A Passion for Cusco

On our last furlough we asked prayer partners to pray that the Lord would burden our hearts for Cusco and the people there.  We knew God wanted us serving here, but a love for the people wasn’t automatic.  We still need prayer for a deeper love, however I can say confidently that God has already begun to answer those prayers.

For the past year I have been doing weekly prayer runs around my neighborhood, and it has produced a passion and faith in me like nothing before.  When I spend these times out in the city with the Lord I sense Him drawing praise and proclamations of His kingship here from my heart and mind and I know deeply that I am part of something much bigger—something unseen and shockingly spectacular. 

During these prayer times with the Lord I can see (in my mind’s eye) heaven’s warriors of light joining me in my offensive against the powers of darkness.  I sense the King of the universe gradually claiming dominion over the city from His throne on high.  Like the Israelite's’ march around Jericho I claim this neighborhood for the Lord and His people.  I pray blessing on the homes, ministry sites, and preschool where my teammates and their children spend time.  I beg the Lord to cause His people in this neighborhood to rise up in prayer alongside me.  I pray that fear and discouragement would be cast out and that the children of the king would see the victory being handed to them through prayer. 

While I pray and worship I sense inhibition and fear melting away as boldness and thankfulness rise within me.  The Lord speaks to me at times about small ways He is calling me to participate in the advancement of the kingdom—areas of repentance needed in my life, things to pray for, text messages to send, conversations to have.  But mostly He confirms that this weekly prayer time for my city is His idea, His beautiful battle plan for involving me in the decent of His kingdom on Cusco. 

God has used these prayer runs to light in me a passion for His kingdom here.  I have been moved to dream big about what the Lord could do here.  I am learning to pray as though there were no barriers.  I’m rejoicing to see God reveal His reign little by little, proclaiming Himself king of this city.  I’m discovering faith in a whole new way.

Does your soul long for the kingdom of God to descend on your city?  Do your heart and flesh sing for joy over the glimpses of His kingdom taking root?  Do you believe that your prayers and proclamations of truth and praise cause the enemy to scatter from before you? 

I challenge you to take a prayer walk (or run) in your neighborhood.  Choose some praise music that causes you to fix your eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen, and then proclaim Christ’s Lordship over your neighborhood.  When you see people or animals along the street let it remind you of the unseen spiritual beings who are there as well, rejoicing with you in the advancement of the kingdom resulting from your prayers.  When the sun shines on your face let it remind you of the intense light of God’s favor that would overwhelm you, could you perceive it accurately.  When you pass a construction site let it draw your attention to the unobservable creation of spiritual strongholds fortifying God’s kingdom through the prayers of the saints.  And if it’s a cloudy day let it remind you of the veiled paradise that is just beyond your line of sight waiting to burst through and consume your world with glory. 

Ask God to give you a passion for the growth of His kingdom in your city, and then step up to the battle alongside the great crowd of witnesses who have gone before.  Throw off the fear that so easily entangles and run with perseverance.  Claim the victory that has already been won, and run with your eyes on the King.  Whether you perceive it immediately or not, believe that your neighborhood will never be the same.  Prayer changes things.  It’s a fact. 

Worship and intercession must go together, the one is impossible without the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray. — Oswald Chambers


There is no way that Christians, in private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom of Christ as by prayer.  - Jonathan Edwards

As well could you expect a plant to grow without air and water as to expect your heart to grow without prayer and faith….  I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.  – Charles Spurgeon

We cannot know what prayer is for until we know that life is war. – John Piper

Sometimes I like to think that praying without ceasing is having a hymn on your heart. I often like to start the day with a song and today it was … There’s within my heart a melody, Jesus whispers sweet and low … and I love singing because all throughout the day as I’m humming a hymn and letting the words course through my mind and memory, it’s a way of praying. It’s a way of praising God. It’s a way of worshipping Him in the Spirit. – Joni Eareckson Tada


[What is the essence of real Christianity?] It is to have our minds really exercised with delight about heavenly things, the things that are above, especially Christ himself as at the right hand of God." - John Owen