Mexican Marines have killed Heriberto Lazcano, the founding leader of the extremely violent Zetas drug cartel.
Killed in a gunfight in a small village in the northern state of Coahuila on Sunday afternoon, Lazcano, also known as "El Lazca" or "Z-3," was one of Mexico's most-wanted men. Only Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, head of the Sinaloa cartel would represent a bigger prize to the Mexican government.
Just hours after he was killed, a masked, armed group snatched Lazcano's body and that of another Zetas member from the funeral parlor. It appeared the military was unaware it had killed Lazcano until his corpse was stolen. Authorities had already taken fingerprints and photographs of the body and later confirmed it was, indeed, Lazcano. [1]
Lazcano, alias "The Executioner," was the highest profile drug lord to be killed or captured in a military offensive launched since President Felipe Calderon took office in late 2006.
Lazcano's death was a double blow to the Zetas criminal organization. Senior Zetas plaza boss Ivan Velazquez, also known as "El Taliban" or "Z-50" was captured last weekend. Since 2009, government troops have caught or killed more than 20 major drug lords, claiming three of the "most wanted" bosses in the past month alone. [2]
The Zetas are considered one of the two most powerful drug gangs in Mexico and have carried out some of the worst atrocities in a drug war that has killed about 60,000 people during Calderon's term. [3]
Under Lazcano's leadership, the Zetas grew into a gang of more than 10,000 gunmen with operations stretching from the Rio Grande to deep Central America. [4]
This is evidence that God is hearing and answering our prayers for the success of President Calderon's "war on drugs" and for the safety of our southwest border.
LET'S PRAY:
Father, we ask for President Calderon's continued success in the drug war during the closing days of his presidency. We ask You to assist Mexico's military in striking crippling blows to the cartels, including the swift capture of Sinaloa Drug Lord "El Chapo" Guzman.
Thank you for hearing our prayers and shaking the foundations of the brutal Zetas cartel. We ask you to hinder the Zetas from rallying and regrouping.
We stand against violence and the death of the innocent that might ensue in a power struggle in the aftermath of Lazcono's death.
We pray for those who are deeply imbedded in the criminal activities of the drug cartels. We know that You take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. (Ez 33:11).
“Even a small number of people, firmly committed to the new inevitability on which they have fixed their imaginations, can decisively affect the shape the future takes. These shapers of the future are the intercessors, who call out of the future the longed-for new present…the reign of God.”- Walter Wink
In Indonesia, a few colleagues and I from the IPC heard thrilling reports from about 200 city leaders who coordinated World Prayer Assembly efforts in their cities and regions. In many cases, they reported that the great majority of churches united for the WPA and continue to meet for prayer with their leaders in an ongoing movement. God gave such favor that even the government in some places was giving money, buses and venues for the WPA! Christ’s people are now getting involved in reaching their communities by adopting their streets, schools and offices for prayer and loving service. Praise the Lord for the huge move of His Spirit, truly a “New Wave”, that is sweeping through this largest Muslim populated nation!
In Chennai, India, I was able to meet with the India National Prayer Network, which is led by two of my IPC colleagues. I also spent a lovely time with the Royal Kids, orphans who pray 24/7 for the nations and have been prayer partners with us in the WPA, in order to report to them on the impact of their prayers and to thank them.
In Vasai, a city near Mumbai, I spoke and led prayer for 700 Catholic charismatic prayer people from many local parishes organized by their leader who was at the WPA. They were among the most fervent and powerful intercessors I have met and were extremely gracious to me as their Protestant brother, as was the Archbishop. In Hyderabad, I presented to about 350 leaders of the nation’s mission movement on the relationship between united prayer, effective mission and socio-political transformation.
We are doing 21 Days of Focused Prayer for the Silk Road--Oct 1-21. If you know those who might join, please let me know. Each day's prayer focus will be posted on the Facebook page Silkroad Prayer in English and Russian. We are also sending these out by email every day.
Global connection at the same time of many Christians (and others) in a common prayer for humankind and its urgent needs every day from 3.00 - 3.05 p.m. Greenwich time - to form a wide channel between God and humanity in order to increase the love and power from God on our planet and thereby unitedly support the manifestation of His will for us and the transformation of our world.
Strategy:
• You who want to join the SEPTIME to pray for humankind on a Biblical foundation seek at the time given a quiet place wherever you are - in the kitchen, bedroom, fields, etc.
• Pray for one to fine minutes (or more) for the urgent needs of mankind - whether globally, for your region, city and/or friends and family and what else is on your heart. The targets of prayers you can get from the news of the last week for the respective field of prayer and/or find your own prayer targets.
• The time for prayer is chosen because of the fact that most people in the world have and most people are awake at the suggested time of the day, except for the Pacific Area (around 7 a.m. in the western North and South America, 11 p.m. in eastern Asia).
• It is recommended that your prayer start with the Lord's prayer, then followed by the specific prayers in the Name of Jesus.
• No network for further directions should be needed. The message of the SEPTIME prayer could be spread through congregations, Christian media, social media and other ways that the Lord shows us.
