Faith of a Child
I’m writing today from Santa Fe, NM, where the North American Prayer Summit with delegates from Canada, Mexico, and the United States have gathered to pray for these nations and for our continent. Christian leaders from other nations as well—India, Italy, the United Kingdom, and South Africa, as well as leaders from the Navajo Nation have joined us, too. But what has surprised me most are the children.
The children are leading us in prayer! Kids between the ages of 11 to 15 or so (I’m guessing) are the ones who stand up front and lead in intercession for the prayer needs that God is bringing to light. We adults are learning from them. It makes sense, though. We heard from Mexican brothers and sisters how children in that nation are being killed in violence surrounding the drug cartels. How they are being recruited to work as drug dealers. How some of them are being orphaned because their parents are killed in the drug-related violence. The Indian brother shared about the thousands of orphans in India and how God called us to be fathers and mothers to them—not just to feed, clothe, and educate them, but also to teach them how to pray for the world.
Some prayer leaders are calling children around the world the “4-14 Window.” They say that Christians are losing the generation of children between the ages of 4 to 14. Check out the video at www.4to14window.com.
It’s really been moving to see these children (part of a New Mexico children’s prayer movement) lead out—with faith, passion, and tears—for the needs of our three nations that directly impact their generation. I realize how important it is that I pray for these young ones—and whenever possible, disciple them in prayer, too. There’s lots more I could say, but I need to get to the next session. As always, I welcome your thoughts, stories, and questions.
Kingdom-Subduing Prayer
Last week I wrote to you from Santa Fe where the North American Prayer Summit convened to pray for the three nations that make up the North American Continent. Needless to say, we prayed some gigantic prayers. I knew God heard us and would answer—but I didn’t imagine it would be this powerfully and quickly (Oh me of little faith!).
As delegates from various states in Mexico shared their prayer requests last week, they all had one thing in common: All asked us to pray about the drug cartels. Murders, kidnappings, extortion, cities emptying out, children being recruited to drug operations—it’s no surprise that the illegal drug rings in Mexico rise to the top of most Mexican Christian’s prayer lists.
So we prayed. Representatives of three nations—including the child intercessors I told you about last week—prayed that God would bring down the drug operations that were crippling and terrorizing their country.
Today, just one week later, I read that key figures in two of the country’s most powerful drug cartels have been arrested!
As I ponder this incredible answer to prayer, I am reminded of something Brother Andrew (author of God’s Smuggler) said: “The boundaries of evil are expanding every day, and fatalistic apathy is enabling those boundaries to grow because it offers no resistance. But Christians must oppose evil: we were born for battle! Every Christian is a soldier, a “member of the resistance” in God’s army, taking part in spiritual warfare. . . . Will you ‘subdue kingdoms’ through your prayers?”
http://blogs.navpress.com/cynthiabezek/My-Blog
Murray Dodds, Canadian Coordinator of the NAPS
I appreciated the contribution of the internationals who came. They brought a sense of the bigger picture and I felt more of a connection to where North America fits in to the global perspective
- The reconciliation with Matteo Calisi and Mexicans was great to see. Having him there will open doors with the Catholics. Gave us a greater appreciation for them as well.
- It was good to connect with those we had not seen for some time in the North America group.
- I felt something shifted for the USA during prayer time for them. It was hard to get to as so much was at stake.
- We were able to springboard off of the time together to plan an initiative between Canada and Mexico that might not have occurred if we had not met.
- We continued to build on already developed relationships between the three nations.
- We all had a greater appreciation for the moving of the Spirit in prayer and how we need to listen to the voice of the Lord.
- We continue to grow and learn from one another as we intercede for the continent.
I was interested to see on the news just several nights ago how in Canada and the US economic job growth had increased for the first time in three years and in Canada we had our lowest unemployment rate in three years at the end of Sept. I believe this is part of the Lord hearing us and showing results in the economy!
Mexico arrests senior Sinaloa drugs cartel suspect
“Police say Noel Salgueiro Nevarez was taken in a carefully planned operation. Mexican forces have arrested a man they say is a key figure in the country’s most powerful drugs cartel. Noel Salgueiro Nevarez is accused of running Sinaloa cartel’s operations in the northern state of Chihuahua, where drug violence is rampant. Defense officials said his arrest would seriously weaken the cartel in Mexico and abroad.
The arrest was made on the same day as that of Martin Rosales Magana, who is accused of leading the La Familia gang…Defense Ministry spokesman Ricardo Trevilla Trejo said Noel Salgueiro Nevarez was behind much of the extreme violence which has plagued Ciudad Juarez, Mexico’s murder capital. He said the suspect, also known as El Flaco (The Skinny One) led a gang of hitmen who extorted local businessmen, kidnapped for ransom, and tortured and killed members of a rival gang, the Juarez cartel.” (See BBC News article at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15191299)
Praise God that He is answering! Pray that all remaining drug cartel leaders will be apprehended and that their activities of drug, arms and human trafficking will be discovered fully and shut down. Pray too for President Felipe Calderon and his administration for their protection, wisdom and effectiveness in combating this nation-crippling problem.
Dos Naciones, Un Proyecto (Two Nations, One Project) has produced an excellent prayer documentary video on the Mexican drug war that will help you understand what is really happening and how to intercede for His further breakthrough. You can get a copy by contacting: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.