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Editorial: Come Thy Kingdom – Dr Jason Hubbard – IPC Executive Coordinator
“Our Father in Heaven, your Kingdom Come…” -Matt 6:10
This second petition of the Lord’s prayer began to explode in me in our recent gathering in Hong Kong, July 22-27th. Several thousand Chinese came to pray in unity together as family from Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, and mainland China.
We joined with these precious saints to seek First God’s kingdom in the midst of a swirl of political chaos, turmoil, and increasing violence. Many protests have been launched against the Chinese government asking for democracy, religious freedom, and autonomy in the city. Several times during our gatherings, we cried out, “Father Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” with a great sense of urgency. To pray this second petition of the Lord’s prayer is one of the most radical things we can pray as human beings. It turns out that in this petition we are asking God to bring about the most massive revolution imaginable.
In using the term Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven the Hebrew writers were not just thinking of a place over which God would rule, but rather it was a way of expressing, “God is acting as King.” The Hebrew prophets longed for the day when God would impose his kingly rule over all of creation, ushered in by God’s Messiah, ‘the anointed one.’ On the final day, the ‘Day of the Lord,’ God would judge human wickedness, and wipe away all evil, forever reversing the effects of the fall of man! He would vindicate those who trusted in him and fill them with his Holy Spirit, bringing about the restoration of all things according to God’s original design!
Jesus asks to pray this way “Your Kingdom Come.” We are given the amazing privilege of inviting God’s glorious future, heaven invading and occupying earth! Not only is God’s kingdom coming, but Jesus declared in Mark 1:15, “the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand.” The term at hand literally means, ‘come near.’ Jesus means that the reign of God, God acting as King has come near!
Does Jesus mean it is about to arrive and therefore we should get ready? Or does Jesus mean it has arrived and we should grab hold of it and enter in?! I believe he means both! It is here right now -already- and it is yet to come! Jesus is announcing that in him and because of him the future reign of God has now broken into the present!
When Jesus healed the sick, cast out devils, raised the dead, calmed the winds and the waves, multiplied bread and fish to feed the hungry, championed the poor and the needy, filled ordinary people in and with the Holy Spirit- that is the Kingdom – the blessing of the future breaking into the present! And yet Jesus also says several times that the Kingdom was still to come, sharing with his disciples several parables to be waiting and watching – ready for his return! Therefore, in Jesus, this glorious, redeeming, restoring ‘reign of God’ is already -not yet!
In another sense it might be compared to ‘veiled’ versus ‘visible.’ The already – not yet is a matter of ‘hidden’ versus ‘manifest.’ The really good news is that in Jesus, the Kingdom is already among us but often in a veiled and hidden form. When the King is present, so is the Kingdom! Indeed, the Kingdom is present only where Jesus Christ is King! Certainly, the King is here- right where you and I are – in our everyday lives, in our homes, at our workplaces, in our hospitals- and yet just behind that thin veil of hiddenness. At any point God could pull back the curtain and we would all fall on our faces and worship!
One of the interesting keys to understanding this prayer is to see how Jesus uses the verbs, ‘hallow, come, be done, give, forgive, deliver.’ Surprisingly the verbs are in the imperative. They are commands not requests. To pray the Lord’s prayer is to command not to request, “Be done - your will, Hallowed – be your name, Come - Your Kingdom” This may seem a bit audacious, but this is how Jesus taught us to pray. These verbs are also in the passive voice, which means only God can hallow his name, bring his kingdom, do his will!
The prayer is not what many believers have thought it to be, ‘let us hallow your name.’ ‘let us bring your kingdom,’ ‘let us do your will.,’ important as those things may be. Rather the prayer is, ‘Father you do it! You hallow your name on earth as it is in heaven. You bring your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. You do your will on earth as it is in heaven!
Professor Stendahl of Harvard university reminds us that the prayer, “asks for the establishment of the kingdom of God, by God for us, not by us for God.” We are asking God to do what only he can do!
So then how ought we to pray, “Your Kingdom Come?” Of course, with each of these simple phrases you can include the who, when, where, of places, circumstance, situations and peoples as the Spirit leads! It might sound something like this:
“Father before the coming Day of the Lord, Revealwhat is invisible, Manifest what is hidden!”
“Father Unveil your Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.”
“Father let your Kingdom come in me, so it can come through me!”
“Father act as King! Extend your sceptre, reign and rule on earth as you do in heaven! May your Kingdom be established, be expanded, and be embraced!”
“King of Kings manifest your splendor, power and glory on the earth! Break through any darkness King Jesus! Make wrong things right! Heal the sick, bind principalities and powers, raise the dead, free the captives, reconcile enemies, reverse the effects of sin, restore broken humanity, Come and Reign without Rival on the earth!”
