WakeUp Deborah is a prayer movement that started with Youth for Christ Brazil in 1995 and has since spread to 49 other nations. The goal of the ministry is to awaken thousands of praying mothers of any denominational background (and also fathers in some nations), whether biological, adoptive or spiritual mothers. Committed to praying 15 minutes a day, they seek God for an unprecedented spiritual awakening among youth, to see a generation committed to God, starting with their own children or children they are connected with through their church or Youth for Christ program.

If you would like to find out more about the international work of WakeUp Deborah, go to their website or reach out to the International Director, Saskia van Helden.

Lyndal Walker

International Prayer Director

I am the coordinator of WakeUp Deborah in my nation. I oversee eight areas in my nation and through this movement we see more than 6000 women praying for their children each day. This has grown from about 100 mothers in 2012. Mothers from all different backgrounds, of different faiths even, pray. Every mother loves and care for their child so they pray for God’s protection, that He would look after their lives. We see both the mothers and children growing day after day. You can see the transformation in their lives.

Share a story with us about someone whose life has changed as a result of the ministry.

There is one lady, with two children, who was a drug dealer. She ended up being arrested and her children, along with her mother and mother-in-law, prayed for her. They went to the WakeUp Deborah prayer group to ask them to pray for her as well and they did so as a group. The children were so upset that she had been arrested and were crying and crying. Our team prayed and prayed that God would help her and rescue her life. She ended up in prison and our team leader and one of the members would visit the children at the house. When she got out, we were praying and praying that God would give her a job as she had no skill to do anything. The family was just existing “hand to mouth.” So we also prayed and prayed that she would get a good, steady job, and God heard our prayer. Now her life is transformed and she is loving her children, she is praying every day also and her children are happy. She was from a different faith background and now she is following Jesus.

God will do everything through prayer. Prayer is the most important and powerful thing in a Christian’s life. Every day we can pray for everything we do. Through prayer I have a relationship with God, intimacy with Him, every day. We also have His word. If a believer doesn’t have prayer and doesn’t depend on His word, I believe we are dead. I believe and I encourage others that prayer can change everything. So more and more, every day, pray. We can’t do anything, but prayer can do everything. I believe prayer is the most powerful weapon we have.

AMEN

• Read the transcript from the interview either by yourself or with your team.
• Reflect: what stood out to you about what was shared? Discuss with your team.
• Pray: Pray for the work of our sister in this nation and for WakeUp Deborah around the world.
• Read Judges 5 and 2 Samuel 23:3-4.
• Reflect: Deborah was a judge and prophetess of Israel at the time when Israel had no king (you may like to watch this video for an overview of the book of Judges). She is the role model that the mothers of WakeUp Deborah look up to due to her desire to restore rest to Israel by trusting in and walking in obedience to God. The logo of WakeUp Deborah is based on Judges 5:31b. What inspiration can you take from Deborah and this passage? The Deborahs (what a praying mother is called in this movement) also see David’s words in 2 Samuel 23:3b-4 as a prophetic promise for the young people who live according to God’s will. What prophetic vision do you have for the youth you minister to? Take some time to ask the Lord and write down some thoughts.
• Pray: Pray for that prophetic vision to be fulfilled amongst the youth you minister to.
• You may like to join in with this song.
• Just like the Deborahs, we want to see a spiritual awakening amongst young people. Pray for the lost young people in your area and ask God to awaken the young people to the hope that is found in Jesus and that they will have a desire to follow Him. For the free resource Faith, Prayer and Teenagers (to give you creative ways to pray for young people), fill in this form on the WakeUp Deborah website.
• Ask the Lord of the harvest for more harvest workers to pray for and disciple young people.