Wherever we move to, I’ve begun to see it as Kingdom placement. For almost two years we lived in a place that was rated as having a 300% above the state average for rape and various other illegal activities including b&e, aggravated assault, larceny, etc. I prayed daily against fear and for protection every time I’d drive down the street.  I prayed over my wife and daughter and kept an eagle eye over anything that moved. After a while of that my heart grew for my neighbors as I got to know them. I began to pray over their lives as well, but I never stopped having an eagle eye.

Then some of the history of the area came out. I found out that my neighbor had killed himself in his garage which was in easy view  from our backyard. During his life he had illegal dog fights in his basement. I don’t know why he killed himself, just that he did.

When I came to this place, it was not one I wanted to live in. We had many difficulties with the house and then my own physical disabilities also kicked in making me feel even more trapped and in danger. We had followed His leading to this place, and daily I struggled with Him about it, and in that struggle was born a desire to pray and see things change.

Down the street, there was a drain that got plugged with leaves whenever it would rain. This was to me a physical example of the spiritual condition that I was confronted with. No one did anything about it. That part of the street flooded so much you’d have to go around the block to get in from the other side. Everyone knew what part of town we lived in and they all stayed inside because of fear. I drove my car up to it, got out and unplugged the drain. The homeowners on that lot let their dogs out first who charged at me, but thankfully they were behind a fence. It was the part of town where people had chain link fences all over their property, no one cared how it looked. Chains and locks were everywhere. When I unplugged that drain, the water rushed down so fast it scared me and I backed up. The homeowner must have figured out what I was doing and called his dogs back, but he never came out to say “Hi” or “Thank you”.

God spoke to me through that, He pointed out as it happened that all that needed to happen was to unplug it and the drain would take care of the rest. Likewise “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.  If I prayed, He would do the rest.

I began to pray for revival for everyone on my street, and on the next one and the next and so on everyday we drove by for those two years. If the drain was stopped up for the presence of the Lord then I considered my prayers to be a plumber, and I was excited for such an outpouring of the Spirit that would scare me.

After the two years, a door to move opened and we took it. I looked up the crime in the area of the place we were leaving one more time. I may not have seen the Revival I prayed for, but the map that was full of illegal activity two years ago was totally clear save one drunk driver on the outer edges of the mile radius.