And at the end of each of these prayers as you add specific places, situations, peoples as the target of your prayers, you can also add, “So that’ your name might be hallowed! ‘So that’ your name might be honoredand treasured! ‘So that,’ your name might be treated as infinitely valuable here on earth (in your home, school, church, city, nation, etc.) as it is in heaven!
Come Thy Kingdom!
Dr. Jason Hubbard – IPC Executive Coordinator
Hong Kong 'Chinese Homecoming' Report Back
IPC colleague, Tom Victor reports back on the Chinese Homecoming and Watchmen gatherings held in July.
God’s Amazing Family!
Hong Kong has been in the news a lot lately. But with all the mass gatherings and ongoing protests, perhaps you missed the most exciting news!
From July 24-27 thousands of Chinese Christians from around the world met in Hong Kong to worship, to pray and to celebrate their “Oneness” in Christ.
They came from the mainland, from Hong Kong, from Taiwan and from nations around the world. These believers recognize that they are One Family with One Father.
This is their true identity. They are committed to be one in Christ - just as Jesus prayed facing the cross.
Their oneness found expression across the generations as the worship turned towards children. On the last evening, a group of children in “full animal costumes” led us in our time of worship and celebration. The joy was contagious and gave new meaning to the words of Jesus: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16
Others from around the world also came to Hong Kong to worship, pray, celebrate and cheer on our precious Chinese family. Several leaders from Japan and Korea were present. They are all committed to walk together as One Family in Christ, an identify that transcends the history of brutal conflict and conquest between these nations!
What an amazing family! What an amazing God!
A group called Watchmen for the Nations put on the Chinese Homecoming. They are led by a former Egyptian medical doctor, David Demian. The Watchmen group hosts similar gatherings all around the world. David’s team includes young leaders who were front and center in the planning and execution of the Chinese Homecoming. They were the ones who felt God calling them to include the children in worship. It’s no wonderthat more than 50% of the attendees in Hong Kong were under the age of 40. Their passion for Oneness extends in tangible ways - across generational lines.
(Photo - left to right: Tom Victor / Werner Nachtigal / Dr Jason Hubbard)
A team of more than 180 leaders gathered for two days before the larger event to pray and seek God together for His direction. Some of us with the International Prayer Council were invited to join them – topray and to listen to God together. Before those two days ended, we felt God wascalling us to “enlarge ourfamily” by committing to walk together.
The Watchmen for the Nations team allowed us to share the Go 2020 Kids vision and key resources with their leadership team. We are now working to get the Go 2020 Kids “tool kit” into Chinese. So good!
Tom Victor – Great Commission Coalition / IPC Leadership Team
IPC Calendar
Pray With Youth – 22 September 2019
http://praywithyouth.com/
Save North Korean Refugees Day - 24 Sept 2019
10 Days - 24-7 Virtual Prayer Gathering - 29 Sep - 9 Oct 2019
www.10days.net
United Prayer Rising – South Africa – 4-6 October 2019
South East Asia Prayer Council Conference – 8-11 October 2019
https://www.seaprayer2019singapore.org/
Hindu World 15 Days of Prayer - 20 Oct - 3 Nov 2019
Go 2020 Prayer Gatherings - 1stMay 2020
One God - One Day - One Africa – 31st May 2020
IPC Calendar
30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World - 6 May - 4 June 2019
Year of the Frontier – May 2019 to May 2020
http://go31.org/yof/
Pray for Zero – 9 June 2019
www.prayforzero.com
School of Prayer for the Nations - 9 Jun - 6 July 2019
www.allnations.ac.uk/courses/short-courses/school-prayer-nations
United Prayer Rising Europe – 8-11 July 2019
One God - One Day - One Africa – 31st May 2020
South East Asia Prayer Council Conference – 8-11 October 2019
https://www.seaprayer2019singapore.org/
Go 2020 May 2020
IPC Calendar
Australia: 21 Days of Prayer for Elections 28 Apr - 18 May 2019
www.canberradeclaration.org.au/prayer/election-2019
USA National Day of Repentance 31th April 2019
http://www.dayofrepentance1.org
Australia Calls World to Pray & Fast for USA 30 April – 2 May 2019
www.nationaldayofprayer.org.au
Americas National Day of Prayer - 2 May 2019
30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World - 6 May - 4 June 2019
School of Prayer for the Nations - 9 Jun - 6 July 2019
www.allnations.ac.uk/courses/short-courses/school-prayer-nations
United Prayer Rising Europe – 8-11 July 2019
One God - One Day - One Africa – 31st May 2020
South East Asia Prayer Council Conference – 8-11 October 2019
https://www.seaprayer2019singapore.org/
Go 2020 May 2020
The Great Exchange - Terry R Bone
The Great Exchange - Passing the baton between generations of World Shapers - by Terry R Bone
Thanks to the kindness of a friend and colleague of IPC's we are delighted to be bringing our readers access to this further free resource!
Here is an introduction written by Terry...
This book is about making great transitions in life.
There is something called an exchange zone in track and field relay races. It’s a well-marked space on the track in which the baton must be passed from one runner to the next. In that zone, a lot has to happen in a short period of time. This seemed to me like the perfect metaphor for transitions. We all pass through ‘exchange zones’ in life. These are meant to be a place where desires are fulfilled and destinies are transferred. Time spent in exchange zones is brief compared to the entire race. We ought to know what to do before we get there as there’s rarely enough time to adequately absorb all we need to know once we get there. As the saying goes, ‘we must take advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime during the lifetime of the opportunity’.
As a Life Coach and Leadership Consultant, I often walk with people through some of the most important transitions of their lives. Typically these are talented young leaders in the ministry or business world who are looking for both a plan and a person to walk with them while entering the next phase of their life calling. My wife, Melissa, and I have also written and spoken extensively on the topic of ‘family blessing’, the practice of giving Spiritual blessings to the ones we love most.
At some point I realized that a common challenge was present in every situation. Parents who desire to pass on Spiritual blessings to future generations, leaders of a ministry or business who want to set up the next leader for success, and aspiring leaders waiting for their turn to shine, all need to master the art of transition. This involves more than just different people ‘taking turns’ doing the same thing. A successful transition includes a baton transfer. In real life, the baton represents the transfer of knowledge, wisdom, authority and even Spiritual gifts between current leaders and those who are called to be next in line.
So I created a couple of messages on how to ‘pass the baton’ between two generations of leaders. Everywhere I shared these messages, people kept asking for the notes. It was time to start the process of writing a book. I spent a couple more years making additional notes and collecting quotes. I sought the perspective of some outstanding young leaders within my community in order to broaden my perspective. I also served as an Interim Pastor for several churches in the midst of leadership transitions.
After all this, I hired a writing coach who helped me to distill a thousand pages of loosely connected notes into a more concise and compelling for-mat. I trust that the result is an easy to read book that addresses important questions on this important topic.
If you find yourself currently in an exchange zone, may you receive practi-cal guidance as you read the pages that follow. If not, then now is the right time to bank this knowledge for a future date. Either way, I pray the Holy Spirit will illuminate the truths you need to ensure that you make a great transition when the time is right.
DOWNLOAD the FULL PDF HERE
Three Important Missions
In our last Connections, I updated you on the magnificent time many prayer and mission leaders had together at Herrnhut in early May. It was truly a life and ministry-changing event as we later heard from so many. One of those present who leads a large international mission effort said that it was “the most personally significant event” he had taken part in during 50 years of ministry. Another who leads a large prayer ministry said that he will be “forever changed” by what happened there. Thanks be to the Lord for how He brooded over us and inspired us during that anointed time together and also for your prayers that made such a vital difference!
I also believe that much of the reason we had such a powerful encounter with the Lord and one another is that we were focusing on three issues that are very much on His heart for this time in history. When you think about it, they are also deeply interrelated and interdependent. Therefore, if we go at all three of them together, a great deal of synergy will be released for His kingdom’s expansion around the world. It will be like the first atomic explosion that happened here in my native state of New Mexico at the site called “Trinity” on July 16th, 1945. Physicists and engineers from the secretive Manhattan Project were awestruck at the awesome, never before seen, combined forces that were released when “critical mass” was achieved. History was changed both in positive and awful ways for humanity as we entered the nuclear age, carrying a new incredibly powerful resource for either great good or maximum destruction.
We in the IPC want to be used of the Lord in facilitating progress in each of the three following directions mentioned once again below. They are all in and of themselves so valuable for the cause of Jesus Christ on earth. However, when joined together for our prayers and actions, we could reach a kind of “critical mass” spiritually. Connected closely, they are infinitely more forceful in advancing His kingdom, especially that overarching goal that everyone on earth may have the opportunity to experience His love and salvation, discovering their unique calling and destiny as human beings.
Would you please, therefore, join us in praying for the continued convergence of these three prayer and mission thrusts that are already being so greatly used of the Lord to bless our world? How can we increasingly flow together for maximum impact? How can these efforts be effectively coordinated and synergized for the greater purposes of God and the benefit of all!
Here is an excellent three-minute video that describes the impact of the Moravian prayer and mission movement from Herrnhut where we held last month’s consultation. It will help you to catch the heartbeat of what God did among us. Please share it with others and pray accordingly.
Video on Linking Prayer and Missions
“Spirit of the Moravians” Vision on Vimeo or
Here are the three main emphases I believe we need to keep our hearts, minds, prayers and actions wrapped around going forward:
1) Reaching the unreached with the Gospel- Pray for the effective linking and coordination of prayer and mission efforts for finishing the task, adoption of every unengaged unreached people group in prayer and mission in the coming 5-10 years. Let’s pray especially for the “Finishing the Task” event in early December that will bring together hundreds from the mission agencies along with a significant group of prayer leaders for the first time. You can find out more about specific unreached people groups needing to be adopted at https://joshuaproject.net/ Please adopting one yourself as your own assignment to cover that group in prayer until they are reached.
2) Raising up the “now generation” of youth and children to find their unique missions in life and impact generations to come for Christ and His purposes. Pray that in the coming decade, we will see children and youth prayer movements develop, be connected, and strengthened in every nation on earth (they are probably going in one-third of the nations so far). The Children in Prayer movement and the international team coordinating this effort and the UPRISING youth prayer movement with their team are both extending this crucial vision for the raising up of the Now Generation vision. Please pray for His provision, guidance, unity and wisdom for the leaders of both these movements.
3) Transformational prayer for breakthroughs in the socio-political realms (global institutions like the UN, “Seven Mountains” cultural spheres, regional summits, national initiatives, wars and human suffering, authoritative prayer efforts for territorial deliverance). Please pray for prayer leaders and ministries targeting those challenging socio-political issues and institutions affecting life in our various nations and world. Pray for clear discernment, guidance and power from on high to pull down strongholds and drive out forces of spiritual darkness in His authority for atmosphere-changing breakthroughs that open peoples to the Gospel and bring about major transformations in favor of Kingdom values.
All of us can be personally involved in one or more of these three crucial directions for the global Body of Christ. May we each hear His specific call and find our unique place! As we pray and take action together, may there also be a divinely orchestrated convergence, a “critical mass” that the Lord will use to hasten both the transformation of our world and His return. Maranatha!
John Robb
IPC Chairman
Triplet Prayer – Praying in Threes: A Proven, Sustainable Way to Mobilize Transformational Prayer
"When we work, we work, but when we pray God works". "More things are wrought through prayer than this world dreams of" (Alfred Lord Tennyson – poet).
The success of any mission is in direct proportion to the amount of believing prayer that can be mobilised. Little prayer, little blessing. Much prayer, much blessing. Many have their stories of answered prayer, of God doing "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3.20). Let's share these to encourage people to pray more, to believe God for more and to engage with God on behalf of their unsaved friends and relatives.
Triplet prayer began in Scripture. Moses, Aaron and Hur prayed on the mountaintop during the battle against the Amalekites (Exodus 17). Jesus encouraged His disciples to pray in 2's and 3's (see Matthew 18.19-20), and showed by His own example how important this was by taking Peter, James & John with Him to pray on the mount of transfiguration and in Gethsemane. God seems to think in three's – the Son and the Holy Spirit intercede with the Father in prayer (see Romans 8.26 and 34)!
In more modern days Triplet praying was introduced as part of the preparation for Mission England in the 1980's. Over 30,000 groups came into being across England, with many thousands becoming followers of Jesus before Billy Graham began his preaching tour! Since then many nations across the world and many evangelists have incorporated triplet praying into their programme, with similar results.
Triplet prayer originally consisted of 3 people praying regularly together for three friends each, so that between them they were committed to praying for a total of nine people. They would pray for their known needs and especially for their conversion to Christ. These groups can be in your neighbourhood, or with school or college friends, or in your place of work. There have been triplet groups in old people's homes, and even in some prisons. People confined through age, illness or disability can participate – through telephone, skype or zoom calls.
If we genuinely wish to see our friends born again and God answer prayer in our spheres, then
- the commitment to regular informed prayer for a set time each week,
- the prayer of agreement with two others,
- and the raising of our personal faith level and expectation
are all significant in preparing the lives of others for the seed of God's word to take root and bear fruit. It is also important if we want to see a change of spiritual atmosphere in our work-place.
Things change when we pray together. Across the world there are many stories of this kind of thing happening.
"My work environment has changed since we started praying together, and some of my colleagues have become believers in Jesus." Business leader.
"The prayers of the youngsters from your church has had a significant impact on the school since they started praying every day". School headmaster
"I used to prayer-walk my community weekly with two young men. Both have ended up in full-time ministry" Christian leader
" Our community has changed since I and other children started to walk and pray regularly around it. All the prostitution has gone and it is now a safe place for us to play". Fifteen year old girl.
Brian Mills, Senior Advisor to the IPC