I LOVE praying with others. There is something very special about the corporate anointing! We can pray on our own – and even Jesus went away by Himself to pray – but something special happens when we unite together in prayer!
Think about the Upper Room. 120 believers gathered in a room to seek the Lord. Acts 2 says they were all in one accord in one place. On the 10th day, God shows up in a very big way! The sound of a rushing mighty wind. Flames of fire rest and envelop each person. All were filled with the Holy Spirit and fire!
Oh, there is nothing like the corporate prayer meeting!
Recently during a time of corporate prayer we were asked to kneel by the pastor. We all bowed before the Lord. Surrender filled the house.
During this time the Lord gave me a vision. It wasn’t an open vision. It was a seeing in the Spirit – a knowing on the inside. In my mind’s eye I had a picture.
Like in Ezekiel, I heard the Lord ask me, “Julie, what do you see?”
“I see a pile of ashes.”
I heard Him say, “I see surrender. I see sacrifice. You are not seeing how I see.”
As the words were released over my heart, I watched as the Lord was speaking to each person and asking for something precious in their lives. Something they longed to hold on to. But in that moment they loved Jesus more! So, each one placed that Isaac on the altar of their heart. The Lord sent the fire. The items were burned up and the incense from the altars rose up to the very throne of God. He loves the smell of sacrifice! It is a pleasing smell to Him.
In each of our lives we have been called to lay items on the altar. The most painful are the most precious. The good things. Even the God things. When the fire comes, we think we will die. These items were so precious to us. They were costly. We gave our very lives for the things the Lord is now asking of us.
No sacrifice is ever wasted. Obedience always produces blessing.
Oh, how we need to have the Lord’s perspective on the ash heaps of our lives. Can we see it from His perspective?
Our church has been singing the song “Raise A Hallelujah”. I love the words to the bridge:
“I’m gonna sing in the middle of the storm.
Louder and Louder you’re gonna hear my praises roar.
Up from the ashes hope will arise.
Death is defeated. The King is alive.”
What we see as just rubble and ashes, the Lord sees as surrender and sacrifice. He is coming to release hope out of the ash heap of our lives. Those God dreams you thought had died are getting a miraculous resurrection.
As the incense rose before the throne, the Lord sent His answer. Revelation 8:4,5 paints an amazing picture. “And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.”
Get ready! Heaven’s answer is on the way. This is the day of hope rising. This is a day of resurrection. Dreams will once again rise up! People will rise up into their call. Cities will rise up into their destinies!
Oh, Lord, up from the ashes let Your hope arise. You are still the God of miracles. We stand in awe of You. Let us rise up in prayerful expectation. Let us stand in full surrender to You and declare Your goodness. Let us pray and declare Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let Your fiery glory cover the earth!