Verses to Memorize
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power to us who believe” (Ephesians 1:17-19a).
“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:
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
Let 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.
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
There 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
Lord, we long to encounter You in our lives. We want to be like Moses who sought you face-to-face. We want our city to be one that seeks after Your presence. Bring us into unity as we seek Your face. Give us Your heart with Your passion in this prayer room, and burden our hearts to reach out to the lost that live here. Help us to fast and pray for transformation in our city. You promise in Your Word that our light will break out like the dawn, Your light will guide us; You will satisfy our needs and strengthen our frame, etc. [Continue praying through Isaiah 58:6-12, bringing before God His promises.]
Help us to fast and pray like Charles Finney, Rees Howells, and You when You fasted forty days and nights. Give us a hunger for prayer. Help us to focus on You alone. Come into the center of our every activity, and remove those things that keep us from encountering You. Capture our hearts, and reveal Yourself to us individually when we are praying alone, and corporately when we are praying together. We want to adore You and be wholly consumed with Your person.
We praise You because You are holy, righteous, good, all loving, merciful, etc. [Pray the attributes of God.] You are our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). You are the ruler of the kings of the earth, the faithful witness, the Alpha and Omega, the Almighty, the Living One (Revelation 1). [Pray the names, descriptions of God, and the Word of God.] We want to be like the woman who took an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on Your head because she loved You so much. Help us to love You extravagantly with our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Verses to Memorize
“Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always (Psalm 105:2-4).
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC
“Your statutes, LORD, stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days” (Psalm 93:5).
It’s time to learn how to love and adore God in the prayer room both personally and corporately. Let’s get ready for the harvest. Here’s some ways we can do this:
As the days grow darker may we be consumed with the person of Jesus Christ. May our affections be stirred to the limits of their intensity, and may we respond with an unearthly delight and an unspeakable joy.
This is what happened to a woman who delighted to worship Jesus with all that she had. She knew how to sit at Jesus’ feet and seek one thing—Him alone. She was not caught up in the tyranny of the urgent as many of us are today. She knew what was essential. She was determined and single-minded. She beheld the beauty of the Lord (Psalm 27:4). She went beyond the call of duty in her devotion.
It was extravagant—it was powerful—it was a consuming reality.
In Matthew 26:6-13, we read about this woman who took an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head as he was reclining at the table. This woman crossed the line of social and religious propriety when she entered a roomful of men.
But nothing could stop her from pouring on Jesus’ head a jar of very expensive perfume worth a year’s wages. We read in verses 8-9: “When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’” But Jesus defended this woman when He said to those present, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” The word “beautiful” means noble, fine, and elegant. It pleased God. I am sure it excited His heart.
Adoration means extravagant passion. This woman knew what really mattered. Everything else springs from this. She teaches us the most important lesson—to love God extravagantly. Let’s learn from her example. Let’s learn to continually love God in the prayer room and to take that adoration and love everywhere we go.
“Whether we think of, or speak to God, whether we act or suffer for Him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than His love and the desire of pleasing Him. All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer when it is done in simplicity according to the order of God… In souls filled with love, the desire to please God is a continual prayer.” John Wesley
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC
It happened one night in our one-month House of Prayer in southern Spain when the pastors were praying in the prayer room. The House of Prayer was taking place in a large hotel called the Solana Hotel, and a room was designated as the prayer room.
During that month of prayer a non-Christian named Allison, a hotel employee, was hosting the coffee and food bar. She’s an attractive British woman about forty years old who relocated to Spain with her husband Matthew because of the warm weather and sunshine. They had been through many difficulties, the most recent being a disappointing conflict with Jose, the owner of the hotel Solana. Their heavy drinking evidenced the pain and confusion they faced. During the weeks of the 24/7 prayer in the Solana, some of us would chat with them, answering their many questions.
They felt the love, peace, and joy among us. Allison listened attentively to what we were praying and watched as we praised and adored God in worship. We held large and small prayer meetings right in front of the coffee bar area where she worked. We prayed for God to reveal Himself to her heart. We could see a change in her face during the month.
