Antichrist Conundrum

A brother here asked me a question the other day which startled me: If the Antichrist controls the whole world (Rev. 13) and if his seat of power is Jerusalem, then how is it that all the nations come against Jerusalem?

Have they turned on the antichrist? Or have a remnant of Jews rebelled against antichrist (and his multi national forces) and they stubbornly hold onto Jerusalem until Jesus comes and delivers them?

Then, also, how would this dovetail with the passage in Matt. 24 where our Lord says to flee into the mountains when they see the abomination of desolation. If they’re in the mountains until Jesus comes, why is the world attacking Jerusalem, at the end?

I’m interested to hear in brief, clear, concise Bible terms how this scenario can be explained.

‘Trust Me’ – Jesus

Would you trust this Man?

On the ‘day of declaration’ there will be rejoicing in the camp

Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we beseech you, not to be quickly shaken from your mind, nor be disturbed, neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ has come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is unveiled, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or every object of worship, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
(2Thess 2:1-4)

The day that the man of sin is revealed will be a day of great rejoicing for the saints of God, for those of faith in Jesus Christ, for it will indicate to us that our Lord’s return is truly imminent, and that’s something to rejoice about.

A Divine Appointment with affliction

Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we were well pleased to be left behind in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, in order to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed unto this.

For even when we were with you, we were telling you in advance that we were going to be afflicted, just as it also happened, and you know.

Because of this, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to learn about your faith, lest somehow the tempter had tempted you, and our labor be in vain. But now when Timothy came to us from you, and brought good news to us of your faith and your love, and that you have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, as we also long to see you– because of this we were encouraged, brothers, in regard to you in all our affliction and distress by your faith.

Because now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord. For whatever thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we are rejoicing because of you in the presence of our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and to perfect what is lacking in your faith?

Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, lead us directly to you. And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, as indeed we also do toward you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
(1Thess 3:1-13)

Loneliness

We saw a program on DW-TV today which showed that one third of households in Germany are single occupant households. Fifty five percent of Berlin’s population live alone.

And the program showed that more and more of these Germans, who live alone, are seeking out commercial services which offer human contact, for a price.

They have events called “Cuddle Parties”  where they pay 10 Euros each, and everyone, about 30 people, lay on the carpeted floor and cuddle each other. Total strangers, men and women, cuddling on the floor.

The report said that these lonely people are increasingly willing to pay for such services bcos there’s body contact; meeting their need to have contact with another person, but without any emotional commitment required, and no risk. They want to be close to people, but they don’t want any commitment.

I thought, what a testimony to what happens when a society  shuns the light of Jesus Christ.

I also saw a parallel with the traditional church service : meeting a personal need, but without the ‘hassle’ of emotional commitment to others and without risk.

My flesh longs for You

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:

my soul thirsteth for thee,

my flesh longeth for thee

in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips…    Psalm 63:1-5

Transforming the world?

From:  http://healtheland.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/what-is-the-gospel-of-jesus-christ-supposed-to-transform/

Also, if the role of the gospel is to transform the world, then the Bible itself would declare the gospel to be a failure. Why? Because the Bible makes it clear: the world is never transformed. It is never subdued. It remains wicked and rebellious to the very end. So if the gospel fails at the goal of transforming the world and the culture, of say, making the government respect the Ten Commandments and making the culture respect traditional family values, then why should the gospel succeed in saving any Christian from the eternity in the lake of fire?

This is not some bold new theological innovation here. Instead, it can be found in a simple Frank Peretti novel, “The Visitation.” In it, the protagonist, a burned out pastor, is confronted with his new, eager, inexperienced replacement, and the latter states, “We are taking this town for Christ.” To which, the protagonist replies, “How are you going to take any town for Christ when not even Christ took a town for Christ. Have you ever asked this town if it wants to be taken for Christ?”

Taking towns for Christ was never Christ’s job.

Thus, transforming the world and culture was never the job of the gospel or of the church. The very Bible itself declares that the world and culture will not be transformed, so if that was ever the goal of the gospel, then the Bible which declares the gospel would declare that gospel to be a failure, making the Word of God a failure, and Jesus Christ’s going to the cross to be in vain.

unquote

False prophets getting desperate as their Industry faces recession

Rick Joyner recently:

“In the midst of the recent economic turmoil, the question that you and I are asking is: “How do I access God’s blessing and live from the Kingdom’s economy despite all of the world’s problems?” unquote

Any ‘god’, with which you can do a financial deal, is not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is typical of idol worship the world over; you do deals with the idol.

And it ‘works’ ; the devil makes sure it works.

You couldn’t imagine Jesus or any of the Apostles asking,

“How can I get the Father to bless me? What will it take to access the Kingdom economy?”

Discrimination laws close in on the Industry

They will give up their moral principles, or face the anti-discrimination laws that will be passed to force churches, organizations and people to comply with the immoral doctrines of the socialist, secular humanists. unquote

I wonder with how many saints, as they read the NT, a light will be switched on and they will realize that Christianity forsook the wisdom of God He gave the early church.

They had no organization in the formal sense, fully relational. They faced a totalitarian regime with confidence and thrived, relationally. But it required faith.

‘Do you love Me?’

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I care for You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I care for You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you care for Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you care for Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I care for You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
(John 21:15-17)

Among wolves

Luke 10:3  Go; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

If we ‘Go’ , before too long we will find ourselves among wolves.

We need to learn to ‘Bless, and do not curse’ in these unpleasant situations.

He DOES want you to trust Him

He requires nothing less.

And we say, Yes LORD!  Yes Father!

Shalom

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

‘You don’t love Me like you did before..’

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He that holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, and your labor, and your endurance,

and that you cannot bear those who are evil.

And you tested those who say that they are apostles and they are not, and you found them to be liars; and you have endurance and you have born patiently on account of My name, and you did not become weary.

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; but if not, I am coming to you quickly and I will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.

But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of My God.” ‘
(Rev 2:1-7)

The ‘ministry industry’ and ‘Deny your self’

Following on from the post down the bottom of this page,  ‘SELF DENIAL’   :

An example of what Jesus means when He says, ‘Deny your SELF’.

Have you ever pondered getting into the ministry industry? I did, when i was about 1-2 years old in the Lord.

And even as a fresh new creation, wet behind the ears, i understood what was on the table : Jesus says, Deny your self.

But to enter the industry i would have to ‘promote myself’ ; the antithesis of  ‘deny your self‘.

I would have had to grasp every opportunity to work my way up in favor with those already established and making a comfortable living in the industry.

I would have to learn to be a fake : fake smiles and all, an entertainer, a man pleaser, bcos if i don’t become popular then how can i get established in the industry?

Just at the ‘entry level’ into the ministry industry i would have to sear my own conscience as to what the NT teaches to proceed any further.

I’m sooo thankful to the LORD that He protected me from my own selfish ambitions early on. If i had had MY way, then i would have ended up destroying myself.

The Cross is not ‘my way’, rather it’s His Way.

(i’ve still got an article percolating on the ‘ministry industry’ related to my limited experience with the music industry; there are so many similarities.)

Being trained in righteous judgment

False prophetess Stacey Campbell said: “It is interesting to think that one day the Spirit of God will be poured out on all flesh (see Joel 2:28). What will it look like when that happens? What can this mean? Does it mean that all will become believers in Jesus? Or does it mean that the testimony of Jesus will be manifested globally? Perhaps at that moment when Jesus is revealed through the Spirit of prophecy on a global level, suddenly every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (see Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11).”

The Bible says:  Let no one deceive you by any means; for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is unveiled, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or every object of worship, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And now you know that which is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will continue until one comes out of the midst. And then the lawless one will be unveiled, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth, and will destroy by the brightness of His coming,

whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and in all deception of unrighteousness among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And because of this,

God will send them strong delusion, in order for them to believe the lie, so that they all might be damned who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.
(2Thess 2:3-12)

Stacey says: “…when Jesus is revealed through the Spirit of prophecy on a global level…”

But the Bible says “…God will send them strong delusion, in order for them to believe the lie…” And what’s the lie? The ‘man of sin’. The world will believe his claim to be Divine.

And it’s only possible for people to believe such an obvious lie after they have been given a strong delusion, then they easily believe it. All one needs to get this global false spiritual realization or spiritual experience is to simply not love the truth.

So, the world and Christianity will have to judge concerning the coming ‘man of sin’ and the majority will misjudge.

Christians are being prepared for this bcos God is allowing prototypes/forerunners of the ‘man of sin’ to appear, and we have to exercise righteous judgment concerning them ; we are being trained to judge righteously so that we WILL judge righteously.

The Word of the LORD having ‘free course’

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the Word of the LORD may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you…  2 Thess. 3:1

…That the Word of the LORD may RUN :  trechō

Apparently a primary verb (properly θρέχω threchō; compare G2359); which uses δρέμω dremō, drem’-o (the base of G1408) as an alternate in certain tenses; to run or walk hastily (literally or figuratively): – have course, run.

Free flow, free course: like a mighty river which can’t be contained, dammed, diverted or controlled.

We should pray for this to happen. The Word of the LORD should never be shackled.

More amazing coincidences

Yesterday i believe the LORD showed me some thing.

Evolutionists believe that the plant kingdom evolved itself into being before the animal kingdom.

Isn’t it then an amazing coincidence that the plants, which herbivores and man depend on, had evolved all the nutrients : minerals, vitamins, proteins, amino acids, fats, sugars, trace elements etc. , which animals need, and in the correct balance and spectrum, all in harmony, BEFORE herbivorous animals  and man, appeared on the scene?

An evolutionist would have to think: It’s as if the plants knew what the animals would require and thoughtfully evolved themselves into ‘food’,  into a balanced diet, in the fore knowledge that they would be the correct nutrients for animals.

Trying to figure out the mess?

(My comment on an article which says that wicked ‘christian’ leaders today have the true anointing of the Holy Spirit to do miracles, and using King Saul as an example of a wicked leader who was anointed by God.)

I can’t see in clear terms what the article is trying to establish : that wicked people can have the true Holy Spirit working in them?

Re: Saul: a treatment of this subject should also mention:

* That God sent an evil spirit to Saul (and David was called in to pacify him with his harp playing).

* That OT manifestations of the power of the Holy Spirit were often quite different than in the new covenant. E.g. The power of the Holy Spirit came upon the Israelites at times to supernaturally empower them to slaughter their enemies. Like Shamgar and Jonathan and others, who single-handedly took on whole armies and won.

And being a prophet in the OT was more than prophesying, it was sometimes the task of killing false prophets, hacking them to pieces, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And when David said that he hated the enemies of God with a pure hatred and desired that God destroy the wicked, we know that that was the Holy Spirit, not David’s flesh.

Back to the premise of the article:

I find it practically instructive that no where in the NT are we told to try and figure out whether people are saved, whether they have the Holy Spirit, whether it is God or the devil doing miracles thru them; rather, we are told to separate from those who willfully and habitually defy the commands of God; those who profess Christ, yet are unrepentant. And the separation is conditional on their conduct. Therefore, we are not to judge the heart but the conduct, and if they repent, receive them.

E.g. People like Todd Bentley or Rick Joyner: the NT teaches that we are to have nothing to do with people who are named as Christians, yet who refuse to obey the teachings of our Lord, His doctrine.

So, if we are not to listen to them or associate with them or support them, then what’s the point of trying to figure out whether the Holy Spirit is doing the miracles and healings thru them?

Whether God healed anyone thru Todd Bentley is irrelevant considering that Scripture commands us to separate from habitual liars like him.

An elder must be blameless. Anyone with any cloud over their conduct is disqualified from being an elder.

The context of the above is where the false prophet or teacher claims to believe in all the tenets of the orthodox faith, and not where the spirit at work is obviously the spirit of antichrist, denying Christ came in the flesh, and the Father and the Son.

Conscious of Jesus, all the time

Rom 1:28  And just as they did not approve (did not like) to have (retain) God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind (a rejected mind, bcos God deems it worthy of rejecting), to do the things which are not fitting…

Here’s an encouragement for those who love Jesus.

The fact that you are conscious of Jesus all the time is bcos He has accepted you and lives in you.

…They did not approve (did not like) to have (retain) God in their knowledge…

Knowledge = epignōsis
From G1921; recognition, that is, (by implication) full discernment, acknowledgement: – (ac-) knowledge (-ing, -ment).

Recognition.

Knowledge, here, means recognition. Now, this is helpful. Those who walk by faith in Jesus,  in the Spirit, always RECOGNIZE Jesus and His Father: recognizing and acknowledging  Him and His work, His Word and promises, covenant.

A false christian does not retain God in their knowledge bcos they’ve chosen to retain ‘things’ or other persons (other than Jesus) in their minds. They are not conscious of Him all the time.  And this is the basis and reason for their spiritual idolatry.