[Please see the bottom of this post for a follow-up report concerning the blessings of this solemn assembly as well as a recording of an original song, “The Sacrifices of God” that I shared with the group during the “Solemn Assembly Pre-Meeting”.  -David ]

We are living in perilous, prophetic times!  This is a rather urgent, time-sensitive, post to share a call that is going out for a “solemn assembly”, virtual prayer gathering, in the order of Joel 1:14 and 2 Chronicles 7:14:

“Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God,
and cry out to the LORD.”

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves,
and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

In order to facilitate gathering believers from across the Body of Christ for a time of prayer, fasting, repentance, and intercession, while many of us are under “shelter in place”, “isolation”, “lock down” and “social distancing” restrictions, this solemn assembly will contain a virtual aspect to it, utilizing video conferencing (Zoom).  People are also encouraged, as they are led, are comfortable doing so, and in keeping with public guidelines for gatherings during this time, to host small groups for intercession and prayer in their homes as well.  Fasting is also encouraged during this time.

The call is being organized by a dear brother in the Lord, Travis Kolder, whom I connected with through this blog a number of years ago (and was one who participated in this “3-D” post.)  Below are three links to pages on his blog, Pursuing Glory, that share his spiritual burden and the practical details concerning this assembly.  Please take time to look these over if you are interested in participating in this time of prayer.

~ ~ ~

The solemn assembly will span three days/nights:
Tuesday, April 7th – Thursday, April 9th 

Conference calls will begin each of these three nights at:
7:00PM CDT (UTC-05:00)
on Zoom

~ ~ ~

The following links offer more explanation and details concerning this
solemn assembly from Travis himself on his blog, Pursuing Glory:

Responding in Crisis

Responding in Crisis: Solemn Assemblies

Solemn Assembly Pre-Meeting

~ ~ ~

In connection with and in heart preparation for this assembly, I also wanted to share an email that I received this morning from my friend in Christ, Richard Hanes.  He felt the Lord’s urging to write out the burden of his heart this morning and send it out to his circle of friends.  With his permission, I am sharing it with you here as well.  I believe Richard poses the right questions that we all should be asking at this critical time.  The answers that we receive from the Lord concerning these will greatly inform and inspire our times of prayer and intercession in the midst of this crisis.  He wrote:

My beloved brethren –

Christian leaders are saying many things in this time of our national and world crisis, but it strikes me that there are two gaping holes in all that is being said.  If they are being said, perhaps I just have not heard them.   I feel I must state both of them as they are strongly on my heart.  In actuality, they are not things to be said, but QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED.

The first one is this:  IN THIS CRISIS, WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO HIS CHURCH?

I personally believe that above all things our national and world situation is a CALL for we who know Him to get on our faces and seek His face, and inquire of Him, “Lord!  What are you saying to us?”  I truly believe that if we do not cry out to Him to hear what He is saying to us, we may miss His very purpose for allowing this crisis to come upon not only the world, but upon His church.

When in history has it occurred that the church was forced to cease to gather EVERYWHERE?  Even in small gatherings of “two or three”, in homes?  This itself could be an even greater crisis for the church of God than the actual disease is to the world.

A great error of our day is to think that the essence of the church is large assemblies, large gatherings – but the reality of the true core and essence of the church for all of history has been small gatherings. But now even those are, for a season, impossible.

Every letter to every church in the 2nd and 3rd chapters of Revelation closes with this command:  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Who is crying for us to HAVE AN EAR to hear?  That we must, more than ever in this hour press close to God and to ask Him, “LORD!  WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?”  What are you saying to us, your people?  What are you saying to ME, personally?

I truly believe that for us to miss what God is wanting to say to us – corporately and personally – in this hour, may be to miss the very thing God wants to accomplish in this hour.

MAY THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVE US GRACE TO PRESS INTO HIM, TO INQUIRE OF HIM, AND TO HAVE AN EAR TO HEAR FROM HIM!

The second one is similar, and related:  IN THIS CRISIS, HOW SHOULD WE, GOD’S PEOPLE, BE PRAYING?

 

I am assuming that we all agree that more than ever, we should be praying!  Where is such a call to pray?  Are we to be passive, accepting this disease as just something to get through?  No!  We must be praying more than ever, but that leads to more questions that must be asked……

HOW SHOULD WE BE PRAYING FOR THE WORLD?

HOW SHOULD WE BE PRAYING FOR CHRIST’S CHURCH?

HOW SHOULD WE BE PRAYING FOR THE SICK, THOSE DYING by the thousands?

