Allie Martin, OneNewsNow.com December 31, 2007, is reporting a story from Gospel for Asia founder K. P. Yohannan, who declares Christians in America are headed for persecution – that which our brothers and sisters in Christ have experienced for centuries – and we had better get ready for it.

"The great falling-away from faith could be worst here in [America] because people are absolutely not prepared to face suffering or persecution -- because we cannot imagine a gospel with the cross and the suffering in it," says Yohannan. "Yet the Bible teaches very strong about it. So as the Word of God says: He who has ears, let him hear."

His concern is that many will deny their faith when real persecution comes.

I believe that he is correct. I pastor in what is known as the “Bible belt,” Midwest America. I personally have witnessed what has been termed “easy believeism,” a Christianity that claims the benefit of salvation without the demonstration of total commitment. I fear that many, when faced with the loss of the comforts and prosperity they have and have come to expect, will fall away.

Some of the greatest resistance to my preaching has come from those who fail to see themselves as part of the problem, even as the scripture says, II Chronicles 7:14: “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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (NKJV). Clearly the problem with America is in the Church. The government is not the problem, it is only symptomatic of the problems in the Church. The selfishness and self-centeredness that is in the world is problematic in the church. The Church is a reflection of society – when in fact the Church is to be a reflection of Jesus in the world.

After a message on this very passage I had one man approach me and said that he was sick and tired of being blamed for the problems in the world – that he was a good guy, and that II Chronicles 7:14 did not apply to him. This is just one case of resistance – unfortunately, there have been many.

I fear for our nation. I have believed and continue to believe that persecution is coming to America. Years ago, as a young believer, I overheard a man tell a pastor that he was afraid to die for Jesus. The pastor replied, “if you can’t live for Him, you will never be able to die for Him.”

Our only hope is to turn from our worldliness back to a complete surrender to Jesus Christ and His will for us. Only then will “…I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

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