Tuesday 29 January 2013

ICHABOD vs EBENEZER, A CALL TO PRAYER (1 Samuel 4 & 7)


Prior to the 2007 elections that caused so much bloodshed on our land, prayer had diminished to a trickle, if not died altogether. I have a few friends who get to work very early who confirmed to me that during that time, one could walk the whole breadth of Nairobi without hearing any ‘morning glory’ from any point. Yet we knew that most leaders were consulting with demons even across our borders.

Last night God awakened me to notice the same thing happening just days before the referendum. Over the years that I have lived here, one could hear at least 3 churches praying through Friday night (kesha). I noticed that in the past 3 weeks, I had not heard even one church doing so. And the setting is just about the same.

I am not accusing anyone of not praying, but I think this is an indication of lethargy in prayer that spreads all round, only to be noticed by the lack of corporate prayer, even if from a few indicators. Success is never assured until after the war is concluded. I will also confess that my passion for prayer about the referendum has waned somewhat.

The difference between Ichabod and Ebenezer was the presence and absence of God. Ichabod was the moment when Israel was assured of victory just because the indication of God’s presence was there, overlooking the conditions that sanction that presence. They lost everything, even the ark that represented God’s presence. You see God is not bound by our expectations. He watches over His word to fulfill it.

In Ebenezer, nothing indicated God’s presence. The ark was absent, Israel was oppressed and things were so bad, and had been for twenty years. But they prayed, and repented, and sought God’s face for deliverance. Then the tide turned. What was at one time a great opportunity for victory became the most humiliating of defeats. But on the other side what the enemy had seen as a walk over became one great victory for God’s people. What was the difference? Prayer.

I am sure the reason our leaders are heaping insults on church leaders is because they know that through witchcraft they put them to sleep and had their way in 2007. They are also convinced that they will put us to sleep over the referendum period and celebrate over God’s people one more time. Let us not give them the opportunity.

One thing I have noticed in this whole debate is that none of the ‘yes’ proponents mentions God in any way. I have not heard any of them saying that God told them to support the draft. We have waited long enough is not reason enough to entrench wickedness in our constitution. That 90% is good is actually one key reason to reject it. But the battle ought to be won on our knees.

I realize that initially, when it appeared that the constitution will sail through there was so much prayer being offered. Yet when the tide started turning to our side, when our prayers started receiving answers, we started being less serious. Yet the other side is strengthening their embankments through witchcraft and taking advantage of even things they were not party to. Imagine they can even get invites to ‘neutral’ churches to propagate their agenda. They dare not slip up because they know a church in touch with her God can never be overcome, except by compromise, or a lack of prayer like we saw in 2007. And I am sure they are trying to buy as many of them as possible.

The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God, but we access them in prayer. We bring down strongholds, but only through prayer. We bring down arguments, but not in debates though we ought to have convincing ones, but through prayer. Our weapons are readied by our prayer at all times.

I have written this hurriedly because I know we need to be back on the winning path as we get our act together through the only weapon that will assure us of victory, prayer.

May we, like Jesus told his disciples, be found ready because we are constant in prayer. It’s not over until it is over. Matthew 24: 43 – 25: 30 gives wake up calls to each of us. In each there is a promise, a delay and two types of people. Let us watch in prayer.

God bless you

(I have posted it the way it was but I feel the message is very relevant even today)

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