Daily Archives: October 24, 2015

The Night Watch

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11144453_965502933512814_2928668468155993148_nMany in the prayer movement will rise up and embrace the lifestyle
of the night watch. Larger Houses of Prayer often requires several people to spend the night hours in the prayer room. Here at the International House of Prayer, there are many who love to pray in the middle of the night. It especially appeals to the youth. The Holy Spirit is raising up a community of people who will pray and contend for the mercy and power of God in the night seasons (Joel 1:13). They will be vigilant and watchful.

Psalm 134 speaks of those in the night watch. This is critical to the divine strategy of God in order to see transformation in our cities. So many evil things happen in the night—murder, theft, immorality, and witchcraft. Light can invade the darkness through prayer and worship.

Recently I heard about how thirteen young people were being trained to pray from about 8:00 P.M. until 3:00 A.M. here at the International House of Prayer. They were training their bodies to adjust to a new time schedule in eating and sleeping so that they could give themselves to prayer in the night season. The commitment of this group of young people to be God’s watchmen should stimulate each one of us to give ourselves to prayer, whether it is in the day or the night.

The urgency of the hour and the present emphasis on prayer makes 24/7 prayer a possibility in this generation. Let’s seek to be people who learn to pray not only in the day but also in the night (Psalm 63:6; 119:55, 148).

As God’s people behold and bless the Lord at night, the spiritual atmosphere changes in the city.      

A few years ago we were praying 24/7 during the month of October in southern Spain. We were praying for the Gibraltar area, including southern Spain and North Africa. I remember a particularly weary time of prayer early in the morning when it was still dark, and when I was feeling very alone in the prayer room. God reminded me of when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane and His disciples fell asleep. He had asked them to watch with Him. In the same way, I felt like the Lord was quietly and tenderly speaking to me. I felt he was saying:

“Will you not watch with me one hour? Will you not watch and pray for the land and the salvation of souls here in the dark?”

I realized at that moment that I needed to say, “Yes” to the Lord. He is looking for those who will stand watch even when it is not easy. Will you not also be God’s watchman at such an important hour, even when others are sleeping?

Will you not also pray until God brings deliverance to your city?

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Houses of Prayer Protect the City

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11351384_963508680378906_3200653058450209561_nThere is not a better way to protect our cities and touch the needy than to have Houses of Prayer.

This is going to be a necessity in the coming days. Through prayer and intercession we can pray into the atmosphere of heaven and bring heaven’s will to earth, praying the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. The word used for inter-cession in the Bible is “paga.” This word can also be translated as “boundary.” Through prayer we can build boundaries of protection around our cities. Through united prayer together with heartfelt action, we can protect God’s purposes and plans for our cities.

What is the central dream of your city? What is the plan or purpose of God for your city?

God has a good plan for your city, but the enemy has an evil plan. God anticipated your city and planned it. Your city does have a divine purpose; there is the need to cry out to Him 24/7 for the fulfillment of that purpose. You need to protect the dream of God for your city through prayer. Read what well-known intercessor and author, Dutch Sheets, says about watchmen:

“Protection is an important aspect of the watchman anointing. Watchmen are guards, bodyguards, doorkeepers and, generally speaking, those who protect by covering in prayer.”

We used to live in the city of Virginia Beach, very close to the Atlantic Ocean. Often we were threatened by possible hurricanes that occasionally came up the east coast of the United States. I remember a time when a group of Christian leaders, made up of pastors and intercessors, decided that the threat was too serious. They called the region—which included seven cities—to day and night prayer for the protection of our area. God protected each city.

In the Old Testament times, a watchman would keep watch on the walls for enemies or watch after the crops at harvest time (Isaiah 1:6-8; Ezekiel 22:30). We need watchmen to watch over God’s harvest in our cities and protect it as well. Just as God appointed mankind as guardians and watchmen of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2:15, He wants us to be watchmen and guard the land where we live. The Greek words used for “to guard” are “gregoreuo” and “agrupneo,” which both mean to be awake or sleepless. This implies protection. We need to be God’s night watchmen and be on the lookout for danger.

In an area of Africa, the first Christians were very serious about watchful prayer. Each believer had their own special place outside the village where they could be alone to pray in solitude. They reached these out door “prayer rooms” by walking through their own private footpath through the brush. But when the grass began to grow over one of the trails, they knew something was desperately wrong—someone wasn’t praying.

They were perfect examples of watchmen because they were so concerned about the spiritual welfare of each other. A custom sprang up among them. Whenever one of them noticed an overgrown prayer path, they would go to the person and warn them in a loving way by saying: “Friend, there’s grass on your path!”

