Tag Archives: diversity

Creativity in the Worldwide Prayer Movement

1619267_964089653654142_2289170929060942269_nGod is up to something big! We must learn to celebrate His united creativity and diversity as Houses of Prayer spread worldwide.

Expect variation and creativity as the prayer movement increases. Some people have thought that Houses of Prayer have to be exactly alike. As you read about what God is doing, you can see that this is not true. The Holy Spirit is extremely creative. Each city and nation is different and is uniquely designed by God. Rejoice in different people and ways of praying. Rejoice in the different instruments and singers that God brings. Rejoice in God’s unity in diversity.

Seek God for the perfect expression He wants for you, your church, and your city. Don’t think it has to always turn out the same way or be done in the same fashion. The important thing is to begin so that you can take your part in the beautiful tapestry of prayer that God is designing throughout the earth. Peter Greig expresses the creativity of God in unique expressions of prayer:

“One of the things that often take people by surprise when they create space for 24-7 prayer is that there is an instant explosion of creativity. Instinctively, it seems, many people choose nonverbal ways of communicating with God the moment they have the opportunity. Suddenly prayers are painted, drummed, enacted, rhymed, choreographed, and even sculpted… The creativity of God is evident all around us, as is the inadequacy of speech amid the mysteries of life. How then can we reduce something as profound as prayer to mere words? Loving God demands the whole of our being: emotion, imagination, and personality.” Peter Greig and David Blackwell

A friend I was visiting was mending a big tablecloth with a beautiful design. There were a few tiny holes in various places and instead of throwing it away because it had no use, she wanted to mend the holes. At one point she told me to take the two ends and help her hold it up to the light. She then looked carefully for any holes that would be hard to see when looking at a small section. We held it up and sure enough, I found a small hole in one of the corners. She quickly mended the hole and there it was, a beautiful tablecloth!

The worldwide prayer movement is like this beautiful tapestry as it grows with united and creative intercession. Each piece is important. The entire piece makes a beautiful design for the world to see. Just as a tablecloth has a purpose for a family to eat and dine together on it, so the tapestry of prayer has a purpose. Believers gather to feast on the goodness of God and pray for the world. Its purpose and design will touch people all over the world with the glory of God and His salvation.

A tiny hole in this worldwide prayer movement will diminish the overall effect and purposes of God in that location. God is mending the nets and preparing the world for a huge catch of fish. It’s time that we each do our part in bringing about this great design of creative and fervent prayer in God’s House.

Let’s do our part and rejoice in the expression of God’s united creativity.  

As you anticipate this beautiful tablecloth of blessing, go to prayer with great expectation. Pray for God’s blessing in each prayer meeting you hear about, and pray for a great increase in 24/7 prayer in every nation. God is releasing a spirit of prayer throughout the earth.

He is raising up Houses of Prayer with great uniqueness and creativity in every land. This creativity does not diminish our unity. This unites us more because we realize that we don’t have to be exactly alike. Our unique prayer meeting adds to the overall unity of the prayer movement. God-inspired creativity is part of God’s plan in the prayer movement (Exodus 35:30-35; Psalm 45:1; Proverbs 8:22-31).

Ask God to show you a bigger picture of Himself through the diversity and creativity of 24/7 prayer. He is zealous for His House of Prayer throughout the world. He will take the full expression of His praying Church and make it a beautiful tapestry for the world to see and desire. When we unite, nothing is impossible.

“The zeal of the Lord of Hosts is loose in the land. The power and anointing in the Church is escalating as God releases the zeal of the Father’s house upon His people. It brings holy boldness, (creativity) and an unquenchable spirit of prayer. It stems from a holy jealousy of God who is declaring in a loud voice, “I’m coming to take over My house and to claim My house for My own.” James Goll

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Values to Help Facilitate Unity in Prayer

11169247_994914043905036_2077199318887040447_nThe following are three values that will help facilitate unity in your House of Prayer:

  • Mature team ministry – When there are instruments, antiphonal singing and prayer together, then there is a need for unity between the worship team, the intercessors, the singers, and everyone in the prayer room. There needs to be the desire to function as a divine symphony. We truly need each other. Skilled hands and trained minds are needed. The musicians must play with restraint in order to bring out the best in the team. Intercessors must refrain from lengthy prayers. Mature team ministry is vitally important.
  • There needs to be the desire to include everyone – The ungifted, weak, or untrained need to feel welcomed. Everyone is needed. Everyone is part of the prayer room. We must be very careful that one or a few people do not dominate the House of Prayer. I have experienced this many times. When one or two people dominate the prayers because they are quick or loud, the quieter ones can feel frustrated or left out. We need to guard against this.
  • Centrality of the Word – Praying the Bible should be included. Mike Bickle from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City says that we should be a singing seminary.

“We are to be rejoicing in the language of God’s heart as opposed to being frustrated by the limitation of biblical language. The Scriptures impart a governmental function into the model that automatically hinders the use of error and weirdness.” Mike Bickle

Think about the beautiful sound in a united symphony orchestra. This instrumental ensemble containing sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments which when united make a beautiful symphony.

A psychologist at Union College and R. Scott Builione, a graduate student at Columbia University, were presenting their discoveries at a meeting of the American Psychologist Association. They were showing how various sections of eleven major symphony orchestras perceived one another. String players were seen as arrogant and unathletic. The percussionists were viewed as hard-of-hearing, unintelligent, and insensitive. The brass players were thought of as loud and woodwinds were seen as meticulous, quiet, and quite egotistical.

With such widely divergent perceptions and personalities, how could they ever come together and make such wonderful music? The amazing answer is that even though these musicians see each other with different eyes, they come under submission to the leadership of the conductor. Because of his guidance, they play breathtaking music.

In the same way, those in the prayer room might all be different and have a variety of ways of doing things, but when they submit to the leadership of God and His Word, they play and pray in harmony. No one is left out; they function as a divine symphony. They are of one heart, giving glory to God through their unity. Just as in the book of Acts, God will show forth His power through His people when they are of one heart and soul. I look forward to that day, don’t you?

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers were one in heart and mind… With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus…” (Acts 4:31-32a, 33).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC