DAY 17 - WAKE UP - PT. 5 - JAIRUS' DAUGHTER

Luke 8:54-56 But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

The other day I mentioned that the icing on cake was my favorite part. Do you ever save the best for last? I usually eat all the way around the cake before I finish with the icing! Well, this devotional about Jairus' daughter is my favorite. This is when we can really begin to see the prophetic implications of the story.

First lets start by reading another passage of Scripture, just one verse, but you will see how they come together. Joel 2:28 says "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people." Do you see what I see? I see another Conjunction Junction...'and afterward.' When God uses these, we must go backwards and see the verses that are joined together. If we, the church, want Joel 2:28, we must experience Joel 1:1 through Joel 2:27. We must fast, pray, and yes, wake up (Joel 1:5). And when this happens, God promises He will pour out His Spirit! I desire for this to happen! Don't you?

Look at what happened with Jairus' daughter and let God's words jump off the page. "My child, get up! Her spirit returned..." WOW! I love when God's word comes together and He teaches us something new! Go back and read these 5 devotionals again and recall what God is speaking to us. We, the church, are in the same spiritual condition as Jairus' daughter! But when we seek, fall, pray, and believe, He will pour out His Spirit! His Spirit will return into the life of the church just the same as it returned into the life of this little girl! This makes me want to stand up and shout and praise God!

Lord, as Your people engage in battle during this time of prayer and fasting, will You awaken the church? Will You pour out Your Spirit into our sleeping body? We need You now more than ever and we rest on your promise...And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit...

APPLICATION TO MY LIFE
1. What is God speaking to you?

DAY 16 - WAKE UP - PT. 4 - JAIRUS' DAUGHTER

Mark 5:41-42 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

This story is really starting to get good. Are you seeing the prophetic implications with the church today and Jairus' daugther? Here are couple of things to remember: 1. Seek Jesus, Fall at His Feet, and Pray; 2. Ignore what is going on around us and don't be afraid, but believe; 3. Don't pay attention to the enemy laughing at you because it is time to Wake Up!

In bringing our story up to the moment, Jesus just got done removing all the unbelievers in Jairus' home. He then took a few of his trusted disciples and the girl's mother and father into her room where she was "sleeping." Jesus grabbed the little girl by the hand and said, "Talitha Koum" which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" Can you imagine what Jairus and his wife were experiencing in that moment. What were the diciples thinking? This was the first time Jesus had raised someone from the dead! I love what the Scripture says: "At this they were completely astonished." Kind of sums it up, doesn't it? What about the girl? Sometimes I wish God's Word gave us a few more details. Like what did she do when she woke up? How did she react? And what will the church do when we wake up?

I am praying for God's girl, His church, to wake up, stand up, and begin to walk around in the authority and power He has given to us! I am ready for God to breathe those words, "Talitha Koum" into the life of the church. What are you praying for? Will you agree with me in prayer for these things to take place? Can we believe that His Church will wake up?

APPLICATION TO MY LIFE
1. Why did Jesus remove the unbelievers?
2. What does Talitha Koum mean for the church?
3. How will the church react when we wake up?
4. Are you still praying? Why or why not?

DAY 15 - WAKE UP - PT. 3 - JAIRUS' DAUGHTER

Luke 8:52-53 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep." They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.

One of my favorite stories from World War 2 came after the Japanese Navy bombed Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto made the following statement: "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve." The reason I love this quote is it inspires me about Christ's Church. When are we going to stand up and fight for all the onslaught the enemy has attacked us with? Where is our resolve? When are we going to wake up? Do we realize the enemy is laughing at us? The same way the people who were in Jairus' home laughed at Jesus. All He did was say something similar to Admiral Yamamoto; "she's not dead, but asleep." In the midst of all that is going on around us, when are we going to stop wailing and mourning? When are we going to wake up?

Here is what I believe: The church isn't dead, we are sleeping. Why are we sleeping? We have been intoxicated with the things of the world. The enemy has done an incredible job of distracting us from what God has called the church to do. Read Joel 1:5 and see how God speaks to you: "Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!" Every time I read this I see God trying to reach out to us. I am praying that it doesn't take a "Pearl Harbor" to wake up this sleeping giant called the church.

Are you awake or are you sleeping? Do you hear the enemy laughing at you? How can we respond in this time of crisis going on all around us? Will we settle staying intoxicated and remain in our slumber?

APPLICATION TO MY LIFE
1. How does the Admiral's quote regarding Pearl Harbor apply in your own life? Church?
2. What are you wailing or mourning for? Is it time to stop?
3. Are you awake or asleep? Sober or intoxicated?

DAY 14 - WAKE UP - PT. 2 - JAIRUS' DAUGHTER

Mark 5:35-36 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

I just finished reading some of the headlines on foxnews.com. Without going into much detail, it seems like we are living in a crazy world. Am I wrong? We are being told about war, financial recessions, incest, murder, rape...this was all in today's news! Makes me wonder what's going to happen next? But are we supposed to be listening to Fox News, or God's Word? There's the question for the day. Lets see what He says...

In the miraculous story of Jairus' daughter, he was facing the same kind of news. Some of the men from his home came to tell him it was no use bringing Jesus because his daughter was already dead. Yes, Jesus had done some amazing things in His ministry up to this point, but He hadn't raised anyone from the dead. No wonder these men came with the horrible news and said quit bothering the teacher. What could He do anyway? But Jesus did something each one of us can learn from. Pay attention to Jesus' reaction to the news...He simply ignored what they told Jairus. Then He brought words of comfort..."don't be afraid, just believe."

Now lets allow this passage of scripture to speak into our lives. In yesterday's devotional, I said the church today is just like Jairus' daughter...dying! You may in fact believe the church is dead. Believe me, there are many people who come to God's House who try and tell others the church is dead, or it has nothing for me, or...well you get the point! But Jesus ignored the talk. In fact, He didn't even give them the time of day. Can we ignore what we are hearing? Is it possible for the Body of Christ (a.k.a. the Church) to not be afraid and just believe? This is God's call to us today. No matter what the world is trying to do, lets remember who holds the world together. Let's wake up! His Church isn't dead...

APPLICATION TO MY LIFE
1. What is God speaking to you through this story?
2. What crazy things are you hearing about the world?
3. What are you hearing about the church?
4. Are you able to ignore, not be afraid, and believe?

DAY 13 - WAKE UP - JAIRUS' DAUGHTER

Mark 5:22b-23 Seeing Jesus, hefell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please comeand put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."

Yesterday morning I woke up around 4:30am and had a difficult time returning to sleep. After a few attempts, I decided to go on into church because I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep. I walked into the church about 5:30am and began to pray for the service and seeking God for what He wanted to say to the church. After engaging in prayer, God reminded me of a passage of scripture He brought me to three weeks ago. The story was the miracle of Jairus' Daughter. As I read the scriptures, both in Luke 8 and Mark 5, I began to see a story come to life with Spiritual implications. The church, just like Jairus' daughter, is in a place where we need to come back from a spiritual state of death and wake up. Over the next few days, I want to explore this story in our devotions and see what God wants to speak into our lives. Are you ready to listen?

The first thing the Holy Spirit revealed through God's Word was how Jairus acted. Note what he did in Mark 5:22, Jairus saw Jesus...in othe words, he was seeking Him! Jairus knew who the answer was. Who is the answer to our Spiritual condition? Then pay careful attention to Jairus' physical reaction when he met with Jesus..."he fell at His feet and pleaded earnestly with Him." Jairus gave us a complete and accurate description of how we can come before Jesus. Are you falling at feet of Jesus? Are you pleading earnestly with Him? Finally, lets take Jairus' words and use them by prophetically praying for the church, Christ's bride:

"Lord, your bride is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live!" Seek Jesus, Fall at His feet, and Pray...

APPLICATION TO MY LIFE
1. What is God speaking to you through this story?
2. Is the Church asleep? or Dying? Can it wake up?
3. What can we do? Seek...Fall...Pray...

DAY 12 - BATTLE PT. 3 - CONJUNCTION JUNCTION

Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Okay, lets go back in time and have a memory flash...remember "School House Rock?" I do! Every Saturday morning, watching cartoons, these different songs would come on the TV and the tunes and words would be burnt deep into our malleable psyches. Lets go with one for a moment, sing it with me: "Conjunction Junction, what's your function? Hooking up words and phrases and clauses." Now how many of you are singing it with me...more than probably would like to admit, right? Okay Pastor, get to the point of this one. Do you notice the first word of the verse today? The word "and" is a conjunction and as we just sang, it hooks up words, phrases and clauses. So what does Ephesians. 6:18 hook up with? I am glad you asked...its our Spiritual Armor!

In our previous two devotions, I have been encouraging you to gear up for the battle we are in and to not fight naked. As important as these two are, this devotion is the icing on the cake (this means icing is my favorite part)! Even if we are ready for battle...and even if you put on your armor...you must engage in battle! Otherwise, you will stand there all pretty and shiny and never win the war! The word "and" gives us the battle strategy, or the way we actually win the war...PRAYER. "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." This isn't a request, this is a command! Ever notice how we tend to confuse the two? Remember, God didn't write the 10 Requests...it was the 10 Commandments! So listen to me with your ears wide open and ready to receive. Prayer is how we engage the battle and how we overcome the enemy! Who wants to be an over comer?

APPLICATION TO MY LIFE
1. Is this revelation to you regarding Battle? Explain.
2. Are you engaging in battle or just standing there?
3. What is the difference between a request and a command. Is Eph. 6:18 a command or request?

DAY 11 - BATTLE PT. 2 - DON'T GET CAUGHT NAKED

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore puton the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Who among you are able to name all the pieces included in our spiritual armor? Need some help? Here you go: 1. Belt of Truth; 2. Breastplate of Righteousness; 3. Feet fitted with the Gospel of peace; 4. Shield of Faith; 5. Helmet of Salvation; and 6. Sword of the Spirit. Don't feel too bad if you didn't get them all. I was lucky enough to have the Bible right beside me when I wrote this out. However, I have a inclination if you would go and ask some of our kids in the church, they would be able to spurt them out without hesitation. Hmmm...maybe we need to learn from their example!

Let me get to the point here...in the Spring of 1991, almost exactly 18 years ago, I preached one of my first sermons..."Don't Get Caught Naked." It was to a large group of youth we were ministering to in Virginia. Needless to say I was trying to get their attention with my title because I wanted them to understand how essential God's Armor was in the battle we face. So how about you? Are you fighting naked? Are you covered in God's truth? Are you living a righteous life? How is your faith? Have you accepted Christ as your savior and received His free gift of salvation? What about the sword...are you actually using it or is it sitting on a shelf or coffee table collecting dust. Here are my two cents...too many Christians today are naked. We are engaging in lifestyles contrary to God's word. We are rampantly sinning and ignoring God's call to live Holy and Righteous. Our faith is dictated by our fear and the Word of God goes unread. Can we get dressed for battle? Can we move into the enemy's territory and take hold of our promise? Let's put it on!

APPLICATION TO MY LIFE
1. Of the 6 pieces of our Spiritual Armor, what is missing in your life?
2. Are you fighting naked? Why or why not?