Consuming Fire
Preparation to Enter Into the Kingdom of God
Chapter 4 - Tests, Trials & Tribulation
by Diane Jurino
Ephesians 6:12-13 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
[places]. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye
may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand."
There is war going on in the spiritual realm
right now. Satan knows that his time is short, and he and all his
minions are battling the heavenly hosts for control of this world. We
feel the effects of the fallout; we are being tested and tried as
never before. The devil is trying to wreak havoc with God's people,
but we are up to the challenge. We will overcome all evil with good
and take back the earth for the Kingdom of God.
We will
break the yokes of bondage to sin and evil that threaten to destroy
all of mankind by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every race,
tongue and nation. We will set men, women and children free and make
salvation available to everyone who is receptive. We will baptize
countless numbers in Jesus' name, so they can receive all the
blessings of eternal life. No one will perish for lack of knowledge
in the truth.
Our Lord and Savior will redeem all those whose
names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. He will show Himself
strong in us, so that we can resume His ministry where He left off.
We will heal all those who are sick and afflicted in any way. We will
cast out demons that oppress mankind. We will even raise the dead
back to life once again, as Christ Himself did. Nothing will be
impossible to us in the days ahead.
Tested in Fire
1Peter 4:12-13 "Beloved, think it not
strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though
some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
The
Lord will anoint us with divine power and authority to act on His
behalf in all that we are assigned to do. We will do the works that
Jesus did when He dwelt among us, and even greater works, since He
has gone to be with His Father. We will confront all wickedness and
evil that we see, and establish God's fair and just way of doing
things on this earth.
We will be tried and tested with fire,
but we will eventually overcome the world, our flesh and the devil.
We will glorify our Lord and Savior in all that we think, say and do.
He will work through us to change the fate of all mankind. We will
put all of His enemies underneath His feet, so that He can return to
receive His Kingdom from us for His rule and reign.
Jesus
will soon share His very own honor and glory with us. He will boast
of us to all creation, and we will assist Him in judging both men and
angels. We will be appointed kings and priests of God and rule and
reign with Christ over every nation of the world. We will teach all
of God's people to dwell together in love, peace and unity as
brothers and sisters.
Hebrews 10:35-38 "Cast not away
therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For
ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God,
ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that
shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by
faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in
him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them
that believe to the saving of the soul."
We are the
actual Body of Christ Himself on the earth - His hands, feet and
voice to the entire human race. We will be tried and tested for our
stamina and endurance in the critical days that lie ahead. We cannot
shrink back from fulfilling our divine destinies out of fear, doubt
or unbelief. We must appropriate the righteousness of Christ and
operate in His very own strength.
He will imbue us with
supernatural power and authority to complete His ministry in this
world. We will do all that He did and even more to take back the
earth from the darkness and destruction that threatens to defeat us.
We will overcome all evil with good and prevail in all that we do.
The Lord's eternal redemption plan for His people will be perfectly
implemented.
The Gospel will be preached to all the nations
and many people will be baptized to eternal life. We will confront
all world governments, so that they eliminate all wars, violence and
conflict. We will eradicate all poverty and lack and make certain
that all humanity is treated with dignity and respect. We will take
control over all creation and establish peace, order and stability.
1Corinthians 3:13-15 "Every man's work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed
by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall
receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer
loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
We will all face a lasting and permanent judgment for our works in
the flesh. Every man's deeds will ultimately be revealed for all to
see. We will all be evaluated fairly and justly. No one will escape
the Lord's scrutiny or be able to persuade Him to lower His perfect
standards for us. If we have been righteous and obedient, we will
inherit eternal rewards.
If we have been careless and slack
in our service to almighty God, our works will not endure the fire of
His wrath and indignation. We will be just barely saved to eternal
life, with the stench of smoke still clinging to us. The Lord will
only boast of those sons and daughters who have actually done His
will and served Him and His people with zeal and enthusiasm.
