In June 2014 God spoke very powerfully to KingsGate out of Psalm 24, about being a generation who took their place, that was bought with Jesus’ blood, seated with Christ in heavenly realms and exercised their spiritual authority on behalf of a city and it’s people.
As we’ve entered 2024, this Psalm has come up again, from a number of different sources and so as we continue our fast today, shifting focus from Cobham to Kingston, we’re going to use it as a template for our prayer.
Psalm 24
A psalm of David.
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to him.
2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas
and built it on the ocean depths.
The Psalm starts with worship and acknowledgement of who God is and that everything belongs to him.
Start the day meditating on these verses.
- How does this challenge your normal way of thinking about yourself, the world around you and God?
- As you repeat these verses over situations, whether personal, community, national or international, does your view of them change?
- Ask Holy Spirit to bring to mind other verses or Bible passages that assert God’s authority and rulership over the whole earth and all it’s 8.1bn people.
- Declare, speak out, God’s rulership over the whole earth and all it’s contents because he made it.
3 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols
and never tell lies.
5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing
and have a right relationship with God their savior.
6 Such people may seek you
and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.
Interlude
Again begin by meditating on the questions.
- May I climb the mountain of the Lord and stand in his Holy place?
- Do I have clean hands and a pure heart?
Use another of David’s psalms to invite the Holy Spirit to examine us
Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me.
- For us, the joy of allowing Holy Spirit to examine us is knowing that no matter what comes up, because of Jesus we are forgiven, washed spotlessly clean and so if the Holy Spirit shows us something that does not look like Jesus, we can simply confess it, repent and be free.
- On the assumption that none of us are fully manifesting Jesus all the time, there will be things for Holy Spirit to highlight, but once dealt with, we increasingly enjoy God’s blessing and experience right relationship with God. Take time to savour this.
- Revel in the experience of seeking him and worshiping in his presence.
7 Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty;
the Lord, invincible in battle.
9 Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
10 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—
he is the King of glory.
We are those gates, the doors that allow the Kings of Glory to enter.
Although he is invincible in battle, the Lord of heaven’s armies, he has given us authority to determine who comes in and who goes out of our lives, and the areas he has given us influence.
We get to invite the Lord, mighty in battle, to come and have his way in our lives, our families, our homes, our communities, our places of work, our places of study, in our nation. Declare his Lordship over these things.
