Immanuel’s Soldiers: Hope for the Weary

By N. L. Fox

In the wave of oppression from the economy many are losing homes, jobs, savings and 401K’s. Marriages and children are being attacked. Pastor burnout increases monthly, as they continue to leave their calling. When we are repeatedly hit from all sides from the enemy (Satan) we grow tired and weary. We ask where is God in all of this? We tend to lose faith. The faith we used to draw upon becomes superficial. The urgency to just survive this whole financial downturn allows us to depend on ourselves and not on the Lord.

Immanuel’s Soldiers Hope for the Weary is refreshment in the hope in Christ. The Bible is full of ordinary people similar to us in crisis. The Lord did not promise life would be a bed of roses, but He did promise no matter how bad things get that He will show up and deliver. We just have to willingly yield, believe and trust Him. If you have come to a point in your life where enough is enough; you just can’t take the oppression merry-go-round you are on anymore, then get off of it and take Jesus’ hand. His loving arms will surround you and never let you go.

Dr. Fox walks you through several people and their crisis in the Word of God. She challenges you to re-evaluate your faith and trust in the Lord during your crisis. She draws upon her years of experience in street ministry in encountering the unchurched, and backslidden Christians in their loss of hope.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385014514

N. L. Fox

Dr. Nikki L. Fox has been saved for thirty-one years. An ordained evangelist, she has ministered to youth, worked in outreach ministry, and pastored teams that led thousands to Christ. Dr. Fox earned a Master of Divinity, a Doctor of Ministry in pastoral ministry, and a PhD in biblical theology from Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary. She is CEO and publisher of Ekklesia Rising Magazine (Ekklesia Rising Publications LLC).

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Copyright © 2024 N. L. Fox.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1450-7 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1451-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023923881

WestBow Press rev. date: 1/18/2024

CONTENTS

Preface

PART 1   NEW TO HIM

Chapter 1     He Saved Me from Death

Chapter 2     Come into My Life

Chapter 3     A New Journey

Chapter 4     The Holy Spirit’s Work

PART 2 THE CHURCH

Chapter 5     Temple Oil

Chapter 6     Anointed and Armed

Chapter 7     Chosen and Prepared

PART 3 THE FIVE FOLD LEADERS

Chapter 8     Your Calling Does Not Have an Exit Clause

Chapter 9     Supernatural Intervention

Chapter 10   Investing in the Kingdom

Chapter 11   Remain Faithful Unto Him

PART 4 CONCLUSION

Chapter 12   Empowerment By Prayer

Endnotes

PREFACE

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]

Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.

For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

— Matthew 11:28-30, AMP

The Lord God knows you are tired and weary. Jesus Himself calls to you to come to Him. He’s arms are outstretched for you. He will give you rest. There is so much going on in the world with wars, religious cleansing, weather catastrophes, financial markets decline and fall, the list continues. Within the United states alone many are at war with our government officials and in most cases rightfully so, health care cost is on an exponential rise, the housing market is in the dumps, financial markets are still hurting even more so than its greatest decline since the 1930s, unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies of blue and white collar worker increase drastically over the last three years. Through the power of His spirit we are victorious in all the mess. We win in the end.

I pray that this book will encourage you not to give up on your life, your family, marriage and the position God has placed you in. If you are a true believer of Christ and are weakened in faith by what is occurring in the world and even in the church, be not dismayed help is within and around you. It is only natural that we tend to give up when things get bad, I mean really bad. We may try to work it out ourselves. After all, we have to do what we have to do for our families. We are sometimes up against a wall overwhelmed, where there is nothing we can possible do. It is in these places where don’t know what to do or where to turn, this is where God breaks you and makes you. He is the way maker in all situation particularly the impossible ones. When you stop making things happen, kicking and screaming about the situation and settle down, get your hands off of it and trust God; the Lord will show up. Yes, you still have to do your part in your relationship with God, pay your tithes, sow seed, pray, study your Bible, obey Him, seek His face, worship and praise Him. When you do your part and trust totally in Him, He is faithful in keeping His covenant with you. I’m talking about relationship with your creator. I’m not talking about your mentors, pastors or those who sit in authority over you. I’m talking about relationship with a King. Once God gets a hold of you He will never let you go. It is only we who decide to let go of His hand or even decide not to hold it at all.

