“It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast… When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if I was dead.” Revelation 1:10&17a (NLT)
Throughout the Bible the normal response to experiencing God’s presence, of seeing Him with our eyes, leads to the beholders falling face down in abandoned worship. When we see God as He is, it allows us to see ourselves as we are! God is everything and we are nothing. In other words, God’s everything-ness leads to an awareness of our nothingness.
At the dedication of the Temple, as Solomon finished praying it says that God’s glorious presence filled the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:1-2). All the people of Israel saw it and fell face down worshiping God (v.3). When Ezekiel began his ministry, God revealed Himself to him, in a similar glimpse that we get in Revelation 4. And listen to what he says about it, “When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground…” (Ezekiel 1:28)
When Daniel experienced what many believe is the pre-incarnate Christ, he fainted with his face to the ground (Daniel 10:4-9). Even Saul, when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus he fell to the ground (Acts 9:3-4).
So as the movement of prayer increases and intensifies here in Athens, be praying for God’s presence to increase and with it our growing sense of humility. Be ready to get down on your face and worship the Awesome One!
Here are some opportunities to pray with others this month, and who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself on your face before Him.
Worship Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, October 4 / 9 to 10am
Wesley – 1196 S Lumpkin St, Athens, GA 30605
On the first Wednesday of each month worship pastors from around Athens meet up to pray for and with each other and for the worship ministries in our region. Please join us in prayer from wherever you are, asking God to release greater anointing upon the worship leaders in our city. Ask Him for new songs, new intensity, new passion and even miracles in the context of worship in the churches across our city. Ask Him for a greater grace to worship Him in our city!
Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, October 5 / 9 to 10am
Tuckston UMC – 4175 Lexington Rd, Athens, GA 30605
On the first Thursday of each month student pastors from around Athens meet up to pray for and with each other and for the student ministries in our region. Please continue to pray for a fresh move of His Spirit on all the Middle School and High School campuses in Athens. Pray that unity between student ministries (and student pastors) would continue to gain momentum. Ask for more student leaders to rise up in preparation of the coming harvest! Please be crying out for God to bring everything together for TheMix18 that’s coming up in February (we will be adding a much more intense pray covering)!
Unity Prayer
Sunday, October 8 / 9:30 to 11pm
Classic City Church Ministry Center – 386 N. Milledge Avenue, Athens 30601
This is a monthly gathering of college students (only) lead by college students from across the campus ministries and various local churches coming together to pray. Please join them in prayer for revival & awakening on the UGA campus.
Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, October 11 / 9 to 10am
Hill Chapel Baptist Church – 1692 W Hancock Ave, Athens, GA 30606
This monthly gathering on the second Wednesday is for senior pastors from around Athens to meet up to pray for and with each other. God has given us a unique grace for unity. As such please be praying that your pastor would be able to be a part of it. Also pray for more intercessors would rise up to pray the pastors across our city. Continue to pray for an increase in the intensity of prayer for your pastor. Pray that God would meet with them to refresh and renew them. Pray that God would show them if/where they have drifted away from their first love. Pray for their protection in the battle. Pray for their marriages and their families. Ask God to give them strength, encouragement and stamina. Ask God to give them wisdom and revelation that they would know Him better (Ephesians 1:17) and that they would lead and minister from that place of intimacy with Jesus. And ask God for a greater measure of joy, peace, rest and faith to be released over them and their ministry!
Prayer Walking at UGA
Saturday, October 14 / 10am to just before noon
UGA Arch – Corner of Broad Street and College Ave
Rain or shine, heat or cold (and it could be anything), we hit the ground praying. We meet up at the UGA Arch and go from there. This is a monthly opportunity (usually the second Saturday) to join in with other prayer warriors from across our city to focus prayer on the campus and our city. These are always pretty amazing times of prayer!!! You are most welcome to join us as we walk, talk and pray for revival at UGA, across Athens, and beyond.
Prayer for the Middle East
Wednesday, October 18 / noon to 1pm
Living Hope (House of Prayer) – 2150 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
This is the monthly gathering of focused prayer for the Middle East and Israel. There are often updates from the Middle East, that lead to very specific praying. Everyone is welcome to join us as we pray for Israel and the conflict in the Middle East.
Campus Prayer
Wednesday, October 25 / 12 to 1pm
UGA
This new ministry provides a context for students and others (i.e. faculty) from across UGA and various churches in Athens to come together on campus to pray for and with one another for each other, the campus and revival. We have officially been approved as a student organization at UGA called Campus Prayer. We will start a monthly meeting on campus in October. More details to come as soon as we book a room!
Kid’s Pastors Prayer
Thursday, October 26 / 9 to 10am
WFBC – 1610 Simonton Bridge Rd, Watkinsville 30677
This is a quarterly gathering for those who lead children’s ministries in Athens to come together to connect and pray. Please take this opportunity to pray for those who lead the kid’s ministries at your church as well as the other churches across our city. Pray for the volunteers, as well as for more volunteers. Pray for God to reveal His love to the children in Athens through these volunteers, leaders and ministries. While you are at it, please pray for families in Athens too.
Executive Pastors Prayer
Thursday, October 26 / 10:15 to 11:15am (please note changed date & time)
WFBC – 1610 Simonton Bridge Rd, Watkinsville 30677
This monthly gathering is for those who “run” the churches in Athens. Please pray that God would protect them and their families, and grant them wisdom beyond this world (James 3:17-18). Pray that out of this unity God would do even greater things in our city!
Citywide Prayer Leaders Gathering
Friday, October 27 / 9:30 to 11am
Cornerstone (Athens Prayer Center) – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
This is our monthly gathering (usually on the last Friday of the month) for those who lead (or facilitate) prayer ministries in Athens. These are amazing gatherings that provide an awesome opportunity to connect, hear what God is saying to each other and to pray together. Please pray for these strategic citywide prayer leaders (especially the ones you know), asking God to take them deeper and deeper in their own walk with Jesus and that out of this intimate place, lead their prayer ministries forward into the coming harvest! Pray that God would continue to raise up more prayer leaders in our city!
Ongoing and inspirational…
Athens Daily Prayer Texts
Ongoing
All across Athens area
These Daily Prayer Texts are short messages sent to your cell phone every morning at 8am. Each text includes a brief bible verse and a focus for praying. To sign up all you need to do is text @athenspray to 81010 and you’ll start getting these inspirational, prayer focusing texts right away.
Campus Ministers Prayer
Mondays / 1:30 to 2:45pm
Near UGA
This weekly gathering for the various campus ministers is vital in building unity and spiritual momentum at UGA. Pray for these leaders as they connect with one another and in humility journey together to reach UGA with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that each of these leaders would grow in intensity with passion, devotion, wisdom and grace! And as we work through Andrew Murray’s book, Humility, please be praying that God would give us the grace to apply it in our lives and ministries. Pray that God would be ready to catch the wave of the Spirit that is coming!
Prayer for the Nations
Mondays / 7 to 8:30
Nations Church (24/7 Prayer Room) – 8780 Macon Hwy, Athens 30606
Every Monday night this group meets to pray for the nations, especially for the most persecuted countries. They intertwine some ‘missions’ statistics and a Biblical basis of Missions, as well as a short Bible study in each meeting. Their room is accessible from the outside (the doors are always unlocked), to the left of the Family Life Center. And whether you can come or not, please join in and pray for the nations of the world to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Encounter Gatherings
Thursdays / 6:30 to 8pm
Cornerstone (Athens Prayer Center) – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
These weekly gatherings are open to everyone who wants to meet with God and grow in their faith. These gatherings include some amazing teaching, worship and lots of prayer! Please join in if you are able!
Coming up…
Spiritual Warfare & Deliverance Conference with Eddie & Alice Smith
Thursday – Saturday, November 2 to 4
Cornerstone – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
Cornerstone is hosting a Prayer Seminar with Eddie and Alice Smith from Houston, TX. They will be teaching on Spiritual Warfare, Spiritual Mapping and getting rid of Strongholds. Everyone is invited to attend. The cost is $75 per person and includes: meal on Saturday, snacks and materials. To register online go to https://cornerstoneathens.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/49/responses/new
New Year New Heart
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Cornerstone – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
A prayer seminar put on by Athens College of Ministry. Cost for this all-day seminar is $30 with lunch included! For more info… http://www.acmin.org/New-Year-New-Heart
The Mix 2018
Friday – Sunday, February 23 to 25, 2018
Athens Church – 10 Huntington Road, Athens 30606
For more (and up to date) stuff…
Some of the above activities may change, and there are other prayer opportunities that come up in addition to things happening that were not listed above… you can get the latest happenings at www.facebook.com/groups/1423907481169281/
Bless you heaps!!!
Steve
