Tag Archives: church

Positioning Your Life for Greatness

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11264013_963028303760277_6266662734616935759_nIn starting and maintaining Houses of Prayer we are seeking for God’s “well done” in our lives. We become involved with what God cherishes and esteems so highly. Establishing Houses of Prayer helps to bring God’s people into a love relationship with Him and helps them establish a close partnership with Jesus on earth. This brings glory to God in the deepest sense. Prayer is rooted in humility and takes time and energy. But when we do this, we are investing our time and energy in order to help others grow in righteousness, peace, and joy.

Let’s press on with diligence and faithfulness (Philippians 3:12-14). He will help each one of us to be faithful in the face of pressure, obstacles, and difficulty. He will help us endure the mundane and the smallness of working diligently day by day and week by week as we get started. This matters to Him. We are living for a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. It’s a daily adventure in pleasing God. It’s all part of His invitation to greatness in His Kingdom. This invitation brings transformation in every area of our lives. Our hearts and our thoughts are transformed.

We are living in a transitional time in all of history. The Holy Spirit is preparing us for a release of His glory upon the Church. There will be a mighty release of signs, wonders, and glory at the end of the age
(Joel 2:28-29). This will bring transformation. God is right now shaking everything that can be shaken in the nations (Haggai 2:6-7). He is inviting everyone to become great in His Kingdom. He designed us for this. True greatness will be fully manifested in the age to come, not here. It will be based on our heart’s response, and it is available to all (Matthew 5:19; 20:26-27; 23:12).

Let’s seek God in all that we do with a childlike faith and a humble heart. He is transforming our hearts and our minds. It’s time to see life from His perspective because it is so far higher than ours. Let’s position our life for greatness in His Kingdom and accept this wonderful invitation.

I was sitting in the back of the International House of Prayer. I was looking at hundreds of young people who were accepting God’s invitation to greatness with glad hearts. They were intently seeking God in the secret place. They were giving Him their time and energy with heartfelt abandonment. It was powerful.

“Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me” (Matthew 18:4-5).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Our Prayer for the Church

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11390094_968828946513546_3817218908514737680_n-2Lord, we pray for the Church in our city and around the world [Name your city.] Help us to seek You and dwell in Your House. Teach us to gaze upon Your beauty (Psalm 27:4). Prepare us for revival. We know that prayer and worship prepares the way. May the praise of God be in our mouth and a double-edged sword in our hands (Psalm 149:6). Teach our church to worship and pray. Bring the Church in our city into enjoyable and anointed prayer. Unlock the hearts of Your people into the beauty of prayer. Teach us perseverance, and give us greater faith in prayer. Cause us to arise in prayer and passionately pursue You. Help us to know our identity and give You our devotion and praise. Unite our churches in prayer, and break down every barrier. We want to focus on the lost and see Your Kingdom come on earth.

Help Your Church to transition into the end times. Bring Your Church worldwide into the reality of heaven. Raise up forerunners in prayer, and strengthen the foundation of prayer in Your Church. Help us all to be obedient step-by-step, and listen to Your strategy and direction in every detail. Help us to pray Your purposes and plans in our city. We ask You to fill the atmosphere of our city with praise and worship. Invade our city with the atmosphere of Your presence. Thank You that Your Church will become a grace-empowered praying Church. You are forming Her into a beautiful Bride. We give You glory and praise. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Verses to Memorize

“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 for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:18-21).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOP-KC

Our Prayer for the Church

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11709564_989926214403819_5343331049890529465_nLord, we pray for the Church in our city and around the world [Name your city.] Help us to seek You and dwell in Your House. Teach us to gaze upon Your beauty (Psalm 27:4). Prepare us for revival. We know that prayer and worship prepares the way. May the praise of God be in our mouth and a double-edged sword in our hands (Psalm 149:6). Teach our church to worship and pray. Bring the Church in our city into enjoyable and anointed prayer. Unlock the hearts of Your people into the beauty of prayer. Teach us perseverance, and give us greater faith in prayer. Cause us to arise in prayer and passionately pursue You. Help us to know our identity and give You our devotion and praise. Unite our churches in prayer, and break down every barrier. We want to focus on the lost and see Your Kingdom come on earth.

