|
September 17, 2017
"Get Off the Porch and Go Into Intercession!"
Ryan Johnson, Fort Payne, Alabama
From the Desk of Steve Shultz:
 We are posting a couple words today about the importance of our prayer calling during this time. Here is another great article about intercession from Ryan Johnson who received this word of the Lord:
"I, the Lord, am calling the priests to take the place of intercession yet again. The cries of those who will weep again for the people of the nation will be the sound of a victorious people and not a people of approval. I'm calling for those who will say yes to get off the porch."
As we know, there is so much going on in our day and so much to be standing in the gap for in our prayers.
My prayer is that you would read these important words being released, and ask the Lord how you can be interceding for the things on His heart in this hour. Remember that your prayers are POWERFUL and greatly NEEDED! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Please forward this word to your friends! Encourage them to subscribe to the Elijah List right here: http://elijahlist.com/subscribe.
Enjoy!
Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News
http://www.elijahlist.com
*************************************
"Get Off the Porch and Go Into Intercession!"
Ryan Johnson, Fort Payne, Alabama
"Blow a trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room and the bride out of her bridal chamber. Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, 'Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'" (Joel 2:15-17)
These verses found in the book of Joel are often quoted in songs, books, and messages, but have we failed to apply them within our daily intercession? I found myself diving into this Word again, and my thoughts were transformed into a vision of how this looked. How the multitude gathered on the porch, looking towards the middle section and on to the altar, the place of sacrifice. What was going on within their minds as they witnessed the priests in the middle of the court, weeping for the people as the sacrifices were to be placed upon the altar? It had to be a very surreal and tense scene. From the bleating cries of the sacrifices to the cries of weeping intercession — can you imagine the intensity of the scenario?
The Porch
The porch of the temple was the location that drew the population. It was a place of the people because it would be a location that they could get close enough to see the outer court actions. During this time, only the priest had limited access to the daily process that would be required to maintain the temple. Often, a multitude would gather to see the interactions of the temple, and often, it would be only a handful of individuals. The porch was for the people to gather, but not for the priest to remain at.
The Altar
The altar was built for the purpose of receiving. It was a twofold receiving as the altar first received the sacrifice, and then the fire. The fire never fell upon the altar just because it was built, but because of the sacrifice that was placed upon the altar. The altar is where the sacrificial offerings ascend to the Lord. The altar is a messy place, and yet a place of beauty. The blood of the sacrifices and the stench of the burnt carcasses throughout the area of the altar, with the stain of blood and the aroma of the sacrifice, would have its definitive purpose.
The Place Between
The between is a place of intercession! As the priest would take their place in between, they would be representing God to the people, and the people to God. It would be the cry of the priest unto the Lord, to "Spare Your People, oh Lord." This place wouldn't have the blood stains, but would be saturated with the sounds of weeping for the people, in which the priests were called to fight for, and not against. The place between would be a worthy location. It wouldn't always be a place of tears and the cries of prayers. It would be the place of martyrs from the life of Zechariah, who was slain there according to Matthew 23:35, and yet, he was not the only one who lost his life there.
The Word of the Lord: "Get off the Porch!"
While mediating on these Scriptures, I heard a clear word from the Lord: "Get off the porch!"
At first, the simple statement didn't relate to me with clear understanding, and I had to seek the revelation from the Lord. I heard the Lord again say, "Get off the porch!"
Then He said, "Many of My chosen leaders have settled for a place on the porch. They have sat down among the crowds of applause and popular opinions. They are adored among the multitude while losing sight of their purpose. They have been unwilling to intercede on behalf of the people because of their view.
"The view from the porch is different than the view from the altar. The view from the altar is different from the porch. This is why I have called upon My leaders to be in the between, so that they never lose sight of the value of the people and the cost of the sacrifice. My chosen leaders among the multitude have exchanged the sacred ground for the affirmation of the porch.
"I, the Lord, am calling the priests to take the place of intercession yet again. The cries of those who will weep again for the people of the nation will be the sound of a victorious people and not a people of approval. I'm calling for those who will say yes to get off the porch."
After hearing the word from the Lord, I began to understand what He is saying. You see, we live in a generation where many leaders have fixed themselves on the porch where it has become easier to criticize others, rather than intercede. It's a day where ministries constantly sit on their porches and wage war against those who disagree with their revelations, rather than waging war against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). We are in a day where the porch has become the habitation of dwelling, rather than the gathering of those who are worth interceding for. We have exchanged the cries of intercession for the applause of the popular.
In his message, "Between the Porch and the Altar," Leonard Ravenhill said, "No man—I don't care how colossal his intellect—no man is greater than his prayer life. To stand before me on behalf of God is one thing. To stand before God on behalf of men is something entirely different."
The Challenge
This is a call for those who are leaders—to get off the porch. Our view must change and it must change for the glory of the Lord. We can no longer be willing to sit on the porch to throw stones at each other, instead we must be willing to assemble between the porch and the altar for the intercession of the people. We have to be real here and recognize that we can no longer spend our time looking to one-up the other leaders and/or ministries. We must be willing to surrender our selfish ambitions that we may have the view of our purpose as a leader.
I believe that we have been given a divine opportunity to advance the Kingdom in a supernatural way that the leaders before our day could only dream about. And yet, we are striving against one another simply because of how we are perceiving things from a distance. Our view is only going to change when we are willing to change our position.
I challenge us all, no matter what your official title is, or what leadership role you have. I challenge us to get back to the purpose of the call as a leader. Don't fall victim to remaining on the porch because of the adoration from the population. Rather, allow your adoration to be directed to the Father because of the value you see in others and the cost of the sacrifice that is before you. Let us be willing to rise up in between the porch and the altar with the declarations of intercession. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Ryan Johnson
Ryan Johnson Ministries
Email: servant4yahweh@gmail.com
Website: www.ryanjohnson.us
Ryan Johnson is mantled in equipping the Body of Christ to awaken the nations with a prophetic call of arising Ekklesia. Ryan ministers with a prophetic voice of revival and awakening with the demonstration of God's purposes in regions, individuals and the Church. Throughout years of ministry, Ryan has been blessed to develop relationships with many great men and women of God who taught him difficult and real-life lessons to their family so that they can continue to work for the glory of God. It's these relationship that Ryan credits to his development of a leader who walks in authenticity, honesty and integrity. Ryan strongly believes and walks in the understanding of accountability. Ryan is a member of New Breed Revival and TRIBE Networks.
Ryan Johnson's Itinerary:
September 24, 2017 (12pm)
11861 Yeldell Rd., Bastrop, LA 71220
October 6-7, 2017 (Fri, 7pm/Sat 10am, 2pm, 7pm)
Holiday Inn St. Louis
Downtown Convention Center
811 N 9th St., St. Louis, MO 63101
October 13-14, 2017 (8pm)
5320 Airline Dr., Bossier City, LA 71111
************************************
To receive daily, encouraging prophetic emails from The Elijah List to your in box CLICK HERE or go to: http://elijahlist.com/subscribe
Visit our webstore and check out Alveda King's brand new book by Elijah List Publications: America Return to God: www.americareturntogod.com
Also check out Steve Shultz's Revised and 2nd Edition book Can't You Talk Louder, God?: http://www.elijahshopper.com/cant-you-talk-louder-god-secrets-to-hearing-the-voice-of-god-revised-and-updated-edition-by-steve-shultz/
Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on your own websites. We ask only that you keep Elijah List website, email contact info, and author contact information intact.
Elijah List Publications
528 Ellsworth St. SW
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250
|
