In Matthew 24, Jesus delivered to his disciples his basic teaching on the end of the age.  It involved wars and rumors of wars, nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom, famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in many different places. He warned them that believers would be hated for His name’s sake, betrayed even by family and other so-called Christians. Because iniquity (lawlessness) would abound the love of many shall grow cold. Many Christians will be afflicted causing a great ‘falling away’ that Paul spoke about.

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” – Matthew 24:10-12

This condition reveals the final strategy for overcoming –

Hold fast to the Truth of God’s Word!

I can give you Hope and Change

Because of lawlessness, many believers will fall prey to false prophets. These prophets will come in many forms and not all of them cloaked in religious disguise. They may come as financial gurus selling their plans for prosperity. They may come as political prophets selling this party or that party as our salvation. Or they may come in religious form, telling us which political, financial, or survivalist plan is God’s plan. They may even believe their message themselves and so, be even more convincing.  If we are moved by our own needs or desires rather than God’s, we can be deceived. We must remember how Jesus taught us to pray –

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” – Luke 11:2-4

What God desires is all heaven initiated – not earthly initiated. But, if we willfully set our desires above God’s desires, He will allow us to be deceived just as king Ahab and king Jehoshaphat were. Ahab wanted to go to war and he called for the prophets to pronounce God’s blessings on the adventure. All but one did. The prophet Micaiah warned him giving the true word of the Lord –

“Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.“ – 2 Chronicals 18:18-22

Many will say, “My God would never do that!” That may true of your god but, the God of the Bible would and did. It is a serious failing to live unrighteously and put our own will above God’s perfect will! As Paul warned those who did not have a love for the truth above all else –

“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:“ – 2 Thessalonians 2:10,11

I don’t need to repent!

I recently have read several prophets who have declared Donald Trump to be God’s ‘anointed’ sent to save America and begin revival. But, does God put His anointing on one who declared ‘he has never repented because he never does anything wrong?’ One who has lied in his business dealings? Or one who has committed adultery and divorce and does not need forgiveness? I believe these prophets have been deceived with a lying spirit.

Or I recently read a political prophet who declared our choice this election is between one who is a ‘globalist’ (Clinton) and one who believes in America first (Trump). I reject this prophesy for several reasons: 1) Trump does not always put America first and does as much business out of the country as in, and hires as many cheaper illegals as he can get away with, and 2) America’s greatness depends only on America’s godliness for as Scripture

God’s answer to our problems

declares “righteousness exalts a nation” and not any man! I do not hear or see either Clinton or Trump encouraging repentance and righteousness as the only answer to America’s problems, therefore this prophet is also a false prophet!

Dear friends, do not be deceived by false hopes and promises based on man’s abilities. Only God can deliver us from the coming problems and Jesus has given us 7 strategies that will prepare to overcome them:

1. How to overcome deception
2. How to overcome fear and stress with God’s peace
3. Choose to endure until the end
4. Be a witness sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom
5. Watch and be alert for the God’s signs of the times
6. Be faithful to God’s calling in your life
7. Hold fast to the Truth of God’s Word