This is a very important gate of time for watchmen and gate-keepers. Creatures of the fifth day (sea creatures and birds of the air) are very watchtful and sensitive.
Patterns in the Word of God indicate the following concerning the fifth season: Remember that what God wants done in this season is an indicator of what the enemy plans to do in the season.
1. IT IS A TIME TO CHANGE THE OLD NARRATIVE
God began to create moving living creatures on the fifth day of creation.
In Joshua 5, God rolled away the reproach of Egypt from Israel; Manna stopped falling and Israel began to eat the fruit of the land.
In 2 Kings 5, Naaman was healed of leprosy and his story changed
The Law of the land was suspended to favour Queen Esther in Esther 5.
Babylon collapsed and fell to the Medes and Persians in Daniel 5.
In Matthew 5, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said by those of old…but I say to you…”
In Mark 5, Jesus changed the story of the woman with the issue of blood.
In Luke 5, Peter left fishing and became a follower of Jesus.
In John 5, Jesus changed the story of the man at the Pool of Bethesda and ended affliction of 38 years.
2 Corinthians 5 says, “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away and all things have become new”.
PRAYER: Pray that the fifth week of the year will be a season of change of narratives in the lives of God’s people and in the nations.
2. IT IS A SEASON OF FREEDOM
God made free moving creatures on the fifth day of creation. He created the birds of the air to fly above the earth and across space. He did not put the birds in cages. He also made the sea creatures swimmers and did not put them in controlled ponds.
Moses began to demand the freedom of Israel from Egyptian bondage in Exodus 5.
In Mark 5, Jesus delivered and freed a demon-possessed man from the power of demons.
In John 5, Jesus healed a bedridden man and released him to go home.
In Acts 5, an angel of God released the apostles from prison.
Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage”.
PRAYER: Declare the fifth week of the year a week of freedom and decree the release of men and women from the chains of Satan. Pray for the release of God’s people held unjustly in prisons around the world.
3. IT IS A SEASON OF HEALING, PHYSICAL RESTORATION AND WELL-BEING.
In Genesis 5, people lived long in health and Enoch even escaped dying.
In 2 Kings 5, Naaman was healed of leprosy.
In Mark 5, Jesus healed the woman who suffered 12 years from hemorrhage, raised a 12 year old girl from the dead and delivered a demon-possessed man.
In John 5, Jesus healed a helpless man among many sick and feeble people at the Pool of Bethesda.
In Acts 5, sick people lying on couches were laid on the streets for Peter’s shadow to touch them and heal them.
PRAYER: Pray for the healing of sick people you know. Speak life and healing to their bodies. Send them words of healing. Pray for (demand) the healing of your own body from any affliction.
4. IT IS A TIME OF ABUNDANCE.
God made living creatures in abundance on the fifth day of creation (Genesis 1: 20-23).
In the 5th book of the Bible, God said Israel will eat bread without scarcity and will lack nothing in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 8:9).
In Luke 5, Jesus made Peter and his team catch much fish after a night of toiling and catching nothing.
PRAYER: Pray that God will supply the material needs of people in want of basic necessities. Pray for the deliverance of people around the world who are held down by poverty and shortages.
5. IT IS A TIME TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND WAR AGAINST THE WORKS OF THE FLESH
Although God began to create flesh and blood on the fifth day, He wants the spirit to dominate the flesh in the fifth season. The fleshy sea creatures (representing the flesh) are to live under while the birds (representing the spirit) having their flesh covered with feathers are to fly above. In this season, people are tempted to walk or act in the flesh.
In Joshua 5, after crossing the Jordan, God commanded Joshua to make a sharp knife and circumcise Israelites who couldn’t be circumcised in the wilderness.
In Second Kings 5, Gehazi (Elisha’s servant) went the way of materialism and became leprous like Naaman.
In Daniel 5, king Belshazzar threw a party to gratify the flesh. It ended in chaos and judgment.
In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira died from lying to God because of money.
In 1 Corinthians 5, a believer overtaken by the flesh was sleeping with his father’s wife.
In Galatians 5:16-23, Paul speaks against the works of the flesh and calls believers to walk in the spirit and also bear the fruit of the spirit.
Walking in the spirit is key to spiritual sensitivity and freedom from deception.
PRAYER: Pray to have victory against temptations and lusts of the flesh. Pray for a sharpened sensitivity to see the invisible, hear the inaudible and understand the incomprehensible.
6. IT IS A TIME TO GIVE ATTENTION TO THE DEEPER, SPIRITUAL SIDE OF THINGS.
In Matthew 5, redefined the Law and went beyond the letter to the spirit of the Law. “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you….”
In Acts 5, Peter told Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, that lying to the Apostles meant lying to God and the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 5:1,7,16-17 says,
[1] For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
[7] For we walk by faith, not by sight.
[16] Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
PRAYER: Pray to walk and work, this week, from the spiritual and eternal perspective of things.
7. IT IS A TIME OF BLESSING THROUGH OBEDIENCE AND FOLLOWING GOD’S WAY
God began to bless creation on the fifth day of creation. He did not bless anything the first four days.
The fifth book of the Bible (Deuteronomy) is a book of blessings (for obedience) and curses (for disobedience). See Deuteronomy 28 and 30.
Psalm 5:12 says, “For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield”.
In Matthew 5: 3-11, the word ‘blessed’ is used 9 times.
PRAYER: Speak blessings over God’s Heritage in the nations and pray that God’s people are in the path of blessings and avoiding the path of curses.
8. IT IS A SEASON TO LIFT YOUR VOICE TO GOD IN PRAYER, PRAISE, THANKSGIVING AND FOR GOD’S CAUSE.
Voice sound began on the fifth day of creation – the chirping of birds.
Psalm 5:2-3 says, “Give heed to the VOICE of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. [3] My VOICE You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up”.
In John 5:25, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the VOICE of the Son of God; and those who hear will live”.
In Acts 5, the angel of God released the apostles from prison to go and SPEAK the words of this life. Religious leaders could not silence the apostles with threats or imprisonment in Acts 5.
PRAYER: This week, lift up your voice to praise God and speak for God in defiance of circumstances around you. Pray for believers in nations where there is little or no freedom to speak to God or for God. Speak freedom over nations without religious freedom.
9. THE FIFTH SEASON IS A SEASON TO KEEP BOUNDARIES AND OBEY LAWS.
This is a season to respect boundaries and keep rules. This is not a week of lawlessness.
On the fifth day of creation, God made sea creatures live in water and birds to fly. They operate on laws concerning balance and boundaries.
The fifth book of the Bible is about obedience to the laws of God. It ties life to obedience. Deuteronomy 5:33 says, “You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess”.
Naaman was healed by obeying Elisha’s command in Second Kings 5. Peter caught much fish by obeying the command of Jesus in Luke 5. The man Jesus healed at the Pool of Bethesda was healed by obeying a command from Jesus in John 5. In Mark 5, a girl was raised from the dead by the command of Jesus. Jesus issued moral commands in Matthew 5:
PRAYER: Pray against the spirit of permissiveness and lawlessness in the nations. Pray that God’s people will grow in obedience to the Lord.
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK
Revelation 5:9-10: “And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, [10] And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
Happy 5th week of the year!
