Prayer

The Vital Need for Joy-Filled Prayer at the End of the Age

/ JSB / 1 Comment

INTRODUCTION:
There are ten heavenly, corporate declarations and anthems of praise in the book of Revelation. These corporate exaltations (Revelation 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21 and 22) are like oases of joyous exhilaration and supernatural strength in the midst of raging fires of apocalyptic trouble and temptation. This lesson is about how to draw on the power of these “pools of jubilation”. Their waters will give us strength to stand, and overcome (Revelation 3:21) through difficult seasons of our life, as well as the heat and pressure that come with the end of the age.

THE UNIQUE PRESSURES AND THE UNIQUE NEED FOR THE END OF THE AGE

A. The end of the age will be jammed with the greatest temptation, with the greatest deception, with the greatest social pressure that the world has ever collectively experienced.

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. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

B. It will require supernatural, Spirit-borne strength to walk through this intense hour of human history with our faith, and love for Jesus remaining vibrant and flourishing. This is the strength that Paul prays for the believers in the Church at Ephesus.

I pray… that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the with, and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16)

C. These intense pressures, or crises are meant to draw us into controversy. And these controversies are meant to draw the passageways of our hearts into deep, honest dialogue with the Lord about…
1. Who He is, and
2. His unique ability to purify, and bless us through these circumstances.

When (Revelation 8:10) hits, and a third of the world’s water resources are poisoned, and there isn’t enough to go around in your community, what will your heart attitude be? When politicians lie and want you to champion their lies, and their lies are helping you, but hurting other people, how will you operate? When millions die in a plague, and your unbelieving family members question the goodness of God in the midst of so much death, what will you say? What will your heart testimony be? Through the crises of the great troubles that are on the earth will you be able to grow in first-commandment love? Will you be a champion of Jesus’ beatitudes? Will the fruit of your life still be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Will you increase in Christlikeness in this context?

D. Two questions that the Lord is most keen to confront us with through these afflictions are:
1. Are you growing in first-commandment love for Me?
2. Are you growing in vibrant Christlikeness? Are you coming forth, through the fires, looking like My Son? Are the beatitudes the attitudes of your heart? Is the fruit of your life, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control?

Later, in Ephesians 5, when Paul talks about Jesus removing every spot, wrinkle, and blemish in His Bride, (Ephesians 5:25-27), he’s talking about removing every impediment to first-commandment love, and brilliant Christlikeness.
Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

E. This purging, maturing process is what we see happening throughout the book of Revelation:
1. Jesus is confronting, and calling the seven churches to grow in love for God, and purified Christlikeness.
2. The pressures, (thlipsis = judgments of the Lord) crises, and troubles that are on the earth are forcing the issues re: the truth about God, and the worthiness of Jesus to reign on the earth. Who is God? Is He worthy of your love? Is Jesus worthy to rule the nations, AND rule your heart? Will your heart come into alignment with His will, emotions, plan, values, and priorities?
3. The Bride makes herself ready (Revelation 19:7). Through all the pressure she’s clothed in whole- hearted love, and she has taken on the heart and character of her Bridegroom King.

QUESTION: What are the great pressures and deceptions that we see mounting in our culture today? How are they tempting us away from Christlikeness, and first-commandment love for God? How are these great “troubles” able to help us cultivate Christlikeness, and first-commandment love for God?

F. The fact of the matter is, the great tribulation, (along with great sin, great temptation, great evil, and great delusion) will actually accelerate great first-commandment love, and great Christlikeness – unlike any other time/atmosphere in human history. Here’s the salient point: If we know this now, we can prepare ourselves (and others) for it now. The 100,000 question is, HOW DO WE DO THIS NOW? What is the Lord’s strategy for forging loyal, faithful love, and Christlikeness in the Bride?

II. WE NEED UNIQUE POWER IN ORDER FOR OUR LOVE AND CHRISTLIKENESS TO OVERCOME THE INTENSE AFFLICTIONS FLOURISH UNTO THE END OF THE AGE

A. This is what the Bible says about this overcoming power:

To him who OVERCOMES I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, AS I OVERCAME and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3:21)

How did Jesus overcome?

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, LOOKING UNTO JESUS the Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross… and sat down at the right had of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The JOY of the LORD is your STRENGTH. (Nehemiah 8:10)

The kingdom of God is… RIGHTEOUSNESS (Christlikeness) and PEACE (SHALOM blessing) and (that comes through) JOY in the HOLY SPIRIT. (Romans 14:17)

B. What does this Christlike power look like in our lives?

Dallas Willard notes:  “The human will has little STRENGTH to OVERCOME when it has little JOY to draw upon.”

