Exercising Our Authority in Prayer

11295609_965501846846256_8820776121841191577_n“Many in the church today are being held captive spiritually, not because of the enemy’s power, but because we do not clearly understand our authority and calling in Christ… As we begin to understand the hope of His calling, we will begin to walk in an abundant life of freedom and power.” Angie Weaver

Most Christians do not realize, or even attempt to exercise, the tremendous authority they have in Christ. God has called us to make a difference on earth. He can enforce His will, but He limits His dealings on earth by working through His people. God does not want us to passively stand by and watch the earth fall into decay (Psalm 8:4-6, 115:16). But if we were to evaluate the situation, isn’t this what many Christians are doing? How many of us exercise our authority? This needs to change.

God has given us authority on earth to rule. It may not feel like it, but it’s true. God does nothing on earth unless he does it through a person. He always intended to rule the earth through His delegated authority in mankind (Genesis 1:26). We were to carry out the government of the earth, but man (through Adam and Eve) gave it away through disobedience. You know the story. Adam transferred authority over the earth to Satan (Luke 4:4, 2 Corinthians 4:4). All of mankind was then under his dominion. God did not give Satan authority over the earth, Adam did.

We needed someone to stand between us, and Satan, in order to break that dominion. Jesus was the only one who could. He came as a man completely fulfilling God’s will and became our intercessor – the one who could join us to God again and break Satan’s headship over us (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus, the intercessor, joined us to God. He purchased us with his blood (Rev. 5:9, 1 Timothy 2:5). He not only restored us to God, He became the way that God could again have dominion over the earth (1 Corinthians 15, Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus could now rule in the affairs of earth.

He has given us authority to rule, and through prayer we exercise our authority in Christ.

We are called to pray and seek justice on the earth on behalf of others. The world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19). Look around and you see this everywhere. Jesus has authority in heaven and on earth but since He is no longer on the earth, He rules through his Church. He changes things on earth through us! As we use our authority, we can actually subdue powers and principalities (Ephesians 3:10).

We must learn to exercise our authority right in the middle of Satan’s territory. We read in Psalm 144:1: “Praise be to the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Exodus 15:3 says, “The Lord is a mighty warrior; the Lord is his name.” Satan wants us to think that He is winning and that we are defeated. He comes in like a flood, trying to fill us with doubt and discourage-ment.  But our God always has victory when we trust in Him. We must be clad in His armor and understand the seriousness of war.

How can we walk in victory in the midst of personal, and sometimes unrelenting, spiritual warfare and maintain our authority in prayer? We must choose to reign with Christ now.  

Choosing to Reign with Christ

“We now walk in authority by faith, but when Christ returns, our authority and position will be evident to all. It is easy to become passive and lax in our present lives, because there seems to be no real accountability or certainty of our authority. That is, unless we choose to be accountable and to live with conviction.” Angie Weaver

We must not only understand the authority we have in Christ, but we must choose to walk in it. One day we will judge the whole earth! We are heirs with Christ and are called to rule the earth with Him (Revelation 1:6). We can declare God’s rule over the earth now. We must activate our authority and inheritance in Christ through prayer. We can bring the message of restoration to mankind and break the dominion of Satan over society. Are we willing to choose to take up our call?

God will not do our work for us. He has provided everything we need. He is not the one that is allowing the evil to continue on earth. We are when we do not recognize and use the authority He has given us. We are not to passively wait but to take action in prayer. He is waiting (Hebrews 10:12-13). We have to enforce his victory on earth (Romans 16:20, Colossians 2:13-15). We must fight the battle for our inheritance – the nations (Psalm 2:7).

“That authority is invested in Jesus Christ, an we initially access it through the simplest, weakest way that man could ever imagine – prayer. We sit with God, and sitting in His Son, we ask God to move by His Spirit. Whatever we ask, while abiding in God, He will do for us (John 15:7-8)… Prayer is not the only work, but it is the first work of the church. Until we have prayed, there is nothing more we can do. After we have prayed and our intercession is accomplished, we must move forth into obedience, doing what God has shown us to do.” Steve Thompson

We wield our authority as we abide in Christ. We have the keys of the Kingdom of heaven. We need to begin to exercise a sense of ownership for our cities. We are called to bring into subjection demonic powers and disciple the nations. We are called to subdue the earth spiritually, affecting change through Christ’s authority. God is waiting for us to use our authority.

There was a submarine that was being tested and had to remain submerged, deep underwater for many hours through the night. A ferocious storm hit the area during the night. The next day the submarine resurfaced and returned to harbor. A man asked the captain, “How did the terrible storm last night affect you?” The officer looked at him with surprise on his face and exclaimed, “Storm? We didn’t realize there was a storm!”

The submarine was so far below the surface of the water that the storm wasn’t even felt by those down below. To sailors, this area is known as the “cushion of the sea.” The ocean had huge waves and high winds on the surface, but the water deep below was very still. The Christian life should be like that submarine. We should be so close to God, so deep in seeking and knowing Him and His Word, that even the storms of everyday life on earth won’t shake our confidence, authority, and trust in Him. We can rest completely in His care even in the midst of spiritual warfare and the turbulent days we live in.

We must aggressively take our stand against the enemy. The enemy is intent on stopping us as we move forward in taking our authority in prayer. We are here to fight, and we must persevere.  Nothing good happens without perseverance.  We are living in enemy territory.  We are called to destroy the works of the devil.  To take our stand against him means that we refuse to give him ground and that we will not retreat.  James 4:7-8 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and He will come near to you.” We are not going to retreat or depart because of enemy pressure, but we are going to go on from glory to glory to victory!  God’s grace is sufficient.  We resist the enemy, stand firm in the Lord, and do not give way.  We worship and praise God right in the middle of the difficulty.

