Day 10
The Destruction of the Devourer
The reality is that we are at war-not a physical war but a spiritual war. Ephesians 6:12 tells us who the battle is against, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” It is a war that started in heaven as seen clearly in Isaiah 14 and was brought down to this earth resulting in the fall of man.
This spiritual battle continues to this day and is fought for the souls of mankind. Satan found that he could not steal God’s glory and was greatly humbled for trying. Therefore, he will stop at nothing to blind mankind from seeing and responding to the glory of God through salvation. II Corinthians 4:3,4 says, “if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Satan’s strategy is threefold. First, he will do everything he can to prevent individuals from responding to the gospel. He will distract them in any way possible to prevent them from paying attention to or seeing the need of the gospel within their lives. Second, he will send false prophets to proclaim a false gospel deceiving people into the gates of hell. And third, he will stop at nothing to prevent the church from proclaiming the gospel message so people cannot hear.
If a church has entered into the realm of spiritual drought, they will turn from being a gospel centered church to a self-seeking, self-honoring, and self-centered church. As a result, the church of spiritual drought has opened the door wide and rolled out the red carpet for the devourer to come and destroy. As far as Satan is concerned, a silent church is a successful church.
In Matthew 16 we see Jesus telling His disciples that He is going to give the church the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said with those keys the church will have the ability to loose and bind things on earth and in heaven. Keys are symbols of authority. Jesus was teaching His disciples that He will give the church the authority of heaven and that the authority (gates) of hell could not stand up against it.
Immediately after Jesus shared these amazing truths to the disciples, Jesus began telling them what was about to happen to Him. Matthew 16:21 says, “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” Peter gladly accepted the message of authority and was even blessed by Jesus for responding to a revelation from the Father. However, Peter would have nothing to do with these teaching of Jesus. Matthew 16:22 shows Peters response. “Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You”; Wow! Peter rebuked Jesus and said, “God forbid it” to the very plan of God. Jesus immediately let Peter know who he was speaking on behalf of as seen in verse 23, “But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s”.
How often do we say in our hearts (whether directly or indirectly): “I don’t care what God has said in His word; I’m simply not going to do it”. God has told us to go, give, teach, preach, pray, share, sacrifice, and love; yet, we continually tell God “no”. Why do we tell God no? We do so because we are not setting our minds on God’s interests but man’s, and we have played right into Satan’s hand.
God has given to us the message to proclaim that is the “power of salvation to those who believe.” (Romans 1:16). He has also given to us the power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8) along with the authority to loose heaven on earth. Yet we stand amazed at the lostness of this world through the deception and distraction of the devourer while we have at our disposal the divinely powerful weapons of God to utterly defeat him.
Jesus said in John 4:35, “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.” When Jesus said that the fields are white unto harvest, He meant that if you do not harvest the field immediately, the field will be left to ruin. Clearly, the harvest is plentiful; yet, so many Christians idly sit by allowing the devourer to destroy the crop.
Day 10 Prayer Guide
- Ask God to reveal any sin or mindset that would prevent Him from hearing your prayers.
- Repent of any such hindrance and ask for God’s forgiveness.
- Ask God to remove any doubts and keep you focused on Him.
- Seek the Holy Spirit to consume you during this time to lead you. Be obedient to Him.
- Ask yourself why you serve God. If it’s not out of love, repent.
- Spend some time praising God for the fact that He is able. Quote some scriptures or some of His characteristics to Him in praise.
- Pray that the people of God will repent of sins and mindsets that dishonor and hinder Him.
- Pray that the people of God will seek the presence of God in their lives and their churches life.
- Pray that the people of God would hunger and thirst for Him and therefore, seek His face.
- Pray that our churches understand spiritual warfare and engage in it.
- Ask God to raise up a mighty army of prayer warriors.
- Pray that the people of God will stand in faith knowing God can reclaim this land.
- Pray that our churches would be devoted to, and peruse the things that honor God.
- Pray that our churches will be a house of prayer.
- Pray that our churches will be a shining light upon the hill.
- Pray that the people of God would see the need for revival and begin to seek God for it.
- Pray specifically for revival in your church. Pray for your pastor and church leaders.
- Pray that the people of God will be broken hearted over the lost.
- Pray that the church will be a gospel centered church with a heart to evangelize the world while starting in their own back yard.
- Pray that the church would stand up to their calling and loose heaven on this earth.
- Pray the church will understand the urgency.
- Pray for a great awakening in your community. Name off streets and neighborhoods.
- Do not be judgmental in this, but pray that if there is any within the church who do not have a genuine relationship with Jesus that God would convict their heart and save them.
- Make a list of individuals who are not saved and begin petitioning God for their salvation.
- Pray for repentance of sin and a great awakening in our nation.
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