“I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming.
He has no hold over Me…”
John 14:30 (NIV)
Other versions put it slightly different: “he has no claim on Me” (ESV), “no power over Me” (NLT), “he has nothing to use against Me (TPT), “he has nothing on Me” (CEB) and “he has nothing in common with Me” (AMP). This verse reveals the principle of no common ground. Like Jesus, we are to have nothing in common with the devil! This is one of the primary reasons why so many people get beat up in spiritual warfare, because they have common ground with the enemy! We are not to partner with darkness, at all! Any place that is not of the Spirit is of the flesh, is an open door, a foothold for the enemy (see Galatians 5:16-26). We create a common ground when we allow disbelief, fear, anxiety, anger, lust, pride, selfishness, rebellion, and the such, to operate in our lives! Any level of those things create a common ground. Consider what Terry Crist said in Interceding Against Powers of Darkness; “The reason Jesus was so effective in spiritual warfare… is because no common ground existed between Him and His adversary. When the devil struck at Jesus, there was absolutely nothing whatsoever in Him to receive the ‘hit.’ When Satan examined Him, there was nothing for him to find. Jesus and Satan had no relationship one to another, no common ground. In this hour of intense warfare, be sure to go before the Lord, crying out for Him to show you any “common ground” you have given to the devil (Psalm 139:23-24). And then confess, turn from it and invite the Holy Spirit to come fill those spots with His truth and presence!
This month we are in an epic battle. Please make sure you are ready for it! Now here are some important ways to pray with and for others this month….
Praying toward the Elections
September 25 through November 3
Between now and election day we are having a special season of prayer for the elections. Each day at 7am a different prayer missile is posted on the APN Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1423907481169281. Please use these as a launch pads to saturate this most important election of our lifetime in prayer, every day!!! The whole prayer guide will be available at the APN website – https://athensprayernetwork.com/praying-toward-the-elections/
Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, October 1 / 9 to 10am
WFBC – 1610 Simonton Bridge Road, Watkinsville 30677
Keeping with our rhythm the first Thursday of October, Student Pastors from around Athens will meet up and pray. For those of you who are not student pastors, please join us from wherever you are and pray that God would stir a great spiritual hungry in the students across our city! Ask God to pour out grace, wisdom and creativity upon all those who minister to the young people of our city, starting with the ones at your church. Cry out to God that He would protect each of these Students Pastors, their families, their teams (whether staff or volunteers). Please pray that every student in our city would be drawn to God in this unprecedented moment in history and that they would become the catalyst for revival on their campuses, in our city and beyond.
Athens Prayer Walk
Saturday, October 3 / 10am to noon
The Arch – Corner of College Avenue and East Broad Street
On the first Saturday of the month Christ followers from around Athens, meet at The Arch before pounding the pavement, crying out for a move of God here. Please join us if you can!
UGA Campus Ministry Directors Prayer
Thursday, October 8 & 22 / 3 to 4:30pm
Wesley (Bob’s office) – 1196 S Lumpkin St., Athens
Every other Thursday, those who lead campus or college ministries are invited to join us praying for each other and for God to move powerfully across the college campus. Please join us in prayer from wherever you are to ask God for a powerful move at UGA. Also, ask God to strengthen and blow fresh wind upon all those who are ministering or trying to reach college students.
Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, October 14 / 9 to 10am
St James UMC – 111 West Lake Drive, Athens 30606
Each month senior pastors from around Athens gather to pray for and with each other! If you’re able, please join us from wherever you are to pray for the pastors in our city, starting with your own! Pray that God would give them divine wisdom from above, extraordinary creativity and Holy Spirit boldness as they lead their congregations through this challenging, unprecedented, even hostile season. Ask God to empower them to lead well, and for each church to be an instrument of life and help to the Athens community. Pray that God would guard and even expand the unity among pastors in our city. In the midst of all the weight that is currently on them, ask God to abundantly bless, extravagantly refresh, greatly encourage, divinely protect and supernaturally provide for your pastor, their marriage and their family. Ask God to meet each of these lead shepherds in Athens right where they are, and give them all that it takes to stay intimately connected to God and run strongly throughout this battle. And ask God to use our pastors as a powerful godly voice in our city and nation, during such a time as this!
Executive Pastors Prayer
Thursday, October 15 / 9 to 10am
Athens Church – 10 Huntington Dr., Athens 30606
Those who “run” churches in Athens come together to share and pray with and for one each other. Pray for these hidden heroes who make huge decisions in an environment they have never been in before. 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. They need wisdom, creativity, boldness and faith. This is very a very important ministry at such an crucial time as this! Pray that God would give them supernatural joy as they keep the systems operating and create 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 as the Church emerges into the next season.
Athens Intercessors Community
Monday, October 19 / 7 to 9pm
APN Prayer Center
After shifting the date for this month (third Monday instead of second), we will be gathering, in person, as the Athens Intercessors Community in the APN Prayer Center. We will catch up with what God has been saying to us, worship and pray together. If you’re one of the intercessors, please join us!
Groups Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, October 21 / 9:30 to 10:30am
Grace Fellowship – 1120 Malcom Bridge Road, Bogart, 30622
Join us in praying for those who lead Groups ministries across Athens. People are desperate for authentic community and groups provide it! There are virtual groups, in person groups and hybrid groups, operating in our city. Pray that God would continue to lead the Groups Pastors in our city to create even more new and effective ways to stay connected and to connect new people. Pray that God would grant them wisdom and creativity. Pray for the groups’ leaders to lead their groups well in these new formats. Pray that God would raise up more group leaders for this season, as well as for the next. Ask God to gently remove those who should not be leading groups any more. Ask God to protect and expand this vital ministry in our city. And ask Him for heaven to come down upon every group that meets in Jesus’ powerful Name in Athens!
COMING UP…
Pastors Racial Unity
Thursday, November 19 / 10am to noon
Venue TBD
This gathering of black and white pastors is “essential” in our day! We live in tense days, and our pastors will continue to meet up to pray and discuss how we can walk this out in ways that honor each other and pleases God. Please fervently pray for the relationships between the black and white pastors in our city as we choose to walk by a different beat than that of the world.
ONGOING AND INSPIRATIONAL…
Campus Prayer
Mondays / 1 to 2pm
Currently via Zoom
Georgia Prayer Line
Wednesdays / 8am
Dial 425-436-6325 – when prompted enter access code 423231#
Please try to log in at 7:55am to announce your city and county. If you miss the live call you can still hear it by dialing 425-436-6309 (same access code).
Athens Daily Prayer Texts
Ongoing
All across Athens area
These Daily Prayer Texts are delivered to cell phones across Athens and beyond every morning at 8am. And they are posted each day at noon on the APN Facebook page. If you would like to receive these DPT’s each day, please text @athenspray to 81010. This is a great and simple way to start your day and to stand in unified focused prayer with others from across our city for our city!
FOR MORE STUFF…
Every day we post something on the APN Facebook page. Usually (and especially recently) it is more than once. These posts include prayer opportunities, prayer points, prayer inspirations and the Daily Prayer Text. It is definitely worth checking daily to help stay connected with what God is doing and to see how people are praying in our city!
Bless you heaps!!!
Steve
