WE ARE TO PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS
The Bible tells us that we are to pray for our leaders. We do not go before God’s throne enough on behalf of our leaders. Too many times, we rely on our supposed political power instead of relying on the spiritual power that comes from our Heavenly Father.
IF WE ARE ASKED TO DO ANYTHING, WE KNOW GOD WOULD NOT WANT US TO DO; WE MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN OUR GOVERNMENT
In the Book of Acts, the religious leaders of that day attempted to force the disciples of Jesus to stop preaching the Gospel. However, Jesus had appointed these disciples to spread the Gospel everywhere they could. The Bible records the disciple’s response, “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men…” (Acts 5:29). Clearly, from what we have already seen, the Christian is not to be a troublemaker. Nevertheless, if what we are asked to do conflicts with what God wants us to do, we are to “obey God rather than men”. If we are asked to violate our conscience, a conscience controlled by the Holy Spirit, then we should refuse and, instead, do what God would have us do.
CHRISTIANS NEED TO VOTE
In our country, we have the ability to make our opinions known by exercising our right to vote. What would our nation be like if every Christian prayed for God’s guidance and voted according to his/her conscience? It would have to have a positive effect. Besides praying for our leaders and our country, voting is the best way the Christian can influence the political climate of our nation.
REMEMBER THAT, NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION, GOD IS IN CONTROL
Oftentimes, we are intimidated by our perception of the government. We see it as all-powerful, as far as it has the ability to define, or rescind, our liberties. However, we can rest in the fact that nothing takes place unless God causes or allows it to happen. “So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above”” (John 19:10-11). God’s sovereignty applies not only to Pilate, but to everything in the universe.
It is very clear that God is sovereign over everything that happens to us. What is our responsibility to God? Our basic foundational response is to, “…love the Lord your God with all [our] heart and with all [our] soul and with all [our] mind and with all [our] strength.” (Mark 12:30). When we live this way, we have nothing to fear from man at all, not even the entity we call ‘government’.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) (ROBERT DRISKELL)