Dreaming in Boston

We have experienced some clear breakthrough in prayer in the last couple 0f days. If you don't already know, we have our entire company of intercessors here in Boston for 40 days of 24/7 prayer and fasting. We're specifically targeting the issues of Great Awakening and the Middle East with a focus of revival on America's college campuses. Harvard, the first university in America, is our flashpoint. Overall details for these issues can be found at www.facedown40.com. Details for what we're doing at Harvard can be found www.jhopboston.com (click on the link for Uprising).

Three key dreams have come in the last couple days that are rocking us. I'll save the interpretations for later and just give the dreams for now.

1. Thorns and Thistles (Kim Lockett)
Everyone from JHOP was gathered together, and we were looking out at a massive field of wheat that was ready for harvest. In between us and the field though was a dense area of thorns and thistles. We all looked over to the side and saw Lou Engle talking with Bob Jones privately. We strained our ears to overhear Bob telling Lou, "The harvest is guaranteed if you can get to it." The implication of this statement was not one of doubt but more of a challenge.

2. Joel in the Basement (Chris Berglund)
Chris was in a house and it was nighttime. He was told that Joel had arrived and was in the basement. He asked when he could see him, but was told that he couldn't see him until morning.

3. Persian Cats (outside the camp from someone unfamiliar with what we're doing)
Lou Engle was standing in one of the gates to Harvard Yard. In front of him was a beautiful persian cat that was distracting him. While looking at the first cat, a second persian cat that was completely demonized was using it's claws to rip and shred his back.

I'll try to write about some insights soon. Stay tuned.

GRRRRRRRRR

That stands for Grand Rapids as in Michigan. I've been in MI for the last four days preaching and teaching at Kentwood Community Church. A group of their young people fasted for 30 hours this weekend, and my friend Jeff asked me to come and minister during that time. I feel like bones are rattling here. Ezekiel was taken into a valley of dry bones and asked "Can they live?" The Lord instructed him to prophesy to the bones, and they began to rattle and come together. When they stood to their feet, they made a vast army. It has been an incredible weekend of not only sharing what Kim and I are doing in DC but also imparting a warring spirit and faith for prayer and fasting. I am totally encouraged by what I have seen here. Dreams have exploded immediately. One key adult leader had a significant dream that I think is a window of destiny for this group. What's encouraging is that the dream had a sense of urgency and dealt with building an army of soldiers. Many of the young people received windows dealing with personal issues and callings, and they felt confident that God was communicating intimate things with them. What more could you ask for?

Shake, rattle and roll.

Benign and Undisruptive

I've been in Boston for about 4 days now. Actually, I'm in Cambridge near Harvard University. It has been late (that's putting it mildly) in developing, but we now have a venue for our 40 days of prayer and fasting. Right now I'm sitting in a Starbucks across the street staring at this old building. I met with the pastor of First Baptist Church yesterday to hammer out the final lease details. It's a beautiful historic church in Central Square that was originally built in 1817. It will serve as our base of operations for the duration of the 40 days. There will be 12 two-hour prayer sets each day to create an unending 24/7 atmosphere of intercession before the Lord. Our young people will be living and sleeping on the premises, so the next few days will be intense for me to get the place ready. When I said it was "historic," what I meant to say was that it's really old and not in great shape. I have to build temporary walls and dividers in the main vestry for our young people to live. Not sure how that's gonna work.

I can't help but ask, "What am I doing here?" Honestly, I could have never thought of a scenario in my life that would have ever brought me to Harvard University. This institution supposedly produces the best of the best. And yet here I am- a poor boy from a poor family. And not all that bright either. Maybe Peter kinda felt the same way. Did he ever look back and say, "What am I doing here? I'm just a fisherman." God seems to like using weak and simple instruments whether it be to kill giants or bring down the proud. Maybe it's because a simple person is just stupid enough to simply try. God will offend the mind to get at the heart. There is such a prideful, haughty spirit that pervades the atmosphere here. Unfortunately, the Church is no different. I'd like to say that we've been universally welcomed by the locals, but that's not the case. On the contrary, we've met opposition from established Christian groups that have said what we're doing isn't welcome here. Why's everyone so worried? All we're going to do is pray, right? Afterall, prayer is oh so very benign and undisruptive, right?

