More than anything, I want people to realize that it is easier to maintain the freedoms we have than to regain them once they are lost.

...Let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for yourselves rulers, just men who rule in the fear of God. The preservation of a republican government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty. - Noah Webster (Father of American Education, Author of First English Dictionary)

More than anything, I want people to realize that it is easier to maintain the freedoms we have than to regain them once they are lost.

It's kind of like buying a new car—it costs a lot of money up front, but if we regularly maintain it, it will provide us with many years of quality, enjoyable service.

However, if we buy a new car and don't maintain it, we will lose its benefits very quickly, and the cost to repair it will he great. The same is true with our liberties. Many men and women have paid a great price "up front" to secure the freedoms we now enjoy.

There is a cost to maintain them, but the cost to regain them is far greater. That is why it is crucial for every able-bodied Christian to be involved in the political process—in prayer and action.

I believe we have seen some great improvements in the leadership of our nation as the result of the last few elections. Yet there is much that still needs to he done. Again, we are presented with a window of opportunity on November 2, 2004 to build on and refine the godly leadership that exists in many levels and positions.

From the office of president, governor, and mayor, to the members of the House and Senate at both the national and state level, we have the opportunity and the duty to reinstate godly men and women and replace ungodly ones.

This holds true for the numerous judges that are up for election, as well as those that will be appointed by the people we elect. Marthias Burner, well-known New England minister of the Revolution, said:

Look well to tire characters and qualifications of those you elect and raise to office and places of trust...Let the wise counsel of Jethro...be your guide: 'Choose ye out from among you able men, such as fear God, men of truth and hating covetousness and set them to rule over you' (See Exodus 18:21).

To help you make right choices, here are some guidelines to assist you in examining the qualifications of the candidates running for office.

Character Counts!
The character of a person is the foundation upon which every one of their decisions and actions are built. Honesty and integrity are two essential ingredients all candidates should have. They should he a person of their word and one of good morals.

Regardless of what the news media or other people say, what goes on in a person's private life does affect their public life.

Naturally, the candidate should also be "able" and "experienced" for the position they seek. Overall, they should be men and women who "fear God;" that is, they should be Christians who have pure motives and a godly, stable home life.

They should also support traditional families, protect the innocent, and hate dishonest gain. They should be people of truth who are full of wisdom and discernment. This means they should have a biblical worldview—thinking and making decisions based on the absolute truth of God's Word, not on human reasoning.

Many candidates may claim to be Christians, but do not hold to a biblical worldview. In other words, they are Christians in name only—their thinking and actions don't reflect the character of Christ!

As a result, they reason and make decisions front a humanistic point of view—they are led and even pressured by the wants, thoughts, and feelings of themselves and others (such as special interest groups). These are the candidates we want to avoid.

Another thing we need to avoid is voting for someone just because of their party affiliation or because our family or coworkers voted for them. Our vote needs to reflect God's heart, not the ever-changing opinions of others. We need to do our "homework" and find out what kind of character each candidate has.

To a great degree, this can be determined by checking a candidate's past voting record as well as where they stand on current issues.

What someone believes in, they usually support and vote for. To the best of our ability, we need to vote for the candidate that best reflects God's standards.

Noah Webster continued his opening statement above, saying:

If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good, so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will he violated or disregarded. If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws.

For most Americans, to abandon consistent participation in the political process is to abandon a great privilege and responsibility.

However, when Christians do so, it is far worse. If godly men and women have no voice in the community, then by default the political life of America will stay in the hands of the ungodly.

Prayer Paves The Way For Victory!
In addition to researching a candidate's character, I also want to urge you to pray. Prayer moves the hand of God and is the indispensable foundation for change to take place. Here are some specific things to pray. Ask God to:

• Elevate every godly candidate running for office so that they stand out in the eyes of the public as the obvious choice
• Expose and stop all voter fraud and tampering with votes beforehand
• Let every tactic of the enemy to discredit the integrity of God's chosen candidates backfire on him
• Provide the finances needed for every godly candidate, and the wisdom to use them correctly
• Allow His kingdom—His way of doing and being right—to be advanced, and that Satan's agenda be pushed back and demolished through this election
• Generate a record-breaking turnout of Christians at the polls, and that the overwhelming outcry of the public would be for righteous candidates

Remember, prayer is the foundation for anything to succeed, and "the earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available (dynamic in its working)" (James 5:16).

Action Walks It Out!
If you have concerns or need information on where a particular candidate stands, call their campaign office and ask them where they stand on the issues that are most important to you.

Once you've received some information on the candidates, share it with other concerned individuals, including family, friends, coworkers, church members, and others.

Then, vote on November 2. Call and encourage people you know to get out and vote as well. If someone you know is elderly or disabled, offer to give them a ride to the polls. Obviously, you can't help and inform everybody, but you can help and inform somebody.

I'd like to close with a powerful quote from Charles Finney, a great evangelist and advocate for abolishing slavery before the Civil War. He said:

The Church must take right ground in regard to politics. The tine has come that Christians must vote for honest men, and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them...

God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the Church will take right ground. Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God...He (God) will bless or curse this nation, according to the course they [Christians] take in politics.

May God direct and bless all our efforts, and may God Bless America!

First published in the October 2004 issue of
Enjoying Everyday Life Magazine
Copyright © 2004 Joyce Meyer Ministries All rights reserved.