spiritual WARFARE
Generation Captive: An Urgent Prayer Request
By Julie Ferwerda
CBN.com –
What started out as a call to revival is more reminiscent of survival on college campuses across the nation. Our young people—our very own children and future—are spiritually broken, bruised, and battered, according to Becky Tirabassi. This woman, with the unshakable commitment to our nation’s young people and their futures, has applied herself to the grueling mission of attending almost 30 college campuses in 40 consecutive days to assist students in seeking out the Lord in repentance and persevering prayers for revival.
Right now, a little more than half way through the 40 days, she desperately needs prayer warriors and teammates to come alongside and lift up the young people of this nation. The battle is much fiercer than she ever imagined for the hearts of tomorrow’s spiritual leaders.
The mission: After a year of visiting college campuses and calling students to be a generation sold out to prayer, set apart in purity, and sent out with purpose, Becky came to a point of wanting to set them to action. In early December, she invited students and campus ministers to participate in 40 Days of Prayer for Revival on College Campuses. Almost 30 campuses (Christian, private, and state schools) signed up for 40 days of consecutive prayer by hosting one or more 24 hour prayer rooms! The efforts began on January 20, 2006 and won’t end until February 28, 2006.
“My desire,” says Becky, “is to see this generation rise up and fulfill their destiny. But it will take a sweeping miracle. Yet that is what revival is—the undeniable presence and power of the Holy Spirit of the living God calling His people to return to obedience through forgiveness, clean lips, clean hearts, and love for God.”
The Obstacles: “What began as a call to revival has become more of a life-saving rescue mission,” recounts Becky. “I’ve been on Christian, state, and private college campuses, yet the desperation is the same on each. I spend my hours each night praying with Christian girls who have been raped on their college campuses, with boys who are stuck in the sin and shame of pornography, and with students who struggle with same sex attraction. There are foul lips, over-drinking, and sex-sex-sex. Young Christian men in America are also being devoured by impurity—an onslaught that steals their intimacy with God and others.
“As the students reached the mark of 700 hours of prayer this week, I have been there to witness 700 hours of brokenness and shame and guilt and finally confession of sin and desperation for God. We have a generation that is dying out there—they are suicidal, depressed, disappointed, overwhelmed, diseased, parentless, and desperate for God. I can’t tell you how many horror stories I hear from students of divorce, abuse, and rejection—and how it has absolutely blown their lives to pieces. It is beyond ridiculous. We set out to pray for revival and ended up praying for survival.”
Please Help! “This young generation, I believe, is the Lord’s revival generation, but they are under great attack and they are vulnerable. They are losing the battle against the culture that seeks to kill, steal, and destroy their love and witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. We must pray ‘battle’ prayers. We must fight for these kids to be set free, to let go of their addictions…and to surrender to God.”
Becky is desperately calling for as many powerful intercessors as possible to engage in the battle for this generation, not just today, but until you see revival! Right now, today, and every day at least until the end of February, pray for this generation to be released, healed, and freed from oppression, depression, and unforgiveness—not all, but much of it brought on by their parents.
In the wake of kids disappointed and hurt by their parents and spiritual leaders, God has given Becky a unique love for these students. “I enter prayer rooms and feel a love for these students like a mother feels for her newborn. Though they’ve never met before, God places a deep, deep love in the mother’s heart for her new child. I feel like that parent who wants to give them Jesus; to speak truth to their broken hearts, to heal their very real wounds, and to love them back to the Father. I’m going in for prayer and coming out a very angry-at-the-enemy mother bear whose cubs are being messed with!”
Becky sees prayer and fasting as the only answer at this point—revival is a must—which is simply a new obedience to God. And not just with the students —the parents and spiritual leaders have some “business with God” to do as well.
If you are a member of a prayer chain, or you know of people who have a heart for the young people of this country, please consider sending them this link and asking them to join us in prayer through the rest of the month. To find out more about Becky’s ministry and how to join her efforts, visit www.theburningheartcontract.com. You can also find updates and locations for the 40 Days of Prayer for Revival at: www.40daysofprayer.blogspot.com.
Julie is the author of The Perfect Fit: Waiting for God’s
Best after Failed Relationships and has written articles
for other publications such as Marriage Partnership,
Brio & Beyond, HomeLife, Discipleship
Journal, and Revolve III Biblezine Project for teen
girls (Thomas Nelson, July 2006). To order the book or to find
out more go to: www.JulieFerwerda.com.
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