We Won! Oh, Really??

We Won! Oh, Really??
By Eddie Smith
© Copyright 2010, Eddie Smith

One church beats out another, and thinks it has won!

Many pastors can't explain why their churches are spiritually and numerically stagnant. They repaint, retop the parking lot, manicure the lawns, redecorate the nursery. They promote, advertise and produce new programs. But nothing seems to work.

Of course there can be any number of, or even a combination of things that can contribute to this. One, however, is rarely mentioned. "What," You ask?

"A spiritually polluted atmosphere."

"Huh?"

In our recently upgraded and enlarged best selling book, Spiritual Housecleaning, we explain. In our chapter entitled, Spiritual Church Cleaning, we offer several reasons the spiritual atmosphere of a church's building can become polluted. The Holy Spirit is grieved and withdraws and the enemy infiltrates. You'll be surprised at the possibilities.

So, the reason some guests don't return to a perfectly wonderful church is quite subconscious. They may not even be able to explain it. Because of past events, the door has been opened to darkness and the atmosphere is polluted. Until leadership discovers the pillar event that opened the door and repents (as Nehemiah did) for the past misuses and mistakes of previous leaders, darkness is legal right to remain.

This is quite serious. What follows is a story from that chapter.

We had just stepped of the plane and were met by the missionary who would be our host for the next several days. He was an American missionary in this major world class city.

On the way to his house he explained how expensive property was and how fortunate they were to have their place of worship. “Where do you meet?” we asked.

“We meet in the (he named the building). It’s an ideal worship facility. And we almost missed it. You see another church had it rented on Sunday mornings. So, they offered us Friday nights. But I did some investigative work and found out how much the other church was paying. I offered the owner more money, and he immediately bumped them to Friday night and gave us ‘prime time’ on Sunday morning. Amazing, isn’t it?”

After a few minutes of driving I said, “Pastor, what do we have planned for tonight?”

“Nothing at all--you can rest. Why?”

“We’d like to attend church.”

“Church--what church?” he asked puzzled.

“The church that meets on Friday night,” I explained.

“Why on earth would you want to attend that church?” he asked.

“Pastor, we’d like to attend that church to give you the opportunity to repent to them for taking their worship time. For if you think we are going to stay in your country and minister in your church with this sin hanging over your head, you are sadly mistaken. We’ll catch the next plane home.”

Needless to say he was shocked, and convicted. After a few moments of thoughtful deliberation he humbly agreed.

That night after we went in and sat down I was able to get the pastor’s attention and said, “Pastor, my name is Eddie. I’m from the United States. I have with me the pastor of the church that meets in this facility on Sunday mornings. He is the one who took your Sunday morning worship time from you. He would like to repent publicly to you and your people for doing that. Would you allow us 2-3 minutes of your time tonight?”

He graciously agreed. And when the time came, he introduced me. I introduced my host pastor. He stood before the people and sincerely repented to them with tears for the ‘backhanded’ way he had treated them. When he finished, I asked, “People, will you forgive pastor for what he has done to you.” They did.

What should you expect?

You should expect a supernatural response. In the case of these two churches with different denominational doctrines, members of both congregations began to meet together in city parks together for picnics.
They merged some of their ministries and the pastors preached in each other’s pulpits in the months that followed. And, over the next two years, both churches tripled in size!

Prayer Request GPN 11-16-2010

GPN 11-16-2010


“The devil is willing for a person to confess Christianity, as long as he does not practice it.” Matt. 7:21 Lets form a danger for the kingdom of darkness. Greetings Roberto Wijnhof

Charlie S. is a family friend and needs healing, they just found out he has cancer in 4 places 1. Spot on right side of his brain. 2 There is two on his liver. 3 One is on the right side of his lung as big as his fist, which is pressing on a blood vessel that carries the blood back the heart. He can't get enough oxygen and stays blue. Please help us touch the throne of Jesus for a miracle. Thank you... L.N.

