Love Your City, Don’t Leave It
By Senior Pastor Prince
Guneratnam
We do not need to understand
when we talk about cities? Are we talking about tall high-rise buildings,
beautiful highways and efficient transport systems? What does it mean to love
your city and not leave it? Cities are where there is the greatest
concentration of people. We need to reach the people who live in the cities
with the gospel. That is the reason why we must love our city and not leave it.
Like fisherman, we must go where the fishers are.
Cities are keys to the
nations. It is in the city that you find the generator of progress, the
pro-genitor of new lifestyles and the centre of education. The city is the seat
of most governments. Win the city and you win the nations.
Challenge of the Cities
Cities, however, are Satan’s
strongholds where every kind of conceivable wickedness is found. They are
fountain heads for anti-Christian sentiment. People are materialistic and seem
to indicate that they have no time for God.
There is phenomenal growth
in the number of cities today. Let us look at some statistics:
In 1900, there were 11
cities with a population of one million or more; in 1950, there were 71 such
cities and it is estimated that by the year 2000, there will be 312 such cities,
of which 58 will have a population of 5 million or more. Mega cities are indeed
springing up. This indicates a tremendous shift from rural to city living. What
a challenge for us!
More than 55% of the world’s
population is found in cities. 10 cities in the world will boast of a
population of 20 million by the year 2000 and of these 6 will be in
Someone said this: “Every
second, one non-Christians is added into the city. In every hour, 3600 dies
without Christ.”
God Loves Cities
God love cities and they
have a part in His plan. He showed great concern for them.
In the book of Jonah, God
told Jonah to arise, go to the city of
In the New Testament, the
Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul to the city of
The Word of God, therefore,
clearly indicates the need to take the challenge and reach out to cities.
Pentecost is the Answer
Jesus told His disciples not
to leave
The Pentecostal experience
is for you today. “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all
people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions,
your old man will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will
pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. The promise is for
you and your children and for all who are afar off – for all whom the Lord our
God will call” (Acts
We are people of signs and
wonders. God wants us to be such. If God is on our side and we are sensitive to
what he is saying, then it is possible to see the
I would like to share with
you a Biblical strategy from the book of Joshua. In it, God told Joshua that He
had given the land to him but he would have to go and take possession of it. I
myself have put these principles into practice and have seen God give the
victory.
The Biblical Strategy
Forget the Past and Believe God For the
Present
Moses was a great hero in
the eyes of Joshua. The temptation is to think that God would not use anyone to
do greater things than Moses. Therefore, God had to say to Joshua, “Moses, my
servant is dead and I will give you every place where you set your foot”
(Joshua 1:2, 3). God wanted Joshua to know that the days of Moses were of the
past and the days ahead could be greater days of miracles and victories for God
was leading the way. God is seeking to use men who will be willing and obedient.
We must be willing to let the past be history and have faith to see God greater
than the challenges. Our cities can be reached with the Gospel. There is a hope
for our cities.
It is God who gives us the land or City
“I will every place where you set your foot….”
(1:3). We must remember that it is the Lord who will give us the victory over
the city. God is our refuge and strength. We have no might or power. If we will
go in the power and might of the Lord, we will win over our city for Jesus. Our
God is a giving God. He gave bread, meat and water when
Know that you are a Victor in Christ
God said to Joshua, “No one
will be able to stand up against you all days of your life” (1:5a). Do not be
discouraged or put be off by threatening and outward display of worldly
strength. We are more than conquerors, Paul said. No weapon formed against us
will succeed. Therefore, we must be bold and courageous in our going with the
Gospel. We must also be wise like serpents but harmless like doves.
Finally, believe that the Lord is with
you
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you…”
(1:5b). You are not alone in your ministry. Compare this with Matthew 28:20.
The one who promised us the victory is also the one who goes alongside with us.
If we go with Him, we will succeed and the church will be a triumphant church
in the city.
This article was adapted from a
message presented at the 15th Pentecostal World Conference in
Issue No. 8, April – June
1990