WORLD WAR III
NATURAL wars originate in the realm of the Spirit. They are conceived in the minds of demonic entities in high places. Demonic entities control, manipulate, influence, subjugate and empower their “subjects” to commit evil. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Satan is “hell-bent” on creating war, chaos, confusion, rebellion, death, and destruction. The Army of Darkness is more ruthless, brutal, pitiless, calculated, coldblooded, and deadly than any army this world has “never seen.”
Some wars begin in the hearts and minds of men who desire to be free from a tyrannical despot or government that is oppressive and cruel. The desire to become free from “oppressive rulers” and demonically inspired subjugation is a “great motivator.” Many wars have been fought for the cause of freedom. Fighting for freedom from oppression and cruelty can be just and honorable both naturally and spiritually.
World War III will be like no other war fought on earth since the beginning of time. It will certainly be the most destructive regarding the loss of lives and the obliteration of cities and natural resources.
Earth’s final war before the end of the Age will be fought for many of the same reasons the previous two world wars were fought. Many of the same nations that were major combatants in the first two world wars will also be the same. Satan has not changed his tactics. He has not given up on creating as much chaos, death and destruction in the lives of people as he possibly can. The nations that are most vulnerable to the wiles and schemes of the Devil are those whose governments are godless, repressive, and authoritarian.
THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE WAR
World War III will be more destructive than both previous world wars put together. It will be more destructive in regards to the number of deaths than all the wars fought on earth since the beginning of time. The Bible tells us that during the Great Tribulation war will kill one-third of the earth’s population. That is more than 2 billion people.
According to the Bible, another 3.5 billion of the world’s population will die due to famine, disease, crime, and by animals during the Great Tribulation. As far as I, know these totals do not include the deaths that will be caused by earthquakes and extreme weather conditions.
There are nearly 8 billion inhabitants on the earth today. According to the Bible at least 5.7 billion people will be killed and/or die during the Great Tribulation due to wars, famine, and other catastrophic events.
War alone will cause the death of approximately 2 billion people on the earth during the Great Tribulation. Many times famine and disease are the result of war. However, according to the Bible many of the diseases will not be caused by war but because men and women will refuse to repent of their sins. Much of the famine on the earth during the Tribulation will be caused by war, drought and other extreme weather conditions.
THE WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES
During World War III the war in the heavenlies will be as intense and severe as the war here on earth. Michael and his angels will be warring against the Devil and his angels. War in the heavenlies has been raging since Lucifer was cast out of Heaven for trying to usurp the Throne of God.
War in the heavenlies in many ways, are directly related to the wars on earth. The Holy Angels are continually warring against the Forces of Darkness in order to preserve the lives of those who trust in God. Where war is being waged on earth the angels of the Lord are also there protecting those who are trusting in Him for deliverance from both their natural and spiritual enemies.
During the Iraq War I served as the associate pastor at the The Rock Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. When the pastor learned his son who was in the military was going to be on the front lines in the war, he went on a forty-day fast. The Church prayed along with the pastor for his son to be protected from the enemy. The pastor specifically asked the Lord to “put a shield of protection around his son” during the battles he would be involved in.
The pastor’s son was in an armored division and drove a tank in the Army. Before ground troops could be sent into battle his division had to go in and sweep the fields and detonate any mines that were in the fields. The entire time the division would be detonating the mines, the Iraqi Army would be firing at them. The Army was expecting 50 percent casualties among those who were going in to sweep the fields of the mines.
The pastor received a letter from his son telling him that something miraculous was happing on the battlefield. He wrote “the Iraqis are throwing everything they have at us. He told his father that for some reason the bombs the Iraqis were firing at them were bursting in mid air and not hitting any of their targets.” He said “they are shooting at us but their bullets are bouncing off what looks like an invisible shield in front of us.” The son said “Daddy it is just like there is a shield of protection in front of us.” Nobody in the son’s battalion was killed or wounded during the Iraq War.
