The UK has just emerged from its most extraordinary election in living memory. An election where a significant Conservative lead was whittled away by a far-left version of the Labour Party at the same time as two Islamic terrorist attacks on Manchester and London took thirty lives in the name of Allah, left dozens seriously injured and scarred the lives of the many hundreds who were caught up in the events. As the commentators and politicians pick over the pieces of all that has happened in the past few weeks, it is incumbent upon God’s people to not only pray for their nation but to seek His face afresh for how they should respond in the face of chaos, fear and spiritual darkness.
I have always followed closely the unfolding story of all the elections in my lifetime. But the one I remember the most is the 18th June 1970. Not, primarily, for the fact that Ted Heath surprised the nation by coming out on top, but because that was the night when God spoke to me, as I began the work of restoring the wreck of an Alvis Speed 20 car, and said “You could restore this broken car, but I can restore broken lives.” In that moment, my life was changed for ever and the seeds were sown for the founding of Ellel Ministries sixteen years later.
As I stare now at the moral confusion that dominates most of the main political parties – which all espouse what is termed social liberalism and embrace policies which allow all manner of conduct and relational behaviour, without restriction – I felt the grief of God and found myself weeping in my spirit. It wasn’t Buddha, or the gods worshipped by Hindus, Sikhs and Moslems that answered the desperate prayers of our nation during the second world war. The King called the nation to prayer, and the people flocked to the Churches to pray to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. God graciously heard and answered their prayers in a miraculous manner. But after the war the people forgot and today we have a younger generation that is largely ignorant of the Christian faith, the faith which has been the guiding light of our nation and its laws for generations.
There is no doubt that our nation is once again at war – not with a physical enemy from without, but with a spiritual enemy that has been turning the hearts of the people away from the living God for two generations and has now invited into the vacuum every alien spirit imaginable. Lawlessness is always the consequence of rebellion.
Last night, I dwelt on the chaos that reigned in the eighteenth century and remembered how God raised up John Wesley, among others, a fearless evangelist who spent his whole life traversing the nation, and once again turning the hearts of the common people towards God. I ended the day in prayer that once again God would raise up fearless evangelists who would uncompromisingly declare the truths of God’s Word to the people and that the Holy Spirit would unleash a spirit of repentance on the people.
I found myself weeping for the lack of a credible public Christian voice among the clergy of our churches, a voice which would command the respect of our political leaders. Then I was reminded of what God said through Ezekiel about the leaders of Israel: “Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things, they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean” (Ezekiel 22:26).
I read on and was encouraged that in verse 30 it says that God “looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land, so I would not have to destroy it”, but then I was dismayed when I read that God had to say “I found none” and that judgement of the nation was the consequence.
Surely, Lord, there are those in our nation who will stand in the gap on behalf of the land? Where are those with the gift of leadership who have been honed by the spirit in the secret place so that at the right time they will ‘come out of hiding’ and speak with a voice of holy authority in the public place?
Lord, I cry out to you to have mercy on our nation and to look for the men and women who are willing to stand in the gap for the land. Lord, I ask you to raise up those who will become a Wesley or a Spurgeon for the twenty-first century and give them a platform for their voices to be heard. We are desperately in need and our eyes, Lord, are on You.
The “Maranatha” community, based in Flixton Manchester (leader now Dr. Linda Stalley) have just called for 10 days of prayer for the nations of the British Isles. Heavenly Father please would You look down with great Mercy and Compassion on our islands and once again respond to the prayers of Your people as we humble ourselves and seek Your face in prayer and fasting. In Jesus’ mighty, awesome and All-powerful Name. Amen.
LORD TEACH US TO PRAY.
P.S. Psalm 51 and Matthew 25 (as well as Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 of course.)
Thanks very much for an excellent post-election analysis. Truly although WE may be surprised, shocked or (temporarily) thrown off balance spiritually/emotionally by current world events, God NEVER is and through it all He is in perfect control of every circumstance. NOTHING is happening anywhere that He hasn’t foretold in prophecy, scriptural and/or extra-biblical. We simply have to become much more aware of how close we now are to Christ’s (imminent) Return (“imminent” when compared to @ 2000 years since His First Advent that is.) Heavenly Father please help us to get ready as a matter of urgency so that we are NOT “foolish virgins” when Rabboni Yeshua returns at an unexpected hour, like a “thief in the night,” for He is coming back for a “pure spotless bride” and i for one am anything but ‘pure and spotless’ at the moment. Please therefore cleanse me Lord and create a new heart/mind/spirit within me i pray. In Christ’s holy Name. Amen.
Amen Lord in Jesus Mighty name. Thank you sir for updating us on issues in our land May God have mercy on us. Lord am available if You will use me to be that voice for You in the land. Have You way Jesus.
Dear Peter, take heart that He is still on His throne. In due time all will be righted.
There will be some to stand in the gap, but for how long only He knows. We are living in perilous times and we need to pray” Even so come Lord Jesus.”
Bless you Peter, Chin up!
Amen and amen. Here i am Lord send and use me to “seek and save the lost” as Christ Himself did – to “imitate Christ” to the best of my abilities, with Holy Spirit’s constant help, just as St. Paul did – however poorly i may imitate him (St. Paul) – to “stand in the gap” in 24/7 intercession for the lost in our and the next generations, to offer up my life as a “living sacrifice” each day, as a pale imitation of YOU Lord, when You offered up YOUR Life on Calvary’s ‘tree’ for me and all humanity. Make me daily more like you i pray. Set me free from ALL self-concern and self-centredness so that i may be all that YOU want me to be 24/7 – living the life of an authentic 7-day-a-week modern-day disciple, even should it cost me my life to do so. PLEASE Lord God make me like Your Son Yeshua, Sar-Shalom, Prince of Peace – or let me die i pray. In His holy, mighty, awesome and All-powerful Name. Amen.
We need to take heed of what happened when the Northern Kingdom broke away from a united Israel and weak kings took control. Weak leadership that put personal interest ahead of the nation and ahead of following God is not good government. Unfortunately our wonderful nation has not been served well by the last two prime ministers who have put party political interests ahead of the nation, the result is disunity and chaos. However Mrs May is our Prime Minister and we must pray that she will govern with Godly justice, grace and love. I thank God that our young people have been mobilised and are taking an interest in the political direction of our country. We are clearly entering a new chapter for our country and I pray that a new openness in our younger generation will be fed by men and women of faith who will point them to Christ and they will rise up as God’s people serving Him with their lives. We may be in chaotic times but God is good and our eternal destination is in his hands.
Thank you so much. How right you are. I add my voice to your prayer.
This is the best of the blogs. I join my voice and prayers with you Mr. Horrobin. Lord Jesus you promised that you’ll not leave yourself without a witness until the day you come back again. I ask thee to raise up godly voice to speak out the truth again. Trust you’ll answer our prayers. In Your precious name we ask. Thank you.
Amen!