Spiritual Defence Departments: Most Needed? Resourced?
As the church goes so goes to nation.
Is the Church, is our nation prepared for hostilities?
I had a conversation with the Lord the other day about some things that were troubling me
My conversation was about where the church spends most of its resources: time, energy, talents, finances, practical helps and emphasis for equipping people. What focus does the church have which affects where it directs its resources? This conversation was in the context of the concerns for our nation and the threats of war on our doorstep in the near future.
I then started to think about the defence forces of a nation and the various departments. A few hours later I was in a prayer meeting with some Church leaders of our city. They began to speak about the direction and emphasis of evangelism. As they spoke, my earlier conversation with the Lord began replaying in my mind. So I asked these leaders a question. In our nation of Australia, we have the threat of China targeting Taiwan and with it, all the Pacific Islands of Oceania. We know the condition of our defence forces are rundown in every department. We have submarines on order but will not be ready for decades. But some experts warn the risks we face is within a couple of years.
I invited those around the table to consider the question. What area of our defence forces should get the most resources of equipment, finances, personnel and all of the things needed to resist a superpower? The majority said the Air Force was the most important. Some said the Navy. No-one said the army. For Australia that is about right as we are a large land mass surrounded by water,
In the nation of Israel that’s a different scenario because it is such a small country and surrounded by hostile nations, so they need all three branches to be well equipped and trained. In their recent wars, the vitality of Israel’s Air Force and the ground troops working together especially have been critical. Our defence needs are different - as every country has unique needs. Air space in Israel is tiny compared to the airspace over Australia, so for us the Air Force and Navy are critical. So how does this translate for the Church? What are our equivalent spiritual defence departments?
Let’s consider if the Army or ground troops. These are those who are doing practical things: evangelism and the various forms of humanitarian aid. Such practical support for individuals and families are absolutely necessary. Maybe because the needs stare us in the face, or because it is easier to measure the result. Regardless of the reason, I see most or a majority of Church resources going to the ground troops. Any appeals seem to be met generously. I will come back to this in a moment.
The Navy is like the fivefold ministries of prophets, apostles, pastors teachers, evangelists who equip the Saints. These provide vital surveillance, take vital supplies to troops, provide vital backup fire power to protect coastlines and gateways. And when they have aircraft carriers, can quickly be in the sky.
The spiritual Air Force are the watchman, prophets, worshippers, intercessors who are dealing with the airwaves, the spiritual battle in the heavenly realms. Nations without an effective Airforce are sitting ducks for the enemy - especially in our part of the world. You might consider that it’s critical to get people saved and getting their needs met—and it is. But let me give you an example we saw in our city a couple of years ago where this focus was ineffective.
We had a very good and extensive equipping event for evangelism which led to lots of activation. Consequently about 100 decisions were made for the Lord. All the churches were given contacts to follow up—expectation and excitement was high. Within a few weeks’ time, the sad reality was, not one of those 100 decisions wanted to pursue the Lord. The three people our ministry were given to follow up told the story.
These three people did not speak English. The contact given was for a friend who spoke English. But when contacted, the friend was a Buddhist and refused to pass the information along. Our region has a stronghold of Buddhism (and other religions). The blockage and resistance was the spiritual powers over the region. Yes there had been prayer and worship, but the focus was based on evangelism, not so much upon the air war.
We have the largest (Chinese) Imperial dragon in the southern hemisphere, and the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. These strongholds need a well-equipped spiritual air Force. Yet most of the resources and focus in our city are on the ground troops - not the Air Force. When there are outreaches or events, our ministry is tokenlike asked to pray, and we are happy to do that. But the size of the task requires a well-trained and well equipped and focused Air Force. Yet we are given the least of the resources—including manpower. I am not saying this to complain or to recruit and ask for donations. Please hear my heart right now.
In the South Pacific we have such a major military threat gathering. Yet how prepared is the church or the government? Remember as the church goes, so goes the government.
In the last week, (early December 2025) Andrew Bolt of Sky News Australia has interviewed experts who work in the geopolitical defence areas. They are warning Australia could be drawn into a major war within two years, yet our defence force spending and equipping is so low we are in grave danger. Right now we would need a huge miracle from God (a good thing) or the help of America.
