NOVEMBER 2008

Note From Our Executive Director:

CIP Newsletter

Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Army,

         Leonard Ravenhill writes in his great book, “Why Revival Tarry’s,” that:           

“No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The two prerequisites to successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born and maintained by prayer. The ministry of preaching is open to few; the ministry of prayer – the highest ministry of all human offices – is open to all. Spiritual adolescence says, “I will not go tonight, its only prayer meeting.”  It may be that Satan has little cause to fear much preaching, yet past experiences sting him to rally all his infernal army to fight against God’s people praying. Modern Christians know little of “binding and loosing” though the onus is on us – “what so ever ye shall bind…”  Have you done any of this lately? God is not prodigal with his power; but to be much for God, we must be much with God.”

            Friends, this first Friday, as we focus our attention on remembering, let us pause in our prayer closets and allow the Holy Spirit to remind us of the great price that was “prayed” for the freedom we now experience today. Let our remembering recalibrate our own faith and conviction to battle in the trenches of spiritual warfare for a generation yet to be born. Let us remember that the soldiers of Vimy Ridge were faithful in their generation, even though not a day passed when they did not think of home. They were willing to be there to pay the price for freedom, but they were also eager for their deployment to end.             Intercessors, this is a vivid picture of the heart of you, the intercessor. God has placed us here for a brief deployment; we are here to serve in his kneeling army so that his kingdom will come and his will be done here in Canada as it is in heaven.  But remember in your fatigue that it’s a brief deployment.

            In Psalm 81:10-16, the Bible tells us, “I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.  But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.  So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.  Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!  I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries.  The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever.  He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.”  

            Here again we get another vivid picture of Almighty God reminding and encouraging the people of Israel who they are and whose they are.  And, today, He’s also encouraging us, His people who are “under-living” (not believing our kingdom authority), even as we find ourselves in the prayer trenches.              Intercessors, there is so much more he wants to give us and to do for us. I know there is a voice inside of you because I hear that voice myself saying, “There has got to be something more in this righteous call to stand for the spiritual transformation of my home, church, community and Canada!”  Friends you are right, there is more, so much more!  Almighty God has more power, more peace, more love, and more significance to release the power that was won on the ultimate battlefield – the cross – so that we really can make a difference.

            The problem is that, like in Psalm 81, God cannot get our mouths opened (prayer and intercession).  It appears that, at times, He is trying to feed a baby who refuses to open his mouth and must be fed through clenched teeth.  I said it before and I will say it again, “God’s arms are not too short.  This is not the darkest hour of the church; this is not the darkest hour of our country.”  But for us to persevere on our watch, we must begin to eagerly open our mouths as a bird feeding her baby chicks, with greater expectancy.  He wants us to expect the supernatural.  In Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, “He did not do many miracles…because of their lack of faith.” (Matthew 13:58)  The question begs to be asked, “Why?”  I’m glad you asked!  He did miracles everywhere, but in his home town the people who knew him most saw the least supernatural because they were not expecting anything.  They didn’t open their mouths.

Intercessors, in closing I want to encourage you to hold your positions. Faith is knowing that God will keep his promise and do something God-sized at any given time.  Let Him not admonish us, as he did in the days of old, that, “I tried to….but they would not listen; they would not follow my ways.”

Friends, finally, after hearing the hearts of those of you who are in the trenches, I know that some of you have been deployed for years, and you long to come in from the cold.  This month especially, please know that you are not alone and I am pouring out my heart alongside you for those things that matter to you most.  I will be taking your tears, your joys, and your frustrations to Israel with me this November 14 – 25.  Please pray with me as I kneel at the Wailing Wall and ask Almighty God to remember those whom He has deployed in Canada, and to hear from heaven and heal our land.

