Something hit me really hard this last weekend.
There is a connection between a head and a body.
No! Really, Einstein? You just figured that out?
Yeah, I know. But there are times when what you know all too well strikes you in a new way, and that sparks a fresh revelation.
This is one such spark.
This is what I know and have long believed and observed: Leaders influence their people and the people reflect their leader.
For example, generally speaking, fathers influence their families and families reflect their fathers. Here’s another. Pastors influence their congregations and congregations reflect their pastors. I know this to be very true as I saw my own traits – both positive and negative – smiling and frowning back at me over the years I pastored two congregations. It’s kinda unnerving.
On a national level, political leaders influence their citizens and the nation of citizens reflects their leaders.
Admittedly, this goes the opposite direction as well regarding nations. Leaders reflect the nation because the populous elect their leaders who best represent them and their views. Generally speaking, unless there is a deliberate high-jacking of an election or leadership selection process, good nations have good leaders and evil nations have evil leaders.
In the case of the current administration, I’m convinced shenanigans were used to cheat an illegitimate band of leaders into power. But then again, why? “To fundamentally change the United States.” Yes, this “using-leaders-to-change-the-nation” thing has been going on a loooooong time. So, my point stands.
And what are we now witnessing? A lawless administration is promoting lawlessness in the nation. Sadly, because of the injustices and evil actions of our current administration, even good people I know are voicing some pretty ugly and harsh stuff. Seriously, at this point, I don’t think it would take much to push good people into lawless actions which is precisely what the administration is trying to do to have an excuse to act against the citizenry and take more power. (Okay, self. Stop. Take a deep breath. In through the nose and out through the mouth. Onward.)
Mankind is fallen because Adam and Eve chose new leadership – themselves. They rejected God and elected to follow their own desires into autonomy, meaning “being a law unto themselves.” Ever since that first self-declared election in Eden, humanity was “changed” by our leaders. Adam and Eve fundamentally transformed the human race. The head influences the body.
But God wasn’t content with that. He knew He needed to change humanity to bring us back under His sovereign rule. Otherwise, He would have to totally destroy the “rebellion” pandemic that had a 100% infection rate and was 100% lethal. Another leader was needed to start the transformation.
“So then, as through one trespass (Adam’s single rebellious act) there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act (Jesus’ death for us), there is justification leading to life for everyone. For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:18-19).
Our Heavenly Father sent us a new leader, one who could help us negate our drive to lead our own lives and then want to follow His lead. That is what salvation is. Renouncing our allegiance to ourselves and our ways and swearing allegiance to God. This is only possible by Jesus’ sacrificial death. He alone opens the door back to full restoration with the Father.
Jesus is the change agent of the transformation process. What’s the process? The New Covenant.
I covered the New Covenant recently, but it’s still rocking my world. I want you to see what I’m seeing about how this applies to another “fundamental transformation” of the United States.
Obama and the whole anti-God, demonic, nation-destroying, and world-domination crowd can’t hold a candle to what God can do. They can only seize the levers of power, crush the human spirit, and enslave people to their will.
But when God acts, he strips them of their power, gives us a new spirit, and sets us free to live His way. And they can’t do a d*mn thing to stop Him. Why?
Because the world-dominators can’t touch the human heart. Only God can!
Only God can reach a person’s heart and swing the whole person to Himself. The person with a new heart willingly surrenders to their new King and His ways. The dominators must use force and still can’t touch the heart.
Those with a heart to resist will never give their hearts to the manipulating dominators. We obey them because we have to not because we want to. So, the dominators have to be content with the mirage of power… until it fades into the illusion it is and they’re left with nothing.
What did Jesus put into place that enables us to move from enslaved rebellion to willing allegiance to God? The New Covenant. My previous posts cover the verses. Please read them to get the details. Right now, I just want to point out the essential changes.
As part of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31, echoed in Ezekiel 11, 36) we get some new things:
A new heart – from a stony unresponsive heart to one that responds to God.
A new spirit – a restored connection to God.
Forgiveness and cleansing – because Jesus paid the fine (the death penalty), all charges are dropped, and our record is wiped clean.
The Holy Spirit – this is God living in us! Direct interaction, instruction, and communication.
God’s law internalized – we live God’s way because we want to, not because we have to!
This process is what radically changes a person for God! It’s that simple.
Then we start the process of being made into our leader’s image, the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). The Head influences the Body. The people reflect their Leader. The family reflects their Father. The congregation reflects their Shepherd. A disciple reflects Jesus. (If you don’t reflect Him, are you truly a disciple? Just askin’.)
And suddenly it hit me.
I hear many Christians crying out for national revival. God knows we need it. This nation has the blood of 63+ million abortions on its hands since Roe v. Wade (Source) (We have rejected God in general since the God Is Dead Movement of the 60’s and by the Democratic party specifically in 2012 (Read more) And this nation has officially embraced and sanctioned even the most sexually immoral practices God calls an abomination (Read more).
And you don’t think that stains our nation and influences all of us citizens? An open window invites an ill wind.
How can this nation be changed? The same way a person is changed.
God has to treat the U.S. as a person and apply the New Covenant on a massive scale. It will take an earth-shaking act of the Holy Spirit and nothing else. We’ve had repeated gatherings on the Washington Mall, innumerable conferences, and marches in cities across the U.S., and little has changed. Even the horrific events of 9/11 were just a momentary blip of repentance. Shortly after, everyone went back to spiritual sleep after hitting the snooze button. Meanwhile, evil is growing.
We’re so far in the spiritual hell-hole as a nation, there is nothing that will save us but a radical change of leadership, one that will fundamentally transform the United States. The Holy Spirit will have to make Jesus our nation’s most influential leader by changing human hearts on a national scale. That will only come when Jesus reigns over His people and increases their number.
By transforming enough people, the nation will have a new heart, one that responds to God.
By transforming enough people, the nation will have a new spirit, a reconnection with God, and experiential awareness of His all-encompassing presence.
By transforming enough people, the nation will finally experience the forgiveness and cleansing we so desperately need. Our sin is so deep at this point, there is nothing but Jesus’ sacrifice for us and nation-wide repentance that will ever wipe it clean. Otherwise, a just God will have to execute His justice on us. I fear we’re on the edge of the blade right now.
By transforming enough people, the nation will have the Holy Spirit strengthening, encouraging, comforting, empowering, and teaching us to be a righteous nation.
By transforming enough people, God’s ways and laws will be internalized and the nation will have a sense of what is truly right and wrong. Morality won’t be determined by the twisted lusts of lost people or the soul-crushing lust for power and political expediency. We will live for God because we want to, not because we have to! The Lord will guide and direct people into His right ways and away from wrong ways as has happened so often in other national revivals (Source scroll down to “local and national revivals”)
Yes, our current crop of corrupt leaders (of all parties and persuasions) wants to fundamentally transform the United State. The sad thing is their playbook transforms us into a godless, immoral, and sin-soaked hell-hole. And to do that, our national leaders demand we give our lives for them.
But Jesus gave His life for us.
That’s the difference that makes a difference.
And in my view, that’s the only thing at this point that will save us and fundamentally transform us into a godly, moral, and sin-cleansed nation.
As the leader goes, so go the people. As the people go, so goes the nation.
Pray.
Pastor Jay Christianson
The Truth Barista, Frothy Thoughts