At this writing, one of the questions being asked about the economy is the following: Has it bottomed out or will it continue to slide even further? When the government throws several trillion dollars into the economy, you have to expect a short-term spike or at least a checking of the fall. However, if it does not accomplish this, then it is wasted as far as bringing true economic recovery. The most basic problems in the U.S. economy have still not been addressed. The basic vehicle of the economy remains stalled and will likely fall even further into a deepening recession or depression over the next few years—without a major change in direction.
After just a few weeks of the Obama Administration being in office, it became clear that either those in power really did not understand the economy or were purposely trying to destroy our economic strength and future. Though I confess that there seems to be a lot of evidence that the strength of the American economy is being gutted on purpose, I personally believe that it is being done in ignorance, not out of evil intent.
Nevertheless, it is being done.
In spite of the great damage being done to our economic future, recovery is possible. The best thing that could happen would be for President Obama to get a revelation of just how devastating and wrong his plan and policies have been, be bold and courageous enough to admit it, and then turn them around. If he did this, he would likely be known as one of our greatest Presidents and would be a shoe-in for re-election. If he does not make a very basic change in his strategy, he is likely to be known as one of our worst Presidents ever, and America would learn its most costly lesson of how devastating it is to turn to socialism. Even so, after one term of the Obama Administration, even if it stays on its present course, recovery would still be possible. America, having learned this important lesson once again, could emerge stronger and more stable than ever in every way—politically, socially, and economically.
If Obama were to be re-elected while continuing in the same direction, the damage would be so deep that it could be difficult to ever fully recover, but not impossible. The foundations of our economic strength are being eroded, and in some cases, destroyed with each new budget or economic stimulus bill being passed. So the question is a biblical one, as we read in Psalm 11:3, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” There is much we can do, which is the answer to question 3: What can we do?
The first thing we should do is pray for our President and all who are in authority. Pray for God to send them godly counselors and prophetic voices, just as Joseph was sent to Pharaoh, and Daniel, who was sent to several rulers. The foundations can be restored and rebuilt much faster if our present leadership had a revelation and began the work. The next thing that we should be praying is for God to remove all ungodly leadership who will not respond, or who have hardened hearts, and replace them with godly leaders.
We should then devote ourselves to proclaiming and preparing the way for the kingdom of God, which is certainly coming, and will certainly restore righteousness and justice in the earth. We should be doing this regardless of the outcome with our present leadership or the nations. This is actually the essence of the true faith walk that began with Abraham, seeking what God was building, not men, which had foundations that would last.
As we have covered, we know from Daniel 2 that when all of the kingdoms of men begin to collapse, the “little stone made without hands,” the kingdom, will be growing into a mountain, which is a government, and then it will keep on growing until it fills the whole earth. Regardless of what any antichrist tries to do for a time, the kingdom of God is coming and it is irresistible. One of the signs that it is growing in the earth is that the kingdoms of men will begin to collapse.
As we are also called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, we must not give up on our nations or governments, but try to help them see through the increasing darkness. One of the best ways that we can be a light to the governments and peoples of our nation is to become the “holy nation” we are called to be, building our unity and fellowship on kingdom principles. There are signs now that this is in fact beginning to happen in the church—that a remarkable, even unprecedented unity is beginning. We are likely to see this nation within the nations begin to take definition, not as a counter to the nations we are in, but as a much bigger and more powerful light to them.
As you have probably noticed, I am purposely overlapping a bit with our three questions: 1) What is happening? 2) What is not happening? And, 3) What can we do about it? The main thing we can do to help our nations that are in trouble is to build our own lives on a solid foundation that cannot be shaken. We cannot pull anyone else out of the quicksand unless we are on solid ground. So we must “seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness” (see Matthew 6:33). We can also pray for and try to help our nations out of the quagmire, but we can only do this by seeking the kingdom first and His righteousness, which is doing what is right in His sight.