All those who have been deliberately disobedient, wicked and
rebellious will be banished from His holy presence forever more. The
Lord cannot abide with sin and evil and He will cast all wrongdoers
into the unquenchable lake of fire for all of eternity. Only those
who have been uncompromisingly righteous and fulfilled their divine
destinies will be glorified.
The Lord will appoint us as
kings and priests and we will judge both men and angels. We will rule
and reign with Christ over all the nations of the world. Our names
will be a praise on the earth. We will have a just recompense for all
that we have suffered or lost. Christ will share His everlasting
Kingdom with those who have faithfully served Him and His people.
Tried in Tribulation
2Thessalonians 1:4-5 "So that we ourselves glory in you in the
churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions
and tribulations that ye endure: [Which is] a manifest token of the
righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the
kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:"
It is critical
that we have faith and patience in the days to come on this earth.
Satan will harass and harangue us; men will resist all our efforts to
save them from spiritual and physical destruction. We must trust the
Lord to protect us from all harm and sanctify us in our service to
Him. We will suffer in our flesh and souls, but it will be well worth
it in the long run.
We will see the entire earth impacted
through our efforts. It may be an uphill battle for us all the way,
but we will emerge totally victorious. The Lord will ultimately be
glorified in His people and generously reward us for all that we have
done on His behalf. We will inherit the Kingdom of almighty God with
all of its many benefits for righteousness and godliness.
The
Lord will boast of us to all creation as His very own sons and
daughters. He will come and take up residence with us and show an
active interest in all the details of our lives. He will restore all
that we have lost or had stolen from us and take vengeance on all of
our enemies. There is no good thing that He will ever withhold from
those who have walked in His ways.
John 16:33 "These
things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the
world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world."
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
overcame everything that challenges us, as well. He is our role model
for patience and endurance. We can have total faith and confidence
for our future. Although we may be tested and tried now, there is a
consuming glory that will ultimately surround and overtake us. The
entire earth is being purged and cleansed of all its wickedness and
evil, but the righteous will remain unscathed.
We will
overcome all the defilement of this world; sanctify ourselves in
mind, soul and body; and defeat the enemy for all time. We may
experience tests, trials and tribulation now, but help is on the way.
Christ will soon return to this earth to set up His everlasting
Kingdom. He will rule and reign with a rod of iron, so nothing evil
ever contaminates His people again. We will have total safety and
security in His presence.
Jesus will take vengeance on all of
our enemies and vindicate us before both men and angels. Everything
that we have lost or had taken from us will be restored in full.
There will be endless peace and prosperity for the faithful in the
Kingdom of God. The Lord will change our mortal bodies into glorious,
resurrection forms that never get sick and die. We will dwell in His
very presence and thrive in all that He does for us.
Deuteronomy 4:30-31 "When thou art in tribulation, and all these
things are come upon thee, [even] in the latter days, if thou turn to
the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD
thy God [is] a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither
destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware
unto them."
Darkness and destruction may threaten the
entire earth, but our God will never leave or forsake those who are
called by His holy name. He has made an eternal covenant with us to
provide all of our needs and protect us from all harm. If we cry out
to Him in our distress, He will be quick to come to our rescue. He
will strengthen us in the power of His might and deliver us from all
evil.
Very soon now, He will sovereignly move to rectify all
wrongs and set matters straight in this world. God's perfect will for
all of mankind will be fully implemented on this earth, as it is in
heaven. He will gather us to Himself for all of eternity and
mercifully blot out all pain and suffering from our memories. We will
have only peace and prosperity, safety and security forever more.
The Kingdom of almighty God will level all playing fields. Many
who are first now, will be last because of all they did to oppress
and exploit God's people. He will vindicate the faithful for all time
and restore all that we have lost. There is no good thing that He
will ever deny those who are righteous and obedient. He will meet all
of our needs in abundance, even before we ask Him to do so.
2Corinthians 1:3-5 "Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who
comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us,
so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."
Our God is
with us in all that we are called upon to endure. He is in the midst
of our struggles and is merciful and compassionate to our plight. He
knows that we have tribulation in this world, but He comforts us with
promises for our future. The Lord does not have plans for evil for
our lives; He will do all that He can to ensure our eternal welfare.
Our Lord and Savior actually resides in each and every one
of us. He is our strength, when our human resources fail. If we will
submit our lives to Him, we will prevail in all that we are asked to
do. Although Satan may attack us and the world threatens to destroy
us in its iniquity, we can rely on Jesus to protect us and preserve
us blameless until His return.
We are more than conquerors
through Him. We can overcome all that comes against us. We will rise
up in our divine destinies in the critical days ahead and be
glorified in almighty God. He will empower us to impact the entire
earth and everyone in it for the Kingdom of God. We will restructure
this whole planet to be peaceful, orderly and stable once again.
Suffering for Our Faith
1Peter 1:7-9 "That the trial of your faith, being much more
precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye
see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and
full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation
of [your] souls."
Even though we are redeemed from all
of our sins through the Blood of Jesus Christ, and our faith in Him
sets us free, we still struggle in our walk with God. Those in the
world challenge us all the time, and the devil does his level best to
steal, kill and destroy. We are continually harassed for what we
believe, and we must hold fast to what we have or go to perdition.
We must adhere to our faith all costs and protect our
righteousness as never before. We cannot be lax and careless or run
the risk of disobedience to almighty God. Even though we face
opposition, we should share what we have with others. The Gospel must
be preached to all the nations or many will be fated to total
destruction of spirit, soul and body in time to come.
Christ
will soon return to us and we cannot be remiss in fulfilling His
divine commission to us. We must baptize others in His name; heal the
sick and afflicted; cast out demons that hold men in bondage to sin
and evil; and even raise the dead back to life. We are His Body on
this earth now, and He is relying on us to resume and complete His
ministry where He left off.
Jesus will share His very own
honor and glory with us and boast of us to all creation. We will be
appointed kings and priests of God, and even judge both men and
angels. We will teach all men how to dwell in love, peace and unity
as brothers and sisters. We will receive the heathen for our
inheritance, and rule and reign with Jesus Christ over all of the
nations of the world.
Matthew 10:38-39 "And he that taketh
not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that
findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my
sake shall find it."
Our lives are no longer our own; we
were bought with a dear price - the very Blood of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our role model for self-sacrifice. We
have to take up His cross daily and lay down our own lives for
others. We are to walk as He walked the earth and teach all of
mankind God's way of doing things. We have to maintain godly
principles in all that we think, say and do.
We will suffer
in sanctification, but that is vital to our effectiveness as
ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. We have to be godly role models
to others; we cannot permit anything or anyone to interfere with our
divine destinies. We must crucify our flesh and subdue our selfish
soul ambitions. Our lives are lost in Jesus Christ now, and we have
to consecrate ourselves to fulfilling His plan and purpose.
It is imperative that we guard our righteousness and walk in love at
all times and under all circumstances. We will have to learn to
forgive and forget all offense that is committed against us. We
should aspire to peace and unity with all mankind, not only
believers. There should be no strife and division in any of our
relationships. We must overcome all of our differences and cooperate
with one another.
We can no longer be doing our own thing or
serving just our own self-interest. None of us lives to himself
alone. We truly need one another and it will be critical that we
exhort and encourage others to turn towards our God in the days to
come. Their eternal fate lies in the balance, and they must choose to
believe the truth and be born again to eternal life or perish for all
time in the unquenchable lake of fire.
Romans 8:17-18
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also
glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be
revealed in us."
Sons and daughters of almighty God enjoy
great privileges; we are joint-heirs with Jesus to all the promises
for righteousness. There is nothing that the Lord will withhold from
us if we are willing and obedient to serve Him and His people. We
have eternal callings on our lives; we have been given a sacred
charge. We must share our faith with others or they will be condemned
in their own ignorance.
We have to confront all wickedness
that we see and represent the Kingdom of God in all that we think,
say and do. Our behavior must be above and beyond reproach at all
times. We cannot afford to be sloppy in our spiritual walk. Both God
and man will be carefully scrutinizing us to see if we live up to
what we preach. We must be fitting role models at all times and love
others unequivocally.
