prayerstrategists.net · Prayer as Representational Repentance & Reconciliation — DBS Set

Repentance & Reconciliation

Prayer as Representational Repentance & Reconciliation — DBS Set

Prayer and Representational Repentance &

Reconciliation:

Team Evaluation, Discovery Bible Story Set, & Resources

Introduction to FPS’s Prayer Strategies Discovery Bible Studies Set:

Prayer—or engagement with God—is integral to every aspect of the lives of the team members and the corporate team, as well as to the strategy and approach they use. Within this document, you will find the following: a definition and explanation to the Prayer strategy, a set of questions to help you diagnosis the status of your team’s use of this strategy, a Discovery Bible Story Set to help you understand Scripture’s view on this strategy, and links for further resources related to this Prayer strategy. We recommend completing the team’s diagnostic first then adapt the Discovery Story Set to meet your team’s needs. Feel free to use the typical DBS questions, however, in addition we’ve tried to suggest you ask these much deeper questions to elicit specifics regarding this strategy. The Fellowship of Prayer Strategists have a set of nineteen di ff erent prayer strategies. These are not intended to be the complete picture of this strategy but a glimpse at the use for this strategy. You can find more strategies at www.prayerstrategists.net. We hope these tools will prove helpful in considering ways you and your team can increase your capacity for extraordinary prayer for the sake of the King and His Kingdom.

Prayer and Representational Repentance & Reconciliation

Definition: Healing wounds of the past through identifying with historical sings, thus weakening strongholds through release of forgiveness and restoration often brings significant breakthroughs.

Explanation: As the world falls apart, God wants to direct us in prayerful action, and is waiting for us to act. God helps us see how we can be part of releasing breakthroughs by recognizing o ff enses hindering the release of God’s blessing. We stand in the gaps to confess and repent of historical sins. History repeats itself unless we find ways to listen to it, locate where it is happening, and find healing and forgiveness for its consequences. Examples abound in scripture: Nehemiah, Moses, Ezra, Daniel, David and others. Jesus Himself in Matthew 23:29 accused the Jews of sins their forefathers committed and spoke of the judgment of those sins falling on them. The blood of Jesus has paid the price for all our sin once for all but accessing and applying its power falls to those who take responsibility for the guilt and ask for forgiveness based on His completed work at the cross. Strategic prayer known as “representational confession” makes reconciliation and renewal possible for families, churches, communities, tribes and nations.

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Diagnostic Questions for You & Your Team: 1. As you have studied your assigned field, have you identified any issues needing representational repentance/reconciliation which may be hindering the progress of the gospel in your area? This could include community woundings, sins, o ff enses, etc.

2. Shalom incorporates wholeness, everything properly related and in divine order. Are you and your team practicing conflict resolution from a biblical standpoint?

Discovery Bible Story Set: 1. “Righteous blood cries out from the ground” – Genesis 4:8-11 A. Pray as a group before beginning that God would speak to us and open our hearts to hear Him. B. Read the entire passage aloud at least 2 times or listen to an audio version twice through. If your group uses storying, present the scripture in this way. Then, have the group practice re-telling the story together. C. Discussion questions: • What do you like about the story? What is di ffi cult or what don’t you like? • What do you learn about people from this story? What do you learn about God? • What impact did Cain’s murder of Abel have on the land itself? • Were there consequences on the land itself as a result? D. Take a few minutes to quietly listen to God. What is He instructing you to do from what you’re hearing? Share with each other what you’re sensing. Are some of His instructions quite di ff erent than you might have imagined? How? E. Who is God asking you to share this story with? When will you do it? Share with the group. F. What key principles about prayer and su ff ering can you draw from this passage?

The incident of Abel’s blood crying out for vengeance is mentioned all the way in Hebrews 12:24, pointing out that the blood of Christ gives us mercy while the blood of Abel cries out for vengeance. Revelations 6:9-11 gives another cry for vengeance from the blood of innocent martyrs as well, suggesting that murder leaves a mark on an area easily recognizable by God.

2. “And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth” – Matt. 23:29-36; 2 Chron. 24:21-22 A. Pray before beginning that God would speak to us and open our hearts to hear Him. B. Read the entire passage completely through. C. Discussion questions: • What do you like about the story? What is di ffi cult or what don’t you like? • What do you learn about people from this story? What do you learn about God? • How might this story relate to the earlier study and to the consequences of shedding blood on communities and on the land? D. Take a few minutes to quietly listen to God. What is He instructing you to do from what you’re hearing? Share with each other what you’re sensing. Are some of His instructions quite di ff erent than you might have imagined? How? E. Who is God asking you to share this story with? When will you do it? Share with the group. F. What key principles about prayer can you draw from this passage?

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But is it only shedding of innocent blood that pollutes the land? Let’s look at another passage and see…

3. “Because of this the land dries up” – Hosea 4:1-3 A. Pray before beginning that God would speak to us and open our hearts to hear Him. B. Read the entire passage completely through. C. Discussion questions: • What do you like about the story? What is di ffi cult or what don’t you like? • What do you learn about people from this story? What do you learn about God? • What things are listed as causing the land to dry up? • Who was/were the guilty party/parties listed? D. Take a few minutes to quietly listen to God. What is He instructing you to do from what you’re hearing? Share with each other what you’re sensing. Are some of His instructions quite di ff erent than you might have imagined? How? E. Who is God asking you to share this story with? When will you do it? Share with the group. F. What key principles about prayer can you draw from this passage?

1 Peter 2:9 tells us we are a kingdom of priests to serve the Lord our God. Let’s see how one of the men in the Bible exercised this role on behalf of his nations.

4. “I confess the sings we Israelites committed…” – Nehemiah 1 A. Pray before beginning that God would speak to us and open our hearts to hear Him. B. Read the entire passage completely through. C. Discussion questions: • What do you like about the story? What is di ffi cult or what don’t you like? • What do you learn about people from this story? What do you learn about God? • Was Nehemiah himself guilty of the sins he lists directly? • What role does Nehemiah take in this prayer to God? D. Take a few minutes to quietly listen to God. What is He instructing you to do from what you’re hearing? Share with each other what you’re sensing. E. Who is God asking you to share this story with? When will you do it? Share with the group. F. What key principles about prayer can you draw from this passage?

In another incident, David deals with sins from generations past to avert the judgment of God on his nation.

5. “On account of Saul and his blood-stained house…” – 2 Samuel 21:1-9 A. Pray before beginning that God would speak to us and open our hearts to hear Him. Read B. the entire passage completely through. C. Discussion questions: • What do you like about the story? What is di ffi cult or what don’t you like? • What do you learn about people from this story? What do you learn about God? • When David realized they were under some kind of judgment from God, how did he react? • In verse 2, what explanation is given to the origin of this o ff ense before God? • How would understanding something of the history of our communities help us recognize areas inviting judgment from God? D. Take a few minutes to quietly listen to God. What is He instructing you to do from what you’re hearing? Share with each other what you’re sensing.

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E. Who is God asking you to share this story with? When will you do it? Share with the group. F. What key principles about prayer can you draw from this passage?

Let’s look at another aspect of serving as a kingdom of priests before God.

6. “The Ministry of Reconciliation…” – 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 A. Pray before beginning that God would speak to us and open our hearts to hear Him. Read B. the entire passage completely through. C. Discussion questions: • What do you like about the story? What is di ffi cult or what don’t you like? • What do you learn about people from this story? What do you learn about God? • What ministry is given to believers from God? • How would that relate to dealing with o ff enses and quarrels in our day to day lives now? Take a few minutes to quietly listen to God. What is He instructing you to do from what you’re hearing? Share with each other what you’re sensing. D. Who is God asking you to share this story with? When will you do it? Share with the group. E. What key principles about prayer can you draw from this passage?

Listed below is a link to a video by John Bevere “Authority and Forgiveness” that can help you and your team better understand and walk in forgiveness and reconciliation. I highly recommend, if possible, to watch this and process together what God would speak to you from it.

Further Resources on Prayer as Representational Repentance & Reconciliation: • Video Interview of Brian Mills, ‘Father of the Prayer Movement’ on Representational Repentance. Hear the “Father of the global prayer movement” sharing his journey with the Lord Jesus. Learn about prayer triplets, identificational repentance and reconciliation and how God is changing nations through prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=IF0C7NmOk2g • Powerpoint: “Identificational Repentance” https://prayerstrategists.net/about/resources-by-strategy/identificational-repentance-and-reconciliation/• Video “Authority and Forgiveness” by John Bevere: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=PXAC07ztPnc&feature=youtu.be • “Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine and Prayer” by Sas Conradie, Global Generosity Network: https://prayerstrategists.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/crimean-peninsula-ukraine-and-prayer-testimony.pdf

Bibliography:

• Berlin Conference 2005 DVD, 70-min. video telling the story and featuring the people involved in the Europe/Africa Reconciliation Process which culminated in a gathering in Berlin with representatives from 30 nations of Africa and all the European nations responsible for the carving up of Africa during colonialism. Order report and DVD. HERE

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• Fountains of Tears—Changing Nations Through the Power of Repentance and Forgiveness, Brian Mills with Brian Pickering, 2004: Sovereign World Ltd., England. Tells the story of how God led in bringing about national transformation in Australia. • God is Still Speaking—Sparking a Strategic Prayer Revival Throughout the Church, Brian Mills, 2009: Sovereign World Ltd., England. This is a vibrant invitation to the Body of Christ to re-embrace the significance of prayer in the life of the individual and the church, to dramatically impact our communities and nations. God is still speaking today, and stories in this book powerfully demonstrate how. The author examines how God initiated the many prayer projects he was privileged to be part of. Questions such as, ‘how does God direct and speak to make things happen’ are answered. As the world falls apart, God wants to direct us in prayerful action, and is waiting for us to act. Out of a precious lifetime’s experience of leading prayer movements, the author enthusiastically helps us see how we can be part of an e ff ective prayer renewal. What makes this book so important is its guidance for not only the restoration of our private prayer life but more so for our unified prayer life with the entire Body of Christ. It is a radical call to see positive world changing events come about through strategic corporate prayer. • Healing America’s Wounds, John Dawson, 1994 Regal Books, Ventura, CA. The definitive statement on the crying need for identificational repentance by the church on behalf of our nation to bring reconciliation between people groups and open doors for revival and evangelism. • Healing Wounded History—Reconciling Peoples and Healing Places, Russ Parker, 2012: The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. An exciting presentation of a fresh approach to healing by one of the UK’s leading exponents of pastoral care and Christian healing Russ Parker explores the power of wounded group stories and reveals how they a ff ect the people and places where they first occurred. He shows how history repeats itself until we find ways to listen to it, locate where it is happening, and find healing for its consequences. Healing Wounded History introduces the role of strategic prayer known as ‘representional confession’ and demonstrates how it makes reconciliation and renewal possible for families, churches, communities, tribes and nations. • International Reconciliation Coalition, http://reconciled1.com/international-reconciliation-coalition-overview/ o ff ers a book reading list of resources. • School of Reconciliation, Fawn Parish, http://www.gracebridge.org/sors/login.php On-line school which includes a summer school somewhere in the world. Setting Your Church Free: A Biblical Plan to Help Your Church, Resolve Corporate • Bondage, Renew & Unify Your Leaders, Neil Anderson & Charles Mylander, 1994 Regal, Ventura, CA. O ff ers solidly biblical steps to resolve corporate bondage due to wounds and sins in a church’s past which Satan uses to perpetuate patterns of sin and bondage in a church and to disable a church from being an e ff ective witness for Christ to its community. Sins of the Fathers, Brian Mills, Sovereign World Ltd., England. How national repentance • removes obstacles for revival written by a seasoned practitioner.

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Further resources and connection with other prayer strategists are available through the Fellowship of Prayer Strategists and their website www.prayerstrategists.net.

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