A Peek at a Messianic Vision Prayer Meeting
by Lonnie Lane
You see the TV shows, listen to the radio shows or enjoy whatever you do on this website, but did you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at Messianic Vision? Did you ever wonder what if any supernatural stuff goes on off camera or away from the microphones? Let me tell you, the home of It’s Supernatural is one where the supernatural of God is “at home.”
I attend the weekly Messianic Vision prayer meeting most of the time from my home in another state via a conference telephone call. It’s not the same as being there. The anointing doesn’t always translate through to me, though at times it has. I recall one time when Sid was taping a radio show with one of his prophetic guests who was on the other side of the country on the west coast. As I was producing the shows at that time I was on the phone too. I felt a jolt of the Holy Spirit power at the moment when Sid felt it and just as the guest uttered his own equivalent of “Wow!” and then said, “An angel just walked into my office.” He could see him. We all felt the power of this angel’s presence in three different States in two time zones. The angel’s being there released words of knowledge to the show we were taping. So the anointing can be felt without limitations to time or space. After all, the Holy Spirit has no limitations, right?
We call it a prayer meeting but it intentionally functions as a house church would, where every one contributes, just as Paul defined a meeting in the Lord: “When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation Let all things be done for edification (1 Cor 14:26). And this is what takes place. As we all shared our various recent experiences, we talked about how natural it should be for God’s people to be increasingly walking in the supernatural. I thought it would be good for our readers to be able to take a peek into the meeting and join us, especially for those of you who have never had the opportunity for this kind of Kingdom fellowship. So here’s what took place at this week’s meeting. What I’m sharing is a composite of everyone’s contributions at the office or on the phone. The group is made up of staff and a few faithful intercessors who have been with Sid for years.
The first concern was the elections that were taking place in Israel. It was mentioned that this might be the most significant time and election in modern Israel’s history. There was prayer for God’s supernatural intervention to bring about the new prime minister in Israel who would be His choice, for God’s will and salvation to come to Israel. It occurs to me that prayer for Israel is a good way to tap into God’s supernatural realm because all of His promises are prophetic declarations of His intentions to fulfill His word toward Israel. What God prophesies will come to pass! If you want to prophesy, get into the Old Testament prophets and pray in agreement with what God has already prophesied through them. You can declare it prophetically with assurance that what you are declaring will come to pass when you pray His Word back to Him. There, you now know how to become a prophetic intercessor!
One of the leaders in the ministry read several testimonies of healings that have come in from people as a result of Sid’s shows. Totally supernatural and extraordinary healings! Testimonies come into the office on a regular basis. It is always a joy to hear how God has used the shows to change lives for the better in supernatural ways.
One of the men on staff told of how he and his wife who also attends the prayer meetings as staff officiated at a wedding this weekend, which God used to bring about something pretty special. There’s nothing more prophetic than a wedding, a type of Messiah and His people being united in ultimate eternal oneness. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” (Rev. 19:1-9)
He felt he was to put on for the occasion his priestly robe and kippah (yarmalka or head covering) that he wears to conduct Passover Seders and such occasions. I’ll let him share it. Here are his words:
“My wife and I took part in a wedding on Saturday. The bride wanted it to be a mix with Judaism in it (she never called it a One New Man wedding, but that is what it really was) with a chupa (canopy) over their heads while they were being married. She and the pastor asked the two of us to share in the wedding and the pastor spoke the part first, then my wife and I spoke next. I first said the Seven B’ruchahote (blessings) in Hebrew, then my wife gave the translation. We ended the blessings by ministering communion to them (with my wife’s fresh challah bread and some juice). The wine cup was a gift from us to them. On it was a picture of a wedding couple with a Rabbi under a chuppah. Then I did as the Lord had instructed me to do, and took off my priestly robe and fancy kippa, placing them both on the groom. I told him that I was passing on to him my priestly mantle of the home, as well as, my mantle of a husband and father of 20 years. The congregation went wild at this point. This morning we got an e-mail from the bride thanking us and in the e-mail she said that she was told “…it will be incorporated in the marriage ministry at other churches now.” That absolutely excited my wife and I both because all I did was be obedient to the Lord.”
How wonderful is that? What a beautiful thing, to impart a blessing and the mantle of a husband and father by an older man upon the groom. There is a real impartation that takes place, a transfer if you will, of anointing when we lay hands on someone, which is why we’re told not to do it too quickly before someone is ready for the responsibility (See I Tim 5:22). To make this part of a wedding ceremony seems not only a precious promise of a godly home, but gives honor between one generation and another. Sounds like God to me. You never know how far God will take your instant obedience. Because he obeyed God’s leading to do this, now some of you around the world reading this might feel inclined to incorporate it as well in your wedding ceremony. Let us know if you do.
Sid’s associate producer had a rather Pentecostal experience while talking with one of the guests for It’s Supernatural! Here’s what she had to say:
“On the last TV shoot I was talking to one of the guests about walking in the supernatural. I was telling him how I was translated 2 years ago and had experiences of speaking in other languages to people who spoke those languages but that I did not have that happen in a while. Later, I spoke to someone who worked at the hotel while I was getting a room for prayer for the guests. He asked me my name. As my last name sounds French he began speaking to me in French. I don’t speak French but I decided to trust God and speak to him in tongues. He spoke back to me in French and I finally said, ‘No, no, no, I don’t really speak French, but in other languages only when I’m praying.’ It turned out he had heard of speaking in tongues and I thought maybe he was a believer. I asked him what he heard me say and he said, “When the Spirit of the Lord comes upon me, I speak in these other languages.” I asked him again explaining that I wanted him to tell me exactly what he heard me say when I was speaking in tongues and he repeated it.
“I once spoke to a Jewish man on the phone who had called into MV who was a believer but not spirit-filled. I explained to him about tongues and asked him if I could pray for him. After I prayed he told me that when I prayed in tongues I was saying in Hebrew the same thing that I had said in English. It has happened to me with other languages such as Greek, Latin, ancient French and other languages too. Working at MV makes me even more hungry for intimacy with the Lord and walking in the supernatural for the world to see what a very real and amazing God we serve.”
Another staff member told of how a leak developed in her roof. She discovered it when a terrible storm came and it began to pour through. She took authority over it in Jesus’ name and the rain stopped coming through and despite the storm getting worse, it stayed perfectly dry the whole night. Praise the Lord for His power and authority in the practicalities in our lives, yes?
God’s people should be people of miracles in our everyday lives. If it was so in the Book of Acts, how much more now since we are the house or temple of the Lord and He has promised that “the latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,” says the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:9). This is valid Kingdom life.
Somewhat along those lines we then heard about how a door has opened in the Jewish community to welcome a Messianic believer into an organization that previously would have had no part with believers in Yeshua. (In case you wonder why, consider how the Jews have often been treated in Jesus’ name since the A.D. 330’s, including but not limited to the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades and Nazi Germany to name just a few ‘incidents’.) It is known that this person is a Messianic believer and yet they have been given a position of honor. This is somewhat unprecedented which tells us that God is opening doors that have been securely shut for centuries. What a sign of the times. Messiah Yeshua said, “You will not see Me again until you (the Jews) say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:39) As a rule the Jewish community is unfamiliar with Scripture and interprets what happens in Israel from a political perspective, not a spiritual one for the most part. That this Messianic believer has been recognized and accepted is something that just may be “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14), to be there to give to the Jews with whom they will now be involved a picture of God’s Word and His promises to Israel that they will never disappear or lose their land no matter what the world may say. May I hear a resounding amen to that!
Often words of prophecy or words of knowledge come forth in house churches or prayer meetings. Two such words were given today. The first one regarded a “covenant of worship.” As best as I recall (Sorry I’m not being able to give you the exact wording) in these last and/or difficult days those who walk the closest with God will be those who enter into a covenant of worship with Him. It would seem that such a covenant would be one in which we commit to worship Him in and through whatever may come, that we meet any and all events with an attitude of worship. That would seem to preclude worrying, fretting, being fearful, accusatory, tentative or anxious. If we are focused on His greatness, His goodness, His glory and His power on our behalf, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28), we can maintain our “covenant of worship” with God in all instances and at all times. Why not stop right now and make that commitment to God, that by His grace we can be people of worship, not worry.
The second was a word that God must have meant for everyone reading this as He impressed upon me to write this article. Here’s what was said: “Yesterday morning at prayer I kept hearing “Open Doors.” I asked “What about Open Doors, Lord?” And God said” Daughter, I have opened doors no one can shut and shut doors no one can open. This is not only for Messianic Vision as a ministry but for anyone who will receive this today. Not only for the staff here but for anyone who will receive. The doors are not just one thing but everything in the lives of those who receive this word. Every circumstance, every situation. Do not look at your circumstances or what is going on in the world, turn to Me, focus on Me. Make Me your focus and I will make your paths straight. Step through the doors I have opened, and know that it is I who have opened them.” Then she added, “I think the Lord just wants us to trust Him and not give up hope on things we have been praying for such a long time. He is like a chess master who’s opponent does not understand that he also is just a chess piece on God’s chess board, and he is moving things into position for His return.” OK, you heard it. It’s for you too!
