INTRODUCTION
This is the first part of a multiple part series entitled “Why the Sacred Assemblies?“ It seeks to answer some basic questions regarding the Assemblies and prepare us for the upcoming Quarterly Regional Sacred Assemblies (CLICK HERE for details)
- To read ‘WHY THE SACRED ASSEMBLIES? - PART 2 - CLICK HERE!
Now to switch gears! If you have never read this series, ‘Why the Assemblies?,’ this will help to explain holistically what I feel the Lord has said about the Assemblies and why. If you have read it, there are some new elements as the Lord has given more detail in these past 9-months and further clarity.
Either way, I think you will get a lot out of it if reading it for the first time, or as a review. We are also going to go deeper than ever before into some of the prophetic history and other unique elements of the Assemblies than before.
I am going to break this up into smaller parts and spread it out between now and the Assembly in Fresno to hopefully begin preparing the ground. Glad you are along for the ride!
WHY THE ASSEMBLIES? - PART 1
I would like to begin to give the answers to “Why the Assemblies?” This is a question I have been getting for quite some time. I think it deserves a thorough answer, so stay with me!
THE 12-TRIBES OF ISRAEL
In many ways, each of our ministries and the churches we belong to imitate the 12-tribes of Israel. And, just like the 12 tribes, each of us have our own unique giftings, callings, purpose and fragrance before the Lord. But, we also have a common river running through us that links us in the Spirit.
Like the 12-tribes, there are times when we are tending to our individual tribes, callings ministries and churches. But there must also be times when we ‘Assemble’ together and unite for war and not let our individuality (more than our differences often times) hinder us.
The Children of Israel would assemble and make war when a common enemy faced them down. God would either grant them victory or defeat dependent on the conditions of their heart.
After war, the 12-tribes would then go back to build, maintain and strengthen their individual tribes, and each would do what they did best on their portion of the wall, while still preparing for the next battle (i.e your ministry, your church).
These tribes were ready to assemble on a moment’s notice. It was both in their ‘assembling’ and in the ‘occupation’ of their own land that their strength and effectiveness ultimately came from!
In California and this nation, the enemy stands before us and is mocking us and the living God we serve! He has unequivocally set himself up in our state and nation and has issued a stark challenge, “WHERE IS YOUR GOD!?” The only question is, how and who will respond? These Assemblies are one such response I believe.
THE SACRED ASSEMBLY IS WAR
The Sacred Assembly is War! Not only is it war, it is the equivalent of dropping a spiritual nuclear bomb on a region, of that much I am convinced! When you bring a hundred, a thousand, or thousands of people together for a sovereign, 12-hour day of prayer, fasting and humbling ourselves before God, the heavenly realms are shaken to their core. It creates a huge displacement of the forces of evil and opens up a direct gateway and portal to heaven. God draws near to His people.
Although we call it a Sacred Assembly (name preferred by college students over Solemn Assembly), it could be named anything really, that conveys a soberness, focus and intensity of prayer for longer than the normal 2-4 hour prayer meeting. It is this sustained intensity over 12-hours that defines it in my eyes.
It is a Supra-Regional gathering, which brings together the diverse Tribes represented in our state. I feel God will not give us the fullness of His Glory unless some of the regional divides are broken down. Each region must sacrificially bless the other to receive the fullness of what God has for them. ALL of the regions are special to the Lord and each have their unique callings and destinies!
NORMALLY, WE ALL GO HOME
The problem is, in the past, we have come to a prayer/worship event and when it is finished, we all go home and say, “My, brother George/Susie, wasn’t that a good meeting!” Then, we all go back to our lives and talk about ‘what a powerful event/conference/prayer meeting that was!’
Like a bomb, we softened up the enemies defenses through our prayer, worship and fasting and created a spiritual space by which ground could be taken in the region, tangible ground, but then we all go home and go about our daily lives.
In my opinion, this has allowed the enemy to have a field day in the church! He comes back worse than before and re-entrenches himself. He then targets the now ‘disassembled’ warriors and begins to take them and their families out, one-by-one.
