Beloved Intercessor,
Loving greetings from Conway, Arkansas. Philip and I have excused ourselves from Friday Night Live Worship this week to attend the Josiah Company Convocation with Clay Nash and Dutch Sheets. Don and Catherine James are hosting our normal Friday Night service as this is the third Friday and our younger adults are ministering. Jonathan “Jonaa” Ruiz, an anointed Psalmist from Argentina, will be leading the worship, and Kate Haymes, a commercial pilot and very able teacher of the Word is bringing the message. I encourage you to watch it live or from the archives on our YouTube channel or Facebook page.
Confirmation of the Holy Spirit: As Philip and I have attended two meetings already of this convocation, I’m stunned by the number of scriptures, principles, phrases, and words that the speakers have been using that Philip and I have been studying, discussing, preaching, writing, or saying! It’s very encouraging!
Calling the Men to Intercede! In this morning’s session, Ken Malone shared a dream that culminated in calling forth the men to begin to intercede with travailing prayer. He gratefully acknowledged the women who have carried this burden and have birthed so very much in the spirit, but it’s time for the men to step up as well. In fifty years of being Spirit filled, I can only remember two men who could be depended upon to travail under the burden of the Lord: Karl Ubrig, and Leo Tremblay. Leo went Home to his heavenly reward recently; who will take up his torch?
I acknowledge that at least some of the men who participate in this group, and perhaps others through the years refer to their experiences of travailing, but I haven’t been in a place to hear them myself. It was so very encouraging to see the number of men that came forward to pray for each other and pledge to give themselves to intercession. The women can’t do it by ourselves! We need the men to step up as Moses, Elijah, and Daniel did, interceding for the heart of our Father!
Seven Men in a Barn: Many people have heard of the revival that broke out in the Hebrides Islands in the late 1940s and early 1950s. And many people are aware of the two elderly ladies who had been interceding for some time for a move of God. But fewer know that these ladies had called the local minister to call a group of men to intercede at the same time. They all continued praying two nights a week, the ladies in their cottage, and the men in a barn. After about a month and a half, “one night they were kneeling there in the barn, pleading this promise, ‘I will pour water on him that is thirsty, floods upon the dry ground,’ when one young man, a deacon in the church, got up and read Psalm 24. ‘Who shall ascend the hill of God? Who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands and a pure heart who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity or sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing (not a blessing, but the blessing) of the Lord.’ And then that young man closed his Bible. And looking down at the minister and the other office bearers, he said this—maybe crude words, but perhaps not so crude in our Gaelic language—he said, ‘It seems to me to be so much humbug to be praying as we are praying, to be waiting as we are waiting, if we ourselves are not rightly related to God.’ And then he lifted his two hands—and I’m telling you just as the minister told me it happened—he lifted his two hands and prayed, ‘God, are my hands clean? Is my heart pure?’ But he got no further. That young man fell to his knees and then fell into a trance. Now don’t ask me to explain this because I can’t. He fell into a trance and is now lying on the floor of the barn. And in the words of the minister, at that moment, he and his other office bearers were gripped by the conviction that a God-sent revival must ever be related to holiness, must ever be related to Godliness. Are my hands clean? Is my heart pure? The man that God will trust with revival—that was the conviction.
“When that happened in the barn, the power of God swept into the parish. And an awareness of God gripped the community such as hadn’t been known for over 100 years. An awareness of God—that’s revival, that’s revival. And on the following day, the looms were silent, little work was done on the farms as men and women gave themselves to thinking on eternal things gripped by eternal realities.”
Duncan Campbell was called to minister on the island and God moved powerfully over the course of about three years in answer to their humble, tearful prayers. Duncan Campbell estimated that at least 75% of the population of those islands were thoroughly converted and remained faithful the rest of their lives. God came in unprecedented power when the men added their intercession and repentance to that of the ladies and pulled on Him to fulfil His Word. They would not be denied and continued in intercession until the work was complete! Many of the young people who were saved in that revival went on to be ministers and missionaries in the nations. You can read the full story here!
The Billion Soul Harvest: I have been so burdened that in our joy and glee for souls coming into the Kingdom, that we talk about the prophesied “billion soul harvest” as though that’s all the harvest that there is! Right now it is estimated that about one third of the world’s population is identified as Christian. I don’t know if Heaven’s records agree with that number or not, but for the sake of discussion, let’s consider it true. If you add one billion to that number, we are still talking about just a little over 45%.
I believe that “the billion soul harvest” that is beginning now is primarily young people who will be the main harvesters in the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit on ALL FLESH! And if your eschatology doesn’t include the Outpouring, I think you are missing something important. Don’t be so ready to be raptured (and I DO BELIEVE IN THE RAPTURE) that you are willing to let more than 3.5 billion souls go to Hell when our Father is not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He’s looking for a Bride without spot or wrinkle for His Son. I don’t think we have achieved that goal yet, or we would be gone! And I believe that we have yet to purge some spots and wrinkles of selfishness, accusation, contention, pride, covetousness, etc. Are we asking, “Oh God, are my hands clean?” Are we staying in His Presence long enough to hear His answer?
As His Spirit draws us deeper into His Presence, the washing of the water of the Word, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and the love of God will melt the hardness of our hearts and break down the dividing walls that keep us separated. The devil will not stand a chance to hinder us from fulfilling our call and destiny when we are soft and pliable clay in the Master Potter’s hands.
Hidden for Such a Time as This: The last time Rona Spiropoulos was with us, she gave me a bronze-colored necklace with a pendant that says, “For such a time as THIS.” It’s written as though by a typewriter of bygone days, and looks a bit old-fashioned. I immediately liked it, but had nothing to wear it with until recently (I love Dillards’ 65% off sales!).
In these years since Sister Gwen’s passing, I have pondered how I really fit into the grand scheme of things, and as I shared in the last prayer letter, I have felt like I’d been “benched.” I realize that many of us feel that God has given us things to do and we have been held back and hindered by the enemy of our souls who is trying to keep us from fulfilling the purpose of our birth. But recently, I have felt rather that the Lord has had us in reserve—hidden as “secret weapons” for His purposes yet to be revealed.
For many years I thought that the name “Esther” was connected to the pagan goddess Ishtar, and as such, it wasn’t such a wonderful name to use. Mordechai changed Hadassah’s name to hide her identity as she entered the beauty contest to become Ahasuerus’ queen. However, I know that our Father loves to use double meanings and word play in scripture. Of course to the Babylonians, that’s what it meant, and so they would assume that she was a worshipper of their goddess. However, in Hebrew, the name means “Hidden,” and that’s what she was! She remained hidden until God sprang the trap on Haman that completely shifted the future of her people. One day Haman built a gallows on which to hang Mordechai, and the next day Haman was hung there himself. One day the Jews are scheduled for genocide, and then that day is transformed into their day of deliverance by destroying their enemies! This transformation came because of the obedience of a hidden one who quietly remained obediently concealed until the strategic moment of her revealing.
Take heart, beloved hidden one! The day of your revealing is at hand. Our Father has had you in preparation and training, being soaked in the oils of His Holy Spirit to transform your fragrance to bring pleasure to the King! He has been wooing you in His banqueting house under His banner of love, preparing to reveal you to intercede on behalf of your people, to bring them to salvation!
Fasting for Israel: In case you haven’t already heard, the Lord has put it on the heart of Mike Bickle, founder of the International House of Prayer (IHOPKC), to call for one million intercessors to pray and fast (as they are able) for Israel and Jerusalem, May 7-28, 2023.
From their website: “Join over 1 million believers who will engage in prayer for Israel for at least one hour a day for 21 days (May 7-28) for the increase of God’s salvation promises and plans for Jerusalem and Israel. Some will pray alone and others will pray with 2 or more (Mt. 18:20)—virtually or in-person—in their home, office, dorm, or at their church, etc…. This will be the first time in history that far more than 1 million will continue 24 hours a day for 21 days in praying for God’s promises for Israel. The uniqueness of this prayer initiative is itself a sign of the times and an acceleration of God’s ‘set time for a generation yet to be created’ to engage together in His purposes for Israel (Ps. 102:13, 18).” Brief explanation on YouTube Website and here is more info: https://isaiah62fast.com/
Ask the Lord how He would have you engage in this historic kairos time. Your hidden intercession can be the prayer that tips the bowls for the Outpouring on Israel and the Jewish people worldwide.
Mark Your Calendar! The Global Outpouring Convention 2023 is scheduled for Tuesday, July 4-Friday, July 7 at the Glory Tabernacle! Speakers include Tony Kemp, Etienne Blom, Claren McQueen, and me. As the Glory continues to increase in the Earth, so will the intensity of the Outpouring on our conventions. We have seen the Glory increase through the years and fully expect this one to be exceedingly glorious!
Youth and Young Adults Retreat Returns! During the last three years we felt to stop having our Youth Retreats, but with the Outpouring on the youth having begun, we are delighted to report that the plans are in the works to hold our first “new season” retreat August 9-12. More details will be coming, so pray with us for it to be all that our Father has in mind and that everyone He wants to be there will be able to come.
School of the Supernatural—Translation by Faith, September 4-9, 2023: Bruce and Reshma Allen, and Michael and Gordana Van Vlymen will be with us once again to bring a very clear, scripture-based teaching about some of the supernatural signs, wonders, and miracles that we should be expecting as we yield ourselves fully to the Lord in loving obedience to Him. Translation by faith is not only biblical, but it has been seen in every generation among obedient, Holy Spirit-filled people. It has only been deemed unusual because so many have been deceived by cessationist doctrine that teaches that the miracles ceased when the original apostles went to their heavenly reward. It will shortly become the norm as the Glory of God increases on the Earth. You need to know the scriptural validity of this experience and how to discern between the truth and the counterfeit. Come for this school and learn! The cost is $550, which includes tuition for six days of classes, seven nights’ accommodations, and all your meals. Click here for more information.
We Are SOOO Grateful! Thank you so much to each one who is standing with us in prayer and giving as the Lord leads you. We so appreciate your cooperation with the Holy Spirit as we work together for His Kingdom purposes!
Your handmaiden and servant,
Sharon and Philip