Feeling Like an Umbrella Salesman in a Cultural Thunderstorm
About 20 years ago, I was spending time with David Wilkerson in New York City when a storm unexpectedly broke out as we were leaving a building. Sure enough, in true New York fashion, there was someone right outside the door selling umbrellas, and as expected, Pastor Dave bought one to keep us dry in the showers. In fact, just about everyone seemed to buy one as they walked outside into the sudden downpour.
I feel like that umbrella salesman today, except that for years now, I've been selling these umbrellas in the desert, knowing that a massive storm was coming and that soon enough, the umbrellas would become hot items.
What exactly do I mean?
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After I spoke in Jerusalem earlier this week on our calling to take up the cross and serve the Lord by life or by death, an Israeli-born American missionary to the Muslims asked me why I did not appear more concerned about the Supreme Court's disastrous redefining of marriage.
He knew I was grieved over it.
He knew that I expected hard times for the Church of America.
But he knew that I was full of optimism and confidence in the midst of the storm.
Why?
It's because I have been expecting these things for years now, and, with all my heart, I believe that I have a promise from God that, as surely as there was a Civil Rights movement in America, there will be a gospel-based moral and cultural revolution in our land.
I have lived with that promise since the late 1990's, and that's why "revolution" has been a dominant theme in my teaching, preaching, and writing since then.
That's why, every day on the radio, I'm introduced as "your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution."
That's why I've written that there must be revolution in the church – meaning radical, dramatic, sweeping change in our midst based on the Word and empowered by the Spirit – before there can be revolution in society.
That's why I wrote in 2000, "Only the life-changing power of the gospel will ultimately change a society for good. Only new hearts will bring forth the new life that the oppressed so long for and desire. Only the Spirit of God will truly liberate captives! But if we do not rise up and act, Satan will. The dissatisfaction is rising. The discontent is growing thick. Revolution is near – either heaven-sent or hell-bent – and only we have the truth that will set slaves free."
Sadly, we are currently witnessing a hell-bent, anti-God, anti-Bible, anti-Christian revolution, and it is rapidly sweeping our land.
But all hope is not lost!
As surely as it gets dark at night, if we humble ourselves and repent of our sins, if we cast off the fear of man and dead religious traditions, if we seek God earnestly and don't let go, we will see a turning of the tide. We will see a gospel-based, Jesus-exalting, Spirit-empowered, moral and cultural revolution, overcoming hatred with love, overcoming evil with good, overcoming lies with truth.
That is what I live for and that is why I raise my voice in writing and on radio and in preaching and teaching, seeking to awaken those who are slumbering and to strengthen those who are discouraged and to equip those who want to make a positive difference with their lives.
This is the day we've been expecting, and this is the hour we've been made for. The storm is here, but we have the umbrellas – and more. In fact, we have a way to bring out the sunshine again.
Last year, I wrote an article titled "I Hate to Say I Told You So," in which I documented how detail after detail of what I (and others) had predicted regarding the gay activist agenda had come to pass in shocking, almost devastating fashion.
I ended the article asking, "Do you believe me now? And would you like to know what is coming next and what we can do about it? And would you like to know why I am convinced that, ultimately, the gay revolution will fail?
"Stay tuned for more. I'm glad I have your ear."
I trust that today, in the aftermath of the massive, breathtakingly fast negative revolution that has taken place before our eyes, from the Supreme Court's lawless decision on marriage to the celebration of "Caitlyn" Jenner and so much more, you understand why I've been talking about revolution (not rebellion) and why I've been speaking so much about gay activism (as well as urging the church to pray for the LGBT community and to prepare for a massive harvest of souls).
And I trust that you'll also understand why, as heavy as the storm might be and as intense as the conflict will surely be in the coming days – you will not be able to avoid it, from the pulpit to Facebook and from the schools to your job – I am overflowing with confidence in the Lord.
We knew the storm was coming, and we've got more than enough umbrellas.
Best of all they're free.
Everything we need is found in Jesus, and if we give ourselves to Him unconditionally, saying, "Here I am! Send me, use me!" He will place on the front lines of the greatest revolution this nation has ever seen.
So . . . on with it!
