"Faith, Not Fear" prayer campaign

As we step into a new era of our Promised Land, we are either ready or not to face the giants. We have been trained in the wilderness for this moment in time, our faith tested in many ways. Yet there comes a point in time when the final exam arrives and our test of faith matters most.

This was the case when the Israelites received the report of the 12 spies in Numbers 13. The people were either full of fear or full of faith. The fearful had no time to increase their faith, and the faithful ones suddenly stood out in the crowd. Jesus Himself holds the measuring rod of all faith, and only He knows who has faith or fear.

We all have fear in some ways, but an overcomer is able to overcome fear because his/her faith is stronger. So if you look inward and see some fear, do not fear your fear nor be discouraged. It is like soldiers in the line of fire. They all have some level of fear and acknowledge this as a good thing; but they do not allow their fear to paralyze them, because they have been trained to overcome it.

The Assyrian general, Rabshakeh, was the agent of fear in the time of Hezekiah. His calling was to sift the hearts of the Judeans to see who was fearful and who was faithful. Joah, the scribe and record keeper, wrote down what was said in the negotiations (Isaiah 36:3). They wanted those negotiations to be private, but Rabshakeh spoke loudly in the Hebrew language, rather than in the Babylonian language of Aramaic (Isaiah 36:11, 12, 13).

The ambassadors had been instructed to keep silent (Isaiah 36:21), but when they returned to give council to the king, Shebna advocated capitulation, while Eliakim had faith in God’s deliverance. The moment of truth had arrived. Hezekiah finally sent word to Isaiah to inquire of the Lord (Isaiah 37:2, 5).

Up to this point, Isaiah had been ignored, because his word was contrary to all others. What follows is a long prophecy and an amazing deliverance of Jerusalem—all because the king finally passed his greatest test of faith. All of his past fear and disobedience (such as sending ambassadors to enlist the help of Egypt) was overcome by present faith, and he was then known as a righteous king.

He was so transformed that he wrote the 15 Songs of Degrees (Psalm 120-134), which the people sang as they ascended the mountain to Jerusalem on the various feast days. The NASB calls them the Songs of Ascent. We too want to ascend from fear to faith.

The battle against the giants has already begun. Throughout history, of course, we have always faced giants in our lives, but we now face them on a ministry level as well. The current battleground is in South Africa, where today the team declared war against the giants controlling the earth.

Having been given legal cause against them, we had to decide if this particular battleground was where we should take our stand or avoid a war and let the giants win this one. We determined that war with the giants is inevitable and that this particular hill is as good a place as any. In fact, the lawlessness of the giants gives us legal cause, and because God is with us, victory is assured.

The Model Prayer

Heavenly Father, we know that You have led us to this point in time where we are to see Your promises fulfilled in us. The giants are of great size, and those who function in fear believe that they are mere grasshoppers in comparison. But this is Your battle, and we know that these giants are mere grasshoppers in Your sight.

So we say with Caleb, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it” (Numbers 13:30). We believe the words of Joshua, who said, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey… [We] do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; [we] do not fear them” (Numbers 14:7-9).

Father, we appeal to You on account of the blasphemy of Your enemies who claim that You are not able to deliver Your people. We take up the Ark of Your Presence and advance upon the enemies of Your Kingdom. “Rise up, O Lord! And let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You” (Numbers 10:35). Bring us and the whole earth into Your rest, so that the earth may become Your footstool.

Thank-you, heavenly Father, for going before us as a great light that scatters all darkness. Thank-you for giving us the victory, for we believe that You are able to do all that You have promised.

We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.