This article is based on Pastor Adrian Rogers' message, It's Prayer Time in America.
Is it too late for America? Have we already crossed the point of no return? Will the American dream that was placed in the hearts of our forefathers become a national nightmare? This wonderful nation, born in 1776, must be born again or we will join the graveyard of nations. This is a crucial time for America and it’s time for God’s people to pray. His people must repent and seek His face if our nation is to survive.
Many of us remember a time in America when pregnancy outside of marriage was a scandal, when homosexuality was a sin, pornography was a moral sickness, marriage was sacred, living together without marriage was a disgrace, child abuse was rare, and we didn’t have to lock our houses and our cars. In public schools, our students were allowed to pray, and the Ten Commandments were posted on the walls.
But we’ve insulted the Almighty and become a proud nation, wallowing in materialism, rotting in sin, and searching for what we call pleasure and freedom.
Those who preach the Word of God are shunned and laughed at today. Reporters laugh at Bible truths and call them “extreme right-wing rhetoric.”
The matter is not right or left; the matter is right or wrong. And God’s Word is right.
We’re ready for judgment, but we need mercy. I don’t speak as a pessimist, but I tell you this: America must turn to God or she will die. Yet there is hope for America in God’s promise:
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
This promise applies only to what God’s people do. It’s not “If only Hollywood…if only the government…if only the abortionists….” God doesn’t look to them. He’s looking at us, His people, to humble ourselves, pray, and repent.
Stop putting the blame on anyone else. If America falls, it will be our fault—God’s people.
You’re thinking, “If only God would....” Is God to blame for the mess we’re in? Has God been indifferent? No. It’s not our duty to persuade God to send revival —we must permit Him to do so. And it begins at the house of God: “If My people.”
The church must start at its back door. “For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). The hope of America is not in the White House, State House, or schoolhouse—it’s in God’s house. If you are among “His people,” you’re summoned to pray.
Today in America we reek with pride. Yet pride is #1 on God’s hate parade. Of the seven things Proverbs 6:16-17 says God hates, “a proud look” starts the list. Pride is behind every sin and all kinds of evil.
The reason we don’t pray more than we do is because of our pride and humanistic haughtiness. We strut in the face of God. God cannot bless either a person or a nation that has such pride. The Bible says we’re to humble ourselves. Humility cures worldliness.
But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says, “God resists the proud, but gives more grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
Think about God resisting you, God resisting America, God setting Himself in battle array against us! Thank God He gives more grace to the humble. What America needs is His grace, but we must first humble ourselves.
This may shock you, but God doesn’t hear every prayer. He puts some qualifications on the prayers He hears. He says if we will “pray and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways” He will hear. The prayer God hears is the prayer that seeks His face. Revival is when God has not turned His back on us but can smile on us, find favor in us, and turn His countenance to us. Do you think God can smile at America today?
What most Americans are seeking is God’s hand instead of His heart. We cry, “O, God! Do something!” Beloved, God is doing something. God is judging this nation.
People say, “God is our only hope,” and that’s true, but I’ll tell you something else: God is our biggest threat. I’m not as afraid of what some terrorists may do to America as I am of what God may do to America. He is a God of vengeance and He will judge us.
To “turn from” is a good description of repenting. Prayer for revival without first repenting is a religious farce. How foolish to think God will bless us while we remain in our sin. We’re singing “God Bless America” while we’re killing little babies and sodomy struts down main streets with pride. We sing “God Bless America” when He is cursed, maligned, and can’t be mentioned in the public square.
Actually, to pray without repentance angers God. You say, “Oh surely not.” Just read Psalm 80:4, “O Lord God of hosts, how long will You be angry against the prayer of Your people?”
Why should God bless America? He will not unless we turn from our wicked way. As Christians, we should do more repenting after we’re saved than before we were saved. The closer we come to the Lord, the more we’re aware of our sinfulness and how much repenting we need to do.
Repentance is more than feeling convicted. It’s more than confession. You may feel conviction in your heart, but conviction is not repentance. If all you’ve done is confess your sin, you’ve not repented. Tears may accompany repentance, but tears are not repentance.
Repentance is literally “a change of mind,” a decisive action of turning. We turn from our sinfulness; we turn toward God (Acts 20:21). Repentance and faith are the two sides of the coin of getting right with God. We seek His face; we turn from our wicked way.
I’m not asking if you’re sorry for your sin. I’m asking, will you turn from your sin?
America will perish unless she repents. “Well,” you say, “what about the pornographer?” He needs to repent. “What about drug dealers?” They need to repent.” But God has said, “If My people, if My people.”
Can you imagine what would happen in America today if our churches, from sea to shining sea, had a man of God in the pulpit, opening the Book of God with the Spirit of God, preaching the Christ of God to the people of God, and calling America to repentance? There’s little that would not be changed in America almost overnight if that would happen.
God would rather pardon than judge. God is angry at our sins, but He is full of compassion. He is full of mercy. When the church gets right, when we begin to do what we ought to do, God will forgive our sins—He will forgive America.
I don’t know whether we’ve crossed God’s deadline or not. But I’m telling you, if there were ever a time when we need to repent, this is the time, this is the day, this is the age. Don’t put it off till tomorrow in your own personal life. Tomorrow you will only have more sin to repent of.
Don’t think about anyone else but you. Would you get your heart right with God today? Say, “O God, if there is any unconfessed, unrepented sin in my heart and life, let me know it.”
Search me, O God and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Pray this: God, help me to set my heart to seek You, not just for a few moments on Sunday morning, but it will be my lifestyle. Lord, I will live by repentance and faith. O God, have mercy upon America and may America bless You.
Seek His face.
Is there any hope for America? The God who sent revival to England in the 16th century, who sent revival on Mount Carmel and to Nineveh—that God is alive and well. God will hear from Heaven. Democrats, Republicans, Independents—all need to bow before Him, and the mighty God who rules from the heavens will hear from Heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land.
