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9th August 2011

What to do when a whirlwind hits a nation

 By Pastor Wes Richards 

Britain is under fire in every sense of the word. An explosion of evil has brought widespread criminality and anarchy throughout London and to the great cities of our nation.

Today we are ‘reaping the whirlwind’ of an anti-Christ, anti authority, secular, humanistic culture that has grown rapidly since the ‘permissive’ and rebellious 1960s.

But having no God and no absolute standards as laid out in the Bible has left up and coming generations hurt, confused, disillusioned and without restraint.

Now the whole world can see the terrible fruit of broken lives, families and communities.

Yet bleak as the picture is, Christians especially must be people of hope and faith.  For it is at times of the greatest darkness that the church must arise and shine with the transforming good news of the kingdom of God.

Jesus didn’t just say, ‘I am the light of the world,’ (John 8:12), he also said, ‘You are the light of the world and you are the salt of the earth,’ (Matthew 5:13 & 14.)

The prophet Isaiah also outlines the responsibilities of the people of God in chapter 58:12.  'Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.'

The words of Jeremiah 29:7 are also very apt, ‘seek the peace and prosperity of the city…pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers you too will prosper.’

Pastora Claudia Castellanos, who was for many years a senator in Colombia, said on one visit to London, ‘when Christians start to take responsibilities for the country, the Lord gives a special blessing.’

What does this mean for us today?

1.  We need to repent

Before Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem he wept and mourned not only for the state of his nation but also of the state of the people of God, ‘including myself and my father’s house,’ Nehemiah 1:6-7.

Before we focus too much about darkness in the world we must deal with the darkness in the household of God.  We must repent of our independence from God and of our indifference to sin.

We must have a clean up from specific and personal sins.

We must pursue holiness of heart and lifestyle. We need the fire of God inside church to put out the fires of destruction in the world.

2.  We need to really pray

There is power in prayer. As the poet Tennyson wrote: ‘more is achieved by prayer than these world dreams of.’

The true nature of every battle is spiritual.  Ephesians 6:12 ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’

Behind natural powers are spiritual powers.  That is why we must not get caught up in a partisan approach to politics. 

We are urged in scripture to pray for earthly rulers.  1 Timothy 2:1-2 ‘I urge then, first of all that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quite lives in all godliness and holiness.’

Let us be sure to pray for the government, Prime Minister, the Royal Family, local councilors and all in positions of authority.

3.  We need to build strong model churches

The church has the potential to change the world. We must model genuine and selfless love, godly living, reconciled relationships and what it means to be a consistent and caring community.

In a nation of broken families, the church must model what family life is all about.

Ephesians 3:10, ‘His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to His eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

Author and former Nixon aide Charles Colson says, ‘The church is to be a community reflecting God’s passion for righteousness, justice and mercy.  When we are that holy community we make an impact on an unholy world, no matter how desperate the circumstances.'

People must see something different in the church.  Make no mistake. People are on the look out for a credible alternative society.  Especially right now.

4.  We need to make and multiply many more disciples

This is the day of good news and we are not doing right to keep it to ourselves. We must go to young and old, the poor and the rich, native born and the immigrant and to the hurting and the vulnerable.

We can fundamentally change our society by winning many people to Christ.

Then we must help them and train them to live radically changed lives as committed followers of Christ who will themselves become leaders and people of influence.

The G12 vision, with its many similarities to the nation changing ministry of John Wesley, is the best way I know that we can do this. It is the Jesus model.

5.  We need to get involved as agents of change

‘See a need and meet it,’ said David Cho, pastor of the world’s biggest church. Many Christians and church members are already in positions of influence. Make sure you use it for good and speak up at a time when things are falling apart.

Others may need to run for political office, or to be a school governor. More of us for sure should write to our MPs and look how we can be part of ‘The Big Society’ that our Prime Minister speaks of.

Whatever it is that each of us are called to do, ALL of us need to be sure as we see such trouble in our nation that we ‘have come’ to the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of God for ‘such a time as this.’

Follow Pastor Wes on Twitter: @wescast 

 

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