As I was ministering recently in Australia, I heard the Lord speak concerning Letters of Passage and Provision being released to us to complete the job of restoration. I realize we can present cases in the Courts of Heaven concerning what is to be ours when we realize what God is prophetically saying. In the following I outline the release of these Letters of Passage and Provision and a prayer to stand in the Courts of Heaven to see these become active in us.
The book of Nehemiah is a book of restoration. It is the story not only of Nehemiah being used to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in a record time of 52 days, but also the reestablishment of community life. Jerusalem became a functioning society and culture again under the oversight of Nehemiah. Kingdom life was reinstituted in this strategic and significant city.
In this book we see Nehemiah in his function as the cupbearer for the King of Babylon. The report comes to him of the despicable and destructive state of his beloved city. This report threw Nehemiah into a time of mourning and intercession. Nehemiah 1:4 tells us that he wept and fasted as a result of the burden of the Lord for the city and inhabitants of Jerusalem.
“So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for manydays; I was fasting and praying before the God of Heaven.”
When you follow the history of events you find that Nehemiah was commissioned and given permission from the King to go and begin the restoration process of Jerusalem. One of the most important issues connected to Nehemiah’s ability to see transformation come to the city was the King issuing letters to him. Nehemiah 2: 7-8 shows Nehemiah requesting these letters from the King for his journey and purpose.
” Furthermore I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.’ And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.”
Nehemiah requested letters for passage and provision. These were absolutely necessary for the job to be done of restoration in Jerusalem. The letters instructed the governors or powers of regions to let Nehemiah pass through. The letters to Asaph the keeper of the King’s forest instructed the release of provision to accomplish the job.
In these days our King has released letters into our hands for passage and provision
There have been demonic powers that have resisted our progress and passage into the full purposes of God. There are letters from the King demanding we be free to pass! Once we have these letters in hand the powers of darkness must cease and desist their resistance of our commission. The letters in the spirit realm we hold give us the authority to see every power of darkness neutralized and our passage into the full restoration of God. We have been authorized through these letters in the Spirit to move without hindrance into a fully restored place.
Nehemiah also received letters of provision. These letters gave him the right to make demands on Asaph the keeper of the King’s forest. He had the right to as much as was necessary to get job done. When we have letters of provision in our hand they are as good as the actual provision being in our hand. We can make demands because of the letter that we carry. Our bank account may not be full, but we have something better. We carry letters in the spirit realm that can secure the provision we need at will. We have access to the provisions of the King because of the letters that we have in our possession.
God is releasing these two letters to us. Letters of passage and letters of provision are now being released in the spirit world.
How did Nehemiah secure these letters from the King for the purpose of restoration? There are about five things he did that we should do as well!
1. Nehemiah was willing to lay his life down
Nehemiah was the King’s cupbearer. Part of his job in this function was to taste the food and drink provided for the King to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. If someone died, it would be Nehemiah. He literally was therefore a trusted part of the functioning of the kingdom. Are we those who are willing to give our life for the Kingdom to function? Will we lay down our life for others who are necessary to Kingdom advancement? Are we willing to take the poison aimed at others that they might function freely? Where is this kind of honor in the Body of Christ today? Nehemiah’s history of service in giving his life for the King had earned him a place of respect and favor. May we serve in this capacity as well.
2. Nehemiah had a Kingdom heart!
When he heard of the distress of Jerusalem and the inhabitants, his heart broke with the passion of God for it. Nehemiah 1:3-4 shows Nehemiah being greatly moved by the condition of something dear to God’s heart.
“And they said to me, ‘The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire’.”
“So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for manydays; I was fasting and praying before the God of Heaven.”
This demonstrates Nehemiah’s concern for that which concerned God. He could have forgotten this situation because he served in the palace of the King. He had it comfortable enough. However there was something of a Kingdom heart in Nehemiah that was stirred and aroused when this report came. He couldn’t stay silent or remain unmoved. His passion for the Kingdom of God was awakened. May we care as much for what is on God’s heart. God forgive me for only being concerned with my comforts and not what moves You.
3. Nehemiah brought the King pleasure and happiness!
“And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, that I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before. Therefore the king said to me, ‘Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart.’
