What We Need To Know About "The Spirit of The Age" in These End Times

Ever since the Holy Spirit counseled my husband and myself to "Seek, first, the Kingdom of God", I have understood that we would be entering a Spiritual War with mankind's oldest Enemy. Throughout the Bible, and the history of the world, we can see how Satan and his followers [in both physical and spiritual form] have tempted man to disobey and defy God, in the hopes that he [Satan] could take possession of the earth and men's souls. This rebellion will continue to grow as Satan realizes his time is short to accomplish all his goals -- to hinder all the works of God, securing our willful obedience and worship, by exercising his power and control, and ultimately destroying us and God, securing his place as the god of this world. 

If you have any spiritual discernment at all, you can see how he has commissioned his demons to carry out their assignments, resulting in men embracing "the Spirit of the Age". The Bible is very clear to describe what this spirit will look like in the End Times, right before Jesus returns. First, let's understand the Biblical concept behind the word "age", or aión, as it is known in Greek, or eon, in English. It primarily denotes an age or a long period of time. It can refer to the present age, the age to come, or eternity. Strong's Lexicon defines "age" in the New Testament as being used to describe the temporal, fallen world in contrast to the eternal, perfect kingdom of God. It can also imply the spiritual or moral state of the world during a particular age.

We see this precept expressed most urgently in two different passages attributed to the apostle Paul. In Ephesians 2:1-3, he writes, And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience -- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 

It is important that we understand that "the course of this world" refers to the spirit of the times. And that spirit is not always exactly the same. Satan can assign different spirits for different ages in history. For instance, the spirits in the United States in the 1920s and the 1950s were different from each other, and are quite different from the rebellious spirit that began to emerge in the 60s and the markedly bold and evil spirits of today. I think we can agree that we are seeing a spirit of increasing hostility towards God and the destruction of God's ways and people. 

Now, let's consider what Paul has to say in 1 Timothy 4:1-5 ... Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons... I believe that Paul recognized the spirits that would mark the End Times [or later/latter times as he says]... namely the spirits of apostasy (some will depart); the spirits of deception (deceitful spirits); and the spirits of false teaching (teachings/doctrines of demons). I think we can all see that these are definitely spirits of our age. 

And I believe that Paul saw the immense importance of faith during these End Times. If we lose that, nothing else matters! And now, hear me! I'm not talking about losing the ability or desire to believe, but losing the Truth of what Christians should believe, according to the Word! Just ask yourselves as you take a good, honest look at the churches in our country ... have they abandoned the essential teachings of Christianity in favor of teachings and doctrines of demonic spirits who are seeking to deceive men and women and entice them away from God's Truth? 

It all began in the Garden, when Satan taught Eve that her eyes could be opened and she could be like God. From that day forward, every demonic spirit operated from the root of that lie and deception ... the idea that we can become our own god, and live our lives free of God's guidance, influence, and control. How has that turned out down through the ages? Today it looks like abortion, unnatural relations, greed, corruption, perversion against children, humanism, altering our DNA, and creating a way through technology to live eternally without the need of God's gift of salvation. And this spirit has invaded our churches, as evidenced by the number of members who are willing to embrace and agree with these spirits.

It seems to me that our society and culture reflect the inability of the Church to demolish the power of the lies of Satan's sons of disobedience. This is resulting in the "falling away" of once sincere Believers, whose consciences have "been seared", as with a hot brand, and allowing people to progress to viler and viler acts, with no remorse. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled (Titus 1:15). 

Can you see the direction [the course] the world is headed? Can you see how many of the "faithful" are being tempted to follow the direction of the prince of the power of the air (Satan), who has convinced them to follow a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible? How many pastors seek to entertain and enthrall their audiences with rationalized and commercialized versions of Scripture in order to maintain their popularity? Is this what Paul meant when he warned his listeners to have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths (1 Timothy 4:7)? And how many pastors dilute the word in order to soothe the itching ears of their members and to keep them coming back each Sunday to fill the coffers of the church? Again, in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Paul warns, For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Some of the ways our churches have embraced the Spirit of this Age is by bringing a false representation of Jesus and His promises. Their preaching can take on various forms. You can see it almost like a marketing campaign ... one form of Christianity markets America as a Christian nation, having received God's favor to control or influence American society and government [Dominionism]. We can also see the "falling away" [or apostasy] in the preaching of the Prosperity Gospel, and the rise of the Emergent Church, which preaches social justice, activism, and the metaphorical essence of the Word over Biblical Truth. And we can't ignore the promotion of interfaith dialogue, which equates Jesus with all the other "gods" of different faiths, automatically denying that we serve "the Most High God".  

