It’s an important question. Knowing where we are headed not only gives direction, but helps us move in unity.
During 2017, we are focusing on one of our PRMI vision initiatives: PRAYER.
Specifically, we believe God is guiding us to mobilize, equip and deploy an army of intercessors to cooperate with Jesus Christ in doing the work of prayer in this kairos moment of opportunity to fulfill the Father’s Great Commission plans and defeat Satan’s schemes.
As we were guided to this focus, we recognized that:
- Prayer precedes moves of God. A study of the book of Acts and 2,000 years of Church history reveals that the Father’s first step in pouring out the Holy Spirit on earth to advance His Kingdom is to call us, His born-again friends and coworkers, to earnest focused intercessory prayer.
- We face an extraordinary kairos time in history. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit that began in Jerusalem at Pentecost has been moving in wave upon wave in a westward direction and is now converging back on the city of Jerusalem. This may not be the “end times,” but clearly the Father is at work to bring the Gospel to all nations.
- As God moves, there is opposition. Whether we look into our own homes, families and churches, or out toward our society, nation and the world, we see the need for concerted prayer. Our children and grandchildren are growing up in a time when Christianity is mocked rather than supported. Liberal Progressivism is undermining the Church from within and the demonic stronghold of radical Islam is threatening to annihilate all who do not submit to their way of life.
“For God did not give us a Spirit of fear…”
For some, this opposition leads to fear. However, God’s word calls us to a different response:
- For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 2:7
- “May you be attentive to your servant’s and your people Israel’s requests for help and may you respond to all their prayers to you. 1 Kings 8:52
- 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
- So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. Acts 12:5
- For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:12
Three Focal Points for 2017-2019
As we seek to respond to God’s guidance at this time, we see 3 focal points for our efforts:
- Develop the Community of the Cross as a strategic hub for intercession. This includes building the Prayer House, communication system and developing other facilities for the use of prayer. Currently we are working with building and landscape architects to fulfill infrastructure requirements before applying for a building permit.
- Offer equipping programs and materials to create the venues for the Holy Spirit to mobilize, equip and deploy an army of intercessors. One goal is to develop 5-10 cohorts by the end of the year. What is a cohort? See Martin Boardman’s article about cohorts.
- Form the anointed leadership team within PRMI and the DFI, to provide the spiritual oversight of this Prayer Initiative and to organize and equip those called to be prayer leaders from among the members of the Dunamis Fellowship International.
How Can You be Involved?
1. Prayer – Pray that Jesus Christ will manifest His presence and power in all that we do. Pray for all involved in leadership as well as for their families and loved ones, and for the finances needed to support this work. We need prayer cover as we undertake this initiative that is strategic to God’s Kingdom and a direct threat to Satan’s schemes.
2. Participation – A fundamental way that PRMI has built ministry is through empowered and called people. It will take many people with many different gifts and callings to fully accomplish these components. We will be extending the invitation to join in each aspect of this initiative. Ask the Lord:
Are there new places you would have me focus my prayer? Is there an area where I could be better equipped in prayer? Is there a way (prayer cover, clearing land, chronicling progress, developing or leading a prayer group, etc.) that I can be personally involved in building the Prayer House and growing prayer?
3. Financial Provision – God also calls some to make sacrificial financial commitments. Developing these components in 2017 will take us well beyond our general operations budget and will require distinct, sacrificial (over and above) gifts. We have launched a campaign to raise the money needed.
Video Explanations
At the 2017 Dunamis Fellowship International Annual Meeting, Dr. Brad Long and other PRMI leadership shared discernment they’d recieved from the Holy Spirit about the future of the Dunamis Fellowship International.
Brad begins by answering the question, “Why Now?”
Why is God calling PRMI to mobilize and move forward in specific kinds of international ministry, intercession, and construction projects in 2017?
Part 1:
Casting the Vision: Part 2
In order to better understand the question, “Why Now?” we need to know how God has been working with the Dunamis Fellowship in 2016.
Last year was a year of expansion, both internationally and intergenerationally, reflected in the 2017 Annual Meeting theme of “Enlarging Our Tent: The Blessings and Challenges of a Growing Ministry Family.”
Watch as Director of the Dunamis Fellowship International, Rev. Cindy Strickler, shares how God has been enlarging the Fellowship’s tent in 2017:
Casting the Vision: Part 3
Watch as Brad Long summarizes the three components of the Prayer Initiative:
Casting the Vision: Part 4
Watch as Rev. Brad Long speaks about the history of the Community of the Cross, PRMI’s vision for its place in the worldwide work of intercession, and what it will take to make this vision a reality.
Casting the Vision: Part 5
Watch as Rev. Brad Long details the next two components of the prayer initiative: mobilizing, equipping, and deploying intercessors, and forming the anointed leadership team within PRMI and the Dunamis Fellowship International to provide the spiritual oversight of this Prayer Initiative and to organize and equip those called to be prayer leaders.
The Next Step
As we head further into 2017, think and pray about where and how God may be calling you to cooperate with Jesus Christ in doing the work of prayer in this kairos moment of opportunity to fulfill the Father’s Great Commission plans and defeat Satan’s schemes.
