The war in Ukraine seems to have become a focal point for global attention more than any other war in recent decades. It is relatively small in scale compared to, say, World War II, the Korean War, and even Vietnam. But its implications for the future of the world are huge. And we live in a different world now. Information, live reports, images, videos, and testimonies from inside the war zone become available instantly to the rest of the world thanks to the internet and social media.

The Ukraine war has begun to cause shifts in the political, military, and economic landscape of the world, and that is significant for the unfolding of the End Times in our day and age. President Biden announced the need for a new world order that America must lead. Meanwhile, a newly unified Europe has called for greater interdependence and distance from the U.S., whereby France’s President Emmanuel Macron emerged as its main advocate. Tighter bonds have been forged between Russia, China, and Iran which is according to some a fulfillment of prophecy in Revelation 16:12. Israel is at the same time strengthening its bond with moderate Islamic nations, which according to prophecy experts in the Middle East could signal the fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies regarding her covenant of death.

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According to financial experts like BlackRock, one of the world’s leading asset managers, the Ukraine war signals the end of economic globalization as we have seen it. The crippling sanctions against Russia have severed long-standing investment relationships, while Europe is moving towards greater interdependence and China is seeking to consolidate its economic power around the world.

In addition to the emerging cracks in financial and political alliance, experts are now also warning that the already rapidly disintegrating global internet will soon become the splinternet, with tech giants pulling out of Russia, and Russia banning Western-based social media from its platforms.

The shifting alliances, balances of power, economic rollercoasters, and military tensions reverberate the various signs that the Bible associates with the End Times. It is difficult to pinpoint what event fits what prophecy as events are unfolding. And that is not necessary. The Lord Jesus, who himself prophesied what the End Times would look like in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and in His Revelation to the Apostle John, admonishes us to stay awake (Mark 13:33) and understand the signs (Matthew 24:32,33).

Dr. David Jeremiah points out that we are seeing at least four signs of the End Times: Deception by false teachers (Matthew 24:4-5), disputes among the nations (Matthew 24:6-7),  devastation (Matthew 24:7), and persecution of the saints (Matthew 24:9). I would add to that an increase in lawlessness, as love grows cold (Matthew 24:12). All these things appear to rapidly intensify, throwing the world into increasing chaos, instability, self-destruction, and conflict. The Apostle John’s vision of the trumpets, plagues, and bowls in Revelation 8,9, 15 and 16 shows that the dual purpose of the outpouring of so much disaster was to bring mankind to repentance (Revelation 9:20,21; 16:11), and to allow for the emergence of the Antichrist, who will set himself up as a false savior (Daniel 7:7-8, Revelation 13:1-10).

We all know what happens in the end. The ultimate outcome of the End Times is the final defeat of Satan in Armageddon (Revelation 16:14-16), the millennium (Revelation 20:1-6), the final defeat of Satan (Revelation 20:7-10), the Day of Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15), and the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21, 22).

We live between the point in time when Satan’s defeat was decided and initiated (Colossians 2:15), and the finalization of that defeat in Revelation 20. In an article for Christianity Today, Chris Keener likened it to living between D-Day (the day of the Normandy landings by the allied forces) and V-Day (the day of complete victory over Axis forces) in World War II: “In D-Day, the success of the Normandy invasion decided the outcome of the war, and the defeat of the Nazi regime and its allies was merely a matter of time. Yet until V-Day—the final surrender of the Axis powers—battles continued and casualties mounted.”

The mission of God’s global Church and His promise to us in our execution of it is clear. Jesus gave it as he ascended into heaven: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19,20). The fulfillment of that commission is still ongoing, even as battles rage, economies collapse, balances of power shift, and natural disasters and plagues follow each other in rapid succession. And yes, even as persecution of the Church increases all over the world. And salvation of souls is still God’s primary objective.

According to missions strategists like the Joshua Project and Mission Frontiers, the Great Commission is a finishable task. There are 17,440 unreached people groups that currently exist in the world (tribes, ethnic groups, and subcultures without any exposure to the gospel), and an estimated 7,444 remain unreached. With the growing cooperation of worldwide missionary movements and the increasing involvement of former mission fields like Africa and Latin America as dynamic sending bases, the push to bring the gospel to every nation is accelerating.

This amazing advance of God’s Kingdom in the hearts of people around the world, and His ingathering of a people of His own possession (1 Peter 2:9) which will one day make up the “great multitude from every nation” that stands before the throne to worship the Lamb (Revelation 7:9-11) gives us the first directive for our prayers in these End Times. Prayer, after all, is the work of missions. Without the fervent prayers of God’s people, missions cannot succeed. And so we must persevere in praying for the advance of God’s Kingdom in the End Times. That entails:

• Prayer for open doors (Colossians 4:3)
• Prayer for laborers to be sent out into the harvest field (Matthew 9:38)
• Taking authority over spiritual opposition (Mark 3:27)
• Prayer for open hearts (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
• Prayer for protection of missionaries and evangelists (2 Thessalonians 3:2)

There are lots of subcategories under each of these. Operation World provides a helpful guide with day-to-day prayer for the work of missions in every country of the world. These are the prayers for a quiet but unstoppable revival in the world bringing many from darkness into light.

The second directive for prayer in the End Times focuses on prayer for the global Church itself. Nominalism, division, strife, disputes, immorality, false teachings are a constant challenge to the spiritual health of the Church and the effectiveness of its mission. As the day and the hour of the return of the wedding feast of the Lamb draws near, the Bride is given the opportunity to make herself ready (Revelation 19:7,8). In that light, praying for the Church in the End Times entails, among others:

• Prayer for vigilance (Mark 13:33, 1 Peter 5:8)
• Prayer for unity and love (John 17, Hebrews 12:14)
• Prayer for holiness (Hebrews 12:1, 14-16)
• Prayer for faithfulness to God’s Word (Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 5:11-6:3)
• Prayer for passionate faith in God (Revelation 3:15-19)
• Prayer for deeper communion with God (Revelation 3:20)
• Prayer for endurance (Hebrews 12:1,2)
• Prayer for patience in suffering (James 1:2,12; 5:7,8)

As we continue to pray about wars, economic instability, the protection of freedoms, the passing of laws, and for political figures, it helps to bring all our prayers under the umbrella of Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 6:10: “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The powerful vision of that multitude that no one can count from every tribe and nations – the people God has rescued out of darkness and brought into His glorious light, is my drive to pray on for the advance of the Kingdom in the hearts of man. I do so knowing that He desires to indwell us, write His law upon our hearts, and change us in the image of Christ, without which mankind continues on its spiral towards destruction, doom, and judgment.

Father, we lift our heart today, joining our desire with Yours to gather from every tongue, tribe, and nation and people of your own possession, rescued from darkness and brought into your kingdom of light to worship the Lamb. Bring about a new and powerful missionary movement to finish the task of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Meanwhile, unite Your people worldwide to be one in Christ, prayerful, faithful to the world, victorious over Satan, and filled with passionate, self-sacrificing love for You, for one another, and for the people lost in darkness. Ignite in us a resolve to step over disputes, grudges, divisions, to purify ourselves from immorality and false teachings. Return our hearts to you as our first love and purify your Bride for the return of the Groom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How are you praying as we approach the end times?

Author Remco Brommet is a pastor, spiritual growth teacher, and prayer leader with over 40 years’ experience in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the US. Born and raised in the Netherlands and pastoring his first church in Amsterdam, he moved to the US in 1986. He and his wife Jennifer currently live north of Atlanta, GA When not writing books, he blogs and assists his wife as content developer and prayer coordinator for True Identity Ministries. Jennifer and Remco are passionate about bringing people into a deeper relationship with Christ. Photo Credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash.