By Eddie Smith, U.S. PRAYER CENTER, Houston, TX

[used with permission]

U.S. President George W. Bush has declared, "We are at war...we will rid the world of evil doers." Our government is now planning armed assaults against those who are responsible for the devastation of September 11. War is a state of open, armed, often prolonged conflict on between nations, states, or parties. Unlike Israel, Americans are not accustomed to war. Suicide bombers are uncommon in the United States. The thought of people, especially innocent people, dying at the hands of our own military is unconscionable to many Christians. They are reminded of Scriptures like:

• "Thou shalt not kill" (Ex. 20:13, KJV).
• "But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Mt. 5:39, NIV).
• "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Mt. 5:44).
• "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Rom. 12:19, KJV).
• "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:21, KJV).
• "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world" (2 Cor. 10:3-4, NIV).

I am receiving letters from Christians around the world asking very important questions: "If this is what God has said, then how can the United States righteously engage in acts of war? Shouldn't you, as a Christian nation, turn the other cheek?"

First, "Thou shalt not kill" is a commandment God gave to Israel. Then God Himself led Israel into war. So, this is a commandment against murder, not against war.

Second, what God expects from law-abiding citizens engaged in community is not always the same as what He expects from law-enforcement officers acting as His agents. God has said that vengeance belongs to Him. He is the source of all authority, and he appoints civil government for the welfare of its citizens, to protect law- abiders and execute justice against the law-breakers (see Rom. 13:1-7). Sometimes God executes vengeance through military might.

Righteous war isn't a matter of retaliation (returning evil for evil). It calls for a calculated, not a casual response. Justice, not political correctness or opportunism is needed. It isn't a time for temporary aggression but rather for a permanent solution. A righteous war is a matter of retribution; answering an evil act with something justly deserved. Justice is based on laws, laws are based on God's commandments.

Will innocent people die? Yes. Innocent people have already died in the attack on our nation. In war the deaths of innocents is unavoidable. It is the awful price of war. When wicked men commandeered our passenger planes and crashed them into our office buildings, they declared war on our nation. They invited destruction and retribution upon themselves and upon their supporters.

Finally, when the Apostle Paul explained that we do not engage in war like the world does, he was not referring to physical, civil war. He was referring to the spiritual warfare that we saints are to continually wage against our sin, our flesh, and the devil.

Today, we are grieving and praying for victims, their friends and families, for rescuers and emergency medical personnel. In time we must move from problem-centered praying to purpose-driven prayer. We must begin to discover what God is doing through all of this and pray accordingly. (Jn. 5:19)

In the U.S. it is clear that God is trying to awaken His bride... she is late for work! Will He succeed? It depends largely upon her. Will she get up and go to work, or will she hit the snooze button, rolls over, and go back to sleep. God forbid. We, the bride of Christ, must arise! We must move from singing "God Bless America" to insisting that America bless God! We must shift from "moments of silence" to cries of intercession for revival!

SUGGESTED PRAYER POINTS:

1. Pray that America's leaders will be led of God. (Prov. 20:18)
2. Pray that world leaders will coalesce against terrorism.
3. Pray that American citizens will not seek vigilante justice. This was no more a true Muslim act than bombing an elementary school in Ireland is a Christian act.
4. Pray for the bravery and security of America's military personnel.
5. Pray for America's national resolve to win this war.
6. Prayer for a prolonged awareness of God and His purposes and a national revival in the United States.