Prayer Journal: Friday, September 21

Following are the notes taken from our prayer meeting last night:

Prophetic intercession: The Church does not need to be afraid of the fire of God, but instead we should run into it. He will make Himself known to us and be with us in the fiery furnace.

Revelation 5:11-14 was read by one and later in the evening confirmed by another.

Prophetic word: The Bride of Christ was to cease feasting on “junk” food, instead of the pure food which is the Word of God. Follow-up prayer: Help us, Lord to eat food from the King’s table and to discern the difference between “food” which is clean from that which is unclean.

Scripture reading: Jeremiah 2:13 was read and then prayed a prayer of repentance that as a Church, we’ve committed two evils in turning aside from the simple truth of God’s Word and the message of repentance and the cross and in exchange, dug for ourselves cisterns to hold stagnant, dead water which can never sustain us. Another prayed that we return and dig up the wells that the enemy had filled up and we would restore those wells until none are left unstopped.

Observation made: Some would ask, “Where is the God of Elijah?” but the real question is, “Where are the Elijah’s of God?” Follow-up prayer: Lord, raise them up!

Repentance: A pastor in our meeting stood in proxy for ministers in general repenting for turning aside from being the clear voice of God in the earth and succumbing to seeking the approval of men instead. His presenting himself in this way was confirmed by another member.

Scripture reading: John 7:37, 38 was read and then a follow-up prayer: Lord, let your pure Word dwell in us and may it flow out of your people to the lost.

Scripture reading: Isaiah 54:7, 8

In a reference back to the earlier Jeremiah 2 prayers, a brief vision was shared. Big name preachers had huge wads of money caught in their throats and it was choking them. A large hand (God) was stretching every neck and wringing the money out of each throat, forcing them to regurgitate it so as to disperse those funds to ministries which would be faithful to put it to the uses the Lord intended. It was very painful to the “hot shot” preachers but it would save them ultimately from death and likewise be a blessing to those who would rightly put those offerings to kingdom use.

Another shared that it as though the Church is about to be resurrected, but with that, we must also be loosed from the grave clothes which will restrain us unless they are loosed.

Someone else had a vision of two men who represented pastors. They stood back to back with each other, possibly one protecting the other. A golden thread began to encircle them which at first appeared to be a good thing but later, as the thread continued wrapping them, proved to have them so bound so as to be unable to move! God’s Spirit intended to have them free, yet their freedom was turned to bondage. (The meaning was not quite apparent, however, perhaps it was a picture of ministries protecting each other from outside forces. That is good until ministries try to shield each other from God’s probing.)

Scripture reading: Proverbs 13:12: Follow-up prayer: For too long, the Church as been weighed down waiting for the day the Lord would have His way in the earth. However, now, Lord, let this be the hour when you no longer restrain yourself, but show forth your glory in the earth.

Scripture reading: Jeremiah 12:5: We are to be prepared for the hour we’re coming into.

Prayer: That we would be bearers of Your glory in the earth. Cleanse us for that purpose.

Is A Stirring Going On?

Last week, I was talking with a friend of mine and conversation soon turned toward spiritual matters. I don’t even recall what the phone call was originally about. But soon, Andy was commenting how relieved he was to report that it seemed to him that God has suddenly begun to move in church services in our area. I was all ears!

You see, he and I had talked in times past of how stale most church services seemed to be regardless of which church one considered. While some preachers are more entertaining than others, that’s not the same as having God magnified in a service. Andy said, “Boy it seems like, here lately, everyone I talk to has mentioned that God seems to be stirring at their churches.” Hmm.

“About how long would you say this stirring of God’s Spirit has been going on?” I asked him. “Well,” he pondered, “I’d say about a month or so.” Excitedly, I told him that’s exactly when I noticed at our own church that things seemed to be changing. I told him that I am convinced that something broke in our nation on 7/7/07 at The Call, and additionally that I was part of a prayer meeting that has met a few times since them praying for God to transform area churches.

