I am often given trade and news journal subscriptions from groups that I sometimes cannot understand why they think I would have an interest in them, but nonetheless, I appreciate them reaching out. Lately these different journals, from unrelated industries or groups, have been taking on a common theme. Now there seems to be a continuous cry from all sectors of society to help save their freedoms. This is a revelation. There has not likely ever been a time in American history when all of our freedoms were under the kind of assault they are now, on almost every front, and with seemingly unrelenting persistence.

     This is a predicted sign of the times, and we are told that when we see these things happening we should, “Look up for your redemption is drawing close” (see Luke 21:28). However, nowhere does it say that this is all we should do! In fact, we are given clear instructions and an action plan that will, if we follow it, lead to a sure victory, not defeat. II Corinthians 2:14 declares, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” If we follow the Lord, we will always come to victory.

     It seems that almost every group in society is now feeling embattled, and they are correct in feeling this way. Since I receive communications from Christian leaders across the country, almost everyone is saying the same about what is happening in their city or state. It is obvious that we are in the greatest struggle of all time to save our liberty. Those who are fighting on the local level feel overwhelmed, but when you sit back and look at the whole, it seems far more so. As impossible as our plight may now seem, there is reason to hope. If God’s people awaken, arise, and call on our God while being resolved to fight the good fight, we cannot lose!

     J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a prophecy of the way he saw the times unfolding, and it seems that he was very accurate. Evil is growing more powerful than ever before, and the righteous seem so outnumbered, it does not appear that they have any chance of holding back the great hordes of hell. However, they still fought just because it was the right thing to do. They went into battle expecting to die, preferring to die rather than not fight the great evil of their times. Even though it looked like they had no hope of victory, one little hobbit would ultimately unravel all of the power of the evil one and good would prevail. Even the smallest and seemingly weakest believer has more power resident in him or her than all of the antichrists who have ever lived! We do not know how or through whom the victory will come, but our job is to just fight with all that we have for what is right and never give up. It is right to fight the big battles, but we can also expect that the Lord can use the smallest and weakest to slip in some unexpected way to bring the victory. You might even be the one!

     In this trilogy, evil comes in almost every form and seemingly at the same time. There are the huge, evil armies that are easy to discern, but then there are also those who appear to come as friends, with the best of intentions, saying they only want the good of the people, and these inevitably do the most damage and come the closest to defeating the good. In 1928, this is what the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis warned about, saying:

     Another interesting and prophetic vision that Tolkien had of the future that seems to now be unfolding, was how the overwhelming threat of evil brought alliances between those who never dreamed of being aligned together, and had before been either enemies or rivals. Finding themselves all fighting on the same side against the ultimate evil gave them all a greater understanding of who their true friends and allies were. This ultimately brought forth a victory and a kingdom that was more glorious than any before it.

     It is likewise interesting the alignments that are now taking place. In the church, there are gatherings of believers from almost across the spectrum of denominations and movements who want to join together, not in a denominational organization, but as different groups who have a common enemy, a common threat to their existence. There are non-religious groups who want to join with the religious because of the overwhelming threat of evil they perceive. It is truly a remarkable time, and it seems that the greatest of all battles between good and evil is now unfolding, and we get to be in it!

     If we are here in these times, it is because we have been chosen to be. If we have been chosen for this, then it is our calling. It does seem to be overwhelming, maybe even impossible in some ways, but it seems that the Lord likes those odds, and does His best work then. We know from the overwhelming testimony of Scripture and history that we cannot lose if we do not quit.