THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT DEVOTIONALS – BY RICHARD E. S. TAKIM

TODAY’S DEVOTION (Thursday 10th February 2022)

Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So, I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.

And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So, I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness. Ezekiel 3:1-3 NKJV

WELCOME TO THE 41st DAY OF OUR YEAR OF AMAZING GRACE

God has been gracious to us. We just crossed a major threshold yesterday – the 40-day threshold of the year 2022. Not many survive a 40-year threshold of a year. That is why some have already died. We need to give God the glory for that even as we prepare for what He has for us today!

Its been a 28-Day journey with a vision to kindle the fire of Righteous Prayers in our lives. God has for these 10 days spoken to us, through this medium, some faith building truths that carry in them the anointing that can help us to have a healthy prayer life. All that is left is application.

Today we are going a step further from where we stopped yesterday.

In our journey of truth of late, we have been looking at how to cultivate a prayer heart. Praying mouths without a prayer heart are a joke in the prayer realm. If you have been following the flow you would have known what a prayer heart is, otherwise please go back to previous devotionals and read for yourself. The Bible says;

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NKJV

This scripture has one of the characteristics of a prayer heart. It is a heart that prays according to God’s will and knows that God has heard it even before it prays. And you see the results as it prays, not just hoping that things will happen.

Jesus had a prayer heart that was why He did not even pray in some instances. He just spoke. When you have a prayer heart, it is not all time you pray appealing prayers. Most times you command things into existence having known the will of the Father and coming into its power in the Spirit realm.

WITH A PRAYER HEART, IT WAS NOT ALL THE TIME JESUS PRAYED FOR THE SICK AND AFFLICTED.

Most times He spoke their healing and deliverance into being. There were just few times He prayed. One of it was at the graveside of Lazarus. Here was the kind of prayer He prayed – the aim was to raise the man from dead. The Bible says;

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” John 11:40-44 NKJV

Now that is what we call exploits of prayer hearts. It knows that God hears it always because it is always at the center of His will and ways. It does not doubt God or enter the prayer room without being sure of what to expect. It is sure of what will come out of the prayer time even before engaging in prayer.

Prayer becomes the sweetest thing to engage in as a kingdom citizen, if you have a prayer Heart. Can you imagine knowing that God will hear you before you even call? It will keep you in the prayer knee ruling your world with the answers He provides to your prayers.

With a prayer heart, before you call God will answer, and while you are still speaking, He will hear. That is why we must cultivate a prayer heart, and the first step to take was discussed in previous devotions. It has to do with having a pure heart. The second step is meditation.

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

We spoke about having a regular quiet time in the last devotional. Mediation, if understood, will result in one having regular quiet times before the LORD. Though not a monopoly of life in Christ, it is one of instruments for building a strong prayer life.

Meditation is practiced in so many religions and has become men’s way of contacting the supernatural, either in God or in the kingdom of darkness. That tells us how unique the human soul is. There is Godly meditation and there is ungodly meditation.

To mediate, generally, is to think deeply about something, focusing your entire being on it.

In Godly meditation, the Spirit of God empowers our hearts to instruct us as we think deeply or focus our entire being on what we may be reading in the Holy Scriptures, what we may be listening to, or what may have listened to in a teaching. The Spirit gives us counsel in the process, and if you have your note book, you take it down. The Bible says;

“I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” Psalm 16:7-8 NKJV

It is through Godly meditation that we see this scripture made manifest in our lives. It is through Godly meditation we develop a prayer heart and set the LORD always before us. It is through Godly meditation that we see the LORD manifesting His presence in our lives in our intimate places and tight corners. Take time to make this great Christian value part of your walk and talk with the LORD.

THERE IS NOTHING AS BEAUTIFUL AS SPENDING A MOMENT WITH THE LORD, IN GODLY MEDITATION.

If we do it every morning of our lives, we will become so sound in faith, build a prayer spirit and even see the prayer and prophecy anointing resting on us so strongly.

The Bible actually said we will be like trees planted by the river of water, especially in spiritual matters and in every other aspect of life. People will come to seek counsel and even God’s power from you. The word says whatever we do in GOD’s will, shall prosper.

The psalmist put it this way!

“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law, he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3 NKJV

From this scripture that many ignore, it’s clear that the devil is not really our problem. The Bible says Jesus has defeated him over two thousand years ago on the cross. We are our problems.

We do not get ourselves involved in things that guarantees our prosperity. We often follow the flesh as it leads us to get ourselves engaging in things that destroys.

We walk in the counsel of the ungodly, sit in the seats of mockers, stand in ways of sinners, have no delight in the word of the LORD.

Have no time for Godly mediation and all that. We waste our morning hours doing nothing spiritually productive, and come out with a life that is hindered in all fronts by the obstacles of life.

How do you expect your life to turn out well doing all the negatives? It will never! How to you expect to come to the realm of righteous prayers? It will be impossible.

The problem we have is Christianity without Christian values and practices. That is why many believers are dead in spirit. They have no constant touch with divinity. Except they use sin, iniquity or trespass to get what they want, life is always terrible with them.

THERE IS NO PROSPERITY OF THE RIGHTEOUS IN THE LIVES OF MANY RIGHTEOUS ONES.

It is saddening how we serve a mighty God and yet are living like slaves. Slaves of lack, sin, diseases, fear or even demons. Many are always in need of deliverance and all that, just because they will not put simple Christian values and practices like Godly meditation to work.

We do so many big things that carry no results in them and forget the small things that do. The Bible says,

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8 NKJV

This scripture was an instruction God originally gave to Joshua the man who succeeded Moses. It was the main thrust of his walk and talk with God. It opened Heavenly dimensions for him and gave him uncommon success in his life and ministry.

Joshua was actually given Godly meditation as the key to his success. It remains a vital key even today. I believe if this key becomes the anchor scripture of our lives, we will see the same God, break out through us and for us, and give us even more miracles than He gave Joshua.

Sadly, often times we forget that the Only secret God gave to Joshua to apply in overcoming his enemies, coming into greatness and fulfilling his destiny was Godly Meditation.

We do not sit to consider that the only way the man of God made His way prosperous was through Godly meditation, and since we are dealing with the same GOD, it is through Godly meditation that we will make our righteous ways prosperous.

Our devotional text says;

… “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So, I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So, I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

From this scripture it is clear that when we engage in Godly meditation, we get the belly of our spirits filled what God’s proceeding word, turning our live around. It is one sure way of cultivating a prayer heart, and coming into Heavenly dimensions.

As we bring this to a close, do not forget that the power of Godly meditation could be the only power you need to unleash in your life to come to the sunny side of life. Things will definitely change for the better as you begin to engage it in your walk with the LORD. Amen!

MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY

“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-9 NKJV