Apostles and Prophets for the Balkans

I was praying Saturday (Feb, 8th 2020) for God to raise up an apostolic/prophetic group in the Balkans that will make covenant with each other to identify and encourage anointed evangelist, teachers and pastors. These would be men and women that have been tested by fire and walk in their office with power. These would be men and women that do not fight against flesh and blood but know how to walk in dominion over the enemy. They would be the ones that know how to fight along with the armies of heaven to bring forth God's glory. They can be trusted with the finances of heaven and actually desire to suffer so the Kingdom can be established on earth.

Let me give some definitions. These are my definitions, so I don’t expect others to adhere to them.

Prophet:
a.    The Office – Speaks for God to open doors for moves of God. Confirms the vision of the Apostle. Can announce a major shift in earthly ministry, clarifying direction or correcting direction. Seasoned man or woman of God.
b.    The Gift – forthtelling, encouraging words and direction to individuals and churches. All believers can exercise this gift. b.    1 Corinthians 14:31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.

Apostle:
a.    The Office – Person of Vision. They can see how heaven can be established on earth. Usually have a broad view of how the Gospel can impact a country or region. They can recognize giftings in people and they know how to raise up and align these people into their calling. They have been tried in the fire and there is a God-given respect they walk in.
b.    The Gift – Love to encourage others to fulfill their calling. Knowing how to love people into their calling. I feel most local pastors move in this gift.

In my sphere of ministry, how does this apply?

God has made me an intercessor to the Balkan countries. That is not for me to boast in but to be faithful to. For over forty years I have been praying for the countries and people in the Balkans.

I can’t explain this now, but the Apostle and Prophet work together to move the Church forward. An apostle and a prophet that can work together smoothly is a lethal threat to the devil. God will put them together to steward a move of God. Usually their combination offices will come forth when God is about to pour out mercy on a region.

So, in my prayers for the Balkan region, I am praying for these apostles and prophet to come forth. Two big questions; is God’s mercy ready to be poured out on the Balkans and how can these offices come forth.

I feel there are two things that hinder these two offices from coming forth and being effective. First is the reluctance of local Christians to accept the Apostle and Prophet. There is a lack of honor for these offices. Second, those that have been called to be apostles and prophets are timid and don’t want to step into their authority.Of course we know these offices have been abused.

How can those hindrances be overcome in the Balkans? These apostles and prophets must walk in humility. From what I see, both offices are birthed out of humility. Especially when signs and wonders are following them, and divine appointments are leading them. These signs and wonders should verify their calling and create a healthy respect from fellow Christians. Usually these are men and women that have been through much trials and tribulations.

What I envision from my prayers is apostles and prophets across the Balkans that have a genuine respect for one another, coming together often to pray and learn from one another. They are united for the Kingdom. From what I read in the New Testament and letters from early church fathers, there was a healthy flow of ministry between them. You see them carrying letters back and forth, the counsel in Jerusalem and sending disciples to each other’s cities to help in the work. Even in our modern day there are some international ministries that are already doing this.

My prayer is that God would raise up from the Balkan churches these biblical offices to usher in a mighty move of righteousness on the Balkan peninsula. I am believing for apostles and prophets that will help the evangelist, teachers and pastors find their place in the Balkan Church. Holy Spirit, I ask for Your divine help to accomplish a mighty transformation across the Balkans.

Pray for the Balkans

Pray for the Balkans


Heroes and Villains

Heroes and villains is what the Balkans is all about. One ethnic group’s hero is another group’s villain. One nation’s war criminals are another nation’s victorious heroes. Keeping the peace in the Balkans is very complex. Due to the many past wars and the multi-national populations of each country, this is the reality here. There seems to be a war somewhere in the Balkans every 25-40 years. This is a curse which has devastated this region and this cycle must and can be broken by the power of Jesus Christ.

