Understanding Your City
Try to draw a spiritual map of your city, town, or area in the country. This is the process of finding out about your neighbors that you might pray specifically for them. It is discovering the spiritual climate of your area that you might have influence for Jesus.
Drawing a spiritual map may be a new concept to you. Perhaps you’ve never heard of it. Yet, it is a powerful spiritual discipline that can help you pray and impact your area for the Lord Jesus Christ. How can you influence people if you don’t know their spiritual condition? How can you make a difference in the spiritual climate of your area if you have no idea of what is going on around you? Spiritual mapping is a tool to guide you in how to pray and respond to your neighbors for the glory of Jesus.
The purpose of spiritual mapping is to find out about the spiritual climate of your area. It is seeking to discover how best to pray for and minister to your area for the glory of Jesus. It is looking at your community or city in a brand new way. It is looking at your community or city through spiritual lenses that you might pray and bless your neighbors.
One of the questions that I am frequently asked is, “Where does the Bible teach spiritual mapping?” There is no particular text that one can turn to concerning this subject. Yet, the concept and practice of spiritual mapping is based on three basic principles of the Word of God. The Bible reveals the need to practice spiritual mapping because of the eyes of Jesus, the command to watchfulness in prayer, and the reality of the unseen warfare.
1. The Eyes of Jesus
In the following verses, record what Jesus “saw” and how He responded.
Matthew 9:36
Matthew 14:14
Mark 6:34
Mark 10:21
In each of these cases, Jesus saw people in need. He looked beyond outward appearance and saw people with physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Jesus wants you to look at people in the same way. He doesn’t want you to just see your neighbors, your acquaintances, your coworkers, or the people you run into each day in the way that you always have. He longs for you to look beyond the outward appearance and realize that these are people in need. This is the heart of spiritual mapping - it is seeing people as they really are. Spiritual mapping requires the eyes of Jesus.
2. The Command To Watchfulness
What does Paul teach you to do in Colossians 4:2?
Paul says that you are to pray fervently. You are to be consistent in prayer. Yet, he adds that you are to do this with vigilance. This word is translated a variety of ways, but its basic meaning is to be watchful. Paul combines this with the command to pray fervently. He is saying that you are to pray fervently with a watchful spirit. What are you supposed to be watching? You are to watch what is going on around you. You are to look for the distinct ways that you can pray for your community or city and your neighbors. It is watching and observing what is going on around you that you might pray fervently and consistently concerning these matters.
Spiritual mapping is observing what is going on around you that you might pray. It is paying attention to peoples’ lives and the situation of your city or community that you might pray and exercise spiritual influence.
3. The Reality Of The Unseen Warfare
What does Paul command you to do in Ephesians 6:10?
What does Paul say that Satan does in Ephesians 6:11?
According to Ephesians 6:12, who is our real battle against?
There is more going on in neighborhoods, communities, and cities than a person can see with physical eyes. The Bible teaches that Satan and his demons are actively working around you. He has developed “schemes” against the people around you. He has devious plans for your city or community. Spiritual mapping looks beyond the physical realm. When you practice spiritual mapping, you take seriously the fact that there is an unseen war going on in your community or city.
Spiritual mapping is built on the foundation of the eyes of Jesus, the command to watchfulness, and the reality of the unseen warfare. Effective spiritual mapping requires that these things characterize your life. The following questions will help you think about these things and their place in your life.
How do you view your neighbors? Can you say that you see the people around you as Jesus sees them? What is hindering you from seeing them as He does?
Do you pray for your neighbors? Do you prayerfully watch peoples’ live? Do you prayerfully watch what goes on in your community or city? What would hinder you from doing this?
Do you believe that there is an unseen warfare going on around you? Do you believe that Satan has schemes against your neighbors and your area? Do you think that the actions of Satan and his demons affect your area?
Reaching every neighbor for Christ calls for spiritual mapping. Pray today for the following that you might be effective in spiritual mapping: v'
The eyes of Jesus - Pray that you will see people as Jesus sees them. Ask that you will never see them again as you did before. s
A watchful spirit of prayer - Ask God to help you have a discerning spirit about what is going on in the lives of the people around you. Pray that you will be able to understand the spiritual climate of your area, v'
A sober spirit - Pray that you will not ignore the fact that there is an unseen battle going on around you and it affects your area.
Putting Together A Spiritual Map
You can put a spiritual map together. This spiritual map will help you know how to pray and will enable you to exercise spiritual influence in your area. You may be wondering, “How do I put a spiritual map together?” You can build a spiritual map with the following suggestions.
Prayer: Ask God to help you understand the spiritual climate of your area. Pray that you will have the discernment to see what He sees.
Observation: Throughout your daily routines, observe your neighbors. Watch and listen to people throughout your day. As you watch and listen, you will learn much to pray about. Keep up with the news concerning your local area. This will help you in understanding the spiritual climate of your area.
Interview: Ask people about their spiritual needs. Talk to them about their relationship to God. Survey people to see what they feel are the spiritual climate of the area.
