I came to know that I am a son of God, deeply loved, and that I have a true destiny in God to make Him known to this generation.

IHOPU Student Equipped to Head Back to China

by Fia Curley
2/25/15 IHOPU

Eric had a high-paying job in China that he didn’t want to leave. But the more he listened to the prayer and worship from the International House of Prayer live webstream, the more his heart was touched by the presence of the Lord. When he heard that International House of Prayer University (IHOPU) taught students in Chinese, he felt he needed to come to America to study at IHOPU.

IHOPU’s mandate is to equip and send out believers who love Jesus and others wholeheartedly to preach the Word, heal the sick, serve the poor, plant churches and start houses of prayer, and proclaim the return of Jesus as King of the nations.

In an environment of 24/7 prayer with worship and a thriving missions base, we are establishing a community built on the centrality of  Scripture, prayer, and worship in an environment where the Word of God is expressed through teaching, singing, praying, and ministry to one another.

This is what greeted Eric in the summer of 2013 after resigning from his job and using his savings to enroll in our year-long Forerunner School of Ministry Chinese Program.

In retrospect, Eric believes he “truly made the right decision.” He writes:

“My time at IHOPU was the best year of my life. The school is organized so that alongside attending classes, students spend time in the prayer room. And here I experienced that this night-and-day place of worship and prayer is a place of encounter with God, where I received the passionate love and healing of the Lord in my life. The world began to hold less attraction for me as I grew in the knowledge of God’s greatness.

“Sometimes when I was praying quietly to the Lord, He would send someone to pray over me the answer I was seeking. These encounters were like miracles to me. I got to know His heart and His will in a much deeper way as I joined in ‘worship with the Word.’ I often sensed the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and even that God Himself was laying His hand on me and blessing me.”

IHOPU has four schools, including Forerunner School of Ministry, which has three language-specific schools in addition to English, in which classes are taught in Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese (the Portuguese program begins August 2015). The curriculum combines in-depth biblical training with discipleship, practical service, outreach, and works of compassion.

Eric explains how the teaching at IHOPU shook his worldview: “I came to know that I am a son of God, deeply loved, and that I have a true destiny in God to make Him known to this generation. I took many important courses, learning about the great plan of God for the end times, about intimacy with Jesus and the destiny of Israel, about God-centered prayer and fasting, the love of God, and serving Him with all my heart.

“God did not just teach me ‘theology’ or ‘theories.’ I felt the pruning of the Holy Spirit in my life very often, exchanging my weakness for His strength. My year at IHOPU was one of great personal breakthrough, and I left with a commitment to live holy and to trust the Lord’s leadership in my life.

“In June 2014, I returned to China, certain that the Lord would lead me to ministry and the marketplace, but I searched for employment for eight months. I was anxious at times, but, looking back, I see that the Lord’s guidance is perfect; He gave me the best training at IHOPU and then kept me home to digest all I had learned.

“Praise the Lord! After eight months, the Lord opened the door to an important position. As a result of the Hong Kong student demonstrations, China formed a new government agency which will bring positive cultural education to many young people in China and Hong Kong. I was selected from among hundreds of people to direct this new agency. Yet I no longer need worldly status, for the Lord has stripped away my desire for power and molded my character. My treasure now lies in my glorious identity as a son of God. Loving God is my greatest joy and satisfaction.”

Fia Curley

position

    Fia Curley served on the NightWatch at IHOPKC for many years, participating in prayer, worship, and intercession from midnight to 6am. Currently attending college in New York, she enjoys blending her passion for prayer, worship, and journalism as she labors with the Lord to see His goodness revealed to families, government leaders, and immigrants from non-Christian nations.

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