Wednesday, April 1, 2020

THE COMING NEW WORLD ORDER




                                  by pastor Mike Taylor

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9-11)

I've had people email me with questions concerning the topic of the coming Beast power and this “mark of the beast”. One lady ask me “can you unwittingly take the mark, and not know that you just did?”

 Another person framed his question around the acceptance of the Mark of the Beast and a 'paradox' he sees facing those who might accept it under coercion, when he asked:
is it something God will forgive, if you are forced into taking this mark because you are fearful for the safety of your family, your kids, or the life of your spouse?”



These both are good questions for those who are fearful of the coming Tribulation and are afraid they will go through this time of devastation that will come upon the whole earth. To answer them, we must go to the source of our learning of this most important question, your Bible.

First of all, the mark of the Beast is not just an economic ability to continue some form of life, some liberty, and some form of happiness by being able to do business in a Beast power run One World government system.


16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:16-17)


Besides being a symbol of economic participation, the Mark of the Beast is first and foremost a worship system. So now, we have crossed over from the material to the spiritual. 
14 “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” (Revelation 13:14-15)

One must understand, that by taking the “mark” you have just joined the demonic church of the Anti-Christ and have promised allegiance to him and to worship at his feet.

But the bible makes it plain that you cannot serve two masters. You will either hate the one and love the other. You can't have it both ways. Jesus made it plain in the 16th chapter of Luke:


10 “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
13No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16:10-13)

To the question of whether or not accepting the Mark to save a life is paradoxical, James answers that question with a question of his own


"14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:14-17

Mortal men have a concept of what life is on this earth. But with that in mind, there are two distinct and separate understandings of 'life' at work here. There is our understanding of life in the physical, under which one might be tempted to take the Mark of the Beast, say to save one's child or spouse. 
Then there is God's understanding of life. Physical life is granted to us so that we can choose where we will spend eternity.  Will we spend it with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, or will we be separated for all eternity away from the source of life? Our physical life was given to us, each of us, for one purpose. That purpose is what will you do with the God/man, Jesus Christ? Will you accept His free gift of salvation or will you reject it?

EVERYONE WANT TO GO HEAVEN, BUT NOBODY WANTS TO DIE


Obviously, in the physical realm, the choice between life and death is a hard choice to make. The physical man wants to live as long as he can. It's called a sympathetic nervous system response, or “fight or flight”...it is part of our humanity, our DNA if you will. Our spiritual choice of where we want to spend eternity must take precedence over the physical aspect of our earthly self in the physical realm. Each of us are given the freedom to choose...in this case, choose wisely, choose Jesus.
But is the Bible specific concerning the choice to accept the Mark of the Beast and worship his image?  As the opening verses that began this message confirms, the decision to take the mark of the beast has eternal consequences for that person's soul.
In actuality, there really is no paradox here, as it is the same choice that was given by Joshua to the nation of Israel when they entered into the promise land:
"And if it seem evil   unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)
It has been the same in any pagan empire when men were made to choose to worship or not to worship a ruling dictator even from ancient times. During the time of the Roman Empire, whole families were thrown to the lions because they refused to worship Caesar as a god. Every year the people under Roman rule were commanded to come before an idol of the current Caesar and burn incense to him and worship at the feet of this idol and proclaim Caesar, their god. Those who failed to do this act, which was required once a year, were condemned as disloyal to the Roman Empire and were killed in martyrdom by whatever heinous way that the Roman authorities could dream up. It was usually in the Colosseum in Rome for their blood sport games.

Now that is not an easy choice to make because of our “fight or flight” nervous system that wants to preserve our lives and the lives of our loved ones at any cost.
Those who accept a martyr's death are promised a crown, but nowhere does the Bible grant an exemption for those who reject Jesus, coercion notwithstanding. Not in the Church Age, and not during the Tribulation. 
"Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it." (Luke 17:33)
In Matthew, Jesus gave His disciples, and us, this warning:
24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”(Matthew 16:23-25)

THE TRIBULATION IS ON THE HORIZON

Everyone who listens to the news, knows something strange is happening in our world right now. We have never seen Bible prophecy come together so quickly, as it is right now. Here in the land of the free, and home of the brave, our freedoms are under attack, and the rest of the world is falling sway for the beginning of a New World order. I looked online for these symptoms of a coming One World Government and its cohort of a One World Religion and none of us have seen these details facing everyone of us who live upon this earth.


