The Kingdom of God in a Time of War

The Kingdom of God in a Time of War

Opening and Context

It's wonderful to be here at Life Church Bath. I've maintained a long connection with this church and community for many years. My family and I lived in Ukraine from 1994 to 2006 as missionaries, and we've continued to minister there even during the current war. I've just returned from my eighth trip back to Ukraine since the 2022 invasion.

Pastor Jonathan asked me to speak about what the kingdom of God looks like in a time of war. Before I dive into this, I want to address something important from Scripture that frames everything I'm about to share.

The Challenge of Wartime Faith

"If you have run with the footmen and they have wearied you, how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace in which you trusted they wearied you, how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?" — Jeremiah 12:5

Most of us in Western nations have lived in relative peace since World War II. Our spirituality has often been shaped by the sacrifices of those who came before us. But the question Scripture poses is crucial: When peace is disrupted, when the flood comes—what will you do?

For Ukraine, that flood came in February 2022 with a full-scale invasion. When I heard the news, I was on vacation in Florida. My phone was ringing constantly. Churches I oversaw had to close. Families had to flee. The comfortable framework we trusted was shattered.

The Gospel Foundation: Sin and Grace

To understand God's response in wartime, we must first understand His response to humanity's fall. Let me take you through Romans to build our foundation.

The Reality of Sin

In Romans 1:25, Paul writes:

"They exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator."

Each of us has made this choice. We've exchanged God's truth for a lie. The result? Romans 3:19 tells us:

"Every mouth must be stopped and all the world becomes guilty before God."

This is the legal standing we all face because of sin. There is substantial guilt and legal guilt before God.

The Good News: Grace Abounds

But Paul wrote Romans under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to reveal God's grace. Look at Romans 5:15:

"The free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God..."

Everybody needs to understand this: "Much more." The grace of God is much more powerful than what sin has done. This isn't mere philosophy—both sin and grace have measurable, tangible results in our lives.

The Heart of the Gospel: One Man's Obedience

Romans 5:18 focuses us on the crucial contrast:

"Through one man's offense judgment came to all men resulting in condemnation. Even so, through one man's righteous act, the free gift came to all men resulting in justification of life."

That one man is Jesus Christ. While Adam said, "I will do my will," Jesus said, "Not my will, but yours be done." By His obedience, He defeated what Satan accomplished through Adam's disobedience. This is why we worship Him.

And here's the essential truth for our times:

"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous." — Romans 5:19

What God did in Christ is not a parallel comparison to what Satan did in Adam. It's much more.

The Promise for Wartime: Grace Abounds Much More

Now we arrive at the cornerstone Scripture for living through crisis:

"Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." — Romans 5:20

In Ukraine, we see sin abounding everywhere. I stood six kilometers from the front line in Nicipole, a city that once had 110,000 people and now has 60,000. The Russians conduct what they call "safaris"—they send drones over populated areas hunting for gatherings of people, filming the kills, and posting them online.

When you're surrounded by that constantly, you need a theology. You need to know: What do I do now?

The answer is: Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more.

Stories of Grace in Wartime

Let me share what I've witnessed of this abounding grace.

Velo's Divine Protection

In Krematorsk, Pastor Velo's wife Nenah felt the Holy Spirit warning her one morning: "Don't wear that green shirt and camouflage hat to work." He initially resisted—he was busy. But she insisted, "Velo, please change." After some husband-and-wife discussion, he changed into a white shirt and baseball cap.

As he rode his scooter down the highway, a hunting drone suddenly appeared from behind a garage. These drones can scan whether you're dressed as a soldier. Had Velo worn that green uniform, he would have been marked as a target.

Instead, Velo stopped his scooter and spoke in tongues for about ten minutes while the drone scanned him. Because he had changed, the drone left him unharmed. Listen to your wives, men—it might save your life.

Vlad's Revival Anointing

A burned-out pastor named Vlad, age 42, in Nipper didn't want anything to do with revival or my ministry. Two years ago, he heard about the revival in Asbury, Kentucky, and began streaming it online despite not understanding English. The Spirit of God came upon him powerfully.

The room disappeared. There was only Jesus filling his office with light and brightness. Vlad was caught up before the Lord, filled with joy, dancing, filled with new wine. His wife came home confused but was soon filled with the Holy Spirit herself.

Now Vlad is a river carrier of revival. His worship services last one-and-a-half to two hours, mostly about joy. In a city hit by missiles two or three times a week, his church dances after the air raid sirens. God is raising up revival leaders in wartime.

Pasha's Healing Ministry

Pastor Pasha encountered David Hogan, a minister with a strong anointing. When David walked past Pasha, he could feel God's presence from a meter away. Soon after, the anointing was imparted.

Pasha met a Ukrainian soldier from the front line whose spine was so crooked with pain that he'd been sent back for medical treatment. Pasha had no sense of anointing or tingling as he placed his hands on the soldier outside their apartment building. But the next morning, the soldier looked in the mirror and his spine was completely straight.

The soldier ran to find his buddies: "This just happened to me!" They brought Pasha to pray for all of them. A healing river broke out in that southern city.

A businessman who had fled to Europe texted Pasha with a long list of health problems. Pasha, unable to call back, sent a five-minute voice message blessing and praying for him. Four hours later, the businessman called: "I'm completely healed." Over the following weeks, despite continued check-ins, the healing remained. The businessman was so grateful he gave Pasha $25,000 for his ministry project.

Pasha's young son witnessed a twelve-year-old friend hit by a car. Doctors said the child would be a vegetable. Pasha prayed for him, and days later the boy was completely healed. His son's trauma also lifted.

A Messianic rabbi from Nipper, suffering from a hernia that affected all his internal organs, was surrounded by our team as we prayed grace over him. He was completely healed and invited us to a glory meeting at his Messianic congregation.

The Challenge to Your Faith

I could tell you many more stories, but you have your own story. And now you must ask yourself:

Where does grace abound in my life?

Are you going to submit to the effect of sin in your life, or are you going to believe in the abounding grace that allows you to reign in life?

This is our challenge in Ukraine. It will be your challenge here in Bath. In your marriage. In your business. In your struggle. In your personal war.

The Invitation to Drink

Now, I want to invite you to drink. Jesus told you to drink. If you can't find that scripture in the Bible, come ask me—I have twelve steps of teaching on the theology of drinking!

We must not just think about grace. We must drink it in. Grace is not merely a concept; it's God's energy and influence in the heart seen in the life. Grace is measurable. The influence of God in you can be measured. You can measure the effects of sin. You can also measure the effects of grace.

Let me pray for a fountain of grace to open up in this church, in Bath, in your heart. Let the river flow. Come, Holy Spirit. Fill us with grace. Fill us with fire. Fill us with the presence of the living God.

Closing Invitation

If you have time and it's appropriate, I'd like to invite you to come forward so I can pray for you and bless you. We're going to continue soaking in the presence of God that is here. I can feel the fire of God increasing, and when the fire increases on my body, I know it's a thermostat for what God wants to do in others.

Grace. Grace. Grace. Let the river flow.