ESTHER’S WARRIORS MINISTRY
Blessings as we begin Holy Week! This is considered the holiest week for believers as it begins with Jesus’s triumphant arrival in Jerusalem; includes His most humbling act of servitude when He washes the disciple’s feet; the last supper with His followers on earth before His crucifixion; His suffering and death on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the dead. It is a week like no other in history lived out by the Son of God to die for our sins and set us free if we choose to follow Him. Wow! Take a minute and think about this coming week from that perspective.
Just imagine the excitement that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. Word had spread about His compassion for the people and the massive number of healings that flowed from Him. Even more amazing was the news that Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead! No wonder the crowds went out to meet Him with palm branches and cries of “Hosanna!” Can you just sense the atmosphere! Within days all would dramatically change to open the way for Jesus to finish once and for all on the cross the ravages of sin for those who would choose to follow Him down through the ages.
During this week, before His arrest, Jesus prayed for all believers, “I do not pray for these alone [those present with Him as He spoke], but also for those who will believe in Me through their word [that would be us if we choose to believe in Him]; that they all may be one [He prayed for unity among believers], as You Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us [that we would have relationship with the Lord] , that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20-21)
Reread this a few times. His plan for those who followed Him is that we will 1) believe in Him, 2) share that belief through our testimony of what He has done for us, 3) stand in unity with all believers in the body of Christ regardless of denominational differences, 4) be so connected through personal relationship with the Lord that we are one with Him. These four actions if taken will result in His final statement that by observing believers flowing in unity and relationally connected to the Lord our witness of Him will be to the world so that all can believe and be saved.
There are many services across the body of Christ throughout this Holy Week. Make it a point to attend and really meditate on all that took place this week for Jesus to set you free. Fast, pray, join other believers. Seek the Lord on where in your life unity may have broken down. Whether with other believers, within your family, or with your relationship with Him, ask His Holy Spirit to show you clearly and help you heal the fracture within your heart (and it is always a heart issue) to go forward.
Please join us this week as we ‘pray the states’ toward the 2012 Presidential election. Each state is important in forming our United States of America. We commit to pray for a different state each week so we not only provide prayer cover but also to make us aware that our country is bigger than the space we personally occupy in it.
This week please cover North Carolina admitted to the Union November 21, 1789. We are praying for each state in the order of admission to the Union. Pray for wisdom and discernment for the political leaders, pastors and church leaders, the people residing in North Carolina and for all in our Nation. These are our United States. Let us pray that we will arise ‘for such a time as this!’ Please repost and share.
Thank you for your continued faithfulness to pray. Keep our servicemen and women and their families in prayer for salvation and safety. They are our frontline on the battlefield, let us be their frontline in the spirit. May God richly bless you this week and bring your heart to a place of unity and wholeness.