It had been a long while since all the leaders in ET zone – both cell group leaders and connect group leaders – gathered together to pray and seek God’s face. Thus, when we received information that we were going to have our first leaders’ prayer meeting of the year on 20th January 2009, many of us were very excited. We knew deep inside of us that it would be yet another time where God would move and minister to us.
On Tuesday itself, the leaders started streaming into Riverwalk as early as 7 pm even though the prayer meeting was only going to start at eight in the night. The different leaders came from their workplaces, schools, and homes respectively. The many leaders travelled all the way down to Clarke Quay from the various parts of Singapore for one common reason- to catch all that God has in store for them individually and corporately.
When asked before the prayer meeting started what she expected out of it, Santy Lim from W433 mentioned that she expected to witness the “power of God” and catch “God’s visions for us”. She also believed that she would be “renewed and empowered by the presence of God”. Lenny, N430, said with strong conviction that she expected herself to “be refreshed”.
Cell group leader of N317, Wong Ming Hui, was interviewed and in response, she gave her trademark sunshine smile and exclaimed, “I want to see more connect group leaders inspired to become cell group leaders” through the prayer meeting.
As the clock struck eight, we settled down and began to enter into a time of prayer and worship. While the leaders worshipped God with one song, the presence of God began to fall upon us. Personally, I felt as though I was being brought to a place where I could connect with God directly. I believe many other leaders felt the same. We prayed and claimed God’s promises, bearing in mind that God would answer persistent prayers. We were like an army of God pounding continuously onto heaven’s doors, believing with all our hearts that God would eventually pour down His blessings upon us.
Before the prayer meeting came to an end, Brother Edmund ministered to us. There was one thing which he said that left a deep impact on me – we should never fear that we are inadequate and not up to what God has called us to do, but with all that we have, we ought to serve God to our best. The prayer meeting came to a close with many of our lives being touched and transformed.
Wong See Wan from E99 commented, “It was awesome and God really spoke to me. It was very, very good. It is like God is preparing me for something ahead.”
Through this one prayer meeting, God refreshed many of us. We are deeply convinced that He is preparing us for greater things that have yet to come. God was also bringing us back to our essential fundamentals, such as prayer, so that we can run well and stay strong in this race that we run.
Just as Weng Lok from N178 said, it is all about “going back to the basics and relying on God and not depending on our own ideas and strength”.
Most certainly, just as Psalm 73:26 says, God is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever.
Reported by Gwendolyn Tan N317
