It was an honor and joy for me to serve as a speaker for the United Prayer Movement gathering in Cappadocia, Turkey a couple weeks ago. About 500 Turkish believers, Christian workers within the country, and intercessors from outside spent three days covering this nation in prayer, asking for His breakthrough. This is one of the most unreached nations on earth with about 5500 evangelical believers amidst about 100,000 from the traditional Orthodox and Catholic churches living in a sea of 80 million mainly Muslim people, most of whom have never heard the truth about Jesus Christ. Modern day Turkey is the location of Antioch and the seven churches of Revelation where the Apostle Paul and others established many of the first communities of Christians and then used them as bases to go further afield in sharing His Gospel to the nations. Now this nation needs to be re-evangelized. Even during the event and during travel to and from, I found myself with numerous opportunities to bear witness to the Lord of life to Turks and Kurds (a large minority population), all of whom seemed open and some of which were even hungry to hear about Him.

During my message to the brothers and sisters there, I urged them to think of themselves as “world changers”. In the midst of my own Jubilee year in the ministry, I told them that the most exciting thing on earth is to connect with God and become His instruments for the transformation of Turkey, the Middle East and our world. What a staggering thought that Christ in us, in spite of our obvious human frailty, can enable each of us to become a powerful instrument to impact to our community, nation and world! After 50 years, I am still thoroughly convinced that nothing compares to serving Jesus in the nations. What a high privilege!

There are four practices I shared with the conference participants through which colleagues and I have over and over again witnessed God’s mighty working to bring His transformation to cities and nations. They laughed when I offered to bet them 10 million Turkish lira that these practices would bring about breakthrough in Turkey if they would implement them!

1. Confess and repent for sins of your ethnic group and nation

This is the principle of identificational confession and repentance in which individuals can represent their nation or people group as Nehemiah and Daniel did. This is also the principle of corporate solidarity as found when the high priest represented his people by going into the Holy of Holies to confess the sins of the twelve tribes. Daniel and Nehemiah confessed “we” have sinned. (Read Nehemiah 1 and Daniel 9) They were godly, sensitive men but identified with the corporate sins of their fathers and ancestors. Through the application of this practice God brought about the release of Nehemiah to go and build wall to save Judah from her enemies. The angel Gabriel was released to bring the end time vision to Daniel. Both of these experiences deeply affected the history of Israel.

In 61 national prayer initiatives over the last 25 years or so, colleagues and I have also witnessed many such releases that have brought unexpected breakthroughs at the political level-- the sudden end of wars through peace agreements, governments of national unity and the removal of evil rulers. At least eight wars and ethnic conflicts, six of them in Africa, that no one thought would ever end have been stopped this way, saving the lives of hundreds of thousands.

If we humbly confess and repent of our sins and those of our people, we will definitely get God’s attention. He is drawn to those who are humble and contrite in heart. The problem is that most people feel OK about their nation and culture, even believing that they are superior to others, and so are blinded and hindered by nationalistic pride. What a difference it would make if God’s people in each nation would identify the corporate sins of their nation and begin to confess those sins to God on behalf of their people!

What corporate sins do you observe in your own nation that are hindering God’s transformation? Are you willing to stand in the gap as a representative to confess them both privately and publicly so that His mercy may be released? 

2. Forgive and reconcile with all those who have offended you

Jesus commanded, “if you have something against your brother, go..” Before worship, get right with anyone you may have offended or who has offended you. Every one of those prayer initiatives that resulted in breakthroughs have been bathed in an atmosphere of prayer with the resulting manifest presence of God. In such an atmosphere, deeply moving times of asking for forgiveness by Christian leaders representing themselves and/or their institutions has followed. In the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2001, one man under profound conviction cried out to others across the room, “Brothers, please forgive me that I split from you 20 years ago.” That led to a few hours of many others getting reconcilied, and our whole facilitation team wept along with them.

In Sudan, in 2002, church leaders went on for some hours publicly confessing, then asking forgiveness between their denominations and organizations. Then, they cried out in real heart unity for a breakthrough in the peace negotiations and a ceasefire was signed by the officials at the same time they were shouting together! In Sri Lanka, in 2001, Sinhalese and Tamil leaders confessing and praying in each others’ arms after deep reconciliation received the assurance that history would be changed and sure enough the next morning’s headlines proclaimed that the reclusive Tamil Tiger rebel leader for the first time ever wanted peace talks with the government.

Are there any individuals, churches, people from another ethnic group you need to get right with? Do you need to ask forgiveness or extend it?

Satan is the diabolos or divider. His main strategy is to split people and nations and if possible foment destructive violence and war so that he can destroy people as efficiently as possible. His strategy is to divide Christians so they cannot pray unitedly against him and his agenda. The way to counter him is to live in continual reconciliation and forgiveness.

3. Pray unitedly and authoritatively

The first two practices lead to this. Without humble confession and repentance, reconciling and forgiving, we cannot pray in the unity and authority that will for sure bring about God’s transformations.

United prayer is the way to see history changed. In 2 Chronicles 20, for example, King Jehoshaphat called everyone together, men, women and children to stand together in prayer and fasting. The three enemy armies coming against Judah were then thrown into confusion and defeated. Many other cases from Scripture could be noted. I am fond of quoting the theologian Walter Wink who said: “History belongs to the intercessors, who believe the future into being… These shapers of the future are the intercessors, who call out of the future the longed-for new present. 

Jesus gives us absolutely staggering promises that are for us in a plural and united sense. Over and over again, He said “whatever… anything” you ask will be done (Matt. 18:18-20, John 14:13-14). When we pray with others in unity, getting on same wavelength with God and one another and listening with our hearts connected to His heart, we will see His amazing breakthroughs. I John 5:14-15, also written to a group of believers rather than to just an individual, tells us that when we pray like that, we will know how to pray according to His will and will also have the assurance that we will receive whatever we are asking. 

Such prayer unity takes time and can’t be rushed. We have to build relationships and pray with one or more prayer partners over time. Do you have one or more prayer partners that you are regularly praying with?

We also need to use His authority that has been delegated to us as His children. It is inevitable when praying unitedly that we will threaten the prince of this world. He will backlash to try and stop us. That is one of the reasons that prayer meetings (the most powerful church gatherings for effecting macro transformation) are usually the least attended ones. 

God gave dominion of the earth to humans (Gen 1:26). The devil is a usurper and deceiver. Through prayer, we can recover and use the authority the Lord wants us to have. Even children can use His authority as He taught in Luke 10:18-21. Tragically, many believers don’t ever use it. A converted witch once told a friend of mine that when she was practicing witchcraft she and her friends could see the power of God resting on Christians, but she and her companions were not afraid since the majority of those believers did not know how to use it! 

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-populated country. Much of Islam there is quite occult through trafficking with spirits. There are places and territories dedicated to evil spirits that historically have caused oppression and blindness to Gospel. For example, we heard that Suharto, the dictator-president of Indonesia in the 1990s drew spiritual power from a graveyard and also sought to protect himself by surrounding himself with 700 spirit mediums. However, he was overthrown as believers there with the support of others from abroad used Jesus’ authority to “tread on the serpents and scorpions and overcome all the power of the enemy”.

Indonesia now has perhaps the most powerful prayer movement on earth with many millions of believers involved; they have over 500 prayer towers and 24/7 teams; the country is now estimated to be 30% Christian. During the World Prayer Assembly that was held there in 2012, almost 400 cities and 2.5 million believers joined together in prayer through satellite TV and in the national stadium. 40 Muslim imams came to the Lord after the WPA through having the same dream! Over 200,000 trained child intercessors prayer-walk and close down places of corruption and immorality in various parts of the nation. The first Christian governor of Jakarta elected after the WPA has been cleaning up corruption and solving other problems, winning favor even in the eyes of the Muslim majority. This is the Lord and what He can do if we will take His promises seriously, praying with His unity and authority for our own nation.

4. Share the Gospel Boldly

Early Christians of Asia Minor (the present day Turkey) and especially the Apostle Paul, probably the greatest missionary who has ever lived, were bold in making Jesus Christ known. Indeed, they felt indebted to those who had not heard the Good News. They mainly were very simple, ordinary folks who used their marketplace connections as small merchants and artisans to spread the Gospel far and wide. The best opportunities to share with others come through such relationships of affinity, travel, etc. As we pray for “divine encounters” or engage in “prayer evangelism”, praying for neighbors, friends, family members and strangers, God will surely give such natural opportunities, preparing the hearts of those around us to hear and respond.

The simple believer, Ananias, heard God’s voice telling him to go to that fearsome persecutor of Christians, Saul. His obedience was used by God to launch the great apostle into a world mission, resulting in the spread of the Christian faith throughout the whole then-known world. Since the first century, prayer combined with the bold sharing of the truth of Jesus has been a powerful, transformational practice that has again and again profoundly changed communities and even whole nations. It is and will do so again in our own day.

For practical application:

1 Identify corporate sins, confess and repent of them on behalf of your ethnic group and nation.

2 Think of individual people, church or ethnic groups you need to get right with. Determine to go to them and ask forgiveness if you or your people have offended them, or if they have offended you.

3 Pray unitedly and authoritatively as He leads for specific things you want to see changed in your community and nation.

4 Pray for your neighbors, friends, cities and towns, and for His boldness to share the Gospel as He gives opportunity. 

John Robb, IPC Chairman

The goal is to have from four to seven tribes represented at this gathering: the Apache, Hopi, Paiute, Zuni, Ute, Arapahoe, and Northern Cheyenne. The leaders who invited them to come expressed grave concern about people in their tribe who were attempting to draw their people back into traditional religious belief systems, so he asked if that was one area we might focus on.  

Some of the issues among others that are expected to be dealt with are the Native Psychological Dilemma, Host People and Redeeming the Land, Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare, Spiritual Mapping, SWAT Training (basic principles and tools needed to carry out prophetic prayer initiatives), Ministry of Intercession, Deliverance Ministry Team Training, Ministry of Inner Healing, and Spiritual Gifts.

Ivan and Linda Doxtator from First Nations Counseling Ministries will be doing the training. For more information about attending, please contact Pete Belon 505 6864020.

Please pray for His strong anointing on the Doxtators and all those who take part. Pray for the development of a united prayer movement among the Native peoples of the USA. They are crucial for the deliverance and transformation of America.

The success of the Lesbian Gay Bi-Sexual Transgender (LGBT) rampage continues.  Simply put, we live in an era that has ushered in the end of religious freedom in favor of "gay rights."  Any resistance to redefining the nation by a sexual perversion is considered an affront, resulting in the silencing of any Christian belief.

The current battles have moved from same-sex "marriage" to the letter T in LGBT - Transgenderism.  While homosexuals comprise only a small percentage of the population, transgenders are less than .01% of the population.  To be a member of the "oppressed transgender minority," one need only to self-identify.  What follows is the "right" to enter the bathroom of your choice.  Any disagreement is considered discriminatory and bigotry.

Note that: 

• Two states have passed have passed religious freedom legislation only to have the legislation vetoed by their governors (Georgia, South Dakota). 
• The Federal Government has forced one school district to comply with transgender demands (Illinois).  This is just the start. 
• One state passed "religious freedom" legislation, then amended the bill into a "gay rights" law (Indiana). 
• One state has maintained its "bathroom bill" (North Carolina) but is now being threatened by the federal government with the defunding of several programs. 
• One city overturned its "bathroom bill" (Houston). 
• Only one state has enacted and maintained its "freedom of religion" bill (Mississippi). 

The following are the highlights of the transgender agenda.

Bruce Jenner:  Win for the Transgender Community

April 2015  Bruce Jenner, a 65 year old male who has been married 3 times and who has fathered 6 children, declares himself a woman.  Jenner, who won the decathlon Gold Medal in the 1976 Olympics, appeared on the cover of Vogue Magazine under the title "Call Me Caitlyn."

Outcome:  Jenner was praised for his "transition" and received ESPN's Arthur Ash Award for Courage. 

Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act,

Complete Turn-Around: Now a "gay rights" law

July 2015  Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act was legislation passed by the state legislature to allow Christians the "free exercise of religion" and to protect citizens against being "substantially burdened as a defense in legal proceedings."

