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LAST FRONTIER. Believers among a Last Frontier people group are under intense pressure since a video of a baptism aired nightly on television last week. Some groups want to expel all foreigners and kill all local people who have chosen to follow Christ. Pray that evil plans will be thwarted and tensions will subside. Ask that believers will stand strong and faithful under the intense persecution.
http://community.icontact.com/p/prayershop/newsletters/may2010products/posts/copy-icontact-new-products-and-super-special-from-prayershoporg
The death and resurrection of Jesus was the greatest breakthrough in all of history. Take time to think about this astounding breakthrough. Jesus broke the power of death and evil when He died on the cross for our sins. His resurrection is proof of the most wonderful and glorious accomplishment on earth. He provided a way of breakthrough for those who trust in Him.
There are shut doors that need to be opened by the resurrection power of God. There are long-term barriers where we need the explosive power and might of God to break through. Our God has the breakthrough anointing for each one of us. We don’t have to feel trapped in a narrow place. He will use His authority and force to open the gates that have been shut.
Perhaps you are still waiting for a breakthrough in your life.
Jesus has the breaker anointing to break through in any situation that you or I may face. We need breakthrough in order to see heaven come on earth and to see the Kingdom of God released among us. God is looking for people who believe Him for breakthrough.
God wants us to rise up in faith in order to see the breakthrough. He is the one who will break through for you, but He needs your cooperation to open the gates - the opening to those closed places - that lie before you. Barbara Yoder in her book, The Breaker Anointing shares with us what faith will do for us.
“It opens the gate of heaven. When heaven’s gates open, what is in heaven comes down to earth. Health, wholeness, peace, love, grace, glory, revelation, strategy, and all the rest of the nature of God and His Kingdom come down when the gates open.”
As I have already said, the enemy tries to restrict us. He coils around us and tightens His grip like the python snake. He wants to restrict the Church worldwide, but we know that the Gates of Hades will not prevail against her (Matthew 16:18). Gates are exit and entry points that must be opened. Especially when we are at the place of threshold, the enemy will try to terminate our forward movement. He will attack with fear and through squeezing the life out of us.
There is warfare at the gates and especially at the threshold of breakthrough. This is where we must overcome. The Hebrew root meaning for threshold, gate or door is “caphaph” and means “to snatch away or terminate”. The other word for threshold is “pethen” and means “to twist as a snake”. It even sounds like the python and may be where the name of this snake originated.
When we are experiencing strong enemy warfare at the gates, it may seem that there is no life or direction but only darkness, despair, and the feeling of being lost. This is not what God wants for us. This is an enemy attack at the point of threshold and breakthrough. He tries to snatch away our destiny and seeks to terminate our work for God at this point. There is fear at the brink or threshold because we are moving into a new place or territory. It is as if we are at the precipice of a mountain and there is a fear of risk, because there is a need for more faith in order to leap over to the other side.
Haven’t you been there? You know you must jump but your flesh doesn’t want to. It’s too risky. You might fall.
We made a move for several months to southern Spain where I experienced this first-hand. I knew I had to jump and make the move, yet it was so hard personally. My cozy home seemed just too comfortable and the unknown was not very appealing. But after I made that jump and settled into the new place, everything changed.
God began to open new doors of breakthrough, but I had to take that first step and by faith go through the gate God had put before me. I won a victory at that gate, but it was a place of real personal battle until I finally stepped through it. I had to wrestle through to a new place of victory. I had to give up what I had before and cross over into that new place. It wasn’t easy but it was necessity.
In 5 weeks we are making a move to the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri in order to base our ministries from that location. It’s a huge step. We’ve been in Virginia Beach for 15 years, but God wants us to move forward in faith. We’ve sold our home and are driving a truckload of all of our belongings to Kansas City without having a place to unload it! We are trusting God to break through for us. We sold our house almost instantly but that’s another story I will have to tell you in the future. God broke through in an incredible way!
We are all overcomers through Christ. He is the one who will win the victory, but we have to exercise our faith. He is the one who will break through for us, but He wants our cooperation. We need God’s supernatural intervention to break through gates. It is impossible for humans to do it, but God will go before us and break through. He will break through those impenetrable gates before you to bring you into new places of victory. Isaiah 45:2, “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze (brass) and cut the bars of iron.”
I encourage you to persevere in faith, and do not give up.
There are breakthroughs in prayer that are close at hand. The enemy is trying to terminate your forward movement. You may be battling in faith and feel hindered by the enemy. Press on and press through for the breaker, Jesus, will surely come, and He will come with His resurrection power. In 2005 I found out I had breast cancer. Having a life-threatening disease was a great test of faith. What God was showing me during the months of going through breast cancer - with continual challenges of faith daily - was that He was preparing me spiritually for the next step. I could never move further without this personal preparation.
Intercessors are key to the world harvest that we are beginning to see in the nations. The enemy knows this and is trying to hinder the prayer movement. He will do this by trying to hinder the faith of God’s people. God has been preparing you for the future. This is the time to crossover to a new place and to take new territory for the Kingdom of God. But this involves letting go and moving forward with God in a dimension you have never known before.
