America's Revival, Part 1: Where is the anointing?
July 18, 2008
Joshua Herring, RenewAmerica analyst
"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless forests and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast commerce and it was not there; in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great." (emphasis added)
This is a dynamic quote. Christian speakers and politicians have put it to good use over the years, going at least as far back as America's 35th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The words have often been attributed to a Frenchman sent by his government to search for the secret of America's greatness early in the nineteenth century. However, as inspirational as those words are, and as much truth as there is in them, a source for this quote has yet to be found.
In Alexis de Tocqueville's book Democracy in America, he honestly did say those things at least a reasonable facsimile thereof but never in those exact words. My heart has swelled with patriotic pride and emotion each time I've heard this quote over the years. Needless to say, I was deeply disappointed to learn what I'm telling you that the author is unidentified. However, I have since come to realize that the identity of the author is not the whole issue. Why is that?
The truth of those words has been clearly established
The entire world looked on in 1776 as a group of independent colonies united and despite a lack of organized military capabilities rebelled against a nation with the mightiest army on earth. As the result of a strong sense of vision and even stronger faith in God, those colonists went on to win America's independence. Afterwards, American leaders were quick to credit God with having carried them through to victory. Many of them added that biblical principles are the only solid foundation for law and government.
Even as it was true of ancient Israel, America has been an anointed nation from the very beginning. America rose, step by step, to absolute preeminence on the global stage, depending on the God of the Bible as its undergirding source of guidance, power, provision, stability, and security. However, this nation has been changing dramatically over the past few decades, and not for the better. It's therefore imperative that we ask ourselves a few important questions. This will be essential in coming to an understanding of why we haven't been succeeding in efforts to turn things around, and of what must be done to change that. The first question is foundational to anything involving the God of the Bible.
What is the anointing?
People in the church world commonly reserve the word "anointed" for powerful ministries or gifted speakers. In Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition, the definition of the word "anoint" is:
The term "anointed" may not only be applied to people, it may also be applied to nations. In the Old Testament, we see God empowering the nation of Israel to prosper in His service, and to prevail over its enemies. In the process, He bestowed gifts on Israel involving everything from special skills at arts and crafts, to spiritual gifts such as teaching and prophecy. God enabled "mighty men" to perform unnatural feats in battle. (2 Sam. 23:812) What made them such mighty men was their commitment to God, and an anointing on their lives that carried them in the performance of His will.
Historical documents clearly reveal that the American colonists were dependent on God for their liberation, and for the establishment of their new nation, even as the people of ancient Israel were. This is what led to such a miraculous triumph over the powerful armies of England in the Revolutionary War. In the years that followed, God's blessing quickly led to American superiority in basically every field of endeavor.
Granted, not every American has been a god-fearing Christian. Nevertheless, Jesus said, "The Father makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Mt. 5:45) God's faithfulness to America, for the sake of His people and His purposes, is something everyone has benefited from. This includes unbelieving Americans which brings me to the next question.
Who are the anointed, and what does this mean to us?
The "anointed" have been faithful Americans from virtually all walks of life who've brought divine favor upon this land. Regardless of a person's station in life, God works with His people to bring about excellence in the things they do. Part of the excellence of which I speak involves matters of personality, temperament, and character molded into people as a result of divine influence on the heart and its reflection in a life. These things stood out strongly to Alexis de Tocqueville, inspiring him to extol the virtues of both the American people and the Christian faith in Democracy in America.
From the earliest times, there has always been a heavy concentration of truly God-fearing people in America, ranging from the lowliest citizens to the most affluent leaders. This had a great impact on the formation and development of American law and government. Until recently, references to biblical principles and passages in political addresses were common even expected in America. And the U.S. Constitution has yet to be amended in such a manner as to require that to change.
"Where much is given, much is required"
Those were the words of Jesus. (Lk. 12:48) Leadership in America is more than a career it is a great privilege and privilege does not come without responsibility. America's leaders are accountable, first, to God not only for personal reasons, but also because this is His nation. And second, they are accountable to those who've conferred upon them the dignity and honor of representing them. Our constitutional republic has been established as a government "of the people, by the people, for the people."
There is an old axiom that says, "As the leadership goes, so goes the nation." This is absolutely true, so I'm going to draw a parallel here to make an important point; basically everyone is familiar with the story. Before ancient Israel ever had a king, during a period when the people were ruled by judges, God raised up a man named Samson and set him over the children of Israel.
The life of Samson is a very sad story about the rise and fall of a gifted man whose most costly error was the sin of presumption. Perhaps things came too easily for Samson to appreciate as he should have. Going back as far as he could remember, Samson had always been blessed by a special presence of God in his life. This led to the release of a gift that brought him great success but it wasn't something Samson possessed of himself: the gift operated as the result of a special anointing on his life. That anointing was a source of wisdom, courage, and overwhelming strength that enabled Samson to defend God's people against their aggressive Philistine neighbors.
However, a time came when Samson began to become large in his own eyes. As a result of increasing arrogance, he began to take both the gift and its Giver for granted. Eventually, due to his growing carnality and irreverence, a day came when Samson needed to save himself from the enemy, but found that God had withdrawn His protective hand. When Samson rose to defend himself as usual, his great strength was gone, and he was defeated by the Philistines. He was taken captive to be bound, beaten, tortured, and tormented, and his eyes were put out. The sin of presumption cost Samson everything.
What does this mean for America?
Despite America's miraculous beginning, and the unparalleled success that followed, during the past few decades presumptuous American leaders have been lying down with the enemy. As they've gradually shut God out of the public square sanctioning ever-increasing levels of corruption and debauchery for the sake of political and financial gain they've been courting disaster just as Samson was each time he laid his head in the lap of a Philistine whore named Delilah. Samson learned this lesson the hard way: no one makes a habit of lying down with the enemy without being taken at some point.
In America, we too stand in grave danger of waking up amidst a time of crisis and finding that God has lifted His protective hand. Furthermore, there are more ways than one for a nation to be conquered. If, as a nation, we fail to return to God soon, America will be taken without a shot being fired, and we will simply lose our national sovereignty. The groundwork is already being laid. America has but a short time to pull up and change courses before globalist traps will begin to snap shut on us. If this happens, it will be much more difficult to extricate ourselves from those things than it was to fall into them. Unfortunately, too many American leaders today have forgotten the importance of turning to God for His protection and guidance.
Abiding under the shadow of the Almighty
From the outset, American dependence on the blessing of God was readily apparent in our schools, our institutes of higher learning, our ways of doing business, and our political institutions not to mention the formation of our law and government. Thus, just a scant fifty years after Americans won their independence, France one of the richest and most powerful nations on earth at the time sent Alexis de Tocqueville to search for the secret of America's greatness.
This nation went through a phenomenal rise in global stature in such a brief period as that. When you consider the challenges, the obstacles, and the odds against it, this was truly a miraculous feat. For the sake of allowing me to make an important point, please take a moment to consider a promise God made to ancient Israel, as they were preparing to go in for the conquest of Canaan.
What happened to the anointing?
As it was with Israel, America was born as God delivered His people from the oppression of a stronger nation. Once again, this was done to provide a safe place for God's people to dwell in, and to enjoy the freedom to worship according to the dictates of conscience. Until the most modern times, the righteousness, the love, and the goodness of the Holy Spirit flowed out of American churches into every echelon of society. This had a positive impact on everything, including the way American leaders governed. However, this kind of blessing cannot be sustained, when the Christian Church is being essentially quarantined by the government to prevent people of lesser moral integrity and character from being "offended."
This very thing is at the root of the most serious problems America has ever faced. Shameful things have become commonplace in our society, and we are paying a terrible price for it. Nevertheless, despite the unprecedented immorality that is now pervasive in American society, to this very day God hasn't taken His hand off of the nation completely. If so, we would already have gone under. But God has been allowing a progressive increase in the incidence and seriousness of problems that are plaguing the nation. He is seeking to wake Americans up to the fact that rebellion and immorality are destroyers. As a result, we find ourselves increasingly confronted with such situations and problems as these:
1 Devastation of a type that hasn't been common or even known of in the past things like death and destruction of the magnitude witnessed on 9 /11/ 2001, resulting from a terrorist attack on American soil.
2 Gross deterioration of America's economic stability. I believe that political rhetoric about the stability of our economy has been extremely deceitful lately, with the tone set during the Clinton administration. There have been serious problems lying beneath the surface for quite some time, and the subsequent weakening of the U.S. dollar is finally making it impossible for the government's creative accounting and irresponsible printing of fiat dollars to hide that weakening from discerning Americans.
