THE CONTENDING POWERS

18 THEN I looked up and saw FOUR ANIMAL HORNS.
19 “What are these?” I asked the angel who was talking with me.
He replied, “THESE HORNS REPRESENT THE NATIONS THAT SCATTERED JUDAH, ISRAEL, AND JERUSALEM.”
20 Then the Lord showed me FOUR BLACKSMITHS [craftsmen or carpenters].
21 “What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “These FOUR HORNS—these nations—SCATTERED and HUMBLED JUDAH. NOW these BLACKSMITHS HAVE COME TO TERRIFY THOSE NATIONS and THROW THEM DOWN and DESTROY THEM.”
Zechariah 1:18-21 (NLT)

• God revealed to Zechariah the prophet, the horns of the gentiles that were scattering and humbling the nation of Judah, that no one could lift his or her Head for the liberation of the land.

• A number of people who professed to be believers are battling with one problem or another, but do not know that those problems are caused by the forces of darkness.
• The spiritual realm controls the physical realm. There are powers behind every problem or predicament. That problem has not just happened, there is something, a power, behind the problem that is masterminding It!
• Surprisingly, some people do not believe in the reality of the spiritual realm. Some do not even believe in the existence of the devil and demons. And some who did, did not know the extent of the devil's operations, what the devil and his cohorts do.

• Battling prayer.

• Battling prayer is one of the types of prayers found in the Scriptures.
• Most of the problems, challenges, which believers are confronted with in life are spiritual. But many Believers are naive, and they trivialize or play down, that is, make little of the works of the devil and his cohorts—in their approach to it.
• The horns revealed to Zechariah, by God, were the world powers behind the oppressions, the problems of Judah—the people of God.
• The horns scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. The Israelites were scattered so that no one would lift up his head to fight back.
• The scattering was strategic, because, Judah was supposed to produce the leader, the king, whilst Jerusalem which supposed to be the capital of the nation was made unsettle. And the people of Israel being scattered could not come together as a nation.
• Ever before this revelation, the leaders of Israel knew nothing about the battle they were fighting, they did not know it was spiritual and was being masterminded by the forces of darkness.
• The Believers, and most especially those who work in the ministry, are wrestling with powers of darkness:
  12 FOR WE ARE NOT FIGHTING AGAINST FLESH-AND-BLOOD ENEMIES, BUT AGAINST EVIL RULERS AND AUTHORITIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD, AGAINST MIGHTY POWERS IN THIS DARK WORLD, AND AGAINST EVIL SPIRITS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES. 13 THEREFORE, PUT ON EVERY PIECE OF God’s ARMOUR SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST THE ENEMY IN THE TIME OF EVIL. THEN AFTER THE BATTLE YOU WILL STILL BE STANDING FIRM" (Ephesians 6:12,13 NLT).
• The devil would not come in the physical form to fight, but through fellow humans. The horns, the forces of darkness, were using the gentile kings, rulers, to oppress and scatter Israel as a nation, and would not want any person to stand as a leader from the tribe of Judah, for the rescue or liberation of the land. And they made Jerusalem not to be peaceful, that there might not be any seat for whatever prospective government.
• The devil uses humans as instruments to carry out his nefarious activities. He had people who have dedicated their lives to him, whom he uses as agents and instruments in carrying out his nefarious Acts—operations (2 Timothy 2:26).
• To counter whatever the devil had planned or purposed to do, God sent the craftsmen or the blacksmiths to terrify, frighten or scare, and throw them down, and destroy those horns that had scattered.
  • Being a Craftsman or a blacksmith means, being a Believer who is strong in prayer, dealing with powers of darkness that may come as a threat, to trouble and hinder you, your work, and those who are identified with you.
• Whether you believe it or not, there are horns, powers of darkness, being used by the devil to contend with the progress of Believers who strive to do and fulfil God's Will, or fulfil the assignment given to them.
• Wishing that such is not real would not stop the devil from operating. Some have the notion that if they had the believe or pretended that the devil does not exist, or not real, he would not have anything to do with them and would not attack them.
• You would not need to pray or speak about the devil before he challenges you. If you are a Believer who lives in line with the Word of God and works towards the expansion of the Kingdom of God on earth; you are automatically an enemy to the devil. Because your life and what you do, are against his work and kingdom.
• The devil would want people to believe that he is not real, because his works and operations thrive where Ignorance reigns. If you lacked the knowledge of the operations of the dark kingdom, the devil and his cohorts are always happy with such a thing.
• The devil and his cohorts are happy because you would not be able to Resist them in their operations:
  8 BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL WALKS ABOUT LIKE A ROARING LION, seeking whom he may devour. 9 RESIST HIM, STEADFAST IN THE FAITH, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world" (1 Peter 5:8,9 NKJV).
• There are horns, powers of darkness, meant or assigned to challenge the success of the Believers. You had to build your spiritual muscles, through the Word of God and prayers, to terrify, pull or throw down, and destroy the work of the devil and his cohorts.
• Every horn of darkness scattering, or frustrating your efforts in whatever you are doing, is judged, and condemned in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

• You are a potential winner, victor, triumphant, and overcomer, surmounter, subduer, or restrainer; you cannot lose in whichever battle the devil might bring your way:
4 FOR EVERY CHILD OF GOD DEFEATS THIS EVIL WORLD, AND WE ACHIEVE THIS VICTORY THROUGH OUR FAITH. 5 AND WHO CAN WIN THIS BATTLE AGAINST THE WORLD? ONLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD" (1 John 5:4,5 NLT).

• All you need is to keep away from Sin, live in line with the Word of God, pray without ceasing, and be sensitive to the leadings of the Holy Spirit on the inside of you.

• Prophetic prayers

• Do not be discouraged, it is well with you, I see people congratulating you, in the mighty name of Jesus.
• You may have thought it has finished, but God says there is hope for you in Jesus' name.
• Some of those who ganged up against you will come and leak the dust of your feet in Jesus' name.
• Some would go to their hidden as you come out victoriously in the Battle in Jesus' name.
• You will overcome, you will not die in that predicament in Jesus' name.
• Your tears are mopped in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• That hold of sickness you had been battling with, is broken, and destroyed in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• The Affliction will never rise again in Jesus' name.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps as highlighted above, it means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word-based church in your area and Town or city and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!