ONE WORLD RELIGION TO BE PROPOSED THIS MAY
  1. It is reported that in May of this year, the “pope” in Rome will make a push for a One World religion...
    Some have claimed this Pope is trying to establish ONE WORLD RELIGION to facilitate his globalist beliefs.
It’s hard to argue that claim.
Pope Francis claims that we are all meeting God in different ways?( DC Clothesline and DC Dirty Laundry)
Is the Pope, the false prophet?
  1. The so-called Coronavirus Pandemic” Crisis:
If crisis is a means by which Democrats achieve their political ends — and it is; just think of their famous “never let a crisis go to waste” playbook — then imagine what coronavirus means to the globalists.
What a dizzying opportunity for them to achieve massive goals.
This is new world order time.

Not only is America’s economy crashing. Not only have the world’s producers come to a grinding halt. But citizens are in fear. They don’t know who or what to believe. They’re hunkering in homes, at government’s order. Police are in the streets, enforcing quarantines due to this Coronavirus.
Churches have closed their doors — some of ‘em, because they face the threat of fines and court action if they don’t. (The Washington Times)

A former British Prime Minister has called for the creation of a global government to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.
Contemplating the emerging financial crisis, Brown believes that there should be advocacy for the emerging world markets within the G20 countries through his proposed global taskforce. 
We need some sort of working executive,” he said. (can you say Anti-Christ?)
If I were doing it again, I would make the G20 a broader organization because in the current circumstances you need to listen to the countries that are most affected, the countries that are making a difference and countries where there is the potential for a massive number of people to be affected – such as those in Africa.”
  1. Forced Vaccination of ID 2020

The ID 2020 alliance has launched a new digital identity program at its annual summit in New York, in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, vaccine alliance Gavi, and new partners in government, academia, and humanitarian relief.
The program to leverage immunization as an opportunity to establish digital identity was unveiled by ID2020 in partnership with the Bangladesh Government’s Access to Information (a2i) Program, the Directorate General of Health Services, and Gavi, according to the announcement.
Digital identity is a computerized record of who a person is, stored in a registry. It is used, in this case, to keep track of who has received vaccination.
Digital identities and access systems are foundational elements of our shared digital future. They offer tremendous opportunities for individuals and society, especially for those without formal ID. ... It is critical to deliberate on who should create, control and benefit from people's identity information”

Being produced and pushed by none other than Bill Gates, former owner of Microsoft. On that website, it says this:
Our digital activity increasingly parallels our real-world activity. Participation in the modern economy, the ability to buy and sell, attain employment, healthcare, social services and more are virtually impossible without a digital identity. In May of 2016, at the United Nations Headquarters in NY, ID2020, an alliance of governments, non-profits, academia, over 150 private sector companies and 11 United Nations agencies collaborated on how to provide a unique digital identity to everyone on the planet.

    4.AGENDA 2030 and SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

    then, not the least of which we have discussed, the deployment of Sustainable Development, and Agenda 2030 to control every man and woman on this planet to prevent “Climate Change” problems and proposing “depopulation” of the planet.

    5. Enforcment of mandatory Coronavirus Vaccine:

    With Bill Gates stepping down from Microsoft and putting all his resources for the ID2020 alliance in December they will include chips in mandatory vaccines. Interesting how the virus came just shortly after this event but no one is talking about it. I believe the coronavirus is real, but not a natural virus. The thought of having to do a mandatory vaccine with an ID chip makes me very fearful. Mandatory vaccines of the future I believe to kill our immune system and depopulate us. They wont let you buy anything, travel or drive without this vaccine. Denmark is already enforcing it on the public. Not only privacy concerns but this can't be good for our health and immune system. We will be extremely susceptible to disease? Like it makes me feel like taking care of my health will do nothing now because of this vaccine coming. I’m not even an anti-vaxxer or a conspiracy theorist. But this freaks me out so much. I legit couldn't sleep last night with these fears. I also hear Bill Gates is an advocate for depopulation on a deep level. I am torn on what to believe and need some rational thinking here.” (TeamBlind.com)

Noting that winter influenza kills more people than this Coronoavirus has ever done, why the big push for vaccinations? Especially since they have been rapidly produced and not tested for safety on animals, or humans. Could the vaccine be more dangerous than this so-called “Pandemic”?
Note also, that the proof of vaccinations will be a “tattoo” on your right arm....haven't heard it being in you forehead YET!....but is this the run-up to the “mark of the beast”?

THE END OF THE AGE, CLOSE AT HAND.

There is a terrible conflict in progress between God and the devil. It has raged through the centuries since Lucifer, heaven's most powerful angel, rebelled against God. With the angels who joined him, he attempted to overcome God and seize control of the universe. God and the loyal angels had no choice but to eject Lucifer and his angels from heaven. Lucifer, who became known as the devil and Satan, was infuriated. His determination to destroy God and control the universe has grown with every passing year. Amazingly, he has won the support of the vast majority of earth's people in his rebellion. The Lord also asks for people's loyalty and support, but He leaves all free to choose. Soon every person on earth will have aligned with either Satan or God.
This will become more of a choice between good and evil in the coming time known as the Tribulation, or Jacobs troubles in this close of the Age of Grace we now live in.
If you think that the world is in chaos now, wait until tens of millions of people suddenly vanish from this planet, in what is well known as the coming Rapture of the Church, the True Church of the Living God, or the Bride of our Lord Jesus.


6 “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2nd Thessalonians 2:6-10)

SATAN WILL BE UNLEASHED DURING THE TRIBULATION.


Satan from the beginning of time, and the creation of mankind, has been restrained from doing anything against God's creation unless he was allowed. Even though Satan is the “prince and power of the air” and the “god of this world”, Almighty God, Jehovah, God our Father has held back complete, unbridled evil to fill the Lord God's creation. Our God has used Satan as an instrument of free choice...our own free will to choose evil or to chose good, since man fell and sin began to reign in our world. God created a free moral agent with a will to love God without coercion of any sort.



So those who enter this time of extreme temptation with the possibility of the loss of their life all around them, will have free will choices to make that most certainly will effect their eternal destination. All who choose to take the mark of the beast and align themselves with Satan and his minion on earth, the Anti-Christ will save their physical life for a short time, but they will loose their eternal soul to a devil's hell to be tormented by separation from a Holy God and the Author of anything that is good in this life, or the next.
It won't be by mistake, or slight of hand to take this mark without full conscious knowledge of what you are doing.



HOW IS A PERSON SAVED DURING THIS TIME THEN?

As a companion question along with the mark of beast inquiry, I'm also asked then who can be saved and how?
To answer that question, it would seem that it is just the same as during the Age of Grace that we are now in. They will be saved by grace through faith, but that is not exactly accurate during the time when the Holy Spirit is withdrawn to Pre-Pentecostal manifestation and this coming seven year period when the Age of Grace has ended with the removal of the Bride of Christ in the rapture.
The Tribulation is the final unfulfilled week of the Age of the Law or the final week of Daniel's 70 week of years. It will be a return to the Old Testament revelation of God's Spirit dealing with men on an individual basis, but not sealing them, as the church is sealed in this age of Grace , and as the 144,000 Jewish evangelist are sealed during the Tribulation.


Revelation Chapter 7 describes an event so unique that Jesus devotes an entire chapter to its discussion. It describes a special 'sealing' of "the servants of our God in their foreheads."
3Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”(Revelation 7:3-4)

These 'servants of God' are twelve thousand Jewish male virgins chosen from each of the twelve tribes of Israel -- 144,000 in all.  They are unique from all other men and women during this period known as the tribulation.
They are sealed in a miraculous manner, by the direct intervention of God, in exactly the same way Church Age believers are, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  They are forever sealed for future glory and are given a deposit of God's Holy Spirit, as Paul spoke of in Ephesians:


13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
During this time, the 144,000 Jewish evangelist are sealed with God's Holy Spirit, just the same as Christians are sealed during the Church Age, the Age of Grace. But it is not so with anyone else who may be saved during this time of the coming tribulation. As the Holy Spirit has been withdrawn liken to the time of King David or the prophets who were selected in who God's Holy Spirit indwelt in Old Testament times. And by extention, you can also loose it during this period as God's Holy Spirit was selective during Old Testament times because Christ had not been sacrificed yet. During this time, salvation will be most easily lost, because of unbridled evil and persecution during which many will be martyred and seek to save their own life...goes back to that “fight or flight” phenomenon that man possesses.



During this time of this great temptation and evil that has taken control of the earth, everything and near everyone is evil beyond your wildest imagination, there will be believers in the Tribulation who will succumb to the Antichrist's coercion and accept his mark to save their families and their own lives. And Scripture is clear that those who do are forever lost. 
Those who become believers will be saved by faith in Christ by enduring until the end, as in the Church Age, but without the guarantee of eternal security or the automatic indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  That is why Jesus spoke that this time will be worst that mankind has ever seen and if the time was not shortened, “no flesh would be saved.” (Matthew 24:22)


WARNING TO THOSE THIS SIDE OF THE TRIBULATION

Those of you that have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as has been preached nearly world-wide and has permeated just about every nook and cranny of every country in the nations, but many scoff at the message and refuse to turn away from their sinful lifestyle here in the USA and around the world. Many were not taught by their parents, much to the abdication of duty what parents are suppose to do by bringing up their children in the admonition of the Lord. But maybe those parents weren't taught either, but learned the sin of the world on their own and reveled in that sin and allowed the same for their children.

You all will be thrown headlong into a time of great temptation and evil that will abound. With the effort of the 144, 000 Jewish evangelist, the two witnesses at the Temple Mount proclaiming the Gospel, many will be saved, but their very lives and their salvation will be in danger. Conversely, many will refuse and have pleasure in their unrighteousness. Those actually saved can still loose their salvation, and if not, their very lives in martyrdom because of their being steadfast in the belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, but what did Jesus warn those who enter into this time?

9 “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:9-13)
Many will be saved, but many will continue in the unrighteousness along with those who are confused and wonder what just happened when millions of people suddenely vanished from the earth. God will send them a strong delusion:


10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12)

As I've warned in many past sermons, many still wonder who the “HE” is in verse 7 of 2nd Thessalonians chp. 2 quoted above in this message. The popular solutions to the identity of the restrainer is that the man of lawlessness is being held back from unhindered evil on earth. Then what is holding back or restraining evil in this world and when taken out of the way, will allow the “man of sin” to reveal himself, but not until then? Many postulate wrongly that its Michael the ark angel, some other angelic being, or some spiritual/political person on the earth (I've heard many bizarre explanations of who the restrainer is), but there is only one Power on earth that has been holding back the complete takeover of the earth by Satan's minions, and that is the Holy Spirit of God that dwells within every born again believer alive on this earth in the past and in the present. When that POWER, the Holy Spirit along with those He indwells is removed, then God's Spirit will “step back” and allow evil to take hold of this world like no human has ever seen.

Then all those who are so unfortunate to enter this time will have two choices in front of them. They will either choose Satan and the man he indwells, the Anti-Christ and take his mark, or choose Jesus Christ the Son of God. There is no other choice. Many will be deluded into believing a lie. Some will see through the lies and believe what the 144,000 Jewish Evangelist are preaching and believe by faith. Their faith will be sorely tested to endure until the end. Picture yourself trying to endure unrelenting torture, or the butchering of your wife or kids right before your eyes. It will be much pressure on those who come to Christ during this period, because evil men will use every tool that have to get to to recant and take the mark and worship the Anti-Christ.

12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:12-14)

And the world will be extremely evil place where people will betray their own family members:

 “ Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” (Luke 12:53)

I know I am describing a most horrible existence that anyone should want to avoid at all cost. There is coming a time in the near future when what I'm talking about will be up close and personal for every human being left on this planet. Suddenly and without any warning, millions of people will vanish off of the face of the earth. Many will scoff and say that we believe an escape hatch to avoid the coming persecution and tribulation that shall cover this whole world, because much like a Catholic purgatory, they believe we will all have to go through this time of God's wrath along with an insane dictator hunting down all who refuse his mark, or his worship. But I prefer to believe that instead of an escape, we receive “victory in Jesus”. Instead of the wrath of God that will come down on this earth, we are promised a victory from the wrath of God and evil to come by the Beast power.
6 “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” (1st Thessalonians 5:6-10)

And our glorified Lord God, Jesus Christ proclaimed to John the Apostle in Revelation.
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
 11, Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:10)

Our Lord promised those of us who accept His free gift of salvation by believing on Him, by faith and trusting Him as the Son of God, and our Redeemer who paid the price for our eternal life by His perfect sacrifice on a Roman cross, will not see the coming wrath of God, but will be kept from that hour. Or will you see the coming Tribulation with the heinous Anti-Christ, Satan indwelling within this man, because of your unbelief?

