Calling Forth Ancient Anointings

A Call to Watch and Pray

"There is a chapel there that serves as a parish...The inhabitants live for the most part communally, as in a sort of inn; others live on their private means, but all live in Jesus Christ with one heart and soul". La Dauversiere, "The Purpose of Montreal" in 1643

For most English-speaking Canadians barriers of language and cultural differences have deprived many of us of the rich spiritual inheritance that lays hidden in the history of New France.

How many of us know that the founding of Montreal had nothing to do with the fur-trade but rather a vision to establish a missionary outpost among the first nations of New France?

In May 1642, this vision became a reality as a ship set sail under the command of Paul de Chomedy, Sieur de Maisonneuve. When they arrived weeks later on the shores of Montreal, history recounts that

"After stepping out of a boat and putting his feet on the soil Monsieur de Chomedey dropped to his knees to adore God. They all sang psalms and hymns to the Lord."

This small band of determined missionaries founded the community of Ville Marie, as Montreal was first known. History recounts that the first winter the settlement was threatened by a flood. Maisonneuve made a pledge to God - that if He would spare the new community from this disaster, a cross would be planted on the nearby hill. The floods receded, Maisonneuve fulfilled his promise and today, on Mont Royal overlooking the city of Montreal, stands a huge cross (one of metal that replaced the original wooden cross).

Ancient Anointings When we traveled to Israel in May 2001, one our key mandates, given to us by the Lord, was to travel to sites of ancient Biblical renown to call forth ancient anointings for end-time purposes (Habukkuk 3:2) Recently in a meeting of the Cluster and Shield, immediately following the Homecoming gathering, we received this same call from the Spirit. But this time it was to stir up ancient anointings of intercession of our very own nation. Leaders from France prayed with passion to the ancient seeds and to the blood of their martyred countrymen who layed their lives down to see the spiritual foundations of righteousness established in this nation.

Next week in Montreal, in obedience to this prophetic directive from the Lord, we will be entering into the first of two national Rise Up intercessory gatherings. We are again in a pivotal time in the spiritual history of our nation, pressing forward to the covenantal wedding between French and English Canada in July 2005. This wedding represents so much more than just the healing and reconciliation of two people groups or even the reclamation of God's original spiritual design for our confederation (the union of French and English Canada). The Lord is seeking, through the Canadian church, to birth the restoration of a unity, a oneness of spirit and soul, in the body of Christ like that which was the foundation of the early church in the book of Acts. And with the restoration of this unity, we will see a release of a new authority to decree the Word of the Lord in this nation and see God's purposes fulfilled.

In Montreal I believe the Lord wants us to lay hold of the ancient anointings of intercession and to join our faith and prayers with the intercession of generations of faithful believers who have gone before us as we press. We want to encourage all those who have a heart to stand for God's purposes in the nation, whether or not you are able to physically be in Montreal, to stand with us in the spirit at this time in two ways:

• For the three days prior to the gathering, Monday September 25 through Wednesday September 27th, please set these days aside as a time of personal consecration before the Lord. Rather than fasting from food, we encourage you to fast from the normal activities of everyday life (TV, sports, shopping, talking with friends) and make a concerted effort to quiet your spirit before the Lord and to seek His face in a deeper personal way.
• During these three days and the three days of the gathering, as you feel led by the Lord join with the Shield for a 24-hour per day prayer watch over the nation.

As we consecrate ourselves in prayer next week, let our hearts be fixed on one thing: that we may bring pleasure to God's heart and give to His son the inheritance He is looking for in our nation. Let our hearts resound with the passion and faith of Marie de L'Incarnation, one of the original founders of Montreal, 'We are all here for the same purpose: to bring souls into the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His Holy Law. May God fill us with His Spirit so that we can succeed for the great glory of the Master of the Vineyard, Jesus."