PREPARING  FOR  THE  FUTURE

Many biblical prophesies, both from the Old Testament and the New, indicate that, in the period leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus, a great time of trouble is coming on the earth.  There are increasingly signs in these days that this time is approaching.  This means that Christians urgently need to understand what is going to happen and how to prepare for it.
 

War

Both Matthew 24 and Revelation 6 indicate that the time of trouble will begin with war that will effect the whole world.  In Revelation 6, at the time of the opening of the first and second seals, two horses appear.  The first "rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest;" the second "was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other."

We know, of course, that basically this is a spiritual war between God and the antichrist, but, in its earthly manifestation, there will not be clearly defined sides.  Rather, "nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." It will be a devastating war, and very likely a nuclear war.  As a result of it, the "beast" (antichrist) will establish his world empire.

Apparently, some people will think that the end has come, because Jesus says, "See to it that you are not alarmed.  Such things must happen, but the end is still to come." Actually, this war is just the beginning of the tribulation.
 

Famine

According to both Matthew 24 and Revelation 6, the next affliction is famine.  This famine may be a result of the destructive war.  It is also very probable that changes in climate will occur that can cause massive famine.  The effects of the famine will no doubt be made worse by the shaking of the world's economic systems which has already begun and will increase.

In addition to war and famine, the Lord promises us plagues and wild beasts.  Plagues could easily be caused by the use of germ warfare.  Revelation 6:8 states that one fourth of the world's population will be killed at that time.  That would mean, at the present world population, over a billion people.  If the corpses could not be buried right away, this could also cause plague.  Wild beasts could easily become an increasing threat as a result of the famine.  Even house pets could become dangerous in time of famine.
 

Persecution

Throughout the time of tribulation, Christians will experience heavy persecution, which will get continually worse.  Jesus predicted

You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  Matthew 24.-9

In Scripture, persecution is always directed at the Lord's people--- the Jewish nation or the Christians.  Many will be put in prison, many will not be allowed to work, many will be killed for the Name of Christ.,

But the Lord always gives His people grace to face what they have to at the time that they need it.  Our best preparation for facing persecution is to practice trusting the Lord, hearing His voice, and maintaining a close fellowship with Him.
 

Earthquake

The Lord also promises us an escalation of earthquakes, until, at the end of the tribulation, the whole earth will be shaken.  The mountains and islands will get moved around.  Everything that can be shaken will be.  Those who do not know the Lord will panic and run to the mountains desperately seeking refuge.  Earthquakes of this magnitude will also produce enormous tidal waves which will cause more destruction.

Jesus explained that the above-mentioned troubles are just the "beginning of birth pains" (Matthew 24:8).  Throughout this whole period, persecution will escalate.  There will be great deception.  False messiahs, false prophets, and false teachers will deceive many, including some Christians.  Many will turn away from the Lord.

But, on the other hand, those who love the truth and stay close to the Lord, will become more committed and spiritually mature.

Christians need to get very clear guidance from the Lord as to how they should prepare for these times of trouble.  Maybe we will be led to prepare places of refuge from the worldwide war, persecution, and earthquakes.  Certainly we will need to be in the place where God wants us.  This means we have to be able to hear His voice accurately.

We will have unusual opportunities to witness and manifest the love of Christ.  Everyone else will panic.  Only Christians will have the Lord's certainty in their hearts and be able to minister God's healing and peace as well as material help.
 

The Great Tribulation

This process culminates in the great tribulation which is the worldwide rule of the antichrist.  Antichrist will attempt to place his image ("the abomination that causes desolation") in the temple of God.  Since in the New Testament, the people of God are known as "the temple of God", this must mean that Satan wants to move into the churches and be worshiped and followed by the Christians.  This may not take the form of open satan worship, but will more likely just look like modernization of teaching and practice---"making the Gospel relevant."

This will signal the entrance of the whole world into "great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now---and never to be equaled again." Jesus said that, if this time were not shortened, even God's elect could not persevere.

This will be a time of great deception.  There will be a wealth of false messiahs, false prophets, and false teachers.  They will do many miraculous things and lead many people astray, even including some of God's people.  We need to hold onto Christ's promise that "he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
 

The Mark of the Beast

One of the most difficult things for Christians during the time of tribulation is that nobody will be allowed to buy and sell unless he has received the "mark of the beast" on his right hand and forehead.  The present money systems are already beginning to shake.  Little by little, money is being replaced by electronic money.  The mark of the beast will no doubt be a super credit card by which all transactions can be done through computers.  Those who control the computer will be in charge of the world.  This new system will not be presented as "mark of the beast" but simply as "the way we do business now.  " Christians who are not spiritually alert can easily be deceived.
 

Ways of Facing that Time

We can, of course, succumb to pressure and receive the mark of the beast.  But the results of this are frightening:

If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.  He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.  Revelation 14: 9-10.

 People in their right mind will reject this option.  Better options, under God's specific guidance, might be:

 1. Form households or communities that can stand independent of any outside supplies.  This will require an increased closeness and cooperation on the part of Christians.

 2. Trust the Lord to provide for us in miraculous ways as He did for Elijah during the three and a half years of famine.  Trusting the Lord for miraculous provision must be done on the basis of divine guidance and not on the basis of laziness in making other provision.

 3. Storing food and other provisions.  This follows the example of Joseph in Egypt, who was told to store enough grain for seven years of famine.  In this way, we might be able to provide not only for our own needs but also for those of others.
 

Maturity through Suffering

Christians are, in fact, fortunate when they experience tribulations and obstacles, because it is tribulation that strengthens and perfects Christians.  If Christ was perfected through what He suffered, how much more we need to be.  As Paul states it,

We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  Romans 5:3- 5

 It is precisely in facing persecution and trouble that we get true victory.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:

 For your sake we face death all day long;  we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  Romans 8:35-37

The more we experience persecution and tribulation, the more we will draw near to the Lord, see His help, and experience His glory.
 

Our Spiritual Preparation

 So let us not be afraid to contemplate our future.

 But it is of the utmost importance that we make the appropriate spiritual preparation.

1. Righteousness and Sanctification.  One of the Lord's purposes in having the tribulation is to wipe out all evil in the world and everything that is outside of His purposes.  This process begins with His people.  Christians are called to be perfect as Christ is perfect so that we will be a suitable Bride for Him when the time comes.  We cannot perfect ourselves.  Perfection comes by facing hardship with trust in the Holy Spirit.

2. Full of the Holy Spirit.  In the time of tribulation, those who do not know how to walk in the Spirit will not be able to stand.  Our best preparation is to learn to follow the leading of the Spirit, worship in the Spirit, and minister in the Spirit.  For the perfecting of the Church, we need to come into divine order with the ministry gifts described in Ephesians 4:11-16 and I Corinthians 12:28, 29.  In facing the days ahead Christians need to have the boldness to demonstrate the power of the Spirit in their lives and ministry.

3. Supernatural living.  Although we can make some natural provisions for hard times, we will certainly encounter many unforeseen difficulties that we cannot overcome by any effort of our own.  We will need to expect miraculous protection and help from the Lord.  The worse the tribulation gets, the more we will see the Lord's miraculous power.  We will be able to take authority over the forces of nature by command in the Name of Jesus.  We will see miracles of healing and deliverance such as we have never seen before.  We can start now to get ready by increasing our boldness to act and command miracles in the Name of the Lord and according to the guidance and anointing of the Holy Spirit.

4. Enter into spiritual warfare.  We are called to become the Lord's soldiers in the real warfare of these last days.  In war, soldiers have to be able to recognize the enemy.  We need to remember that we "are not fighting against flesh and blood (other people), but against principalities and powers and forces of evil." We are at war with the army of the Dragon (the devil).

If we need to know our enemy, we need even more to know who is fighting on our side.  Our faith can be greatly strengthened if our spiritual eyes are opened to see the armies of angels that surround us and fight with us.

Christians need also to improve their relations with one another so that they can fight together instead of against each other.  The Lord wants to unite all His forces in heaven and on earth to form one great army that can effectively enter into the warfare of these last days.

The weapons of our warfare are not natural weapons, but supernatural ones.  We must learn to fight effectively in the Spirit.

The warfare will get more and more fierce until we are nearly wiped out.  At that greatest moment of crisis, according to Scripture, the Lord will be revealed and will destroy the enemy (Daniel 7:11-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:8).

5. World evangelization.  In Matthew 24:14, we read, "This Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to every people, and then the end will come."

At this moment, nearly half the world's population has not yet had an opportunity to hear the Name of Jesus.  Fortunately, in the last few years, there has been an acceleration, largely because of the massive prayer objectives that have been mounted.  But many Christians have not become a part of this effort.

The Lord is looking for a people that not only know how to walk in the Spirit, but can enter into His presence in the heavenlies, be equipped and ordained by His hand, and sent out with a powerful anointing to manifest His glory and power to the ends of the earth in preparation for the Coming of our Lord and King Jesus Christ.

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