Pray Network Forum

Dear Fellow Prayer Leader,

Dr. Rick Shepherd, the SBC Director of Prayer and Spiritual Awakening for the state of Florida, is offering resources being used in his state to call Christians to pray for God's honor, for neighbors, and for our nation this fall. The resources include a calendar document with prayer prompts for September 16 - November 10, a leader's notes document, and a sample pastor's letter to a congregation. Rick is offering these for your use in your sphere of influence as you see fit. His contact info is in the content if you have any specific questions for him.

There are many calls to prayer this fall and many tools available, this call to prayer deserves a look.

For God's glory,

Elaine Helms

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“To the average Christian the command ‘pray without ceasing’ is simply a needless and impossible life of perfection. Who can do it? We can get to heaven without it. To the true believer, on the contrary, it holds out the promise of the highest happiness, of a life crowned by all the blessings that can be brought down on souls through his intercession. And as he perseveres, it becomes increasingly his highest aim upon earth, his highest joy, his highest experience of the wonderful fellowship with the holy God.”  Andrew Murray

As we each face many challenges and blessings in life, it is critical that we put prayer first in our schedules.  I sense in my heart that we are entering into very deep waters. We always have enough time for the things we value. The greatest key to success in the Christian life is to put God and prayer first. Too many things in life are crying out for our attention. Everything we do must be done through the power of prayer.   

We must learn to put prayer first on a daily basis. It is something we have to give our utmost attention to. The enemy is TOO clever, and he will try to steal our time. This is where he will resist us the most. We need to have a vision for prayer. Vision determines priorities, and our priorities determine our destinies. Put prayer as a high priority in your life.

In Acts 12:5 we read about fervent prayer for Peter by the church. They prayed with intense earnestness. Peter was in trouble! The word “earnestness” in the Greek means “stretched-out-edly”. Their souls were stretched out with intense earnestness toward God. It was like a runner using every nerve and muscle stretched out toward the goal. Jesus also prayed with intense earnestness in Luke 22:44 so that even his sweat became as drops of blood. God desires that we learn to prioritize prayer and seek to be a man or woman of intense earnestness in intercession. The Bible speaks about devoting ourselves to prayer in Colossians 4:2. The Amplified Bible says:

“Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer life, being both alert and intent in your praying with thanksgiving.

Dorthy Haskins in her book A Prayer Guide to Prayer tells about an excellent concert violinist who was asked the secret of her mastery of the violin. She responded, “Planned neglect.” She explained how so many things demanded her time. After breakfast, she would do her normal duties such as straightening her room, cleaning and several other things that seemed necessary. She would then turn to her violin after finishing all her work. But she was unable to accomplish what she should on the violin. So she reversed the order, and neglected everything until her practice period on the violin was completed. That was the secret to her success. How often we are like this violinist and put prayer at the end of what needs to be done. It can be last on our list! It must be first. It must be prioritized in our lives, if we want to have a life dedicated to God’s glory.

We must learn to put prayer first now and not wait. The world is getting worse with each passing day as crime and terrorism increase. With earthquakes killing thousands, financial difficulties, unusual weather patterns, plus lawlessness, famines and needs everywhere - if ever there was a need for prayer, it is now. But you and I don’t have to wait for an emergency situation in our city. We already live in an emergency situation - God has sounded the alarm - Millions do not yet know Christ. The hour is urgent! Throughout history, there were praying individuals who knew the seriousness of the hour and prioritized prayer every single day. Let’s look at some of these examples from history.

Historical Examples

“Christ, who in this as well as in other things is our example, spent many whole nights in prayer. His custom was to pray much. He had His habitual place to pray. Many long seasons of praying made up His history and character. Paul prayed day and night. Daniel’s three daily prayers took time away from other important interests. David’s morning, noon, and night praying was doubtless on many occasions very long and involved. While we have no specific account of the time these Bible saints spent in prayer, the indications are that they devoted much time to prayer, and on some occasions long seasons of praying were their custom.” E. M. Bounds

These prayer warriors put prayer first in their everyday life. Even though some of them had ill health, busy lives or were very old, they still were able to put prayer first.

• 84-year-old Anna - She was very old but prayed and fasted night and day for decades. See Luke 2:36. 
• David Brainerd - He spent whole days in prayer as he cried out for the salvation of the Native Americans. 
• E. M. Bounds - He was an eager and intense man of prayer. He prayed with faith that believed God for the impossible and wrote many outstanding books on prayer. 
• John Hyde - He was a missionary to India who paid a high price for prayer. He spent thirty days and nights in intercession and was ranked as a mad enthusiast in prayer.

We influence others as we, ourselves, spend time in prayer. Our short prayers are effective when we have prayed long ones. We must learn to prevail with God just as these men and women did. Jacob had victory because he wrestled all night with God. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the Bible exhorts us to “Pray without ceasing”.

The Cost of Putting Prayer First

Those who pray receive a blessing for now and for eternity that far outweighs the cost. They learn the secret to a joyful and strategic life. But choosing to prioritize prayer has a price tag. It will cost us to put prayer at the top of our responsibilities, but it is well worth the effort. It will cost us:   

• Time - We must devote ourselves to prayer. We may have to give up other good things in order to do the best thing. See Colossians 4:2.
• Energy - Prayer can be hard work and very intense physically. It will take concentrated energy to pray. God may call us to pray in the middle of the night. See Isaiah 64:7.
• A Pure Motive - Prayer is often done in secret. We need to have a pure motive when we pray. God will reward us openly. See Matthew 6:6.
  
• Faith - We don’t often see results immediately when we pray, and this takes great faith. But God does answer prayer in a powerful way if we persevere in faith. See Hebrews 11:1, 6. 

Let’s rise to a new level in putting prayer and intercession first. May God help us to keep it central in our busy life. May He give us the grace to put prayer first, not only when emergency situations arise in our own personal lives, but also as we live in the emergency situation we all face in the end times. I pray that God will encourage your heart to count the cost and say, “yes” to the ministry of intercession. I make a conscious choice to put prayer first every day of my life. I pray that you do the same.

Here at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, every year the staff renews their commitment to prayer. Each year they make a Sacred Trust before the Lord as to what hours they will spend in the prayer room. They actually put it in their weekly schedules. Prayer and intimacy with God is central at IHOP and all work springs from that central commitment. Full-time staff spend 24 hours weekly in the prayer room. Although a high commitment, God gives grace to pray. You may want to make a Sacred Trust before the Lord as to how much time you will block out in your schedule for prayer, worship, and time with God. This helps you keep prayer first in your life. You may also want to watch the webstream here at IHOP to encourage your prayer life - See IHOP Prayer Room.

“They may start from different points, and travel by different roads, but they converge to one point: they are one in prayer. To them, God is the center of attraction, and prayer is the path that leads to God. These men do not pray occasionally - not a little or at odd times. But, they pray in such a way that their prayers enter into and shape their very character. They pray so as to affect their own lives and the lives of others, and to cause the history of the church to influence the current of the times. They spend much time in prayer, not because they watch the shadow of the dial or the hands on the clock, but because it is to them so momentous and engaging a business that they can scarcely quit.” E. M. Bounds

• Have your Friends sign up for Intercessors Arise here!
  
• If you would like to pray for us and get monthly updates, sign up here at Norm and Debbie's Prayer Partner.
  
• Become a member of the Intercessors Arise International Network here. Connect with intercessors and what God is doing in prayer worldwide! Discover many resources and training on prayer in this network.
  
  

Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org

Actually, my title is misleading. When it comes to prayer, children much more often seem to “get it” better than adults do. When it comes to prayer, we would probably be more accurate to say, “So easy, an adult can do it.” But I’m only a few sentences in and I’m swerving off topic already. Let me get to my point.

This summer my church’s prayer ministry is teaching a series on prayer in children’s church. We’re teaching the kids everything from the basics (prayer equals relationship with God, the Lord’s Prayer, and intercession, to more advanced (for adults anyhow—maybe not for children!) concepts like listening prayer, perseverance, and inner-healing prayer. I’ve been amazed and encouraged by how easily some of these kids put into practice what they are learning—with faith, earnestness, vulnerability and boldness, no less!

Take, for instance, the little girl who has been praying for a long time about a friend who is mean to her. She told me that at first all she asked God to do was to “make her nicer.” But as she persisted in prayer, she started to realize some things. She realized that other little girl might be nicer if she knew Jesus! So she started praying that her friend would come to know Jesus. But then she realized that her friend might not even have heard very much about Jesus, so she started praying that she would read the Bible so she could get to know Jesus.

Over time, as she persevered in prayer and let God reshape her prayers, her prayers became more mature and others-focused. She told me her prayers are not so “greedy” any more.

It took me many years to learn that persevering in prayer does not mean praying the same (often self-focused) request over and over, day in and day out. Now I realize that part of God’s work is to shape me and my prayers into conformity with His character and plans. I do that by listening to Him, asking questions, listening some more, and hanging in there, even when God seems to be taking a long time. But this little girl already almost intuitively understands these critical truths.

So I have a thought: What if, after we’re done teaching the prayer series to the kids in children’s church, they come and teach the adults to pray in the adult service? Maybe they could make it simple enough that even we adults could do it!

• Have your Friends sign up for Intercessors Arise here!
• If you would like to pray for us and get monthly updates, sign up here at Norm and Debbie's Prayer Partner.
• Become a member of the Intercessors Arise International Network here. Connect with intercessors and what God is doing in prayer worldwide! Discover many resources and training on prayer in this network.

 
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise 
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org
 

This month, I came across Eugene Peterson's Answering God: The Psalms as tools of prayer sitting on my bookshelf. I had read it before, and came away with nothing. Reading the book had been an enjoyable experience for me, but I came away with nothing to apply. It seemed too simple.

Now, a few years later, when I saw the book, I decided to read it again. I felt an immediate connection as I read it, and understood what to do with the information.

As a result, I am praying through the Psalms.

It has been a journey. Using Ps 5 in the morning to pray, and Ps 4 in the evening, as well as the Psalms for the day, has caused me to daily take inventory of my own sorrows, submit my daily plan to the Lord, and seek him for wisdom. Each morning as I read the psalmist speaking of his sighing and groaning, God asks, what are your groanings? It is a question that I have to think about, and it gives me an opportunity to pray about what is weighing heavy on my heart. It also lets me get in touch with those emotions, as the busyness of life can keep me from really feeling. Ps 4 in the evening allows me to look over my day, pray about things that came up during that day and get insight around those things as well.

Having to live life, being a wife with relationship and domestic responsibilities, I don't always get to pray the Psalm selection for the day. When I do pray the selection, I am trying to approach such prayer with an eye towards learning about God, and letting the Psalm read me. I have marveled at how at least one psalm will crystallize a sentiment that I have that day, giving words to a particular pain that I may or may not be aware of. In my journey, I am trying to learn about God first, then turn my focus on myself. Sometimes, I read a psalm, and I want more background on it; I go to my commentary, and learning more about a psalm enriches my interaction with it.

I want to keep my interaction with the psalms devotional, so I keep the study of the psalms to a minimum. For study, I have selected another book of the bible.

Keeping a journal as I go is nice too. I write things I feel the Lord is telling me, and I can turn back to those things at a later date. I also like to write what I learn about God in a psalm; reflecting on that later.

So far, I can say it has been a process. No fireworks, no extreme transformation in the twinkling of an eye, but learning more about God, definitely getting more in touch with my emotions, developing the sense that God cares about how I feel, and simply enjoying quiet moments with God.

I realize I need to Beware the Month of March!


Last March I had an interesting experience. I had been running with some friends who talked me into doing a half-marathon. (I also need to beware who I hang out with! :-)) We had been training for a while. The week before the half-marathon our local community had the Race for Faith. We decided that would be a good prelude

10K, about 6ish miles.


No biggie.
Been doing 6 miles for quite some time.


Piece of cake.

