When I was a Child, I Thought Like a Child
Laying on the floor in our family room in 1968, surrounded by my Matchbox cars and Lego creations, I was quite oblivious to the presidential campaigns. My parents watched both political conventions that year and, while I do not remember any speeches or what candidates stood for – I was only 9 years old at the time – I do remember crowds of people grouped by states, a lot of balloons and big parties when a candidate became a party’s nominee.
Any attention to the political process came years later and, it was many years before I engaged in the electoral process as an adult. To be honest, I did not register to vote right after I turned 18 because, at that time in Florida, they pulled names for jury duty from the roles of registered voters. My mindset was “I simply did not have time for that inconvenience” as I pursued my own life. Government and politics just sort of happened and I, along with millions of other Americans in their own right, simply lived life focused on “me and my corner of the world.” From what I saw, I decided that engaging in the electoral process was optional and definitely “not for everyone.”
During the Iranian Hostage Crisis awareness was inevitable but, it wasn’t until the Reagan years that I began to awaken to how our government in America was established. Yes, I had taken American History and World History along with American Government (“civics”, I think they call it now) but the reality of “We the people of the United States…” had not penetrated my reality until it began to seep into my consciousness in the early 1980s.
Dual Citizenship
Politics is an unwieldy beast in America and elicits a wide variety of responses from within the Body of Christ. While everyone in America is entitled to their own perspectives and opinions – a right secured in our Constitution – it is important that the Church of the Living God not get caught up in these things.
According to scripture those who are born again have dual citizenship! All US citizens who have been reconciled to our Heavenly Father and have come under the authority of His government through the Lordship of Jesus Christ are also residents living under the authority of the government of the United States of America. While we are natural citizens of the United States of America, we are first and foremost citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20 & Ephesians 2:19).
My grasp of this took some time to work out since all I had know was the government of this nation and a culture of “do whatever you want” because “freedom” says you can. Also, there was the concept that government runs the country and that the government is run by politicians. My perspective growing up in a country where life just goes on even when everyone pretty much does whatever they want, and does whatever is right in their own eyes (most Americans’ concept of freedom but not true freedom) allowed me to choose my level of participation and responsibility in regards to being an engaged citizen.
Beginning the Journey to Be a Good Soldier
As a new believer, I became more aware of the spiritual aspects of the political process. My eyes had been opened to the impact of those who govern yet, I did not feel like my vote would matter. Neither did I understand my role as a Citizen of Heaven and as an Ambassador of Christ. To be honest, it seemed a bit overwhelming to look at the political games that were being played – and now I realize they have been played for many, many years. It seemed much easier to simply focus on my relationship with the Lord, “serving Him” through ministry, kindness, good deeds and all, rather than even sticking my toes into the hostile waters of political discourse.
Relationships between family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers and more – all who seemed to get along just fine outside of politics – descended into chaos during elections. I watched fellow believers get all worked up over candidates with whom they disagreed. I watched others get all excited about candidates they believed in. Everything seemed out of order when politics was involved, and I just didn’t experience anything that resembled my understanding of the outworking of the purposes of the Kingdom of Heaven. Political newcomers entered office with good character and commitment to amazing ideals only to end up compromising both. The only thing I felt I could do was pray while I just stayed away from the political game. Justifying my position, I stood on 2 Timothy 2 that says “…a soldier does not entangle himself in civilian affairs.” Thinking I was a “good soldier,” I focused on spiritual things rather than natural things. Frustrated by the lack of influence the Church had over the world around me, I continually prayed for government leaders and government policies to change. Praying for a revival both within the hearts of men and of our nation’s original intent, I did not understand that we are to be wholly whole, spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). We are to fully represent Heaven on earth just as Jesus had.
God Established "We The People..."
There is One who establishes all authorities on the earth (Romans 13:1)! Given that the LORD is the One who established our nation, I think it is important that we take a look at how He structured the government of our nation so we can follow His plans, His blueprints for America’s destiny. Let’s start by taking a look at the beginning of America’s Constitution and our responsibilities as dual citizens.
The very first 7 words of the Constitution of the United States of America are:
“We the people of the United States…”
America is a nation created by God through those who wanted to live in freedom. God established this nation to be a nation of people who self-governed under His guidance.
And, Abraham Lincoln’s words at Gettysburg give it more dimension”
“…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
America was established and remains a country – to be governed by “WE THE PEOPLE”, for WE THE PEOPLE. It was not established to be run by politicians, nor be turned over to others to be run by anyone other than WE THE PEOPLE.
