“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood.” Isaiah 58:5-7

As we move forward in the days ahead and focus our attention on the nations, we cannot help but stress the importance of fasting and prayer. Fasting along with prayer will be a key used by God to launch you into His work, whether in country or overseas, and it will be vital to your success. We want to encourage you to begin to make fasting a part of your life. God will give you spiritual discernment and an increased ability to hear His voice when you fast. He will enlarge your faith and help you to increase your focus on the eternal. He also gives spiritual power to those who fast, and we certainly need that in reaching the nations. The urgency to reach the nations is increasing at an incredible rate. We must be prepared and ready to go. Fasting and prayer prepares us in the quickest and most powerful way for our future work for God.


The Purifying Power of Fasting and Prayer

“If my people… will humble themselves and pray and seek My face” II Chronicles 7:14

“After 45 years of emphasizing evangelism, discipleship and fulfillment of the Great Commission, some may think I have gone off on a tangent with my strong emphasis on fasting and prayer. The fact is that the best way to help individuals become evangelists for Christ is to bring them into a relationship with God in which the Holy Spirit renews them. Only fasting meets the criteria of each aspect of II Chronicles 7:14: ‘If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’ When you humble yourself and pray and seek God’s face and turn from your wicked ways, something happens to you and you get excited about the Lord in a way that you do not through any other means.” Bill Bright

After returning from India last year, I am convinced that God wants to bring His people into a deep and holy life style. I was challenged deeply by the pure, humble and simple lives of the Christians I met in India. The harvest is ripe there, and the Christians are positioned in a holy and pure life style that is necessary for the ingathering of souls. God is using them in bringing signs, wonders and miracles. Fasting and prayer purifies the believer and makes us ready for harvest in the nations. Fasting does much in our lives internally. God desires that we seek a love relationship with Him. He longs for intimacy with us. Fasting and prayer remove the distractions from our lives so that we can focus on Him alone. Our relationship becomes purer, and our devotion becomes more intense. We get to the place where we seek Him only and not other things. The benefits listed below show us just how powerful this purifying is when we take time to seek God in fasting.

• It humbles the soul – Jesus is our example. He humbled Himself unto the death on the cross (Philippians 2). Through brokenness, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live the resurrected life and touch the nations with His glory. “I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting.” (Psalm 35:13)

• It chastens the soul – The closer we draw near God’s heart, the more we will share His sorrows. “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. I made sackcloth also my garment.” (Psalm 69:10, 11)
• It brings the body into subjection – We need to discipline ourselves physically on a daily basis. “Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (I Corinthians 9:26-27)
• It breaks down the barriers in man’s carnal nature – These soulish barriers hinder the Holy Spirit’s power. Fasting can enable the Holy Spirit to work unhindered through your prayers. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
• It sacrifices our personal will – It is the discipline of the heart and mind and emotions. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
• It is a time of examination – God examines our inner attitudes and motivation. Fasting and prayer quiet us so we can more clearly hear His voice. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
• It brings us into a deeper level of brokenness – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) 

• It enables God to focus on our heart – He looks deeply in our hearts during times of fasting, encouraging and revealing any need for repentance. “Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind.” (Psalm 26:2)
• It causes us to face ourselves without escape routes – This brings us into a deeper relationship with God. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2a)
• Fasting opens the way for God’s grace – God gives grace to the humble. We need lots of grace on the mission field. “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'” (James 4:6)

Ask God How to Personally Incorporate Fasting into Your Life

When we fast and pray, we are conscious of His presence, and we yield to His Spirit in humility. God will flow through those who intimately know Him. When our carnal nature of selfishness is broken, pride is replaced by submission, and we grow in our obedience and love. He will always use the broken and humble. We read in James 4:6, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'” As we experience the grace of God in a greater dimension in our lives, we give Him all the praise and glory. We especially encourage you to employ fasting in your life before you go overseas. The following are some helpful ways to incorporate fasting into your lifestyle.

• Seek God regarding fasting in your own personal life – Ask Him to increase your ability to fast and pray. Start where you are. Skip meals and pray, and then fast for a day or a few days. As He leads, you will want to move into times of longer fasts.
• Ask God to give you some key things for which to pray during times of fasting – Write them down in a journal so that you can pray for them regularly. As you ask God to speak to you, and write down anything He says, ask Him for spiritual discernment and guidance for the future.
• Pray for God to increase prayer and fasting in your city and the nation where you work or plan to work – Bathe that country in prayer during seasons of fasting.
• Read books on prayer and fasting – We are including some recommended resources on fasting at the back of this book.

Be encouraged as you seek to develop your fasting and prayer life. Fasting is an important part of being an effective overseas worker. God will empower you for service; He will give you grace, and you shall not be disappointed. He will come through for you in a powerful way. After years on the mission field and years of involvement in Christian work, we have found fasting to be one of the most important disciplines in the Christian life. There are not words to express the value of fasting with prayer.

Fasting is spreading throughout the world as a vital part of the life of God’s end-time workers. We started fasting many years ago on the mission field. We started small with 1-day fasts and moved into 3-day fasts with small groups. We have often fasted between Christmas and New Year’s Day for yearly guidance. In time, we moved into more lengthy fasts of 21 days, 30 days, and a 40-day fast. We also recommend fasting until dinner before major ministry trips or for particular needs or guidance. Some of us are called to a fasting life style for reaching the nations. We recommend a 3-day Global Bridegroom Fast every first Monday-Wednesday every month. The value of fasting cannot be fully expressed. It has the power to break through any obstacles. After every long fast, we have seen God break through in a multitude of ways. Let God challenge you to this most strategic discipline. You will have God’s grace and will never be disappointed in the resulting victories!

“Prayer intercession moves into the breach, the spiritual gap, and begins to pray repentance, restoration, revival and redirection for people – saved and unsaved. This should be the intercessor’s prayer while fasting. This is the prayer God desires from fasting intercessors. ‘Is this not the fast I have chosen?’ Combine this spirit of intercession with the fasting of an honest heart, with Isaiah 58:6-12 to guide us, and the result will be powerful prayers with Kingdom results.” Frank Damazio

For additional training on mentoring in your call; discovering your destiny and how to prepare for your call, read the book called Go Forth in Power by Norman and Debbie Przybylski.

“You sum up the whole of the New Testament teaching in a single phrase if you speak of it as a revelation of the Fatherhood of the Holy Creator… If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and his prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means he does not understand Christianity very well at all… Father is the Christian name for God.” J. I. Packer

God desires that each one of us knows Him as a loving Father. It seems that every one of us needs to grow in understanding this wonderful reality of His love on a deep heart level. We all know this in our heads, but when it comes to being truly confident in the love that God our Father has towards us personally, we often fall short. As we expect to do the miraculous in His Name in the nations, knowing our Father’s love and care is absolutely essential. We must have the firm assurance of His love in ourselves because we are called to spread the good news of the Father’s love through Christ to a lost and dying world. What do the people of other religions miss? They miss the reality of knowing the love of God. They believe in numerous gods who cannot love, care and truly help them in their daily lives.

To call God “Father” does not totally sum up the loving attributes of God, but it gives us some idea. Father is not the complete description of His relationship with us, as we are limited by language and human definition. When we call God “Father”, we mean that God has the original qualities that we admire when reflected by the best and wisest of all human fathers. I (Debbie) cannot express to you the importance of knowing God personally as a Father during my years on the mission field and as we presently go to the nations. There were so many times I cried out to Him in prayer for help and strength, for guidance and comfort, for faith and encouragement. And He always came through for me as a loving Father would to any son or daughter. I believe that growing in this Father daughter or Father son relationship is a key to long-term missionary success. We all need to hold a hand that is bigger and stronger than our own.

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights as sons. Because you are sons, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba’ Father. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:4-7)
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What Being a Child of God Means in Our Life-expression

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (1 John 1:12).

Being a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father should make an obvious difference in the way we live. We have special privileges, but also, responsibilities. Knowing God intimately as a Father should manifest in every way we live and work. We can point others to the love of the Father because we know Him as Father ourselves. When we go to the nations, we go as a child of the King. We are heir of all that He has. When we face difficulties, we are able to draw upon the strength and wisdom of our loving Father. We know what He is like and, therefore, we can see and experience life in a whole new dimension. Because God is:

• Compassionate and forgiving – then we find Him accepting us even when we fail. In Psalm 103:13-14, we find that our Father has compassion on us just as a father has compassion on his children. “And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.'” (Exodus 34:6-7)
• Provider – then we can expect His provision. We can trust God to always provide for us. In Matthew 6:26, we see that God even provides for the birds of the air. We are of much greater value than they. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)
• Protector – then our hearts can know peace. God is love, and His love never fails in any situation. “Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (I Corinthians 13:7-8)
• Name-giver – then we can feel a sense of belonging. We are in a spiritual brotherhood and family. God has a special name for us denoting that we belong to Him. To bear God’s name is to belong to God, to be His child. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17)
• Image giver – then we can rejoice in who we are. We are made in God’s image. We see this in Genesis 1, Romans 8:2, and I Corinthians 15:49. “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (II Corinthians 3:18)
• Guide – then we can have confidence. We can walk in assurance and peace because God is leading the way. “I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.” (Jeremiah 31:9)
• Comforter and Encourager – then we can take our hurt to Him. What a difference the comfort of God makes in the midst of uncertain times. See II Thessalonians 2:16-17. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (II Corinthians 1:3-4)
• Proud Father – then we don’t need to wonder what He thinks of us. We can know that God delights in us as His child. “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
• Ever-present – then we can communicate with Him anytime. God does not have “latch-key” kids. He longs to be with each one of us always. “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
• Trainer and Disciplinarian – then we can respect Him. The New Testament idea of chastisement doesn’t have negative connotations. The idea is more in line with training. The word “paideuo” denotes to train children, with the broad idea of education, instruction and correction (Vines). See Hebrews 12:5-11. “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12) 


“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ” (Galatians 3:26).

Knowing that God is our Father should affect everything we do and say. To call God “Father” means that He displays, in perfection, the qualities of the best fathers. It should affect all that we do for Him on the mission field. The reality is awesome, the possibilities are limitless, and the power of such truth is beyond comprehension. This is why every one of us needs to cultivate this reality within our own heart. None of us has the full picture of what this really means. When we do begin to understand experientially this truth, we will be unstoppable for God’s Kingdom purposes. We will be laying hold of our true relationship, with its authority and responsibilities, and drawing from a love from the Father that is unending, unquenchable and always present. We will then walk in the true dignity of a son or daughter who is living in the Kingdom of God, basking in the richness of that love.

Imagine that you are in the family room of your house. God your Father is seated in that room. Where are you seated in relation to Him? Are you in the corner? Are you close or far away on a chair? Are you seated in His lap? Answering these questions may give you a picture of where you are personally in understanding the love of God the Father towards you as a son or daughter. We all are growing more and more in knowing the love of God. Our Father’s desire is for us. He longs for us. Let us meditate on these Fatherly traits of God, and pray for the innermost understanding of this reality in our lives. We will need to really know them in the days to come. May our hearts truly grasp the depth of love that God our Father has for each one of us, and may we share this wonderful truth of the Father heart of God to a world that knows very little of love. The nations are waiting to hear.

“As with any relationship, the more time we spend with someone, the more we get to know that person. Song of Solomon 7:10 states: ‘I am my beloved’s and his desire is for me.’ The Hebrew word for ‘desire’ is teshuwqah which means ‘stretching out after; a longing.’ The Lord loves us so much that He is actually longing to be with us. It is truly amazing that the God who made the universe wants to spend time with each of us personally.” Deborah Joyner Johnson

“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” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23).

I (Norm) recently returned from two countries that are among the most spiritually needy in the world. While I was there, all of the workers, except one, had come from Latin American or southern European countries. I was the minority, a North American. I thank the Lord for this experience, as it was very rewarding and fruitful. As we plan to go to the nations and learn to adapt cross-culturally, there is an important question we need to ask ourselves. That question is, “How should I respond to living with people from a different culture?” Is it going to be easy? We are going to have to work at adapting in a cross-cultural situation. The following are some things that will help in learning to adapt cross-culturally.


How to Adapt and Work Cross-Culturally

“Culture is the way we do things because of what we value.”

• Realize that culture is good and is from God – Simple reasoning suggests that diversity is an expression of creativity. Creation is full of diversity. Humanity is diverse. As the book of Revelation portrays, there will be people from every diverse language and tribe around the throne of the Lamb. It seems that each piece maintains its distinctiveness yet fits into the whole of God’s Kingdom. So as you go, you must see different cultures as good and learn how to encourage the development of your ability to relate in such a way that the Christ you present is seen as relevant, and necessary, to the person from another culture.
• See each culture from God’s viewpoint – In traveling to over seventy nations in the last 25 years, we have witnessed very diverse cultures. Many times people will ask which one we liked the best. That is a hard question to answer because every culture has beauty as well as evil. All cultures have been affected by sin. The message of the Gospel, when properly applied, will enhance the original beauty of the culture while cleansing it from evil. A good cross-cultural communicator will see the culture from God’s viewpoint, appreciating the qualities it has while not being oblivious to the evil that has invaded it. God’s wisdom is available for the worker’s task.
• Be aware of ethnocentricity – A Christian response to culture should be based on scriptures like those found in Philippians 2:3, “Consider others better than yourselves.” Because of sinful tendencies, we are more prone to think of ourselves as best. The anthropological term for this is “ethnocentricity.” Ethnocentricity is a compound word. Ethno is the Greek word for ethnos or nation or people group; and centrality, meaning in the center. This portrays the idea of “our way of life is the center of the universe.” No culture is better, only different. Each culture has a worldview that is only partial at best. Life the way God created it to be is too complex to be explained by individual cultures. This is a real motivating factor for missions. Only when all the nations or cultures come into a mature standing in the Kingdom will we also be complete!
• Realize that enculturation is beneficial – Most people do not know they have a culture until they are taken out of it. We live in fish bowls. In these bowls we have certain comforts. We know how to get around. We feel secure. But there are limitations that we do not even know about because we haven’t seen anything different. When we enter another culture, we are entering another fish bowl. Suddenly things appear strange, our systems are upset, and we feel dizzied by the stress. Even our familiar relationship with God and family can become unfamiliar. After a period of enculturation, the stress subsides and we learn to get along. We may even adapt to the point of liking our new culture more than the old. The blessing for cross-cultural workers is this enrichment and expansion of life appreciation by forsaking the limitations of the old and incorporating the new.
• Learn cultural manners – A key to adapting smoothly to a new culture is to learn new manners. Most of what we do with inter-personal relationships revolve around meeting the needs of another. Manners are crucial because they communicate the importance of another individual. Problems arise when we think that our manners will be interpreted the same way as those of another culture. They often are not. A Christian woman in the West, for example, may express kindness with a smile and glance of the eye. In many countries this would be interpreted as flirtatious. We need to study the manners of the people we live among, and remember that theirs may have different meanings. They seldom have an interest in learning our ways, so we must learn theirs.
• Realize that body language speaks louder than words – Our hand motions, placement of feet, eye contact, facial expressions, clothing and jewelry (or lack of it) all send signals that will be interpreted differently. I was in India where it is a common expression of friendship for men to walk together hand in hand. They relate differently. In India it is not customary for people to hug each other. Body language speaks loudly. We must adapt to the cultural ways of expression.
• Cultural adjustment takes time and effort – The supreme example is Jesus. He made a cultural leap from heaven to earth. He became a servant, giving Himself for the people with whom He wanted to communicate. The messenger lives his message. What we are speaks more than what we say. In the above example of walking hand in hand with men, it took time and effort to adjust. But it was just another way of showing friendship different from my own.