One night at the end of the month, the local pastors were having their third all-night prayer vigil in the prayer room. Allison could resist no longer. She was drawn by the power of the Holy Spirit into the prayer room at about 1:30 A.M. She went over to my husband, Norm, and asked, “Will you pray for me?” His first thought was, “How are we going to pray with her here?” Probably many of us would have thought, “Isn’t this a bit inappropriate to come in and interrupt the pastor’s prayer meeting?” But as soon as Allison sat down she started crying, “Jesus help us! Jesus help us!”
This brought the quickest answer to prayer.
Norm said to her, “Allison, do you believe you are a sinner?” She answered, “Yes.” He then asked, “Do you believe Jesus died for your sins?” Again she answered, “Yes.” As he led her in a prayer to receive the Lord, a pastor had his hand on her head. She later said she felt a warmth come into her body.
We all saw a great joy in Allison the next day. Her life was radically changed. She was drawn into the prayer room through the adoration, praise, and prayer of God’s people. She could not resist the beauty she saw because through his people she saw Christ. She knew that He was what she needed in her life.
This was the first fruits of what we will see in the prayer room. The lost are going to be drawn like a magnet to the beauty of Christ through the praise and adoration of His people. In the coming days we shall see multitudes saved in the prayer room. They will be drawn by the presence of God that abides there.
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC
King David was a Bible character that adored God. He was one who sought God’s face continually. He was a man after God’s own heart
(1 Samuel 13:14) and a student of God’s emotions, who continually worshipped Him all His life. He committed himself to obeying the commands of God.
David’s primary occupation was to seek God’s beauty (Psalm 27:4). He knew the love of God in good times and bad. God was with David when he adored Him out in the fields as a shepherd boy. And God was with him as he adored Him while ruling as King. Even while being pursued by Saul, while hiding in damp dark caves, David experienced the love and strength of God. David, as shepherd and king, knew how to pray and strengthened himself in God (1Samuel 30:8).
The highest and chief goal in David’s life was to know God.
He dedicated his life to finding a resting place for God on earth
(Psalm 133:1-8). He sought the Lord with his time, talents, and treasures. He spent time in God’s House fasting and worshiping Him continually. He prioritized seeking God even as a military leader. He prioritized seeking God as a shepherd when nobody was watching. When he was young and when he was old, he sought after God. Whether he was in victory or in depression, David set His heart on God’s beauty.
After becoming King, David set up a worship tabernacle in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6). He had a revelation of worship according to God’s order in his heavenly sanctuary. He then prepared a place for the Ark of God and set it in the Tabernacle of David (1 Chronicles 15-16:1). He established Levites to worship before the Ark. During David’s lifetime, he raised up four thousand paid musicians and 288 paid singers to worship in God’s house (1 Chronicles 23:5; 25:7).
God has promised to restore David’s Tabernacle in the future. This speaks of Jesus’ Millennial government over all nations based on 24/7 Davidic worship and intercession (Amos 9:11). Now is the time when God’s end-time Church will have a vision to restore worship and prayer as David commanded, and will rise up to do this all across the earth. Adoring God was David’s main ambition. He was on a lifelong treasure hunt to discover the beauty of the Lord.
God wants to pour out His love within our hearts as well. He wants us to love Him wholeheartedly as David did. If this is not the case, we are out of alignment with what we were created for. This can bring great emotional fatigue and feelings of hopelessness. God wants to fill us with hope that nothing can destroy in all the situations we face in life. Read 1 John 2:5; 4:12; and 17-18. Romans 5:2b, 5 says:
“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God… And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
We need to tap into our power source. We need to find our identity in intimacy with Christ. Refreshment in God’s love helps us to stand firm. Mike Bickle prays the following:
“Father, I ask to be supernaturally empowered to give a witness of the glory of the Man, Christ Jesus and of His delivering power from all the oppressions of Satan so that many unredeemed people might be made whole and then passionately filled with our perfected love for your beloved Son and His dear church.”
