Dear Warring Saints,

I got up yesterday morning and knew I needed to write you.

We just raised the Israeli flag in front of the Global Spheres Center. We moved the Appeal to Heaven flag to the Miracle Birthing Center where we are praying. We ordered a new Appeal to Heaven to replace the one that was out front. My thought was this: in the midst of a changing war, you must establish the appropriate standards that represent the warfare that you are in. "But God's equipment was that of no ordinary warrior: He strapped on righteousness as His breastplate, put on the helmet of salvation . passion as a cloak, GOD PREPARED FOR WAR! When the enemy comes in . He will come on like a torrential flood driven by the Eternal's winds.. His standard will rescue those of Jacob's holy line. The Redeemer will come to make Zion right again." (paraphrased from Isaiah 59:16-21 in The Voice).

War is arising in the land. This is a Kingdom war.

I can't say that writing is my favorite pastime. However, I know when the Lord wants me to communicate with those connected and pressing forward in this ministry. I have written several books through the years. As a matter of fact, over 75% of the books that I have written have been related to understanding personal, corporate, territorial, worship, and generational wars in the Kingdom of God. Two of the books, The Future War of the Church and God's Unfolding Battle Plan, have been prophetic war manuals foretelling the wars of God's people in the Kingdom through 2026. In fact, I am presently working on three books right now: The Apostolic Church Arising: The Triumphant Reserve's Call to Gather, The Watchman's Call to See and Decree, and A Time to War: The Next Season of Covenant Contending. This third book will help us understand the conflicts through 2026. Thinking about this book, along with the scenario going on in Israel, has compelled me to write you.

I have been asked the question of WHY?

Why do you write about the warfare that the Body is called to enter? Why does war have to become part of our future thought process? Some have even said, "I would rather not know the war ahead. I want to live a peaceful life as long as I am on earth." My answer is usually the same: "I want to live a peaceful life also, but in reality there is conflict; this conflict is accelerating, and the Lord says to be more shrewd than our enemy. He also says that He does nothing without first telling His prophets. Therefore, not knowing is not reality. Reality is linked with true worship in spirit and truth. I would rather live in the reality of His Presence than in denial." Thus, understanding the reality of the war around you is important as to whether you triumph or experience defeat.

WE HAVE NOW ENTERED A NEW REALITY OF WARFARE!

The Heavens, as well as the Earth, are now in a new dimension of conflict. Nations are in conflict. Generations are in conflict. Israel is in conflict. Our friends and family live there. We feel the brunt of this warfare. Not only is this war personal, but we are devoted to the land of Israel, the people of Israel, and the God of Israel.

Warfare can create great emotional upheaval. For instance, Amber Pierce, with two small children, had to process two rockets exploding above the apartment they live in, in Jerusalem, earlier this week. Many couples who live in the land are having to process this war. Norma Sarvis said it this way, "Borders of war are shifting. I have a friend who always guarded the borders far away from Jerusalem. But now the border of war is nearby with the rocket attacks now in Jerusalem as well." I believe all of our borders and boundaries are shifting in war.

Warfare can produce fear. War causes our will to make choices. This war is over boundaries. The war in Israel is over a new State trying to form and develop their identity for the future.  On November 29, 2012, the General Assembly accorded Palestine non-Member Observer State status in the United Nations.  Since that time, this State has been openly and fully opposed to the Hebraic nation that exists.  The State has in mind a new type of government in the earth that will use many creative forms of weapons to defeat God's ordained boundaries.  Frankly, this means that this State is openly portraying themselves as an enemy of the God who made covenant with Israel. If you war along with this State in its formation and development, you are actually warring against God's covenant plan in the earth. This war is not just with flesh and blood but with powers and principalities. If you are a Covenant Believer, submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by Holy Spirit, this war is affecting you in your daily life in some way! You are probably sensing some warfare in your personal life and sphere. So why do we have to war if the work of the Cross defeated all powers and principalities?  

A KINGDOM BY FORCE to be ENFORCED!

When our Lord overcame death, hell, and the grave, He broke the headship of Satan in the Earth. He ascended, gave us gifts, and then called us to enforce this victory! Now, we must enforce! To enforce is to compel obedience to, to obtain by force or compulsion, or impose a course of action on a person or entity, in this case Satan (the one who opposes us). Yeshua said, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." From the days of John til now. John started opening up in earth a new realm of aligned conflict that would bring forth Messiah. Jesus and His disciples had to take what John had accomplished and use a new dimension of power to take the movement to a new level. Jesus even connected into John's baptism, but then received a new baptism by going into the wilderness. Jesus' disciples would then baptize their followers into this new baptism.

