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JOEL-NEWS-INTERNATIONAL-424 * 6 JANUARY 2003 * WWW.JOELNEWS.ORG

IN THIS EDITION:

JN424-1. TYPICALLY GOD: Delivered from smoking without asking
JN424-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Breakthrough in Zimbabwe
JN424-3. NEWS BRIEF: Reconciliation in Brownsville
JN424-4. KINGDOM DEVELOPMENT: International prayer movement
JN424-5. RESOURCE: Report International Prayer Leaders Consultation
JN424-6. RESOURCE: Church planting in Western Europe

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QUOTE: Christian workers asked a brand-new Chinese believer to make a list of 100 non-Christian family members, friends, and acquaintances. She began listing names immediately. When she completed the assignment and shared the list with her disciplers, they asked her how many of the 100 might be individuals she could lead to the Lord. With a puzzled look on her face, she replied: "All of them! Isn't that why I made the list?" (Advance)
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JN424-1. TYPICALLY GOD: Delivered from smoking without asking

Pastor Walter Hill of Harvest Fellowship in Silver City, New Mexico (USA) reports: "Recently a woman, new to our congregation, came to a Saturday night revival meeting. She was there to watch, but God was watching her! During the praise and worship she testified that she felt 'something' reach inside of her chest and pull a weight off of her lungs. Upon going home she suddenly realized that God had delivered her from a 22 year smoking habit.

"She immediately called her life insurance broker and requested a new blood test. He informed her that it would take a year for all the nicotine to clear her system. She insisted until he granted her a new blood test. There was no trace of nicotine anywhere in her system! When her blood was further examined it was determined that God had also healed her of diabetes."

"The most amazing thing about what she shared in our service was that she went to church that night not expecting, or even asking for, a touch from God. He knew what she needed, even though she didn't ask for it, and gave it to her anyway."

Source: Open Heaven

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JN424-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Breakthrough in Zimbabwe

While the nation of Zimbabwe is going through a period of severe drought and injustice, the Church is divided and therefore not able to be a prophetic voice to the government.

The root problem is that in the past every part of the land has been dedicated to various spirit forces. The nation itself and its ruling political party has been offered to Mbuya Nehanda, a spirit of war and rainmaking (in spite of the drought that has contributed to the current famine). These kinds of covenants with false gods and the practice of divination and witchcraft that is still prevalent must be broken for healing and restoration to come.

Because a real identificational repentance and coming together by the leaders of the church in the spirit of Joel 2:12-17 is needed, Intercessors for Zimbabwe declared a nation-wide week of prayer and fasting December 16-23. Let's pray with our brothers and sisters in Christ for the following:

1. Repentance for political, ethnic and church divisions with true reconciliation and united prayer as the result. Pray especially that the church leaders will throw off their independence and apathy to come together in real humility, unity and desperation to pray and stand together.
2. Repentance or removal of wicked, oppressive political leaders and replacement by just, honest, God-fearing ones. Openness by government leaders to the counsel of the church leadership.
3. Deliverance and healing from extreme lawlessness and economic breakdown that is imperilling the lives of millions. Timely provision of food relief for those who need it most. World Vision is deeply involved in the difficult and exhausting food delivery process.
4. Binding and expulsion of evil spiritual forces and breaking of covenants made with them by political and religious leaders.

Source: International Prayer Council

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JN424-3. NEWS BRIEF: Reconciliation in Brownsville

John Kilpatrick and Michael Brown, two leaders of the well-known Brownsville revival who broke up two years ago, issued a joint reconciliation statement. They write: "We are pleased to announce that a complete and total reconciliation has taken place between us. We have no outstanding issues, nor is there a hint of bitterness or unforgiveness between us. We fully bless one another, and we fully bless one another's respective churches, schools, and ministries. We know that many believers were deeply hurt by the breach that took place two years ago, and because of that we ask forgiveness of the Body of Christ worldwide and forgiveness of the Body in Pensacola in particular."

There will be a joint service on Sunday morning, January 12, 2003, at Brownsville Assembly of God that will be attended by both the leadership and congregations of Brownsville and FIRE.

LINK: http://www.brsm.org

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JN424-4. KINGDOM DEVELOPMENT: International prayer movement

In recent years we've seen the astonishing development of a worldwide prayer movement. The roots of this development go back to the 60s and 70s when prayer ministries began in a few nations. In 1984 the newly formed International Fellowship of Intercessors organised the historic International Prayer Assembly for World Evangelisation in Seoul, Korea. It set a number of ambitious targets, all of which have been reached or even exceeded. The global prayer net mobilised millions of intercessors to petition God for particular challenging situations. The following are some of the most significant answered prayers:

The fall of the Berlin Wall --
In 1983, Open Doors called for seven years of prayer for the fall of the Iron Curtain and Communism. Exactly seven years later, in December 1989, bulldozers started demolishing the wall.

The miracle of South Africa --
The first multiparty elections were held in previously racist South Africa in 1994. Around the world, people prayed that the expected blood bath would not happen. Three 40-day fasts were held before the elections, which turned out to be the most peaceful democratic elections in Africa - an internationally recognised miracle.

Prayer Trends --
The early 1990s saw new developments such as spiritual warfare. The 'Gideon's Army' congress gathered 300 prayer leaders in South Korea, and led to important reconciliation between Europeans and Africans. The concept of prayer for geographical areas (the 10/40 Window, the 40/70 Window and the Silk Road Project) again mobilised many in prayer.

At the start of the 1990s, there were fewer than 100 known prayer chains around the world; today, there are more than 4,000 places in which people pray around the clock. At the start of the 1980s, there were no national prayer movements; today, two decades later, more than half of all nations have a national prayer movement in some form. The internet provided the possibility to spread prayer information rapidly, which helped encourage the development of a global prayer network. The number of people fasting for long periods also increased markedly. At the start of the 90s, less than 1,000 people were known to have ever fasted for 40 days; there are now several hundred thousand.

Prayer marches, prayer journeys, Jesus Marches and other forms taking prayer out of the church into the streets grew in acceptance. Prayer evangelism, prayer for transformation, 24-7prayer.com which started in England in 1999 and spread to 60 nations, The Call, a movement which brings young people together for prayer, and international prayer initiatives such as 30 Days of Prayer for the Islamic World, One Billion Hours of Prayer for the Buddhist World, Pastors Prayer Summits, Prayer Concerts and prayer outreaches in emergency zones and the growing link between prayer and church planting show that God is performing a global miracle, forming a truly exploding global prayer movement.

Source: International Prayer Council

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JN424-5. RESOURCE: Report International Prayer Leaders Consultation

John Robb reports on the International Prayer Leaders Consultation held in Cape Town from 12th-17th November 2002. The main objectives for this consultation were: connecting prayer networks towards the formation of a global prayer network, coordinating prayer for common global concerns and building relationships between 300 key leaders. The full 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 robb-iplc-report

Source: International Prayer Council

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JN424-6. RESOURCE: Church planting in Western Europe

On February 1-5 the DAWN European Network will hold it's annual consultation for church planters, strategic leaders, researchers, church planting trainers, city networkers and 'apostolic' prayer leaders. The consultation provides a place to learn, plan, network and sharpen your focus in relation to church planting in Western Europe.

LINK: http://www.dawneurope.net

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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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