Once again, I’m led to write on a critical issue not necessarily related to politics, and only very briefly as this could be a long discussion. But I will try to highlight some basic suggestions of a change in perspective for the average Christian, and spur you to prayer and further consideration of the truths of God. As I said, this is not a typical focus on faith and politics; it is in one sense of applicability and necessity, but it is individually important that we line up personally with how God does things.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God.” That’s plain enough. You say you are a “believer” and that of course means you believe in Jesus, and that is the most important eternal issue imaginable. But do you really believe God at His Word in your life? Are you living in the prosperity that God intends and promises? Are you healed, and living in divine health? Are you delivered? Are you sowing with expectation of reaping? Are you “working” the principles of the Kingdom with faith?
These blessings are part of your salvation. Look up the Greek word for salvation (sozo) and see what it means. You can look throughout the Bible and see the promises of the blessings of God, but you look around at most Christians and see them living in defeat. They’re focused on “when we all get to heaven…” but we don’t have to wait until then to be blessed. Poverty and sickness are of the devil – NOT of God – and you will find neither in heaven. It is twisted, religious logic that I was raised with all my life and is typically practiced, in one form or another, to one degree or another, in most churches today. It has been very destructive, and a waste of many years. Even as an ordained Pastor in full-time ministry (mostly to U. S. Congressmen), I’m changing my perspective, and encourage you to do the same. To borrow a phrase from Andrew Wommack again, I’ve not arrived, but I’ve left. I’m moving on. I’m increasingly taking the Bible at face value and believing what it says, even those promises that have always seemed so elusive, for which I resigned myself to somehow being unqualified for, or that otherwise just didn’t seem to work for me.
I, like probably most of you, have spent most of my life feeling unqualified for these “additional” blessings of God like health and wealth. There has been, at best, such a mixture of law and grace in most churches, and it’s been, at best, a well-intentioned but highly destructive error. I’m only now seeing fully the raw reality of the conflict between Paul and Peter (and others) on “lawful” requirements for believers to be saved – or even blessed. Paul was very adamant about Christ alone being our sufficiency, not circumcision, or there being anything else for us to do for salvation, and His perspective “won out.” True Christianity is Christ-focused! Not man-focused. It’s not what we do to keep the law, it’s what Christ did to keep the law, and then take our sins, iniquity, sickness, disease, poverty, and oppression into Himself on the cross to take all these things away from us.
Have you ever given real thought to your having become righteous through Christ? How can that be? What is the reality of that? How is it true? It is the same miraculous transfer of how that Christ became sin – never having committed a single sin – and through Him, through faith in Him, we believers have become righteous even though you have no righteousness of yourself. That is the almost-too-good-to-be-true-news of the true Gospel of Christ.
Another myth in the church is that if you preach this grace, it gives people a license to sin. Neither I nor anyone else I have ever met or observed needed a license. The truth of scripture is that if we are under grace, sin will not master us (Romans 6:14). That means what it says. It’s a supernatural dynamic of the heart, by the Holy Spirit. It may take years for this maturity to set in fully, but it will happen much faster as we are taught the truth, believe the Word, and love Christ with all that is within us, and appreciate and are mindful always of what He has done!
It is Christ, and not your performance that qualifies you for the grace of God! Receive that revelation! Love Him, Worship Him, live for Him Who has taken all of your failures and sinfulness and given you His righteousness! You are blessed for evermore, but also now in this lifetime!
When 1st Peter 2:24 says you were healed, believe it and receive it. God cannot lie! It is the “unbelief” of most “believers” that hinder the manifestation of their own blessings. Walking by faith and not by sight does not imply walking “blindly!” It is locking your faith in on the specific promises of God, believing Him and His Word with a whole heart, not doubting, but asking Him, believing you receive from Him (Mark 11:24), and then thanking, praising, and worshiping Him continually!
And of course, pray for our civil leaders (as well as our spiritual ones), one of our first New Testament responsibilities, 1st Timothy 2:1-4. They need a full revelation of Christ, and all He has done for all of us. They need wisdom and the Mind of Christ. Pray in faith, believing! God bless you all!
Mark Williamson is the Founder and President of Foundation Restoration Ministries and Federal Intercessors, educational and intercessory ministries dedicated to the restoration of Biblical truth, righteousness and justice in the nation and culture, reaching even the highest offices of the Federal government. Learn more, join the prayer cause, or support the ministry at www.federalintercessors.net.
