The smallest territory that Jesus told his disciples to pastor was a city!

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Most pastors don’t comprehend that in Acts 1:8 the smallest territory that Jesus told his disciples to pastor was a city (Jerusalem), not just a church congregation. Next came a state, then a country, and finally the world. The bigger a pastor’s vision for God, the greater God’s favor.

For a city to be reached for Jesus, pastors and marketplace ministers must pray and work together. In the Books of Acts, Paul (a pulpit minister) was never able to reach an entire region for Jesus until 1) he partnered with Priscilla and Achilla (two fellow tent makers – marketplace ministers) and 2) he taught daily in the school of Tyrannus (the marketplace, Acts 19:8-11).

Ted Hahs, the chief intercessor for Harvest Evangelism teaches that intercession is so much more than prayer. He says we can’t effectively intercede for our cities until we learn to intercede for 1) our own families, then 2) our neighbors (those we live near and work with), 3) our own pastor and church congregation, and finally 4) the pastors of our city. In other words, we must first be faithful in the little things –  applying the Greatest Commandment to “love our neighbors as ourselves” to those within our local sphere of influence – before God will give us authority over greater things.

My goal within the next year is to be a catalyst to transform communities throughout Virginia to make the state a bright light for the world. Why? Because when the focus of the entire world is on Virginia in 2007 as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, I want people to see Jesus everywhere they look – in marriages, in families, in churches, and in the marketplace.

Are you interceding daily for your own family?
Are you interceding weekly for your neighbors, your pastor, and other pastors of your city?

Prayer Power
LORD, you say commit your plans to the LORD and they will succeed. So I commit the transformation of Virginia to You. Bless the pastors of our state to live holy lives and to preach Your Word with boldness and truth. May pastors commission people in their churches to be marketplace ministers. Bless pastors and marketplace ministers to come together regularly to pray. Ignite a passion for prayer. May Virginia be known as a “state of prayer.” Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Virginia State Prayer Focus [http://www.alifeofblessing.org/content.cfm?id=2156] – This is a MUST READ!!!
[The original source was http://www.globalharvest.org/index.asp?action=virginia]

Blessings to see Virginia transformed to be a bright light for the world!