When Nat Turner decided that enough was enough, he got confirmation from God through the Holy Spirit to lead one of the most important slave uprisings in history.
Turner was a Baptist preacher who understood his intentionally violent rebellion as an act of faith. According to Karl W. Lampley, “Turner aimed to free his fellow slaves in Christian charity and fulfillment of the gospel in anticipation of Christ’s return."
Turner rejected the enslavers’ Christianity, which expected our folks to believe God was coming to free us, as he did the Hebrews in the book of Exodus. But Turner wasn’t waiting around for God to do what he believed he was put here to do.
According to Turner, the Holy Spirit told him, “Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven and all things shall be added unto you.” In 1825, he envisioned Black and white spirits at war. Turner’s faith called him to pursue the King of Heaven on Earth for his people, and through violent uprising, God’s blessings would come.
Turner embodies the spirit of Imani – faith in action. What does it look like to hold onto faith, even when the world gives us every reason to let go? Where in your own life are you being called to believe in freedom before you can see it?