Just today, I read that Glenn Beck of TheBlaze.com has predicted that the world is headed towards World War III. He makes a pretty compelling argument, explaining all of the things that have happened over the past few years which would have provided us a way to avoid its coming; however, according to him, we didn't take any of those "exit ramps" in our nation or in the world so we are inevitably headed down a highway that leads to war.
I have to admit that I have sat for hours over the past few weeks thinking about the state of our world. I've prayed for the persecution happening against Christians by IS in Iraq. I've prayed just as hard for the muslims that this group is putting to death, knowing that the Christians, at least, are going home where they will be with their Lord and Savior. I've prayed for Israel...not just in their fight against Hamas, but also in that the whole world seems to be turning against the little country in which our Christian faith has it's roots. I've prayed for the Russia/Ukraine situation, fearing that one wrong move there by "us" or "them" would push us over the precipice of war. I've prayed for our nation's leadership...especially for our President who appears more and more to be a little boy pretending he knows what he's doing in a man's world. I've prayed that God would help him make good decisions in spite of himself.
All of that to say that Beck has gone on record, saying something that I've been thinking, but not saying, for weeks now. Anyone who is a student of the Scriptures should find it quite simple to find the parallels that seem to show up between our time and what the Bible explains to be the "end times". It definitely looks like things are getting close to a completion in this old world...and when all that Scripture says will happen comes upon us it won't really matter whether you agree with me or not or whether you acknowledge it as what Scripture calls it.
You see, Beck calls it World War III. I call it Armageddon...that's what the Bible calls it too. According to what we read in the Bible, the world, as we know it, will be brought to ruin during this last epic war where Jesus will show up and destroy all those kingdoms of the earth that stand opposed to Him. While this will most definitely be a physical war with real bombs, bullets and bodies, there is a spiritual dimension to all of this that we must acknowledge. This last war will just be a culmination of something that has been going on spiritually since way back at the beginning. For those of us who have a relationship with Jesus and are part of God's family understand that Satan declared war against our Father a long time ago. His goal has always been to set himself upon the throne of God. In fact, the fiercest battle of all happened at Calvary where Satan endeavored to kill the Son of God and where Jesus, through His death, laid the foundation for His ultimate victory over this enemy.
What most of us...even us believers...fail to realize is that we live in this spiritual war zone on a daily basis. Everyday, whether we know it or not, we fight battles. Hopefully, we advance on the enemy lines...at least some of us do. This spiritual war is fought as we proclaim the Gospel in our actions and with our words. We don't fight this war with guns...it is not our intent to kill the soldiers on the other side, but to convert them. This is a war that is fought and won as the soldiers warring on the side of the dictator, Satan, willingly change their allegiance and join in with the gracious and merciful leader of the other side, Jesus. As soldiers of the cross, we are to forcefully advance the Kingdom of God by proclaiming the message of the Gospel of Christ with every word and deed!
Now...here's a truth that I realize is so true. The more powerful and serious the issues are in the spiritual realm, the more they begin to show up in the physical realm. Let me illustrate. When God's people live in radical obedience to the will of the Father, sharing their faith at whatever cost and proclaiming His truth to the nations, things start happening in the physical world that are manifestations of the advance of the Gospel in the spiritual world. We would call these things miracles. Yes...they are happening all over the world in places where the people of God are living radically obedient lives. People coming back from the dead, miraculous healings, people having dreams and visions...we're talking New Testament stuff here. Now, the opposite is true as well...when Satan ramps up his activity in the spiritual realm, the results show themselves in the physical. Have you stopped to consider why there is so much violence? Why persecution? Why terrorism? Why the prospect of war? Why are nations in economic ruin? Why is there so much hate, anger, distrust, self-indulgence and chaos? Why do all of these things seem to be on the increase?
The amazing thing is that we see all of these things and surmise that the way to fix these problems is through political, military or economic means. The problem is that these attempts to remedy evil only treat the symptoms...they aren't cures! The real issue is spiritual in nature...people don't know Jesus! The reason that terrorists terrorize, murderers kill, thieves steal, power-hungry men conquer, hate-filled people destroy and prideful & arrogant people act like they have all the answers is because none of these people know the Prince of Peace! You see...when we know Jesus, He changes us spiritually which results in an outward change as well.
So while we have a responsibility to protect, preserve and promote life...and, yes, sometimes that means we have to stop violence with some kind of physical tool...what we must remember is that the only real cure to the problems of this world is Jesus! Let's face it, we're not just headed for war, we're already at war! The only thing to do is for believers to get serious about sharing the Gospel with friends, family and complete strangers at home and across the world! The solution to the problem of evil is a spiritual one and we hold it in our hands...it's the Gospel!
Of course, don't take my word for it...check out God's Word. "Be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand." (Ephesians 6:10-13) Continue reading in that passage to discover some of the tools He's given us for this fight...pretty cool stuff!
For too long, we've lived ignorant to the fact that this war is raging all around us. We've neglected our part in it. We've shirked our responsibility. We've lived life as though only the physical were real. We've treated our daily decisions as if they are of little consequence. We've elected leaders solely on economic or social terms...instead of what they stand for morally. We've done all of this and now this spiritual war is about to break out into the physical and folks like Glenn Beck see it coming, but they're out of solutions. I have one solution I'd like to suggest...His name is Jesus! One way or the other, He's going to bring about peace. He'll either do it as people turn their hearts to Him voluntarily, or...as we read about in the war to end all wars in Revelation...He'll do so forcefully as He destroys evil...and evil people along with it...by the power of His Word. The Prince of Peace will have His peace!
War...What is it good for?
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