Help Your Church to transition into the end times. Bring Your Church worldwide into the reality of heaven. Raise up forerunners in prayer, and strengthen the foundation of prayer in Your Church. Help us all to be obedient step-by-step, and listen to Your strategy and direction in every detail. Help us to pray Your purposes and plans in our city. We ask You to fill the atmosphere of our city with praise and worship. Invade our city with the atmosphere of Your presence. Thank You that Your Church will become a grace-empowered praying Church. You are forming Her into a beautiful Bride. We give You glory and praise. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Verses to Memorize

“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 for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:18-21).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

How to Help the Church Arise in Prayer

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11264013_963028303760277_6266662734616935759_nPraying Church Life Application

The Church will arise in power through Houses of Prayer. Think about your own church and the Church worldwide. Answer the following questions thoughtfully:

  • In what ways have you experienced the combination of prayer together with worship? – Think about the prayer meetings you have been involved in. Have you experienced any of the following? Explain.- The ability to pray longer and with greater ease.- An unlocking of your heart to a greater reality of heaven.
    – An increase in faith and perseverance.
    – An increase in enjoyable prayer.
    – A greater anointing in prayer, especially in spiritual warfare
    praying.
  • Study Psalm 73 – Asaph felt as if it was useless to live a good life (Isaiah 73:1-16). In the sanctuary of God (House of Prayer) he gained a refreshed vision of the reality of God’s love and justice (Psalm 73:17-28). In what way can you relate to how he felt both before and after verse 17?
  • Study the benefits of Houses of Prayer for the Church  – Which ones are particularly meaningful as you look at the needs and characteristics of the churches in your city and your own church? In what way does prayer and worship prepare the way for revival?
  • Do you see an awareness of the need for a House of Prayer in your city? – In what ways is the Church in your city in transition? Explain your answers, and then pray the following prayer requests for the Church to arise in your city and all throughout the world:- Locations – Because the enemy fights unity in prayer so strongly, there are sometimes difficulties in getting a neutral location and the right facilities for Houses of Prayer. Pray for God’s perfect locations in your city and worldwide.- Countries – Pray for Houses of Prayer in every city in every country. Praise God for the many countries that now have Houses of Prayer. See www.24-7prayer.com for encouragement.
    – Signs, wonders, and healings – Many will come to know the Lord in the last days because of signs, wonders, and miraculous healings. Pray for physical and emotional healings inside and outside the Church through Houses of Prayer.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Why Prayer and Worship is Key to Revival

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11403171_990321821030925_1910952849621166331_n“The release of a heavenly model of worship and intercession, with music and prayers woven together in a tapestry of ministry to the Lord, is key to the release of revival upon the earth. The Lord in His grace has revealed to us in the Word how He enjoys receiving ministry from us, and we neglect this revelation to our own loss… What we are beginning to understand is that worship is the essential warfare of the saints, for it releases the presence and power of God. From Psalm 22:3 we know that the praises of the people of God make up the throne on which He establishes His rule and authority, and so as we minister to Him we are confident that His power is released in the earth.” Gary Wiens

The combination of prayer and worship in extended times of prayer are key for revival. Never has there been a revival without extended times of intensive prayer, nor will we ever see the final world revival ushering in the second coming of Christ without it. Here are some exciting reasons:

  • It brings us into the reality of heaven – We must realize that worship and prayer are combined together in heaven around the throne of God. We are in the process of bringing heaven to earth in our cities and nations. We are copying what heaven is doing by combining the interaction of the harp (worship) with the bowls of incense (prayers). See Revelation 5:8.
  • It unlocks our hearts –  The atmosphere of worship and praise opens our hearts in a greater dimension to fervent intercession, and a greater passion for Christ and His ways. It also unlocks our hearts to a greater gratitude for all God has done. I cannot help but move to a higher level in my intercession when praise and worship are combined. I find this true when I’m praying alone as well as in prayer meetings.
  • It increases our faith – I have seen and experienced how the singers fuel the intercessors, and the intercessors fuel the singers, until all seem to move into a higher realm of faith. The Word of God is prayed with greater certainty, with deeper passion, and with an unquenchable faith.
  • It attracts us to enjoyable prayer – There is no doubt about it. God wants us to enjoy prayer. There is no way we can move into day and night prayer without an enjoyment of it. It is much too hard and strenuous a work. We need our hearts to say, “Yes, I want to do this! Yes, our city can get into this because God is making it enjoyable.”
  • It increases our perseverance in prayer – Many times I have heard people say that the time goes by so quickly. There seems to be an ability and grace to pray for longer periods of time when prayer and worship are combined. Many who find it hard to pray for any length of time suddenly are able to spend hours in the prayer room.
  • It brings forth an anointing for spiritual warfare – It breaks the hold of the enemy in cities. It opens the way for a freedom to proclaim the Gospel. The Kingdom of God invades the territory. The combination of prayer and worship releases God’s justice. Praise, worship, and prayer is a powerful combination and a mighty force against the kingdom of darkness. We come into agreement with God’s heart and things change.

God is preparing His Church around the world for revival. He is preparing us individually as well as corporately.

“There is an irrefutable law in history that revival (justice) is released in a measure whenever night and day worship and intercession are offered. Wherever night and day prayer has emerged in history there is always a Divine breakout of speedy justice. It cannot be stopped.” Mike Bickle

Let’s pray that the Church worldwide would grow in prayer and worship. Psalm 132 is a psalm crying out for revival. The psalmist reminds God of King David’s devotion and dedication in pursuing righteousness. David had vowed to God that he would find a place for God, a dwelling place. His heart was set in seeking Him. He would not let go until God had a dwelling place on earth.

Revival is finding God that resting place. It will be geographic places where God’s Spirit is released in power. It will be a resting place where people can live in agreement with and in obedience to the Holy Spirit. When the Church is obediently following God, praying fervently, and living holy and righteous lives, then God’s reviving power will be manifested in that city. The power of God will be experienced in His people both individually and corporately.

God is giving a special grace and an increase in prayer at this time in preparation for this end-time revival.

Some of us are just beginning to get started. Don’t be overwhelmed. A momentum is building and a spirit of prayer and worship is being released across the earth. My suggestion to you is to start small. Music CDs that demonstrate prayer with worship can be found in many Christian bookstores. Purchase a few of these music CDs for members of your prayer and worship teams in your church, and begin to listen to them over and over again. You can purchase excellent worship with intercession music CDs through the IHOPKC online bookstore as well as watch the live IHOPKC webstream.

We did this in our church. Everyone was listening to the music CD called Apostolic Prayers. They’re a great example of “harp and bowl” worship and prayer sessions and a powerful way to pray. I use worship CDs regularly in the nations where I go to minister. We use them in the atmosphere of our own home. Houses of Prayer around the world like to play the live web stream of 24/7 prayer on large screens in their prayer rooms whenever they can’t have live worship.

This will bring you into the atmosphere of what prayer combined with worship is like. It will create a hunger in your soul and an excitement in your heart for praying the Word of God. Worship together with prayer will begin to touch your church with the atmosphere of heaven, and will prepare you and your city for a mighty revival.

“Intercession is agreement with what God promises to do. Intercession is expressed by declaring what He will do. In heaven the worship and intercession flow as one river. When we tell God who He is then our faith expands with the revelation of the transcendent God of power and beauty. Then when we agree with what He will do in intercession, we do it in great faith.” Mike Bickle

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Preparing the Church for Revival

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11390094_968828946513546_3817218908514737680_n-2“It was praying that rent the heavens; praying that received direct answers there and then. The spirit of intercession was so mightily poured out that the whole congregation would pray simultaneously for hours! Strangers were startled to hear the young and unlettered pray with such unction and intelligence as they were swept up to the Throne of Grace by the Spirit of God. Worship and adoration was unbounded. Praise began to mingle with the petitions as answered prayer was demonstrated before their very eyes.” James Stewart

Fervent prayer prepares the way for revival. Day and night intercession and worship is a big key to revival. The combination of intercession and worship was a major part of the past revivals in history. Why are extended times of prayer so important? There are so many wonderful reasons. Let me name a few:

  • Prayer changes us.
  • It sets us free from worldly pursuits.
  • It opens the way for uninterrupted time with God.
  • It gives us a burden for what is on God’s heart.
  • It brings us into deeper humility and repentance.
  • It draws us closer to God and brings revelation.
  • It builds unity.
  • It teaches us the Word.
  • It brings extraordinary answers to prayer.

The benefits are so vast. In all my studies about revival, I have seen that day and night, intense and earnest prayer was one of the major keys found in all revivals. And it was prayer and worship together that brought the power of God to earth in a mighty outpouring of His Spirit.

I remember a time when we were living in Virginia Beach, and bad weather was rapidly approaching our area in the middle of the night. Not liking heavy storms, I quickly got up and anxiously turned on the television to see what they were reporting. The weather report was bleak. With brand new weather instruments, they were able to see the movements of the wind high up in the atmosphere. The winds were circling around; I could see little circles all over our area on the weather map.

Unfortunately there was a tornado watch. I don’t like tornadoes. Being born in Minnesota, I had my fair share of tornado-like weather; I know what damage they can cause. And now we live in Kansas City—and you know the movie called “The Wizard of Oz” and how Dorothy’s house was taken up by a tornado in Kansas and dropped in the Land of Oz. Well, these clouds were all circular tornadoes high up in the sky. If they touched down, there would be a lot of destruction on the ground. To make matters worse, this same storm had produced destruction along its path throughout the south of the country. And now it was coming in our direction.

Thankfully these circling tornado clouds didn’t touch down that night. We had experienced God’s mercy and grace. But the weather reporter said that if they had swept through our area the previous afternoon when the weather was warmer, they would have caused a lot of damage in Virginia Beach. But because the evening hours had lowered the temperature, the clouds stayed high.

This reminds me of the preparation of the church for revival. When the church prays, God begins to form something in the atmosphere. His presence is like those circling tornado clouds forming as we pray. When the atmosphere of prayer and worship permeate a region, God begins to work. He is welcomed into a city. The heat and fire of prayer bring His presence and power into the atmosphere of the city.

Unlike the destruction that tornadoes bring, God is able to bring in His glory, His righteousness, and His light. But just as tornadoes destroy as they descend onto the ground, God sweeps in like the wind and is able to destroy wickedness, defeat ungodliness, and bring His salvation to those who desperately need it. He is able to purify His Church with His holiness.

When we praise God and use His double-edged sword (the Word of God) in intercession, vengeance is inflicted on the nations. We read in Psalm 149:6-9:

“May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.”

Vengeance is God’s just retribution on those who have attacked his Kingdom. We are at war every day, and God’s Kingdom is under attack. The combination of worship and prayer releases God’s judgment against sin and rebellion on earth. It opens the way for revival in the nations.

You and I prepare the way for revival in the Church when we enter into day and night prayer and worship.

Just as tornado clouds formulate and circle around a center, unity is created through the Spirit of God by the combination of prayer and worship. This unity creates power, and the Church becomes a mighty vessel that releases God’s presence into the city. This prepares the church for revival.        

God brings forth beautiful, spontaneous worship and when blended with prayer, it becomes a powerful weapon of His glory. I find this to be true as God’s people become familiar with the “harp and bowl” model of prayer (combining worship and singing together with Biblical prayer). The Biblical prayers bring forth the antiphonal singing. Singer adds to singer, and a beautiful unity comes forth as the very Word and will of God are prayed through the Holy Spirit. It’s like those circular tornado clouds descending to earth, reviving the people of God and bringing His presence into the city.

I have been in numerous prayer and worship meetings. Each one is unique and powerful, testifying to the creativity of God’s Spirit. Read this exciting testimony taken from the Welsh revival of 1904. Notice how powerfully harmonious worship and praise is with the Spirit of God leading.

“The fact is, unless heard, it is unimaginable and when heard indescribable. There was no hymnbook. No one gave out a hymn. Just anyone would start the singing, and very rarely did it happen that the hymn started was out of harmony with the mood at the moment. Once started, as if moved by a simultaneous impulse, the hymn was caught up by the whole congregation almost as if what was about to be sung had been announced and all were responding to the baton of an invisible human leader. I have seen nothing like it. Such was the perfect blending of the mood and purpose that it bore eloquent testimony to a unity created only by the Spirit of God. Another witness testified: “The praying and singing were both wonderful. There was no need for an organ. The assembly was its own organ as a thousand sorrowing or rejoicing hearts found expression in the Psalmody of their native hills.”

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC 

Preparing the Church For the Future

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“We will soon see prayer become the chief purpose and focus of the church, above any other activity. Intercession is no longer just an option. The basic calling of the church is to be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Mark 11:17). There are no remedies for human problems without God, and the whole earth is about to learn this.” Rick Joyner

The church is in transition and preparation. She will one day see her identity as an eternal House of Prayer and a glorious Bride—but she does not see it yet. There is a wrestling inside, almost like a butterfly in a tiny cocoon trying to escape and spread her wings. She is just beginning to hear the voice of the Bridegroom as John the Baptist did (John 3:29). She is just beginning to desire one thing above all others—to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord as David did (Psalm 27:4). She is just beginning to realize her unique privilege and the close friendship and intimate knowledge that she can have with God’s heart.