3 Gross deterioration in American standards of education: many students in American high schools are reading at sub-high school levels. A disgraceful number of them are illiterate, and overall academic standards in America have plummeted dramatically over the past several decades. The university system has been corrupted and compromised by the politicization of a college education in America. The radical left's "long march through the institutions" has produced a university system focused more on secular ideological indoctrination of students than on providing high quality academic programs.
4 Gross deterioration of American industry: this nation was once the global pace-setter, establishing standards for industrialized nations of the world in most fields of endeavor. At this point, we are sending more American jobs offshore every year, and immigrants are gradually taking over the American workplace. They are often willing to work for less than standard pay even if they are U.S. citizens.
5 Extremely violent and bizarre crimes: this is a product of increasing levels of emotional instability and lawlessness in American society. The progressive disintegration of family values has led to the destabilization and breakup of American homes, leading in turn to an increase in anti-social behavior and social chaos. The significant surge in the number of illegal aliens coming here undeterred has added to the problem. The resultant upheaval of American culture has contributed to a dramatic increase in serious crime.
6 The progressive increase and seriousness of mental illness: this is becoming ever-more prevalent in American society, not only on the streets of the nation among the homeless, but also among the more "common citizens." There are more new "diseases," "disorders," and "syndromes" than we can possibly deal with effectively. The problem has reached epidemic proportions in America, and mental health clinics, both private and government-funded, can't even come near keeping pace with it.
A large part of the reason for this is the sexual immorality and sexual addictions that are relentlessly gripping the lives of Americans of all ages. Both the marketplace and the media are so riddled with blatant sexual content, it is impossible to shield even the youngest children from it especially since legislators and activist judges are gradually forcing sexual content into our public schools as far down as the kindergarten level, and the courts have even declared the passing of virtual child pornography on the internet a constitutionally- protected right. All these things, combined with the destruction of American homes and families, have led to an increase in violent crimes, especially those of a sexual nature. This includes an exponential increase in crimes committed by sexual predators who stalk our children.
These problems and more have been allowed to reach the magnitude and severity we are witnessing in modern America as a warning. God is pleading with this nation to turn back to Him. I believe God has been preventing the total downfall of America for the sake of a "remnant" here who truly love Him. (Isa 1:9) I also believe God has plans for America that will affect the way he deals with this nation. Nevertheless, in days to come, even in a best-case scenario, Christians are going to have to make a valiant stand for the preservation of liberty and virtue in this, God's country.
As I've stressed, America has always been God's country, and this is obvious to anyone who possesses accurate information. That is, anyone who isn't so determined to deny it that they'll wade up to their nostrils in steer manure and say there is no stench rather than admit that we as a country are losing ground because people are trying to take America out of divine hands and place its security and future in their own.
If all of our problems could be dealt with effectively through science for instance why is it true that the more advanced our science and technology becomes, the deeper we find ourselves buried under the more serious problems in this society? This situation isn't going to change unless WE do.
Past spiritual awakenings
There have been times throughout our history when America began to drift away from its biblical moorings. When such a thing happens with His children, God often deals with it by first seeking to draw them back with tender mercies. If that fails, other measures will eventually be employed as God begins to chasten them. During the hardest times, people who are less religiously oriented tend to become more open to God, and those who already know God seek His face ever more diligently.
The first and second "Great Awakening" in America prevented severe national immorality during the latter half of the eighteenth and the first half of the nineteenth centuries. And what some have referred to as a "Third Great Awakening" played a role in helping stabilize America later in the nineteenth century. However, despite the influence of the last of the three great revivals, bitterness and racial prejudice remained strong in America at the turn of the twentieth century. So did a sense of enmity and betrayal between people of the North and the South.
Coming back together again
There are two things that can normally draw feuding family members back together, regardless of what separated them. The first is times so hard that only a cooperative effort will enable people to make it through. The second is danger that requires true unification to win against a common enemy that poses a dire threat. During the first half of the twentieth century, Americans found themselves dealing with both types of adversity, as three historic events began to bring Americans back together:
WW I broke out in 1914 and continued for four years, followed by a period of sorting things out in the aftermath of that destructive conflict. Then on the heels of all that came the onset of the Great Depression in 1929; this lasted into the early forties. Next, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese Dec. 7, 1941. So America went to war again, also entering the European theater shortly thereafter. This nation remained at war until 1945, and America played a major role in settling global affairs afterwards, both in Europe and Japan.