“Crossing over require us to give up something that is precious to us such as a prized possession. It may be a thing, an attitude, a person, security, or our desire for the future. It can be anything that we hold on to when the only way to get to the other side is to let go of it. There is an aspect of idolatry to that. It has become a god to us, something we worship and to which we are bowing our knee. To cross over will mean to let go of that which will not fit through the gate with us.” Barbara Yoder
How to Break Through in Faith
Many of you may be at the door, at the threshold point of breakthrough in faith. The enemy is taunting and trying to stop you from forward movement. The keys are a breakthrough God. What do you need to do in order to see the breakthrough and touch the God of the breakthrough? Remember, there are things you must let go of in order to see the breakthrough. Here are some keys that will help release your faith and unlock the door to breakthrough:
- Realize that God is going to break through for you - You can’t do it by yourself. He has the resurrection power to break through every obstacle in your life. Meditate on God and His Word until you know that He is the breakthrough God for you.
- Yield all control to God - Let go of the known and trust God to get you across to the other side. So often we try to control our own lives. We must let go of anything that God may want us to give up. We need to yield our will, and move to a new level of trust in God.
- Wait on God and find out what action He wants you to take -Be still and make sure you know God’s leading in your life. Some of you may be in a place of waiting, and it may take faith to wait. But others of you may know what God wants you to do, but you have been hesitant and fearful. Hesitate no longer.
- Move forward in faith and obedience - Bold action will open the gate and release God’s spiritual power. Do not waver because of fear. Take a leap of faith. God will catch you in His arms on the other side.
Realize that if you refuse to leap at the point of breakthrough, you have made a choice to stop. Then you are stuck at that place until you go back and again choose to step out by faith. God will then open up new revelation to you. You’ll wonder why you had been so hesitant. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
We will come to this choice of breakthrough again and again in our lives. God expects us to walk by faith daily. Remember that Jesus’ death and resurrection was the greatest place of breakthrough.
Jesus broke through every power of darkness when He died on the cross. His resurrection is the key to all power and all victory against the enemy attacks we face today. We can walk in great faith without fear because our King has already won the battle at the cross. We can pray great prayers without doubt or fear, because we pray them in His most powerful Name.
A Breakthrough Prayer for Faith at the Gates
“Lord, I thank You that Your death on the cross and resurrection was the greatest breakthrough in all of history. You have provided the way for breakthrough. Your resurrection power can open any door. I want to believe You for breakthrough in my life. Today I ask You to break through in the following areas (name those areas specifically). I want to see the Kingdom of God released in this place. Help me to believe You for a greater breakthrough. Open heaven’s gates and bring heaven to earth in these situations. Help me to cooperate with You and move forward in faith. I claim Your promises in Isaiah 45:2, ‘I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze (brass) and cut the bars of iron.’ Break through every obstacle of the enemy in my life and make the crooked places straight. Bring me into a new place of victory.
I choose to persevere in faith and not give up. Help me to go through the gate - crossover to a new place - and take new territory for the Kingdom of God. I choose to let go of anything that will not fit through the gate. I yield all control and choose to wait on You. Show me what action You want me to take. I choose to let go of the known and the comfortable, and I trust You to get me across to the other side. Help me to move forward in faith and obedience. Hebrews 11:6 says, ‘And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’ I earnestly seek You Lord. Help me to walk by faith every day. Thank You for breaking through for me at the gates. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
“Today, as much as at any time, we need men of great faith and men who are great in prayer. These are the two chief virtues that make men great in the eyes of God. These two things create conditions of real spiritual success in the life and work of the church. It is our main concern to see that we keep this kind of quality faith before God. This kind of faith grasps and holds in its keeping the things for which it asks without doubt and fear.” E. M. Bounds
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
“Intercessors have strategic assignments in their prayer closets. The prayer closet is like those ancient watchtowers. From there, they can scour ‘the spiritual horizon’ like air traffic controllers. They often sense spiritual things discerning the good from the bad, the welcome from the unwelcome. In prayer, God sometimes exposes the enemy’s plans and shows the intercessor ‘the cards that Satan is holding.’” Eddie and Alice Smith
If ever there was a need for watchful prayer, it is now! We need to be watchful, especially as we see major changes happening worldwide on a weekly basis. Many of us watch the daily news to see in the natural what is happening, but God wants us to watch and see spiritually what is occurring on the earth. It is time for all of us to get our lives in order before the Lord, become watchful in prayer, and find our position as God’s watchmen on the watchtower.
Intercessors are front-line soldiers.
They see into the distance, observe what is happening, and lean forward in prayer. Sometimes they see with eyes of discernment, and at other times they may see things way in advance. God gives them insight in order to intercede. The Greek word for “watch” means, “to be vigilant, wake, to be watchful.” Jim Goll, well-known author, speaker and intercessory leader, says:
“A watchman on the wall does many things. He carefully watches what is happening and alerts the community when good ambassadors approach the city… A watchman also warns the city far in advance when an enemy approaches. He sounds an alarm to awaken the people because he knows ‘to forewarn them is to alert and arm them.’ Then they quickly can rally to take their stand on the wall against the enemy before he wrongfully tries to enter into the city.”
What does watching mean for you personally?
What does God want you to concentrate on during prayer and intercession?
For what has He given you discernment or a burden?
