January 2012
Why is prayer so critical you may ask? The only logical answer to the question is simply that God has chosen to work through people. Even when it is the Lord Himself initiating something, earnestly desiring to do it, He still needs us to ask. Andrew Murray succinctly speaks of our need to ask: “God’s giving is inseparably connected with our asking…Only by intercession can that power be brought down from heaven which will enable the Church to conquer the world.”
~ Dutch Sheets
Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Comrades,
I pray that your Christmas and New Year have been blessed by a rejuvenated intimacy with your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and a fresh anointing of grace.
Friends, since the good Lord returned me to being His voice on daily television (700 Club Canada – see www.700club.ca for NEW local broadcast times), I have become even more acutely aware of the ‘Shift’ that is happening worldwide. Almighty God has obviously not been caught off guard, as He has positioned His kneeling armies in every corner of the world. Fifteen years ago, through obedience, a small band of believers were totally convinced that Canada was and still is in desperate need of prayer for every aspect of society, and we continue to agree to call the whole Church (Body of Christ) in Canada to pray. Canada In Prayer’s mandate is more alive today then ever before, and your sacrificial giving and commitment to stay on the wall is a testament to the Dominion of God in this country. Thank you!
This First Friday of January 2012, let us meditate on the “Divine Positioning” brought about by the ‘Shift’. The culture of our society is at a crossroads; some might even say it is resting on a precipice, therefore the lovers of Christ – the redeemed of the Lord – must align ourselves in this divine positioning and “Answer the call”. The main forces leading the way are secularism, humanism, materialism, the occult, Islam and Christianity. Throughout church history, God has used his Church leaders to call the Church into praying and fasting. As Jesus told his disciples, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29).
As we begin this New Year, CIP is spearheading a 21-Day Fast entitled “Canada 911”, in cooperation with the 700 Club Canada, denominations and congregations, prayer groups and individual intercessors, beginning on January 9, 2012 at 9:11 pm and ending on January 31, 2012 at 9:11 am. We have incorporated in this month’s prayer guide a 21-day prayer calendar to help us “Answer the Call”. If any of you would like to invite your local church or denomination to participate, please feel free to contact our office at (905) 297-4527 ext. 203 or prayer@canadainprayer.com.
Friends, through much prayer God has so burdened me to pray to restore this nation and rebuild its walls – to raise up the tabernacle of David by praying for the church to be cleansed and made strong again by the power of His Holy Spirit. This ‘Call’ is anchored according to our founding ministry verse 2 Chronicles 7:14and the inspiration verse of the fast,Amos 9:11; “On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old.” Intercessors, I know that many of you have been contemplating personal fasts for family and corporate fasts for your local churches, which are all important. What I am asking us during this “Canada 911” call is to take a wide view of what Almighty God is doing around the globe. Canada is ripe for revival, and the wells are here to be re-dug. This prophetic call, like all prophetic calls, is sacrificial. It will temporarily put the “whole” before the “individual”. History has shown that every time Canadian Christians have prayed across denominational and regional lines in unity, revival has been our reward. I am reminded of the Great Grimsby Revival on Lake Ontario, and the revival meetings of Phoebe Palmer in 1857 that spread with revival fire, affecting crowds to get right with God and change their ways. Countless were baptized and back-sliders repented. Phoebe, a revivalist and author, went throughout the east coast speaking in St. John, Moncton and Halifax, NB; Charlottetown, PEI; as well as the Ottawa Valley and Hamilton, ON. The Church increased significantly, and Christian organizations in Canada such as the Wesleyan Church, Salvation Army, Church of God, Church of the Nazarene, Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, and the Methodist Church were formed. The seeds that were planted by praying and fasting continue to bear much fruit.
Following the trail-blazing of Phoebe Palmer, in 1921 Charles Price, a Methodist minister filled with the Holy Spirit at a revival meeting with Aimee Semple McPherson, a Canadian in California, “Answered the Call” and immediately returned to his church and gave his testimony. 1,000 members of his church began to hold “seeker meetings”, crying out to God for His presence. A revival had begun! As a result, revival members of the church started evangelistic outreaches, and healings were reported. In 1922, Dr. Price began holding evangelistic meetings in Victoria, British Columbia. By 1923, Dr. Price preached to over 250,000 people over a 3-week period and many were healed. He held tent meetings in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Toronto, as well as in the US. In some of the meetings, up to 1,000 people were saved each night. In 1928, Dr. Price counted 35,000 conversions to Christ in that year alone.
Kneeling Comrades, in 2012, myself and the Canada in Prayer team will be traveling across Canada once again, this time re-digging the wells, and I am prayerfully seeking organizers and supporters in various regions who bear witness to this prophetic call. In every generation, Almighty God has a witness. Are you a witness? If you are, please call the CIP office at (905) 297-4527 or 1-888-320-8844 ext. 203, and let us answer the call together.
Answering the Call,
Brian Warren Founder & Executive Director, CIP
P.S: Whether you do the full twenty one days or just a part, please watch 700 Club Canada weekdays throughout January, get your prayer guide on our CIP website, and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the 700 Club Canada.
www.canadainprayer.com www.700clubcanada.ca
