It’s 5:55 A.M.
Posted on April 13, 2016 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.” ~Mark 1:35 (ESV)
Did you know that when lion’s go to kill their prey they do so by clamping their huge jaws down on the mouth of their victim? Now whether it’s instinct or watched behavior, lions use cooperative tactics to take down and silence their prey. It is no wonder that Peter would pen this warning to us, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Now think this through. If a lion has got his jaws around your mouth what can’t you do? If you said cry out for help you are correct!
The apostle Paul also gives his advice on being alert, so much so that he instructs you to put on the full armor of God before you even go into the battle of the day but he gives this keen bit of insight… “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18) Believe it or not, prayer is a weapon that your adversary fears you using the most and he will do what he has to to clamp down on your spiritual jaws so you can’t cry out to YHVH for help. So what can we do about it? Well it’s 5:55 a.m. and it is time to suit up and PRAY!!
In the very same way that we say we need to tithe the first fruits we should give God the first hour. You can try and say you aren’t all that together until you have had your coffee or glass of O.J. but I’m gonna tell ya that if you don’t give God that first hour the rest of your day is up for grabs. If you aren’t getting that armor on as soon as those feet hit the floor you are setting yourself up for the Pinscher maneuver that the Germans used in WWII to defeat weaker nations that weren’t ready for this kinda warfare. Remember it may not be a tangible warfare we are in but we are engaged in spiritual warfare.
Here are three things that you can hit your knees running with…
1. Pray the Armor of God on every morning: There is an unending struggle and to pray the armor on will help protect our minds from the distractions we encounter from our adversary.
2. Pray for forgiveness and repentance: God isn’t gonna pretend everything’s okay when you approach the throne of grace. Unconfessed sin will dull God’s ear to us. “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (Isaiah 59:2)
3. Pray for a fresh refill of the Holy Spirit: We have no problems walking up to those soda machines with them Super-sized cups. It is like what Jesus said, “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” (Luke 11:13)
If an Almighty God can turn to a Pharaoh and say, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying My power in you and to spread My fame throughout the earth.” (Romans 9:17) what more can it be to us to petition the Throne of God’s Grace to pour out on us first thing in the morning.
The hunt is on brethren and when it comes to those things out there in Secularland we are the prey but the armor we are to wear is built to face adversity not run from it. God’s Word makes it clear that He wants to hear us ask for His help. If we have to scream for it out loud then so be it. But YHVH will not hear the muffled cries of His people if we are being devoured by the adversary. Remember…like a lion seeking to devour. It’ll take a warrior to take a stand, wield a sword and say a prayer. Amen?
Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) is married with two adult children (you may remember them from summer staff) and serves on the Deacon Board at Trinity Alliance Church in Cologne NJ
The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 104; Proverbs 13
Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan
Daily Quote: “Remember, NOT ONE OF US is without sin. Not your pastor, not your earthly father, not your mentor, not even the Pope is without sin. Let’s face up, let’s get serious; we were born of sin and our minds are not pure. But I believe a Godly man is the man that strives to be righteous on a daily basis, a man that fights it with all his heart, and when he falls back into sin, he gets back up, repents and gives it another shot.” ~Mark W. Koch
This Week’s Verse to Memorize:
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him. ~Psalm 28:7
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