While abortion is banned in several states, others have limited access. There are still places where abortion is protected. For example, in Massachusetts, abortion is still legal for up to 24 weeks. I recently spoke with an intercessor who is a part of the IFA Massachusetts State Prayer Group and is on a mission from God to fight for life. She shared how we can join and intercede for life.

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Barbara Bell is an unmarried woman with no children. She is a modern-day Anna who has committed herself to the Lord for service twenty-four-seven. She has been fighting for the unborn for decades. She joined IFA’s State Group as soon as they started years ago. Before IFA established state prayer groups, she was faithfully praying with them. She says she looks to them for her daily prayer reports. She downloads the prayer guides and intercedes on Tuesday and Thursday’s webcasts. Her place in the Massachusetts State Prayer Group always concerns the battle for the most innocent. These are times of warfare as they contend for the lives of the unborn and mothers. 

In 1988 and until 2010, Barbara signed up to partner with Operation Rescue, a Christian organization that is committed to saving the unborn and exposing the abortion industry. They pray on-site at abortion clinics, stand in front of doors, speak to women who are about to go into abortion clinics, and do sidewalk counseling. Barbara has been arrested and placed in jail forty-five times, received countless citations, and was excommunicated from Brookline, Massachusetts. 

Barbara has a mandate from God for life; even though she fights for the unborn, every soul matters to her because it matters to God. After being arrested many times, she used her jail time to minister and lead others to Christ. Barbara said the officers knew her by name because they had arrested her several times. She felt burdened to share Jesus with many officers, some of whom surrendered their lives to Christ. To God be the glory!

Once, when Barbara returned from mission work in Africa, somebody informed her that the Chief of Police had become sick. She wanted to go pray for him but was warned not to because he couldn’t stand her. After finding out what hospital he was at, she visited and said that God sent her to pray for him. He accepted her visit and allowed her to pray for him in the presence of a few family members. In the following weeks, Barbara discovered Chief McDonough’s health was worsening. She spoke with his wife and arranged a house visit, bringing a large print Bible and his favorite ice cream. She sat on his couch as he apologized and repented to Barbara for arresting her. They shared ice cream and fellowship, and about a week later, he passed away. It’s a sweet story of how one person’s obedience to God can impact others.

Barbara has spent much of her time in and out of court. “They (city officials) try to stop and intimidate me, but by the grace of God, I am still here. I once spoke at a clinic; I had no megaphone, only my voice. It’s like God amplified my voice because they heard me. People came back out of the clinic and changed their minds.” Barbara said. “It’s only by the grace of God that I have been able to pray for women considering abortions and see them change their minds and God change their hearts. Some women send us pictures of their beautiful babies, and some return to visit.” 

“Before being excommunicated from Brookline, I prayed at a Planned Parenthood in the back. I so happened to meet one of the doctors who performs abortions. I was able to speak with him. He was a Jewish man. Coming from a Jewish background, I shared Jesus with him and related to the Jewish faith. This man later became a believer in Jesus and left the abortion practice. He is no longer in the business of killing babies,” Barbara said. Can we thank Jesus for this victory? 

Right now, a prayer target for IFA’s Massachusetts State Group is praying for Boston to become a sanctuary city for the unborn. Barbara informed me that Massachusetts currently has seven sanctuary cities; however, none currently protect the most innocent. She said they are far-left cities that exist to defend the LGBTQ community. She reminded me that “sanctuary cities’ in the Bible, called cities of refuge, provided protection when in danger. These people were not innocent of crimes; they had committed an accidental crime and had to flee the avenger. Sanctuary cities for the LGBTQ are unbiblical, but what if they were available to protect the most innocent lives from death? 

When I asked Barbara about the obstacles facing pro-life movements in Massachusetts, she offered great insight for targeted intercession. If your state, like Massachusetts, is still protecting abortion, here’s how you can stand in the gap for the unborn. 

• Join IFA Massachusetts and intercede to see Boston become a sanctuary city for the unborn. Pray for your state to have sanctuary cities for life, too. 

Barbara also works with Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC), which are under attack in Massachusetts. She says women are given the proper help when they choose life. The mothers are thrown baby showers and gifted cribs, carriages, diapers, handmade baby blankets, etc.

• Pray that God will richly bless PRC volunteers as He blessed the Hebrew midwives who refused to murder the Hebrew boys. 
• Pray for continued boldness and protection for PRC workers and every agency protecting life. 
• Pray for abundant and supernatural provision of resources for PRCs in Massachusetts. 

“The church needs to be more involved in saving lives. There needs to be a shift in the spiritual realm. Right now, our Catholic brothers and sisters are the forerunners of life. I have tried to get the word out to Protestant churches and black churches, but no one opened their doors. Since I first started, some Protestants have begun to help. It’s about 90% Catholic and 10% Protestant helping. I am bi-racial, half black, and so I went to the black churches and told them about Margaret Sanger and the genocide against the black people, but they wouldn’t hear it,” Barbara said.

• Pray for the church to advocate for life boldly. 
• Pray for complete exposure to the abortion industry, organ harvesting, mammon, and genocide, and for those with eyes to see to be set free from the lies of the abortion industry. 
• Pray for all authority figures to be saved. “They need to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, and only God can change their hearts,” Barbara said. (see 1 Timothy 2:1-4)
• Ask God to show them dreams and visions of life without Jesus. If their hearts are hardened and they will not repent, ask God to replace them with one obedient to God (see Psalm 109:8).
• Ask God to send fiery spirit-filled believers to minister to our government leaders on their level. Send them modern-day Josephs, Daniels, Esthers, and John the Baptists into our government. 

Barbara’s prayer for her state is that Massachusetts returns to its godly roots and the teachings of the founding fathers. “I want to see my state make abortion illegal and to see our nation turn back to God.”  I can’t think of a more fitting prayer to end this article.

• Pray for America to turn back to God. Revival comes after repentance; before it begins in any city or church, it begins in you and me. 

Father, we thank you for every state that defends life, but we know we still have much work to do. Let your church rise and shine in this hour. We pray for unity in the church. It’s not about denominations or titles; it’s about Your kingdom. It’s all about Jesus and seeing souls saved; we contend for the most innocent—those in the womb. We pray for favor in Massachusetts, and we believe that we will see Boston and other cities become sanctuary cities for the unborn. We pray for blessings of protection and supernatural provision over every Pregnancy Resource Center and worker. Let every plan to slander and eliminate them be thwarted and turn every scheme into a blessing. Let salvation come to the leaders. Send people to minister to them. We know that You can do exceeding, abundantly above all we can ask of think. We praise You because You are able. You can do anything; nothing is too hard or impossible for You. We give You all the honor, glory, and praise, in Jesus’ name, amen. 

How are you praying for your state? Share in the comments.

IFA contributing writer Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor and listen to her podcast, Something To Share. Photo Credit: itsmejust/Getty Images via Canva Pro.