The beginning of Tribulation is an event that will come without warning, and the removal of the church will be in an instant:
51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal mustput on immortality.
54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1st Corinthians 15:51-55)

There is only one way to avoid something so horrible that I am describing and it is found in One Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. It boils down to the Gospel message and the promises laid down in your bible, that each of us have to believe in our heart of hearts, by faith not by sight. Jesus is our only Hope and all other ways are false and lead to damnation. As Jesus proclaimed:


Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
As the Apostle Peter proclaimed concerning Jesus:
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Many who be reading this message, may have heard this message all your life, but have failed to make a decision for your eternal destiny and your salvation. May I ask you, “What are you waiting for?”...Your life is but a vapor. It could end tomorrow. You were born to make that decision either for or against accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior. To continue in rebellion against a Holy God, by continuing to try and save yourself, will lead all who think such foolishness to experience what I briefly have outlined and confirmed in God's Holy Word. The other side of God's Age of Grace and the free gift of His only Begotten Son for your salvation is a time of unspeakable horror and the coming of the mark of the beast. Will you survive its evil? Maybe, but probably not.

8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)



This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying your deliverance from a most evil period in mankind's history coming to all who miss taking God's free gift found in Jesus Christ, my Lord....if you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening, friendly ear..email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com,  God bless you all, 


TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET

Monday, March 30, 2020

When the Restrainer Is Gone





by Joseph Chambers
Revelation 4
4 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

