Strategic Prayer Outing – Historic Monroe (County Seat)

Armed with research and accompanied by members of Life Church of Monroe, a small team met at the Historic Courthouse in Historic Monroe to pray over the past and future destiny of the county.

Union County was formed in 1842 and its count seat had to be located within two miles of its center and was to be named in honor of President James Monroe. The Historic Courthouse where we chose to meet was built in 1886 and it is considered the single most significant property representing the history and development of Union County and its County Seat, Monroe.

Repentance and Thanksgiving

So from that place we worshiped and decreed that Jesus rules, reigns and is LORD over Union County. We repented for the history of slavery, for the shedding of innocent blood and for broken covenants. We prayed over the Confederate soldier memorial that stood at the entryway of the courthouse – we prayed to honor that they fought for their beliefs but again repented over slavery and disunity. We also  came against the past influence of the KKK.

And we prayed for fresh revelation as we looked over the landscape of buildings and felt we were immersed in at least the 1950s.

We recognized that Monroe was the industrial center of the county and was positively impacted by the railroads and key families such as the Belks, whose department stores are still an anchor of the retail industry throughout the Carolinas. And we thanked the Lord and acknowledged that it is the Lord who gives us the power to gain wealth.

We came against greed and pride. And we also came against the oppression that seemed to cast a shadow over at least some of the areas of Monroe. We prayed for the African American & Hispanic communities and for women to come forth. We decreed for all previously disenfranchised people groups to come forth. We further came against a spirit of Antisemitism.

Springs of new life

We prophetically prayed for restoration of the nearby springs as a sign that the Church once again would yield to the leading of Holy Spirit. We prayed for the hearts and lives of people to be touched and we repented for falling away from the Lord and falling into tradition and false structures. We prayed for the faithful ones, their families and communities, and that God would remember His promises towards them. We then prayed for the next generation – we prayed for them to be able to hear the Voice of the Lord and to respond to His plans and purposes for their lives.

We then journeyed to Camp Sutton where James and Cori  Favor (members of Life Church) live to prayer walk there in support of an outreach they are planning for that community.

Camp Sutton

Camp Sutton was the home of a  military base from 1942-1945. The first major unit there was a field artillery brigade and the camp was known as a “hardening” camp for soldiers going overseas. It was a strategic support center for the Carolina Manuevers which were exercises involving 350,000 troops that were used to evaluate U.S. Army training, logistics, doctrine and even commanders. And it supported a training center for both engineer units and truck regiments. Finally in 1944, it was a P.O.W. camp for captured German soldiers.

As we walked to break up any fallow ground from the past, especially from the POW camp era, we prayed in the spirit and prophesied over the destinies of the current residents.  May new signs, wonders and miracles begin to spring forth! May new training come forth as disciples are brought into the kingdom and may they be prepped for battle and support of the strategies of the Lord!