Biblical Examples

“There is much in missions that calls for acceptance of the other… Unless we enter into our relationship with another with an accepting attitude, we will not be able to discover all that can be known about that person and minister to his total life.” Marvin Mayers

When teams go to new countries, there is the need to relate, respect and appreciate other cultures, and realize that the medium for communication (the team members) will be the message. We must learn to accept one another in order to minister the life of Jesus. The biblical examples of Jesus and Paul will help you to be a cross-cultural communicator.

• Sit and learn – The Identification Principle Jesus related to His audience. “He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest” (Hebrews 2:1). We humans have a bad tendency to talk too much rather than listen. Look for the good things in the culture that can be used to build bridges. Be aware of clothing, eye contact, body posture, age, laughter, hand gestures, volume, authority structures, taboos and gender relationships. A good example is the Apostle Paul in Athens. He was observant and learned from the culture. Therefore, he was able to identify. We also must go with a humble attitude to learn and to be a student of the culture. We need to investigate and listen. People like talking about their culture. 
“I see that in every way you are very religious, for as I walked around I observed your objects of worship… I even found an altar with this inscription: To an unknown God. Now what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you.” (Acts 17:22-23) 

• Stand and serve – The Incarnation Principle Jesus Christ was the world’s greatest cross-cultural communicator. He knew how to love people. He walked in humility and lived among people on earth in a way that was attractive to others. We must seek to be like Jesus. We need to have a positive attitude about the culture, appreciating and accepting their differences as we live among them. 
“In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1, 14) 


As you go forth to the nations, realize that God will help you to be a good cross-cultural worker. He is living in you, and He can help you to relate correctly. If your relationship with Him is secure, you can weather the stormy seas of possible changes, feelings of rejection, uncertainty or loneliness. Yes, times of frustration and confusion will come, but we can choose to lean upon Jesus who never changes. He will help us excel if we choose to take the time to learn. He will help us to react as He would in cross-cultural settings.

“And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation'” (Revelation 5:9).

For additional training on mentoring in culture; characteristics of a cross-cultural worker and coping with culture shock, read the book called Go Forth in Power and Favorable Wind by Norman and Debbie Przybylski.

 “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17
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Five steps

1. Emulate the model of Jesus Christ as we mentor candidates prior to being sent out. Jesus spent time with His chosen disciples giving them experiences and affirming their gifting. (See Mentoring)
2. Recognize the value of inter-church cooperation in a given region and seek to bring churches together to share strategy and resources.
3. Lay solid foundations for intensive missionary life. Deal with personal strongholds, learn the value of team, understand cross-cultural dynamics, and know the essentials for life in missions. (See Training Link)
4. Link future missions personnel with experienced mission’s personnel and impart gifts, know-how, reality and guidance.
5. Provide field experience in their Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and in foreign fields.

The Approach to Sending

Our approach is simple, practical and personal involving four major steps. The initial steps take place at the Missionary Training Camp and then continue through personal mentorship, the Certification Program and hands-on experience.

1. Identify

• Finding and defining the call an individual may have
• Finding individual gifting

2. Instruct

• Presenting issues of cross-cultural living
• Identifying and overcoming personal strongholds (Strongholds are anything that the enemy could use to challenge a person’s faith.)
• Personality profiling and development (to give individuals a clear picture of their strengths and weaknesses in light of overseas team work)
• Character development
• Practical issues needed for being sent (i.e. raising support, writing letters, health, etc.)

3. Impart using mentors with missions experience who are able to:

• Coach during a practical ministry assignment
• Encourage during the hard decisions that need to be made
• Teach from experience
• Model faith and love
• Pray for the candidates

4. Impel

• The goal is to send workers to the mission field as a people prepared, healthy, faith-filled, and empowered for service.
• All this is accomplished with the help of the local church.

Elijah Company Training

Missionary Training Camps – If you need a “jump start” or just need to have some solid steps to pursuing a missionary call, write us for the information at info4@elijahcompany.org. We are sorry that we cannot host international workers at this time unless they are already guests in our country with an appropriate visa. This is what individuals are saying about the camp:

“Mission’s Training Camp has given me the steps I need to take to get to the field and the directions regarding how to take those steps.”

“The Elijah Company Missionary Training Camp jump-started my missions career.”

“It exposed for me my shortcomings when it comes to missionary service and intensified my longing to glorify God among the nations.”

“Great teaching on areas that are central but so often neglected in missions: Personal spiritual maturity, intercession, evangelism.”

“It was a great balance of spiritual issues and concepts with the practical and strategic that are a part of ministry here or overseas.”

“I believe this is an excellent tool in preparing people for the mission field. It causes people to count the cost before making final decisions. It opens new thoughts and ideas for those planning to go.”

“Four days of intense, deep reflection on the realities of life as a missionary and the importance of the calling, whether you’ve got it or not; whether you’re ready or not.”

“The Elijah Company Missionary Training Camp was a very informative and valuable session. I would recommend this to all churches and those unsure of their calling.”

Certification – In conjunction with your local church, the Elijah Company can offer a program to certify individuals and couples for a mission’s career. The first step is participation in the Missionary Training Camp.

Intercessors Arise International – This is a department of Elijah Company designed to promote and train in intercession for missions. A weekly letter to encourage and instruct can be received by writing to deb@intercessorsarise.org or

 
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Need for Mission’s Mentorship

The aim of Elijah Company, Inc. mentorship is to take people into the heart of missionary life, and a safe place for growth, by providing relational and experiential development for cross-cultural ministry. Mentorship is a synonym for discipleship. The Greek word for disciple, ‘mathetes‘ means “One who attaches himself to another to gain some practical or theoretical knowledge, whether by instruction or by experience.”

Mark writes that Jesus chose twelve men “that they might be with Him” (Mark 3:14). A key to mentorship is togetherness. He spent time with His chosen disciples, instructed them, gave them experience, and affirmed their gifting. Those called to be apostolic (as in being sent) were together with the apostles such as Peter and Mark, Barnabas and Saul, Paul and Silas, Paul and Mark, etc.. The Holy Spirit uses as mentors those whom he has already developed in specific ministries in order to develop others in the same.

“The Elijah Company stimulates an awakening in me. I walk each day with a greater sense of purpose to the fulfillment of the promises and call God has put on my life.” Mission’s Candidate

“I joined the Board of Elijah Company, Inc. because I saw in the organization a new, fresh, and exciting alternative to the traditional ways of preparing people for the field. It’s hands-on and people-focused.” Elijah Company Board Member

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).


“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith… that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16, 19).

I knew I was on the Lord’s mission. I (Norm) had returned from a two-week trip to three Central American countries. In the days leading up to the trip, I was struggling with the fact that little seemed to be lined up. I didn’t even know where I would stay or the individuals I would meet there, but I knew I was on the Lord’s mission. The first thing I sensed was that Satan would try to hinder. That he did. The second thing was that I prayed that the Lord would manifest His presence. That He did. When we talk about the manifest presence of God, we often think of the miracles that accompany large meetings when obvious things happen that normally wouldn’t. Or we think of healings and deliverance. These are all a part of the manifest presence and the fullness of God. But there is something more.

The One who holds power beyond our imagination is with us as we go. It was obvious to me, as in the past that the Lord was manifesting His presence and fullness through His provisions, safety, divine contacts and favor with those I was meeting. Our purpose is to see thousands of workers raised up from the Latin American world. Though previously unannounced, the Lord led me to some of the most influential Christian leaders in three countries, gave me wisdom in speaking and favor with all. This is what we call going out in the Spirit and power. In the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gave a great challenge to go to all nations teaching them all things. But He also pointed out that all power was given to Him and that He would be with those He sent all the time. This is going out in power.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

The cornerstone scripture of Elijah Company is Matthew 9:35-38. It is a model of a missionary, Jesus being that model. He went into all the towns and villages. He proclaimed the good news of the Gospel. He healed all diseases. He had compassion on all the people. And He said that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few therefore we should earnestly implore the Lord of the harvest to send workers (who in reality would be just like Him – going, preaching, healing and praying). But the most interesting word in this passage is the Greek word “ekballo” meaning “send“. The response to earnest prayer for the Lord to send workers would be His direct and personal intervention to send in His power. The word “ekballo” can be described in many ways. It is a spiritual word that conveys hurricane-like force to drive along. It is the same word used a few verses later in Matthew 10 when Jesus told His disciples to “ekballo” demons, meaning “cast them out by the finger of God“. When one is sent in this way by the Lord of the harvest, He goes out in the Spirit and power.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out (ekballo) workers into his harvest field'” (Matthew 9:35-38).

After twenty-five years of mission’s work, my conclusion is that missionary work is not difficult. It is not hard. It is simply impossible. It is for this reason that nearly 60% of foreign missionaries do not return to the field. Many try to do in the flesh what can only be done through the Spirit and in God’s power. So the question remains, “How does a person go out in the Spirit and power?” I would never claim to be an ultimate authority on anything pertaining to God’s ways, but there are some things the Lord is showing us. Just like I went to Central America and experienced God, those going on the mission field need to know what God’s ways are in sending people in the Spirit and power.


How to Go Out in the Spirit and Power

“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah… to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).

• Develop a personal spiritual resume – Develop your spiritual gifts, get involved in evangelism, exercise your prayer life, and step out by faith right where you live. Do this in the shadow of your hometown church. Exercise your gifts to the maximum right now where you are.
• Get a world perspective – Take the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Course by the U. S. Center for World Missions. This course is the most eye-opening way to see the progression of what God has done and is presently doing in missions and how you can hop on board.
• Attend a Missionary Training Camp with the Elijah Company – This training is short and intense. It may not be everything a person needs but as one trainee put it, “It has given me the steps to take to get to the field.” It is comparable to going into a dark room and having someone switch on the lights for a few seconds. You don’t have enough time to study the room in detail, but you know the general layout. You know what to avoid and what to pursue. For information, see elijahcompany.org. If Elijah Company is not an alternative, then find another with a similar emphasis.
• Get certified in missions – What we mean by certified is that you find out what are some of the essentials a person needs in order to be a missionary. These are things like spiritual disciplines such as prayer, devotions and study, good personal relationships, cultural adaptability, emotional wholeness and understanding of spiritual warfare. Make sure that these essentials are developed before you go.
• Ask the leaders in your church to hear from the Lord on your behalf – It was the leaders of the church in Antioch in Acts 13:1-3 who were together ministering to the Lord, when the Holy Spirit spoke and said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have for them.” We must believe that the Holy Spirit is still speaking and saying, “Set apart for me ____ for the work I have.” He is the Lord of the harvest. He commands, controls, inspires and sends. A few chapters later in another instance the leaders said something that is equally relevant, “If it seems good to you and to the Holy Spirit…” When we sense a call to missions we cannot be independent. We are interdependent in the body of Christ. When leaders of a church step away from a prayer time, having heard from the Lord regarding an individual, then that person can pursue his call with vigor and undaunted certainty and say, “This is the Lord, He is with me.“
• Develop a sending team – Each person going out should have a team of 10-20 individuals who are intimately involved with the mission like a flight crew of a fighter jet. We are told that as many as 50 individuals may be on the flight crew of one fighter jet. These individuals know everything about that aircraft, every cable, gage and capacity. They know its mission, when it goes out and when it should return. They know the pilot, how he flies, what he likes, dislikes and his tendencies. This, ideally, is the kind of sending base we need. With the sending of many thousands of missionaries, the church is going to be stretched to care for and support each one. It is my opinion that once the leadership has confirmed the call, the responsibility to support should be delegated to a sending team.
• Develop a fervent prayer life – This should actually be the first step and never stop until the last. It is praying to the Lord of the harvest. The Lord does not need anything. He does not need workers to accomplish His work. He could do it on His own. He has no needs. The call for workers is the privilege that we have of cooperating in His divine plan for all ages. He desires to have us involved. Pray that He would send. To receive weekly encouragement and training in prayer, send a blank e-mail to

This may not be the only way to go out in the Spirit and power, but it may be a good alternative for some who are contemplating the call to missions. There may also be some people on the field who need to retrace their steps and develop some of the things we mentioned.

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

For information on Elijah Company, Inc. ministries and training, contact us at elijah@elijahcompany.org or call 757-226-3507.

 “Christianity is the divine power of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, filling a man’s soul and body, flashing through his nature like a holy flame, accomplishing the will of God” John G. Lakes

Recently we were in a Middle Eastern nation ministering to a group of Christian workers who were grappling with many serious, sometimes life and death matters. Their lives illustrate some of the greatest complexities and challenges in taking Christ to the nations. I (Norm) wish every person preparing for missions could meet and hear from them. During our fellowship times with them, I asked this question, “What is the most important thing needed in preparation for what you are doing?” Many of them responded saying, “Learn how to deal with spiritual strongholds.” Personal spiritual strongholds are one of the main topics we presented to them. It has been a core in the training we provide.

In preparation for serving the Lord overseas, what is the most important thing we must know and experience? How can we prevent the high dropout rate among many who seek to serve the Lord? Some years ago we had two opportunities to host a well-known author of one of the most highly esteemed books on cross-cultural communication. When we hosted him, he was well into his seventies or even eighties. During a conversation, I asked him what he felt was the most important knowledge needed to prepare for missions. His answer astounded me. He referred to the children of Israel and their departure from Egypt. They were instructed to ask their Egyptian neighbors for gold, and their neighbors gladly complied. But the question arises, “What good is gold in a desert?” The gold of Egypt is not necessarily bad though it does represent worldly power. The world trusts in the power of wealth. What could gold buy in the desert? In the end, they used this power to make an idol that they worshipped in place of the Lord.

What can be compared to Egypt’s gold?

• Knowledge – Knowledge is good, but knowledge alone does not accomplish the work. Because we live in a time where there is such an abundance of knowledge from so many sources, nearly all the world has the ability to know. If power came through knowledge, we would already be spiritual giants. We are trying to impart knowledge in this book, so it is good. The Scriptures talk about seeking knowledge, but knowledge requires response and application. I suggest that many of us have far more knowledge than we have been able to apply. In India I gained the title “The Practical Preacher” because all of my teaching was applicable. If you can’t use it, you will lose it like the manna in the desert. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1) 

• Technology – An interesting fact coming out of the war in Iraq is that with all the highly sophisticated technology of the allied force, they have not been able to defeat the simple plots of the insurgents. A radical dedication and covert activity has subverted the high-tech weapons of the west. In our work, e-mail communication is important but not essential. Power point illustration help, but it is the Holy Spirit who speaks. I am writing to you with the help of technology, but I know that the value of these words is not in your receiving it but in the Holy Spirit revealing it. “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7)
• Strategic gatherings – Much has been done to bring people together to plan. I have been to many “networking” meetings that amounted to little. That doesn’t mean they are unnecessary. A book published in the 80’s talked about the steps of highly effective people. The principles were good, and many sounded like they were Biblically based. Yet if dependence is not put on the Lord and seeking His face and His strategy, much time can be wasted. The late Leonard Ravenhill wrote that in the early church, men met in the upper room to pray; now men meet in the conference room to pay. The subtle reasoning is that if we have strategy and wealth, we can do the work. “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) 

• Finances – Nearly every work that we know struggles to be financially supported. During twenty-five years of missions work, there have been things we desired, but our effectiveness was never dependent on how much we had. In India we know of Christ’s servants who literally have only the clothing they wear and a Bible, but who are much more effective than many well resourced Christians. In the Elijah Company, we have maintained a faith lifestyle and though we are not rich by worldly standards, we have had all that we need. Money is a necessity in this world but not what we depend on. “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 Almighty.'” (Zechariah 4:6) 


Are these things wrong? No, but what is wrong is the use of them without the power that God supplies. What was the real resource that God gave Israel when they came out of Egypt? I believe it is found in Exodus 33-34. Moses found favor in God’s sight, received a revelation of God and a promise of His presence. What can we do to prioritize knowing God and His presence and finding His favor?

Ways to Prioritize Knowing God’s Presence and Power

• Live in love and unity – We are not lone-rangers but are connected to the entire body. Where love and unity are being practiced, there will also be power. Strife puts out the Spirit’s power. The founder of McDonald’s restaurants is quoted as saying, “None of us is as good as all of us.” Without unity, the Lord’s presence is diminished. The Lord dwells in the midst of loving fellowship. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that is from heaven is first of all pure, then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:13-18) 

• Hunger for God’s manifest presence – Moses said, “If you don’t go with us, don’t send us.” This is nurtured through prayer and fasting. I asked a missionary working in a difficult place if there are many other workers who spend an hour a day in prayer. His response was that he does not know of any, not even himself. We need time to be still in His presence as the Word says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” And as the small monk, Brother Lawrence wrote, “We must practice the presence of God“. He is with us, but are we continually aware of it? Sign up for Intercessors Arise to learn more about prayer and practicing God’s presence by sending a blank e-mail to intercessorsarise-international-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org

Experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit – Jesus said that He would not leave His followers as orphans but would send the Helper, the Holy Spirit. John 14:17-18, 26. Historically, there have been divisive views about the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church. These views have resulted in grievous divisions and lack of power and witness. What is the proper way to think of the Holy Spirit? In the late eighties, I was asked to do a teaching on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. I was impressed with the idea that the Father was in Heaven, the Son was seated at His right hand and that God the Holy Spirit was resident in us, the Church. Because of this I sought to know the Holy Spirit better. As a result my ministry began to have a more powerful outcome.

The most important things is to know the Lord and walk in His presence. Technology, organizing, networking, finances are all good tools but we need to seek God first and the tools later. The motto of my alma mater is “To know Him and to make Him know.” Recently in talking with a long-term worker from the Middle East, I asked him this question, “How much knowledge does a person need to prepare for overseas work?” His response to the question about knowledge to prepare was, “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to be a worker for the Lord. The important thing is to know the Lord.”

“It must be perfectly obvious to anyone that what the whole church needs from top to bottom is a deeper conversion, a profounder experience of the power of the Holy Spirit. Awakenings in history have never come from regular ecclesiastics getting together to ‘do something’. It has come from inspired nobodies whom the church first ignored, then condemned, then (if they got powerful) took over and finally domesticated. Let us look to see where the Holy Spirit is at work now. Maybe we can learn something” Samuel Shoemaker

For additional training in the presence of God, read the book called Go Forth in Power (Book 2) by Norman and Debbie Przybylski

 “We have been sent into the world to implement the rule of God on earth. Where there is discord we are to replace it with harmony. Where there is hatred we are to replace it with agape. Where there is an offense simmering into a murderous conflict, we are to replace it with forgiveness. When we choose to forgive, we invade the realm of darkness and defeat those dark forces with the power of a resurrected life.”

As we mature in our destiny to reach the nations, there are things that can hinder our progress towards God’s plan for us. One of the greatest hindrances is unforgiveness. Realize that the enemy will try to trip you up as you move forward in your destiny, he will bring people in your path who irritate or hurt you, he will remind you of past hurts, and he will do everything he can to cause division. Why does he do this? Satan is afraid of the salvation of the lost. He is afraid of your destiny in reaching the nations. He knows that if you forgive others, then you will have a greater ability to set the captives free wherever you go. He tries everything to stop and entrap you. One of his main tactics is relational difficulty that leads to unforgiveness. If he has you here, he really has hindered your progress and your effectiveness. We have seen the damage caused by unforgiveness on the mission field again and again. It damages whole teams and hinders the work of God.

Forgiveness is one of the most important Christ-like responses that we could ever have. In fact, forgiveness is the power to set nations free. If you learn to forgive, you can help others to do likewise. The steps in forgiving others are not easy. The love of Christ is the only way that we can set free those who have deeply wounded us. But it is possible. There is perhaps no greater gift you can offer to God than a heart that knows the power of forgiveness, chooses to forgive, and sets others free. It is time to access this life-changing grace of forgiveness as we go to the nations.

“Who has offended or wounded you? Release them from unforgiveness. This release of divine power is resident, even now, in our capacity to set one another free from indebtedness. Forgive your debtors and maintain forgiveness.” Francis Frangipane

Many of us don’t realize the power released when we truly forgive one another. It is a power that can affect the whole world as each one of us chooses to walk in forgiveness on a daily basis, because it sets the captives free. Forgiveness defeats darkness on a massive scale because it involves the resurrection power of Jesus. There is nothing that can defeat the healing release that is in one act of forgiveness. This is why Jesus and the Biblical writers emphasize it so strongly. Paul says in Colossians 3:13, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”


Steps in Forgiving Others

“Forgiveness openly acknowledges God as sovereign Lord of our lives. It makes room for God’s perspective being larger and more encompassing than ours. It confirms that He is using everything in our existence for our good and His glory. Nothing gets through his hands that cannot mold us and mature us. He guarantees the grace to respond to every offense. He has promised to be in charge of all vengeance.”

• Recognize and call sin what God calls it – Be specific and thorough. Remember forgiveness is not excusing and approving of the behavior of others or saying that the offense is not important. Be honest with yourself, and recognize your emotional response. You may feel angry, sad, let down or disappointed. It isn’t wrong to have emotions. They are natural. It’s what you do with your emotions that can be sinful. Make sure there is no offensive way in you. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is an offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
• Share with God honestly, and let Him heal you – Share with God what happened to you and how you feel. He knows your pain. Look at His evaluation of the situation, and focus on Him and His faithfulness. Spend time with Him, and let Him restore where sin has destroyed. Forgiveness releases God’s divine healing power. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
• Set the offender free, understanding that it is a process – Declare forgiveness. Say, “I forgive (name individual or group) for (name the offense).” Don’t say, “I want to forgive.” Let them off the hook, and set them free. It takes time to go through the process of forgiveness. The hurt can come up at different times, and we must choose to forgive again. It doesn’t mean that we automatically forget the offense. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
• Release the offender to God, trusting Him as your Judge – Repent of your desires to punish and take revenge. Let God deal with the offense. Focus on today rather than the past. Declare God as Judge over the person and the situation. Transfer what happens next to God. Know that He is your protector. “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)
• Bless the offender – Apply God’s forgiveness. Trust and reconcile when possible. Realize that forgiveness does not always mean that we have to relate in the future. In some cases, this is not possible. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” (Romans 12:14)

“When God forgives us, He not only accepts the consequences of our debt; He imparts the ability to forgive. In the same way, we can to the same degree enable others to forgive when we forgive them. Forgiveness is a power that can be transferred.” Unnamed quotes by Dudley Hall 


May God give us the grace to fully free others. May we be like Jesus who was the first one to love, to forgive and to bless people. May the river of God’s life flow through each one of us so that we bless everyone we meet. May we remind people of how much they are loved by God. As we give our lives away in love and in forgiveness, we become free ourselves. Through a life that models forgiveness, we help enable others to forgive. Forgiveness is powerfully effective in setting nations free from hatred, disharmony and darkness. We are God’s called out people. We must know who we are in Christ and walk in love with God and one another.

“Forgiveness is the very spirit of heaven removing the hiding places of demonic activity from the caverns of the human soul. It is every wrong made right and every evil made void. The power released in forgiveness is actually a mighty weapon in the war to save our cities.” Francis Frangipane

For additional training in setting nations free; an anointing for missions, a passion that will burn like fire and God’s powerful light in a dark world, read the book called Go Forth in Power or Intercessors Arise by Norman and Debbie Przybylski.