A Strategic Prayer Initiative
REVOLUTION
The Crisis: the Ongoing Conflict in the Middle East
The earth stands in a pivotal, but precarious, moment in history. All around the globe, the earth seems to be convulsing with natural disasters, lawlessness, wars and rumors of wars.
As you read this, Islam-dominated nations are violently reacting and baring their fangs over a simple cartoon depiction of their prophet, Mohammed. The ugly and violent nature of Islam has begun to rear its head and the Church must respond with fasting and prayer to contend with the menacing threat of Islamic global domination. Groups like Hamas and nations like Iran, who call for the destruction of the nation of Israel and the Jewish peoples, are the signs of a surging violence against Israel and Christendom.
Yet there is an answer to this crisis: the praying and fasting Body of Christ. When the principalities that dominated the airwaves of the Middle East exposed itself against the people of God thousands of years ago, God raised up a single man–the prophet Daniel–in the midst of Babylon and Persia, to contend with the weapons of fasting and prayer against the demonic Prince of Persia. The Bride of Christ must understand that if it is to pierce the darkness that broods over the Middle East and break the vice grip of Islam over the world, it will take the same resolve that Daniel had in fasting and prayer to contend with the Prince of Persia. The Church has entered into a season of Daniel 10 again. The Prince of Persia is on the rise and how we respond in prayer and fasting during this time will determine our future course and dIf the Church will throw themselves into prayer and fasting during this critical season, the spoils of victory, including the souls of millions of Muslims, the restraining of the spirit of jihad, the shifting of the Iraq war, and the security and salvation of Israel, will belong to Christ and Christ alone.
REVIVAL
The Hope
Despite the raging of the world that surrounds us, the Church ought to and must hold onto outrageous hope. Everyday there are new reports being sent out and new books being published that speak of the dismal nature of the Western Church. For sure, droves of youth are leaving our churches and not returning. The statistics are certainly shocking, but we must not let our eyes dwell on statistics . We must not look with our natural eyes; instead, we must have eyes to see the victory of the Lord even in the midst of seeming darkness. Our report should be nothing less than the cry of Joshua and Caleb, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it” (Numbers 13:30). The Scriptures promise that though “darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples…the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Isaiah 60:2-3).
Global Awakening among the Youth
W hile the natural world seems to be thrown into violent upheaval, there is a growing sense among prophetic voices in America that 2006 will be a glorious year for the Body of Christ. In 2003, Kenneth Hagin, an early father of the Charismatic movement, prophetically declared that 2006 would be a glorious year of “Heaven on earth.” Early this year, Dutch Sheets had a profound encounter with the Lord where the Lord made the statement that “This is the year that the lid comes off of the youth movement.” Another major leader in the body of Christ also made clear that this year would not simply be a celebration of the Azusa Street centennial, but that this would be the year where “He is coming!”
A casual approach to these prophetic words could be the undoing of a generation. A generation that has grown up only reading and hearing stories of national revival, but never experiencing the in-break of the Holy Spirit for themselves. This generation must learn to labor in prayer and fasting for their Great Awakening. The 40 years of wandering in the desert are up and the sound of rain can again be heard in the very-near distance. Could another Jesus Movement be on the horizon? Our days of rehearsal are finished; God is ready to come back onto the main stage!
REFORMATION
Righteousness and Justice
Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. For 33 years, America has lived under the dark cloud of legalized abortion. Yet God has begun a great shakedown in our legal system. In this past year, God has removed two Supreme Court Justices and raised up two new Supreme Court Justices who, if the Church will continue to pray for them, may be the generation that sees the scourge of the death culture and the blight of national sin removed from our nation. However, the shift of our legal system is not finished. We must pray that God removes a third pro-abortion Justice and replaces the vacancy with a Godly Justice who loves mercy, executes justice and walks humbly with his God.
THE CALL
Thus, for Revival, for the shifting of the Supreme Court and the ending of abortion, for the Middle East crisis and the freedom of a billion souls from the vice grip of Islam, and for the security and salvation of Israel; Dutch Sheets, Mike Bickle, Francis Frangipane, and I are calling for one million intercessors to 40 days of fasting beginning on MARCH 1(Ash Wednesday) to APRIL 9 (Passover Sunday and the 100-year anniversary of the Azusa Street Outpouring that began at Bonnie Brae Street). For more information about praying and fasting, specific prayer targets, and daily articles from Mike, Francis, Dutch and I, visit www.facedown40.com. Could we be on the verge of the great worldwide outpouring?
Visit www.facedown40.com to receive more information concerning the 40-day fast and also to sign up for daily devotionals from Mike Bickle, Lou Engle, Francis Frangipane and Dutch Sheets.
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