The Military Guide to Armageddon: Battle-Tested Strategies to Prepare Your Life and Soul for the End Times

"Giammona and Anderson take readers on a deep, riveting journey into preparing for the perilous world of the end times with The Military Guide to Armageddon. This read is a grand slam!"

Dr. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor, First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas; contributor, Fox News; adjunct professor, Dallas Theological Seminary; host, Pathway to Victory

My emphasis has been and will always be the glory of God. His glory will be to strengthen us to survive the end times. But it is also necessary for us to prepare our life and soul for the end times. What a great spiritual balance to walk in the glory and to have the manual to prepare for the last scene of the last act of the last book of the Bible, Revelation!

Sid Roth, host, It’s Supernatural!

This book is not only the wake-up call needed for all believers, it is also a powerful spiritual preparation manual that unlocks for all of us how we should live in the last days. It is time for the church to wake up, put on the full armor of God and prepare for what’s ahead.

Rabbi Jonathan Bernis, Jewish Voice Ministries International; host, Jewish Voice with Jonathan Bernis

Giammona and Anderson have written a must-read for anyone who aspires to be a warrior for God in the end times. Read this book—and learn from the best.

Dr. Thomas Horn, CEO, SkyWatch TV

"While so much of the Christian world today is content to hide its head in the sand and ignore the many clear warnings and exhortations of the Bible concerning the last days, The Military Guide to Armageddon is chock full of wisdom that will help the believer navigate the great challenges and opportunities that lie ahead."

Joel Richardson, New York Times bestselling author, teacher, filmmaker

Col. David Giammona and Troy Anderson have written a must-read primer for anyone considering how to strengthen their walk with God in the end times.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert F. Dees (Ret.), decorated U.S. army general; associate vice president, Military Outreach, and director, Institute for Military Resilience, at Liberty University; campaign chairman for Dr. Ben Carson; author, Resilience God Style

"The Military Guide to Armageddon is one of the most important books I have read in a long time! This spiritually powerful and biblically balanced book is essential reading for any leader, man or woman who seeks to obey God’s call to be an effective spiritual warrior in these last days. This practical book will teach you how to be battle ready, effective and victorious as a spiritual warrior."

Dr. Paul McGuire, bestselling author

This is a very timely book, because the signs that Jesus instructed us to watch for just prior to His return are coming to pass right in front of our eyes. I strongly encourage everyone to buy this book and to share it with others. This guide will give you a better understanding of how the military chess pieces are moving into place, and it won’t be too long before a major conflict erupts. This is a time of wars and rumors of wars, and the authors have worked hard to give us some insight into what is really going on out there.

Michael Snyder, The Most Important News

Being a special operator in the Special Warfare Command of the U.S. Navy (ret.), I have a vested interest in war and its complexity. Chaplain Colonel Giammona has mastered the contrast of spiritual and physical war and their similarities with stellar clarity. The best book on end-time preparation I’ve ever read. Stunning.

M. David Roever, D.D., founder, president, CEO, Operation Warrior RECONnect

© 2021 by David J. Giammona and Troy Anderson

Published by Chosen Books

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

www.chosenbooks.com

Chosen Books is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2021

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-3008-6

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations labeled CEB are from the Common English Bible. © Copyright 2011 by the Common English Bible. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations labeled KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations labeled MEV are from the The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.

Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotations labeled NKJV are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations labeled WEB are from the World English Bible.

Cover design by Rob Williams, InsideOut Creative Arts, Inc.

The authors are represented by Alive Communications, Inc.

We dedicate The Military Guide to Armageddon to all who will pick up the challenge and surrender their lives for the cause of Christ in the last days.

We dedicate this book to all who are weary of business as usual and long for something richer, deeper and more inspiring than ever before.

We dedicate this book to the warriors among us preparing for spiritual battles in the end times.

Finally we dedicate this book to the entire U.S. military for their professionalism, bravery and dedication to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Contents

Cover    1

Endorsements    2

Title Page    3

Copyright Page    4

Dedication    5

Foreword by Matt Hagee    9

Preface    11

Acknowledgments    15

PART 1:  BATTLE READY!    19

1. The Making of a Warrior    21

2. Battle Ready!    34

3. Knowing Your Enemy    51

4. Center of Gravity    71

5. Fog of War    89

6. Vision    99

7. Courage    115

8. Checklists    128

PART 2:  BASIC TRAINING    145

9. Boot Camp    147

10. Spartan Warrior Training    161

11. Rest and Recuperation    177

12. Obstacles, Obstructions and Opportunities    189

PART 3:  ADVANCED TACTICS    203

13. Weapons and Firepower    205

14. Prepping for the End Times    216

15. Coming Home    230

Appendix: Prioritized Checklist for the End Times    238

Notes    243

Back Cover    257

Foreword

IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE to live in Military City, USA all my life. As a native of San Antonio, Texas, I have been surrounded by some of the greatest citizens, servants and soldiers the world has ever seen. Their willingness to protect and defend our nation has always been an inspiration to me. Their sacrifice and commitment serve as a constant reminder that I have been called to do the same by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am to be a citizen of His Kingdom here on this earth. I am to serve Him with all my heart, soul, mind, strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. I am to be a soldier in His army and take a stand in the evil day. We live in an evil day that seeks to destroy all that is good, and the need for change can no longer be ignored.

Bible-believing Christians cannot afford to be spectators in this culture war that is changing every aspect of our lives. We are watching our freedoms and liberties be trampled beneath a relentless agenda to destroy the foundations of truth, rid society of the institutions of faith and crush the influence of the Church. Some have described it as the post-Christian era, others choose to use more moderate terms, but the fact remains, we are in a supernatural war in this modern world. The Apostle Paul made it clear that we were going to be engaged in a spiritual battle that would only increase in intensity until Jesus Christ returns to earth to establish His Kingdom. The day of decision for this generation has arrived, and the ancient question echoes still, Who is on the Lord’s side?

This resource is filled not with theories, suggested strategies and general ideas for you to consider but with real battlefield-tested facts, tactics and information that will convert an apathetic churchgoer into a soldier of salt and light. The authors combine decades of battlefield experience and award-winning investigative journalism to demonstrate what God will do with those who are willing to take a stand, face adversity and make history. The world around you is decaying in darkness; now is the time to answer the question, What are you going to do about it?

What are you going to do about the chaos in our streets? This book has the answer. How are you going to lead your family, loved ones and friends with confidence in uncertain times? This book will show you the way. How does this epic conflict end, who will win, and what will happen in the world tomorrow? If you’d like to know, then turn the page.

This book points to truths that can change your life forever. The days in which we live require each of us to choose between light and darkness, good and evil, truth and deception, Christ and Anti-Christ—there is no middle ground. Congratulations on taking a step in the right direction. Thank you for answering the call to be a citizen, a servant and a soldier. You are needed now more than ever. I pray as you read and apply the principles contained in this work that you see the hand of God move in your life like never before. The good fight of faith is still worth fighting. May we all stand our post and serve to the last full measure, until He comes!

Matthew Hagee, lead pastor,

Cornerstone Church, San Antonio, Texas

Preface

I AM PERSUADED that things on this planet are about to change drastically, and that we need to prepare for coming earth-shattering events. In fact, I had a life-changing spiritual encounter (which I will describe in chapter 5) that convinced me that God has called us all to go out and wake up the Church and the world to what is about to happen.

We are about to face the most difficult days in the history of mankind. If we are not prepared, we could be swept away by all the propaganda and politics of the world that Satan is using against us. Unless we are ready—awakened from our sleep and prepared to encounter God—we will not be able to engage fully in the ministry and spiritual warfare God has for us.

The Church in her current state is not ready for the end times or the return of Jesus Christ. We have been paralyzed with fear of what human beings may do to us. But if we are not prepared, we are going to falter or, worse, reject our faith and succumb to the world system and the worship of the Antichrist.

Whether you know it or not, we are at war. The forces of light and darkness are lined up in battle array. You are either on one side or the other; there is no neutral ground.

I learned this in a profound way during 32 years of military service, including tours of combat and other duties in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Honduras. I have witnessed war firsthand and can tell you this: Most young soldiers came back from combat very different from when they went in. Many young soldiers (and older ones too, even chaplains) lose their faith in a God they believed would protect them and their buddies from harm.

I am not saying God does not protect, care for and love us—just not in a way most of our troops expected or had previously experienced. They were not prepared for what they encountered. When you are young, idealistic and impressionable, you have an immature worldview. After these soldiers witnessed the true horrors of war—the inhumanity, bloodshed, anxiety, stress and fog of war—they would never be the same.

I have dealt with many of them and their families. Even chaplains returning with the 101st Airborne Division from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) were in shambles on returning home. One chaplain, when I asked him how he was doing, broke into uncontrollable tears from remembering picking up body parts after seventeen of his own soldiers died in a midair Black Hawk helicopter collision.

I include myself in that number. I had all the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. So did my son, who was deployed with a Long-Range Surveillance detachment in OIF. Some things will never leave me, and maybe I don’t want them to. I still love God and serve Him, but my worldview has changed because of what I experienced.

Given what I went through, I believe God has called us to prepare people for what is surely to come and help Jesus’ followers become end-times warriors for God. Whether or not you believe that the Church will go through the Tribulation (a seven-year period of the greatest trouble, war, persecution and devastation the world has ever witnessed), many believers are not prepared.

Our hope is that this book will open the eyes of your heart. We don’t want any of us to be unprepared. Get ready.

Acknowledgments

IT TAKES ONLY ONE WORD to explain how this book came into being: God. God set us on a journey to prepare the Church and warn the world of the end-times events coming to planet earth and the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In addition to the Lord, we want to thank the following people who have been on this astonishing journey with us.

I (David) dedicate this book to Esther, a warrior in her own right, my incredible wife. She has been with me on an astounding forty-plus-year journey around the world to some of the most far-flung and exotic places on the planet. And, of course, to my wonderful and longsuffering kids: Micah, Catarina and Melissa, along with their spouses: Andrea, Andrew and Luis, in addition to my four grandchildren, who are all amazing.

I (Troy) dedicate this book to my beautiful, wise and purehearted wife, Irene, whose prayers, enthusiasm and steadfast belief that the Lord has plans for The Military Guide to Armageddon far greater than any of us can imagine have been a source of great encouragement for those involved in this incredible project. I also dedicate this book to our charming and delightful daughters, Marlee and Ashley.

David:

There are many along with us on this journey who need thanks. To my best friend of more than 45 years, mentor, pastor and confidant, Coco Perez. He led me to Christ! To Pastor Glen Cole, now in heaven with Christ, who was an enormous influence on me in so many ways.

To my many chaplain friends, peers, bosses and associates. These include my good friend, mentor and leader, and former military chaplain endorser for the Assemblies of God, Scott McChrystal. To the current great Assembly of God military chaplain endorser, Jim Denley. To Manny Cordero, the senior endorser and leader of all Assemblies of God chaplains. To Pete Brzezinski, Mike Dugal, Rod Mills, Terry Austin, Rod Mills, Bob Marsi and Layden Colby, my fellow chaplains and friends.

To my great staff at Installation Command Headquarters, San Antonio; to the greatest and best sergeant major you could ever ask for, Pam Wilson; and to the hardworking Mike Swingler, my deputy and friend.

To my Army commanders and chaplain bosses, who were the best. My last commander was Lieutenant General Ken Dahl and his deputy, the inimitable Major General Warren Patterson, both incredible men and officers. My boss at the Pentagon is the former chief of chaplains, Doug Carver, a great man of God. My other colonel chaplain bosses at the Pentagon were also incredible: Richard Pace, Dave Smartt and Alan Buckner. I want to make special mention of the Chief of Staff for the Chief of Chaplains, Lamar Griffin, who passed away too soon from this life; and to my good friend over the years and current Army Chief of Chaplains, Major General Tom Solhjem.

To the talented Dr. Tim Hager, vice president and dean of the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. To retired Major General Bob Dees for the time he took to be interviewed for the book.

We would also like to thank others who graciously took time to do interviews for the book, including Rabbi Jonathan Bernis, Sid Roth, Joel Richardson, Dr. Robert Jeffress, John Ramirez, Dr. Robert Mawire, Lieutenant General Ken Dahl, Colonel Pete Brzezinski, and Lieutenant Colonel Scott Koeman.

In addition, we would like to thank everyone who agreed to endorse the book, including Joel Richardson, Major General Bob Dees, Sid Roth, Rabbi Jonathan Bernis, Dr. Robert Jeffress, Dave Roever, Dr. Thomas R. Horn, Paul McGuire and Michael Snyder.

Special thanks to Pastor Matt Hagee, who wrote the foreword.

Troy:

I would like to thank our Bible study group in Irvine, California, led by David and Esther, who prayed for the Lord’s guidance and blessings over this project. I would further like to thank our 45-member Film Prayer Warriors team who prayed for a spiritual covering over The Military Guide to Armageddon. I would also like to thank Pastor Jerry Moses, assistant to the president at Movieguide, for his Holy Spirit–inspired wisdom, prayers and belief in this project, along with Movieguide founder Dr. Ted Baehr, who graciously invited me to attend Movieguide’s How to Succeed in Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul) screenwriting class.

Further I would like to thank our team at GODSPEED magazine, including publisher Jeremy Lamont, editor-in-chief David Aikman, chief operations officer Jim Weiss, vice president of production Jake Gleim, director of ministry support Rebecca Lamont, and social relations manager Deborah Flook, for their overwhelming support of this project and dedicating the July 2020 Remnant issue largely to The Military Guide to Armageddon, as well as the Lord’s calling on Todd Smith, senior pastor at Christ Fellowship Church in Dawsonville, Georgia, and leader of the North Georgia Revival spreading across the nation, to "build