I like to stay informed and I analyze the news on the Internet and various television news programs every day. The world as we know it is changing for the worse just as the Bible predicted. We are seeing wars, famine, and natural disasters, and in the last few days we are seeing the world’s economies in melt down mode. Those who have been living the entitlement dream and are having their welfare checks and fat cat government jobs taken away due to austerity measures have been rioting in the streets in Greece and now it’s spreading all over the UK. The headline this morning: UK Burning – Violent Riots Spread.
One doesn’t have to be Nostradamus to predict that soon the rioting and looting will spread to other countries that have been spending massive amounts of money (that they don’t have) on entitlements and are now being forced to stop that behavior and in the process deprive millions of a free meal ticket. Countries that will soon enter the street-rioting-fray will likely be Italy, Spain, and ultimately yes even the good old United States.
What possesses these people to behave in such a manner? One article described it this way:
“A wave of violence and looting raged across London and spread to three other major British cities on Tuesday, as authorities struggled to contain the country’s worst unrest since race riots set the capital ablaze in the 1980s.
In London, groups of young people rampaged for a third straight night, setting buildings, vehicles and garbage dumps alight, looting stores and pelting police officers with bottles and fireworks…
The riots appeared to have little unifying cause — though some involved in the violence claimed to oppose sharp government spending cuts, which will slash welfare payments and cut tens of thousands of public sector jobs through 2015.
‘This is the uprising of the working class. We’re redistributing the wealth,’ said Bryn Phillips, a 28-year-old self-described anarchist, as young people emerged from the store with chocolate bars and ice cream cones.
Others appeared attracted simply by the opportunity for violence. “Come join the fun,” shouted one youth, racing along a street in the east London suburb of Hackney, where shops were attacked and cars torched.”
Come join the “fun”? Join the FUN?
It is difficult to relate to such a mentality unless it is equivocated to satanic influence. Just this weekend some friends and I were discussing the power of satan and his demonic minions to influence, control, and yes possess mass quantities of otherwise sane people.
Does this sound like hogwash to you?
Well do yourself a favor and Google some Adolf Hitler speeches and watch the reaction of the crowds. Then view some of the Holocaust photos of millions of innocent people who were murdered and piled up like garbage in concentration camps because they happened to be Jewish, or gypsies, or had an infirmity such as being a paralytic. Hitler didn’t murder six million people by his hand; he convinced an entire nation to do his evil bidding. I have no doubt that he was possessed and so was much of the nation.
The Bible is clear that as we spiral down towards the End Times that it will become harder to resist engaging in wickedness. We see evil in politics; we see it in business; we see it in churches; we see it in our everyday lives.
We are told that in order to resist temptation to engage in wicked behavior that we must put on the full armor of God. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s scheme. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Check it out.
It begins with truth. We simply cannot lie. According to the Bible satan is the father of all lies and the truth is not in him. His lie to Eve precipitated our fall from God’s grace. It is a serious sin and taken far too lightly by political leaders to everyday people. Imagine how it made Adam and Eve feel to stand over the dead body of their son Abel and realize that it all started with a lie. Telling lies has serious consequences. I don’t think it is a coincidence that God put truth first when describing the full armor of God.
Second we must live a righteous life. What is that? Well we all know right from wrong, we must strive to do the right things. (If you don’t know the difference, begin by reading the Ten Commandments)
Third we should live by the gospel of peace and in as much as it is up to us try our utmost to get along with everyone. Do unto others as we would have them do to us.
Fourth we must have unswerving faith in God. If our faith is strong, we will not worry about the future. We will trust God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and spirit. Remember we cannot defeat satan; that is Christ’s job. We are to resist him by cloaking ourselves within His protective blanket.
Fifth we must trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior and realize that through His loving sacrifice on the cross our sins have been forgiven and through His mighty power and salvation alone we will defeat death and reign with Him forever.
Lastly hearing the word of God by reading it for ourselves each day in the Holy Bible or hearing it preached in a Bible believing church or fellowship with other Bible based Christians is imperative. The Bible says of itself that hearing the word of God teaches us all of the foregoing and is how our faith is strengthened.
I remember suiting up for football games. I cannot imagine playing such a brutal game without a helmet, face mask, shoulder and hip pads. A violent football game is just a walk in the park compared to the vicious spiritual warfare that we are engaged in. How much more violent is this world? Consider it is dominated by our ruthless opponent who is fierce and merciless. He is not content with taking our lives like Abel’s; no that is mere child’s play. He wants our very souls. We should realize that we must suit up for this dangerous endeavor.
Think about it. Okay now that you’ve thought about it, suit up this morning and every morning in the full armor of God.
Now that you’re suited up, check out the verse below. Envision our tormentor running away like a scared rabbit. Now get this in your head. He runs from Jesus and not us. Alone we will become rabbit stew and he will dine on it…
James 4:6
But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you