A few decades back there was a significant move of the Holy Spirit to call children to pray.
Daniel groups linked with YWAM met regularly to pray. Thousands of students (and the majority of some schools) would meet to prayer at the flag pole in the USA. In Australia, a wonderful lady called Jane Mackie founded the children prayer network. In our own ministry we saw children praying for hours at a time, coming to prayer meetings and crying out to God. We even had a space that became known as the boiler room where children prayed by themselves for events that we were running and experienced a move of God’s spirit.
No one ministry co-ordinated this uprising of prayer from the next generation, it was a move of the Holy Spirit.
Whilst all these moves are still at work, along with many others, it seems as if the emphasis has slipped away from encouraging children to grow in prayer (and even to groan in prayer) in many places. Now is the time for this to be restored.
As they say prayer is better caught than taught – the best way for our children to grow in prayer is for them to pray. Giving our children a forum where they go beyond saying a prayer before the meeting begins and learn to press in to God until something changes on earth is powerful. Through the prayers of children we have seen revelation come, individuals saved, schools turned around and nations touched. It is time for us to stir this generation to pray once more.
Every move of God is birthed in prayer and God is calling the church to deeper prayer in this time. Are you bringing your children with you on the journey?
As part of this new move we are joining together with groups, leaders and organisations all over the world for a special prayer relay. A small scale pilot is taking place this December, in the first week of advent, building towards a greater prayer mobilisation in Lent 2021.
Called Come Lord Jesus, the baton of prayer will be passed from nation to nation as we encourage children and those of all ages to cry out – Come Lord Jesus: 1. Come in my life, 2. Come in my nation, 3. Come in another nation and 4. come in the world - send the labourers and return to this earth!
People can join as a family, church group or a larger gathering (as national coronavirus restrictions allow).
This exciting prayer initiative is a small part of all that God is doing on this earth, but its important that our children are not merely bystanders to the moves of the Spirit, but are at the heart of all that God is doing on this earth. One move of God prepares the church for the next move. For example, those who were baptised by John were ready to receive the ministry of Jesus, whereas those who weren’t were more sceptical (Luke 7:29-30).
God invites our children to share with what He is doing at this time. Let’s encourage them to pray and seek God for the nations of the world.
Sign up and be a part of this special prayer relay at: www.cljprayer.com.
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