Free at last? Not quite!!

Free at last! – Well not quite!! What does it mean? What is the future for Britain? We know what Theresa May said on Brexit Day and we know what Donald Tusk said, but what is God saying to us? Are any of our politicians pausing to seek God’s direction at this crucial time in our history – the most challenging time since the end of World War II?

It is quite wrong to look at Brexit as a ‘divorce’ because it was never a ‘marriage’ that the British people entered willingly and joyfully. It was certainly not a marriage made in heaven! We were tricked into a civil partnership and we lost our virginity in Europe! We were led to the altar, bright-eyed and trusting. When we discovered the reality we felt betrayed. The great question is – can we recover from the experience, and what sort of nation will we be?

In 1973, we thought we were simply joining a trading alliance but we were tricked by our politicians. Edward Heath admitted that he knew right at the start that what was being presented to the British people was not true. He didn’t exactly say that it was a con trick, but he certainly admitted that he knew the end result was full social and political union.¹

British Ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow handing over Theresa May's letter formally triggering Article 50. See Photo Credits.We have the opportunity now to create something new – it’s like being born again! But biblically, being born again involves repentance for the past, and committing ourselves to follow a new path – to live a Godly life. Is there even the faintest possibility that this might happen on a national scale for Britain?

Wartime Faith

A lot of commentators are comparing this testing time to the difficult days of World War II when Britain stood alone against the might of the Nazi army. But Britain is a very different nation today! In May 1940 when France had capitulated and it looked as though the whole of our army was trapped on the continent, King George VI called the nation to prayer.

The nation responded with practically every able-bodied man and woman filling the churches and a quarter of a mile-long queue to get into Westminster Abbey. Britain was a nation of faith. We did not all live godly lives but we believed in God and when we fervently cried out for help he responded with the miracle of Dunkirk, when calm seas enabled the small boats to get to the beaches to rescue the soldiers and low cloud shielded them from air attack.

Brexit feels like the chance to be born again as a nation - but biblically, this involves repentance and dedication to God.

The whole nation recognised this as a miracle - it was even acknowledged as such by Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a speech to Parliament. The nation gave thanks to God for answered prayer. People in Britain knew that they were the only ones left in Europe still standing against the vast army and air force of Nazi Germany; but their confidence was in God.

A Christian Nation?

The difference back then, however, was that everyone in Britain had been taught the Bible from infancy. Every school started the day with an act of worship and every day included teaching from Scripture. Most people knew at least some Bible verses as the children were taught to learn Scripture by heart. After Dunkirk many favourite verses were memorised such as:

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

My grandma had a ‘promise box’ which was like a honeycomb. Each day she took out one of the little folded pieces of paper with a text that gave her a word for the day. I am not saying that Britain was a Godly nation, but it was certainly a Bible-believing and God-fearing nation.

Today, more than half the nation doesn’t even believe in the existence of the God of the Bible and we have a large minority who worship other gods. It would not be possible for the Queen to call the nation to prayer today – who would they pray to? How can the nation know God when they have never heard the Gospel?

We have to face the plain fact that we are no longer a Christian nation.

A lot of commentators are comparing this testing time to the difficult days of World War II – but back then Britain was still a God-fearing nation.

Still Under Judgment

So what hope is there for the future? Will Brexit really bring a blessing? Will Brexit be good for Britain - was it really an answer to prayer?

If we believe Brexit was an answer to the prayers of the faithful remnant of committed Christians left in Britain, then we have to recognise the enormous responsibility that this faithful remnant now bears. The remnant recognised the true spiritual nature of the European Union and the satanic forces that were driving Europe towards an ever-increasing secular humanist and anti-God society.

But it is not enough to recognise the sinful nature of the EU and to rejoice that we are leaving it. We have to recognise the true spiritual state of our own nation. We are a nation under judgment, not least because we have passed many laws that are directly against the word of God - and we cannot blame all these on the EU. Brexit will not get us out of judgment: it is a time of grace, not deliverance.

We lost our way when we drifted from our constitutional position encapsulated in the Queen's Coronation Oath, which was made before God on 2 June 1953. Central to the Oath is the commitment to the utmost of our power to maintain the laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel. Now we have the opportunity to bring that Oath back into the centre of our recovery as a nation - more central than the economy or any other primary motivating principle.

In our democracy, we all share responsibility for the state of the nation because we all have a vote and we all have access to our politicians who are our representatives in Parliament. Most Christians don’t ever bother to look at what our politicians are discussing in Parliament and don’t even bother to pray for them! If we never bother to witness to our MPs and ensure that they know the word of God when they are considering issues of state, then how can we escape the judgment of God ourselves?

Brexit will not get us out of judgment: it is a time of grace, not deliverance.

A New Nation Under God?

If Britain is to be a new nation under God, much depends upon the faithful remnant of believers. Are we prepared to stand firm for the truth even when it’s not politically correct to declare it and we may get strong opposition? How much are we prepared to suffer for the Gospel?

We need to read again the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation because we are facing similar situations today and we need to learn how to become ‘overcomers’.

The Christians in Laodicea, which was the richest town in the region, were lukewarm in their faith and had shut God out of their lives. Is this not the condition of many Christians in Britain? We are like the believers in Laodicea who said “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and I do not need a thing.” God’s response to them was “You are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Rev 3:17).

Many Christians in Britain are quite content with their lives and do little or nothing to share their faith with others. We are just like the Christians of Laodicea – and we don’t even realise it!

If we are among the Christians who voted for Brexit, we carry a responsibility to blow a trumpet of warning in the nation and to make our witness among fellow believers who do nothing about the spiritual state of their unbelieving neighbours. God will hold his Church responsible if Brexit fails to produce a new nation under God.

There are many signs of life in some of Britain’s churches so we must pray that the faithful remnant rises to the challenge and exercises a transforming influence in the nation.

References

1 See here and here.

The furore over Trump and Eurocrat denials of reality have the same spiritual root.

The latest media furore to erupt over President Trump concerns comments he made last weekend about Sweden. Speaking at a rally in Florida, he said “You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible.”¹

Jumping at the chance to debunk his poor choice of wording, the left-wing media were once again given a golden opportunity to make the President look like a fool. Media outlets worldwide exploded with cries of ‘fake news’.

Meanwhile, voices pointing out that there was a legitimate point buried in Trump’s bungled phrasing have largely gone unheard – in fact, in some cases, they seem to have actively been censored.²

The Truth About Sweden

It has since surfaced that Trump was referring to a report by Ami Horowitz on a surge in migrant-related gun violence and rape in Sweden in recent years. Despite attempts by the Swedish establishment and the Western media to ‘debunk’ both Trump’s comments and the Horowitz report, the [little-reported] facts speak for themselves.

Hours after Trump’s comments, violence erupted in Rinkeby, Stockholm with a mob attacking police officers with rocks and setting fire to cars.

Last year, 55 areas of Sweden were marked off as ‘no go’ zones – that is, where police admit that they have lost control.³ The Swedish National Police Commissioner has publicly called for thousands more officers to help cope with unrest in asylum centres.⁴

Voices pointing out that there was a legitimate point buried in Trump’s bungled phrasing have largely gone unheard.

Across the country, an increase in rapes has coincided with the mass influx of migrants (Sweden was named the ‘rape capital of the West’ in 2015⁵), and research shows that migrant men are overrepresented amongst the perpetrators.⁶ Most recently, live-streaming of rapes in Stockholm has been used by Tunisian men to attract others to the city via social media.⁷

Meanwhile, the Swedish political establishment has been accused of trying to hush up the rise in assaults, to avoid boosting support for the right-wing Sweden Democratic party.

Reclaiming Reality

Of course the situation is far from simple – there are also reports of counter-attacks on migrants and refugee centres, as well as violence erupting between migrant gangs.

But that said, the reality of this situation is still not being reported properly in Britain. Our liberal press is far more concerned with having another pop at Trump.⁸

Now, please don’t read me wrong. Sweden isn’t falling apart. Europe is not completely devoid of the rule of law – and nobody is pretending that the plight of genuine refugees should be ignored. However, neither should the darker underbelly of the migrant crisis be denied – for the sake of those being assaulted, and also for the sake of understanding the direction in which Europe is headed.

EU Renewal of Vows

President of the European Council, Donald Tusk. See Photo Credits.

Next month marks the 60^th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome (i.e. the EU’s 60^th birthday), and EU member leaders are being invited to Rome “to renew their wedding vows”,⁹ at a time of unprecedented crisis for the institution.

Earlier this year, President of the European Council Donald Tusk circulated an open letter to the heads of member nations, outlining key threats to the bloc’s future and calling upon members to unite in the face of crisis. On the one hand, the letter is an understandable attempt to rally morale at a difficult time. The EU is facing a number of grave threats, any one of which could cause it irreparable damage.

On the other hand, however, Tusk’s letter exemplifies the extraordinary denial still so rank amongst EU elites, and gives us a clue as to where this might lead. For instance, the rise of populism across the continent, according to Tusk, does not signal that there are genuine issues that need addressing. Instead, key populist objections to the EU are written off as “the rhetoric of demagogues” that needs to be “opposed”.

EU elites still seem to be in denial about the problems facing the institution.

Buried near the end of the letter, in a sea of platitudes about unity, faith (in ‘our achievements’), peace and prosperity, is a very telling call:

We must…take assertive and spectacular steps that would change the collective emotions and revive the aspiration to raise European integration to the next level.

Exactly what kinds of “assertive and spectacular steps” will be tabled, in this last-ditch attempt to hold on to power? And how exactly do those in power plan to “change the collective emotions” to be more in line with the European ideal?

We do not yet know the answers to these questions. However, what we do know is that here, in crystal clear terms, Tusk is suggesting that instead of responding to criticism, the EU should consolidate itself against it. Ignore the masses, keep to the original programme, keep the faith – renew the vows (!).

Common Threads, Common Battle

It is not difficult to trace some common threads here, across the USA and Europe. In both, we are witnessing a sustained reaction from the liberal establishment (in politics, business, the media, etc) against two key things.

First, the reality of the failures of the secular humanist liberal project. By this I mean the real, factual failures of this agenda to improve the lives of ordinary people, whether we are talking about the underbelly of open-door immigration, the effects of multi-faith ‘tolerance’ or the negative impacts of abortion, easy divorce and LGBT advances on family life. The liberal left will not and cannot afford to acknowledge these realities.

Secondly, and as a result of this, they are reacting against those who are calling them out and holding them to account in this – whether individual journalists, academics or politicians, or the ‘populist’ masses on the ground. Tactics here can include anything from media demonisation to the seeding of entire counter-demonstrations.

In both the USA and Europe, we are witnessing a huge backlash from the liberal left against its critics.

In worldly terms, this twofold backlash from those who have long held onto power has been precipitated by various popular rejections of the Western liberal project, including the Brexit vote and the Trump win. Even secular commentators have read events like these as mass expressions of anti-establishment feeling.

In spiritual terms, what we are witnessing is, seemingly, the enemy’s response to God’s shake-up of decades of satanic values and ideals being imposed upon largely unsuspecting populaces, lulled into a false sense of security with talk of ‘unity’, ‘freedom’ and ‘tolerance’. The downright falsity of these man-made ideals is being revealed – for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

In this magazine, we have argued that this is God’s direct intervention, shaking the nations and providing Christians with a window of opportunity for the Gospel. But what has come along with that, of course, is a very angry enemy who is writhing and thrashing about, knowing that his time is short (Rev 12:12).

Where Will This Lead?

No wonder, then, that populist movements like Brexit and the Trump victory have faced incessant attempts to derail them. No wonder that there are such common threads to be drawn between the US and Europe at the moment – it is the same spiritual battle cross-cutting the two. Make no mistake: a war is raging right now, for the heart and soul of the West.

Whether the EU survives the present crises, or collapses and is replaced by something else, its underlying vision and spirit will endure. This is because its spirit is one of human pride and self-sufficiency – in fact, it is the perennial spirit of rebellion common to all humans (save One).¹⁰ Those in power, and the purse-strings and agendas fuelling them, will not give up easily – but neither, hopefully, will we.

God has been shaking up decades of satanic values and ideals – and this has made the enemy angry.

For the vital thing to understand is that God’s key weapon in this war is us – ordinary, average Christians. We are the primary vehicle the Lord has chosen to use at this time in the battle for truth and righteousness.

As such, we are not to sit back and watch these huge events unfold on the global scene as if they were nothing to do with us – neither are we meant to become so engrossed in them that we lose perspective and get distracted from God’s call on each of our lives. Like the instruction that Mary, the mother of Jesus, gave to the servants at the wedding of Cana, we should also “do whatever he tells you!” (John 2:5).

Where Can We Start?

And there’s something we can do today! As stated in this week’s Editorial, occult networks are calling members to a worldwide, co-ordinated cursing of Trump, to begin today. This is part of a concerted, demonic effort over the next month to remove him and his team from power (nine of his cabinet of 15 are reportedly evangelical Christians – no doubt part of the reason why the administration is so hated). We urge believers to seek the Lord over this, cover yourself in the full armour of God, and pray positively for the President and his whole team.

References

1 Click here to watch the extract from Trump's speech.

2 Hasson, P. Huffington Post Removes Blog Post Saying Trump Is ‘Absolutely Right’ About Sweden. The Daily Caller, 23 February 2017.

3 Stromme, L. SWEDEN IN CHAOS: Number of ‘no-go zones’ INCREASED as police lose control over violence. The Daily Express, 22 September 2016.

4 Phillips, M. Sloppy words but the substance was true. 23 February 2017.

5 Calrqvist, I and Hedegaard, L. Sweden: Rape Capital of the West. Gatestone Institute, 14 February 2015.

6 Van der Born, V. Swedish professor confirms: "migrants fiercely overrepresented in crime". Gatestone Institute, 23 February 2017.

7 Frankehuis, D. Sweden: Arab men live stream sexual assualt on Facebook. Again. Gatestone Institute, 23 February 2017.

8 As far as I can tell from our mainstream press, and perhaps predictably, only The Telegraph and The Mail have so far dared to offer an alternative perspective on his comments.

