I almost feel guilty preaching or teaching from 2 Timothy 3 and 4 because of how often I have been stirred in my spirit to address the current times. The Apostle Paul speaking to Timothy described the days we are living in now … times that are difficult and demonic ... times of spiritual darkness and unprecedented delusion. Paul's words were not a promise - to be believed - but rather a warning ... a call to preparation for answering the confusion and compromise we see in the church and in the culture.
The scriptures define the conditions of selfish indulgence, prideful arrogance and brazen rebellion to anything having to do with God. It is not surprising that evil seems to be getting worse and worse, but that the reason for the demise in our nation is directly related to lukewarmness and powerlessness in the church. This is not an indictment of Jesus Christ the builder of the church, but rather the failure of believers to hold fast to the authority of scripture.
The prophetic warnings concerning the last days before the coming of the Lord should propel the church into intercession and engagement with the culture, but instead we have kept quiet when we should have spoken the truth of the gospel. What is needed now, more than ever, is the proclamation and demonstration of the truth of the gospel.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is still the power of God unto salvation but it must be preached. One of the great revivalists of history stated that the cause of the decline of a nation is powerlessness and compromise in the pulpit. America is in trouble ... but how did we get here? Jesus stated in Matthew 13: 24,25 "while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way." The church slept while the enemy sowed seeds of deception and we are reaping the harvest of a generation that knows nothing about how to live.
Samson was careless, vexed and vulnerable by the constant plotting of Delilah and finally he gave away the secret of his strength. Asleep on her lap, she sheared off his hair and he was unaware of the loss of his strength. Many in the church are asleep when we should be alert and praying. We will find ourselves at the mercy of the enemy, powerless and without vision.
The cry of the Spirit for this hour is "Awake you who are sleeping, arise from the dead and Christ shall give you light." We must redeem the time for the days are evil. The call of God is to be wise and understanding of what the will of the Lord is ... and be not drunk with wine that will ruin our lives, but filled with the Spirit.
It is not too late to see revival and spiritual awakening in America if we lift our voice in prayer to God and raise our voice to declare the gospel to a broken world. Jesus gave us the mandate, "Occupy till I come, Love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully use you. Bless and curse not and do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good." It is not too late for America. Let the church arise and move the gates of hell. Amen