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JOEL-NEWS-INTERNATIONAL-406 * 31 JULY 2002 * WWW.JOELNEWS.ORG

IN THIS EDITION:

JN406-1. TYPICALLY GOD: Speaking foreign languages the easy way
JN406-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Peace of Jerusalem
JN406-3. NEWS BRIEF: Surfers catch a new wave of God's Spirit
JN406-4. KINGDOM DEVELOPMENT: Combined prayer and church planting strategy
JN406-5. RESOURCE: Hope for genuine revival and awakening
JN406-6. RESOURCE: Zinzendorf and the Moravians

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JN406-1. TYPICALLY GOD: Speaking foreign languages the easy way

The story of Mexican intercessor Ana Méndez could come straight from Acts. While she was being treated in a psychiatric hospital, Jesus appeared to her and filled her with his Spirit. In the 14 days following her salvation, almost 80% of the patients were healed by God's hand. She was no famous preacher, and only a few days old in the faith, but the demons left and people suffering illnesses were healed.

Since then God has been working in her life in a miraculous way. At a recent prayer conference Méndez told this story: "When I had been a Christian for three years, my sister told me that God had shown her that I should work as a translator for a conference with Morris Cerullo. I laughed, because I understood probably only ten words of English at the time. My sister looked at me in an unusual way, and I sensed 'that is God speaking through her'. I said 'Lord, your will be done.' Not long afterwards, I was on stage. The moment one of the conference teachers began to speak, I was able to understand English, and started to translate. Two months later, I preached at my first conference in the USA. In 2001, I spoke in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. When I opened my mouth, I suddenly spoke French. I spoke French during the whole conference. Something similar happened in Brazil in 2001, when I was able to preach in Portuguese."

A more extensive report can be retrieved by sending an e-mail to lyris@xc.org with only this command in the body of your mail:

get joel-news-international ana-mendez-story

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Source: Ana Méndez through Friday Fax

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JN406-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Peace of Jerusalem

Around 3,000 American Christians with representatives from Germany, Finland, Holland, Israel and Denmark, attended a recent prayer summit in Jerusalem. The prayer summit was the first of a series to be held around the world, sponsored by the Jerusalem Prayer Team (JPT). Founded by Texas-based evangelist Mike Evans, JPT wants to recruit 1 million American Christians and 100,000 churches to pray regularly for peace in Israel, in the spirit of Corrie Ten Boom, the Dutch Christian famed for, with her family, hiding Jews from the Nazis during World War II.

LINK: http://www.jerusalemprayerteam.org

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JN406-3. NEWS BRIEF: Surfers catch a new wave of God's Spirit

Surfers are catching a new wave - of God's Spirit. More than ever before, the fields - or in this case, the foam - is white for harvest, as professionals, amateurs and hobbyists across the United States and overseas are finding God. "There are a lot more Christian surfers now," said Chandler Brownlee, 29, national director of Christian Surfers United States. Twenty local chapters with a total membership of 1,500 span both coasts of the United States. Members offer fellowship, host Bible studies, sponsor surfing contests, show Christian surf videos and reach out to the surf culture.

It isn't just Christians who speak of the spiritual swell rising offshore of the surfing community. Three years ago the secular online magazine "Salon" observed how "many [surfers] are big Jesus freaks." For 30 years, Al Merrick, one of the premier board makers in the country whose clients have included world champions and surfing legends Tom Curren and Kelly Slater, has been sharing God's love with countless everyday surfers. Slater still shapes five boards a day, and often prays over his products, on which he includes a Christian fish symbol. "I pray for [the surfers]," he said. "I ask God to bless them and to protect them and, if they are not Christians, that they will see Him. I had thought about going into ministry. But God has given me a gift to make surfboards."

Source: Charisma News Service

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JN406-4. KINGDOM DEVELOPMENT: Combined prayer and church planting strategy

Prayer and church planting can be effectively combined in a strategy to saturate a nation with the Gospel.

Last year, a strategic missionary cooperation began, with the aim of reaching Uttar Pradesh - one of India's largest unreached states - with the Gospel. Districts are 'adopted' by prayer groups across the nation, and new believers are immediately trained to plant churches. In March 2002, only 11 months after the initiative began, the leaders report 1,250 new house churches, 7,300 houses of prayer, and 6,000 new believers willing to be trained further.

Source: Friday Fax

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JN406-5. RESOURCE: Hope for genuine revival and awakening

Is there any hope for genuine revival and awakening? With all the prayers for revival and with all the confession and repentance of the past years, why have we not seen an outpouring of God's Spirit to revive His church and bring healing and spiritual awakening to our land? Claude V. King tries to deal with this issue and goes back to the Moravian Brethren and Andrew Murray. He comes up with two tools to facilitate revival: the Sacred Assembly and mobilizing the Church to obey the Great Commission.

COMMAND: This article can be retrieved by sending an empty e-mail to lyris@xc.org with only this command in the body of your e-mail:
get joel-news-international king-hope-for-revival

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JN406-6. RESOURCE: Zinzendorf and the Moravians

Throughout the history of the Church, it has always been the most ardent lovers of Jesus who have felt the greatest need for more of His presence. For Count Zinzendorf and the Moravians, loving fellowship with Christ was the essential manifestation of the Christian life. Their famous confession was "I have one passion; it is Jesus, Jesus only." In this article David Smithers draws a few lessons from Zinzendorf and the Moravians: the secret of prevailing prayer, their passion for the lost, the restoration of apostolic community and their love for Jesus.

LINK: http://www.christianword.org/revival/zinzendorf.html

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COLOPHON

Joel News International is a leading special interest bulletin on prayer, church growth and revival. We offer a keen selection of the most encouraging news reports, the most challenging developments and the best resources from over 100 reliable sources in six continents. Joel News International is a great help and time-saver for thousands of Christian leaders and intercessors in over 120 nations.

Editors: Branko Bjelajac, Adriaan van der Hoeven and Marc van der Woude. You can contact the editorial office at joel-news@xs4all.nl.

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