The church can make a real difference for America today in our war with Islamic radicals, if we understand and follow Jesus the Judge.  The prevailing ministry mentality shaping most congregations comes from  Matthew 5:38-45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’   But I tell you not to resist an evil person.  But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.  And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.  Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.  You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

The same Jesus who said, “bless those who curse you…”  governing societal interaction also said in Mark 11 to a hapless fig tree, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”  Jesus said it intentionally as an example of what He was about to do in the temple.  He gave the Twelve a visual example of how God would honor Spiritual Judicial Authority when released.

Mark 11:20-21 state, “Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering said to Him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.’”  We need to understand that the same Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount who tells us to turn the other cheek and pray for those who mistreat us in a social setting, in order that we might win them, also says, in a governmental setting, that we can speak the judgment of God and dry up the life of those who are defiling, destroying and hindering God’s purpose.  Jesus cursed the fig tree and it died.  In response to Peter’s proclamation of a dead tree,  and the condition of the temple, Matthew 21:21-22 states, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,” it will be done.  And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Jesus said we could dry up fig trees if we had faith and did not doubt.  Was He talking only about fig trees?  Jesus exhibited and taught Spiritual Judicial Authority.  There is no excuse for allowing demonized Islamic radicals to destroy and hinder God’s purpose.  “Turn the other cheek” has its place but so does cursing fig trees.  Jesus taught Spiritual Judicial Authority.  What are we going to do with this authority?  Let there be no mistake, Jesus is both Savior and Judge.  But the church is so lopsided on the salvation part we have not entered our judicial authority.  As a result we are faced with demonized leaders of nations threatening to build nuclear weapons and destroy a nation promised in Romans 11 as a harvest.  Isn’t it time we took our judicial authority, put the word of the Lord on our lips and declared these individuals wither away?  No Christian will lift a finger against them in the natural but the word of the Lord in our mouth uttered in covenantal judicial authority will bring the power of God on that individual to end their threats.

This is God’s business and He looks for a people to obey Him.  The word is near us, even in our mouth and in our heart.  It is time to take the word of the Lord and use it in prayer.