ISAIAH 62 Prayer Letter

January 20, 2016

 

 

Dear Isaiah 62 prayer partners,

 

As we seek the Lord together at the beginning of this new year, let us remember the incredible promises connected with earnest prayer, which is the most powerful weapon the Lord has granted to his children.

 

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9–10)

“Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”” (Luke 18:6–8)

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7, NKJV)

 

What powerful promises these are! The common thread which runs through these passages is the idea of persistence. “Knock, and keep on knocking,” is what the Greek language suggests in Luke 11, like the widow who continued to call on the Lord day and night. The Lord calls us to abide in him and be persistent; these are the main trademarks of prayer which accomplishes results. Too often we give up too early and accept a “no answer” response as the will of God.

 

I was recently greatly encouraged by the extraordinary story of Rees Howells in the book The Intercessor. In the midst of the darkest hours of European history, when Hitler’s armies were advancing on every level, Howells met with a group of 100 intercessors at a Bible college in Wales. They not only prayed strategically for the downfall of Hitler but they declared victory over Nazi Germany when it all seemed impossible. The two main inspirations which motivated him were his understanding that the Gospel of Jesus Christ needs to go to “every creature” and the imminent return of the Jews back to their homeland to fulfil prophecy. Therefore he concluded it was impossible for Hitler to remain victorious. In the most hopeless chapter of European history they prayed every day for hours for victory over Hitler. The Lord led them in prophetic and strategic prayers that saw amazing results.

 

 As a family, we are going through a situation which challenges us very personally to pray and keep on praying, to knock and keep on knocking. At the end of last November, I was diagnosed with an aggressive type of cancer. On a daily basis we bring our situation before the Lord and are speaking to the mountain of cancer to remove itself out of my body. While I am scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming weeks I still trust the Lord for his healing power to be manifested! I humbly ask you to join us in this battle and to trust the Lord for a miracle.

 

A heartfelt “Thank You” to all who stood with us during the past fifty days, from both my dear wife Vesna, our children and myself. One of the most humbling experiences was to see how many people are praying and encouraging us. People we never met are fasting and having night watches for us. It not only strengthens us greatly but also challenges us to think whether we would be willing to do the same for people virtually unknown to us. Again thank you all of you from the bottom of our hearts!!

 

Let us continue to approach the throne of grace for a speedy answer in time of need!

 

 

In Yeshua’s love,

 

Jürgen and Vesna Bühler

 

 

 

 

 

The next day of prayer and fasting in our Isaiah 62 Global Prayer Campaign will be on Wednesday, January 20, 2016. Please join us!

 

 

 Pray with us according to the following guidelines:

 

1.      Dr. Jürgen Bühler

 

Please pray for the speedy recovery and healing of our Executive Director Dr. Jürgen Bühler and for the glory of the Lord to be released through it.

 

Use Phil. 1:19, 24-26 and John 11:4, 45 in your prayers.

 

2.      ICEJ Ministry and the ICEJ staff

 

Please pray for our ministry and especially ICEJ Aid, our social assistance program. ICEJ is constantly reaching out to the needy and broken people as a ministry. Through various efforts, we hope to help build a better future for the disadvantaged, youth at risk, new immigrants and minorities while also caring for holocaust survivors. Stand with us in prayer so we can help the ones in need.

 

Use Is. 40:1 and Ps. 41:1-3 in your prayers.

 

3.      Syria

 

Please pray for guidance of the Holy Spirit in establishing righteousness and peace among the people in Syria. Let’s pray together for the fighting to end, and for the violence to not spill over the borders into Israel. Pray also for protection and boldness for both the local Christian leaders and the international Christian workers, as well as the entire Christian communities in that region.

 

Use Prov. 21:1, Jer. 18:7-8 and 2 Chron. 7:14 in your prayers.

 

4.      The Israeli government and the IDF

 

Pray for the government of Israel to receive wisdom how to deal with the many threats to Israel’s security, and to govern and rule the nation righteously from Jerusalem. Pray for safety of the Israeli soldiers, for peace and calm to be maintained at the boarders of Israel with Lebanon and Syria.

 

Use Prov. 1:7; Eccl. 9:18 and Ps. 91 in your prayers.