Can There Be Victory Without War?

As a Christian, I know the messages of Matthew and the Book of Revelations ... there will be wars between the advocates of Evil and God's servants of Good. The Lord tells us so. But His revelations to the Apostle John also promise us Victory -- not only because of what He has done for us, but because we have served Him well through the tribulations and sorrows that come with warfare. And we know there will be a final war in which Evil will be defeated for a thousand years, before Satan is once again released to wage the final battle with Jesus. 

So, how are we, in this generation, to view the state of the world today? You have to be totally blind not to see that the world sits on the precipice of WW3. Once again, Israel is at the center of worldwide conflict which is being waged over possession of the land, as well as the prodigious oil fields, which the world powers covet. No matter how much you hear that other energy sources will eventually surpass our appetite for oil, don't you believe it -- the world operates on the production of oil. But lest we forget, or misunderstand, God is the ruler of the world; all its resources in both sea and earth are His. He owns the heavens and all their galaxies, and He will provide the benefits of those resources to whomever partners with Him in His Kingdom ministry.

So, what are we to make of the war in Israel today, and what does it signify for our future? There is a Latin phrase, by Roman author, Publius Flavius Vegetius Rentaus, which says #Si Pacem, para bellum, which translates "If you want peace, prepare for war". That was during the 4th or 5th century. In more recent decades, our own political leaders have voiced the #peace through strength motto; most notably proposed by Ronald Reagan in a 1980 campaign speech against Jimmy Carter. In that speech, Reagan said, "We know that peace is the condition under which mankind was meant to flourish. Yet peace does not exist of its own will. It depends on us, on our courage to build it and guard it and pass it on to future generations. George Washington's words may seem hard and cold today, but history has proven him right again and again. "To be prepared for war," he said, "is one of the most effective means of preserving peace." Well, to those who think strength provokes conflict, #Will Rogers had his own answer. He said of the world heavyweight champion of his day: "I've never seen anyone insult #Jack Dempsey". Since that campaign, the phrase and ideology has become a mainstay in the Republican Party platform.

But taking politics out of the argument, does this idea of peace through strength apply to our faith and the Church? Surely, we have seen that the Church has been much more comfortable operating in compromise and concessions, rather than consistently and purposely fighting for God's principles. I dare say that is why we have abortion, lawlessness, skewed ideas of marriage and gender, and so many other legal and social issues. It's simple ... We cannot say we are "for" good, if we are not "against" evil. That axiom applies to cultural standards, military codes of operation, and spiritual precepts. 

Unfortunately, we have gone through more than two generations since we, collectively, as a nation, agreed on "no compromise" when it comes to our standards. Here is a Biblical reference [made by #Pastor Asher Intrater, a Messianic Believer in Israel] of why we need to take a good hard look at our Belief System in these chaotic days. He asks the question, "Why did the Israelites spend 40 years wandering in the desert? The old “exodus” generation had to die out, and a new generation take over. What was their problem? The “Ex” generation was not willing to fight in the war against evil". 

Exodus 13:17 tells us the story ... So it happened, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war [that is, that there will be war], and return to Egypt.” As Asher Intrater explains it, "They could have gone directly from Egypt into victory in Canaan-land. But they weren’t ready to fight. So, they were redirected into the wilderness to wander for a full generation, until the next generation could be raised up. There were three stages: salvation from slavery; then wandering in the wilderness; then fighting for victory".

I found it interesting that [in his writing] he also insinuated that Israeli society was struggling with this concept of war vs compromise. I believe our own nation, and especially the Church, must come to terms with it themselves. That leads me to asking you this question ... do you believe that God wants us to live in victory and His fulfilled promises? But if there is a battle between Good and Evil, doesn't war eventually become necessary for victory? Is it not true, that we can't enter into victory if we're not willing to fight? We can't compromise or concede our way to a complete and fulfilled victory! As much as we don't want to admit it, learning warfare is a necessary step to gaining faithfulness and moral character.

And there is a statement that the good Pastor made that will shake many Christians to the core; those who only see Jesus as #the Prince of Peace, and not in His full identity which includes a #Warrior King and #Commander of Heaven's armies ... "God wants you to know war. That is hard for some to grasp. Fighting in moral, spiritual, and military warfare is part of walking in faith. To fear God is to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13). If we haven’t been through war, we miss some basic aspects of faith: Fighting a war demands obedience, discipline, holiness, faithfulness, courage, sacrifice, a victorious spirit, punishment of evil, justice, and salvation. Messiah Yeshua is not only the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6): He is also the Commander of the Armies (Joshua 5:13, Revelation 19:11)".

This statement comes from a Believing and Confessing Jewish Pastor, whom I believe is part of the remnant of Israel that God is calling upon to restore His Name in His Holy Land. And I believe it is a statement that all Christians need to embrace as well! the Bible tells us there is a war that has been waging from the beginning of time between God and the devil; between Good and Evil. And the climax of this war is coming soon! It is time to regain the knowledge of what it means to have a fighting spirit. It's time to be victorious once again as God's army on earth. Let us leave this vapid and feeble wilderness, and raise up a generation that knows how to fight for the Lord! 

God had to send a generation of Israelites to wander in the desert because they didn't have a fighting spirit. Their years in captivity and slavery had robbed them of their true identity and their desire to war. But God had a mission for them to do, and it could not be done through compromise or concession. We have a decision to make -- are we ready to change our paradigm from #lukewarm Church to #warring Ekklesia? Do we recognize that there is a time for war and a time for peace, and for the sake of the lost, it is our time to fight? Are we ready to leave the wilderness behind and cross over to the victory that awaits us? Remember: it is Jesus Christ, the royal King and Warrior who leads us against our mutual foe, and we will be treading where the saints before us have gone. It's time to leave the wilderness!

NOTE: I ask that as you go to the links provided in this post, that you seek the wisdom of the Lord as you read these various opinions. I do not present myself as in agreement with them all, nor propose that you agree with them, but rather take them to the Lord and listen for His voice to direct you to His Truth. As always, I suggest that you "eat the meat and spit out the bones", trusting in the Lord and your own discernment. They are meant as a starting point for your own research. 

#peacethroughstrength; #AsherIntrater; #PrinceofPeace; #WarriorKing; #HeavensArmies; # LukewarmChurch; # Ekklesia; #WanderingintheWilderness; #Warvscompromise #EndTimestheology; #WarsandRumorsofWar; #EndTimesProphecy

Revelation 19:11.   And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True (trustworthy, loyal, incorruptible, steady), and in righteousness He judges and wages war [on the rebellious nations].   

The Cost of Being A Jew Today

Before I get to the point of this post, I want to share a particular testimony ... There are times I discern something in my spirit so strongly and unexpectedly, that I know without a doubt, that it is coming from God. Somehow, I know that the thoughts I am experiencing are not my thoughts, and their sudden emergence is either from God or Satan. This happened to me in 2015 during a visit to #Holocaust Museum Houston. My husband and I had visited the much larger national #Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. in 2012, and it was a specific story that drew us to its counterpart in Houston.

The pictures and possessions of the children and parents and grandparents who were incinerated in the ovens broke my heart, and my emotions were overwhelmed as I noticed how many of the photos [of those who survived] were donated by their descendants who were part of the huge Jewish population in Houston -- and I recognized some of the names of college friends from my days as a University of Texas student, making it even more personal. But it was the little known WWII story that had compelled Mark and me to make the trip to this honored Museum.

There was to be a rededication of a WWII Danish rescue boat, named #Hanne Frank, what the Houston Chronicle called "a rare World War II artifact that was part of an even rarer effort". The article when on to report ... "While the Nazis were marching across Europe, the Danes made a remarkable decision. They were going to make sure the German war machine did not take Danish Jews to concentration camps. Denmark was the only country to make a nationwide effort to save their Jewish population with fisherman ferrying more than 7,200 Jews to safety in Sweden.' They never considered themselves heroes,' said Consul Anna Thomsen Holliday of Denmark. 'They were just doing what was right.' " I invite you to read the entire #article for a detailed picture of what this boat meant to the community. 

It was this exhibit and its story that preceded the strong prompting that my spirit received. I found myself approaching the docent at the Museum. I told her, "This is going to sound strange to you, but if you would consider it, I would like to leave our name and phone number, because I believe there will soon come a time when we Christians will once again need to protect Jews -- only it will happen here in our own country". Well, you can imagine that she looked at me like I was a lunatic, and stammered some polite response, but took down our information. Once again, God had called us to be #Watchmen on the Wall; to warn of some impending event that He wanted His people to be made aware of.  As I look back at that moment 8 years ago, no events were in sight, yet like the Danish boatmen in WWII, Mark and I just wanted to make ourselves available to "do what is right".

