JUICY JULY 2021
THEME : CARVED OUT
DAY 15: DAGON MUST FALL!
TEXT: TEXTS: 1 Sam. 4:2-18; 5:1-12
BIBLE READING : 1 Sam. 4:2-18; 5:1-12
Hey sisters, let’s take this fiery song quickly before going into the bulletin proper:
I have seen seen the downfall of Satan by Ron Kenolly
I have seen seen the downfall of Satan
Glory be to God
Glory be to Jesus
I have seen seen the downfall of Satan
Glory be to God amen
I have seen seen the downfall of Satan
Glory be to God
Glory be to Jesus
I have seen seen the downfall of Satan
Glory be to God amen
When I look to my right, I see Satan has fallen
When I look to my left, I see Satan has fallen
When I look to my front, I see Satan has fallen
When I look to my back, I see Satan has fallen
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
I have seen seen the victory of Jesus
Glory be to God
Glory be to Jesus
I have seen seen the victory of Jesus
Glory be to God amen
When I look to my right, I see Jesus has conquered
When I look to my left, I see Jesus has conquered
When I look to my front, I see Jesus has conquered
When I look to my back, I see Jesus has conquered
Oh Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Lord we praise you (Lord we praise you)
Lord we praise you (Lord we praise you)
Lord we praise you (Lord we praise you)
Lord we praise you (Lord we praise you)
Glory Glory (Glory Glory)
Glory Glory (Glory Glory)
Glory Glory (Glory Glory)
Glory Glory (Glory Glory)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Lord you’re worthy (Lord you’re worthy)
Lord you’re worthy (Lord you’re worthy)
Lord you’re worthy (Lord you’re worthy)
Lord you’re worthy (Lord you’re worthy)
Satan has fallen
(Oh Satan has fallen)
(Oh Satan has fallen)
Oh (Oh Jesus has conquered)
(Oh Jesus has conquered)
Oh (Oh Jesus has conquered)
Oh (Oh Jesus has conquered)
Oh Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Hallelujah (Hallelujah) Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Lord you’re worthy (Lord you’re worthy) Lord you’re worthy (Lord you’re worthy)
Lord you’re worthy (Lord you’re worthy) Lord you’re worthy (Lord you’re worthy)
Glory Glory (Glory Glory) Glory Glory (Glory Glory)
Glory Glory (Glory Glory) Glory Glory (Glory Glory)
(Oh Satan has fallen)
(Oh Jesus has conquered) Jesus has conquered
Sing for as many times as your Spirit allows and then, move on:
Have you read our text for today?
Okay, quickly read it fast, we need to study it before we go on in the study.
Welcome back!
How was the text?
Fiery, right?
Glory!!!!
Israel was defeated by the Philistines and the elders of Israel asked:
“Why did the Lord allow defeat today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
So the people sent men to Shiloh.
When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?” When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid.
“A god has come into the camp,” they said.
“We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues.
Then they encouraged themselves:
‘Be strong, Philistines! Or you will be subject to the Hebrews. Be men, and fight!”
So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and…the slaughter was very great; Israel lost 30,000 foot soldiers.
The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
A Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God that they’d come to take away.
When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry and Eli asked: “What is the meaning of this uproar?”
The man told Eli: “I have just come from the battle line. Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.
When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died.
And then, in chapter five, after the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it to Ashdod.
Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.
When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! Ithad bowed!!!!!
It had no choice!
They took Dagon and put him back in his place.
But the following morning, when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! AGAIN!!!!
His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold.
Kaaaaaya!
A Stubborn problem met with a much more stubborn resistance!
The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.
Then they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.
So they moved the ark of the God of Israel to Gath. But the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out: “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people.”
Death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
What an interesting story!
Full of power indeed!
- Israel had been defeated by the Philistines and instead of:
1). Seeking God for the reason,
2). Praying, or
3). Checking to see if they had sinned,
Israel sent off for their heavenly good luck charm — — the Ark.
The Ark was a small wooden box, covered with gold with two Angel figures on the lid. This “Ark” represented the very presence of God.
The Hebrews thought they could never be defeated in battle if they had the Ark. But they were trusting in a box instead of God.
Just like the Israelites, many times we misplace our priorities too.
We put our faith in the wrong things.
Many trust in:
- Someone else’s prayers to get them through/rescue them — but not their own prayers;
- Some benevolent work to make them acceptable to God,
- Trust in their own goodness, or their accomplishments in the past.
These (above) are no different than the Israelites trusting a box to help them win (life’s) battles. Our Battle will be won only by prayer and faith in the Living God. Have you taken that step?
