My church recently introduced “In the River” by Jesus Culture to our worship set. I must admit, even though the song has been around since 2016, I’ve never really heard it before. As I was going through our October Prayerlink and praising God for the 1,018 people that came to faith in Christ Jesus, the lyrics to this song kept playing over and over in my head.

There is a current stirring deep inside
It's overflowing from the heart of God
The flood of heaven crashing over us
The tide is rising, rising
...
We come alive in the river

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”
2 Thessalonians 1-5

This month’s Prayerlink is filled with stories of 64 new lives in Christ and the progress our partners are making in their own regions. But on September 4th, 8th, and 10th, you’ll also read about a few of our many partners who are experiencing obstacles that seem so distant to us, we often forget they are common occurrences. These partners are encountering evil spirits, people who have been possessed by evil spirits, and people who believe witch doctors are the ones who hold the authority to conquer demonic powers. So, as you rejoice and praise God with our partners for His victories throughout the month, pray earnestly also for our partners who are facing intense spiritual warfare and the people for whom they are desperately fighting.

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” – Martin Luther