Contending for Victory Over the Real Pandemic
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Contending for Victory Over the Real Pandemic
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I believe we have entered into a season of Great Contending on the earth today. Contending for lives, lands, and our very future!
As we entered into this season of the pandemic, the Lord reminded me of the story in Matthew 8 where He commanded His disciples to get in the boat and cross over to the other side. If you remember, in this story it says that in the middle of this journey, in the middle of the lake, a furious storm arose. I’m sure the disciples could’ve wondered, where in Jesus’ word to us did He speak about such a terrible storm? He never mentioned it, He just commanded that it was time to cross over! However, the storm was so bad that these seasoned fishermen ran to Jesus who was in the boat asleep, woke Him and cried out, “Don’t you see, don’t you care that we are going to die!?” Jesus did care, it’s just that He also knew what He had already decreed!
Jesus was unfazed, He awoke, arose and rebuked the winds and waves as if He were speaking to a person – because this was not any ordinary storm, this was a demonic storm! You see, Jesus was getting ready to deal with a territorial, controlling spirit in the land of the Gadarenes on the other side of the lake. I think that spirit understood the threat and stirred up a demonic storm to try and intimidate the disciples, to cause them to turn and retreat.
However, Jesus spoke with authority and dealt with the storm. But at the same time, He was not happy with His disciples; He rebuked them saying, ‘Why are you afraid and where is your faith?’ In other words, Jesus was saying, I commanded you to cross over and I didn’t leave you or change My mind. You didn’t need to wake Me up; you needed to wake yourself up to our mission and your authority to fulfill it.
I believe that is where we are today. God is speaking to his Ekklesia and saying, “I’ve called you to cross over, now use your authority to deal with every demonic storm and subdue every territorial, controlling spirit you encounter! Don’t be intimidated by this demonic storm. No, cross over, break the grip of the enemy, loose the people and set the land free as you’ve been called to do!
In 2020, as the whole world was drafted into this battle with a virus we have come to know as Covid 19, I heard the Lord saying, “This is not just a natural foe but a demonic storm!” And its strategy could be summed up in 3 crucial attacks:
…FEAR, FATIGUE & FATALISM.
Fear
The assignment of fear, panic, pandemonium, chaos, and intimidation in this season is real and is more than just the effect of the circumstances we are facing. Fear is a spiritual assignment formed by the enemy to try and get the church to withdraw and retreat from the battlefield. The purpose of the attack of fear is always control. Fear is also very contagious, like an epidemic. But do you know what is even more contagious? Faith. So stop listening to fear. It’s time to get around some people of faith!
The enemy’s plan behind this pandemic, both naturally and spiritually, is a full-on assault of the antichrist spirit to bring to pass an antichrist agenda. The enemy’s efforts have been focused on trying to get the church to back up, when we are called to advance. We do not fight with natural weapons, but we do fight! When we use them purposely and rightfully we are destined to win!
In praying about the word for the New Year of 2021, I felt led to do something I’d never done before. I felt the Lord ask me to look at the Strong’s Concordance numbers in Hebrew and Greek corresponding to the number “2021.” What I found was compelling.
The Hebrew word corresponding to the Strong’s number 2021 is the word, hotsen, and its meaning is “to be sharp and strong, as a weapon of war; like a chariot advancing.” And Strong’s number 2021 in Greek is the word, epicheireo, which means “to take in hand, to undertake, or put the hand to.” I believe God is speaking to the church that this is a time we must be strong and sharp and fearlessly put the spiritual weapons of war in our hands!
Fatigue
The assignment of fatigue is sent to wear us down and wear us out so the enemy can take us out! The book of Hebrews tells us that when we are running, we can’t afford to let our hands or our heads hang down, or allow our legs to be weak! It’s time to catch your breath and get ready to run some more! Get ready to run to the battle! We can’t afford to be passive or fatigued in the battle. Scripture is clear that the joy of the Lord is our strength and implores us to be strong and courageous and not afraid or dismayed. Joshua was instructed 4 times in the beginning of the book of Joshua, only be strong and courageous. God’s promise was that he would bring them into their land and they would possess it. They would fight, and God would fight for them! The Lord of Hosts would bring them victory as the Captain of the Angel Armies! They would possess their promised land!
