I Came That They May Have Life
More Civil Wars and Conflicts Are Occurring in the 21st Century
A civil war refers to an armed struggle that occurs within a country, where one group fights against another for political power. It is also referred to as an internal conflict. War is a conflict between nations where force, including military power and other means, is used to fight and subdue the opponent.
According to data from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), there are currently 27 civil wars and wars taking place worldwide. Most conflicts are concentrated in Asia and Africa, with territorial disputes and civil wars being the most common. In Europe, the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022. While conflicts continue in modern times, the number of deaths due to war has decreased compared to the past. During World War II, tens of millions of people lost their lives, but from 1946 to 2016, the war-related mortality rate significantly declined. However, while interstate wars have decreased, civil wars have increased.
According to data from the Correlates of War (COW) project at the University of Michigan, there have been 38 interstate wars and 195 civil wars. Civil wars, which are more challenging to reconcile and resolve than interstate wars, have continued without cessation. According to the United Nations (UN), the primary causes of modern conflicts include territorial and resource disputes, the breakdown of the rule of law, the absence of national institutions, the pursuit of illegal economic interests, and worsening resource shortages.
Ongoing conflicts are taking place in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Yemen, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Among these countries, the largest refugee populations have come from Ukraine (7.53 million), Syria (6.6 million), Yemen (4 million), Afghanistan (2.7 million), South Sudan (2.4 million), and Myanmar (1.1 million). War and civil conflict have displaced millions.
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that the global refugee population has doubled in the past decade. In May 2022, the number of forcibly displaced persons worldwide surpassed 100 million. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 had a significant impact on the surge in forced migration, leading to the displacement of millions of people.
The UNHCR has pointed out that the number of forcibly displaced persons is approaching 1% of the global population and predicted that this number could continue to rise due to food shortages, hunger, climate crises, and inflation.
Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner of the UNHCR, stated, “The number of forcibly displaced persons has increased every year over the past decade. Unless the international community comes together to resolve conflicts and establish sustainable solutions, this devastating trend will continue.”
》Scripture Prayer
(John 10:7-18,NIV) 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Let us praise Jesus, who came to this earth as the Good Shepherd to save us, grant us life, and allow us to live abundantly. Let us also pray that other souls who need to come to Jesus Christ will be led to Him so that they, too, may stand with us in praising the Lord and rejoicing.
2. What is gained through disputes and conflicts for selfish gain is nothing more than false peace. Let us pray that only the true peace of Jesus Christ, given through His cross, will come upon nations and diasporas suffering from civil wars and conflicts. Let us also seek the Lord’s grace so that the image of God may be restored in them, enabling them to live a life of love, service, and purpose.
3. Even though the devastation and hardships caused by conflicts may make it seem as though Satan’s strategy has prevailed, let us proclaim that Satan’s power was already broken on the cross of Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us, and that the Lord has triumphed. Let us also pray for the salvation of all diasporas, trusting that the Lord is faithfully carrying out His work of saving souls in every circumstance.
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