Without Ceasing

"Pray Without Ceasing" from Pastor Phillip Hofstetter

What does "Pray Without Ceasing" really mean? Here is something to think about: Have you ever gotten into prayer, but you had to stop because of an appointment or an interruption? What should you do when you pray again later? There isn’t a need for you start over, you start where you left off. 

Every prayer connects to the last prayer, whether you are at the altar at church or the altar at home. No matter where you are praying, when you start your prayer again, you can continue where you left off in your last prayer. We should look at our relationship with God as a continual, lifelong prayer. It is a daily prayer, as each day connects to the last day, each week to the last week, each month to the last month, and each year to the last year. It is all connected. 

That is why it is so important to journal your prayers so when God answers, you can remember the prayer and write in the way God answered. How many prayers constituted the memorial prayer of Cornelius in Acts 10:1-8? It was an ongoing, continual, daily prayer, each prayer connecting to the last. That is how we pray without ceasing.

Don't be discouraged when you cannot continue to pray at a particular time. just continue where you left off. Jesus will never forget what you spoke to Him before in prayer. He waits for you to continue your conversation with Him.

Pastor Phillip Hofstetter
District Prayer Coordinator
Florida District
(Info from Prayer Connect Newsletter - World Network of Prayer - floshaw@wnop-upci.ccsend.com)
 

Great Awakening

"Prayer for a Great Awakening" 

“And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32).

In this prophetic context, the messenger of God speaks to Daniel about a time of great spiritual conflict. The people of God have been captured. Ungodly leaders have stolen the sacred and polluted the sanctuary. Pagan worship and pagan agendas rule the day. The covenant of God is being perverted. Seduction is common. Flatteries and hypocrisies are the climate of political conquest ... BUT… in the midst of all this chaos, the messenger assures Daniel of this promise: "They that know their God shall be strong and do exploits."

In our days of economic and political flatteries and seductive rhetoric, the Body of Christ should not only be strong enough to stand, but should also do exploits. The Kingdom of God should advance. Those who stay strong through their relationship with God should go forward. The promises of deliverance, provision, peace, and joy are still true for the righteous. Truth is truth, regardless of the upheaval in our world.

Paul tells us in the book of Ephesians: "Be strong in the Lord and the Power of His Might" (Ephesians 6:10)! Being strong is not an option. God doesn't need us to echo the nightly news or even talk-radio. He expects us to have the audacity in this hour to do exploits; not to merely "hang in there," but to go forward, to advance, to believe, to declare, to receive marching orders, and yes, to do exploits. 

Darkness can't put out light. David admonished the righteous to remember that "even in darkness, light dawns." Our charge in this hour is not to give in to echoing the rant of panic, but to give voice to the truth of God's Word. Our charge is to know Him, be strong, and to do His exploits!

It's set up time for the greatest awakening our world has ever known!

PRAYER FOCUS:

    Greater unity resulting in a greater kingdom harvest.
    Greater anointing in our pulpits with greater empowerment to our people in the pews for faith to do exploits.
    Let us pray for our bi-vocational pastors, that God will supply their needs both spiritual and monetary and that revival with be birthed in their churches.
    God, give spiritual awakening for our youth and children.
    God, in this dark and dismal hour let Your light so shine through the Church so that men will see with clear delineation the path that You have set before us.

Pastor Steve Blaylock
First Pentecostal Church of Columbus
Mississippi District Prayer Coordinator
(Info from Prayer Connect Newsletter - World Network of Prayer - floshaw@wnop-upci.ccsend.com)