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DAY 6 THEME: “PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE AND THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS”
DATE: TUESDAY 8TH OF OCTOBER 2024
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 “Behold, I tell you a [a]mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
The rapture is the sudden, supernatural removal of all children of God that have made themselves ready to be snatched from earth to heaven. At the rapture, Jesus Christ will appear in the eastern sky and call His wise bride up to Heaven, leaving all the foolish Christians, those that are still in sin and unbelievers behind. It will happen in two stages the first being all the dead in Christ (saints) pre-rapture will rise from their graves in their glorified bodies and the second stage will be that all the true believers that are alive will then go up to be with Him on the clouds. (See 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Though Jesus will not set foot on the Earth at the rapture. He will just appear in the Eastern sky and call all His wise bride home to Heaven that have pure white garments. The rapture is a wonderful thing for Christians. The rapture will be yet another very gracious act of God's love toward His children. God loves His children so much that He will remove us from this wicked world to a safe place in Heaven before His wrath is released upon the Earth. See God will not allow the beast to devourer His saints and will remove them, so they may go with Him to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Revelations 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
The supernatural removal of godly individuals from earth is not unknown in Scripture i.e.. Enoch, who bypassed death.
Genesis 5:21-24 “Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”
Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
It is consistent with God's dealings with His people in the Old Testament to believe that the Church will be removed from the world before the Great Tribulation. God did not send the Flood until Noah and his family were safe in the ark. He did not destroy Sodom until Lot was taken out.
WHY DO SOME OPPOSE THE PRE-TRIBULATION TEACHINGS?
It is a common thought by those who oppose the pre-tribulation rapture theology that it originated with John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), but you will see that is a lie and not true. In actual fact because of their poor understanding of hermeneutics which is the study of interpretation of scripture many come up with a replacement theology. See those that study eschatology (study of end-times), many are looking for the Antichrist more than they are of Jesus return. But when you get a solid foundation in ecclesiology (study of the church) you will see what is the churches purposes oppose to Israel’s separate purpose of going through the tribulation for them to receive their promised Messiah as a nation and people as a whole. Now below you will hear three major arguments opposing a pre-tribulation rapture. These examples below are what I see mentioned a lot, or they just copy and paste their study on why it is wrong. Now with each of the below three common remakes, I will quickly refute each below with scripture for each scoffing remark.
3 TYPES OF SCOFFING ABOUT THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE
1. PRE-TRIB RAPTURE IS JUST CHRISTIAN ESCAPISM
Luke 21:36 “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man”
Notice: “ESCAPE ALL”
2. GOD'S PEOPLE NEED TO BE ROUGHED UP BEFORE THEY GET TO SPEND ETERNITY WITH JESUS
Genesis 18:23-25 “And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Notice: “WOULD YOU ALSO DESTROY THE RIGHTEOUS WITH THE WICKED?”
Will you be inside the Ark...... or on the outside? Mid Trib, Post Trib and Pre-wrath believe God is going to leave them on the outside. (left behind during the tribulation) Because their way of thinking is like God putting Noah and his family in the Ark AFTER the Flood has started half way or when it’s too late and it is Completely over!
Or it is like God taking Lot and his family just outside the City AFTER the judgment fire has been raining down already or after the destruction is already over!
1 Thessalonians 1:10 “ Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
Remember, God put Noah and his family inside the Ark BEFORE it started raining. Why because His children are Never appointed to His wrath.
God took Lot and his family outside the city BEFORE His Wrath by Fire came down.
Romans 5:9 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
3. NO SUCH THINGS AS A SECRET RAPTURE
1 Corinthians 15:52 “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Notice: “IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE”
Precious saints the twinkling of an eye is faster than someone can blink! So, the rapture happens so fast in the twinkling of an eye, that no one will see it and the wicked won’t even understand it that day when it happens.
Now many that oppose the pre-tribulation rapture are not unsaved, but the devil is using many in this hour that once believed in this teaching and have fallen into apostacy. Why is this a problem because there is no urgency and imminency to the Lords soon coming. One thing as I study the early revival stories, I see reoccurring is that there is always a renewed fervency and urgency of the Lords soon return. This was the case with John Dowry in the 1830’s, the Holy Spirit was trying to bring urgency back to the church.
So do not let apostate teachers draw you away from preparing your garment, otherwise they will try to steal your crown.
Revelation 3:11 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”
Notice: “NO ONE MAY TAKE YOUR CROWN”
What Crown you say?
2 Timothy 4:8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Notice: “CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” “TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING.”
WHAT ARE THE CROWNS THAT THE 24 ELDER RAPTURED SAINTS ARE WEARING IN REVELATION CHAPTER 4?
Revelation 4:4 “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.”
THEY HAD CROWNS OF GOLD ON THEIR HEADS
IN THE BIBLE THERE ARE 5 DIFFERENT CROWNS OF REWARD THAT CHRISTIANS CAN RECEIVE FOR SERVICE TO CHRIST.
1.) THE INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN: given for exercising self-control and striving to be the best you can be for the Lord as according to 1 Corinthians 9:25 “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”
2.) THE CROWN OF REJOICING: given for winning others to Christ as according to 1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?”
3.) THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: given for loving and watching for Christ's appearing as according to 2 Timothy 4:8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
4.) THE CROWN OF LIFE: given for enduring under trial as according to the below scriptures.
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
5.) THE CROWN OF GLORY: given for zealously and faithfully shepherding the flock of the Church as according to 1 Peter 5:4 “and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”
So many of these apostate teachers today are spreading the notion that the "Rapture" was condemned by the early church fathers and by the Apostles themselves. We will see also that this was a lie. Many say that they will die for Jesus when the time comes, but many are not even living for Him now when the spirit of Grace is with us.
So, the next time someone tries to tell you that the “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” is false or that it is only a new concept from 1830 is a lie precious saint. So today we are here to reinforce truth and debunk their lies, so you may prepare and enter without any confusion.
Luke 12:35-37 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.”
We must be found watching for the Lord’s return saints. But what is the reward for those watching you say? The Wedding Feast of the Lamb.
See those that believe in a Mid-Tribulation, Post-Tribulation or Pre-wrath Rapture are watching for the ANTICHRIST and the start of the Tribulation!!
When Jesus told us continually to watch for His appearing in the clouds and not for the Anti-Christ.
So, this list may seem exhausting, but it is vital that you see how far the pre-tribulation doctrine goes back to and specifically those who preached a pre-tribulation rapture. See the Catholic Church outlawed it, for they had started a replacement theology of taking the place of Israel.
When will Christians be in the Jewish Temple Sacrificing Lambs for their sins, and when they see the Abomination of Desolation, they realize that the Antichrist is NOT their Messiah and so they Flee from him into the Mountains?
THE GREAT TRIBULATION
Mark 13:14 “So, when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in JUDEA Flee to the Mountains.
.
Jesus was speaking to the House of Israel........ It’s the Time of JACOBS trouble...Not the Church's
See there is no such thing as a post-tribulation rapture. For not one person that who is alive at the time of the second coming of Jesus is raptured.
That is right not one!!
For all those alive at the second coming are either killed in the Battle of Armageddon or they will enter the Millenium in Un-raptured bodies and will have children!
Those tribulation saints that have lost their lives or were beheaded by the Antichrist for their testimony of Jesus shall be with Jesus in the Millenium.
Revelation 20:4-5 “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for [a]a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.”
The unsaved will spend 1000 years gnashing their teeth in Darkness and are not resurrected until the great white throne judgement.
This is how serious it is saints and that is why Satan fights so much to be a Bride of Christ left behind! If you are left behind God has counted you with the Wicked. So even if you are purified by the Fire of 7 years of Horrendous suffering, you can still be saved but you will suffer greatly and lose the opportunity to partake of the Wedding Feast of The Lamb. So, this is why Satan fights the Pre-Trib Rapture truth so strongly.
All the raptured saints in Revelation chapter four, will be following Jesus Back to earth on White Horses.
Zechariah 14:4-5 “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west,……..5 ….. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You.”
1 Thessalonians 3:13 “So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”
WHERE WILL THE HOLY SPIRIT BE DURING THE TRIBULATION?
2 Thessalonians 2:7 "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way."
So even though the Spirit of Grace will now be poured out upon Isreal as according to Zacheriah 12:10 I believe the restrainer in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 is indeed the Holy Spirit—or the Holy Spirit working through the New Testament Remnant church. In our current age, one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is the restraint of evil. But there is coming a time when the Spirit will no longer hold back the looming flood of lawlessness. I believe this will occur when the remnant spotless (bride) church is removed from the world at the rapture. After that time, the Antichrist’s path to power will be unobstructed, and God’s judgment can be unleashed on a rebellious world (see Revelation 6—16).
However, just because the (empowered Church) Spirit ceases to restrain the march of evil in the world does not mean He is absent. On the contrary, we believe that the Spirit will be present on the earth during the tribulation. We say this for several reasons:
• The Holy Spirit, being God, is omnipresent. He is everywhere at all times, so He must be in the world during the tribulation. There is no “Spirit-free zone” in the whole of creation.
• Salvation is the Spirit’s work in the human heart; without Him, no one is saved (see John 3:5–8). If the Spirit were not present during the tribulation, no one could be saved. But the fact is that many will be saved during the tribulation—a numberless throng will “come out of the great tribulation” (Revelation 7:14). So, the Spirit is obviously at work during that time.
• The Holy Spirit is the one who empowers Christian witnesses and makes their message effective (see Acts 1:8). During the tribulation, there will be plenty of preaching: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). In order for the preaching during the tribulation to have any effect whatsoever, the Spirit must be involved.
• The tribulation will be a time of refining and restoration for Israel, a process that necessitates the Spirit. God promised Israel, “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you. . . . You will be my people, and I will be your God” (Ezekiel 36:24–28).
During the tribulation, the Holy Spirit will modify His work to some extent—He will no longer inhibit evil to the degree He now does, and the result will be an unprecedented time of wickedness on earth. But the Spirit will not take a leave of absence. There will still be evangelists to empower and people to save, and that means the Spirit’s presence will still be required. But for those that have to endure this period will not be easy at all. So when people lightly say that they will die for Him, I say to them then it will be easy for you to live for Him now while the Spirit of Grace is upon the church now. So even though the Holy Spirit will still operate in no way will it be easy for people as they will have to pay with their lives.
Saints the “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” of the Church is “not” a new concept but was a teaching that came directly from the Apostles themselves. Now this list will begin “before” 1830” and turn all the way back to the 1st Century A.D, so you can be assured. Now feel free to look up each person listed below to see who each servant of God past was.
1) 1792 – Thomas Scott – he taught that the righteous will be carried to Heaven where they will be secure until the time of the judgment is over.
2) 1763 – James Macknight – he also taught that the righteous will be carried to heaven until the judgment is over with.
3) 1748 – John Gill (Commentary on the New Testament) – teaches of the imminent return of Christ, firstly in the Rapture, and then He will return again to judge the earth (Armageddon – The Second Coming).
4) 1744 – Morgan Edwards (founder of the Ivy League School, Brown University) wrote of his “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” beliefs.
5) 1738 – Phillip Doddridge (Commentary on the New Testament) teaches along the same lines of John Gill; a “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” perspective.
6) 1687 – Peter Jurieu – (“Approaching Deliverance of the Church”) Christ would return during the Rapture and take His saints to Heaven and later return at the Battle of Armageddon.
7) 1674 – 1748 – Isaac Watts (known as the Father of the English Hymn) wrote of his “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” belief. (As a side note, Isaac Watts was solely responsible for writing over 1,000 Christian hymns if I recall the numbers correctly. Study his life because it was truly a miraculous one by all definitions of the word).
8) 1674 – Thomas Collier – makes reference to the belief of the “Pre-Tribulation Rapture”.
9) 1532 – 1591 – Francisco Rivera wrote of his “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” of the Church beliefs
10)431 – 1500 – Any mention of Pre-Tribulation (Millennial) Rapture of the Church perspectives are outlawed by the Catholic Church and deemed heretical and punishable by death!!!
11)431 – The Council of Ephesus; the Catholic Church decrees and condemns Pre-Millennial views as heresy. Books and such are destroyed or altered.
THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS (APOSTOLIC FATHERS)
(i.e. prominent early Church Fathers) All the following wrote of the “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” of the Church:
12) 354 – 430 – Augustine, Bishop of North Africa
13) 306 – 373 – Ephraem of Nisibus
14) ? – 204 – Victorinus, Bishop of Petau
15) 200 – 258 – Cyprian of Carthage
16) 170 – 236 – Hippolytus of Rome
17) 150 – 272 – Apocalypse of Elijah (an Extra-Biblical book)
18) 120 – 202 – Irenaeus of Lyons (“Against Heresies”)
19) 35 – 108 - Ignatius of Antioch
20) 1st century AD – 101 - Pope Clement I
21) 69 – 155 - Polycarp of Smyrna
22) 100 – 165 - Justin Martyr
23) 150 – 215 - Clement of Alexandria
24) 160 – 225 - Tertullian
25) 185 – 254 - Origen
26) 296 – 373 - Athanasius
27) 330 – 379 - Basil of Caesarea
28) 329 – 389 - Gregory of Nazianzus
29) 347 – 430 - Jerome
30) 354 – 430 - Augustine of Hippo
As there is so many early Church fathers listed above, I have chosen four examples that explain the pre-tribulation to us strongly Irenaeus, Cyprian, and Ephraim.
31) 36 – 108 – Ignatius of Antioch, the Third Bishop and Patriarch of Antioch (who as a student of John the Apostle) – His “Letters of Extra-Biblical works are:
a. Letter to the Ephesians
b. Letter to the Magnesians
c. Letter to the Trallians
d. Letter to the Romans
e. Letter to the Philadelphians
f. Letter to the Smyrnaeans
g. Letter to Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna
32) ? – 99 A.D. – Clement of Rome, “Letter to the Corinthians” also known as “I Clement” (an Extra-Biblical book).
WHAT DID THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS BELIEVE ABOUT THE RAPTURE?
Patristics or patrology is the study of the early Christian writers known as the Church Fathers. The names derive from the combined forms of Latin pater and Greek patḗr (father). The period is generally considered to run from the end of New Testament times or end of the Apostolic Age. Now some may argue that not many taught about this with a great number of writings on the end times in general from the early centuries of the church. But there is no question that there was a belief in the Rapture among the church fathers and they taught it with strong language and scriptural support.
Also, the Apostolic Fathers were Christian theologians who lived in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, who are believed to have personally known some of the Twelve Apostles, or to have been significantly influenced by them. Their writings, though popular in Early Christianity, were ultimately not included in the canon of the New Testament once it reached its final form. Many of the writings derive from the same period and geographical location as other works of early Christian literature that did come to be part of the New Testament, and some of the writings found among the Apostolic Fathers seem to have been just as highly regarded as some of the writings that became the New Testament.
