

Then they (verse 19) spoke against God;  They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, and streams were overflowing; can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people? Therefore the Lord heard and was full of wrath; and a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger against Israel, because they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation (V.20-22)."

      Scripture says that they "spoke against God", something we certainly would NEVER want to do, and how do we see that they did that exactly? By asking, even in the midst of rehearsing what He had done before, "Can God......?".

We do this, don't we? He is doing extraordinary things, and we've seen it.  We've tasted and seen and beheld His power and His glory, because His lovingkindness is better than life, our lips praise Him (Ps 63:2,3), YET we doubt He can provide for 'this', can take care of 'this' (whatever today's 'this' is- and the 'this' can be a new thing every morning sometimes, can't it?).  

"This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope.  The LORD's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.  'The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul. 'Therefore I have hope in Him.'" Lamentations 3:22-24

      In those moments of doubt, may we lay down all our 'Can God?'s at the foot of the cross to die, lift our eyes 'from' the present troubling 'impossibility', and fix our eyes upon Him: the God with Whom nothing is too difficult. (Hebrews 12:2, Jer. 32:17, Matt. 19:26)

May we not speak against Him, asking 'can He?'.  Oh may we, instead, allow Him to implant the big dreams and the promises of His Word and pray and trust Him with the 'impossible' fulfillment, because His power is NOT limited.  

-What are you presently, knowingly or unknowing, speaking against God saying, "Can God…..?"

 -Are you currently feeling hopeless about some area of life?

“Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You….” Jeremiah 32:17

(This is part of a 6 week prayer strategy series. To return to 'watch the ramparts' homepage: click here)

You Are Equipped

Week 5- Day 5

"The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows, yet they turned back in the day of battle."  Psalm 78:9

Notice that it states what they were (archers), how they were equipped for who they were (with bows: the needed equipment), and what they did with who they were and their equipping: they turned back in the day of battle. 

THIS is no time to turn back!

It could certainly be said of us, as sons and daughters of God, that we are well equipped and divinely enabled. 

“[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." (Phil. 2:13 AMP)

 May we NOT turn back in this day of battle.  May we instead, be diligent to present ourselves approved unto God as workmen, who do not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), and may we follow The Lord our God fully (Joshua 14:8,9). 

Oh Lord, settle that in the depths of our being, that we truly are equipped and enabled, despite any doubt or fear that we experience. May that truth, mixed with real faith (Hebrews 4:2), be our strength in You. As we call out to You, make us bold with strength in our soul (Psalm 138:3).

Knowing WHO we are (who YOU have called us and made us to be) and knowing how we ARE equipped (the gifts, enabling, calling, the armor- Eph. 6:10-20, and weapons of warfare- 2 Cor. 10:4), may we take up Your bold confidence. 

And let us resolve (make up our mind ahead of time- Daniel 1:8) that with Your help, we will NOT turn back and abandon who we are and our equipping in the day of battle.  

We are hidden in Christ (Col. 3:3). And knowing all that He has made available to us, let us recognize it, acknowledge it, and use it. It is there, in this vessel of clay. Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col.1:27). Hope, hope, and hope again. 

Know in the depths of your being WHO you are, through knowing Who He is, so that you will not turn back in the day of battle. 

-Ponder that last statement. How does knowing 'Who He is' speak specifically to your heart about who you are?

-Ask Him to remind you of all that He has 'equipped' you with and how He longs for you to use it?

- Concerning what is He specifically calling you to make resolutions (a firm decision to do or not to do something)?


(This is part of a 6 week prayer strategy series. To return to 'watch the ramparts' homepage: click here)

Move Forward

Week 5- Day 4

“Oh Lord, You are my God;

I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name;

For You have worked wonders,

Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” _{Isaiah 25:1}

Plans formed long ago, with My perfect faithfulness.

I AM.

May My name be exalted above all things of earth and heaven.

I AM God – alone.

And I will not give My glory to another.

Worked wonders………….plans formed long ago…………with perfect faithfulness.

Bow the knee to Me and to Me alone.

Do not bow (in weeping and fear) to the circumstances surrounding you.

Do not bow (in discouragement and fear) to the people around you.

Do not bow to fear.

I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and sound judgment.

Work out what has been entrusted unto you.

And do not bend the knee to any other.

Do not bend.

Do not let your hands fall limp.

Put your hand to the plow and

Move forward.

Face set, 

With a listening ear to hear My voice guiding you

On a mission of love, power, discipline

To give out to those around you.

To do good as you have opportunity.

I have chosen you to stand before Me, to minister to Me, and to be My minister.

Do not be negligent now.  _{2 Chron. 29:11}

You are My witness and My servant whom I have chosen,

 so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He.

   Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me.

 I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me.

 It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,

so you are My witness, and I am God. 

