Thoughts for Life: #100 Christ for the City

C. Peter Wagner: "The most sophisticated design I am aware of
for praying effectively for the smaller
units in the city is the Latin America Mission's 'Christ for the City' program developed by John Huffman.

The vision for this ministry came as Huffman was flying over Mexico City when God showed him a picture of huge Indian gods standing behind the mountains over Mexico City, holding down the city.

He said,'God, what will I do? What do you want us to do about this?' God answered by giving him the prayer program for Christ for the City.

Christ for the City begins by breaking the city down into neighborhoods, manageable geographical areas. In Medellin, Columbia, for example, they have designated 255 neighborhoods in the city of 3 million.

Each of these neighborhoods is mapped in detail, showing each lot, what buildings re on the lot, what color house, and name of the family or families who live there.

The maps are distributed to prayer groups in the city, in other parts of the country and other countries. These are groups who have previously committed themselves to do concentrated, specific warfare praying for that neighborhood during a designated period of two weeks.

Teams on the site are also praying through the neighborhood itself. If at least three prayer groups report spiritual impressions about a particular household or place, trained workers go right in and solicit specific prayer requests for that house.

When the two weeks are over, local team members do a blanket visitation of all the homes in the target neighborhood.

A pilot project was launched in Medellin in 1989. In 1989 the evangelical church grew 44 percent, from 9,000 to 13,000. The following year the evangelical population grew 50 percent, from 13,000 to 18,500.

During that same 2-year span, the total number of churches increased from 103 to 140.

(Wagner goes on to tell about even a Baptist church reporting a problem on a certain vacant lot during prayer. Upon investigation, the team unearthed five occult objects cursed and buried by witches to control the neighborhood. They were destroyed, and the gospel flowed freely.)

Once you know the manageable area God wants you to pray for, it is time to get the leaders together."

(Google image and my emphasis added)

Warfare Prayer

#100 Christ for the City

By C. Peter Wagner

(pp. 165 - 167) Regal Books

Father, help us realize that You love those in our area, and
that Your desire is for them to come to know You in and through Jesus. Help us understand what it is we're called upon to do here, and may the directions become clear to our leaders.
We do ask for You to speak to them in such a way that they'll have no doubt about their part in the mission of taking our cities for Christ.
I ask this in the Name of Jesus, and for Your glory, Father. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Ez. 34:14 a "I will feed them in a good pasture."

Today’s quote: S. D. Gordon - "Shall we not plan to meet God alone, habitually, with the door shut, and the Book open, and the will pliant so we may be trained for his holy partnership of prayer. Then will come the clearer vision, the broader purpose, the truer
wisdom, the real unselfish delights of fellowship in service with Him; then too will come great victories for God in His world." (Taken from p. 73 of Quiet Talks on Prayer. [Out of print]

Some thoughts today: It's not about us; it's all about Him. God saves us to be a reflection of His love through our attitudes, conduct and life styles.

~ Doctrine is a mental understanding. We're to demonstrate God's character through our loyalty to Him, by receiving and walking in His grace, goodness and love. Do others take a good look at us, and see Christ?

~ The Church is Christ's Body, and meant to be the full expression of God the Father in the earth. We are to demonstrate who Jesus is, as He was the image of God in flesh.

3rd- Saturday’s post: Banish the Worries
Lisa Buffaloe
4th- Sunday evening's post: Rescued!
Russell Fralick
6th- Tuesday's post: #101 Rule #2: The Pastors
C. Peter Wagner
8th- Thursday's post: #102 Rule #3: The Body of Christ
C. Peter Wagner

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