Making an impact with prayer

1. Take the brake off the south side of city

During October2008, I was driving down King Street towards Longton town that I noticed somethingthat I had seen many times before - 'the railway bridge'. Yes it could do witha good clean up and a new coat of paint and the old tatty advertising sign onit says 'Ferodo" could do with re placing. Ferodo is a company that sells brakes.

It was then as clear as anything that God spoke to me and said "There is a brake over Longton and the south side of the city and I'm calling you to release it!"

As I continue to ask God about this brake he showed me that it was in three areas. Firstly there is a spiritual brake that has been effecting the spiritual growth in Longton and the south side of the city. Secondly, that the brake was also affecting the economics within the area and thirdly, this brake had caused the people in the area to have low aspirations.

Now it's true that God is doing great things in our city of Stoke on Trent today but as I looked at where God is moving today most of it is taking place in the in the north or in the centre of the city. Why are there no strong churches in the south of the city and in Longton?

Looking back in the history of Stoke on Trent there have been many revivals but again these have always happened in the north of the city. For centuries there has been no real powerful move of God in Longton and the south side ofthe city. This vacuum allowed in false religions in, deceiving the people. It was not uncommon for people to declare they are Methodist and at the same time Spiritualist.

It felt like God was saying I have found the church I trust to release the brake. To bring forth the truth of God's word. God spoke to me and the church time and time again giving us clear directions on how to release the brake over Longton and the south side of the city. We were not to attack the false religions but we were to let our lights shine. In the spirit God took me in to a dark room, there were no windows in the room and from under the closed door a small fragment of light tried to creep into the room. God then showed me a candle on a table in the centre of the room. As I lit the candle the darkness just disappeared from the room. As the light became stronger the darkness completely vanished

2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

The eyes of God are and have been on the south of the city and he is looking for those who will be faithful to him.

As we, the church of Jesus Christ, become faithful then theland will change from a desolate place to a fertile land. What do I mean by "land"?

• Regeneration, yes but that's only part of it, infact it's a small part.
  
• People's lives becoming fertile…. that they comeout of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of his beloved son

Deuteronomy 11:13 (NIV) So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to lovethe LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grassin the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

God has promised to send the early and the late rains to refresh the people. We can't make it happen by our skills or hard work but God will respond to those who are faithful to Him.

We want to see the brake taken off across this south side of the city
Where people have been deceived that they would come to the truth.
For the spiritual climate to changing.

2. Prodigals

(Luke 15:11-32) In the story of the prodigal the younger son took his father's inheritance, who could that, be today?

People who once walked close with God but with the pressures of life have slipped away. It could be people who have been hurt by the church or people who have been hurt by church splits. Just stop for a moment and list three people you know like this….

Let us pray and confess the sin of the universal church, the local church, and even our church and pray with the passion and motivation for those who are still struggling.

Pray that the prodigals would have a new spiritual desire.
Pray that Jesus would have compassion on them.
Pray that Jesus would meet them on the way.
Pray that Jesus would call them by name.
Pray that we would be like the father in the story, not the brother, that we would welcome people with arms open wide.
Pray for people who have once known God to return.
Pray for people who have been hurt by church, to come and find healing and restoration

3. Lost for our inheritance

Let's be bold and ask God to give us the lost, those who are totally unchurched.

What is your inheritance?

How many people have you led to Jesus Christ this past year?

4. Young people

No longer desolate but fertile – where children of the promise are found. The Psalmist says Out of the womb of the morning will come your youth like dew.

Pray for young people to come to know God and find a family in the church.
Pray for young people to find a purpose in life

5. Healing

Pray that God would use us all to bring healing to people; physical,emotional, spiritual and mental

6. Law and Order

Give thanks for the decrease in Anti-social Behaviour

Pray for a reduction in domestic Violence

We love God, and serve him with all your heart

Father we come to you and say that we are sorry for not faithfully obeying your commands in the past.

Father as we stand here we repent on behalf for those who have gone before us who have not faithfully loved you whole heartily and served you with all their might.

We call out to you a covenant keeping God and tell you that we will love you with all our hearts with all our minds and with all our body and we declare that we will serve you with all our might.

Father we ask that you would pour out the spring rain on the people of Longton and across this Southside of the city that many people would turn from their wick ways and worship you and you alone.

Father we call upon you to be the light in the darkness, to exposes the hearts of men and women.

Will you please work in the young people to turn them to you and to turn the hearts of the children to their parents?

Father we ask that you will bring an end to crime and the fear of crime and we particularly ask thatthere would be a reduction in domestic violence.

Come Holy Spirit move over the hearts and lives of the people in Longton and open their eyes to see that God has provided for them all they need in his Son Jesus Christ.