HEAL OUR LAND - CHRISTINE KIOKO

FEET WASHING

Feet washing

John 13: 2-16

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place.“Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

What is feet washing?

Feet washing was the act that Jesus did when, after the last supper, he rose up girded himself up with a towel, took a basin of water washed & wiped all of his disciples’ feet.

Peter engaged Jesus in the process telling him that he should also wash his whole body. However, Jesus told him there is no need to do so as he was already clean. Jesus afterwards told his disciples that they should do the same. 

What does feet washing symbolize?

Cleansing: Jesus told his disciples that as they are clean they only need to wash their feet. John 13:10 Christ said…” he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean, and you are clean but not all of you.”

Servitude: Jesus was showing that his ministry is a ministry of serving not of being served.  Christ is the perfect example as he stooped and served his disciples in an act that was for servants at that time.  He took the position of a servant showing by his act that he was a servant as much as he was the Lord and Savior.  

Humility:  By serving and washing his disciples feet Jesus was humbling himself and taking a position of a servant though he was King and Savior.

New beginning: The feet washing marked the end of one season and the beginning of a new one for the disciples and Jesus.  The next event after this was the arrest of Jesus Christ and his trial.

Separation: Jesus told Judas that he should go and do what he was to do quickly.  This was after the feet washing act. This act is a prophetic act of washing and putting away the old and embracing the new. John 13:11…..you are clean but not all of you.

Who should do the feet washing?

Husband to wife, wife to husband

Parents to children

Priests to congregation

Believers in a fellowship

How should we feet wash?

According to the scriptures

Jesus Christ himself took a basin and a towel and washed the disciples feet one after the other and he dried their feet with the towel.

When should we feet wash?

There is no specific time in the scripture that we should feet wash.  Jesus washed his disciples feet after they had had their last supper.

Feet washing can be done at a start of a new season in your life e.g. when changing stations in life, at the entrance of marriage, at educational gates, birthdays amongst others.

It can also be done at the beginning of a New Year, and a new month.

Effects of washing of feet

Feet washing deals with the following in our lives

1.   Breaks the spirit of lameness.

Lameness has been defined as: walking unevenly because of a leg injury or motion impairment, unconvincing, ineffective, boring and old fashioned.

1.1            Effects of lameness

    i.            Confinement.  In the spiritual arena the spirit of lameness will hinder you from moving from glory to glory, and to flow in the things of God. 

ii.            Immobilization or stationary in one area.  It brings stagnation in your spiritual and physical life; there is no or little movement.

iii.            The body becomes a weight or burden.  The things that the Lord has given you to do become burdens, whereas the bible says that the burden of the lord is easy.  If you are called into ministry, the calling becomes heavy and burdensome.

iv.            It is disfiguring.  There is no beauty in your life and the glory of God which is beautifying is absent from your life.  The glory of God beautifies.

    v.            Cannot wear shoes or adorn your feet.  How beautify are the feet of them that brings Good news.  Lameness hinders/or may hinder you from adorning yourself and limit you from sharing the gospel with the people the Lord brings your way.

vi.            Carried from place to place.  Lameness causes you to become a dependant on others to move you from place to place.  There is no direct revelation you receive from the Lord.  You can only dependent on what others are receiving from the Lord.  The bible says we have been made to be priests and kings. (Rev 5:10) The blood of Jesus carries priesthood in it. 

vii.            Unconvincing.  Lameness causes you to become unconvincing, throwing a blanket of disbelief concerning what you are saying or doing.

viii.            Ineffective.  Lameness will cause ineffectiveness in your life, ministry, and business.  You are not an effective minister of the lord.

ix.            Boring and old fashioned.  Lameness can cause you to become old fashioned i.e. not in tandem with the season and times of the Lord.  The children of Israel were instructed to move when the cloud would move and if the cloud was stationery they would likewise stay on the same spot.  How sad for the one who would have said “this is the best place ever! Even if the cloud has moved I will continue to stay on”.  He surely would have missed the plans and purposes of the Lord and missed entering into the land of Canaan.

    x.            Repulsive: Lameness can cause you to become unattractive. Instead of drawing people to you, you end up repelling them.

Feet washing breaks the bonds, chains, fetters and yokes of the lame spirit as its focus is on the feet.

Prayer points

      Father release healing in my feet in the name of Jesus.

      I decree and declare healing in my feet by the blood of Jesus.

      Every fetter, chain of darkness over my feet break in the name of Jesus.

      Every padlock on my feet let the voice of the blood of Jesus thunder against it in the name of Jesus.

      My feet will be bathed in cream in this new season in the name of Jesus.

      Rivers of oil shall flow from the rock in to my life in the name of Jesus. (Job 29:6)

      I will be feet to the lame in the name of Jesus (Job 29:5)

      My feet shall not slip in Jesus Name (Psalms 18:36)

2.     Feet washing deals with the sluggard’s spirit

This is a slow-moving, lazy, or sluggish spirit.

This spirit causes you to have the speed of a snail/or a tortoise in everything you do. This spirit drags you, and you take long to undertake simple tasks. It slows down everything you are engaging in. You try to walk but find that you are unable to move. In some cases, mountains, hurdles and barriers ahead of you cause a slow down. 

This spirit is very active in Africa where we find that projects and aspirations take longer than necessary to pick up and get moving, some never take off and ideas remain at the conception stage.

This is a spirit of the devil and we need to break its hold over our lives, families, and society in the name of Jesus.

Focus: Thank you Lord that as we wash our feet the chains and fetters of the enemy are broken in our lives in the name of Jesus.

