Reflecting on a week of 24-7 prayer

It seems a bit premature to start reflecting on all that happened during the 24-7 week, sensing that the prayers prayed, hearts changed, people softened and breakthroughs encountered in that place, are not over. It is part of an ongoing flow and many stories are yet to be completed.

But I write in celebration that it was an amazing week! Even though a lot of Elim-ers were away on holiday and it wasn't the most convenient week for OH time-wise, we felt that this was the week to push into 24-7 prayer, and we are sure that God's timing was significant in the bigger plan. Having ongoing prayer in Elim certainly set the atmosphere in that building for other events that happened during the week.

During Sloshout we encountered such an openness and freedom in worship, which I believe can't be disconnected from the spiritual atmosphere that had been pushed into upstairs. I was involved in a few sessions in the prayer room where we saw breakthrough- we worshipped creatively through colour and movement, we let ourselves go in prayer, worship and intercession, making lots of noise (and probably sounding crazy to anyone else!); simply enjoying drinking in time with Jesus.

There were strategic times when a lot of focus was given to praying for healing for individuals or for meetings that were going on downstairs. New connections were forming between Open Heaven and Elim. People purposely booked in sessions before work or afterwards, to stow away with God for an hour or so. I heard reports of people staying on for hours, saying one wasn't enough!

When it came time to take the room down I felt a deep emotion that I had not expected to feel. Over the week, time in this room had become part of my story -relationships with different friends and places we had gone to with God together, the creativity that almost grows in that space-hearts’ cries drawn and prayers scribbled - it all had to be packed away. But as we cleared the room, the lyrics to a song were playing, "Though your walls are fallen down He'll build you up again".

I am SO excited and confident in the fact that Loughborough will have a 24-7 prayer room running at St Peters, and we are starting to see how this could become a reality soon. As we continue to journey in the area of prayer, we do so connected to Elim, dreaming mad dreams with them of what could be, sharing what we have, complimenting and challenging each other, and learning lots at the beginning of this journey together.