Category: Latest Updates

It is great to be able to reproduce this most positive report from Neighbourhood Prayer Network – www.neighbourhoodprayer.net – about this year’s London Loop Prayer Walk that took place last month over three days.

---

Report from Lisa Hutt, London Prayer Loop, Coordinator.

It is my joy to share with you a little of what happened over the three days of the London Prayer Loop Walk. I have selected some feedback from those who prayer walked for this newsletter. Those who have organised prayer walks along the London Loop have used a variety of ways of praying and given opportunities for others to take part.  I have added some headings to aid reading.

Prayer Walking Feedback

Taking part

“I was privileged and blessed to take part.”

“I was glad to be able to get out for a lovely day of walking, whilst seeking to bless London at the same time.”

“Altogether it was a really enjoyable way to spend the day, in prayer and conversation and I would certainly want to do it again.”

“The weather was glorious and the route worked well.  It was a very good experience.”
 “…a very special thing to be part of.”

“I was immediately impressed when I learned that he, along with others who were covering other sections of the ‘Loop’ this weekend, had come all the way from Cheshire!”

The open gate

“A few times it was difficult to find the route and it seemed like we got lost.  At one point the road was supposed to be near the house, but there was no road. We knocked rang the intercom, the lady answered. Simon was trying to ask her about the road but was not able to hear her due to the cars on the road. Whilst still talking with her, I was by the gate and suddenly it opened. We were sure that the lady opened the gate as there was a lack of communication.  However, when we went in, the lady opened the door and asked us: “How did you open the gate?”. We answered: “You did.” And she said: “No, I didn’t”. We then realised, that it was the Holy Spirit that opened the gate for us, which was amazing. The lady was able to tell us that the road was closed, and their property is on the road that previously was part of the London Loop. We continued, talked to some people and kept praying.”

This testimony is such an encouragement as I have prayed with others in my church on a prayer walk we did in our community about gated homes in my hometown of Warrington asking God to open the gates and open hearts to receive His love.  There is no barrier to the Lord.

Churches coming together to pray

“I was encouraged when 16 people arrived at Moor Park Station made it to Hatch End.  Most of us did not know each other but we had a really good and friendly walk. Five churches with a number of different sorts of churchmanship were represented.  Again, no specific revelations, but some good solid prayer and a desire to do it again! We passed through a number of distinct neighbourhoods and estates (known to various of us) and so could be specific. Indeed, there was one specific outreach opportunity taking place that morning which we could pray for.”

Involving everyone

“We had (at our maximum) 14 walkers plus 3 others who joined us at The Rose & Crown for coffee but who couldn’t manage the walking except for a few hundred yards and one prayer stop as a token gesture.”

Sensitivity to others 

“We stopped at eight places for a reading, a prayer of then 1 or 2 people praying for the chosen topics.  I felt I had to adopt this approach rather than pray in small groups because three of our walkers were not Christians and, while that was great and they seemed to appreciate the readings and prayers I didn’t want to put them on the spot.”

One more step along the way

“Continued over crest of hill and passed route turning but came to the parish church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Cuddington, holding flower festival. Felt this was a real oasis from the heat and walk. Flower festival theme was favourite hymns or songs. First display at the entrance was a multi-coloured wellingtons with flowers “One more step along the way”. Seemed very appropriate and encouraging at that moment. Church was cool, welcoming and beautiful displays.  Most striking one was ‘By the Rivers of Babylon, how do we sing the Lord’s song’.”

The highways and byways

“Attention drawn to piece of uncultivated ground by roadside. Several plants of barley growing.  Reminded of going to the highways and byways and bringing in castaways, the overlooked, all those who were willing. Grain will grow wherever it is scattered, often unnoticed until ripe.”

Prayers 

Blessing the land

“Throughout our walk we used the Ffald-Y-Brenin ‘Friday Blessings’ format to speak the Lord’s blessing over several of the suburbs/villages/small towns we passed through, although we often added our own prayers. We also prayed as we walked through residential streets and for the schools we passed.  The police, paramedics and emergency services were also frequently covered.”

Praying in response to things seen

“We were inspired to pray by the things we saw around us on the walk, which was largely on the Grand Union Canal.  For example, when we saw swans with a number of cygnets we prayed for families, especially for broken families. There was an industrial area halfway along where we prayed for businesses, and we also saw quite a few planes taking off and landing at Heathrow, so we prayed for the Heathrow expansion plans.”

Knowing our prayers were important

“We prayed at intervals as we went along or at or near bridges and by various moored narrow boats and properties along the canal and for London and its people, leaders, churches and communities etc.  Also, for people we saw or passed who were walking or bicycling along the towpath.  I don’t think we had any particular revelation but felt that our praying was important along with all the others who were or had been praying over the weekend.”

Praying for local churches

“I found myself praying for an outpouring and empowering of the Holy Spirit on the churches in the area.”

Praying for rest and relaxation

“We also prayed at High Elms Country Park and the ponds at Keston -these being places where people come for rest and relaxation, often with families. We prayed that these would be safe places for people to enjoy and appreciate God’s creation.”

Praying about modern slavery

“On the edge of the woodland bordering the Holwood Estate, at a point where the path crossed the driveway to the house -we prayed about the issue of modern slavery.  Shortly after this we passed the ‘Wilberforce Oak’, which commemorates a conversation William Wilberforce had with William Pitt the Younger, which led to his resolution to work towards the abolition of the Slave Trade.”

Praying for young people
 
“We stopped a few times to pray for different things, youth in particular.”

Good Shepherds

“Prayed for good shepherds to be raised up, and for abandoned sheep.”

Water of Life

“Spring up oh wells”.  Prayed for the water of life to flow.”

Creative prayers

“Our walk went very well…. It was lovely walking alongside the river. I poured a little Scottish water in it and Rosie noted the Fizz and praised God that he always puts Fizz in.”

God’s guidance

“We had real issues finding our way, especially in the middle section… so we gave thanks for all the different ways that God guides us, for walking through life together with other Christians, and we also prayed for people who have lost their way in life.”

Future prayer walking of the London Loop

“I’d be happy to support making this an annual event and raising the profile across more churches.”

“For next year I want to make this an “official” event for Churches Together and hence get other churches involved.

Jen Gaskin, who lives in Chelmsford and is known to CTNTP, has just released details of a vision she has for a Prayer Chain around the UK coastline, to happen on Saturday 21st September 2019.

Jen says:

“The Lord spoke to me sometime ago re: this mission. With all that is going on in our country I believe God is saying, ‘Now is the time‘.

I prayed and asked for a date and awoke one morning with 21st September on my mind. My first thought was ‘Is it a Saturday?’ A friend suggested looking up the relevance of this date. It is International Peace Day!

So far, all The Lord has shown me is for Christians to form a Prayer Chain at midday and declare The Lord’s Prayer in unison.

I am extending an invitation to you, your family, friends church or ministry to take part in this.

Please feel free to arrange worship and further prayer before of after midday. Let’s not forget that we are all part of God’s Spiritual Land Army.

email: ukcoastalprayerchain@gmail.com

Facebook: Coastline Prayer Chain

Daylight is a Christian charity that exists to share the Gospel with prisoners, to support prisoners during their sentences and to provide practical post-release support to reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

Website: www.daylightcpt.org

Jonny has been coming along to one of our weekly Bible study groups for the past five years. Knowing he was due to be released the following week, at his last session we asked him to share his testimony with the other men.

He spoke about committing his crime six years ago and then going on the run for several months. Feeling he couldn’t face prison or continue to run, he was moments from taking his life when someone pulled him back and persuaded him to give himself up. Jonny became a Christian in prison and has hardly missed a Bible study session over the years he has been there. We have seen him grow in grace and spiritual understanding and he has now become a really mature believer.

Please pray that Jonny will continue to know the Lord’s presence and leading in his life after release and that the church he is attending will support and encourage him in his Christian walk…

To read the complete newsletter – click here to open as a pdf document.

CTNTP is pleased to promote this initiative organised by our Team Member and Leader of Passion for the Nation, Suzanne Ferrett:

A day to pray, worship and very specifically make declarations on the hour, every hour from 6am – 6pm;  in homes, streets or workplaces on behalf of London.

We are aware of the challenges that face so many of our cities at this time but underneath the shaking and the issues, God is at work. He shakes things, so that something else can be established and there is tremendous potential at the moment for an outpouring of His Spirit into our land  to touch people with His mercy and kindness, drawing them to salvation. However, alongside He is also working to re-establish righteousness, justice, mercy and truth within our culture, from Government & institutions to every aspect of society. While these things are national, I  believe this is a particular time for London which I have spelt out in a seven minute video.

Please take a few minutes to read below or view/download as a printable A4 PDF document – click here.

Thank you – Suzanne Ferrett

www.pftn.co.uk

email info@pftn.uk

---

LOVE LONDON  – July 12^th 2019 

A Call to Stand  with our Capital City, to Bless, to Honour and to Declare God’s purposes for the days ahead.

