We (the Lord and we) crush the forces of wickedness in the earth. War and destruction do not delight the heart of the true saint for he or she is a person of peace. War and destruction do not delight the heart of God, for He also is a Person of peace. God's preferred expression of His Son is the "Lamb," for the lamb is the meekest of animals. God much prefers meekness and gentleness.

There has been a rebellion against God and it must be crushed. There is a time for war, and when that time arrives the war must be pursued with the same vigor we apply to the pursuit of peace.

We do not enjoy the prospect of crushing the wicked, much preferring that they would repent and serve the Lord. But as we look about us in the world of today and see what the demons are doing through people, we are ready to ride with Christ in the attack of Armageddon.

The corrupting and destroying of all God has created, all that is decent, wholesome, edifying, lovely, must be stopped. It must be stopped totally. It must be crushed. The memory of Satan and all who follow Satan must be removed from the creation for eternity.

The lukewarm Christian is apathetic about removing all evil from the earth. The true saint, the member of the Wife of the Lamb, is not apathetic about removing evil from the earth. He loves righteousness and hates wickedness. He is grieved exceedingly (although not fretted) by what is taking place today.

He longs for the giving of crowns of authority and power to the saints so they may be able to govern with a rod of iron, overpowering and eliminating all resistance to the rule of God in Christ. Satan himself will be crushed beneath their feet (Romans 16:20).

But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed. And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them. (Deuteronomy 7:23,24)

We have the promise of God, the directive of God. Christ is waiting until His enemies have been made his footstool. We of the Body of Christ are being prepared for the hour when God decrees that His enemies (and ours) are to be driven from the earth.

The tribes of Israel did not exercise the diligence and courage necessary to drive the enemy from their land. They were slothful and weak in this respect. We are to learn from their example and be diligent and courageous in casting out Satan and his forces from the earth, as our heavenly Joshua leads us.

Not one sin is to remain. Not one act of rebellion or lawlessness. The believers who are not determined to destroy sin from the presence and memory of mankind are not ready to be members of the Wife of the Lamb. They still are part of the problem, part of the rebellion against God.

They are not persuaded God is right and Satan is wrong. If they are to be saved they must be taught by the sons of God. The nations themselves will be smashed and governed by a rod of iron. This is because lawlessness and rebellion are so deeply ingrained in mankind.

To be continued.