PRAYING FOR A PREPARED ARMY

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them,
and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
(Ezekiel 37:10).

I am sure, like me, you are praying for hundreds, even thousands to be raised up to be a voice for God’s truth to take the place of God’s faithful servant, Charlie Kirk.

However, praying and thinking about this, I realize that we must pray very specifically. Because of Charlie’s inspiring life there are already many who want to take his place (although no one will ever take his place). There will be many who will rise up to bring the same message, but every person will do it in their own specific way for God has created every person uniquely.

We must pray fervently that God will raise up young men and women, not only to be willing, bold, and courageous, but also PREPARED. It takes a lot more than being willing and excited to get into the fray. It takes much preparation.

I read Isaiah 50:4 this morning: “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned,”

Did you notice that phrase, “the tongue of the learned.” Charlie had the “tongue of the learned.” You don’t suddenly get that kind of tongue. You must first learn. The word in the Hebrew is limmud and means “taught, trained, skilled.” It means to be a disciple or a student. To have the “tongue of the learned” does not come from haphazard reading of the Bible but from diligent study and training. It comes from waking morning by morning to get up and study God’s word.

Those who want “the tongue of the learned” (especially if they want to follow in Charlie’s footsteps) will not be young people who stay up unnecessarily each night and therefore can’t get up in the morning. They will discipline their lives, so they are ready for God to wake them early. They will immediately get out of bed and run to hear what God has to say to them! They will not be sleeping in like so many young people today.

GW: “Morning by morning he will wake me to listen like a student.”

NET: “He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do.”

Berkeley: “He alerts my ear to hear as a student.”

What is a student? One who studies. 2 Timothy 2:5 says: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Notice the word “workman.”

The word study in this Scripture is spoudazo. It is pronounced “spoo-dad-zo.” Such a fun word to say. Try saying it. It means “to make haste, to use speed, to exert oneself, give diligence, labor.” The true student of God doesn’t lie around in bed but gets up and makes haste to his or her “trysting” place where they meet with God.

I know a great teacher of the Word of God (now over eighty years) who still gets up at 4.00 am every morning to study the Scriptures until lunchtime. That’s why we listen to him because he has the “tongue of the learned.”

I also think of the example of Ezra. It tells us in Ezra 7:10 (Berkeley): “For Ezra had disciplined himself to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Other translations use the words: “determined to study,” “dedicated himself to study,” “set his heart to study.”

Dear fellow prayer warriors, I do believe this must be our true burden for prayer. We are all longing for thousands (and even millions) to rise up like Charlie Kirk, but they must prepare. Let’s pray for young people who truly mean business. Those who will daily devour God’s word. Who long after it. Who will be richly filled with God’s word (Colossians 3:16). Who will press in with all their hearts and who will not only be willing and courageous, but who will be PREPARED so that the Word of God is in their mouth, ready to give an answer (Joshua 1:8; Isaiah 59:21; and 1 Peter 3:15). God wants His word in our minds, our hearts, and our mouths.

Answers only come from those who are steeped in God’s word and who can give God’s answers, not from their own thoughts or ideas.

2 Timothy 2:15 tells us the reason for studying? Not for gaining our own glory, but to be APPROVED UNTO GOD. I think this is the greatest degree we should aim to have after our name, the AUG, Approved Unto God!

Let’s pray for a mighty army of soldiers who are truly PREPARED to face the continued war in this nation, the war against woke-ism, Marxism, socialism, humanism, and Isalamism which are all antagonistic to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, I pray that You will give me such a hunger and longing for Your precious Word. I pray that my children will see my love for Your Word, and they will be moved with the same longing. I pray that they will become true disciples and students of Your eternal Word. Please save them from the lazy Christianity of today. May they become true workman, rightly dividing the word of truth, and ready to share it with others. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I will be . . . 

Disciplined to study God’s word,

Determined to do it, and

Dedicated to sharing it!

P.S. Picture: This is my trysting place where I meet with God each morning.