I distinctly remember having the opportunity as a small-town pastor to attend many city council meetings in the early 2010s. I attended simply to support our city and local officials, but I often had the honor of praying over the proceedings. I remember sitting and listening to councilmen and women discuss various issues and opportunities within the city, and I did not have opinions about many of them. However, hardly ever a meeting passed without some citizen approaching the microphone with explicit complaints about something going wrong in their eyes within the town. At times, the drama of the meetings got so bad that the county newspaper would attend and write a gloriously embarrassing account of what was taking place in our city. As a result, the morale of our local elected government was never very high, that I remember. Today, my confidence in our national government in 2024 is not very high. It can lead me to begin to question the use of government itself. However, it is clear from God’s word that authority and government were God’s ideas.

Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome, addresses how we are to interact, support, and participate in government. Paul writes, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:1-7, NKJV).

How interesting it is that Paul points out from the very beginning that there is no authority except that which is given by God. That statement in verse 1 reminds me of Jesus’ response to Pilate, who said to Jesus, “Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:10-11, NKJV). While there are men and women in seats of authority, it is only possible because God has so allowed it. Not only does God enable governments to have power, but it was God’s idea in the first place. From the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God designed and set up order and authority. God spoke to Adam and said for him to “have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Gen 1:28, NKJV).

It is essential to understand the origin of government because Paul warns us that if we rebel against those in authority in local, state, and national governments, we are actually rebelling against God. The result of such rebellion is judgment. Paul said, “Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:2, NKJV). God help us today. God help us to correct our attitude towards the men and women who have been elected or appointed into seats of power. They are men and women who need Jesus if they have not made Christ their Savior. They are people who need our prayers for wisdom and guidance. And yes, they need our support in any way we can.

PLEASE HEAR ME: I am not suggesting that we blindly follow the government and all ordinances that come from leaders who sit in power. The Bible is full of amazing men and women who, in the face of real danger and persecution, went against the government system of the day to live out their faith. If our government passes a law that infringes on our rights and beliefs as Christians, then beloved BY ALL MEANS, follow Scripture and do what Thus Says The Lord. However, we can’t hide behind our faith and not pay our taxes, skip out on the duties of being a citizen, and work against those in power just because we disagree with their policies. Beloved, you and I are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We are to do what is right in every case, including obeying our governments as best as we can.

I have been struggling with a lot of apathy towards the upcoming general election, as I mentioned in this article and the first one in this series. It’s exhausting to hear the constant bickering from each side, calling each other petty names as if they are still in elementary school. However, I’ve been praying for the Lord to help me have a better attitude and to renew a sense of duty in my heart. I don’t take for granted that we live in the greatest country of all time. So, this November, I’m going to do my part and cast my vote based on the guidance of God.

I’ve also been praying for the Lord to help me pray better for our current president and our future president, no matter who it may be. Instead of speaking negatively about the person, I pray that God helps me to speak life over them. I believe that God can save them and save this country. I understand that I’m just one person, but I wonder what God can do if we come together in prayer and ask for His intervention in America and in our upcoming elections. I believe that God will amaze us with what He can do! “Call to me, and I will answer you and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3, NKJV).