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A HOUSE OF PRAYER:
Let Incense Arise
– IAN FURGASON
Page 1
INTRODUCTION:
The Lord’s desire for His house to be a house of prayer begins in the hearts of His people. His desire is that
incense would arise from every heart and every life would be offered in worship as a pleasing sacrifice to be
consumed by the fire of His love. All this so that a pleasing aroma would ascend day and night before His
throne. An aroma of hearts whose loving adoration never ends, on whose lips are the praises of the Most High
all their days with hearts alive with love as zealous and jealous as the very flame of Yah. This is a church whose
heart cry is rooted in the greatness of God and the worthiness of the Lamb who was slain to receive His
inheritance; the reward of His sufferings. From this place we declare His Word with power as kings and priests.
I.
THE INCENSE OF PRAYER
A.
In the Old Testament the incense of the sacrifices of the Israelites, offered for their repentance
and the forgiveness of their sins, arose to the heavens. When these were offered in sincerity and
truth by hearts that were broken over their sin and the way it separated them from the Lord, the
incense was pleasing to the Lord.
B.
The Lord declares through the prophet Malachi that incense would arise from every nation, a
pure and holy offering to the glory of His Name. Over and over again the Bible portrays the
prayers and lives of the saints ascending before the Lord as incense.
“‘from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the
Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My
name shall be great among the nations,’ Says the LORD of hosts” Malachi 1:11
“the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a
harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8
“you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 2:5
C.
In the same way David makes the connection that the incense of His worship ascended before the
Lord as the evening sacrifice. That His prayers and His worship were releasing a pleasing aroma
before the throne of God that was satisfying to His God.
“Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening
sacrifice.” Ps. 141:2
D.
The heart of David is a heart that desires to please the Lord with extravagant acts of worship no
matter what the cost. It’s a heart whose greatest reward is delighting the heart of God and
delighting in His Presence and His Word.
International House of Prayer Northwest
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A HOUSE OF PRAYER:
Let Incense Arise
– IAN FURGASON
E.
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Therefore David arranged for worship to be before the Ark of the Lord continually. Because He
understood that the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite spirit, the lifting of hands and
prayers that glorify and honor His Name. With these He is pleased.
“And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to
commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel." 1 Chronicles 16:4
F.
David understood that when God dwells in the midst of a people, that people prospers. He also
knew that God dwells in the praises of His people. The temple was a place where incense was
offered day and night through the sacrifices of the people in accordance with the pattern Moses
saw on the mountain, the heavenly temple where God dwells. So we see that where God is to
dwell, there must be worship and incense being offered in order to make a place for His
presence.
“who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely
instructed…‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the
mountain.’" Hebrews 8:5
“Before the throne there… were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back…And
they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is
and is to come!" Revelation 4:6-8
“But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.” Psalm 20:3
II.
GREAT AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED
A.
The Psalmist declares “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is
unsearchable.” Israel understood that they were called and chosen to be a people for His glory to
give Him worship among all the nations of the earth. The Lord purposefully visited them at Sinai
so that they would give Him the honor and glory due is name.
“I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you…for
God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you” Exodus 19:9, 20:20
“By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be
glorified.” Levitcus 10:3
B.
The creatures and the elders never cease day or night worshiping Him. The question is why?
They themselves testify it’s because He is worthy.
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all
things, and by Your will they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:11
C.
Knowing this reality Paul rightly commands us to do everything for His glory; always giving
thanks, always making melody in our hearts to the Lord in worship and to pray without ceasing.
International House of Prayer Northwest
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A HOUSE OF PRAYER:
Let Incense Arise
– IAN FURGASON
Page 3
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor.
10:31
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“be filled with the Spirit…singing and making melody to the Lord with Your heart, giving
thanks always” Ephesians 5:18-20
D.
What these commands mean in their entirety I’m not sure we will ever understand in this life.
But one thing is for sure, we fall short of this reality. Our hearts cry out to give Him the glory
due His Name as we make it our aim to please Him, and by His Holy Spirit I believe He will
grant this desire of our hearts. Until then may we set these things before our eyes continually
until every movement of our heart is one of worship.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your hearts.” Psalm 37:4
E.
Isaiah declares that the Lord of Hosts has a day against everything that is proud and lofty among
men to bring it low that He alone would be exalted. That the glory and honor that men give to
other things would be rightly given to Him, Jesus Christ, the only one deserving. I believe this is
why Jesus tells us that everything that is exalted among men is an abomination before God.
“For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty...the haughtiness of man
shall be humbled, the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the Lord alone will be
exalted in that day.” Isaiah 2:12, 17
“What is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:15
III.
IN EVERY PLACE
A.
God intends to fill the whole earth with His glory, therefore worship and prayer will arise from
every place as the prophets have foretold. For that reason He promises to make His church a
house of prayer and restore the tabernacle of David.
“the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, And to love the
name of the LORD, to be His servants-Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And
holds fast My covenant-Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in
My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar;
For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." Isaiah 56:6-7
“‘On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its
damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess
the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name… I will bring back the
captives of My people Israel” Amos 9:11-12, 14
International House of Prayer Northwest
www.ihopnw.org
A HOUSE OF PRAYER:
Let Incense Arise
– IAN FURGASON
1.
