Three-wheeled prayer-walk

I believe in my heart that God spoke prophetically through Matthew, a young man, who cannot walk or talk. He was the one who was pushed in his wheelchair on the "Pushover passover prayer-walk".

Matthew had 2 energetic and fit helpers to push him on that day. As we were going up One-Tree-Hill, the front left wheel on the wheelchair just snapped right off. That left us with a decision whether to continue or pull out of the walk. We decided to continue, and it was with extra effort, caution and grace, that we managed to finish the route.

On the day before the race, I asked God to lead me in a direction of prayer for New Zealand. kind of ... a theme for a prayer-walk. the Lord gave me this scripture (the day before the walk) - Isaiah 31 - Destruction is certain for those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their cavalry and chariots instead of looking to the Lord.

The message from this is clear and simple:
New Zealand don't put your trust in your own strength -
Don't put your trust in your academic excellence -
Don't put your trust in your own wealth and financial achievements
Don't put your trust in your chariots ...
the things that take you from A to B

Rather do this one thing:
Put your trust in the Lord ... with all your heart

Then God will pass over New Zealand, and rescue the people.
Then God will hover over New Zealand and protect it.
Then God will defend New Zealand.

Amen

Pushover passover prayer-walk

I am about to embark on a very symbolic prayer-walk. I believe God loves symbolism and in the same way that He uses it often in the bible I am about to reflect some symbolism in an act of worship ... and you can join me in this challenging prayer.

A local church (http://www.tabernacle.org.nz) have organised a run / walk / crawl event through the city for Saturday 15 September. I have volunteered to accompany (and push) a disabled man, Matthew, who is a member of that congregation.

Within the short space of 16km we will be able to cross New Zealand's narrowest neck of land, from the Tasman Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east.

Those of you who have come to know me well enough would, by now, have gathered that this will be a perfect opportunity for a prayer-walk.

Yes, indeed: The "Pushover passover prayer-walk"

As I push Matthew over New Zealand, from one ocean to the other, my declaration will be about the blood of Jesus:
... He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. Exodus 12:23 (NIV)

And that this country will be purified:
1 John 1 (NIV)
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

This prayer-walk will be based on Isaiah 31. Wake up and return to God in all your ways, New Zealand
1 WOE TO those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek and consult the Lord!
...
5 Like birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; He will protect and deliver it, He will pass over and spare and preserve it.
6 Return, O children of Israel, to Him against Whom you have so deeply plunged into revolt.

The challenge in this prayer is to be faithful and pray whole-heartedly.

Lord, make us compassionate in praying this:
And may we all weep as we recieve YOUR compassion for New Zealand
And may YOUR will be done in this country
And may hardened hearts be softened towards YOU
And may strong earth-centered wills be broken into God-centered wills
And may money-lovers become God-lovers
And may there be obedience - servants to YOU, Master
And may new Zealand in full live for YOU, God
And may there be r e v i v a l
amen

End of the line prayer-walk

I travel to work with, among other, the Auckland Western train line.
I get off at the 4th last stop ... BUT
I have often wondered what is at the last train station -
out there in the Waitakere mountain ranges:
out where the Auckland trains turn back ...
out there at the end of the line
... the last stop.

Today I took a journey to this place
where I believe God prompted me to go prayer-walk
and this is how I prayed:

Before I started, while I was praying about this prayer-walk, I felt God speak into my spirit about being connected to the roots.

... grafted into the vine

... getting back to the center of it all - J E S U S

... J E S U S ... J E S U S ... J E S U S ... J E S U S ... J E S U S

Even after many years of being disconnected, There is hope to get grafted back to the roots.
and for New Zealand; praying that there will be a turning from all the busy scheduled church-based activities to the root of it all. the most important, the One who it is all about - J E S U S

As I started this walk, I felt to go into a certain direction and just prayed as I up and over the hills. The main focus of this prayer-walk was that there could be lots of depth historically, and it is not too late to return to the original ways of those who went before the people in the Waitakere mountains. The original ways of (as I believe) God-focused faith and worship.

