PREPARING THE WAY OF THE LORD – Part 2
By W. G. Guy
This is a follow on to Part 1, and is about the PREPARATION needed for what precedes Christ’s return. Most preachers do not deal with this topic; but it is so vital! Thus, their congregations may not be prepared for the days that are ahead; this will be a period of spiritual warfare, the likes of which most of us have never experienced.
Consider what Jesus foretold would occur before His arrival. There would be wars, famines, pestilence (disease and plagues), natural disasters, moral corruption and abominable filth; so much so that men’s heart would fail them upon seeing and experiencing what all is happening.
Luke 21:25-27 – And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Instead of pastors instructing their congregations on how to trust God, and to stand upon His Word when difficult times arrive, too many are pushing the prosperity doctrine, and how you can have this, and gain that, of the things of the world. The prosperity doctrine will not help you in dire circumstances as listed above; and when money becomes useless.
Proper preparation for the days ahead is to instruct people on the Word of God; in trusting in what is promised in spite of any and all opposition, testing and trials. This is what Jesus referred to in His teaching on building on solid rock compared to building on sand.
Matthew 7:24-27 – Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Pastors who fail to teach their people how to trust in the LORD, and His Word, are identified by Jesus as those who do not obey His commands in their ministry.
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.
(Note that this house that is being built is His house, the Body of Christ.)
Many preachers teach that we will not have to endure such circumstances because we will be raptured out of here before any of that happens. They fail to realize that scripture will be fulfilled and believers will be here on earth at the time of the antichrist, so we shall have to endure unto the end. Such preachers are preaching a deceiving message to you.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (the antichrist); who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
What is this antichrist character going to do? He hates God, Jesus, and those that follow Him.
Revelation 13:5-8 – And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle (dwelling place, believers), and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
So we are very likely to have to face some serious opposition, which is only now building. There are numerous believers, in the past two thousand years, who have had to endure very turbulent times, and there was no such escape for them. But they were upheld by their faith and trust in the LORD.
This will be a coming period of intense spiritual warfare: but the LORD is our shield and defense, and He has given us the armor for our defense, as well as the Sword of the LORD to use against the enemy, (Ephesians 6:10-71).
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Isaiah 54:17 – No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage if the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me saith the LORD.
We are to speak the Word of God to any weapon that comes against us in this warfare.
Isaiah 59:19 – So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
That standard IS THE WORD OF GOD that we speak against the enemy. When dire circumstances come, what will sustain and carry you through?
Revelation 12:11-12 – And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
The Word of God needs to be firmly in your hearts, and minds, so you can stand firmly on what God has promised. He knows how to protect and provide for His own!
How will you survive when there is no food, water, money, or any of the normal things that we depend on daily to maintain our lives? Learn and know the Word of God, and hold fast to it, and God will respond to your faith and faithfulness. This is because, as a Father, He knows how to care for His children and keep them safe and secure, even in the wildest storms of life.
Consider some vital scripture promises that Jesus declared:
Matthew 6:31-33 – Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Philippians 4:19 – But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:31-39 – What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, (and if we are killed we get to be with the Lord). Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:17-20 – that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
In case you haven’t noticed; we are now in the last days as the signs that Jesus said to look for are here now.
Luke 21:34-36 – 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.
Therefore, you don’t want to be caught unprepared and surprised. We must all put our total and complete trust in God, the Father, Jesus His Son, and in what He promised in His Word.
2 Corinthians 1:20 – For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.
Isaiah 26:3 – Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee.
The days prior to the coming of the LORD are days that will be very fearful, as scripture states; and many will be overtaken with fear. But having your faith in God, and His love for you, casts out all fear. Therefore you can be at peace even in the turbulent times that are coming.
1 John 4:17-19 – Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.
Now a look back at Part 1 of the article as John the Baptist was the one called of God to prepare the people for the first coming of the Lord Jesus. John was endued with the same Spirit anointing that was on the prophet Elijah. In these last days we need an even greater miracle working power on those called of God to prepare the people for this next coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as Elisha, Elijah’s successor, asked for and received a double anointing of the Spirit that was on Elijah; the next servants of the Lord that are to prepare the way for Christ’s next coming will need an even greater level of the Holy Spirit’s power on them to minister and prepare for what is coming.
It will not be the natural things of the world that will change and equip people for what is coming. It will be the power and demonstration of God’s power, in Jesus’ name, that is needed for the end-time ministry to prepare us for Christ’s return and turning people’s hearts and minds to Jesus in full repentance.
1 Corinthians 2:11-14 – For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The ministry of the LORD’s end-time servants will be with power of the Holy Spirit to be bring conviction of “sin, righteousness and judgment” to turn hearts back to God in full repentance.
John 16:8-11 – And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
They will also prepare true believers how to survive and endure what lies ahead as perilous times come. Those who reject the ministry of these last day servants will suffer loss; for some it will be an eternal loss.
Are you PREPARED to face what is coming upon the earth? You will be if your trust and confidence is in the Lord who loves you and gave His life to redeem you!
