In Isaiah Chapters 64 and 65, there is an interesting dialogue between the prophet and the Lord.
Isaiah: Your holy cities are destroyed. Zion is a wilderness; yes, Jerusalem is a desolate ruin. The holy and beautiful Temple where our ancestors praised you has been burned down, and all the things of beauty are destroyed. After all this, Lord, must you still refuse to help us? Will you continue to be silent and punish us? (Isaiah 64:10-11)
The Lord Replies: I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me. I said, “Here I am, Here I am!” to a nation that did not call on my name. All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people. But they followed their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes. All day long they insult me to my face by worshipping idols in their sacred gardens. (Isaiah 65:1-3)
This description that the Lord gives of the nation of Israel moves my heart to compassion because I recognize that it’s a description of our country in this hour. The United States is now a post-Christian nation. Our people attend to their own schemes and ignore the paths of God. Our culture is consumed with idolatry (stuff), Baal worship (abortion, baby sacrifice) , and the Asherah religion (the culture of sex).
Importantly, I don’t believe God is turning a blind eye to the wicked in this hour. I believe that He is waiting on a righteous remnant of intercessory warriors to rise up and pray in His justice. Let it not be said of us that we never asked for help from the Lord, that we never looked for His glory and mercy.
We’re coining the term “Combat Intercession” here at the Revolution Brigade because we believe that it will take spiritual acts of violence to bring this nation into repentance before God. It will require a lifestyle of absolute consecration and purity. Prayer and fasting will be minimums. It will require praying for a nation that largely doesn’t want to hear what we have to say. In some cases, the church will even speak out against the radicals who will become the watchmen for a generation. Even against the prevailing odds, these young people will stand in the gap, holding back the darkness from consuming our nation completely.
There’s a quote from George Orwell that seems appropriate: “Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” It’s a nod to our military forces, but it has application in the spirit as well. Where is the generation that stands ready to do violence on behalf of our nation?
Wow. Very insightful comments, and great timing for me, personally. Just this morning I was starting to feel the drain of fasting and prayer, but this is encouraging! Thanks!
Awesome. It’s important to remember when praying and fasting that the reward is intimacy with Jesus, not international revival or some great outpouring of the spirit. These are mere byproducts of a deep and personal relationship with Jesus, and of anointed prayer.