Daily Archives: October 16, 2015

Build Foundational Strength        

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11226567_964511230278651_6881985017139642886_n“The Lord will test the endurance of this new praying church, but gradually the power of God will be released in the cities of prayer. The extraordinary presence of the living Christ will make miracles seem ordinary. Faith will once again rest on the demonstration of the Spirit and not upon the wisdom of man; multitudes will be genuinely saved… The only way we can stand victorious before our enemies is if we kneel humbly before our Lord together.” Francis Frangipane

In order to stay stable and secure in difficult days, there are several areas where we need to be strong. Building strength in the following four areas will help us to stand strong against the enemy:

  • Personally – In personal prayer and intimacy. Our entire lives must be built upon our relationship with God. Intimacy and praise is the key to living strong personally during times of stress. Knowing God and His character calms our heart and gives us courage.You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely (Psalm 59:17).
  • Corporately – In corporate prayer and worship. We must pray that the Church of Jesus Christ in every city increases its focus on prayer and worship, and becomes a praying Church and a praying community. As life becomes more difficult, praying corporately will become necessary. Together in prayer we will find God as our refuge.God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
  • Relationally – In all our relationships. We must learn to walk in peace, forgiveness, and repentance on a continual basis with everyone. We cannot afford to become bitter or judgmental. It is time for the body of Christ to unite and to realize the power and strength of that unity.The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace (Psalm 29:11).
  • Spiritually – In the Word of God. We cannot listen to the enemy’s lies any longer. This is a season where we must hold onto the Word of God as our truth in every situation we face. Learn more about praying the Word of God in chapter four.My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word (Psalm 119:28).

We need to be like Noah who knew God intimately and obeyed Him. He built an ark when people were partying and having an easy time. Could you have taken the courage to do that? Noah knew what God told him to do even when outward signs did not speak of a flood that would cover the entire earth. He continued in obedience and faithfulness even when he was the only one.

Many of you are called to be forerunners. You are called to promote, lead, and encourage the prayer movement in your church and city. You know what the Lord wants. You know that 24/7 prayer is critical for your city. The highest identity of God’s people now and throughout all of eternity will be through intimacy-based intercession as Sons of God and as the Bride of Christ. We are created to interact deeply with God’s heart. He will govern the universe in partnership with us through intercession.

This is your time to build a strong foundation. You may not be building an actual ark, but you are building a House of Prayer in your church or city. Like the ark Noah built, when the storm comes the Houses of Prayer will protect people from destruction and will provide a covering, bringing more mercy to that city or town being prayed for. You must faithfully build one brick at a time, believing by faith that when the storms come, your city will stand because it is built on the rock of Christ and on prayer (Matthew 7:24-25).

There are others of you who are not the ones to lead in building a House of Prayer in your city, but you are the supporters. You say, “Yes” to prayer in your heart. You are the ones who pray and hold up the arms of those who lead the prayer movement in your city or in your church. You know how necessary prayer is for your city and you support it willingly in mind, heart, and action. You want to know God deeply and are willing to unite with others even from different denominational backgrounds than yours. You are a very needed part.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOP-KC

Ways to Apply the Moravian Example

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10412023_964163253646782_2435281989214651302_nLet the Moravian example challenge you to rise up higher in prayer than you have ever been before. The following quotes taken from the Moravian prayer movement are ways you can apply this in your prayer meetings.

  • He dedicated the rest of his life to the service of Jesus Christ – Pray that those in your prayer meeting will grow in an intense personal devotional life. Expect God to deepen everyone’s dedication to the point of sacrificial living.
  • The Lord gave the entire community a burning desire to see sinners come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ – Open your heart to those who do not know Christ. Be a witness and shine God’s light outside of the prayer meeting.
  • The Lord gave the entire community a renewed call of the Great Commission, to go into all the world and preach the Gospel – Incorporate times to pray for the lost and for the nations. Be willing to reach out to the lost where you live.
  • This resulted in the greatest concentration of Christian workers being sent out into foreign missions since the first century – Expect that God will call some from your prayer meeting to go to the nations. Be willing to go or to send as God directs.
  • This fueled young Zinzendorf’s fire for evangelism – Expect God to burden those in the prayer meeting for evangelism and for your city. Cry out to God for your city. The Moravians had a burden for the lost.
  • Prayers were answered beyond expectation – Expect God to answer your prayers. Look forward with anticipation for the answer to your united prayer. Expect souls to come to Christ.
  • He was a man of serious devotion, fervent prayer, and was known for his commitment to radical holiness – Expect God to move those in your prayer meeting into radical holiness. There is no room for sin in one who is hungry for holiness. Confess all known sin on a daily basis.
  • In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; and in all things, love – Let unity and harmony be a high priority in all of your prayer meetings. Do all things in love.
  • In every detail of their lives—in business, pleasure, in Christian service, in civil duties—they took the Sermon on the Mount as a lamp to their feet – Pray through and live out the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle as a group and individually. Study and read it regularly. Let your life shine for Christ in the marketplace.
  • I have one passion; it is he and he alone – Narrow your life down to a passionate pursuit of Christ.

