21st century Gideon: an allegory Part 4

They then called on all Christians across the land to rise up and defeat the powers of darkness that ruled in their localities. The Christians called out to God for deliverance and proclaimed his goodness and mercy in all their major places of government, power and influence.  There was no hiding place for the powers of darkness.  Everywhere they tried to go, there were bands of Christians proclaiming the wisdom, majesty and glory of God and they were consigned to the Abyss. 

One group from a large and influential Pentecostal church was upset that they had not been asked to help sooner.  They had gone out as asked and defeated the major forces of evil in their area which were also badly afflicting the nation.

 

‘Why didn't you call us out earlier so we could have helped you?’ they asked.

 ‘What have we accomplished compared to you? You have overthrown two great forces of evil in the land.  What are our accomplishments compared to this?’ the pastor replied.

The large Pentecostal church was mollified at this and promised to pray for the pastor and his little band as they pursued the remaining evil forces.

They pursued these powers of darkness like freemasonry and witchcraft to their home towns and cities.  They asked the Christians and church goers in these towns and cities to help them in the overthrow of these forces. 

‘We have been pursuing these demons for ages and are tired, hungry and thirsty.  Will you join with us in the fight and give us something to eat and drink?’

 But the Christians and church goers said, ‘Who are you that we should help you?  Who says the powers of freemasonry or witchcraft live here?  When we can see you have overthrown them as you declare, then we will help you and give you sustenance.’

So the pastor and his band went and surrounded one of the religious centres in the city where the forces of evil had gone home to roost. They proclaimed again the goodness of God, his might and majesty and the powers of darkness sank into the abyss. Some of the symbols of their activities and ownership of the buildings fell to the ground as they were defeated. The Christians took them as spoil to show those who had opposed them.

They went on to another city where again they were given no help.  This time they went to the high places surrounding the city and again proclaimed the might and majesty of God.  The powers of darkness fled terrified into the abyss at the sound of the proclamation as they realised judgement was upon them and all the wicked, evil things that they had caused to have done in the land.

The pastor and his band returned to the city that had refused to help them. The people there looked amazed at the symbols that had fallen from the walls and furniture of the buildings.  The Christians and church goers of the city admitted they had been wrong and asked God and the pastor to forgive them. They turned to the Lord with fresh enthusiasm, many were saved and many more healed of their infirmities.

Then Christians across the land, realising that the powers of evil were overthrown and weak, went out and about declaring the goodness of God to all who would listen.  Many repented of their sins and were baptised. The sick were healed, the blind received sight, the lame walked, the deaf got their hearing back and wham bam, the dead were raised.

The land enjoyed peace again and the Christian heritage that had been lost was restored to them.  Christians were sent to the nations to bring the Gospel, healing and peace.  Many turned to the Lord and great was the revival in the nation.

21st century Gideon: an allegory. Part 3

Now the Houses of Parliament were not far from where the 300 Christians had gathered.  During the evening the Lord told the pastor to go to the Houses of Parliament and he would hear something to encourage him and help him overcome his fear.

Now the people in Parliament had become strong in opposing God and his ways, aided by the forces of evil which had congregated there in great numbers. They continued to pass laws that were opposed to the will of God and which were very bad for the land.  The pastor arrived in the Central Lobby just as a man was telling his friend his dream. The pastor overheard their conversation.

‘I had a dream that a huge fireball hit the middle of the chamber of the lower House of Parliament scattering us all and setting fire to the building.’

His friend who was a wise man responded, ‘That sounds like God is going to bring judgement on this house for all the wicked laws we have passed and all the evil things that have happened here.  We have not listened to Him. The Christians are going to get victory in this place.  The hand of the Lord is with them.’ 

When the pastor heard this, he went away rejoicing and praising God.  He returned to the 300 and said, ‘Get up.  God is giving the powers of darkness that rule over this land into our hands.’

So they got up and went to the Houses of Parliament. The pastor divided his 300 people into four groups, each with a candle in a jam jar, a piece of cloth soaked in paraffin and the word of God in their hands.  He gave each group some proclamations to declare. 

The groups went and surrounded the Houses of Parliament.  One group went up onto Westminster Bridge and surrounded the Clock Tower called Big Ben.  One group went along side the railings by Westminster Hall and another went and surrounded the far end of the building.  Finally one group was given permission to go into Old Palace Yard because they said they were Christians come to pray for the government. The police did not think they would cause much trouble as it was evening time and although there was an important debate going on, they reckoned they were only Christians and what trouble could they cause?

At a prearranged time, the pastor sent a simultaneous message to all 300 mobile phones. There was a ringing and bleeping and musical tones which was very unnerving for the police and any unfortunate person in the vicinity.  This was nothing compared to the noise that erupted at that moment.  Everyone of the 300 shouted at the top of their voices ‘For the Lord Jesus Christ and Britain.’  They put their paraffin soaked cloths into the jam jars and smashed the jam jars on the ground and caused hundreds of small fires.  They then, with one loud voice, proclaimed the goodness of God and his justice and righteousness in the land.   

Everyone in the debating chambers was terrified, believing the House of Parliament to be under attack. They shouted for the security guards to come to protect them.  They rushed into the chamber and assured the house that it was only Christians causing a commotion and those in Old Palace Yard were ejected by the police.

Then the Member of Parliament who had had the dream asked to tell it to the House. He told them about the fireball hitting the chamber and how he felt it was the judgement of God for all the evil laws they had passed.  The members of Parliament were frightened and their eyes opened to the possibility that they had offended God with their wicked ways and passing of godless laws.  They fell on their knees in repentance and asked the chaplain to pray for them all.

Meanwhile the powers of evil that ruled over Parliament were terrified at the Christian commotion. They turned on one another believing an even bigger demonic hoard was attacking them.  They put each other to the sword and those that were left fled to go to their home place or to find somewhere quieter to inhabit and possess.

The Christians meanwhile turned their proclamations into intercession for God to be merciful to their government and to the people of the land.  

21st century Gideon: an allegory Part 2

Then the angel of the Lord came to a small church and said to the pastor, ‘The Lord is with you mighty warrior.’

And the pastor said, ‘If the Lord is with us why are such wicked things happening in our land.  Did we not have mighty outpourings and revivals in the past but now God has forgotten us and gone to Africa, Asia and Argentina.’   

And the angel of the Lord turned to the pastor and said, ‘Go in the strength of the Lord and take back Britain from the enemies’ hands.’

‘But Lord,’ the pastor of the small church said, ‘how can we save Britain?  We are too small and weak.  No one listens to us anymore.’

The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you and you will overturn all the works of the evil one.’ 

The pastor said, ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, give me a sign that it really is you.  Please raise someone from the dead as a sign of new life in your church and this land?’

So they went and found the body of one of the congregation who had recently died and brought it to the Lord. 

The Lord said, ‘Worship me and do not look upon the dead woman.’ 

So they looked at the Lord and praised and worshipped Him.  Whilst their eyes were focussed on the Lord, he stretched forth his staff, touched the dead woman and life returned to her body.  The people praised and worshipped the Lord with renewed faith and energy, confident that the Lord could do anything, even deliver Britain from the hand of the enemy and bring new life to the church and land.

That night the Lord said to the pastor, ‘Go into the centre of the city, to the main square and there make a bonfire of all the things the people worship.  So the pastor led  his church into the city centre. There they made a bonfire of televisions, DVD’s, CD’s, computer games, magazines, books, posters, football scarves and programmes, even computers, laptops and tablets. 

Then in the morning, the people said, ‘Who made this awful mess and has burned this pile of stuff?’ 

They investigated and found it was the pastor and his small church.  So they went and beat on the doors of the church and said, ‘Bring out your pastor.  We want to sort him out for burning all the things we hold dear and are important to us.’

The elders came out and said to the crowd, ‘What are you getting so worked up about?  If all these things are so important and marvellous, surely they will survive?  Let them contend for themselves and then we will see who is the greatest, these feeble things or God Almighty?’

The pastor sent around to all the churches in the city and surrounding area to gather in the local football stadium.  Then he said to the Lord, ‘If you will save Britain by my hand, please cause all the seats in the stadium to be wet but the grass dry.’  And that is what happened.  Every seat was soaking wet but the ground dry.    

Then the pastor said to the Lord, ‘Do not be angry with me.  Let me ask you one more thing.  Let the grass in the stadium be wet but all the seats dry.’  That night God did so. All the seats were dry but the grass wet.’

Early in the morning with all the people from all the churches gathered in the football stadium. The Lord said to the pastor, ‘You have too many people for me to deliver this nation from the powers of darkness into your hands. I don’t want you boasting that it was your prayers and your ideas that delivered Britain but the hand of the Lord. Tell the people that anyone who feels frightened and intimidated by the mission, or who really doesn’t think this is their thing may go home.’

So two thirds of the people went home.  But the Lord said to the pastor, ‘There are still too many.  I will separate them.  Let all those who have brought their Bibles stay but all who did not bring the Word of the Lord go home.’

So the pastor went amongst the people separating those that honoured the Word of the Lord from the rest.  Three hundred had a Bible and the Lord told the pastor he would use these people to save Britain.

21st century Gideon: an allegory. Part 1

Again and again Britain did evil in the eyes of the Lord and for many years he gave the people over to their sinful desires.  But their desires became oppressive to them and reaped harvest after harvest of evil. Soon they contrived ever more devious plans to circumvent the wickedness they were producing. They listened to more and more Godless men and women but they did not seek the Lord.

Society did as it saw fit and the government passed ever more ungodly laws.  The behaviour of the  people became increasingly selfish and self seeking. The church said nothing. Whenever anyone came up with a way to help society, everyone would belittle them and people quickly found alternative ways to hurt their fellow men. Cynicism and scepticism became the norm in Britain.  Few saw anything good in anyone. Everyone did what was best for themselves in any way they liked and with no regard for the ways of God.

No matter how evil the ways of men became only a few sought the face of God on behalf of the many.  The Church compromised on the truth of the Gospel and tried to make it more appealing to the people by diluting the message of salvation.  Religious practices and 'relevant' services became more important than the word of God.  People did as they saw fit and no one turned them from their wicked ways.  Churches emptied and Christians were regarded as irrelevant, even foolish.  They were portrayed in the media as odd, deviant and repressed.  The life of God no longer flowed through the church. Occasionally a man of God would tell society where they were going wrong but nobody wanted to acknowledge God or ask him for help.

Indeed the Almighty was belittled most of all and became a laughing stock.  His name was used as a swear word and no one seemed to notice or mind.  Even the remnant of God’s people was too cowed to try and do anything to defend the name of the Lord. They kept themselves to themselves. Nobody minded what Christians did as long as it didn't bother them. 

In fact other religions found a louder voice and demanded their rights.  They did great evil in the eyes of all and yet no one opposed them, not even the church.  No one spoke out against these false religions for fear of offending people and the country forgot their Christian roots and heritage.  Everyone just wanted a tolerant and accepting society, exchanging the grace of God for a licence to sin.

Then the church realising it was being oppressed and marginalised cried out to God. He started to raise up men and women to encourage the church to repent and return to the Lord.   The word of God found its place again in the church and people turned and sought the face of the Lord.  They took great comfort from verses that said, ‘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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’

Then the angel of the Lord came to a small church and said to the pastor, ‘The Lord is with you mighty warrior.’

And the pastor said, ‘If the Lord is with us why are such wicked things happening in our land.  Did we not have mighty outpourings and revivals in the past but now God has forgotten us and gone to Africa, Asia and Argentina.’   

And the angel of the Lord turned to the pastor and said, ‘Go in the strength of the Lord and take back Britain from the enemies’ hands.’