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Day 8 – Arise and Build

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zech-5-flying-scrollZechariah’s Sixth Vision

Read Zechariah 5:1-4

The first five visions were uplifting, comforting and restorative.  The next two visions addressed what needed to take place before the glory can be fully realized.  Sin and wickedness must be removed from the earth.

 

The scroll represents the written Law of God.  During the restoration period, the Jews had a renewed interest in the Mosaic Law.  This scroll was large and open for all to read.  God’s law said that those who stole (8th commandment – Ex 20:15) and those who swore falsely by the Name of the Lord(3rd commandment – Ex 20:7) would die.  This is how sin would be purged from the land. (Deut.28)

 

The picture the Lord gave was that of Him entering homes to seek out the law-breakers.  There would not be any place to hide when God’s judgment went forth.  All who oppose God would be consumed. Those who live according to God’s law would reap His promises and blessings.

 

Matthew 25:31-46 provides the picture of Jesus separating the sheep from the goats at His second coming.  The sheep are rewarded for their faithfulness to Jesus, but the goats are rebuked for their false pretense.  Their lives were lived for themselves and they deceived others for selfish gain.  Many of these claim to honor the Lord with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him.  They don’t know Him, even though they may go to church.  Jesus sent these away to eternal punishment. This day is soon approaching and we need to be mindful of the severity of these words.

 

Prior to Jesus’ coming, though, these words will be fulfilled in a lesser way.  The judgment of God is intended to bring sinners to repentance.  God uses the least severe means to reach the greatest number of people at the deepest level of love without violating anyone’s free.  God’s judgments are truly acts of His mercy, His desire to cause people to turn to Him for salvation.

 

We are beginning to see this played out.    As we watch what has been happening in America all through this year and even more in these final months before the election, the shaking is very intense.  We must be watchful, pray and return to the Word of the Lord as the community of Jews did.  The Lord will deal with those that have sought to bring ruin to this nation and to His people.  He will visit them.  The Lord’s shaking brings fear to those that don’t know Him.

 

In these last days, we must return to the Lord and His Word.  His Word reveals His heart and without knowing Him more intimately, we will not understand the times we live in.  His Word holds the keys to life even in the midst of great turmoil.  We are at war with the enemy kingdom and we must know our part in the battle.  The Holy Spirit is our helper to lead and guide us through the narrow places.  For some, getting through the narrow place may be a life or death situation.  It is imperative that we learn to clearly hear and respond to the voice of Holy Spirit.  Much of the Body of Christ has shied away from or completely rejected the Holy Spirit.  Repent and return to receive all that Lord has given for our blessing.

 

  • Pray for a renewed love for the Word of God in yourself and in the Body of Christ; that this generation would hunger and thirst for righteousness. (Psalm 1:2, Psalm 119:140)

 

  • Declare mercy over America. Pray for the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord to come to the people and be received.  (Prov 1:7)

 

  • The Bride of Christ makes herself ready for Christ’s return. Pray for the grace to stand, for a pure heart and the spirit of discernment.  We must be a people of Truth. Seek Him!  (Matt 24:1-14)

Day 8 – Arise and Build

Posted on by Posted in Prayer, Zechariah .

Zechariah’s Sixth Vision

 

Read Zechariah 5:1-4

 

The first five visions were uplifting, comforting and restorative.  The next two visions addressed what needed to take place before the glory can be fully realized.  Sin and wickedness must be removed from the earth.

 

The scroll represents the written Law of God.  During the restoration period, the Jews had a renewed interest in the Mosaic Law.  This scroll was large and open for all to read.  God’s law said that those who stole (8th commandment – Ex 20:15) and those who swore falsely by the Name of the Lord(3rd commandment – Ex 20:7) would die.  This is how sin would be purged from the land. (Deut.28)

 

The picture the Lord gave was that of Him entering homes to seek out the law-breakers.  There would not be any place to hide when God’s judgment went forth.  All who oppose God would be consumed. Those who live according to God’s law would reap His promises and blessings.

