From Purim to Passover:
21 day prayer focus
Posted March 29, 2008
Many have been sensing an increase of intensity and turmoil in the spirit these past few weeks. I feel we are contending for a tangible breakthrough of prophetic revelation to direct our future, much as Daniel contended for 21 days in prayer for the future of his nation (see Daniel 10).

Based in part on a word by Chuck Pierce, I feel compelled by the Spirit to call for 21 days of prayer and consecration, ending on April 20, the final day of the Jewish Passover.  As part of this consecration, ask the Lord what He wants you to fast during this time.  Daniel essentially limited his diet to vegetables and water.    

Throughout these 21 days, we will post prayer focuses and devotional insight regularly on both the MIHOP and Lamplighter websites.  Day One—Contending for Clarity—is below. To read Chuck Pierce’s recent word, A Desperate Time to Awaken to the Reality of Change click here.

LETS ADVANCE!  I strongly encourage all MIHOP staff and friends to give yourselves in a fresh way to the Lord, and to His covenant purposes, in this season.  We are in a season of engagement, and the battle is already on, so it is more dangerous to retreat than to press through.
 

Day One: Contending for Clarity
Here is a key scripture to memorize and pray this season between Purim and Passover.  Make it part of your devotional vocabulary before the Lord. Here the Apostle Paul is seeking a breakthrough of clarity and power from God’s word and deliverance from the enemy. Please pray this EVERY DAY on behalf of the nation and those for whom you intercede. 

Finally, my brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may RUN SWIFTLY AND BE GLORIFIED... and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men who do not have faith.  But the Lord is faithful, who will ESTABLISH YOU and GUARD YOU from the evil one... (2 Thessalonians 3:1-3)

Pray for distractions, roadblocks and demonic blockades to be eradicated, in Jesus' Name.  Please pray for leaders, team members and families by name these 21 days--bringing their legacy and destiny into remembrance before the Lord.  PLEASE PRAY FOR APOSTOLIC CLARITY, UNITY OF VISION, SYNERGY OF TEAMWORK, AND AUTHORITY TO MOBILIZE.  This is extremely important as key decisions are being made in this season. 

Day 2: Throne Room Transactions and Release of Provision
Posted March 31, 2008
Over the next few days, we’ll be sharing ‘real time’ prophetic insight needing the strength of corporate prayer. This prayer focus is for promised transactions to be completed, in Jesus’ Name.

Your intercession is a vital contribution.  Each prayer is like a deposit in a bank account, and as we pull our resources together, the gold we seek to purchase can be secured in these Throne Room transactions.
Jesus told us to buy from Him gold tried by fire, right?  Comes at a high price these days. Lets watch in prayer until the bank transfer is complete—until His investment in us is tangibly received and expressed on earth as in heaven.

With this in mind, lets look again at 2 Thessalonians 3. As the Apostle Paul’s language becomes our own, we are connecting with apostolic anointing and authority for breakthrough by the Spirit.
Finally, my brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may RUN SWIFTLY AND BE GLORIFIED... and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men who do not have faith.  But the Lord is faithful, who will ESTABLISH YOU and GUARD YOU from the evil one... (2 Thessalonians 3:1-3)

Here are a few decrees from this passage:
1. Let the word of the Lord (and the resources of heaven) have free course—unhindered passage—from heaven to earth.  No loss of momentum! Let the gates of earth be fully opened to receive the word and resources God longs to give. Lord of hosts, break through every blockade and every hindering web. Let every obstacle be removed, in Jesus Name.
2. Let Your word be glorified—by the breakthrough of your promise, magnify Jesus and accelerate the fame of His faithfulness in the earth!
3. Decree deliverance from unreasonable and wicked men and their schemes to hold back the full release of Heaven’s substance and provision.  This is very important for this hour.  In fact, this is what the miracles of Purim and Passover are all about!
4. Declare the faithfulness of God to both establish you and guard you from the evil one.  God is Shamar Israel (Ps 121), who watches over His covenant people for protection and provision.

Many are expecting promised deposits that will secure provision for this new season. Decree the release of this supply NOW, in Jesus Name. No more ungodly delay! Send all ungodly delay under the feet of Jesus. Ask the Lord to send His angels to remove every obstacle that hinders His full transfer.  Again, full release is key.

We encourage you to pray much in the Spirit over the breakthrough you are seeking.

Day 4: Securing a National Blessing
Posted April 4, 2008
In the previous prayer focus, we shared about the critical need to pray for the protection of our nation against terrorist activity.  I shared on a recent vision where a man disguised as a Native American rolled a bowling ball down the Hudson River into New York City. The bowling ball struck and toppled skyscrapers like they were bowling pins. In a play on words, I felt the Holy Spirit saying it was “a strike.”
Through this vision the Lord is issuing two significant warnings.  The first is that we must maintain and increase our vigilance in intercession against terrorism in our nation. The second warning is that a primary threat to our security may now be within our borders.

Looking Native
I began to inquire why the man was disguised as a Native American. In another play on words, Holy Spirit quickened to us that the enemies in our midst are disguising themselves as “Americans on native soil.”
Interestingly, this correlates with the latest news reports about recent Al Queda activity. On March 30, CIA director Michael Hayden shared that "Al Qaeda is training fighters that 'look western' and could easily cross U.S. borders without attracting attention," according to Reuters. "(They) look western (and) would be able to come into this country without attracting the kinds of attention that others might," Hayden said.
What can we do? It is imperative to pray. Lets take God up on His promise to deliver us from unreasonable and wicked men who do not have faith, and establish us and guard us from evil (2 Thessalonians 3).

