Some of the things I'm about to share run so contrary to our Christian culture that you may be tempted to reject them. Nevertheless, I'm just going to step out in faith and make some radical statements, trusting that the Holy Spirit will bear witness to you.

While summarizing the ministry of Jesus, Paul made this point in the epistle he wrote to the Corinthians.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.
(2 Cor. 5:17-18)

To reconcile is simply to make friendly or to bring back into harmony. Can you see that God is not upset with you?

Some of the things I'm about to share run so contrary to our Christian culture that you may be tempted to reject them. Nevertheless, I'm just going to step out in faith and make some radical statements, trusting that the Holy Spirit will bear witness to you. I pray that you'll read the rest of the article and give me a chance to explain. This could be the breakthrough in your relationship with God that you've been believing for.

God is not upset. In fact, not only is He not mad at you as a Christian—a point that many believers really struggle with—but He's also not mad at unbelievers. God is not about to judge this nation.

Wrath Appeased
I used to preach that if God didn't judge America, He'd have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah. Our country is as corrupt—or pretty close to it—as were Sodom and Gomorrah. (See Gen. 13:13; 18:20.) I used to proclaim that until my mind became renewed to God's Word. Now I know that if God were to judge America, He'd have to apologize to Jesus.

Jesus made a difference in the way God relates to mankind. This is what the angels were praising Him for in Luke 2:14. They were really saying, "Glory to God in the highest. The war is over!" The anger and wrath of God has been atoned and appeased. God's wrath was placed upon His Son, and He isn't angry with us anymore.

All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
(2 Cor. 5:18)

The Lord made us friendly. He brought us —not only believers, but all mankind—back into harmony with God. The debt has been paid. Now we must receive it. We must put our faith in the Lord before what He has provided has its full effect in our lives. But God's wrath has been appeased. Man may not be reconciled to God, but God has been reconciled to man. His wrath is over—and He's given us the ministry of reconciliation.

The reason that Christianity isn't having a greater impact on our world than it is today is that we aren't preaching this message.

The Power of God

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
(Rom. 1:16)

The meaning of the Greek word translated "salvation" here isn't limited only to the forgiveness of sins. It's also talking about healing, prosperity, and deliverance—everything Jesus came to do. Therefore, the power of God for you and me to receive salvation (forgiveness of sins, healing, prosperity, and deliverance) is released through the Gospel—the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news—of Jesus Christ.

As a whole, the church isn't preaching this. We're telling people, "You're going to hell. You're a sinner, and God is angry!" It's true that before we were born again we were—by nature—sinners. Our sin separated us from God. Although this is the truth, it's not "good news." It's not the Gospel.

The Gospel speaks of how God placed all of the punishment for our sins upon Jesus. In spite of our sins, our relative unworthiness, and need, Christ paid the price for us. Justice demanded our punishment, but Jesus took it for us. Now God's wrath has been forever satisfied. He's not angry with people. Jesus paid the price, and all we must do is receive that payment. That's good news. That's the Gospel!

Since much of the church isn't preaching the Gospel—the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news of Jesus Christ—people aren't coming to the Lord. The power of the Gospel isn't in manifestation much today, and that's why people are turning away from it.

Source: The War Is Over by Andrew Wommack
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers