Give Him 15 featured IFA CEO and President Dave Kubal this past Friday. Dutch Sheets even wrote a wonderfully kind introduction for Dave. We are so thankful for this opportunity!

Introduction

There is no ministry in America more significant than Intercessors for America, and they’ve had no better leader than David Kubal. Kingdom-hearted to the core, Dave lives to see Christ glorified in our nation. Like his namesake, King David of old, Dave is giving his life to see God’s purposes fulfilled in our generation. Thank you, Dave; we appreciate you and your labors, and for giving of your valuable time to Give Him 15 today.

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Global Crescendo of Freedom: Will It Continue?

The year 2024 is like no other year in human history; it is a year where there is a historic crescendo of global freedom. As we consider the upcoming U.S. presidential election, I believe we need to understand its importance in light of what God is doing around the globe.

What do I mean?

Fewer than 300 years ago, not a single country in the world allowed people the opportunity to elect those in authority over them. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States created the first nation ever to use a democratic process to choose the country’s leaders. Slowly, over time, this idea of freedom that our Founders championed crept across the globe. America is founded on the fact that God gives us our rights, which impacted the way we choose leaders; the process of freedom was infectious, and it spread. 

By 1900, 25% of the world’s people were able to participate in selecting their leaders.  

One hundred years later, that percentage had grown to 50%. And over the last 20 years, even more growth has happened. Now, two-thirds — or 6 billion — of the world’s 8 billion people help choose their leaders.  

Sixty-six countries will hold elections this year.

Half of the world’s population — that’s 4.1 billion people — will have an opportunity to participate in an election in their country, thanks to the freedoms established by our Founding Fathers.

This has never happened before in human history.

It’s as if a global reset button is about to be pushed on half of the world’s population — a global freedom reboot.

Will this global growth of freedom increase, or will global freedoms decrease?

How should we focus our prayers for both the U.S. and the global elections?

What are the three most important cultural elements to pray for? Secular research confirms what the Bible teaches.

GOOD GOVERNMENT

Studies by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and Statista agree: Nations thrive when governments focus on reducing corruption, emphasizing the rule of law, and ensuring a trustworthy electoral process that generates the most satisfied and economically productive inhabitants.

Good government is essential if nations are to thrive.

THRIVING CHURCHES

What is the single most important element for people to find fulfillment in their lives? Let’s look at a Pew Research study of over 25 nations. Actively religious people are 50% more likely to describe themselves as “very happy.”

Do you catch that? Secular researchers are saying that people find the most fulfillment when they’re part of a faith community! That means that nations with religious liberty will necessarily thrive. Like Jesus said, He will build His Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

So, as we consider praying for the increase of freedom worldwide, good government and religious liberty are important. One last consideration:  

TWO-PARENT FAMILIES

What produces the most well-adjusted and economically successful people? The answer is found in numerous studies, including one by the American Enterprise Institute that concluded this: 

Children who grow up in a two-parent home are the most behaviorally adjusted and have the greatest economic success as adults. It’s not that children growing up in a one-parent home are doomed, but if a nation has a choice, it should always encourage two-parent households.(1)

Good government; thriving faith communities; healthy two-parent families:

For men and women of faith, this is no surprise. These studies illustrate truths found in God’s Word that have been known for centuries.

In fact, good government, thriving faith communities, and healthy two-parent families sum up the three institutions God created to care for us. 

The biblical pattern of God’s design for government is first found in Exodus 18, when Moses set up a representative republic based upon law. Each tribe had leaders and judges, with Moses judging the most difficult issues. 

This is the genesis of the global freedoms we see today; the United States was the first representative republic after Israel, and it is patterned after Old Testament government.

• God created government to care for our civil lives.

• God created the Church to care for our spiritual lives.

• God created the family to care for our personal lives.

Government, the Church, the family: At the core of every election across the globe this year, these will be on the ballot, one way or another. 

But some say, “Jesus is coming back. So, why should I care about my nation?“ 

To that objection, I say that every generation is entrusted with spreading the news of Christ’s kingdom. Let’s consider Matthew 24:12-14:

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Jesus himself tells His disciples that their generation will not pass until the unfolding of His second coming. This set in the hearts of His disciples that the second coming was imminent, and could even be in their lifetime. But really, we are watching His second coming unfold as He uses His Church to spread His Kingdom.

The disciples believed Christ’s second coming was imminent and so they shared the gospel with urgency. Most of the New Testament epistles record Paul’s journey sharing God’s Kingdom even with the governmental leaders of his day.

If they had stopped spreading the gospel, or if any other generation had stopped, where would humanity be now?

What if the Lord tarries another 10 years, 100 years, or 1,000 years, and it is said of our generation that the gospel died because we thought Christ was returning?  

We must have faith in Christ’s return and at the same time be salt and light to our generation.  

Some quote Matthew 24:12, which suggests the rise of evil will be unstoppable. So why try to influence the world or government?

Let’s go back to Matthew 24:12: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Jesus says evil will increase as time goes on, but between that increase of evil and His physical second coming, the gospel will be preached to all nations. 

Evil will increase; the gospel will spread; then He comes back. That’s the pattern.

The rise of evil is not the time to give up! Just the opposite: Now is the time for the good news of His kingdom to go to all nations. Salvation and freedom come through Christ.

In a way, the rise of evil should encourage us. This is the environment where the goodness of God becomes clearest.

For example, LGBTQ activists have fought for their right to legalize immorality. This has progressed to the point where states like California have passed laws protecting homosexual activity with minors — legalizing pedophilia. 

Evil becomes so gruesome that it highlights the goodness of God.

The contrast between darkness and light brings into focus the need for God and for those moral absolutes of the timeless principles in the Bible.

So, we return to Jesus’ words to the disciples: Evil will increase, and then the gospel goes to the nations.

This is the period we are in. I believe we’re in a critical time of God’s plan for the church that’s greater than any other in history.

So, we go back to where we started.  

This year darkness has never been darker. Globalists have never been as well positioned to control nations. Yet, the freedom set in motion by our Founding Fathers — because of their understanding of biblical principles — is being seen this year in the greatest number of elections ever in the history of mankind.   

Now is not the time to stop praying. Now is not the time to stop acting. 

Just the opposite: Now is the time to assist God in this greatest period of the Church in history. We’re on the verge of seeing some incredible supernatural activity!

Let’s pray:

Father, we thank You for the increase of freedom across the world over the last nearly 250 years. We thank You that so many citizens of nations around the world will have the opportunity to participate in elections in 2024. We pray for a global shift of power in accordance with Your will and Your plan for each of the 66 nations holding elections this year. 

We pray for the three institutions that You created to care for us. We pray for good government that will enable us to live peaceful and godly lives and to share the gospel. We pray for the Church to be holy and bold and to be used by You to bring about Your purposes. We pray for strong, two-parent families that will raise children to become stable citizens of free nations.

We pray, Lord, that You would stir up in us fervent prayer and faith for what You are planning to do across the world in 2024.

Our decree:

We decree that we are not those whose love will grow cold, but we are those who will stand firm to the end and will see the gospel go to all nations.

Today’s post was shared by Dave Kubal from Intercessors for America. You can find out more about Dave at IFApray.org

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(Used with permission. From Give Him 15. Photo Credit: Intercessors for America)