It may be your school, neighborhood, city, nation, or a particular people group. This is where we need to watch and pray. When we see danger coming, we pray and ask others to pray. We cry out to God to bring salvation, deliverance and make His name known. We pray against evil intruding in the area where we are keeping watch. We say “no” to the powers of darkness in Jesus’ name. We pray for God’s peace instead of fear, for life instead of death, and for hope instead of hopelessness.
At the same time, all of us need to be on the alert and pray diligently for the nations. For many years we lived on a ship that brought the light of the Gospel to various nations. Every hour of every day watchmen had to be on duty. These watchmen kept alert to any possible dangers that might come toward our ship - dangerous weather, thieves, fire, and other possible threats to our safety. During their watch, they stayed alert. They knew that being a watchman was a serious responsibility.
You and I must be vigilant as a watchman for our nation. Although we may get weary and tired, we have a responsibility. We are called to pray for our president, prime minister, or king. We are on watch. We read in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak.” In Isaiah 62:6-7 the Bible speaks of watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem:
“I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”
God is raising up watchmen in this hour, because the need for day and night prayer for our cities is urgent. Let the following grip your heart. This is adapted from George Otis, Jr., the president and founder of the research group, the Sentinel, and the producer of the Transformation videos:
"If the Church is the nations best hope, it must be awakened from its slumber and fast. Revival must become an urgent priority, not just a theological or historical curiosity. Its promotion must become the task of every pulpit, its implementation the responsibility of every believer. For this to happen, desperate intercessors must prevail upon God to provoke within His people a deep and widespread dissatisfaction with the religious status quo.
The Church needs godly shepherds who will resolutely refuse to downplay the urgency of the hour and the seriousness of the present condition. She requires committed prophets who will seize every opportunity to acknowledge with Ezekiel: ‘Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them’ (Ezekiel 33:10). We have come to the point, both as individuals and as a Church, where we can no longer coast on the momentum of past deeds and choices. Our relationship with God has become fallow, and it can only become fruitful again through true repentance and unreserved obedience.
In this unsettled hour, the eyes of the Lord are upon His people. Will He find faith in the earth? Will He find a hunger for His presence? Will He find a ready remnant through whom He can speak to the nations and their leaders? Let us press in to hear what the Spirit has to say to the Church. If this requires us to suspend, at least temporarily, some of our most cherished routines - let us seize the moment!”
You and I are in a serious spiritual war. Failing to take our post during these days of uncertainty could lead to serious consequences. We must be vigilant and not apathetic - We must be careful and not lax - We must watch with a serious gaze to hear and see all that God is saying and doing. Our families, our churches, our missionaries, and our nations are important.
If watchmen do not keep their post on a ship during serious weather conditions, it could mean the loss of the ship and every person on board. Remember the Titanic, which sank very quickly because the watchmen were not doing their job. Let’s learn to concentrate on prayer, listening with expectation, and seize the moment as we keep our watch. Let’s learn to be God’s Watchmen.
“Watchmen are ordinarily placed on the walls of a city to give notice to the rulers of coming danger. God appoints watchmen not only to warn men - often they will not hear - but also to summon Him to come to their aid whenever need or the enemy may be threatening. The great mark of the intercessors are that they are not to hold their peace day or night, to take no rest, and to give God no rest, until the deliverance comes. In faith they may count upon the assurance that God will answer their prayers.” Andrew Murray
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org
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Pray! Network
News & Views #2
_________________________________________
Hello Pray! Network!
We are 1800+ strong and growing each day ... but equally as important, you are adding new groups, developing ongoing discussions
(forum and blogs), inserting new events to the calendar, uploading video
clips others can use in their corporate prayer sessions, and more.
SO -- If you are:
- an intercessor, will you pray for Pray! Network to grow with more new members and that we will serve one another in love?
- new to Pray Network -- WELCOME! -- Click here to see News & Views #1
- a prayer leader, will you start a new group for your prayer team (see special offer below)
- a reader, will you review a book that has influenced you on prayer?
- one of the faceless profiles, how about uploading a photo?
Anticipating great blessings as we build this community together,
Phil Miglioratti
Moderator/Facilitator
P.S. Questions? Check "More Stuff" on the menu, then look at "Get Answers"
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your Pray! Network Team - Cynthia Bezek
Cynthia Bezek, is the editorial rudder for Pray! Network.
What happened to Pray! Magazine? Prayer Cards - Groups - Retreat - Kids - Corporate
Your Pray! Network
Pray! Network looks like one of those "social Networks" and it is ... but it is also a ministry network. A social network is primarily a
place for people to make new "friends," share their interests and talk
about the events of their daily life. A ministry network incorporates
those features but goes beyond by encouraging fellowship in the Spirit
as we share biblical insights and exhortation. As we offer one another
the benefit of our experiences, both our success and our struggles, we
build up each other into Christ. When we ask questions or request help
with a leadership decision or personal dilemma, we mentor one another in
our capacity to serve others.
Therefore, whenever you are prompted to post a video clip, comment on a blog post or start a group or discussion, you are enabling the
network to function as a community of prayer-driven Christ followers.
All of us are here to deepen our own relationship with Christ but each
day many return to the network searching for tools to equip them in
their role with children or their responsibilities with a class or
committee - could it be the thought you shared on a blog or a comment
you added to a discussion that will provide that idea or insight?