9 Barigazzi, J, Herszenhorn, DM and de La Baume, M. Tusk calls on EU countries to renew their wedding vows. Politico, 2 January 2017.

10 That’s why the EU places such an emphasis on integration, on oneness – because it is built on a rejection of the worship of a totally separate God – it worships itself and depends upon itself instead. Power, prosperity, wealth and happiness are all to be found from inside the humanist programme.

What an incredible week this has been in international politics!

The week began with 70 nations gathering in Paris, with the intention of trying to force Israel into a two-state solution that would effectively commit national suicide. This was followed by world business leaders meeting in Davos, Switzerland, trying to assess the health and direction of the world economy.

On the same day that Davos started came the statement from Prime Minister Theresa May outlining British Government plans for Brexit which have long-term implications for Europe and the rest of the world. Today, the eyes of the world are upon Washington as the people of the USA install the most unlikely President in the history of the United States – Donald J Trump.

The pace of change worldwide has been increasing exponentially over the past 40 years. Today it is almost bewildering for all those who try to follow world events and to understand what is happening.

At the beginning of this year, political and economic commentators were looking back over 2016, trying to assess how accurate their forecasts for the year had been. Most of them admitted honestly that they had been taken by surprise on almost all major world events.

Christians who have been recognising for some years that God is shaking the nations can trace the hand of God in all this. The Psalmist got it right when he declared that God scoffs at the nations when they try to throw off all restraint and conspire in vain against his purposes (Ps 2). Paul touched on a deep truth when he said that “God made foolish the wisdom of this world…For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom” (1 Cor 1:20, 25).

Last year, most political and economic commentators were taken by surprise on almost all major word events.

The Nature and Purposes of God

So, how do we understand what’s going on in the world today? If we’re going to get a clear view of what is happening, we have to start by getting a biblical perspective of the nature and purposes of God.

This may sound boring to those who simply want to forecast the future. But without this broader perspective we have no yardstick of truth and no focal point for an investigation.

We need to know the God of Creation, who holds the nations in his hands. Despite having given human beings freedom of will, God nevertheless still guides the affairs of the nations to fulfil his overall purpose of bringing his Gospel of salvation to all people.

We have only to look at the incredible destruction of the city of Aleppo in Syria to see what human beings can do when all restraint is removed and there is no regard or value for anything, including human life. This is a picture in miniature of the direction the nations of the world, armed with the most incredible weapons of mass destruction, are taking towards collective global self-destruction. And this is the reason why God intervenes in world affairs - to steer the nations in a different direction.

Watching and Praying

Christians in the Western world have slowly been waking up over the past few decades to the reality of the world situation and the dangers that confront us. They have been stunned by the level of violence in the Middle East and the horrific acts of terrorism in Europe and elsewhere carried out by militant Muslims in the name of their god Allah. They feel helpless as the North Koreans strive to produce their first nuclear bomb and the Chinese establish military bases on unoccupied islands in the South China Sea.

An increasing number of Christians are taking seriously the command of Jesus to watch and pray. The significant rise in the number of home-based small groups around Britain is evidence of this. This prophetic, awakened Church is increasingly resembling that of New Testament times; not only for meetings in the home but also for emphasis upon prayer and Bible study.

If we’re going to understand what is happening, we have to start with a biblical perspective of the nature and purposes of God.

Prayer Makes a Difference!

In Britain, we are seeing more Christians involved in corporate prayer for national and international issues than we have seen since the days of the Second World War. I was at a conference last Saturday when the whole company agreed to stop and pray about the meeting of world leaders that was taking place in Paris. It was not on the agenda, but we spent a whole hour praying about the event and the issue of Israel and the Palestinians. I’m sure we were not alone and that prayer greatly influenced the outcome; bringing confusion among the delegates and resulting in no resolution that could harm Israel.

The business leaders’ meeting in Davos was also said to be a non-event, with delegates being more interested in what was happening in London, where Theresa May was speaking.

The Prime Minister’s speech certainly was very warmly received by much of the British media; especially her promises that Britain will no longer be under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (or injustice, as many see it!), no longer subject to the free movement of labour so that we can control immigration and no longer under the control of European customs regulations so that we can develop international trade. Especially welcome was her statement that Britain would not accept a ‘bad deal’ - and that both Houses of Parliament will have a vote on the final agreement.

Of course, none of this has gone down very well in the European Union, which was to be expected. But during the next two years we may expect to see further major shaking of the EU and upheaval that will affect the negotiations with Britain. In threatening to make life difficult for post-EU Britain, European leaders are failing to factor in the activity of God.

In Britain, we are seeing more Christians involved in corporate prayer for national and international issues than we have seen since the Second World War.

Today: Focus on the USA

Anti-Trump demonstrators in Washington, today.

World leaders and Europhiles in Britain have all been surprised that their pre-Referendum forecasts of doom and economic disaster have not been fulfilled. But Christians know that prayer played a large part in Brexit and therefore we may expect to see God’s blessing – especially if believers continue to pray actively for the nation.

Today, the focus for prayer should be upon the USA – urgently asking the Lord to guide the new President and members of his Administration, that they will be given wisdom far above the normal human level to exercise Godly leadership as they navigate a confusing world and the rapid changes that are sweeping across the nations today.

Those who are fearful that Trump’s ungodly and erratic past could carry over into his presidency need to remember that with God nothing is impossible; as Jeremiah rightly declared:

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” (Jer 32:17)

Author: Dr Clifford Hill

References: Second image: Jose Luis Magana/AP/Press Association Images.

2016 was a turbulent and difficult year by most accounts. How can believers position themselves wisely as we move into 2017?

The New Year 2017 started very much as the old year 2016 ended, with the battle for Brexit growing in intensity. The resignation of Sir Ivan Rogers shook the Whitehall political establishment – or so it was reported. But did he jump or was he pushed? Clearly Sir Ivan could not have led Britain's negotiations to leave the EU successfully when he had a clear preference to remain within the European Union.

Sir Tim Barrow, the new British ambassador to the EU. See Photo Credits.In biblical terms, the principle that can be applied to such negotiations was clearly stated by Jesus, "Whoever is not with me is against me" (Matt 12:30). In this instant, it would certainly not have been in Britain's interest to have negotiations led by a man whose heart was not in the task of achieving a successful outcome.

Theresa May moved swiftly to replace him with another career civil servant who has publicly committed himself to Brexit. Sir Tim Barrow was British Ambassador to Russia from 2011 to 2015 and while in Moscow he established his reputation as a keen negotiator who will give support and advice to our politicians in the coming months of talks in Brussels.

Greater Problems to Come

The Brexit battle is by no means over and may be expected to grow even more intense as the date for triggering Article 50 approaches. But there are much greater problems on the horizon for the coming year, with the turmoil in the Middle East increasing by the day and the threat of terrorism right across Europe a constant anxiety.

The good news is that the threat of terrorist attacks in Europe initiated by ISIS may be diminishing now that the border between Syria and Turkey has been closed, due to Turkey's reaction to ongoing ISIS' atrocities against soft civilian targets (such as the New Year attack upon a nightclub in Istanbul).

