Lord, let your Kingdom Come in our land, in our time.

Winnie Karanja at St Michael’s Church writes: ”From 29th November to 5th December, at the end of 2011, we were blessed to have a full week of 24-7 Prayer at St Michael’s Church. God has been doing something within the 24-7 team in Aberystwyth that is ongoing and this special week was part of the learning process.

Sadly, the 24-7 prayer room was met with opposition and during the preparation someone said that we should just close it. A few of us had been on a church weekend away where the presence of God was tangible. Coming back from that event we were saddened that only the first night of prayer was filled. I remember thinking and possibly saying “God’s glory will never be cut short (Isaiah 42v. 8) so whatever He would like to do, to happen, it is for His glory.” It’s his move.

During the week, the tables turned and only 1hr &15 minutes was left uncovered in the prayer room! God stilled our hearts and our expectations.

After the first night two young Christians came, one said: “I just want to live here.”

Between them, they clocked up 40 hrs during the night times, praying and writing songs. In the daytime, the presence of God was just too good to stay away.

We got the opportunity to cry out to the Lord for his Kingdom to come in our land. For some people worshipped God, some called on him for the medical profession, for young people, and some interceded for the homeless and those who have nothing (Matthew 25 v.  37-38.) Some others prayed for the Church.

God taught us that he is there to hold our hands during the tough times. He freed some people from carrying burdens and weights that were never designed to be carried (Matthew 11v.30).  The young people laid their burdens at the foot of the cross, having written their cares on pebbles from the beach.  We learnt about praying with tears. In the gentleness, quietness and sweet surrender to the King, we found peace, rest and assurance.

In St. Michaels service on Sunday morning, people flooded to the front altar to be anointed with oil, to dedicate, re-dedicate, having been encouraged in the sermon to persistently pursue and keep close to the near presence of God [Joshua 3:11-13] You can listen to the sermon that morning here.

The week of prayer ended beautifully. We rejoiced in God, in his Presence and his Church. By God’s authority chains were loosened, people were equipped and found their place in Him.”

2012 has kicked off with a ‘bang!’

Day by day there is a sense of growing momentum as stories are gathered from the 24-7 prayer rooms.  Kingdom Come is raising the prayer profile and over 500 gathered in London for the first KC celebration last week. As well as the London events with Pete Greig there are other celebrations being initiated around the country. There is also an encouraging growth in the number of cities and towns uniting in prayer. Each week, Phil Togwell seems to be increasingly excited as new doors open for Prayer Spaces in Schools. (Alain Emerson, 24-7 Ireland) returned from Uganda this week with the news that a year of prayer is now planned in Ugandan schools alone). I just got of the phone with Mike Andrea and he confirmed that well over 26,000 Revival Run stakes have now been distributed worldwide. In addition there are plans taking shape for a new training initiative targeted at the 18-25’s, Parliamentary prayer events, new podcasts and, of course, hosts of initiatives as the nations come to us for the Olympics and Paralympics; it is a year of opportunities and openings.

The most exciting thing to me are the grass roots experiences and stories in prayer rooms and at Network Days we prioritise hearing from God and each other.

We want to throw the doors wide open for this next network day

We would like you to come and invite others who are looking to connect with 24-7 prayer. We will start at 10.30 with coffee and the morning time from 11 will prioritise hearing from across the movement in the UK, worship and some key updates and future plans; we want to hear what God is doing in your area.  After lunch there will be targeted streams looking at things like Kingdom Come and galvanizing prayer, united citywide prayer, Prayer Spaces in Schools and Mission and Boiler Room communities.  Finally God has been speaking to us prophetically through Jacob about returning to the place of encounter with him. We will therefore end the day waiting on God, worshipping and interceding for our nation. The day will finish at 5. There will be an offering to cover the costs of the day and bless our hosts.

We hope you can come…and do invite friends. Please email theresa.stone@24-7prayer.com if you are coming, so that we can fine tune the programme, distribute final travel details and cater properly. Looking forward  to seeing you on 23^rd March! Come, Kingdom of Jesus!

Doors opened at 9:00 and there was a break at 4:15 before the Tim Hughes ‘Spirit Break out’ worship tour began. You can find lots more information about the programme here.

Don forget, you can keep up to date by following this brand new blog of brilliant testimonies of prayer sharing how God is moving in Scotland, right now and throughout the year. Read how some churches together in Cupar, Fife have been inspired to revival times through praying 24-7 already!

24-7 Prayer Scotland Leader, Debbie Meehan, was at the Alpha Scotland Vision Day and the KC:Scot launch on Saturday and she reflects on how ‘Southside Church’ in Ayrshire prayed 24-7 as a launch pad over the new year, and were inspired to seek the heart of God in new ways for 2012…go Southside!

“This last Christmas saw us meeting as a church family for our fifth 24-7 Prayer Room.

As we considered what our focus would be, we heard that Alpha had carried out a survey and found, perhaps not surprisingly, that there was a link between prayer and successful Alpha courses. As our next Alpha course was to launch on January 18^th, we decided that a major focus for our prayer room would be “Alpha – New Lives for the New Year!” One wall became filled with the names of family and friends, prayers for courage to invite friends, prayers for those hosting and leading the course. Heart felt cries for those we love to know the love of Jesus.

For over 70 people, of all ages and stages, the prayer room became a haven of peace, rest and tranquillity in the midst of the busy-ness that Christmas often brings.

Written prayers were laid on a small crib filled with straw – a reminder of the Saviour who came to our world as a tiny baby. The Christmas story in pictures drawn by our young people suspended from the ceiling. People snuggled up with God and were refreshed in his presence.

And the Prayer Journal……. time and again, the gratitude for answered prayers, for the evidence of a God who loves us, who provides, who protects and guides just spilled out.”

“You promised me restoration – why did I doubt you?”

“Last time I was in this room, I prayed for harmony in our family. Our prayer has been answered and all past hurts have been taken away. Thank you Lord!”

“Last time I prayed for my son to settle and behave at school. Thank you that he is now doing well and being praised by his teachers. You are awesome!”

“Thank you God for keeping your promise – when I last sat in this room, you clearly spoke to me and now you have given me what was promised. I adore you God, not just because of what you have done, but because of who you are!”

Prayer Spaces in Schools Teaser from Prayer Spaces In Schools on Vimeo.

The staff made good use of the prayer space, and Andy had the pleasure of hearing feedback from some of those who met with God during the week, including one email from a co-worker who received timely encouragement in response to a prayer written up on the prayer room’s wall:

“I just wanted to share some encouraging news with you after the week of prayer….on the 8th Dec my friend had a very bad riding accident where a horse reared up and then fell over backwards, squashing her underneath. She broke 2 vertebrae and had bleeding on the brain and was put into a medically induced-coma.

Her husband was told to expect her to be in
intensive care for 3 weeks….”

I have been really concerned for her and praying for healing as well as for strength for her husband and 2 boys. I wrote her name on the prayer wall. Yesterday, just over a week after the accident, I heard that she was out of her coma and back on the ward. I don’t know any more details but assume she is ok.

I just really feel our prayers have been answered and now just need the courage to share this with the family! I am reading PunkMonk about the 24-7 prayer movement and feel so excited about what God does when we commit to prayer…”

In addition to individual needs met during the week, World Vision benefited from two major gifts making up £85,000 in the wake of the 24-7 week.  Chiseling out time and space to seek God in the workplace reaped a bountiful week of provision, healing and encouragement for the charity.

If you’re interested in mobilizing your place of work as a place of prayer, check out the KC:Toolbox for helpful resources including tips on how to start your prayer room: www.24-7prayer.co.uk/kingdomcome

North Korea is widely regarded as having the worst human rights record in the world today. It is said that North Koreans are ‘among the world’s most brutalized people’ and nearly 1% of the population of 24 million are living in concentration camps where torture, starvation, rape, medical experimentation and forced labour are common. Genocide Watch asserts that there is ample proof that genocide has been committed and mass killing is still underway in North Korea. Christians are among the most severely persecuted. With the recent death of Kim Jong – il prayer and protest is intensifying for a new day of liberation for Korea. Below are some practical ways that you can get involved…

• Friday 20^th January 2012  - Prayer, Petition and Protest at the North Korean Embassy

Release International are organising a procession from Acton tube Station in London to the North Korean Embassy on Gunnersbury Avenue. The Procession will carry a coffin symbolising the death of freedom in North Korea and be followed by an hour’s prayer vigil and the presentation of a 48,000 signature petition.

The event takes place during Friday morning. The numbers agreed with police for the event are severely limited, so if you want to go, it is important that you contact Release International for final details and to see their powerpoint about North Korea. The event organiser Paul Thomas. Call him on 01483 278096 or email pthomas@releaseinternational.org

• Friday 27^th January 2012 – The ‘Every 27^th Initiative’ prayer, do join in!

This ‘Every 27^th Initiative’, coinciding with the date when Auschwitz was liberated, is a worldwide prayer and fasting day for the liberation of North Korea. Organised by the Global Justice Prayer Network hundreds of groups around the world will be praying and fasting, with many also protesting at North Korean or Chinese embassies; it is expected that 5000 will be gathering at the Chinese embassy in Seoul.

We will again be gathering to pray at the North Korean Embassy on Gunnersbury Avenue in London on Friday 27th January, to pray at 3 pm.

Please email rebecca.swarbrick@24-7prayer.com for full details.

Please pray for North Korea on both these days, either alone or with friends in your Church or University group, 24-7 Prayer’s Phantom Intercessor gave some helpful prayer pointers recently. As well as Release International, Open Doors also provide information for prayer, do check out their website.

Last Saturday, one of the side chapels was transformed into a prayer space with postcards, pictures, bible verses and a drawing station. In the Sunday morning service Jo, one of the chaplains in the prison – who also runs the prison’s Alpha course, announced to the men that HMP Pentonville would be the very first prison to run KC:UK, and that the prison would be praying for 24 hours on Wednesday 18^th January. As the men can’t have access to the prayer space 24 hours a day, we have encouraged them to pray wherever they are during the slot they have committed to – whether they’re in their cells, doing their jobs, or on the wings – they can pray! The prayer slots filled up fast with the guys queuing to sign up!  After finishing worship with a pretty lively ‘Oh Happy Day’, they all went back on the wings with a reminder card of the time they will be praying, along with a Lord’s prayer guide.

The men are really looking forward to Wednesday when there will be an afternoon of prayer in the chapel, as well as a day of continuous prayer in the prison. We hope that Pentonville will the first of many prisons praying continuously during 2012 and are excited to see what God will do. Lord let your Kingdom Come!”

If you are interested in mobilising your Church to pray for prisoners, or mobilising a prison you are closely connected with to pray, please download these useful guides from the KC:Toolbox, written by ‘Caring for Ex-Offenders,’ in consultation with Alpha and 24-7 Prayer.

‘How to Pray 24-7 in a Prison’ | ‘How to Pray for Prisons in 60 minutes’ | ‘Praying in Prison for 60 minutes’

For such a time as this? – Esther 4 vs 14

Kingdom Come London is part of Kingdom Come 2012: A year of prayer across the UK and Ireland. For more information please go to the Kingdom Come website.

If you are considering running a Kingdom Come prayer and worship event in your local area, we would love you come and have a taster at this event in London, before launching your own.

You can download the event guide from the Kingdom Come toolbox to help you as you consider and plan your 2012 Prayer event.

Please join us for further Kingdom Come events on the 29th March & the 28th June 2012, held at HTB Brompton Road

We look forward to seeing you there!!

If you would like to organise a Kingdom Come event please email kingdomcome@alpha.org