Prayer

Pray for:

1. An Atmosphere of Open Heavens
(No spiritual hindrances allowed – thus, enabling breakthroughs to happen here!)

2. An Atmosphere where Everyone Can Receive

(No limitations are allowed to be placed on anyone. There is liberty where all can freely receive what God has in store for us.)

Prayer pointers:

· God inhibits the praises of His people. Ask that God will manifest Himself in the midst of His people as we worship and lift up His name.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Peter 2:9)

· Pray that God will open up the eyes of every visitor to see a glimpse of heaven and feel His presence in a tangible way when we minister unto Jesus.

· Pray that God will bind every spiritual hindrances in every service and loose a spirit of liberty where each visitor and believer can readily receive their breakthroughs, blessings, healing, etc.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

· Ask God to open up the hearts of every visitor present in the service to respond and receive His blessings as the Word is being spoken forth.

“Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy.” (Isaiah 60:4-5)

God has promised that many lost sons and renegade daughters will be gathered home by God. Let’s pray for an early sign of this end-time homecoming to be seen in our broken homes.

Prayer pointers:

· Seek God to draw the hearts of our wayward children home and convict him/her of their sin.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)

· Make mention the names of prodigal children, wives and husbands.

· Pray that God will reveal their deep need for Him that they will return to Him.

· Pray for Christians to show God’s compassion to those who have violated the trust of others, and for grace to welcome them back into relationship.

A prayer missionary is someone who takes on a country, a geographical area, or a specific “unreached” people group and starts praying on a daily and systematic basis.

Just as a missionary commits to one term or a lifetime of service, you will need to make a commitment to pray–one year, three years, or as long as it takes for this nation to be reached by Christ. Ask God which country, a geographical area or a specific “unreached” group of people He would like you to do your mission work in. Perhaps God will give you a burden to pray for Muslims or a people group within a nation.

Begin to do research on your country or people group, watching the paper, news, and magazines, etc. Find out the leaders of the nation and what religion(s) are practiced there. Begin keeping a file of information that will help you pray in an informed, specific way.

World Network of Prayer, UPCI

Prayer Pointers:

· Pray for the leaders of that nation–for their conversion and that they will govern wisely and mercifully

· Pray for missionaries, pastors, church leaders in that nation, and for the firm establishment and growth of Christ’s Church in their midst

· Pray for open doors so that the Word may be spread rapidly to those who are “unreached” (such as classmates, colleagues, old folks, etc.)

· Pray for unity in the body of Christ and thereafter, revival, which is the by-product of unity for the church in that nation

Two of America’s greatest presidents said some pretty important statements about the Bible. George Washington said, “It is impossible to righteously govern the world without God and the Bible.” President Ronald Reagan said, “Within the covers of one single book, the Bible, are all the answers to all the problems that face us today—if only we would read and believe.

Prayer pointers:

· Plan to set aside a portion of your time to recommit and study the Word of God

· Ask God for a renewed passion for His word

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

· Seek God to speak to you through His word. Take time to listen to Him

“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)

· Ask God to grant you a fresh revelation and understanding to His word as you read through it

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;” (Colossians 1:9)

· Pray that God will help you to relate to the circumstances in the Bible and acquire wisdom to make it relevant and applicable in your life

“He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words keep my commands, and live. Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.”” (Proverbs 4:4-6)

Scripture gives a strong precedent for fasting. This spiritual discipline was practiced by Moses, Elijah, Esther, Jesus, Paul, Nehemiah, Cornelius, David, Hannah and others.

Throughout the Old and New Testament eras and during the last two thousand years, fasting has been a primary way for people to humble themselves. God will hear us and respond to our cry when we come before Him in humility and brokenness. We must acknowledge and repent of our sins.

Fasting humbles the natural man, and if coupled with prayer, makes our spirit more sensitive to God. Fasting is never used to bribe God. It is not only an act of self-denial but also of submission to God’s will. Fasting brings revelation by the Spirit of a person’s true spiritual condition causing brokenness, repentance and change. It illuminates scripture.

Fasting transforms prayer into a richer experience; it brings personal revival which will spill over into our family, church, and community.

Do we want results and anointing? Then we must sacrifice and fast. In these days of troubled families, a troubled nation and a troubled world we need praying and fasting people for salvation preparation for the coming of our Lord.

-Thetus Tenney, International Prayer Coordinator

Prayer Pointers:

· Ask God to give you the understanding and revelation of the need to fast

· Ask God to help you to be more sensitive to Him

· Ask God to humble you as you fast and seek His face

“Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.” (Ezra 8:21)

· Ask God to fill you with His presence as you consecrate yourself and seek His face

“so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.” (2 Chronicles 5:14)

· Just as you have physical hunger pangs when you fast from food, ask God to give you similar hunger pangs for a deeper hunger for Him and His word

“But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”” (Luke 4:4)

Read Matthew 22:1-14 on the parable of the wedding feast.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

There is a vast difference between those who are called and chosen. The difference between them lies in their preparation. The man who came to the feast without a wedding garment on suggests that he put no value in his call towards the invitation given to him. He made no preparations to purchase and put on a wedding garment to attend the wedding feast. As a result, he is not chosen to take part in the feast and is cast out.

As Christians, all of us are called (to take upon the invitation) to go forth and tell people about the salvation plan that Jesus had given unto us. It’s not about where we are going but preparing ourselves to be sent. Jesus has given us the call and He is looking for people who would value the preparation they put on themselves (such as reading and studying His word, committed to setting aside a portion of time for prayer) to make themselves ready to be sent by Him. Hence, it is such an important thing to prepare ourselves and it is a lifetime process!

In this second segment, we will not only focus on praying for ourselves to be prepared to be sent out by God but to also pray for the hearts of people to be ready to hear the word of at CEJ.

Although we all remember a shepherd boy who used a sling and a single smooth stone with great success in his encounter with a giant (1 Sam.17), few of us would have the courage to face violent threats armed with such puny protection. But every day, we do face a threat. As believers, we fight against an enemy we cannot see. Our struggle is not ‘against flesh and blood, but …against spiritual hosts of wickedness’ (Ephesians 6:12). The outcome of the battle is sure. Jesus is the victor. And using the armour and weapons He supplies, we are able ‘to stand’ (v.13). We fight in His power and strength!

Prayer pointers:

1. Know that your mind is the battlefield of Satan’s point of attack. Pray for your mind:

· Ask God to protect whatever goes in and out of your mind

· Ask God to help you to be sensitive to discern if the voices you hear is of God (in order to know, you need to study the word of God)

• Plead the blood of Jesus over your mind daily

2. Put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:14-18)

1. Belt of truth – Ask God to lead and guide you to understand His truth so as to guard yourselves from deception (e.g. false religion)

2. Breastplate of righteousness – Realise that our righteousness is like filthy rags in the sight of God. Seek God to put on His righteousness in your life that you may walk in. This comes by reading the Bible to help you to live a life pleasing to Him

3. Gospel of peace – Seek God to make you a messenger to share the gospel with those who are hungry and open to hear His word. Ask God to help you to be a peace-maker and not a peace-lover

4. Shield of faith – Ask God to increase your faith in Him. Learn to completely place your trust in Him, both good and bad

5. Helmet of salvation – Pray for a hedge of protection over your mind to enable you to think God’s thoughts and free yourself from solely depending on human reasoning which would always fall short

6. Sword of the Spirit – Ask God to give you a love for the Word of God. Amidst this dark age that we are living in, it is important to read and study the Word of God. It serves as a light unto our paths to guide us in the way we should walk in life and a powerful tool to triumph over spiritual foes

· When a thought comes into your mind and you identify that it is not of God, immediately cast it down. Quote scriptures and start meditating on His word

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

· In order to be in tip-top condition to fight your “battles”, you have to pray daily to be sensitive to Jesus

· Ask God to help you to fight the right battles as some battles are not meant for you to fight, rather submit them to Him and He will take care of them

· Ask God to help you to fix your eyes upon Him even in the toughest battles. He will never let you be defeated for the battle belongs to Him

“Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:47)

There is a divine principle in regard to prayer which runs all through the Scriptures. It is that God is pleased to unite His people with Himself in whatever He is about to do. He first of all leads them to pray, and then does what He intends in answer to their prayers.

- Russell Elliott

“If You Ask Anything in My Name I Will Do It” ~ Jesus

Again, it may be seen from this promise that God, to some extent, has seen fit to condition His action upon the believer’s prayer; for the Scripture says; ‘If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it”; and this is the secret of all true evangelism…It is, then, the teaching of Scripture that the action of the mighty power of God in convicting and illuminating the unsaved is also, in a large measure, dependent upon the priestly intercession of the believer.

L. S. Chafer, True Evangelism, pp. 90-1

Prayer pointers:

· Pray His kingdom come and for His will to be done in the lives of people in Singapore to be open to hear His word

“Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:4)

· Pray that God to increase your faith; dare to pray big prayers for God to reach out to the multitude

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

· Ask Him to inspire you with creative ways to plant seeds of faith and love (such as having an opportunity to share your testimony to others, going the extra mile to care for others, etc) to show forth God’s love

· Intercede that God will begin to stir up a desire in people’s hearts to want to know Him and draw them to Himself (e.g. your unsaved family members, friends, teachers, bosses, colleagues, acquaintances, etc)

“…And let Him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let Him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17)

· We will conquer our nation with prayers! The strong man over Singapore has been broken! Pray that the portals over the Asian region where angelic activities take place will be enlarged.

· Ask God to dispatch His harvesting angels to prepare the way for people to come into contact with His salvation plan in Singapore and the other nations

“We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, ‘I give up, Lord; here’s my life. I give you my world, the whole world.’”

-Richard A. Hasler

Prayer pointers:

· Ask God to guide your words and actions so as to be His hands and feet in doing what He wills

“And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and rap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”” (Revelation 14:15)

· As you begin to seek God, ask Him to reveal His heart to you – to know what He truly loves. God wants us to be passionate about Him and the lost. With this understanding, you will know how to please Him through your speech and actions

· Seek God to give you His heartbeat – to win souls for His kingdom

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)

John 4:35
Wheat Harvest

Paul Rader used to tell the story of a great wheat harvest in Australia that rotted in the fields during World War I. Because so many men had responded to the call of the colours, nobody was left to gather in the grain harvest. It was a case of ‘reap or rot,” as Rader pointed out.

This is exactly the situation we face in our churches today: a plentiful harvest, and few reapers. This is no time to panic. The vast needs of the world stand as a fresh call to prayer. Christians have been commissioned to the high task of being co-labourers with God in His harvest. In so many areas, it is ripe to be gathered. It is a harvest for which God gave heaven’s best. He is not about to let it rot in the fields. We must take the words of the Lord seriously.

Prayer pointers:

• Come just as you are before God and ask Him to use you as one of His earth partners in reaching and gathering those who are lost
• Seek God to make you sensitive to those people who are hurting and ask Him to give you wisdom to know how to care for them
• Ask God to teach you how to sow seeds of love, kindness, patience, faith, etc into the lives that you have come into contact (e.g. family members, friends, colleagues, bosses, teachers, acquaintances, etc) with
• Intercede for labourers who are willing to make themselves available to work in the harvest field and be led to those who are hungry