Last week I was out of town and hopefully many of you were here, engaged in prayer and worship w Michelle. We want and require all of the components of prayer and worship, just as we are supposed to want and require a full gospel. Over and over again the prophets encountering God were told to “eat the whole scroll”. That’s bible-speak for the whole enchilada.
Thankfully, the work of the Lord will not depend upon any one believer. God continues to be on the move, particularly in these days – and He’s wanting all hands on deck. Part of the plan.
TONIGHT, in keeping w the theme PRAYER IN THESE TIMES, I very much want to look at THESE TIMES, and also what the scriptures appear to be telling us about these times. THAT will help align our prayer lives w the things God is doing on earth, as well as in the heavenly realms.
Several things occurred while I was out of town – one most notable being my receipt of a news article from friends in Israel speaking of a barely-disguised (except for the spiritually blind) satanic worship event coordinated in seven cities around the world – something that began several years ago in Belgium and is spreading country to country because of its “global” and “”world order” roots. Positioned as a festival of peace and unity.
The roots of the festival run directly back to paganism, Hinduism, and the occult.
SOME EXCERPTS FROM THE NEWS ARTICLE (Kehila News – a Messianic news service in Israel):
https://kehilanews.com/2016/07/20/occult-music-festival-tomorrowland-invades-the-holy-land/
Occult Music Festival “Tomorrowland” Invades the Holy Land
The annual festival that uses music as a cover for occult indoctrination stakes a claim in Jerusalem.
Kehila News Israel Staff Jul 20, 2016
If the name makes you think of Disneyland, you’re right. “Tomorrowland” is a theme section at Disneyland. The original Walt Disney, a great fan of futuristic ideas, said that the Disneyland version was designed “to give you an opportunity to participate in adventures that are a living blueprint of our future.”
The global music festival called “Tomorrowland” …has the same goal… sort of. What is being offered, however, is neither a musical experience nor a technological one. The festival is openly spiritual, weaving “stories” and “fairy tales” in between the musical performances to communicate a hybrid of Luciferian, Wiccan and Hindu religion.
This year the “Tomorrowland” festival comes to Israel for the first time as the new 11,000-seat Payis Arena Stadium in the Holy City of Jerusalem hosts this pagan missionary outreach extravaganza, choosing instead to see it as “the world’s biggest music festival”.
This festival began in 2005 in Belgium, and its growth has been impressive. Starting in 2008, it settled on a weekend in late July, and the numbers topped 50,000. By 2012, the headcount was an incredible 185,000 participants.
In 2013, a companion festival was established in the USA (Georgia), named “Tomorrow World”. The following year, “Tomorrowland” opened a second base in Brazil. Then in 2015 came the idea of “mirror” festivals, live-linked from different locations via giant video screens. The “Mirror to Tomorrowland” festivals enabled youth to “unite” through the mirror and “be part of the Madness” in six countries:
Mexico, India, Japan, Colombia, Germany and South Africa. On July 23 (the second day of the 3-day Belgian festival), Israel becomes mirror number 7 to join the madness. The Jerusalem event is scheduled to run on July 23, 2016 from 8:00pm until 4:00am.
Each year revolves around a theme, and these provide the first clue that despite its billing as a global music festival, “Tomorrowland” is not really about music. The concepts of “life” and “happiness”, the “power” and “mysteries” of the invisible world, are explored in captivating, high-budget theme clips released well ahead of each festival. Often music is not even mentioned in these introductions. The second clue is that every single intro clip – as well as the festival kickoff ceremonies beamed from Belgium – includes the reverent opening of an animated book called “the book of wisdom”, from which all the festival’s “stories” are drawn. On its cover is the logo of “Tomorrowland”, an ambiguous design except for the “third eye“, the traditional occult sign of spiritual enlightenment. The eye is crowned, symbolizing a claim of lordship over this spiritual power source.
“The book of wisdom” was mentioned in the video promo clip for 2013 Georgia festival, stating, “The book of wisdom will be opened in our second home.” In the 2012 video, these explanations and visuals leave no doubt as to the pagan roots of this “wisdom”. The custodians of these writings (portrayed in the clip as bizarre horned characters engaged in various occult activities) are described as a “magnificent civilization” composed of “fairy-tale keepers”, and they receive honorable mention during the festivals.
