It’s Time to Rebuild!

“They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.” -Isaiah 61:4

What a time to be alive! The events we are experiencing in the world are unprecedented. The possibilities for both good and evil abound at the moment. It’s quite the paradox. I have to admit, I am grieved by the daily advancement of unbelievable evil in the United States and the world. The “Egyptians” are hot on the heels of every true Bible believing Christian who is taking a stand for truth. Many of aspects of our societies are crumbling before our very eyes. Our cultures are deteriorating at a rapid rate. Beautiful aspects of our basic humanity are being lost. The comfort from a hug or a smile has not been experienced by many in months. Children are falling behind socially and in school. Large gatherings are nearly nonexistent. Some businesses and restaurants are closed permanently. Families and friends are divided over politics and worldviews. Unfriending on social media abounds. Weddings, funerals and church services have been impacted. Masks and social distancing are dehumanizing and desensitizing us to one another. Can you see it? We were made for loving human contact and we are healthiest when we can give and receive this. Many of our countries lie in ruins both socially and economically. However, before you assume this post is nothing more than venting about a tragic saga and move on, I invite you to stay with me as I cast a hopeful vision for our future. Yes, we are in a time of darkness, but the light is beginning to dawn on the greatest revival, reformation and restoration the world has ever seen. Will you dare to believe this? The “anything is possible” era for good is upon us.

Our God is an expert at transforming things that are meant for evil into something good (Genesis 50:20). We can bring Jesus the broken pieces of our lives, families, businesses and communities and watch him make a beautiful work of art out of them. Does it require surrender? Yes. How about sacrifice? Absolutely! What about patience? You bet! If we choose to partner with God’s vision for our families and nations, we will see the most unbelievable miracles unfold. We will see family relationships healed and restored. Businesses, both new and old, will open and thrive. Communities will come together with joy and thanksgiving. The world says we can only accomplish this through forced compliance to their vaccine agenda and government control. Alternately, God’s Word says that all things are possible with Jesus Christ! In Matthew 19:26, Jesus says, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” God’s ways are upside down to the world. In John 15:18-19, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” The world hates God’s ways and God’s children. The world does not understand God. Do not expect the world to embrace you or the new ideas, strategies or calling God gives you. You must only receive your affirmation from the Father. Do not look to the approval of man. In order to rebuild and restore our nations, we must look to God and only put our trust in him.

With God as our Builder, we will restore and rebuild our families, communities and nations with great joy (Isaiah 62:5). We will rebuild America. We will rebuild the nations. We will build the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus’ prayer is for the Father’s kingdom to come, and his will to be done, “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). It’s time to restore what’s been lost. When the thief is caught, he must pay back seven times what he has stolen (Proverbs 6:31). I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for sevenfold repayment for what Satan has stolen from me, my family and my nation. I am ready to “rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated” and “renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations” (Isaiah 61:4). This is God’s heart for America and the nations of the world. He does not want to leave us with ruin, decay and destruction. He wants to build his kingdom on earth through us. He wants to rebuild, restore and renew ruined cities, towns and communities. He wants to bring new life to the wastelands of our nations. In Isaiah 43:19, the LORD says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” God has wonderful plans for the nations. In John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

The rebuilding will not be easy, but it will be worth it. The enemy will use people to try to stop or stifle our work. We can take encouragement from the story of Nehemiah and his work to rebuild the wall surrounding Jerusalem. In the book of Nehemiah (chapter 4), the Jews face opposition from their enemies while they are in the process of rebuilding. Their enemies mock them and plan to attack and kill them in order to stop their efforts. However, under the wise leadership of Nehemiah, the Jews continue their work on the wall while being prepared for battle at a moment’s notice. They implement a strategic plan with different roles and tasks for each person to ensure everyone is adequately protected while the building of the wall moves forward. Their enemies’ plans only succeed in slowing down their progress. The Jews persevered and completed the wall in spite of all the threats and opposition. America is in a similar place. Many have worked hard over the past few years to rebuild our nation, only to face extreme opposition to the rebuilding and delays. We are facing threats and attacks from the enemy, which are meant to stop us from rebuilding. With strategies from God and the unity of his love for one another, we will overcome every threat and attack of the enemy. Let’s work together with one heart and mind just as the Jews did. We will succeed in rebuilding America just as the Jews completed the wall in Jerusalem. Remember, with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26)!

How can we accomplish the rebuilding of our nations? What strategies can we use to overcome the opposition of the enemy? I certainly don’t have all the answers. This is a huge and complex task. However, some key ingredients are: Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the fivefold leadership, unity, teamwork, the Bible, prayer, heavenly strategies and spiritual warfare. This is an “all hands on deck” kind of task. Every one of us in the Body of Christ has a job to do and a role to play in the rebuilding. Some simple steps we can take to jump-start this rebuilding effort are:

• Ask God about his vision for your family, business and community and pay attention to what he shows you.
• Gather with other believers to share and pray together about what God wants to do in your community and nation. Pray also for each other’s protection.
• Create an action plan and work together to accomplish the vision.
• Worship, thank and trust God throughout the process.

With God on our side, we will not fail! There is nothing we cannot accomplish together. Even though we are currently in a dark time, we do not have to wait for the light to come on before we start the rebuilding. Start moving forward now in faith that God will come through. The Apostle Paul reminds us: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Let’s refuse to give up. We will persevere against all odds. We do not need to fear opposition because “if God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31)? As we unite in Jesus, we will be unstoppable. The gates of hell will not stand against us. It’s time to advance, recover all and rebuild!