Give praise that a new, local believer was able to share with a couple of family members in a celebration of Christ's birth, even though they are not yet aware of her decision to follow Jesus. Pray that the many who have heard the gospel story will receive and accept confirmation of its truth by revelation, signs, wonders, dreams or visions.

A young woman told her believing friend, "I need a new life." Please pray that she and many others will open their hearts to the Lord and be able to experience Him for who He truly is, and will find new life in Him.

As two men continue in study of the the Word, pray that their eyes will be open to its truth and they will desire to know more of Him. May they accept His gift of salvation and be witnesses for Him in their community.

Continue to pray for those lone believers who have no opportunity for communal worship, study, and fellowship. Pray that they will grow stronger in faith and trust in the Lord. Pray that they will find ways to safely share their faith with others and become His church where it is not yet established.

A couple of university students are on a spiritual journey together seeking to know more about Jesus. Pray that nothing will prevent them from continuing this journey and surrendering to Him as Lord and Savior.

Please pray for "Jennifer" whom we have prayed for in the past.  She is the local woman who is suffering from the effects of black magic.  The good news is that her believing friends continue to love her and share the gospel with her.  The bad news is that she has been moving away from them recently.  Please pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to work in her life, bringing her back to her friends so that the light of Christ would continue to shine in her dark life.  Pray that the Father would speak to her through the Bible which she has access to and also through dreams of Christ which she has had in the past.  Let's continue to pray for her salvation!

Also pray for a local man in the same country who is also hearing a lot of the gospel from a believer.  Both of these locals need the Holy Spirit to break through and change their hearts and minds completely.  Pray that God would do so.

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:  that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of them are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, and to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."

The gospel is not something that wise men thought about and conceived through eons of time. It is the good news of Jesus. And the witness of the gospel is essential. Hundreds of people saw Him alive, followers, enemies, family, and strangers. To this day people say Jesus has forgiven me. He has embraced me with the gospel of His love and grace. He is alive! I have experienced Him in my life too.

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

http://daveswatch.com/

We know that most of the believers in the Arabian Peninsula are first generation believers. Islam is so strong here that this is not surprising. However, there is a second generation of believers too! Though very small in number, they do exist. Please pray for them. Pray specifically for the teenage son of one local mother. He became a believer through his mother. She has asked us to pray for his studies, that he would be a good student in school who is disciplined and focused. And also, pray that he would be a faithful witness to Christ to other high students through his life and his words. Pray for protection since persecution is inevitable when other students find out about his faith. Pray that the Lord would bless him and cover him with favor as with a shield (Psalm 5:12).

Also, pray for his mother who feels attacked by the evil one. She is trying to help "Jennifer" whom has been highlighted in our prayer emails the past few months. Now this believer feels that the evil of black magic from Jennifer's life is affecting her. Therefore, she has started fasting. Pray that the Lord would protect this believer from all evil. Continue to pray for Jennifer who is still searching for answers. Pray that the Lord would mightily use this believer to minister effectively to Jennifer.

A local widow at first rejected and mocked the Christians who had come to live in her neighborhood. However, she was won over by their godly conduct and warm kindness. She has heard the Gospel explained many times, has had a dream, a divine healing, and seen an amazing answer to prayer based on Biblical truth. Please pray that whatever is keeping her from turning to Christ will be taken out of the way and that she and her whole household will become Spirit-filled followers who lead others to Christ.

I remember hearing Roy Fish, Evangelism Professor at Southwestern Seminary, speak at an Evangelism Conference. In the middle of his message he said something that struck home for many of us in a way we had not really thought about before. He said, "One of the most powerful witnesses you can ever give to someone is giving them a good book to read.”

Have you ever thought about books as a tool for preparing people to receive a witness of the gospel? In one of the essays in his book, God In The Dock, C.S. Lewis said, "The young atheist needs to be careful what he reads, if he wants to maintain his faith."

I have a list of writers that I pray for every day. My list includes some of those authors who have written books that have powerfully impacted my life. I pray every day for Davis Bunn, Phillip Yancey, Tim Keller, Bodie and Brock Thoene and others. I also pray for God to use books whose authors are no longer alive. I need to add to this list. I also have some writers who are just beginning to write. What is God preparing to do through them?

