Op-Ed: Awakening the Church…and the State – Part 3 of 3

The following Op-Ed was submitted by James Wilson. Op-Eds do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at the Idaho Dispatch.

There is much work to be done, and of the most difficult kind.  Prior to Inauguration Day the Biden Administration – led by Democratic brass in both houses of Congress – absurdly sought to overturn the 2024 election by resorting to Section 3 of the 14^th Amendment – which the Supreme Court had already ruled against.  Today leftists burn Teslas and charging stations, and fire into Tesla factories.  More dangerous are the blue state governors who still attempt to block deportation of criminal illegals, even at the cost of patriots’ shed blood.

            It is much more difficult to restructure an already written story or essay than to create one from scratch.  If this is a useful analog, that would make it more difficult to repair a government that has left its constitutional rails than to build a new one.  Indeed, Dietrich Bonhoeffer liked to say, “If you get on the wrong train you gain nothing by running the other direction up the corridor.”  Yet there is nothing needing to be done – toward the resurrection of our republic – that cannot be done if patriots are committed to stand where God stands, walk where God walks, and speak what God tells us to speak – nothing more nor less.

            Take the issue of governors who remain determined to risk violent confrontation with federal authorities over deportations of illegal migrants, or with parents attending school board meetings.  The president may federalize national guard units when they are activated; it would fall to the citizens who command and constitute these units to recognize and accept the president’s authority.  It would fall to the rest of us citizens to demand the cooperation of our local sheriffs with these federal authorities when and if push comes to shove.  We have only to remember that elected sheriffs are answerable to the Constitution, not to state and local authorities other than themselves.  And we have only to pray that an overwhelming – non-violent – uprising of citizens who know their rights and responsibilities would preclude a violent restoration of constitutional order.

            Any way we cut it – as it was in 1776 and the struggle that followed, and although we need strong visionary leaders – it is John Q Citizen and his friends and co-believers who will walk out the covenant in which the nation was birthed if it is to be resurrected.

            Other transitional processes – like reform of schools – will take longer and address more equally crucial issues, but are just as doable for a citizenry dedicated to the covenant.  There are three things that must occur to enable transformation of the existing system of public and private education in America.  These are meaningful school choice legislation and funding – based on competition for education dollars controlled by parents – state by state wherever they do not already exist, platoons of parents to attend and lobby school boards in their meetings, and a groundswell of sustained and concerted intercessory prayer by parents and concerned citizens.

            This writer has personally witnessed scientifically verifiable correlations between miraculous natural and human phenomena and sustained and concerted prayer.  They are correlations – rather than causes – because God does the heavy lifting, albeit in response to humble and repentant prayer, as He promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14.  The fruit ranges from ending drought and blowing wildfires back on themselves to changing the heart of a leftist judge to release water – previously held back for the sake of a small and obscure fish – for farming.  I saw them in California, of all places.  

            For those saying, “I don’t have time to attend school board meetings,” or “I’m not much of a pray-er,” there are many who can attend – if they give up watching football – though not all.  However, there is nobody who cannot pray when prompted, and all God wants of us is a joyful noise whenever He reminds us.  There is no “office” of prayer warrior in the Bible; God expects everyone to pray whether eloquent – like Aaron – or stumble tongued – like Moses.  And the gift of God – when we begin to pray in the spirit of 2 Chronicles 7:14 – is that we often find time for more pragmatic civil action like attending public meetings – as our minds open to new possibilities when our attention is fixed on God instead of on learned helplessness.

            Reality is that the same dynamics are available and effective when we commit to being part of the solution for such issues as restoration of America’s judicial and public health systems through localized citizen action.  Recall the famous Bible story – Mark 9:1-29 – in which Jesus simultaneously confronts and comforts the apostolic band when they are unable to cast out a demon from a boy despite His promise they could not fail. 

            Jesus first prophecies that there are some present who will witness the coming of His Kingdom in power.  (He refers to Pentecost, not His physical return.)  Next comes the Transfiguration, in which He is revealed in glory, followed by the apostles’ failure to operate in the reflection of that glory.  As Jesus does what they cannot, He instructs them that some demons can only be expelled by persevering in prayer until the thing is done.

Jim Caviezel – who portrayed Jesus in The Passion of the Christ – told students, “Christ set us free not to do as we want, but to do as we ought.”  Caviezel will soon portray Christ again; it’s high time for us to earnestly serve Him.

            We conservatives have won an election.  It is now time to win a nation – not because we can, but because we cannot – until we permit our King to perfect His strength in our weakness.  America’s 4^th Great Awakening has left the station.  It is time for the leaders – and members – of America’s Bible believing churches to get on board or get off the tracks.

James A. Wilson is the author of Living As Ambassadors of Relationships, The Holy Spirit and the End Times, Kingdom in Pursuit, and his first novel, Generation – available at Barnes and Nobles, Amazon, or at praynorthstate@gmail.com

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Tags: Bible, Church, Donald Trump, God, James Wilson, Joe Biden

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