About SEPTIME:
In the Sweden-prayer, we have some good experience of prayer in distance when we meet "in the Spirit" and many of us then recognize a "wind of prayer". It might work for people to have a short regular prayer time where to join brothers and sisters in Christ in prayers for mankind, for the nation, for the city/village or what else God puts on our minds. Think of the picture of an electrical very thick wire, consisting of many, many little threads transporting the power. Maybe a global prayer connection will work in a similar way.
For more information, please contact Sweden Prayer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Have a look at this link. All our resources on 24/7 prayer are here.
http://www.globalprn.com/prayer-resources/24-7-prayer
Maybe you are interested in the global invitation to make 2013 a year of non-stop prayer. You will find info on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/prayonthewall
People will do it in different ways in different nations.
In South Africa we are simply taking the 730 cities and towns in the country, allocate 2 weeks (one in the first semester and one in the second semester) to a city of town and ask them to pray all 168 hour. This will give us about 55 cities/towns per week that will engage in night and day prayer.
Ef./Eph.3:20
Bennie Mostert
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+27123653213
www.jwipn.com
For most Muslims the Hajj is the pinnacle event of their lives. They are commanded to make a Hajj at least once in their life if they are able. This year, the Hajj will start on October 24 and last for 3-4 days. During this time, millions of Muslims from all over the world will flock to Mecca to perform this Islamic sacred act. Pray for Muslims to come to know the Lord Jesus.
Hajj 2012 Prayer Video on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZwGT2K8JH8
4 Day prayer Guide
http://www.pray-ap.info/hajj
Eighty-seven adult and youth leaders from the international prayer movement gathered in Hong Kong to consider the way forward after the World Prayer Assembly, especially the ongoing relationship of the three generations, youth, children and adults. A team of younger people helped to draft the program for the consultation. They also led all the worship segments, co-facilitated the event with the older generation and did a great job! It was a super time together of prayer, deliberation and just enjoying one another’s company in the presence of the Lord. We also met in the lovely Noah’s Ark Resort (the only one built to the actual biblical dimensions), perched next to the Hong Kong harbor with the hills of the city in the distance.
We also met on October 23 with mainland and Hong Kong Chinese for a WPA reunion that was a special time of prayer and sharing what has happened since the WPA. It was also a chance for the Children in Prayer international team to give some input to the Chinese about starting CiP in China. China could well become the home for the most significant CiP movement on the planet!
Here in brief summary are some of the thrilling reports and conclusions of the consultation. Please pray with us for God’s leading as we move forward, keeping the three generations relating effectively together as a new wineskin or wineskins for the movement develop.
Some of the encouraging highlights and reports presented at the WPA reunion and the “New Wave” Consultation:
1) We heard the Chinese joyfully worship and sing the WPA theme song “New Wave of Glory”! They also thanked the WPA leadership and said they would use their lives to have an impact for Christ in their land. (More than 300 came to the WPA from China.) They want to become more united as they observed the Indonesians are, connecting the prayer networks and efforts into a spiritual force. They hope to one day have a large prayer assembly at Tien An Men, Beijing’s enormous central square! They also plan to emphasize the raising up of youth and children. A woman pastor who died during the WPA and was prayed back to life said she saw Jesus holding her hand, and He said, “China will enter my glory”.
2) We prayed at the Peak overlooking Hong Kong (Hong Kong’s meaning in Chinese is “Fragrant Harbor”) that it would no longer burn incense to false gods but would become a sweet-smelling fragrance to the Lord and would fulfill its spiritual destiny, connecting China to the nations.
3) Two of our elder statesmen in the prayer movement had clear visions to share. Brian Mills saw the three generations as one going through the door with Jesus but also suggested the image of a three-legged race because of the need to flex with each generation’s culture and communication style. Michael Maeliau said that the new wine that we experienced at the WPA and in Hong Kong is the glory of God which is the manifest presence of His person among us, and that the new wineskin is our total response to it, laying aside other things that may compete.
4) Daniel Pandji and the Indonesian team reported huge impacts from the WPA going on in their country:
- A number of those who are leaders in the majority religion received the same dream at the same time and were baptized.
- Many others are coming to Christ, and 4000 new believers were added this month to church near Jakarta.
- Almost every city of the 378 cities that took part in the WPA had overflowing participation by the churches, and they continue to pray together in many parts of the nation.
- They prayed, and Lady Gaga had to cancel her performance there.
- Youth leaders were given a 5-room apartment for a prayer tower and mission center for five years.
- Christians have been elected to political office following the WPA.
- December 1, they will launch the “My Home” effort to pray, love and care for unsaved friends and neighbors. This is also a fruit of the WPA as well as the new marketplace network, which brings together pastors, business people and government officials once per month.
- They are proceeding to send out 1000 “global prayer ambassadors” to various parts of the world.
- He also reported his discovery that millions in Korea were also impacted by seeing the WPA on TV there.
5) Those from China testified that the WPA put a burning fire of vision in the hearts of the Chinese to build 24/7 prayer efforts in various areas. They also carried out a 40-day fast for China to enter into her destiny. They are developing a strategic prayer movement and are sending prayer concerns around the country to one another. God has put the nations on their hearts, especially the Arabs and Israel.
6) The Children in Prayer team testified about the “tsunami of prayer” within Indonesia in which children are playing an important role as well as other nations that have developing movements of CiP going on. They plan an international CiP consultation next year in May in Hong Kong.
7) Brazilian leaders shared the impact of the transformational prayer efforts in their nation which has resulted in:
- 38 corrupt politicians being convicted
- One city known as the “capital of witchcraft” with a church now full of former witches and wizards that grew from 100 to 1200
-Many Christians have become mayors (18 districts) or members of the city councils
-Large unified worship gatherings such as in Sao Paulo where 2 million took part
-New wave of salvation and economic growth
-Several youth and prayer movements in universities
-Prayer movement within the police force and departments
-They want more unity and to activate all three generations in prayer together as well as mobilize the church for mission
-They plan to bring 500 leaders together for a regional prayer gathering next year
8) The Indian delegation shared about the growth of the Children in Prayer efforts there. The Royal Kids now have 32,000 praying kids and will focus on raising up 100,000 since children can be used of God to bring revival to churches and nations. A medical missionary deeply impacted by the WPA is mobilizing churches and educational institutes around her hospital and is also working among the Buddhists and Muslims. Thousands of Catholic charismatics in India have been set on fire with prayer and their leader was with us to excite us with his pictures of immense gatherings for prayer and spiritual renewal. Youth leaders are mobilizing churches and colleges having been challenged to do 24/7 prayer at the WPA.
During our deliberations, some of the questions we considered were:
1. What are we already doing that we should continue with more intentionality?
2. What are we not doing together that we could start doing?
3. What initiatives or events should we undertake together to facilitate the “New Wave”?
Here are some conclusions and suggested future directions from our deliberations and prayer times:
1. An all-nations school of prayer for children/youth is needed
2. Connect youth in prayer
3. Create a regional structure with a means of monitoring progress
4. Encourage continuous prayer (24-7/365) for all generations
5. Focused prayer on global priorities. Intentionally target our prayers to global issues. For weapons to be used mightily against the enemy.
6. Form a global prophetic council. A “three-generational global prophetic something” is a way to continue to relate. Possibly regionally or like the UN. Come together regularly to seek God together. We are in a cosmic conflict.
7. Come to a common understanding of the new wave and new wine and learn to live, act and behave in light of the new revelation/manifestation
8. Find ways to build cross-generational relationships using new media and develop a media strategy. Set up a communications hub (website, social media). One young man sparked the Arab Spring through Facebook – urgency; it’s not just a time of planning but someone needs to step up; God’s people, especially the next generation should come to the forefront.
9. Arrange global children’s and youth prayer consultations
10. Getting together, building relationships. Accountability to one another - to stay connected – circulate email contacts.
11. World Youth Prayer Assembly. But with the tri-generational spirit
12. Global conference in HK in 2013 with children leading
13. Regional leaders in various areas (ME, N. America, SEA, India etc.)
14. Raising funds for the prayer movement
15. Informing the network of local events so others can participate
16. The urgency is not just about time, but that God is very serious. Call to arms. Urgency. Picture of the arrow (children and youth as the tip, adults the shaft and older folks the feathers) and how it comes together. The arrow is to be used in the hand of Christ. We must be watchful and prayerful to bring the world to Christ.
17. CIP task force senses urgency of China and HK. Next Global Children in Prayer Consultation will be in May 2013 in Hong Kong. Plans to strengthen CIP network through website – compiling resources, transferable to many more nations.
18. Mobilize the new wave in a deeper and more practical way in our regions.
19. Revival is always connected to the presence of God. There has been an acceleration since the WPA. We will see also an acceleration of evil and must be ready. Radical holiness is the next step we must pursue individually.
20. The list is so long. Where do we begin? We need to work in our local areas. Break down the lists and do it in little ways in our areas. We need to start doing the little things. Having a prayer revolution that will affect the whole world.
21. Tremendous potential in the Google generation. Encourage the younger generation. God is going to do great things through them!
If you have anything you think is important to add to this necessarily partial, summarized list, please send your suggestion to the IPC office. Please pray with us for the development of this three-generational prayer movement throughout the world.
Please be praying with us for Sierra Leone as we go conduct our presidential and parliamentary elections on Nov. 17th, 2012. The campaign is on until Nov. 16th.
1. The campaign rallies in recent days have been violent. In Kono another political party was stoned, vehicle destroyed and a building destroyed.
2. Personality attacks on presidential aspirants from the opposition and ruling parties have been on the increase
3. Missing parts on human beings and mystery disappearance of some people.
4. We pray for tolerance, non-violence, free, fair and transparent elections.
5. That the Lord will give the nation a God-fearing leader who will lead the nation in the fear of the Lord.