The Sleeping Giant is Awakening
"IF WE BUILD THE ALTAR… HE WILL SEND THE FIRE!"
This was a quote from a message given by our Sr. Pastor on Sunday morning, January 9, 2005. The Holy Spirit, through our Pastor, has been encouraging us to build an ALTAR OF PRAYER -- to set aside time for God -- to spend "extra" time with him and to join together as a body in corporate prayer on Wednesday nights. For the past six months we have been faithful to show up on Wednesday evenings -- sometimes with only a handful of God's people -- but the prayer went on.
We have been being encouraged to pray that the Holy Spirit would give us a hunger to pray -- a thirst to pray -- a desperation and a burning in our heart for prayer... PRAISE GOD, I BELIEVE HE BEGAN TO ANSWER THAT PRAYER LAST WEDNESDAY, June 22nd.
During the prayer time that evening I was impressed to blow a Conch Shell and the Spirit of the Lord spoke to us through an Elder in our church to "begin saying YES". Then a reading of Deuteronomy 28 took place and the Conch Shell was blown again. We responded to the Lord and said yes to the Lord and His word in Deuterono my. It seemed as though there was a cracking that took place in the spiri t realm. Not a breakthrough, but the beginning of one. The Holy Spirit was impressing on me about obedience vs. disobedience from Deut. 28. That element was strong and I linked it directly to the "building of the altar" that has been taking place here. The church as a whole needed to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit as He was directing us to "build an altar" -- not just a handful of people responding. We needed to put our lives on hold!
On Sunday the crack was made even larger and it seemed as though this sleeping giant, our Church, was awakening to the voice of God's Spirit regarding the "altar". During the praise & worship time I gave an exhortation about II Chronicles 7. Much of this scripture was about obedience, hunger, thirst, desperation, change, making room for God (or the opposite of those things) -- In the end, Solomon was not obedient and the magnificant temple he built long ago is not only in ruins, but today has a mosque sitting right on top of it -- WOAH!! (Read the whole chapter --I'd love to hear some comments on it).
God also says in that chapter "At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or I might command locusts to devour your crops, or I might send plagues among you." These are 3 areas we have been struggling in -- but the exciting thing is verse 14 --- there is a way out of the lack of spiritual rain -- there is a way out of the devouring of our finances -- there is a way that leads to health --- God put a big IF in there -- "IF my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN and will forgive their sins and heal their land." Oh Praise His Name!!!
It's what God has been speaking to us since the beginning of the year, but our spiritual eyes were blinded and our hearing was hindered. The next thing that happened during Sunday's service, we prayed (through a song) that God would OPEN OUR BLIND EYES! -- UNLOCK OUR DEAF EARS! and He did. The breakthrough was almost there -- we were on the verge of it.
After that, another Pastor delivered a powerful message on prayer and on how we sin if we fail to pray -- there was the obedience issue again! Our Church responded by everyone coming to the altar. Many people testified about what the Holy Spirit was doing in their hearts. I believe the Spirit of God broke through!!
That brings us up to tonight, Wed. June 29. The evidence of the breakthrough was with the turn-out tonight -- and the ease of prayer -- fervent prayer. A large percentage of the church showed up desperate to pray and obey the word of the Lord!! With a cry in our hearts and a longing to be in His presence, we declared:
"Spiritual Rain Over OurChurch, Over My Family, and Over the Families of this Church!"
"Financial Prosperity Over Our Church, Over My Family, and Over the Families of this Church!"
"Physical Health Over Our Church, Over My Family, and Over the Families of this Church!"
The Conch Shell was blown and I believe it was the sound of a new beginning for us. The fire of our Lord is burning in our hearts. The flame has been ignited by the Holy Spirit and I, for one, don't want to go back. I want to keep moving forward in God!!
My prayer is that our hunger, thirst, desperation, and passion for change and revolution in our day-to-day lives will grow -- and that no "spirit of darkness" will ever be able to shut up "the voice of the bride" ... ever!!
Here's a copy of our Prayer focus for tonight:
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Building an Altar --Together
29 June 2005
TLC Corporate Prayer Gathering
"IF WE BUILD THE ALTAR… HE WILL SEND THE FIRE!" (1-9-05)
2 Chronicles 7
When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple. The priests could not even enter the Temple of the LORD because the glorious presence of the LORD filled it. When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the LORD filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying, "He is so good! His faithful love endures forever!"…
So Solomon finished building the Temple of the LORD, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do.
Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.
At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls…
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PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL RAIN TO FALL IN OUR CHURCH, IN MY FAMILY,
AND IN THE FAMILIES OF OUR CHURCH!
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or I might command locusts to devour your crops…
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PRAY FOR FINANCIAL PROSPERITY TO COME TO OUR CHURCH, MY FAMILY,
AND THE FAMILIES OF OUR CHURCH!
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or I might send plagues among you.
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PRAY FOR DIVINE HEALTH TO BE EVIDENT IN OUR CHURCH, IN MY FAMILY,
AND IN THE FAMILIES OF OUR CHURCH!
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Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves
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PRAY THAT WE WILL WALK IN HUMILITY--PRAY AGAINST PRIDE!
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and pray
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PRAY THAT WE WILL HAVE A HUNGER AND THIRST FOR PRAYER!
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and seek my face
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PRAY THAT WE WILL HAVE A DESPERATION TO BE WITH GOD… THAT WE WILL MAKE ROOM FOR HIM IN OUR LIVES!
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and turn from their wicked ways,
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PRAY THAT HE WILL "OPEN OUR BLIND EYES" AND
"UNLOCK OUR DEAF EARS"!
PRAY THAT WE WILL EXAMINE OURSELVES AND RID OURSELVES OF WICKEDNESS… (SEARCH ME OH GOD)!
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I will hear from heaven
and will forgive their sins
and heal their land.
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PRAY FOR OBEDIENCE SO GOD WILL "HEAR FROM HEAVEN" AND HEAL OUR LAND (CHURCH, MY FAMILY, AND THE FAMILIES OF OUR CHURCH)!
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I will listen to every prayer made in this place, for I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be my home forever. My eyes and my heart will always be here.
"As for you, if you follow me as your father, David, did and obey all my commands, laws, and regulations, then I will not let anyone take away your throne. This is the same promise I gave your father, David, when I said, 'You will never fail to have a successor who rules over Israel.'
"But if you abandon me
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PRAY THAT WE WILL NOT ABANDON OUR GOD AS SOLOMON DID!
BUT THAT MY FAMILY AND THE FAMILIES OF THIS CHURCH WILL BE STEADFAST TO OUR CALLING!
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and disobey the laws
and commands I have given you,
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PRAY THAT WE WILL OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS AND THAT HE WILL GIVE US A PASSIONATE LOVE FOR HIS WORD!
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and if you go and worship other gods,
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(ANYTHING! THAT WE PUT ABOVE GOD MAKES IT A gOD IN OUR LIVES)
PRAY THAT WE WILL NOT PUT ANYTHING ELSE ABOVE GOD!
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then I will uproot the people of Israel from this land of mine that I have given them.
I will reject this Temple that I have set apart to honor my name.
I will make it a spectacle of contempt among the nations.
And though this Temple is impressive now, it will become an appalling sight to all who pass by. They will ask, 'Why has the LORD done such terrible things to his land and to his Temple?'
And the answer will be, 'Because his people abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead. That is why he brought all these disasters upon them.'"
LET’S MAKE ROOM FOR THE KING IN OUR LIVES!
REVIVAL - Individuals
OurBody
Our Communities
Our City
Our Region
Our Nation
The Nations of the Earth
c2005 Love and Fire Ministries
3 comments:
This post was by Pastor Joan, a friend of Love and Fire...
"At our church we have been believing for revival to take place in our hearts and for the spirit of God to grip us in a new and life changing way. Over the past weeks Pastor Jim gave two messages about the way to revival. The first being repentance and the second supplication or crying out to God, simply seeking his face, getting desperate for him. The third part to revival is obedience which God through the Holy Spirit and Pastor Joe and Pastor Ken delivered this past Sunday. (If you missed it be sure to get the CD.)
TLC has been experiencing difficult times. God has used this season of difficulties, as he always does, to bring us to a point of repentance, supplication, obedience and desperation for Him.
We as God's people can not afford to stay the same. We must make room for the Spirit of God in our lives. We need to lay aside those sins that so easily beset us and get with Him.
