One of the things I’ve been looking forward to this year is the Global Day of Prayer. If you haven’t heard of this before here’s a brief history:
In July 2000 God captured the heart of a South African Christian businessman, Graham Power, with a vision based on 2 Chron. 7:14. The vision had three clear instructions:
To call Christians from all denominations in Cape Town for a Day of Repentance and Prayer at Newlands Rugby Stadium.
To challenge Christians across the rest of South Africa to unite in a Day of Repentance and Prayer.
To challenge Christians in Southern Africa to unite in a Day of Repentance and Prayer.
In March of 2001 more than 45 000 Christians united for a Day of Repentance and Prayer at Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town. It was a day of intense intercession that transformed lives and was reflected in a changing city in the months to come. Testimonies of transformation caused the vision to be spread into the rest of South Africa and planning immediately started for similar prayer gatherings in 8 provinces of South Africa for 2002. At a meeting of the International Prayer Council in Malaysia in November 2004, the invitation from Africa went out to the nations of the world to join in a five year Global Day of Prayer process up to 2010. On Pentecost Sunday, 15 May 2005, Christians from 156 of the 220 nations of the world united across denominational and cultural borders for the first Global Day of Prayer. In the months following this day, Christians were overwhelmed by the testimonies of God’s powerful work in answer to these prayers. - from History at Global Day of Prayer (http://www.globaldayofprayer.com/history.php) This will be the third year my church has taken part in the Global Day of Prayer and I’m very excited! It seems like each year it sneaks up on me, but this year I prepared! If you go on the Global Day of Prayer website you can be a part of the world that is praying for Christ to be revealed to the our nations and the nations of the world, and for the churches of the world pray as the Body of Christ. Starting today is the ten days of continual prayer toward the Global Day of Prayer. Over the next ten days people will be praying for the blessing of the nations, specific challenges and difficulites in our world, and most importantly for the glory of Christ! It’s ten days before Pentecost, just like the new church in Acts. Then on May 27th people all around the world will gather to pray and worship together, the Global Day of Prayer. And starting May 28th is 90 Days of Blessing, in which we seek to bless all peoples in our community for 90 days. So be encouraged, pick up your Sword (ie, the Bible) and begin to pray! I’m excited, how about you? Resources for the Global Day of Prayer; 10 Day Prayer Guide – http://www.globaldayofprayer.com/10days.php Global Day – http://www.globaldayofprayer.com/1day.php 90 Days of Blessing – http://www.globaldayofprayer.com/90days.php 24/7 Prayer Watch – http://www.global24-7.org/ (I haven’t yet been to this site, so I don’t know much about it.)
In February 2002 Graham Power had a second vision. This vision had an even bigger challenge: The whole of Africa was to gather in a Day of Repentance and Prayer, changing Africa to become a “light to the world”.
Eventually, Africa was to invite all the nations of the globe to unite in this move of transformational prayer.
In May of 2002 Christians in South Africa gathered in 8 different venues for a Day of Repentance and Prayer. Again, the testimonies of church unity and the healing of communities inspired leaders to expand the vision into the rest of Africa. At a Summit in September 2002 leaders of 9 African countries agreed on the vision “Africa for Christ”.
This move of prayer again miraculously expanded in 2006, when on Pentecost Sunday (4 June 2006) millions of Christians from 199 of the 220 nations of the world united in prayer.
{ 1 comment }