Opening my mouth,

Brian Warren

Executive Director CIP

From The Trench:

Dear Friends, I hope your fall is going well, even as you start (or for some continue) to get out your jackets and wooly sweaters! Well, the new Mrs. Warankie has returned! I do apologize for not writing to you last month, but I was enjoying my honeymoon and a much-needed rest after the excitement of planning a wedding! I want to say thank you to each one of you who sent in so many encouraging words and blessings to Joe and I on our wedding and marriage. We are so grateful for your support and love. It truly was a perfect, beautiful and fun day, and I am now enjoying the blessing (and sometimes challenge) of being a wife!

As we transition this month, I want to talk to you a little bit about “the level places.” What do I mean, you ask? Well, it seems that many within the Body of Christ across Canada have been feeling a little discouraged lately. The challenges we are facing not only individually but corporately seem, at times, almost too much to bear, and we are weary. BUT (Behold the Underlying Truth!), I thank God for His grace, mercy and compassion and that, though the hard times seem long and painful, He always gives us “level places” in between where He allows us to stop, catch our breath, and rest awhile. Let me reassure you, as Brian often quotes, that whatever it is you’re facing and however long this season has seemed, “It came to pass!” Don’t get discouraged. Your Father in heaven is FAITHFUL! Sometimes it is our problems that open the door of opportunity for us to seek God with greater passion and motivation. I have been praying that God would not just give us a passion that is temporary, but a VISION – His vision – that is eternal.

Friends, it’s a new season, and it’s time to “diligently seek Him”! When the pressure is on, the only solution and means for breakthrough is to cry out to God; for your homes, your families, your workplaces, your churches, your cities, your regions and this nation. We must recognize and remember who our Almighty God is, and trust in His unchanging character. His word says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6) Our loving God doesn’t ask for great works or performance, but simply that we diligently seek Him. If our hearts and our focus are in the right place, God WILL be faithful to reward us even for, and especially for, the things that we suffer for His sake. Until very recently, my prayer over the last couple weeks had been, “Lord, please help me to love you more.” But then Almighty God, in His grace, gave me a new revelation and turned my prayer just slightly but profoundly to this: “Lord, please help me to know your love more.” The word of God says that, “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) WOW! Just take a moment to meditate on that. Love for Christ is not something we have to muster up from within ourselves. When we receive a greater revelation of Christ’s love for us and truly know that love, then our hearts just naturally begin to overflow with that love in return. And then we want to seek and know Him even more! Our greatest desire becomes to please Him. We become so smitten with His love for us that we want to do everything He asks and be faithful to Him in any and every circumstance. No, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t still challenges or that it’s always easy, but when seeking God is our greatest desire and our first priority, purity and holiness are the natural result. We are conformed to the image of the one we most admire, worship and love, because we understand that He loved us first. And all of the mountains we are being faced with seem so much more conquerable because we have the Lover of our Souls as our most intimate friend.

Be encouraged this month, fellow soldiers. Rest and know that you are not labouring in vain and your reward is with the Lord. Stop fighting and striving in your own strength, and just SEEK HIM and know; HE LOVES YOU! That’s all He asks. If we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things will be added to us. (Matthew 6:33) So intercessors, let’s view the battle from a different perspective this month. Let’s praise God for giving us the opportunity and motivation to seek Him diligently with all our hearts, know His love, and receive the reward that He has waiting for us!

 “Then I said, `I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God.'” (Isaiah 49:4)

 “Indeed the LORD has proclaimed To the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, `Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.'” (Isaiah 62:11)

Intercessors, in closing I would like to introduce you to a new member of our staff here at Canada In Prayer. We are pleased to announce the addition of our Director of Field Ministries, Crystal Lavallee. Some of you may have heard from Crystal already, as she will be connecting with as many of you as possible to find out firsthand what is happening in your regions and what you are hearing from the Lord, as well as pray with you and encourage you personally as you continue to stand on the wall for Canada.

Crystal will be sharing with us monthly exciting reports of all that God is doing across our nation in our new column, “From the River”. We welcome you to send us a contact number where you would like to be reached, or give Crystal a call here at our office and pass on your reports so that you can help encourage the rest of the Body from coast to coast to coast.

