Voices Like Silver Trumpets

At Firelight's prayer a couple of weeks ago, the conversation was then--as now--about the Wall Street failings which had just begun to implode that week. As we had already discussed on prior occasions, we recognized that we're living in the period Jesus referred to as birth pangs just prior to the Great Tribulation. How long that period will last is open to debate but the clear picture painted is that we can expect a series of succeeding events each more intense than the previous. These frustrating events are sent by God to condition us toward prayer, repentance, seeking Him, changing our perspective from things temporal to things eternal, etc.

Following is the journal of the evening, taken directly from my notes:

Hurricane Gustav was a dry run; a lesson in preparing for days coming which are defined by lack of the basic infrastructure of life which we take for granted.

Cried out for God's impassioned servants--even those marked as martyrs--to rise up; a generation unlike any previous generation. Called for a people who could lock eyes with God and not flinch (due to shame) but rather gaze upon His beauty.

Declared its not too late for our generation to make its mark. We repent of our excuses and wish to run this race. We would choose to be like Daniel and his three friends who would stand when others wouldn't; that we might be like Moses whose strength is unabated.

There is a grinding stone sharpening swords that is the Word being declared in razor-sharp clarity and with accuracy. Prophetic words will not be vague but sharp; precise. The sword will cut bands of discord and demolish yokes and cut through nonsense.

There is a changing of the guard underway in the Church. That new guard will bow to You Lord and no other. Their faces will be set like flint (not swayed by opinion nor giving ear to it).

Prayed for Governor Jindal to not be ashamed of the Gospel.

Repented of speaking critically of other pastors or ministries which are unlike where we ourselves attend or whom we prefer to listen to. Concerning the shaking of the financial markets, we repented of declaring judgment in the matter when our hearts should be declaring redemption. Its not about God's judgment but of His rescue. We ask forgiveness for forming coalitions, politically, with those who don't acknowledge You.

Remove mixture from our churches. Let out leaders discontinue being compromisers but be courageous; not lulling the flock to sleep but whose voices resound as clear as silver trumpets.

Prayed for the prophetic words to come forth with all the clarity of Samuel as demonstrated in I Sam 10:1-8

(For information on trumpets in the Bible, click here. Please note this will take you to a different website.)

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.