Watch Focus November 29, 2024: GIVE THANKS!! ...the Return of the Ark

1. Thanksgiving for Jesus as Our Center 

In 1 Chronicles 16 we find a great Thanksgiving feast as David leads the nation in a great celebration and feast of food gifts in thanksgiving for the return of the Ark of God to its rightful place at the center of worship. We offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving this week as we celebrate Jesus, the Ark of safety and the habitation of God by His Spirit amid His covenant people. Jesus is our Ark of Noah who saves from judgment through His blood—by Him we enter God’s family and sanctuary and there Jesus is the Ark of God’s covenant in His proper place in our hearts as central for our lives, His law written on the tablets of our hearts, His miraculous power bringing His promises to pass, and Himself as our Bread from heaven ever nourishing us, in manifest Presence and blessing. 

“On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord: Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore!

Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Israel His servant,

You children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. …And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. 

Psalm 96 is a shortened version of David’s praise. It concludes with “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.”

We begin our watch prayers with thanksgiving for the invaluable gift of Jesus Christ!

2. Put a BRIDLE on unruly, ungodly, elected, and unelected officials who have publicly announced they will thwart the directives of the newly elected President. 

Previously and again this week multiple powerful members of Congress and bureaucrats in the Department of Defense have been reported in major news outlets promising to refuse or undermine any directives they disagree with that may come from President Trump. To that end they are laying the groundwork now to undermine the new administration once it is sworn in. Additionally, the recent permission by President Biden to launch missiles into Russia is considered by many on both sides as a dangerous provocation towards nuclear war. Psalm 32:9 says, “Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle….”  In Isaiah’s day, Sennacherib threatened to destroy Israel in defiance of God (Ch. 37). King Hezekiah turned to the Lord in prayer: “Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.” God responded in a prophetic pronouncement, “But I know your dwelling place, your going out and your coming in, and your rage against Me. Because your rage against Me and your tumult have come up to My ears, therefore I will put My hook in your nose and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way which you came…Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return; and he shall not come into this city,’ says the Lord. ‘For I will defend this city, to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ”

We pray the Lord will direct the hearts of President Biden and every administrative official around him to wisdom and the fear of the Lord. We pray that every evil or fool hearty plan will fail. We pray God raise up a hedge of protection around this nation and keep our troops around the world out of harm’s way.

3. Jehu’s Chariot 

Several months ago we saw an image of Jehu’s chariot driving furiously toward Ahab’s stronghold in advance of overthrowing Jezebel. We understood it to be a type of the spiritual battle waging over our nation. In recent days many others have likened Donald Trump’s determination to return many of America’s administrative institutions to their proper foundation and functioning according to the civic direction and will. 

We pray for incoming President Trump, for guidance and wisdom in selecting cabinet and administrative positions. We pray God raise up righteous men and women in each appointment and we bind every opposing power that would prevent the best choices for each position. A concern is the power of lobbyists for military and big food, big pharma, and the many elected officials who hold stocks in those markets and are furious with the nomination of such persons as Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services.  

Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”

4. Pray for a Red Sea parting, Jordan River axe head recovery miracle of the remaining hostages in Hamas terror dungeons. Exodus 14:16 “But lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” 2 Kings 6:6-7: “So Elisha cut off a stick and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.  Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So, he reached out his hand and took it.”

We lift the Name of Jesus over each of the hostages where they are being held and pray for a MIRACLE of recovery to restore them to their families. 

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving."

Colossians 4:2

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Colossians 3:17