Journal from Texas OSL Campaign: October 2006

Thank you, the prayer warriors, who faithfully stood in the gap with night and day prayer. The victories were mighty and great as we watched the powerful Spirit of God move in a way that saved, healed, delivered, and restored!

The prayer effort for this campaign was unlike the previous events. Intercessors were encouraged to pray for each other daily, before we even went to Texas. Prayer Alerts were sent out to target prayer in some specific areas. This communication and coordination served well to gain the unity of prayer within the body of intercessors.

October 19th: In Prison and Prayerful Commissioning
That morning a group of us went to a state jail to hand out cards and greet prisoners. We must have shook hands with about 1500 men as they came out of the cafeteria. I see their faces, smiles, and expressions in their eyes. I know in my heart: every one of these men is a man God wants to come into His family.

At night we have our Commissioning Service, with a powerful message and commissioning given to us. We then pray these three things:

1. We commit the campaign to God;
2. We purpose to cooperate with the move of the Holy Spirit; and,
3. We commemorate the name of Jesus Christ above all else.
We pray to cooperate with the Spirit of adoption. It turns out to be one of the themes for the campaign.

October 20th – Prayer Room
“Knit together.” Eph. 4:16 reads, “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

Later I sense the Lord saying “He will bear fruit in a barren land.” I ask Him, how can this be? The response suggests that someone left a seed in the land, and the seed took root. God’s Spirit came along and nurtured the seed in its growth. This was all because someone prayed – someone tilled the soil to make it fertile for planting. Today He tells me fruit is born in a barren land. Sarah was barren; yet bore a son at an old age. Hannah was barren, yet had seven sons! Paul says he seeks the fruit that abounds to our account, in Phil. 4:17. We were told to be fruitful and multiply.

Later that day, I am brought to Ps. 106:8, “Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power known.” Yes, Lord – save!

October 21st: In Prison
Today was a tough day – difficult and adverse. I saw things, both in the spiritual and natural that I had not previously seen. I was reminded of the Scripture from 2 Cor. 10 which tells us the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty. May the weapons of grace, peace, joy, hope, and love abound in this place!

Nonetheless, by the afternoon we can see the Spirit of adoption moving and touching the lives of men. It is a powerful sight to behold.

October 22nd – Prayer Room
I pray for the dismantling of the “false authority” in the name of Jesus and for God’s legitimate authority to rule and reign. May God release His greatness this day. Replace with greater gates, greater access, greater grace. It was as if Father was saying to me, “ Man’s justice may have brought them here; but My mercy will meet them here, and My grace will be with them when they leave here.” Lord, display Your better, Your greater things!

Later in the day I am pressed to pray for holiness. Reveal Your holiness, Lord God and bring Your holiness to pass in the prisons. We cry out for holiness among Your people, because You cry out for it. It was a watered down gospel that brought some into this place to start with – watered down gospel leading to watered down living. Place Your holiness in our hearts and speak in Your holiness, Father; for we are set apart. 1 Thess. 3:12-13 reads, “May the Lord make us increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish our hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father.” “He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it,” states 1 Thess. 5:24.
Light our lamps and enlighten the darkness.

October 23rd – In Prison
Today I am in prison. There are the largest groups of men I’ve seen yet at events – many accepting the Lord. The inmate choir is absolutely anointed – praising God for all they have! They hold nothing back; it is evident that they are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It strikes me how free some of the men are – even though they are surrounded by officers and in a very controlled environment. Still, they are free.

In the afternoon my heart begins to be burdened heavily for the officers. It will not go away, and I end up spending the majority of my time in prayer for the officers at the event, and the ones looking out a window, trying to see what is going on outside. God gives me just a glimpse of the role these officers have, and the burdens many of them carry.

October 24th: In Prison
Today is the last day of the campaign. It is the longest day –going until 7PM. I volunteer at four separate events and watch well over a thousand men as they attend. Souls are saved. We greet so many people and shake so many hands that my hands are bruised by the end of the day. I know this is the last campaign of the year – and as we are at the last event, I ask God to let me remember what He wants me to. There are so many men, so many impressions. I see hope in the eyes of some, a lost look in others. I see things I cannot write down. I sense things hard to describe. I pray for them, I bless them in the name of the Lord as they leave. It is the day of a thousand handshakes. As we make the return trip back to San Antonio, I realize there is only one thing I can do: bring these men to the place of the Cross. I lay them down there, at the feet of Jesus, His blood covering them and cleansing them. He has them in His perfect care. It is the best place to leave them.