Good is Looking for a Standard

By Martha Lucia

There seem to be many voices saying 2008 is the year of GATES.  Perhaps we need to understand a little more on what it means to stand in the gates and be a voice of the Lord in this time and season.

God is looking for a standard in the earth, are you willing to be that standard?

God has always and will always look for an intercessor – someone to stand in the gap before HIM on behalf of the land. In order to stand in the gap we have to wear the same clothing Jesus wore when He walked the earth - vengeance and zeal.

“And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance (revenge, avenge, quarrel) for clothing, and was clad with zeal (jealousy or envy) as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense.  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.”  (Isaiah 59:16-20, KJV)

The reference “like a flood” in this passage brings to mind the story of Noah. Noah walked with God and was a preacher of righteousness during a time when there was much evil in the earth. Even though Noah did not know the timing of God, he knew the end result (Gen 6:13).  I imagine he was preaching to a people who did not want to hear what he was saying and were even scorning him, but he remained obedient to God.  His obedience resulted in establishing a righteous standard in the earth.

In Hebrews 11:7 we see the results of Noah’s obedience and what it meant to be a righteous standard in the earth. 

“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” 

The word “condemned” in this verse means to judge or damn.  The righteous standard that Noah was willing to be literally gave God the right to judge an unbelieving world.  That sounds rather frivolous to think that God needed a right, but because He is a God of mercy, love, and covenant He always gives warnings, but will judge according to the response of the people. When the cup of iniquity is full – His judgment will follow.  Are you willing to stand for righteousness in a world that every day becomes more condemning to Christians and what we stand for?  Are you willing to be one who says there is no other way to the Father but by Jesus Christ?  Are you willing to be a voice crying in the wilderness?  For the just shall live by faith.  Faith as defined in Hebrews 11:1 is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.   

Today, do you suppose God expects His people to be unmoved by what we see around us?  Do you suppose He expects us to continue to believe in Him and stand for righteousness regardless of the constant pressure to conform to the world’s standard?  

Noah must have really believed that he could hope and trust in the Lord as he stood as a righteous standard in the earth.  Noah was a bridge between the condemned world and a new beginning.  Jesus was a bridge between a condemned world and a new beginning – the Kingdom of Heaven age.  Once again there will be a bridge between a condemned world and a new beginning.  The saints of God will receive and possess the Kingdom (Dan 7:18) and the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. (Rev 1:18)  What will it take for this to happen?  I would say it would take many books to completely expound this! 

Since God is looking for someone who will stand before HIM on behalf of the land, and will proclaim His warnings, perhaps we need to know how to find that “Gate of Heaven” that Jacob found where angels were ascending and descending bringing the blessings of heaven to earth.  As we go into this gate, God will then give us the keys for other gates that need to be opened or shut. 

The book, “The Gate of Prayer” by Martha Lucia and Linda Downing helps us understand opening the gates of controlled, legal and business access.  The book is available through the Christian International Resource Center at the following link: http://ciresourcecenter.com/shop/index.php?action=item&id=188&prevaction=category&previd=4&prevstart=0

Chuck D. Pierce says, “The Gate of Prayer is a must read for NOW! If there is one thing God is saying to the Body of Christ it is that “the Church is arising and coming to a prominent place once again at the gates of our cities, our nation and the nations of the earth.” God is building the Church, and without understanding the gate of prayer the Church will not be properly built for this season of history.”

Dr. Bill Hamon writes, “The Gate of Prayer takes us from how Jacob found himself at the "Gate of Heaven," to how the newly birthed Church in the book of Acts found its way through uncharted waters to show what the key was that opened the gates of cities and nations. This book contains keys and strategies for the times that we are living in.”

Blessings,

Martha Lucia