How do I look?

We aren’t asking ourselves that question or caring much about our looks since the COVID-19 outbreak has confined us to our homes. I saw a news reporter do a story from his home computer with a jacket and tie on and then get up to reveal his pajama bottoms. Before the pandemic, I spent hours traveling on airplanes to conferences and events to speak and teach (I had been scheduled for eight countries before the pandemic), so being able to stay in my pajamas a bit longer each day has been a nice vacation.

With Easter approaching, our Easter bonnets will be Easter pajamas for most of us this year as we watch Easter services online. Under normal circumstances, the answer to the question “How do I look?” can either elevate us or plummet us into depression. Many times, all it takes is just a look. Research tells us that in today’s digital culture, we evaluate others in less than eight seconds.

The 1960s and ’70s had wild and memorable fashions. There were those required accessories—platform heels, gold chains, scarves and floppy hippy hats. You had to have them to be taken seriously. Accessories were the add-ons to show you were groovy. Today, fashions are all over the place, but designers and fashion experts will tell you it’s essential to find your personal look and be true to it. Dressing up in something that doesn’t reflect who you are is the worst fashion faux pas. And if you can’t afford the cost of designer clothes, just show up with the right accessory, because accessories divert our attention, at least initially.

Have you accessorized your faith? Has God’s design become too costly to buy into?

Dressing as a believer is more than wearing a Christian concert T-shirt, a WWJD bracelet or a cross necklace. It should be His truth revealed through us. Today’s trendy churchgoers look great on the outside, but are we serious about our faith and pursuing God when we aren’t around the church crowd? Do we know how to lift our hands and sing worship songs but fail to spend time reading our Bible? Are our choices having an effect on our families and those observing our lives? Titus 1:1-16 describes the church in Crete and the reason Paul was writing to Titus. They were putting on accessories and not God’s clothing. Jesus warned us in Matthew 7:21-23 that many will call Him “Lord, Lord,” but unfortunately, He will discard them, having never known them. They never bought the clothes, only window shopped.

Does God know you, and do you know the designer?

How to Allow God to Clothe You in This Time of Quarantine and Beyond

Here are some thoughts to consider if you are serious about letting God clothe you.

First, examine yourself. Fashionistas tell us to stand in front of a mirror naked and really look at our body. There are many kinds of body shapes and knowing what kinds of designs fit our body structure is the first step. Next comes our personality. Where do you live, what do you do for a living and what are your individual needs? God is a Creator God and knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what fits us best.

See yourself through His reflecting mirror. If you are in a vibrant relationship with Him, He will direct you to see yourself as He sees you and perfectly clothe you. The Bible is full of Scriptures on how God sees us and wants to be our personal designer. Search the Bible for what He will reveal to you. Put on His full armor in Ephesians 6:11-18, and when it comes to style, Paul tells us what we should be known for in Galatians 5:22-2: the fruit of the Spirit.

Then, strip off your pride and courageously discard the clothing that is encumbering your life and keeping you from God’s joy and contentment. God knows our hearts, minds and the choices we have taken throughout life. The Bible tells us to repent, which means to change direction and make new choices. Putting on religious accessories won’t make you into the person God wants you known by.

Outsiders view accessory Christians as wannabes, and nobody wants designer rip-offs. You represent God’s body of believers. When you fake it and choose to be a nominal Christian, it damages the entire kingdom, the people who have suffered and sacrificed for thousands of years so that God’s label might be known. The apostle John’s vision from God in Revelation 3:14-16 was written for those believers in Laodicea. Laodicea means “self-righteousness.” God confronts them and says, “I know all that you do, and I know that you are neither frozen in apathy nor fervent with passion. How I wish you were either one or the other! But because you are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm, I am about to spit you from my mouth” (Rev. 3:15-16, TPT). God told them they were a mere accessory, and they never wore His label.

Finally, write down what God reveals. Often, His thoughts are not what we want to hear because we like our old, comfortable, smelly rags. We have to trust His design choices, even if they seem odd at first. Writing down His clothing choices allows us to see clearly and to ponder them over time, making needed changes. God’s recommendations can remind us what not to buy into as well and are also something that others can learn from as He deals with many of the same fashion faux pas in all of us. His designer label never will lose its value and always turns heads.

