Holy Week
The Foundation for Defeating the Giant
Though we are experiencing crazy times, God is in control. No matter what, we are going to keep moving forward and we are NOT backing down. It’s time to claim the Scriptures that show He is in control. We must think positive, so we can be positive. If we think positive, then we will get positive results – “As a man thinks, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). As this pestilence comes through this land, we need to remember it is not too big for our Lord, Jesus Christ. We have to declare there is a Greater One who has overcome all of this over 2,000 years ago and His Name is JESUS! (John 16:33)
Our protection is in His Blood which He paid a great price for. We must always put on the Full Armor of God and be ready for battle, because we are in a war. We have the right to use the Armor and we have been given the authority to use the Name. With that armor we can put out everything that comes our way.
This week has been a great and beautiful week of everything God has done for all of humanity. When we look at the timeline for Holy Week, we see the many reasons why we celebrate this Passion week. Jesus won victories every day just for us!
On Palm Sunday:
Jesus rode into Jerusalem in what we know as the Triumphant Entry (Matthew 21:1-9). When he told the disciples to go get the donkey and the colt, he showed them His authority. Even during this time, knowing what would happen to him, he chose to move forward and not turn around because he knew the Father was with him.
Everything he did was about glorifying his Father. Isn’t this bigger than any pestilence or anything we could be facing? Jesus was on his way knowing he would give his last breath in a matter of days and yet he showed us how to exercise His authority. This is what we need to be doing during this time, during this pestilence.
As we meditate on this week, it’s time that you fall in love again with your 1st love. This is how you can face what’s happening in the world today. Meditate on His Word and study to show thyself approved unto God, 2 Timothy 2:15. As you meditate on the Word, victory will come into your life, Blessings will come into your life, Healings will come into your life, because He paid the ultimate price on the cross… can you say Amen! “I will meditate also of all thy work and talk of thy doings.” Psalm 77:12
On Monday:
Jesus went in and cleansed the Temple (Matthew 21:10-17). During this time, foreigners from all over would come to the Temple. The money changers would make a profit by forcing them to exchange their money for the temple coin in order to do business. This is so powerful because when Jesus saw they were merchandizing in his Father’s house, taking advantage of the people, he overturned the tables with full force and cleaned house! The Bible says, the moment he made it the House of Prayer, the sick started coming in and he healed them.
In these conditions you must set an environment where God is going to be present. A lot of ministers have gone online to reach their people, but even during this time, you need to create an environment of praising and rejoicing, knowing He’s going to come through for you! Just because we are in our home, it doesn’t mean he won’t come in! Many people can say during an adversity, “where’s your God now?” Well, let me tell you, He’s exactly where you left him last! One woman took prayer out of schools but thank God people are bringing prayer back on the scene. We must thank our President Trump for that!
Prayer is the foundation that everyone needs to be implementing right now! In your home, in your school, in your workplace, everywhere! As you watch the broadcasts online, know that God is coming through those airwaves – He is El Shaddai, The Alpha, the Omega, The Beginning and The End, The Author and Finisher of our faith. This is what you need to grab a hold off, that sometimes you must “Clean House” for God to show up and do what He needs to do in His house! For many churches this is a wake-up call – some will make it and others will not – but I know we won’t back down from the Gospel. The question: Is your house ready? Is He going to be joyful in the presence that you have set?
On Tuesday:
Jesus was on his way back to the city and he cursed the Fig tree (Matthew 21:18-22). The disciples were so marveled by this because of the Power that Jesus displayed. Jesus showed them that if they don’t doubt, whatever they pray, as long as they believe, they can receive. When you have Power in His Word, great things will take place. Some people think, “Oh, but I blew it” or “I did some things in the past…” Religion says you’re not good enough, but guess what? I hate religion! God’s not looking for perfection; He loves you and accepts you just as you are!
When Jesus cursed the fig tree, he did it because he saw no fruit. When you hang around people, make sure to hang around positive people who can uplift one another. Negative people will drain you and wear you down. Be like Daniel who hung around Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and obtained favor (Daniel 3).
On Wednesday:
There’s not a lot of activity recorded in the Scriptures. Some scholars say this was the day Judas was preparing to betray Jesus, while others mention this was the day Jesus prepared himself for the last supper.
