Hong Kong - The Details

Ever since this summer when God filled my heart with compassion for those who are enslaved, I have been searching for my role in fighting slavery. As I planned my trip to Hong Kong, I was hoping God would speak to me more clearly about that. I saw my trip as a type of “pilgrimage.” I was going to set aside time to seek God's will and direction, taking time to sit at the House of Prayer while visiting Hong Kong. I didn't know whether I could even really spiritualize a vacation like that, but I figured it couldn't hurt to spend time praying. It even seemed like God confirmed that idea of this trip as a “pilgrimage” when He directed me towards Psalm 84, “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house, they are ever praising you; blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” My time at the House of Prayer was nothing less than a God-encounter: a surprising collision with His supernatural power. He convicted me of sin, drew me into intimacy with Him, and spoke to my heart about many things. It seemed that God was honouring this 'pilgrimage' – a physical journey to reflect a spiritual hunger for God.

I want to share some excerpts from my journal that day with you. Some of this God spoke as I was reading a book I found at the House of Prayer called Red Moon Rising, which tells the story of how the current 24-7 prayer movement began. Other parts I sensed His Spirit whisper to me as I sat in His presence while the worship played around me, and the rest is taken from the message of encouragement spoken that evening at the House of Prayer.

I share this with you for a few reasons. One is because I keep reading Psalm 107 that says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” It's a way of giving thanks to Him, of remembering what He has done, and of giving Him the honour that He deserves. Another reason is because I hope to provoke you to holy jealousy. I hope as I share these moments of intimacy with my Father, you remember that the same intimacy is available to you. He has no favourites, and He is waiting for you to come to him. So, if you read this and think, “I wish God would speak to me like that,” then take that thought and turn it into a prayer. Ask God to reveal Himself to you in a deeper way. Seek Him. Don't let that thought become resentment in your heart for how God isn't speaking to you. God promises that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Finally, I share this with you as a reminder that sometimes God does supernatural things in surprisingly natural ways. There is no doubt in my mind that this was an encounter with God through the power of His Holy Spirit, but as I rewrote this I realized how 'normal' it could all seem: reading a book and having words or phrases stick out; listening to music and having a few lines resonate in your heart; hearing a word of encouragement at church and knowing certain lines are just for you. The Holy Spirit does this stuff all the time. What made this day so unique was how much it was happening. That's why I say it was like God clicked “download.” I pray that you are able to read this with eyes of faith, instead of thinking that I'm crazy for believing God actually talks to me like this. :)

FYI – My thoughts/prayers are in italics from now on. Anything significant that I felt God was saying is written in bold. Any extra explanation is written in regular font.

My prayers as I sat in the “Prayer Chamber” :
Jesus, I believe in You and I will go to the ends of the earth for You
Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name
Teach me Your ways, Oh Lord, and I will walk in Your truthful.
Purify my heart's desire; I long to be Your servant.
Jesus, be Lord of my whole heart,
Set me free from a spirit of fear and anxiety.
Increase the river of Your presence.
What is on Your heart? What is on Your heart for me tonight, Jesus?I received no immediate answer, but soon picked up the book that I had found called Red Moon Rising.: Several lines seemed particularly relevant:

“Prayer has the power to undermine any ideology that oppresses.”
As I walked through Hong Kong, I had been thinking about how the great extent of oppression stems from people's attitudes and thinking towards wealth. I knew it was a problem, but I didn't know how to fix it. Here, I found the answer.

Let justice roll down like a river,
And righteousness like a never ending stream
“In the company of Christ, the ugly become beautiful and classroom cowards become the bewildered heroes of His Kingdom.”

And a little child shall lead them...
“Jesus warned us that the upwardly mobile middle class would always find it extremely hard to receive Him.” And so Japan is no surprise to You, Lord.
I continued reading about the power of prayer, and how it was the driving force behind every revival. This quote seemed particularly relevant, given my burden for slavery and how God had used William Wilberforce's story to inspire me earlier this summer:

“Out of that second great awakening (which began with prayer) came...the abolition of slavery, popular education, Bible societies, Sunday Schools, and many social benefits.”