Things are happening quickly worldwide. We are all in God’s end-time preparation whether we like it or not. Now is the time to lay hold of the absolute necessity of day and night prayer and ask God to create it in our churches and in our cities. God is giving us grace and authority in prayer to seek Him at this time, so let’s take advantage of it. Let’s seek to grow in fervent prayer.

In unity, we will be doing and saying the same things the Spirit is doing and saying. We will be in unity with God as we learn to walk in daily obedience by pursuing Him in prayer and guarding our hearts with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23).

God desires for us to have a dynamic role as we partner with Him in prayer in bringing His Kingdom on earth. This is how He will govern His universe. As we unite in prayer and worship, we will keep strong and stable when everything is shaking around us.

The prayer movement in a city is going to be one of the greatest stabilizing forces for the Church. God hears the prayers of His people and brings victory (2 Chronicles 6:35, 40; 7:15). This will create the spiritual atmosphere that will enable all of us to bring in the harvest. Evil is increasing at an alarming rate. A House of Prayer can spiritually penetrate into the darkest areas of the city, causing those lost in the deepest darkness to come into the light and be set free.

With such a dynamic role in partnership with God, we must pray fervently for the prayer movement to arise and spread like fire.

In his book, Healing the Nations, John Sandford writes that the Church is seeing the beginning of visitation throughout the world:

“Over the past several years, the Lord has raised up an armada of intercessory ministries around the world. Through their efforts, multitudes have come together in citywide prayer, solemn assemblies, prayer summits, and reconciliation services. God has used the earnestness of this intercession to bring millions to repentance. The prayer movement has touched the heart of God; in turn, He has touched the heart of man. As a result of this prayer movement, the church is seeing the beginning of visitation throughout the world. Renewal, revival, and supernatural manifestations are being reported almost daily. Many feel we are closer to a great awakening than at any other time…”

Early one Sunday morning as we were on our way to a church two hours away, we made a quick stop at a gas station. When I went inside that gas station, I was instantly overwhelmed by the delicious smell of fresh bread and donuts. “Ummmmm” was about all I could say. It smelled so good that it was hard for me to leave. I wanted to buy coffee and donuts immediately because I had been captured by the aroma of that bread. I used my will power and didn’t buy any donuts, but I was strongly reminded that the prayers of the Church will be like a fragrant aroma that captures God’s attention.

The Church will become a House of Prayer for the nations. Churches throughout the world will put prayer at the center of all of their activities. They will cry out to God for their city, country, and the nations of the world. Those who are searching for truth will not be able to stay away from the sweet-smelling aroma of prayer that will come from the prayer room. People will be drawn into the Houses of Prayer, and God’s future Church will be filled with the aroma of Christ. This is what we have to look forward to. And those who have been in the prayer room will bring this sweet-smelling aroma with them everywhere they go—to school, their workplace, and into the streets.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC 

The Church in Martos, Spain

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11230031_994913747238399_3289985085759092424_nWe were up in the mountains visiting a tiny church in Martos, Spain. They told me there were about 35 thousand people in that city and only two churches. The church we visited only had two families. Imagine that.

If you were only a few Christians in a city, wouldn’t you want to be united? I know I would. We would need all the fellowship we could possibly find. Now in that city there are just not very many believers.

Yet in many of our cities, even though there are plenty of Christians, we are often so divided. We need to be united in order to bring in the harvest. In the book of Acts the united Church saw a few thousand added to their number in a day (Acts 2:41).

When I looked at Martos, I realized how desperately a House of Prayer was needed in that area. Prayer could change the atmosphere of the entire city. That city has a redemptive story that may have been buried or forgotten. God wants to uncover and reactivate it through prayer. Praying Christians can see the city with hope, and through prayer, can unlock God’s redemptive plan for the people living there. There is an identity in the city, and through prayer, God can give keys to unlock His future for Martos.

Let’s dream a little and imagine how a House of Prayer could help the Church arise in Martos. It would help the Church—though presently very small—to arise to her destiny by passionately pursuing Christ. It would help the Church to pray God’s purposes over Martos. It would help God’s people living there to obey His promptings in evangelism, knowing fully well their identity in Christ and their calling to reach the lost.

