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This article was originally published in Edition (10) of Prayer Magazine, Apr-Jun 2007. 2 Chronicles 7: 14 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 1 Timothy 2: 1, 8. I urge, then, first of all that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for Kings and all those in Authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all Godliness and Holiness. I want men everywhere (in Britain) to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger or disputing. I arrived in London in the summer of 1991, back to the place of my birth and childhood. My memory bank regularly replays the first glimpse of the green chequered English fields from my window seat in the Nigerian Airways flight from Lagos. I remember wondering how idyllic the toy-sized houses looked, neatly arranged in rows, very different from the compact spaghetti slums of cosmopolitan Ibadan. Fresh out of the tyrannical pressure of consistent rigorous study in medical school, I was well overdue for a holiday and change of scene. ‘Your sister would really enjoy your brief company in Oyinbo (the White man’s) country’ my mother quipped on the eve of my departure. ‘She has been on her own for six years and sure needs to feel her brother’s hug. Are you sure you are coming back!!’ I turned and looked sternly at my fussing mum as she crouched twiddling her Muslim prayer beads and chanting under her breath. Of course!! I am only going for three months…we’ve been over this already, are you sure you really want me to go!! It’s okay my prince, lets not get into any arguments. There’s just that look in your eyes’ As usual I have to confess, she was right. Fifteen years later I am still on my three months holiday!! Within a few days of arriving, I had what we Pentecostals call ‘an encounter’ with God. Jonathan you are not here by accident, you are here by divine design, you are here as part of my recruitment to this part of the world in preparation for the Coming of my Son Jesus. Therefore drop your agenda and pick up my programme. Get involved with what I am doing in these Isles and Continent. Stop Medicine and pick up Ministry. It was so vivid and clear. I knew God was speaking to my heart. ‘God, Don’t you think that’s a bit too drastic and radical?! Leave medicine…? I have everything set up in Nigeria for my career. Can’t I serve you as a medical doctor? How do I tell my Dad…wait a minute, how do I tell my Mum!!! Oh God you are going to have to talk to her yourself!!’ All these thoughts and more flooded through my mind as I pondered the depth of God’s Word to my heart. I was literally terrified of how my Islamic family would react to the news. I had barely recovered from the horrible experience of being excommunicated from our home by my Father when I became a Christian five years earlier. For my parents, breeding the only doctor in the family anaesthetised the impact of having a Christian son within the Muslim community. Now even that Joker was about to be lost. Looking back, God has really been faithful. My entire family have become Christians, I met the love of my life; Abbiih, we have two lovely kids Sam and Hanita, I am part of a thriving church called Glory House and deeply involved (in my own way) with Christian Mission in the UK. THE VISIONS In the year 2005 I had a repeat Vision of something I first saw in 1991. It was clearer and came with its own insight and application. Before stating what I saw, I would like to present two other scenes I was given by the Lord in 1992 and 1997. Visions, dreams, trances and prophetic revelations are all very biblical and can be experienced by any Christian as a result of Gifts by the Holy Spirit or as chosen by the Lord. Saint Peter quoted from the book of Joel on the Day of Pentecost when he said: And it shall be in the last days, ‘’God says, ‘’That I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; Even upon My bond slaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of my Spirit and they shall prophesy’’ (Acts 2:17-18). The old and new Testaments are replete with incidences and stories of people having divinely inspired epiphanies resulting in God communicating a message with a purpose. God seems to have chosen to speak to me many times through dreams and visions right from the very first day I encountered Jesus as my Saviour. With this in mind let me tell you what I saw:
THE ROAD TO WEMBLEY The first one was seeing thousands of people that looked like Christians worshipping and praying at the Wembley Stadium. At that time 1992, I had never been to the Stadium but watched matches on TV. However the stadium I saw was more modern and different from the Wembley Stadium I knew. It was a different stadium but in the experience I just knew that it was definitely Wembley. Everybody was there to celebrate and pray but the large podium erected was all set and ready but empty. We all seemed to be waiting for someone to come to the microphone. All the Christian profiled leaders, speakers and many others were there but all were stationary looking at the microphone. As I looked on and waited, the Lord said to my heart, Jonathan, when my people gather in unity, I am the one that speaks. (When two or three gather TOGETHER in my name, there I am in the midst of them.) I recorded the vision in my heart and rehearsed it to a number of leaders I knew at that time but didn’t know what was required of me, so l prayed about it, prayed into unity in the Body and later shelved it. Nevertheless I did not forget it. THE PIED PIPER The Second vision I experienced was later in the 90’s. I saw hundreds of thousands of people, probably over a million streaming out from nightclubs, libraries ,homes, streets, pubs ,workplaces , factories , churches , mosques , temples, city centres…everywhere. Some where well dressed others looked like they were homeless. Their hair styles were of all shapes, shades and styles. The striking thing was that they were all TEENAGERS!! It looked like a scene from the Pied Piper fable with a Stephen King eerie twist as they all seemed to be responding to a certain call or sound. They had a dreamy look on their faces but their furores were rigged with determination and purpose. They were teenagers from all cultural groups and Nationalities but the overwhelmingly majority were Caucasian Brits. They poured onto the empty streets and filled the dual carriage way as far as my eyes could see. It looked like the M1. I came out of the frame, dream or vision shouting in my mind. ‘They are here! They are all here!!’ I suddenly knew that Britain was a Christian nation and I heard the Lord say ‘’when I call, My sheep hear My voice respond and obey. The dream of a vision that I saw, where thousands or perhaps millions of young Britons were responding to God, is in sharp contrast with this present hedonistic, self-serving and liberal society. As a British – born Nigerian, saved from Islam and called as a missionary to Great Britain, I see a Western world quite confused. One minute we are reducing the age of consent to have sex and the very next, we are banning smoking while reclassifying cannabis. The legal age of consent to have an Abortion is lower than that of having sex?!! We preach a message of political correctness but want to stop tradition Christian values which have formed the foundation (stones) of current British society norms and laws. In the name of tolerance, Britain is in danger of losing her identity. I stepped into 2006 with an overwhelmingly burden to act as a catalyst to call the city in which I live, London to prayer. This call however is to the whole Nation; we need to get on our knees before God or we will kneel before an enemy of state. This Call is for the Church to regain her Job Description of Intercession and Praying with Fasting for her world. 2 Chronicles 7: 14 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. THE THIRD REEL. The Lord gave me a simple illustration of joining the dots. I saw what looked like a map of Britain with the location of ALL the churches (in homes, factories, shops, historic buildings or converted warehouse) linked together. Each church was praying the same prayer as the next and there was some cord or connection joining each church with the other. I clearly saw each church as groups of people or congregations praying together. EACH CHURCH LOOKED LIKE A LIGHT BULB. Then as the people continued to pray, all the churches lit up as individual lights and it seemed that the whole country was covered in light like a Christmas tree!! I saw the Words LIGHT and HEALING emblazoned across the map of the UK. When the Church begins to pray in unity, light and healing will come to the British Isles in increasing measure. Five years ago I was a catalyst for consistent united prayers in the borough of Newham. We have been praying together every week since. That area of London is undergoing transformation spiritually, socially, financially and infrastructurally. Our vision is to cover the whole borough in prayer. I strongly believe we need to come together in prayer. Acts 2:1 ‘… they were all together in one accord.’
THE CALL Let us all come together this June to pray for our Communities, Cities, Counties and Country. I challenge you to be a catalyst where you are and call the churches and Christians in your area together to pray on the Day of Pentecost Sunday 27th May 2007. If you step out, Heaven will back you up. Go talk to your Church leaders, Vicar, Bishop or Father. Pentecost is celebrated by the church all over the world. The root of Pentecost (Acts 2) is Unity in Prayer and worship. Can Britain celebrate this festival in the true spirit of its genesis? On February 20th 2006 a number of leaders across the Christian streams got together in one of the Key churches in London and left with a united mandate to have a gathering this year linked into The Global Day of Prayer. The result of that was this: GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER/PENTECOST 2007 All Together Praying Sunday 27th May 2007 West Ham Stadium Green Street LONDON E7 Church Leaders, Youth workers, Business Leaders, MPs, Peers, Civil Leaders, Community Leaders, Marketplace Leaders, Women, Men, Youth, Asian, South American, Caribbean, African, European Christian Leaders…Every Leader!! The Capital’s Christian Leadership will converge together in one place on this day to establish the Unity of the church and pray for the City and Nation. We will Supplicate, Intercede, and offer up Thanksgiving to the Father through the Son in the Spirit. Details are coming together as we sense the Holy Spirit guiding. This event is being supported by Charismatic Catholics, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Anglicans, Black Majority Churches, Baptists, Methodists and Multi-Ethnic church communities all over London. All the major Denominations, Independent Churches and Networks are linked or being linked into this already as you read this. Pentecost Sunday 27th May 2007 will witness united prayer with in Local Churches across the Capital as congregations pray the SAME prayer of Thanksgiving, Supplication and Intercession in various styles and liturgy. Some areas like Southwark and Newham are planning large Celebrations in their local parks. 2007/2008 may be the year(s) when all the Christians in the Capital converge on ONE PLACE to Worship and Pray Together in Unity!! Call the different Christian streams together in your area and agree to Pray as one this year. 1Timothy 2:1-3, 8 So, I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up their hands in a holy manner, without anger and arguments. First, I tell you to pray for all people, asking God for what they need and being thankful to him. 2 Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to know the truth. Shalom Jonathan Oloyede A Senior Associate Pastor of Glory House www.gloryhouse.org.uk ; part of the leadership team of Soul in the City London www.soulinthecity.co.uk ;and a catalyst for the Global Day of Prayer in London www.globaldayofprayer.com .
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