“But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” Obadiah 1:17
I welcome you to May, the fifth month of 2020, the year of Great Turnaround. Five is a strategic number of God’s grace. Understanding that helps you to partake of the blessing of amazing grace, and grow in it (2 Peter 3:18), so that the God of all Grace will “perfect, stablish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).
Why Mount Zion? In Genesis 35:1, God told Jacob to relocate from Padan-Aram to Bethel “and dwell there,” and raise an altar there so as to be blessed. Is God concerned about where one dwells? Is it so important to Him where I reside? Since God is everywhere, could Jacob not have raised an altar to Him anywhere? Yes, God is everywhere but He does not accept every sacrifice from just any altar (Malachi 1:13; Acts 17:24-27). In other words, even with offerings to God, location is crucial.
For example, when God was going to take a strategic sacrifice from Abraham, He was careful to specify not only WHAT sacrifice He wanted, but also WHERE He wanted that “meal” served to Him. Abraham had offered sacrifices to God on some other altars, and those sacrifices had been acceptable to God. Or, at least, God had never complained about them; yet God was clear about what He wanted with this particular sacrifice. If Abraham had gone to his backyard and offered Isaac up there, he would have killed the lad in vain. He would have wasted a precious sacrifice because it had been offered at a wrongly located altar. He would have missed the substitute lamb for the sacrifice that God had provided, which was waiting to be seen “in the mount of the LORD” (Genesis 22:13-14). This month, God has again spoken on where He has located His goodies for His Blood-bought and redeemed children, and it is in Mount Zion only!
Where is Mount Zion? Mount Zion is a city within a city. An enclave of David’s, where both his palace and the Temple of God were located. It is the highest place in Jerusalem. Therefore, Zion constitutes a set of people from all peoples, it is a church within the church. You cannot buy your way in, as it is not attained by connection or family alliances or affiliation nor by a membership card. These are a peculiar people. Beyond being saved by Grace, washed by the Blood that Jesus shed at Calvary 2000 years ago, and baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, these people are totally obedient to God and their leaders. Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” It is also notable that these peculiar people live a life of impeccable holiness. In the final analysis of our text, Obadiah 1:17, Zion points to one word – HOLINESS. Obadiah 1:17 says, “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness…”
Residence on Mount Zion: This month of dwelling in Mount Zion plunges us into God’s inexhaustible storehouse, to receive until our joy is full. The LORD has blessings in abundance to meet the needs of all His children. The level of readiness to receive from God is determined by one’s relationship with God, earnest craving and desire, availability to receive, prayer of faith, and openness of heart.
The preparation serves as a link connecting us with God’s unlimited resources and sufficiency. God is prepared to bless, and we must be prepared to receive. Then, we can “be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of [His] house, and drink of the rivers of [His] pleasures” (Psalm 36:8, paraphrased). Consequently, it is wise for us to:
a. Set goals
b. Secure the necessary permission to dwell upon Mount Zion
c. Sanctify [set apart] ourselves
d. Support set goals with prayer and finance
e. Seek the LORD to get the best heaven has to offer
f. Serve with commitment and dedication, and
g. Spread abroad the good news of the “Mount Zion” program.
Successful Living on Mount Zion: There are five things one needs to do in order to begin to possess one’s possessions.
1.Learn to “wait on the Holy Spirit” for instruction: Jesus instructed the 120 disciples to wait in Jerusalem for what the Father promised, and they waited in the upper room (Acts 1:12-13). They waited with one mind for 50 days, doing nothing, going nowhere, but continually in prayer, saying simply, “Come, Holy Spirit” until they received the power
a. It is difficult to wait; however, we must learn to wait and do so well.
b. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they did not need to travel because God brought the people to them “from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5)
2. Be ready for war (Genesis 26:18-22): A desert well is a source of life, sustaining human, animal, and plant lives. It is also a symbol of grace, joy, life, refreshing, favor, blessing, etc. Abraham dug many wells in his lifetime, but after he died, the Philistines closed the wells to suffocate the life out of Isaac and destroy his family, animals, and crops. They intended to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). However, after many failed attempts, Isaac succeeded in reopening one of the wells and there, found rest for his soul.
a. Do not allow the Philistines to stop the flow of your wells of living water. That is, your zeal for God, good health, gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc.
b. Fight for your inheritance.
c. Prayers:
i. The Philistines & Abimelech arrayed against my assigned breakthrough, hear the noise of chariots and horses, and start running (Psalms 18:45).
ii. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end – the reign of fear ends in my life! Father, contend with those contending with me.
3. Re-affirm your identity as the seed of Abraham: We read in Genesis 22:17 that, ”…in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies.” One translation says, “your seed will pursue the enemies from the battle front to their city gates.”
a. Affirm your position as:
i. a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17),
ii. beloved of God (John 15:9),
iii. a brother or sister of Jesus (Matthew 12:49-50),
iv. a temple of God and God’s co-worker (1 Corinthians 3:9,16),
v. an heir of God (Romans 8:17),
vi. an ambassador of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20),
vii. a peculiar treasure (1 Peter 2:9), etc.
