I have always loved listening to some of our National Prayer Committee founders talk about the early years when they travelled together as a team tominister in prayer in various cities. I’ve longed for such ministry with myfellow NPC’ers. I think it just happened. If the Lord tarries, years from now, Ibelieve we’ll be telling stories of how the members of the NPC travelledtogether to Kansas City to minister in prayer at the International House ofPrayer.
What an amazing time of ministry! I’ll never forget Mike Bickle, founder of IHOP, paying such great honor to Vonette Bright, founder ofthe NPC. Nor will I forget how Vonette grabbed my hand and said in the midst ofthe intercessory worship taking place, “This is just likeheaven!”.
Norval Hadley stood before these worshipping young people and said, “In my 65 years of ministry, I have neverexperienced anything like I have here these past three days.” Those kinds ofcomments from some of our founders ought to cause us to stop, thank God, and askHim what He was doing in our midst.
From Thursday, Aug.26th at 6pm until Noon on Sunday, Aug.29th, the NPC led in a 66 hour time of worship and prayercalled, “Prayer Watch 2010”. The IHOP team and facility was put at our disposaland they served us and their Lord in an astonishing way. The time was dividedinto 33, 2 hour segments around a common theme. The IHOP worship teams led inthe first 45 minutes of every segment, followed by a 15 minute teaching by oneof our NPC or NDP leaders. The purpose of the teaching was simply to set thestage for the next hour of prayer. Topics of prayer included revival, youngpeople, families, the media, spiritual warfare, our government, evangelism, andmany more.
So what happened? First of all, a strong call to prayer went out to the nation. Through GOD TV and the IHOP live streaming, manythousands were able to participate in Prayer Watch 2010. Secondly, God broughttogether in an amazing way very different streams within the Body of Christ topray with power and unity. Thirdly, and most importantly, God showed up. Oh, itwasn’t what I would call full-blown revival. But the Presence of God was presentin a powerful way…not only in the public gatherings, filled with joyous worshipand sweet, repentant hearts, but also in the many private encounters with God.Many from among our NPC suggested that this was one of the strongest, sweetestencounters with God they had experienced.
There is one other significant happening. It is what I would call impartation. When the NPC comes together, there is a wealth of prayerexperience and ministry vision. Prayer Watch2010 was a glorious time ofimpartation of that to the hundreds of young people who were present. Thishappened all through the 66 hours, but particularly in the last hour together.Barbara Byerly prayed a powerful prayer of impartation as the members of the NPCand NDP walked through the crowd, laying on hands and praying for the power ofthe Spirit of Prayer to come upon these young people. God truly was moving inour midst!
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