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
...