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This abbreviated article is taken from Crosswalk and written by Debbie Przybylski of Intercessors Arise International, 

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills.” (Amos 9:13).

Community transformation is when a culture is impacted by the presence of God. His supernatural power flows into the city and affects every level of society. Our cities are filled with spiritually homeless people who don’t know who they are or where they are going. There is an emptiness without God and we must invite Him into our cities. Our communities are looking for identity and God’s presence is our identity. We must believe that revival and transformation will affect everything. We need a sense of purpose and the authority of God in our city. Only Jesus can change a city and a nation. Jesus told His disciples, “Without me you can do nothing.” One day God will rule the whole world because He is God of all (Ezekiel 48:35, Isaiah 62:4).

There is evidence that God is bringing transformation to communities around the world. George Otis, Jr. (producer of the Transformation Video series) has witnessed evidence of God’s willingness to transform spiritually barren communities in areas where believers have determined to exchange passive dissatisfaction for active, prevailing prayer. But history tells us that people do not change until they are aware of an imminent crisis or an immediate opportunity. We as humans must be persuaded that our present circumstance is desperate and that time is running out quickly. We must realize that our condition is not only broken or painful, but very dangerous.

If we are only disappointed, most of us won’t change. We think our condition is only temporary or that time is on our side. Our society will change and we will take action in prayer only when we get desperate. Then we will be willing to do the impossible. Then we will fervently pray for our cities. We need to ask ourselves: “Are we desperate enough for revival and city transformation?”

How to Pray for Transformation in Your City

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you” (Isaiah 60:1-2).

Transformation is the reflection of God’s character coming forth in every way possible. This is what we want in our cities. Let us not draw back at such a critical hour. We are now at the desperate stage in our cities. Let us move forward in prevailing, passionate prayer by the grace of God and seek Him for transformation and revival! This is an opportunity that we must grasp now.

The following are principles that can bring life to your city. They are adapted from The Quickening DVD:

*Pray and invite God into your city.

God wants to be invited into our communities. He wants His presence to become so strong that men see themselves as lost and start coming to Him. If God is to increase our spiritual appetite, we must ask Him. First we must be emptied of our own satisfaction and feel the awareness of our emptiness. We are “undone” like Isaiah which will cause a cry from our heart (Isaiah 6:5-8). As God’s watchmen, we must call on the Lord and invite Him into our cities.

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7).

*Pray for holiness and humility.

God is drawn to holiness and humility. If we want to be change agents in the city, we must be changed agents. The humble and the poor in spirit He brings to himself. The biggest thing that impedes unity is our own pride. What is ready to die? We have to make the basic decision,“I will not be offended by others.” God uses humility and broken people. A sincere heart cuts into the frozenness of the world.

“’Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?’ declares the Lord. ‘These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit and who tremble at my word’” (Isaiah 66:2).

*Pray for corporate revival.

It begins with individual obedience and solitary decisions. The most important thing is that we begin. It’s not what we do but why we do it. Man is impressed by activity but God is impressed with obedience. We will encounter resistance and get discouraged, but God is focused on us. We must make that commitment ourself and search out a core group who have that commitment. It starts with a few who won’t give up, press on and keep praying and crying out to God month after month with fasting, prayer and humility. This will have a domino effect.

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

*Pray for unity.

Biblical unity is a majority with God. It’s not based on numbers. Unity is a byproduct of relationships. When kingdom connection occurs, we then live under kingdom rule. Where two or three hungry hearts join together in the cause of revival, God is there. The presence of God unites people in a supernatural unity. Leaders must be committed to a community.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity… For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore” (Psalm 133:1, 3b).

*Pray for fervent prayer among the churches in your city.

Breakthrough, fervent prayer releases destiny. It’s desperation and humility, a foundation of fervent, persevering prayer when we become desperate for God.  People of travailing prayer have a determination with a desperation that says,“We will not let go of you until we hear from you.” Allow Him to break and mold you. Pray for your city’s destiny. We forget that God is the God of destiny, and we are people of destiny. Prayer has to be more of a priority, and we must hear the trumpet call.

“They all joined together constantly in prayer” (Acts 1:14).

God is looking for leaders who will stand in the gap for their nation who don’t care who gets the credit. They are not stakeholders but shareholders. They give God the glory. Revival leaders are often unlikely choices. The measure of leadership is not influence with the public but influence with God.