 

Matthew 25:31-46 provides the picture of Jesus separating the sheep from the goats at His second coming.  The sheep are rewarded for their faithfulness to Jesus, but the goats are rebuked for their false pretense.  Their lives were lived for themselves and they deceived others for selfish gain.  Many of these claim to honor the Lord with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him.  They don’t know Him, even though they may go to church.  Jesus sent these away to eternal punishment. This day is soon approaching and we need to be mindful of the severity of these words.

 

Prior to Jesus’ coming, though, these words will be fulfilled in a lesser way.  The judgment of God is intended to bring sinners to repentance.  God uses the least severe means to reach the greatest number of people at the deepest level of love without violating anyone’s free.  God’s judgments are truly acts of His mercy, His desire to cause people to turn to Him for salvation.

 

We are beginning to see this played out.    As we watch what has been happening in America all through this year and even more in these final months before the election, the shaking is very intense.  We must be watchful, pray and return to the Word of the Lord as the community of Jews did.  The Lord will deal with those that have sought to bring ruin to this nation and to His people.  He will visit them.  The Lord’s shaking brings fear to those that don’t know Him.

In these last days, we must return to the Lord and His Word.  His Word reveals His heart and without knowing Him more intimately, we will not understand the times we live in.  His Word holds the keys to life even in the midst of great turmoil.  We are at war with the enemy kingdom and we must know our part in the battle.  The Holy Spirit is our helper to lead and guide us through the narrow places.  For some, getting through the narrow place may be a life or death situation.  It is imperative that we learn to clearly hear and respond to the voice of Holy Spirit.  Much of the Body of Christ has shied away from or completely rejected the Holy Spirit.  Repent and return to receive all that Lord has given for our blessing.

 

  • Pray for a renewed love for the Word of God in yourself and in the Body of Christ; that this generation would hunger and thirst for righteousness. (Psalm 1:2, Psalm 119:140)

 

  • Declare mercy over America. Pray for the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord to come to the people and be received.  (Prov 1:7)

 

  • The Bride of Christ makes herself ready for Christ’s return. Pray for the grace to stand, for a pure heart and the spirit of discernment.  We must be a people of Truth, seek Him.  (Matt 24:1-14)

Day 7 – Arise and Build

Posted on by Posted in Prayer, Zechariah .

zech-4-lampstandZechariah’s Fifth Vision

 

Read Zechariah 4:1-14

 

The fourth vision focused on Joshua, the High Priest whereas, the fifth vision focuses on Zerubbabel, the governmental leader of the restoration community.  The lampstand that Zechariah saw represented Israel, under Messiah, as a light to the nations.  The two olive trees on either side of the lampstand were Joshua and Zerubbabel.  Together, this picture represented the priestly and kingly aspects of Messiah reigning over Israel.

 

God stated that it is only by His power that Israel will be restored and the temple will be built.  Human effort could never achieve this.  Only God’s power could remove every obstacle (mountain) and make it possible for the Zerubbabel to complete his assignment.  God Himself would provide the top stone signifying its completion and He would rejoice, even if the people saw this modest temple as inferior.  The ultimate fulfillment of this is the picture of God sending His Son, the Chief Cornerstone, to rule and reign over His Kingdom.  Only God can supply what is needed to see Israel become what He said she would be under Messiah’s rule. The vision will be complete when Jesus comes to take His place as the final King of His Kingdom.

 

However, Jesus has already come and has a Body on the earth.  Believers are filled with His Spirit, and like Joshua and Zerubbabel, we possess the priestly and kingly anointing so that we can build the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  It’s not our might or power that enables us to build, but it is the Spirit of God on the inside that leads, directs and empowers us.  The mountains or obstacles that stand in the way of us completing our assignments or fulfilling our destiny will be leveled as we shout, “GRACE” to it.

