A Time to Speak Up

It is a time to speak up because when we speak up, God hears us and gets behind us to bring about desired change in our lives, communities and nations.

Numbering our Days

In my recent blog posts, we have been talking about Times and Seasons.

I am very excited to share today’s post because it was inspired by a discussion we had at Cell Group a couple weeks ago.

Psalms 90:12 (KJV) says:

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 

Well, that’s exactly what a lovely sister at my Cell Group did as she thought about the year 2020 and tried to make sense of all that has been happening in this year.

As we read Zechariah 10, she became curious about the Latter rain and the Former rain and what it all means. She thought it was important to know what season and time it is, and hear from God, so that we know what to do. 

In her quest to understand the season we are in, and how and when to pray into it, she decided to study the Hebrew calendar and the Lord began to speak to her.

She started by telling us that according to the Hebrew Calendar, this year, 5780 (2020), is “the year of the mouth (or breath)”, and shared the following scriptures:

I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Psalms 81:10 NKJV

And of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command. 1 Chronicles 12:32 NAS 

The Year of the Mouth

My sister proceeded to share that the “The year of the Mouth/Breath” is important because it is through our breath and respiratory system that we speak, and our words find expression as we vocalise/speak them through our mouth. She explained that as highlighted in Proverbs 18:21,  the things we say are given power as we speak them through our mouth. Essentially “our mouths give our words expression”, she said.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 NKJV

She continued by explaining that the Mouth is very powerful as the Holy Spirit speaks through our breath and our mouth.

We were sensitised to see that this decade is a time to discern the will of God and use our mouths/voices to declare God’s will. 

She was also of the belief that 2020 is a year to speak and tell God what things we need Him to move and do in our lives. Furthermore, she said 2020 is a year when we should use our words to shape our lives and the world around us.

Events triggerred in the Year of the Mouth

As she thought about the “year of the mouth” some of the events of this year, 2020, came to her mind which she shared with us:

1. Firstly she talked about how Geroge Floyd’s last words – “I can’t breathe” – were taken up and echoed by millions around the world. She emphasised that many people recognised, and sympathised with, his plight and subsequent death, to the extent that it triggered hundreds of thousands of demonstrations around the world.

2. As a result of George Floyd’s murder, people are now emboldened to use their mouth to raise their voices to talk about the injustices that they have experienced, or are experiencing, in their lives, countries, communities or workplaces.

3. Since George Floyd’s murder, some big corporations and organizations have been using their voice to support Black Lives Matter, and actively taking a stand against racism and injustice like we have never seen before.

4. As a result of George Floyd’s murder, some people have also repented and confessed their past wrongdoings.

As an example, she shared how a retired UK policeman, who had served in the Peckham area of London, recently confessed that in the 1970s and1980s, there was a policy to be heavy handed with Black men. The man had also shared how policemen deliberately stopped, arrested and even framed Black people in the past.

5. 2020 has been a year where we dealt with a respiratory pandemic like we have never seen before. My sister opened our eyes to see that COVID -19 can cut off people’s voices as it attacks their breaths (the very breath God gave us) and lungs.

6. She also talked about how President Trump has been using his voice negatively – by stirring up trouble instead of unifying the country and bringing peace.

7. She shared how a leader of the White Evangelical church in America confessed that the Evangelical Church in America had colluded to bring Trump into power. Trump had promised he would give them whatever they wanted if they could profess that he was a man of God, anointed by God. The leader confessed to being ashamed of, and regretting, their decision as they now see that Trump is totally racist and ungodly.

8. In keeping with the year of the mouth, 2020, she also mentioned that many people – including I – have felt freed up to use their voices to share what they believe God has put on their hearts.

9. Lastly, she mentioned two instances where she had recently contacted big corporations to commend or confront them, as appropriate, on their stance on racism and public sentiments.

A Time to Speak Up

We were all so blessed by the things my sister shared that day at Cell Group, that I made a commitment to share it on my blog, in hopes that it will encourage someone to use their voice and speak up this decade, for the good of current and future generations.

