My blog write reminder has been screaming at me for two weeks, that I haven’t written anything…
The truth is , I gifted my young grand nephew with my old working very good nick , iPad . I was going to trade then I thought someone might use it even for games. The very day I gave it away (I had had it four years) the new one conked out ….. yes completely conked out on the same day. Thank God I had insurance and took it twice back to Curry’s. In the end they had to give me a complete new one as the one I had , had, for just a year had a fault. Hence, the delay in writing and sharing what God has laid on my heart.
Before it broke , I wrote a strong word about prayer cafes I was woken in the night to consider it. I haven’t yet posted it. That one is not for the faint hearted.
Today’s write up is about prayer – I haven’t rehearsed it, it is just finger to keyboard and as the Lord leads. I hope it encourages you.
MY EXPERIENCE OF PRAYER
There are different intensities of prayers and different seasons. There is prayer and intercession – two different types and unction. The spirit of prayer (which the Father gives is the enabler, particularly in the prayer of intercession ) – much of which takes place behind closed doors. However, sometime the Lord will ‘jump on you’ and the urgency comes anyway and you find yourself flying or crying with no previous intention to do so.
I learnt about the spirit of intercession through direct teaching of the Holy Spirit. For years I didn’t know why I would pray with the urgency or the pain that sometimes comes. In the natural I would be feeling okay, not grieving for anything and then the breaking of the waters and the feelings deep within that didn’t come from me. I have been blessed with the gift of diverse tongues – I get one word that I can understand cross culturally but I wouldn’t say that I can always understand the utterance. For me, in the rohee gift, (see James Goll and others for explanation of the different prophetic gifts. ), father often gives one word.
Prayer is work . Prayer is caught not taught. I always say pray as you can not as you can’t. Just start.
During the pandemic, many have been called to pray and I believe there has been an increase in the unction. We thank God for his grace.
I first heard prayer when I was a little girl and when my mum would pray. My mother prays very different from how I pray but you learn scripture when you hear someone praying the Word.
As I said, I was taught by the Holy Spirit in 2005 when I was living in Reading and when I experienced a number of supernatural encounters -bringing me out of religion and into relationship and intimacy giving me my call. I ruffled a few feathers. Here is a Jamaican divorcee, (we get short thrift) praying like an African but in Hebrew… sometimes …. and the queens English… !!!
I have been blessed to spend time with prayer warriors over the years. Those at the fellowship in Reading, Prayer Mountain with Apostle John Mulinde in Uganda. Prayer Storm with James Aladarin and many others . I thank God for their lives, sacrifice and selflessness. My joy has been combining prayer with worship which is how King David prayed. For me don’t pray until you twang the string of the guitar or press the keyboard. Let the Lord dance. There is a process of ushering in which many miss or cut too short.
I know I am not where I should be at the moment in prayer. But God knows my heart and I pray through the night in my spirit when I am asleep.. !!! But I miss the discipline of all night prayers with a fellowship and regularly weekly prayers. I find churches cut prayers but major on other things when it should be about prayers. We don’t need another sermon, with three points and a poem.. thank you very much. We need to pray and to teach people to pray and to intercede . People need to hear prayers and be part of prayers both the pretty prayers and the ‘ugly urgent prayers’ not prayers siphoned off for a select few nor prayers which are perfunctory .
God has been good and I have been blessed to have a mother that continues to pray each day for us audibly (she sends it via WhatsApp from Jamaica… early doors..!!!). and also a daughter that now prays and urgently.
PRAYER – THE KEY TO REVIVAL
Prayer is the Key to Revival – and this week I am reviewing a book by the same title by Paul Y Cho – in writing ,
Pastor Cho shares 27 years of experience of how God moved mightily in his life. He also draws from the experience of what made Finney, Moody , Winfield and Wesley, so effective. Pastor Cho was writing at a time when his church was ‘growing at a rate of 12,000 converts a month’ (and reader that is not numerical typo… ). Coupled with the importance of combining fasting and prayer and making space for the reader to stop and pray through, this is a gift . I would highly recommend a review of this book – that is, if you are serious about prayer and want to continue to grow – none of us have arrived yet!!!! – Of course there are other good prayer books, but this one is rather special.
I will do a precise with citation and acknowledgements over the next few days , just give me chance to digest and regurgitate… !!!
God bless you richly in your renewed, refreshed prayer journey – and ‘No’. you can’t borrow this book !!! I’m a bit like that with my gems… 🙂
Evangelist Linda J UK
Writing as prayer minister
4/5/2022