As followers of Jesus, we must navigate two extremes in our approach to cultural transformation. One is an overemphasis on the spiritual realm—relying solely on prayer, fasting, and preaching the Gospel while neglecting practical actions. The other is focusing entirely on practical, “earthly” tasks—such as feeding the poor, voting, engaging in school systems, and becoming effective social media influencers—while neglecting the spiritual dimensions of our calling. Both extremes limit our effectiveness: neglecting practical action handicaps our efforts, while ignoring spiritual aspects undermines them entirely.
Our work must be rooted in spiritual foundations, using spiritual (and therefore supernatural) tools to effect change. Our distinctiveness lies in our genuine, spiritual relationship with God. Every action we take must flow from this Spirit-first approach. Maintaining this balance is crucial for achieving meaningful and radical change.
Jesus’ words underscore the folly of relying on human strength for God’s work: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:1–8, ESV).
We should meditate on these words regularly. They remain relevant and impactful throughout our lives.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians offers a poignant question: “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3, CJB). If God’s Spirit ignites a powerful revival, why would we think we can achieve its goals through mere human effort?
Paul also writes: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:10–12, NIV). The Living Bible paraphrases this as: “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.”
Do we truly grasp this? Are we aware that our struggle is not against individuals but against demonic forces? Our battle is not merely against political agendas but against Satanic plans. The devil despises every human being and seeks to destroy them. Yet, Jesus shed His blood for those very people—those whose actions might frustrate us. Our spiritual perspective should align with this truth.
Paul further writes: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5, NIV).
The Message paraphrases this: “We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.” J.B. Phillips expands this concept: “Although we live as human beings, our battle is on a spiritual level. The weapons we use are not human but divine, intended to destroy the enemy’s strongholds. Our fight is to bring down every deceptive fantasy and every imposing defense against the true knowledge of God, capturing every thought until it acknowledges Christ’s authority.”
May we never forget that “the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level.” With this understanding, we confront culture with unwavering truth, address relevant moral issues, and cast our votes with conviction.