JOY is the real, tangible, dynamic that explodes in our hearts as we give ourselves to
1. REVELATIONS of the GOD/MAN, CHRIST JESUS
2. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES of GOD INTIMATELY BLESSING US WITH DIVINE LOVE

C. When we give ourselves to these experiences, JOY will be the result in our hearts. And when the human heart is filled with this type of kinetic joy, our wills are clothed with strength to love, and strength to say “yes” to His ways, even through great threat and persecution.

The good news is, we don’t have to wait for “great threat and persecution”. We can fill our bank account with experiences of exhilarating joy, today – right now!

D. Again, the book of Revelation is all about the redeemed engaging these dynamics. As we see the judgments, and the great calamity on earth, we are also presented with the pattern and the norm of heaven – with the high praises of God in the mouths of the redeemed, and the created order. These dynamics actually lean, build, and draw upon each other: 

The turbulence on earth stirs prayers in the saints. The prayers of the saints are received in heaven – mingled with the praise of the angels and the redeemed; the glory of God is released to earth;  and the saints on earth are filled with confidence, joy, and love; they overcome the threats of the enemy;  and Jesus is glorified on the earth; hailed as uniquely qualified to rule the nations and the human heart.

What happens on earth, moves heaven. And what happens in heaven spills onto the earth.

E. We absolutely want this heavenly strength. But, according to Jesus, it’s costly. The return-rate on our investment is out of this world, but the pursuit of wholehearted love, and vibrant Christlikeness does require faith, and intentionality. We won’t get it on the run.

I believe, cultivating love, Christlikeness and joy is what Jesus was exhorting the Laodiceans to do in Revelation 3:18 “I counsel you to BUY from ME, GOLD REFINED in the FIRE that you may be RICH.”

Again, the good news is we can give ourselves to these experiences now, prior to, or apart from being touched by deep tribulation, hardship, temptation and great deception. There is enough tribulation in our lives in 2025 in order to let them forge Christian gold in our hearts and lives today.

F. How can we do this? How can we “buy gold refined in the fire”? How do we “buy ample oil” (Matthew 25:4)?

G. Both, the Father, and Jesus promise that the Lord’s House, will be called a HOUSE of PRAYER, and the atmosphere of that house will be JOY.

“I will bring the nations to My holy mountain, and EXHILARATE (ושׁמחתים – rejoice greatly, delight, be made glad, jubilate, exult) them in MY HOUSE of PRAYER. Their worship and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for MY HOUSE shall be called a HOUSE of PRAYER for ALL (peoples).” (Isaiah 56:7)

H. Because the Church has often starved herself on this vital, Kingdom oxygen, we find her gasping for breath, caught up in false forms of exhilaration that don’t cultivate either vibrant Christlikeness, nor first-commandment love. And when crises and trouble hit our world, or our lives, we don’t grown in love, and we don’t grow in His character – and sometimes, we even fall back into despair, or fall into false hopes for consolation.

The Lord your God is in your midst! He is warrior! Who can deliver? He takes great delight in you! He renews you by His love! He shouts for joy over you! (Zephaniah 3:17)

I. THIS is the primary dynamic that goes on in the House of Prayer. (In Matthew 21) Can you see why Jesus was SO put out when His Father’s House was turned into something else?) Let me say, IF THIS ISN’T HAPPENING in our lives, our fellowships, etc. THERE IS SOMETHING VITAL MISSING in the HOUSEHOLD of GOD. Something we need to be prepared for tribulation is absent! 

J. As we come to the Lord in our tired, broken, dim, and imperfect state, engaging Him in the place of worshipful prayer, the Holy Spirit fills us with supernatural joy, exhilaration, passion, inspiration, unction, contentment, brightness, pleasure, gladness, and delight that is unlike anything else we can experience, and this EXHILARATION is what gives us courage to operate in the beatitudes, and not squelch the fruit of the Spirit in the times of uber-hardship.

In the House of Prayer, we do engage in intercession for all types of needs and issues, but it ALL flows from the atmosphere of exaltation and joy – because that’s the atmosphere of heaven. Exaltation and joy is the power-source to our prayers. And so, I could say, this is the atmosphere we chiefly aim to maintain; but it’s more like, what we focus on entering into. 

Beloved, if we’re seated with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) we are in a realm of joy.  “In Your Presence is the fulness of joy…” (Psalm 16:11)

K. This exhilarating, unified strength is precisely what Jesus prayed for His followers to receive when He prayed to the Father in the garden, just before His crucifixion:

Now I come to You… that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. (John 17:13)

Jesus’ exhortation to the Church is not, “Sit at My feet and be joyful”. His extraordinary invitation is, “Let Me be your joy! Find joy in Who I Am!” In His presence Jesus delights to reveal that He, Himself is our joy!

Though you have not seen Him (with the naked eye) you love Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)

L. As we respond to His Word, we are filled with supernatural exhilaration, so that have power to resist the carnal inclinations and temptations, and yield to the fruit of the Spirit, the crucifying work that produces Christ-like qualities, and make choices that cultivate first-commandment love. We have power to joyfully agree with God’s glorious purposes for our lives.And, as a result, we can’t help but sing His praise, and magnify Him with our lives.