Please, support me in prayers: For improvement of relationship between Dejan M. and me, that he be very much involved in my life and me in his! That we spend a lot of time together! For going deeper in knowing each other! For that liking and falling in love between us to really grow! Thank you for all your prayers Katarina

ChinaAid is reporting that at 7:00 a.m. on Friday, November 12, 2010, Bozhou Municipal Public Security Bureau in Anhui and Bozhou Bureau of Religion raided a house church on Qingming Street. “More than 10 believers were taken away by the officials; five of them were detained and were not released until that afternoon. Without going through any paperwork, the government officials confiscated items belonging to the church,” said a ChinaAid spokesperson.

“In this process of persecution and growth, the Chinese church is encouraged to play well the role of Samaritans, abandon excuses of cowardice and their fears, and bravely face dark and violent forces of the government by adhering to the principles of Christian ethics and morality. They should unite and help each other, firmly refuse to make compromises and produce greater light and salt.”

ChinaAid says that it expresses “deep regret and puzzlement” at the “ultra-leftist policies” that the Chinese government and its local government are pursuing recently.

“ChinaAid firmly believes the church will grow increasingly mature in the storm of persecutions and it will eventually change the entire cultural and social fabrics of China and glorify the hallowed name of Jesus Christ,” added the spokesperson. Pray for your brothers and sisters in China.

Prayer for my daughter Melissa for deliverance from addiction to cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. For restoration and healing of her mind and emotions. For salvation and for strength to continue parenting her 4 children. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth!... Believe with me! E.

Pray for the work in Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh. Our Associate Pastor Girish is doing the ministry with coordination of few other evangelists named Brijesh and Santosh in these rural areas. In Etawah village they do not have a single church building, so pray that God will provide them a place for worship and that people will grow in the faith in the Lord. There are two girls who are now studying at our Bible College and learning the word of God.

Pray that my brother Mark would vomit every time he sits in front of his computer, that the power of God will open his eyes to the truth of His word. Lord that you would rebuke him for such thoughts that he has in regards to You and Your purpose. Lord break the bonds of pride and arrogance of knowledge in him. Heal him Lord for he is wandering on a path of destructions. It has robbed him of his joy, his marriage and his walk and relationship with You. Heal his wife, for she is Your willing servant, broken and discouraged. Lord give her faith builders to make it though each day. Send encouragement to her Lord fill her with a new love for her husband, and may he see the lack of love in her heart and be broken for what he has done. Be glorified in all you do Lord Jesus, bless this ministry and let is over flow into the darkness...

An Iranian court has passed down a death sentence on a Christian pastor, who was found guilty of so-called “thought crimes.”

The official verdict has now been delivered in writing to Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, stating that he is to be hung for the crime of apostasy.

Spokesman Jason DeMars of Present Truth Ministries, says: “There are 20 days to appeal the verdict, and Youcef’s attorney is now beginning the process of the appeal.”

The prayer burdens surrounding this development are many.

“Please pray for Youcef, that God would grant him peace and strength in this hour, that God would move on his behalf, and that he would be delivered! Pray also for his wife and children; this is extremely difficult for them.

Assyrian Christian communities have witnessed increasing violence by militant Muslims against their neighbourhoods, children, and religious sites. Even pastors are not safe -- two died in the recent Baghdad bombing; many have been killed by Sunni and Shiite Iraqis. In Iraq, Assyrian Christians are fleeing in droves. U.N. statistics indicate that 15 percent of all Iraqi refugees in Syria are of Assyrian Christian background, although they previously represented 10 percent of the population.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that between 300,000 to 400,000 Assyrian Christians have been forced out of Iraq, Assyrian Christians have left because the message from Sunni militants and Shiite ayatollahs is crystal clear: You have no future here.

There is now an alarming possibility that there will be no significant

Assyrian Christian communities in Iraq by century's end. Assyrian Christian schools, communal halls, historical sites, and churches are being appropriated by national and provincial governments, government-sponsored Muslim organizations, and radical Islamist groups.

There is a faint glimmer of hope. On Aug. 5, the U.S. Senate adopted Resolution 322 expressing concern for religious minorities in Iraq. The quick, though unsuccessful, attempt by the Iraqi government this weekend to rescue the Assyrian Christian hostages appears to have been in response to such American pressure -- no official Iraqi interventions had occurred in previous attacks. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Iraq.