Today, my prompting no longer seems so crazy or impossible. The rise in anti-Semitism around the world is climbing at an alarming rate. As the American Church, there are many Christians who automatically assumed that the nations of the world would rally around Israel in her time of need. And Christians assumed they knew who Israel was, but I invite you to read a couple of recent posts I've written about the #history of Israel in the Middle East, and the reality of #who Israel is today.  Above all, I urge you to read and study your Bible! I am amazed at how little Western Christians know the Biblical Truth about God's chosen people, and the near total lack of understanding [by Christians] of spiritual Israel versus worldly Israel.

Mark and I have been blessed that God has led us to people who have deep connections with #Messianic Jews and their faith organizations in Israel. So, we have been able to get their perspective on the war in Israel and how this minority population of Believers in Jesus [as the Messiah] are faring in the midst of rising persecution. I'd like to share the thoughts of one of the Messianic ministers in Israel [in his own words]. Rather than relying on the news media and social media to tell you what the reality is for a believing Jew in Israel, let Youval Yanay of #Revive Israel share his truth .... 

"The Word of God describes a great war that will break out in the last days, a war in which all nations will gather, lay siege, and attack Jerusalem and Judah. This war will be an intense and cruel war, the mountains will be filled with the bodies of the dead, and cruel acts will take place in the cities (Ezekiel 30-30, Zechariah 12, 14, Revelation 16:14-16, Revelation 19:19-21, and more).

Over the years, when I read these prophecies, such a war seemed unimaginable. After all, while we have many enemies, there are so many countries that would never attack Israel. Following World War II and the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, countries throughout the West became loyal friends of the State of Israel whom we believed would never turn against us.

Today, we see something different, a wave of anti-Semitism spreading like fire throughout the entire world, even in countries once considered loyal friends of Israel. 

In the well-known and esteemed Harvard University, where many world leaders are shaped and educated, the slogan #“From the river to the sea” has emerged as a prominent rallying cry in today’s protests against Israel. It is prominently displayed throughout this university campus. But what does this slogan signify? It refers to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. For anyone familiar with the map of the Middle East, this slogan implies Israel ceases to exist, conveying a message for the destruction of Israel.

Will this wave of anti-Semitism calm once the war ends as has happened in the past? Maybe this time something different is happening before our eyes. For every nation to engage in an attack against Israel, there must be widespread hatred toward Israel, compelling them to attack. It will include leaders from every nation, people of culture, intellectuals, and academics with educated and influential leaders leading their nations to war against Israel. The present circumstance doesn’t currently exist, but are we witnessing the initial stages of a process that could give rise to such a situation? Is this a seed of hate that, when cultivated and matured, may lead to decisions triggering the prophesied great war at the end of days?

Before World War II, anti-Semitism was widely tolerated in Western societies. While not everyone was anti-Semitic, there were varying degrees of anti-Semitism. Some wanted to see the destruction of Jews while others didn’t like them, or just found them unpleasant. 

World War II, and the shock of what happened during the Holocaust, delegitimized anti-Semitism. For several decades, it became much more difficult to publicly express anti-Semitic tendencies and be considered a member of culture. For several decades, anti-Semitism was marginalized. It didn’t disappear but was pushed to the margins. It was a golden age that allowed for the rapid growth of the American Jewish community, and its unprecedented prosperity, and an era that allowed some communities in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Argentina to exist with a sense of security.

A few years ago it became clear that this era was coming to an end. The Second World War, a vivid and recent memory for the preceding generation, has become in this generation a historical event that is far away. Demographic, ideological, and geopolitical changes allowed anti-Semitism to rise. First, hesitantly, and now suddenly in capital cities throughout Western Europe. You have to rub your eyes to really believe what you are seeing: Jewish homes in Paris marked with the Star of David and respected academics expressing satisfaction with the brutal murder of Jews.

Is this something that will pass until another time or is it here to stay—setting the anti-Semitism bar to a new and higher level? If so, how high will this bar be? Is it now, once again, possible to express anti-Semitic ideas and still be considered an educated person of culture, just as it was before World War II? Are we standing at the beginning of the great war at the end of time (Mark 13:33)?  

Maybe, maybe not. We need to be careful to make such predictions. Our part is to pray, study, read the Word, and be busy with what God has prepared for us:  Draw near to Him, long for His presence, listen to Him, and obey His commandments as we leave our old selves behind, conform to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29) and proclaim His Kingdom (Acts 1:8).