So, how do we conduct spiritual warfare against this "Spirit of the Age" that is leading us to the final battle of the final age of this world? The first thing is to recognize what is happening in the spiritual realms and how to defend the real and authentic faith of Jesus Christ! Repentance and Holiness are not just words in our Christian lexicon -- they are meant to be manifested in our daily lives, as we embrace -- not this world -- but the world to come! We must contend for the True Faith, which looks like this: being bold enough to call out false doctrine and false teachers; gently correcting those who have lost their way; and being prepared to stand in the midst of the persecution that will certainly come against us. 

In summary, it is my sincere hope that the remnant in the Body of Christ will remain committed to our calling ... to share the love of Christ in our lives with others; to warn of the consequences of denying who Jesus is, and what He has done to provide for our Salvation, as well as point to the reasons for our faith: to glorify Him for the fulfillment of His promises, chief among them, eternal life. I cannot stress enough that we come to the knowledge that there is a very real demonic Spirit of this Age, with a very real demonic agenda to deny every human the joy, and the strength, and the power of a relationship with our Creator, Jesus Christ. I feel the pure Evil that this Spirit is bringing against humanity, and I encourage each of us to put on our spiritual armor and fight for the Kingdom of God and the victory that is ours; the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith!

Jude 18-23     ... In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions. It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the [Holy] Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

 

     

Where Are We in the Cosmic Chess Match between God and Satan?

If you have followed this blog through the years I've been writing, you might remember that I have made references to a "cosmic chess match" between God and Satan. On one side is the Most High God and His army of angels [messengers], led by the archangel Michael, "the great Prince". On the other side is Lucifer, or the devil, and his army of princes, rulers, powers and spiritual forces of wickedness. And from the beginning of the Word in Genesis, to the last verses in Revelation, they are battling for the dominion of Earth.

There is a good argument that Heaven's army, led by Michael, [whose name means "who is like God"] and whose title of "Michael the archangel" can be translated as "the greatest messenger who is God", is a type of Jesus. In other words, Michael behaves in a way that corresponds to Jesus's character or actions in the New Testament. Consequently, Satan's army is led by an angel who was once known as Lucifer, the anointed cherub who was the guardian of God's throne. But the sin of Pride, which caused him to seek to overthrow God, resulted in him being cast away from God and out of Heaven, where he is still seeking to dethrone God in the hearts of men and permanently lay claim to the dominion of Earth. 

Throughout history, Satan has attempted to infiltrate this earthly realm and influence, or revive, his rebellious spirit in men who would [willfully] further his cause in defying God and becoming Master of this planet. Remember, Satan has no home ... he was banished from his estate in Heaven, and is jealous that the dominion of Earth, which Jesus created to be like Heaven, [its authority, command, control, and jurisdiction] was given to man. The Bible gives us an abbreviated timeline of the cosmic chess match between God and Satan regarding who will rule Earth. It's a game of strategy, foresight, and calculated moves, and mankind is dramatically affected by each deliberate and purposeful move.

An easy analogy to help you understand this "cosmic chess" premise is to picture Jesus as the King piece, sent by God to re-establish Heaven's dominion over the earth; first through Jesus, as the Son of God, and then to see that authority transferred to us, His children (represented as the Pawns on the chess board). God ultimately evaluates and moves the other pieces on the board in response to Satan's moves, and in accordance with achieving His goal -- first, making us in His image so that we would safeguard earth as a colony of the Kingdom of Heaven; and then to reflect the nature and culture of our true Homeland.

And how has Satan played the game? From the beginning, he has tempted mankind to follow in his footsteps; to become our own "little g" god, rebelling against the mandates of God in order to secure our own earthly empires. God counters with a move that removes mankind from their favored position in the Garden, forcing us to use our free will to decide who we would obey and emulate. Satan's move: his servants give in to their lust for earthly women and subjugate mankind to a race of hybrid giants, who become "men of reknown", self-proclaimed gods who build their own empires and devour the earth with their evil, violence, and brutality. Again, God counters with a Flood that wipes out the wickedness in men and evil angel/gods.

And that has been the recurring story ever since. Satan convinces men to become his willing "pawns" in his strategy to "check" the King. God raises up prophets and righteous men to counter those moves and sets up periods of history in which men turn back to Him -- until the next countermove by the Enemy. And, yes, it should be easy to see that we are the Pawns in this analogous game of chess; the weakest and least mobile of all the pieces on the board. Throughout this match of cosmic strategies, it is the Pawns that are most easily captured and removed from the game. But I found it extremely insightful to find, written within the "Strategy and Tactics" portion of the official Chess instructions, this tidbit of wisdom: At the end of the game, when most of the pieces are gone, Kings typically take a more active part in the struggle, and Pawn Promotion is often decisive in determining the outcome.   

So, what is "Pawn Promotion"? In short, it is the advancement or elevation of a Pawn to a prominent position that has an effect on the endgame. Some of the most effective pawns used by Satan have been those individuals who have been able to foment corruption and outright denial of our ancient Biblical history. For instance, in 1830, geologist Charles Lyell published a textbook titled Principles of Geology, which promoted a doctrine called uniformitarianism, which is a belief that "the present is the key to our past". From that premise, he suggested that what is happening in our present geologic processes are enough to account for all geologic formations in all the ages of history. There is no room for the truth that a kind of cataclysm (a devastating, destructive force) such as the Flood to have pre-existed. This is an outright denial and disregard for the historical accounts of hundreds of Flood testimonies from diverse regions and cultures around the world, including Asia, Australia, the East Indies, Micronesia, Polynesia, South America, Central America, North America, and Africa.  

Another of Satan's pawns was Saint Augustine, who in the 4th Century rejected the account of Fallen Angels lusting after and mating with human women to produce the race of Nephilim giants who were discussed above. He promoted the "Sethite theory" that it was the sons of Seth who impregnated the women. But it's kind of hard to make that theory work, when you can't explain how that union would produce 20-30 foot giants. But you can see how Satan successfully used these men as pawns to deny and disparage Scripture. But God has men that served as useful pawns for His strategies and tactics to defeat Satan, too. The Essenes who protected ancient writings in the caves of Qumran played an important role in re-establishing the validity of Scripture. The Dead Sea Scrolls have opened up a return to searching for Biblical truth. And it is much needed today!

I don't know how many pieces God has left on the board of this Cosmic Chess match with the devil, but I guarantee you that He wants to promote you to play a part in the final victory. You don't have to be captured by the Enemy's subterfuge and denial of our ancient past. And you don't need to be removed from the Game!  

It's time that we deny the misconceptions of pawns like Charles Lyell and his disciple, Charles Darwin. Augustine belongs in that group, too! Their rejection of the testimony of antiquity [the ancient past] and the biblical narrative of antediluvian history, must be challenged. Not only do I subscribe to Proverbs 25:2 (It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out), but Solomon's wisdom in Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 is the perfect countermove to the false doctrine that "the present is the key to our past". King Solomon states the following: What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already, in the ages before us. 

So, what happened in Genesis 6-9 will happen again. Satan and his pawns, here in the 21st Century, are secretly [and frantically] laboring to recreate their empires as gods; opening portals to entities from spiritual realms; and corrupting the genetic codes of humans so that they no longer are made in the image of God --- all with the evil goal of finally securing the dominion of earth. But just as He did with the Flood in those long ago evil days, God [as He promises in 2 Peter 3:10] will cleanse the earth of corruption once again, this time by fire. It's as if Solomon is warning us ... what has been is what will be. Through the Word, we can know the end from the beginning. 

But we also know, just as it did in Genesis, God's judgment will come like a thief in the night, and we cannot predict when it will happen. Now, I don't know how many pieces God has left on the board of this Cosmic Chess Match with the devil, but I guarantee you that He wants to promote you to play a part in the final victory. I believe we will see King Jesus taking a more active part in our struggles, and I also believe that we were created to play a decisive role in this endgame between Good and Evil. I want you to embrace hope and encouragement -- I can assure you that you have a purpose for advancing God's strategy of defeating Satan's kingdom of darkness and re-establishing God's Kingdom on earth. And what an honor it is to be examined and found worthy of advancing the game!

Isaiah 46:10   Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose,

    

Our New Reality?

Today's post is going to be shorter than usual. I had a whole new post ready to go today, but with the news we woke up to, it's time to pivot. Everything is happening so fast -- world economic collapse seems imminent; a world war is definitely in view; huge layoffs are happening, with the tech sector beginning the slide by laying off 100,000 employees last week; civil war is breaking out in Great Britain, with the same thing looming in Ireland; a devastating hurricane is about to hit our East Coast; not to mention that two biological men are boxing in the Olympics for the Women's gold medal.