Securing a National Blessing
There is another key act of intercession that carries with it a promised blessing, even on a national level. Yet few of us think of it in this way.  It is the act of giving to the Lord our tithes and offerings.
The prophet Malachi shows that our country can be adversely affected by disobedience in giving. “You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed me, even this whole nation,” he declares (Malachi 3:9). But as we obey Him in giving, He promises to open the windows of heaven, pour out blessing, and rebuke the devourer to the extent “that all nations will call you blessed!”

We have stockpiled sermons on how giving tithes and offerings opens the door for personal and family blessing. But have you ever thought of your giving as an act of intercession to release God’s blessing and protection for your nation?

I’ve heard friends say, “I tested God in tithes and offerings and haven’t seen my new car/ new home/ new promotion/ new …………(you fill in the rest)." OK granted. But have you considered that since 9/11 America has been largely protected from terrorist activity on our soil? Or that until recently, our economy has expanded consistently for more than a decade, bringing a level of prosperity and blessing rarely seen in the earth—thereby enabling your protection, security and provision?
In these times of national turmoil and economic volatility, many believers are tempted to withhold their gifts to the Lord as a means of self-protection. Beloved, this is deception.  It is in these times we need to be most determined to present our gifts and thanksgiving before the throne.  Only God can sustain you!  And only He can open the windows of heaven and rebuke the devourer so that His kingdom can advance in your life, your church, your region and nation.

Hearts of Gratitude
Much of the shaking now going on is actually purging us of ungodly priorities and re-awakening us to the simple reality of Christ’s love.
One of the most prosperous seasons I (Jolene) can remember followed a season of my life where I was feeding the homeless. I became constantly aware of the many blessings in my life.  I would lay my head down at night and be most grateful for every meal I had, and a safe and warm place to sleep at night.  The Lord was delighted at my thankfulness and poured out abundance to me in response to my thankfulness. 

It’s time to count our blessings.  Lets celebrate His provision in our lives—even in advance. And lets continue to spend ourselves and our livelihood on Jesus and on those He calls His own.

Day 5: A Call to Arms--Arise!

Prayer alert—please continue vigilance in prayer for the IAM training sessions at the ROC in Valrico, FL. Cynthia Ford wrote that “We are in our first week of A-team training, and our adversary has managed to get some 'hits' through.” Cynthia & Kevin, Rick & Myra, Wayne and teams need your intercession! More on A-teams later.

A Call to arms is now being issued. As the Lord of hosts, God is re-aligning us so that a remnant can function together in unity as His mighty army.  He is now calling His body to arise.

To arise means to get up; to awaken; to ascend; to come into being; to spring forth.  In the Song of Songs 2, Jesus is pictured conquering mountains as He calls His bride to arise. 

As in this passage, so it is in this kairos time. We are in a new season. The winter is past, and harvest is about to spring forth in the earth. The mountains are being subdued as the Lord shakes everything that can be shaken.  Amidst the backdrop of these unsettling times, a trumpet is being sounded, and we are awakening from our stupor.

VISION OF THE LION
Worship this Sunday was incredible.  As we sang about the Lord “roaring from Zion,” I began to see a vision of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah standing in our midst. 

The vision occurred in three phases. In the first part, the Lion was surrounded by a great company of people. Each one simultaneously approached Him with their agendas, and each attempted to pull Him their own way.  This great Lion responded by falling lazily to the floor and resting His head on His paws.  Literally, He began to fall asleep!

Now it’s not a good sign when Jesus Himself falls asleep in church.  Yet that was exactly His response as we brought Him our agendas, and tried to subdue Him for ourselves. 

Please understand Jesus loves to hear our heart, and cares about every detail of our lives. He loves to lavish His time, energy and resources on His people.  But He will not be subdued by anyone’s agenda but His own.  In this season of shaking, God is examining our plans, purposes, and pursuits.

GET IN LINE
I then saw this same group of people standing two by two in a great line behind the Lion. I knew this wasn’t His best for His people—He actually wanted to be surrounded by His friends.  But in order to refocus us back to Himself, He first had to re-align us.  As the Captain of the armies, He had to put us in our place. 

Many of the trials we are now experiencing are meant to re-establish humility in our relationship with God and each other.  He is putting us in our place through this re-alignment. We will either fall in line or be found outside the sphere of His command.

In the final stage of this vision, the Lord showed me His people surrounding Him again.  The Lion was still lying down, seemingly asleep, as we began to arise with a roar in militant, exuberant praise.  Suddenly the Lord arose as the Lion of the tribe of Judah and I began shouting “As we arose, He arose! As we arose, He arose! If we will arise, He will arise!”

At this point in the service, my vision ended. A friend then moved to the front, took the microphone, and called all the men in the church to come forward. He literally called us to arise and take our place in the battle! It was an unforgettable moment.

WHERE DO YOU STAND?
This vision can be very helpful in showing you where you presently stand with the Lord.  Are you giving yourself to His agenda, or pursuing your own (even in His name)?  Are you in alignment with Christ and His army or are you breaking rank?  These are questions we must ask as we prepare to advance together this Passover season.

In your relationship with the Lord, it may seem that He is now unresponsive or asleep. But God has heard every cry. We want to encourage you to take a new stance in worship. God is calling us to arise.  The great news is that as we arise and take our place in high praise, SO WILL HE ARISE!

“Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare His praise in the coastlands.  The Lord will (then) go forth like a mighty man; He will stir up His zeal like a man of war.  He shall cry out, yes, shout out loud; HE WILL PREVAIL AGAINST HIS ENEMIES!” (Isaiah 42:12-13)