Just so you know Irenaeus was an eyewitness to Apostle John, (who wrote Revelation and was Jesus' "beloved disciple"). Irenaeus also was a disciple of Polycarp, who studied directly under the Apostle John.
THREE EARLY CHURCH TEACHING EXAMPLES
Irenaeus is best known for his five-volume treatise, "Against Heresies.". Irenaeus' end times teachings and writings supported a pre-tribulation rapture of the church. He verifies that the end times begin when Israel returns as a nation, which then sparks a series of prophecies to be fulfilled that will help us correctly interpret the rest of the prophecies. He verifies that the church, in general, will become apostate but the true church will be raptured before the tribulation begins. Then the antichrist will enforce a covenant for seven years. At the end of this seven years Jesus returns to begin the Millennial reign.
In "Against Heresies 5.29" Irenaeus writes: “Those nations however, who did not of themselves raise up their eyes unto heaven, nor returned thanks to their Maker, nor wished to behold the light of truth, but who were like blind mice concealed in the depths of ignorance, the word justly reckons “as waste water from a sink, and as the turning-weight of a balance — in fact, as nothing;”(1) so far useful and serviceable to the just, as stubble conduces towards the growth of the wheat, and its straw, by means of combustion, serves for working gold. And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, “There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.”(2) For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption.” Irenaeus is describing the church leaving the sinful world just before disaster strikes. During the tribulation years more will convert to Christianity and will "receive the incorruptible crown."
Cyprian (200 AD- 258 AD) was a Bishop of the Church in Carthage and helped the Church through the Roman Empire persecution. In his "Treatises of Cyprian" he wrote: “We who see that terrible things have begun, and know that still more terrible things are imminent, may regard it as the greatest advantage to depart from it as quickly as possible. Do you not give God thanks, do you not congratulate yourself, that by an early departure you are taken away, and delivered from the shipwrecks and disasters that are imminent? Let us greet the hence and assigns each of us to his own home, which snatches us hence, and sets us free from the snares of the world and restores us to paradise and the kingdom.” Cyprian encouraged the believing to rejoice that the church would be taken away before the disastrous tribulation.
Ephraim (306 AD - 373 AD) became the Bishop of Nisibis. One of his works, a sermon, "On the Last Times, the Antichrist, and the End of the World," has a compelling reverence to the rapture: “We ought to understand thoroughly therefore, my brothers, what is imminent or overhanging. Already there have been hunger and plagues, violent movements of nations and signs, which have been predicted by the Lord, they have already been fulfilled (consummated), and there is no other which remains, except the advent of the wicked one in the completion of the Roman kingdom. Why therefore are we occupied with worldly business, and why is our mind held fixed on the lusts of the world or on the anxieties of the ages? Why therefore do we not reject every care of worldly business, and why is our mind held fixed on the lusts of the world or on the anxieties of the ages? Why therefore do we not reject every care of earthly actions and prepare ourselves for the meeting of the Lord Christ, so that he may draw us from the confusion, which overwhelms all the world? Believe you me, dearest brother, because the coming (advent) of the Lord is nigh, believe you me, because the end of the world is at hand, believe me, because it is the very last time.
Or do you not believe unless you see with your eyes? See to it that this sentence be not fulfilled among you of the prophet who declares: “Woe to those who desire to see the day of the Lord!” For all the saints and elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins. And so, brothers most dear to me, it is the eleventh hour, and the end of the world comes to the harvest, and angels, armed and prepared, hold sickles in their hands, awaiting the empire of the Lord. And we think that the earth exists with blind infidelity, arriving at its downfall early. Commotions are brought forth, wars of diverse peoples and battles and incursions of the barbarians threaten, and our regions shall be desolated, and we neither become very much afraid of the report nor of the appearance, in order that we may at least do penance; because they hurl fear at us, and we do not wish to be changed, although we at least stand in need of penance for our actions!”
Ephraim expresses a strong warning of urgency and clearly states the saints and elect who are believers in Jesus Christ will be taken to the Lord before the Tribulation. He also identifies that the "Day of the Lord" and the end times Tribulation are the same event. He stresses that believers should turn away from this world and look to Heaven and work on pleasing God. He distinguishes the second coming of Christ from the rapture, placing the rapture before the tribulation to come. Although there are few writings left of the early Church fathers, it is clear they believed and taught an early rapture for the church before the end times "Day of the Lord/Great Tribulation." Rapture doctrine did in fact exist and was part of the early Christian beliefs since the days of the apostles.
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS AND NEW TESTAMENT APOSTLES
Even the Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles taught us about the Harpazo (Greek), Raptio (Latin), which means the snatching away, and is translated from Latin to English as Rapture.
• Paul or Luke talking about Enoch in Hebrews (Apostles)
• Moses in Deuteronomy (Prophet)
Solomon (Son of David)
• Isaiah (Prophet)
• Zephaniah (Prophet)
• Malachi (Prophet)
• Micah (Prophet)
• Mark & Luke (Apostles)
Paul in 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy (Apostle)
• Peter in 2 Peter (Apostle)
• John in Revelation (Last Apostle - John 21:22)
• Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior himself specifically in John 11:25-26
So, I am just showing you that this goes all the way back to the early church and it will elp et your minds focused on the imminency of the Lord’s return.
DAY 6 PRAYER POINTS
Heavenly Father in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ Your Son we come before You today through the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ! Forgive us of all our sins and make us rapture eady Lord, for want to be blameless on that day of Your coming. Dear Lord, thank You for the encouragement of fellow believers to help us also on our journey. Help us to look for ays to encourage others also Lord.
Father thank you for being the source of our strength, please be with every disciple, especially with your preachers today and set them on fire with Holy Spirit inspired essages. May they be urgent in season and out of season. Empower them to convince, rebuke, and exhort. Help them to be unfailing in patience and persistent teaching.
guide them all to be steady, to endure suffering, to do the work of evangelization, and to fulfil the ministries you have given them.
Let them all, and all of Your people, so live that we can say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
thank You for the gracious reward You have in store for us all - that crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to everyone who has loved and longed for His appearing.
Father, we rejoice today in Your sovereign rule, knowing You made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. Your kingdom is forever, and we trust in the ower of Your great Name to defeat every spiritual enemy that rises against us. We ask You to grant us even greater boldness and courage to declare Your truth in order to displace the lies of the enemy. Grant us wisdom to share with those who are open and ready to listen, and may salvation come to our city and this land. For Christ’s sake, amen!
Father, I thank You for what You for Your hand of protection upon our families, friends and ourselves for this coming day and the remaining fasting period. Father, in the Name of Jesus, I thank You that You watch over Your Word to perform it. I thank You that my family, friends and I dwell in the secret place of the Most High and that we remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty, Whose power no foe can withstand. I cover my family, friends and I with the Precious Blood of Jesus, Your Son, thus keeping us safe rom the hideous snares of Satan and all his cohorts.
Father, You are our refuge and our fortress. No evil shall befall us - no accident shall overtake us nor shall any plague or calamity come near my home. I release ministering angels to go forth and to encompass over my family, friends and myself, to accompany and defend and preserve us in all our ways of obedience and service. They are encamped around about us. I bind the devil from trying to influence them in any way this holiday. helter us in the palm of Your hand and save our homes from all storms.
