HisVictory.com God gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
a ministry of the Foundation for Applied Biblical Counseling
banquet of Biblical blessings for God
HisVictory header image
Read God's Word Listen to God's Word Spending Time With God Save Room for Dessert


Scroll Down for God's Word

Scroll down the page
for more treasures from
God’s Word...

How To Get The Most Out of HisVictory.com

Before You Start Your Day,
Try This Fun Experiment

Make HisVictory.com
Your Home Page

Report Broken Links

Submit Your Favorite
Christian Web Sites To HisVictory.com

Tell A Friend About HisVictory.com!

What's New on HisVictory.com

edge
edge
edge
edge
border border
border

 

 

 

this week’s

HEAVENLY SOUL FOOD . . . enjoy!

Be sure to refresh your browser
to see the latest devotional

10 Ways We Can Bring Good
Out of This Election

By Dr. Charles H. Browning

Today, nearly half of our country celebrates and high-fives and yes, some even gloat and mock.  But at the same time, the other half of our nation grieves and mourns with grave concerns about where our country is headed.  If I may, let me offer a few words of comfort and encouragement to the latter group, along with what I believe to be practical guidance from the Word of God as to how the Lord would have us respond to this new reality.

1.   Be careful not to complain or focus on the negative.   

Many of us feel that we have a right to complain about the outcome of the recent election.  But God tells us in 1 Cor. 10:10, "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured [complained], and were destroyed of the destroyer."  If we focus on what He calls the "evil report", this gives the destroyer, Satan, the opportunity to destroy us.  Complaining is deadly stuff!  Don't go there.

2. Instead, praise God into the reality we find ourselves in now.

In Psalm 22:3 God tells us that He "inhabits the praises of His [people]." And in Psalm 106:47 He exhorts us, "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise." And again in Hebrews 13:15 the Lord calls on us to do this: "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name."

And yes, dear ones, it is a "sacrifice" because it isn't easy, but we do it out of obedience, not because we feel like it. And in that obedient, sacrificial praise and thanksgiving, He will get the glory and we will get the victory.

3. Keep looking DOWN!

That's right, down, not up. Why? Because in Colossians 3:1-3 He tells us that "[Since] ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." And in Ephesians 2:6 He reminds us that He "hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus."

He is sovereignly in control -- even of elections -- and we are to see all things, ALL THINGS, from His perspective, with Him on the Throne and we are seated with Him there, watching and knowing He will work it all for our good, for His kingdom and for His glory. When you do this, seeing it all as He sees it (laying down our feelings and attitudes and biases in the process), then we actually live out the truth in Isaiah 40:31 -- "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint." And eagles are above the blast of the storm ... not under the circumstances, aren't they? So, KEEP LOOKING DOWN!

4. Ask the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to lift and comfort and strengthen those who mourn.

Can you imagine the depth and crushing weight of all the pain in our nation today? Let us not feel sorry for ourselves, but ask God to show us how to pray for all those wounded and fearful hearts across the land. Let us set aside our own emotions and attitudes and stand in the gap for others, claiming His promise also in Isaiah 40, "He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength" (v. 29). A "very present [right now!] help in trouble" as He promises in Psalm 46:1. Lord, how would You have us pray for them?

5. Pray for those who gloat.

Pride is a deadly thing, ruining countless lives. And those who are prideful (full of pride) seldom know they are. Satan delights in displaying one of his chief character qualities through man, and he has many willing, but ignorant, vessels. Ask God to help them and forgive them ... “they know not what they do” TO THEMSELVES, AND TO OTHERS.

6. Ask God to forgive our own critical and judgmental attitudes.

Who, us? Yes, us. No one likes being maneuvered and manipulated. And we all had plenty of that, didn’t we, not only by the politicians themselves, but also by the media. “Smooth words” for “itching ears,” as the Bible calls it.

Being aware of this kind of attempted mind control, it is so easy for our hearts to become hardened and for us to become judgmental and critical. If we let our hearts become resentful or bitter, we actually give man more power over us than God! But let us remember this command — not suggestion — given to us by God through Paul in Romans 14:4: "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." Let us ask our God, the only One who should be in control over our thought life, to make our new president stand. All of our negativity and fault-finding and our despair will do nothing to help our country, will it? Lord, forgive us for our critical spirit and show us how to stand in the gap for Obama, with You in the Spirit and in love.