As pointed out by my wonderful sister, it is indeed a year and decade to open our mouths to confess, demand and declare what we want without reservation.

This year, many people have actually been using their voices – through different media – to effect change.

Some people have started movements and charities, some have finally started their training platforms/courses, and others have started new businesses and organisations.

I encourage you to be sure to use your voice to give expression to the things that matter to you and also our world in this season as well. However I know you may ask why.

Why should we speak up?

1. To empower God and His angels to go to work on our behalf

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. 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them (by angels as authorised by God as a result of the person’s instructions). Mark 11:23 NIV – parentheses mine.

“You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways. Job 22:28 NASB

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:24 NLT

As we see in scripture, including Psalms 8: 6, Man has a lot of authority in the early realm.

You made him ruler of the works of Your hands;

You have placed everything under his feet

Interestingly, when we open our mouths to speak our desires in line with God’s will, we authorise God and His angels who are of the heavenly realm, to come into the earthly realm and bring about the change that we demand when we speak. 

And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”Matthew 16:19 NLT

2. To bring about change in our world

But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Job 32:8 NKJV

I believe that the Breath of God could also refer to the Power of God that enables us to stretch beyond ourselves and do the difficult/impossible.

In Zechariah 11:17, God warns that if we are irresponsible Shepherds that abandon His flock, He will withdraw His breath and our arm will wither. This means that we could lose our authority and He may withdraw His spirit (breath) from us so that we don’t hear from Him anymore.

Most people think of religious leaders when we talk about Shepherds. However I belive that we are all Shepherds, called to look after our friends, siblings, spouses, children, colleagues, neighbours, etc.

God expects us to be agents of change, and one of the ways we can bring about change is by using our voices to correct, instruct, encourage, confront and rebuke those around us regardless of how they feel about it, and so long as it is line with the will of God.

God may stop speaking to us if we do not use our voices to take a stand against injustice and bad behaviour around us, so it is important that we continue speaking God’s counsel.

3. To silence the enemy

We all know that the Corona Virus pandemic recently ravaged the world, infecting many millions and killing hundreds of thousands of people to date worldwide.

The pandemic has meant that we need to wear masks which means people are automatically expected/prone to be quiet, as wearing masks could mean that people can barely breathe or talk properly.

I believe that the Devil knows that this is a season where the Lord will get behind us to bring about change as we speak. Hence, I believe the Corona Virus pandemic is part of his agenda to silence the children of God.

I believe that the Devil plans to kill as many people he can this year, and for those he cannot kill, he makes them very sick so they can’t speak.

Since he is unable to kill everyone or make everyone sick, I believe part of the Devil’s plan for us in this season is to literally put a gag on people’s mouths. This is because in this season, people are expected to either stay at home, or stay away from other people when out, or wear a mask so they are not keen on talking to people.

However we will not be silenced however hard the Devil tries. Instead, we will find a way to let our voices be heard inspite of the plans of the enemy.

Tear off the Masks and Speak Up

Today I encourage you to tear off every mask – of fear, timidity, anxiety, despair, depression, mediocrity, hopelessness, helplessness, inadequacy, doubt, unbelief, poor confidence and low self-worth – that the Devil has tried to put on you. 

Make a commitment today to seek out God’s will for your life (e.g. through the Bible, and also by examining your strengths, passions and talents), and then boldly confess and declare God’s will upon your life and your environment without reservation. Then watch God bring your desires, expressed by the words you speak with your mouth, to pass.

Do not allow the enemy to steal your voice. But be courageous and go to all to whom God has sent you, and become all that God has called you to be.

We ended that Cell Group meeting by praying and declaring the following words:

We are fighting in victory not for victory – we already won.

We know who we are and whose we are. We will not be silent.

We will walk in all God has for us and receive all He has for us.

We will receive visions and words from God, and speak them just as He gives them to us.

Our spiritual eyes will always be open and we will have clear vision.

It is a time to speak up and we will NOT be silenced.