Books for the Resistance (2025 Edition)

By Cade Shadowlight

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Resistance to tyranny is an important part of dystopian survival. It is not just about surviving, but about reclaiming our rights, dignity, and heritage so that we can build the best lives possible for ourselves and our families for generations to come. The forces of tyranny are not giving up! Will we? Here are my book suggestions, plus a few from my readers, that are very useful in resisting the tyranny that is upon us:

1) Total Resistance - The classic study on resistance & underground operations, by Swiss Major H. von Dach. Often recommended by Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness), a former Special Forces officer.  Available on Amazon. 

2) Resistance Operating Concept (ROC) - Another great resource for resistance and underground operations. Also recommended by both Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness) and Bear of Bear Independent. Available on Amazon.

3) Human Factors Considerations of Undergrounds in Insurgencies: Second Edition - This manual is by the US Army Special Operations Command in 1966, and is focused "on the contemporary threat of Maoist insurgencies, particularly in Southeast Asia, and also draws extensively on World War II resistance movements in Europe. Much of this information is still relevant" in today's situations. Available on Amazon.

4) Unrestricted Warfare: China's Master Plan to Destroy America, by Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui (both officers in the Chinese military). This is literally the handbook the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been using in its (so far very successful) cold war against America and the West. Not only does it expose their tactics, but reveals to us pointers we can use against our enemies, be they the CCP or our own Western Elites. Available on Amazon. 

5) Survivalist Family: Prepared Americans for a Strong America, by Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness), is a great guide to beginner and intermediate preparedness and survival for both short-term disasters and long-term emergencies. Preparedness and self-reliance are the foundations upon which any successful resistance must be built. Affiliate link for 10% discount.   

6) Retreat Security and Small Unit Tactics, by David Kobler (SouthernPrepper1) and Mark Goodwin - This book "will give you the tools you need to put together a basic security plan for your homestead, neighborhood, or group retreat to keep the wolves at bay.Available on Amazon.

 

7) The Art of War, by Sun Tze - This classic military study covers various aspects of warfare, including tactics, intelligence gathering, leadership, and the importance of adaptability. Available on Amazon. 

8) Unhumans: The Secret History of Communist Revolutions (and How to Crush Them) - If you don’t understand communist revolutions, you aren’t ready for what’s coming. This is not a book about ideology or politics. Instead, it reveals that communism, socialism, Marxism, and fascism are not philosophies but tactics - tactics that are specifically designed to unleash terror on everyday people and revoke their human rights to life, liberty, and property. These are the forces of unhumanity. This is what they do. Unhumans steals their playbook, breaks apart their strategies piece by piece, and lays out the tactics of what it takes to fight back and win, using real-world examples. Available on Amazon. 

9) The NKJV, American Patriot's Bible, The Word of God and the Shaping of America - Two things being attacked in today's world: Biblical teachings and real history. This study Bible addresses both. One of my favorite translations, the New King James Version is literal, accurate, and easy-to-read for most modern folks. The American Patriot's Bible "shows how the history of the United States connects the people and events of the Bible to our lives in a modern world. The story of the United States is wonderfully woven into the teachings of the Bible." Lot's of articles and study notes showing the importance of God and the Bible to our nation's founding and subsequent history. Available on Amazon. 

10) War of the Flea: The Classic Study of Guerrilla Warfare, by Robert Taber - This book "began a revolution in conventional military thought that has dramatically impacted the way armed conflicts have been fought since the book’s initial publication in 1965." Available on Amazon. 

11) U.S. Army Guerrilla Warfare Handbook - The official manual designed to provide guidance in special forces and unconventional warfare operations for commanders and staff at all levels.  (Amazon link)

12) Guerrillas in the Mist: A Battlefield Guide to Clandestine Warfare, by Bob Newman - basic fieldcraft; mines and booby traps; tunnel construction and strategy; ambushes; urban and nocturnal tactics; interrogation, indoctrination and exploitation; psyops; and more. (Amazon link)

13) The Prince, by Niccolò Machiavelli. The Left and the Elites are much better at politics than our side. That is because we generally want to be left alone and to leave others alone in turn. They want to control. Politics is a battleground we must master. Machiavelli teaches us to wield power ruthlessly when necessary, a skill we can’t afford to ignore. (Amazon link)

