Jubilee (Philadelphia) 2017
By Jamie Fitt (Philadelphia Tabernacle of David)
Jubilee 2017 was a time of 185 consecutive hours of worship and prayer down at Independence Mall. For eight straight days, worship teams from PA, NJ, MD, DE and NY gathered to magnify the Lord and to release the sound of Jubilee. Jubilee 2017 was held in the shadow of the Liberty Bell, which is inscribed with the Scripture from Leviticus 25 that says, 'Proclaim liberty throughout the land, and to the inhabitants thereof'. This assembly was also held during the Hebraic celebration of Shavuot (Pentecost) which took place in the middle of the eight days. We know that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. This was the intent and focus of our prayers during our time on the Mall. Because of the continuous nature of the event, no one individual was able to observe all that the Lord did, but the following is a synopsis of what I personally saw.
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ARRIVAL, HONOR AND THE BRIDE
When we arrived Friday, we were greeted by members of the National Park Service (NPS) who expressed their excitement to see us. Many of them remembered us from last year and were happy to see we were back! As welcome as we felt, I had a strong sense that there was a lot of dishonor that had been sown in the name of ‘protests’ (I am in favor of godly protests, but this is not what I was sensing). In talking with members of the National Park Service, they confirmed this sense, so we knew one of our immediate assignments was to enter into worship with so much honor that all dishonor was dispelled. That evening we opened our time of worship by honoring the King and His original intent for that ground we were standing on. The first couple of days on the Mall were intertwined with the wedding of a precious couple from PTOD. This was actually very prophetic as the Lord had been speaking about the birthing of His Bride at Pentecost and how He was emphasizing the raising up of His Bride in the season ahead. We had a powerful time of honoring the Bride, Bridegroom and the friends of the Bridegroom (both in the natural and in the Spirit). Many from the bridal party were ministered to in a powerful way. The next morning, Ryan, the groom, lead the 8am worship slot, just a few hours before his wedding! |
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WEEKEND PARTNERSHIPS
Saturday was a special day of connecting with a number of other city ministries for an event organized by In the Light Ministries called 1 City, 1 Love. This event was a chance to bring the church together for a time of worship and fellowship to demonstrate our unity in the Spirit. It was very much the same heart as what Jubilee 2017 was all about, so it was wonderful to be able to partner on this event and see so many lives touched by the Lord. Sunday was also a powerful time of partnership as numerous city ministries came together to do a prayer march down Market Street. Spearheaded by Balance Ministries, this was a powerful opportunity to further dispel the dishonor that had been sown.
Where as most marches go from City Hall to Independence Hall, we were marching from Independence Hall to City Hall. We sensed an opportunity to move in the opposite spirit of what so many others have done and to honor and bless our leaders and our city.
REMEMBERING THE LOST AND LEAST
Monday was Memorial Day, so the large crowds of people continued in spite of the less than ideal weather. The NPS estimated that roughly 15 thousand people would visit the Mall daily during the weekend. Our heart was that they would all be touched by the sound of Jubilee. However, Monday evening, as the crowds began to dissipate, there was a noticeably increased number of homeless who remained in the streets near the Mall. Because it was cold and rainy and we had a tent set up, many of the homeless came and sat under the tent while we worshiped. Some worshiped with us, some shared their stories and were ministered to and others just sat in a safe and dry place to rest.
It was a precious moment when Brian Tunstall began to sing over the homeless that evening. The Father’s love expressed through His Son who came to the least and the lost was so powerfully present. We came to the mall with a heart to proclaim liberty thought the land and to all of its inhabitants, and the Lord showed us that He wanted us to start with those right in our backyard who had been most oppressed by the enemy and overlooked by man.
