Introduction

We are about to embark on a rather exiting journey in Examining the Triune God. Commonly known as The Trinity, God has revealed Himself as One God, yet with three distinct persons inhabiting the whole. Though impossible for finite man to entirely grasp, the concept is clearly laid out in the Holy Scriptures and is evident throughout.

Within this journey, we are going to offer several practical and human-related analogies that, although not perfect, will prayerfully help us to better understand our amazing God, His triune attributes in relation to His Godhead, and the character, roles, and mission of each.

We will also look at a few hard-to-understand passages and offer some interpretations that, hopefully, will make sense in light of what we do know about our loving triune God.

The Trinity

First, we’d like to begin with observing the Trinity as found in a few passages of the New Testament. (Underlined emphasis mine).

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14).

“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6).

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:18-19).

“For through him [Christ] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18).

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen” – (2 Corinthians 13:14).

A Simple Analogy

Water can be a helpful way for the finite creature to get a glimpse of the infinite triune Godhead. Water can essentially take on three forms: liquid (water), solid (frozen), and gas (vapor). They are essentially three different aspects of the same substance.

The Triune God is a Family

Since God created the family unit as a pattern for humanity to prosper in this life, is it any wonder that the “First Family” of all would be found in the Godhead? It surely shouldn’t be. For it is because of the family structure within the triune God that He is able to know and experience love.

We should also expect to see some family qualities within the triune God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – with many aspects similar to a godly father, mother, and child in the human family unit.

My earthy mentor, Dave Hunt, in his wonderful book, In Defense of the Faith, did a magnificent job in relating how God’s “unity and diversity” is the foundation for agape love, as described in the Scriptures.

In the book, Dave says the following:

Although the actual word “Trinity” does not occur in the Bible, the concept is clearly expressed there. The Bible presents a God who did not need to create any beings to experience love, communion, and fellowship. This God is complete in Himself, existing eternally in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, individually distinct from each other yet at the same time eternally one. These three loved, communed, fellowshipped, and took counsel together before the universe, angels, or man were brought into existence.

The Triune God and Creation

Many godly men have recognized the pervasiveness of allusions to our triune God within His created triune universe, and how these facts of science profoundly reveal the truth of its triune Creator.

I’d like to quote Dave once more from his book, In Defense of the Faith, in regard to the essence of God’s triunity found within His creation:

We can, however, see analogies to the Trinity everywhere. The universe comprises three elements: space, time, and matter. The first two are invisible, but matter is visible. Each of these is itself divided into three: length, breadth, and height; past, present, and future; energy, motion, and phenomena. Length, breadth, and height are each separate and distinct from each other, yet they are one because each is the whole. The length takes in all of space, as do the width and height. So it is with time: past, present, and future are each distinct from one another, and yet each is the whole. And here again, two (past and future) are invisible while the present is visible.

Man himself, who is made “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27; 9:6, etc.) is composed of three elements: body, soul, and spirit, of which again two (soul and spirit) are invisible and one, the body, is visible. The way man functions as a being also reflects the same analogy to the Trinity. We conceive something in our minds (invisible), perhaps a poem or a symphony; we express it in speech or writing or in music, and it enters the present, visible world; it is then appreciated in the emotions, once again invisible.

Thankfully, you can get Dave’s book, In Defense of the Faith, at The Berean Call for free in its e-book format.

A Human Analogy of the Triune God and Creation

An imperfect and yet helpful analogy for me, when considering creation, is that of the architect, the builder, and the sub-contractor.

The Father: The Architect

We can think of the Father as the Architect of creation, coming up with the blueprint, if you will, for what is seen and unseen in all of God’s creation. Included would be the entire universe, earth, and sea – with all living creatures and man – and heaven, itself, where God dwells with His angelic creation.

The Son: The Builder

The Son, as clearly delineated in Scripture, is the actual Builder of all.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17). (See also John 1:1-10.)

The Holy Spirit: The Sub-Contractor

We can also think of the Holy Spirit as the Sub-Contractor working in unison with the Son, the Builder.

The basic molecular agents for earth were prepared by God in what can only be described as “nothingness.” We see this situation – with the building blocks of the unique planet Earth – in the opening account of God’s creation in Genesis.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2).

The Holy Spirit – God’s “Subcontractor Plumber” in this analogy – is seen energizing the molecular structure of the waters.

The Triune Godhead’s Roles in Salvation and Consummation

We first have to acknowledge that each member of the Trinity has different responsibilities, roles, and functions, even as they work together in perfect love and harmony.

For instance, salvation would be procured by the Son, not the Father or Holy Spirit. Also, the job of convicting men and women of sin and coming to Christ for salvation is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit, not the Father or the Son.

There are many other roles and responsibilities when it comes to the triune God – and I suspect volumes could be written about these differences – but it’s very important that we recognize this truth as we continue on and look into a few specifics.

The Role of the Son of God in Salvation

God Himself would be the savior of the world.

“I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour” (Isaiah 43:11).

“Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me” (Hosea 13:4).

“Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah” (Psalm 3:8).

When the LORD God stated in the Old Testament that only He is the Savior, it wouldn’t be until the New Testament that God’s people would truly recognize that only the Son of God could pay for the sins of mankind. This responsibility was put solely into the Son’s capable and loving hands.

The Son of God’s Incarnation– Fully Man and Fully God

Yeshua had to learn and grow just as anyone else would. When He became fully aware of who He truly was, we don’t know, but it seems He knew exactly who He was when He was 12:

“And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.  

“And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

“And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:40-51). (emphasis mine)

When Christ became fully aware of everything regarding the future is also unknown, but we can be assured that it happened because He foretold the future! The same holds true for His knowledge of every person’s heart and thoughts.

“But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25).

The Son’s Humanity and Divinity

God can’t be tempted in the sense of being tempted to commit evil. But Christ, in His humanity, could be – and needed to be – tested by the enemy. This had to happen to show creation that He lived a sinless life and was able to be the perfect blood sacrifice for the world’s sins.

This does not mean that He ceased to be God when He was tested (or tempted) by Satan. Only that in His humanity He successfully defeated the arrows of our adversary and lived a perfect and sinless life.

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

What an amazing truth that the Creator became a man and, as such, knows exactly what we experience in this life. It would be one thing for God to say to us that He understands and acknowledges our circumstances and lot it this life, but it’s quite another to know that God manifested Himself in human form and personally faced all of the obstacles life has to offer as a human being!

Some of this is way beyond our comprehension as finite fallen beings, but nonetheless, Christ was and will always be fully human and fully God. However it went down – regardless of our understanding or lack thereof – when it comes to his substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection, the Messiah’s loving sacrifice satisfied the Father’s wrath against sin for all who would put their faith and trust in Him.

Christ may have relied more on His humanity than His deity at certain times, but we should never doubt that Christ, at any time in His ministry, ever ceased to be God. That would be impossible.

Observations of the Holy Spirit

Continuing on with the eternal “First Family” of God, when it comes to the Holy Spirit, one can’t help but to see some maternal qualities. Yes, the Holy Spirit is referred to in a masculine sense, but it shouldn’t surprise us to see the Spirit’s role in the familial Godhead in this way.

We have to remember that men and women were both created in the image of God and, therefore, the female persuasion of mankind would necessarily have to also reflect the character of God. I believe we do see just this in the Holy Spirit’s ministry, especially in relation to the Son and salvation.

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Salvation

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself” (John 16:13a). (emphasis mine)

The Holy Spirit “shall not speak of Himself,” but shall speak of the Son!

“But when the Comforter [the Holy Spirit] is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).

The Holy Spirit as our comforter (which a godly wife and mother is), and He “shall testify” of the Son. Everything that the Holy Spirit does ultimately points mankind to the Son for salvation.

This reminds me of a godly mom who dotes on her godly children. In fact, we see just this in Mary at the wedding in Cana.

“His [Yeshua’s] mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it” (John 2:5).

Doesn’t the Holy Spirit convict mankind of their sins and point them to the Son for their salvation? Of course, He does!

The Holy Spirit – just like Mary did at Cana – points all men and women to the Son and says, “Whatever He sayeth unto you, do it!” Though the Holy Spirit is certainly masculine – like the other members of the Trinity – we do see maternal characteristics within His role.

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

When it comes to salvation and the unpardonable sin, we see the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit.

“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (Matthew 12:31-32). (emphasis mine)

We see the different functions for two different members of the Trinity, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and two different judgments.

The key to understanding this passage is that if a man speaks against the Holy Spirit, in rejecting the conviction of sin and of salvation through the Son, there is no salvation for that individual. In effect, rejecting the Holy Spirit – by speaking against the Holy Spirit’s work of bringing men to Christ or attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan – is rejecting Christ and leaves them without a Savior.