____________________
JSB • June, 2025

A WORSHIP with the WORD PRAYER SET from May 22, 2017 with Laura Hackett Park
https://ihopkc.org/prayerroom#asset/170522_TPR_1400/auto/true
(Start at 32:00)

CHORUSES
A slave set free!
A sinner made clean!
A soul that’s healed!
How can we but sing?
We will worship You!

What shall I render to God,
For all His blessings?
How can keep from singing Your praise?
How can keep from singing Your praise?

When the heart is set free,
The song can’t help but be released.
I will rejoice! I will rejoice!

Waking Up to Jesus

/ JSB / 1 Comment

In 1983 Leonard Ravenhill wrote: “There’s going to come an awakening. God Almighty doesn’t care if He sends America bankrupt. He doesn’t care if we have to stand in bread lines. He doesn’t care if our automobiles rust because we have no gasoline… The greatest impediment to this (awakening) will be a Church who refuses to give themselves to prayer and repentance.”

Awakening is a God thing. In our carnal, disengaged state we believers will sleep (and sleep and sleep…) It requires a supernatural response to the Word of the Lord for a soul to be awakened and remain awakened in Christ.

Awakening is also a Church thing. The world can’t wake up. Only those alive in Christ can wake up. The world is dead in their sins and trespasses. The New Testament call to wake up is to the covenant people of God who have had their souls dulled and weighed down by the paradigms, narratives and thinking of the flesh; thoughts that don’t stimulate faith, first-commandment love and the fear of the Lord in our hearts. This happens naturally in a fallen world, and at different times happens to all of us.

Waking up for a believer entails the same response to the Lord as being raised from the dead does for the unbeliever.

• Being Stirred by the Word of the Lord

• Responding with Repentance

• Being Filled with the Spirit

• Taking Up Our Cross

As the Church is awakened, she finds her Spirit-empowered voice:

A. The intercessory voice we use to bring the lost before the throne of God’s grace in prayer.

B. The prophetic voice that arrests the slumbering and those endangered by the crossless spirit of this age.

C. The evangelistic voice that makes clear the powerful message of the gospel, and has the power to raise the dead.

The fact of the matter is, these “voices” all have as their singular, magnificent obsession, a Man; a crucified, resurrected, Jewish God/Man. The declaration and acclamation of this beautiful Man is the ruling passion and preoccupation of awakened voices. EVERY TIME! EVERYTHING ELSE is a shadow, and an expendable extra to the increase of His glory.

Here’s the trick: (And in today’s politically supercharged culture it IS a trick) Don’t let someone (no matter how prominent and/or popular) wake you up to a SHADOW rather than THE ONE WHO is casting the shadow. Our waking up is to HIM – and nothing else; not political power; not deep spiritual insight; not even justice for the poor.

The Holy Spirit is wholly invested in waking us up to HIM. The Bride belongs to the Bridegroom. He’s the One (and the only One) you want to wake up to. There’s more than enough of Him to wake up to to keep us engaged and enthralled – for eternity.

The truth of the matter is, none of us are as “awakened” as we can be. In Christ, there’s always more to be awakened to. He’s that big.

The book of Revelation shows us how the mature apostle John was “awakened” to a new dimension of awe and fear and love for His “friend”, Jesus. Although John had watched Him heal the sick, feed thousands and refute the wisest teachers of his day; although John himself performed miracles in Jesus’ Name; although John was an eye-witness to His crucifixion – felt the earth-quake under his feet – and even walked into his Friend’s empty grave; when Revelation 1 happened to him John still fell “as though dead” at His feet.

There’s no shame in waking up to more of Jesus. Ever. The only shame is for us to assume that we are fully awake to Him and Who He is.

Come. Let’s let the Holy Spirit awaken us, all the more, to the glory of Who He is.

11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let’s behave properly as in the day… 14 (Let’s) put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 13:11-12,13,14)

JSB • May 2, 2022

POST-SCRIPT
Living revelation of the beauty of Jesus is THE vital (Matthew 25:3) oil our hearts need in this age. More than a call to believe the right theological truths about Jesus, this is a call to a lifestyle that cultivates an adoring, faithful heart, that’s been awakened to His beauty.

Without being saturated with revelations of the truth and majesty of Jesus, our hearts will be vulnerable to…

the compromising lies of demons,

the rage of humanism,

hostile self-determination,

self-insulating pride,

phobic suspicion,

idolatrous worship,

shame-filled pretense,

and incessant (hellish) condemnation.

These are the true, toxic threats to our culture; dynamics that plague every human heart; liberal, conservative, apolitical, monk, wealthy and poor…

And there’s only one solution: the daily application of the revelation of the Person of Jesus that engenders first-commandment love, and self-crucifying fidelity.

