The Daily Word of Righteousness

Survival and Fruitfulness in the Last Days, #5

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (Luke 9:23,24)

Whenever we refuse to suffer under the hand of God, when we do not seek His pleasure but our own, do not seek His fulfillment but our own, we open ourselves to the deceptions that come from Satan.

Antichrist will never deny himself that Christ may be glorified. Antichrist must have his own way. Whenever we see a believer who always insists on having his own way, who is selfish, jealous, envious, spreading gossip and slander, ready to defy authority, easily offended, we know that that one is not denying himself so Christ may be glorified. He is partaking of the spirit of Antichrist.

The Christian who is not willing to deny himself, take up his cross, and follow the Master eventually becomes a member of the synagogue of Satan. Even though he may be doctrinally sound and work fervently in the things of the Gospel, Satan has an entrance into his personality. He soon will find himself hating those who truly are following the Lamb.

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. (Revelation 3:9)

The Provision God Has Made for the Last Days

We are in the year 2000. From now on there will be unprecedented revival and unprecedented moral horrors as well as the persecution of Christians.

What provision has God made for Christians so they may survive Antichrist and the great tribulation? One popular belief is that God will remove the believers from the earth before the time of Antichrist and the great tribulation. We think this belief can easily be shown to be without foundation in the Scriptures.

God has a much better provision than the removal of the believers, a provision that has firm scriptural support.

God's provision for insuring the survival and fruitfulness of believers throughout the last days is to fill them with the Presence of the Father and the Son. Zion will be filled with the Glory of God. Neither Antichrist nor tribulation can spiritually harm (and spiritual, not physical, harm is the danger) the believer who has died to his self-will and in whom God and Christ are reigning.

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23)

To be continued.