My uncle Alton Randolph served in the military as a medic in World War II. While he was in the Philippines he and two other men were sent to retrieve a dead body near the area where they were. After finding the body of the fallen soldier, they had to park their jeep and walk a ways to retrieve the body. While trying to retrieve the body, a Japanese soldier appeared on a hill above them. The Japanese soldier was a forward scout for a larger group of Japanese soldiers. The Japanese soldier gazed around the area and walked back over the hill.
Within just a few minutes a large group of Japanese soldiers came over the hill and walked directly toward my uncle and the other two American soldiers that were with him. Alton said they did not know what to do. They had left their guns back at the jeep and they were unarmed. They could not have fought off the Japanese soldiers anyway because they were vastly outnumbered.
Alton’s first inclination was to pray. He prayed “Lord please do not let them see us.” The Japanese soldiers continued to walk straight toward them. There is no way they could not have seen them because they we very close to Alton and his other buddies. After walking directly toward them for awhile the Japanese soldiers turned and walked in another direction. Alton knew the Lord had prevented the Japanese soldiers from seeing him and his buddies.
There are probably tens of thousands of stories like these and others where the Lord has delivered men and women of God on battlefields for millennia. There are many stories in the Bible where God delivered His people from their enemies on earthly battlefields.
Many lives have been saved on battlefields due to praying soldiers, parents, spouses, children, and saints. Prayer is a powerful weapon. It can be the most powerful weapon in the universe when we pray in faith.
World War III will not only affect soldiers on the battlefield. Wars will be common place around the world. Nations will be fighting against nations. Neighbors will be fighting against neighbors. Civil, political, social, ethnic, and revolutionary wars will be raging around the world. Your “closest enemy” might be someone sitting next to you in church, your neighbor, your friends, or someone in your family. Jesus said “At that time many will turn away from the faith and betray and hate each other.” (Matthew 24:10).
The sad thing about betrayal is the one who betrays you is not your enemy, but someone who you know. Samson was betrayed by Delilah. Jesus was betrayed by Judas. Saul betrayed David. Benedict Arnold betrayed the friends he fought alongside in the Revolutionary War.
PERSECUTION
AND THEY OVERCAME HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY. Revelation 12:11.
The Bible does not tell us how many Christians will die during the Tribulation due to persecution, however according to the Book of Revelation there will be many. Many Christians will be betrayed by their friends and loved ones and those they “broke bread” with.
Persecution is one of the trademarks of “the godly.” The Bible tells us that ALL who live godly will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus was severely persecuted and was nailed to the cross. Jesus told the disciples “If they hated me they will hate you.” (See John 15:18-25). He told the disciples they would be hated of all men because of Him. The disciples all ended up suffering “great persecution.”
The early Church suffered great persecution. Yet, many were willing to lay down their lives for the greatest cause in history. They did not love their lives enough to try to save them by denying Christ. Persecution has always made the Church stronger--not weaker.
The persecution of the Church has grown exponentially in the last few years. I get messages and emails from many pastors from around the world informing me of the great persecution that is taking place in their countries and the areas in which they live.
Many Christians are being severely beaten, mercilessly slaughtered, and/or burned to death. Churches around the world are being bombed, torched or destroyed. In most areas the civil authorities are doing little to stop the carnage, death, and destruction. In some areas it is the civil or state authorities that are doing the persecuting. The main stream media does not report on much of the persecution that is going on in the world TODAY.
The persecution of the Church and the Jews will become even more prevalent in the days ahead. The elimination of the Church and the Jewish Nation is the goal of Satan. He knows his time is short and he is doing everything in his power to eliminate his greatest threat here on earth—the Church and the Jewish Nation.
The Bride of Christ is Satan’s greatest threat on earth. She understands his tactics and successfully fights and defeats him on many battlefronts in life. Persecution does not stop her from continuing the “good fight of faith.” She is fearless in battle and is not afraid to confront the enemy, even if she is greatly outnumbered. She is a Soldier of the Cross. She is a “Mighty Warrior.” She is not afraid of death because in death she finds the victory that overcomes all her enemies.