Tag Archives: revival

Preparing the Way for God’s Presence

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Developing a Dynamic Prayer Life in the Prayer Room“In every revival in history we read a similar testimony. When God responded to His people by sending His presence, He didn’t just work Himself into their routine religion—He overtook them by His power and glory! He left a trail of glorious chaos in His wake—weeping, repenting, rejoicing, reconciling, changing of habits, healing of families! Nobody wondered if Jesus was involved in these meetings. There was no doubt in their minds and no lack in their hearts.” Rhonda Hughey

God wants to invade our cities with His glorious and powerful presence. He wants to overtake our lives and change our plans and routines so that they are fully in line with His purposes. As we look at the Kingdom of God and preparing the way for God’s holy presence, the Sermon on the Mount is the greatest test to measure and evaluate our personal success.

  • How well do I live out the eight beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12 and all of Matthew 5-7?
  • Do I seek to obey God in every area of our life?
  • Do I declare war on all compromise?

This is the test. This is the great personal challenge we are all facing as we prepare for 24/7 prayer. We are made for personal holiness and to intimately know God. This is what is so fantastic about a House of Prayer. God begins to change you, and you begin to prioritize prayer in a way you have never done before—or even imagined possible. Prayer begins to take center stage in your life.

We experienced this at our House of Prayer in Spain. Prayer suddenly became a priority. God began to deal with our lives—our speech, our time, our money, our relationships, and everything else. There was an internal calling from God to love and follow Him with all of our heart. God wanted our hearts and a life of complete obedience so that we would be perfect and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4).

We were challenged in our prayer lives as the Holy Spirit began to
reinforce the importance of personal prayer and the absolute necessity of corporate prayer for the region. There was a lying down of secondary priorities for many. We were becoming very hungry for Jesus and His presence (Matthew 5:6). Through prayer and praise we were welcoming God into the region. Many of us began to treasure the presence of God above all else, as we realized deep in our hearts the truth of John 15:5, “Without Me you can do nothing.”

That time, and now being based at the International House of Prayer, has personally challenged me to make quality decisions for holiness and to let God challenge my motives on a regular basis. I still have a long way to go, but at least I am on the road. It definitely is a life-long journey. You may be thinking:

“How do I even begin to think about a House of Prayer in my city?”

The first step is to PRAY! You start by praying about a House of Prayer in your city. Even if you are not the one to start it, you can pray for others who will. Pray that God raises up the right ones to begin it, and you can be the one who supports them in prayer. If one month seems too long for you to start with, begin with a one-week House of Prayer. In starting to plan towards a one-month House of Prayer and beyond, there are several initial steps to pray and work towards. Every city needs a House of Prayer, but there always needs to be a few who start it.

Think about some of the things you want to see accomplished. You want to create an unbroken string of focused intense prayer of entreaty to God. Now this may seem overwhelming at first, but you will be surprised at how God helps you. After all, it’s His idea and desire in the first place. You want to provide times and places for many to come together in prayer. You want to ask the Lord to visit your city with His presence. Ultimately, you want to roll out a red carpet for the King of kings, and invite Him to come and do His work.

In Biblical and church history, united prayer has proven to be the single lifesaver of a nation during times of danger and uncertainty. The Lord commands His people to seek His face (2 Chronicles 7:14). Noah was warned by God concerning the flood, even though there was no visible sign of it coming—not even a raindrop! He took heed and diligently constructed and prepared an ark for the deliverance of his family (Hebrews 11:7).

It is difficult to predict exact results in a one-month House of Prayer. The key is to be faithful in doing what God shows you to do in prayer. In our House of Prayer in Spain, I believe that many were radically changed in their prayer lives, but there were also those who went back to their previous lifestyles and life as usual.

We have to be willing to pay the price for God’s continual presence in our city. It’s up to the Church to decide long-term how much of God they really want. It is important that churches and intercessors continue to pray and anticipate the ongoing development of God’s plan and Kingdom purposes for their city while the discipline and blessing of united prayer is still fresh.

In Spain the glory of God was visible in one of the most spiritually needy areas in the world, but the churches needed to continue asking God to help them develop the prayer movement in their area. Outsiders who came to help could not do it. It had to be those who lived in that city. I believe the following results will happen when Christians do accept the challenge of continual united prayer in their city:

  • A united, praying church develops that is pleasing to the Lord.
  • There is a breaking of the spiritual darkness that is invading the nation.
  • The Church demonstrates an example of corporate prayer that challenges others in cities around the country to develop prayer in their region as well.
  • A movement of the Spirit occurs, bringing salvation to thousands of people.
  • A continued growing movement of prayer arises, sweeping thousands of tired Christians into a fresh new excitement and vitality in Christ.

Imagine the future of your city when a House of Prayer is operating day and night. God will pour out His Spirit. There will be the manifest presence of the Lord scattering His enemies and ours. Signs, wonders, healing, and deliverance from demonic oppression will become the norm. There will be the revival of the Church, and it will grow. Sinners will come under conviction and will open their hearts to the message of the Gospel on a regular basis. But you must ask the Lord what you are to do.

What is the blueprint, the plan for building His Kingdom in your city? How can the Church in your city prepare the way for God’s presence?

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