April 2014 Prayer Guide - Isaiah 62 Prayer Campaign

Event Type: 
Preaching/Talk
Date: 
05/08/2014(星期二) PM 12:30

Isaiah 62

 

Prayer Points

1. Prayers for the Middle East

  • Again and without ceasing, pray for the violence and tragedy in Syria finally to come to an end.
  • Pray for the Church of Jesus Christ in Syria to maintain their faith in the midst of all the sufferings and pain, and to be protected and to stay strong.
  • Pray for the purposes of God to be fulfilled in the nation of Syria.
  • Pray according to 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; Ephesians 6:10-18

 

2. Prayers for Israel

  • Pray for the re-gathering of the Jewish people back to their ancient homeland and especially for the Ukrainian Jewish community, for their safety and that those who would like to leave for Israel can do so.
  • Pray according to Nehemiah 1:1-10; Ezekiel 36:22-28; Jeremiah 31:10
  • Pray without ceasing for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the nation and people of Israel. The time is coming when this will surely happen!
  • Pray according to Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25-29

3. Prayers for the ICEJ

  • Pray for the favour of the Lord to go before the ICEJ as a ministry both in Israel and in the nations.
  • Pray that we will meet our goals of touching all the segments of society here in Israel and of impacting all the nations in the world.
  • Pray according to Nehemiah 1:11; Numbers 6:24-26; Colossians 4:2
  • Pray for the necessary funds to keep on flowing into our ministry to enable us to be thoroughly equipped financially to do all the good works prepared by God for us to walk in them.
  • Pray according to Isaiah 60:5; 2 Corinthians9:8; Philippians 4:19-20, Ephesians 2:10
  • Pray for the glory of the Lord to fall again at our Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem this coming October and for all the arrangements to fall into place as needed. By faith, welcome the nations into Jerusalem!
  • Pray according to Psalm 24:7-10; Zechariah 14:16
  • Pray for the annual ICEJ National Directors Conference in Rome, Italy in May. It is a very important international gathering for our ministry and please pray for the anointing of God to be strong and heavy upon us.
  • Pray according to 1 John 2:20, 27

Thank you for your prayers!

Download this month's Isaiah 62 Prayer Guide (PDF)

 


Dear Prayer Partners,

Before we go to our prayer points, I want to share something personal from heart to heart to help you stay strong in your prayers.

Remember, Jesus is always moving you forward in your spiritual journey with Him and in life – and the devil always wants you to go backward! Discouragement and disillusionment are some of the ways he uses to sneak into your life and cut off your life-line of prayer with God.

Dangers of discouragement

When we are discouraged and disillusioned, we suddenly find ourselves in a dangerous situation. If this is left unresolved and unprocessed, it can quickly and easily replace faith and expectancy. The feelings of disappointment, loss of hope, confidence and enthusiasm are dangerous weapons targeted by Satan to kill the faith in your heart and thus to destroy you and your walk with Jesus!

First of all, without faith it is impossible to please God – and without faith in your heart you are not inspired to pray either. We are in a spiritual battle and prayer especially is an expression of it. God is with us through His word, and we are with God through our prayers, and this connection and fellowship the enemy of our souls seeks to destroy. But Jesus has prayed for us that our faith should not fail (Luke 22:32).

Jesus and Peter

The Apostle Peter denied Jesus three times. True! But remember how Jesus had spoken words which were carrying Peter underneath his weaknesses, sin, failure and fall: “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:32).

Jesus had given him prophetic words and a personal promise that he would return to Him and that he would be used for the good of his brothers – even before his triple denial ever happened! The door of hope was wide open for him all the time and all the way through his dark hours after his denial. It is worth noting that Jesus had not prayed that Peter would not fall, but that his faith would not fail!

The real danger is to lose our faith, not that we have fallen. That is why He gave His word to him; that is, to strengthen his faith since faith comes by hearing the word of the Lord (Romans 10:17). Satan was after his faith to destroy it, but Jesus was after his character to build it! Just as Jesus was handed over to the power of darkness to do what God had foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, so was Peter likewise sifted as wheat by Satan (Luke 22:31; Acts 3:18).

Imagine the depth of self-doubts plaguing Peter after his denial! What thoughts and feelings of discouragement, disillusionment, condemnation, guilt, fear and rejection he must have gone through! But he did come through! And he came through fully renewed, restored and built up by Jesus personally (Luke 24:34: John 21:15-19). The words from Jesus and the everlasting arms of God underneath him were well able to carry his fragile, weak and unstable character – and even to change him! No wonder Peter later wrote with full confidence to the followers of Jesus: “The God of all grace . . . will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).

Stay strong in prayer

So do not fear! Stay strong in your prayers whatever happens in your life – or in Israel and the Middle East. God has everything under control and He is tirelessly and with great zeal and power calling you to fellowship with Him and to pray without ceasing according to His word! Do not closet your thoughts and feelings of discouragement and disillusionment. Work out these emotions and lift them up to God! Then be rid of these feelings and thoughts! Turn away from the devil’s lies and take hold afresh of the promises of Jesus. He will never leave nor forsake you! (Hebrews 13:5)

Let faith and expectancy take their rightful place in your heart! Arise! And may your prayer life stay strong in Him!

In the wonderful name of Jesus,
 

Juha Ketola

Rev. Juha Ketola
ICEJ International Director