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By Barb Astrino, Associate Pastor
In a small Church in Akron, Ohio

The evening [of intercession] was a first in many ways.  The call to participate [in the Jerusalem Assignment] was given from the pulpit on Sunday. Very few details were given... just that a few intercessors felt called to support a ministry team in Jerusalem... meet at the church at 12 midnight.  Nineteen people showed up! 

We only have about 50 functional adults. People came with a sense of adventure and expectancy.  After a brief explanation of the word the Lord had given us, and an overview of the two major goals of your team, we simply entered into the Lords Presence and waited on His leading. As you had warned us, the ministry was not particularly memorable or exciting... but for most of the people it was ground breaking! I realize, now, that much of the Scriptures given have vision pertinent to our body mixed in. Yet there were very clear times when the strategic purpose of the gathering was gloriously evident. 

At 1:15 a.m. Michelle blew the shofar in all four directions..¹. simultaneous Scriptures given... The King is coming/ Opening of coronation procession/ Isaiah 45:8²; Psalm 24:8-10³  (prophetic gestures opening our literal sanctuary doors... proclaiming the passage); Psalm 44:3⁴;   Song - Psalm 89⁵.

2:00-ish  Reading of sins of Judah, and the Scriptural promises in Isaiah 4:1-5⁶. Incredible corporate cry for MERCY for Judah...⁷ pleading the Blood of Jesus... Exodus 12:7-13..⁸. Blood on the Doors... Michelle enters into psalming over the doors of judgement and abortion...⁹   mockery, Jezebel and Ahab... over Judah, Israel, and the bridal companies standing with Israel¹⁰.  Revelation 3:7 ¹¹. Vision of Jesus inspecting every door for the presence of His blood.

RELEASE… DECLARATION of opening of restoration gates, closing of evil gates. Several  Hebraic style party songs... circle dancing, tambourines, clapping and shouting.

SELAH

3:00ish  Daniel 9:4-19¹²:  We identify with the plight of Israel, Isaiah 66:1-2 again… stand with Israel… crying out for their salvation¹³. Romans  11:28-32.  Vision of great dark cloud over  Jerusalem... Isaiah 60… gradual building of power till declaration of opening of gates of salvation --- opening!¹⁴  Song  - “Blow the Trumpet in Zion” -  with Michelle blowing the shofar repeatedly…¹⁵  ELECTRIC... dancing, shouting... Song – “Yahweh you have created me,” ...Isaiah 43; Song – “Yahweh is Holy” – “Thou art enthroned on the praises of Israel”¹⁶ - links all the previous intercession... JOY!...¹⁷.   Philippians 2:9-10¹⁸;   Ps 121; Ps 122.

Michelle closed with a prophetic song... It's a New Day

At the end of the meeting an elderly woman in our body came up to me to share her miracle.  She suffers from Tinitus...¹⁹ and has been unable to tolerate strong praise for years... She asked God to help her stay for the entire time... As the evening progressed she gradually moved from the perimeter to eventually putting her chair right in front of the altar and within feet of the piano! She even did a little jig around the altar with a tabret! She said she had been waiting for twenty years for this release!²⁰

Michelle had privately expressed a desire to have words of knowledge expressed through art.  At the end of the evening another woman came up to me with a drawing of what she saw as Michelle played…

The drawing contained two musical staffs. The first staff was firing notes as arrows that pierced the unseen realms preparing the way for the next staff. The second staff sent notes which turned into battering rams that destroyed the false walls, and everything that lifted itself up against the knowledge of God!  (I couldn’t help thinking that God wants our walls to be called Salvation!)²¹

Hallelujah! 

Barb, you precious people were partners with us indeed in this special mission in Jerusalem. It is incredibly faith building to see how your intercession and our mission went in perfect accord, although more than 3,000 miles separated us. By the activity of the Holy Spirit we flowed in perfect unity in both realms -- on earth and in the heavenlies. In awe, I can but repeat after the Lord: “ I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was Your gracious will” (Matt. 11:25-26; Lu 10:21). 

And I rejoice in the words of Paul the apostle, for “… G-d chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise,   G-d chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, G-d chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that NO HUMAN BEING might boast in the Presence of G-d… Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!” (1 Cor. 1:27-31).

We were a humble group of 7. No fanfares were blown and great “ministry” advertisements made. By a humble and lowly group of G-d’s children, supported by equally humble and lowly bodies of believers, G-d closed gates no one can open, and opened gates no one can shut. Now is the time for salvation to come to Zion, and to G-d alone and to the Lamb be all the glory, honor and praise, and the love and obedience, adoration and worship of the saints.