A ‘Culture of Prayer’ – what we engender, who we are, not just what we do

• Participating in a worship event does not make me a ‘worshipper’
• Participating in a witnessing program does not make me a ‘witness’
• Giving into an offering does not make me a ‘giver’
• Being at a prayer meeting does not make me ‘prayerful
• A ‘mode of our spirits’ – how we are set and wired as Christians

“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” (1Cor 6:17)

• An attitude of our hearts – a heart-centred motive and approach towards God

• A ‘zone and dimension of our spirituality’ – where we live and function in prayer

• A ‘stream and flow of communication with God’ – a constant inter-flow and action of our hearts that is God centred and God directed

‘Prayerfulness’ is the CARRYING of…

• a burden
• a calling
• a purpose
• a need
• a problem
• a vision

…usually for SOMEONE or SOMETHING

Mary – an example of Prayerfulness

Mary was set on a ‘process of prayer’, or ‘Prayerfulness’, from the moment the angel announced her pregnancy to her.

By the time Jesus was twelve, she had been in a ‘process, or journey of prayer’, and so it was no surprise to her when he was found in the temple with the priests.

“And (Mary) TREASURED UP THESE THINGS IN HER HEART.”  (Lk 2:51)

Mary was prayerfully ‘ADDING EVERYTHING UP’ in her heart, and so, when Jesus was 30 years of age, Mary knew it was time for her son to be revealed as the Messiah…Mary had been in a ‘process of prayer’…

“Woman, what does this have to do with me?  (Mary) said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you”. (Jn 2:4-5)

Like Mary, our life of faith is to JOURNEY WITH GOD IN A PROCESS OF PRAYER…

PRAYERFULLY LISTENING, OBSERVING AND WAITING ON GOD

…ADDING EVERYTHING UP IN OUR HEARTS

ABOUT GORDON MOORE

Pastor Gordon McDonald and his wife Glenda serve as senior pastors for Calvary Christian Church in Surrey, BC and as the head Bishop for the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Canada. He has a heart for Missions and has instilled that vision in the hearts and lives of many of the people around the world. www.c3bd.com

Tim Ross explores this mandate by looking at the life of David in the dynamic message from Empowered21.

ABOUT TIM ROSS

Tim Ross speaks both nationally and internationally with over 16 years of ministry experience.

Tim began preaching at the age of 20 years old and has already impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. His dynamic teaching style and uncanny ability to make people understand the gospel message is the reason why he has been such an asset to ministries across cultural and denominational lines.

Tim’s gift to communicate developed under two dynamic ministries: God’s Way Holiness Fellowship Church in Valinda, California and The Potters House in Dallas, TX. It was under the leadership of these two great ministries that his gift to speak developed and now touches lives around the world.

Tim is an articulate preacher, profound teacher, and incredible mentor. His ability to “play to all fields” is why he is invited to speak at conferences, colleges, and churches around the world.

Tim is happily married to Juliette, his bride of 13 years. The fruit of this marriage includes two sons, Nathan and Noah. The Ross Family are members of Gateway Church in Southlake, TX. Tim is the founder of Tim Ross Ministries which facilitates his evangelistic endeavors.

Check out: http://timross.org/

Maybe the Korean church is one of the most conspicuous evidence in our modern world that when the Holy Spirit empowers any people, a great revival and growth will surely occur. It has a relatively short history, since the first Western Protestant missionaries came to Korea in 1885. However, almost twenty-five percent of Korea’s fifty million people are now Christians, which is the largest ratio of the number of Christians to the population of any country in Asia. Many church historians point out that one of the most quintessential factors of the Korean church’s explosive growth is the great revival at Pyungyang in 1907. It was a Pentecostal Holy Spirit movement, in which speaking in tongue was reportedly observed.

In 1958, Pastor Yonggi Cho inaugurated a powerful Holy Spirit movement by founding a church, which has been developed to today’s Yoido Full Gospel Church. His Spirit-filled ministry has reenacted the wonderful works of the Holy Spirit written in the Bible. Consequently, the church has rapidly grown to the world’s largest church with seven hundred eighty thousand members as of May, 2008, when the transition in the church’s leadership occurred from Pastor Cho to me. From that time on, nineteen satellite churches had become independent from our church with 360,000 members. Since then, our church has welcome 50,000 new comers, so the current membership of our church reaches 470,000 as of December, 2011. In brief, all these statistics result from the powerful works of the Holy Spirit.