If we have sanctified ourselves and
committed to serve God, we will be given divine power and authority
to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. We will rid the earth of
all wickedness and evil and establish godly principles of fairness,
justice and equality in this world. There will be no more wars,
violence, conflict, oppression and exploitation. All men will be
treated with dignity and respect.
Luke 12:47-48 "And that
servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not [himself],
neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many
[stripes]. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of
stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. For unto whomsoever much
is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have
committed much, of him they will ask the more."
To those
whom much is given, much is also expected. The Lord has blessed us
beyond all of our expectations and we have an obligation to show Him
all of our gratitude. We should present our bodies as living
sacrifices to Him in divine service. He will fully empower us to act
on His behalf, so that we can impact the fate of all mankind through
our efforts in the critical days that lie ahead.
We are
without excuse; we know who we are in Christ and we have been given a
sacred responsibility to serve Him as He served us. His people are
perishing for lack of knowledge; we must make them aware of the truth
of the Gospel message. We will make salvation available to every man,
woman and child in every race, tongue and nation. Everyone who is
receptive will be baptized in Jesus' name.
If we fail to do
as the Lord asks of us, many souls will be lost forever. We will
suffer serious repercussions for our disobedience and be punished for
our hard-heartedness. The Lord will chasten us for our sloth and lack
of love and banish us from His awesome presence. We cannot remain
selfish and disinterested in others. We have to serve God's people or
be eternally condemned for our lack of love.
Worthy of Our Calling
1Corinthians
1:26-30 "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise
men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound
the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things
which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not,
to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his
presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto
us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in
the Lord."
We were created in God's very own image and
likeness for such a time as this. We have eternal callings on our
lives and we must rise up and embrace our divine destinies. We are
the sons and daughters of almighty God Himself, kings and priests to
His people. He has chosen us to partner with Him in bringing heaven
itself to the earth realm in the Kingdom of God.
It is vital
that we follow all the direction and guidance that the Lord gives us,
so that we can be effective in all that He calls us to do on His
behalf. We will minister to others with love, mercy and compassion
and challenge them to accept the truth. We will preach the Gospel of
Jesus Christ to all nations of the world, so that no one ever
perishes for lack of knowledge.
The Lord will work through us
to minister to His people. We will lay hand on the sick and see them
restored to health and vitality. We will cast out all demons that
hold men in bondage to sin and evil. We will even raise the dead back
to life again, so that they can enter into the Kingdom with us.
Nothing will be impossible to us if we are willing and obedient.
Our God will be glorified in all that we think, say and do. We
will prove to the world that He is still in control of our fate. We
will establish peace, order and stability everywhere. There will be
no more war, violence or conflict, poverty and lack, death or
destruction that threaten any of us. All men will be treated with
fairness and equality, dignity and respect.
Colossians
1:10-12 "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of
God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks
unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light:"
Each of us must be
well aware of who we are in Christ and live up to godly standards of
performance. We will all grow and develop into fully mature sons and
daughters of God in the days to come. Our efforts will all be
fruitful and productive. We will serve the Lord in any capacity that
He deems worthwhile and be totally successful in all that He assigns
us to do.
We are the saints of God, heirs to His eternal
Kingdom. Much is expected of us. We will have patience and endurance
to minister to God's people and be empowered to walk just like Jesus
walked the earth. We will deliver men from all sorts of bondage and
affliction, and share our faith with power and conviction. We will
baptize countless numbers in Jesus' name.
The entire earth
will be impacted by our efforts. Nothing will remain the same. We
will prepare the hearts of all mankind to receive Christ as their
King. We will cleanse and purge all evil that we encounter. We will
destroy all satanic strongholds that would deter our efforts. We will
renovate and restructure this entire world until it lines up with the
will of God.
2Thessalonians 1:11-12 "Wherefore also we
pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of [this]
calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of [his] goodness, and the
work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may
be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God
and the Lord Jesus Christ."
