Wednesday, December 13, 2017

December 13 Thought for the day...now is the time!


I can sense the move of God stirring everywhere. I see Him drawing people, and at the same time, I see people become deluded by the enemy. I see humility being poured through people and I see arrogance rising. However, thankfully I am mostly seeing people grow hungrier and hungrier for the Lord. God is on the move I see it in my church every day, this is not the next outpouring but the groundwork for the next outpouring. God is on the move, and His timing is everything!

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. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 2 Thessalonians 2: 6-8

I know we all see evil in the world. People blame the devil for a lot of it but sadly the devil is not directly involved in most of it, the flesh is more responsible than the devil. It makes people feel better if they can blame the devil. Most of the enemies power is being "restrained" by the Holy Spirit.

Paul didn't spend much time with the Thessalonian church, but he felt an understanding of the end times was an important doctrine that they needed to grasp, and so do we. Paul says the Holy Spirit is restraining the enemies advances. The word translated "restraining" means to hold down, suppress, hold back, control, limit, delay. You see the Holy Spirit is limiting the power of the devil because the Father's heart is for people to come to Jesus (2 Peter 3:9).

When the enemy is released a full-on deception will take place. Conviction of the Holy Spirit will no longer be felt by people, real love will no longer be known. All the things we take for granted now will diminish because the only way we know love, joy, peace, selflessness, kindness, goodness, and so much more will disappear over night. People will no longer repent of the sin but will choose an even greater rebellion, making the anti-Christ god.

Once again it will be as if a curtain has been drawn back ( the translation of revealed). God is in complete control, He is pouring out His Spirit, always on the church, breaking our hearts for the lost so that we might share the greatest story every told. He wants the world to know that He is real, His power is real, and anyone can have a real relationship with Him. In the Old Testament, we see numerous examples where God allowed people to choose what side they would be on before He poured out judgment.

I don't know when that day is coming. What I am thrilled about is the way the Lord is pouring out His Spirit, especially in our church right now. It is very sweet and gentle but at the same time to those who are willing, powerful. He loves people and wants them all in heaven with Him so he is strengthening us, blessing us, preparing us so the world can see Jesus. The enemy is easily held back by God so we can share and people can receive.

How many people in your life have yet to come to Christ? Pray for them, pray the Lord opens opportunities for them to receive, through you, this life-changing message. Jump into what God is doing, sticking your toes in the water of what He is doing is never going to get you to where you want to go...luke warm Christianity kills. Now is the time to dive in 100%

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