With your contributions, Pray! Network will grow into an interactive community of friends, for sure, but colleagues as well. Like
John Mark was to Paul, may we it be said of us "he is helpful to me in
my ministry." (2 Timothy 4:11)
Featured Blogger: Elaine Helms, Denominational Prayer Leader
Elaine's blog asks "What does whole-hearted devotion look like?"
- Click
- Read
- Comment - share your insight or ask a question
- Share - with other prayer-driven Christians and invite them to Pray! Network
Commentary
It seems to me ... our fears for the National Day of Prayer may cause us to appeal to the wrong court!
Read the complete commentary by Phil Miglioratti as originally posted by the Church Prayer Leaders Network
Special Offer!
John Armstrong, author of Your Church is Too Small: Why Unity in Christ's Mission Is Vital to the Future of the Church --"Because I
believe God is building city transformation movements all across America
I believe it is important for leaders to develop a Web presence that
will help to build the social and spiritual networks in every possible
context. To this end I have encouraged my friend Phil to offer you a
copy of my new book to help facilitate this design for Web growth."
Why this book?
Good question - Though it is not directly a book on prayer, it is about the issues we face when prayer leaders or movements
seek to work together. John discusses, from a biblical perspective, the
opportunities and the obstacles of bringing the Body of Christ together.
The offer?
Up to 25 Pray! Network members who launch a group for their prayer team, a citywide prayer network, or for their prayer ministry
organization will receive a complimentary copy of John's new book.
1. Take a quick trip to Start a New Group
2. Complete the Group Information page
3. Invite your team, congregation, network or ministry data base to join you in the new group
4. Explain they must first establish a Pray! Network profile
6. Then, email the link of your new Pray! Network group and your street address to phil@nppn.org
Praying and talking together,
Phil and the Team
Visit Pray! Network at: http://www.praynetwork.org/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
To control which emails you receive on Pray! Network, click here
Now I encourage my friends in the network to pray for a global participation and outreach.
There are so many more to reach. Let us all do our part
Blessings from T.Leigre.Norway.
It seems to me ... our fears for the National Day of Prayer may cause us to appeal to the wrong court!
Along with most of you, I am a huge supporter of the National Day of Prayer. I am privileged to serve on America's National Prayer committee, the members of which are collectively stewards of this vital spiritual enterprise. As director of the National Pastors' Prayer Network, I have annually promoted the event and encouraged pastors' prayer groups across the country to meet on that day and pray fervently for the future of our nation. I have enjoyed the Chicago NDP prayer breakfast in my home city and attended several national rallies on the first Thursday of May in our nation's capitol.
The NDP has been catalytic toward greater expressions of the unity of the Body of Christ in cities and communities in every state of the union. Though not yet more popular than Valentine's Day, the National Day of Prayer has accomplished much in calling America to recognize oits Creator. Similar to the nation of Israel's feasts and solemn assemblies, an annual day of prayer reminds us how desperately we need repentance and must humbly petition our eternal Judge to heal our land and restore justice. Long live a national day of prayer.
Suddenly, more than in years past, opposition is rising. Voices have always spoken critically, especially since Congress officially recognized a day for prayer. But this year, for the first time in memory, our judicial system has joined the antagonists. Many, even some Christian leaders, fear the end of a national day of prayer. And I, for one, certainly hope that does not take place.
But what if it does?
Christians have responded quickly to this threat. Some appeal to constitutional rights or legal precedence. Others seem incredulous that our society wants to vote prayer out, so to speak. A few sound genuinely fearful, as if the Church of Jesus Christ will tumble without government permission and protection. Of course we have the right, even the responsibility, to champion for our rights like every other citizen . . . but I wonder if our bottom-line concern is motivated more by the potential loss of the comfort and ease we've experienced as Christians living in America. As the NDP faces new threats, is our defense based upon American tradition or political connections in high places? Will we appeal more in courts of law or in the court of heaven (Ephesians 2:6)? If what we know as the National Day of Prayer disappears, what, really, has changed? Yes, our comfort (no small issue) and maybe one day our safety but hopefully not our commission and calling and commitment.
What if the growing anti-NDP movement in our country is in reality an answer to decades of praying for revival? Maybe the Lord knows that our desire for an awakening is sincere but that our capacity to refocus our lives and reformat our congregations is in need of a serious challenge. Not a political or legal challenge but one that causes us to individually and corporately become radical Christians. And maybe the Lord knows that can only be accomplished by those things that cause us discomfort; a jolt that shatters our Christianized status quo.
Believe me, I am not inviting discomfort or cultural disapproval nor am I courageous enough to welcome a purifying persecution. The threat to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion are life and death issues (at least they were at one time in our nation's early history). Like you, I have read chilling reports of persecution in other nations and watched news clips of the hardships and even killings endured by fellow believers in other lands. No thank you. I am enormously grateful to live in the land of the free.
