"Living and Breathing a Life of Prayer."
How many times have we given the passer-by comment, “I’ll be praying for you” and actually gone through with it? What do you consider prayer? Is it the brief “Hello God, it’s me, I’d really like Your help today…Amen” your daily prayer?
This past week Meredith (another missionary here) and I have been really sensing the need for prayer here in Leticia. One morning, during my prayer and devotion time with the Lord, suddenly the idea of starting a House of Prayer here in Leticia popped into my brain. I stopped praying and slowly said, “Ah…Lord, I don’t know if this is you or not, I mean…obviously it has to be, but…I don’t know the first thing about starting a House of Prayer? Where? When? How?” That exact same day I talked to Meredith and had begun to tell her about what the Lord had lain on my heart, about the House of Prayer idea. But, then quickly changed my mind thinking, “Ah, not yet…I’m going to wait for a little more confirmation before I start blabbing my mouth about something.” Well, I didn’t have to wait long, Meredith soon went on to say how that next day she was going to begin the start of many nights of prayer, at La Aljaba children’s home! I got so excited and told her what the Lord had spoken to me that exact morning! In the end we both realized the Lord was telling us something , “PRAYER!”
During my recent devotions the Lord gave me this scripture, Isaiah 62:10-11, “Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, build up the highway, take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples! Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world: Say to the daughter of Zion, surely your salvation is coming; Behold His reward is with Him.’ And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.”
We had been praying and praying for revival, but when was the last time we prayed for prayer? A cultivating life of prayer to be made in our lives? In our cities? In the church no less? Again and again the Lord says to me, “Prayer! Prayer! Prayer!” God is saying to me, “I have called you here to ‘prepare the way for the people,’ to ‘build up the highway,’ to ‘take out the stones’ and to ‘raise up the banner!’ To help prepare the way for REVIVAL!!” To do this there needs to be daily prayer, 24/7 prayer here in Leticia, spreading into the Three Frontiers; Peru, Colombia and Brasil!
Having received this vision, we have begun to run with it! Please keep us in your prayers as we hope to unite with the people, organizations and churches here in prayer. In showing the slight piece of the vision we were given, we hope a great movement of prayer will happen here. We are already beginning to see it!
This past Wednesday night we held our first prayer meeting with the children at La Aljaba children’s home. We gave a short teaching of prayer, the importance of prayer and then led them into a few songs of worship. As we began to pray, the children all got on their knees, faces in their chairs, praying. The glory of God fell, and almost every single one of them had tears rolling down their tiny cheeks, and were crying out to God. It was incredible! In the end we began to sing, “La Nina de tus Ojos” which talks about how we are the apple of God’s eye. They all began to sing, and it was amazing. I could see and feel so many of their little hearts being healed! Jesus had shown up that night, and touched them all.
After celebrating with Meredith that night about what God was doing, I headed out for home. When I got home, not even five minutes later my doorbell rang. Three of the junior high girls from the church were waiting outside the gate with such incredible news! They began to excitingly tell me that they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit that night at the church’s service! They suddenly began to speak in tongues to “prove” they had! They asked me, “Do you know the language of the Holy Spirit?!” I basically screamed in excitement my answer, “Yes!!! Ahhhh!!! God is so good!!!” That night God wasn’t just working where we were, but was working all around!
For the last two weeks I had been gone on the river with teams, so I had missed two weeks of church services. After everything happened on Wednesday night at La Aljaba, I headed to church Thursday night to hear them teaching on prayer! For the last three weeks now they have been teaching on prayer, the importance of prayer, and how to pray! Wow! I was so blown away! God is speaking His vision all over Leticia, “Prayer! Prayer! Prayer!”
Yesterday I got this ridiculous urge to paint again, the first time being a couple days ago, after a time of prayer for the Amazon. So I headed out, got some supplies, and then began to paint. When I was finished, I stood back, looked and thought, “Ah…well, it’s not Thomas Kinkaid, but it’s not horrible.” It was a picture of the sun rising, with it’s rays slicing through the darkness. I just made it sound so much better right then, than it looks, lol.
Anyways, I left it there on the table to dry overnight, I would figure out what to do with it in the morning. Well, this morning while passing it, I looked down on it, and this song by Hillsong popped into my head. “And His glory appears, like the light from the sun. Age to age He shines! Oh look to the skies, hear the angels cry, singing ‘Holy is the Lord!’” I believe with everything that God has been showing us here, this is His promise to us. That His glory will appear, like the light from the sun! As we begin to cultivate a life of prayer, the Lord’s glory will be made known here in Leticia! Which we believe and are praying will come with revival!
I’m so excited for what God’s doing here! I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of this, and be a part of the body of Christ here in the Amazon. Again, thank you to all who were praying with us Wednesday night! As you can see God is moving mightily and His glory will be made known! As my grandmother wrote me in an e-mail, “the ground is very fertile.”
Here is just one last scripture. As we begin to teach on prayer here, and the importance of prayer, I hope and pray for the rising up of the second church of Acts. In chapter 4 we read of the persecution the church has gone through, in verse 23 they have just been let go. What do they go on to do? Read this, “…they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: ‘Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: “Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.” For truly against your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness that they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.’
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:24-31
After this prayer the church of Acts becomes a “Power House” for Christ! There were healings, miracles, signs and wonders left and right! The church became of “one heart and one soul” (verse. 32) and “with great power…gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. “ (verse 33)
Everything that happened with the church of Acts began with prayer.
Acts 2:1, the Day of Pentecost, what where they doing? Praying!
Acts 3:1-10, the Lame Man Healed, Peter and John were on their way to pray.
Acts 4:23 – 31, Annointed with the Holy Spirit, filled with boldness! Again, they were praying!
So with this all being said (in a matter of only 500 pages! Hahaha), we have begun to pray for…well prayer! To teach how to pray, the importance of prayer, and the effects of prayer!
Again, thank you for all YOUR prayers! God is moving!!
Heather
