Joshua 2:12–13
The Bible gives us an Old Testament picture of how the blood can protect us and our loved ones through the story of a woman named Rahab. She lived in the city of Jericho in the days when the Israelites were conquering the Promised Land.
Talk about a dangerous time and place to live—Rahab’s house was actually built into one of Jericho’s walls!
Naturally speaking, there was no way she could escape destruction, but somehow she did. When the Israelites started marching and Jericho’s walls fell down flat, Rahab’s house stayed intact. She and her family stayed safe while everyone else in the city was killed.
And there was one simple reason.
Rahab obeyed the instructions of the Israelite spies who told her to tie a scarlet cord (which represented the blood of the Passover Lamb) in her window. Then she brought her entire family into her house so they could be kept under the sign of the blood.
Let’s follow Rahab’s example. Let’s faithfully plead the blood over our family members and other loved ones so that when Jesus returns, they’ll be ready to meet Him. Let’s follow the instructions the Lord gave to that dear praying minister, Jeanne Wilkerson. He said to her, “Tell the people to name their loved ones in prayer before Me. Call to Me in faith and use the blood and I will see to it that they make it to heaven even if I have to wrestle them on their beds in
the night time.”
Let’s keep using our weapons and winning great battles for the kingdom of God.
Scripture Reading: Joshua 2:1–21
Excerpt permission granted by Lynne Hammond Ministries
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”