We cannot observe the physical and human protocols and neglect the spiritual ones
As we observe all the protocols that have been imposed on us in this period of the pandemic, I ask myself, “What about the spiritual protocols?” The physical and human protocols are good for us. They are intended to help us manage the situation. Some experts are telling us to program our minds because this thing is likely to be with us for a couple of months, even up to two years but I have come to draw our minds and attention to the spiritual protocols so we get out of this sooner rather than later.
Firm promises from God
In 2 Chronicles 7.14, the Lord our God gave us a very firm promise. He said,
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (NIV)
Jeremiah 33.3 says,
‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ (NIV)
Isaiah 62.6-7 says,
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,
And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (NKJV)
The tyranny of the human protocols vs. the power of the spiritual protocols
This pandemic has inconvenienced everybody. Things have changed over the past few months. Things we’ve never been used to, as we observe these protocols, are being required of us. We have been given twenty-three protocols to follow before we come to church and we are being forced to go strictly according to these protocols otherwise we can’t come to church. But there are much more important protocols, much higher ones, that if we observe we won’t have to go through these ones. As we begin to apply these protocols, we will see the Lord come through for us. We have become constrained and powerless and have been forced to live by a certain lifestyle but as believers we have the opportunity and power to change what is going on.
God’s protocols
Our Lord has laid down certain protocols we have to follow when there are crises and issues we have to deal with. He has shown us a way and those protocols have not changed.
Firstly, we have to acknowledge that he is the only one who can deal with the problem. He says to come to him and let him know we are depending on him. But he wants us to come with some humility. We should let the Lord know that we are coming to him with our hearts completely yielded. He says that once we seek his face, he will hear us and show us unimaginable things. We are looking for solutions—a vaccine or a drug—but we need to go to God to look for those solutions. The spiritual protocols must be observed.
God is calling and expecting us to stand in the gap. He is saying that when we come to him it shouldn’t be at our time but at his time. We are to put him in constant remembrance. We should not be silent nor take any rest until he takes this pandemic away. Let us remember there are spiritual protocols we can follow to get rid of this pandemic. Anytime you put on a mask you must get angry in your spirit that this is not normal. It is abnormal and we cannot tolerate it. Many of us have become despondent. After praying for three days we were expecting the virus to disappear but now we are spending more time looking at the increasing case count than we are spending in prayer.
Resist the new normal through prayer
We need the Lord. Science and medicine have proven to be clueless. The WHO is contradicting itself. A few months ago they said we don’t need face masks but about two days ago they said we need them. We need to activate all our spiritual protocols and turn to our God who is able to do all things to take this pandemic away. If we follow our spiritual protocols, we will crack this pandemic once and for all. Don’t allow the situation and the statistics to intimidate you. Let’s rise to our feet and cry to the Lord. There are levels of prevailing prayer. There are levels that will make a difference. Jesus said “This kind” cannot go except by prayer and fasting. You cannot circumvent the spiritual protocols and expect to see any answers. Many of us are resigning ourselves to fate and we feel there is nothing we can do about it.
Much as we are adhering to the physical human protocols, let us go back to the spiritual protocols because we cannot accept this so called new normal. There is a call to prayer. I want you to channel all your anger and frustration and energy into our spiritual protocols and see if the Lord will not come through for us.
We have a God—a mighty, big God—who answers prayer. There is nothing—absolutely nothing—that our God cannot do. Let us arise and say we cannot accept this new normal for it is abnormal. Begin to exercise your rights and observe the spiritual protocols that need to be enforced to ensure that we get out of this pandemic in the name of Jesus.
Main references
2 Chronicles 7.14, Jeremiah 33.3, Isaiah 62.6-7