I have been spending more time watching some of the main line watchers and observing their com traffic on YouTube. I am convinced that when normally stable and doctrinally sound watchers begin to stray from the fundamentals of our faith and delve into theories and speculations that are outside of the obvious text of scripture, they are probably struggling with a thing I like to call, Rapture Fatigue. Simply put, this is a ‘condition’ some watchers get when they are more focused on the Lord’s return than they are on Him. These same people tend to struggle with focusing on the wrong things in their spiritual life formation.
If they are sick, they seek God for their healing, instead of seeking Him as their healer. If they are financially destitute, they seek the Lord for His abundant provision, instead of seeking Him as their all sufficient provider, which usually begins with a tithe. If they are spiritually dry, they seek for a revival instead of the Lord who daily provides for us with an abundance of spiritual food and living water in the form of our worship of and devotions with Him. They tend to seek the provision, instead of the Lord of the provision, Jehovah-Jireh.
Suffice it to say, when someone tells me that they are discouraged because the Rapture hasn’t happened yet, I tell them, ‘Don’t look for the Rapture so much, rather, look for the Lord. You can find Him each morning at your night stand in your Bible, devotional reads, and prayer; before you take on the day.’ While this may seem simple enough, I find that I am met with some resistance from weary believers because they are focusing on the goodies rather than the Good Father who gives them.
As a result, I came up with a list of ten signs of Rapture Fatigue that I feel will help a concerned believer be more prepared for the Lord’s return if they are aware of them; and to take evasive measures to deal with each emotion with propriety and focused intention.
10 Signs of Rapture Fatigue
1. Depression – when you’re more sad about Jesus not being here yet, that you spend less time with Him.
People may struggle with depression and it has nothing to do with a delayed Rapture. They may have a chemical imbalance or other PTSD issues that have created this condition. I am not speaking to that end, rather, to the emotion of depression that is caused from an unmet need; in this case, a ‘delayed’ Rapture. Since we can’t know the day or hour of the Lord’s return for His Church, the word ‘delayed’ is relative. We can know the season of His return and it should be obvious to us all that we are living in that season right now. Seasons are not exact; rather, they are general and can be extended at times. Since the Lord is not slack concerning His promises to us, we can be assured that He is not late (delayed), but right on time, His time.
My recommendation for this type of depression is that each of us be more intentional and spend some quality time with the Lord each morning in His Word, a relevant devotion, and prayer. This one thing will address any delay issues you may have concerning the Lord’s return. You see, He is already here, living within us as the Holy Spirit. He wants to spend time with us and longs to be with us. The Rapture will only solidify this truth. The Rapture is a glorious Uber ride into the heavenlies where we will finally be with Jesus and all those who love Him. Until then, we must endure, feeding on God’s faithfulness, and enjoying each day to the fullest. Soon we will be home, but for now, let’s love Jesus, live for Him, and serve each day for His glory.
2. A Critical Spirit – when you can see the doctrinal flaws in the other watchman and are quick to post about it.
Sometimes a watchman (watchperson) will post something or say something that goes against what you believe about the Lord’s return or your eschatology in general. When you find yourself becoming angry with them or feel the urge to blast them on their website or channel; this is probably the result of a critical spirit. There are a lot of so-called watchmen critics out there who feel that it’s their ministry to criticize the watchman, as if God were instructing them to do so. These so-called critics are just that, critical and in need of some discipleship.
I have seen some of their posts (and so have you) and I must say that many of these comments do not reflect the spirit of Christ or the fruits of repentance. I happen to enjoy a lot of watchman pastors and posters, but I don’t always agree with what they are saying. I just accept that we disagree and leave it at that. For a person to not be able to leave it alone only speaks to the deficit in their own life and walk with Christ. I remember posting a rebuttal of a very well know watchman who said something that was outright heresy. I was respectful and simply stated the doctrinal truth from my own perspective, based on how I interpreted the Bible. That was it; no more fuss. It was a secondary theological issue. When this ride is over, we can all compare notes at the Lord’s house; until them, we must be less critical and more prayerful in how we respond to our fellow watchers.
3. Lack of Vision – when you can’t see past the next Rosh Hashanah and therefore neglect to plan around it.
For watchers who embrace the Rosh Hashanah Rapture theory, this one’s for you. Some watchers are so bent on the Rapture occurring on a future Rosh Hashanah that any other view for them is anathema. While I like the framework of the Rosh Hashanah Rapture theory, I remind us all that nobody knows the day or hour of our Lord’s return. He could return before the end of this long-winded blog. Our vision must be future focused with the continual reminder that our future here is no more sustainable than the man in the proverbial moon.
