Daily Life 16

Subdued

Cities & Nations
Jonah 3:1-10

THE SWORD of the Spirit
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians‬ 6:17‬ KJV‬. The Sword is pointing; the Word of God is ready to go forth to the nations of the earth and conquer. “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am, I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?” Joshua‬ 5:13-14‬ KJV

THE EARTH SHALL BE “Reaped”
We are living on borrowed times. The end of time has come upon us. The rapture and return of Jesus Christ are imminent, and the key player is the Word of God, and the Church has the mandate to proclaim it.

“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
Revelation‬ 14:14-15‬ KJV.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Lord Jesus, in His prophetic word in Matthew 24:14, to His Disciples, said, “This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached unto all the nations, and then shall the END come.”

NINEVEH must repent, or doom
“Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.” Jonah‬ 1:1-2‬ KJV.

The Lord Jesus has called and charged His Church to take the gospel to the nations. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew‬ 28:19-20‬ KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬.‬‬

JONAH, Ran Away
We might say how ridiculous for Jonah to do such a thing and run away from his assignment to warn a nation from impending doom and danger.

“But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa, and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” Jonah‬ 1:3‬ KJV‬‬.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Are we not doing the same today? The church that has the task to witness for Jesus Christ and save souls is on cruises, vacations, or acting indifferent to the evils and ills in our cities and nations.

NINEVEH was Subdued
The nation of Nineveh was brought to their knees; not one rifle shot, nor was any bomb dropped. But the power of the WORD did His thing.

“And Jonah began to enter into the city a days journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.” Jonah‬ 3:4-6‬ KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬.

How Did Jonah Subdue Nineveh

1. It took Jonah facing the harsh reality. Jonah 1:15-17;
2. It took Jonah seeking the Lord’s face. Jonah 2:1-2;
3. It took him repenting (Jonah 2:7-10;
4. He obeyed God by taking the gospel to Nineveh. Jonah 3.1-4

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father in the name of Jesus, we pray today to awaken the spirit of the great commission in us, which is the preaching of the gospel to our neighbors, colleagues, those on the bus, trains, etc., and inviting them to Christ, and his church; help us, Lord, to see the importance and POWER of the gospel to save lives from impending dangers of God’s wrath (Acts 3:37-41);
2. Father in the name of Jesus, destroy the spirit of lukewarm, indifference, and lethargy that is inside us, help us to bear this burden of witnessing, and sharing the gospel for which we are saved and left alive on the earth; Oh Jesus help us today to get out of our comfort zones and obey your call;
3. Father in the name of Jesus, we pray for our cities and nations that are in darkness to be delivered; we cry out today for our families and loved ones that are unsaved for the light of the gospel to light upon them;
4. Father in the name of Jesus, we repent today like Jonah, and release ourselves from fear and laxities, and pray that you equip us with the grace, anointing, strength, and all, to take your word from street to street, cities to cities, nations to nations, until the whole cities and nations are ablaze, in the mighty name of Jesus;