14) The Discourses on Livy, by Niccolò Machiavelli. In his other political masterpiece, Machiavelli analyzes the history of ancient Rome - based on Livy's History of Rome - to explore political structures, governance, and the conditions for a successful republic. Remember, the United States was founded as a Republic. (Amazon link)

15) On War, by Carl von Clausewitz. The classic treatise on strategy reveals war and politics as a contest of wills. For the resistance, it’s a playbook for outmaneuvering a stronger foe. (Amazon link)

16) United We Stand: Building Your Emergency Preparedness Network, by David Kobler (aka SouthernPrepper1). Our strength lies in liberty, but survival demands alliances. Building networks is difficult for many of us, since our side tends to be highly individualistic and mistrustful of others. Kobler, a seasoned prepper and veteran, offers practical steps to build trust and networks without compromising independence. (Amazon link)

17) The Evil Twins of Technocracy and Transhumanism, by Patrick M. Wood, exposes technocracy as the Elites’ blueprint for domination, and transhumanism as the literal existential threat it is. (Amazon link)

18) Technocracy: The Hard Road to World Order, by Patrick M. Wood, maps the elites' endgame, arming us with knowledge to fight back. (Amazon link)

 

Free Article) Understanding the Threats: Technocracy, by Tim Gamble. A great introduction, if I may humbly say so, to the most powerful tool of the Elites and Deep State. (article link) 

19) Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software, by Charles Petzold. Technocracy and AI are the tools being used against us. Petzold demystifies the machines, giving us the tools to subvert their control. (Amazon link)

20) SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition, by John 'Lofty' Wiseman. Includes information on both wilderness and urban survival. Survival is the first step to resistance. (Amazon link)

 

Suggestions from my readers last year (Thank You!): 

1) Gardening When it Really Counts, by Steve Solomon - Recommended by Bendy: "Probably need some help on getting logistics, specifically food, squared away. Serious basics when you can't buy supplies."  Available on Amazon.

2)  Cold Times: How to Prepare for the Mini Ice Age, by Dr. Anita Bailey - Also recommended by Bendy: "gardens, livestock, medicine, storing up, building, etc etc." Available on Amazon.

3) The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics In Afghanistan, by Lester Grau. Recommended by Skyler the Weird: "Insurgency from the perspective of the Soviet Occupiers. The Soviets discovered the Afghans didn't care to have a Dictatorship of the Proletariat just as we discovered they weren't interested in a Democracy with Rainbow Flags later on."  Available on Amazon.

4) The Geneva Bible - Recommended by SecessionIsTheAnswer: "This is the true patriots bible - written by men of God fleeing from persecution by bloody Queen Mary to Switzerland. There a team of dedicated individuals painstakingly translated into English, the Bible with all related notes & other information relating to the translations. This was printed and provided to all us serfs to read at home. Prior to this, only priests were allowed a copy of the Bible. Later King James commissioned the KJV of the Bible - wanting to re-establish in the Bible that priests and the ‘King’ are superior to the common man/serf. While the NKJV makes some improvements, the Geneva Bible was written as a direct communication between God and you. No priest or other 3rd party is required!" Available on Amazon and at https://genevabible.com/

Additional suggestions?  Please leave them in the comments section below! 

 

How Churches Can Prepare for Persecution and Crisis: 18 Biblical & Practical Steps

By Cade Shadowlight 

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Should churches prepare for bad times? The answer is Yes! The Bible makes it clear that preparedness, both physical and spiritual, is not only prudent, but in fact is commanded by God. If you doubt this fact, please read my article Why Christians Must Embrace Preparedness and Self-Reliance which contains dozens of quotes from the Bible. The idea that "We have Jesus, therefore we don't need to prepare" is both naive and anti-Biblical. 

 

What can churches do to prepare for the bad times ahead?

 

1)  Emphasize Bible study and prayer. 

 

Studying God's Word and spending time with Him in prayer is how we build our personal relationship with God. It is that personal relationship that will see us through the tough times. 

2) Admit the need for emergency preparedness.  

 

Yes, at some point Jesus will return and establish His Kingdom and we will all be safe. But until, we are warned that we will face persecution, danger, and harsh times. 

3) Call it Obeying God.

 

Terms like "survivalism" or even "prepping" have negative connotations with some people, and may meet with automatic resistance. "Emergency preparedness," "disaster preparedness," or even "helping those in need" are legitimate names for what I'm suggesting, and may be more acceptable to your fellow church members. Of course you know your church better, so call it whatever you feel is appropriate. 

4) Realize that our Rights come from God.

 

Our Rights are from God, not from Government, or even by majority vote. Therefore, no government, nor any voting majority no matter how big, may take away any of those God-given Rights. These rights include Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Speech, and Self-Defense, among many others.

5) Promote the traditional family unit as the building block of civilization.

 

This includes traditional marriage, traditional gender roles, sex only within marriage, honoring your father and mother. All churches should be teaching these things from a Biblical perspective, and doing everything it can to support healthy marriages and families. 

6) Church security is important.

 

We want our churches to be open and welcoming to the larger community, but events have shown we do need to think about security also. Security cameras covering the entrances and parking lot are a good idea. A multi-camera CCTV system with DVR recorder can be had for under $200 (here's one such system on Amazon). 

Most churches cannot afford paid security, but perhaps they have police officers, military veterans, or others in the congregation who can act as armed security during services. Anyone in the congregation with the proper training can be volunteer security.  

7) Proper training includes professional-level First-Aid and Trauma Response.

 

Mass-shootings and fire-bombings at churches and synagogues here in the US do happen these days, and are likely to continue. Having a professionally-trained response team is an important element to modern church security. Check out the excellent training provided by Refuge Medical and Refuge Training. (Yes, I am affiliated with these great folks.)

8) Create a church communications plan. 

 

Many churches have phone trees (sometimes called prayer trees or prayer chains), in which prayer requests and other information can be spread quickly to all church members. Basically, person A calls two predetermined people, who each in turn call two predetermined people. Those four people each call two people, and so forth until the entire church is notified. If your church doesn't already have one of these, set one up. It can be used to pass on not just prayer requests, but all sorts of news and information.

 

Some churches now use cloud-based services in place of the more old-fashioned manual phone tree, but these usually require a subscription and may not always be available during Internet outages or when the service is experiencing "technical difficulties." Having a back-up manual phone tree is a good idea. 

9) Start a church community garden. 

 

If your church has, or can get access to, some open land, then start a community gardening program. There are many ways this can be done, from one massive garden that everyone works and shares its harvest, to individuals & families being provided smaller plots to garden as they see fit. The garden could be limited to church members only, or it could be opened up a larger community. 

 

10) Hold classes in first aid and CPR. 

 

This is literally giving your church members the ability to help others and do good. Your church could offer all its members courses in first aid and CPR. You many have members already qualified to teach those courses. If not, contact your local fire department or EMS. Many will be happy to work with your church to provide first aid training.

 
11) Hold classes in food storage and canning.

 

Churches could encourage and educate their members to store food and water. Chances are your church has a number of older members who would love to pass on their knowledge of canning and other food preservation techniques. If not, check your your local agricultural extension office.

12) Hold classes in budgeting and family finance.

 

Encourage and educate church members on personal finances, budgeting, and becoming debt-free. There are a number of ministries which educate and encourage folks in their personal finances, and a lot of free and low-cost programs and bible studies available. 

13) Hold other preparedness classes.

 

Churches could provide occasional or on-going classes in preparedness and survivalism. How to do this and what subjects to cover are limited only by your imagination. Your church members could also work together to buy supplies in bulk, combining your individual purchases to get the best prices possible.

14) Sponsor scout-like youth programs.

 

Your church could host various types of scouting and scouting-like groups, including Heritage Girls and Trail Life USA. Both are great alternatives to the now VERY woke Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts. Your church can also start its own scout-like group using scouting handbooks and materials (anyone can buy them), but not being connected to the national groups. These programs are a great way to teach young people the values and skills that will help them no matter what life throws their way.

 

15) Store food and other supplies.

 

A church I attended many years ago had a small room where they stored old coats & jackets, blankets, canned and dried food, baby supplies, and other similar things. These were then given to the homeless or other people in need that would show up at the church from time-to-time asking for help. Your church could do something similar — buying and storing supplies that could be distributed to either church members and/or needy folks in an emergency.

16) Prepare for activists and others to infiltrate our churches.