In Matthew 11, this passage on force has a dual meaning. The question in this passage is who will win this enforcing battle, concerning the Kingdom of God. The Lord explains that one form of religion would attempt to produce a force to stop the next manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven in the earth. Conversely, those representing the new movement would have to use power to advance the Kingdom against the religious and civil government. The war of the Kingdom would be: denial versus reality, stumbling versus standing, law versus grace, teaching versus revelation, soft religion versus kingdom power.

Choose SOFT RELIGION or KINGDOM POWER!

What do I mean by "soft religion"? These are people that have embraced one form of religious moral influence in their lives. This type of individual loves the portion they have received that helped their conscious come alive. They have learned laws and principles. They operate out of the teachings they know. However, they are open to new messages and limited manifestations beyond their last experiences. They will embrace these, if they enhance their personal advancement. Nevertheless, if a manifestation comes that is beyond their ability to understand, they stumble in their advancing. In this passage from Matthew 11, Jesus says, "Blessed is he who is not offended, put a snare or stumbling block in the way because of Me." (In other words, is there something that would hinder you, personally, from continuing to perceive and advance the Kingdom of God?) If any issue threatens their present thinking, religious conscience, and comfortable form of worship, then they shrink back or actually attempt to enforce present boundaries rather than enlarging their territory to receive the new release of God's presence. They stumble, rather than embrace the accompanying change in their atmosphere.

"Soft religion" embraces what will allow credibility from the world but rejects new power that makes a person uncommon from surrounding familiar relationships, families, and norms. There were many that accepted John's leadership, his message, and the baptism he offered linked with repentance. However, the same ones (including some of John's followers) fully rejected the new wineskin and set themselves to be a stumbling block to Yeshua's movement. This would become a pattern, from generation to generation. Each generation would have to choose to use the Kingdom force of love and power that comes from Christ, to advance His Kingdom. This is the remnant that is now arising to war and triumph today.

THE REMNANT'S COVENANT WAR!

This remnant group will always go before the whole, with a mission and heart to see the Good News of the Gospel shared, demonstrated, and embraced. This group would have both Testaments, Old and New, as Torah, for their field manual. This group would allow the government of the Kingdom to form within them. This is the movement that will fully advance and impact their culture.

In every generation, there is a group that has to choose to war for God's covenant. Judges 3:1-2 says, "These are the nations which the Lord left (in Canaan) that He might test Israel by them . this was only so the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formally know it." A covenant war always includes embracing the ROOT of the COVENANT and WARRING FOR THE FRUIT OF THE COVENANT. In our case, that root goes back to the land promised to Abraham, the Hebrew. A land and a people called Israel, and led by Judah, would always be included in the war of all those being grafted into this covenant. The same blessings in the root can manifest in the fruit of your war today. You do not have to be in Israel to be warring for God's Kingdom plan, nor do you have to be in Israel to receive the same blessings that were offered to Abraham. However, you must know that you are connected to this land and people. Abraham's blessings included a territory or boundaries, multiplication, generational inheritance, wealth and provision, and a sphere of authority and rule. Your wars are linked with the same blessings that Abraham was given by the Lord.

THE TIME and RULES OF THE WAR!

There is a time for war (Eccl. 3). There are rules or laws of war (Deut. 20). There is a commitment and choice to war (Luke 14). There is a garment for war. There is a stand that we must take in war (Eph. 6). There is an age-long warfare (Rev. 12). There is a TRIUMPHANT PEOPLE who must choose today to enforce Kingdom principles on earth!

Yeshua told His disciples in Luke 14:25-33: "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it - lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

HOW TO MAKE A WISE CHOICE IN YOUR WAR!

The above passage gives us a list of questions to ponder in the NOW! Take an inventory of your call to war at this time. Know your border. Ask the questions:

1. What is my sphere or boundaries? Is this warfare inside my boundaries?

2. Am I willing to war in those boundaries? Do I go to war or stand and wait? Timing is key. Am I willing to war in these boundaries? What is my responsibility in the war?

3. How does this warfare affect my inheritance or portion? Am I willing to war for my present inheritance or a new added portion?

4. What responsibilities do I have that could clutter my decisions in my present warfare? Children? Job? Debts? Parents? Ministry?

5. Do these responsibilities usurp the voice of God in my life?

6. What emotions are ruling me? Does any emotional alignment in my life stop me from hearing the voice of God? A spouse? A child? A friend? A co-worker? Etc. Am I ruled by fear? Am I decisive or double-minded over every situation?

7. Do I know my role in the Kingdom? How am I serving? Am I communing with the Body or walking independently?

8. Am I advancing or stumbling? What issue has made me stumble or would make me stumble?

To conclude, this is a season of war. I am sure you are experiencing some sort of conflict in your life. The boundaries of your war are changing. Will you choose to triumph in your conflict? Will you join the Lord in the battle around you? God is raising up a triumphant people. I choose to believe that you are one of those!

Chuck D. Pierce
Glory of Zion International Ministries