American voters are facing an extremely difficult and important decision. Clifford Hill comments on how they might discern God's will - and how we can support them.

All my American friends are saying the same thing – who do we vote for? Never in the history of the USA has it been so difficult to make a choice – both candidates are seriously flawed. Voters feel they are between a rock and a hard place, or between the devil and the deep blue sea. Many committed Christians I've spoken to say they are not going to vote at all because both Clinton and Trump are so awful!

Allegations of Corruption

The US press has been full of negative accounts about both presidential candidates. Hillary Clinton has been accused of misusing her personal email account for state business when she held high office in the Obama administration. She has also been accused of being involved, together with her husband, in a huge amount of personal corruption in which they have made vast fortunes.

Trump has been accused of refusing to reveal his tax returns which allegedly show that he has hired clever accountants to hide his vast income successfully, meaning that he has paid relatively little in tax. So both candidates are mired in allegations of corruption.

Both candidates are mired in allegations of corruption.

Politically Disturbing

On the political front, Trump has a history of discrimination against African-Americans in renting his property and in employment in his enterprises. He also has made many statements in his speeches indicating prejudice against non-Americans and a xenophobic attitude, such as his declaration that he will build a wall to prevent Mexicans entering the USA illegally, and his promise to ban Muslim immigrants.

Preparations are underway for the second presidential debate, to be held this Sunday in St Louis. See Photo Credits.Hillary Clinton is highly distrusted by conservative voters because of her strong liberal views on abortion and same-sex marriage, as well as her support for the LGBT campaign to allow public toilets to be used by either gender (including the extending of this into state schools, which will allow boys to use the girls' toilets). She is also known to support a wide range of measures that discriminate against Christians who take a stand upon biblical principles.

Voter Indecision

It is these issues of personal corruption and unpopular political measures surrounding both candidates (and many other concerns beside) that are causing such anxiety and uncertainty among voters. Polls currently show Clinton having a small lead over Trump, although some polls show them to be level. But most significantly, recent polls also indicate that as many as 12% are presently still undecided,¹ due to the unpopularity of both candidates. Many of these may not cast their votes at all.

But voter apathy could spell disaster for America. If electors are so alienated by the choice of politicians being offered to the public by the two main parties, voter turnout will be low. This not only undermines the whole process of democracy; it also has a negative impact upon the spiritual life of the nation. That may sound a strange thing to say, but it is based upon a major spiritual principle – the sovereignty of God.

Voter apathy and indecision could spell disaster for America.

God's Sovereignty

Most Christians don't really understand the 'sovereignty of God' because very little is taught about it in our churches and we don't really like verses in the Bible that speak about it. Take a look at two key verses:

Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth. (Ps 46:8)

I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. (Isa 45:7)

Does God really create disaster? Surely not! Isn't he a God of love? So why does the Bible tell us that God creates disaster?

Justice as well as love is part of the nature of God, which the prophets of Israel recognised. But they also knew that God held the nations in his hands 'as a drop in a bucket', which was Isaiah's description (Isa 40:15). Isaiah said that God "brings princes to nought and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing" (Isa 40:23). In other words, God is completely in control – everything that happens, he either allows or initiates.

Our Acknowledgement Aside!

The same is true of our individual lives, even if we don't acknowledge his sovereignty. Cyrus, the Persian ruler, had no knowledge of God but God used him to overthrow the Babylonian Empire and allow the captive Jews to go back to the land of Israel to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. God actually called Cyrus his 'anointed one'! He said "I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honour, though you do not acknowledge me" (Isa 45:4).

Understanding the 'sovereignty of God' is of immense importance if we are to know what God is doing today and if we wish to pray with wisdom about what's happening, not only in our individual lives but also in our nation. Understanding God's purposes and how he is working out those purposes in the contemporary world situation is of great importance.

God is completely in control – everything that happens, he either allows or initiates.

Asking for God's Guidance

Prayer changes things. And when many Christians combine to pray about what's happening, they can actually influence the course of history. This has happened recently in Britain on two occasions: the Scottish Referendum, where a huge amount of prayer called upon the Lord to save the British Union; and the June Referendum on our membership of the European Union, which was preceded by prolonged prayer both by individuals and by a large number of gatherings of Christians. They called upon the Lord to guide the nation to the right decision.

Even some politicians who wanted Britain to remain in the European Union, such as our new Prime Minister Theresa May, are now recognising that a new dawn is opening up before the nation, that could lead to a time of unprecedented prosperity and blessing. But this will only occur if we truly seek the ways of righteousness and truth.
The same could happen in America if the American people surround the nation in prayer so that God can work out his purposes.

Praying Wisely

God can work out his purposes one way or another; even if he has to allow what appears to be a disaster. God often has to use disasters in our personal lives or in the life of a nation in order to bless us – to turn us from the wrong path, to change our hearts or to give us a deeper experience of his grace!

This is why it is so important for Christians to pray in the right way – asking the Lord to guide them in placing their vote – not according to party allegiance or personal prejudice. The right prayer is to ask the Lord that his will be done. Then, whatever the outcome, God will work out his purposes for good, and not for evil.

When many Christians combine to pray, they can change the course of history.

Whatever happens in America affects the rest of the world, especially Britain with its historic ties. We urge our readers to pray for America: pray that God will guide America's believing Christians who feel alienated from both candidates and show them how to use their vote.

References

1 Stokes, C. EXCLUSIVE POLL: Democrat Hillary Clinton opens up double-digit Michigan lead on GOP's Donald Trump. WXYZ Detroit, 6 October 2016.

Cracks in the EU, revolution in Turkey and racial tension in the USA - Clifford Hill looks at what the word of God says about these times.

It is often said among clergy that the most popular song requested for funeral services is Frank Sinatra's 'I did it my way'. The song describes various incidents in life and boasts "I faced it all and I stood tall: and I did it my way".

I think I would be really scared to go to my grave boasting that throughout my life I have done everything my way, but clearly this song strikes a chord with very many people as it epitomises the spirit of the age.

Maybe this is why so many people voted for Brexit – not because they were expressing a desire to be free from secular humanist rules and regulations from Brussels, but because they saw this as a chance to register a protest against all those in authority. It is the desire to be free – to do what we want, to be in charge of our own lives – that's what most people want, not just in Britain, but all over the world. It's very much in evidence in Europe.

Leaving the EU

Britain's decision to leave the European Union has inspired populist movements throughout the Continent. Political parties in no fewer than 18 Eurozone nations are demanding a referendum to decide whether they also can leave the European Union. Austria's highest court has ruled that the recent presidential election must be re-run due to voting irregularities. The Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer only lost by a handful of votes and is very likely to win the re-run. He has declared that one of the first things he will do is to hold an 'in/out' referendum on the EU. There are similar demands from populist parties in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, and even in Germany.

There is a rising tide of nationalism in Europe

Of course, European leaders are watching these developments with alarm knowing that their Empire building plans for a 'super-state' are being challenged by a rising tide of nationalism in most of the member countries. In Britain political leaders are trying hard to hold things together against a tide of dissent. Conservative Party leaders are closing ranks despite the disappointment of losing the referendum, while the Labour Party is tearing itself apart on a wave of rank and file rebellion against the intellectual idealists who have run the Party for decades.

Trump and ClintonMary Altaffer & Chuck Benton/AP/Press Association Images

But it's not just Europe that is going through a period of increasing instability. The same spirit of rebellion against authority propelled Donald Trump to the top to the disgust and horror of traditional Republicans. But his opponent, Hillary Clinton, is also seen as part of the hated establishment who have run America for many years - so the outcome of the forthcoming Presidential election is by no means certain.

America is teetering on the brink of what the New York Post described as "Civil War", with racial tensions between African-Americans and the white population the highest they have been for 50 years – since the days of the protest movement led by Dr Martin Luther King.

Trump's speech appealed to the angry and the frustrated.

Trump's speech accepting the Presidential nomination was deliberately targeted to appeal to the angry and the frustrated. This indicates that a highly dangerous and toxic campaign lies ahead at a time when community relationships in the USA are at an all-time low due to the number of gun crime incidents – not just the shooting of young black men by the police but multiple murders of innocent people by gunmen using sophisticated weapons that are freely available in the USA. The need for a statesman of exceptional ability to lead the nation has never been greater in America. Yet most unbiased observers can only view the future with anxiety or even alarm for the future of the world in a highly unstable period of history.

Spirit of Rebellion

It was the spirit of rebellion that triggered the Arab Spring and still drives the Civil War in Syria and the tribal war in Iraq. The same spirit of rebellion can be seen in many other parts of the world, the latest being Turkey with its failed coup that is being used by President Erdogan to subdue all resistance to his becoming a national dictator. 50,000 people are said to have been arrested – not merely members of the military who staged the coup – but judges and teachers and journalists and civil servants – anyone suspected of being a hindrance to the absolute power of the President.

By declaring a state of emergency Erdogan already has the power to rule by decree without being subject to Parliament. So democracy, which he claimed to be defending, by calling the people out onto the streets, is now virtually dead in Turkey. The implications of this are unknown for the European Union who have been relying upon Turkey to stem the tidal wave of migration from the Middle East.

So where does God come into all this?

The Word of God

So where does God come into all this? Does the Bible give us any understanding of what is happening today and how we should be praying? Psalm 2 comes directly to the point. It says that the spirit of rebellion among the nations is not just against earthly rulers, it is against God – because he is perceived as the ultimate authority. "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. 'Let us break their chains', they say, and throw off their fetters...."

In the New Testament, Paul's letter to Timothy describes what we're seeing in many parts of the world today. He says "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents.... brutal... Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power... In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Tim 3:1-5, 3:12-13). Jesus strongly warned about deception, "Watch out that no one deceives you" (Matt 24:4).

Anarchists' Activity

That warning is particularly significant this week because there is a lot of activity among New Agers and occultists as well as anarchists who want to show their defiance of convention. There is the big 'Tomorrowland' heavy-metal festival at Boon in Belgium, a meeting of Satanists in California and the Gay Pride March through the streets of Jerusalem this weekend.

Of course we should not be fearful of these things! We know there are plenty of people who love to dabble in the occult simply to demonstrate their rejection of faith in God, which was no doubt the motive behind the Satanists' ritual at the opening of the Gotthard Tunnel between Switzerland and Italy last month.¹

As Christians we have to be realists and recognise what is happening in the world around us but remember that "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). And the solemn promise of God is "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isa 41:10).

References

1 Hill, C. D-Day for Europe. Prophecy Today, 10 June 2016.