We are taking ground in heavenly places when we pray, even if we do not see it.  We must not relax our vigilance.  It doesn’t mean that we are frantic, nervous and anxious.  No, we are like that submarine. We walk in that supernatural perfect peace that is possible as we abide in Christ.  This is the amazing truth of the Christian life.  We are living a life that is not of our own strength. We are depending on God and loving Him, as we stand firmly on His Word, pray fervently, and walk in His peace. Jesus already won the battle at the cross and we are here to enforce it. We read in 1 John 3:8, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Let’s summarize how we can exercise our authority in prayer. As the army of God arises all throughout the nations, what are some ways to stand strong in our authority?

Ways to Stand Strong in Your Authority in Prayer

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:10-13).

  • Abide in Christ – As you abide, you are able to pray the things on God’s heart.
  • Practice fasting on a regular basis – Fasting gives you spiritual power and strength to stand against the enemy.
  • Be ready for battle and steadfast in prayer – Know that you are in enemy territory, and you are here to fight for God’s Kingdom. Watch for those fiery darts. Hold up your shield of faith and do not waver in prayer.
  • Stand upon the promises of God – Standing on God’s promises and do not listen to the enemy. Speak God’s promises over your family, neighborhood, city, and nation.
  • Know and pray God’s Word – Try using Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:3-19 in prayer. The Bible is filled with Scripture you can pray. Declarative prayer is a key way to exercise your authority in prayer.
  • Focus on God during times of warfare – The enemy will try to discourage you as to your authority. Focus on God instead of the things you see happening in the world. Remember, you have authority in Christ.
  • Mix praise and prayer together – Worship is the atmosphere where truth dwells.       There is power released in worship warfare. God is greater than all enemy attacks.
  • Let God’s peace rule in your heart – Come in the opposite spirit of the world system. An attitude of peace and joy in the midst of darkness is powerful (Colossians 3:15).

We must choose to reign with Christ. This is our God-given responsibility. We must help one another to stand strong in authority. We must learn to abide, praise, worship, and stand on the promises of God. We are in enemy territory.

We just got new internet access because of our constant work on our computers. A man came and installed it outside. While we were at church one Sunday, someone cut the wires. We were unable to communicate with anyone! We knew that it was an unreasonable next-door neighbor who had done all kinds of bad things to us in the past. We have learned to walk in God’s peace and authority regarding this next-door neighbor and learned to take our authority in prayer by practicing these points.

Perhaps you can identify with some form of warfare where you live or work. Practice taking your authority in prayer, look to Jesus, and realize that God has called you to live on earth for such a time as this. This will be our finest hour if we learn to wield the weapons of warfare and stand in our God-give authority.

The perseverance is all part of the testing time.  We are being stretched.  We must hold our ground in battle. It’s part of the package of how God plans to train and work through us, bringing maturity and victory. God is teaching us to exercise our authority. He is teaching us to walk as kings on earth. We must accept this call. We are bringing heaven to earth through our prayers.

“Having been born of God, we are called to walk as kings on the earth. However, the Bible says that many are called but few are chosen (see Matthew 20:16). If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (see James 4:8). We enter into our inheritance by choosing to accept God’s call. We activate and grow in our authority on the earth through intimacy with God and living our lives filled with the Holy Spirit. By being filled and walking in the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we are bridging heaven and earth and hastening the day of Christ’s return to rule and reign over the earth!” Angie Weaver

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Over-Abundant Restoration

11219655_990307447699029_6208048841891378697_n“The devil wants you to believe that justice delayed means justice denied (so that you lose heart and give up asking). But in fact, justice delayed means recompense compounded… Is it possible, beloved elect of God, that God has called you to wait upon Him because He wants to exact as much as a sevenfold return from your enemy for the years he has stolen from you… Could it be that God has not yet avenged you of your adversary because he has more for you in this thing than you’ve ever thought or imagined for yourself?” Bob Sorge

We were moving to Kansas City. My husband quite skillfully drove a large truck with most of our household belongings. What a trip! 32,000 pounds of weight in total (including us), driving along what seemed like an endless highway to two very tired travelers. Partway through the journey we arrived at the hotel where we were to spend our second night. As we settled near dusk into our cozy hotel room, my husband peaked out the window curtain to make sure all was ok with our truck and car.

To his dismay he saw a shady-looking character closely eyeing our truck and car carrier. Our newly purchased car was sitting temptingly on that car carrier. Norm realized that he had not thought about locking the car carrier to the truck. After the man had left, he promptly got his lock and went out and locked the car carrier securely. With shock we realized that the man had been planning to steal our car and car carrier. He could very easily attach it to his car and drive off with ours.

This reminds me of the devil and his vicious plans to steal from our lives. He comes to kill, steal and destroy, but we have God on our side who comes to give us an abundant life (John 10:10). Many Christians have been praying a long time for something that seems impossible to attain. Barely hoping beyond hope, it seems that all has been lost. The devil seems to have stolen what rightfully belongs to them. Perhaps it’s a wayward child, a lost ministry, or ill health. The loss seems to be incredible. In the natural, the devil seems to have gotten his way.

We all want justice. We may feel it would take a miracle to reverse what has been lost. The process may have left a deep wound, a gapping pain. We lose heart – we give up praying – we feel the incredible loss over a long period of time, maybe even years. It seems so hard to wait for God’s justice in our situation. But God wants to give us over-abundant restoration of that which has been stolen or lost. If we are willing to wait in faith and go deeper in God, He will give us so much more.

It’s Worth the Wait

“When you’ve been waiting on God for a long time, one of the things that changes during the waiting season is the nature of what you request of God. Early in the journey you might have been content with a lesser request, but now that you’ve endured all these years of heartsickness and grief, you’re no longer satisfied with what you once desired. Now you want more.” Bob Sorge

It’s worth the wait. Though so seemingly long and endless, it’s worth it! God changes us radically and He gives us so much more when we have passed through this type of endless trial. He is developing us deeply within. Look at Job! Look at Joseph and so many other biblical characters that had to wait for such a long time for justice. The devil wants us to think that justice that is delayed is justice denied, but God wants to give us seven-fold restitution (Proverbs 6:30-31).