Again, different functions for different members of the Trinity – but the same One True God.

The Relationship Between the Father and the Son

The Son’s love for the Father, and the love the Father has for the Son, is such a tug on the heart of humanity. At least it should be.

To say that Jesus looked up to His Father would be the understatement of eternity.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I” (John 14:27-28). (emphasis mine)

The Son’s absolute love and respect for His Father is exemplified in the life of the Son. He always spoke what the Father wanted Him to speak, and He always did the works the Father wanted Him to accomplish.

“I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:26-29).

The love the Son has for the Father is quite impressive, to say the least!

“Jesus saith unto [Mary], Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). (emphasis mine – see also Revelation 3:12)

Jesus, during His earthly ministry, spoke to His disciples as their Teacher, Master, and Lord, but the night before His crucifixion He addressed them as “friends” (John 15:15). Now – after His resurrection, and through Mary – He addresses them as brethren. And because they are now His brethren, He relates to them as equals with His Father.

Christ’s love, honor, and respect for the Father – though lacking in full understanding of the fallen human heart – could be compared to the love of a human child for their human father. Consider the child who looks up to their imperfect human father, who, in their eyes, can do no wrong. In Yeshua’s case, this was more than wishful thinking or hyperbole – this was the absolute truth!

When Jesus says that He ascends “to My God and your God,” we see even more than a profound love between the two, but a respect that transcends human understanding. Jesus is not downplaying His own deity, but lifting up His Father in glory, honor, and praise.

In these Words of the Son, He is leaving us an example that His Father is His God (even as the Father and Son are one), and His Father and His God is our Father and our God. We are in Father God’s family because of His Son! How exciting is that?!

“Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

“My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:25-30). (emphasis mine)

And now, because of the love between the Father and the Son, the Father does always those things the Son requests as the Son advocates on behalf of us before the Father!

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).

We, through Christ, even have access:

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

A Few Observations of the Unity of the Trinity

Each member of the triune God draws men to the Lord!

The Son: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).

The Father: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).

The Holy Spirit: “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” (John 16:8).

To show this unity, the Scriptures declare that all three members of the triune Godhead were the agent to resurrect our Lord after His loving sacrifice for our sins!

The Son: “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19).

“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:17-18).

The Father: “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)” (Galatians 1:1).

The Holy Spirit: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

Even though the Son and the Holy Spirit are truly God, it is the Father who seems to clearly define for His people the character of the triune God and who He is to His people – their Father! This shouldn’t surprise us, as the Father is to be the head of any household – human or divine!

Is There Something the Son Doesn’t Know?

There are two passages that seem to suggest that the Father and the Son aren’t on the same page, as it were, and we would do well to look into this.

Before Christ ascended into heaven, the disciples asked Him a question:

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

Jesus had a rather interesting response:

“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (Acts 1:7). (emphasis mine)

Jesus, concerning the rapture of the church, said:

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32). (emphasis mine)

This shouldn’t surprise us because we see specific roles delegated only to the Father in other passages. The most familiar was cited by Christ Himself as the Father is speaking to the Son (Luke 20:41-44).

“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1).

We also read of how the roles of the Father and the Son work together, and yet independently:

“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

“For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

The Father and the Rapture

In regard to the rapture, we have to keep in mind the Jewish-Galilean engagement and wedding is a truly beautiful picture and representation of the watching and waiting of the bride of Christ and the rapture of the church. So much so, that it was alluded to the disciples by Yeshua Himself. It must be understood that the Jewish-Galilean wedding – though seemingly coming from the traditions of men – actually came from the predetermined council of the sovereign triune God in eternity past before creation.

In relation to the Jewish-Galilean wedding, only the father of the groom would know when he would send his son for his bride, when the son’s room that is built on to the father’s house for his bride was ready to receive her. This is exactly what will happen for the bride of Christ.

And because this event is reserved only for the father of the groom, it has been reserved exclusively for the Father of the triune Godhead. In both cases above – the times and the seasons of the latter-days and the rapture of the church – we are told that they are entirely in the hands of the Father.

Jesus is preparing a place for us in the Father’s house, just as the groom would be preparing a place in his father’s house for his bride in the Jewish-Galilean wedding. The timing of fetching the bride of the Son is in the Father’s hands and is His responsibility.

