The week of January 22 – 28 is a very significant season. It is the fourth week of the year. It is also the 17th week in Nigeria’s year from October 1. January 22, 1973, Royal Jordanian Airlines flight 707 carrying 171 Nigerian Muslims returning from Mecca and five crewmen crashed in Kano, killing all on board.
THE MYSTERY OF THE FOURTH WEEK
This is the bridge week in the first seven weeks of the year. Patterns in the word of God indicate that the fourth season is one we should handle with prayer. Jesus fasted in the wilderness in the fourth chapters of Matthew and Luke. In the plan of God, the fourth season is for training, testing, triumphs and testimonies. For the kingdom of darkness, it is a time to cause troubles, temptations and tears. God made the fourth season a time of training and stretching for growth. Satan attacks people in the fourth season to confuse, frighten, deceive, cause error, stumbling, defeat and death.
The fourth season is like a fight-back season for darkness. After God had called forth light on the first day of creation, He created light bearers on the fourth day – as it were to reinforce light in the battle against darkness. In the fourth season, darkness manifests through temptations, pressures, pains, persecution, tension, conflicts, and confusion. Darkness does not kill but it can frustrate and confuse people and make them hurt themselves or do things they should not do.
The first murder was committed in the fourth chapter of Genesis.
Moses made God angry in Exodus 4 and God wanted to kill him.
Many Israelites who came out of Egypt in the book of Exodus perished in the fourth book of the Bible.
The failure of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam is recorded in the fourth book of the Bible. The negative ministry of Balaam against Israel, the rebellion of Korah and his company, the attack of the fiery serpents and Israel’s failure to enter the Promised Land on schedule are also recorded in the fourth book of the Bible.
Israel divided into two kingdoms under the fourth king of Israel, Rehoboam. One part of the kingdom turned to idolatry as a state religion.
The adversaries of Judah, Sanballat and Tobiah put up strong resistance in the fourth chapters of Ezra and Nehemiah. The work was made to cease in Ezra 4. Nehemiah was prepared for the opposition in Nehemiah 4.
Queen Esther came under intense pressure to act in Esther 4. The fasting that defeated Haman’s plot happened in this chapter.
The temptations of Jesus are recorded in the fourth chapters of Matthew and Luke.
A storm rose against Jesus and His disciples in Mark 4 as they were crossing “to the other side”.
The Early Church began to face persecution in Acts 4. The chapter ends with prayer that shook the building.
In Second Corinthians 4, Paul says, “We are hard-pressed on every side….”
The War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom happened in the season of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison.
In Nigeria, the fourth national leader, Murtala Mohammed, was assassinated in a bloody coup in his sixth month of his leadership. The tough Buhari-Idiagbon regime was toppled in the fourth year of Nigeria’s fourth 7 years. A lot of misfortunes have befallen Nigeria since the beginning of her fourth republic; especially in the season of the 4th President in her fourth republic,Muhammadu Buhari.
The Ukranian Revolution of 2014 happened in the season of the ousted fourth President of Ukraine, Victor Yanukovych. This also happened at the beginning of the fourth seven years of her independence from the Soviet Union.
Going through the fourth week (Days 22-28) is like going through the fourth seven chapters (22-28) of the Bible. Genesis 22-28 are trial chapters in the lives of Abraham, Rebekah, Isaac, Esau, and Jacob. Numbers 22-28 are trial chapters for Balaam and Israel. Matthew 22-28 are trial chapters in the parables and experiences of Jesus and His disciples. Acts 22-28 are trial chapters in the life of Paul. The fourth seven books of the Bible (Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentation, Ezekiel, Daniel and Hosea) are also full of trials and temptations.
The divine agenda for the week is to hold out light against effects of darkness. It is a week to subdue darkness, disorganization and disorderliness. It is a week to overcome temptations and trials. This is a week of organized strategic warfare against darkness – especially mental darkness that produces fear, confusion, deception, and wrongdoing. What you need is light and God has given you light in His word, in the Holy Spirit, and in the wise people around you.
