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The media is buzzing. The world is stirring. Phones are ringing and texts are flying. Once again the threat of war is looming. With the standoff between Russia and America over Syria and the Middle East, and North Korea itching for an excuse to threaten our shores with nuclear attack, many are asking, “Is this the beginning of WW3?” This is not the first time this question has been asked in the past decade. The threat seems to hang in the air these days. I want to discuss a Christian response to WW3, or any similar type of threat to society.
I acknowledge that the possibility of war looms on the horizon. Over the years, the subject has been discussed in Christian gatherings – from planned discussions over Sunday School tables to spontaneous living room conversations that erupt out of the latest news headlines. The topic of war and social striving continuously abounds in the Christian community and in American society at large.
In almost every conversation among Christians, the reactions are the same. Men’s discussions reveal the weight of responsibility they feel to provide for the family and protect loved ones in a time of struggle. Do we need to store food? Should we stock guns and ammunition? Can we ban together to help each other? If we do, who is actually in charge? (A big issue for men!) Great debates build around these and similar topics. For the women, the topics tend to cover the care of children and other loved ones, meeting medical needs if doctors are not available, and how to actually prepare that strange stored food (“Oh no! I forgot about the seasonings!”)
Most often, I can feel a sense of fear coming from the hearts of these Christian men and women. We all fear the unknown. We have all read the stories from past wars, both ancient and modern. Could that really happen here? To us? In this day in time? Fear is usually the basis for storing, stocking and planning. Fear builds the hypothetical hurdles played out as the mind’s imagination projects possibilities to prepare for.
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and a sound mind.
II Timothy 1:7
What should be a proper Christian response to WW3, racial conflict, catastrophic weather events, or strife at any level? We can see from Paul’s letter to Timothy it should not be fear. Any response rooted in fear is not being led by the Holy Spirit.
Any time I find myself in the presence of conversations pertaining to a Christian response to WW3, my position does not waiver. I challenge everyone – men and women – to check themselves to see if they are walking in fear. Then I remind them that we are to be led by the Spirit of God, not by the spirit of fear. God is not surprised by any news of man’s activities, no matter how small or global in scale. Neither should we be if we are relying on God. He knows the beginning from the end. I don’t care how cleverly we analyze the situation, we will never know the beginning or the end. Our human intellect cannot know all that is taking place behind the scenes – both globally and supernaturally – therefore, we must rely on the One Who does know everything going on at every level.
Fewer Christians question that now is the time to prepare, but it takes time to prepare. So what is the most important preparation we can make so that we do not lose time?
- Knowing God.
- Abiding in His Word.
- Hearing His voice.
- Living in the strong tower of protection promised to those who believe.
I don’t care if you have a warehouse the size of Walmart full of physical provisions, it will do you no good if you do not know your God and His promises of protection. It will do you no good if you do not understand His Kingdom, how it operates, and the multidimensional nature of it.
Time may be short. Or perhaps this threat will wane away as others have in recent history. Are you going to take that chance? Are you going to risk yourself or your family? If war should break out, do you realize you may have a job in the Kingdom of God laid out before the foundation of the world that you are to accomplish in such a time as this?
My preparation goals are this:
- To be standing strong and armored, squarely in the middle of the Kingdom of God.
- To know the King’s voice and be able to be led by Him, even with only a whisper.
- To abide in Him until my mind is transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ so that His will is my will.
My ultimate goal is to hear one day, “Well done good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your King!”
War or no war, the time is now to prepare yourself for God’s calling on your life, and to prepare yourself to walk through whatever is ordained for your life. A Christian response to WW3 may have nothing at all to do with war. It may be more appropriately called a Christian response to the King’s calling. In either case, it is a challenge to respond in a way that pleases the Master and protects you.
War or no war, your relationship with Jesus Christ and your understanding of His Kingdom will completely effect the outcome of your life. In war, the outcome literally means suffering or strength, surviving or thriving, life or death. Keep reading the series to better prepare yourself and your family for what may be coming soon.
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This is a series of posts designed to prepare the Christian for the possibility of global war, as well as for the war we call “life.” Please be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you receive notifications when new content is published.
