Now, therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all the people, to the land which I am giving to them‌Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given to you. Joshua 1:2-3 Today, as the body of Christ at Crossgates Baptist Church, we rise up and in prayer we take dominion over the schools our children attend. We believe God has given us the privilege and responsibility to pray over and on each campus. We will therefore exercise our spiritual authority in Christ to bring each campus under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We will not allow the enemy to have our schools or the children of this generation. We will plead the peace, protection, power, and presence of Jesus Christ who shed His blood for every student, teacher, principal, administrative and support person who attends or works on these school campuses. God gave the land of Canaan to the people Israel. He had initially promised it to Abraham and then restated that promise to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and now Joshua. It was their land, but they must take it. Their biggest task was not overcoming the enemy who had taken possession of the land, but rather their own willingness to get up, cross over any obstacle and walk with the authority of ownership throughout the land. They were required to exercise their faith in God’s promise and take ownership. Like Israel, we must stand up, cross over and walk in prayer with ownership authority throughout the local schools our children attend. These schools belong to God and He has given them to us as a part of our spiritual heritage. We must now exercise the responsibility of ownership and pray. This prayer guide is a tool for you to use as you pray over the local school your child attends or the one the Holy Spirit has led you to for intercession. This guide is not a substitute for the Holy Spirit, but rather it is to assist you in following His leadership.
As you arrive at the school you have chosen to pray for, pay attention to what’s going on around you in both the physical and spiritual realms. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Walk the campus and pray. Many will be walking around the school campus seven times as they pray. This may or may not be possible at your school. Teachers, coaches, and staff may be preparing for opening day. Don’t hesitate in offering to pray for and with them. God has not given you a spirit of fear—be respectful, but also be bold. If you are physically unable to walk or the heat is dangerous for your health condition, park on the school property and feel free to pray from your car.
A Time of Personal Cleansing (Consecrating for Warfare) Finally, I confessed all of my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And You forgave me! All guilt is gone. Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is time that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment (Psalm 32:5-6). • Be still before the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit if there is any unconfessed sin in your life. Deal with all known sin in your life. If I regard iniquity in my heart the LORD will not hear me (Psalm 66:18). • Confess each sin as the Holy Spirit reveals it to you. “Lord forgive me for ______________.” Be specific in naming the sin and then receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). • Consecrate yourself to be totally obedient to God’s will in your life and prepare to intercede for this school and its administrative staff, support staff, teaching staff and students. We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey His voice (Joshua 24:24).
A Time for Putting on Christ (Preparing for Combat) Heavenly Father, I worship and praise you, for you alone are worthy of all glory and honor. Jesus Christ is my protection and my covering—He is my strong tower. I therefore cover myself with the powerful and precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I submit my spirit to your Spirit, my will to your will, my mind to your mind, and my desires to your desires. I will be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. I choose at this moment to activate and put on the full armor of God, so that I might be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. I give him no ground. Father I am prepared to pray in power and with authority. Give me boldness and direction as I intercede for the staff and students of this school. • I put on the belt of truth. Sanctify me in truth, Lord, for your word is truth. • I put on the breastplate of your righteousness. Lord enable me to reflect that holy righteousness and may the enemy be blinded by the brightness of your glory. • I put on the sandals of peace. Lord I will walk in your peace and will offer your peace freely to all. • I take up the shield of faith. Lord increase my faith as I walk with you and extinguish every flaming arrow the enemy may shoot. • I take up the helmet of salvation. Lord protect my mind and give me the mind of Christ. • I take up the sword of the Spirit. Help me to pray Scripture confidently and correctly. • I will pray at all times in the Spirit. Holy Spirit I yield to your control. Fill me.
A Time to Declare the Victory of Christ (Raising the War Cry) I declare that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings (Rev. 19:15). All things are in subjection and under His feet and He is over all things (Eph. 1:22). All authority in heaven and earth has been given to the Son by the Father (Matt. 28:18). The Lord Jesus alone is worthy to receive all glory, honor, power, blessing, dominion, riches and wisdom (Rev. 4:11; 5:12-13). He is the Word of God—the Faithful and True—and in righteousness He judges and wages war (Rev. 19:11; 13). He is I AM—Jehovah God—the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). I am in Christ (Eph. 1:1), and in Christ I am complete (Col. 2:10) and through Christ I come to enforce the victory of the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension. I am clothed in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:28)—who is the full armor of God (Eph. 6:11), which is the armor of light (Rom.13:12). In Christ, I am dressed for warfare and fully capable of doing all things through Christ, who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). He has skillfully trained my hands for war and my fingers for battle (Ps. 144:1). The high praises of God will be in my mouth and a sword in my hand and I will bind in prayer every enemy of my God with chains and fetters (Ps. 149:6-9). Today, I step onto this school campus as a son/daughter of God and as His representative, I am called to wage warfare against every stronghold of the enemy. I have come to destroy through prayer every vain speculation, demonic philosophy, deceptive thought, and spiritual lie that has raised itself up against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10:5; Col. 2:8). The strongholds on this property cannot withstand the weapons of our warfare, which are divinely powerful (2 Cor. 10:4). Hear the word of the LORD all you enemies of the LORD—Jesus Christ has defeated, disarmed and triumphed over you (Col. 2:15).
He has led you captive before the host of heaven in public shame (Eph. 4:8) and you will be cast down into the lake of fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels, where you will be tormented forever and ever. (Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41). The LORD rebuke you (Jude 9) and destroy every work of the devil in this place (1 John 3:8). I serve notice today in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that this land, this school, these administrators, this support staff, these teachers, and the children who will attend here do not belong to you. They belong to “El-Elyon”—the God most High. God has given His sons/ daughters this land by virtue of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and I have come to enforce the victory of the cross in this place. Through the prophetic act of prayer walking, I am taking dominion in the name of Jesus and walking out the promise that everywhere the sole of my foot treads has already been given to the children of God (Josh. 1:3). I exercise that right and privilege as a son/daughter of God and an heir of Jesus, who has seated me with Him in the heavenlies and blessed me with every spiritual blessing (Gal. 4:6-7; Eph. 1:3; 2:6). Today, I will listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and pray with power and in faith as He guides me. I have been called to bless this land and all who attend classes or work at this school in the authority of Jesus’ name. Through prayer, I will lift up and expose those areas under the domain of darkness and cry out to King Jesus for His kingdom to come and His will to be done here in this place as it is done in heaven (Matt. 6:10). Through prayer, these areas will be transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light—out from under the curse and into the blessing—this place will be transformed by the finished work of Christ and redeemed by His blood (Col. 1:13). In Jesus name!
A Time to Enforce the Victory of Christ (Invading through Intercession) And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:13-14 • Pray for those who are in authority over the school system and on your school campus. Ask the Father to guide them throughout this school year in the areas of personnel, finance, transportation, security and curriculum.
Rankin County School Board Members
Dr. Lynn Weathersby, Superintendent; Cecil McCrory, Vice President; David “Grumpy” Farmer; Fred Harrell, Board Attorney. Ann Sturdivant, President; Debbie Tolleson, Secretary; Dr. Ruth Burgess.
Pray for the College and University Administrators and Professors Belhaven College Roger Parrott, President
Millsaps College Robert Pearigen, President
Delta State University John Hilpert, President
Mississippi College Lee Royce, President
Hinds Community College (all campuses) Clyde Muse, President Holmes Community College Glenn Boyce, President Jackson State University Leslie McLemore, President
Mississippi State University Mark Keenum, President University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Dan Jones, President University of Southern MS Martha Saunders, President
Pray for the Principal(s) and their Administrative and Support Staffs Brandon Rouse Elementary – Kelli Adcock, Principal Stonebridge Elementary – Sue Townsend, Principal Brandon Elementary – Cindy Ponder, Principal Brandon Middle – Charles Frazier, Principal Brandon High – Buddy Bailey, Principal Florence Steen’s Creek Elementary – Angela Nichols, Principal Florence Elementary – Michelle Nowlin, Principal Florence Middle – Beverly Weathersby, Principal Florence High – Tony Martin, Principal McLaurin McLaurin Elementary – Suzanne Conquest, Principal McLaurin High – Bill Lenington, Principal Northwest Flowood Elementary – Kathy Martin, Principal Highland Bluff Elementary – Barbara McCool, Principal Northwest Elementary – Kara Killough, Principal Northshore Elementary – Rita Arender, Principal Oakdale Elementary – Janet Smith, Principal Northwest Middle – Jacob McEwen, Principal Northwest High – Richard Morrison, Principal
Pearl Pearl Lower Elementary – Canda Jackson, Principal Northside Elementary – Nikki Smith, Principal Pearl Upper Elementary – Joan Ishee, Principal Pearl Junior High – Karen Wilson, Principal Pearl High – Matthew Dillon, Principal Pelahatchie Pelahatchie Elementary – Devona Dew, Principal Pelahatchie High – Shane Sanders, Principal Puckett Puckett Elementary – Donna Bishop, Principal Puckett High – Wendy Clemons, Principal Richland Richland Elementary – Pamela Simon, Principal Richland Upper Elementary – Chris Bates, Principal Richland High – Richard Sutton, Principal
Private Schools East Rankin Academy Robert Gates, Head of School; Dee Gates, Elementary Principal; Robyn Winstead, High School Principal Jackson Preparatory School Susan Lindsey, Head of School; Trudy Powers, Junior High Principal; Luke Nealey, Senior High Principal
Pearl School Board Arthur F. Jernigan, Board Attorney Gazelle Carson Tracy Smith, Secretary Sondra Odom , President Raymond Morgigno., Superintendent Scott Copeland Brad Hayes, D.M.D.
Park Place Christian Academy Jeremy Nicholas, Headmaster Pinelake Christian School Leann Weathersby, Elementary Principal University Christian School Pam Ulrich, Head of School; Phil Hannon, High School Principal • Pray for the teachers at this school. o Ask the Father to give them a class filled with students ready to learn. o Ask the Father to gift them with the creativity and passion to reach every student. o Pray for integrity, character, love and professionalism to be modeled. o Pray a blessing of peace over their classrooms. o Pray for every teacher to have a positive impact in every situation. o Ask God to provide an atmosphere where every student will learn. o Ask the Father to grant favor and opportunity to every Christian teacher. Pray for their influence to increase and their testimony to be heard. Pray for their attitudes and actions to always be Christ-like. • Pray for all the students who will attend this school. o Pray for their emotional, intellectual, physical, mental and spiritual growth. o Pray for safety and security. o Pray for each student to have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. o Pray for each student to surpass the level their learning ability.
• Pray for the students in this school who know Christ and walk with Him daily. o That they might walk in wisdom. o That they will live in favor of God and with man. o That they will see their campus as a mission field and an opportunity to advance the Kingdom of God. o That all their work would be done as unto the Lord. o That Christ will shine through them. o That they will resist apathy and live in radical surrender. o That their desire will be a daily experience with God and a desire to invite others into that experience. o That they will fear God more than they fear man. o That they will think more highly of others than themselves. o That they will love the outcast and the hurting. o That they will have unity among all believers on this campus. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19).
In Jesus Name Loose: • The peace of God that surpasses all understanding • The security of God’s protection • The blessings of God • Hope in Christ • The love of God • The saving grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ the Lord • The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control • Freedom in the name of Jesus
In Jesus Name Bind: • Witchcraft and other occult practices • Anger, hatred, strife and murder • Homosexuality, lesbianism and bisexuality • Racism • Chaos and confusion • Drug and alcohol abuse • Promiscuity and fornication • Deceit • Poverty • Abortion • Destruction and death • Abuse and victimization • Unbelief • Relativism • Suicide
A Time for Blessing (Sealing the Victory) Father, in the name of Jesus I bless this school, its administrators, support staff, teachers, and students with a revelation and a manifestation of Your glorious and holy presence. I bless them with favor as they interact and learn from one another. I bless them with the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His overwhelming victory at the cross, resurrection and ascension. I bless them with the abiding presence of Your Holy Spirit, who will have free reign over this place. I bless their coming in and their going out. I bless them with freedom to be all that God intends. I bless their efforts and activities with fruitfulness. I bless them with the peace and the protection of Jehovah Sabbaoth (the Lord of Hosts). I bless them in the name of Jesus.