Not a better argument, a more popular opinion, or a more detached and objective spirit…

ONLY life-activated exhilaration over the magnificence of Jesus will keep our hearts alive and loyal to Him through this turbulent hour.

CLEAN • March 4 – March 30, 2024

/ JSB / 1 Comment

25 DAYS OF CONFESSION, REPENTANCE and PURIFICATION BEFORE THE LORD

“Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Worship leaders, intercessors, pastors from Arizona, and beyond – you’re invited to come apart with us during a dedicated season of cleansing, and purification before the Lord – beginning Monday, March 4, and concluding Saturday, March 30.

Every day we will engage in meditation on the Word, and the cross, as well as engage in focused times of corporate repentance on topics such as prayerlessness and lack of zeal to reach the lost, to idolatry and unhealed racial and denominational sin-wounds. In the evenings we will have spontaneous times of group reflection, prayer and Word-centered dialogue.

Brothers and sisters, this is an hour to let the “consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29) of our God analyze and purge all of our ways.

Contact us at xaris4u@yahoo.com or (928-255-3576) to make reservations for you and/or your group to join us for three or four days or more, in this convocation of consecration to the Lord.

Here is our SCHEDULE and OUTLINE for these 25 Days

OUR KEY SCRIPTURES FOR THESE 25 DAYS
SATURDAY • March 2 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK OF FIRST-COMMANDMENT LOVE for JESUS
“You shall offer a… sin offering for atonement, every day. You shall CLEANSE the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to sanctify it.” (Exodus 29:36)

SUNDAY • March 3 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR OWN PERSONAL SINS
“O, that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.” (Leviticus 10:10)

MONDAY • March 4 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER THE WAYS OF OUR FAMILIES and OUR LACK of INVESTMENT in OUR SCHOOLS
“The Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in His eyes.” (2 Samuel 22:25)

TUESDAY • March 5 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK of INTERCESSION for ISRAEL and OUR LACK of WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER for the NAME of JESUS
“If the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” (2 Kings 5:13)

WEDNESDAY • March 6 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER the WAYS WE COMPROMISE OUR WITNESS to JESUS in the MARKETPLACE, and REPENTANCE OVER our FAITHLESSNESS in HEALING the SICK
“They gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord. Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 29:15-16)

THURSDAY • March 7 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER the LACK of UNITY in the CHURCH and EPIDEMIC UNFORGIVENESS BETWEEN PASTORS and LEADERS and BROTHERS and SISTERS in CHRIST
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” (Job 14:4)

FRIDAY • March 8 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK of HUMILITY and CONTRITION re OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH NATIVE AMERICA as well as OUR NATIVE SISTERS and BROTHERS in CHRIST
“The righteous will hold to his way, and he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.” (Job 17:9)

SATURDAY • March 9 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK OF FIRST-COMMANDMENT LOVE for JESUS
“The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” (Psalm 19:9)

SUNDAY • March 10 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR OWN PERSONAL SINS
“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (Psalm 24:3-5)

MONDAY • March 11 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER THE WAYS OF OUR FAMILIES and OUR LACK of INVESTMENT in OUR SCHOOLS
“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin… Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow… Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:2, 7 and 10)

TUESDAY • March 12 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK of INTERCESSION for ISRAEL and OUR LACK of WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER for the NAME of JESUS
“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word. With my whole heart I have sought You!” (Psalm 119:9-10)

WEDNESDAY • March 13 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER the WAYS WE COMPROMISE OUR WITNESS to JESUS in the MARKETPLACE, and REPENTANCE OVER our FAITHLESSNESS in HEALING the SICK
“When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor.” (Isaiah 1:15-17)

THURSDAY • March 14 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER the LACK of UNITY in the CHURCH and EPIDEMIC UNFORGIVENESS BETWEEN PASTORS and LEADERS and BROTHERS and SISTERS in CHRIST
“The priest and the prophet have erred… They err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filth; no place is clean.” (Isaiah 28:7-8)

FRIDAY • March 15 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK of HUMILITY and CONTRITION re OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH NATIVE AMERICA as well as OUR NATIVE SISTERS and BROTHERS in CHRIST
“I have seen your adulteries and your lustful neighings; the lewdness of your harlotry, your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?” (Jeremiah 13:27)

SATURDAY • March 16 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK OF FIRST-COMMANDMENT LOVE for JESUS
“I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me.” (Jeremiah 33:8)

SUNDAY • March 17 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR OWN PERSONAL SINS
“She has grown weary with lies, and her great scum has not gone from her. Let her scum be in the fire! In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed, you will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore, till I have caused My fury to rest upon you. I, the Lord, have spoken it; it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not hold back, nor will I spare, nor will I relent; according to your ways and according to your deeds they will judge you,’ says the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 24:12-14)

MONDAY • March 18 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER THE WAYS OF OUR FAMILIES and OUR LACK of INVESTMENT in OUR SCHOOLS
“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols… Thus says the Lord God: ‘On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt’.” (Ezekiel 36:25, 33)

TUESDAY • March 19 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK of INTERCESSION for ISRAEL and OUR LACK of WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER for the NAME of JESUS
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness’.” (Matthew 23:25-27)

WEDNESDAY • March 20 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER the WAYS WE COMPROMISE OUR WITNESS to JESUS in the MARKETPLACE, and REPENTANCE OVER our FAITHLESSNESS in HEALING the SICK
“The One Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12)

THURSDAY • March 21 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER the LACK of UNITY in the CHURCH and EPIDEMIC UNFORGIVENESS BETWEEN PASTORS and LEADERS and BROTHERS and SISTERS in CHRIST
“And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’.” (Matthew 8:2-3)

FRIDAY • March 22 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK of HUMILITY and CONTRITION re OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH NATIVE AMERICA as well as OUR NATIVE SISTERS and BROTHERS in CHRIST
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.’ Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’ For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, ‘You are not all clean.’ So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:3-15)

SATURDAY • March 23 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK OF FIRST-COMMANDMENT LOVE for JESUS
“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)

SUNDAY • March 24 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR OWN PERSONAL SINS
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)

MONDAY • March 25 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER THE WAYS OF OUR FAMILIES and OUR LACK of INVESTMENT in OUR SCHOOLS
“Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:21-22)

TUESDAY • March 26 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK of INTERCESSION for ISRAEL and OUR LACK of WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER for the NAME of JESUS
“For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  (Hebrews 9:13-14)

WEDNESDAY • March 27 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER the WAYS WE COMPROMISE OUR WITNESS to JESUS in the MARKETPLACE, and REPENTANCE OVER our FAITHLESSNESS in HEALING the SICK
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:7-10)

THURSDAY • March 28 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER the LACK of UNITY in the CHURCH and EPIDEMIC UNFORGIVENESS BETWEEN PASTORS and LEADERS and BROTHERS and SISTERS in CHRIST
“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-8)

FRIDAY • March 29 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK of HUMILITY and CONTRITION re OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH NATIVE AMERICA as well as OUR NATIVE SISTERS and BROTHERS in CHRIST
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:9-10)

SATURDAY • March 30 • PRAYERS for REPENTANCE OVER OUR LACK OF FIRST-COMMANDMENT LOVE for JESUS
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints… Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” (Revelation 19:9-14)

Check out this Prayer Resource on PRAYERS OF CONFESSION and REPENTANCE

The Sins of the House of Prayer: 25 Points of Repentance

/ JSB / Leave a comment

The only way to move through the trauma, destruction and tribulation that’s engulfed the House of Prayer world is to be wholly honest about the sins within our family. Unless we see these sins in the Father’s light, we will not understand…
A • the depth of sin that has been worked against us, and how seriously it has injured us.

B • the various levels of our own complicity and participation in these sins.

C • the nature of the thorough healing and redemptive trust-building we must engage in, individually and collectively.

D • the fathoms of mercy that Jesus makes available to the sinner(s), and all affected by the sin.

E • Neither will we be adequately prepared to enter into the many promises of the coming season, as the Bride prepares herself for the return of our King.

When persons within the “family” refuse to cooperate with the essential work of naming the sins, the rest of the family is left with the extremely painful, and tender task of identifying the sin. This task is fraught with holy danger, but is vital if the family, and her individual, organic members are to recover in Christ. This endeavor is all the more difficult when the heads of the family are the ones refusing to come into the light and set the tone for those they are called to lead.

Yes. The Lord can heal, forgive and restore, but it is immensely more difficult to work for and receive this depth of redemption once the wounds have become infected, the limbs have been severed, and the perpetrators (that’s all of us) are enclosed in their/our towers of self-defense.

PART 1
THE DEADLY SINS of OUR “FATHER”, MIKE BICKLE

1 • Sexual abuse against our vulnerable, young sisters in Christ

2 • Covering, deceit and manipulation re these abusive sins – for decades

3 • Failure to seek out, and submit to family help/accountability re: the nature, and long pattern of these disqualifying sins

4 • Refusal to trust the mercy of God, as his own sons; our brothers came to him in the spirit of Matthew 18 re his hidden sins

5 • Building a campaign of self-defense, counter-attack, and prophetic machination against his own sons, and daughters, for the benefit of keeping his sins hidden

6 • Repeatedly lying and deceiving investigators about the substance of his hidden sins

7 • Remaining in the shadows for months, allowing his own family to suffer utter decimation, for nothing more than protecting that which should have long been crucified in Christ.

