The Lord confirms what He is telling you and refines the call and clarifies the vision.
As we initially prayed about the Lord’s will for our trip, all three of us knew that He was sending us as prayer warriors to proclaim the truth and God’s Kingdom plans and purposes over the land. Along with this, He wanted to share His heart and burden for His people with us. He has called us to share this burden with you and other Christians here at home. There are four places along our journey that confirmed and grew the vision:
- We spent two days praying along the north and east borders of Israel by Lebanon and Syria. One can feel an uneasy tension along these borders. We started our prayers at the far northwest corner of Israel at a town called Rosh Hanikra on the Mediterranean Sea, an outpost for Israeli soldiers. Traveling along the border, you can see the stark contrast between the brown, desolate hills of Lebanon and the orchards of Israel tended by the people who live in Kibbutz’s and Moshavs. We made strategic stops at places where we felt prayer was important. At one of our stops, a large black snake slithered across the ground in front of us. We declared that we have the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions. Three days after being at Kiryat Shemona, the region was hit with two Katyusha rockets fired from Lebanon. No one was hurt. Our resolve to pray was strengthened. At Tel Dan and Banias, we broke the curse of idol worship off the people of the land. As we drove to the top of Mt. Hermon and looked across to Syria, we prayed for protection of Israel and that the schemes of the enemy would be revealed. We felt a sense of urgency as we prayed and knew that our prayers were making a difference.
- The Wailing Wall is made up of large stones. The cracks between the stones are stuffed with people’s written prayer requests. The Lord showed us that the stones represent His people (living stones) and the prayers of the saints are the mortar that holds them together. God calls His saints to be a body of unity, and this can only be accomplished through prayer.
- We prayed outside the Knesset, by a huge Menorah, that the leaders of Israel would have great wisdom and that a spirit of Naboth would arise so that they would say, as Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.†(1 Kings 21:3) Across the street from the Knesset is a rose garden. An area in the center is called the Gardens for the Nations. We sensed God was telling us that our “Prayer for the Nations†on Sunday mornings is like a fragrant garden, and He encouraged us through the sign describing “The Garden for the Nations.â€
- Some of the places that had the most impact on us were the spots where Jesus walked. Being in those very places where he willingly suffered for us brought us to tears. We recalled that He died for all people. Yet, it was in those very places that we were able to feel His heart for His people. We stood at the place where Jesus cried out for his children saying, “I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.†(Matt. 23:37) He calls His Church to share His burden and to intercede for His children and bring them home. He has sacrificed much, and we are called to know Him by sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings along with the power of his resurrection. (Phil 3:10)
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