Abbotsford City Prayer

The Authority Position of STANDING

2012-01-20T11:54:00.001-08:00

I've asked my prayer mentor and friend, Marilyn Wishart to write this week's blog! Thanks Marilyn!

“having done all, stand…” Eph. 6:13.

Thereis great spiritual authority available to those who know where they havepositioned themselves and that this specific place belongs to them. There isalso great rest and assurance in being in that place and remaining.

Buthow do you get there when the battle areas can be so fierce, debilitating andemotional?

First,you need your promise from the Bible for the situation you are praying about.Then you apply faith by believing in the promise for yourself and yoursituation. Make the promise into a declaration after you have prayed it. Thenrest on God’s faithfulness to bring it about, and an aspect of His characteraround that word. You can now lean into Him and rest in who He is and that Heis working.

Thedeclaration places the stake in the ground, positioning you in where you are tostand. You may not know how God will do it but you believe He is with you andHe is working in the situation for His purposes and yours. Whether the struggleor battle still rages is immaterial; what your emotions say is immaterial; yourposition is in standing. You are at rest in whom God is and that He is faithfulto His word (promise). This becomes your promised land that you are alreadyoccupying even though you do not see change at this present time. You can andshould reaffirm your declaration many times especially when it is hard for youto believe. There will always be temptations to give in to the old behavioursbut remember that stake in the ground. You are still standing. You will grow tobe fully persuaded that God is working in this process. This position, as youare standing gives you authority- kingdom authority- the Kingdom of God beingestablished in your position. As your faith takes root your authority increaseswhether you feel it or not, or even know it or not at times. Now you can prayfor others in similar situations in faith, releasing hope to them and equippingthem because you are strong in your faith. You will find that God will add newweapons, truth from His word, godly principles from the Holy Spirit in yourparticular faith stand because you have been faithful and persistent. Yourterritory is expanding, radiating out to new influence areas in others lives,and situations you cannot imagine. God is releasing His glory and His kingdomon earth through you. You are at peace in Him. Do you still pray into yoursituation? Yes! The new weapons are used in prayer and with new declarations,and faith holds your emotions steady.

Apersonal example - A standing place for me is the promise in Isaiah 59:21 formy family - the active living presence of God in every member of my extendedfamily. My rest is in God who keeps His covenant based on this verse,regardless of what I see or hear. I have done all in prayer and declaration andI am standing. This is my position and my territory in the spirit and here Iremain.

MarilynWishart.

Called to Prayer Conference.

2012-01-19T11:31:00.001-08:00

Called to Prayer Conference.

With Marilyn Wishart and Pam Dyck.

February 24-25

Join us for a weekend of discovery of the joy of prayer!

Friday night 7 – 9:30 pm.

Session 1 What is the call to Prayer?

Session 2 Types of Intercessors

Session 3 Activation excerise...

Sat. 9a.m. – 4:30 pm.

Session 4 Strategies of Battle and How to endure in prayer.

Session 5 Warfare Praying in Psalms – staying God focused when we prayed

Session 6 Activation exercise

Lunch 12:30 – 2:00

Session 7 Individual and Corporate Prayer

Session 8 Prayer Shields – praying for those in spheres of influence

Session 9 Activation exercise

Being hosted at:

Central Heights Church

1661 McCallum Rd, Abbotsford, BC V2S 3M4

Room 3003 / 3004

Enter and park at the Southside entrance

(Please do not call the their office for info)

Call 604-855-9423 ( River Community Church) for info.

Costs: $30 per person

$50 for couples

$15 for students

Pay now or e-mail to register and then pay at the event.

NOTE: No cheques. Debit and credit card machine will be available at the event.

Hitting the Mark...

2012-01-16T15:11:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like you just don't know HOW to pray in a certain situation or for a certain situation? I know that I have often felt like that! It's during these times, I pray the best ( and shortest) prayer that my prayer mentor and friend, Agnes, taught me to pray - and it goes like this......' Oh God, help!'...Best prayer ever...and always gets results! Why? Because I know He hears me - the Word tells us that!

There's another thing you can do, if you are wondering how to pray about something - GO TO THE WORD!....There was a real movement a number of years ago, that taught us how to pray the scriptures. Many people have forgotten that, but I think it's good to be refreshed in it! When we pray according to the Word - we can be confident of 'hitting the mark'.

One of the meanings of intercession is to 'strike the mark'...and that is a phrase that is derived from a Hebrew term ' PAGA'. (Dutch Sheets does a great teaching about this in his book, ' Intercessory Prayer.') Paga means 'to meet'; and it is often referred to as the 'violent part of intercession'. ( check out Benni Johnson's book on the Happy Intercessor'. ) Don't you just LOVE that...?!! I do..and I must admit it's probably because there is something of a 'warrior' inside of me! I love praying, but I'd never do well in a group that didn't get loud once in a while! I can always tell when I'm 'hitting the mark'...Something in me winds up, or amps up..and I can feel the strength and power of heaven behind me when I pray! My husband just thinks I get louder....but it's much more than that! It's an authority that comes and yes...it does tend to come with more volume -altho not always! For those who think we ought to always pray quietly...remember this:

Heb. 5:7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death...AND HE WAS HEARD because of his reverent submission!'....

So, while it's not the volume that made Him heard, but his heart towards God's will - even Jesus was LOUD when the need was great! His prayers were aimed at God...

Another scripture is Job. 36:32 which is often used to describe a 'paga' meeting...' He covers His hands with lightening and commands it to strike ( the mark).' I love it!...What a picture of power!

BUT the point of all this, is 'hitting the mark'.... Even the very term 'hitting the mark', is an offensive term. We push through, press on...press in! In order to pray prayers that 'hit the mark' tho, we must be on a quest to know God's heart, and the only way we can do that with certainty, is to know His heart! Where do we go to find His heart? Go to the Word!

As intercessors we NEED to be focused in our prayers and in our intercession. We can't be aiming all over the place....- it's like that picture my husband had of people in a room all painting different portions of a wall, but with no real plan. Intercession requires us to 'hit the mark'. God wants to give us plans and strategies, so that we can pray effectively! Bulls eye!! We want bulls eye prays! Dead center!... We can hit that mark, hit the center, through knowing God's heart. We can know His heart, but knowing His word.

Next week...let's talk about how to pray the Word!..another 'hit the mark' way to pray!

2012-01-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

We've spent time talking about how to ruin a prayer meeting. Now I'm going to address my comments to those that have another train of thought when itcomes to a Prayer Meeting. These are people who think a Corporate prayermeeting should involve everyone...should be fun, energetic and bring results!so...

So....hereis how to MAKE a Corporate Prayer Meeting successful in THREE points...

Wehave nine ways to ruin a prayer meeting...or 3 ways to get a good one going: you chose!

Top 3 ways to make a Corporate prayer Meetingsuccessful:

1.: being in harmony – all our voices togetherbeing raised in prayer,

2. multiplyingour strength: –recognizing that our strength is multiplied when we praytogether...and

3. 3. Having a common goal when we pray: lettingour prayers work together for a commongood – not only protecting those we love, but bring VICTORY against the enemy!

Seemsto me that making a good corporate prayer meeting happen is a lot less workthat working to make one boring!! ( 3 steps vs. 9 ).

.....they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer:Act.4:24

#1: to make a CorporatePrayer meeting work is: to actually BE corporate - Working as one – with oneaim – one focus – as a group – not as individuals.

Become a Symphonyof Prayer. Corporate can mean,harmony or harmonizing – every voice needs to do it’s part... One Heart, OneMind.

.Hearing the report, they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony inprayer:Act.4:24

Nowapparently these people believe that Prayer meeting is not a time for back-row,anonymous, or secret believers. Gather everyone in a tight-knit group, making their petitions and prayers KNOWN!

Remember: these people believe that: · True corporate prayer iswhen individuals get together to pray as a group, not, a group getting together to pray as individuals. Corporateprayer has as it's ultimate aim to be as it were, a single voice rising tothe throne of God.

Here'sa couple of Scriptures:

Phil.2: 2 Fill upand complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same mind and one inpurpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind andintention.

*remember The opposite of being in agreement or unity is DISHARMONY: : Matt.12:25, and Luke 11:17 25And Jesus knew their thoughts and saidunto them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation,and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

Ps.133 : 1-3 speaks about what harmony is... -it's like oil, it's precious ANDit's in that place that the Lord commands a blessing!

#2 : to make a Corporateprayer meeting successful is for Prayer Warriors pray in agreement, the power generated is multipliedtenfold ( Where 2 or 3 are gathered!)..

“Five of you will chase ahundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies willfall beneath your sword.”Lev.26:8

Matt: 18: 19 ( Amp.)Again I tell you, if two ofyou on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) aboutwhatever [anything and [a]everything]they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.

* This verse is actually in context of dealing with offenses anddiscipline, but one of the commentaries says “ these are principles that need to bepractised everywhere under all circumstances..” .so we are going to use it asan example of what happens when we agree – whether it's about discipline orabout prayer..- if we agree, Christ is in the midst!

And the Harper Study Bible (RSV, Zondervan 1979) on p.185, statesthe following in its notes for Leviticus 26:8 "In spiritual things the law which governs is not that ofarithmetic progression but an accumulative effect as the numbers rise.Symbolically, five will chase one hundred but one hundred will chase tenthousand. Especially in prayer may it besaid that the power generated will be proportionately greater as more peoplepray. Thus the more of God's people who...pray together the more significantwill be the results."

Some examples:

In1987 Alliance, Nebraska had the highest per capita incidence of drug use inAmerica, but a group of concerned pastors banded together and prayed 15months. During an evangelistic series of9.5 weeks nearly 10 percent of the population of Alliance was converted.

Max Lucado recounts how he formed fourprayer teams of 30 members each to pray for the church. In six months the church broke attendancerecords twice, finished over budget, and grew!

Another Example:

The NYC noon prayermeetings, started with one guy who tacked up posters asking if anyone elsewanted to pray – together!!

Alarmed by the spiritual state of affairs, a Dutch Reformed laymannamed Jeremiah Lamphier tacked up notices in New York City calling for a weeklyprayer meeting on Wednesdays from noon till one. The first week, onlysix showed up and none of them before 12:30.

The nextweek, though, the attendance jumped to twenty.3 Then they nearly doubled again. About that time Wall Streetcrashed. The ensuing financial panic arrested the country‟s attention andturned hearts toward more heavenly things. So great and so immediate were thechanges that in less than six months time, more than 10,000 business menwere meeting daily in New York to pray during the noon hour. Thatmovement leapt to every single major city in America. The response of God toHis people was that 1,000,000 Americans out of a population of 30,000,000 wereconverted in two years. At the height of revival, perhaps 50,000 a week werebeing converted.

Praying together....in one accord..and with one purpose...seems towork! Which leads us to.....

Point# 3 to make a Corporate Prayer Meeting Successful: Work as a Group..with onegoal – one purpose – to BE a Team...

Soldiersoverlapped their shields around their group . Romantacticians, in Paul's day, developed a unique defensive tactic called thetestudo, or tortoise. In this maneuver each soldier overlapped their shields aroundtheir group and above their heads forming a 'tortoise' shell of protection.This is a strong illustration of what unified praying is all about.( I also use this example when teaching on Prayer shields! Check out my other blog for more info on this!) Working together, does GREAT things!

Inthe Prayer of Agreement, or unified praying, two or more PrayerWarriors act and think as in one accord for whomever they are interceding for.The function of this type of praying is to enclose their prayerobjective(s) in heavenly protective custody.

Phil1:27 Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition. Your courage and unity will show them what they're up against: defeat for them, victory for you—and both because of God.

My husband had a picture one day, while in the midst of prayer meeting, where everyone was praying all over the map - no single focus on the prayer. He suddenly saw the group he was with, in a room , that they had been given the task to paint. Everyone had picked up paint brushes and rollers, and at the starting gun ( so to speak), everyone started painting whatever area they were standing in front. At the end of the time, there were bits and pieces of the walls done, but no one wall was completely done. Then he saw the vision start over, but this time, the group acted as one, and they all painted on one wall at a time and when the time was over, the whole room was done. The same time it had taken to paint bits and pieces.....when their energy become 'focused', they got the whole room done. That picture has changed how my husbands prays!

Imagine:the people of God...coming together like that, to pray....defeating the enemy –working together to be victorious even when outnumbered? The strength of prayerwarriors working together!

Imagine...ahouse being packed full of praying friends....

Imaginea symphony of prayer going up....each voice making it contribution....creatinga harmonious sound of prayer that releases the commanded blessing of God
Imagine...chasingten thousand...

Imagine...ahouse of prayer – united – full of eager, excited followers of Christ ...

Imaginea prayer meeting full of enthusiastic, excited, prayer people, flowing in unity,praying with focus, surrounding those issues and people we love, with heavenlyprotection....J

Just imagine what Corporate prayer could be....

Nine Great Ways to Ruin a Prayer Meeting

2012-01-04T16:25:00.000-08:00

I love praying. I love being with people who love to pray! I understand tho, that sometimes prayer meetings have become boring! So..I wrote this message and shared in our church last year. It's definitely meant to be 'tongue and cheek'...but at the same time, hopefully, helps us laugh at ways we've come to prayer meetings and NOT prayed!...So read on...The title is ' Nine Great Ways to Ruin a Prayer Meeting'..I hope you like it! ** any resemblance to people you know, is purely accidental!

Corporate Prayer

9 easy ways to ruin a Corporate Prayer meeting...

3 easyways to make it successful

Obviouslymost of you here probably already know about prayer, or have been in lots ofprayer meeting – or at least enough, that you don’t want to hear me teach you(again), on what a good prayer meeting is. SO...I’ve decided to start thismessage with 9 great ways to ruin a Corporate Prayer meeting – just in case youwere tired of making a corporate prayer meeting exciting, i thought I’d giveyou some tips on how to make it boring.

The 9 easyways to ruin a prayer meeting are: in no particular order..

1. Don’t pray. Come out to a corporateprayer meeting – sit with your arms crossed and don’t open your mouth.

Remember that body language has it’s ownmessage, so feel free to position yourself in such a way that while not beingout rightly in opposition to whoever has decided to call this meeting – you cangently let them know you are not going to be cajoled into praying out loud.After all, you can pray in your head...and God CAN hear your heart and yourthoughts...so WHY should you pray out loud just because someone told you to.

Stay silent...it will definitely bring aboutthe desired effect in at least someof the others present, and hopefully they will too, get a sense that theyshould be quiet also.

Remember, come as a spectator, not as aparticipant – let your only contribution be, that you are adding another bodyto the numbers – which hopefully will shrink soon – this way you’re guaranteedto be guilt free when you hear the meeting as shut down. After all, you didyour part.

2. Come prepared to pray as ifyou were in your personal prayer closet.

This particularly good forthose that don’t like to pray with others – you can pray all by yourself, forthe entire meeting. If someone else should jump in and pray something else,just pick up where you left off . Remember that you have had hours of practiceat home alone, and this is everyone’s chance to be in agreement with you.

Plus,don’t downplay the fact that you have ALOT of things to share, and you mightnot come next week, so it’s always best to pray everything you know in onego....you’ll never know when you might get a chance again.

3. Focus on your needs, andthe needs of the others present.

It is true, that some people come to corporate prayer meetings,wanting to pray about „the bigger picture‟. Well, that’s soover-rated. We all know that God is in charge and can take care of thechurch...but if we don’t focus people to prayfor US – who else will?!

Definitelykeep the flow of prayer focused on individual needs and ministry- when elsewill all these people be together again – so better use them now.

Remember also, if you are at all prophetic ora burden bearer, you owe it to the Lord and the group, to function in yourgift, and let them know that you are aware of the needs in the room – and getthe personal ministry started as soon as possible.

People may ask you to wait til the corporateprayer meeting is over to start personal prayer...but remind them that Godwouldn’t have shown you the need in the room, if He didn’t want us to prayabout it right then – and just redirect the prayer to the need or needs thatyou’re aware of. I’m sure everyone will pray for the bigger picture anothertime.

4. Teach while you pray.

This isoften a personal favorite for many of us who feel they don’t get asked to sharetheir knowledge often enough with others, or in church.

Takeadvantage of the corporate prayer meeting to explain your prayers to the groupand the revelation God gave to you about them. After all, God already knowswhat He showed you, but the group needsto hear. AND..make sure you rememberimportant details, such the exact time, place, day of the month and year, aswell as where you were, what you were wearing, the house you were in at thetime, and it’s color scheme, plus what you ate for dinner on that night, andwho you were with, WHEN you got thisparticular revelation – those details could change how a person hears orreceives the revelation you are about to share. The more irrelevant details youshare, the better!

Don’tforget too, that while YOU have hadrevelation from God, it’s your job to make sure the others also now get that revelation.

Teachingwhile you pray, can also be an effective tool in getting a message across toothers in the room, that you disagree with them, the way they pray, or justthem as a person . Don’t believe the teaching that you should go and talk tothem in private, when dealing with itpublicly is so much more effectiveand time efficient; you can teach, get a message across AND rebuke someone allat the same time – definitely a time management skill .

5. Silence is golden.

While many teachers on corporate prayer willtell you that verbal agreement is important – that is only true if you wantingto encourage those that are praying! Remember that verbalizing agreement isonly going to encourage others, as well as possibly draw you into the prayers,cause you to concentrate more..and possibly excite you, and those around you.

So...keepas quiet as possible, it will help the meeting to end faster..and hopefullyquiet down those otherwise irritating people, who just keep praying outloud !

Longperiods of silence are essential to intimidate those people who feel they needto pray without ceasing or pray outloud! It also helps turn the prayer meeting into more a listening prayerexperience, than intercession. Intercession is all about praying on behalf of others, and if we can keep people focused on themselves, or on what God is saying tothem, it will help cut down on those ones who want to actually interceed andpray in agreement with the others present – such an irritating habit!

Again...verbalizing any type of encouragement( such as 'yes', 'amen'..'good'..or clapping ) , will just keep these people praying!

6. Use Wooden prayers, or"fill in the gap‟ prayers.

Whilemany people try to encourage us to just pray what’s on our heart – heck thoseprayers can get really carried away and passionate. Remember we are hoping tobe in and out in an hour...so keep control of the prayer – don’t let it get outof hand. Written out, prayers by rote can keep things on track and stop those"Holy Spirit " prayer people who arewanting to be led by the Spirit, or just start praying out whatever they senseGod is telling them. Controlling theprayers will enable us to keep to a timetable.

7. Let the prayer meeting dragon.

Don’tbelieve the teaching that is out there that says an hour prayer meeting is agood idea. If you can let the meeting have a) no definite start time, or b) end time..and c)you let it goas long as you feel the anointing is present, (at least in you ) – you are guaranteed a longer than needed prayermeeting. This will be a non issue if you’ve managed to keep the other 6 points.

Most people will come to a prayer meeting thatstarts on time and ends on time. So try to keep everyone waiting for the latestperson...as well as keeping everyone extra long, will ensure many will notcommit to coming out the next week.

This isparticularly effective in keeping working people away, or those that need toget up early in the morning. These people have already come tired, so if youcan draw the meeting out, you will be helping to send them the message thatthey will be even more tired when they go home.

Allowingthe prayer time to be constantly disrupted with personal stories, teachingtimes, or explanations of dreams, visions or recent Prophetic words youreceived on the internet or ten years ago, will also help use up the allotted prayer time and cause the hour to golonger. This particular tool can also help in lulling the already tired prayerwarriors into a catatonic state, or cause them to begin to day dream or dozeoff in a short nap. This embarrassment alone (especially if snoring isinvolved) , should stop them from coming back.

8. Don‟t pray specific orconcrete prayers.

Keep things vague. Remember to give God as many ”outs” as possible for not answering your prayers – after all, He isGod, and you wouldn’t want to take Him at His word, or declare something He’spromised or spoken – He may change His mind, and you wouldn’t want to cause Himto look bad – or make yourself look foolish !

Pray withas much uncertainty as possible, always injecting words like:’ maybe’ , ‘ if You’...’You don’t haveto’......’This is probably a bad prayer’....or ...’This probably isn’t You but’.....Those types of phrases and prayers, will certainly cause those in thegroup who continually keep praying out with ridiculous faith, to step back andtake a hard realistic look at the growing possibility that we arewrong......God is probably not interested ..And we’re just lucky we’re stillbreathing!

Remindthose people in your meeting that keeppulling out or reading scriptures, that they need to realize that no onecan understand God, and that wecan’t take the bible literally AND besides those promises were for then, not now! Some people make take numerousreminders of this, but persevere!

If youdon’t take charge of the situation quickly, some of these incessant people whoactually LOVE to pray may start declaring or standing on promises they thinkHe’s spoken to them or to the church – which will just stir people up. Quicklyjump in if that happens, and remind people that we don’t have to all excited oremotional AND that you don’t want people to be excited about things that maynever happen. After all, let’s keep their feet firmly planted on the ground.

Prayingvague prayers will help give God lots of room to not answer, and keep„us‟ from actually anticipating God to move on our behalf. People who getexpectant or have anticipation of God to actually DO something, will become adisruptive force in a prayer meeting – which we wouldn’t want , right??

9. Last, but notleast...because we are in no particular order –

Keepthings quiet and respectful. Displays of passion must be dealt with immediatelyor others may begin to be effected by them.

Rememberthat if we MUST pray out loud, it should be quiet, controlled, solemn voice.What is with these people who insist on getting emotional! We are PRAYINGpeople – PRAYING!! Not having fun! This is serious business – remember that!

While others may tell you that there are „’flows’ to a prayer meeting – times whenthings are quieter, and times when it should get louder – do not believe them. Ifyou are a quiet personality, then you know, thatit is the only way to pray..and in fact may be why God created prayermeetings – so that we could all be quiet and unemotional. I mean..it has workedin monasteries for centuries!

Remind those that get excited ( and loud) thatGod is not deaf..and they need to be quiet..or at least quieter – wewouldn’t want to give people the impression that prayer is fun or lively –let’s keep it serious people!

Andwhat’s with those ones that want to cry when they pray? At all costs, deal withthese ones. They are getting way too emotional and may end upcausing other to get in touch with the heart or Love of God – this canabsolutely ruin a well structured and quiet prayer meeting. Besides that...it's just embarrassing anddefinitely NOT manly!

The Loveof God can cause laughter, a release of joy, exuberance, passion, faith to movemountains, prophecy and the list goes on...AND it can also cause repentance,weeping – all of which can be noisy .

Sooooo...remindpeople that prayer is not about our emotions – God is not deaf . If they need avisual to help them, get them to picture praying in a library- that should keep the lid on things! Remember, if you let a prayer meeting getout of control and be lively or passionate, you are just going to keepattracting people who want to pray - and we wouldn’t want that, would we?

So...ifwe can follow those 9 points, I’m sure we can manage to keep corporateintercession from regaining a hold in our church, and many others. Afterall..we’re doing fine so far....and why fix what aint‟ broke, right?

** Next week: 3 ways to make a GREAT prayer meeting! Stay tuned!

Prayer.....

2011-10-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

Prayer....
One of the things we need to learn to be 'ok' with, as prayer people is that we won't necessarily get a burden for everything that comes along. We need to learn to stick to the sphere of our anointing.

We won't always share the same burden -passion with different intercessors. Remember, they are passionate about their prayer assignment. YOU will be passionate about yours! We cannot let the enemy cause us to fall into judging one another, or feeling judged. That will bring in a spirit of disunity and competition...and once we come into agreement with those two spirits, the results will be devastating for prayer!

Have you ever been in a prayer meeting, where they focus or burden is different than yours? Suddenly there is a call to pray ..and that particular group gets activated and begins to passionately pray. You, on the other hand, don't have a clue what they are praying about...and to be honest, you don't really care. You don't have burden for it. THAT very feeling/thought, now makes you feel guilty. 'What's wrong with me? Don't I care?!!"

The reality is, it's the Lord who gives us a burden to pray. If He wants you to carry a burden, He'll give you the passion to do so. We can't try and make ourselves pick up a burden that isn't ours.

I have a friend who absolutely gets passionate about praying for Israel. When she and her friends get together, they can pray for hours! God reveals and shows them things in their prayer time that fuels their fervor and devotion to pray for that nation. I used to sit in those meetings and feel guilty that I wasn't really being stirred, until I heard the Lord say, ' That's not your burden." Wow! That was so freeing... I simply needed to know where God is calling me to pray..and I found it! He has given me a passion and a burden to pray for our city.

You might not be an person who can prayer over a daily list for leaders in your church, your schools or your city or government. You might be a crisis intercessor who is called in respond to governmental kinds of emergencies . On the other hand, maybe you don't hear heaven's SOS's for leaders. That's okay!! You just need to know what place He is calling you to in prayer!

For me, it's been praying for the pastors and leaders in our city. I stopped trying to get every other intercessor to have my burden. I also stopped feeling guilty that I didn't have the same burden as other intercessors or guilty that I didn't feel called to their assignments. I need to rejoice that they are praying..and manning their part on 'the wall' I need to realise that He's given me the anointing to stand with His prayer power, on behalf of the city He has set me in!

The important thing is to find your place and stick with it until the Lord gives you new orders!

Let's keep Looking....

2010-02-14T10:55:00.000-08:00

Let's look at the differences between Elijah and Jezebel:

* Elijah demands repentance * Jezebel hates repentance
*Elijah demands righteousness * Jezebel opposes righteousness
* Elijah speaks freedom * Jezebel desires control
* Elijah demands humility * Jezebel appeals to pride
* Elijah speaks God's ways * Jezebel uses deceit & systems of witchcraft

As prayer people, we need to aware of these differences, so that we can respond accordingly, when we see the wrong responses rising up in us, or in the prayer meetings we participate in. I've seen Jezebel operate in a prayer meeting, and let me tell you - it's not pretty! Two groups of intercessors came together to pray over their pastor. Each group had different prayer styles. When someone from 'one group' would pray, the others would listen, but with a critical ear. Remember that Jezebel fears true intercessory prayer because it knows that if we are praying without our own agendas, we will be praying God's thoughts and purposes. Nothing shuts Jezebel down faster! In this case, because each group was already suspicious of each other, and probably had unresolved offenses with each, their agenda was not to pray God's thoughts and purpose - their agenda was to protect the pastor from the other group. That meeting ended up in a public scene that caused embarrassment to the pastor AND wounding to a couple of wonderful intercessors. Plus their disunity allowed that pastor to be completely taken out within a year or so, as the intercessors spent more time fighting each other, than they did praying protection over their pastor from a Jezebel assignment that was being launched against him! By the time they recognized Jezebel's hand in what was happening - it was too late! A good man was take from his church and his city, and the rift between the intercessors increased until they were scattered to many different churches.

The one group was discerning that something was 'off' in the second group. The mistake was not their discernment. Their mistake was not asking God how to pray - what was His mind for this meeting. They immediately ( and not without cause), went into battle mode and as result, they were wounded and lost ground with the pastor! Why? Well, Proverbs tells us not to go to war without counsel or strategy. The enemy loves to reveal enough of himself and his position, to get intercessors to panic and come out swinging - without a plan! We've lost enough good intercessors who have such a heart and desire to pray, but haven't yet learned 'timing is everything'. While the enemy is jumping up and down, yelling 'Here I am" - we need to be quick to remember that it's not up to us to go charging into battle, without first having the battle plan from the Commander and Chief! The enemy is always willing to sacrifice a demon or two, if it means int eh long run, he can destroy a prayer group, or take out an intercessor!

The days of charging off without a plan, are fast coming to an end! We need to find the Generals of Prayer in our cities again. Look for the Captains in our churches! Find the leaders among us! We need to learn again how to work as a team, as a fight group! And when we do...we'll start taking back the ground we've lost in some areas...

Remember not every fighting group is huge! Look to the military for our examples. There are large platoons, but there are also small elite 'hit' squads that go in behind enemy territory and wreak havoc, as well as prepare the way for the larger troop to attack. We need to allow God to train us again and assign us our 'unit'! We need to make sure we are not allowing a Jezebel spirit to make us fight, what hasn't been assigned to us, or fight out of pride and jealousy!

Some common characteristics of Jezebel are:
Pushiness - this is someone who pushes their way into arenas of power in the church or prayer group
* Sowing seeds of discord - they'll come and divide what had previously been a cohesive prayer movement in a church
* Hate - for those that question them, it always becomes personal 'You're attacking me..'..
* Intimidation
* Distortion - they twist words...so it's really important to never meet one-on-one with someone under the influence of Jezebel or have phone conversations that aren't monitored

When Jezebel loses control, love and devotion can quickly turn to hate and destruction. Also they will constantly work at undermining legitimate relationship or authority, and put itself in the position of authority with a pastor or leader.

Remember...a Jezebel spirit fears true prayer - true intercession - because it is praying God's agenda and stirs people to repentance and godliness! (A definite death blow to it's power and influence!)

More on Jezebel

2010-02-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

It has always been interesting to me, that Elijah, after seeing such an amazing miracle and the manifestation of God's power....runs for his life from one woman! We know of course that woman was Jezebel. I King.19:3-4 Tells of Elijah's run for his life.

So....He has seen God move in an unbelievable display of power...and one woman threatens him..and he runs! What's with that??

One of the greatest effectiveness ( if you want to call it that) of the Jezebel spirit is it's ability to threaten and intimidate. Jezebel then..and now...loves to project a sense of power, that they do not have. Again, it's based on fear and intimidation. This spirit loves to cloud the minds of those it's seeking to dominate.

Some examples of how we might 'hear/recognize' that spirit in today's situations: " If you don't do this, we'll have to withhold our tithe."..." Submit to me, or you won't have any spiritual covering." .........." If you don't stop ( or listen to me...or do what I say...) that I'll make sure that no one ever...supports you again." ...." I'll sue this company/church/ you...until you either go out of business or leave."

These are all a use of illegitimate power and authority. This doesn't mean a person shouldn't stand up for themselves, but it should b done through the proper channels. Manipulating, intimidating and dominating another human being are blatant uses of control and illegitimate authority.

Elijah was temporarily influenced by fear - even tho he'd just seen God move - and that fear resulted in discouragement and despair and opened him to being influenced by Jezebel's projected ( and exaggerated) power. " I am have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left." I Kings 19:10

We can see from this, that the spirit of intimidation was so strong and that it projected to his mind that there was not a single person left who was devoted to God. Ever had a similar 'extreme' reaction or response to the trial you were going thru?? Suddenly you go from 'standing strong' to...' I'm just going to quit. Nothing I've ever done has made a difference."...or .." Everyone is against me." When in reality there are one or two...but seriously...'everyone':? No!

Not true. You are in the grip of the intimidating power of Jezebel!

This spirit wants you to feel abandoned, to surrender to hopelessness. It's desire is to paralyze the prophetic flow of God. And it will.......if you surrender to it.

The first step to surrendering is to fall into agreement with fear...and from there you go into 'self pity'. Self pity is a clearly conscious resignation and surrender to the victim mentality. ( There is a GREAT teaching out called, "Overcoming a Victim Spirit" - if you haven't heard it - get it! It's really well done.) When you see yourself as a victim, you literally enter into agreement with Jezebel and some say you are actually entering into sin with her, because you are no longer resisting her.

Remember, the Jezebel spirit has no regard for godly authority. This spirit is in complete contrast to the will of God. This spirit wants to BE God. In a person...this manifests as, wanting to be in charge, in control. This is the person in a church who believes that they'd do a better job as the leader of the committee they're on...or the elders/deacon board they're on..or even, as the leader/pastor of the church. They work at removing godly authority with the conscious desire to put themselves in that position.

The Jezebel spirit has no conscience. Those under her control have hardened their hearts and their consciences have become seared. Their 'will' is king...and they are supreme!

The saddest part for me, is the way Jezebel destroy the fruitfulness of others. Ahab, acting like a spoiled child, wanted a vineyard for his own selfish convenience. He had an innocent man . Naboth's fruitfulness ended because of that act! Naboth could not give up the inheritance of his fathers to the king. The Jezebel spirit desires that righteous people forsake their convictions and inheritances, so that IT can do it's religious work!

As a church, we need to 'know our enemy'. Even the Generals of this world, who wage warfare study the tactics' of the one they are going to battle against. The church has often turned a blind eye to how Jezebel works, and we've done that by having her use our own desire to 'get along'...or be 'submitted'...or 'to keep the peace'..in our churches. While those are good things, we also need to know when TO FIGHT!

More on that....soon!~

What Is Jezebel??

2010-02-01T16:15:00.001-08:00

We know that the term "Jezebel' is in actuality the name of the wicked Queen Jezebel, who was the wife of King Ahab, in the Old Testament. Ahab's marriage to Jezebel led to the worship of Baal becoming widespread among God's people. She exercised control because of that, as well as the other tactics she used to exert both illegitimate and 'wicked' control over people, her name has become synonymous with the spirit of control.

Jezebel is a product of the flesh that opens the door to an evil spirit. It operates through a person in the form of manipulation, domineering or intimidating tactics. It is NOT restricted to women - a mistake I believe has cost many a church or church leader! You must recognize the spirit, not just the gender! Some people believe ti operates more prevalently in women because of the nature of it's origin, but there is no question that it function just as proficiently through men.

When it's functioning in women, the Jezebel spirit seems to serve as Satan's answer to a male -dominating world - giving false protection in a world where a women seems to never get her rights nor has the protective love of a father or husband. Out of lack of love, she may rebel against the whole 'unloving system' and end up becoming just like it. The one who felt 'controlled' now becomes the 'controller'. - the ' oppressed 'becomes the 'oppressor'.

Whether male or female, controllers are almost always motivated by insecurity.

One of the biggest ways Jezebel deceives us, is by doing religious things or being a religious person. The original Queen Jezebel converted her husband to follow Baal. ( Remember Ahab married her against God's command.)

The name Jezebel means ' without dwelling or habitation'. That's her true nature. She is independent; lives with no one. Her name can also mean; unmarried or uncommitted. It literally means she's not committed to any one's will except her own self-will. One book says that a 'true explanation of Jezebel can be clearly described as the worship of self-will'. Wow!

The clear battle with the Jezebel spirit is over people! That spirit desire to control and rule the people of God. Often you will see the 'power struggle' between a person with a Jezebel spirit and the true leader - the Jezebel spirit wants the leadership or control of the decisions that are made. To describe her agenda, you'd probably have to say that a person under the influence of a Jezebel spirit exalts position over character.

While Jezebel is religious, she will try to wield false power against the true prophetic flow from God. She hates the prophets and all prophetic ministry. What and see what an unleashed spirit of Jezebel spirit can do in a church that was once flowing or growing in the prophetic gifts and anointing. After a period of time, if Jezebel is not recognized and dealt with, there will be no true prophets or functioning prophetic gifts in that church. It will be either shut down...or controlled by the one functioning under the influence.

Specifically, she hates repentance, humility and intercessory prayer, because they destroy her strongholds of stubbornness and pride.

Aware of the Warfare..

2010-02-01T16:07:00.000-08:00

It seems these days, that intercessors are in two camps: the ones that are either totally obsessed with the demonic and spend more time in prayer talking to demons and the enemy, than they do to God.

Or the ones that are on the other extreme, are completely oblivious to the warfare at all. I suppose there is probably another camp: the ones that are aware of it...but are terrified of it!

I like to think I've been trained by my prayer mentors to be a good balance of both! I'm very aware of the spiritual realm, but chose to spend most of my time in prayer, talking TO God, telling him where the battle is...and calling Him down into it. At the same time, when He gives me the 'OK' to directly address the enemy, I will and do! But I must know my authority when I'm doing that, or you can be the enemy will just laugh!

Knowing our enemy, is also a tactic of good warfare! Even the generals of old knew that if you wanted to wage a battle, make sure to know everything you could about your enemy. So.....I thought I might spend a bit of time writing about a couple of different 'spirits' that we come up against when doing Intercession.

Over the next few weeks....I'll be writing about confronting the Jezebel Spirit, as well as the Religious Spirit. I know there are ALOT more that I could write on..but at this point I'll just focus on those two for now. I'm also working on a study, for those that might be interested, on the different temperaments in prayer. Anything that help us prayer better, pray sharper - I'm all for!

So...stay tuned for some info on Jezebel int eh next few days...

Love of Prayer

2010-01-23T21:52:00.000-08:00

I love prayer! I mean, I absolutely LOVE prayer!

I'm actually amazed and surprised by how much I love to pray. When God first spoke to me about starting a prayer group, I was more than a little surprised. I wouldn't have classified myself as any kind of a prayer person. In fact...I thought most prayer meetings were boring. The picture I had in my mind was of a bunch of white haired old ladies ( no offense), sitting in a living room - boring!! At least ...boring to me!

But God had other plans! He introduced me to prayer that is interactive. He's taught me how to pray in a group...with a group...as well as to pray alone. It's awesome. It's exciting. It's fun! It can also be hard work. Yes...sometimes you have to 'work prayer' ( as one of my prayer mentors would say). And I've learned to do that..and love it too!

When I hear of prayer meetings ending, or closing down, I always feel sad. What happened? What caused someone to stop? Is it the style of prayer? People's personalities? What??

I think, in the days of ahead, we need to look at some prayer styles and prayer temperaments. It's important that we understand each other, so that we can work together, and pray together!

Yes, we need to defer to one another...and prefer one another...but we also need to learn how to pray together so that the force of our prayers are magnified! The prayer of agreement is a mighty weapon..and don't you think the enemy knows it - that's why he works so hard to stop it! To get us frustrated with each other in prayer, in prayer rooms, in prayer groups! He wants us to say ' forget it!'..and walk away!

So....hopefully, I'll be adding a few posts in the next few weeks about prayer styles and temperaments! Hopefully.....it will strengthen and encourage those that read this blog!

Blessings..
Pam

Government Intercessors

2009-10-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Government Intercessors

The purpose of 'government intercessors' is to stand on God's side as watchmen over political and church governments that represent the various countries, states, cities, neighbourhoods, homes, schools and churches upon the earth. Godly governments empower people; conversely, ungodly governments use their power to oppress people.

Many times we hear people ask the question: "If God is so concerned about the nations, then why is there so many poor in so many countries, starving to death and living in complete chaos and ruin?" The answer? Prayerlessness!

There are more than 6 billion people on the earth ( and this is probably an old statistic) and of that at least 109 million Americans profess to be born-again Christians. ( Sorry I don't know the stats for Canada or other countries.) Just think what would happen if even 1% of those believers began to pray for the unsaved governments of the world! Remember the famous quote from Edmund Burke: " The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

II Chronicles 7:14 is the encouragement that we can change a nation with our intercession.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."This is a call to the Government Intercessors of the Church! God can and will heal our lands IF we are faithful to pray!

One office of government we are to pray for is Pastors!! If a pastor falls , part of the blame is shared with the congregation because we are the prayer shields for our leaders. We need to pray for holiness and wholeness of their love for both God and His children. If Intercessors truly understood their place of important, the whole congregation would reap the benefit of their sacrifice.
They are finding that pastors who have enlisted personal intercessor are reporting greater fruitfulness in every facet of their lives, including their own holiness. Pastors with a minimum of two or three pray-ers interceding over every service, exhibit a renewed strength in their teaching and preaching.

Another office of government we are to pray for, is in our own home. Talk to God about the things that need to change and allow Him to change the hearts of those involved. ( Prov.21:1 talks of ' the king's heart is like a channel of water in the hand of the Lord: He turns it wherever He wishes." The 'king' is referring to the person who is governing the situation.)

You may be called to pray for your city and all those involved in government there: eg. police departments, churches, fire station etc. You might not be a person who can pray over a daily list for leaders of your church, or your schools or your city, state or government. You might be a crisis intercessor who is called to respond to governmental kinds of emergencies.

God may be calling you to be a government intercessor by giving you specifics to pray for a teacher in your child's classroom. You may be called to pray over policies that will effect your school district. Start with what you know..and what you see! As you are faithful to pray over even the least significant-looking governmental issue, God will broaden your prayer power. God is not looking for powerful speakers; He is looking for speakers who will rely on His power to speak up and speak out. Who knows? You could be a voice for God that will change a government.

Are you a Government Intercessor?
1. Do politics stimulate you?
2. Does your life revolve around the church?
3. Are you interested in policies for schools, churches, and political situations?
4. Would prayer walking the schools, churches and governments buildings in your neighbourhood excited you?
5. Are you called to intercession for your government as your read the newspaper or watch global news?
6. Do you keep apprised of government officials by name in any level of government?

Pitfalls of Government Intercessors:
-intolerance for those who appear ignorant about governmental matters
-Becoming so concerned about the government that people become a secondary issue - and so does the Lord
-Allowing recognition to be the motive for intercessory prayer rather than the call of God
-Compromising integrity and beliefs to please people
-Getting caught up in the spirits that are over the land, which are power and pride
-Taking offense when convictions are questioned
-Believing that you're the only one with the answer
-Letting bitterness take root when leaders do not live up to God's will
-Gossiping and grumbling about leaders instead of leading them into change THROUGH prayer.

Remember, that like Daniel, government intercessor need to remember their spiritual roots no matter who governs the environment in which they live or work. Government intercessors are the spiritual Daniels of our day. The key is to stand like Daniel with a disciplined focus at the windows of prayer!

I'm on Sabbatical...

2009-08-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't updated this. I'm on Sabbatical until September 1. ( Sabbatical, meaning a 'rest'.) My husband and I are not only taking a rest/break from pastoring our church, we are also taking a break from all other related responsibilities - which for me includes laying down my city prayer group, as well as doing the blogs. So...I'll be back on track, Sept. 1.

In the mean time, if you are someone who has been regularly read this and the other two blogs I do, I would really like to have some feedback from you. Are these articles helpful to you? Are you finding them informative and giving you some new understanding of you, your prayer style etc.? What's the most helpful? What would you like to know more about? I'd love to have a list of questions to blog on - so if you have anything you'd like to ask about, please send it through!