But this is also the home of the brave. And if Congress or the courts one day delete a National Day of Prayer from the calendar, our calling to pray has not been altered one iota. Our permission to gather is rooted, not in a legislative decree but, like millions of brother and sisters in Christ throughout history and across the globe, is in our Lord's commands. Maybe the real test is not legislative nor judicial (and certainly not political); the real test may be spiritual. How committed are we, and to what extreme will we risk our comfort or safety, to make certain Christ-followers in every town and village, community and city gather to pray for our nation? Is it possible that the court of heaven would actually hear from more desperate American Christians if NDP was rescinded? Could the God of heaven be asking us to move from one day of national prayer to 365?
It seems to me, our fears for the National Day of Prayer may cause us to fight the wrong fight and appeal to the wrong court; God forbid!
Pastor Phil Miglioratti
Originally posted by the Church Prayer Leaders Network
Pastors are beginning to pray together more than in the past 150 years! Look (and pray) over the
850+ listed in the National Pastors' Prayer Network directory - This move of the Spirit has the potential of
impacting our cities and communities for Christ in new and unprecedented
ways!
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment.” We know this and we want to obey, but what does whole-hearted devotion look like?
There is much media attention given to physical heart care – do this exercise, eat this healthy diet, take this medication to keep that ever rising cholesterol in check and on it goes to prevent heart attacks, keep us healthy, and give us long lives.
Exercise and diet are also important to strengthen our spiritual hearts against distractions that try to upset our total devotion to Jesus. Romans 12:2 reinforces that whole-hearted devotion includes our mind, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is.”
We renew our minds by hunger for God’s word and the discipline to consume it daily as a regular diet. Also, James 1:22 warns us not to delude ourselves by being just hearers of the word, we are obey God’s word through the exercise of living it out. Read Romans 12:9-21 for a great check list to allow God to point out areas that need improvement, and to hone your skills for living out whole-hearted devotion as a way of life.
The reward personally and the impact culturally is worth the investment of our time. Let’s pray Psalm 86:11, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.”
Elaine Helms is a prayer leader at the North American Mission Board, SBC. Visit www.namb.net/PrayerConnection.
Do you ever get distracted when you are praying? What do you do to bring your mind back to conversation with God?
Over the past decade, I have watched the genre of books available for prayer leaders expand from a few to dozens and dozens. There are so many resources available today for prayer leaders that the question becomes:
Which ones do I purchase first?
Let me review what the Church Prayer Leaders Network recommends in a few key areas. This list is not to say that other books are not good, but it is simply the ones that we find the
best for those seeking to grow more interest in prayer in the local church.
(All are available at www.prayershop.org
where you receive a special discount as a CPLN member.)
Resources
on Prayer in the Local Church
The Prayer Saturated Church by Cheryl Sacks is by far the most thorough
and most practical on growing a deeper level of prayer in the local church. If a prayer leader can only purchase one
resource, this is it.
My House Shall Be a House of Prayer, compiled by Jonathan Graf and Lani
Hinkle. This product offers very practical help for church leaders trying to
simply grasp what it means to be a praying church. It then offers suggestions
on developing five key areas of prayer.
On Corporate Prayer
Fresh Encounters by Daniel Henderson and Margaret Sayer provides
encouragement, challenge and practical ideas on developing a dynamic corporate
prayer meeting that focuses on Jesus Christ rather than the fix-it needs of the
congregation.
And the Place Was Shaken by John Franklin provides insight and practical
ideas for someone learning to lead a corporate prayer meeting. Everyone who is
in charge of a prayer meeting needs to have this book.
For Small Group Prayer
Together in Prayer by Andrew Wheeler is the only book available in this
area. A prayer leader at Willow Creek-McHenry, Wheeler offers very thorough
advice and ideas on moving prayer in the small group from being dull and weak
to more dynamic and kingdom focused.
Bible Studies to Disciple in Prayer
Power Praying by David Chotka is a new release that is a book and workbook
combined. It can be read by an individual or used in a small group/Sunday
school setting. It is a very unique treatment of the Lord’s Prayer that will
leave the user challenged to be more kingdom minded and bold in his or her
prayers.
Teach Us to Pray by Fred Hartley is a 13-week, fill-in-the-blank Bible
study that focuses on the prayer life of Jesus. It has an excellent three-week
study of the Holy Spirit’s role in prayer and how we work with Him as we pray.
Devotional
Love to Pray by Alvin VanderGriend is bar non, the best book on prayer
that can get an individual, a congregation or small group more fired up to
pray. Its 40 days of content, set 5 days a week for 8 weeks, will give users a
complete theology of prayer and take them deeper than they have ever been.
There is a teaching DVD available and materials to turn this into an
entire-church 40 day initiative. There is also an 8-week curriculum for
children available (Kids, Love to Pray, Too by Kathleen Trock) and a
children’s version of the devotional, I Love to Pray.
Personal Prayer Life
The Power of Personal Prayer by Jonathan Graf is an easy-to-read,
thorough treatment of prayer. Its 17 chapters cover basics like where to pray,
how to pray, and who do we pray to, then the types of prayer, and finally a
taking it deeper section that includes things like kingdom prayer, hindrances
to prayer, faith, praying scripture and perseverance to name a few topics.
Men and Prayer
Prayer Coach by Jim Nicodem is the best on the market. Written in a
humorous style with sports and personal family illustrations that men can
relate to, this book will get men over the hump of prayerlessness into trying
to connect with God more regularly.
