Fear is growing among the people of the world and the people of God. As the people of God, we should be filled with hope for the future and not fear of all the things that are coming. We are not those who are without hope as the Word tells us. "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13). We are those who do have hope – especially in the last days. For one thing, that is when the raptures are going to take place. If you miss the first rapture at the beginning of the tribulation period, God has a contingency plan for you to make the second. (Yes, there are two.) That is something to shout about, even if that plan is to go through the Great Tribulation to be purified. Remember, He promises not to put on us more than we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13).
Yes, darkness is falling on the whole world and upon our United States. It is darkest before the dawn. But don’t forget, Christian, you are the light of the world in the midst of darkness (Matt. 5:14). Not only do you have hope, you can bring it to others. This is something to be joyful over.
We are living in a day when more spiritual light is available to us than ever before. Remember the dark day the towers fell? The Bible tells us after that day there is coming a time when there will be rivers coming down from the high places (revivals) and the light (of revelation) is going to be seven times greater than before. He is not going to leave us in the dark like those of this world.
There will be on every high mountain
And on every high hill
Rivers and streams of waters,
In the day of the great slaughter,
When the towers fall.
Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,
And the light of the sun will be sevenfold,
As the light of seven days,
In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people
And heals the stroke of their wound
(Isaiah 30:25-26).
Many are declaring war against Christianity in these days. We are under assault. But this war is absolutely needed to purify and unify the church. Persecution has always caused the church to get purified and grow. Many of the lukewarm hypocrites will flee the church out of fear of persecution. But even while the old church is falling into ruins, God is beginning to raise up a true church according to His pattern. Before it is over, we will only have serious Christians who love the Lord. This is good news! The world has yet to see a pure, unified church; and when they do, they will fear.
Lets not forget all the benefits of serving God.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's
(Psalms 103:2-5).
I don’t know about you, but I have had several healings in my own life. Maybe it is because my wife and I have not had health insurance in about 20 years. When you cannot afford insurance, you find out about God’s assurance; and He is faithful. Just one quick testimony. I had a filling fall out of one of my front teeth a couple years ago, and it was on my dentist’s list to fix; but I ended up changing dentists to one that gave a 10% discount to cash customers. I could not see the hole without my reading glasses. Since I don’t usually wear them to brush my teeth, I forgot about it. My new dentist asked me if the hole bothered me, and I said no because I had forgotten I had it. Then one day I was brushing my teeth with my reading glasses and I said “Oh, I have a hole in my front tooth! I made an appointment to get it filled again before it got decayed and cost me even more money. I said in my heart, “God will not do a dental miracle for me.” When I went to my dentist, she could not find it. She handed me a mirror and said, “Show me what you are talking about.” I put on my glasses and looked in the mirror and it was gone! I felt embarrassed at first because it did not yet hit me a miracle had taken place. But then the Lord reminded me what I had said in my heart. I felt the healing was a rebuke for my lack of faith, and I repented for lack of faith. Then I said to my wife, “If I can get a miracle through my lack of faith, just think what faith can do.” Now we are praying for even greater things, like the above verse says: “So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” In fact, I did a Bible study on scriptures that speak of people who have had their youth renewed in the Bible and laid out the theology for it in one of my chapters in my book on Revelation. Yes, the Bible does say we can come into that; and, in fact, some will before the last days. Yes, the Bible even offers a fountain of youth for those who want to go all the way without reserve with Jesus. How many sermons have you heard on that one? I have never heard even one on this topic.
Yes, there is plenty to fear in these end-times if you are not living for the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul. In fact, if you are not living all out for God, you can actually expect your fears to come upon you. God promises to give the idolaters among His people over to their fears.
“Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight"
(Isaiah 66:3-4).
In Ezekiel’s day he saw a man mark the foreheads of those who were grieved over the sins of the people (Ezek. 9). And then he saw the gatekeepers go throughout the city killing God’s people who did not have the mark. These were the people of Israel who had fallen into idolatry. Today Christians have many idols before the Lord. We need to ask ourselves which category we fit into today. Do we grieve over all the wickedness that has crept into the churches?
Christians who are in good standing with God need not fear the days ahead. God has great plans for His faithful ones. We are in a great war, but in Christ we are more than conquerors (Rom.8:37). No matter how bad the battle gets we know we win the war! One of the best ways we can fight feelings of fear and replace them with hope is to worship and praise the Lord. He is our Victory. This does battle against all those evil spirits that assault us and fills us with peace and hope. Without a battle we could not become overcomers. Give Him the praise due Him and you will walk in faith and hope. "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name (Psalms 91:14).
Yes, darkness is falling on the whole world and upon our United States. It is darkest before the dawn. But don’t forget, Christian, you are the light of the world in the midst of darkness (Matt. 5:14). Not only do you have hope, you can bring it to others. This is something to be joyful over.
We are living in a day when more spiritual light is available to us than ever before. Remember the dark day the towers fell? The Bible tells us after that day there is coming a time when there will be rivers coming down from the high places (revivals) and the light (of revelation) is going to be seven times greater than before. He is not going to leave us in the dark like those of this world.
There will be on every high mountain
And on every high hill
Rivers and streams of waters,
In the day of the great slaughter,
When the towers fall.
Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,
And the light of the sun will be sevenfold,
As the light of seven days,
In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people
And heals the stroke of their wound
(Isaiah 30:25-26).
Many are declaring war against Christianity in these days. We are under assault. But this war is absolutely needed to purify and unify the church. Persecution has always caused the church to get purified and grow. Many of the lukewarm hypocrites will flee the church out of fear of persecution. But even while the old church is falling into ruins, God is beginning to raise up a true church according to His pattern. Before it is over, we will only have serious Christians who love the Lord. This is good news! The world has yet to see a pure, unified church; and when they do, they will fear.
Lets not forget all the benefits of serving God.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's
(Psalms 103:2-5).
I don’t know about you, but I have had several healings in my own life. Maybe it is because my wife and I have not had health insurance in about 20 years. When you cannot afford insurance, you find out about God’s assurance; and He is faithful. Just one quick testimony. I had a filling fall out of one of my front teeth a couple years ago, and it was on my dentist’s list to fix; but I ended up changing dentists to one that gave a 10% discount to cash customers. I could not see the hole without my reading glasses. Since I don’t usually wear them to brush my teeth, I forgot about it. My new dentist asked me if the hole bothered me, and I said no because I had forgotten I had it. Then one day I was brushing my teeth with my reading glasses and I said “Oh, I have a hole in my front tooth! I made an appointment to get it filled again before it got decayed and cost me even more money. I said in my heart, “God will not do a dental miracle for me.” When I went to my dentist, she could not find it. She handed me a mirror and said, “Show me what you are talking about.” I put on my glasses and looked in the mirror and it was gone! I felt embarrassed at first because it did not yet hit me a miracle had taken place. But then the Lord reminded me what I had said in my heart. I felt the healing was a rebuke for my lack of faith, and I repented for lack of faith. Then I said to my wife, “If I can get a miracle through my lack of faith, just think what faith can do.” Now we are praying for even greater things, like the above verse says: “So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” In fact, I did a Bible study on scriptures that speak of people who have had their youth renewed in the Bible and laid out the theology for it in one of my chapters in my book on Revelation. Yes, the Bible does say we can come into that; and, in fact, some will before the last days. Yes, the Bible even offers a fountain of youth for those who want to go all the way without reserve with Jesus. How many sermons have you heard on that one? I have never heard even one on this topic.
Yes, there is plenty to fear in these end-times if you are not living for the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul. In fact, if you are not living all out for God, you can actually expect your fears to come upon you. God promises to give the idolaters among His people over to their fears.
“Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight"
(Isaiah 66:3-4).
In Ezekiel’s day he saw a man mark the foreheads of those who were grieved over the sins of the people (Ezek. 9). And then he saw the gatekeepers go throughout the city killing God’s people who did not have the mark. These were the people of Israel who had fallen into idolatry. Today Christians have many idols before the Lord. We need to ask ourselves which category we fit into today. Do we grieve over all the wickedness that has crept into the churches?
Christians who are in good standing with God need not fear the days ahead. God has great plans for His faithful ones. We are in a great war, but in Christ we are more than conquerors (Rom.8:37). No matter how bad the battle gets we know we win the war! One of the best ways we can fight feelings of fear and replace them with hope is to worship and praise the Lord. He is our Victory. This does battle against all those evil spirits that assault us and fills us with peace and hope. Without a battle we could not become overcomers. Give Him the praise due Him and you will walk in faith and hope. "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name (Psalms 91:14).
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