Waiting pays off in the long run. I don’t think we realize how God works. His ways are so much higher than ours. He wants to restore our souls and all that has been lost and stolen from us. He has so much more if we are willing to see it through His eyes. He wants to give us not just restoration, but over-abundant restoration. He wants us to pray bigger prayers and with more fervency.

You may have been waiting for years to see answers to your prayers and your dreams fulfilled. Don’t give up. God is preparing you for His best for your life. He has more in His heart to give you than you right now realize. He will bring justice and restoration into your life. Hold on and let Him take you deeper. Let Him purify your desires.

Realize that if your dream has to do with prayer, it may take a longer preparation because prayer is what the devil hates the most. God takes time with His intercessors. Lock your heart into God’s heart and His way of preparation. Keep that lock secure with His heart through the dark nights in your life. God brings you into the sunshine as you see from His perspective with new hope and joy.

I myself have waited for years to see my dreams fulfilled. In this process God has been developing my heart. Now I am seeing God’s over-abundant restoration. He has a greater plan than I ever dreamed possible. He wants me to pray bigger prayers with greater faith. I believe this is true for you as well.

See with the eyes of faith what God is doing right now to prepare you. Agree with His plan and preparation. What the devil has planned for evil, God will turn to your good. Don’t let him steal your joy by making you think there is no hope or purpose in what you have been experiencing. Let God take your pain and turn your mourning into dancing. Believe and hope once again. He will answer your prayers at just the right moment. He wants to give you joy in this journey of faith. He will give you justice and over-abundant restoration. He will bring restoration to your soul.

“At the beginning, your prayers have elements of selfishness and carnal desire woven into them. You don’t realize it at the time, but the carnal ambitions of the heart are discoloring your requests. As you wait on God, He refines your passions and purifies your desire, until you are asking for those things that are truly upon His heart. In the persevering, all that is not of God is burned away, and that which remains is that which is impassioned b y the heart of God. And at the end of the day you realize God had more in His heart for you than you had for yourself.” Bob Sorge

Article by Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

The Strategy to Reach Nations

11264893_967241553338952_496519998745319715_n-2“Of what infinite importance is the place the intercessor holds in the Kingdom of God! Is it not indeed a matter of wonder that God should give men such power? Yet there are so few who know what it is to take hold of His strength and pray down His blessing on the world.” Andrew Murray

If we are to be empowered for the harvest,  we must learn how to pray. Prayer is the strategy to change nations. And as we go to the nations, we must be men and women of prayer. Intercession must be combined with everything we do as we go.

There is a tendency for the enemy to get us too busy in important matters where we actually miss out on the best. Intercession is going to cost us. It is the key strategy in reaching nations and cities. We read in Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful”.

This is not some half-hearted endeavor, but it will cost sleep, time, and energy. We have to devote ourselves to prayer. It’s a personal choice to pray and not give up because prayer is hard work.

We must see with the eyes of faith and vision the potential and power of intercession. Vision determines priorities, and our priorities determine our destinies. It must be a high priority if you want to be used by God. It must be a high priority if we want to maximize our purpose in God’s Kingdom. You and I will never see results without it. Andrew Murray in his book Andrew Murray on Prayer writes about the glory of intercession:

“What a mystery of glory there is in prayer! On the one hand we see God in His holiness, love, and power waiting and longing to bless man. On the other hand there is sinful man, a worm of the dust, bringing down from God by prayer the very life and love of heaven to dwell in his heart. But the glory of intercession is so much greater: when a man is bold and asks from God what he desires for others. He seeks to bring down on one soul, or it may be on hundreds and thousands, the power of the eternal life with all its blessings.”

There are many practical ways that will help you to develop a life of prayer and intercession.  Here are listed some keys, enough for each day of the week.

Why not meditate and pray about one on each day? Ask God to develop these in your life and begin practicing them day-by- day. This will prepare you in the greatest way for reaching your neighborhood, workplace, city, or nation for Christ.   In order to be empowered to go into the harvest, we must lay hold of prayer and intercession with all our heart. God is maturing us for harvest. These keys, if taken seriously and applied, will open a wide door into maximizing your potential in God’s Kingdom:

  • Cultivate praise, worship and thanksgiving – Worship and praise God throughout the day. Worship changes how we see our situation. It is a joyful way to live successfully in the end time. As we ascend to the throne room in worship, then we can descend back into the harvest field here on earth, pray, and war for its release. God can give us keys during our seasons of worship that unlock the path before us and bring glory into our situations here on earth.  Everything in us should give praise to the Lord. David says in Psalm 34:1, “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Practicing praise and worship will lead you into a more fruitful life for God. It will empower you for the harvest.
  • Raise your view of God He wants to give you a bigger picture of Himself. Raise your expectation level of what God can do in your life supernaturally through prayer. What glasses are you looking through? How do you see God? How does He see you? Whenever God brings us to a new level spiritually, we must adjust how we see God. Warfare is not primarily taking authority over the devil but it is discovering the majesty of God and His supremacy. Our view of God is most important in reaching nations and will bring us into a more powerful life of intercession because we begin to view everything from the greatness and supremacy of Christ.
  • Let God stretch your faith – Believe Him for something bigger than yourself. Faith and prayer move God to work on your behalf. Are you trusting God for something that is bigger than yourself that only He can do? Are you stepping out of your comfort zone and asking Him for things that are God-sized and not man-made?  Let us keep in mind that God will not do anything without believing prayer. We read in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Exercising faith empowers our prayer life.
  • Practice purpose-driven prayer – Focus on God’s plan rather than your own needs. When we focus on the negatives and our own needs, we are practicing problem-driven prayer. Purpose-driven prayer focuses on God’s overarching plan.  By faith you can pray for his maximum glory to be achieved in any situation. This frees the Lord to replace your problem with His provision. God wants to move us into a much higher realm of His purposes for the nations. As our hearts touch the heart of God, we begin to have His desires and goals.  We see things as he sees them. We are committed to His glory. A powerful life of intercession is a life that practices purpose-driven prayer.
  • Practice God’s Presence – Become a best friend of God. Learn to abide and walk in peace even in the midst of the storms of life. There is a place in the spirit far above all principalities. The enemy wants to get you out of the place of abiding. Learn to take thoughts captive and forgive quickly. Look at everything through the eyes of Christ, and practice meditating on God’s Word. “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. They are con-stantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about them” (Psalm 119:97, 77:12). As you practice God’s presence, the spirit of intercession will permeate your life.
  • Have a Kingdom of God mentality Practice holiness in your lifestyle. God wants to bring us into a new level of holiness. Kingdom living is living a life of holiness and living out the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 -7. It is letting God be the King in every area of your life. It is submitting to His Authority. It is letting God refine you and teach you to walk in love and forgiveness. This is where the enemy is defeated. There is power in prayer for those who live a holy life. James 5:16 says, “The fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” As you walk in holiness, the Kingdom of God will rule in your life.
  • Learn to wait on God in prayer – It brings forth his maximum purposes. In order to move with God’s direction in the end times, we must learn this secret. The truth is that it is in waiting that we will accomplish the most for God.  It is in waiting that He will give us His secrets to kingdom living. How much time is wasted when we run down the wrong road? It is in waiting that the very highest direction for your life can come forth on a daily basis. What may look like a loss of time is really only time multiplied on your behalf.  God is able to do things with a lot more efficiency than you are.“My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him” (Psalm 62:5). As you wait on God, He will give you strategy in reaching nations.