     The Devil is under great restraint until the Rapture. But remember, he is restrained only for the Blood-washed saints. He has an unlimited right to attack, accuse, or take captive those whose lives are opened t him because of their wicked ways. If you are rebellious, disobedient, attacking good anointed people, the devil is free to attack you. I fear for my enemies, and the list is quite long, because Satan is free to destroy them. Spirit of uncleanness, sodomy, fornication, etc is taking multitudes captive.
     The Bible speaks of evil spirits that take people captive at their will. This is serious. “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (II Timothy 2: 25-26) The liberty that the evil spirits have in dealing with unprotected souls is awesome. This kind of evil is mushrooming and will only get worse as we approach the Rapture.
     The most heart rending idea to grip me recently has been a fresh revelation of this world completely without God.  Can you imagine our present society suddenly free of all moral restraints?  Everything that now represents purity and the high and holy things will be absolutely removed and non-existing, allowing unfettered evil to completely baptize the world.  It will be a dark and filthy place.  Satan will realize his long dream of world control and will turn this globe into hell on earth.
     Before that can occur, God’s restraining powers must be removed.  For the entire period of man’s earthly existence the Holy Spirit of God has been the “Restrainer.”  For some unknown reason, the church has never developed the truth of this area of Holy Ghost activity or at least I have not seen it.
     From the very dawn of creation as God the Father acted to call forth order and creative beauty, the Holy Ghost has been the agent of restraint.  The nothingness out of which God created the worlds and all matter or creatures was a chasm of emptiness.  Why that was true the Bible does not explain.  The first act we see of the Holy Spirit was at this moment.  “And the world was without form, and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the ‘Spirit of God’ moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, Let there be light and there was light.”  (Genesis 1:2,3).
     Out of nothing but a void and formless chasm, the Father called forth light and order while the Holy Spirit pushed back the darkness.  The second person of the Triune Godhead was also actively present as the eternal Word of God and light of all creation.  You see the Son of God in these words, “And God said,” and in the glory of light that followed His speech. It was a display of God’s entire personhood and reveals that our God is beyond all human explanation.  The Holy Spirit’s unique place in the Godhead is as the Father’s and the Son’s right arm of power and authority.  All hell is held at bay by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit Came Upon Men/First Testament
     Many times you read in the First Testament where the Holy Ghost came upon men to give them powers above the human.  “And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.”  (Exodus 28:3).  “And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.”  (Numbers 24:2).  “And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.” (Judges 3:10). “And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.”  (2 Chronicles 15:1).  These men or women were then enabled to perform incredible things for God.  No power was able to resist them.  They could not be stopped until God was through with them.
     It was said to King Saul that “…the spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.”  (I Samuel 10:6).  Literally, the Holy Spirit of God turned Saul into another man giving him abilities and powers for the calling of King of Israel that he did not have in himself.  As long as this anointing was on King Saul he was invincible to the dark nations of evil that dwelt about Israel.
The Holy Ghost Is The Standard Bearer
     Isaiah spoke of the “Restraining” action of the Holy Ghost with this marvelous statement:  “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”  (Isaiah 59:19).  The theology of this Biblical truth in incredible.  The word “standard” means a force or power superior to the enemy.  It suggests to “chase away,” “put to flight,” or to “vanish.”  The believer or the church that dares to depend wholly on the Holy Spirit is destined to be a great power for God.  The Holy Spirit alone is God’s restraining power to “vanish” all our enemies and we certainly need no other.
The Holy Ghost And Pentecost
     On the Day of Pentecost something happened in God’s economy to forever change His witnesses in the world.  The epicenter of the Holy Spirit’s activity had always been the throne of God or the Heavenly Sanctuary.  While the Spirit is absolutely omnipresent (There is nowhere where He is not.), the center of His presence and power was not within the First Testament church.  He came upon men or women for special anointings and responsibilities.  This illustration is probably crude and somewhat inadequate but let’s say it’s like being near a fire or being at a distance from a fire.  You feel the heat in both cases, but there is an extreme difference.  The First Testament church lived at a distance from the fire, but were certainly dependent upon its power and warmth.  King David expressed that when he said, “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11).
     On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost moved His center of authority.  Jesus had said, “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.   I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.”  (John 16:7-14).
Matthew 24
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
     Jesus had much to say about Himself and the Father sending back to the church or “His Earthly Body” the person of the Holy Spirit. This was a major truth that Jesus taught His disciples.  He was emphatic in telling them not to leave Jerusalem until they had received this empowerment from Him.  “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”  (Luke 24:49).
     The church without the power of the Holy Spirit becomes a joke.  It is absolutely impossible to effect men spiritually and eternally if there is no anointing of the Spirit.  Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8).
     In the previous quote of Jesus about the purpose of the Holy Spirit Baptism, He said, “When He is come, He shall reprove the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.”  The Holy Spirit alone can touch the spirit of man from which all spiritual life must flow.  A person can be religious, dedicated to the church life and even moral and still have none of the true reality of Jesus Christ.  Most of today’s church fits this category.  The only way this can be different is when the “Restrainer” is allowed to do His work in Christ’s earthly body, the church.  There is no power to push back the darkness until the Spirit of Holiness, Spirit of Truth, or Spirit of Grace acts upon the human spirit.  Until this takes place, you may have the preaching of truth, but it will be a “dead letter”, not a “living epistle.”
The Holy Spirit Reveals Jesus Christ
     The Son of God cannot be known by flesh.  Flesh cannot understand Jesus Christ nor have communion with Him.  The heart of man is desperately wicked.  His heart is alienated from God and all spiritual reality until acted upon by the “Restrainer” of darkness.  Paul said, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?  Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”  (1 Corinthians 2:10-12).
When The Restrainer Is Removed With The Bride
     The picture is breathtaking.  God the Father at the request of the Son sent the Holy Spirit to the church to choose a Bride for the Son.  For 2,000 years He has wooed, convicted, and converted millions to this Brideship.  Now the time has come to present that Bride to the Master’s Son.  All Hell has marshalled its forces against the Bride, but the “Restrainer” has reserved Her from defilement.  She is holy and undefiled, without spot or blemish and ready for Her crowning day.  The Holy Ghost at the Word of the Father and the sound of the trumpet unleashes the most incredible power known to mankind.  Resurrection life invades the graves of the dead in Christ and changes every living member of the Sanctified Bride.
     “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”  (I Corinthians 15:52-54).
     All the Father needs to do when the Rapture occurs is to call His Spirit to the throne.  The Holy Spirit cannot move His epicenter to the heavenly sanctuary without the Bride being removed with Him.  There will be no search and find effort necessary for the Holy Spirit is the life of those ready for this day of victory and triumph.  The Holy Spirit cannot leave without the Bride nor can the Bride leave without the Holy Spirit.  “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”  (Romans 8:11).
“Now, He That Letteth Will Let”
     The mystery of iniquity or the spirit of Antichrist has been at work during the duration of the church, but always limited and held at bay.  This evil design has been on a leash until the Bride was secure and safe.  Apostle Paul explains these facts clearly.  “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.”  (2 Thessalonians 2:6).
     There can be no doubt but that Satan and all the powers of Hell are already at work.  There is a growing spirit of wickedness, even a diabolical surge of an Antichrist spirit.  Christianity is hated with a vengeance by an ever enlarging group of people.  Satan is enlarging his kingdom and vying for the worship of the world.  His present tactics are marvelously successful as men have become more humanistic and less discerning of the true realities of the spiritual world.
     Even with this surge of evil and evil expressions there is still a clear sense that something or someone is holding back these wicked powers.  The Bible calls Satan the “god of this world.”  So, why does he not completely overrun all righteousness?  He cannot, because the restrainer is greater in power and might and must be removed before this idiot god can at least try to fulfill his ugly will.
     The word “letteth” as used in II Thessalonians, chapter 2 means “to hold fast in a spiritual sense or to detain or restrain.”  It means to hold possession of so that another power or person cannot seige.  The inspiration of these words to Apostle Paul was perfect in describing the activities of the Holy Spirit.  Soon this Restrainer will be gone.
Romans 8
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The Holy Spirit Around The Throne
     In the First Testament the Holy Spirit is seen as God’s anointing imparted to individuals for specific ministries.  When we moved to the Second Testament period, the Lord Jesus was given the Spirit without measure for his messianic and redemptive role.  The Church of Jesus Christ was then baptized with the Holy Ghost as He descended to dwell in the Body of Christ.  In Revelation, beginning with chapter four, John saw the future events that were clearly described as after the church period.  In this version we see the Holy Spirit around the Throne of God in the Heavenlies.
     John describes this scene, “And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.”  (Revelation 4:2-6).
     It is clear that this picture is of events to occur immediately after the rapture and before the Marriage Supper of the Bride and the Bridegroom.  The Bride has just arrived around the throne.  The Heavenly participants are preparing for the actions of judgment against the wickedness of the enemies of God and for the cleansing of all evil that has defiled the Father’s creation.  Before judgment can occur, there must be worship, praise, and judicial preparation.  The Judge of eternal holiness does not act until all His kingdom has celebrated.
     God, the Father is on His throne.  The sanctified bride of the First and Second Testament church (24 elders) are gathered from the grave and the world and are present around the throne in resurrection glory.  This glorious company is clothed in white raiment (righteousness) and have on their heads crowns of gold.  This is not a mixed multitude of “sinning saints,” but a company of overcomers who have followed Jesus by way of the cross.
     The angelic host are present, represented as four living creatures (beasts).  There are apparently four orders of angels: archangels, cherubims, seraphims, and servant angels, and they are all present for this celebration.
     Most importantly to this article is now seen the very essence of the awesome person of the omnipresent Spirit.  His restraining powers and indescribable greatness is here seen as “seven lamps of fire burning before the Throne which are the seven Spirits of God.”  (Revelation 14:5b).  Nowhere in the Bible but Revelation is the Holy Ghost pictured in this fashion.  His ministry has always been to give all glory to God (First Testament) and the Lord Jesus Christ (Second Testament).  With His greatest work of all eternity accomplished, He is now described in the glory of His divine person.  He is truly one with the Father and with the Son.
     The complete number of seven is used because it pictures the Spirit in His perfect work.  There is no weakness or limitation.  He is God the Holy Spirit and the breadth and length of His powers are revealed as seven lamps of fire.  This not only suggests his omnipresence, but His omnipotence and omniscience.  He is truly one with Almighty God.  With His restraining powers now removed from the earth, Satan has a clear field to do His darkest deeds. 
A World Without Restraint
     When we speak of this world being without God we are not suggesting that God has forsaken it, but rather given it over for a very brief period for the final acts of evil and then His judgment.  The Revelator John stated it clearly, “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!  For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”  (Revelation 12:12). Satan will have his last effort to show himself to humankind.  It will be his last hooray.  He will make the most of it.
     The Book of Revelation reveals a little bit of the diabolical events that will follow.  I do not believe it is possible to realize the extent of this horrible hour.  The bowels of hell will be opened upon the earth.  Dark demon spirits will ascend from the bottomless pit after fettering in their wickedness for centuries or millenniums. 
     “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.  And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.  And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.  One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.”  (Revelation 9:1-12).
     What a picture!  The bottomless pit is the darkest regions of Hell.  It suggests that these demon spirits and/or condemned men have been judged and reserved in the deepest regions of judgment.  They represent Hell’s vilest inhabitants.  Their fallen natures are corrupt to the worst degree.
     This horde of wild creatures (beast in nature) will be turned loose on mankind.  They cannot kill and the men and women tormented cannot die.  Though men seek death, it will be out of their reach.  These creatures are called locusts, but appear as horses prepared to battle.  Notice that their hair is as the hair of women and their teeth as that of lions.  Their king is called Agaddon in Hebrew, but Apollyn in Greek.  He is clearly a unique angel of Lucifer and probably notorious in his evil nature.  The second woe is even darker as the fury of hell gets stronger.
1 Peter 
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
     “And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.  And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.  By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.  For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.  And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:  Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”  (Revelation 9:13-21).
     Please note that these 200,000,000 spirits descend out of the regions of Babylon and the Euphrates River.  Their geographic location is where Nimrod built his tower of Babel and all pagan and evil religions had their beginnings.  Satan turned Babylon into his unholy city just as the Father chose Jerusalem for the Holy City.  These cities are the antithesis of each other.  Jerusalem is protected and kept by an innumerable host of angels.  Babylon is the dwelling place of the greatest and best of Satan’s wicked spirits.
     Now, they are unrestrained and turned loose on mankind.  They are led by four generals from hell who have been restrained for centuries, maybe millenniums.  Their anger is indescribable.  They ultimately kill one-third of mankind.  That’s close to two billion souls (2,000,000,000).  Their evil abilities are terrible.  These awesome creatures have breastplates of fire, jacinth and brimstone (creatures of fire) and heads like horses and they were also as lions.  Out of their mouth issues fire, smoke and brimstone.
     The earth inhabitants by this time have become so evil that even this display of hell’s destruction does not turn them back to the true God.  They are shown to be so committed to the worship of Satan that nothing will change their mind.  “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.”  (Revelation 16:20-21).
     Evil continues to grow and spread during the entire seven years of Tribulation.  Men become so animated in their wickedness that restraint is impossible.  Remember, there is now no power to hold back wickedness.  Even the conscience of men inspired by the Holy Spirit has been released of all sense of right or wrong.  The world is void of the spiritual values that Biblical faith had previously created.  The Holy Spirit did not describe the third woe, but simply said, “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.”  (Revelation 11:14).
     One can only imagine the extent of this final expression of evil.  Satan will finally be seen in all his naked and evil nature.
The Unholy Trinity
     Nothing reveals the design of Satan more than his unholy trinity that develops in Revelation twelve and thirteen.  After he is cast to the earth and begins his rampage, he then reveals his unholy messiah and false religion leader.  They are clearly his version of the triune godhead.
     He is determined to sit as God and rule the universe.  His false messiah arrives as a beast out of the Great Sea (The Middle East) and immediately receives his power and authority from the dragon.  A death and resurrection of this beast is simulated to represent Satan’s version of a messianic sacrifice.  (Revelation 13:3-4).  The world literally receives this beastly character as the true Messianic promise and celebrate the coming of their Savior.
     To aid in the final deception of all mankind there appears a second beast who is religious in nature and completes the unholy trinity.  He has two horns like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon (Revelation 13:11-12).  This is a picture of pious authority.  The main purpose of this beast is to lead the world in worshipping the first beast (exactly as the Holy Spirit now leads us to worship Jesus Christ).
     This unholy trinity is given to deception.  “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.  Here is wisdom.  Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”  (Revelation 13:14-18).
The Restrainer Will Soon Be Gone
     The most important conclusion of this article is to beg of you to prepare for this hour.  The Holy Spirit is God restraining evil and wickedness.  When He is removed to the throne our world will become a wilderness.  You do not want to be here.
     Your greatest need is to give your all to Jesus Christ.  Confess every sin and rebellion against the Lord Jesus and His Holy Word.  When you confess your sin or sins, He will forgive and cleanse you.  Get into the Bible with great delight.  Read and obey the Word.
     Do not allow any influence in your life, but that of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  Both the Word and the Holy Spirit will lead you to Jesus Christ that He might be all in all.