40 Days of Prayer – Prayer Focus: Spiritual Housekeeping

In The Tent – The Anointing of Jael

Greetings Beloveds,

I take great pleasure in house keeping. When the physical appearance of my home is orderly, I feel a stronger sense of God’s presence. However, when the physical appearance of my home is in disarray, life seems a bit chaotic, and it is very hard for me to connect spiritually. Perhaps it is something to that old adage: cleanliness is next to godliness.

Likewise, in the Spirit, we have to do some spiritual housekeeping and get rid of the spiritual clutter that distract us and interfere with cultivating a life that hosts the presence of God. The more activity (i.e clutter) we have in our lives, the more we open ourselves up for warfare that God did not intend for us to experience.

Like most godly women, I enjoy nurturing my family and cultivating God’s presence in my home. The FRONT LINE for spiritual battles begin in the home. The home is the front line for every ministry. This is why we see most ministry families experience warfare in their homes. When the enemy wants to destroy a ministry, he often begins by creating chaos in the family life of the clergy and the laity.

Ladies, if we desire to experience a successful home life, we need the anointing of Jael. I consider myself a woman in ministry. However, before I minister to anyone, my first ministry is to my husband. I pray for him. I speak words of life over him. I have cultivated a godly and peaceable home life where we both enjoy the presence of the Lord. Our home is our sanctuary. Our home is where we fellowship with God. Our home is where we experience the tranquility that God intended Adam and Eve to enjoy together with Him in the garden.

Jael is one of those women of the Bible who we don’t have a lot of details on. The Bible tells us that Jael was a Bedouin and the wife of Heber the Kenite. Before we go further, let’s see what was going on in Israel during Jael’s time.

Deborah The Prophetess

Israel was at war with the Canaanites. Judges 4 tells us that God, gave Israel into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan because the children of Israel were doing what was evil in His sight.

At the time, a prophetess named Deborah was judge over Israel, and people went to her with matters of justice.

Sisera was the commander of the Canaanite army. He was a powerful and cruel man who oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years. However, Deborah prophesied that Sisera would be delivered into the hands of a woman. Sisera fled on foot, as Deborah and her army pursued him.

Sisera happened to run pass the tent of Jael (a house wife). Jael saw Sisera and came out to meet him. Jael said, “turn aside, my lord,” “Do not be afraid.” Sisera had no reason to be suspicious of Jael’s hospitality. Jael was not an Israelite. Her people, the Kenites, were at peace with the Canaanites.

Jael went on to show Sisera every possible kindness. She covered him with a rug to hide him as Israel’s army approached. When Sisera asked for water, Jael gave him milk – even better.

Sisera, enjoyed Jael’s hospitality and drifted off to sleep. While Sisera slept, Jael took her hammer and drove a tent peg trough his skull. TIP: When you are destroying the enemy’s forces through intercession ALWAYS GO FOR THE HEAD – (Gen 3:15)! Who would think that an ordinary house wife could destroy a mighty general? God uses whom He chooses and we need not ask why.

You see, Sisera was defeated before he ran pass Jael’s tent. In Judges 5:20, Deborah, gives us some prophetic insight on the battle plan that God had released against the enemies of Israel.

Judges 5:20

“They fought from the heavens. The stars from their courses fought against Sisera.”

They fought from the heavens! The heavens fought against Sisera! People of God, we must learn how to fight from the heavens (Ephesians 6:12)!

Ruling In The Midst of Your Enemies

Psalms 110:1-2

“The Lord declares to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion: Saying, rule in the midst of your enemies.”

Do you want to know how to fight from the heavens and rule in the midst of your enemies?

SIT DOWN! BE STILL! BE QUIET! Stay seated with Yeshua (Jesus) in your SECRET PLACE (Ephesians 2:6). When we are experiencing warfare, we must remain seated in that heavenly place – that secret place with Yeshua who is seated at the right hand of the Father.

The Bible tells us that Yeshua is daily making intercession for us (Romans 8:34). This is how we rule in the midst of our enemies. We rule THROUGH INTERCESSION. We intercede until His scepter is released and our enemies become our footstool!

Heaven released divine reinforcement to aide Deborah as she and her army fought against Sisera. God gave Sisera over to the hands of a woman as Deborah had prophesied!

Jael, was a Bedouin. Bedouin’s are nomadic people that dwell in tents. Jael likely had extensive experience putting up tents. Jael was skilled. Perhaps, there wasn’t a sister that could wield a hammer like Jael. Jael used her God given resources. God equips His people for His work. God gives us certain skills and gifts to use them for His purpose and His glory!

Jael’s story is a metaphor for how we should fight our spiritual battles. The biggest battle we will fight in this life is the battle against sin. The great theologian, Charles Spurgeon compared Sisera to sin. Spurgeon asserted that, “we should not be content to see our sins simply fleeing from us; we should be ready to pursue them and then drive them into the ground—dead—with a nail, the way Jael did.”

God has given us the spiritual authority to defeat the enemy’s plan “over our tent” – over our families, our households, and our sphere of influence. The Word of God is the tool we can use to drive out the lies of the enemy.

The story of Jael reaches beyond her own household. Her actions affected not only her own family, but the nation of Israel as well. Her faithfulness released Israel from the oppression of the Cannanites and Sisera.

In this story, the oppression had lasted for twenty years. However, from this point on, the book of Judges records no further oppression of God’s people by the Canaanites. Israel had been delivered by the hands of a woman! You Go Girl!

Today, let us take hold of the tent pegs that God has put in our hands. Let’s allow God to reveal Himself in awesome ways in our lives bringing victory and fortitude to our TENTS. This is our DESTINY! AMEN!

Assignment:

INTERCEDE – Let’s continue to pray in our prayer language and in our understanding. I have loaded tons of topical prayer resources that will aide us in defeating those things that keep us from experiencing the FULLNESS that God has for our lives. Let’s be as bold as Jael and wield our hammer to drive out those things that affect the tranquility of our family life.

Worship Experience: Our ministry begins on the home front. “You Are My Ministry”– This song is from the “Sacred Love Songs CD” – This is a wife’s song to her husband. The Husband responds with this powerfully romantic song: CLICK HERE.

If you are married and you want to listen to some GODLY ROMANTIC MUSIC GET THIS SACRED LOVE SONG CD! SACRED LOVE SONGS is highly anointed in bringing couples together!