WHAT DO WE DO WHEN IT APPEARS EVIL WON THE DAY?

Habakkuk was written during a day in which the prophet saw violence, lawlessness, and injustice go unpunished. Sound familiar? Habakkuk questioned God’s justice as I know many of us are doing right now.

“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore, the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted (Hab 1:1-4).

That Scripture sounds like it could have been written today. Habakkuk questioned God, because it seemed evil had won the day—as it feels now.

I have had friends say since the election, “It will be a long time before I can pray again.” But do we stop praying because God didn’t answer our prayers in the way and time-table we thought He should?

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Is 55:8-9)

Several years ago, my pastor passed away from cancer. Only in his fifties, it was a shocking and premature death. He had stood in faith—and the man had strong faith. He had written books on healing and held miracles services in which many people had been healed. And yet he wasn’t—at least here on earth.

The outcome wasn’t what we had prayed and expected. As a result, it shipwrecked many who said, “If he couldn’t get healed, we certainly can’t.”

Wrong answer then and now.

Now is when we must grow roots downward.

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness (Col 2:7).

At this time, we need to go back to the Bible to remember who God is and what He has done. Let us not forget who He is:

1. He is a God of justice.
2. He said the wicked will not go unpunished.
3. He is also long-suffering and merciful.
4. But when His judgement comes…and it will…it will be swift.
5. He hears the cry of His people.

But what happens when it seems He hasn’t?

I was reminded today of the much-quoted Scripture 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray,” In my opinion we did that. But a friend reminded me the verse didn’t stop there. It also says we are to turn from our wicked ways.

When Nineveh was delivered in biblical days, it was because the entire nation fasted, prayed and repented. America is still a divided land of those who seek after God, those who want to remain neutral and those who seek to remove Him. Many of us had prayed for divine deliverance. Repentance and revival come usually in one of two ways. By supernatural divine intervention that brings the fear or the Lord or by oppression and persecution of the Church. It appears we are headed into the latter.

We have seen many Christian leaders and believers who have abdicated their positions of authority and chosen to remain silent in the face of evil. That happened in the day of Hitler and we see the tragic results. We need to learn from that tragedy. Will we continue to remain silent and say, “This must be God’s will?” Was it God’s will when Satan deceived Adam and Eve and gained rulership of the earth? When Hitler exterminated the Jews? Or the many other acts of ungodly leaders? Just because something happens, doesn’t mean it was His will.

Some have immediately embraced the new leadership thinking it will bring unity. I cannot congratulate an administration that TOOK office in every sense of the word.

But I can and should pray for them. But how?

First, I cannot pray for their success if they work to force ungodly mandates back into law. I cannot align with evil.

But I can pray:

• That they will walk and govern by the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom (Prv 9:10).
• That they will govern according to righteousness and godly justice.
• That America will not be forced to take part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead we would expose them (Eph 5:11).
• That God will deliver us from evil (Mt 6:13).
• That they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will (2 Tm 2:26)

And when I don’t know how to pray, I can pray in the spirit. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Rom 8:26).

This isn’t the first time in history that people have waited to see God’s deliverance. We must not give up hope because He said He would deliver.

But we also need to remember that when Jesus lived on the earth, the people expected him to deliver them from the evil leadership of Rome. That wasn’t His goal. He came to deliver them from sin.

His plan and goal have never changed. Do we continue to pray for justice and deliverance from evil? Yes. But more importantly, may we press in to pray for repentance and revival not only in America but around the world. And may we not remain silent in the face of evil.

 

Lord, we choose to trust in You with all your heart; and lean not on our own understanding. We make the decision to seek Your will in all we do, and You said You would He would show us which path to take. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from which comes my help. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow our feet to be moved for He neither sleeps nor slumbers. Thank You Lord that You are our keeper. You said You would preserve from all evil and preserve our soul.

Help us see from Your perspective. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear. Lord, we pray for our governmental leaders that they will serve with righteousness. We pray that evildoers will be thwarted and the wicked will not go unpunished. We pray for courage for those in leadership to stand up for righteousness and justice. You said when the righteous are exalted the people rejoice. May the righteous be exalted Lord and evildoers removed and may we continue to seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways.

 

Karen Hardin is a literary agent, author, and intercessor. Her work has appeared in USA Today, World Net Daily, Intercessors For America, Charisma, CBN.com, The Elijah List, etc. To order her new book: “INFECTED: How to Stop the Global Spread of Rage, Deception and Insanity” click here. To join the city-by-city prayer movement to save our nation go to: www.city-by-city.org. For additional information on her ministry, business or to sign up for her prophetic blog go to: www.karenhardin.com or you can contact her at www.prioritypr.org.