NIGHTWATCH FOR EUROPE week beginning Sunday 21st October 2007
‘Could you not watch with me for one hour?’ (Mtt26: 40)
WELCOME TO THE NIGHT WATCH FOR EUROPE
We begin with an apology to those of you who received more than one copy of last week’s guidelines. Sending from Sri Lanka where I was last week had its challenges! This week we will concentrate prayer on the forthcoming Polish elections this Sunday October 21st and the aftermath. We will also pray over the report from the European Union of Prayer’s recent meeting in Lisbon.
Any of you who live within reach of the Alsace region might be interested to know that the whole Nightwatch team will be in Guebwiler for the weekend of November 9 -11th, a weekend that coincides with the one remaining year of this watch. Details from david@leighweb.com
If you know of anyone who would also like to receive this night watch prayer bulletin each week, they can subscribe by going to www.passion.org.uk/announcemail and submitting their details on the web form. Alternatively they can email us at admin@passion.org.uk
IF YOU ARE A REGULAR YOU CAN SKIP THE NEXT 2 PARAGRAPHS
If you are receiving this material unexpectedly it is because someone has suggested that you may be interested to join in. If you do not want to keep receiving it please inform us immediately and we will stop sending it to you. We want to let those of you who are newcomers know that we are very pleased to have your partnership in this watch. We are simply asking for a commitment of an hour a week some time between 9pm and 6am whatever time zone you are in.
We will send you a brief outline for prayer each week according to the prophetic direction coming from the contemporary prophetic movement in Europe. You will not always agree with everything in the watch material. Go with what you can and trust the Lord to help you with the rest. This Nightwatch began in November 2003 and we are looking to carry on for one more year, while realising that some can’t commit right now for as long as that, we are pleased for you to enlist for as long as you can. If you have to miss an occasional watch it’s OK as the rest of us will carry it. A six-month commitment is probably a good start.
THE CONTENT OF THE WATCH FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING SUNDAY 21st OCTOBER 2007
1. PLEASE PRAY INTO THE FOLLOWING THREE REQUESTS FOR PRAYER FOR THE POLISH ELECTIONS THIS SUNDAY OCTOBER 21ST
a) Ryszard Wójciak, a regular watcher from Poland requests our prayer (10 minutes):
“We ask you to include in the next Nightwatch material the election of the 21st October in Poland. In our country, most of the people don't need a Prime Minister of Saul's character and individuality that destroys the rivals to his position; we need a Prime Minister with David's character. We want to pray for the Lord to cover this election with his hand and to direct people how to vote.” (10 minutes)
b) Pray into the following comments from Bogdan Olechnowicz, a pastor in the West of Poland (10 minutes):
“We have very important elections this coming Sunday. The last two years were the most difficult for our nation after 1989 since the fall of communism. I felt at times as we were on the edge of civil war on one hand on the other I knew it would finally lead to a time of cleansing and a breakthrough. Last week I have met with the leader of the opposition party, Mr. Tusk who may become our next Prime Minister. He is a man that has David’s heart. God has placed his hand on this man. Please pray against the spirit of confusion, and accusation in the minds of people. Pray also for good attendance at the elections. The attendance may be the major factor in who is going to win. Polish people are really tired with this present government and it is hard to imagine that the same people will run the nation any longer. I am rather optimistic but we are very seriously praying and fasting for this election.”
c) John Godson is standing as a candidate for parliament and requests prayer as follows (20 minutes):
“For the elections:
* Pray that God will bring change through this election.
* There has been a lot of division and hatred sown by politicians to achieve their political goals. Pray that God will bring healing and peace to Poland.
* Pray that the right candidates, men and women who are God fearing, upright and people of integrity will be chosen. Pray that people will vote for the right individuals and not just those who are occupying the highest places on the election lists.
* Pray that the new government will bring far reaching reforms in the society and economy of Poland.
* Pray that God will open people's eyes to the spiritual reality over
Poland.
For me:
There a number of things against me in this election:
* My position on the list (19 out of 20 candidates from my list in my constituency). Usually people vote for the first 3 or 4. These are usually party officials. These positions are occupied by 4 MPs and the 5th position is occupied by the deputy mayor of Lodz.
* The position also determines how much you are allowed to spend on campaign. The first 4 can spend 14,000 USD while I can spend only 460 USD for this campaign (even if I want to spend more, I can't).
Because of the above points, my chance of being elected from a human point of view is minimal. This why I am so excited because, If I get elected it has to be only God.
* Pray that God will make a way and grant me favour in the hearts of people in my constituency.
* Pray that in these last few days before the election God will open more doors in the media (radio, TV, newspapers). I have had a few interviews.
* Pray that God will mobilize the Christians and churches in Poland to take responsibility and not to be passive and resigned about Poland.
Daily, I speak with people on the streets of Lodz and I know God has granted me favour. I also believe that with God's help I will be elected, if not now, sometime in the future. I am also grateful to God for the boldness this is granting to Christians nationwide to rise up and stand up for Jesus.”
2. PRAY INTO THE FOLLOWING REPORT FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION OF PRAYER (10 minutes)
“The EUoP held its 3rd meeting from 9th – 15th September 2007 following on from Strasbourg (Sept 06) and Berlin (March 07) in Carcavelos, Portugal, because Portugal holds the presidency of the EU Council at the moment. According to its four fold issues the meeting had four phases:
(1) To generate a deeper friendship and understanding for each other there was a time of very personal sharing in the beginning;
(2) Then we prayed for the country of Portugal, the president and the ongoing negotiations especially for the reform treaty;
(3) At the end there was an open prayer-evening for members of the
Portuguese Church where members of the EUoP could encourage them to pray for the kings and all in authority, which of course was put into practice immediately afterwards.
(4) In the final session the group took the opportunity to share what God was doing in their countries.
3) FINALLY PLEASE PRAY OVER THE PLANS FOR A STRATEGIC PRAYER EVENT IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM TO BE ORGANISED WITH THE HELP OF GREEK AND AUSTRIAN INTERCESSORS (10 minutes)
Ignace Demaerel writes:
“Maybe you know, maybe you know not, but there have been some e-mails going around about prayer and intercession concerning the EU and Brussels as capital of the EU. Since Brussels is the European capital, it needs European prayer. A brother and prayer leader from Greece, George Markakis, launched the idea in June, and we had some contact about it with several European prayer leaders.
We want to have a first meeting about this on November 4th. Franz Lippi, prayer leader in Austria and South-East-Europe, will have a seminar in Brussels on November 2nd and 3rd, and the day after (Sunday) we will come together with prayer leaders from Brussels, Belgium and abroad to pray and talk together about this subject. Details from ignace.demaerel@scarlet.be”
