"God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him." - Hudson Taylor

Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Army,

I pray that this letter finds you prospering and abiding in the all-sufficient grace of Almighty God’. As we prepare to go into our prayer closets and prayer gatherings, praying with fasting this First Friday February 2010, let us continue to reflect on what “The Fear of the Lord” really means for the spiritual transformation of Canada.

Intercessors, Proverbs 1:7 teaches that, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction”. It is therefore   to conclude that the Fear of the Lord is literally a spiritual key opening the door of defining moments; they give witness to the fact that Almighty God is active and working in and through our lives!  Each and every one of us, I am certain, can find at least one or more moments in our lives which bring us back to a full focus on Jesus Christ; a time when our faith is strengthened in the possibilities that are found in the person of Jesus Christ.

Elijah, arguably Israel’s greatest prophet, arrives on the scene when devotion to the true and living God was at an all time low and the “Fear of the Lord” non-existent. Friends, are you having problems imagining Israel at this time?  Just look around our nation today and you will have a pretty good picture of what was taking place. Now let’s keep in mind the prophets of Baal numbered 450 to one faith-filled obedient prophet of the (at the time) unpopular God of Israel. From that defining moment, without contradiction, history proves once again that, “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through out the whole earth to show Him-self strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9a)

Yes, I know how difficult it can be and how isolated and alone that it feels on the front lines of spiritual warfare. However, this is your “defining moment”. Yes, when you pray by faith and see little or no results it can be “dis-couraging”, but remember that your history is being written and you are literally carving out a defining moment in time. That is exactly why the prophet Elijah’s testimony is so relevant in this decade. I love the way The Message bible conveys James 5:16-18; “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.” The Apostle James, the half-brother of Jesus, also reminds us in James 1:2-8 (The Message), “ 2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. 5-8If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open."

My brothers and sisters, our faith must be strong enough to “finish the course” to cross the "finish line"!  Almighty God lovingly gives us “divine tests” allowing us the privilege to make "defining moments", which victoriously produce “divine faith" enabling us to accomplish the "divine task". Intercessors, the devil played with Elijah’s mind as he does with so many sincere God-fearing prayer warriors (1 Kings 18:41-46). I can almost imagine the conversation that went on in the prophet’s head:

“You went and told Ahab that God was sending rain and now nothing is happening.” You didn’t really hear from God. This drought is going to continue.”

Sound familiar? You ask, “So what do we do now that we know what’s taking place?”  The first thing we need to do this First Friday is confess, according to James 5:16, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed”, the sin of being more certain about what the devil has been suggesting than the truth of God’s word. Second, as we corporately pray with fasting all over Canada, let us purposely give the Holy Spirit our “earthly license for heavenly intervention”. We have been given authority in Canada; we must also give God a permit to work through our lives. It’s as simple as declaring, “Lord I give you my permission to rule, release revival, and route the enemy in my home, in my church, in my community, and in my country, through “me”! Heaven is waiting for our cooperation and obedience. And finally, we must send our faith up the mountain of “Canada must be Saved” and know on the other side of nothing…there…is… something!

Elijah did not pray just three times, not just four times, not just five times, not just six, but it was on the seventh meeting with God that his servant came back with a little encouragement. He said, “I didn’t see much, but I did see a tiny little cloud, about the size of a man’s hand coming out of the sea.” My friends it was something small, but Elijah knew he had prayed until something happened. Sometimes our "defining moments” are difficult, harsh, and hurtful; sometimes, our "defining moments" are easy, pleasant, and peaceful; but, "Through It All,” Andrae Crouch tell us "we learn to trust in Jesus, we learn to trust in God, we learn to depend upon his Word!" Defining moments are designed to let us know where our hearts are; they are aimed at letting us know where our faith lies! Each defining moment, is also a "deciding moment!” Almighty God is asking us, "Where will we place our faith?”  Are we willing to serve the Lord no matter what?  Friends, it is in these "deciding moments" that we must make a choice that we alone can demonstrate these truths; Greater is He that is and the Lord Omnipotent reigns in Canada!

“Going Again!”

Executive Director, CIP

FROM THE TRENCH:

Dear Friends,

It’s a great day to be dead to the flesh but alive in Christ!

Fellow prayer warriors in the trench, January has been a challenging month of growth for me, complete with lots of Vitamin D(-ying)  and a healthy dose of A(-ffliction)!  I say this with a smile now, but it wasn’t so easy in the process!  I understand more fully now what Jesus meant when he said, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25)

As God continues to test our hearts, He is also maturing us and shining His light on the standard He has called us to live up to.  I spent some time fasting this month, as I know many of you did, and the Holy Spirit spoke something very clearly to me through a fellow servant.  He said, “Karen, you’ve been convicted, but now it’s time you have to be convinced.”  I realized that there are many times I have thought, “I really should or shouldn’t do this” or “That’s not God’s character,” but I’ve ignored it and chosen to respond my own way.  I’ve not been convinced of the importance and necessity of walking in obedience to Almighty God in ALL things, and believing His character and what He says at ALL times.  The fact that I did not ‘feel’ guilty or experience negative consequences, or hear a loud voice from God saying “DON’T”, has led me at times to decide that I can just do what I choose, or allow myself to accept the way things appear in the natural as reality instead of standing on what I know to be true, even if I can’t see it or feel it.

So what does it take to be convinced?  “The greatest of these is love.” I have discovered that my greatest desire and my greatest motivator is LOVE.  And I believe that goes for all of us, whether or not we admit it.  It was Paul who said, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)  John said, “We love Him because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)  For me, when I am not convinced of the LOVE of Christ and my FAITH is wavering in that area, my confidence takes a nose dive and I get emotional, confused, and just plain frustrated!  Then HOPE runs out the cracks – I get leaky!  I feel like even my reservoir – my emergency tank – is empty; I can’t see the truth and I can’t hear from God.  And, ultimately, I just get plain tired.  But I’m reminded of what God commands us, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)   So, I realize how important faith, hope and love – and especially love – are.  I am discovering even more how vital it is to stay in the word and be convinced that what Jesus said is true.  We have to know the love of Christ and cannot waiver in our faith in Him that He will do what He said He would do.

In this season when the enemy is coming hard after the people of God and trying to make us weary in well doing, we can’t let our faith fail us.  We can’t forget the un-ending, unconditional, joyful, freeing, overwhelming love of God towards us.  We have to be convinced!   The first step is to humble ourselves and make the choice to afflict ourselves (die to our flesh and obey God).  But the second and most beautiful step is to spend time in the presence of the Lord. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before” (Acts 3:19-20).  I don’t know about you, but I want the Lord to send Jesus to meet me as I spend time in His presence!  So let me encourage you – don’t forget your intimacy!  Don’t forget your refuge and your source of strength!  Don’t forget to just be with Him; ceasing from your labours, your rushing, your striving, and just seeking and enjoying Him.  How can we experience the fullness of someone’s love for us if we never take the time to spend with them and receive it?

Friends, we already know what we need to do.  But now is the test of our hearts to see if we will continue to do it even when the enemy tries everything he can to throw us off track and convince us not to be convinced!  So this month, let’s discipline our hearts and minds to work continually at being convinced of the truth of Christ and His incomparable love for us.  And let’s take some time to give the same love back to Him. In His presence we will find the love, the peace, the truth, the direction, and the JOY that will be our strength for the journey.  Remember…

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

Convinced by His Love,

Karen Warankie
News Director, CIP

PRAISE REPORTS:

-  Praise God for the safe return of 17 students, a Pastor, and several adult chaperones from a mission trip to Haiti. Though they landed shortly before the horrific earth quake that devastated much of Haiti not one hair on their heads was harmed!  The Slocan Valley, BC youth were inspired to help, giving their spending money away to buy food for the Haitians and helped clean up debris before their return to Canada. Despite their ordeal, many of the students plan on raising the funds to return again. “I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8

-  Give God the glory for favor and provision for Scott Mission in Toronto, ON. One year ago they had a million dollar deficit but today they have a surplus!  God is moving through their worship services and they have witnessed God’s healing and power. A staff member reported that he followed Gods’ leading down an alley way and surprised a man who was assaulting a woman, he chased the man away only suffering a cut on his arm. A 77 year old woman suffering with a broken foot received prayer and amazed her doctors at her speedy recovery. Another woman received prayer for cold symptoms and she reported the symptoms went away.

- Praise God for what the Holy Spirit is doing in the lives of youth at a church in North York. Testimonies are coming in of young people prophesying, having visions and experiencing deliverance. These youth are so on fire for God that they are boldly witnessing their faith in restaurants and on the subways!

-  Give God praise for the awesome things He is doing in Pangnirtung, NU. Youth are now praising God together with their elders. Traditional strongholds are being broken!  God is revealing His glory to the youth with signs and wonders!

- Celebrate with a Messianic congregation in Toronto, ON, that also experienced the Holy Spirit’s presence over their young people. 2 Chronicles 20:17 “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem.” This is the word the Lord gave them!

-  Give God the glory for the 7,000 people that attended the “One Heart” Gathering in Winnipeg, MB. The Lord stirred the hearts of Manitobans from various churches as they came together in unity to gather in His presence. Extra sections had to be opened to accommodate the overflow of people!  God poured out His Spirit and drew the body of Christ together in unity and love.

-  Praise God for the turnout to Ryerson University’s evangelistic campaign called “Something’s Broken”. Over 225 students attended filling the room to over-flowing. Testimonies from non-Christians shared how the message changed their lives!

- Rejoice with what God is doing in Burlington, ON, as reports are coming in of physical healing. A woman who suffered from vertigo in her ear and swollen lymph nodes received prayer and reported immediate healing!

-  Praise Jesus for churches across Canada that took part in Awakening; 21 days of Fasting and experienced a deeper intimacy their Lord and Savior!

- Give God the glory for the many reports of prayer events happening all across Canada. Give God praise for the faithful who are taking up the banner of prayer!

Prayer Driven Evangelism

- Pray for the outreach ministries of “More Than Gold” in Vancouver, BC that will be organizing outreaches at various Olympic sites. Pray for God’s favor that many will be reached with the gospel and revival will break out on Olympic ground!

- Intercede with a gathering on February 19^th – 20^th in Etobicoke, Ontario as they meet for 24 hours of worship, praise and prayer and a seminar on evangelism. Pray that God will raise up labourers for the harvest with boldness of faith and the power of the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel and heal the sick. (Matthew 9:35-38)

Prayer Requests

Prince Edward Island

- Lift in prayer a couple’s seminar called “10 Great Dates” in Charlottetown beginning on February 12^th. Pray for marriages to be rekindled with a divine love for each other.

New Brunswick

-  Lift in prayer The Truth Project, a 12 week bible study in Stellarton that begins in February. Pray for believers that their faith will increase and become firmly grounded in God’s truth. “..the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” (Ephesians 1:18)

-  Intercede with believers as they meet for prayer events in St. Andrews, Petitcodiac, Moncton, and Hillsborough on February 10 – 15^th. Pray for God’s agenda to direct them as they intercede and cry out for their cities.

Nova Scotia

- Lift in pray “Pearls of Wisdom” a women’s gathering in Dartmouth on February 12^th. Pray for the women that they will receive a download of God’s wisdom and discernment.

- Intercede for believers and non-believers who will be attending a 3 day service with a guest speaker on February 20^th – February 22^nd in Dartmouth. Pray for God’s Spirit to lead the service and cry out for hearts to be thirsty for God’s word and hearts will be transformed.

- Pray for believers attending a prayer seminar titled Intercessory Prayer on February 13^th in New Glasgow. Pray that they will receive a greater revelation of the Spirit of God and the power of prayer. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought...” (Romans 8:26)

Newfoundland & Labrador

-  Pray for the various marriages enrichment events that are going on throughout the province on February 12 – 14th. Pray for relationships to be deepened in love, and soaked in forgiveness.

Quebec

-   Pray with believers who are meeting on February 13^th and February 27^th in Westmount for an evening of intense prayer. Cry out for strongholds to be broken over their city. Pray that there will be no divisions in the body of Christ but that the Church will be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1Corintians 1:10)

-  Cry out for the Muslims of Quebec that Jesus will reveal Himself to them through signs and wonders

Ontario

- Pray for the Narrow Road Conference in Toronto on February 12^th – 13^th. Intercede for those attending that they will receive a greater revelation of the narrow road that leads to life. Pray that the speakers will be lead by the Holy Spirit and that the message will go forth unhindered.
- Intercede for a men’s campus ministry at a university in Toronto. Pray that the student’s theological convictions will be deepened in faith and that they will form bonds and relationships with each other as they share their faith. Ask God to give wisdom and direction to the leaders and that they will hear clearly the Holy Spirit’s leading. Pray that the students will have boldness of faith and courage to share Christ with their friends in love and gentleness.

- Please join in prayer with intercessors throughout the Kitchener – Waterloo area on February 13^th for a Day of Prayer for the twin cities. Cry out to God to touch the city in a mighty way and lift up the saints in prayer that they will “…in gentleness, with longsuffering, bear with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2-3)
- Cry out to God for the National Christian Law Student Conference on February 18^th – 21^st in Ottawa. Pray Colossians 3:2 over our future representatives of our legal system that they will “set their minds on things above.” Pray that God will give them a divine perspective and greater discernment of God’s wisdom.
- Pray for “Being Evangelical in a Complex World” a Christian Leaders Conference taking place in Belleville on February 16^th. Cry out to God for the leaders attending that they will be refreshed and rekindled in their faith and filled with a greater anointing of the Holy Spirit.

- Please pray for the teens and youth workers who will be attending “Today’s Teens Conference” in Oakville on February 20^th. Pray that they will receive the training they need to reach a higher level of commitment in serving God and presenting the gospel of Christ.

Manitoba

-  Pray that the fire that was ignited in the hearts of Manitobans who attended the “One Heart” Gathering in Winnipeg will continue in greater measure to burn brightly. Declare and believe that there will be future gatherings and pray for the Lord’s strategies for the leaders. Pray that God will raise up intercessors to lift the banner of prayer and believe for a great awakening across the nation.

-  Lift in prayer a church in Winnipeg, which suffered substantial water damage to their sanctuary. Pray that the two churches that use the facility will find an alternate gathering place. Praise God for how God is drawing the body of Christ together in greater unity.

Pray that the church will receive greater revelation of His love and purpose in their lives as they experience the faithfulness of God.

Saskatchewan

- Pray for the saints in Smeaton that they will “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that they may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power.” (Colossians 1:9-11)

-  Cry out to God for a Youth event in Hepburn called Fixated on February 5 – 7. Pray for the high school aged youth attending that they will fix their eyes on Jesus, and allow Him to be the author and perfecter of their faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

-  Lift in prayer “Make it Count” Youth Quake in Caronport on Feb. 19 – 21. Pray that the youth will experience God’s presence as they press into Him in worship. Cry out to God that they will be lead to repentance and surrender fully to the will of Christ for their lives.

- Intercede for “The Journey Saskatoon” on February 17^th, 2010 that forgiveness will flow and release the First Nation people to forgive the government of Canada for past abuses in residential schools. Pray for the Leaders representing First Nations as they travel coast to coast to promote an official acceptance of Prime Minister Harper’s 2008 forgiveness speech.

Alberta

- Intercede with believers who will be attending Missions Fest Alberta on February 19 – 21^st in Edmonton. Pray that they will receive God’s direction and leading as they submit to serving Him to the nations.

- Lift in prayer One Heart Calgary which will be gathering on February 22^nd. Pray for the pastors, leaders, and intercessors attending that God will bring them together in unity and love for one another as they seek His will and direction in prayer.

- Cry out to God for In Vision Citywide Youth Rally on February 25 - 27 in Edmonton. Pray that the youth will encounter God’s Spirit in a powerful way and be stirred to walk out their faith boldly fully surrendered to Jesus.

- Pray for a Ministers District Conference on February 9^th – 11^th in Banff. Pray that the leaders will be spiritual refreshed and encouraged.

- Cry out to God for marriages to be strengthened at a Marriage Retreat in Canmore on February 5 – February 6^th. Pray for couples to receive clear teaching and tools to help them thrive in their relationship, and allow God to be the head of their marriage.

British Columbia

- Intercede with the Keats Island International Prayer Centre outreach ministry as they prepare outreach efforts during the Winter Olympics from February 12 - 28th in Vancouver. Pray for God’s favor as they plan worship events and prayer opportunities throughout each day and for other. Cry out for the 300,000 plus expected visitors and athletes from all over the world that they will respond to the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Pray that the nations will put their hope in His name. (Matthew 12:21)  Believe and declare for a harvest of souls for the kingdom of God.

- Cry out for Burn 24-7 a global movement of 27 non-stop hours of worship and prayer in Burnaby on February 17^th – February 18^th. Intercede with them as they cry out to Jesus to awaken a hunger for the Lord’s presence in the region and in our nation. Pray for the fire of revival to be stoked and pray for revival to break out as God’s people humble themselves and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways, then will they hear from heaven and God will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

- Please pray for a teaching ministry that will be hosting a teaching school on intercession in B.C. on February 25-27^th. Pray for the word to be anointed of God and that fresh revelation of prayer and teaching will re-kindle prayer for revival and to see a harvest of souls.

Nunavut

- Please pray for ‘It’s Time’ Arctic Ladies Conference in Iqaluit on February 26^th – February 27^th. Cry out for God’s Spirit to be free to flow and minister to the many women attending. Pray that God will fill those who thirst. “…I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water” Isaiah 41:18

North West Territories

-  Cry out for believers that their faith will be strengthened and not be discouraged. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

Yukon Territories

- Pray that the walls of apathy and cynicism will come down so people will see the truth of the gospel. Cry out for the church body that they not grow weary but in due season will reap a harvest. (Galatians 6:10)

Canada

-  Intercede for the First Nation people of Canada. Pray that all the plans of the enemy will be cut off and that God’s plans will succeed. Cry out for a team of first nation representatives travelling from coast to coast speaking on reconciliation to the First Nation people that forgiveness will flow and bring healing to the generations. Pray for hearts to be softened to receive an official government apology which will take place in Ottawa in June. Intercede that they will have success, favor and continual open doors throughout the land.

- Lift in prayer the many Canadian relief organizations that are distributing food and medical supplies for Haiti. Pray God’s protection over the workers and doctors who have responded to this disaster. Ask God to give them wisdom and pray for favor and provision. Declare that Canada will be a healing to the nations. (Revelation 22:2)

- Pray with Unite Canada 2010 24/7/365 a National Prayer initiative that has committed to 24 hour prayer for 365 days for Canada!

- Let us together stand on guard for our nation and believe for God to do incredible things in our country. “Ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.” Zechariah 10:1

- Cry out for this nation for revival. Reports are coming in that people are being stirred by the Holy Spirit to press in to God with a greater fervency in prayer for a great awakening.

Author Henri Nouwen wrote a book called Sabbatical Journeys. He writes about some friends of his who were trapeze artists, called the Flying Roudellas. They told Nouwen that there’s a special relationship between flyer and catcher on the trapeze. The flyer is the one that lets go, and the catcher is the one that catches. As the flyer swings high above the crowd on the trapeze, the moment comes when he must let go. He arcs out into the air. His job is to remain as still as possible and wait for the strong hands of the catcher to pluck him from the air. One of the Flying Roudellas told Nouwen, "The flyer must never try to catch the catcher." The flyer must wait in absolute trust. The catcher will catch him, but he must wait.

Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Army,

I pray that your Christmas was wonderful and that your New Year will be blessed with a renewed Hope and a deeper Commitment to serve our great High Commander and Chief, Jesus Christ.

This First Friday of January 2010, let’s meditate on what “the Fear of the Lord” really means for the spiritual transformation of Canada. In the darkest days of Israel, Almighty God revealed out of obscurity arguably one of the greatest prophets of all times, Elijah the Tishbite, whose name means “God is Jehovah”. Elijah arrived on the landscape in Israel when devotion to the true and living God was at an all time low, and the “Fear of the Lord” was a nostalgic gesture at best. Intercessors, we all know how the first super-bowl of the gods ended. Even with home field advantage, Baal couldn’t win the contest which, on the surface, appeared to be a blow-out; 450 prophets of Baal to one – an over confident country camel-hair-wearing prophet of the unpopular God of Israel. It sounds very similar to modern day Canada and the battle we are engaged in against the occult, secularism, humanism and the New Age! Remember, the prophets of Baal prayed for hours but Elijah’s prayer was brief as recorded in 1 Kings 18:36-37 (NIV): "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." His prayer had sixty words in it, and even if you pray it with long pauses in between, it can still be prayed in under 30 seconds. Fire fell down from heaven and took the offering of the wood, the water, the soil and the stones. It was as if a laser beam had hit the spot and evaporated everything!  The people made a decision on the spot, that the God of Israel was God and not Baal. That very day the prophets of Baal were wiped out.

Now, you say, “Wonderful, I remember the account, but I have been praying for my family, my community, my church and Canada and I see little or no change.”  Praying friends, I empathize with you BUT, like Elijah of old, I hear the Spirit of God saying, as he did in 1 Kings 18:43, “Go Again, Go again in 2010”, and believe God for the results. It took seven times of Elijah’s servant going and looking until he came back with a weather report of seeing a cloud the size of a man’s hand. Elijah didn’t send that servant to look again to see if another cloud came up or even if the cloud had gotten bigger. Instead, he said go tell Ahab to leave quickly because rain is on its way. The scripture goes on to say that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Elijah and he outran the horses and chariots of Ahab back to Jezreel. Wow!  When the rain falls and the Spirit of the Lord has full control, there is no telling what could take place. David, another man of God, reminds us of God’s assurance when he says, “…by your Spirit have I ran through a troop and jumped over a wall.”

I, dear friends, am ready for the rain to fall; I’ve got my ear tuned to heaven and I believe I hear the sound of abundance of rain. Intercessors, the drought is coming to an end. “God, send us the rain!”  Now believe!  To aid you in “Going Again”, CIP has put together a January Prayer Guide with a strong focus on Wisdom and “The Fear of the Lord”. There are 31 proverbs, one for each day, and we encourage you to fast a portion of the month in addition to the First Friday. On your mark get set, “Go Again!”

Prayer warriors, we at Canada In Prayer hold to our pledge to continue to stand on the front line for the spiritual transformation of Canada. Our God is faithful and He has underscored the significant need for our ongoing mission of intercession for every aspect of Canadian society in these vital times. We are confident that Almighty God is never in recession and will continue to be faithful in providing for our needs as we together, “Go Again in 2010”. For each of you who receive our monthly prayer newsletter, use our website, reach out to other intercessors on CIP Facebook, watch CIP on YouTube, and attend our equipping and empowering seminars, we value your continual intercession and financial partnership in this ministry. Please prayerfully reflect on where you will designate your giving, and consider a onetime gift to CIP or monthly support of your voice in Canada as together we battle to protect His dominion from coast to coast to coast!

Again in 2010,

Executive Director, CIP

FROM THE TRENCH:

Dear Friends,

What a mighty God we serve!  He is the God who will give us the victory in 2010 as He has done every year until now. May you prosper even as your soul prospers in this New Year!

I have been hearing the Holy Spirit whisper one specific scripture in my spirit over the last month or two and, as I have continued to seek Him for His wisdom and understanding, He has been making it increasingly clear. As we begin this New Year, all of the encouragement and exhortation I have received from others around me has pointed back to the same thing, Proverbs 17:3:  “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.”

Now, some of you may ask, “What exactly does that mean?”  Great question – I asked the same thing when I first heard it!  And so I have been asking the Lord. And, though there is still more revelation to be received, He has been bringing me to a greater understanding of this scripture as He parallels it with the rest of His word. Proverbs 27:21 (NKJV) says, “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, and a man is valued by what others say of him.” 
 1 Thess. 2:4-6, “On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.”

So what does this say?  To me what is resounding in my spirit is that the flesh and it’s selfish desires must die!  In 2010, God is looking at our hearts. Now before you groan, let me reassure you of the great excitement in this process!  Our Heavenly Father, the Gardener, only prunes the branches so that they will bear MORE FRUIT (John 15:1-2). So, guess what?  It’s harvest time!  Time for abundant life!  Time for His kingdom to come and His will to be done!  The Holy Spirit administers to us the life that comes through Jesus Christ (John 6:33). The Kingdom of God is LIFE. But we cannot have that life without the Holy Spirit, and we cannot receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit if we are living and walking in the flesh. So, where there is flesh still active, the kingdom is being hindered in our lives. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” (Rom. 14:17-18)

If we walk in the flesh and try to please man, when God tests our hearts (yes, I said WHEN not IF), not only will He not find us pleasing, but we will not end up receiving the kind of praise from others that is approved by Him. Like we saw in Proverbs 27:21, one of the ways Almighty God tests us is by what others say of us. Just because men praise us doesn’t mean that we are acceptable to God! Even Satan receives praise from His followers and from the demonic forces that he rules over. There are two types of praise we can receive from men – praise from those who are corrupt and are approving us for walking as they are, and praise from those who see the light and love and kingdom of Christ being reflected in our lives. I don’t know about you, but I would certainly prefer the latter type of praise!  But if we are living for the praise of men, we will receive that same type of praise from that same type of people – those who are living to be approved by the world’s standards rather than Christ’s.

What’s the good news then, fellow prayer warriors?  When we put to death our flesh, walk in the Spirit, and serve Christ’s kingdom, we will receive praise from both God AND men!  Maybe not ALL men, but the men whose praise is acceptable to God. When we live in a way that represents God’s kingdom, we will prove valued by both God and man. Though we may feel like we have been heated in the furnace or melted in the crucible, we will pass the Lord’s testing of our hearts!

So, friends, as we launch into this New Year ahead and heed the charge to “Go it again in 2010”, let’s remember and reflect on those times when we, and many others before us, laid down our flesh for the sake of Christ’s kingdom and for His praise and honor, and the great rewards it yielded for His glory. Let’s prepare ourselves once again for the Lord to test our hearts; let’s give ourselves fully over to Him, showing ourselves approved unto Him. As together we take time to pray through our CIP January Prayer Guide 2010 and walk through the book of Proverbs, let’s ask God for the wisdom to die to our flesh and allow Him to mold our hearts according to His standard, that we might bear much fruit and walk in the abundant life that He has destined not only for us, but for all whom He has called and chosen to come into His kingdom through our prayers and witness, for such a time as this!

For the Praise of God,

News Director, CIP

JANUARY 2010 PRAYER GUIDE

^{STAY THE COURSE, CONTINUE PRAYING, AND DON’T GIVE UP!}

As Paul put it so well…“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

WEEK ONE  -  Continue in Intimacy with God

January 1st (Proverbs 1) Pray for the body of Christ that we will increase in His wisdom and instruction. Cry out for a holy fear of the Lord, and the strength to overcome temptation to sin. Pray for this nation of Canada that they will fear the Lord and seek His counsel and not despise His correction.

January 2nd (Proverbs 2) Intercede for believers that they will treasure the Lord’s commands and incline their ear to wisdom and understanding.

January 3rd (Proverbs 3-5) Pray that mercy and truth will be bound around our necks and that we will trust in God and not lean on the wisdom of man.

WEEK TWO  -  Cleanse your Bride Lord

January 4th (Proverbs 4:4-5) “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.” Pray that we will keep His commands and allow His word to transform our lives, and not turn away from Him.

January 5th (Proverbs 5:12) Cry out for hearts to be fully surrendered to the Lord that will love his instruction and seek His correction.

January 6th (Proverbs 6:16-19) “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an  abomination to Him…” Intercede and repent on behalf of His Church for pride, laziness, perversion, lying, wickedness, gossip, and discord.

January 7th (Proverbs 7:3) “Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” Cry out for God’s people to keep His commandments guard their hearts to stay fully committed to God in love.

January 8th (Proverbs 8:34) “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors.” Pray for the body of Christ to repent of distractions and seek God with a passionate heart dedicated to hearing Him speak.

January 9th (Proverbs 9:10-11) “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For I will multiply your days, and years of life will be added to you.” Give thanks to the Lord for His faithfulness and mercy as He pours wisdom, understanding, and blessings upon those who fear Him.

January 10th (Proverbs 10:12) “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sin.” Pray for God’s love to motivate His children to be a pure reflection of Christ’s love to the world.

WEEK THREE  -  Change our Hearts

January 11th (Proverbs 11:30) “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls are wise.” Pray for the Church to walk in holiness and in doing so; bearing fruit and drawing all men unto God.

January 12th (Proverbs 12:25) “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression. But a good word makes it glad.” Pray that anxiety and depression will be broken off minds and that they will find peace with God.

January 13th (Proverbs 13:12) “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Pray for hope to be restored and lives transformed by God’s love.

January 14th (Proverbs 14:34) “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Cry out for our government and justice system that it will guard and protect the people of Canada with integrity and righteousness.

January 15th (Proverbs 15:13) “A merry heart does the heart good, a word spoken in due season is good”. Repent for critical thinking and grumbling complaints and pray that our hearts and words will reflect His love and joy.

January 16th (Proverbs 16:2) “All a man’s ways seem innocent him, but motives are weighed by the Lord”. Repent for impure motives and actions and cry out for God to establish our thoughts by His righteousness.

January 17th (Proverbs 17:14) “The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.” Pray to God, on behalf of the saints to strengthen their hearts in self-control not allowing offence to stir up strife and unforgiveness.

WEEK FOUR  -  Lead this Nation Lord

January 18th (Proverbs 18:21) “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” Cry out for God to sanctify our thoughts and the words we speak. Pray for believers to speak powerful words of love and edification.

January 19th (Proverbs 19:26) “He who robs his father and drives out his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.” Pray for our youth that they will not be led to rebellious ways or acts of wickedness but desire to serve and please God.

January 20th (Proverbs 20:7) “The righteous man leads a blameless life, blessed are his children after him.” Pray that we will leave a legacy of holy and clean living that will be passed onto our children and our children’s children.

January 21st (Proverbs 21:22) “A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the trusted stronghold.” Cry out for intercessors to stand in the gap for their cities and communities, believing and trusting God to tear strongholds.

January 22nd (Proverbs 22:6) “Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Intercede for parents that they will instill biblical standards and values to their children.

January 23rd (Proverbs 23:17) “Do not let your heart envy sinners. But be zealous for the fear of the lord all the day.” Cry out for the zeal of Lord to consume believers to see God glorified across this nation.

January 24th (Proverbs 24:11) “Rescue those being led a way to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.” Pray for God’s mercy upon this nation, for salvations, and backsliders to come back to the Lord.

WEEK FIVE  -  Let Us Deny Ourselves

January 25th (Proverbs 25:28) “Like a city whose walls are broke down is a man who lacks self-control.” Pray that we will deny ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to guide and control us.

January 26th (Proverbs 26:20) “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.” Cry out to God and allow Him to guard out hearts and bind out tongues from gossip and strife.

January 27th (Proverbs 27:17) “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Pray that we will responsive to God as He uses our relationships to stretch us and shape us into His character.

January 28th (Proverbs 28:13) “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Cry out for the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts of sin and lead us to confession and repentance.

January 29th (Proverbs 29:25) “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Pray that the fear of man will be broken, and that we will walk in fear of the Lord and seeking only to please Him.

January 30th (Proverbs 30:5) “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” Cry out for the lost that they will find God’s promises to be true and that they will run to God for safety and profess Jesus as Lord.

January 31st (Proverbs 31:21) “When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.” Pray for mothers that will teach godly principals to their children and be an influence to others as they place their trust in God.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM CIP!

“O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting Light

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight”

- Lyrics by Rector Phillips Brooks (1835-1903)

Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Army,

“Knock knock. Who’s there? Oh my goodness, it’s you again – Christmas!” Friends, to all of you who labour by day and by night in the house of the One True Living God, and to your families and all those who are dear in your hearts, I declare supernatural blessings during this Christmas season and in 2010!

We all acknowledge that Jesus is the reason for the season. May He lead, steer and watch over all of your paths that He has established in the heavens for the coming year. I am so excited about what Almighty God has in store for each of us in our individual corners of this our great Canadian vineyard. Blessings and favour be unto all the congregation that makes up Canada In Prayer, and may we continue to press in 2010 to see the flames of revival spread from sea to sea to sea, for the glory of Almighty God!

Warriors, please be encouraged as you go into your prayer closets for this last First Friday of 2009, that His will is being done here on earth as it is in heaven. Believe that, beginning in your heart and in your home today, the power of Almighty God is being manifested as it was so miraculously on that night in Bethlehem. With a flint-like determination, let nothing set itself up against His truth! Determine even now, like the Magi before they set out to see the King that was prophesied about so many centuries earlier, that when revival comes in all its power, you and yours will not miss its glorious beginning!