Oh how I pray that the community of that Waitakere area will come to the source again. just like the legacy that their forefathers left behind - a deep real relationship with the Author and Finisher of our lives. The "Lily of the valley", the "Prince of peace", "Almighty God" . . . Jesus.

I also have the feeling in my heart that this area is marking some kind of boundary, a spiritual boundary laid as foundation by the faithful christians from the past. That boundary is still valid, but needs to be restored. it is possible, because the roots, the foundation has been laid and it can be built upon. Grafted on. So come Waitakere, now is the time to worship. Now is the time to praise the Lord. now is the time for a new secure grafting and building on those old foundations. Now is the time for a new fresh connection with God. And see how he will grow the bride. See how He will make a new tree grow from that old stump.

Trust Him and get re-connected.

And enjoy the fruit which the Holy Spirit will cultivate.

Be encouraged and ... come ... worship Him

And as I walked, praying ... this wonderful memory is so vivid - as I came around a bend, with some trees reaching high over the dusty road ... in that half-shade ... in the tranquility ... I gasped, and wanted to hold my breath when it felt almost He was there in person ... walking next to, almost all around me, almost surrounding me.

Just His presence.
In such a remarkably tangible way. Just a cool breeze away - almost blowing through my bones. Certainly settling deep in my heart.

ohhh Lord God,
This is my prayer for the Waitakere area:
Your manifest presence

Intimate relationship with You

And loving, and experiencing You
in new and exciting ways.

In Jesus' name we ask

amen

This may not have been a "burning bush - experience"
but I sure was walking on "holy ground"

I - i - i - i - i am wa-a-a-alk-ing
on ho-o-o-ly grou-ound

mm mm mm mm mmmmm mmmm
m mmm mmmm mmmmm mmm
m mmm mmm mmmm mm
mmm mmm mmmm
mmm mmm mmmmmmm

(Oh how I am singing in my heart!!)

Sunnyvale Sunrise prayer-walk

This morning I just felt in my heart to get of at the train station before my usual destination, and pray as I walked from there.
As I walked away from Sunnyvale train station on this cold morning, the clouds were starting to display a range of warm orange and red reflections of a spectaculaer sunrise.

This is the first time I walked in this neighbourhood. and I started off praying for direction of what to pray for. As I persisted I got some clear direction, and I started praying for this area, for "personal choices".

I felt to pray for personal choices that are made each day, those choices which shape people's lives, their living conditions, lifestyles, health and physical and spiritual well-being.

Lord Jesus,

I pray that the area where I walked, be filled with
good, honest, reliable and considered choices.

that there will be consideration for
those who will be affected by the choices,

Lord, I ask that the choices which would involve children
and how they are raised, be good choices.

Lord I pray that in times of temptation,
honourable choces will be made -
even when it seems that the honourable choice
may bring hard times.

And when those honourable choices do bring hard times,
Lord I pray that You will honour those choices and
give them outcome from their troubles..

I pray over Sunnyvale this:

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
Psalm 91:9-16 (KJV)

Lord and above all I pray that the people of Sunnyvale will choose
. . . Y O U . . .

Yes Lord I pray that there will be an increased preaching and teaching of Your word
and that people of Sunnyvale will become increasingly aware of You.

And that this will be in a new beginning
of a time of Your presence in the lives
of the people of Sunnyvale
and that from this will follow true worship

Lord let it be sunrise to a new day in YOU
in Sunnyvale

In Your name we ask this,, Lord Jesus

amen

Grace to forgive prayer-walk

On my morning prayer-walk (winter is here - brrr), I was praying for motorists as they were passing by. As usual, this was done in an inconspicuous way. (I am still praying for the 1 million people in New Zealander to be saved.

Since 6 November 2006, I have prayed for 115 157 motorists. (Distance walked: 876 km). I keep combined statistics here: Prayer and adwalks database

It is about 2 months now since the Holy Spirit started prompting me to be sensitive while interceding for motorists, because He would lay on my heart specific things to pray for as specific people would pass by.