Anyone with any sense of finances can see that the powers-that-be are trying to swamp our national economic system; which will set us up to be part of a global economy. Me thinks this will happen, but only after we’re gone. It’s unfortunate that too many people who see this coming are preparing for it in all the wrong ways. Stock piling food, water, weapons, gold, silver, and medical supplies are not the way to prepare for the coming tribulation. While it’s good to have some supplies on hand for a ‘rainy day;’ the real way we prepare for the obviously coming apocalypse is to get saved and stay that way until the Master returns. Forward vision is forward thinking and planning; but we must not neglect the people who the Lord has called us to reach.
4. Hopelessness – when you can see the unsustainable future racing toward us and there’s nothing you can do.
People who are used to giving up when the going gets tough need to hear this. Outside of Jesus Christ Himself, we have no hope, none of us do. What Jesus has done for us in giving us eternal life through His death and resurrection is all the hope that we need in this hopeless world. People who don’t have Christ have no hope. They need hope and only Jesus can provide real hope.
Even people who are well off or wealthy need to consider that their wealth only works when everything else does. A collapsed society, and all that it entails, will level the playing field for everyone. Only those believing people who have placed their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus will be saved from the fallout. If you’re feeling hopeless, try Jesus; He is the only hope that humanity can possibly have that will be able to sustain us until the Lord returns and rescue us from the result of it.
5. Regret – longing to correct past mistakes by fantasizing about what you would have done differently.
I have a PhD. in regret and I can tell you as blessed as my life is, I have a lot of regrets about decisions that I have made or not made that I wish I could go back and change. Last I checked, nobody gets a redo on life; we are moving in a forward direction only. One of the joys of living for Jesus is knowing that as many mistakes that we may have made, He has forgiven us of them all. We may be dealing with the consequences of past decisions that we regret making, however, our dilemma is only a temporary one.
Looking back and longing for a redo with knowledge of what has occurred and what we have obtained thus far is not real; it’s a waste of time. I will admit it makes for a great sci-fi script, but in the end, it’s a worthless fantasy that leads to nowheresville. You may regret many things that you said or did in your past (we all have), but one thing is for sure, the Rapture will set all of that right. Once we’re out of here, our past is never going to haunt us again. The former things have passed away, behold, Christ has made all things new. (Revelation 21:5) While I will admit this is easier said than done; it’s the right mindset for a Rapture ready saint.
6. Distractions – when you would rather watch a rerun of a past favorite TV show than watch a watcher vlog.
I will admit, watching these Rapture vlogs can get pretty intense and tiring. I would say to you that one must limit what you heart can handle. This goes for overexposure to news outlets and other information portholes that may wreak havoc on your soul. I for one tend to watch a lot of what is happening in Israel as I pray for our brothers and sisters over there daily (Psalm 122:6-9). My heart breaks for the hostage situation and the many people who have been traumatized by the 10/7/23 attack and the resulting loss of their missing loved ones. We must pray for these precious people. I enjoy watching channels that provide perspective and hope with regard to the nearness of the Lord’s return. While it can be difficult to continually watch these channels and long for the Master; I find that it motivates me to improve my serve and increase my faith in the things of the Lord in everything that I do. Sometimes I will put a video on and listen to it while I work; it encourages me.
I am a Star Trek fan and I don’t get out very much. I have found that taking a ride on the USS Enterprise or the Federation Starship Voyager helps me to balance out my emotional disposition. I think that it has more to do with a show that is set 300 years into our future, which is far past the coming apocalypse, or what we like to call the tribulation. It’s set in a fictitious time where science and technology will advance considerably and peace, for the most part, will permeate the universe. This sounds a lot like the Millennial Reigh of Christ, where all of this and more can potentially happen. While I don’t subscribe to the evolutionary or the occasional jabs they take at the Judeo-Christian faith, I can however appreciate the effort being made for a solid story line in a very messed up world. This being said, please be careful what you watch as a distraction; sometimes they can be more damaging then they are worth. The Holy Spirit will guide you as you continue on.
7. Apathy – when you’re no longer interested in discovering new aspects to the nearness of the Lord’s return.
Sometimes if a person keeps focusing on the potential ‘high watch’ dates for the Rapture, which never happen; it can be a bit discouraging, especially if your life is less than stellar. Some folks are so fixated on the Lord’s return, which is mainly a result of their own life deficits, that when it seems that the Master is delaying His return for us (at least from their perspective), these same may tend to not care anymore. This is a trick from the enemy. Apathy means to not care; and not caring is not who God has called us to be. There is enough of a lack of care or concern for our fellow man in the world; it must not manifest itself within the church.
Back in the 80’s the Christian contemporary rock band DeGarmo and Key sang a song called Apathy Alert.
The lyrics go like this:
“I hear the news, I read the paper. There’s no choice, it fills your senses. I share the hurt, I share the heartbreak. It comes each day, the news is so relentless. My heart goes searching for a place to hide
I hear the voice of warning down inside.
Apathy alert; I hear the voice inside shouting to my heart.
Apathy alert; It’s time to do what’s right; it’s time for me to do my part.
Broken dreams and breaking hearts. Everyplace you look, but who can change it? What can I do all by myself?
I’m not a king and I’m no prophet; I hear a voice of warning down inside breaking the silence, breaking through the ice.”
While what was occurring in the 80’s is nothing compared to what is happening in our world today, the tendency to not care as a form of mental survival or a self-defense mechanism is just as possible. When we love Jesus, we love others. Our heart for the Father should be manifest in how we interact with our fellowman. If we don’t care, who will? We have to keep watching for the Lord and while we do, we must be about His business of serving others and sharing our faith to a lost and dying world. We must never stop caring for others.
8. Isolation – when you would rather stay home then engage in ministry, church fellowship, or outreach.
Too many believers are not willing to commit to some form of ministry within their local fellowship. They are all about going to church instead of being the church. We must not isolate ourselves from the masses. It’s up to us to be a light for Christ in the world; instead of hiding it from the world.
I get that the world can be a scary place, but anything on this side of the Rapture doesn’t compare to the world that is waiting for all those pour unfortunate souls on the other side who missed the Rapture. It’s easy to hide in our own little places of secrecy, safety, and complacency; however, the longer we isolate, the more time we waste that could have otherwise been used to be a witness. Put another way, it’s hard to shine our light to the world when we’re locked in a closet with Vanna White night after night after night after night. We need to get out there and live what we believe. The clock’s running and so should we; toward the fight!
9. Cynicism – when you become more pessimistic about the Rapture than you are hopeful for it.
There are a lot of folks out there who are becoming more and more cynical about the pre-tribulation Rapture; For them, it’s taking too long to happen. The truth be told, God is never early, He is never late, rather, He is always right on time. We need to be in sync with the Lord’s timing and be faithful to Him as we wait and watch for His return. It’s easy to become pessimistic about the Rapture, about watching, about high watch dates, and other Rapture related prompts.
All of this is part of the spiritual life journey for believers in Jesus who are living in these last moments of the last days. We must not allow negative thoughts or attitudes to permeate our being; but rather, clothe ourselves in Christ and remain hidden in Him. Too many people need to spend more time with the Lord in their prayer and devotional life and less time looking at the stars, trying to find the next high watch date. He will get here when He gets here; in the meantime, live your life to the fullest, planning long, but looking short.
10. Forgetfulness – when you forget what it was that Jesus did for you to provide the gift of salvation.
We must never forget what it took for us to be saved. What Jesus did on a cross two millennia ago set the tone for our faith. We need to remember when we were born again in Christ and how we lived our faith when we first got saved. Our faith should be growing each day as should our hope in the Lord. Watching, waiting, and working for the Lord is part of this ride, but we also must live our lives to the fullest and never forget what Jesus did for us to make us worthy for His kingdom; and what He still continues to do for us each day.
The sacred act of taking Holy Communion is commanded by the Lord to remind us of the great sacrifice He made on our behalf. The two elements, bread and juice, remind us of the broken body (flesh) and shed blood that provided us our salvation. Christ subsequent death and resurrection sealed the deal for our salvation and the total destruction of the devil. As believers in Jesus, we must not forget the power that resides within us in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Our salvation in Christ is the basis for everything that we do for Christ; and we must never forget why we wait, work, watch, and encourage others in their faith.
We’re almost home man of God (and our sisters too); keep the faith and don’t allow yourself to become fatigued while waiting for the Rapture, We must endure till the end and place our trust in Jesus, who is the final author and finisher of our faith.
Maranatha!
Encouragemen is a blog written by Pastor Rob Lee, recently relocated to Northern Missouri. He lives with his wife of 34-years, near their three adult children, their spouses, and children (their grandchildren). Pastor Rob is an Ordained Assemblies of God minister, a former Lead Pastor (25 years), police chaplain, and community advocate. He continues to serve, consult, and disciple men of God, including those who are in the ministry.
Encourage Men 