25
April
2007
“It is indeed worth living for to know that God will use me as an intercessor to receive and dispense here on earth His heavenly blessing and, above all, the power of His Holy Spirit… Too long have we thought of prayer simply as a means for the supplying of our need in life and service. May God helps us to see that a place intercession takes in His divine counsel and in His work for the Kingdom. May our hearts indeed feel that there is no honor or blessedness on earth at all equal to the unspeakable privilege of waiting upon God, bringing down from heaven, and opening the way on earth for the blessings He delights to give!” Andrew Murray
Dear Intercessors and Worshippers,
I just want to inform you that the Va 24/7 House of Prayer will be featured on the 700 Club (Christian Broadcasting Network) on Thursday, April 26th! Please pray that the one-month 24/7 House of Prayer model will be duplicated all over the world! We invite you to watch what has been going on in 24/7 prayer here in the birthplace of America in preparation for the 400th anniversary of this nation. We are in a time where day and night prayer is needed in every nation. The hour to pray is extremely urgent! We are desperately seeking God for personal and national revival. If you would like regular information on what is happening in these Houses of Prayer during this month, send a blank email to va24-7@strategicnetwork.org for regular updates. See our web site at www.va247.org.
“What can we do to stir up the spirit of intercession? There is a twofold answer. Let every Christian, as he begins to get an insight into the need and the power of intercession, begin by exercising it on behalf of single individuals. Pray for your children, for your relatives and friends, for all with whom God brings you into contact. If you feel that you do not have the power to intercede, let the discovery humble you and drive you to the mercy seat. God wants every redeemed child of His to intercede for the perishing. It is the vital breath of the normal Christian life - the proof that it is born from above. Then pray intensely and persistently that God may give the power of His Holy Spirit to you and His children around you, that the power of intercession may have the place that God will honor.” Andrew Murray
Together in the Harvest,
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
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25
April
2007
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:9-12).
Dear Intercessors,
Haven’t you ever thought to yourself, “Lord, how should I pray? I just don’t know how to pray for this person.” As we learn to pray for others, it is great to realize that the prayers in the Bible help us to know how to pray for one another in the body of Christ. They give us tremendous insight into how we can thoroughly intercede for each other and be right on target with our prayers. The Apostle Paul was able to pray for the Colossians without having ever met them in person. We should never think that we don’t know how to pray for another believer. These verses show us how! Today we will be looking at the great prayer of Paul for the church as found in Colossians 1:9-12.
During the recent Easter season, we saw the greatness of Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection! He is our life and message - our everything. He is the answer to every problem and the hope of all mankind. My husband and I recently watched “The Passion of the Christ” and were once again deeply touched by all that Jesus went through for each one of us. We must keep Christ at the center of everything. The Apostle Paul was very concerned with the church of Colosse because they had gotten off track. They wanted more than Christ - they had lost their focus. It’s so easy to get out of alignment with what the purpose of life really is. This is one reason we must pray for one another.
“The church in Colosse was in danger of losing its grasp of Christ’s supremacy. Instead of being the integrator of all things, Christ was being integrated into the Colossians’ schemes. Instead of Christ alone, they wanted Christ plus - Christ with supplements. Paul wanted the Colossians to know that Jesus isn’t one of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He isn’t even the greatest of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He is the one ‘in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Colossians 2:3).” Prayer Devotional Bible
What to Pray for One Another
“The letter to the Colossians calls us to pray and to do everything in the name of our great Christ. Paul’s prayer for these people is a model of pastoral concern coupled with theological acuity. Paul knows that ideas have far-reaching consequences for good or for bad; there is no idea more determinative of everything else than our understanding of Christ. Our faith, and our prayers, will be as big or as small as our grasp of his greatness.” Prayer Devotional Bible
What kind of prayer should we pray for another Christian? What should we pray for the Church in America? Pray the following character qualities into the lives of individual believers, your church or the church in this nation.
To be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding - Pray that they would understand what God wants them to do and gain spiritual wisdom from Him.
To live a life worthy of the Lord - Pray that their lives would honor God in every aspect of life in the home, workplace, or out in the neighborhood.
To please Him in every way - Pray that they would please God always and that they would know how to put their faith into practice by helping others.
To bear fruit in every good work - Pray that they would continually do good and kind things to others and that their actions would be fruitful.
To grow in the knowledge of God - Pray that they would learn to know God better and better.
To be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might - Pray that they would be strengthened within with His mighty power that never ends.
To have great endurance and patience - Pray that they would learn to persevere even when it is hard.
To joyfully give thanks to the Father - Pray that they would continually walk in God’s joy and learn to be thankful in all circumstances.
Choose five Christians and faithfully pray Colossians 1:9-12 into their lives. You may pick your family members, friends, Christian leaders or anyone in the body of Christ. Realize that when you pray these prayers for someone else, you are praying a powerful Scriptural prayer that will have great effect. God’s Word does not return void, and He loves to answer prayers based on the Bible. I am learning more and more to pray the Bible, and I find it to be extremely helpful on every occasion. When I don’t know how to pray, I pray the Bible. Some other Apostolic prayers in the Bible are Philippians 1:3-4, 8-11, Colossians 1:2-4, 9-12; 4:2-4, 12, I Thessalonians 3:9-12, 5:23-25 and Ephesians 1:15-20, 3:14-21, 6:18-20.
An Urgent Invitation to Prayer
Thursday, April 26th, the Va 24/7 will be on the 700 Club! Pray that 24/7 prayer starts in every city in every nation - We invite you to watch what has been going on in 24/7 prayer here in the birthplace of America in preparation for the 400th anniversary of this nation. The hour to pray is extremely urgent! We are desperately seeking God for personal and national revival. If you would like regular information on what is happening in these Houses of Prayer during this month, send a blank email to va24-7@strategicnetwork.org for regular updates. See our web site at www.va247.org. To learn how to do 24/7 prayer in your city, subscribe to 24-7prayerarise-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org.
Urgent Prayer is needed as we begin America’s 400th Anniversary celebrations - See www.TheAssembly2007.org for information regarding the special events for the 400th anniversary of America.
