Goodbye Atlanta...hello Winnipeg!!

The time in Atlanta was terrific!  It was so good to be with leaders from other houses of prayer across America (I was the only Canadian) and hear the stories of faith, struggle and devotion to Jesus.  I heard a number of things that inspired me in my own journey as well as much that will be helpful for us as Sanctuary for the months to come.

One theme that came up frequently centered on the importance of living a life that reflects the convictions and activities of the prayer movement.  It was critical, they said, to think through how we handle our time, enegry and money, especially in this new season of economic uncertainty.  It was not enough to sit in a prayer room and feel that this alone was sufficient.  My entire life needs to reflect my beliefs.  Action needs to follow faith!  In other words, don't just sing about how God is your source and provider...live like its true and don't hang on to your money.  Don't just pray for God to release the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph 1:17) and then not take the time to press in and find out more about Him.  I loved it!

It is especially important in difficult times and we are entering quickly into a season of trouble, for sure.  Who knows just how difficult this downturn on the economy could become?  Who can say for sure what the solution to the troubles are?  I am pretty sure the folks making decisions in the capital cities of the earth have no idea what will help in getting us out of all this.  The answer, as always, is to turn to God in heaven and find His heart on the issue.  If ever there was a time when  we really need to stop and seek God for the decades ahead, it is now.  It is wisdom in this hour to press into Him...and that will be proven true as the years unfold.

For Sanctuary, we are fasting all this week and asking God to make us ready for the troubles that lie ahead.  We are asking for the bride in this city, the church in all its forms and styles, that she would be all that God has for her in the closing years of this age of history.  We want to see the church become a strong voice to a confused generation and a community who exudes light and beauty to a world living in darkness and despair.  We know this is the heart of Jesus for his bride so it is easy to pray it with faith:  He is going to see this happen before his return to the earth. 

Oh Lord, strengthen and empower the church in Winnipeg like no other time in its history.  Cause her to be beautiful in the sight of all people.   And give her eyes for only you as she longs for the return of the King and the fullness of the kingdom of God.

Blessings,


Brian Creary
Ministry Director

I'm in Atlanta

All weekend I have been attending the 2009 House of Prayer Leaders Summit, hosted by IHOP-Atlanta. This is an amazing event, both for the excellent teaching designed to help leaders like me in moving forward as a community AND for the many new friends we make that are plowing ahead in their cities. These are great people!

The more time I spend here the more I realize that God is really doing something big. We have been challenged over and over this weekend to ensure our lives (and the lives of those in our communities) actually reflect all that we are praying for. It is great to believe that God answers the prayers of His people. But, we need to have lives of prayer that demonstrate that He REALLY does hear and answer our prayers! Believe it and put it into action. Have so much confidence in Him that we live and think in a new freedom.

This weekend I have heard amazing stories of answered prayer, healing and visitation. God is demonstrating His love and care for people over and over! Winnipeg can add our stories to an amazing list of things the Holy Spirit is weaving together in preparation for the return of the King to the earth.

Lots of details to follow. This morning, Allen Hood from IHOP in Kansas City is speaking. Later we have a Q&A session that will address all our submitted questions. Its going to be a good day!

Blessings,

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

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We're back

Sorry for the confusion, but we had some technical issues with our site and it has just been completed this week.  There are sure to be more blog posts to come!

Many thanks to our webmaster extraordinaire, Yvonne Parks.  She designed this site and continues to maintain it even from her new home in Ottawa.  She and Jason moved away from Winnipeg more than a year ago and are now doing all that they do for the kingdom in the capital city.  They played a key role in helping to establish this house of prayer, being two of our very first worship leaders, as well as really pouring into the lives of the many young people in our midst who wanted to know more about this lifestyle we are embracing.  We will always consider them a part of this family. 

Thank-you Yvonne!  Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Blessings,

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

Final Day

We finished of our Conference Prayer Room experience with another full day...12 hours of uninterrupted worship and prayer before the Lord. And again, you could really feel the presence of the Spirit resting in the room.

I am so proud of our community. They really rose to the challenge and gave to God first, even before giving to those in the conference who we were praying for. One of the leaders from the conference came to me at the end of the day and said "thanks for praying...you really carried us all weekend". Although I do agree with him to some degree, I responded with what was on my heart in the moment: "it was our pleasure to do it...besides, it was really good down there!!".

There is nothing like enjoyable prayer. We look forward to many more hours of it in the months and years ahead.

Blessings,

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

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Friday was Amazing!

We had a great day yesterday. We were able to go for 13 hours of uninterrupted worship and prayer, to minister to the heart of God in a crowded prayer room AND in an empty prayer room. My favourite part had to be entering into the room to feel the presence of God already present there. The accumulated benefit of hour after hour before the Lord is truly noticeable.

We had many great moments, most of which were experienced by only a handful of people (and God Himself). One moment that really struck me happened at the very end of the day. During our final hour the speaker at the conference upstairs was just beginning. I ran upstairs to hear him tell the crowd "I have no objective tonight other that to encounter the presence and glory of God and to help you to do the same". This was exactly what I wanted to hear. I ran back down, encouraged those in the prayer room with how it was unfolding upstairs and called all of us to both pray for and press into the same thing. God, come and encounter us...all of us!

As the set went on, we hit some great moments. The worship leader sang this chorus to the Lord over and over again:

"The beauty of your holiness,
The holiness of your beauty"

It was a powerful time of focusing on ministering to God! And every hour of the day had moments just like this.

Another full day to come...

Blessings,

Brian Creary
Ministry Director


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First Day update

We began our prayer room last night with a two-hour intercession set. Our purpose in all this was twofold: to intercede for the activities in the conference on the floor just above us (we are in the basement) and to minister to the heart of the Lord as an audience of One. So, we pressed forward with extended worship, vertical in nature, and let the intercession come from that posture.

In the second set from 8-9pm, we were led in devotional worship by two of our ladies. It was wonderful. This format is not new for us; this is one of the ways in which we create a place for His presence to go deep in our hearts. It is a perfect compliment to a set of agressive intercession. You just want to fall back into rest in the presence of the one you love.

The night ended with a 9-10pm set focused on the passage from Psalm 27:4 ("one thing I ask...that I may gaze upon the beauty of the Lord...to seek Him in his temple"). As the singers went through the passage and sang nuances of truth that the Spirit was highlighting to them, I found myself pacing the floor and praying. I could feel the truth of the passage and the heart of the "Beautiful One" for his bride. So, I began to take each line that was sung, each truth expressed to God about how he feels for us and turned it into intercession for those in the conference upstairs. "God, reveal yourself in new ways to them...let their hearts burn to be in your presence...reveal the Beautiful God to them...capture their hearts with love".

It was a good night to be in the prayer room.

More to come...

Brian Creary
Ministry Director


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Praying at the Conference

Beginning tonight at 6pm, we are going to be running a prayer room for the "Kingdom Come" conference at Calvary Temple. This is a yearly event organized by our good friend Trevor Meier and the folks at "beyond". This year they have Jason Upton leading worship and Ryan Wyatt speaking and praying for people. You may remember him from the outpouring in Lakeland, Florida this past summer. He was speaking and ministering frequently and saw MANY healings take place during his prayer times. It should be a powerful weekend.

For our part, however, we felt that we wanted to offer support to this event in the area that we do best. So we will be running a prayer room each night from 6-10pm as the meetings are happening upstairs. They will be pressing in for healing in one meeting and we will be calling for the power of God to break in on their behalf at the same time. How awesome is that?!?

I am off to get things set up right now. I'll post some pictures later when I get time.

May God do something incredible in Winnipeg through the events of this weekend.

Blessings!

Brian Creary
Ministry Director


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