Kamala Harris

“Soon afterwards, he began going around from one city to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God.” 

Luke 8:1

We are on the verge of the 2024 presidential election. The heat and rhetoric continue to escalate. I am fully aware that politics is bloodsport and not for the faint at heart, but so much of what we are seeing and hearing from BOTH sides is saddening.  

Certainly you can feel the lure of being pulled into the political war.  

Please resist the temptation.  

As followers of Jesus we absolutely have a war to fight. And we absolutely are fighting to win. And our war is easily the most consequential war in human history. And our war is a clear call to arms. Daily engaged on the front line.  

Our war is not a culture war. 

Our war is not a political war. 

Our war is a Kingdom war.  

Be exceedingly clear in understanding the war. Take care how you listen (Luke 8:18) to Jesus’s Kingdom drumbeat. Luke 4:43, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.” Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Luke 8:1 above. Luke 9:1-2, “And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God…” And on and on and on. 

Look at Jesus’s reaction to the Pharisees’ stupidity about John the Baptist and Himself. He says in Luke 7:33-4, “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’”  

In other words, you cannot win! The dividing line is not some political issue, the dividing line is the identity of Jesus. The war boundary is the line between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness. The goal is to win, restore, and send souls.  

As followers of Jesus, adopted sons and daughters of our Father, and temples of the Holy Spirit we must be clear-minded in that our calling is to advance our Father’s Kingdom one person at a time. Kingdom wins happen as we share Jesus, see the lost saved, co-labor to heal and restore, and then launch more people on to the Kingdom front line.  

At a recent Kamala Harris rally, an attendee shouted, “Jesus is Lord.” She replied, “You’re at the wrong rally.” Can you feel the temptation to be stirred to some kind of righteous anger and begin texting your horde of like-minded politicos? Ooh…that’s an easy one to jump on. But I could fill pages of equally ludicrous comments from Donald Trump and his surrogates. Any notion that he is some kind of Christian Savior is delusional.  

In the middle of increasing volume of political noise and fear mongering, consider the following: 

• Most Christians have little to no operational understanding of the Kingdom of God. We believe a kingdom-less Gospel. “Let Your Kingdom come…” (Matthew 6:10) is meaningless repetition where Jesus intends it to provide missional clarity for life and purpose. Jesus trains us through the Lord’s Prayer to be Kingdom focused…daily. Every day is supposed to be gameday!   

• Most Western Evangelical Christians do not consider Satan’s active role in their lives even though they experience little of Jesus’s promised abundance. In fact, I have to introduce spiritual warfare to most of the people with whom I sit in their darkness and pain. I ask Executive Directors and Pastors how their ministries contend with warfare and their responses are often deeply problematic.  

• Many Christian counselors are not trained to lead their clients into deeper, intimate relationships with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit even though passages like Ephesians 3:14-21 show that personal healing and flourishing is a manifestation of intimacy. And, furthermore, they are not trained in Satan’s effective work to keep clients in bondage.  

But, sure, let’s keep barking about politics.  

We can certainly have a robust debate about the role of politics in the Kingdom war. And we can debate the degree to which Christians should be, or can be, involved. But there is ZERO debate about the call, responsibility, and urgency of Christians to engage in the Kingdom war to reach people; to enjoy the fullness of LIFE; to heal souls; to love people; to stand against Satan’s lures; and to run God’s race.  

Our Father has NEVER needed a federal government’s approval to advance His Kingdom. Never. What is the federal government in light of the Kingdom of the living God?  

Next week, when the votes are counted, insanity most likely is going to happen regardless of who wins. Be at rest in the Holy Spirit. Keep your eyes LOCKED on Jesus. Wake up in the morning and relax back into your Father’s love and HIS leading for your day.  

And get after life in the Kingdom!