God wants you to be a watchman just like these villagers in Africa. He wants you to join with others in 24/7 prayer for your city and for one another.  Isaiah 62:6-7 stresses the need to give God no rest, and to pray day and night for the city of Jerusalem:

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”

The same is true for each one of our cities. As you begin to look at your city through the eyes of God and with His heart, realize that it belongs to Him. We read in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” God wants you to contend for your city in prayer. He wants you to pray for His authority to rule supreme in your city.

Although Satan has invaded our cities, through prayer and action we can take them back.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Watchmen for Your City

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cropped-11295696_968829226513518_6763007680125419221_n1.jpg“A watchman on the wall does many things. He carefully watches what is happening and alerts the community when good ambassadors approach the city… A watchman also warns the city far in advance when an enemy approaches. He sounds an alarm to awaken the people because he knows ‘to forewarn them is to alert and arm them.’ Then they quickly can rally to take their stand on the wall against the enemy before he wrongfully tries to enter into the city.” Dutch Sheets

Day and night prayer is not only enjoyable, leading to heartfelt action and abundant fruitfulness, it will also change the atmosphere of your city. If there was ever a time when we needed to be alert for our cities and pray day and night for our neighborhoods, it is now. Too many evil things are happening at an increasing rate. We have the secret of prayer and God’s presence that can touch our cities and ward off the evil intent of the enemy. Day and night prayer is much more powerful than we realize. It can release the power of God and His anointing in even the darkest of places.

In the House of Prayer we welcome and honor the Holy Spirit,
asking Him to lead us in our prayer time. We need to pray by the power and at the initiation of the Holy Spirit. We can’t do it ourselves (John 5:19). Sometimes He whispers to us with an impression in our heart as to what to pray. Sometimes He directs us to specific Scriptures to pray. We need to be watchful and attentive to the Spirit’s leading (1 Peter 4:7; Ephesians 6:18). We ask the Lord what He is doing and listen. We spend time in worship when we come into God’s presence.

It’s almost like putting up the sail in a boat on a lake when the weather is calm. Suddenly the sail catches the wind even with the most gentle breeze, and the boat begins to move. We position our heart to listen carefully for the knowledge of His will; then we pray it back to Him. Many times God’s leading is like a whisper. If we pray faithfully and thankfully during the day of small beginnings, God will lead us into action and will bring increase (Luke 16:10; 19:17; Matthew 25:21). Sometimes the action God wants us to take is prayer for protection. Sometimes it is reaching out in love to a needy person in the inner city. Look at what happened to a 47-year-old woman named Martha:

“I was walking down the street on my way home from work around two years ago. A lady told me there were people inside praying. She said they prayed here every week and invited me to come. I was looking for God everywhere and knew He was speaking to me, so I went in. I have struggled with loneliness for many years. These people told me I belonged and had a place with them. I am now serving God and know my place is truly with Him. I still have struggles, but I now have people to help me walk it out.”

“Watchmen are ordinarily placed on the walls of a city to give notice to the rulers of coming danger. God appoints watchmen not only to warn men—often they will not hear—but also to summon Him to come to their aid whenever need or the enemy may be threatening. The great mark of the intercessors are that they are not to hold their peace day or night, to take no rest, and to give God no rest, until the deliverance comes. In faith they may count upon the assurance that God will answer their prayers.” Andrew Murray

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Learning from the Prayer Life of Paul

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10424982_990322624364178_6179276182297945790_nWe can learn from the prayer life of the Apostle Paul. He thoroughly enjoyed praise and worship wherever he was. He knew how to abide in the Lord even in the hardest of circum-stances, and his life was abundantly fruitful. Let me give you an outstanding example that shows how deeply the Apostle Paul and Silas knew the secret of joyful prayer. You will find the story in Acts 16:16-40.

Although these two men were stripped, beaten, and thrown into prison, they practiced prayer and worship right in that prison cell. It certainly sounds like they were experienced in 24/7 prayer. Imagine if it was you in prison. The darkness must have been overwhelming. Wouldn’t you be worried about your life or your family? Wouldn’t you wonder where your next meal was coming from or if you’d ever get any sleep? Not Paul and Silas. Having been severely flogged and tortured with probably every bone and muscle in their body aching, they practiced enjoyable prayer. We read in Acts 16:25-26:

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.”

Through prayer and worship in an incredibly difficult situation, they experienced the supernatural power and fruitfulness of God right in those dark prison chambers. They prayed heaven down and the salvation of God came into that place in mighty power. The prison actually shook! The trembling and frightened jailer asked, “What must I do to be saved?”

He and his family were saved, baptized, and filled with joy. Paul and Silas were enjoying the presence of God in a place of utter darkness. They were practicing prayer during the night watch. How we need to do the same.

Are you experiencing a hard time? Do you feel you are facing a dark situation?  

Enjoyable prayer (praise, worship, and thanksgiving) can turn your sadness into joy. You, too, can experience the supernatural power of God. Enjoyable prayer brings us into the place of abundance. We can only imagine how many of those other prisoners were saved that night through the example of these two men. We all need to learn from their example. Our cities, and even nations, can be transformed as we practice enjoyable prayer.

