Your Blessed Assurance in the Worst of Times
Recently, an Indian astrologer, Kushal Kumar, predicted that World War III would begin on June 18, based on that date having the “strongest planetary stimulus to trigger WW3,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, a Russian nuclear-capable submarine just sailed past Florida to Cuba. If that were not enough, Iran has increased uranium enrichment, and North Korea issued a nuclear warning. Again.
History is full of times that were difficult for believers—indeed many millions of Christians are being persecuted in our generation. But Christians in America have been living in a sort of bubble. Because of our constitutional rights, we have freedoms not enjoyed in other countries. Yet that seems to be changing. We see people persecuted for standing for biblical, traditional values. Even some agencies of the government seem to target those who do not go along with their agenda, while the threat of catastrophic war remains an ever-present possibility.
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If we believe the Bible, we know persecution will come. The question is whether we will see it in our lifetime. Christians over millennia have been expecting Christ to return. Today, the world is so upside down it appears what Jesus prophesied about the end of time is happening before our eyes. A one-world government, the rise of the man the Bible calls the Antichrist and even a mark required to buy and sell seem to be the obvious next steps resulting from the “Great Reset” the World Economic Forum has called for.
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We now live in a post-Christian culture. Today, evil is called good and good is called evil. That is the essence of an upside-down culture. While many of us believe God raised up America, let’s face it—the nation is becoming more and more evil, and deserving of judgment.
There is a wonderful promise in Revelation 3:10 (MEV): “Because you have kept My word of patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which shall come upon the entire world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” It is not fun to think about, but we may face persecution in this country. Some Christians already have been cancelled on social media for posting Scripture verses. A few have lost their jobs when they refused to comply with heavy-handed enforcement of woke policies.
The reality is, we are in a spiritual war. And when the Tribulation comes, it will be the war of all wars. So, we must prepare for battle if we are to survive, just as U.S. Navy Seals must toughen themselves in a way civilians do not.
The world seems to be raging out of control, and most of what is happening seems beyond our understanding. We know everything is upside down, but we do not know what to do. Some have compared this period to the time in Germany when Jews knew something was seriously wrong, but the Nazi agenda was too horrific for anyone to believe it could actually happen. They hoped the turmoil would blow over. But it did not—it got worse. According to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, 6 million Jewish men, women and children, along with 11 million members of other groups, were murdered by the Nazi regime.
People like Corrie ten Boom lived through that time, and the story of how her Christian family hid Jews to save their lives is told in the book The Hiding Place. Some Jews survived, such as Viktor Frankl, who wrote the classic Man’s Search for Meaning, in which he recounts his pursuit while prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp, and how discovering his life’s meaning helped him survive.
Though the world seems to be careening toward the last days, this is not the time to become discouraged. We have the Holy Spirit, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. As Moses told Joshua, “The Lord, He goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear, nor be dismayed,” (Deut. 31:8, MEV).
In my latest book, Spirit-led Living in an Upside World, I devoted an entire chapter to how the Holy Spirit can empower us to stand up to all the evil in the culture and fill us with joy, contentment and vision even in the midst of it. I sincerely believe it is possible to experience God’s power to not only survive but thrive, even when the world is facing many threats including nuclear war.
The Holy Spirit can give us discernment about all that is happening leading to the end times. Sadly, too many Christians are not pressing in seeking God and are missing the real opportunity to lay hold of the victory and fullness of life available to us in Him. But it is not too late to access this power. You can be filled with the Spirit—or filled anew!—and experience His power and presence at a greater measure than you ever thought possible.
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Stephen Strang has seen major changes in the church, the culture and technology since he founded Charisma magazine in 1975. In addition to being CEO of Charisma Media, he hosts a Strang Report podcast live on YouTube and Rumble at 4 p.m. EST every Tuesday and Thursday. His important recent book Spirit-Led Living in an Upside-World is available wherever fine Christian books are sold. You can get a copy signed by the author online at mycharismashop.com.
