HIM INTERCESSION NETWORK

We are all inclined to think that intercession is for a few crazy, abnormal people that can pray on their knees for hours on end and enjoy it. It’s not for you, you think! Oh, but how wrong you can be.

Jesus was interceding for us when He hung on the cross bearing our sins (Isaiah 53:12) – a slightly different posture from being on our knees. And Jesus continues to bear our sins in heaven as He ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus has never stopped!

And the Bible tells us to follow Him and to take up our cross (Luke 9:23) and carry the burdens of our people (Galatians 6:2). That’s intercession too. Intercession proceeds from the way we live our life, daily laying down our life for our people and the world. It’s not just a form of prayer; it’s a way of life. A few of us, might intercede by being on your knees for many hours, however, for many of us it flows from a life given for others in the name of Jesus, following His example.

For some however, God calls us to the special ministry of interceding in prayer. This means giving of our time, laying down our life in obedience to God, to carry and share the burdens on God’s heart with Him. That is a very special privilege. Paul wanted to know Christ and especially “the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). That is the special blessing of the intercessor. Remember, Jesus continues to suffer for us as the Holy Spirit comes alongside us and shares with us in our weakness (Romans 8:26 – this is what the word “helps” means). The intercessor shares the burden that Jesus is carrying on our behalf.

Last October (2009), at the leaders advance in Auckland, New Zealand, the Oceania Leaders set up a network to train and expedite intercessory prayer within the Oceania region.

When we did this, little did we know how the Lord was going to take this and multiply it within the next 6 weeks. At the Malaysian National Conference in Kuala Lumpur, November 2009, we were able to join with the intercessory prayer and amazingly see the situation unfold so that the prayer network could stretch across all our churches around the world. Prayer leaders were present from all the regions.

Training and more formal networking arrangements were established in ChiangMai in January 2010 at the GC there. We started arranging for intercessory prayer to support the sessions of teaching and preaching.

We discerned some of the spiritual powers opposing the ministry and did achieve some breakthroughs in heavenly places. At the April GC, the networking session brought us together again and we were able to intercede on the final night in a way which assisted significantly in the ministry flowing from Ps Jeff’s preaching.

Now there is a vital call to prayer for the crisis in Thailand being made to all our churches and we have been able to communicate to them. This is because the prayer network is now in place through God’s rapid action to bring us together in the last six months.

The network is still being established and strengthened and we want to ask all our churches to create an intercessory prayer team. We have training materials. We can help in the training. There is an urgent need for each church to fight and win the spiritual battles so that we can see the harvest of souls and the strengthening of our churches. Please do not hesitate to mobilize and train your people to pray. The spiritual battle confronting our churches is intensifying and we need to stand together in prayer.

We need to pray for breakthroughs, for signs and wonders and for revival in our nations and worldwide. It is coming! Let’s make sure we are ready for the harvest. We can no longer be complacent as our effectiveness increases, our churches grow and an increasing harvest of souls comes in. There is much to do and urgently as the time is short.

To obtain training materials and join the network please contact Angela Soh at angelasoh93@gmail.com

Pastor Ian Foley
Hope Christian Church Melbourne Waverley Centre
ifoley2008@gmail.com