When Prayer Becomes Warfare; Rees Howells Podcast
Rees Howells and intercession against Hitler’s evil plans. The Cory Lee Show: A Conversation with Revival Historian and Author Mathew Backholer
In an era where mega-conferences promise the next ’great awakening,’ why are so many spiritual fires short-lived? Enter Rees Howells, a humble Welsh miner turned intercessory titan, whose prayer-warrior faith might just be the dynamite modern Christians need. In the latest episode of The Cory Lee Show, Cory is joined once again by Revival Historian Mathew Backholer where they unpack Rees Howells’ life in a dialogue that’s equal parts revelation and rallying cry.
It’s December 1920, and Rees Howells, fresh from a great revival in Southern Africa, returns to Wales with his wife, Lizzie Hannah Howells, not with sermons or strategies, but with an eternal vision that will change the course of history. Whilst on furlough in 1922, he was called to found a Bible Training College in Wales, which became known as the Bible College of Wales (BCW). Opened in 1924, BCW, under their faithful leadership, transformed into a school of faith and intercession, where ordinary men and women learned to wage war in the Spirit of Christ and served at home or abroad to advance the Kingdom of God.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds
– 2 Corinthians 10:4
Mathew Backholer’s research, culled from Rees Howells’ meeting notes, diaries and eyewitness accounts, paints a vivid portrait: No-frills prayer marathons lasting into the night, day after day, fasting that subdued the body and broke barriers, with a surrender so total it echoed Jacob’s all-night wrestle with God.
Revival without intercession is like a fire without fuel; it burns bright but dies quickly
– Mathew Backholer
As bombs fell over Europe during World War II, Rees Howells and his 120 students and staff locked in, binding demonic forces over nations in Jesus’ name. Mathew recounts how Rees Howells received direct intel from God, prophetic nudges that aligned with D-Day’s success and Hitler’s defeat.
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Listeners are urged to carve out their ’prayer closets,’ adopt the ’stand in the gap’ posture from Ezekiel 22, and commit to praying-through until heaven shifts. In a world reeling from division and despair, Mathew Backholer’s research on Rees Howells feels urgent, a reminder that history’s greatest moves of God weren’t orchestrated in boardrooms but birthed in prayer.
Rees Howells’ intercession wasn’t just prayer, it was spiritual warfare, where he and his students bound spiritual forces and pleaded for God’s Kingdom to advance.
– Mathew Backholer
Discover the dramatic decisions made during WWII, and the honest struggles of men and women who obeyed God at great personal cost, making this episode a bridge between past and present through unique research and anointed testimonies. Personal sanctification, holiness and individual responsibility set the stage for a revival of faith and intercession, and a call posture their hearts to partner with God for breakthrough.
Whether you’re passionate about revival, spiritual leadership, church history, or the lessons from the life of Rees Howells, this episode delivers rich teaching, real-life stories, and actionable insights to inspire growth in faith and impact in culture. Cory and Mathew’s dynamic discussion will stir listeners to seek God more deeply, embrace their unique role in history, and recognise the power of prayer to transform lives and nations.
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