MichelleBenthamI’ve gotten a lot of prayer requests this week for a cure for cancer – so I’m passing that along.
You know for the last couple of years I have been burdened to pray that the assignments of the enemy against our next generation would be broken as a nation. It seems there are more and more young people dying everyday in shootings, car and other types of accidents, suicides and drug related issues. That does not even count the deaths related to undiagnosed illness, cancer, and the like. So, I am asking that you join me in praying for these assignments to be broken. Declare it for your neighborhood, your city, your state. Take back these young lives and ask God to redeem the sorrow in the lives of those who have lost children that we may be a stronger, more vibrant nation for Him rather than a broken one.
Satan only has authority in these matters where we give it to him. Though there has been a “spiritual awakening” among the church-attending, Bible-teaching community in recent years that does not change the fact that the moral fabric and the Judeo-Christian values upon which this nation was founded (God, Family and Freedom) have been in steep decline in the last three decades. Our nation has opened the door to the enemy of God, and he hates us. No wonder we have epidemics like Aids, Food Borne Illnesses and Decaying Marriages. Children are being raised in Fatherless homes or they are being driven so hard to be “perfect achievers” that they miss the value of life. We are not handing off a spiritual legacy to the next generation of this nation as a whole – we are not. Let’s declare by Faith that we take responsibility for the role we’ve played in the decline whether it’s simply becoming complacent or whether its that we have lost sight of what is really important – or just figured our vote would not make a difference.
Let’s start asking God to be huge in our elections, our communities, our homes… And let’s start making an impact for Christ.
The Scriptures say that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven – will you agree with me that the enemy be bound out of our nation. That God would bind satan and his plans, schemes and demons against this nation OUT, declaring by faith in the name of Jesus that Satan has no authority here. We are taking back the ground we’ve lost all these years. We tell the enemy to go where Jesus would command him to go and then let’s get in the trenches and restore the foundations of faith that made this nation so great by praying them back into place. Declaring Scripture over our nation, our communities and our homes. Let’s get on our face and ask God to not only bind out the enemy but restore the heart cry of a nation that is bent on serving Him alone. We have an opportunity in this very time and place to be influencers, world changers and mighty warriors for our God. Will you stand with me?
You know the nation of Israel (The Northern Kingdom, Samaria) went into Assyrian Captivity to Nineveh long before the nation of Judah (The Southern Kingdom, Jerusalem) was exiled to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. But, why did they go into captivity. Because the nations took up the religious practices of the foreign nations and worshipped the pagan gods instead of the one true God. They began killing off their children in religious ritual – sending them WALKING into the fires of the Valley of Ben Hinnon as sacrifices to the pagan god, Molech.
Their leaders, like Hezekiah, who were men of God but grew prideful in their blessings and successes said things like, “If there is a curse on the next generation so be it, so long as it does not fall on me.” Which is exactly what happened. Mannasah – Hezekiah’s son who was 12 when his father died (do the math, that would mean Mannaseh was born after God gave Hezekiah 15 more years of life). Mannasah became the most corrupt, ungodly king the nation of Judah had. He was the one leading the Judahites to sacrifice their children to Molech. They were so caught up in their ritual worship that they didn’t even notice that the Babylonians had come and destroyed their city walls until their king was in captivity. Yes, Manassah was taken captive by Babylon before the first exile – where he repented. He was later released, returned to Jerusalem where he rebuilt the city wall post haste and lived the rest of his life honoring God – though it did little to turn the hearts of the people of Judah back to their God and King. A few centuries later – the Judahites went into Babylonian exile in three waves and Jeremiah the prophet stood at the city gates overlooking the exodus of Jerusalem and weeping in lament over the fall of his nation.
Our nation has gradually over the years surrendered our children to the fire. We are killing off a generation through apathy over abortion, by complacency in our faith and entitlement mentalities in our society. We have surrendered our rights, our beliefs and our God to a government that promises a dream that no longer exists. Why? Because the favor of the Lord does not fall on this nation. Our protection, our prosperity and our provision are all but gone – why? Because we told God we don’t need Him as a nation and He has checked out.
Two things encourage me today – James’ exhortation that the prayers of the righteous are fervent and effective. What would happen if we got on our faces for this nation – not just our own 401Ks and bank accounts. Not just because our children have died, but because we are a nation is on its way into physical captivity and we want to turn back to God and have His favor restored to our land. “
The other thing is that our prayers make a difference on the national level and that God preserves a remnant for the faithful. That means even when the world around me is chaos, I have peace. When threats are coming from every direction, I am protected. When the bank closes and the job goes away, I’m provided for. This is the way God takes care of His own, because He loves us – yes. But, also because His glory must be seen, proclaimed and evidenced even when no one else sees it! We have much to pray for, but the promises of God are true and He is faithful – we have much to be thankful for as well.
Blessings.