‘Your sons will marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you‘ Isaiah 62:6

So that:

• The fullness of revival and awakening is released.
• The life, love and goodness of God burst out.
• Lives and communities are permanently transformed.
• Righteousness, justice and integrity become the hallmarks of all our Government, institutions and society.
• Government, central and in local boroughs, move in alignment with the purposes of God.
• Everything that has been released in London, multiplies across the land.

So we  are asking individuals  to take JULY 12^TH as a day to pray, worship and very specifically make declarations on the hour, every hour from 6am – 6pm;  in their homes, streets or workplaces on behalf of London.  Declarations have the power to change atmospheres and to lay new foundations. These declarations will be short, based on the word of God, Kingdom focused and made available for download from our website and other partnering websites.

It is a day to release the sound of Heaven over our Capital city, to fill the atmosphere with His word and to lay new foundations for the future.

Please take a few minutes to listen to one of our videos:

• Short overview

• Seven min version with a full description

 

We reproduce a recent circulation from Call to Prayer, (now Lighthouse) Norwich:

We are writing to let you know that a new booklet has been produced by Jill Gower and Robbie Bain entitled ‘Your Nation Needs You’.  With an explanatory section at the front, this gives 40 days of prayers, declarations and blessings to speak over our nation as the spiritual battle intensifies.

As you know, there is such power in speaking out the Word of God and in the prayer of agreement, and we invite you to join with us in this.

Our earlier booklets have gone all over this country and beyond, mainly through people sharing them with friends.  It is a great encouragement to us to know how many are using these already – thank you for your faithfulness.  We believe that now is the time for another mighty push!

The booklets are available through our website Shop https://lighthousenorwich.co.uk/paypal/paypaljs.html, for £3 each plus postage.

We are pleased to reproduce the latest Newsletter of Rev Tony Higton’s, Network for Revival.

Please go to networkforrevival.co.uk for further details or contact Tony at email: tony@higton.info

Network for Revival June 2019

We need to seek a personal revival of holiness

If we are praying for revival we need to remember that revival begins at home – with me. We need to allow the Lord to transform our lives. It may not be as spectacular as full corporate revival can be but it should be just as transforming. Revival centres on repentance.

However, longing for revival is not the prime motive for seeking deeper personal holiness. The first motive is for God’s sake.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the deep way God has been dealing with me since I started in-depth prayer for revival is his taking a passage of Scripture I’ve known for decades and causing it to affect me as if I’d never read it before. This happened recently over one thing Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was utterly horrified at the prospect of bearing the judgment of God against all human sin. He said “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matt 26:38). The intensity of his grief, in itself, could have killed him as he contemplated bearing the enormous load of human guilt, the unutterable weight of our sins and transgressions, and being ‘made a curse for us.’ He was bearing a hideous burden which is beyond our imagination, especially to one who had from eternity lived in the most intimate and unbroken communion with his Father. Just think about it.

This verse had the most profound effect on me. Yes, I can apply it to the sins of the church or society for which we urgently need revival. But before doing that I must apply it to my own sins, which he bore. Knowing what he went through in the Garden of Gethsemane, how can we tolerate sin in our lives?

It was, of course, followed by the ultimate agony of “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This is the most painful statement in the whole of human history. This is Jesus experiencing the full horror of bearing human sin. He is experiencing a real separation from God his Father (and yet, paradoxically, the unity of the Trinity was, of course, unaffected). His words were an expression of ultimate pain and horror. He asked “Why?” but he knew the answer. Following the tradition of the psalmist, he expressed his excruciating agony in the question “Why?”

This is why we must search our hearts and examine our lives, then repent in depth for whatever we find – however ‘small’ – which is dishonouring to the Lord. That is as much a part of preparation for revival as persistent, in-depth intercession. After all, one of the great promises of Jesus to answer prayer is “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (Jn 15:7). Deep commitment (which, of course, includes in-depth repentance) is the condition for receiving the answer to our prayers which we strongly desire.

As we allow the Lord to deal with our own sins then we can focus on the fact that the intense suffering of our Lord Jesus is a powerful motive for praying for revival. He did this for the church, which so often fails and tolerates sin. He did this for the society, which, in the West, largely ignores him. The suffering (the blood) of Christ is ignored and trampled underfoot. I recommend meditating at length on this.

We must pray for revival for Christ’s sake.

The methods God uses to work out his purposes

I have majored on holiness above, as one vital aspect of preparing for revival. So now I am focusing again on the other vital aspect – prayer. God wants us to learn how to:

·         intercede in greater depth than we have experienced before

·         to persevere in prayer.

·         To pray in faith

If we are seeking to pray in depth for revival we need to remember that one of the main ways God will train us in such intercession is through difficulty, disappointment and delay which test our faith. Obviously, the devil will also step up attacks on us and recognising what is going on is an important part of fighting back. The devil doesn’t want revival!

We need to react positively to such experiences. Paul says “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom 5:3-4). Similarly James writes “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (Jas 1:2-40).

I have written recently about this – CLICK HERE TO VIEW –  The purpose of this paper is to show the biblical backing for believing that God often works out his purposes through disappointments, (sometimes very threatening) hindrances and human failings. These experiences are not unusual or apparently unfair exceptions inflicted on a few people. They are a fairly normal way in which God works out his purposes. Most important, however difficult to understand, in no way do they imply a lack of love, compassion and faithfulness on God’s part. Nor should they deflect us from praying in faith on the basis of the Lord’s remarkable promises to answer prayer.

The paper covers the following points

·         God allows temporary, even long-term, hindrances to his purposes

·         God fulfils his purposes through the (sometimes sinful) human behaviour

·         God fulfils his purposes through negative events

·         God works out his beneficial purposes through delayed answer to prayer of others

·         God allows good people to face difficult experiences

·         God wants us to pray in faith (and what that means in practice).

·         Appendix: Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane about the cup of suffering (which some people mistakenly think means we should always pray an “if it be thy will” prayer rather than claiming God’s promises to answer our prayers and believing he will do so – including for revival).

Quotations about revival

An experience of Revival in Arnol, Lewis “A wonderful thing happened. It was near the end of the meeting. My brother and I heard heavenly music as if it came out from the closet under the stairs. It seemed that a heavenly choir was passing through! It was somehow not like voices but like an orchestra, yet more wonderful. It was simply a marvellous sound. It was heavenly! It wafted through from under the stairs and moved slowly across the foyer and out through the front door. We looked at each other. I leaned across and whispered, ‘Calum, did you hear that?’ He nodded. Mrs MacFarlane, the minister’s wife, was sitting in the doorway. She heard it too. She looked at us and saw that we were amazed for we had heard the heavenly music. She rose, tip-toed across to us and said, Did you hear that too?’”

A similar experience in Lemreway, Lewis “Just after this period of refreshing in Lemreway, there were about twelve people in the manse one night after a meeting. …. Having filled their cups with tea I walked from the dining-room to the kitchen and between the doors I heard wonderful singing. I stood in the doorway and said. ‘Where is that singing coming from?’ It seemed to be like heavenly singing. I had never heard anything like it. Another of the ladies heard it as well and said. ‘I heard it when you were in the dining-room filling the cups.’!” (Colin & Mary Peckham, Sounds from Heaven, p. 215, 230).

God bless you

Tony

United Prayer Rising for Europe, or UPRising Europe, is a prayer and worship gathering inviting people from every nation in Europe to contend for an awakening in the next generation.

8th – 11th July 2019, UPRising Europe comes to Britain, to Ashburnham Place, Battle, East Sussex – a gathering from 51 nations, to see the youth of our continent and nation awakened for The Kingdom!

The event is for all ages – you might be able to go, if not, you can pray – you may be able to give – CTNTP understands that money is still required towards covering event costs.

Read more below and on the UPRising Europe website – www.uprisingeurope.org

Give here: www.uprisingeurope.org/donate.html

Be part of a Kingdom Movement that is gathering momentum across the face of the earth – Great Britain is surely next?

‘Hope for the Countryside’ is a partnership between Agricultural Christian Fellowship, Village Hope, the World Prayer Centre and Top Barn Trust.

Their aim is to mobilise and resource prayer for rural Britain, to see beacons of prayer lighting up the countryside and for a fresh move of the Holy Spirit across the countryside of our nation.

Here is their latest newsletter. If you would like to contact them, maybe to receive it regularly, email: info@villagehope.org.uk

Village Hope: villagehope.uk

Agricultural Christian Fellowship www.acfhub.com

---

Click on the newsletter to read as a pdf document

A message from David Vincent of London Prayer – https://londonprayer.com

 

We are pleased to reproduce the latest Newsletter of Rev Tony Higton’s, Network for Revival.

Please go to networkforrevival.co.uk for further details or contact Tony at email: tony@higton.info

Network for Revival May 2019

What is the Network really about?

In a phrase – Intercession for Revival.

I frequently have a picture in my mind of a photograph from space of the country at night, in darkness except for the bright lights of cities and towns. To me that sums up what the Network is really about – we are meant to be a network of bright lights shining in the spiritual darkness of our nation. [See Jean Darnall’s 1967 vision regarding revival – click here].

Yes, there is a lot of moral light in the country – kindness, caring and self-sacrifice – but most have no time for God. People carry on their lives without thought of God, of eternity, of judgement, of heaven and hell. The spiritual darkness is deep.

Yes, there is the spiritual light of believers throughout the country – but how many (including church leaders) are really interceding in depth, at length, including for Revival? The spiritual light of many believers (and churches) is dimmed.

What the nation desperately needs is a network of holy intercessors throughout the country, who are seeking to inspire others to join in. They need to prioritise such intercession as much as possible, making sacrifices where necessary. Their prayer should be a dialogue – persistent petition and constant listening. Growth in holiness depends upon hearing what God is saying and putting it into practice.

It’s easy to be interested in Revival and to be excited by the accounts of what has happened in previous revivals. But what the Network is really about is in-depth, persistent, sacrificial intercession.

The significance of remarkable victories through intercession in the past

Rees Howells, the founder of the Bible College of Wales, was one of the most outstanding intercessors. His experience of intercession goes way beyond the experience of most Christians. His son Samuel Rees Howells followed in his footsteps. I have found reading the books about them in recent years profoundly challenging and very helpful.

Probably the most important contribution Rees Howells made was in his in-depth intercession during World War II. He held prayer meetings at the college every night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight and usually long after. But the prayer was very deep and passionate. They prayed situations through to victory. One of his biographers wrote “As each crisis in the war developed, the Holy Spirit guided our prayers and each time we knew that victory had been gained in the spirit before news came over the radio or in the newspapers of victory on the field of battle.”

Knowing the remarkable depth of Rees Howell’s intercession, I am quite sure that his prayers were a major factor in bringing about the victory which Britain experienced. Yes, there was a great deal of military skill and sacrifice but, knowing the frequent occasions when defeat seemed inevitable and the extraordinary deliverances that followed, it is clear that they were an answer to prayer. Without those prayers we would have been defeated. (See below for books about Rees Howells, which are very much worth reading).

However, Rees Howells and his colleagues may have been leaders in intercession but they were not the only intercessors. For example, there were National Days of Prayer. If you want to learn more about the truly remarkable deliverances, which can only have been divine intervention, look at the material produced by a Minister who calls himself Pastor John. I have had conversations with him and support his ministry. He has sent his Wartime Miracles leaflet to 25,000 churches in England and Ireland. Write to strengthenthefaithful@gmail.com. [More information on Pastor John here on the CTNTP website – click here].

There are two very important things we can learn from all this. One is the extraordinary power of prayer, including for topics on a national scale, which is the scale on which we are praying for Revival. The other is how urgently we need to pray for Revival. God intervened miraculously to deliver this nation during World War II, in answer to prayer, but, as a nation, we have largely turned away from him. This is very serious and means we deserve his judgment (and some current events suggest we are beginning to experience it). So how we need to pray for God in his mercy to bring Revival resulting in repentance. We certainly don’t deserve it, but God is merciful.

Quotations about revival

A description of revival in Ballantrushal, on the West coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides Revival: “The outstanding characteristic of the 1949 revival was the presence of God. The presence of God was so powerful that you were constantly living in the expectation that something was about to happen. You would feel a sort of excitement inside yourself. You were afraid of saying anything wrong. You were afraid of saying or doing anything that would remove His presence. There was a subduing, an awe that was everywhere and the joy! Even in the fields you felt an inward urge to sing. We were up until 3.00 or 4.00am at meetings and then up again between 7.00 and 8.00am to go to work, and we were not tired.” (Colin & Mary Peckham, Sounds from Heaven, p. 218).  Do it again, Lord!

Tony

 

BOOKS ABOUT REES HOWELLS

Rees Howells Intercessor by Norman Grubb, Lutterworth Press 1972

The Intercession of Rees Howells by Doris Ruscoe, Lutterworth Press 1983

There is also a book about Rees Howell’s son Samuel who continued his intercessory ministry: Samuel Rees Howells: A life of intercession by Richard Maton, ByFaith Media 2012

(I should add that Rees Howells came from a very different age and culture from us and you may find a few incidents in his life rather odd and challenging. I did until I found out more and I’m quite certain that he was a remarkable man of God with a huge amount to teach us).