The harvest is ripe, and you have a great destiny and purpose in God’s Kingdom. May you be passionate and prayerful as you go forth to do great works for Him. You are living in days of harvest, and it’s time to fly. God wants you to soar on wings like eagles. You may get tired like youth but your strength is renewed as you hope in Him. He empowers you for the harvest.

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31).

My Prayer to God

 As I go forth into the harvest fields, give me Your vision and make me passionate for what You are passionate about (Proverbs 29:18). Fill me with a passion for my purpose in Your Kingdom. Make me fervent in prayer (Isaiah 64:7, 62:6-7). Teach me to praise You even in the midst of difficulty. Raise my expectation level, and help me to view everything through Your greatness and supremacy. Help me to focus on Your over-arching plans and not my problems. Empower me in my call. Empower me in my character, my relation ships, in purity, and in spiritual warfare. Give me a vision for Your Kingdom. You have empower me to go forth into Your harvest. I thank You for Your presence with me. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Strongholds Hinder Prayer

11224466_964162943646813_1382111211571273721_n“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (James 1:5-8).

When we pray, it’s important to believe the truth of what we are praying. Strongholds hinder our prayer life? When we believe a lie of the enemy, it’s hard to pray with faith. It’s hard to pray confident prayers when we believing thoughts like:

  • God doesn’t love me.
  • I can’t do anything right.
  • I’m rejected by everyone, including God.

Strongholds strike at our identity in Christ. Satan will always try to defeat us in this area. If we believe that God doesn’t love us or care, how can we believe that He will answer our prayers? If we believe that we are rejected and a failure, how can we pray in faith about our destiny? Too many negative beliefs will cloud our prayer life.

When we believe a lie, we become double-minded in our prayer life. We become doubtful.

The Bible speaks about being double-minded in James 1:8 and 4:8. This is a theme throughout the entire book of James. The Greek word for “double-minded” is dipsuchos with dis meaning “twice” and psuche meaning “mind”. This describes a person who is divided in his loyalties, wavering, half-hearted and uncertain. Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines double-minded as having different minds at different times, being unsettled.

Are we the only ones who struggle between faith and doubt? Even biblical godly characters fell into double-mindedness. In Luke 7:19-20, John the Baptist was in prison and sent men to ask Jesus, “Are you the coming one, or do we look for another?” Imagine the struggle in your own mind if you were John in prison ready to be beheaded! John was human and the enemy’s strongholds and fiery darts assailed his mind just as they do ours. He began to sink into doubt in the crisis of the hour. But even in spite of this, Christ described him as greater than any prophet born before him (Luke 7:28).

Our strongholds hinder our prayers because we become double-minded—unsettled, wavering, half-hearted and uncertain in prayer when we believe a lie.

Double-mindedness in Prayer

“Faith gives birth to prayer. It grows stronger, strikes deeper, and rises higher in the struggle and wrestling of mighty petitioning. Faith is the substance of things hoped for (see Hebrews 11:1), the confidence and reality of the inheritance of the saints. Faith, too, is humble and persistent. It can wait and pray. It can stay on its knees or lie in the dust. It is the one great condition of prayer. The lack of it lies at the root of all poor, feeble, little, unanswered praying.”

When we are double-minded and unstable, we are indecisive and without faith in our prayers. Our motives can become self-centered instead of God-centered (James 4:3). We lose our confidence in prayer and in God. We may think, “Is God really for me? Can I really trust Him?”

It’s hard to believe the Bible and believe a lie of the enemy at the same time. We try to follow God’s plan for our lives, but at the same time we believe the enemy. We want to follow God’s Plan A, but we also have a Plan B that includes human reasoning and the enemy’s lies. This weakens our faith and our resolve. We can no longer pray in faith for Plan A when strongholds are pulling us down. The lies of the enemy are holding us captive. We become unstable. Then we often make decisions that are contrary to God’s plan.

When this happens it’s easy to fall back on our human reasoning, especially when things are hard. We doubt God’s Word. We doubt what He has told us about our lives.

The apostle Peter had a revelation that Jesus was the Christ, but when Jesus foretold how He would have to suffer crucifixion as a part of God’s will, Peter rebuked Him and said: “Never, Lord! This shall not happen to you!” But Jesus said:

“Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Matthew 16:22-23).

Peter had Plan B in mind rather than God’s Plan A that involved Jesus’ death. With Plan B, we would never have known salvation!

So often we say we believe God’s Word, but we don’t live it out in daily life experience. We know it in our head, but our heart hasn’t taken hold of it. I’ve often heard it said that the greatest distance is between our head and our heart! If we don’t wholeheartedly believe what God says, it is hard to fully obey. Double-mindedness can creep into the way we hear God’s Word and obey it (James 1:22-25). We become unstable in our faith.

This affects our prayers. When we ask God for wisdom to know His will as in James 1:6-8, we must not doubt and become like the waves of the seas, blown and tossed by the wind. Then we shouldn’t think that we will receive anything from God, because we are double-minded, unstable in all that we do. Strongholds affect our actions in doing the will of God. Double-minded faith believes in God but not when it comes to action (James 2:14-17).

James says that faith without works is dead (James 2:18, 20). Belief is not enough. We can’t hear without doing what the Bible says. We become double-minded in our speech, in our prayers and in our actions (James 3:9-11). Out of the abundance of our heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34).

I know what it’s like to feel driven and tossed by the wind.

I lived on the sea for many years as a young missionary. Actually the captain kept things pretty well under control, but I remember some rough seas. At times I would be filled with faith as I read God’s Word, but at other times I would look at the seas, and my faith would waver. I was double-minded. Fear and faith were fighting for my mind. I remember how uncomfortable it was to be double-minded. Doubt in God’s Word would try to take over, and sometimes I would depend on my own reasoning and listen to the lies of the enemy.

One of my strongholds was “Life isn’t safe!” It would try to overcome what I knew in God’s Word. There was an internal struggle going on. I would wrestle with trying to believe God’s Word and then with listening to my own human reasoning and the enemy’s fiery darts. I would say to myself:

  • This ship was built in 1914.
  • It’s too old to make it through these treacherous seas.
  • Land is miles away, and I don’t even know how to swim!
  • What if we start sinking?

But God’s Word says in Psalm 91:1-2, 9:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”… If you make the Most High your dwellingeven the Lord, who is my refugethen no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.”

My faith was wavering because I was listening to the stronghold that the enemy had erected very early in my life. I had believed a lie, and my lack of trust in God was sin. In the center of that situation, I should have confessed the lie as sin, opened my Bible, and begun proclaiming and praying God’s Word out loud. This would have changed the fearful moments I encountered in turbulent weather into peaceful trust in God’s care and protection. I wish I knew then what I know now about breaking strongholds!

So many times I had the victory during very rough seas when I would simply put on my earphones, go out on deck, look straight at that ocean, and praise and worship God. This was some of my most memorable occasions. Fear would flee. Truth would invade my thoughts, and I would even feel better physically.

We have to be diligent and recognize these strongholds in our lives.

The walls of false beliefs and lies in our life must come down just like the walls of Jericho. God wants us to walk in His victory. We must pray God’s purposes for our lives and the lives of others. We must be diligent in praying God’s truth. Through prayer we will see strongholds demolished in our lives. God destroys them by His divine power, but we need to cooperate with Him. We must be very persistent in dealing with strongholds, because it takes a lifetime to enforce these lies. Therefore, it will take time to demolish them. Strongholds are stubborn. They’ve become a part of our lives; it’s hard to let them go. We must continue hearing God’s Word because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). We must continue speaking God’s Word. We must continue to obey in faith what we pray and speak. As we persist, we will have victory.

“We should pray without doubting, read God’s Word with great care, fellowship without bias, have faith while consistently keeping God’s law, and speak edifying words that inspire our friends to honor God. With single-minded attention to God’s will as shown in His Word, we can draw near to God and He will draw near to us.”

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Faith-filled Prayers

11295609_965501846846256_8820776121841191577_n“Faith does the impossible because it lets God undertake for us, and nothing is impossible for God. How great – without qualification or limitation – the power of faith is! If doubt can be banished from the heart and unbelief is made a stranger there, what we ask from God will surely come to pass. Prayer throws faith on God and God on the world. Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God.”

Are you believing by faith for something that is bigger than yourself, for something that only God can do, for some mountain to be removed? Are you stepping out of your comfort zone of what is the normal and asking God for things that are God-sized and not man-made? This is what God wants. Keep in mind that God will do nothing on earth except in answer to believing prayer. Let us believe Hebrews 11:6 which says, “Without faith it is impossible to pleaser Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”.

Are you convinced with all your heart that when you pray, something is released in the heavenlies that would not have been released if you had not prayed? Are you pregnant with the plans and purposes of God and with an anticipation of what God can do if you only believe and do not give up? Alice Smith says the following:

“Effective praying people live lives of continual ‘spiritual pregnancy’. They are pregnant with the plans and purposes of God. We should always approach the place of prayer pregnant with the great expectation of meeting with God and seeing Him answer our prayer. Come to the throne of God with a heart full of faith, for faith is the currency of heaven.”

The question we must ask ourselves is, “How can our faith be enlarged so that we have this currency of heaven? One of the big ways to enlarge our faith is through delay.

Delays Develop Faith

“Faith is often called upon to wait patiently before God and is prepared for God’s seeming delays in answering prayer. Faith does not grow disheartened because prayer is not immediately honored. It takes God at His Word and lets Him take what time He chooses in fulfilling His purposes and in carrying on His work. There is bound to be delay and long days of waiting for true faith, but faith accepts the conditions. It knows there will be delays in answering prayer and regards such delays as times of testing where it is privileged to show that it is made of courage and stern stuff.”

Let us remember that the delays of Jesus are used in the interest of a greater good. Look at the example of Lazarus when there was delay, and Mary and Martha’s faith was tested (John 11). Jesus waited and Lazarus died. This was a seemingly impossible situation. What is more hopeless than death (and this could be not only physical death, but death to dreams, plans, hopes, etc.). Will we believe even in the midst of impossibility? Jesus will come if we hold fast to our faith.

“If Christ delays, wait for Him. In His own good time, he will come and will not be late.”