Through prayer the Church would see God open doors of blessing and close doors of oppression in the city. Instead of being withheld, God would release His eternal resources from heaven. His Word, spoken over Martos would not return void but would accomplish what He desires (Isaiah 55:11). The Church would love more because she would know how deeply she is loved. She would mature into full stature and would be lavishly devoted to God and committed to His plans for the city. She would begin to see God’s Kingdom and presence invade every aspect of society, and transformation in Martos would begin to occur through the supernatural power of God.

Isn’t it time to pray for Houses of Prayer to start everywhere, in all cities big and small?

Day and night prayer will help the Church to arise to her destiny as the glorious Bride of Christ. She will arise in her eternal House of Prayer identity. One day the Church from every tribe, tongue, and nation will understand the reality that Jesus passionately loves her just as a husband loves a bride. She will be established in her bridal identity. She will understand her place of privilege, friendship, and intimacy and will see the Kingdom with loyal, devoted love. As the Church is anointed and victorious by the Spirit for intercession, she will be effective in reaching the harvest. She will be empowered to walk in the grace of prayer with great authority, honor, and dignity. Her prayers will release the great harvest throughout the world.

May she arise as a passionate Bride, wholeheartedly seeking her Bridegroom King.

“We cannot function properly until we have passionately given our heart to a person and purpose beyond ourselves. If we don’t have something to die for, then we don’t have anything to live for. We don’t work right half-hearted.” Mike Bickle

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

House of Prayer Benefits for the Church

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11701226_990322364364204_1884118167031320414_nLook at more ways that Houses of Prayer will benefit the Church. Take time to think about these benefits. Evaluate your own church as well as the corporate Church in your city in light of these benefits. Where does your church need to improve? Begin to pray these qualities into the Church in your city or nation.

  • Houses of Prayer will help the Church to passionately pursue God – David is our Biblical example of a man after God’s own heart. He burned with God’s desires. He was moved with what moved the heart of God. He was a man of prayer and worship who passionately pursued God. Just as David hungered after God, the Church will grow in its passionate pursuit of Him as members of the body of Christ get involved in Houses of Prayer. There will be a rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David (Matthew 29:18-20; Acts 1:8; 15:15-17; Ephesians 4:11-16; Revelation 19:7-10).
  • Houses of Prayer will help the Church to pray God’s purposes and plans over a city – In the prayer room God will show His Church how He feels about a city. It is there in His presence where He will reveal His plans, purposes, and heart for the city.“David studied the emotions of God’s heart. He was a man going after what was burning in God’s heart. He wanted to know what God was feeling and what He was thinking. He wanted to know, not just what God did, but why He did it. He wanted to be intimately acquainted with the passion and affection of God.” Mike Bickle
  • Houses of Prayer will help change and mature the Church in the city – When you and I know the emotions and feelings in God’s heart through prayer and intimacy, we can better obey Him. We can walk obediently in His Word and live radically for Him because His love sustains us. We then are able to obey God long-term because we are linked to His power rather than our own weakness.“When you know what God’s heart looks like, then you know what you look like to God. This is what motivates us to change our lifestyles. You’ll never get anybody to change their actions long term until they change the way they view themselves before God.” Mike Bickle
  • Houses of Prayer will help the Church to know the love of God and who she really is in Christ – We know in a deeper dimension His great love for us even when we make mistakes. Most of us have little grasp of the overwhelming love of God for us personally and the deep pleasure He has in our fellowship with Him. When we spend time in an atmosphere of prayer and worship, we begin to feel loved by God and we begin to feel that we are lovers of God. We begin to feel that God enjoys us even when we make mistakes. We begin to move into a higher realm of God’s love.
  • Houses of Prayer will help bring the Church into lavish devotion and concentration on God – A place of continual worship and prayer will cause members of the Church to live undistracted lives, with a greater ability to live focused on God and hearing his heartbeat. It is the Church, as she is increasingly in love with God and His cause, who will make the difference in the world. We are the ones who will see and be part of this wonderful end-time harvest.
  • Houses of Prayer will bring in the Kingdom of God and touch the lost in a city – Reaching a city for God is going to take dedicated prayer warriors in order to dismantle the ruling powers of darkness in a city. Houses of Prayer will help the Church focus on bringing in the harvest. So many of the lost people in a city are searching for love to fill the empty void in their soul. Houses of Prayer will help the Church focus on bringing in the harvest with God’s love.
  • Houses of Prayer will help to unite the Church, breaking down the barriers that divide – People of various denominations and backgrounds, who are praying and worshipping together, bring a unity in the Spirit that breaks down the age-old barriers that have divided us for so long. It is the united Church that will be empowered to reach a dying world. The world will know we are Christians because of our unity and love.
  • Houses of Prayer will help the Church stand as watchmen for the Church worldwide – Churches will take responsibility to stand in prayer for cities and nations. They will pray not only for their own needs, but also for the needs of their community. God will expand His Church to become a House of Prayer with perpetual prayer and perpetual encounters with God
    (2 Chronicles 7:14-15; Luke 18:1-8; Acts 2; 4:4, 6; 9:31; 12:24; 19:20; John 5:39; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 1-3, 4-5).

