Counterculture: Living an Epic Life of Radical Christianity

By Catherine P. Butte

In recent years the cultural climate of America has shifted dramatically away from a biblical worldview. For the committed Christian, this turn of events poses many problems. However, Believers do not have to shrink back in fear or run from the battle. There is also a counterculture of passionate Christians who are not willing to sit by idly as our history is rewritten, our legacies destroyed, and our future stolen. Instead, this counterculture aims to take back our nation and ultimately reform and restore America.

In a thought-provoking exploration shared to encourage the remnant and call others out of darkness into God’s light, Catherine Butte challenges Christians and nonbelievers alike to rise from the ordinary and move into the extraordinary in order to experience more of the epic life God has planned for each of us. Through her guidance and insights, readers will:

• Experience the liberating truths and freedom that comes with a biblically-based discourse on matters that are attempting to divide our nation and the Body of Christ;
• Be armed with the truth of our nation’s biblical roots and its righteous foundation;
• Be encouraged and inspired by the wonder of the supernatural and miraculous in the life of the Believer; and
• Receive God’s unconditional love, grace, and mercy.

Counterculture is an uplifting presentation that offers the truths of God’s Word to encourage Christians and nonbelievers to join a passionate movement to see America gloriously reformed and restored.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385019274

Catherine P. Butte

Catherine Butte is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Charis Bible College in Woodland Park, Colorado. Her testimony has aired on national television as well as worldwide media. She and her husband, Aaron, live in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with their two sons, Daniel and David.

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Copyright © 2024 Catherine P. Butte.

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This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

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ISBN: 979-8-3850-1926-7 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1927-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024903468

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/06/2024

This book is dedicated to the only One found worthy (Revelation 5:4). Jesus, if I spent the rest of my life writing to thank You, it would never be enough. Still, I will endeavor to do just that.

      And to the man of my dreams—quite literally. Only the Lord could write a love story that started with a dream and then bring the dream to pass so perfectly. Aaron, thank you for saying, I do.

      Finally, to our two beautiful sons, Daniel and David. You were born to shut the mouths of lions and take out giants for the Lord. It’s in your DNA to be the counterculture.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1     What Is Truth?

Chapter 2     Finding My Own Upper Room

Chapter 3     What Is Holiness?

Chapter 4     The Set-Apart Life

Chapter 5     The Struggle versus Surrender

Chapter 6     Another in the Fire

Chapter 7     One Voice Can Change the World

Chapter 8     The Weeping Prophet

Chapter 9     How to Recognize a Liar

Chapter 10   Counterculture Courtship

Chapter 11   Pandemics, Mass Deception, and Social Media Misery

Chapter 12   Red Wine, a Flat Tire, and a Really Big Bible

Chapter 13   The Restoration of a Nation

Chapter 14   The Journey to Truth

Prayer of Salvation

INTRODUCTION

Counterculture (noun): a culture with values and morals

that run counter to those of established society.¹

T here is a war waging for the soul of America, and a remnant of passionate Christians have taken up arms in the spirit to take back our nation. We are the counterculture, and we aim to see America reformed and restored. We have refused to buy the lies and propaganda and instead believe the Word of God to be the infallible truth and the final say, period. It’s profoundly simple, and it is the truth. We choose to say, Let God be true and every man a liar (Romans 3:4 NKJV). We will not stand by idly as our history is rewritten, our legacies destroyed, and our future st olen.

We do not wage war like mere mortals—after all, we will live forever. We fight our battles against principalities and powers in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV), so this is not a call to take up arms like our forefathers have had to do to keep or regain their freedom—nor are we seeking our independence. It’s quite the opposite. We declare our total dependence on nothing and no one but God Almighty. We believe He is leading us in our fight and, as the Commander of the army of the Lord, has the final say. This Commander is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, and we believe Him to be above all, and we will bow to no one but Him.

He is coming soon, but we believe there is a harvest to be had before His final return. We also believe that America will play a big part in the harvest and that the Lord is not done with our nation. He is, in fact, rebirthing it totally anew. The pain and the shaking we are seeing right now in our nation—and across the globe—are a part of the process of restoration and maybe even birth pains. He is exposing the old to make room for the new. Get ready, for our best days are ahead of us if we faint not.

This book was written to encourage the remnant and to call others out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). It is a practical call to walk in holiness even if it means it costs everything to do so. It is a call to join our counterculture and revolt against evil. It is a call to rise above the normal to experience the extraordinary. It is a call to defeat the mediocre and status quo with revival, awakening, and reformation of our nation, society, and culture. Welcome to the future. Everything is about to change.

Our charge is simple: go change the world.

CHAPTER 1

What Is Truth?

I t was early morning on what would come to be known as Good Friday. Jesus had been arrested and stood in front of Gov. Pontius Pilate in his palace. The governor was interrogating Jesus. The gospels record this.

Looking him over, Pilate asked him, Are you really the king of the Jews? Jesus replied, Are you asking because you really want to know, or are you only asking this because others have said it about me? Pilate responded, Only a Jew would care about this; do I look like a Jew? It’s your own people and your religious leaders that have handed you over to me. So tell me, Jesus, what have you done wrong? Jesus looked at Pilate and said, The royal power of my kingdom realm doesn’t come from this world. If it did, then my followers would be fighting to the end to defend me from the Jewish leaders. My kingdom realm authority is not from this realm. Then Pilate responded, Oh, so then you are a king? You are right. Jesus said, I was born a King, and I have come into this world to prove what truth really is. And everyone who loves the truth will receive my words. Pilate looked at Jesus and said, What is truth? As silence filled the room, Pilate went back out to where the Jewish leaders were waiting and said to them, He’s not guilty. I couldn’t even find one fault with him. (John 18:33–38 TPT)

What is truth? This was the question that Pontius Pilate asked Jesus during his interrogation hours before His crucifixion and death. Jesus never answered his question. The scriptures recorded only that silence filled the room (John 18:38 TPT). But just moments before, Jesus did speak, and His words were filled with power and truth. Jesus said, ‘I was born a King, and I have come into this world to prove what truth really is. And everyone who loves the truth will receive my words’ (John 18:37 TPT).

You see, Jesus was and is the King of the universe, and His kingdom is the kingdom of heaven. During His first coming, He came to lay down His life as the sinless Lamb of God—an innocent and perfect sacrifice for all humanity. During His short earthly ministry, He brought heaven to earth with stunning miracles, signs, and wonders. He also countered the hypocrisy of the political and religious cultures that were dominating, controlling, and tyrannizing ancient Israel at that time.

If it all sounds too familiar, it should. The enemy of our souls doesn’t really have new tricks; he just finds new people to reuse his old tricks on. These same spirits are at work right now in our nation and throughout the world, attempting to dominate, control, and tyrannize anyone who will willfully submit to them. When we, as new covenant Christians, bring heaven to earth and exercise our dominion as ambassadors of heaven, we are essentially doing the same thing Jesus did when He countered the culture of hypocrisy so long ago. By following His example, we can be the counterculture to wickedness today, and we are the antidote to evil.

It was, at least in part, a political spirit that drove Pilate to kill a man he knew was innocent. I believe a political spirit dominated Pilate, and his decision was politically motivated. When we look around us today, we can see a lot of decisions being made that are politically motivated. But what does that really mean? Have we become inoculated and desensitized by so much politically motivated behavior that we have lost our way and, in so doing, also forsaken truth for lies? Have we cashed in on popular sayings such as The end justifies the means and found ourselves forsaking our own mercies (Jonah 2:8)?

I believe we can see this very scenario playing out today in our culture, and I believe the same thing was at work in the culture of Jesus’s day. We can see this as we examine the scriptures, but when we look at Pilate’s question—What is truth?—we can also find more answers. It appears this was a rhetorical question—a question not intended to require an answer.²

In other words, I believe Pilate asked the question because he believed that truth is relative or comparative. You see, he didn’t want an answer, or maybe he wasn’t really looking for one because he didn’t believe in absolute truth. Here, we find the root of much corruption. When we don’t believe the absolute truth of God’s Word or are ignorant of the truths found in the holy scriptures, we are set up for failure and lost to wander aimlessly without a compass. The Word of God is our divine compass. Without it, we are utterly lost.

Jesus had just said that He had been born a King and had come into this world to prove what truth really is. He went on to say that everyone who loves the truth will receive His words (John 18:37).

It was obvious that Pilate did not love the truth or receive His words. He condemned Jesus to death. Although over two thousand years have passed, we can clearly see the war for truth wages on. The prophet Isaiah speaks of this.

So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. (Isaiah 59:14–15 NIV)

The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and that knowledge of the holy One results in good judgment (Proverbs 9:10). Proverbs 4:5 (NLT) says to get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.

The truth we can rely on, depend on, stand on, and live by is found in the Word of God. Jesus Himself has said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me (John 14:6). He has also said we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free (John 8:32).

While the world will have you believe there are countless shades of gray that you can believe in and blend into, the Word of God will tell you there is black and white—truth and lies. Armed with the truth of God’s Word in your heart, you can discern the truth from the lies. Without it, you are doomed to grope aimlessly in the dark.

Make no mistake, the days are evil. But even with invasive darkness all around, the Lord has promised that in the last days, His glory will be poured out. Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you (Isaiah 60:1–2 NLT).

How can we discern good from evil at a time where so many counterfeit voices are calling evil good and good evil? We have to know the Word of God is absolute truth. We also need to believe it with all our hearts and stand on the truths found in the Word of God when the lies of the world come to tell us something different.

We must take the truth found in the Bible and use it as a weapon of war. The apostle Paul actually calls the Word of God the Sword of the Spirit. And although we are in a very real war, he warns us that we do not fight against people. Our fight actually takes place in the heavens as we are fighting a spiritual war against demonic principalities and powers.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10–17 NLT)

Pontius Pilate was not armed with the truth, nor did he have God’s Word hidden in his heart. Even with the Son of God standing in front of him, he caved in to the lie instead of bowing to the Savior of the world. The gospel of Matthew even recorded Pilate’s wife making a last-minute plea to her husband as Jesus stood before him.

Just then, as Pilate was presiding over the tribunal, his wife sent him an urgent message: Don’t harm that holy man, for I suffered a horrible nightmare last night about him! (Matthew 27:19 TPT)

It also appears he was fully aware of the real motives and intentions of those who had Jesus arrested. Matthew 27:18 (NLT) clearly stated, He [Pilate] knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy. Pontius Pilate clearly knew the truth; it was staring him in the face, yet he yielded to the lie.

We should learn a great lesson from this so we do not make the same mistake. When we have the truth staring us straight in the face, we should never yield to the lie, no matter how much pressure people, circumstances, or a culture put on us. This is exactly what the political spirit does. It puts fear of man, ambition, money, greed, and self-interest above the weightier things of truth, justice, honor, integrity, character, love, true peace, and most importantly the Word and will of God. This is also why most politically correct behavior that is considered socially acceptable in American culture runs counter to the culture of heaven. As citizens of heaven, we don’t bow to the things of this world, and this world’s social norms are not our own. We bow only to our King, and His name is above it all—even political correctness.

Pontius Pilate will forever remain the man who wrongfully condemned the Savior of the world to death. His name is notoriously tied to this event forever. Like Pilate, the choices we make now carry great weight and resound through eternity.

Even though Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and went as far as to publicly wash his hands of the guilt, he remained guilty. Ironically, Pilate’s public handwashing couldn’t wash away his guilt any more than we could atone for any one of our sins. Jesus was about to go to the cross to pay for the sins of all humanity. Pilate condemned the only man throughout the ages who could actually forgive him. The gospel of Matthew records this.

Meanwhile, the chief priest and the religious leaders were inciting the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and to have Jesus killed. So Pilate asked them again, Which of the two men would you like me to release for you? They shouted, Barabbas. Pilate asked them, Then what would you have me to do with Jesus who is called the Anointed One? They all shouted back, Crucify him! Why? Pilate asked. What has he done wrong? But they kept shouting out, Crucify him! When Pilate realized that a riot was about to break out and that it was useless to try to reason with the crowd, he sent for a basin of water. After washing his hands in front of the people, he said, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. The responsibility for his death is now yours! (Matthew 27:20–24 TPT)

And with that, an innocent man was condemned to death, and a notorious criminal was released. Indeed, good was called evil and evil called good. The first Good Friday was well underway. Jesus faced the torture, the mocking, and the agonizing cross without defending Himself and saying very little. When it was done, He said, It is finished! Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit (John 19:30). The sinless Son of God took on death, hell, and the grave and would completely overcome it all. Three days later, He was resurrected and lives forevermore. He’s alive and well right now, but His perfected body still bears the marks of the first Good Friday (John 20:27).

Hebrews 12 tells us that it is because of the joy awaiting him that Jesus has endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and is now seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne (Hebrews 12:2). His victory is now ours! Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything! (Romans 8:37 TPT).