We live in a crazy world of espionage, black ops, classifications, security clearances, hackers, cyber warfare, an alphabet of intel agencies, and bureaucrats at all levels of government.

It is comforting to know that with all the craziness, we have a God in the heavens who knows all, sees all and is a revealer of secrets (cf. Daniel 2:28, 47).

In the days of Elisha when the King of Syria went to war with the King of Israel, the Prophet would tell the King the battle plans of the King of Syria. When the King of Syria inquired of his servants who was the spy for Israel, “one of his servants said, None, my Lord, O King, but Elisha, the Prophet, that is in Israel, tells the King of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber” (II Kings 6:12).

God has always had his servants with whom to share His secrets from Abraham (Genesis 18:17); Joseph (Genesis 41:15-25); Daniel (Daniel 2:26-47); Apostle Paul (II Timothy 3:1); Apostle John (Revelation 1:1), along with many other notable examples of God’s knowing, seeing and sharing everything.

“For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known” (Luke 12:2). That must send shivers up the spines of the spooks.

Jesus told us how things would be in these days. In the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 He spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. “There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2). After giving all the prophecies concerning the time of the end He said, “Behold, I have told you before” (Matthew 24:25).

As the saints of God, we live in the Kingdom of God. Many things are open to us in the Kingdom. We have weapons for warfare, not carnal weapons, but spiritual weapons that are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (cf. II Corinthians 10:4). We have angels on our side; we have dreams, visions, prophetic utterance, tongues and interpretation, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, discerning of spirits; indeed, all manner of weapons (cf. I Corinthians 12:4-11). We have prayer, the Word of God, revelations of the Word of God, worship, Yes, God has left us with an arsenal of weapons for the battles with our enemies (cf. Ephesians 6:10-18).

In the days of the Apostles, the Prophet Agabus “stood up and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world; which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar” (AD 41-54) (Acts 11:28). The churches took collections for the poor and distributed them to the saints at Jerusalem. We do not have to be in the dark in these days either. God is well able to speak to us so we can be prepared for the calamities that are coming upon the world.

However, there is an imperative, that we live by faith. We also must be filled with the Spirit of God. We have to believe. We have to be strong. We have to be courageous, bold and not be afraid. We have to stand up. We have to be obedient to the commands of the LORD. We have to be prepared to die, to take up our cross, and consider all else loss for Christ. We have to live holy lives before the LORD. We have to go where we are sent. We have to love our enemies, and not hate. We must always do good and not evil. It is a lot to ask, but there is grace for all things.

The Church began during the Roman Empire. We can finish with the Antichrist. Neither one is too big for the LORD. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is LORD of Lords and King of Kings. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We are living in His Kingdom. We reign with Him, we rule with Him. We are triumphant. Victory is ours and is assured. The Kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ (cf. Revelation 11:15). Glory be to God!

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Magpies is a reference to an ongoing conflict between China and Australia. Pray for that for the tensions will get very serious around the Chinese New Year, February 1, 2022.