When Elijah had an encounter with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, he thereafter prayed for rain. The bible has says that when he saw a cloud the size of a man’s fist he girded up his cloth and run overtaking the king (Ahab) who was on a chariot with horses.

This same anointing is released during feet washing, (over taker’s anointing) and it is available for you, your feet will gain speed and overtake those with horses and chariots in Jesus Name.

Prayer points

      Blood of Jesus raise your voice over every voice of the sluggard spirit in my life in the name of Jesus.

      Blood of Jesus answer every voice of the sluggard spirit in my life in the name of jesus

     I stand in agreement with what the blood of Jesus is witnessing to the Father concerning my feet in the name of Jesus (Heb 12:24)

      Let the hold of a sluggard spirit break in my life in the name of Jesus.

      I decree and declare that my feet shall have speed by the voice of the blood of Jesus.

      I decree and declare that I operate the over taker’s speed in my feet by the voice of the blood of Jesus.

      I soak my feet with the blood of Jesus.

      Every plan of the enemy to cause me to slow down, by infirmity, wrong circumstances, in my life, marriage, business, scatter in the name of Jesus.

      My feet shall leap over walls like men of war  in the name of Jesus (Joel 2:7)

3.   Feet washing unveils you

When Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, Judas Iscariot true nature was unveiled.  Jesus also unveiled Peter’s heart.  Judas reaction after the betrayal of Jesus was to hang himself.  This lead to death and eternal separation with Christ, Peter on the other hand denying Christ felt ashamed which lead to repentance and reconciliation with Christ, making true the scripture, a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again (Proverbs 24:16).

4.   Feet washing separates you

Prior to the feet washing all the disciples walking with Jesus seemed to have the same purpose, calling, anointing, and heart for the things of God.

After the feet washing there was a separation.  The true nature of the heart of the disciples was revealed. Jesus told Judas Iscariot, to go and quickly do what he was to do.   Peter was told that he would deny Christ that very night.  The feet washing set apart those for Christ and those against Christ. 

When Christ washed their feet, that activity acted as a trigger for the betrayal of Jesus and events moved at an alarming speed ending up with the trial of Jesus Christ.

Prayer points

      Father, introduce me to the world in the name of Jesus.

      Every hidden talent/gift manifest in my life by the blood of Jesus.

      Every ability in my life come forth in the name of Jesus.

      Father, distinguish me in this new season in the name of Jesus.

5.   Feet washing uncovers the veil in your eyes

After the disciple’s feet were washed, the level of interaction with Jesus increased and they were able to understand who Christ the Messiah truly was. The disciples had walked with Christ the messiah for three years here on earth but only after that act did they truly understood what and who Christ the messiah was.

Prayer points

      Open my eyes Father that I may clearly see you in Jesus Name.

      Every veil in my life catch fire in the name of Jesus.

      Every ungodly covering in my life be destroyed by the blood of Jesus.

      Father, I declare and decree that the old is passed behold the new has come in Jesus name.

       Father, let every veil covering my destiny catch fire in the name of Jesus.

      Every veil covering me and my actions be removed in the name of Jesus.

      Every hidden glory in my life, my ministry, my family, my business be uncovered in Jesus name.

       

6.   Feet washing refreshes you

Feet washing was a traditional Jewish custom when guests came into the house.  This was mainly because the Jews used to wear sandals and the roads being dusty, often led to the feet of the people being dusty.  Therefore at the onset of a meal or as a guest was being received in the homestead the servants would wash his feet.  This would make the guest feel refreshed and clean,

Refresh me in the name of Jesus

Refresh my spirit man in Jesus name

Refresh my physical man in the name of Jesus

Revive me and renew me in the name of Jesus 

Further declarations when feet washing

Joel 22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

I decree and declare in the name of Jesus that:

• My steps are ordered by God (Psalm 37:23)
• My paths will grow brighter and brighter each day (Proverbs 4:18)
• Gates of nations will open for me (Isaiah 60:11)
• The ground beneath my feet shall be enlarged in Jesus name
• My feet will be like hind’s feet( 2 Samuel 22:34)
• I will soar on heights in Jesus name (2 Samuel 22:34)
• My feet will not slip (2 Samuel 22:37)
• I will tread upon scorpions and Serpents (Psalms 91:13)
• My feet will bear glad tidings only ( 2 Samuel 22:37)
• Godly prints are on the soles of my feet (Job 13:27)
• My feet will be bathed with cream (Job 29:5)
• My feet are set upon the rock, my ways are established of the Lord (psalm 40:2)
• The rock will pour out rivers of oil for me (Job 29:5)
• The overtaking speed and anointing rests on my feet
• Every place my feet steps on I shall possess (deut 11:24 )
• The land whereon my feet have trodden shall be my inheritance, and my children's for ever, (Joshua 14:9)
• I walk in dominion and all things are under my feet (psalm 8:6)
• My feet are beautiful and glorious(Isaiah 52:7)
• Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my paths(psalm 119:105)
• My enemies shall bow at my feet (Isaiah 60:14)
• My feet are anointed of the lord
• My feet will walk the path of life (psalm 16:11)
• My feet will walk in the path of abundance(psalm 65:11)
• My feet are healed in the name of Jesus (Heb 12:13)
• My feet bear the DNA of Christ
• Every lameness is healed in the name of Jesus (Isaiah 35:6)

During the feet washing ceremony

      Repentance and praise and worship.

      Read the Scripture (Refer to the section what is feet washing?)

      Rise up and gird yourself up with a towel, take a basin of water wash & wipe all the feet of those that you are engaging with. (Refer to the section on who should do the feet washing)

      Make Godly declarations over the people you are engaging with.

      Thank God for all that He has done.