End of Times Matthew 24:21-22

21 For then there will be great tribulation (affliction, distress, and oppression) such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now—no, and never will be [again].

Now Jesus is back to the last 3 1/2 years of this age in earths history, the Great Tribulation. 

22 And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would endure and survive, but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened.

Why do the last days need to be shortened for us, the elect? Paul tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:8. Death has no victory over us and the grave has no sting for us, 1 Corinthians 15:55, so why would the days need to be shortened for us? Jesus tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us, Hebrews 13:5. The Holy Spirit has Paul tell us that we cannot loose our salvation, Romans 11:29. So once again, why would they need to be shortened?

The answer is to keep people alive who will not take the Mark of the Beast and who will not be killed. These people will be around for us to serve for the Millennial Reign of Christ, Revelation 20:4. There is going to be millions of people left who will not be destroyed at Armageddon. These people will not be the Bride, they will be the guests of the Bride. This is why the days are shortened, to keep people alive so that we can serve them.

These people who are left after Jesus’ return will not all be good people. We know this because Jesus reveals to John that He will rule them with an iron rod, Revelation 2:27. We also know that some will actually follow satan when he is released from the abyss at the end of the 1000 years, Revelation 20:7-8. But the glorious Truth is that there will be a ton of people left on the earth that our Father will use us to serve.   

End of Times Matthew 24:15-20

15 So when you see the appalling sacrilege [the abomination that astonishes and makes desolate], spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place—let the reader take notice and ponder and consider and heed [this]—

When we see our Father begin to use His truly chosen ones to preach the Truth, we are also to look for the anti-christ, who is actually not a man, coming into power in the flesh, Revelation 11:7, Revelation 19:20. The power of our Father mightily working through us will come first, because this is the one true sign of Jesus return. But after our Father begins to use us He will also allow the anti-christ to come in the flesh. The abomination comes in flesh, which is the true Temple of our Father, 1 Corinthians 3:17. The abomination is that man will be taking credit for controlling and directing our Father. They will be following anti-christ, which is anti totally being controlled by our Father. They will be speaking blasphemy because they will boldly proclaim that they have believed that they have first chosen and that that have the faith needed to make our Father work in their lives. They will take credit for the things of our Father, making Him reactive to their wishes instead of us being reactive to His.

Many look for a third Temple to be rebuilt, but the Truth is that we are the Temple. The abomination occurs in flesh, not a Temple made with hands. 

16 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;

17 Let him who is on the housetop not come down and go into the house to take anything;

18 And let him who is in the field not turn back to get his overcoat.

19 And alas for the women who are pregnant and for those who have nursing babies in those days!

20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.

Jesus changes from the end of the world to the end of Israel as they knew it here in verse 16. We know this because He tells the people to pray that their flight be not in the winter or the Sabbath. The Great Tribulation lasts for 3 1/2 years, Revelation 112-3 & Revelation 12:14. So why would He tell us to pray for something that was impossible? 

Also Jesus tells the people here to flee into the mountains. How could we be giving food and provision to the needy if we were in the mountains, Matthew 24:45-47? Where in the New Testament are we ever shown that the anointed who were filled with God flee from telling the lost the Truth? How could we go to all of the world and preach the Gospel to every nation, tongue, and tribe if we were in the mountains? So this is Jesus talking to the people of Israel about the destruction of their nation, which happened. Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD and there has not been a Jewish Temple since. 

End of Times Matthew 24:14

14 And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end.

This is the one thing that is not happening now that will happen before Jesus returns. The Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to every nation at one time.

After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. Revelation 7:9

John was shown in Revelation that there will be a huge number of people, so many that they cannot be counted standing before the Throne and before the Lamb who are all dressed in white during the end times. Notice that these people are not standing in the Throne, but before it. The Bible tells us that the Bride of Christ has been raised up together and made to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus even though we are still on this earth, Ephesians 2:6. The Bible tells us that we are Jesus body and His flesh right now, Ephesians 5:30-32. These people that John sees during the end times are waiting to be saved, they have palm branches in their hands, just as the people did before Jesus entered Jerusalem to be crucified, John 12:13. These people are waiting to realize the Truth, they are saved, they will not be lost, but they just haven’t realized it yet.  