 

The Lord declared that Zerubbabel laid the foundation and he would be the one to finish it.  This statement made it clear that what God had said would indeed happen.  His watchful eye saw everything that was going on.  When God gives you an assignment, His grace is sufficient for you to complete it.  He supplies all that is needed.

 

A key part of this vision is the angel that spoke to Zerubbabel.  The angel awakened him and began asking questions; he was stirring Zerubbabel to see deeper into the matter.  Then the angel interpreted the things Zerubbabel was seeing.  In other words, the angel released prophetic revelation so that he would be encouraged and have the grace he needed to keep moving forward.

 

We have these same angels available to us and it’s important that we learn how to engage them.  Angels are ministering spirits sent to the help the heirs of salvation, that’s us!  Zerubbabel spoke to the angel just as he would speak to a friend.  Angels release revelation from heaven that causes us to see and perceive what we could not on our own.

 

Visions four and five exhort us that God can do anything, no matter how impossible it seems, but He uses us, ordinary individuals, filled with His Spirit, to do it.  We are called to do what seems impossible to man.  Those around you may think you’re crazy for believing that you can accomplish that thing God has given you to do, but you have the power of heaven backing you up and angels assigned to you for success.

 

 

  • Invite the angels to interpret for you. What do you see?  It may be something that seems very normal, but God will speak to you from those things around you.  Ask for help to understand.  (Jer 1:11-19, Amos 7:8)

 

  • Thank the Lord that His watchful eye is upon you, that He sees everything and He has solutions for every obstacles. Declare His might and power over your situation and shout “Grace!”  (2 Chron 16:9, 2 Cor 12:9)

 

  • Rejoice over every step taken toward your destiny, no matter how small. The Father rejoices over your faithfulness.  God only looks at you in light of what He’s given you to accomplish, He doesn’t compare you to others, so don’t do that to yourself.  (Haggai 2:8-9, Mark 12:41-44)

The Convergence of the Prayer and Missions Movements Will Shift the Nations

Posted on by Posted in Building the Kingdom of God, Missions, Prayer .

ywam togetherMonday, Sept 5 begins a six-day gathering of YWAM leaders from around the world in Kansas City, MO.  The significance of the location of this gathering might not seem that unusual to us in the United States.  We are quite familiar with what God is doing in Kansas City through the ministry of the Intl. House of Prayer (IHOP).  But to YWAM leaders around the world, Kansas City, MO, is not a well-known location.  Founder of YWAM, Loren Cunningham, says that God specifically said this meeting must take place in Kansas City, MO because it is a strategic city bathed in prayer with an open heaven and strong protection.  God instructed Loren to invite IHOP-KC staff and students to attend this gathering because it’s time for a greater aligning of movements between prayer and missions.  This is not just another meeting between ministries, but this is the heart of God for this time in history.  The people of God must see the big picture of what God is doing in this hour.  As we begin this new season, God has said that the convergence of prayer and evangelism is going to explode around the world and create a shift similar to the way God shifted Billy Graham’s ministry which effected the entire Body of Christ.

 

Mark Anderson, President of Call2all and a partner with YWAM since its early days, has tirelessly traveled around the globe seeking to unite leaders in the pursuit to bring the Gospel to every nation, tribe and tongue.  There are 3000 people groups in the earth and 7000 languages.  The mission of Call2all has been to identify those groups and languages that have no witness of the Gospel and to develop a strategy to reach them.  There are 50,000 leaders from 15 of the largest mission organizations that are focused on reaching  all of these groups and languages by the year 2020.  They have committed to 7 million new church plants and 1.5 million new houses of prayer in these nations.  The Prayer, Church Planting, and Missions movements are uniting into one movement to see this accomplished.