The word for possess in Hebrew is yaresh, and it means to possess by dispossessing or driving out the previous inhabitants. In other words, receive your inheritance of promise by being a contender that drives out every pretender! It’s not a time to be discouraged (robbed of courage) or disheartened (robbed of heart for the battle) or to be weary in doing what is right or required. Keep praising, keep praying, keep fasting, keep prophesying, keep giving, keep living right!
Fatalism
The ploy of fatalism is to try to get us to accept the inevitability of the enemy’s triumph; to release a wave of hopelessness against us. However, the truth is that our God revels in impossibilities and impossible odds!
Don’t give in or give up in the face of overwhelming forces!
- Remember Moses with Pharaoh’s army hot on his trail as he stood in front of the Red Sea!
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Remember David facing Goliath!
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Remember Gideon’s victory!
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Remember Elisha’s decree, “More are they with us than they that are with them!”
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And remember, in Esther’s day, it looked like it was too late and that the schemes of the enemy had been enacted and codified into law. But she made an appeal to the king and said “If I perish, I perish; I believe I have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” And because of her faith, a major, divine reversal took place for the people of God; Haman and his 10 sons were hung on the very gallows they prepared for Mordecai and Esther. It’s time for the Esther church to arise and make an appeal to heaven!
Fatalism wants to convince you that it’s over before you get started. It whispers, even in a prophetic sense, saying “don’t you know that it’s the end times? It’s too late, the antichrist will arise, this has been prophesied and there is nothing you can do about it.”
However, that has never been God’s word to his people. He said He will have a glorious church without spot or wrinkle before He returns, and that we are called to occupy till He comes. He said if his people will pray and turn, then He will hear from Heaven and heal the land! The Ekklesia is always the determining factor!
Jesus said that He will build His Ekklesia and they would be given the keys to the Kingdom; they would have the power to prevail against the gates of hell and open up the gates of heaven. Daniel declared that there would be a time when it felt like the enemy was prevailing or winning; but then a decree would come from the Ancient of Days that would loose favor on the Saints of the Most High so they could take the kingdom.
This is not a time to shrink back, kick back, or give up, but to advance God’s kingdom in the earth. Let’s contend for God’s purposes in the earth as overcomers filled with faith, power, and passion to welcome the King of Glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord strong in battle, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords
Don’t run away. It’s time to cross over and defeat fear, fatigue, and fatalism. Run to the battle!
Our Decree:
We decree that the Ekklesia will be bold and courageous, ready to run to the battle! We speak strength into every weary warrior and joy in the battle! We decree that our God will fight for us and the God of peace will soon crush satan underneath our feet! We will cross over! We will speak to every demonic storm, ‘Peace, Be Still!’ And we will take authority over every demonic, controlling spirit the Lord has sent us to conquer!
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Comments
This is so encouraging so glad I have it to read over & over!
I love to do Word studies with Strongs, so this was fun for me. I thought to look up the numbers 2022 in the Hebrew and the Greek, and The Spirit spoke to me through them as well. The Hebrew word for 2022 is har and means mountain… promotion and comes from an unused root word the means to loom up. The Greek word for 2022 is epicheo and means to pour upon or pour in. I asked what that meant, and this is what came to me: Even though there may be circumstances and happenings that loom large as a mountain in 2022, look at them as a promotion or opportunity to say to this mountain, be removed. Epicheo means that the Spirit of God is going to pour upon and into His people what they need to pray and do in the coming year of 2022.
Thank you for such an encouraging timely Word!
The antichrist will arise. It will be too late for him and all who follow him. He will prevail for a time but then he is smashed by Jesus Christ himself.
We are still in the age of grace. Jesus Christ already won. We can’t lose, not anything that matters eternally anyway.
Pray. Witness. Study the word. Live love in truth.
Very encouraging guidance in these times.
Yes! Yes! Yes! From the beginning of this outbreak the LORD gave me the verse from 2Tim1:7.
I personalized it : ” I do NOT have the spirit of fear but the spirit of POWER, (one that will help me to overcome despair) LOVE (love in itself is powerful) and a SOUND MIND (which is discerning, helps me to think clearly- not confused, but focused) This verse continues to remind me of whose spirit lives within me and sustains me and overcomes any fear that may try to bring me down. I stand hopeful because of Him who overcame.
It is time for each of us to stand in the gap for our families, our churches, our health, and our country. We need to speak to the demonic that we are destroying them in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is not our authority, but it is Christ’s authority. We are in Christ’s army, and He will rebuke them as we use the authority He had given us.
Dearest LORD, YOU give us the Strength to keep going and know that The battle had been won at the cross, on JESUS NAME amen. Thank YOU LORD 🙏🙏
AMEN!!!
The real virus that we are contending with here in the United States is that of greivous, mortal sin which, if not thwarted by the sword of faith, will cause the
eternal death of many. This Covid-19 affair is clear cut evidence of how Satan operates with stealth, connivance and susceptibility to fear induced by wave after wave of false assertions and outright lies that he perpetrates. For too long, our country has been sleep walking in the abyss of carnal pleasures, the allure of money and self-gratification which has numbed our souls to the sickness that lies therein. As our Lord says very clearly, “who sins is a slave of sin” and “if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better to enter heaven maimed with one eye than with two to be thrown into the fires of gehenna.” For the wolves in jesters clothing known to us as Biden, Fauci, Pelosi, Schumer, Pritzker, Lightfoot, and the cast of false prophets known as our “elected officials”, it is high time for them to repent and beg the Lord for his mercy and for us to make reparation for the misery they are foisting on us all. Our eternal lives are hanging by thread in this nation indifferent and callous to the very God who loves and created us in his very own image, so let us arise and meet our saviour with sorrow and the utmost contrition for he is just, righteous and merciful to those who come to him with a sincere examination of conscience and a desire to amend a corrupted life marred by sin.
I so agree with your comment Vincent. All of it! But for some time now, I have had indifference on my heart so I zeroed in on your following statement “…indifferent and callous to the very God who loves and created us in his very own image,” Jesus said He will spit out of His mouth those neither hot or cold. He also said the work of God is to believe in the one He sent. I pray this for all those who are indifferent. Belief!
Please put my email address on your list to receive your blog. Thank you for your encouraging words!
Thank you very much for this encouraging article I never got into fear. In Dec 2019 Jan 2020 I got real sick with the “flu”. I hardly get the flu which was very unusual more rare is that I even had a nose bleed. Since covid was first heard in the middle Jan I never got into the the media fear mongering So I got over it Father God spared me to not even fear. I naturally overcame covid without even knowing it. Emotional fatigue yes A feeling of hopelessness yes. And of course discouragement That still I have. Thank you for your prayers
Refusing fear will take care of the other two as they are fruit of it. Refusing fear is no different than refusing any other sin, but let’s be honest and call it sin.
Linda, I have been thinking of your comment since early morning and even “took it on my walk.” Some thoughts…..Jesus was in anguish as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. In His need, an angel was sent to strengthen Him. This angel stayed (prayed?) with Jesus while He aguished and prayed. After Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing Him to Caiaphas’ maid. In their last earthly meeting, Simon Peter was given an opportunity to confess his love to the risen Lord. In the Aramaic Bible, Luke 22:43 states, “And as he was in fear, he prayed urgently,…” but all other translations use the words agony or anguish. As for Simon Peter, his denial was made out of fear. Fear is so prevalent now because the world is seemingly out of control.. But because Jesus suffered when He was tempted, He is able to intercede for us in our weaknesses. Combating fear is mortal combat and I pray overcoming power to those in the middle of this battle.
Luke 22:43-44 Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
Hebrews 2:28 Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.
Hebrews 7:25. Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
What wonderful words just read. Yes indeed, we will NOT give in our give up. Our faith level is rising by the day to believe that the God who has guided us through the years of America’s life, will continue to do the same into the future. The One with us is far far greater than the one who is causing this satanic storm. We WILL overcome. We WILL rise to the top. America SHALL BE SAVED from this onslaught and will once again be that beacon of light in the world for all to see. Our faith is strong, our trust is sure and our God is dependable and trustworthy. Thank You Lord for the victory we are believing for.
“America SHALL BE SAVED from this onslaught and will once again be that beacon of light in the world for all to see.”
Nancy, I have been praying this as well. May this be so!
The medical community is acting with courage in the face of the pandemic, not being fearful and fatalistic. As the guises and behaviors of the pandemic change, the medical people have relentlessly opposed it and tried to explain the resulting inconsistencies to the public. Yes, medical professionals have made mistakes over the years, like using under-privileged people as experiments, but have admitted and corrected many of these errors. Overall, I think people in the medical field are service-centered more than self-centered. Among the current pandemic fighters are faithful Christians like Dr. Francis Collins.
On Strong’s number assignments, I consider them to be helpful for finding biblical words, but not for correlating those words with calendar years.
The following two paragraphs bear repeating and need to be imprinted upon every Christian’s heart and mind.
Fatalism wants to convince you that it’s over before you get started. It whispers, even in a prophetic sense, saying “don’t you know that it’s the end times? It’s too late, the antichrist will arise, this has been prophesied and there is nothing you can do about it.”
However, that has never been God’s word to his people. He said He will have a glorious church without spot or wrinkle before He returns and that we are called to occupy till He comes. He said if his people will pray and turn, then He will hear from Heaven and heal the land! The Ekklesia is always the determining factor!
Lord I come before You in humbleness, but yet with boldness!! Open the eyes, the hearts and the minds of every one of Your children, so we may comprehend and understand that “we are called to occupy”!! We stand upon Your Word and together rise in Your strength and power provided through Your Holy Spirit!! Let us always be mindful that we, through the Lord of Heaven’s Army, are and always will be “the determining factor”!! Praise God!! Amen and Amen!!
My brother is also Bill Thweatt! There aren’t too many Thweatt’s in this nation so I thought I would send you my contact info in case you would like to connect with another Bill Thweatt!
Unbelievable!! Must be God’s hand at work!! Please send me you and your brother’s contact information.
In HIS Grip,
Bill Thweatt
[email protected]
Lord, forgive us for seeking worldly answers to spiritual problems. Open our eyes and let us see that we need to receive You, to return to You, to not be prostitutes expecting what You can give, but be lovers of God, the One who is the lover of our souls. Let us return to You, let the Body of Christ be a vibrant light drawing those in darkness. We failed to salt our culture, so we humbly ask You to renew our saltiness, to restore and renew desert places. In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, we cast down and silence all things raised up against the knowledge of God to bring every thought captive in obedience. Let our own obedience be complete so that we can stand against all disobedience. In the name of Jesus, Amen
A wonderful motivating message for the saints today to rise up and take their place in the battleground
What a Great motivated message, and 1 I will share far and wide!
This RN for King Dr Jesus is deeply inspired, encouraged and would hug Pastor Tom for most of what he has said in this wonderful, timely article. The enemy would have us give up, live in fear, controlled by it but Poppa God made all life on the planet, even covid, and HE works all things together for the good of those called according to His purpose. He has a purpose for this season since 2020, for good! There is a new song out, to me, that has a line about God having a plan even for the fire, we may not see the plan but we KNOW the God who Knows it! I so agree with Pastor Tom…now is the time for the Church, those who are called by THE NAME, to trust and obey HIM. Period. Through, fire, flood and even pandemics….just let’s not give the enemy credit for anything. The world does way too much of that already. Glory to the LAMB! HE is coming again and very, verry, SOON!
This is truly amazing 🙏🏼What an eye opener
Beautifully said. The whole world needs to hear this message. For those of us who refuse to be controlled, what an excellent way to explain to others what is happening today and how to go to battle and overcome the ugly and fatal force that is being pushed on us today. Thank you Pastor Tom Hamon for this message. Lord give us the strength in this battle to overcome this evil and destructive force which is being pushed on us in the world today, in Jesus’ most precious and powerful name, amen.
Father God, Your Word in Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, AND HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND.””
Father, may we, your church, do ALL that You have for us to do, “ far above all we can ask or think,” and to STAND. The word in the Greek for withstand means “ to set against, to set one’s self against, to withstand, resist, oppose.”
Let us withstand in this evil day, doing all that You want us to do, for we ARE more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
Amen