“God, please fix this, this, and this in my life.”
“God, I promise I’ll be better if you do this for me.”
“God, it’s me again. Just checking in.”
“Prayer” is defined as, “in a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness” by the KJV Dictionary.
What if prayer was more than this?
Serving the vision of Arise 2033, ARISE IN PRAYER is empowering the church to be transformed into “houses of prayer for all nations” (Matthew 21:13, Isaiah 56:7)
During the most recent Regional Prayer Gathering EAST in Falcon, North Carolina, guest speaker, Dr. Doug Small, along with the ARISE IN PRAYER Lead Team and General Superintendent Bishop Doug Beacham, emphasized the importance of four elements: prayer, supplication, intercession, and thanksgiving.
These four elements, along with praying over an open Bible in order to seek God, His purpose, and build relationship with Him, were highlights of the three-day event. Not only were these practices communicated, but they were modeled, and everyone was encouraged to participate in what prayer is intended to be.
While there is so much more to share, we’ll begin with a summary of Bishop Beacham’s reminder and challenge from Psalm 24—Seek the face of the Lord as you pray, lift up your head, open the doors, so the King of Glory may come in; determine to be part of this Jacob generation whose focus is God’s purpose. This encouragement also happens to correlate with the IPHC’s first Prayer Declaration: “We open the door for Him to come in!”
The Regional Prayer Gathering and future events are not just for leaders; they are for everyone. Regardless of title or position, if the IPHC is going to fulfill the directive God has placed on us, we must be willing to step up—to consecrate ourselves and our hearts to the Lord, as we are transformed into houses of prayer.
More will be shared in upcoming weeks. Join us as we continue learning about what prayer is truly meant to be and the special experience the Regional Prayer Gatherings are providing.
