As we all know, Hillary Clinton is having her problems in the polls. But I came across several reports that indicate an even more serious problem. Not with the electorate, with evangelical Christians. To a decidedly liberal audience she referenced conservative Christians by saying, “Deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.” I supposed she is referring to issues like abortion and gay rights, and she is certainly entitled to confront these topics. But what’s disturbing is the idea that deeply-held religious beliefs “have to be changed.” I’m not sure what that means. Change isn’t necessarily bad, depending on the issue, but what’s scary is the idea that government should be in the business of enforcing the change of faith beliefs. If her ideas don’t concern you, note that she also said, “I don’t believe you change hearts. I believe you change laws.” We’re not talking about debate and persuasion by open discussion. We’re talking about political proctors roaming the American landscape, looking for deviations from what’s politically correct, or at least that is what her views seem to imply.
Is she talking about some old Soviet or Orwellian-style system? She’s vague, but it’s not comforting to read between the lines. As for me, suppose some bureaucrat decides that exorcism is a medieval practice deleterious to the emotional health of recipients and should be outlawed? Would I get a midnight knock at the door from the thought police? If my “structural bias” is that many problems relegated to the psych ward are actually better dealt with by casting out demons, would I have to change or else? Every minister of the gospel is in the business of changing hearts. Are we supposed to forgo the gospel and be coerced by state planners who decide what we can and cannot preach? Perhaps Hillary’s intentions are more benign. I certainly pray so. But I’m not so sure that we aren’t on the cusp of a need kind of intolerance aimed at beliefs as well as actions.
An encouraging word: THE WORD IN POWER
Paul said that the gospel he preached “did not come in word only, but also in power” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). It seems to me that we have a lot of words today, but not a lot of power. We live in a time where there has never been more preaching of the gospel on radio, TV, in print and in person. But most of it is just words, words, words. Are you like me and long to see the “power?” I don’t mean talking about power and telling stories of some mission field far away. I mean power here and now, right where we live. That’s why the ministry of deliverance is so important. It demonstrates spiritual power in the here and now. I encourage you to make a goal of pursuing real power, the power of spiritual warfare.
Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did® (Luke 4:18). You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.
