SERVING THE NATIONS

INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT CHILUBA, ZAMBIA

GIVEN 'AT THE PILLAR' ACCORDING TO 2 KINGS 23:3,
AT THE STATE HOUSE IN LUSAKA, SUNDAY 29TH DECEMBER, 1991.

'As you might remember, my first function after I was sworn in as the President of Zambia was to pray to my Heavenly Father. That was not just a part of the ceremony, but it was a prayer of thankfulness born out of my personal convictions that the change we have witnessed in Zambia in 1991 has only been possible because of the grace of God. It is therefore only natural that we have this solemn occasion here today, whereby I - on behalf of the Zambian nation - enter into a covenant with the one true God, whose love and saving grace is revealed in God the Son, Jesus Christ. I personally testify to the mighty saving power of Jesus Christ, who said in John 14:6, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father accept through me.'

'When we talk about entering into a covenant with God as a nation, then it is only possible because God took the first initiative by sending Jesus to die for the sins of the world. Jesus established a new covenant through the shedding of his blood. Jesus says in Luke 22:20, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.' It is only on the basis of the blood of Jesus atoning for our sins that we can approach God today.
The Bible, which is the word of God, abounds with proof that a nation is blessed, whenever it enters into a covenant with God and obeys the word of God. The opposite is also true. Any nation that turns its back on God and turns to idolatry and wickedness will come under the judgment of God and suffer. God says in Jeremiah 7:23, 'I gave Israel this command: Obey me and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.'
My dear fellow Zambians, all God's commandments in the Bible have this purpose: That it go well with you. I sincerely wish that it may go well with every one of you individually and with all of us nationally. Therefore let us understand what is involved in keeping a covenant with God and let us decide to obey his commands.
In a covenant there are certain things we have to do, and there are other things that God promises to do. We have to humble ourselves and repent from our wicked ways. Then God promises to forgive and heal the land. God told King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14, 'If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land.' During the time of election many Christians were praying according to this Bible verse. The church of Jesus Christ was praying like this both because of the desperate situation in the nation and because of the conviction that the initiative in national affairs is with God and his people.

'You have heard me before compare the nation with a sick person. I have said: 'We are sick and weak, but we are still alive. And we are determined to get well again.' Today I want to say to all of you: We need God to heal our land! I will therefore now do my part of the covenant, as I will identify myself with the Zambian nation in the following prayer:
'Dear God, as a nation we now come to your throne of grace, and we humble ourselves and admit our guilt. We repent from all our wicked ways of idolatry, witchcraft, the occult, immorality, injustice and corruption and all other sins that have violated your righteous laws. We turn away from all this and renounce it all in Jesus' name. We ask for forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Jesus. Therefore we thank you that you will heal our land. We pray that you will send healing, restoration, revival, blessing and prosperity to Zambia. Amen.'

'On behalf of the nation I have now entered into a covenant with the living God, and therefore I want to make the following declaration:
'I declare today that I submit myself as president to the lordship of Jesus Christ. I likewise submit the government and the entire nation of Zambia to the lordship of Jesus Christ. I further declare that Zambia is a Christian nation, that will seek to be governed by the Righteous Principles of the word of God. Righteousness and justice must prevail in all levels of authority, and then we will see the righteousness of God exalting Zambia.'

'My fellow Zambians, let this message reach all civil servants in all government departments. The time of corruption and bribery is over. For too long these wicked practices have been destroying and tearing down the nation. Now the hour has come for building up. The hour has come for stability. Proverbs 29:4 declares that one who is greedy for bribes tears down the nation, but by justice a king - or a president - gives a country stability. The book of Romans, 13:11, urges us to understand the present time as the hour has come for us to wake up from our slumber, because our salvation is near. The night is nearly over and the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

'My fellow Zambians. A new dawn has come to Zambia. May God bless us and help us all to live according to his Righteous Law.'