I. A SIGNIFICANT DAY IN THE PRAYER/WORSHIP MOVEMENT
A. Solomon consecrates the temple that his Father David had charged him to build. Then Solomon spoke: ‘The LORD
said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever.’
(2 Chr. 6:1-2)
B. Solomon’s request is that the Lord’s eyes would be open and His ears attentive to the prayer that was made in
the temple. He was also asking for that which was in King David’s heart: Would God find a resting place in the temple
that Solomon had built?
Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the
prayer made in this place. (2 Chr. 6:40)
“Now therefore, Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.
Let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, And let Your saints rejoice in goodness.” (2 Chr. 6:41)
“O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed; Remember the mercies of Your servant David.” (2 Chr. 6:42)
C. The Lord answers with a profound YES, fire came down and the Glory of the Lord filled the temple. When you are
in need and you lift your voice in prayer I will hear and answer you!!!
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 temple. (2 Chr 7:1)
II. THE TEMPLATE FOR THE FUTURE IS LAID OUT TO SOLOMON
A. The Lord visits Solomon in the night and gives him a template for how the Lord will respond to the nation when
they go astray in the future. The Lord tells Solomon that when the nation enters into crisis if the nation will humble
themselves, repent, pray and seek His face the Lord will bring healing to the land.
B. The implication here is that when disruption comes to them as a nation they must consider if the Lord is involved. The
Lord clearly tells Solomon that when there are problems in the Land the solution is recognizing your state before God with
humility and prayer.
Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place
for Myself as a house of sacrifice. (2 Chr. 7:12)
“When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My
people, (2 Chr 7:13)
“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. (2 Chr. 7:14)
“Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. (2 Chr. 7:15)
III. THE TEMPLATE LAID OUT BY THE LORD IS WALKED OUT IN JOEL’S LIFE AS A PROPHET
A. In times of great prosperity and influence the nation finds it’s self in an agricultural crisis. Four different locust
plagues have completely left the nation barren.
B. Great disruption has come to the nation. The Lord had told Solomon when this happens you must respond in
a manner appropriate. Prayer, repentance and humility must be the response.
What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And
what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten. (Joel 1:4)
Awake, you drunkards, and weep… (Joel 1:5)
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth… (Joel 1:8)
Be ashamed, you farmers, Wail, you vinedressers, For the wheat and the barley; Because
the harvest of the field has perished. (Joel 1:11)
Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders… (Joel 1:14)
C. In America today we must consider if similar disruptions are not beginning to happening. Certain things cannot be
ignored to those who are paying attention. Sept 11th must be considered, Katrina – an entire City was displaced and they
are saying it will be years or if ever before it is restored.
IV. SOUND THE ALARM
A. In the midst of a nation being in total ruin, Joel brings another message that the crisis is not over. There is a great issue
in front of us as a nation, we have not humbled ourselves, we have not gathered to pray like we were told to do. Now
once again a prophetic word is being given to the Nation.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the
day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand… (Joel 2:1)
B. The Lord is raising up an army to bring forth judgment upon the nation.
The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For
the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it? (Joel 2:11)
V. THE TEMPLATE ONCE AGAIN IS BEING INTRODUCED TO A NATION WHO HAS WANDERED.
A. God’s strategy for bringing restoration to the nation is once again being laid out before them. It is the humbling
of themselves, true repentance, and prayer and fasting as a nation.
“Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” 13 So
rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God… (Joel 2:12-13)
B. Our God is like no other; He is Gracious, full of Mercy, and slow to Anger.
C. We as believers must understand the nature of God. He is like no other God. Even in the midst of Judgment His nature
holds true, and if a nation will repent and turn He will respond to a people who approach Him with a humble heart.
For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness… (Joel 2:13b)
D. We today can change the upcoming future direction of this nation if we will gather according the principals of
His Kingdom.
E. I believe that as a believer I can change the destiny of a nation. Individual’s Eternal destiny can be changed
when we as believers pray.
And He relents from doing harm. (Joel 2:13b)
For Since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides
You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him. (Is. 64:4)
Luke 11:5-13
VI. THE BODY OF CHRIST GATHERING IN A SACRED ASSEMBLY
A. There are certain times in history that the Lord requires the Body of Christ to gather before him in the same manner
as during the time of the Prophet Joel. Again a trumpet must be blown, a call to the Whole nation for a sacred assembly.
Let the leaders lead and cry out for the people to be spared.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders… (Joel 2:15)
Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people,
O LORD... (Joel 2:17)
VII. RESTORATION WILL COME AFTER THE CHURCH GATHERS
A. After the church gathers restoration/revival will come to a people or a nation. Joel clearly tells the nation that
this is the way to restore the land and the people. The Lord’s zeal will be stirred and His favor will once again rest on
His people.
Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. (Joel 2:18)
The LORD will answer and say to His people,” Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied
by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations. (Joel 2:19)
“But I will remove far from you the northern army… (Joel 2:20)
Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done marvelous things! (Joel 2:21)
Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field… (Joel 2:22)
Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God… (Joel 2:23)
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. (Joel 2:25)
Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God And there is no other. My people shall
never be put to shame. (Joel 2:27)
VIII. THE PROPHETIC SPIRIT IN THE NATIONS
A. The prophetic spirit that has been released in the last three decades is in direct correlation to the prayer movement
over the last three decades. As the Prayer/worship movement grows in the nations so we will see an increase in the
Prophetic across the Body of Christ.
“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. (Joel 2:28)
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:29)