Our September prayer day happened on the 12th. There was a strong sense of Jesus' presence and a strong call to pray. The key themes we prayed are below so that you can join us in continuing to pray for these issues.

Pray for:

Refugees - that God will give us hearts of compassion for people in need. We live in a world of deep continuous need. Lord give us compassion for these broken traumatised people. We prayed for peace at the border crossings and camps. We pray for protection on people making hazardous journeys. We prayed for leaders making difficult far-reaching decisions under great time constraints.

Muslim converts - We heard testimonies of Muslims coming to Christ in England, captivated by the love they discovered in God's people.

Protection - Islamic militancy is growing and it would suit their schemes to build enmity between the west and our new neighbours.

New labour leader - give him wisdom, your will be done.

Peace and truth in Northern Ireland. Bless the peacemakers, bless your people.

European Trumpet call –God's blessing and release for Germany and Romania.

Supremacy of Christ in our nation and Europe - we lifted up the name of Jesus -'our hope, our rock, our fortress'.

Join us as we continue to bring these issues before the Lord.

Romania: August 31st – September 4th 2015

The European trumpet call was held in Timisoara, Romania. It is a place with a rich spiritual heritage with a key role in bringing liberty to Romania. Protests began in Timisoara in December 1989 in response to government attempts to evict Hungarian Reformed church pastor László Tőkés. A violent crack-down by the Ceaușescu regime on the Timisoara crowds led to large-scale demonstrations in front of the dictator in Bucharest, the crowd chanting "Timisoara, Timisoara". Within days the regime toppled and Ceausescu was executed. We were hosted in this breakthrough city by the Agape church who ensured there was a 24-hour prayer and worship room where they also read through the entire Bible over the course of the conference.

The gathering was a truly international one with delegates from across Europe including a great UK representation. We were also blessed to have a team from the Pacific region who felt called to come and be with us. They have a mandate to thank Europe as their parent – the source of the gospel.

WELCOME THE KING OF KINGS

We loved our Pacific friend's holy protocols. Each meeting they would stand with their hands on their heart to welcome in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and hand the meeting over to him. These were always holy moments, starting planning meetings and the main meetings in the presence of Jesus. We realised that welcoming Jesus as Lord, worshipping him, and praising him was a key part of the Holy Spirit's leading. Our first evening had an awesome time of praise as if the Lord had entered the room triumphantly and enthroned himself in our midst. This powerful worship continued throughout the conference led by a large team of gifted Romanians.

THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST

We proclaimed the supremacy of Christ over Europe. We came to the cross and proclaimed His supremacy over our lives. As the conference progressed God moved among different groups, whether it be the large and enthusiastic group of under 30's, people called to the mission field, men repenting of their attitudes to women that have held women back from the promises and purposes of God and women forgiving the men.
George from Greece talked about Greek thinking. He asked us to consider who has supremacy in our heads and in our thinking. Is it Jesus or are we influenced by philosophies, values, thinking that is not Jesus- shaped? He spoke of Zeus – the Prince of Greece. Zeus gives us the word theos and is linked with the Indian word dyeus – the God of the sky and heavens. Zeus raped Europa in the form of a bull, large bull statues link with this incident. George explained that Europe is the name of someone dominated by, deceived by and abused by a demonic Prince.

Colossions 2:8 says "be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, not according to Christ." Much of this philosophy has roots in Greek thinking. It shaped the church, it shaped political and economic thinking. It linked with the belief that God was made in man's image. Jesus confronted these beliefs directly when he went to the shrine of Pan outside Caeserea Phillipi. It was here He challenged Peter and the disciples and where Peter proclaimed Jesus's divinity, and in doing so the Supremacy of Christ over Greek thinking and worship. George spoke of God's church – the ecclesia – again at Caesarea, Jesus gave Peter and the Church the keys to the kingdom of heaven, that His will would be done on the earth and His purposes fulfilled.

At the end of this session, we declared an annulment of our relationship with Greek thinking. Jesus is Lord of our thinking, our actions, and our behaviours.

IT IS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIP

Having reached this point of annulment Jesus reminded us of his deep love for each of us, His people. He wants a deeper and deeper relationship with our children and families, in our individual walk, in our churches. "This is how we know what love is, that Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians." 1 John 3:16. This love leads to greater intimacy, as we grow deeper we expect more of Jesus, and submit to His will and purpose.

