What Is God Saying to America in 2016?

I recently read a Charisma Magazine article, by Pastor J. Lee Grady, which really touched my spirit. Last night I read aloud the whole thing to our Wednesday night prayer team at my church. They too saw the relevance and insight of Pastor Grady.

We live in serious times and I believe the seven points made here will help call God’s people to prayer and help give direction as we pray.

So today, with permission, I’m sharing the article, in its entirety:

What Is God Saying to America in 2016?  

                                                       By J Lee Grady                 

I've been accused of being a prophet, and I cringe every time because (1) I don't like the title, and (2) I'm not comfortable with the way some Christians put prophetic people on pedestals. The gift of prophecy is certainly needed today, but we should never turn prophets into celebrities or follow them like gurus. Nor should we cheapen prophecy by turning it into a Christian form of fortune telling.

True prophecy is the holy proclamation of God's will and purpose in a particular situation. It is possible to discern what God is saying to a specific church or even a nation. And I believe He is saying some very specific things to the United States. I do not claim to know every detail, nor is the list below complete. The Bible says "we prophesy in part" (1 Cor. 13:9)—and that's why other prophets should add what is missing.

I believe God is most definitely saying these things to us today:

1. We shouldn't look to politicians from either party to save us. At this point, unity among conservative Christian voters looks impossible—especially since most black churchgoers and a big percentage of Hispanic Christians will vote for the Democratic ticket. The bigger question is this: Regardless of whether we have Clinton, Rubio, Trump, Cruz, Carson or even Sanders, will the "right" president deliver our country from its problems? We've had both liberals and conservatives in the White House over the past three decades, but neither party has stopped our morals from sinking or our families from disintegrating. Only a sovereign intervention from heaven can help us now. We can vote our consciences, but we must look to God to heal America.

God is saying: "Ask Me for a spiritual awakening, not a political victory."

2. The church must be equipped to heal broken people like never before. The family has been fragmenting at an alarming rate over the past few decades—and the number of young people who grew up with a father and mother in the home has dwindled to a minority. This will have huge implications for the church in the next few years, and if we are not trained to handle the pain, the church will lose the battle. It is time for every church to prepare an army of healers. Christian marriages are in crisis. Sex addiction is rampant. The transgender movement, along with the Supreme Court's decision to redefine marriage, now poses huge new challenges for kids and teens today—and we cannot meet this test without the Holy Spirit's power. The church must train counselors to deal with divorce, abandonment, abuse, domestic violence, gender confusion, sexual perversion and all the other problems associated with family breakdown.

God is saying: "Heal the brokenhearted and give them My compassion!"

3. Aging churches must embrace change—and discard outdated religious baggage. A huge number of Bible-believing churches have already become irrelevant to the culture because they have refused to update their styles and reconfigure their methods. Our gospel is unchangeable, but our methods must adapt to the needs of people. We only have a window of time to make these changes; old wineskins will soon become useless. Denominations must be open to innovative leadership and new ideas—or their lamps will go out. It is a time for drastic measures. Churches that seek God for His new direction will enter into a new season of fruitfulness and growth.

God is saying: "The season of spiritual barrenness is over, if you seek Me. I will break the yoke of dead, dry religion and release a fresh anointing so you can reach your cities."

4. The church must build the bridge of racial reconciliation. God is serious: He wants us to root out racism in the evangelical churches of America. He is not happy that we have dragged our feet on this! Government programs and political speeches don't have the power to heal the problems we saw in 2015 in Ferguson, Baltimore, Charleston or Chicago. The church has been given the "ministry of reconciliation" (see 2 Cor. 5:18), and reconciliation will only work when black, white and Hispanic church leaders engage the enemy together.

God is saying: "A banner has been unfurled over this year, declaring Psalm 133:1: 'Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!'"

5. We must open our hearts to foreigners. Our national discussion about immigration, refugees and Muslims has exposed a spirit of bigotry and hatefulness, even among followers of Jesus. Today the world looks at the United States and wonders if we really are still a nation that believes all people are created equal. Our racism and nationalism have erected more walls than bridges. If we truly want to be Pentecostal in our theology, we must embrace the foreigners who are drawn to Christ by the Holy Spirit. This doesn't mean we throw out immigration policies, or allow terrorists to enter the U.S., but it does require us to make room in our cold hearts for the people God is bringing into our communities.

God is saying: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations! Open your doors to everyone I am sending to you!"

6. We must focus our prayers on the Islamic world. In the 1980s, Christians prayed for seven years for the collapse of Soviet communism. But when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, most believers were shocked that God answered those prayers. The same doubt exists today; many Christians focus only on the evils of ISIS rather than considering the possibility of a massive move of God among Muslims. We must pray expecting the Islamic Curtain to fall. Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, even Yemen—unbelievable spiritual shifts will take place in these nations in response to the prayers of God's people!

God is saying: "Is anything too hard for Me? My Word will not be chained. I will pull back the veil of Islam and shine My light in the darkest places."