When I wrote this I was enjoying the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. I remember looking out my window at the beautiful mountains decorated with colorful fall trees of bright reds, yellows, and oranges mixed in between all the green. The tapestry of colors was outstanding and rather breathtaking to say the least. Our friends sent us there to spend a week in this gorgeous fall scenery. What a place to write!

The colors and majestic beauty of the trees against the mountains reminded me of enjoyable prayer and abundant fruit. You couldn’t help but feel the joy as you looked out the window or drove along Skyline Drive. Breathtaking overlooks, majestic ridges, and wonderful walking paths reminded me of enjoyable prayer.

It’s always unique what God does in the prayer room. He brings us in prayer to breathtaking overlooks and through colorful prayer patterns as we pray and worship. Our praise is like those colorful dancing leaves blowing in the wind. He brings us into deep caverns of silent prayer as well as powerful mountaintops of faith-filled declarations of His truth. And the view from His perspective far exceeds what we can even imagine. When we come down from this glorious scenic encounter with God into the world where we live and work, we bring His glory and His abiding presence with us. This is truly enjoyable and leads to abundant fruit.

Take advantage of worship and prayer CDs that help bring you higher in the realm of prayer and intercession. It is definitely a way to enter into enjoyable prayer. Recently, I was sitting outside praying and worshipping with a CD that was intercession and worship for the nations. It was definitely enjoyable prayer.

There are so many ways to enhance prayer. You can make prayer enjoyable by using worship music, playing a guitar or other instrument as you pray, or playing light background or soaking music.

Enjoyable prayer is not just for a select few—it’s for everyone!

“The Lord will release enjoyable prayer to His church. The only type of prayer that will continue night and day is enjoyable prayer. Anointed enjoyable prayer is for everyone.” Mike Bickle

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Enjoyable Prayer + Abiding in Christ = Abundant Fruit

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Our Prayers for Wisdom in Developing a House of PrayerEnjoyable Prayer + Abiding in Christ = Abundant Fruit

Enjoyable prayer and abiding in Christ go together. You can’t have one without the other. It is in that vital union with Christ that our prayers will go forth with power, and our feet will begin to carry the Gospel message with us wherever we go. We have not seen this yet in most countries, but we soon will, because we won’t be able to contain the truth within us any longer. The Good New is just too good! It will bring abundant fruit.

But can we actually begin to enjoy prayer? Prayer does not have to be hard and laborious—it can become something we love doing. We can delight in an intimate relationship with God.

What does it mean to enjoy something? Webster’s Dictionary describes the word “enjoy” as: “something capable of being enjoyed, possessed or used with pleasure, to take pleasure or satisfaction in the experience of, to have, hold or occupy as a good or profitable thing, and to delight in the possession of.” You and I have the privilege of experiencing God in the prayer room. He is capable of being enjoyed. He is truly our satisfaction—He wants us to enjoy prayer and an intimate relationship.

The primary identity of the Church before Jesus returns to earth will be a cherished Bride who has a revelation of Jesus as the passionate Bridegroom. Only enjoyable prayer will sustain us as we enter into day and night prayer. Mike Bickle, who has been involved in non-stop, day and night prayer for many years, says the following:

“The power to engage in night and day prayer is found in having a heart that soars in God.”

Evangelism and joyful intercession stimulate one another. Evangelistic success brings joy to the prayer room; lack of success brings urgency and burden to the prayer room. Either way, our prayers are fired up because we are touching the world that Jesus loves so deeply. And all of this leads to worldwide harvest and missions. We begin to really understand God’s heart. Empowerment comes in the marketplace as we go out of the prayer room, and empowerment comes into the prayer room as we come back. They go together. Jesus wants to fill us with overflowing joy in the prayer room so that we can take it out into the streets and neighborhoods where we live.

Here at IHOP we have an inner-city ministry called Hope City. Prayer meetings are held at the Hope City prayer room from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. from Monday through Friday. Lunch is served at noon. The prayer room is open to all. Hope City is like a “church on the streets” with two weekly services at night. The services focus on knowing and loving God, developing a relationship with Him, and the end times. Dinner is served after the services. On Monday afternoons healing ministry is available. Through enjoyable prayer and outreach to the poor and needy many lives are dramatically changed.

