Let's think about some hypothetical scenarios to answer the question: how will it be known that someone has refused to worship the image of the Beast? Now, this isn't in the Bible, but this is how I imagine the Antichrist will opt to govern. I believe that he will have people in communities, in villages, towns, and cities, and these people will monitor and report anyone who refuses to conform to the leadership of the Antichrist.
The Bible simply says the Beast will cause all who refuse to worship the image to be killed. Now, it could be known that someone refuses to worship because the Antichrist will require some type of public demonstration of allegiance to him, and refusal to do this will be the death penalty. You have to remember that at this point in time, the devil thinks he has taken center stage; he wants the attention, he wants the praise, he wants to be worshiped.
So anyone who dares to refuse will be punished severely. Now, to enforce something like this, this would probably mean that there is a law or some type of physical, perhaps military, law enforcement. Whatever the case may be, the Bible tells us that there will be a heavy price to pay for those who refuse to worship the Beast.
Furthermore, the Antichrist will force all people to receive a mark on their right hand or foreheads if they want to buy or sell. Think about what we're being told here. Whatever the mark is, whether it's a small electronic chip or something else, it has now replaced physical money, and we are now in the realm of a one-world monetary system—a fully fledged cashless society.
Now, a lot of people underestimate how severe this regime is. If you are left behind and if you take the mark of the Beast, you have literally pledged your allegiance to the devil. Many people may think, "Well, I will refuse and just find somewhere to hide for the rest of my days," but this won't be possible because you will literally be unable to pay your bills, fill up the gas in your car, or do anything that requires a transaction.
You won't be able to do any of that without the mark of the Beast, and if you refuse it, then you will have to pay with your life. What should we do with this knowledge? Biblical prophecy is for our benefit.
Now, how can we prepare for the end of days? Well, I believe that we need to know two things. The first is that there is only one Savior, and His name is Jesus Christ.
Only He can save you from the difficult times to come; only He can save you from the power of the enemy. Now, the second thing we also need to know is that although the Antichrist is yet to be revealed, the devil is already at work. He's at work trying to lead us away from God.
But if we are to succeed against the devil, we have to know the word of God. We have to abide under the shadow of the Almighty. If we are to overcome him, we are to pray without ceasing.
If we are to succeed in our lives as believers, we must resist the devil and his temptations. The Book of James puts it this way: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. " If we are to abide under the shadow of the Almighty God, then the devil has no place in our lives, and he is defeated.
The enemy has no power, no hold over us. As blood-washed children of God, in Christ, we are dead to the desires of our flesh and are made alive in the Spirit. Jesus tells us not to fear the world because He has overcome the world.
We have nothing to fear from any evil enemy as long as we have God, His Spirit, and His Word. We are more than conquerors, so live in victory and never in fear. Live in the freedom of God and never in bondage.
Putting all of this aside, let's take a look at what are the missions of the Antichrist, or the Beast. Number one: worship Satan. Remember, Revelation 13:4 says they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the Beast.
This action will fulfill Satan's craving for worship. Isaiah 14:12-15 says: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, 'I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. ' Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. " While this may look like a future event, it is good to know that the devil has begun to lure men into worshiping him.
While there may seem to be no open worship of Satan, he is already showing deception into the hearts of men through diverse situations. For instance, he has made the pursuit of money and personal goals the major aim of a believer. He has given them things to keep them from the kingdom of assignment and purpose.
While these people are not bowing directly to Satan, they are worshiping the god of money. Number two: blaspheme God. Revelation 13:6 says, "Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
" The Beast cannot touch God in heaven nor the saints who have already gone to heaven, so he is reduced to name-calling. With eloquence, he will turn people away from believing in the true God. And Jesus Christ also do not think that this is a futuristic event.
No, the enemy has agents in many countries. These men have begun to speak against God with their actions. Many countries have made ungodly rules.
Number three: Martyr the saints. Who are the martyrs? These are the men who will be killed for the cause of the Kingdom; these men laid down their lives for their faith.
Well, this isn't a new phenomenon; it will become the focal point of the Antichrist during his reign. Why? The Rapture would have taken place; genuine Christians would have gone with Christ.
However, people will be saved during the tribulation. These men must bear their burdens and save themselves with their blood. We call these tribulation saints.
The Antichrist will turn against these people, and his appetite for blood will be sated on the blood of the martyrs. Revelation 13:7 says, "It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. " Number four: Dominate the world.