 

This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.  Matt 24:14

 

In 2004, Mark and his wife both received this word from the Lord, “My House will be a House of Prayer for all nations or it will not be My house.”  (Isaiah 56:7, Matt 21:13)

As we draw near to the day of Jesus’ return, the Father is saying, “It’s time to get serious about building My House.”  His House is not a building, we are His House.  The people of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, are His temple.  We are not to sit in a building inviting the nations to come to us, but we are commissioned to go out into every sphere of society in every nation and invite the people into the Presence of God.  This is the hour that has now come upon us.  The Father is launching His people into the 7 Mountains of society to reach every people, tribe and tongue.  All the leaders of all the movements are being called to come together as one to accomplish this desire of the Father’s heart.  Our greatest act of worship is to honor this desire of the One we love.  Jesus paid the price for the salvation of all.  Prayer, constant, intimate communication, with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the foundation of this work.  He will direct and provide all that necessary to see it accomplished.  We will succeed when we follow Heaven’s blueprint.

 

The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.  But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’  And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?  Matt 16:1-3

 

Let us not miss the signs of the times.  The harvest of souls is of utmost importance in the Father’s heart.  He is shaking and awakening hearts, He is pouring out His Spirit, and He is calling up His army in the earth to go forth and make disciples of all the nations!  We each have a part to play.  Your prayers are so significant.

 

Please pray this week for this gathering in Kansas City, September 5-10.  Go to http://ywamkc2016.org/ for more information and the schedule of events.  Pray for  perfect unity and the Love of Jesus to compel His Body to arise to her destiny.  Prepare your heart to receive fresh revelation of your call, along with the faith and strength to complete it.

Day 5 – Arise and Build

Posted on by Posted in Bible Study, Building the Kingdom of God, Prayer .

wall of fireZechariah’s Third Vision

Read Zechariah 2:1-13

 

Zechariah saw a man with a measuring line going to measure Jerusalem.

 

God was telling the people that He was ready to rebuild Jerusalem.  His vision of Jerusalem is a holy and secure place, a place of abundance and prosperity, a place where He will dwell with His people.  This has always been on God’s heart!

 

…‘Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it.  For I,’ declares the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”   “Ho there! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens,” declares the Lord. “Ho, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.”   Zechariah 2:4-7

 

Verses 6-13 summarize the first three visions.  First, the Lord is calling His people to return to the land from their places of exile.  Then, He promises to deal with their enemies and restore them and the land.

 

This was an encouragement to the restoration community, but it is also an encouragement to us.  This vision will have its final fulfillment in the second coming of the Messiah and His millennial kingdom. However, we can believe now that God has promised to us a measure of His Glory to be seen and experience.  He longs to dwell in our midst.  We are in a time of divine appointment when God is waving His hand over His enemies and making them plunder for us.  He is calling us together to function as His Body with the promise that He is backing up His promises with power.  We are being called to a new level of worship and corporate expression.  What worked in the last season is no longer going to work.  He has something new for us, but we must be willing to let go of the old in order to receive the new.  The gathering winds are blowing to bring transformation and turnarounds.  We must be transformed before we can transform our surroundings.  He has equipped us with new weapons for a new season.  Use them!  Step out and gather the harvest that is all around you.  Sing a new song, don’t hold on to the past!  Your path has been prepared, have faith to GO! His Grace is sufficient for you.

 

  • Pray for awakening in the hearts and minds of God’s people, that they will believe the Word of the Lord and the movement of His Spirit.  This is a new day and He is faithful to keep His promises.
  • Pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit over Israel and the Jewish people, that they would recognize their Messiah and return to Him.
  • Declare that God is a wall of fire around Israel and the glory in her midst.  Declare that over the Body of Christ, as well.  He is our safety and He will guide us with His eye.

 

 

Day 4 – Arise and Build

Posted on by Posted in Bible Study, Building the Kingdom of God, Prayer .

