PLUS

Jeremiah 29:7 “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.”

I recently attended a powerful Christian conference that focused on the need of Christians to participate in government, preach about government, and pray for government. Three times during the conference the following rhetorical questions were asked:

• Who has ever fasted for our nation?
• Who has ever prayed an hour straight for our nation?
• Who has ever prayed 30 minutes straight for our nation?
• Who has ever prayed 15, 10, or 5 minutes straight for our nation?

These questions should be convicting, especially if the answer to one, some, or all is never. The speaker suggested that few in attendance could say yes to most of these. Shame on us, especially if we find ourselves spending more time complaining about our nation than praying for our nation!

We don’t have peace in our communities because we have not prayed and fasted for them. We don’t have peace in our cities because we have not prayed and fasted for them. We don’t have peace in our states because we have not prayed and fasted for them. We don’t have peace in our nation because we have not prayed and fasted for it.

PLEASE COMMIT TO PRAYER AND FASTING FOR OUR NATION. These rhetorical questions should convict us of a massive shortcoming in our Christian citizenship that must be resolved now!

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that Christians have failed to employ our most powerful weapon – prayer), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!
SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that our government fails to offer reasonable accommodation to sincerely held religious beliefs), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

Psalm 107:28-30 “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distress. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.”

Considering the previous post, what if America went to war tomorrow against an advanced adversary? During that war, what if America’s leaders decided to keep our F-22 Raptors in their hangars and were instead determined to wage war by commandeering a fleet of Cessna 172s from local airports around the country? How would we do over the fields of strife?

We would get slaughtered. No matter the skill of the pilots, such rudimentary weapons could not withstand a skilled and determined adversary employing advanced technology. No matter the friendly tactics, the strategic decision to employ the Cessnas instead of Raptors would lead to great loss. The inexplicable strategy to keep our greatest asset (admittedly, I’m a bit biased) out of the fight would be a pivotal and disastrous decision.

Christianity in America is getting slaughtered. No matter our personal skill, our rudimentary weapons are unable to withstand skilled and determined adversaries. No matter our tactics, our strategic decision to employ a variety of weapons other than prayer is leading to great loss. Our inexplicable strategy to keep our greatest asset out of the fight is proving pivotal and disastrous.

PLEASE UNHANGAR THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON IN THE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL. We are getting slaughtered, and must realize that it is the fault of our inexplicable omission.

Ephesians 6:13-18 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”

God offers us the strategic blueprint to fight our battles. We are to employ truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, the gospel, the Spirit, and the Word. Yet, there is one strategic element that underlies it all – prayer. It is the most powerful of all weapons, and must be a ubiquitous part of our battles – big and small.

But wait, how often do we fail to employ this war-winning weapon? How often do we enter into battle with other weapons, while the decisive one stays sheathed? What wars are we waging while the pivotal weapon remains holstered?

In the midst of a critical year for our nation, Christians must bring out the big guns. We must unleash our most powerful weapons. We must engage while employing every strategic element. We must exhaust everything we have. We must enter the battle with our full force. We must leave nothing in reserve. We must attack our enemy on all fronts.

We must pray like America depends upon it. It does!

PLEASE EMPLOY PRAYER ON THE FRONT LINES OF AMERICA’S BATTLES. Praying always should be more than a guide for our strategy. It is our strategy!

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that Christians preach far more about praying than they practice praying), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!
SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that the Planned Parenthood President is praising Obama’s Supreme Court nominee), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

Deuteronomy 28:7 “The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.”

The news of the colonists’ victory in Boston spread quickly throughout the land. The March 30th Philadelphia Evening Post declared the following:

“To the wisdom, firmness, intrepidity, and military abilities of our admirable and beloved general, his Excellency George Washington, Esq.; to the assiduity, skill, and bravery of our other worthy generals and officers of the army; and to the hardiness and gallantry of the soldiery, is to be ascribed, under God, the glory and success of our arms, in driving from one of the strongest holds in America, so considerable a part of the British Army.”

This victory gave encouragement to the weary and boldness to the hesitant. It greatly grew the cause of independence and gave the colonists a vision of the possible. The British loss started to sow seeds of doubt in their minds.  All of it was the result of a brief period of bold initiative by a largely untrained but faithful, hardy, and gallant colonist militia.

Christian victories in America, no matter how small, can give encouragement to the weary and boldness to the hesitant. It can greatly grow the cause of Christ and give other Christians a vision of the possible. Even a small loss can start to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of our adversaries. All of this can be the result of a brief period of bold initiative by an untrained but faithful, hardy, and gallant Christian militia.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE BOLDNESS TO ACT IN A WAY THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE AND EMBOLDEN OTHERS. Our acts of faithfulness, hardiness, and gallantry can quickly spread throughout our land.

Psalm 118:23 “This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”

The British quickly planned for evacuation (see previous two posts), though under constant threat of attack from the American position on Dorchester Heights. Occasionally, like on the night of March 9^th, the rebels tirelessly bombarded the British positions providing further motivation for retreat. When the British were ready for immediate evacuation, the weather prevented even that.

Then on the morning of March 17^th, 120 British ships departed Boston harbor in a full evacuation on a calm and clear day that allowed the colonists to enjoy a favorable view of the British departure. Of the British evacuation, Abigail Adams wrote “surely it is the Lord’s doings and it is Marvelous in our Eyes.” The colonists had boldly stepped out by faith and the Lord had intervened on their behalf. God’s advantage allowed the onlookers to marvel at Him.

Imagine the marvelous sight of America’s return to Christianity. Imagine the marvelous sight of a full evacuation and retreat of our adversaries as they recognize our God-given advantage. Yet, in order for God’s advantage to be apparent it requires us to prayerfully and boldly step out by faith for Him. The LORD’s doing will then be unleashed, and it will be marvelous in our eyes.

PLEASE PREPARE FOR AND PROMPT GOD’S MARVELOUS WORKS THROUGH PRAYER AND BOLD FAITHFULNESS. He is marvelous, and our prayerful faithfulness can enable us to be eyewitnesses of His doings.

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that we may face another ungodly presidential administration), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!
SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that some “Christian” leaders are endorsing ungodly candidates), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!