CIA—Christians in Action: Your Will Be Done

Just days after the horrific attacks of 9/11, a team of seven CIA agents snuck into northern Afghanistan and began to lay the groundwork for war. Dubbed operation "Jawbreaker," their goal was to take out al Qaeda, break the Taliban, find Osama bin Laden, and kill him. National Geographic Channel has a show about this, CIA Undercover. 

The program is both fascinating and frightening. And I certainly admire the courage and commitment of those in the CIA for the work that they have been doing. Actually I don't want to know what they are doing much of the time. Their work was part of what finally led to the killing of bin Laden as now documented in the 2012 movie, Zero Dark Thirty. 

All this reminds me that we Christians are also in the business of overthrowing an alien and unwanted government. The second petition of the LORD's prayer points to that as we pray, Your Kingdom come! And now in the third petition we repeat the prayer, committing ourselves to carrying out our King's complete overthrow of the god of this world (John 12:31; 16:7-11). "Your will be done!" we pray. 

The will of God is sharply set against the ruler of this world. War is on! And has been on since the Garden of Eden. But the true and rightful Ruler has come among us to make clear that His will was to pay the ransom that has set all of us free. So the Apostle urges his protege, the young pastor Timothy, 

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. - 1Ti 2:1-6 ESV

Keep in touch with headquarters. God will teach you what next to do on the road to a peaceful and quiet life for all mankind. But know also what we are up against. We're winning; that is certain. Satan has lost his power, but the war isn't over—yet. In his second letter Paul writes,

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. - 2Ti 3:1-9 ESV

Pretty scary stuff indeed, but they will not get very far!

Hang in there. Keep in touch with headquarters each and every day. Do the work assigned to you as God's CIA—Christian in action. Total victory is just around the corner. Meekly and confidently put your trust in the LORD and together we shall inherit the land.

But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. 

The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. - Psa 37:11-15 ESV