Here are 8 things to note and pray about in the 8th week:
1. IT IS A SEASON TO WATCH AGAINST SATANIC AGENTS OF FORCED RELOCATION
In the 8th week of 2014 (February 20), Russia annexed Ukraine. About 8 years later, in the 8th week of 2022 (February 24), Russia invaded Ukraine again; leading to war that forced many to flee Ukraine. In the late 1830s, in the season of the 8th President of the United States, Martin Van Buren, American Indian tribes were forced to move westward from the south and southeast in what has come to be known as ‘The Trail of Tears’.
The Bible is key to understanding why these things happened when they did. The 8th book of the Bible (Ruth) and the 8th chapters of the Bible indicate that the 8th season is a time when people may face harsh circumstances that may force them to flee, or move from, their lands. In the book of Ruth, Elimelech fled the land of Judah because of famine. In Second Kings 8, famine made the Shunemite woman relocate to the land of the Philistines – by the word of the lLord. In Acts 8, persecution drove many believers out of Jerusalem. Philip moved to Samaria and found ministry there.
PRAYER: Pray that Lord will guide His people in the nations through any hard and harsh circumstances that may rise this week. Pray that the Lord will keep His people in the nations far from satanic agents of forced relocation.
2. IT IS A SEASON TO REVERSE LAWS AND DECREES
The 8th season is for making new laws to counter old ones or give new direction. In Genesis 8, God said, “…I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. [22] “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease” (Genesis 8:21-22). In Esther 8, the king mandated Esther and Mordecai to write a new law, in his name, to revoke or counter the evil decree Haman initiated. In the 8th seven books of the Bible (Philippians – Titus), Paul made new laws for the church – especially in his epistles to Timothy and Titus.
PRAYER: Pray that the Lord will cause the overthrow and reversal of evil and wicked decrees and writings in the nations as it happened in Esther 8. As you pray, make new decrees, by the spirit, to counter wicked purposes on earth.
3. IT IS A SEASON OF BATTLES THAT CAN ONLY BE WON THROUGH DIVINE COUNSEL AND STRENGTH
This is a week of invasions. Noah inherited and took over the new earth in Genesis 8. In Joshua 8, Israel received wisdom from God to defeat and take over the city of Ai. Israel wanted a king in First Samuel 8 because of battles. In Second Samuel 8, David led Israel to subdue Moab, Syria, Edom, Philistia, Ammon, Amalek and Zobah. Philip, by the power of God, overthrew demonic strongholds of Samaria in Acts 8. Revelation 8 is the beginning of the ‘battle of the trumpets’ to redeem and reclaim the earth. Russia had cashed in on the mystery of this week in her conflict with Ukraine (2014 and 2022). Proverbs 8 is about the excellence of wisdom. It is expedient to have wisdom in the 8th season. The enemy takes advantage of men in the 8th season for lack of wisdom.
PRAYER: Pray for God’s wisdom in fighting the battles of this week. Pray for guidance to triumph over all enemies this week. Pray for nations at war in this season – especially for wisdom. Pray for Israel and her allies – especially the United States. Pray for Russia and Ukraine. Pray especially for God’s people in those nations.
4. IT IS A SEASON TO WATCH AND WAR AGAINST SATANIC DARKNESS AND DECEPTION
There is a spirit of deception that comes upon people in the 8th season. Philip’s ministry in Samaria overthrew an agent of darkness called Simon. Acts 8:9-10 says, “But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, [10] to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” Simon was a sorcerer and a deceiver. Darkness deceives! In John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” In John 8, Jesus described Satan as a liar and the father of lies (verse 44). Gideon was deceived, through pressure from the people, into an initiative that resulted in idolatry. Judges 8:27 says, “Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house”. In First Samuel 8, Israel was deceived to ask for a king so they can be like other nations. Nigeria made a choice within her 8th seven years (2015) to elect her current President. It turned out to be 8 years of disaster and pain. Deception!
PRAYER: Pray to be delivered from decisions that will hurt in the future. Pray to be delivered from liars and deceivers. Pray also for Nigeria as the people struggle with the realities of the new government and administration.
5. IT IS A SEASON OF TAKING GUIDED STEPS.
The 8th season is a season of relocations but it should be ‘guided relocation ‘. Under Nigeria’s 8th National leader, the nation’s seat of power moved from Lagos to Abuja. Noah was guided to disembark from the Ark in Genesis 8. He did not just act by himself. Genesis 8:15-19 says, “Then God spoke to Noah, saying, [16] “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. [17] Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” [18] So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. [19] Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark”. Elisha instructed the Shunemite woman to relocate in Second Kings 8. In Acts 8, the Holy Spirit instructed Philip to join the Eunuchs chariot . Acts 8:26-29 says, “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. [27] So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, [28] was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. [29] Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”
PRAYER: Pray this week that your movements be guided by the Lord and that you will be delivered from taking unguided steps. Pray the same for God’s people in the nations.
6. IT IS A SEASON TO ASK FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACES.
It is a blessing to have the right people in the right places in the season. Naomi, Ruth and Boaz were rightly positioned in the 8th book of the Bible. In Matthew 8, Jesus showed up as the One Who bore sicknesses and took infirmities away. In John 8, the woman caught in adultery would have been stoned to death if Jesus was not there. In Acts 8, the Ethiopian Eunuch found great in meeting Philip. In the 8th seven books of the Bible, Paul had Timothy and Titus in the right places.
PRAYER: Pray to be connected to right and helpful people this week. Pray that the Lord will send or position the right people in the right places in the nations this week. Pray also that the Lord will send you where you will be needed this week.
7. IT IS A SEASON OF CHANGE AND A NEW BEGINNING
The 8th week is a new beginning. It is the beginning of the second seven weeks (49 days) of the year. Noah began a new earth in Acts 8. The church moved into a new territory (Samaria) in Acts 8. Philip’s ministry in Samaria brought joyful change. Israel rejected corrupt leadership and demanded a shift from judges to kings in First Samuel 8. Andrew Jackson became US President within the 8th seven years of the nation – the first from the south. He was ‘a new beginning President’.
PRAYER: Ask the Lord for change this week. Pray to be delivered from the exploitation of evil and wicked men. Decree the rejection of corrupt and evil leaders in the nations as Israel rejected the corrupt sons of Samuel in First Samuel 8.
8. IT IS A SEASON OF OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES
Noah offered sacrifice to God in Genesis 8. Genesis 8:20 says, “Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar”. In First Kings 8, Solomon offered sacrifices to God to to mark the entrance of the ark into the temple.1 Kings 8:5 says, “Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude”. In Joshua 8, after the defeat of Ai, Joshua built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifices and peace offerings. In Revelation 8, prayers were offered to God as incense. The sacrifices of the 8th provoke divine blessings and visitations in the season. The 8th chapter of First Corinthians is about foods sacrificed to idols. It is an error to patronize idols in the 8th season. Second Corinthians 8 is about offerings. 2 Corinthians 8:12 says,
“For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have”. Let your prayers, praises and other offerings release a sweet smell into heaven this week.
PRAYER: Pray that acceptable offerings and sacrifices will rise from God’s people in the nations to the Lord this week.
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK
Isaiah 8:12-13: “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. [13] The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread”.
Happy 8th week of the year;