PRAYER POINTS FOR THE 4TH WEEK
1. Pray that the Lord will protect His people and our leaders from mental darkness leading to wrong decisions and actions – as in the case of the fourth king of Israel in First Kings 12.
2. Pray against manifestations of the murderous spirit of Cain that may rise this week to attack the righteous and the innocent in any part of our country.
3. Pray for grace to discern the presence of the tempter and to overcome temptations this week. Pray against mental darkness and deception.
4. As heat was created on the fourth day of creation, pray against unnecessary heat this week. Pray that darkness will not overtake any part of our nation this week.
5. As Esther declared a fast in Esther 4, as Jesus withdrew to the wilderness in the fourth chapters of Matthew and Luke and as the Lord called John to “come up hither” in Revelation 4, pray that this is a week of blocking off and rising beyond the noise on this earth to pray and hear God.
17TH WEEK OF NIGERIA’S YEAR
Week 17 is the third week in the third seven weeks (49 days) of the year. It is a core third-season week. The 17th book and chapters of the Bible indicate that the 17th season is for:
1. Overthrow of the wicked and arrogant. God overthrew Amalek in Exodus 17, overthrew Goliath in First Samuel 17, overthrew Ahitophel in Second Samuel 17, overthrew the Northern Kingdom of Israel in Second Kings 17, and overthrew Haman in the 17th book of the Bible. Great Babylon was marked for overthrow in Revelation 17. The 17th President of the United States was the first to be impeached.
2. Triumph over death and dryness: God appeared to Abraham at 99 in Genesis 17 with a definite promise that 89 year old Sarah would conceive and birth a son for him. He changed his name and the name of his wife. He also named their son, Isaac, here. God gave life to Aaron’s dry rod and made it bud, blossom, and bear ripe almond fruits overnight. In Joshua 17, the five daughters of Zelophehad received inheritance in the name of their dead father who had no son. The first place the dead was raised to life is First Kings 17. Esther and Mordecai triumphed over death and killers in the 17th book of the Bible. Jesus healed ten lepers in Luke 17.
3. Manifestation and vindication of the humble: God vindicated Aaron in Numbers 17 when his dry rod budded and bore fruit overnight. God vindicated David in First Samuel 17 where he killed Goliath. God vindicated Elijah in First Kings 17. In Matthew 17, God vindicated Jesus at His transfiguration.
4. Supernatural provisions: God gave Israel water from a dry rock in Exodus 17. Ravens fed Elijah in First Kings 17. God sustained a widow’s last meal by the Word of the Lord from Elijah in First Kings 17. Jesus sent Peter to fetch their tax money from the mouth of a fish in Matthew 17.
5. Walking by faith: It was by faith that Abraham received a change of name in Genesis 17. It was by faith that Moses gave Israel water from the rock in First Samuel 17. It was by faith that David killed Goliath in First Samuel 17. It was by faith that the widow of Zarephat and son shared their last meal with Elijah. In Matthew 17:20, “…If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you”.
PRAYER-POINTS FOR THE 17TH WEEK
1. Pray that the Lord will overthrow people and systems in this nation that are expressions of Amalek, Goliath, Ahitophel, Haman in this week.
2. Pray that the Lord will overturn the plans and efforts of killers and agents of death in Nigeria this week.
3. Pray that the Lord will manifest and vindicate the humble in Nigeria as He did for Esther and Mordecai in the 17th book of the Bible.
4. Pray that this will be a week of strange provisions for missionaries, ministries, businesses, and families in need.
5. Pray for grace to walk by faith all through this week’s
SCRIPTURES FOR WEEK
Jeremiah 17:5-8: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. [8] For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-10: “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed- [10] always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body”.
This week of January 22-28 shall be a week of outstanding testimonies for those who trust in God. It will be a week of triumphs.
Happy 4th week of the year! Happy 17th week of Nigeria’s year.
