From Resurrection to Ascension: What was happening?

Why Did Jesus Appear to Various People After His resurrection?

Before we examine our main question let’s have a look at how Jesus tried to prepare the disciples for His coming crucifixion!

The first time Jesus predicted His death and resurrection to the disciples was in Matthew 16 just after He asks them, “Who do you say I am”? It was only Peter who was able to say, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” But sadly, not long after this Peter denied him!

Matthew 16:21 (NIV)

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

The second time He predicted His death was just after He healed a demon possessed boy in Matthew 17:18.

Matthew 17:23 (NIV)

22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

The third and final time He told them was in Matthew 20 when they were on their way to Jerusalem where Jesus lay down His life for us, His Church!

Matthew 20:17-19 (NIV)

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

So, here we see Jesus preparing the disciples for what was about to happen, His death on the cross!

In Matthew 16:22 we see Peter taking the Lord aside and saying to the Lord in complete disbelief that His crucifixion will never happen. This of course leads to him receiving a very stern rebuke from the Lord because of his unbelief!

Matthew 16:22 (NIV)

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

In Matthew 17:23 above the verse ends by telling us that the disciples were filled with grief, a despairing grief. They were unable to grasp that His death would end in great joy at His resurrection and this would bring life to mankind, man’s salvation through Him! Again, unbelief was there!

And, of course in Matthew 20 we read that two of the disciples (brothers) were seeking ‘position’ in heaven either side of Jesus. So very much a fleshly desire which led to the other disciples having a ‘go’ at them – verse 24 tells us that the other disciples were indignant! Very human indeed - self-seeking and totally missing the point of salvation!

So, from what scripture tells us I think we can safely say that at the crucifixion the disciples and the other followers must have been feeling pretty down and defeated and unbelieving!

Now from here let’s go back to our original question and answer it from scripture!

Why did Jesus appear to various people for 40 days after His resurrection?

Well, there are a number of reasons that I have come across from studying the scriptures but I’m pretty sure that you can find many more yourselves. Here is what I’ve found!

1. To fulfil centuries of Old Testament prophecy of His death and resurrection.

Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV)

3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,

a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain

and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

This is one of many Old Testament prophecies of Jesus, his birth, death and resurrection!

2. To fulfil His own prophecies.

Shown above in Matthew 16, 17 and 20.

These are the two main reasons for the resurrection which prove that God always had His son in mind as mankind’s Saviour. It was always God’s will!

But woven in between the fulfillment of prophecy are many other 'salvationary' facets such as:

• To finish the work of redemption. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, it would mean that he was not the son of God and that he did not conquer death and there would be no route for man to receive salvation and reconciliation with God. It is his resurrection that proved that redemption was finished. Indeed his blood was sufficient to pay for mankind, if not, he would not have been raised from the dead.

• It is proof that death has been defeated, and divine, everlasting life is now available to believers and that we as His children are able to enter God’s presence – the Holy of Holies.

Revelation 1:17-18 (NIV)

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

• To empower us with the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit so we can rule and reign in this life and to fulfill the command that we call ‘The Great Commission’.

Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV)

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

• To show us that our future resurrection is assured and that we as believers in Christ will receive everlasting life.

John 11:23-26 (AMP)

23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise [from the dead].” 24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise [from the dead] in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies; 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me [as Savior] will never die. Do you believe this?”

• For our justification which is what completes our salvation

Romans 5:1 (AMP)

Therefore, since we have been justified [that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God] by faith, [let us grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

Right, now that we have established why Jesus was resurrected, let’s move on to what He was doing during the forty days between the Resurrection and the Ascension which is something that is rarely preached from the pulpit – at least in my limited experience!

We have already established that the disciples and probably many of the Lord’s other followers were grieving and feeling pretty depressed and sad. Now the Lord knew this, and He knew that He would need to give them both natural and supernatural encouragement.

Now, what better way to get someone’s attention than an earthquake! We read in Matthew 28 that after the Sabbath at dawn there were a number of people at the Lord’s tomb. There were a number of guards and there was Mary Magdalene and Mary, Martha’s sister.

So now an earthquake strikes and and an angel appears and rolls away the stone that seals the tomb. The angel was pretty awesome in appearance as well, he was like lightning and his clothes were as white as snow. Now the guards were so petrified that they became frozen with fright! But the women, obviously made of much sterner stuff, wanted to chat! The angel spoke these famous and encouraging words to them:

Matthew 28:5-7 (NIV)

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

The two Mary’s, afraid but full of joy, scoot off to tell the disciples but Jesus Himself appears to them (Mary and Martha) on the road where they fell at His feet and worshipped Him. Here He encourages them to also go and tell the disciples that they should go to Galilee, and He will meet them (the disciples) there.

