Warriors Arise: April 19th, 2020
I remember thinking as a kid, "If my four walls could talk everyone would think I was crazy." I didn't have a diary, I didn't want anything written down so it couldn't be held against me. Whether I was frustrated, disappointed, angry or bursting with joy I would go to my room and talk out loud. Later, I took up golf where I fit right in because everybody talks to themselves! What could be considered crazy was acceptable on the golf course. So, now when someone sees me talking to myself I might respond, "I'm a golfer" and keep on going. I don't even give 'being crazy' a second thought.
I used to be so afraid of what people thought of me. I thought I was protecting myself, but in all actuality I built myself a prison. Then God came, unlocked and opened the door. He told me I did not have to be afraid, because He made me the way I was and He needed me to come out so He could continue fashioning me to be who He needed me to be. It was a difficult decision. I was going to have to trust God to protect me. It didn't happen over night, but I learn to trust God in everything, one situation at a time.
I learned it is ok for people to think I am crazy. I've been told, "Your'e too intense about God". I can't even count the number of times after Lydia was healed from ALL Leukemia people came up and told me, "You know, Veridee, people don't believe God like you do. You ask for the impossible and people are not used to that." Some people could not pray with me for Lydia's healing because they couldn't put it in God's hands to do what only God can do. They couldn't stand on the Scriptures I was posting and join me in prayer. To them, I seemed crazy, way out there kind of crazy. And to ask God for what I was asking seemed crazy to those who do not know the God of the Bible. The Bible says to boldly approach the throne, so I did. Not with arrogance, but as His daughter. A daughter who knows she is loved by her father is unafraid to ask her Daddy to fulfill her request. I was reaching into heaven to get only what God could give. When the doctors can give you a 48% success statistic, I needed someone bigger to make up the rest of the 52%. The only one I knew was God. I needed to be out of my mind in order to believe, to trust with the mind of Christ.
The three women were given a message to deliver. No one had seen an angel since Mary, Jesus' mother was told she would be carrying the Christ child. People didn't believe Mary. Would they now believe them? They would be the first humans to herald, "Jesus is alive! He is risen! Like He said!"
In Mark 16:8, "So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid." I can imagine they felt like they had held on to a lightning rod that had just been struck with lightning. Fear, even the possibility of something extraordinary can cause us to move quickly, flee, tremble and bring amazement. Maybe you can relate, at some time you had something wonderful happen, something you can't explain, so you by-pass everyone to get to the one person you want to share your excitement with.
These women said "nothing to anyone". Sometimes we don't want to tell anyone because we do not want to forget what we have to share; we don't want to be distracted; we don't want to think about it or we may talk ourselves out of it. Have you ever been in a situation where afterward you asked yourself, "Did that really happen?"
Things can happen so fast that I need a moment for it to sink in. Or have you ever had something truly wonderful happen, even unexpected and you shared with the first person you saw and they were not excited with you or for you? It can steal the greatness of the good thing that happened. These women were wise to not say a word to anyone. Maybe they didn't share because they were afraid. What if word got back to the High Priest or Pilate? Maybe they wouldn't make it to the disciples to tell them the message. Their fear probably kept them focused so the message they were to deliver did not get intercepted.
Warriors we are going to pray today for the underlying current of rebellion in our country. This rebellion could put so many at risk. It is causing people to be callous, rude, hardhearted, spewing all kinds of evil etc. It is time to be silent, not use our words to stir up dissension. I am thankful President Trump acted quickly and for the governors to respond cautiously. Had we not closed our boarders, had we not gone on lock down, this could have killed more Americans than any war in our history. It amazes me how people want to criticize instead of being thankful. Most parents do the same thing on a smaller level, if one child is sick we quarantine them to their room, hoping that no one else gets sick. Lysol spray and wipes come out to try and kill the germs. Those of us who believe in Jesus' healing power will pray for the sick child to get well and for no one else in the family to get sick. President Trump takes on the responsibility of a parent in this situation, he quarantined people to stop the spread while he, his cabinet and staff pray for God to intervene, healing the sick and keep the healthy from getting sick along with the best solution to getting through this pandemic. So if you think President Trump was in the wrong then so are parents who keep their sick child home from school. If a child is sick should they go expose every other child and teacher at school? I think not.
Father I want to embrace the mind of Christ and to others that may seem crazy. I want to have faith that is beyond what my mind can comprehend. That may seem crazy to many but I don't want to ask for less than You want to give. I come before You to petition for peace to come out of our mouths. I bind up dissension, malice, lies, and the ignorant from spewing forth division and discrediting those who are doing their best to protect them. As children need their parents to protect them, so do Americans. We would not have chosen to go into lockdown nor to stay in lockdown but You instructed our leaders for our own protection. My request is for Americans to see, for their eyes to be open that people have died and are dying from the coronavirus, from the infected not quarantining themselves. The threat of the coronavirus is real. It is no longer a threat; it is happening. I ask for the people of America to turn to You, find peace in Your presence, to embrace this quarantine for the benefit of all.
In America, we have been given a blessing; that blessing is freedom. I pray the people of America will choose to exercise their freedom by thinking of all Americans. Nurses and doctors are volunteering to go into the high risk places and offer their assistance. I ask for You to protect them and give them divine insight into the treatment the infected people need. God, I come before You to ask You to continue give President Trump and the leaders of our nation divine wisdom. I pray for the people of America to consider their actions and words and how they affect others. People are dying and others are displaying how heartless they are because they do not want to remain in quarantine.
We need Your Holy Spirit to come and give us peace, self control and kindness. We need gentle words to encourage people to stay calm. God we need a move of Your Holy Spirit. I ask for You to come and visit each person. I pray for eyes to be opened and compassion to be released. It is a big ask and it may make me seem crazy, but I believe Your Holy Spirit has what we need. I ask for the heart and mind of each person to embrace the fruit of the Holy Spirit. I pray each one would embrace and activate in their thoughts and word to be fullness of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. You are God, You can do this in Jesus' name I pray amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy
My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.