OOOPS! Forgot to Proceed with Prayer!

And I got my tail whipped!



That 6 miles had to be the worst 6 miles I had ever run! By mile four I was ready to shoot anyone who mentioned a half marathon!! And then I got super nervous! If I couldn't run a dinky 6-mile race, how on earth would I finish a 13.1 mile race?? So, before the 13.1, of course, I
 Proceeded with Prayer! I prayed like crazy that next week, asking everyone I knew to pray also. And then came the half. Now, I'm not one who enjoys running for running's sake - really. I enjoy the company and fellowship, and the fact that people get me out of bed to exercise. But that half marathon really was a spiritual experience for me!


• 

• My fears were taken care of
• 

• Each mile ticked off quickly
• 

• It was hard, but I actually enjoyed the running
• 

• I had a 13.1 mile conversation with God
• 

• He allowed me to run and not be weary, and walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31)
• 


As I processed my races, God brought to mind the story of Joshua in the Old Testament. Joshua led the Israelites in the great battle of Jericho!    

Big, strong city.   
Fortified beyond belief.    
Not easy to conquer. 
However, God fought for them, and they won in amazing fashion! YIPPEE!!

Next on the list - dinky little town of Ai.

No biggie.
Got this conquering thing DOWN!

Piece of cake.

OOOPS! Forgot to Proceed with Prayer!

And they got their tails whipped!



There's a difference I see between the Battle of Jericho and the Battle of Ai.


• Before Jericho, 
lots of conversations between God and Joshua are recorded (Joshua 1-6).

• Before Ai (Joshua 7),
 no conversations between God and Joshua are recorded until the Israelites got their tails whipped (kinda like I did in that Race for Faith!!).


I saw the parallel in my life.
Little stuff - Got it.  
No problem.  
I can handle this
on my own.
WRONG! Forgot to 
Proceed with Prayer!


The problem is, I rely on my own understanding, thinking, etc. instead of God's, which is exactly what Proverbs 3:5-6 tells me NOT to do! And
 every time I get my tail whipped!! You'd think I'd learn my lesson, but I just had another experience this March where I jumped right into making a decision without 
Proceeding with Prayer! What happened, you ask??   You guessed it - I got my tail whipped!  See why I need to Beware the Month of March? :-) So hopefully by having a written record of these mistakes, I'll learn to
 Proceed with Prayer, no matter the situation. Ask me how it's going!


Do you have any situations where you're tempted to not Proceed with Prayer?
Any times you've Proceeded with Prayer and God's done amazing things?
Leave a comment and share your experiences!
Thanks! :-)

Here is the 90-day prayer guide following the Global Day of Prayer - http://196.44.33.234/public/Videos/PDF/90%20Day%20Prayer%20Guide%20with%20pictures.pdf

"Since hardening of the attitudes typically sets in long before hardening of the arteries,

I must pursue those calisthenics of spiritual consecration that make me vibrant within."

"The Old Man in the Mirror"

Yesterday, I turned 54.  It is truly hard to believe I am one year away from that golden age where AARP torments me with their recruitment tactics and restaurants give me the old-wrinkled-guy special. 

Yesterday...

How did this happen? Just yesterday I was playing baseball with my buddies in the neighborhood park, enjoying dodge ball on the playground, running the mile relay in junior high, and catching touchdowns in high school.  Just moments ago I was traveling on a singing team for my college, inspiring my peers as their Student Body President, and cramming for a theology exam in seminary.

Was it really almost 30 years ago that Rosemary and I exchanged vows? Can all our children really be in their 20s? Where did all those years escape when I was the young pastor, performing weddings for the children of those “mature” parents? 

Alas, reality prevails.  I have become that decrepit dude who has reached the age of balding, bifocals, bulging, and bunions.  I thought only geriatric white-hairs in wheelchairs were grandfathers.  Yet, I am one... twice.

The Old Man in the Mirror

If mirrors did not exist, I would be 35.  It was Satchel Paige who asked, “How old would you be if you did not know how old you were?”  My answer is still 35.  

Paige also said, “Age is a case of mind over matter.  If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.”  I am working on that part.  Just last week I was talking to a guy who looked pretty old.  As we conversed, I noticed how worn his face was.  His eyes had bags underneath.  He looked like he had logged a good number of miles on his body.  I felt a little sorry for him until he made some comment about his age, which happened to be five years less than mine.  At my next opportunity, I looked at my face in the mirror.  Let’s just say, it’s been on my mind ever since.

Grace to Choose

So, now I have a choice.  I can become a grumpy old “prayer man” or I can trust God for the grace to make the rest of my life the best of my life.  Thank God for the grace to choose door number two.

Of course, there are many other choices that accompany that one.  I must choose to regulate my diet and reduce my portions.  I can get serious again for the 100th time about exercise.  I can even scrub the moon-crater-like pores on my nose and put some kind of magic lotion on my face to wage my losing war on these obstinate wrinkles. 

Most importantly, I must make some spiritual choices.  Paul, who really knew how to finish the race, said, “Exercise yourself toward godliness.  For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8).  Since hardening of the attitudes typically sets in long before hardening of the arteries, I must pursue those calisthenics of spiritual consecration that make me vibrant within.

A Vision of Vibrancy

I love the biblical vision of the best kind of aging where it says, “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.  They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Psalm 92:13-15).  While I cannot control the creep of crow’s feet and the appearance of age spots, I can cultivate the character of a fully-alive inner man that is fresh, flourishing, and fruitful until my final breath.  

The Eternal Exercise Plan

First, I can exercise my feet, standing firm, “planted in the house of the Lord.”  I find it sad when people mature physically but shrink into spiritual pygmies because they stop choosing to plant their lives in the place of passionate worship.  I want to keep “pressing on” in my pursuit of God in my everyday practice of His presence.  Someday, I want to be that old dude who the young people laugh at (but secretly admire) because he is unrestrained and cuts loose in worship, even if he looks like a "doofus."  I don’t want to stay home and watch “senior citizens' church” as long as I can stand among the godly with my heart soaring in His presence in the courts of our God.

Second, I can exercise my tongue, “declaring that the Lord is upright.”  When this kind of praise frames the substance of my speech there is little room left to whine about the parts that don’t work and complain about my pain.  

Third, I can exercise my heart,trusting fully that “He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” Of course, energy wanes, days get lonely, and the scoreboard of significance becomes blurred – but the Lord is still my security and there is no unrighteousness in Him.  I will trust and obey these great truths – and be happy in Jesus. 

Finally, I can exercise my eyes, focusing on the reality of eternal significance, not just the earthly vapor of this physical life.  Paul says it this way: “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  As a child I sang, “Be careful, little eyes, what you see.”  As I approach the finish line I must sing, “Be careful, little eyes, HOW you see.”

A Birthday Resolution

Thank God that, in Christ and by His grace, every birthday can find me standing firm in worship, speaking loudly in praise, and trusting boldly in the One who is my rock and righteousness.  And every day, I can see the world through the eyeglasses of eternity, even when I look at that old man in the mirror.

Copyright © 2012 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.

For more of Daniel's blogs visit us at: strategicrenewal.com - and - 64fellowship.com 

"Every significant outpouring of the Spirit seems to have been preceded by earnest, agonizing intercession, accompanied by a heartbrokenness and humiliation before God... Let no one pray for revival—let no one pray for a mighty baptism of power who is not prepared for deep heart-searchings and confession of sin in his personal life. Revival, in its beginnings, is a most humiliating experience. When one, like Isaiah, sees himself in the light of God's holiness he must inevitably cry, 'Woe is me!' Deep spiritual awakenings, whether in local churches or in whole countries, begin with desperate people." Rick Joyner

There has never been a revival without passion. There is a deep heart-searching and desperation over personal sin and the sin of the people. The Welsh revival had these characteristics—a deep conviction of sin along with intercession and repentance. Many of us find it very hard to add prayer meetings into our already busy schedules—but when a mighty revival is moving—all of this doesn’t seem to matter.

Prayer and getting right with God become all important. 

In pondering such moves of God and seeing our need for passionate prayer and a greater concern for souls, certainly our desperate cry should be for revival to sweep across the nations. We need to search our own hearts and cry out, “God, purify me!” Evan Roberts, the young man who was used so powerfully by God in the Welsh revival of 1904, prayed passionately that God would purify and bend the Church. He prayed that God would break his own heart over the condition of mankind—His heart was set on obedience—Agonizing prayer was his daily life style. Well-known author and founder of Morningstar, Rick Joyner, said this about him: 

"Evan Roberts captured the spirit of the whole revival with the theme: Bend the Church and Save the World. James E. Stewart claimed that this is the secret of every true awakening. Christians must humble themselves and get right with God so that the Spirit can break through in converting power upon the unsaved. There must be no hypocrisy; the Christian must bend to all the will of God for His life in perfect obedience before the Spirit of God is released. When we are bent to the will of God we will be intercessors, because as He 'ever lives to intercede' for His people, if we are abiding in Him we will do the same."

Are we willing to pay the price to actually let God bend us as he did Evan Roberts?   

Characteristics of Revival Passion

It is helpful to look at some of the meanings of the word “passion” in Webster’s Dictionary as we think of the characteristics of revival passion. The word “passion” means “highly excited, expressing strong emotion, with strong feeling, zeal, eager desire.” Great passion and zeal were expressed in the past revivals. This passion was for holiness, for purity of life, and for obedience. 

Those in the revival had strong emotions as they yearned for the salvation of the lost. Because of their great passion for souls, preachers were zealous for a fearless proclamation of the truth and brought God’s Word with deep conviction and mighty unction, bringing sinners face to face with the Almighty God. As a result, multitudes would weep with great agony of soul as they were confronted with the sin in their own heart. These were the characteristics of revivals in the past. This is what we need in our present day. 

• A passion for God’s Word and anointed preaching. Revivals are characterized by a powerful and passionate proclamation of the truth. The preaching is extremely anointed, spontaneous, and fearless. Revival preaching centers on Christ, bringing conviction of sin to all its listeners. The words are spoken with a demonstration of the power of God with a supernatural boldness and unction. People are hungry for God’s Word.
  
  “In the Evans Mills revival, Finney recalls: ‘The Spirit of God came upon me with such power that it was like opening a battery upon them. For more than an hour, the Word of God came through me to them in such a manner that I could see was carrying all before it. It was a fire and a hammer breaking the rock, and as the word that was piercing… I saw a general conviction was spreading over the whole audience.’” Winkie Pratney
  
  "With a demonstration of the Spirit's power" (1 Corinthians 2:4).
   

• A passion for prayer and holiness. Those in the revival had a deep passion for prayer and for getting their lives right with God. There was no toleration of sin. There was humility, an urgent confession of sin, and a holy fear of God. Worldliness was forsaken and large numbers would attend early prayer meetings on a daily basis. People were bent on obeying the will of God.
  
  "Thousands of believers, often unknown to each other, in small towns and great cities, cried to God day after day for the fire of revival to fall. This was not merely 'a little talk with Jesus' but daily agonizing intercession. These were devoted saints who had given their lives to the sacrifice of prayer and worship. They were so jealous for the name of their God that they agonized day and night because of the way Satan was being glorified all around them and they yearned from the depths of their beings to see the Lord's name lifted up in Wales. They constantly reminded God of what He had done in 1859, through the Second Great Awakening, and begged Him to pour out His Spirit again.” Rick Joyner
  
  "Create in me a pure heart, O God" (Psalm 51:10).
   

• A Passion for the Lost. The concern for the lost during the revival was extraordinary. There was praying with tears and a passion to see souls saved. The joy of knowing Christ could not be hidden. Everyone was a brightly shining lamplight to neighbors and co-workers, powerfully attracting unbelievers to that light.
  
  “There can be no revival without soul-winning. In saving lost souls the Welsh Revival must be considered one of the most intense and effective revivals of all time. This was not a program for a few preachers or a campaign to get church members testifying to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus. There were no classes given on how to reach the lost. It just seemed that every Christian in Wales erupted simultaneously with a burning agony for the lost. The joy of salvation simply could not be contained by the believers as every coal mine, tramcar, office, school or ship became a pulpit for the gospel… There was no set pattern of strategy for the witnessing; it was simply born out of an overflowing joy and faith that could not be contained in those who knew the Savior.” Rick Joyner
  
  "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand souls were added to their number that day" (Acts 2:42).
   

Fervent, passionate prayer for revival in our churches will change the messages in the pulpit into ones of tremendous power.

Five young college students were spending a Sunday in London, and they decided to go and hear the well-known preacher, Charles Spurgeon. While they were waiting for the doors of the church to open, a man greeted them at the door and asked, “Gentlemen, would you like me to show you around the church? Would you like me to show you the heating plant of this church?” It was a very hot day in July and so they were not very excited about his offer. But they said, “yes” because they didn’t want to offend the man. The young men were taken down a long stairway, and the door was quietly opened. Their guide whispered to them, “This is our heating plant.” The young college students looked through the door in complete surprise. 

In that room were 700 people bowed in passionate prayer seeking God’s blessing on the service that would soon begin in the auditorium above. The guide softly closed the door. He turned to them and introduced himself as Charles Spurgeon.

Passionate prayer was the secret to his powerful preaching. 

Passionate and desperate prayer will be characteristic of the coming revival. God wants to take us deeper in passion and fervency in our prayers. Holy desperation for the presence of God is the key to transformation.

Are we desperate enough to change our life styles for God?  
      
"Both international and local revivals have been distinctly linked to special prayer… The coming revival will be no exception. An extraordinary spirit of prayer, urging believers to much secret and united prayer, pressing them to labor fervently (Colossians 4:12) in their supplications, will be one of the surest signs of approaching showers and floods of blessing." Andrew Murray

Have your Friends sign up for Intercessors Arise here!

Become a member of the Intercessors Arise International Network here. Connect with intercessors and what God is doing in prayer worldwide! Discover many resources and training on prayer in this network.
 
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
International House of Prayer KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org
 

The deepest and most meaningful communion we have with God is when we enter into the fellowship of solitary prayer in the secret place. I call it the inner chamber. Jesus understood the importance of solitude. “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).

When you enter your own inner chamber, notice that Jesus suggests you “shut your door,” (Matthew 6:6). How good are you at shutting doors? It’s a very effective, yet little practiced method to leave the rest of the world outside. I know young parents who mistakenly think they have to let their little ones barge in on them whenever and wherever they like, without restriction. That’s a sure path to insanity.

Shut your door and it will fulfill its purpose, which is to prevent any interference and to enforce strict privacy. Along with the plain old door to our inner chamber, other “doors” we must shut include the power buttons on the television, computer, phone, iPod…you get the picture. That means turning them off, not merely letting them hibernate only to wake up and elbow their way into our private sessions with the Master.

It may be that we can measure the depth of our love for Christ by how “interruptable” our time with Him is. I often wonder if Christ looks at the array of techie devices sprawling across our desks and asks, “Do you love Me more than these?”

Your time in the inner chamber is the most precious time you have on earth. It is all that will prepare and qualify you for doing business in the public place. If you do not serve Christ behind closed doors in the inner chamber, you seriously stunt your ability to serve Him in the public marketplace, whether your marketplace is your family at home, or work outside the home, or even service to the church.

Jesus practiced solitude, apparently quite frequently. Are you capable of withdrawing into the absolute solitude of the inner chamber? Can you do it? Many believers cannot, because they have never really tried. It seems unthinkable to “go all solitary.” It’s as if they always need to be in the presence of other human beings in order to be a real person, or to be validated. On their own, they are bewildered, having lost their sense of self. It’s unfamiliar territory, and scary.

Jesus, who had the most amazing sense of “self” of anyone in history, withdrew into the wilderness, alone. A wilderness place is somewhere that is wild, desolate, sometimes barren, but really just untamed or uncultivated. For those who are inexperienced in personally relating with Christ, even their own inner chamber may seem like a wilderness place. There is a promise resting over the wilderness, though, a promise just for you. The wilderness will blossom. It will become a place of beauty, a fruitful, growing place. I’m sure that Jesus, having often trod the solitary path of prayer, experienced the wilderness environment in an entirely different way than some of us may at this point. Instead of finding it untamed and uncultivated, I’m quite certain it was His beloved inner chamber, a place of safety, fellowship, counsel, affirmation and productivity.

There is something to that idea. Can you see it? How vital it is for us to experience the potentially frightening and lonely wilderness parts of our lives from the perspective of the inner chamber. When we do this, we will see these areas tamed. We will experience them as exciting venues, filled with the beauty of God’s holiness, places that He holds in His hand, showcases for His glory. We will see them as places and times of opportunity for the Father to fulfill His eternal promise, “I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19b).  Go ahead. Give it a try. Give Him the opportunity to shine through your life. Be brave. Shut your door.

I don't remember if anyone in particular invented it, but I do recall when something labeled Conversational Prayer became popular. It was the idea that in group prayer people would engage God in an ongoing conversation together about one topic for a time and then move to another after that topic was "covered." It was a welcome change from the boredom and distraction often experienced waiting for others to stop praying so you could join in.  It's something that many groups still do and I and many others happen to like the idea to this day.

Conversational prayer can keep prayer times from just becoming the reciting of requests to God with little extended thought or involvement by others when they are not praying. It's also a very special time when the conversation focuses only on praise for a time.

However, the older I get the more I enjoy and am enriched by my own individual conversations with God, ones that go on throughout the day rather than merely during one devotional moment or session. It's when I find Paul's admonition to pray without ceasing to really come alive.

And there are several benefits from those talks, inspirations to my growth as a person and one who prays.  First, I find that when I talk with God more informally that I am more likely to bring Him the gritty, everyday things that I'm wrestling with at the moment. I talk more readily about my pride, temptations that I may be experiencing or the disappointments that just occurred in my work or home life.

