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Overthrowing Satan’s Grasp

The signs of the end of this Age are everywhere. Many fear that the recent pandemic that has swept across the globe is just a forerunner of even worse plagues to come, which will cause far more death and destruction. And the way things have been looking in recent years, those folks aren’t far from the truth.

The corruption and wickedness of human society has metastasized to the point that it most certainly has become a reeking stench in the nostrils of the Lord, the holy God of the Bible. Indeed, it is only a question of time before, in his love and mercy, He brings down the final curtain on the sin-sick depravity that afflicts humankind.   

It isn’t by coincidence that — like the pains of a woman about to give birth — waves of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme climate events, and a variety of strange and seemingly inexplicable natural phenomena have begun to strike the planet with increasing frequency. It appears that in nearly every way this earth and its inhabitants are on a runaway train that’s headed straight for a cliff — on a ride from which there is seemingly no escape.

Fortunately, our heavenly Father is not in the least bit “surprised” by the devastating turn of events which will soon engulf the entire planet, for our Sovereign Lord dwells outside the dimension of time and its inherent limitations. As the Bible says, He sees “the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10), which means that He has known about humanity’s fate from eternity past.

What is directly ahead for this world is nothing less than a global catastrophe; or to be more precise, a series of calamitous events that will cause “the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI).

Resurrected and Raptured Believers   

As we peer into the not-too-distant future, we will find that the “signs of the times” are those spoken of prophetically by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation concerning world events and his return to the earth. Even in the here and now it’s plain to see that wicked behind-the-scenes “powers that be” (i.e., satanic forces) are agressively attempting — by “any means necessary” — to impose a soulless, dictatorial, technocratic one-world government, with its spiritually degenerate one-world religion, on a morally confused and increasingly delusional global populace.

Our God is a good God who loves us and only wants the best for his children; but He is also a holy God who demands that sin be punished and put away like a filthy rag. Also, because Satan knows his time of dominion over this planet is running short, he is “pulling out all the stops” in his attempt to thwart the will of God on this earth. For these reasons, the fate of mankind at the end of the age is one of a time of trouble such as the world has never seen—just as Jesus Christ said it would be.

As judgment of the wickedness of a world under Satan’s grasp unfolds, we as believers are to look to the Lord for our redemption. Jesus is the blessed hope in which our future is anchored. Scripture tells us that for the unbelieving world he will come as a “thief in the night”—totally unexpected—but for us, who are his own, it will be Jesus’ promised return—the “coming of the Lord!”

Those saints (that is, his true followers) who have already died “in him” will be resurrected upon his return. At that same moment, “… in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump…”, his followers who are alive at that time will also be taken up to be with him (1 Corinthians 15:52). In other words, the resurrection and the rapture of the saints will be at the same moment. What an earth-shattering, glorious time it shall be!

Heaven on Earth—God’s Millennial Reign

Shortly thereafter, Jesus will return with the entire entourage of his followers to rule and reign for a thousand years. His throne will be moved from heaven to earth—to a “New Jerusalem”—one that will supernaturally descend from the heavens (Revelation 21:2) and replace the earthly Jerusalem that now exists.

At that very moment the spiritual atmosphere of the planet will be entirely changed. It will literally be “heaven come to earth.” Satan and his minions will be totally vanquished and their power and influence over humanity will be completely terminated. From that moment forward, the capital of the earth will be the New Jerusalem—a holy place filled with God’s glorious presence. From there shalom, blessing, and righteousness shall radiate to the ends of the earth.

All of the governments of this world will have been removed and an earthly paradise will be ushered in. The planet itself will be healed. The wounds and emotional scars of the past will be erased from peoples’ memory. It will be a time of bliss and unimaginable joy.

This is the glorious future God has planned for those who believe and trust in him. However, if we place our trust anywhere else we will surely find our hopes and dreams dashed on the rocks of the harsh realities that are straight ahead.

So, beloved, it would behoove us to wholeheartedly pray, just as Jesus instructed: “Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, on earth as in heaven!”

Yes Lord, let it be so!

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“For I will create a new heaven and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind.”  (Isaiah 65:17, HCSB)

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This concludes our four-part series about “God’s Everlasting Empire.” If you’re not already “on the inside” of what God is doing and want to share in the good things He has in store for those who are his own, you need to first become part of his family.

To do so, you need to humbly:

• repent from your sins (that is, to not only be sorry for them but also turn from your sinful ways)
• believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord (that is, trust in and rely upon him)
• and also confess with your mouth that he is your personal Lord and Savior.

If you will do so, praying (speaking) from your heart to the Lord in faith, you will be saved—that is, “born again” and adopted into God’s family. Congratulations and welcome into the family!!

Please let us know if you’ve taken this most important step in your life. You can do so by contacting Dr. Peter at harvest.equip@gmail.com. We have a free gift waiting for you.

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And for everyone, until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter

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PS: By clicking on the following link you can experience a very touching music video that is sure to move you! “I Can Only Imagine” by the One Voice Children’s Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acwsBIl15zM

 

Heading Toward Dystopia

All of the empires symbolized in the giant metallic man of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream are the works of man separated from God—a product of egotism and lust for conquest and domination.