Please pray for me to get a job. Pray for me to get financial breakthrough in my life. Please pray for me to come out of my present problems. Thank you. R. India

God bless my girlfriend Jacqueline and her family and keep my girlfriend and her family safe and healthy and bless them with lots of happiness. God bless her son heal him and make it so he gets out of the hospital real soon and will make a full recovery. Have Mercy on my girlfriend and her family and keep my girlfriend and her family healthy and safe. God bless my girlfriend and her family with happiness and help me stay strong and support her threw this hard time. Help us be together one day soon and have a long life together full of Happiness. Thank You Amen. A.N.

Please pray for Pastor Subodh Nag in Bolangir who is heading the work in Oriisa along with other pastors namely Ishmael, Ashish and others. Pray that this region will be effectively reached under his leadership and guidance. Pray for pastor Ashish who needs special grace of God and His favour.

Prayer Request GPN 11-05-2010

GPN 11-05-2010


“God puts work into your life. He expects you to put life into your work.” Eccl. 9:10. Lets use what He is doing in us, into all our churches. Greetings and have a lively weekend. Roberto Wijnhof.

I had requested prayers regarding my instructor, Loren, who refused to give me credit for a class and test that I passed quite successfully, and that I paid for that testing. We found problems in the records files and got things straightened out, and now I received credit.

More than a third of young people in the UK aged 16 to 24 do not feel part of their local community, research by the Prince's Trust suggests. The study of more than 2,000 youngsters found one in 10 felt like an outcast. It said more than half ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spoke to people over the age of 40 in their local community. And those who were not in education, employment or training were significantly more likely to feel isolated. Almost a third (30%) did not think there was a future for them in their local area. Almost a quarter (23%) felt ignored by older people. Pray for the older generation in your community to reach out to the younger ones. Pray for strong family relationships where young people can learn how to interact with the family members. Pray for creative ideas on how families can spend time together and learn from one another.

Please pray for my marriage. My husband has been deployed for over a year & even though he's coming home for Christmas, he wants me to know he is confused about his feelings for me; that he thinks of "him" instead of "us". I beg of the Lord to save my marriage! Put a very deep love for me into my husband, for him to truly commit to me and fight for what God wants us to have: a beautiful, loving marriage with unity, harmony and commitment. I believe God created marriage & I know He wants our marriage to succeed. Please pray my husband will give us a second chance and for it to be a success that brings God glory. Please pray for God to work a miracle in my husband's heart even before he comes home and our relationship to take huge strides towards restoration and happiness during his trip home at Christmas. Please pray God works a miracle to save my marriage! Mrs. K.

prayer asked for Ashley to overcome anger, emptiness, bitterness and to grow spiritually in his relationship with Jesus.

The End of Christianity in the Middle East?

Screaming "kill, kill, kill," suicide bombers belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq, a militant organization connected to al Qaeda in Iraq, stormed an Assyrian Christian church in Baghdad on Sunday.

A spokesman for the group subsequently claimed they did so "to light the fuse of a campaign against Iraqi Christians." But the massacre of 46 Assyrian Christians in Baghdad is only the most spectacular example of mounting discrimination and persecution of the native Christian communities of Iraq which are now in the middle of a massive exodus unprecedented in modern times as they confront a rising tide of Islamic militancy and religious chauvinism sweeping the region.

Christians are the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Iraq with roots in the Middle East that date back to the earliest days of the faith when Arabs lived as Bedouins in the desert and were a small minority in a Middle East of Christians and Jews.

Assyrian Christian communities have witnessed increasing violence by militant Muslims against their neighbourhoods, children, and religious sites. Even pastors are not safe -- two died in the recent Baghdad bombing; many have been killed by Sunni and Shiite Iraqis.

In Iraq, Assyrian Christians are fleeing in droves. U.N. statistics indicate that 15 percent of all Iraqi refugees in Syria are of Assyrian Christian background, although they previously represented 10 percent of the population.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that between 300,000 to 400,000 Assyrian Christians have been forced out of Iraq, Assyrian Christians have left because the message from Sunni militants and Shiite ayatollahs is crystal clear: You have no future here. There is now an alarming possibility that there will be no significant

There is a faint glimmer of hope. On Aug. 5, the U.S. Senate adopted Resolution 322 expressing concern for religious minorities in Iraq. The quick, though unsuccessful, attempt by the Iraqi government this weekend to rescue the Assyrian Christian hostages appears to have been in response to such American pressure -- no official Iraqi interventions had occurred in previous attacks. Please pray for you brothers and sisters in Iraq.

Please also pray for my father that he will continually desire to read god’s word and believe again that every word of it is true. Pray God will fill him with His Fire and Holy Spirit again and continually, and help him continually walk in revival. Pray that Satan will never cause him to backslide again .

This has been one of the most disrupted school years for learners, with a prolonged public sector strike which saw teachers abandoning their posts for weeks, and the six week break during the Fifa World Cup. The Grade 12 examinations got off to a smooth last week with no serious hiccups reported anywhere in the country. The exams will be monitored constantly and schools will be visited to see that pupils do not suffer due the disruptions that preceded the exams. Pray that the Grade 12’s will remain calm and focused while they are writing their exams. Pray against any form of anxiety, fear, depression and suicidal thoughts. Pray for the students who are studying under difficult circumstances – poor nutrition, poor living conditions, etc. Pray that God will provide strength and supernatural abilities to excel above their expectations.

Please pray for our work in Rajasthan in North India. Under the leadership of Pastor Samuel, we have two of our workers there working for establishing more Churches amidst lots of hardship and difficulties. Pray that they remain strong amidst all these and that the name of the Lord be continue to be glorified.

Once again I want to share you that please keep Christian Hospital Diptipur in your daily routine prayer. We urgently need your prayer. Diptipur is a rural area and mostly people are under poverty line. Due to the financial problem the people could not able to come to the hospital for their treatment. They believe in witch craft in which the result they faces death. As in India the infant mortality rate among the poorest quantity of the population is 2.5 times higher than that among the richest. Maternal mortality remains very high. More than one lakh women die each year in India due to pregnancy-related complications. Our visions is to decrease the death rate in this coming three year and make a awareness to wards them. All we need is your prayer, Ashish kumar

Please pray for Alvina and Susan. Both women need guidance in making a decision about major surgery. Thanks.

Please pray for my friend Edith who was diagnosed with breast cancer yesterday. We do not know the stage yet. Please God, she is such a good person and she has two young children who need her very much. I pray it is in an early stage and can be treated and cured. thank you for all who prayed for my uncle Paul. He has made a miraculous recovery! Now we need to direct our energy to Edith. Thank you so much and bless you all. Mrs. K

Indonesia was hit by three violent natural disasters in just two days - an earthquake on Monday (October 25, 2010), a tsunami generated by the quake, and on the next day, the eruption of a volcano. The death toll is currently in the hundreds and is expected to rise. Indonesia is number 48 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2010 of the world's worst persecutors of Christians. Pray for: the Lord to comfort all those who have lost loved ones and homes in this series of tragic events. (Ps.23:4); these disasters to be used to turn the eyes, minds and hearts of the people of Indonesia away from other religions and toward the salvation available in Jesus Christ. (2 Cor.4:4); the Kingdom of God to come to Indonesia not only in word, but in great power.

Hi, my brothers and sisters asking special prayer for GODS strength and provision to make it another week homeless, also I am still hurting pretty bad from being robbed. I have to get all my i.d. back reading glasses medicine and these all take time and energy so that is why your prayers help so much i will not be able to do it all in one day but the main thing is to keep a right spirit about the whole situation. GOD richly bless you, brother Danny p.s your prayers really helped me get through this wee thank you so much.

Pray for the persecuted Churches in Orissa. Many Christians are still afraid and are without shelter and food. We need your prayers and we need your active support for the Churches in Orissa. We are training youth for going there to plant more churches. Pray for Bibhunandan who works with burden.

Prayer Request GPN 11-02-2010

GPN 11-02-2010


“The Christian’s place is on the “front line,” not on the “side line.” 2 Tim. 2:3: 1 Pet. 5:8. Lets be useful for King Jesus. Roberto Wijnhof

Hi my brothers and sisters I woke up this morning so grateful that by your prayers i had made it through Halloween weekend here in NYC unharmed I called a prayer line to ask prayer for today and while I was on the phone someone stole everything i had the main thing is the medicine which I can get back but the money I had saved to ride the subway at night because it is getting down to 40 at night, so please say a prayer GOD will give me a miracle to get my things back. I called the police but they said without a description of the person it is virtually impossible to find my bags. GOD richly bless you, brother Danny.

Praise God for the 21 baptisms that could be done at Rohini, Delhi on the 30th. We praise God that these brothers and sisters who hail from Hindu background have confessed the Lord through water baptism. Please continue to pray so that they remain strong in the Lord and be fruitful for Him in future.

Please pray that my husband will contact me with love. I haven't heard from him in weeks. Please also pray that he will come home for Christmas and for our marriage to take huge strides toward a happy, loving & successful marriage.

Please Jesus make my wife and me free of wrong and bad memories . Jesus take all guilt away and make us really free. Jesus close all old doors and open our eyes that we can see future and new things our life . Jesus show everyday something new and good , bless our marriage and children . Jesus help that we can pray more and we get time to read bible. Jesus and prayers thank you very much. H.M. Finland

It has been my joy to write and inform brethrens that, I am now in Ouagadougou to study French as I requested. Thank you for your prayers. While on my way thieves stole my laptop. The thieves were arrested. I got it except the charger and the container and USB key. Pray for God's provision for the mission items. Pastor Haruna Yohanna, Burkina Faso.

Please bind all evil and harm from my life. Cancel Satans plans and plead the BLOOD of JESUS over me. Pray for God to deliver me from all demons, sin, darkness, chains, curses, objects causing me oppression, toxicity and handicap in my spirit, soul and body and any evil attached to my soul and spirit. Ask that He would cleanse the spiritual atmosphere around me. Pray Jesus would cover me with His Holy Spirit.

That God would feed my entire being all it needs to reach its full potentials of power, vitality and biological activity on a cellular level as well as filling me with His Holy Spirit, Power and Life. Pray for God to get me all the assistance He wants me to have from other Christians and others. Pray for God to surround me with ministering protecting Angels and to do everything He wills to do to get me where He wants me in life. I need deliverance so badly. Thank you. Needing Him, Shannon R.

Please pray for the business and ministry of brother John Mark.

Please pray for our family-for our daughter Cassie who is a freshman in college-for her guidance and protection-for a Godly young man-respectful in her life-someone like her. Please pray for my son Alex-a HS who is a junior and has so many decisions to make. Lastly for our marriage which is broken and we grew apart.

I found out tonight that my best friends sister has terminal cancer. She is expected to live only two more months. Please pray for a divine miracle. Thank you and may God bless you. Jordon

Baghdad -- At least 10 Assyrian Christian worshippers were killed and about thirty wounded tonight, when Iraqi security forces stormed a Baghdad church in which terrorists wearing explosive vests were holding them hostage.

Worshippers caught up in the carnage described their ordeal as they fled the church. They said the terrorist attack was heralded by a car bomb outside the fortified church gate at 5:30pm. The two priests, who were about to begin mass ushered at least half of their 120-strong congregation to a small room in the back of the ornate building, in a bid to protect them. Please pray for all those involved.

Please pray for our youth team who are heading for Taiwan today to attend the Global youth conference and thereafter Global cell leaders meeting along with our senior pastor Abraham Sahu. Pray that on their return they will be able to provide strong leadership to the ministry in India.

Father rid my wife and I of lukewarm ness and give us a greater desire to study the Bible, meditate on the scriptures and pray without ceasing.

Heal my pregnant wife and strengthen her spirit, soul and body for the remainder of the pregnancy. A.J.

Please pray for the church of pastor Fernando in Brazil, they lost one of their pastors a while ago by a car accident.

Dear prayer partners!, please pray with me for an increase in my income. I am in need of an income to meet my financial obligations. Please pray with me that God will bless me with a supernatural financial miracle to meet my needs. Thank you for your prayers.

Mrs. R.