In the midst of writing a book on revival, I experienced a new kind of spiritual attack. As I put pen to paper about a Great Awakening, reformation and transformation in our nation, the enemy subtly worked to bring what I can only describe as “dryness” to my soul.
To combat this spiritual attack, I entered into worship in a deep way. I had an awareness of my need for God and set out to drink from His fountain until I no longer felt dry but could instead sense rivers of living water flowing from my spirit.
At first my mind would not become still. I was thinking about a conversation I had with David Ravenhill recently. During our talk, we discussed how America is not yet desperate enough—not yet hungry enough—for a true revival unto another Great Awakening. That reality disturbed my heart, so I asked the Lord to start with me—to show me how the enemy is wreaking havoc on the souls of this generation and to put that desperation in my spirit.
Immediately, I saw pictures of famine, horrific violence in the Middle East and people dying from disease. Next, I looked up and saw a principality hanging over a large city from the second heaven. That principality was in the appearance of a dark cloud. From it came a voice that was commanding demons to execute a wicked agenda that included more famine, violence, immorality and the like.
Wrestling From a Compromised Position
Above that principality, I saw the throne of God. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places, far above all principalities, powers, might and dominion, as well as every name that is named—not only in this age but also in that which is to come (see Eph. 1:20-21). As born-again believers, we are raised up with Christ and seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (see Eph. 2:6).
This is our legal position. Yet I saw clearly during this encounter that we are not wrestling principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this age and spiritual hosts of wickedness from this legal position. Indeed, part of the church is literally wrestling against flesh and blood, which is breeding strife—even in the church. The church cannot agree on issues like gay marriage, for example, and we know where strife is, there is confusion and even evil work (see James 3:16).
Another part of the church is engaging in spiritual immorality, as pastor after pastor falls into moral failure even while preaching against it. Part of the church is experiencing a Word famine, in large part because many are not students of the Word. Instead, many depend on man to spoonfeed them a biblical motivational message on Sunday mornings, do their praying for them and solve all their problems. Many are wrestling from a compromised position.
What’s It Going to Take?
Make no mistake. The war that was raging in the heavens has, at least in some measure, manifested in the natural realm. The only way we can turn this around is to get desperate enough in our own hearts to see the salvation of the souls the enemy has taken captive—in the world and in the church—and enter intercession from a place of victory, recognizing we are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. I hope it doesn’t have to get much worse in America to make us desperate, but I am concerned it will.
Even still, desperation alone is not enough. True desperation demands something from us. As a church, we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Christ (see Luke 9:23). We must die to ourselves daily (see 1 Cor. 15:31). We must crucify our flesh and the lusts thereof (see Gal. 5:24). We must stand for the truth even in the face of persecution. Famine is rising, horrific violence in the Middle East is spilling over into our nation. Souls are dying and going to hell every day while we play patty cake in church and argue over who gets to lead prayer.
I pray that the Lord will stir a desperation in your heart to pray—to pray even while no one is watching—and I continue to seek the Lord to stir my heart with a desperation that will drive me to put away anything that gets in the way of my pursuing His perfect will for my life. If we all just did what the Holy Spirit told us to do, we could turn this nation around. We could see a Third Great Awakening that ushers in salvation and reformation unto transformation in the name of Jesus.
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale and author of several books, including Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft, and The Spiritual Warrior’s Guide to Defeating Jezebel. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
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