Do you ever wonder just how much of Satan’s oppression we, as God’s people, are going to take before we get fed up with it?
How much crime are we going to put up with in our cities? How much moral darkness are we going to allow in our communities? How much godlessness and atheistic teaching are we going to let into our schools?
How long will it take for us to get so tired of it all that we finally rise up, put on our spiritual armor, take our place in prayer, and put Satan on the run?
We have the spiritual authority to do that, you know. For the most part, we just haven’t been fed up enough to use it.
In many ways, the Church — especially the American Church — has fallen into the same trap the Israelites did in the Old Testament. Just as they groaned and complained about the oppression of Pharaoh, yet continued to submit to it, we groan and gripe about the encroachments of Satan. We complain about the abortions in our nation, about the exploding pornography industry, about gay marriages, the legal assaults on the public expressions of Christianity, and countless other issues. Yet we continue to put up with it, year after year.
That must be a common problem with God’s people because, like us, the Israelites didn’t do that just once. They did it again and again.
Consider, for example, how long they put up with the harsh oppression of the Canaanite king named Jabin. Judges chapter four tells us he put the Israelites in bondage after they’d been delivered from Egyptian slavery when they were living in their own homes right in the middle of the Promised Land! Jabin had absolutely no legal right to rule over them, but they tolerated his tyranny anyway for 20 long years.
Why? Probably because they thought he was stronger than they were. After all, he had 900 chariots of iron and the Israelites didn’t. He had a mighty military commander named Sisera and multitudes of soldiers. The Israelites had no such military might.
So they put up with Jabin’s devilish domination year after year — until they finally got fed up.
This week, as you read about how the Israelites finally threw off the yoke of Jabin, I want you to think about your own situation. Look around at your family, your community, and your nation to see what kind of devilish domination you’ve been tolerating. Ask the Lord to show you areas where you’ve submitted to Satan’s tyranny and acted as if you have no power to overthrow it. Make up your mind that instead of griping and complaining about the oppression of the enemy, you’re going to stir up your righteous indignation and go to battle on your knees.
Dare to get fed up.
Scripture Reading: Judges 4:1 – 10
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!”