Get your sword!

Nehemiah 4:10 AMP Then [the leaders of] Judah said,“The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is much rubble; we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall.”

In some translations it says that their strength was decaying. Do you know what they did? They prayed. This is how I take a step back and regain my perspective (not really mine, but His). In January I got to share a teaching called “Reset Your Position” with my church. I had heard the term “RESET” a lot when it came to 2021. We were in twenty one days of prayer and fasting as a church. There are different ways to fast. When you fast you are putting out a request for reset. However, if you are not in prayer during the time of fasting, that reset will not last. You will go back to the old way of thinking and doing things.

Just because you pray and fasted for seven, ten or twenty one days does not mean the enemy is not going to try to take away your revelation. You need to reset your position.

Nehemiah 4:17-18 AMP Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens loaded themselves so that everyone worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. Every builder had his sword secured at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet [to summon the troops] stood at my side. 

In Ephesians chapter six we read about putting on the full armor of God. Part of that armor is a sword. Called the sword of the spirit, which represents the Word of God. A sword is an offensive weapon. You have to know your Word to do battle against the enemy.

Ephesians 6:18 AMP With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people. 

Prayer is also an essential part of a believer’s life. We are all called to intercede (pray). Not all of us have been called to spiritual warfare prayer, but we all have been called to pray. Why?

Remember Jesus knows what it feels like to be us. He got tired too. I think He had a lot of tired moments. What He was about to do was going to take all of His strength. Jesus modeled how we need to reset our position.

Matthew 26:38-39 (AMPC)Then He said to them, My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me. And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire.

Judas knew where to find Him because this was not the first time He had been there. Actually we see Jesus going off to pray, especially after time of great ministry and miracles. Why? He had to reset His position.

At the gym we see all kinds of people. I get a chuckle at the ones who are working on a machine and doing it all wrong. It is not like the instructions are not written on the machine. It is like Dwight, from “The Office” (a television series), going to the gym and he puts the dip belt (the one you where on your waist to add more than your body weight to do dips); he puts it on his head and gets two dumb bells and extends his arms out. I see people in the gym do this and I am like “bless their heart.” I think God thinks the same way about us when we miss quote scripture or try to blame Him for why we are going through and what we go through.

I need to reset my position not just when I fast though. I need to reset my position when I am out doing what He called me to do. We were not meant to carry this alone. Jesus could not either. He had to reset His position. He had to go back to the Father. He knew the Word. He had the Holy Spirit. He also surrounded Himself with people to help do the work of the ministry. Nehemiah (being a personification of the Holy Spirit) did the same thing.

I encourage you today, that if you have not taken the time to get in the Word, that it is one of the greatest weapons against the enemy for your life. Reset your time in prayer. Remember you need the Holy Spirit and the Body of Christ to carry out all that He desires to do in your life. Be blessed!