Father, You are our confidence, firm and strong. You keep our feet from being caught in a trap or hidden danger. When we lie down, You will give my family, friends and myself peaceful sleep. Father, You give this family safety and ease us - Jesus is our safety! In Jesus Name, AMEN
DAY 7 THEME: “PRAY FOR REVIVAL PRAY FOR AN AWAKENING!”
DATE: WEDNESDAY 9TH OF OCTOBER 2024
SCRIPTURE TEXT: - Habakkuk 3:1-2 "A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth. 2 O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.”
This verse may be paraphrased also to “O Yahweh, I have heard Your fame, and I bowed in reverent worship. O Yahweh, repeat Your doings of old in the midst of these current years of affliction; in the midst of these years of sorrow, demonstrate Your power; in wrath, remember mercy.”
We are living in both peril times and exciting times for the born-again Christian that is awaiting the return of the Messiah. But between both, we also should have the same cry as did the Prophet Habakkuk that was praying for the Lord to show Himself in power once more. A revival speaks of things that were alive but are dying out and need to be brought back to life. The greatest revivals in history have happened when the church has been declining and godly people have cried out, “Lord, we need to be stirred up in our faith once more in prayer, so we can experience repentance revival!
Haggai 2:6 say’s “Once more in a little while I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and also the dry land, I will shake the nations……”
Welcome to Hot Red October, where things are going to shake up more around us like never before precious saints within the nations. We’re already seeing the soaring fuel prices, food shortages, power shortages, inflation, supply chain issues, gas shortages etc starting to affect the nations. All these things being done across many nations is to help in the collapse of the world’s economy, and many are still blind to what is going on.
We see banks closing and are stopping to give money from ATMs in many countries, which is all leading to the collapse of the current world cabal financial system.
Now even though we have crossed over into a new Hebrew year of 5785, we just came out of a year of release and into the year of the garment as the Lord is preparing a Bride and revival is closer than ever saints. But while we wait and contend for revival the enemy is busy working.
Many economists say we are right on the verge of a financial collapse, and they would be right in saying that because all the signs that are clear.
See we used to have a financial economy backed by gold (precious metals), until the cabal (Rothschild etc) put in place the worthless, printing paper Fiat currency. The entire private western central banking system has once again reached the end of another 40-50 year lifecycle. This debt based, slave creating monetary system, has had the people in chains for many years with both parents needing to work to survive. I believe that the forecast catastrophic global financial collapse is imminent, and we need to prepare for ATM’s to close, power outages, food shortages and sky rocketed fuel prices for a period of time. Now this would be a perfect opportunity for the enemy to push forward with its own agenda of one world electronic economy, but also this could pave way for grace period before the rapture of a currency return and financial system that is backed again by precious metals (gold).
Now the third seal in Revelation chapter 6:5-6 also describes a possible worldwide economic collapse and financial hardships. The antichrist will take control of the economic system and food supplies. I believe during this time it may cost you $40 for a loaf of bread, compared to $3. What you would normally earn in one day of labour may take you nearly a full week of work to earn that same wage. There will be food shortages resulting in global starvation, during this period. Remember also that everything now is a preview also to what is to come during the tribulation.
So, we need to pray and prepare for what is to come and not just have our heads in the sand. So, if we are about to witness what I have mentioned, then let us be wise and pray always for revival within any grace period. So, in our prayers for justice within the nations, not only are we praying for the justice of the deaths of innocent people during the plandemic of Corona-19 and its death shots, but also that God would expose any hidden agendas of the enemy that he has been deceiving the nations all this time.
Psalm140:12 "Lord, I know that you defend the homeless, and see that the poor are given justice."
We need to ask God also to give us strength and wisdom to act for change, and we ask him to bless, comfort and give hope to people who feel powerless and invisible. Pray for a fairer, more just society, so that "justice and fairness flow like a river that never runs dry." (Amos 5:24).
Above all else I am praying for an awakening to the message of the Gospel in all nations. Great Spiritual Awakenings have swept the world over the centuries. They have changed lives and the very culture in which we live. An Awakening is a special time when God comes down and saturates a place and a people with His presence. There is a final Great Awakening coming before the rapture of His bride that will be bigger and greater than anything we have seen before. May the Lord come and shake the very foundations on which we have built our lives, transform our towns, our cities, and our nations with a revelation of the great news of Jesus Christ. Begin with us Lord, wake up your people and do not pass us by!
See revival is not about us, it is not about building bigger buildings, it is not about the 4 walls of a building at all. It is not about having louder and more dynamic services. When you are filled with the Spirit and God revives you, you start to see people as God sees people – as sheep without a shepherd, you don’t see colour you see Gods creation and only revival can uproot the deep racial tensions around the nations. Revival awakens us also to a fresh vision of our own spiritual state under the magnifying glass of the Holy Spirit. It draws us straight to the mercy of God and need to change under the strong conviction of the Holy Spirit.
There is the greatest harvest of souls about to come into the kingdom and Jesus tells us that the fields are ripe unto harvest, but the laborers are still few. When you feel for people and see what is happening around the world you will truly weep for all lost souls, when you go out of your comfort zone and you sacrifice and you stretch, that’s when God begins to quicken you and work in your life. See God is looking for not just anointed people, but people that will bear the fruit of His Spirit. Those that will move in Charity, love, joy, peace, suffers long, envies not, loves not self, those that are not puffed up, meek, goodness and faith. See He’s looking for someone who will say, “Revive me, not for myself, but that I might become a not just a harvester of souls, but that that we will be transformed into Your image Lord.”
Pray for another Great Awakening to sweep your nation as the Lord's people learn to humble themselves with a contrite spirit, and to tremble at the Word of the Lord. "'Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?' declares the Lord. 'These are the ones I look on with favour: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word'" (Isa. 66:2).
Ask the Lord to bring revival to the Church within your nation. "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him" (Isa. 64:1–4).
Pray for the preachers within your nation to fearlessly proclaim the Word of God regarding sin and God's love. "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (2 Tim. 4:1–3).
Dear Heavenly Father in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ we come before you this day. O Lord, according to Your Word, we enter Your courts with Thanksgiving and Praise. Most High God, Master, and Creator of the Universe, we humbly bow before You and worship You with all of our heart, soul and mind. Like Jesus instructed us, we start this prayer out with Thanksgiving—deeply grateful and thankful that You DO, indeed, hear the prayers of Your children.
“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
We acknowledge the incredible right and privilege You have given us to walk directly into the Presence of the most Powerful and Effective force in the Universe and BOLDLY ask for assistance. The devils tremble at this privilege that You have afforded us through the Blood of Jesus Christ. Help us to fully take hold of the extent of this opportunity. Forgive us for the times when we have not utilized this right effectively through lack of Faith.
We acknowledge our failure in the Body of Christ to live up to our side of the Covenant. We have NOT lived as we should. We have NOT obeyed all of Your commands. We have NOT placed You first in our lives. We confess that our nations are currently on a dangerous pathway towards the idolatry of Human Secularism which seeks to remove You from every aspect of our daily public lives. In doing so, we have not only failed to follow in Christ’s footsteps to help “set the captives free”, but have become captives ourselves to an un-Godly philosophy that will ultimately destroy the very foundations of our nations.
O God, we sincerely repent of our personal and national sins. We repent of the sins of omission as well as commission. These sins include idolatry, murder, anger, stubbornness, dishonesty, corruption, greed, sloth, lust, envy, compromise, fear, gluttony, gossip, hypocrisy, impurity, ingratitude, profanity, stealing, unforgiveness, untruthfulness, worldliness, worry and the ultimate sin of Pride. We take no solace in the fact that some of us may not have personally embraced sins such as abortion or marriage redefinition BUT by apathy or indifference have allowed evil to flourish. We have not followed Your Biblical mandate to submit to You, obey Your Holy Commandments and resist the Devil. Nor have we had a zeal to repent which invites You to commune with us, enabling us to become overcomers who will sit with You on Your throne (Rev 3:19-21).
Instead of embracing righteousness we--individually, in our families and in our nation--have performed evil acts. We have fallen short of Your Glory, for which You have cursed our nations with drought and pestilence and have opened our borders to the plunder of foreign armies. Even with obvious signs in the stars, moon, sky and weather, we have not repented and returned our nations to You Lord in corporate repentance. Instead, our leaders have vowed to rebuild us of their own strength thus raising a fist is defiance to Your judgments.
Master, please have mercy on us. We beg for Your grace and mercy. We are undeserving of your mercy, but Your Holy Word says you are patient, kind, loving, merciful and longsuffering. Please, because of who YOU are and not because of what WE are—hear our prayer and grant our petition this day. We know You will hear from Heaven and will forgive our sins and heal our lands if we humble ourselves, pray, seek Your Face and turn from our wicked ways.
Then may all the kingdoms of the world truly know that YOU are our God and that we have no other gods but You. May You get all the glory, honour and praise. May Your Kingdom come quickly, and may Your will be done here on Earth as it is in Heaven. We pray this prayer with great expectancy, looking upwards for our ultimate Salvation when You will return to set things right forever in Jesus Mighty Name! Amen
Dear Heavenly Father in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ we come before you this day. Lord help us to prepare for what is about to shake the nations, so that we may not be of those that fear, but rather those that trust in You. You are our provider, and You have blessed the work of our hands to prosper in every season. So, as you tarry in your return Lord Jesus, let us be the head and not the tail above and not beneath and lend and not borrowers in Jesus Mighty Name!
PRAY FOR THE ECONOMY OF YOUR NATION
Jeremiah 29:7 “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
The enemy is trying to destroy the economies of the world, so that the one world economy can be brought into place for the soon coming antichrist. We are called to pray for the place that God has called us to live! You are not in your current nation by accident or by chance, for God has called you and placed you there. We must now take back ownership of our calling and positioning by God and pray for the prosperity of our nations. When we pray for our nation’s prosperity in every respect, we too will prosper dear saints.
PRAYER FOR YOUR NATIONS ECONOMY:
Dear Heavenly Father in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ we come before you this day. We know that your love is infinite and that you care about all areas of our life. In this time of economic insecurity, help us to trust that all our security is in you. Keep us mindful that you always have and always will provide for our needs. Apart from you we can do nothing Lord and we trust whole heartedly in You alone.
Merciful God, we ask that you expose every world leader that is working for the enemy to bring down our nations’ economies and raise up righteous leaders to take their places. Lord please give these leaders the wisdom to guide our nation and the world out of the current economic crisis. Help us to protect the poor and all those who are struggling during this difficult time. Provide for their needs and give them hope. Open new opportunities for them and furnish the resources they need to live with dignity. Encourage those who have enough to share essential resources with those who lack the necessities of life, and to do so with humble, grateful, and loving hearts.
We come against the powers of darkness, the forces of evil that would try to dominate and rule in our own nation. We rise up against that darkness. We rise-up against those spirits and dispel the darkness. In the Name of Jesus, we command the devil to take his hand OFF the political scene of our nation. We pray for every politician, everyone that’s in office, remove those that are not working with our best interest at heart and raise those that are not so concerned about politics, that they’ll not be so party conscious, but that they’ll be concerned about our nations as a whole—and above all, put God first.
We come against the powers of darkness, the forces of evil, the demons of hell that would endeavour to dominate the financial scene of our nation. We pray for the economy of our nation. We pray about the unemployed. We pray that the economy will be turned around, and everyone that wants a job will find a job, and that we will be prosperous as a whole—as a nation—to continue to carry the Gospel around the world. We command the devil and all his cohorts: Take your hand OFF of the financial scene of our nation.
We come against the powers of darkness, the forces of evil that would endeavour to dominate the domestic scene of our nation. We command you, Satan, and all your cohorts: Take your hand OFF the domestic scene of our nation. May there be peace. May there be tranquillity. We sweep the air clean from demons—powers of evil that would hinder, that would dominate. In the Name of Jesus!
We come against all forces that are wrong. And Father, we pray with our understanding as best we know how. We’re instructed to do so. Yet we sense in our spirit that our spirits have not prayed as they would like. We remember that Paul said that if I pray in an unknown tongue, MY spirit prays, MY spirit, by the Holy Spirit within me pray. So, the great, mighty Spirit of God dwells in us. He is our Helper. He is our Counsellor. He is our Advocate. He is our Intercessor. He is our Standby. He will help us. We thank you lord that you are listening to our prayer today in Jesus Mighty Name!
Amen
PRAYER FOR TRUE MEDIA
Pray that all paid Media personalities that have been brought off and have being used to brain wash the masses, be brought to justice and removed in Jesus Mighty Name!
Pray for truth to be an established standard in our news media. "In your majesty ride forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice; let your right hand achieve awesome deeds" (Ps. 45:4).
Pray that media bias and narrative’s will be replaced by fairness. "The King is mighty, he loves justice-you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right" (Ps. 99:4).
Ask that Christianity will receive fair coverage in all reports, especially when repentance revival spreads like fire. "Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, so that you bring back truthful reports to those you serve?" (Prov. 22:20–21).
Dear Heavenly Father in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ we come before you this day. Lord help us to follow your example, by looking out for those who each day feel that they are marginalised, who cannot find hope, who believe that they have little to offer, who are overcome by the challenges of poverty. Help us to widen our horizons, to make space for the stranger, to watch out for those who feel invisible, to give time to the outsider, to talk to the person facing silence, to restore justice and value. Fill the hearts of humankind with the fire of your love and with the desire to ensure justice for all. By sharing the good things, you give us, may we secure an equality for all our brothers and sisters throughout the world. May there be an end to division, strife, and war and May you Jesus be Lord overall. Give us the courage to undertake this, the determination to join with others in seeing grace in every human face no matter the colour of their skin, and the faith to embrace the opportunity in your name. Lord, we repent of all sin that has been committed by our ancestors also that would degrade, slander, or bring another into slavery or manipulation. Lord forgive us and wash us of all our ancestors sins this day in Jesus Mighty Name!
Amen
DAY 8 THEME: “PRODIGAL SON’S ARE RETURNING"
DATE: THURSDAY 10TH OF OCTOBER 2024
Scripture Reading: Luke 15:25-35 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ 28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.”
Now the Lord has shown me that many backslidden Christians and prodigal children will come back to the Lord within this end-time revival and awakening, so let us look at this scripture more closely that we as a church maybe ready for what is to come.
Now as we read the parable, we see that both sons demanded their rights. Both related to the father for what they could get out of him. Both were lost in their own way. One in the far country. The other in the father’s house. Which is worse? Which are you?
Put yourself in the shoes of the elder brother. From where you stand, the little brat has diminished the money of the family estate by liquidating and wasting his share on prostitutes. And now he comes back, and your father kills the fatted calf! Humanly speaking, you have every reason to be angry or at least annoyed.
You throw a tantrum. You stake your claim. You snub the invitation to celebrate. You refuse to allow the healing of the family to run its course. You never say Father but Look here I do not agree! You never say Brother but this son of yours. All you can think about is your rights, a goat to feast on, not with family, but with friends. The father pleads. But by your own choice, you exclude yourself from the where the party is happening.