Outcome:  After a horrendous outcry from national and international businesses and athletic organizations, the legislation was amended, making it an anti-discrimination law favoring the LGBT community.  In other words, a complete turnaround occurred from the law's original intent.

Houston Equal Rights Ordinance

Rejected by Voters After Being Labeled the "Bathroom Bill"

November 3, 2015  Dallas TX overwhelmingly rejected the city's ordinance allowing men in women's bathrooms (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance).  Houston's City Council passed the legislation spearheaded by lesbian Mayor Annise Parker.  The locals forced the City to place it on the ballet but only after a Texas Supreme Court mandate.

Outcome:  Win for the Community.  However, Houston is now being threatened by such efforts as a call to rescind the NFL Super Bowl which is scheduled to be played there in 2017. 

Palatine Township High School

Forced by the Federal Government to Accommodate a 12 year old

Boy in the Girl's Shower

December 3, 2015  Palatine Township High School, a Chicago School District, had a Civil Rights Discrimination lawsuit filed against it demanding that a 12 year old transgender boy be allowed in the girl's locker rooms.

Outcome:  Win for the Transgender

The Obama Administration, misrepresenting Title IX federal funding designed to insure the inclusion of girls in sports, interpreted the law as addressing gender discrimination and forced the school district to acquiesce.  Non-compliance would have resulted in the withdrawal of millions of federal dollars that fund athletic programs.  The school board had proposed a number of different measures as compromise solutions.  All were refused.  The boy is allowed in the girls' locker room despite overwhelming objection from the community.  In a school district of 12,000 students, the Obama administration has forced the accommodation of one very disturbed 12 year old boy.

New Mexico Legislation is Introduced to Protect Religious Freedom

January 2016  Religious Freedom Legislation was introduced to "prevent discriminatory action by a person or a government agency in response to a person's free exercise of religion." 

Outcome:  The legislation was vehemently attacked by Santa Fe's homosexual mayor, Javier Gonzales, and the house minority leader, Brian Egolf.  It was not placed on the legislative agenda and was not debated.

South Dakota's Bill Vetoed by Governor

March 1, 2016  The Governor of South Dakota, Dennis Daugaard, vetoed a bathroom bill passed by the Senate that would have required biologically-defined sex to determine bathrooms usage.

Outcome:  The governor, wishing to avoid an economic backlash, caved to the transgender agenda.

North Carolina Passes a "Bathroom Bill"

Disallowing Charlotte's Ordinance to Allow Transgenders in Bathrooms

On March 23, 2016 North Carolina's Governor Pat McCrory signed into law a "Bathroom Bill" that negates Charlotte's February 20, 2016, bill that would have allowed transgenders into women's bathrooms.

Outcome:  An enormous economic backlash has occurred with a reported 120 companies opposing the measure including PayPal, which cancelled a $3.6 million call center employing 400 people in Charlotte.  Popular rock star Bruce Springsteen announced he'd canceled a concert in the state.

Georgia's Governor Vetoes Legislature's "Religious Freedom"

March 28, 2016  Under tremendous economic pressure, Georgia's Governor Nathan Deal vetoed the state's "Religious Freedom" legislation.  The law would have protected pastors and religious nonprofits that didn't want to participate in same-sex marriage, while including modest protections for individuals and businesses.

Outcome:  The State Legislators are considering calling a special session to override the governor's veto.

Mississippi Allows Churches, Businesses to Decline Services that

Violate Religious Beliefs

April 5, 2016 Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed into law legislation that allows churches, religious charities and privately held businesses to decline services to people if doing so would violate their religious beliefs on marriage and gender.

Outcome:  The state's Attorney General has refused to defend the law, an impeachable offense.  The backlash has just begun.  

In addition to New Mexico, states that have considered legislation have been Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

 The New Mexico Watchman

nmwatchman.com

Please pray that the American people and especially the Christians will boldly stand up for public righteousness and for the preservation of our religious freedom.

FORGIVE your enemies.  LOVE your enemies. PRAY for your enemies.

Easter's blasts were planned to be much larger. At the entrance gate security guards caught one person who immediately let off his bomb. Three others escaped. The bombers did not get to the place where they wanted to be, where it would have been more populated.  Think what it would have been if four bombs had gone off. A friend shares, a nurse from our hospital and her baby and husband were at this park. He went to get tickets and was killed. 

Military commission:

A year and a half ago a large explosion took place in a military school in the north, killing many children of military personnel.  This was a terrible incident with the loss of life to many children.  Out of this came a serious determination of the government and military to go after terrorists in the Northwest part of the country.

After this Easter tragedy this week-  PRAISE the military now has set up a  "military commission for the Punjab."  This is to go after terrorists in the Punjab where 70% of the population of Pakistan lives. This is where the majority of the terrorist

organizations have originated and operated out of.

PRAY they might carry this out.  For a long time it has been obvious that they need to be more serious about the terrorist nests in the Punjab.

PRAY for the right strategy to carry this out. The military is doing this. The government is not included in this. PRAY there will not be a clash between the two.

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Christ said.  FORGIVE  your enemies. LOVE your enemies. PRAY for your enemies. There is power in these three.

STORY -  A brother was in Pakistan last year for Easter. Shortly before that, two large terrorist attacks took place in Lahore and at the largest Christian settlement, Yohunabad in the city.  This brother arrived a couple days after this. A pastor and he literally forced their way into this area as people were fleeing this area. They almost got trampled. They went to a smaller church where they were to teach children how to pray.

Everything had been taken out of the church, a long hallway and an outside courtyard so more people could be seated. People were seated on the ground and it was packed with hundreds of people. Kids and parents who brought their kids. The Spirit of God was so present in a powerful way.  The meeting lasted from early afternoon to early the next morning. Hardly anyone moved. The brother ministering started by saying, "You do not expect me to say this but this is what God is telling me to say. Your friends and relatives have been killed by terrorists in this colony. God tells us, "to FORGIVE  our ENEMIES,  and to  LOVE THEM. "  

He told several instances of how terrorists had tried to kill him and how God had told him to

forgive them, and sometimes verbally to forgive them.  He said this is the hardest thing you can ever do but he was asking them to do exactly this.  There was absolute silence, and the brother thought everyone was going to walk out after stoning him.

Absolute silence for eternity.  Then God's Spirit descended as kids and then adults began to cry out in forgiveness. God was doing a MIRACLE, from a people whose culture is tied in with revenge. God was doing the miraculous. Then we began to teach on children in prayer.  They told stories of how God was using Pakistani children in prayer… 

After midnight they asked that we begin to PRAY for those who were sick. Forgiveness had taken place, people were praying from clean hearts.  The presence of God's spirit was very heavy.  People were healed and those who were processed by evil spirits were released from that bondage. Those from the majority community who were non-Christians first accepted Christ and then were released from Satan's demons.  When these nonbelievers were asked why they had accepted Christ they said because we saw people forgive one another and us and then we saw the power of Jesus, a God of love.

One woman in particular was the last to be brought because people said her demons are so strong and she is physically so strong no one could control her.  Though once a Christian she

said she had given herself over to the devil. She accepted the Lord. Now they turned to releasing her from her bondage.  It was like the Gerasenes demoniac, who was so strong he would break the chains that bound him.   As we began to pray, she fell to the floor screaming and cursing at us.  People had to help hold her.  Her strength was so great she was lifting the men up. They prayed for for peace to come over her, the devil was there to 'kill and destroy' this mighty warrior of the devil who has just deserted him. Prayer continued and she was slowly released from those demonic  spirits who bound her. She said,  ”When I was going through that time I could see and knew that Satan was trying to kill me. But at the same time I could see Jesus' love and that you loved me and were fighting for my life."

It is hard but we must learn to love our enemies. The power of God's love and prayer can turn those who hate God and us to the foot of the cross and Jesus.

Many of those who were healed and released that night like this women have now started prayer groups - because they saw the love of Jesus Christ.  Thank you, God, that you first loved us and for your power we see through prayer. 

Thank you for praying for Pakistan.

(From a Christian brother who loves Pakistan.)

Praise God for what He is doing in one of the most challenging national situations on earth! Let’s continue to pray for His people to arise in unity and love for one another and for their enemies so that Pakistan will be rid of its darkness and turn to Him who is the light of life.