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.

 

     

Are You Prepared to be Part of God's Remnant in the Last Days?

I do not ask this question lightly, because it is a very serious one. First of all, does the Body of Christ even understand what and who the Bible calls "the Remnant"? If I had to guess, I imagine most of the Church would say it's a small group of Believers who are left to serve God; either when the rest of the world has fallen away or has suffered His judgment. That would be correct, from a rudimentary point of view. But the true Remnant plays a very critical and crucial part in God's End Times plan. 

Make no mistake, the Bible tells us that God has always had an authentic Remnant throughout history; a small minority of people who remain faithful to Him in times of trouble and tribulation. He knows who they are and they have a distinct purpose and calling. They are very valuable in that their faith remains strong, holy, and steadfast; usually in the midst of God's divine judgment due to apostasy, rebellion and disobedience among those who claim they belong to Him.

We are all familiar with those whom God called "His remnant" in the Old Testament. In the days of Isaiah, the prophet, God revealed the wickedness and betrayal of the Kingdom of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem, as they strayed from Him. In fact, God declared in Isaiah 1:3, But Israel does not know [Me as Lord]; My people do not understand. Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded down with wickedness [with sin, with injustice, with wrongdoing], offspring of evildoers, sons who behave corruptly! They have abandoned (rejected) the Lord; they have despised the Holy One of Israel [provoking Him to anger]; They have turned away from Him.  

God goes on to reveal to Isaiah that it does no good to strike Israel [which includes both the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah] or punish them again because they only continue to rebel. There is nothing healthy in the nation's body and He has had enough. But even in the midst of all their idolatry, depravity, degradation, despicable sins, and ultimately, their destruction, God has called a remnant to seek justice, rebuke the ruthless, defend the fatherless, and plead for the rights of the widow in court. A small contingent of survivors will still serve Him in righteousness and goodness, paving a path of redemption for those who will truly seek it. 

Again, in the Old Testament, we see Noah and His family as the remnant who is left after God sent the Flood to destroy evil from the earth. Both Abraham and Moses served as God's remnant, displaying their faith and trust in God that He would choose them to lead a people set apart unto Him alone. Then there is the story of Gideon, whom God gave a remnant of 300 men [out of 30,000] through which He would rescue the Israelites; and give them victory over their enemies, the Midianites. We also read the witness of Elijah, who in the midst of hopelessness, declares that he is the only one left in all of Israel who has not bowed down to Baal. But what is God's answer to him? He has reserved a remnant of 7,000 who "have not bowed their knee to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him". Through these examples [and many more], we can be assured that God will always keep to Himself a remnant to uphold His holy ways and assure the faithful that He is still at work in the world.

But as the world advances in these Last Days, do you still trust God to provide a righteous remnant that will survive the tribulation and persecution that the Enemy will heap upon it? And are you prepared to be a part of that chosen assembly? Because if your answer is "yes", I believe there are some things you need to understand. In these Last Days, the remnant will be sorely tried and tested -- not only by the world, but by God, Himself. You see, the tribulations, [the pressures, the distress, and the oppression] we will be facing, as Jesus says, "are such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will [be again]". So I believe God will be testing those who have hearts [like none other] to be close to Him and be free of the burdens of this world. They will be people who have no fear of witnessing [to those who hate them] of the glory of God!  

I can certainly identify with my fellow Believers who want nothing more than to abide in the Lord, and to be continually in His Presence. I am so tired of this world and long to be in holy communion with the Lord, and away from all the false Believers and pretenders of faith. I find myself wanting to be separate from society, yet possessing a heart that burns to witness and testify of God's purpose for the Kingdom in every member of society that I come in contact with. As you can imagine, that creates a tension in my soul. And one can find themselves quite lonely in the midst of both the secular community and the "Christian" brethren, because no one understands your battle with the world and "the Church", and they do not see what you see. They don't experience the grief and sorrow over wasted lives who have no fruit to show in their lives or for their love of Christ. And they don't contend with your worry about how these people will endure the suffering of their souls [and the testing of their faith] when the hard times come.

Are you prepared to carry your Cross? Because, you know, Jesus said [in Luke 9:23] that if we want to truly be His disciple, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him. And that means sharing in His persecution, His abandonment by those who professed to believe in Him, His loneliness, and His death. You may even question if you're worthy to be considered or chosen for the Remnant because you know its your heart's desire to be like Jesus; but you also know you fall short. And yet, you still seek to pay the price to abide in Him. You don't want the accolades of men. You seek only to be tested and refined by the Lord to walk in righteousness with Him. 

The question for each of us is this ... Are we satisfied to be a part of what feels comfortable to our souls? Do we long to belong to the masses who proclaim their love and faith in Jesus? Are we content to believe in a Rapture theory that promises we will escape all that Jesus said we would have to endure to follow Him? Or ... are you ready to lay down everything you are, and everything you own, in order to  remain uncompromised in your faith? Do you believe it when the Bible tells us that we will be hated by the world and despised by those who call themselves "the Church"? Are you ready and willing to stand apart from the crowd and be your authentic self? 

The truth is that those of the Body of Christ who will be qualified to be part of God's Remnant are those who follow His every commandment; those who remain true to their calling and don't look for fortune or fame as they walk out their purpose for God's kingdom on earth. They will be like the five wise Virgins who stayed focused on being prepared for the moment of Christ's return. Only those who know the cost and the eternal rewards of following Him will be called to the Remnant. 

And that reminds me of two instances in Scripture when Jesus reveals the characteristics of those who might be considered for the Remnant. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus makes it clear that not everyone who calls Him, "Lord, Lord", will enter the kingdom of Heaven. In fact, He says that prophesying in His Name, driving out demons in His Name, and performing miracles in His Name, is not enough. He says, "I will declare to them publicly, 'I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]". 

Then in Luke 6:46, Jesus says, "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord', and do not practice what I tell you?" Again, it is apparent that Jesus demands and expects His commandments [which are the commandments of the Father] to be acted upon, not just read or recited or heard. The Remnant will be comprised of those loyal followers who are awake, aware, and ready to be all they were designed to be, even in the midst of the most evil times mankind has ever seen or endured. 

And Jesus has given us those commandments to show us the way to persevere in these Last Days. We must not surrender them to the ways of the world. We must desire to be His Remnant and testify of His righteousness; looking different from the world, and standing with our wicks trimmed, ready to light the way for His Second Coming! And then we will experience the joy of our glorious Homecoming and the rewards of our eternal inheritance. Hallelujah! God bless the Remnant!

Revelation 12:17     And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.