Street by Street

An army takes a city street by street and neighbourhood by neighbourhood. In the same way, establishing a beachhead in a strategic locality and then expanding outward is a very effective way to take a city.

The spiritual pressure in a city is not evenly distributed, so the battle will be tougher closer to the spiritual stronghold that dominates it. The best place to start will be where the spiritual opposition is weak, such as the edge of a suburb or the spiritual boundary between two evil principalities. Christians are often heroic and rush to the toughest part of the city, whereas a wise general attacks where the enemy is vulnerable.

Jesus did not start in the key cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, or Tiberias where Herod lived. He built a stronghold in the fishing town of Capernaum in Galilee, where the spiritual pressure was not as intense, before pushing out to other towns (Matt 9:1). He only went to Jerusalem at the end of his ministry, when he had strong support.

Groups of Christian scan establish beachheads where God’s authority has full sway by coming together in a particular locality in a city or nation. If they do not submit to the political powers that control their city or nation, they will not be vulnerable to the spiritual forces these powers are releasing. The influence of God’s authority will expand out as people around the beachhead are drawn to Jesus.