7. We should expect a spiritual awakening to break out among young people. I've never been more convinced that we are going to see a fresh wave of the Holy Spirit's power to hit this country—and I'm looking for it to erupt in our high schools and on our college campuses. It will take a miracle—since God is not exactly welcome in these secular environments. But when one fire starts blazing, others will catch. I fully expect to see America's college students praying, fasting, preaching and worshiping so radically that something akin to the Jesus movement of the 1970s happens again. The music of this next movement will grab the world's attention. The testimonies of transformed lives will end up on the mainstream news. Social media will provide the platform to spread this campus revival quickly.

God is saying: "I will call a new generation to serve Me, and they will boldly proclaim My gospel—even in the strongholds of secularism. I will have radical followers even in the Ivy League schools."

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, Fearless Daughters of the Bible and The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, at themordecaiproject.org.

Reprinted from Charisma magazine, 600 Rinehart Rd., Lake Mary, FL 32746. Charisma mag.com. Used by permission.

©Connie Wohlford 2016

“He Went Out Not Knowing”             

These 5 words, “He went out not knowing...,” are found in the Bible. Do you know who said them and of whom they were said?

Speaking of Abraham, the writer of the Book of Hebrews said, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (Heb. 11:8-9 KJV).”

Tomorrow we begin a new year. Like Abraham, we go out not knowing what lies ahead. We don’t know what awaits around the bend. It might hold abundant joys and really cool adventures−or perhaps even great sorrows and trials.  

When God called Abraham, (named Abram at the time) he obeyed, without hesitation. When he went out not knowing, he was taking a huge step of faith. God had called him to leave his home and kin. He didn’t have a reference point, or much of a family history with God. He was living in Haran, a pagan place. He couldn’t sing a song like Faith of Our Fathers to build his faith or boost his confidence. He took his wife, servants, Lot, his newhew, and their livestock and went out totally not knowing anything except that God had told him to do so.

So here we are, entering into a new year and we go out, not knowing what will befall us in 2016. We anticipate, hoping and expecting good things. Some among us are expecting a baby, planning a wedding, going to graduate, building a new house, and on and on.

Those of us who are in Christ, do NOT need to worry as we step into the new year. God told us very clearly in Luke 12:22 not to worry about anything. In other words, we are not to worry about things that concern us as we go out, not knowing what lies ahead. We don’t need to worry because God knows!

There are two 2-word sentences that give me great comfort as I face the unknown. The first is “I AM,” which God said about Himself to Moses through the burning bush. He was letting Moses know that Jehovah God was anything and everything Moses and the children of Israel would need for any trial or situation they’d faced.

My other 2-word sentence is, “God knows.”  When I encounter a trial, especially when I see no good ending, I remind myself, “God knows.” I know it is truth; He is good; He loves me with unfailing love; and He knows what’s best for me in any situation.

Granted, when January 1^st rolls around each year, we don’t know what lies ahead of us, or for any of our loved ones. Fear of the unknown can have a profound effect on an individual.

What does fear do to us? Fear keeps us focused on the past & constantly worried about the future. It creates desperation and indecision that paralyzes our logic, thinking, and actions. Fear causes us to be hesitant in exploring new concepts and embracing new possibilities. We can't live freely when we live in fear of the unknown.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on (Luke 12:22).”

Let’s consider things that we DO know, as we embark on a New Year−for that matter, as we embark on any new day:

1.  Jesus said, “Don’t worry about anything.”  Let’s take Him at His word. “For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day (2 Timothy 1:12).”

2.  Always remember, God loves us with unfailing love.

3.  God knows our end before our beginning. He said so! −Isaiah 46:10

4.  God created each of us, and knows each of us better than we know ourselves. He knows what’s best for us. Therefore, we can rest assured that He has our best interest in mind in all matters.

5.  Yes, we might miss God and mess up along the way but He knows our heart and can always get us straightened out when we cooperate with Him.

6.  God gives us principles and precepts to guide us and we can trust His Word. Of course we must read and study His Word in order to know these things.

7.  We have His presence at all times. When we’re in His family, His Holy Spirit dwells in us. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5).”

As we go out in complete surrender to our Creator, we shouldn’t be surprised at marvelous things He will do in us and through us.

“Be an Abraham. Leave everything, and if you do this in faith, verily ye shall not lack your reward. He is able, and he has promised to give you in this life ten times more than you lose for him, and in the world to come life everlasting.”

“Let us … put the most implicit trust in our wonder-working God; when we recollect what he has already done for us.”

“I can only hold up my hands and exclaim, ‘What hath God wrought!’ And shall we doubt for the future? No; mariner, hoist the sail; loose the rudder bands; drag up the anchor; once again to sea we go, with the flag of faith at the masthead, with Jehovah at the helm, to a sure port the vessel shall be guided, though the storm may howl, and hell beneath shall be stirred; for God is with us, and the God of Abraham is our refuge. God give to every one of you the firmest trust in his providence, that you may go forth not knowing whither you go.”
“As for you that believe not in God, may you be led to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as in your Redeemer, and afterwards to trust your God, and leave all your concerns in his hands.” -Charles Spurgeon-  http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0261.htm 

©Connie Wohlford 2015