PRÉCIS ON THE INCENTIVE TOWARD DIVINE COURAGE IN THE DAYS OF ANTICHRIST

SCRIPTURE. “Be strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded.” – 2 CHRONICLES 15:7, AMPC

KEY TERM: “BE STRONG!” ‘Chazaq’ [חִזְק֔וּ]: “A primitive root, ‘To fasten upon [the Lord]; to be courageous (in order to help or repair; to bind or restrain [evil]; to conquer.’” NOTE: “The verb חָזַק occurs nearly 290 times across the Hebrew Scriptures, portraying strength that may be received, exerted, fortified, reinforced, grasped, or—even in judgment—hardened. ‘Whether it is Yahweh empowering His people, warriors fortifying a city, or a heart being stiffened against truth, חָזַק captures the dynamic of force brought to bear on a person, object, or resolve.’”

QUOTATION. “When we least expect it, Life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. ‘The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our Destiny.’” ― PAULO COELHO, The Devil and Miss Prym, 2021; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘Be ye strong therefore!’ — Go on resolutely to maintain God’s worship, and to root out Idolatry, as you have begun to do; for this is the only method of preserving yourselves from such calamities as your predecessors have felt. ‘And let not your hands be weak’ —Be not discouraged with the opposition which you may possibly meet with. ‘For your work shall be rewarded’ —What you do for God, and for His honour and service, shall not be overlooked, or go unrequited.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DK’S TAKE. I was not brave growing up as a diminutive, mixed race kid in the deserts of South California. Had a few fights in junior high school and barely won only one and didn’t like fighting. Later as a drunk I found myself in a couple of bar fights and held my own in the first one (wielding a knife) but nearly lost my life in the second.

But then came Jesus in October 1979, and everything began to slowly change.

I remember fixing on something called ‘Truth’ for the very first time in my life and was increasingly fueled by a life-long search for what it is and where and with whom it could be found. I later discovered it was indeed a rare commodity, found in the life and mouth of The Christ and His subsequent True Followers – but not many more.

THE LAST DAYS CALL. As my road and all of yours were then swept up in the ‘Maelstrom of Donald Trump’ beginning in 2015, I found myself being challenged more forcefully than ever before by God to “Stand up!”

The Great Apostle said it perfectly to us all. “Be alert and on your guard; stand firm in your faith (your conviction respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, keeping the trust and holy fervor born of faith and a part of it). ACT LIKE MEN and be courageous; grow in strength! – 1 CORINTHIANS 16:13, AMPC

These are undeniably (for me at least) the very Days of Antichrist, and nothing less than Divine Intrepidity shall keep us steady in such times. Therefore, ‘Renew Your Vows’ to the Holy One of Israel with a prayer such as the one to follow.

“Dearest mighty Father, You have made it possible for me to serve You lo these many [or several] years, and for that I am deeply, eternally grateful. But now the days grow dark and dangerous, and I shall need more from You to become your Soldier in this Last War for Souls. Therefore, endow me with the Fire of God’s Spirit by which I

might wield your Sword for Good, for Repair of the Breach, and for Rescue of the broken and the lost and the humble.

To the Glory of Your Son whom I shall serve with New Courage wrought in the Forges of Heaven all my days – Until You Come, Lord Jesus. Till then!