Rumors of Wars All Around

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Matthew 24:6 NKJV

When I read John’s post on Friday, I had no idea how quickly I would be tested on its wisdom and warning. Within the hour I was reading about the murders in Dallas and thinking, “Is this really happening?!” It’s one thing to acknowledge the Scriptural truth that we are at war, though life proceeds rather quietly on around us. But it’s a bucket of ice water to the face to see that war spilling out and over in real time everywhere I look. ‘Rumors of wars’ takes on a whole new meaning then.

Rumors of Wars and Blood on the Streets

I am tempted, sorely tempted to wade into the stream of fear and rage rushing across the world right now. Why? Because Satan whispers in my ear that engaging with, and in some way mastering, the rumors of wars’ twists and turns will make me safe. If I know all the facts, then I can save myself. If I can identify the root of danger, then I won’t be susceptible to it. What a slithering bag of scat!

No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
2 Timothy 2:4 ESV

Now more than ever I have a desperate need to hear my Lord’s voice, to ‘remain King-ed,’ as John so beautifully put it. If Satan lures me into entanglement with the world, then there’s one less soldier in the Lord’s Army. There’s one less earthly vessel for the will of God. There’s one less believer to stand in Christ’s victory “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).

Rumors of Wars Will Try to Take You Out

Every born-again believer matters in this war. Every single one of us serves God’s purpose. When I was starting to spiral down from looking at the horrific mess of the world, the Spirit got very stern with me. I heard: “The enemy knows how important you are, why don’t you?!” That stopped me cold. And though He was speaking to me, this is truth for everyone who belongs to Jesus. We matter! There is a time for grief and a time for love and a time to gather together, but there is never a time to get entangled.

The wars and rumors of wars heating up all over the globe are mere reflections of the war in the heavens. The Holy Spirit will not let us lose sight of that; He is faithful to keep us! I had ten minutes of tears and then He yanked my face away from the battle in Dallas and back to Him. I’m not writing this post because I’m so spiritually mature that the events of the world can’t touch me. Of course they touch me. I no longer have a heart of stone – thank You, God! – and I hurt when Jesus hurts. I’m able to write this because I belong to Jesus Christ and He keeps me! He keeps us all in every way we need keeping when we belong to Him. We can hurt with those who hurt without becoming entangled. Though wars and rumors of wars are all around us, we have a King and He’s already won.

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.
Micah 7:8 KJV