Dear Mission Partners
Yes, we are in what will probably be the biggest Spiritual Battle of this century. This pandemic is proving to be a bigger threat to Christianity than anything for hundreds of years. However, I rejoice, because this is real spiritual warfare, and God is with us, so we shall win the battle!
I have just returned from time on my ‘prayer mountain’ in Austria. As usual I travelled there and back by car (me driving of course). The hotel, (which was fully booked, with no restrictions), reminded me that I have stayed with them for the last 18 years, so that’s how long I have prayed on the same mountain, 3,000 metres, 10,000 feet up, and have experienced so many wonderful revelations and increasingly clear answers to prayer. For me this is not a time of ‘waiting’ on the Lord, but of clear communion, asking questions, expecting and receiving answers. Yes, meditating and seeking revelation on the long walks (up to 22 km) on the mountains and at the bottom. Yes, I do believe that as a result I understand both the prophetic future and God’s desires better. For at least 30 years God has given me instruction, which I have tried to follow, and the results have clearly followed – in my ministry.
Looking at Scripture, God has significantly used mountains to speak. Moses on Sinai – and prophetically on Pisgah; also Elijah on Carmel. In the New Testament Jesus prayed so many times on the mountain and chose a mountain to be transfigured before His closest disciples. Interestingly it was after a night on one of my other ‘prayer mountains’ in Germany that I came down and was immediately healed of lung cancer in 2003! I remember that it was on the same mountains in 1992, in the middle of the Karlsruhe East/West Conferences, that the Lord clearly told me not to return to Karlsruhe but go to Kiev. From this came the revival which swept Ukraine and has led to the National Days of Prayer in Kiev. All this from what God said to me ‘on the mountain’!
All this came after 30 years of evangelising in Eastern Europe under communism which had far greater restrictions, and severe penalties, death, or at least long years of imprisonment. My penalty was 5 years for bringing Bibles. In those days hundreds of thousands of Christians were either in prison or killed for their faith. This continues today in China and Moslem countries. But their churches remained open, even if underground. I refuse to be stopped from preaching the Gospel and will not be intimidated.
So, despite current restrictions, our Mission work is continuing, especially in Poland, where we have the support of leading churches, the Catholic Bishops and even the government. The first part of this mission will go ahead this Autumn on the planned date!! This is the grace of God. I have accepted an invitation to speak in advance in one of the largest churches in Poland. So in this Spiritual Battle, God is with us, but I need your support in more intensive prayer and finance than ever before, because God will use Poland, possibly with a greater miracle than happened even in Ukraine. Because greater miracles must come – John 14:12.
With the second wave of the virus in Israel, we are increasing our efforts to support the Jews who will be won for Christ in our next Mission – Russian Jews and survivors of the holocaust who are not fully supported by the Israeli government. We are their main support, using a large number of local believers on a daily basis who deliver food, medical support, and actively pray with them! We send 20,000 euros every month, but they are pleading for more, as the lockdown has created the same needs with the sick and elderly as here at home. Without your support, thousands would suffer hunger and isolation. They need your prayer and financial help on a regular basis more than ever.
We expect to hold the full National Day of Prayer for Ukraine in October with full support of Church and Government. Yes, on the original date in June, we did it online, but they agree with me that this is not enough, nothing can equal 10,000 people gathered in the Sport Palace in Kiev, singing, worshipping and praying! It’s the participation which makes it so powerful. Our work in Central Asia is only delayed a little, which gives us more time to prepare – because of the pandemic the door is opening wider! When God ordains, nothing can stop Him! This is where we shall see another miracle.
Because of the virus, we still have restrictions being imposed here in the UK. In addition to social distancing in the church and no singing, face masks are compulsory, with a prosecution and a fine if you do not comply and are caught. As a result, many churches remain closed. Two things are obvious: fear and confusion. Yes, I understand the need to protect others from the virus, but our government regards the Church as irrelevant to the nation. The Church has always been under persecution, for two thousand years, and always will be. The Bible says that we are ‘called out, a chosen generation’, it also says, ‘be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’. How far do we simply comply with secular law? And at what point do we in Britain follow the example of the persecuted Church in China and Eastern Europe who stood firm under atheistic communism? Is this why they have experienced a massive spiritual revival with overflowing churches? Is God allowing us here to be put under test, to see how deep our faith really is? I know from experience that some of my personal suffering, cancer twice, a year in prison, was actually God testing the reality and depth of my faith before He could release the dynamic of the Holy Spirit in me.
I know that most churches are using live streaming and reaching thousands, but most churches would normally have a very large real-time programme through the week with youth, prayer, Bible study, plus many other activities. What I am standing for is the freedom to worship, pray and fellowship without restriction from government, which has been our legal right since Magna Carta and confirmed even by the European Court of Human Rights! I do know that as a result of this pandemic, Britain and Europe will BE PERMANENTLY CHANGED! What about the Church?
After much prayer, on the mountain, I believe that we as the Church, desperately need a ‘voice’. We cannot and must not be silent in such a critical time as this. Despite the easing of restrictions, many churches have not re-opened, because of social distancing and no singing, especially if they are in rented buildings. But my concern prophetically is, when will we be free of this virus and when will we return to the previous normal? It is unlikely this year, what about next year? Unless we have a vaccine how long will churches be under these restrictions? I believe that on the mountain, the Lord has shown me what to do, so I am proposing to start a petition for a National Day of Prayer in Britain, the same as we had seven times during the last war. We will be launching the petition on the internet within days and will be in touch, but obviously it will have to be by internet only, so I am asking you to send us your email address to support this if you are not already on our prayer email list.
We must stand up for what we believe in. The government does not stop the ‘raves’, or the mass demonstrations. These demonstrators are not afraid to show what they want, why are we so afraid to do the same?! I am back from my prayer time, fired up and ready to go. I received much by way of revelation on the mountain and clear instructions with also some prophetic revelation. The ‘last days’ are getting shorter. As Scripture says, we must work today, because a night is coming when no man can work. Are we almost walking into that night now? All this gives me a sense of an urgency to act!
David
Thank you for supporting this vision and ministry through prayer and finance: because of you, we are supporting Russian Holocaust Survivors and their families living in Israel, and Displaced Persons in Ukraine. Each week we are preaching the Gospel online through webcasts and podcasts.
The Scripture teaches that God gives seed to the sower: we believe God will prosper you in unexpected ways – unexpected opportunities; unexpected bonuses, unexpected inheritances, unexpected favour. ‘Even in famine you will have more than enough… those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing… You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.’ (Psalm 37:19; Psalm 34:10; Psalm 65:11).