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March 2, 2017

Religious Freedom: Separation of Church and State?

Since the removal of prayer in schools in 1962, there have been many other situations where “freedom of religion” has been misconstrued by the court system as “freedom from religion”. The term in the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” has become known as “the establishment clause”. In misconstruing it, the courts have often placed their decisions in direct opposition to the second half of that statement, “or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”. None of the cases where the “establishment clause” has been used by the courts to strike down free exercise of religion in the public square has ever been based on a law passed by Congress. State laws have been challenged by it. At times, the conflict is between the free exercise of the Christian faith in the marketplace and an individual who is offended by the practice, who then sues the former. In additional to the removal of prayer from the public square, there have been cases calling for the removal of the 10 Commandments from government offices and land, removal of nativity scenes from public land, removal of Bible reading in the public square, and inequitable access to public facilities and funds by Christian groups.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” (Psalm 33:12; NKJV)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

  1. Identificationally repent as Daniel did in Daniel 9, on behalf of our governing leaders and our federal judges, especially our Supreme Court Justices, for laws and judicial decisions that misconstrued the First Amendment.

  2. Pray that many of these decisions would be challenged and overturned, so that true freedom of religion is secure in the United States once again.

  3. Use the Isaiah 22:22/Matthew 16:19 keys to shut the spiritual door of using the First Amendment to shut down Christian activities outside the walls of our church buildings.

  4. Intercede for those who hate Christians and seek to close their businesses or otherwise cause them harm would not find a place in this Amendment to do so in the future. Pray that they would come to know the love of Christ.

A prayer you can pray:

Father, I repent, as Daniel did, for those who govern our nation, where they have introduced laws and judgments that have not conveyed the truth of our First Amendment relating to freedom of religion. Raise up reformers who will challenge these laws and seek to realign things rightly and righteously. I use the keys of David to shut spiritual doors that prevent freedom of religion in the marketplace. I intercede for those who hate me, just because I am a Believer in Jesus. I choose to love them! Draw them to Yourself, and use me in the process! In Jesus’ loving name, amen.

Today’s decree:

I decree that God will restore our First Amendment rights completely, as we humble ourselves, repent, turn from our wicked ways, and pray.

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