PART 2
THE DEADLY SINS of the LEADERS of IHOPKC

8 • Failure to initially respond to allegations with collective call to humility, trembling, repentance and fear of the Lord (Joshua 7)

9 • Cultivating an adversarial posture against victims and those who were speaking on behalf of the victims

10 • Fostering a self-saving, business as usual, public-relations management spirit while resisting the Lord’s wholesale call to the threshing-floor. 

11 • Refusal to listen to hundreds of respected sisters and brothers in Christ; allies, compatriots, fathers and mothers in Christ who have been calling for an objective, third-party investigation

12 • Developing a pattern of communicating with other leaders, counselors, pastors and the rest of the House of Prayer family rooted in suspicion, hostility, pride and pretense

13 • Neglect of the spiritual/emotional needs for staff, families, students and interns to have a safe, holy space to grieve, mourn, speak truthfully, and receive intensive spiritual counsel

14 • Dogged resistance to suspend all other activities and blow the trumpet for a Joel 2 assembly

NOTE TO “US” (House of Prayer Leadership at Large, and the Whole House of Prayer Global Family) If we don’t see that the tribulation that has engulfed the House of Prayer is foremost about the Father judging us, and our household, whatever else we have to say, either as accusation, or in defense, is gonna be off-point. Profoundly. Generally speaking, we humans would rather do the easy work of “destroying”, than the hard work of “healing”. For this reason, the last SINS are not only listed, but also accompanied with words of confession, contrition and repentance. It is vital that we allow the Holy Spirit to search and engage our own souls about these matters.

“The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desire are they than gold; yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:9-10)

PART 3
CONFESSION of THE DEADLY SINS of HOUSE of PRAYER LEADERS and FORMER HOUSE of PRAYER LEADERS in the DIASPORA

15 • We have refused to respond to the Lord’s summons and have not gathered ourselves to the Lord’s threshing floor through this crisis. We have not called for, nor responded to a collective Joel 2 assembly.

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God… Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes… Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, ‘Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’“ (Joel 2:12-17)

16 • We’ve watched our sisters and brothers in Kansas City suffer gross sin, difficulty, conflict, and great aspersion without coming to them with united support, encouragement and solidarity.

17 • We’ve attempted to “save self”, and have too easily “jumped out of the number”in our living fellowship with our sisters and brothers in Kansas City.

“He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12)

18 • We have compounded our family’s crisis, by too often allowing ourselves to become embittered observers, and social-media critics of our sisters and brothers in Kansas City.

19 • We have utterly failed to recognize, and call others to respond to the depth of the Lord’s active, holy presence and judgment in the midst of our family.

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness…’ Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 3:7-8; Hebrews 10:29)

PART 4
CONFESSION of THE DEADLY SINS of the ENTIRE HOUSE of PRAYER FAMILY

“I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for Your servants, and confess the sins which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded.” (Nehemiah 1:5-7)

20 • We have generally not recognized the depth of the Lord’s holy initiative and judgment in the midst of our family through this crisis.

21 • We have tolerated, and helped to create a communal atmosphere where the prominent were vaunted, and protected, while the nameless were left vulnerable, marginalized and/or scrutinized.

22 • When our leaders have failed to “blow the trumpet” we have not prayed for them, nor pressed the need for such holy response to the judgments of the Lord.

23 • We have majored on responding to each other, seeking consolation and building self-honoring narratives in preference to seeking truth, counsel and consolation from the Lord, Himself.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my fears; and see if there is any wicked way in me.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

24 • We have allowed our opinions, our criticism, and bitterness to dictate the thoroughfares of our heart, rather than the Word of the Lord, and His cleansing, redeeming judgments.

25 • In our attempt to remain free of guilt and complicity, we too have easily, and often “jumped out of the number”, and become accusers, rather than fellows with sinners. Our hearts remain all too filled with self-exoneration.

“God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.“ (1 John 1:5-10)

Beloved family, we have deep, long furrows of spiritual work ahead of us, if we are to walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7). Our many, common and diverse future assignments from the Lord will not freely go forward with Holy Spirit power if we short-change this cleansing, purging, forgiving, redeeming process. This is no hour of human history to allow any sliver of unhealed or unsubmitted darkness to remain in our lives together. As the title of this article notes, to leave these sins partially or completely undealt with spells ultimate death to the fellowship the Lord has cultivated in the House of Prayer over the last 25 years. 

