AWAKENING IN OUR MIDST

MEANING

AWAKENING OF INDIVIDUALS

Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit is stirring people’s hearts.

These people come from every walk of life; across the spiritual landscape – none believers, cultural Christians, active Christians, and even spirit-filled Christians.

SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCHES

Jesus is gathering together groups, communities, local churches or whatever. Among the features they have in common are those below: -

1.        They practice Personal Prayer in Tongues. They Sing in Tongues – that collective prayer sound in harmony. They are baptised in the Holy Spirit. They move in the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit.

2.        They practice Temple Prayer – the way God has shown us how to relate to Him, made possible for all by Jesus. This throws aside any impurity of practice that has crept in from eastern religions, new age and paganism. It is also a way to 'Walk in the Spirit'

3.        They seek to ‘Be still and know that I am God…’ Psalm 46:10. Stillness is a counter-cultural practice for this modern age in opposition to the setting where are minds are bombarded with hurry, noise, crowds, muchness, manyness, trivia. Temple Prayer is a great wat to lead you into silent stillness in the Holy of Holies,

Rather than acting as isolated trends, they represent the dual engines of the current movement: outpouring of the Holy Spirit combined with depth of holy intimate personal relationship with God.

These groups are springing up within all denominations. God ignores denominational boundaries.

OUTREACH

Spirit-Filled Churches are drawn to outreach, to go out on the streets, to literally be the expression of Acts 1:8, - you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me.

In outreach the Lord uses us in two ways.

We are sowers of the Word on the streets. Jesus uses us to stir people’s hearts.

We are harvesters. Jesus draws people whose hearts He has stirred to come to us and join our gatherings.

We worship on the streets. We witness on the streets. Sometimes just our presence can stir hearts.

GO LOWER – (see our Core Values at the end of this page.)

We are called specifically to the most needy in areas where there is Poverty and Job Loss, Relationship Breakdowns, Addiction – alcohol & drugs, Domestic Abuse, Health Crises and Disabilities, those Leaving Prison, the Care System, the Armed Forces. In our fragmented and broken society the list is almost endless.

We are called not just to give the odd tenner, but to meet immediate needs, give ongoing support and long term assistance.

ONE

We find no one Spirit-Filled Church can do this alone. In areas like our own the local churches have a loose association, working as different parts of the one body, which aim to meet all needs.

BLOT OUT

1. Opposing the Individual Awakening

Blot out... the Sovereign Stirring of Hearts with Intellectual Pride and Digital Satiety.

The spirit of the antichrist seeks to ensure that when Jesus begins to stir a heart—whether a non-believer, a cultural Christian, or a seasoned believer—that stirring is immediately choked out.

• The Strategy: It uses the weapon of modern digital satiety—bombarding the mind with endless entertainment, notifications, and trivial visual dopamine so that a person never sits with their own emptiness long enough to feel the Spirit's tug. For intellectuals or cultural Christians, it introduces intellectual pride, framing a genuine stirring of the heart as mere emotionalism, social hysteria, or a psychological phase, thereby reasoning them out of a supernatural encounter.

2. Opposing the Three-Fold Gathering

Blot out... the Corporate Sound of Tongues with the Spirit of Babel (Confusion and Cynicism).

The collective harmony of singing and praying in tongues is a manifestation of true spiritual unity, mimicking the day of Pentecost.

• The Strategy: The opposing spirit works to blot this out in two ways: externally, by introducing cynical rationalism that mocks the gifts of the Spirit as outdated, fanatical, or uneducated; internally, by introducing a spirit of performance, disorder, or pride within gatherings, turning a harmonious, Spirit-led sound into a noisy, self-serving display that pushes seekers away rather than drawing them into the presence of God.

Blot out... Pure Temple Prayer with Compromise and Syncresis.

Because the Temple/Tabernacle model provides a precise, Jesus-centred blueprint to approach the Father, it requires absolute spiritual purity.

• The Strategy: The antichrist spirit seeks to blot out this clean pathway by subtly introducing syncretism—the blending of holy practices with pagan, new age, or eastern mystic philosophies. It whispers that "all paths lead to the center," tempting groups to replace the blood-bought access of the Holy of Holies with self-centered mindfulness, universalism, or "energy" clearing, effectively robbing the Tabernacle prayer of the cross and the authority of Jesus.

Blot out... Holy Stillness with the Cult of Hurry and Noise.

Psalm 46:10 is a direct threat to the enemy's kingdom because stillness allows a believer to align perfectly with God's voice.

• The Strategy: The opposing force blots out stillness by orchestrating a cultural mandate of unceasing noise, hyper-connectivity, and artificial urgency. It keeps the believer's mind fractured by "manyness and trivia," causing them to feel guilty or anxious when sitting in silence. If it cannot keep a believer out of church, it will keep them so busy doing church work that they never actually sit at the feet of the Master, replacing spiritual power with mere religious burnout.

