There are many things that can give us a sense of urgency in our prayer life. This can range from sickness of family or friends, praying for a crisis in the land or praying for an upcoming election.
However, in addition to the urgency these things bring, we want to have an overarching urgency in our prayer life concerning the Jesus’ return to earth. When we study what the Bible has to say about the future we are empowered to be victorious in love and power during the most glorious and difficult time in history. It prepares us to actively participate under Jesus in the end-time events and to rightly interpret Jesus’ leadership in the coming global crisis, instead of being offended by Him (Matt. 11:6).
Studying the End Times awakens urgency in us for intercession, knowing that our prayers may minimize evil and increase victory. Understanding end-time scriptures strengthens our confidence in God’s sovereignty by knowing that He is in control and is never surprised.
When you look at scripture you find that most of the prophets spoke about the future “Day of the Lord” which relates to the events of Jesus’ coming. There are actually more than 150 chapters in the Bible where 51% or more are focused on the end times.
In light of the overwhelming amount of information the scriptures have to say about the End Times we should be preparing ourselves and others for the King’s return to the earth. The key to preparing is to consistently and prayerfully study what the scriptures say about the End Times. Jesus called this “watching.” Daniel received revelation of God’s prophetic purposes for this generation by diligently studying what God’s Word said about it (Jer. 29:10-14). He embraced a lifestyle of Bible study with prayer and fasting (Dan. 9:2-4) to receive “skill to understand” (Dan 9:22).
Why not spend spring break at IHOP-KC getting equipped and resourced to start, grow and/or sustain a prayer furnace on your campus or in your region? IHOP-KC will be hosting 2 Spring Break Luke18 Fuel Schools in March 2010.
Wes and a few of our Luke18 staff sat down and took some time to explain why you should spend your week of spring break at IHOP-KC.
“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” (Ezekiel 22:30)
God is seeking and searching for those who will intercede, who will “stand in the gap”, for people and nations of peoples. Sin requires a response from God, however God does not want anyone to perish but that all would come to repentance.
This may seem obvious but many of us do not have a vision for the importance of intercession in our prayer life. And even for those of us that do we must be encouraged again and again of God’s purpose for and response to intercession.
Without Moses’ intercession for God’s people, God’s wrath would have been poured out against His people many more times than it was for their sin (Exodus 32:7-14; Deuteronomy 9:8-9, 12-20, 23-27; Psalms 106:23). When man’s sin requires a response from God we can change the outcome through intercession like Moses did in Exodus 32:7-14… “So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.”
When we get a vision that intercession is both an intimate partnership and an agreement with God we will begin to enter into it with a greater passion to touch the heart of God. God wants us to know His heart and more so, to feel the very emotions of His heart, then to hear us cry out for the longings of His heart to come to pass. We begin to feel and do what the Father feels and does.
“For Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest…” (Isaiah 62:1)
“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest…” (Isaiah 62:6)
When we partner with the heart of God in intercession we are being the means by which God’s will is established on earth. God does not act apart from human beings partnering with His heart. In intercession we come into agreement with God and what God promised to do. When we ask God to do what He desires to do, we are declaring that we agree that His desires are good, and that His desires have become our desires.
Below are some practical ways to encourage ourselves and others in gaining vision for intercession:
Experience God’s Beauty (Intimate Partnership) by
Simply asking God to reveal His beauty to you
Turning the Word in to dialogue with God
Praying in the Spirit and Singing Spontaneously
Experience God’s Desires (Agreement w/ God) by
Praying the prayers of Scripture
Practice praying positive prayers
Pray Aloud, Leading Others in Intercession (when applicable to your prayer meeting)
Other Scriptures on Intercession:
Genesis 18:23-32; Job 16:21; Lamentation 2:18-19; Joel 2:17; Acts 12:5-12;
The IHOP-KC Prayer Room Webstream that used to be $10/month is now FREE. At $10/month we had over 10,000 subscribers, now the whole world can log onto ihop.org and join in with tens of thousands of others around the world in live prayer and worship 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
You can get to the free prayer room webstream by visiting ihop.org and clicking on “The Prayer Room” icon or typing in ihop.org/theprayerroom.
Christmas has passed, our annual Onething conference is over and 2009 has finally come to an end. It’s hard to believe but the new year has started whether I was ready for it or not. Life on the missions base here in Kansas City is getting back to semi-normal; that is if we can get through all of this snow and negative degree temperatures that have been plaguing this city for the past few weeks.
Our awakening services have began again and we are continuing to see God move on the hearts of people. I love this stuff. I love hearing the testimonies of people who were bound by addictions, wrong mindsets and so many other things testifying of the power of God on their lives in setting them free.
Even at our Onething conference, which drew over 20,000 people this year, we saw so many set free from wrong mindsets, self-hatred, a spirit of fear, religious spirits, depression, suicide, and anxiety bringing joy and freedom, a greater love for the Word, and a passion for Jesus and souls. In addition, in the last 2 months or so we have had more than 900 salvations and baptisms.
God is on the move. He is up to something. We have also seen the convergence and greater partnership between Toronto Vineyard, Bethel Church, YWAM, Urbana and the Call2All with IHOP-KC in the last 2 months. My soul is stirred with a greater passion for the Word, a desire to intercede for others to make wrong things right and give myself to doing His works of justice for those who are oppressed.
I know many of you joined with us at the Onething conference online as we had more than 25,000 viewers over the web. I want to encourage you to continue to join us for the awakening services every Wed – Sat at ihop.org or on GodTV. But more so, that you would press deeper into the Word and intercession for others; that you would carve out more time in each day to pray, to be in the Word and to give yourself to works of justice.
“Therefore… I beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1)
“ 7 Now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night…? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily.” (Lk. 18:7-8; NAS)
God ties intercession as essential to the breaking in of justice for those in need. This justice comes in partnership between Jesus and His people. There is a mystery and a majesty of intercession that we must seek revelation on. In intercession we basically tell God what He tells us to tell Him and He does the rest. This is how He has chosen to operate His kingdom; in partnership with His people. It is profoundly simple, seemly weak in the world’s eyes, yet accessible to all.
When we as God’s workers, do works of justice out of a place of intimacy with Jesus we are positioned to be energized to love God and people far better than if we tried in our own strength. God has chosen to use the things that men consider weak (i.e. prayer and fasting) to triumph over evil. “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood when we pray, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness… in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12). Thus, we are contending for power to confront the demonic forces behind injustice. Power to heal the sick is far better than only helping the sick with care or finances.
Through intercession we are united to God’s heart for the people and the places we pray for. Love is expressed in a practical way through intercession that releases deliverance to those in need.
“11 You also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.” (2 Cor. 1:11)
“19 This will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer…” (Phil. 1:19)
We must have a vision for justice in our prayer life and our prayer meetings. Let us pray always, not lose heart and stand in confidence that God will give speedy justice to those who cry out night and day.
Having a vision for intimacy with Jesus as a foundation to your prayer meeting will keep the focus of your meetings on encountering Jesus. If our primary focus is on encountering God and not on speaking to and binding Satan our prayer meetings will be enjoyable and sustainable. The latter element is there at times, but it is not our primary and regular focus. We want to create an environment that makes it easy for people to come and rest in the presence of God and meet with our creator face to face. When our prayer meetings are focused on the preeminence and supremacy of Jesus Christ, all of our circumstances are diminished, our enemies are defeated and we can stand in confidence in the place of prayer.
When we have a vision for intimacy with Jesus in the place of prayer, we gain a right view of God as a tender father and a passionate bridegroom. Prayer positions us to be energized to love God and to love people. We love others far better as we regularly encounter God’s heart. When we connect with God regularly, we gain the “oil of intimacy” spoken of in Mt. 25:3-4.
“That the world may know that You… have loved them as You have loved me.” (Jn. 17:23)
In John 17:23 Jesus prayed that we would know that the Father loves us as much as the Father loves the Son. That is an astounding statement. The uncreated God loves me just as much as God loves Jesus.
Get a vision for encountering the living God and His heart of unrelenting love in the place of prayer. Encountering truths like these in the place of prayer are essential to sustaining prayer long term.
Once you have started your prayer meeting and you have a few weeks, months or even a year under your belt, how do you sustain it? How do you keep your prayer meeting going week after week? How do you fuel people to keep the fire burning? You must have vision, and your vision must be fueled by the message.
Most people will try anything once, but there must be a vision for something greater than yourself, greater than your meeting in order to sustain your prayer meeting over years. Your vision must transcend your own ability to accomplish goals, yet also be clear enough for people to wrap their mind around and get behind.
Your vision must also be founded up on the message. Here at IHOP-KC we have determined 4 primary pillars that fuel everything that we do. These 4 pillars are intimacy with Jesus, intercession, end-times, and justice. The messages that come out of IHOP-KC will fall into one of these categories and the direction that we are headed is filtered through these as well.
I have found even in my personal life that setting these 4 areas as a foundation for personal devotion, bible study and setting up an action plan for the Word has catapulted my time with God. My encouragement to you is to make your vision personal. Give yourself, your time and your energy to your vision in a personal way, not just for “your ministry.” Let the vision God has given you be your guide regardless of if you “have a ministry” that is leading others. Once you have a vision, get an action plan for the Word based on your vision and begin to unpack the layers of that vision. You can’t sell others on your vision if you are not sold yourself.
Watch Wes Martin and Brian Kim talk about the IHOPU Student Awakening meetings and how the Lord is using them to affect campuses! Why not YOUR campus? Why not get a group together to watch the awakening meetings?
This is a 20 minute clip of the Awakening service where they were praying for college campuses and for boldness for evangelism. View more video testimonies, baptisms and the IHOPU Student Awakening services each night from 6pm – Midnight at www.ihop.org/watch.
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