We must cry out to God and believe for more of the anointing of God on our lives so we can make a difference in this world.
Spending time with the TV(one of my evening vulnerabilities), or playing sports, going to movies etc. will not increase God's anointing on our lives. I am not a legalist by any means. I believe God wants us to enjoy our lives and have fun etc., but He is calling us to seek first His kingdom , put Him first, humble ourselves and pray, TURN from our wicked ways and then He will hear from heaven and heal us and our land.
We long to see a giant wave of revival wash over our lives, our churches, our cities, states, gov't, the USA and even to the uttermost parts of the earth. May it begin with us personally.
I know I have needed to awaken to the call. Pastor Ken spoke of the "access" that we have to God through prayer. Why do we neglect that access? We have not because we ask not.
The enemy doesn't want us to pray, but just like anything else in the Kingdom of God, if we will avail ourselves and be obedient to the Lord and give Him our "yes" he will use us, and that includes the area of prayer.
I personally have needed to see a change in my life and praise God by his grace and mercy I'm seeing it. I don't want it to be temporary. I can't afford a temporary desperation for God. It needs to be a lifestyle. May God help us all to remain eternally desperate for Him.
It was great to be in prayer with everyone this past Wednesday. If you haven't come out to the "Altar" yet Weds. nights at 7 pm please do whatever you can to change your schedule and be there.
God is really moving. Keep on praying and obeying!!!"
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 12:25 pm Post subject: WHO'S DESPERATE?! by Josh
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What an AWESOME time yesterday at the Love Church! Its been so amazing to see the work that the Lord has done! I praise God for changing our hearts back to Him and for being so faithful to us! Once again the spirit of the Lord was heavy in worship and the word.
After Pastor Tim had finished speaking, we began to worship the Lord once again. This worship was different. How? WE WERE DESPERATE!! I believe we wanted God more than our next breath. We wanted His presence more than our lunch, we wanted to see His face more than rest. It was awesome to see people just linger in the presence of God! Many people stayed long after the service had officially ended. They expected God to meet them and He did! PRAISE HIS NAME!
As I was singing the song "obsession" by delirious (awesome song!) I was over taken with the power of the words I was singing. The chorus says "My heart BURNS for You!" As I sang those words over and over I began to realize just how powerful they were. Indeed my heart was begining to burn for Him. In fact, he was changing me! I broke before the Lord when I heard Him say, "My heart burns for you Josh." The God of all the universe has a heart that burns for me! He longs to be close to me more than I could ever long to be close to Him. THANK YOU GOD!
So I encourage everyone to post just how God is moving in you through His work at TLC. Does your heart BURN for Him? Do you long for Him more than anything? Is He your passion and your song? Is He your strength and your guide? My heart burns for You..... and my heart burns for You....
Reply to Josh's Post “Who’s Desperate!? 5 July 2005
by Pastor Joe
Hey Josh,
I am... desperate!!!!!! When I was singing "My Heart Burns for You" I heard the same thing you did in my spirit. And it hit me so hard I couldn't play the keys or sing any more!!!
I had to fall on the altar and the deepest cry I have ever had in my life came from my belly, my spirit... I couldn't stop... and it seemed like it went on for a long time... I'm not sure exactly what God was doing in me, but this I know -- HE's CHanging me!!!!
Thank you brother for being faithful to the call God has on your life... Keep seeking Him first as you have been...
Actually, I'd like to thank the whole TLC Worship Team for responding last week to that clarion call that was put out by the Holy Spirit -- I pray we never lose it and go back to business as usual!!!
Thanks to Pastor Tim for the Word he spoke Sunday -- It was right in the flow and so true --- "SOMEONE HAS TO PAY THE PRICE FOR THE REST TO ENJOY..."
We've been doing communion everyday as a family in our home and God is doing something -- This morning I couldn't stop reading the Word while we were sharing the Lord's table -- It was so alive -- everything I read had relevance to where we are at and where we are headed if we stay the course... I believe we have hoisted the sail (as was prophecied at Easter) and the Wind of the Holy Spirit is filling the sails --- It's only beginning!!
I can't even sleep at night -- I want the Spirit of God so bad I'm hardly caring about food at all --- I'm telling you, God is doing something... Let's keep responding to Him... Let's stay hungry, thirsty and desperate TLC and we will change the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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