Will Your City Receive or Reject Jesus?

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Trye and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.” Luke 10:13,14

So two Sundays ago (12/21/25) we were all worshipping in our Sunday morning service. We were singing a song that talks about getting rid of all the clutter in our lives and asking Jesus to “take up residence” so we can love and serve Jesus as He is so worthy of being loved and served. While singing that song I began to think about the townspeople of the Gerasenes, who asked Jesus to leave their town even though He had just miraculously healed and delivered a man who was so demonized no one could get near him and no one could help him or control him. I then felt led to open my Bible and see where I landed – sensing that God might be giving me a spontaneous word or a revelation or a teaching per I Corinthians 14:26 which says,  “What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.”

To my surprise I landed in Luke chapter 8 right where the story of the demonized man was. (And no I had not read that passage anytime recently and no I did not know what chapter of what gospel it is in).

Because our worship leaders know to provide a short window for spontaneous Spirit led response when the presence of God is strong or manifested (as it was at that moment), I knew I had to speak up though I wasn’t sure what I was going to say. (See my P.S. below for more articles on I Corinthians 14 and the gifts of the Spirit).

Here is the message the Holy Spirit gave me, though not in the exact words I spoke that morning. My message was probably between 3-5 minutes.

First I explained to them what thoughts were going through my mind while singing that song and then reaching for my Bible and opening it up randomly and landing right in the middle of the story about the man demonized by legion (or many demons). I then shared it was clear that the Lord Jesus – the Lord of the harvest was challenging each of us to fight for our cities’ spiritual destiny – because Jesus wants to invade our cities and transform our cities, but our cities must receive Him and embrace Him regardless of how receiving Him initially might affect some aspect of the said city’s economy or how it might initially affect our relationship with family or friends, our jobs, etc.

If you are not familiar with this story in Luke 8:26-39, when Jesus was in the process of casting out the multiple demons from this horribly oppressed man, the demons begged Him to not cast them into the abyss, but rather to cast them into the herd of pigs nearby (vs. 32). Jesus granted their request, they entered the pigs, and the pigs all committed suicide by jumping off a nearby cliff (vs. 32c, 33). The herdsmen of the pigs ran into town and told everyone about this crazy unheard of event (vs. 34). Then the people of the town ran to this location to find the formerly demonized man sitting with Jesus “clothed and in his right mind” (vs. 35). You would think they would have been thrilled by his obvious miraculous transformation and deliverance. But instead they asked Jesus to leave their town, which He soon after did (vs. 37).

Because cities are going to be judged based on how they respond to Jesus in the final judgment (see Matthew 10:11-15) and because the living God has sovereignly placed each of us in a particular city  (Acts 17:26), and because He has commissioned us to “seek the welfare of the city we live in” (Jeremiah 29:7), it behooves we disciples of Jesus to fight for the eternal destiny of our cities. (See the P.S.S. below for more postings on God and cities).

Jesus, as the King of glory (see Psalm 24:7-10) wants to inhabit our cities, invade our cities, transform our cities. But He has to be welcomed and not shunned. He has to be invited in and not kicked out. And it is up to us to bind and loose and pray and fast and declare until He is embraced and sought after as He ought to be embraced and sought after.

Please don’t hear me saying every person in our cities should/could receive Jesus. We know that will never happen. But a number of times in human history Jesus has powerfully invaded a given city to the point where many received Him and most everyone else knew what was going on in their city was supernatural and of God; and they had a certain fear or reverence or respect for the God chasers – similar to what we see in Acts 5:13. I’m also reminded biblically of when Jesus shared with the Samaritan woman the secrets of her heart, and she ran into town and told the townspeople, their response was radically different than the people of the Gerasenes. Jesus actually stayed there another couple of days due to their positive response to Him (John 4:39-42).

Fellow disciple - are you gaining God’s heart for your city?  Do you pray for its leaders and influencers? Do you pray for its families, its children, its marriages, fathers?  Do you pray for its schools and businesses and sports teams and non profits etc.?  Do you pray for the church in your city? Do you mourn over the societal problems that plague your city? 

Brothers and sisters, you have the city transformer like none other living inside you. He is waiting to love your city and transform your city through you - His disciple and His minister of reconciliation. Please don’t listen to the enemy’s lies that it will always be this way in your city. He knows more than we sometimes what God can do through a man or woman whose heart is completely His (see II Chron 16:9).

Father, please give each of Your children Your heart for our cities. Help us see them as You see them. Help us feel about them as You feel about them.  Use us as Your fragrance emitters and kingdom ambassadors we pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.

P.S. If you would like to read more of my thoughts about I Corinthians 14 you might check out these articles/sermons: https://www.kingdomstreams.net/post/pursuing-the-greater-gifts-i-cor-14         https://www.kingdomstreams.net/post/pursuing-the-greater-gifts-i-cor-14-part-ii      https://www.kingdomstreams.net/post/tongues-the-ungifted-and-unbelievers

P.S.S. If you would like to read more of my writings about God and cities you might check out these articles:  https://www.kingdomstreams.net/post/does-god-care-about-our-cities-and-the-problems-they-face         https://www.kingdomstreams.net/post/a-biblical-theology-of-god-s-revelation-regarding-cities