Kathie Walters: "The Greatest Intercessors the World Has Ever Known! And Their Amazing Discernment"

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

Many of us, who are either prophetic people or who hold the office of a prophet, know little of the real sacrifices in prayer of some of our forefathers.

There were some (as you will see in this article) that were so devoted to prayer for the entire earth in their day, that they got by with one hour of sleep a night, rather than take the chance that the devil would take advantage of prayerless hours.

I know there are such people today too, but we don't know most of them. I, myself, know one woman of God who gets by on an hour of sleep a night, as she too lives to intercede for the earth.

Many of these people get caught up to Heaven to receive instructions from angels or from the Lord in their intercessory fight for God's people.

Read this article to get a clearer picture of just what I am referring to here.

When you're done reading, you'll have a better understanding of why Jesus pleaded with His disciples during His agony in Gethsemane, "Could you not watch in prayer for only ONE HOUR?"

Perhaps it time we felt a little more conviction about our own prayerlessness!

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Intro From Kathie Walters:

There is a strong need for real intercession right now. Thank God for faithful intercessors who set themselves apart for the Kingdom of God. I have done of lot of articles like this one below because I love to know how God has moved in history. I just did a booklet on the Huguenot child prophets in the 17th century in France. But the desert fathers, who lived in the caves of Egypt in the 2nd and 3rd century, were probably the greatest intercessors the world has ever seen. Here is an account of some of Anthony's encounters and stories (Anthony was the greatest of the desert fathers from 2nd - 4th century). I hope you will be encouraged!

Spiritual Warfare of the Desert Fathers (The Watchmen)

Note: Athanasius wrote of Anthony the Great after spending some time with him in Alexandria. Written originally in Greek, it was translated into Latin by Evagrius. Famous people came to the desert fathers in Egypt to learn from them, to receive counsel, prayer, deliverance and healing. These included Basil the great, Rufinus, Melania, Jerome in 385, Palladius, John Cassian with Germanus, just to name but a few. (Photo of Anthony the Great via Wikipedia)

The desert fathers went into the caves of the desert and they were referred to as "Keepers of the walls," "Guardians of the world's peace," and also "Gatekeepers of the nations." They considered themselves as commissioned to keep watch on the world's frontiers and waged war in prayer against the demonic powers that invaded the world of mankind. The monks were thought of as trees – purifying the atmosphere by their presence.

These desert monks were considered, in 2nd and 3rd century Egypt, to be a force of spiritual power for their neighbors, towns and cities. Their whole life was dedicated to prayer and fasting and spiritual warfare; not for themselves or their own needs, but to intercede for those around and for the whole world. They made the desert blossom, both spiritually and physically, for apart from prayer, they also grew many foods in the desert.

Appollo was famous for his personal austerity and fasting, and the monks and cave-dwellers ate once or twice a week. But when there was a famine in the land, the people in the towns assumed that, as always, the communities of monks would have plenty of food, which they indeed did!

Demolishing the Temple

The Christianity of Egypt was a new thing but the diocese of Alexandria was a flourishing Christian center by the 3rd century. Nevertheless, ancient heathen temples remained along the Nile. Theophilus the Bishop one day summoned some of the fathers to come to Alexandria and pray and demolish the deities of the heathen temples.

Their motive in separating themselves was to give their hearts the opportunity to focus on God alone. They went without, gave up the comforts of the towns and villages, in order to give themselves to spiritual warfare on the behalf of others. They kept watches in the day and night to, "Stand by night in the House of the Lord," and they took this literally and regulated their sleep so as to keep a diligent watch on the world frontiers. (Photo via pixelstalk.net)

A student of the monks of Nitria said, "Some of them never sleep at night, but either sitting or standing they persevered in prayer until the morning light." The attitude was positive; they were not just refusing to sleep, but they were keeping watch. It was commonly believed among the desert fathers that, "One hour of sleep at night was enough for one who was a fighter in the Holy Spirit."

Anthony's Revelation and Discernment

In their devotion to spiritual warfare, the desert fathers had many encounters with angels and saw demonic powers. They exercised great discernment and could see very clearly and deeply into the spiritual realm.

One of the first and probably the most famous of these desert monks was Anthony the Great A.D. 251 - A.D.356.

Anthony's Revelation: Anthony went into the desert at age 35 and stayed for 20 years alone, interceding and praying. Anthony said, regarding the discerning of spirits and spiritual warfare, "Let us pray that we may know the hidden things, that we may have power from God to stand against the darts of the evil one. And if we desire to know the hidden things, then we must have our hearts pure, that we may be a habitation for the Holy Spirit and then He will abide and rest in us, and the light that proceeds from Him will enable us to see hidden things; even from remote distances.

"Did not Elisha, because of the purity of his heart, see with his spirit that which his natural eyes had never seen? We must then see and make a distinction between the things of God and the things of the congregation of the evil one...This fact I have learned from long experience. The visions and revelations of the Holy Spirit are not of tumultuous character, but take place under conditions of peace and restfulness."

Anthony's Discernment: Anthony was constantly attacked by demonic powers but learned how to discern and take authority over them. The evil spirits would come and tell Anthony "prophetic" and informative things, but he said, "I have no need to learn things from you."

He said, "On occasions they (the demons) would come and fill my house with snakes and all manner of reptiles, but I would tell them, 'Begone,' and they would right away leave. Then they (demons) brought torches and threatened to set alight my cell with me in it, but I lifted up my voice in the Psalms and said, 'Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but I will be strong in the name of the Lord our God,' and immediately the devils disappeared from before me. ...Then I gave thanks to my good Lord because He has broken and brought low their arrogance and folly." (Photo via Pixabay)

False Light: Anthony said, "On another occasion the devil appeared to me in the form of a monk and gave me false counsel telling me to rest from praying because I was 'after all, only a man of flesh.' I gave him no answer but bowed myself to the Lord and asked Him to make an end of this devil, and the demon vanished like smoke from my door."

Satan appeared: The devil came many many times to Anthony. Satan came to his door one night and Anthony told him, "Why don't you leave me alone for I haven't done anything to you." He said to Anthony, "The Christians are filling the desert and my own people do not follow me for any other reason that I hold them captive."

Anthony and others like him lived in the Holy Spirit and many people came to them for counsel of their wisdom, for they were able to see the matters in hand by the Spirit, and discern and pray and minister in the realm of the unseen world. Governors and other great men and women came into the desert seeking out the prayers and ministry and counsel of the desert fathers who had given themselves to prayer and spiritual warfare.

The True Vine from Egypt

Palladius, Chronius, James, the monks of Nitria, Abba Ammon, Marcarius, the Egyptian, Pachomius, Elpidus and many others went into the caves of Egypt to pray and enter into a real spiritual warfare which seemed to be beyond anything most people are presently in today. The early Celtic Saints in Ireland, as well as those in Europe, patterned their lives after the desert fathers. The famous monastery at Bangor in Ireland considered that their revelation of continuous praise and prayer came from the "True vine, which came out of Egypt and not from Rome." (See my book Celtic Flames.) (Photo via sites.google.com)

What Can We Learn Now From the Desert Fathers?

The dedication to prayer and spiritual warfare of the desert fathers accomplished great victories for all those that received from them. Power with God and power in the Spirit comes with a price.

The desert fathers should teach us the importance of separation from the spirit of the world and our dedication to knowing the Father's heart. Perseverance to pray for others, for our towns and cities, WILL bring the presence of God to the 20th century.

(Note from Kathie Walters and facts of the desert fathers: Facts/notes are from The Paradise of the Holy Fathers vol. 1 - E.A. Wallis Budge. Sir Ernest Wallis Budge was an English Egyptologist and Orientalist who worked with the British Museum and published many works. This book, published in 1907, is his endeavor to make the writings of the ancient fathers more readable for today. He used the writings of Palladius and many other manuscripts, to numerous to mention, and translated them into English. This is just a snippet from his collection. I have just tried to make it a little easier for my wonderful American friends.)

Kathie Walters
Good News Ministries
Email: kathiewalters@mindspring.com
Website: www.kathiewaltersministry.com

Kathie Walters is an international speaker who brings freedom to those who feel they have to "qualify." She also ministers in the supernatural and believes that the supernatural realm is for everyone.

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