Spiritual mapping is the practice of identifying strongholds, sources of sin, and spiritual influences over a city or region for the purpose of focused intercession, informed spiritual warfare, and evangelism. It involves researching an area’s history to discern spiritual influences and strongholds that need to be addressed through prayer. The goal is to open up a region to the gospel by identifying and tearing down spiritual opposition.
Background on Spiritual Mapping
The phrase “spiritual mapping” began being used in the 1980s by Christian leaders involved in spiritual warfare and missions. The concept comes from the Bible, which speaks of invisible spiritual forces at work in the world (Ephesians 6:12). Spiritual mapping is an attempt to gain greater insight into these realities over a geographical area.
Practitioners of spiritual mapping will research the history, beliefs, ideologies, sins, and occult practices that have influenced a city or region. This helps them discern spiritual strongholds needing to be torn down through focused, strategic prayer. It equips intercessors to pray more effectively against demonic influence and for God’s kingdom to advance.
Purposes of Spiritual Mapping
There are several intended purposes and benefits of spiritual mapping:
- To gain insight into historical, cultural, and spiritual influences over a place
- To identify demonic strongholds needing to be torn down
- To allow for more strategic, targeted prayer
- To strengthen the church and open up regions to the gospel
- To equip intercessors and missionaries to pray and serve more effectively
- To gain wisdom for more effective ministry and evangelism strategies
At its core, spiritual mapping aims to facilitate more strategic prayer, spiritual warfare, and evangelism to see God’s kingdom expand in a given area.
What Does Spiritual Mapping Involve?
Spiritual mapping involves researching the history, culture, beliefs, and practices of an area to discern influences and strongholds affecting it spiritually. This generally includes:
- Studying the area’s geography and topography
- Researching settlement history and patterns of usage over time
- Looking at cultural developments and events tied to the location
- Identifying sins, ideologies, false religions, and occult practices influencing the area over time
- Researching significant leaders and influencers tied to the area throughout history
- Looking at sociological patterns and demographic data
- Identifying spiritual strongholds rooted in the area’s history and culture
This information is used to pray strategically against spiritual forces influencing the area and to remove obstacles to the gospel there.
How Spiritual Mapping Ties to Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual mapping is closely tied to spiritual warfare. After research is done through spiritual mapping, intercessors engage in targeted prayer and spiritual warfare to tear down strongholds identified over an area.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 explains this warfare dynamic: “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
Spiritual mapping informs this process of “destroying strongholds” through prayer. Believers are commanded to engage in this spiritual warfare using spiritual weapons of prayer, God’s Word, truth, righteousness, faith, and the gospel rather than physical weapons (Ephesians 6:10-18). Spiritual mapping equips for more effective engagement in this spiritual battle.
Cautions Regarding Spiritual Mapping
While spiritual mapping can provide helpful insight for intercession and spiritual warfare, there are cautions to keep in mind:
- Avoid viewing locations or objects as having inherent spiritual power, as only God has power.
- Be discerning about sources of information, as flawed sources can lead to false conclusions.
- Be careful not to stereotype groups or focus on demonizing cultures versus redeeming individuals.
- Avoid simplistic causal links between data points that may have complex historical relationships.
- Recognize spiritual mapping provides insight but only the Holy Spirit fully knows a region’s spiritual state.
- Avoid fear-based fixation on the demonic versus faith in God’s power and redemption.
Wise spiritual mapping is done with humility, wisdom, and dependence on God’s Spirit to reveal truth that can guide strategic prayer.
Biblical Examples and Basis
Though the specific term “spiritual mapping” is modern, the Bible contains examples of seeking spiritual insight concerning regions:
- Moses sent spies to scout out the Promised Land spiritually and physically (Numbers 13-14).
- Jesus perceived the spiritual condition of cities like Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, and Jerusalem and lamented their unbelief (Matthew 11:20-24).
- Paul analyzed the culture and idols of Athens to tailor his gospel presentation (Acts 17:16-34).
- Jesus commended the church in Ephesus for examining the claims of false apostles (Revelation 2:2).
These examples reveal awareness of spiritual realities over regions. Scripture also shows demonic strongholds over territories that are broken through Christ (Deuteronomy 9:1-5, Daniel 10:13). Believers are called to tear down spiritual strongholds through gospel truth (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). So spiritual mapping has a biblical basis, even if the specific term is modern.
Steps for Doing Spiritual Mapping
For those interested in spiritual mapping, here are some practical steps:
- Select the geographical area you aim to spiritually map.
- Research the area’s history from establishment to current day.
- Identify cultural developments, pivotal events, and key leaders.
- Note patterns of sin, idolatry, false religion, and the occult.
- Analyze beliefs and practices ruling over the area over time.
- Discern spiritual strongholds rooted in history and culture.
- Strategize for prayer walking, spiritual warfare, and evangelism.
- Recruit an intercessory prayer team to regularly cover the area.
- Be cautious in interpretations, yet bold in faith-led prayer.
- Trust God’s power and redemption can overcome any stronghold.
This provides a general process for conducting spiritual mapping of a city, region, or other geographical area.
Practical Applications of Spiritual Mapping
Spiritual mapping finds practical application in various contexts:
- Missions – Mapping an area helps missionaries better understand its culture and spiritual climate.
- Church planting – Mapping can identify areas needing more churches and strongholds to address.
- Intercession – Mapping aids praying over areas with greater discernment of spiritual influences.
- Deliverance ministry – Identifying legal rights, enemy footholds and strongholds can aid deliverance.
- Inner healing prayer – Mapping one’s personal history can reveal spiritual links to current bondages.
- Urban ministry – Mapping cities helpsstrategize to reach people and transform communities.
Wherever we seek to expand God’s kingdom and power, spiritual mapping is a practical tool to inform effective prayer and action.
Controversies Regarding Spiritual Mapping
Use of spiritual mapping has been controversial within the church. Concerns include:
- Viewing locations as having inherent spiritual power versus only God having power.
- Reliance on flawed sources, human interpretation versus revelation.
- Fear-based fixation on demonic versus faith in God’s sovereignty.
- Stereotyping cultures versus redeeming individuals.
- Unwise application without caution, humility, and wisdom.
- Minimizing personal sin versus societal strongholds needing corporate repentance.
These cautions reveal the need for wisdom in spiritual mapping. It remains controversial if done without discernment, balance, and reliance on the Spirit’s guidance.
Keys to Wise Spiritual Mapping
The following principles help keep spiritual mapping biblical:
- Submit all interpretations to the Holy Spirit’s guidance (1 Corinthians 2:12-16).
- Focus on Christ’s Lordship over all powers and authorities (Colossians 1:15-20).
- Confess personal and corporate sins rather than only societal sins (Daniel 9:1-19).
- Avoid fear or obsession with spiritual forces, keep your focus on God (1 John 4:18).
- Rely on prayer from a righteous heart more than ritual practices (James 5:16).
- Aim for redemption through gospel truth versus defeating people groups (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
- Discern human agents versus only focusing on demonic forces (Ephesians 6:12).
Spiritual mapping is a tool that requires God’s wisdom and guidance to avoid distortions and extremes.
Conclusion
Spiritual mapping involves researching historical and cultural influences over a geographical area to gain insight for strategic intercession and spiritual warfare. It has valid applications, yet also requires caution to avoid unbiblical approaches. Scripture gives many examples of God’s people seeking to understand spiritual dynamics over regions in order to advance His kingdom through prayer. The keys are relying on the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and discerning revelation versus human interpretation. Within biblical parameters, spiritual mapping can strengthen the church’s prayer and enable engaging in spiritual battles with greater wisdom and effectiveness for reaching people with the gospel.