No matter how much the pastoral environment changes, a truth that never changes is that a church should receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Our church and I therefore is making every effort to have our church members filled with the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, we also emphasize that a Spirit-filled Christian should be firmly founded upon the Word of God. When a believer is filled both with the Holy Spirit and with the Word of God, his/her life will be transformed to be like Christ, and he/she will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit abundantly. Holy Spirit, Come upon us!

About Dr. Young Hoon Lee

Dr. Young Hoon Lee, the Senior Pastor of the Yoido Full Gospel Church, who succeeded Dr. Yonggi Cho, has served as the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God of Korea Yoido General Council since 2009. Lee also has served as the Co-President of Christian Council of Korea.

Genesis 2:4-5 “This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵before any plant of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground;”

This is a very interesting passage that I feel holds a spiritual principle that if we would apply could yield maximum fruit (results) in the Spirit-empowered movement. The gist of the scripture is this: God will not send rain on the earth until He has laborers to tend the harvest.

In Spirit-filled circles we have seen amazing services, conferences, camp-meetings. They are marked with great singing, great preaching, excitement, and zeal. We love our services so much, that now people will plan their spiritual lives based upon events rather than a daily walk with God. We have become great at gathering people, but we have a hard time sending people. And then as leaders we wonder why the church isn’t moving forward, why the attendance is declining, and why aren’t we seeing visitors? It’s because we are entertaining saints, appeasing the preferences of the saved, and not commissioning and challenging them to go into the harvest. This may be why we aren’t seeing the rain of God’s presence, because we have no laborers to tend to the harvest. This is an issue however, that has a remedy.

In Genesis 2:4-5, God lets us know that there will be no rain because he doesn’t have a man to till the ground. This is very similar to what the prophet Hosea said in Hosea 10:12. Watch how this same principle plays out in this scripture. “Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.” The working of the field proceeds the rain that comes from the Lord.

God is looking for laborers of the land, that will cultivate it daily, through their personal devotion to God. We need Spirit-filled leaders who walk with God daily and equip their people to be laborers in the land. When the land is cultivated, then we can expect the rain of His presence to come every time. God is seeking for a man who will work the land. How can we be that man? God said, “I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land…” God is looking for laborers who will call upon Him and intercede for the land. When we intercede we automatically become the laborers of the land who tend to the harvest. Which leads to my next point.

Intercession births evangelism! I will prove it to you in Matthew 9 & 10. Jesus said in Matthew 9:37 “The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Jesus gets His disciples to intercede for laborers to be sent and then in Matthew 10, those who prayed become those who are sent to labor and tend the harvest. This is the call of the Spirit-empowered movement, to begin praying for laborers to be sent. When the laborers are sent, the harvest is tended, then God will send the rain of His presence upon our cities!

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” If we would just be faithful to be the laborers in His harvest field, then He will be faithful to send the rain and bring the increase.

ABOUT CINDY JACOBS

Cindy Jacobs is a respected prophet who travels the world ministering not only to crowds of people, but to heads of nations. Perhaps her greatest ministry is to world influencers who seek her prophetic advice. Cindy is an accomplished author, television personality, and the founder of Generals International.

Speaking in tongues is not being baptized with the Spirit. Now wait. Notice what I did not say. I did not say that speaking in tongues was not a direct, empirical evidence or the product of being baptized with the Spirit. I do believe that in fact.

I have such a concern. How have we reduced one of the most glorious experiences of grace in the Christian life to simply an act of tongue speech (glossolalia)? There was a large breach that occurred between our father’s generation and the generation that I pastor now. On some level, the tenets of the Christian and Pentecostal life were not transmitted effectively. I talk to people almost daily that have no acute understanding of sanctification and the work of the Spirit in a believer’s life.

