Everything is spiritual – like it or not. We are encountering spiritual warfare everywhere. It’s at work in our individual lives, our marriages, our families, our communities, etc. It is also amazingly apparent now in our national government.
Today, as we look at the drama being played out in Washington, D.C. with the impeachment proceedings and all the surrounding details, we need to see it through this perspective of spiritual warfare. We need to recognize spiritual warfare is going on before our eyes (Ephesians 6:10–20), and we must pray. Obviously, there is no one better able to bring peace, healing, and wholeness to our government and nation than God.
In the Word of God, we find a powerful story in the book of Daniel that partially parallels our present situation in our government in some interesting ways.
So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God" (Daniel 6:4-5).
The individual leaders may or may not recognize this spiritual reality but still, spiritual warfare is what’s going on. We the church of Jesus Christ, need to recognize that we are major players in the battles we see.
How so? Through our prayers and our intercession for President Trump, our members of Congress, and others in our nation’s government (I Timothy 2:1-6; Ezra 6:10).
There are persons in government who clearly, for whatever reasons, do not like President Donald Trump. They are unhappy with whatever measure of success he has seen. They want to remove him from office in whatever way they can. Many of these persons have been trying to do that since the day he was elected.
Similarly, there were those in the government of Babylon who did not like Daniel. They did not like the success and favor he had experienced in their government. They did not like the prospect that he was on his way to further promotion (read Daniel 6:3). And out of jealousy and/or envy, they decided that they wanted to figure out a way to get rid of him.
In the midst of their searching for “dirt” on him, they found that they couldn’t find any. He was a faithful leader in government. So they decided to “create” a crime. They figured out a way to incriminate Daniel based on his faith and trust in his God. And through creating a crime, they were successful in “convicting” him.
Yet a powerful truth that needs to always be remembered by God’s people in all circumstances is this truth: God is on His throne and is sovereign over the affairs of men. God is El Shaddai, God Almighty.
We, the church and those who serve in governmental positions of power, are wise to remember some key passages from the book of Daniel that remind us who is actually in charge:
…In order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men” (Daniel 4:17).
…till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Daniel 4:25).
…your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules” (Daniel 4:26).
God is Sovereign. The job of the church is to pray, speak up for truth, and stand for truth.
If we, the church, do our part, then we don’t have to worry about God doing His part. He is always going to carry out His part.
When wicked people, out of jealousy and envy, seek to carry out wicked plans in culture and in government, we can count on this. You reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7).
In the book of Daniel chapter six, we see how the story ends. God protected Daniel in the lion’s den. And the wicked rulers who plotted against him were tossed into the lion’s den themselves.
The same lions that God protected Daniel from, devoured the wicked men who had plotted against him. So, it did not end well for those wicked leaders.
May we, the church, pray for our leaders and our government, stand, and speak up for truth. And let’s see what happens.
