TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Scripture: Exodus 9:15-23

Do our cries in prayer move God’s Hand in judgment: Crying out in tongues may very well be moving God’s Hand in judgment just as Israel did when they cried out from their bondage in Egypt. Exodus 9:15-23 says, “‘Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go. Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.’ He who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. But he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.’ And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt.” Here we see God beginning to accelerate His manifestations of judgment. But He does it in such a way as to spare those who have become believers through the previous six judgments. The seventh judgment is so severe that it comes with mercy for all those who have begun to fear the word of the Lord that was in Moses’ mouth. Because we know the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then these judgments invite wisdom for Egyptians who begin to revere and fear God because of these judgments. And that is what we see here. Those who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh caused their household and livestock to take cover. Those who did not regard the word of the Lord left their servants and their livestock in the field. In judgment number seven we see some among Pharaoh’s servants actually feared the Lord. The judgments won respect and belief from some of the servants of Pharaoh and certainly some of the Egyptian people. God is not only setting His people free, He is creating an opportunity to believe for everyone involved. The opportunity for salvation is coming through these divine judicial interventions. In the NIV Isaiah 26:9b says, “…When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.” Praying God’s judicial Hand to fall brings salvation to some and destruction to others. Praying in tongues will put us in a place for the wise counsel of God to craft the judicial prayers that produce fruit and freedom.