Our Top Ten Blog Posts from 2016

As we celebrate the new year, we’re taking a look back at the 10 most popular blogs of 2016. This is a chance to jump-start your spiritual life through impactful posts about topics such as marriage—both finding your spouse, and learning to pray with them; meditating on God’s Word, hearing God’s voice; how to worship lead and sing prophetically; and a look at prayer in the end times. So without further ado (that’s fancy talk for “delay”), here are the 10 most popular IHOPKC blogs of 2016:

1. How to Marry the Right Person for the Right Reasons, by David Sliker
I consider the decision to marry (and whom we choose to marry) the most important decisions a person can make, apart from saying “yes” to the grace of God working in our lives unto salvation. Some Christians have a deterministic view of marriage. This means that they believe that God picks their spouse and leads them to that person. Then, the Lord moves their hearts to fall in love. This view is problematic for many reasons that are best addressed at another time. For now, it is easiest to simply say that there are aspects of the beauty of romance and marriage that genuinely delight the Lord. He loves to watch romance that we initiate unfold and love grow in our hearts for another. Keep reading . . .

2. The Power of Meditation: Encountering God through Scripture, by Fia Curley
Years ago, Kirk Bennett, a senior leader here at IHOPKC, found himself reflecting on 2 Timothy 2:15 with more than a little frustration. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15, KJV). With little understanding of biblical Greek, Kirk felt challenged as to how to understand and practice this verse in relation to his prayer times. He later learned that the word study meant being diligent, continuing the practice, or meditating, which opened up his prayer times in a new way. Keep reading . . .

3. How Do I Know if He (or She) is the Right One to Marry? by Mike and Anne Rizzo
We first started to converse one day in the cafeteria lunch line—Bible college students from the same hometown. It was not a star-struck, “love at first sight,” enamored moment, à la Hollywood style, but over the weeks as we became friends, attraction was in action, and by the end of the semester, we were dating. Now the serious vetting could begin. For me (Mike), the question loomed: Is she the one? Keep reading . . .

4. How to Hear God’s Voice, by Adam Wittenberg
Our God is big. He made the world, and everyone in it, which means He made you! And that’s good news, because God wants to have a relationship with you. When God created the world, He spoke it into being (Genesis 1). And all throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, God speaks to people in different ways. Sometimes it’s through a quiet whisper, or other times a voice like rushing waters, or even through the mouth of a donkey! But the Bible is clear—our God speaks, continually, and He’s still speaking today! Keep reading . . .

5. Characteristics of Effective Prayer, by Mike Bickle
One very important condition for effective prayer is to be committed to walking out a lifestyle of righteousness before God and people, as indicated in James 5:16:
“The effective . . . prayer of a righteous man avails much.” This biblical condition is often minimized or totally ignored, even by people who are deeply involved in the prayer-and-worship movement today. A righteous person is any believer who sets his heart to obey Jesus as he seeks to walk in godly character with a lifestyle of practicing the truth (1 John 1:6). Keep reading . . .

6. Characteristics of Prayer in the End Times, by Mike Bickle
Jesus is not coming back to a prayerless Church, but to one that is operating in close partnership with Him in intercession for the end-time harvest (Revelation 22:17). The Holy Spirit is on the move, raising up a worldwide prayer and worship movement throughout the whole Body of Christ. The outcome will include the gospel being preached to all nations in the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 7:9, 14). The end-time prayer and worship movement is rapidly growing in the nations as the Holy Spirit works to establish a prayer culture in the Body of Christ before Jesus returns. Throughout the world He is raising up people with what I refer to as the “Anna calling” (Luke 2:37). The end-time Annas are radical believers who function as . . . Read more . . .

7. Avoiding Pitfalls in Prophetic Singing, by Anna Blanc
Prophetic singing is a glorious calling. As we sing God’s word, we have the opportunity to see truth change us and the circumstances around us to reflect the way the King and His kingdom operate. But we must be mindful to maintain the right perspective and avoid traps of the enemy that would cause us to stumble, giving less glory to God and missing out on the fullness of what He has for us. The enemy actively and consistently seeks to introduce comparison, envy, and pride to the hearts of prophetic singers. These noxious weeds start out . . . Read more . . .

8. How to Grow in Intimacy with God, by Fia Curley
In life, the people closest to us are the ones who tend to know us the best. Our flaws, talents, idiosyncrasies, the way we roll our eyes, or move our hands—those are the things our loved ones have studied and can mimic with precision. We’ve spent so much time around each other that we naturally pick up each other’s mannerisms. They can even correctly interpret our nonverbal body language. We know these people and these people know us. But for some reason, when it comes to God, we believe the lie that we can’t really know Him, His ways, or His thoughts . . . Keep reading . . .

9. Advice for Young Worship Leaders, by Adam Wittenberg
Ever think you’re too young to lead worship? Or that you can’t sing? Or that you won’t make an impact? Many musicians and worship leaders have battled such thoughts, but the Lord is faithful to fulfill His call on your life (Philippians 1:6). David Forlu is one such worship leader. When he came to the International House of Prayer straight from high school, he’d led worship “once or twice a year.” Read more . . .

10. Three Ways to Make Your Marriage Prayerful, by Mike and Anne Rizzo
Happy and lasting marriages always contain one core, but seemingly elusive, element: prayer. Prayer releases a relational resource into the marriage and family. Hearts are filled with peace; we have energy by which we interact in a quality way with those around us; and when prayer abounds, a deterrent is in place against potential attacks from the enemy. A prayerful marriage maintains a preemptive posture, a defensive boundary making relational intrusions less likely. How can we build a marriage like this? Keep reading . . .

What was your favorite IHOPKC blog of 2016, and why?

Adam Wittenberg

position

A Detroit native who was raised in Vermont and Connecticut, Adam worked as a newspaper journalist until 2012, when he moved to Kansas City to complete the Intro to IHOPKC internship. Afterwards, he earned a four-year certificate in House of Prayer Leadership from IHOPU and is now on full-time staff in the Marketing department at IHOPKC. He also serves in the NightWatch (overnight prayer hours) and is active in evangelism. He, and his wife Stephany, have a vision to reach people everywhere with the good news of Jesus Christ.