I hear a lot of talk about revival. I know many pray for revival and that is definitely a good thing. Many claim a great revival is happening worldwide and while I hope that is true I am a bit incredulous considering what the Bible says and infers about the last days.
Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? KJV
Jesus was speaking of His return and this does not bode well for revivals or even the Church corporate. It does not look like dominion theology pans out or any other theology for that matter. It looks like faith will be a rare thing and even at a near extinction level event. Seeing this passage speaks to a post-Tribulation event it makes sense since the Church has been Raptured. The 144,000 will be hard at it and many will be won by their ministry. Yet, when we are looking at seven billion people currently on earth the numbers will still be a small ratio.
Yet, what about Pre-Tribulation days? Can we expect massive revivals?
Matt 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. KJV
When you say the word iniquity most people think of general sins or some particularly grave sin and both are right, but the word also speaks to the idea of being against the law or transgression of it. You could say anything illegal or contrary to God's laws.
Most Christians do not set out to sin when they are first saved. They become sin hunters and try to seek out everything that might be wrong in their life. That is great! Not a bad idea at all, but sometimes they do go too far and listen to people who teach them the traditions of men and get all wrapped up in do this and do that from the minds of men and not necessarily of God.
After an array of failures and sins they get tired and instead of just dumping the traditions of men they dump everything and consider all things lawful for they are under grace. They lose their discernment in the thrill of finding liberty and end up on the other extreme justifying things that appeal to the flesh without considering that they may cause others to stumble and be condemned by the things they allow. They may even use love to manipulate another believer or get others to do things that they have not faith to do making them sin and ultimately stumble. They push the ideas under the banner of grace. True love and grace would forgo liberty for the love of their neighbor.
Gal 5:13-14
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. KJV
Some give up their beliefs or convictions because they are tired of being picked on by the unbelievers and the believers who tell them to lighten up and dump legalism. They just can't take the persecution though it be not unto blood. It is just inconvenient or frustrating. Once they are on that path they are not far from choosing the path of least resistance. They find their love running cold because to be close to the Lord means getting what He and the faithful get; persecution. We are to resist the devil and stand against evil and when we run from the heat of the battle we find cold love in our desertion.
The unnamed prophet listened to an older peer that seemed spiritual instead of obeying God and ended up dead instead of being in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame. False brethren or erring brethren can be as dangerous or more so than outright enemies. You trust those who profess Christianity and appear spiritual and let your guard down whereas with a known enemy the shields would go up, phasers armed and torpedoes loaded. The enemy knows that and will send such people your way that appear as an angels of light to defeat you.
2 Tim 3:12-13
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. KJV
If we can see the fact that evil men are getting worse and worse why do we think we shall not see persecution? In the early days of the Church revival and church growth came by the shedding of the blood of the saints not by major concerts, coffee shops and whatever might be equal to all our media toys.
Tertullian said, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church" (Apologeticus, Chapter 50) .And that is true in many countries today except for the 1st World nations, especially the carnal US. The land of the free is enslaved to every wind of doctrine and sleight of hand. The winds of persecution are starting to pick up, but we think they are going to become balmy breezes instead of winds from Hell sent to blow away what little seed of the Word of God and its fruit remains.
Matt 7:21-23
21 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.
22 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?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. KJV
Note that the evil men were deceiving and being deceived not in the rites of satanism or atheism, but in a false form of Christianity. A lawless or iniquitous Christianity that has a form of godliness but lacks and denies the power thereof. A Laodicean form of Christianity that will seem to be rich carnally, but it is wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked spiritually. It will preach sweet but defiled doctrine to itching ears and will sit at the table with Belial. Their doom will be sealed at the Rapture, but they will plead they were doing the Lord's work on Judgment Day only to be told He never knew them.
2 Cor 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. KJV
There are many false Christs or other Jesus' out there. The irony is that they can garner far more disciples than the real Jesus. It reminds me of the time we were able to get some real butter when I was a underpaid buck Sgt in the USAF. My kids had been raised on margarine. While my wife and I were in dog heaven when we tasted the real thing the kids thought it was yucky. They had lived so long with the fake they could not handle the taste of the real thing.
That is why it is so hard to get someone out of a cult or apostate form of Christianity. They have survived on the fake for so long that they real thing has no flavor for them. A backslid Christian is the next hardest person to work with because they have forgotten how sweet the real thing is because they have spent so long with the fake. It is easier to get someone to accept the true Christ who has never heard or was barely exposed to the fake. Their taste buds have not been dulled.
Be careful of what you believe and study to show yourself approved in that day for it will not matter what your favorite preacher or teacher taught. It will be checked to see if YOU did the will of the Father. What is that will?
John 6:38-40
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. KJV
Salvation is first. That is the prime will of God for all humans. After that, we are told in Romans 12:1,2 to become living sacrifices with minds transformed so that we can find more of the good, perfect and acceptable will of God.
You may be wrapped up in various sins or what common census defines as iniquity. Your love for God may not be just cold but frozen. It is time to seek the Lord and let His love thaw out your heart and bring about a love for Him since we love Him because He first loved us. You may need to be saved to get a first love or maybe you have wandered and need to return to that first love?
You may have lost your love because you see the iniquity and lost faith or hope in Him. It became easy to justify your sin because so many Christians seem to be having no problems with their many sins. They may not be Christians but living in iniquity and they will not be happy in the end.
You may think your love is on fire but in reality you are a worker of iniquity or being deceived by one because you are worshiping another Christ instead of the one the Bible proclaims. You would do well to heed Peter's warning to make your calling and election sure.
You may feel like you are on a mission from God to get your particular group to come back from apostasy. God said to come out from among them for He cannot sit at the table of Belial. Do not touch the unclean thing. Yes, grab out some folks as brands from the fire but hate the garment stained by the flesh. Otherwise, your heart will grow cold as the iniquity defeats you and brings you into despair and at the end fruitless when you could have been fruitful in another place.
How's your spiritual love life? Feeling a bit of a chill? Beware of iniquity. Study, study, study! Try the spirits! We are in the last days and they are days of apostasy, not revival. See with spiritual discernment and not just your eyes. Ask God to open your eyes so you can see your heart and the things around you with His eyes. The clarity may well stun you, but it will be so worth it when we stand before Him! Maranatha!!!
