WAR FEARS RISING IN MIDDLE EAST – TIME FOR GOD’S WATCHMEN TO RISE UP IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE

The coming year 2020 will be fraught with difficulties and turmoil across the globe. The killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani has punctuated this fact. I would say the Biblical Prince of Persia who withstood Michael the Archangel in Daniel 10:13 has been aroused. Spiritual warfare is real (Ephesians 6.10-18).

Daniel was Yahweh’s watchman and he is our example of how to wage spiritual warfare. He put his life aside and sought the Lord with all his heart and strength. Daniel understood what was at stake and how to attack in the spirit.

Daniel chapter 9 is our model of spiritual warfare and strategy. The strategy begins in our hearts. Daniel was a humble man who tread lightly before the Father. His spiritual battle was to see the word of God fulfilled in the issue of Judah’s return to the Holy Land from their captivity in Babylon.

He began entreating Yahweh in prayer bringing the Word before the Lord. Daniel understood the time of captivity was fulfilled in the word spoken by Jeremiah and he began by presenting this word before God. His approach was by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3).

Supplication is a humble presence before God. Daniel had a supplicant’s heart and made confession before Yahweh. He confessed his sins and the sins of the nation of Judah. He made no demands. Daniel chapter 9 is an amazing confession and humbleness before the Almighty God of the Universe.

 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.

 “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. Daniel 9.7-11

Daniel begins with himself, then Judah, and finally all Israel. He is making no demands—only requests. He has a contrite heart for himself and the nation.

Why are our kings, princes, and fathers confused? Because we have sinned against the Lord and His LAW. This is the state of the nations of this world today. We refuse to obey God’s law.

 “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. Daniel 9.13-14

Daniel included himself. We are all poor before the Almighty.

The power in Daniel’s supplication could not be fake. He was literally “prostrating” himself before the Lord. His heart was true and humble. This was his spirit before Yahweh.

This is how we must wage war in the spirit. We need to really understand how blessed we are to have such a Holy and Righteous King! We can’t fake humbleness of spirit. It must be real. Then we can come into Yahweh’s presence and supplicate before Him.

This is exactly what our Lord Yeshua did and taught us to do.

In the coming weeks let’s think about this and thank our God for all his mercies and blessings He has bestowed on us.

All of these things which are taking place in the Middle East are about Yahweh and the return of Yeshua to Jerusalem. It is about the coming Millennial Kingdom of Yeshua on Earth.

Iran hates God’s people and their desire is to wipe them off the face of the earth. Great conflict will be coming at an appointed future date. The modern State of Israel is ground zero.

Watchmen are being called to intercede before God in humble supplication for all these coming events. We can use this time to examine ourselves before Him and start in a humble way to begin learning how to wage war in the Spirit.

He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holds me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, so that my feet did not slip. Psalm 18:34-36

Our humble prayers and fasting will reach the throne. We can start this now. Take a simple approach and confess before the Father. Do a simple fast of 24 hours. Build upon this one day at a time. The Father will honor our true hearts.

There was a man named Rees Howells, 1879-1950, who was raised up by God to intercede for individuals and nations. He was led to start a Bible College in Wales in the 1930’s to teach the Bible and intercession. During the Second World War he and the students at this college prayed for the allied forces throughout the war years.

They waged war in the Spirit as import battles were being waged at the same time. They would wrestle and pray and when they felt a breakthrough they would stop and take note of the time. Later in the week the newspaper accounts of the battles would list the time the allies broke through. It was the same time they had stopped praying!

Many times the battle was not decisive. They continued praying. We know how WW II ended. What most do not know is that this small group of spiritual warriors were battling in the Spirit during these events.

Before Mr. Howells died the Father told him that this war was about getting the Jewish people to return to what was then called Palestine. The Jewish people did not want to leave Europe just prior to the war. http://www.thechoicedrivenlife.com/uploads/Rees%20Howells%20Intercessor.pdf

The Jewish people did not believe how they were going to be persecuted and slaughtered. Most did not leave Europe when they had the chance. This horrible conflict and holocaust motivated the Jewish people to return in droves.

After the war the majority of European Jews were put in displaced person camps while the allies decide where to relocate them. At this time the overwhelming majority of displaced Jews only wanted to relocate to one place—back to their Biblical homeland.

The reason the land was called Palestine was because that is the name the ancient Romans named Judea. After the Bar Kochba revolt in 132-135 AD/CE the Romans (Emperor Hadrian) raised Jerusalem and renamed it Aelia Capitolina. The Romans changed the name of Judea to Syria Palaestina in honor of the Philistines who were the Biblical enemies of the Jews. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aelia_Capitolina     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria_Palaestina

This is history the current day Palestinians do not want to admit. They do not really want a two state solution. They want one state—theirs and with no Jews. Only Yeshua can negotiate a true peace that will last.

Let us begin to consider becoming watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem. We can be used as intercessors during these times. Ask the Father for direction and he will guide us and teach our hands to war. We can begin a step at a time just as the Father led Mr. Howells.

It can be difficult because the prayers are for such large and important events. You may get discouraged because it seems nothing positive is happening—but Yahweh will hear.

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5.16

Amos 3:7 - Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Isaiah 62:6 - I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence….