Does God Pick Politicians?

Five years ago during a prayer meeting at a church in West Fargo, North Dakota, I was praying for the 2012 presidential election and specifically asked for God’s choice to be elected. Michele Bachmann’s name came up in my mind but I didn’t immediately speak that out. Seconds later, the prayer group leader started praying for the congresswoman from Minnesota.

A few days after that I posted a comment about this on Michele Bachmann’s Facebook page. Unfortunately, that triggered mostly negative responses. One person argued that God doesn’t choose politicians…people do. It’s true in a democracy, the candidate with the most votes gets elected. Nevertheless, God does anoint selected individuals for positions of authority such as King David in 1 Samuel 16:12.  

One might question if I really heard from God regarding Michele Bachmann becoming president since she dropped out of the race months later. Regardless, if more God-fearing people sought the Lord before going to the polls, we would see more politicians with integrity in office. One friend of mine told me she voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 election unaware of his policies contrary to Scripture. She later regretted voting for him. 

People’s prayers can also have an impact on incumbent government leaders. In his book “Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting”, the late Derek Prince wrote how he heard that Joseph Stalin was planning to purge all the Jews in the former Soviet Union. Derek fasted and prayed for the Russian Jews. Two weeks later Stalin died from a cerebral hemorrhage and the plan was called off. Prayer and fasting saved the lives of numerous Jews who had been marked for death by a dictator already responsible for millions of deaths. Daniel 2:21 says, “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings.”

Many Gallup polls show a majority of Americans still consider themselves Christian. Yet in recent years, just over half of eligible voters show up to cast their ballots. As historian David Barton points out, “Godly candidates are most often defeated not by activists and radicals, but by inactive Christians!” Believers must do their part by going out to vote and selecting the right candidates if the United States is to fulfill her divine destiny. I pray that happens this Tuesday.

“You shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.” - Deuteronomy 17:15

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