“17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 New American Standard Bible 1995
As a human I tend to look at things that are seen. Many of those things I do not like. Especially things that affect our nation and society. Many of us like to look to scriptures that point to redemption for our land such as 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 New American Standard Bible 1995 “13 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, 14 and My people [a]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.”
But what if God has allowed or even initiated forces in our land that will lead toward His eternal purposes? Things I do not like in my flesh. Evil things. God does send evil spirits: 1 Samuel 16:14-23 New American Standard Bible 1995 states: “14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord terrorized him. 15 Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 Then one of the young men said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him.” 19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flock.” 20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son. 21 Then David came to Saul and [a]attended him; and [b]Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. 22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.”
The whole point of my saying this is how are we to pray for our nation and society in light of His eternal purpose?
I would like to digress for a moment to World War II and the Holocaust. This was as evil as anything I can think of in history. But were God’s purposes accomplished by it? I believe so, without that horrible cruelty against the descendants of the twelve tribes the nation of Israel would not have been born on May 14, 1948. . This was a fulfillment of Isaiah 66:8 “8 “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be [a]born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.”
So how do we pray as we see a world positioning itself toward global government as the stage is being set for the Anti-Christ? My flesh wants to pray to take away the evil, to make everything nice and pleasant. But is that how God wants me to pray? Or should I pray “let Thy kingdom come Thy will be done? Should I rely more on praying in the Spirit rather than in my natural language using my natural mind. My natural mind can be flawed.
Ephesians 6:18 New American Standard Bible 1995 states: “18 [a]With all prayer and petition [b]pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, [c]be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” The Spirit knows God’s will, and will pray God’s will, while I in my flesh pray as I want based on my feeling. In my natural man I can pray for Israel, God’s word has informed me how. To pray for God’s will for the United States if it means God’s judgement is hard for me because I want to be spared the judgement.
One more digression, Romans 8:26-27 New American Standard Bible 1995 states: “26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the [a]saints according to the will of God.”
So, if I do not want to pray at cross purposes of God I must pray in the Spirit, and “let Thy kingdom come Thy will be done.”
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