So this morning I got up and left the house at 7.45 on a Saturday. What was I thinking of?

The answer is that I was heading up Slieve Croob with a few folks, to the source of the River Lagan. Other groups were heading up Craigantlet and the Cave Hill, and a base group of intercessors were at Covenant Love Church on the Albertbridge Road.

Having synchronised watches and been prayed for, we headed down the road to Hillsborough and Dromara. It was a hazy day, so we couldn’t actually see Belfast, but it was interesting to see the start of the Lagan, and the four masts on top of Slieve Croob.

Arriving after a 40 minute walk up from the car park at 11.45, we rested for fifteen minutes before starting into the Order of Service. It was carefully coordinated: we started by reading half of Psalm 24, then declaring to God what we had come to do: to honour him, to ask for his forgiveness and receive cleansing for the land, and to give him the glory that is rightly his. We asked him to hear from heaven and answer the prayers of his servants.

After reciting the first verses of Psalm 8, we had a short time of a cappella worship. Carefully timed at 12.15, we spent time repenting of our own sins, and those of our land, in idolatry (of every sort, including every time we put something as more important as God), occultic practices, sexual immorality, pride and divisions.

This was followed by a prayer for forgiveness and cleansing and the recitation of more scripture verses before sharing Communion. The extra bread and Ribena were scattered.

We completed Psalm 24, inviting God to come and inhabit the high places, removing all evil power, authority and influence, and to rule and reign over Belfast. After this, we “sowed the seed” of the Word by burying a carefully sealed Bible (greaseproof paper and two plastic bags), placed a stake to mark God’s ownership (the top of the stake had “Elohim” in Hebrew, and further down it had some of the key verses for the whole adventure.

We finished by reciting Isaiah 55:6-13 and making a declaration that I will write about another time. I don’t think it’s yet time to do so, although if I’m wrong I’ll quickly post it later – but it was praying into action a vision several people have shared in (including myself to an extent) regarding Revival in Belfast.

After a little more worship, which we later learnt finished the same time as at least one of the other sites, we took the half hour walk back down (much easier and faster!) to the cars before breaking open the chocolate (much needed!) and driving back to Belfast.

Critical parts of the vision included Exodus 16 where Israel was facing the Amalekites at Rephidim, with God as Jehovah Nissi – the Lord is my banner. Other links included Jehovah Sabaoth – the Lord of hosts (Psalm 24:10), and the blood of Jesus.

There is plenty more to tell. But not right now. Not yet.