Ps 134:1-2 "Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD. 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD." NIV
Have you been called to the night watch? One of the unique callings in our journey with the Lord is the calling to the night seasons! The Lord has a way of placing His Spirit upon certain ones of His saints for the work of intercession and worship during the night seasons. In the Old Testament there was a commandment made of the Israelites to keep the fire burning both on the Altar and in the golden lamps all through the night. The fire was to never go out. Lev 6:9 "Give Aaron and his sons this command: 'These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.”
Ex 27:20-21 "Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. 21 In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.”
Lev 24:2-4 "Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. 3 Outside the curtain of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron is to tend the lamps before the LORD from evening till morning, continually. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 4 The lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the LORD must be tended continually.”
In the same way that the Old Testament priests kept the fire burning throughout the night, many believers, God’s New Testament priests, find the Lord calling them to this same ministry of keeping the fires of prayer burning on the altar of God’s heart! He awakens them during the night hours to a ministry of worship and intercession.
Psalm 132:1-2 is a commissioning of this work. “Praise the Lord all you servants of the Lord, who minister by night in the house of the Lord.” Consider that around the world, night and day, God has a people whom He moves upon by His own design and will to keep the fires of God burning night and day. When you find yourself awake in the night seasons, redeem the time. When you find yourself alert at an hour that is not of your choosing or by personal design, turn your heart towards heaven and embrace the calling of the priest, to keep the fire on the altar of God. Let yourself yield to the great work of prayer and praise that awaits you and expect the blessing that comes to those who seek Him in this way. Many a saint has experienced deep revelation of the things of God during the night watch, laboring in prayer while others sleep. This ministry holds a special place in the heart of the Lord. Make yourself the offering and join the Lord in the night watch as a priest before Him.
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