That's what I awoke to on the radio alarm this morning.
Madness.
Not literally.
But madness the 80s group.
A bit of a mad song, a song with no words.
Except!
One step beyond.
Lately I've been praying like crazy.
God has laid a massive vision on my heart and Dawn's heart. A vision to create a string of prayer communities or houses of prayer and justice, in cities throughout the world.
I hate having that responsibility sometimes. I have to admit that over the last eleven years I've lost the will to live with the vision at times as we have met brick wall after brick wall.
But!
We've stuck with it.
No matter what.
We have one so far!
Sanctuary 21 is such a move of God.
Thankfully!
So here we are finding we are in a place where we strongly feel we are at a crossroads with the vision.
And just when you think it's all but over and you need to let go of the vision and move on to something else that God may have for you, doors for the vision to move forward start to open.
So as I said, lately I've been praying like crazy.
Much more than I've ever done in my life. I've prayed even when I haven't felt like it. I've prayed even when my faith levels have been low. I've prayed when I feel on fire with God, I've prayed relentlessly.
But I've felt for the last couple of months that I need to focus my prayer towards the vision.
As I believe it is a crucial time on the visions journey.
In fact I humanly feel I owe God at least a last push forward of this dream we have had in our hearts that has shaped our ministry to date.
I know there have been people who have doubted this vision. There have been people who have even tried to knock us off course, (and frankly almost succeeded!) there have been unbelievable highs and desperate lows on this journey.
But we are still hanging on.
It feels a bit like an eleventh hour.
So I was thinking. How do I give it a last push.
I felt deep in my Spirit that I need to hammer the now with specific prayer.
So what I did was I knocked myself up a 'prayer for the vision' template.
In other words an extensive and deeply thought out list of prayer points specifically aimed at pushing this vision through.
Basically for this vision to fly in the Salvation Army, it needs to be caught, blessed and endorsed by key decision makers in the leadership.
So this template I have used to pray every working day for at least a couple of hours.
I've spent hours praying, sometimes having amazing spiritual moments, other times feeling like I'm talking to fresh air.
But I've felt the need to hang in.
To pray against the odds.
To pray no matter what.
I've had to be relentless in doing it. I've had to move appointments out of the way to do it. I've had to sometimes turn down things I love to do.
But I've prayed hard and fast.
Suddenly.
Things have started to shift.
Surprise surprise.
Without going into detail because there is still a long journey ahead, doors have swung open, others have started to catch the Sanctuary 21 vision, key people in the Salvation Army and a process is maybe in sight to get the green light to see our vision develop.
So what am I saying in this blogpost?
This is a fact.
Prayer is vital.
Whatever dreams we have. Whatever vision we hold.
Prayer is the key to see our visions become reality.
Yeah I've done loads of legwork, building networks, relationships, forming approaches to building a praying community at S21 as well as opening our arms to the needy. We've been hospitable to everyone, respectful to other Christian groups, I've overseen building work to the prayer house.
I've done all that.
And that work is vital.
But do you know what?
You know by now what I'm going to say.
Don't you?
All that work, without prayer is meaningless and futile.
Prayer and mission go hand in hand.
Prayer is mission in fact!
It's not just fuel for mission.
It has to be intertwined with everything we do.
Everything!
And as much as I would encourage little prayer groups etc, listen it can't be left up to them either!
We all have to do it.
Even in the dry times.
Even when it seems like too much.
Nothing, and I repeat nothing is as important to the success of the kingdom than prayer.
So why don't we seem to make time.
For prayer?
We seem to able to fit all kinds of other things into our schedules both personally and corporately.
Yeah I know it's hard.
I can vouch for that.
But prayer is a vital work.
And hard work pays off guys.
Prayer should be the first thing any Christian, any church, any Christian community puts into their existence.
Because?
If we aren't talking and listening to God then how are we joining him in his mission to save this world?
How?
Wow.
I'm preaching it today!
So I'll shut up now!
Promise.
But just before I do shut up (for now) I wanted to say this.
If you are struggling with your onward Christian journey. Either with your own walk with God or with a feeling that your dreams and visions aren't really being realized.
Then now is the time to get on your knees.
Now is the time to make yourself do it.
Now is the time get yourself a template.
Write down a prayer template designed to frame up your prayers.
Hit the prayer button in your life.
It's called clinging to God.
I make a bold statement here shaped out of my own experience. I declare that you will open up the pathway God has set for you.
Why?
Because when we pray, we connect with Gods heartbeat.
We become infused with his heartbeat of mission.
We Claim the effectiveness that is borne out of his victory through Jesus on the cross.
So back to madness.
I think prayer puts us in a position that's ahead of anything we dare imagine.
One step beyond!
In prayer we begin to glimpse the green light for go.
Wow.
Blessings today you amazing people.
