WHAT IS THE MINISTRY “GIDEONS 24 HOURS BEFORE THE LORD”

It is a prophetic Ministry that has as its objective:  to raise an army of intercessors, worshipers and preachers of the Word (Evangelists), in continuous intercession (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), in the Church of the Lord spread throughout the whole earth, to prepare the “Bride of the Lamb” for the rapture, according to the Word in Ephesians 5: 25-27.

IT HAS AS ITS MOTTO:

PRAYER IN HOLINESS

WORSHIP IN HOLINESS

PREACHING THE WORD IN HOLINESS

The Ministry is composed of three pillars – 24 hours before the Lord:

1st Pillar: “Gideons of Prayer” (functioning since 1st April 2003)

2nd Pillar: “Gideons of worship” (in the process of being implemented)

3rd Pillar: “Gideons of Preaching the Word” (in the process of being implemented)

HOLINESS TO THE LORD

Each Gideon should come into the presence of God in holiness, in other words, putting his life daily before the Lord, constantly washing it in the Blood of the Lamb.

1 John 2:1; James 5:16

The Gideon should live a life of continuous communion and seek the presence of God, through daily prayer and reading of the Word.

1 Thess. 5:17; Ps. 119:105

MINISTRY GIDEONS OF PRAYER

The first group of 300 intercessors was established at Lagoinha Baptist Church in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The members of the group rotate, every hour, each Gideon praying individually, in a premise of the church called “the Gideons Tower of Prayer”.

The duration of the Ministry is uncertain, i.e. it is until the Lord’s return.

The Ministry is interdenominational, giving logistic support to the churches that are an integral part of this intercession 24 hours a day, without interference in their pastoral or denominational administration.

How to Implement the Ministry
“Gideons of Prayer”

Give out the challenge of the Ministry to the church, and, with prayer, separate those brothers & sisters whose hearts, having been moved by the Holy Spirit, are disposed to volunteer for intercession.

Gideons should be:
1.    Active members of their church, baptized, have a good testimony at home and from those in their community, keeping in mind the motto of the Ministry: Holiness unto the Lord.

2.    Interviewed and approved by the pastor of the church (or leader responsible) completing the appropriate record of the interview.

In reference to the Tower of Prayer:

1.    Separate and consecrate a place in the church (a room or tower) to be the “Gideons tower of prayer”, where they should have privacy to pray.

2.    The pastor should nominate a superintendent to take care of the Ministry in the local Church, and  to always be in contact with the headquarters of the Ministry.

The Tower of Prayer should have:

1.    A list of the “Goals of Prayer” (printed on a banner, whose design can be supplied by the Ministry). Always remembering, however, that every intercession should always be under the direction and dependence of the Holy Spirit.

2.    A register of attendance to be signed by each Gideon. When fulfilling his hour with faithfulness, on his day of duty, he/she will be saying: “here I am Lord, while it depends on me the fire will burn continually on the altar. It will not go out”. Lev. 6:13.

3.    The Bible may be read at the beginning of the intercession.

4.    A “cup” or bowl containing the prayer requests of the local Church and brothers and sisters.

How to conduct yourself during your hour of prayer;
1.    Each Gideon should choose the day and hour he is available, within a weekly schedule of exact hours (E.G.: 08:00 – 09:00, 9:00 -10:00, etc).

2.    When entering the “prayer tower”, each Gideon should take off their shoes to pray, to worship, to hear the Lord and to petition for his blessings. This is a reminder of the “reverence due to the Lord”, as was the case with Moses and Joshua (Exod. 3:5; Josh. 5:15).

3.    On the day of their prayer in the “tower”, the Gideon should fast either totally or partially, seeking a special consecration to the Lord.

4.    “The tower should not be left empty”. Any unexpected occurrence that impedes the attendance of the Gideon should be communicated to the superintendent, so that a substitution can be made.

5.    When the Gideon’s home functions as the “tower of prayer”, the Gideon should separate a place where there is privacy for their hour of prayer.

6.    A Church can participate in the Ministry Gideons of Prayer with any number of intercessors since the hours of prayer will be in sequence (E.G.: 08:00; 09:00, etc).

7.    If a local Church wants to cover the whole month with 24 hours of uninterrupted prayer it needs to raise a total of 168 Gideons, each one praying one hour a day once a week.

8.    A Church that is part of the Gideons Ministry should communicate any changes that occur in relation to the schedules of the Gideons, for updating and control, by e-mail: gideoesdaoracao@hotmail.com, by fax: (00 55 31) 3421-2003, or by telephone:  (00 55 31) 3421-2993 and (00 55 31) 8814-3655

THE “GOALS OF PRAYER” OF THE MINISTRY ON BEHALF OF:
The Local Church and Gideon Churches
That there will be growth, sanctification and faithfulness to the call of the Lord. For its leadership and ministries, that they will be guided by the Holy Spirit and experience genuine revival in these days. Acts 2:42-47

For the Gideons
That they will be faithful to their commitment to intercession, which they assumed before the Father. We pray for their families that they will have abundant life and complete victory in all the areas of their lives.
Phil. 1:9-11

The Preparation of the Church
That the Church will be holy and without blemish, seeking to glorify the Lord at all times, to be ready for the Lord’s return. Eph. 5:25-27

For the Workers
That God will send more workers into his harvest field. Matt. 9:38

For World Evangelization
For the missionaries in the Nations. For the sick, orphans, widows and abandoned children and for the conversion of marginalized groups.
Acts 2:37-41

For the Authorities
For those that govern that they will be converted and be guided by the Spirit of God in their decisions. On behalf of our City, our State and our Nation. I Tim 2:14

For World Events
For the peace of Jerusalem.  For an end to famine in the countries of Africa and the world. That there will be peace in the countries that are at war. For the places of catastrophes (Earthquakes, storms, hurricanes, etc). Ps. 46: 1-11 – Ps. 122: 6-9

For the Requests for Prayer
That the Lord will send his answer, because He is good and his mercy endures forever. James 5:16

“The fire will burn continually on the altar. It will not go out”. Lev. 6:13

HISTORY OF THE MINISTRY

The Ministry 24 Hours Before the Lord arose in the heart of God for these end times, to prepare the church of the Lord for the rapture.

History in the NT: The birth of the Church of the Lord was announced to the world with the glorious coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room, in Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost. The disciples first prayed day and night, for 7 days (Acts 1:14). Soon after, all those who were there were filled with power from on high, and, speaking in other tongues, they announced the mighty deeds of God (Acts 2:11). When the crowd was drawn to them, because of the worship, the Word was preached (Acts 2) by Peter and 3,000 people were converted by his anointed message.
Now, 2000 years later, the Holy Spirit is breathing over his church in the same way, leading us to pray, to worship and to preach to the lost the Gospel of Salvation.

History of the Ministry: In a revival meeting in Lagoinha Baptist Church, in the decade of the 70s, preacher João Carlos Marques, got down from the pulpit, came up to where Dr. Paulo Cintra was seated with his wife and told him: “The Lord is revealing to me that he has a great work for your life”. The couple guarded this word in their hearts.
In 1975, God brought to their house a sister from the Assemblies of God Church in São Paulo who, with the Bible in her hands, brought them a triple prophetic word that came true, literally. On that occasion, the Lord said that they were both going to work together in His work.
In the course of time, they actually worked together in their respective professions as a doctor and a surgical-dentist.  However, what the Lord had reserved for them was much more than they could imagine. In 2001 they joined the ministry team of pastors and workers of Lagoinha Baptist Church, and in 2002, a year marked by a fast of every type of meat, coffee, of television and the reading of magazines and secular newspapers, God placed in their hearts the ministry “Gideons 24 Hours Before the Lord”.
On the 01/01/03, after they had received a telephone call from pastor Márcio Valadão summoning them, as well as the other pastors, for uninterrupted prayer, the whole strategy for the ministry “Gideons of Prayer” came in to the heart of Pr. Paulo, as in a film before his eyes. It would be an army formed by intercessors to be in readiness, praying unceasingly, day and night, 24 hours a day, in all the churches of the Lord spread throughout the world.
He shared the vision of this great ministry with pastor Márcio Valadão and, with his approval and a great deal of happiness, on 31/03/03 the first 300 “Gideons” were consecrated to the ministry of intercession on behalf of the Church, the Nation and the whole world, in seven related areas.
After four years of uninterrupted prayer, counting on an average of forty Gideons praying per hour, in diverse churches of Brazil and the world, God brought into existence Worship 24 Hours a day. On 07/07/07 the first Gideons of Worship were raised up, whose tower was prepared with loving care and under the revelation of the Lord.

The Ministry “Gideons 24 Hours Before the Lord” arose in the heart of God, to prepare the Church in holiness for the return of the Lord Jesus. Soon after the strategy of prayer, the Lord brought the project of Worship 24 Hours a day and also the Preaching of the Word 24 Hours a day.
The motto to be followed by these armies of warriors is “Holiness unto the Lord”. And, for the performing of this role of soldiers and brave priests of the Most High God, the order is: “The fire will burn continually on the altar. It will not go out”. (Lev. 6:13)

In this way, the ministry is composed of three pillars: prayer, worship and the preaching of the Word (or evangelism).
The three pillars are prepared to combat the forces of darkness in the same way as Gideon, the judge of Israel (Judges 7:16-22), he divided his three hundred men of war into three companies of a hundred, and defeated the Midianites that devastated the nation. These pillars are designated: “Gideons of Prayer”, “Gideons of Worship” and “Gideons of the Preaching of the Word”. Three great groups working 24 hours a day to fulfil the will of the Lord on the Earth. So that his people are ready, living in holiness, vigilantly awaiting for the Lord’s return.