As we continue to be under the stay-at-home mandate, let’s reexamine our wardrobe—our spiritual wardrobe. We will be returning to the ever-so-watchful world’s eyes soon, and when we do, let’s have on new designer clothes. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that when we believe in Him, and diligently seek His thoughts, ways and directions, He reveals them to us. When God is your exclusive designer, His radiance is seen through you—and it’s captivating. {eoa}

Kathleen Cooke‘s devotional Hope 4 Today: Stay Connected to God in a Distracted Culture encourages readers to engage with God. As co-founder of Cooke Media Group and The Influence Lab, she publishes a bimonthly journal. Find out more at or on Twitter @KathleenCookeLA.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in ICU in London. But prophetic revelation is offering deeper insight into the attack on the politician’s life.

Anti-Christ spirits are attacking him, but it goes beyond him. The future of nations could be at stake if the enemy has his way.

Watch this critical video and pray with us.

Praying is a good thing. Always! For the believer prayer should be the first thing we go to. And yet we know that some prayers are more effective than others, at least to our human experience. So how should you pray during the COVID-19 crisis?

There are Christian believers who have gotten and will get sick, even die, from this virus. Does that mean God is not hearing prayer? Where is God in the middle of all this? What should we expect as a result of our prayers?

I begin from the perspective that God hears us, He invites our prayers and He responds to our prayers. But prayer is not a heavenly vending machine; put in a certain prayer and get out a certain blessing. God is not under our control. (Would you really want Him to be?) He’s too big for that.

So here are a few biblically founded principles and ways to pray during any crisis, and specifically during this season.

Pray for Peace

As serious as the COVID-19 virus is, the impact of fear and anxiety in this season is even greater. Individuals, families, investors, businesses and governments are often taking actions as much from panic as from wisdom. Yes, serious actions have been and will be needed, but this much fear?

In Scripture, God tells His human children to “Fear not!” over and over again because we naturally respond to uncertainty with fear. And that’s certainly true today. Experiencing peace in the midst of the very real storm we find ourselves in is not a normal human response. It takes a miracle.

And that’s exactly the miracle Jesus offers. His peace is a gift!

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Jesus’ gift of peace is not a denial of reality. It’s not based on circumstances or a passive acceptance of doom. It’s based on a resolute knowledge of who our God is, of who is on our side, regardless of what truths our human senses perceive. Instead, it’s based on the rest of the truth.

Jesus, I ask for Your supernatural gift of peace in the midst of this storm. I give everyone and everything to You. I accept Your peace and choose to let that peace guide and transform my mind, my decisions and my life. Amen.

What Would You Have Me to Do?

People bring different styles of coping to big problems, different ways of bringing their faith to bear facing tough stuff. Fascinating research shows that those who see themselves as cooperating with God in addressing challenges generally have the best outcomes.

Biblical examples show that usually God has something for us to do in working with Him to answer our own prayers. The children of Israel had to fight to take possession of the land of Canaan (the book of Joshua). Hezekiah had to put a lump of figs on the boil in order to get well (Isa. 38:21). The blind man had to go wash in the pool of Siloam in order to receive his sight (John 9:7).)

This does not mean you and I struggle, try harder and expect to figure out things on our own. It does mean we usually have a role to play. And we need God’s wisdom in order to do so.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but so much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the One working in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13).

God works. And we work.

A two-part prayer is certainly appropriate:

Jesus, please come right into the middle of this circumstance. Break the hold of this virus on humanity. By Your mercy bring this to an end quickly!

And Jesus, show me what I am to do here and now. Show me what precautions I am to take, what decisions to make and actions to do, and who of Your children I am to help in this season. Amen.

The Blood of Jesus

I learned many years ago about the power of the blood of Jesus. Most of us have only touched the surface of understanding all that Jesus accomplished in His victory over sin and death, and the ongoing need we have to remain under the power and protection of His blood.

Remember the old gospel song, “There is power, power, wonder-working power/ in the precious blood of the Lamb.” That power accomplishes much more than just forgiveness.

In this age, we apply the blood of Jesus through our words. This has become a daily part of my life with God, and I believe it’s more needed now than ever. This does not mean a problem-free life, but it provides a protection that is not available any other way. There’s no magic in specific words. But the power in the blood of Jesus is real.

“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev. 12:11).

I encourage you to pray something like this each day, as I do:

Jesus, I plead Your blood over my life for today, over my spirit, my soul, my body. I plead Your blood over my family [name them] and over all that concerns me. I place everything that concerns me under the blood of Jesus and let go of everything that cannot remain under Your blood—any habits, material things, thoughts or people.

May nothing come to impact me or my family today that does not first come through Your blood—nothing from the enemy, from other people or from the natural world. I take my stand under the banner of Your blood and choose to remain there for today and always. Amen.

And I pray for you even now, that Jesus’ presence bless you, protect you and fill you with His peace.

Your Turn: How are you praying during this crisis season? Do any of these prayers resonate in your soul today? Leave a message below. {eoa}

Dr. Carol Peters-Tanksley is both a board-certified OB-GYN physician and an ordained doctor of ministry. As an author and speaker, she loves helping people discover the fully alive kind of life Jesus came to bring us. Visit her website at .

This article originally appeared at .

Our son was diagnosed with leukemia a month shy of his kindergarten graduation. During his treatment, I educated Daniel and his twin sister, Caroline, at home. Prior to cancer, home schooling had not been on my radar. I replicated what I remembered from my first-grade classroom experience: The ABCs wrapped around the top of our schoolroom, the American flag stood next to our chalkboard for the morning pledge and each day began with a corporate recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.

On our first day, we had begun in prayer, said our pledge and recited the alphabet. “Seems like a perfect time for a snack!” I exclaimed. Before walking to the kitchen, I set a worksheet on the desks of my two little scholars. “Y’all just read this,” I instructed, “and we will go over your answers when Mommy gets back.”

Sauntering into our makeshift classroom moments later, I observed Caroline and Daniel looking at their worksheets in bewilderment. It then dawned on me, “These children don’t know how to read.” I set the snacks down and raced to phone my husband. “Lee,” I gasped. “Do you realize I have to teach our children to read?” Thus began our family’s home school journey.

Perhaps a few of my feelings then are resonating with you now. Although my initial graduating class members are in their freshman year of college, I’m back in the saddle again with our youngest. God’s help in the past strengthens my faith in the present. I thought I would pass along some lessons I’m reapplying to hopefully make your unexpected home schooling days more encouraging.

1. Admit God has given you more than you can handle. I recall when a nurse came into Daniel’s hospital room and told me, “God will never give you a burden greater than you can bear.” Actually, that’s not true. If the Lord didn’t give us a burden bigger than we could handle, we would not have to depend on Him. Cancer, coronavirus and instructing our own children amidst calls to “shelter in place” are all bigger than us. I would suggest this be the foundation of your family’s crisis home school curricula. This whole pandemic is not about our sufficiency—but His. My husband and I continue to learn that the best way for our children to develop an active trust in Christ Jesus is by witnessing ours. Begin each day as a family surrendering your hearts to His sovereign will in prayer.

2. Acknowledge your need for daily reliance upon the absolute promises of God. Every trial is an opportunity to trust His protection and perfect love. God knows our faith muscles grow best against resistance, and making time daily in His Word is vital for toning—and survival. Second Timothy 3:16-17 exhorts us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Let your children observe you seeking wisdom and strength from the unchanging truth that is God’s Word. Read five chapters of Psalms a day and one chapter of Proverbs aloud as a family. You will be able to get through both books of the Bible in a month. Perhaps choose a Scripture verse a week to memorize. Stick John 14:6 on a refrigerator door, bathroom mirror or anyplace most traveled to help hide God’s Word in your hearts.

