There has been a lot of talk lately about the Great Reset (e.g. resetting the economic and the geopolitical aspects of the world with one group overseeing it; more here). Those of us who are concerned about freedom, religious expression, morality, and a plethora of other topics, are not fans of a Great Reset.
Leading up to January 20th, let’s look below at two possible scenarios regarding the presidency and how they could affect the church. By considering both possible outcomes, I’m not taking away my hope that God will reveal the massive voter fraud that took place. I’m still very hopeful because my hope is in God. (Check out this compelling interview and this document that includes 270 pages of evidence just released by Sidney Powell.)
In either case—Biden or Trump, I believe that something monumental will occur: The church will reset. She needs to; she must. It’s painfully obvious that most churches do not model themselves after the church that Christ commissioned. Often, God must break us down in order to build us up.
A Biden Presidency …
At the time of this article, the election results are being heavily contested. A Biden win will prove that ANTIFA accomplished its goal of instilling fear in citizens, courts, and politicians to not challenge voter fraud. Gone are the days of true patriots such as Nathan Hale, who said, “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”
A Biden presidency will no doubt usher in a great “reset” that leads to greater financial collapse. We are seeing signs of this already. The shutdowns are killing small businesses while major corporations thrive. Although COVID-19 is a real virus, it is being used as a political weapon. America, as we knew it, has been forever changed.
Like in the Old Testament, a Biden presidency may mean that God used foreign enemies to judge America. In the church, a Biden win will divide us even more as the true church is forced to go underground, just like what has happened to the church in China. Although it may take time, it’s inevitable.
Churches with rainbow flags and positive messages will stay open, and may even be sanctioned by the government. Those that compromise God’s Word will become irrelevant social clubs. Lives will not be radically changed in these types of churches because the false prophet is not God’s prophet.
Under Biden, social media will censor the truth—churches that talk about sin, the inerrancy of the Word, Christ as the only way, repentance, and so on will be marginalized and silenced. The government will clamp down on what it deems “hate speech” and will attempt to silence pastors who don’t conform. All of this, however, can be the fuel that sparks a powerful revival ... a powerful reset: That God may grant us a little reviving in our bondage (Ezra 9:8).
A Trump Presidency …
A Trump presidency would mean that God is giving us another season of grace and mercy in order to expose the unfruitful works of darkness. A Trump administration will confront social media giants and other corruption, but it will not come without a heavy price—there will be massive civil unrest and a huge attack from the media and the Left, designed to foster confusion and chaos. This is what many call the “new civil war,” where we are reminded that freedom is never free.
A Trump presidency will also bring division to the church. Christians will be forced to make a decision—will they stay silent about civil unrest, and thus back it? Will they have more in common with ANTIFA than with God’s agenda? Will Christians continue to support ungodly organizations that divide us, or will they denounce them? Will “woke” Christians finally realize that they also need to wake-up? All of this, however, can also be the fuel that sparks a powerful revival: “Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee?” (Psalm 85:6 KJV).
Why Does the Church Need a Great Reset?
In the same way that Jesus warned the lukewarm church in Laodicea, He warns us today: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot ... So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” He concludes, “Do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:15-17).
I believe that the church today in America resembles the Laodicean church more than at any other time in our history. Sadly, conviction is replaced with complacency, and God's glory is often replaced with gimmicks and marketing ploys. Just look at the top sermons viewed on social media today. The preachers are motivational speakers, not voices “crying in the wilderness.” They encourage the Laodicean lifestyle of being lukewarm instead of lovingly challenging it.
In most cases, these pastors only talk about having your best life now, positive emotions, and taking control of your mind. Granted, we need to be encouraged, but if that’s all we talk about, the church will inevitably drift in the lukewarm direction. And this is where the American church finds itself today. Because the lukewarm church disdains the heat of conviction, they will label bold churches as “legalistic, rigid, and arrogant.”
Like many Christians today, the Laodiceans thought that they were in the center of God’s will. The Laodicean church was large, wealthy, and involved in the community. They looked at numbers, but Jesus looked at the heart and said that they were “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” His strong words were meant to convict and challenge, not coddle and comfort. Again, be encouraged: God often breaks us down in order to build us up. One thing is certain, on January 20th we will know what God’s will is and it will separate the wheat from the chaff. This will be the great reset for the church in 2021.
How to Stay the Course
Going forward, our overall spiritual condition will be measured by our prayer life. E.M. Bounds believed that without prayer, “The church becomes a graveyard, not an embattled army.” Prayer must be our priority. I’m not talking about a quick prayer before a meal or a brief closing prayer at the end of a church service. I’m talking about prayer services. I’m talking about focusing as much time on praying as preaching. Jesus often retreated to isolated places for extended times of prayer. How then are we to lead the church, our nation, and our families in these dire times if we do not cultivate a strong prayer life? We can't!
In times of national crisis, we also see the power of prayer and fasting throughout the Bible. Joel 1:14 powerfully declares, “Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly ... and cry out to the Lord.” God’s people had departed from Him. The call was to return through fasting, prayer, and brokenness. It’s time to seek God’s mercy and humble ourselves before Him. We must stop confusing God’s patience with His approval and seek Him like never before. He is our only Hope!
Read more about the power of fasting here. Shane’s books such as If My People, One Nation Above God, HELP! I’m Addicted, and many more are available as free downloads at WCFAV.org, and other links are available at ShaneIdleman.com.
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Christian Headlines.
Photo courtesy: Sarah Noltner/Unsplash
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of CrosswalkHeadlines.
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the WCF Radio Network. More can be found at ShaneIdleman.com, including free downloads of his eBooks. Visit him on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to his new podcast, Idleman Unplugged. You can also follow Pastor Shane on the free speech platform Parler.
