We have a clear mandate from God that invites us to participate with Him. What does this look like? It looks like us declaring the Names of God together in prayer to see His Presence and Power established in our community.
This invitation came in a prayer meeting earlier in 2022 when we felt the Lord say, “Establish an Altar.” This is demonstrated in scripture many times, with Abram, (Gen 12:8), Isaac (Gen 26:25), and Elijah (1 Kings 18:24) as good examples.
As we sought the Lord further, (always a good idea to do this when you sense Him speaking to you), we asked God HOW we might establish an altar. The answer was in the scripture! “There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.” (Gen 12:8)
We took this as our lead and have been regularly praying the Names of God in our corporate gatherings. Why do we do this? Here are some scriptural reasons that inspire us.
Psalm 22:3. “The throne of the Lord is established on the praises of His people.”
When we fill our mouth with praise and thanksgiving to God, He is elevated to the throne as Lord of our lives and our circumstances. The effect of this is guaranteed but is limited to our participation.
Revelation 5:13. “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Do you realise you will spend eternity praising King Jesus along with the seraphim (v8), the twenty-four elders (v8), and thousands and millions of angels (v11)?
Acts 10: 44, 46. “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word… For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.”
The response to the hearing of God’s message of love was the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon the new believers and they declared praise and glory to God!
Acts 2:4, 11. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance… [and they said] we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
Again, the best response we can have to receiving God’s promised Spirit is to declare out loud praise and glory and honour to Him!
And so it is with ZION, when we get together, we pray together the Names of God to magnify and glorify Him.
Should you choose to refuse to participate, you may get the same rebuke that Jesus gave the Pharisees.
Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:“ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19: 37-40)