Is it possible to influence an evil king for the Kingdom of God? This is an important question, and how we answer may influence us in relation to government. We can limit who we believe we can influence in relation to whether we believe someone in authority is good or evil. It also reveals to what degree we believe God is sovereign.
   Back to our question: the short answer is absolutely, yes! King Nebuchadnezzar serves as an example. Moreover, it reveals how sovereign God is in relation to those in authority. We’re going to jump into Daniel chapter four for starters. Keep in mind that this chapter was written by Nebuchadnezzar himself, or at least recorded in his words.
   In part two, we learned that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which served as warning to him. Basically it said if he did not repent he would be thrust out of his seat of authority, go live with the beasts of the field, and basically lose his mind. Daniel implored the king to repent, so that it would be a lengthening of his tranquility. So, what was the outcome? Did he repent?
   Daniel 4:29-33 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spoke and said, Is this not great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?  
   While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from Heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken. The kingdom has departed from you. And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will.
   The same hour the thing was fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
   Lesson number one: God is sovereign! He can place someone in office, or remove him at will. Lesson number two: His Word is true and absolute. Nebuchadnezzar was basically given a year to repent, but instead of repenting, he became prideful, which was his undoing.

Lesson number three: if one doesn’t humble himself, God will. Understand, there is a timeframe in which He gives people time to repent. We don’t necessarily know the length of it, but we do know a time most assuredly will come. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess He is Lord of all (see Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:11).
   Proverbs 16:18  Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
   Daniel 4:34  And at the end of days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him who lives forever, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His rule is from generation to generation (Read verses 34-37).
   At the end of the appointed time, the king’s understanding returned to him, and the Lord restored his kingdom to him. At which point Nebuchadnezzar likewise bowed before Him and confessed He is Lord.
   Daniel 4:37  Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth and His ways judgment. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.
Lesson number four: we have to trust God, regardless of who is in power. We don’t have to lose our mind if someone with whom we totally disagree winds up in office. God is more than able to move in him or her. As we learned from Daniel chapter three, He is able change policies regardless of who is in authority.

As Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who . . . has changed the king’s words” (Daniel 3:28).

   Church Interaction With Government Requires Repentance

   This principle cannot be overstated! Like it or not, change has to start with us. We cannot affect change when we are in need of repentance. That is one thing Daniel recognized. He knew the reason why Israel was decimated by Nebuchadnezzar and came under bondage to Babylon and the nations that followed. The fault did not rest on Nebuchadnezzar, he was the instrument God used in judging the nation. The fault fell squarely on the shoulders of Israel.
   After the Chaldeans (Babylon) rule, the Medes took their place. So we pick up with Daniel during Darius’s reign.
   Daniel 9:3-6 And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

And I prayed to Jehovah my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and mercy to those who love Him, and to those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Your commandments and from Your judgments.

Neither have we listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our rulers, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
   Can we as the Church honestly say we are in unity with Holy Spirit in the bond of peace, and there is no division, jealously and envy? Do we love one another in the way God intended? Would you say, we need to repent in the area of love? Let’s make it simple: no love, no influence!
Each of us as individuals need to get honest before Him. If there are areas we need to deal with, will we do it?
   1 Peter 4:17  For the time has come for the judgment to begin from the house of God. And if it first begins from us, what will be the end of those disobeying the gospel of God?

   Church Interaction With Government Requires Patience

   When we read about historical events, it is easy to think of them as short periods of time. In many cases, it’s quite the opposite. What may seem to have taken days and weeks, actually happened over many years. Such is the case with Daniel.
   Daniel 9:2  In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood the number of the years by books, which came of the Word of Jehovah to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
   Daniel served under a number of kings, over a long span of time before we come to this verse, which revealed there would be a 70 year span of time involved. Here’s a simple lesson to extract: influence requires patience. Things take time. That’s not to say everything has to be lengthy, you know, like 70 years. In a sense, we’re in an endurance race.

