After mingling with Christians over the past few days as pandemic restrictions are eased, I get the sense that many are giving up the struggle – not of their personal faith, perhaps, but of our national capitulation to the tidal wave of secular humanism and wokeness.

It’s as if they are saying, ‘There’s nothing we can do, the devil has us in his grip, the LGBT agenda has infiltrated almost every institution and we might as well surrender.’ But it’s time we repented of such weak-kneed faithlessness. For “when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him” (Isa 59:19).

Being strong in the Lord

The flood of enemy activity is our call to arms – and I am talking about spiritual armoury of course. This is the time to be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Eph 6:10). For we are “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom 8:37).

We should take courage and inspiration from our brothers and sisters in South Africa, who have responded to the heart-breaking looting and lawlessness that has cut a destructive swathe through the land within the past few weeks by coming together in nationwide prayer. I am in touch with many of my compatriots and have been profoundly moved by videos of spontaneous prayer in the streets, of many volunteers turning out to clear up the mess and even a wheelchair-bound man helping to sweep away the rubbish.

I cried out in my spirit for the people of Britain to respond in a similar way to the many problems that beset our own nation.

I broke down in tears as I witnessed staff and customers of a Pretoria area supermarket kneeling on the floor and raising their hands to the background singing of ‘I Surrender All’. Several individuals even made passionate calls for their fellow South Africans to stop causing chaos and turn to Jesus. I cried out in my spirit for the people of Britain to respond in a similar way to the many problems that beset our own nation.

We can make a difference

It’s time that we too rose up and made our presence felt once more, challenging the status quo and saying ‘Enough is enough!’ The Church has watched our nation’s precious Christian heritage being stolen before her very eyes. We have fallen into a religious stupor as the thieves have come to steal, kill and destroy our unborn children, family life as a whole, our restful Sundays and so much more.

Thankfully, some of us are already making a difference, like those who wrote to their MPs about an extreme abortion amendment being rushed into law and succeeded in getting it thrown out! Now Franklin Graham has won his case against Blackpool Council and its transport services over removal of bus adverts because of his stand on Christian morality.¹ But the enemy keeps coming in like a flood.

Now a new Bill has been introduced in the House of Lords to further push the case for euthanasia. It will enable terminally ill adults to be provided with assistance to end their own lives. Without successful opposition, it could become law within the year. Do contact CARE for more information and make your feelings known.

Whatever happened to the March for Jesus parades that alerted communities across the country to the reality of “life that is truly life” (1 Tim 6:19). Yet as lockdown rules were eased at midnight on Sunday, crowds of youngsters invaded the nightclubs, apparently convinced that “This is what life is all about.”

To those who are saying there’s nothing more we can do, open your eyes to the many schools around you that might be only too glad to welcome Christian visitors to back up their RE curriculum which is still largely Christian-based. How many churches have seriously committed finance and other support to organisations like Scripture Union, who work tirelessly to bring the Bible’s teaching to schools? Those who throw their hands up in despair are part of the problem.

I’m convinced that Muslims and the wider world would show us more respect if we spoke up strongly for what we believed. They might even start believing it themselves.

We are silenced by our world of political correctness, which few of us dare to defy. I’m convinced that Muslims and the wider world would show us more respect if we spoke up strongly for what we believed. They might even start believing it themselves.

South Africa – problems & prayers

The recent tragic events in South Africa were apparently sparked off by the jailing on corruption charges of former President Jacob Zuma and have been particularly focused around Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, the heartland of the Zulu people (Zuma himself is a Zulu). The supposed warrior-like DNA of a tribe who once even terrified the British into temporary submission has it seems taken the judgment against Zuma as a slight on an otherwise proud and brave people who contributed to my own upbringing.

But I believe the South African government has brought this trouble on itself by its stubborn refusal to budge from its anti-Semitic stance toward Israel. Such a standpoint was effectively birthed at a conference on international racism in Durban 20 years ago, which morphed into a stick with which to beat Israel and launched the dreadful Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement designed to starve the Jewish state of economic and political support. Even Ben and Jerry's ice-cream has now bought into this. Let’s see how well the company keeps doing!

I had a dream last night of a very poor farmer who lived in a remote mountain paradise. His house was falling around his ears – there were holes in the walls – but he had enough chicks and ducks to feed his family, and he was very happy. Why? Because he knew Christ. In fact, there was a special taxi service along the rocky road leading to his house called ‘Jesus Saves’. (View this follow-up article to see how the dream was fulfilled).

The Angus Buchanpeople of South Africa have more problems than we do, and more poverty and unemployment. But a great many of them love Jesus, and they know how to pray. Among those who have encouraged them over the years is a KwaZulu-Natal farmer called Angus Buchan, who speaks fluent Zulu and has inspired massive prayer meetings around the country drawing millions of people.

Raising our voices loud and clear

On no account must we rebel against authority – unless we are forbidden to worship and preach Jesus – but we must make our voices heard loud and clear. A sleeping Church must wake up from her woke-induced stupor and step forward into the frontline of the spiritual battle which is becoming increasingly intense.

The reconciliation which brought about the new South Africa that followed Nelson Mandela’s release from prison 30 years ago was birthed in prayer. But we cannot rest on the laurels of past victories.

Some stanzas from an old hymn I loved to sing in Sunday School have fresh relevance for the Church today:

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross
Lift high his royal banner, It must not suffer loss....

Ye that are men, now serve Him, Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, And strength to strength oppose.

1. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 16th July 2021