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:2-8)

“Who is a God like You, who forgives wickedness and passes over the rebellious acts of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He constantly delights in mercy and lovingkindness. He shall again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness [destroying sin’s power]. Yes, You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. You shall give truth to Jacob and lovingkindness and mercy to Abraham.” (Micah 7:18-20)

For the month of March (2024) All Nations House of Prayer Southwest is dedicating every prayer-set, prayer gathering, and prayer topic to engage the Lord in corporate confession, mourning, repentance and and purification. If you would like more information about visiting us, and participating with us in this work, contact me, Jonathan Boegl, at xaris4u@yahoo.com 

There remains a great promise for all who thoroughly bring their house before the Lord in this hour: “The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.” (Joel 2:24)

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JSB • February, 2024

12 Prayers of Repentance for the House of Prayer

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#IHOPKC folk: At the end of the day, if we don’t see that the tribulation that has engulfed the House of Prayer is foremost about the Father judging His household, WHATEVER else we have to say, either as accusation, or in defense, is gonna be OFF POINT. Profoundly.

Generally speaking, us humans would rather do the easy work of “destroying”, than the hard work of “healing”. In a nut-shell, this is the kind of endemic, and warped way of the curse, that Jesus came to save us from.

What if, we paused our cursing and accusing, and defending, and instead, used our many words to cry out to the Father for His tangible power and presence to rest upon us, the House of Prayer and the praying church?

What if we poured out our broken passion and pain, and tears and angst, and our many sins together at His feet?? Are His arms short? Would He not purge us, forgive us, and heal us? Would He not gather us to Himself? Would He not fit us for His purposes in this hour? Perhaps with even increased fidelity to His heart as the contra-Christ spirit intensifies around us?

This is what I am endeavoring to do here. I’m sick from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I’m tired of throwing my stones. I’m bruised from my own punches and counter-punches.

Here are 12 PRAYERS of REPENTANCE that I’m using to enjoin the Lord and His healing mercy.

#01 • A PRAYER of THANKSGIVING and SURRENDER to GOD and HIS JUDGMENTS

“The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desire are they than gold; yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:9-10)

#02 • PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS FOR OUR REBELLION AND UNBELIEF

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness…’ Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 3:7-8; Hebrews 10:29)

#03 • REPENTANCE AND PLEA FOR DELIVERANCE FROM THE CURSE OF THE SERPENT

“(When) they knew that they were naked; they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So Adam said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And the Lord said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”” (Genesis 3:7-13)

#04 • REPENTANCE FOR OUR HYPOCRISY RE: OUR FAITH IN GOD THROUGH CORPORATE PRAYER

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God… Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes… Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, ‘Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’“ (Joel 2:12-17)

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

#05 • PRAYER of REPENTANCE for OUR DEEP HYPOCRISY and PROFOUND REBELLION AGAINST the LORD and HIS WAY

“Our iniquities overwhelm us; only You can atone for our great rebellion.” (Psalm 65:3)

#06 • PRAYER of REPENTANCE for ASSUMING WE HAD THE HOLY ABILITY TO FIX THE LORD’S HOUSE

“So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. And when they came to the THRESHING FLOOR, UZZA put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against UZZA, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark… David was afraid of God that day, saying, ‘How can I bring the ark of God to me?'” (1 Chronicles 13:7-10,12)

#07 • PRAYER of REPENTANCE for GIVING OURSELVES to DEVOURING OUR SISTERS and BROTHERS

“If you go on attacking each other and tearing each other to pieces, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other!” (Galatians 5:15) [CEV]

#08 • PRAYER of REPENTANCE for DISMISSING and MARGINALIZING the CONCERN and PAIN of OUR SISTERS and BROTHERS

“As for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.” (Psalm 35:13-14)

DAY #09 • PRAYER of SELF-EXAMINATION and REPENTANCE

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my fears; and see if there is any wicked way in me.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

#10 • PRAYER of CORPORATE REFLECTION and REPENTANCE

“I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the #HouseOfPrayer Your servants, and confess the sins of #IHOPKC which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded.” (Nehemiah 1:5-7)

#11 PRAYER OF REPENTANCE for SHUNNING the WAY of the CROSS

“If you do not take up your cross and follow Me, you are not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38)

#12 PRAYER of REPENTANCE for SELFISHLY SEEKING OUR OWN PROTECTION and SELF-JUSTIFICATION while in the MIDST of CRISIS

“All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

“In those days… everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6 and 21:25)

“There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God…” (Romans 3:11)

“He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

“He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12)

…

…

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JSB • February, 2024

10 Pastoral Encouragements, and One Urgent Plea to House of Prayer Leadership

/ JSB / Leave a comment

No one’s asking me, but in light of the calls for the closure of #IHOPKC here’s one urgent plea, and 10 strong pastoral encouragements for the House of Prayer family as we respond to the fire-storm of revelations, and accusations being leveled against Mike and House of Prayer leadership:

1. Set-apart 3 – 6 (or more) months for this season of focused grieving, lamenting, confession and repentance.

2. Shut EVERYTHING on the base down and focus EVERYTHING on repentance before the Lord. (This is central to the radical, Joel Paradigm.)

3. Require all staff, leaders, group-leaders, pastors be present at these gatherings – multiple times each day. If they’re unwilling, kindly give them their exit papers.