3. Act out—and on—His truth. Ditch the worksheets and strive to inspire your class to live out God’s Word in their lives. After studying Ephesians 6:10-18 together, invite your undergraduates to raid your attic and closet for belts, shoes, old helmets and protective chest gear—encourage them to fashion colorful shields and tin-foil swords. Then let them play dress up as they remind you what it means to “Put on the whole armor of God” (v. 11a). This is also an ideal time to study the life of Noah. He was ordered to “shelter in place” for 370 days. Read Genesis 6-9 and pretend you are Noah responding to God. Build a boat out of sheets and throw pillows, and add stuffed animals. Noah’s example encourages us all to rest on the promises of God as we face challenges life will bring.

Because the Bible tells us so, we can know that every circumstance in our lives—from viral pandemics to pop-up home schooling—is under His control. Jesus’ faithfulness didn’t fail yesterday. It hasn’t today. And it won’t tomorrow. {eoa}

Tara McClary Reeves is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, patriot, award-winning children’s book author, speaker and passionate teacher of the joys and challenges that come with being a committed follower of Jesus Christ. Tara lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, with her husband, Lee, and their three children. She considers it a privilege to point her children—and others—to Jesus every day. You can find her book Point Me to Jesus here: PointMetoJesus.

James Merritt, the senior pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Georgia, says the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected millions worldwide over the past few months, has been a true character test for God’s children.

“Simply put, if Scripture is true, this has been a perfect test,” Merritt told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “According to Romans Chapter three, verses three through five, it says adversity, trouble, trial and tribulation, all of those are tests and grow and toughen and strengthen our character.

“God is not concerned about what this virus is doing. He is concerned about how we’re going to respond to it.”

And as a pastor, Merritt knows he must walk in integrity and put on Christlike character every day. As an influencer of people, he says, it’s not an option.

But then, he says, all believers have that obligation to God. For Merritt, it all starts with a specific prayer every morning to keep him pure.

“In my prayer time every day, I always ask God three things every day: search me, sanctify me and strengthen me,” Merritt said.

“When I ask Him to search me, I know that I can just be quiet. God has a perfect memory. He reminds me of something every day that I forgot to confess. Then I say, “sanctify me,” and I know that I will be cleansed from top to bottom. And then “strengthen me,” where I know that I will not get led into places of temptation. It’s like taking a spiritual shower, and we do it every day. …

“I think we’re living in a culture today where everybody is focused on their reputation and not their character. The difference is really strong. Character is what you and God know you are. Reputation is what people think you are. You can fool people into a false reputation. You’ve got to look at your character in the morning when you look in the mirror. You can’t run away from it.”

For more of James Merritt’s thoughts on character, listen to the entire podcast.

Whether churches are “essential” in the midst of this coronavirus crisis is a critical question that must take into consideration many factors. The related question, whether churches should open or close, must be considered in the context of each church and community.

Before addressing these questions, it is important to present the real facts surrounding the recent arrest of the pastor of The River at Tampa Bay. Many of the statements made by Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister are false. His statements have put both the pastor and the church in danger.

On Thursday, March 26, Sheriff Chronister told the pastor and other staff members by speakerphone that the church could meet on Sunday, March 29, and that he had no intention of shutting it down, and no intention of arresting anyone. He gave these assurances after he was informed of all the precautions the church proposed to undertake, including encouraging seniors or people with predisposed health conditions to stay home, limiting attendance by enforcing a 6-foot separation, requiring each person to use hand sanitizers upon entry and installing over $100,000 of high-grade hospital air purifiers. A deputy sheriff also toured the church to inspect the premises the same day.

The meeting with Sheriff Chronister and his deputy on March 26 was called to discuss the draft Hillsborough County order presented by the council the same day. That order was then passed on Friday, March 27, and went into effect at 10 p.m. This was the first and only enforceable order passed by the county. Based on this order and the fact that the church went above and beyond the health guidance, the sheriff gave the green light for the church to meet. On Saturday, March 28, the church was thoroughly sanitized. On Sunday, March 29, the church met. Then on Monday, the same sheriff who gave the green light to meet a few days earlier held a press conference announcing the pastor’s arrest, during which Sheriff Chronister made many false statements.

Following the pastor’s arrest, on Wednesday, April 1, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 2020-91, stating: “Attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship” is an “essential activity.” The same day, Executive Order 2020-92 required that his order supersede any contrary local government order respecting essential services and activities. The Hillsborough County order restricting churches was therefore overruled.

To answer the question whether churches are essential and whether the doors should be opened or closed requires a review of each case. There are an estimated 500,000 or more Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox churches in America. These range from small to large, and each church has a different community of service or people who attend. The people who attend and the community they serve runs the gamut from old to young, upper class, middle class, poor, urban, rural, inner city, country and include a wide variety of ethnic, racial and language diversity.

Based on the demographics of the people who attend, and the capability to broadcast online, some churches are better off if they close through this time. However, some churches provide essential ministries, besides music and the pastor preaching from the pulpit, which cannot be carried out online.

The River Church feeds 900 people each week by providing free food from its farmer’s market located inside the church lobby. The church grows its own food and farms tilapia fish to give to the community. When the doors of this church close, people starve, including children.

Many people are experiencing increased stress. Many have lost their jobs and do not know where they will get the next meal. Many people suffer from mental, emotional and physical pain. Those with intractable physical pain are not able to get relief from their chiropractor, physical therapist or pain management specialist. Experiencing pain 24/7 often leads to depression and even suicide.

Battered women are locked in their homes with the abuser. Children are out of school and are restricted in some places from going to the parks or beaches. Without work, the extra stress can become overwhelming.

Some churches provide counseling. Some provide food, clothes and money to those in need.

The River Church serves a large community that has no access to the internet. Even some people who have access to the internet lack the bandwidth to watch a service online.

To answer the question of whether a church is essential and whether it should open or close its doors, people need to look beyond their own circumstances to see the mounting needs and hurting people who are less fortunate and who need the ministry of the local church.

No shepherd of the flock wants to do anything that would endanger the community. But the question is, should we allow some discretion to follow health guidelines while determining what can and cannot be provided online? Or do we want to give this unfettered authority to a single government official?

Perhaps it is important to reconsider what is essential about the church. Some are far more essential than others. A blanket answer to the question is too simple and serves a grave injustice to many.

Maybe there should be more discretion given to the shepherds of the church to determine whether the church should meet, and if so, how best may the church protect those who attend and serve the needs of the community. This is a much better approach than a one-size-fits-all template that labels churches as “non-essential.”

The above says nothing about the constitutional rights of churches under the First Amendment and the statutory rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. These rights do not evaporate in a time of crisis.

Are we willing to allow one person, whether state or local, to have the unchecked discretion to write a church into or out of existence by one word—the word “essential”? Such authority is extraordinary and runs counter to American history.

This article originally appeared at Liberty Counsel.

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which will be greatly rewarded. For you need patience, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive the promise” (Heb. 10:35-36).

These Scriptures come just before the long list of heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11, which illustrates confidence and endurance. I am always encouraged when I read about these great women and men of faith. They endured, and they received the promise!

These testimonies are written and given to us to build hope and encourage us in times of trials in this world. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3, NKJV). This Scripture mentions “various trials” and a testing of your faith. Trials of this world can be found in relationships, finances, sickness and disease, and world events.

A testing of your faith is a spiritual issue, and faith is a spiritual force. As long as we are in this world, there will be trials and tribulations. Jesus told us this in John 16:33 (MEV), “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.'”

Living in this world requires enduring faith. If you can have faith in God’s love to save your soul from hell, why do you stop there? He sent His Word to heal you and deliver you from all destruction (Ps. 107:20).

God is interested in your day-to-day life. If His power is enough to defeat sin and raise His Son from the dead, surely, He can help deliver you from the thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy. You had enough faith to place your life in His hands; trust Him as you walk the runway of life!

We are not saved because we endured the trials of life. We endure because we had enough confidence in God to ask Him for help! Endurance is evidence of genuine faith.

One day, I was meditating on the Scripture above, Hebrews 10:36 (NKJV), “… for you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise,” when God asked me a question, “Joyce, do you know the will of God?” As I thought about this, rather amazed that He asked this question, I said, “What is the will of God?” He immediately dropped in my heart, “Ask.”

