So now we ask the inevitable question in this country, namely, “how did we get to this place?” 
Well, thankfully, Romans chapter 1 verses 18 – 32 gives us a verbal flow chart, a trail to twisted thinking if you will, that outlines the downward spiral of a debased society. The end result of this spiral is stated at the outset. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,”

Step 1: in spite of the obvious design in nature, the society adopts an alternative (i.e. Godless) and materialistic philosophy. In doing so, they suppress the truth!

“who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

Step 2: The society no longer sees the need to honor God. This results in futile thinking, and darkening of the mind. What this means is that they lose the ability to see the hand of God in creation. There is a complete lapse of spiritual discernment. 

 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

Step 3: God gives the society up to what they desire with their futile minds, and they fall into self deception and to defiling themselves with the very actions the society once instinctively knew to be impure.

 “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

Step 4: Natural passions are discarded in favor of unnatural passions, including specifically burning with lust for those of the same gender.

“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” 

Step 5: God turns His back on a society that refuses to acknowledge His right to govern their consciences, and then every other unrighteousness evil fills up society’s behavior as the new “normal”.

“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Step 6: in spite of their collective memory that such things are sinful, they flaunt their sin and give their wholehearted support to the so-called courageous ones who defy the law of God. So after this step, we arrive at the judgment of God, who reveals His wrath because the society refuses to repent.

 “Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭18-32‬ ESV)

So what is the solution to this mess of our own making? The answer was given to Ezekiel long ago, and is an eternal spiritual principle of our unchanging God. We have two major missions as the people of God; warning and intercession!

Warning:

“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.
“If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’

“Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (‭Ezekiel‬ ‭33‬:‭7-11‬ ESV)

Failure to warn our society is a sin of omission and an act of hatred, even if they do not want to hear our warnings!

Intercession, combined with our repentance:

“if my people who are called by my name 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.” (‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ESV)

Notice we as God’s people, need to turn from our own wicked ways and seek heaven’s healing for our land. If we as the church repent and humble ourselves before God, then God will heal our land. It won’t happen by praying against those who are lost, but by the Church bowing in humility and the fear of the Lord that will turn this nation around.