Praying for our government

Published 5:00 am Saturday, September 27, 2014

It was a time of national shame. I was in college when vice-president Spiro Agnew resigned after accepting bribes. The next year, president Richard Nixon resigned after the Watergate scandal. The result? Gerald Ford, a good man who had never aspired to be president, advanced to occupy the Oval Office.

    Wickedness and crime were uncovered. Good leaders were elevated to power. The will of God was done because people prayed. During that time, like thousands of others, I had a bumper sticker on my car that read, “I pray daily for my government.”

    During this era, many young Americans became disillusioned with their government. But was that all bad? To be disillusioned means you were once under an illusion – until the truth came out. We all need to face reality and not live in a fantasy world.

    What brought about this unprecedented national house-cleaning? It wasn’t politics or partisan fighting. That occurs all the time. It wasn’t merely the media. No, it was much more. I believe it was the unrelenting prayers of thousands of Christians. Spiritual power enabled light to penetrate the darkness. Perhaps you never knew that

the Church of Jesus Christ has judicial power to enforce God’s will, to exercise our heavenly authority, to hold out the scepter of the Lord. We do this every time we pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.” This throne-room authority is reserved for saints acting in agreement here on earth.

    The Greek word “church” as used by Jesus in the Bible is ekklesia. It means “an assembly of called out ones.” It didn’t mean a building at all, and it still shouldn’t today, although many traditions have crept in. We get the modern word “ecclesiastical” from it. But what does this assembly do? Why did they gather? Originally, an ekklesia was a gathering of citizens in a city in order to exercise the power of government; to make legal, enforceable decisions for those living within their territory.

    That activity pictures the little-known governing authority that the Church now possesses on the earth. When governments or tyrants become cruel or corrupt, we can go over their heads. We can appeal to the One who sits on the throne of the universe, the One who said “All authority has been given to me.” Why can we do this? Because- Jesus is Lord and He is seated on a throne as King.

    We are not powerless to change things! What can we do? We can unite in prayer. Are you under bad leaders in your city? Is the pressure at work overwhelming? Is your home in a crisis? Is the moral compass in our nation adrift? Is the fear of the future getting to you? Shake off the victim mentality and be an overcomer. Hold to your standards. Use your faith. Don’t quit praying. Never give up. Our God is still on the throne. God will hear and act on behalf of the righteous who appeal to him for relief.

    Ultimately, no political party nor any dictator, not even the devil, can resist the power of God. Mighty angels can act at His bidding. They’ve done it before. The power of life and death are in God’s hands. It is up to God’s people to know His will, work to come into agreement, and then unite in believing prayer. Prayer changes things.

    Get yourself connected to Christian leaders that know the will of God for these fierce times in which we live. If we will fight using spiritual weapons, we will win!

    Ron Wood is a minister of God’s word. He was a pastor in Meridian. You may write him with comments or questions for future columns at wood.stone.ron@gmail.com.