We need both patience with people and longsuffering in our wait for things to change. If you want long lasting influence, think long-haul! Don’t throw in the towel when things don’t happen quickly or the way you want.
The end analysis is simple:  if we as the Church submit to Holy Spirit, we will accomplish great things together. Let love prevail!
   Daniel 11:32 . . . But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

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   In order to properly interact with government, it’s important to keep a Kingdom mindset. Let’s revisit The Great Commission. Have you ever considered the scope of that calling? It’s probably easer to think in terms of influencing individuals versus whole nations, and yet that latter is the call. What did Jesus say?
   Matthew 28:19-20 Go you therefore, and teach all nations (make disciples of all nations), baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
   Clearly, one way we influence nations is through one-on-one relationships. By now, we’re all very much aware of the ripple effect and how 12 Apostles who were empowered by Holy Spirit, impacted the world. And that was without social media.

   Realms of Influence

   There are different realms of influence. Some like to call them mountains, realms of authority and so on. Here are some examples: the Church and market place, the military and entertainment industry, education, and yes, government.  That means one component to discipling nations is in direct association with government, which includes holding actual positions at whatever level the Lord would lead.
   1 Corinthians 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.
   The Lord has a place for everyone, which answers the question: “Why would anyone want to get into politics?” It’s a calling. For some, it means holding an office, or at least serving others in those positions. They have a more direct role in shaping policy. And yet, because every disciple of Jesus has authority, each one may also contribute to shaping policy simply by praying. Jesus made us kings and priests (see Revelation 1:5-6; 5:10; 20:6), and whatever area of influence you have is a place of authority.

   Interaction With Government Requires Faith

   Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
  Finding our proper place requires faith, which means it is paramount to listen to what God has to say. Moreover, He has endowed each of us with certain gifts to enable us to fulfill our mission.
   2 Peter 4:7-11 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to Whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
   The governing principle of said gifts is love. Without it, we’ll never properly influence. Not to mention, we would be more apt to be offended by others who may say or do things inappropriately. Which also means we could be more reactionary than responsive.
   Here are some questions to ask ourselves before interacting with anyone, let alone with those in authority. Will this glorify God? Will it please Him? Is this His will and what is He really saying? For example, when confronted with a situation that demands some sort of action, He may simply have you pray. On the other hand, He may have you become more involved by speaking directly to an individual. And if that is the case, what specifically would He have you say?
   For those who use social media: beware! Before becoming a “keyboard warrior,” stop and seek God’s wisdom before sending your thoughts into cyber space. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and start asserting one’s opinions. At a minimum, would it be a good idea to ask yourself, is this going to benefit the Kingdom? What if you were to slow things way down, and ask the Lord what He would have you do? It could at least help you from having to dislodge your foot from your mouth later. This leads to our next point.

   Proper Interaction Requires Holy Spirit

   Matthew 10:18-20 And you shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak. For it is not you who speaks, but the Spirit of your Father Who speaks in you (see also John 16:13; Acts 1:8).
   This is great news! We don’t have to do this on our own. The more submitted we are to Holy Spirit, the more influence we have. Correct solutions are much easier to come by. Coupled with the Fruit of the Spirit, we have been empowered to properly interact with others. For instance, when His peace is active in you, you are able to speak and act peaceably; and yet, without compromise.
   Likewise, Holy Spirit will convey the Lord’s desires, which enable you to take appropriate measures that are pleasing to Him. It may not necessarily please those around you, but you’ll still have the right answers and best solutions. Anytime you do things His way, you do them in the way that is right in His eyes.

   Proper Interaction Requires No Compromise

   God’s Word should be so ingrained in us that compromise is never a consideration. His Word trains our senses to discern good and evil (see Hebrews 5:14), while the Lord is able to keep us from falling (see Jude 1:24). Read about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel chapter three. It gives the account of how these three refused to compromise by bowing down to king Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, even when facing a fiery furnace.
   God rewarded their faithfulness. He not only protected them from harm, His favor went before them and in turn, they were promoted. That’s an important lesson: God honors obedience. When tempted to compromise His Word because things get uncomfortable, remember these three and double down! God’s rewards far outweigh the trials.
   As stated earlier, we don’t have to do it alone. As we submit to Holy Spirit, He enables us to stay the course. He is our Ability. Patience and longsuffering are vital to influencing nations, and we’ll talk more about that next time.

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Introduction

There is an important stipulation which should be made before going further: this blog series is not saying we should never confront or engage with government. There are times when the Church must confront such things as unjust policies or laws, and corruption in the government. Notwithstanding, the bigger question is how do we engage? There’s a right way and a wrong way to do that.
Again, it comes down to this question: do we want to do it God’s way, or lean on our own understanding and use carnality? How should the Church interact with Government? Let’s see what we can learn from Daniel

   Daniel Was First Faithful to God

In our introduction to Daniel, the first thing we discover is he was first faithful to God above all. In the first chapter of Daniel, we’re told king Nebuchadnezzar would bring into his palace, those of Israel who were considered exceptional. The king assigned them a diet that consisted of a daily portion of his food, which was part of their three-year preparation to stand before him. What was Daniel’s response?
   Daniel 1:8-9 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
Daniel determined to follow the Law of Moses, or the Word of God. Of course, his request to forgo the king’s diet could possibly put everyone in jeopardy who took part in his proposal. Even though the prince of the eunuchs was reluctant, he allowed Daniel along with Hananiah(Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azariah (Abednego) to only eat pulse (vegetables) and drink only water for 10 days. If they fared better, they would be allowed to continue with their own diet; otherwise, they would have had to eat the king’s diet (see Daniel 1:1-21).
   Daniel 1:17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
By default, as children of God we have favor, but the Lord does reward obedience. That means God will open doors that may not normally be opened when we’re less inclined to submit to His Word.

   Daniel Sought the King’s Welfare

   In part one, we found that God had instructed the children of Israel to seek the peace of Babylon in prayer, even though they were their enemy. Now we have an example of not only obedience to authority, but to what degree Daniel would go to benefit that authority. As we read Daniel chapter four, which was in the words of king Nebuchadnezzar, we see an extraordinary example.
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him, and he could not find the interpretation, so he called on the prophet, Daniel to find it. Be sure to read the chapter, but the short of it is that it revealed Nebuchadnezzar would be driven out of his kingdom and live with the beasts of the field for seven periods of time. He would eat grass like an ox and basically lose his mind. What affect did this dream have on Daniel?
   Daniel 4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied (dazed, bewildered or astonished) for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
   It troubled him so much, he was reluctant to tell the king, but not out of fear.
   Daniel 4:27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
Daniel sought the king’s repentance for his sake. Look at the end of the verse: “If it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. He sought Nebuchadnezzar’s peace. Stop a moment and think about this: this was a wicked king who was responsible the thousands of deaths of Daniel’s fellow citizens. More than likely, that included members of his family. Not to mention the enslavement of the remnant of those who survived the sword, starvation and pestilence.
   He could have said, “Yes! I hope he gets everything he has coming. I hope he suffers and fries.” Daniel could have merely gave the interpretation, and kept silent afterward. His boldness with Nebuchadnezzar reveals his reluctance was not fear-based, but that of compassion.
   When those in authority are diametrically opposed to our own values, we cannot allow a political spirit to overtake us. That spirit is carnal and demonic. It causes division and seeks destruction; not repentance and reconciliation. It does not pursue the welfare of others; in fact, it loves to move down the aisle hand in hand with self-righteousness. Yep, that means judgmentalism would spew all over the place, if it were given room to operate in us.
   “They’ll be held accountable for that!” Have you ever heard that phrase? Maybe something more direct: “You’ll be held accountable for that!” Do these reveal a heart that desires repentance, so someone can turn to God? It’s about the equivalent of, “I hope they fry!” Let’s be clear: we’re all going to give an account for our life. To be sure, as believers, we’ve been saved from the wrath to come; but, we’re still going to stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
   Romans 14:10-13 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.  
   Our attitude and way we interact with others, can be a stumblingblock. Anytime we behave contrary to the nature of Christ, we fail to further the Kingdom of God. “If that’s what it means to be a Christian, count me out!” Remember, sometimes we are the only Bible people read!
   Finally, If you want to what’s best for the Body of Christ, and the nation in which you live, then it’s important to interact with those in authority in a way that actually influences them towards the Cause of Christ. We will go in greater detail in doing that in the next blog. We’ll also follow up on king Nebuchadnezzar.

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