Touching the Heart- Winnipeg
29/12/08 20:17
This was an incredible, divinely orchestrated time that saw the Lord break in and take over again and again, touching our hearts and the heart of the nation in a profound, even historic way.
Cityscape gathered a team of 21 key intercessors from all over the nation to join with the over 30 intercessors hand-picked from Winnipeg and Southern Manitoba by the Winnipeg Church leadership. Together with pastors who were able to participate and 1st Nations leaders, we were a team of about 60.
The goal was to serve Winnipeg and serve the purposes of God in the city by uniting in prayer for a greater breakthrough and believing that Winnipeg will rise in fullness to it’s prophetic destiny in the nation.
We had many strong, clear prophetic words and confirmations that this national assembling and pushing together would not only release Winnipeg in a new way, but it would flow out into the nation. But we were not expecting at all the direction God took us.
As we gathered as a leadership team on the Thursday morning, the Lord surprised us with speaking to us about His heart for the national altar that was to have been built in Winnipeg. Stones were here from the 1999 Gathering from every part of the nation, in storage, but there had not been any clarity as what to do with them. A scripture had been received early that morning that suddenly made sense… “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born… a time to scatter stones and a time to gather.” Ecc 3:1, 2a & 5a.
We knew that we were gathered as living stones, but there was also a foundation of the altar that needed to be laid this weekend.
We were also shown that there was a well that was to be uncapped, and the whole theme of the heart being made flesh from Eze 36:26.
Protocols:
That evening for our first meeting we began with a welcoming banquet, with the most amazing Manitoban hospitality. 20 pastors, including the leaders of key churches attended to welcome us, and the senior 1st Nations leaders from the region also traveled 2 hours to welcome us and bless our time. We brought gifts to honour them and they had also prepared gifts for each of those that had come from the other provinces. Their prayers and receiving us opened up doors of access to powerfully minister in the city.
Foundation with the 1st Nations
We began in earnest the next day (Friday) with an extended time of worship and beginning to move together in prayer. By lunchtime we were flowing well together and the Lord began to take us very deep.
The First Nations leaders led in repentance for the native spirituality and witchcraft that had brought such destruction on their people. (This was the first time this had ever been done in this region.) We surrounded them and cried out with much prayer for their people’s healing and restoration. We prayed that they would now be released into their anointings and callings, taking their place in the nation. We also prayed for them personally.
This was particularly key as these leaders (Irwin & Dolly Wilson) were leaving for Israel on Sunday where they will be establishing the 1st Nations Embassy.
Preparing the Way
Much had been walked out with the 1st Nations over the years in Winnipeg, but in this year the way was prepared in unprecedented ways with the healing of historic inter-tribal wounds and corporate repentance for defiling the land before the white explorers came.
The governmental decree of healing for the 1st Nations by the Governor General in the spring, along with the recent throne speech promise of an apology coming for the residential schools have created a new spiritual momentum of healing.
Jealousy was identified as a key stronghold, and honour the weapon to break its power.
A New Well
That evening we again went deep into worship and God began to move with tremendous joy and called forth a dance. We heard the Lord say to dance on injustice, and Lucy Guiboche, a Métis intercessor led the dance for justice. This was deeply significant as we discovered that day was the anniversary of Lois Riel’s hanging (the Métis leader and Father of Manitoba).
We were also amazed that the Provincial Justice Ministers were all gathered in Winnipeg, consulting together that weekend.
We were taken to James 3:16, and then Gen 26 as the Lord spoke to us about the two previous wells in the region that had been shut down with jealousy and strife. We felt that the needed repentance had been done and travailed for the new well, a place of spaciousness, room for all. (Later we were informed that Beersheba is the sister city of Winnipeg, and they have a very good relationship. Gen 26:33)
Towards the end of the evening the Lord released the sound of war.
One of the key intercessory leaders was deep in travail through the evening. She said a regiment had been released. The regiment was on horseback.