The two Mary’s do as they are instructed, and the disciples head for Galilee to meet Jesus where they worship Him, and He gives them ‘The Great Commission’ – Matthew 28:16-20 above.

In the Book of John, we get more detail of the happenings than we do from Matthew the Tax Collector. John, who had a more intimate relationship with the Lord, gives us a more ‘loving’ view of things when the disciples meet Jesus in Galilee.

In John 20 we are told that Peter and John, when told that the tomb was empty and that Jesus had arisen, didn’t really believe it and ran to the tomb to see for themselves and of course all they found were the grave clothes. They then went back to the other disciples.

It is after this that Jesus supernaturally appears to the disciples who had locked themselves in a room where they were staying because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders – John 20:19-23. Jesus suddenly appears to them from nowhere and says, “Peace be with you!” He then shows them the wounds in His hands and side! It is at this point that the disciples, except for Thomas who wasn’t there, start to truly believe in Him as the Messiah, the Son of God!

Now, when Thomas hears this news from the other disciples, he still doesn’t believe! So, Jesus in His great compassion and love, appears to the disciples again a week later in the same room when Thomas is there. Again, the Lord says to them, “Peace be with you!” He then shows Thomas His wounds, and he touches them. It is at this point that Thomas finally believes and makes this delaration, “My Lord and my God!” – John 20:26-28.

It is only at this point, even after walking with Jesus together for just over three years, that all the disciples, minus Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him, finally and truly believe that Jesus is the Messiah! It is here that their redemption is complete! If Jesus hadn’t have appeared to them this would not have happened, and Christianity and the Church would not exist, neither then nor today!

The third time Jesus appears to the disciples is on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Seven of the eleven had gone fishing at Peter’s suggestion, they were Peter, Thomas (Didymus), Nathanael, James and John the sons of Zebedee and two other unnamed disciples but probably Andrew (Peter’s brother) and Philip.

It is for these disciples that the miracle of the miraculous catch of fish takes place – John 21:1-14. This confirms to the disciples that it is indeed the resurrected Christ that has been appearing to them – blessed assurance.

But even more significant than the miraculous catch of fish, it is on these Galileean shores that the Lord reinstates Peter after his heartbreaking denial of Christ at his arrest and trial. This too is the very place that Peter was first called by the Lord to follow him!

John 21:15-17 (NIV)

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

Peter denied the Lord three times and in the above verses Peter confirms to the Lord three times that he loves Him! It here, at this point that I believe that not only does Peter realise that he has been forgiven but just as importantly, he is able to forgive himself and let go of self-condemnation. A lesson many of us today can learn from today!

After his reinstatement Peter emerges to be one of the principal leaders of the Church and the Apostle to the Jews. He remains a pillar of the Church until he Himself is eventually crucified by the Romans (supposedly upside-down) a number of years later in Rome.

If Jesus had not appeared to the disciples to encourage them after His resurrection none of this would have happened. Man would have no way to be saved and reconciled with God! God’s plan revealed!

The Apostle John also tells us that during this time Jesus did many other things, and I mean ‘big time’ many, that were not recorded!

John 21:25 (NIV)

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

In Acts 1 the author, the Apostle Luke, tells us in a nutshell what Jesus was doing in these forty days!

Acts 1:3-5 (NIV)

3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

During these forty days the Lord’s focus was on the disciples and telling them about the kingdom of God, proving to them that He was alive and encouraging them and building them up in their faith – Jesus is the kingdom of God. He also gave them the command not to leave Jerusalem until they received the gift the Father had promised – baptism with the Holy Spirit! Jesus knew that if the didn’t receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit they would be unable to fulfill the Great Commission – Matthew 28:16-20 above!

The Holy Spirit will equip them, empower them and lead them in all truth in all things! And He will do the same for us, His Church, today! We just have to receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and be continually filled!

John 16:12-15 (NIV)

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The Apostle Paul in his letters teaches us so much more about the importance of living life in the Spirit and being led by Him! I would encourage all my readers to study Romans 8 in particular!

Just before Jesus was taken up into heaven, He leaves the disciple with these incredibly powerful and energizing words:

Acts 1:8 (AMP)

But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”

And after Pentecost that is exactly what the disciples and the Lord’s other followers did! And this is what today’s Church should still be doing, both individually and corporately!

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

This was the start of the New Testament Church, the Church that today’s Church should be emulating in every way! But sadly, many false prophets have arisen in these times and have led many astray. These Churches are no longer preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified and modelling themselves on the New Testament Church of the Bible. They are following the whims and fancies of man’s desire for fame and fortune modelling themselves on friendship with the world, turning the Lord’s Church into businesses that are lovers of money and leading many to destruction, including themselves.

James 4:4 (AMP)

You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 Timothy 6:10 (AMP)

For the love of money [that is, the greedy desire for it and the willingness to gain it unethically] is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows.

It is only through the Holy Spirit that God’s children have Jesus Christ living in them and apart from Jesus we can do nothing!

It is only through the Holy Spirit that we will fulfill the will of God for our lives!

It is only through the Holy Spirit that we will be able to do on earth even greater things that our Lord!

It is only through the Holy Spirit that we will be overcomers of the world and much, much more!

Prayer
Dear Lord
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would help me to imitate you in every way. I pray that you would continually fill me with your Holy Spirit and lead and guide me in all truth and on the path that you have willed for my life. I asked that you fill me with your love that I may love others as you love me – unconditionally so that I may glorify your name! Amen.

All glory, honour and praise belongs to Jesus!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

What is the 'JOY' of the Lord?

 

Dear Readers

Thank you so much for joining me on this site. I pray that that the scriptures in this article would bless you richly and that through them God would reveal himself to you, as He has to me, by the power of the Holy Spirit and to the glory of Jesus! As you read on, I pray that you would hear what Jesus has to say to you through the Holy Spirit.

What is the joy of the Lord?

Let’s start by examining the Greek word for ‘joy’ in the above verse Romans 15:13.

The Greek word for ‘joy’ in this verse is ‘chara’ (pronounced ‘khar-ah’) and is a transliteration (Transliteration is the process of transferring a word from the alphabet of one language to another. Transliteration helps people pronounce words and names in foreign languages) of the original Greek word (using the Greek alphabet) Χαρά (xará).

This Greek word is also used for the word ‘joy’ in Galatians 5:22, joy being one of the nine facets of the fruit of the Spirit!

So, getting back to the full Greek meaning of ‘joy’ we see that it embraces all this: joy, delight, a source of joy, joy because of the grace of God, God’s extended favour to, a leaning towards, be favourably disposed to), the awareness (of God's) grace, favour, love and joy in our lives ("grace recognized") – Strong’s 5479, 5485, 5463.

When we look at this word picture of the biblical context of ‘joy’ we see that it is not all about dancing and skipping around like a carefree child. No, it’s all about cultivating a lifestyle of being immersed in Jesus and the Bible in the power of the Holy Spirit. Immersing ourselves in the agape love of God and drawing our joy (from our relationship with Jesus) to meet and overcome the obstacles we face in our daily lives from Jesus through the Holy Spirit by God’s amazing grace and our recognising God’s grace in our lives! This is where the Christian’s strength comes from – the joy of the Lord!

Let’s take an example from Nehemiah who restored the protective walls around Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

We too can be like the Jews during Nehemiah’s time where even in the midst of adversity and strife, physically, mentally and spiritually, the joy of the Lord is our strength and in Him we are overcomers and can still enjoy our life in Christ Jesus and continue to spread His kingdom.

Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our life as born-again Christians here on earth is all about Jesus. Jesus – God, Jesus – the man and Jesus – the Bible – Jesus the Spirit – The Holy Trinity. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing, and we are nothing, without Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, our lives are meaningless – a chasing after the wind! In Jesus we can overcome the world and all that the devil can throw at us!

John 16:33 (NIV)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

In Christ Jesus our joy is found in His strength and in this we have peace and the ability to overcome the world! Apart from Jesus we can do nothing!

John 15:5-8 (NIV)

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

And of course, as I mentioned earlier, ‘joy’ is one of the nine facets of the fruit of the Spirit and follows directly after ‘love’.

Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

When we, as born-again Christians, are living our lives in the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit will be manifest in us and through us to the world. This is the lifestyle that God uses in His children (the Church) to draw people to salvation by the power of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit will add to the number of believers when our lifestyles truly reflect Jesus and when we live life in the Spirit.

Now, nothing that God does happens by chance, He is a God of order and is all knowing. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end!

It is not by chance that the Apostle Paul in the above verses (the fruit of the Spirit) mentions love first and then immediately places joy thereafter. He was following the example of Jesus when He was talking to His disciples in John 15 about remaining in Him.

Let’s examine this carefully and analyse the following verses!

John 15:9-14 (NIV)

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.

In verses 9-11 above the Lord is telling us that He loves us in the same way the Father loves Him, and He then encourages us to remain in His love. He then tells us how we can remain in His love and thus in the Father’s love – by keeping His commands. Being obedient to His Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit!

Why does Jesus tell us this?

Verse 11, so that His joy, the joy that He has received by the grace of the Father (remember here that Jesus was without sin), may be in us and that because of this our joy will be complete!

2 Corinthians 5:21 (AMP)

He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

Romans 15:13 (AMP)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.

