Our church gathers in a hall which we have been renting well over 10 years. I hear believers
earnestly pray for a church building to own, I felt really bad as I didn't have any desire from my heart and it is one of my least request in prayer.
I had the same attitude as the people of Jerusalem as mentioned in Haggai 1:2 where it says the "Time has not come, the time that Lord's house should be built". I had some good reasons, as I thought our church doesn't have enough money, manpower or resources to even think of buying a piece of land and build a temple. I get hurt in my spirit when I read Haggai 1:4 " Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled house while this house lies desolate?
I prayed to God and said, Lord I find myself having no desire from my heart to pray to own
piece of land and building for our church. At night I saw a dream, and I believe the purpose of it was to ignite a passion and pray to God earnestly for this matter. In the dream, I saw one of the church administrator during his term of service is initiating the dealings to buy an old building and attempts to renovate it. The building I saw was very old with good land size. This dream had a profound impact in me, it helped me to understand God's heart and it changed the way I started to feel and pray about it .
Certainly I am praying for a hall with all amenities but as I said this was a dream I fully believe was to increase my heart's desire and earnestly pray for it. In Isaiah 56:7 we read " 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".
God is interested in as many people in Brisbane and elsewhere to know and accept Him ,where He says He will bring them with joy to His house and accept their sacrifices, So it is just not a place where only believers gather, the temple which we initiate to build will be a future place where many will come and know and accept Jesus. Surely knowing and understanding this truth will help us to genuinely pray and work for it. In Zechariah 4:6 we read, Not by might, not by power but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty, these are the words to Zerubbabel in relation to rebuilding the temple. These are the same words God wants us to listen, It's not your clever ideas, your ability or strength, that the temple will be rebuilt - but by the spirit of God. When we trust our own resources whether big or small - then we don't enjoy the full supply of the Spirit.
May God use each of us in building His temple and may He increase our passion for it. May God stir up the faith in us and provide us with all of the wisdom, funding, competence and professionalism and help us to pray without ceasing for this church building project.
For reading : Haggai 1 and 2.
Zechariah 6.
Isaiah 56.