Vision – what we felt the Lord say regarding the Ministry team

I felt we were to be 3 things:

• Army
• Hospital
• Family

Army

Joel 2:11 - The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command.

• An army is under authority and we have been given authority by God to go heal the sick and preach the Kingdom of God. We have authority because we are under authority. This also releases the power of God when we pray.

• An army should be radical, trained, equipped and released to do battle – this is one reason why we have produced a manual to work through. That we can become better equipped to our mission.

• An army is strategic – I felt the Lord say he wanted us to be strategic in giving what we have away. Mobilise and train others to do what we are doing. The 12, 72, 120 principle – Matthew 28:18-20.

• An army that recruits and is strong in number – the church is the ministry team! That what we do on a Sunday would flow like a river into the church and be contagious. That people would be ready to pray for people in their schools, at Asda’s, in the town centre and in their families.

• An army that is united – the military don’t shoot their own troops. We have an enemy and that is where our fight as prayers is found not among ourselves.

• An army invades and often takes back territory that its enemy had previously stolen. When we pray we are an army taking back ground and extending the Kingdom of God.

Hospital – without waiting lists

Luke 4:18-19 - The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.

• A hospital is where the wounded come - many of us have arrived at church in pain. We must be part of the process to heal the wounded through the power of Jesus.

• A hospital is where healing takes place – in all areas whether that be emotionally, physically, mentally – we must realise that God is interested in people’s minds and bodies as well as their souls. FREEDOM FOR PRISONERS, SIGHT FOR THE BLIND, RELEASING OF THE OPPRESSED

• A hospital’s first point of contact is often an Accident and Emergency ward – we can often be the first place the broken come and we are an accident and emergency team!

• A hospital also refers people after treatment to the next stage so that they can become fully healed. I felt the Lord say that we must take that role up and become more discerning and effective in how we move people on through their process of receiving prayer/healing i.e. – what’snext – more prayer, counseling, life group etc.. Hopefully our prayer manual can help in this area. Prayer ministry isn’t a quick fix but part of a process.

1 John 3:1-2 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,^[a]we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

• A family bears a resemblance – we look like our parents and as a team we are called to become more like Jesus – that as we pray people will see him through us.

• A family has intimacy and connection – this is why we have put the life group in place so that we can come united together to share our struggles, to stand with each other, prophecy, encourage and speak hope. A place of safety where when we are wounded we can find healing. To also have fun and trust one another – when we are united the enemy trembles. Connection between ourselves and the Lord

• A family shows an example – as the team expands our life group should be a place where we invite people in and mentor them, stand with them and release them into what God has called them to be within prayer ministry. Living things grow!

• An effective family communicates – as the leader of the prayer team I want to be intentional about communicating with each other, the church but even more so the other areas of prayer. As we unite and speak with each other in the different prayer areas that in turn we would see the power of God released like we haven’t seen before.