In closing, let me once again thank you all for your hard work and dedication in the trenches. It has been a privilege and an honor to labour with you. A special thank you to those who have sacrificially stood on the wall financially in these trying economic times. Your support means more than words can ever express. It is your prayers and giving that have sustained this work and, by God’s grace, your gifts of love will allow this ministry of prayer to continue to be a clear and legible sound on the trumpet for years to come. May God bless you and keep you, and may He make His face shine upon you during this season of “the Light”!

Celebrating in the Light,

Executive Director, CIP

FROM THE TRENCH:

Dear Friends,

Amidst the world’s clanging chorus of non-offensive “Happy Holidays!” please let me wish you a very big MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Boy does that feel good! I don’t know about you, but in this season of celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who saved the world and changed my life forever, I refuse to be “politically correct”! GLORY to Almighty God for sending His only Son to free me from the bondage of sin and death!

As we look back on a year gone by, I can truly say it has been one of growth, new experiences, and a closer walk with my Best Friend. I get teary even as I’m writing this, because I just want to say a big thank you to my Lord. Father, you’ve been amazing! Jesus, you’ve loved me through it all! Holy Spirit, you’ve worked hard and you’ve done a great job! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Friends, I pray that you too are able to recognize in this season the incredible things that have taken place in your life and around you in this past year that only God could have done. It had to be Him! So let’s be sure to give Him the praise He deserves as we celebrate a holiday that only exists because of His incredible love, power, compassion, mercy, and saving grace. Let’s not ask Him for anything else. Let’s just express to Him, if we can possibly put it into words, how grateful we are and how near and dear to our hearts He truly is. Let’s not miss the opportunity to love Him up as we are reminded of His great love that He has shown us in 2009. We love you, Jesus!

Now, some of you might be calingl me crazy right now, or even looking at me with disgust like King David’s wife Michal when he danced naked before the Lord. But I declare, like David did, that “I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this…!” (2 Samuel 6:21-22)

Fellow prayer warriors, as we move into 2010 the cry of my heart is to give God my ALL – to offer myself fully to be used as an instrument for His glory – no holds barred! No more fear of man, no more self to stand in the way, no more distractions of life or letting fleshly desires become more important than His will. As we close out 2009 and take time over the holidays to rest, reflect, and refuel for a new leg of our journey with Christ, let’s ask God to give us a greater desire to be His servants and His lovers, and to pursue Him with complete abandon. “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Undignified for Him,

Karen Warankie
News Director, CIP

PRAISE REPORTS:

- Praise God for the salvations, and healings that are continuing to take place at Scott Mission in Toronto, ON. Many men have given their lives to the Lord, and 13 street men requested bibles! Reports are coming in of healings, even of cancer! Approximately 100 people attended a DVD showing of the video “From the Ends of the Earth” and many hearts were stirred to respond to the Holy Spirit as they celebrated what He is doing across Canada!

- Celebrate with believers at a church in Toronto who have experienced inner healing and salvations as they meet for prayer and intercession. God, the Great Physician, continues to heal and mend the broken hearted!

- Praise God for the breakthroughs that intercessors and pastors have witnessed as they gathered together to pray in Winnipeg, MB last month. Many were encouraged to continue to press through and cry out, with fervor and passion, for the Lord to revive the province of Manitoba. One believer reported that Manitoba has only sporadic activity of flu attacks reported throughout the province. Give thanks for answered prayer. God is the God of breakthroughs!

- Celebrate the great things that Almighty God did at a National Marriage Conference outside Edmonton, AB. There were several couples in attendance who were considering divorce or separation, but made a decision to stay together! Please pray that God will continue to raise up and train couples to minister in their own churches across Canada, thereby strengthening marriages and families, and the body of Christ.

Prayer Driven Evangelism

- Cry out for a comic book outreach in Calgary, AB, that many homeless will be reached with the gospel. Pray that the message of the hope of Jesus Christ will go forth unhindered and many lives will be saved. Pray that God will provide artists and creative ideas to help share the gospel through this unique project.

- Please pray for Christmas outreaches throughout Winnipeg, MB, that they will impact the province and draw people into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Intercede for the leaders and helpers that they will not grow weary, but that they will draw upon the Lord for strength and press through.

- Lift up in prayer Canada In Prayer’s Facebook page, that it will draw believers together and bring unity in the Spirit. Pray that God will use this tool to further the advancement of the gospel by drawing people to the love of Christ.

Prayer Requests

Prince Edward Island

- Cry out to God for those attending a service with a guest speaker on December 11 - 13, that the body of Christ will be renewed with a fresh anointing and a passion to seek God’s face to bring their communities to Christ.

New Brunswick

- Please pray for the annual performance of the Living Christmas Tree in Moncton on December 2 – 6. Pray for God’s light to shine over the city, drawing those who have never heard the message of Christ to attend and receive Jesus as their Saviour.

Nova Scotia

- Pray for the Christmas concerts and musicals being held in Halifax, Sydney, and across the province, that Christians will have the boldness to invite unbelievers in their communities to the events. Pray that hearts will be receptive to the Holy Spirit and that many will be saved and brought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

- Please agree in prayer with an international student ministry in Halifax that God will bring someone to fill the position of prayer coordinator. Stand in the gap for the students and colleagues, mainly Chinese, that they will hear and receive the message of the gospel. Pray for divine opportunities for the tutors to witness their faith. Pray that God will stir a hunger in these young people for the truth, and that they will thirst after Him (Matthew 5:6). Lift up in prayer the many prayer groups in the area, that God will bring them direction and revelation as they cry out for their community.

- Call upon the Lord and petition Him to train and raise up Christians to listen with a keen ear for the Holy Spirit’s direction, and give them a boldness to share the gospel, as they complete a course called “Perspectives”, which gives guidance for witnessing to different ethnic groups. Cry out that there will many salvations across Nova Scotia, bringing glory to Jesus Christ.

Newfoundland & Labrador

- Pray for the Holy Spirit to draw the lost to the various Christmas outreaches throughout the province. Pray that their hearts will receive the gospel message of Jesus Christ, and that many will find peace, comfort, and joy in knowing the Father. Lift up in prayer a Christmas banquet outreach for single moms on December 8, that generous hearts will sponsor many mothers to attend. Cry out that the Holy Spirit will be free to minister, and to heal and mend hearts.

Quebec

- Cry out for the cities and communities across the province of Quebec. Pray for those that are labouring in these fields, that God will strengthen them. Ask the Lord to send forth more labourers. Intercede that God will stir hearts to seek Him with a passionate heart, and turn from the enticements of the world.

Ontario

- Intercede for an outreach in Hamilton as they prepare to minister to several group homes in the area by providing a complete Christmas dinner on December 9^th. Cry out that the residents will be reached with the power of God’s love and that they will receive Christ into their hearts. Pray for this ministry that God will provide the funds and volunteers they need.

- Intercede for God to move powerfully at the Siege Toronto National Reformation Conference being held in Toronto from December 9^th to 12^th. Pray that those attending will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to rise up and be a generation that will influence society. Pray that God will be glorified at the special banquet on December 9^th, held to honour God with thanksgiving for what He has done across the nation of Canada over the past four years with The Cry.

- Pray for an urban mission in Toronto; agree in pray that they will have a breakthrough in their finances. Cry out to God that they will bear much fruit as the workers abide in Jesus, and that they will be strengthened in body, mind, and spirit as they prepare to minister in many programs this Christmas season. (John 15:5) Pray for the growth of their cultural churches ministering to the Spanish, and Chinese, and also the growth of their “soaking program” to street men.

- Please pray for a new messianic centre being built in Toronto, that they will receive helpers and volunteers as they complete a new building in a Jewish community. Cry out for the light of the Gospel to shine into the community and that the scales from their eyes will be removed so that they will see the true Messiah. Cry out to God that the flow of visitors from the community, coming to view the renovations, will continue, and that the staff will have opportunities to minister by the Holy Spirit.

Manitoba

- Please pray for a gathering of pastors and intercessors as they meet on December 1^st in Winnipeg. Agree in prayer that they will press on and continue to walk in step with the Holy Spirit as they seek His leading and continue to lift up the province, crying out for breakthroughs and to see God glorified.

Saskatchewan

- Pray for God to strengthen the faith of believers in Saskatoon. Ask the Lord to bind discouragement and unbelief, and pray that faith will rise up and they will continue to press in, believing and expecting miracles of healing.

