The 15th week is the beginning of a game-changing season in the year – the third seven weeks of the year (April 9 – May 27). The third’ is a turning point in the Bible – whether it is third day, third year, third chapter, third book, third seven chapters, third seven books, or third king. The things that pertain to ‘the third’ also apply to the third 7 weeks, third 7 years, third 49 years or third century. The third seven weeks of the year is critical in any year – whether you are dealing with the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707, the death of Mussolini and Hitler in 1945, the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, the rebirth of Germany in 1949, or the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Going through the third 7 weeks of the year is like taking a swift prophetic journey through the third seven books of the Bible (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes). Going through the third seven weeks of the year (weeks 15-21) is like going through Genesis 15-21, Revelation 15-21 and other third 7 chapters of the Bible. Going through the third seven weeks of the year is like going through 1515 – 1521 in the 16th century, 1615 – 1621 in the 17th century, 1715 – 1721 in the 18th century, 1815-1821 in the 19th century, like 1915-1921 in the 20th century and 2015 – 2021 in the 21st century. Going through the third seven weeks of the year is like going through the third seven centuries of the church (15th – 21st century) in a year. The third seven weeks of the year is for resetting platforms and changing the course of things in the year. It is a season of spiritual emphasis. It is a season of prayer, fasting, meditation, worship, kingdom service and spiritual warfare. So, the 15th week is a strategic gate of time.
How should we pray into this week? Here are seven basic things that can guide us to pray into the 15th week:
1. The 15th week is a Book of Ezra week. Ezra is the 15th book of the Bible. The 15th season is a time to restore, return and rebuild. In the 15th book of the Bible, Cyrus, king of Persia, in response to the Word of God, issued a written proclamation releasing the Jews to go and rebuild the temple of God at Jerusalem that the Babylonians had destroyed. He restored the articles the Babylonians took from the temple of God and put in the temples of their gods. This is a week to heed the Cyrus-call – to return and rebuild. It is a week to remember Jerusalem. This week, the Lord is calling us to rebuild the house of prayer – the temple of the Holy Spirit – in our lives and in the nations. In the 15th book of the Bible, Ezra went to Jerusalem, as a scribe, to teach the people the law. As preparation for the rest of the third 7 weeks, the 15th week is for giving attention to reading, doing and teaching the Word of God.
PRAYER: Pray for grace to give due attention to fixing the House of God in your life. Pray to fix your life for Him. Pray that God’s people will give proper attention to reading, hearing, doing and teaching God’s word. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Israel).
2. The 15th week is for the release and fulfillment of the Word of God. It is a season when God stirs the heart of His people to do what He said He would do. In First Samuel 15, God sent Saul to go and perform the word He spoke concerning Amalek in Exodus 17. In the 15th book of the Bible, the proclamation of Cyrus was made to fulfill Gods word through Jeremiah. The emergence of Cyrus was a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 44 and 45. In Acts 15, the apostles made reference to the prophecy of Amos about rebuilding the Tabernacle of David that had fallen. Revelation 15 speaks of God’s judgment that had been manifested. This week, the Lord will draw our hearts to aspects of His word that are calling for fulfillment. The word of the Lord is precious in the 15th season. The Word of the Lord came to Abraham in Genesis 15, to Asa in Second Chronicles 15, to Cyrus in the 15th book of the Bible and to John the Baptist in the 15th year of Caesar Tiberius. The Word that came to John the Baptist was a fulfillment of Isaiah 40. The 15th season is a season of the Word. It is not a surprise that the Word of God was first printed in the 15th century (the Gutenberg Bible).
PRAYER: Pray for sensitivity and grace to receive and run with the word of God this 15th week. Pray that prophecies will be fulfilled in nations around the world as we move with the word. Pray against temptations to disregard the word of God or to give partial obedience to the Word this week.
3. The 15th week is for the restoration and recovery of what was lost. In Luke 15, Jesus spoke 3 parables of restoration and recovery – the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. The enemy pushes for losses in this season. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated this week in 1865 (April 15). On that day, the plan of the wicked was to kill the President, Vice President and Secretary of State n their different locations. The Vice President and Secretary of State escaped the enemy’s plan. This week in 2014 (April 14), 276 Chidok high school girls were abducted by Boko Haram in North-east Nigeria. The 15th season is also a season of rebuilding and restoring ruined places. The 15th book of the Bible (Ezra) is about recovery and restoration. The 15th chapter of First Corinthians is about the resurrection of the dead. This is a week of action against death or the loss of lives. The spirit of death is very active in this season but the spirit of life is much more active. So, we must align with the spirit of life, revival and recovery.
PRAYER: Pray against losses (of people, possessions and position) this week. Pray against abduction of innocent people. Pray for revival in nations around the world. Proclaim revival and resurrection over the week. Pray, especially, against the loss of lives in the nations this week.
4. The 15th week is for singing to God. In Exodus 15, Moses and Miriam sang to the Lord after Israel crossed the Red Sea. There was singing and dancing in First Chronicles 15 when David brought the Ark into Jerusalem. The 15th book of the Bible gives attention singers. There was singing in Revelation 15. They sang the song of Moses and of the Lamb. In Luke 15, the outcome of finding what was lost was celebration. The 15th seven psalms (99-105) are psalms of prayers, testimonies, thanksgiving, songs and praises to God.
PRAYER: Declare Psalm 101 and sing a new song to the Lord. Pray the 15th week will be a week of singing, dancing, jubilation and celebration.
5. The 15th week is for contending against opposition and resistance to God’s move in the season. The enemy will do everything possible to stop or frustrate the work of God in your hands. Sanballat and Tobiah rose against the Jews rebuilding the temple in the 15th book of the Bible. The work stopped, was restarted and then completed. Don’t let the devil stop you this week! In Acts 15, the council at Jerusalem dealt with the opposition against admission of gentile believers into the church. Jesus was crucified in Mark 15. It was this spirit of opposition and resistance working in the 15th season that reacted against the existence of Abraham Lincoln and had him killed on April 15, 1865. The 15th seven years of the United States (from 1776) ended with the assassination of the 20th President, James A. Garfield on July 2, 1881 two days to Independence Day.
PRAYER: Pray against resistance and opposition to the fulfillment of God’s word in your life, family and nation. Take a stand in the spirit against Sanballat and Tobiah and their allies.
6. The 15th week marks a new beginning we must enter by faith. This week is a terminus for the status quo. Babylonian captivity of the Jews ended in the 15th book of the Bible; and the Return began. The Promise of the child born in Genesis 21 began in Genesis 15. In Exodus 15, Israel was on the other side of the Red Sea where Egyptians were no longer a threat. In First Samuel 15, God finally rejected Saul and the search for a new king began. King Asa carried out sweeping reforms in Judah in Second Chronicles 15. That was a new beginning for God’s people in Judah. In Acts 15, Gentiles were formally admitted into the church. It was a new beginning for Gentile believers. Paul and Barnabas parted ways in this chapter too (Acts 15: 36-41).
PRAYER: Pray and decree a positive new beginning in the year. Proclaim by faith that this week marks a new beginning in the year for God’s people in the nations.
7. The 15th week of the year is a Psalm 99-105 week: The 15th week of the year consists of Days 99-105 and going through it is like taking a prophetic journey through Psalms 99-105 (the 15th seven psalms). (The psalms call us to magnify God and call us to exalt God, thank Him, bless Him, praise Him and sing to Him. The 15th week is a time to reflect on the person of God and His work among His people and in the nations.
PRAYER: Bless the Lord, worship Him and speak of His marvelous works on the earth. Pray that praise will rise to God in the nations.
BIBLE READING SUGGESTIONS FOR THE 15TH WEEK:
Psalms 99-105 and Ezra 1-10 are great guiding lights for the week. You may want to read the suggested passages as follows:
April 8: Psalm 99 & Ezra 1-2
April 9: Psalm 100 & Ezra 3-4
April 10: Psalm 101 & Ezra 5-6
April 11: Psalm 102 & Ezra 7
April 12: Psalm 103 & Ezra 8
April 13: Psalm 104 & Ezra 9
April 14: Psalm 105 & Ezra 10
SUMMARY: This is a week of heart-felt worship, singing, celebration, turnarounds, triumphs, fulfillment of prophecies and recovery of what was lost.
VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Exodus 15:26: “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”
Happy 15th week of the year!
