Worldwide Prayer Meeting

Jul 23, 2024 | by Lt. Colonel Allen Satterlee

Mount Fuji - Japan

Prayer Focus - Japan Territory

I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.

This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

(Psalm 118:21,24)

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your goodness, kindness, Your mercy and grace. As the world is bathed in sunshine, we are surrounded by evidence of Your tender mercies on every hand. There is no end to Your goodness. We cannot begin to understand how marvelous are Your ways. We praise You that none of this passes us by but that we find ourselves midstream in the flow of Your love. With all that happens today, remind me I am in Your hands and surrounded by Your greatness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 Background of

the Japan Territory

           Japan is an ancient country with a rich history, culture and heritage. After suffering from a devastating loss in the Second World War, it has since become one of the world’s most powerful export-oriented economies despite having a notable lack of natural resources within its borders. It is governed by a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy.

            Japan has freedom of religion although over 70% of Japanese follow no personal religion. Most Japanese give some allegiance to Shintoism, which is deeply tied to Japanese identity. In a culture that values conformity and tradition, Christianity continues to be viewed as an “outside” religion with having made very little impact. Less than 2% of Japanese are Christian. While Japan is open to missionaries, the culture and language are challenging to learn. However, Korean missionaries have had some success even though there has been a difficult history between Japan and Korea.

            There is a great deal of uncertainty in Japan as the country is aging and the young people in the country often voice their frustration of not feeling a moral center. Materialism is very much on the rise. The country lives under constant threat of major earthquakes and tsunamis. While Japan remains prosperous, there are concerns about the future, especially for its young people.

            The Salvation Army: In 1895 a small group of pioneer officers from Britain arrived in Japan at Yokohama to start operations. Despite great difficulties, work was established. Of several outstanding Japanese people who were attracted to The Salvation Army, the most distinguished was Commissioner Gunpei Yamamuro OF, prominent evangelist and author, whose book, The Common People’s Gospel, has been reprinted more than 500 times.

Facts, Stats and Leadership

of the Japan Territory

• Total population to fish and disciple: 122,615,045
• 57 officers, 2 auxiliary captains, 1 envoy, 1 cadet, 1,123 employees
• 90 retired officers
• 41 corps, 11 outposts
• 2,132 senior soldiers
• 62 adherents
• 176 junior soldiers

Leadership

Colonel Stephen Morris – Territorial Commander

Colonel Wendy Morris – Territorial President of Women’s Ministries

Lieutenant Colonel Tamotsu Nishimura – Chief Secretary

Lieutenant Colonel Kazue Nishimura – Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries

Prayer Requests for

the Japan Territory

Praise Points

• Praise God for a successful launch of the “525 Campaign – Together We Enter the Gates of The Lord!”, a territorial prayer initiative with accompanying Devotion Guidebook, as we believe for 5 cadets in 2025!

Prayer Points

Japan Territory

• The territorial theme for 2024 is “Generation to Generation” based on Psalm 145:4-5 (NIV). Please pray that the spiritual legacy of previous generations of Salvationists will continue to be built upon, expressed in creative and innovative ways to future generations.

• Please pray for the Executive Officers’ Councils. This year, the first session was held in June and another session will take place in October; please pray for the territorial leadership team as they lead and guide these important gatherings.

• Please pray for all corps and social centers located throughout the territory; pray for all mission expression leaders and their teams; pray also for those who are recipients of their ministry.

Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES)

• Please pray for the SAES teams that have been supporting local churches and serving community members on the Noto Peninsula following an earthquake on January 1^st this year.

• Please pray for the team leaders and volunteers as they provide ongoing emergency assistance in this way, and that the connections made between local churches and community members will continue to grow and deepen.

USA Southern Territory

Prayer Requests

• The family of Jilma Reilly, grandmother or Major Laura Dohmann, who was recently Promoted to Glory
• Major Chris Thornhill, Territorial Mission, Evangelism & Cultural Ministries Secretary/Territorial Men's Ministries Secretary, Program
• Chief Communications
• Brian Bagley, Director of Infrastructure Services, IT
• Candy Staton, Territorial Real Estate & Property Administration Manager, Property
• Sonya Philpot, Accounting Clerk, Finance
• Captain Jordan Hinson, Director of Mission and Ministry, Evangeline Booth College
• Cadet Kathleen Farmer
• Colonel Paula Johnson, Divisional Candidates Secretary, Texas Division
• Reverend Diane Ury, Associate National Ambassador for Holiness
• Majors Algerome & Teresa Newsome, officers, soldiers, employees and volunteers of the Kentucky/Tennessee Division
• Gospel & Creative Arts
• Anonymous request for one who is feeling overwhelmed and asking for her faith to be renewed; prayers for the state of Texas as they recover from Beryl and that those affected would be strong in their faith
• Latrice Mapp, an employee, asking for God’s help as she takes this job at The Salvation Army

Something to Consider

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

            The good work refers to the redemption and building up that God continues to do in the life of the believer that begins with the experience of salvation. There is a sense that it is complete the moment that someone turns to Christ so that we can say of a deathbed conversion that the person is assured of eternal salvation. But there is also a sense in which it is a constantly expanding, constant work of rebuilding that God does in someone throughout every day of his/her life. If I blow up a balloon halfway, it is full of air. But I put more air into it and the balloon is larger but still we say it is full of air. The capacity has changed but the fullness is there all along. It is the same in the life of a Christian. God is continuing to build our capacity, our understanding, maturing us, molding us, conforming us to the image of Christ. Salvation occurs not only in a point in time but in the constant work of God done in us until He receives us unto Himself.

            The glory of what God does in the good work is that He does not make us good as new but better than we could have otherwise been. Our fallen nature is such that despite our best efforts, our most concentrated efforts at refinement and self-improvement, we will hit a ceiling. Like with space travel, to get beyond the surly bands of earth we must have help beyond a positive mental attitude. In salvation God not only launches us but propels us to our destination. Along the way, if we allow Him, He uses each experience to mold then chip away to take us beyond ourselves. Every joy, every disappointment, every ache and every success can be sanctified as the Holy Spirit works in the recesses of our hearts teaching us, leading us. The events of our lives are what God’s Spirit uses as the building materials of our souls.

            In the experience of holiness, we yield the building process to the Holy Spirit. Our experience of salvation redeems us while our sanctification allows us to give away our limitations for God’s fullness. Rather than trying to get God to bless what we think best, we want what He wants. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else.

Benediction

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Amen. (Romans 15:13)