Is your passion for Christ?

God’s first priority is that we love Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37-38). It’s the First Commandment. It’s a wonderful foundation for all of life. In giving God extravagant devotion, we make a great impact on the world around us. There is sustaining power if we make Him our foundation. It takes time and effort to prioritize our lives towards God and prayer. It goes against the world system.

But it’s dynamic. It’s refreshing. It’s absolutely life transforming—and it’s the highest and greatest lifestyle.

Life is becoming very pressurized because of constant change and stress. God wants to teach us to live without fatigue and sweat. There is purity in being devoted to Christ and the devil knows it. He aims to get us off track and confused (2 Corinthians 11:3). But God wants to show us the highest way to live.

Our primary calling is internal. When we are energized by intimacy we will be able to sustain spiritual intensity throughout our life. God is searching throughout the earth to find those whose hearts are loyal to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). He is searching for those who will pray and intercede.

Are you willing to pay the price to seek Him, not only for yourself, but also for your own city? It’s time to lay the foundations for Houses of Prayer in all the cities throughout the earth. Let’s change the history of His church worldwide. Let’s adopt Zinzendorf’s motto personally and corporately.

“Zinzendorf’s motto, ‘I have one passion; it is He and He alone,’ would fan into a movement that God would use to change the history of His church.” Joe Martin

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOP-KC

One Hundred Year Prayer Movement

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11226567_964511230278651_6881985017139642886_nThere has already been a hundred year, non-stop prayer meeting with absolutely fantastic results. The way has been paved before us in the spiritual realm. As we arise in building Houses of Prayer, it is important that we look at our historical roots. Understanding the historical beginnings of day and night prayer should challenge and give us courage for the future.

It has been done in a place called Herrnhut (meaning “on watch for the Lord”) in Germany. It can, therefore, be done in each one of our cities. In fact, it is going to be worth more than we can comprehend because it is of the highest value to God. This 24/7 prayer meeting started over 280 years ago and launched a worldwide missionary movement.

The Moravian hundred-year prayer meeting started in 1727 by Count Zinzendorf. He was a deeply spiritual man and traced his intense devotional life to one event on a single day when he visited an art gallery and saw a portrait of Christ wearing a crown of thorns on his head. At the bottom of the picture was written:

“All this I did for you, what are you doing for Me?”

Count Zinzendorf was only nineteen years old, but as he read this, he was so touched by the Holy Spirit that it completely changed his life forever. He could never live the carefree lifestyle of a European nobleman. He dedicated his entire life to the service of Jesus Christ. This one man’s dedication led to one hundred years of non-stop prayer.

“For more than one hundred years, beginning on August 26, 1727, there was a Moravian brother or sister somewhere engaged in prayer, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Among the brethren this meeting was known as the “Hourly Intercession.” There was literal prayer without ceasing for one hundred years. The prayer focus soon moved from those at Herrnhut to lost souls in Europe and around the world. The Lord gave the entire community a burning desire to see sinners come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and this fueled young Zinzendorf’s fire for evangelism.” Pitts Evans

Count Zinzendorf gave inspirational leadership to this prayer movement through the love that he had for the Church and for prayer. His acceptance of strangers, his selflessness, and his great love for the Lord inspired many others. He had a powerful interest in prayer. He would set aside whole days and nights to fast and pray when he was a university student. This non-stop prayer meeting began because of his steadfast faithfulness in prayer in his small corner of the world called Herrnhut.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOP-KC