The devil has always wanted to be in charge; he craved worship and wanted to dominate the world. While this has not been fully achieved because there are still genuine Christians all over the Earth, he will have his full way in the Great Tribulation. He won't have any opposition anymore.
Also, this is not futuristic; instead, it has begun in the soul of men. The devil has been dominating every man who is not under the lordship of Christ. He attacks them with diverse diseases and controls their minds.
Thus, when Christ returns, he won't leave with such men, and that means what the devil has begun in the soul will manifest physically in their lives. Revelation 13:7b says, "And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. " The Beast will have global control.
He will terrify some but entice others. The whole world will follow the Beast either by intimidation or bribe. Those who refuse the devil's control will be tormented, while those who bow to him will enjoy a momentary peace.
Now, what is the last aim of the Beast? Number five: Deceive sinners. Revelation 13:8 says, "All who dwell on Earth will worship him whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
" Paul also speaks of this Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and 12: "Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. For this reason, God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie. " Remember, the Antichrist's reign will begin after the Rapture.
He will appear as an answer to the turmoil in the world; thus, many will see him as their last hope. They will believe he is the way to their salvation on Earth. However, this is only deception; the devil only wants more men to be with him.
Now, what is your take as a believer in the end times? The Bible says you must watch and pray. The Antichrist is already pushing his demonic plans before the Rapture; he aims to deceive many so they won't be able to follow Christ in the end.
Christians must watch out for false teachers and doctrine. Sure enough, if you take a look at this world through the lens of the Bible, you will notice a trend: what the Word of God stands for, the world is against. What Jesus Christ stands for and represents, the world is against.
Those who have been blinded by Satan live under a delusion; they won't see that the love of money drives so many ungodly things. Instead, they will focus on the notion that everyone needs money—everyone needs to make a living. Of course, the Bible never says money is evil; it says the love of money is evil.
When you love money so much that you're willing to do things that are unethical and immoral, then money has become an idol. When you're willing to steal or to overlook the detrimental effect you have on others all so that you can make money, then it has become an idol to you. When you love money so much that you're willing to stand in front of a camera and not only commit sexual sin, but lead others to commit sexual sin, then money has become an idol.
Take a look at what the Amplified version says in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4: "But even if our gospel is in some sense hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only to those who are perishing. Among them, the god of this world, Satan, has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. " The devil wants you as far away from Jesus Christ as possible.
He wants you to be blind to the truth, even if it is right in front of you. The devil wants you to take God casually, not seriously, meaning you use God like a convenience door. You go to Him when you need something, and if you don't need anything, then you put Him away.
That's blindness. Now, with this all being said, I want to be very clear about this next point. While the devil is described as the god of this world, he is limited; he is not all-powerful.
The devil rules the Earth in a limited capacity, but he does not have ownership of the Earth, nor is he all-knowing, omnipresent, and omniscient. He is not. The devil has boundaries because God is still sovereign and holds the final say.
Revelation 12:12 says, "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O Earth and sea, for…. " The devil has come down to you in great wrath because he knows that his time is short.
The Devil's time on this Earth is short, and what I want you to understand is that Hebrews 12:2 says, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. " When you look to Jesus, there is no devil, no demon that can blind you. When you look to Jesus, there can be no love for money in your heart because your love for Christ is greater.
When you look to Jesus, you cannot be blinded, distracted, or whisked away by immorality, sin, greed, or pleasure. I encourage you to really focus—be fixated on the Lord; this way, you can't go wrong. There are a lot of things happening in this world; there is a lot of evil.
The Bible, in 2 Corinthians 4:4, says, "In their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. " Think about that for a moment: the God of this age, the God of this world, Satan, has prevented unbelievers from seeing the light of the gospel. Now, in case you didn't know, the devil is very influential on this Earth.
Whether you see it or not, whether you believe it or not, the devil can and has influence on the ideals, opinions, and standards in this world. That's why the Bible says, "the God of this world. " The devil has his tentacles in the world's philosophies; they are in so many institutions.
And you may think, "Well, how exactly does he do this? " Well, look at the driving force of many, many major companies: it's money. Money has become a god, an idol to many people, including the bosses of many major corporations.
They will track your movements, watch what you're watching, analyze what you click on—some even take your personal information and sell it—with the objective of what? Money. Money is the number one objective; money is the only objective for so many institutions in this world.
