PREPARE FOR HIS RETURN
By W. G. Guy
When you know that a special guest is coming to visit you, how do you prepare? You clean up your house; get rid of the dirt and grime; remove things that you don’t want seen, and make sure your home is presentable and welcoming. You even set things in order that you know your guest will appreciate; and even if you don’t have them you go out and get them. How much more should we Christians make preparation for the return of Jesus Christ.
Making ready for His coming is clearly stated in the Bible through John the Baptist.
Luke 3:3-4 – And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, (Isaiah 40:3-5) saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
The message from John the baptizer was, “Clean your selves up and make yourselves presentable for His arrival”. His was a message of repentance, for which he baptized those who repented. Let’s look deeper into what is being presented by John. Jesus said that John came in the spirit of Elijah, the prophet.
Matthew 11:13-14 – For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias (Elijah), which was for to come.
Matthew 17:10-13 – And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Why was John the Baptist likened to Elijah (Elias) the Prophet? Consider the significant event that Elijah did during the time of Ahab and Jezebel when Elijah called down fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice – (1 Kings 18:17-40). Elijah then had all of the false prophets and preachers of Baal killed to rid the land of their wicked pagan influence with their false god. This prepared the way for the people of Israel to properly worship the true God.
1 Kings 18:37-39 – Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
Likewise John the Baptist’s ministry was to cleanse the people of their wicked ways, to repent and prepare for the revelation of Jesus Christ, their Messiah, whom he had the privilege to introduce to the people the next day.
John 1:28-29 – These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
As the days of the return of the LORD Jesus Christ are getting near, the Spirit of the LORD is calling His ordained servants to rise up into their “end-time” ministry to do the same as did John the Baptist. to Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. This means to clean His house (temple).
It is obvious to this writer that the church is not what it is supposed to be and needs a major house cleaning from worthless and corrupt doctrines, traditions and practices. Jesus is coming for a church without spot or wrinkle or any such blemish.
Ephesians 5:25-27 – …..even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
The condition of the church as it is now is not at all prepared for the coming of the LORD; even though many of us so desire Him to come now. There is too much division; too much false doctrines of man and demons; too much carnal (fleshly) behavior; and there is a lack of the Fruit of the Spirit – God’s divine character and nature.
The apostle Paul told us that in the last days the church would be corrupted with worldly behavior and lifestyles.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 – This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Paul told us that these kinds of churches have a form of godliness but deny the power that changes lives. Thus they exhibit worldly character traits like the Laodicean Church of Revelation 3. Such churches promote the carnal lusts of material gain; self-esteem; how to advance one self, or improve your physical life. Paul then said from such churches to turn away. Don’t be part of such a church!
Jesus also warned us that the church in these last days would have many false preachers (prophets) that would deceive many (not a few).
Matthew 24:4-5 – And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Note that Jesus said “many shall come”; and that they will “deceive many”. The Word of God that came through Jesus is true. Please understand that when such false preachers say “I am anointed” they are actually saying they are Christ, because “Christ” means “the anointed one”.
Matthew 24:24 – For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
These false ministers may be known for their supernatural gifts that allow them to perform signs and wonders. Consider that the same was done by the priests of Pharaoh in Egypt when confronted by Moses – (Exodus 7:11-12).
Jesus told us that we are to recognize His true ministers by their Fruit and not by their gifts.
Matthew 7:15-16 & 20 – Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. ….20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Jesus said that such preachers, prophets and ministers are not His and He does not know them.
Matthew 7:21-23 – Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (or doing your own thing).
Just as in the days of Elijah, God’s ordained end-time ministers will need to expose and remove these false ministers who are defiling the temple of God through their deception and lies. These true servants of Christ will be recognized by their Fruit – the Fruit of the Spirit, which is Christ’s character and nature manifesting in and through them. Their work is to purify the Body of Christ, and renewing a right spirit in the people so they can worship in spirit and in truth.
John 4:23-24 – But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
There is a lot of needed preparation to make for His return, and that is now only beginning, and will be going on in greater intensity as the day of His return draws closer.
Luke 21:31-36 – So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Have you been called of the LORD for this end-time ministry? Many have been; and as such they have been going through trials and testing to prepare them for this work. I know that I have been called; in 1960, during a time if distress, I audibly heard His voice say, “I have a work for you”: it was as if all of creation was speaking to me, it was actually the CREATOR.
Then in 1973 a prophetic word was spoken over me in my church, “Your ministry is for the very last days, but I will use you in the mean-time”. God has indeed used me in the mean-time, but I know that I have not fulfilled what is yet to come. The past fifty plus years have contributed to my preparation for this end-time ministry. Are you also in this time of waiting to be used? Pray that the Spirit of God will be upon you as it was upon Elijah and John the Baptist and let the light shine. Get ready and be prepared as that day approaches. Remember what you are to represent is Him, and not yourself. Preparation begins in your own self by removing what the Lord does not want to see in your life., so He can fill you with His life – Fruit of the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 4:7 – But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Are you prepared? Is your house in order? Have you made your paths straight (right) before Him? Or will you find yourself unprepared when He comes? Think about it!
