From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. Matthew 11:12
Who are the forceful men and how do they lay hold of the kingdom?
These are people who know the scriptures and the power of God. They seek God's face in His word and fear the power they find there. They do not fear what man can do to their body but they do fear the one that can throw them bodily into the lake of fire. They know their God on personal terms and know His promises to rescue those who obey him from His coming wrath.
These are people who can see the kingdom of God advancing. They understand what lays around the next corner of time. They have or are selling out their stock in this life for the promises of the one yet to come. They know that they cannot save their own life and instead lay it down into the hands of the only one who can, the LORD Jesus. They prepare for His coming as they discern the signs around them. They do not hesitate but in faith they prepare for the days that are ahead. They prepare, not in dread, but in love for each other. They do not take action for themselves alone, but consider others and their welfare as we see the day approaching.
How do we prepare? This question has flooded my email inbox. A couple of weeks ago I began to answer this question as the LORD led. I warned that we need to start laying aside food. I am glad to be receiving email from many of you confirming the Word of God in you as you begin to put away food, not just for yourself but for others.
There are other ways you will need to prepare. Those of you who have children are under the greatest burden, but our LORD's grace is sufficient for this as well. It is imperative that you take your children out of the public school systems and put them into private Christian schools or as my wife and I are doing home school your children. Please do not bellyache to me about what a burden this is. You decided to have children and the Sovereign LORD blessed that decision. Those children are the very first line of your responsibility in this life. It is loathsome to see parents give their children into the welfare of a godless state because it is convenient. Practice this ministry of inconvenience and you will receive blessings that no amount of money can buy!
Family fellowship and Bible study. There are no acceptable excuses! Do it everyday and now, your eternity and that of your family depends on it. The deceivers are coming and even now have flooded the world with lies. You cannot fight their deceit in your heart unless you fill your heart with the goodness of God's word etched there by belief. I cannot iterate enough; before you open your Bible you had better believe every word written inside or it will work against you as unbelief! The Bible is not about memorization but about a relationship with God himself. The Bible is alive and active with the presence of God's Spirit. Don't try to remember what you have read, just believe it and the Holy Spirit will call it up as needed. I know some of you cannot tolerate such teaching but you will not be able to provide scripture that specifically says to memorize the word. But the Bible does say that for those who believe the word it is in their heart and in their mouth.
Take up the sword of truth. Stop worrying about peoples feelings. Feelings are just an emotion. When we protect someone's feelings from the cleansing power of the Word then their blood is on our heads. You are not loving a person by protecting their feelings. For a moment the person will feel good and maybe you will keep this so-called friend on your side a little longer. By feeding them the truth, not by being harsh, you are truly loving the person and whatever they decide to do you are cleared of their blood on the day to come and may have been the instrument that leads them to eternal life or prevents them from losing their crown along the way to the kingdom. It is time to confront the abominations among us. The adulterer is the same as the homosexual and the liar the same as the gossip! Confront - confront - confront! Not through hostility, but through the steady confidence that comes from the Word of God and the Holy Spirit! This is not a call to become involved, it is a call to confront evil. Confront it in your home, FIRST! And when you have driven the control of sin from your home then reach out and remove the speck from your neighbor's and co-worker's eyes.
Whatever may test you, obey the king. Some of you are prophets and yet do not prophesy. Some of you are teachers and yet you do not teach. Some of you are leaders and yet you do not lead. When someone prophesies many of you do not check their words against scripture. And when someone teaches many of you believe what they say without ever seeing if scripture says that it is true. Why do you resist the Holy Spirit? Yes, God's kingdom is advancing forcefully and is passing many of you by!
Test all spirits! Test mine! Do you search God's truths for yourself or do you rely on what others have taught you? Did you test their spirits? Do you listen to self-proclaimed 'Christian radio' or watch self-proclaimed 'Christian TV' without comparing their teachings to God's Word? No one is righteous not one, that is, all are bent on sin. Trust no one until you have tested their spirit and then never let your guard down but continue to test their spirit. Test mine. To truly hear God every day and walk in His understanding we must unlearn everything man has taught us and then let God alone teach us through His word and through his Spirit and through His people whom we have tested.
There is much to teach about preparing, but these are the basic points. If the LORD wills it I will expound on each of these points and others in separate letters.
"Do not prophesy,"
their prophets say.
"Do not prophesy about such things; disgrace will not overtake
us."
Should it be said, O house of Jacob:
"Is the Spirit of the LORD angry? Does he do such things?"
"Do not my words do good to him whose ways are upright? Lately
my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich
robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning
from battle. You drive the women of my people from their pleasant
homes. You take away the blessing from their children forever.
Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it
is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy. If a liar and deceiver
comes and says, 'I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,'
he would be just the prophet for this people!"
Micah 2:6-11