When the disciples saw Jesus praying they said, "Lord, teach us to Pray". We need to do just that. Ask the Lord to teach us to pray. Nothing is accomplished for God without our simply "learning the mysterious art of prayer by apprenticeship at the throne of Grace". (Mrs. Elizabeth Prentiss) Hope Mac Donald said, "We can read all the books that have ever been written about prayer, but until we actually choose by an act of our will, to pray, we will never learn.” Praying is learned by praying!   

Many years ago I went to a school of prayer organized by the ministry of Dick Mills. I learned wonderful truths; but the most transforming power of all was learning to pray for one hour a day. The Lord asked a question, and He led me to obey.

"What! Could you not watch with me one hour?"  (Matt 26:40 - NKJV)

Would I pray for one hour a day? I had a passion to change my world and I was ready to let the Lord teach me how to pray, but like you, I thought how does anyone pray for an hour?  I crept out of bed at 5:00 am and went down into the cool sitting room, hoping that I would not disturb anyone. I had a chart from the school, "The hour that changes the World.”  The hour was divided up into 5 minute segments with differing themes but I was not prepared for what happened. That one hour from five to six proved to be the longest hour I had ever experienced! It seemed that the hands on the clock just didn't move!  I wondered how I would ever be able to do this. Getting up early was never easy for me. I was not a morning person! After 21 days of persistent self denial - that is what it was for me, I found the life-long habit of loving my bed in the morning was broken and my hour in prayer became more vital and eventually a joy.

The time in the morning progressed to praying twice a week at that early hour with two other more experienced prayer warriors. In England in an unheated church on freezing mornings with our feet so cold that we kept walking the whole time; I was taught by the Spirit to experience the power of agreement in prayer. We prayed as if we were one. Those early mornings were my school where the Holy Spirit taught intercession that was truly effectual. We saw our churches grow and a ministry in the local schools developed. So many were saved that we held weekly Baptisms, we were blessed with an amazing outpouring of the Holy Spirit and many received gifts of the Holy Spirit. Those days were marked with healings, and deliverances from demons, prophecies and faith, conversions and much more.

It is good to tell of the wonderful things that Lord has done but surly the stories are supposed to provoke us to desperation to see it again. My greatest joy would be to be telling you of today’s outpouring stories.

The Lord has His particular school for each of us. His desire is that we learn how to live in His presence continually, constantly sharing His heart, and then echoing His prayer in our concerns.        

The exalted Son of God who is sitting at God’s right hand ever lives to make intercession for us. He is the great Intercessor, He is the Teacher. If you wish to be taught how to pray, you must pray. This is on the job training!

Can I encourage you to get with other more experienced people of prayer, join with them on a regular basis and pray?  Take every opportunity to be at City–wide prayer events, join your church prayer group and if there is not a group, why don’t you ask if you can start one? Here in San Antonio there is an initiative to bring churches into a network of prayer across the whole city. https://www.americaprays.org/sanantonio/  The plan is simple. Choose one day a month divide up the hours so that each hour is bathed in prayer. At the pastors discretion he can call corporate times or arrange the day how he desires. As more and more churches engage in prayer, the powers of darkness will have to retreat, Light overcomes the darkness, and the atmosphere will change. May our city become a House of Prayer!

Nothing is too hard for the Lord and nothing is too hard for those who believe. Let us pray that the church will be filled with radical people of faith, who are going to pray ‘God Sized Prayers’; prayers that no one but God the Father can answer. Let us live our lives constantly under His shadow, feeling the passion of His heart and longing for all He wants. As we draw near into the secret place, may His tears for this broken sin-laden world fall upon us till our hearts break with His burdens.

O! Breath of Life come sweeping through us,

Revive Thy Church with life and power;

O Breath of Life come cleanse renew us,

And fit Thy Church to meet this hour.  Mrs. B.P.Head

Eileen Vincent – March 2020