We honor those who have fought for freedom. Many have died. Many more have become disabled, and almost all have suffered in some way. Their family and friends have exoerienced the consequences. It is a great sacrifice.
Our soldiers think they can come back to a free society. It is discouraging to see we are losing our freedoms so rapidly.
However, life is a battle between good and evil. All of us, even disabled veterans can still fight for freedom. Perhaps disabled veterans can even fight more if they cannot work or spend their time doing some of the things they could not do previously. Turn what the devil meant for evil into good:
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
We can all pray.
We must pray and keep on praying. Jacob had cheated his brother Esau out of their father’s blessing (Genesis 27). He had previously selfishly acquired Esau’s birthright (Genesis 25), although Esau had foolishly sold it for a meal. Esau planned to kill Jacob:
“Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” Genesis 27:41
Jacob avoided this by going to his uncle Laban’s in a distant land.
Many years later Jacob returned to his home. He sent messengers to Esau offering peace:
“When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Genesis 32:6
Esau did not want peace.
After doing all he could to appease his brother, he realized that his only hope was God. He spent the night in prayer:
“So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Genesis 32:24-26
Jacob would not give up praying till God answered his prayer. We should not give up until God answers our prayers for America.
The evil Haman used his influence to cause King Xerxes to make a rule that would destroy the Jews. On a certain day the enemies of the Jews could kill them and take possession of their property. Mordecai, along with the other Jews, put on sackcloth and ashes (symbolizing sorrow for their sin and repentance). He sent a message to Esther, the queen and his niece, to plead their case before the king. It was dangerous to go before the king without being summoned. She sent a message reminding him of this danger:
“When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:12-14
We, like Esther, are called for a time such as this.
Notice the Jews realized their need for repentance in asking God’s help in this impossible situation. God commands us to do the same:
“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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
America has opened herself up to many sins – abortion, homosexuality, greed of all kinds, etc. She has become a land where many consider evil to be good.
Encouraging is the fact that not everyone, just the people who belong to Jesus, need to pray, listen to what He is telling then and repent, and He will heal our land.
Is it too late for America. Perhaps. We know that there will be terrible times in the last days. It will become so bad that only Jesus coming will redeem those who belong to Him.
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” 2 Timothy 3:1-4
At one time in Israel’s history it was beyond a place where the righteous could conquer the wicked:
“Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.” Habakkuk 1:4
Read Habakkuk to see how God handled that situation.
Another example is because of the evil King Manasseh had done (although he repented later) and the evil he had caused the people to commit, God would turn away from His anger.
“Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end—besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” 2 Kings 21:16
“Nevertheless, the Lord did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to arouse his anger.” 2 Kings 23:26
Yet, perhaps, Jesus’ answer is what he gave to Martha in John 11. Her brother Lazarus had died, and Martha and her sister Mary, believe that if Jesus had come when they called him Lazarus would have lived:
“Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:23-27
Jesus planned to bring Lazarus back to life.
Perhaps we are like Martha. We have been calling out to God and wonder why He doesn’t seem to answer. We know that Jesus will redeem us in the last day, but He wants to do so now, and we lack the faith to believe Him. We just need patience and perseverance.
God puts in place the leadership of a nation. He has the power and authority to bring it down at any time in any way, whatever will glorify Himself when His purpose is fulfilled:
“For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Roman 9:17
Good has come from the evil that has happened. As a nation, we have become aware of our problems. Evil has been exposed; evil men have come out of the woodwork. Good men have risen to work against the evil.
God urges us to pray for our leaders:
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4
Notice that God wants men to “live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness”. This is His will. We can have confidence His will be accomplished if we pray:
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” I John 5:14-15
We can pray for the defeat of tyrannical leaders. He heard the cries of His people who were oppressed by Pharaoh:
“The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:7-10
We must pray for those who like Moses are called to be leaders to accomplish God’s will.
As Christians, we have the authority to determine the course of world events. We are seated in the heavenly realms with Jesus;
“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6-7
We are His priests:
“…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 1:5-6
It is Christ that dwells in us:
“…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
We are His ambassadors. We represent Him in the world:
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20
We can ask for the impossible:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21
Notice that “more than all we ask or imagine” is done “according to his power that is at work within us”
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If we are told to “rejoice always” than we have a reason to do so. We can do so if we “pray continually”:
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I have been praying for almost six years for truth to be made known because truth is one of God’s weapons (Ephesians 6:10-18). I pray for God to provide those on the front lines with wisdom, health and the finances needed. I pray for unity. I pray for the devil to over step his hand. God has asked us to pray for those in authority. God has called many to pray for America. As truth is made known, more and more will pray.
Whatever happens is for our benefit:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Even if we are martyred we will just go to heaven. We don’t need to be concerned about ourselves as much as others.
We must remember that His main goal is that no one should perish.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
May everyone that would come to Him if they had the opportunity have that opportunity.
No matter what the outcome (even the appearance of defeat), our prayers make a vast difference:
“And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” Revelation 5:8
Our prayers are pleasing to God.