Strength For The Evil Hour

Wonderful God, we thank you for this time, it is so wonderful to be at your feet. Your feet are where people can gather and find true joy. We know that all the counterfeit joy of the world has no lasting effect. We pray that you visit us as we approach you. Lord, let your anointing fall upon us in a mighty way. Where there is failure, let there be success, where there is disappointment, let there be encouragement, where there is disaster, let there be rehabilitation and where there is backwardness, let there be progress. Manifest yourself in our lives as the Elshadi, Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Nissi and Jehovah Rapha. We shall continue to praise you and you alone shall receive all the glory. Thank you Lord, for in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

This week, we are looking at a message which I call “Strength for the evil hour.” Our first text is taken from Luke 22:39-53 which says, “And he came out, and went as he was wont, to the mount of Olives and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed, more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him? But Jesus said unto him, Judas betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? And one of them, smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

The Bible also has another name for the hour of darkness it calls it the evil day. This is made known in Ephesians 6:13 which says, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.” It is also called the “time of Jacob’s trouble.” Students of the Bible know that there is time for everything under the sun, a time for good and a time for evil. Jesus had His hour of darkness, which was a long one that started at the Garden of Gethsemane to the crucifixion at Calvary. All His friends fled, even Peter who boasted that if all men deserted Him, he would not. Peter tried for a while but the other disciples ran away, he still kept on following Jesus to the court of judgment where He was tried. But then, the hour of temptation of Peter came. He was accused of being one of the disciples of Jesus, judging by his looks and dialect, but he promptly denied it and backed it up with cursing and immediately, Jesus looked at him in pity. There is no doubt, Jesus would have said in His mind, “You see now, my only friend that followed me here has denied me at last.” Why? Because it was His hour of darkness. During your hour of darkness, your best friend may desert you and those who have been co-operating with you may not continue to do so.

Another hour of darkness in the Bible for the disciples, was the storm in the sea. Jesus had told His disciples that they were going to cross over to the other side. It was never the decision of the disciples but of the Lord Himself, so it was the will of the Lord for them to cross over to the other side. Jesus went into the boat with them and was sleeping when the great storm arose. The disciples of Jesus waited for Him to move at that desperate hour when He himself was waiting for them too to move in faith. He waited for their prayers to move on their behalf, but they were busy battling the storm with their own energy like a lot of people have been struggling all on their own using satanic techniques to control the storms of their lives. These people are fighting darkness with darkness. Some are fighting the powers of darkness with their brain not knowing that human brain alone cannot contain the aggression of the storms of life.