June 27, 2013 – Allen and Diane Lake
Many of us are feeling weary and somewhat discouraged in light of the Supreme Court’s decision regarding DOMA and Prop 8. I saw a comment posted on the USRPN Facebook page from a detractor regarding this decision, which said something like – “Doesn’t this make you feel you are wasting time and oxygen?”
And sometimes I feel exactly that way—that those of us who intercede and labor for the cause of righteousness – and especially traditional marriage – are wasting our time, our energy, our resources. But of course, that’s not true.
To be blunt, I don’t think it’s a time to be hyper-spiritual. Yes, God is still on the throne. No, He wasn’t taken by surprise by this decision, and yes, He still cares about souls, including the homosexual. If you are one of the troops on the ground in the heat of this battle, you already know these things, and those are not the questions going through your mind.
Here are some of the questions on my mind: Did I fast enough? Did I pray enough? And did I do everything I could have done? And even if we weren’t totally surprised by the decision, many of us are still searching our hearts before the Lord.
And to those, I would say – Yes. Yes. You did enough. You prayed enough. You fasted enough. And if you are one of these, you’ll want to re-read Isaiah 58.
Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? (vs. 6, 7)
When we see a need, we must respond. When we see deception, we must bring truth. When we see unrighteousness or injustice, we must not remain silent. And when we have done these things, we have an acceptable fast before the Lord – and the assurance of these next verses:
Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, “Here I am.” (vs. 8, 9)
While we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, we are, nonetheless, in a battle. We are not fighters in the sense of who we are, but in what we do. We are called to advance His kingdom which is righteous and just, and we will not see its advancement without a fight. (Ps. 89:14; Matt. 11:12)
Ties to this cause come at a cost, and sometimes those ties are expensive. It costs time, effort, energy, and money – and often, popularity. (Luke 14:25-33)
Recently, I felt the Lord gave me a word for our nation. He spoke of King Hezekiah, who when he was ill, cried out to the Lord and got fifteen more years to live. (See Isa. 38.)
I heard Him say, “God hasn’t given up on America, and even if He had, there are times when you can get more sand in the hourglass, if only you ask.” (v. 8)
We must remind ourselves that God hasn’t given up on our nation, or our states. We must remind ourselves that we are not alone in the fight. (Rev. 17:14)
And, we must remember that the cost of doing nothing is too great. (See Matt. 25:14-30.) Let’s encourage ourselves in the Lord, and continue to fight the good fight of faith. (Gal. 6:9; 1 Tim. 6:12)
Diane is a writer, speaker and minister ordained with both Christian International and Generals International. Her articles are regularly featured on The Elijah List, as well as platforms like Charisma Magazine, Charisma News, Intercessors For America and others. She and her husband, Allen, co-founded Starfire Ministries with a vision to see the kingdom established beyond the four walls of the traditional church. They host a podcast with Charisma Podcast Network, and serve as Church Mountain, Regional, and Montana Coordinators for the Reformation Prayer Network, and as Media Mountain Leader/Facilitators for C.I.’s Culture Influencers.
