Dear Sanctified Prayer Warriors:
The Body of Christ cannot afford to stand still
and embrace any passivity this year. When the Spirit of God visited me and gave
me revelation about 2004 being a year of the “DOOR,” He instructed me that we
were to close doors this first quarter. Shutting doors is important before we
cross over the threshold of the new doors that are forming. There
have been several prophecies about the importance of March 11. There have also
been prophecies about the capture of Osama bin Laden and the need to pray for the
removal of occult forces which are keeping him hidden. I really think the next
10 days are very important in creating an atmosphere for victory in the earth
realm. We cannot break through into the new place without fasting. I also think
we need to prepare ourselves for the days ahead.
This prayer focus, Preparing to Cross Over, is different from
others. This time frame gives us 10 days for prayer, three of which should be
set aside for sanctification, including fasting. This will bring us to the
beginning of Spring (March 21). This will cause us to cross over. I will
explain what this means as you read the prayer focus. Later this month, I will
then send out a separate 40-Day Prayer Focus that will begin on March 21.
Crossing Over is Moving Through Transition. Crossing over actually means to go from one place to another or a transition time where you leave one place and then enter into another. There are several issues in our moving forward into the new. In this transition we are changing forms. In transition you must stay focused on where you are going or what you are birthing. Although you may not have settled in the new place yet or received the new thing, when there is a conception of vision in your heart, you cross over to a new place where the change manifests. There are three specific areas to keep in mind during transition:
1. Move from strength to strength. Psalms 84 is a great passage for today. “Blessed is the person that is on a pilgrimage ... they go from strength to strength.”
2. Move from faith to faith. Romans 1:16-17 says, “Do not be ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God to those who believe. . .in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.”
3. Move from glory to glory. II Corinthians 3:16-18 talks about the veil of the law being lifted and the Spirit of God releasing new liberty. “But we all are being transformed from glory to glory.”
The enemy never wants us to complete the “from—to” process. He wants to hold us in the last season's strength, faith, and glory. He knows if he succeeds in doing this, we will never see our Lord's plan manifest for the future season. He also knows that he can keep an entire generation from advancing into the riches and blessings of a covenant God.
A crossing over time has three phases linked
with transition: Death, Confusion, and New.
The Hebrew word abar means "to cross over” or “pass over." This
word illustrates a motion. It also refers to crossing a stream or barrier ("pass
through," Num 21:22), invading a country ("passed over," Judg 11:32), crossing a
boundary against a hostile army ("go over," 1 Sam 14:4), marching over ("go
over," Isa 51:23), overflowing the banks of a river or other natural barriers
("pass through," Isa 23:10), passing a razor over one's head ("come upon," Num
6:5), and the passing of time ("went over," 1 Chron 29:30).
As a verb, the word is used in relationship to transgression or sin, such
as transgressing a covenant or commandment. One "passes beyond" the limits set
by God's law and falls into transgression and guilt. This meaning appears in Num
14:41: "And Moses said, wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the
Lord? but it shall not prosper." We want to die to anything in the past season
that would hinder us in the season ahead. We want to be sure the power of any
besetting sin is broken. Don’t be afraid to go to the CROSS. Resurrection and
new life are on the other side.
This is a time of preparation,
building the frame for our future. When the Lord is saying “cross over,” He is
ready to begin transferring the enemy’s spoils into and under our sphere of
authority. Therefore, He wants to be sure we have defined our boundaries properly
so we do not get outside of our God-given scope of authority. Dutch Sheets’
book, Praying for America, is an incredible resource that every one of us
should read. This book not only motivates us to pray for our nation now, but
also explains many important principles for our own lives.
In this book, there are two chapters on crossing over. Dutch begins by
discussing Gen 14:13 which uses the phrase, “Abram, the Hebrew.” The word for
Hebrew is ibriy, which originated from the word abar. Abraham was
a cause minded, history making, crossing-over guy. He then explains how each one
of us, through our salvation experience with the Lord Jesus Christ, is grafted
into this same Hebrew crossing over anointing. He shares the following, “Because
abar is a transition word, it also means ‘to penetrate,’ as in penetrating
territory or even the human heart … the word also means to impregnate.” One
significant thing that Pastor Sheets writes in this book is that our crossing
over terrifies our enemies. That is what God is trying to get us to do. He has
another whole chapter on the fruits of crossing over. I will offer this book now
for key understanding of this principle.
Three Days of Prayer and Fasting to Prepare
for Crossing Over. We all have a Jordan
to cross over. This is the place of death that releases us from the old and
propels us into the new. Joshua 1:11 says, “Pass through the camp and command
the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you
will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God
is giving you to possess.'" Joshua 3:2-5 says, “After three days the officers
went through the camp and commanded the people saying, ‘When you see the Ark of
the Covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then
you shall set out from you place and go after it … You have not passed (abar)
this way before … Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among
you.’” In other words, divorce yourself from anything that is unclear and devote
yourself wholly to the Lord. I feel the need for us to do this for three days so
we can fling into Spring. Many times this can be accompanied by fasting.
Let God choose your fast!
Three, as a symbolic number, often indicated completeness. The
created cosmos had three elements: heaven, earth, and underworld. Three Persons
make up the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Prayer was to be lifted at
least three times daily (Dan. 6:10; compare Ps. 55:17) … Jesus said He would be
in the grave for three days and three nights (Matt. 12:40). Below I have given
you key issues that are linked with three days.
Prepare yourself with the Word – God’s sanctifying power.
Read Genesis 40:13. Declare your place or position will be restored.
Read Exodus 3:18. Declare that anything that is keeping you from worship will be broken.
Read Exodus 10:22-23. Declare that any plan the enemy has will be overwhelmed by darkness but you will be filled with revelation.
Read Judges 14:14. Declare that any bitter root will be uprooted and sweet water will begin to flow in your life.
Read 1 Sam 30. Trust the Lord to connect you with those who can pursue and overtake your enemy.
Read Ezra 8. Stop and let the Lord show you the enemy that is on the road ahead of you.
Read Nehemiah 2. Let God develop the plan to rebuild that which is broken down in your life.
Read Matthew 12. Thank the Lord for the Cross. Declare that the passion of the Cross arise in you.
Read Matthew 15 and Mark 8. Ask God to release the same compassion on you that was in Jesus that will not only heal the sick but also produce provision for the poor.
Read Acts 9. Declare that any scales on your eyes will fall off and that you will have clear vision for your future.
Meditate on the book of Esther,
especially, Chapters 4 & 5. Prepare
yourself and cross over into the Inner Court. As you know, I continue to read the
chapter “4’s” through the word of God. This past week I reread Esther 4 (and to
the end of the book of Esther). Esther recognized God’s sovereign timing and
placement in her life. She then prepared herself to go in before the king.
Preparation produces favor. Upon entering the inner court of the king, he
extended his scepter to her and said, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is
your request? It shall be given to you – up to half the kingdom!”
Prepare yourself and go into the Throne Room. Replace Queen Esther’s
name with your name and make your request known to the King of kings.
Remember, Esther had a very specific request. You need to have one also.
Declare that one request to the Lord that will bring change!
Cross Over the Tangled Maze of Jungle Haunted
by Lions. Remember that a key verse
this year is Jeremiah 12:5. The Amplified says, “If you have raced with men of
foot and they have tired you out, then how can you compete with horses? And if
you take to flight in a land of peace where you feel secure, then what will you
do [when you tread the TANGLED MAZE OF JUNGLE, HAUNTED BY LIONS] in the swelling
of the Jordan?” The Jordan swelled in the Spring. This was the time for
crossing over. Jeremiah was upset because there was much confusion in
Jerusalem. Josiah had brought many reforms but had ended up losing his life
prematurely. Jeremiah was really questioning the Lord over why certain things
were happening.
Even though you might be questioning the Lord over situations that have
seemed so difficult, the Lord still has a crossing over plan for you. The Lord
told Jeremiah that what he had been going through was preparation for the
future. If you have had difficulty coping with certain situations this past year
to the extent that you have been distracted from pressing in to all that the Lord
was telling you to press into, you will never be able to move into this next
dimension of conflict. You are on the verge of “crossing over” into your
inheritance. Don’t let the roaring lions around you cause you to turn back. The
enemy has a roar that would try to prevent you from moving into the portion that
God has allotted for you, but you have a ROAR greater than the enemy’s! Let the
Lord fill you with new joy and produce new strength within you.
Cross Over, Face Your AMALEKITE, and break
the power of his noose! We have just
finished the celebration of Purim. Purim, of course, is the story of how Esther
overcame Haman. Haman was an Amalekite. The Amalekites would come behind the
army and begin to pick off the stragglers. This is a time to catch up and cross
over! The word Amalekite means “to toil or work under hard labor”. This is a
time for you to break out of legalistic, hard labor. The Amalekites were a
nomadic tribe of formidable people that first attacked the Israelites after the
Exodus at Rephidim. Amalek, the grandson of Esau (Gen. 36:12), inhabited the
desolate wasteland of the northeast Sinai peninsula and the Negeb. They were the
first to attack Israel after the Exodus (Num. 24:20).
This is where the Lord revealed Himself as Jehovah Nissi. He declared that
we would war with Amalek from generation to generation. The antichrist spirit
today is linked into this Amalakite spirit. Israel won the initial battle (Ex.
17:8-16), but later was driven back into the Sinai wilderness by a coalition of
Amalekites and Canaanites (Num. 14:39-45). Because of their atrocities, God
commanded Saul to exterminate the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:2-3). Saul disobeyed, and
the Amalekites were not defeated completely until late in the eighth century B.C.
(1 Chron. 4:43). Haman the Agagite (Est 3:1-10; 8:3-5) was thought by the Jews
to be his descendant, from whence sprung his hatred toward their race.
Prepare yourself and watch your Haman be hung on his own gallows. Break all
compromise. This simply means, during these next few days, your enemy will
overplay his hand and you will end up victorious! Cross over and watch your new
doors form!
Blessings,
Chuck D. Pierce