I'm wondering what other intercessors, from different places, or even from my own city but different churches, are hearing from the Lord right now?

Is anyone else sensing that God may be 'gathering' the Watchmen soon? My sense is there is some kind of gathering togehter that my be happening in the future. Like an army being called to War....or troops being mustered - there is just a sense of activity with purpose, about to happen. My sense also, is that it's possibly going to happen sometime this year. ( And for me, this 'year' usually means September to June..) Anyone else sensing anything? I'd be very grateful to hear some feedback. I am getting more and more pictures,a nd words that involve 'army' type words: troops, elite forces, special forces, trained....joint mission.

Hope I hear back from some of you. Otherwise, I'll 'see' you in September.

Praying with A Pure Heart

2009-06-28T18:54:00.001-07:00

Remember the key to praying in faith..and with a pure heart is knowing the will of God. I Jn.5:14

How can we know His will?

1. Read it in Scripture . II Tim.3:15, 16

2. Asking Him ( and getting a response). Jn.14:26, 16:13, II Tim.2:7, James 1:5-7

Now..this gets easier as we spend more time with Him.

Why do we need a Pure Heart?

Any sin is going to obstruct our intimate relationship with the Father. It will also reduce the effectiveness of our prayers! Read Isa. 59:1-2 . Vs. 1 says He can do anything...yet Vs.2 says 'our sins have separated us from God and he will not hear us' . The Lord deals with this in Matt.6:12.

Here's an example

. So often when we pray, we need to 'release forgiveness', rather than praying for God to show someone how much they've hurt us. Rather we need to trust God that He knows. I remember one day, kneeling at the side of the bed crying and weeping over a injustice that had been done to me. I was doubly distraught because the person involved had absolutely no awareness, nor wanted any, of the hurt they had caused.

Finally I heard the Lord say to me, " Isn't it enough that 'I' know how much it's hurt you?" .

I've never forgotten that lesson. I wasn't going to be at peace until the person 'knew' how much they'd hurt me. Some how I needed them to know! But even if they did, I realised it would never be enough anyways! Then I realised that only God can truly know the sorrow in my heart when an offense or wound has happend. How much better to go to Him for comfort and healing? He's the best source ! Once I let that go, it completely transformed my prayers, not only for that particular person, but for others. In allowing myself to be healed, I felt closer to God and His voice seemed clearer, in ways I hadn't experienced for weeks.

If we forgive, it purifies our heart. Answers to prayer don't depend on what my adversary does or does not do. They depend on what I do.

James says " You ask and do not receive." Why?

James 4: 2 sites wrong desires - ' you lust, fight and covet'

James 4:3 sites wrong motive

James 4:3 sites wrong objectives: to satisfy your own pleasures.

We ask for the Holy Spirit to give us

1. the right desire...which is intimacy with the Father

2. the right motive, which is to glorify God and

3. the right objective, which is to do God's will.

Lastly....sin will impede not only how we hear from God, but what we will hear! Our desire needs to be like Jesus, ' to do the will of Him who sent me'. How can we do that? Well...be like Jesus and only do what we see the Father doing - only speak what we hear the Father saying.

Four Rules of Prayer....

2009-06-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sure many people could come up with lots of 'rules of prayer' but I'm going to share the four that my own mentor taught me to use.

* Pray with faith

* Pray with a pure heart

* Pray with power

* Pray with persistence.

Read James 1: 5-7 - it speaks of praying with faith. A most necessary ingredient when we are praying. Remember Mark 11:23 " faith could tell a mountain to move"...or Mark 11:24 that says ' Whatever you ask when you pray, believe you will receive them." That's faith!

Don't pray in doubt. Faith is believing in what we have not yet seen. Heb.11: 1. Remember the key is knowing the will of God ( IJn.5:14) How can we know His will? Read it in the scripture - II Tim.3:15- 16

An interesting example of praying in doubt, came to me from a wonderful friend of mine in Victoria. One day as we were talking on the phone about our children, I told her that my kids were driving back from a holiday and asked her to remember them in her prayers - that God would be with them while they drove. She rebuked me for praying in fear and doubt. When I asked her what she meant, she told me that God had been speaking to her about the way she often prayed as if there were 'vacuums' - like God wasn't someplace, until we asked him to be there. She then said, " Pam, God is with your kids! What you want to pray, is that their awareness of Him will increase, and His effect and protection of them would increase, while they travel. Don't pray as if He's not there! As for where He is, to increase, with them!" That talked changed my life! I never pray any longer, like there are 'gaps'. I acknowledge where God is in the situation I'm praying for, and I always ask for that part of Him that is there, that influence, to increase! It's made an amazing difference in not only my prayers, but the faith level of how I pray! Doesn't the Word say, that He is always with us? So, why was I praying like He wasn't there for my children? Now I always ask God to show me where He is working in someone;'s life and ask for that influence to increase.

Another example of this, was when He asked me to give a word to a couple of young men in a local restaurant. I could tell by looking at them that they were very probably part of the gang problem our city is suffering with. When I argued with the Lord about going to them and asked Him 'why' - He told me that someone in their family line was praying for them and I needed to be a part of those prayers, by delivering the word i had for them. Once I realised that someone had been praying for them, my faith soared and I asked God to increase their awareness of Him and their hunger for Him. I asked God to expand, increase and enlarge the deposit of God that was in each of them. And yes...I did go and give them my 'word'. Interesting to note, that a few days later there were on the front page of our local paper AND on the provincial paper - these boys were major crime figures! At the same time, I found out a few weeks later that one of them has a sister who is born again, and who has been praying for them! So....I just added my prayers to hers ( who knows who else) ...and also prayed in faith over the seeds of God that were lying dormant in them!

Since that time, I ran into another woman who told me she remember one or two of those boys from a Sunday School class, and yes, they did know Christ then! So...it's just another reminder to not limit God when we pray and to not pray 'as if' there is a lack...but pray as if God is working and ask Him to increase His effect on those we are praying for.

Testing a Corporate Word over a City/Ministry or Territory/Nation

2009-06-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

As more and more prophetic words are being released for the larger 'church' or for the nation, it makes sense that we need to learn again, how to test these words! Yes!! Prophetic words are to be tested! One of my amazing mentors, and good friend, Marilyn W. - just did a teaching time for my prayer group on this subject. I've asked her if I can publish her notes...and she said 'yes'. So..here is some good stuff you to chew on, regarding prophesy! If you have questions, please email me and let me know!

Testing the Corporate Word over a City/Ministry/Terriotry or Nation

by Marilyn W.

There are many tests for prophecy available. We need to be proficient in the use of these tests.
1 Thess. 5:19-22. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil. NLT. 1 Cor. 14:29.
Some of these areas first to be checked are:-
The origin. 1 John 4:1-4 – test the spirits.
Is it from the Holy Spirit, an evil spirit or from the spirit of man? Sometimes it may be a mixture as we are not perfect yet. Our spirit bears witness to the truth and to the Holy Spirit. We discern the spirit of the prophecy before the words. John 4:23.

Examine the content. 1 John 4 5 – does it conform to scripture?
The Bible is our source of truth and we need to check the word in light of the whole Bible. We build our lives on our relationship through intimacy with Jesus and the revealed word of God – The Bible. Prophecy is never used to establish new doctrine or practices. It should never govern our understanding of scripture. If there is any contradiction of Christian doctrine and foundational truth then the prophecy is renounced.

Does it glorify Jesus?
Jesus is exulted over man’s ministry. Prophecy should reveal the true Jesus and help us to be conformed to His image. We are to hear God for ourselves and be led by the Holy Spirit. The prophetic highlights some specific area of our lives enlarging and confirming what Jesus has previously said to us.

Does it witness to you? Rom. 8:16.
What is your initial inner witness or response to the prophecy? The earmarks of peace, love and joy should be present. It should release a sense of freedom and empowerment into your situation. Also it can be judged by others in the body.

Discern the type of prophecy.
The final purpose of prophecy is always positive. We edify or build up people and we build up the church.

A now word. This word highlights a situation we are presently going through. By emphasizing this God is revealing how He is always with us and that He sees every step we take. He is aware of our needs. Psalm 139. This prophecy stimulates an area that God wants to work on at this moment in our lives.

A confirming word. God has been leading us daily and sometimes He needs to say “Yes this is Me. Don’t be afraid.” It is not wrong to ask for confirmation so that when we are sure this is God, we can be obedient. But remember there is always a step of faith needed. 2 Cor. 13:1b. Through two or three witnesses, the power of agreement and confirmation we are strengthened to do what we know is right. Fresh life and faith come in to us.

A future word. This type of word sets the next vision goal for us. It opens up a time of new direction, development and training towards its end. It should be a natural unfolding of the way God has led us in the past. We may not be at that place yet but the word may come in present tense as if we are already there.

A new word. 1 Cor. 2:9-10. This word may have little or no link to our present situation. It will open up our hearts and mind to the things we could not imagine. The timing of this word is strategic and an awareness is awakened for God to build upon it in the future.
6. Check the fruit from the word. Matt. 7 15.

Remember, fruit takes time to grow but faith and love comes as deposits as well as growing attributes of Christ’s life in us.
Even though prophecy may be personal it always affects the whole body of Christ. It often needs to be incorporated into the whole to be fulfilled. It may even extend into the generations to be completed.
These tests need to be done first.

TESTING A CORPORATE WORD
These areas listed above need to be checked with a corporate word.
Have the prophecy available. If you are not trained in this process, I would recommend you do this with a group of people and learn together.

This testing involves prophecies of all types that are being freely distributed, especially those that are distributed through the Internet and have the potential to go unchecked and untested. My hope that this will bring into this area accountability and responsibility for those all actively involved.

NOW CONTINUE THE TESTING PROCEDURE
Do you know the Background of the word? If possible find out..or ask about it. As well there are other questions to ask:

1.When was the word given?
2.What was the situation at the time it was given?
3. Who spoke it and to whom?

Tests
1. When God speaks He has a purpose.
What is His purpose in this prophecy?
What prayer initiative is released with the prophecy?
2. Who is this prophecy for?
Who is expected to respond to the word?
3. Test the spirits?
Does it witness to you?
What is your initial response?
Do you feel you can exercise your authority as a believer to test it?
4. What is the response of intercessors who pray for the area?
5. What is the response of leaders such as spiritual and community leaders?
6. Has the group who received the word tested it? Does it line up with their prophetic history and the way God has led them?
7. Level of the word.
i. edification, exhortation & comfort
ii. the ministry of a select group
iii. prophet’s voice perhaps bringing correction and reconciliation in love
iv. to the national corporate body of Christ bringing a destiny or strategic word
8. What is the potential outcome of the word? Is it a continuation of how God has led in the past? If it is a new word does it fit in with historical flow of those involved?
9. What conditions apply?
If repentance is required, is it clearly understood?
Does it follow the model of Revelation & the 7 churches in correction and God’s response to it? How is God’s heart represented in the prophecy? What will be the results of repentance?
10. Is the prophecy consistent with God’s character?
11. What is the season of the word?
Now/future (See 1st section)
Specific situation
General encouragement
Is it tied to the past?
12. Is the language a fit?
It needs to be clearly understood and articulated. The Holy Spirit will bring His communication in a way that fits the person hearing it, not the one delivering the word.

Prophet

What is his/her territorial influence & mandate?
What aligns him/her to this area that the word is directed to?
Who is he/she accountable to in the area the word is given?
Was it pre-discerned?
Who discerned the word when it was given?
Who is he/she accountable to where he/she fellowships?

People who distribute the prophetic word
What is your reason for distributing this?
Have you asked permission to the ones you are sending it to?
Have you followed up by checking their response?

Internet distribution site
Is there a place to question this word or dialog about it with the people involved?

Why do We Pray?

2009-06-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

Why do we pray??We pray because we know who God is!

"We are beginning to see that if God's people are going to come together to implement His will in this decade prayer will likely be the primary force." II Cor. 10 ' our weapons are not the weapons of the world. They have divine power to demolish strongholds. Our weapons are: prayer, faith,hope, love, God's word, forgiveness and repentance.

Do you believe that prayer can change things?
Moses prayed - even after he was offered a better group to lead - and God heard his cry for mercy and didn't kill the people in the desert. ( Ex.32:14)

God desires to do many things, but He will not do them unless or until, Christians use their God-given freedom to pray and ask Him to do it! James 4:2

No one can change God, but our prayers can have a direct influence on what God does or does not do. Jer.33:3 ' Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Now....suppose we do not call? What then? The answer is obvious! We will not know or be shown those things that are hidden from us right now, but that He's longing to reveal to us! If we don't ask...we don't get!

II Chron.7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray"
My mentor once quotes this scripture to me and asked me this question: " If it is a people who are humble, that pray - then what does it say about a people who don't pray?" The answer she was looking for was obvious. She was teaching me that prayer ( or praying) would keep me humble dependent on God. She was also teaching me that not praying, made me thinking that I could do it on my own....and that smacks of pride! I've never forgotten that lesson!

Warfare Intercessors

2009-05-12T19:03:00.001-07:00

Intercessors of Warfare
'Partners with Truth'*

'”All spiritual warfare is a fight over one thing: TRUTH. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Jn.14:6 – meaning that Satan's aggressions against us will always be waged over our ability to grasp and appropriate the truth found in Him. He also said, “ Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Jn.15:5 – meaning that we know truth and flourish in it only to the degree that we stay dependent on Jesus the Word, or Truth, made flesh. The belief that living independently of God is good, is the ultimate lie from the enemy. The bible warns that the devil will come to steal truth from us ( see Matt.13:19). But if he cannot steal it, he will try to plant lies within the truth we already know ( Matt.13:25). It's time to blow the whistle on this vile deceiver and unmask some of his devious tactics.” ( taken from the book Intercessors by T.Femrite, E.Alves, K. Kaufman)

Warfare intercessors are the ones who fight to usher in truth by establishing God's authority in places where Satan has a stronghold on people, problems and places. They are the military might of prayer! Some warfare intercessors have been anointed with spiritual perception to discern the evil spirits that reign over specific territories; others have been gifted with strategies for establishing God's authority in places where the enemy has taken both spiritual and physical ground. Warfare intercessors need to push through their fear to approach authorities with timely pieces of the puzzle that they've received in prayer!

Warfare intercessors are those who fight to reestablish God's authority in places where people have lost their freedom to choose. A victim is merely a person without a choice. A victor is a person who has exercised his or her choice and WON! The joy of warfare intercessions lies in open the door of choice to victims. You and I have been granted authority by God to protect and provide for people, not to control or confuse them with manipulation.

The warfare intercessors mandate/mission comes from Isa. 58: 6,7 - to bring deliverance to people in bondage so they be set free from every kind of oppression
-to provide for the needy
-to cover those who are naked ( or being exploited through lack)
to make ourselves accessible to relatives who need our help.
As Dutch Sheets says: “Without question, humans were forever to be God's link to authority and activity on the earth..” We get to be the link between either the kingdom of light, or the kingdom of darkness. Every decision we make, every word we speak, every action we take, either links us to God's authority or Satan's.

Warfare Intercessors are called to fight to draw back the curtains camouflaged darkness. Remembering we do not fight against flesh and blood. Our fight is spiritual; therefore most of the world doesn't even recognize it. We are the ones who prayerfully battle to unveil lies, and false images that have been projected upon the screens of deceived minds.

Those who have eyes to discern the enemy and tenacioulsy fight on the front lines can only do so when they are physically, spiritually and emotionally fit! Weak and weary soldiers drain and dilute the troops. So not only must a warfare intercessor be physically fit but his or her soul must be healthy.

Unforgiveness will have a decaying effect, must like rust on our prayer shields, and rot our spiritual fruitfulness. Unforgiveness opens the floodgates to the enemy's control. We cannot fight effectively against the author of hatred while allowing bitterness to remain in our hearts – it will effect our minds, will aand emotions. So, intercessors: DEAL WITH YOUR STUFF! Take a personal and internal inventory – examine your hearts before the Lord. ( Ps.51) And make every effort to take responsibility if you have offended others, to provide restitution.

At the same time, if God has anointed you for Warfare Intercession, you need to know all you can about the person, people group, policy or place that is the target of your intercession. This is where linking up with research intercessors will help you learn about the spiritual ground being covered. Research intercessors thrive on prayerfully collecting vital facts about strongholds, principalities, areas of blessing, remnants, ancient wells etc., and they will help you to formulate a plan of prayerful attack.

Remember tho: being a warfare intercessor means learning wisdom in your prayer tactics. It is about calling God down into the battle, not doing battle in your own strength or enthusiasm. We are given the privilege of fighting along side Him. Keep your focus on the Lord and don't try to win in your strength.

Are You a Warfare Intercessor?
-Are you angered by injustices?
-When you see others in pain, do you instantly want to wrestle with the enemy for their freedom?
-Do you thrive on compiling research about spiritual roots and governing principalities?
-Are you apt to move out in forcefulness in your prayer time?
-Do you look for the battle when you are praying?
-Do you struggle with sitting still in prayer meetings when you can 'see' areas that we need to call God down into the battle?

Pitfalls of a Warfare Intercessor.

-Forgetting to deal with issues of unresolved personal conflict
-Viewing every prayer need as a battle, and thereby neglecting intimacy with the Lord
-Entering into a battle with a personal agenda rather than a team's agenda
-Refusing to submit to authorities
-Going to war without counting the cost
-Having no battle plan
-Rushing ahead of the Lord's timing
-Marching out without intercessory covering
-Running from battle to battle without taking time to rest and refuel
-Becoming overly aggressive and not making room for other's giftings
-Becoming prideful
-Enjoying the feeling from a battle, more than the presence of the Lord

Believing that we can win the battle alone is one of the many pitfalls that can ensnare the warfare intercessor. Remember: loners are usually losers – so stay connected with like minded warriors and submitted to those in authority over you.

Looking for Intercessors

2009-05-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Any Intercessors out there, looking for opportunities to pray?

I am looking for intercessors who are feeling called to partner in prayer, on behalf of others. Intercessors who are able to be confedential and trusted with prayer issues for leaders and those who are currently influencing for the Kingdom of God in their fields.

If you've been looking for an opportunity to actually function as part of a team that is praying for businesses....or perhaps pastors & leaders....or missionaries - contact me.

I have a list of people that are requesting to be paired up with Intercessors for prayer support, but my pool of intercessors is currently empty - they are all out on assignments and are maxed! If you've been following this blog, and feeling like you'd like to find some other ways to be a part of praying for people/businesses, then let me know.

I had hoped to have a down loadable form for intercessors to fill out, but my techie buddie is in Taiwan for the next month, so we'll just have to make due.

_____________________________________________________________________

Application

for participation in Intercessory Assignments and Prayer Shields

NAME: (Mr./Mrs./Ms.) First - M.I. - Last :

ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________
Street :_______________________ City:________________________________________

State/Province ____________________________ Zip /Postal Code_______________
TELEPHONE: ___________________ E-mail: _______________________________________________
EMERGENCY CONTACT & TELEPHONE: _______________________________________________
DATE OF BIRTH: ____________________________ SEX: ____ Male ____Female
Month / Day / Year

GENERAL INFORMATION:
1. What is God’s "prayer" call on your life? ( your area's of burden)_______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. Are you a part of local (city) prayer group ? Or a church prayer group? For how long? ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Where to you attend church? (Name and Address)________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Are you an active church member? ____Yes ____No

5. Do you have a daily prayer life? ____ Yes ____ No. If so, how long do you pray? ___________________________________________________________________

6. Have you attended any Prayer Seminars Conferences ? ____ Yes ____ No. If so, where and when?
________________________________________________________________________________

7. Have you personally experienced wounding in regards to your gifting from those in leadership? What have you done to ensure that this wounding does not effect your ability to effectively pray for those in places of authority? _________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. How would you feel if a 'word' you sent thru needed to be challenged or edited? ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

9. List any prayer ministries, networks or groups that you have participated in.
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

PASTOR’S ENDORSEMENT:
__________________________________________________________________________________

Pastor’s Name:

Church Address :
Phone:
Email Address:
Pastor’s Endorsement_________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

I am willing to recieve a phone call or email in regards to this endorsement: ___Yes ____No

Pastor’s Signature

Date

SPIRITUAL BELIEFS: (You can use another sheet of paper for these questions)
1. Explain how and when you came to know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. List your understanding the difference between prayer and prophecy - in regards to a prayer assignment.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the significance of 'witchraft prayers' ? Share what you do presonally to ensure you heart and motives stay free from personal adgenda's when praying for leaders. ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

4. Share what it means to you to pray for others.
____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

MY AGREEMENT AND COMMITMENT

I certify that the facts contained in this application are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that falsified statements on this application shall be grounds for refusal of acceptance for participation in an Intercessory Assignment or Prayer Shield, under the leadership of Pam Dyck . I also understand that any contact numbers I have give in regards to references or endorsements, may be called to verify my information.
I release Pam Dyck and associated parties from any liability that may result from fasting and/or praying, and I accept full responsibility myself.

Signature :

Date:

Please mail Completed Application Form to:

Intercessory Assignments

31948 Peardonville Rd.

Abbotsford, B.C.

V2T 1L8

Canada

Attn: Pam Dyck

Personal Intercessors

2009-05-04T16:33:00.000-07:00

Personal Intercessors*
Spiritual Guardians

Personal Intercessors have been commissioned to prayerfully support leaders. (Intercessors International calls them ' leader-intercessors'. ) These Intercessors have lists that pray for that include pastors, missionaries, spiritual leaders, various people, sports celebrities, businessmen, governmental leaders and those in education.

Altho I've mentioned mostly leaders in this category, basically a personal intercessor is someone who has been entrusted by God to carry confidential information in and out of God's throne room for another person, in order to partner in that's person's protection, provision and prayer priorities. When God assigns one person to another, as a personal intercessor, a heart response, like that of David and Jonathan, begins to happen. ( I Sam.18:1) While the spiritual connection between these two people is important, more important tis the connectedness and sensitivity of the intercessor with God. Col 1:9 is the basis for personal intercession:
For this reason.....we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

We are all aware of the scriptures that speak about the three-strand cord of spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding. If any one of these strands is overlooked in personal intercession, problems can occur. We might have knowledge of God's will, knowing what He wants a person to do, but lack the spiritual wisdom and understanding of heaven to back it up. We need to guard, in this scenario, that human reasoning doesn't take over and open the door to the enemy.

Wisdom is knowing God's timing and plan for what He wants to accomplish. Without spiritual wisdom, we can do or or say the right thing at the wrong time and bring about hurtful and cause damage. On the other hand, understanding is recognizing God's reason for doing or saying something. When we have God's understanding, our motives for speaking or sharing what we're hearing will be pure, also we'll have the passion to complete the assignment – even if it takes longer than we were expecting! When it's His love fueling us and our actions, we have the energy, grace and strength to not only take up an assignment, but see it through to it's finish!
One of the examples in the book “ Intercessors”, of how the three strands – knowledge, wisdom and understand – might effect personal intercession.

You are praying for 'Bob' when the Lord gives you a word of knowledge that he will be called to the mission field. Do you immediately run to the phone and let him know what you've heard? Or do you wait on the Lord for spiritual wisdom to understand God's timing and plan for going to the mission field? Knowing the person you are interceding for is important when deciding whether to release knowledge. Occasionally God will use us to confirm what He has already spoken to another, but sometimes we are merely called to shoulder the knowledge in prayer. The Lord may simple ask us to carry a word like a seed until He is ready to birth it into that person's life. Our prayers then become the water for that seed.

As we wait for God's understanding to show us both our motive for sharing a word from Him and His motive for calling us into intercession, we may discover we have had a personal agenda in wanting to share. Some intercessors want to share to get close to the one they are praying for; others share to ex cerise control in that person's life. But exposing God's secrets to manipulate others will cause the Lord to withdraw his presence. Even when God does allow an intercessor to share, the timing of that word is critical. Only the right word ( knowledge) at the right time ( wisdom) for the right reason ( understanding) will bring about God's glory.

Remember that even people who love us can be used by the enemy to prevent us from doing a hard thing – even tho it may be the right thing! That's why it's important that personal intercessors do not cloud God's truths with their own opinions. People need to hear what God thinks, not what human reasoning thinks. ( I try to encourage personal intercessors ..as well as prophetic intercessors..to not get in the habit of feeling like they need to explain the words they are getting. This is the area that I find 'human reasoning' gets in and the original word can end up being interpreted thru the intercessor's personal experiences.)

You may be called upon to pray for someone for just a short time, or for a longer term, even years. Only God can determine the length an assignment will be for personal intercession. The point is, to let it go without any feelings of guilt or condemnation. Also, remember to focus on the greatness of God so that you don't get awestruck by the power or position of the people/person you are praying for. Keeping focused on His greatness will also help keep the problem in perspective, so that you can be bold in your intercession.

Are you a Personal Intercessor?
-Do people often seek you out to confide their personal prayer needs?
-Is God repeatedly bringing one or two particular people to mind during your prayer time?
-Has the Lord given you special insight about someone in order to pray for that person?
-Would you rather pray for individuals or for the masses? If you answer is individuals, your prayer anointing includes that of a personal intercessor.

Pitfalls of a Personal Intercessor:
-Bragging about the person for whom they intercede.
-Seeking that person's approval.
-Sharing confidences under the guise of achieving the 'prayer of agreement'.
-Giving words at inappropriate times.
-Using their own words as a ministry of correction.
-Thinking so highly of the person that they neglect to speak truth into that individual's life.
-Interpreting the words and visions received for others with their own understanding.
-Fearing disapproval for giving a word that doesn't make sense.
-Feeling guilty when a season of intercession ends
-Not willing to let go of an assignment

Remember, the anointing of the personal intercessor is always paired with another kind of anointing. They do not necessarily pray every day for that person that God has assigned to them, unless their prayer-power mix is combined with a list anointing. Many intercessors will pray on a regular basis, as the Holy Spirit bring that person to mind. As a personal intercessor, you will find that the more the Lord can trust you with, the more He will entrust to you.

* compiled from the book "Intercessors" by Tommi Femrite - E. Alves - K. Kaufman - check your local christian bookstore for a copy..or Amazon.com

Crisis Intercessors

2009-04-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

Crisis Intercessors*

'Paramedics of Prayer'

Crisis Intercessors are 'in touch' with urgent needs and are on line with God at all times. Crisis Intercessors are the 'paramedics of prayer', rushing in and out of the throne room with urgent requests for the Father on behalf of others. When this gifting is combined with a spiritual warfare anointing, crisis intercessors are the watchmen who intercept and do battle with trespassers in the war between kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.

Crisis intercession is not only for leaders, but also for healings, finances, family, nations or any other pending issue on the Father's heart. Although crisis intercessors are usually called upon to pray for problems occurring in the 'now', there are times when God will give them an intercessory burden today, to ward off tomorrow's trouble.

Our heavenly Father not only knows trouble's timing, but He also when where and when to position crisis intercessors at just the right time, to enable them to partner in prayer for the situation. Often these intercessors don't know why they are feeling called to prayer - only that they have a strong sense that they are 'in place'. Details often come to them, as they respond to the urgency to pray and begin to cry out. The key is stay prayerfully close to God. God can streamline our steps to get us to appointed places of intercession, even when we can't understand why we are there. Even mature crisis intercessors tho, can fail to recognize God's signals and obey them at these times. There are many times when God is wanting to prepare the spiritual ground for protection long before an incident or need has occurred, by aligning the prayers of crisis intercessors. One of the hardest things for a crisis intercessor tho, is we do not always know 'who' we are praying for – we only know we've heard the 'alarm' – PRAY!

Crisis Intercession coupled with warfare can bring down walls or break assignments, in one swift instant! But like King David, we need to learn that being the man of the hour in crisis intercession is not something to base your future on. Remember he was given a prayer strategy of crisis intercession when he cuts of the arrogant head of Goliath? Yes, his heroism made him a target of jealousy. David spends years after that moving from crisis to crisis, which built his character and taught him how to identify with the hurting and rejected people. Though he was a man who knew how to fight, he also became a man of mercy and worship!

Crisis intercessors have a similar DNA – they have a desire to bring healing tho those who are hurting. The key is to lean first upon God for strength and strategies. ( Ps. 60:11, 108:12) When our hearts are fully knit to God's, He will generally bring along trustworthy friends, who can confirm His messages and strategies during crisis intercession. Only when we are in right relationship with God and others, can we be sure we are exactly where we belong and are hearing correctly from God.

Are you A Crisis intercessor?
-Are you commonly awakened with an urgent need to pray about a person, place or problem?
-In your regular times of prayer, are you often struck with a sense of pending emergency?
-Do you thrive in times of crisis, when others are sinking?
-Is your daily routine often interrupted with a call to pray about a face, a name that has come to mind, or situation you've witnessed?
-Do you find you have no rest in prayer until the crisis is over and you've got the assurance you're assignment is completed?

Pitfalls of Crisis Intercessors:
Believing you are in the right place for the right reason is often a challenge for crisis intercessors. It's common to second -guess yourself, wondering if it's just your imagination compelling you to go and do or say something, or whether it is really the Lord. ..Let's explore some other pitfall that can present challenges to a crisis intercessors:

-Feeling guilty for not responding when the opportunity to intercede is neglected
-Looking for a crisis in every situation
-Neglecting to use wisdom in corporate intercession and instead interrupting with any idea or impression rather than a true crisis.
-Running on adrenaline form crisis to crisis instead of being faith focused
-Getting a drug-like high from the crisis'
-Procrastinating or putting oneself in dangerous situations or time crunches, and then crashing at the end.
-Moving from crisis prayer to crisis prayer without spending time in a loving, intimate relationship with the Lord
-Refusing to release the situation because you don't see, hear and feel the results, EVEN THO the Holy Spirit has given you the inner witness to do so
-Carrying guilt for life and death situations that are not manifested in victory
-Basking in the past and so you end up missing the present
-Falling prey to the enemy's ' if onlys' and accusations for not praying long enough or hard enough
-Accepting judgement from others when you've already prayed it through, receive the peace of God and cannot muster up another prayer
-Taking on the burden personally

One challenge for Crisis intercessors is to conqueror our 'fear of man' in order to hear and obey the strategies of the Lord. Remember that crisis intercession flows out of an intimate love relationship with God, rather than from a service mentality. Allow humility to become your defense, by recognize your complete dependence on God, and make sure your motives have been submitted to the Father before you intervene in a crisis. Don't step outside of the boundaries God has set for you, and give yourself permission to make mistakes! Everyone makes them – none of us is perfect! If you need to grieve over the mistakes, do it, but set a time limit on the grieving. Always remember that the glory belongs to the Lord and not about 'us' and our prayers .

*taken from the the book 'Intercessors' by Tommi Femrite, E. Alves, K. Kaufman

Financial Intercessors

2009-04-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

Financial Intercessors *
Faith for Funding

I will be spending a bit more time on Financial Intercessors, simply because of the current economic climate! This is a season, where the world is fretting about provision and finances...and I believe that God is going to use this time, to show His provision! It will be during this season, I believe that more and more financial intercessors are going to be raised up released into different assignments that need heaven's funding, both on personal levels and business levels.

Many of us know the name of “George Muller” - his autobiography is inspiring for Financial Intercessors. George become one of God's greatest financial intercessors. God redeemed his earlier penchant towards money ( through conning people and stealing). His purification toward money resulted in financial power and throughout his lifetime he refused to ask or even tell another human being about the material needs of the many orphanages and schools he founded . Yet, every need was met through prayer!

For some the term 'financial intercessor' conjures up wrong picture. Now a days we are hearing the term, “Market Place” ministry and 'Market Place' intercessors are being raised up and released to work along side kingdom businesses and business people. These intercessors have been anointed by God to line up under heaven's financial corridors to summon funds on behalf of others. The anointing to believe for large sums of money is not to be confused wit the gift of giving – which does require resources. The amount of money financial intercessors have is irrelevant: these people are rich in faith for financial miracles for others! God will, however, use the prayers of financial intercessors to move on the heart of others who do have the gift of giving. At times the heavenly Father will even anoint them to pray in ideas that will promote prosperity, for those they pray for in the market place. God also partners with Financial intercessors to protect the finances of others!

God's word tells us that Satan seeks to 'steal, and kill and destroy ( Jn.10:10), the body, soul and spirit of each of us. One way he seeks to extinguish us is by imploding our individual and corporate financial structures so that we will not be able to underwrite the ministries that need our help. If Satan cannot succeed in victimizing our businesses, he then attempts to infect our minds with a lust for materialism or afflict our bodies so that our finances are funneled in preserving our physical frames,rather than building up Christ's Body. The church has lost sight of how our business people need to be covered in prayer . This is why God has raised up financial intercessors.

Financial intercessors can commonly see the blockage preventing financial breakthrough. For example, a couple of years ago I did an experiment: I matched up intercessors with business people, for a 3 month time period. I asked the business people to send me thru their kingdom vision for their business and also what their 3 biggest blockages or problems they were currently facing. The intercessors were never given the 'name' of the business, simply the first name of the business person and the vision etc. They were released to pray...and I was the co-coordinator of information between the two group. Within weeks, those business people who were 'using' their financial intercessors and sending thru more information, both of breakthroughs and warfare, began to see a shift in the blockages. One very prominent business man from the U.S., had a breakthrough with some banking finances that he'd been 'hitting a wall' on , for over three years! Partnering financial intercessors with business people is just one way that financial intercessors can be used to release heaven's blessings! God longs to give us the wealth of nations, to promote His kingdom on the Earth!

Sometimes God will raise up financial intercessors to give them supernatural ideas. The Kraft Foods company began with the desire to perpetuate the gospel. Chocolate lovers are aware that Hershy started with a desire to sweeten the lives of abused and orphaned children. Welches developed a grape juice that is used in Communion services globally. Its Christian roots sprouted from a desire to send missionaries overseas. Sam Tam, author of the book “ God Owns My Business” become one of the only people in the world to legally deed a $40 million business over to God! Weathly businessman R.G. LeTourneau said, “ It's not how much of my money that I give to God that counts. It's how much of His money that I keep for myself.” Financial Intercessors recognize it all belongs to Father God. Those whose motives have been purified have no problem asking the Lord to finance heaven's plans upon earth.

When Financial Intercessors Meet Corporately:

Tommi Femrite gives the example that after teaching on the various prayer annointings one day, she gathered those in the meeting to come forward. She called all the financial intercessor to the front, to ask the Father how much HE wanted to provide in the offering that day. The other intercessors were to pray for the financial intercessors to hear clearly and have faith to believe for that amount. She then asked the financial intercessors to set their faith in agreement with the Lord for that sum. Next, they were to pray that the other intercessors would hear the amount they were to give and be obedient to the voice of the Lord. They then all prayed that the gift of financial giving would be released. The buckets were passed and they broke for lunch. During the break the offering was counted. After lunch she called the financial intercessors together to share what amounts they were believing for. Their answers ranged from 7,00- 50,000 Swiss franks. One intercessor insisted, “ Whatever the highest amount is, double it because God always wants to do more than we expect.” ( can you hear the faith of a financial intercessor!!?) When the offering was counted, the total was ( now remember the highest amount given)......$105,000 .00 Swiss franks!

Are you a Financial Intercessor?

-Do you have bold faith to believe God for large sums of money?
Do you carry a burden for the financial needs of others?
-Do you get excited about seeing individuals, groups or organizations prosper?
-Does God ever give you dreams or visions that would further His kingdom?
-Has He ever used you to network others for financial prosperity?

Pitfalls of Financial Intercessors
Faith is a key to financial intercession, however a financial intercessor should not think that he/she must engineer a place for harvesting the amount of money needed. Also...be care of getting yourself into debt because God did not release the funds you'd hoped He'd supply. Here's some other pitfalls:

-Thinking that you have to be rich to believe for great amounts of money for others.
-Condemning and doubting self while taking on responsibility and pain for meeting the debt, when only God can supply the need.
-Attempting to manipulate God through works when He does not deliver in accordance with your timing.
-Refusing to allow God to purify the motives of the recipient before funds are released.
-Sharing with doubters who water down your faith.
-Encouraging others to make pledges based on emotion rather than the basis of what God has dictated.
-Freezing with fear when the Lord calls you to become a channel for an amount of money or an idea that is bigger than you ever thought you could believe for.

Remember, God's financial intercessors are called to be rich in faith for the funding of the dreams of others! In being obedient to that call, they often realize the fulfillment of their own dreams. Why not cast your prayers for someone else's funds upon the water and see what comes back?!

* from the book ' Intercessors' by T. Ferrite, E.Alves, K. Kaufman.

Soul Intercessors

2009-04-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

Soul Intercessors *
“God's Midwives”

These are intercessors who carry almost a deep anguish for souls to be birthed into the Kingdom. They prayerfully stand in the gap between the two kingdoms: light and dark! They are very aware of those who are lost, and their deepest passion to pray prayers that will direct them to the Kingdom of light! Soul intercessors can often be in prayerful travail for those that they are believing to experience a spiritual birth .

Those called to be soul intercessors need to be especially aware of 'timing' - like the kind found in Ecclesiastes 3. While interceding for the lost, you cannot 'force' a birth, nor can you wait too long ! In the natural there are consequences of this lack of timing and the same is true of spiritual consequences. Remember Ecclesiastes 3 says there is ' a time to be born'. It's important for soul intercessors to know the timing of God in their intercession as they pray and perhaps witness to those God is calling them to pray for.

Soul intercessors have a big grasp on the horrors of hell, and so they cry out on behalf of those who will spend eternity there. These intercessors can be used to pray the worst enemies of society into the Kingdom of God because they have such a grasp on the torment that await the unsaved. If you are a soul intercessor the picture or 'sense' you have of hell, truly motivates you to pray for the lost at any cost.

Also, soul intercessors have a sense of 'lost souls' that is far more encompassing that the average person. You can be one who has a heart for the lost on the overseas mission field, but at the same time, you can be aware of those in your own neighborhood, city, place of work or school . They are aware that the 'lost' are not just the poor, but can be the financially wealthy. A soul intercessor has an awareness that the 'lost' are all those who have no connection with the Heavenly Father or His family – regardless of geographical location, financial or educational status!

Soul intercessors are the ones who need to be up front when an altar call is given. They are the ones who want to ensure that those that come to the Lord are given the Word ( right away) as well as warm loving arms! Part of the 'birthing experience' ( for soul intercessors) is also to make sure that new babes are passed on to loving shepherds.

Are you A Soul Intercessor?

-Do you have a burden to pray for the lost on a regular basis?
-When you're with a stranger, do you find yourself wanting to know if the person is saved? Are you burdened to pray until he or she is?
-Do you long to see more altar calls in your local church?And so you want to be up there praying with those that come forward?
-Are the lost drawn to you?
-Are scriptures for the lost easy for you to remember?

Pitfalls of Soul Intercessors:

Birthing is an arduous and fatiguing process – not one for the one being birthed, but also for those standing alongside as the 'midwife'. As you can see God's midwives are called to an extraordinary measure of persistence, but the fruit of their efforts will last throughout eternity. Here's some of the pitfalls the soul intercessor can face:

*feelings of futility over the number of lost still be saved
*being discouraged form not hearing praise reports
*judging rather than identifying with those that are in sin
*experiencing apathy caused by inabliity to understand the horrors of hell
*falling prey to condemnation for taking on the personal responsibility of another's right to choose
*being bored from repeatedly speaking to the same verse but to no avail ( no fruit)
*becoming fatigued from praying for days, months and years without results
*lacking follow-through in prayer when a soul has been birthed.

Remember, our responsibility as a Soul Intercessor is not to change others; it is to pray that their circumstances will be aligned so that they will have the opportunity to choose. When we enter into praying for souls, we enter into the ministry of Christ – reconciling the lost to the Father. The reality is tho, not everyone will receive the gift of salvation and you need to be prepared for that truth – however painful it is! BUT...there will be those that do....and that hope and joy, is what keeps a Soul Interessor fueled!

* from the book “Intercessors' by T.Femrite, E.Alves, K.Kaufman – for a more indepth teaching on Intercessors, please pick up this book from your local bookstore, or if it's out of print, order from Amazon.com

Worship Intercessor

2009-03-23T03:52:00.000-07:00

Worship Intercessors
'Sacred Romancers'

Though we're all called to worship, worship intercessors are those who are tuned in to heaven's audio chambers. When their hearts ae rightly aligned, their spiritual antenna's hear heaven's rhythm pumping out of the throne room on behalf of God's people. Worship may sound to these intercessors as the adulation of praise, the tearful song of mercy's identification, victorious shouts, the drumbeat of warfare, the clapping of honor to the King of Kings or even the waltz of sacred romance.

Some worship intercessors will respond with musical instrument, others with songs. ( ps. 33:1-3) some with dancing, others with clapping ( see Ps.150:4, 47:1) some with bowing, others with raised hands ( Ps.95:6 141:2)

This intercessor's prayers often flow with singing, that can melt a hardened heart ( if in a group or singing over a person), this kind of singing can heal heart and set captives free.
-My friend Diane often operates in this! She often begins to pour out her heart in prayers that flow into powerful songs of deliverance, or sweet songs of God's love for the person she's praying for! She will often get 'songs' during our prayer times and will 'sing out' rather than 'pray out'!

Worship Intercessors release the cannons of faith against the walls of resistance. They carry spiritual artillery for breakthrough. The bible is full of stories that tell us of worship that went on before great battles or breakthrough – Paul and Silas in prison for one -King David – Jehoshaphat – and more!

In all these situations, three common threads intertwine to form a cord for hauling in the breakthrough: sacrifice – sanctification and surrender. Worship Intercession that ushers in God's presence must have all three, and cultivating those character traits takes time. Remember, spiritual Growth is a process.

Pitfalls of Worship Intercessors

-fearing the response of others more than God's call to responding
-refusing to move out in your gift because of fear of comparison
-succumbing to rejection when the worship is not honored as a form of intercession
-believing that only those with a perfect pitch are anointed
-Lacking discernment in timing
-trying to set the stage with words, rather than moving out into the gift
-being unteachable and overstepping the boundaries of others
-thinking that song is only way to pray and losing the balance: prayer and song
-using the gift to be recognized for your singing

Are you a Worship Intercessor?

-Do you often sing your prayers or use a musical instrument to commune with the Lord?
-Do you give either all or just a few bars of a song, in response to prayerfully?
-Does praising the Lord occupy must of your prayer time?
-Does God give youa song to sing over person, situation, or land?
-Do you often wake up with a song on your heart?
-When the group is asked is anyone has a song, can you usually say 'yes'?

Worship intercessors should guard their heart to ensure that the your desire to worship do not overshadow His presence – in other words, don't put the gift before the Giver. Be faithful to how God is using YOU to pray

2009-03-21T22:41:00.000-07:00

Mercy Intercessors: God's stethoscopes!

Mercy Intercessor's are amazing. They are just as able to weep for their enemies as they are for their friends, because they have a Cross centered view of all God's creation. They see the need for forgiveness rather than judgement and they are often chided or corrected for ministering to the 'wrong people'. Mercy intercessors often identify with the hurts of both those who have been beaten and those who have done the beating.

Mercy intercessors make the choice to identify with the hurts and needs of others. They will often surrender they own needs in prayer to cry out on behalf of the hurting. They are the ones who are most often seen weeping – and men who are mercy intercessors often struggle with their inability to restrain their tears!
Mercy Intercessors are usually the first to sign up to go on hospital visitation programs, because they can't stand to think of people lonely, or suffering, without wanting to cry out for their healing.

Let me say this about tears: When you let tears flow, you are releasing something on three levels: spiritual, emotional and physical.
tears unleash the heart of God – they show our spiritual dependence upon the heavenly Father. They are an outward sign of our inward brokenness and need for Him. ( Ps. 34:18, 51:7,8)
tears unleash a spirit of identification. They demonstrate a heart that is connected with others. Rom 12:15 gives us the key to friendships “ rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those who weep'...Jesus tears representing His identity with the hurts of people
tears unleash physical acts of healing: the medical profession states that there is a physical change in our bodies when we cry – causing healing hormones to be released and some of the physical stress that is trapped within is able to be alleviated.

Pitfalls of Mercy Intercessors:
While identifying with a person can be a strength, it can also become an hindrance. Don't get so deep into identifying with the pain of others, that the burden takes you out personally and spiritually. Here are some other pitfalls to watch out for:

-Rescuing: wanting so desperately to save others from pain, that you prevent God's hand of corrective discipline form accomplishing His purposes.
-you can feel judged, mocked or quenched by others who feel uncomfortable with tears.
-You refuse to deliver a 'hard word' b/c it might hurt some one's feelings
-you get involved where God has not called you to go
-you grieve to the point of giving up your lives in despair rather than laying down your lives in prayer, to plant seeds of hope and change
-feeling lonely, unappreciated and hurt when others don't hear a call to meet the needs of others
identifying to the point of depression
-refusing to let go when God's season for helping someone is over.

Are you a Mercy Intercessor?
Do you grieve over issues you know are breaking God's heart?
Do you struggle with or judge others who don't seem sensitive to the pain going on in the hearts of others?
Are you accused of being sensitive to the wrong people?
Do people find it easy to share their hurts with you?
When people share their pain with you, do you have difficulty letting it go?

Remember: mercy intercessors need to hope in God...not in people! Don't be despart for answer; rather surrender to God's wisdom for the the people and the situation. Surrender your right to control the outcome of another person's choice – even if you want them to chose the RIGHT way! Refuse to judge the motives of others and don't take it personally if not everyone sees the needs you do.

List Intercessors

2009-02-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

*much of this comes from the book " Intercessors" by T. Femrite - E.Alves- K.Kaufman
List Intercessors

When someone calls you for prayer, is your automatic response, to find a piece of paper to right down their prayer request and any other details around it? Then you are probably a 'list intercessor.' Do you have little pieces of paper with prayer requests kicking around your house, on your desk or in your Bible? Do you have lists of prayer requests on your fridge or tucked safely in your bible or journal? Then you are probably a list intercessor ! Remember tho: not all lists are prayed the same way!

Some jot their prayers down on paper, others use pocket tape recorders or MP3 devices. Others may make prayer walls, prayer lists or use a prayer journal – where they not only write down the requests, but go back and write in when the answers come. Some list pray-ers use pictures to remember to pray , and/or list the needs under each picture. Others simply have a bulletin board with pictures, notes or verses, that remind them during throughout the day to take a prayer stand for those God has assigned them. Other's use maps – maps of their neighbour hood or their city. Some people use the telephone books, and pray through a column a day! Others will comb through newspapers. Not all list intercessors will gather their sources the same way. See, not all lists are the same, nor are they prayed the same way.

Not only will list intercessors gather their sources and information differently, they may also sort that information in unique ways. Some divide their lists by topics: salvations, healing, finances, families, individuals. Some will assign one day to each topic. Others hold their lists before the Lord and ask for direction as to who or what to pray into for that day. Others still may pray scriptures over those the Lord has assigned them.

List intercessors are awesome! ( Aren't they all!?) They are known for their dependability and perseverance. They strengthen those they pray for with their loyalty and unwavering love and of course, their dependability. These prayer people are tenacious and consistent in their prayer support.

If you have a list intercessor praying for you, they will often know your schedule better than you know it. If you're on their list and they've said they are going to be praying for you, you know you will be getting prayer. Some list intercessors are so organized that they will pray for people every day at a particular time. A list pray-er will pray about any subject you give them , but they prefer having a list to follow. They find freedom in structure – it frees them up, once prayer needs are organized, to think about other things.

List pray-ers need to watch out that they don't fall into the trap of thinking only regimented prayer can be effective. It is important that tho you have a list to go through, that you also be willing to linger over any particular prayer request until you feel that it's done. List pray-ers tend to be more effective because of their particular style, when they are praying independently. Those who are created with a need for diversity can find list praying ( especially praying over someone else's list), inhibiting, confining and yes...boring. Also...list pray-ers can feel obligated to take on prayer assignments that are given to the 'on the run' – people who just stop in the moment and ask them for pray. They can learn to pray 'in the moment' .

“ Many Christians have erroneously decided that because they don't pray lists, they are not intercessors.” from Chp. 2 of “ Intercessors” This of course, is simply not true! Those who pray, need to know their prayer style in order to be effective and also to be encouraged!

Right now, in the Body of Christ, I am seeing a shift happening. Where we have spent a lot of time learning how to hear from God on an individual basis, and we've learned how to pray in our prayer closets – it is time to learn again, how to pray corporately. So..despite all the different styles we are learning about, we also need to know how to make those styles work in a corporate prayer meeting!

Here's some things to look for to tell if you are a 'list pray-er' and also pitfalls to be aware of, if you are! Remember, every strength also has a weakness – so be aware of yours!

Pitfalls:

*Burnout! What for it! We can get so many people on our lists, that we are not able to properly pray the way we want to. We can also have such long lists that we start to feel guilty about not being able to pray for them all. The key here is to know how long your assignment is and be able/willing to hear God say your assignment is done.
*Becoming judgmental towards others who either deviate in a meeting, from your list or a list.
*Believing there is no other way to pray, and in doing so can find it hard to fit in to a corporate prayer meeting.
*Lack of compassion when praying over a list complied by another person.
*Allow the lists to become more important than what is on the Father's heart at the moment – again important in corporate prayer meetings.
*Being determined to pray thru the entire list each time you pray.
*Experiencing condemnation when you don't pray the entire list.
*Letting the list become so long that futility causes you to give up prayer.
*Becoming overwhelmed and frustrated when your lists grow without seeing answers to prior requests
*Lacking boundaries to say 'no' to those whom has not asked you to put on your list ( assignment)

Remember, God is more interested in your heart attitude than in your performance in prayer.

Are you a List Intercessor?

*Do you find freedom in structure?
*Would regimented prayer inhibit you or release you?
*Have you recorded the dates of prayer requests?
*Do you pray over the same people consistently?
*When called to pray for someone, do you start by making a list?

Remember: to honor your relationship with God and others on your lists. It's really important to let the love of God shape your prayers for His people! Set priorities for your times of prayer, and be disciplined. Record what you receive in prayer – including dates and details. Be open and flexible to God's call to add or delete the people, places or issues that are on your list. Understand too, that not everyone is committed to, or finds life in lists – even yours!

Biblical example of a list pray-er? Ezra ! Book of Ezra he lists all those who returned to Jerusalem, the heads of clans, those involved in mixed marraiges. Basically God used him to spur a great revival! He's know as 'Ezra the scribe'. He's believe to be the author of most of 1 and 2 Chronicles, and this noble man of God records lists in all of his writings!

Issue Intercessors

2009-02-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

*These intercession-types can be found in more detail in a book by 'Tommi Femrite-Elizabeth Alves - Karen Kaufman' called " Intercessors"

Issue Intercessors

Those who pray over issues will find that the Holy Spirit imprints an assignment on their souls/spirits. Sometimes issues flow out of their own hurts; other times the Lord simply drops a burden, like a seed, into the heart's soil and then pours out prayers to water it.

An 'issue' of intercession can be a lifetime assignment. Some intercessors who get burdens to pray for certain issues, will become involved in ministering to the very people involved in those issues: eg. Sex-trade workers, homosexuals, run-aways, pornography, violence against women . Othertimes, an issue of intercession can last just a season. The key is to be able to hear the Lord when we are to carry on, or when we are done and can release the burden.

Issue intercessors are those who stand against injustices. Their gift mix ( or as it can also be known, ' prayer-power mix) is often combined with mercy or warfare, to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. Only when LOVE is the driving force behind an issue intercessor is there enough passion to finish the assignment. Also..coming from a motivation of 'love' will help an issue intercessor from falling into cynicism, judgment or criticalness.

All issues eventually effect the family, and whatever affects the family will ultimately affect the nation and vice versa. Issue intercessors, therefore, will often prayerfully ban together to fight for changes in the laws that govern the nation .

Whether the issue is children, widows, singles, blended families, abortion, pornography, eduction, political concerns, gang violence, prostitution, or something else – the key to prayer for issues is to align with those who have the same focus and walk in agreement with those that are like minded. Otherwise, an issue intercessor can often themselves in prayer meetings whose goal is something different, and they become frustrated that no one is seeing the bigger picture OR they begin to feel isolated and out of 'sync' with the other prayer people around them.

One of the keys for an issue intercessor besides finding others who share the same burden, is to learn to adapt their gift of being seeing the bigger picture ( or the issue) in any prayer meeting, and being able to pray in that vein. How does the burden they carry, fit into the context of praying for their church, or city?

Pitfalls of Issue Intercessors:

-Focusing on the positive side of our prayer burden is only one way to discover your anointing. Have you noticed that our positive attributes also have a negative side? That is true of intercessors as well. The very strengths that can cause us to ride the wave of victory, can also be used to plunge us into discouragement and other problems. Align with the wrong people: those that have lost the love and redemption aspect of their prayer assignment and have fallen into negativism and criticalness – is just one of things we need to be aware of.

-Becoming frustrated or angry with others who do not share the burden over the same issues.
-Thinking our issue is the only important issue.
-Wearing the issue has a 'red badge of courage' that can lead to or turn into pride.
-Allowing the issue to become so consuming that the Lord begins to take second place.
-Wanting to rescue based on soulish love rather than a call of God.
-Exceeding the boundaries God has set for helping.
-Becoming so filled with gravity surrounding an issue that your spirit becomes dry and parched.
-Succumbing to guilt and confusion when the issues outweigh the number of laborers.
-Isolating from, rather than aligning with others who have the same call/issue to pray for.
-Praying for the praise of people rather than the praise of God – the one who assigned the issue in the first place.
-Losing your identity as first a son/daughter of God – and getting identity from the issue.

Are You an Issues Intercessor?
-Do injustices against others cause you to want to pray?
-Do you see people crying out in hopelessness and despair, when others don't?
-Are you a defender of any or all of the little children of the world?
-Can you think of something that makes you want to pound the table and weep?
-Can you think of something worth prayerfully fighting for, that flows out of your own, or someone else's hurtful experience? ( eg. Rape, violence, hunger, prejudice etc.)
-Has God provided you keys to open doors, into tightly locked hearts? If so, do you realize that you may be called to pray for those people?
-Do you find yourself hearing or watching things on the news ( or in the newspaper) that sends you into prayer?

Choose to spend time at Jesus' feet, speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. Ask Him to fill you with love as you pray. Remember, that everything about God is 'redemption' – so even those who are a part of the problem, God may require of you to also pray for. Keep 'love' always in your heart as you pray...and He will fill your mouth with the prayers that move mountains: Ps.81:10 “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”

Types of Intercessors

2009-02-13T21:51:00.000-08:00

Our group has found, two things over the years, that have helped us to understand the gift of intercession that we love: 1. the different types of intercessors and 2. the different languages of God. When we learned the different ways God speaks to each of us, and also the different type of intercessor we are - the better we have been able to grow in the gift of intercession, with more confidence. First, let's look at the different types of intercessors.

The best book out there that talks about different types of intercessors is a book by Tommi Femrite- Elizabeth Alves- Karen Kaufman, called " Intercessors". They list 12 different types of intercessors:

1. Issues Intercessors - Standing against injustices. The 'issues' are what make you weep and pound the table!

2. List Intercessors - You find freedom in structure! As soon as you hear a prayer request, you're looking for a pen.

3. Soul Intercessors - God's Midwives - you love to pray for people to choose everlasting life.

4. Personal Intercessors - Spiritual Guardians - You are a personal intercessor who can be trusted with confidential information, in order to pray for another person.

5. Financial Intercessors - Faith for Finances/Funding - You've been anointed by God to summon funds on behalf of others.

6. Mercy Intercessors - The Heart people - you are God's living stethoscopes. You can hear/feel the pain of others and want to extend the mercy of God to the root of that pain.

7. Crisis Intercessors: Paramedics of Prayer - You rush in and out of the throne room with urgent requests on behalf of others - acting as watchman for God's people.
You are the ones He can wake up in the middle of the night to pray for someone you may or may not even know!

8. Warfare Intercessors - The Military Might of the Kingdom - You fight to usher in truth by establishing God's authority in places where the enemy has a 'strong' hold on people, places or situations.

9. Worship Intercessors - Sacred Romancers - You access heaven's power, thru worship and bring hope to the hopeless. You silence the voice of the enemy and release the voice of the Beloved over people and situations.

10. Government Intercessors - Watchmen for Politics and the Church - You are the watchmen who prayerfully uphold the leaders in the church and political arenas where destinies are forged.

11. People- Group and Israel Intercessors - Prayer Shepherds for Ethnic Groups.
God is calling intercessory shepherds to lead the way in prayer for entire people groups. You're heart leaps when you think of certain nations or ethnic groups and you find yourself praying for them to be touched by God as a nation or group.

12. Prophetic Intercessors - Trusted with the Secrets of God - You pray the things on God's heart; then, under His direction you report the words, thoughts, images and actions He releases you to share - at His discretion.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll go in depth into the different types of intercessors - the strength and the pitfalls.

The last few points....

2009-02-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

7. Be committed& Submitted:

If you are praying for your local church, it’s very important that those involved in that prayer meeting are committed members of a local church. (It's hard to pray for something you dn't belong to or believe in! )

Remember also that the enemy will send plants into prayer groups to ‘hi-jack’ or ‘disrupt’ with disunity or distractions etc. Also, as you earn a pastor’s trust, you will find yourself being able to pray more and more effectively into the life of your church – that will require trust and confidentiality on your part to be able to pray without judgement or agendas.

Also be willing to submit to the leadership of the group, if there are issues or disagreements. Remember, we’re only human, and things will come up. We’ve had to deal with many things over the years – even some of our best and senior intercessors having to be asked to NOT pray quite so long. Their committment to pray and their submission to the leadership of group, made talking about those things, easy – and they adjusted themselves to make room for the others, rather than get offended. We’ve had to address where people felt cut-off during a prayer, or that people felt they’d been spoken to rudely – it happens. But again, because our commitment is to pray and love one another, we can address issues in love!

8. Maintain the Integrity of the Group

Again this pertains both to local church prayer groups, and groups gathering for larger city-wide church issues.This requires you to not allow the prayer group to be used to ‘discuss’ people’s issues about their pastor or leaders, criticisms with the local church, or gossip etc. . It is very important that the group maintain Jesus heart towards whatever prayer issue (mandate) He has called your group to pray for.

Also, don’t take issues that God has given you to PRAY into, out into daily conversations with others. Many times what makes sense in an atmosphere of prayer, can be taken completely out of context over a casual coffee. Try to maintain a sense, not of elitism or secrecy, but one of integrity and confidentiality.

9. Be a Source of Confirmation – NOT direction:

Intercessory prayer groups, should seek to be a source of support for the local church and it’s leaders, NOT a source of power and direction. Remember our job is to pray for leaders to HEAR from God – not to hear God FOR them!

If you do feel you have something that needs to be shared with a leader, we advise our intercessors to give the word, and ‘leave it’. That means, once you have delivered what you ‘sense’ the Lord is saying – your job is done. Now it’s up to the leader to weigh and judge whether the word is accurate, or what the Lord is saying to him thru it. Remember, don’t over-explain a word either – you could be putting your interpretation on it, thus confusing the issue IF the person receiving it is actually to hear from the Lord for themselves.

For example: say your ‘word’ is like a pizza. You’re job is to simply deliver the pizza. You don’t stand around and watch the person eat it. You don’t ask for a tip. You don’t ask for part of it. You deliver the pizza, and go back to the source to see what’s else is assigned to you. You don’t get offended if they don’t like it, don’t finish it, or throw it away – it’s not YOUR pizza, you only deliver it.

Also, we have found thru discussion with many pastors that prayer people can end up inundating them with words – warning words, battle words, and prophetic calls – to the point where they are overwhelmed. One pastor told me that he actually began avoiding his ‘head intercessor’ because all she ever had to tell him was ‘bad news’, or to tell him what the Spirit of God was wanting for the church – that he must do or miss opportunities for blessing, growth etc. It’s your job to ‘pray thru’ most of those kinds of word. If God is showing you where He wants to ‘bless’, then pray for protection over what’s coming, and preparation for hearts to receive what God is wanting to do.

If God is showing you where an attack may happen, it’s SO THAT you pray protection over that area – that’s your job. You don’t need the pastor or leaders acknowledgment every time you wage war on their behalf – if you do, then you need to take a look at your motives for praying.

Lastly, we’ve found on the average that 9 out of 10 words you get in a prayer do not need to be shared – they need to be prayed! So…use your accessibility with your leaders with discretion – don’t burn them out. This way when you do come, they’ll listen because you’ve a proven track record of not coming with everything your ‘getting’ in prayer.

Blessings on your adventure in prayer! Remember, we have only shared some common boundaries that have helped our group stay together, and functioning in prayer for an extended period of time- it will be 15years this year! We do not presume to think we know all the ways God would teach a prayer group, but we do hope that some of what has ‘worked’ for us…will help your group also ‘go the distance’ and find the joy of intercession, that we have.

If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them!

2009-02-09T20:05:00.000-08:00

4.Agreement to not Get Offended with Styles:

These days, whether it’s a church prayer meeting or an inter-faith gathering, there are always people coming with different backgrounds on prayer and experiences.

Some people will pray in tongues, some will not. Some will stand, some will sit. Some will be loud, others will be silent. Some people get scriptures, some people get pictures - some people get songs.

It’s all important – and alright if it’s all different.

Don’t try and make everyone ‘hear’ from God the same way. Acknowledge that we’re all gifted differently and this is a time of blending those gifts together to work for the greater good of the The Body. Before a prayer group even starts, everyone must agree that they will not be intimidated by different styles or judge one another. We agree ahead of time that we are there IN UNITY to pray together for a specific need, and we release everyone to pray however they are comfortable.

Now, having said that, I must also remind us that we are to be preferring one another. That means that if someone’s style is very loud and dominating, they need to, out of love for one another be willing to ‘dial it down’ a bit, so that their style doesn’t dominate the flow in the room or intimidate others. In no way does that mean they should not pray, but we agree to be sensitive to one another, and not demand our own way! Look for ways to flow together in the Spirit – to find ways to be ‘one voice’. Remember that being united doesn’t mean all being the same – but it does mean flowing with one heart, one voice and in the same direction.

5. Be God focused

Be careful, when engaging in spiritual warfare in a prayer group that you do not become ‘enemy focused’, instead of God focused. By this we mean, do not engage your prayer group into focusing and speaking to the enemy and his forces, instead of God and His might!

Many prayer groups have been exhausted taking on battles that the Lord has told us are His. If a person in the group is continually calling down Satan, telling him this and that – the group needs to discern whether that is fitting in with their mandate, and IF that type of prayer is leaving a sense of refreshing or exhaustion.

Prayer that leaves a group feeling exhausted or defiled in any way, needs to be looked at again. Remember we call God down into the battle, call on Him to release His hosts to fight, and remind Him where the enemy is! He takes care of the rest! Speaking too much in a prayer meeting directly to the enemy or his demons, can often cause problems in that can eventually hurt the health, strength and unity in the group. ( We never want it said that we spent more time addressing the enemy, than we did talking to God!!)

If you need examples or teachings on this, there is a great teaching called “Warfare Praying in Psalms”. This teaching gives the examples that out of (approx.) 850 verses in Psalms that directly or indirectly deal with warfare, only 6 times does David rebuke the enemy for what he’s doing and only 3 times does David directly address the enemy. Yet 227 x’s he tells God where the enemy is, and calls God down into that! God does the battle. He calls God into the battle 75x’s more often, than he ever directly addressed the enemy himself. Often our prayer groups can get this statistic the other way around. We need to be alert to the enemy drawing us into battles that we should be calling God down into!

6. Be Willing to Learn

No one person knows everything about prayer. Be willing to learn from each other. Be willing to be instructed by those in the group, or by bringing people into the group. Be willing to share information, but give people the right to not always ‘get’ what you get out of book, or a teaching series. Be willing to develop your intercessory gifting – don’t get locked into thinking that your way of praying is the ONLY way.

More points to follow...but don't worry, I'm just about done now! If you have any comments or questions about points 1 - 6 that I've shared thus far - let me know!

Guidelines that have Worked for us.....

2009-01-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

One of the most exciting sentences I have ever heard is “ Let’s get together and pray!” Those words usually herald the beginning of a prayer group – a gathering of prayer warriors& intercessors – who are hearing the Spirit call them to pray.

When the Spirit of God puts out the call to gather to pray, it usually means He has something that He wants done, something that He wants to release – answers that He wants us to ask for! It’s an exciting time – it’s also a time of learning, and time of work. A good prayer group, a strong prayer group, is one that will go the distance. A good prayer group takes work and boundaries.

Below are listed some things that our Abbotsford City Prayer Group has learned over the years – things the Lord has taught us along the way, that have enabled us to last 15 years and still going strong. Please understand that none of this is hard and fast – it is simply what we have learned. You still must determined what the Lord is saying to you and your group. There are 9 main points that we've developed over the years - here are the first three points. I'll list the others in a later post.

1. What is Your Mandate?

The first thing any group has to discern is : WHY are we meeting to pray? What has God called you together for? This question can be better understood in one word : mandate.

Many groups do not discern what they have been gathered to pray about, and so, each prayer meeting can become a ‘free for all’. By that I mean, the strongest agenda’s, or the strongest need or personality, will control the way the meeting goes, and what is prayed about.

For instance: if you are called to pray for your church – that entails a lot of territory. You need to ( each meeting) ask the Lord what area of the church He is wanting you to pray into that week – what area does He feel needs to be covered. You may find yourself praying for youth, the children, finances, the pastors, worship ( & all those involved), marriages, the singles, upcoming outreaches or events the church is participating in, families etc. The list of needs that prayer people can cover, as they pray for their church is HUGE! If you do not establish that Praying for the Church, is the main call of the prayer group, you can get pulled into ministering to personal needs, or praying for national crises, or praying for nations, etc. Although they are all good causes and need prayer, IF you spend your time all your praying for those issues, at the end of your prayer time, WHO has prayed for the church? That very area, that God has called you together for, has not been the object of your prayers, and it’s needs have not been lifted up. Yes, you have had a good prayer time and yes all prayer is good – but the thing you were called together for, has not received the attention it is.

Another example is: our group is called to pray for the City and all it’s churches. In our first year together, people would come out to pray, that had other prayer burdens. While we wanted to pray for the city of Abbotsford, others would begin to pray for Canada, some would pray for Israel, others would pray for the political issues – ALL good prayer needs – but ultimately it caused disunity in the group, as no one issue was actually being prayed for completely, and there was a sense of continually wrestling for the floor (so to speak).Personal issues also were a constant source of wrestling for attention. At the same time all these things do need to be prayed about.

Discerning your mandate will also give you a ‘plum line’ to measure other issues up against. Does this line up with why God has called us to pray? It helps keep things focused.

So, pray first: then do personal ministry time. We leave personal ministry till the end of the meeting. That way you never get sidetracked away from the reason why you have gathered together. Determined how long your prayer meeting is to go – one or two hours. THEN decide how much of that time you want to leave for personal ministry to each other, or to pray into other issues that people have come in carrying on their hearts. This way we never rob God of ‘why’ He’s called us to pray.

2. No one person should ever dominate a prayer time.

Everyone in a prayer group needs to agree before you even start, that they are submitting one to another, and to the leader. If one person is dominating the prayer time – praying everything, or praying lengthy, wordy prayers – so that others are not getting a chance to pray, they need to have a teachable heart and humble spirit, and be willing to limit the length of their prayers. This needs to be done so that everyone in the prayer group gets an opportunity to pray.

The reason for this? No one person will have the FULL picture of what God is wanting us to pray! Every person in the group needs to release what they are sensing, what is on their heart – so that the whole picture is revealed through prayer, and covered more thoroughly.

3.Everyone in the group must give their piece.

Since everyone one hears in part, in order to get the full picture, everyone must GIVE their part - what they are hearing or sensing. It’s ‘ok’ if everyone is not hearing the same thing. Remember if we are( in sense) ‘standing on the wall’ around the prayer issue, everyone is seeing from a different perspective, so what one person sees may not look the same as what someone else sees. Like a patchwork quilt, when all the piece are ‘prayed out’ – it’s always amazing at the picture that it reveals. Don’t be afraid of people praying what can even seem contrary to each other. Remember that each person is accountable to giving their piece, and allowing the Holy Spirit to create the bigger picture. This may mean that the leader may have to take time to draw in the quieter ones, and ask them what they are sensing. Recognizing that it is sometimes harder for quieter personalities to ‘jump in’ – so make room for them –draw them out. This also acknowledges that their ‘piece’ IS important.

Read the next post for the more information and the rest of the 'points'!

What is Abbotsford City Prayer?

2009-01-07T14:14:00.001-08:00

Test

Abbotsford City Prayer

The Authority Position of STANDING

Called to Prayer Conference.

Hitting the Mark...

Nine Great Ways to Ruin a Prayer Meeting

Prayer.....

Let's keep Looking....

More on Jezebel

What Is Jezebel??

Aware of the Warfare..

Love of Prayer

Government Intercessors

I'm on Sabbatical...

Praying with A Pure Heart

Four Rules of Prayer....

Testing a Corporate Word over a City/Ministry or Territory/Nation

Why do We Pray?

Warfare Intercessors

Looking for Intercessors

Personal Intercessors

Crisis Intercessors

Financial Intercessors

Soul Intercessors

Worship Intercessor

List Intercessors

Issue Intercessors

Types of Intercessors

The last few points....

MOre

Guidelines that have Worked for us.....

What is Abbotsford City Prayer?