Twenty-four Seven The phrase house of prayer is drawn from Isaiah 56:7, where it is used twice, Even those (foreigners) I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.
Jesus refers to this verse when casting the money changers from the temple, as recorded in Mark 11:17, And as he taught them, he said, Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers. (Transcribed also in Matthew 21:13 and Luke 19:46)
The heart of the house of prayer is perhaps best captured by David's heart cry in Psalm 27:4, One thing I ask of the Lord this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in His temple.
King David actually established one example of a house of prayer, called the Tabernacle of David.
While referred to in many parts of the Bible, the best description of this biblical house of prayer is found in I Chronicles 16:
(1) And they brought in the ark of God and set inside the tent which David had pitched for it... (4) Moreover, David appointed certain of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel... (37) So David left Asaph and his brethren there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister continually before the ark as each day required...
We believe God is restoring the spirit and type of this expression of worship and prayer in a physical location. The best picture of what the house of prayer strives for can be found in the book of Revelation, in the many descriptions of the redeemed gathered before the throne of God, such as:
...The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seal, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation... (Revelation 5:8 and 9)
Twenty-four Seven worship has been modeled first to us in the rule of King David when he established night and day worship around the Ark of the Covenant. King David was a man of one thing (Psalm 27:4). Around 1000 BC, as an outflow of his heart, he commanded that the Ark of the Covenant be brought up on the shoulders of the Levites amidst the sound of songs and musical instruments to his new capital, Jerusalem. There he had it placed in a tent and appointed two-hundred and eighty eight prophetic singers and four thousand musicians to minister before the Lord, "to make petition, to give thanks and to praise the Lord" day and night (1 Chronicles 15 through 17). This was unlike anything that had been done in Israel's history, but it was God's plan for Israel. For a more complete look through history, IHOP Kansas City has a brief history of 24/7 prayer.
Is there a Biblical model for 24/7 prayer?
No. We in no way want to take the place of the local church or try to be like one. We are seeking to be a service arm to the local churches of our city and to be a partnership of churches committed to prayer, worship and fasting.
Local churches seek to meet the spiritual and community needs of those who attend, while the house of prayer is set up to primarily call to minister unto the LORD through worship and intercession.
Wouldn't a house of prayer essentially be a local church?
Where is the concept of house of prayer found in the Bible?
TO KICK IT OFF...
Frequently Asked Questions
We are in the midst of a global worship movement. This movement has everything to do with prayer and intimacy. It is vital that prayer become enjoyable for every believer. This releases a spirit of devotion filling the heart with worship.
Many who have begun houses of prayer will attest to the "rock-pile" prayer meetings, where one feels as though he or she is simply chipping away little by little at the resistance around them with very little anointing and power. Fortunately, through God's sovereign design, when worship is amalgamated with intercession, a spiritual stirring occurs through the corporate body of believers.
It is music that awakens the heart to beauty, and since God is a musical Being and we have been created in His very image, we have been made with a musical spirit. Almost every person finds solace, comfort or expression in music. Again, this is God's design. In Heaven, music and verbal expression (prayer) are never separated from one another. We base most of our prayer meetings in the house of prayer upon this concept and value.
King David upon instituting the Tabernacle knew that worship and devotion were major components of day and night intercession. Deep revelation must have come to him of how Heaven hosts a prayer meeting. We are seeking this heavenly model, found in Revelation 5:8. We call this particular model: Harp & Bowl
How does music and singing fit into a house of prayer?
If you have more questions, please feel free to email us and we'll start the dialogue.