With One Cry
Description
America is in a downward spiral spiritually, morally, and economically. A weakened Church seems to make no impact on society. Is there still hope for America?
Yes!
Most Christians believe that much prayer is needed for America. But most do not know how to pray in an effective way that will release the power of God on behalf of our nation. Weaving together Scriptures and stories from America's past With One Cry confronts our current situation, and provides hope for our future.
But we, as believers, must pray!
Above all, With One Cry will inspire you and equip you to pray God's purposes for our nation. Will you accept the challenge? Together, as God uses our prayers, the course of our nation and history can be changed.
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David and Kim Butts are the founders of Harvest Prayer Ministries, an umbrella ministry for more than eight national prayer ministries that seek to equip and encourages churches to become houses of prayer. David is also the chairman of America's National Prayer Committee and the author of The Devil Goes to Church. Kim focuses on helping families in the area of prayer; she is the author of The Praying Family: Creative Ways to Pray Together.
Content
I've been in too many prayer meetings and gatherings where the prayer came wrapped in an American flag. You are never quite sure if it is the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of Washington, D.C., that is being prayed for. I'm convinced that we will never be able to see all that God desires for our nation until we clearly draw a line and make sure we are, first of all, seeking His kingdom.
Please don't misunderstand me. I'm a patriot and proud to be an American. I'm privileged to travel overseas often, and as much as I enjoy visiting other nations, it is always a joy to step onto the shores of the United States. I'm old-fashioned enough that I still get choked up a bit at a well-sung "Star Spangled Banner." I love America!
The United States, however, is not a permanent institution. Like every other nation, it will serve its purpose and then join other nations in the delete file of history. That's not being fatalistic or defeatist; it is simply a clear understanding of human history and the history of nations.
The United States, however, is not a permanent institution. Like every other nation, it will serve its purpose and then join other nations in the delete file of history.
The purpose of the above paragraph is not to paralyze us into inactivity but to spur us on toward fulfilling our purpose. Our purpose is not to establish an empire, wealth, or wave our flag to declare how great we are. If our prayers are inwardly focused on ourselves and become only a way for a nationalistic pride to assert itself, those prayers will be unheard in heaven.
Until we have a clear picture of what we are praying for, I'm convinced our prayers will remain vague and powerless. Does God still have a purpose for the United States of America in spite of our turning from Him? How can we pray in a way that releases the power and purposes of God in our nation?
Psalm 85:9 gives a divine perspective on what God desires for a nation. "Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land." God desires for his glory to dwell in our land. What an astonishing perspective! Especially when you consider that God's glory ultimately is His presence. God wants a nation in which His presence (glory) is welcome and sensed.
Now that is a compelling vision for passionate prayer! No longer a nebulous murmuring of "God bless America," but a cry for the presence of God to be known in the United States. Rather than a prideful assertion of the exceptionalism of America, it is a humble affirmation of the exceptionalism of God.
Some might want to argue at this point that Psalm 85 was an expression of prayer appropriate for the Jewish nation but not for other nations. Certainly many errors are made today by those who pull the commands and promises clearly intended for physical Israel out of context and try to apply them to current situations today. But Scripture is very clear that the Old Testament is written for us as well, and it is accurate to take principles of how God deals with people and nations from his actions toward Israel.
The Lord clearly desires for His glory to dwell in a nation where many of His people live. Regardless of which numbers you use, there are millions of followers of Jesus in the United States. God's purpose is for His glory to dwell in the United States, not to the exclusion of other nations, but alongside others who seek the same.
To help us focus our prayers on the purposes of God for our nation, we will need to understand what it means for God's glory to dwell in our land. Maybe the first part of that is what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean a perfect nation. It doesn't mean a nation where everyone is Christian. It doesn't even mean a nation where every law is somehow based on the Bible. The only theocracy that God ever endorsed was in Israel almost 3,000 years ago.
Perhaps the best way to describe the glory of God dwelling in a nation is from the history of our own country. During at least three distinct periods, often known as the Great Awakenings, the glory (presence) of God dwelt in our nation. The stories from those days are compelling and tantalizing for us today. But we must also understand that there were many during these times who did not participate or even desire what was happening in revival.
As a matter of fact, during the Third Great Awakening, which began in September of 1857, the nation split right down the middle and the revival continued, in spite of the great suffering and trial of the Civil War. God's presence does not guarantee that everything goes smoothly. It could be argued that the Church was born on Pentecost in the midst of revival and difficult opposition and persecution. What we are seeking is the glory of God, not our own personal comfort.
THE GREAT AWAKENINGS
Read these stories of revival from our history and see how God's glory dwelt in our land.
1737-Northampton, MA
The First Great Awakening
Faced with a dead orthodoxy and declining churches throughout the colonies, Jonathan Edwards and other church leaders began to call for prayer. God heard their prayers and lit a fire of revival that moved up and down the coast. In Northampton, MA, where Edwards pastored, virtually everyone in town was awakened spiritually. The preaching of George Whitefield played a huge role in what is often called the First Great Awakening.
1801-Cane Ridge, KY
The Second Great Awakening Begins
The years following the Revolutionary War saw a serious decline in spiritual matters. Churches were closed and the new nation found itself engulfed in crime, drunkenness, and violence. Once again, Christian leaders began to cry out to God for revival. In response to those prayers, the church began once again to experience the presence of Christ. In one of the more unique experiences of the day, tens of thousands gathered at Cane Ridge, KY for a five-day camp meeting that set the frontier ablaze spiritually! Denominational barriers came down as thousands responded to the gospel and thousands more found their faith strengthened. The Second Great Awakening had begun!
1821-1844-Charles G. Finney
The Second Great Awakening Continues
Though part of the Second Great Awakening, Charles Grandison Finney deserves his own section in the history of prayer and revival. From the time of his conversion in 1821 until his death in 1875, Finney's powerful preaching and revival focus led hundreds of thousands to faith in Christ and many thousands more to experience revival. One of the keys to Finney's success was the prayer ministry of two quiet prayer warriors, Clary and Nash, who would go to a community before Finney arrived and spend their days in intense intercession for revival. When Finney showed up, the ground had been prepared spiritually for a great harvest of souls.
1857-Jeremiah Lamphier
The Third Great Awakening/Layman's Prayer Awakening
By the 1850s, the power of the Second Great Awakening was waning. The U.S. was being torn apart by sectionalism, economic turmoil, and the debate over slavery. A young man by the name of Jeremiah Lamphier rented a room near Wall Street and invited businessmen to join him at noon for prayer. Six attended the first week, 20 the second, and within months, businesses were closed with signs on the door saying, "Gone to Prayer Meeting." This Third Great Awakening, often called the Layman's Prayer Awakening, brought hundreds of thousands into the kingdom and continued with mixed success even through the horrors of the Civil War.
1970-Asbury College, Wilmore, KY
A Regional Revival with Global Impact
Though the short-lived revival at Asbury College in Kentucky was very regional in scope, it has made a global impact. Beginning at a college chapel service one morning and lasting for almost a month, a revival of unending prayer, worship, and testimonies was the impetus for missionaries to be sent around the world, many of whom are continuing to make an impact to this day.
In chapter 10, we will look more closely at revival and how to pray for it, but for now, can we ask how we might pray in order to see God's glory dwell in our land?
PRAY FOR FREEDOM
It's really that simple. The word that thrilled our founding fathers and prompted sacrifices from them and many other generations down through history was freedom to seek God . . . or even the freedom to not seek Him.
In so many ways, the great crisis of our nation is the loss of freedom. The Pilgrims who first came to this country braved great difficulties because the government of England was not allowing them to worship as they believed was right. If Pilgrims were living today, they would be appalled at how that freedom has been eroded through the years.
It is not just religious liberty we are speaking of, though that is the one that strikes most closely to home as we consider revival. Other examples include unfair taxation, regulations in every area of life, and, especially dangerous, the stifling of free speech through an increasing pressure to conform to "politically correct" forms of thought and speech. In the name of "tolerance," an intolerant culture is taking away our hard-earned freedoms.
A rebirth of freedom in our land opens the door for the Church to cry out to God for His glory to come. Yes, that most certainly can still happen in the midst of oppression, but I believe the blessings of God can impact an entire nation that allows for the...