Please pray for the upcoming Franklin Graham Crusade from May 18-20, 2007 - For details see www.grahamfestival.org/norfolk/ .
The book Intercessors Arise II - Fulfilling Your Destiny is published. You can purchase it through www.xulonpress.com or through this toll free order number, 1-866-909-2665. Those outside the U.S. must use the U.S. country code.
“Prayer is the match that lights the fuse to release the explosive power of the Holy Spirit in the affairs of men.”
Together in the Harvest,
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
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25
April
2007
“The key of holy desperation for the presence and ministry of Jesus is required in order for us to move out of our complacent, satisfied existence. Desperation is the underlying fuel that ignites our hearts for unity, prayer, worship, and repentance. If we aren’t longing for Jesus our ministry activities will be routine and hollow. There is certainly no shortage of ideas, plans, methods, books, teachings, programs, and activities in the church; what we are suffering from is a drought of desperation for God!” Rhonda Hughey
Dear Va 24/7 Participants and Intercessors,
We are now in the 18th day of continuous, day and night prayer! Thank you to all of you who have participated in this united prayer effort here in the birthplace of America. The recent massacre at Virginia Tech sounds the alarm as to the urgent condition of our nation. The need for prayer is desperate, and the only real solution in our nation at this time is day and night prayer. In times of war, there is a need for everyone to get involved in the battle. We ask you at this time to prioritize united prayer and to make a sacrificial commitment to pray for our nation. The following is written on the Va 24/7 brochure. See the attachment.
“Now is the time to watch and pray! It has often been said, ‘As goes Virginia, so goes the nation.’ So join us in April 2007 to pray 24/7 for repentance, reconciliation and revival to be birthed from the womb of America. May its flames spread across the country to transform our nation and unify us as one people set apart for the glory of God. May we cry together on behalf of our nation to see God’s judgment turned and our nation restored.”
We are extremely thankful that the Va 24/7 prayer room has been going non-stop, but as we look at the hundreds of churches in our region, there should be a massive overflow of believers coming to desperately seek the presence of God for our nation. We still would love to see the prayer room filled all the time. Please invite your church and friends. Thursdays are now open to everyone, and we are looking for more participation at every hour of every day. Weekends are especially hard to fill. Realize that we do not really believe in the power of prayer unless we pray.
This weekend we have the Burn Tidewater youth taking 48 hours of prayer. They will pray all day Friday and Saturday! They will begin on Friday morning, April 20th, at 12:00 A.M. and end on Sunday morning, April 22nd at 12:00 A.M. Burn Tidewater is part of a larger network called Burn 24/7. See http://burn24-7.com. You can check out Burn Tidewater at http://www.myspace.com/burntidewater. Every one is invited to come and pray with the Burn Tidewater prayer and worship teams. You don’t have to be young. This will be a good time for all of us to join together in prayer.
Are we desperate enough for transformation? Are we willing to pay the price that desperation requires? Commitment to united prayer is necessary for city transformation. Stepping into the fire of God’s presence will radically change our life. The question is, “How far are we willing to go? How desperate are we willing to become? God is challenging us to a new phase, a new mountain to climb for His glory. The battle has been great, but there is no turning back. It’s time to change our life styles and give time to prayer. We must pray for revival in our nation.
“The decision to make a radical lifestyle change and realign our hearts with the Lord is a matter of our will availing itself of God’s grace and reprioritizing our time and commitments. We can willingly and purposely begin to pursue God! When we do, He responds, and the more time we spend in His presence, the more desperate for Him we will become. It’s an interesting dynamic; the hungrier we are for Him, the hungrier we will become for more of Him!” Rhonda Hughey
An Invitation
“To walk through the doors before us, the doors of intimacy, hope, and heaven, and to respond to His generous invitation, we need only one master key: the key of holy desperation. Are you desperate for His presence? Then open the door…”
Lord, help the Church in our city to focus on your Kingdom in everything we do. Make us desperate for Your presence. Bring the churches in our city together in unity. Teach us to walk together and love and esteem one another. Help us to find ways to worship and pray together. Reveal to us our city through Your eyes. Teach us brokenness and humility. Help us to walk low and give You all the glory. Help us to walk in repentance. Give us a heart for the lost and the broken-hearted in our city. Help us to walk in Your authority and power and minister to people outside of our church building. Fill our city with a spirit of prayer and intercession. Make us holy and righteous. We seek Your face. Make us hungry. Make us desperate for You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
“Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory” (Psalm 14:9-10).
Prayer Needs and Events Before America’s 400th Anniversary
“We want to call people to fast and pray right now for America. We are at a crossroads… If we don’t pray we are going to go into one of the greatest declines this country has ever known, but if we pray we will go into the day of the greatest revivals.” Cindy Jacobs
Please pray for our nation - Pray for those affected by the Virginia Tech massacre. Pray for revival in our land. Pray for the lost. See the attachment.
Please pray for the three 24-7 Houses of Prayer held simultaneously this month in Richmond, Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, Virginia. For information, see www.va247.org. Come and join us in prayer, and email deb@intercessorsarise.org for your church’s available times.
Please pray for the upcoming Franklin Graham Crusade from May 18-20, 2007 and the 400th Anniversary Celebration - For details see www.grahamfestival.org/norfolk/ and www.TheAssembly2007.org. Attached is the April prayer calendar for the Graham Crusade and The Assembly 2007 prayer points.
You are invited to a gathering to pray and prepare spiritually for The Assembly 2007 on Friday, April 20 from 7:00 - 9:30 PM. The location is Kempsville Presbyterian Church, 805 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, VA. For information, call (757) 217-2103.