Children and Prayer
Prayer Saturated Kids by Cheryl Sacks and Arlyn Lawrence offers challenge
and encouragement that children can become powerful prayer warriors in your
church.
Prayer Rooms
Making Room to Pray by Terry Teykl offers practical insight into
developing and maintaining an inviting prayer room at your church.
Creative Prayer Stations by Stephen Trine, offers practical suggestions
and content that will allow the user to develop more than 20 prayer stations in
their church or prayer room. It can be used to develop a prayer room with
rotating stations or to set up a week of prayer using your entire church
facility by putting prayer stations around the building.
Red Moon Rising by Peter Grieg tells the story of the modern 24/7 prayer room movement. It is full of tremendous testimonies of transformation that came out of prayers offered in prayer room settings . . .
and on taking the prayer room to the streets.
Prayer Events
A Year of Prayer Events for Your Church by Sandra Higley offers 15
suggestions for possible prayer events to hold in your church. Enough detail is
given to allow even the most creatively challenged prayer leader to shine in
developing these events.
Training Prayer Teams
Praying Grace by Terry Teykl is a training manual for altar prayer
ministry teams. It offers practical advice on everything from questions to ask
before you pray, listening to the voice of the Spirit as you prayer and “use a
breath mint before ministry.”
Upfront by Dave Buts is a DVD presentation to train people to pray with
others in the worship service.
Prayer for Pastors
Giving Ourselves to Prayer, compiled by Dan Crawford has 80 chapters,
each written by a different professor, prayer leader or pastor, covering four
key areas of prayer: The Theology of Prayer, The Personal Prayer Life of the
Pastor, The Corporate Expression of Prayer and The Global Impact of Prayer.
Preyed On or Prayed For by Terry Teykl. This is an excellent resource to challenge people to pray regularly for their pastors.
All of these books are available at discounts to CPLN members at www.prayershop.org.
Jonathan Graf is the director of the Church Prayer Leaders Network and the founding editor of Pray! magazine.
Intercessory Prayer
Interceding is defined by Webster as prayer, petition or entreaty in favor of another to intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences, to mediate.
We can know in our minds what interceding is all about, but knowing in our hearts is the most important part of being an intercessor. Have you ever been so sick or grief stricken that you couldn’t pray? Have you ever been in so much mental or physical pain that you didn’t have the strength to pray? Have you ever been so confused or dismayed that you didn’t know what to ask the Lord for? I hope that you had someone to intervene in your behalf when you were unable to pray.
But intercession isn’t about you needing prayer, it is about others in need of prayer. Others who are grief stricken, physically ill, mentally confused, spiritually lost or hurt. Someone who is unable to pray for themselves. Someone who is hurting. They need someone who will petition the throne of heaven for them. They need someone who will mediate when they are not able. They need an intercessor.
Before we can pray for others though, we need to put ourselves in their place. We need to know how it feels to be sick, to grieve, to experience pain, heartbreak, utter confusion, complete loss. We need to have compassion for others in need. The best way to know those needs is to have experienced those needs ourselves.
The more we experience life and its ups, downs, ins and outs; the more we suffer, the greater capacity we have to pray for those in need. Because we can actually feel their pain. As we remember our own suffering, the despair we felt, the way that pain removes the ability to be able to think calmly and clearly. These experiences have brought us to a higher plane.
We are able to relate. That is exactly what Jesus did when he came to earth to bear our sins. He was able to relate to every temptation that we would ever have. He knew what pain was and can speak to the father in our behalf when we are in pain. He knew what it felt like to be betrayed. He knew what it was like to have people ridicule him. He experienced rejection, he experienced loneliness, he even experienced complete separation from God.
This week as I have been focusing on intercessory prayer, the Lord has spoken to me in a beautiful way. He gave me an illustration of what intercessory prayer is all about.
The other morning I woke up early, I couldn’t get back to sleep and the things in my life that are out of my control kept coming to mind. I laid in bed thinking and praying for myself. “Oh God, what am I going to do about our finances? Dear Lord, what can I do for my son, David and the mess he’s gotten himself in? Dear Jesus, restore my health.” I went on and on for hours until finally, I guess God had had enough of me whining. He said just as clearly as I am speaking right now, “Marsha, let’s make an exchange. You cast all your cares upon me, because I care for you. And in return, I ask that you pray for your aunt, Lillian who just had back surgery. Pray for George, a fellow at church who is grieving the death of his wife of 34 years. Lift up Geraldine, who has not yet received Christ as her personal savior. Pray in behalf of Wanda, who just had a toe amputated.”
It was like a light bulb went on in my head... now I get it. Forget about myself and the problems that I have, just quit trying to figure them out. Give my burdens to the Lord and forget about them - let him take care of them. Instead I should focus my energy on those that the Lord puts on my heart, those with needs that I can meet. A note, a call, a dinner invitation, a prayer for someone who is too sick to pray for themselves. A prayer in behalf of someone the Lord cares for and someone I care for also.
The rest of the day every time one of my worries would pop into my head, I would pray for one of those that the Lord asked me to pray for. I spent the entire day interceding for those dear folks that God had put in my heart.
When I think about Jesus and what he is doing right now, I always remember the passage in Hebrews. “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:23-25.