4. Maintain your prayer altar (Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 6:12): An altar speaks of a place of continuous communion and fellowship with, and prayer to, God. It is a place marked by God’s Presence, and where issues are settled. The enemy always knows when God’s Presence is with you. So, in Genesis 26:24-32, we see Abimelech, king of the Philistines, in fear and trembling, lead an immediate and powerful peace delegation to Isaac for a peace treaty. All because he dug a well, found water the same day, and raised an altar to the LORD.
a. The altar in your life ensures your victory, joy, wealth, good health, peace, and your faith in God.
b. Mark 9:23 says, “…if thou canst believe, all things are possible…”
5. Learn to praise and worship God: Enemies rose against Jehoshaphat and his people, but God defeated them when His people used the weapon of praise and worship. 2 Chronicles 20:22 says, “And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.” Similar truths are found in Psalms 22:3 and Acts 16:25-26.
Conclusion – Blessings Upon Mount Zion:
Beloved, there is a divine appointment for you on Mount Zion. Isaiah 40 is like the beginning of a new era or dawn in Mount Zion; a New Testament form of blessing of the great harvest. There is a proclamation of seven blessings in Isaiah 40:4-5, namely:
a. “Every valley shall be exalted, and
b. Every mountain and hill shall be made low: and
c. The crooked shall be made straight, and
d. The rough places plain: And
e. The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and
f. All flesh shall see it together.
g. For the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”
Brethren, this is a sure word for you! “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions” (Obadiah 1:17, NKJV).
PRAYER POINTS:
- I give thanks to the LORD for all He has done for us this year, delivering me and my family from COVID-19. Thank You for leaving all Your glory in heaven, to take the form of man, in order to procure our forgiveness and restore our lost glory.
- I affirm my position in Christ as a seed of Abraham, prevailing in every situation as the temple of God, a new creature, an ambassador of Christ and a peculiar person – Genesis 22:17; Galatians 3:29.
- By the blood of Jesus, I reclaim all lost grounds in possessions, privileges, promotions, health, and finances. Arise, my soul, and shine for your light has come.
- I dwell on Mount Zion, therefore I receive abundant harvest – spiritual harvest, financial harvest, material harvest, emotional harvest and all other forms of harvest I desire, in Jesus’ Name.
- Father make my church, my house, the gathering of believers a raging fire and a flame devouring every work of the flesh and all evil works of darkness in our community and the world, in Jesus’ Name (Obadiah 1:18).
- Father make me a Joseph to my generation, make me a savior and a judge as you declared in Obadiah 1:21, in Jesus’ Name.
- Father, nothing is impossible for You. Please visit all those battling with anxiety, depression, fear, worry, confusion, or anything else at this moment of national and global crisis, in Jesus’ Name.
- I remove the garment of shame and bondage, terminating every failure and fruitless labor. From today, I make steady progress without struggle, in Jesus’ Name.
- (Hold your head as you take this prayer): Father, my head rejects the influences from the house of Esau and the influences of the rod of wickedness in my life, in Jesus’ Name.
- Father, please lay Your hand on our spiritual leaders and help them to lead us in the path of righteousness, in the Name of Jesus.
- Come Holy Spirit, I need you to take charge of my life (Zechariah 4:6).
- I bless, praise, and worship the LORD for a new vision, a new beginning, etc.
Monthly Declarations:
- I decree that the grace of Jesus shields me this month, and my health prospers even as my soul prospers. The world shall recover from this COVID-19 pandemic, in the mighty Name of Jesus.
- I decree that the power of God is working out new things for me, and I will live to encounter the great happening earmarked for those on Mount Zion, in Jesus’ Name.
- I decree that I am a conqueror, a triumphant overcomer, and I will never be subject to any power aiming to subdue my glory in the mud, in Jesus’ Name.
- Wherever my blessings are buried, I decree a supernatural intervention this day for the sake of Christ’s death and resurrection. Let there be a hundred-fold restoration of everything good lost in my life, family, church, and community, in the mighty Name of Jesus.
- I decree Deuteronomy 28:12 upon you, your family, and loved ones, in Jesus’ Name. ”The LORD shall open unto thee His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.”
- I decree that every negative prophecy or dream has been rendered obsolete in my life and family, in Jesus’ Name.
- My testimony is forever permanent, I dwell in Mount Zion, and I live in abundance possessing my possession. Therefore, weeping and gnashing of teeth is not my portion, in Jesus’ Name.
- I decree concerning missionaries and pastors shepherding God’s flock that divine wisdom, fresh anointing and divine protection is their portion and the portion of all that are connected to them, in Jesus’ Name.
- I decree that a surge of divine righteousness fills every nation, the desire and urgency to draw close to the Most High God encapsulates nations all over the world, in Jesus’ Name.
