The book of Isaiah under study represents the theological high-water mark and is described as the greatest book of the Old Testament. It was written to encourage the Jews to turn to the Lord as their only hope of salvation. The word ‘salvation’ is found twenty-six times in the book of Isaiah and with the theme: “Salvation through Messiah the Servant of the Lord”. The book is divided into two parts; Judgment (chapters 1-39), and Comfort (chapters 40-66).

Awakening the Sleeping Giant

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, to awaken means to ‘wake up, rouse, arouse and to stir’. It also means to be aware or to be conscious. According to Webster, ‘sleep’ means “to take rest by a suspension of consciousness” and the word ‘giant’ is an imaginary or mythical being of human form but superhuman in size. It could also mean a person of exceptional ability, integrity, and courage. In Hebrew, giants are called Nephilim (Genesis 6:4; Numbers 13:32-33;1 Samuel 17:4). There is biblical support to sleep (Psalm 4:8; Proverbs3:24 and Ecclesiastes 5:12) so, sleep may not be totally bad as it can be seen as periodical repose which enables one to recuperate after activity. However, the idea of awakening the sleeping giant is from a spiritual context of regaining consciousness in terms of spiritual matters. This can be seen from the following points of view:

The Prophet: Isaiah Ben Amoz was a Judean, probably a Jerusalemite, whose ministry extended from the year of Uzziah’s death. His name means “Yahweh is Salvation”. The prophet can be allured to be a sleeping giant as he referred to himself as a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5) resulting from a sense of unworthiness. Yahweh had awakened him for preparation of the work (v.7). Although he was a giant in terms of his prophetic office and service in the king’s court he was sleeping because he was lacking in the consciousness of Yahweh’s spiritual dealings with the people until he had a divine encounter.

The People: The people referred to here are the children of Israel. The opening of the book (Isaiah 1:1-39) reveals Israel’s tremendous failures in moral, spiritual, and political leadership. Isaiah 54:10-11 stresses corrupt, unaware, ignorant, silent, slothful, unobservant, and gluttonous leadership. Although Israel was a giant due to Yahweh’s love and election among other nations, they were sleeping spiritually. God stirred Prophet Isaiah to awaken the consciousness of the people.

How to Awaken the Sleeping Giant?

Our focus chapter, Isaiah 49 talks about Yahweh’s servant as Light to the nations. Thus, to awaken the sleeping giant, we must awaken our consciousness to two major facts:

1. Focus on the Messiah – The theme of Isaiah 49, can be referred to the following: Messiah bringing restoration, Light to the Gentiles when Israel rejects the Messiah; and restoration of Israel at the appointed time. This reflects the state of awakening the sleeping giant. The business of awakening the sleeping giant can only be done by the Messiah alone. The reconciliation of God with sinners was based on the atonement by the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ as the unforgotten Lord, gathering the family (v. 19). The restoration of the Messiah is to awaken our spiritual consciousness to His message.
2. Focus on the Message – The message here is that people will return to the Lord due to God’s divine work of salvation and redemption. Even the Gentiles will acknowledge the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and Zion shall become explicitly the model of the redeemed restored people.
3. This call to awake is highlighted in Isaiah 52:1-3,7 as follows;
4. It is a call to awake from iniquity, acknowledge your sins, and confess your transgressions.
5. It is a call to awake into reconciliation with God and joyful subjection to the Saviour as te Messiah and Lord.
6. It is a call to awaken into the assignment of proclaiming the Gospel of peace and not the gospel of the kingdom to this world.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

1. Give thanks to the Lord for His grace to be part of today’s life-transforming meeting.

2. Magnify the name of the Lord for the great things He is set to do in our midst.

Prayer for Personal Awakening

3. Confess your availability to be used by the Lord for His end-time revival and awakening that is about to break forth in our midst.

4. Pray that the hand of the Lord will come upon you afresh in this meeting for an unusual impartation of grace to do great exploits for Him.

5. Pray that the Lord’s empowering presence will take permanent residence in you.

6. Ask the Lord to break forth a great spiritual awakening in our midst like never before.

7. Ask the Lord to cause an awakening of heavy-weight mantles and mandates in our lives this day.

8. Pray that the Lord will spark the flame of revival in your life and raise you as a kingdom giant and shaker of territories and nations.

9. Spirit of the Living God, come like a mighty rushing wind and awaken the giant within me.

10. Ask for grace to walk in the realm of the restored and risen glory.

11. Ask the Lord to make you a man or woman who will turn hopeless and impossible situations around everywhere you go (v. 10).

12. Declare that the Lord will release upon you the fortification and empowerment you need for the task ahead.

13. Pray that the Lord will take hold of you and never let go until you become a man/woman fit and fortified for His use.

14. Ask the Lord to make you the man/woman He desires to use to handle the emergencies of this generation and to raise kingdom giants for Him using every platform of influence He gives you.

15. Ask the Holy Spirit to divinely lead you to the place of assignment and fulfilment of His great purpose and mandate for your life.

16. Ask the Lord to make you a prophetic voice that will transform systems and territories where you find yourself with His living Word.

Prayer for Cooperate Awakening

17. Mention the names of those who are spiritually dead in your territory and prophesy that they will respond to the transforming power of the Gospel and receive eternal life this season.

18. Decree that among those who are spiritually dead around you will arise kingdom giants for Christ.

19. Oh Lord, may we hear the rattling sound of spiritual awakening in our homes, churches, fellowships, schools, campuses, workplaces, marketplaces, on the streets, etc., in an ever-increasing manner (v.7).

20. Declare that every hopeless situation in our churches and fellowships will be turned around this day for the better.

21. Declare God’s healing upon everyone you know who is sick or hospitalised; decree that dead organs and body parts should come back to life now.

22. Ask the Lord to increase the momentum of His tidal wave of revival and a great awakening in our local churches, Associations, Conferences and Conventions.

23. Prophesy divine life to invade all the sectors of our dear country and bring forth all-round national transformation.

24. Give thanks to the Lord for answered prayers. AMEN!!!

Conclusion

Awakening the sleeping giant in this context refers to believers who in their sinful desires and actions have derailed from the purpose and will of God. They have allowed the devil to have the foothold for desecration. However, our solace is in the Lord, Jesus Christ who has redeemed us. God offered His Son, Jesus Christ to revive us and our focus should be in Him alone to reawaken us into His divine nature and through the Holy Spirit and to stir towards the propagation of the message of the Gospel.