What is a gospel movement?

A church planting movement (CPM) or disciple making movement (DMM) can be defined as “the multiplication of disciples making disciples and leaders developing leaders, resulting in indigenous churches planting churches which begin to spread rapidly through a people group or population segment.” Click here to read more about gospel movements.

Declare a Promise

Psalm 86:9 “All nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.”

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We declare in accord with the scriptures: every sect, every tribe; every people group living here, every class; every age, and every village: all the peoples you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and glorify your name. May the Lamb of God receive the reward of his suffering.

Isaiah 35

Today, instead of praying ‘movement’ themes per se, we will pray through Isaiah 35 and apply its poetic symbolism and prophetic longing.

35:1-2a

Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.
    The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers
    and singing and joy!
The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
    as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.

—

Father, the desert and wilderness will rejoice; the wasteland will be glad and bloom. What was dead will spring back to life; what was lifeless will rise to sing. What seemed impossible–deserts becoming green like the mountains of Lebanon–is possible with you.

And so we pray into this region: that the impossible would happen!

1. What is the most impossible prayer you can pray right now for the Middle East and North Africa?
2. What is the area that seems hopelessly dead / lifeless / incurably dry? Is there an area or people group or political party you would like to pray for, declaring the resurrection life of Christ?

35:2b

There the Lord will display his glory,
    the splendor of our God.

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Yes Lord: display your glory! Display your splendor! Manifest your love, your peace, your kindness. Break through and show Arabs your greatness. In the place that was dead, show your glory. In the place that was wilderness, demonstrate your power. In the place that was desert, reveal your loving kindnesses.

1. Where–or among whom–do you want to see the splendor of God demonstrated?
2. Declare it.

35:3-4

With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
    and encourage those who have weak knees.
Say to those with fearful hearts,
    “Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
    He is coming to save you.”

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Lord, despite the chaos reigning in this region…despite the corruption and failure…despite the bleak outlook: there is good news. The wilderness and desert will rejoice and bloom. And so we pray, Lord, for new hope to be released. To those with tired hands: Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy. To those with weak knees: Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. To those with fearful hearts: Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy. For truly: Our God will throw down the spirits of death, the powers of corruption, the principalities of falsehood, and the forces of violence in this land.

1. Pray for pastors, missionaries, and ministers, that the Lord would strengthen their tired hands
2. If you know people in this region, choose a few names and speak the blessing of strength and courage over their hearts
3. Declare the victory of Jesus over every spiritual enemy here.

35:5-6a

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind
    and unplug the ears of the deaf.
The lame will leap like a deer,
    and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!

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Lord, we declare a fresh release of the ministry and power of Jesus today: that blind eyes be opened, that deaf ears be unplugged, that the lame leap like deer through the forest. And may those who cannot speak–those silenced by the searing pains of unseen trauma, silenced by the brutalities of a failed economy, silenced by the unbearable stresses of daily living; Lord! Those who cannot utter complaints much less praise; those too downtrodden to lift up their heads or shake fists in protest; those who feel no agency in their lives, whose voices have cracked and failed them: Lord, we declare that these sons and daughters will sing for joy.

1. Will you cry out in intercession for the hopeless?
2. Will you pour out your heart in intercession for a blind, deaf, lame, and silenced people?

35:6b-7

Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,
    and streams will water the wasteland.
The parched ground will become a pool,
    and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish
    where desert jackals once lived.

—

Father, we ask for a mighty release of justice across this land, justice like springs gushing forth in the wilderness, like streams watering the wasteland. We declare, Lord, that the parched ground will become a refreshing pool, and that the land–so beleaguered from violence and corruption–would see respite.

1. Pray for an outpouring of justice over this region
2. Ask for the communities here to flourish, to carry within themselves the seeds of their own unencumbered reproduction: good that spreads good, love that yields love, life that grows life

35:8-9

And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
    It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
    It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
    fools will never walk there.
Lions will not lurk along its course,
    nor any other ferocious beasts.
There will be no other dangers.
    Only the redeemed will walk on it.

—

O Great God! We come before you and ask that the road of the redeemed would be paved with peace, protected by God, and secured throughout the land. We ask for a Highway of Holiness to run through this region. And we pray, Lord, for protection from Satan, the accuser who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8): Lord, lead us away from temptation; deliver us from evil. May no ferocious beasts cause harm or fear any longer in the land. May there be no more sorrow and suffering, no more dangers. May the redeemed walk the Way of Jesus, the way of peace, and may your children be kept from all evil.

1. Will you ask for protection for believers from spiritual attack?
2. Will you pray that a path–a highway of holiness–would be made for each and every community of believers in this region?

35:10

Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.
    They will enter the city of David singing,
    crowned with everlasting joy.
Sorrow and mourning will disappear,
    and they will be filled with joy and gladness.

—

We pray for redemption in this land, Father. Where there were ashes, bring forth beauty; where there was brokenness, your healing; where sorrow and pain, everlasting joy like a crown on our head. Swallow up death and its sting, O Lord, in the victory of your cross, and fill your children with the joy and gladness of Jesus. Make all things new. Bring children home. May they come running. Restore what was stolen. Bring blessing where there was a curse. Make right what was wrong. Render into this region the rule and reign of God, on earth as it is in heaven. May injustice and slavery be absorbed by the cross, redeemed by the adopting and healing love of the Father, and transformed as it is given back to the world in the form of a blessing.

Amen.

No Place Left

Each day, we pray for one of the countries the Grove represents, believing in faith that a disciple making movement will touch each and every community throughout these nations.

Today, pray by name for Tunisia.

And its 5 largest cities: Tunis, Sfax, Sousse, Kairouan, and Bizerte

More Information About the Grove and Ongoing Prayer Needs

What is the Grove?

The Grove is a learning and implementation community of 23 intentional kingdom workers from 7 different nationalities serving in 8 strategic nations within the Middle East and North Africa. We have intentionally banded together for 2023-2024 to learn, grow, experiment, pray, and serve together.

What does a learning and implementation community do?

• Learning:
  • 3 face to face trainings over the 2 years
  • 1-2 ongoing learning meetings monthly
• Implementation:
  • We put into practice our learning right away in our individual contexts
  • We band together in cohorts to support each other in implementation
  • We are intentionally experimenting together and sharing our experiences and learning

How can I be praying for the Grove aside from the daily Prayer Fuel?

• For the participants to grow together in unity and fruitfulness
• That participants would continue to develop their authentic personal witness
• For new and creative ideas to share within natural social groupings rather than just individuals