Introduction

In this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33)

In times of hardship and disaster, when “the foundations are being destroyed,” only the tough survive. Those who have gotten accustomed to a life of ease, security and prosperity don’t know what to do when all that is forcibly ripped out of their lives. And since history shows us that disaster and hard times have a cyclical way of coming back around to haunt us, those who have the foresight to prepare ahead of time for what must inevitably come to pass will survive.

But in the typical church, there is almost no training going on. This is amazing, because Christian training is the best way to prepare for survival in hard times. And the church is the only place where you can get those training resources and principles. Why aren’t people using them to get ready? Probably because the current state of affairs in our society also rules in the church: a life of ease, prosperity and security (physically speaking!) is more important than spiritual hardiness. This is the same problem that the Israelites had, which God had predicted of them.

Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Deuteronomy 8:11-14)

The current church scene is anything but training. Pastors are more like salesmen and entertainers, struggling to keep people coming to the services instead of leaving to find more interesting “shows” elsewhere to please them. Christianity in the church has been reduced to doing as little as possible, because we don’t want to pressure anybody and risk losing them. And the leadership has almost backed completely away from confronting people with their sins and shortcomings, because that would chase them away. People don’t come to church for the right reason – that they are sinners needing help. So, the real issues in their lives go unaddressed.

Now when society turns upside down, and people are persecuted by the government or their neighborhoods for being Christians, or disease or war rips up the fabric of everyday life, those problems underneath the surface that they didn’t address at a superficial church service will come to the front. People have to get real answers then, because death and misery are right around the corner. They don’t want to die unprepared. The problem is that bombs and firing squads and famine and the plague don’t give us any time to research for answers. Millions will die while some of us try to figure out how to survive in such an upside-down world.

The time to prepare for such things is now, while we have the opportunity and the resources for preparation.

And the point is not to preserve as much of our physical possessions as we can. Christians ought to know that this isn’t the point. Our calling is to establish a foothold on God’s spiritual world, and rely less and less on this physical world. That is the secret to survival. If you can willingly give up the health and wealth and security of this world as it’s taken from you, then how will it hurt you when you lose it?

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish [the Greek word here is actually dung], that I may gain Christ and be found in him. (Philippians 3:8-9)

If you set your minds and hearts on things above, on Heavenly treasures, then the loss of this world’s goods won’t shake you as you hold out your hope for a better world.

But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:20-21)