I like to say this phrase a lot, ‘this close to the Rapture, anything goes!’ It motivates me to keep doing for the Lord what He has charged me with. I sometimes see our brothers (sisters) in Christ waver at times in making forward moving decisions regarding their relationships, jobs, financial investments, kingdom investments, and even ministry endeavors, both locally (in their church) or abroad (short-term missions). Whatever God is calling you toward, this close to the Rapture, anything goes! I challenge you to be brave and sensitive to what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to you personally.
I just started a new job a few days ago. I am learning new things, doing new things, and trying to expand my vision to facilitate all that this job requires of me. At 61 I should be retiring, but I feel the Lord not only preparing me for this new task, but He has opened this door for me to walk through it. The problem was, I had to say ‘no’ to some other doors. I want to walk through all of the doors, but doing ‘two news’ at the same time can be devastating. Plato said it this way, ‘He who chases two rabbits, goes hungry.’ All I am saying is that God has called you to focus in on something; it usually begins with your family and moves from there. You wife and kids are the priority. In my case, it’s my wife and our adult off-spring and their kids, our grandkids. We want them well, we wish them well, and we pray daily for their providence. They are all serving Jesus. PTL!
Sometimes watchers tend to hold back on their service to the Lord. They tend to coast a bit when anticipating the Lord’s return. The sense of playing it safe during uncertain times can lead to a stalled advance; something that is not consistent with our ‘forceful advancement’ mandate that the Lord has given to us all.
Jesus said it this way, “And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.” – Matthew 11:12 – TLB
However you interpret this passage or no matter what version you are reading, I don’t see a passive or docile personality in the men of God who have been tasked with, and must continue to, advance God’s kingdom.
I was raised by an Italian woman. Me and my siblings didn’t get the chance to lay around and lollygag. For us, it was get up and get to work, do your chores or start a business. A forceful advance was implied in our cultured home environment. Me thinks it’s still the same for those of us with an entrepreneurial spirit; especially as we move closer to the Rapture. We are to be working, doing, planning, building, and much more for the Lord in these last days. This fits the motif for what the world would look like when Jesus returns for His Church.
Jesus said it this way, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” – Luke 17:26-30
I hear people talking about three days of darkness just before the Lord returns. This is not consistent with the words of Jesus. I hear talk of pending economic crashes, nuclear attacks, and military invasions. Again, as long as the Church is on the earth, we can make a difference; a big difference. Our prayers of provision and restraint are what keep God’s hand of providence upon us all; saved or lost. It’s not perfect here, but God is working.
Imagine how millions and millions of Christians are praying for God’s peace and protection for our country, Israel, the middle east at large, and for God’s wisdom for all leaders. God hears those prayers and He honors them. We are making a major difference in keeping evil at bay beginning with our prayers. Our presence here alone, with the Holy Spirit’s power working within us, continues to capture the agenda of the enemy, at least until we are gone. I get bad things still happen now, but what’s coming after we’re gone will be much worse.
Paul said it this way, “And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:6,7
- The Spirit filled Church globally is restraining the coming of the antichrist and his evil agenda for this world. He can’t move until we are gone. This passage screams pre-tribulation Rapture.
A lot of the spiritual hosts of wickedness have been manifesting into the natural realm recently; be it demons, UFOs, unfamiliar spirits, or false images that reveal themselves momentarily, and then are gone. All of this is part of the deception that is coming to explain away the soon coming global vanishings. This same type of phenomena will have a more permanent presence after we’re gone; much to the horror of those left behind. This is due to the Great Restrainer who is currently at work on the earth just now, but whose retraining power will be relinquished at the Rapture. While the Church is here, we can and must make a difference!
Our role is to keep things moving forward. We need to keep our ministries active and our purposes clear; especially as it relates to the Lord’s kingdom agenda. In essence, we have a lot of work that still needs to be done and we must keep at it until we are no longer here to work. There are a lot of people to reach, encourage, and pray for (with). We need to keep our witness active and our example good. All of this is part and parcel to living in these last days, this close to the Rapture.
If God has called you to do something, take the risk, step out in faith and do it; even if it means saying ‘no’ to something else. Ask the Lord to guide you and give you the faith it takes to make the jump. You have to decide who you are going to serve and please; hopefully it will be the Lord and those who are closest to you. Either way, the clock is running and each day the Lord gives us is one more day to advance His kingdom here. I get there’s a lot of garbage out there; but we need to be light and salt to this dark and tasteless world. We are light, we have the Light, and we need to make our light shine so that others will see it and this will bring glory to the Lord who has called us to it and to them.
Stay in the fight man of God, we’re almost home. Until then, keep pressing in and on. God is with you.
The Spirit of the Lord is within you. You have what it takes to do and be who God has called you to be. Greater it He that is within you than the thing you’re staring down. (1 John 4:4b) Remember, this close to the Rapture, anything goes!’
Maranatha!
Encourage Men 