Lord abide with us, for it is evening and the day is far spent.
Lk 24:9
Then they will reveal to you the tribulation and kill you. And ye shall be hated for My Names sake of all peoples. And then shall many, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Matt 24:9-10
And those who want to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2. Tim 3:12
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
Rev 6:9-11
If someone is in jail, then he will go to jail, if someone will be killed with the sword, then he will be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints!
Rev 13:10
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor pain will be more
Rev 21:4
Dear brothers and sisters,
the history of Christianity is a history of victories, breakthroughs, signs, miracles, joy, life, but also a history of great hardship, persecution, suffering, death, tears, mockery, separation... a history of conquerors but also deniers, a history of revivals, but also of great falling away.
In many countries of this world, our brothers and sisters are suffering persecution and martyrdom, while we in the West (Europe, America, Australia, etc.) have had peace for a long time now. God has always given periods of rest so that the church can do the work. It says in Acts 9:31 that the church had peace throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and built and lived in fear of the Lord and multiplied with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
Has this period of peace in the West led the church to fear of God? No, the church has become worldly, weak, people hardly take notice of her. Materialism has changed the world but also the church, she has become lazy and comfortable. What must do God to change that? When the first Christians had a nice life in Jerusalem and didn't want to go to other nations, what did God do? He allowed persecution. So they flew to other countries and brought the Gospel. Today it is no longer primarily about bringing the Gospel to all countries but that the churches should stand up, cleansed and sanctified, and proclaim the Gospel first in their own countries. Neither Switzerland nor any other country in the West, except perhaps America, has seen a revived church in the last hundred years. Something has to happen. After nearly 23 years on the streets, I feel that persecution is coming. Is the church ready? No, absolutely not!
I am not someone who runs after numbers, but I think I can say that the spiritual world has changed since around 6.6.06. Just at this time, the movie and the book “The Da Vinci Code" were produced and have brought immense harm. Since that time, the hatred against Christianity and Christians is growing daily. As I have written earlier in another letter, especially after 11 September 01, people were more open but after 6.6.06 it changed. We live at the end of the time and persecution is certainly coming, as never before in world history.
Some people ask where the persecution will come from. I must honestly say that for me, it is not so important where it shall come from but that it is coming. But before I write about that, I want to mention two or three dreams I had about this topic:
On May 8, 2000, after a service in a church, I went back home. I was sad, angry, and spoke with the Lord. The preacher had asked how many people are trying to reach others with the Gospel. Of over 1000 people you saw only a few raised hands. So I said to the Lord: Everyone is called to sing, dance, rejoice... but hardly anyone is called to bring the Gospel? That night I dreamed of persecution. I woke up terrified and thought it was just a dream. But as soon as I fell asleep I saw the same thing. Persecution came, but the people of God were totally disoriented, ran hither and thither. I saw myself with a large key from a bunker and I gathered the people and brought them in there. A sister I know claimed that this is not the pleasant Gospel she had heard. A black brother said: “I am ready to die for Jesus, what you do is your business ...”
On 1.7.03, I saw myself in a dream with a few Christians. A woman leader from Winterthur with her son was there, and she had a little boy by the hand. Suddenly came a huge, black ship. When the ship appeared it brought a huge tidal wave. Many Christians, even people who previously were with me were swept away by this tidal wave. I saved myself on a hill where I saw again this woman leader, I don't remember if she was still holding the child’s hand. This child was small, 2-3 years old or 5, I cannot say, but hardly any older. At this time when I had the dream of this child it was not born yet, but last March (2008) it was born. This tidal wave was the persecution, so how much time do we still have?
On 5.6.06, or was it one day later, after I read a book about Islam, I had a dream: I saw myself in a room, perhaps a restaurant. Suddenly, the radio no longer spoke the German language, but Turkish or Arabic, and my thoughts were: they have taken over! But just at that moment I saw written on the wall: Never be satisfied with anything less than restoration through revival! The Lord didn't want me to remember many details of this dream, because otherwise I would have been paralyzed. He wanted me to cast my eyes on him and walk in faith, that it is possible even in the midst of great darkness: restoration through revival.
