With less than 100 days before the commencement of the 2012 London Olympics[1], the movement of prayer in the British Isles and Ireland wish to welcome the rest of the world to join us on the journey. We welcome prayer groups, praying communities, prayer movements, praying churches and praying individuals to join in with us to strengthen our hands in God during the coming months. Above all we are praying for the presence of God to be experienced in unprecedented ways in these island nations.
Key Dates:
Olympic Torch Relay: 19th May-27th July; Olympic Games 27th July-12th August;
Paralympic Torch Run 24th August-29th August; Paralympic Games 29th August-9th September
Background
As a result of a "download" from Heaven in 2005, we believed that it would take seven years of prayer and praise - particularly around the coasts of Scotland, England and Wales - to prepare this nation. So that, when the nations of the world arrive for the Games, we would be in a right place with God and with one another to welcome them and to pray for them to encounter God here. This "download" has been echoed in many ways through similar revelations. Only two weeks afterwards, a young man was the subject of a television interview for having completed a prayer walk of the entire coast of Great Britain. Since then, many others have walked and prayed along their part of the coast, and along rivers. A spiritual "coastguard" has been raised within the Lydia movement. Many prayer centers have been started around our coast also.
In addition, Scripture about the role of the gatekeepers as described in 1 Chronicles chapters 9-23 has been important for us. Gatekeepers were to stand guard at the gates of the temple - north, south, east and west - in order to maintain the temple as a place where people could encounter God. They were to be involved in praise and worship and in prophesying. They were to prepare for the ark of God's presence to be brought back. We have therefore been praying that when the nations come to the UK for the Games, they will come into a nation where they can encounter God - a nation where the presence of God can be experienced. We want to be a blessing to the people from the nations. We want them to be blessed by being here. We know that we actually deserve the judgment of God - but we have been praying repentantly for God to have mercy, forgive our sins and heal our land.
More Than Gold (the charity set up to co-ordinate the Christian response to the Games) has a Prayer Program team amongst the 22 program teams, and has welcomed the whole prayer strategy that has been emerging since 2005. The theme verses for 2012 are Isaiah 60:1-7 and the prayer strategy for 2012 is called 'A Time to Shine'. www.morethangold.org.uk
2012
Year of Prayer This year is being called 'a year of prayer' with many churches, organizations, and prayer ministries being called by the Holy Spirit to mobilize different seasons and initiatives. This is unprecedented here! Information on www.prayerforum.org. Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. This will be celebrated throughout the year but especially from 2-4th June with many nationwide events. The Big Lunch will take place on Sun June 3rd where we are praying for 6 million people to be fed across the nation as the church provides lunch for its community. So in your prayers of blessing on this nation, we humbly ask for her and her family to be included. www.hopetogether.org.uk
The Olympic Torch Relay 19th May-27th July
Many know that the Olympic Torch is lit in Olympia, Greece - at a temple to Zeus. It will arrive in Land's End in Cornwall (the extreme South-West tip of England). It will then go to over 1,000 communities throughout all parts of the British Isles, stopping each night at 70 key towns and cities. Interestingly, about 70% of the overnight stopping points are coastal towns and cities. We believe God knew this before the route was formally planned, and has been preparing the ground through His people.
Favor of God. The first few months of this year has revealed an extraordinary level of favor that God has begun to give us. Here a few of the headlines.
• More Than Gold has been equipping over 3000 churches throughout the country to make the most of this open door to do service, mission and hospitality in a variety of ways. All the main Christian denominations and over 80 organizations are working together.
• The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games (LOCOG) have asked More Than Gold for 1,000 Games pastors - to welcome people as they arrive at ports, airports and stations & to help them locate venues or accommodation.
• With the help of More Than Gold, LOCOG have found the Christian Chaplains who will be available to help with practical and spiritual needs of athletes in the athletes villages.
• The Police have been looking to the church for help in a number of ways as they face huge policing challenges.
• Hundreds of people involved in drama groups are expected from the nations. Various British-based drama teams have been writing and preparing special material.
• Overseas mission teams are currently registering to come to partner with British Christians in faith sharing on the streets and in public squares.
• LOCOG have asked More Than Gold to run the Athlete Family Homestay Program which provides living accommodation for athletes families from overseas.
• The Salvation Army has been awarded the contract to provide water to the athletes in all events. [William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, began his work in the East End of London, not far from the main Olympic site.]• A 70-day cascade of praise and prayer will use the Olympic Torch Relay route to mobilize the movement for prayer and the church to pray blessing over communities. This involves a number of prayer initiatives including a praise bus and a prayer relay between 70 key towns and cities.
• Churches in East London are running 30 days of non-stop prayer and worship 14th July to 12th August.
• Many other churches, home groups, prayer groups, Houses of Prayer across the British Isles will be taking part in what we hope will become a continuous canopy of prayer & praise during both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Key Areas for Prayer:
1. That we as the body of Christ across our nations will grasp the opportunities before us to Arise and Shine and share the good news of Jesus with residents, competitors, visitors, and a watching world. Isaiah 60:1-7
2. That through the praise and prayers of God's people the Olympic Torch will be recalibrated to shine the light of Christ in every community across our nations during the 70-day cascade of prayer and praise.
3. That through the prayer relay of blessing, ditches will indeed be dug in the spirit to prepare the way for the Lord to bless every person and every community. 2 Kings 3:6-20
4. That Christians in the area of the main Olympic venues in the East London will be strengthened and equipped. They have been alert to the opportunities well before the 2012 Olympics were announced and through prayer and action are working hard as they focus on the legacy of the Games for future generations. However, this area is one of the poorest and most deprived in the capital, and the church is arguably the weakest numerically. Yet they are full of enterprise and have been positioning themselves in the community "for such a time as this".
5. Our nation is currently on a very high security alert. Every part of our armed forces and police are being mobilised. Annual leave has been cancelled for them all during this season. Pray for God's mercy and protection for us that the media will not create a culture of fear and that through a safe and peaceful Games, the:
• presence of Jesus will be experienced
• power of the gospel released to be shared
• purposes of God will be fulfilled
Resources
If you would like to pray with us during this season, the More Than Gold website will be uploading daily. Prayer pointers from 14th May are linked to its Facebook and Twitter pages. www.morethangold.org.uk
Current prayer resources are on the prayer pages website.
Brian Mills & Jane Holloway on behalf of Prayer Forum of British Isles & Ireland
World Prayer Centre, Cornerstone House, 5 Ethel Street, Birmingham B2 4BG, UK
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
W: www.worldprayer.org.uk; www.prayerforum.org
April 24, 2012
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[1] London 2012 was awarded to the United Kingdom and there are venues in Scotland, Wales, and in different parts of England as well as in London. The Olympic Torch run will also visit Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland.
