Everything listed under: Intercession

It’s impossible not to live in an atmosphere of intercession for years without it becoming a part of your spiritual DNA. The years I spent at Family of Faith in Shawnee, OK, were instrumental in imparting a heart of intercession for the nations. Sam and Kathy Matthews carry an apostolic and intercessory mantle that is contagious; it permeates every part of the ministries of Family of Faith. With spiritual mentors like the Matthews, how could I not be influenced by a heart of intercession for the nations? When the Lord directed me to start Harvest Fellowship, I knew that one of our mandates would be establishing a house of prayer for all the nations, but we would be called to do more than pray. We would raise up a generation that would go as well.
On December 7, 2011, I went into our morning Chapel at Harvest Fellowship Christian School with only one purpose – to worship Jesus! We had no plan other than that, but one thing was very much on the heart of the Holy Spirit that morning. Seventy years after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, we suddenly found ourselves as a school captivated by a weighty intercession for Japan.
I was suddenly deeply impacted by the fact that 70 years is significant in Scripture. In Daniel 9, Daniel was struck by the fact that the 70 years of desolation during which Judah would serve the King of Babylon was ending. Jeremiah had prophesied this, but he had also prophesied a time of great restoration in Jeremiah 29:10, a time when “…I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you…” Daniel immediately turned His attention to the Lord, seeking Him with prayer and supplications for his nation’s destiny .
Most of those who know me are aware of the years my family spent in Japan and the deep love we have for the Japanese people. It was almost traumatic when Father directed us back to the USA, but now we see more clearly what God is birthing through the ministries of Harvest Fellowship. During the December 7 Chapel, that deep love for Japan overwhelmed us as intercessions for this land rose up with intense fervor. I pray and believe that this love is being imparted to a generation that will go further and run faster than we have at this point!
I continue to hear reports about how much Japan is changing at this moment, perhaps catalyzed by the March 11 disasters and fueled by the prayers and ministries of faithful believers in that nation. I believe 70 years after Pearl Harbor the Lord’s redemptive purposes for Japan are coming forth in great power and promise. I am struck by the reality that God is always working to bring His promises into fulfillment, even when people and nations disobey, fail, or are delayed. He is a God of redemption!
As the church in America, may we not miss this opportunity as those did following the end of World War II when Japan was ripe for the Gospel. May we not miss this opportunity to pray for, sow into and GO to this nation to see Japan become the blessing it is called to be to the earth. I’m in…are you?

The Glory of God manifested in a powerful way in Ardmore December 11 during a BURN preview.  God has strategically been using BURN Ardmore as a means to gather a hungry remnant together to seek His face.  On this evening, David Fritch and the BURN interns from Shawnee, OK joined representatives from several churches in the Ardmore area.  We gathered at Harvest Fellowship to further receive the Father’s heart for what He is doing in the earth through intercessory, prophetic worship.

The BURN interns are a group of young people who have set themselves aside for a period of training in vertical worship.  During a BURN internship they spend every day in intimate worship and intercession, as well as improving their musical skills and practicing practical servanthood.  This particular group will be spending a month in the nation of Israel early next year, ministering to many groups of people.  This was one of their first opportunities to minister together as they led prophetic worship, and it was a blessing to this region.

Earlier that day as I had been praying for the meeting, I had a vision.  I saw what I can only describe as a white blanket descending from heaven, glistening with purity, covering the place.  I knew God was already doing something powerful.  That night God further confirmed what He was doing through our friend Bill Faught.

Bill understands and lives in the reality of seeing God manifest His Presence in order to bring breakthrough and transformation to nations.  As the Preview was about to begin, my phone rang.  I was literally standing in front of the assembled group opening the meeting.  Because it was Bill, I answered my phone and I’m glad I did.

Bill and his wife Lynda were traveling from the Dallas area, driving north on Interstate 35.  As they approached Ardmore, they saw a band or “blanket” of light covering the whole Ardmore region.  This was a confirmation and a great encouragement to us as we began the Preview.  God’s Presence was increasing as a blanket of Glory covered the region.  This was further demonstrated as we worshipped and prayed throughout the next few hours.  It was a life-changing evening! 

All of this confirms to me that as God restores the tabernacle of David in South Central Oklahoma, His promises are becoming reality.  Amos 9:11-12 declares,”…I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair it’s damages; I will raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom.” God is dispossessing the enemy (Edom) as He restores David’s tabernacle. 

Acts 15:17 further states that God will rebuild the tabernacle of David, “…so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things.”  Not only is the enemy dispossessed in our region as this is established, but it will cause people to seek the face of the Lord!

In his book Beyond the Gates of Praise, Bill Faught writes, “The prophetic element of Davidic worship is a ground breaker and constructs a platform for a more powerful release of the Holy Spirit.  Like a gigantic earth-moving machine, it dispossesses and pushes unwanted things out of the way.  Then it prepares to move us to a higher place in God.” 

We must further press into this realm of prophetic worship if we desire God to move us into a higher place.  I’m ready to experience the blanket of His Glorious Presence as it increases and extends throughout this territory!

-Andy Rudd

As someone who has spent more and more time studying revivals and spiritual awakenings of the past, two things become increasingly clear.  First, there is a price to be paid in prayer and intercession to see a true awakening.  Second, it’s completely worth it!

As those who continue to contend for the fire of the Holy Spirit to rapidly spread throughout the nations, we all owe a debt to the great cloud of heavenly witnesses that have gone before us.  Their intercessions and pioneering spirit have brought us to this point in history where we are pressing into a global awakening as Heaven crashes into the earth realm.  Men and women like John Wesley, Aimee Semple McPherson, Charles Finney, George Whitefield, Rees Howells and many others whose names we wouldn’t recognize, have impacted eternity with their lives.  I am continually challenged by the Moravians who took up a 100-year prayer watch of night and day intercession.  The prayers of that company undoubtedly continue to impact the modern prayer, worship and missions movement.

As both a pastor and a BURN director in South Central Oklahoma I often find myself in a unique position.  I have a call to spiritually feed and train the saints as a pastor.  But I also have a mandate from the Lord to mobilize an army of worshippers, psalmists, intercessors and musicians to release a fiery cry for Ardmore, the region, the state and the nations of the earth.  Many pastors and churches don’t see how something like BURN can benefit their church because it isn’t a ‘numbers-driven’ thing.  However, an awakening is probably the best way to grow the Church!  An outpouring in a region will cause the Church as a whole to grow, not just one local church! Therefore, I continue to send out the call for those who will come together once a month for BURN Ardmore as we join together for fiery worship!  We must become people who are Kingdom-minded!

BURN isn’t about a concert or entertainment.  It’s not about one church or ministry.  It’s not even about unity in the Church just for the sake of unity.  It’s about ministering to the Lord in intimate worship.  It’s about seeing an open heaven in our region as 24/7 worship is restored!  I believe we must move past simply praying for a visitation.  I want His Glory to inhabit our city and heal our land! We must join together and contend for breakthrough!