Changing the Spiritual Landscape through Prayer

Amazonian Wednesdays 🌴

Today’s share is a letter that I wrote to my support team in July 1998:

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“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy…” (Phil. 1:3,4, NIV). Truly, I do thank you for praying for me and for the work of God in Iquitos. In March I sent you a letter full of prayer needs, and this month there are awesome answers to report to you.

I asked for prayer warriors to intercede for unity among the churches. Clearly, this is something that the Lord develops over time, but I have seen some encouraging signs since I last wrote. In Iquitos, evangelical pastors have begun in the past few months to form what they have named the Fraternity of Pastors (La Fraternidad de Pastores). This group of men is coming together to dedicate themselves to prayer, fasting, and unity. They are seeking the Lord for what they call “pastoral revival.”

Starting with around forty men, they soon grew to seventy, and have as their goal to gather all 120 or so shepherds that pastor the main evangelical churches of Iquitos. Weekly, the Lord is increasing the number of ministers who are signing up. The Fraternity held an event to present to the Christian community themselves, their vision, and their desire to work united to take the kingdom of God by force in this city. Praise the One from whom all blessings flow! And petition the Lord of the harvest that all 120 would indeed join in. Some serious barriers to unity still remain.

I wrote of the need for healing of the families. Definitely keep praying for this one, but I would like to take the opportunity to let you know that the Father is also doing His work here. The husband of one of the sisters on the worship team — who had walked away from the Lord and was verbally abusing his family — has started to come to church again.

A daughter of one of the church’s missionaries had gone away to Lima and gotten pregnant premaritally. She is back with her parents now, has rededicated her life to Jesus, and has dedicated her baby to Him as well. Also, the mother and sister of the young man recently saved after being convicted of murder last year have followed his example and begun to get plugged in to Jesus and church life.

I also have repeatedly asked for prayer for JIEL (the youth ministry the Lord has entrusted me with). Things continue to go well: in just about every meeting, between 1 and 12 people are getting saved. We are working away at discipling new leaders, and the last week of June two new cell groups opened up. Our first round of youth will be graduating from the the first discipleship course in September, and we will be taking a team of them on a missions trip down one of the rivers as a reward for their perseverance.

The “Encounter with God” retreat that you were lifting up was a success and and a lot of fun. The Holy Spirit ministered powerfully as the young people learned about self-esteem, spiritual warfare, unity, forgiveness, the powerful and personal presence of God, and the Great Commission. They are already asking me when the next one will be.

“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy” (1 Thes. 2:19, 20).

I delight in you, my brothers and sisters! Thank you so much for your participation in this ministry of my life through your prayers. As you can see, they are making a powerful difference in Iquitos. You are God’s BEST!