What's Next?   

Good Morning!

Today's Coffee Break is somewhat of a follow-up to our last post titled: 2012.  Some clarifications are in order, and I'd like to encourage all those of you who believed or hoped (as I must confess I did) that John McCain would be elected.

Prophecy is a realm which marries the invisible -- that is, the future events we've not yet experienced -- with the visible -- the realm where we currently live and function.  It is a dimension which operates in, through, and by the Holy Spirit.  It is the means by which God directs the paths of His people, and prepares them in advance in such a way that they will walk according to His Will and Word in the face of totally (and visibly) contrary circumstances.

Those of us who have spent our lives in this realm sometimes know things because we actually see them in vision form (or repeated dreams) or perhaps because the Holy Spirit transports us (in the Spirit) into the future and allows us to see things unfolding.  Many times we know things because of mental pictures that grip us in such a way that these impressions simply won't go away.  Other times it is a very quiet voice speaking in our spirits.  It is sometimes so quick and so quiet we almost want to ignore it (and sometimes do, unfortunately).

One constant in all of these events is the peace of God that encompasses us, no matter what we see, feel or experience.

I've said all that to say this: despite my hope and desire that John McCain would be elected, there was no Word in my spirit that said so.  I wanted to prophesy it, but couldn't because it just wasn't there!  What the Holy Spirit WAS saying to me was, "All is well!  I'm going to use this election for my Glory."  Was the McCain-Palin ticket God's choice for America?  Yes, but God will not violate the will of men.  To do so would make His Covenant null and void.  It would render His Word a lie.

The spiritual principle important for us to remember is defined in Psalm 115:16 where the Psalmist David declares, "The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S; but the earth hath He given to the children of men."  In case the point isn't obvious, God rules in the affairs of Heaven, but He makes men responsible for all that takes place on earth.  Hence, God's Will may be for certain individuals to be seated in government, but unless men know the Will of God and cooperate with Him, they get what they choose (and deserve)!  More on this in a moment.

John McCain served as a focal point for the people of God.  Though an imperfect man, and one that many conservatives really struggled with because of past political choices, he nevertheless became the reference for those who chose righteousness to lead this nation.  When it came to the issues that mattered most to committed, Spirit-filled believers, John McCain stood for life, for the integrity of God's Word concerning marriage, for the absolute stalwart defense of Israel, and -- most of all -- for the cleaning up of the Judiciary by appointing judges and justices to the Supreme Court who would not alter our nation's Constitution by judicial fiat. 

Sarah Palin's addition to the ticket galvanized millions of people who might have otherwise stayed home and voted by not voting.  Her uncompromising stance on every issue of importance to Christians, along with her unabashed testimony as a Holy Spirit-baptized Christian made her the one single force which caused previously undecided voters to throw their support to the McCain-Palin ticket.  Was Sarah Palin God's choice to serve this nation?  Yes, and despite the outcome of this election, she will yet serve God's plans and purposes for America.  It is important, however, not to attach our preconceived notions of how, where and when God is doing this.  Sarah will play a big part of America's future, and we've not even yet begun to see how.

As Roberto Matus expressed it a couple of days ago (Roberto heads up a marketplace ministry effort here that we know as Transformation Sunnyside) like this: never before in the history of this nation have so many eyes of the world been focused on the Presidency of the United States.  Never before have we seen so much focus put on a single man.  Barack Obama's election has made him become the focal point of the entire world.

Had John McCain been elected to the Presidency, we would not have anything close to the attention we now have.  This may seem like a strange thing -- and a hard thing for many Christians who are presently in a state of shock -- but God is going to use Barack Obama's election to spur a move of God in America that might never have happened had John McCain been elected.

This is NOT a time for Christians to be wringing their hands.  This is a time to wake up and realize God's people had best be on their knees interceding for Barack Obama, for the choosing of advisors and cabinet members, and for this nation.  God has purposed blessing and restoration for America.  That is His Will and heart's desire.  Whether it comes in this two- or four-year electoral cycle or whether it waits for another time when believers are awakened to the fact that they chose a leader based on "likeability" rather than experience and a track record Christians could stand behind remains yet to be determined.

