Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  – 1 Timothy 2:1-2

There is a saying that you must maintain what you have obtained. It is clear that things are on a downhill course. The United States of America is continuing in a recession, God and Jesus Christ are blatantly attacked, mocked, and legalized out of the public sphere. Unbiblical laws are being passed at an unprecedented pace. It is obvious that we have not maintained the freedoms we have obtained.

At one point in our nation’s history it was the preacher who was called on when the nation was in such a time of crisis and problems. Today, the preacher too is mocked, ridiculed, and called a hate monger. Ministers are found preaching satanic doctrine that is backed up by whole denominations. It is preached from international ministries that we don’t have to repent, that Christians can join together with demon-possessed institutions all for the glory of God. As Christians, we must continually pray for the political, social, economic, and spiritual realm of our nation. We must maintain the freedoms that our spiritual forefathers acquired for us.

As grateful as we are for what has come before us – the freedoms we have enjoyed and the sense of patriotism that we feel, we must acknowledge the truth. We are in a state of moral, social, spiritual,  and political decline. The United States of America is in a mess. The reason the nation is in a mess though is because the church is in a mess. But things can be turned around. This is not to condemn, attack, or disparage anyone. It is simple to point out a fact, in love. To encourage the body to pray. To deal with a problem, we must first admit that there is a problem, the root cause.

When I talk about ‘the church,’ I don’t mean every single church, but the body of Christ as a whole. Overall, we have demonic seducing spirits infiltrating the church, spreading doctrines of devils and deceiving believers into believing the things that these spirits say and do is the Holy Spirit. But this can be turned around.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us authority in His name to deal with such things. I encourage you to pray, in the name of Jesus, and take your authority over these satanic spirits that are operating in the church and nation.

The devil is set on destroying America. This nation was founded by God Himself as a launching point for the Gospel. Around 90% of the Gospel that goes into the world comes out of the United States. That was the original intend for our nation. And if you want to stop the nation that sends 90% of the missionaries into the world- if you want to stop the Gospel – how would you do it? You would drain the finances of the nation – putting it into a recession. You would water down the very message that would destroy you, getting those who preach it to compromise. You would corrupt the truth.

But the church has the power to stop the devil. That is the authority that has been given to us in the name of Jesus Christ. That is the authority that we have in prayer. However, the church has not exercised that authority.  1 Timothy 2:1 says, “first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority.” The first thing that we are to do in prayer is to pray over those in authority.

Why are we to do that? “…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” The reason we want to live a quiet and peaceable life is so we can preach the Gospel and take it around the world.

Why is the church told to pray? Because the church is the only entity in the world that has the authority to change things. If you put your faith and hope in an election, a political official, or any other natural thing, your hope and faith is ill-placed. Yes, we should vote and take an active part in our government. But unless that is preceded with prayer, then it is of no use.

It has been said, and truthfully so, that the church should be ruling the country on their knees from the throne room of God. The church is the only entity on the planet that is going to pray. The world isn’t going to do it. They don’t have the power. The Lord told us to pray for our leaders because we are the only ones who will do it and the only ones who have the authority to do it. I encourage you today, as we celebrate the birth of our nation, to give thanks to God for what He has given to us, the freedoms we enjoy, and to pray for our leaders – the church and in the government. Pray for our soldiers and every facet of our nation. Because if you don’t, who will? Have a blessed Independence Day.