The abolition of slavery began with prayer the first time; it will be so again.
I have been praying for weeks now, asking You to show me my part in the abolition of slavery, since it so disturbs me now. I carried a burden, but I didn''t know where to go or what to do. It's slowly becoming clear to me that my part in loosing the chains of the oppressed begins with prayer: seeking Your face for their freedom. My heart is becoming settled and at peace with this.

Help me take these longings to Your throne,
And respond to the burden for the weary by praying for refreshment.
That times of refreshing may come.
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
You will show us the way.

Lord, I bring so many burdens and a heart filled with sin, and still You bid me come. You invite me to Your inner chambers. You stretch our Your rod to me and somehow I have found favour in Your sight. My heart is full and You are the fuel. You will bring change, for this is Your world.



As I listened to the speaker bring a message of encouragement at an evning session, I wrote down the parts that caused my hurt to burn within me. Most of the time, the Holy Spirit reminding of things He had spoken to me earlier and confirming that I really had heard from God.

Keeping the Sabbath: To work and have a return comes from the grace of God
This connected with what I read in Ezekiel earlier that day, where I noticed that the Lord was so committed to rewarding His servant that He would go to great lengths to see it accomplished. I do not need to fear. I can trust in His grace to reward those who diligently seek Him.

“Should I not be concerned for Hong Kong?” (This was the main Scripture passage for the message, taken from what God said to Jonah about Ninevah. I couldn't help but remember the time that my friend said to me, “I think China is your Ninevah.” He said this because I had complained about living in a city, saying that I wanted to be able to view God's creation. He challenged me to value God's highest creation (people) more highly. I'm not sure about the full significance of this, but maybe I will end up in China one day. Only the Lord knows for now.)

Intercession is “For such a time as this.”
This connected with the story I had been envisioning earlier as I prayed about God's “rod stretched out” and finding favour in His sight. I could see myself as Esther, coming before the king, and here was that story again.

He sees the darkness and sin, He knows the state of the city
He's heard the cry of the weak and oppressed
But He is rich in mercy
You've carried the burden and been pricked by the issues, but should He not be concerned?
You see the wealth and the oppression it has brought, but let Your prayers for this city be love. The Lord is a compassionate and gracious God. Jesus is in love with this city. He can barely contain Himself to break in.
This really connected with me because for the past two days I had been walking around Hong Kong and becoming burdened for the city, seeing evidence only of the oppression that comes with riches. It was overwhelming to me, and this message contained the answer – once again.

It is wisdom to stand in the place of intercession, though it may seem like foolishness.

This connected because throughout the day I was wondering if I had been wasting my time. Many times I wonder, 'Is prayer really that powerful?' But it is, and I always need to remember that it is.

You are the greatest politician when you pray.
This made me think of the story of Esther again! Also, a few years ago God spoke a similar word to me, saying that when I bring my requests to Him, whether they be great or small, it is like bringing them before the Prime Minister or the King. It might be a small amount of time spent asking, but there is great power in the one I am speaking with!

Stay steady. Do not grow weary. Remember, praying is relationship – talking with Jesus. Posture your heart to be talking to Jesus.

Feast on the knowledge of God. Let that fuel your intercession.

I had been meditating on Isaiah 55:1-2, which says, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” Also, I have often felt weary about the burdens of intercession, and this seemed to carry the answer. Remembering God's great power is the solution for not becoming overwhelmed by the burdens.

Don't let your frame be crushed under the needs of intercession.
God is able and He has inclined His ear to you.
He acts on the cries of His people.

My human frame can't handle the burdens, but as I meditate on God's power and His heart for the weak, now I am confident that in an instant He can open prison doors and set the captives free. He doesn't need my anger or my activism.

Finally, the Holy Spirit spoke these words to my heart:
As you consider all of the traffic (human trafficking), remember who is the Cop.

I was filled with hope, refreshment, and a sense of purpose. I believe God is calling me to a lifestyle of intercession, not simply a passing interest in prayer. With His great power and a little bit of faith, mountains move.

He stood and shook the earth
The Lord looked, and made the nations tremble.

Let each intercessor find their reward in You. You are our portion; You are our shield.

So that's what God spoke to me while I was at the House of Prayer. That's why I will always remember this trip to Hong Kong, and why I wouldn't trade that day for any sightseeing or cultural experiences. If you've made it this far with reading, then THANK YOU! I hope it was an encouragement to you, and I look forward to reading or hearing YOUR story one day!