A Year of Answered Prayer

Praise God that He is our creator, our father, our redeemer, our protector and He answers our prayers! In October 2015 YWAM launched The Invitation, inviting the whole YWAM family to pray monthly on the same (or similar) day. We have prayed for global topics like ending Bible poverty, refugees and Muslims. We have prayed for areas where YWAM does not have a presence such as the Horn of Africa. And we have prayed for local matters such as universities and YWAM property. The Lord has answered many prayers during this past year and to mark the one-year anniversary of The Invitation we are inviting you to spend time thanking God for a year of answered prayer.

Our Year of Answered Prayer

Some of the highlights from The Invitation’s first year include:

• Through a video produced for The Invitation, a YWAM leader shared his vision of God’s Grace Flowing to the Muslim World. We prayed for this in January. The video has been viewed by over 10,000 people on Facebook and YouTube. [youtube id=”5VuO-q1tT8Y” width=”500″ height=”350″]
• Many reported a greater understanding of Islam and thus a greater ability to love Muslim people, after praying for the Muslim world during June and July (30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World).
• On the day when we prayed for YWAM properties, YWAM’s Mission Builders International received an unexpected check for $40,000 to pay down their mortgage and YWAM San Diego, USA signed papers to buy four acres of land.
• Many prayed for areas where YWAM does not have a presence including the Horn of Africa, Maldives, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal and Bangladesh (December).
• Through the prayer focus on YWAM Ships (April) YWAMers reported a greater awareness of what God is doing through this ministry. Outpost Panama praised God for bringing Making Waves to minister to various Indian tribes.
• We prayed to End Bible poverty last October and in March gave an update that showed the progress being made in translation and distribution of Bibles by YWAM locations including Blantyre, Malawi, YWAM Chiang Rai, Thailand and YWAM Kona, Hawaii.
• YWAM Quebec, Canada was led to pray for reconciliation between French Canadians and English Canadians in February when we prayed for governments and symbolically, they washed the feet of one another.
• YWAM leaders and various others groups were in session during several global prayer days and included The Invitation in their time of prayer.  Specifically, during Europe DNA Infusion, the participants prayed for YWAM property and set up donation and prayer stations for each base represented that was currently in the middle of a building project.

YWAMers pray in South Sudan

• Ask God to reveal answered prayers for you and your community—those you have seen and those unseen.
• Review this list of topics for The Invitation from the past 12 months and list prayers that God has answered at a global, local and individual level: Ending Bible Poverty (October 2015 and March 2016), Local Immigrants (November 2015), The Horn of Africa (December 2015), God’s Grace Flowing to the Muslim World (January 2016), Local government (February 2016), YWAM Ships (April 2016), YWAM Property (May 2016), 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World (June into July 2016), Refugees (July 2016), YWAM Together (August 2016), Universities (September 2016)
• Meditate on these verses and note specific ways that God has answered your prayers through the years: “But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise,” Psalm 79:13. “In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever,” Psalm 44:8. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 15:57.

Give Thanks and Pray

Pray:

• Referring to the lists you made during time of preparation, praise God for the prayers that He has answered during the past year at a local, area and national level.
• Make a list of the people that you and your community are thankful for and praise God for them. Mention each one in prayer.
• Pray for proper understanding of what God has done for you and the eternal promises He has for you.
• Pray for YWAMers, including DTS students, to:
• always be offering up a sacrifice of praise to God (Hebrews 13:15)
• have lips that acknowledge His name (Hebrews 13:15)
• praise Him with a whole heart (Psalm 86:12)
• have full belief in God’s promises (Romans 4:20-21)
• give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
• fear Him and praise Him (Revelation 19:5)
• always give thanks for everything (Ephesians 5:20)
• make requests of God with a spirit of thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)

Take Action:

• Tell someone other than a close friend, coworker or family member why you are thankful to God.
• Produce a praise report. Add the report to your website, post it on social media, or send it to supporters, parents, or others. For an example, see this praise summary from YWAM Yosemite.
• Identify a way for your you or your community to keep track of answered prayers—a wall, a journal, a blog, or some other form. Set up a process for keeping it current. Use the list during worship time on a regular basis.
• Plan a praise event. See the idea for the Make Jesus Famous Worship Festival held by YWAM North Cascades, Washington.

How We Prayed

September: Universities

• YWAM Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela fasted one day and sent a prayer report noting Bible verses and key messages they received from God.
• Several requested prayers on Facebook for specific universities, including: Arturo Prat University in Iquique, Chile; The University of Newcastle in Australia; University of the South Pacific, Laucala campus; University Utrecht in the Netherlands, and others.

Don’t Miss The Invitation

Future Topic:
November 10 – Spheres of Society
How to participate:

• Sign up for prayer updates. On ywam.org, find the “Stay Connected” box on the home page, put in your email address and click “Sign Up.”
• Share on YWAM’s Facebook page, post a picture and add a comment about how you prayed.
• Follow YWAM on Twitter; search for #praywithywam and tweet about your prayer time or post a picture.
• Download prayer updates in a specific language. Go to ywam.org/theinvitation. (Currently available in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Indonesian, Korean or request other languages.)
• If you sense God giving you a word or a direction for YWAM’s prayer, please contact us.