We recently returned from a worship rally in Washington DC on 9/11, led by a conservative Christian who ran as a Republican in California.

The event speakers included former President Trump via video communications, a conservative Congressman, and an author who declared that Trump is actually still the elected president.

While preparing for the trip, we had praying friends warn us of what might be in store. One suggested that we do not go because there is likely another 9/11-type attack planned. Still, others warned of Antifa and the current administration only allowing the event as a trap.

In the prayer meetings, we heard some declare that our nation has never been so divided.

We arrived a day early for the two-day event. We felt in prayer that God would have us spend a day praying and walking around the mall in DC. We stayed for the two-day event and then left the following day.

We walked around for three days, talking and praying with many different people, most of whom were not even aware of the event we came for.

There was no attack, there was no counter-protest. When I visited Lincoln’s Memorial, I was in awe of how God used a man to not only end slavery but to amazingly bring back together a nation that had been ripped apart.

I was reminded that during the civil war, more Americans died than in all other wars combined. And there were only about 30 million people here compared to the over 300 million right now. The United States has been graciously preserved, and while there is currently division, it is nowhere near the worst this country has seen.

I can only think of three encounters as being in the form of opposition. The first came from the young man checking us into our hotel near DC. He noticed my Christian t-shirt and went on to explain to me that Jesus was not the only God and that the devil was just as much God as Jesus.

The other two encounters came from Christians at the event, which is far more concerning to me than a nonChristian man with a confusing belief system. The first was a pastor trying to hand me a tract. I knew what it was, but I asked him why he was handing it to me. He was forcefully gesturing like I needed to take it from him, but he hadn’t said a word to me. He finally spoke and told me that it was about eternity. I let him know that I appreciated his offer and that I was already a Christian. He remained professional and calm but continued to talk down to me as if he were about to get a dirty sinner saved.

We exchanged the quoting of scriptures about salvation with one another. But it wasn’t as one brother to another; it was more as if we were trying to one-up each other—as if we were trying to prove who the real Christian was.

He ended up looking at me suspiciously and walking away unsatisfied that I hadn’t accepted his tract, and, I suspect, he was disappointed because he didn’t get to lead me in the sinner’s prayer.

That first preacher never raised his voice and never called me a name. It still felt unfriendly and accusatory, but it was about to get worse—much worse.

A far less professional preacher had a battery-powered speaker strapped to his waist and a mic strapped on his face. He was only about five feet in front of me and there wasn’t a single other person in the area. Still, he felt the need to be amplified and to yell at me. Well, at first, I think he was just yelling to yell or to get his preaching juices flowing. But then, I became the closest target.

He asked if I was saved, and I said “yes” politely. I returned the favor and asked him if he was saved. He blew a gasket, became furious, and then rebuked me and called me names because he was obviously a man of God. This is particularly hilarious because the entire time in DC, I wore obvious Christian t-shirts. It wouldn’t have taken him much discernment to see that I was Christian.

I asked him why he was so angry and why he was yelling at me. He sputtered and tried to preach at me again. I suggested that he give me a hug, which he did. And then, he started to yell/preach at me again about how right he was and how wrong I was. So, I just walked away.

There was a time when I let myself suffer under such spiritual abuse, but not anymore.

There was no opposition from the outside. There was no group coming against us Christians who had assembled on the national mall to worship. Because of this, my attention was more on the division within his people than the possible attackers from the outside. And I was reminded of scripture and a famous Abraham Lincoln quote about a house divided not being able to stand.

I have close friends in full-time ministry whom I am convinced love the Lord with all their hearts and are registered Democrats, and, on the other hand, I have more friends who are registered Republicans. To be transparent, I am not beholden to any particular political party.

The more I pray and spend time with Jesus, the more I hear Holy Spirit whisper to me and read the Bible, the more I respond to Father God’s leading… the more convinced that I become that my ambassadorship is about being a citizen of heaven. I’m not sure how to express the transformation that is taking place in my heart, but I no longer feel the urgent need to promote a specific type of government such as democracy or urgently promote a specific type of economic structure such as capitalism. Let me be clear, I am not against either.
But at my core I’m starting to truly believe that right here and now while I’m living and on the earth that the only form of government that my identity really comes from is a Monarchy. That there is a government where a King reigns that far exceeds the glory of any democratically run government. No matter how many votes He does or doesn’t get, His reign never diminishes.

The same is true of capitalism. The right to personal ownership of property and the pursuit of profit has nothing on His economy where I am merely a steward owning nothing, it is all His, and where I am invited to be unconcerned about pursuing profit because He already owns it all.

I am not against the US, democracy or capitalism, but it is no longer where my identity comes from. My confidence is in my citizenship in heaven, not my citizenship here on earth. My goal is to replicate heaven, I’m no longer satisfied with just trying to replicate the US. I long to see more of His government and economy here on earth.

I have very close friends that we’ve done ministry with whose faith was crushed when the politician that they had put all their faith in was not put in office. They were convinced that the US and the world could ONLY see revival if this one person got reelected. Our faith needn’t be so fragile. God is still on the throne, He is still reigning and His economy is still intact. Our identity will only stand if it is rightly founded on nothing less than Him.

I love my country and I’m excited to see God’s Kingdom here. It will come through His people united in an identity that is confident in His government and His provision. And it will happen wherever His people are from Afghanistan to Brazil regardless of whether or not U.S. Democrat and/or Republican parties are involved. (I pray that each of these parties and all other political groups come ever closer to fully surrendering to Him and I greatly appreciate it when God may have let any of these parties play a part in what He is doing.)