Sanctification is not a once-for-all experience. It is purity that is to be continually renewed. So many believers today fail to thrive in the life that Christ bought for them. We all need spiritual development. Just as my son Knox needs to grow to be able to thrive to his potential, so also we, as believers, must grow in the progressive work of sanctification. In fact, failure to thrive is actually contrary to our spiritual life. It is a life not known or depicted in the New Testament.

First, there is no salvific significance to Spirit-baptism. It is clear in Scripture that justification (regeneration) is the initial experience of God for the believer. This is seen in John 3:3-7. When a believer repents and places faith in Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit imparts new life to the soul. The enmity that stood between the individual and God is eradicated. The righteousness of Christ becomes the believer’s righteousness. At this point, it is clear scripturally that the Holy Spirit now indwells the believer. This believer has not yet been Spirit-baptized though. Many people prefer to tame God down to simply this level. “Christians are just forgiven,” I hear them say. “That is the only difference between believers and non-believers.” If this is all that is different, we sure have a small God.

The Holy Spirit is the agent given to us to empower us to a new level. The idea of mortification has been lost in the body. We are just forgiven people after all. Who needs to put to death the deeds of the flesh? The Holy Spirit is the Person that enables us to mortify the works of the flesh.

But then, there is a definite subsequent experience after salvation called baptism in the Holy Spirit. It relates not to salvation though, but rather to service in the Kingdom of God. The believers in Acts 2 were baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues as the Spirit administered the gift. But why was this needed? Jesus told them in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” These believers were being filled with God, baptized in the Holy Spirit for the sake of mission and witness. It is important to note that while tongues were evidence of Spirit-baptism, witness is essence.

This is what God wants for believers today. He desires for us to be wholly dedicated to Him. We belong to Him. And now that we belong to Him, He is obligated to transform us. Salvation is participation in the mission and life of God. And here is the point we often overlook as Pentecostals: you can’t share His life without sharing His missionary passion. Why does He baptize believers in the Holy Spirit? To enhance their witness for Him to the unbelieving world!

So should one speak in tongues? Of course. But is tongue speech itself actually being baptized with the Holy Spirit. Of course not. It is the product and empirical evidence of a life that has just been set on fire for Christ’s mission to the ends of the earth!

Be born again. Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Speak in tongues as the Spirit prays through you. Then share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone around you. But don’t let tongue-speech distract you. It is the evidence of a deeper heart set ablaze for mission.

For more information on Pastor Craig Mosgrove, click here.

Pasando la Antorcha at Empoderados21

Miami, Fla.– Empoderados21 in partnership with Enlace, the Luis Palau Association, and Expolit will bring esteemed Latin American Christian leaders and next generation voices together for their congress to be held at Expolit Convention in Miami, Fla., May 4-8, 2012.

Billy Wilson, Executive Director for the International Center for Spiritual Renewal and Empowered21 said, “Empoderados21 is excited to be partnering with Expolit, Enlace and Luis Palau ministries to address the significant Kingdom transition now taking place in the Latin American church. The Spirit-empowered church in Latin America has experienced a great revival over the last few decades. Now, as a new generation of leaders arises, the question is whether or not the revival will continue and the power of the Holy Spirit in Latin America will be experienced in ever increasing ways. We believe it can and must so we are uniting together for a dynamic future. We look forward to what the Lord will do at Expolit this year.”

Organizers believe it is time to extend the anointing, to fill other fields, to expand territories in reaching their children, their colleagues in ministry, and all who are with them at this Congress. The topic to be discussed at the various plenary sessions and workshops during the Congress is about delivering the natural process of leadership and authority to the new generation, at home and in the congregation–delivering and receiving the torch of Christian leadership, so that the Spirit-empowered movement of Latin American countries overflows to the whole world.

During the four-day event, there will be 16 plenary sessions led by ministry leaders such as Luis Palau, Andres Palau (a next generation leader and son of Luis Palau), Otoniel and Omayra Font, Emilio Abreu, Claudio Freidzon, Jonas Gonzalez and Juanita Cercone, Esteban Solis (a next generation leader and son of Hugo and Ruth de Solis), Evelio Reyes, and Omar Cabrera—with the purpose of bringing together intergenerational, multi-denominational and Christian leaders to bless a new generation with the power of the Holy Spirit believing that Empoderados21 is a gateway to revival in Latin America and across the globe.

Juanita Cercone of Enlace, said, “I am very excited to see how the Holy Spirit is moving in different Hispanic ministries with one sense: the need to prepare the coming generations to walk in the paths we have drawn. That is why we have decided to be a part of this initiative to train our leaders on how to pass the baton. Latin America is a young continent where the gospel has few years of history, so it is crucial that we do not stop now but rather base ourselves on the fundamentals of those pioneers that have opened the way for us, understanding that what we leave behind will be the base for many achievements to come. The time of transition should not be abrupt but they must walk with us, being a part of what we do, filled with the vision of what the Lord has given and always attentive to the specific direction that God has for them. Sadly, we have seen how many ministries end with the minister, and a replacement generation is not prepared. Our God is a generational God, he is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and that is how we should project ourselves in our ministerial lives. I understand that the ministry is not just the pulpit. The Congreso de Liderazgo Pasando la Antorcha will join the most prominent Hispanic leaders of this generation to share their experiences and life lessons with regards to this topic. Come and receive an impartation to be a key instrument in the generational relay of our time.”

Joining these notable speakers at Empoderados21 will be a plethora of significant ministry leaders from across Latin America and the US, instructing and speaking on pivotal Christian topics and issues affecting Latin America today.

Empoderados21 is an initiative of Empowered21 (www.empowered21.com) which is helping shape the future of the Global Spirit-empowered movement throughout the world by focusing on crucial issues facing the movement and connecting generations for intergenerational blessing and impartation. A very distinct characteristic of the Empoderados21 Latin American Cabinet is that they are including their children or the people they are preparing to go into the ministry in this Congress.

Carlos Barbieri, of the Luis Palau Association, said, “Through the various Luis Palau’s ministries, the Lord has allowed me to serve for many years in organizations, congresses, conferences, seminars and different events. I can say that this Congreso Iberoamericano de Liderazgo will perhaps be the most important for the Hispanic church in decades because the topic of Passing the Torch involves two generations: those who pass the torch and those who receive it. It speaks of a historic moment in the heart of a family, or of a congregation, or of a ministry in which the one who leads and carries the mantel of the Lord passes it with the authority and power of the Spirit. It speaks of God’s time for change. It speaks of a movement forward, of an extension for His glory.  How I wish thousands could attend this Congress in May! Because we are seeing a unique move of the Holy Spirit in all of Latin America, and we must be a part of that move. I encourage you to set these days off so that, guided by experienced servants of God; we may seek His face in His Word.”

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, said, “I believe God is empowering His church for this: the last match in the game. It is very encouraging to see different ministries bringing their callings, resources and passion for the strengthening of the kingdom of God. Our prayer is that the Hispanic ministries worldwide can capture the essence of Jesus’ prayer in John 17, and that we may have a greater impact in evangelism and missions on a global scale.”

Empowered21 leadership is excited to announce the first year of the Pentecost Sunday Initiative.   The Empowered21 global initiative is scheduled for Pentecost weekend and Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2012, in which pastors around the world will lead their church in experiencing the transforming, renewing, empowering truth of the Holy Spirit. (Downloadable Resources at: www.pentecostsunday.tv )

Eleven Empowered21 global leadership teams have formed to pursue initiatives and events in their region of the world.  Each regional cabinet, Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, United States, USA Hispanic, Oceania, and the Caribbean operate under the same global vision for Empowered21 in their regions.

That every person on Earth would have an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ through the Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit … by Pentecost 2033.

Leadership

The Empoderados21 Latin America Cabinet includes:  Jonas Gonzalez and (Co-Chair) Juanita Cercone with daughters, Rebecca and Melissa Gonzalez (Enlace, Dallas, TX) and (Co-Chair) Claudio and Betty Freidzon with son and daughter, Sebastian and Daniela Freidzon (Iglesia Rey de Reye, Argentina), Emilio and Bethany Abreu and son, Josh Abreu (Iglesia Centro Familiar, Paraguay), Edwin Alvarez (Hosanna Vision, Panama), Omar Cabrera with daughter, Jessica (Iglesia Vision del Futuro, Argentina), Ilya Carrera (Centro Cristiano Betania, Panama), Otoniel and Omayra Font with daughter, Joanirie Font (Iglesia Fuente de Agua Viva de Carolina, Puerto Rico), Francisco Loor with daughter, Raquel Loor (Fundacion Enlace Ecuador, Ecuador), Juan Carlos Manzewitsch (Ministerios Vision Internacional, Argentina), Javier Olivares (Enlace Mexico DF, Mexico), Jesus and Teresita Perez with sons, Oswaldo Ortiz and Zohar Perez (Ministerio Obispal Latinoamerica, Venezuela), Evelio Reyes with daughter and son, Sara and Daniel Reyes (Enlace Honduras, Honduras), Hugo and Ruth Solis with son and daughter, Esteban Vargas and Cristina Acuña (Centro Evangelistico, Costa Rica), and Raul and Dinorah Vargas with son, Eduardo Vargas (Iglesia Oasis, Costa Rica), Billy Wilson (Empowered21 Executive Director).

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TO BOOK an INTERVIEW or SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT with BILLY WILSON or JUANITA CERCONE Contact Matti Stevenson • 423-478-7078 • matti@empowered21.com

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. (1 John 2:27, NLT)

When truth is spoken, the Holy Spirit confirms it to you and in you. There is a distinct prompting and a release of life. You will feel a resounding “Yes, listen and receive this” inside of you. You will feel as though light and strength, truth and freedom are being poured out upon you. This will happen even if the message is one that brings correction. You will witness inwardly that it is true and the illumination will bring with it the power to embrace the cleansing, correction, or admonition. This can happen as you read the Word, worship, pray, hear a sermon, or speak with a close friend.

As we approach the celebration of Pentecost, I encourage you to be mindful of the power and presence of the Spirit who lives inside you. Let’s heed the whispers of His voice and embrace the truths He discloses in our hearts. Our churches will be full of truth when they are full of the Spirit. As the Church is empowered by the truth, we will extend the life of God to the nations!

Adapted from “Nurture: Give and Get What You Need to Flourish” (FaithWords, 2008).

About Lisa Bevere

Passionate. Edgy. Relatable. Powerful. Funny.  These words describe Lisa Bevere—international speaker, best-selling author, and co-host of The Messenger  television program, which broadcasts in more than 200 countries.

In her transparent style, Lisa shares God’s Word woven with personal experiences to empower lives with freedom and transformation. Her heart breaks over social injustice, and as an advocate for change, she rallies others to be an answer to desperate problems near and far.

When she’s not out changing the world, Lisa begins her days with mochas and ends them laughing around the dinner table with family. She enjoys riding her Ninja motorcycle with the love of her life, husband John Bevere, and spending time with their four sons, stunning daughter-in-law, and adorable G-babies, Asher and Sophia.

www.MessengerInternational.org
www.PearlAlliance.org
www.facebook.com/lisabevere.page
www.twitter.com/lisabevere

Written by Selwyn Hughes 

“I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding.” (1 Corinthians 14:15, NKJV)

What does it mean to pray “in the Spirit”? Here again, there is a good deal of misunderstanding among Christians as to the true meaning of the phrase. There are times when one feels deeply affected emotionally as one prays, but this is not the meaning of the phrase praying in the Spirit. It has no relationship to the emotions that we feel in prayer. I am not saying that feelings are unimportant in prayer; I am simply saying that I do not believe this is what Paul had in mind when used the phrase praying in the Spirit.

The “spirit” spoken here is not the human spirit but the Holy Spirit. Some believe that “praying in the Spirit” takes place when we pray in other tongues, and although it can include that, I believe it is much more than that.

Prayer that is “in the Spirit” is prayer that is prompted and guided by the Spirit. One commentator puts it this way: “It means that the Holy Spirit directs the prayer, created the prayer within us, and empowers us to offer it and to pray it.”

Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones calls praying in the Spirit “the secret of true prayer” and goes on to say: “If we do not pray in the Spirit, we do not really pray.” I would hesitate to make such a sweeping statement myself, but I would go so far as to say that if we do not know what it means to pray in the Spirit, our prayers will have little impact upon Satan and his forces.