Prayer Works Morning Devotion: September 23, 2025

Thus Says The Lord-Who God Says He Is, His Commandments and Promises

Isaiah 44:6-8: "Thus Says The Lord, King Of Israel, And His Redeemer, The Lord Of Hosts: I Am The First And The Last; Besides Me There Is No God"

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Good morning, good morning, good morning everybody. I hope and pray that you had a wonderful night, well rested, ready for another day with the Lord. And let us go to the Lord in prayer.  

Heavenly Father, we thank you this morning for your goodness and your mercy towards us. We thank you for all that you're doing and what you're still going to do. We come together this morning to devote this time to you because our hearts and our spirit desire to hear from you, to know you, to inquire of the Lord what you are doing today.  

We thank you Lord that you love us so much that every morning you provide new mercies for us to claim. So this morning we claim the new mercies, we receive the new mercies that you have given us.  

And we are grateful that when we wake up, the first thing that awaits of us is your mercy. For we are sinners and you are holy, but every morning you provide new mercies. So we thank you for your goodness and your mercy.  

We thank you Lord that as we fellowship with one another, and as we commune with the Holy Spirit, our goal is to grow in the knowledge of who you are. To have a greater understanding of you.  

And Father, I pray that may you continue to grow us, to mature us in the things of the Lord and we’ll forever be grateful for all that you are doing and what you're still going to do now as we look at these passages of scripture help us with communion help us with understanding. 

And Father I pray that may growth follow after we get knowledge and understanding we bless you and honor you in Jesus name, Amen. Brothers and sisters, today we find ourselves back in the book of Isaiah 44 and we are going to be reading verse 6 to 8.  

Now, brothers and sisters, in Isaiah 44:6-8 is the first mention you get I am the first and I am the last. It's the first mention that this phrase is spoken of in the scriptures.  

And the rule of first mention, I think I've taught on this, is that when you see something appears in scripture for the first time, the thought behind it in that first mention follows it throughout the entire scripture, the entire Bible.  

So, which means the definition of that particular thing becomes something that we ought to pay attention to as we continue to read the scriptures. and as that phrase or as that word appears.  

Now, before in fact, let me read this and then we're going to look at something Paul wrought to the church in Ephesus. Isaiah 44 verse 6 to 8, thus says the Lord. Remember the lesson from yesterday?  

Thus saith the Lord, is what God is telling us. He is just by himself expressing himself, right? Thus says the Lord, the king of Israel and his redeemer, the Lord of hosts. I am the first and I am the last.  

Besides me, there is no God. Besides me, there is no God and who can proclaim as I do, then let him declare it and set it in order for me. Since I appointed the ancient people and the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them.  

Here we go again, verse 8, Do not fear, nor be afraid. Have I not told you from that time, and declared it, you are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is no other rock. I know not one.  

I am the first and I am the last. Beside me there is no other. Then this is what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus. He says, I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, this is Paul in his praying time. 

Tell the church in Ephesus, I keep asking the Lord, Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, that he may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Why? so that you may know Him better. So, in other words, to know God better, you need the spirit of wisdom and revelation.  

Then he also writes, I pray also that this is Paul writing in the Church of Ephesus. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you.  

So, your heart needs to be enlightened to know the hope in which he has called you. The riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. These riches and glorious inheritance in the saints and this incomparable great power for us who believe.  

Then Paul also writes, I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all saints. Why do we need power? 

To grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. What Paul is saying to the church in Ephesus, he is trying to give them the ground to stand on, in order for them to understand, God, I am the first and the last.  

Besides me, there is no other. So, Paul is writing and telling them, I'm praying that God gives you wisdom and understanding so you can really and truly understand who God is. I am the first and the last.  

A lot of problems in our Christian walk stems from having a view of God that is small or shallow. And when Paul is writing to them, you can get his desperation in prayer that he is expressing to the church in Ephesus.  