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The day that He is speaking of is interpreted by the Apostle James in Acts to be the
coming of the Messiah.
“as it is written: 'After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has
fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up” Acts 15:15-16
a. Alexander Akimites & the Acoemetae (“the sleepless ones”) – began in 400 A.D. –
Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire
b. Agaunum (modern-day St. Maurice, Switzerland) – 522 A.D. – early 10th century.
c. Bangor, Ireland - 558 – 824 A.D.
d. Cluny, France - 910 – 1089 A.D.
e. Moravians – 120 years of prayer starting in August 13, 1727
2.
James uses this verse to explain how Peter is able to go to the gentile Cornelius’s house
in Acts 10. The Lord is raising up the tabernacle of David in order that in every nation
there would be those who return to the Lord and walk in His ways
“so that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, even all the Gentiles who are called by My
name” Acts 15:17
B.
The Lord is searching for hearts like David that are fully given over to loving Him with all of
their heart, soul, mind and strength. Those who make it their life ambition to live in the presence
of the Lord; worshiping Him everywhere they go.
“One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the
LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.”
Ps 27:4
“Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!” 1 Chronicles 16:11
IV.
PRAYER AND WORSHIP AS GOVERNMENT
A.
The Scripture speaks of the reality that is created as we worship God. Jesus calls us ambassadors,
kings and priests seated in heavenly places sent to prepare the earth for His soon return by
establishing the kingdom of God in word and deed. Indeed life and death, binding and loosing,
blessing and cursing is in the power of the tongue. And in the wisdom of God He is calling His
church to the place of prayer and worship to loose His kingdom and bind the powers of darkness
that would hinder His salvation from reaching the ends of the earth. For every tribe, tongue and
nation will hear the gospel of the kingdom before He returns.
International House of Prayer Northwest
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A HOUSE OF PRAYER:
Let Incense Arise
– IAN FURGASON
Page 5
“Let the peoples praise You, O God…Then the earth shall yield her increase; God…shall bless
us…And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.” Ps. 67:5-7
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the
nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14
“The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest
contribution in history to world evangelization.” - Andrew Murray
“The sacrifice of praise will glorify me: and that is the way wherein I will show to him the
salvation of God.” Ps. 50:23
“Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise from the ends of the earth…The LORD shall
go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes,
shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.” Isaiah 42:10-13
B.
When we worship Him He is given governmental authority to establish His throne in the place of
our worship. Where God’s throne is, there also is His kingdom and glory as we see in Revelation
4. Therefore if He is worshiped in every nation, tribe and tongue, then His kingdom will come in
all the earth with glory. On that day the prayer of our Lord will be answered, on earth as it is in
heaven, when the church never ceases to cry “Holy, Holy, Holy”.
But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
Numbers 14:21
C.
The reality of intercession and worship speaks to the principle that we do not war against flesh
and blood but against the powers of darkness in the heavenly realms. Declaring the knowledge of
God into the atmosphere, shining the light of His truth into the lies of darkness over our cities.
We like Daniel are being called in this hour to give ourselves to prayer and fasting so that His
Word will run swiftly and be glorified in all the earth.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against…spiritual hosts of wickedness in
the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:11
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” 2
Corinthians 10:4-5
“Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to
humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your
words.” Daniel 10:12
International House of Prayer Northwest
www.ihopnw.org
A HOUSE OF PRAYER:
Let Incense Arise
– IAN FURGASON
D.
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This is such a practical principle. When Israel put singers and musicians before their army the
power of the Lord was released and the entire army coming against them was destroyed.
“he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of
holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy
endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against
the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were
defeated.” 2 Chronicles 20:21-22
E.
We are the Ekklesia of God, called out ones sent to govern the earth by establishing the kingdom
of heaven. Ekklesia, to the Greeks was a body of Greek citizens representative of the state, men
age 18 and older, gathered to discuss affairs of state1; called out ones. The Lord is looking for a
company of believers who will cry out day and night, believing that God will grant justice by
covering the earth with His kingdom upon the prayers and praises of His people.
“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?...I tell you, he will
give justice to them speedily.” Luke 18:7-8
"And I also say to you that…on this rock I will build My church (Ekklesia), and the gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18
F.
It has been said, “Many a meagre Christian experience is due to a meagre prayer life.”2 In the
same way I believe that as often as we offer up prayers before the Throne of God in heaven for
all men, especially those in power, is just as often as we see salvation poured upon these ones.
Jesus said ask and it shall be given to you and that if two or three of us agree on anything it will
be done for us if we believe that He hears us.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be
done for you…Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 15:7, 16:24
“And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that
we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:15
CONCLUSION:
The Lord is calling His church to take her place in these last days in the court room of heaven as kings and
priests. Speaking life and light into the darkness of our society and releasing the kingdom as we pray. Let us
seek to live a life of worship before Him that He would be enthroned everywhere we go and His Word would be
declared with power. That His kingdom would come and His will would be done in our lives and the lives of
our friends and family as it is in heaven.
1
Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers
2
Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English Reader (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
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