When we do these things, we prepare ourselves, our family, and our community for whatever is to come. In peace or war, we have nothing to fear, our strength is in the faithfulness and love of Jesus"....

You have just heard the heart of a faithful Messianic Jewish man, who is not even respected in his own nation of Israel. He is hated by the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community; despised by the majority of his fellow countrymen, who are secular; and discounted by the political non-religious leaders of his government. But he knows the Bible and the prophecies of the End Times, and he understands what is coming; he recognizes it because the warnings are in his DNA. 

I pray that we have not yet reached the level of Satan's hate that will come against the Jews and Christians. I pray that mankind might yet turn back from evil and seek the Most High God and His forgiveness. But, I'll be honest, I see the prophecies unfolding rather quickly and like Youval, I am trying to prepare family and friends for whatever may come, while remaining strong in obedience and faithfulness to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I pray that my prompting of 8 years ago -- to make ourselves available to harbor Jews during another holocaust and persecution --  will not be necessary. May the Lord protect His #Jewish remnant until all who will call upon His Name are identified and fall to their knees and worship Him.

 #Holocaustmuseumhouston #Holocaustmemorialmuseum #hannefrank #watchmanonthewall #historyofisrael #biblicalhistoryofisrael #messianicjews #reviveisrael #fromtherivertothesea #jewishremnant #godsisrael 

Zechariah 14:2-3    For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured and the houses plundered and the women ravished; and half of the city will be exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.

 

Change Is Coming To The Kingdom of God!

I want to begin this blog post by visiting the story of Mordecai, the Jew, and his adopted daughter, Esther. According to the Bible, Esther's husband was King Ahasuerus, King of Persia, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces. Furthermore, the history books also say he was the Achaemenian king Darius I, ruler over what is now Iran. 

Mordecai has gotten wind that there is a plot to kill all the Jews in the kingdom, and while Esther, herself, is a Jew, it's been kept secret from her husband, the king. Mordecai implores Esther to go before the king and plead his favor, asking him to spare her people. But Esther reminds Mordecai that it is the law of the land that if anyone goes before the king unbidden, death is the penalty. Mordecai then tells his daughter that, as a Jew, she cannot expect to escape the destruction coming against all Jews, and that if she chooses to not help, that God will send His relief and deliverance from another source, and her father's house will perish. Then he speaks the words that I believe apply to us in this generation ... "Who knows if you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther's response ... to gather all the Jews together and ask them to fast on her behalf as she approaches the king, even though it is against the law. "If I perish, I perish" are her words that echo across the centuries.

I think it is imperative [in this time and place] that we ask ourselves if we have the courage and faith of Esther. We have to be blind, and far beyond a "normalcy bias" mindset to not see the shifting sands we have been resting upon for the last few decades. If the panic and fear of the pandemic in 2020 wasn't enough for us to begin examining where we are in our Biblical worldview, or to discern the changing winds of world history, then surely we can see the current precipice on which we stand. The growing involvement of AI in our daily lives; the geoengineering of plant and animal life; the promotion of gender dysphoria; the drums of war throughout the world; and the trading of human flesh for the perverted pleasures of men are all birth pains of the intolerable evil which Jesus has forecast.

It cannot be appeased by politics or a new president. And sadly, the modern Western Church is unequipped to face the strategies of the kingdom of darkness. They are unaware of [or choose to ignore] the depth of depravity that is an undercurrent in our society and culture. And believe me, I understand the fear, anxiety, and disquiet in our souls when we dare to look at it. But we can no longer afford to turn away. Our newscasts are full of innocent people being assaulted and killed by random acts of violence as they stand on a street corner, or wait for a bus. The physical and moral evil of the child sex trade is storing up wrath in the Kingdom of Heaven, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. And just this weekend, I met a woman whose husband is using ChatGPT to engage with AI to create monsters that he hopes to interact with! The really sad thing is this man was an innocent child who was exploited and molested as a child, and his life began to spiral out of control until he now finds himself skirting the edges of being lost forever. I ask you ... Is the Church equipped to minister to him?  Would they even try? Or is he just another casualty of a society and religious system that doesn't have any answers to the growing evil in the world?

If you are a Kingdom-believing Christian, where does all this leave you? Once you are willing to "face the monster", so to speak, is it possible to truly live in a "Kingdom mindset", not letting the affairs of the world shake our faith and trust in our Father and King? I can assure you that our Father in Heaven hears our cries. And He is not absent in this situation, just as He was not absent in Esther's plight.

