Towns in the provinces have experienced a return of their old demons in the form of armed confrontations. There is no let-up for the civilian population, and people are continuing to cross over the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo to seek refuge there.
- A few days ago. fighting was reported between the Seleka and anti-Balaka in Dékoa.
- Inhabitants of the Ouaka region arrived in Bangui last week, denouncing the fighting and extortions that are going on there and in the town of Bambari.
- Yesterday we learned of fierce fighting in Djimbi between Goula and Runga tribespeople (all Seleka) which had led to a number of deaths. The townspeople were sitting it out, holed up in their houses.
- In Bria, Muslims and French Sangaris troops have been locked in mortal combat.
In short, this is the climate in which preparations are being made for the Bangui Forum - supposed to be a national dialogue that will restore peace to the CAR. Delegations including representatives of the different religions will go up and down the country holding preparatory talks in different places. This will include areas where fighting is going on. I will probably be a member of one of these delegations, though I do not know which one or where it will be going to. Peace is beyond price, as is said; but we have need of your prayers.
The irresponsibility of the different armed militia groups, along with the egoism of their leaders does not make the task any easier, and we do not know if the elections planned for the middle of this year will be held in anything like normal conditions.
Night temperatures in Bangui are falling below 15° C, something quite unprecedented, while during the day the mercury goes back up to over 30°C. Numerous sudden deaths have been reported in the capital, and many children are ill. The spiritual war appears to be moving to a different front, and we must continue to trust in the Lord.
Thank you for praying, and may He bless you.
" The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery and mistreated the poor and needy and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out my indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath : and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads says the Lord God." (Ezekiel 22: 29 - 31 NKJV).
" If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place."
( 2 Chronicles 7:14 - 15 NKJV).
The first scripture says that when God's people fail to answer the call for prayer in
the face of sin, oppression, corruption and injustice in our nations, the judgment and wrath of God comes upon that nation. But the second passage says that when we pray, God hears us, forgives us, and heals our land.
I wish to use my nation Sri Lanka as a context to this small write-up on the power of transforming prayer. Ethnic riots have been a usual phenomenon in Sri Lanka from the early 1950's, not too long after we received our Independence from the British rule in 1948. In the early 1970's, we had a youth insurrection, which claimed the lives of tens of thousands of university students and young professionals. Although the insurrection was brought under control in less than year, it repeated itself in the latter 1980's. Tragically, in the early 1980's ethnic riots escalated into a full-blown ethnically based civil war. This dragged on for at least three decades. The casualty counts are varied. The government puts it down 60 to 70,000 but other sources say that it was at least 150,000.
Well, the Church prayed. We first started to pray in our local Churches; then local Churches prayed within our own denominations; and very soon interdenominational prayer groups began to spring up all over the Island. In almost all of our prayer gatherings, we quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14 which obviously alerted and motivated us to pray.
In the year 1994, a few of us prayer leaders, Dr. Arul Ankitel , Dr. Lalith Mendis, Pastor Michael Dissanayake and I, were privileged to meet veteran internationally renowned prayer leader Kjell Sjoberg. He visited Sri Lanka invited by Dr Arul to lead us how to engage in strategic level spiritual prayer nationally. This spearheaded us into the birth of a strong united prayer movement across the nation.
God answered our prayers in numerous ways. We had many well-organized and coordinated prayer gatherings in addition to the regular monthly prayer times, which we had among ourselves. First we had the final victory over the ethnic civil war in 2009. Although the end of the civil war in May 2009 was rather bloody and very unfortunate, the final conclusion of was most welcome. Although the war ended in 2009, full healing and reconciliation between the two ethnic groups never did happen. Strategic Prayers over our nation continued despite the challenges we faced in the area of persecution for both Christians and Muslims. It would not be unfair to say that the minority peoples groups in Sri Lanka were treated badly by the arrogant majority religious leaders. Our nation continually lived under a curse entrenched in so much division, bloodshed and oppression.
On January 9th, 2015, we finally saw the toppling of a very unjust and oppressive regime. There was great joy in our nation at last. We are beginning to see amazing change in our nation. Our prayers which have gone on relentlessly through the decades of the 80's, 90's, and the 2000's are being answered every day. Praise be to God. The Lord's eyes and ears have been attentive to our prayer. Yes, prayer has the power to transform nations.