Alienation in the father’s house can be worse than the one lost in a far country. This elder brother is too blind to see that he too is lost. It is all too easy to hide behind one’s principles saying “I never disobeyed you” and disdain God’s grace and mercy.
The modern Church is filled with elder brother-types who are respectfully lost in the Father’s house. That have not spent enough time just sitting at the feet of Jesus. We need to re-discover God’s amazing love and reckless grace. We need to accept those who, like the prodigal, cannot merit one iota of God’s mercy or earn His forgiveness. We need revival saints and we need it more now than ever before.
The parable ends with the door wide open and the father pleading. Will you come in? Will you join the party? Will you receive the Kingdom as a little child? Will you receive and forgive your brothers and sisters?
Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
The focus for today is to repent of any sin you need to confess, any hurt, any big brother attitude or anger. Ask the Lord to help you extending forgiveness to others and yourself, letting people go whom have held you in bondage and guilt. We need to let go of disappointments, regrets and missed or lost opportunities suffered in our life’s, families, or the church. Get ready, as the remaining of 2024
will be a tremendously powerful and significant remaining year for you personally to get closer to God and for many more to catch the fire of repentance revival across the global body of Christ.
Today, we declare freedom and release over all spiritual bondages and mental strongholds, in our personal lives as well as for our body of Christ, in Jesus’ name.
Let us claim that our morning and day of reaping, and rejoicing has come this day in Jesus name (Psalm 30:5)
PRAYER FOR RESTORATION (Isaiah 35:1-2, 5-7)
Father, be merciful unto us and save us for the sake of Your name! We pray for freedom from all forms of imprisonment, all that limit or hinder progress in life and in ministry. Lord we ask You to appear and speak to us within our situation and show us what we don't know that keeps us in prison, and that You’ll show us great and mighty things (Jer. 33:1, 3; Ex. 5:22-6:1; Habakkuk. 2:1)
SEEK THE KINGDOM
Think about your history of relationships. Have you been offended by God’s reckless grace? Be honest. All of us have a tinge of the elder-brother’s spirit. Will you allow God to expose and deal with it? Will you open your heart to His kind of love? Will you reconcile? Will you choose to be merciful as God our Father is merciful? Pray:
PRAYER FOCUS DAY 8:
Dear Loving Father forgive me for pretending to be more spiritual than I am. Forgive me for begrudging Your lavish love and longsuffering mercies toward sinners. I confess I have been wayward at heart. I repent of my foolish sense of superiority. Forgive me for self-righteously judging, despising, and rejecting those who do not perform like me, those who have walked out on family and faith. To my shame, I have not served You out of joy and love, but out of duty and fear just to comply. Pluck out the hidden roots of spiritual pride and deception in my life. Create within me a right spirit and a compassionate love so that I may always—with open heart and open arms—accept and acknowledge, applaud, and affirm every sinner who comes home. Thank you, Father, for sending your son to the cross to die for us and that we may have life In Jesus Name, amen.
Start to pray for your community saints. Yes, spend some time now praying by location for individuals and families in your community and throughout the region who need to be saved today.
Pray that God will send into their lives believers who will witness to them and lead them to Christ.
You may also pray for persons that are close to your heart (e.g. business owners, single parents, teenagers, family members, heads of government and frontline workers that have been under pressure during this Corona Virus Pandemic).
Intercede on behalf of your nation and the nations of the earth. Bind every satanic spirit that is coming against the nations. Rebuke the spirit of corruption in the name of Jesus. Rebuke the spirit of murder and abortion over each nation. Ask God to shine His light into our society's and expose every evil work. Pray that the darkness of sin might be dispelled through the light of God’s Word.
The Bible tells us that promotion comes not from the east or the west but from God alone. (Psalm 75:6-7) Humble yourself before the Lord that He may promote you in His time. Seek His will and submit your plans to Him.
Give honour to the Lord today. He is your rock, your fortress, and your shield! The name of the Lord is a strong tower, so run into his name for safety today. Ask the Lord to guide you and direct your life. Whatever decisions you are facing today, commit them into God’s hands and pray for wisdom and direction.
Pray that the Lord will set you apart and set you on high so that your life will be a witness and testimony to the world. Ask God to elevate you at your work, in your family, and in your community, so that his light can shine out from you.
There is much error being taught in churches today. Pray for a return to the Bible, as our only source for doctrine and practice. Ask God to bring a revival of truth to the nations of the earth. A revival of Word & Spirit.
Intercede for lost souls. Ask God to lift the veil of deception from their eyes, so that they will see the truth of Jesus. Pray for your family and friends who don’t know Christ. Ask God to convict them of sin, and soften their hearts to receive His Word.
Intercede for all people that are in need for employment. Pray for their applicants to be given good positions. Seek the Lord for His peace, wisdom, and grace to be on their applicants, as they interview for positions.
Claim the promise of God’s blessing today. Ask God to increase your finances. Pray for Divine favour to open doors for you so that you will have contracts that will lead to financial success. Promotions in the workplace. Inherited blessings that will chase you. Seek the Lord for the wisdom you need to make wise financial decisions and investments.
FURTHER PRAYER FOCUS DAY 8:
Ask God to cause revival living waters to begin to touch every area of your life, family, your nation, your church, (Pastor Robert & Aida Clancy) Ministries and for them to bring healing to every sickness, life in place of death, fruitfulness in place of barrenness, multiplication in place of stagnation. Cover Pst Robert Clancy and his family from every reprisal attack from the enemy for all the work he is doing on the front lines against the forces of darkness. Yes, Lord protect them with your warrior angels as a hedge of protection around everything they do and go in Jesus Mighty Name!
Pray this prayer: Father, we are confident of this very thing; that He who has begun a good work in us; and in Pastor Robert Clancy’ s Ministries that you would provide everything for the ministry to see repentance revival go to the nations in Jesus’ name (Philippians 1:6). Give thanks to God for this and for answered prayers in your personal life also that He would provide for you according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. Remember as you pray for others, God takes care of your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.
Shalom
DAY 9 THEME: - “OPEN HEAVENS”
DATE: FRIDAY 11TH OF OCTOBER 2024
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Acts 10:1-3 “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.”
Assurance of Faith
We are believing God to bring an open heaven whilst we are waiting on the Lord in fasting and prayers. In this first instalment, I will like us to consider some things that we can hold on to, as we stand in prayers to believe God for our breakthrough.
What do we have to do to experience open heavens in our lives?
From the scriptures that we have been examining, we can see some helpful patterns emerge. One thing is very certain:
Child of God, you can live under open heavens. It is God's desire and plan for your life to live under, and experience continually open heavens. We are seated with Christ in heavenly places, and we know that Christ is seated in the very presence and at the right hand of the Father.
WHAT TO DO
God's Sovereignty — Many times, God opens the heavens to give man a revelation of His divine presence as a sovereign act without man's input.
Prayers — Our prayers position us to experience open heavens.
In our theme scripture today, Cornelius “provoked” open heavens, as the bible said concerning him:
“Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” Acts 10:3b
This is also confirmed by the following two scriptures:
Luke 3:21— “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened…”
James 5:17-18 —"Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.“
Have you remained steadfast and importunate in your prayers?
Giving — In the passage of scripture that we read earlier (Acts 10:3b), Cornelius's prayers and his generous giving pushed through the heavens to come before God. Your giving (material and financial) can cause the heavens to be open unto you.
