Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:9-10 (ESV)
When we pray we are literally reaching up to the Throne of God, and pulling heaven to earth. Yes, our prayers are that powerful!!! God wants us to reach high and cry out for Him to release His kingdom among us! He wants the reign of Jesus Christ to advance, to be complete, for the wedding feast of the Lamb to commence (Revelation 19:7). He loves the world and desires all to be saved (John 3:16, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9). Even right now, He has purposed for us to do even greater things (John 14:12). All these are evidences of His kingdom and it is all connected to prayer! When they prayed, the room shook, everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and they all went out boldly proclaiming the word of God (Acts 4:31). So, as you pray, picture yourself reaching up to heaven and literally pulling down God’s presence, power and kingdom into the context of your prayers, because that’s what you’re doing!!! Let’s be praying fervently, reaching to heaven, asking God to release heaven on earth over our lives, our churches, and our city!
Here are some opportunities to be praying with and/or for others, for heaven to be released on earth in Athens.
Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, March 5 / 9 to 10am
Athens Church – 10 Huntington Road, Athens 30606
Just coming out of The Mix this previous weekend, this gathering of student pastors will be filled with awesome testimonies of what God did among us at The Mix. We will be praying for each other, for the Middle & High School ministries/campuses across Athens, and especially post The Mix. Please join us from wherever you are and be praying for all those who minister to the youth of our city, starting with the ones at your church, as well as for God to protect and nurture all the seeds and fruit from The Mix.
Prayer Walking at UGA
Saturday, March 7 / 10am to just before noon
UGA Arch – Corner of Broad St. and College Ave.
In March, we will hit the pavement at UGA on the FIRST Saturday. Join us as we cry out for God to release heaven over the campus! Every prayer walk is awesomely beautiful and always uniquely amazing. We meet up at the UGA Arch and go from there. Whether you’re a veteran intercessor or you have never been on a prayer walk before, or like most of us somewhere in-between, you are welcome to join us as we walk, talk and pray for God to pour our His presence over UGA, across Athens, and beyond.
Athens Intercessors Community
Monday, March 9 / 7 to 9pm
APN Prayer Center
Athens Intercessors Community is an amazing opportunity for the intercessory people across Athens to come together to share what they are hearing from God, how they are praying and to pray with and for each other. Though this is not a closed group, it is definitely not for everyone. Athens Intercessors Community is specifically for those who are intercessors in Athens (whether veteran, new at it or even sensing God may be leading you that way), to come together, connect, network, get equipped and pray for and with each other. As Watchmen take their places on the walls in our city, our unity is vitally important. If you’re interested in being a part of it, please let me know.
Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, March 11 / 9 to 10am
Christian Life Worship Center – 125 Kathwood Dr., Athens 30607
God is doing a beautiful thing among pastors in our city. Over the past ten years we have been meeting monthly to share and pray with and for each other. So many walls have come down as these spiritual city leaders honor and walk authentically with each other out of love! Our monthly gathering is on the second Wednesday. Please use this opportunity to pray for the pastors in our city, beginning with your own! Pray that God would guard and deepen the unity He has already established in our city. Ask God to abundantly bless, refresh, encourage, protect and provide for your pastor, their marriage and their family. Ask God to meet each of these lead shepherds across Athens right where they are, and give them all that it takes to stay connected to God and run strongly in this year. Ask God to prepare them for what He is about to do in our city!
Groups Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, March 18 / 9:30 to 10:30am
Via Zoom
Groups provide the best possible context for growth, community and life to happen. On the third Wednesday of each month several of those who lead the small groups ministries at their church in our city come together to share life and pray for each other. Please pray for those who lead the groups ministries in our city. Pray for the groups’ leaders to lead well. Pray for people in the groups to be willing to share their lives and be open to grow. Pray that the groups ministries in Athens would be strong, healthy and continue to expand! Pray that God would raise up more group leaders for the coming next season. Ask God to protect and expand this vital ministry in our city. Ask Him for heaven to come down upon every group that meets in Jesus’ Name in Athens!
Executive Pastors Prayer
Thursday, March 19 / 9 to 10am
Via Zoom
The leaders who “run” churches across Athens come together third Thursday of every month to share and pray for and with each other. These leaders are usually hidden doing their thing behind the scenes. Please pray for the executive / administrative pastor (or those who do that role) in your church and the others who carry this load in the churches across our city. This is such a crucial ministry! Ask for heaven to come down over their lives! Pray that God would give them wisdom from above and supernatural joy as they keep the systems operating smoothly and effectively (or set up new ones) for Kingdom growth in Athens. Pray that God would increase His presence and favor in their lives and homes. Pray that God would give them what they need to be prepared for what’s coming.
Night of Healing Prayer – CANCELLED due to coronavirus!
Thursday March 19 / 7:00 to 8:30pm
St. James UMC – 111 West Lake Dr., Athens, GA 30606
Everyone is welcome to come to a night of healing prayer at St James. Training prayer counselors will pray with you for whatever healing you need. Please come if you need and would like prayer.
Pastors Racial Unity Gatherings
Thursday, March 26 / 10am to noon
Via Zoom
Every two months the pastors of Athens come together to continue our discussion and prayer into racial unity in our city. These often involve tough, authentically raw conversations about very sensitive issues. We are blessed to have leaders in our city with courage to come and stay in the room with others who are different. Through this we are praying that God would create a culture of honor in our city. Unity is not uniformity, or liking the same things. Our unity is found in that we are all in God’s family, and the cross is our connecting point. Please pray that God would protect and advance our amazing unity in a year of great potential for polarization.
Prayer for the Middle East & Israel
Friday, March 27 / noon to 1pm
Via Zoom
This is a monthly opportunity to join in with others, praying together for important issues in the Middle East. There are usually reports from missionaries who are on the ground in the Middle East that helps direct laser focused agreeing prayer. Please join us as we press into God on behalf of this precious region of the world. If you cannot physically be at this gathering, please take time during this day to pray for the Middle East.
Ongoing and inspirational…
PrayUGA
Formally ended on February 9, but it actually has continued!
Across Athens & beyond
Though PrayUGA is officially finished, we have invited everyone to continue praying for the list of students you received until the end of the semester! You don’t have to do it the same way as you did during the 3 weeks of PrayUGA, but please continue to take these names and present them to your gracious Father, crying out for Him to release Heaven on earth over them!
The Post Mix Prayer Focus
March 1 through 10
All across Athens area and beyond
To sign up text @9gc4fe to 81010
The last ten days of the 40 days of prayer for The Mix is rearguard prayer. That is, asking God to take what was planted, protect it and bring forth the harvest. Each day a different prayer text is sent out at 7am with a specific focus to be praying for regarding Post Mix Prayer. These will also be posted on the APN Facebook page in a slightly expanded format If you haven’t already done so, please join our army of praying people covering this year’s amazing student gathering called The Mix.
Campus Prayer – CANCELLED indefinitely
Mondays, March 2, 16, 23 & 30 / 12:15 to 1:15pm
UGA Tate Center – room 480
This weekly gathering is for UGA students and others from various local churches and campus ministries, who interested in joining together to pray for awakening at UGA. Come for as little as you’re able or for the whole time (we understand jobs and classes).
Campus Ministries Directors Prayer – CANCELLED indefinitely
Mondays, March 2, 16, 23 & 30 / 3 to 4:30pm
UGA Wesley Foundation (Bob’s office) – 1196 S Lumpkin St., Athens 30605
This weekly gathering is for those who lead Campus Ministries at UGA to come together to share life and ministry, to dive to the Word together and to pray for and with each other. Please pray for those who lead these ministries at UGA.
Thursday Prayer Calls
Thursdays / 4 to 4:30pm
Dial 720-835-5456 – when prompted enter PIN 55787
All are invited to join a weekly prayer call for the purpose of praying Athens College of Ministry forward. Thank you for contending with ACM for the full realization of our vision!
Athens Daily Prayer Texts
Ongoing
All across Athens area
Every morning at 8am Daily Prayer Texts are delivered to cell phones across Athens and beyond. They are also posted each day at noon on the APN Facebook page. If you would like to receive these prayer focuses each day, please text @athenspray to 81010. This is a simply amazing way to start your day and to stand in unified, and focused prayer with others from across our city for our city!
Coming up…
Pastors Racial Unity Gatherings
Thursday, May 28, July 30, Sept 24, Nov 19 / 10am to noon
Venues – not yet determined
Combined Churches Good Friday Service
Friday, April 10 / evening
Venue – not yet determined
For more (and up to date) stuff…
Every day we post something on the APN Facebook page. Usually it is more than once. These posts include prayer opportunities, prayer points, prayer inspirations and the Daily Prayer Text. It is definitely worth checking out daily to help stay connected with what God is doing in our city!
Bless you heaps!!!
Steve