Alberta

- Cry out for God’s will to be done on Dec. 7^th as a court decides on a ruling to allow a street church to feed the homeless on the streets of Calgary. Ask God for His favor so that the plans to continue helping those in need will not be blocked, but that they will bring honor to God. (Psalm 44:3, Proverbs 14:31)

- Call upon the Lord for His mercy upon Alberta, that the number of flu cases of H1N1 will decrease. Believe in pray, with confidence, that as we approach God and ask according to His will, He will hear us. (1 John 5:14-15)

British Columbia

- Stand in the gap and intercede for the city of Nanaimo; declare that God’s light will shine through the darkness that is keeping some in bondage to drugs and occult activities (John 1:5). Pray for youth, that they will be delivered and choose life over death. Cry out for the lost, that they will find the way, the truth and the life in Jesus Christ, and that the things of this world will not entice them any longer. Pray for the body of Christ, that they will be led by the Holy Spirit to minister and preach the gospel to the lost and hurting.

Nunavut

- Cry out to God that the stronghold of suicide will be broken over the community of Pangnirtung. Intercede with believers as they gather together for prayer, that God will hear their prayers and answer their cry to deliver these young people from bondages and help them find freedom in Jesus Christ. Pray for the workers to be strengthened in their faith and not grow weary in doing good. (Galatians 6:9)

- Pray for families in Nunavut, that they will obey God’s commandments, love God, and earnestly seek Him with all their heart and all their soul. (Deuteronomy 11:13)

North West Territories

- Stand in the gap for the community of Fort Good Hope, that God will tear down strongholds of alcohol, drugs, and suicide. Cry out for those suffering relationship breakups, that they will find the hope to carry on. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help the body of Christ utilize the tools He’s given them to reach out and help those in need.

Yukon Territories

- Lift in prayer the communities across the Yukon. Pray for a hunger and a thirst for God’s word of truth. Cry out that God will send forth His servants to reach those in isolated areas. Pray for signs and wonders and powerful encounters with the Holy Spirit that will shake off unbelief and despair and turn people to Christ.

Canada

- Cry out to God that, in His mercy, He will deliver those considering suicide and those who are victims of abuse during the Christmas season. Pray that in their suffering they will find comfort and peace in Jesus, and be delivered from loneliness.

- Pray for the many Christmas services and performances across the nation, that they will draw multitudes to seek the deeper spiritual meaning of Christmas.

- Intercede that Jesus Christ will be glorified this Christmas throughout our nation.

- Cry out that people will be discontented with the superficiality of the world’s interpretation of Christmas, and seek the Truth.

"You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed." - John Bunyon

A businessman moved into a small town that prided itself on being a "dry" community.He decided to open a bar. He went through all the proper channels and got it ready to open. Then the church gathered together to pray that the Lord would not let this bar open. One day before the drinking hole was about to open, while the church was at prayer, a violent storm arose, and lightening struck the bar burning it to the ground.The businessman sued the church. The church hired a lawyer to argue they had nothing to do with it. After reviewing the case the judge made a preliminary statement, "Whatever the outcome of this case is, one thing has been established very clearly.The bar owner believes that prayer works. The church doesn’t."

Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Army,

This month, we once again pause and remember the price that was paid and is being paid for the enormous freedoms that we experience in this great nation of ours today. On this “Remembrance” First Friday, let us reflect on the Canadian heroes of the Great War, World War II, and the many other wars which have paved the road to the war inIraq, and the war that is now being fought in Afghanistan.

Soldiers in the past, as well as today, who were stationed in far away battlefields, were faithful in their generation, but there was not a day when their hearts were not turned homeward bound. Friends, this is also true of you who have been called to intercede. God has placed us here for a brief deployment, and on our watch we serve the purposes of the government of the kingdom of heaven here in Canada, so that Christ’s kingdom will come and His will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Like all of the generations before us, we must remember our mission as stated in Ezekiel 22:30: “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.”

For many of us, it is not that we have abandoned this mission, but we have forgotten the rules of engagement. However, Jesus has not. In Mark 3:14-15, we are reminded, "He appointed twelve - designating them apostles - that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons." In this powerful verse, Jesus gives His disciples authority and power over demons. But now we discover in a short period of time, in chapter 9:14-29, these same disciples arguing with the scribes instead of performing miracles.

What happened? The nine couldn’t do what Jesus had given them authority to do. The scribes began to argue, looking for ways to discredit Jesus.  Ever have that happen to you? The world is watching us to see if we will make similar mistakes. The church is watching us to see if we, like the disciples, will be accused by Jesus of being an “unbelieving generation”.

"Unbelieving" indicates a real lack of faith to heal. When they were apart from Jesus, they lost something. "How long shall I stay with you? How long do I have to be around you? What is it going to take before you get it? But Jesus never gave up on them. He wasn’t condemning them. He was teaching them. Jesus goes right to the heart of the dilemma.He returns from the mount of transfiguration and asks the million dollar question? What are you arguing with them about? A man steps out of the crowd and tells Jesus what is going on. My son is demon possessed. It has robbed him of his speech; Throws him on the ground; He foams at the mouth; Gnashes his teeth; He becomes rigid. It had tried to kill the boy by throwing him into water or fire. In other words, “I brought my boy to the Church ‘BUT’ (behold the underlying truth) the Church could do nothing!!!” Wow! When the disciples couldn’t do anything, this man could have gone home with his boy. But he wanted to see Jesus. Similar to Canadians today, I expect the demons were feeling a little emboldened about this time. Verse 20, "When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth." The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus comes that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Look at the compassion Jesus has for humanity. "How long has he been like this?" Apparently, when the man had brought his son to the nine apostles, he was expecting him to be healed. Now he isn’t so sure. "I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." Verse 22, “But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.”

Now we get to the whole point of the matter in Verse 23, "If you can?" Jesus’ emphasis here is not on his power but on the man’s faith. "Everything is possible for him who believes." You must have faith to receive. There is also an emphasis on the disciple’s faith. Faith is an active force in the accomplishment of healing. We all believe that Jesus is the healer. But we don’t see everyone healed. But Jesus said everything is possible for him who believes. "I do believe; help me in my unbelief." Who has never experienced faith mixed with doubt? The good news is that Jesus is our High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses. If we confess our weakness to Him and ask for the faith that is required to accomplish what we ask for, he says in Matthew 17:20, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Even now, intercessors, as your faith has overtaken your fear, before beginning to intercede for the prayer requests this month, stop and confess any unbelief that remains in your heart. Then turn and confess your faith in Jesus – the Author and Finisher of your faith. Now, rise up on His wings and position yourself in the gap, and watch the enemy flee!

Co-labourers, I am confident that you will see miracles, by faith, as you intercede this month. Please let us know here at CIP what you have received personally or have seen happen in the lives around you. Be assured that God is the same yesterday, today and forever!

I Believe,

Brian Warren
Executive Director, CIP

FROM THE TRENCH:

Dear Friends,

This month, as we move beyond Thanksgiving and into the season of Remembrance, remembering those who have died for our country, I believe we also need to be reminded of the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate gift that was given for Canada and for its people – Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection that brought us from death to life. Let us not forget to remember! Yet, in remembering Christ, it is also necessary that we forget about ourselves. And this is often one of our greatest challenges!

During the early part of last month, I went through a very challenging two weeks where Almighty God was “readjusting” and “realigning” me in a lot of areas. To be honest, it felt like I was in the middle of a storm and my instinctive reaction was to run to the safety of my spiritual ‘cave’ – away from all civilization where I could just focus on myself and nurse my wounds! But God showed me in the midst of it that not every storm is bad, and not every storm is the cause of something we have done wrong, or an attack of the enemy. Sometimes God brings storms into our lives to lift us up to the next level in our walk with him and in the purposes He has for our lives. As I believe Job learned, God tests us not to prove us wrong, but to prove us righteous! Yet in the midst of these storms, I know that I’m not the only who is prone to becoming a “cave dweller”!

Many times when we go through challenging seasons, however short or long they are, it just means that God is dealing with a part of our character, or our communication, or our thought patterns, or our perception, so that He can be glorified in our lives. Though it doesn’t often feel like it, sometimes bad situations are actually good situations in disguise! But in order to bring forth the results that God desires from these seasons and allow Him to move us onward, we’ve got to come out of the cave and into the light (John 3:19-21)!

Many of us have become comfortable in our dark caves, but we’re really missing the big picture. Caves are good for a variety of reasons and serve a purpose for a season, but we can’t stay there. The most common thing we see in caves today is the remains of artifacts and dead men’s bones! There is no life in your cave!

So why do so many people – even we as Christians – end up as cave dwellers? Many times we are driven there by fear. The enemy’s greatest weapon is what many of us have referred to as “condemnation”; those lies in our minds that say, “You’ve failed!” and that cause us to end up feeling sick, tired, anxious, and downright horrible about ourselves. But what is this “condemnation” really associated with? The Bible refers to it as PUNISHMENT. And what does the Bible say about punishment? 1 John 4:18: “…fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

So, punishment is connected to fear, and fear is a result of not being made perfect in love. What is love? Jesus who laid down his life for His friends (1 John 3:16). So if it’s love that we need – the love of Jesus – what are we afraid of that keeps us from knowing and walking in that love?

The most common fear that almost every person on the planet either struggles with or has had to overcome is the fear of man. And it is the fear of man that prevents us from knowing true love – God’s perfect love – and keeps us in our cave. The Cave Dwellers Manual, if there were such a thing, would say that a requirement for cave dwelling is to become so focused on yourself that you can no longer see God or anything else around you. So often we get into this place, and then we can’t seem to get out. We lose sight of who God is, causing us to lose our ability to worship. And when we lose our ability worship, we lose our intimacy. When we lose our intimacy, we become isolated and even more fearful. We care more about what others think than about what God says or what His word promises. That’s when we truly become cave dwellers!

So, what is the solution? Let me give you a few tools to get yourself out of the cave and into the light:

1. Pray Hard! 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to, “Pray without ceasing.” God is looking for those who will humble themselves, confess their need of Him, and cry out for His help. We need to pray like everything depends on Him – because it does!
2. Worship Relentlessly! If you’re having trouble remembering who you’re worshiping, meditate on Psalm 103 and be reminded of how great your God is and all that He has done for you. Speak to your soul like David did, and command it to praise God! Praise takes our eyes off of ourselves and puts them on our Almighty Creator. This breaks the yoke of the enemy and lifts us beyond our situation!
3. Stay in Communication! Don’t let the enemy drive you to isolation. He knows that if he can separate you from the body, then he can weaken you much more easily and get you to believe his lies that much quicker. Seek fellowship with other mature believers, and encourage others (Hebrews 10:25; James 5:16) – you’ll be surprised at how quickly your breakthrough comes when you help someone else get theirs!
4. Keep Working! One of the worst things you can do in the midst of the storm is stop. You’ve got to keep forging ahead! The calling hasn’t changed and there is still work to be done. Don’t give up! Instead of letting your situation distract you from your work, let your work distract you from your situation! (Proverbs 24:33-34; 1 Corinthians 4:12)
5. Don’t Forget to Play! (Psalm 16:11) Often we get so focused on our circumstances and trying to fix or solve them that we forget to enjoy the journey. The enemy wants us to believe that we are not worthy to have joy and that we don’t deserve to have fun. But it’s a lie! Instead of sitting on the couch and wallowing in your woes, get out and do something fulfilling. Don’t ignore the problem, but after you’ve prayed about it, leave it in God’s hands and trust Him with it!
6. Rejoice and Remember! Even before you come out of your cave, praise God for rescuing you! Give Him the glory and rejoice in the victory as He brings you out, and then don’t forget where He’s brought you from. Remember what got you there in the first place and remember what it was that got you out, so that you won’t go there again! (Luke 17:11-19)

Friends, you are settlers in the Promised Land, not cave dwellers! You will have seasons in the cave, but don’t stay there. The purpose for the cave is to discover who you really are. God uses these seasons of “visiting” the cave to show us the truth about what is in our hearts, and to help us break free from that and move us into the greater purposes He has for our lives – the spacious land that He desires us to settle in.

Fellow prayer warriors, this month as we remember those who have fought and died for our freedom in this country, let’s make an effort to take our focus off of ourselves, step out of our cave and into the light, and remember our great and mighty God who has fought and died for our freedom in His kingdom. When we finally see the big picture, we’ll realize that Jesus has been in our boat the whole time (Matthew 8:23-26)!

4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

(2 Corinthians 6:4-10)

Out of the Cave and into the Light,

Karen Warankie
News Director, CIP

PRAISE REPORTS:

- We remember those Veteran’s who faithfully served Canada in wars past, and continue to thank God for those who are currently serving our nation overseas. We pray that Almighty God will protect them and watch over their families at this time.

- Praise God for what is taking place at the Scott Mission in Toronto, ON! He has shown Himself faithful to move through the various departments that reach out to the lost in the community, and the results are astounding. There have been over 80 salvations in the past month, including many people from different cultures andreligious backgrounds! Their youth department has seen God’s spirit moving in a mighty way; a Muslim accepted Christ as his savior, a gang member gave his heart to the Lord and an atheist now believes in God! They are also seeing God’s Spirit move in the hearts of many homeless in the morning chapel services, and He is restoring hope to the hopeless and mending hearts! The Spirit of God is restoring men through the arts as well. Praise God for the vision that He is instilling into all of the staff members. Please continue to pray with them that God’s love will transform the hearts and minds of everyone in their region and that they will see revival in their community.

- Rejoice in the Lord with believers from Truro, NS who are thankful that God has shifted their focus off of themselves and on to Christ and His assignment for their church and community. God has been bringing people across their path that need to hear the gospel message of God’s love toward sinners!

- Give glory to God for three major events that took place in Winnipeg, MB last month. There was a powerful display of God’s unity and many experienced His joy and healing at the various events. Believers were equippedon how to reach the lost, and also went deeper in their worship to God.

- Rejoice in the Lord for the new YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base that launched in Steinbach, MB. Many believers from the South Pacific Islands came to impart what has been happening there, here. Praise God that manyChristians are revived and trusting and believing God for breakthrough! Pray that the convergence of the events will continue to have a lasting impact on Manitoba for decades to come.

- Celebrate what God is doing among young people at a local High School in Burlington, ON. He is raising up a generation of students who are willing to pray! Every Monday morning, groups of students participate in prayer walks around their school, and many are excited to see how God is moving. They are seeing positive changes in their classrooms and in other student’s lives as well. The students continue to pray and stand boldly for Him, and now others are beginning to notice their daily efforts!

- Praise God for believers in Pangnirtung, Nunavut that continue to be transparent at church. They have been sharing stories of how God is moving in their lives, and it is encouraging the body of Christ. They report that the Holy Spirit wants to flow in and through them, and He is doing it!

- Praise God for a local church in Ottawa, ON that is having their 5th Water Baptism service in the past 3.5 years.Many people are making public declarations of their faith in Christ Jesus.

- Praise God for believers in Victoria, BC who have seen 21 people come to know the Lord in the past few months, and most of them have been men! They have also reported that miracles are taking place and souls are coming to Jesus for the first time! They are so thankful for His goodness at work in their lives and region. Please pray that God will continue to draw more men from every sector of society into His kingdom for His glory this year.

- Praise God for 2 former Muslims baptized in a local church in Richmond. The testimonies were so amazing that many were touched and encouraged in their faith and stirred to make a commitment to receive Christ and be baptized.

Prayer Driven Evangelism

- Intercede with Focus On The Family’s leadership team as they host their Parenting Simulcast Conference onNovember 14th. Pray that many parents and church leaders will gather together to receive wisdom and practical insights on how to overcome the challenges of parenting in today’s culture.

- Stand in the gap for Global MissionFest that is taking place in Montreal, QU on November 13th – 15th. Cry out the event will assist the Church in Québec to gather in the harvest and celebrate what God is doing.

- Intercede with believers from Smeaton, SK who will be hosting a guest evangelist on November 1 – 4. Pray that all in attendance will experience the power of the Holy Spirit much like in “old-time revival” meetings in the past.Pray that many will come out and hear the good news of Jesus Christ and be saved.

- Please join in prayer with a student ministry at a local university in Toronto, ON. Pray that the Holy Spirit will grant the leadership team wisdom, understanding and the right words to share His truth with non believers. Pray that they will have creative ideas and witty inventions in communicating God’s truth to a dying world.

- Please pray with a local church in Ottawa, ON as they are making preparations with builders to settle a piece of land for their building project. Pray for God’s favour to be with them, that God will supply all their needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. Pray for the harvest, that many will come to know the love of God through the acts of kindness this local church is showing, and be lead to repentance through Christ.

Prayer Requests

Prince Edward Island

- Call on God for the saints across P.E.I. to “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that they may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power” (Colossians 1:9-11)

New Brunswick

- Pray for the many youth attending the Superbowl Youth Rally in Moncton on November 6^th. Cry out to God that the gospel message will go forth unhindered and all unsaved youth will receive Christ as their Savior.

Nova Scotia

- Stand in the gap with believers at a local church in Truro. Agree with them that God’s light will dispel the darkness, and that the Holy Spirit will rise up inside of them and declare the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness and into His glorious light. (1 Peter 2:9) Pray that their focus will be on Christ and His mission.(Matthew 6:33) Pray that God will increase in the lives of believers and that they will decrease.

- Pray for the body of Christ in Nova Scotia that many will shake off the weights that so easily entangle them, and that they will run the race that God has set before them with patient endurance. (Hebrews 12:1) Pray that many will respond to God saying, “Here I am Lord, send me,” and that through their obedience the king of glory will be lifted high and draw many unto Himself.

- Please stand in agreement with believers in the Cumberland, Colchester and Musquodoit Valley area as they head to the polls to vote on November 9^th. Pray that God’s righteousness will prevail and that God’s perfect will to be done in Nova Scotia as it is in heaven.

Newfoundland & Labrador

- Please pray for a Ladies Enrichment Evening in St. John’s on November 10^th. Intercede that many young women will attend and receive Jesus’ love for them. Pray that hearts will be encouraged and enriched and strengthened in faith.

Quebec

- Cry out to God for the Woman Alive Conference happening in Montreal on November 7^th. Pray that God willpour out His Spirit over this conference and that many lives will be changed by His glory.

- Pray for the Extraordinary Women’s Conference taking place in Montreal on November 14^th. Pray that God willbring refreshing to many women, and that His Holy Spirit will speak to them, empower them and surround them with the right people that will help them carry out their callings.

Ontario

- Cry out to God for the Unite In Worship Conference taking place in Toronto on October 31 – November 1. Pray that many believers will be educated, equipped and ready to lead their churches to a deeper revelation of who God is, and that they will take the gospel message to their communities.

- Please continue to lift up students who attend an after school Christian group in Burlington in prayer. Pray thateveryone will continue to experience growth in their personal walk with God, and that revival will spread to others from every background and age group. Pray for wholehearted devotion to God, and that God will continue tostrengthen them in the power of His might. (Ephesians 6:10)

- Please pray for MissionFest’s annual meeting that will be happening in Toronto on November 7^th. Pray thatGod’s Spirit of wisdom will be present as the committee gathers.

- Intercede for the benefit concert with MissionFest that is happening on November 20^th in Toronto. Pray that everyone in attendance will celebrate God’s goodness for the past 15 years of ministry.

- Please pray with believers at a local urban mission in Toronto. Agree with them that they will see the poor healed and the homeless saved. Cry out to God that all of the workers will be filled with the Holy Spirit and that they will have the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace as they continue to make the Kingdom of God their primary concern. Ask God to do a quick work in the lives of many addicts and that the power of God will be poured out to heal many who are wounded. Cry out with them for transformation to take place in many lives for the glory of God, and pray that the joy of the Lord will be their strength in times of suffering, producing much growth and fruit.Intercede for the arts that God’s spirit will rise up with power in the hearts of those involved in the arts to display and proclaim His glory to a lost and dying world around them. Praise God in advance for the truth that He is depositing into hungry hearts, that it will produce a harvest of righteousness in the GTA!

Manitoba

- Stand in the gap and intercede for the city of Winnipeg, declare that God’s light will shine through the darkness and never be extinguished. (John 1:5) Pray that believer’s will unify together, standing strong in the Lord with His mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10) Praise God in advance for His righteousness to increases in their region. Pray that God will grant Christians more boldness, hope, joy, and love as they minister to those in their region. Stand in agreement for a tsunami wave of His Spirit to flow through this province until we see a great harvest come into the kingdom of God for His glory.

- Please pray for pastors and intercessors who will be meeting for prayer on November 3^rd in Winnipeg. Pray thatGod’s Spirit will be poured out over them as they press in to God to see His purposes and plans established inWinnipeg.

- Please pray for the Niverville Prayer Centre (located in Niverville) as many Christians gather together throughout the month to seek God’s face and cry out for His glory to be poured out in hearts, the community and the nation for His glory!

Saskatchewan

- Cry out that God will be glorified through all the events and gatherings that take place at a local church in Smeaton.

Alberta

- Cry out to God for His mercy and grace to cover over Central Alberta. Pray that as believers are walking through aseason of pruning that they will endure to the end and reap a harvest of righteousness for His glory. Pray forbelievers in small communities, that God’s love will compel them to keep running the race that He has set before them. Pray that many will not forsake their times of meeting together, rather, that God’s Spirit will continue to draw them together in unified praise and worship. Pray that the righteous foundations that were laid in the past willcontinue to be built by believers today.

- Cry out to God for believers in Alberta, that they will rise up and be equipped to live out God’s purpose and plan for their lives. Pray that they will hunger after His word and stand on His promises until victory comes! Pray that God’s anointing will help sooth the wounds of the past and enable many to let go and move forward in the mighty name of Jesus. Pray that believers will be hunger for God.

- Cry out to God for many young people, that their eyes will be opened to the truth of who they are, and who’s they are - GOD’S precious children!

- Cry out to God for a Hutterite community in AB, pray that believers will have the opportunity to build relationships with those who do not know the Lord and that the Holy Spirit will continue to reveal the Father’s loveto these people.

British Columbia

- Cry out for God’s will to be done through the various government leaders and workers in British Columbia. Pray that God will strategically place the right people in the different positions to bring forth His righteousness in B.C.

- Pray that the Lord’s river of life will flow through this province, granting His Church wisdom on how to stand and fight for the victory.

- Cry out to God for the “One Voice Conference” that took place in Vancouver last month. Pray that churches will continue to walk in the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and make His Kingdom their primary concern.

- Please pray for Cityscape Prayer Ministries and the National House of Prayer as they prepare to teach, ministerand impart wisdom at their conference on November 12 – 14 in Qualicum Beach. Cry out for those in attendance that they will awaken to what the Holy Spirit is saying to His Church in this hour, and be strengthened andmobilized to gather in the harvest. Pray that many will go to a deeper level of intercession. Lift in prayer a local church in Richmond who has been seeing many muslims come to know the Lord. Pray that He will be strong in the Lord and in power of His might. (Ephesians 6:10) Please cry out that Muslims will come to know the truth that Jesus is Lord and that they will taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8).

Nunavut

- Praise God for believers in Pangnirtung who are going deeper in the walks with the Lord. Pray that they willcontinue to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and love their neighbour as themselves.(Luke 10:27)

- Stand in the gap for believers who are attending healing workshops from now until the middle of November, pray that the Holy Spirit will do a deep work of restoration in the hearts and minds of many in Pangnirtung.

- Cry out to God for many families in Nunavut that the Holy Spirit will bring conviction, correction and love to those who are seeking Him. Pray for the next generation, that they will take a step of faith to trust God with their lives and be amazed at what He will do with individuals who’s hearts are fixed on Him.

North West Territories

- Pray for Christians that the Holy Spirit will bring comfort, courage and peace as they serve the Lord. Pray that their love will abound more and more in knowledge and discernment and their walk in Christ will be sincere and without offence. (Philippians 1:9-10)

Yukon Territories

- Pray for the Yukon with the highest population of atheists and agnostics in Canada that God will send forth missionaries to reach them.

- Cry out to God that intercessors will rise up and ‘cast down their nets’ and believe for a harvest of souls coming to Christ.

Canada

- Intercede for the body of Christ that they will walk in the spirit and keep in step with the spirit. Pray that His Church will be moldable clay in the Potter’s Hands, and that they will remain sensitive to His heart and be willing to step out in faith and confidence in Him as He leads.

- Cry out for the body of Christ that God’s strong love will cover over a multitude of offenses, and that many willkeep no record of wrong. (1 Corinthians 13:5) Pray for God’s healing anointing to minister to those in need, and that many will get a fresh revelation of the great commission “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19 – 20)

- Pray that the Body of Christ in Canada will let go of the past and move forward to what lies ahead, and walk in thestrength and power that God has already given to us through Jesus Christ on the cross.