But I know you know who God is, but I don't think you have an understanding of who he is. So, I'm praying that wisdom and the spirit of wisdom sits on you so you can have a clear understanding of I am the first and I am the last.  

Besides me, there is no other. I think the view that we have with God aligns our faith and our belief system. And if we have a view of God being small, that's what we get. If you have a view of God that is big, that's what you get.  

You get, that's what it's called, the measure of your faith is how God interacts with you. The greater the level of faith you have, the greater your understanding of I am the last. I'm the first and the last besides me, there is no other.  

If you don't have the spirit of wisdom and revelation, your view of I am the first and I'm the last becomes small and shallow. because you don't have revelation.  

We actually need revelation to understand I am the first and the last, that besides him there is no other. The vastness, this passage of scripture we just read in Isaiah, is talking about the vastness and the greatness of who God is and accompanying that statement is a command to not be afraid.  

So in other words, there is nothing in this world that should ever be afraid of, not because fear is not a thing, because I am the first and the last. I've created all things and I'm able to control all things.  

And if you understand I am the first and the last, then you will never be afraid of anything, ever. But it's so difficult to understand how grand and massive God is. If there is no spirit of revelation and wisdom, and if there is no prayer, because Paul is praying to the church in Ephesus, he's praying for them.  

I don't think you really grasp how wide God's love is. So I don't think you grasp it. So I'm praying that that you have a great deep understanding of the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses. 

Think about what's being said I want you to know this love that surpasses knowledge so the love of Christ surpasses knowledge that you may be spilled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  

Man, this is so powerful. What Paul is saying to this church in this passage of scripture is like, I don't know if he really. Now, think about who he's talking to. He's talking to the people who are in church.  

We have a view of God, and he's praying for them as like I don't think you really understand. Now, if you really think about Paul, right? And this is all to explain Isaiah 44. If you really think about Paul, he's the same man who was transported to heaven and he sees, and he says, I saw things that I cannot repeat.  

Says I can't repeat it. It was just cool. to grant for me to have no words for it and then he writes from that perspective says man I'm praying for you because I don't think you really understand how big God is. 

 I don't think you really understand how deep and wide the love of Christ is I am the first and the last besides me there is no other that existed before time without mother or father, I am who I am.  

I am all things. I am the first and last, the alpha and the all men, the beginning and the end. There is no start and there is no end to me. The love I possess is deep and so wide that you actually need to go and pray to understand it. 

And you actually need the spirit of wisdom and knowledge so that you can have a clear understanding of who I am. So when Isaiah is writing I am the first and the last that's when we hear first time and accompanied with that is this idea that do not be afraid.  

Now I've always said every time you see a statement in the scripture the opposite of that as it pertains to us is true. Because you don't tell people who are not afraid to not be afraid. Or you don't put it in the scripture unless it is going to be reality for the duration of mankind's existence that it needs to be addressed.  

Fear not, I'm the first and the last. Fear not, I'm the first and the last. What Paul tapped into is an explanation of this first year. Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and He is Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts.  

I'm the first and I'm the last. Besides me, there is no other. Who can proclaim as I do? Who? In other words, there's nobody who can proclaim the way I do it. Then let him declare it and set it in order for me.  

Since I appointed ancient people, in other words, all the people that have existed in human history, but did anything, I appointed them. I appointed them and the things that are coming, the things that are coming, I appointed them and the things that shall come.  

Let them show this to them. Do not fear. Do not be afraid because haven't I declared this before? You, now, this is the other part here. It says, You are my witness. What are we witnesses to? I am the first and the last.  

So in other words, you have to have a greater experience of God in order to witness that which seems to be extremely broad and vast, that it takes all of your lifetime. And we might never understand all of it in their lifetime.  

I mean, what Paul saw in the third heaven that made him say, man, the things I saw, I can't even tell you all. I can't, I have no word for it, and I'm not permitted to. I mean, Paul saw the totality of who God is.  

