It’s an age-old tactic, used and reused time and again. In his desperation (yes, he is desperate!), Satan is dusting it off for one last round with the Christians, hoping that this time he can crush them forever. As it has failed in the past, it will fail this final time–the grandest failure of all!
Over two thousand years ago, Daniel, a humble, devout, and righteous wise man and prophet was entrusted with one of the highest positions in the Babylonian kingdom. In him was found no fault. He was a praying man who trusted in the God of heaven. Wicked men, moved with burning jealousy and hatred for God, were determined to destroy him.
The plan was simple–write new laws engineered to demand something Daniel could not do without betraying his God–no more praying to God, only praying to the king. Now, with the flick of a pen, Daniel was deemed a rebellious, anti-government anarchist; a criminal and traitor worthy of death! Feed him to the lions! Let us finally rid ourselves of Daniel and his God! But since the lions themselves took their orders from Daniel’s God, the plan backfired. The end result was the prospering of Daniel while his jealous enemies faced untimely deaths in the jaws of the lions!
On another momentous occasion–a great judgment hall, an innocent man, and a great multitude crying for the crucifixion of the One who healed the sick, ministered to the weak and poor; who taught men to love their neighbors, do good to their enemies and pray for them; a man with no earthly army, preaching a gospel of righteousness and peace. Agitators, jealous of His influence, were determined to destroy Him. The plan? The greatest character assassination of all time. Hired liars and false witnesses twisted and wrested His words–He said He was going to destroy the temple. He claims to be a king. He is an insurrectionist who plans to destroy the Jewish nation and the Roman kingdom to place Himself on the throne. Away with Him! And so, He was crucified.
Satan and his host of demons let loose in grand festivities on the streets of hell, and no doubt there were some private celebrations among His Jewish and Roman minions that day–a short-lived celebration. On the third day, this “troublemaker” defied all the powers of hell and a legion of some of Rome’s best military personnel, and rose again. He arose and hell trembled! The party was over.
In His rising, a people was raised up with Him–a people in which His Spirit lived and spread like a fire that knew no bounds; a humble, peace-loving, other-worldly people with a message so powerful and convincing that the idolator threw away his idols, and sinner turned from his sins.
The faith of the people shifted from the corrupt government of the day to the risen Christ and the moral and economic reset that resulted from His simple doctrine. These people proved to be the most nonviolent and law-abiding citizens in the kingdom, yet their message was so detrimental to the evil industry around it by merit of its truth, that rulers found themselves in a dilemma–either relinquish power over the people or relinquish all corrupt practices that brought them to and kept them in power, or use media and propaganda to stigmatize the Christians, to paint them as dangerous insurrectionists, a threat to the health and well-being of society, and therefore justify their extermination for the greater good.It was this latter path that many emperors pursued, resulting in centuries of torture and public executions by fire, sword, and wild beast. Perhaps the most notable of these was the Roman emperor, Nero, who found the Christians a handy scapegoat in the burning of Rome. Killing two birds with one stone, he was able to bypass his own senate in destroying and rebuilding Rome while turning the public sentiment against the Christians who carried the message which threatened to destroy his kingdom of lies.
It’s the same old trick Satan is pulling out again. We find ourselves in the midst of a global flurry of new legislations demanding the closing of churches, enforcement of invasive and dangerous vaccines, the relinquishing of parental rights and religious freedom, the silencing of the freedom of speech, the imprisonment of pastors, and a list of many more such things that is rapidly growing as we write.
Simultaneously, we see the corrupt mainstream media ramping up their anti-Christian rhetoric. Comparisons have been made between Christians and the Taliban, labeling them as a terrorist threat, a public enemy, people who do not care for their fellow man. The media is on constant surveillance for self-proclaimed Christians committing some atrocity or insurrection to use as an excuse to stigmatize true Christians.
They are also looking for the sellouts in leadership who are willing to twist the scriptures to put the true doctrine of Christ in a bad light. Suffice it to say, we know what is happening. We know history, we know the tactics, and we know the prophetic future. “Christians to the lions” is the cry.
Our message to our fellow brethren: “Arm yourselves,” not with physical weapons, but with the same mind as Christ who suffered for us. Let us be willing and prepared to suffer for Him with boldness and patience. Respect and obey the governments of this world where possible and stand unshaken where they demand what violates the higher law of God, with resolve to die on this hill if so be the will of God.
To the kings and kingdoms of this world we say, “Choose your path carefully.” Christ arose from the grave and remains unstoppable. The river of blood that flowed from the faithful in the colosseum of Rome proved to be as gasoline on the fire of a spreading Christianity. You can persecute us and kill us as individuals, but you will never kill us as a people. Our numbers will only increase with every imprisonment and loss of human liberty.
We know that your system of belief cannot stand against God’s. Therefore, you seek to silence God’s message and kill His messengers, as did your ungodly predecessors. Whether it is in the killing of their physical body, their reputation, or the freedom to deliver their message, this is in itself an acknowledgment of failure on your part.
Be assured that the last funeral will be that of the beast and the false prophet symbolizing the system of the kings of the earth and their message and messengers. The victor will be the King of kings whom your predecessors crucified.
Remember this, the One that rose from the grave is alive today and in the midst of His church. Be assured that He will triumph gloriously in this final conflict.