Now, my dear readers, the joy of the born-again Christian is not found in earth’s physical realm and lasts but a moment, but it is found in the spiritual realm through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour and in the power of the Holy Spirit and endures throughout eternity!

The joy of a born-again Christian is not experienced through our soulish emotions and how we are treated by others or on how good we feel about the things that happen around us, it is experienced in the depth of the love God has for us and the depth of the love that we have for our Saviour Jesus and our willingness to live life in the Spirit and to be fully obedient to God’s Word and to ‘love your neighbour as yourself!’

Remember Jesus endured the cross because of the joy that the Father had set before him, this is the same joy we receive when we repent and accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour! Through Jesus we each have our cross to bear, and through Him in the power of the Holy Spirit we are overcomers and so our joy remains eternal!

Hebrews 12:1-2 (AMP)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, 2 [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].

As the Apostle Paul says let us finish our race which is the completion of our work on earth that God Himself has predestined for us to do! We can only do this when we are in Christ Jesus and are filled with the holy Spirit which enable and empowers us to live life in the Spirit – the Christian life that God intends for us!

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that your joy would be in me so that my joy may be complete regardless of the physical circumstances that surround me. Help me Lord, to cultivate a lifestyle that will be immersed in you and your Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. Father let your will be done in my life and not my will! Amen.

All glory, honour and praise belongs to Jesus!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Hold Fast to the 'NEVER' of Jesus.

When you become a born-again Christian, your life belongs to Jesus. You have willingly submitted yourself to His authority over everything you do and speak. You have become a new creation because you recognise that you are a sinner, you have repented of your sin and because Jesus paid the price for your sin by dying on the Cross you now have the right to become a child of God! And because Jesus redeemed you by dying for your sin you receive eternal life in Him – He is your Lord and Saviour.

In this article I am going to talk to you about the power, peace and protection we receive when we hold fast to the promises He makes us through the word ‘never!’

Now, before we go into the ‘never promises’ let me just remind you of these few Biblical truths.

Jesus is the Bible, and He has always been in existence, everything was made through Him and in Him we have life!

John 1:1-4 & 14 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus never changes, the Bible, His Name is as relevant today and tomorrow as it was at the beginning of creation.

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

All scripture, Old and New Testament, comes from God and is relevant to us in different things and at all times.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (AMP)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NIV) brackets in text are mine

These things happened to them (Old Testament) as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.

So, it is my personal view that all scripture is as relevant today as it was at any other time in history. Jesus never changes!

With this in mind let’s now have a look at just how important the ‘nevers’ of Jesus are to our lives today and for the rest of our futures as born again Christians!

Let’s examine what Jesus tells through the scriptures about His ‘never’.

Deuteronomy 31:6 & 8 (NIV)

6Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

8The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

In the above verses is Moses is addressing Israel and Joshua and is telling them not to be afraid of what lies ahead of them because the Lord is with them and will go them and ahead of them.

This also applies to each one of us today! In whatever the Lord tells you to do, He will always go ahead of you and with you and He will never leave or forsake you no matter how difficult and fearsome the task appears to you. Hold on to His never in whatever He tells you to do. Be brave and courageous as you step out in faith and obedience to do what He has told you to do. He has a ‘promised land’ for each and every one of His children.

Psalm 9:10 (NIV)

Those who know your name trust in you,

for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

In Psalm 9:10 the writer tells us that the Lord will never forsake those who seek Him. But we have an action part in this, we have to know Him (be born-again) and trust Him – have complete faith in Him alone and we must actively seek Him – know the Word and actively pursue a relationship with Him.

Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

Cast your cares on the Lord

and he will sustain you;

he will never let

the righteous be shaken.

In Psalm 55:22 the writer tells us that the Lord will never let the righteous be shaken.

Who are the righteous? We are, the true Church, those of us that are born-again and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. The Lord will keep us and sustain through all things no matter how difficult, no matter how dire and heart-breaking things may seem, we need not worry. The Apostle Peter puts it this way:

1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)

casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].

God knows everything about us, He cares about us. Nothing in our lives will take us further than what we can handle if we remain in Him!

Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

In Matthew 24:35 we are told that the Bible will never pass away it will be with us always – Jesus is the Word! We will get a new heaven and a new earth as the old will ‘be burned!’ But the Word will remain the same.

2 Peter 3:7 & 10 (NIV)

7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Revelation 21:1-2 (NIV)

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

On Judgement Day those in Christ Jesus will go to heaven for eternity to dwell with God in eternal life but those outside of Christ Jesus will go to hell for eternity, separated from God forever – eternal death!

John 4:14 (AMP)

But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.”

Jesus in John 4:14 above tells us that when we are in Him (born-again) our souls will be satisfied by drinking in His Word. The Holy Spirit will fill us and we too, like Jesus, will become rivers of living water to eternal life! This is also echoed in the book of Revelation!

Revelation 7:16-17 (NIV)

16 ‘Never again will they hunger;

never again will they thirst.

The sun will not beat down on them,’[Is 49:10]

nor any scorching heat.

17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne

will be their shepherd;

‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[Is49:10]

‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[Is 25:8]”

The promises in the above two verses were also foretold in the Book of Isaiah!

John 11:25-26 (NIV)

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

In John 11:25-26 Jesus tells us that He alone is the resurrection and the life and those that believe in Him (born-again believers) will be resurrected and will receive eternal life. We will dwell in the presence of God forever where there will be no more tears and no more sickness.

Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV)

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Make sure you are truly born-again and that your heart is completely sold out to Jesus or the promise in the above verse will not apply to you!

Romans 10:11 (AMP)

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].”

The Apostle Paul in Romans 10:11 tells us that when we believe, rely on and trust in Jesus for all things we will never be disappointed in our Godly expectations!

2 Peter 1:10-11 (AMP)

10 Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin]; 11 for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you.

The Apostle Peter in the above verses tells us that we will NEVER STUMBLE when we ensure, this is action on our part, that we lead a lifestyle that confirms our relationship with Jesus, a lifestyle that complies with his Word and is accompanied by putting His Word into action. This lifestyle will ensure that we become imitators of Christ and that we will grow spiritually as this is our only way to eternal life!

Hebrews 13:5,-6 (NIV)

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you.”[Dt 31:6]

6 So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?”[Ps 118:6-7]

The writer of Hebrews in the above verses has a double ‘never’ for us, “NEVER WILL I LEAVE YOU; NEVER WILL I FORSAKE YOU” is a quote taken from Dt 31:6. This not only reinforces the relevance of the Old Testament for today, but also the fact that Jesus never changes. The verse also commands us to keep ourselves from the love of money and to be content with God’s provision for us!

Revelation 3:5 (AMP)

He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God] will accordingly be dressed in white clothing; and I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess and openly acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels [saying that he is one of Mine].

Jesus, in the verse above, promises us that He “WILL NEVER BLOT OUT OUR NAMES FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE” if we stand firm to the end and overcome the world by believing in Him as our Lord and Saviour – by being born-again. He will also acknowledge us as being His own before the father and His angels.

Dear readers

Hold on to the ‘nevers’ of Jesus as all his promises are Yes and Amen! God's promises will lead you on the path of righteousness in Christ Jesus and will lead you to Christian maturity in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Our Lord has promised us that if we remain in Him and remain true and obedient to His Word:

• NEVER WIIL I leave you nor forsake you.

• NEVER WILL I let you be shaken.

• NEVER WILL MY words pass away.

• NEVER WILL you be hungry or thirsty – you will be filled with God for eternity.

• WE WILL NEVER STUMBLE in our spiritual growth and walk to maturity.

• I WILL NEVER BLOT OUT YOUR NAME FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE!

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would help me to hold fast to your promises and to never forsake you and your Word. Help me, I ask, to be obedient to your Word in every way and keep on filling me with your Holy Spirit that I may glorify the name of Jesus. Amen.

All glory, honour and praise belongs to Jesus!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

The Holy Spirit's Role in the Rapture

The Rapture, End Times and the second coming of Jesus, these terms have always held me in a certain state of wondrous mystery and even a little trepidation, especially in my early walk with the Lord.

What does it all mean?

What’s it all about?

What’s going to happen to the Church?

What’s going to happen to my family and I?

Will we (the Church) go through the tribulation?

These are some of the questions that have buzzed through my mind from time to time. Fortunately for us the Bible has the answer to all our questions. The Holy Spirit reveals all things to us and reminds us of what the scriptures say. But we do need to know the Bible for ourselves, please read and study the Bible for yourself as often as you can!

Ok so what is the purpose and function of the Holy Spirit in the Rapture?

Let’s start off with one of my favourite passages of scripture from the Old Testament it is a passage of scripture that I regularly pray into being and scripture that we all know so well:

Joel 2:28-32 (NIV)

28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams,

your young men will see visions.

29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

32 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said,even among the survivors whom the Lord calls..

This passage of scripture was also quoted by the Apostle Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2:17-21.

I also believe that God will pour out his Spirit like this in the last days to prepare His Church for the rapture, when those that belong to Him and that are still alive here upon earth will be taken up into the clouds as Jesus comes with a loud trumpet blast. Come, Lord Jesus! Come!

Preparing us for the rapture is one of most important functions of the Holy Spirit in the ‘End Times’.

Now is the time (today) for the Church to stand up in faith and fully embrace the Holy Spirit in all his fullness. It is time for each and every believer to immerse himself in the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to bring glory to Jesus.

It is time for each and every believer to eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit especially the gift of prophecy so that we can build up and edify each other to do the works that God has predestined us to do. Now is the time for the fruit of the Spirit to be manifest in us and through us to a dying world!

It is time for each and every believer to walk in the Spirit every minute of every day and allow him to take complete control of our lives so that the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit will be manifest in us and through us at all times and in this the name of Jesus will be lifted up and glorified.

It is time for healings and the casting out of demons, miracles, signs and wonders, to follow us everywhere we go! It is time for the Church to rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit and win the lost to salvation in Christ Jesus – IT IS TIME FOR THE LAST AND GREATEST HOLY SPIRIT REVIVAL so that the Church will be cleansed and ready for the coming of the Lord, whether He comes now, next week, next year or in the next 100 years. This will only be done through Spirit filled believers moving in His power and His strength! This will glorify the name of Jesus!

Now is the time for the army of God to be mobilised and to put on the full armour of God and ward off the attack of the enemy in these turbulent times!

It is time for the Church to be ready and waiting for the trumpet blast and the coming of the Lord in the sky at any time.

Church! Keep your lamps burning and never let them go out! It is time for all born again believers to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit and live in a state of permanent fiery revival. Not in a state lukewarm lethargy that will see the Lord spew us out! Let us not become a bad taste in the Lord’s mouth!

Ephesians 5 :18 (AMP)

Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him.

Revelation 3:16 (AMP)

So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust].

Let’s take heed of the mystery that Paul tells us about in 1 Corinthians and be ready for the final trumpet blast of the Lord:

1 Corinthians 15:51-56 (NIV)

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Rapture - the time when we will hear the trumpet blast of the Lord and we will see him coming on the clouds. The dead in Christ will rise first and then we will be caught up in the clouds with him. The Holy Spirit will complete his work in us and then Jesus returns for us at the Rapture. Our earthly bodies will be changed in the twinkling of an eye to our resurrection (glorified) bodies by the power of the Holy Spirit. Resurrection bodies (imperishable) will also be given to the dead in Christ that arise.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV)

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter by Jesus and the Greek word for comforter is ‘paraklétos’ and has the expanded meaning of counsellor, helper, encourager and advocate. This expanded meaning of the Holy Spirit along with the many spiritual names he has in the Bible like, power of God, fire of God, creative power etcetera, builds for us a picture of strength and comfort that every believer must tap into every day, not just in the last days.

We can do all things in Christ Jesus who strengthens us. How does he strengthen us? By the power of his Holy Spirit of course, that is why the Lord sent the Comforter to us. We can all tap into the full power of God in Christ Jesus and all we have to do is appropriate it in belief and walk in faith as Abraham did, as Paul did and as Jesus himself did when he walked among us as a man!

It was the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and it is the Holy Spirit that will do the same for his followers at the Lord’s Rapture for those who have fallen asleep. Paul wrote about this in the book of Romans.

Romans 8:11 (NIV)

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Prophecies of the Rapture from the New Testament
In John 14 we see Jesus talking to the disciples just be before he is arrested, and he is telling them that he has to go away to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house – which to me speaks of heaven as that is where God dwells. The Lord then goes on to say to the disciples that because he is preparing a place for them in heaven it stands to reason that he will come back to fetch them – this to me speaks of the Rapture. What do you think?

John 14:2-4 (NIV

2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Now it appears that the disciples seemed to have some trouble in understanding what the Lord meant as Thomas in verse 5 says, “Lord we don’t know where you are going so how can we get there?”

John 14:5 (NIV)

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus’ response to Thomas and the disciples is that they know that the only way to the Father is through him.

John 14:6 (NIV)

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

This response still doesn’t seem to clear things up for the disciples as Philip asks, in verse 8, the Lord to show them the Father.

John 14:8 (NIV)

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Now this statement from Philip seems to exasperate the Lord just a little bit as he says in verse 9 words to this effect, “Philip, I’ve been with you for all this time and you still don’t know me?” He explains just who He is to Philip. He then goes on to tell them the things that he has told them many times before over the past three years. But strangely enough he doesn’t explain any further about the place he is preparing for them and coming back for them to take them there!

John 14:9-11 (NIV)
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

One other thing of significance that he does say though in verse 26 is that the Holy Spirit, when the Father sends him to them, will teach them many things and that he will remind them of everything he (Jesus) has taught them and everything he has said to them.

John 14:26 (NIV)

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

It is not until a few years after the Lord’s ascension into heaven that we get a fuller picture of what the Rapture will entail. We get this enlightenment through the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonian Church.

Let’s have a look at the scripture in 1 Thessalonians 4 again, shall we?

