How to Prophetically Lay Siege to a City
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“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Ps. 24:1, NIV).
This powerful proclamation points to the lordship of Christ over the entire earth. In the light of Psalm 24:1, the searching question we ask ourselves is, “Has the lordship of Christ been realized in the life of my own city?”
To know the answer, it is necessary to read our city and its culture in the light of God’s Word. We need to not only read God’s Word, but to view our city in the light of God’s world. For some, this may be a new concept. Most of us are more used to studying the Word of God for use in our personal lives—and so we should. However, God’s Word extends to the whole world. The earth is the Lord’s.
What Has Happened to God’s World?
Frankly, as we examine the cities in which we live, many would have to say, “Truthfully, there is a lot about my city that is not godly.” As more Christians throughout the world have come to realize the spiritual condition of their cities, the church is experiencing an awakening concerning our responsibility to pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done,” not only in the life of the church but in the life of our cities.
What has happened to God’s world? The Bible states that Satan has declared himself the “god of this world.” Satan has effectively built strongholds around our cities and the people groups of the world. He is holding captive billions of souls who will spend an eternity in hell if we do not learn how to storm the gates of hell on their behalf.
As we minister to leaders across the nations, we find many who are suffering intense discouragement. Often the labor in the harvest fields has been so long that strongholds have been built in their minds concerning their situation and city. They begin to wonder if their city can ever be taken for the kingdom of God. Will they ever see revival come?
Ed Silvoso describes this kind of mental stronghold as “a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes the believer to accept as unchangeable something that he/she knows is contrary to the will of God.” He also shares that many have simply been prisoners of war in their own churches. Satan doesn’t mind if they have a few visitors and a little bread and water but gets greatly disturbed if they talk about evangelizing their whole city.
Ezekiel 4: A Prophetic Pattern
The army of God is on the move and ready for battle strategy. A new breed of watchmen is emerging across the nations. This breed is ready to lay siege to its cities.
Ezekiel 4 gives a prophetic pattern for establishing the lordship of Christ in your area. Ezekiel was called of God to perform an intercessory act over the city of Jerusalem, much like Joshua when he was called to march around Jericho. Ezekiel’s prophetic intercession provides a model—with principles found throughout the Word of God—on how to intercede for a city against spiritual strongholds.
Elijah Lists Prophetic Resources
As you read Ezekiel 4, you will find these principles, which can help you develop a strategy to discover Satan’s strongholds in your area:
1. Make a Map
“Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it” (Ezek. 4:1).
God desires to reveal strongholds to His intercessors concerning their area. Ezekiel was told to make a map. This concept, called “spiritual mapping,” has been largely uncovered by recent pioneers in spiritual warfare such as George Otis Jr. Otis says we need to strive to see our cities and our nations as they really are, not as they appear to be.
From historical study, Ezekiel most likely made cylindrical maps, which were placed at the corner of temples depicting not only the geography but the history of the kings and nations. Ezekiel did warfare over the iniquities of the generations using these maps of history. In other words (either by natural knowledge or revelation from God), he researched the strongholds in Jerusalem and mapped them out.
2. Set an Intercessory Strategy
“Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it” (v. 2).
The spiritual mapping of a city can be used to develop a strategic plan to tear down the strongholds of the enemy. Ezekiel was instructed in verse 2 to “lay siege walls” against the city. These were movable watchtowers that were placed near the walls or strongholds of the enemy to spy out, research and weaken the besieged stronghold.
Watchmen were placed in these towers to give information for strategy. These watchmen harassed the enemy from a high place that was purposely built for war. The Lord has placed His watchmen throughout the world whom He has anointed to spy out, research and harass the enemy through intercession.
3. Implement the Strategy
God told Ezekiel to build a ramp or earthen mound against the walls. He was also told to build camps and lay battering rams against it (v. 2). Today this is accomplished through unity in prayer with pastors and leaders, prayer in local churches and the formation of “camps” of prayer groups for the city. These groups pray the prayers that are the “battering rams” against the gates of hell in the city.
4. Build a Wall of Protection
“Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel” (v. 3).
Ezekiel was instructed to take an iron pan and place it as a wall. This wall offered protection against the fiery darts of the enemy from the besieged stronghold. We can build a wall by claiming the protection of God in our lives (Ps. 91). To withstand Satan’s counterattack, we need to keep these walls in a state of repair through personal holiness and right relationships with God and man.
It’s the release of Satan’s captives. It’s the evangelization of the world. As we lift up the cross of Christ and tear down Satan’s standards, surely the power of the blood of the Lamb will heal our lands and draw all men to His lovely name.
Cindy Jacobs is a respected prophet who travels the world ministering not only to crowds of people but to heads of nations. Her first calling is and always will be prophetic intercession. Each year, she travels and has spoken on nearly every inhabited continent to tens of thousands. Yet in her heart is the memory that Jesus left the ninety-and-nine to go to the one. Generals International is an international church movement, reforming the nations of the world back to a biblical worldview. It achieves societal transformation through intercession and the prophetic. Jacobs has authored seven books and loves to travel and speak, but one of her favorite pastimes is spending time with her husband, Mike, and their children, Daniel and Mary Madison, along with her five adorable grandchildren.
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