Rees Howells & Intercession
Spiritual Battles of World War II
Rees Howells was reaching the peak of his intercessory ministry during the Second World War (1939-1945), as world events were being bent into the will of God through prevailing prayer. As the strong man was being bound in the heavenly realms, on the earthly battlefield, defeats were being turned into victory, great losses were transformed into gains and the invincible enemy, as he had once seemed, was forced to retreat.
To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places
– Ephesians 3:10
Samuel Rees Howells never took a prominent role during these years; instead, he soaked in the truths, prayed through with the other intercessors and remained ‘in an attitude of believing’ as he walked around on Derwen Fawr’s veranda at night on fire watch duty.
The Bible College of Wales’ prayer meetings, which took place several times a day, became Samuel’s training ground in intercession. He did not learn by reading a book but by fighting through the battles in prayer. One prayer which transformed history was during the liberation of Italy.
In 1943, Allied troops began their first large invasion of mainland Europe, knowing that the liberation of the Continent depended on their success. After taking the island of Sicily, the British Eighth Army’s XIII Corps under General Bernard Montgomery’s direction landed in Italy on 3 September. Operation Baytown witnessed the surrender of the Italian units almost immediately and plans for a fast victory in Italy looked bright. Soon, the Allies hoped to be fighting all the way north towards Germany! Further landings helped to confuse the enemy in preparation for 170,000 troops to land at Salerno.
Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle
– Psalm 24:8
On 9 September, Operation Avalanche, the main invasion at Salerno by the U.S. 5th Army began with a disaster when a loudspeaker on shore announced, “Come in and give up. We have you covered.”
The battle soon floundered into a mire of defeats and confusion. In the following days, the hope of a fast victory faded and the prospect of a full retreat became credible. All could be lost!
Rees Howells sensed the urgency of the battle and reminded the College that prevailing intercession can transform any crisis as he led the College in prayer for an Allied victory on the beaches. The prayer meeting notes recorded daily, tell the story of how they interceded in the many meetings. Rees Howells declared:
13 September 1943
Judges 7. You leave all now and come back to this battle. Don’t allow yourselves to be slack. Every second of the day this is on me. There is not one thing we are doing here tonight that will count much in Italy, only what we are doing by way of the Throne.
When a man fights, you know how he fights. Every Nazi tonight fights for his life. It is the most fierce battle that has ever been. You feel tonight that you are afraid of the next news. Don’t you put importance now on anything, only on this one.
In a fight, there are laws where God doesn’t feel it right to intervene until a man gets to his extremity (v15). England and America are only fighting for one thing – the end of the Nazis. If you are of value to God in this He will keep you here as an intercessor, otherwise, He will put you where you will carry more of a burden. We must pray now as we did when we were nearly invaded (in 1940)
– Rees Howells
14 September 1943
Daniel 5. We are running into a greater test now than ever before – the Spirit witnesses this in me – and there will be no refuge, only in the Holy Spirit. I am not fighting with small or great, only with the enemy over there. I have died to everything the world can offer; I have seen men as men and God as God
– Rees Howells
7pm Meeting
1 Kings 20. Hitler and his troops have gained more ground and our troops have been told to prepare to re-embark. Benhadad sent that challenge and God heard it. Are we going to reclaim? Does God hear the challenge tonight? Remember you all have a chance to take part in this battle.
The last time we fought like this was for Stalingrad (17 July 1942 – 2 February 1943) and what a victory that was. We don’t want to retreat and we don’t want thousands of our young men to be killed. After Alexandria (in Egypt) and Stalingrad (in Russia), we can stop the enemy tonight. The next thing is to be the Divine intervention. You must always fight where the Holy Spirit is fighting
– Rees Howells
10pm Meeting
1 Samuel 14. The Allied soldiers are fighting for the doom of the Nazis. I would be sorry to find that they have put more time into it there than I am doing here. The Germans are much stronger, but we read in the Scriptures that one man, Jonathan and his armour-bearer got through. Tell the Lord tonight, there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few (v6). Have we the faith tonight that this man had? His faith is most perfect
– Rees Howells
The next day, news broke in England that the immediate crisis was passing. Defeat was turning into victory as Samuel Rees Howells prayed through with the other members of the Bible College of Wales.
News came on 15 September that the British Royal Navy had succeeded in bombing German strongholds, rendering tanks useless and German divisions were now being driven back. Historians record this as an amazing turnaround in what threatened to be ‘a near disaster’ according to General Mark Wayne Clark, (Commander of the U.S. 5th Army) in his memoirs. The Germans were anticipating a second Dunkirk and it came very close indeed! Who saved them from failure? The Lord mighty in battle! In later years, Samuel Rees Howells spoke of these wartime battles in private talks – they had made an indelible mark upon his spirit.
They shall be like mighty men, who tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be put to shame
– Zechariah 10:5
Adapted article by Mathew and Paul Backholer and used with permission from Samuel Rees Howells, A Life of Intercession by Richard Maton and Paul Backholer, edited by Mathew Backholer.
Find out about Rees Howells’ books here.
