28 Mar Fighting Through the Storm

He raises the guidon into the night air as the ashes smoke and smolder around him.

He refuses defeat. His mission is clear and so he walks by it, foot by foot, moment by moment into the enveloping darkness. His feet are steady and his words are true. He barks the orders to the Lord’s mighty warriors and they quickly come up. They run upon the walls. They leap about the rooftops. Unified and purposeful are the movements of the righteous called.

They are relentless in their faith and so they prepare for battle as the darkness rises all around them.

The void of Hell opens from the pit below, and demons clamber from its belly and up into the night sky, wings flapping through screeches of death. They chatter through the chaos and the swarm of locusts fills the swath of night.

This destruction awaits its master. This death finds solace no more. Their languishing has dried up at the wick and the Lord God prepares to pluck up the wicked by their roots and cast them into the fire.

“‘For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘That will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,’ says the LORD of hosts.”(Malachi 4:1-3 NKJV)

Each lamp of the Almighty God shines bright and full of light, and in kneeling before His glorious throne, their supplications fill the expanse between space and time. Their prayers hang thick from the weight of heavy tears, crying out day and night for the lost and tormented souls of the wicked. Their righteous cries replace the once joyous calls of long ago while perilous shadows creep across the blackened landscape bringing sure and swift destruction in their wake. The souls under the altar cry out for their blood to be avenged and for the impending judgement to come.

Like the garden of Eden before them the Army of God marches, this one this way and the other by himself. They each cry out to God and He hears them. Before them fire streams from their mouths and behind them the desolation of a forgotten wilderness.

Destruction runs nigh and the garden burns while many once lost souls of the sleepy earth are caught ablaze with the zeal of an old fire burning new. The flames spread and march in step to the cadence of transformed warriors being called into action. This time having been foretold, each faithfully stands on the precipice of glory–but through death’s door do they see it and by the fire they shall soon return.

In the courtroom the soldier of God stands on trial for faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The mockery from many fills the hall. She stands in peace and yet they scorn. She stands at rest and yet they laugh. She smiles with love but their hate spews forth foul excrement of words into the wicked air. She prays aloud, and yet they weep and wail for the sound of it.

On trial she knows only her voice. Her words flow forth in a language unlike the rest. All nations give ear as she gives her account of battle, the leading of many lost souls into the Kingdom of God. Though she speaks to the world, her words are understood by all. Her grasp of language masterful but not of her own accord, the power of God soothes and fills, the void of many witnesses hungry and longing for His peace to encapsulate them. They do not fully understand the new power inside of them but by the multitude they fall and now believe. They seek Jesus and He answers them. He guides and comforts them into newness of life.

The imprisoned soldier dies in freedom at the hands of her enemies, welcomed home by the glory of God and the singing of His angels. Her mission complete, the war rages on. She now prays for those still in action and longs for the coming end and vanquishing of all darkness.

Other souls cry out but with voices left unheard. They seek comfort and cares–a refuge but only from their problems. They seek God but only to fill a gap. They seek the solution but not the one who provides it. Their cries go unanswered and the faltering of many on that day end in eternal judgment.

This is as the prophecy foretold that many shall perish in their wickedness, for that day shall not come until the falling away, “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (II Thessalonians 2:10-12 NKJV)

Through passions and lusts they seek evil and through self preservation they turn to God, but He turns His ear away, for the cries of the wicked must be as was foretold saying, “the great God who formed everything gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.” (Proverbs 26:10-11 NKJV)

His mercy runs nigh today. Do you hear Him calling to you? Hear the roar of thunder upon the approaching winds. The time is late, and the bridegroom returns.

Hear the voice of the Living God.

Are you ready for the storm?