When starting Intercessors Arise, I ran into many difficulties. I knew what God wanted to do, but obstacle after obstacle came our way. Over and over again I ran into computer problems, and over and over again I had to lay it in God’s hands and pray. The enemy fought hard and finally I made a decision to pray through all the obstacles and wait until God broke through I knew in my heart that He wanted to raise up intercession. Only God could make this happen and He had a perfect timing.

God broke through in a marvelous way and now my faith has been enlarged to believe Him for much greater things regarding Intercessors Arise. I believe that the test of faith was absolutely necessary for what God wanted to do. I encourage you that whatever obstacle you are facing, whatever impossibility you are praying through, don’t give up because God wants to enlarge your faith through the difficulty. Believe that one day He will break through in abundance. Thank Him now for what He will do even when you don’t see it. Remember, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

“Delay is often the test and the strength of faith. How much patience is required when these times of testing come! Yet faith gathers strength by waiting and praying. Patience has its perfect work in the school of delay. In some instances, delay is of the very nature of the prayer. God has to do maany things before He gives the final answer. There are things that are essential to the lasting good of the person who is requesting the favor from Him.”

“Faith that creates powerful praying is the faith that centers itself on a powerful person. Faith in Christ’s ability to do and to do greatly is the faith that prays greatly.” Quotes by E. M. Bounds

“Have faith in God, for assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:22-24

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Keeping A Healthy Heart

11260948_967242630005511_931634998081476917_n“Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts” (Proverbs 4:23, Message Bible).

God wants us to have a healthy heart. Since I have a family history of heart disease, it is especially important for me to take care of my heart. But to be honest, we all need to keep vigilant watch over our heart, not only spiritually but physically as well. Keeping a healthy physical heart is the way of wisdom and the right path.

What can we do to keep our heart in good shape?

A big way is to make sure we exercise regularly. If you don’t like to exercise, integrate these helpful tips into your everyday lifestyle to strengthen your heart. Whenever possible take the stairs instead of an elevator, and park your car at the far end of the parking lot from work. Try spending a few minutes of your lunch break taking a short walk. Think of housework as a chance to exercise. Brisk vacuuming can be a workout! Mowing the lawn and raking leaves is a chance to exercise. Walking your dog is a great way to exercise daily or you may want to take a walk with your family after dinner. There are so many ways to make exercise more fun without spending a lot of extra time to do it. I personally like to exercise, but I know that many people don’t. We must realize that exercise is absolutely necessary to keeping a healthy heart.

We also must work at what we eat in order to keep our hearts healthy. I like Dr. Don Colbert’s statement about the food we eat. He says, “You ‘wear’ your food on your body. You really are what you eat. Your clothes may be cotton, polyester, rayon, or silk but your body is made up of whatever you put in your mouth. Eyeliner and shapers can’t hide an unhealthy body. It’s time to make over your pantry and fridge with living foods so you can look and feel your best.” As you think about the health of your heart, realize that you want to control the amount and kind of fat, saturated fatty acids, and dietary cholesterol you eat in order to stay healthy.

Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

“Food is a blessing from God. Exodus 23:25 (NKJV) says, ‘You shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless your bread and water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.’ The word bread is also translated nourishment. God wants us to enjoy food. Let’s see which foods He made to bless your body.” Don Colbert, M.D.

Here are some good ways to keep our heart healthy:

  • Eat whole, natural, and fresh foods – Eat 6 or more servings of breads, cereals, or grains per day. Stay away from fast food restaurants.
  • Eat five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables daily – This is not only good for your heart, it is a good way to prevent cancer.
  • Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids – Eat more fish, walnuts, flaxseed oil, and green leafy vegetables.
  • Drink water, tea, and non-fat dairy products – Choose skim or 1% fat milk and nonfat or lowfat yogurt and cheeses.
  • Eat lean protein – This can be skinless poultry, fish, and lean cuts of red meat. Eat no more than 6 ounces per day. Learn to create low-meat dishes by including pastas, beans, rice, or vegetables in your main dishes.
  • Avoid trans-fats and limit intake of saturated fats – This means avoiding fried foods, hard margarine, commercial baked goods, and most packaged and processed snack foods, high fat dairy and processed meats such as bacon, sausage, and deli meats.
  • Use cooking methods that require little or no fat – Some examples are broiling, baking, roasting, and steaming. Trim off the fat you can see before cooking meat and poultry.
  • Limit foods made with sugar and white flour – They increase blood sugar levels. Increased blood sugar levels stimulate the pancreas to release insulin.
  • Use olive oil and garlic – Garlic can help thin your blood and lower your blood pressure, and olive oil is a healthy fat and can help raise your good HDL cholesterol.

Our heart’s job is to pump nutrient-rich blood throughout our body. Let’s not give our heart extra work by not taking care of it on a daily basis. It can’t handle too much extra work over a long period of time. It will suffer in health. Let’s wholeheartedly make the effort to daily keep a healthy heart. God wants us to have a strong heart, not only spiritually but physically as well.

“May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen” (1 Thessalonians 3:13, New Living Translation).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Recharging Your Emotional Battery

11295805_964488090280965_8199398249291123842_n-2“For me, the hardest word in the English language is no. I would like to say yes to everyone and everything, but obedience to Christ requires me at times to say no. Like the gardener pruning the vine, I must constantly trim away unnecessary activities if new life is to spring forth.” Dwight Carlson

Tiredness and fatigue are common problems in most societies. Many people are tired. You know you are fatigued when you are experiencing a lack of energy, a loss of a sense of well-being, weariness, an overall unpleasantness, no ambition, and a loss of interest. Most of us, if we were to really admit it, are tired of being tired. Stress can produce tiredness and fatigue. Tiredness can be a real enemy because it can bring dissatisfaction, restlessness, irritability, a loss of joy, depression and so many other negative things.

God knows our energy capacity and never requires more than we are capable of achieving. We need to set appropriate limits and learn to say no. We also need to evaluate the emotional gauge in our life.

Emotional Fatigue

“I have now committed myself to installing an emotional gauge in the center of my dashboard and learning how to read it. I take responsibility to manage the emotional reservoir in my life.” Bill Hybels

When we are tired over a long period of time, we must look at the emotional area of our life. We may be emotionally fatigued and not even be aware it. If we want to walk in overall health, we must look at our emotional as well as our physical strength. It is important that we know what activities drain our emotional reservoir. These are tasks that sap us of energy in just a short time. We may be oblivious to the intense drain some activities are having on us emotionally.

It is important to look at three gauges on the dashboard of your life in order to be healthy. The first gauge is the spiritual area of your life. Ask yourself questions like, “How is my spiritual life?” “How is my quiet time?” “Am I praying?” If this area reads normal, then you know you are doing all right spiritually. The next gauge is the physical gauge. Ask yourself questions like, “Am I eating healthy?” “Am I exercising?” “Am I getting enough rest?” “Am I feeling well physically?” If that battery is “ok”, then you know you are doing all right physically.

If these two batteries seem to be “ok” but you know something is wrong, you may be drained emotionally. If you don’t feel like building relationships, if people drain you, or you want to quit ministry or change jobs, something may be wrong. You may need to recharge your emotional battery, but you must realize that this is a slow process that takes time. You may be asking the question, “How do you recharge when you are emotionally drained?” You recharge by doing something totally different than your work or ministry. You may want to go jogging, read a book, listen to music or play golf.

Other keys to emotional recharging is using your major spiritual gifts and learning to wait upon the Lord. This will breathe life back into you and energize you. Working hard in areas that you are not gifted in will drain you quickly. Don’t let people pull you away from using your primary gifts. Don’t let busyness take you away from waiting on the Lord for His emotional and physical recharging. When you minister with the gifts God put in you, you have a new passion for ministry.

“He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength (causing it to multiply and making it to abound). Even youths shall faint and be weary, and (selected) young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; But those who wait for the Lord (who expect, look for, and hope in Him) shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up (close to God) as eagles (mount up to the sun); they shall run and not be wary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired” (Isaiah 40:29-31, Amplified).

Each one of us needs to learn to live a healthy, balanced life. We can’t work 70 hours a week and last very long. We need to learn to be marathon runners. We must learn to monitor our spiritual, physical, and emotional gauges so that we can minister for a lifetime. Can you run at the pace you are presently living at and still be running 20 or 30 years from now? Take inventory and learn to live a balanced life. My husband and I just spent a week in the country, and it did us a lot of good. I love to work but I am learning to take time out. I encourage you to not neglect your emotional battery. If it is running low, take the necessary time to recharge. You want to finish the race healthy and well-balanced for God’s glory.

“Replenishing emotional strength takes time – usually more time than it took to drain. The best analogy I can offer is a car battery. If you sit in a parking lot and run all your car’s accessories – radio, headlight, heater, horn, rear defogger, power windows – you can probably sap the battery in about ten minutes. After that massive drain, suppose you then take the battery to a service station and say, ‘I’d like this battery charged. I’ll be back to pick it up in ten minutes.’ What would they tell you? ‘No, we’re going to put the battery on our overnight charger… A slow, consistent charge is the best way to bring a battery back to full power.’ Likewise, to properly recuperate from an emotionally draining activity takes time.” Bill Hybels

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

The Manifest Presence of God

22793_968829669846807_2236742335163857583_n“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

There is a popular Christian song. The song goes like this, “Let it rain. Let it rain. Open the floodgates of heaven and let it rain!” In many places there is a great desire for God to open the heavens and flood down His manifest presence upon the land. We must have a heart-felt expectation that God has heard our prayers and will answer. Pray that He will open the floodgates of heaven and come and rain His presence and fire on your land. As God descends upon the land, His people will rise higher into the throne room of heaven.

Evidence of God’s Manifest Presence

“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!”

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.

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

The Key to Transformation – Desperation

10412023_964163253646782_2435281989214651302_n“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

Are we desperate enough for transformation?
Are we each willing to pay the price that desperation requires? I had just begun to taste the level of commitment necessary for city transformation. We had finished a non-stop 24-7 house of prayer throughout the month of November. It had radically changed my life, just as it has so many who have stepped into the fire of God’s presence in this location in southern Spain. Prayer lives have been challenged. The question is, “How far are we willing to go? How desperate are we willing to become? Can we even begin to think about going back to how things were even one month ago?” The answer is “No!” We must proceed. We had stepped in this far and the levels of commitment required are going higher. God is challenging us to a new phase, a new mountain to climb for His glory. The battle is great, but there is no turning back.

There is something so exceeding real and alive to this dimension of living. There is something so necessary and dynamic to this taste of unity between the churches. Suddenly, we are realizing that we are in this together, and we desperately need one another to touch this region with God’s glory. We begin to value and love the body of Christ in all its’ dimensions as we have never done before. We begin to understand what it means to be members of one another. We have tapped into God’s wonderful plan for Kingdom living, and we can never return to the old ways. We are willing to radically change our personal lives and reprioritize everything! God has brought us all to the end of ourselves, and we are beginning to find true life together! It’s all the way forward for city transformation, and for once, we feel really alive with the purpose of God!

Indicators of Transformation

“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

There are ways we can evaluate our cities and see if they are on their way towards transformation. There are several ways to discern if the signs of transformation are present and increasing in our city. George Otis, Jr. gives several indicators of transformation. Below are some of these indicators adapted from his study. Take time to regularly evaluate your city and pray through these indicators. Study and pray these verses over your city for each one. Your city is on God’s heart. Pray until transformation becomes a reality in your city!

