The Destiny of our Nation Redux
A Word to Celebrate the Fourth of July
By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe
As Christians and concerned citizens, we can easily be
overcome by the barrage of discouraging reports that fill our newspapers and television
and computer screens. Our economy is not what we want it to be. Our family
structure is threatened. Sensuality seems to have become our god. Devastating
tornadoes and floods have left many American homeless, frightened and in
despair. Many feel that God has abandoned us or has, at least, withdrawn His
blessing from us. If God has turned His back on us, where, then, is our hope?
Whenever we have
questions about our heavenly Father, the first place to look is in the Book He
has written for us. In Jeremiah 17:7-8 , we read, "Blessed is the man who
trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree
planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not
fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in
the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit." According to His
Word, if our hope is in the Lord, we can prosper in the midst of and in spite
of the circumstances around us.
Asher Intrader, a
Messianic Jewish rabbi who holds dual citizenship in the United States and in
Israel teaches that the fulfillment of a nation's destiny lies not within the
halls of the Congress in Washington or the Knesset in Israel, but within the
hearts of believers. To understand the destiny and purpose of God for a nation,
we must look with spiritual discernment at the believing remnant within that
nation. Believers are the representatives within America and every other nation
who carry the destiny that God sees for that nation.
We often quote 2
Chronicles 7:14: "If My people who are called by My name will humble
themselves , and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I
will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." We
quote this passage and point our fingers at non-believers and declare their
need to repent. We often choose to overlook the fact that God is calling His
people, believers, not unbelievers, into repentance and holiness.
In Genesis 18:17-23
, God agrees to spare Sodom from destruction if only 10 righteous men can be
found within the city walls. In Ezekiel 22:30, God says that He will spare
Jerusalem if only one righteous person is willing to stand in the gap and
intercede for the city. It is a righteous remnant who can, through the power of
the Holy Spirit, bring into fulfillment the destiny of a people.
How can we, as
individuals, join the righteous remnant whose intercession can determine the
destiny of our nation? Today many of God's people are
praying what we have come to call "The Harp" prayer based on 2
Chronicles 7:14:
H: humble ourselves
A: Acknowledge God
R: Repent of our
sins
P: Pray for our
land
Proverbs 14:34
declares, "Righteousness exalts a nation." The righteousness that exalts a nation is not
righteousness as determined by man. Through the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary,
righteousness has been imputed to those who have accepted Him as Lord and
Savior. (Romans 4:22-25) When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God
assigns righteous to us and empowers us to live righteously in Him.
Righteous living is
seen in those who honor God by following His ways. (John 14:15) Jesus said,
"if you love me, keep my commandments." Through our imputed
righteousness in Jesus Christ, we are to live lives that honor Him.
Not only does
righteous living honor God, but righteous living also brings blessing into our
lives. Many blessings come to us because, through the power of the Holy Spirit
in our lives, we are able to make better choices. God's Holy Word has given us
a road map to attaining the heart attitude for righteous living. Righteousness goes hand in hand with biblical
regeneration. "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (II
Corinthians5:17). Regeneration and consecration bring with them new life, and
new desires and new goals.
It is in that new
life consecrated to God that we will become more than conquerors in the chaotic
world around us. It is there that believers will, through righteous living and
intercession, fulfill the destiny that God sees for our nation. When we
believers humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways,
God will forgive our sin and heal our land.
Our God is Jehovah Jirah,
the God who provides . When we forget that, we will act out of our fear rather
than out of our faith. Our nation's current financial crisis has caused many
believers to forget our Lord's ability to provide. We panic rather than pray.
The crisis appears to be a overwhelming, but "with God nothing will be
impossible." (Luke 1:37)
Matthew 6:31-33 says:"Do
not be over-anxious, therefore, asking 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we
drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For all these are questions that Gentiles are
always asking ; but your Heavenly Father knows that you need these things all
of them. But make His Kingdom and righteousness your chief aim, and then these
things shall all be given you in addition." (MSNT) The key to divine provision
is seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
We are conscious of
the war of terror that is being waged on the international front. We are not so
aware of the war of terror that is being waged within our own hearts. The news
media reports what happening in the world, but can offer no solution or hope.
Even most believers have resolved to expect the worst.
How can believers
reconcile what we see and hear around us with God's word that He delights in us
and has a future and a hope for us? We must walk in faith in the promises of
God. Philippians 4:19: "And my God shall supply all your need according to
His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Do you need faith? God will supply
it. Do you need hope? God will supply it. Do you need wisdom? God will supply
it. Is a solution to our nation's needs available? Yes, and God has it.
As consecrated,
regenerated believers walking in His righteousness, let's intercede before the
throne of God on behalf of our nation. Let's declare His promises and walk in
His hope.
As we prepare to
battle spiritually for our nation, we must remember that part of Joshua's war preparation
was a face-to-face encounter with the preincarnate Messiah as the Commander of
the Army of God. Joshua5:13-14a : "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by
Jericho , that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite
him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are
You for us or for our adversaries?"
So He said,
"... as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." And
Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped.”
When we truly
have an encounter with Jesus, we can only bow before Him and worship. When we
have an encounter with Jesus, we have an encounter with holiness. His holiness
demands our holiness. God commands believers, “Be holy because I am holy.” (1
Peter 1:16
What is holiness?
Holiness is being physically and mentally pure and morally blameless. We cannot intercede
for sexually purity in our nation if we are living in sexual sin. We cannot
intercede for the morality of our nation if we are living in dishonesty,
deceit, and decadence. If we want the
spirit of abortion to be broken in our nation, Christians must stop having
abortions. If we want the spirit of substance abuse to be broken in our nation,
Christians must stop abusing substances. If we want the spirit of overindulgence
to be broken in our nation, Christians must stop
overindulging. If we want
holiness in our nation, Christians must walk in holiness.
I am responsible
for the holiness of only one person, myself. God said He would spare Jerusalem
if only one righteous person would stand in the gap and intercede (Ezekiel
22:30). The question each of us must ask is, "Am I willing to be walk in
holiness and be one righteous person to stand in the gap and intercede for this
nation?"
It is time for
God's people to reclaim our holiness, consecrate our lives to Him, receive His
righteousness and intercede for not only for our nation, but for His Kingdom .
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