The dead of night in a prison cell seems to be much darker than in most other places. Two men sat next to each other awestruck and astonished by the past 24 hours’ events. Their wounds formed crimson creeks over their wearied bodies, mapping the pathways of the brutal rods of the Romans. It was happening. They were thrown into prison just as their Beloved Messiah said they would be. In the dark of night their faces gradually started to light up like a candle in the dark. They vividly remember their friend, Peter, telling them about a dark night just like the one they were drenched in at this moment in time. Peter found himself in a place not as confined as the one they were hostaged in. Yet his heart felt much more imprisoned. He could feel the tension in the spiritual realm building up like a frantic storm amongst the branches of the olive trees. The atmosphere thundered violently. But the night sky was clearly in display with all the heavenly hosts in full array. The full moon wrapped its light around the garden of Gethsemane, causing tall shadows to be cast in all the nooks and crannies of the stately trees. A stone cast away he could see his Beloved Messiah, battling on His knees. His moonlit face immersed in tears. Could it be blood that formed traces on His face? Peter remembered His words just an hour or so earlier.. “Watch and pray, Peter. Keep watch with Me!” His eyes were still filled with shalom but the creases on His face was filled with tension and earnestness. What would trouble Him so deeply at this hour? His other two friends slumbered next to him. He was seemingly awake but He could not will his mind to be fixed on prayer. His bewildered thoughts were running around in an uncontrollable fashion. He glanced at Yeshua once more and felt the urge to push through in prayer.. “Our Father in heaven..” He looked up at the stars and remembered the covenant made with their father Abraham. “May Your name be kept holy.. Oh, for Your Kingdom to come and Your will to be done..” He glanced over again to the place where Yeshua prayed. Yeshua knelt, leaning forward in a fetal position. His face turned towards the dark sky and His soul bellowed the same words “Not My will but Yours be done.”
In the hush of night Silas and Paul felt less alone. They could suddenly feel the presence of One greater amongst them. Paul thought about His promise. He whispered it underneath His breath. “I will never leave you nor forsake you..” Never. Not in this prison. Not in this season. Never in all of the wide expanse of eternity. Yeshua knew first-hand the violent force of being forsaken by His Abba. Paul felt less alone. His heart glistened with hope longing to erupt from within. His heart started to whisper a prayer which soon turned into a jubilant paradoxal praise. He was beaten, struck down, imprisoned. But the mere thought of Yeshua being there with them caused His heart to burst forth like the break of dawn with prayer and praise. Seconds later Silas joined into the minute choir of two. A silence fell over all of the prison territory. Weary, weakened souls listened attentively to the anthem of hope, the war cry of the Beloved. Worship exhaustively filled the passage ways and cells and the hearts of all who had ears to hear. The ground started trembling tremendously. Chamber gates flew open. The captives where set free by the Judge of all the earth and all that exists. Although they physically never left the prison doors, their lives would be forever changed by the prayer of two righteous men.
And so beloved, let us pray without ceasing.
Will you drink from My cup?
While you’re looking up
Searching for My eyes
In the darkened skies
Guiding you,
Leading you.
Do you have ears
Willing to hear?
Will you obey
When you hear Me say
What you should do,
Even if it might seems strange to you?
Will you trust Me, fully,
Even when it seems too foggy to clearly see?
Will you watch and pray
Till the break of day?
There is a harvest
I want you to yield
A treasure
to be found in My field
Foundations anciently laid
A bridal chamber that will not fade
When ALL seems undone
Know that I AM not yet done
I AM eternally minded
If you seek it, you will find it
Will you choose to hear My voice
Above all the world’s noise?
Will you learn in Whom to abide
As you come under My shadow to hide?
I AM above all
of the turmoil
So make sure your lamp is still ablaze
Finding extra oil within My grace
For I AM gracious,
full of loving kindness
Within Me
your mind can find soundness
In storms or stillness
Still,
I AM!
2 Chronicles 7:14
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
In these words, we receive an invitation to the heart of our Father. He longs for us to approach Him in humility. O, if they had such a heart within them! He longs to be attentive to our prayers
Psalms 34:15
The eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry
We also see that righteousness forms a pivotal part of prayer. He longs for our prayers to be fervent and not lukewarm. He desires prayer that is filled with faith even if we vulnerably have to confess, “I believe, help my unbelief.”
James 5:16
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.
Even when words fail us in mere human weakness, the Spirit Himself prays for us.
Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Yeshua is not surprised by our weakness for He knows that our flesh might be weak yet our spirit willing. Therefore He invites us to come and buy from Him eyesalve to anoint our eyes so that we will be able to guard, to keep watch. He invites us to buy gold refined by fire and a garment of fine linen, the righteous acts of the set apart ones, to cover us. He counsels us to fill our lamps with oil and to be prudent to even have extra oil with us. Why? Maybe because Yeshua first-hand knew the way the darkest night tried to wrap its arms around Him. He knew that we would need lamps ablaze to help us keep watch in this dark hour.
Hadassah (Esther) and Daniel, faced times of trial. Their faith, identity in Yah and lives where threatened. Instead of responding from a place of fear within their being, they turned to Yahweh of Heaven’s armies Himself for deliverance and answers. They knew that from Him alone would salvation and victory come. As they prayed they confessed with their mouths, they gave thanks, they reminded our King of His promises and of His covenants. The Word of God teaches us that He makes His angels like the wind and like flaming fire. That He Himself fights for us, riding through heavens. In Psalm 103 it states:
Bless the Lord, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.
His Words cannot return void. It goes out and does exactly what He intended and purposed it to do. We see this portrayed when Daniel prayed and fasted. Daniel 9 is also truly valuable for a guideline of prayer. Oh, there is so much more to say! Our Beloved Messiah, Yeshua, Himself often went to a quiet place, without His following, for the sole purpose of praying, speaking to the Father, hearing His heart on many matters. Our prayers are also seen as incense gathered in golden bowls within God’s throne room. I once heard a testimony of how the angels responded when we prayed, how their faces light up and how their swords become more and more ablaze. I wonder how our Abba responds when we earnestly and fervently pray?
I invite you, beloved, to join the 444 prayer with other believers worldwide to pray at 4:44 each day for at least 4 minutes. Set your alarms and pray for your families, your town, your country and as the Spirit Himself leads you to do. In this time of Elul, before the coming feast days, may we remain steadfast in prayer.
Shalom
Carmen Tehillah
Ps. In this hour a great multitude of believers are facing immense persecution. Our hearts are aching for those in the body of Messiah who are facing these trials in this moment in time. Please join us in prayer for them as the Spirit of Yah leads you. You can find prayer points for Afghanistan on FAI’s website.
Today also marks day 1 of a 21 day Daniel-fast.
You can also join YedaYah’s Telegram group that is a prayer journey with the theme of Hadassah, preparing for the Bridegroom.
