While praying, I saw a prophetic vision. I saw a spectacular show of lightning and thunder in the sky. Then, I saw shadows. Many shadows. Something like dark and shadowy figures. At first, the feeling was rather eerie. But then, as the lightning and thunder began to strike these shadows away, the atmosphere all around became clear again! Well, I could literally smell the fresher air and cleaner air in the spiritual atmosphere, even while I was praying!
Then, I heard the Lord speak these words:
"The enemy has become bolder and bolder. The enemy has become more and more hostile to 'assault' My people openly. But fear not! Look to Me and ask of Me for divine intervention, whatever your situation or problem may be, and whatever you see happening in the world right now. Like the lightning and thunder in the physical realm, so shall I send My lightning and thunder to clear the enemy's work that comes against you!"
Of course, remember, we are not fighting flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of darkness that try to steal, kill, and destroy.
So beloved, whatever your situation, problem, or trouble may be at the moment, take heart. The Lord is at hand! The Lord is here to intervene, if you look to Him and if you ask of Him!
The key words for today are 'lightning and thunder'. But I also want to point to you 'divine intervention', and 'how the Lord makes intercession for you'. Yes, you've read it right. The Lord is making intercession for you! I will show you from the Scripture to back this statement up.
But before that, where does the Scripture mention about 'lightning and thunder'?
Job 36:29-33 says, 'Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, the thunder from His canopy? Look, He scatters His light upon it, and covers the depths of the sea... He covers His hands with lightning, and commands it to strike. His thunder declares it...'
The word 'strike' here is 'paga' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to come upon, to fall upon, to light upon, to strike on, to hit the mark, to make contact with (like 'heaven meets the earth'), to encounter, to intercede, to intervene'.
Job 37:1-4 says, 'At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from its place. Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, and He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.'
Job 37:5-6 says, 'God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth'; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.'
From all the Scripture verses that we've read so far, it is clear that the Lord is the One who directs and rules over the whole earth and the whole spiritual atmosphere! Yes, He also rules over the lightning and the thunder! Indeed, nothing happens without the knowledge of the Lord our God!
Let's look at 'lightning and thunder' in the physical realm first. After that, we shall look at its significance in the spiritual realm.
In the physical realm, you know it, when 'lightning and thunder' makes contact between the sky and the earth, mind you, no one can withstand it! It's awesome! It's powerful!
This phenomenon of 'lightning and thunder' is actually a 'picture' of what happens in the spiritual realm. When His 'lightning and thunder' makes contact between the heaven and the earth, nothing can withstand it! And that includes any power of darkness or spiritual force of darkness!
In the physical realm, do you realize that after the 'lightning and thunder', and after the rain, the air in the atmosphere seems cleaner and fresher? There can be many reasons. The rainfall in itself washes away the dust in the air, resulting in cleaner and clearer air. Of course, the strong wind plays a role in clearing the air too. Scientifically speaking, during 'lightning and thunder', this process called 'ionization' happens. This causes the air to 'break down', and this clears the 'dullness' in the air, thus bringing clarity to the atmosphere.
This again reflects what actually happens in the spiritual realm. Remember 'paga' just now? It means 'to strike'. This 'paga' happens when the Lord sends His spiritual 'lightning and thunder'. And this 'paga' clears every form of dullness that overcast our spirit and mind, and even the atmosphere around us.
By the way, who are the ones sending these overcast or dullness in the spiritual realm that cause people to be so blur and dull? And when people's spirit becomes blur and dull, they cannot see what God wants them to see. So, who are the ones sending this overcast or dullness into God's people? No other but the power of darkness or the spiritual force of darkness!
The basic meaning of 'intervention' or 'intercession' is 'to step in'. In other words, the Lord says don't be afraid to ask of Him to 'step in', whatever your situation, your problem, or your trouble may be at the moment. When you ask the Lord to intervene, and when you ask the Lord to intercede for you, you are effectively asking Him to 'step in' in your situation!
Hebrews 7:24-26 says, 'But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest (that's Jesus) was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens.'
Notice these words 'save' and 'intercession'.
The word 'save' here is 'sozo' in Greek. It can mean any of these: 'save, heal, deliver, protect, aid, rescue, make well, make whole'. The Scripture says here: He is able to 'sozo' you to the uttermost (to the utmost), far beyond what any human can do for you!
So beloved, whatever situation or problem you may be facing right now, be it in your health, in your career, in the ministry, in the business, in your family, or in any area of your life, ask of the Lord for His divine intervention. Ask Him to step in. Amen!
Looking back at Hebrews 7:24-26, I read here: 'Since He always lives to make intercession for them...' It means 'for you and I'. See there? Not sometimes. Not only at certain times. But He always! He is ever ready. 24/7. He always lives to make intercession for you!
Interestingly, this word 'intercession' comes from the word 'tugchano' in Greek, and it carries the meaning 'to make it happen' or 'to effect upon'. This is very much like the word 'paga' in Hebrew that we've learned just now. Remember, 'paga' means 'to come upon, to fall upon, to light upon, to strike on, to hit the mark, to make contact with (like 'heaven meets the earth'), to encounter, to intercede, to intervene'. So, Scripture interprets Scripture.
So, be of good cheer. Take heart. Take courage. Because as you look to Him and ask of Him for His divine intervention, He is going to 'paga' in your situation. He is going to come right into your situation, your problem, or your trouble; and He is going to set you free from all that! He is the One who is higher than the heavens! He can make it happen! Even when everything else on earth fails!
Beloved, there is hope for 'sozo' for you. Just don't limit how He's going to do it. So, what's your part? Your part is to look to Him. Your part is to declare that this 'paga', this 'lightning and thunder', is going to come and strike all those power of darkness that try to come against you or try to assault you! And you are going to see yourself walking in greater and greater victory, greater and greater triumph. Amen!
Prayer:
"O Lord God, in a time like this, we look to You and ask of You for Your divine intervention. Whatever work of darkness that comes against us, we declare that Your 'paga' time has come! Your Word says You always live to make intercession for those who come to You. Your Word also says You are able to save us (to 'sozo' us) to the uttermost, far beyond what humans can do. We declare that You live, You rule, and You continue forever. And because You are all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present, therefore You are able to save and rescue us, where no one else can. Nothing in this world can withstand Your awesome power. Nothing in the spiritual realm can withstand Your awesome power. We thank You for Your Word today. We receive all this by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen."