The Lord will assist us in
all of our efforts on His behalf. He will assign legions of
ministering angels to support us. If we are diligent to sanctify
ourselves and obey all that the Lord asks of us, we will be found
worthy of our calling and appropriate His very own divine power and
authority to take back the earth for the Kingdom of God. Our Lord and
Savior will be glorified in us.
Christ will soon return to
us to set up His eternal rule and reign. He will utterly destroy all
evil in the wrath of His coming, and take vengeance on all of His
enemies. Satan will be banished to the abyss with all his minions.
All wrongdoers will judged and found guilty, and cast into the
unquenchable lake of fire. There will be nothing that defiles the
peace and serenity of God's people.
We will enjoy safety and
security, health and longevity, joy and freedom in the actual
presence of almighty God Himself. The Lord will meet all of our needs
in abundance, even before we ask Him. He will boast of us as His very
own sons and daughters and vindicate us before both men and angels.
We will share in Christ's honor and glory and rule and reign with Him
for all eternity.
2Peter 1:10-11 "Wherefore the rather,
brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for
if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall
be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
The Body of Christ must
be perfectly obedient and walk in uncompromised love in the days
ahead. We have a divine destiny that must be fulfilled before Christ
returns to us to receive His everlasting Kingdom. We must prepare the
hearts of all mankind to receive their King and put all of His
enemies underneath His feet, including death. We will complete His
ministry on this earth as He has commissioned us to do.
We
will challenge all the world governments to establish godly
principles of fairness and justice in their dealings with one
another. We will eradicate all wars and violence, poverty and lack
off the face of the entire earth. There will be no more oppression or
exploitation of God's people. All men will be treated with dignity
and respect. We will teach all mankind to dwell in love and unity as
brothers and sisters.
All of creation will line up with the
words that we speak, that mirror those of almighty God. We will take
dominion over all forces of nature, including the climate, and
eliminate all disasters that bring devastation and destruction in
their wake. Plants and animals will be in harmony with one another,
and subject to man once again. We will reverse all the effects of
pollution and cleanse the planet of all its contamination.
The entire world will be renovated, restructured and refurbished, so
that heaven can be brought here in the everlasting Kingdom of God. We
are returning to the original perfection of the Garden of Eden. The
Lord will actually come and take up residence with us on His holy
mountain outside New Jerusalem. We will thrive in His loving
providence for us. The Kingdom will be a veritable paradise for both
God and man.
Mustered for Battle
Isaiah 13:3-4 "I have commanded my sanctified ones,
I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, [even] them that
rejoice in my highness. The noise of a multitude in the mountains,
like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of
nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of
the battle."
Not everything that the Lord asks us to do
in the critical days that lie ahead of us will be pleasant or easy
for us. We will be involved in a spiritual battle of good vs. evil
that encompasses all of creation. The Lord will muster His holy
saints for warfare against all the forces of Satan himself. We will
be groomed and prepared for a conflict of huge proportion. However,
nothing we do will be done in our own strength.
The Lord will
anoint us with divine power and authority to overcome all evil with
good. We will destroy the devil and all his minions and prepare the
hearts of all mankind for the return of Jesus Christ. Our Lord and
Savior will consummate all that we have begun on His behalf, and
utterly decimate the kingdom of darkness off the face of the entire
earth when He returns to us. He will rule and reign with a rod of
iron.
Christ will appoint us as kings and priests to
minister to His people in His everlasting Kingdom. We will teach all
of mankind to dwell together as brothers and sisters in love, peace
and unity. All those who are non-compliant will be banished to the
eternal lake of fire, where there will be wailing and gnashing of
teeth for all time. There will be nothing and no one that ever
contaminates the peace and serenity of our lives.
Joel
2:1-3 "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy
mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of
the LORD cometh, for [it is] nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of
gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning
spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath
not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, [even] to
the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them; and
behind them a flame burneth: the land [is] as the garden of Eden
before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing
shall escape them."
