2015 was not a good year for Christians. Foremost, whole swaths of the Middle East have been purged of anyone not loyal to Allah. North Africa is not far behind, but China, India, Indonesia and Pakistan contributed significantly.

Muslim "extremists" make up most of the attacks, but in some parts of India, Hindu "extremists" were to blame. In China, the government is desperate to put a lid on the blossoming underground churches.

The web site www.thereligionofpeace.com, lists hundreds of murders and many churches burned in over a dozen countries. Some incidents involve many lives. A listing of 95 assaults caused 881 deaths and 990 injuries.

But cold statistics cannot convey the suffering. In Adamawa, Nigeria, 10 were killed and 28 injured by a suicide bomber who detonated in a market near a church. In Qamishli, Syria, three Christians were killed by a bomber in their restaurant.

In Mindanao, Philippines, Islamists captured and shot five Christian farmers the day before Christmas. Nansololo, Uganda: pastor beheaded by militant Muslims; Timbuktu, Mali: Three broadcasters brutally murdered outside a Christian radio station. Ndassima, Central African Republic: Muslim militia cut the throats of 10 Christian villagers.

This is just a sampling from the web site list. The sad thing is that Christians are not the only ones targeted by Islamists. A 30-day list includes 138 attacks killing 1472 people and injuring 1705. Thirty-eight suicide blasts were recorded and 23 countries were involved.

America and the Western World is not yet willing to admit that this is spiritual warfare. Leaders are still pretending that it is only "extremists" who are to blame. Since they have abandoned a biblical world view, nothing in the bankrupt philosophy of evolution-centered humanism makes room for spiritual evil.

There was a time in America when Muslim Imams discouraged their people from coming to America for fear they would be won to Christ. Now they have no fear of the bless-me-club churches who scramble to hold joint services with local mosques.

Since Muslims see their opportunity to again try to conquer the world for Allah, this is a religious war. But the Western World has no spiritual power left to fight back. Evolution-based humanism has gutted the culture of a will to defend our way of life. Leaders have bought the idea that "dialog" will bring the zealots around to world peace.

Bible believers know that the only power against this satanic malaise is spiritual revival. But healing can only come when men "humble themselves and pray..., and turn from their wicked ways." (2 Chron. 7:14) Many are sensing this need for revival and are praying for it. But until the word of God is widely shared, darkness will prevail.

Many revivals in history were fueled by broadly sown gospel literature. Only the word of God has the power to stop the march of the false religions determined to capture the rest of the world. Many missionaries have found that wide distribution of the gospel in Chick tracts turns the hearts of a community toward Jesus. Often, enough people respond to immediately start a church.

If this approach can work in a pagan land, it can also work now in pagan America. Jesus said the harvest is ripe, but without sowing, the harvest is limited. The rising tide of persecution threatens to deny us the freedom to sow the seed. God has given Chick Publications over a hundred tracts with stories that engage the reader and then deliver the gospel. Many are general and some are especially for soccer players or racing enthusiasts. Others speak clearly to certain sins or false religions.

If you browse www.chick.com, you will find ample ammo for this war we are in. But we must hurry, the night is coming.