Reflections: We all acknowledge that God has great plans for America; however, our country may need to walk through some very hard things in the days ahead. I pray this message will give you insight about how, together, we can seek God to change the course of our nation:
Time is running out for America. Our country has been on the path of self-destruction for decades and is now on the verge of complete moral and economic collapse, with threats of attacks and war as well. Our nation hangs in the balance, and as God’s people we must take action now before it’s too late.
We have pushed God and His righteous ways out of our government, our classrooms and our culture. Even many churches have watered down truth, while hidden sin continues to be exposed in the pulpits and pews. Is it any wonder that God has been lifting His hand from our nation?
Let us turn to God’s Word in 2 Chronicles 7: 14 and check out what God requires of a nation …
Introduction: Chapter 7 is about the dedication of the new temple Solomon had built in Jerusalem. But, it follows chapter 6, which includes a lengthy prayer by Solomon beseeching God to hear the nation when they sin if they turn back to God and repent. After all the ceremony, which took place over several days, God appeared to Solomon at night (7: 12) and responded to his prayer.
Looking at this context we see that God’s oft-quoted "I will hear from heaven" must be qualified with the very next verse, His ears being "attentive to prayer made in this place" [that is, the Temple]. Not prayers in America, but Jerusalem. And if one sees how important the context and setting is here then it is much easier to follow the application: the "land" spoken of which God, upon prayer and repentance, promised to heal was Israel, not America.
The whole point is that this promise was made to the only nation on the Earth that had (past tense) a national covenant with God: Israel. And, thus, the only nation that could ever have expected corporate healing per this promise is Israel. America has nothing to do with this promise. America, as a nation, has no right to this promise. American Christians have no need for it.
But what about the Principle? Surely, someone might object, there must be some application for us? Yes. One is that God is faithful in all His promises. Even in those situations that don’t apply to us.
But one principle we cannot draw out from this passage is that we are able to pull a nation out of a moral nosedive, or into a "national revival", by the spiritual exertions of a Christian minority, however sincere. That is the promise not given. We have the proof of this in Ezekiel 14: 13 – 20.
What can we do?
If we will listen, we will hear God’s cry for the soul of this nation. The problems of this country are deeply rooted, and if we want real change, then we must go to the root of the problem.
We need a deep cleansing and work of God’s Spirit, beginning with the pulpits of America—the spiritual leaders of our land.
It’s been said that as the pulpits go, so goes the church, and as the church goes, so goes the nation. It’s true—before we will see a true great awakening, the church must lead the way in genuine repentance and engage in daily "nation-changing" prayer on a massive scale.
How do we begin prayer that will change the course of our nation?
First, the biblical solution is God’s people coming to Him humbly in unity, repentance and prayer (see 2 Chronicles 7: 14; Acts 2). This needs to happen church wide, with the pulpits of America leading the way.
Prayer that changes a nation must be:
1. Pure: We must not pray with hidden sin, for it is the prayers of the righteous that accomplish much. 2 Timothy 2: 22 says: "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."
The more we follow that which is good, the faster and the further we shall flee from that which is evil. The keeping up the communion of saints, will take us from fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness. Flee from sin, pursue goodness. Righteousness - whatever is just, holy, and innocent. Faith - fidelity both to God and man, improving that grace by which thy soul may be saved, and faithfully discharging the duties of thy office, that He may save the souls of others. Charity - love to God and man. Peace among all the members of the Church, and as far as possible with all men; but especially among those who invoke the Lord out of a pure desire to glorify his name.
Illustration: According to Greek mythology, sirens (sea nymphs) inhabited certain Mediterranean coastal areas. As ships passed by, the sirens sang such enchanting songs that the sailors, drawn by the music, would jump overboard and drown.
Odysseus was on a ship that had to pass that way. Aware of the powerful allurement of those songs, he ordered that he be bound with ropes to the mast and that the crewmen’s ears be sealed with wax to block out the tantalizing music of the sirens. Having taken such precautions, Odysseus and the rest of the crew were able to sail past without yielding to the lure of the sea nymphs.
As Christians, we should be prepared to resist any temptations to evil. We must hate sin and be so serious about not giving in to its allurements that we are determined to deny our desire to participate in it.
Are there recurring sins in your life that have been defeating you? Drastic measures must be taken. You must keep away from any enticements that you know would play into your weakness. The best protection against temptation is to heed the warning Paul gave to Timothy: “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness” (2 Timothy 2:22). That was good counsel then; it’s still good today.
2. Passionate: We must pour out our prayers like rain until God pours out His Spirit like rain on this nation. "It’s the effective fervent [passionate, intense] prayer of the righteous that accomplishes much" (James 5: 16).
Not any man’s prayer; not the prayer of a profane sinner, for God hears not sinners; nor of hypocrites and formal professors: but of the righteous man, who is justified by the righteousness of Christ, and has the truth of grace in him, and lives soberly and righteously; for a righteous man often designs a good man, a gracious man, one that is sincere and upright, as Job, Joseph of Arimathea, and others; though not without sin, as the person instanced in the following verse shows; "Elias, who was a man of like passions", but a just man, and his prayer was prevalent: and not any prayer of a righteous man is of avail, but that which is "effectual, fervent"; that has power, and energy, and life in it; which is with the Spirit, and with the understanding, with the heart, even with a true heart, and in faith; and which is put up with fervency, and not in a cold, lukewarm, lifeless, formal, and customary way: it is but one word in the original text; and the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "daily"; that prayer which is constant and continual, and without ceasing, and is importunate; this prevails and succeeds, as the parable of the widow and the unjust judge shows. Remember how Hannah prayed in the temple.
James makes it clear that our prayer needs to be “fervent” and “effective” (5: 16). God is not into ritual but reality. He wants us to avoid formulaic prayers in exchange for a persistent passion. We are to approach His throne of grace with a keen awareness of our need for Him.
Reflections: When we pray for others, we become partners with God in His work of salvation, healing, comfort, and justice. God can accomplish those things without us, but in His plan He gives us the privilege of being involved with Him through prayer.
When we intercede for a grandson in trouble, a mother having surgery, a neighbor who needs Christ, or a pastor who needs strength, we are asking God to provide for that person what we can’t provide. We are acting as go-betweens, asking God to direct His power in a specific direction.
3. Persistent: We must press in. We must keep praying and not give up until we see God crown our efforts and prayers with success. Elijah heard the abundance of rain coming on the land, and he prayed persistently until he saw it begin (see 1 Kings 18: 41-44).
If we will pray this way, God will change by the power of His Spirit the things the church has tried to accomplish for decades—if the churches across our land will become houses of prayer. Right now, pastors must hear God’s call to urgent prayer.
We know as Christians we should be salt and light, taking a stand for truth, influencing laws, legislation and the leaders of our land. But foremost on God’s heart are the multitudes of people racing toward an eternal hell.
This awakening is about much more than laws, legislation, politics or the economy; it’s about all the lost souls and prodigals in our nation. When the hearts and souls of our people are changed, then everything else will begin to change.
Now is the time for "the priests ... [to] weep between the temple porch and the altar" (see Joel 2: 17)—for those in the pulpits to set aside their own agendas and humble themselves before God in true repentance for the condition of our churches and nation.
Illustration: (i) A friend of ours has been a woman of prayer for many years. She has received countless answers from God, but sometimes she is disheartened because certain prayers for loved ones remain unanswered. Yet she keeps on praying, encouraged by the parable in Luke 18. This story features a widow who badgered a heartless judge for help and finally got it.
Jesus ended His parable with a question: If an unrighteous and disrespectful judge finally answers a pestering widow’s pleas for help, shall not God answer His own children who cry to Him day and night? (vv.7-8). the expected answer: “Of course He will!”
(ii) George Müller (1805-1898), pastor and orphanage director, was known for his faith and persistent prayer. Whenever he prayed for specific needs for his orphanage, God sent exactly what was required. Yet for more than 40 years he also prayed for the conversion of a friend and his friend’s son. When Müller died, these men were still unconverted. God answered those prayers, however, in His own time. The friend was converted while attending Müller’s funeral and the son a week later!
Conclusion: Our bad times are because of our waywardness. These judgments upon His people are to call them back to Himself and His blessings. 2 Chronicles shows the 4 actions needed to obtain the 3 special blessings. God has done what He has needed to provide for revival. Now we just need to follow up this God-given action plan.
It is time that we seek God’s healing upon our lives. We start with our own lives and then seek His grace to affect more and more hearts. We should not be excited about political matters on their own. They have no solution. They reflect the condition of the society. Nor should we put our confidence in more funding, grants, insurance, etc. These are nothing and can be removed in an instance if we have not God’s blessing. Let’s seek His face and His blessing.
Now is the time for us to fall to our knees in fervent prayer, for fivefold ministers to lead our churches in diligent prayer to turn America back to God. We need to pray for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and the love of God to sweep across our land, from the West Coast to the East Coast. We need to pray for a fundamental rebirth of this nation in righteousness and truth.
God is America’s only hope, and as the church we are accountable to be God’s voice, to be salt and light and to help lead this nation. Our voice must be united, strong and clear for all to hear.
Time is running out, and God is waiting on us. America is waiting on us. Why delay but act ~ Pray!
