(NOTE: I published a booklet with this title in 1997 - ahead of its time. I have updated the material and believe that it is now a word in season. This is a significant teaching for this hour.)

TEACHING

Don Atkin

TAKE YOUR CITY

Your County, Your Region, Your Geo-political Sphere

God is raising up the church to be a spiritual army with a mission. That mission is to extend the influence of the kingdom (government) and glory of God throughout the whole earth. This is done through intercession, proclamation and demonstration. Through intercession, we see and pray the heart of the Father. Proclamation is the preaching and teaching of the will of the Father. There is also the need for the life, character, integrity and nature of the Father to be demonstrated through His sons. The Father is to be glorified in His sons. And, the corporate life of the church is to be an expression of God’s government, His kingdom.

Each local expression of the body of Christ is to be joined relationally with other expressions within its geo-political sphere, the city or county. The kingdom of God is extended in this order: first, our own Jerusalem, then all of (our) Judea, then Samaria, and eventually to the ends of the earth. While individuals may be sent to the ends of the earth, the church in each principality is to extend the influence of the kingdom of God at home, within its primary measure of rule.

Ruling elders, through agreement, are to lead the church in their geo-political region, in assaulting the gates of hell and establishing the gates (spiritual rule) where they are to be seated together. Each principality has unique spiritual powers working against the purpose of God. These powers are to be discerned and brought down by our spiritual weapons which are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds! There is to be a return of the influence of the church as salt and light. This teaching is a tool for the gathering, uniting and guiding of church leaders in our pursuit of His purpose where we live.

I. DISCERNING TERRITORIAL SPIRITS

We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. - Eph 6:12

Our nations are subdivided into states, regions, counties, boroughs, cities, towns, villages, etc. The devil has assigned a prince and certain powers to each of these principalities. His plot is to rule by influence, to fill the earth with darkness and wickedness, to bring people into bondage, so that they do not, cannot, glorify God. It is the task of the prince to use every power at his disposal to maintain the kingdom of darkness, and resist the sons of the kingdom of God’s beloved Son.

One such son, Daniel, was praying and fasting for the people and for his holy city. The context of Daniel, Chapter 10, would indicate that he had a visitation from Jesus. In verse 13, Jesus said: The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. Michael (Daniel’s guardian angel) came to assist. And there was war in heaven for three weeks, the spirits of darkness battling to hold their ground against the angels of God that had been activated by Daniel’s prayers.

Before we can begin to take our city (or our geo-political measure of rule), we must come to grips with the nature of our enemies, and we must have a God-given strategy for defeating them. There are unique characteristics to each geographical area that must be discerned. Sometimes, these may be naturally discerned. For example, it is obvious to all that Las Vegas and all of Nevada are ruled by the gambling industry. The prince is gambling, the powers include greed, chance, licentiousness, and others. San Francisco is certainly influenced by spirits of sexual perversion.

Sometimes the fruit is evident, but the root must be supernaturally discerned. Some people are gifted to discern spirits. The discerning of territorial spirits and spiritual mapping must precede the developing of strategy for taking our city.

I was driving with my wife, an evangelist from England, and his wife. We were traveling cross-country, east to west, on a ministry tour. It was summertime, the windows were up and the air-conditioning on. As we passed into the city limits of Louisville, Kentucky, I suddenly could smell the breath of an alcoholic! It didn’t take much discernment to know that this was a supernatural experience. (No one in the car was a drinker!) I inquired of the Lord. The strong man over this city is alcoholism, came the answer. I later found out that Louisville is the bourbon capital of the world.

There was another time on this particular trip when we came into the city limits of a small town out west, and I had a knowing, a word of knowledge, that witchcraft was strong in that area. There was a heaviness in my spirit that tended to even affect my breathing for that moment. (It is impossible to adequately describe spiritual experiences with human words.)

My son-in-law and I were driving through the mountains of Northern California early one Sunday morning in the late 70's. We were heading for Lakeport where he would minister in music and I would preach. As we came up over the summit, we had a panoramic view of Clearlake glistening in the early morning sun.

God spoke to my heart, The strong spirits over this area are ‘apathy’ and ‘mediocrity’.

By the time we arrived at the church in Lakeport, God had given me a message on proactivity being the antidote for apathy, and excellence being the antidote for mediocrity. He wanted the church to reveal, live out, His standard of proactivity and excellence in the face of the prevailing attitudes (spirits) of the community - apathy and mediocrity.

II. GOD IS RAISING UP THE CHURCH

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. - Isa 59:19b

It is God’s desire to raise up the church as a standard of His righteousness in all things The church is to be a manifestation of the kingdom of heaven on the earth. Not only are we to pray, intercede, and exercise spiritual weapons in spiritual warfare, we are to radiate the glory of God in such a way that the world around us can see visible, viable options. This is not so much a battle of words as it is a battle of action. Right action.

We were seated on the veranda in India one morning. The gate suddenly opened, and two people wrestled a demonized woman into our presence. She was calmed within moments, and later was more completely delivered through the ministry of others. After this event, my wife and I compared notes. Both of us were given discernment that evil was approaching just moments before the gate opened.

Why does God reveal these matters to us? In the first two examples, God was revealing to us the reality of territorial spirits, and beginning to train us in discerning them. The India experience (one of many) was to prepare us for that which would take place in just a few moments.

I kissed our two youngest daughters, and sent them off to work along with two young men. I went to the screened-in porch to pray, and had a vision. In the vision I could see the waiting-area in the emergency room of a hospital. The ringing telephone brought me out of the vision. One of the young men informed me that there had been an accident. The vision prepared me for what was to come. Although no one was seriously injured, we did end up in the emergency room of a nearby hospital. I had been there before. But, they had relocated and remodeled the emergency room. It was exactly as I had seen in the vision.

God wants to work supernaturally in our lives to continually prepare us for life, and also to prepare us for effective spiritual ministry, individually and corporately as His church.

There should be clear, observable differences between the life of God’s people and the life of the devil’s children. The standard of God is to be revealed through our lives, both as individuals and as the church in the community. Right living must accompany right praying. Or else, we are praying in vain. God not only wants His standard proclaimed, He wants His standard demonstrated.

The church is to manifest God’s government, His righteousness, the fruit of His Spirit, His power, His gifts. We are also to lift up a strong standard against the (powers of the) enemy. The corporate life of the church, and the individual lives of its members are to be an antitheses of the local and/or regional manifestations of the evil one and his standards. The church is the standard that the Spirit of the Lord lifts up against the enemy.

III. THE CHURCH IN AGREEMENT

And the Lord said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.’ - Gen 11:6

There is a synergy released through agreement. In the above verse, God is acknowledging the potential of a people united in mind and purpose. Because these particular people did not have God’s mind and were not committed to His purpose, He confused their language and scattered them.

Can you imagine the synergy that will be loosed when the church in any given geo-political community comes into the mind and purpose of God? There will be an unprecedented release of anointing to break every yoke and bring down every stronghold; to establish the church in integrity, and raise up His standard against the enemy.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing - life forevermore.

-Psalm 133

Amos (3:3) asks, Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

Jesus promises, If two of you agree (symphonize) on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. - Matthew 18:19

Synergy is released through symphony, which is the coming together of all the players in harmonious agreement with the Conductor (who is the Holy Spirit) and with the Score (which is the Word of God).

It is the glory of God upon each believer that produces unity among the believers. Unity results from the glory; not the other way around. Jesus makes it clear:

The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one. - John 17:22

Neither the Spirit nor the Word supports division by denomination. Jesus didn’t build His church to be divided into denominations. He is coming to join His glorious bride. It is the church in every geo-political sphere that has been given authority over all of the power of the enemy within that measure of rule. While we are clustered in manageable units, we are to be united under His headship as it is practically carried out by elders in every city or region.

