Isaiah 56:7 ESV
These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
Matthew 21:13 NLT
He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer...'"
(also referenced in Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46)
Why is the American church failing? I think there are so many reasons, some being - not a true understanding of identity in Christ, lack of love, apathy...
Today, our churches are filled with small groups, committees, sermon series, church boards, classes, 4 song set lists, everything timed and planned down to the minute, theatrics that try to draw you in and conjure some worshipful experience. We go in, say our hello's, stand up, sing, clap when the worship leader tells us to, don't get too close to people, ask for prayer for our "unspoken" request, keep ourselves from getting too emotional during a praise song, look at our watch when we think the pastor needs to wrap up, tell people that we will pray for them, go back home, turn on football, and take a nap, get ready for the work week. Those are all good things, but after experiencing them, do you walk away thinking that there has to be more?
There IS more!
It's time to take off the lenses of religiosity that we've been looking through for so long.
Christ is calling us deeper, in love, so we can see Him face to face, call Him and run to Him as our daddy.
Maybe it's time to return, American church, to what Christ called a "house of prayer."
Where we ask for heaven to come on earth.
Where we don't care about time.
Where the focus is prayer and worship.
Where we shout and jump for joy, joy that He's filled us with.
Where we take God out of the box we've put Him in.
Where we leave the 99 to go after the 1, even if it interrupts the service.
Where we leave the 99 to go after the 1, even if it interrupts the service.
Where we find freedom to worship, even with our emotions.
Where we don't judge others' worship experiences.
Where we ask for more revelation.
Where we don't care about titles.
Where we don't care about denomination labels.
Where the Pastor throws out His prepared sermon because the Lord is leading him elsewhere.
Where a love encounter brings us face to the floor.
Where we lay hands and pray - right then and there.
Where we claim His promises over us, yes, even His healing promises. When He went to the cross, He not only died for souls, but for ALL of our infirmities - our sicknesses, our diseases, our fears, our anxieties.
Where we experience freedom.
Where we experience the power of the Holy Spirit in us, and with Him in us at all times, we can heal, deliver, set free, break the chains of those around us!
Where we all gather to pray together, worship together, encourage each other, hear from God together.
Where prayer is our focus - because that's what He called it to be.
One taste of it, and we will want more and more, to the point that every single day, we are asking for more revelation, we are worshiping in our homes, our incense is rising day and night to Him, and we are living in the spiritual, not the natural. Our prayers will be rising every second of every day, and we can be so in tune to the Spirit that we can experience more and more revelation through dreams, visions, things He lays on our hearts, hearing His voice, words of knowledge.
Call it emotional, call it pentecostal, call it what you want. Put whatever label you want on it - that's once again putting God in a box. How can you possibly label freedom, prayer, our relationship with God??
The truth is, for years, we've been preparing for the movement and asking God for to gather His bride. The movement has begun. Can you feel it? There is a shifting, a stirring, a sifting. The earth and the heavens are even groaning.
All of hell is being unleashed to wage war against all of the earth, against believers. The Bible says that there will be great confusion, even among believers. So stand firm! Root yourselves in Scripture. Surround yourselves with godly warriors.
Pray without ceasing!
Pray, pray, pray!
Enter His house of prayer with expectant hearts.
