May 25, 2013

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The World Prayer Assembly

Oct 19   -  Cindy Jacobs

Image source: dionforster.com
Image source: dionforster.com

As I stood to worship the first night of the World Prayer Assembly, my heart was full of awe and gratitude to God.  Mike and I have worked and lived to see these kind of results from the prayer movement since we founded Generals of Intercession (now Generals International) in 1984 and then incorporated in 1985.

The WPA was co-sponsored by South Korea and Indonesia.  John Robb, who heads up the International Prayer Council, was the visionary behind the event.

The first night was both a joining of generations of prayers and a celebration.  Honor was given to Vonette Bright who founded Campus Crusade for Christ along with her husband, Bill Bright.  She was the chair of the prayer assembly in 1984 in Seoul, Korea.
Others who stood with her in honor for their work in their generation were Dick Eastman, the President of Every Home for Christ International, Ben Jennings, of the Great Commission Prayer Crusade, and Glen Shepherd, who has led prayer journeys around the world were among those honored.  Barbara Byerly, past US President of Women’s Aglow, and Derek Brant of England helped with the 24 hour prayer room in English while the Indonesians ran a concurrent prayer tower.

The expected attendance was 6,000, but at the last count I received, it could have easily doubled that figure with 86 nations in attendance.  Such a hunger for prayer and to see the harvest was beautiful beyond description.  Much gratitude goes to many unsung heroes who picked up hundreds of delegates from China and other nations who arrived without a place to stay and money even for the basic necessities.  The Indonesian church rose to the occasion, and I heard many stories of them calling members of their cell groups asking for money.  Others stayed up until 3:00 at the airport.  Even the most influential business leaders took their own personal time to greet people until late at night.  One young man told me that he had not been to sleep for two days.  Great will be their reward in heaven by their Lord who sees all and rewards generously.

The next day workshops on a huge array of topics went on all day.  One evening service was given to the children.  500 children participated, and they came running in, doing sommersaults, all sorts of gymnastic feats, dancing, worshipping in their national costumes and with indigenous instruments.  They played “How Great is Our God,” and we saw the fulfillment of Psalm 8:2 before our eyes.  Many tears slipped down the faces of those watching and joining in worship.  I heard friends sharing how they prayed for their own children and grandchildren during the session.  We all agreed that we want family inheritance and legacy.

Our session on prophetic intercession was scheduled to be in a smaller room but was moved to the Main Hall where it was packed.  Mike and I co-chaired and our team, consisted of two Egyptians, one from India, one from Hong Kong, and another from Mexico.  We had met previously and sought the Lord for the prayer agenda and then began to pray prophetically.  The room was electric with the power of God, and many stood almost the entire session.  They were engaged from the floor all the way up to the top of the convention center.  Heaven came down to earth that day, and it would not surprise me if there were a host of angels standing around the room as well.

One of the very important strategies came from the Egyptians who shared that they had prayed for the dictator to topple but were not prepared for what happened afterwards.  They said that the food reserves were disrupted as well as the ability to get water.  Thus, we concluded as a team, that we needed to stress the full import of Jeremiah 1:10 - to not only “root out” in our prayers, but to “build up” or have an exit strategy and “what is next” one as well.

The value of prophetic prayer simply cannot be underestimated as this is how we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  We also need to pray as well as act.  We need, for instance, to store up water and food in case of a crisis.  We need to be prepared.

One of the most valuable asides to gatherings like this is all the connections and networking that goes on between sessions.  For instance, we connected with the leaders of the prayer network for India as well as Graham Power about a time of intercession for that nation next year.  We also connected with the Egyptian prayer movement.

One of the most personally gratifying take-aways for me was all the leaders who started their whole prayer movements based upon my book, Possessing the Gates of the Enemy, including the host nation of Indonesia.  Others started a School of the Prophets through The Voice of God.  Women leaders in particular shared precious moments how they received courage to be a woman in leadership through Women of Destiny.

The youth led by Jerome Ocampo were given a whole session as well, and there was powerful impartation taking place.  Many young people attended the meetings.

Ed Silvoso led a session on Transformation that could only be deemed masterful.  He is reaching whole cities for Christ through Harvest Evangelism.

The last night was the solemn assembly at the stadium in Jakarta.  100,000 people prayed and 387 cities were linked together in prayer.  This is simply astounding as this is the nation where 1,000 churches have been burned, and there is still persecution of the church.  In fact, I spent some time with a pastor’s wife who lost her leg in a bombing.  Her courage is very touching as she said she actually died forgiving her bombers, and then the Lord raised her from the dead.

It is said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.  It certainly holds true for the nation of Indonesia.  God has seen the suffering of the church and is pouring out His Spirit on His sons and daughters.  It will result in a missions movement that will reach every tongue, tribe, and kindred on this terrestrial ball.

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Cindy Jacobs

Cindy and her husband, Mike, are the apostolic leaders over the RPN and founders of Generals International, a ministry that works to achieve societal transformation through prayer and the prophetic.They travel the globe teaching on prayer, spiritual warfare and the spiritual dynamics of business. Cindy has written several books and also hosts a television program with her husband called God Knows that airs all around the world. Mike and Cindy have two grown children and reside in Dallas, Texas.