Prayer together with action brings transformation into the city one person at a time. The following are testimonies from those who have been touched in the inner city through Hope City:

  • Butch (40 years old) – “About three years ago I jumped down some stairs while I was under the influence of drugs, and I hit a concrete wall head first; I was in a coma for four months. I woke up at St. Luke’s Hospital. I lost some of my brain function and was moved into a nursing home where I live now. I’ve been coming to Hope City’s ministry center for about a year. I gave my life to Jesus on the first night.”
  • Kris (20 years old) – “I was homeless, without any family, and living under some stairs when it was zero degrees Fahrenheit outside. Hope City gave me a sleeping bag and some food, then I began attending the prayer meetings. Since then, I have seen the changes Jesus makes in people’s lives and I gave my life to Him. I have to go to rehab for a while, but Hope City continues to be my visiting family, and I can’t wait to get back there and help!”
  • Connie (48 years old) – “I’ve lived over twenty years on the streets as a drug dealer and a drug user. I’ve always wanted God but could never encounter Him in a way that set me free from my issues. I am now glad to say that I am free from some of the things that have had a hold on me. I consider myself a vital part of Hope City’s ministry.”
  • Barbara (54 years old) – “My friend Randy invited me to a ‘church deal’ dinner on Monday night. I liked the surroundings and I liked the people; I have been coming three times a week for about a year. I am a Jewish woman who didn’t realize I needed a savior. I prayed to receive Jesus in my heart about two months ago. I like reading my Bible during the prayer time.”

There are other testimonies, but this should bring great encouragement as to what God can do when our Houses of Prayer lead to heartfelt action that brings forth fruitfulness. Individuals working with Hope City learn how to minister in the city by leading in the prayer room, serving in the soup kitchen, participating in the food distribution project, and ministering to gang members, drug addicts, and the homeless. They focus on a lifestyle of prayer and develop skills they need to minister in the inner city.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Enjoyable Prayer Leads to Abundant Fruit

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11390094_968828946513546_3817218908514737680_n-2“Isaiah also prophesied of a totally new paradigm of prayer characterized by ‘joy’. The Lord promised, ‘I will make you joyful in My house of prayer’ (Isaiah 56:7). The Church will be surprised by joy. In other words, God will fill the Church with enjoyable prayer that is ‘refreshing and invigorating’. Imagine the implications of a paradigm of ‘enjoyable prayer’. The climate within the body of Christ would be different because of deep partnership in prayer with the Eternal Intercessor who is our Bridegroom God. If God is not enjoyable, it will not happen 24 hours a day. Historically, prayer has been hard and thus greatly neglected, but new days of refreshing prayer are breaking forth even now.” Mike Bickle

If we are to bring in the great harvest at the end of this age, we must know the secret of enjoyable prayer. We saw that as we are involved in the combination of prayer and worship, our hearts are stirred towards the things that stir God’s heart. How can we get away from the reality of the world situation? We can’t. We will enter into the heart of God, and we will find great joy not only in prayer, but also in reaching out to the world around us. The angels rejoice in the salvation of the lost; we will do likewise. When we partner with God in reaching the poor and needy and in sharing the Good News, we will find exceeding joy. Luke emphasizes the great joy among the angels when one sinner repents. He wrote in chapter 15:10:

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The “harp and bowl” prayer room will help us to abide in Christ. This brings us into enjoyable prayer because it combines prayer and worship. When we combine prayer with singing and worshipping God, our heart begins to soar. The most significant passages related to enjoyable prayer outlines the beauty of God in context to the heavenly worship around the Throne in Revelation 4-5. We begin to encounter God’s emotions and affections. Some think seeking God in prayer is boring and frustrating. No! God is releasing enjoyable prayer to His people (Isaiah 56:7).

I look eagerly forward to praying in the International House of Prayer. It is the best part of my day, and I thoroughly enjoy it!

I have been watching a tiny apple tree in our back yard. It’s only a couple of years old, and it didn’t look like anything would come forth from this tree. It seemed to just sit there, looking absolutely lifeless with nothing to show for itself on the surface, but actually it was digging its roots deep down into the earth. Then, all of a sudden this year it is growing apples! It is bringing forth fruit. This is definitely a miracle from God because to the naked eye it looked like it wouldn’t ever produce anything.

God wants us to live in Him with our root system deep into the ground, unshakable by what is happening in the world. He has chosen and appointed us to bear lasting fruit, but before we can bear good fruit, we need to have our roots deep in God—in who He is and who we are in Him. The fruit can only be sustained by the life the roots give. If the roots aren’t deep, the weight of the fruit might be too much to bear. We read in John 15:16-17 in the Amplified Bible:

“You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], he may give it to you.”

Day and night prayer will keep us stable where nothing will be able to unearth us or cause us to fall, but there’s one important requirement. We have to be vitally united to the source. God’s Word has to continually be living in our heart. As we pray and abide in Christ in the prayer room, we will begin to bring forth abundant fruit outside the prayer room where the need is great. In John’s Gospel, he emphasizes abundant fruit when we are linked intimately to the vine:

“Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you. [Live in me and I will live in you]. Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing… If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. When you bear (produce) much fruit, My father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine. I have loved you [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me]. If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love” (John 15:4-5, 7-10, Amplified).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC