End Times Game Plan

In light of the current spiritual climate, I have been pondering just what my game plan should be as a Christian living in the end times. In light of the current political climate, it’s not unwarranted to suppose that we will soon be faced with the same types of persecution that Christians in most other parts of the world are already facing. 1 Peter includes several very long and detailed passages about suffering for doing right and simply for being a Christian (3:13-17;4:1-2, 12-16, 19). And in between those passages are clear instructions about how to live (2:15; 3:11; 2:13-18; 2:1-12; 3:1-7; 3:8; 4:9-11; 5:2-3). Not surprisingly, the instructions are to keep doing what we’ve supposed to have been doing all along: be obedient to Christ, surrender to Him and live in unity with other believers. But what about those specific moments, that will inevitably come, when we will be forced to decide to either fight or turn the other cheek? Most of the Old Testament includes God’s people fighting for their land and their people and God helping them to win when they obey Him. But when Christ was being arrested, Peter tried to defend Him with the sword, and Christ forbade him. How will we know if it’s the moment to stand strong and defend ourselves, our family, and what is right, the moment to give ourselves and our families up as martyrs or the moment to flee and wait for further instructions from God?

I believe we can look at the lives of David and Paul for our answer. David lived a life full of conflict, one after the other, right up until the moment of his death. As I’m sure you remember, David fought successfully (with God’s help) against Goliath and many other Philistines (the enemies of God’s people in his time). But he also spent a good portion of his life running from the evil King Saul. How did he know when to fight and when to run? The answer in scripture is clear. When faced with each battle, David sought the face of the Lord to find out what God would have him do. Every time, God gave David instructions about whether or not to fight. If David was instructed to fight, God even told David what plan and strategy to use in light of the role that God Himself would play in the battle (1Samuel 16 - 2 Samuel). The same is true in Paul’s life. He left one town after another, and moved on to the next in obedience to the Holy Spirit. Because he was obedient, His ministry continued and many more were won to Christ or discipled as new believers. In Act 17:10, we find one such example: Paul fled to safety leaving Thessalonica secretly by night through the help of other believers . Yet before and after this event, Paul unswervingly shares the gospel despite constant beatings and nearly-successful attempts on his life (Acts 20:22-24) and we know that eventually Paul did become a martyr. The key here is that he didn’t try to figure out any situation for himself, but instead trusted the Lord, who sees the end from the beginning.

The deciding factor is the same as it has always been. Stick close to the Lord, stay in close communication with Him. Talk to Him and LISTEN to hear His voice clearly. So what is the best course of action for now? We must get practiced at hearing God’s voice and obeying immediately so that when we need His instructions in those critical suffering and persecution moments, we will know for sure that we have heard the voice of our Lord and therefore be confident in the actions that we take in obedience to Him.

-Jenny Greene