Zechariah’s Second Vision

zechariahs-2nd-vision-canva

 

 

 

 

Zechariah saw four horns and four blacksmiths.  The angel explained that the four horns represented the four world powers that would try to destroy His land and His people.  Most likely the four horns represent Babylon, Medo-persia, Greece and Rome.  The four blacksmiths represent artisans that carried hammers ready to crush each kingdom.  Each of these kingdoms would destroy the preceeding one, but ultimately God’s Kingdom would destroy the final one.  While it may appear that they operate independent of God, God’s sovereign hand is controlling all.  He determines the duration of the kingdoms and limits their power.

 

The same is true for us on an individual level.  The horns represent the enemy’s plans against us.  The skilled craftsmen are those that are anointed and filled with grace to scatter and spoil the enemy’s plans. We are in a time where many feel desperate and alone, but God has promised to be with us.  When all else has failed, God has promised to show up and show off.  He is the One that will completely crush the enemy.  In His great mercy, He is restoring His people so that sin can be dealt with and we can get on with the business of rebuilding with Him.  This is the hour for His Kingdom to be built.

 

There are many skilled artisans that God has prepared to help in the process, ministers of the Word, prayer, deliverance, impartation, prophecy and comfort.   When a craftsman is creating a work of art, he must apply pressure and cut away things that will not serve the end product.  God says of us that we will be pillars in His Kingdom.  Pillars undergo a process of cutting away, carving, smoothing and refining, but the end result is beauty.  Do not be afraid of the process the Lord is taking you through.  He will not let the enemy destroy you, He has made you for beauty!  Job says, “when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)  Believe that the Lord is doing a work of restoration.  Everything that has been lost or stolen, from you, from your family, or from our nation is being brought back.  This work of restoration is so that we can function as as a Body made to partner with Him, not as independent, self-centered agents.

 

  • Give thanks to the Lord and declare that He alone is the Just Judge, that He puts down one and raises another. God’s Word stands firm forever.  (Psalm 75)

 

  • Cry out for the Body of Christ to submit to the refining process of God. Repent for yourself and for the Body for compromising and agreeing with the enemy and doubting the plans and purposes of our Father.  Ask the Lord to do a cleansing and purifying work in us.  (Psalm 24:3-6, Col 2:11)

 

  • Pray that as the Lord reveals things that are no longer useful to us, that we will willingly lay them down and pick up the new tools, new revelation, new connections that He is bringing to us. Do not fear loss, but embrace the change knowing that the Father’s heart is for you.  (Eph 4:24)

 

Day 3 – Arise and Build

Posted on by Posted in Bible Study, Building the Kingdom of God, Prayer .

Zechariah’s First Vision

 

Smiling Jesus

Therefore thus says the Lord, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares the Lord of hosts…        Zech 1:16

The watchmen went out and patrolled the earth bringing back the report that all was quiet and peaceful.  The words don’t accurately represent to true nature of things.  It wasn’t a good situation, it was one of complacency.  The Jews who had been in exile in Babylon were beat down and subdued, therefore they were quiet. They had given up.    The garments of reproach that had become so familiar in Babylon had to be removed so they could complete their assignment.   The watchmen had gotten used to this and seemed to think it was normal.

 

The angel saw that all was not ok and asked the Lord, “When will you show mercy to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah?”  The whole earth was quiet, but the angel specifically asked about Jerusalem and Judah because this was the Lord’s chosen place.  Jerusalem is the epicenter of the earth’s activity.  Because the Jews in Jerusalem were beaten down and subdued, the Lord’s work wasn’t being completed and therefore, there was a false sense of peace and quiet.

 

Instantly, the Lord spoke with compassion and comfort and told the angel to PROCLAIM HIS LOVE over the people.  He was angry that the nations had gone beyond the measure of discipline He intended for His people.  God’s response to these nations would bring judgment upon them for their abusiveness, but He would bring restoration to Jerusalem. He restates His promise for abundant prosperity, comfort and favor to Jerusalem.

 

Jerusalem is on the Lord’s heart today and so is America.  America was founded on God’s Word and birthed from His heart.  Therefore, we can be assured that, though we have sinned in the same way the Jews have done, God’s heart of compassion and comfort are for us.  He wants to rebuild America and Israel and He’s looking His people to rise up and partner with Him.  We have modern day prophets declaring the same words over America.  Apostle and Prophet Dutch Sheets received the Word of the Lord where God spoke “Mercy” over America six times.  Let’s agree with this Word and rise up to do our part.

 

  • Pray for the beauty of the Lord to be seen in Jerusalem once again and for the people of the land of Israel to enter into the new covenant, written in the Blood of Jesus, that they may become the Bride of Christ. (Isaiah 62:3-5)

 

  • The reproach of the past season must be stripped away so our new identity can fully blossom. The Blood of Jesus cleanses us from all reproach.  Pray for the spirit of repentance to flood the understanding of the Body of Christ that they may turn away from their old identity and embrace the new that God is calling us into. He is turning our reproach into rejoicing!  (Isaiah 54:4, Eph 1:18)

 

  • Decree the Lord’s Love and Mercy over you and your family, over America and over Israel.  (Songs 2:4, Zeph 3:17)

Arise and Build – Day 2

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Day 2 – Arise and Build

Zechariah-1.3

Illustration by Laura Kranz

 

Read Zech 1:1-6

 

Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. 4 “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”  Zech 1:3-4

 

Zechariah was most likely born during the Babylonian exile.  His name means “Yahweh remembers.” He came back with the first wave of returnees to Jerusalem in 536 BC.  His grandfather, Iddo, was a priest, and Zechariah became one of the leading priests in the restoration community.  As a prophet, he received his first message and began preaching in the eighth month of 520 BC, the year the people resumed working on the temple. Zechariah and Haggai’s messages complement each other. Haggai’s messages focused on rebuilding the temple and reestablishing God’s Dwelling place among His people while Zechariah’s messages encouraged the repentance and awakening that was necessary to make that happen.   This book contains eight night visions that Zechariah received to inspire hope and courage to God’s people.  At this time, they felt discouraged and uncertain that their efforts were making any difference.  Zechariah’s messages cast God’s vision not only for them but for the distant future.  He was giving them an eternal perspective and reassuring them that their work was not in vain.  This book, more than any other Old Testament book, looks forward to the second coming of the Messiah and the future of Jerusalem.  Angelic interpretation of the messages is given to aid in understanding the vision of the future.

 

Verse 3 of the first chapter states the major theme of the entire book.  God says, “Return to me and I will return to you.”  Throughout the book, God reveals that He will make the way for people to return to Him, namely by sending His Son, and if they will respond to Him in this way, then He will live among them and be their God.

 

As we read the book of Zechariah, we take note of the fact that the word was applicable in Zechariah’s day.  The people of that generation were rebuilding a physical temple in Jerusalem and they needed encouragement.  Their enemies were real, in the flesh and in their face.  It was a difficult time for them.

 

However, this book is a prophetic picture of the end times generation.  If we cry out to God for revelation, we will understand how to interpret this book for the things we are now facing.  God gave us this treasure and He expects us to use it.  When we ask for the revelation that He already promised He would give, then we will know how to build His Kingdom in our day.  We must embrace God’s Word and trust His timing.  Just like David caught sight of the glory of the coming Messiah and established a new kind of tabernacle in His day, we are able to pull down revelation and establish it in our day.  The visions of Zechariah and other end-time prophecies describe the ultimate fulfillment of the Jews receiving Jesus as their Messiah and Him coming back to Jerusalem.  His second coming is the event we all long to experience, but we must not miss the opportunity that we have now to begin to build His dwelling place in our midst.  He clearly said that the glory of the Church would make the Jews jealous and cause them to return.  Has this yet occurred?   Certainly not!  The Church has not stirred jealousy in the Jews because we have become so much like the Pharisees.  Those that have eyes to see beyond the natural will see that the invitation to receive His glory is being held out for us to take hold of and establish.  The promises that speak of the Glory of Zion are for us today.  They will not be completely fulfilled until the Jews and Gentiles become One New Man and together we receive Jesus back into the New Jerusalem, but we can experience a partial fulfillment of these promises NOW.  So let us press in to gain hold of the revelation of the Lord as He instructs us as to how to build for His glory.

 

  • Pray that as the Body of Christ awakens we will see with new eyes, hear with new ears and perceive with clean hearts. (1 Cor 2:9-10)

 

  • Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and an awakening among our Jewish brothers and sisters. At a time that anti-semitism is rising in the earth, let us show our love for them by praying fervently for their eyes to be opened.  Cry out for One New Man to come forth in this hour.
    (Isaiah 62:1)

 

  • Repent for the spirit of religion that has held the Body of Christ captive. As that spirit is dislodged from within us, pray for the spirit of the fear of the Lord to fill that place in our hearts.  Pray that God’s people would be free indeed and that the First Commandment would be first place in our hearts.  (John 8:31-36, Matt 22:34-38)

 

 

 

 

Let’s Pray Day 1 – Arise and Build

Posted on by Posted in Building the Kingdom of God, Prayer, Uncategorized .

build togetherThen Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord.”  So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God..  Haggai 1:13-14

Haggai, the prophet, conveyed the Lord’s message to the people.  It began with a rebuke that they were more concerned with building their own houses than with building the Lord’s house.  After building the wall, as described in Nehemiah, the exiles that returned from Babylon grew weary from persecution.  They lost their zeal to rebuild the House of the Lord, so they stopped.  For 17 years, the project was put on hold.  Haggai and Zechariah were sent by God to stir the people up and get them building again.  The Lord brought a severe drought to awaken them to the fact that He was not pleased with their choices.  In obedience, the people responded and resumed working on building the House of the Lord.  So it is with us today.  Yeshua is serious about His House of Prayer, not just a building but us, each one of us are a house of prayer sent to go wherever He chooses.  Let us engage with the Lord to pray that God’s people awaken to His call in this hour, that we clean out our hearts, homes, schedules, agendas and make Him our first priority.  Yeshua, come and have Your way in us.  Have your way in Your Church.  In this season of great transition, God has  direction and strategy for each one.  Let us be diligent to enter into His presence and seek His face, His heart and His strategy so that we will “see” what He sees and build accordingly.

 

 

 

  • Pray that we align with the divine connections that God has for us in this season, that we are open to those that God sends and that we are discerning and obedient to let go of other relationships that may prove to be a hindrance to the future God has planned for us.

 

 

 

  • Pray that the people of God would respond to His call to build His House of Prayer, individually and corporately. Jesus said, “My House shall be a House of Prayer for all nations.”  This is what He’s looking for; partners to build His House.  It’s not about our idea of church, it’s all about Him.

 

 

 

  • Pray for heaven’s resources to be released.  Let our eyes be opened to the generous heart of God.  It all belongs to Him.  We are His stewards.  Let us give to those things that are on His heart in this season.  Don’t just give out of habit.  Give with a purpose of building His Kingdom new and fresh.  Examine everything and let Him weigh it.  Call all human, financial, material and land resources into place in this hour.

 

Marriage on Trial

Posted on by Posted in Building the Kingdom of God, Prayer, Uncategorized .

mr and mrs 2“On April 28, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for and against redefining marriage in America. Though marriage between a man and a woman has existed since the beginning and is the cornerstone of ordered society, the time-honored institution is in serious trouble. Before federal judges began to overturn marriage laws, voters in 30 states had preserved natural marriage in their Constitutions. Now the High Court is poised to decide for us all.” Quote from Tony Perkins at the Family Research Council

Psalm 2 comes to mind as I read this.