You'll recall that in one of our last Coffee Breaks, Della and I both noted that God would hold us accountable for our vote -- that if we voted for righteous leadership, regardless of the election outcome, we would experience the blessing and provision of the Lord in the years to come regardless of the prevailing economy or national circumstances; and that if we voted for unrighteous leadership, we would suffer the consequences.

A picture of this is revealed in I Samuel 8.  Samuel was the Judge and Prophet in Israel, and he had judged the nation as God's appointed and anointed representative for decades.  Samuel's sons were not following in his footsteps and no clear leader had emerged to take his place.  Israel saw how the surrounding nations were ruled by kings.  They saw and liked the fact that these nations -- despite the fact that the kings of those nations were frequently cruel and wicked -- had someone visible (and this is an important concept) who could fight their battles and make decisions for them without their taking any responsibility.  Though God's leadership in Israel was very apparent to those who had spiritual eyes to see, having a judge who simply spoke for God wasn't quite the same.

Kings, you see, can be admired and praised when they rule well; and they can be blamed when things go wrong.  Having a king meant that individuals didn't have to take responsibility for themselves.  If they had a need, they simply presented it to the king expecting he would take care of things.  If things went sour or the nation suffered defeat or humiliation at the hands of other nations and kings, "it was the king's fault," not theirs personally.

Having a judge who was also a Prophet and spokesman for God just wasn't the same!  He required individual responsibility, and that was something the people of Israel were trying to avoid so they could justify (or at least ignore) their sins without personal accountability.

Samuel well knew what it would mean for Israel to become like other nations and he grieved in his spirit at the very thought of it.  God spoke to him and told him to relax -- that Israel wasn't rejecting Samuel personally, they were rejecting God's leadership and sovereignty in their affairs.  He instructed Samuel to anoint a king to lead them, but at the same time to warn them of the consequences of their "vote" for a king.

Thus God gave Israel exactly what they voted on -- a king who would tax them to death in order to support himself and his lifestyle, a king who would take their young men and their young women for servants, slaves and soldiers, conscripting them to a life and lifestyle not of their own choosing.  This king would build a government which would steal the best of their farms, their vineyards, the harvests which came of their hard labors, and give those things to those who served his interests and whims.

Any of this sound familiar?

God gave to Israel as its first king, Saul.  He looked and sounded great to begin with, but it wasn't long before he was living and ruling under the dominion of demons, bringing a curse upon Israel in the meantime.  The power he had as Israel's king went to his head and he began to consider himself as the equal of Samuel when it came to acting as a priest and usurping authority God had not given him.

I was personally astounded to learn that 43% of those people in America who profess to have submitted to Jesus Christ, His Word and His authority, acknowledging Him as their Lord and Savior, voted for a leader whose public pronouncements made him a supporter of the willful and premeditated murder of unborn children, whose public statements and voting record declared that he would encourage and support a homosexual agenda in clear violation of God's Word and Will, and who -- like the kings of old -- would tax and spend the people's money like a drunken sailor.

Their votes for him were made -- just as Israel's votes were -- in direct defiance of God's Word and His Will for this nation.  How could such a thing be?  There are a variety of answers -- none of which justify such action.

One could easily say that many folks are ignorant of God's Word concerning when life begins -- just as my opponent in the 2004 election was -- and acted in innocence.  No one, however, could pretend ignorance of God's Will and Word when it comes to the issue of homosexual activity.  The Scriptures -- Old and New Testaments alike -- abound with vehement commands against men committing sexual acts with men and women committing sexual acts with women.

When people choose to willingly and willfully ignore God's Word and His Will when it is clearly defined and known, that choice becomes an act of rebellion.

Saul willfully and purposely violated God's commands to him.  God sent Samuel to say to him, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king."  (I Samuel 15:22-23)

I know there will be those who say that I'm just preaching judgment and revenge, but revenge has nothing whatever to do with God's Word.  There isn't an ounce of revenge.  The warning against homosexual acts, for example, is not God's effort to clamp down on the free will of men.  It is a warning given in love.  It is a warning of the horrible effects and consequences upon the bodies of those who engage in such activity.  It is a warning against the mental consequences of such activity and the ripping apart of one's spirit being.