That is what he does for us day in and day out. He is seated at the right hand of God, he is watching us and listening to us lift needs to him. He then turns to the Father and makes our requests known. He sees us when we are confused, when we are experiencing pain, when we fail, when we grieve. He knows what we need before we ask for it. When we lift the needs of others, when we set aside our own desires and think about what others need, he hears those prayers and will turn to God with those requests.
He has experienced our pain and knows that we need his compassion. He is compassionate and promises never to leave us.
Intercession is a beautiful way to pray. It gets our minds off ourselves and puts the focus on others and that is exactly what the gospel is all about. Loving our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus prayed for the needs of others so many times. He longed to bring people before the Father and he wants us to do the same.
Who do you know right now who needs someone to say a prayer for them? Who do you know that is lonely, hurting, in pain, confused, sad? How could you intercede for them?
A prayer of intercession might sound something like this.
Heavenly Father, I know that you are a big God. I know that you are able to meet the needs of everyone in the world all at the same time. I worship you and give you praise because you are worthy of praise. Today I want to lift the needs of those who, for one reason or another can’t pray for themselves right now.
Father, I ask that you touch Lillian’s body and help her to recover from back surgery. Mend her body and help her to be pain free.
Lord, I ask that you comfort George. If you can use me to minister to him, please give me wisdom to know how and opportunities to do so. Send people to help fill the void that he feels in his loss. Give those who minister to him the ability to listen and share in his loss.
I want to pray for Geraldine and the emptiness that she is experiencing in her life. She wants to have custody of her children again, but even more importantly, she is seeking to find you. I pray that you put Christians in her pathway to help lead her to you. I offer myself as a teacher to help her find you. I ask that you protect her from the evil one who does not want her to know your salvation. We will give you the praise when her name is written in the Lamb’s book.
Father, Wanda is a loving Christian lady, she trusts in you completely, but right now she is experiencing physical pain and the doctors don’t seem to know what is causing it. I lift her up to you Lord. Give her doctors wisdom, give Wanda peace, help her financially as she has to take time off work. Just meet every need she has and bless her in a special way.
These prayers I offer in the name of Jesus the Christ, the anointed one. Thank you for hearing my prayers and answering them in your time, in your way. Amen
Intercessory prayer is one way that we can build up and encourage the body of Christ. We are told in Ephesians 6:14-18 "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all that, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, and pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests with this in mind. Be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
Intercession is not something that only a few people in each congregation should do, but rather it is an obligation of believers. We are expected to pray for one another. Jesus is our example. He is continually at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. We should be doing the same.
In James the church is instructed to ask for prayer. “Is anyone among you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? He should sing praises. Is there anyone who is sick? He should send for the church elders, who will pray for him and rub olive oil on him in the name of the Lord. This prayer made in faith will heal the sick person; the Lord will restore him to health, and the sins he has committed will be forgiven. So then, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be healed. The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect.” James 5:13-16.
When your troubles are overwhelming, ask someone to pray with you and for you. But also remember to cast your cares on the Lord. Then focus on someone else’s need. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you to pray for someone else. Stand in the gap for a brother or sister who just can’t pray for themselves.
God will take care of your needs by having someone else pray for you. That’s what this Christian fellowship is all about. We are one in the spirit and the Holy Spirit can give your need to someone else. Maybe someone who has been through what you are going through and remembers the pain, the torment. Someone who will have compassion for you.
What does this mean to you?
Please see my website regarding prayer! I would love your ideas and comments. Or would you like to submit something to post? There is a contact page on the website. ~Thank you
However I was reading Mike Evans "The Unanswered Prayers of Christ" where he felt drained of energy and could not see how he could pray with enough faith for the healing of a child. But he closed his eyes and prayed, thinking nothing will happen, I don't feel it, I am too tired to do it.
And someone told him to open his eyes and look. The child with the severe deformity was healed. Not because he had enough faith or enough time praying or anything ... but because God is the healer.
I must pray as an act of obedience. What God does with that is not my responsibility. I just pray "thy kingdom come, thy will be done" not "I will make your kingdom come and your will be done."
That is a great relief to leave it up to God.
As Jon explains how the CEN works, he highlights many prayer points for intercessors who have a burden to pray for victims of disasters such as the recent Nashville flooding, Oklahoma hurricanes, and devastating earthquakes.
Phil Miglioratti interviewed John McHatton (Christian Emergency Network) on Christians, Congregations, and City Movements Impacting Neighbors and Neighborhoods
A message to all members of Pray! Network
Visit Pray! Network at: http://www.praynetwork.org/?xg_source=msg_mes_network |
Are You Too Busy
To Be A True Christian?
by Eddie Smith
I was teaching at a Christian conference in a western U.S. city. At the dinner break I loaded my rented van with prayer leaders from around the nation and we set out to search for a restaurant.
To those of you who don't know me well, I'm not the world's best driver. Or, perhaps I am. After all, how can anyone drive like I do and live so long? Anyway, I zipped through traffic, drove through the parking lot of a hamburger joint where I almost ran over what I came to realize were two men. I couldn't see their heads. You see, they were up to their shoulders in a trash dumpster looking for food!
As we passed, one of the men emerged gnawing on a partially eaten (by someone else) chicken leg. With my sense of humor I quipped, "Anyone want to have dinner with these guys?" There was a collective groan, "No way!"