The Gospel of the Kingdom is not just telling people about Jesus. When Jesus sent out the disciples He told them to tell the people that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, meaning that it was right now. He told them to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and freely give, Matthew 10:8. Jesus did not tell them to go and tell the people that He was Lord, but to go and serve the lost. The disciples went out and were empowered to do these things and no one who they did these things for was saying that Jesus was Lord, except the disciples, Matthew 16:13-16. So the Gospel of the Kingdom is different then the Gospel of Christ. Many say that Jesus is Lord, even demons do that, but that doesn’t mean that they are the Bride of Christ, Matthew 7:22-23. The Gospel of the Kingdom is being empowered and used by the Holy Spirit to help people just as they will be helped in eternity. When we are used by our Father to truly preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, we take no credit at all for doing anything on our own. We are enlightened with the Truth that it is all our Father within us doing all of the works, John 14:10 We do not claim that we first chose or that we first had faith. The Gospel of the Kingdom is all in the power of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:4. 

Jesus is being talked about all over the world right now. But the Gospel of the Kingdom is not. Right now many wolves are preaching that we have to first believe Jesus. They are teaching that we have to Trust Jesus with our free will so that He can act in our life’s. They are laying the foundation for the message of the anti-christ: man first acting on our own then God reacting. But the perfect church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish will go into all of the world and tell people what Jesus must do. We will tell the masses that Jesus has saved the lost, that He will cause us to have faith, that He lives to make sure that we love, and that we can do nothing, even accepting or choosing on our own without Him. When our Father empowers us to proclaim this message of Truth, the dead will rise, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, and our Father will use us to do even greater works then He used Jesus for, John 14:12.

There is coming a time when our prayers will be heard and our Father will pour out His power on us and the world, and an uncountable number of people from everywhere will hear and be set free, Revelation 8:5. That time is not yet, but this is the one sign of our Lord’s return and when we see this happening we will know that His return is near. 

So we do not look at wars, earthquakes, or economic conditions to see if Jesus is returning. We look for people who the world laughs at being used by our Father to raise the dead, heal the sick, and feed the hungry as the sign of our Groom’s return, Matthew 24:44-46. 

End of Times Matthew 24:12-13

12 And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,

Let me ask you this: does our Father’s love grow cold because of sin?

But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded, Romans 5:20

And Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they divided His garments and distributed them by casting lots for them. Luke 23:34

When Jesus was lied about, tortured, and crucified He continued to love. The Truth is that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8. Jesus is also One with our Father and He never changes, so our Father’s love will never grow cold, regardless of what is going on. We are also one with our Father through Jesus, John 17:20-23. We are Jesus’ body, Ephesians 5:30. We are new creatures in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17. Jesus ever lives so that His love will remain in us, John 17:26. So the Bride’s love will not grow cold either during the end times. But the fake Christians love will grow cold. 

These wolves will be gathered with the anti-christ condemning the day lights out of all who don’t join with them. They will do it all in the Name of our Father too. They will kill and destroy as the glorify what they self proclaim that they are doing for God. They will brag about how they are cleaning up the world as they sow their hate. They will boast about how they have it right and the rest of us have it wrong. They will judge and condemn all who do not take their side, or their mark. They will say so eagerly that we are all going to Hell as they sing songs about God and what they are doing for Him. This is not all that far from what is happening today in many churches is it? I know many people who tell me that if I do not belong to their denomination then I am going to Hell. I have people tell me that if I don't read the King James Bible then I am going to Hell. These fake Christians love to tell people that they are going to Hell and our Father will allow their anger to be magnified a 1000 times during the last 3 1/2 years of this age in history. 

The love of the great body of false prophets will grow cold during the end times and once again we see this happening right now amongst these false Christians. I hear all of the time how these wolves so rapidly condemn people to Hell. How they talk about those who disagree with them and those who they believe are in sin. I hear so called preachers talk about how they won’t go around people who they call sinners. If I am not mistaken our Lord Jesus ate with notable sinners, Mark 2:16? False children of God condemned Him and those who He fellowshipped with too. 

13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Jesus has told us many things here in these first twelve verses, but none of them is the specific sign of His return. We can see all of these things happening right now, but we do not see the one sign of His return. We will study about the one sign in our next post.

We have perfect peace because Jesus will cause us to endure. We will endure whether we are here on the earth in the flesh or absent from the body and present with the Spirit. We have passed from death unto life and for us to fail would mean that our Head, Jesus, failed. And Jesus doesn’t fail!     

End Of Times Matthew 24:9-11

9 Then they will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

10 And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.

I want to share my personal experience here. The lost never pursue me with hatred, however the false prophets, the wolves in sheep’s clothing do, religious people do. They pursue me with such vigor because our Father will not allow me to go back into the bondage of trusting at all in human ability. Jesus has set me free from believing, even for a moment, that I first or ever do anything apart from Christ. Fake religious people hate this testimony of Truth. They want us to believe that we first choose on our own, or that we first believe on our own, or that we first act on our own, and they hold so tightly to the false teaching of free will, Jeremiah 10:23. They are by definition are anti-christ’s, 1 John 4:3. Wolves will absolutely talk about Jesus, but they believe that we hold the power to bring our Father into our life’s or deny Him access. They are the blind leading the blind, Luke 6:39. 

But the righteousness based on faith [imputed by God and bringing right relationship with Him] says, Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into Heaven? that is, to bring Christ down; Romans 10:6

These so called christians will absolutely flock to the anti-christ during the end times. Most of these false teachers believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. So they will not believe that the anti-christ will be revealed while they are still here on the earth, so they will rush to be part of his church. They will hear the message that they so love: what we do to allow God to act in our life’s. They will see the miracles that he performs and they will absolutely flock to him, thus stumbling away from our Father's power, or in other words Christ. We will tell them that the anti-christ is wrong. Our Father will use us to show them the Truth in the Word that shows that what the anti-christ is teaching is wrong and they will hate us for it. These false prophets, who seem very religious, will attack us and kill us, 2 Timothy 3:5. We will be hated by these religious people, but our Father will use us to feed the masses, when there is no food. Our Father will use us to give water to the thirsty when there is no water, Matthew 24:45-46. We will be used to do the works that Jesus was used for and even greater works by our Father during the end times, John 14:12, as He leads an uncountable number of our brothers and sisters out of every tribe, tongue, and nation, Revelation 7:9, to the Truth that sets them free! 

11 And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error.

We can see here that people during the end times do not flee religion, but they do flee Christ, which is the power of our Father working through man. People fall away from confessing the Truth that it is our Father within us doing all of the works. They won't stop talking about Jesus, but they will deny that He alone is all of our power, John 15:5. This message is being preached right now in mass. It is far more common for a preacher to tell us what we have to do, then what Jesus has to do through us. The message of anti-christ is far more prevalent in church then any other message. Jesus is spoken of all of the time too. But the main message of religion today always seems to come back to man and what we must do to activate our Father’s power in our life’s. This false message brings fear, because if we fail, then our Father cannot act in our life’s. This message brings boasting, because if we seem to succeed it is because we first chose to do it. The anti-christ will thrive on fear as he tells people that they have to completely trust in their own abilities to activate God.

End Times Matthew 24:7-8

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place;

There has always been wars and until Jesus comes back, there always will be. There has alway been famines, and once again until Jesus comes there always will be those too. We all pray so hard that these things will end, but Jesus plainly tells us that they will not end until He returns. Look at how Jesus taught us to pray: He never said that we should pray that wars, famines, earthquakes, and false prophets should end, Matthew 6:10-13. You ever wonder why He didn’t? 

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

Our Father allows these hardships of the flesh to occur, so that He can cause us to place our faith and confidence in Him. Hardships allow our Father to become great within us and that brings us true peace, peace that passes all understanding, peace even during tribulation. Hardships bring us the understanding that this life in the flesh is only but a brief moment in all of ours eternity. The hardships of the flesh now are in no way to be compared with the glory that is going to be revealed in all of us, Romans 8:18. 

We like to judge things by the events of our flesh, but our Father deals with our spirits, John 4:24. Our spirits are eternal, they are the parts of us that bring true life and fruit, Luke 12:23. The flesh is temporal, our flesh only last but a brief time, 2 Corinthians 4:18. Too many believe that if things are good for our flesh, then we are living right, but if they are bad, then we must be living wrong. But that is not the case. Our flesh has to be buffeted so that our spirits can become glorious, 2 Corinthians 12:7. We see this Truth all throughout the Bible. Jesus was perfect, yet His life was filled with people trying to kill Him. Paul, Peter, John, David, Ezekiel, Elisha, Stephen, Daniel, and all the prophets had extreme hardships, yet they gloried in the power of our Father through them. These men were inspired by our Father and living powerfully faithful life’s, yet hardships abounded for them. 

The Truth is that nation will always rise against nation until Jesus returns. Religion will rise against religion and families will be killing each other right up until the time that Jesus returns. But these things are not the signs of the end times, they are only a foreshadowing of them. Jesus is returning for a glorious church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, Ephesians 5:27. The end time church will be one who is fully empowered to love their oppressors even during the worst of times. We will have no ability to trust in ourselves or the world and the Holy Spirit will cause us to be glorious during those times. 

8 All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish].

End Times Matthew 24:6

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

We definitely hear about wars and rumors of war with today’s 24 hour media. But how can we keep from being frightened?

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection]. 1 John 4:18

He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. 1 John 4:8

The reason that we do not fear is because the perfect love of our Father drives all fear away from us. Our Father is love and we are now in His love and one with His love.

I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very [a]Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them. John 17:26

Jesus lives so that our Father’s love may be in us. Jesus lives so that we may be saved to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25. So it is Jesus’ responsibility to cause us to not fear. Faith comes from hearing the Truth and the Truth sets us free. We need to tell the world that Jesus is solely responsible for keeping us from being afraid. He will never leave us and He will never forsake us, , The glorious Truth is that we have been sealed until the day that Jesus returns with Love, Ephesians 4:30, and Love will never fail us, 1 Corinthians 13:8.

Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ( the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

Jesus will never fail us, even during the end times. Jesus will never fade in His power, even during the end times. Actually the worse things become, the greater He will become to us, 2 Corinthians 12:10, so the greater Love will become, so the greater fear will be driven away.

End Times Matthew 24:3-5

³ While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?

⁴ Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].

⁵ For many will come in (on the strength of) My name [appropriating the name which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray.

Ask yourself this question: how many people right now say that they are Christians when they really aren’t? How many wolfs in sheep’s clothing are there in the world right now attempting to cause people to trust in themselves and our powers to please our Father, Matthew 7:15? Or how many preachers are preaching that we need to trust, accept, and believe through our own free will?  How many are teaching us that we need to first choose, on our own, to live right? 

So many people use the name of Jesus, while they mainly claim that we have the power, on our own, to accept or deny, when the Truth is that it is all Jesus causing us to do everything, John 15:5. Without Jesus we can do nothing! These false prophets have a form of godliness, but they deny that it is all Christ within us doing everything, 2 Timothy 3:5. They will talk about how we have to love, but they will not teach the glorious Truth that Jesus ever lives within us and because He does, we love as He loves, John 17:26. From the pulpit they will proclaim that we must have faith to please our Father and yet they fail to mention in the sermon that we cannot help but to have faith because Jesus ever lives to Author and Finish our faith, Hebrews 12:2. They will talk about how they accepted Jesus, they will even give a date when they did, when the Truth is that we were chosen by our Father, Matthew 22:14. The glorious Truth is that we did not first choose Jesus, He first chose us. He chose us even with all of our faults and shortcomings and He will never change His mind about having us, Romans 11:29. We only came to Jesus because we were empowered and enlightened by our Father to come to Him, John 6:44.

So we don’t necessarily look for people specifically saying that they are Jesus, even though many will say this. We also look at the false prophets who want to place all of the burden of righteousness on man and not on Jesus, Who is our Shepherd, our Head, our Vine, our Master, our Potter, and our Lord. The anti-christ will not appear to the world to be anti Jesus. He is the anti-christ. That means that he is anti our Father’s power causing everything to happen through us.

For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. Colossians 1:16  

The anti-christ will speak so wonderfully and he will be permitted by our Father to do many works and people will love him, Revelation 13:5. He will look very religious, but everything that he does and says will bring the power and glory to what man is doing. He will be blasphemous, because he will talk of what man can do if we only choose to. Jesus will be mentioned by the anti christ, but man will always be the main focus of his testimony. We see this kind of ministry being very prevalent today. How many times have you heard, “if we take the first step, then God will take the next two?” Or, “that God is our co-pilot?” The message of the end times is being spoken all over the world right now. 

We are dead and yet we live, Galatians 2:20. We are dead and our lives are hid with Christ in God, Colossians 3:3. We are new creatures in Christ, all things are now new for us and every old thing has passed away for us, 2 Corinthians 5:17. We do not first do anything, even accepting or choosing, on our own. A branch does not first choose or accept to produce the fruit of the vine that it is united with. The clay does not first act or accept the potter. The hand does not first move, then the head reacts to its movement. Our Father is proactive towards us, He is not reactive to us. So these false teachers, that Jesus talks about, are all around us right now. There are many false prophets who claim to come in the power of Jesus, when they aren’t, and they are leading many astray. This is not the sign of Jesus' return though, it is only the beginning of the sign of His return. 

But amen, these false prophets will fail. Jesus will win and He will overcome all that is against Him, even bad teaching. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, Romans 14:11. Jesus will succeed beyond our wildest expectations!      

End Times Matthew 24:1-2

1 Jesus departed from the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the buildings of the temple and point them out to Him.

2 But He answered them, Do you see all these? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.

Many believe that the Jewish Temple must first be rebuilt before Jesus will return. But Jesus tells us that the Temple in Jerusalem, that has been made with hands, will be completely destroyed, and that temple has been. As we will go on and study in this Chapter, Jesus never tells us that it must first be rebuilt before He returns. Many believe that the Jewish Temple must be rebuilt because we are told that the anti-christ will set up his throne in the temple.

Who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and insolently against and over all that is called God or that is worshiped, [even to his actually] taking his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4

But the glorious Truth is that man is now the Temple of God, not any building.

What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 2 Corinthians 6:16

When the anti-christ sets up his throne, it will be in man, not in a building. The anti-christ will not be human, but he will take on the form of man, thus setting up his throne in the temple. We are told that he is a being that comes up from the Abyss. So this being is allowed by our Father to take on the form of man, thus setting up his throne in what appears to be the true Temple of our Father, which is man. 

The beast that you saw [once] was, but [now] is no more, and he is going to come up out of the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and proceed to go to perdition. And the inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been recorded in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they look at the beast, because he [once] was, but [now] is no more, and he is [yet] to come. Revelation 17:8

We also know that the anti-christ will not be human because when our Father is done using him, he is thrown right into the Lake of Fire. The anti-christ, or the beast, will never come up for judgment. We are told that all men will be present on Judgment Day, Revelation 20:12-14, but the anti-christ will not be there, he will have been destroyed by the Lake of Fire a thousand years before Judgment Day. 

And the beast was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue. Both of them were hurled alive into the fiery lake that burns and blazes with brimstone. Revelation 19:20

So do not look to a physical rebuilding of the Jewish Temple as a sign of our Lord’s return. 

Ephesians 6:18

18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).

Jesus ever lives to intercede for us, and because He does, we are saved to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25. We are now one with Jesus, so we too ever live to intercede for others so that they may be saved to the uttermost, John 17:26. With these Truths in mind let’s study some examples of prayer’s in the Bible.

And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment], So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble]. May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor and praise of God [that His glory may be both manifested and recognized]. Philippians 1:9-11

Through Christ we are empowered to pray for people to abound in the fullest measure of love. We pray that they are pure and blameless and without fault and pray that they are filled with righteousness. We pray that they are just like Jesus is.

May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]-- To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). Ephesians 3:16-21

Pray for people to have the same mighty power that Jesus has. Pray that love secures them and that they are filled with all of the fullness of God, just as Jesus is filled with the fullness of God. Pray that our Father will do more through them than they can ask for, believe for, or pray for. Pray for those that love and hate you. Pray for the saved and unsaved to have all of the power of Jesus. Pray lifting holy hands and pray with Thanksgiving. 

Now here is a great Truth for us: even if we pray wrong, the Holy Spirit will take what we pray and turn it into what our Father’s will is, so that we will receive even if we asked for the wrong things. 

So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. Romans 8:26

So pray away, because in Christ we always receive our Father’s perfect will. Father I ask that You cause us to always and every place to pray in the full and complete power of Your might. 

Ephesians 6:17

17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.

   

Salvation is a gift, our helmet is a gift. Salvation is placed upon us, we do not place it on ourselves. 

For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved ( delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; Ephesians 2:8

And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. John 6:39

Finally, we are told to wield the Word of God as a sword. Jesus is the Word, He is our Head, He is our Vine, He is our Shepherd, and we are one with Him. Jesus is greater within us than anything that is in this world. Jesus causes us to walk in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. We wield the Sword of the Word because we have been grafted into It, we are one with It, we cannot help but be who we have become.

So relax, our Father is the One Who dresses us for battle and He is the One Who always causes us to triumph in every battle. This is why we have confidence in our eternal salvation, because we can never lose it. 

For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] Romans 11:29

The Armor of God is placed on us by God. He sanctifies us completely in the power of His Truth. He will use us to wrestle evil and He will cause us to be victorious. He will show the world that they are loved, just as Jesus is loved, through us.  

Ephesians 6:15-16

15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.

Our feet are stabilized by the Gospel. The Gospel is the Word of our Father and the Word of our Father is Jesus.

And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. John 1:14

Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them. Hebrews 7:25

Our feet are stable because our Lord and Savior ever lives to intercede for us so that we are saved perfectly, completely, finally, and to the uttermost. Our feet are stable because we are now one with Jesus, we are His body, His flesh, and He is saved perfectly, completely, finally, and to the uttermost. As Jesus is, so are we in this world. 

16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

We have faith because Jesus is the Author and Finisher or our faith. Faith is not a human ability to believe the Truth, it is our Lord’s ability to believe the Truth working through man. We will lift up the shield of faith only because Jesus empowers us to. The Head directs the body to do its will. We are more then conquerors through Christ and our darkness is as the noonday. There is no weapon that is formed that can prosper and today is the day of our salvation and now is our accepted time.

Ephesians 6:13-14

13 Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

If you just read this verse alone you will think that we are being told that we have to put on our Father’s armor on our own, as if it is hanging in a closet and all we have to do is go and get it. The Truth however, is our Head, Who is Jesus, empowers us and makes our decisions for us as He leads us into the paths of righteousness. Without Jesus we can do nothing, John 15:5, but because we are now one with Him, we will do everything in the power of our Father’s might. So if we are born again and one with Jesus, we will put on the whole armor of our Father. Our Shepherd will cause us to do it. Our Potter will mold us so that we will wear it. Our Father’s Spirit that is within us will cause us to get dressed. There is nothing that is required of us that our Father will not do for us. We are told to put on God’s armor, so our Father will put His armor on us.  

14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,

The first thing that we are told to put on is Truth. The only way that we are able to know the Truth, or put on the Truth, is because our Father has empowered us to know the Truth.

And He replied to them, To you it has been given to know the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. Matthew 13:11

The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. John 14:17

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. John 14:26

Next, we are told that we are to put on righteousness. Man is incapable of putting on righteousness on his own, it has to be placed on us by our Father, because our righteousness is as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. 

I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. John 17:22-23

For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Romans 5:17

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Our righteousness is Jesus’ righteousness, we are now one with it. We are one with His glory and our Father has sanctified us, not by our works, but by His grace. Our Father has given us the gift of righteousness and His gift is without revoke. 

Why Tragedies Are Allowed: Ephesians 6:12

12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

As we are used by our Lord to wrestle with darkness, our Father becomes stronger within us, so through the power of Christ we can actually welcome the battles in this life. As our Father causes us to triumph in them, it proves to us that we do have an eternity to be spent with our Him. 

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-4

Our Father causing us to continually triumph in trials, even unthinkable trials, gives us a character that produces confident hope in our eternal salvation through Christ. So when someone asks you why are there trials and tragedies in this world, Romans 5:3-4 are the verses that answers that very real question! 

Yesterday there was probably the most severe trial that anyone will ever have to face in this flesh. Twenty little children were shot and killed in their classroom. The trial that their families, that school, and that community will face is unimaginable to most of us. I ask that all who are led to this posting to join with me in praying that our Father’s Word of Truth here will not fall void to the earth for those who have been affected by these horrific killings. And all who have been affected by equally horrific events in their lives as well.  

Together in Christ we ask You Father that You will absolutely cause the victims families and their community to endure in the power of Your might. Father be greater in them then the grief, sorrow, guilt, and anger that is in this world. Cause them Father to see that the horrific death of their lovely young children only resulted in victory for their little ones. Give them peace that passes all understanding that their babies are now living in Paradise with You. Father allow them to rejoice in the victory of where their children actually are and empower them to not be consumed with the grief of their loss. Empower their parents, families, and friends to be confident with an absolute trust that they too will spend eternity with those little children who were taken. Cause those affected Father to reach out in Your complete power to serve others and cause them to gain strength from being used by You. Father use the surviving children in that school to be the greatest witnesses of You that the world has ever seen. In Jesus' Name Father empower them fully with the Holy Spirit to not suffer depression but to be inspired to witness Your Truth. 

For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Father give these victims families an escape from this event through You.

Our Father will never allow us to get in a wrestling match with evil that He will not cause us to win. This is our confidence and this is our peace. As our Father leads us, and causes us to be victorious, through more and more persecutions and trials, our confidence in Him grows. Not only do we grow in confidence as He uses us, others see our Father working through us and this causes their confidence to grow in Him as well. Amen! We are one with the victory of Jesus, and as He is, so are we in this world. This holds true for the families of these children in Connecticut as well. They have been asked to carry an extremely heavy load, but our Father will never leave them or forsake them and He will cause them to be a light to a world that desperately needs a light. 

Father cause all of us to have peace that You will never leave us or forsake us even when unimaginable things happen around us and to us. And empower us with Your knowledge of the Truth that all things work out for good.