The Regiment
Saturday morning the Lord led us to have the “regiment” assemble and the leadership team prayed over and anointed each one. The leaders were also prayed over and many words were given. I felt this was very important and necessary- it was a time of intercession moving into a new level corporately for the next season. Esther 8 was given as the riders went out into the provinces to enforce the King’s decree. (v11& 14)
Establishing the Altar
Ruth Wall had prepared a slide presentation on the “Ledg” the Provincial Legislative Assembly, which is the central Masonic temple for North America. When it was over we shared that the enemy had established the false, yet God wanted to establish the authentic altar and so we gathered around a flag of Canada to pray.
We had just heard the news that Pastor Bob was failing, and knew that David Demian had just turned 50, so sensed this weekend was in many ways the fullness of time for a transition. Lucy (Métis intercessor) had been entrusted with 4 of the 13 stones that Kenny Blacksmith had brought to Winnipeg to establish the altar of the Lord in the summer at the ETH & S conference.
We felt these 4 stones represented the four key verses that Pastor Bob so often preached on (Jn 17, Rev 3, Jn 12:24, & Rom 8:26). And that this was the foundation of our father of intercession that we needed to honour. It is actually a foundation of honour, and a foundation of intercession that was being laid. These 4 verses would need to continue to be our DNA as we build in the nation. There was also honour given to David Demian, as a true spiritual son and one continuing to carry Pastor Bob’s mantle.
I cannot express the clarity or the weight in the spirit that we were sensing. It was a holy moment, where we felt the Lord had called us together, to come to receive a significant commissioning. There was total agreement, like a moment in history had come upon us. Kneeling around the flag, dripping with oil and tears we cried out, and committed ourselves, as a representation of the intercessory leaders of Canada, to run the race Pastor Bob had run, and not let go of fighting for this nation and for the next generation in intercession.
The last session wrapped everything up with more gifts, thanks and a final charge to the “regiment” before they went back to their homes.
I picked up a Winnipeg Free Press at the airport, and there right in the first section was a huge picture of a stone heart embedded into the ground, with the headline “Where the Rocks Speak”. Thinking of how much the Lord had spoken to us about exchanging stony hearts for hearts of flesh, I saw again the confirmation of His hand upon us. I flew home with a deep satisfaction in my spirit that by God’s grace we had done what He asked of us, and a profound gratitude to the Lord for honouring us by letting us be a part of this time.
Cityscape gathered a team of 21 key intercessors from all over the nation to join with the over 30 intercessors hand-picked from Winnipeg and Southern Manitoba by the Winnipeg Church leadership. Together with pastors who were able to participate and 1st Nations leaders, we were a team of about 60.
The goal was to serve Winnipeg and serve the purposes of God in the city by uniting in prayer for a greater breakthrough and believing that Winnipeg will rise in fullness to it’s prophetic destiny in the nation.
We had many strong, clear prophetic words and confirmations that this national assembling and pushing together would not only release Winnipeg in a new way, but it would flow out into the nation. But we were not expecting at all the direction God took us.
As we gathered as a leadership team on the Thursday morning, the Lord surprised us with speaking to us about His heart for the national altar that was to have been built in Winnipeg. Stones were here from the 1999 Gathering from every part of the nation, in storage, but there had not been any clarity as what to do with them. A scripture had been received early that morning that suddenly made sense… “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born… a time to scatter stones and a time to gather.” Ecc 3:1, 2a & 5a.
We knew that we were gathered as living stones, but there was also a foundation of the altar that needed to be laid this weekend.
We were also shown that there was a well that was to be uncapped, and the whole theme of the heart being made flesh from Eze 36:26.
Protocols:
That evening for our first meeting we began with a welcoming banquet, with the most amazing Manitoban hospitality. 20 pastors, including the leaders of key churches attended to welcome us, and the senior 1st Nations leaders from the region also traveled 2 hours to welcome us and bless our time. We brought gifts to honour them and they had also prepared gifts for each of those that had come from the other provinces. Their prayers and receiving us opened up doors of access to powerfully minister in the city.
Foundation with the 1st Nations
We began in earnest the next day (Friday) with an extended time of worship and beginning to move together in prayer. By lunchtime we were flowing well together and the Lord began to take us very deep.
The First Nations leaders led in repentance for the native spirituality and witchcraft that had brought such destruction on their people. (This was the first time this had ever been done in this region.) We surrounded them and cried out with much prayer for their people’s healing and restoration. We prayed that they would now be released into their anointings and callings, taking their place in the nation. We also prayed for them personally.
This was particularly key as these leaders (Irwin & Dolly Wilson) were leaving for Israel on Sunday where they will be establishing the 1st Nations Embassy.
Preparing the Way
Much had been walked out with the 1st Nations over the years in Winnipeg, but in this year the way was prepared in unprecedented ways with the healing of historic inter-tribal wounds and corporate repentance for defiling the land before the white explorers came.
The governmental decree of healing for the 1st Nations by the Governor General in the spring, along with the recent throne speech promise of an apology coming for the residential schools have created a new spiritual momentum of healing.
Jealousy was identified as a key stronghold, and honour the weapon to break its power.
A New Well
That evening we again went deep into worship and God began to move with tremendous joy and called forth a dance. We heard the Lord say to dance on injustice, and Lucy Guiboche, a Métis intercessor led the dance for justice. This was deeply significant as we discovered that day was the anniversary of Lois Riel’s hanging (the Métis leader and Father of Manitoba).
We were also amazed that the Provincial Justice Ministers were all gathered in Winnipeg, consulting together that weekend.
We were taken to James 3:16, and then Gen 26 as the Lord spoke to us about the two previous wells in the region that had been shut down with jealousy and strife. We felt that the needed repentance had been done and travailed for the new well, a place of spaciousness, room for all. (Later we were informed that Beersheba is the sister city of Winnipeg, and they have a very good relationship. Gen 26:33)
Towards the end of the evening the Lord released the sound of war.
One of the key intercessory leaders was deep in travail through the evening. She said a regiment had been released. The regiment was on horseback.
The Regiment
Saturday morning the Lord led us to have the “regiment” assemble and the leadership team prayed over and anointed each one. The leaders were also prayed over and many words were given. I felt this was very important and necessary- it was a time of intercession moving into a new level corporately for the next season. Esther 8 was given as the riders went out into the provinces to enforce the King’s decree. (v11& 14)
Establishing the Altar
Ruth Wall had prepared a slide presentation on the “Ledg” the Provincial Legislative Assembly, which is the central Masonic temple for North America. When it was over we shared that the enemy had established the false, yet God wanted to establish the authentic altar and so we gathered around a flag of Canada to pray.
We had just heard the news that Pastor Bob was failing, and knew that David Demian had just turned 50, so sensed this weekend was in many ways the fullness of time for a transition. Lucy (Métis intercessor) had been entrusted with 4 of the 13 stones that Kenny Blacksmith had brought to Winnipeg to establish the altar of the Lord in the summer at the ETH & S conference.
We felt these 4 stones represented the four key verses that Pastor Bob so often preached on (Jn 17, Rev 3, Jn 12:24, & Rom 8:26). And that this was the foundation of our father of intercession that we needed to honour. It is actually a foundation of honour, and a foundation of intercession that was being laid. These 4 verses would need to continue to be our DNA as we build in the nation. There was also honour given to David Demian, as a true spiritual son and one continuing to carry Pastor Bob’s mantle.
I cannot express the clarity or the weight in the spirit that we were sensing. It was a holy moment, where we felt the Lord had called us together, to come to receive a significant commissioning. There was total agreement, like a moment in history had come upon us. Kneeling around the flag, dripping with oil and tears we cried out, and committed ourselves, as a representation of the intercessory leaders of Canada, to run the race Pastor Bob had run, and not let go of fighting for this nation and for the next generation in intercession.
The last session wrapped everything up with more gifts, thanks and a final charge to the “regiment” before they went back to their homes.
I picked up a Winnipeg Free Press at the airport, and there right in the first section was a huge picture of a stone heart embedded into the ground, with the headline “Where the Rocks Speak”. Thinking of how much the Lord had spoken to us about exchanging stony hearts for hearts of flesh, I saw again the confirmation of His hand upon us. I flew home with a deep satisfaction in my spirit that by God’s grace we had done what He asked of us, and a profound gratitude to the Lord for honouring us by letting us be a part of this time.