In “The Arising of Life” (Tomorrowland 2013 Trailer), hints are dropped about an unidentified man who is “hidden from civilization” somewhere, and who is unlocking ancient secrets for mankind. This clip invites you to “connect with the beings who roam in the heart of this magical land… Just because you haven’t seen something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”
“The Key to Happiness” (Tomorrowland 2014 Trailer) “reveals a secret behind a magical key…” which acquaints festival-goers with another occult symbol of the mythical pathway to enlightenment: a mythical ancient machine waiting to be reactivated. Here again, we are told that this machine was built for mankind in the past by a mysterious hidden man, who entrusted the key to “guardians”.
Only once does music become a theme (“The Secret Kingdom of Melodia”, 2015). The short intro teases the viewer by asking where all music comes from. A longer clip presents music as merely a gateway into the spirit dimension, using innocent children as models, but doesn’t answer the question. You get that later at the Belgium festival, which introduces “the king of Melodia”… an image embedded in what looks like a Christian cathedral, framed by organ pipes. In fact, the audio reveals church-like organ music playing… not exactly the favorite genre for party-loving youth, but some things are more important than pleasing fans. Over this background music, the narrator explains that “The king of Melodia holds all music in his heart. His only desire is to unite the world in a single melody, and giving joy to all who come to his kingdom.”
Readers who know their Bibles will remember that as “the covering cherub” in God’s holy mountain, one particular archangel was endowed with musical ability, described as inlaid “tambourines and pipes” (Ezek.28:13, Hebrew). His Hebrew name, “Heilel ben Shahar” (Isa.14:12, “brightstar, son of the dawn”) indicates his ability to illuminate the darkness. So when the Belgian “mirror” tells us that the music produced by the king of Melodia has “immense power, filling the world with illuminating sounds,” we can know exactly which “kingdom” is sponsoring “Tomorrowland”.
This year’s theme is “The Elixir of Life” (Tomorrowland 2016 Introduction Trailer) in which a beautiful Wiccan maiden roams through an equally beautiful forest, consulting a book and gathering ingredients for a spell. The witch tells us that “it is from the past that our secret elixir originates,” and that the necessary ingredients are “in a place where only the chosen ones can enter.” Her cryptic statement, “We are all connected to her; it is her voice that guides me,” is left unexplained, but Gaia worshipers will understand. She needs one last ingredient to establish “my road to eternal bliss”, and to find it she has to walk blindfolded – a common requirement for an occult initiate.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE ARTICLE – A CALL TO PRAYER – and a list of bullet points for the prayer.
What we are seeing, in complete alignment w scriptural prophecy, is the resurgence and even increase in Baal worship. And w that increase in worship is an increase in demonic activity.
Particularly the youth of Israel, disappointed and disgusted in the deadness and religiosity of what they see as “Judaism” by the Pharisaical Hasidim, are turning to the ways of the world.
Sadly, the ways of the world are not simply WORLDLY.
They are demonic.
This kind of activity ought to confirm to us what is happening, globally. We need to be praying people, taking a stand for righteousness. UNDERSTANDING WHAT PAUL SAID 2,000 years ago:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. – Eph.6:12
Eph 6:13 & 18
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
I sent out an email to many so that folks might pray and intercede.
I am confident many did, not simply from my email alert, but from alerts and notices from saints all around the world.
HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS – in the way of a promise – represented in the portion of scripture referred to as the ISAIAH APOCALYPSE – which I taught on several months ago – it pertains to assaults against Israel (PARTIALLY fulfilled in past historic events, but never FULLY-FILLLED – so stay tuned):
Isa 28:5
In that day the Lord of hosts will be
For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty
To the remnant of His people,
6 For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment,
And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
There is a place of spiritual conflict and resistance to which the saints are being called, and that call is a place of PRAYER and WORSHIP and STANDING ON THE WORD OF GOD.
This particular invasive demonic festival, held the 17th of Tammuz and in the holy city of Jerusalem – also ought to confirm w us the spiritual relevance of the times and seasons in which we live.
HISTORICALLY – 17th of Tammuz:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/479885/jewish/The-17th-of-Tammuz.htm
The fast of the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, known as Shivah Asar B’Tammuz, is the start of a three-week mourning period for the destruction of Jerusalem and the two Holy Temples.
The fast actually commemorates five tragic events that occurred on this date:
- Moses broke the tablets when he saw the Jewish people worshipping the Golden Calf.
