text: Isaiah 22:25
INTRODUCTION
Nails: Yes-I’m sure you are wondering – nail? What about it?According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, a nail is a long, thin piece of metal that is SHARP at one end… From the Hebrew word (ʼת ך ), transliterated yâthéd, pronounced yaw-thade’, nails are defined from an unused root as to PIN through or fasten. To derive this message home, let us consider two concepts. The first of the messages is a story I’ll share shortly. The second is a prayer point about spiritual nails.
DISCUSSION
Whether this story was real or allegorical, I cannot determine. A man and his wife wanted to buy a house. They needed the house but had limited resources. From frantic searches, they came across a fantastic, unbeatable offer. They could not believe such a beautiful house could be sold at such a “ridiculous price”. They called the phone number advertised. The owner was willing to sell house to them even at lesser price than was advertised, on the condition which they would find out when they visit the house to inspect it.They visited the house, it was beautiful, spacious, in good condition beyond their expectation. The owner stated he would sell it to them at a reduced price on the condition that they own the entire house with the exception of a single piece of nail at the front door. In other words, they own the whole house, but the single (piece of) nail fastened above the front door remains the property of the landlord. “What difference does it make?” the couple reasoned. They agreed with the condition, singed the papers and moved into the house.
They had lived there with no problems for severals months until they came home one day to find a dead rotten rat hung on the nail at their door-step. They were horrified! What could have happened? Who did this? They called their landlord, he reminded them that the whole house belonged to them, with the exception of the nail. Since the rotten rat was not on the floor in the compound but merely fastened to the nail, they had no right to remove it as the nail belonged to him. They were angry, and fumed. They had to endure the stench of the rat until it dried up and the skeleton fell off.
They had respite until some months later when a similar incident occurred again. After some repetition of similar scenes, they were forced to vacate the house as others before them had done.
THE MORAL
The devil can give you seeming fantastic offers, if you allow him an inch- just a nail, he is able to bring rotten, stinking, embarrasssing situations into your life that would make life unbearable.Brethren, what is that single nail that the devil still owns in the mansions of your life?
Secondly,the prayer points
The prayer points are divided into two, the first is found in our text, let’s read..
Prior to the above story, you have not read or perhaps not taken note of this passage. What nails has satan fastened into your life? Nails of sickness? Poverty? Stagnation? Failure? Shame? Discomfort? Delayed marriage? Abuse? Marital afliction? Childlessness in marriage? Unable to save resources? Pride? Stinginess? Name them. Ps. 22:24, 34:19.
Today, the ……. Is a day to lay hold on God’s words in Isaiah 22:25 and pray. Some of us, our nails is from the government of the day. If you read verse 24 of this book and chapter, the Lord promised to unfasten the nails of the government and commit the government and authorities into our hands. Listen to God’s promises for us after today, in verse 23b “you shall be for a glorious throne to your father’s house”.