The warnings are given by the One Who created us in the first place.  We were not created to act or function outside of our destiny.  Mankind was designed and created by God for one purpose: so that He could have a family, so that He could have close, intimate fellowship with a species of being He created to be just like Him.  When people act outside that for which they were created and designed, they break down spiritually, mentally, and physically.

That most certainly is NOT what God wants or desires!

It may seem like I've wandered far afield, but there is a point to what I'm sharing.

There were literally tens of millions of people in this country who fasted, prayed and interceded over this election because they saw the unparalleled danger of choosing leaders -- and the consequences thereof -- who would take us in a direction in purposeful opposition to God's Will and Plan for America.

What happened?  Why does it seem that God didn't hear?  Why did this nation elect someone whose openly professed and declared intentions were to take America down the broad road to destruction?

Again, the short answer is that God will not violate His Word.  He will allow men to vote and to choose whomever they will.  But there's a caveat here, and it is absolutely vital that those folks who chose the heart of God in this election sit up and pay attention.

God did hear the cries of His people!  He did respond to the fervent fasting and prayer of millions!  Though it appears on the surface that wickedness has won the day, I assure you it has not!  Many changes and events are in store for this nation prior to January 20th that do not appear yet.

In order to understand what God is saying concerning the forthcoming events I need to share one of Isaiah's prophecies and a bit of history with you.

In Isaiah 44 and 45, we find the following prophetic word: "Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.........That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."  (Isaiah 44:24, 28)

"Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.  For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me."  (Isaiah 45:1-4)

This prophetic word was delivered by Isaiah in approximately 712 BC.  There was no leader or king anywhere in the world at that time by the name of Cyrus.  One hundred fifty-three years later, Cyrus, the son of Anshan, King of Elam, ascended to the throne upon the death of his father.  A military genius of profound abilities and skills, Cyrus within a few short years had defeated the kings of virtually every surrounding nation and created a far-flung Persian Empire the like of which the world had never seen.

Cyrus' predecessors had always displaced the peoples of the nations they had conquered under the premise that such displacement would weaken any chances they would rise up again and regain their sovereignty.  Cyrus disagreed with that policy and began sending people back to their native lands.  In the first year of his reign (559 BC), Cyrus issued a decree that read: Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.  (See II Chronicles 36:23)

It was an astounding proclamation for the Jews who had been in captivity for 70 years.  No one could possibly have comprehended that a ruler would arise out of the old Babylonian empire who would turn out to be the servant of God.  The story of Cyrus and how he came to the throne is one worthy of telling, but it would sidetrack today's discussion.

There was nothing Godly about Cyrus' upbringing.  There was nothing whatever in his background that would lend one to believe that he -- of all people -- would become the servant and agent of God to restore God's people their heritage.  And yet that's exactly what he did -- 153 years after Isaiah foresaw and foretold it.

America was founded like no other nation on this planet.  America's Godly heritage is without peer in the world.  God has made certain specific promises to His people -- AND He has renewed those promises to an enormous company of people in this nation who've spent uncounted hours in prayer and fasting and intercession over America's future.

There is nothing whatever in Barack Obama's past that would lend itself to encouragement for today's committed, believing Christian concerning America's future.  Yet in many ways, he will turn out to be like Cyrus.  God has promised His people that he will bring change to Barack Obama in such a way as to defeat the plans of Satan for America's destruction.

What the Enemy has planned for America's evil, God is turning for righteousness' sake.  The very people who thought (and hoped) Obama would bring sweeping change to this nation in opening wide the doors for abortion, homosexuality, assisted suicide, hopes for a Palestinian nation at the cost of Israel's promises from God, and courts filled with revisionist judges will become Obama's greatest detractors and hate him with the same fervency they've hated George Bush.

There's one caveat to this, folks.  God's people cannot and must not quit praying and interceding.  Now, more than ever, we have a responsibility before God to pray for Barack Obama and the future of America!  God will keep His Word to us, but we must fulfill our part of His covenant and pray!

More to come.

The Blessing of the Lord: it makes rich and He adds no painful toil and sorrow!  (Proverbs 10:22)  Be blessed!

 

Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES
RIVER WORSHIP CENTER
700 South 6th Street
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
(509) 837-4657

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