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We are pleased to bring you IPC Connections for April 2020.

These are unprecedented times. All but 18 nations of the world are currently confronting the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. At the time of writing, there are over a million recorded cases and nearly 60,000 deaths. It is having massive health, social, economic and political impact.  The virus does not discriminate.  We are seeing some healthy younger people taken seriously ill and succumbing to the virus as well as a significant proportion of older and more vulnerable patients. 

The pandemic is affecting the Christian Church globally but we are heartened to observe that it is responding positively in lots of ways. It is continuing to share the message of hope that we all have in Jesus that overcomes fear.  As well as making a strong humanitarian response in many countries, the Church is adapting the way it meets - with many gathering online.  Our friend and colleague, Bennie Mostert from Jericho Walls, South Africa was just this week sharing with fellow ministry leaders about organised and spontaneous prayer mushrooming across South Africa with believers of all ages coming together and meeting online.  We are aware that this is happening in many other nations across Africa and the world too.  

Many Christian conferences and events that had to be cancelled have moved online to great effect!  The Watchmen Conference led by David Demian in South Korea met this last week with over 150,000 people from many nations clicking onto the online zoom meeting.  Watch it HERE.   We are invited to join a follow-up meeting entitled ‘Passover – Holy Alignment’ on 7th April.  Details HERE and more info below.

We are pleased to confirm that GO 2020 is still taking place in May 2020. Many hundreds of thousands of people around the world will share Christ amid the crisis. The principle remains the same: Every Believer is a Witness! But we will focus on online and media Gospel sharing.  Visit the Go2020 website for more and See the article below.

Watch the GO 2020 Video  |  Download the Brochure  |  Download the April Prayer Guide

A number of you were unable to join the IPC’s ‘GO2020 & Coronavirus’ Global Prayer Call this last week (Sun 29 March), due to a few technical hitches.  It was a good gathering with intercessors of all ages praying from every continent! We have edited the video of the meeting so you can watch what happened HERE.

In this edition of IPC Connections, we are bringing a number of important and perhaps sobering articles to pray into.  But we open with three editorial articles from IPC Colleagues which we trust will build you up and encourage you. 

Firstly, a video from Dr Jason Hubbard, our Executive Coordinator entitled 'Our Response to the Coronavirus pandemic' in which he shares a message of hope and assurance as he encourages us to faithfully pray in agreement and unity in the Lord's name and to expect great things.  May God's Kingdom be advanced amidst the challenges of this season that we are in. 

Let's individually and corporately renew our commitment to repentance and 'extraordinary prayer'. Please do take time to watch and listen to this powerful twenty minute message.

Secondly, Dr Leslie Keegel, global chairman of the Foursquare Church movement and a senior leader in the IPC, shares a prophetic word for the time that we are in entitled 'Just Stay Calm'. Let's take time to reflect and be encouraged by this dramatic vision that brings a fresh perspective on our current global situation that is prophetically pointing to a time of great harvest.  

The third editorial article is from our IPC colleague and West Africa Coordinator, Austen Ukachi on the theme of ‘Faith in Times of Adversity’. He writes as someone who knows the challenges of Africa intimately. Let's lock shields with our fellow believers, some of whom are facing unimaginable situations and stand against the powers of darkness and the covid-19 virus (Eph 6: 16-18).  Our God is an awesome God - Amen!

May we express grateful thanks to Andy Page and the IPC Editorial Team who put this email together each month.

Wishing you His continued blessings,

Jason Hubbard - Executive Coordinator
John D Robb – Chairman - International Prayer Connect

International Prayer Connections is produced and distributed freely each month to inform God's praying people around the world. We are grateful to those who have given generously to enable this to happen and continue to need such support for this and our other transformational prayer initiatives.

If you can make a gift towards our costs by giving to our funding arm, the Transformation Prayer Foundation, we would appreciate it. Please click here.

In the first of our three special Editorial features, Dr Jason Hubbard, IPC's Executive Coordinator shares a message of hope and assurance as he encourages us to faithfully pray in agreement and unity in the Lord's name. 

‘May the Lamb who was slain receive the due reward for His suffering!’

As we meditate on the Lamb of Glory, Let's individually and corporately renew our commitment to repentance and 'extraordinary prayer'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIyEidHUDK4&t=909s  (20 Minutes)

I am sharing with you the Word of Encouragement the Lord gave me.

Exodus 14: 5 - 18 

Just Stay Calm

The children of Israel had just experienced the great deliverance from the enslaving arm of Pharaoh. As they were about to cross the Red Sea 600 chariots of Pharaoh’s army overtook them. The Israelites panicked and complained against Moses - “why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? It's better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness." But Moses told the people, “don’t be afraid, just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm."

The covid-19 we are presently fighting against is like the armies of Egypt. Pharaoh’s armies overtook the children of Israel right at the brink of them crossing the Red Sea. The Israelites response to this major attack of intimidation was complaining against the man of God.

As we face death at the hands of our enemy, we stand hopeless and absolutely incapable of providing a resistance strong enough to defeat covid-19, I hear the Lord, say to us, "Don’t be afraid, Just stand still and watch me rescue you today. I will fight for you, just stay calm”

Just as the Lord admonished Moses to pick his staff and raise his hand over the Red Sea and commanded the Israelites “to get moving".  Moses exerted his authority against the Red Sea, the Lord gave victory over Pharaoh’s army. Let’s rise up in our God given authority and claim our victory over covid-19.

Along with the word the Lord gave me a vivid Vision last night; I saw a storm of locusts coming down in the skies to cripple everything which had life, human life, animal life, the fauna and the flora. The sight was very depressing, nothing refreshing remained in the air or atmosphere. These locusts were coming down in terrible devastating intention to destroy life and everything which represented life.

As I kept watching this horrible sight helplessly, breathing prayers of life and refreshing, I saw a beautiful cloud of angels surround the skies. The cloud of angels are the armies of the Lord. They began to push back the deadly locusts out of our skies and tormented atmosphere. I saw the dark sight of locusts disintegrate with great urgency. As soon as the locusts disappeared the angels covered our skies and atmosphere with a beautiful white refreshing sheet,  it indeed was a huge net. The net kept the devastating locusts from entering the human domain. I saw certain parts of the net having holes, which the angels quickly patched beautifully. The present devastation will soon be gone and the fields will be prepared for the great harvest.

What we are experiencing presently are the hot winds blowing on the fields. The hot winds are preparing the harvest to ripen. The harvest will soon be gathered in.

The harvesting angels are ready to gather in the harvest.

Dr Leslie Keegel
Four Square Church | IPC Senior Advisor

Faith is one weapon we must use against the fear of COVID-19. Many ask, can faith in God work at this time when COVID-19 is devastating the world? The answer is a big, Yes. Faith in God can make a difference whether we survive this time of adversity or not. Fear kills, but faith keeps alive. The well known Biblical adage, “the just shall live by faith” is very much relevant now. Faith can make a difference between matters of life and death, between our ability to survive or not. In times of adversity, like we face presently, faith  distinguishes those who inherit the promises of God and those who do not. Faith in God gives us strength in the inner man. Like Proverb 18:14 state, “The will to live sustains you when you’re sick, but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope” (TPT).

The most extreme conditions of COVID-19 is not above God’s power and control, therefore trusting God who knows all things, and has all power to control all things, strengthens us. Faith in God, however, does not preclude us from  complying with the rules of social distancing and personal hygiene that is being recommended by medical experts. Times of adversity like COVID-19 don’t last, but those who have faith in God, outlive adversities.

Faith is the assurance that what God says in his word shall come to pass in any situation of adversity. For instance, Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you” (Isaiah 43:2 NKJV). Again in Ephesians 6:16, Paul commands us to use the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of Satan. This means, that when Satan assails us with coronavirus, by faith we can reject it from harming us.

Exercising faith against the destructive power of COVID-19 may seem stupid to the carnal mind, but let us not forget that even from Bible times, faith in God has always worked for those who believe in Him. Think of those who don’t have access to medical facilities, or those who face extreme situations between life and death. All they can do is cling on to God in faith. In this time of COVID-19, we are seeing the best of medical practices inadequate, and in some cases fail outrightly.  So, why doubt the intervention of God; why doubt the ability of faith in God to rescue man?

Speaking about the importance of faith, Jesus said, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:22-24 NKJV). The key word is in verse 24, which states that whatever things you ask when you pray to God, we can receive them, provided we believe.

David’s attitude in time of adversity is one of persevering faith, “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” (Psalms 27:13-14 NLT). We cannot afford to do otherwise now that we face COVID-19.

Pastor Austen Ukachi
IPC Leadership Team / IPC West Africa Coordinator
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Certainly our good Lord is using Covid -19 to bring great outcomes in the Latin American nations.

As the epicentre of the corona virus pandemic moved from China to the USA, Europe, Latin American countries started to prepare for an outbreak.  In a context of global emergency, not only the Body of Christ have called and cried out to God for help, but many presidents and politicians in our continent have also been outspoken about the need to “Pray and Fast“ as the only/ultimate hope against the deadly pandemic.

After President Donald Trump called for a National Day of prayer for the United States on March 15th, a wave for National Prayer & Fasting had been convoked by the Presidents of our nations on the following dates:

• March 18th President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele.
• March 18th President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández.
• March 20th President of Paraguay Mario Abdo Benitez.
• March 21th President of Guatemala Alejandro Giammattei.
• March 21th President of Bolivia Janine Añez.
• March 21st President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez.
• March 23rd President of Panamá Laurentino Cortizo.

Suddenly we have started listening on the TV news & radio from the mouth of the State leaders : “May God bless Guatemala" (Giammattei) “May God bless Brazil” (Bolsanaro). Hallelujah!

Former Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales expressed publicly “In these moments, we people of Guatemala should be united, leaving aside the eternal political division, we should pray continually. I confess that, during my government, the prayers of millions gave us strength and victory in times of crisis”.  Morales shared the Bible verse from Ephesians 6:18: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people”.  

The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, “This is a secular state that allows freedom of worship, but there are many believers. I want to ask them to pray and together ask God that he helps us to overcome this virus”. “We are going to face a tribulation, but I am sure that with the help of God we will be able to go ahead. Those who don’t believe in God, feel released of this”, the President said, “but for those who believe, I ask you to bow our heads and let’s pray and ask God for our country”. After these words, all members of the government and the Republic in the room prayed together.   (Enfoque Evangélico Marzo 18,2020)

PARAGUAY: “TOGETHER IN PRAYER” In Paraguay, the highest political authority also called to pray for protection. “I hope the whole people can spend time in family, in unity. We should not forget the spiritual field. One family together in prayer”, said the President of the nation, Mario Abdo Benítez. “The power of prayer, I am sure, will protect the nation. God will protect Paraguay and will continue to bless this country”. (March 18,2020 / Enfoque evangélico)

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

In the midst of the shaken of the nations, we say THANK YOU LORD for giving us the opportunity to return our hearts to you, to prayer, fasting, for going back to your word, experiencing revival in our living rooms, experience what family was supposed to be .. Mathew 12:21 “In his name the nations will put their hope”. We surrender to you Jesus!

Rev 11:15 NLT “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” Amen

Judith Yanira González - Executive Team
International Prayer Council
CLAMOR
+1 (480) 529-5399 direct
www.clamor.global

As coronavirus ravages the world, many are now watching Wuhan slowly emerging from 2 months complete lockdown - cautiously with masks and gloves moving about.

The world is now in an extraordinary and precarious situation watching what happens in Wuhan for a glimpse of what might lie in store for the rest of us.

Will there be a second coronavirus wave in Wuhan? Almost inevitably yes but how big a wave and are hospitals better prepared.

How will the Chinese government respond to this second wave after mismanagement and misinformation of the first outbreak? Will they keep damaging information secret.

A recent report on the number of ash urns stacked at Wuhan funeral homes put the true death toll over 40,000 not the official 2,500 deaths.

Pray for transparency in communication and sharing of strategies in China and across the nations in order to craft effective responses to unfamiliar challenges.

Pray for competence in the next phase based on honest experience and heaven’s wisdom (Job 6:24)

More at: https://www.gzeromedia.com/watching-wuhan-but-can-you-believe-your-eyes
(Thanks to www.Prayer-Alert.net)

Afghanistan has begun its first face-to-face talks with the Taliban on exchanging thousands of prisoners.

Details of the initial meeting in Kabul emerged on Wednesday 1 April, ahead of a planned second day of talks, as Afghans observed tight restrictions on movement because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Under a US-Taliban deal, the government will free 5,000 Taliban prisoners, while the militants will release 1,000.

The talks took place against a backdrop of continuing violence in the country. Authorities blamed the Taliban for an explosion in the southern province of Helmand on Wednesday that killed eight civilians, including several children.

How much progress has been made in talks?

The prisoner swap had been due to take place in early March, as part of a US-Taliban deal signed on 29 February, but there have been a series of setbacks. Until Wednesday, the two sides had only met by video conference.

With talks due to resume for a second day on Wednesday, Afghanistan's Office of the National Security Council said that progress had only been made so far "on technical matters".  The talks were overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the focus was on the release of security force and national defence captives as well as Taliban prisoners, the ICRC said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the meetings did not amount to negotiations, telling AFP: "There will be no political talks there". The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo called the beginning of the talks "good news".

The Taliban had been due to send a large team to the Kabul talks, but in the end sent a three-man delegation because of the covid-19 virus outbreak. A spokesman for the militant group said the trio would monitor the prisoner release process and take the necessary technical measures.

Though US troops began withdrawing last month under the terms of the deal with the Taliban, movement on the prisoner swap has been slow because of disagreements between President Ashraf Ghani and his main political rival Abdullah Abdullah.

More at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-52123951

Pray that these breakthrough talks will lead to a successful exchange of prisoners and that the face to face talks between the government will continue.
Pray for an end to the ongoing violence that is devastating the lives of many Afghans.
Pray that the coronavirus will be arrested in its tracks and that it will not spread.