I have seen this pattern over and over in my 22-years with the Lord. This vicious cycle must be broken or we will never impact the society and culture as we desperately need to do in this hour. The fact is, we are losing them!
OCCUPATION
Hence, really, where the vision of the Regional Sacred Assemblies came from. Instead of dropping a bomb and then we all go home, we drop the bomb and then continue to occupy the land and take land by continuing the Assemblies within Regions (i.e. the semi-annual/quarterly Assemblies in 8-City/Regions).
These are obviously a supplement to, not a replacement for, the Houses of Prayer and the Praying Church. I truly believe there is a symbiotic relationship between the Praying Church, the Houses of Prayer and the Regional Sacred Assemblies. It is owned by every church corporately, not by one in particular, hence why it will rotate between buildings.
The Assemblies are a super structure that acts as a highly defined catalyst to jump start prayer and fasting if it is lacking in an area, and to energize and draw together the praying and fasting base in a particular region if it already exists.
At its essence, the ongoing Regional Sacred Assembly is a ‘frame work’ or a ‘platform’ for occupying the land with prayer and fasting and raising up ‘Voices’ after the ‘Pray, Fast, Go Speak!’ model.
IN CLOSING
“You are the Assemblies!” They belong to YOU! They will stand or fall based on whether you support them or not! You are the ‘voice’ God wants to raise up! You are the leaders!
The Spirit of Reformation and Revival is on the land. The Sacred Assemblies are certainly not the only gig in town! There are many, many streams and entities carrying the mantle and heart of God in this hour in regards to Reformation / Revival. The Assemblies ultimately belong to this vast community.
At the end of the day, these Assemblies hope to assist and serve what God is already doing in the land. Blessings to you all!
More in Part 2 on the: (1) strategy of the ‘voices,’ (2) the super structure of the Assemblies, (3) The Fire Houses and (4) Why the Assemblies resemble a ‘Facebook/Wiki synthesis’ in nature.
VISION STATEMENT for the QUARTERLY REGIONAL SACRED ASSEMBLIES
In a nut shell, and with your help and participation, these Quarterly Regional Sacred Assemblies are like The Call, only smaller, quarterly, and contain a few other twists! So basically, 12-hours of prayer, fasting, worship, declaration, art and open mike in a very spontaneous format. They will eventually take place in 8-City/Regions within the state, from San Diego to Chico/Redding. These regions will then converge once a year into a larger Sacred Assembly that rotates throughout the State.
In brief, they are designed to:
- Assist in breaking open the heavens over regions
- Act as a feeder for existing Houses of Prayer and help birth new ones, and,
- Release and identify relevant ‘voices’ of truth into the cultural and societal arenas, initially targeting the Universities and the City Halls through use of ‘Firehouses’ operating under the ‘Pray, Fast, Go, Speak!’ model.
- To read the FULL OUTLINE for a more complete picture of the Quarterly Regional Sacred Assemblies, CLICK HERE!
IMPORTANT LINKS:
— “REGIONAL SACRED ASSEMBLY ‘BLOG’ and ‘PAST ARTICLES’ ” - CLICK HERE!
— ‘SACRED ASSEMBLY FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE’ - CLICK HERE!
— ‘FACEBOOK LOOK UP’ - Go to Facebook and type in dougdavis@sacredassemblies.com in the Search window and my page will come up.
— For a list of ‘UPCOMING SACRED ASSEMBLIES’ - CLICK HERE!
— ‘SUBSCRIBE TO THE SACRED ASSEMBLY E-NEWSLETTER’ - CLICK HERE!
— ‘VISION STATEMENT’ for the Regional Sacred Assemblies - CLICK HERE!
— To see a ‘PICTURE MEDLEY OF THE LAST ASSEMBLY’ - CLICK HERE!
— ‘TO DONATE’ - CLICK HERE! ….thank you for our SUPPORT!
— ’CONTACT US’ - go to: info@sacredassemblies.com
Holy Spirit Rising!
Doug Davis