Things have gotten out of hand on
this earth. The Lord God is vexed with mankind and determined to set
matters straight before we destroy one another and the entire planet.
He will move through His people to eradicate all evil and implement
godly principles before it is too late. We will operate in His divine
power and authority and tear down all demonic strongholds that keep
men in darkness and deception.
The sons and daughters of
almighty God will confront all wickedness that we see and overcome it
with good. We will challenge all world governments to establish peace
and unity in their interactions with one another. We will eliminate
all poverty and lack in this world. We will warn men of the impending
judgment and encourage them to seek salvation through faith in Jesus
Christ and all that He did.
Supernatural signs, wonders and
miracles will accompany us everywhere we go. Nothing will be
impossible to us. We will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and
attempt to set all of mankind free from their bondage to sin and
evil. Those who are stubborn and rebellious will be eternally
condemned, but those who are receptive to the truth will be saved to
eternal life with all of its many blessings.
We will usher
all of the righteous into the everlasting Kingdom of God and prepare
them for the return of our King. Christ will take vengeance on all
our enemies and protect us from all harm. The Lord will meet all our
needs according to His riches in glory, even before we ask Him. Life
will be a literal paradise for us. We are returning to our origin in
the Garden of Eden, with no downside whatsoever this time.
Malachi 4:1-3 "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an
oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be
stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD
of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto
you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with
healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of
the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be
ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do [this],
saith the LORD of hosts."
The Day of the Lord will come
when we least expect it, but it will change the face of the entire
earth. We will all be cleansed and purged by the fire of almighty
God, but only the righteous will survive His wrath and indignation.
He will burn all sinfulness out of us once and for all, so that we
can see Him face-to-face. We will be totally changed from the inside
out, so we can enter into the everlasting Kingdom of God.
We
must have a reverent fear of the Lord at all times. We owe Him all of
our gratitude and affection, deference and respect, praise and honor.
He is our Creator and sustains us in all that we do, but we can never
take our position for granted or be careless in our relationship with
Him. He has provided us with redemption and now we must share it with
others or they will perish in their ignorance and rebellion.
The Lord, Jesus Christ, will soon return to us. He is not playing
with those who are wicked. He will not give them another opportunity
to get it right. He will destroy them in the wrath of His coming. He
plans to rid this world of all its ungodliness and banish those who
are unrepentant to the unquenchable lake of fire. He will cast Satan
and all of his minions into the abyss, so that they can no longer
harm God's people.
There will be nothing defiling that ever
enters into the Kingdom of God. Our heavenly Father will actually
come and dwell with us, and no evil can survive in His holy presence.
Only those who are righteous, loving and obedient will have all the
blessings of eternal life. We will live forever as beloved sons and
daughters, and He will provide all of our needs in abundance from all
the vast resources of the universe.
Signs of His Coming
Acts 2:19-21 "And I will shew
wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and
fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and
the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord
come: And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the
name of the Lord shall be saved."
It's time for a wake-up
call. We cannot be doing our own thing any longer. The Lord will not
tolerate selfishness and rebellion in any of us. If we cry out to the
Lord, He will save us from all of our transgressions by the Blood of
His very own Son. We will have to repent from the heart, accept
Christ as Lord and Savior and set our lives on a straight path
towards righteousness and godliness.
We must sanctify
ourselves of all known sin, obey all of the commandments and walk in
love at all times. We cannot be slack in our thoughts, words or
behavior. We are the sons and daughters of almighty God Himself and
He expects great things from us. We should always be fitting role
models for others. We will partner with Him in saving countless
numbers of souls to eternal life, just as we have been.
Very
soon now, the earth will be dark and dismal as never before. Men will
be extremely afraid of what is coming on them. We will be very busy
sharing our faith and encouraging them to repent of all their sins.
We will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ with fervor and conviction
and set many free from their bondage to sin and evil. We will baptize
every man, woman and child that is receptive to the truth.
Matthew 24:6-13 "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see
that ye be not troubled: for all [these things] must come to pass,
but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences,
and earthquakes, in divers places. All these [are] the beginning of
sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall
kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and
shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall
deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many
shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall
be saved."
We will experience intense testing, trials and
tribulation as the days progress until the return of Christ. We will
be hated and persecuted for our faith, but we must still persevere
and endure until the end. We cannot abandon our sacred charge. The
fate of all mankind rests with us. We must be diligent to do the
works that Jesus did while He was on the earth, and even greater
works.
He will imbue us with His very own anointing - divine
power and authority - to act in His stead. We are the Body of Christ,
His hands feet and voice. We must discharge all our duties with zeal
and enthusiasm, regardless of the resistance that we may incur. We
will tear down all demonic strongholds that hold others in bondage,
and set them free to receive the gift of eternal life.
We
will demonstrate the very love, mercy and compassion of almighty God
Himself to all of mankind. We will heal the sick and afflicted of all
their diseases. We will cast out demons in Jesus' name. We will even
raise the dead back to life once again. The weapons of our warfare
will be supernatural, and they will be most powerful for destroying
evil and overcoming it with good.
All world governments will
be confronted for their wicked ways. We will challenge their leaders
to establish godly principles for dealing with one another. There
will be no more war, violence or conflict on this earth. Poverty and
lack will disappear. Oppression and exploitation of others will be
things of the past. We will ensure all men are treated with dignity
and respect.
There will be natural disasters, plagues and
pestilences as the Day of the Lord approaches. False, Anti-Christ
prophets will arise to try to deceive even the elect. Men's hearts
will grow cold because of all that they are called upon to endure. We
will have to give them hope and confidence for the future. We will
pray for and encourage them to trust our God in all circumstances.
Mark 13:19-23 "For [in] those days shall be affliction, such
as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto
this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened
those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom
he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall
say to you, Lo, here [is] Christ; or, lo, [he is] there; believe
[him] not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall
shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the
elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things."
We have had ample warning of what is to come. The world
will become increasing dark and chaotic in the days ahead. Death and
destruction will loom all around us. Deception will be at its peak as
many false prophets arise to lead men astray. Widespread suffering
and affliction will precede the return of Jesus Christ. Only those
who firmly trust in God and endure till the end will be spared.
If we are saved to eternal life we need not worry about our
future. Our faith will continue to grow and culminate in total
victory very soon now. However, wickedness and evil will also reach a
crescendo as the Day of the Lord approaches. It will cover the entire
earth and threaten to overpower us. Our God has no other choice but
to sovereignly act to save His beloved children from destruction.
The Kingdom of God suffers from violence and the righteous
will have to take it by force. We will partner with the Lord in doing
everything that He asks of us in these critical days to come. We will
overcome the world, our flesh and the devil. We will purposely take
back the entire earth for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ to return
for His everlasting rule and reign. Nothing will be impossible to us.
We will combat all evil with good and rescue many souls from
their bondage to sin and evil. We will preach the Gospel in every
nation and see millions baptized in Jesus' name. Everyone whose name
is written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be saved to eternal life.
We will work supernatural miracles, signs and wonders to attest to
our faith and glorify our God in all that we think, say and do.
Luke 21:25-28 "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the
moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with
perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them
for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the
earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they
see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And
when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up
your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
The powers
of the heavens will be shaken to the core and mankind will be in
distress as never before. We will have to calm them down and give
them hope and confidence for their future. If they choose to repent
of all their sins and believe in Jesus Christ, they will be spared
from total destruction. However, if they continue to be sinful and
rebellious, they will go to perdition.
We will confront all
wickedness that we see and warn many of the impending judgment that
is coming on all of us. We will take control of all world governments
and regulate their activities according to godly principles. We will
put an end to all social injustice; eradicate poverty and lack; end
all oppression and exploitation of others; and abolish wars, violence
and bloodshed.
The Body of Christ will speak to all of
creation and take dominion over nature, as we have been authorized to
do. We will make certain that the climate is regulated, so there are
no more natural disasters that cause death and destruction in their
wake. We will reverse the effects of all pollution and command all of
the plants and animals to be in perfect harmony with one another.
We will prepare the entire earth for the return of Jesus Christ
to receive His everlasting Kingdom from us. Very soon now, He will
come back with vengeance in His heart to destroy all the enemies of
His people. He will vindicate us before both men and angels and
destroy all the ungodly. Christ will restore all that we have lost or
had stolen and gather us to Himself for all of eternity.
Looking for His Blessed Appearance
Romans 13:11-14 "And that, knowing the time,
that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our
salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the
day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and
let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the
day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and
wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts
[thereof]."
We have had more than sufficient warning of
what will soon transpire on this earth. It is time that we prepare
ourselves for the Day of the Lord and expectantly await the return of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to complete our redemption in
spirit, soul and body. We have to sanctify ourselves of all of our
worldliness, and make certain that we are always righteous and loving.
It is imperative that we keep all of the commandments and
teach others to do the same. The Lord will tolerate no compromise in
any of us. He will reward those who are obedient and trust in Him,
and punish all those who are stubborn and rebellious. No one will
escape His scrutiny; He will hold us all accountable for our works in
the flesh and judge us according to His perfect standards.
We
should be concerned about eternal ramifications for our lives, not
mundane needs and challenges. If we seek the Kingdom of God above all
things, the Lord will be faithful to provide all that we require to
endure until His coming. We must put His plans and purposes above our
very own and seek to implement His express will. We have divine
destinies to fulfill in the critical days ahead.
Titus
2:11-13 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared
to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present
world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"
It will be
extremely important how we conduct ourselves for others to see. We
must be godly role models in order to lead men out of darkness and
deception. We will have to prove to them that our God is a good God
who provides for and protects His people at all times. We will have
to demonstrate sound moral values in our lives and encourage others
to seek the Lord for themselves.
We will lead by example and
share our faith with power and conviction, so that men, women and
children everywhere can be saved to eternal life, as we have been. We
will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and prepare the hearts
of all mankind to receive Jesus Christ as their King. Those who are
receptive to the truth will be born again, baptized in His name and
redeemed for all time.
However, those who are resistant to
our efforts will perish in their own ignorance and rebellion. They
will not be given another opportunity to get it right. They will be
judged in all their sinfulness and found to be guilty, and banished
to punishment in the eternal lake of fire. Only those who are
uncompromisingly righteous, loving and obedient will ever enter into
God's awesome presence.
1Corinthians 1:4-8 "I thank my God
always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by
Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all
utterance, and [in] all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ
was confirmed in you:So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto
the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ. "
We have unmerited favor and grace with
almighty God through our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. We can
appropriate His perfect righteousness as our own. We are new
creatures in Christ; all things have been made new for us. We are
joint-heirs with Him to all the promises of God. The Lord will boast
of us to all creation as His very own beloved sons and daughters.
With privilege comes responsibility. We have eternal destinies
to fulfill before Christ returns to us. We have to resume His
ministry on this earth where He left off. He wants us to preach the
Gospel to all the nations of the world and baptize others in His
name. We will heal the sick of all their diseases, cast out demons
and even raise the dead back to life once again.
Nothing will
be impossible to us as the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ, approaches. We will work miracles, signs and wonders to
attest to our faith, and take back the entire earth for the Kingdom
of God. The fate of all mankind will be altered. We will make the
truth available to every man, woman and child that we meet, so that
they can be saved as we are.
The followers of Jesus Christ
are blessed without measure. Very soon now the Lord will gather us to
Himself in His everlasting Kingdom on this earth. We will inherit
eternal life and all of its many benefits. We are going back to our
origin in the Garden of Eden, but there will be no downside this
time. Life in the Kingdom of God will be a literal paradise for all
of us.
Topics for Discussion
1. Tested in Fire
2. Tried in Tribulation
3. Suffering for Our Faith
4. Worthy of Our Calling
5. Mustered for Battle
6. Signs of His Coming
7. Looking for His Blessed Appearance
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