My daughter, age 8, had been dreaming and talking about going to New York City for almost a year. She had a specific list of places she couldn’t wait to experience, “If only someone would take me there!”
As a former marketing and public relations manager, I had to laugh at how effective these companies are at marketing to children. This is out of context, but the Bible does mention that a “child will lead them” (Is. 11:6). And now being led by my own child, I took her to New York City, not realizing the Holy Spirit had put me there on assignment. Keep in mind that praying prophets and prophetic intercessors often find their steps being ordered by Almighty God for the purposes of intercession (Ps. 37:23). Hardly anything is just a coincidence.
The day before our departure, someone tagged me with a prophetic word about New York City—that it was to experience a monumental disaster in the time frame we planned to be there. I don’t even look at these words, as it requires no faith to predict a disaster. Since I had not communicated my travel plans publicly, it did catch my eye.
Coincidentally, however, Cindy Jacobs had written an urgent plea for prayer against terrorism on Oct. 2 but did not give a location (click here to view). I’m not inferring the location, but the subject and date caught my attention. And then finally another credible prophetic concern about New York was sent to me, although this one was undated.
Despite these coincidences, my peace remained solid and unwavering. I wasn’t afraid to travel, but I was now paying attention. We arrived at the hotel in Manhattan, received our room assignment, and then I randomly crosschecked my room number in the Strong’s Concordance. That was not something I did out of habit or superstitiously. I actually did that before I even thought about it.
Again, my steps and my actions were being ordered by the Lord. I was not surprised to see that my room number in the Hebrew Strong’s Concordance was a word for terror. Now I knew I was on a prayer assignment, although I still felt an absolute peace.
When His Government Increases, So Does His Peace
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Is. 9:6-7).
Spiritual atmospheres are real and discernable. There are some places that host a heavenly, angelic-filled atmosphere and it’s something you can feel. Other places host a darker and more demonic atmosphere and it’s also something you can feel. This is the gift of discerning of spirits in operation, and it causes you to feel the spirit of a place through your own senses (1 Cor. 12:10; Heb. 5:14).
These atmospheres are largely governed by people, however, by what they corporately and spiritually allow or disallow. When God’s people begin to advance God’s kingdom in a city or nation, then there occurs a discernable shift in the atmosphere. God’s peace begins to saturate that atmosphere and it is something you can feel. God’s peace is something you can see in people’s behavior and reactions.
Prayer Walking in Specific Locations
For example, I once was in Tiānfǔ square in Chengdu, China. (Our interpreter translated Tiānfǔ as “Heavenly Government.”) The square was heavily saturated with police, and you could feel the unrest on the land. I was told that the square had been a continual place of government protest by Buddhists, with some setting themselves on fire to make their point.
As we prayer walked the square, I became irritated at the lack of angelic presence. I thought to myself, “Why are there no angels?” I expressed my irritation to our host and we began to pray for God to release His angels to that place (Matt. 26:53).
As we continued walking the area, I was amazed and surprised to see a pillar erected to the “Angel of Harmony.” That was a powerful confirmation! God had already built His strategic plan into the land, even giving title and description of what He wanted established. It just needed an intercessor.
Another time, while in Beijing, I was speaking to a small group of Chinese in a public setting. I told them I was a Christian minister in America and asked them if I could pray for them. They all nodded their heads with approval. As I prayed, one woman proclaimed, “I don’t believe in your God, but when you prayed, I felt an unusual peace enter me!”
I responded, “That is Jesus! He is talking to you.” Jesus doesn’t always speak with words, but He does communicate with us through peace. This unbelieving Chinese woman had just powerfully encountered the King of Peace, and she will never be the same again.
And now here in New York City, I had been alerted to the plans of the enemy but also felt God’s governing peace working in me and through me. As I walked the streets, I simply proclaimed His peace and His kingdom. To further confirm everything, I felt strongly led to go to the United Nations to make a few prophetic proclamations before I left the city. I’ve never been there before, but once inside I realized that I had already been there in a dream one year ago! I didn’t know the location in the dream until I saw it with my physical eyes.
When the King of Peace Invades
Realize that while the enemy plots to steal our peace, the King of Peace is countering Satan’s plans weeks, months and even years ahead of time. The apostle Paul once told his troubled companions that “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20). The peace of God ruling and reigning in an atmosphere is a powerful weapon that crushes chaos, strife and demonic mayhem. It stops fighting in the streets. It prevents war in cities and nations.
Jeremiah had prophetically instructed the displaced Jews while being held by cruel captors. He said, “Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace” (Jer. 29:7). This principle remains true today.
When we pray for the peace of our city and our nation, we are building up a rock solid spiritual hedge in prayer. A hedge is defined as something that provides a defense or protection. Job had such a spiritual hedge (Job 1:10), lost it and then got it back. When he had this hedge, Satan couldn’t touch him. When he lost the hedge, Satan did all but kill him.
Blessing and destruction on Earth are reflections of what is happening in the spiritual realm. Build a hedge in prayer. Pray and prophesy the peace of God into the atmosphere of your city and your nation. Go to war, but go to war with His peace! And God’s peace will crush Satan underneath your feet. {eoa}
Jennifer Eivaz is a vibrant minister and international conference speaker who carries the wisdom and fire of the Holy Spirit. She presently serves as an executive pastor with Harvest Christian Center in Turlock, California, and is focused on raising up a passionate and effective prayer community that is tempered with love and hears the voice of God accurately. Jennifer loves the presence of God and is a prophetic voice to her church and to others. Her teaching style is authentic and aimed at the heart, having been built on her personal testimony of God’s incredible goodness and miraculous display in her life and in the life of her church. She is married to HCC Senior Pastor Ron Eivaz, and they have two wonderful children. She’s a featured writer for several online publications including the Elijah List and Charisma magazine. She’s also written a book titled The Intercessor’s Handbook.
For the original article, visit jennifereivazblog.com.
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