Cancer Healed, Gospel Heard: Let’s Celebrate!

Published: May 10th, 2010

God called, the world responded and the last ten years have been filled with the unceasing prayer of His people. As we approach a significant Birthday for the 24-7 Prayer movement I can’t help reflecting on the encouragements we don’t want to forget…

The smell of candles just blown out reminds me of the dozens of Birthday’s I’ve enjoyed.  When I cast my mind back over the many celebrations I think of the princess castle cake my mother made (quite literally the most beautiful edible thing I had ever seen) and many toasts around the dinner table celebrating a year gone and another to come. I love that even today my siblings and parents make a special effort to travel back to our family home for a noisy, food filled day as we celebrate another year in the life of a member of the Trundle family.

God has given me much to be thankful for.  Each of these little festivals forms a rhythm in my year that reminds me of that simple but important truth.  My family birthday calendar provides annual points of reflection that keep me grateful.

As I read my Bible I can see that the people of God had their own rhythm of gratitude.  Three times a year Israel gathered to celebrate even when it meant travelling for weeks.  Their festivals weren’t Birthdays but times to thank God for liberating them from slavery, for the first fruit of their work and for His provision.  Every aspect of the festivities (the food, dress code and worship) were designed to remind each and every person just how much they had to celebrate…

Within 24-7 Prayer we’ve tried to echo Israel’s festivals with our own rhythm of grateful gatherings.  Throughout the years we’ve chosen a city and travelled to be together (some of us trek thousands of miles) to celebrate all God has done.  As we approach Magnify, the international celebration of the tenth Birthday of 24-7 Prayer, we have more than ever to praise God for.

Casting my mind back over the last decade I don’t have to think hard to remind myself of how the kingdom of God is breaking in across the globe.

I remember reading in amazement an email I received in 2008 from a group of pray-ers in Uganda. This inspiring group was praying 24-1 when God gave many of them the name of an island on Lake Victoria.  They found the island, took a boat there and preached the gospel seeing 50 saved!  From the place of prayer, the Gospel impacted an island and a church was planted among a population with 90% HIV/AIDS infection.  This is one dramatic and inspiring testimony among thousands of how God has propelled us out, fuelled by prayer to introduce people to Jesus.

2009 brought one of the most impacting testimonies of healing that has come out of a 24-7 Prayer Room.  “The power of prayer has truly been shown in the Lord’s response.” Writes one Scottish pray-er. After weeks of 24-7 Prayer her sister underwent an operation to remove a cancerous tumour but only scar tissue was found – the tumour was gone! “This has amazed the surgeon in charge… an expert in his field.  I am humbled beyond belief at the enormity of what has and is happening.”  

As the new decade dawns we are seeing salvation, healing and more on University, College and Seminary campuses across the United States of America. "A Korean international student at Iowa State University got healed of nine years of back pain AND healed of bitter unforgiveness toward the man who hit him—immediately upon meeting Jesus and falling in love with him!"  Campus America, the impossible dream to connect every campus in 24-7 Prayer through the year of 2010, is bearing fruit and impacting the next generation of American leaders, entrepreneurs and more. Read more about how God is using this unprecedented year of prayer on the Campus America website…

These are just three snapshots of how God has moved around the world.  As we enter the second decade of unbroken prayer it’s only accelerating.   Prayer Spaces in schools are springing up, connections are being made with our brothers and sisters in closed nations and churches are uniting around prayer.  

No one person can see the whole picture of what’s God’s doing through 24-7 Prayer.  No one nation knows the whole story.  But as we gather to celebrate and recommit ourselves to Jesus’ commission we do see some of the pieces come together giving us a larger glimpse of the kingdom at work.  

Join us in Edinburgh as we celebrate all the answers to prayer and all the lessons learned.  Join to discuss what God is doing among us.  Join us if you want to inspire your community to greater depth in prayer. At Magnify: 24-7 Prayer’s International Gathering, we’ll be celebrating our liberation through Jesus, the first fruits of the Kingdom and committing ourselves to keep going until all have heard the gospel of Jesus.

Carla Harding champions prayer in the International 24-7 movement.  Hailing from Chichester, England her life was hijacked by God in 1999 during a two hour stint in the first ever 24-7 Prayer Room.   Carla is very happily married to Stephen and loves worshipping, blogging, films, books, friends, food, live music and international adventures.  

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