As the church goes, so goes the nation. If the church is badly resourcing its Air Force and Navy, no wonder our nation is also strategically underprepared in those departments. We need to wake up very fast.
Some years ago, the Lord warned us of the threat of the footprints of the dragon in Oceania. Our ministry, was part of with a group of other ministries, sought to buy a property to establish a war-room for intercessory worship and watchmen training and activation. This was during Covid lockdowns, and major bushfires—but the biggest resistance was the Church did not see the seriousness of what we were about to face. Sufficient resources were not given and sadly an absolute God open window for the body of Christ was lost.
Now we are in a critical space. Apart from the remnant, by and large the church seems unaware of the dangers, or what to do, except the obvious things they can see on the ground. Get the gospel out, help the needs of people. There are heaps of these needs, they are in our faces. That’s good and true. However, consider the words of Paul, where often the preaching of the gospel is to people whose minds are veiled.
“whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV)
This is the exact warfare I am speaking of, as we encountered in our city. The spiritual Airforce is needed to deal with critical enemies, to supply cover to ensure the labours of the ground troops are not wasted or hindered.
We need a spiritual Air Force to deal with the situations in our nations as there were in World War II. Rees Howells had such a Bible College property and raised up intercessors and worshippers who contended day and night, even as bombs dropped around them in the London blitz. They were protected, and prayers were answered. The war turned around when Britain and Europe gained Air Supremacy—in the natural and spiritual! The Air Force general ("bomber Harris) had to contend with the politicians to get the allocation of resources for the equipment. but with Air Supremacy, Hitler was defeated. The spiritual and physical defence forces were at work. That is what we need right now.
I had a dream a couple of years ago. In the dream I heard the enemy speaking its intention (through China’s communist party) to obliterate Australia. We are the biggest island continent in the South Pacific, if we go, the islands are much easier prey. In the dream, the war was confined to the air. On the ground I saw young children, so we are speaking about the effect on future generations. Some planes were shut down, but what I saw was planks of wood falling. Even in the dream and upon awakening, I was wondering why planes were made of wood. I asked the Lord what does this mean? He asked, what does wood, hay and stubble mean? Scripture says those things are consumed by the fire of God. He said if you want to stop the land war, you must win the air war. You must have air supremacy. No flesh can win this war. To win the air you must be succinct, strong and accurate in the spirit.
This article is a call to pray and to seek the Lord. It is an alarm for the Church to awaken and respond however the Lord reveals. There are some major kingdom shifts coming up and two are mentioned below. I really want to encourage you to hear what the spirit of God is saying.
In 2015 Chuck Pierce came to Brisbane, Australia for some meetings. We attended and I was shocked. I didn’t know what the topic was to be. He began to say: the way the tabernacle of David is raised up will determine the direction a nation goes. It confirmed our call and stirred my heart. Remember, as the church goes so goes the nation.
What Chuck Pierce said next was grievous. He had previously come to Australia in 2005 with that same message, but his message was not received. Instead, the meetings had descended into chaos. I was so glad I didn’t know about those meetings nor attended. Instead, at the similar time in 2005 the Lord called us to host a worship conference – “Gold to Glory”. The glory of the Lord poured out and opened many doors for us as a ministry and confirmed the importance of raising up the Tabernacle of David. If I had gone to the Brisbane meeting and seen the chaos, I don’t think I could have contented for the next decades until Chuck Pierce came back in 2015. When I heard his word, I was so encouraged. Again, as the church goes, so goes nation. As the tabernacle of David is raised up so will go the nation.
Would you pray? For us, and the like-minded remnant ministries in our nation? Would you stand with us? Would you help us to build? Would you help us as we press forward in these major kingdom shifts in these next couple of months? Will you pray that the body of Christ wakes up to the importance of this message? Pray for a release of all the resources needed to build the spiritual air-force in this nation. Yes we need ground troops, but right now we desperately need the Navy and Air Force to be resourced and equipped.
© 2025 Ruth Webb