Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Hedgerow

Home
Evangelical
Politics and Religion
God’s Favor: 2017 Inauguration & Beyond

God’s Favor: 2017 Inauguration & Beyond

Last updated on: January 13, 2020 at 12:54 pm by Bethany Blankley

God’s Favor: 2017 Inauguration & Beyond 2020-01-13T12:54:23-05:00 Bethany Blankley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Some argue that the election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th president of the United States was the result of the brilliance of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Others argue momentum for Trump grew because of increased support from and voter mobilization by Evangelical Christians and conservative Roman Catholics. Others argue the purge of democrats stemmed from the sheer volume of those who stayed home. Then, of course, there’s the “fake news” narrative that Russian hackers rigged the election.

While these factors are important (sans Russians) they offer only a glimpse of a much larger phenomenon that will be publicly emphasized during the January 20, 2017, Inaugural ceremonies — and the January 21, 2017 National Prayer Service. They represent, in part, the culmination of the single most important factor that impacted every recent crisis in America: prayer.

Evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham hinted at this in a Facebook post:

“In watching the news after the election, the secular media kept asking ‘How did this happen?’ ‘What went wrong?’ ‘How did we miss this?’ Some are in shock. Political pundits are stunned. Many thought the Trump/Pence ticket didn’t have a chance. None of them understand the God-factor.”

While the impact of prayer in America in just the last few years was significantly underreported, a few highlights stand out.

In 2014, prayer transformed riots into revival in Ferguson, Missouri. One pastor’s wrongful arrest for praying outside of a police station might have made news headlines, but the true story lost by the media was told by Billy Graham Rapid Response Team members:

“We’ve had gang members the last two days-we’re talking about hardened street gangs-and they are curious. They came in, sat down, and prayed with us. They support us and have offered to take us into the community to minister.

“We’ve had people from the community who have been portrayed as being on opposite sides of this division, but who have cried together, embraced each other and prayed together. There is still a storm raging, but they’re looking for healing.”

It was Christian pastors, who in 2015, met in Washington D.C. to pray at a National Service of Reconciliation, Healing and Awakening. Its initiator, Bishop E.W. Jackson, president of STAND (Staying True to America’s National Destiny), declared:

“… it is time for Pastors from every race and background to come together and speak to the nation on the issue of racial division and show the way forward. Without God, we can never get beyond the past, and our future will be infected with bitterness. Pastors and churches must lead the way.”

In the spirit of evangelist Billy Graham’s counsel (“We must repent of our prayerlessness and make prayer our priority”), in 2015, hundreds of thousands participated in The Response in Florida, Louisiana, and North and South Carolina. Thousands more participated in Pastors and Pews conferences in eleven states. Gary Miller, an integral leader of pastor mobilization, explains,

“Mobilization is consistent with the Scriptural admonition for Christians to be salt and light in a tasteless and sightless world.

“The voting booth and the prayer closet have one thing in common. SILENCE. Politicians listen to the faintest whisper of the voting booth. God inclines His ear to hear the cries of His children rising up to Him from their prayer closets.”

Likewise, within a nine-month-period in 2015-2016, Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains traveled to pray with victims’ family members in Orlando, Florida, Roseburg, Oregon, San Bernardino, California, Paris, France, and Brussels, Belgium. Countless pastors and chaplains traveled to minister to survivors of Hurricane Matthew, the devastating floods in Louisiana, Texas, and West Virginia, and the raging fires in California.

It was pastors who came together calling for healing in Charleston, S.C., for peace in Cleveland, and in Dallas (sans Obama and Hillary), all emphasizing prayer. Prayer, the Dallas mayor said, was needed, “… to bring our city together and our country together. To heal wounds, not create them.”

The cries of Americans were not pled to Buddha or Allah. Nor were they addressed to an unknown god, a tree, or to galaxy far away. The steady silent intercession of Americans acknowledged the God of the Bible’s promise:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

In 2016, their plea was heard in all 50 state capitals, led by Franklin Graham who encouraged Christians to pray for America, vote, and become involved in their cities. Graham said, “As the walls of our nation are crumbling, we’ve got an opportunity to make a difference in this country.”

Their plea was also heard in ten states and beyond by pastors and leaders who participated in Pastors and Pews conferences in 2016 who returned home and encourage their friends and neighbors. (Donald Trump joined some 700 leaders in Florida).

The late Chuck Colson once explained the motivation behind such a rallying cry:

“I meet millions of people who feel demoralized by the decay around us. The hope that each of us has is not in who governs us, or what laws we pass, or what great things we do as a nation. Our hope is in the power of God working through the hearts of people. And that’s where our hope is in this country. And that’s where our hope is in life.”

The seeds of this hope were tilled with sweat, blood, and the fervent prayers of America’s first president. George Washington’s ultimate appeal to Heaven relied on the 17th century political philosopher John Locke’s admonition:

”… where the body of the people is deprived of their right; or is under the exercise of a power without right, and have no appeal on earth, then they have a liberty to appeal to heaven.”

In 2017, these appeals have come full circle. The focus of prayer on January 20th and 21st point to what many foresee as “The Next Great Move of God” and possibly a Third Great Awakening. If so, great things lie ahead for America in 2017 and beyond; in concert with fervent prayer, supplication and continuous thanksgiving.

Billy Graham Rapid Response Team

Previous Post

January 18, 2017

Lessons on Love & Eternity from The Velveteen Rabbit

Next Post

January 22, 2017 The Promise of Aquarius: Pouring Out of the Holy Spirit

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Christianity Islam politics Sexuality transgender Uncategorized

Select a Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 October 2019 September 2019 July 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 June 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 July 2016 June 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Lo-Ammi" mean in Hebrew?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Not My People Chosen One The Lord is My Salvation Exiled