Understanding these benefits should give us a desire to see the Church throughout the world arise. It’s time for the Bride of Christ to arise in beauty, knowing who she is and why she is here. Let’s realize that the House of Prayer is our eternal identity (Isaiah 56:7). We are God’s House. We are His family. Our identity is being in His house with His family. What a joyful realization and comforting truth this is to so many who feel completely alone and homeless deep in their heart. And being in God’s family, He graciously rises to show us compassion and blesses us through our prayers (Isaiah 30:18-19).

It’s so exciting to realize that we are in an intimate partnership with Jesus’ heavenly intercession when we pray. We grow in intimacy-based intercession in the House of Prayer. We are created to interact deeply with God’s heart.

When we do, God’s resources are released into the earthly realm—His favor, wisdom, finances, and righteousness as we pray. His resources are not released until we pray and move His heart (James 4:2). Just to realize that Jesus will return to earth in answer to the global prayer movement is amazing (Isaiah 42:10-13).

Do you realize that, like Daniel, you can actually move angels and demons by your prayers to God? (Daniel 10:12).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Houses of Prayer Help the Church Arise

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Our Prayers for Wisdom in Developing a House of Prayer“The revelation David had about the emotions of God equipped his heart for a sustained aban-doned pursuit of God, through his many weaknesses and failures, as well as his stunning
victories. David is the picture of the end-time church, which will be a lovesick, wor-shipping warrior bride, and a people after God’s own heart.” Mike Bickle

After traveling extensively throughout Europe, I realized more than ever how day and night prayer would help advance what God is doing around the world. Darkness seemed to be invading every segment of society—you could sense the blindness as you talked with people on the streets and in the stores. God did not seem to be welcomed there.

Yet, there is such a desperate need for God to permeate every city, and this can only happen through prayer and worship. It is only the light that can cast out the darkness. Evil seems to be intruding into our nations at an alarming rate. God’s manifest presence can invade our cities through Houses of Prayer.

A good example of how this can happen is by looking at Asaph in Psalm 73. He was facing extreme difficulty and had almost lost his footing. He envied the arrogant when he saw their prosperity. They seemed to have no struggles and were free from burdens. They were carefree and increasing in wealth. They seemed to get away with violence and were actually prospering. Asaph felt as if it was useless to live a good life (Psalm 73:1-16). The whole thing seemed to be extremely oppressive.

Now if we were honest most of us would say, “That’s exactly how I feel. I’m tired of seeing the wicked prosper.”

Notice in this Psalm that everything changed in verse 17 when Asaph entered the sanctuary of God. It was right there that he began to understand their final destiny. In the sanctuary of God (House of Prayer), he gained a fresh vision of the reality of God’s love and justice (Psalm 73:17-28). Suddenly they would be destroyed and cast down to ruin. They were on slippery ground. They would be punished for their sin.

Asaph realized the personal love of God for himself. God was always with him and would guide him—God was his strength and would take him to glory—God was his refuge. The wicked were only enjoying temporary success.

Houses of Prayer will help the future Church arise.

Entering the sanctuary of God through prayer will help the Church to see the true reality of the situation out there in society. When it looks as if the wicked are prospering, the prayer room will keep the Church focused on the eternal rather than the temporary. The Spirit will release the glory of God upon the Church at the end of the age. God has put eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Day and night prayer will help the Church to see the purposes and plans of God. Prayer will help us to know the hidden wisdom of God ordained before the ages (1 Corinthians 2:7-10). It will help us to persevere and stand together in unity. It will impact our communities and the world.

Houses of Prayer will help the Church arise.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC