Most Christians are so caught up in their own personal lives and the close circle of friends they have, it’s hard to get in touch with the needs of a city. And yet, God is stirring hearts all around this nation to do just that. Community prayer groups have been on the rise and many corporate gatherings and prayer initiatives are being launched within countless cities to take a stand for righteousness in their own territory. The moral crises we face, the increased corruption in government, and the rising tide of socialist ideologies have caused even nonbelievers to rise up and speak out. The Lord is using the chaos and confusion to call us to action and to prayer.

The reality is that national transformation can only happen when there is a cumulative effect of individual cities and regions both taking and occupying their land. National leadership is always home-grown, and it’s at the local level that change must start. The more communities that understand these principles and practice them consistently, the more likely we will be as a nation to not only displace wicked rulers, but have the needed influence and authority to govern our land the way God has always intended.

View Comments (9)

God’s vision is big and He is calling out to cities to take a stand for righteousness and become communities of refuge and dwelling places for His presence. The only thing that will hinder Him from moving in our community is us. We are the ones who must take ownership in this call and take action.

Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven?” (Matthew 11:20-23)

It always starts with repentance and taking responsibility for the sins on the land. The wonderful promise is that if we are faithful to do this and commit ourselves to obeying His voice and engaging with our culture, He will entrust us with even more so that His Kingdom can continue to increase and expand.

…And he said to him, “Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:11-17).

Alan Vincent, an apostolic father and prophetic voice to the nations, speaks to believers about the spiritual authority we’ve been given and how we must use it at the community level. He wrote about this in his book, Kingdom at War:

There is power in intercession. We need intercessors who can clearly hear God and then, through their prayers and the right God-directed activism, get into the realms of politics, the judiciary, law enforcement, education, and the media so His Kingdom can truly come. The kingdom of satan has long been established on Earth and is still here until the Kingdom of God comes to forcibly replace it. There is no vacant, neutral territory anywhere in the world. Therefore, every attempt to establish the Kingdom of God is automatically an invasion of what satan has illegally occupied and now regards as his territory. That is why the Kingdom of God always suffers violence and is vigorously attacked the moment it appears to be gaining ground. The only way to deal with that demonic violence is to be even more spiritually violent in our response.

God doesn’t just want to fix our problems, He wants to totally transform us. This isn’t just about governing well, but living well. It is about stewarding all that God has given us so that others can see a living demonstration of heaven on earth. This is God’s desire that started in the Garden. He has always desired for us to steward this land for His glory. The only thing that can thwart this plan, is us.

• Excerpt taken from Wanda’s upcoming book, MOVING FROM SWORD TO SCEPTER (Releasing February 18, 2020).