“We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues…” (4:8).
It’s amazing that sometimes people who don’t serve the Lord have a better opinion of God than God’s people! The Israelites might have forgotten the power of God displayed in the Egyptian plagues, but the Philistines had not!
The Lord Jesus marveled at the faith of the Canaanite woman and the Roman centurion. Let’s be sure we preserve the facts of how mighty and awesome our God is too! Let’s not forget!!!
Eli was afraid that God would fail! There are times when it looks like God may have failed. When you look at your life, Nigeria and the world at large, you might think that God has failed indeed!
But has God failed?
No!!
This story shows that our God – the Living God – doesn’t need to be propped up, He is well able to take care of Himself. He is God! He is the Almighty!
If you watch Football games, you’d know how the players celebrate after each goal- Gyrate, Shake, Jump up & down, Yell, Spike the ball, Run around.
That’s what the Philistines had done after their two great victories over the Israelites, and probably more now when the foreign deity was captured. Probably the whole city of Ashdod was assembled to celebrate.
They brought the Ark — as a trophy — into the Temple of Dagon, and probably shouted, “Praise to the Mighty Dagon, who has defeated the God of the Hebrews, Jehovah.” And they put the small box before the giant statue of Dagon, pictured as half man and half fish (a merman).
BUT OUR GOD IS NOT MOCKED!
It’s not a good idea to mock God! God is jealous for His Name.
When the enemy boasts and gloats, that’s good news for God’s people because it will provoke God to vindicate his name!
Paul wrote in the book of Galatians, “God is not mocked; whatsoever a man sows, that will he reap!”
God will always defend His honor!
Never mix the sacred and secular!
Do not tell jokes about God!
Always be respectful towards God’s name and the Bible.
The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.”
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.”
So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. But after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.”
They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.”
For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
In this passage we find that God is not willing to be ignored or treated as anything besides holy, and the Philistines encounter the living God in full force.
Because the Ark of the Covenant was a being held as a war trophy in Philistine territory, rather than in its rightful place in the Tabernacle at Shiloh, the hand of the Lord was against the inhabitants of each Philistine city where the Ark was held.
By the time the Ark reached Ekron, the people of Ekron were in a panic as many died or developed tumors. The whole city cried out in fear, and “the cry of the city went up to heaven.”
Our God desires all to know Him and is more interested in us knowing Him than in our comfort.
Within the Philistine camp, the intense suffering caused the people to cry out in desperation to the one true God. What might be seen as discipline or punishment of the Philistines for their callous treatment of the sacred symbol of God’s power also pointed them towards the one true God.
Has God been using difficulties in your life to turn your focus back to Him?
Like the Israelites, how many of us have felt like God had failed us ? We’ve seen defeat and couldn’t imagine why God would allow that?
Do you have any Dagons lurking around in your life? Any parts of your old life which still exert power over you?
LET US PRAY:
Adore the Lord for who He is.
Tell Him how wonderful His works are!
Tell the Creator how excellent all He has made are.
He who sits upon the earth and rules over the affairs of men. Lord we worship YOU!
Thank the name of the Lord for the opportunity to see the 14th day of this fast and prayers.
Worship Him for the strength He has granted you to wait on Him.
Thank Him for the miracles and mighty works He has started already and how far He will take you.
Thank Him for your family. Thank Him for His faithfulness over everyone
Importantly, thank God for the privilege to know Him. Thank God for the access and the privilege to call HIM Father.
Thank You Jesus
Let’s quickly take this song if you know it:
Satani subu lule (Dagon fell down!)
Niwaju Apoti eri (In front of the Ark of covenant)
Gbogbo ogun aye mi (All the problems of my life)
Niwaju Jesu (before Jesus)
Won nilati teriba! (Must bow!)
WHEN YOU ARE DONE, PRAY ON!
Heavenly father have mercy on me and forgive my shortcoming in Jesus name
Lord I thank you for being God over my life in Jesus name
Father thank you for the Holy spirit and power that dominates my life in Jesus name
Lord I pray that every god that wants to take preeminence over my life be destroyed in Jesus name
I reject every bad news of captivity, death and defeat. They shall not be my portion or the portion of my loved ones in the Name of Jesus!
Every plan of the devil to send a messenger of bad news to me, or for people to send a messenger of bad news concerning me and mine, I destroy such plans now in the Name of Jesus!!!
I shall not be carried away into captivity!
My glory shall not be carried into captivity!!
Every Dagon in my life, I command you to falll!!!!
Dagon, fall before the throne of God in the Name of Jesus!
