Some years ago Bronx Bethany had a guest speaker who was involved in deliverance ministry. When he began praying for people, one person ran out of our main building and into the street, narrowly missing being hit by a car while attempting to run to the other side of Paulding Avenue against the traffic. Fortunately the person was returned to our church, and was blessed to experience deliverance from demonic influences. Back then I wondered, "Why run across the street instead of just running down the block, or why not just leave the sanctuary and sit downstairs instead of leaving the building? Why did the person try to bolt across the street?"
On Sunday, as I listened to Pastor Althea's sermon, God answered my puzzled question from over five years ago: It's a border issue.
On the morning of our Street Fair last Saturday, a few incidents requiring police intervention occurred just across the border from our church. Why do I say "across the border" instead of "across the street"? I say it because spiritual warfare is, among other things, a territorial activity.
During Sunday's sermon, Pastor Althea referred to the incidents (homicide, fighting, and domestic violence) using a particular phrase: the audacity of the devil to wreak havoc at the perimeter. That perimeter (the line that divides the east and west sides of Paulding Avenue between 227th and 228th Street) is one of several spiritual border lines in our community.
Scripture reveals that spiritual borders are indicated by space, place, and time. The dividing lines between peaceful and chaotic lands are determined by the strength or weakness of the ruling spirits in their assigned areas. Earthly events, in turn, are affected by heavenly activities. The book of Daniel gives a clear example of this. Daniel's fasting and prayer were received in heaven immediately, but spiritual war delayed the response by three weeks. The angel assigned to communicate to Daniel was confronted by a territorial spirit stronger than itself, and the archangel Michael had to be called in to join the fight. (You can read the scripture by clicking here.)
The New Testament reinforces this concept of spiritual war as territorial activity. When Jesus confronted the demonic spirits in the region of Gerasenes, what was their plea? "Do not send us out of the region." To leave the territory would mean a loss of power and influence, so they begged Jesus to cast them from the demoniac into the bodies of pigs who lived in the same territory-- not realizing that pigs are smart enough to choose death rather than living a life of demonic bondage. (You can read the scripture by clicking here.)
A related point here: Scripture also reveals that the human body is a coveted spiritual territory. What does Jesus say? "When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it goes out into desert places looking for rest but it does not find rest." Jesus goes on to say that if a person is empty (that is, if a person is not filled with the Holy Spirit), then the unclean spirit will return with reinforcements, making the state of the person far worse. (see Matthew 12:43-45)
Case Study: The success of Jamaica Day of prayer - a model of concerted effort to participate in winning territories for God
For the past several years, in early August, a few hundred Christians have gathered in various parts of the world to engage in concerted prayer for the nation of Jamaica. I believe that the swift answers to prayer for that nation have occurred because we have made the commitment to pray together, at the same time, in agreement, with fasting, with contrition, with repentance, and with a desire to be led by the Spirit of God. And here is where we find an example of an interesting paradox. Although spiritual territories are bounded by space and place and time, our prayers are not bound. Our prayers are the means by which we forcefully impact and transform regions to the honor and glory of God. Whether the object of our prayer is across the street, or across 588 miles, or on the other side of the globe, we can be effective participants in the redemptive process.
Each week at Bronx Bethany we affirm our commitment to being "a redemptive influence in the Bronx and in the world, to the glory of God." It is what we say. It is what we do. It is who we are. And our redemptive influence is firmly anchored in prayer.
Pray prayers. Transform territories.
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