THE DRAWING PRESENCE
I remember several intense times of worship, especially Monday and Tuesday during the day, that began to draw people into the tent. It shouldn’t surprise us that God’s presence draws people to Himself, but it is always amazing to watch it happen. In one of those moments, we were worshiping the Lord and dancing. I literally saw God charging the atmosphere with His presence. The One who formed every atom and every molecule, was being enthroned in our sound and was changing the atmosphere. As we continued in that sound, several people who were walking by began to spontaneously join the dance. Honestly, I don’t know if they knew what they were doing or not, but it didn’t matter. The Lord was working on them - even delivering some of them.
THE CLOUD OF HIS GLORY
Tuesday evening at sundown was the beginning of Shavuot. We had a banner on the tent that said ‘Happy Shavuot’. It was a chance to honor and minister to several Jewish people that would stop by because of what they were seeing or hearing. What was truly amazing though, was the sign the Lord gave us just as sundown arrived that night. We had been praying for God’s glory to fill the Mall in a profound way this year, so it was not lost on us when a deep misty fog began to fall on Independence Mall just as Shavuot began. It was a natural phenomenon occurring because the atmosphere was literally shifting - a high pressure system was overtaking a low pressure system - after this point, the sun was shining and the temperature warmed up. The tops of many of the buildings were not visible - it was as if Independence Mall was engulfed in a cloud of the glory of the Lord. The symbolism of this is powerful too, because the the Jewish tradition is that the first Shavuot was when Moses entered the cloud on Mt. Sinai and was given the Torah. Wow! We came into agreement with what the Lord of Hosts was doing and saying through this cloud and declared a release of revelation over Philadelphia and our nation!
NATIONS
It was a great honor to have many nations lead times of worship in the tent. This year we had worship/prayer in at least 5 different languages and had many different ethnic groups represented as well. We even had a couple of intercessors from Australia who traveled here just to pray with us that week! Because the Jerusalem Jubilee was just a few days prior to the start of Jubilee 2017, we really felt that we needed to pray for the sound of Jubilee to be released throughout the nations, not just in our nation. It could seem a bit grandiose for a small band of worshipers in Philadelphia to think they could effect the nations simply with their sound, but the Lord confirmed in a variety of ways that this was His heart.
Many people from different nations were drawn to the tent (some believers, some not). I personally talked to people from Switzerland, Italy, Puerto Rico and Israel, all in about a 15 minute time frame. I don’t think any of them were believers, but they were drawn in - one woman could not leave despite trying to walk away several times. One afternoon, the Lord lead us in powerful intercession for Holy Spirit to break out in the nations. A raw and powerful roar was released over the earth - particularly the Middle East. As we prayed that day, a group of 30 tourists from Israel stopped by our tent to see what was going on. Also, there were Chinese who came and danced with us in worship. We prayed for both groups specifically.
THE RINGING BELL
Friday night into Saturday was the conclusion of our time on the Mall. Our practice was to shut the generator down each day at midnight and at noon to refuel. It only takes about 5 minutes, but when we did that Friday into Saturday, something special happened. Just as we shut the power down, the bell began to toll midnight. It was a prophetic moment that guided our last 12 hours of worship. We felt the Lord was emphasizing the 12 hours between 12 midnight and 12 noon as a special window where He was reordering and restructuring our nation to align with His perfect order and government. Ed Watts prophesied that the governmental houses were arising that would shape and shake our nation and the nations of the earth through the ‘sound of 12’.
We prayed into that through the night. To end our time, the Lord had us stop just seconds before the bell sounded for 12 noon. His timing is perfect! In an affirmation of all that was sown that week, Lana Vawser, a prophet from Australia, released this dream just a few days after Jubilee was over:
“I had a dream last night and the Lord spoke to me that the liberty bell is ringing signaling not the change of a season but the END OF AN ERA!
The liberty bell is being rung in the spirit declaring an end to a period of time of things being and looking a certain way, things being done a certain way.
The liberty bell is ringing in the spirit decreeing drastic, radical, GLORIOUS change upon the people of God.