And if you happen to believe that the state of the Christian Church in these modern times is inoculated against the consequences of our mindset [sorry for the pun] -- let me ask you to reconsider. Hear the words of Mordecai to Esther and take them to heart ... "Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]"? 

Just like Esther, we Christians have to decide what our response is going to be. I cannot answer for others, but I can tell you that I have always felt that there would one day be a tremendous trial come upon the world, and I would have the opportunity to not only experience it, but stand for the Lord. Notice, I did not say that God is necessarily testing us. That infers that God has given His approval for the trials and evil the world is experiencing. 

Instead, I recognize that much of the panic and hysteria that people will encounter will come from their lack of relationship with God, and their misplaced worship of the conveniences that the world offers them. Many Christians are guilty of this! We have fallen into step with society and the culture, and we worship our status, our wealth, our power, and our comfort. Many of us spend more time with our Facebook friends than we do with our Father in Heaven. We have not sought His will in how we should live our lives, OR how we should defeat the evil in the world. We have not fed on the Word of God, but have indulged in our appetites of unrighteousness and greed.

And now that may all come to a halt. There is [once again!] talk of a mandatory shutdown of the nation's government for an undetermined amount of time as our politicians haggle over the national debt, the corruption in high places, and the emboldening of our enemies. Everything in our world could change overnight. There will be people who will suffer if our medical system, transportation system, banking system, food distribution system, utilities system, political system, and yes, even our religious system is challenged -- especially our religious system. 

Will people blame God? Will they curse Him in the midst of their despair? Will they try to bargain with Him? Or will they fast [like Esther and her people] for strength and wisdom, and then humble themselves, and pray and seek His face and be prepared for come what may? Are you honestly prepared to trust God and like Esther, say, "If I perish, I perish", knowing that you have stood righteously against Satan's plans for the world? And will the Church rise up and see this for the opportunity it is? For this is a time when not only can the world reset, and begin to look more like it was created to be, but Believers can begin to walk in their true Kingdom identities and take back Kingdom authority over those worldly systems that have gone so far astray.

This is the time to reclaim the earth for the Kingdom of God! It is a time, in the words of the late Dr. Myles Munroe, to "establish the governing influence of our King over the territory called Earth, impacting it with His will, His purpose, and His intent, producing a citizenship of people who reflect the King's culture, nature, values, and morals". Doesn't the world need that? Doesn't our nation? And don't you want to be a part of that? 

I am watching people expressing their fears over what the future holds while I am calm and filled with anticipation and expectation. I believe the Lord desires to do a great work in the lives of millions of people. And as always, everyone has a free will choice how they will receive His invitation. Whether it is millions who answer Jesus's call, or just a remnant, Satan has had his way for far too long! The battle over mankind is intensifying. But what the devil means for evil, God will use for His good. We can see ourselves as being born for this time and join with God to glorify Him in the midst of the coming trials ... or we can sit back and wait for Jesus to do all the work. But that's not why we're here! This is an amazing time to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom and to be an instrument of God to sow into the hearts and lives of people. 

It is an exciting time to be on the earth. It is a favorable time to be a worker in the Kingdom. It is also a dangerous time. The rulers in the spiritual realms, along with the authorities, the cosmic powers over this present darkness, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places are all going to fight back against the Kingdom of God. We can expect to be embattled and we must prepare for casualties; yes, even martyrdom. I know that's not an idea that brings comfort, but just like Queen Esther, we must stand firm, declaring, "If I perish, I perish". Nothing is secure in this new world we find ourselves -- not even our lives. But there is one thing we can count on for sure... Jesus has paid for our victory! And just as Mordecai exhorted Esther, we can choose to be a part of that victory or not, but we can be assured that if it is not you or me, "God will send His relief and deliverance from another source", and our house and/or nation could perish. I want to be part of that victory source! I was born for such a time as this, and you are, too! Our Father in Heaven, use us to help bring Your Kingdom to earth and heal our land and this world!

John 14:1   Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.

From a Lamb to a Lion

What I'm going to talk about today comes from personal experience. Lately, I've been discerning an awakening among the family of God. It's not explosive and certainly not widespread, but still, it is undeniable. There is a remnant in the Body of Christ that is realizing that the religious normalcy bias we've been operating in, is not our reality. We've come to know that Scripture speaks plainly that judgment is coming on the nation that continues to rebel against God. In Amos, Chapter 4, God reminds His nation of Israel that He sent famine; drought; plagues of insects to kill their crops and plagues of sickness to kill their people. He also overthrew and destroyed the depraved [as a warning to all], "Yet you have not returned to Me in repentance". And his last statement in Chapter 4 is chilling ... "Prepare to meet your God [in judgment], O Israel"!

That is what happens to an idolatrous and corrupt nation who turns away from YHWH. We should take note. It doesn't matter whether we were founded as a Christian nation or not. Our actions throughout the two-and-a-half centuries of our existence speak louder. And over the last half century, this nation has shown flagrant contempt and scorn for God. He is absent from the halls of Congress, our schools, our entertainment industry, from corporate America, and from many families. It is not enough to say that He is still alive in the churches of America when the churches are run like businesses, the leadership approves of ungodly lifestyles, and Jezebel controls the congregation. 

I know this sounds harsh. And I know there are Godly pockets of the Remnant that seek to establish His Kingdom in this nation. And God will honor that and give us favor! But stop for just a moment and look at the big picture this nation presents to God as He sits on His throne. The corruption, the greed, the immorality, the perversion and depravity, the murders, the disdain for law and order ... all of this threatens to overcome the standards of goodness and decency that were once the hallmarks of our society.

I have been ruminating on these thoughts for awhile, and asking the Lord to show me that what I am discerning is wrong. I desperately want to be wrong! I would love to bask in the belief that we will somehow escape the ramifications of the falling away from God. But the Holy Spirit spoke to me in the early hours before dawn and showed me that unlike the Jews, who rejected Jesus as the Lamb of compassion and mercy because they wanted a Warrior King, the Church of Jesus in the 21st Century wants to reject the idea of Him as the returning Warrior King, in favor of keeping Him as the Lamb of Grace! The Church wants to keep Jesus as the Lamb and keep Him stuck in His role as peacemaker and pacifist. 

As I've said so often, it is difficult when your discernment and Biblical worldview doesn't match the normalcy bias of most modern-day Christians. We are so comfortable with our view of Jesus as our Savior when He's the Lamb. But when He becomes the Warrior King dispensing righteous judgment, that image threatens to destroy the joy in the Lord. You can point out that the Bible, itself, shows us a deteriorating world that will lead Him to return as a conquering Warrior King with His robe dipped in the blood of the wicked for the judgment of mankind [Revelation 19:13]. And you can show them that there will be a sword coming out of His mouth with which to strike the nations [Revelation 19:15], and He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty [Revelation 14:17-20]. Still they cannot accept Him in this role. Anything but the image of the loving Lamb of God brings offense, and I surmise a good amount of fear.

But I take great comfort in knowing that He will finally go to war as the Commander of the Heavenly Host against Satan and his army of fallen angels. I recognize that my Lord is full of compassion and grace and mercy, but when the cup of God's wrath against Evil is full, I know Him to be the Warrior King, who from Genesis 3:15 forward, is the Defender of His bloodline and His people. He appears throughout the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord, with sword in hand, ready to fight to defend those who belong to Him [Joshua 5:13; 2 Kings 19:35; Psalm 35:5-6]. And as Exodus 23:20-33 shows us, when YHWH sent the Israelites into the Promised Land, where lived the Nephilim giants, He sent an Angel [the pre-incarnate Jesus] before them, to "keep them and guard them on the way and to bring them to the place He had prepared". Jesus was a Giant-killer! And since He is the same today as He was then, we have nothing to fear about the Judgment that is coming. 

And don't you think God is going to keep and guard on us on our way to the Millennium Kingdom and eternal life in the new Heaven and Earth? He is sending Jesus, the Warrior King to go before us, defeating Evil once and for all and bringing us to the place God has prepared for us. So, it is my prayer and my hope that the Body of Christ comes to embrace the truth and knowledge that Jesus is coming to judge the world in righteousness and wage war against Evil. Our faith and hope in a glorious future in Heaven must overcome all fear about what might happen in this world. It will be our privilege to do spiritual battle (and physical, if necessary) alongside our Savior. He will be a formidable Captain of the Angelic Army and our Defender! We will see the Lamb of God become the Lion of Judah and Righteousness and Justice will rule the world!

#endtimeswar #endtimesjudgment #jesuswarriorking #endtimesprophecies #dayofthelord

Revelation 19:11   And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True (trustworthy, loyal, incorruptible, steady), and in righteousness He judges and wages war [on the rebellious nations].