The Creative Power of Hiddenness
Information on 10 Days Virtual and an Update from Europe
A few years ago, I visited a small rural church hours from any major cities. I wondered why the Lord had brought me so far to preach in such an out of the way place. The Lord spoke this to me:
"Every creative breakthrough in history has happened in the secret place."
As I thought about it, I realized it was true. Songs that are broadcast far and wide were written when the composer is alone. Books are written in secret. Only four people witnessed the first airplane flight--it was invented in obscurity. Every child is conceived in secret and then grows for nine months in a hidden place. The secret place is the place of creative breakthrough--it's the place where something is formed that can then be shared with the world.
This is why Jesus calls us to get into the secret place when we pray--He wants us to be a light to the world, but first He has to put His life inside of us. As we spend abundant time with the Lord in hiddenness, abundant, visible fruit is sure to follow. In a Kingdom irony, we grow in visible fruit by pursuing hiddenness.
The invitation to 10 Days of Prayer is a call to the secret place. Let's not despise hiddenness, but embrace it. The secret place is where breakthroughs happen.
Virtual 10 Days
Once again, we are putting together a global, 24/7 upper room on Zoom during the 10 Days of Awe (Sept 15th, Noon Eastern/7pm Jerusalem - Sept 25th, 1pm Eastern/ 8pm Jerusalem).
This year, the Lord led us into a specific and unexpected focus--Children leading prayer for the Harvest. Many of our hours in the 10 Days zoom room are going to be manned by children and children's ministries from around the globe. We are hoping that this surge in prayer among children will be instrumental in the launching of a new 2BC (two-Billion Children) prayer room in the near future.
We invite you to participate in this Spirit-given emphasis for this year, a multi-generational yearning and cry for the Harvest. Register here and visit Everything 10Days (registration, prayer guide, etc). Please prayerfully consider joining with us and send this invite to your friends - let's give voice to God's heart together.
10 Days Europe
Update from Karen Gascoigne, 10 Days European Coordinator:
As a small group of us from Europe prayed while in Dubai this year, we felt quickened by the Lord to involve children as equally important in the 10 Days.
So it’s really exciting that the Lord is already raising up key leaders in other continents with a heart to facilitate this, and there’s already been a day (22 July) when children across the globe have prayed together. So we are encouraging children to lead prayer this 10 Days, including online, with their own prayer guide. Go kids! We are learning from your faith!
“But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Luke 18:16-17)
What do you sense God is going to do as a result of the prayer and fasting from previous years in Europe?
What God is doing in Europe is illustrated through what we have seen in Reading, UK. Over 20 years ago, Church leaders there laid down their denominational differences and came together in humility and love to prioritize setting aside time to pray regularly. Since 2017, believers in Reading have been part of the global 10 Days, reaching out each year in ministry to others in the abbey grounds, re-digging those ancient spiritual wells, through anointed worship, creative art, prophetic healing ministry and love for refugees in that city.
Year on year, we see the number of places in different parts of Europe being represented is steadily growing, as the Lord waters those seeds.
It seems even more urgent to fast and pray, especially in and for nations that have been turning from biblical ways and embracing other forms of religion or secularism. The Spirit is moving, especially in areas of conflict such as Ukraine and Russia, as well reaching in love refugees in cities across our continent.
What’s happening for 10 Days in Europe for this year?
The trumpet blasts at the coronation of King Charles III (in the UK) in May were a reminder of the feast of trumpets, which starts the biblical 10 Days of Awe, our 10 Days. They are also a call to awaken and to prepare ourselves in these end times for the great harvest and the return the King of Kings, Jesus (/Yeshua).
It’s time for us to pray for Europe to turn back to the Lord’s righteous and holy ways, away from our ways. It’s time for the Body to unite, Jew and Gentile. It’s time to pray for the hearts of the parents to turn to our children and the hearts of the children to their parents (Malachi 4:5-6), to bring healing and unity between generations and re-dig those biblical wells of the Spirit, to see outpouring and new life, across Europe.
What are you most excited for regarding 10 Days 2023?
For 10 Days 2023, I am most excited about the amazing suddenlies and divine connections the Lord is making, for His glory and kingdom purposes, joining prayer and mission, with BigLife, right here in the city where I live and the UK, plus also in Finland, Sweden, Spain and Romania/Eastern Europe, through trips abroad.
Invitation to Join others in Europe doing 10 Days:
From September 15 - 25, 2023, we are mobilizing 10 Days events across Europe. These gatherings will range from small groups of believers devoting themselves to a special season of prayer and fasting, “city-wide” prayer meetings that bring believers across the city together, to large networks spread across geographic areas. You can register your small group or church, using this link or reaching out to the European Coordinator, Karen Gascoigne, at 10DaysEurope@gmail.com )