I plopped into the main thoroughfare on the other side of the parking lot and began scouring the roadside ahead for restaurants when I was suddenly arrested. Not by the police. I was arrested by the Holy Spirit.
He said, and I repeated to the group, "You're moving much too fast to hear from me." I begged their indulgence as I made a U-turn and returned to the dumpster. As I pulled up next to the headless torsos, I yelled, "Hey, what are you doing?" They both emerged with surprise. "Uh, trying to find something to eat," Gilbert (I would later know his name) explained.
I looked back into the crowded van and shouted to my passengers, "It's offering time." Almost immediately $30 in cash was handed to the front.
"Here," I said, handing the cash with a gospel track to Paul, the other young man. "This should take care of the food. What's going to take care of your sin?" Gilbert's head dropped as he muttered, "I don't know." Suddenly the Lord gave me a word of knowledge. (A word of knowledge, from 1 Corinthians 12, is Holy Spirit-given insight not known in the natural.)
"Paul, God wants to set you free from a spirit of homosexuality that has you bound." "I know," he said as he burst into tears. In a few more minutes the entire van was interceding and weeping along with Gilbert, Paul and me, as these two young men gave their hearts to Jesus. Needless to say, our dinner was much more enjoyable following this episode.
At a similar conference of national Christian leaders in a major hotel in the Midwest, our group spent three days in discussions on how to reach the nations with the gospel of Christ. The third morning I stopped at the gift shop on my way to the plenary session. As I paid for my chewing gum I took a moment to share the gospel with the young man at the counter.
He was politely interested and grateful that I'd taken time to do so. But clearly he wasn't ready to receive Christ. In parting, I asked, "In what country were you born?" He said he was Pakistani. "Have you worked here all week?" I asked. He said he had. "Has business been good for you?" He said it had. "Has anyone else shared the message of Jesus Christ with you this week?" He admitted that no one had. This news saddened me. I returned to the meeting and told the assembled leaders, “Folks, the Lord has brought the nations to us. While we sit here hour on end and discuss how to reach them, we aren't reaching them at all.”
My question today is, are we too busy "doing Christian things" to BE Christians? Are we too busy making plans to complete the Great Commission to be about the work of completing it? Perhaps today would be a good day to slow down and pay attention to the opportunities God presents to us each day.
To those of you who don't know me well, I'm not the world's best driver. Or, perhaps I am. After all, how can anyone drive like I do and live so long? Anyway, I zipped through traffic, drove through the parking lot of a hamburger joint where I almost ran over what I came to realize were two men. I couldn't see their heads. You see, they were up to their shoulders in a trash dumpster looking for food!
As we passed, one of the men emerged gnawing on a partially eaten (by someone else) chicken leg. With my sense of humor I quipped, "Anyone want to have dinner with these guys?" There was a collective groan, "No way!"
I plopped into the main thoroughfare on the other side of the parking lot and began scouring the roadside ahead for restaurants when I was suddenly arrested. Not by the police. I was arrested by the Holy Spirit.
He said, and I repeated to the group, "You're moving much too fast to hear from me." I begged their indulgence as I made a U-turn and returned to the dumpster. As I pulled up next to the headless torsos, I yelled, "Hey, what are you doing?" They both emerged with surprise. "Uh, trying to find something to eat," Gilbert (I would later know his name) explained.
I looked back into the crowded van and shouted to my passengers, "It's offering time." Almost immediately $30 in cash was handed to the front.
"Here," I said, handing the cash with a gospel track to Paul, the other young man. "This should take care of the food. What's going to take care of your sin?" Gilbert's head dropped as he muttered, "I don't know." Suddenly the Lord gave me a word of knowledge. (A word of knowledge, from 1 Corinthians 12, is Holy Spirit-given insight not known in the natural.)
"Paul, God wants to set you free from a spirit of homosexuality that has you bound." "I know," he said as he burst into tears. In a few more minutes the entire van was interceding and weeping along with Gilbert, Paul and me, as these two young men gave their hearts to Jesus. Needless to say, our dinner was much more enjoyable following this episode.
At a similar conference of national Christian leaders in a major hotel in the Midwest, our group spent three days in discussions on how to reach the nations with the gospel of Christ. The third morning I stopped at the gift shop on my way to the plenary session. As I paid for my chewing gum I took a moment to share the gospel with the young man at the counter.
He was politely interested and grateful that I'd taken time to do so. But clearly he wasn't ready to receive Christ. In parting, I asked, "In what country were you born?" He said he was Pakistani. "Have you worked here all week?" I asked. He said he had. "Has business been good for you?" He said it had. "Has anyone else shared the message of Jesus Christ with you this week?" He admitted that no one had. This news saddened me. I returned to the meeting and told the assembled leaders, “Folks, the Lord has brought the nations to us. While we sit here hour on end and discuss how to reach them, we aren't reaching them at all.”
My question today is, are we too busy "doing Christian things" to BE Christians? Are we too busy making plans to complete the Great Commission to be about the work of completing it? Perhaps today would be a good day to slow down and pay attention to the opportunities God presents to us each day.
Eddie and Alice Smith's Website
Eddie and Alice Smith's resources
Free one-year school of prayer