7. Ask God how we should pray for Obama's advisors.

Our country faces serious threats and dangers on many fronts. 9-11 was only the beginning. Evil, demonically-controlled men are very cunning and shrewd. Unlike our masses, they are unimpressed with the spin or the spell. These evil men will likely seek to test the strength, or weakness, of America’s new leader. This places our people at great risk. Therefore, let us ask the Lord to draw to Obama men and women of strength. Let him recognize and enlist the help and counsel of wise advisors; not just those who agree with his political views.

May the Lord cause him to see the full gravity of his office and the importance of balanced, ego-less decision making. Now that he has successfully organized the vast community called the United States of America, may God give him the good judgment to lean hard on those with brains and guts … and yes, even those who know the living God. The God who is the same yesterday, TODAY and forever, is still doing miracles! Let us watch expectantly. Lord, show us how to pray wisely, in faith, for those who will guide this man so our nation is protected from wicked and corrupt men.

8. Keep in mind how all of this REALLY came about.

Yes, for sure man is masterful at mesmerizing minds; this election proves that to be so. But all of this really isn't about man. It is about the will of God. Why? Because He tells us in Psalm 75:5-7, "Lift not up your horn on high: speak [not with] a stiff neck [pride and arrogance]. For promotion [cometh] neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south [from man]. But God [is] the judge: he puteth down one, and setteth up another." He calls the shots. And He does all things well, even when our feeble minds cannot understand why.

Perhaps it is because our country has drifted so very, very far from Him. Kicking Him out of our schools, our government, our courts and many of our homes and hearts. Perhaps He chose to give us this man and his friends to lead us because He needs to discipline and chasten those He loves. He did this once before in our country, remember? Interest rates were over 20% and our foreign policy was in shambles. But mercifully He only disciplined us for four years in the late 70s with a different man as commander-in-chief. May our "spanking" only last four years this time! Lord, have mercy on us.

9. Pray fervently for those whose very lives are now at even greater risk.

Someone has rightly said that the most dangerous place to live in this country is not in the middle of some gang-infested ghetto, but in a woman's womb. Our new president co-sponsored the “Freedom of Choice Act,” (S.1173) which would make partial-birth abortion legal again, require taxpayer funding of abortion, and invalidate virtually all state and federal limitations on abortion, such as parental notification laws. Obama said this: "I have consistently advocated for reproductive choice and will make preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as president.” Almost 1.3 MILLION precious, innocent little people are robbed of life every single year in this country — that's around 3,000 babies killed every single day.

If someone chose today to take the life of Sarah Palin's little Trig, a baby with Down Syndrome, he would be imprisoned for life or put to death. But if a hired killer was brought in before his birthday on April 18, 2008 to end his life, he would have been paid well to perform "the procedure." Our new president, the Senate and House will now have even more power to choose to continue this slaughter of the unborn innocent. There may not be much hope to change the stance of these "leaders", but let us pray that God will turn many mothers' hearts away from such evil and turn their hearts toward loving and cherishing their babies. Or at least bringing them into this world and giving them a life where they can be loved by others. May God forgive us for causing Him such grief and give us the strength and opportunity to stand for these helpless babies.

10. Pray for God’s people to wake up, unite and rise up together to take a stand for righteousness.

He shows us in Proverbs 24:30-34 a picture of our own nation … and the picture isn't pretty. “I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding. And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it; I looked on it and received instruction: a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.”

How have we been lazy in taking a stand for truth? How have we neglected our own repentance and humility? How have we, as the children of God, let the ways of this world choke off the love and grace of God shining through us? Lord, help us to wake up and redeem the time. Help us to take a stand for Your ways, Your will to be done in our country. And all for Your glory.

"Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

These are just a few ways we can make this happen and bring good out of this historic and frightening time. Ask God to reveal His special wisdom to you about how He wants you to join Him as He works all these things together for good.

A Note About Us

FABC (Foundation for Applied Biblical Counseling) is the non-profit partner ministry of Browning Therapy Group, Inc. working with churches and Christian organizations across the country to bring affordable help and healing to those in the throes of life’s storms.  We provide Christian and secular counseling in a variety of ways to meet the needs and demands of today’s busy lifestyle – in-person, video conferencing, e-mail/online, and telephone counseling.

To contact the author, Dr. Charles Browning, please email or you may call 562-596-2142.


To download a .pdf copy of this article solely for your personal, ministry, or noncommercial use click here.



border

To get the most enjoyment from this site, you may need
to download the following programs:

Real Player Windows Media Player Acrobat Reader
Macromedia Flash iTunes Quicktime
 


Pastors, Missionaries and Their Children Are Under Severe Attack

For detailed stories, click here

Search HisVictory.com
  
bible search engines
About HisVictory.com

Contact HisVictory.com

Help Support the Ministry of HisVictory.com

(pray about it and click here)

Now You Can Get Professional and Confidential Biblical Christian Therapy By Phone

How? See details...

Read God's Word

IMPORTANT FACTS
ABOUT THE BIBLE


READ GOD'S WORD ONLINE

BLUE LETTER BIBLE
A powerful Bible study tool!

 

DEVOTIONAL TREASURES


DOWNLOAD GOD’S WORD

HELPFUL ONLINE COMMENTARIES ON THE WHOLE WORD OF GOD

And that's only the beginning.
There's a whole lot more . . .
You're in for a real treat!


MEDITATION
AND MEMORIZATION

READ LARGE PRINT
AND AUDIO BIBLE


BOOK/ CHAPTER OUTLINES
FOR THE ENTIRE BIBLE (with references)
Listen To God's Word
LISTEN TO THE WORD
OF GOD ONLINE

LISTEN TO THE GOOD NEWS
IN MANY LANGUAGES

DOWNLOAD THE AUDIO
MP3 BIBLE TO YOUR COMPUTER
LEARN THE BIBLE
IN 24 HOURS
Audio survey by Chuck Missler

LISTEN TO THE BIBLE
IN ONE YEAR
Create Your Own Listening Plan

LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE
BOOK OF PSALMS


And that's only the beginning.
There's a whole lot more . . .
You're in for a real treat!


LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE
BOOK OF PROVERBS

LISTEN TO OLD AND
NEW TESTAMENTS

LISTEN TO GIFTED
BIBLE TEACHERS ONLINE
Spending Time With God
PRAYER: THE HOW-TO'S OF TALKING & LISTENING TO YOUR GOD

HOW TO LIVE
THE VICTORIOUS LIFE

WHAT IS VICTORY?
THE LORD'S PRAYER: IN-DEPTH TEACHINGS CAN
CHANGE YOUR PRAYER LIFE!

VIDEO PRAYERS TO ASSIST IN
PRAYER FOR HEALING,
RELATIONSHIPS & MORE

HOW TO GET VICTORY OVER
OUR SECOND-GREATEST
ENEMY - SELF

And that's only the beginning.
There's a whole lot more . . .
You're in for a real treat!


PRAY FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

SPIRITUAL WARFARE:
GETTING VICTORY OVER THE
WORLD, FLESH & THE DEVIL

VICTORY THROUGH
REPENTANCE
Save Room for Dessert
YOUR FATHER'S
LOVE LETTERS TO YOU !
(watch, read or listen)

YOUR FREE CLASSIC
CHRISTIAN BOOKS ONLINE
LIBRARY!

MEDITATE ON THE WORDS,
THEN LISTEN TO THIS WHILE
YOU READ HIS WORD!
THE INTERVIEW
WITH GOD
Discover what He says about you

HOW TO SPEND
THE DAY WITH GOD

AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK...
RENEW YOUR MIND AS
YOU LISTEN TO THIS

And that's only the beginning.
There's a whole lot more . . .
You're in for a real treat!

TO GOD,
YOU ARE SPECIAL

LISTEN, RELAX & MEDITATE
ON TOPICAL INSPIRATIONAL
SCRIPTURES WITH MUSIC

ALL THAT YOU
NEED . . . HE IS!



HisVictory.com ® Copyright © 2006 Foundation for Applied Biblical Counseling. All rights reserved.
a 501(c)3 non-profit organization • 5122 katella ave., suite 305, los alamitos, ca 90720
this web ministry is powered by the Holy Spirit of the Living God and by prayer!