I’ve written elsewhere that I once heard an evangelist back in the mid-’70s preach during a city crusade that he believed the unthinkable would happen in America. It would take place just before the Rapture of the Church.
The evangelist believed that, just as the debauched society and, by then, totally anti-God governmental agencies would be about to grab Christians around their throats, the Rapture would occur.
A significant puzzlement to me is that so many who are truly born again (John 3:3)don’t seem to concern themselves with the tremendous evil that is building. They don’t seem to even notice that in the freest nation on the planet, the powers and principalities of Ephesians 6:12 are grasping to clutch and strangle believers.
Those who faithfully read articles such as those on Rapture Ready and other such forums exhibit concern for the evil pressures that are building. But God’s people in general–and I’m talking about those who are born again(and only God knows those who are in His family)– show little concern, it seems to me, while the anti-God forces do their nefarious work.
This is attributable in large part to neglect in the pulpits of America. Pastors and Bible teachers would rather not touch prophetic topics–particularly not prophecy yet future. We’ve noted before that they find those biblical areas too frightening to their flocks, too difficult to understand, or just of no importance for these modern times. Besides, such troubling messages might drive down attendance, thus dry up offerings.
And the evil pressures build…
Again, all we have to do is to look at the political scene in the nation. One party has all but publicly committed to abandoning anything to do with the God of the Bible. As a matter of fact, that party is seeking to totally debauch our society and culture. This is obvious, yet the pulpits for the most part remain silent on the fact that this very condition for the end of the Church Age was prophesied. God’s Word, through the Apostle Paul, forewarned and instructed those responsible for overseeing God’s people in the last days:
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
Evil pressure builds within the church itself. Just a cursory glance at what’s going on in some areas of a growing number of religious bodies that claim to be Christian lays bare the truth of Satan’s assault.
One such organization claiming Christianity as its belief system shows the lateness of this Laodicean hour:
The Vision Church of Atlanta, Georgia, a progressive congregation, has added a psychic medium who claims to commune with the dead to their staff.
Lakara Foster, who holds a doctorate of ministry from the Interdenominational Theological Center, is now a licensed minister at the Vision Church of Atlanta, Rolling Out reported. She is also the creator and star of the YouTube series “The Gift,” which she argues God told her to do. It follows her life as a medium, minister, and spiritual teacher.
“God told me to do the show. Honestly, I was reluctant at first because I felt very vulnerable and thought I would get a lot of pushback and negative feedback being a minister and a medium. I thought people wouldn’t understand but I knew I still had to do it. I knew I had been called to do it. When I asked God, ‘Why this gift? Why not singing?’ God said, ‘I promised my people eternal life. How will my people know that I’ve kept promise if you don’t demonstrate your gift?’” she told Rolling Out. (“Vision Church of Atlanta adds psychic medium to ministerial staff,” By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post reporter , Friday, May 24, 2019)
That the church medium is surprised she has received little to no pushback is itself surprising. The changes taking place within various denominations are becoming a ho-hum part of the quickly evolving reality. It would be a good bet, if a gambler, to wager that most Christians in the pews today would see little to nothing wrong with what this “psychic” said.
Pastors in the pews of Bible-believing churches are silent for the most part, for example. They just don’t want to get involved in these extrabiblical machinations–only they’re not extrabiblical. Read 2 Timothy 4:1-4 above once again. It is the minister’s God-ordained commission to fight against such heresy, especially as the last days of the Church Age manifest.
After considering the evil pressures and actions assaulting this generation, it is true that there is opposite and equal reaction. This comes from God, Himself, it is obvious and provable through watching things going on, particularly within the American political war being waged. To my way of thinking, the fact that this president remains alive–that is, not assassinated because of the hatred cast his way–much less that he continues to work hard for the American people–is nothing short of miraculous. Every evil influence has been brought to bear in trying to destroy Mr. Trump and his family. The mainstream media, the entire entertainment industry, the increasingly reprobate opposition party, America’s top intelligence agency heads, nearly half of the American populace, and even members of his own party who hate him spend 24/7 feverishly trying to remove him from office in whatsoever way possible.
The spiritual war going on is made obvious, too, by the fact that Christian leaders like Franklin Graham, Robert Jeffress, and many others have called for prayer for the president and for the nation. This call is as desperately needed as at any time in human history.
God, alone, is holding back the evil that is assaulting. This is undeniable to the Christian who believes in God’s Word and applies himself or herself to study of the Word.
Why more Christians are comporting themselves as if in a stupor is extremely troubling. Don’t be one of those who refuse to look up from your life’s routine in order to see that Christ’s promised redemption is drawing near (Luke 21: 28). Take part in the Lord’s heavenly restraint through prayer and study, in order to discern the signs that Christ is about to return.
Terry James Prophecy Line 
Ty.
Excellent article Terry. You are one of the ways that I keep up with what is going on and how it relates to Bible Prophecy. What you do is very valuable to me and to many others. As we were driving home from church today, we passed by a church that had a sign out front that said, “they would rather see two men holding hands, instead of two men holding guns”….isn’t that lovely and peaceful? But it is gay pride month after all….
Close watch at tv commercials reveal sin is no longer ashamed to be put in our faces for our young to be brainwashed.
Dear Terry I know you are busy, but I have one question on eschatology I do not understand. We know that at the middle of the 70th week the Antichrist will set up the abomination of desolation in the rebuilt temple. At this time Jesus says for those in Judea to flee to the mountains. It appears that in Petra God will provide for these people. However at the end of the 70th week,42 months later according to Zehcariah 12-14 all nations will come against Jerusalem. If the Jews are already in the wilderness why do all nations come against Jerusalem when the Jews are in the wilderness? I do not kniw who to ask. I had the temerity to send an email to Olive Tree Ministries but I was told they are too busy and I understand. The Lord bless you. Ted
The nations –led by Antichrist– will come against Jerusalem for the same reason Satan, when loosed from the bottomless pit at the end of the thousand year Reign of Christ, will lead all rebels to take the Holy city.
Satan knows that is the “apple of God’s Eye”.
Satan is insane –an absolute, reprobate mind (Romans chapter 1). He needs no more reason than that. Neither will Antichrist nor the armies that will follow him. They will be insane from their rejection of God.
We see that insanity beginning to manifest today in earth’s rebels.
Amen Pastor Terry…Anyone who does not see or for that matter care about the attack on this President, on Christians and conservatives is just short of being blind…I always go back to the scripture that says they will going about like business as usual, and that is what we are seeing,people are going camping, marrying, excited about the next trip they are going on, no one is hardly concerned about Christ’s coming, I talk about it to people they either think I’ m a conspiracy theorist or too “religious”. I try and tell people God is not about religion, it’s a relationship and if you know whats going to be happening soon, wouldn’t you tell your own son, well God is the same way he told us all that would happen in the Bible, but they don’t believe the Bible, it’s too old, you can’t put your whole life in that book, forgetting that even if they don’t believe in God, that book was written 2000 years ago, I know history of man dates back 6000 years but, Jesus walked 2000 years ago. I tell people this book will live on as it has through the last 2000 years, but you will die, people just don’t want to believe things are going to changing drastically, I truly believe in my heart that they are scared or like the bible says, scoffers will come in the last says saying where is this coming, ever since the fathers fell asleep all things have continued as it was before….that is what people r saying…nothing is gonna happen, I’m gona die old. People actually believe that!
We are at huge spiritual war right now Sir. It is crazy!!! But I just keep looking up because my redemption is drawing near….hallelujah! I’m going home soon to be with my King…..I look forward to the day when I will no longer live in this human body and I will be sinless, wow!! that is gona be marvelous, no more sin….I think that is the best part, none of us will be sinless till the Lord comes for us, and changes us!
I think there may be many reasons that even genuine Christians may not be showing concern about the growing evil.
Perhaps constant exposure is rendering them insensitive to it.
Maybe they are buying into the “non-judgmental” mindset most churches now are peddling – so that anything goes.
Or maybe its a case of growing among the thorns where the cares and concerns of the world have completely distracted them from what is really important.
Possibly a lot of them are too young to have the perspective we old-timers have – to see just far we have fallen as the decades have rolled by.
It is likely it may be a combination of these and others I haven’t mentioned here.
Whatever the case, it certainly is a real problem which I have a hunch will only get worse the deeper we travel into these last days.
David Wilkerson preached a message that will explain most of what we see going on in GOD’S house. Not in the church- because the church includes only the ones that are born again. See part of it. you can find the message on the internet:
David Wilkerson: Witchcraft in the Church! – posted by sermonindex (), on: 2010/3/15 23:35
David Wilkerson: Witchcraft in the Church!
“A number of witches are going about the country today, warning that Satanists are infiltrating the church – especially charismatic churches. Some of these former witches have authored books telling of a diabolical plot by evil witches to enter congregations posing as super-spiritual Christians. Their purpose is to deceive and shipwreck pastors and to lead multitudes of naive believers into occult worship.
Many of these evil witches, they say, are already firmly established in numerous churches, controlling both the pastor an d congregation and causing great confusion, wickedness, divorce–even death. We have received many letters in our office from people who say they believe their pastor must be under some kind of demonic influence–and I believe many of these letters are very legitimate.”
I have seen for myself that this is true.
Amen & Amen Terry! Wonder if that Pastor you referenced might be David Wilkerson?? Because I’ve been sensing in my spirit JUST those concerns you have..& how true persecution is coming to America to born again believers..so I felt the Lord compelling me to listen to David Wilkersons message from the 70`s about a warning of what’s coming..mainly to America. Talk about putting things in perspective!! Wow! Hey, thank you, Terry, for all you do for us, it is SUPER important. We thank God for you. Shalom & Maranatha. In Jesus, Christy