Are you generous and consistent in your giving?
This principle can also be seen highlighted in Malachi 3:10 — "Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter,“ says the LORD who rules over all, "to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no room for it all.”
Are you faithful in your tithes and offerings to those the Lord lays it upon your heart to give?
Righteous Living and Obedience— As we read in from these two scripture passages from (In Deuteronomy 28:1-23 “12 The Lord will open to you His good [b]treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you [c]heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.”
and 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 “ When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”) , we see that God warned Israel that the heavens will be shut up against them if they lived in rebellion and sinned against Him; and conversely, He promised Solomon that with repentant heart and righteous living, His people's prayers will guarantee open heavens over their lives.
Are you living a life of obedience and righteousness?
Walking in God's Purpose — One of the ways for us to enjoy open heavens over our lives is to make a commitment to aligning with and walking in God's purpose for our lives. When we do this, God backs up His word in our lives with the whole of heaven's resources made available to fulfil His vision and call for our lives.
Are you walking in alignment with God's purpose for your life?
Faith — This is the building block that underpins every other thing that we have talked about.
It is the assurance of faith that we have in Christ Jesus, that guarantees us access to the throne room of God.
As the bible says in Ephesians 3:12b — “…in whom we have boldness and confident access to God because of Christ's faithfulness”.
As God did when Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal, and later when he declared to Ahab about God opening up the heavens to send down rain, God honoured Elijah because he honoured and declared God's words in faith. God responded to Elijah's faith by opening up the heavens to magnify His Name.
Child of God, God wants to do the same in your life as well.
Will you let Him?
PRAYER FOCUS DAY 9
Meditate on the points highlighted above and use them as a checklist to prepare yourself as we on day 9 for this month's fast. Is there anything you need to do or redress in order to position yourself for what we are praying to God for?
Begin to petition God based on His word and pray that you will begin to walk in the tangible manifestation of open heavens over your life—your household, family, ministry, business, finances, church etc.
Declare and confess over your life, that from today, you will begin to operate and live under open heavens. That God will open the heavens unto you and over you.
Declare that every area of your life will begin to manifest the blessings and evidence of open heavens in the Name of Jesus.
Declare and Decree that you will have supernatural favour as a child of God. New opportunities to prosper will come your way (supernaturally) – new business ventures, new geographic territories you have mapped out and want to take for Christ, opportunities to reap the harvest or even larger church premises given to cater for revival increase of souls and new connections in your life to bless you & your ministry.
Ask the Lord to show you and create opportunities to do mighty exploits for the Lord – in your family, your marriage, your friendships, your church, your community, your workplace, your country and in the mission field.
Declare that every opportunity to prosper in mind, body, soul and spirit will not be missed this year
Declare that every opportunity to preach the gospel or witness for Christ you will take.
Invite God to use you – seek out every opportunity to pray for others to bring glory to the Lord – decree that signs, wonders and miracles will follow us
Pray for your family, workplace, city, ministry, global body of Christ to receive breakthrough to enter the new era of delight, freedom and prosperity in the Lord
Pray for an increase of supernatural signs, wonders and miracles to be seen as believers pray for others and gather in groups to praise the name of the Lord.
Decree exponential growth in your spirit, knowledge and wisdom, revelation.
Decree that exponential growth will occur in the body of Christ and the finances to prosper to support the work of God.
DAY 10 THEME: “THE DAY OF ATONEMENT”
DATE: SATURDAY 12TH OF OCTOBER 2024
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Leviticus 23:26-28 “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 27 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God.”
Today Jewish people around the world will be the Yom Kippur fast, which started at sunset October 11th to Night fall today 12th of October. It’s the most serious day of the year, a day on which God calls the children of Israel to “afflict their souls” (Lev. 16:31) and “to make an atonement . . . for all their sins once a year” (Lev. 16:34).
Jews believe that on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, God writes down in the “Book of Life” what will happen to each person in the coming year. The book is then left open for ten days (Days of Awe) until Yom Kippur, when it is closed. But in those ten days it is possible to plead for mercy from both God and your fellow men; God can still change what is written up for you in the coming year.
As you will see as we dig in deeper one of the more mysterious chapters in the Old Testament is Leviticus Chapter 16, concerning the 10th day of the Hebrew seventh month, the Day of Atonement (see Leviticus 23:26-32). Chapter 16 discusses a series of animal offerings for this occasion, including that of two goats with roles determined by lot, and Israel’s high priest entering the Holy of Holies of the physical tabernacle. It also commands a fast on this day.
Ultimately, Leviticus 16 points to the dual roles that God our Father gave to Jesus Christ to become both our High Priest and ultimate sacrifice for our sins, as well as pointing to the complete removal of the source of sin.
A SINLESS HIGH PRIEST
We read in Leviticus 16:4 that ancient Israel’s high priest was to bathe himself on this occasion, then put on his priestly attire. In Leviticus 16:5-6 we read that he was to offer a bull as a sin offering for himself and his own family. This is significant in that it shows that no human being is without sin, not even the earthly high priest (see Hebrews 5:1-3). As a man, he too needed forgiveness; he needed to be washed clean so that he could perform his priestly duties.
But Jesus Christ, our true High Priest sent from God, never needed forgiveness (Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 7:26-28). He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Satan could never plant any of his evil nature in Him (John 14:30).
Israel’s high priest was to wear “the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers,” and “be girded with the linen sash” (Leviticus 16:4). This is similar to the clothing Christ wore when He appeared to the apostle John in a vision. Jesus was seen standing “in the midst of the seven lampstands . . . clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band” (Revelation 1:13). Some commentators note that the word translated “garment” here denotes priestly attire.
TWO GOATS—ONE FOR THE LORD, ONE FOR ANOTHER
Next, the high priest was to deal with the two goats. One would represent the Lord and the other, often called the “scapegoat,” would represent something else. He cast lots to determine which each would represent (Leviticus 16:8).
Note Leviticus 16:9: “And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering.” This goat, which represented the Lord, was sacrificed as a sin offering. It clearly stood for Jesus Christ, the ultimate sin offering who was slain for the sins of the whole world.
Since two goats were involved, many think both goats were to represent the Lord. But notice the contrast here in Leviticus 16:8: “One lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat”—or for Azazel, some Bible versions leaving the Hebrew word here untranslated. Clearly, only one goat was to represent the Lord. The other goat was not.
Note Leviticus 16:10: “But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat [or Azazel] shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness.”
So, this goat was not to be killed as the goat for the Lord was. The high priest was to “lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness” (Leviticus 16:21-22, New International Version, emphasis added throughout).
This sending away into the desert is part of the reason for translating Azazel as scapegoat, or goat that escapes. But many scholars identify Azazel as the name of a demon inhabiting the wilderness.
It stands to reason that Azazel is one in stark contrast to the Lord—indeed, the ultimate enemy Satan the devil. So the goat here, the Azazel goat, represented Satan, or evil. No wonder Jesus found Satan out in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). Deserts represent cursed places, devoid of God’s blessing.
Also, for those of us familiar with images of the occult, we often know that they will use a goat, especially those in Satanism circles. Yes, from modern entertainment to music videos to ancient Norse religions to Greek religions, who incorporated goats as objects of worship. Now, in Satanist circles, they worship Baphomet and often glorify imagery of goats and statues, as goats represent stubbornness and evil. Remember for now Satan the prince of this world is calling the shots during these wicked Endtime, but his days are coming to a close very soon and he knows it. But our hope alone is in Christ Jesus.