There is one body, and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (to produce the glory that is to be seen in one another, causing the unity). - Ephesians 4:4-6

It is time for us to go to the next level. We must respond to the cry of the hour to come together in agreement, each person glorifying God by doing the work that he/she is created to do. (See Ephesians 2:10, 4:16, and John 17:4.) We must move into warfare for our city or region, and together raise up a standard that glorifies God and refutes the enemy. We need to walk in this attitude:

Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. - Ephesians 4:1-3

IV. POSSESSING THE GATES

Your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies. - Gen 22:17

It is the prophetic testimony of Scripture that the children of Abraham (by faith) will possess the gates of their enemies. Jesus put it into New Testament perspective when He promised, the gates of Hades shall not prevail against His church.

"The gates of a city were the place where the Oriental resorted for legal business, conversation, bargaining, and news. Being the weakest points in a city’s walls, the gates were frequently the object of a foe’s attack and therefor flanked by towers. To possess the gates was to possess the city. The gate was the place where people met to hear an important announcement, or the reading of the law, or where the elders transacted legal business." (From Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary.)

The virtuous wife of Proverbs 31 should be a picture of the church, the bride of Christ. Her husband, a picture of Christ, is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

The gates of our cities represent the seat of spiritual authority over our cities. Spiritual forces of wickedness, darkness, principalities and powers, are presently filling the void in the gates of our cities. But, recognized ruling elders are coming together in agreement to take back the seat of spiritual authority which is ours to possess.

God is presently placing a new vision and a new vulnerability within the hearts of church leaders. People who have outgrown (or are willing and desiring to outgrow) zeal without knowledge, personal ambition, and the building of their own little kingdoms are beginning to see their work as parts of the whole. We are coming to grips with the priority that the whole is greater than any part thereof!

There is a growing desire to meet together in humility, with attitudes of meekness. Senior leaders of local church expressions are called to possess the gates, along with others who lead within their geo-political sphere. There is an acknowledgment that committees won’t get the job done, that God’s appointed leaders must be discovered and followed.

V. A GOVERNMENTAL WORK

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth . . . - Mt 6:10

Taking your city is a governmental work. It is one kingdom (one governmental entity) coming against another kingdom (governmental entity). We are writing about the kingdom of God’s beloved Son aggressively (but spiritually) moving against the kingdom of darkness. The end result was prophesied through John (Revelation 11:15) as he records, And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever!"

Governmental work is accomplished by governmental men. Not all are governmentally strong. Many are ministerially strong, but not governmental. God chooses those whom He makes to be governmental. There is an anointing for ministry. There also is an anointing for government. God ordains that some, but not all, walk in both. Charisma is the primary qualification for ministry. Character is the primary qualification for government.

There are a variety of leadership needs for us to take our cities. First, we need a vision of and faith for undertaking such a challenge. Second, we need a revelation of God’s higher ways and thoughts. Third, we need discernment about the principalities and powers operating in our sphere. Fourth, we need the anointing to produce unity among church leaders. Fifth, we need the strategy to lead the church forward in battle.

A study of the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, will reveal that governmental issues were dealt with by apostles and elders. A local pastor might operate in the ministry gifts of pastor and teacher. But, when coming together in the pursuit of taking your city (or geo-political sphere), he would be considered an elder in that sphere. Because, this is governmental work, not ministerial work. (Not all pastors are anointed for citywide or regional government.) This is about the business of one kingdom opposing another kingdom for the rule of that sphere.

While a committee cannot lead, a plurality of fivefold ministry gifts with the anointing for government can. These men can be drawn from among the senior leaders of church fellowships in the area. As they come together in attitudes of humility and meekness, preferring one another, and committed to grow together in love, there will be an emerging order.

There is also a necessity for the emerging of men with a recognized apostolic mantle and anointing. God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. God has appointed these in the church: first apostles . - I Corinthians 12:18, 28.

Apostles are not first in importance, they are merely first in order. God is a god of order! Apostles are builders who see God’s blueprint and understand how to bring the other gifts into the building process. Apostles are governmental. In fact, God initiates His kingdom rule through apostles, and delegates His kingdom rule through the laying on of the hands of apostles in appointing elders in every city.

The letters to the seven churches in Asia were directed to the messengers of each city. It is conceivable that these messengers were regional apostles.

There are already apostles resident in some places. In others, that apostolic mantle and anointing will be manifested in one or more of the senior leaders whom God chooses to use in this way for this battle. These men may have a very limited apostolic sphere, their own geo-political realm. But, their God-ordained authority will be recognized and received by the elders in the city.

Biblically, this is the Lord’s battle. We must be sensitive to His orchestration and order. We must be given to the establishing of His government, and committed to it in unity, for our desire to take the city to become a reality. It is the Lord’s battle and must be carried out in His way, through His choice of leaders.

This is a governmental work. It is a spiritual battle. It must be structured biblically and bear the anointing of the King of our kingdom.

VI. A RESTORATION OF INTEGRITY AND INFLUENCE

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. - Mt 5:13

The battle for our cities is a battle of influence. Spirits influence the minds of men, whose actions are dictated by their thoughts. Evil spirits influence and entice people to be a certain way, to think a certain way, and to do certain things. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit influences people to be a certain way, to think a certain way, and to do certain things.

Those who walk in the flesh manifest the personalities of evil spirits, as those spirits take opportunity to influence the minds of people through the lust of their flesh. People are driven by their passions, desire for possessions, and desire for position. The prince of this world rules through influence.

Those who walk in the Spirit manifest the fruit of the Spirit, because they are so influenced. Minds are renewed, behavior patterns are changed. And, God is glorified. We must see that it is by influence that God rules in our lives. What is true in a person is also true in a geo-political region - a city, county, region, state, nation. Jesus used the examples of salt and light. The work of salt and light is to change the taste and atmosphere by influence. The adding of salt to food influences the taste. The displacing of darkness with light changes the atmosphere by influence.

When salt is not salty, it has no influence. The dimmer the light, the lessor the influence. The church must regain her influence, under the governmental guidance of apostles and elders in every place. Influence must be increased through a united strategy of godly men who are given to the higher purposes of God.

Integrity must be the forerunner of influence. The enemy has come into our cities because of the decreasing influence of the church of Jesus Christ. The decreasing of influence is directly related to the decreasing of integrity - through compromise, loss of vision, lowering of standards, etc. There must be a restoration of integrity in the church.

God will reveal the specific character of the enemy as men and women give themselves to prayer, intercession and warfare. Then, He will produce in willing vessels the specific character that will expose and counter the enemy. This action will be seen in our communities as integrity. And, influence will be restored.

CONCLUSION

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. - these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth. - Zech 4:9-10

This prophetic passage provides for us a picture of the Lord placing in the hands of a builder a task and a plumb line. He lays the foundation of the house in a proper way.

We should not despise the day of small beginnings. If a few, maybe seven brothers, will come together in a particular city or sphere, praise God for right activity! Should such a small group be able to be glad - rejoice - in unity that a Zerubbabel, a builder, is recognized in their midst, hallelujah! Our hearts should rejoice in any small but proper beginning.

The work is a process. The raising up of the church and leading of the church into agreement is a time-consuming process which will take much effort. The emerging of governmental men who share vision and commitment to restore integrity and influence of the church and possess the gates of the city will take time.

The kingdom of God does not come by observation. It is like leaven. The kingdom comes by influence (sometimes subtle; other times not so subtle). Influence was gradually lost as integrity slipped away. Integrity slipped as the church lowered her standard and began to compromise. Compromise filled the vacuum provided by the absence of true spiritual authority.

God is reversing the process and we will take our cities!

We are to occupy until the return of the Lord. We occupy by influence. The kingdom will be established in its fullness when the King returns in the fullness of time.