Middle East: Enthroned on our Praises
In the Middle East, as believers prepare for the 50 hours event, faith is stirring for the Lord to do as he has done in years past, and more. It is a time marked by the stirring of the Holy Spirit. A time when lives are changed. Doors are opened. People are saved.
In Psalm 22:3, David writes, “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” Five times a day, the atmosphere of the Middle East is constantly filled with false worship to a false god. But as the Bride of Christ lifts her song in day and night worship and prayer, a throne is being built for the Lord to inhabit the praises of His people.
“Why is it important that we come in with priestly ministry?” asked the director of our Middle East Missions Base. “I mean, the simple answer for me would be that we are seeing Psalm 22:3 be fulfilled. We're watching it happen. The Lord is holy. He inhabits the praises of his people. And that word for enthroned means to be ‘seated upon’ or ‘enthroned upon.’ So, when we're worshiping, we're building him a seat in the spirit.”
The worship being lifted up through Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism goes into the atmosphere, but the worship being lifted up by believers goes right into the throne room.
Revelation 5:8 states, “When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
“We see our cry, our worship, our prayer is coming like incense before the throne,” said the believer in the Middle East, “Since the beginning of time, He has been surrounded by worship.”
When a throne of worship is built for the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth, He comes and rests in that place, and His presence fills that place. When the Holy One comes, darkness flees. When we have His presence, we have everything. It is more important than strategies, systems and programs. Those are all great things, but we need the presence of God.
In the Middle East, the 50 Hours event is said to be like Acts 16. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were in a dark prison. However, “About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once, all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” (Acts 16: 25-26).
TESTIMONIES FROM 50 HOURS OF THE PAST
Years ago, there was a young man (who is now a big part of the praying community of believers in the Middle East) who was “basically dragged” into the prayer room by his brother. He did not want to be there. By his own admission, he looked around and judged everyone, wondering why everyone was worshiping so boldly. As he sat there, he wondered why they were standing, singing and dancing. He could not wait to leave. Then, all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit’s presence came upon him and he began shouting in tongues. He began praising God. In that moment, his life changed forever. He went from being an unbeliever to stepping into full-time ministry. He is now one of the most zealous and passionate young men at the Middle East Missions Base. He has been walking out his salvation for the past two years.
During last year’s 50 hours event, the team in the Middle East was praying for the youth of the nation. Right after the prayer set, a call came in from a young man who wasn’t at the meeting. He was sitting at home and the Holy Spirit came upon him. He was baptized in the Holy Spirit. God was instantly responding to prayers in that moment.
In addition to these testimonies, the fact that the 50 hours event brings unity to the Church in the Middle East is a testimony within itself. Division among different churches in the Middle East is a normal occurrence. However, during the 50 hours, 10 to 15 different churches gather together for prayer in the same room. Unity replaces disunity, and the Lord shows up and inhabits the praises of His people.
Salvation, baptisms in the Spirit, unity in the Church… the 50 hours prayer meetings have been integral to ministry in the Middle East. As faith is stirring for this 50 Hours, our spiritual family remembers the wonders God has done in past meetings and anticipates what God will do this year.