Open Hearts, Bold Witness: A Prayer Night

Summary

This was a once-a-month praise, worship and prayer night at Slavic Full Gospel Church, held during the congregation's 21-day Daniel Fast at the start of 2019. The pastors opened by calling everyone to make their heart a house of prayer, to choose to worship God like Daniel and David did even when feelings run low, and to be obedient to the Holy Spirit by stepping forward to share whatever God laid on their hearts.

Several young members gave open-microphone testimonies and short messages. One warned that unchecked hate, even over something as small as a football game, is spiritual murder in God's eyes, pointing to Cain and Abel and the letters of John. Others shared about handing out invitation flyers on the streets and sponge docks of Tarpon Springs - learning to overcome rejection, to not judge people by appearance, to know their freedom to witness in public, and to imitate Christ, who came for the poor, the weak and the sick.

More testimonies described God arranging divine encounters: a stranger led by the Spirit asked a young man if he was a Christian and prayed with him in a parking lot, people were healed at an American Bible study, and the words 'Be still and know that I am God' found on a card at a military base calmed a nursing student's fears. The night closed with believers praying for one another, for revival in the nation, and surrendering all of 2019 into God's hands.

Key Points

• Make your heart a house of prayer, and choose to worship God by decision rather than feeling, the way David spoke to his own soul.
• Begin the year seeking God's face through prayer and fasting, asking Him to reveal His will for your life, your church and your town.
• Obey the Holy Spirit's nudge to speak, give or pray - obedience starts the moment you step out, even when you feel unprepared.
• Guard your heart against hate; it grows quietly and, like Cain's, leads to sin and death, so let God remove it.
• Imitate Christ by going to the poor, weak and overlooked, and stop judging people by their outward appearance.
• Be a bold yet gracious witness, knowing your freedom to share the gospel and trusting God to do the rest.
• Stay attentive to God in ordinary places - a store, a job site, a military base - because He is already at work there.