- During the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, the Jews were forced to cease offering the daily sacrifices due to the lack of sheep.
- Apostomos burned the holy Torah.1
- An idol was placed in the Holy Temple.2
- The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, in 69 CE, after a lengthy siege. (Three weeks later, after the Jews put up a valiant struggle, the Romans destroyed the second Holy Temple on the 9th of Av.)
The Jerusalem Talmud maintains that this is also the date when the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem on their way to destroying the first Temple.
Prophetically, if 17 Tammuz happens to be a special day of judgment by God, I personally would be looking to TWO MORE events to occur….
So here we have a spiritual enemy at work, and we have a God who is leaning heavily upon His disobedient people, Israel – fulfilling HIS PROMISE OF SHAKING AND PRESSURIZATION – also revealing to us the PURPOSE OF THE INVASIVE WORK:
(MUCH OF WHAT WE ARE COVERING TONIGHT ARE MY NOTES WRITTEN PRIOR TO THE FESTIVAL NOTICE – several weeks ago)
BACK TO HAGGAI (which we read earlier) – the PROMISE OF GLORY around the time of the SHAKING-WORK:
God will fill His temple with glory – as we saw last week the Solomon-temple-dedication bunny trail – which we will get back to shortly, this evening.
There is a distinct correlation between PRAYER, THE PRESENCE OF GOD, AND THE FILLING WITH GLORY:
Hag 2:7-9
7 ‘and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.
8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts.
9 ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
Isaiah tells us the GLORY-FILLED FINAL TEMPLE is going to be a certain kind of place – accessible to Jew and Gentile alike – this is the temple that the Lord
- Is Preparing FOR US; and
- Is Preparing US FOR:
WE NEED TO GET A VISION OF THIS END-PLAN:
This is yet another reason why He is “divinely working us over” to get us to the place of Spirit-filled living, through Spirit-filled prayer.
Isa 56:6-7
(the promise extending beyond the sons of Abraham who come to the Lord):
6 “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants– everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant–
7 Even them 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 nations.”
God’s great plan has ONE age coming to an end, and THE NEXT age immediately following, like DAY follows NIGHT.
That NEXT AGE is going to see a rebuilt temple, filled with people who:
KNOW TO PRAY; and also
KNOW HOW TO PRAY
I believe the season we are entering, and in fact have already entered, is a season of intensified conflict.
GOD, knowing that, is allowing our prayers to WORK when they are in alignment w Him and His word, and also to NOT WORK when they are out of that alignment.
HE IS TRAINING US TO ENGAGE IN PRAYER WARFARE, EFFECTIVELY, NOW.
What we are seeing in these and many other prophetic verses is an IMAGE OF THE PURPOSES OF GOD at the END of THIS AGE, and then extending into the NEXT AGE.
Furthermore, and critical for our understanding of the PRIORITY OF PRAYER is this amazing fact that ought to ignite our understanding of
our WORTH,
our POSITION,
our CALLING and
our PARTNERSHIP into the CREATION PLAN OF GOD.
CRITICAL NT REVELATION as to God’s prophetic plan – that WILL SURELY come to pass – is the BATTLE FOR OUR WORSHIP.
The scriptures make it clear that Satan’s ultimate goal was to get Jesus Himself to worship him.
(Luke 4:6-8). That is ongoing. Scriptures describing the end-of-age anti-Christ man illustrates someone so demonized that even world control will not satisfy him. He will demand worship.
THE RESISTANCE TO OUR PRAYERS, and our PRAYING:
So what we need to realize is that Satan (Hebrew: “Adversary”) rages against prayer and worship. It is his worst nightmare – a praying, worshipping saint.
Besides being A LIE (because there is no truth in Him), Satan’s promise to Jesus – that He’d get everything were He to worship Satan, was and remains in complete opposition to the entire creation-purpose of mankind.
We were meant for worship and prayer – only to God.
LUKE 4:8
And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'”
This is why WE, as redeemed creatures, consistently encounter so much opposition to prayer – opposition to wanting to pray, to engage in prayer, to remain in prayer, to stay awake in prayer, and to surrender in prayer.
Some Biblical Promises – and we’re invited to remind the Lord of His promises:
A FAMOUS BIGGEE – couched in the CONTEXT of the prophetic paragraph – for clarity and emphasis:
(LAST WEEK we concluded with the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple – a doctrinally accurate and effective prayer that ushered in the presence of God.
