Prepare Yourself for Jesus’ Return:

Seven things to consider about life today and in our immediate future

6.4.2023

Introduction

Hebrews 6 mentions some of the fundamental doctrines of scripture that we should be familiar with:

Hebrews 6:1-2 (NKJV)

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

One of the major doctrines of scripture is eternal judgment.

Sin will be judged on every level:

Each individual will be judged. (That’s why we preach the gospel):

Hebrews 9:27-28 (NLT)

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, …

28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

All of us individually will one day stand before Jesus and give an account!

Don’t be scared. Jesus took your judgment!

Believers will be judged or rewarded:

2 Corinthians 5:10 (AMPC)

For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing].

Nations will be judged:

Matthew 25:31-33 (NKJV)

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

God has given us much. To whom much is given, much is required…

Satan and the antiChrist will be judged.

Revelation 20:10 (NLT)

Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

We are living in between the age of Grace and the age of Divine Judgment.

So because of this living in between, things are going to feel a bit awkward and strange if you compare now to the previous years of your life.

It seems as though we have turned a corner, and things are proceeding rapidly to their endgame.

Seven things to consider about life today and in our immediate future:

1. The only unchangeable thing is the Word of God.

Spend MORE time in the Word than you do in the news or on social media, etc…

The Word will give you stability.

Matthew 24:35 (NKJV)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Psalms 119:89 (NKJV)

Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

Isaiah 40:8 (NKJV)

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Smith Wigglesworth quote about the Word of God:

Read it through; write it down; pray it in; work it out; pass it on. The Word of God changes a man until he becomes an epistle of God.

 

Read it, memorize it, meditate it, believe it, work it in, walk it out!

Turn off social media, news, etc. They have become mechanisms of control…

2. Great pressure is here to stay.

Luke 21:8-13 (NLT)

He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them. 9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately.” 10 Then he added, “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.

12 But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. 13 But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.”

Luke 21:14-19 (NLT)

So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, 15 for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you! 16 Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. They will even kill some of you. 17 And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish! 19 By standing firm, you will win your souls.

Luke 21:25-28 (AMPC)

And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn] at the roaring (the echo) of the tossing of the sea, 26 Men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great (transcendent and overwhelming) power and [all His kingly] glory (majesty and splendor). 28 Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near.

Learn to pray and expect God to answer!

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

Matthew 6:33-34 (NKJV)

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

3. Sin will become the norm in society, while living godly will be set aside.

It will be like it was in the days of Noah:

Luke 17:26-27 (NLT)

When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 27 In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.

They were not aware of what was coming. They were just living life like normal.

Most had no expectation that a crisis was looming…

Most people have no idea what is coming before Jesus returns. You must warn them!

It will be like it was in the days of Lot:

All morals are acceptable. Homosexuality, lesbianism, transgender, and binary sexuality are totally accepted as an alternative to heterosexual relationship and marriage. And this is being taught in public education.

Behind this is the antiChrist spirit seeking to remove from the world any Judeo-Christian moral ethics. The goal is to sanitize the world of Christian moral beliefs. This will create persecution.

Luke 17:28-30 (NLT)

And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— 29 until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Luke 17:31-35 (NLT)

On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home. 32 Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! 33 If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. 34 That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

(Referring to the rapture of the church).

In some ways, life will go on just like it has for generations.

Don’t get caught up and too immersed in the culture.

Lot’s wife looked back because maybe she missed the old life…

“Her heart was attached to something that was judged in Sodom.”

Don’t cling to the old.

My opinion: Our American idols are being judged. Money. Sports. Recreation. Leisure. Hollywood.

Will it ever get back to normal? Who knows.

What we are dealing with is setting us up for something else.

The elites that are pushing the antiChrist one-world control have found out how easy it is now to control people with health issues. Science or no science. They have learned the art of brainwashing people to accept what science rejects.

Don’t be a part of the herd mentality.

It’s time to bring yourself into an internal separation from what you like and what you have to have to be happy.

4. A one-world ideology of leadership will come to the forefront..

This is the Global Reset that is being pushed by the elites of the world that control nations with money.

30 years ago it was spoken of as the New World Order.

World leaders are pushing for this and want America to join in. Some political leaders in this nation want us to join this reset. Others resist, pointing to our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Here is what I see regardless of who is president.

If a global-minded person becomes president, and like-minded people control our Congress and Senate, then we will participate fairly quickly in a global reset.

Financial freedom will continue to slowly dwindle away.

Oneworld themes will emerge with urges for us to participate in global law and governance that does not involve our Constitution and rights as US citizens (with an embrace of any lifestyle of your choosing); global economy, with an eventual digital currency for the world; and global religion that reduces every religion to serving the same god. This will bring great persecution to Christians and Jews.

There will be a LOT of pushback!

If Donald Trump wins the next election, we may have a delay before the USA joins the global community in all the ways I just mentioned. People are really mad at Trump because he is not a globalist. He puts America first. He is a Constitutionalist. And that is why so many of the elites in our country, including the news media, do not like him.

Either way, regardless of who becomes president in 2024, I see lots of fighting between two groups. God has called us in this time to be peacemakers.

Instability.

Resist the tendency to respond in anger.

Prepare your family for a time of relative instability.

Get close to your fellow Christians. We need each other now more than ever.

Nonetheless, the antiChrist spirit is prevalent worldwide right now, and is gaining traction. It is only a matter of time before the person that is the antiChrist appears on the world scene in the Middle East.

Some countries will resist.

Daniel 7:25-27 (NLT)

He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time. 26 But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. 27 Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.

Daniel 8:23-25 (NLT)

At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. 25 He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.

Daniel 11:31-45 (NLT)

His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration. 32 He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him. 33 Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed. 34 During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere. 35 And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come. 36 The king will do as he pleases, exalting himself and claiming to be greater than every god, even blaspheming the God of gods. He will succeed, but only until the time of wrath is completed. For what has been determined will surely take place. 37 He will have no respect for the gods of his ancestors, or for the god loved by women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all. 38 Instead of these, he will worship the god of fortresses—a god his ancestors never knew—and lavish on him gold, silver, precious stones, and expensive gifts. 39 Claiming this foreign god’s help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward. 40 Then at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the king of the north. The king of the north will storm out with chariots, charioteers, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will enter the glorious land of Israel, and many nations will fall, but Moab, Edom, and the best part of Ammon will escape. 42 He will conquer many countries, and even Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control over the gold, silver, and treasures of Egypt, and the Libyans and Ethiopians will be his servants. 44 But then news from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in great anger to destroy and obliterate many. 45 He will stop between the glorious holy mountain and the sea and will pitch his royal tents. But while he is there, his time will suddenly run out, and no one will help him.

5. Persecution is coming for Christians. Some will fall away.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-6 (NLT)

Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. 5 Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? 6 And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes.

Be careful that in isolating you do not lose your faith in God. We need this atmosphere, and we need to sharpen each other.

Matthew 5:11-12 (NLT)

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

John 15:18-23 (NLT)

If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father.

1 Peter 4:12-14 (NLT)

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

6. An eventual Divine judgment will right every wrong.

God will finally intervene…

2 Peter 3:3-14 (NLT)

Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

7. The Holy Spirit will manifest strongly again.

Joel 2:28-32 (NLT)

Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. 29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike. 30 And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth— blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the LORD arrives. 32 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD

will be saved, for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the LORD has said. These will be among the survivors whom the LORD has called.

Isaiah 60:1-3 (NKJV)

Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. 3 The Gentiles shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Ask for the Holy Spirit to be poured out once again all over the world, and in your life and in your church.

Bottom line, be a person of the WORD. God honors His Word.

As all of this comes, He will make a way for you.

He will provide, protect, and preserve you if you will trust Him.

Action Points:

How to prepare:

1. Judge sin in your life and ask God to help you overcome it. Get rid of idols you may have…

2. Read and live by scripture.

3. Pray with the expectation of answers.