As we go through this timeline, we see this Holy Week is a Victory week for all of us! Lean on the Word of God and look at things in the Supernatural. The flesh and spirit are contrary to one another (Galatians 5:17) but when you fill your spirit with God’s Word, you will hear His voice. People are calling on God right now, but the question is, “what will they do once this is over?” I pray they don’t go back to their old ways. I want to believe this is going to stick and everyone will stay focused on Jesus. But what’s going to happen when all this stops? Because it will go on pause! God is not done with you yet! He’s not done with this land!
This is a time where you need to hear from the Holy Ghost and do exactly what He says. The Bible says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things.” (John 14:26)
On Thursday:
Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples (Luke 22:7-23). Though he knew he was about to be betrayed and arrested, Jesus continued to fulfill the meaning of Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. Here he established the instructions for the Lord’s table (Luke 22:19-20). After they left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father. Luke’s Gospel says that “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44, ESV). Later that evening, he was arrested after Judas betrayed him.
Imagine the determination Jesus had to continue this journey to fulfill his destiny. He had so many opportunities to quit or turn around, but he chose to surrender his will to the Father’s and carried on because he knew there was victory in the end. As believers, we hold the key to claiming victory over this and every situation. That key is our Prayers and Declaration of the Word.
On Friday:
Jesus faced his trial, punishment and ultimately his crucifixion (Matthew 27:32-56). While Jesus was headed to the cross, he endured mockery, beatings, false accusations, sickness he took for us and more, yet Isaiah 53:7 says: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” Instead, he said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34. Later, after darkness covered the sky and feeling forsaken by the Father, Jesus gave up his spirit and it was finished!
All the way up to his crucifixion he continued doing miracles, even to the point of death. While, on the cross, he continued directing people towards the Father, to glorify the Father and show that He was good! Everything he did, he did to bring the rightful standing for the joy that was set before him – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 For every time that Jesus got whipped, he had your joy before Him. What does Jesus mean to you? Take this week to meditate. You need to grab a hold of this! God will do the things of God because God is God.
On Saturday:
Jesus’ body laid in the tomb on the day we know as the Sabbath (Matthew 27:62-66). The Disciples were so heartbroken at the death of Jesus, they forgot the promise that He would rise.
We cannot forget His promise! We are living in a time, where we need to keep our eyes on Jesus, live in the Word and do the Word. The world depends on the Believers to take a stand. We are the ones who hold the enemy back. We need another hour of daylight, another reprieve like recorded in the book of Joshua 10:12-14, for our unsaved loved ones, our friends, our relatives, and even our neighbors. The Bible says in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Let me tell you, we are not there yet! We are close, but we still have work to do and souls to reach for the Kingdom!
On Sunday:
We reach the Victorious culmination of Holy Week as people witnessed Jesus’ Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-13). The first one to see Him was Mary Magdalene. Jesus gave her a message for the disciples. When she told everyone that He was alive, no one believed her, but as time passed, they realized she was telling the truth.
I believe many people who don’t yet believe, will open their eyes and see the Truth, that the only reason we can defeat the giant is because of what Jesus did on Holy Week! There will come a time when you will look at this day and give Him praise for the victory. When you claim victory, then victory will happen. I’m going to believe that the spirit of Daniel is going to come upon your life, because Daniel never ran away. He took the challenge. Daniel 2:1-19 says He had the spirit of the Lord and he was able to interpret the dream. Daniel challenged the times and blessed the name of God. Just like David had the spirit of the Lord to take out Goliath, he faced the giant knowing victory was on his side. It’s time to rise-up and challenge the times. If there’s any pride, eliminate it by thanking God and praising His name! The devil has already lost! His lease is up, and it cannot be renewed!
PRAYER is what will move mountains! I believe this week many prayers will be answered! We want you to send us your prayer requests at www.connectingyourvision.org – Use our contact form to stay in touch. This is a time to press in like never before and have the faith that we will keep winning! At the same time, we want to keep everyone in prayer, the families, those who have lost their loved ones, all the first responders, Doctors, those in the front lines, our leaders and especially our President.
This is the time to NOT BACK DOWN. If you want to show the devil he’s not in control, put the Word to the test (Malachi 3) and sow your BEST SEED today. Just like Isaac sowed in a time of famine and reaped in the same year 100-fold (Genesis 26:12), you can be a part of this move. We are hearing great testimonies of provision because people are putting their eyes on Jesus and not on people or government. This is how our ministry operates. We always keep our eyes on the Source and His Name is Jesus!
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Evangelist / Pastor Randy Hooper