The Prayer Movement in the Book of Revelation

I.overview: the end time worship and prayer movemenT

The book of Revelation describes in detail two global worship movements that will grow to fullness at the very end of the age. The great conflict at the end of the age will be between two Houses of Prayer (worship movements). Anyone who is called to be part of the end time prayer movement must become intimately acquainted with this ultimate end-time prayer guide called the book of Revelation.

A.Satan is raising up a demonically inspired worship and prayer movement under the leadership of the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet that will release unprecedented demonic power and evil on the earth.

“All who dwell on the earth will worship him(Antichrist), whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Re. 13:8).”

“Then I saw another beast (False Prophet) coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.And he…causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men (Re. 13:11-13).”

B.The nations of the earth will be fascinated with the Anti-Christ’s personality, leadership and power and will come into agreement with who he is and what he says he is going to do. The Book of Revelation equates worship of the Beast with the worship of Satan himself.

“And all the world marveled and followed the beast (Antichrist).So they worshiped the dragon(Satan) who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast?(unholy fascination) Who is able to make war with him?(exaltation of his power) (Re. 13:3-4).”

C.God is raising up His Church as a Holy Spirit empowered worship and prayer movement as his first line of defense against this demonic prayer movement. As the church comes into agreement with who Jesus is and what He is going to do, the worship and intercession of the saints in the End Times will release God’s judgment against the Anti-Christ’s world empire and usher in the second coming of Jesus, and the establishing of His Millennial Kingdom from Jerusalem. It will be the most powerful and effective prayer and worship movement in history (Re. 22:17, 5:8, 8:4; Lk. 18:7-8; Ps. 29, 149; Is. 24:14-16, 26:8-9, 42:10-13, 62:6-7; Jo. 2:12-17, 32; Zph. 2:1-3 etc.)

“And shall God not avenge(grant justice/release judgment on behalf of) His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?I tell you that He will avenge them speedily (Lk. 18:7-8).”

II.the primary identity of the end-times church is A house of prayer

A.The primary identity of the Church immediately before, during, and after the events of the Great Tribulation is as a House of Prayer.

  1. Isaiah prophesied that God’s people would enter into enjoyable prayer as their primary function and identity.

“Also the sons of the foreigner (Gentiles) who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants-Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer...for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations (Is. 56:6-7).”

  1. Jesus spoke of night and day prayer going forth in context to the great end-time drama. Jesus’ end-times teachings all end with an exhortation to prayer and very little else (Mt. 24:42-46, 25:1-3; Mk. 13:13, 37; Lk. 17:20-37 cf. Lk.18:1-8, Lk.21:36).

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart (Lk. 18:1).”

  1. In the book of Revelation, John describes the end-time prayer movement in detail, with particular focus on the content and impact of the prayers and the songs of the saints at the End of the Age. It is the ultimate “canonized” prayer manual, designed to equip the saints to enter into their primary end time identity as a prayer movement without drawing back in fear.
  2. The final and ultimate description of the Church in the book of Revelation, is of God’s people in prayer functioning out of their identity as the Bride of Christ, in unity with and under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!...He (Jesus) who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Re. 22:17, 20)!”

  1. As the church enters into her identity as a prayer movement led by prophetic singers and musicians (Is. 42:10-15; Ps. 149:6-9; Re. 5:9-10, 15:3-4 etc), there will be a crescendo of prayer and worship on the earth, in concert with the prayer movement in Heaven, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, which will release God’s judgments against His enemies and inaugurate the Millennial Kingdom.

“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints(in heaven and on the earth) upon the golden altar which was before the throne.And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth(releasing the judgments of God). And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake (Re. 8:3-5).”

III.primary functions of the prayer movement in the book of revelation

The primary function of the End-Time Prayer Movement is to pray for God’s Kingdom to be established on earth as it is in Heaven (Mt. 6:10; Eph, 1:9-10). Specifically, the Prayer Movement is pictured in the book of Revelation, partnering with Jesus in the release of God’s “action plan” for the establishing of His Kingdom on the Earth in fullness. This has three main dimensions:

A.Releasing the Temporal Judgments of God against the Anti-Christ and his world empire.

  1. The three judgment series in the book of Revelation are all released in context to the prayers of the saints going forth.
  2. The Seals (Re. 5:8-14, 6:10, 7:10-12)
  3. The Trumpets (Re. 8:2-5)
  4. The Bowls or Wrath (Re. 11:15-19; 15:3-4)
  5. The magnitude and implications of this are enormous when one considers the nature and severity of the end-time judgments that God is going to release.

“…And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals…Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals (Re. 5:9, 6:1).”

“Then another angel…was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne…So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound (Re. 8:3-6).”

“They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways…for Your judgments have been manifested." After these things…one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever (Re. 15:3-7).”

  1. This allows us to see a divine principle, that God centered worship and intercession is God’s main strategy for the release of His judgment against His enemies (cf. 2Co. 10:4-5). Throughout the pages of scripture, we see the victory of God’s people against their enemies is in direct proportion to the prayers of the saints (e.g. Joshua and the Amalekites in Ex. 17:8-13; The Battle for Jericho in Js. 6:1-5; Jeshoshaphat and the Moabites in 2Ch. 20:1-30; The Siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib in 2Ki. 18-20; The Deliverance of Peter in Ac. 12:5-12, and of Paul and Silas in Ac. 16:25-26; etc.)

B.Releasing Angelic Help to Prevail in the Heavenly Realm

  1. The Book of Daniel provides us with the model of prayer that resulted in Michael the archangel prevailing of the demonic prince over the nation of Persia.

“He (the angel) said to me…from the first day thatyou set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.But the prince of the kingdom of Persia (demonic principality) withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes (archangel), came to help me (Da. 10:12-13).”

  1. In response to the end time prayer movement, Michael will again arise and prevail against Satan at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

“At that time (end times) Michael shall stand up (fight on behalf of Israel)…and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time (great tribulation) and at that time your people shall be delivered (Da. 12:1).”

“…war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for themin heaven any longer.So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Re. 12:7-9).”

C.Releasing the Kingdom of God on Earth

  1. The great crescendo of the end-time prayer movement is the cry for Jesus to return to set up His Millennial Kingdom on the earth.

“The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!"…(Re. 22:17).”

  1. The Millennial Kingdom is one of the major revelations of Scripture. The kingdom is ‘already here’ (in a limited expression) but is ‘not yet’ fully here until Jesus returns. The Millennium is a 1,000-year period in which Jesus will rule the whole world from Jerusalem in righteousness and peace (Re.20:4-6).
  2. The Seventh Trumpet (Re. 10:7, 11:15) which announces the return of Jesus to the Earth is in direct response to the prayers of the saints (Re.8:4-6).

IV.five dimensions of the End time prayer and worship movement described by the book of Revelation

A.Heavenly and Earthly Dimension

The End-Time Prayer movement combines the night and day prayer of the saints and martyrs in heaven with the worship of the saints on the earth to release the activity of God in judgment. Both dimensions of the prayer movement are necessary to the release of God’s end time plan(Re. 4:5-11, 5:8-13, 6:10, 7:9-12, 8:3, 11:17-18, 15:3-4, 18:20, 19:1-6, 22:17).

“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever(Re. 5:13)!”

“…that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints (Re. 8:3).”

B.Night and Day Dimension

  1. The Heavenly Prayer Movement continues Night and Day

“The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy,Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come (Re. 4:8)!”

“So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple (Re. 7:14-15).”

  1. The Assault of the Enemy continues Night and Day
    “…for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony (Re. 12:10-11).”

C.Corporate Dimension

  1. The Prayer Movement in the book of Revelation is pictured as a corporate (rather than individual) reality, with the saints in heaven and on the earth praying together in unity (agreement) with God and each other (Re. 4:10-11, 5:9-13,6:10, 7:9-10, 11:16, 15:3, 19:1-4, 6-7, 22:17).

“And they cried(corporate cry)with a loud voice(in unity), saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth (Re. 6:10)?”

“The Spirit and the Bride(People of God in Unity with the Spirit of God) say, "Come!"…(Re. 22:17)”

  1. Throughout scripture, the power of God is released primarily in context to corporate, unified intercessory worship (Ps. 133; Jo. 2:12-32; Jn. 17:20-23; Ac. 2:1-2, 4:24-31).

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind (Ac. 2:1-2).”

D.Supernatural Dimension

The prayers of the saints are imperfect in our human weakness. God will release the fullness of His anointing on the end time prayer movement. It will be dynamically enhanced with Holy Spirit authority and angelic involvement (Re. 8:3-4, 22:17; Zch. 12:10; Ro. 8:26-27, 34; He. 7:25).

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses (prayers). For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought (effectively), but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Ro. 8:26).”

E.Singing Dimension

  1. Singers and Musicians are the “tip of the arrow” in leading the End Time Prayer Movement(Re. 5:8, 9-10, 13, 14:3, 15:3-4).

“...the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp(anointed music), and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll…(Re. 5:8-9).”

  1. God Releases His judgments in response to anointed music and songs declaring fresh revelation (new songs) about His character and plans.

“Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth…The LORD shall go forth(Second Coming)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. (End-Time judgments)…(Is. 42:10-13)”

“Let the high praises of God be in their mouth…to execute vengeance on the nations…to execute on them the written judgment-- This honor have all His saints (Ps. 149:6-9).”

“…[Jehoshaphat] appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army(frontline) and were saying: "Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever (2Ch. 20:21).”

V.Agreement with Jesus: three dimensions to the prayers and songs of the saints in the book of revelation

A.As the “canonized prayer manual” for the Church in the End-Times, Revelation is filled with prophetic songs and decrees. It is essential we become intimately acquainted with the content of these if we are to partner effectively with Jesus in the place of prayer. As we sing these songs and pray these decrees, we come into agreement with God about who He is and what He is going to do. It is the power of agreement that dislodges demonic strongholds by releasing God’s judgment against His enemies

B.The themes of the songs and prayers of Revelation highlight, in particular, three aspects (faces) of Jesus that the Holy Spirit is going to highlight at the end of the age and with which it is critical that we come into agreement.

  1. Jesus the King: Agreement with His Sovereignty and Power (Re. 1:5-7, 4:8, 11, 5:12-13, 11:17-18, 15:3-4, 19:1,6,11-16). The Holy Spirit is going to highlight Jesus as the Sovereign King who possesses all wisdom, power and authority and who governs the earth in absolute righteousness. Many of the “Hymns” of Revelation focus on different aspects of His sovereignty over all creation. This foundational revelation of Jesus as King of kings will keep us steady in the darkest hour of human history.
  2. Jesus the Bridegroom: Agreement with His Love and Mercy (Re. 1:5, 5:9, 11, 15:3, 19:6-8, 22:17). The prayer movement at the end of the age will operate in her identity as the Bride of Christ (Re. 15:3, 19:6-8, 22:17). The songs of Revelation emphasize the revelation of the tender Bridegroom God who poured out His life unto death because of love (Re. 1:5; 5:9,11). Jesus is described as “the Lamb” 29 times, and those who overcome are depicted singing the “song of the Lamb” (Re.15:3) (which may be a reference to the Song of Solomon.) Jesus’ authority to release the temporal judgments is directly connected to His worthiness as the Lamb who was slain. Without a revelation of the Bridegroom’s love, we will be easily offended in tribulation.

“You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals (release judgment on the earth); for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood (Re. 5:9).”

  1. Jesus the Judge: Agreement with His Judgments(Re.5:9, 6:10, 8:3-4, 15:3-4, 16:5-6, 19:1-4). The least familiar and most unpopular face of Jesus is the one that is most emphasized in the songs and prayers of Revelation. The book of Revelation depicts the church in full agreement with God’s plan to release judgment on the earth, resulting in war, famine, plague and widespread death. The songs of Revelation include cries for justice and judgment as well as thanksgiving for God’s righteous judgment of the earth.

“Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!For true and righteous are His judgments (Re. 19:1-2).”