Now, back to the question: How can we expect persecution?
It is clear that there is a confrontation of cultures, and especially with Islam. Do you remember the little book by John Mulinde: "Light and Darkness on Europe"? There he tells of a vision he had when he saw Europe into darkness, and suddenly, something like a fire came from England to France and other countries. Many thought that this fire will be the awakening. When I was visiting a sister one day, she asked me: “Don’t you think that this fire is Islam?” As she spoke, I felt the Holy Spirit very strongly in my lower body and I knew I must take this idea seriously.
Dear brothers and sisters, I do not know exactly how it will come but sometimes when I see the wickedness and perversion of our society, then I think of Switzerland and Europe, and that we have earned the Sharia. Every year there are gay activities in Zurich in May, which allows the city council to influence other people’s opinions for a month with tax money. When I see the mockery and blasphemy in our countries, then we deserve the judgment of God. Many people don't care if they are Muslims or Buddhists, or whatever, the only thing they don't want is to be Christian. And if you have enough money to live well, who cares who rules over us? That's the current thinking. Some Christians live in fear of Islam. Brothers, fear paralyzes! Jesus said: if this starts to happen, then look up and lift up your heads because your redemption is near. Fear is useless, we must look to Jesus, He can do anything, He can also deal with Islam. But now He uses it as a tool to bring us back to Him. Many Muslims are open to Jesus and we have to bring them the Gospel.
About two weeks ago I preached to some brothers in Winterthur. On the other side was a tattoo shop. Suddenly, a young woman came out of there and gave me a piece paper. On this paper was painted a Cross and a person on the Cross. One could no longer recognize the person, the person was massacred, and all covered with blood. She said to me: that's you! I didn’t react and continued my preaching. Islam is not our only enemy. A generation of monsters is growing up. Satan has used music to seduce the young, and now he comes with stronger food. In the internet you can find an advertisement for a free computer game called Dark Fight! A battle between vampires and werewolves who drink the blood and so on. Small children have grown up with violent videos, porn, computer games... In almost every bookstore and post office you can buy the book: The Gospel According to Satan! Thou shalt kill! Dear brothers and sisters, for some young people growing up now, it will be a delight to kill people like us. This is the generation of the anti-Christ, monsters grow up. Of course there are healthy people, but it is clear in which time we live. So do not be afraid of Islam, love these people, pray for them, bring them the Gospel and leave the rest to the Lord, for the persecution can also come from the normal Swiss and Europeans.
Another group that will attack us are homosexuals. I do not know if you have noticed it, but a few weeks ago, a group of homosexuals and lesbians in Michigan, America went into a church and threw condoms on the heads of the believers and presented to the front of the altar perverted acts. David Wilkerson already saw over 30 years ago that homosexuals would disturb church services. Where else will persecution come from? From the government. Isn't it interesting that God said to me on 16.6.2001 with a voice of thunder: “If a government wants to hinder a revival, then someone has to stand up and oppose that!” I saw Satan as a big strong man and me with one hand on a rope to hold onto (my relationship with the Lord), a sword in the other hand, and got ready for a frontal confrontation.
When we read the eschatological Jesus, there is also much talk of betrayal. But you will be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will kill some of you (Lk 21:16). Family members will betray us, because they themselves do not believe in God or because the pressure will be so great ... there will be about life or death of themselves.
One reads stories of persecution in Russia, China, North Korea, etc., and also hears of children who betrayed their parents, even in the Islamic world, where so many converts are not only betrayed by family members but also killed. Such things will happen here also, in a time of great turmoil anything is possible. Speak with your teenage kids openly about persecution, that a different time is coming. Prepare them. Explain to them that our enemy is not the people but the hatred of Satan, who uses these people. Teach yourself and your children the spiritual battle. When you wake up in the morning, bind the forces of darkness who are trying to destroy you and your family. Teach your children to fight spiritually also in their school classes. When conflict or violence is there, that they bind the powers of strife in the name of Jesus. Spiritual warfare will keep you awake and make you strong. Lead a pure life, for without holiness you cannot carry out spiritual warfare, you don't have authority without repentance.
When Jesus speaks of the brothers who will betray us, does he mean only the relatives? No, a big problem will be the fallen brothers. Especially in the era of persecution, there will be great falling away. These people will hate us terribly, the anti-Christian spirit shall control their lives, I think they will be our worst enemies. Therefore, it is a big stupidity to bring people to Jesus through a pleasant Gospel without true repentance, without any real conviction of sin, just with a small, nice prayer, that costs nothing. We must make the people aware that a decision for Jesus may soon cost them their lives!
I do not write all of this so that you will be afraid but that you can prepare yourself. Personally, I have been preparing myself for years to martyrdom! Perhaps you ask how? The best preparation is a deep relationship with the Lord. You must know the Lord well to persevere and remain faithful to Him. Be faithful in little things every day, seeking the lost, forget yourself, you live only for the King!
Make decisions in your heart: I want to and I will remain faithful, no matter what it costs, even if it costs me my life. Don't play, take it seriously.
I do not know if the persecution will come first and then the awakening, or vice versa, one thing I know: it is coming. But persecution is not the worst thing for the church. Persecution cleans the church, separating wheat from chaff. There should be no Christian household without information of the persecuted Christians and specially AVC, Open Doors, HMK ... also let your children read of it and pray for the persecuted.
Nothing happens without the will or the permission of God, so no one can touch you without God’s will or permission. The brothers and sisters in China do not pray for the end of the persecution but that they remain faithful.
Will all Christians die as martyrs? I do not know, the Lord can take the one and protect the other, it is His decision, but it is said in Dan. 7.21: “and I saw the horn (Antichrist) to fight against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the one came who was ancient (God the father) ...”
Dear brothers and sisters, our lives are in the hands of the Lord, He will decide about us, not the enemy.
Do not be afraid of persecution, fear the deception much more. The last time, I wrote about Ivo Sasek, now I must warn very clearly. For several weeks he has been preaching reincarnation, he says that it is biblical and that every man comes back until he voluntarily bends his knees before Jesus. Ivo calls the people like me, who preach on the streets about hell, stupid. He also says: “God would be idiotic to send people to hell eternally!" (His words). Please separate yourself from all his books, CDs, etc. If you sit still at his feet, you'll become blind, and go exactly where you do not want to go. I'm very sorry for this brother, I still can't believe it.
I must say again, purify yourselves from Lakeland. When I was in Washington I saw Todd Bentley in a dream,, dirtily dressed, talking dirty, and he was drunk. I later read on his homepage that he has not only committed adultery, but has also been drinking much alcohol and watched dirty videos after the sermon with the boys of his group. All this in addition to all the demons and tattoos. Separate yourself from all impurity with miracles or not. The people who have accepted Lakeland now have the seal of Satan, he knows them. The Lord has shown to a former pastor in America who is now warning prophetically that the people who have accepted Lakeland will accept also the sign of the Antichrist. Repent! I will not say more about this thorny issue.
Once again: Do not be afraid of persecution, be afraid of deception!
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers can, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
No yard away your confidence, which has a great reward. Patience, but you will need so that you do the will of God and receive the Promised. Heb. 10, 35-36
Fear not, O land, but be glad and rejoice for the Lord can do great things. Joel 3.21
I am not waiting for the persecution that is coming, I'm waiting for the glory of God that will be powerfully revealing exactly in this time, so that Switzerland, Europe, all nations and first of all the churches will recognize that they have a lively, mighty, powerful God! Amen
Catherine Hafner, a servant of Jesus Christ!
