Marty Woods who is a missionary in Japan is part of the team organising the Japan1million prayer initiative. The goal…to have Japanese and global Christians praying for a million hours for the revival of Japan.
He writes to update on how it is unfolding…
I wonder what your favourite Olympic moment was? The joy on an Italian high jumper’s face when Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim asked the official if he and Gianmarco Tamberi could share the gold medal asking, “Can we have two golds?” The Italian later said, “Sharing with a friend is even more beautiful.”
The Fiji Rugby 7′ s team down on their knees after beating New Zealand – praying, thanking God and giving him the glory. The BBC commentator exclaimed, “Wow – that’ s so powerful!”
As an Australian Christian, without any doubt, it was the silver medal won by the woman’ s High Jumper, Nicola McDermott. Each jump, full of great joy, she would pray, encourage the crowd as she said to herself, “Come on!” and then leap. You could see as she jumped she felt God’ s pleasure! After her medal ceremony on national TV she said, “I decided to pursue God over sport and whatever comes with sport is a bonus. I am already complete and perfect in His love. It’ s allowed me to soar over every high jump and not be scared anymore.”
As the Games were happening in Tokyo around the world hundreds of thousands of Christians were praying for the Games, the athletes and for the host nation, Japan. From small towns to the largest Brazilian Christian TV station, from children in Africa to the elderly in Malaysia, Christians came together to pray for Japan.
Churches in India committed to 50,000 hours, Koreans signing up to pray 7 hours a day for Japan…34,000 hours over one week. I hosted a bilingual online prayer meeting at 6am each day. We collected 11,000 hours of prayer just through this. What joy praying particularly with Japanese brothers and sisters committed to an awakening in their land.
Churches, mission agencies and individuals across the globe helped spread the word. International Prayer Connect (IPC) got the word out to the major Prayer networks who in turn passed on the heart of Japan1million to tens of thousands.
It has moved the Church in Japan beyond words to know that there are people passionately committing daily prayers for Japan. “You are giving us the greatest gift,” said one of the Japanese prayer leaders.
The impact of our prayers was illustrated by a Christian Brazilian athlete competing in the Games. He sent a message, “Thank you for your prayers! There is something supernatural going on here. I can’t even describe it.”
The prayers aren’ t stopping. We are continuing to pray to achieve our goal of one million prayers through the Paralympics beginning Tuesday the 24th of August for 13 days. Please consider joining our global prayer family at www.japan1million.com and on Instagram @japan1million
Someone asked of me how could they keep praying for Japan. I suggested six areas.
- More prayer for Japan – we have a quarter of a million hours signed up (we hear from prayer networks we are already over a million hours of “non-signed” up prayer)
- More workers for the harvest – “The fields in Japan are ripe unto harvest…” Pray for more Japanese workers to be raised up
- Momentum for prayer, for outreach and for unity amongst the Japanese Church. Pray for a unity movement seeking to bring Churches together called Love Japan
- Breaking, dismantling and destroying of the spiritual strongholds in this land
- The fire of the Holy Spirit to fall and the Kingdom to come
- We would see Japan totally transformed with 10 million believers by 2024
In all of this, God has had me on my own personal journey rediscovering prayer. Here’ s what the Father was showing me..
8 years ago, a Japanese Pastor was given a vision of 10 million Japanese believers by 2024. 10 million believers when currently there are less than one million.
I am part of his church. He’ s become my friend. I believe this vision. Yet I echo the cry of a father desperate for Jesus to heal his son, “I believe, help the part of me that doesn’ t believe.”
In our organisation we speak of mission being a process. It starts with prayer. I teach it often, tell stories of its importance. Yet the reality is, as an activist, I can easily want the “real” action.
Here’ s what’ s changed, the new knowing. I believe prayer is the “real” work, the most effective, strategic and central thing. It’ s what is needed to break through and heal our land.
All of me has signed up for Japan1million. Fasting, praying on line at 6am every morning with hundreds around the world, praying with my wife in a daily prayer relay run by our Church. Then, with my dog, we are off to a nearby Bamboo Forest where I can cry out to God for Japan.
Can a nation change through prayer? I truly believe it.
We’ re underway…the greatest movement of united prayer for Japan.
It will reach a nation for Christ.
Build the sacrifice with us.
Wait for the fire to fall.
From the Christians of Japan the biggest thank you to those of you who have signed up to pray.
If you missed this first phase it is not too late to commit to pray for Japan as the campaign goes through to the end of the Paralympics. As you sign up daily prayer points will be sent to you each day of the Paralympics.
Join the team, commit to praying, tell others. Help us reach a million hours.
“We can reach our world, if we will. The greatest need is prayer.” — Wesley Duewel.