But I MUST report that we had a truly sovereign service Sunday morning! Not long after our communion service but before our worship service had ended, the atmosphere seemed to turn to a real reverence of the Lord. Just then, a godly woman from our congregation began to weep aloud while speaking prophetically in tongues. That, in and of itself, is highly unusual to have happen. Another woman began travailing in prayer. A few were already prostrate before the Lord. Soon, Pastor brought the interpretation. It was a call to lay “self” down and pursue the Lord. Pastor then opened the altars for any to respond as they felt prompted. Immediately, not less than 85% of the congregation had filled the front of the church! But more amazing still was that there were as many flat on their faces as were kneeling with faces to the ground. But EVERYONE in the house seemed to be desperately seeking God! The fear of the Lord seemed to be evident in the sanctuary. It was truly a holy hour!

There was no preaching and people were free to linger as long as they wished.

I hope you’re seeing a stirring where you are. Let’s continue to press in and believe God to transform the churches in our part of Louisiana! God’s people are so hungry for His sovereign move and He is so desiring to flood our lives with His transforming grace!

Lou Engles' Call to Repentance

In preparing for The Call: Nashville, Lou Engles provided some vision for the condition of the Church in America, the source of that condition, and how he believes we as the Church might pray to truly turn back to the LORD. Below are portions of what was found at his website for "The Call." It is provided here, in a condensed form, in hopes that it might be instructive to our prayers for the Church in our area:

"Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord...he who has clean hands and a pure heart," Psalm 24:3-4. The hill of Lord is the place of the throne, and the place of spiritual authority. Only those who have clean hands and a pure heart can stand on that hill and exercise that authority.

Revelation 2:18-23 and 26 says, "And to the angel of the Church in Thyatira write, 'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
And I gave her time to repent of her immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the Churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works."

Verse 26, "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations". It is only when the Church is found faithful in moral purity to her bridegroom, God, that she can gain spiritual authority over nations.

The Church cannot bind the spirit of Jezebel dominating the nation if the spirit of Jezebel binds the Church. Only to those who have overcome this spirit, the Scripture says, will be given authority over the nations.

(From a dream Lou Engles had)…"Neither you nor the Church of America has any power to awaken this nation or Bill Clinton because it sleeps in the same bed!"

The dream and the Scripture confirm each other. The Church cannot bind the spirit of Jezebel dominating the nation if the spirit of Jezebel binds the Church. Only to those who have overcome this spirit, the Scripture says, will be given authority over the nations.

This truth makes the present moment with fallen leaders more profound and pronounced. I am not pointing the finger at a fallen brother. I mourn for any of them and for my generation that has been assaulted with the spirit of Jezebel and lives under the shame of their bondage, which defiles imaginations and causes nightmarish inward moral battles. Maybe all our leaders who have fallen are a sign and a symbol of the whole Church of the nation. From the head to the feet we are sick, bruised, and beaten up, and we are being exposed publicly.

Hosea 2:10 says, "Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers..." We are like eunuchs in Jezebel's palace whimpering our prayers, and even with our great churches and powerful spiritual programs, the nation remains unchanged. More than all this, we have crushed the Lord's heart with our spiritual adultery, we have left our first Love, and have gone after our Baals as in the time of Jezebel. But I believe that God wants to allure us into the wilderness and speak tenderly to us and make this Valley of Achor (the place of exposure of hidden sin) a door of hope. "In that day...you will call Me 'My Husband,' and no longer call Me, 'My Master'" (see Hosea 2:14-16).

I believe that in this moment in time, if we respond in repentance, we could release the greatest revival of confession of sin and a cleansing by the blood of Jesus that could draw us back into marital faithfulness with our Bridegroom, God. I believe a great spiritual awakening could be at hand which could even affect the elections of 2008 and overthrow Jezebel's death-march in this nation.