The End Times are hard times. As things become more tight, and pressures increase on all sides, we have to arm ourselves with a different way of thinking. Peter put it this way: “since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought” (1 Pet 4:1). Of course, this is completely unnatural for most of us. Christians from Western nations and much of the free world have been raised with positive messages of hope, and promise. We’ve been told over and over that God wants to bless, even prosper us. Ours is the language of victory, of banners flying, of enemies fleeing. These are the songs we sing, the stories we write, the epitaphs of our heroes. There is only one very big problem with this…all of these things are only partially true. Not every battle is won. Sometimes our enemies don’t bow so easily. Not every problem gets solved. As I was just reading this morning from the book of Daniel:

“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and
      prevailing against them.” Dan 7:21

Now I am not suggesting that we should change our tune, or lower our expectations. We need to keep singing the songs of triumph—just not with a rapture mentality, as though others go through tribulations but we are completely spared. Scripture does not teach us that we are only delivered from trouble, but through trouble too. God does not always keep us from danger, but He does keep us during dangerous times. God did not keep Daniel from the lion’s den, or his friends from the fiery furnace; but His Name was certainly glorified when the lions’ mouths were shut, and the flames did not consume His faithful ones. And even then, Daniel’s friends were not blind idealists, stating categorically that deliverance could not be presumptuously assumed:

“…but if not [delivered], let it be known to you, O King, that we will not
     serve your gods.” (Dan 3:18)

These men were armed with the right kind of thinking—sometimes we suffer. Sometimes we even die. So when faced with evil’s onslaught, they were not caught unawares. Because of right thinking, they did not crumble, or stumble. They trusted God. Jesus too did not soften his message to His disciples. In Matthew 10 he said, “you will be handed over to the courts and flogged with whips…when they persecute you in one town, flee to another” (vs 19, 23).

Which leads me to the crux of my point: Are we ready? Are we armed? Are we making others ready, and equipping them to stand in the day of battle? The writer of Hebrews tells us that everything that can be shaken will be as we approach the end. That is a promise, too.

I am just finishing reading through all the major prophets. Many times throughout the history of Israel, their voices were like trumpet blasts to warn and prepare the people of God to face impending doom and destruction. While voices of the majority were saying, “peace, peace” when God was not promising them peace (eg. Jer 6:14; Ez 13:10), these bold men were admonishing the children of Israel that things were about to get much worse. It was this “speaking the truth in love” that enabled some in Israel to stand when chaos and judgment fell on them like a nightmare. Sadly, things did not turn out so well for Lot’s sons-in-law. Though warned of immanent judgment, they thought Lot was joking and paid with their lives when they refused to run from the fire and brimstone which was about to rain down on Sodom.

The Church has to understand the times. Wishful thinking will not help us when our world begins to rock and reel. England wanted Neville Chamberlain to be right; but it was Churchill’s not so pleasant yet true insights about Hitler’s aggressive ambitions which proved true. Jesus told us of times of stress, conflict, disasters, epidemics, and collapse. In order to be prepared, scripture commands us to fix our gaze on how Jesus endured the shame and pain of the cross, and find courage to stand up against hostility. The popular couch-delivered gospel with its invitation to partake of a worry-free, buffet-filled life doesn’t jive with the realities we are beginning to be confronted with. We better make sure that the gospel we are preaching does not end up to be fake news.

Before China’s church sank into the abyss of decades of persecution, just after the Communists gained control in 1949, the pastor of one of the largest churches in the land, Wang Mingdao, began to deliver and publish scores of prophetic sermons. They may have appeared doomsday to some, but without them many people could not have withstood the extreme violence which was about to be unleashed upon them. The book based on his messages, A Call To The Church, is needed now as it was then to make a new generation strong in the face of the coming assault. Wang, whom I met on numerous occasions, spent 23 years and 10 months in prison. The God who sent an angel to deliver Peter from jail sent His angels to sustain Wang. That’s two very different stories, yet the same God faithful over all.

Friends, this is a call to arms. We need to put on the full armor of God, and with our words and deeds to raise the shield of faith and sword of the Spirit for others as well. Why not ask God for a prophet’s mantle? He has always raised up voices in wilderness times; He is doing it now as well. For the sake of our families, our friends, our churches, our communities and nation, let’s ask the God of Jeremiah for a trumpet (Jer 4:5). Then let’s put it to our lips, that all of God’s people will be well armed to face the dark days which even now are descending upon us.