Blot out... Denominational Fluidity with Institutional Tribalism.

If God is ignoring denominational boundaries to build a unified body, the opposing spirit must reinforce those walls.

• The Strategy: It seeks to blot out this organic unity by re-igniting theological tribalism and territorialism. It causes leaders to argue over minor doctrinal definitions, historical grievances, or organizational branding. It instills a fear of "losing control," pushing denominations to shut down organic, multi-denominational prayer groups in favor of protecting their own institutional empires.

3. Opposing the Outreach and the Harvest

Blot out... Radical Acts 1:8 Power with Comfortable, Passive Consumerism.

The awakening explicitly demands moving from the hidden prayer room onto the broken streets.

• The Strategy: The spirit of the antichrist seeks to blot out this apostolic boldness by replacing it with a spirit of fear and political correctness. It whispers that street outreach is invasive, offensive, or culturally inappropriate. It counsels believers to keep their faith "private," substituting the supernatural power of being a raw witness with a safe, sanitized form of church consumerism where people just attend services rather than being the sent ones.

Blot out... Holistic, Long-Term Intervention with Tokenistic Charity.

The vision calls for meeting immediate needs and providing long-term, life-altering assistance to the most broken (addicts, prisoners, the abused).

• The Strategy: The enemy seeks to blot out this deep, sacrificial love by offering the counterfeit of tokenism—getting believers to satisfy their conscience by simply "tossing the odd tenner" or funding generic social programs without ever touching the mess of human brokenness. It fosters a spirit of compassion fatigue and critical judgment, causing the church to view the addict or the ex-con as a social nuisance to be managed by the state, rather than a soul to be harvested and discipled by the family of God.

Blot out... the Loose Association of the Body with Isolation and Competitive Jealousy.

Because no single gathering can heal a fractured territory alone, unity among local groups is paramount.

• The Strategy: The spirit of the antichrist relentlessly attacks relationships between different local groups. It works to blot out cooperative associations by infecting leaders with comparison, jealousy, and a competitive mindset. It drives groups into isolation, convincing them that their specific community has the exclusive monopoly on the awakening, which breaks the collaborative network apart and leaves the city's most vulnerable people falling right through the cracks.

SCRIPTURE IN SUPPORT

To stand against the "blotting out" of this awakening, we must anchor our discernment in the Word of God. The following scriptures expose the strategies of the enemy and provide the divine counter-strategy for the Body of Christ.

1. Countering the Distortion of the Individual Awakening

The enemy seeks to replace the Spirit’s stirring with the numbness of a distracted age.

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:15–16)

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables." (2 Timothy 4:3–4)

The Lesson: Intellectual pride and digital noise are "idle babblings" that dull the spirit. We must be diligent to "rightly divide" between the temporary noise of the world and the eternal stirring of the Holy Spirit.

2. Protecting the Three-Fold Gathering

The enemy seeks to infiltrate the purity of our worship through confusion, syncretism, and division.

"For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." (1 Corinthians 14:33)

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26–28)

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10)

The Lesson: The "Spirit of Babel" thrives on disorder and tribalism. True Temple Prayer—which centres on the sacrifice of Jesus—is the antithesis of syncretism. Our unity is not found in organizational structures, but in our shared identity as the Body of Christ.

3. Advancing the Outreach and the Harvest

The enemy seeks to keep the Church contained, comfortable, and fragmented.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)

"So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." (Romans 12:5)

The Lesson: The "spirit of fear" is the primary weapon against Acts 1:8. True apostolic power is revealed when we leave our comfort zones to touch the brokenness of the world. Charity that does not engage the person is a counterfeit; the Kingdom requires "members of one another" working in local association to carry the weight of the harvest.

The Apostolic Decree: "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 1:20–21)

By building (Temple Prayer), praying (Tongues), and keeping (Stillness), we refuse to be blotted out. We remain the living, breathing, sent-out evidence of the Awakening.

A Prayer for the Awakening in Our Midst

1. Releasing the Individual Awakening

Heavenly Father,

We thank You that a new wave of Your Holy Spirit has begun, bigger and more powerful than the charismatic renewal of the past. We thank You that Jesus is sovereignly stirring hearts across the entire spiritual landscape of the UK—awakening non-believers, cultural Christians, and active believers alike.

• We stand against the blotting out of this work. In the authority of Jesus’ name, we break the power of digital satiety, trivial distractions, and the intellectual pride that seeks to reason people out of a supernatural encounter.

• We pray: Tear down the modern strongholds of hurry and noise. Let Your Word pierce through every heart of stone and turn it into a soft heart of flesh. Bring an inescapable awareness of Your presence to those who are spiritually asleep.

Lord, awaken them by Your power.

2. Guarding the Three-Fold Gathering

Lord Jesus,

You are gathering us together into communities and churches across every denominational wall. You are ignoring institutional boundaries to make us one. We ask that our gatherings would burn with the pure features of Your heavenly design.

• We activate the sound of Pentecost: Fill us afresh with the Holy Spirit. Give us a passion for personal prayer in tongues and let our corporate gatherings resound with the harmonious sound of singing in tongues. We shatter the Spirit of Babel, silencing all cynical rationalism, religious performance, and spiritual pride.

• We recover the Pure Temple Prayer: Guide us by Your Spirit as we step through the outer gates with thanksgiving, pass the altar of repentance, and enter boldly through the torn veil into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus. We completely cast out every trace of impurity, syncretism, new age philosophy, or eastern mysticism that attempts to corrupt our worship.

• We claim the power of Holy Stillness: In a culture of unceasing noise, "muchness," and trivia, we choose to be still and know that You are God. Protect our minds from artificial urgency. Let our silence before You be a weapon that humbles the darkness and aligns our souls with Your voice.

Lord, keep us pure and make us one.

3. Launching the Outreach and the Harvest

Holy Spirit,

You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. Do not allow our gatherings to become comfortable, passive, or self-contained. Propel us out from the prayer room and onto the broken streets of our neighbourhoods in the raw power of Acts 1:8.

• We step out as Sowers and Harvesters: Make us bold witnesses on the streets. Use our mouths to sow the seed of truth and let Your Spirit draw the harvest directly into our midst. We break the assignment of comfortable consumerism and political correctness that tries to silence our testimony.

• We commit to the Broken and the Bound: Anoint us to bring good tidings to the poor and healing to the broken-hearted. We dedicate ourselves to the addicted, the abused, the lonely, the ex-offender, and the forgotten. We reject the counterfeit of token charity and superficial help; give us the stamina to provide long-term, life-altering restoration.

• We build the Loose Association of the Body: We bind together the local groups and communities in our area as different parts of the single Body of Christ. We cast down all competitive jealousy, comparison, and territorialism among leaders. Help us to share the load so that no one falls through the cracks.

•  

Lord, send us out to carry the harvest.

The Closing Decree

But we, beloved, building ourselves up on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep ourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:20–21

We refuse to let this wave be blotted out. We anchor our lives in Your Word, we build ourselves up in prayer, and we step out in Your power. Let the UK see and know that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

Our Core Values

Iris Global's core values are a set of five principles that guide their ministry and are central to their mission. These values were articulated by Rolland and Heidi Baker and are rooted in their theological beliefs and experiences serving the poor in Mozambique.

Pursue God's Presence: We emphasize a passionate relationship with God and seeking His presence. We seek to come aside and rest in His Presence. We seek to be on fire for Jesus. This is considered the foundation for all our work and is seen as the source of love, joy, and power. We believe that without this intimacy, we cannot effectively carry out our mission.

Depend on Miracles: We operate with a deep belief in God's supernatural provision and power. We are dependent on God for everything, from daily sustenance to the spiritual and physical healing of those we serve. We expect miracles to sustain our ministry and confirm the Gospel.

Go Low: We are committed to serving the most broken, humble, and lowly people. We believe that God works through the weak and despised, and our direction is always "lower still," focusing on ministering to drug addicts, alcoholics, those physically and sexually abused, the poor, orphans, and abandoned individuals.

Be seen as families of ONE Body: Local Churches, Fellowships, House groups are seen as families who put into action the command of Jesus to love one another as He loves us. They follow Acts 2:42, scripture study, fellowship, sharing meals (including the Lord’s Supper) and prayer. We all gather as ONE Body for worship from time to time. Our unity is in obedience to Jesus in relation to the Parable of the ‘Tares and Wheat’. We judge no one in the Body or exclude them but leave that for Jesus at the end.

Be available: This is being available for individuals in need. We are ‘first responders’ to them. We follow the example of the Good Samaritan. We are prepared to drop what we are doing; give time and resources to each individual; go out of our way to support them. We support them directly from within our local church for as long as it takes, we befriend them, we help, we act. These people are a blessing for it is they who bring about revival in us.

Embrace Suffering: We view suffering as a valuable part of the Christian life. We believe that a willingness to suffer for the sake of righteousness is essential for learning to love and for sanctification. We "rejoice in [our] weaknesses," believing that when we are weak, we are strong through God's power.

Consider It All Joy: Despite the hardships and suffering we face, joy is considered a non-negotiable and powerful spiritual weapon. The joy of the Lord is seen as our motivation, reward, and strength, far outweighing our suffering.