Bearing into a light icy wind, as I was walking up a hill, with some vehicles passing by, I was in an instant struck by the words: "grace to forgive".
I realised that, since I was praying in the spirit, it was a prompting of the Holy Spirit to pray that for someone. As I walked along, praying that for the person (only God knows who and why), I realised the profoundness of those words. It is in a way a wonderful blessing to receive the grace to forgive. After all ... I often thank God for His grace by which He forgives me.

Yes, we have been redeemed through his blood, as He forgave our sins ... all in accordance with the riches of His grace.
(as in Ephesians 1:7)

Lord Jesus
I pray that You make us more like You.

I pray for the that person who drove by me today ... I know it was either the silver or red car. As they need the grace to forgive someone in their lives, I thank You now Lord that it was You who first forgave us - through Your grace.

And as we live under Your grace, help us to be gracious to others ... and forgiving.

So Lord I ask that You will just give that person a measure of grace ... boldness in the heart ... to simply forgive

to forgive ... without strings attached

and that a relationship will be restored

And I pray that this will lead to a fresh and new relationship with You too Lord.

Someone who we don't even know, will draw closer to You
because Your Holy Spirit prompted prayer for that person
... because Your love is of such a full measure that You will do what is needed to get your children back in their relationship with You

Ohh ... Grace to forgive ...

... ... ... ...
mmm mm mm mmmm
.. ..... ... ...

Thank You for that Father God
Thank You Holy Spirit
Thank You, thank You Jesus

amen

... I knew from the moment when the car passed me, there would be more than only that motorist who was to be included in this prayer. And I know in my spirit that this prayer was for some who would read these words.

If you are wiping tears from your eyes, be encouraged - I am still praying for you.

Lord give us grace to forgive ...
mmm mm mm mmmm
mmmm mm mm mmmm
mm mm mmm mmmmm ...

Songs from a volcano prayer-walk

It was still dark when I walked to the bus stop for the 2 hour journey to the starting point of today's prayer-walk.

I felt impressed to pray:
"Lord I pray for an open heaven"
I said to the Lord that I didn't understand it, but I prayed it anyways.

Just after I reached the bus stop, the rain started pouring down ...

I feel this is very significant - almost prophetic.

And then I started to sing
"Send your po-o-o-wer
Send your po-o-o-we-e-er
oh Lo-o-o-ord

Send your po-o-o-wer
Send your po-o-o-we-e-er
oh Lo-o-o-ord

Send your po-o-o-wer
oh Lo-o-o-ord my God"
(repeat repeat repeat)

The rain stopped a little while I was in the bus. While traveling, I felt convicted of the sinful state we, as mortal beings are in. And how we need to be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb on a daily basis. That was why it was important for me to just start this prayer-walk in right standing with God.

And then, by grace can I come boldly to the throne to make prayers and petitions, prayer-walks and intercession as a righteous child of God.

"Send your po-o-o-wer
Send your po-o-o-we-e-er

Send your po-o-o-wer
Send your po-o-o-we-e-er

Send your po-o-o-wer
Send your po-o-o-we-e-er

oh Lo-o-o-ord my God"
(repeat repeat repeat)


One Tree Hill

• The Lord prompted in my heart to pray for the many GEMS He has (even though they are hidden within the New Zealand society)
  The many people and ministries which are close to His heart and intimately known to Him.
  
  I pray Lord that You will bring these people who love You and are in intimate relationship with You, into the fullness which You have for them and their ministries. That they be recognised and respected and upheld so they can function in all areas which You have and made ready for them.
  
  
• Oh and then I saw a fig tree ... and I thought - That's interesting, winter isn't even here properly, and the leaves have come out already.
  
  
  
  Matthew 24:32-33 (Amplified Bible)
  32 From the fig tree learn this lesson: as soon as its [a] young shoots become soft and tender and it puts out its leaves, you know [b] of a surety that summer is near.
  33 So also when you see these signs, [m] all taken together, coming to pass, you may know [n] of a surety that He is near, at the very doors.
  
  And my point is ... It is only autumn here in Auckland!!
  
  Joel 2:22-24 (Amplified Bible)
  22 Be not afraid, you wild beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness have sprung up and are green; the tree bears its fruit, and the fig tree and the vine yield their [full] strength.
  23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord, your God; for He gives you the former or early rain in just measure and in righteousness, and He causes to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, as before.
  24 And the [threshing] floors shall be full of grain and the vats shall overflow with juice [of the grape] and oil.
  

One tree hill

• How good and pleasant it is
  when brothers live together in unity!
  Psalm 133:1 (New International Version)
  That was my prayer for the churches in New Zealand as I walked up this volcano.
  
  
  
  
• I felt impressed to pray for a holiness of God to prevail over this area of Auckland. That christians would become more and more holy as they draw closer and closer to God. Because, under the shadow of His wings, there is shelter. Shelter from the storms. And by living under the shadow of His wings, holiness will come.
  
  
• "With ro-y-al robes
  we crown thee King"
  (repeat repeat repeat)
  
  And now in those areas of my life where only I know the thoughts of my heart ...
  
  "With ro-y-al robes
  we crown thee King"
  (repeat repeat repeat)
  
  And now in those areas in my heart where I almost don't let anybody else come in ...
  
  "With ro-y-al robes
  we crown thee King"
  (repeat repeat repeat)
  
  And now in this city ...
  
  "With ro-y-al robes
  we crown thee King"
  (repeat repeat repeat)
  
  In this nation ...
  
  "With ro-y-al robes
  we crown thee King"
  (repeat repeat repeat)
  

Mount Eden

• Again - here the emphasis was on personal holiness.
  A personal right standing before God.
  A personal responsibility to maintain a Godly life
  
  
• "With ro-y-al robes
  I crown thee King"
  (repeat repeat repeat)
  
  Over my relationships ...
  
  "With ro-y-al robes
  we crown thee King"
  (repeat repeat repeat)
  

Auckland domain

• In Outhwaite Park I easily walked the smallest volcano in Auckland.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Here I started thanking God for how good He is
  And for what He is going to do in New Zealand
  
  
  
  On the "Hill of bitter memories" my prayer was that God will bring some notable good memories to this nation. Things that will excite people and draw us closer to Him - because everybody will know He has done it.
  
  
  
  
  
• And under the high rustic trees I reflected on God's goodness. His majestic greatness ...
  
  
  
  
  

Albert park

• On this barely recognisable volcano, I was again impressed to pray for holiness.
  and it soon grew into a song (those of you who know me will know how I love break out singing):
  "Ohh Lord, You are ho-o-o-ly-y-y
  Ho-o-o-ly-y-y
  ...
  Ho-o-o-ly-y-y
  ...
  Ho-o-o-ly-y-y
  
  mmm mm mmmm mmm mmm
  mm mm mmm mmmm mmm
  mmm mmm mmmm mmmmm
  m mmm mmm mmmm mmmm m
  ... ... ... Ho-o-o-ly-y-y"
  
  
• And at the end of this prayer-walk, I enjoyed seeing this - in comparison with our own lives:
  
  
  
  
  
  Trust in the LORD with all your heart
  and lean not on your own understanding
  Proverbs 3:5 (New International Version)
  

Now Lord I pray that You will send Your spiritual rain
in Jesus name
amen

Volcano-crawl prayer-walk

A prayer-walk on the high places ... I will need hinds' feet

"The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet , and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." [Hab 3:19 (KJV)]

Wednesday 23 May will see the sun rise, as it did for many many years, over the 53 volcanic sites in Auckland ... a city so ethnically diverse ... with 181 different ethnic groups.
This day there will be prayer from 5 of those high places ... intercession for the people of New Zealand.

Will you pray too? (Right there at your workplace, as the Holy Spirit reminds you of this prayer-walk ... and as you ask God to lead you in prayer for New Zealand)

On this "Volcano-crawl" prayer-walk I will start from Onehunga Lagoon in the South, climbing up 5 (inactive) volcanoes along the way to Auckland's Viaduct Harbour.

Along the way we find landmarks, significant in its own way for the direction of my prayers:

• One Tree Hill
  This 183 metre volcano has three craters and a lava field that extends to the Manukau foreshore. Starting off from Manukau Harbour and Onehunga Lagoon, I will pass the Onehunga Blockhouse (one of 10 small forts) built in 1860, and a replica of cottages built for military settlers in 1847. One Tree Hill is the largest and most complex volcanic and cone site in the southern hemisphere. It has hundreds of terraces, food store pits, defensive ditches and banks that for centuries supported a population of 5,000 people. Acacia Cottage located in Cornwall Park, built in 1841, is Auckland's oldest wooden house.
  It is also significant to me that we find the Stardome Observatory here.
  
• Mount Eden
  This is the tallest volcano in Auckland (196m). The slopes were once densely populated by Maori that shaped the hills steep scarps, terraces and kumara pits; and also referred to the crater as the food bowl of Mataoho.
  I plan to spend quite some time in prayer and intercession enjoying the 360° views from here.
  
• Auckland Domain
  Here we find 2 smaller "hills". The Auckland Museum is located on the "hill of bitter memories", which mourns the many slain in the 1820s musket wars as well as those who died in the first world war. On this part I will prayer-walk on the 2 small cones- one here and one in the adjacent Outhwaite Park.
  This is a tranquil area with large trees dating from the 1840's - great for long quiet prayer-walking before entering the busy-ness of the city centre
  
• Albert Park
  This green shoulder of the Central Business District, is a small, now barely-recognisable volcano. A Meteorological Observatory is situated at the highest point of the park and has been providing recordings of weather information since 1909. The prayer-walk ends at the ferry terminal that has operated since 1912 on the Viaduct Harbour (formerly the home of Aucklands fishing fleet) just after Customs Street along reclaimed land and the neo classic beautifully restored ex-Chief Post Office building, now home to the city's bus and train terminal.

I am preparing my heart for this prayer-walk in a sensitive way for the Lord to speak before-hand to me some of the things I will be praying for.

Will you also prepare with me and let me know if you have any directions for praying.

I will also take with me a list of prayer requests. If you need someone to stand with you in prayer, please write to me and let me know ... I will take it with me on this prayer-walk.

Now Lord I pray that You prepare our hearts
By the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit

Lord I ask that You will reveal to us the things on Your heart
those things we need to prepare our hearts to pray for

In Jesus' name
amen

lovemore prayerwalk

After yesterday's meeting, I walked back and talked to God about what I felt He means to me as a Father.

At this week's home group meeting we were reflecting on biblical references of how much He actually cares for and loves us.

As I walked praying, I felt:

• Being convicted on how to respond to Father's love for me, and
  
• To seek Him in deeper and wider ways to understand, know and love Him more.

I am awe-struck by His love for me ... but I am not so awe-struck by my love for Him!!
If He then loves me so so so so so so so so so so so much!!! Howcome does my love for Him seem so small?
So tiny compared to His love for me.

He knows me as

• the One who knitted me together in my mother's womb,
  
• the One who knows me outwardly (how many fingers, arms, legs, toes, and even hair)
  
• the One who searches my heart and knows my every thought;

... yet I know so little of Him

Even Moses, who spoke to God face to face asked Him (Ex33:13 AMP) "... show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] ..."

That is how I walked and what I started to pray for.
And here is my prayer; if you feel in any way as I do, pray with me.

Father God, I come into your holy presence now
in boldness I come into Your very throne room
to stand here as Your child ... as Your "artwork - a work of your hands"
... a physical expression of Your love

Lord God, as I discover the ways You love me
and the ways You search into my heart and into my life
- how You have plans for me and
- how You follow me to see how I am getting along in choosing those things you have in mind for me
- how you think about me so so much (countless thoughts - as the sand on the seashore)

Father God as I ponder on these loving caring and compassionate feelings You have for me,
I stand broken before you
broken by the inability of loving You back as much as You love me
I know that through Jesus, I can be victorious
but I stand convicted to respond MORE to Your love

Father, I pray that You will do what You need to do to show me Your way

that You will invade my heart

that You will (gently) break the barriers down
and that You will make me see You in all areas of my life

so that I will see Your way in all of me

Father God
Your love for me is amazing

Help me to love You back
with an amazing love

Help me to think of you - good thoughts - more than the sand I can hold in my hands ...

Help me to get to know You more deeply and intimately

Help me to recognise and understand You more strongly and clearly in ALL areas of my life

I ask this in Jesus' name

amen

Now let's rejoice over Him with singing

Yes even in your heart - in the stillness there, begin to sing.


Father God,
I pray that You give me a song in my heart
...

to honour You
for the love You lavish on me

It is for You
who I sing

mm mmm mmm
mmmm mmm mmm
mmm mmm mmm
...

Paremoremo Psalm-walk

----------------------------
Day 1
----------------------------

God prompted me in 3 different ways over the past week concerning a place called Paremoremo. Last night with the 3rd prompting, I felt a call on my heart to go prayer-walk this place of which I:

• Saw a road-sign only last week and felt drawn to it in some way


• Felt to pray for an Alpha group about their prison ministry concerns ... only to later realize they were to minister at the Paremoremo prison


• Listened to a man telling how they have for years been praying that God would establish a church in their area ... only later to realise he came from Paremoremo

What I am to pray for and what I would find in Paremoremo I did not know. But today, I went out walking to Paremoremo for Day 1 to listen to the Holy Spirit and to tap into God's heart for this area.

Paremoremo - Day one - The hidden place
As I prayed, I felt to pray for Paremoremo as:

• A hidden place


• A place where the rain doesn't hit the ground


• A place of many entrances and few exits


• A place of daily bread

I don't see the full picture yet, but I feel that I have only had some kind of first look into the area, and that there are greater things and revelation to come. I am excited about tomorrow - Day 2 ... I will be walking out there with the Psalms ... The Paremoremo Psalm-walk.

----------------------------
Day 2
----------------------------

Powerful praying from the Psalms

This is how I can sum up the walk of Day 2. I felt in my heart to take my iPod with on this walk. Instead of music, I have on my iPod, the audio bible. So on this walk I prayer-walked while I listened to Psalm 1-41 (Book 1 in the Psalms).

That was quite an experience for me. As I walked and prayed, I had a flow of input from God's word, into my prayers ... and that was a truly powerful experience.

Here are only a few of the highlights of these prayers:

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
Psalm 6:11 (NIV)

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart
Psalm 15:1-2 (NIV)

In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. ... The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded ... He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
Psalm 18:6/13/16 (NIV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
Psalm 19:1-2 (NIV)

For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. [Selah] Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Psalm 32:4-5 (NIV)

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth - he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love
Psalm 33:13-18 (NIV)

These are only a few highlights and I encourage you to read Psalms 1-41 - It will take you an hour and a half. I find it amazing, how it makes my praying more powerful, and how it makes me draw closer to God.

Closer into His presence ... and in His presence is joy.

Ohh what joy!! ... I sing for joy at the works of Your hands, Lord

And I stand in awe of You oh Lord

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100 (NIV)

amen!!

----------------------------
Day 3
----------------------------

What a great way to pray!

Today I walked the 26km roundtrip to and from Paremoremo praying with psalm 42-89 in the background. I really found such depth in those prayers, specially since some of the Psalms deal with issues I have heard about Paremoremo. it is almost like in some way you are being "fed" words for your prayers. It helped with praying more than I would have had words for.

I think this is almost like sitting with an open bible and praying ... only here you are walking under the huge trees; along the busy road, with cars passing; and cows, goats, sheep and horses on the green hills. And then you hear:
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God. (Psalm 42:1)

I must be honest, I started this walk today feeling unmotivated. In fact I can now say my soul felt downcast.
Within the 42 and 43 Psalm the following was repeated 3 times - and this lifted me up:
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
(Psalm 42:5 / Psalm 42:11 / Psalm 43:5 NIV)

And imagine my joy to pray (over an area where people have for years been praying that God would establish a church in their area) Psalm 82

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (Psalm 82 NIV)

And yes, Lord we just pray that You will establish opportunities for fellowship in this area.
I pray Lord that You will work in the hearts of those people who are already in the area, who are strong in You and who are able to host a fellowship in Your presence and honour, to do it Lord.
I pray Lord that it will be for the upliftment of many downcast souls in the Paremoremo.
I pray Lord that many will come to the place where they can truly say:
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere
I ask this in Your name Lord Jesus
Amen

And I sing this psalm over Paremoremo right now Lord:

Love and Truth meet in the street,
Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss!
Truth sprouts green from the ground,
Right Living pours down from the skies!
Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty;
our land responds with Bounty and Blessing.
Right Living strides out before him,
and clears a path for his passage.Psalm 85:10-13 (The Message)
... Selah
... Yeah ... let's pause and think about that !!

----------------------------
Day 4
----------------------------

An awesome, awesome walk through the native forest was how the Paremoremo psalm-walk ended.

All the other days were routed along the main road, but this day, I took the scenic route to return on - and what a blessing. What an experience to just walk in awe and silence among those old trees in the forest. And high, high above; the wind rushing in the treetops.

This day as I set on the last day's walk, I listened to Psalm 90-150.

For this day I am singing this song over myself and over Paremoremo:
Lo-ve-ly are Yo-ur dwel-ling pla-ces ...
and in comes Moses with Psalm 90:
Lord, you have been our dwelling place ...

And I just rejoiced as I prayer-walked this area. For indeed this was powerful praying - I just felt it as I walked, in the area, listening to the Psalms and praying much of it over Paremoremo.

5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.

6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.

7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.

8 They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.

9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding ...
Psalm 111 (NIV)

and may the peace and the love of God be in this place
amen

Thirstday Prayerwalk

My cup runneth over (on a Sunday); but does it last untill Thursday ...

After setting out on a 10 km prayerwalk, I came to a very (very) steep uphill. Once I got to the summit, I felt a barrenness in my heart. I was praying over the area, but I felt as if there was Someone missing ... it was just a small area, but the feeling was strong.

I believe the Holy Spirit was prompting me to sing over that area ...

Holy Spi-rit,
You are wel-co-me i-i-in this p-l-a-c-e

Holy Spi-rit,
You are wel-co-me i-i-in this p-l-a-c-e

Holy Spi-rit,
You are wel-co-me i-i-in this p-l-a-c-e

Holy Spi-rit,
You are wel-co-me i-i-in this p-l-a-c-e

omnipotent Father of mercy and grace
You are wel-co-me i-i-in this p-l-a-c-e

and so it was for the next 6 km - almost an hour of singing that proclamation over the areas I walked through.

As I sang that song, I wondered what happens when people go to church on a Sunday, and they get an overflowing joy and indwelling presence of God; and Monday it starts to get less intense for them ... Tuesday is still less, by Wednesday the are half empty and Thursday is Thirstday ...


Shouldn't we stay in His overflowing presence all week long.

May my lips overflow with praise,
for you teach me your decrees.
Psalm 119:171 (NIV)

Everyone doesn't experience the fullness of this verse in their Monday to Friday life. BUT we can make a difference. Right where you are ... at this moment pray for your neighbourhood. And then pick up the phone and encourage someone ... ask the Holy Spirit to show you WHO ...

Father God,
we just come before You on this day
We realise our brothers and sisters are getting weary in this long week.
and we pray for them now Lord.
Lord, I ask that You will bring to mind those things which You spoke through the pastors and preachers on Sunday.
Lord I pray that You will draw Your people close - by Your Holy Spirit

And Lord
You are welcome in this area.
We just declare this over our neighbourhoods
... You are wel-co-me i-i-in this p-l-a-c-e ...

and Father God please prompt me now who to encourage this day
...
I ask this in Jesus' name
amen


i feel in my heart it is now time to be still before God ...

Stirred and shaken by a prayer-walk

Report-back from the Friendship prayer-walk

I have much to say about this prayer-walk, but let me start by saying this:
North Shore City (Auckland), where I prayer-walked is not lying on any major fault-line, therefore earthquakes in the region are relatively rare.

At daybreak I started walking and praying as I passed and stopped at various churches.

Then something awesome happened ... and for now, I will start off by telling only about that incident. (More about the prayer-walk will follow later.)

In the afternoon, at 16:20 I was walking towards a church which I could see from a distance. I have just crossed over a steep hill, and was going from a populated area into a park-like open valley. I normally take some notes when I am prayer-walking and at that time I made these notes:
"I don't know of a kind of a fault-line in the spirit realm ... but as I came into this valley, it just felt like a dense cloud of depression hanging low over the area. It felt like some kind of tension was holding it together. I can best describe it by saying it felt like a spiritual fault-line ..."

I believe that prayer changes the spirit-realm, and therefore I was praying there right then. I prayed and left it there, continuing my walk.

I finished the prayer-walk as planned at 18:15.

Later in the evening, in our home-group meeting, at around 20:45 we started praying, and as a group we were really having intimate prayer-time with God ... and while we were praying, at 9 pm, an earthquake shook the Auckland region.

The quake (4.5 on the Richter scale) was the largest experienced in Auckland for 37 years.

I was shaken ...

Is this all just coincidence?
* A spiritual fault-line ...
* An earthquake like none in many years ...
* Prayer driven by the Holy Spirit ...

I leave the explaining over to your own interpretation. What do you make of it all?

This is what I believe ... prayer changes things in the spirit-realm. And when we pray, it sets things in motion which we don't even understand.

This day, it is quite possible that God showed us He will shake the world for us, just because of a change in the spirit-realm ...

Friendship prayer-walk

21 February 2007 - North Shore City

I will soon be reaching 100 000 in the "Praying for ONE MILLION to be saved in NZ"!
As an extension of that prayer, I am planning a prayerwalk throughout North Shore City - from Devonport Wharf in the South all the way to Torbay in the North and then round and back down South to end in Northcote.
I plan to start at 0600 from Devonport Wharf and prayerfully walk my way from church to church, praying at each building for 15 minutes, and finally ending at 1800.

(click on the image for a larger map)
Here are the Arrival times:
Start from Devonport Wharf 0600
0615 - Holy Trinity Anglican Church - 20 Church Street
0645 - Edge Church Devonport - 2C Handley Avenue, Narrow Neck
0715 - Belmont Full Gospel Church - 151 Lake Road
0840 - Milford Baptist Church - 3 Dodson Avenue, Milford
0940 - Anglican Church Of St John, 327 Beach Road, Campbells Bay
1100 - Living Word Ministries - Torbay Primary School
1130 - St Marys By The Sea - Torbay, North Shore
1220 - Long Bay Baptist Church - 282 Glenvar Road, Torbay Heights, North Shore
1250 - East Coast Bays Bible Baptist Church - 1092 East Coast Rd
1320 - Jesus First, New Zealand - Medallion Drive, Albany, North Shore
1345 - Northcross Community Church - 826 East Coast Road, Northcross
1405 - City Impact Church - East Coast Road, Northcross
1445 - House Of Prayer For All Nations - 5 Rosedale Road, Albany
1515 - Windsor Park Baptist Church - 550 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay
1555 - New Life Samoan Christian Fellowship - 15 Cabello Place, The Palms
1630 - Reformed Church of North Shore - 74 Trias Road, Glenfield
1710 - Auckland Bethel Community Church - 81 Ellice Road, Wairau Park
1800 - North Shore New Life Centre

I have a limited list of churches which I would love to expand in time; but for now, 18 churches will keep me busy for 12 hours and 15 minutes.

- 18 churches of different denominations
- 12 hours
- 45 kilometers
- 1 prayer for the church, the bride of Christ to be holy and in unity

What a Friend we have in Jesus
... is what I pray over New Zealand, and I have this vision
+ More unity among the "Bride of Christ"
+ A million souls to be saved in New Zealand
+ Revival

The Lord has been reminding me in the past weeks of the song "What a friend we have in Jesus".
In fact I feel burdened to sing it over this wonderful country, and I do as I walk through the streets daily.
... And that is what this prayer-walk is about ... people reaching hands. Across all barriers which may separate us from unity in the love of Christ.

Although this is not a public event, I would welcome any members of all churches to walk (prayerfully stroll) some of the sections with me ... especially between your church and your neighbour's - as we reach out to our church neighbours in prayer (indeed a great blessing).

This is a wonderful opportunity to come and speak blessing into your neighbouring churches and even meet the folks.