The Brexit battle is by no means over and may grow more intense as the date for triggering Article 50 approaches.

These attacks have hardened Turkish public opinion and strengthened the military determination to close the long border with Syria. The effect of this is to deny ISIS direct access to the West and reduce its capacity to recruit and to infiltrate its fighters into Europe. But European nations must face the threat of terrorism for some while yet, as unknown numbers of terrorists may have already come in through flows of refugees, in addition to 'home-grown' militants radicalised on European soil.

Trump Incoming

The great unknown in all this, of course, is what the Trump Administration will do in the Middle East. The policy of the Obama Administration has been disastrous. They clearly backed the wrong side in arming the so-called 'moderate' Muslim rebels in the Syrian civil war. This allowed Russia to intervene on behalf of President Assad which has turned the war in his favour. But a negotiated peace is not in sight. The rebels will never agree to Assad remaining in power and he will never agree to their demands.

A further complication is the involvement of the Kurds, who have proved to be a useful ally in fighting ISIS in Syria, but they will never be acceptable in Arab areas due to centuries-old hostility.

Obama's policy has been primarily aimed at destroying ISIS. This led to US acceptance of Russian military intervention and the reversal of its opposition to Assad who is backed by Iran – an implacable enemy of the West whose stated aim is the destruction of Israel.

Will Trump continue this policy, particularly in view of his friendly attitude towards Putin? But Trump has also declared unswerving support for Israel. If he carries through his declared aim of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv up to Jerusalem, 'the eternal capital of Israel', this could well cause the whole Israeli-Palestinian dispute to explode.

If Trump carries through his declared aim to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the whole Israeli-Palestinian dispute could explode.

UN Resolution 2334US Secretary of State John Kerry, who delivered a blistering speech against Israel in the aftermath of the recent UN vote.

The vote last month in the United Nations Security Council condemning Israel's policy of settlements in disputed territory has highlighted the Arab-Israeli conflict. Obama's refusal to exercise the USA's veto allowed the almost unanimous vote against Israel (see the article by Charles Gardner elsewhere in this issue). The USA's decision was defended in a critical speech by John Kerry a few days later.

Sadly, Britain also voted in condemnation of Israel, once again breaking all the promises we made in the 1920s when we agreed that the whole land from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea would be a Jewish homeland. Winston Churchill was the Colonial Secretary at the time and he stated explicitly that the Arab part of Palestine would be East of the River Jordan in what is now known as 'Jordan' and the west would be Israel. This was officially and formally approved by the League of Nations on 22 July 1921 – the original 'two-state solution'!

There were only 600,000 Arabs living east of the Jordan at that time and they would be peacefully absorbed into Israel, as they are today in northern Israeli towns such as Nazareth where they have Israeli citizenship and vote for Arab MPs in the Israeli Parliament. Churchill stated on 30 March 1921:

It is manifestly right that the scattered Jews should have a national centre and a national home to be reunited, and where else but in Palestine with which for 3,000 years they have been intimately and profoundly associated? We think it will be good for the world, good for the Jews, good for the British Empire, but also good for the Arabs who dwell in Palestine and we intend it to be so; they shall share in the benefits and progress of Zionism.¹

Sadly, Britain also voted in condemnation of Israel in the UN vote at the end of December.

Zechariah 12 on the Horizon?

If Donald Trump carries out his promises to Israel and the USA becomes the first nation to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel established by King David some 3,000 years ago, and the vast injustice that has denied Jews the right to their own land for the past 2,000 years – it may embolden Israel to annex the whole land in accordance with the League of Nations' declaration.

This would no doubt bring strong protests from the Arab nations with the support of all the anti-Semitic nations of the West. This would look very much like the kind of scenario envisaged in Zechariah 12, when all the nations gather against Israel. Jesus himself warned that "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains" (Matt 24:7-8). Jesus also said that "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). Are we approaching that time?

The Prayers of Believers Are Vital

Jesus told his disciples "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority" (Acts 1:7) but he also told them to watch and pray - and in particular to discern the signs of the times, so that no-one is caught by surprise.

Despite this warning, 2017 is likely to bring many surprises, not only in the Middle East but also in Europe, as the great shaking of the nations spreads across the face of the earth (in particular opening up cracks in the European Union). But Britain is likely to find the exit from the EU to be easier than expected and, provided the right decisions are made by our politicians, we may expect to see God's blessing upon the nation and the economy faring better than expected.

Jesus told his disciples to watch and pray – and to discern the signs of the times.

Much is dependent upon the prayers of believers – genuine, heartfelt, persistent intercession is the only thing that will truly protect and change the nation in the turbulent days that lie ahead. Will Christians study the word of God and understand the times, so that they know how to pray? And will they commit their time to faithful prayer? The future of the nation depends upon our response.

References

1 Quoted in Fromkin, D, A Peace to End All Peace. Phoenix Press, London, 2003, p519.

What is the significance of the High Court Judges' decision that Brexit cannot be implemented without the approval of Parliament?

Clearly this could result in long delays, with both Houses of Parliament locked in debate over the minutiae of each detail of the negotiations. It creates another element of uncertainty which is damaging both for the economy and for Britain's future standing in the world.

Is this just another tactic by those who, like Tony Blair and many others, want to reverse the 23 June Referendum decision of the British public and keep us shackled to the European Union? In this magazine our primary purpose is not simply to join in a political debate but to ask the fundamental question: does God have something to say about this situation?

Britain's Divine Purpose?

The biblical position is that God has a purpose for each nation within his overall international purposes of bringing his truth to the whole of humanity. Paul referred to this when addressing the Areopagus, the Council of Philosophers in Athens. He said:

From one man he has made every nation of men – that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him. (Acts 17.26-37)

Of course, Paul had seen geographical boundaries change as the Roman Empire expanded, so what was the truth he was seeking to convey? It was surely about national identity and the unique purpose that God has for each community of people.

God has a purpose for each nation, within his overall purpose of bringing his truth to all humanity.

43 years ago, Britain moved its God-given boundary stones and joined a man-made institution specifically designed with the humanist intention of removing national sovereignty and borders to prepare the way for global rule by a political elite with one currency, one army, one set of regulations and values, and one religion. It was the outcome of their man-made solution to the problem of squabbles between the nations of Europe that had resulted in the two world wars of the 20^th Century.

On 23 June, God gave Britain the opportunity of rediscovering its national identity, uniqueness and place within the purposes of God. Of course, as was to be expected by all those who have spiritual understanding, this decision was going to provoke a furious backlash. Today, there is a great spiritual battle raging in the heavenlies over this nation and it is going to become increasingly intense.

Brexit is by No Means Won

I referred to this in a speech on 29 October at a celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in the Emmanuel Centre Westminster, which was full for the occasion. It was led by Barry and Batya Segal who have a great ministry in Israel through the Joseph Storehouse that serves both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs.

During the meeting, I said that the battle of Brexit is by no means won. This was clearly endorsed by those present. When I was speaking, I had a strong sense of a word from the Lord and I wrote it down after the meeting.