  • The political leaders acknowledge their sin and dependence on God – 2 Kings 11:17-18; 23:2; Jonah 3:6-9.
  • The economic conditions improve – 2 Chronicles 17:3-5; Psalm 144:14; Isaiah 60:5; Amos 9:13.
  • Kingdom values are integrated into daily life – Ezra 10:4; Nehemiah 8:10; Ecclesiastes 10:17; Acts 19:17-20.Crime and corruption diminish – 2 Kings 12:13-15; Nehemiah 5:6-12; Isaiah 60:17-18.
  • New laws are put into effect – 2 Chronicles 19:10; Nehemiah 10:31.
  • There is a decline in divorce, bankruptcy and suicide – Nehemiah 12:27-28, 43; Isaiah 54:11-14; 62:3, 7; Jeremiah 30:17-1; 31:11-13; Hosea 2:15.
  • The natural environment is restored – Leviticus 26:4-5; II Chronicles 7:14; Ezekiel 34:27; 36:29-30.
  • Christians take responsibility in healing and helping their community – Isaiah 58:10-12; 61:104.
  • Christians take revival into other cities and nations – 2 Chronicles 17:9; Isaiah 61:6; Acts 11:20-26.

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 my city to focus on your Kingdom in everything we do. Make us desperate for Your presence. Bring the churches in my 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).

“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

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Catch and Spread the Vision for Houses of Prayer

11010600_963508187045622_1155965139571533164_n“Prayer is the key to reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus. The greatest forces of power in the universe are mobilized, and history is made when we pray. God is looking for men who will stand in the gap on behalf of the land” (Ezekiel 22:30, Isaiah 59:16, 63:5). E. M. Bounds

Houses of Prayer are spreading all over the world. Prayer rooms are also being established in churches throughout the world. Not only are churches starting them, denominations and Christian organizations have started prayer watches. The Salvation Army in Australia and in England started praying 24/7 for a week in 52 of their branches with immediate results! YWAM, with 16 bases in Western Europe, set aside an entire year where each base took responsibility for a week and filled the whole year with 24/7 prayer.

In 2005, thirteen denominations and Christian organizations in England alone started filling the whole year with 24/7 prayer. Several prisons in Argentina have established 24/7, 365-day prayer watches where the inmates pray for their families, communities, their country, fellow inmates, and the world! Inmates are converted and change their lifestyle. Breakthroughs are happening in the prisons. Here’s how you can catch and spread the vision:

  • Rejoice that God is awakening the watchmen – Watch the “Awaken the Watchmen” video to find out how the 24-7 prayer movement is spreading worldwide! This is a powerful video.
  • Daily pray that a 24/7 House of Prayer starts in every city in every nation – Keep on praying for your own city to catch the vision for 24/7 prayer.
  • Register your prayer watch – www.global24-7.org is a website with the purpose of registering and encouraging prayer watches from all over the world. This will support what God is doing worldwide and help to link 24/7 prayer in different regions of the world.
  • Start a one-month 24-7 House of Prayer in your city – If you desire to start a one-month 24-7 House of Prayer in your city, join the Intercessors Arise International Network for encouragement and networking with others with the same vision for their city.
  • Start a one-week House of Prayer in your church – Use my book Intercessors Arise: Personal Prayer that Changes the Word on prayer to help encourage your church in intercession and train people in prayer.
  • Learn from other Houses of Prayer – Notice how they are functioning, what they teach and emphasize. Observe the creativity in each one. Here are a few House of Prayer websites to encourage your heart in how the 24/7 prayer movement is spreading worldwide, but there are dozens of websites:24/7 Prayer internationally – www.ihop.org
    24/7 Prayer in Israel – www.jerusalempraise.com
    24/7 Prayer in Washington D.C. for justice – www.justicehouseofprayer.com
    24/7 Prayer internationally among the youth – www.24-7prayer.com
    24/7 Prayer in Hollywood for the media – www.unitedprayerforhollywood.org
    24/7 Prayer in Canada – www.nationalhouseofprayer.com

I highly recommend the book Red Moon Rising by Pete Greig and Dave Roberts. This book gives the amazing story of how the 24/7 Prayer Movement is spreading worldwide among the youth. They have 24/7 prayer rooms that have grown into 24/7 prayer houses called “Boiler Rooms” and are modeled after the ancient Celtic monasteries. These Boiler Rooms are mission-focused and are places of disciplined prayer and outreach to the poor. They pursue missions, justice, hospitality, and prayer. As the world gets darker, they are spreading all over the world at an incredible rate and the vision is catching fire. Here is their incredible testimony:

“A movement to encourage churches to make room for nonstop prayer has spread to 63 nations in the last seven years and is especially multiplying in the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa. ‘We don’t have a fixed number of prayer rooms because they can take off so quickly,’ said Pete Greig, 37, who founded the 24/7 prayer movement in 1999 in Chichester, England. Named for its nonstop concert of prayer, 24/7 has meeting places as diverse as a bus in the slums of Delhi, India, and a brewery in Missouri. Volunteers pray, usually alone, in one-hour shifts, round the clock, seven days a week for global issues and requests they receive from their international website or from their local communities. Visitors are free to drop in, pray and talk. 24/7 also has planted itself in places where there is a crisis, such as Lebanon during the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, and in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Teams also live long-term in needy communities in Mexico, where intercessors can be found ministering among pimps and prostitutes. ‘In a squatter’s camp in Soweto, South Africa, we’ve seen 64 prayer tents spring up in just two years,’ Greig said. ‘The local man who spearheads them said 80 percent of new converts in the camp are maintaining their salvation, and the local police chief says crime has dropped by 20 percent.’ Greig said the movement is being fueled by young people who are passionate about prayer, justice and missions.”

This is only a small taste of what is happening worldwide in the area of prayer. Our God is creative, and we see the unique ways he initiates 24/7 prayer in different nations. Day and night prayer will lead to the final gathering of the worldwide harvest. Let’s jump on board and prepare for this harvest and the salvation of millions of souls. Let’s learn from the outstanding example of Praying Hyde and as we pray, let’s expect to see many souls saved. It is time for the Gospel to advance.

“If men would pray as they ought to pray, the marvels of the past would be more than reproduced. The Gospel would advance with a facility and power it has never known. Doors would be thrown open to the Gospel, and the Word of God would have a conquering force rarely if ever known before.” E. M. Bounds

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC