Only a few months ago, many of my Christian friends were bemoaning the fate of America and could not understand how evil could be so ascendant over our country’s inherent goodness. Some concluded that the spiritual vacuum that ensued from driving God out of the American culture during the last 60-plus years had been filled by evil spiritual forces that are now manifest in taking America to new lows of depravity.

But we should never forget that God is in control. Proverbs 19:21 reminds us that man’s waywardness will be corrected, for “it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” It may be that what God has allowed to happen in America is what He previously let happen in ancient times with the Babylonian captivity of the Israelites because of sin, idolatry, and faithlessness.

With the United States presently passing through an extremely dark and corrupt period of dishonest and deceitful rule, God is crying out to wake up the American people. Because of their relative affluence combined with their complacency, normalcy bias, and denial, Americans have been slow in that awakening.

But now things are quickly changing, which we see in the events of the last few weeks. The hidden hand of God appears to have been working in the most unexpected ways.

First, the Democrat Party is self-destructing. The party and its deep state puppet masters chose a compromised, doddering, and senile candidate to be its flag-bearer and presidential candidate — a man so corrupt that he could be easily controlled. That brought us open borders to accelerate America’s demise, allowing entry of America-hating foreign militants, terror organizations, and criminal drug- and child-trafficking cartels. Domestically, merit has been undermined by requiring the imposition of DEI in all government agencies, and unbridled lawfare has been unleashed, weaponizing justice and destroying lives through costly politically driven litigation.

For those willing and able to see all of this, it is increasingly clear that the Democrats have betrayed commonsense American interests and have lost whatever shred of moral authority they had previously claimed. Regardless of Joe Biden being forced out of running for a second term, the Democrat Party is left with no candidate who can defeat Donald Trump.

Second, on July 12, federal judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the classified documents felony case against Trump with a double slap-down of Attorney General Merrick Garland and Special Counsel Jack Smith on the grounds that the former had unconstitutionally appointed the latter.

Third, only a day later, the assassination attempt on Trump at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally changed everything, with the world seeing Trump getting up bloodied from a wound from a bullet that would have taken his life but for the Heavenly timed turning of his head, causing the bullet to pierce his ear rather than his skull that had been in the line of fire a fraction of a second before. Trump’s image was instantly elevated in the U.S. and throughout the entire world with photographs of him with blood on his face and fist in the air, showing resilience and a superhuman fighting spirit to defend the American flag in the background. Choreographed by God, that iconic Trump photograph reminded everyone of America’s most famous World War II image — that of six U.S. Marines victoriously planting the U.S. flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Fourth, a few days later, the Republican National Convention began. On display was a GOP that showed greater diversity and more unity than ever before — something no one would have thought possible only five months ago.

When it is obvious that even the smartest and most prescient people could not begin to orchestrate this amazing turnaround, we must consider that the Almighty has been at work through imperfect people (as sinners are all He has to work with). And now, ever more people here at home and around the world recognize that Donald Trump has been uniquely raised up to lead America through a dangerous and tumultuous time such as this.

In several vital ways, despite contrasts in style, the 45th and soon to be 47th president, Donald Trump, and the two-term 1st president, George Washington, have a great deal in common in qualities of character to lead effectively against impossible odds.

Washington experienced the protective intervention of Providence 20 years before he would be chosen as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in 1775. Washington was then 22 years old, serving as the junior-most officer under British General Braddock during the French and Indian War.

Marching and riding through an open field, surrounded by trees, Indian sharpshooters ambushed their battalion of about 1,400 troops, training their rifles first on all the officers on horseback. In short order, Braddock and every one of his officers were on the ground dead or dying, except Washington, who continued under continuous fire on his third horse after the first two had been shot out from under him. Try as they would, the Indians could not take Washington down as he persisted in organizing a retreat. In a letter to his brother composed later that evening, Washington wrote, “…by the miraculous care of Providence, that protected me beyond all human expectation; I had four bullets through my coat… yet escaped unhurt.”

This experience shaped the rest of Washington’s life, making faith and trust in God a permanent part of his persona, giving him courage to always lead his Revolutionary War troops from the front, confident that he had the protection of the Almighty.

Now, Trump has also experienced the protective hand of God in preventing bullets from taking his life, augmenting his faith and reinvigorating his courage. Washington persisted for six long years leading the Continental Army, ultimately winning surrender by the British, although he lost more battles than he won.

As for Trump — who is now in his ninth year fighting the deep state — his persistence record exceeds that of Washington. Faith, courage, and persistence are the essential leadership character qualities needed now for the rebirth of American liberty, just as they were in assuring victory of American independence in 1781.