Diligently Seeking Him,

Karen Warankie

News Director CIP

From the River:

Hello Mighty Warriors,

It’s a pleasure to have the privilege of introducing myself to all of you faithful prayer warriors across the country. I am very excited to partner with Canada In Prayer during this hour, and I believe that God has called me here for such a time as this.

It has been a joy to connect with many of you via the telephone over the past two months. I know that it was God’s divine appointment that has brought us together to pray. I want to encourage you to wait upon the Lord at this time, for it is when we wait in His presence that our strength is renewed and we are able to keep pressing forward to see God move in our lives, in those around us, and in our country.

I will be reporting on the exciting things God is doing across Canada each month, so keep those prayer requests and praise reports coming! We have also launched our CIP ‘Call to Encourage Campaign.’ Our goal is to utilize every piece of technology to keep the body of Christ built up and encouraged. We invite you to give us a call so that we can pray in agreement to see the fullness of God’s purposes come to fruition in your region. Please keep your phone lines open as well, as we would love to connect with you to find out what is happening in your area and in your lives and pray with you.

With all of the exciting expansions happening at Canada In Prayer, and the work that God is accomplishing as we labour together on the wall, we also want to encourage you to partner with us with your financial gift. For your generous contribution of $25 /month, you can be a FireStarter that will help keep this prayer engine running smoothly.

Is there not a cause? I have heard the cries from many of you, longing for God to move. Together let’s continue, with all of our hearts, to actively invest our time, talents and treasures for the glory of God and revival in Canada!

Looking forward to connecting with each of you,

Crystal Lavallee

Director of Field Ministries CIP

P.S: Continue to keep your eyes peeled for updates on the website highlighting some praise reports from those we have spoken with throughout Canada, as well as new interactive posts that you can join us in prayer for on the Prayer Forum.

PRAISE REPORTS

- Praise God for all of the believers who took the time to vote in the recent election. Give Him glory for His direction and guidance within the government system, and continue to intercede for the Prime Minister and every Member of Parliament, that God’s purposes for the country at this time will come to pass.

- Give Glory to God for the launch of a new church in St. Johns last month. They saw one person rededicate their life to Christ, and many come out for the first time. Continue to keep them in your prayers as they move forward in faith to reach out to the community.

- Praise God that the Manitoba Prayer Breakfast in October was a great success. Over 600 people, including representatives from the Government of Canada, many law and rescue departments, churches, businesses, homes, communities, and military came together to celebrate Jesus Christ, and to pray for the province of Manitoba and our country. It was touching to see a 12 year old boy pray for the homes, schools and communities of Manitoba. Also a young soldier, who just returned from Afghanistan, gave his testimony on God’s grace. God’s fire and passion was ignited in people’s hearts and lives. Pray that it will continue to grow and make an impact in their communities.

- Give praise to God for the 11th Annual Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast held in Moncton, NB in October. 350 faithful people attended to hear teaching on leadership and were inspired by the guest speaker who shared his testimony about how his life was radically changed by Jesus Christ!

- Praise God for the work He continues to do through NAME Canada (National Association for Marriage Enhancement) and their annual marriage conferences that continue to take place in Alberta and Ontario. Thank the Lord that they have helped many couples to let go of the past and move forward according to God’s word.

- Give glory to God for a youth conference that took place in Hamilton, Ontario on October 24 – 25. Hundreds of young people responded to alter calls each night. Praise God that many were saved, and even more came down to repent from rebellion. They asked God to give them grace and strength to live as Jesus called them to do.

PRAYER DRIVEN EVANGELISM

- Please pray for the second Annual “Light the City” Celebrations of Joy Conference taking place on October 30 - November 1 in Toronto, Ontario. Pray for God’s people in the area as they gather together to lift up the name of Jesus, so that He will draw all men unto himself and change the spiritual climate of each city and area.

