The early morning time – Part 2

Prophet Isaiah understood the act of taking charge of the day in the early hours, when he said, ‘early will I seek thee, not after the day is becloud with evil forces but before men and especially evil men wakes up to pollute the atmosphere.’

With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: … Isaiah 26:9

The Prophet then began to make declarations of his desires. Prophet Isaiah began by saying – “when thy hand is lifted up.” This is so because in our declaration, God’s hand is lifted up to answer us, either to release our blessings as requested or take over our battles.

LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. Isaiah 26:11-12
…he declared what he wanted for his enemies and himself.

For Joshua, Moses’ servant and one of God’s general he did not wait till his enemies were awake before he declared victory with a shout. He had to rise early with the ark and the priest to conquer Jericho.
Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: Job 6:12, 15-16

The then richest man in the East, Mr. Job begins early with God.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. Job 1:5
The Patriarch Abraham gets up early in the morning.

And Abraham gat up early in the morning to… Genesis 19:27

Jesus Christ did not call any disciple to Him, neither did He heal or raised the dead, until He had spent the early morning of His ministry in communion with God. He sacrificed the early morning of His ministry to settle the remaining days of His life and ministry. It is recorded that after His early morning encounter, He returned in the power of the spirit…

From that moment, He was in charge of His day till He willingly surrendered His life according to God’s purpose. (Matthew 4:1- ; Luke 4:1- ; Mark 3).

There are religious groups that, as early as 4am, are awake to sound the alarm to call their followers up for confessions and prayers. They in essence begin the day, not only by prayers, but also by prophesying into the day to give them their daily bread.

This they do regularly and even daily. This attitude of rising early to take charge of the atmosphere and the day should be the pattern of believers. Rising up early and occupying the day should be our routine as believers. But what we see are believers still turning in bed, having nightmares while the enemies build barriers over the atmosphere and possess the day. The believer wakes up late and struggles through the day. The day drags, becomes so long and dragging because nothing positive seems to come out because we did not wake up early to ask our Father to give us “this day.”
Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11
Jesus taught us to ask for the day but we sleep for the day.
No wonder the Bible says…

“I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8