For I am well assured and indeed know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, this will turn out for my preservation (for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul and avail toward the saving work of the Gospel).
(Philippians 1:19, The Amplified New Testament)

Don’t be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God’s answers and remember to be thankful when they come. Don’t forget to pray for us too, that God will give us many chances to preach the Good News of Christ ... Pray that I will be bold enough to tell it freely and fully, and make it plain, as, of course, I should. (Colossians 4:2-3, The Living Bible)

Most of the issues of these quarterly Christian Renewal Journals have been relatively free from personal reference or testimony, but as we move more deeply into the darkness of apocalyptic times and face the subtlety and fury of Satan’s strategies, I feel led of the Spirit to personally beg for more and more prayer. I realize that I am no stronger or wiser or more capable than many of my colleagues who have gone down in defeat and humiliation and shame -- or perhaps worse yet, have cooled off and settled for a mediocre, flesh-pleasing message. In fact, I now find myself wishing that I had prayed for these fallen friends the way I am now begging you to pray for me. If Wesley was correct in teaching that God does nothing except through prayer, then I would be a fool to ignore this secret of divine anointing for the most difficult work that God has called me to. I hope this appeal does not come across as sounding self-important, but I know that if I am to go on against the devices of Satan, the coldness of the Church and the spirit of this age, I must have greater prayer coverage, and more of it, than I have had in the past.

These are not ordinary times. Those of us who are called to work on the front lines are feeling that we are in that period described in Rev. 12:12 as Satan’s final desperate attempt to destroy God’s people, or the "perilous times" described by the apostle Paul in II Tim. 3:1-5. Satan has developed new strategies, while resorting to old ones used across the ages, to defile, depress, discourage, distract and defeat those whom God has called to sound the trumpet, spread the fire and proclaim the eternal Word.

During these few weeks at home approaching the Holiday Season, I am feeling the need to press on into the heart of God and prepare for a year of powerful anointing throughout 2001. I know the Lord is calling me to become even more devoted to prayer and to humbly beg for passionate prayer from my prayer partners. My attention has been called to something I wrote in my new book now out (The Spirit of Prayer), and I know that I must practice what I preach: "What do you think would happen in America today if we preachers led the way in surrendering up to God our intellect, theology, reputation, and everything else we count dear, and asked for a new filling of the Spirit? My dear people, I believe God would open the heavens and His fire would fall upon us!" I thought I had already done this - and I probably had - but it is time to do it again, but with more passionate searching and in deeper surrender than ever before. I simply cannot settle for ministry as usual. I must teach and preach in power. I must see sinners saved. I must see dead churches come alive. I must see carnal Christians sanctified holy and filled with the Holy Spirit. I must see those in bondage delivered and the sick healed. I must see demons cast out. I must receive Rhema words from "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation." I must become a more profitable servant for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

How can the above become a reality? By personal prayer and fasting, soul- searching surrender and bold faith on my part. But I must also have committed intercession on the part of hundreds and thousands of others who will dare to pray out in passionate utterances on my behalf those thoughts and visions the Holy Spirit puts in their minds and spirits as they pray. Dear friends, as I face the year 2001, I know that I need your prayer support like I have never needed it before.

Pray that I shall be given to prayer as were the leaders in the early church (Acts 6:4). All too often, when I’ve finished with a difficult service, I have found it easier to turn to food and fellowship instead of extended times in prayer for answers concerning the defeat in the service. At least the disciples, when they failed to cast the unclean spirit out of the boy, when Jesus successfully cast it out, had the courage to ask, "Why could we not cast him out?" Jesus answered them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29, emphasis mine). I must still learn how to spend more time with God than with people. No, I’m not worried about become a hermit or a weirdo or an oddball; I’m more concerned about wasting my life, not dying to the flesh, missing the resurrection power hidden in the crucified, surrendered life to the Spirit. Just pray that I shall never quench the fire of God’s Spirit in my heart. This would become the greatest tragedy, for it would cut me off from the source of my spiritual power.

Pray that I shall be true to the vision God has given me. I know that I am under divine orders to do the following:

(1) Bathe my heart and mind daily in prayer and the searching of the Scriptures and seek the fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit upon my life and ministry;

(2) Continue to sound the call of prayer and holiness in preparation for renewal in the church and revival in America, as the Lord opens doors;

(3) Build a prayer center in or near Bozeman, Montana, as the Lord supplies the funds, for the purpose of training prayer warriors in specialized intercession for the end times and networking with prayer centers already established around the world; and

(4) Go to the cities of North America and the world for thoroughly prepared (weeks of united intercession) revival crusades. Time and again, I have fallen back on the promise of God to me that He is not only a God of vision; He is also a God of provision!

Pray for me that I shall be pure in heart, sound in doctrine, wise in decisions, strong in body and always filled with the Holy Spirit, giving God the glory in everything. Would you prayerfully examine the enclosed commitment card, check those items to which the Lord is leading you to make a commitment, and mail it back to us as soon as possible. If the Lord leads you to make a financial commitment to our revival ministry, I shall be grateful and will pray for the Lord to prosper you. But my greatest need is not a financial commitment; I need your prayers on a regular basis! Please list your own personal prayer requests and allow me to take these before the Lord on a regular basis throughout the year. (It is also encouraging to hear how the Lord has answered these prayers from time to time). And I need your returned cards to let me know you are standing with me in prayer. I believe the Lord will use your response to assure me that He is blessing my ministry by working through your prayers.

Speaking for this Ministry’s Board of Directors (Dave Bos, Paula Butterfield, Greg Donaldson and Gale Fremont) and our Ministry Coordinator (Rachel Kuhn) we thank God for each of you and consider you as gifts from the Lord to us personally and to this ministry. You are cherished and prayed for as partners in this urgent ministry! Please let us hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
James W. Tharp

Return to Archive

Return to Journal

Return to Home Page

Copyright © 2004 Christian Renewal Ministries. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 25, 2004.