Prayer

Dear Friends,

Last weekend I spoke in a vibrant church in the Chicago area which has sent numerous teams to serve with our staff in the Czech Republic. After the service various people I knew came up to greet me, as well as parents whose children had served at our English camps. Towards the end a lady I’d never met introduced herself to me. There was a special earnestness to the grip of her hand and I could tell that she had something important to say.

“You don’t know me,” she began, “but I have prayed for you regularly for the past three years. For some reason God laid your ministry on my heart and has given me a passion for prayer. Because you are far away, I ask the Lord to tell me what specifically to pray for. During the last two months he has been laying three things on my heart.”

Now I was really curious. “What are those three things?” I asked. Without hesitation, she listed them. I shook my head in disbelief as she spoke. Only someone very close could have known the relevance and importance of those specific requests. How had she known what to pray for?

Ephesians tells us that one of the weapons of spiritual warfare is prayer led by the Spirit. “Pray in the Spirit,” Paul urges the reader, “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” He expects that this will take concentration. “With this in mind,” he said, “be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

July is one of the most important months in the entire year for the Josiah Venture team. Right now, all across Eastern Europe, they are sharing Christ with thousands of young people at English camps. Their needs are many and varied. But the Spirit can tell you the most crucial needs for intercession today, giving a sharp focus to your prayers.

Your partnership during this season of harvest means so much to us. Thanks for staying “alert” in prayer!

Grateful for you,

Dave Patty
President, Josiah Venture