The decreasing value of the metals from the head downward—from gold, to silver, bronze, iron and then to a mixture of iron and clay—portray that the long-term course of human civilization is one of devolution and deterioration. Contrary to the false notions of the secular humanists and others, society hasn’t been evolving in an upward spiral toward perfection. In moral and spiritual terms, just the opposite is true; the world has been sinking lower and lower—to the point that a globalized culture has been created which is now turning human society into a cesspool of abject degradation. The final stage of this process, which we are now undergoing, will soon result in a dystopia of nightmarish proportions, without divine intervention, that is.

Just as in the Days of Noah

Jesus Christ prophesied that at the very end of the current Age, just before the time of his return, there would be a time of trouble such as the world has never seen. He warned that there would be widespread famines and earthquakes, rampant sin, hatred toward his followers, false prophets, increasing persecution, many signs in the heavens, and a time of great tribulation (see Matthew 24).

Even so, Jesus informed his followers that people will still carry on as usual, not suspecting his imminent return. As Scripture says, “Just as in the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:17). Though the people in Noah’s time were warned, they scoffed at the very idea of impending judgement, up until the very day that Noah and his family entered the ark and the door was shut behind them. 

And then the unimaginable happened—a deluge poured down from the sky, torrents of water broke forth from deep in the earth, and suddenly they were all swept away. Judgement had fallen on the world and it was too late!

The End of the Age of Deception

The true spiritual nature of the system which now rules over humankind is revealed throughout Scripture to be satanic in its origin (see 2 Corinthians 4:4 and 1 John 5:19). It is a bestial, blasphemous entity which is graphically portrayed in scripture as an enemy of God and his people as well as all the inhabitants of the earth (see Daniel 7:7 and Revelation 17:3-5). The system is typified as a devouring beast as well as a notorious harlot seated upon a seven-headed dragon. Clearly, the malevolent force behind it is Satan and his demons.

A vision of a future ‘New World Order’ which doesn’t deal with the need to overthrow the satanic power that rules over this world is birthed in either spiritual ignorance or outright wickedness and is a result of having an unrenewed mind.

The dream of halcyon days in a future New World Order which doesn’t include the complete overthrow of Satan’s evil power over this world is an idea birthed in either spiritual ignorance or wickedness and is a figment of man’s corrupt imagination. In fact, it is a mirage that has taken humankind to the very brink of destruction. 

However, God has a plan, and as the Scripture says, his ways are higher than out ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). Fortunately, He revealed his plan to avert an ultimate catastrophe that would wipe out humankind as long ago as the time of the prophet Daniel.

The stone made without human hands which struck the feet of the dazzling human statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is Jesus Christ returning with a host of his saints (i.e., his true followers).  They, along with Christian believers still living in the earth at that time, will set things straight. The disarray and dysfunction which humankind had created will be put back into proper order just as God planned from the beginning.

The man-made New World Order will be no more. Man’s attempt at ruling and reigning on this earth without God’s authority will come to an end.   

God’s kingdom will be installed. It will be a time of the restoration of all things (see Acts 3:21). And the glory of the Lord will fill the earth.

So, be sure to tune into our final installment of “An Everlasting Empire” as we get ready for the glorious future the Lord has in store for each one of us who belongs to him!

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Until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter

 

The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, ordained for several empires to rise and fall in the Middle East during the course of history. Because God’s dealings with his people, Israel, are a main theme of the Scriptures, only those empires destined to impact the Hebrew people are included in the Bible’s prophetic panorama. For example, the empire of the Aztecs and that of the Incas aren’t included in prophecy.

 Israel’s Captivity and the Rise of Daniel

The fact is, GOD, the Master, never does anything without revealing his plans to his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7, MSG)   

God reveals future events to those who love and seek after him.

An astounding example of this spiritual truth occurred several times in the life of the prophet Daniel, who lived more than 2500 years ago, at the time when the Hebrew people were being held captive by the Babylonian Empire.  

Because God’s chosen people continually disobeyed him, the Lord eventually removed his hand of protection over them, allowing his holy city, Jerusalem, to be sacked, and his people to be conquered and carried off in chains to Babylon.  

While God’s people were held captive there, the Babylonian Emperor, King Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream one night which greatly disturbed him. In the morning, not being able to recall his dream, the king summoned his sorcerers, soothsayers and wise men to come before him to recount the dream and give him its interpretation. After they presented themselves, they were unable to meet the king’s audacious demand, causing Nebuchadnezzar to became so enraged that he decreed that all of them be put to death.

Though the Hebrew prophets hadn’t been summoned along with the others, they also were subject to his decree and faced imminent execution. Included among the Hebrews was the prophet Daniel, who, along with his friends, earnestly sought the Lord about the king’s dream. After doing so, God supernaturally imparted the dream to Daniel in a vision and gave him its interpretation as well.