I also find myself praising Him for the small things that I often forget to thank him for other times. I praise Him more for the provision that He's given all around me, for the car I'm driving and the ministry and work that I am headed to that I love and which pays our bills. I tend to forget those things when I only pray at home or in church.

I pray more for individuals whose homes I drive by or who I see on the street. I am reminded to pray for businesses nearby and for other churches in our city.

And for some reason, I tend to listen to God more or at least I seem to hear Him better. Maybe it's the prompting of the needs around me that God speaks into, I don't know.

Nonetheless, I encourage you to consider more of your own all-day-long conversations with God as you play and work. You can't go wrong speaking with your Father on a regular basis!

How’s your prayer life lately? Are you overcoming in daily prayer and intercession or would you be embarrassed to reveal your prayerlessness? I want to challenge you regarding the disturbing question Jesus put to His closest disciple, Peter, as he shamefully fell asleep at a desperate time when urgent prayer was needed from Christ’s companion, as He faced alone the impending cross with all of its physical agony, satanic torment and spiritual separation from God.

 “And Jesus came unto His disciples, and found them asleep, and said unto Peter, What, could you not watch with Me for one hour? Watch and pray, that you do not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”. (Matt 26:40, 41) 

Tell me—do you think you will be spared the same question from Jesus? Is your reason for not spending sixty minutes alone with God or partaking in a weekly prayer meeting at your church  because you can’t seem to find the time, or because you don’t know how to pray or because you can’t imagine yourself intelligently praying for an entire hour? The truth is, we are now living in a time of urgent need where much distress and unabashed sin is in our land and at our very doorstep, just as it was in the days of Lot. A demonic spirit of deception is ravishing the unsaved and the saved alike. Many are giving up and walking away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils as Paul predicted in 1Timothy 4:1. Others are bound by a spirit of lust—others still by fear, bitterness, anger and rebellion. Truly, the Church needs to shake itself out of its slumber in this dark crisis hour and pray.

Had Peter spent that time in the garden in prayer for his Master and for himself rather than sleeping it away, it would no doubt have strengthened Christ in His great sorrow that was upon His soul, which was the very reason Jesus took Peter aside with Him. One hour of intense prayer would have also given a frightened Peter supernatural courage and grace to withstand the approaching confrontation with the traitor, Judas, the chief priests and the temple guards. Even though Peter was mercifully forgiven and restored after denying the Lord three times, that piercing question must have haunted him for days, weeks and months to come—“Peter, could you not watch with Me for one hour?”. Insert your own name to Christ’s question and answer truthfully and humbly.

What kinds of trials and temptations will your one hour of prayer keep you from? What strength, favour and blessing will one hour of prayer procure on those whose names you bring before the throne of grace in earnest supplication? Your one hour of prayer could make all the difference between life and death to someone in deep despair, hopelessly at their wit’s end. Prayer is so much more than just a rigorous and regimented list of requests—it is our very bastion in the battle —our source of power to maneuver through the minefield of hidden temptations the enemy has carefully buried on our path in an effort to defeat and destroy us. It is a lifeline to those who are sinking in sin. If there was ever a time to be long on our knees before God, it is now! Peter’ grandest opportunity in a lifetime for prayer was passed up because he gave in to the weakness of his flesh, though his spirit was willing. I know pastors who are giving up and my heart breaks. Watch and pray, brothers and sisters that you do not enter into temptation—this shall be our finest hour, for“They who dwell in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1) Amen!

2012 National Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Every good gift and perfect gift comes from You. You are a Faithful God and Your Mercy Endures Forever.

You have Promised to Bless the Nation that Trusts in You. Our currency proclaims "In God We Trust", but in our culture we are far from You.

In the words of the Prophet Daniel, "We have sinned and commited iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and your judgments."

We come before You once more, Seeking Your Forgiveness and Mercy. You, O God, are our only Hope ... Hear our Prayer and, for Your Honor's sake, Shine your Face upon this Nation.

Give our Leaders the desire to Seek your Wisdom and the Courage to Follow your Guidance ... and Watch over the Men and Women of our Armed Forces as they Sacrifice for the cause of Freedom.

We give you thanks for all you have done for us, and we Earnestly Pray that You will Help us become once again, a Nation whose God is the Lord.

In the name of your Son, and our Savior, We Pray this Prayer. Amen

Excerpt from the Intercessors for America www.ifapray.org

Ever traveled through a major city, and had the opportunity to see a one of the nations' “Grand Central Stations”? Chicago's is called Union Station, as is the transportation center in Kansas City, St. Louis and Los Angeles and Washington DC. Each of these are modeled after the architectural wonder in New York, the majestic Grand Central Station. Built in 1871, Grand Central Station rivaled the Eiffel Tower for its architectural grandeur. At the beginning of the 20th century, cities with extensive public transportation systems built these hubs to link bus, rail train and local metro trains to simplify the process of getting from point A to point B. 

I've traveled though Chicago's Union Station often, and recently rode the Subway in and out of Manhattan. I marvel at the number of people processed across the ticket counters and through the turnstiles daily. Standing in the station during rush hour is another life changing experience. The vaulted ceilings and marble pillars amplify every conversation. It's not the kind of place where you can have a quiet private conversation. During rush hour, you can barely hear yourself think above the din of travelers and public announcements.

I can only imagine how at times, Jesus' life must have been like standing in the middle of Grand Central Station at rush hour. After gaining popularity, Jesus was often met by throngs of people who wanted to hear the itinerant rabbi teach, or press Him for a miracle. Yet Jesus was always on task, focused, and never lost sight of his Father's purpose for his life.

This was His secret. 

And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. Mark 1:34-36

Jesus was focused on his calling and ministry, the things that were important to his Father because he regularly made time away from the crowds, clamor and tumult of public life and career to talk with his Father. Prayer was His priority. Prayer was his vital breath.

