Tuesday, January 3, 2023

DMM: Counterpunch to Anemic Prayers



On a recent visit to our home country, we have observed some DNA-ed norms of corporate intercession which tend to be modeled and then replicated. Granted, there are some great exceptions to what I have observed in the following. The Patterned Norm Prayer requests are gathered in the separate classes in the differing fellowships. Quite often, the norm is that people offer that which personally cost nothing to very little to share. Quite frankly put, what is often times modeled is an anemic type of prayer, "God, if somehow, maybe, perhaps, if possible, for someone I don't know who is sick with something that costs me little emotionally, do something....". Truth is, what is modeled in our solid biblically, exegetically excellent fellowships is truly lacking in the area of intercession. I have often wondered what non-believers would describe God's character as if their only contact with knowing about Him was through observing His people pray. God is...about safety, about my finances, my job, my sickness, my happiness, seems to be the themes which would pop when asked, perhaps. Does God care about these areas? You bet. However, notice the point of reference of "my" in each of the above requests themes. Just wondering. 

Consequently, it is with this base line that most people come to the mission field, imprinted to replicate the same. Pre-scripted to linger in the land of lameness when it comes to prayer is the bentness of present day mission*ries. When it comes to believing God, appropriating His promises, walking in His ways in the area of intercession, the Body of Christ in America can more often resemble practical atheists. And when it comes to intercession, our training needs to be infectiously contagious in our practice. 

The New Norm

Extraordinary Prayer is one of the key elements in helping to see the launch of a CPM/DMM.
How does one unpack this phrase, extraordinary prayer, along with practical implementations thereof?

First of all, an attempt at a definition, would be helpful.

Extraordinary prayer-a simple way to define it is extra-ordinary. Or, in other words, 
extra beyond your ordinary in the area of prayer, increase. But what if one does more extra than the ordinary intercession as their ordinary is more anemic prayers as the norm? In this case, more anemic prayers are just that ....lame and not effective. What I am addressing is our need, in the Bride of Christ, to embrace the growth in the areas of intercession which touch on the following:
  • Worship threaded with intercession
  • Praise, Thanksgiving, Adoration of God's character
  • Position in Christ led intercession
  • Cultivate a listening heart in intercession
  • Dialoguing with God and His Word as the norm
  • Intercession as Daily lifestyle, Practice of the Presence of God
  • Scriptures prayed back to God
  • Strategic Intercession for God's Word, His promises, His plans to be brought to fruition in a called-forth way
  • Spiritual Warfare Intercession: Truth encounters
  • Counterpunch Prayers: Intercession which takes the known bondage areas of the UPG and speaks God's Word over those areas
  • Prayers of Repentance on behalf of, standing in the gap for UPG people to be able to hear and respond to God's truth, His Word, His ways
  • Intercession of Redemption/Transformation/Restoration of whole UPGs
  • Intercession of travailing in prayer 
(The above list is not meant to be exhaustive but simply descriptive of ideas to grow in)

One needs to grapple with practical ideas of how to walk this out in the various spheres of influence among the UPGs,  for God's glory. 

Ideas for Extraordinary Prayer for the launch of DMM among UPGs:

Vision Casting for Extraordinary Prayer ideas-
    Create tools: monthly, weekly, broad based GPD (Global Pr*y*er Digest), month long focus,
    Recruit key intercessors for period of breakthrough prayer
    Pray sections of breakthrough prayer from themes of Nehemiah, book of Acts, certain spot in town whereby when you pass you pray for the emphasis on the UPG which the Lord gives,
    Prophetic intercession,
    Strategic intercession
    Lifestyle intercession, use themes
    Prayer walk 2-3 mornings with kids (for those with kids at home), take notes, draw diagram, use with kids for daily prayer time
    Prayer walk with skilled intercessors (ask the Lord where the “strongman” type places are for your UPG), prayer thrust
    Open Pathways for the gospel: open hearts, minds, communities, households, businesses, education, influential ones in society, cousin leaders
    Pray for dreams, visions, supernatural intervention only attributed to Isa
    Character areas of local partners and self














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