C.S. Lewis, Rees Howells, and Joyce's Early Days with the Lord
Yesterday Intercessors for America posted an article by Joyce and an article about my portrayal of Rees Howells, and I posted my teaching on 1 Timothy 6:17-19, in which I portrayed C.S. Lewis. Hopefully these reflections on the past will encourage and inspire you as we prepare to enter 2024...
Here's Joyce's article:
Holiness: The Weapon You Need
Lord, we give ourselves to You as living sacrifices. Make us holy by the blood of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, that we may with greater power wage war against the Enemy!
“Holiness will be a shield around you.”
These were among the first words I heard directly from the Lord in my early days as a believer. They flowed into my mind like a whisper.
They sounded so nice that I didn’t realize at first that I didn’t understand them. It’s taken me years of delving into holiness to understand how it is both a defensive and an offensive weapon in the spiritual battles we wage.
Here's the article by our colleague and friend, Angela Rodriguez:
Now, More Than Ever, We Need Intercessors Like Rees Howells
Lord Jesus, You have taught us that prayer is the most powerful weapon we possess. Help us take hold of this mighty truth to change the course of the future.
Great events in history are often defined by spectacular moments that defy logic in the natural realm. Whether it’s an eleventh-hour rescue or a battle won with meager numbers, historians relish recounting the miraculous victories that occur amid overwhelming odds. These stories, while heavy with dates and facts, rarely mention the prayer warriors who were toiling behind the scenes to change the direction of history itself. Though you will not likely find the names of such devoted spiritual soldiers in the pages of some textbook, you will most certainly encounter their influence in every major event in which the world’s most tyrannical regimes have been overthrown.
When intercessors from all over the United States gathered in Washington, D.C., for IFA’s 50th anniversary celebration in November 2023, history was being made in both the natural and spiritual realms. But it was the spiritual side of history that was truly coming to life as the hearts and minds of so many converged on one particular name: Rees Howells — a man whose life of intercession literally changed world events. Intercessors: Now, more than ever, we need to embrace the prayer strategies of this mighty but humble-hearted man of God!
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Certainly, the miracle of Dunkirk firmly illustrated the imperative need for prayer and showed how heartfelt, focused intercession could stop a dictator in his tracks. But there was even more confirmation of this amazing truth at the IFA 50th, as contributing writer and award-winning actor Rich Swingle came up to perform a powerful monologue as Rees Howells. Addressing the audience in a Welsh accent, Swingle-Howells described what it was like during the dark days of Hitler, and recounted how the intercessors of The Bible College of Wales prayed the malevolent dictator would be “bent.” God’s war on “the Beast” would be fought through the intercession of fervent prayer warriors.
Photos of the statue of Jeremiah Lanphier courtesy of John Beckett and Manor Church.
Exterior of Eagle and Child pub photo by Melanie Jeschke. Used by permission.
Interior of Eagle and Child pub photo by Tom Murphy VII. License.
