The Hidden History of Halloween


Halloween is actually a short variation for All Hallows Evening.  All Hallows Evening began in Europe. It was originally a day for pagan festivals that marked the beginning of harvest. At the festival the Celts would celebrate pagan spiritual personalities like witches, ghouls, warlocks, trolls, goblins and demon spirits.

“And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.” (Isaiah 19:3).

 The Celts also believed that this was also a day when the worlds of the living and the dead came together. The power of the underworld is said to have been released into the world on this night. It was the “devil’s night”. They believed that demon spirits would come out the night of the harvest celebration to cause trouble and even damage their crops. They would leave sweet treats out in the fields for the spirits hoping this would keep the spirits from destroying their crops.

 They would light candles and carve out fiendish looking lanterns in large vegetables and place them around their houses in order to scare off “bad” spirits from their homes. They would dress up in costumes often using the hides of animals that were killed in sacrifices to Celtic idols. They believed that the costumes would fool or trick the evil spirits.

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24)

The World Prayer Congress Is A Success

Oakland, CA – Today, October 29th, 2022 Partners of Prayer Everywhere International, a missions and prayer movement with outreaches in America, Africa and Asia, met virtually (Zoom) for the first day of “The World Prayer Congress” (WPC). If you entered early into the Zoom through the registration process you were met with praise and worship by international worship leader, Nathaniel Bassey (Nigeria, Africa). The opening song, “Emmanuel” is an invocation psalm that draws you in with its repetitive lyrics, African beats, pitch perfect vocals and powerful lyrics bringing you out of the song with a closing trumpet solo.

The Lead Intercessor for The World Prayer Congress was Minister Patricia Sadler (Southfield, Michigan). Her greetings moved quickly into her praises for The World Prayer Congress. Not soon after that a rapturous flow of tongues mixed with declarations of the Word effortlessly flowing from one phrase of prayer to the next. Finally, closing with an exultant gladness that brings this prayer to a crescendo that sets the atmosphere with expectation.

The moderators for the WPC were Servants Brenda Gibbs (Waldorf, Maryland), Kathy Wells (Baltimore,Maryland) and Carolyn Jacob (Berkeley, California). These three are considered the “archetypes” for moderating and directing the social platforms and partner events for Prayer Everywhere International. The camaraderie and flow between the three was flawless with a professional grade of spiritual service. The important improvisations and obvious impact of the moderators on the day’s proceedings should not understated or under-appreciated.

The sessions offered at this WPC were laser-focused on instructing the principles of intercessory prayer and “imparting” the passion for intercession. The theme of the WPC, “Three Dimensions of Intercession” was emphasized by three plenary speakers, Pastor Tanya Aminisha Smith (San Francisco, CA) ; Apostle Dr. Garmi Hill (Winston-Salem, NC) ; Elder James Calhoun (Oakland, CA). Each plenary speaker consecutively focused on a different dimension of intercession – the family intercessor, the national intercessor and the international intercessory. Each speaker was precise, passionate, prepared and pointed. The substance and styles of all speakers was substantive and effective. It was an anointed harmony of thunder and lighting, learning and burning, instruction and inspiration.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Dana Elaine (Baltimore, MD). She thoughtfully blended the theme and its prophetic text, Ezekiel 14:14-20 with an exegetical expertise and personal applications that pressed every hearer into considering the question, “When God considers intercessors does He consider you?”. She made the point early that when one enters into intercession they don’t have to bring God information about the situation. Intercession at its best influences God, invokes God and inquires of God. The message was soaked in prayer and taught under the unction of the Holy Spirit. No more was this made obvious than when Dr. Dana gave the delegates rare insights into the intercessory ministries of intercessory icons, Noah, Daniel and Job.

The corporate prayer time of the partners was one of the most powerful moments. The visionary and convener Bishop Sean Teal (Oakland, California) called upon all partners to open their lines and turn on their cameras. He assured the partners that he was being inspired by the Holy Spirit in light of appeals and announcements he had planned and were expected on the program. He asked them to pray for seven minutes encouraging them to consider Jeremiah 29:11. They then went into prayer. 15 minutes later Bishop Teal began calling the prayer to an end, while praise and worship entered into the background of an united and unctioned trail of prayers still being heard calling on God and giving Him praise. Lifted hands, tears, travailing groans and exultant shouts came across and into the platform.

Forty-eight persons attended. The seminars and session lasted approximately 3.5 hours. Over 60 registered from America, Africa and Asia. The WPC seminars and sessions will be offered on The House Network on YouTube for subscribers. The House of Prayer Media Team hostess, Servant Kimberly McCarther (Fairfield, California) provided much needed assistance to every administrative task in preparation for recording along with contacting partners and confirming participants.

“The World Prayer Congress is a success!” is the sentiment and approval of its visionary, Bishop Sean Teal. Every success is a prayer success. He believes today he witnessed a “wonder of intercessors”. He is confident that The WPC of 2022 was a “ground-breaking and life changing gathering!”.

The World Prayer Congress adjourns Sunday, October 30th on The House Telecast. See House of Prayer Everywhere / Facebook for times and schedule. Bishop Sean Teal and Pastor John Fololukeh, Director of Prayer Everywhere Africa. (Monrovia, Liberia) will address delegates.

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The 3 Dimensions of Intercession

The World Prayer Congress  

October 29, 2022, 11am-3pm (PST) (USA)

Please note: All partners must register in advance. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lceGvpz4pHta_iAjEbc82h26o323fPXGF

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Prayer Everywhere International, Incorporated is a spiritual family. We are the home and hub of Prayer Everywhere.org. We represent and cover believers and ministries across America and around the world. 

The House of Prayer Everywhere is the home ministry and local church based in the Oakland / San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California, USA.  We bring together people of all generations and all nations to share the love of Jesus and minister the power of prayer.

The House of Prayer Everywhere and all its subsidiary ministries are tax-exempt and solely supported by the personal, spiritual and biblical giving of people and partners just like YOU!

P.O. Box  99735

Emeryville, CA.  94662

Itsthehope.org / give

$house4prayer / CashApp

The Word On The Run

Spiritual Campaign

Your Word revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles (Psalm 119:50).

The Vision Summary

Prayer Everywhere.org

The Vision: To conduct a sixty-six (66) day spiritual campaign that will feature exhortations from the books of The Bible.

The Mission: To help inform, instruct and inspire people toward a deeper affection for The Bible.

The Strategy: To feature PE Exhorters on The NPC.

The Implementation: Wednesday, October 26, 2022 @ 6:33am (EST) – Friday, December 30th, 2022 @ 6:33am (PST).

The Win: The Partners of Prayer Everywhere will provide an opportunity to learn The Word, love The Word and live The Word.

Rivers In Us

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” By this he spoke of the Spirit. – John 7:37-39

A few years back, during a camping trip, we walked the actual floor of some points of Lake Berryessa. Parts of a large and swift river had succumbed to the drought conditions here in California. All that water! But portions of the land remained parched. Nevertheless, other parts of the lake were teeming with water and alive with activity.

What a vivid picture of our lives! Every person has a deep thirst for health, purpose, and meaning. Yet there is a void, a dryness that touches the remote regions of each person. Just as the spring rain brings some level of relief, a project or a goal might bring life to a season. But a shower of self-effort will only bring temporary results. The dryness and thirst return. The cry of the heart resurfaces: There must be more to life than this.

Only when we are connected to God, the ultimate source is our deep thirst satisfied and rich fruitfulness the result.


ministering from a broken place

God’s Spirit in us as believers brings “rivers of living water” that are unlimited and give abundant and eternal life. Just as the river runs through a dry and thirsty land with little noticeable impact, in the same way, the Holy Spirit in our lives can have limited impact without our daily yielding to his power and influence. The rich fruitfulness of God’s Spirit in those who yield to Jesus daily contrasts the barrenness of the Christian who lives a dry and self-reliant existence.

Lord Jesus, I yield each area of my life to You and confess my self-effort as pride. Direct and empower my actions today. May Your Spirit create a profound transformation in my life, resulting in the fruit of Your Spirit being displayed in my life. In Your matchless name, I pray, Amen.

Throughout this Day…

At the start of every activity or when you walk into a new room, acknowledge your need for God’s Spirit and the barrenness of self-effort