This led us to an understanding that God wants a new relationship with Europe. He is giving us a new name – Beulah. "No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married." This led us to make three holy promises to the Lord from Ruth, from Mary the mother of God and from the bride of Christ.

• "Wherever you go I will go, wherever you stay I will stay."
• "Let it be done to me according to your will"
• "And the spirit and the bride say – Maranatha – come Lord Jesus."

These statements were then put into a conference declaration, a commitment to a new and deeper relationship with Jesus.

SUBMISSION AND MOVING FORWARD

In the final session, the young people of Europe took the flags of the nations from around the meeting place and brought them reverentially to the centre stage where they were laid before the cross. The conference declaration was read out, signed by some of the leaders and witnessed by our friends from the Pacific. There was a sense of awe and wonder in heaven and on earth. This was followed by a time of joy, dancing, and celebration, the favour of God as things were broken in the heavenly places.

WHAT NEXT?

This week was a week when Europe dominated the news as the refuge crisis worsened and the whole of the continent was being challenged in its response to the growing crisis. A colleague from South Africa felt God was squeezing Europe to see what heart emerged. Many feel this is a time of harvest but also a time of great shaking. We are entering a new spiritual season. Trumpet Call Europe was preparing us for this. It is a time to abandon past philosophies and thinking and draw closer to Jesus, to be more and more dependent on his leading and not our wisdom. We were richly blessed by our Romanian friends, and the sense of God shaping and preparing Europe. The trumpet call is a call of mobilisation and preparation. Be ready for God to move, encourage people to pray and draw closer to Jesus and be a living testimony to his love.

The Refugee Crisis: "We don't know the answer but we know we have to pray"

Brian Heasley - 3 Sep 2015

JOIN WITH US & OTHERS ALL OVER THE WORLD IN A WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE REFUGEE CRISIS

This week 24-7 Prayer are asking you to sign up and pray in hour slots, wherever you are in the world, for the Mediterranean Refugee Crisis. The week will run from midday on Monday September 7th until midday on the 14th.

Join a global community longing for justice: sign up online, take an hour out your week and pray for those in need.

SIGN UP FOR A 1 HOUR PRAYER SLOT HERE

Praying into a crisis like this can feel overwhelming, the issues too innumerable to bring to God. But we cant let that paralyse us and we can't let it silence our prayers.

Instead, join with us - as we bring our humble, whispered, inarticulate words to God, trusting that he is listening.

And if we want to pray into specifics, lets get informed in how. If you want to learn more, you can read up on the crisis below - and below that, if you're looking for guidance in prayer, there's help with that too.

For more information visit the 24-7 Prayer website.

A key spiritual battleground

Moses commands Israel – "You shall not give any of your children to devote them by fire to Moloch" Lev 18:21. Moloch demanded child sacrifices – and parents and relatives gave them to this evil demon. It was an abomination. The Centre for Social Justice recently reported on "A growing group of children and young people whose family lives have broken down or who are in deep crisis." Violence, abuse, trauma, bullying, uncertainty, hopelessness – many of our teenagers are in a battle ground. The devil wants to destroy children, just as he did in Moses day. Jesus wants to rescue them and call them to himself. We are at war.

Alisha's story

Today twelve year old Alisha will have sex for the first time – she is nervous but she is eager to please her older boyfriend Dan who buys her drinks and gives her the attention she misses at home. Dan gradually introduces her to more of his friends and to drink and drugs and parties. He encourages her to have sex with his friends. When she refuses she is raped but she still loves Dan and he still loves her doesn't he? Alisha's story is mirrored across this land. Like many thousands of children she is a victim of sexual exploitation.

What is child sexual exploitation (CSE)?

Barnardos describe it as 'Where a young person is encouraged or forced to take part in a sexual act in exchange for something' (presents, money, attention). The most vulnerable are aged between 13 and 15 and may be boys or girls across all races and backgrounds. They may be from broken homes but they can be from loving, supporting homes. They may be from this country, or have been trafficked into the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Trafficked children are kept as virtual prisoners. The NSPCC describes the story of a 14 year old from Central Africa trafficked into the UK on a passport for a 21 year old, repeatedly raped, badly beaten up, bewildered in a strange country. When she escaped she was imprisoned by the British Police for her fraudulent passport. She now suffers significant mental health problems.

How can we pray?

Pray for protection
Here are some key areas where CSE is most likely:

• Children with learning disabilities are targeted.
• Young people who go missing from home are picked up on the streets.
• On the internet young people are persuaded to send sexually explicit photographs of themselves.
• Children in care homes – 1% of children are in care but 24% of the adult prison population and 70% of our sex workers were in care homes. Care homes are targeted and children are manipulated and abused.
• Children in gangs – there is huge pressure on girls in gangs to have sex with a wide range of boys some as young as ten as part of initiating boys into the gang. Rape is a common weapon to intimidate rival gangs.
• Broken homes – abusers are manipulators – they convince victims that their families and friends don't love them and the abuser is the person that truly cares about them.

Patrick Regan of XLP reports on an increasing number of girls dragged into the appalling world of exploitation, criminality and hopelessness.

Pray for healing and release

Children caught up in sexual exploitation suffer. They become isolated from their families and friends, they get pregnant, they fail exams, are less likely to get jobs. They lose their confidence and sense of identity and suffer mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress, addiction, aggression and suicide. Lord have mercy.

Who can we pray for?

Most areas are forming multi-agency teams of Police, voluntary sector, social workers, mental health professionals to work together. Pray for unity, wisdom and peace – these are stressful positions. Pray for Christian agencies like Hope for Justice and Unseen who help trafficked children. Pray for youth workers and Christian teachers and parents to have discernment and wisdom – Lord brings these terrible works of darkness into the light

This is spiritual warfare

Satan is hateful, destructive, manipulative, violent, and a liar. Sexual exploitation starts with deception – pray and keep praying against the father of lies manipulating children. It moves on to sexual abuse, violence, addiction. Pray for this to be brought into the light and for children to be rescued.

This really is warfare – we need to see strongholds brought down, lives changed, and the chains broken. Warfare needs persistent, informed and determined prayer. Can you be a watchman for children in your neighbourhood, your local school or park? Prayer walk and listen to God that the children to come to Jesus.

What lies ahead?

The Professionals involved in this field are convinced we have only seen part of the picture. The numbers will grow and the knock on effect in terms of broken families, court cases, shocking tales in the press and more mental health issues will accelerate. We need to pray:

• Pray in your area for God's protection on children in abusive relationships where you live and work – have mercy Lord
• Pray that the enemy will not succeed in manipulating children – may his lies be exposed, the traffickers and abusers be imprisoned
• Blessing on the Police, social services, teachers, children's workers – make them protectors and rescuers.

Source:  World Prayer Centre

Back to School with God Sunday is a church service which is aimed at encouraging congregations to support their young people and school staff as they return to school after the summer break. It is a service which encourages prayer for local schools and those who attend them, and helps young people understand that God is not confined to church, but goes with them into the classroom.

Back to School with God Sunday resources are free to download, and easy for church leaders to use. An all-age service outline and accompanying PowerPoint slides are available, along with publicity materials so the service can be advertised to the local community. A 10-minute children's talk provides a short alternative for churches unable to commit to a whole Sunday service.

The theme of the 2015 Back to School with God Sunday service is the life of Peter, exploring how Peter took his first steps in following Jesus, fell out of step, then by receiving Jesus' amazing forgiveness, got back in step and kept following. Each point is related to the wider church family as well as the school context. Children and young people are invited to take part in the service by reading the Bible, leading prayers, sharing a testimony.

The hope is that churches will not just pray for and support children, young people, and those involved in education on one Sunday in the year, but will commit to ongoing, faithful prayer for their local school communities, registering such prayer with Pray for Schools. 

Source: SU Scotland

In this time of shaking in every area of our society, of high security alerts and financial uncertainty, let's be bold and declare the Supremacy of Christ in and over:

• Our police, security forces and COBRA.
• All who make decisions regarding our governance – local and nation; for the wisdom of Christ to guide those entrusted with financial decision-making.
• Our education system as the new school year begins.
• Every political party conference.
• All the discussions regarding the European Union. Use this declaration to pray over every area of the life of our nations.

We declare that Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, He is the Saviour of the world, He is the Head of the church, He is the Lord of our lives, He is the Hope for the world and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Hallelujah.

Featured in WPC 'The Heartbeat' August 2015

A richly diverse mixture of 2000 people from across the country came together to stand at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on July 4th for what many have described as an 'awesome' Trumpet Call day.

The morning started with Ian Cole the founder of WPC, who told us that we stood on a well of salvation – a site where tens of thousands had come to know Christ. He spoke of canals. They remind us of all the things that we do in our own man-made efforts. He told us that this is a time for rivers to be released – and for God's people to thirst for living water.

Ian called for a deeper understanding and experience of the supremacy of Christ. Jesus is Sovereign over every nation, He has all power and authority - but He is waiting for His people to pray with raised faith and expectation. Then we moved to proclaim the saving power of the cross - the cross disempowers all arguments and philosophies. Jesus is the only name by which men can be saved. The cross was carried into the centre of the hall and we lifted our hearts and voices to praise our Redeemer Jesus. The trumpet was blown throughout the day – with a clear distinctive sound - as we proclaimed key biblical truths and declared God's Will and purpose.

In the afternoon, we prayed for unity recognising how often we fail to build it – it needs to be a sovereign work of Jesus bringing His church together to release blessing. We moved on to pray that young adults and children would be released into their calling in the eight pillars of society – politics, business, media, church etc. We sensed God's heart for this revival generation, praying for their protection from the many dangers they face and for a powerful work of the Holy Spirit to release prayer and worship.

As we moved to close, we called a group of European prayer leaders onto the stage - sensing God's desire to bless our brothers and sisters across Europe and the nations they represent. There was a moving time when Germany prayed for Greece, demonstrating God's desire to impact the nations. We also prayed for two nations that have blessed the UK richly – Korea and Nigeria.

The event finished with a declaration. We felt this was a watershed moment – as Jesus mobilises His people to pray, proclaim and lift Jesus in their churches, villages, towns and cities. We have heard of the declaration being prayed across the country - and as far away as Sri Lanka. Many other ministries and organisations are standing with us and saying - this is a time for harvest, and a time for the fresh reviving waters of God's Spirit. The trumpet will continue to blow (see details of the European Trumpet Call). God is calling us into His presence, and we want to glorify Jesus as He refreshes us, changes us and brings thousands to know Him. Please let us have your testimonies and stories so we can say – look what the Lord has done!

We believe this is a time of change, release and blessing. You may have a sense of things changing in your village, town or neighbourhood. Is it time for a WPC team to pray alongside you? If you want to find out more, read What are WPC teams and contact us at WPC.

OUR DECLARATION

The Supremacy of Christ
We declare that Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, He is the Saviour of the world, He is the Head of the church, He is the Lord of our lives, He is the Hope for the world, and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Hallelujah!

The Salvation of Christ
We declare the Gospel of Christ, His life, death, resurrection and ascension is God's plan for the redemption of all mankind. We declare Christ and Him crucified; that Calvary is a place of forgiveness, cleansing, healing and victory over death. We declare it's time for harvest; a mighty move of God touching every part of this nation and our continent.

The Unity of God's Church
We declare that our strong desire is to fulfil the prayer of Jesus that we be one, believing the Scripture that, "When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, there God bestows His blessing even life for ever more."

Release for our Children and Young People
We declare and prophesy a Jesus Generation of boys and girls, young men and women who will walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing God's protection, mercy and blessing as they take the Gospel to their families, friends, communities and the nations.

We declare the Grace and Mercy of God over each other and from this place the Trumpet Sound to reverberate in every village, town, city and nation, "That the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

Amen and Amen.

Featured in the WPC's 'The Heartbeat'

At WPC, the team pray for a nation every day during our morning prayer time. We wondered if you would like to join us to Pray 4 the Nations.

We pray in our prayer room which has a huge map of the world on the wall – sometimes we need to check where our designated country is! Our pattern is to pray week days alternating between one of the fifty top persecuted nations (using information from Open Doors UK and other sources) and other nations of the world. We will pray for the country where elections are being held. We've found it useful to use information from Operation World to shape and inform our prayer.

We pray as the spirit leads us – listening to each other – using the scriptures to understand God's character and purpose as we pray. The purpose of prayer is to pray that Gods will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus loves each nation and desires that people will be saved – we listen to him so that we can pray with faith and authority. Praying for the nations is a real privilege.

Download the list of the nation's we are praying for in August.