“To be desperate means to be without hope in your current condition and to know that in your own power you don’t have the necessary resources required to change it. People who are desperate become determined to find help, often taking great risks to meet their desperate need. In the communities where transforming revival has occurred the people of God were desperate enough to change their lifestyle and their priorities and to commit their time and resources, making everything secondary to the desperate pursuit of God in their midst. They cried out in desperation, and the Lord heard their cry.” Rhonda Hughey
Together in the Harvest,
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
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16
April
2007
If society is to be awakened one day from its deep slumber, it will only be done by Christians who have first woken up themselves to the full splendor of their privilege and who have taken seriously the call to live wholly and entirely for God. Roberts, Maurice
Though more and more people are joining us in the Va 24/ 7 we are still seeking for others who can fill the slim hours. We feel it is not good for a person to be alone during the night watch so we are looking for another woman or at least two men to help. Patty has been the main stay in the night watch but we need another to join her.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, there are hours that need to be filled between 12 noon and 6 P.M.. Write to Debbie at deb@intercessorsarise.org to schedule yourself.
Remember that you can go there any time but we are putting a special emphasis on April, desiring to keep the stove of prayer hot and hopefully heat the whole house! We also want to make sure that there are mixed couples, at least two men or two women.
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I just received a call from a friend telling me about the shootings at Va Tech. As I was praying last night I knew that today people would be killed today through a terrible event. We hate to see this happen. I don’t understand why the Lord revealed this to me except to warn us that many terrible things will happen if we leave our nation open to evil. May it alarm us even more about the days we are living. Let’s seek His face.
This weekend a youth movement will occupy the House of Prayer. They will do harp and bowl praying. We hope that many can join with them. Spread the word.
For the Lord of the harvest,
Norman
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12
April
2007
“Christ’s power to save, and save completely, depends on His unceasing intercession. The apostles’ withdrawal of themselves from other work to give themselves continually to prayer was followed by the number of the disciples multiplying exceedingly. As we, in our day, give ourselves to intercession, we will have more and mightier conversions. Let us pray for this. Christ is exalted to give repentance. The church exists with the divine purpose and promise of having conversions. Let us not be ashamed to confess our sin and feebleness and cry to God for more conversions in Christian and heathen lands, of those whom you know and love. Plead for the salvation of sinners.” Andrew Murray
A Prayer of Repentance
Lord, you were a shining light to the generation of people who lived two thousand years ago. They flocked to you because you loved them enough to be with them and to show them the true way to the Father. You have commissioned us to shine with that same love and message, yet we have not.
Even in light of the fact that you have given so much to us and have enriched our lives in every way, we have neglected to give proper attention to the function that was highest on your list, “to seek and to save the lost”. We confess, Lord, that we have been too busy with life. We have loved our lives in this world to the exclusion of the task for which you keep us in the world. Our concern has not been great enough. Our love has not been hot enough. Our vision of eternity has not been clear enough. We have not believed, we have been cowards, we have turned away busying ourselves with temporal pursuits while our neighbors pass, one by one, into a living and dying hell. We haven’t cared enough to intentionally love and pray for them.
Lord, we confess what we are, jars of clay. But you are the potter. We ask that you remold our hearts after your own heart. Give us a love that will lead the way, a passion hot as fire, and a faith that no disappointment will tire. Give us love for the lost and a life of power that will convince them of eternity and the claims of Jesus Christ. We pray also for our city. Forgive us as a church in the city for pampering the institution of the church and not mobilizing her into the streets. Give our leaders your wisdom. Give your body unity. Make her strong against the enemy to destroy spiritual strongholds. May we see revival. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
How the Holy Spirit is Working in the World
“In Ephesians 2:1-2, the apostle describes the lost as being ‘under his (Satan’s) control’. The unbeliever’s spiritual condition is such that until that darkness is removed, he cannot see the light. Thus, the darkness must be dealt with at a supernatural level, usually through prayer.” Dick Eastman
The whole world is in spiritual darkness but as we pray and partner with the Holy Spirit, that spiritual darkness is lifted. Intercession is one of our main strategies to remove this darkness and prepare the area for salvation. It is pointless to try to evangelize a city or region without first bathing that area in intensive intercession. The Holy Spirit is our partner, and He is deeply involved in reaching the lost as we pray. We can partner with Him as we pray for the Franklin Graham Crusade from May 18-20th. For details see www.grahamfestival.org/norfolk/.
• The Holy Spirit convicts - John 16:8 - “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”
• The Holy Spirit witnesses to Christ - John 15:26 - “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.”
• The Holy Spirit invites individuals to salvation - Revelation 22:17- “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”
• The Holy Spirit regenerates - John 3:3-6 - “In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born.’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.’”
How to Partner in Prayer with the Holy Spirit
• Pray that He will soften the hearts of the unsaved - Psalm 95:7-8 - “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” Many have hard hearts but the Holy Spirit is able to soften them through prayer.
• Pray that the spiritual blindness will be removed - II Corinthians 4:4 - “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Satan has blinded the minds of the lost, but the Holy Spirit can lift that blindness.
• Pray that their minds will understand truth - Ephesians 4:18 - “They are darkened in their understanding and separate from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” The Holy Spirit is able to open their eyes to see, remove the darkness and cause them to understand.
• Pray that they will repent and turn to God - Acts 3:19 - “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” The Holy Spirit is able to bring men and women to repentance.
• Pray for workers to be sent to the harvest field - Matthew 9:38 - “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” The Holy Spirit is able to touch the hearts of workers, causing them to go into the harvest to share the good news of the gospel.
How to Pray as you Reach out to the Lost
• Pray that God would minister to their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs. Pray that he would use you to touch their real needs and demonstrate His love and care.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners… to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:1, 3).
• Pray for God to open the spiritual eyes of the lost and set them free from spiritual captivity. Pray that they might have ears to hear the truth and understand it.
”And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of god” (II Corinthians 4:3-4).
• Pray for opportunities to get to know the lost in the area where you live and work. Ask God to help you build relationships and identify with them. Pray that you might be a fragrance of Christ.
”To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (I Corinthians 9:22-23).
• Pray for opportunities to witness and boldness in witnessing at the right time. Pray that God will send others into their life to witness as well.
”Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; making the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:2-5).
A prayer by Tommy Tenney
“Father, we confess that we want to see change in our lives. Give us such a heart and passion after you that we may begin to see your glory flow out of us to convict and save the lost. Release your presence through us as you did through Charles Finney when he walked through factories and saw workers drop to their knees under your glory and cried out for forgiveness although not one word had been spoken or preached. May the faintest shadow of your presence in our lives heal the sick and restore the lame we meet in the streets. Let your presence so saturate us that unsaved guests can’t step into our homes or be around us with unrepentant hearts. May your glory bring conviction in their lives that leads to salvation, not because of the words we say but because of your presence and power in our hearts. May we be filled with the glory of God where your presence resides in every neighborhood and where every person passing through is touched by the power of God.”
“Could it be that our prayers are essential to gathering in the harvest? Our intercession may well cultivate the soil of the hearts of the lost to receive the gospel seed (Mark 4:8). They also may battle against the enemy as he comes to snatch away the seed (Mark 4:14-15). And they may help lift the darkness away from the eyes of unbelievers (Acts 26:17-18), so they can see the glorious light of the gospel (II Corinthians 4:3-4). Nothing should motivate us to pray for the harvest more than the knowledge that multitudes may receive Christ because we prayed. What greater joy could there be than knowing that our prayers helped lift the darkness so the lost might see the Light? Someday we may find, indeed, that heaven is populated with multitudes of our answered prayers.” Dick Eastman
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12
April
2007
“Unity is a revelation of the spirit of God that sees that only together can we get the results that God wants. I need my brother. I can’t do it alone. We must give ourselves away to one another and to Him. We must look at ourselves in a kingdom connection. It is in all of us, not one of us.” George Otis, Jr., Transformation video
Dear Intercessors,
This is the 10th day of united 24/7 prayer to mark America’s 400 years as a nation. Thank you to all who have participated! We are excited at all that God will do through this continuous 24/7prayer meeting. We still could use many more participants and would like to have the rooms filled every hour in all three locations.
Many people have made the comment, “The presence of God is so strong in the prayer room.” It will only get stronger. That is what we experienced last November in Spain. We believe that God changes us when we are in the prayer room, and that we will never be the same again. Our desire is for full participation from a good number of the churches from Virginia Beach all the way to Richmond. The hour for America is at the critical stage, and it is time for us to give ourselves to prayer - not just half-heartedly but with all our heart! In Biblical and church history, united prayer has been proven to be the single lifesaver of a nation, during times of danger and uncertainty. 24/7 prayer will cost us because most of us are really busy. But don’t forget, prayer and unity really are the main thing. So thank you for your participation. God shall surely reward you extravagantly.
A few days ago a CBN crew came to the prayer room in Virginia Beach and made a story of the VA 24/7 prayer initiative for the 700 Club. Several of us were interviewed and they taped a prayer meeting in action. We will let you know when it is aired on the 700 Club.
Although there has been continuous prayer in Virginia Beach, we still need a lot more people in all three locations. All hours are available! Realize that we need you at any time. God will be more greatly glorified when churches participate in prayer together. We are in an emergency situation in our nation, and prayer is the only solution to this dilemma. These three simultaneous prayer meetings are regional prayer meetings - it is not one of us, it is all of us together. Every single person makes a big difference!
Please invite everyone to come and prayer. It only takes one hour in the prayer room for anyone to become convinced that this is what God really wants us to do at this time. I am enclosing four attachments to help you to pray - pray for the lost, pray for the Church, pray for the cities from Virginia Beach to Richmond, and prayer requests for Virginia. You may want to print these out for yourself and others in your church. We have them in the prayer room but please do not remove them.
The Richmond International House of Prayer is located at 1701 E. Main St., Richmond. For information, call (804) 658-5164 or see www.rihop.com. The Williamsburg House of Prayer is located at 5306 Olde Towne Road, Williamsburg. For information, call (757) 903-7407. The House of Prayer in Virginia Beach is located at 5441 Virginia Beach Blvd, Suite 114, Virginia Beach. For information, call (757) 226-3507. For all three, see www.va247.org.
Are we willing for God to transform our cities through prayer? Are we willing to pay the price? For many of us, God has brought us to the point of desperation. We are willing to lay down our own agendas and get on our faces before God for however long it takes. We have seen that our own methods and plans will never change the increasing darkness that is permeating our land. We are becoming desperate, and that is a good place to be. Seeking the manifest presence of God in a region is risky, but it is the way towards a true and powerful transformation in our nation.
“It’s risky, aggressive, and brought about through prayer. It’s not predictable and out of our control. There is an unexpectedness of God. We are fooled by strategy. We lack God’s processing power. You can’t format God. We are proud and impatient. God’s approach is to come in through the back door. He shows up, not shows off. There is a flow with the Holy Spirit that is not stage-managed. He is willing to be invited but only on his terms. The light of God is a surprise. Leaders must be committed to a community. They must persevere through apathy and not give up. I can’t coast and there is no time to say, ‘I’ll relax’. It’s not a quick start but a long run. The goal is to get to the last day and then face Jesus and through everything to direct men and women toward the Kingdom. God is looking for a man who will take the burden on himself for the nation. God is looking for leaders who will stand in the gap for their nation, who don’t care who gets the credit.” George Otis, Jr., Transformation video
Together in the Harvest,
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
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12
April
2007
Dear Friends,
The Va 24/7 is going well. We’ve completed 11 days of non-stop prayer. Those who come afterwards comment how they sense the Lord’s presence in the room. We experienced the same when we did this in Spain.
It is surprising to us that the church is not flocking to the door of a place where there is intense united prayer as this. Many of the prayers have been for an awakening in the church. The houses of prayer in Richmond and Williamsburg are also going well. I’ve received good reports from both, but it is a struggle. Below is a letter from Sherrie Moore, one of the leaders from the RiHOP (Richmond House of Prayer). I asked her if I could send it to you because of the spiritual insight it contains. Not everyone will be able to understand or receive this.
We are still looking for others to fill some times in the Virginia Beach HOP. One need is for tonight (thursday) from 6-8:00 P.M… Send email to Debbie at deb@intercessorsarise.org. Thanks.
For the Lord of the harvest,
Norm
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(Letter from Sherrie Moore) TheCommonThread@comcast.net
Norm,
I typed this fast. Hope it makes sense. Know that I wrote this with utmost honor towards God sending in folks from all over for this strategic time period. My comments do not diminish their importance for being here — however, I do think that the church of the region needs to awaken! Here are my comments/answers to your questions.
Prior to the month of April, we started seeing an increase in interest of those that want to do watches on a continual basis AND an increase in those that felt the call to raise support to become full-time intercessory missionaries here in Richmond. It seems that we are continuing as we go into the month of April on the same track. Increased favor, increased interest and, especially an increased hunger to learn more about developing a life-style of prayer, fasting and ministry to the poor. We did not change much other than tell folks that we were going to incorporate prayer for the upcoming events and prayer for the region in light of the historical time-period we are in. One of the things that Jesus is leading us in, is keeping our eye on long-term building of community.
In answer to your question regarding what we are hearing. One morning in prayer at RiHOP, the Lord said to me that we have learned to respond to the call for the urgent, but not the call for the constant. It is faithfulness and consistency that Jesus is seeking right now. He also told me to challenge people to already start praying for and getting vision for beyond 2007. 2007 may be the culmination of many historical things and a time to lay the ax to the root of some major offenses ingrained in the fabric of our country, but it is also a HUGE launching pad from which to be hurled into greater levels of partnership with Him as He unfolds His plan in our cities and the world. If we approach these events as events, and not deeply yearn for fruit meet of repentence (in other words…fruit that remains from all of our declarations of unity, repentence and recognition that GOD is making a platform for Indigenous an d African American voices to emerge) we will still have an unhealthy foundation to stand on and it will cause the dealings of the Lord to be more severe for us. HOWEVER, if the Body of Christ, who are ALL CALLED TO A PLACE OF PRAYER, will bow down in recognition of a sovereign Lord, recognize the season we are in and repent from the heart and not from the head…we will SEE GREAT AND MARVELOUS THINGS.
I am very struck that many “EAGLES” are coming to this region (Dutch, Cindy, Will, etc.), however, it is still up to those that God has called to steward these boundaries to make a heart change. I am concerned that the popular names (those that God has raised up with a prophetic voice in this hour) will be the only ones heard during this hour, when God is looking for the weak, the humble, the poor in spirit, called to stand in this hour for their region . I agree with your leading to let those local voices to rise up and be heard.
This is what I have been hearing (since you asked). If we rely on the big events, and the large voices that they are drawing, to give “THE” word of the Lord and pray “THE” prayer of repentence and proclaimation, it will prevent those of us who live here from crying out the way we should…we will miss it!
I am STRONGLY reminded of what Jesus told me last June. He likened intercession for this region to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham lived outside of the area where Lot lived. He knew God’s judgement was coming. Abraham’s intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah released grace for the deliverance of his relatives. God asked me, “what would have happened if there was a CRY FROM WITHIN Sodom and Gomorrah, from those that were called to that city??”. Sodom and Gomorrah would have a very different ending. Norm, just how much do we want to see our cities saved, or will we settle for praying for a mighty word of intercession to come from the “Abraham’s” to come forth (those mighty voices called to speak NOW, but that do not live here). The church in our region has the potential to press into great things, but we must cry out…not just trust that God will honor the big dogs (I mean that with all honor…you understand what I am trying to convey…I hope.) The Lord is trying to wake up His entire Bride!
My concern for making all of our efforts event oriented are that it will not gender a changed heart and all we will say at the end of the day is “WE DID IT, WE PRAYED AROUND THE CLOCK FOR 30 DAYS” or “WE REPENTED, WE CAN NOW MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES”. I will not diminish the miracle of that…just that we must move into lifestyles that live out what we pray for according to Acts 17:26-27.
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
We have a responsibility…those that live here. My hope is that the VA24-7 will thrust us into a deeper love for one another and challenge us to take up our place on the wall and cry OUT so that men would seek the Lord within the boundaries of the area God has called us to steward. That when all the events are done, we are changed and move forward in the partnership Jesus has called us to. This nation is at a very ripe place…for both blessing and (unfortunately) the severe dealings of Jesus. It is ALL so that we will seek Him and find Him. May we cry out now so that we don’t have to cry harder…later.
Sherrie Moore
The Common Thread Ministries
Richmond Int’l House of Prayer
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3
April
2007
Your VA 24/7 Participation
“When God’s presence becomes a tangible reality in a community, the church then becomes a catalyst for growth. God’s presence is more effective than our best church growth methods. When God’s presence is tangible, supernatural ministry results and becomes a magnet for hungry souls and broken people.” Rhonda Hughey
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your participation in the 24/7 month-long House of Prayer in April. We believe that the participation of individuals and churches from the Hampton Roads area and beyond will have a powerful effect in our region all the way from Virginia Beach to Richmond - 100 miles of prayer! We want you to realize how very important your participation is in this regional 24-7 House of Prayer. We pray that this is only the beginning. We are having three 24/7 Houses of Prayer simultaneously in three regions - Virginia Beach, Williamsburg and Richmond. This is the womb of America and can even affect the whole nation. It has been said, “As Virginia goes, so goes the nation.” I ask you to spread this vision far and wide to everyone you know. We are looking for full participation from the churches before the 400th anniversary of this nation, the Franklin Graham Festival and several other events. Please read carefully the enclosed brochure.
I ask you to carefully select and e-mail me whatever 2-hour prayer slot when you would like to pray. Your quick response would be appreciated. If possible, please sign up for a 2-hour time slot weekly but if you can’t do it every week, please let me know the dates when you are available. You are also welcome to come anytime to the House of Prayer without signing up. We want to see the body of Christ mix among denominations, churches, and age groups. Someone will be calling you the day before your time slot so that we can be sure you remember and are there. Please write down your time slot! Unless you hear from me, you will be assigned to the slot you have chosen. We want every single hour covered in prayer in all three locations - Virginia Beach, Williamsburg and Richmond. Also make sure we know which location you are signing up for. In the next few days we will e-mail you some guidelines and details as you come to seek God’s presence for this region in prayer. Please refrain from e-mailing us questions until you hear from us again. Here are the time slots we need filled:
• Sunday - 5:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• Monday - 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Tuesday - 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• Wednesday - 8:00 AM - 12:00 AM, 2:00 - 4:00 PM, 9:00 PM - 12:00 PM
• Thursday - No open vacancies!
• Friday - 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
• Saturday - 5:00 AM - 12:00 AM, 2:00 PM - 12:00 PM.
Do not think your participation is not important. It will take the whole church to pray in the presence of God into our region. Every single person is an important link and adds to the power of this month of prayer. Your part is absolutely essential! Together we are seeking the manifest presence of God for our city, our region all the way from Virginia Beach to Richmond and for our entire nation. Here is a letter I wrote about the 24-7 House of Prayer we had in Spain last November right as we were in the midst of it. I pray that this will encourage your heart.
The Manifest Presence of God
“God longs to open doors of spiritual reality to us. He wants us to sit with Him in heavenly places. We must live with a spiritual vantage point from the throne room of God. The throne of God is the seat of His authority; it represents the place from which He rules and reigns over the nations. Jesus invites us to this place of authority and victory. We have to see the Lord! We have to accept the invitation to come up higher around the throne, to behold Jesus, to see Him and believe! Once you see this, you have hope; and once we see what God sees, then we can come into agreement with His purposes. If we cannot see God’s kingdom purposes, we cannot agree with them!” Rhonda Hughey
There is a popular Christian song that we have been singing and praying here in southern Spain. The song goes like this, “Let it rain. Let it rain. Open the floodgates of heaven and let it rain!” The prayers are getting stronger, more intense and are uniting with more faith. There is a great desire for God to open the heavens and flood down His manifest presence upon the land. One church after another is coming to seek the presence of God, sometimes two or more churches together, individuals, small groups and larger ones. There is a heart-felt expectation that God has heard our prayers and will answer. So we continue to pray that He will open the floodgates of heaven and come and rain His presence and fire on the land. Everyone is feeling the presence of God in the prayer room. The prayers have continued non-stop since November 1st. Lives are being changed radically. Tonight there is a 6-hour prayer meeting for healing, and there is an invitation for all the sick to come for prayer. As God descends upon the land, His people are rising higher into the throne room of heaven.
Evidence of God’s Manifest Presence
What is the evidence of God’s manifest presence upon a city? Slowly meditate on the following words as you think about God’s presence in your city: renown, joy, praise, honor, awe, tremble, abundant prosperity, peace, boldness, miraculous signs and wonders, Holy Spirit, crown of splendor, royal diadem, holy, great delight, married. What does God’s manifest presence look like and how do things begin to change?
• A new Spiritual Identity - God’s people begin to be personally transformed. They begin to know their spiritual identity in Christ. There is an increased intimacy with the Lord, both corporately and individually. They begin to release God’s glory to others. They bring light into the darkness and carry His presence wherever they go.
“Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all the nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it” (Jeremiah 33:9).
• A New Spiritual Authority - A personal and corporate refining takes place. There is no more compromise or complacency, but there is steady growth in holiness. Passion for Jesus becomes the highest priority. The church has a new spiritual authority that greatly impacts the city. The Spirit of God is released through the church radically, and signs and wonders take place.
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus” (Acts 4:29-31).
• A New Spiritual Purpose - The church begins to really know her purpose, and begins to love and serve the city. Captives are healed and set free through the Spirit of God. Strongholds are broken. The church is an agent of change in the city. People are drawn to Jesus and the church because God’s people are carrying God’s presence and glory into the community.
“So he said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6).
• A Transformation Takes Place - City transformation and fruitfulness begins to take place. The Kingdom of God begins to touch the earth and kingdom vision is released. There is city transformation that reflects God’s glory and beauty. The city has a new name and is no longer deserted or desolate.
“You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take great delight in you, and your land will be married.” (Isaiah 62:3-4).
“We must become hungry and thirsty for more of Jesus in our midst. We must cry out in desperation for God’s presence to be restored in our lives, our churches, and ultimately in our cities. We must treasure the manifest presence of God, because as Jesus said in John 15:5, “Without Me you can do nothing.” Rhonda Hughey
The glory of God is contagious. Hunger for His presence increases. Many individuals who have been here in Spain praying say that their lives have been changed even after only a few days. All of a sudden everyone is seeing what is really important in life. I have heard passionate prayers, I have seen many tears, and I have heard many cries for God’s presence to come to the city. God is doing something big. Everything is narrowing down to one thing - seeking God and His manifest presence in Campo de Gibraltar (www.campo247.com). We invite you to seek the Lord for your city. Give God extravagant time. Pray through the above points for your city. It is time for us to hunger for God’s presence. We can’t do anything without the presence of Jesus. It is time to seek the Lord.
“Information doesn’t transform cities. Conferences can’t transform a city! Education can’t transform a city! Having citywide ministry programs or large networks cannot transform a city. Only the presence of Jesus can bring transformation, and only individual people willing to get on the altars of prayer to contend for His presence will become the kindling for God’s fire.” Rhonda Hughey
Together in the Harvest,
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3
April
2007
Why Pray Together?
“The failure of the church today is the failure to engage in prayer intercession. The motor of this great ship called ‘the Church’ is corporate prayer. When the Church gathers, she should pray together in one accord, with one voice. When we, as God’s people, elevate and return prayer intercession to its rightful place, the Church will function as it is built to, with grace and power. Prayer is the power that unlocks the door of God’s treasure house… The Church’s ultimate effectiveness will be determined by its corporate prayer life.” Frank Damazio
Dear Intercessors,
Is corporate prayer really effective? Yes! Right now we are getting ready to pray together with as many Christians as possible from as many churches as possible in our region for the entire month of April. One-month 24-7 prayer is going to start this Sunday in three cities in our region - Richmond, Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, Virginia. It hasn’t been easy to put this together. It’s taken lots of hard work and many hours of praying in the early hours of the morning. Several of us have expended a huge amount of energy for this task and it’s taken a lot of sweat, faith and prayer. A few questions you may ask at a time like this are, “Why should we pray together? After all, isn’t praying alone or just as effective? Is there any advantage in praying as a group and working so hard to come together corporately?”
The Bible shows us the importance of praying together. Jesus expected His disciples to pray together, the early church prayed together, and there are several verses that show us some advantages to praying together. There is a different dynamic going on when we pray together in a group. I am not suggesting that individual prayer is of little importance. No, it is powerful and effective! But corporate prayer and intercession is even more powerful and effective than individual prayer. There is something that happens in the heavens when an entire city or region chooses to pray together. An amazing thing begins to occur through united prayer that brings heaven to earth in a special way.
What are the reasons for power in corporate prayer?
“There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer.” David Bryant
We are presently involved in a prayer meeting from 5:30-7:30 A.M. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It rarely is easy to get up that early and take the time to meet together in one location to pray but the benefits far outweigh the pain. In fact, it has turned into a real powerhouse of prayer, and I would hate to miss it! Why take all the trouble to come together to pray? Here are a few of the reasons:
· The Power of Agreement - Where two or more agree about an issue they are asking God for, and they are asking according to God’s will and purpose, He answers. The word “agree” means sympathy in the Greek, and it means to sound together in harmony with one another concerning what God wants. Imagine the power released when whole churches come together to pray in a city!
“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).
· The Power of Confirmation - When we pray together, we can test whether something is God’s will or just a good idea. God brings confirmation through corporate intercession
“This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him (I John 5:14-15).
· The Power of the Church - When we pray together, we are not bringing our own concerns and needs but we are representing the Body of Christ before the throne of God. The Church has the authority to facilitate God’s will and purposes on the earth.
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19).
· The Power of Togetherness - When we pray together, we encourage one another, and our own burdens seem to lighten. Our faith is ignited and we become stronger spiritually. We have experienced a change in our personal lives because of corporate prayer.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
· The Power of Revelation - God brings deeper revelation when we pray together. He gives stronger insight into truth for the city, the church and our own lives. We see this in the book of Acts.
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:2-3).
Getting a group of Christians to pray together is hard work! Nobody ever said it would be easy. Try starting and maintaining even a small prayer meeting. All hell fights against corporate prayer. When the believers in a city decide to pray together, the warfare intensifies. It’s because corporate prayer is just too powerful. Corporate prayer does just too much damage to the enemy’s plans in a city. Corporate prayer comes too close to bringing real revival in a city and even a nation. Is it any wonder that the battle rages? But the worth far surpasses anything any one of us could do alone. We need one another. Isn’t it time that we learn this simple truth? Isn’t this the season that we finally join forces and take back the nations for God and His Kingdom? The urgency of the time cries out for this.
Urgent Prayer Needed Before America’s 400th Anniversary
A month of 24-7 day and night prayer starts April 1, 2007 in 3 locations prior to the 400th anniversary of America - The three 24-7 Houses of Prayer will be held simultaneously in Richmond, Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, Virginia. We ask that all churches get involved in at least one 2-hour time slot in one of these Houses of Prayer in April. Now is the time to pick your time slots. Email deb@intercessorsarise.org for your church’s available times. We ask all churches and intercessors to urgently get involved in this House of Prayer in April. See the attachments for available time slots, the brochure and details. Also see www.va247.org.
Please pray for the upcoming Franklin Graham Crusade from May 18-20, 2007 and the 400th Anniversary Celebration - For details see www.grahamfestival.org/norfolk/ and www.TheAssembly2007.org.
Please pray for The Play (the story of the man called Jesus) on April 6-7, 2007 - This will e at Chrysler Hall, April 6th at 7:30 PM and April 7th at 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM. Visit www.theplay.net for details. Bring someone who needs Christ!
This is a crucial time - Cindy Jacobs, co-founder of Generals International, is issuing an urgent prayer alert to the body of Christ. She believes it is a crucial time for believers to pray against terrorism and for revival.
“We are in one of the most strategic hours for intercessors that we have ever been in. I am very concerned about another terrorist attack. I want to tell you I’ve been up praying over the ports. I have been praying over the borders. And I really feel that in a way the church has gone to sleep. The church has gotten discouraged and passive. This is not a time to get off the wall! We want to call people to fast and pray right now for America.”
“We are at a crossroads. This is the day that God is speaking. And if His people will listen, then the enemy’s plots are going to be exposed because the prophets know even what the kings are doing in their bedrooms. God is going to do that! I want to say this in America. If we don’t pray we are going to go into one of the greatest declines this country has ever known, but if we pray we will go into the day of the greatest revivals.”
My book Intercessors Arise II - Fulfilling Your Destiny is published. You can purchase it through www.xulonpress.com or through this toll free order number, 1-866-909-2665. Those outside the U.S. must use the U.S. country code. It may take a few days before it is on the Xulon Press website.
“Unity is a revelation of the spirit of God that sees that only together can we get the results that God wants. I need my brother. I can’t do it alone. We must give ourselves away to one another and to Him. We must look at ourselves in a kingdom connection. It is in all of us, not one of us.” George Otis, Jr., Transformation video
Together in the Harvest,
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3
April
2007
Preparing the Prayer Room for 24-7 Prayer
“One of the simplest and yet most profound things a prayer room offers is a place to be alone and still before God. It promotes humility and a visible dependence on God. Prayer rooms also generate and facilitate other prayer ideas given by the Holy Spirit to affect the whole ministry of the church in the community.” Terry Teykl
Dear Intercessors and Worshippers,
Preparing a place for the King of kings, the Creator of the universe, to come and dwell is an awesome privilege. We should take great care in such a wonderful undertaking. In our last letter, we wrote about the initial steps in starting a one-month 24-7 House of Prayer. Today we will be focusing on the prayer room and what it should look like. Again we are giving examples of what we did in Spain. We are still in the process of looking for the right place for our month of prayer here in the U.S.