This book is divided into three sections. The first section is for those who may have picked up this book thinking it was for soldiers coming home from overseas or soldiers that are home and find it hard to get back into society. I applaud you. I give God the glory for your service to this country. I pray for our men and women in service. I was in the Army for one week. I was sent home because my vision was inadequate. God bought me a new pair of glasses and has placed me in His army to fight for souls.

This is no mistake to no one. The Lord protected you in battle and although you have suffered loss of a fellow soldier, your marriage, kids, your home. God almighty will restore your life if you just give Him the opportunity to love you through what you are facing. This first section is for new believers; those that have not made Christ Lord of their lives or for those whom need to rededicate their lives to Him. It’s ok to start over. You can start over as many times as needed. God is the God of second, third, tenth, fiftieth chances. He does not want any to perish.

The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.

— 2 Peter 3:9, AMP

Welcome Him into your life. I did several times. He has forgiven over and over again as a loving Father and placed me back on the path that He has destined for me. I may not have known the path He had for me, but the more time I spent with Him no matter how bad life got, He showed me my purpose.

The second section of the book is for those whom are saved for several years and are serving the Lord. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves what God did for us when we got saved. Sometimes we need to jump start our first love. Do you remember when you first got saved? Do your remember how He changed you, how you were so fired-up to share with all what the Lord has done in your life? Do you remember? Perhaps that fire is dimly lit or extinguish due to pressures, loss, broken hearts or setbacks over the years. I can testify that the fire can be restored if you want it. Let’s examine some people in this section whom have faced situations much like we do today. The Lord’s hand was on them, their situation and the destiny He had for them.

If you are in a desert place or dry seasons with the Lord keep pressing through with your praise. These seasons are temporary. It is a precursor to your next level in Him. Press through all the drama and lies that Satan has dished you and reach for the hem of Jesus’ garment. You are healed by the blood of Jesus; emotionally, mentally and physically made whole.

O Lord my God, I cried to You and You have healed me.

O Lord, You have brought my life up from Sheol (the place of the dead); You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (the grave).

— Psalm 30:2-3, AMP

The third section speaks to the five-fold ministry leaders. These are Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. The church is losing many pastors monthly. They walk away from their assignment, purpose or destiny in Christ. Many reasons tear them from their pulpits; sin, family issues, financial burdens, the lack of support from other leaders within the church. There are many who have not found a listening ear that they can trust. Jesus’ door is open and so is mine. The third section will challenge these leaders to press in and finish the race the Lord has set upon them.

I know this book will jump start your walk with Him. Though we may stumble, we have a man Jesus Christ that can pick us up and carry us on our way. I’ve added quotations from the generals of faith in my life that has kept the fire burning within me to live sold-out for Jesus Christ and to be a part of the continuation of His mission.

1

HE SAVED ME FROM DEATH

I t was in my darkest time in my life that the Lord showed up and pulled me from my pit. I was dumped by my fiancé’, laid off my job, my college advisor died and I filed bankruptcy. All these things happened within a period of six months; one after another. I was so depressed, lonely and without hope. I readied myself to end my life.

There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.

— Proverbs 14:12, AMP

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and in irons,

Because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

Therefore He bowed down their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled and fell down, and there was none to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them.

Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

— Psalm 107:10-15, AMP

I knew of Jesus, but never really had a relationship with Him. I was a good girl and thought that was all I needed to get to heaven. But there is a lot more to it than just being good.

Jesus Himself did not try to convert the two thieves on the cross; He waited until one of them turned to Him.¹

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

2

COME INTO MY LIFE

A fter my long night in a peaceful sleep, I awakened on the floor with a knife pointing toward me ready to cut my wrist and set into a bath water to bleed my life away. I peeled my cheek off the kitchen linoleum floor. My eyes were swollen from crying tears for hours drowning in my own misery and self-pity. I got up and slowly walked to my bedroom. My body was stiff from my overnight sleep on the floor. I laid down on my mattress and fell asleep once again for a few more h ours.

Now that I look back on that evening to the early morning hours, I believe the Lord set an angel to knock me out cold on the floor. I believe Jesus showed up in my apartment