“Posterity! you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”(John Adams)

“To everyone to whom much was given, much will be required; and from him to whom much was committed, more will they ask of him” (Luke 1248). Remember that these familiar words of Jesus come in the context of a servant being beaten with blows!

The Christian who has grown up under the bounty and blessing of Western freedom will be called to give an account of how he stewarded such a treasure. Did he speak the truth boldly in both church and in the marketplace, even when it grew increasingly costly? Did he consistently exercise his franchise at the polls, and for which platform did he vote? How and where did he give his abundant resources? Did he assemble to worship and to pray corporately, a high and lofty privilege that many nations long for?

Or, did he despise his birthright and squander his inheritance through apathy or intellectual laziness? Did he consent to flow with the prevailing winds of worldly thought – which, in the end, is not thought at all, but emotion and the seduction of popular opinion.

One of the great rights and duties of all of Jehovah’s people is found in Psalm 149: ”

6May the high praises of God be in their mouths,

and a double-edged sword in their hands,

7to inflict vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

8to bind their kings with chains

and their nobles with shackles of iron,

9to execute the judgment written against them.

This honor is for all His saints.

What a game-changing and life-changing passage of scripture!

The late Bible teacher Derek Prince offers phenomenal insight into the power of proclamation., found in this scripture and in many others. It is God’s prerogative to write the judgments against rulers – primarily but not exclusively spiritual, he maintains – but it is our job to execute these judgments through the spoken word (see Proverbs 18:21). Indeed,, Colossians 2:15 asserts that Christ through His death has defeated and made a public spectacle of the spiritual powers on our behalf!

Prince further notes that most Christians have no idea that such a privilege and responsibility is even theirs.

Avoiding Civil War

How does the West survive its current crisis? How do America and other nations with Christian roots, avoid the Civil War that so many are predicting?

If you believe it is preferable to “die on your feet rather than live on your knees,” and if you prefer to do battle in the Spirit rather than take up arms against your fellow man, then I invite you to take up this sacred and lofty duty of executing God’s judgments through proclaiming His written word aloud.

A very practical way to avoid pronouncing warfare prayers out of consternation and resentment toward the corruption of those in high places is to pray the scriptures.

By way of example, some years ago we received word that an anarchist group was headed for our community,, potentially to vandalize businesses and destroy personal property as they’d done elsewhere. It was a rare instance in which I witnessed the church at large coming together in corporate prayer, and in the center of town, no less. Clergy in their priestly vestments joined with their more casually attired evangelical leaders. The local police also consented to be prayed over in anticipation of what might come

During this tense time, the Lord gave me a scripture to proclaim over my town. “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning [this foe]: ‘He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there or come before it with a shield or lay siege against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 32:33-34). 

When the aforementioned ne’er-do-wells showed up in our town to carry out their mischief, they appeared diminished and disoriented .No vandalism nor violence was committed. One person from our church reported a conversation with one of them in which faith was shared, and the young woman was rendered to tears. Without incident, they left.

(It should be noted that measures had been taken to physically combat the reprobates if necessary. I learned later that our town as well as others in the state had both public authorities and civilians armed and stationed. While that preparedness was necessary, I am thankful that the Spirit disarmed the adversary’s plans instead).

Openly hostile to liberty

The foes of this nation are in our midst, and they are quite vocal about their intentions to seize power and to punish those who cherish liberty and who will speak out against their schemes. Meanwhile, the “good people” who wouldn’t themselves perpetuate violence against those in the other camp have been consistently and eerily silent in the murders of Christians this past year and beyond.

Take a stand. Exercise your rights. Vote for candidates who will follow the Constitution and who don’t rationalize killing infants or mutilating children. Pray for the eyes of the desensitized and deceived to be opened to the spirit realm, just like the servant of Elisha in 2 Kings 6:17-20. Speak out the judgments of God that He has written against those who seek to bring hell’s purposes to the nation. (And if you aren’t sure what those are, ask Him to give you specific words for the situations and offices over which you are praying).

This is the hour for boldness and courage!