Agnes Sanford: Thoughts on World Prayer

      Carolyn Miller shared these thoughts from Agnes Sanford in her CFO Prayer Tower letter a few weeks ago.  I thought they were good to remember.
      Agnes Sanford was definitely a mentor to me, even though I never met her.  I read all of her books and listened to as many of her tape recorded talks given at CFOs as I could get my hands on.  She was a spiritual giant and a forerunner in healing prayer.  You, too, can hear some of her talks on Matt Leach's website: cfoclassicslibrary.org , if you're interested.

Agnes shares... "In prayer for the world(as in any other kind of prayer), God works through my faith...the same laws of prayer apply to world-prayer that apply to every other kind of prayer. The law is that in praying we must believe that we are receiving the thing for which we pray. In other words, if we are going to pray effectively for the world, or a sick friend, or one in danger, or anything else, we must believe that the thing for which we pray is at that moment being accomplished." World Prayer Suggestions by Agnes Sanford... (Suggestions used whenever she was praying with her prayer group) 1. "Bring down our objective to something concrete/simple enough so we can believe it is being accomplished while we pray for it. (only God knows what things these will be) 2. "First step is the seeking of guidance: Lord, for what or for whom shall we pray at this time so as to further the coming of Thy Kingdom? Very often certain people will come into our minds. For nations are made up of people and prayers for a nation can often be simplified by turning them into prayer for the leaders of that nation." An Example of Agnes Sanford's Prayer Group... 1. Choosing one nation at a time for a prayer-objective... 2. Making a picture in their minds of that nation so that the nation may best further the establishment of peace... 3. Visualizing an aggressor nation...for example...shrinking back her borders and sending out into the world little golden arrows of trade and commerce and financial cooperation... 4. Holding the pictures (visions) of the nation God has given them up into the light of God's love and blessing that nation in the name of Jesus Christ. 5. Stating with serene faith 'that it will be so' (Reminding themselves that it must be so, for Jesus Christ directed them to pray for it...He never gives a false or misleading prayer-objective)  6. Next, pointing their prayers into the minds of those men most powerful in bringing into being the picture (visions) they have seen. 7. Blessing leaders of the nation (one by one)...holding them up into the light of God's love...sending the love of Christ into their minds. Through this Love of Christ, the prayer group is calling forth the potential goodness that is in those leaders because it is in all men.  8. Praying Holy Spirit of God will accomplish this: Directly (overshadowing and entering their minds); Indirectly (sending the leaders good/wise advisers). 9. Giving Thanks to God that what has been prayed for is being made so...