Monday, 20th December, 2021
Bible Reading: Job 42: 10 – 17
Memory Verse: And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. Job 42:12 (ESV)
Whenever Archie Williams felt knocked down in prison, he would pray and sing to the Lord and that was how he had peace in prison. Williams came from a family of singers and even in prison, he led music ministrations. A friend told him about the “Innocence Project”, an organization that helps people wrongly convicted fight for their freedom. He first wrote to them for help in 1995 when he was 35 years and had already spent 13 years in jail for a crime he never committed. They took up his case and together with his legal team fought for Archie Williams. During the early years in prison, Archie ran a successful boxing program in prison where he coached boxers to winning major titles in the state of Louisiana.
But he gave it up to focus on his fight for freedom. In prison, he never allowed the evil spirit of being wrongly convicted live in his heart. As he loved singing, he would watch “America’s Got Talent” all the time and would visualize himself on the stage singing one day. And to the glory of God, the day came. It took Innocence Project twenty four (24) years to get the judge to allow them search FBI’s finger print database and within 1 hour of granting them the permission, they matched the prints found on the crime scene to a man named Stephen Forbes. A man known to have committed many sexual assaults. Archie Williams was finally freed on March 21, 2019 after spending THIRTY-SIX (36) in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
He went in a 22-year-old guy and came out as a 58-year-old man. He didn’t sit down and cry over his wasted years, he decided to make something out of his life. In November 2019, he sang at the world-famous Apollo theatre in Harlem and made it through three rounds of the singing competition. He later flew to Los Angeles for “America’s Got Talent” (AGT) audition where he shared his story, sang and made it to the finals of AGT but didn’t win.
His story inspired Simon Cowell to become an “Innocence Ambassador” to help other wrongfully convicted people throughout the U.S. Music legend Elton John was moved to tears when he heard him sing his 1974 hit, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” and called him on the phone. He invited him to join him on his tour. He was also on Steve Harvey show where he got $5,000 amongst other gifts. He is also due for a compensation of $250,000 from the state of Louisiana.
Quote: Restoration is one of our principal benefits as children of the most high.
Prophetic Decree: By the mercies of God,you shall recover your wasted years, in Jesus name.
Prayer Focus
1. The God of restoration, how wonderful is your name in all the earth.
2. No circumstance shall kill my divine vision, in the name of Jesus.
3. O Lord, convert the pain of my wasted years to marvellous gain, in Jesus name.
4. O Lord, please restore back all my wasted years in hundred fold, in the name of Jesus.
5. I recover back my arrears and bonuses, in the name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Peter 1-5
