“…intended to build a town that would be the religious and educational center for the area.”

Twenty years later the first college was established and today, the city of Auburn hosts one of the best universities in the nation.  Countless leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs and world changers graduate from her halls every year.  Likewise, the climate of Auburn is also spiritually charged with the activity of believers laboring to reach and equip the next generation of marketplace influencers.  In God’s providence this simultaneous equipping of students both academically and spiritually, is uniquely fulfilling that dream of long ago.

Cities, just like people each possess a strategic destiny in partnering with God’s purposes on the earth.  Typically the varied gifts, pursuits and talents abiding through people living and working within the city can reveal the city-wide vision and mandate.  For instance, Jerusalem, is a city God has chosen to place His name  and establish His kingdom rule when He returns.  We know this by studying the clear prophetic promises made about her in the Bible and by the history that has unfolded there as a result. Understandably, Jerusalem has also been a perpetual battleground between the forces of light and darkness since it’s coronation.  Ultimately though, God will forever make Jerusalem a praise in all the earth and will Himself dwell there for all eternity.  (See Isaiah 62:6-7; Rev 21:2-3)

Likewise, Auburn has it’s own unique calling and destiny to love and glorify God.  When considering what that destiny is, we first look to what the Bible says regarding His desire for all peoples.  Then, within that biblical context we can look at the history of our city considering how it came to be what it is today and how it is uniquely positioned to serve God.  (ie., Judge John Harper, city history, etc.) The historical evaluation should also include a review of key prophetic words released and judged by the church of the city.

Auburn being a city built around a University is uniquely positioned to influence the world. Universities not only provide students with training to engage the world around them, but also directly shape the minds and values of those students. Depending on the values attached to the training, this can ultimately affect the kind of influence those students have when they graduate and enter their new vocations.  So, within this broad stroke we can already see how strategic her role is in impacting and shaping culture everywhere and why we must earnestly contend for God’s kingdom and values to fuel her endeavors.

One day we believe Auburn could be a center of revival set ablaze with love for Christ and His purposes in the earth!

Prayer Directives

• Revival and Awakening

• Protection of Students and Residents

• Freedom from Strongholds of Darkness

• Wisdom and Revelation (Destiny)

• University and City Leadership

• Internationals living in Auburn

• Auburn Alumni and Marketplace Missionaries

• The Body of Christ

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues”  -Mark 16:17

Two frequently asked questions about deliverance are:  1.  Can a Christian have a demon?  2. How do you know if you or someone you know has a demon and needs deliverance?

1.  Can a Christian have a demon?

The answer is YES, a christian can have a demon. Have you ever wondered why you or even someone you know struggles so much in a certain area of life never seeming to overcome even though they passionately love Jesus?  When you have tried everything from altar calls, retreats and fasting to self-help books, but the problem still persists, its time to seek deliverance prayer. The difference is that deliverance prayer goes straight to the source of the problem and removes it much like surgery, whereas many other things serve more as band-aids or ointments helping the wound but never completely healing it from the inside out. The distinction between believers and unbelievers when it comes to demonic bondage is that the believer may suffer from a “demonic oppression” while the un-believer may actually be “possessed”. For instance, the spirit-man of the believer is alive and sealed by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation even if he is still influenced or tormented afterward by an evil spirit. Salvation is immediate but renewing of the mind and learning to live a holy life in obedience to God takes time. On the other hand, the unbeliever does not belong to Christ and is therefore still under the dominion of darkness and more easily susceptible to the demonic realm. The good news is that through faith in Jesus Christ anyone can receive freedom from demonic spirits.

2. How do you know if you or someone you know has a demon and needs deliverance?

Demons gain access to people’s lives in different ways. The most common ways are through sin or disobedience and generational curses. Sin is simply “missing the mark” by disobeying God’s divine laws and teachings as revealed in the Bible. This does not mean however that every time a christian sins, he picks up a demon. Rather, repeated and un-repented sins give demons legal ground to reside in one’s life and afflict or torment that person until the sin is dealt with and the demon cast out. Generational curses are sins that have been committed by previous generations in an individuals family line up to four generations.

“And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.” - Exodus 35:7

For example, if someone is involved in occult activity such as the “Free Masons” or “Witchcraft”, this can open doors for spirits to gain access and afflict subsequent generations in the same way. This area then needs to be brought under the blood of Jesus and repented of on behalf of the one who committed the sin. At this point the legal grounds and power of the enemy are broken and the demon must leave.  It’s helpful to research family history and learn the sins of the fathers or mothers to better understand how this might be contributing to demonic activity. Generally, you can tell if a demon is present if the person you know experiences one or more of the following symptoms. Prevailing illness, emotional disorder, addiction, destructive behaviors, fascinations with evil, compulsive disorders, mental disorders, recurring nightmares, etc. Sometimes it can be harder to detect the presence of evil spirits apart from the Holy Spirit revealing them supernaturally through the gift of the “discerning of spirits”. (See 1 Cor 12:10)

Deliverance Prayer - Setting the Captives Free

If you are a born-again Christian and walking in a level of wholeness and submission to Christ you can and should utilize the ministry of deliverance to cast out demons. Deliverance prayer is actually quite simple being no more than a verbal command to a specific demon to manifest and leave in JESUS name.

“Spirit of “Fear” I command you to leave in Jesus name!”

Deliverance prayer takes faith and perseverance so don’t give up! If the first time you pray nothing happens, pray and pray again. As you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to  reveal other demons that need to be expelled and continue until demons start moving out. You can tell that a demon has left when the person begins to yawn, cry, cough, belch or even throw up, so have a waste basket and plenty of paper towels near by. Sometimes the manifestations can be more violent and may require holding the person down. (Focus on holding down the arms and legs)

In most cases deliverance is more like a process than a quick-fix. At times the Holy Spirit can and will deal a death blow to a prevailing spirit during an initial time of prayer but in most cases deliverance is often a process of dislodging and uprooting demons one-by-one. Demons typically group in packs like wild dogs with an alpha-male (Strongman) at the helm.  For example, the spirit of “Fear ” may be the lead demon undergirded by others spirits such as, anxiety, condemnation, shame, rejection, etc. That is why even the name of a demonic host in the Gospels was, “Legion”. Legion was a military term used by the Romans to denote numbers of fighting men. A legion is made up of anywhere from 3,200 - 5,000 men. That’s a lot of demons grouped under just one name. Deliverance can also be compared to peeling back the layers of an onion. The less powerful demons on top moving out more quickly followed by the more powerful ones underneath. Faith and perseverance are vitally important in this ministry so dont be discouraged if it takes time to see results.

Since deliverance prayer is based squarely on the believer’s authority in Christ and what He accomplished on the cross two-thousand years ago, it is not a matter of skill, ordination, volume or technique but of exercising your spiritual authority.

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” -Col 2:15

“Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  -Luke 10:19

When ministering deliverance it’s best to have other believers present assisting in prayer and caring for the person being delivered. After expelling demons it’s always a good practice to ask the Lord to fill the person with more of the Holy Spirit and bind any remaining demons from manifesting anymore. Afterward, counsel the individual to walk out his or her deliverance through dedication to a holy lifestyle and actively resisting sin.  Further deliverance may be required so set up another time to pray again before parting ways.  It is a good idea to do an in-depth study for yourself in the area of deliverance while also seeking out people or ministries who demonstrate effectiveness in ministering deliverance and can provide training.

For more information check out the following websites:

http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/deliverance_ministry.php

http://pullingdownstrongholds.com/index.htm

http://www.wccd.com/

Join a growing movement of students and student mobilizers from across the nation committed to reaching the lost on their college campuses. Student Church is a student missions organization focused on equipping and resourcing students to plant simple churches in the many communities represented at their university.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” -Matthew 28:18-20

For more information and to join the on-line community click here.

Student CPx

Student CPx is the hands-on training arm of www.studentchurch.org. The training is an opportunity for students and mobilizers to be equipped in the practicals of planting simple churches in student populations. The context of the training is done on the college campus and anchored in 24/7 prayer.

For more information and to find a CPx training near you click the link below:

studentcpx.org

Below are a few keys to help you successfully take the plunge and start a Prayer Furnace of your own:

Starting in the Spring of 2010, we will begin hosting a watch on the first Friday/Saturday of every month.  These will be held at the Auburn University Chapel on the corner of South College Street and Thatch Avenue unless otherwise notified on the website.  The watch begins at 5:00pm and ends at 5:00am the following morning.  All are welcome!

In the Bible we find many examples of people who “interceded” or prayed to God for others.  These faithful prayer warriors were used of God to turn entire nations back to righteousness, avert judgment, cause draughts, end draughts, rout entire armies and turn cities upside down for Christ all as they first sought the Lord in prayer.

In Old Testament times, the appointed priests or “Levites” were set apart exclusively to give offerings to God and make blood sacrifices as atonement for theirs and the peoples sins.  Once a year the High Priest would enter into the Most Holy Place and sprinkle the Mercy Seat with the blood of bulls and goats to make a yearly atonement for the sins of Israel.

In the New Testament Jesus became the High Priest of our faith forever.   (See Hebrews 4:14) He made the ultimate act of intercession when He offered Himself to God on a cross making atonement for the sins of the entire world with His own blood.    Although Christ is now in heaven and sitting at the right hand of the Father He still lives to make intercession for us.

“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25

Being hidden in Christ we too can join Christ in the ministry of intercession as we cry out for people and nations who need God’s justice and mercy right now. Intercessory prayer is not a unique or special gift, but a call for ALL believers who have placed their faith in Christ and desire to see God’s kingdom manifest on earth!

Articles on Intercessory Prayer:

http://www.allaboutprayer.org/intercessory-prayer.htm

http://www.gotquestions.org/intercessory-prayer.html

http://nhop.com/resources/12_Types_of_Intercessors.pdf

http://nhop.com/resources/Prayers_of_Jesus.pdf

Intercessory Prayer Ministries:

http://www.ihop.org

http://www.theluke18project.com

http://www.thecall.com

http://www.generals.org

http://www.dutchsheets.org

http://www.glowtorch.org

http://www.globaldayofprayer.com

http://www.burn24-7.com