The most important key throughout the whole preparation phase is to seek God together with other like-minded people. Pray about every detail and every need. We have a group of people that we pray with every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5:30-7:30 A.M. in preparation for the April 24-7 House of Prayer. We pray about everything again and again. We lay before the Lord our hearts and our desires for our city and the entire region. We pray about every need. What we discovered in Spain was that God put everything together just in time. It was as if we were flying the plane as we built it. This takes faith because everything did not fall into place as early as we would have liked. But it kept our dependence level high and our prayers fervent. We are experiencing the very same thing here in America.
God knows every need and is fully aware of every challenge in setting up 24-7 Prayer. As we look back to our time in Spain, we are amazed at how God worked things out just even at the last moment! We must learn to depend fully on God because only He can work out the details. It is God who makes things grow in the spiritual realm. At the moment we are working towards 3 simultaneous one-month Houses of Prayer for April so we are completely dependent on God to work it out in all 3 cities. As we pray, He gives guidance and we simply obey His leading. We also meet together regularly with the prayer leaders in these locations and we will keep in close connection during April, but it is really totally up to God to work out all the details and answer our prayers. We believe He will. Our faith grows when it is tested.
I highly recommend the book Red Moon Rising by Peter Greig who has started 24-7 Houses of Prayer in over 63 nations in the world. His book will give you many creative ideas as you read about how these prayer rooms have been set up in several of these nations. There are so many ways to make a prayer room attractive and stimulating for prayer. The following is what we did in Spain last November. Hopefully this will help you to take the necessary steps in setting up your House of Prayer in your city.
Steps to Developing a One-Month 24-7 House of Prayer
“A prayer room needs to provide privacy and be closed off from outside distractions. It should be comfortable, with a pleasant atmosphere - an inviting place to enjoy the Lord’s presence. It’s important that it be safely accessible 24 hours a day, with a telephone and preferably a separate outside entrance that is well-lighted and has a combination lock. It should be inspirational and should have helpful information displayed to guide people as they pray.” Terry Teykl
• Pray and look for the right venue - The right location added a lot to the success of the month of prayer in Spain. There were several factors associated with this: An emblem of the Spanish culture, the Hotel Solana is a 200-year old hacienda, very rustic in appearance. It became a sign and a wonder from the Lord because, prior to our initiative, most did not know of its existence, and the possibility of its use would have been remote. People enjoyed being there, surrounded by nature, light and fresh air. It was a central location, easy to access from any direction. There were large rooms for eating and fellowship and a smaller one off to the back that was used as the 24-7 prayer room.
• Have a warm, friendly and inviting atmosphere inside and outside the prayer room - The atmosphere outside the prayer room was friendly and welcoming. As one approached the prayer room, shoes were removed, and no talking was permitted inside the prayer room. We emphasized vertical communication only. It was well furnished with seats around the perimeter, CD player, instruments, carpets, pillows and a candle that was burning throughout the duration of the event. The candle was a symbol representing the presence of the Lord and our passion for Him. Music CD’s were selected to accompany prayers with suitable types of background music. The cleanliness of the hacienda was kept at the highest possible standard.
• Have the month-long prayer schedule posted outside the prayer room - On an easel outside the prayer room were posted daily sign-up sheets for the week. The scheduled sessions were divided into two-hour blocks. Each week has 84 two-hour blocks. Individuals or church groups were instructed to fill in the blocks during times when they would be able to occupy the room. Pastors often signed blocks for their churches. An on-site coordinator equipped with a cell phone was able to receive appointments or cancellations and record them accordingly. This coordinator was able to oversee the prayer room, making sure there was an individual or group praying every hour of every day during the month.
• Have an appointed leader for each 2-hour block of time - If a pastor brought his congregation, we would recognize him as the leader for that block unless he deferred to someone else. We wanted to honor the pastors for their spiritual roles as gatekeepers in the area. In an amazing way, pastors and intercessors began to love and appreciate one another on a whole new level. When one church ended their 2-hour block of time, another one would start. Intercessors filled in all the empty 2-hour time slots, and whoever signed up would lead that block of time.
• Have some stimulating prayer training or books in the prayer room - A manual of the Intercessors Arise prayer teachings was always in the prayer room along with the book Praying the Bible by Wesley and Stacy Campbell. The book Intercessors Arise II - Fulfilling Your Destiny has just been published. You can purchase it through www.xulonpress.com or through this toll free order number, 1-866-909-2665. Those outside the U.S. must use the U.S. country code. Individuals can subscribe to free weekly prayer training by sending a blank e-mail to intercessorsarise-international-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org. Teachings on prayer and intercession help to fueled the flame of prayer.
• Provide an opportunity for giving - A collection bowl was always set out at the door of the prayer room. Many people gave generously. A resident of the hotel who came from outside the country was responsible for collecting the offerings, paying the bills and recording income and expenditures. Good financial accounting is important to maintain the unity of the Spirit.
“Let tears run down like a river night and day, give yourself no rest… arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches; pour out your hearts like water before the face of the Lord… for the lives of your young children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street” (Lamentations 2:18-19).
God desires 24-7 prayer in every city. He is prompting people just like you to gather with other like-minded people and pray towards this goal. The 24-7 prayer movement is spreading worldwide. He wants us to cry out to Him day and night. Let us pray together: “Lord, we pray for day and night prayer in every nation, every city, every village. We welcome Your presence into our cities!”
“The life of the church is the highest life, and its office is to pray. Its prayer life is the highest life, the most fragrant, the most conspicuous. When God’s house on the earth is a house of prayer, then God’s house in heaven is busy and powerful in its plans and movements. ‘For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people’ (Isaiah 56:7), says God. Then, His earthly armies are clothed with the triumphs and spoils of victory, and His enemies are defeated on every hand… The very life and prosperity of God’s cause - even its very existence - depend on prayer. And the advance and triumph of His cause depend on one thing: that we ask of Him.” E. M. Bounds
Together in the Harvest,
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