Even from eternity I am He, and there is none who can deliver out of My hand;

I act and who can reverse it?_{Isaiah 43:10-13}

I make a way….._{Isaiah 43:16}

(This is part of a 6 week prayer strategy series. To return to 'watch the ramparts' homepage: click here)

Don't Allow the Naysayers to Deter You

Week 5- Day 3

"Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, 'What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine who should taunt the armies of the living God?'"  1 Samuel 17:26

When his oldest brother heard his words, his anger burned against David and said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” 

David was misunderstood and accused of evil motives, and the 'discouragement' didn’t stop there.  Do you identify with that attack? Are you experiencing it currently? 

When God Himself provokes us to faith and action, there are often those who have been standing by in fear who will go on the attack 'to put us back in our place', or we may just experience the attack of our accuser in our head asking, 'Who do you think you are?'  

It didn't deter David.

David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 

Saul, the king, instructed David, 'You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth." 

These were true comparisons based on worldly reality. 

Sadly this is where we often agree with people's worldly opinions, stop even dreaming of possibilities, and abandon the truth of what His word actually says about us and the victory that He has called us to.  

But David draws on what training he has had, as he has been faithful right where God had placed him, and said, "The Lord God who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." 

David was still choosing to speak faith-filled truth in the midst of others' discouraging words.  Oh Lord, help us do the same! Renew our minds in Your truth!

-Who is telling you that you are not able? 

-Are you being lied to and reminded that you have NO training compared to            the great 'warrior'         ?  

-Are you believing 'them' (even those doubts in your head) or are you trusting in God Who has given you everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)?  

-Are you trusting in Him who WILL enable you to do all that He calls you to do?

-Are you being faithful right where God currently has you for training?

-Today as part of your listening time ask Him what He says about who you are.  Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of truth.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ….” 2 Cor. 10:3-5

-If your thoughts are not lining up with the knowledge of God (and if you are feeling helpless or hopeless, then they are not), use your weapons that are divinely powerful and destroy and take captive, to make them obedient to the truth of Christ.  


(This is part of a 6 week prayer strategy series. To return to 'watch the ramparts' homepage: click here)

Provoked to Action

Week 5- Day 2

In 1 Samuel 17, David comes in the Name of The Lord of Hosts against Goliath’s sword, spear, and javelin and says, 'This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head ....that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that The Lord does not deliver by sword or spear; for the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hands." (V.45,46)

 Oh what powerful, faith-filled words. May they be on our lips.  "This day the Lord WILL……  so I will…….   to the glory of His Name!”

Saul and all of Israel were dismayed and greatly afraid of Goliath's taunts (1 Samuel 17:11). But David, who was only sent to find out how his brothers were doing and to take them 'bread and cheese’, came upon the scene and was provoked in his spirit by Goliath's taunts and was provoked to action. 

David's 'action' comes out of his utter dismay of "...who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the LIVING GOD?"         (1 Samuel 17:26).  

We should be asking that same question today in the midst of warfare.  May we, like David, realize Whose we are (on the side of the Living God), take our stand, and ‘fight’.  It is truth that “the Lord is not restrained to save by many or by few” (1 Samuel 14:6), and David was the 'ONE' who rose up and took his place to overcome.  

As a result, "David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David's hand." (1 Samuel 17:49,50). So here was a 'suddenly' after 40 days of, morning and evening, taunting and fear (verse 16).

Today we have, in a sense, closed our eyes and ears to 'the taunting Goliaths' (the lies and intimidations of the enemy) and have allowed them to dishearten and intimidate 'the troops'.  

"Is God waiting for someONE, someone like you, to stand up today against the taunting evil and show (the earth and the ‘assembly’) that there IS a God and that He is living and active and works in and thru us?"

I feel like that question comes with the sound of background inspiring music that invites us, each one, to stand up and be the one, like the 'to be continued' cliffhanger closing movie credits, a 'wait and see’ who will.  Who will stand?

 Let us be appalled at the taunting against the people of a Living God and at the fear and compromise that surrounds us, and let us take action.

 It is time for some Godly 'suddenlies' to take place. It is time to be strong, to allow the Word of God to abide in us, and to overcome the evil one.  (From 1 John 2:14)

Let us rise up and be the ones.

"This day the Lord WILL...

                        .....so I will...." 2 Sam. 17:46  

Move forward.

-Ask Him to show you where, even in your own life, the enemy is 'taunting' you in ways that have left you 'dismayed and greatly afraid' and have hindered you from moving forward. 

-What does the enemy’s ‘taunt’ sound like for you currently? And what is God’s truth (answer) to that taunt?

-David in this instance is only called by flesh and bone to be a delivery boy, aside from his normal shepherding. How does this encourage you as you come upon situations and feel like 'this' or 'that' is not your 'position' to take care of, or that no one on earth has called you to it? According to flesh, David was not called, and no one believed in him.  They only discouraged him, and we tend to use that as an excuse and reason not to attempt great things.  It’s so important to take God’s perspective over man’s!  What perspectives of yours need to be adjusted?


(This is part of a 6 week prayer strategy series. To return to 'watch the ramparts' homepage: click here)