I can look over my Christian life, and see that during the times I made a daily prayer time a priority, I was much more focused, stable and centered on my life in Christ. When I let the crowd push into my life and push prayer out, hearing God was like trying to talk to a friend while standing in Grand Central Station during rush hour.

If you want to your prayer life to continue to grow, I want to invite you to join me and commit to daily prayer, away from the crowds, centered on God and his word. we eat every day, get to work, spend time talking to our family, etc. We make time for what is important. Maybe it's time we stop submitting to the Devils schemes, and make time for the most important task of the say. Whether you pray alone or in a group, you will experience God's power and presence in a new way. Nothing turns up the temperature of your spiritual life than standing in God's presence, knowing you're heard and sensing His presence and personal reply.

“In moments of fear, anxiety, and trouble, the right step toward experiencing God's powerful deliverance and protection is to simply cry out—to use our voice in fervent appeal for His help.” Quotes by Bill Gothard

Do you ever practice crying out loud to God for help? 

I think most of us have, especially when we’ve been in serious trouble. This is how our Biblical predecessors often prayed. Fervency in prayer and crying out loud is a key to breakthrough in prayer. My husband has often told people that fervent, passionate prayer is the type of prayer you would cry out if your airplane were falling from the sky. You would cry out to God in desperation, with all your heart! There would be no place for distracted, apathetic prayer under those circumstances. No way! It would be a life and death matter! 

Yet many of us are facing impossible circumstances where the "crying out" type of prayer is needed for spiritual breakthrough. Crying out loud seems to be a key to a powerful prayer life that influences heaven and sees tremendous answers to prayer. Often we are urged by the Spirit to cry an impassioned declaration of God’s powerful ability. That demonstrates our total dependence on God to accomplish the victory. We need to catch hold of this truth and apply it to our prayer lives. We read in Psalm 86:7, “In the day of trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me.” When we cry out to God, we experience His all-sufficient, supernatural power to answer us.

God often arranges our circumstances so there seems to be no way out. 

Haven’t you been there? The problem doesn't seem to go away. But in response to our crying out to Him, He answers. He may bring healing, protection, or direction. He wants to show us that He is our sole saving power when we are at the end of all our known resources. In the Bible there is a consistent pattern of God's people crying out to Him and His answering in His power. David often cried aloud to God with deep emotion when in desperate situations, and God answered his cry. He says in Psalm 61:1, "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their trouble." Bill Gothard in his book, The Power of Crying Out states:

“Many believers today seem unaware of this consistent pattern in God's Word. It could even be said that the most significant difference between the prayers of God's saints in Scripture (so powerfully effective) and our prayers today (so seemingly ineffective) is this: There was a fervency in the prayers of biblical saints - a fervency that is inherent in crying out.”

Crying out to God is not something we do mechanically, but it flows out of our relationship with Him. Do we really know that God actually hears us and longs to hear our cry? He is our father and loves to hear our voice. We have the authority and right as His children to call fervently to our Father. Do we realize that there is power in the spoken word? When it is spoken fervently, sincerely and with all our heart, it is even more powerful. Do we realize that as we cry out to God aloud, He sees that we are seriously and boldly coming to His throne of grace? Do we not comprehend that when we cry out to God in our distress He will answer? 

We will see that crying out in prayer is the very turning point that brings His deliverance. It happened often in the Bible and can happen for us as well. Notice in Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, and 28 how God loves to answer those with a sincere heart in their need. "Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.” Crying out triggers God's deliverance. Many of you are facing desperate situations in your life. Learn to cry aloud to God with all your heart. Trust Him—your deliverer—to undertake in your behalf.

“Days of trouble. Hours of crisis. Moments of urgent and fearful need. They come to us all unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. How can we prepare for such times? We can prepare by being ready to cry aloud to the Lord for His saving help, boldly expecting His deliverance. God invites and expects His beloved ones to do exactly that: ‘Call upon Me in the day of trouble,’ He tells us; ‘I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.’”

For many years we live on a ship called Doulos. This ship was our moving home that sailed from country to country, spreading the Good News of Jesus and selling Christian and educational books. During one of our voyages—with over 300 persons from 40 nations aboard—we were sailing down the coast of South America and were about to enter the Straits of Magellan. This is a narrow, long passage of quite some distance off the coast of Chile. Our next port of ministry was the southernmost city at the tip of Chile. You could consider this area of the world the “ends of the earth.” The straits are known for their treacherous and dangerous seas. 

The weather at the time was stormy, and the waves were choppy and unsafe which would make it very difficult for our old ship to pass through safely. This ship, built in 1914 and in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest floating passenger ship in the world, caused many of us even more concern as we anticipated this dangerous journey. 

In light of our situation, the captain made an urgent request over the loud speaker. He said that we must all gather together immediately and pray for God to calm the seas. We must cry out to God to give us a safe passage through the Straits of Magellan so that we could arrive on time at our next port. 

With no time to waste, the entire staff and crew gathered together in our main lounge to pray. Imagine the thoughts that raced through our minds and the level of anxiety many of us felt as we hurried to the main lounge. After all, we were on a tiny, old ship anticipating tossing around in treacherous seas. We felt dependent at that moment on a supernatural God who could turn our situation around by His power and might. 

We began to pray and cry out to God to calm the seas for His glory. Perhaps you can guess what happened next. Yes! God answered prayer—the seas became still—and the ship passed peacefully through the narrow passage.

My future husband and I sat on deck and admired the beauty of God’s creation in that gorgeous part of the world. We had met each other on board, and this was our first date and one we would always remember. During that voyage we saw many shipwrecks along the way right in the midst of all the natural beauty of massive rocks and clear blue seas. This was a vivid reminder of God’s powerful answer to our desperate prayers.

Is crying out to God effective? 

It certainly is—Our ship was able to reach its destination safely—We were able to continue our conferences and evangelistic programs right on schedule. God used such a situation to build our faith as we cried out to Him and lived His answer. He wants to break through in extreme situations. He will do the same for you as He did for us on this voyage. I recommend that you read and pray through some of the heartfelt prayers of David. Psalms 16, 25, 31, 51, and 63 are excellent Psalms that you can pray out loud for yourself and others.

You may be passing through dangerous or difficult waters. God hears your cry and wants to take you deeper in passionate, fervent prayer. And remember when He answers your prayers, be sure to give thanks to Him for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds on your behalf. Crying out to God for help is a wonderful way to live. We not only should do it during times of trouble but as we pray for revival in our city and nation. God loves it when we pray with fervency and passion. 

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men" (Psalm 107:28-31).

 Intercessors Arise News:

• Two new books will be released this summer: Breakthrough Prayer and Ascending the Heights in Prayer.
• Have your Friends sign up for Intercessors Arise here!
   

Debbie Przybylski

Intercessors Arise International

International House of Prayer KC Staff

deb@intercessorsarise.org

http://www.intercessorsarise.org

In Ps 24, a young King David asks, and then answers a question burning on the young king's heart. 

Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Such people may seek you, and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. Ps 24.3-6 NLT

In my prayer time a few days ago, I felt God asking me to take these words seriously. What would it look like in my life if I made sure that I was walking and living with clean hands, and a pure heart? How would I spend my time? How would I spend my money, and the other resources that God has entrusted into my care?

What would it look like if I made sure that in every relationship, I was completely honest, and didn't treat someone as if I had to lift myself up, and come across as though I'm better than another? Are there any idols in my life, things that I give my time, talent and attention to more than I devote my energies to my Father? I know that I'm forgiven, and saved by the grace of God, so these questions aren't about earning his love or favor. But that's not the question that David is asking. David is asking who is the person that will walk with God, that will live with God showing Himself active, present and powerful in his life.

Jesus challenged his followers with the same high expectations regarding our relationship with Him and others. He connected the dots between the quality of our relationships with others, and the temperature of our relationship with Him. In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God." Matt 5,23-24

I'm not trying to be legalistic, or tell our pastors what to teach on a Sunday, but what would it look like if at the beginning of a weekend service, before the worship started, your pastor said something like this: 

If you have a dispute with a friend, if you have a broken relationship with a family member, co-worker, etc. it's time to go and make it right. We're not going to have service today. Go, take care of the relationship issues in your life. I'll see you again next week.

And that was it. No songs, announcements, teaching or prayers. The worship ministry left the platform, and the lights came up. What would that be like? 

Maybe a more exciting question is this – What do you think the service the following weekend would be like? Coming into God's presence with a clear conscious, with the weight of damaged relationships lifted from our hearts and hands. What kind of blessing would we then receive from God? David writes, and promised that blessings from come from the Lord, and we would enter into his righteous, powerful, healing presence.

Prayer is more than asking God to do stuff . . . to take care of this, that and the other thing. Prayer starts with God moving in our lives, to change who we are, how we treat others, and how we interact with the world. When you pray, you can expect God to challenge you, to work on changing your heart. Then in the future God is free to move through you, and answer your prayers for others through what He can do through you.

 Grandparents can be great encouragers or cheerleaders when their grandchildren get discouraged, lack self-confidence and low self-esteem. They often face lots of homework, activities, disappointments, challenges, and fears. Encouragement is inspiring another person with hope, courage, or confidence. It literally means ‘to give courage to’ a person, to reassure them, spur them on, support their efforts to succeed. A definition for a cheerleader is to be an uncritical enthusiastic supporter.

One of the most valuable blessings that we can give our grandchildren is to be their cheerleader. Their enthusiasm and energy levels are low, and emotional batteries may be drained if they are discouraged and don’t feel good about themselves. They tend to focus on their discouragement rather than the encouraging promises of the Lord.

When my grandchildren were younger, they loved to watch the Gaither children’s video “I’m Something Special.” I especially liked the words in the song “I am a promise, a possibility, a potentiality, I can be what God wants me to be,”¹ Let’s pray for our grandchildren to understand that they are a promise, a possibility and a potentiality under construction.

As grandparents, let’s be their cheerleaders encouraging them with positive words

such as:

“Keep up the great work!”

“I admire your persistence.”

“I know you can do it.”

 “You’ve put a lot of work into this, and it shows.”

“I want you to overcome! I want you to succeed.”

Encouragement is always a welcomed gift.

¹ YouTube, “I am a Promise” (A good video for children)

By Lillian Penner

The Power of Crying Out - http://eepurl.com/mtPHv

Ascension Day (40 days after Resurrection Day) has become one of my favorite days.  Why?  Because I really think it was one of Jesus’ favorite days!

This is the day (on the Church calendar) that Jesus spoke the “Great Commission” to His disciples (Matthew 28:18-20.  This was the day He ascended to the Father’s right hand, and the Father made His enemies a footstool for His feet (Ps 101:1)!  This is the day His prayer of John 17:1 (to glorify the Son) was answered!  This was the day He entered into His current ministry of intercession (Rom 8:34).  These are among the wonderful things which took place in Jesus life that cause me to conclude that this was (at least one of) Jesus’ favorite days of His life.

As I considered this, here is an  ”Ascension Day” version of the Lord’s Prayer (taken from Living Prayer: The Lord's Prayer Alive in You.)

Today, heavenly Father, we enter into Your joy and the joy of Your Son as  we consider this day when Jesus, after His birth, life, death, and resurrection,  ascended to You in great triumph! This day, as You made His enemies a footstool for His feet, You proved again that You alone are the One worthy to be called holy. It proved that Your kingdom had been established and would be brought to fulfillment. It proved that Jesus had done Your will by completing His earthly work.

Now, as He intercedes for His church, we join Him and say, “Yes, give them today what they need today and each day. And let them apply the blood that has been applied to Your altar to all the areas of their life so they may receive Your forgiveness. As they rejoice at how You have forgiven them, let them follow You by forgiving others. Lead them in paths of righteousness so they may be so delighted in Your exaltation that they have no time, need, or desire to turn away from You toward temptation.” And as we celebrate Your complete victory over the evil one, remind us that even though the outcome of the battle is determined, it is not over yet, and we still need Your deliverance and protection.