IHOP Atlanta

God has amazing plans for the city of Atlanta. He has strategically developed Atlanta to become an internationally powerful city. It is, perhaps, one of the world’s top 10 most powerful cities. It is home to the busiest airport in the world and is a hub for international business and commerce. These are profound natural truths that point to Atlanta’s redemptive gifting.

I believe that every geographical location has a redemptive plan set forth by the Lord. It is clear from the scripture that the Lord is interested in geographical locations and has plans for them by His treatment of the boundaries of the Nation of Israel. (Gen 12:1) Let’s consider the history of the names of Atlanta in light of the truth that Atlanta indeed has a Sovereignly ordained redemptive calling.

Atlanta was originally named Terminus in the late 1800’s. This name was given to it because it was the end of the eastern railroad. It was later changed to Marthasville after the daughter of the current governor. And then finally it was named Atlanta, primarily because of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Each of these names has significance as it relates to the plan and calling that God has for the city and the counter plan the enemy has for the city.

Terminus

Terminus is a Greek derivative of the word terminal which literally means fatal, lethal and deadly. While the city was named Terminus for the natural railroad, the word also dictates a spiritual reality that has been imposed upon the city. That spiritual reality is that there is a spirit of death upon the city. Throughout the 1990’s and the early 2000’s Atlanta has consistently ranked in the top 5 in the nation according to the FBI in homicides per capita per year. It is one of the most dangerous cities in which to live in the U.S. The murder rate is almost double the national average. I believe that this is a natural expression of the spiritual reality that there is a principality of death over the region.

Marthasville

The second name that Atlanta was given was Marthasville. Within this name is also insight into the nature of the spiritual climate over Atlanta. We know scripturally speaking that Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus of Bethany. (Luke 10:39-40) While Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, Martha was “distracted with much serving.” I believe this is a picture of Atlanta. The pace literally steals from the church’s devotion to Jesus. I have been in few cities where the pace is as frenzied and hectic as in Atlanta. I can sense the pace every time I leave Atlanta and then return. As soon as I get off the plane in the airport I can sense in the spirit the frenetic pace of Atlanta. There is a busy-ness about Atlanta that attempts to catch those who live here in its hurried tempo.

New Beginnings

Finally, the name Atlanta literally means “New Beginnings”. Atlanta is called to be a place of new beginnings, a place of fruitfulness and salvation. Yet, much of this world class city’s fruitfulness in the spirit has been challenged and stolen by its rapid pace and the spirit of death upon the city.

The R&R

In March of this year I was in Dallas, TX praying for Atlanta. While I was in prayer I saw a picture in my spirit. I believe the Lord gave me this picture to give revelation regarding what the controlling principalities were over the city and what was giving them their strength. He brought back to my mind the name Terminus. He impressed upon me that it was the name of the spirit of death over the city. I saw an ‘X’ and an R&R like a railroad sign. In my heart I heard, “It’s the R&R that gives Terminus its strength.” I thought, “What is the R&R?” Immediately the answer came, “Racism and Religion.”

The Lord showed me that Racism and Religion, the R&R, are the controlling spirits over this region and that they empower Terminus to grip Atlanta with death and murder. Racism and Religion are two strongholds that are rooted in hatred and seek to murder. It is obvious that Racism is rooted in hatred but at first glance Religion seems different. Religion seems to be about tradition and ritual and not hatred. However, after a quick study of the scripture you will find that the Religious elders were so envious of Jesus that it drove them to murder him. (Mat 27:18) In fact those who were controlled by the religious spirit in the New Testament regularly sought to murder (Acts 7:59, 9:2). It is stunning to recognize that it was praying, fasting men who had Jesus murdered. They had grown robotic in their devotion to God and the outcome was their heart became cold and hardened to the move of God’s Spirit and the revelation of the Messiah.

The Lord showed me that in order for revival to come in Atlanta that Terminus must be brought down and that would only happen through defeating the R&R, Racism & Religion. I again saw the “X” of the R&R sign. I believe that the Lord showed me that His presence is going to strategically inhabit 5 different areas across the city. The locations will be Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest and Central in the shape of an “X”. After the Central location is in place Racism and Religion will be dislodged and Terminus will fall. Once that takes place true revival will break out across the entire metro area.

I was also strongly impressed that one of the key facets to bringing down the R&R over Atlanta is night and day intercession for justice. As the saints cry out to God for justice for Atlanta, to make the wrong things right and restore this cities’ redemptive calling that He will avenge them speedily (Luke 18:8).

Luke 18:7-8 “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily…

There is a clear requirement for the speedy justice that God has promised. The Lord stated that He will avenge speedily those who cry out night and day. Many desire to see God move in Revival, yet we have yet to meet the requirement of night and day intercession. I believe that it is God’s desire and intention in this season to see 24 hour prayer and worship established in Atlanta so that He may break in with unprecedented power and true revival.

After I left that place of prayer in Dallas, I was riding in a car considering what I felt the Lord had shared with me. I thought to myself, “Did I make that up?” “Was that me or was that really the Lord?” I immediately asked the Lord to confirm it to my heart if it was in fact His Spirit speaking to me and not my own mind. The instant I prayed that simple little prayer I looked up and saw a railroad sign with the “X” and the R&R. The Holy Spirit witnessed to my heart that it was indeed the Lord speaking.

The Gate City

Here is the power of the redemptive gifting of Atlanta. Atlanta is historically known as the Gate City of the South. Once the heavens over Atlanta have been opened and the Glory of God has invaded the land, I believe that it will rip open the entire Southeast to the invasion of the Glory of God. When the Southeast opens the entire nation will be affected and when the nation is affected the world will be affected. God has commissioned Gatekeepers in the Gate City to open the Gates so that the King of Glory will come in.

As we saw earlier one of the redemptive callings of Atlanta is to be a city of New Beginnings. As the King of Glory invades Atlanta there will be dramatic numbers of salvations and great deliverance. Atlanta will truly become a place of New Beginnings for multitudes of people.

The Airport as a Sign

The scripture is clear that spiritual truths manifest first in the natural and then in the spirit.

1Cor 15:46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.

I believe that the Atlanta airport is a natural sign of a spiritual truth. The spiritual truth is that Atlanta is called as a missions sending agency to the world. Just as the Atlanta airport sends people to the world more than any other airport in the world, so shall the church in Atlanta send multitudes to the nations. The greatest revival the world has ever seen will become the greatest missions movement the world has ever seen. The revival and the missions movement will become one reality. Atlanta is redemptively called by God to send missionaries burning with Holy passion and revival fire to the nations.

Further, just as the Atlanta airport gathers the world and operates as a hub of interchange, so Atlanta shall be an international gathering place for those seeking spiritual awakening. Atlanta will truly become a place of new beginnings for the nations. The spirit of death has tried to steal the Life of God from Atlanta’s redemptive calling. But God is awakening His Bride in this hour to bring speedy justice. The redemptive calling of God on Atlanta will be restored! The power of God will flow to the world from this city. God’s plans and purposes are truly great for this international city.

Beloved, this is an incredibly exciting time to live in Atlanta. God is raising up the Tabernacle of David, 24 hour prayer and worship, to ignite revival in the land. Let’s agree together to see God move in power and might in this season in Atlanta, the Southeast, the Nation and the World.