America Desperately Needs Revival
November 2020
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“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” — II Chronicles 7:14
This article is being written in August 2020 from my office here at the Jimmy Swaggart Bible College in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana. During this past winter of 2019, I found myself looking forward to 2020. I truly anticipated many great things that would happen in our world, especially those things that would contribute to the building of the kingdom of God; and God has been faithful.
God has blessed the Gray family in many ways. He has blessed Brother and Sister Swaggart, Brother Donnie and Pastor Gabriel Swaggart, and Jimmy Swaggart Bible College in many ways. He has, as well, blessed Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and SonLife Broadcasting Network in many, many ways. The television outreach of SBN, which is based out of Family Worship Center and the TV studios, has increased in several significant ways. More people, here in the United States and around the world, are being reached with the great gospel of Jesus Christ, especially the message of Christ and the cross and the message of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Truly, many lives are being changed! We have been quick to shout “hallelujah” for these things. Our God is a good God.
However, in the early spring of this year, the coronavirus hit the world and the USA. Up to now, COVID-19 has hurt millions of families around the world, and yes, over 175,000 Americans have died. In some way this terrible virus has impacted almost every family in our beloved nation. Millions are praying that God will smite this virus so that this plague will cease in the USA and the whole world. I know that our government and medical scientists are doing all they can to find a vaccine. We are praying much for these epidemiologists.
On top of millions of families being impacted by COVID-19—with much sickness, hospitalizations, millions of businesses closed down, many deaths, and hundreds of funerals where only ten can assemble at the graveside—something else began to happen that has caused great hurt, confusion, fear, and anger to millions of Americans. An on-duty, white policeman in Minneapolis, Minnesota, unnecessarily caused the death of a black man while in the process of arresting him.
Over the next few weeks, something very similar happened in two or three other large cities. In response to these deaths, literally thousands of young people, and some older people, gathered in the downtown area of several large American cities and proceeded to burn many buildings and vehicles, loot stores, shoot at the police, and carry out all forms of anarchy. It has happened in Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, New York, and now Kenosha, Wisconsin.
As of September 2020, it will take millions of dollars to rebuild and repair the buildings that were burned and to replace the vehicles that were destroyed in these huge cities. Many precious lives have been lost.
Dear friend, Satan has provoked hundreds of young people to get in the streets of America and commit anarchy. It is tragic that a few policemen have failed to be responsible in their law enforcement duties, but this is no reason to burn down our cities, loot the stores, and kill innocent bystanders.
What has happened in the United States in the summer of 2020 clearly shows that America needs revival. We need repentance! We need God back in our nation! All of those in law enforcement must show respect to all people without regard to color, creed, or status in life. In addition, we all should show respect to all of those in law enforcement. We need our police.
Friends, St. Paul wrote to Pastor Timothy, who was pastoring in Ephesus in about AD 66, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (II Tim. 3:1). He then wrote, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (II Tim. 3:7). He added, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (II Tim. 4:3-4). Millions of Americans are not following Scripture. It is my firm conviction that more than 50 percent of all preachers in pulpits across America are not preaching the truth from Holy Scriptures.
Years ago, I attended a liberal seminary for about one year before transferring to a conservative seminary. In the liberal seminary, their teaching and doctrine were a thousand miles from the truth of Scripture. This is going on in most seminaries today, and it is happening in many so-called Christian universities as well. It is time to get back to the Bible and preach the truth of the Word of God.
In my research, I recently learned that church membership in America has declined more than 20 percent in the last twenty years, according to Gallup statistics, dated April 18, 2019. The decline is happening mostly among the millennials—those born from 1980 to 2000. Sad to say, those who are identifying as “not religious” or “atheist” are now almost 20 percent.
Our nation needs revival. Pastors and church leaders must get back to three things:
(1) We must truly repent for our becoming the Laodicean church of the book of Revelation. We act as if we are “increased with goods, and have need of nothing” (Rev. 3:17), and yet, we need God’s presence. Thousands of churches in America are backslidden and lukewarm. Their pastors are not anointed, and many are not even saved. At least 50 percent of all churches in America are dying.
(2) We must get back to preaching the truth of God’s Word. We must proclaim the good news of God’s love and God’s grace and forgiveness, and we must tell the truth about the doctrine of hell. We must preach the power and glory of the cross. We must preach about the Holy Spirit. We must preach sanctification and the nearness of the coming of the Lord. We must preach Christ!
(3) We must love all people. We used to sing in children’s church, “Red, yellow, black, and white, they are all precious in His sight.” There should be no segregated churches! There should be a real mixture of white folk, black folk, brown folk, and every other color in our churches. That is what heaven will be. If you have racism in your heart, repent!
II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people … shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear … forgive … and will heal their land.”
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