A War to End All Wars
by Kenneth Copeland
Since its existence, the United States of America has always been the judgment arm of God.
During the turbulent times of the Civil War and the years that followed, God used the United States to bring judgment against slavery, worldwide. Prior to that, no nation on the face of this earth had ever fought a war over human rights.
Today, there are those who would say-and have said-that the 9-11 terrorist attacks were the beginning of judgment against the United States. But when airplanes started crashing into buildings on September 11, 2001, the United States was not the primary target. Those horrible and murderous acts were only an attempt to reach the real target.
The real target was you and me-and anyone else who has made Jesus Lord of his or her life.
Satan’s attack against America was an attempt to pull Jesus down, to put Him under foot and-ultimately-account the Body of Christ as a weak, defeated, faithless, powerless people.
Exposing Undercover Terrorists
Without a doubt, 9-11 has forever drawn the line.
On the one side is Satan, the Terrorist.
On the other is Jesus, the Savior.
While terrorists are the express image and manifestation of Satan, we as believers are the express image and manifestation of Jesus-Who is the express image and manifestation of God.
Therefore, in order for the devil to attack Jesus successfully, he must come after us. He must attack the Body of Christ in this natural realm. That’s why an attack in the physical world is only the visible part of the attack.
Any time the devil goes after someone or something, he must first make his attack in the spirit realm. And he always attacks those who are the greatest threat to him. He attacks those who are strong in faith, strong in prayer and who know the Word of God.
But thank God, those are the very ones who know what to do in a time of war.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Keith Moore and I were preparing to tape television broadcasts at the Kenneth Copeland Ministries studio in Fort Worth, but when we learned of the attacks, Gloria and I called our staff together and we launched our own attack with prayer, praise and prophecy.
As soon as we did, the Holy Spirit began ministering to us and talking to us about the war we are now in.
It’s interesting that a few months prior to the terrorist attacks, the Lord had begun talking to me about changing from a “peacetime” mentality to a “wartime” mentality.
He explained that during times of peace in a nation, money is usually what’s in the forefront of everyone’s mind. During war, however, saving lives becomes more important, even more so than money. In war you spare no expense to save lives. That’s the way we should be thinking all the time whether there’s war or not.
And that’s where we are today.
This war on terrorism is the most serious war the United States has engaged in since the Civil War. It’s not a television war. It’s not a war for us to sit back and “watch” from the comfort of our living rooms.
No, we each have a very important part to play in it. Because, what the devil doesn’t like to admit is that the “son of perdition”-the antichrist-cannot be revealed until that which is holding him back is gone (2 Thessalonians 2). And we’re the ones holding him back.
You and I are the devil’s greatest problem. We are the thorn in his side. And when he goes public as he did on 9-11, he knows he’s going to have a fight on his hands.
War Declared in Washington
Barely a month after America and her allies had declared war on terrorism, God commissioned another war to be waged.
On October 18, 2001, the Spirit of God commissioned Gloria and me and this ministry to launch an all out campaign to bring fear down. He instructed us to eradicate it from the Body of Christ.
God has never wanted His people “coping” with fear or “managing” fear. He wants His people “rid” of fear. And our part in the war effort against terrorism is to help people get free from fear.
Well, when we received our marching orders, we were ready to go. Because it just so happens that one of the greatest revelations Gloria and I received when we first launched out into ministry in 1967, was that Jesus died on the cross to set us free from fear. He delivered us from fear the same as He delivered us from sin, sickness, poverty and every other curse under the law.
So, I thought I knew some things about fear. But then God started opening my eyes and I soon found out how little I did know.
To begin with, God showed me just how seriously He takes fear-and Revelation 21:7-8 says it about as plainly as it can be said:
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
First, notice that “fear” is at the very top of the list.
Then notice the company fear keeps-unbelief, abomination, murder, whoremongering, sorcery, idolatry, lying. That’s a pretty ugly crowd. And the only thing that crowd has to look forward to is the lake of fire and brimstone.
That’s getting very serious.
“Yes, but Brother Copeland, I just don’t see how a little fear can hurt. After all, everybody is afraid of something. It’s healthy to have a little fear.”
Oh, really?
Then I suppose a little murder never hurt anyone, either. And I’m sure a little whoremongering is healthy now and then, too.
No. There’s nothing in that Revelation 21 list that’s healthy.
Luke 21:25-26 describes how fear can even kill you: “There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear….”
There’s no question that fear is a serious matter-with God and with man.
Calling the Enemy’s Bluff
To help keep the events of September 11 in their right perspective, it’s important to understand that terrorism is the planned, organized use of fear as a weapon in order to terrify a victim to where he or she has no opposition to oppression.
On the “natural” side, that’s exactly what those terrorists wanted to do to the United States. They wanted to terrorize Americans to the point that they’d be frozen with fear.
On the “spiritual” side of it all, that means if the devil wants to steal from you and bring destruction into your life, then he has to get you to “connect” with him somehow-and fear is the connector.
Fear is the spiritual connector to death, sin, sickness, disease and so on. Satan cannot do anything to you apart from fear, anymore than God can do something for you apart from faith.
That’s why we as believers constantly need to stay in the Word of God. It will build our faith, and help us maintain His perspective. And if you’re looking for God’s views on fear, oppression and terror, consider Isaiah 51:12-13:
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?
From God’s viewpoint, we have no business being afraid of anything. After all, He made it all-and He’s with us. So what’s there to be afraid of?
What’s more, God makes this promise in Isaiah 54:14-15: “In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they [oppression, fear, terror] shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.”
Again, if we refuse to “connect” with the devil through his fear tactics then terror and oppression cannot come near us.
In fact 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that Satan, the Terrorist-and all his little terrorist operatives-walk about “as roaring lions, seeking whom they may devour.”
Notice the Apostle Peter didn’t say that the devil is a roaring lion. He said the devil is “as a roaring lion.”
In other words, Satan is all roar and no bite. So there’s really nothing for us to fear.
A Zero Casualty War
At one time, Satan did hold within his hands the power of death over us. But all that changed when Jesus came into the earth.
Hebrews 2:14-15 explains: “Forasmuch then as the children [you and I] are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself [Jesus] likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Jesus came to this earth, taking on flesh and blood, so He could destroy the devil and take from him the power of death that he held over us up to that time.
After that, the best the devil could hope for was that we would fall for his deceptions and step over into fear. Because other than fear, he has no way of getting to us. It’s sad that so many Christians allow the devil to get by with his fear tactics in their lives, day in and day out.
The challenge, in part, to resisting fear is that we live in such a fear-based culture that many believers have taken up the world’s lifestyle of fear. When they got born again, they did not cast out the fear along with sin, sickness and so on.
Romans 8:14-15 tells us that “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
That means, the very moment you and I were born again, we became God’s property-no longer the devil’s. And at the same time we were separated from the spirit of fear when we were brought into full contact with the Spirit of God.
What we need to be doing more of is crying, “Abba, Father!”
In the Greek, that phrase literally means, “I have a Daddy…I have a Father!”
To get a better understanding of “the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father,” imagine for a moment that you are an orphaned child-a child who started life at a disadvantage. No parents. No family. No one to love you, comfort you, teach you or help you through life.
But then, one day, in walks a fine looking couple…with a lot of love-and a lot of everything else-to lavish and pour out on a child. And it just so happens they want that child to be you.
How do you think you would respond?
“I’VE GOT A DADDY…I’VE GOT A MOMMA!”
That’s the same revelation we find in Psalm 23:4. It’s the kind of attitude that says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
It’s grasping the reality that God is with you. Love is with you. Your Daddy is with you.
What could there possibly be to fear?
We know from 1 John 4:16 that God is love. And if we dwell, or abide, in that Love, then Love-God-abides in us.
And now add to that, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18)…and suddenly, there’s no place for fear to abide in us. Not with Love inside us.
Any time the devil comes knocking on your door with any kind of fear, all you have to do is cry out, “I have a Father who loves me…I have a Father who loves me!”
And if you really don’t think that would make much difference, then consider Isaiah 41:10-12:
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
That’s your heavenly Father-your Daddy, Almighty God-talking to you, and He says, They that war against thee shall be as nothing!
That’s the difference in knowing Love is living inside you. That’s the difference in knowing you never have to fear another day in your life because Love is with you…Love will never forsake you.
Yes, we are at war. But our heart cry and shout of joy is Philippians 1:27-28, “that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.”
This war is a war to end all wars-because once you’ve hunted down all fear in your life and destroyed it, your enemy will never have a hold on you again.