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOP-KC
There has been a dramatic increase in fasting and prayer worldwide over the last several years. A few years ago Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, called for two million Christians to fast and pray for forty days for worldwide revival and for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. TheCall, led by Lou Engle is calling young people to fast and pray. When I was in Orlando, Florida, hundreds of young people came together to fast and pray for twelve hours. You can watch many of these prayer events on God TV. They are powerful, contagious, and life transforming.
Fasting combined with prayer and worship greatly affects our personal lives and releases the power of the Holy Spirit in us and in our cities.
When Solomon consecrated the temple (2 Chronicles 6:1-2) and requested that the Lord would be attentive to their prayer (2 Chronicles 6:40-42), the Lord answered, fire came down, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple (2 Chronicles 7:1). The Lord visited Solomon and made it clear that when the nation enters into a crisis, if they would humble themselves, repent, pray and seek His face, then he would heal the land (2 Chronicles 7:14).
This is God’s strategy for us in times of crisis. It’s time to return to the Lord with fasting, weeping, and mourning (Joel 2:12-13). We can change the future direction of a nation if we do this. God is merciful and slow to anger. He is gracious and compassionate, and He relents from doing harm (Joel 2:13b). We often look to honor, money, and the size of our ministry, but God values humility, serving, fasting, and prayer.
The Joel 2 fast in Scripture was God’s solution to calamity (see
Joel 2:12-17). Disaster was coming to the land, but it was not too late to avert it. The Joel 2 fast may not only stop the judgment of God, but it can also release the power of God. Isn’t this what we so desperately need in these days in so many of our nations? Instead of disaster we want the power of God released on the land. We read in Joel 2:13:
“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
In the Bible blowing the trumpet announced the call to gather at the House of Prayer as a solemn assembly with fasting; it also signaled a crisis. The House of Prayer within a city is a perpetual solemn assembly. It is God’s solution in days of crisis. God is calling people all over the earth to enter into a lifestyle of fasting and prayer as the days get worse. The trumpet call is sounding all over the earth. Let’s respond to the call.
“The trumpet call to fasting is being heard throughout the world. This is the decade of fasting and prayer. ‘Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly’ (Joel 2:15)… Today, the trumpet call of the Spirit is clear. We are to prepare for the future with a great deal of prayer and fasting. Congregations and leaders are responding worldwide. Intercessory prayer, joined with fasting, increases the spiritual alertness and effectiveness of God’s people.” Frank Damazio
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC
Mike Bickle, founder and director of the International House of Prayer started a Global Bridegroom Fast (GBF) several years ago. It’s a monthly three-day fast where believers worldwide join together in prayer and fasting for revival. It’s a monthly fast on the first Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of each month in the pattern of Joel 2, with seven days of fasting in December, totaling forty days of prayer and fasting throughout the year.
I encourage you to try this monthly three-day fast. My husband and I love this fast. Imagine joining others worldwide in a solemn assembly fast. Believe it or not, it is not that hard. God is giving extraordinary grace to fast, and doing it together worldwide seems to be much easier and more powerful.
To help you during the fast, worship and pray with the International House of Prayer in Kansas City live via the free Global Bridegroom Fast webcast. Join us for live, high-quality web-streaming, 24/7 prayer and worship all month. I receive many of my ideas for writing about prayer in the Global Prayer Room. If you don’t know what to pray, then pray these Global Bridegroom Fast prayer requests during your fast:
The prayer room is an ideal place to nurture your prayer life during seasons of fasting. It provides a solace from distractions and a place already filled with the Spirit of God. As the Church worldwide moves forward in the prayer movement, let’s realize that fasting, prayer, and seeking God’s face are increasing dramatically across the earth.
Your prayer room is part of a great prayer tapestry that is beginning to cover the earth. Fasting and prayer will increase not only the effectiveness of your intercession, but it will bring you to a place of deeper intimacy with God. And it will prepare the earth for the final harvest and the second coming of Christ the King.
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC