Children’s Prayer Meeting

At Church we have a well-trained team who can attend to prayer needs of members, for commitment to Christ, forgiveness, healing or any other prayer need what so ever. After a Service someone can just meet with a team member in the Prayer Room. One evening after a Service I felt a prompting of the Holy Spirit to go to the Prayer Room. Upon entering my question was: “Now what?” Holy Spirit said: “Take a look around…” Gazing around I saw several people praying for individuals and suddenly noticed a man standing with a whole group of children in the circle of his arms, praying for all of them at once. This unsettled me, I felt that each one of the children may have their own, different need for prayer – Holy Spirit said that there was a need for a Children’s Prayer Meeting.

Although I wanted to be obedient, I had doubts, what if this was just my idea and not from God. As time passed the idea grew. In the meantime a well-known children’s minister, Babet, was invited to our church and I was asked to put her up in our home. I prepared the small, but very pretty guest room for her, not even considering the big spare room which I used for sewing. It was larger but not as pretty, with a table and stand-up mirror. I was nervously looking forward to housing this important guest. Minutes before her arrival I heard God say that I should put her up in my bigger spare room. I had no idea why but rushed to move the flowers to the other room.

Upon her arrival, as I took her to the room, she exclaimed in pleasant surprise, loving the large room and the available table. She told me that as they entered town, her prayer to God was for a large room with enough space to do preparations for the Children’s Ministry, which often included having to make a lot of props, etc. Often she was stuck doing work on her bed, which was not ideal. We both understood that God heard her request.

We got to know each other well during her stay with us and as I took her coffee to her room on Monday, I felt the need to share the Children’s Prayer Meeting idea with her, just a bit scared that she may think the idea only stemmed from her successful weekend of working with the children at our Church. As we were having coffee, she suddenly said: “God said to do what you have in mind…” This confirmed that the idea was from God and on the next Friday afternoon the Children’s Prayer Meeting started off.

What a Blessing these meetings were, teaching me so much of faith and the Holy Spirit, the innocent, heart-felt prayers of children often making me smile in love. I will forever be grateful for all the mothers who diligently brought their kids along for those meetings. As we were approaching the Easter Season we were still going strong.

During the time of Pentecost Prayer Meetings God woke me one night, prompting me to read the Bible. Very sleepy and confused I read 1 Samuel 8:7 “and the Lord said: ‘Listen to everything the people say to you. You are not the one they have rejected; I am the one they have rejected as their King.” Not understanding the message I shared it with my husband, his suggestion to just keep it in my heart, God will reveal the meaning in due time.

During that Friday’s Children’s Prayer Meeting one of the girls (only 12 years old) asked me about Holy Spirit and who He is. Using a drawing of a locomotive and train trucks I explained that Holy Spirit is our locomotive, pulling us in the right direction, guiding us through life. She said that she would like to have that Holy Spirit inside of her to guide her through life. I explained some more, including that God the Father sends the Holy Spirit and that often one can even obtain a heavenly language to use in praising God. I could see the comprehension in that girl’s eyes, that she really understood what I was saying. I prayed for her, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and even praised God in her heavenly language. She then also prayed for some friends to receive the Spirit.

At the next Pentecost Prayer meeting the Pastor said that he just wanted to clarify something – this misconception of children receiving the Holy Spirit and that they are such good imitators that it probably explained it and that it may not even be real! I was shocked and sad as he never even went to the trouble of visiting the Children’s Prayer Meeting to see for himself what was happening. As I cried my husband reminded me of 1 Samuel 8:7 and I realised that God was telling me that it was Him being rejected, not me, as these were His Works, not mine!

The next Friday one of the mothers came and asked if the kids should still keep coming? I explained that this was God’s work, nobody else’s. She then asked that the children pray for her to be filled with the Holy Spirit. She went home with a smile on her face.

The following Wednesday the Pastor came by and explained that he too went back to ask God how to proceed, as parents kept reporting the work of God in their children’s lives, resulting from the regular Children’s Prayer Meetings. God then pointed him to the exact same Scripture, 1 Samuel 8:7! He realised his mistake.

What a Mighty God we serve! We must just keep at it and trust Him completely.

Helena

 

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