This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of Brexit, the battle is not yours but mine. I guided the vote to leave the European Union - the Union that denies its heritage of truth that your forefathers fought and gave their lives to maintain. It is a union that has brought darkness to the people and now it is a Continent that is walking in darkness. But you my people are the ones who have seen a great light and yours is the task to open eyes that are blind and ears that are deaf to the truth.

Those who have seen the light will witness to those who walk in darkness and are bound by the power of Satan, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and be set free from the powers of darkness. It is not the politicians who will set the people free but it is those who have seen the light. They will be used as a mighty army of prayer warriors to support and direct the way of those who hold political power so that when the great shaking of Europe begins and the towers of mammon fall, Britain will stand firm and will be a witness to the world.

I believe that God is not only looking for his people to pray, but also actively to be his witnesses. This means every Christian speaking the word of the Lord in their family and among their friends and neighbours – boldly but lovingly speaking truth into our nation where there has been so much compromise and distortion of the truth.

There is a great spiritual battle raging in the heavenlies over this nation and it is going to become increasingly intense.

Arise, Church!

I believe God is saying that the time has come for Christians to confront the forces of darkness that have been destroying family life, promoting secular humanism and allowing the spiritual forces of evil to corrupt our children.

The Church has been silent for far too long, compromising with the world. If the Lord is to use Britain as a witness to the world at the time when the European Union collapses and all the institutions of power crumble, there has to be repentance in the Church and a new openness to the Spirit of God. Then he will be able to bless the nation, giving protection and prosperity in the time of great shaking that is soon to encompass all nations.

Each of us has a specific and vital part to play in this. Will you join us in praying for our nation and seeking the Lord for guidance, conviction and courage in the days ahead, that each of us might respond in the way he desires?

Storm-force winds are about to break across Britain.

The opening salvo was fired this week with Labour lobbying 170 questions at the Government,¹ all designed to throw stumbling blocks into the path of negotiations to get Britain out of the European Union.

Yesterday the battlefield widened and moved from Westminster to the High Court in London, where businesswoman Gina Miller began her challenge to the Government's right to trigger Article 50 using the Royal Prerogative. This avoids a vote in Parliament, which the Government would probably lose as most MPs voted to remain in the EU. Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin, who is chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, said "Treaty matters have always been done by royal prerogative, and Article 50 is a treaty matter".

He added: "Among those involved in the court case are a great many people who want to frustrate the UK from leaving the European Union or maintain a half in, half out solution. I think they want to protract the agony and uncertainty when in fact what business wants is certainty and a clear direction."²

Warnings of Difficulty

Prophetic warnings had already alerted us to expect these manoeuvres from those who want to frustrate Britain's exit from the EU. "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). These warnings have come from many prayer groups and ministries around the country. They acknowledge that God guided the Referendum vote on 23 June and that it was inevitable that the enemy would be angry and would do everything possible to obstruct the path of Brexit.

Warnings have already alerted us to expect manoeuvres from those who want to frustrate Britain's exit from the EU.

Businesswoman Gina Miller has launched a legal challenge to the Brexit process.The prophetic words we have been hearing, some of which we have published in recent weeks, warn that this will not be an easy time and there will be many alarms and excursions, especially regarding the economic health of the nation.

But the assurance has always been that as a nation we will come through this and see considerable prosperity in the future, provided we hold onto a steady path and our negotiators seek the ways of righteousness, truth and justice.

Need for Prayer

This is where Christians have a role to play in upholding in prayer all those who are involved in the negotiations. We do not expect all our negotiators, businessmen, lawyers and politicians to be committed Christians - although undoubtedly some will be, and we hope that God will use their words to steer a clear path of truth and to be the most influential. God does not save by numbers – in fact, he loves to use small numbers and those whom the world considers weak.

Paul actually boasted in his weakness; he said "I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10). This may seem a strange statement, but God had made him a promise: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9).
This is a paradox that only Christians can understand. It means that when we acknowledge our powerlessness and put our trust totally in God, he is then able to take full control and we don't mess things up by trying to do everything in our own strength.

It is particularly important to learn this spiritual lesson at this stage in our nation's history, because God has responded to the prayers of large numbers of his people as well as using the frustrations of many who don't know him to achieve the vote to leave the EU. God is now looking for those who do know him to strengthen the fearful and uphold those who are weak. He says "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees! Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed" (Heb 12:12-13).

Christians have a role to play in upholding in prayer all those who are involved in the negotiations.

Word AND Spirit

How do we grow in spiritual strength? The prophet Ezekiel was faced with a very difficult task when he was taken to Babylon as one of the captives, but called by God to exercise leadership and strengthen the people.

Figuratively he was told to eat a scroll of the word of the Lord (at least, I think it was figuratively - it may have been a real scroll of the Torah!). He says that it tasted as sweet as honey in his mouth and then God promised "I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them though they are a rebellious house" (Ezek 3:9). In order to minister effectively to his fellow captives from Jerusalem in Babylon, Ezekiel had not only to know the word of God, but to be filled with the power of the Spirit of God.

Many of the prophetic words we have been receiving from Christians in different parts of Britain speak of the great opportunity that is being presented to us at this time to witness to the nation. It is God's intention and desire to bless Britain – indeed, I believe that God wants to use Britain to demonstrate to the world the power and prosperity that comes to those who put their trust in him.

He can only do that through those who understand his purposes; who know his word and are filled with his Spirit. We may not all be directly involved in negotiating the Brexit process – but in taking the opportunities God is providing for witness, in strengthening feeble arms and weak knees and in faithfully interceding for our nation at this important time, we can all play a role. For those who are willing, I believe that God stands ready to equip, strengthen and lead, providing a sure footing at every step.

References

1 The 170 questions were laid out in a letter sent by shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry and shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer to Brexit Secretary David Davis, earlier this week.

2 Clifford, M. Theresa May has no legal power to start Brexit, High Court told. Sky News, 13 October 2016.

What do the Iraq War and the European Union have in common?

A great shaking of the nations is rapidly spreading across Europe following Britain's decision to leave the European Union. In Italy the anti-establishment Five Star Movement has officially called for a national referendum on whether to keep the Euro, which they say simply does not work for Italy and other nations in the south of Europe.

There are similar calls for a referendum in France, Denmark and the Netherlands. Right across Europe there is a sense of uncertainty as the clamour for change rises among those who are suffering from poverty and a sense of injustice.

The Chilcot Report

In Britain it is surely no coincidence that the Chilcot Report has come out within days of the Referendum decision to leave the European Union and the furore that has been created from those who wanted to remain, many of whom are now clamouring for a second vote. In one damning sentence, Sir John Chilcot neatly exposed the gross error of the decision to invade Iraq. He said, "We have concluded that the UK chose to join the invasion of Iraq before the peaceful options for disarmament had been exhausted."¹

MPs who voted for the war such as Sir David Amess are now expressing deep regret² and saying that the information they were given was flawed – in other words, they were deceived. The military campaign was successfully carried out but there were no plans for what to do afterwards. With the Iraqi Army, Police and Government all disbanded, Iraq rapidly descended into anarchy, looting and sectarian violence. This continues to this day, with Iraq and Syria immersed in a bloody dispute that is unsettling the whole region, with consequences right across Europe.

Across Europe there is a sense of uncertainty as the clamour for change rises among those suffering from poverty and injustice.

No Follow-Up

There is a strange connection between the Referendum campaigners and those involved in the Iraq war – neither of them had any plans for follow-up!

In the week following the Referendum, none of the leaders of the 'Leave' camp came up with any clear plans for the future. The Government, who campaigned for 'Remain', also had no plans for what would happen if the country voted to leave. The Prime Minister resigned; the parliamentary Labour Party became immersed in a leadership struggle. So we have had no stable Government and no effective Opposition! None of our political leaders have been able to give a clear direction for the future.

This has not only unsettled the stock exchange and financial services, it has unsettled the whole of the United Kingdom (particularly Scotland and Northern Ireland) and has also sent shock waves right across Europe.

Deception and Destruction

There is a verse in the Bible that aptly describes what is going on today. It speaks of the day when God will shake all the nations because of their sinfulness. It says "He shakes the nations in the sieve of destruction; he places in the jaws of the peoples a bit that leads them astray" (Isa 30:28). This chapter in Isaiah begins with the words "'Woe to the obstinate children,' declares the Lord, 'to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.'"

Both the war in Iraq and the European Union fall into this category. Both were conceived in deception. False information was given to the people so that decisions were made without understanding the long-term consequences. The European Union was presented as a trade alliance for economic co-operation – not a 'United States of Europe' in which each country would lose their national sovereignty, with Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies, a common law, a common currency, a common army and a common [anti-Israel] foreign policy.

There is a strange connection between the Referendum campaigners and those involved in the Iraq war – neither of them had any plans for follow-up!

The war in Iraq was said to be to destroy the weapons of mass destruction held by Saddam Hussein which were said to be a threat to the peace of the Western world, but its real intention was regime change – to get rid of Saddam Hussein and replace him with a form of Western democracy which Western leaders hoped would provide an ideal type for the whole Arab world! This reveals their utter ignorance of Islam and Islamic culture!

Recipe for Revolution

When a project is born in lies and deceit, it is doomed to failure. "Woe to those who carry out plans that are not mine," says the Lord. If we human beings deliberately choose to ignore basic standards of honesty and righteousness, turning our backs upon the word of the Lord, we inevitably bring judgment upon our actions. The terrible consequences of the Iraqi war are still being seen and felt right across Europe, every day of our lives.

Similarly, the consequences of the European Union with its open borders and its common currency have created enormous poverty and suffering for millions in some parts of Europe whilst providing vast wealth to others. This is a recipe for revolution – it creates an enormous 'us and them' situation, wherein large parts of the population suffer a sense of injustice and deprivation which eventually build up pressures of social unrest that explode into violence.

Both the war in Iraq and the European Union were conceived in deception – and projects born of lies and deceit are doomed to failure.

Right across the world today the nations are suffering the consequences of unrighteousness. We are part of the generation that has ignored the simple truth of the proverb "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people" (Prov 14:34).

The great shaking of the nations prophesied in Scripture is to provide a strong warning of the danger that lies ahead if we continue along the same path. The great question facing humanity today is whether or not we will heed the warning signs and seek the wisdom of the Lord for the way forward – seeking his plans, which are for our good – for blessing and hope, not for harm.

At a Crossroads

PA/PA Wire/Press Association Images.

Britain stands at a crossroads. Will a righteous Government be appointed to lead the nation into the future? I was attending a meeting of the Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group yesterday, when the Conservative MPs were voting for their new leader. Much depends now on how the Conservative Party members vote for our next Prime Minister.

Will they vote for Theresa May, the present Home Secretary, who is said to be 'a safe pair of hands' – in other words she will continue following the same secular humanist policies that have been pursued by her predecessors (in Westminster she is said to be the one who persuaded David Cameron to change the law on marriage, telling him that it would make him popular with the LGBT community) - or will they vote for Andrea Leadsom, a Bible-believing Christian who regularly attends a prayer group and is not afraid to declare and defend her faith in public?

We ask that you join with us at this time to pray that the right choice for our Prime Minister be made on 9 September – that God's will be done. This is a crucial time in the history of our nation.

References

1 Sir John Chilcot's public statement, 6 July 2016.

2 Letters to the editor: We must learn lessons of Chilcot. London Evening Standard, 7 July 2016.

If we are to regain peace in our nation, we have to study the social geography of voting in the Referendum and learn from it.

My joy at hearing the result of the Referendum was very short-lived when I saw the dismay of some of the younger members of my own family.

Social media went into overdrive in condemnation of the decision to leave the European Union, which many young people saw not as a victory for freedom but as a triumph for racism and prejudice against foreigners.

I was immediately moved with compassion for those who felt betrayed by the older generation who had voted heavily for leaving the EU and who they accuse of not considering the views of young people and their future. But a breakdown of the voting pattern shows that it was not only older voters who wanted to break with the European Union. There were other social dimensions to the voting which are most informative about our society.

Understanding the 'Older' Vote

But first, why did so many older people vote 'Leave'? The simple answer is that they remember being told in 1975 that Britain was joining a trading organisation that would lead to great prosperity for all the nations of Europe and bring greater international cooperation and harmony - which is what everyone desired in the aftermath of two terrible wars in the 20^th Century.

But fundamental changes have taken place in the European Union, from simple trade agreements to political power being removed from our own Government to Brussels and Strasbourg, and our politicians actually admitting that we had been deceived.

The older generation was brought up in a social environment of strict morality where truth, loyalty, integrity and righteousness were universally accepted values – they deeply resent being deceived.

The older generation remember joining a trading organisation that promised peace and prosperity – and which became about political power.

Voting on Principle

These issues and the philosophy underlying the policy being pursued by the European Union were not discussed during the Referendum debate, which was an utter disgrace, descending into personal abuse and slogan shouting.

Many in the older generation ignored the debate and held fast to their social values. They knew that if Britain voted to leave the EU, there would be a period of severe economic turmoil. But, in the long-term, it seems they also believed that British character is sufficiently strong to come through the shockwaves of change and steer the country through to a time of prosperity, equality and a recovery of the values and heritage we have lost.

This is why so many in the older generation voted to reassert our independence from the EU and seek a new relationship with the other nations of Europe in a partnership of peace and prosperity. They did not want to leave Europe! They wanted Britain to decide our own destiny!

Voting Against the Establishment

But it was not only the older generation in Britain who voted 'Leave'. In areas of social deprivation, it was young people who see no future for themselves in simply maintaining the status quo. Their vote was as much against the Westminster establishment who never listen to their plight as it was against the European Union, which is just another set of faceless rulers in the 'them and us' structure of society in which they are the forgotten underclass.

For many young people and ordinary working people this was an opportunity to go against those in power. It was a chance to give a black eye to the bankers, stockbrokers, big business moguls and politicians (even including the Labour Party leaders). Sadly, we belong to a highly structured and divided society, in which the gap between rich and poor, the haves and the have-nots has been growing steadily wider for at least the past 30 years.

It was not only the older generation who voted 'Leave', but also young people – particularly in areas of social deprivation.

This is why the Labour Party is in turmoil today - because it has always been a mixture of middle-class idealists and ordinary working people, but the gap between the workers and the middle classes has grown steadily wider.

The Social Geography of the Vote

Many firms in Britain have been recruiting from Eastern Europe, where migrant workers are willing to work for lower wages that are still vastly higher that they can get in their own countries. But this has created huge resentment among British workers, especially when the migrants bring their families, with great impact upon schools and the Health Service.

The affluent middle classes, academics, civil servants, politicians, bankers and businessmen who voted to 'remain' don't have to compete for jobs with immigrants, feel the upheaval of drastic cultural change or send their children to overcrowded schools. The unwillingness of Labour politicians in Westminster to face these issues is now tearing their Party apart.

If we are to regain peace in our nation, we have to study the social geography of voting in the Referendum and learn from it.

According to figures published by The Times (25 June 2016), 72% of voters in areas of high average house prices (above £282,000) voted to remain; whereas in areas where house prices are lower than that, 79% voted to leave the EU. Similarly, in affluent areas, 65% voted to remain, whereas in areas where average wages are lower than £23,000, 77% voted to leave.

In terms of occupation and education the differences are even greater, with 86% voting to leave the EU in areas of high manufacturing and 83% in local authority areas where more than a quarter of the electorate do not have at least five good GCSEs.

British society is highly divided, with the gap between the haves and the have-nots growing steadily wider for at least the past 30 years.

Holding Out Hope

So what can Christians do to heal the divisions that are so apparent in our nation and promote harmony and a single-minded determination to seek the national good?

First, we all need to show love and compassion to those who fear for the future. We have to replace fear with hope. This can only be done by reasserting the values that have held the nation together during times of great trouble and danger in times past, and by encouraging people to put their trust in the Lord. Today, as one of our readers said in a perceptive comment, our situation is more like Dunkirk than D-Day. When we found ourselves alone facing vast hostility across the Channel we cried out to God for help; we put our trust in the Lord and he answered our prayers. This is the first thing we need to do today!

Secondly we know that we are facing turbulence for the next two years and at the moment we have no stable Government or credible Opposition. Both political parties are deeply divided and have no clear plans for the future, which is highly dangerous for the nation. Christians should be coming together to seek the Lord for his plans. Now is the time for believers to close ranks and unite in prayer for the nation; boldly speaking the word of the Lord. We know that it is only when we recognise the mess we are in and we cry out to the Lord in repentance that any real change will come in the nation, because God always responds to such prayers.

Thirdly we must intercede for our politicians. Prayer groups and intercessors should be praying for the MPs who have to elect a Prime Minister and for each of the candidates. Of the three leading contenders Theresa May attends her local Anglican church, Michael Gove is an Anglo-Catholic and Stephen Crabb is an Evangelical: all three are known to be friendly to Israel. But we not only need a Godly Prime Minister, we need committed Christians in the Cabinet who will have the discernment to know the will of God for the nation and the courage to speak the word of the Lord in decision-making.

Prayer groups should let their local MP know that they are being supported in prayer and ask if there are any special prayer needs. The next few weeks are especially important to pray for MPs when far-reaching decisions will be made. This is where Christians can play a vital part in the affairs of the nation. We need the same boldness that Peter and John had when they faced the leaders of Israel in Jerusalem soon after the Day of Pentecost. They spoke about Jesus and declared "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4.12).

This is the message that should be upon our lips and declared in our Parliament and in the public square!

Mark Dunman reflects on Smith Wigglesworth's prophecy over Britain and calls for continued prayer at this volatile time.

God makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarged nations and disperses them. (Job 12:23)

I believe God has responded to the prayers of those Christians who have long felt that the EU was no place for Britain. It is indeed a momentous decision. I support 'Brexit', as it popularly came to be called, for a very specific reason. I believe that Britain cannot fulfil its destiny while spiritually shackled to a European Union which is hostile to our God, the God of the Bible.

Britain's Destiny: Mission and Revival?

What is this destiny? I believe that, in part, this destiny is to support the re-establishment of the State of Israel, but I also believe that it is to fulfil the promises made in the prophecy given by the great evangelist Smith Wigglesworth in 1947, shortly before his death. For those readers not familiar with the prophecy¹ I reproduce it here in full:

During the next few decades there will be two distinct moves of the Holy Spirit across the Church in Great Britain. The first move will affect every church that is open to receive it and will be characterised by restoration of the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The second move of the Holy Spirit will result in people leaving historic churches and planting new churches.

In the duration of each of these moves, the people who are involved will say 'This is a great revival.' But the Lord says 'No, neither is this the great revival but both are steps towards it.' When the new church phase is on the wane, there will be evidenced in the churches something that has not been seen before: a coming together of those with an emphasis on the Word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit.

When the Word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest movement of the Holy Spirit that the nation, and indeed, the world has ever seen. It will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and the Welsh revivals of former years. The outpouring of God's Sprit will flow over from the United Kingdom to the mainland of Europe, and from there, will begin a missionary move to the ends of the earth.

I believe this prophecy to be from God. It has already been partly fulfilled. I came to faith in the 1970s during what I see as the first phase of the prophecy, the restoration of the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit. I lived through the second phase, the planting of new churches. We now await the third phase, a truly amazing revival which will start within our shores and radiate out to Europe and then to the world.

I believe Smith Wigglesworth's prophecy to be from God - it has already been partly fulfilled and we now await its third phase.

Other Christian leaders such as Derek Prince and Jean Darnall have prophesied a time of revival prior to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Derek Prince saw one great final wave of revival, while Jean Darnall saw fires of revival being lit up all over the British Isles.

Urgent Need for Continued Prayer

I did not believe that this could happen while Britain was part of an increasingly pagan/humanist Europe. To me this is the significance of the vote to leave Europe. Britain could not move forward spiritually while still in Europe; now it has the opportunity.

However, the need to pray is even more urgent. No one pretends that the moral state of this country warrants the mercy of God. The many groups that have been praying below the radar need to continue:

• We need to pray for the Church, most of which seems to view the EU solely in political terms.
• We need to pray for healing and reconciliation between the opposing sides in this referendum.
• We need to pray that we will make a good transition to being on our own – in particular that God will not allow the nation to become disillusioned with its choice.

Finally, we need to pray for a restoration of Christian values and a recognition by the nation and its government of our Judaeo-Christian heritage. We are a tolerant nation and we can live with other religions practising their faiths, but we should not tolerate other faiths (including atheism) attempting to marginalise our Christian heritage. We are a Christian nation and in my view it is perfectly reasonable to ask people of other faiths to respect this fact.

Nevertheless, this will not happen without prayer. Our spiritual enemy, satan, and his kingdom of darkness, will seek to neutralise the result of this Referendum. We have to pray and intercede for what we believe is right for this nation.

Britain could not move forward spiritually whilst in Europe. Now we have the opportunity, the need for prayer is ever more urgent.

Take Heart

I urge all Christians who have prayed for this result to continue and even to step up their prayer. The moral state of this nation is dire, but we can take heart from the fact that God can stir the fires of revival in a nation, whatever its moral and spiritual state, as the Wesleyan and Welsh revivals testify.

What God needs from those who are already his children and in his kingdom, is sustained, heartfelt prayer and intercession. Let us go to it!

Author information: Mark Dunman is the author of two books which we reviewed here at Prophecy Today earlier in the year: Has God really finished with Israel? (2013), which challenges Replacement Theology, and The Return of Jesus Christ: the end or the beginning? (2015), which examines the various millennial positions taken by the Church through history and discusses whether we are approaching the return of Christ any time soon.

Both books are available at markdunman.com, at Christian bookshops and on Amazon. Click here to read Paul Luckraft's interview with Mark from earlier this year.

Notes

1 There is some disagreement as to whether it was Smith Wigglesworth who gave this prophecy. However, he was known to have given a similar prophecy to David du Plessis in South Africa in 1936. What matters to me is that it has all the hallmarks of a genuine prophecy from God (Deut 18:21-22), not least because part of it has been fulfilled. See also Prophecy Today's feature on this prophecy as part of the 'Testing Prophecies Together' series.

God is giving us an amazing opportunity for the advancement of his Kingdom - but there is much work to be done.

In our Editorial two weeks ago we said that the Referendum day was "in many senses a 'D-Day' – a decision day which may become a DELIVERANCE DAY" on 23 June.¹

That, as it turns out, was a prophetic statement. The nation has voted for freedom from the shackles of the European Union.

Of course, all of us on the Editorial Board of this magazine are glad and we see this as a great act of mercy and compassion of God. We believe it is a wonderful answer to prayer. God is giving us an amazing opportunity for the advancement of his Kingdom. But our rejoicing is tempered by the knowledge that the moral and spiritual state of our nation remains unchanged by this vote.

Long Journey Ahead

One of our readers who commented on the Editorial mentioned above said, "...it is glaringly obvious that the UK does not meet the conditions for divine intervention in Jeremiah 18:7-8".²

They saw the Referendum as more like Dunkirk than D-Day, and the little prayer and Bible study groups around the country like the "little ships that played such a key role in evacuating the troops off the Dunkirk beaches."³

This perceptive comment reminds us that Christians are now in the minority in Britain and we have a huge mountain to climb if we are to seize the opportunity that God is graciously giving to us to make a real change in this nation.

Acknowledging the Good of the EU

Prophecy Today was first published in 1985 and since that time we have always sought to present the truth in every situation - even if it has been unpopular. We know that some of our readers do not share our dislike of the European Union and our passion to be free from its restrictions and regulations. We understand that, and we want to acknowledge the good that the EU has done in providing Europe with the longest period of peace in its history over the past 500 years of sporadic warfare and squabbling among the nations.

God has been so gracious to us – but we have a huge mountain to climb if we are to seize the opportunity to make real change in this nation.

The EU has also a good record on human rights and ensuring the fair treatment of workers and opposing gender and racial discrimination. These and many other good things should not be discarded by our leaving the European Union.

There were many advantages in the Common Market that we originally joined some 43 years ago, that have enhanced trade and contributed to good international relationships – peace and prosperity. But the old sinful human lusts for power, and greed for wealth, became the driving force behind the direction of the EU's growth from a small trading association towards a super-state exercising increasingly totalitarian control over its members. This has been its undoing – the corrupting power of power, which has given vast wealth to some and unemployment and poverty to others.

Revolt Against the Elites

Of course the global corporations and bankers and the ruling classes wanted Britain to remain in the EU, but the ordinary working people across the country saw through the facade presented by those who wanted to retain the status quo. The real significance of this Referendum is that it was a 21^st CENTURY PEASANTS' REVOLT.

The politicians who live in the Westminster bubble and London itself, where property prices have been obscenely inflated by foreign capital, have been becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of the country. This is a fact that is glaringly obvious from the Referendum voting.

Turmoil and Testing

The greatest casualty in the Referendum Debate has been TRUTH. The amount of mud-slinging and personal abuse, mixed in with deliberate lies and deception, has been a national disgrace. It needs to be followed rapidly by a large amount of humility and forgiveness on both sides of the debate, not merely to quieten things down but to seek genuine unity of purpose for the good of the country.

Of course the immediate future is likely to be characterised by turmoil, not only in the financial markets which always hate uncertainty, but also in terms of social solidarity. This will be the greatest test of David Cameron's leadership: to steer the nation through the next few months until he is replaced in Number 10.

I believe him to be an essentially honest politician – a rare accolade in any age. Of course he has made mistakes, because like the rest of us he is a human being. But there are few politicians who would have had the courage to give the nation a Referendum as he has done! We should honour him for this.

I believe David Cameron to be an essentially honest politician, and we should honour him for his courage to call the Referendum in the first place.

His biggest mistake has been to claim that he had achieved "a reformed Europe" following his whirlwind tour of European capitals. Everyone could see that there were no signs of 'reformation' in the European Union. So when he referred to it people laughed. If only he had said that he had been unable to obtain the reforms that he wanted to see and then led the nation to leave the EU - his political career would have soared!

Weathering the Storm

We must now pray for godly leaders to emerge in Westminster, to lead the nation through turbulent waters. The nation needs leaders who acknowledge the moral and spiritual mess we are in and who are prepared to assert biblical values of truth and honesty with humility before the Lord, emphasising the Judaeo-Christian heritage of this nation and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of the Lord for the way forward.

God is giving to Britain an amazing opportunity to enter a new era of blessing and prosperity when we have weathered the storm of our exit from the EU. Our leaving is likely to be met with hostility from EU leaders, but we have to be prepared to return good for evil and to find ways of establishing a new partnership with the other nations of Europe, rather than turn our backs upon them and try to live in isolation. That would surely not be right in the sight of the Lord.

We must pray for godly leaders to emerge in Westminster, to lead the nation through turbulent waters.

Trust in the Lord!

After weeks of praying "Thy will be done", Christians need to recognise the outcome of the Referendum as an act of God and give thanks for his goodness. But so much now depends upon our seeking brotherly love and Holy Spirit unity within the Church of all traditions – ancient and new – as the Body of Christ in Britain.

This would be a powerful witness to the nation. Whichever way they voted, many are now nervous of the future. By our love we must "strengthen [their] feeble arms and weak knees" (Heb 12:12) and encourage one another by our trust in the Lord and our devotion to Christ.

All Bible-believing Christians believe in the Sovereignty of God, and God has chosen to give us freedom from the EU. Therefore, we have now to ask the Lord what he wants us to do with the new freedom that he has granted us; not just to be free once again to fish in our own waters and pass our own laws, but to declare publicly the word of God in this land!

We need to recognise the outcome as an act of God – but so much of the future now depends on the Church's response.

There are already signs of God touching the lives of people in some parts of the country and if we are faithful we could see an amazing work of God with many people giving their lives to Jesus and our prayers being answered for his name to be hallowed in Britain, and his will to "be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!" (Matt 6:10).

References

1 Click here to read the editorial.

2 Click here to read the full comment.

3 Ibid.