The following stories are rooted in this problem. A small portion of each article will give you a taste of the challenges. You can open the links to read the full articles.
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Croatian Anne Frank Tribute Commemorates Fascists’ Victims
The anti-fascist association in the town of Sibenik will mark Holocaust Remembrance Day with a reading of Anne Frank’s diary after a local school director barred an exhibition about the WWII diarist. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-museum-marks-holocaust-with-anne-frank-01-26-2017
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Albanians Await Access to Communist-Era Police Files
State institutions and individuals have started applying for access to information kept confidential in secret police files for more than 25 years after the Albanian Communist regime fell. - See more at: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albanian-institutions-request-communism-secret-police-check-ups-01-26-2017#sthash.8X11R4lo.dpuf
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Montenegro’s Bosniaks Thwart Njegos National Holiday
Montenegro’s government dropped plans to declare the birthday of Petar II Petrovic Njegos a national holiday after opposition from Bosniaks who accuse the poet-prince of glorifying the killing of Muslims.
The Bosniak Party said at the time that certain ideas in Njegos’s works “were used to justify genocide against the Muslim community in both the 19th and 20th centuries in Montenegro and in the region”. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosniaks-oppose-memorialisation-of-montenegro-s-royal-poet-njegos-12-29-2016
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Defiant Bosnian Serbs Celebrate Banned ‘National Day’
Celebrations in the Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska saw a ratcheting up of independence rhetoric as well as high-level spats over the participation of members of the country’s armed forces.
Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik used the occasion of the biggest-ever celebration of the Day of Republika Srpska, which went ahead on Monday in defiance of a ban by Bosnia's Constitutional Court, to demand greater autonomy for the entity.
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnian-serbs-hold-national-day-despite-ban-01-09-2017

Prayer Points:
1)    The “Peace Maker” must be welcomed in every Balkan country. Only Jesus can bring permanent peace. Lord, let Your presence come to this region and bring true transformation.
2)    Pray that ethnic groups in the Balkans would learn the power of forgiveness. This must be supernatural, as hatred is such an intricate part of the Balkans. 
3)   Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. This verse comforts us as Christians and it shows the depths of God’s love. Pray that all Christians in the Balkans would be able to accept God’s forgiveness so they can forgive others.
4)    Pray that Christians would be the example to their countrymen in showing the freedom of forgiveness.
5)    There are Balkan-wide Christian efforts that are displaying unity among ethnic groups. Pray for Brother’s Keepers and Daughters of the King. Two annual regional gatherings which have done much to bring healing in the past 10 years.
6)    The battle is not against men but against spiritual principalities in high places. 6)    Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Let us stand in the gab against these spiritual host of wickedness that have been stirring up hatred in the Balkans for centuries.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Pray for Macedonia 8-23-16

Pray for Macedonia

At least 21 people have died in floods that hit the Macedonian capital, Skopje, following torrential rain. - Aug. 7. 2016

The victims' bodies were found on Sunday morning after the storm passed. Several people are still missing.

Some of the victims drowned in their cars. Parts of the city's ring road were swept away in the floods, dragging cars into nearby fields.

Three-and-a-half inches (93mm) of rain fell in Skopje in the storm - more than the average for the whole of August.

The water level reached as high as five feet (1.5 meters) in some of the affected areas, reports said.
"Everything was a mess. Televisions, the fridge, the sofa, everything was floating... it was a nightmare," said Baze Spriovski, a 43-year-old from Singelic in the outskirts of Skopje. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37002364 
 
Short History of Macedonian Origins

Macedonians are a people group that have come together over many centuries. The assimilation of peoples have been; in the ancient time there was the Thracian people and then the Illyrians, In the late 6th century BC, the Achaemenid Persians stayed awhile put they retreated as the Greeks became stronger, then in the 4th century B.C. Phillip II begin to establish what could be considered the first Macedonians and gave them a country. Phillip’s son Alexandra the Great built a fighting force and conquered half the known world. From the fall of Alexandra until 1991 (approximately 2100 years) the Macedonian people were subjects of multiple empires that tried to control the Balkan land mass; Romans, Greeks, Serbians, Bulgarians and Albanians. By majority Macedonians are predominately Slavs due to the Slavic invasion of the Balkans in the 6th thru 8th century.  

The question begs to be asked, why would God establish Macedonia as a nation after 2000+ years of occupation? Is there a seed that was dormant for all that time and now is springing forth? Although the Macedonian people have intermarried with many nationalities, they draw upon the days of Alexandra the Great as their inspiration for the future.

In addition, 33% of  the Macedonian population is ethnically Albanian. The Macedonians and Albanians do not assimilate well and so there is constant friction between the two groups.

Prayer Points:
1)    Pray for the Macedonian people to recover from the unexpected flooding. May God help them in the process to see His mighty hand.
2)    Please pray for the Christians in Macedonia to rise up and be helpful to their neighbors regardless of nationality.
3)    We are often reminded of Israel and how that after 2000 years they became a nation again. In a way this is also true with Macedonia. Pray that Macedonians would recognize that they have destiny as a nation.
4)    Pray for the spheres of influence in Macedonia; family, religion, education, business, government, media and arts/entertainment. Ask the Lord to prepare people that honor Him to take leading positions in those areas.
5)    This past spring, we spent some days in Macedonia visiting churches and also the House of Prayer. Let us pray for the Macedonian Christians as they live for Him in a culture where few know of His love.
6)    Let us thank the Lord for the House of Prayer in the capital of Skopje. May those brothers and sisters move into a realm of total victory as they lift up Jesus over the nation.
7)    Let us believe for an out-pouring of God’s mercy upon Macedonia. Lord come and purify Your children so You can flow through them to show Your love.
8)    May the Christians go the extra mile to reach out to their Albanian neighbors. Macedonians and Albanians can live in peace when Jesus is their peace maker.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you prayed.

Pray for the IST Group

Pray for the IST Group

Thanks for joining us in prayer as we intercede for the Balkan countries. This week let us pray for Intentional Strategies for Transformation, the ministry we steward. Every first week of the month we cover IST Group in prayer.

Last month the whole team was in Dallas, Texas for the Upper Room Global Summit and for the IST Group board meeting. (For a reminder of the prayers we prayed for that time see this link  http://istprayer.blogspot.hr/2016/04/pray-for-istgroup.html).

Thank you so much for your prayers while we were stateside. We were able to share the vision we carry with many. We had two new churches join us as partners. We love it when churches come on board with us, and likewise we honor all the individuals that give their sacrificial missions offering each month. We love and pray for our partners regularly.

Momentum is building here in Zagreb for the up-coming conference with Prophet Yonathan Lara from Argentina. There are five churches involved and we truly expect faith to be activated in this city and nation. The conference is May 26-28th!

The IST Group as a team will be going to Macedonia next weekend (May 6-8).  Zuzanna and Lidija will be ministering at the Daughters of the King Macedonija Conference, and Jerry will be visiting a house of prayer and a coffee shop ministry in Skopje, the capital.
 
Prayer Points:
1)    Thank you for continuing to lift up the IST group as we in collaboration with the Board suntan working towards the establishment of this vision. We are beyond blessed as we see it all coming together.
2)    Pray for the meeting with Yonathan Lara. Because of the cooperation of the 5 city leaders, the organizational piece is in good shape. We still lack some of the finances in order to cover the cost of this sizable undertaking.
3)    Pray that the same Spirit which poured out revival after revival in Argentina, would be poured out on this dry and thirsty land! We expect that believers faith will be activated and the result will be: true believers fulfilling their destiny.
4)    Pray for our time in Macedonia. May the Macedonian Call ring loud in our ears. Pray for Lidija as she leads the conference and pray for Zuzanna as she ministers. Pray for many Holy Spirit encounters.
5)    Pray for Jerry in Macedonia as he desire to reach people on the streets. Lord give him boldness to share the revelation of Jesus in power and in love.

What can I say; the Lord is just SO GOOD!