Intercession for darkness

The issues IHOP has been praying about lately didn't do so well in yesterday's elections. The abortion ban in South Dakota was rejected, the stem cell research initiative in Missouri was approved, and Arizonans voted against a same-sex marriage ban. The political balance of power in the nation has shifted; the culture of the United States is becoming increasingly hostile to life. There are thousands of holes in my generation...a growing empty space that almost no one sees...the never-born, the ones who had no chance for life before it was snatched away.

Houses of prayer all over the nation prayed hard for these issues. We fasted. We praised G-d. We cried out unceasingly. So why didn't He answer heartfelt intercessory cries?

He did answer. But the intercession He heard and answered was mostly from another quarter. This nation was interceding, too, and they were asking for death. They outnumbered those who prayed for life. G-d did hear our pleas to establish a culture of life, but America was, overall, united in intercession for darkness.

The terrifying thing about G-d is that He listens and acts. On Tuesday, He gave America what she wanted.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness...although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened... Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness...they are...haters of God...[those] who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Our prayers count no matter what, but the enemy has intercessors too. So I continue to pray for repentance for this nation--because without repentance, G-d will give the U.S. over to what she is interceding for, to her true desires...the kind of desires that will rightly bring judgment.