The Un-lock North Africa strategic prayer initiative is a campaign of CHI – Ministries and the (APN) Australian Prayer Network under my leadership. In August 2004 whilst praying on the rock of Gibraltar, the Holy Spirit indicated that one day He would take me to Morocco – something I had never contemplated. A visit to Morocco occurred the following September 2005. The visit was under the banner of a ‘cultural awareness’ excursion, exposing people to other cultures and expressions of life. As we travelled between the cities of Rebat and Meknes, the Holy Spirit strongly impress upon me the need for strategic kingdom breakthrough in prayer across the nations of North Africa. North Africa was not in my plans at all at that time, far from it: I was focused in other regions.

However as we drove, God spoke a word into my spirit from Isaiah, chapter 62 verse 10, … to (unlock) open the ancient doors (gates) and rebuilding the highway of righteousness from Gibraltar to Jerusalem. The clear impression I got was that God wanted me to return and lead prayer journey’s into this region of the world; to work in strategic and informed intercession for the purpose of opening up this region to God’s transforming love, power and grace; to see freedom emerge amongst its people and to make way for the fulfillment of His prophetic word to the region. Isaiah chapter 62:10 and chapter 19, verses 23 to 25 provided background and focus concerning this mission.

In 2006, I formed our Strategic Research Unit (SRU). This unit has become key to building explicit national profiling on our target nation by gathering information around areas such as; demographics, culture, religion, history – both ancient and modern, along with specific spiritual revelation. From this collective information we develop our ‘meta-narrative’ on a nation and its people groups, which enables our prayer teams on the ground to be guided by the best intelligence we can offer. All our team members read this dossier before spending several weeks seeking prophetic revelation from the Lord for the places we visit. This was the genesis of the Un-Lock North Africa campaign that has now seen Australian teams visit all five nations of North Africa, including three Mediterranean gateway nations. From 2007 to 2012 we have prayed our way through Morocco, Gibraltar, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Malta, Istanbul and Algeria. God specifically revealed to us to include in our assignment the three spiritual gateways that exist across the Mediterranean region. They are Gibraltar in the West (Western Gate), Malta in the central Mediterranean (Central or Northern Gate) and Istanbul – Turkey in the East (Eastern Gate).

Many were surprised in 2011 when tiny Tunisia ignited a desire among Arab youth for justice and good government. As the fires of protest took hold, strongmen dictators have been cast down. The Lord spoke to the team in 2009 that, “Tunisia would be the thin-end of the wedge, that would open up North Africa” and as we’ve now seen, the rest of the Arab World in general. Words of a similar nature relating to places like Egypt and Libya were also given as we traveled there in 2008 and 2010.

As those who are to be able to read the signs of the times, we need to look beyond the media headlines and ask God what He is doing, especially in this region of the world.

Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. Isaiah 62:10 (NIV)