A Prophetic People in a Problematic Time

by Bishop Steve Houpe

Dear People of God,

I pray the engrafted Word of God is stitched in your hearts in such a way that it causes a deeper faith to rise in you and a fire to unapologetically fulfill the will of God for your life on the Earth.

Isaiah 6:1-8, reminds us of God’s assignment for Isaiah:

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!””

Notice at the onset, Isaiah opened this passage on a very somber note. King Uzziah, who was a good king, is now dead. According to God’s promise King Uzziah ruled for fifty-two years and the nation was blessed materially during his reign. Following his death however, it seemed the glory of the Lord was no longer present.

Following the death of King Uzziah, the nation of Israel fell into decay. The people were taken captive, prosperity ceased, the people were plagued with depression and famine. It is in this climate that Isaiah did what every person, every city, every state, and every country should do, and that is: enter the temple! In the temple Isaiah sought an audience with God and in these uncertain times we too should follow this pattern.

In God’s temple, Isaiah made the discovery that the true king of the nation was not dead, but alive! Hear me people of God, I want you to know, today, in these perilous times, behind these earthly thrones such as the White House, political platforms and scientific theories, is a Heavenly throne which stands supreme. Therefore, we do not put our confidence in man’s understanding, but in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Because God is still on the throne today, He still hears the prayers of the righteous and answers them. Proverbs 15:29 (AMP) reminds us that “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the [consistently] righteous (the upright, in right standing with Him).”

Let’s reflect on Proverbs 14:34 which says: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” This principle applies to our current status as a nation. America must return to the God who made her prosperous. The New Testament reminds us in 2 Corinthians 7:10 that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” With all the uncertainty and calamity surrounding our nation only pride and arrogance would prevent her from exhibiting true repentance.

Look at the deteriorating condition of our country: the right to abort babies, sex trafficking, drugs, gang violence, police brutality, mass incarceration, fatherless homes, same sex marriages, the removal of prayer in our schools, and our nation’s original sin of racism. It is clear we have turned our backs on the God that made our nation great. We are parading this massive rebellion in the face of God and in the same breath how can we arrogantly proclaim, “God Bless America?”

But fortunately for us there remains a small window of hope. That hope is found in the voice of the Lord. In Psalm 29:1-11, we see “the voice of the Lord,” is stated seven times. David repeatedly referred to God’s voice to amplify the critical importance of yielding to the Lord’s wisdom whose depths is far beyond our own. In His voice we find the peace, direction, and strength we need to navigate these tumultuous times.

“A psalm of David. Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, sirloin like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”

While we are extremely grateful to God to be alive and well, we are deeply disheartened by the devastation occurring in the world around us! Millions are sick and thousands have died. Our healthcare workers and first responders are sacrificing at levels beyond hours on the clock. We have truly entered uncharted territory. But for those of us who trust the true and living God, He promises to hear our prayers and answer them. Those of us who know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must not remain silent. Open your mouths and pray as never before! Hold up this nation and the world with heartfelt prayers and intercession on behalf of those who are serving and those who are being served. Ask our God to visit our government and leaders in a supernatural way causing this nation to fully repent and turn back to the God who made her great! Pray in the name of Jesus Christ, stand in faith, and see the salvation of the Lord. Yes, we are in a crisis, but in the end, remember God is faithful and we are people of faith and not fear!

In Him,

Bishop Steve Houpe