 

Some activists are already doing this, to spy on the "hate speech" and other disapproved activities within the church, as well as to sow discord among its members. I suggest your church plan now for how to spot and deal with (remove) such individuals. This is actually a Biblical mandate:

"Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning, knowing that such a person is perverted and sins, being self-condemned." -- Titus 3:10-11 

We want people, even non-believers, to feel welcome by the Church, but NEVER at the expense of our relationship with God, or our own harmony within our church. 
 
17) Be prepared for LGBTQ+ activists.

 

Imagine this: An openly gay couple starts attending your Church, and asks to join, but are unwilling to change their homosexual relationship. Perhaps they even demand that your pastor or priest performs their gay marriage at your church. How do you deal with their requests without violating their "civil rights" and running afoul of laws that are growing progressively liberal?  How do you deal with the bad press if they choose to challenge your church in court, especially given that most modern media outlets will be decisively on their side? 

What happens if your Church is ultimately ordered by a court to perform a gay marriage?  At that point, you may be forced to dissolve your church as a legal entity, going underground and implementing your house church plan (see 18 below). Figure out the details of how to dissolve the church now.

18) Form smaller "home churches." 

 

Consider forming or joining a home church, even as you continue to participate in your larger church.  Alternately, having a small group Bible study that meets in private homes that could become a worship group (home church) may be very useful should the Church in America ever be forced underground. Your current church could and should work on such a "break up into smaller private house churches" plan that would be implemented under certain circumstances.

What churches can do to help their members and communities prepare is in no way limited by this list. There are many, many other possibilities, and most also make terrific opportunities to reach out to the unchurched in our communities.

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Why Christians Must Embrace Preparedness and Self-Reliance

By Cade Shadowlight

"I hear too many Christians say, “I’ll just trust God.”  Trust God? He’s telling us what’s coming. He’s telling us very clearly. He’s commanding us to be prepared. So doing nothing is the opposite of trusting God." -- Joseph Farah

There are five reasons why I think it is absolutely critical for those of us who follow the Messiah to embrace self-reliance and preparedness. **Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes are from the New King James Version. 

1- To be obedient to God.  

Throughout the Bible, God tells us to prepare for the future. He warns of future hard times and even persecutions that His people (that's us) will have to go through. Yes, this means both spiritual AND physical preparedness. There are many, many verses from both the Old Testament and New Testament in which God makes it explicitly clear that we are to prepare both spiritually (get right in our relationship with Him) AND physically (food storage, self-defense, etc.). If we are to fully obey God, we must do both. Preparedness is not only prudent, but in fact is commanded by God. Some examples:

"A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished." -- Proverbs 27:12 

"The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down." --  Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)

"But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." -- 1 Timothy 5:8 

"Then He [Jesus] said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." -- Luke 22:36 

"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." -- Hebrews 11:7 

"And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them." -- Genesis 6:21

A host of other verses could be quoted also, including Genesis 41:47-57 (food storage), Exodus 22:2 (self-defense), Psalm 144:1 (self-defense training!), Proverbs 6:6-11 (look to the ant's example: constantly preparing for the future), 1 Corinthians 16:13 (stay alert, be brave, be strong), 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (stay alert, situational awareness), and Matthew 25:1-13 (the wisdom of the five prepared virgins compared to the foolishness of the five ill-prepared virgins, both spiritual and physical preparedness).

2- A Biblical responsibility to take care of our family.

 

Throughout the bible, God commands us to take care of each other, and especially our own family. It is not the government's responsibility. It is not society's responsibility. It is our responsibility. We read in 1 Timothy 5:8: "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."  This is especially true for those of us men who call ourselves His followers, so man-up and don't be worse than an unbeliever. 

3- God repeatedly warns His people of hard times and persecution ahead.

 

Coptic Christians Beheaded in Libya.

A peculiar, and frankly un-biblical, modern theology has arisen in recent decades that falsely proclaims that Christians will be spared harsh times and future persecution. Popular pastors and "Christian" authors proclaim that we'll be raptured out before things get really bad. But that feel-good message isn't the message proclaimed in the Bible. Believers will face difficult and dangerous times, even persecutions. Just ask those Coptic Christians beheaded in Libya in 2015, the Christians being killed in the ongoing genocide in Nigeria (over 18,000 since 2023), or the multitude of other Christians who are persecuted, imprisoned and even killed every year around the world. Read Matthew 24, Luke 21, 2 Timothy 3, and the entire book of Revelation, among many other warnings given by God. Or ignore what God says and follow those "feel-good" pastors instead. Your choice.

4 - Growing hostility towards traditional and biblical values.

 

The tide of popular opinion has turned against those of us who are traditional believers. We are increasingly being forced to choose between following God, or or following the world. Political correctness and wokeness is largely meant to silence traditional Biblical beliefs, values and viewpoints. This should come as no surprise to those of us who read the Bible, for Jesus Himself warns: "But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you... and put you in prison... You will be betrayed... they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me" (from Luke 21, please read the entire chapter yourself). It will only get worse during the End Times.   

 

5- Self-reliance and preparedness helps us live by God's ways. 

 

The more independent and self-reliant we are, the more we can escape the worldly system and live by God's ways instead.  The more we are able to survive on our own — as individuals, families, and communities — the less we will be tempted to compromise with the world. The more we need the world in order to survive, the more likely we will be to compromise our walk with God.  

This fact is is obvious to the worldly powers, which is why they have focused so much effort on attacking the concept of self-reliance, labeling it as too hard, unrealistic, unfair, and even selfish, among other things. They have even tried to label it "un-Christian" in an effort to deceive God's people. They want us as dependent on their worldly system as possible. Then they can control us.

 

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Two of my favorite and most often used Bibles: 

The NKJV, American Patriot's Bible, The Word of God and the Shaping of America - One of my favorites, the New King James Version is literal, accurate, and easy-to-read for most modern folks. The American Patriot's Bible "shows how the history of the United States connects the people and events of the Bible to our lives in a modern world. The story of the United States is wonderfully woven into the teachings of the Bible." Lot's of articles and study notes showing the importance of God and the Bible to our nation's founding and subsequent history. Available on Amazon. 

The Scriptures - This new English translation includes Genesis through Revelation, and restores the Name of our Creator to the text in each place it occurs. This new version in English is a literal translation by Institute for Scripture Research, overseen by Dr. Chris Koster. New in this 2009 edition: Improvements to the text - seeking a yet closer equivalent to the literal meaning of the original language. Quotations / Allusions from the Old Testament are in bold type in the New Testament, and are accompanied by the text references - aiding your understanding of the original contexts, and how they influence the writers drawing upon them.  Available on Amazon. 

6 Deadly Mistakes Sabotoging Your Preparedness

By Cade Shadowlight

 

Most preppers quietly sabotage themselves long before disaster hits. Here are the six deadliest mistakes most still make today, and how to fix them fast. Mistake 1: You Go Into Debt to Prep 
You max out credit cards on pallets of freeze-dried food and tacticool gear. When the crisis arrives, creditors own you and the bank seizes your preps. Rule: Never borrow to prepare. Buy slow, buy used, or don’t buy at all until the card reads zero. Mistake 2: You Only Have Plan A 
You plan to shelter in place forever. Then fires, floods, riots, or contamination force you out in 12 hours, or less, with no Plan B. Fix it now: Map two bug-out routes, cache supplies at an alternate location, and rehearse Plan B and C quarterly. Mistake 3: You Hoard Gear but Never Build Skills 
Your basement overflows with guns, MREs, and gadgets you’ve never fired, cooked, or used under stress. Gear without mastered skills equals dead weight. Train weekly: shoot, start fires without matches, treat wounds, navigate without GPS. Skills beat stuff every time. Mistake 4: You Ignore Financial Preparedness 
You stockpile food while drowning in car payments and medical debt. Job loss or inflation wipes you out long before the apocalypse does. Priority one: Kill high-interest debt, build a 3–6 month cash emergency fund, live below your means. Money is the first survival tool. Mistake 5: You Stay Fat and Out of Shape 
You joke about “surviving on your stored fat” while huffing after one flight of stairs. In chaos, the fit inherit the earth; the unfit become victims fast. Start today: Walk, lift, stretch. Even 15 minutes a day compounds. Excuse-free fitness saves your life when seconds count. Mistake 6: You Only Do the Fun Parts 
Guys love hoarding ARs and knives. Many women master canning and gardening. Both ignore the hard stuff: fitness, finance, backup plans, and boring skills like water purification or wound stitching. Fun feels good; balance keeps you alive. Force yourself to train the weak areas monthly. Fix these six mistakes and you stop being a wannabe prepper with a pile of unused gear. You become the one who actually makes it when everyone else fails. Start today. Tomorrow may be too late.

 

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