Christ bore our sins to the cross to pay the ransom price for them through His own blood (and the resurrected Christ was portrayed by the high priest presenting the slain goat’s blood before God). In contrast, Satan bears the blame for sin as he was the first to lead mankind astray in the Garden of Eden and continues to deceive humanity today (2 Corinthians 11:3). And he is the tempter (Matthew 4:3)—enticing the world into sin.
The high priest placing sins on the live goat and having it driven away parallels the future of Satan and his demons at Christ’s return. They will be removed at the outset of Jesus’ reign over the nations, as John describes in Revelation 20:1-3:
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished . . .”
Jesus died for our sins. But Satan will bear blame for his role in our sins and be banished. And with the instigator of sin removed, the world will more easily be led to atonement, “at-one-ment,” meaning to be at one—with God.
Consider that if the live goat represented the resurrected Christ, then this would mean the sins Christ bore on the cross are placed back onto Him after His resurrection. Clearly this is not what happened.
And there is another distinction scholars have noted. We see that the Azazel goat was to be driven from the camp of Israel. In other words, this goat was not to dwell with humanity again. This banishment fits with Satan’s future. Yet it is the exact opposite of the role of Jesus Christ, who has promised to be with His people forever. “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).
JESUS AS HIGH PRIEST AND PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR ALL MANKIND
In Leviticus 16:17 we read of Israel’s high priest: “There shall be no man in the tabernacle of meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place.” The high priest did this atonement work alone. Christ, too, did His work alone. Earlier, His disciples “all forsook Him and fled,” Mark 14:50. Indeed, He felt so totally alone that he cried out to His Father: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). At that point, Jesus alone bores the sins of all humanity.
And in His awesome sacrifice Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system God gave to Israel (see Hebrews 9:13-14). The animal sacrifices on Atonement and those at other times ultimately pointed to the coming sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:4 states: “Because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” And in Hebrews 10:8-10 we read: “First he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them’—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”
These verses plainly state that the sacrificial system is not necessary today—that we have the one sacrifice for us we need, that of Jesus Christ. Indeed, to His Father He “appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). This one-time sacrifice of our great High Priest once and for all is more than sufficient to pay for the sins of all of humanity.
Today, however, Jesus’ sacrifice and priestly work is properly accepted with repentance by only a few. But after He returns, all mankind will come to truly understand what He has done for us.
It’s interesting to note that Jesus’ sacrifice is portrayed vividly in the spring feast of Passover, the day on which He died, as well as in this fall Holy Day of Atonement. The “The Day of Atonement and Passover both teach us about the forgiveness of sin and our reconciliation with God through Christ’s sacrifice. However, Passover concerns the redemption of the firstborn and thus applies most directly to Christians whom God has called in this age, while Atonement carries universal implications.”
Christ’s sacrifice and intercessory work as our High Priest allows us to come before God’s throne continually (see Hebrews 4:14-16)—to enter the Holy of Holies in a spiritual sense—and cast Satan out of our lives now. But this will not be experienced by all Israel and the world at large until widespread repentance following Christ’s second coming and the full banishment of Satan from the world scene (as pictured in the fall feasts).
AN OBSERVANCE TO KEEP TODAY WITH FASTING
In Leviticus 23:27 God commanded ancient Israel: “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month [i.e., Atonement], you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all” (see also Leviticus 23:31; Leviticus 23:26-32). This meant they were too fast—to go without food and water—for a period of 24 hours.
Psalms 35:13 says that King David humbled himself with fasting. The word “humbled” is anah in the Hebrew, which is the same word we find in Leviticus 23:27, translated as afflict. Thus, to afflict one’s soul or being refers to the humbling process we go through when we fast. This day of fasting is for the purpose of humbling ourselves before God in a repentant and obedient frame of mind—to practice self-control with God’s help as we seek Him.
This time of fasting is not for the purpose of appearing to other people to be righteous (Matthew 6:16). Fasting as a display to others is hypocritical and vain. Scripture tells us that we are to fast only for the glory of God (Zechariah 7:5).
Fasting typifies the kind of humble, repentant, and obedient attitude we as Christians must have. Christ promised that in the ages following His first coming, His disciples would fast on occasion (Matthew 9:15).
The Day of Atonement is still mentioned long after Christ’s death and resurrection as “the Fast” in Acts 27:9. Paul and his gentile companion Luke were still observing this Holy Day by fasting. Many biblical commentaries acknowledge that verse is indeed referring to the Day of Atonement. Certainly, if Paul, the apostle to the gentiles, observed this day, then Christians are free (1 Corinthians 11:1) to observe this day as well. But we must understand the necessity of the Day of Atonement was rendered void by Jesus’ death on the cross with our debt being paid!
Leviticus 16 is a remarkable chapter in portraying two of the major roles of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament high priest typified the role of Christ as our ultimate High Priest. And the goat which was slaughtered was a type of the one great sacrifice our loving Father gave for the entire world, so that, in the words of John 3:16, “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
PRAYER FOCUS DAY 10:
PERSONAL PRAYER SAID BEFORE YOM KIPPUR:
Here I stand, lacking in good deeds and in fear and trembling before the throne of the God of Israel. I come before you to beg for mercy for your people Israel who have sent me. Even though I am unworthy and unsuited for the task, I plead to you, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: Lord, Lord, compassionate and merciful, God, Shaddai, awesome and fearsome. May you bring success to my task of pleading for compassion for me and for those who sent me. Do not reckon my sin or my evil deeds against them, for I am a sinner and evildoer. May they not be put to shame by the evil I have done, nor may I be put to shame because of them. And receive my prayers as of one the elders who has a good reputation among the people. Rebuke Satan not to mislead me. And may love to you be the essence of our prayers. And cover all our misdeeds with love in Yeshua Might Name!
• Lord, we pray for the people around us who do not realize You are coming soon and first are coming to snatch away Your bride, so please awaken their hearts in Jesus Mighty Name!
• Please show us the things in our lives that are not surrendered to You to make us rapture ready. We give these things to You and ask You to change our hearts.
• Please continue to shape our characters and prepare us for Your coming.
• Lord, draw close to people who are afraid of Your snatching away, so they will not endure your wrath to come before Your second coming. May they surrender their lives to You in Jesus Mighty Name!
• Please use each of us to tell others the good news of Your soon snatching away in the clouds in Jesus Mighty Name!
• Father, please give us a heightened sense of urgency in our work for You. Let us live with daily hope that Jesus is coming soon to take His bride to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
• Lord, bless the work of each person participating worldwide. Strengthen them to continue to the works of Christ Jesus in their daily life’s.
• Lord, we pray for each person on our individual prayer lists. May they see their need and open their hearts to the Holy Spirit.
• Lord, thank You for Your promise: “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
• Thank You that You have people in every city who are hopefully looking to heaven and awaiting your return and snatching away in the rapture.
• Thank You that You are working in the hearts of the people we are praying for today and may you bless everyone participating in this fast in Jesus Mighty Name!
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS 10 DAY PRAYER AND FASTING PROGRAM FOR OCTOBER 2024. FOR THOSE THAT DON’T KNOW EACH WEEK WE HAVE CORPORATE FRIDAY FASTING AND EVERY MONTH WE HAVE EXTENDED CORPORATE FASTING AND PRAYERS THAT ARE NO LESS THAN 3 DAYS IN LENGTH. ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN AS THE LORD TARRIES. MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME!
SHALOM, SHALOM, SHALOM
Pastor Robert Clancy