And now I have a personal and practical prayer request for you. I just finished the first draft of a third novel in a series. And a non-fiction book I have been working on for several years about ready to be released. Pray with me that God's Spirit will move on and through these books.

And in preparation for the release of these books the Kindle edition of my other books are being offered free this weekend, beginning Thursday, January 14, 2016. Share this with your friends and family. Pray for many to take advantage of this. And pray for God to use these books in the lives of many people. These books can be accessed at Amazon.com on the book page of my website.

http://daveswatch.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com

The Akdam are the poorest of the poor. With an economy that is not doing well, it is the poor who suffer the most. Pray that the needs of these people will be met, not just their physical needs, but also their spiritual needs. Some among them, have heard the Good News of Christ's love for them. Pray that they will remember what they have heard or read the Scriptures given to them. Pray that God will work in a mighty way and that many Akdam will come to Faith.

Rejoice that the Spirit is at work drawing locals to faith in Jesus Christ. There are reports of more and more people turning to Him in an area with a long history of very few local believers. Pray for softened hearts of extended family members and those in authority. Pray for the freedom and opportunities to share boldly and lovingly.

Pray for safety and calmness for workers, when people are fearing terror attacks.  Pray that we don't get trapped by fear but we will be wise and do the work we came for, to share this hope in Jesus with those who live in these lands.

Recently "Ahmed" returned Josh MacDowell's More Than a Carpenter to his believing professor.  As they discussed the book, Ahmed's accompanying friend, "Mohammed", asked, "May I read it, too?"  Pray that the compelling Spirit of God will win the hearts of these young men.

The news is grim for this country, with pictures of fighter planes doing damage, suicide bombs leaving their deadly mess and angry men shouting revenge. Pray for the people as they deal with very hard times, fear and uncertainty for their future. Ask that God will speak to them in visions and dreams, showing that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Pray that many will come to Him in these days when their lives are shaken. 

“A preacher preaches a message. A voice is much more than this. A message can deliver content, but a voice comes from an anointed life that has the power to actually turn people. A message delivers information. A voice delivers people. Anyone can deliver a message, but only a consecrated life can be a voice.” Wes Martin
 
Today we are hearing voices from every direction. The voice of technology, and the voices on the internet and TV are at an all-time high. Rarely can we get away from all the noise. It is blaring for our attention all the time day and night. Everyone seems to be trying to be a voice in a busy and rapidly increasingly world of noise and empty promises.
 
But what is God looking for at this point in human history?
 
He is looking for consecrated ones who will be His voice; His voice in prayer, His voice in speaking words of truth, and His voice in everyday life in various situations that we encounter all day long. Even though we are in a world of noise, we are in a famine for truth. False promises and lies are everywhere. It’s time to stand on God’s Word and speak His truth into our life circumstances.
 
God is looking for those who walk in wholehearted abandonment like John the Baptist. His life is an example to each one of us.
 
The Life of John the Baptist
 
“Then they said to him, ‘Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?' He said, 'I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the LORD,' as the prophet Isaiah said” (John 1:22-23, NKJV). 
 
Let’s look at some of the qualities of the life of John the Baptist because he was God’s voice in the wilderness. What was John like? How could he become a powerful and anointed voice for God?

• John identified himself as a voice - He prepared people to encounter God Himself. When he spoke, decisive shifts took place in people’s lives and they turned toward righteousness.

• John lived in simplicity - He lived in isolation and was consumed with His message and the one who had sent him.

• John was a faithful witness - He was faithful to the word of the Lord regardless of cost (John 3:7-18, 29).

• John was established in His identity before God - He did not look to other men for his identity or for approval. He looked to God.

• John was a man of prayer and devotion - As he grew up he became strong in spirit in the desert (Luke 1:80). He had a deep life with God.

• John was a consecrated vessel - He was set apart as a Nazarite to minister to God all his days. He did not drink wine or strong drink (Luke 1:15). He practiced fasting regularly.

In these days God is looking for those who can be His voice in the wilderness. Like John the Baptist, He is looking for those who will prepare for His Second Coming.
 
Are you a voice for God? Are you that consecrated vessel God can use in this critical day? 
 
The Spiritual Violence of John the Baptist

“There has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater [in opportunity] than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:11-12).
 
John was the Father’s messenger who came to prepare the way for Jesus. He was the greatest man and a burning and shining light (John 5:35). Matthew 11:12  speaks of spiritual violence. It points to being resolute to pay any price necessary in seeking more of God. This is what John the Baptist was like. He violently reordered his priorities and the way he did everything. His lifestyle had a violent impact on the devil’s kingdom.

Jesus set John forth as the premier model of wholeheartedness in devotion. In his spiritual violence, John radically sought after God without reservation or compromise. He loved God. He was great in God’s sight. When God releases a greater measure of His power and presence, He looks for a greater dedication. In these days God is looking for those who will experience the Kingdom of God in greater measure by the holy forcefulness of spiritual violence. John the Baptist was this type of man internally because of his extravagant love for God that confronted all the inner hindrances and barriers to fully experiencing God in his heart. John the Baptist was hungry for God. He had a vision to have everything that God would give the human spirit in his age.

John called himself a friend of the bridegroom (John 3:29). This is how he saw himself. He had a forerunner ministry. He opened his heart to God and prepared the Bride for the coming of Christ. He stood, He heard, and He greatly rejoiced because of the Bridegroom’s voice. He modeled the way to prepare a spiritual highway (Luke 3:7-20). He emphasized calling people to repent and announced the coming of Jesus. He called people to righteous living. He modeled a wholehearted pursuit of God and what it looks like. His life’s message is clear. No one has ever passed him in abandonment to God.

So many in the Church have lost their purpose in life. In the pursuit of making this world a pleasant place to live, multitudes have chased after lesser gods. We must listen to the message of John the Baptist. We must repent and return to God with wholehearted abandonment. We must wait upon God and prepare in these end times (Matthew 24:42-43; 25:13; Mark 13:33-38; Luke 21:26; Revelation 3:3 16:15).

As we wait, pray, and live in righteousness, we gain strength for our hearts. Jesus is coming again. Like John we must prepare this generation for the Lord’s return. John prepared for the first coming of the Lord through modeling his lifestyle, his message, and through the power of the Holy Spirit that was on his life. We must prepare others for the second coming of Christ. We may be a forerunner as an intercessor, in the marketplace, in the media or as a preacher calling people to prepare the way of the Lord. We have the same Spirit in our lives as John did.

Let’s be inspired by John's life. Let’s let it challenge our lives to the core. We are God’s model of wholeheartedness. We are God’s voice at this time.

Being God’s Voice

As you pray, ask God to make you His voice. Ask Him to release His authority in your life to turn others back to God and righteousness. The world is living in a wilderness of increasing fear, anxiety, loneliness, and pain. People are hiding their fear through constant activity and in so many unfulfilling ways in their anxious attempt to make this life pleasant. They need God.

We are the voice of the Lord on the earth as we positively declare His will through our prayers and our lives. God is looking for consecrated vessels like John the Baptist. He is waiting for something to be done, waiting for someone to pray His will. We become God’s voice on the earth for breakthrough by praying His will as we listen and obey. Heaven responds to our prayers. God listens and acts on our behalf. 

The atmosphere changes; we change; our lives change.     

You are God's voice in this generation, pointing the way to His second coming. As you pray, you are releasing His power in the world. As you speak, you are declaring His will on this earth. As you travail, your tears are releasing His power to break the darkness over the land. As you live, you are modeling a dedicated life.
 
He wants to use you in greater and greater dimensions. He wants you to rise up higher as a consecrated vessel for His glory. But it’s up to you. The King of the Universe is calling you higher. Will you say “yes” to a holy lifestyle, to a deeper prayer life, to a level of consecration that only He can make real in your life?

Let’s be His voice in the wilderness. Let’s prepare others for His Second Coming. Let's prepare the way of the Lord.  
 
“He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in,
 every mountain and hill made low.
 The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation... I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.' And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them” (Luke 3:3-6, 16-18).

A powerful word -  A Voice in the Wilderness - Prepare the Way of the Lord 

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Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
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