Confer: Talk with pastors and other believers concerning the spiritual climate of the area. Ask people to pray with you about this.
Research: Find out about the history of your area. Discover the roots of Christianity in your area. Look for the major events of your area and what kind of a spiritual impact that they have had.
Now, here are some basic tools to help you build your own spiritual map. As you record information, ask God to show you how you need to pray for your neighbors and your area. Building a spiritual map requires the following:
Area Churches And Pastors - Make a list of biblically sound churches and pastors in your area. Don’t limit it to just your denomination.
Institutions And Business - Record the names of hospitals, medical centers and clinics, business, and government offices.
Schools And Colleges - List these along with administrators.
Places of Wickedness - Record places where Satan has built strongholds in your community. It can be businesses, places of false religion, or places where Satan is working to bind people.
Roadblocks To The Gospel - What is keeping people in your area from coming to Christ? What is hindering the churches from reaching the lost with the gospel? Make a list of these.
Prevalent Sins of Your Area - What sins seem to dominate in your area? Make a record of these.
How Do I Use A Spiritual Map?
You may be wondering, “When I get all this information together, what do I do with it?” The following are some suggestions you might consider in using your spiritual map.
Develop a prayer plan for your area.
Many times believers will pray for national and international concerns while ignoring what is going on around them. God calls us to be salt and light where we are. A spiritual map can help you pray over your local area. The following is a suggestion on how you might structure this plan:
Monday - Area Churches And Pastors
Tuesday - Institutions And Businesses
Wednesday - Schools And Colleges
Thursday - Places Of Wickedness
Friday - Roadblocks To The Gospel
Saturday - Prevalent Sins In Your Areas
Sunday - My Church’s Witness In This Area
You can develop your own plan to suit you and your situation. Yet, the key is to pray faithfully concerning your area. A spiritual map simply helps you identify what to pray for.
Help you to focus your prayer meetings.
A spiritual map can focus and enliven your prayer meetings. Many times prayer meetings focus on national and international issues. While these need prayer coverage, the church needs to be a house of prayer for the place where it is located. A spiritual map can help you focus on your area and offer strategic intercession.
Finding targets for ministry.
A spiritual map can empower you to discern opportunities for ministry. It can point out places and ways to reach out to your area.
Evangelistic Prayer: The Condition Of The Sinner
The following is a prayer guide to assist you in praying for the lost. This guide is based on the Scripture’s teaching about the condition of lost people. Their condition should drive us to pray for them. At the same time it gives us insight in how to pray.
Father, I plead that _________ will comprehend that he/she has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
Father, I pray that _________ will know that he/she is under Your wrath right now because he/she will not receive Jesus Christ (John 3:35).
I ask that _________ will know that the wages of sin is death—eternal separation from God and punishment in hell. Do not allow him/her to be deceived about this (Romans 6:23).
I pray that _________ will know with deep and abiding conviction that he/she has broken God’s law and stands guilty before Him even at this moment (1 John 3:4).
Father, I plead that _________ will understand that he/she has a sinful nature that is leading him/her away from God and into eternal hell. Make it clear to _________ that this is his/her worst problem (Ephesians 2:1-3).
I ask that _________ will know that he/she is a slave to sin. Show _________ that the chains of sin bind him/her. Reveal to him/her that only the power of Jesus Christ can set him/her free (John 8:31-35).
Father, I plead that _________ will know that he/she has no power to deal with his/her sinful nature. Cause _________ to know that his/her power cannot deal with his/her sinful nature. Show him/her that Jesus Christ is the only One who can (John 8:36).
Father, show _________ that his/her good works cannot deal with his/her sin and lostness. Reveal to him/her the utter hopelessness of good works dealing with sin (Galatians 3:9).
Father, I pray that _________ will know that he/she is lost and headed to an eternity of misery and despair without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
Father, I ask You to convict _________ of the truth that they/he/she is in rebellion against You.
Show _________ that without faith in Christ, there is no peace between You and him. Reveal to _________ that his/her lifestyle is actually rebellion and a sign of hostility against You (Romans 5:1; James 4:4).
Lord God, I pray that You would reveal to _________ that You are a holy God. Show how offensive his/her sin is. Teach him/her the truth that You hate sin. Grant to _________ the conviction that there is nothing that he/she can do to gain favor with You. Cause him/her to know that the only way that he/she can enter into relationship with You is by turning to Your Son, Jesus, and trusting in Him (Isaiah 6).
I plead that _________ will understand that his/her unrepentant heart and stubbornness will bring the wrath and righteous judgment on him/her (Romans 2:5).
Father, I ask that _________ will understand that he/she has turned aside from You and does no spiritual good. Reveal to him/her that the flesh profits nothing of spiritual or eternal value. Show _________ that only a work of God can change him/her (Romans 3:12).
I pray that _________ will understand that he/she is not righteous or acceptable to You. Show him/her that his/her goodness and works are nothing but filthy rags in Your sight (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10).
(from: http://kingdompraying.com/assets/newsletters/PWNL-MayJune10.pdf)