The words ANOINTED and POLITICIAN hardly sound
compatible, especially to a Nigerian ear, and understandably so. We have heard,
seen and experienced terrible things where politics and politicians are
concerned; from money laundering, rituals, bribery and rigging to blackmail,
kidnapping, murder and extortion. Because of these facts, we have come to a
popular conclusion: politics is a dirty game. As true as this may sound though,
Romans 3:4 affirms “let God be true but every man a liar”. The truth is that our
experiences cannot define or redefine the truth of God’s Word.
Jesus’ instruction was to go “into all the
world and preach the gospel to every CREATURE” (Mark 16:15). A brief study of
Romans 8:19-23 shows that God’s grand plan of redemption is not only for humans
but for the whole CREATION. Literally, God, through the body of Christ (you
&I), is reconciling ALL THINGS to Himself (Colossians 1:18-20 & Romans
8:19-23). That includes human beings, material things, systems and, yes,
governments! 1Corinthians 12:28 talks about some that God has set in the church
(the body of Christ) called “governments”. These are administrators, but their
assignment is not limited to the four walls of any church (local assembly) or
church organisation. The same God who raised people like Joseph, Esther,
Mordecai, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego under the old covenant is
still in the business of raising anointed politicians today.
As sure as there is an anointing for the
five-fold ministry, there is an anointing for politics/governance. Daniel and
Joseph particularly operated in this anointing. This anointing is peculiar,
defined by a number of things. One is FAVOUR. Favour so intense that it made
slaves and prisoners of war to become rulers in foreign lands (Genesis 39:4&21,
Daniel 1:9). It marked Esther, Mordecai and the 3 Hebrew boys too. Another is
WISDOM. Again and again, Daniel and Joseph were recognised as reservoirs of
unusual wisdom (Genesis 41:39, Daniel 1:17, 5:11&14). Thirdly, they both
operated in SPIRITUAL GIFTS like the word of wisdom and word of knowledge.
There were no tongues to interpret but they interpreted dreams!
Two more remarkable things about people who are
truly called into this office: INTEGRITY and a genuine CARE/CONCERN for others.
It’s not so much an anointing as it is a character component. Both Daniel and
Joseph exhibited high-class integrity every time they were tested by men and by
God. Sex, rich food and drink, money, death…..no temptation did they allow to
compromise their integrity. Joseph cared enough for fellow prisoners to notice
that the butler and baker woke up sad. He did something about it. Daniel was
genuinely alarmed that the wise men of Babylon would be massacred. He did
something about it.
When you’re staring down the barrel of a hired
assassin’s gun, as you probably will if you’re a Nigerian politician, favour
and wisdom might not be the solution. Character might not be much succour. In
that moment, remember Daniel in the lion’s den (Daniel 6:22). There’s a strong
angelic detail attached to the anointed politician! If the Median invasion and
the lions could not tear Daniel, Joseph’s brothers could not end him and the
fiery furnace could not consume Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego, how can
bullets, grenades, car bombs and machetes touch you, the Lord’s anointed
politician in the new covenant?
It is time, church, for us to take our place.
The whole creation waits expectantly, groaning! The problems we see today in
Nigeria and other nations are simply groans. The social order is groaning
“where is the church, where are the sons, where is the Lord’s anointed
politician?!” There’s a response from the heavens. God has set in the Church,
men and women of noble character, anointed with unusual favour and wisdom,
empowered with the gifts of the Spirit to take the reins of this country, this
continent, this world. But some are busy doing other things, saying “politics
is dirty”, some are even completely unaware, some are in politics, but they
don’t know their God or they don’t know they’re called, so they’re falling flat
on their faces.
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