From: Hope Flinchbaugh - Houses of Prayer Dream – September 15, 2002:
I worked late into the night of September 15, 2002, typing and printing out addresses onto labels to put on post card announcements about my new book, Daughter of China. Although it was already past 1:30am, I longed for some time with my wonderful friend Jesus before I went to bed. I settled into our blue recliner, Bible in hand, and was about to pray when the Lord decided he would be the first to speak! He told me to go to bed! He also said that he would speak to me throughout the night if I would accept what he would show me. (Yes, he gives to his beloved even in her sleep.) I told him I would accept whatever he showed me (of course!), but I asked him to confirm his word.
So, all night long I dreamed about prayer houses. I looked in on a number of different prayer sessions, each with another lively group of intercessors who were fully connected with the Holy Spirit. Some of these prayer rooms had about 12 people and others had more than 50. Some appeared to be in houses while others looked like they were meeting in a large room of a church or school. I woke up several times from these dreams, then fell back to sleep only to see more prayer houses!
Throughout the dreams, I felt as though God was trying to show me that he wanted me somehow involved in a house of prayer he was building. It’s funny, but I think he may want me to purchase at least one house of prayer, if not several.
The last prayer house dream was much more specific. Here's what I recorded about that dream:
There was a group of prayer warriors (it seemed I belonged to this group) who were to have a house of prayer. As we walked into this house, there was no furniture, but there were people in the house lying and sitting around the walls of the house who refused to leave. They weren’t altogether bad people, they were just stubborn, and sitting there where we knew God destined us to be.
It was decided that the house they inhabited needed to be fought over in fair warfare. A blond haired man of great integrity was leading our little group. He had a military spirit about him and just looking at him one could tell that he was some sort of commanding officer who’s retired with dignity and honor and medals, etc. We told the people in the house that the house was ours and they needed to leave. They refused. So this man told the people that he didn't want to fight, but if they refused to leave then we would have to fight for it. They agreed. Then the commanding officer said, “Whoever wins the war must strike the ground 7 times with this sword and say --(I can’t remember the words they were to say -- something like, ''We win this war.....'' ) and then that person wins the war.”
We knew we’d win because the place was ours by rights* or at least by the destiny that God had placed within us to have it. So, the commanding officer laid on the ground and had a rifle that was like a pellet gun. Just before he shot it he said, “Lord help these shots to fire low. We don’t want to kill them, we just need to win this war.”
NOTE ON “BY RIGHTS”
ISAIAH 56:7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.''
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’?
So the pellets fired. The people we were firing at were low to the ground – sitting, lying down, on their knees. They were relaxed and unconcerned about this war. The pellets wounded them, but it was funny because there was no blood, just like a stun gun that incapacitated them to move. At that point, the commanding officer who looks like the guy at my church struck the sword on the ground 7 times, said the words we agreed upon to say, and basically the whole place was designated God’s house of prayer—not by our words, really, but this commanding officer was just like totally obeying God, not doing this to fight in the natural, but totally obeying God thru the whole deal.
Within 48 hours after this dream, I received an e-mail from Brother Terry Holderread who is deeply involved in Christians in Crisis. When I asked Terry what CIC was all about, he said, ''Our purpose is to raise up houses of prayer all over the nation and even the world. We want to raise up 500,000 intercessors for the persecuted church.''
I felt that Terry's e-mail to me was the confirmation I'd asked God to give me after the dream.
As far as this dream is concerned, the Lord told me Ezekiel 2* last night, which talks about God's people being stubborn and rebellious and stiff necked. I think he's trying to point out to me that these were the people in our prayer house.
NOTE ON “EZEKIEL”
EZEKIEL 2:1 He said to me, ''Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.'' 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
EZEKIEL 2:3 He said: ''Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.''
EZEKIEL 2:9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.
From: Hope Flinchbaugh - Houses of Prayer Interpretation – November 27, 2002:
Hope shared this dream with Pastor Wally on November 27, 2002 after she and Pastor Wally and his wife Matilda had a wonderful time of prayer together. Pastor Wally felt he knew immediately what the dream meant.
Here's what Pastor Wally said to me about the dream I had about house of prayer –
The house you mentioned in the dream is the body of Christ -- the church, especially the church here in America. The person who walked into the house had blond hair and was male. Concerning the people inside the house...you saw all kinds of things that they were doing. They were sitting around, not doing much and didn’t care if someone had something to tell them. At one point they thought - We don’t care, let’s keep doing what we were doing.
I see the church attitude for the most part in this. I also believe that the person who walks in is either the Lord Jesus Christ or the messenger of the Lord to the body and He’s saying, “Hey! Get up. It’s time for us to start a house of prayer. It’s time to intercede and prevail for the house of the Lord.” Most people are saying - “We have our own agenda, we’re doing our own things already.” They are ignoring the message of the Lord.
He had a sharp sword – I saw this as the Word of God...the sword of the Spirit. The Word of God for the church in America is a two-edged sword. One side of the sword is calling out to the church of America to reach the world with the gospel message. The other side is reminding the church in America of the persecuted Christians around the world. It is calling out to awaken the church to help their persecuted brothers in every way they can. The number of times the sword struck the ground is the number of times the body of Christ has been warned by the Lord. They need to get out of their apathy. They really need to do what the Lord has told them to do.
God was giving the interpretation as you were telling me the dream. This is a personal message from God. The man who walked into the house or room is the Spirit of Christ walking in or coming in thru messengers or people sent from God...a Christian messenger such as myself or you (Hope). In your dream you saw houses or rooms. The houses I believe were representative of bigger churches in America and the rooms were churches meeting in cell groups or homes. God is calling people all over. They need to heed the message of preaching the gospel message and urging people to pray for persecuted Christians.
I see myself as a missionary sent to America. He has a message for America. I believe that this dream of yours has a lot to do with CIC and my testimony for the Lord on behalf of persecuted church.