Watch & Pray
.watchANDpray.
In 1 Kings 18, we get a glimpse of a parallel universe when Elijah, fresh from defeating the prophets of Baal, finds himself entering a battle of a different order. When will the rains finally come?
He thrusts his head between his knees, prostrate on the ground, every ounce of his body and mind focused on the throne-room of Heaven in his search for The Lord to do on earth what he has already seen in his heart.
That story captures the heart of a man who is desperate for others to come into a realm where the visible, though required and desired, is secondary to the place he occupies before his Lord. Yet, at the same time, he calls on his servant to tell him what he sees in the natural realm. He knows that there has to be a bridge here between what he has seen and heard in his spirit and what those around him can feel and touch.
In his heart, it was raining, yet his land was bone-dry in a time of drought and famine. The natural elements were on PAUSE, and God had told him that only he held the remote!
It was somehow now crucial that there was a natural manifestation outside to marry to atmosphere inside, and so he took to his knees, eyes wide shut, and called on those around to focus on what was visible, knowing full well that the ‘cloud the size of a man’s hand’ would not originate from the sea, but from Heaven.
“Go look!” ..
“Lift up your eyes” ..
“Are you ready?”
“I have posted Watchmen on your walls….give yourselves no rest, give Him no rest until…..”.
Until what? Ready for what??
How far can we push Heaven before He moves, before He releases ‘that‘ cloud? What is the relationship in 2018 to be between heart-felt gut-wrenching intercessory prayer and hopeful anticipation and faith-filled expectation?
When can we expect to see a direct impact on our corporate prayers the likes of which will cause even unbelievers to sit up and stare?
Is the call right now on our watch to pray, maybe like never before? And/or, is it a time now to look for a year of The Lord’s favour, and in our obedience to go and see, we find something unleashed that can somehow apprehend for this generation and this geography all that He has in his heart to release.
Is now, the discovery of purpose hidden in the pursuit of the realisation of what we ask for, the apprehending of what The Lord has placed in our hearts? What are we carrying?
In this story. Elijah’s servant had to recognize something that was coming, something that had not yet arrived. He had to point to something and say “Yes, I see it!” .. He had to visualize something that held the potential to deliver what was required despite its’ appearance or immaturity.
He had to know both the difference and the clear connection between cloud and rain. I’m not wet yet, but I will be!
As Elijah prayed, his servant-friend watched, yet Elijah’s spiritual eyes were not closed, and as his friend went as sent, his prayers were answered.
…watchANDpray….
In the spirit of unityANDmission (2017), we will be continuing into 2018 to come together as a region to somehow represent The Body of Christ here in the Black Country.
Please be assured that this is not just a nice, random happy-clappy-breakfast-club without aim or direction, but we hope and believe that our gatherings are missional-net-building-purposeful opportunities to see something shift in the spiritual atmosphere at the heart of our nation,
Over the year, we will physically unify missionally four times as a region through 2018, as well as coming together in our boroughs in the connecting months, and we believe that The Lord has given us a mandate to build on last year by bringing focus to this simple yet profound theme…. ….watchANDpray….
….so we will hopefully see you on 3rd January to watch as this unfolds and pray as He leads us together in our joint desire to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. We’ll begin to explore what The Lord has told us that He wants to birth in and through our region for many, many years
May 2018 be a year when it is clearly seen that the land is prepared and ready to receive the rain.
May we come together to apprehend ‘that’ cloud and watch what only He can release as we pray like only we can, in unity and mission.
Thanks for being part of what He will release,
God Bless,
Tim.
