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The Prayer Life Journey of Mrs. Getzial Mohan

An interview by Missionary Terri Brelsford

Have you ever awakened to the sound of prayer at 5 a.m.? You may wonder if God is even up at that hour in the morning. If you had the opportunity to stay in the guest room at New Life Assembly of God in Chennai, India, you would be awakened every day to the heavenly sounds of God’s people praying and worshipping Him from 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. It would be in these early morning hours that you would catch a glimpse of how the church has grown to a membership of over 30,000 believers. This praying church is nestled in a busy city of 8 million people. It is a flagship church leading in the battle for souls in a nation of one billion people where 80 percent of the population is Hindu.

You would find alongside her husband at the helm of the prayer wheel a simple Indian woman dressed in a saree with her head covered. She would not impress you with her dress or appearance, but she would leave a powerful impression on you in her prayer life. Her name is Mrs. Getzial Mohan. As a missionary, I have had an opportunity to travel with Mrs. Mohan. In the early hour of 5 a.m., I would be awakened by Mrs. Mohan as she was praying. I have watched her body literally shake during these times of anointed prayer. There was a sense in my spirit that demons knew the name of Mrs. Getzial Mohan and trembled while she prayed because she was shaking the heavenlies and advancing against the gates of hell. This prayer warrior has the attentive ear of our Heavenly Father.

What would it be like to interview the orphan who became queen of her nation to discover how she emerged to that place of influence? She helped to shape her nation and save her people through her personal sacrifice of intercession. Mrs. Getzial Mohan has emerged from a small village in India to a strategic place of spiritual influence and leadership. She is now the first lady of the Assemblies of God in India as she serves alongside her husband, Pastor D. Mohan who is the general superintendent of the Assemblies of God of India. The Lord has called this dear woman of God “for such a time as this.”

Thank you Mrs. Mohan for taking this time to share your life with us. Would you please tell us about how prayer developed in your young life?

My mother was a prayer warrior and we lived in a godly home. Very often I would find my mother kneeling with her head covered, praying. We didn’t know what my Mother was praying, but her example left a powerful impact on us. There were 11 members in our family. Every night all 11 children would gather from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. for family prayer. Thank the Lord, four of our family members are now in full-time ministry. I believe this is a result of my mother’s prayer life. She left us a prayer legacy.

During my college days, the students had a college prayer ministry which was held at lunch time. The Lord opened the door for me to be one of the student prayer leaders in the group that gathered daily. Also, as a college student I led prayer meetings for young girls at the church where I attended. So I was involved in student ministries at my college as well as prayer leadership in my local church. Every Saturday afternoon we would gather for a time of prayer and fasting for only women at my local church. These prayer meetings would last until 2 a.m. As young girls we could not walk the streets at night, so we slept in the church until Sunday services. It was a beautiful atmosphere to begin the Lord’s Day.

As a student I learned to spend at least 30 minutes in prayer before my studies. If I spent this dedicated time, it made my study time much more productive. I recall a newspaper article that I read recently which I believe is true. A German research group studied two groups of people with heart problems. To the first group the doctors administered medical treatment only. The second group, however, were given medical treatment and were requested to spend dedicated times in prayer and meditation. The researchers discovered the second group recovered much faster than the first. Also the second group’s capacity for comprehension and memorization had vastly improved. This is a principle of God’s laws at work when we memorize His Word.

During my college life, I would get up at 5:30 a.m. and go to an open terrace in a quiet place to pray. I would read the Scriptures, and it was a two-way communication. It was God speaking to me. Reading Scripture is even more important than our speaking to God. We must listen to God. Every day I would memorize one verse from Scripture. I would discipline myself to write it down from memory. My husband often uses me as a concordance. This has sharpened my mind and enlarged my ability for memory.

From the time of my salvation in 1964 at Bible Club Camp in Courtallum, Tamilnadu prayer has been the passion of my life. I desperately desire to carry His presence in my life with a special sensitivity that He is with me. I never want to do anything to offend His presence.

How did prayer develop in your married life? How much of your prayer life is connected to your husband?

My husband’s passion is prayer. He has deepened my walk with God through his godly example in the home and in leading the church. My husband would often say the reason he got married was because of the teaching found in Matthew 18:19-20: "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” This is the focus of our family. As the husband and priest of the home, he has taught me so much about prayer. He has been an example to me in his disciplined and dedicated prayer time that motivated me to follow his example. He would push aside any distraction that would hinder his time of prayer. It is a priority for him in his life and ministry.

Early in our marriage from morning until 3 p.m. we would pray together. We didn’t have a large church family and no children at the time. So the day began in prayer, then when people were home from their workday, we would be fully engaged in ministry until late in the evening.

How do you deal with the prayer distractions of your busy ministry life, which developed later, and provide for time for this important discipline in your home?

Prayer appointments to my husband are like doctor appointments. You do not break them. Our home is inside the church so focused prayer is a challenge. There are times as a pastor’s wife when I need to protect my husband’s time of prayer. He will go inside an inner room and I will pray in the hall stopping any hindrance or disturbance. Our church began to grow and it became increasingly difficult for him to have concentrated times of prayer. He would often go to a friend’s home and pray in a spare room they made available to him.

We currently have a rented prayer apartment outside of the church. There isn’t a phone at this place. It is a solitary place such as Jesus often traveled to for exclusive times of prayer. During Pastor Mohan’s dedicated times of prayer, I often join him. Our family’s schedule sometimes determines when we are able to pray together, but I can generally build three hours into my schedule for prayer time with him. Every year he will take 10 days for fasting prayer to be alone. These prayer sabbaticals are special prayer times together.

Could you share with us about prayer in your home and how you have shaped your children’s lives through prayer?

Seasons of life have touched our prayer settings. When my children were young I could not go outside the home especially when the children were under the age of two. While I was in the home with my children, I would stretch out a prayer mat. I would invite another lady believer to come for this dedicated time of prayer, and we would pray for two- or three-hour intervals. My little girl Merlin would be playing around us as we prayed. It was inside this prayer atmosphere that Merlin was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. Although we were not praying for her to receive the gift, we looked up from our prayer time to discover she had received this gift from the Holy Spirit. She was preschool age when this happened. We did our best to provide this atmosphere for all of our children.

As a family we had daily prayer time with our children. We would encourage our children to share around the prayer circle how God was speaking to them. This prayer time was a window into their little hearts and minds as they shared openly. We taught them how to take prayer requests to God and to pray for others. On Saturdays, when they didn’t have classes, we would encourage them to fast and pray with us. Many times our children would not take breakfast and chose to pray with us during these special fasting days.

In April 2004 at New Life Assembly of God we had a staff prayer time. We had a guest evangelist, Reverend Bernard Ankoma, who gave the morning message. Reverend Ankoma prophesied over our oldest son, Pastor Samuel Chadwick Mohan, encouraging him to spend even more time in prayer. He told Pastor Samuel, “I see one name.” The evangelist spelled the name, “G-E-T-Z-I-A-L.” He looked at Pastor Sam and asked, “Who is this person? You must become like this prayer warrior.” He called the prayer warrior Getzial to come forward in the meeting. To his amazement, I responded. Reverend Ankoma didn’t know Getzial was my first name. He didn’t know he was asking Pastor Sam’s own mother to come forward. He asked me to lay hands on Sam and to impart the spirit of prayer on him. Pastor Samuel left for 10 days of prayer and fasting immediately after this meeting.

Has the discipline in prayer always been at the same level in your life as it is now? Could you describe its development?

When I was young the prayer burden was light. I was carefree without burdens from ministry. So my prayer life then was just enjoying His presence. The early years were preparation time for full-time ministry.

The quality of my prayer time has grown and has become increasingly intercessory prayer and spiritual warfare. In this intense prayer time, I find myself involved in spiritual warfare and breaking down spiritual walls. The Holy Spirit speaks to me with specific direction in how to pray and very often I receive prophetical prayer direction about things that have not happened yet. The eyes of the Spirit are helping me to see clearly in how to pray more effectively.

For instance, last April the Lord directed me to select 12 women who had carried children in their womb. I was to lead this prayer group in intercessory prayer for the upcoming election and for the nation. We had in place in Tamilnadu an anti-conversion law which confined our ability to share the gospel freely. Spiritual warfare had to be waged in the heavenlies so victory would come. In the month of May we saw God’s hand revealed as the officials were forced to remove the anti-conversion law. God gave the victory through prayer!

The Lord has directed me to pray with the eyes of the Spirit over the city as the city is at 2 a.m. In the midnight hour there is hidden corruption, witchcraft, immorality, infidelity, alcoholism and the youth of our city are under attack while the saints sleep. Instead of sleeping, He is calling me to be vigilant in prayer.

What does intercession and spiritual warfare mean to you?

Intercession means to stand in the gap for the home, people and nations before God. The Lord has given me a special calling for intercessory prayer. I believe all Christians should practice intercessory prayer; but for me it is a special calling given by the Holy Spirit. The Lord has helped me to know it is a special God-called ministry and mantle placed on my shoulders.

Spiritual warfare in the kingdom of God means you are facing a deadly enemy. This enemy’s whole plan is to destroy the lives of believers and God’s kingdom. So we have to break down the walls, strongholds and take back the territory this enemy has sought to possess. We have to bind his limited power. Spiritual warfare prayer is most effective in a corporate prayer setting. The saints must pray in one accord. Through this means we can nullify the power of Satan together.

There is a difference between intercession and spiritual warfare. Intercession is to stand before God, but warfare is to advance against the gates of the enemy.

How have you developed the discipline of prayer in your church?

Jesus said, “My house should be a house of prayer.” Prayer should be the daily practice of every believer. So we have arranged the church calendar focusing on this very important emphasis of the church. Here are the ways we mobilize the believers in prayer ministry:

Fasting Prayer	Every first Saturday of the month. Usually about 400 people will attend this prayer time.
24-hour Prayer	Prayer partners who serve as watchmen. We have a prayer place in our church exclusively for 24-hour prayer watchmen (Isaiah: 62:7). There are about 1,200 prayer partners currently participating daily.
All-night Prayer	Friday evenings. This prayer time is spiritual warfare concentration in the city. The witchdoctors and magicians do their crafts at night while most saints sleep. In the morning the saints try to undue the damage through prayer. It is better to call the saints in the nighttime in order to pray and thwart the hand of the enemy. At the ground level you have to destroy the enemy before he advances in his cause and builds a stronghold. You can stop the devil’s hand before he begins. Approximately 600 believers join us for this time of prayer.
Morning Prayer	Every morning from 5 to 6:30 the saints gather together for prayer at New Life. Generally there are about 120 for this early-morning prayer time. The focus is to build a hedge around the family and church. New Life has divided the city into 12 regions. Two regional pastors have full charge one day each week for this morning prayer time. The seventh day is Sunday, celebration day.
Tuesday Morning	On this day each week, I lead a women’s prayer group focused on deliverance prayer ministry.

Here is how we mobilize the church in corporate prayer and fasting focus:

• 40 days of fasting — February 1^st through March 12^th
• 21 days of fasting — Month of July
• 7 days of fasting — November
• 3 days of fasting — Month of December

Please describe how you lead the times of corporate prayer in your church.

I teach prayer through modeling first. The Holy Spirit is the Helper who leads me in intercessory prayer. Sometimes people will come and ask me to write the prayer after a meeting. They want some formula to recite in their daily prayer. I cannot write the prayer to give them. It flows from the heart of God as He grips me with a burden.

Leading prayer is not my own ability. It is the Holy Spirit that carries me along, leading and guiding me in prayer. I have spent three to five hours at a time leading in corporate prayer without any break. Later I thought I needed to record the sessions, because at the time I was so consumed by the Spirit. However, afterward I was not able to remember the specifics. These are treasures that must be recorded and kept like pearls. It is a special anointing.

We have developed over 1,200 prayer partners. We annually have a school of prayer. During this concentrated time of ministry, we teach exclusively about prayer. This provides for more dedicated time of instruction.

Here are some structured methods we utilize in coordinating prayer groups in our local setting:

1. Subject by Subject
   Praying through one subject at a time in a spirit of unity as one person leads.

2. Short Prayer
   Few sentences of prayer from various members of the prayer group will promote more participation in the public prayer.

3. Simple Prayer
   God is not impressed with our elaborate theological prayers spoken to impress others. We should pray simply from the heart.

4. Specific Prayer Requests
   Personal prayer needs are spoken or written for the corporate group to address in specific prayer. Be sure to also include the answers to these prayer requests for the encouragement and edifying of those involved in prayer ministry.

5. Silent Periods of Prayer
   Prayer is also listening. Do you always talk to your friend or do you take time to also listen? Be a friend to God. Prayer is a two-way conversation. Scripture also teaches about times in prayer where there will be silence in heaven signaling a deep reverence for God. So allow times in your corporate prayer for silent prayer.

6. Small Groups of Prayer
   This is a good time to help new believers to grow in their prayer life and hear individual needs. In a smaller setting each believer has an opportunity to participate in leading prayer without fear of the larger group.

To what do you attribute the growth at New Life Assembly of God to its current membership of 30,000 believers?

In 1996 Reverend Bernard Ankoma came to NLAG. I came forward for prayer. While I was standing there, he told me to turn and look at the people who were sitting in the congregation. He said these believers were there as a result of my intercessory prayer life. This was my call and ministry to the Lord and for the church.

At the close of the interview I read the word of prophecy from Reverend Ankoma I had just typed back to Mrs. Mohan. She winced and her eyes crinkled, “Yes, what you have typed about the prophecy is correct, but do we have to tell that one?” she asked. I answered, “Yes, Sister Mohan we need to share the secret behind the powerful demonstration of God’s hand and the growth at New Life Assembly of God. The secret is prayer.”

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