The Life-Changing Cry

Isaiah 12:6

Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

It is often said that the shouting side is the winning side. When there is a football match or any contests at all, one would recognize the side that has an upper hand through the ambit and atmosphere. The side that is doing well will be vibrant and the supporters that are watching will be hailing them and probably dance and sing. The other side that is treading the path of defeat will be struggling to put in their best and will be sweating profusely. Their faces will not be bright and their supporters will be encouraging them to strive on. They are not likely to be dancing. They could sing but the songs would probably be asking for God’s intervention.

At the war front, the winning side is vibrant and will shout the songs of victory. The side that is being defeated will not be able to shout because there are corpses of their comrades lying on the ground here and there. This means the army has reduced in number and even if they shout, their voice will not be as loud as that of the winning side. Their song will not be that of victory; it would either be of supplication to God or of surrender. In the text above, Israel had felt God’s hand of salvation and cannot but shout for joy. A shout is not a silent sound, it is a loud sound that is heard by other people and from the intonation, the hearers will know what it is announcing.

The Psalmist says:

“In the day that l cry, then shall my enemies turn back this l know, for God is with me”

What is the power behind the cry of the Psalmist? It is found in the text we read in Isaiah 12-“Great is the Holy one of Israel”

If you are an avid reader of the bible, you will notice that there are many life changing cries that people cried in the Bible. When people cry unto the great one of Israel, things begin to happen.

Examples:

1 Jacob: He was the first person to utter a holy cry in the Bible. After he had cheated his brother and left for foreign land where he took refuge so that his brother would not kill him, he decided to come back home after many years. He repented before the Lord and prayed. He sent forth his family and was left alone. That night, he wrestled with an angel and as the day was breaking, the angel wanted to leave but Jacob cried out that he would not let go of him, except He blessed him. That marked the beginning of a new thing in the life of Jacob. The angel first changed his name and then blessed him. This account could be found in the book of Gen 32:24-26. I pray that the arrows of prayer that you will shoot today, will change your life for the best in the name of Jesus.

2.The children of Israel Exodus 2:23-25

And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. [24] And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. [25] And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

The children of Israel were in bondage and when they cried unto the Lord, He heard them and delivered them out of the land of Egypt. I pray that the Lord will hear your cry today in the name of Jesus.

3. Jabez

1 Chron. 4:10

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

This 4-point prayer brought about a radical change into the life of Jabez who was born into sorrow. The Lord blessed him and enlarged his coast. I pray that your cry today will enlarge your coast in the name of Jesus.

4. Elijah

2 Kings 1:10

And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

This was a strange cry. It was not a cry for help but a command and God honoured it; fire fell from heaven.