A Year of Prayer for America's Cities
For the past many years, we have seen a simple plan unfold utilizing several key elements to lift Jesus high above the city and to reach the lost and hurting in the city with the hope, love, and transforming power of the Gospel.
Without a doubt, the most dominant and potent element of that plan is prayer. Fervent prayer, fasting and intercession breaks up the fallow ground, tears down strongholds, unites God's people to cry out for change, aligns our hearts with His heart and plans, and prepares the way for a reaping in the harvest. Through our Hope for the City initiative, God's people have united in fervent prayer, fasting and strategic outreach. We praise God as we see this kind of prayer tear down walls of division, invite the presence of Christ, connect hope with hurting people, and spark the fires of revival among the churched and unchurched in a city!
This is the testimony of our section of the South Bronx. God raised up a remnant of His people who began to cry out to Him in desperation for change. We walked the streets in prayer and prayed door-to-door, bringing the message of hope and life to our community one person and one family at a time. It took three-and-a-half years to cover the 80,000 people around us, but when we were done, God changed our community!
Leaders in the South Bronx have said, "This community changed when those people came." We disagree. We find it more accurate to say, "This community changed when those people prayed!"
Now God is doing the same thing in Detroit! God's people have united across denominational, racial, geographic and economic "walls" in fervent prayer, fasting and strategic outreach. People are responding with desperate cries for hope! Souls are being saved. Lives are being changed. At Prayer Stations, people stand in line for prayer and city bus drivers stop their busses, open their doors and ask for prayer. Even Muslims are responding to the Gospel!
I was invited to the Mayor's office while doing outreach in a city. I met with two of his executive assistants. One said that she believed "This city would not be in the mess it is in if Christian people would have prayed," As I quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14, she nearly leapt from her chair and asked, "Where is that from?" I explained the context and power of the scripture. She exclaimed, "That should be the theme of our city! "
After the meeting, the Lord spoke deeply in my heart: "Issue a call for a Year of Prayer for America's Cities!"
We cannot fulfill this mandate by ourselves. You have the influence on your knees to change your city and to become a catalyst for revival and transformation.
Will you join us and many others to dedicate 2010 as A Year of Prayer for America's Cities!?
God has called us to fulfill His mandate:
"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14
Truly,
if God touches our cities, it will change our nation! Let us join together in the Year of Prayer for America's Cities and believe God that He will do many great things among us! - Dr. Tom Grassano
Acquire the Prayer Guide here.
Register yourself as an intercessor for your city and America's cities here.
