I feel so hopeless in this world. When I look at the state of our culture and how far from God we have come, I fear for my children. I feel like battles are lost before they even start. I’m so discouraged by people’s negative posts on FB towards Christianity when they have no idea the context, or don’t care to know. I get discouraged when I look at our governmental leaders and their willingness to compromise.
I know I need to pray, but I feel my prayers will not do any good. I know our God is more powerful than the God of this earth, yet I lack the faith in my prayers. But today I did what I should do no matter what I feel- prayed anyway. I went to my prayer closet, got down on my knees and began my faithless time with the Lord, pleading for His grace and mercy. I turned to Joshua chapter 7 and begin to read.
To summarize, in chapter six, Joshua and the Israelites destroyed Jericho. Joshua instructed his men to burn everything and take no plunder, but Achan, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the cursed things (7:1). When it was time to take the land of Ai, Joshua’s spies told him not many men were needed to fight because there were so few people. To make a long story short, 3,000 Israelites were killed in battle. Feeling God had betrayed him, Joshua cries out and questions Him. God explains it was because of his men’s sin of taking forbidden plunder (7:10-12). Joshua is then instructed to go and purify his men; that they will not be able to face their enemies until the sin was gone. Once Achan was burned and the cursed items retrieved, they were able to face their enemies at Ai and defeat them.
I found revelation and encouragement tucked away in this one chapter. I believe one of the reasons why we, as Christians, are struggling in battle is because of sin in our camp. Like Joshua, it may not be us in habitual sin, but those we are sheparding in our church, those that are compromising because of our changing culture, money or power. Whatever battle in our culture, we need to be repenting on behalf of our nation and the continued sanctification of the American church if we want to see battles won.
Should I be praying for God to protect marriage as being between one man and one woman? Yes. Should I be praying for marriages to be healed and children to no longer be abandoned by parents? Yes. Should I be praying for those in Hollywood whose lives revolved around sex, money and power? Yes. But I’ve added something new to my prayer list. Well, kind of. I’ve always prayed for the sanctification of the church as a whole, but now I realize how much of a priority it is for victory.
This morning when you pray for America, when you pray for her salvation and revival, remember Achan. Remember his role in 3,000 men dying because of his one sin. When you pray, pray for the consecration of our nation’s Christians. Pray that the American church be freed from habitual sin and be purified so we can be better prepared for war when we partner with God in defeating the ‘god of this world.’
PRAY WITH ME SISTERS:
“Lord! Help us! Show your grace and mercy upon this country. I lift up the American church and ask that you would not allow sin in your house. Help us to recognize where we fall short so we may come to you in repentance. I know you have a mighty plan and purpose for this country and you are not done with us yet. Mighty things are yet to come. Consecrate us! Help us to show mighty love to those who need help being set free. Give us shepherds dreams and visions to help consecrate our sheep. Thank you for the sheep you’ve given us. May we be great stewards to them. In Jesus Name, Amen.”
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