The small nation of Ukraine has a population far smaller than Russia's. Russia's land area is about 30 times that of Ukraine. In early 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in what was supposed to be a walk in the park for Moscow, a quick takeover of Ukraine. Over four years later, Russia has yet to report any sizeable gains in the war. Russia has suffered enormous casualties, reaching about 8,000 per day at the peak. Russian allies such as China and India have called on Russia to bring the war to an end because it has done nothing but cause widespread damage, with no end in sight and yet no significant gains.

Russia manufactures weapons and is a superpower nation, whereas Ukraine is not. Putin, Russia's president and a former KGB officer, would appear to stand head and shoulders above Volodymyr Zelensky, a former actor and comedian, in political and military experience. Yet, with all these advantages that Russia has, Ukraine is still standing, resolute and walking where others would fear to tread.

The one reason I can attribute Ukraine's survival up until now to is this, and not any other: the NATO alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This alliance includes the great powers of the West: the USA, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and others. Because of Ukraine's alliance with them, Russia's attack on Ukraine became, in a sense, an attack upon their interests as well. Ukraine has been resourced, enriched, and replenished because of this association and hence remains undefeated.

That is the power of covenant. Those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior are under covenant with Him. Russian forces have, during the course of the war, been confronted with weapons they know were not made in their smaller, less powerful neighbor. The power of alliance brought those implements of war to Ukraine's disposal.

Being in covenant with God means there is more to us than meets the eye. He that touches us touches the apple of God's eye (Zechariah 2:8).

A covenant is a formal, solemn, and binding agreement or promise. God has promised never to leave us nor forsake us.

Hebrews 13:5 (KJV)
5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

John 18:7-9 (KJV)
7  Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8  Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
9  That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

When Joshua led the Israelites to take possession of the Promised Land, their reputation preceded them, and all the nations around feared them. Among these were a small people called the Gibeonites, who made a league with Israel by craft, as recorded in Joshua 9. They entered into a binding covenant with Israel, and more than 200 years later, God still remembered that covenant when Saul sought to destroy them, as recorded in 2 Samuel 21. The covenant with Israel meant that this small heathen nation enjoyed, in a real sense, the blessedness, felicity, and protection associated with God's people.

So did Ruth when she entered into covenant with Naomi.

Ruth 1:16-17 (KJV)
16  And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17  Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

The Moabitess woman became a mother in Israel and was joined to the lineage from which the Lord Jesus came.

Ukraine's superpower in the war has been its alliance with NATO. Likewise, my union in covenant relationship with the Lord constitutes my exemption, immunity, safety, furtherance, and replenishment. And He is such a covenant-keeping God!

Psalms 89:34 (KJV)
34  My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.