Hearts United Women's Ministry

Knitting Hearts Gathering on March 10, 2018
Stand and Fight
Message by Debbie Dyches

Joyce Sanders invited the men and women gathered to come and sup with the Lord, to experience His presence in a real and vital way. The flag team ministered through drama and dance to the song, “Come to the Table.” One of the flag team members explained the Jewish marriage customs. The first major step in a Jewish marriage was betrothal, the setting up of a covenant. Generally, the prospective bridegroom took the initiative. He would travel from his father’s house to the home of the prospective bride and negotiate with the father of the young woman to determine the price that he would pay to purchase his bride. A cup of wine was presented, and if the prospective bride took the cup and put it to her lips, it made covenant. After the marriage covenant had been established, the groom would return to his father’s house for twelve months to prepare a home for him and his bride. At the end of the period of separation, the groom would come for his bride. She was expecting her groom, but she did not know the exact time of his coming. The blowing of the shofar would announce his arrival. After the consummation of the marriage, the wedding guests feasted for seven days. The bride remained hidden in the bridal chamber for these seven days. At the end of the seven days, the groom brought out his bride, now with her veil removed. The wedding prenuptial and wedding traditions are symbolic of Christ’s work on our behalf and the New Covenant. The communion wine is symbolic of the covenant by which Christ obtained His Bride. The song invited us to come to the table, to join the sinners who have been redeemed, to take our places beside the Savior, and to sit down and be set free.

Dalana Barnette announced that April would be KHM’s anniversary celebration and the fourteenth anniversary of the ministry. She led the group in the declaration of an adaptation of Psalm 100.

After Carolyn Williams prayed the offertory prayer, Susan White’s team led us in singing an old hymn, “Down at the Cross,” an invitation for each one to come to His fount so rich and sweet and to give glory to His name. The anointing on the next song, “This Is How I Fight My Battles,” resonated throughout the entire meeting declaring that we fight our battles through the blood and through remembering, that although it may look like we are surrounded, we are surrounded by Him. The praise continued as we declared through song that there is no one higher and no one greater than Our Father and Creator. The flow of the Holy Spirit moved through “Jesus Messiah” as we sang about His amazing love. The communion thread continued as we sang about His body the bread, His blood the wine, broken and poured out for love.

Debbie Dyches preached a bold sermon challenging us to stand and fight against the spirit of Jezebel. Her Scripture focus was I Kings 19: 3, 9, but the story of Elijah begins in Chapter 17 when Elijah has an audience with King Ahab telling him that there would be a severe drought. We know nothing about Elijah’s genealogy but just his geography. He was a Tishbite, of Gilead. Debbie said perhaps God had worked on Elijah’s character for some time behind the scenes. Jewish history says that he was a member of the school of prophets, which Samuel had started. During the drought, God sent Elijah into the wilderness where he had fresh water to drink from the brook, and ravens brought food to him. The brook was natural, but the feeding by the ravens was unnatural. When the brook dried up, the Lord sent him to a widow in Zarephath in the territory of Sidon, Jezebel’s hometown. Jezebel’s father was the king of Sidon, and she was responsible for bringing Baal worship to Israel. Although the widow had little and her situation was hopeless, she shared with Elijah. She obeyed Elijah’s request feeding him first, and God responded by providing miraculously for her, her son, and Elijah.

The famine was severe in the land, and Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets. Obadiah, the palace administrator, was a devout believer, and he hid 100 of the Lord’s prophets in 2 different caves and gave them food and water.

Elijah’s greatest public miracle involved a contest with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah on Mount Carmel. The shrines to these false gods were supported by temple offerings. Debbie emphasized, “We can’t compromise on the Word of God. We can’t mix the message of Jesus with other cultures because it brings witchcraft into our churches.” Elijah invited these false prophets and all Israel to a demonstration to show that Baal had no power at all against the God of Israel. God answered and sent fire from heaven and consumed the carcass, all the water in the trench and all the wet wood, burning up even the stones! Elijah ordered that the false prophets be executed. God’s Spirit directed Elijah to pray that it would rain, and the rains came and ended the drought. However, the wicked Queen Jezebel was enraged and sent out a death threat against Elijah. I Kings 19:3 says, “And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” The word that is significant because it is as if Elijah had seen a vision and already believed this would happen. Debbie reminded us that we have to be careful of other people’s words because they will attach to us. We must ask ourselves what God’s Word says. Jezebel was trying to destroy Elijah’s anointing and his faith.

Elijah fled 80 miles into the wilderness. He also left his servant and went further into the desert. We should never do ministry alone. At one point he was so depressed and discouraged that he asked the Lord to take his life. The words of Jezebel caused him to pray to die.

Revelations 2:20 talks about the Jezebel spirit. The enemy’s goal is for you to be fearful, discouraged, and depressed. The spirit of Jezebel is out to kill, steal, and destroy. This spirit is especially working in our schools and in our youth to cause murder, depression, and suicide.

Debbie affirmed that she is mad at the devil. She declared that she is battling for her life, her children’s, her grandchildren’s, her friends’, etc. We have to put on the armor of God and take back what he is stealing from us. She asked, “What if we knew someone was coming into our meeting to kill us? The warrior would rise up in us.” Debbie is co-pastor at her church, and she has been counseling with several individuals who are threatening suicide. They prayed at the end of the service for a 17-year old who had planned to kill herself. This girl was surrounded by moms who were pleading for her. One of the women took authority over the spirit and then exclaimed, “Live!” The girl was set free. Her mother was not at church that day because she herself was in Texas ministering to her sister who was threatening suicide. Debbie urged us, “Don’t stand for this spirit.”

The Lord sent an angel to bring Elijah food and drink before and after he slept. The Lord ministered to him. Later he traveled for forty days to meet with the Lord. When the Lord asked him why he had fled, he told Him that he was the only prophet left, and they were trying to kill him. The Lord told him to go out and stand on the mountain. The presence of the Lord came, but it was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. It is in the gentle whisper.

Debbie told us that her son had been born with a dislocated hip, and he was in a body cast. Debbie had a difficult time dealing with his issues, and her son was miserable and cried a lot. She felt that he had a spirit of fear. One day in desperation she cried out, “Angels, would you let him know that you are here.” It was as if they were surrounded by angels’ wings. Her son slept peacefully.

During his conversation with God at Horeb, the Lord gave Elijah three important tasks. First, Elijah was to anoint Hazael as king over Syria (1 Kings 19:15). Second, he was to anoint Jehu as king of Israel (verse 16). Third, he was to anoint Elisha as the prophet to take his place (verse 16).

Debbie’s final words were a challenge: “Who is waiting on you to come tell them that God has more for you? You are not fighting alone. Give them words of hope. Stop hiding in caves. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit moved upon them at various times; however, today the power and strength of the Almighty God dwells in us. Stop being paralyzed.”

Definitely, Lord, we are in this battle with You. It may look like we’re surrounded, but we are surrounded by you.

“I’m a child of God.
I am chosen, not forsaken.
I am who You say I am.
You are for me, not against me.
I am who You say I am.
Who the Son sets free
Oh, is free indeed.
I’m a child of God.
Yes, I am.”