By Alex Murashko

A group of five men say they are following orders from the God of the Bible, to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), while driving 1,254 miles alongside the border between Texas and Mexico in conjunction with tent revival services that began in El Paso last Thursday (3/21).

In his social media post shared on Monday, Pentecostal preacher Tony Suarez called the team a “prayer army” that is speaking the name of Jesus “over every mile of the southern border” and are intercessors that are “praying in the spirit over every mile.” 

The church services and outreaches held in Texas cities, and the prayer team’s drive along the border are part of a movement dubbed “Revival on the Border.” Suarez, along with his ministry, Revivalmakers, and Christian churches and ministry partners, believe that issues surrounding the nation’s immigration policy cannot be solved by government or man-made plans but by calling out to Jesus.

Three members of the Revival On The Border Prayer Army who spoke with Think Eternity News shortly before departing on their mission on Saturday evening, said their decision to be a part of the prayer army was an easy one. 

“There are some things that we are supposed to pray for, right? But in this situation, I said ‘yes’ immediately because I am so passionate about doing this,” Moses Gonzales told Think Eternity. Gonzales and the rest of the small but powerful prayer army are from Southern California and are pastored by Jay Haizlip of The Sanctuary church in Costa Mesa.

When asked about the very evident passion that he holds for the mission assignment at the border, Gonzales said, “This is very personal to me. My mother crossed the border [and during the crossing] got raped by a coyote [person who smuggles immigrants across the border] and that breaks my heart.” He explains that it is because of his mother’s suffering in the aftermath of the rape while still finding a home in the U.S., a place for him and his siblings, that praying against such evil is important.

Gonzales said he will be praying during the mission for those who are suffering and broken hearted. “I know there's somebody out there that needs a word of God and is looking for deliverance. I pray that whatever demonic activity that is taking place and for those altars of evil be broken in the name of Jesus. I pray for freedom.”

Javier Amador, the prayer army’s leader said the passion that members of the mission have “comes from our parents being migrants themselves and then crossing over whether it be the right way or the wrong way.” Talking about what the team will be doing, he said, “It's not about screaming into the border or seeing the breaches at the border. It's more about bringing Jesus to the border and allowing the people to see what dwells in this [prayer] army.”

Amador describes his team by saying: “These guys are thunder. Each of these men can pray for hours and they can pray until they lose their voices. That's how passionate prayer and intercession is for us. These men have developed intercession prayer, that cry, that hunger for even someone else who we don't know. We've traveled all the way over here and we're going to continue to travel for the glory of God.”

Team member Samuel Martin said he has been transformed by God from a person whose past includes a constant sinful “party” spirit to someone on fire for Jesus.

“I'm going because the Lord called me to,” Martin said. “I know that with the group of men that I'm with and in the reverence that they carry for the Lord, the passion that they have for the Lord, the wisdom, the experiences they've had they've had with the Lord that we're here to break chains [spiritual oppression]. I know that we're here to move in authority and watch God do what He has been wanting to do.”

Alex Murashko is a journalist and writing team leader for Think Eternity, a site for powerful faith content to help you live the fulfilled life in Jesus. Murashko is also founder of Media on Mission.

Connect on X (formerly Twitter): @AlexMurashko.