Salvos fired up to pray 24-7 in NZ, Tonga & Fiji - 1 Jul 2005
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"Isn’t it awesome? People are queuing to sign-up to pray!" Judith Bennett of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga says.
"4 months into our year of 24-7 there’s only one complaint:
‘One hour is not enough!’
‘One week is not enough!’
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 Waitakere Corps 'Worship Wall' |
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Some people go to the Prayer Room apprehensively not knowing what to expect, but very quickly testify to being ‘enveloped in God’s presence and love’.
The Corps in Gore in the deep south of New Zealand's South Island reports…
“We have had the greatest weekend of prayer and God has shown up in Gore heaps! In fact, we’re wondering if God was anywhere other than Gore because his presence was so strong!”
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Experiencing 24-7 has prompted a number of corps to set up a permanent Prayer Room. One person writes:
‘This hour in the prayer room has been a very moving experience. It’s essential for every church to have their own permanent prayer room set up and available at all times.’
Prayer Walls are proving to be really significant as people write or paint matters God is placing on their heart…e.g. |
 Salvos in Mana, Wellington, asked God to "send the fire" |
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’It helped me accept the death of my mum after 2½ years.’
‘Lord, I felt your presence so strongly in this prayer room. I got some stuff off my chest and gave it to you. I followed you and journeyed with you for 2 hours…praying, painting, loving, calling, crying out to you.’
‘Finally I have felt a sense of purpose. The Lord has revealed to me exactly where my ministry lies. Thank you Lord, mould me, use me. Where would I be without You!’
‘I’ve been disturbed and disrupted by Jesus as He’s called me out from where I’ve been to where I’m going.’
‘What an awesome place! I wasn’t prepared for the impact on my own spiritual life…what a mighty God we serve.’
‘I am here in this room looking at all that has been expressed on the walls. Nothing is selfish. What strikes me is the concern and love for friends, family, our nation, our desire to take risks and reach out for Jesus.’
Waitakere Salvation Army church in Auckland prayed 24-7 for 5 weeks and saw remarkable results…
A number of people made decisions to follow Christ...
people healed...
people released into ministry...
They say: ‘We’ve become such a praying church during these weeks and we feel God is telling us to keep those prayer room doors open.’
Youth are loving the challenge of 24-7 prayer and Easter Camps were powerhouses of prayer! At Linwood 2 teenagers ‘kicked off’ 24-7 doing a 10 hour marathon which they declared ‘Awesome’!
Hutt Corps in Wellington, New Zealand's capital, signed up for 24-7 and early in their week sensed God calling them to pray 24-7 for another week.
Napier cancelled their final celebration time! God spoke clearly this was not to happen as this suggested it was all coming to an end!! People feel it’s only the beginning!
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There’s been a remarkable response – young and old alike catching the vision.
As one pray-er wrote: ‘Why haven’t we done this before? Committing ourselves to being in this room has made us set aside the time to be with You.’
As momentum gathers and God continues his work of love and grace in individuals and churches, may it ripple out to our nation. |
 A young woman in a Salvation Army prayer room in Fiji |
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Two months into praying 24-7 there’s been a remarkable response – young and old alike catching the vision.
As one pray-er wrote: ‘Why haven’t we done this before? Committing ourselves to being in this room has made us set aside the time to be with You.’
As momentum gathers and God continues his work of love and grace in individuals and churches, may it ripple out to our nation.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more…to Him be glory!"
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Give thanks to God for what he is doing in New Zealand and check out more incredible stories on the Salvation Army's prayer diary |