Burnt Fingers

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)

When I posted on politicians, and especially mentioned the fact that many visit demonic groves and high places to seek power to win those positions, a friend asked me to explain why believers lose to those wicked characters. That is what I want to respond to today.

The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. (Proverbs 16:33)

How do we explain this verse for a believer who lost to a son of Belial in elections? What do you tell this believer who lost because his opponent bought the system? What reason do you give to someone who lost because he only paraded his integrity when others were dishing wads of notes?

What spiritual logic do we employ for the failure of believers in politics?

I will start with what I pray gets stamped in each and every believer’s heart.

What did God tell you concerning your involvement in politics? Whose word did you follow when you got into politics? Whose interest were you pursuing when you got into politics?

Then said Yahweh to me, You have well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:12)

You see, God is bound to His word. He will make sure that He will perform whatever He has promised. And He will follow through any order and instruction He gives.

Did you get into politics through His order or guidance? I doubt it will lead to frustration. And that will not only be true if you win, but especially if you lose as you will be sure you are where God has placed you.

The problem is if your inspiration and direction did not originate directly from God. Probably your pastor saw for you. Or a prayer warrior heard it for you. Then you assumed it was from the Lord.

You may have been approached by people to represent them. Some may even have funded that adventure, sacrificing so much for you to represent them. They campaigned vigorously for you. But you lost.

Then you wonder why God left you to the elements, political elements!

One clear fact we need to let sink into our spirits is that God will always fund what He originates. On the same vein it is clear that He does not support what originates elsewhere as it will be in competition with His glory.

Thinking, even believing it is from God does not make it originate with Him. Majority is nothing as far as God is concerned.

Let me give some examples to make you understand this.

When you read the book of Romans, you realize that Paul really sought to go to Rome. He says that he was severally unable to do so despite his plans.

Then when he is arrested, Christ tells him that he will go to Rome, even preach to Caesar.

He gets into a ship and things become thick, very thick. The mariners give up as they had tried everything they knew and it had failed.

Then Jesus sends an angel to reassure Paul. The gist of the matter was something like this.

I told you you will go to Rome. You are going to get there.

But he said something else. I have given you everybody who is travelling with you.

It did not require effort, skill or planning to get to Rome. It required Christ’s word for it to happen.

Is that the word you received when you went into politics?

Let me give us another example. Jonah was sent to Nineveh. But he went the other direction. And like Paul, though in the opposite sense, everything went awry. It only took their sacrificing the rebel to go ahead with their journey.

What am I saying? You may be frustrated because you are playing in someone else’s league. The wicked person is playing in his. And God will not bail you out just because you mention His name as you walk contrary to His orders. Or don’t you remember that judgment begins in God’s house?

Last Sunday we were studying the need to know the Bible enough to get God’s promises completely. Many people choose the positive aspect of a promise and forget the condition. Let me put one.

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. (Isaiah 54:17)

Oh how we love that verse! Sadly only a select few can access it because it is not prayed or fasted for. It is a right, but to the servants of the Lord. It is folly to expect to reap from that promise if you are not God’s servant, however much your pastor repeats it.

That protection is for those who are not only submitted to God’s will, but are walking in His orders constantly.

Let me give another illustration.

When I worked in the media, we sometimes worked at night in shifts. Some of those were times when there was tension, sometimes political, that made it insecure.

What would normally happen is a soldier or two, fully armed, would accompany us home or come to pick us.

Of course it felt very nice to be dropped in such a manner.

But you do realize that I was guarded ONLY because I was working is a sensitive area. Then my security became the responsibility of the government.

I could not go boasting that I now had security because that security was conditional to my working in the section I was. It was my work and not person that necessitated the security.

It is the same with God and His promises. You see I could have felt very important with that security, but there were more senior persons who could not get the security escort. Even managers were not getting it. What I did is what attracted the security.

God is not duty bound to respond to your every whim. But it is His responsibility to give you success when you are following His orders, and not any other way. Responsibility, not proximity is the determiner.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

Christ promised us anything we wish. But you do realize that it has a condition. We must be IN Him and His word must consistently BE ABIDING IN us.

What does that do? It ensures that we are feeding from His agenda at all times. Then our prayers will be conditioned by that proximity with the Source of the answers and our wishes will be desires of the throne.

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Another verse is saying the same thing. My dwelling in His word translates my desires into a language the throne room of heaven can interpret and respond to.

Nothing else can ensure success.

Sadly, motivational speakers (most pastors and preachers today are such) will want us to dwell on our desires at the expense of prostrating before that throne, and enjoying it.

When we become more prominent in our prayers and worship, we actually end up idolizing ourselves and using God as our subject. And those reversed roles will never work, not in this age, not in the one to come.

You see, the wicked politician has a better connection in the spirit than the believer who is guessing his way through the maze he believes God’s will is. And God will never reward ignorance because He has released His wisdom (Bible) for us to access.

The saddest thing for me is that this generation thinks that God does not speak. I think I have said this enough times. Yet He does speak.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27)

This is not a parable.

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:21)

Does this look like guess work? Yet this is how God has promised to guide us.

All it requires is the willingness, the desire to be led by Him.

I am not saying that you will never lose when He is leading you. What it means is that even that loss will be part of His overall purpose and not bring you injury since it will bring glory to Him, the glory your fellowship with Him seeks.

A believer should not go into politics as a politician. He should be representing the King he serves. And since this King is the determiner of the output of any lot, He will ensure that His agenda proceeds. And there is greater danger from friendly fire of His zealots with no idea about His agenda than with the Nebuchadnezzars and Cyruses.

Did God tell you to get into politics Himself? Then He should also be telling you what to do with that loss instead of complaining that the wicked are winning.

There are people who win with nothing in their hands, even beating others who visited those shrines and poured their fortunes. Others won because God placed them when the electorate was fed up with their predecessor and had no choice.

Again I will ask, what is God saying to you?

And this is not only relevant in politics. It applies in business, ministry, in fact everything we are pursuing, probably with the exception of paid employment as the consequences of a miss are not as dangerous and disastrous.