1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 (NIV)

14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

So, in the above verses Paul gives us a pretty clear picture of what will happen when the Lord comes for his Church, most commonly known as the Rapture. Let’s put the happenings down in bullet point form:

• The dead in Christ shall rise first, including Jesus’ twelve disciples.

• Then the Church, the ones that are alive on earth at the time, will be taken to meet the Lord in the air.

• He also tells us to encourage one another with these words.

Preparing our incorruptible bodies, resurrecting the dead and transporting us to meet the Lord in the clouds, is all the work of the Holy Spirit. This is confirmed by Paul himself in the book of Philippians.

Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control (The Holy Spirit), will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

In the above verses Paul reveals to us that at the Rapture our earthly bodies will be transformed by the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit into our heavenly bodies to be caught up with Jesus in the clouds ready to go with him into heaven – see John 14:2-4 again, where Jesus tells the disciples that he is returning to the Father in heaven and that his Father’s house (heaven) has many mansions and that he is preparing a place for us – His Church, when he comes for us at the Rapture.

Now there are different schools of thought about the Rapture brought about by many learned Bible Scholars over the centuries, right through to today. There are different answers put forward to the questions:

• Does the Rapture and the second coming of Jesus take place at the same time?

• Will born again believers that are alive at the time have to go through the Tribulation or will they be Raptured before?

• Will the Rapture take place before the Tribulation, halfway through or at the end?

As I’ve said before, I’m no bible scholar, I’m just a born again believer that loves Jesus and wants everything that He intends me to have and serve Him on the path that the Father has willed for my life.

Personally, from my understanding of scripture, I believe the rapture will take place before the tribulation. Why on earth would our Heavenly Father want His children to suffer through the tribulation! The tribulation is a judgement of God for those who have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour at the point of the Church’s rapture.

Matthew 24:40-42 (NIV)

40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come

What I want to really do here is encourage my readers to, regardless of when the rapture will take place, live life in the Spirit now, today, as Paul encourages us to do in Romans 8 and to be ready right now to be Raptured.

Are you ready? Are you walking in the Spirit? Are you living your life on the path that the Father has predestined for you right now? Are you ready for the Rapture?

Remember your life is all about Jesus!

We belong to Him!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father
I pray that you will fill me with your Holy Spirit and keep on filling me. I pray that in the power of your Holy Spirit that you would help me to walk on the path that is your will for my life. I pray that you would show me and help me to do the works that you have predestined me to do before I was born. Help me, O Lord, to live life in the Spirit always that I may bring glory to your name, the name of Jesus. Bless me. O Lord, that I may be a blessing to others. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Acts 4:12 (NIV)

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

The Great Falling Away!

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I implore you with all my heart and in sincere love for you:

Do not fall away from your faith in Christ Jesus!

In the above verse (2 Thes 2:3) the Apostle Paul is telling us that the second coming of Christ will not happen unless the apostasy (the great falling away) comes first.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.

So, let’s now examine what the word apostasy means.

The Greek word for apostasy used in this verse is ‘apostasia’ (Strong’s 646 pronounced ‘ap-os-tas-ee-ah’) and its expanded meaning is: defection from, apostasy, a falling away (from a previous stance), an abandonment of a previous belief.

Paul tells us quite clearly that this falling away by professing Christians will take place and exhorts us not to let anyone or anything deceive us or entrap us into falling away from Christ! Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing and do not become friends with the world – a friend of the world and its practices is an enemy of God!

Matthew 7:15 (AMP)

“Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

James 4:4 (NIV)

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

In God’s eyes when we become aligned with the world, He considers us to be adulterers and His enemies.

How will I know if I am falling away?

1. When you are alarmed, frightened and living in continual fear!

‘Watch out and see that you do not become alarmed.’ In other words, be aware of what is happening in the world around you but do not be alarmed by it nor involved in it!

Matthew 24:4-8 & 10 (AMP)

4 Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]. 5 For many will come in My name [misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many. 6 You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age]. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].

10 At that time many will be offended and repelled [by their association with Me] and will fall away [from the One whom they should trust] and will betray one another [handing over believers to their persecutors] and will hate one another.

2. When you have unconfessed or wilfully hidden sin in your life.

Isaiah 59:2 (NIV)

But your iniquities have separated

you from your God;

your sins have hidden his face from you,

so that he will not hear.

Having unconfessed or hidden sin in our lives hinders our relationship with God. We need to honestly examine ourselves regularly against the standard that God sets for us in the Bible – we know when we are not in right standing with God. The longer we take to confess our sin the colder we will become towards the things of God until we fall away completely.

3. If you have allowed unbelief and stubborness into your heart

Hebrews 3:12 (AMP)

Take care, brothers and sisters, that there not be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to trust and rely on the Lord, a heart] that turns away from the living God.

If you do not believe any part of the Bible or you stubbornly refuse to trust God with all your heart, then you are falling away from God – the writer of Hebrews calls this ‘a wicked, unbelieving heart’. When you set yourself stubbornly against anything in the Bible and have unbelief in your heart you are in rebellion to God and His Word, and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft!

1 Samuel 23a (NLT)

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,

and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

4. When you are paying attention to deceiving spirits – believing the lies of the devil about things that are contrary to the Word of God.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NIV)

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

In verse one above the Greek word for deceiving is ‘planos’ and it’s expanded meaning is: misleading, deceiving, wandering; a deceiver, an imposter.

So, deceiving spirits are those that lead people away from the truth of God’s Word and they abandon the faith, they then come to us as wolves in sheep’s clothing and teach false doctrines which are the doctrines of demons the servants of the devil. Beware of these demons who come in the human form of false prophets and teachers! Their father is the devil the father of lies. These demons that control the lives of these false prophets and teachers want to devour you!

Always be on your guard – study the Bible so that you will be able to know the truth and recognise lies!

1 Peter 5:8 (AMP)

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.

John 8:44 (NIV)

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

2 Peter 3:17 (AMP)

Therefore, [let me warn you] beloved, knowing these things beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of [unprincipled men [who distort doctrine] and fall from your own steadfastness [of mind, knowledge, truth, and faith],

Be careful who you believe and who you follow. Stay away from anybody who teaches anything that is contrary to the Bible and introduces the doctrines of man. Anything that does not align with the Word of God is a false teaching no matter who brings it. Get to know the Bible for yourself so that you will not be deceived!

The Bible warns the Church against falling away!

Let the following scriptures speak for themselves. Use them to examine yourself – repent and ask forgiveness where you need to, above all be honest with yourself because God already knows you – nothing is hidden from Him. Let the conviction of the Holy Spirit wash over you and bring healing to your soul so that you can move on to maturity in Christ Jesus! It is time for today’s Church to get right with God and reject any teaching that is contrary to the word of God!

Remember Jesus suffered and died for you, His blood was shed so that you can receive eternal life through Him. Therefore, do not keep on sinning and being disobedient to the teachings of the Bible, do not let your sin go unconfessed!

Hebrews 6:4-8 (AMP)

4 For [it is impossible to restore to repentance] those who have once been enlightened [spiritually] and who have tasted and consciously experienced the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted and consciously experienced the good word of God and the powers of the age (world) to come, 6 and then have fallen away—it is impossible to bring them back again to repentance, since they again nail the Son of God on the cross [for as far as they are concerned, they are treating the death of Christ as if they were not saved by it], and are holding Him up again to public disgrace. 7 For soil that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces crops useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it persistently produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

Do not be intolerant to the teachings of the Bible!

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (AMP)

3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, 4 and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].

Die to self and embrace humility! These last days will be difficult unless you are living in the fulness of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit! Keep your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith. Do not lean on man or your own understanding – the only rock we can lean on is Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages – live your life in the Spirit! (Romans 8).

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (AMP)

But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, 3 [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.

Do not be disdainful of the last days or you too will perish!

2 Peter 3:3-4 (AMP)

3 First of all, know [without any doubt] that mockers will come in the last days with their mocking, following after their own human desires 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming [what has become of it]? For ever since the fathers fell asleep [in death], all things have continued [exactly] as they did from the beginning of creation.”

Do not become a mocker (scoffer) of God and His Bible or be associated with those that are or you will never be blessed! Take delight in Jesus your Lord and saviour and the Truth of His Word that is found in the Bible!

Psalm 1:1-2 (NIV)

Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

Always be open and honest with yourself in your relationship with God because you cannot hide anything from Him and there is no place you can go to where He cannot see you!

Psalm 139:4,7-8 (NIV)

4 Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

When we take our eyes off Jesus and go our own way, there is only one way we go and that is back to destruction!

Jeremiah 7:23-24 (NLT)

23 This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’

24 “But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.

In the world today, those people outside of Christ Jesus, are the same as those people in the days of Noah and will be destroyed as they were! This time not by water but by fire! Do not fall away and be enveloped with them!

Matthew 24:37-39 (NIV)

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Revelation 20:15 (NIV)

Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

2 Peter 2:4 (NLT)

For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.

Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven
I pray in the Name of Jesus that you would keep me from falling away. Help me Lord to be obedient to your Word in all things. Lord, I ask that you keep my feet forever on your path, the path that is your will for my life. Keep me forever in your arms that I may be aligned with your heartbeat! Let me not fall away from you ever. Amen.

To Jesus belongs ALL glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!