“Lacked you anything,” Jesus asks His disciples and they replied,”nothing.” Jesus and His disciples, for the most part were met by crowds and well wishers and those who would put them up in their homes and feed them. Indeed, at one point the people would have made Jesus their King. Now everything was about to change.

Can I suggest that Christianity in the West has lacked for nothing for a considerable time now. Everything is about to change. The Western nations and their leaders are about to turn on Christians with a ferocity. Genuine Christians are going to find themselves second class citizens. We shall be counted with the transgressors.

Jesus spoke to His disciples because His time on earth was about to come to an end. He knew that the once loving crowds, so fickle, so self serving, were about to turn on Him and His followers. The atmosphere had changed. The gross darkness which would soon engulf the land had already begun to stretch out its shadow towards them.

Can I suggest that the very same shadow is encircling the earth right now. The atmosphere has changed. Can you sense it in your spirit? Do you understand that we shall be counted with the transgressors? And the lowest of them indeed. You are just about to be hated for His namesake by all nations. It will not be a normal hatred, if there is such a thing. No, you will be hated by a satanically inspired hatred.

Jesus tells His disciples to take their purse, to sell their cloak and to buy a sword. Now, it was common for Galileans to carry swords in that day. It would protect them from robbers and such. Indeed there was found two swords among the ranks of His disciples. Two among twelve. It was not something that the disciples had given much thought to apparently. For as they went out by their twos healing and casting out demons, the people loved them. Now all that was about to change. Now they would be hated and hunted and persecuted.

Saints, we must now expect trouble. Arm yourself with this knowledge. Prepare for it in your heart. Do not count your guns. We shall not be fighting robbers and wild beasts. Arm yourself with the sword of the Spirit for it will the authorities that will be coming after you. There is no question about the fact that we shall not fight the authorities. Jesus would say to you that’s enough already. We do not have a Barabbas spirit. Our war is not a civil war. We war against the unseen forces of darkness.

Jesus reminds His disciples that what has been written must yet be accomplished in Him. He knew what lay ahead not only for Him but for His followers and He was preparing them. What has been written about us must also yet be fulfilled saints. The force behind the darkness has come to make war with the saints and to overcome them. (Rev 13:7) It is written. One’s name is either in the Book of Life or it is not. All those, of every kindred and tongue and nation whose name is not found in the Book shall be our enemies.

Now, if you take up the sword you shall fall by the sword. This may appeal to many of my brothers and sisters. I know this because it appeals to me. Yet, this is not the will of God. His will is that we should be a witness. We have been called to be witnesses against the great evil and darkness of this world. When all the world sees our witness, then the end shall come, then shall come our Jesus. It is not your choice on how you leave this planet. We have a Lord and a God and He has clearly instructed us not only in the written Word but in the Word that is written on our hearts.

So brothers and sisters. Arm yourself with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God moving in you with power. Stand before men as the witnesses of old stood before them. Stand with boldness, stand with indignation for the name of Jesus. Arm yourself by being prepared in your heart. Understand and know the times and the seasons that you are living in and have been called to.

The Lord Himself has called our generation, I believe, to make up the number of the Martyrs, to fulfill their numbers. When I speak of the remnant, this is what I speak of. Stand strong my brothers and sisters, our God is with us. The gross darkness of this world cannot penetrate the light that is in us. We are wrapped in impenetrable light. It is to us a wall of fire. Our God is a consuming fire.