Celebration News February 09

Picking up the Dormant Anointing
Elisha was not able to pass on his anointing. His disciple, Gehazi, was unfaithful, (corrupted by the materialism of this world, i.e. Mammon). Jehoash, who was King in Elisha's old age, did not have the perseverance needed. He recognised the prophet's anointing, and sought him out for help, but when Elisha told him to strike the ground with the weapon which would defeat the enemy (arrows),

he only struck it three times. The Lord is looking for those who will not tire in the battle, but keep standing in faith! Elisha died with his anointing still on him. So, when sometime later, Israelites retreating from Moabite raiders, threw the dead body of a companion into Elisha's grave for a swift burial, the man came back to life! Anointing does not die, it just lies in the ground waiting for someone to pick it up again.

What does that mean for us? What about the great men and women who carried the Revival of God in Pyong Yang, in Wales, in India, in America? Were they able to pass on their anointings? Is it not possible that some are lying in the ground waiting for men and women of faith to pick them up? God, save us from the love of money (Mammon). Lord, give us hearts that will keep striking the ground with the weapons you have put in our hands!
(My thanks to Kyoo-Dae for the inspiration behind this message).

A Word for Wales
At our last preparation meeting, a Christian leader from Egypt spoke. The Lord had given her a word for Wales, and she came specially to deliver it. She had not heard at all about Celebration for the Nations before. First she read Habakkuk 3:2

'Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, and in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.'

This was amazing to me, because it was the very word I had prepared for that night. She stressed the word 'renew' saying that the Lord can only renew something that once had life. In 1975 she had read a book in Arabic about the Welsh Revival. From that time on she started to pray for such a move in Egypt. For many years she thought that the Revival was still going on in Wales. Then her son and daughter-in-law came to Wales to train with Nations and they told her that the church was not in Revival.

She then started to pray for Wales. Last October the Lord gave her the word from Habakkuk and linked it with Hosea 10:12:

'Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unploughed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.'

She said that we had allowed evil spirits to come in after the Revival to harden the hearts of many people, and that the ground was now very hard. A sharp tool was needed to break the ground, and this tool was in Praise and Prophecy. As she spoke I remembered the crystal/glass pavement I saw that was blocking the water. The Lord said we could not break it, but if we sang (praised) the water would rise and come to us.

The next day three car-loads of us went to Moriah Chapel in Loughor, where the last Welsh Revival started, and the Egyptian leader, 'A' (name withheld for security reasons) and I together dug up a small area of hard ground by the grave of Evan Roberts, while others prayed and worshipped. We poured in water representing the Word of God, and oil for the Holy Spirit. The Lord had told her to do this prophetic action so that He would come and revive us again.

Within 24 hours 'A' was leaving Wales again, satisfied that she had done what the Lord asked her too. What encouragement for us!

Repentance
Both of the above scriptures imply a need for repentance. It is an emphasis that the Holy Spirit is bringing to the fore specifically this year. I recommend that you look at RESCUE (Repent of Sin and Celebrate in Unity by Evangelism) if you haven't seen it yet. It is on the Celebration website each month, produced by the PN4N (a worldwide network of Prayer for North Korea) who are working alongside us in the Celebration.

Local Church Leaders' Breakfast
We are planning a Celebration Breakfast in March. This will enable us to share with, and hear from, local church leaders. Pray that the Celebration will be a great blessing to the local church, and for wisdom in how to work together with them into the local community.

Postcards
Praise the Lord for the gift he has given Na Young who has designed some beautiful postcards advertising this year's Celebration. To date these are only in English. Could you help get the word out to the worshippers? They can double as prayer cards to be kept in your bible, so each person coming will need at least two. Contact us and let us know how many postcards you can help distribute. You can see what they look like on the website.

This year we would like to see more British people attending the Celebration. Please pray for key contacts that will lead us to worshipping warriors!

Finance
We have received two large gifts in the last month totalling nearly £3800! Praise God. Do continue to pray with us for all that we need.

Accommodation
The big logistical challenge for this year's Celebration is accommodation, as we will not have the camp site on the Festival Fields. Please pray as Gareth and his team research various possibilities.

Open wide the gates of Praise, so that the King of Glory will come in!

Gail and the Celebration Team.