4. Be as thorough as the blood of Jesus bids us to be. Let all of our “ways” get scrutinized and brought to the threshing-floor. Own it all. Without one plea; or an ounce of excuse. Stay in the number. Get entirely naked before God. Get to the roots of the mundane to the most wicked inclinations of our hearts.

5. Invite Houses of Prayer around the globe into this season; for their own well-being, for solidarity w IHOPKC, and ultimately for their own unique integrity before the Lord.

6. Establish and enforce an atmosphere of open prayer and grief that the “Tammy’s” and the “JaneDoes” tell us are “safe” and “real” before the Lord. Hire professional counselors to minister to those who “dare” come and need intimate, respectful, Christlike care.

7. Cultivate lament, tears and travail as values, and vital expressions of prayer in Houses of Prayer everywhere. Normalize these types of prayer as much as the Spirit does.

8. Let (John 12:24-25) be the driving vision of the whole of the base; no less than “changing the expression of Christianity in one generation” was in the past. Let the style; the ethos; the language; and the prophetic history die. Bury it. Erect “Achan memorial stones” (Joshua 7) over it. And then train every worship leader, singer, musician, intercessor, pastor and teacher in the theology of the cross, so that NOTHING is done apart from embracing the crucified, dead and buried life-style.

9. Hire a truly, independent, third-party investigation team. Let them do their work. Compare notes with their findings, and the prayer room’s repentance. Across the board. Post the findings to the IHOPKC web-site, as additional memorial stones.

10. Restart prayer and worship ONLY on God’s terms. Listen to the Lord for His design; His style; His formation; His unction; His vision. And gather objective prophetic, prayer leaders from the nations to speak into, help shape, ordain, and release the new expression of the tabernacle of David prayer according to their sense of the Lord’s timing.

None of this will be easy. But it IS what’s necessary. It’ll go against every natural inclination to “save self” that IHOPKC has been evidencing the last four months. For the sake of authentic healing. For the sake of the integrity of the prophetic histories of the beloved hundreds of individuals, and families who came to pray in this community at the behest of the Holy Spirit. Do. Luke. 9:24. Anyway.

Why is it imperative to have #IHOPKC #HouseOfPrayer leadership facilitating such radical, self-restrictive measures “today“? And why does the work of personal and corporate introspection, confession and repentance become exponentially more difficult the longer the time goes by without it?

We are not only personal beings, we are relational beings. We form norms, values, beliefs, language, histories and narratives between ourselves that shape how we view ourselves, our significant others, and our place in our world. Once a “narrative” is set, it is extremely difficult to unravel the thousands of threads of belief, value, normative behavior, histories and episodes that have formed that narrative.

This is the reason why millions could vaunt a Hitler in the 30s and 40s, and why billions looked on with horror at the warped beliefs, norms, values and episodes of the German people when they were finally exposed. Through their shared culture; conversations, relationships, propaganda etc. Germans were accumulating evidence for their narratives, and then reenforcing their values, norms, behavior with those pieces of evidence.

This was also the reason why the prophetic messages of Jeremiah were so adamantly opposed by the people of Judah. Their aggregated narratives had placed them in a paradigm of thinking and believing that WOULDN’T ALLOW FOR YHWHs WORDS to be embraced as TRUTH and REALITY.

The point? If the current leadership of #IHOPKC does not quickly, do an about-face, cease with its narrative of persecution, and cultivate an atmosphere where it trusts the independent, objective analysis of both God and other brothers and sisters, the dominant, self-saving narrative will become too engrained within the people; too engrained for them to want to do the thorough self-crucifying work of untangling the months and years of accumulated belief, values and episodes. This is the ONLY WAY any of us will come through the chaos of this tribulation into vibrant righteousness.

ASIDE: I generally believe, pray and hope for the continuance of the Spirit’s authentic worship and intercession through my #IHOPKC family. (Mike’s profound sins, do not have the ability to negate the millions of sincere expressions of love and adoration to Jesus, the brilliant, Kingdom-enhancing friendships, the testimonies, the gazillions acts of Kingdom witness, the healings, the souls saved, nor the many, many miracles manifest over the decades.)

HOWEVER, the base, (the WHOLE base) MUST let go of self, and undergo a long, radial, self-abasing, self-analyzing, self-crucifying fire of the Holy Spirit. Without this arduous, focused work being engaged, we should not entertain any hope of the Father’s anointing upon us. (I honestly can’t swallow that I am saying this.)

PRAY FOR the current leadership at #IHOPKC. Pray for #HouseOfPrayer leaders in the nations. Pray that we/they would abase our/themselves before the objective analysis of the Holy Spirit, and humble our/themselves before what He says is true and real, that we might appropriate the Father’s authentic healing and righteousness. He IS a complete, and mighty Redeemer.

This is where I’m aiming my little energy in this hour.

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JSB • February, 2024