Having studied most sūtras of Buddhism, I have no doubt that I, Nichiren, am a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra. However, it seems that there are three reasons why I have not had any heavenly support. First, the deities may have abandoned this awful country because it is filled with people without faith in the Lotus Sūtra. Secondly, as the deities have not heard the sound of the Lotus Sūtra for a long time, they grew powerless. Thirdly, powerful devils have gotten into the minds of the three kinds of strong enemies of the Lotus Sūtra and controlled them, so deities such as the King of the Brahma Heaven and Indra cannot do much.

Toki-dono Go-henji, A Response to Lord Toki, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 118-119