"The Holy Spirit is orchestrating a global prayer strategy in these very days. It will far eclipse any other prayer movement in Church history. The Holy Spirit is equipping the Church to partner with Jesus' intercessory prayer ministry at the right hand of the Father. The end result is the great harvest of souls being added to the Kingdom of God. The number of people coming to Jesus at the present hour across the nations is unprecedented in history. I believe this will continue to increase numerically and in both power and intensity." Mike Bickle
What is truly significant about the days we are living in? The Gospel is spreading and more people are passionate about loving Jesus than at any other time in history. Before our very eyes Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled which is hastening the return of the Lord.
In the last thirty-five years, we have seen Latin America emerge from being a mission field to becoming a mission base. We were there with the ship, M.V. Doulos in the late 70’s and early 80’s, sowing seeds of missionary vision as we preached the Gospel. Other nations like Korean have also become great missionary bases. We were there in 1991 and had the privilege of participating in sowing a vision into Korea for missions. Now they are all over the world! Joining them are other nations like the Philippines, Singapore, China, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Great Commission is no longer a western pursuit; it is owned by the global body of Christ. Prayer is going viral!
It is not that the Church didn’t pray before; it’s just that the intensity, longevity and quantity of prayer has multiplied. Statistics reveal that prayer movements and Houses of Prayer are springing up in many cities around the world and in some remarkable places. Someone recently commented that France is teaming with newly formed Houses of Prayer. In Gibraltar, a House of Prayer has begun. In Malaga, Spain there is the formation of a House of Prayer. Throughout Spain, once the most spiritually needy country in the world, there are at least four national prayer networks. We know of Germans, Dutch, British, etc... Added to that is the Global Day of Prayer, prayer in prisons, prayer in orphanages, old people, young people, pastors... hearing the invitation to day and night prayer leading to the second coming of the Lord.
"Jesus is not coming back to a prayerless Church, rather to one enjoying mature bridal partnership with Him in intercession for the great harvest. The church will complete the Great Commission reaching to all 255 nations in the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 24:14). This strategic plan of the Holy Spirit will reach a crescendo before the Lord returns, as the bowls of intercession will become full in heaven." Mike Bickle
24/7 prayer has taken a high priority in many places. In Kansas City, the International House of Prayer celebrates fourteen years of day and night prayer. The IHOP is web-streamed across the globe and watched by believers under some of the most oppressive governments. The model has spurred others to day and night seeking the Lord in places like Fredricksburg, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; Orlando, Florida; and more. Prayer rooms are being established in churches throughout the world.
Not only are we praying but we are praying in unity. God is uniting a powerful prayer movement worldwide. In a supernatural way, He is connecting all of us. He is realigning ministries and people—He is teaching us to celebrate one another’s victories—He is orchestrating strategic shifts and realign-ments. We have seen all denominations come together to seek the Lord as one—charismatic and non-Charismatic, Gentile and Jew, white and black, young and old.
Denominations and Christian organizations have started prayer watches. The Salvation Army in Australia and in England started praying 24/7 for a week in 52 of their branches with immediate results. YWAM, with sixteen bases in Western Europe, set aside an entire year where each base took responsibility for a week, filling the whole year with day and night prayer. In 2005, thirteen denominations and Christian organizations in England alone started filling the whole year with 24/7 prayer. Several prisons in Argentina have established 24/7 365-day prayer watches where the inmates pray for their families, communities, their country, fellow inmates, and the world. Inmates are converted and change their lifestyle. Breakthroughs are happening in the prisons.
The marriage of missions and prayer took on a new level in 2008 when leaders of the prayer movement joined together with leaders of the missions movements at the Orlando Call2All. Now we are sending intercessory missionaries who are settling in spiritually needy places with the goals to pray for breakthroughs. These intercessors are made up of former Muslims, Hindus as well as westerners; young and old.
The vision to “restore the Tabernacle of David” as mentioned in Amos 9:11 and Acts 16 is coming to pass. It was originally commanded by God to David to honor the Lord. David spared no time or expense in providing materials, singers, musicians, instruments, gold, silver and plans, as well as lavishly sacrificing livestock by the tens of thousands! In the acts of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, we see that every king who leads God’s people in extravagant worship and prayer, prospered under the hand of God because the Name and presence of God was there. The demise of the Tabernacle where God’s name and presence was revealed was the demise of the nation. The re-establishment of it meant blessings and power.
Prayer itself is emerging from being simply a time to make requests to an exciting adventure of gazing upward and looking for declaration of the beauty, strength and wonder of the Lord. Indeed, saints and angels throughout eternity will never tire of beholding the beauty of the infinite Creator God-Man! The heavenly throne room is the model of what we believers will be doing for eternity. In the last few verses of the Bible, in John’s end-times Revelation, we hear what the Church will be crying before the return of her Bride-groom, “The Spirit and the Bride say COME!”
We are in for exciting days! We are in for difficult days. The two will go hand-and-hand and the Church, through her amazement with the beauty and fidelity of the Lord, will rise triumphant.
The only condition that is to give worldwide power to this Gospel is prayer, and the spread of the Gospel will depend on prayer. The energy that is to give it marvelous momentum and conquering power over all its malignant and powerful foes is the energy of prayer… But mighty prayer is the one great spiritual force that will enable the Lord Jesus Christ to enter into full possession of His kingdom, and secure for Him the heathen as His inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for His possession." E. M. Bounds
What is truly significant about these days? We are here to prepare the way for the Lord to return and take His throne in Jerusalem from where He will eliminate His enemies and reign supreme. It is happening before our eyes. While none of us can set a date we can see and hear what the Lord reveals in Scripture, the signs are clearer than predicting the weather. We know that the Gospel will go to all the nations first. This is happening. Then we’ll also see the rise of such evil that there will be no days comparable since the beginning of time. Many will be martyred for following Jesus. All nations will hate us. But there will be signs, wonders and miracles and such an unveiling of God’s power that even Mose’s signs in Egypt will pale in compar-ison.
It's time for all of us to become part of this worldwide prayer movement!
"Isaiah the prophet had a lot to say about this global prayer movement. He described a time when God's people worldwide will experience unusual grace and authority in prayer. He summarized this by declaring; God will name His Church a “house of prayer”. This prophetic naming is in itself a promise of functioning in grace empowered prayer. Imagine naming the Church a “praying church”. All over the earth, it will become common to hear of intercessory worship ministries that continue non-stop, 24 hours a day. God has established in the genetic code a passion to reach “all nations”. It will result in bringing the outcasts of the earth to Jesus (Isaiah 56:8). These 24-hour-a-day prayer ministries are vital to reaching the cities in the 10/40 window." Mike Bickle
If you are interested in building the House of Prayer in your city, read my book 24/7 Prayer Arise: Building the House of Prayer in Your City. It is a 288 page book about everything from A-Z that relates to Houses of Prayer. For a 20% discount, use PL6G7Y59 in checkout. See Intercessors Arise facebook page for daily encouragement in your prayer life.
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
www.intercessorsarise.org