Ask, I thought, that’s it? Immediately the Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). In John 15:7 (NKJV, author’s emphasis), He tells us, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

The secret to “asking” is abiding! “If you abide.” When you are abiding, and trials arise in this world, the first thing you do is ask for His help in your time of need. Scripture says, “you will ask.” It is an automatic response to those who are abiding.

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15, NKJV, author’s emphasis).

Sometimes, our biggest problem is just not asking! We think God is just going to take care of this, but He said, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24b). When you know and have confidence in God’s love for you and you know the promises of God, asking is an automatic response from the child of God.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” If you are stumbling around in this world, then turn the light up!

These last few weeks of mandatory separation from others have been a time of reflection on myself, my attitudes and my thoughts. Like many others, I never thought I would see anything like this in my country.

I have had the privilege of traveling to many nations of the world and seeing the devastation of wars, sickness and disease, socialism and communism, and suddenly I am seeing fear like I have never seen in the United States.

I believe this will go down in history as a time the church stood strong and saw the salvation of the Lord! I believe God can part the sea of destruction and disease that the enemy has tried to bring to destroy our nation. Let us stand fast, together in unity, where God’s blessings flow! {eoa}

Joyce Tilney is the founder of Women of God Ministries, teaching women today from women of yesterday. She is an author and teacher, equipping the saints for the furtherance of the gospel. Her books on Jochebed and Leah are available on Amazon along with Why Diets Don’t Work and The Real Woman Grows Roses From the Thorns of Life. Check out her website: or contact her at woman20-study@.

Hardly an hour goes by without someone sending me the latest “must-see” video or article. This is the one, I am told, that explains it all. This is the one that connects the dots. This is the one that reveals the truth. With all respect to those sending me these links, I’m going to pass for now.

It’s not that none of them could be true. Or that there is not some truth in many of them.

It’s simply that: 1) There are far too many theories to investigate in any depth; 2) in many cases, from our vantage point, it’s impossible to investigate the claims and 3) for the most part, our lives go on just the same whether or not the claims are true.

It’s not to say there is no Deep State. Or that I believe everything the World Health Organization puts forward. Or that I trust China. Or the secular media. Or that I do (or don’t) trust Dr. Fauci. Or President Trump.

It is simply to say that I do not have years of extra free time to evaluate every opposing claim.

It is also to say that some of the claims are far too wacky even to consider.

For example, in response to my video “How Should Believers Pray During a Global Pandemic?” Daniel G. wrote this: “Good news. The entire virus-game is a hoax. Yes. Really. It’s a game of make believe being played by children who’ve given their souls to satan. So go outside. Hug people. Don’t wear the mask or take the vaccine. Each are the Mark of the beast. Satan will know his followers by those wearing the mask because they are satan’s deceived.”

There you have it. If you wear the mask, you’ve taken the mark of the beast (from the Book of Revelation). You are now known to the Antichrist. You have been deceived by Satan himself. As for the virus itself, it’s a hoax. Just make believe!

To call this pathetic is to be kind. Especially as church buildings in Italy have been used to store all the coffins. Especially as the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel and New York is mourning its newly dead. Especially as we’re hearing more reports about health workers and grocery store workers dying. Especially as this is touching our families and our friends.

Do I have concerns about a vaccine? Yes, but not because of a microchip that would identify me to the Antichrist.

Do I believe that major world players have their own agenda with the virus? Absolutely.

Do I believe that, right here in America, from virtually every political corner, there are some diabolical plans in the making? It wouldn’t surprise me at all.

Is it possible that this virus was manufactured in a lab? Or that it was an animal virus that was mishandled in a lab? Or that it is a naturally evolving virus that was intentionally allowed to spread through misinformation? Or that some would like to use this crisis to push for a one-world government?

My answer is yes to all of the above. Any of these, alone or in combination, could be true. But at this point, I see no possible way that we can determine what, exactly, is true.

On the other hand, what we can do is determine not to be moved by fear. We can determine to work practically for the good of our economy. We can determine to take wise steps to protect our own safety. And we can do all this regardless of the veracity or mendacity of the latest theory.

In my new book When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis, I devoted one chapter to the subject: “Who or What Sent the Virus? (And Does It Really Matter?)”

In this chapter, I included some of the responses to my Facebook and Twitter requests for a list of the oddest theories about the origins of the virus. (Trust me: There are some real doozies on the list.) I also examined spiritual theories that explained the spread of the virus (from God sending it in judgment to Satan sending it as an act of destruction, among other possibilities).

In the end, though, what matters is how we respond. In other words, when I’m driving in a car and the rain starts pouring down, I don’t ask whether it was a natural phenomenon. Or the result of man-made climate change. Or the work of nefarious North Korean scientists (or Martians). Instead, I turn the windshield wipers on. That’s what we need to do with COVID-19. Turn on the windshield wipers.

From my first article on the virus (dated March 2), my position has been the same. This is certainly serious, but this is not the end of the world. This is a major tremor, but not nearly the final earthquake.

To date, the virus has taken roughly 75,000 lives, which is about the same amount of deaths attributed to the common flu each year. But in this case, there are 75,000 deaths only because extreme measures were taken to prevent more. Otherwise, the numbers could have been astronomical—and we have yet to see how the continent of Africa will fare.

Again, it is very possible that some of the theories floating around today will be proven true in the days ahead. I am by no means scorning or mocking all of them.

I am simply saying that, in my humble opinion, it’s best to deal wisely with what we know for sure. It may not be exotic. Or fascinating. Or breathtaking. But it works.

Reading stories of healing will stir your faith. When we read of the victories others have, we think, If God can do it for them, God can do it for me. You can’t argue with a miracle, and Stories of Divine Healing with Randy Clark is filled with stories of divine healing. God wants every person to pray for healing and creative miracles. We walk in the realm of supernatural healing. Build up your faith, and trust in God’s healing power—miracles are for you!

Discover the unlimited power and joy of knowing Christ intimately by meditating on His Word, and respond by doing what He says. The 12-Week Study of Following Christ with Steven Scott, which comes with a workbook and DVD, illustrates the truth that God wants intimacy with us. When you begin to know what Jesus said, everything changes. His commands aren’t burdensome, and they don’t weigh us down. The 12 critical subjects covered in the study can be used in a group bible study or a personal journal. Jesus made 21 promises about His Word, and The 12-Week Study of Following Christ will show you what they are.

Jesus holds our lives together; He’s the glue. Unfortunately, we can be broken in our spirit, soul, mind, emotions, will and body. But Jesus wants us whole. Broken Be Made Whole, an interactive guide to overcoming brokenness in our lives, will remind you that Christ in us is the hope of glory, and all the promises are in Jesus. Brokenness in us makes room for God, so hold firm to your faith and do not let the Word depart from your eyes. You can receive healing!

We are living in one of the most uncomfortable times I’ve ever known. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to its knees. Workplaces are closed. Hospitals are overcrowded. The global economy teeters on the edge of collapse while everyone shelters in place. And fear is spreading faster than the virus itself.

Meanwhile, the normally bustling congregations of America are eerily quiet. All gatherings are canceled—including funerals. Many churches are conducting outreaches and food distribution, but social distancing makes any event challenging. Pastors are preaching their Sunday sermons into video cameras while their auditoriums are empty.

It’s a strange time—and the anxiety has triggered so many questions. Is this the end of the world? Is the coronavirus God’s judgment? Are globalist world leaders going to take over the world with vaccines and computer chips? People are wringing their hands and making themselves sick by listening to doom-and-gloom predictions and negative news reports.

Today I asked the Holy Spirit to help me understand what’s going on, and how He wants the church to respond to this crisis. As I prayed in the spirit, I sensed He spoke to me: “Remember Rees Howells—and pray like he prayed.”

Rees Howells was a humble missionary who established the Bible College of Wales in 1924. During the years leading up to World War II, and during that awful conflict, he led his students to pray for the defeat of dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. They also prayed fervently for Allied forces during the Battle of Britain, Dunkirk and D-Day. (Howells even wrote a book in 1939 called God Challenges the Dictators, in which he prophesied the defeat of Nazi and communist regimes.)

Before his death in 1950, Howells became a model of what prayer can accomplish. Like Daniel, Ezekiel and Elijah, Howells believed God can use one person’s faith-filled prayers to change history. And like the apostle Paul, Howells taught that Christians must engage in intense spiritual warfare against invisible demonic forces.

Richard A. Maton, who wrote a biography of Howells’ son called Samuel Rees Howells, A Life of Intercession, said: “Rees Howells was taught by the Holy Spirit that any person, government or international situation that hindered the spread of the gospel would become a legitimate target to be challenged and defeated through intercession. It was the Lord’s will for the gospel to go to every person, and anything that got in the way of God’s plan had to be confronted.”

If there were ever a time in modern history when we need the faith of Rees Howells, it is in 2020—when so many dark spiritual powers are conspiring to stop the third great spiritual awakening that has been prophesied. All hell has been unleashed, and our comfortable Western churches cannot hope to defeat this enemy with our coffee bars, 20-minute sermons and moral compromise. We must become a praying church again. If we hope to engage the enemy, we must allow God to shake everything that can be shaken.

I don’t feel qualified to be an intercessor of the same caliber as Rees Howells, but I’m asking God to train me for battle. I’m willing to be deployed in this crisis moment. Are you willing to be a spiritual warrior? Here are a few ways you can begin:

1. Become more aggressive. Status quo prayers won’t be enough in seasons of spiritual battle. There is a time to go to war in the spirit, and it requires a militant attitude toward the enemy. When Elisha told King Joash to take arrows and strike the ground, in preparation for a battle, the king halfheartedly hit the ground only three times. Elisha said: “You should have struck it five or six times. Then you would have stricken Aram until you had finished them” (2 Kings 13:18-19). Too often we are satisfied with small victories because we didn’t pray with enough intensity.
2. Ask big. We can limit what God wants to do in the earth by praying in a puny way. Why would we settle for less when God can do the impossible? Elijah asked God to withhold the rain, and the rain stopped for three years. Then he prayed again and the rain returned. Rees Howells and his small band of prayer warriors in Wales asked God to remove Adolf Hitler from power. We must stop being so timid and begin to ask for global miracles.
3. Combine fasting with prayer. Fasting is not a way to bribe God. You do not need to forfeit food to get His attention. But fasting helps you focus on the Lord—and it intensifies prayer power. There are certain spiritual obstacles that need an extra push. When speaking of a demon that needed to be cast out, Jesus told His disciples: “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21). With all of us sheltering in our homes, this is the perfect time to fast and pray.
4. Do a night watch. There are moments in our lives when the Lord may woo us to spend time with Him in the night hours. In Song of Solomon, the bride hears her beloved calling her to get out of bed (5:2-6) and she doesn’t respond quickly enough. Many of us are too distracted by the busyness of life to hear God call us to a season of prayer. Yet the Lord is looking for people who will listen to His battle secrets. Will you let Him pray through you?
5. Go to the depths of prayer. People who have allowed God to use them in intercession know that certain situations require travail. This is not easy prayer—it is the spiritual equivalent of childbirth! When Elijah prayed for rain to end a seven-year drought, the Bible says he “threw himself down on the ground and put his face between his knees” (1 Kings 18:42). It is travailing prayer that will bring a true, world-changing outpouring of God’s Spirit.

The apostle Paul also knew this level of agonizing travail, and he told the Romans that the Holy Spirit “intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26). We are invited to know the depths of prayer, but too often we are too busy, too lazy or too distracted to venture into the unknown realms of true spiritual maturity.

When Rees Howells engaged the spiritual forces operating in Nazi Germany, he said: “This is the battle of the ages, and victory here means victory for millions of people.” We, too, must know that millions of souls are hanging in the balance. If we really want the world to find Jesus in the midst of this dark crisis, we must allow the Holy Spirit to pray through us in a deeper, messier and noisier way. Please enlist now.