“So I became dreadfully afraid, and said to the king, ‘May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?’
“Then the king said to me, ‘What do you request?’
“So I prayed to the God of Heaven.”
When Nehemiah turned up for work, he was depressed and sorrowful. This was not allowed in the presence of the King. This last thing the King needed was a moody attendant. The King had the power to have one executed for such a thing. This is why Nehemiah was afraid. Notice he had never been sad in the King’s presence before. Sometimes people wonder why they are never promoted or shown favor? It’s the attitude they function and live life with. No one wants to be around sadness and depression. Nehemiah was one who had brought joy to the King. The king enjoyed being around him. If we want favor, we should learn to portray a happy heart and excitement about our function. In addition we should practice this with the King of kings as well. We are to enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. (Psalms 100:1-4) We are to serve Him with gladness. The favor of the King is not a result of complaining and being negative, but of approaching with thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6 re-enforces this idea.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
When we approach the Lord it should always be with a thankful not complaining heart. We secure His favor as a result. Letters from the Spirit can be released to us.
4. Nehemiah’s momentary prayer was empowered by his life of prayer!
Nehemiah 2:4-5 shows Nehemiah breathing a quick prayer as the King asked what he wanted.
“Then the king said to me, ‘What do you request?’
“So I prayed to the God of Heaven. And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it’.”
The reason this prayer got such quick results was because of the prayer life of Nehemiah backing it up. He had already spent 3-4 months in prayer over the situation. He first got the report about Jerusalem in the month of Chislev and now it was Nisan. Chislev is the 9th month of 12 months of the year while Nisan is the first. This means Nehemiah has been in intercession concerning this thing for this 3-4 month period. By the time the King asked him want he wanted, this was bathed in prayer. The momentary prayer he prays at this point is being empowered by the life of prayer he has walked in. This secured the favor of the King! There is no substitute for a life of prayer. When we have this history these moments can produce great results.
5. He was a man of his word!
The King in Nehemiah 2:6 asked Nehemiah how long he would be gone on this mission.
“Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), ‘How long will your journey be? And when will you return?’ So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.”
The King knew Nehemiah could be trusted and would be a man true to his word. If he said he would be gone for a set time, this is what he would be gone. Nehemiah did return, but because he kept his word, he was sent back other times as well. If we keep our word, it will result in favor being shown us in the natural, but also before God.
These five things played into the King granting these letters to Nehemiah for passage and provision. It was the favor of the King secured through a laid down life, a Kingdom heart, a glad spirit, an established prayer life and one who would keep their word! This caused Nehemiah to be granted the letters in the spirit that paved the way for restoration to come.
Here is a prayer to secure our own letters of passage and provision
Lord, as I come before Your Courts, I repent for any place I have chosen my own way and not laid down my life. Please forgive me. I also repent for not having a Kingdom heart. Forgive me where I have put my own comfort ahead of Your purpose.
Every place I have been a complainer and murmurer, I also repent. Please create in me a right spirit. I asked You to forgive me for this. I also repent for my prayerlessness. Everywhere I have wanted You to give me a quick result without having paved the way in the spirit, I repent. I asked You to please forgive and cleanse me from this.
I also repent Lord for any and every place I have not been a person of my word. Any places where I have burned bridges through not being faithful, I ask You to please forgive me. Lord allow Your blood to speak for me now—I ask according to Hebrews 12:24.
Thank You Lord for having mercy on me. I ask now that letters of passage and provision would be granted to me. I ask that I would be authorized in the spirit to see every demonic thing standing in the way of restoration rights revoked, removed and annulled.
I ask they would have no rights to resist that which I now carry in the spirit. I also ask for letters of provision. Every thing necessary for restoration, I thank You I now have rights to. I make demands on the Kings resources because of the letters I carry. Thank You that all things are supplied for full restoration to be manifested. In Jesus name, Amen!
Robert Henderson is the Apostolic Leader of Global Reformers, a worldwide apostolic family of over 100,000 Kingdom leaders and 7 Mountains influencers. He is also author of the best-selling Operating in the Courts of Heaven series. Learn more about his ministry at roberthenderson.org
You can watch Robert Henderson’s interview with GOD TV CEO, Ward Simpson on Today With Ward.
