“The Plans of the Wicked Shall Fail.”
9/21/2021
This was the Word of the Lord to me as I prayed about the lockdowns and mandates happening around the world. Governments have seized upon COVID-19 as an excuse to try and exert stifling control over the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. You do not hear or read much about it because the voices speaking up are quickly censored and silenced. Great men and women of God around the world are silenced from the public square because they dare defy the narrative that is approved by their government, the media, and social media platforms. The reality is that many churches around the world are still closed or severely restricted. Entire provinces have barred their citizens from leaving their homes at all. There have been pastors and church members arrested for stepping onto their church property because they have refused an (often unnecessary) vaccine.
There is a great demonic deception that is covering the earth like a blanket. In 2020, it was the spirit of fear that gripped the hearts of men and women. Fear of a synthetic virus, with a 99.9% true survival rate, spread like wildfire across the nations of the world. Normal, rational thought became unacceptable. Nobel Prize winners were shunned. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists were banned. Doctors, researchers, and epidemiologists were fired, and their careers were ruined. All because they dared to share their real-life experiences, their findings, and their concerns. Any contrary opinion that countered the fear and paranoia was quickly squashed.
Now, a demonic spirit of control and coercion seeks to wreak havoc. It wants to divide and pit governments against citizens, employers against employees, and even families against each other. By the Word of the Lord, it will ultimately fail. The blanket of deception that covers the earth shall not remain!
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Am I a conspiracy theorist? Hardly! In fact, I am restrained by the Lord from consuming much in the way of media at all. I get a daily digest of headlines from around the world, and that is the extent of what I see. I can count on two hands the number of news articles I have read, or videos watched, over the last 12 months. The Word of the Lord reigns supreme! I live in a healthy fear of the Lord, knowing I will stand before God and be accountable for what I declare in His name.
“You who are spiritual”
In Galatians 6, the Apostle Paul makes it clear that there are Christians who are “spiritual” and those who are not. If you can see the world’s affairs and not know that there is a demonic spirit of control at work, you are not “spiritual.” You only perceive with your natural senses. But at your core, you are a spiritual being. I encourage you to seek the Lord with all your heart… you must see with spiritual eyes and hear with spiritual ears in the days ahead. As the Second Coming of Jesus approaches, He has promised that there will be more and more plagues, and wars, and governments seeking control, to navigate. Ultimately, no one on earth will be able to buy or sell anything without taking the Mark of the Beast on their right hand or forehead, rejecting Jesus Christ, and becoming an adherent to a one-world religion (Matthew 24, Revelation 13). That is where all of this eventually leads. The groundwork is being laid for it now.
I purposefully did not include any outside media sources in this update. However, as I was writing this, the headline below was sent to me out of Italy. This is happening all over the world.
"God Himself will back you!"
I have been asked, “Russell, what should I do if I have to choose between my job and providing for my family, and taking a vaccine that I do not believe is safe or that I even need?” Hear the Word of the Lord: “God Himself will back you. He is your Source and your Supply.” Every person has to make that decision for themselves, in communion with the Holy Spirit. My deep counsel to you is to pray earnestly, follow your convictions, and do not ever be moved by a spirit of control or coercion. That is not how God leads — He leads His children with peace and joy (Isaiah 55:12). If you do not have peace and joy about your decision… do not do it. If you do have peace and joy, proceed with confidence.
I know that some of you believe that everything happening is simply a generational pandemic and a public health emergency. It is much more than that. Even if you disagree with me, I still love, respect, and appreciate you for standing with us to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of you have followed my ministry for 25+ years, and I want you to be unshakeable in these shaking times.
• The plans of the wicked shall fail.
• The demonic deception that covers the earth shall be removed.
• This is not the Mark of the Beast but surely lays the groundwork for it.
• The enemy’s advance will be pushed back.
• If the wicked agenda of men is threatening your livelihood, God’s promise is that He will back you! He will be your Source and Supply.
If you need prayer or counsel along these lines, please reach out to my office, or reply to this message. Many pastors shy away from this topic because it is so divisive. But know that God is not silent… He is speaking!
Thank you for standing with us as we take the Gospel to the nations of the world. Even during a global pandemic, the Great Commission continues. The Gospel is preached. Souls are saved. Bodies are healed. Bondages are broken. The poor are cared for.
In addition, we will continue to release the Word of the Lord to the nations of the earth — even when it is unpopular.
Our focus remains on the 3-fold mandate that God has given us:
Strengthen the Church.
Demonstrate His Mighty Power.
You can partner with us through your giving by clicking on this link to invest in the Gospel, or click the button below.
We love you,
Russell (and the POG Team)