What the Lord has shown me and my husband -- and what we have been shouting from the wall -- looks to be coming true. Has the Lord reached His limit of patience regarding our disobedience and rebellion? Let's just look at the situation with Hurricane Debby and the catastrophic flooding that's expected. In 2012 I wrote a blog showing how America and Israel's destinies are intertwined. Here's a couple examples: In 1991 The Perfect Storm hit with 35 foot waves crashing into the Kennebunkport home of President George H.W. Bush after he initiated the Madrid Peace Conference, giving up "land for peace". When the Madrid Conference moves to Washington DC in 1992 and the peace talks resume, Hurricane Andrew [the worst natural disaster ever to hit America] comes ashore and produces an estimated $30 billion in damage and leaving 180,000 homeless in Florida. Think it's judgment from God on how we're treating Israel?

Consider the following and then decide: The Northridge Earthquake [1994] happens when President Clinton meets with Syria's President to talk about a peace agreement with Israel that includes giving up the Golan Heights. Within 24 hours a powerful 6.9 earthquake rocks Southern California. Hurricane George slams into the U.S. Gulf Coast with 110 mph winds and gusts up to 175 mph and then stalls. Clinton was meeting with Yassar Arafat and Netanyahu to finalize a land deal that would make an independent Palestinian state a reality by 1999. Hurricane George pounds the Gulf Coast, causing $1 billion in damage. At the exact moment that Arafat departs the country, the storm begins to dissipate.

And the coincidences (?) go on and on ... the Texas floods in 1998; the evaporation of the world economic Markets in 1998 when America promises $400 million to Arafat for a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the capital; a powerful super tornado sweeps across Oklahoma and Kansas, clocking 316 mph winds on the day Arafat is scheduled to declare the Palestinian state; Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans after Israel carries out the evacuation of 9500 residents from the Gaza Strip. Since that 2012 post, we have seen more devastation and destruction from natural disasters as our national policies have not coincided with God's will for the apple of His eye. HEAR ME: I'm not saying that Israel is walking with righteousness and we should approve everything they do. On the contrary, they have sinned against YHWH in equal measure. But the U.S. leaders are responsible for what this country does and how they influence the world.

So, back to today's news ... should we be concerned when North Korea begins moving its missiles to South Korea, or China declares that if the U.S. gets involved in the Middle East tensions, they will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Russia? You bet we should! Do we still have the protection of Almighty God? Take a look at what our country stands for today, and then decide. Personally, I think the only thing keeping us from His judgment is the righteous prayers of His righteous people. Don't stop praying! And try to wake up your friends and family. Believe me, I know how frustrating it is to continually warn that there is no guarantee that any of us will escape the chaos that is happening in the world.

And I see the battle going on in the spiritual realm. Let your prayers strengthen the Archangel Michael and his heavenly army that wage war against Satan and his evil forces. Michael fights for Israel and for us [if we bless Israel]. The battle is real! We must put our spiritual armor on and take up our battle stations. Continue to love others, pour the love of Jesus into them, and be ready to defend our God at every turn. It is up to us who know what we stand to lose [in both the physical and spiritual realms] to lead the way and encourage everyone in our sphere of influence to go forth without fear. Now is the time to show the Enemy our true identity in Christ!.

2 Timothy 3:1     But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 

"Redeem The Time For The Days Are Evil"

Oh, how I wish that my spirit would wake me up in the middle of the night bringing tidings of joy and good news for mankind! Instead, I am once again being awakened with a deep sense of urgency to warn my fellow Believers that how we spend our time from this moment forward is more important than ever. 

I don't have to tell you that we are in a battle for our nation and our very lives. Because the building blocks of our national DNA are freedom and liberty, we instinctively know we are losing the foundation that is necessary for our continued development, purpose, and growth. And if you've paid any amount of attention during the last three or four years, then you know that our God-created DNA is under attack, too.

Just reading the headlines today is enough to send some into a downward spiral of fear and despair ... increased military action is threatened in the Middle East as the leaders of Israel, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey are beating the drums of war; Venezuela is descending into utter chaos after "sham" election; Russia is training its troops for nuclear war; UK warns of elevated risk of new pandemic of "bird flu"; the German economy is on the verge of collapse, bringing into view David Wilkerson's prophecy that Germany would be first, followed by Japan, and then the U.S.; the Western food supply is diminishing... 

