Welcome back to our virtual living room, friends! Find a soft spot on the sofa and settle in. Yesterday we launched a new mini-series together called Can You Hear Me Now? As American Christians, God has been trying to get our attention for years. (Anyone remember 911?) It seems, as His calls have gone out to sleeping saints over the past few months, some have awakened. Praise God for that! But there is a need for further awakening in our country. The events of this past week have surely been a wake up call, and I think God is saying, “Can you hear Me now?”

This is the second post in our series and our objective is to filter what we have witnessed recently through the lens of Scripture. Some of us are slow to awaken, so hopefully this is the spiritual caffeine infusion some of us need! Media will numb your senses while brainwashing you with false spin and, at times, evil agenda. Turn them off! Our “news station” is God’s Word, so tune in!

Let’s start with a relatively overlooked, underestimated, yet flagrant violation of God’s Word. Twice in Isaiah, Gods says: “I am God and there is no other!” (Isaiah 45:22, 46:9) That, of course, is a repeat from Exodus 20:3, which says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” I’m fairly certain God means what He says and says what He means! Woe to anyone who puts any other god before Him.

Yet, on Sunday, January 3, 2021, “Rev” Emanuel Cleaver, an ordained United Methodist pastor, opened the 117th Congress of the United States with a prayer “in the name of the monotheistic god, Brahma, and ‘god’ known by many names by many different faiths.” (He closed it with “Amen and A-woman.”) Blasphemous and an abomination! In the halls of an institution built upon Judeo-Christian principles, not only was God’s design of male and female trampled, but the Hindu god, Brahma, was invoked.

So what’s the big deal?

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

~Ephesians 6:12

I believe the door to Congress was thrown wide open to those ruler, powers, and spiritual forces of darkness and wickedness, and THAT was when our Capitol Building was first breached.

If our eyes ever peered behind the heavenly veil, we could survive, because the battle being fought behind the veil is one of heaven’s armies doing battle with the spiritual forces of wickedness. In my imagination, I sometimes wonder if slits in the veil allow teeny-tiny glimpses of that wickedness to leak out. It seems the prayer of that wolf in sheep’s clothing slit open the veil in Congress that day, allowing the rulers, powers, and forces of darkness to flood in, awaiting their evil human counterparts to arrive. They arrived just a few days later, on that fateful Wednesday night on Capitol Hill, and evil befell our hallowed halls.

Perhaps we fail to understand the importance of our precious religious freedom, and how important it is who we vote into and out of office? Here is the kicker: “Rev” Cleaver is also a Congressman! Vote him out!!!

Shame on us.  Shame on any believer who avoided getting involved in the culture to defend religious freedom. ...[by saying,] "I'm not going to taint my life by voting because I could never do that. I'm a Christian"   [thus, did not vote].    Pastor Jack Hibbs, Live Update from Washington DC - January 6, 2021)

Yes, sad indeed as the Judeo-Christian values in our country have been systematically destroyed while some followers of Jesus didn’t want to get involved in our elections. “Cancel culture” is real and it is happening right before our very eyes. In that culture, YOUR values and YOUR ideals matter not…they are cancelled! Interestingly, it used to be that those fleeing tyranny, oppression and hopelessness came to America to live in freedom, and in a nation where their values matter. Now, those people are weeping more than Americans. Why? Because they “get it!” If America ceases to be the bedrock of Judeo-Christian values and the safe haven in which to flee, where will we go?

America is the last bastion of hope, the last great obstacle in deterrence of the globalists’ New World Order. Yet, it seems evil is now busting down doors, literally and figuratively, to destroy the last bastion of hope. “Rev” Cleaver isn’t the first to open doors of evil, but his timing certainly set off what could be the beginning of the end of America as we know it. Hang on, Christian friends. It’s getting worse, not better.

But do not despair…there is great news! We are one in spirit with God (1 Corinthians 6:17) and have nothing to fear! Whereas, Cleaver’s prayer opened the door to a spiritual stronghold in our halls of Congress, the Christian’s stronghold is the cross of Jesus Christ! Demonic powers masqueraded in human bodies that night on Capitol Hill. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, He dwells within you every single day, throughout eternity! The spirit of life and righteousness does not have to masquerade! In this life, there are two doors of opportunity…the righteous stronghold of Jesus Christ or the demonic stronghold of Satan himself? Which will you choose?

Believers, God’s will is settled in heaven. Stand firm, stand strong and don’t give up! Just like the land of Israel throughout history, we are going to be attacked. But take heart, as God encouraged His people, Israel, so He encourages us:

“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The retribution of God will come,
But He will save you.”

~Isaiah 35:4

There is so much more I want to share, but let’s digest this a bit at a time! We will pick it up again Monday morning, when you are invited back into the virtual living room! Meanwhile, Sundays on this blog are reserved for light-hearted encouragement and worship. Stick with us…there is great encouragement ahead!