We then entered into a time for worship. A CD was played that brought the sweet presence of the Lord in a greater measure, which was followed by the weekly taking of communion and a time for prayer to “remember” Yeshua ( 1 Cor 11:23-26) which serves to always bring an aliveness and reality to all that He died to give to us. Healings sometimes take place among the staff during communion time. Someone mentioned that during the Exodus from Egypt, we were to eat the lamb and be ready to go. Jesus as the Lamb of God also commanded us to “go.” It seems that as we take communion, eating of His body (the body of the Lamb), we should likewise be “ready to go” as He bids us and share the good news. Prayer came forth for “huge leaps in our walk with You, Lord…for a greater desire to worship You…and that we not be distracted from spending quality time with You by what’s going on in the world.” Can you relate?
This was followed by two different dreams being shared, each with a prophetic meaning. One dream was from a woman who always thought that if she were to suddenly be faced with death, she would be desperately saying, “Jesus, forgive me for all my sins, forgive me for all my sins.” But in this dream, she was in the back seat and the person driving was trying to do so with the emergency break on. She climbed into the drivers seat and released the break but it soon became evident that the road was so narrow and on a cliff that there was no way to stop and so she drove off the cliff into the air, knowing she was about to die. But what she shouted was “Jesus, I love You.” She knew she would meet Him and had no concerns about being forgiven. She only was filled with joy and love for Him as she anticipated meeting Him.
The woman who had this dream shared it because she had a feeling that someone at the prayer meeting might be benefitted by hearing the dream though she wasn’t sure how. That’s when I had the idea of sharing the prayer meeting with y’all, as I thought some of you might be the ones benefitted. So here’s a bit of possible interpretation to this dream.
If we are so sin conscious that our primary concern is being forgiven when we meet Him face to face, I’d like to suggest that that is not a time to be asking for forgiveness. It should have all been settled before that. Also, if we’re continually aware of our sin, we are not going to be in the driver’s seat of our lives as Yeshua would have us be. We would be taking a back seat to moving under the anointing of the Holy Spirit or stepping out in the authority of His name or the power of the Spirit or in our gifting. “Driving” would be akin to taking authority and determining the direction of your life, rather than being “driven” by others or circumstances. Sin consciousness will do that. It robs us of anointing and confidence before the Lord. It keeps us self-focused instead of open to His leading and in faith that He will accomplish in us what He wants to do through us. It keeps us fearful instead of faith-filled. So that explains the back seat-front seat part.
Taking the wheel and releasing the emergency break is like releasing the tentativeness in our lives, that hyper-vigilance that keeps us too careful to step out in unknown spiritual territory. I can assure you, if you can do it and you know how, you will never experience the glory of God that comes from being out on the limb with nothing to hold onto but Him. If God is going to do new things we’ve not known before, we have to be willing to take the emergency break off, instead of being always ready to stop if we feel we’re beyond our comfort zone or our control, and trust Him. Yes, be wise, but being wise is trusting Him, not making sure you can trust in yourself.
That the road is narrow is true and that we have no idea where it will take us is also true. We could go soaring into the heavenlies, not to die physically (or yes, to die for Him) but to die to our sin nature or our own will. This would cause us to be so filled with love for Him and in anticipation of being with Him that it doesn’t matter what happens. There’s only joy. As someone at the meeting said, “There is so much more God has for us than we can begin to imagine.”
So there you have it. Another prayer or house church (in this case office, but it works wherever) meeting. For anyone who might be saying, “Yeah, but that’s because Sid Roth was there. Sid wouldn’t be at our meetings” I just want you to know that Sid wasn’t at this meeting. Sid was traveling. It never seems to matter if he’s there or not. You don’t need any celebrities; you just need the Holy Spirit. Turn it over to Him and watch what He does. It may take you some time to become comfortable with it, and with each other, but the Holy Spirit knows how to run His own meetings. Let Him teach you how. If you’re looking for Jewish roots restoration, this is a great way to do it. First century folks would likely have felt right at home and jumped right in. So can you.
Reprint of this article is permitted as long as you use the following; Use by permission by Messianic Vision, www.sidroth.org, 2009.
Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. Used by permission.