In the context of world events, I believe this assembly comes at a God ordained moment. An assembly, which is “the coming together of people for a specific purpose” or the “forming of something from different parts” is different from a conference “receiving and sharing information”, or a meeting, “a group of people led by one or two people”. To assemble before God is to bring all the parts of the body together in unity of purpose so that the Master builder can shape and energise us for His purposes.
The sacred assembly that God called for in Joel 2 was for all the people, everyone to gather, the elders, the children, the young, the newly weds, the priests. Assemblies were called by God so that the people were in a position to cry to God and to hear from God. From that position of humility and awe, God was able to say to His people “I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully”. WPA is a once in a generation moment for the parts of the body of Christ to come together from around the world, to stand together in humility, to worship Him, to seek His face and to hear His voice and to receive the grain, the wine and the oil to take to the ends of the earth.
The more I pray and ponder regarding the assembly, the more I see this as a unique moment in church history. This is not about promotion of ministries, it is not about well known speakers, it is not about networking, there are many other events that take place at which these things can rightly take place. This is a moment in history when representatives of the Body of Christ from around the world stand in unity, listening, ready to hear the word of the Lord.
I am excited when I think of those united sessions where we are led into the presence of God in worship of the King of Kings by brothers and sisters from different continents, where we stand shoulder to shoulder with brothers and sisters from many nations and pray out the things that God puts on our hearts to pray and where together in our unity and humility God is able to command blessing even life for evermore.
It has been prophesied that WPA is heralding a new wave of the Spirit that will sweep across the world so that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. We now know that tsunami waves start with the movement of huge tectonic plates under the earth’s surface. Let us gather in Indonesia in faith believing that the WPA will see such a shift that as the plates of our denominations, ministries and movements come together a wave of the presence of God will sweep out of Indonesia growing and gathering pace as it sweeps through His church across the continents.
Ian Cole, Director of the World Prayer Centre