Looking at the amazing response and promise BY GOD, after Solomon had so powerfully and so accurately prayed at the dedication of the temple:
2 Chr 7:1-2
1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER….
2 Chr 7:12-22
12 Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
13 “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,
14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
….God’s dream-dialogue w Solomon continues to confirm the accuracy of Solomon’s earlier temple-dedication prayer, accurately describing the cause and effect of man’s sinfulness and God’s righteous judgment.
GOD’S PROMISE TO JERUSALEM – His city and the city central to His people and His purposes
Isa 62
1 For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
And her salvation as a lamp that burns.
2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name,
Which the mouth of the Lord will name.
3 You shall also be a crown of glory
In the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem
In the hand of your God.
4 You shall no longer be termed Forsaken,
Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate;
But you shall be called Hephzibah (LOVELY) , and your land Beulah (MARRIED);
For the Lord delights in you,
And your land shall be married.
6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,
7 And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
10 Go through,
Go through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people;
Build up,
Build up the highway!
Take out the stones,
Lift up a banner for the peoples!
11 Indeed the Lord has proclaimed
To the end of the world:
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.’ ”
12 And they shall call them The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the Lord;
And you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.
ISA 66
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Or shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord.
“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem,
And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire
And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by His sword
The Lord will judge all flesh;
And the slain of the Lord shall be many.
17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves,
To go to the gardens
After an idol in the midst,
Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse,
Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
THEN, AFTER JUDGMENT AND PURIFICATION OF THE LAND:
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
24 “And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
That is how the prophetic book of Isaiah, prophetically ends. It completes its prophesy AT THE END THE AGE, CITING CONDITIONS AT THE END OF THE AGE.
1 Cor 10:11
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
AND PETER PUTS IT THIS WAY –speaking of the events at the end of age:
2 Peter 3
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
The Jewish People speak of DAYS OF AWE each year, as a season of remembrance. I believe the Days Of Awe are actually reserved for the climax of this age – and I am further inclined to believe we are heading towards them at noticeable pace.
What we appear to be experiencing is the beginning of the bubbling of the teapot of God. The teapot of troubling. Tribulation, if you will. Whether you might think it is THE Tribulation, or merely A SEASON OF Tribulation, we are no doubt living in increasingly troubled times.
And our great God utilizes, and in fact often initiates troubling for the purpose of drawing men to Himself.
Psalms 78:32-34
32 In spite of this they still sinned,
And did not believe in His wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days He consumed in futility,
And their years in fear.
34 When He slew them, then they sought Him;
And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
SOME GOOD deeds of Asa, a Judean king whose life sadly later illustrated the problems associated with disobedience. BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES – we see him responding well, early, and we get to hear some good teaching from Azariah the prophet
2 Chronicles 15:1-8
1 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law;
AND HERE’S THE GOOD FRUIT OF GOD’S TROUBLE:
4 but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them.
(I am praying about spending a few Thursdays analyzing some of the kings of Israel and Judah – so that we might learn from their successes and failures. There is much to learn. AND we’re called KINGS as well as PRIESTS. Some examples might be good for us – pray for me re this direction as we go forward)
Daniel 12:1-3
1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.
COMPARE (SLIDE) Dan 12:1 to Matthew 24:21
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
CONTINUING IN MATTHEW (to defuse the popularized misunderstanding that the toughest days ever to hit the earth was in the first or second century AD
Matt 24
29 “Immediately (“EUTHEOS” – at once) after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
These things are coming upon us, and our great God is calling us to that watchman position, and as He’s doing that, I believe He is “watching the watchmen”, and taking note of our response to His calling upon our lives.
I can testify that God has been doing wondrous things in my own life the past few weeks. Not all necessarily according to my plan or purpose, but instead according to HIS PLANS and HIS PURPOSE to draw me deeper to the DESIRE OF THE NATIONS.
Our response and also our own initiative to press in to Him will have a lot to say about our success.
I so love and appreciate pastor Daniel’s message this weekend re spirit living, and coming back into the place of hearing God. It will be our safety and our success, and the only safety and success.
I wrote something recently called SHORT TIME LIVING. I would recommend it.
https://ez3728.com/?p=701
Let’s pray. And let’s pray for Israel.
All scripture NKJV
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