In my previous post I mentioned being led to pray into the aftermath of the presidential election that what was hidden in darkness would come to light. That prayer was based on 1 Corinthians 4:5 – “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.” With so many reports of alleged “kraken-sized” evidence, smoking guns, sworn allegations and claims of widespread fraud, it seemed like a relevant prayer directed at the election process.
Yet I kept being pulled away from the political realm into praying for an awakening in the Body of Christ, an opening of our eyes to the things that grieve God and must be repented of, renounced and replaced with His design for the ecclesia, His church, as He is working to prepare the Bride of Christ for the return of the Groom. The context of 1 Corinthians 4:5 suggests that heaven is taking notes on the works of darkness for future judgment on the Day of the Lord. However, for the people of God there is a more immediate exposure of works that grieve God so that we may repent and correct our ways (See Revelation 2:4-5; 2:14-16; 3:3; 3:15-19).
What came to light, especially after the distressing events at the Capitol on January 6th, were a number of things that I felt had particularly grieved God. In random order:
- Misuse of prophecy. Dreamers dreamed and prophets prophesied that Trump was God’s man and he would win. When none of the smoking guns produced bullets, especially a silver one, that would turn the election on its head, the prophetic movement scrambled to explain itself. Some admitted they were wrong and apologized, others said the truth would still come out, but during the first year of Biden’s presidency. Yet others said that God had intended for Trump to win but had altered His plans because of his erratic behavior and arrogance. And some said He would have won if God’s people had repented more deeply. I think all they miss the point. We have a very visible and widespread prophetic movement that has been prophesying in the ways of the Old Testament prophets. However, the purpose and use of prophecy changed dramatically under the New Covenant. Hebrews 1: 1, 2 says: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.” The prophets had been silent for 400 years before Jesus came on the scene. After His death and resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we see prophecy re-emerge as one of the spiritual gifts to edify and comfort the church. The Apostle Paul is very specific about its use: “The one who prophesies speaks to the people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.” (1Corinthians 12:3) We should therefore not employ an Old Testament use of prophecy to predict events, proclaim specific things over a country or a city or a government, but rather stick with its intended use within the Body of Christ where it is to be respected and tested (see 1 Thessalonians 5:20).
- Idolatry. There was an number of people, including Christians who revered Trump beyond what he was. There is even a name for it: Trumpism. Opinions differ on how that could have come into existence. It may be because he gave voice to the desires of many to see the political establishment in DC being put in its place by an outsider. Or maybe because he empowered anger at the perceived moral, economic and political decline of the US during the previous administration. Perhaps it was because the aforementioned prophets had dreams and visions about him and published them widely, fueling the fire. The important thing is that it got out of hand, overlooked his many flaws and moral failures, and made him into a demi-god who could do no wrong. I have seen images of him on social media surrounded by angels and carried by Jesus. I have seen believers lash out vehemently at anybody who dared question him or criticize him. I don’t think it is at all wrong to believe that God brought him to the White House and used him greatly. But there is a difference between being appointed and used by God and being anointed by God. Even more, it is not right for believers to make idols out of political leaders by elevating their significance beyond what it is meant to be. We are called to pray for them, encourage them towards, or in, a walk with God. Not worship them.
- Christian nationalism. That was a new label to me, along with “white evangelicalism.” I have seen it in action for quite some time now, but just haven’t put a label on it. Perhaps it was symbolized most clearly in the photograph of a man kneeling at a cross with a Trump/Pence flag draped over his back and an automatic rifle dangling from their side. According to Christianity Today, Christian nationalism is “the belief that the American nation is defined by Christianity, and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way. Popularly, Christian nationalists assert that America is and must remain a “Christian nation”—not merely as an observation about American history, but as a prescriptive program for what America must continue to be in the future.” It holds on the idea that God’s favor rests on America because we were founded on Christian principles and that, if we stick with conservative policies based on those principles, God’s favor will continue and if we depart from them, His favor will be withdrawn. That belief is widespread and deeply rooted so I am probably about to step on some toes here. It is a false belief for a couple of reasons:
a. While the Puritans did found colonies based on Christian values, the expansion of
colonial territory quickly departed from those and became a pursuit of wealth whereby
native tribes, African slaves, Asian immigrants and several other ethnic groups
were treated brutally. Although laws have changed, a lot of the oppression hasn’t. It has
just taken on different forms. On top of that, the pursuit of wealth and pleasure has
saturated our society with just about every horrendous sinful behavior you can think
of. We may pledge allegiance to a “nation under God,” but for the most part we are not
living up to it. We prove every day that America and its political, social and economic
systems are part of what the Bible calls “the world,” which is sin-soaked and hostile to
God (see James 4:4).
b. The concept of nations favored by God went out the window with the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Prior to that, there was only one: The nation of Israel.