Yet the word of God says the love of money is the root of all evil. But you see, the God of this world, the devil, blinds unbelievers, and they don't see this. They don't see how money has become an idol to them.
There must come a time when you, as a believer, must decide: "I will stand strong and follow the word of God regardless of what I will have to give up and who I will have to let go. " There comes a time when you have to decide: "I will stand and do the godly thing. I will forgive even when it's hard to do, even when I've been hurt.
" There will come a time when you will have to decide to stand in faith, even when you can't see a way out of the situation that you're in. Now, today, you may be under attack in some area of your life. You have tried everything to resolve it, but nothing is working; nothing is changing.
Dear friend, this is the time you ought to take a stand and believe—believe in the power of the blood of Jesus. It will break you out of that bondage. Believe in the power that's in the blood of Jesus Christ; it can set you free, it can give you victory, and it can loose you from any evil hold.
It's time to take a stand with the word of God against the forces of evil. Stand firm, stand in confidence, stand in righteousness. Psalm 56:3 says, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise; in God, I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? " We need to be men and women who put their trust in the Lord; and mind you, you will only ever be able to stand firm when your trust is secured in the Lord.
So if you feel stuck, if you feel under attack, remember that the Bible says in Psalm 31:24, "Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord. " Be strong, saints, and stand in faith. As you do this, the Lord is sure to rescue you.
And so, as children of God, I believe— I believe that it's time to stand. Stand up and lift high His royal banner; you are an ambassador of the Most High. Stand up to the lies of the enemy.
Stand up with the truth of the Gospel. Stand up with the strength of the Holy Spirit. Stand up in God's strength.
And I encourage you, as you stand in faith, pray and ask the Lord to be with you as you stand. Tough times and difficulties can be a blessing for each of us as children of God. I say this because if you look throughout the Bible, many people have found themselves in troubling situations only for God to use those troubles to remind us that He is a great deliverer; He is a God who saves.
This should give us hope, this should give us peace and joy: that we are not alone. When tough times come into our lives, we are not forsaken. You see, we love to recite Psalm 23: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. " But when the Bible tells us that, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me. .
. " "Me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me. We forget that the valley is still a place that we need to walk through.
Yes, the Lord is my shepherd; yes, He will supply all of my needs and make me to lie down in green pastures. But there is still a valley for me to go through, and the thing about valleys is that valleys, for a child of God, are not an accident or some sort of mistake. Your time is, in fact, ordered by the Lord.
There is a purpose for your time in the valley. We must recognize that Christ has already won. We must realize His resurrection power is available to us as His children.
We must release our lives to the leadership, to the counsel of the Holy Spirit, and we must continue to stand firm in the word of God. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord.
” [Music] Christ, and Galatians 1:10 says, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
” What a comforting thought that nothing we do for God is in vain. Not one act of kindness goes unnoticed or unseen by Him. In this life, there are many pursuits that ultimately lead to nowhere: worldly success, material wealth, the empty applauses of strangers; those things won't get us anywhere.
Every journey eventually has an end, and that end is often more disappointing than we would like. But try as we may, we could never stretch the boundaries of God's love. There is truly no end to our walk with Christ.
In fact, as we go on, life with Him gets sweeter every day. God should not just be one part of our lives that we dedicate Sunday mornings; He should define the totality of our lives. He should be the center of everything we do.
Even mundane things, like eating and drinking, can be done to His glory. The key is a spirit of gratitude. We are meant to do all things with an attitude of love and obedience towards the God who gives us the ability to enjoy all of life's blessings.
When Jesus is the underlying motivation for everything we do, our lives will overflow with joy and peace. His grace supplies us with the ability to fully enjoy this life, as well as positively impact the lives of those around us. So whatever you do, do it for [Music] God.
The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. ” And on this topic of trust, when you think about it, we have been conditioned to trust our natural senses. We've been conditioned to trust in science.
We're taught to trust information or advice that comes from credible sources that can be verified and fact-checked. But trusting in God requires us to go against everything we've been conditioned to do. Trusting in the Lord requires you to ignore what you can see or understand.
Trusting in Him means that at times you can take the doctor's advice but accept that he or she does not have the final say. I would even go as far as saying trusting in God means ignoring what the news anchor is saying or what the economy is doing. I encourage you to let go.
Let go of the need to know; let go of the need for control; let go of the whys, the hows, and the whens; and simply say, “Not my will, Lord, but Your will be done. ” That is trusting in the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul.
