The world, as everyone is familiar with, has now ended up in the pages of history. A new normal that has quite an unpleasant aftertaste is almost set to be hanging around for some time.
For the many that believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, the state of the planet in its current form speaks of the nearness of this glorious moment. There is indeed excitement when all the major prophetic indicators are not just converging but doing so at an incredible pace. It could happen at any moment!
However, this heightened sense of exhilaration is heavily laced with anxiety. The unkind manmade facelift on the distressed planet has generated an endless stream of worries. Famine, war, economic collapse, further pandemics, and other oppressive regimens are in the cards. All these have not arrived at the point of fruition, but the stage-setting is enough to account for sleepless nights, if not jangled nerves.
The rapture is thus viewed by the many in the above-mentioned state of mind as the ultimate escape route. The mind is only trained on these upcoming nasties but very little on what the Heavenly Father has in store for the genuine believer in the light of His infinite grace and mercy.
Some of these folks could have a word-for-word ability when it comes to reciting Proverbs 3:5-6. They merely scratched the surface with the verbatim, but the power in the semantics has seemingly eluded them. Do they understand the meaning of trusting the Lord one hundred percent, having no place for their knowledge, preconceived notions and emotions? Do they acknowledge His sovereign status where all aspects of their lives matter? Do they let Him do the talking and direct the walking?
Sad to say, these people who swim in the thick of a barrage of happenings have little time to look at the tender mercies which are through the loving Hand of the Lord. Simply said, their focus is merely on one side of the matter. They are mesmerized and terrified by what evil men can do. They simply let this overwhelm them to the point where helplessness sets in. A dismal situation where they cannot set their eyes on the omnipotence and omnipresence of the Living God!
“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies. What do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time” (Nahum 1:7-9).
It is without a doubt that all of us in the Body of Christ desire a swift departure from this fallen planet. The quicker means that what the wicked crowd has in mind for us could be out of reach. But when we are hanging around as days go by, there is cause for worry. This notion has to be out the window. These bad people are part of the creation; what is planned in smoke-filled meeting rooms can be overruled by the mighty Hand of the Creator!
“And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 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).
Things are really not great at this moment in time, but it could have been far worse if not for the restraining power – the Holy Spirit in every believer that is part of the Bride of Christ. You could be bombarded with a pitiless narrative, but take heart – what is planned has some way to go. We are the reason for this – the salt and light that keeps the rot at bay; we have to be removed through the rapture before all hell on earth breaks loose!
Mention of specific timetables with combat precision might be a frightener. But all these best-laid plans of an evil cabal can be laid waste by the mighty Hand of the Lord.
“But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible'” (Matthew 19:26).
The problem with the fallen nature in mankind is this: there is an innate tendency to discount, disregard and dismiss the limitless possibilities which God can provide. There is still that element of unbelief in all of us; it varies from person to person. We can only overcome this deficit by drawing closer to our Heavenly Dad. Through regular quiet moments dedicated to prayer and Godly meditations, there is that certain peace that surpasses all human understanding.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ” (Philippians 4:6-7).
We should lift up our hearts, knowing that our redemption is around the corner. Make it a daily practice until the harpazo moment comes. Be not dismayed when it seems to take a very long time. Bear in mind that we are not alone; the omnipotent and omnipresent God is with us all the way. Challenges, trials and testings will come our way, but be not dismayed; He is on our side as long as we believe in Him. He will see us through, no questions asked. We expected the worse in 2021; we got through. The same was indeed so for 2022. Any difference in 2023? The rapture perhaps! Maybe not, but He will still see us through. Whatever taunts aimed at undermining our faith in the Lord will be silenced by His Hand of grace and mercy. On this note, quit disbelieving and start believing!
“And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
Maranatha
Edwin
Contact me at edwinuk13@gmail.com