Christ’s death and resurrection resulted in there being two kinds of people: saved
and lost. The saved are God’s “holy nation” (see 1 Peter 2:9), the unsaved belong
to the world. There is only one way to come under God’s favor: an individual must repent
and be baptized, and thus he is forgiven, redeemed, filled with the Holy Spirit, adopted
into God’s household and made a citizen of heaven. There is no way that a nation
can incur God’s favor by enacting and obeying laws that reflect His design for life.
Even Israel failed at that. I think that the most devastating result of this belief has
been the clinging on to comfort zones created by conservative values, which have lulled
us out of a sense of urgency that the people around us are still lost and need to be saved. - Divisions. God prizes unity (see Psalm 133). Jesus spent the last hours before His betrayal and suffering praying that His people may be one as He and the Father were one (see John 17). Paul urged the Corinthians to not let there be any divisions among them (1 Corinthians
1:10). I have prayed with precious brothers and sisters who hunger for revival and transformation and more of Jesus like I do and vote Democrat. I have prayed with other equally precious brothers and sisters for the same thing who would say that you can’t be a Christian if you vote Democrat. I have heard black pastors denounce white evangelicals and white pastors criticize black churches. I have seen Christians at each other’s throats on social media over politics and social causes. This kind of strife exacerbates all the divisions and schisms that already exist along denominational, doctrinal, socioeconomic and racial lines. God’s heart is broken over the fact that we even talk about white and black churches, let alone fight over doctrine, worship styles and what have you. Jesus came to destroy the dividing walls of hostility in our hearts (see Ephesians 2:14-22). We all share the same access point to the Body of Christ, were filled with the same Spirit, belong to the same worldwide Body of believers and worship the same Father. Divisions, dissensions, strife, rivalries and enmity are all listed as the work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Paul warns us that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God (vs. 21). If that is not enough to make you fall on your face and seek forgiveness for the way we are fighting amongst ourselves, I don’t know what is. - Lovelessness. I believe we have lost sight of the more excellent way: love (see 1 Corinthians 13). I have watched some Christians fill Christian media posts with vicious comments about President Trump. I am watching others do the same about President Biden. Sarcastic jokes. Name calling. Biting criticism. I have watched believers attack each other with such lack of love to that I want to stay off social media as much as possible. Have we forgotten that God is love? That we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, and even our enemies? If He inhabits us, we are to speak and act in the love the Holy Spirit has poured out into our hearts (see Romans 5:5), including towards those we disagree with. God is grieved over His people speaking and acting in hate because it is a gross misrepresentation of who He is.
- Distraction from the Great Commission. Jesus gave His church a command: to take the gospel to the end of the earth, to make disciples from all nations and teach them everything He has commanded (See Matthew 28:19). It is not wrong to be politically active. It is not wrong o feed the poor and house the homeless. In fact, Jesus tells us that He comes to us in the form of the needy (see Mathew 25:35-40). It is not wrong to defend the unborn. It is not wrong to advocate for racial equality and social justice. But we fall short if we do it without preaching salvation in Christ.We fall short of the Great Commission if we pour all our time and energy into causes while people are dying in sin and going to hell. Even praying for our leaders is related to the gospel. Paul says that this pleases God, who desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (see 1 Timothy 2:1-4).
- Distraction from the true spiritual battle. The battle we face is over the souls of man, not the politics of our nation. If our primary mission is to rescue people out of darkness and Satan’s dominion and bring them into the kingdom of light, then that is where our battle is. We enter the house of the strong man, bind him and rob him of his spoils (Mark 3:27). The spoils of Satan are the souls of people kept in his bondage. Our mission is to enter his domain, neutralize his opposition through prayer, and set the captives free. One soul at a time, regardless of their political views. That is why Satan attacks us – in our prayers, our faith and our walk with God and our unity as believers. If he can tempt us, distract us, discourage us, deceive us and divide us, our gospel will be weak and our efforts to bring it to every tribe and nation will be powerless. He does that because it is what he fears the most: the loss of dominion over people created in God’s image through evangelism and prayer.
In light of all this, I have found myself praying fervently: that God would forgive us, heal our divisions, open our eyes to see and purge our lives from our distractions. That He would ignite in our hearts a hunger to return Him to His place of preeminence in our hearts, our homes, and our churches. That He would bind us together in loving, interdependent, resource-sharing fellowship and set us ablaze for the Great Commission. That He would fill our hearts with love and boldness as we shine the light of His love in our workplaces and neighborhoods. That He would return us to a place of unceasing prayer, privately and together. That He would pour out His Spirit upon our pastors, teachers, elders, deacons and raise up a new generation of bold evangelists and missionaries. That the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, meditation on the Word, listening to the Holy Spirit, communion, and reverent worship would once again be the norm rather than the exception. So that the people who are called by His name would be recognizable by the fruit of the Spirit that comes from intimacy with Him, walk in unity, and shine their light in an evermore crooked and depraved world.
I humbly invite you to join me.