How To Sway An Election

There has been much said since 2016's general election here in the USA, about attempts to sway, if not steal an election. Russian influence, Chinese meddling, vote tampering by either party, impeaching a President, and the list goes on. As I was reading my favorite book, written by a very powerful and influential author, many years ago, it occurred to me that there is a sure-fire way to sway an election. One, that perhaps more people should consider. One that my favorite author suggests will work without fail. One that is completely legal…at least for the moment.

What can people do who say that they believe in God, to legally influence the outcome of a general election?

Some would consider answers along the lines of:

Vote, of course. A no brainer.
Encourage others to vote, using your best means of persuasion.
Support those who you want to win with your money.
Vote for the godliest candidates, knowing of course that there are no perfect people.
In a word, get politically active.

But what if you just are not going to do any of these things? You are just not a political animal. Is there anything you can do to influence the outcome? Or even if you are politically involved, what more might you do?

No one can deny that we, in America, are involved in an election, the likes of which we have not seen before. The stakes could not be higher. Will we move down the road to a more Socialistic type of government? Will the Supreme Court continue to be just the judicial branch (interpreting, not making law), or take on a more political nature? Will the whole idea of Social Justice continue to gain traction or will we return to a more measured movement of civil rights for all who are experiencing injustice? There are so many more issues that could be mentioned deserving of thought, but the point is that we are in a time of great change. Will it be for the better or the worse?

In times like these, one thing is constant for people of faith. What is that? Their God!

People of faith still believe that their God rules and overrules in all affairs Human. This God of the Bible scoffs at all attempts political to rule people apart from His rules. History teaches that when a nation departs from God's ways, He departs from that nation. And when He departs, all hell breaks loose. And we are beginning to see this in the America of 2020. Suffice it to say, the nation is divided. One party has divorced itself from God and His ways while the other continues to hang onto some semblance of godliness. Which party will gain the majority? God only knows of course. But God has this to say to those who think they can rule without bowing to His ways as recorded in the book of Psalms:

Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!" He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

~ Psalm 2:1-4, 10-12 ~

Most likely this Psalm was written by King David during his reign in Israel of old. But how contemporary it sounds. We who are of the faith that rests in Jesus Christ say, "Amen!" And many of us are tempted to make judgements about those in power who fit the description laid out for us in this Psalm. Perhaps we lament about their ungodliness, hoping somehow they would get right with God through bowing the knee to Jesus (the anointed of verse 2, the Son of verse 12). And it is loving and right to pray for their salvation.

But what about us who claim to know the King of Kings already, who have bowed the knee to Jesus. What can we do right now to cause our God to move in the middle of this current election cycle, to save America from an ungodly outcome? This is what God has to say to His people Israel of old and by application, to the Church of Jesus Christ today:

"If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

~ 2 Chronicles 7:13-14~

God's Word here in 2 Chronicles talks about His judgment on His people (see that at the end of verse 13 …"among My people"). Then verse 14 reveals the way out of judgment for God's people. Four things are mentioned:

We need to humble ourselves. We don't need to worry about the politicians running for office. God says to us, "humble yourself."
Want to sway an election, PRAY!
Seek God's face when you PRAY. God smiles on humility but frowns on pride.
Turn from our wicked ways. "Our wicked ways." We don't need to fix the politicians; we need to deal with our own sin before God.

When we approach God this way, He says that He will hear our prayer, forgive our sin, and heal our land.

If we want to sway an election, this is the game plan for God's people. First confess those areas in our lives where pride is king, not humility. Second, pray the prayer of repentance, which is a commitment to God to turn from our evil way (where pride has taken us). Then continue to pray for those in political office that they too would seek God and bow to His ways. Finally, vote for the party platform that most honors God and His Word.

Download a One Page Prayer Tool

I challenged us all in the following areas:

1. We need to humble ourselves. We don't need to worry about the politicians running for office. God says to us, "humble yourself."

2, Want to sway an election, PRAY!

3. Seek God's face when you PRAY. God smiles on humility but frowns on pride.

4. Turn from our wicked ways. "Our wicked ways." We don't need to fix the politicians; we need to deal with our own sin before God.

When it comes to prayer, I want to give you this one-page tool to use in your own prayer life and perhaps as you pray with others. It covers every aspect of prayer I can think of. My prayer is that it is helpful for you.

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