I wouldn't say that God brought those events about specifically for America's sake. But He did use the trials of the times to draw the hearts of Americans back to Him, and to tear down some of the walls that separated them from each other. The severity of the times brought on by two world wars and the Great Depression drove many to their knees while those who were already praying sought the Lord more earnestly. In the midst of everything that was happening, God restored a sense of national unity, identity, and destiny to Americans as He carried this nation through it all.
The American mindset then and now
During the two world wars, there was a key motivational factor that helped unite many Americans and carry them through. The majority of them were fighting "for God and country," and that made a real difference. This is not to say that all Americans were devout Christians, or that there were no subversive elements fomenting political strife and division at the time. Nevertheless, two important things were commonly part of the American mindset that had a positive impact on what was taking place.
First, Americans were willing to make sacrifices together at home and abroad, rather than just tearing at one another relentlessly over divided opinions about the war. Second, there was a greater degree of patriotism and a stronger sense of brotherhood in America than we see around us today. The reason for this was quite simple. In a nation where God had not been banned from the public square, there was a greater sense of unity and love of country among Americans of that day.
Before the iconoclasm of the sixties set in at which point people began to challenge longstanding traditions with increasing boldness most Americans still believed the birth of this nation was a work of Providence. They were persuaded that America was born to be "a city set on a hill" "a light to the world," an instrument of goodness and grace in the hands of God. As a result of such traditional beliefs, Americans were convinced that regardless of how difficult times became, God would always carry this nation through and cause America to prevail.
Thus, in times of national danger and distress, one of the first things to happen has been a reemphasis of God's rightful place in the nation. This has led many Americans to renew their commitment to God, both individually and in a corporate sense, among common citizens and leaders as well. As people have come together in prayer seeking wisdom, comfort, and guidance, they've drawn strength from above to deal with difficulties and make the necessary sacrifices. They've also prayed fervently for one another and for their loved ones. The impact this has had on the outcome of things cannot be overstated.
Preservation of the American heritage
This type of response to national distress is an American tradition that goes back to a time before the Revolutionary War. Faith in God and a conscience based on that faith combined with a strong sense of duty, honor, and brotherhood were the motivating factors in the hearts of a majority of Americans during such times. All this flowed out of a sense of reverence for God in the hearts of the American people that survived throughout the generations.
Unfortunately, there are fewer Americans today who have the same unifying convictions out of which their decisions and actions flow. As a result, Americans are fighting among themselves with increasing intensity. When the Lord is truly in the lead, there is unity and strength among the people. But when reliance on God and submission to His will become diminished, the result is chaos. Selfishness begins to rule where true conviction once reigned supreme. This is true not only in a national sense, but within the body of Christ as well.
Nevertheless, we are beginning to see a few American leaders rise up and call for a return to the first principles of the American founding, and church leaders rise up and call for the kind of unity that overcomes doctrinal schism and organizational differences. We must therefore rise up and stand with those leaders, sacrificially, being as supportive as we possibly can be, lest we lose the liberty that once made us so proud to be Americans.
This point in American history absolutely must be a turning point! If not, the good ship America will run aground in the shallows of secular humanism, be devastated on the dangerous reefs of political correctness, and be pulled under completely by the destructive undercurrents of globalist ambition. If this happens, the American heritage our founders sacrificed and fought for will become nothing more than a sad memory. The world will be so much worse off, and Christians not only in other nations, but also in America will see even greater persecution and adversity than we are already likely to experience in days to come as we stand for the truth.
In Part 2 of this essay, I'm going to discuss the kind of sacrifice that absolutely must be made if we are to prevail in days to come. There is no question about it we are facing a problem that is formidable. Yet we can still prevail in the struggle to prevent America from going under in the manner just described. I don't want to give too much away ahead of time, but I assure you that Part 2 will not be a standard conservative rant against liberals, combined with preachy, self-righteous politics. I hope you will watch for it, and give serious consideration to what I have to say.
© Joshua Herring
Joshua Herring, RenewAmerica analyst
"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless forests and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast commerce and it was not there; in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great." (emphasis added)This is a dynamic quote. Christian speakers and politicians have put it to good use over the years, going at least as far back as America's 35th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The words have often been attributed to a Frenchman sent by his government to search for the secret of America's greatness early in the nineteenth century. However, as inspirational as those words are, and as much truth as there is in them, a source for this quote has yet to be found.
In Alexis de Tocqueville's book Democracy in America, he honestly did say those things at least a reasonable facsimile thereof but never in those exact words. My heart has swelled with patriotic pride and emotion each time I've heard this quote over the years. Needless to say, I was deeply disappointed to learn what I'm telling you that the author is unidentified. However, I have since come to realize that the identity of the author is not the whole issue. Why is that?
The truth of those words has been clearly established
The entire world looked on in 1776 as a group of independent colonies united and despite a lack of organized military capabilities rebelled against a nation with the mightiest army on earth. As the result of a strong sense of vision and even stronger faith in God, those colonists went on to win America's independence. Afterwards, American leaders were quick to credit God with having carried them through to victory. Many of them added that biblical principles are the only solid foundation for law and government.Even as it was true of ancient Israel, America has been an anointed nation from the very beginning. America rose, step by step, to absolute preeminence on the global stage, depending on the God of the Bible as its undergirding source of guidance, power, provision, stability, and security. However, this nation has been changing dramatically over the past few decades, and not for the better. It's therefore imperative that we ask ourselves a few important questions. This will be essential in coming to an understanding of why we haven't been succeeding in efforts to turn things around, and of what must be done to change that. The first question is foundational to anything involving the God of the Bible.
What is the anointing?
People in the church world commonly reserve the word "anointed" for powerful ministries or gifted speakers. In Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition, the definition of the word "anoint" is:
- to smear or rub with an oily substance
- a: to apply oil to as a sacred rite especially for consecration
b: to choose by or as if by divine election
The term "anointed" may not only be applied to people, it may also be applied to nations. In the Old Testament, we see God empowering the nation of Israel to prosper in His service, and to prevail over its enemies. In the process, He bestowed gifts on Israel involving everything from special skills at arts and crafts, to spiritual gifts such as teaching and prophecy. God enabled "mighty men" to perform unnatural feats in battle. (2 Sam. 23:812) What made them such mighty men was their commitment to God, and an anointing on their lives that carried them in the performance of His will.
Historical documents clearly reveal that the American colonists were dependent on God for their liberation, and for the establishment of their new nation, even as the people of ancient Israel were. This is what led to such a miraculous triumph over the powerful armies of England in the Revolutionary War. In the years that followed, God's blessing quickly led to American superiority in basically every field of endeavor.Granted, not every American has been a god-fearing Christian. Nevertheless, Jesus said, "The Father makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Mt. 5:45) God's faithfulness to America, for the sake of His people and His purposes, is something everyone has benefited from. This includes unbelieving Americans which brings me to the next question.
Who are the anointed, and what does this mean to us?
The "anointed" have been faithful Americans from virtually all walks of life who've brought divine favor upon this land. Regardless of a person's station in life, God works with His people to bring about excellence in the things they do. Part of the excellence of which I speak involves matters of personality, temperament, and character molded into people as a result of divine influence on the heart and its reflection in a life. These things stood out strongly to Alexis de Tocqueville, inspiring him to extol the virtues of both the American people and the Christian faith in Democracy in America.
From the earliest times, there has always been a heavy concentration of truly God-fearing people in America, ranging from the lowliest citizens to the most affluent leaders. This had a great impact on the formation and development of American law and government. Until recently, references to biblical principles and passages in political addresses were common even expected in America. And the U.S. Constitution has yet to be amended in such a manner as to require that to change.
"Where much is given, much is required"
Those were the words of Jesus. (Lk. 12:48) Leadership in America is more than a career it is a great privilege and privilege does not come without responsibility. America's leaders are accountable, first, to God not only for personal reasons, but also because this is His nation. And second, they are accountable to those who've conferred upon them the dignity and honor of representing them. Our constitutional republic has been established as a government "of the people, by the people, for the people."
There is an old axiom that says, "As the leadership goes, so goes the nation." This is absolutely true, so I'm going to draw a parallel here to make an important point; basically everyone is familiar with the story. Before ancient Israel ever had a king, during a period when the people were ruled by judges, God raised up a man named Samson and set him over the children of Israel.
The life of Samson is a very sad story about the rise and fall of a gifted man whose most costly error was the sin of presumption. Perhaps things came too easily for Samson to appreciate as he should have. Going back as far as he could remember, Samson had always been blessed by a special presence of God in his life. This led to the release of a gift that brought him great success but it wasn't something Samson possessed of himself: the gift operated as the result of a special anointing on his life. That anointing was a source of wisdom, courage, and overwhelming strength that enabled Samson to defend God's people against their aggressive Philistine neighbors.However, a time came when Samson began to become large in his own eyes. As a result of increasing arrogance, he began to take both the gift and its Giver for granted. Eventually, due to his growing carnality and irreverence, a day came when Samson needed to save himself from the enemy, but found that God had withdrawn His protective hand. When Samson rose to defend himself as usual, his great strength was gone, and he was defeated by the Philistines. He was taken captive to be bound, beaten, tortured, and tormented, and his eyes were put out. The sin of presumption cost Samson everything.
What does this mean for America?
Despite America's miraculous beginning, and the unparalleled success that followed, during the past few decades presumptuous American leaders have been lying down with the enemy. As they've gradually shut God out of the public square sanctioning ever-increasing levels of corruption and debauchery for the sake of political and financial gain they've been courting disaster just as Samson was each time he laid his head in the lap of a Philistine whore named Delilah. Samson learned this lesson the hard way: no one makes a habit of lying down with the enemy without being taken at some point.
In America, we too stand in grave danger of waking up amidst a time of crisis and finding that God has lifted His protective hand. Furthermore, there are more ways than one for a nation to be conquered. If, as a nation, we fail to return to God soon, America will be taken without a shot being fired, and we will simply lose our national sovereignty. The groundwork is already being laid. America has but a short time to pull up and change courses before globalist traps will begin to snap shut on us. If this happens, it will be much more difficult to extricate ourselves from those things than it was to fall into them. Unfortunately, too many American leaders today have forgotten the importance of turning to God for His protection and guidance.
Abiding under the shadow of the Almighty
-
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Ps. 91:12 NKJV (emphasis added)
From the outset, American dependence on the blessing of God was readily apparent in our schools, our institutes of higher learning, our ways of doing business, and our political institutions not to mention the formation of our law and government. Thus, just a scant fifty years after Americans won their independence, France one of the richest and most powerful nations on earth at the time sent Alexis de Tocqueville to search for the secret of America's greatness.
This nation went through a phenomenal rise in global stature in such a brief period as that. When you consider the challenges, the obstacles, and the odds against it, this was truly a miraculous feat. For the sake of allowing me to make an important point, please take a moment to consider a promise God made to ancient Israel, as they were preparing to go in for the conquest of Canaan.-
The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.... The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hands. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. (Dt. 28:7-8, 12-13 NKJV, emphasis added)
What happened to the anointing?
As it was with Israel, America was born as God delivered His people from the oppression of a stronger nation. Once again, this was done to provide a safe place for God's people to dwell in, and to enjoy the freedom to worship according to the dictates of conscience. Until the most modern times, the righteousness, the love, and the goodness of the Holy Spirit flowed out of American churches into every echelon of society. This had a positive impact on everything, including the way American leaders governed. However, this kind of blessing cannot be sustained, when the Christian Church is being essentially quarantined by the government to prevent people of lesser moral integrity and character from being "offended."
This very thing is at the root of the most serious problems America has ever faced. Shameful things have become commonplace in our society, and we are paying a terrible price for it. Nevertheless, despite the unprecedented immorality that is now pervasive in American society, to this very day God hasn't taken His hand off of the nation completely. If so, we would already have gone under. But God has been allowing a progressive increase in the incidence and seriousness of problems that are plaguing the nation. He is seeking to wake Americans up to the fact that rebellion and immorality are destroyers. As a result, we find ourselves increasingly confronted with such situations and problems as these:
1 Devastation of a type that hasn't been common or even known of in the past things like death and destruction of the magnitude witnessed on 9 /11/ 2001, resulting from a terrorist attack on American soil.2 Gross deterioration of America's economic stability. I believe that political rhetoric about the stability of our economy has been extremely deceitful lately, with the tone set during the Clinton administration. There have been serious problems lying beneath the surface for quite some time, and the subsequent weakening of the U.S. dollar is finally making it impossible for the government's creative accounting and irresponsible printing of fiat dollars to hide that weakening from discerning Americans.
3 Gross deterioration in American standards of education: many students in American high schools are reading at sub-high school levels. A disgraceful number of them are illiterate, and overall academic standards in America have plummeted dramatically over the past several decades. The university system has been corrupted and compromised by the politicization of a college education in America. The radical left's "long march through the institutions" has produced a university system focused more on secular ideological indoctrination of students than on providing high quality academic programs.
4 Gross deterioration of American industry: this nation was once the global pace-setter, establishing standards for industrialized nations of the world in most fields of endeavor. At this point, we are sending more American jobs offshore every year, and immigrants are gradually taking over the American workplace. They are often willing to work for less than standard pay even if they are U.S. citizens.
5 Extremely violent and bizarre crimes: this is a product of increasing levels of emotional instability and lawlessness in American society. The progressive disintegration of family values has led to the destabilization and breakup of American homes, leading in turn to an increase in anti-social behavior and social chaos. The significant surge in the number of illegal aliens coming here undeterred has added to the problem. The resultant upheaval of American culture has contributed to a dramatic increase in serious crime.
6 The progressive increase and seriousness of mental illness: this is becoming ever-more prevalent in American society, not only on the streets of the nation among the homeless, but also among the more "common citizens." There are more new "diseases," "disorders," and "syndromes" than we can possibly deal with effectively. The problem has reached epidemic proportions in America, and mental health clinics, both private and government-funded, can't even come near keeping pace with it.
A large part of the reason for this is the sexual immorality and sexual addictions that are relentlessly gripping the lives of Americans of all ages. Both the marketplace and the media are so riddled with blatant sexual content, it is impossible to shield even the youngest children from it especially since legislators and activist judges are gradually forcing sexual content into our public schools as far down as the kindergarten level, and the courts have even declared the passing of virtual child pornography on the internet a constitutionally- protected right. All these things, combined with the destruction of American homes and families, have led to an increase in violent crimes, especially those of a sexual nature. This includes an exponential increase in crimes committed by sexual predators who stalk our children.These problems and more have been allowed to reach the magnitude and severity we are witnessing in modern America as a warning. God is pleading with this nation to turn back to Him. I believe God has been preventing the total downfall of America for the sake of a "remnant" here who truly love Him. (Isa 1:9) I also believe God has plans for America that will affect the way he deals with this nation. Nevertheless, in days to come, even in a best-case scenario, Christians are going to have to make a valiant stand for the preservation of liberty and virtue in this, God's country.
As I've stressed, America has always been God's country, and this is obvious to anyone who possesses accurate information. That is, anyone who isn't so determined to deny it that they'll wade up to their nostrils in steer manure and say there is no stench rather than admit that we as a country are losing ground because people are trying to take America out of divine hands and place its security and future in their own.
If all of our problems could be dealt with effectively through science for instance why is it true that the more advanced our science and technology becomes, the deeper we find ourselves buried under the more serious problems in this society? This situation isn't going to change unless WE do.
Past spiritual awakenings
There have been times throughout our history when America began to drift away from its biblical moorings. When such a thing happens with His children, God often deals with it by first seeking to draw them back with tender mercies. If that fails, other measures will eventually be employed as God begins to chasten them. During the hardest times, people who are less religiously oriented tend to become more open to God, and those who already know God seek His face ever more diligently.
The first and second "Great Awakening" in America prevented severe national immorality during the latter half of the eighteenth and the first half of the nineteenth centuries. And what some have referred to as a "Third Great Awakening" played a role in helping stabilize America later in the nineteenth century. However, despite the influence of the last of the three great revivals, bitterness and racial prejudice remained strong in America at the turn of the twentieth century. So did a sense of enmity and betrayal between people of the North and the South.
Coming back together again
There are two things that can normally draw feuding family members back together, regardless of what separated them. The first is times so hard that only a cooperative effort will enable people to make it through. The second is danger that requires true unification to win against a common enemy that poses a dire threat. During the first half of the twentieth century, Americans found themselves dealing with both types of adversity, as three historic events began to bring Americans back together:
WW I broke out in 1914 and continued for four years, followed by a period of sorting things out in the aftermath of that destructive conflict. Then on the heels of all that came the onset of the Great Depression in 1929; this lasted into the early forties. Next, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese Dec. 7, 1941. So America went to war again, also entering the European theater shortly thereafter. This nation remained at war until 1945, and America played a major role in settling global affairs afterwards, both in Europe and Japan.
I wouldn't say that God brought those events about specifically for America's sake. But He did use the trials of the times to draw the hearts of Americans back to Him, and to tear down some of the walls that separated them from each other. The severity of the times brought on by two world wars and the Great Depression drove many to their knees while those who were already praying sought the Lord more earnestly. In the midst of everything that was happening, God restored a sense of national unity, identity, and destiny to Americans as He carried this nation through it all.The American mindset then and now
During the two world wars, there was a key motivational factor that helped unite many Americans and carry them through. The majority of them were fighting "for God and country," and that made a real difference. This is not to say that all Americans were devout Christians, or that there were no subversive elements fomenting political strife and division at the time. Nevertheless, two important things were commonly part of the American mindset that had a positive impact on what was taking place.
First, Americans were willing to make sacrifices together at home and abroad, rather than just tearing at one another relentlessly over divided opinions about the war. Second, there was a greater degree of patriotism and a stronger sense of brotherhood in America than we see around us today. The reason for this was quite simple. In a nation where God had not been banned from the public square, there was a greater sense of unity and love of country among Americans of that day.
Before the iconoclasm of the sixties set in at which point people began to challenge longstanding traditions with increasing boldness most Americans still believed the birth of this nation was a work of Providence. They were persuaded that America was born to be "a city set on a hill" "a light to the world," an instrument of goodness and grace in the hands of God. As a result of such traditional beliefs, Americans were convinced that regardless of how difficult times became, God would always carry this nation through and cause America to prevail.
Thus, in times of national danger and distress, one of the first things to happen has been a reemphasis of God's rightful place in the nation. This has led many Americans to renew their commitment to God, both individually and in a corporate sense, among common citizens and leaders as well. As people have come together in prayer seeking wisdom, comfort, and guidance, they've drawn strength from above to deal with difficulties and make the necessary sacrifices. They've also prayed fervently for one another and for their loved ones. The impact this has had on the outcome of things cannot be overstated.
Preservation of the American heritage
This type of response to national distress is an American tradition that goes back to a time before the Revolutionary War. Faith in God and a conscience based on that faith combined with a strong sense of duty, honor, and brotherhood were the motivating factors in the hearts of a majority of Americans during such times. All this flowed out of a sense of reverence for God in the hearts of the American people that survived throughout the generations.
Unfortunately, there are fewer Americans today who have the same unifying convictions out of which their decisions and actions flow. As a result, Americans are fighting among themselves with increasing intensity. When the Lord is truly in the lead, there is unity and strength among the people. But when reliance on God and submission to His will become diminished, the result is chaos. Selfishness begins to rule where true conviction once reigned supreme. This is true not only in a national sense, but within the body of Christ as well.
Nevertheless, we are beginning to see a few American leaders rise up and call for a return to the first principles of the American founding, and church leaders rise up and call for the kind of unity that overcomes doctrinal schism and organizational differences. We must therefore rise up and stand with those leaders, sacrificially, being as supportive as we possibly can be, lest we lose the liberty that once made us so proud to be Americans.This point in American history absolutely must be a turning point! If not, the good ship America will run aground in the shallows of secular humanism, be devastated on the dangerous reefs of political correctness, and be pulled under completely by the destructive undercurrents of globalist ambition. If this happens, the American heritage our founders sacrificed and fought for will become nothing more than a sad memory. The world will be so much worse off, and Christians not only in other nations, but also in America will see even greater persecution and adversity than we are already likely to experience in days to come as we stand for the truth.
In Part 2 of this essay, I'm going to discuss the kind of sacrifice that absolutely must be made if we are to prevail in days to come. There is no question about it we are facing a problem that is formidable. Yet we can still prevail in the struggle to prevent America from going under in the manner just described. I don't want to give too much away ahead of time, but I assure you that Part 2 will not be a standard conservative rant against liberals, combined with preachy, self-righteous politics. I hope you will watch for it, and give serious consideration to what I have to say.
© Joshua Herring
RenewAmerica analyst Joshua Herring also writes a column for RenewAmerica.
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
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