The founding fathers wrote the document with quite a vision for the nation yet John Adams said, “Our constitution was written for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Sure enough, things got pretty ugly for the nation in the mid-1800’s but at Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln provided perspective in reminding people that “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from this earth.”

The devil likes to present a different perspective – We are a people not good enough to govern ourselves. We are imperfect with some ugly things in our past that he likes to stir up; We do not have what it takes as a people to run the nation because we can’t agree on what government is supposed to do for the people. The constitutional boundaries for the scope of government are disregarded; And there is no hope because people individually and as a nation continue to incur debt at a level that is not sustainable. Indebtedness is one of the devil’s best schemes to distract, discourage and destroy. He is essentially saying, “You can’t handle freedom!”

Hear the Lord’s perspective: The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s Children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus the Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. – Romans 8:15-17. Do you hear the devil’s perspective, his schemes being rebuked in this passage? We are good enough as a people – The Spirit has brought about your adoption to sonship, we are God’s children! We do have what it takes - As children of God, we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus the Christ! Each of us have the power of the resurrected Christ and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to do whatever it takes. There is hope – We share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. “And hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us.” (Rom.5:5). God is not through with this one nation under Him yet but He does expect us to step up in the freedom He offers to be a Kingdom Influence where He has us.

Prayer guide: Our Father, hear our prayer. We are burdened with the state of our nation, this one nation founded under You. 
We cry out to You, O Lord, to raise men up that will stand in the gap in Your name to repair broken homes and dysfunctional families, men that will exemplify the discipline needed to raise a godly generation.
We cry out to You, O Lord, to turn the hearts of fathers to You and strengthen marriage as a foundational relationship that points to You and is passed on to the next generation.
We cry out to You, O Lord, for an epiphany among the leadership of our nation at the local, state and national levels, that they would perform their role as servants to You, Lord. And as men of You, we confess the sins of man today, including myself and my father’s house. We pray for strength to do our part to stand in the gap where You have us, to stay under the influence of Your word and live out a personal, passionate and growing relationship with You. 
Boldly and expectantly we lift up this prayer in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

A faithful father keeps a Kingdom perspective and stands against the devil’s schemes.