In South Africa, there are specific challenges facing the farming communities. The most pressing ones are: the severity of the continuing drought, confusion regarding land re-distribution and also ongoing farm attacks. The Lord is the only One who can help and intervene in situations which might seem hopeless and overwhelming in these communities.

The purpose of this article is to share a ‘prayer watch’ strategy which the Lord has provided as part of securing farms in South Africa. This strategy can be adapted to fit scenarios and challenges in different areas across the nation. The main focus is not to set up physical farm watches which are often already in place, but rather to add a ‘prayer watch’ or ‘prayer shield’ – as it is the Lord’s desire that every farm and its people in the nation should be saturated by name with intentional, focused and persevering prayer. We should not only pray for protection, but also for the advancing of the kingdom of God.

 

The strategy

Physical farm watches as well as ‘Farm Prayer Watches’

Similarly to the time of Nehemiah when they rebuilt the walls with one hand while holding their weapons in the other hand, we are in a process of building the ‘walls of prayer’ around our farms and farming communities. At the same time physical watches are set up on the ground in the natural against any possible intrusion or farm attacks (Nehemiah 4:16-23). Physical farm watches are often already in place on most access roads to farms, with people daily patrolling them. The goal therefore is to also establish ‘Farm Prayer Watches’ along each road in every farming district across the nation.

This may seem like a very daunting task, but the Lord has given a simple strategy. (See: ‘How you can participate’). The article also provides easy to follow Prayer guidelines that you can share with others.

 

The prayer focus

The focus for each Farm Prayer Watch is as follows:

• Every farm to be prayed for by name (uninhabited farms as well).
• Every farmer and family to be prayed for by name.
• All employees and families to be covered in prayer.
• All farming activities to be covered in prayer, e.g. harvest, day-to-day management etc.

The most important thing is for one person to just start.

 

How to get started

1. Do you live on a farm? If you live on a farm, then your farm would be located on a farm road, consisting of a few neighbouring farms on that same farm road.

2. Responding to the call: One person living on a farm which is located on their particular farm road, responds to the call to become a ‘prayer watchman’ for the road.

3. 10-15 Minutes: He/she commits to pray 10-15 minutes per day for every farm and farmer by name and to cover all staff and activities on the farms in prayer, according to the prayer focus above (Psalm 5:1-3). (Please also see the prayer guidelines below).

4. Approach others: If you know of one or two more Christians on your farm road, approach them prayerfully and invite them to join the ‘Farm Prayer Watch’ for your farm road.

5. Keeping contact: The Farm Road Coordinator sets up a WhatsApp group to share relevant information, Word prayers, warnings or prayer requests received from the physical farm patrols (the police or others). A regular prayer time e.g. monthly, could be arranged with all those who are part of the Farm Road Watch.

6. District Watch Coordinator: Trust the Lord for someone to emerge to become the coordinator for the whole town district in order to encourage everyone involved and to keep contact.

7. Combined prayer time: The District Watch Coordinator could organise a monthly or bi-monthly prayer meeting with all the ‘Farm Prayer Watches’ within that district, to encourage one another and to pray together.

8. Town residents: Residents of towns and cities should be welcomed to be part of ‘Farm Prayer Watches’ to support and join them in prayer. Someone living in a town and with a heart for farms, can decide to adopt a farm road in prayer, provided they can find the names and get to know the seasonal activities on those farms.

The Lord is faithful to help, to give wisdom and to provide guidance on how to connect with more people. Be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you!

 

Prayer guidelines

The focus of the prayers should not be to pray ‘against anyone’. The focus rather is to set your eyes and heart towards the Lord and to bring your petitions before His throne of grace, where you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:18).

• Humble yourself: Humble yourself before the Lord, allowing the Holy Spirit to search your heart and mind to see if there is any bitterness, anger, pride, rebellion, resentment, dishonesty etc. in your heart (John 16:8).
• Repentance: Repent of any convicted sins so you may stand before Him with clean hands and a pure heart (Nehemiah 1:4-11; Psalm 24:3-4; Psalm 51:10).
• Dedicate the land to Him: The Word teaches that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof and that the land first and foremost belongs to the Lord. Daily re-dedicate farms back to the Lord (Psalm 24:1; Leviticus 25:23-24).
• Stewards of the land: Ask the Lord to teach farmers to be good stewards of the land that He has entrusted to them (Luke 12:42-44; Genesis 2:15).
• Salvation of the lost: Pray for the salvation of everyone on every farm (Mathew 9:13). Pray for farmers to also have a shepherd’s heart towards everyone on their farm.
• Pray for families: For strong family ties and good interpersonal relationships. Pray for marriages to endure challenges. Times of hardship can take its toll on families. Pray that times of hardship will cause families to draw together and support one another.
• Restoration of relationships: There is often a lot of mistrust between different people groups and some political parties incite this even more. Pray for restoration and reconciliation of relationships between farmers and their workers/staff, and for the restoration of broken trust. Pray for a willingness to pray together. As people hear one another’s hearts in prayer, mistrust will fade (James 5:16; Acts 17:30; Acts 3:19).
• Serving one another: Pray for everyone on farms to learn to serve one another in love. No-one is elevated above or more important than another in God’s sight. Repent of all pride, misconceptions and misunderstandings that bring division. (James 4:10).
• Praying Word prayers: Share prayers from Scripture that specifically exalt the Lord. Declare His Word over the farms and on every road. His Word is Spirit and life and has creative power when we pray and declare it (John 6:63).
• Rain: Pray for rain in its season on each farm so there can be food in abundance, ensuring national food security (Leviticus 26:3-4).
• Protection: Pray for protection of farms against attacks, fires, calamities, pestilences, and for protection of health, etc.
• Infiltration of evil: Pray against the influence of individuals with evil intent who want to entice the hearts of unsuspecting and innocent people into rebellion and witchcraft (Psalm 91).

 

Practical ideas

1. Prayer groups: When possible, those praying on a daily basis can gather for a short time of prayer on one of the farms, once a week or every two weeks, rotating every time.

2. Involving farmers in prayer: After having prayed together for a few weeks, the prayer groups can also invite the farmers in that vicinity to join in a time of prayer and to share a meal on a regular basis – at a time convenient for them.

3. Scripture reading and prayer with employees: Farmers can be encouraged to start a time of sharing a daily Scripture reading and to pray with their employees. A simple guideline to assist them, can be to start by praying the Lord’s Prayer together, or other well-known Scriptures like: Psalm 23; Psalm 121 etc. Scripture prayers posted on the WhatsApp prayer group will be of great help to farmers who lead such times of Scripture reading and prayer.

4. Prayerwalking: Apart from praying on the group, prayerwalking on farms can also be done – praying at homes of employees, at water sources e.g. wells, rivers and dams, at the harvest fields, where livestock are held, and at the gates or entry to the farms. Christian employees can participate in these activities. Prayer for protection is important – not only from intrusion and farm attacks, but also against devastating fires, diseases in crops and livestock, or other natural disasters. If the area is too large to cover on foot, a prayer drive can be done as often as the Holy Spirit leads.

5. Advancing the Kingdom of God: Always pray for the kingdom of God to advance in every person’s life and on every farm. Prayer times with all staff and farmers on the farm roads can be organised where a Gospel message can be shared. Joint meetings for youth on farms can also be organised to expose them to the Gospel of the kingdom and leadership training. The Lord will guide and give His plans for every farm road/area.

 

Continue to build the wall

May the Lord give you grace to continue to watch and pray. Build a ‘wall of prayer’ around your farms for His glory, while at the same time keeping watch physically. May the Lord, when He sees your farms before His eyes, find a ‘wall of prayer’ around the farming community so that His plans and purposes may prevail in the whole nation.

Please consider studying the book of Nehemiah and follow his example of prayer (Nehemiah 1:4-11); his encouragement to rise up and build (Nehemiah 2:18); not to be discouraged by the enemy or by those who do not participate (Nehemiah 2:20; Nehemiah 4:7-9; Nehemiah 3:5); and to see all turn back to God, gather before Him to pray, read the Word and exalt the King of kings who lives and reigns forever as in Nehemiah 8 and 9.

For further information or questions, please send an email to kingsgate8@gmail.com

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