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Prayer, Fire and Incense
What
Goes Up Must Come Down
James W. Goll
In January 1993, I traveled to the Czech Republic with a group
of intercessors to join the believers there in “christening” their new nation
to the Lord.
While standing on the platform before Don Drapal’s Christian
Fellowship of Prague, a series of words seemed to fall into my mind.
“Have you considered the multidirectional
dimension of prayer?”
This sentence captured my attention, but I did not have time to
ponder it, as it was time for me to deliver my next statement.
Then the words, “Remember, what
goes up must come down!” burst into my conscience.
What was the Lord trying to
tell me? Does prayer have more than one direction?
My thoughts were quickly taken to Revelation 8:3-5:
“And
another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much
incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the
saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the
incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s
hand. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar,
and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and
flashes of lightning and an earthquake.”
I could begin to see it. What goes up does come down!
Our prayers arise from our humble earthly habitation unto their
heavenly destination. The angels, acting as altar attendants, take their
censers and fill them with much incense (which is the prayers of the saints).
The angels become the heavenly cantors, swinging our prayers and
praises before our Lord. Then they take the censers and fill them with the fire
on the altar and throw it back down on the earth.
Signs and wonders follow as
what went up is cast back down on the earth.
Let the Fire on the Altar Come Tumbling Forth
A pastor’s wife from the
State of Washington was in one of the early renewal services in Toronto and
“under the influence” of the Holy Spirit when the voice of the Lord whispered
to her and said: “Do you remember all of the prayers
that you have prayed for revival? This is the beginning of that.”
Since then, the fires of God have come roaring out from places
like Toronto, Canada, Pensacola, Florida, London, England, Kansas City,
Missouri, Redding, CA, Pemba, Mozambique and many other locations.
More than anything else,
prayer is man’s invitation sent heavenward for God’s response to be cast
earthward — the human exchange for the heavenly!
2 Chronicles 7:1-3 gloriously depicts this principle:
“Now
when Solomon had finished praying, fire
came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and
the glory of the Lord filled the house. The
priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the
Lord filled the Lord’s house. And all the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come
down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with
their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord,
saying, ‘Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting.’”
This is what we yearn for! We have seen it happen here and there
— in Toronto, London, and Pensacola, and then in many other cities across the
globe. But we must have more, Lord!
We want to see God’s glory fill the earth. It
will happen through exchange.
Prayer ascends. Incense
arises. Man’s smoke signal to His Highest Chief arises declaring, “Send forth
the fire!”
Heavenly fire from the altar comes crashing down and the glory
of the Lord fills His house once again.
What goes up must come down.
Let’s present ourselves on God’s altar as our spiritual service
of worship. Let’s offer up the continued sacrifices of praise and the incense
of prayer. And let us continue to do so until the angels take
their censer, fill it to the brim, and cast Heaven’s fire
on the altar back
down into our earthly dwelling places again.
Even so, let the fire on the altar come tumbling forth. Let
God’s priests prostrate themselves before Him.
May His glory invade and
pervade His house until all God’s people cry, “Amen and Amen!”
Tending the fire on the altar
with you!
James W. Goll
This
article has been adapted from James Goll’s book The Lost Art of
Intercession, Chapter 2 on “Restoring the Fire on the Altar.” For a limited
time, you can purchase the NEW: Tending the Fires of
Intercession Curriculum Kit for 58% Off! This bundle includes The
Lost Art of Intercession book along with the Tending the Fires of
Intercession Study Guide and 12-Lesson Class in your choice of format.
Order your curriculum kit today and learn to keep the fire burning
continually on the altar of prayer—so it will NEVER go out!
JAMES W. GOLL
is the president of God Encounters Ministries and has traveled around the world
sharing the love of Jesus, imparting the power of intercession, prophetic
ministry and life in the Spirit. He has recorded numerous classes with
corresponding study guides and is the author of more than forty books,
including The Seer, The Lost Art of Intercession, The Coming Israel Awakening
and The Lifestyle of a Prophet. James is the father of four wonderful children
with a growing number of grandchildren, and makes his home in Franklin, TN.
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