The God who delights in us is the very One who will set intercessors in place to worship and pray 24/7 until Jesus returns (vv. 6–7). His Holy Spirit is moving right now to raise up a multitude of men and women—singers, preachers, evangelists, writers, marketplace leaders, intercessors and so on—all over the world, who will proclaim that God delights in His people.
I have found that people are best motivated to sustain night-and-day intercession when they understand that God delights in them as a bridegroom delights in his bride (vv. 4–5).
In fact, one reason people burn out in intercession and ministry to others is that they lack the intimacy with God that comes from encountering Jesus as their Bridegroom God who delights in His relationship with them. In other words, the revelation of the church as Jesus’ cherished Bride is essential to keeping our hearts alive through the years as we diligently do the work of the kingdom.
3. The end-time prayer movement (worship element) will be continual (Isa. 62:6–7; Lk. 18:7–8).
As the worship order around God’s throne in heaven is continual, so worship on earth will be continual in many nations before Jesus returns. Isaiah prophesied of a time just before the Lord returns when He would set intercessors in place who would never be silent, day or night. Isaiah referred to them as watchmen “who remind the Lord.”
“On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen [intercessors]; all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves; and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth,” (Isaiah 62:6–7, NASB).
Isaiah described prayer ministries that would continue 24/7 until the time when Jerusalem becomes a praise in the earth—that is, when Jesus returns to reign from Jerusalem.
Jeremiah prophesied the Lord’s reign in Jerusalem when he decreed, “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord” (Jer. 3:17). And Jesus spoke of Jerusalem as “the city of the great King” (Mt. 5:35), anticipating the day when He would dwell there among His people, ruling the nations in partnership with them after He returns to earth.
Only one generation will see the fulfillment of God’s promise to appoint watchmen–intercessors to pray “all day and all night” on Jerusalem’s walls. Do you understand the significance of this promise?
God will sovereignly appoint and place intercessors in prayer ministries who will not stop praying for Jerusalem until Jesus returns. In ministries in Jerusalem and around the world believers are taking hold of this prophetic promise and standing on the wall of intercession to cry out for the salvation of Jerusalem and the nations. Perhaps you will be one of them!
Jesus made reference to the prophecy given by Isaiah when He spoke of those who would pray day and night and whose prayers would result in the release of justice (Lk. 18:1–8). Jesus connected the call to continual prayer to the timing of His second coming (vv. 7–8). Also notice that in Luke 18:1, Jesus started His parable with “then,” tying it back to what He had just taught about the end times in Luke 17:22–36.
“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart… ‘Shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him…? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes [second coming], will He really find faith on the earth?’” (Luke 18:1, 7–8).
In place of the word avenge in verses 7 and 8, many Bible translations use the phrase “bring about justice.” Jesus connected night-and-day prayer to God’s releasing justice on earth, especially in the generation in which the Son of Man comes back.
In verse 8, Jesus posed an important question about finding faith on earth. He was not asking if there would be believers on earth who had faith to become born again. He was asking if there would be people with the faith to agree with Him in bringing about justice through night-and-day prayer.
The Spirit is raising up many leaders in the Body of Christ who have faith (agreement with God) to work for justice in a way that flows from praying night and day for it. Most often, 24/7 prayer will arise from many local churches working together across a city or region.
I don’t believe the Lord is calling most individual local churches to start 24/7 prayer ministries on their own; rather, He is calling them to build a culture of prayer in their churches and to work with other ministries to see 24/7 prayer and worship set up in their cities. In other words, unless the Lord specifically calls you to start 24/7 prayer in your congregation, it is best to participate in the collective effort of many local churches.
This article originally appeared here.