The Mysterious Metallic Man 

So, Daniel went before King Nebuchadnezzar and recounted the dream to him: A colossal statue of a man—dazzling and awesome—had appeared to the king. The head of the statue was gold, its chest and arms were silver, its stomach and thighs were bronze, its legs were iron, and its feet were partly iron and partly clay. 

As the king was observing this tremendous figure, he saw a rock that had been taken from a mountain by an invisible hand, hurtling toward the statue, smashing into its feet, causing the entire figure to be pulverized. Its destruction was so thorough that all of it—the golden head, the silver chest, the bronze thighs, the iron legs, and the composite feet—became like chaff, which was then blown away by the wind, leaving not even a trace behind.  

As the dream concluded, the stone began to increase in size—becoming as large as a mountain and then growing to the point that it filled the entire earth. 

World History and the Global Future

The significance of the dream given to Nebuchadnezzar is far beyond natural human understanding. It provides supernatural insight not only into world history but is a key to comprehending the times in which we’re now living and what will soon be unfolding as the coming Day of the Lord approaches.

Just as Daniel explained the dream’s meaning to the king, each part of the statue symbolizes one of the powerful empires which would dominate the earth.

Each segment of the huge figure represents an empire: the head of gold signified Babylon and the silver, bronze, iron as well as the composite of iron and clay denote succeeding empires.

The final empire, symbolized by an inherently unstable mixture of iron and clay, typifies the age in which we’re now living—disparate people groups, ideologies, and religions—all being artificially melded together in a way that lacks enduring unity or strength. As with the other empires which have preceded it, this final stage of history is governed by false, delusional notions impelled by the forces of darkness. What distinguishes it, however, is that the endemic and irredeemable corruption of this Last Days entity leads to God’s supernatural intervention, symbolized in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by the rock made without human hands striking the feet of the statue.

Indeed, baseness, perversity, deception and instability are all characteristic of the times in which we’re living. The extent of immorality and corruption seen throughout human society and government across the planet is nearly all-pervasive. In fact, there is ample, conclusive evidence all around us that the last system is not only upon us, it is ready for God’s judgement.

Beloved, it is later than most of us think!

Be sure to stay tuned for our next installment of “An Everlasting Empire” as we gain further prophetic insight into preparing ourselves for what is straight ahead!

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Until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God is Still in Charge
The magnificent and gracious God of the Bible is the great Architect and Maker of this world. He has left his imprint everywhere—all around us—plain to see for anyone who isn’t blinded by doubt and unbelief.

Vanity and Rebellion
In its conceit and rebellion against the Lord, humankind, for the most part, views its role on this planet in much more lofty terms than is warranted. For example, the claim that the earth’s climate is changing significantly as a result of human activity defies certain basic scientific facts—such as, just one large volcanic eruption is able to alter the world’s temperature, weather patterns and ozone layer for years—as dramatically happened when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991. Also, regular, natural weather phenomena, such as the El Niño cycle in the Pacific Ocean, affect weather around the world far more than any regular human activity ever could.

But, because people are basically egocentric, they are subject to all-too-frequent bouts of delusion and sophistry. Though the Bible warns us to not think of ourselves more highly than we ought (see Romans 12:3), that sober advice has fallen on deaf ears when it comes to most of humanity.

However ingenious or well-meaning, nearly every human endeavor reflects the foibles and sinful nature of the human race.

The Ebb and Flow of Human Empires
When any nation attempts to build a grandiose empire—as many have attempted—the ultimate result, usually just a few years (or generations) later, is failure and moral decadence. This has been the case with the mighty empires that have come and gone from the world scene over the millennia—from ancient Babylon and Rome to the present day. To be sure, the very soul of these conquering nations has been sacrificed as they violently and cruelly trampled on and pillaged other peoples and nations in the quest for supremacy. 

In more recent times, for example, the once “Great Britain,” whose empire stretched across the planet (said to be an empire on which “the sun never set”), is now a pathetic shadow of its former greatness, particularly in terms of morality. For the most part, “truth has fallen in the street” (see Isaiah 59:14), the moral relativity of political correctness has set in, and the British have seemingly lost their moral compass—to the point that various forms of wickedness, such as abortion and sexual perversion, are not merely tolerated, but have been elevated to a twisted, even special, status of approbation.

The American Empire which superseded that of the British is also on the wane—with its end just over the horizon. What a few years ago was called the “only remaining superpower” will soon be finding its place in the dustbin of history’s empires. The “indispensable nation” will indeed find that it does have a replacement.

The Fate of the New World Order
The Bible shows just where all of this is headed—including the fate of the proposed “New World Order”—which is being foisted upon the nations of the world as a suitable replacement for the declining American Empire. Its blend of an all-inclusive, pantheistic global religion, along with technological and financial control, is intended to result in a “full spectrum dominance” over humanity—with the global masters in charge, of course, “for the benefit of humanity.” It is a “Brave New World” they have in mind, one that has no place for the True and Living God of the Bible. 

This is what is planned for us—but God has already revealed what He has in mind—and what the world’s fate shall be.

Stay tuned… for the second installment of “An Everlasting Empire!” 

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Until the next time, walk in the Spirit… and be a blessing!

Dr. Peter