Dr. Leslie Keegel, IPC Leadership Team
Our prayers are extremely powerful! Astrophysicist Hugh Ross says, "Prayer is the most powerful capacity God has given to us." Let us unite our prayers this month, agreeing in faith for the following "Top Prayer Challenges". Please share these with your prayer groups and fellow intercessors and let's believe God together for breakthrough in the following areas:
- Radical Islam - In many areas of the world, radical Islam seems to be metasticizing like an ugly, evil cancer. Pray for Muslims to have their eyes opened and to see the oppressive, destructive nature of this religion and to turn from it to Isa Al Masih, the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for the international community to come to agreement on a worldwide strategy for defeating Islamic radicals and terrorists and to take effective action both militarily and politically to rid our world of this scourge. As intercessors have united in prayer and governments have taken united action, we have seen the downfall of other past ideologies and movements such as Naziism and communism.
- Syrian and Iraqi refugees- many millions of people, including Christians, have had their lives disrupted by the Syrian civil war and the aggressive conquest of their lands by the Islamic State. Pray that the IS will be defeated and driven out and for an end to civil war in Syria so that these refugees can return to their homes and rebuild their lives. Pray for the provision of food and other needs they have whether in the refugee camps or wherever they find themselves. Pray too that in the midst of their disruption they will hear about Jesus, the deliverer, and be open to receiving Him as Lord and Savior.
- Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan- now that the coaltion forces have largely departed from Afghanistan except for about 14,000 soldiers left behind, pray for the government and military there and in Pakistan to strongly confront and prevail against the Taliban militants. May the Taliban and their leadership splinter and give up their Islamically inspired insurgency so that both lands can be set free from the awful violence and terrorism of recent years.
- Ukraine and the rebel initiative- recently fighting has restarted in eastern Ukraine. Pray for the peace talks between the Ukrainian government and the pro-Russian separatists to go well and for this conflict to be settled and ended for good.
- Iran and the nuclear program negotiations- one of the greatest dangers to the Middle East and indeed the rest of the world would be for the Iranians to finish their much cherished plan to build a nuclear weapon. They probably would not hesitate to use it against Israel and other nations. Please pray that the current negotiations will go well, that the international community will be strong, adopting new sanctions if necessary and that the Iranians will give up their nuclear ambitions. Pray that President Obama and other political leaders in the West will recognize the threat, not giving way to attitudes and actions of appeasement
- Israel, its neighbors and the national election- pray for the security and protection of Israel and somehow for improved realationships with the surrounding Arab nations, as well as with Turkey and Iran. Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu to have God's wisdom to guide the nation forward and for outside attempts to interfere with the national election such as "Victory 2015" (backed by a leftist U.S.-U.K. group called "One Voice" and composed of former Obama campaign activists) to be frustrated and overthrown.
- Armenian- Turkish reconciliation- April 24 marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide at the hands of the Turks. Christians on both sides are presently working on holding reconciliation gatherings during this year to ask forgiveness and to pray together for the wellbeing of these peoples. Please pray for powerful identificational repentance and reconciliation that God will use to bring healing of relationships and openness to the Gospel by the Muslim Turks, one of the largest mostly unreached peoples on earth.
John Robb, IPC Chairman
Following the World Prayer Assembly held in Jakarta in 2012, the International Prayer Council leaders felt that a NEW WAVE of prayer and missions movements is coming and is now here-for the youth, by the youth. Thus, the inception of gathering this generation for a WORLD YOUTH PRAYER ASSEMBLY (WYPA) in August, 2016.
The WYPA will bring together a projected estimate of 10,000 youth leaders from 200 nations-youth and young adult leaders who will receive a clear understanding of their unique, individual callings; who will acquire the fire, anointing, and impartation to fulfill their unique destiny; and who will occupy and influence their respective spheres to affect change.
The synergy will...
- REPRODUCE in every country, and even go beyond, what happened in the International Prayer Assembly (IPA) in 1984, Seoul and the WPA in 2012, Jakarta. We hope and pray that the WYPA will unleash this global generation to the greatest Prayer and Destiny Movement in the history of the church.
- REVERSE the GLOBAL TREND of losing the youth in churches. The youth are hungry for a cause that will match their unique DNA. When they are gathered and they begin to understand the attack on their generation (i.e. child trafficking, sexual violence on children, child labor, teenage suicide, etc.), it will create a stirring in their hearts to fight for the destiny of their generation. They will understand that they were not born just to attend church; they were born to shift the destiny of nations.
- Possibly GIVE BIRTH to a new, GLOBAL JESUS MOVEMENT. We expect new Youth Movements will find their beginnings at the WYPA. The collaboration developed, the unity forged, and the streams synergized will bring a "connected global generation" into a focused destiny.
- BREAK the Spirit of DIVISION in North and South Korea. A Day trip to the DMZ (the border between North and South Korea) will be arranged for these youth leaders to come against the spirit of division, and re-infuse new energy for a revival in Korea. We expect this gathering will stir the youth to seize their destinies to bring Jesus Christ to their nations.
In order to see this happen, we are forming an INTERNATIONAL DREAM TEAM (IDT) of top, youth, global leaders from different streams of ministry all over the world to be the primary stirrers and planners of the WYPA. The IDT will birth the program for what is in the heart of God for the WYPA. The IDT will hold face-to-face meetings at least twice in 2015 (most probably in South Korea), while the rest of the meetings will be online. During the first meeting in March 2015, committees will be formed and set into motion toward the first gathering on 2016.
The first IDT incubation and planning meeting will be on March 3-6, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. It will be a time of seeking God, fellowshipping, and synergizing of ideas.
Pastor Jerome Ocampo, International Coordinator for the World Youth Prayer Assembly
Prayer Requests:
Please pray with us for this ambitious project and for the emerging generation of youth and children (those under 35 years of age) that through the WYPA they will become a global prayer and mission force that will impact generations to come.
Pray for the International Dream Team of youth leaders to be formed successfully and to have anointed, effective meetings, March 2-5, in Seoul, South Korea and during 2015 so that the youth will be enabled to take the lead in organizing the WYPA. It will be an important part of their maturation as Christian leaders for the future.
Pray for Pastor Jerome Ocampo, leader of the Jesus Revolution in the Philippines, and his team who will do the executive coordination and for the rest of us in the IPC leadership who will help provide support in mobilization and fundraising.
January 29, Stratfor
"Multiple actors, backed by considerable coalition air power, have effectively halted the massive gains made by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The group is increasingly being forced onto the strategic defensive, but it is far from defeat and is still able to launch attacks and offensives across the region on the tactical and operational level."
In Syria, the Islamic State has been unable to seize Kobani, Syria due to a spirited defense by Kurdish fighters and Free Syrian Army forces and it has lost more than a 1000 of its troops. Now, the IS has been forced on defensive north and northeast of its headquarters in Raqqa. Also, it has experienced a disappointing reversal in Deir el-Zour at hands of Syrian government forces. However, its greatest threat is the eruption of dissent within its ranks and citizens hostile to its rule.
In Iraq, government military forces have made some progress in dislodging IS from territory near Baghdad and in the north the Kurdish pesmerga have also experienced some success around Mosul, but will take a much more massive effort to drive the IS from this most significant northern city. There is a considerable need for more training and leadership within the Iraqi security forces. Some good plans are developing for a national guard for each province to win support of the Sunni tribes against IS. Unfortunately, internal disputes and sectarianism continue to hamper united action.
Let's pray for the following:
1 Giving thanks to the Lord that IS is being pushed back in some areas of both countries, let's continue to pray that they will be thrown into full division, confusion and flight wherever they are still occupying territory. Let's intercede and believe God for their complete overthrow along with the discrediting and rejection of their violent jihadist ideology that still attracts young Muslims from around the world.
2 Pray for the Kurdish and peshmerga forces, the Syrian Free Army and the Iraqi security forces to develop good leadership, overcome internal disputes in order to become united and effective so as to prevail against IS and drive them out of both countries.
NewsMax, Thursday, 29 Jan 2015
A White House's characterization Wednesday of the Taliban as an "armed insurgency" rather radical Islamic terrorists is another example of the Obama administration's failure to grasp the gravity of the situation, retired Army Col. Derek Harvey said Thursday on Newsmax TV's "America's Forum."
"It is very dangerous because it continues to show that there's intellectual dishonesty by the administration," said Harvey, who was joined by former New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik to discuss the Obama administration's paralysis in dealing with terror groups.
"They refuse to define the threat and importantly, it seems that they don't understand the threat. Words do matter.
"The Taliban is an insurgency, it's a terrorist organization that is interlinked with al-Qaida, for that matter, ISIS is an insurgency too, but it's also a terrorist organization. They are splitting hairs and they're being intellectually dishonest," Harvey said.
The Taliban has been recognized as a terrorist organization since 9/11, Kerik added...
Until the Obama administration clearly identifies who the enemy is, there can be no effective strategy or resolution to eradicate them, according to Kerik.
"Whether you call it ISIS or ISIL or al-Qaida or the Taliban or Hamas or Hezbollah, there's 50 different names that I can think of right now relating to radical Muslim extremist that want the demise of this country and Israel and others that live in freedom, others that practice Christianity," Kerik said.
"Until we realize who the enemy is and we become offensive against that enemy in a very, very broad range, we're not going to be able to win this war."
The men also weighed in on recent comments made by retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn, the former Defense Intelligence Agency chief, who told a group of defense industry workers that the administration is running scared from the Islamic State instead of unleashing an all-out assault to rid the world of the extremists.
"You cannot defeat an enemy you do not admit exists," Flynn said, referring to the administration's refusal to use the phrase "Islamic militants" when referring to jihadists...
President Obama and his advisers need to look at the big picture and heed the warnings about Muslim extremists, including Iran, from U.S. allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Harvey said.
"They understand the threats in that part of the world and they understand that Iran is a threat," he said. "Somehow we're in denial in this country about the nature of the threat both from Iran and our failure to identify the Islamic hardcore extremist threat."
Kerik agreed, cautioning that if the U.S. doesn't react to the warnings already given, "we're never going to get it and we're going to be responding to this stuff forever.
"At some point and time, we have to get offensive, we have to be proactive and pre-emptive in fighting the fight and being prepared in this country for the battle we face, which is going to be decades to come," he said.
"This isn't going to go away no time soon."
Pray that President Obama and his administration would stop being politically correct and denying the threat posed by radical Islam in its many different manifestations around the world. Pray that the USA and other nations can be led by the Lord to adopt a clear and comprehensive strategy to combat and overcome worldwide terrorism so our nations can be set free from this international scourge that is causing so much devastation and horror.
The White House has manifested a strange unwillingness to confront radical Islam, especially to deal strongly with Iran and its efforts to build nuclear weapons, ostensibly to use against Israel and other nations including the USA. Many believe this is even more dangerous than the rise of the Islamic State which we are also very concerned about.
The attached material seems to indicate that a grave international security threat may be emerging from within the American government itself that would explain the White House's reluctance to even use the words "radical Islam" in defining the threat Iran, the Islamic State, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups pose to the world.
Please pray that all of this will be exposed by the press, much of which has been silent, and by brave public officials who are willing to speak out regardless of the political consequences for them personally. Pray that many will rise up resolutely and effectively against what is going on behind the scenes, which also presents such a serious danger to the peace and security of our world.
Part I.
White House Jihadist
http://overpassesforamerica.com/?p=4661
Part II.
3-Star General: The Muslim Brotherhood Has Infiltrated the White House
http://conservativetribune.com/muslim-brotherhood-white-house/
Barack Obama~seems to have made it clear over the last few weeks that he does indeed have a soft spot when it comes to~radical Muslim terrorists.
The president continues to~back Hamas both financially~and in his foreign policy, constantly~smashing on Israel for their ground operations in Gaza~which are geared toward taking the~terrorist group out permanently.
He's also bent over backwards to find excuses for~releasing prisoners from Gitmo, despite the danger they pose to Americans and~citizens of their home countries.
Not long ago,~ documents~from WikiLeaks surfaced that indicated Barack Obama and~key individuals~in the government had~close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group that they backed during the Arab Spring, which is considered a terrorist organization by most of the world.
According to a report by~Breitbart~, this evidence seems to back up claims by U.S. Army~Lieutenant GeneralWilliam Jerry Boykin, who said that individuals with deep connections to the Brotherhood have infiltrated the White House, Pentagon, and Department of Defense.
~
The former~Delta Force~member said that Republicans in Congress should have taken concern expressed byMichele Bachmann~over former Secretary of State~Hillary Clinton's~Deputy Chief of Staff Huma Abedin, who the Minnesota representative believed had ties to the~Muslim Brotherhood, much more seriously.
Boykin went on to say that individuals with close ties to the group work in every major federal agency.
If this is true, and it likely is, this is very scary. The~Muslim Brotherhood has already launched a U.S. political party~for the sole purpose of~implementing Sharia law~in American communities.
Fortunately, many states have been proactive and have already~passed legislation banning its implementation.
http://theblacksphere.net/2013/04/devout-muslims-in-key-positions-in-the-white-house/
Arif Alikhan~- Devout Muslim,~Assistant Secretary~for Policy Development~for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Mohammed Elibiary~- Homeland Security Adviser~Elibiary~appeared at a conference honoring Ayatollah Khomeini, has made attacks on prosecution of terrorist fundraisers, has actively promoted jihadist ideology godfather Sayyid Qutb, and threatened a Dallas Morning News journalist who repeatedly exposed his extremist views.
Rashad Hussain~- Special Envoy to the (OIC)~Organization of the Islamic Conference. Hussain is~"a hafiz of the Qur'an"-An individual earns this designation by committing to memory the Qur'an in its entirety and enjoys high status among Sharia-adherent ~Muslims who regard this feat as proof of a deep~devotion to Allah.
The OIC~is headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is dedicated in its~documents~to spreading Islamic law, or sharia.
Salam al-Marayati~- Obama Adviser -founder Muslim Public Affairs Council~and its current executive director, and a~Muslim leader who said that Israel should have been added to the"suspect list" for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Imam Mohamed Magid~- Obama's Sharia Czar -~President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). Magid~was born and raised in Sudan and immigrated to the United States in 1987. Imam Magid studied with~his father, Al-Haj Majd Haj Mosa, described by~one watchdog website as "a Cairo-trained Muslim~Brotherhood scholar" who has served as the top~cleric in the Republic of the Sudan, one of the most~Sharia-adherent nations in the world.
In 2012, ISNA hosted~Dawud Walid~who said, "One of the greatest social ills facing American today is Islamophobia, and anti-Muslim bigotry. And if you trace the organizations and the main advocates and activists in Islamophobia in America, you will see that all those organizations are pro-Israeli occupation organizations and activists."
Eboo Patel~- Advisory Council on Faith-Based~Neighborhood Partnerships - Patel is the~founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based international nonprofit that promotes interfaith cooperation.
A good source for more on the Muslim and Muslim Brotherhood infiltration into the White House can be found in Frank Gaffney's~The Muslim Brotherhood in the Obama Administration.
An Invitation to the Last Prayer Initiative for North Korea
Dear Fellow Servants of God,
In September 2011, leaders, prayer warriors and intercessors serving the Lord all across nations and different sectors of society gathered in Seoul, Korea under a concerted purpose called "PINK" - Prayer Initiative for North Korea. It was the first prayer gathering where the three cords of South Korea, North Korea and the nations gathered to cry out for North Korea for three days. God heard our cries.
Prophetic decrees were made during that time, and the prophecy of Kim Jong-il's fall was fulfilled three months after the gathering - just as it was prophesied. Many more significant changes took place both in South and North Korea leading immediately after PINK 2011.
We stand once again at a crucial juncture. 2015 marks the 70th year of the division of the two Koreas, and the Lord Himself affirms that it is time.
"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins." Isaiah 40:2 (NIV)
Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, was once called the "Jerusalem of the East." The Lord is waiting for His people to proclaim that the time of hard service has ended, to speak tenderly with His love and compassion.
We believe that PINK 2015 will be the last prayer gathering for North Korea. Let us set aside three days from April 6 to 8, 2015 to proclaim and witness the historical shift.
In His Royal Service,
Preparatory Committee for PINK 2015
=========================================================
Prayer Initiative for North Korea (PINK ) 2015
Dates: April 6 ~ 8, 2015
Venue: Young San Camp (Osan-ri, Jori-eup, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, http://www.fgcamp.com)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Homepage: www.pink2015.org
Please pray for PINK to be a very anointed and powerful time that God uses to bring liberation to North Korea and the reunification of the two Koreas. If you are an intercessor with a heart for this, please register and join us for these days of destiny through united intercession.