Jesus Christ did not go to the cross so His people could spend their lives warming the bench. He liberated us. He restored authority. And now He is calling us to stand, believe His Word, and put that faith into action.
We praise Him because He alone is worthy. Not politicians. Not institutions. Not the people who promise to solve everything if we will simply trust them. Our confidence belongs to the living God.
But confidence in God is not an excuse for passivity. If we believe He has filled us with His Spirit, then it is time to live like it.
The day of merely learning about spiritual authority must become the day of exercising it.
Holy Spirit, We Need You
Holy Spirit, You are not merely welcome here. You are needed here.
That is where this begins. We cannot manufacture spiritual strength through personality, volume, or determination. We need the power of God working within us.
And His presence is not confined by geography or technology. Whether we gather in one room or pray together across nations, we depend upon the same Holy Spirit.
You may think you are too young. You may believe your strongest years are behind you. But God is not measuring your height, your age, or your public influence. He is calling you to recognize what He has placed inside you.
David Did Not Need Saul's Armor
David faced a giant without pretending to be somebody else. He did not need Saul's armor. He remembered the God who had delivered him when he faced the lion and the bear.
His confidence was not in his stature. His confidence was in God's faithfulness.
Gideon needed that same change of perspective. He saw himself as insignificant, hiding while threshing grain in a winepress. God addressed him as a mighty man of valor and called him into a task far larger than his own strength.
Then God reduced his army. Deliverance would not rest upon impressive numbers.
A small gathering of believers should not despise its size. The question is not whether we look powerful. The question is whether we will trust God and respond.
Speak to the Mountain, Not Against Flesh and Blood
When the disciples marveled at the withered fig tree, Jesus directed them toward faith in God. His teaching about speaking to a mountain confronts our habit of treating obstacles as permanent.
Do we believe Him? Then our response must move beyond agreement in our minds.
Open your mouth and pray. Call forth righteousness. Ask for justice. Bring your family, community, province, state, and nation before the Lord.
But understand the nature of this battle: we are not wrestling against flesh and blood. This is not a call to harm political leaders or anyone else. It is a call to spiritual warfare through prayer, repentance, and faith.
Daniel's experience reminds us that prayer can be heard before the answer becomes visible. Opposition is not a reason to quit. Keep praying.
Mustard Seed Faith Is Meant to Grow
The mustard seed is not an invitation to remain small forever. It is a picture of something small growing into something substantial.
Your faith grows as you use it:
- Read God's Word and receive what He says.
- Act upon what you have received.
- Recognize His faithfulness as you obey.
- Let that strengthen your confidence for the next step.
You do not have to understand everything before you begin. Start with what God has already made clear.
You can read a biography and know about a person. You come to know that person through relationship. Likewise, knowing about authority is not the same as becoming familiar with exercising it.
Proverbs 14: Put Faith to Work
Proverbs 14 brings this challenge into everyday life. Verse 23 contrasts productive work with empty talk. That lands right beside the reminder that faith without works is dead.
We can discuss faith for years without taking a single step. At some point, we must do what Jesus taught.
I know what weariness feels like. After years of daily ministry, there are mornings when I must bring my exhaustion honestly before the Lord. I need Him to supply the strength and the words. Dependence upon Him is essential.
But weariness does not change the invitation to obey.
We cannot earn salvation or grace. Obedience is our response to what God has given us, not a purchase price for His love.
And prosperity is not merely money. We seek health and growth spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and materially. We want lives that bear fruit.
Proverbs 14 also calls us to discernment, truthful speech, care for the poor, and reverence for God. National righteousness cannot be separated from those responsibilities.
Renounce Fear and Put On God's Armor
The fear of the Lord is reverence, not terror. It means taking His Word seriously enough to trust Him when other fears demand our agreement.
If fear of lack has governed your thinking, bring that before Him. Renounce your agreement with it. Ask forgiveness for unbelief and help to walk in trust.
Then take up the armor God provides:
- The helmet of salvation: Remember whose you are and bring your thoughts into obedience to Christ.
- The breastplate of righteousness: Stand in what Jesus has done for you.
- The shield of faith: Resist the enemy's attacks with confidence in God.
- The sword of the Spirit: Speak and apply God's Word.
- The shoes of peace: Stand ready in His peace rather than yielding to chaos.
- The belt of truth: Hold firmly to what God has said.
Pray Together for Righteousness and Justice
This call must become participation. One person should not do all the praying while everyone else remains silent.
Divide the fifty American states among several people. Pray for Washington, D.C., too. Do the same for Canada's provinces and territories. Name these places before God and pray for their leaders, courts, schools, churches, and families.
Ask for wisdom in elections, peace in communities, protection for the vulnerable, and leaders who pursue righteousness. Pray against deception, racism, hatred, and lawlessness. Seek revival and encounters with Jesus Christ.
A simple declaration gives us somewhere to begin:
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we call forth righteousness and justice over our land. Establish the foundations of Your throne among us. Forgive our complacency, guide our leaders, remove corrupt and evil kings and raise up righteous leaders; strengthen our families, and heal our nation.
We do this by faith, not by feeling. A powerful experience may encourage us, but our confidence rests in God.
Start where you are. Speak sincerely. Pray in unity. Take the next step of obedience. We have learned about authority. Now let us walk in it.
Blessings,
Howard Olsen
---------------------------
Join Our Community: The Apostolic Hub https://community.howardolsen.org/invitation?code=ED34FF#landing-page
This Ministry Only Continues If Those Who Are Fed By It, Feed It. If we've encouraged you, instructed you, or otherwise helped you, help keep us going with a tithe, offering or gift and God will Bless your seed. Your giving enables us to to continue strengthening YOU and advance the Kingdom. Gifts and donations in various forms forms can be made at: https://decreeforcanada.com/p/gift/
Join Us On Zoom: We go live everyday at 7:45 AM PST - Links at DecreeForCanada.com
Recordings of Live Meetings on Rumble: Links at DecreeForCanada.com
Read Our Blog: Links at DecreeForCanada.com