“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; And he will shew them his covenant.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭xxv 14‬ ‭

I do not think that anyone among us has not been gripped by the news and scenes on our screens from Afghanistan in the past couple of days. Who has not been taken by surprise by the speed of this event? Global leaders confidently spoke of the 300,000 fully equipped and trained Afghan troops protecting the nation against an enemy of 67,000. And yet the nation fell. Many are deeply concerned about a hotbed for global terrorism now in the making.

Since waking this morning and seeking the LORD, I have felt that clearly ‘this is not a war against flesh and blood’. As the nations rage it is the Bride of Christ, the Church, that needs to be in position. And, as “judgment begins at the house of God” we, the Church, need to ask ourselves some hard questions about our responsibility in this.

As God has been looking for “a man to stand in the gap” before Him, to intercede on behalf of the nations, the lost, where have we been? Are we like the tribe of Reuben, who in a time of war (described in Judges 5) preferred the comfort of fellowship among the “piping of the flock”? Or are we like Zebulun and Naphtali who “risked their lives to death”?

The LORD has much to show us. He wants to partner with His people, with you and me, in the nations. Where have we been? Distracted by busy lives or materialism? Enjoying ‘life on the vine’ to the exclusion of spending time with the Vineyard Owner?

“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him”. Is your obedience “up to date”? Are you spending time in His presence at least daily to listen and hear His broken heart for the nations, for the outcast, for the abused and oppressed?

It is not too late for Afghanistan. In 1989 the LORD told me that what He is about to do in the Muslim World will make what happened at the Berlin Wall pale in significance. It is not time to check out of the planet, longing for Heaven to the exclusion of our calling to teach the nations to observe all Jesus taught us (the Great Commission). The LORD is searching the Body of Christ right now. Are we in position, obedient, listening and responding to Him about the nations? He is inviting us to a mighty work.

May I suggest some steps towards getting aligned and knowing “the secrets of the LORD”? We must:

• Get alone in our closet - hear God before you hear man at the start of your day

• Repent where you have not been walking in His fear, or if you’re out of “position” as His soldier

• Worship Him as the LORD of all the earth, the seas and the heavens, because He is worthy

• Listen (without music and distraction) to His Word and note down what secrets He will show you

• Respond accordingly to His Word (treasuring in your heart what He has shown you in the intimate place as a secret between you and Him), interceding for what He shows you, and then get up and about teaching whom He will bring on your path about Jesus and His Word.

This is not the end of the story! Our Champion is coming soon. Meanwhile, let’s be about His business, listening daily in the “war room” to His Voice and command!