I don't write this out of ignorance that the Battle is the Lord's, and the ultimate victory is ours. And I definitely am not fear-mongering to deliberately arouse alarm among my fellow countrymen and brethren in Christ. Rather, I am writing to encourage everyone to harken upon the words of the Apostle Paul when he tells us in Ephesians 5:14-16, to "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you and give you light". He goes on to tell us to "redeem the time, because the days are evil". 

So, I am talking to those Christians who have convinced themselves that they don't need to worry or do anything during these dark days because Jesus has promised He will not abandon us, and we just need to trust in Him to take care of everything. But He never said we would be free of the consequences of Satan's dark kingdom on earth. In fact, He warned us of the evil things to come! And for those nonbelievers who are still mired in their normalcy bias and think nothing can ever defeat us because "we're America and we'll always be on top" -- look around you! I'm talking to you, too! 

The Bible tells us that Satan is "the god of this world" and he has been very successful in deceiving the masses and recruiting humanity to rebel against all righteousness. There is a global war in the spiritual realms as Satan and his demons bring increasing rage against those who belong to Christ. They know their time is running short because God is exposing their lies and schemes; Our Almighty God is ripping off the blindfolds and dirty veils of those who have been unable [or unwilling] to see His Truth, and He is revealing the works of those who are in league with Satan and his anti-Christ agenda. But the Light of Christ is shining brightly on their wicked deeds! Are you beginning to see the strategies of the Evil One to form an alliance with unholy men and claim masses of people as his victims, bringing them into utter destruction and eternal torment? Are you ready to redeem the time remaining to us?     

If so, what does it mean for us to "redeem the time"? There's lots for us to consider, and Paul gives wise counsel in that Ephesians 5 passage. For too long, we just groped our way through the mess Satan was creating, compromising our moral standards, and thinking our religious prayers were going to save us. But now that Jesus has shined His Light on the wickedness and perversion, we should see plainly our way forward. So let's redeem the time we've lost -- let's make the most of it and be constantly aware that the clock is ticking! Yes, I believe Jesus is close to returning, but because we don't know the day or the hour, we need to figure out what He wants us to be doing until He makes His appearance .. and then do it!

Speaking for myself, I don't want to waste my time on the useless, shallow things of this world... the barren pursuits that don't produce any fruit for His Kingdom. Maybe it's because I am advancing in years and know my time is short, so I want to be intentional with my time, carefully watching my thoughts, my words, and my deeds to make sure I am not only preparing the way for Him, but can stand before Him with as little regret as possible. I want to be in constant touch with the Holy Spirit, conscious of His every word of knowledge that can give me the wisdom, understanding, and discernment as to how I can rise up in my own righteous Might and help others to do the same. 

I want to commit every day to looking for the opportunities the Lord gives me to glorify Him. I want to sing His praises, worship Him by studying His Word, and share all the goodness and mercy He has bestowed on me through my salvation. I want to educate people by spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom; that He came the first time to restore dominion of the earth back to us so that we might walk in power and authority from our Father in Heaven to reclaim His Creation from the Usurper and Thief. And I want to become better at loving my neighbor, praying for my enemies, and taking care of the poor. I want to spend my time healing people [physically, emotionally, and spiritually] -- seeing people set free from disease, demons, and their own sins.

And I am suiting up in my Spiritual Armor, tearing down the strongholds and demonic structures in the spiritual realms that have enslaved so much of humanity. Redeeming our time here on earth means we regain possession of all that Jesus has given us -- dominion, salvation, power, authority, righteousness, peace, prosperity, wisdom, love for others, eternity with Him, and Heavenly treasure. In the end, our days "pass away like smoke", and "like a passing shadow". We are here for what seems like a breath, and then we are gone. It is urgently important that we make the most of every opportunity we have in our remaining time. Our Heavenly Father is shouting from Heaven with a wake-up call for those who can hear in the Spirit. Do you hear it? The hour is late for both our nation and the world... For those who are called by His Name, it is time to be wise and understand the will of the Father and His Son. 

We have the spiritual weapons to win because we have the Strength of the Lord on our side. Let us each redeem our remaining time here on earth by doing the Father's will -- here, as it is in Heaven. Let us do all that is Good, all that is Right, and all that is True! Unmask Evil and its fraudulent disguises, exposing its ugliness to the Light of Christ! Understand what pleases Christ and then just go do it! These are desperate times for the world. Don't waste another minute of it!

1 John 2:17      The world is passing away, and it, its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.