Recently, a number of respected church leaders, frustrated with America's slow turn to repentance, have proclaimed that divine wrath is coming to our land. "If God does not destroy America," one influential pastor wrote, "He will have to repent to Sodom and Gomorrah."

Certainly, there are many things morally wrong with America, but America is not Sodom or Gomorrah. Neither is it a re-emergence of the spirit of ancient Babylon. You will not find charged against this land the "blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth" (Rev 18:24). The spiritual influence of these archetypes is here, just as they are also manifested throughout the world, but America is much more than the sum of its sins and failures.

America does not answer to any singular prophetic profile. It is not the Promised Land, but it is a land of promise. For those who predict the decline and fall of this nation, I'm sorry to disappoint you: America has only just begun to rise. Indeed, as we enter the 21st century, I believe we will find this nation, imperfect as it is, increasing its global influence.

It is easy to call for, predict, and then anticipate the manifestation of divine wrath. It plays perfectly into our fears. Once you adjust your perception to expect doom, religious zeal supplies all sorts of apocalyptic visions of the end. The problem is, visions born of fear are not synonymous with visions born of God.

For more than thirty years I have heard scores of "doom and destruction" predictions that were going to be fulfilled by a certain date. We were supposed to all die in nuclear war in 1979; we were to be raptured in 1988 (then 1989, when '88 did not come to pass); then the Gulf War would turn into Armageddon; and, of course in 1998, fifty years after Israel's birth, the Lord was sure to return.

Shall I go on? I cannot remember one prophecy that has been even remotely fulfilled. The fact is, instead of destroying the world, the Lord has raised up what may be the most expansive prayer movement in generations (if not in all of time). He has been reconciling and uniting His church (for the first time in its history), revival is beginning in a number of places, and converts by the hundreds of millions (that is not a misprint) have come to Christ worldwide during this same period! People thought the world was going to disintegrate; instead, we have entered the greatest season of harvest in the history of the church!

Why did those predictions of wrath fall to the ground unfulfilled? Maybe there are many reasons, but the plain, obvious truth is that God is more patient and merciful than we previously imagined. In fact, I believe that, at least in the next few years, the Lord has something else planned for America other than destruction.

JUDGING PROPHECY

The Lord spoke about discerning the origin of prophetic words in the book of Deuteronomy. He said,

"And you may say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?'
"When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." -Deut 18:21-22
God's Word plainly says, "If the thing does not come about . . . the Lord has not spoken."

We have all make mistakes. Sometimes we are moved by fears to make presumptuous predictions. A person is not a false prophet because he makes a mistake. The Lord does not condemn me and neither am I condemning anyone. But we need to admit when we are wrong and examine why our predictions fell to the ground.

In the New Testament Paul instructs the church, "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, let the first keep silent" (1 Cor 14:29-30).

So, we've heard the potential for divine wrath, but now it is time to balance the message of judgment with vision and mercy. It is time for some who have been seated to share their revelation. You be the judge.

Before we continue, however, let me clarify two things. One, if you are trapped in habitual sin, you should fear. There is only one antidote to this fear and that is to repent and get right with God. The second clarification is this: Until the transformation of our mortal bodies, the Lord's corrective judgments will be with us always. Those whom He loves He reproves and disciplines. It is good that God judges what is wrong in us. May He never stop judging the sin in me or in the church or in America. There will always be consequences for our actions.

But let me assure you, there is a difference between God's corrective judgments and the manifestation of His wrath. Corrective judgment is guided by His mercy. Wrath is the venting of His anger. It is not in the Lord's heart to destroy this nation; humble and then heal, yes, but not destroy.

My passion is to inspire the church to see America the way a loving parent views an unbroken teenager, which is how I believe God sees this land. He is not ready to destroy us. In truth, He is patiently working His will. He will fulfill what He has begun with this land. Let us not become impatient as we wait for His fulfillment. The very least the Lord wants to do with America is use it to keep the world open for harvest. For that reason alone we must stand in continued intercession for our country. Yet, if we possess no clear vision for the United States, may the Lord reveal His passion for mercy even when we are convinced He is warning of wrath.