The Daily Word of Righteousness

Overcoming the Saints, #6

And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. (Daniel 11:33-35)

We are not accustomed to hearing of saints falling, of being overcome. Yet, such falling is necessary if God is to have the kind of witnesses and sons He desires.

We are speaking now of "they that understand," not of weak believers who are easily moved from their faith.

The true saints will teach numerous people throughout Daniel's seventieth week. However, many of the saints will fall by deception, by war, by various assaults and pressures, by imprisonment, and by the confiscation of their property.

Now, what do we mean by "fall"?

The overcoming of the testimony of the saints will occur because of the love of the world, the lusts of the flesh, and self-will. In some instances the saints will be drawn away by temptation and cease walking in the Spirit of God. In other instances the saints will be imprisoned or killed by wicked people. In yet other situations the believers will become discouraged, bowed down, not understanding what God is doing, no longer living in triumphant faith and giving a testimony of joy and confidence throughout their many testings. In every case, whether the pressure is coming from the sin within the saint or the sin in the people around him, it will be the love of the world, the lusts of the flesh, and the self-will of man that will overcome the Christian witness.

If we are to stand in the days that even now are upon us we must understand two facts: first, God will exalt Antichrist, giving him authority and power over the whole earth and permission to torment the saints; second, the overcoming of the saints will result in a Church that is purified from sin, separate from the man centeredness of popular religion, and wholly dependent on the Lord Jesus for every breath.

To observe the extent of the power that God will give Antichrist, let us turn to the eighth chapter of the Book of Daniel.

And it [the little horn] waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. (Daniel 8:10,11)

Antichrist will be given such spiritual strength he will be able to reach up to the heavenly host, casting down to the ground some of the "stars" of the heavens. He will consider himself equal to the Lord Jesus, taking away the daily sacrifice and throwing down Christ's sanctuary.

To be continued.