Letter of Encouragement

Dear MFI Pastors and Leaders,

Greetings to you and blessings on your New Year. We are off to a great start here in Portland, Oregon at City Bible Church. We are right in the middle of 14 days of prayer and fasting as a church. During this time, we hold one hour prayer meetings at 8 AM and 7 PM every day and invite the whole church to come and pray together. There is nothing like great, unified prayer in a church that is hungry for God. We are seeing some amazing and significant things happening. We have logged 1352 hours of prayer in less than 6 days!

This morning in my prayer time, I am praying for you, the pastors and leaders in our fellowship. We are all entering a new year that holds great opportunity for God to do astonishing and mighty things through you and your church. Our Bible says "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

I am believing and praying for you to do church "in the zone” this year starting right now, this weekend. Everyone at an athletic competition knows the moment when this happens. It is the instant an athlete takes the game to a higher level. Something happens that raises the skill level to near perfection – it’s amazing! I am praying that you will get "in the zone” and believe the church is moving to a new level. The church won’t go there unless the leader takes them there. Lift the ministry you have to a new and higher level for 2012. Whatever is hindering you, let it be resisted and defeated. Whatever is limiting your thoughts and intentions, let it be removed. Let us pray Job 42:2: "I know that you can do anything and that Your plans are unstoppable…” May God frustrate all the plans of the enemy and bring to pass all the plans He has ordained for you.

Let’s pray the word "unlimited.” This is God’s power and purpose at work. His power is unlimited, unrestricted, and unstoppable. Ask for an unlimited mindset, new vision, new heart, renewed call, and refocused faith in our unlimited God. Believe you have unlimited resources, not found in a limited or depressed economy, but resources in our unlimited God. Yes we use wisdom, downsize spending, streamline staff and facilities, work with less, and just work as good stewards with everything all the time. With that mindset, do not lose the understanding that God is great and He holds resources in His hands. Grow, expand, fulfill the dream.

Thank the church for their giving and faith three times more than you did before. Build their faith in the unlimited God who has all the resources you need to do His work. Quit saying "if” I had a better facility, better sound, better marketing – all these "ifs” will limit your thinking. Lift your eyes to see what you do have and then make prayer the response to all your challenges. Pray in what you need. Make evangelism and community a high priority. Pray in the people and pray your people to go out.

Believing for a surprising and supernatural 2012,