Wrong. I believe the heavens are already beginning to quake at what's coming. This Baptist minister I met with yesterday told me a very interesting story. For the last year local pastors from the Boston area have been randomly contacting the First Baptist Church and telling them that their building was supposed to be a house of prayer. That's a confusing word for someone who had no paradigm for it. He has now welcomed us into this strategic location and seems excited about what God is about to do. God is preparing the way for something revolutionary. House of Prayer is rumbling everywhere. 24/7 is beginning to vibrate throughout the Body of Christ. Harvard has no idea what's about to hit it. All I can say is that it won't be benign, and it won't be undisruptive.

C'mon South Dakota

"South Dakota Senate passes abortion ban bill"

These state battles are incredibly important right now. When Roe v Wade comes down, and it is coming down, the likely result will be to revert back to the individual states. Many states are siezing the moment to enact legislation that will already be in place when that day comes. The masses are beginning to speak, and they're saying "Abortion is wrong." The pollution of America by the shedding of innocent blood has reached it's fever pitch. All hell is waging war on multiple fronts because its end is near. There's a shaking in the enemy's spiritual camp. Spokespeople for Planned Parenthood and NOW are already conceding defeat in the battle over the courts. The Body of Christ must rise up at the state level. The Church is meant to be the head and not the tail. It's meant to lead the parade of history and not just spectate.

Houses of prayer must rise in each state to wage war on the issue of abortion.

HB 1080

So I've been doing a little more study on House Bill 1080 this morning. In a nutshell, this bill passed the general assembly on February 1, and now it is before a Senate committee. If this bill becomes law, then it would be in effect July 1, 2006. My understanding of the bill would require all nine abortion clinics in the state to be inspected by August 1 for facility compliance. Once notified of uncompliant issues by September 1, each clinic would have until January 1, 2007 to make necessary updates. If specified issues are not resolved, then the doors would close. Not only that, but each clinic would have it's liscense revoked.

So what do you do? Sit back and wait to see what happens? Or surge forward in a massive corporate thrust? Again, the Church does have a voice in this hour, and I'm not just talking about writing letters and making phone calls. Her voice must rise in crescendo to shake the heavens and spiritual forces of darkness that govern the land. When you have an opponent on the ropes, you don't back off. You don't retreat to your corner and let them catch their breath. You strike, strike and strike again until you get the knockout. For too long the Church has been content with fighting and sometimes winning skirmishes. It's time now to fight with the express intention to win. We fight until we win or die trying. King David, the warrior poet, sang in Psalm 18
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured them out like mud in the streets. (v. 34, 37-38, 42)
I'm not talking about physical violence. We've all seen enough of that. But I am talking about becoming violent in the place of prayer. Do we understand that kingdoms increase by advancing and imposing their standards? Jesus said in Matthew 11:12 that the violent take it by force. Indiana, you WILL align yourself with kingdom standards.

What if? That's an important question. It's a dangerous question. It's good to ask "what ifs." What if the Church in Indiana mobilized between now and March 26 (about five weeks) a Moravian-style prayer movement. From March 27 to December 31 churches could cooperate in calling a corporate fast. For 40 weeks (the gestation of a baby) every single day would get covered in aggressive, offensive prayer and fasting. If you had about 47 churches in the state willing to go to war on the issue of abortion, each church could each sign up for two 3-day fasts some time during the 9 months. Cover the entire 40 weeks without missing a day. Combine that with each church warring over the abortion issue in their corporate prayer meetings, and I mean war. Imagine the outcome of such a radical corporate assault on the enemy's stronghold. Imagine the revelation and divine intelligence that might come from a move like that. I'm talking about the kind of intelligence that divinely maneuvers political officials and blocks lawsuits.

Indiana, you're the "Crossroads of America." All eyes are on you in this hour. Be the FIRST STRIKE state.