Prayer Preparation and Assistance

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners...” Isaiah 61:1

The following information, thoughts and verses have been put together to help volunteers prepare mentally and spiritually for ACTS Volunteer trips; it will also assist those wishing to join and support this movement in prayer to know how to pray and to come alongside the efforts on the ground.

ACTS is designed to be a physical, visible, outpouring of God’s love to the neediest communities in Africa through us, His servants and His children; those who are called by His name. James 2:17 tells us that faith without works is meaningless. ACTS offers Christians an opportunity to exercise the good works that we are called to perform as an expression of our faith.

Isaiah 61 is Jesus speaking. The Son of God defines His mission on earth in these verses.“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…” In John 17:18 Jesus speaks again to the Father and confers this mission statement upon us. “As you sent Me into the world I also have sent them into the world.” As sons and daughters ransomed and healed, renewed, restored, redeemed and forgiven we have been anointed, and called, by the King of Angel Armies to take our place in His story and become a shining light in a fallen world. God does not always call the qualified, but He always qualifies those He has called. You have been called to be part of the movement of God’s Spirit across Africa and you are being qualified to offer healing, restoration, rebuilding and renewal in Christ Jesus!

Has He begun this work in your own life? How far along the journey of restoration are you? Can you say proudly and passionately “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”? Do you want this depth of faith and belief in God? Do you long to drink deep of these Living Waters? Do you thirst for more? Do you hunger for something more satisfying or long for the lasting peace, joy, profusion that your soul tells you must be available? Does your spirit know that it was made for so much more? Do you hear eternity whisper to your soul in the abundance of the ocean or through the splendour of an African sunset or the pinkling dawn? Do you want to discover your life by laying it down? Do you want to be part of a movement that is larger than anything that you or I will ever be?

Take some time and ask your Heavenly Father to come for you now. Ask Him to continue the work that He has begun in your life. Ask, seek, knock; The door will be opened unto you and your heart will discover this fullness and this Life that is available to you. There is a depth of intimacy, a level of living, of Life, that is available to each of us. Move to find it, take hold of it, embrace it and live it out in a lasting and meaningful way. The efforts of ACTS Volunteers have been designed to assist you on this journey of discovery and to allow you to offer true life in Christ to all you meet.

Jesus came to set you free and he came “that you might have life and live it to the full…” John 10:10b ACTS as a movement is committed to assisting humanity to realise this potential in Jesus Christ and come fully alive! Ask God to come for you in this time of preparation. Ask that He might touch Africa out of the overflow of your heart; that He would heal Africa and impact that ravaged land for His glory.

This movement is characterised by servitude, selflessness and sacrifice; investing in hearts, investing in Africa. The program is intended to offer all participants and beneficiaries a true experience of spirit-filled living. The heart is central to our work and our calling and must be guarded above all, “for from it flows the wellspring of Life.” Prov. 4:23 Our prayer is that everyone who is called by His name will walk with us and say with conviction; “The Spirit of the Sovereign God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1 Ask God to watch over your heart – to build you up in His strength and in the strength of His might and His will and plans for your life.

In the words of Aragorn (Lord of the Rings: Return of the King) “Become who you were born to be.” Step into the calling on your heart and hark the still, small voice as it whispers to your spirit. Clothe yourself in the full armor of God as you prepare. You have made a decision to engage in the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven – now you are dangerous. The evil one who knows you and fears you will now most certainly unleash the fury of hell to deaden your desires and to take you out of the ranks of our Savior King. Be ready. “There is a thief and he comes to steal and kill and destroy.” John 10:10a Do not let him, you cannot let him steal your focus or your mission. “Resist the devil and he will flee.” James 4:7 When you start to see things go wrong “trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,” recognize it for what it is; A pre-emptive attack to take you out. Invite the Living God to intervene and rescue you once more. Determine to pursue God’s purposes in your life and fulfill His will spoken to you through the unselfish desires placed on your heart. Claim the promises spoken into your life by your Heavenly Father the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Accept that these are true; that you are redeemed, restored, ransomed and deeply known and loved. Understand that you do have an irreplaceable role to play in this movement of the Spirit and in fulfilling the will of the Father. Know that what is going on is far greater than you or I could ever dream to be but that you are needed! Your whole heart is required – because you do have an inimitable role to play for Christ’s glory. Now become, arise and shine – for Christ is the light of the world and He lives in you. Set Africa ablaze for the glory of God!

Know peace and joy today, laughter and love always.
Live well!

ACTS

"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light"
- John Keith Falconer