Days 30-32 Standing in His Counsel

Salvation Belongs to the Lord.

Today is Good Friday. The remembrance of the Passion of the Christ. The remembrance of the Cross. This salvation that prepares a way for all of mankind to eternally return and dwell in the Chambers of the Unsearchable heart of Abba. Eternal Life. It is GOOD NEWS.

Song "This is True Life," Justin Rizzo.

"Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure." -Isaiah 46:9-10

These past few days I have been feeling the pleasure of the Counsel of the Lord sweep over me like billows. My heart is leaping and burning at the mention of the Truth.

Faith is being stirred, even in the prayer companies around New England and this nation. There is a faith being stirred, even now, (even in you, the reader of this blog.) There is an activation of FAITH, and a "mounting of wings" right this moment. God is about to move and it will be to His Glory and to His Honor and to His Fame.

And it will be for the Harvest. And for the Kingdom. For the Glory of His Son, the King, Jesus.

A few interesting things have occurred in the past few days. I have been doing some work/temping which has brought me back into the elite Financial District of Boston. It is strange. Two years ago I was so immersed in that culture (as I was working in business) with a very different set of goals than I have now. It is now as if there is a "culture shock" reverbing me to the core. Oh, the eyes of discernment are opening! (Read Ephesians 5 and really meditate on it, especially the last portion of discerning between good & evil, redeeming the time, and the Will of God.) Oh, the Father's deposits, what He thinks, feels, aims. I see very differently now! My eyes are opening.

If this is even a "sample bite," I begin to see what relishing and delighting in His Will might really mean!

I have had a few divine appointments recently, sharing of Jesus. Seems like the appointments are so compelling (like the 24 year old, Molly, who I have been sitting next to at work this week.) She is primed with education, bent towards justice, open to the Gospel. Lord, Lord, Lord. You are AFTER a generation! You are after her heart. I can see with eyes of faith who she is in the Kingdom and how you will use her mightily to Your glory. Amen, let it be so. (And the others on my hit list who I am praying for, calling in their salvation, God minister it unto them and draw them, display Jesus in their lives, even now, amen.)

Then there was Wendell. Precious Wendell. Young, twenty-something African-American man with a cane, obvious mental and physical handicap of sorts, loaded down with a homeless man's extra load on his back, and a Starbucks in his hand. I saw him about two weeks ago in an area of Boston where I live, on the train. I was exhausted, leaning my head back on the train, drowning out the crowded nauseous noise of the drunk Boston College students with my iPhone playlist. But I looked up and there he was! Struggling with a limp hand and a look of confused frustration as he tried to juggle his belongings and his one luxury; this half-drunk, iced-frappuccino he had obviously been savoring for a few hours. I was immediately flooded with prophetic knowledge and the FATHER's INCREDIBLE LOVE AND AFFECTION for this man. I felt led to pray over him, and I told the Lord, "If he gets off the "T" before my stop, God, I will surely get off with him. Please cause me to have the courage." Well, it was only one stop later that Wendell went to get off, but the over-crowded train completely neglected him and his cries of, "Please let me through, I need to get off," and someone even knocked the coffee out of his hand and it spilled everywhere. He looked at it sadly and shuffled off with his limp and away from the train. It all happened so quickly, I missed my chance to get off! I hesistated and delayed. For that reason, I was heart broken. I knew the Lord desired to touch his life, and I had waited too long. I looked at the spilled coffee and the people acting as if nothing had happened and I burst into tears, even sobbing. People must have thought I was crazy! I was just FLOODED FLOODED FLOODED to the core with Abba's love for him! It was not MY LOVE! I do not take credit for the empathy. Even now! Hear me: I am not the supplier, and I am not special because my heart could respond in that moment. It was COMPASSION birthed from the Father!

Doesn't that THRILL your heart???? Think of the way we walk out our obscure existence. But the Word says:

"Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave (consent) and notice. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered."-Matthew 10:29-30

His eye is on the sparrow. And His eye is upon You and Me. And Wendell.

So, I arrived home to my roommates shortly after the coffee incident on the train, tears streaming down my face. "Guys, we have to pray for this man!" I was overcome. We did pray for him.

Fast forward two weeks later. I made an "out-of-the way trip" to another part of the city during rush hour, to do a quick errand (against my better judgement) because, from there, I knew I would need to retrace back to a third location entirely. But there I was, in Central Square, stepping quickly into a Starbucks (after my errand) to use the wi-fi. It was perfectly timed & orchestrated by God, for right there; on the other complete side of the city weeks later, was Wendell! We met, and spoke, and I was able to pour out a little of the Father's love to him, buying him a coffee and even his favorite cupcake! Helping him to struggle with his backpack, etc., listening to what he had to say, sharing a moment. I was so melted on the inside! Look at how God loves! I did not have a chance to pray over him, then, but I have a feeling I will see Wendell again.

What does that have to do with prayer or revival? Or just plain being a "follower of Jesus?"

Standing in the Counsel of the Lord. Listening to His heart. ("I came only to do the Will of the Father."-Jesus)

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. For I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,

By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones)..." Ephesians 1:16-18

And the secrets of the Lord, are with those who fear Him.

This is what we find ourselves (prayer company of intercessors) doing on Days 30-32...

Standing in the Counsel of the Lord, by His MERCY. By HIS MERCY. By the access of His blood. And praying from the directives found there.

There was a CRAZY AMAZING prophetic song which was released the other night from Jason, an IHOPU student. (At Ruggles Baptist during the 40 days of prayer in Boston.)

"All the prayers of my people in Egypt, I heard every last one. And in the APPOINTED TIME I CAME, IN THE APPOINTED TIME I CAME, I REVEALED MY NAME: THE GREAT I AM. In the appointed time, in the appointed time, in the appointed time. In the appointed time I came, I revealed my name, the Great I Am."

So we prayed into that Counsel. God... that it might be Your appointed time. Reveal Your Name. Great I Am.

Lastly, to circle back. Salvation belongs to the Lord. And I beseech Him in the New Covenant. Mercy. Upon my life. Jesus. Upon my city. Lord. Upon this land. Mercy.

"Salvation belongs to the LORD;Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah." Psalm 3:8

"God is to us a God of deliverances;
And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death." -Psalm 68:20