The liberty bell is ringing declaring a manifestation of freedom that is opening up a new era that looks like no other we have walked before! Drastic, glorious, wonderful, change is upon you and upon the nations.
The liberty bell is ringing!!! It's a NEW ERA!”
Amazing! We had been in the shadow of the Liberty Bell, worshiping for 8 days (8 being a number of new beginning) ending with the sound of the bell, and then this word comes forth. What an amazing encouragement!
CONCLUSION
There is much more I could share - for the second year in a row, the tent was in the media (without our efforts), there were a number of people who work near the Mall who testified they sensed peace where we were despite protesters being nearby and being quite nasty, people were healed, saved and some even delivered, and an unknown number of seeds were sown as we simply loved the Lord and our neighbors out in public (multiple school groups stopped in at the tent).
The unity and love demonstrated by those who came to help in one capacity or another, was unparalleled. We are indebted to all who came and served so well - THANK YOU!! I am certain we will never know the full scope of what went on through our time there. I do know that Independence Mall will never be the same.
Saturday was a special day of connecting with a number of other city ministries for an event organized by In the Light Ministries called 1 City, 1 Love. This event was a chance to bring the church together for a time of worship and fellowship to demonstrate our unity in the Spirit. It was very much the same heart as what Jubilee 2017 was all about, so it was wonderful to be able to partner on this event and see so many lives touched by the Lord. Sunday was also a powerful time of partnership as numerous city ministries came together to do a prayer march down Market Street. Spearheaded by Balance Ministries, this was a powerful opportunity to further dispel the dishonor that had been sown.
Where as most marches go from City Hall to Independence Hall, we were marching from Independence Hall to City Hall. We sensed an opportunity to move in the opposite spirit of what so many others have done and to honor and bless our leaders and our city.
REMEMBERING THE LOST AND LEAST
Monday was Memorial Day, so the large crowds of people continued in spite of the less than ideal weather. The NPS estimated that roughly 15 thousand people would visit the Mall daily during the weekend. Our heart was that they would all be touched by the sound of Jubilee. However, Monday evening, as the crowds began to dissipate, there was a noticeably increased number of homeless who remained in the streets near the Mall. Because it was cold and rainy and we had a tent set up, many of the homeless came and sat under the tent while we worshiped. Some worshiped with us, some shared their stories and were ministered to and others just sat in a safe and dry place to rest.
It was a precious moment when Brian Tunstall began to sing over the homeless that evening. The Father’s love expressed through His Son who came to the least and the lost was so powerfully present. We came to the mall with a heart to proclaim liberty thought the land and to all of its inhabitants, and the Lord showed us that He wanted us to start with those right in our backyard who had been most oppressed by the enemy and overlooked by man.
THE DRAWING PRESENCE
I remember several intense times of worship, especially Monday and Tuesday during the day, that began to draw people into the tent. It shouldn’t surprise us that God’s presence draws people to Himself, but it is always amazing to watch it happen. In one of those moments, we were worshiping the Lord and dancing. I literally saw God charging the atmosphere with His presence. The One who formed every atom and every molecule, was being enthroned in our sound and was changing the atmosphere. As we continued in that sound, several people who were walking by began to spontaneously join the dance. Honestly, I don’t know if they knew what they were doing or not, but it didn’t matter. The Lord was working on them - even delivering some of them.
THE CLOUD OF HIS GLORY
Tuesday evening at sundown was the beginning of Shavuot. We had a banner on the tent that said ‘Happy Shavuot’. It was a chance to honor and minister to several Jewish people that would stop by because of what they were seeing or hearing. What was truly amazing though, was the sign the Lord gave us just as sundown arrived that night. We had been praying for God’s glory to fill the Mall in a profound way this year, so it was not lost on us when a deep misty fog began to fall on Independence Mall just as Shavuot began. It was a natural phenomenon occurring because the atmosphere was literally shifting - a high pressure system was overtaking a low pressure system - after this point, the sun was shining and the temperature warmed up. The tops of many of the buildings were not visible - it was as if Independence Mall was engulfed in a cloud of the glory of the Lord. The symbolism of this is powerful too, because the the Jewish tradition is that the first Shavuot was when Moses entered the cloud on Mt. Sinai and was given the Torah. Wow! We came into agreement with what the Lord of Hosts was doing and saying through this cloud and declared a release of revelation over Philadelphia and our nation!
NATIONS
It was a great honor to have many nations lead times of worship in the tent. This year we had worship/prayer in at least 5 different languages and had many different ethnic groups represented as well. We even had a couple of intercessors from Australia who traveled here just to pray with us that week! Because the Jerusalem Jubilee was just a few days prior to the start of Jubilee 2017, we really felt that we needed to pray for the sound of Jubilee to be released throughout the nations, not just in our nation. It could seem a bit grandiose for a small band of worshipers in Philadelphia to think they could effect the nations simply with their sound, but the Lord confirmed in a variety of ways that this was His heart.
Many people from different nations were drawn to the tent (some believers, some not). I personally talked to people from Switzerland, Italy, Puerto Rico and Israel, all in about a 15 minute time frame. I don’t think any of them were believers, but they were drawn in - one woman could not leave despite trying to walk away several times. One afternoon, the Lord lead us in powerful intercession for Holy Spirit to break out in the nations. A raw and powerful roar was released over the earth - particularly the Middle East. As we prayed that day, a group of 30 tourists from Israel stopped by our tent to see what was going on. Also, there were Chinese who came and danced with us in worship. We prayed for both groups specifically.
THE RINGING BELL
Friday night into Saturday was the conclusion of our time on the Mall. Our practice was to shut the generator down each day at midnight and at noon to refuel. It only takes about 5 minutes, but when we did that Friday into Saturday, something special happened. Just as we shut the power down, the bell began to toll midnight. It was a prophetic moment that guided our last 12 hours of worship. We felt the Lord was emphasizing the 12 hours between 12 midnight and 12 noon as a special window where He was reordering and restructuring our nation to align with His perfect order and government. Ed Watts prophesied that the governmental houses were arising that would shape and shake our nation and the nations of the earth through the ‘sound of 12’.
We prayed into that through the night. To end our time, the Lord had us stop just seconds before the bell sounded for 12 noon. His timing is perfect! In an affirmation of all that was sown that week, Lana Vawser, a prophet from Australia, released this dream just a few days after Jubilee was over:
“I had a dream last night and the Lord spoke to me that the liberty bell is ringing signaling not the change of a season but the END OF AN ERA!
The liberty bell is being rung in the spirit declaring an end to a period of time of things being and looking a certain way, things being done a certain way.
The liberty bell is ringing in the spirit decreeing drastic, radical, GLORIOUS change upon the people of God.
The liberty bell is ringing declaring a manifestation of freedom that is opening up a new era that looks like no other we have walked before! Drastic, glorious, wonderful, change is upon you and upon the nations.
The liberty bell is ringing!!! It's a NEW ERA!”
Amazing! We had been in the shadow of the Liberty Bell, worshiping for 8 days (8 being a number of new beginning) ending with the sound of the bell, and then this word comes forth. What an amazing encouragement!
CONCLUSION
There is much more I could share - for the second year in a row, the tent was in the media (without our efforts), there were a number of people who work near the Mall who testified they sensed peace where we were despite protesters being nearby and being quite nasty, people were healed, saved and some even delivered, and an unknown number of seeds were sown as we simply loved the Lord and our neighbors out in public (multiple school groups stopped in at the tent).
The unity and love demonstrated by those who came to help in one capacity or another, was unparalleled. We are indebted to all who came and served so well - THANK YOU!! I am certain we will never know the full scope of what went on through our time there. I do know that Independence Mall will never be the same.