May 22, 2025

God, Government, and the Church

One of the fastest ways to create controversy is to mix the subjects of God, government, and the church. It is easy for me to see why the leftist and antichrist elements in our society don’t want God or His Word influencing government. It is inconceivable to me, however, that believers would fall prey to this error. The belief that we are to separate God and government is one of the greatest possible heresies. His influence is meant to permeate EVERY facet of life on Earth. 

“Government” is the overseeing or management of an entity. Our English word comes from two Latin and Greek words, which mean “to steer a ship.” Governments are actually sometimes referred to as “ships of state.” AI provided me with the following definitions of government. “A government is the system or group of people responsible for making and enforcing rules, providing public services, and ensuring the overall organization and function of society. It’s the body that makes decisions and establishes policies that affect society, including economic activities and human rights.”             

Who wouldn’t want God’s help with this?! Trying to steer ships of state through storms, currents, icebergs, and other dangers without the Creator’s guidance is like “the captain of a ship on a dark night who saw faint lights in the distance. He told his signalman to send the message: ‘Change your course 10 degrees south.’

“Immediately, he received the response: ‘Change your direction 10 degrees north.’

“The proud captain was angry that he was being challenged, so he sent a further message: ‘Change your course 10 degrees south. This is the captain speaking!’

“He received the response: ‘Change your direction 10 degrees north. I’m Seaman Third Class Jones.’

“The captain, thinking he would terrify this insubordinate sailor, wired a third message: ‘Change your direction 10 degrees south. I am a battleship.’

“The final reply came: ‘Change your course 10 degrees north. I am a lighthouse.”(1)

In the Genesis creation, King Jesus prepared Earth, a planet in His Kingdom, to be the home of His future family. He then formed this family, beginning with Adam and Eve. Next, He assigned them, and their descendants, the responsibility of governing or managing their home, the earth, (Hebrew: radah and mashal) and delegated to them the authority needed to do so (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:6). As those with delegated authority, they were obviously to manage according to God’s will and ways - the principles under which His Kingdom operates. 

This was all interrupted at the Fall. We humans lost our relationship with God and decided we could manage the earth without God’s help and guidance. We would just do as we pleased. Chaos ensued. The first son born to Adam and Eve, Cain, killed the second son, Abel (Genesis 4:8). By chapter 6 of Genesis, God said “the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent…was evil” (verse 5). The ship was sinking.

The Repair

But God had a plan for recovery. Jesus was incarnated – He became human – to restore us to God’s family, which all believers know. What is not as well known is that He also came to restore our assignment and authority to manage the earth. The first Adam had lost this, the last Adam recaptured and restored it (1 Corinthians 15:45; Matthew 28:18-20). Our authority to represent God’s Kingdom on earth now flows to us, not from our natural connection with the first Adam, but from our spiritual connection to Christ, the last Adam. This is why we operate “in His name.” 

Through this delegated authority, Christ uses the church, His Ekklesia, to once again accomplish His Kingdom will and purposes here on earth (Matthew 16:18-19). When Jesus said He would build His Ekklesia/church, an Ekklesia was a governing body. How would this governing assignment be fulfilled? Not by force! Jesus was not saying we would “govern” or release His will by using physical force, but through spiritual authority and the implementation of His ways - the principles under which His Kingdom operates. To picture this, He said His Kingdom was like leaven, meaning that it permeates and influences all with which it comes into contact (Matthew 13:33). When we operate according to His Kingdom principles, He is steering the ship through us. The same is true when we offer biblical prayers and Spirit-led decrees.

As I alluded to earlier, God’s divine influence should occur in every facet of life on earth. This especially includes government, with its incredible responsibility of “steering the ship.” God intended for ALL earthly government – whether in a home, a city, or a nation – to be an extension of HIS delegated authority, releasing HIS love, resulting in HIS righteousness, justice, and peace on the earth. The more influence God is given – the more a government aligns with His Word and Kingdom principles – the more peace, health, and justice are released into that jurisdiction. In the Scriptures, government leaders – not just spiritual leaders – were almost always involved in God’s saving and transforming of a people and nation. To contend that God would not want to influence government is not only heretical, it is absurd, even asinine.

America’s Restoration

It is impossible to overstate the significance of God being increasingly worshiped and honored by elements of our government. Worship and prayer are now occurring regularly in the White House and congressional offices. President Trump has invited God into the White House. He is attempting to restore not only America’s greatness, but also honor and restore America’s Christian heritage. Coming from the most powerful position in our nation, this is opening the door for even more righteous change in our nation. As all seeds do, the seeds of truth are multiplying after their kind. Spiritual hunger is begetting spiritual hunger, spiritual life is begetting spiritual life. This is flowing down to the nation. Revival has begun and will now multiply. As it does, it will provide the power and ability to also reform laws and systems in accordance with God’s ways and Kingdom principles. We must pray for this to continue.

Pray with me:

Father, thank You for what You are doing in our nation. Our faith is certainly not in government; it is in You, the God of government. As You are honored in portions of our government, life and blessings are released. We see this beginning. And again, we thank You.

We understand our responsibility to represent You and Your Kingdom in our land. We carry Your heart, we possess Your authority, and we are Your voice. We ask that You keep the church motivated to pray and be a voice for good in our nation. We ask that this manifest in government, education, families – and every facet of life in America. Multiply the harvest and empower the reformation.

We pray for our leaders as they make decisions that steer the ship of America. Help them avoid mishaps and wrong turns. Give them the ability to rule righteously, honoring Your Word and ways. Through this, restore greatness to our land and make us a blessing to all the nations of the earth. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.

Our decree: 

We decree that the earth’s government is on Christ’s shoulders; He is our King (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993), p. 134.