Many Christians avoid stepping into politics and government, thinking that God despises them. In truth, God IS government.

From Give Him 15. In every election cycle, I am accused by some of being too political. I’m used to it. In reality, I have chosen not to affiliate with either political party, to ensure and demonstrate that I am calling for prayer without a political bias or motivation. (I freely admit to a biblical bias.) Much of the negativity toward involvement in government is that people don’t distinguish between government and politics, especially the political spirit.

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Find out when your state prays.

I realize government and politics are inseparable twins, but they ARE different. I, too, dislike the political spirit that manifests in the governmental process, though I realize in today’s world, this is unavoidable. Though I am turned off by this spirit, I am very energized by the concept and function of government, as is God. I’ve said many times, God is not political, but He is governmental. In fact, God IS government. Isaiah 33:22 tells us He is our Lawgiver, our Judge, and our King. He is also the Lord and Ruler over the earth, all governmental terms.

I was quite taken aback when Holy Spirit first spoke to me, “I AM government.” As I pondered the above verse and this statement, I realized the entire account of Scripture is about government and authority, dealing with the question of who will rule the earth. Will it be Jesus, the Creator; or will it be satan, the usurper? God will win. His biggest challenge in this battle, however, is that His plan of governing earth is to accomplish it through people. Whether it be government in a home, city, or nation, this is the plan.

To properly understand His heart in this, we must realize that God’s governing authority is not intended to be controlling and dictatorial, but nurture, train, and instruct. He is love, and He is a good Father. As such, He desires to release His oversight through a loving, caring, and covering relationship. Jesus, Creator and Lord over all the earth, wept over Jerusalem, saying He wanted to protect and nurture them as a mother hen does her chicks under her protective wings (Luke 13:34). In Luke 19:44, He used the term “bishop” or “overseer” (episkope) to describe this relationship. Jesus always governs through loving, serving, instructing, and disciplining, not through dictatorial commands. Obviously, this covering and nurturing aspect of God‘s authority does not negate His right to command, insist, or judge rebellion, just as being a loving parent doesn’t. It simply places these activities in the proper context of protection, care, and training, rather than tyrannical control. Whether in the home, a city, state, or nation, God intends for His delegated authority to provide covering, protection, instruction, justice, peace, and more.

Satan is a deceiver, however, and tells us God‘s government is oppressive. He sold this lie to Eve, telling her that partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would make her “like God” (Genesis 3:5). He distorted the Father’s heart, implying that “God is holding out on you, suppressing you, keeping you from deserved pleasure and full potential.” Satanic lies still convince people God’s governmental heart is oppressive, cruel, legalistic, and seeks to deprive us.

When Eve heard that the tree was “desirable” to make her wise, the word used was chamad. Noted Hebrew and Greek scholar, Spiros Zodhiates, says the word means “ungoverned desires.” What an eye-opening revelation! This is also the word for covet. Since the Fall, our human will and nature are prone to reject God’s principles and guidelines for life, refusing to be governed by His boundaries and ways – wanting to do our own thing. This propensity leads to rebellion, suffering, and evil. When unchecked, as it is in America, this rebellion moves further and further into “ungoverned desires.” Ultimately, it ends in depravity: murder, hate, slavery, abuse, rape, sexual perversion, covenant breaking, abortion, oppression, self-centeredness, fatherlessness, lust for power and control (dictatorships, tyranny, etc.), and many other perversions. This self-centeredness is what leads to a political spirit, which is really a self-centered lust for power. This defiles God‘s plan for righteous government. It is cruel and evil, depraved enough to kill Jesus!

And here is part of the ensuing tragedy: Because satan and fallen humans abuse the process, many Christians (including leaders) ignore the process, believing the lie that “God isn’t interested in government – it is carnal, evil, and corrupt.” This is a classic example of “throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” By default, it allows satan and the abusers to abuse government even more!

God told us satan is very cunning. In fact, this was the first thing stated about him in Scripture: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast…” (Genesis 3:1). He has worked his craftiness and sold Christians the lie that we should stay out of government, thereby removing one of God’s primary, most significant channels for delivering His life, blessings, and justice into the earth. This allows satan and those without the biblical worldview our nation was founded on to fill the void. Our ignorance and consequent avoidance of government are empowering satan to destroy us! (Hosea 4:6) We are feeding the beast, and it is getting stronger.

The anti-Christ and anti-Bible abusers of government in America now feel they have the right to:

• kill babies and make us pay for it

• sell the aborted babies’ body parts

• leave them to die on the abortion table when the process doesn’t work well (and celebrate these evil, reprehensible laws with cheering and lit-up buildings)

• reject God’s definition of marriage and define it themselves

• mock the Creator who called us “male and female” (Genesis 1:27)

• take ownership of our children and their bodies

• open our borders

• promote socialism

• rewrite our history, steal our roots and redefine our Constitution

• lie to us at will

• remove our free speech

• and much more.

These abominations are being carried out by our government. If these issues are not spiritual, and therefore, the church’s responsibility to address, I’m not sure what is. I’m not espousing a physical overthrow of our government; in America, we have the incredible right to change our government at the ballot box. To ignore this right is irresponsible and incredibly destructive. Clean the baby – don’t throw it out! Clear weeds from the path, and open the debris-filled channel. Recover God’s plan – don’t abandon it!

For Christians to separate God and the Bible from government is not only unscriptural, it is also illogical and irresponsible. Refusing to make a stand from our pulpits on these and other important issues is as unbiblical as it is devastating. Neglecting our responsibility to declare truth, to ignore our freedom to speak up and act literally empowers the evils of our day.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor, anti-Nazi dissident, and author of The Cost of Discipleship, poignantly stated, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak, is to speak. Not to act, is to act.” The great reformer Martin Luther King said, “To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.” These warnings are as appropriate and applicable to the church of America today as they were at any time in history. We are now being weighed in the balances, and our decisions will tip the scales one way or the other. The church must reclaim her voice once again.

Only about half of Americans claiming to be evangelical Christians are registered to vote, and many who are registered don’t bother to do so. Most statistics make it clear that evangelicals could turn any national election in America if we all voted, and did so based on biblical values rather than party lines or personality preferences. Tomorrow, I will introduce you to a simple plan that helps us reverse this.

Pray with me:

Father, we have surrendered much sacred ground in America. Our ignorance has caused us to abandon the old path and lose focus of Your ways. You have called us to be Your voice on the earth. Help us to regain this voice, as we love and serve our fellow humans.

We ask You to break the deception off of the church that says government is evil, unclean, and something to be avoided. That it defiles our worship and teaching gatherings to talk about moral and biblical issues. While we shy away from this, others indoctrinate our children, shape our laws, and determine our national direction.

Truth makes us free. Give boldness to Your people to speak truth – to do so in love, yes, but to do so. We ask You to break fear off the church. Break lethargy and complacency off of the church. Awaken us to the fire and passion You need us to embody. We ask for this in Christ’s name. Amen.

Our decree:

We decree that the church of Jesus Christ will regain its voice, trumpeting the gospel of the Kingdom.

What do you think of this? Share this article to encourage others to step into government.

(Used with permission. From Give Him 15. Photo Credit: Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash)