September 26, 2024

Finish the Assignment

The Lord has been speaking to me about the need to finish this season well. We are all busy with many responsibilities and activities. It is easy to allow prayer and other spiritual actions to fall by the wayside, especially when we become weary. However, we cannot afford to do that at this time. 

One of the passages in Scripture that effectively illustrates the dangers of not finishing well is Judges 1-2. After Joshua led Israel in conquering Canaan, each tribe was left with the responsibility of clean-up operations in the portion of land allotted to them as an inheritance, fully driving out the remaining enemies. Many of them became complacent and did not finish the job. Here are examples:

• Now the Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots.

• But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem…

• But Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages…they did not drive them out completely.

• And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer.

• Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol…

• Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or of Rehob…for they did not drive them out…

• Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Bethanath…

• Then the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the valley…

(All taken from Judges 1:19-34 NASB)

The result of not finishing the jobs was tragic. Israel eventually assimilated with the Canaanites, intermarrying with them, and accepting their Baal worship. 

Chapter 2 tells us the results:

“Now the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, ‘I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this thing that you have done?…

“Then Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the Lord which He had done for Israel. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and another generation rose up after them who did not know the Lord, nor even the work which He had done for Israel. 

“Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals, and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed other gods from the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them; so they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.” (Excerpts from Judges 2:1-13 NASB)

The angel of the Lord leaving Gilgal and going to Bochim is very significant (2:1). Gilgal was the first encampment of Israel after the dramatic crossing of the Jordan River. Much of their 7-year campaign to take the promised land was launched from there. The name “Gilgal” means “rolling,”(1) for it was there the Lord said the reproach of Egypt had been “rolled off” them. 

Bochim means “weepers.”(2) The symbolism could not be clearer. Israel as a nation was about to go from victory to weeping, from reproach-free to shame, and from freedom back into slavery: 

“Then the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He handed them over to plunderers, and they plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand against their enemies. Wherever they went, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had spoken and just as the Lord had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.” (Judges 2:14-15 NASB)

The entire book of Judges is a history of this compromise, complacency, and resulting judgments. 

We have come a long way in praying for the spiritual reviving and healing of America. This election cycle is part of the turnaround process. There are those who contend that God doesn’t really care who is in government. They say He can do what He desires regardless of who wins elections or governs a nation. Therefore, they tell us that the church should stay focused on preaching the gospel and not be “distracted” by politics. This is a dangerous deception. 

Scripture is filled with accounts of negative reaping by nations because of their leaders. Unwise and unholy leaders have created untold suffering and death around the world. God removed Saul from being King of Israel, saying He needed a man who would obey Him (1 Samuel 15:19-23) and would pursue His heart (1 Samuel 13:14). 

America’s rejection of God and its unholy laws, for which we are reaping great suffering and death, were passed by government leaders. To say it doesn’t really matter who we elect into office - God will just do what He wants anyway - would mean God is okay with abortion, sexually mutilating confused kids, and much more. Some theology is simply a shirking of our responsibility to stand for truth.

We must vote, yes, but we must also pray that those who align the closest with God’s will and ways, found in His Word, are elected to office. We must pray that those who most oppose His will are not allowed to win. 

DON’T STOP PRAYING! Let’s finish well.

Pray with me:

Father, we know that our war is spiritual, done with prayer, fasting, and decrees. Yet, it is no less real. Through these prayers and decrees, we enforce Christ’s victory, pulling down demonic strongholds and ideologies. Through prayer, we set free those held captive spiritually, and release the power of Your Word as a sharp sword (Ephesians 6:17). 

We are agreeing in prayer now, asking You to motivate the church to pray. We know that some of this motivation would have to occur through awakened leaders sounding the alarm; other believers could hear Holy Spirit personally. Whatever it takes, we ask You to motivate the church to finish this season well. May it not be said of believers in our day that we “did not…”

And Father, we remain steadfast in our prayers for the protection of those in government positions. Lord, many of us are receiving strong alerts to pray this for Trump. Surround him, his family, and those associated with him. We bind demonic plots. We ask that law enforcement be alert and enabled to provide adequate protection. Expose every plan of evil, both from here and abroad. 

In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen

Our decree:

We decree that we will finish the assignment of praying for America’s healing, restoration, and recovery of purpose. 

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 1537.

2. Ibid., ref. no. 1066.