When Appointed Authority Abdicates
Let’s take a quick look at what happens when those charged with leading a nation abdicate the responsibilities of doing so. Let’s look at King Ahab (1 Kings16-22). Ahab, failed to exercise his authority to lead Israel according the what was right and good. He failed to walk in relationship with God and essentially abdicated his throne. He, instead, allowed his wife, Jezebel, to dictate to him what should happen. The result: she began dominating and destroying the nation with her wants, desires and perverse ways. She, with Ahab’s permission via abdication of responsibilities, led the nation away from their foundation, away from their destiny – away from God – and handed it over to oppressors.
Does this sound familiar – a nation being led away from it’s foundation, away from it’s destiny and away from God? Take a look at what is happening in America… we are a nation of people who have abdicated government leadership to career politicians, to people who believe they are above the law and can steer this country whichever way they desire. These so called “public servants” have sold us out to the greedy and power hungry over the decades! Even now, they are trying to sell us out to a way of life that removes the very fundamentals of our Constitution by twisting the words and intent of the same Constitution – but, I digress… WE THE PEOPLE have let them do so because we have let them govern.
What Is Our Father's Business
Let me get to my point. As a believer in Jesus Christ, (Yeshua as He was called in Hebrew by His family), YOU ARE A DUAL CITIZEN. You are a citizen of the United States of America AND a Citizen of Heaven. You are “WE THE PEOPLE” and you are an AMBASSADOR of King Jesus and His Father – “I Am that I Am”.
As ambassadors, we are to be about the business of the government we represent, the government of our Lord and King. We know from His life that the business of His government is to be about our Father’s business. And, constitutionally, as citizens of the United States – as WE THE PEOPLE – this makes the electoral process part of Our Father’s business. Afterall, He did establish the electoral process when He established the United States. The electoral process is the first way WE THE PEOPLE GOVERN! And, we are to govern and select candidates by faith through our relationship with the LORD just as we are to live every day in every area of our lives. We are not to pick who we will vote for based on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6; 1 Corinthians 2:14). We are not to choose based on what we want or even by asking WWJD (which is usually just determined by us using our own understanding, eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil, to figure out what to do. If we want to WWJD, then we need to do what Jesus did which was only what He saw the Father doing! Again, I digress…)
Instead, we are to pray, enter His presence through the Cross, take our seats with Him (Ephesians 2:6) and engage with the LORD to soberly and humbly vote for the candidate that will accomplish His plans for this nation. We are to vote inline with the destiny declared in Heaven over the United States. We cannot vote to fix problems in the natural realm, we need to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, lay down what we want for our own little kingdoms, and align to who He is and what He is doing for His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Time for WE THE PEOPLE to Step Up!
Our nation is where it is today as a nation because, we as individual members of the Church have been distracted from our role as ambassadors in every area of life. And as a whole, the Church, while doing much good, has not been about our Father’s business as He declared it in our Constitution. The destiny of America is found in writings of our forefathers, on monuments and even in early legislative activity. When our forefathers landed at Jamestown and at Plymouth they declared freedom to the New World and that the Gospel would go around the world from our shores. Early governments and our Constitution were founded by men of faith. But, as America has prospered, WE THE PEOPLE have left government in the hands of unfaithful stewards rather than continuing in the responsibility given to us by the One who establishes all authority.
Now, there is an epic battle raging for soul of America. There are spiritual forces of darkness set against our destiny as a nation. Schemes of the evil one were set in place many decades ago to hijack the LORD’s plans for the United States – twisted plans to keep the Light from shining brightly for the world to see. America is the lynchpin! America is the only country that gives its citizens the power. America is the largest economic force in the world. America is the one nation that stands in the way of those who seek a global order of control. I know it may sound far fetched to some, but not when you look at history, see the hearts of rebellious men in the scriptures, nor when you consider such plans as the Tower of Babel.
By using 2 Timothy 2 to avoid participating in the electoral process I completely missed its intent. I had stood on that verse to avoid getting caught in the political fray. But, as a good soldier about my Father’s business, I am to exercise my responsibilities to be a good steward of this nation. I am part of the “government of the people, by the people, for the people!”
It is time for believers to take up the mantle again. It is time for us to be WE THE PEOPLE! It is time for us to govern our nation!
IT IS TIME TO VOTE according to the LORD’s original plans for America!
In the Father’s Heart,
Steve
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