- Intercede for a Christmas outreach geared toward street youth taking place on November 28 - 30 at two local churches in Nova Scotia. Pray that the true Christmas account of Jesus Christ will be proclaimed and that many will be drawn unto Him and transformed by His love.

- Join in agreement that the volunteers and coordinators of ‘Slime Time’, a kid’s event happening on November 2 in Beaverbank, Nova Scotia, will be the salt and light of Jesus in that city. Ask God to plant His seed in the hearts and lives of all the children who attend, and pray that the message of God’s love through Jesus Christ will go deep in their hearts and touch many parents who are sending their kids to the event. Agree for family salvations to result.

- Please pray for God to move through another Christmas drama taking place at a church in Mississauga, Ontario. Ask for God’s blessing and anointing upon each actor and musician as they give of their time and talents for the glory of God. Intercede that many will come to know the Lord and be discipled, so that there will be much long lasting fruit.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Nova Scotia

- Please pray for a Mission’s Conference happening on October 31 – November 2 in Cole Harbour. Pray that God will grant grace as they teach on developing passion and skills for local and overseas missions. Ask God to give every attendee His heart for missions and mobilize them to action.

- Cry out to God for the International Leader’s School of Ministry, happening on November 7 – 11 in Malagash. Ask God to restore, renew and refresh leaders who are working in the ministry New Brunswick - Join in faith with believers from Moncton on November 9, as they gather together for the second prayer meeting in preparation for Encounter ‘09, a large prayer conference sponsored by a group of local churches that will take place in March. Agree with them that more people will respond to the call to pray. Pray for the organizing committee members as they give leadership and direction. Pray for receptive hearts and minds among all who attend, and a longing for a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Intercede for a powerful display of unity in the body of Christ in the Greater Moncton Area, and pray that the churches in the region will be full of people who are full of God.

Prince Edward Island

- Cry out on behalf of believers, churches, leaders, pastors and prayer groups who will be gathering together to intercede for the different regions of the province. Pray that they will wait upon the Lord, and that their strength will be renewed. Ask for God’s favour and blessing to be poured out, so that many will taste and see that He is good and that many lives will be transformed. Newfoundland

- Pray for two churches in Monkstown and their leadership. Ask God to grant them strength, and pray that more laborers will come in to the church to help bear the load. Cry out for authentic discipleship to take place and that the church will leave a legacy for the glory of God in the province.

- Intercede for the whole region of Monkstown. Pray that God will build strong relationships between the younger and older generations that they will operate in faith, in unity, and in acts of service. Cry out to God for young people that the spirit of rebellion will be broken and that they will know the love of God in increasing measure.

Nunavut

- Cry out for God’s Holy Spirit to continue to move and work in the lives of many young Inuit who attended theCry gathering on October 18 in Iqaluit. Ask God to complete the good work He began in them and to raise them up and empower them, as emerging leaders, to be effective in their regions.

Northwest Territories

- Pray for believers in the Northwest Territories, that they will walk in God’s truth and know that He is their shield, hope, strong tower, deliverer, fortress, advocator, and the one true, living God who provides all of their needs.

Yukon

- Cry out to God for His love to be poured out in every region and area across this territory. Intercede that the spirit of fear, doubt and worry in the hearts and minds of young people will be brought under submission to God. Intercede that they will receive His spirit of love, power, and a sound mind (2Timothy 1:7), to accomplish the work God has prepared for them in advance. (Ephesians 2:10) Pray that God will stir desire in the hearts of many people to walk in intimacy with Him, and that He will draw them closer to Him.

Quebec

- Pray for Missions Globales (formerly Missions Fest) as they host a conference on November 6 – 9 in Montreal. Pray that their theme, ‘A Light for the Nations,’ will give many a deeper understanding of God’s heart for missions. Pray that all who attend will have an enthusiasm for sharing the Good News, whether in Canada or overseas.

Manitoba

- Pray for pastors and intercessors as they gather together to pray for the province on November 4 in Winnipeg. Pray that the fire of God will continue to burn in their hearts, and that there will be continued joy and unity that was experienced at the recent Prayer Breakfast that took place in the city.

- Cry out to God for “Rise Up Manitoba”, a jamboree that is happening on November 6 - 8. Pray that they will come together in unity with all the believers from across the province to wait on the Lord. Agree with them that God’s presence will be manifested in every sector of their society including law, medicine, education, church, business, family, military, and government.

- Please pray for the City Hall Prayer Meeting that will be taking place on November 12 in Winnipeg. Pray that those who participate will know and pray God’s will for their city.

Saskatchewan

- Pray for all believers, that they will be still and know that the Lord is God over every situation, problem and circumstance. Ask for God’s favour to be poured out as they deal with challenges in their economy. Cry out that many will put their trust in the Lord, not leaning on their own understanding, but acknowledging Him in every area of life, so that He will direct their paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Alberta

-Please pray for a marriage conference happening on November 13 – 15 at a church in Sherwood Park. Pray that it will enrich and enhance the marriages of all who are in attendance. Ask God to restore couples individually and corporately, and ignite a fresh passion and commitment between them.

British Columbia

-Raise up a cry of intercession for believers at a church in the Peace River region. Agree in faith for God to protect them, and keep them safe as they continue to believe God for a great harvest. Pray according to God’s word, that His strength will be sufficient in their weakness and that He will give them endurance to persevere through the “valley”. Ask God for victory in their health, with family members, in schools, with various organizations, and within their church. Pray for unity within the body of Christ, that they will stand together and see God’s power released in increased measure. Endure with them until the glory of God is poured out in their region, in Jesus Name!

Ontario

- Please cover Alpha Canada in prayer as they host the Toronto Restorative Justice Conference, themed “Faith Active Now”, happening on November 15 at a church in Toronto. Pray that many will be educated on how to care for ex-offenders and gain helpful tools to integrate them back into the community. Ask for God’s wisdom to be released to those whose lives have been affected by crime. Pray that God will give them clarity as they focus on various topics related to crime and how it affects individuals, families and society. Cry out to God that He will enable them to use their experiences to help build a community of hope.

- Please keep the leadership of a local community church in Toronto in prayer, as they continue to serve. Pray for health, strength and passion as they minister to people in the region. -Please pray for a 24 hour worship and prayer service taking place on November 21 - 22 at a church in the city of Toronto. Pray for strength for the believers who attend, and that God’s Spirit will be poured out in sufficient measure.

-Please pray for MissionFest Toronto as they launch their second annual banquet and general meeting on November 7. Intercede that it will be a time of joy, fellowship and praise. Pray for the guest speakers as they educate people on the Biblical basis for missions. Pray that an awareness of resources and strategies will be given to those who are present to aid them to undertake local and cross-cultural missions. Pray that many people will receive God’s perspective regarding missions, and become involved.

CANADA

- Pray for Heaven’s Rehearsal happening on November 1 at the Roger’s Center in Toronto, Ontario. Pray that believers from every nation, tribe, and language will be encouraged, inspired and refreshed to keep sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and living everyday “rehearsing for heaven”. Pray for the presence of God to saturate every area of the gathering, and that salvation, healing and deliverance will take place as those who attend fix their gaze on Jesus.

- Pray for God’s love to capture every heart, believer, prayer group, pastor, minister, church, area, region, town, and city. Pray that every corner and crevasse of the country will be filled with the presence and knowledge of God, so that all men will come to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, and bend their knee to worship Him. 

- We would like to honour the 1,500,000 Canadians who served our country sacrificially in wars past as well as those who are continuing to serve this great nation. They have sacrificed their lives and futures so that we can live in peace. Please continue to pray for all our soldiers, that God will grant them peace in their hearts and give them endurance to finish their race.