When you think about prayer, what comes to your mind? During our usual church services, several prayers will be prayed. Prayer has become a customary formality in our church services.

According to II Chronicles 7:14, the church — the real church — is responsible for the condition of our land, our nation and society. God gave us that great mandate and along with the mandate, He gave us the authority (exousia) and the power (dunamis) to fulfill that responsibility. He gave us everything needed to fulfill the great responsibility of overseeing the great world that He created.

Our Father God had so much confidence in us that He left His world in our hands. How could He have such confidence in mere men? Because He created us in His image and likeness. He gave us His ability.

The church obviously is not exercising its God-given, God-ordained authority, but it is time that we rise up and take our rightful place. The time is now for the church to rise up and do what we were created to do.

When you think of the word “Dominate” what comes to your mind?

• Dominate: have a commanding influence on; exercise control over.

That’s what we have been ordained and authorized to do as the great Ekklesia of God.

• Ekklesia: an assembly or a group of people called together for the purpose of legislating and governing this earth on behalf of God.

We are ambassadors for Christ. The ekklesia of Salisbury is going to rise up and be the church that God has authorized and pre-ordained us to be.

We are authorized. Let’s exercise our authority.

Who’s with me?

While a lone prayer meeting is fine, considering the spiritual climate in Salisbury over the last few years, we need a prayer movement, strategic and constant. I believe that God has directed me to initiate this prayer movement.

I received an encouraging word from a fellow Christian 14 years ago that God was going to work through me to begin a prayer group in my area and that we would be very powerful. I had forgotten about the encouraging word and came across it while listening to old cassette tapes (it had been recorded).

At the time that I came across the old tape, I was leading a small prayer group at my local church. I assumed that this was the prayer group, but it wasn’t.

I believe that the time is now for that prayer group to be formed.

If the church doesn’t stand up and do something, Salisbury is going to grow darker and darker and we will be overcome with crime and murder. Talk is cheap and accomplishes nothing. There is strength in unity and numbers.

I have begun a Facebook page titled “I Sought for A Man” referencing Ezekiel 22:30-31.

“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

“Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God.”

If you feel led to become a part of this prayer group, please message me on the “I Sought For A Man” Facebook page or you may contact me at ISoughtForAMan@gmail.com.

Angela Smith is a minister and a resident of Salisbury.