| Fall on Your Knees in Intercession for Your Nation |
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When the Scottish contingent at the European Conference in Warsaw heard Marie Beirne address the gathering they could not believe their ears. Marie quoted, almost word for word, a prophecy they had received in Glasgow a few months earlier. The call was to “lay a path in the wilderness for the Lord” and that a new thing was beginning. It was immediately felt that she should be invited to Scotland so that everyone could hear how to take the prophecy forward.
The NSC decided that the best way to do this was to invite her to address the leaders and core groups in Scotland. Representatives from the payers groups and communities from across the eight dioceses gathered in the premises of the Community of the Risen Christ to hear Marie call them to take practical steps to “lay a path in the wilderness” and claim back the nation for Christ.
From the outset it was obvious that Marie was most certainly speaking under a powerful anointing. With not a note to be seen she called and challenged those gathered “to prepare a way for the Lord.” Referring to revivals that had taken place in Scotland in the past Marie said that now was the time for new beginnings. She emphasised that the Lord was calling people to take back the land and not just Scotland and Ireland where she spoken to leaders a month earlier but the whole of Europe. Quoting extensively form Ecclesia Europa she made it clear that this was in line with the thinking of the Church.
How? First of all she called SCCR to “fall on our knees in intercession for our nation.” This was followed by a call to examine how each of us was living out the grace of Baptism in the Holy Spirit in our lives. This, she said, was central to everything we do and that this gift we have is not just for ourselves but for the Church and all the people of the nation. It is our duty to be creative in our thinking and planning when looking for ways to do this. The Renewal had to be dynamic.
This could not happen if we are not constantly pleading for our nation in powerful intercession pouring out from repentant hearts. There was no-one present who did not feel this to be a true call of the Lord and part of His plan, so, in the afternoon it was decided to split the gathering in to working groups to organise the this intercession. It was emphasised this workshops were not to be “well in the past …” discussions. They had to be very practical and come back with dates and times when this intercession was to begin and be carried forward.
The country was split into four, two dioceses working together. How to split seemed to be a difficulty but after a quick prayer Steve announced the split. When this was questioned he was not sure how to answer but knew that it was right. Praying about it later being worried that he had got it wrong he read Jer. 50:14-15 saying that Babylon would be surrounded and when he looked at the split that was precisely what had happened. When the groups get together Scotland will be surrounded by a people interceding using the powerful weapon of praise.
It is important that every person in Renewal takes this role seriously. It is hoped that the twinned dioceses will come together for days for praise and intercession. The importance of praise was underlined by Marie and that this was our weapon that will help us take back the land for the Lord. In fact all we have to do is praise and intercede and go on living out this wonderful life in the Spirit we have received and the Lord will do the rest.
Having followed through the Newman Process the CCR in Scotland now stands ready on a new path in response to the prophetic call. Are great things going to happen? Over the next three years watch this space. As people left the conference there was a feeling that they were on the brink of something exciting.
The Lord will bring about the revival in His time but, as workers for the Kingdom, Renewal in Scotland is called to be faithful to its commitment to intercede; to be creative in its thinking and planning and forever listening to the Spirit.
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