And how should we be praying for ourselves?   Surely God wants His Son, Jesus Christ, to have increase in His people, in us, and in the world as a result of this disease.  I believe in fact, He wants to redeem the crisis and use it for His glory, for His kingdom, and that it be taken from the intents and purposes of His enemy, which is always “to steal, to kill, to destroy”.

Where is the call for us to be so praying?

May He, by His grace, give us hearts to cry out to Him like never before,

your brother in Christ,

Richard Hanes

[Call details removed.]

~ ~ ~

I wanted to pass this information on to those who follow this blog.  There is much that our institutions of government, medicine, healthcare, science, manufacturing, commerce, and the like are doing to deal with and help mitigate the effects and ramifications of this world-wide pandemic.  The true solution to the healing of our land, however, is found in you and I, God’s people, humbling ourselves, praying, fasting, repenting of our sins, and interceding before Him.  We stand in the most critical position of all people for the turning of the tide of this pandemic and for God’s will to be fully accomplished in the midst of this crisis, both in the Church and in the world.  So this is an opportunity for those who may feel drawn to join together, in a very grassroots, organic way, to call on the name of the Lord as His people, His royal priesthood.  I hope you will consider and pray about whether God would have you to be a part of this solemn assembly.  Also, please feel free to pass this on to others who may possibly be interested as well.  Thank you!

UPDATE:  It’s been a week now since I participated in this solemn assembly and I wanted to give a brief follow-up report.  I was able to join in all three nights for the video conference calls and was truly blessed by the depth of the spirit of prayer and repentance, the unity of heart, and the orderliness of the calls. 

Each night we focused on a different area in prayer and repentance.  The first night was focused on our own hearts and lives, which was the right place to begin.  The second night was on repentance and intercession for the Church.  Finally, the third night, we expanded out to pray and intercede for our communities, the nation, and the world.  There was “effectual fervent prayer” each night, often with tears, and sometimes mixed with Scripture readings as various participants were led by the Spirit to pray, confess, and/or share.

Although I don’t have the exact numbers, I estimate there were between 35 – 50 people each night and the calls lasted approximately 2 1/2 hours each, which seemed to fly by.  All who participated were free to “unmute” themselves as they felt led to lead out in prayer, while the rest joined in in “muted” agreement. 

One of the highlights I think for many of us was on the last night when the Spirit focused in on praying for the children, both in the Church and in the world, and there was much intercession from numerous participants in heart-rending prayers and passionate intercession for them.

It was also a great blessing that there were whole families who joined in, including children, who also participated in offering prayers to the Lord.

All in all, I felt that the Lord was very well pleased with the unity, sincerity, humility, fervency, and contrition of those who participated.  It was truly a solemn assembly in the Spirit of the Lord, and I’m sure that there is and will be lasting fruit that comes from it.

Beyond giving a report of this event, I also wanted to follow up because it seemed to me that this virtual solemn assembly was also a pattern-type of gathering that could and ought to be an inspiration for others to follow and creatively replicate as the Lord may lead.  With the technology we have today, and the monumental global crisis that we are now facing, there is no reason why groups of believers, large and small, cannot join together for solemn intercession, prayer, humility, and repentance before the Lord.  It doesn’t require established churches, ministries, or recognized leaders to pull something like this together. All it takes are the willing hearts of at least two or three believers and heaven-moving, “land-healing”, 2 Chronicles 7:14, effectual, fervent prayers can be lifted up to the Lord on high!  The Lord is looking for those who will “make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before [Him] for the land,” (Ezek. 22:30) in the midst of this crisis, and all He needs are the likes of you and me.  Thanks to Travis for having the vision for, organizing, and moderating this one!

Finally, during the “Solemn Assembly Pre-Meeting” call, I felt led to share an original song, “The Sacrifices of God”, (lyrics from Psalm 51:6,17KJV and 2 Chronicles 7:14KJV), for I felt that it captured the solemn spirit of the assembly.  I recently made a simple acoustic recording of it and am including it here as a reminder of the importance of us all embracing a spirit of brokenness, contrition, humility, prayer, and the seeking of God’s face during this time.  I pray it is a blessing to you.

My hope is that the contents of this post will continue to inspire those who read it well beyond this particular event.  May our prayers, as incense, continually rise before Him! 

All blessings, David

Additional helps:
The Ministry of Intercession – by Andrew Murray (free audiobook)
Divine Healing – by Andrew Murray (free audiobook)

“mystery post”  (randomly generated)