by Heinrich Titus
Senior Pastor of Shofar Christian Church
What an honour it was to sit under the ministry of Suzette Hattingh during our God Encounter held in November 2018.
It was truly a God encounter as Suzette came to stir our hearts again to walk in the fullness of our calling to pray for the nations of the world. Over and over again, the call to the nations came as a personal call to intimacy with God in the first place. It is clear that everything in Suzette’s life flowed from a personal, intimate and faithful walk with God. Her passion for Jesus and for time with Him, outside of any ministry context, was refreshing, challenging and contagious.
Her teachings were a reminder that the lifestyle of an intercessor is not the preserve of a select few very radical Christians, but the inheritance of every believer. Her emphasis on the dovetailing between entering the presence of the Lord through praise and worship and then praying out of that place was confirmation of what I believe the Lord is reminding us of – that the sound of prayer and the sound of worship go hand in hand. It truly is the blowing of the shofar.
Her session on the different, yet complementary approaches to intercession, was especially powerful. Some of us are more inclined to pray prophetic prayers, others prayers of declaration, still others prayers of warfare and still others feel more comfortable within a very clearly structured prayer environment that makes provision for praying through a predefined list of needs or objectives. The beauty of all these styles or approaches is that not one of them is more spiritual than the other nor more special than the other, but that each one is dependent upon the other to bring the full counsel and wisdom of God to the fore.
Be encouraged therefore that there is a place for each one of us, even as we differ in our praying styles and approaches. I believe that this mutual respect for differing spiritual approaches is a powerful building block that will enable us to walk together in unity as we earnestly pray for the harvest and the harvesters in these days.
As far as teaching impartation is concerned, this promises to be one of the most significant, challenging and practical opportunities we have to be aligned with one another and with the Spirit of God, so I urge all of us to make an effort to download and watch the sessions in whatever capacity you can.
Feel free to visit Suzette’s website for more information on her ministry and further equipping resources. For more information on her ministry, visit Voice in the City.
A big, colossal thank you to the entire Shofar Wellington team of elders, leaders and volunteers who initiated the weekend with Suzette and organised it with such excellence and loving service. This is truly a wonderful example of how the gifts and opportunities of one congregation can be leveraged and used to benefit the entire church family. It was hugely encouraging to see so many friends from other denominations and churches also joining us for the weekend. We are truly beginning to see the Body of Christ beginning to walk in ever-increasing unity and mutual service.
It is time for us to gather to pray. It is time for us to dare to believe that our prayers are answered and it is time to believe that God can still do impossible things when we cry out to Him.
See you in the throne room.
Heinrich