That's why he came and he starts writing this prayer. He's like, man, I'm praying for you all. I don't think you really get it. I don't think you understand it. How vast and how incredible and wide a powerful God is.  

Besides him, there's no other. He's the first and the last. He existed before time. This is the God we serve. And our view of God, if it's shallow, the level of our faith is diminished. That's why Paul is praying to the church in Ephesus.  

I'm praying for you. I'm praying for you. I don't think you get it. I mean, think about why God would include, I am the first and the last besides me in the other. And following that, You are my weakness. Then he then says, You should never be afraid.  

Don't be afraid. Why is he saying that? He's saying that because the people who are hearing, I don't think you understand how big I am. So I'm going to have to explain and reiterate this over and over.  

Why is this statement reiterated over and over and over again? Fear and do not be afraid. Because we are going to be afraid. That's why the scripture keeps coming back over and over again in the scripture, all the way from Exodus.  

Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid and every time God has an encounter, an interaction with the person, a divine encounter, the first thing that is uttered is do not be afraid. Daniel is in prayer, an angel shows up, do not be afraid.  

Moses sees the burning bush, do not be afraid. Paul, do not be afraid fear not. Joshua, do not be afraid. Daniel, do not be afraid. I mean over and over again. Why is he saying that? He's not saying, he's not saying that there are things that are going to happen.  

He says, when you really encounter who I am, right, this should not freak you out. It should make you understand how big I am. That's why we need to grow in the knowledge of who God is.  

That's why we need to constantly ask ourselves, how really big is God in my life? We are talking about a being who knows what's on every single person's mind. And he sees every single person's heart.  

Eight billion of us He is aware of what's in every single person's heart. But yet he still let us live to see another day. Oh, what a wonderful God we serve. What a massive God we serve. I am the first and the last, beside me is no other.  

That's the God we serve, big. So again, just as much as Paul prayed, that I keep asking God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, that He may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.  

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know, that I may know, the hope to which He has called us the riches of His glorious inheritance in the Saints in the incomparable great power for us who believe.  

I pray that you being rooted in Christ established in Love, that me being rooted in Christ and established may have power together with all of the Saints in the world, to grasp how wide and how deep the love is.  

And that we may know this love that surpasses all knowledge, that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We pray, Lord, that in our quest to grow, may the spirit of wisdom continue to enlighten us, the spirit of understanding continue to grow us.  

I pray, Lord, that in our efforts, may we be counseled by your Spirit, so that what we are grasping enhances the level of faith in which we're walking. We know, Lord, that the measure of our faith determines our interactions with you.  

So, Father, we want to grow in faith, in belief, in understanding, so that we cease to be afraid of what we see, what we hear, and what we know. I pray for these, your people, that your sovereign authority guide us into all things true.  

Open our minds and our hearts. Transform the way we think by the renewing of our mind as we come encounter with scriptures, and as we understand, thus sayest the Lord. Help us to know your declarations like the back of our hands.  

That God, we may know that the unnegotiable truths are the center of these hearts that we carry. Just as Paul prayed, open the eyes of our hearts, the eyes of our hearts, so that we can grow in understanding and knowledge.  

Father, I pray as you commission us in all things true. Help us to understand and to know what is accompanying us, the Spirit that is behind us, that is anchoring what we are doing. Pray for grace and I pray for love.  

Bless our children. Bless the works of our hands. Bless the works of the one who sent us. Thank you Lord for guiding and leading us through the aid of the Holy Spirit as we go in this day, as we interact with others, as we drive in our cars, as we call different ones, as we think. 

I pray, Lord, that remind us that you are the first and you are the last. Besides you, there is no other. Now, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.  

Lead us not into temptation, continue to deliver us from the evil one. For thy is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen. Brothers and sisters, may we grow in the knowledge of who God is, because He is the first, the last.  

Beside Him, there is no other. May we all have a wonderful day in Him and walk in great expectation for what He is doing and what is coming. We'll see you tomorrow morning.