“He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations.” (Ps. 111:6)

“Ask of me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth as your possession.” (Psalm 2:8)

“Burundi shall be saved!” Those were the Spirit’s words spoken in the sweetest, most assuring voice I heard, accompanied by what seemed like the soft beating of a dove’s wings next to my right ear. I was seated on the platform listening to Burundi’s ambassador for peace and reconciliation give a final word at the end of a three-day prayer initiative our team had facilitated in the strife-torn nation in the year 2000. About 200 Christian leaders from the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa tribes had spent many hours humbling themselves, crying out to God with deep emotion and broken hearts for their war-shattered land in which tens of thousands were being killed through intertribal warfare much like neighboring Rwanda. They had taken part in times of moving reconciliation between their ethnic groups and denominations. It seemed like the Great Physician Himself was in the room doing His own kind of heart surgery on all who were present.

In the months following, we witnessed what that sweet, heavenly voice said actually come to pass as a government of national unity was formed and Hutu leaders in exile flew back into the country. Eventually, the current president, who had come to Christ in the jungle as a rebel leader, came into office. He has continued to work for unity and the development of the nation, wholeheartedly serving the Lord as a man of prayer and worship in all he does.

In this case, and in the rest of the over 50 national prayer initiatives my colleagues and I have had the privilege of facilitating, we have observed and used a number of key practices we have that may be of encouragement to those of us wanting to see God’s transformation of our own or other nations we are concerned about. Here are some of the most important ones:

1. Gather the spiritual leaders and intercessors (be inclusive of all denominations) together for a sustained time for no agenda except the Lord and one another. 2-3 days in a retreat setting is ideal if possible, otherwise a few hours or a process enabling participants to go deep enough.

2. Come in a spirit of humility, confessing our personal and corporate sin, seeking to get on the Lord’s wavelength (Isaiah 55:7-8).

3. As needed and usually it is, facilitate an unhurried time for reconciliation of denominations and ethnic groups that are present so representatives can ask for and receive forgiveness on behalf of their groups.

4. Locals who are knowledgeable about political, social, economic or church needs share issues for prayer, including anything uncovered about the way the powers of darkness are influencing the society.

5. Bring these issues and situations to God, listening to and waiting on Him for His strategy to deal with them - both through prayer and actions proceeding from it. Pray with unity and faith, dealing with evil spiritual powers in His authority which He shares with us (Matthew 18:18-20, Luke 10:19, and Ephesians 6:10-18)

6. Listen to the Lord corporately, being open for prophetic input like words from Scripture, impressions, dreams and visions He may give to participants.

7. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead the process and don’t preprogram it. “Let God be God” in the midst of His people!

8. Include children and youth as equal ministry partners. Let them pray and give prophetic words. Often God will speak through a child more clearly and powerfully than through an adult!

9. Where appropriate invite government leaders and officials to take part to be prayed for or to share prayer concerns but not to give political speeches.

10. Pray with authority and unity as those who sit beside the one who has all power, Jesus Christ, joined to Him through the Spirit who lives within us. Expect that history will be changed and it will! (Matthew 18:18-20). “History belongs to the intercessors, who believe the future into being!” (Walter Wink)

May the Lord use you to do exploits for Him wherever you are to witness the “power of his works” and along with Messiah receive the nations as your inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth as your possession!

www.ipcprayer.org

This next week, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on two of the most significant legal challenges to marriage in our nation’s history.

Hollingsworth v. Perry will be heard on March 26 and centers around California’s Proposition 8, a statewide marriage amendment – much like Arizona’s – which passed in 2008 to constitutionally define marriage as only the union of one man and one woman.

United States v. Windsor will be heard the following day and concerns the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This law defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman for purposes of federal law and says no state can be forced to recognize a same-sex union from another state.

If there’s anything we’ve learned from the Supreme Court in recent years, it’s that it is impossible to speculate what the court will do in either of these cases. Yet there is no denying that the decisions from these two cases – which typically are announced by June 30 – will have serious impact on the battle to protect marriage and therefore our country’s future.

The fundamental question that the court will be considering in both cases is this: does marriage, defined as the union of one man and one woman, serve a compelling governmental interest? Or to put it another way, does marriage benefit society?

The most important thing we can do now is pray. Pray for our friends and allies defending these laws in court and pray for wisdom and courage for the nine justices to do what is right.

http://www.azpolicy.org/_blog/5_Minutes_for_Families/post/Before_the_High_Court_/

We are in the midst of a fierce battle for marriage. The Supreme Court will be hearing testimony next week on March 26 and 27 concerning whether the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8 in California (overturning homosexual marriage) should stand. The Court will render a decision probably in late June. There is MUCH political pressure on the Court to capitulate on these and cave in to the homosexual agenda. Even the president is pushing this.

Men and women, this is our generation’s Roe v. Wade fight! We must make a stand upon our knees for marriage.

From 7:00 PM, Monday, March 25, through 9:00 PM, Wednesday, March 27, intercessors around the nation from countless ministries will intercede as arguments are being heard at our Supreme Court.

Be encouraged by a word from a key leader in this initiative:

Since we have been obedient to pursue this course of action, to build a FIREWALL OF PRAYER around the Supreme Court during those two key hearings next week (DOMA/Proposition 8), the Lord has shown me a “new thing” that is on His heart! He has shown me that, while in days past, many of us have labored faithfully and fervently, fasting and praying and offering deep travail over issues that will impact us all, we were actually fighting inside our own fox holes!

On national issues like the Election last November and the Supreme Court hearings on “Obamacare” last spring, we each marshaled our own forces, pouring our hearts out to the Lord for help. We all know the rest of the story…could our Lord be ready to reveal a new strategy for a new season, and could the battleground at the Supreme Court be the launching pad to release this hidden work across the nation?

YES—today is a NEW DAY!

We now realize that, as ministry teams, we can no longer afford to fight these national battles “alone”, but that, instead, the LORD is requiring us to come up on the wall together in perfect alignment and in perfect unity as we face the forces that would seek to undermine our people and our nation. As we stand TOGETHER, we form a “seamless garment” before Him, and the enemy will find no breaches in the wall through which to attack!

We are now aligned in:
• His Will
• His Word: “What GOD hath put together, let no man rend asunder.”
• His Way
• His Love
We praise our God for the revelation of this winning strategy as we work together to find our won place on the wall and to defer to the others in their own positions, even honoring others as better than ourselves.

To GOD be the GLORY, for He is teaching all of us how to walk (or march) in this season, in His way!

(From an article Intercessors for America sent by Dave Butts, Chair of America’s National Prayer Committee)

Syrian Christians continue to request our prayers for their country. They note that, in recent months, there have been increasing numbers of attacks on Christians that seem to be religiously motivated.

There has been a spate of reported incidents involving the kidnapping of Christians. One example occurred on 9th February when two priests, Michel Kayyal (Armenian Catholic) and Maher Mahfouz (Greek Orthodox), were kidnapped when travelling by public bus between Damascus and Aleppo. The bus was stopped by armed men belonging to one of the groups fighting the government. The gunmen checked the identity documents of all passengers and only the two priests were taken. A Salesian priest travelling with them was not kidnapped. Negotiations for their release are on-going. Other kidnappings have been reported, especially in al-Hasakah Province where some Christians have demonstrated publicly to protest against this alarming new trend.

There have been a number of assaults on Church buildings and other Christian property. Such attacks are often interpreted as warnings or threats to the Christian communities. One example occurred on 10th February when gunmen vandalised the historic church of Saint Maroun in Barad village, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Aleppo.

Syrian Christian leaders continue to note that there are political and economic motivations in many of these attacks. However, they identify a rising tendency for religiously motivated attack, linking this to the increasing prevalence and influence of religiously extremist groups amidst the opposition movement.

Syrian Church leaders also note the severe economic challenges faced by Syrians, with ever-rising numbers of internally displaced persons and Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries. Churches and Christian ministries remain active in helping to meet some of the overwhelming needs.

Syrian Christians request our prayers that:
a. The violence in Syria would cease, and peace and justice would be established for all Syrians.
b. Those that have been kidnapped would be released unharmed, and no further kidnapping incidents would occur.
c. There would be no further acts of vandalism against Church property.
d. Those engaging in programmes to meet the needs of their communities, and of refugees and the displaced, would know the Lord's provision and enabling.
e. Syrian Christians, and especially church leaders, will know the Spirit's wisdom and guidance each day.
f. All those using violence, including against Christians and Church property, would know the Spirit's conviction and seek the forgiveness of the Father through the life, death and resurrection of the Son.

Open sources used: FIDES Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding
‪<This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>‬

Website: www.meconcern.org

Let us keep our brothers and sisters in Christ in this war-torn land in our hearts, agreeing together for the binding of the forces of darkness, violence and death that want to destroy this land. Pray for His peace and shalom to cover everything and everyone there and for a swift end to the fighting.