During the months that followed the horrible events of September 11, 2001, public declarations of faith abounded. Congress stood on the Capitol step united in one voice and sang "God Bless America." Churches were filled to capacity, prayers were offered, and even repentance flowed freely. For a brief moment, we turned our hearts toward heaven.

    Three years later, we have forgotten. When the storms of adversity subsided, we resumed our indifference toward things spiritual. We have taken the path of least resistance when confronted with issues of right and wrong. We have mocked and at times blasphemed the God to whom we had turned in times of trouble. Yet the Lord has remained faithful to His people.

    Does God have an obligation to America? Should He bless a nation that denies Him, subverts His holy Word, and works to remove Him from public life? Romans 1:18 demonstrates the Lord's response to people who choose evil instead of Him: "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth . . ." He gives them over to a depraved mind (v. 28), which means they eventually reach a stage in their thought processes that closes all avenues to God.

History demonstrates our direction.

    Four hundred years ago, Pilgrims endured the treacherous trip to America for various reasons, but predominantly for religious liberty. The "Protestants," as they were called, settled in the New England area and raised their families according to scriptural principles. Shortly after the Revolution in 1776, those settlers' descendants were among the framers of our Constitution, which was unlike any document previously written. It was truly revolutionary in that it advocated self-government. Thus began the "American experiment."

     In truth, until the dawn of the 20th century, America collectively believed that she was founded upon Christian principles. But the 1900s brought an onslaught against our faith that has shaken this country's foundation to the core.

     In 1920 John Dewey, the father of progressive education, declared, "There is no God and no soul. No absolute moral code exists and therefore man must adjust his ethical standards according to his own judgment." His outlook eerily parallels the mindset during one of Israel's darkest periods, when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6).

     In 1947 Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association arguing against the establishment of an official state religion. Justice Hugo Black incorrectly interpreted the letter's "no establishment of religion" clause as a mandate for a wall of separation between church and state.

     In the 1960s the Federal Supreme Court removed prayer and Scripture from schools, arguing that Bible reading "could cause psychological damage to students." The Ten Commandments were subsequently stripped from the public square with the statement, "If the Ten Commandments were to have any effect at all, it would be to induce students to read them. They will meditate on them. If they meditate on them, they will respect and obey them, and that would be unconstitutional."

    Everywhere we turn today, the existence of God is being erased from our midst without our consent. America's greatest enemy does not lie outside of our borders; it lies within us. Our complacency is destroying us. Why are our leaders silent? Perhaps they think, This is simply where we are today—but it is by no means where we should be. And why don't believers speak up? It is time for the body of Christ to awaken from apathy and act responsibly.

    We must understand that, just as we list our nationality as "American," we are also citizens of the kingdom of God. Our dual citizenship carries with it awesome privileges as well as vital responsibilities. We cannot be good American citizens if we are inadequate Christians. Nor can we be good followers of Christ if we shirk our civic duties.

What are our responsibilities as dual citizens?

    Jesus told His followers to be salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-16) In other words, we are to make an impact for His kingdom. Salt heals, but it can sting in the process, and many people prefer not to face the truth when it feels convicting and uncomfortable. Christians are oftentimes told, "Don't legislate your morality." However, all legislation is someone's morality, and unfortunately, many of our leaders are now trying to legislate immorality. So how do we shine God's light and "season" our society with His principles?

• First, we must offer ourselves as holy sacrifices, and strive to live as Christ did. We cannot be sentinels of God's goodness if we are living in sin.

• Second, if we fail to express our opinion, others will be more than happy to make decisions for us. It is essential that we educate ourselves about potential government officials and legislation. To be uninformed is to take a chance with our country's future.

• Next, we should consider, Who am I? The decisions we make in the public arena should fit who we are as Christians. Upon our salvation, God's Holy Spirit indwelled us in order to live out His life through us. Therefore, we are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19), and to act otherwise is rebellion.

• Finally, we should all ask, Is this course of action in keeping with the Bible? You cannot be a faithful follower of God and support something that directly violates His Word. Scripture tells us our bodies were made by Him for His purposes, and yet many support ideas that stand in clear contrast to God's Word.

    The Bible never encourages Christians to be wishy-washy; we have the responsibility to stand up, speak up, and be strong about our convictions. The issue is not whether we are uncomfortable; all that matters is what pleases God. He wants His people to exhibit honesty, integrity, and faithfulness to Him. So, while we must never be disrespectful or hateful toward individuals, we should be unwavering in our condemnation of anti-Christian philosophies. Some people consider this a social struggle, but in reality, it is a spiritual battle.

How can Christians win this war?

    God has mightily blessed our country because it was founded upon His principles and designed to function according to biblical truth. It is no wonder, then, that Satan wants to marginalize Christians and remove all traces of God from our way of life.

    There is just one way to win this fight, and that is to engage the most powerful force available—almighty God Himself. In 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, the Lord reveals His plan to rescue a people under judgment: "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Could it happen here?

    Biblical principles work whether or not people believe them. Despite the terrorist attacks, most Americans think disaster cannot overtake us. Yet in Scripture, God clearly speaks about sending judgment in the form of pestilence and drought—a warning intended not for pagan unbelievers, but for the Lord's favored nation of Israel, should they forsake Him. The fact that we have had unfettered access to truth and abundant blessing is the very reason judgment could happen here.

    God could not remain truly righteous and just were He to ignore the blatant, wicked rebellion carried out against Him before a watching world. (1 Samuel 17:46) His very character dictates that He cannot allow His name to be blasphemed without doing something about the reproach.

    The Scriptures declare that we will reap what we sow, more than we sow, later than we sow. We are already beginning to "harvest" a society that no longer knows God. Is it too late?

Humble yourself and pray.

    The situation is not hopeless for one simple reason: We can turn to almighty God. We must acknowledge His right to rule over our life by humbling ourselves and praying. Second Chronicles 7:14 speaks not of a casual prayer here and there, but rather of a crying out, born of a heavy burden stirring our heart. (Psalm 57:1-2) It is the type of plea a parent makes for a child who is deathly ill, one originating from a sense of helplessness and desperation.

    Scripture tells us, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results" (James 5:16 NLT) Therefore pray earnestly and fervently, "Lord, awaken Your apathetic church. Awaken Your apathetic pastors. Awaken Your apathetic believers so they will be salt and light. And remove from places of leadership everyone who is part of the movement to displace You from our society."

    America is morally sick and becoming worse all the time. Unless the church wakes up, takes a stand, and selects godly leaders, a time will soon come when God judges this country. By supporting unrighteousness, we ourselves are contributing to the demise of this nation. (2 Chronicles 19:2)

    There is only one person who can protect our nation: God can stop every wayward philosophy, every piece of misguided legislation, and every person who would evict Him from the culture. But will He? Christian, become the person you say you are. Humble yourself. Pray. Seek His face. Turn from your wicked ways. God is faithful to do what He has said—and He has promised, "Then I will hear from heaven . . . and will heal their land."

To become a member of In Touch Ministry's Impact Team/Prayer Partnership, please register at our website, www.kintera.org/prayerteam.