Oh ye Dagon, oh ye long standing and stubborn problem of my life, what are you waiting for? Fall and be broken to pieces in the name of Jesus!
Oh Lord, let Your hand be heavy against every Dagon that has been placed to monitor my life, ridicule me or hold me captive in the Name of Jesus!
Oh Lord, bring sudden afflictions into the camp of my enemies. They might have shouted in celebration before when I was afflicted but send a noise of mourning into their camps oh Lord in Your mercy!
I am an Ark of God! I bear the Lord in me, so, henceforth, let no man trouble me in the Name of Jesus! I become a threat to all my enemies round about in the Name of Jesus!
I decree wherever my name or any member of my family’s name is tendered for sacrifice let the fire of holy ghost consume the place and the people tendering our names in Jesus name
Oh Lord, I confess for trusting in candles, oil, water, pastor’s prayers, pastor’s prophecies, mantles and other spiritual materials instead of trusting in You. Forgive me oh Lord God Almighty.
Let there be a shift in my gaze oh Lord!
Henceforth, my hope is in You Lord. My strength is in You Lord!
Oh Lord, I am sorry for the times I’d mixed the spiritual with the secular. I am sorry for telling jokes about you or the church. I am so sorry for laughing at comedies about you and the church. Forgive me oh Lord.
Help me never to mix the secular with your Name. I stick to Your Name oh Lord and I reverence You – in the name of Jesus 🙌
I am an embodiment of Christ therefore no power can take the place of Christ in me in Jesus name
I decree every representation of dagon in my life and lineage is shattered in Jesus name
I decree every evil transportation made in the thick of the night to cause a slow down or retrogression in the journey of my life is nullified in Jesus name
I set myself and family free from every room/shrine we have been spiritually locked in in Jesus name
I decree every plan to divert the plans of God almighty for me and my household to be unachievable will not come to fulfillment in Jesus name
I decree every power materialising in my spirit man ready to suppress my being from achieving God’s plan is destroyed in Jesus name
Every journey to Ashdod made in the past on my behalf that is making me experience unpleasant situation today marks your end in my life in Jesus name
I destroy every evil handover about my life, salvation, children, health, finance, career, ministry, studies, family in the kingdom of darkness henceforth in Jesus name
I decree Christ is in charge of my life therefore I am immovable to the power of darkness in Jesus name
Thank you Jesus for answered prayers in Jesus name
Holy Spirit let every power or agent of darkness that is holding on to my rights be broken in pieces today by your power in Jesus name,5:1-5.
Lord let your hand be heavy against all who sit on my right and on the right of my family until they return them to us ,5:6-12.
God of war, trouble all who are troubling me and my family,let them know that I have a living God in Jesus name,6:1-9.
King of glory let me have double for all the good things I have lost in life this year in Jesus name,6:1-12.
Lord Jesus let Nigeria get her lost glory back this year in your mercy,6:13-16.
Almighty Father, let me receive news of joy that will make me shed tears of joy for which people will congratulate me this year in Jesus name,6:13-16.
Almighty God, fight for me, don’t allow anyone to stop my rights until they get to me safely in Jesus name,6:19-21.
Turn my song of sorrow to song of joy this year my Savior,6:13-15.
Continue to pray as the Lord leads. When you are done, sing the celebratory song below:
I OVERCAME BY ADA EHI
Ha ha
I overcame halleluyah
He won the victory halleluyah
He said it’s finished and ooh oh oh oh oh
My story is written and ooh oh oh oh oh
I overcame halleluyah
I overcame halleluyah
Eh eh eh eh eh eh
Halleluyah he’s alive
And because he lives I live
Halleluyah Jesus lives hmm
And my future is alive in him
I overcame halleluyah
He won the victory halleluyah
He said it’s finished and ooh oh oh oh oh
My story is written and ooh oh oh oh oh
I overcame halleluyah
I overcame halleluyah
Say to the mountain I overcame
Say to the problem you came too late
Tell that sickness I already won ha
Declaring boldly I’m born of God
He said it’s finished and ooh oh oh oh oh
My story’s written and ooh oh oh oh oh
I overcame hallelujah
I overcame hallelujah
Halleluyah he’s alive
And because he lives I live
Halleluyah he’s alive oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
And because he lives I live oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Hallelujah Jesus lives oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
And because he lives I live
He said it’s finished and ooh oh oh oh oh
My story’s written and ooh oh oh oh oh
He said it’s finished and ooh oh oh oh oh
My story’s written and ooh oh oh oh oh
I overcame halleluyah
I overcame halleluyah
I overcame halleluyah
I overcame halleluyah ah
Aaaah
It is finished
Eh eh yes