1 Why are the nations so angry?     Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle;     the rulers plot together against the Lord     and against his anointed one. 3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry,     “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

Sadly, there are those that think they need to “free themselves from slavery to God.” Lord, how we pray that these people might see the futility of their ways and recognize that Jesus died to set them free from slavery to sin. We pray for their eyes to be enlightened to truth and for them to be saved from the wrath that is sure to come to those who mock the Lord and His Kingdom.

People of God, it is time to awaken from our slumber and recognize the window of grace that is over us now. God has opened a window and invited us to call heaven down to earth to prevent a curse from coming upon our land. We must take Him up on this invitation! We cannot afford to be asleep and miss the opportunity. The consequences will be great if we miss this time. The church missed it in 1973 and we paid dearly for our slumber.

January 22, 1973 – The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision, affirmed the legality of a woman’s right to have an abortion under the Fourteenth amendment to the Constitution.

America plunged into the darkness on that day and the displeasure of God was felt. We allowed the bloodguilt of millions of babies to be spilled, bringing a curse upon our land. One look at the condition of our nation today tells the story of how fast and how far we have fallen. The good news is that after 40 years, this curse was lifted in 2013. The people of God repented and began seeking God’s healing for this land. Awakening has occurred, but the battle isn’t over. The enemy doesn’t sleep. While we are rejoicing that the abortion plague is being pushed back and defeated, another plague has stolen center stage. The sacred marriage union, instituted by God from the beginning of time, is now on trial. Even though the majority of states have already cast their votes and determined that God’s definition of marriage is the only one to be accepted, the current Administration and their minions believe it is their right to “update” our Constitution and subject us to their tryanny. With one swipe of the pen, the Supreme Court judges have power to redefine the most fundamental aspect of human society in this temporal realm. It’s almost inconceivable!

This is the lynchpin the enemy desires so that he can fully implement his perverted and lawless society in this nation. Passing of this bill will open the flood gates of religious persecution and put at risk the foundation of family and faith that we have enjoyed in this nation since its founding. We are already witnessing the effects of homosexual behavior on our youth, the confusion of identity in transgender persons, and the penalties associated with trying to help people that want to come out of these lifestyles. The next generation, our children and grandchildren, are the biggest losers in this battle.    Living life as a heterosexual, married and faithful to one spouse is being called “archaic.”  The LBGT coalition would have us believe that to be “normal” means engaging in, or at least accepting, the most bizarre sexual behaviors and not knowing whether you are truly male or female.  This is insanity! This is not God’s desire for us. Let us agree with Him and His Word. Let us co-labor with Him to set America free and hold on to the dignity that we have as people created in the image of God.

God gave us this beautiful land of America so that we would be a witness to the world of His Glory and His Goodness. He equipped us the precious gifts of His Word and His Spirit. Jesus said “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth,” and then He turned and passed His authority on to us, those Who have believed in Him for our salvation. We are powerful people and we can shift this nation through our prayers. Don’t accept the lies that say that this the evolution and liberation of our culture.  We must stand for our God given rights and dignity.  Please take heed to the seriousness of this hour and pray fervently from now through April 28. God is looking for His remnant to arise into our authority to possess and occupy this land until He comes! This land and these people are the reason that Jesus died on the Cross.  We are His inheritance.  It is our privilege and our glory to present it to Him when He comes!

 

A Few Prayer Points:

  • That the Fear of the Lord would prevent the Supreme Court justices from being able to make such a sweeping and serious error against the God of the Universe.
  • That the Justices and their counsel would have divine encounters in their sleep that would fill them with reverence for God and His ways.
  • That those speaking in defense of Biblical marriage would speak with an authority that demands reverence, that their speech be anointed and hit the mark precisely.
  • That those that seek to redefine marriage speak with discordant sounds that drives them into confusion and makes their arguments implausible.
  • That the enemy’s schemes be exposed and backfire, bringing many people to an awakening of the goodness of God

Spread the word in your sphere of influence and let people know about April 28.  You have a voice and you are part of the solution!

Thank you for your faithfulness to stand for righteousness and justice in our land!