Dear Intercessors,

Genesis 22:17b “. . . and your Seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.”

Much has been said, written and shown over the last few months regarding broken walls, defilements, healing of the land, and the delay of revival.  The Lord has made it clear that He is searching “for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; . . .” (Ezekiel 22:30 NASB) For those who have heard, read, and seen we have realized that as individuals we have our own broken walls, our own areas of disobedience and rebellion and our own defilements and that the work must begin with us.

Throughout this season of consecration the Lord’s instruction through John Mulinde, from Uganda, has been to pray “Lord, show us the walls that are broken.”  This is a season and a time where our response to God’s adjustment and correction is critical.  There is much more at stake than just individual lives and wellbeing.  He has called us to a purpose that is much larger than ourselves and it will take a power, an authority and an involvement, His power, His authority and His involvement, to accomplish that purpose.  2 Chronicles 7:14 makes it very clear that “hearing from heaven”, “forgiving their sin,” and “healing their land,” is what our Lord promises to do if we will fulfill four conditions, humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways.  In Isaiah 59:1-3 the Lord emphasizes that He is able to address and is aware of our circumstances but our iniquities and sins have separated us from Him and caused Him not to hear.  He will not endorse our sinfulness. The only acceptable responses on our part, therefore, must begin with personal confession, repentance, listening to His voice and obedience as His ultimate purpose is, through us, to glorify His name and extend His kingdom. 

The larger issue then for us, His church, is of reigning and kingdoms, of cities and nations. Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not overpower His church.  The Apostle John writes that “. . . the Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b NASB).   Adam Clark’s Commentary makes the point that the Greek word used in Genesis 22:17b is not “gates” but “cities.”  He observes “By the gates may be meant all the strength, whether troops, counsels, or fortified cities of their enemies. So Matthew 16:18: On this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it—the counsels, stratagems, and powers of darkness shall not be able to prevail against or overthrow the true Church of Christ; and possibly our Lord had this promise to Abraham and his spiritual posterity in view, when he spoke these words.”  He has called us to possess our cities for His kingdom.  The promise is for Cleveland, it for Northeast Ohio, that we would possess them and that His kingdom would be extended throughout them. This battle for Cleveland, however, is not ours but, through us, the Lord’s.  In order to enlist God’s power, authority and involvement, we must, therefore, consecrate ourselves as a purified “people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14b NASB). He will, then, give us this land, the gates and the cities, to possess and thus fulfill His promise to Abraham and His word through the Lord Jesus.

As we “Seek God for the City” keep in mind that the outcomes at the city levels are affected by the outcomes of your life at a personal level. 

“Lord, show us the walls that are broken in our personal lives, in the church, and in our cities, so that we might turn from our wicked ways.  We will, then, build up the wall and stand in the gap before You for the land.

Beloved let us possess the gates, let us possess the cities.

Yours in His service,