Praying on Wall Street - Grain, Wine & Oil

October 10th, 2008

Bear with me as I walk through things (out loud . . . or in this case – in a blog) that I sense God saying to me and taking me through. I may be wrong at times – but my heart is right, and my desire is to know God intimately, to walk and talk with Him, to do His will for my life, to “say what He tells me to say”, and to see people (and a nation) changed for God’s glory and for their freedom!

Today I went to pray on Wall Street. I was planning on doing some sight-seeing in New York as I visited my sister for the weekend, but I could not shake the feeling that I was, instead, supposed to go pray on Wall Street. So I obeyed.

It was crazy down there. Tons of people, at least a dozen news vans and crews, and several police cars. There was this sense that everyone was waiting around to see what would happen that day. We had seen a week of record losses in the stock market, and people were saying TGIF – Thank God It’s Friday . . . because at least the stock market can’t go down for 2 days over the weekend! The market was crazy today – the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped over 700 points in just the first few minutes of the trading day – but somehow managed to recover to close down “only” down 128 points.

As I sat on the steps of the Federal building across from the New York Stock Exchange, I opened my Bible and felt led to read from Joel. I’ve heard many people talking about this being a Joel 2 time – about declaring a holy fast and calling a sacred assembly – to pray for our nation. It’s been awhile since I have read Joel – so I was curious as to what God had to say.

I was shocked to find what I did. I cried. My heart ached. It was as if God had written these words for today! It starts off in verse 2 saying “Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?”. That seems to be all I’ve been hearing on the news lately too. But what surprised me in Joel, was all the discussion about grain and drink offerings – the grain, wine and oil – as well as talk about the locust invasion (that’s another story regarding the dreams and visions I have had about locusts). I just love it when God starts to tie together things . . . . so randomly it seems – but really it’s not. :)

I am not going to write out the whole first 2 chapters of Joel (please go read them for yourself) – but these are the things that stood out to me.

Joel 1 – An Invasion of Locusts
Vs. 10 – “The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up, the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails.” (this is after the locusts have come and destroyed everything – “my great army that I sent among you” Joel 2:25)
Vs. 12b – “surely the joy of mankind is withered away”

A CALL TO REPENTANCE!
Vs 13 – A call to the priests and ministers to mourn – put on sackcloth “for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.”
Vs. 14 – “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly, Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.”
Vs. 15 & 16 – “Alas for that day! It will come like destruction from the Almighty. Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes – joy and gladness from the house of our God?”
Vs 19 – “ . . . for fire has devoured the open pastures and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.”

Joel 2 – An Army of Locusts
Vs. 3 – “Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste – nothing escapes them” (the locusts) (*see previous prophecies about CA – San Fran – etc.)

REND YOUR HEART
Vs. 12 – 14 – “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing – grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.”
Vs 15 & 16 – declare a holy fast and call a sacred assembly. . . .

THE LORD’S ANSWER
Vs. 18 – “Then the Lord will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people. The Lord will reply to them: ‘I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully. . .”
Vs. 24 - 26 – “Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten . . . my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God who has worked wonders for you . . . “


After reading over these 2 chapters in Joel, I began to pray. This is a summary of what the Lord and I talked about.

“God have mercy! I know you’ve been slow to anger. I know there needs to be a correction and cleansing. Protect your people. Withhold your wrath – let it not be as severe as it was going to be. Protect us Lord. Forgive our nation. Forgive our greed. Forgive our leaders. But bring repentance Lord! Prepare the soil of this land Lord for a mighty mover of God. Prepare the soil for new growth – for revival Lord!”

I saw a picture – The Lord is tilling the ground – a large field. It has good dirt in it but it has not been tilled in a long time. Weeds and other plants have grown there that do not belong. The Lord is tilling – uncovering hidden things beneath the surface. Hidden things that would do damage – release toxins into the soil. He’s uncovering them to get them out – to renew the soil and make it healthy. It will take awhile (?4-5 years) to till this land. But once He is done - fairly quickly (?within 6 months) the new plants/new growth will be in full bloom – HUGE – AMAZING! People will say – “Why did we not till the ground sooner? Had we known this is what it would produce – we would have never let the weeds grow. We would have let the Lord till it. What were we thinking?”

So the Lord has begun tilling. It doesn’t feel good. We will be shocked and surprised at what He uncovers. But be at peace! It is for good – not evil. It is time. Let the Lord till!

“Lord – thwart any plans of the enemy that are not part of your plans!”

Picture – 2 large angels standing guard outside the front of the NYSE on either side.

“Keep the enemy out Lord!”

I then asked Him about the grain and wine pictures from the other day. “ Tell me more Lord.” I saw just a few specs of grain and a little wine this time.

“Because my people have not returned their grain and drink offerings – I am taking away their grain and wine. I have new oil to pour out – but can’t. My people are not ready – not ready to accept it. Get them ready!”

How?

“Tell them. Prepare them. Encourage them. Correct them. Say what I tell you to say - in doing so you will create holes in their hardened exteriors. These holes will cause them to become like sponges. THEN they will be able to soak up ALL the oil I have to pour out on them. Then they will be ready. They are not ready. But make them ready. Show them their need for these holes. They see it as damaging to who they are. I see it as vital for them to grow and be who I want them to be. Show them Lori.”

How do I show them?

“Be transparent. Show them your holes. Show them the oil you’ve been able to soak up because of those holes. Don’t hide your holes. Show them. Then they will see and know that I am God and that what you say is true.”

OK Lord. Just lead and guide me!

“The new wine and grain that I have will be worth the wait – worth the pain – worth the suffering. Hold onto that Lori. It IS worth it! Trust me. Hold onto that!”

Does this mean that I (and my family) will suffer?

“Hold onto that Lori. I will always be with you. NEVER will I leave! Keep following me and being obedient.”

I will Lord!

So . . . as I said before . . .bear with me as I walk this journey. Walk it with me! I guess I need to start praying about “how” and “what” I am to be more transparent about. ?? I know He will show me. Of course - just sharing this private conversation with God is a start. :)

I hope and pray that if you feel like your “exterior” is “hardened” – that you will allow God to speak into your life so powerfully that it will drill holes right to the core of your being! Once He has drilled to the core . . . to your heart . . . He can then continue the healing process by pouring in His oil . . . to soak deep into you – into the areas of your life that you thought you would never see again – much less anyone “go there”! God is not afraid of what is on the inside. He already knows. So let Him “drill”! Take it from me (a girl with many “holes”!) . . . it is worth it! You will never regret it!

And as for the wine and grain . . . . just be at peace and know that once God is done tilling this land - that the new wine, grain and oil will be better than before . . . IF we obey the Lord! So - obey Him . . . give Him your grain and drink offerings - even in these tough times . . . and be at peace knowing that He has all things under control! (But please don't stop praying for our nation . . . especially for repentance!)

Drink Deep today!

Lori :)

God Loves You! . . . . yes . . . YOU!!