Therefore, the Father will tell the Son, in heaven, “It is time. Go fetch your bride!” And Christ will come and receive us unto Himself, that where He is, we will be also.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3). (emphasis mine)

What a future as the bride of Christ we have!!!

Conclusion

I pray the reader has enjoyed this little journey of Examining the Triune God. Though the analogies are not perfect, and the subject matter can be quite challenging to fully comprehend for finite fallen creatures such as ourselves, I sincerely hope we have a little better understanding of the topic.

One thing I have learned in my walk with the Lord is that our God is amazing in every way! I’m so thankful that God is a triune God that not only understands what true love is, but is the very definition of agape love – a perfect, unconditional love – that has been experienced within Himself for eternity as the self-existent One.

After all, God is love!!!

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!

➢   Email: mab10666@yahoo.com

➢   If you have not given your life to Jesus Christ and are seeking answers about God, Jesus Christ, the gospel, and salvation, please email me at mab10666@yahoo.com for information.

➢   I am still taking questions for the Questions from the Body of Christ series. If you or someone you know has a question pertaining to the Word of God – theology, difficult passages, eschatology, etc. – I would really like to hear from you.

➢   A listing of past articles may be found at my Article Listings on Rapture Ready or my Home Page on FaithWriters.

 

 

 

Fear is what keeps many of us silent even though we see what’s coming for this world – the tribulation. It’s all so overwhelming, the rise of darkness, that we feel paralyzed and unable to warn those around us. I’ve been there in that place of silent fear and still can be at times. You may be feeling that at this very moment and find it’s all too much to try and share with your family and friends.

Elevate Your Voice: Part One

While viewing is not necessary to follow along with the article, the brief four-minute video below is a quick introduction to the topic and a way for me to connect with other like-minded believers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfO0jSPTR98

Time is running out. We see it and even feel it deep in our bones. That means it’s time to figure out how to make ourselves heard in a way where people will listen. Once our eyes are opened and we see the darkness rising in this world and our nearness to Jesus’ return for His bride, finding our voices to share with others is a necessary exercise that will require us to hurdle every obstacle in our paths, including ourselves. One place we will camp is to view the reasons we’re tempted to remain in silent fear. I realize that if we don’t hurdle these obstacles, we each will never likely find our voice.

In my own journey of sharing what I know, I’ve found the number one hurdle to overcome has been fear, an enemy with many faces and facets. Fear is one of the most common reasons for silence since our reasons to fear are many. A few we will cover in this session are:

— Fear of rejection and pushing people away

— Fear of being ridiculed and considered crazy or stupid

— Fear that you don’t know enough to explain

The not-so-surprising news of the day is: All of the above will happen at some time or another if you are speaking out. If you will accept that certainty, then you can better prepare your heart for its eventuality and be determined to tell anyway. I have and still do face each one of the above fear-based reasons to stay silent, yet here I am doing what I do, telling anyone who will listen that Jesus’ return is merely a whisper away. I’m also doing my best to warn of the rise of what Revelation 13 tells us will mark the time of the tribulation. Some listen. Most don’t.

I often did it wrong in those early months after Covid began, so my advice below will be based on early losses and my most-recent wins. A win to me is when someone will at least agree to hear me out and then look for themselves at what’s going on and not take my word for it. A win for me is also my step of obedience in telling, not their reaction. My success is in my obedience. I’m only responsible for learning the facts and telling what I know, the watchman’s call (Ezekiel 33). That’s the end of the road for me. Then, it’s time for them to join the journey we are all on to decide what to do with what they know.

Before we get started addressing various fears that may be keeping you silent, let’s kick off on a more positive note: There is strength in numbers. When you factor in the element of togetherness, you view speaking up in an entirely different light. When you find friends, family, and neighbors who see what you see, fears are alleviated to a great extent as you know you’re not in this alone. Check out the verse below.

“Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:10).

Find your people

When you find like-minded people, specifically believers in Jesus, it will give you strength to speak up in a surprisingly effective way. It’s good, too, to have these people in your life and to have conversations with them as you learn together. When you talk to each other and grapple over all that you’re seeing and learning, your confidence, comfort, and capability in expressing your thoughts will grow. If all you know stays internalized in your head, it very well may not flow fluently from your mouth when you do need to speak, says the voice of experience here.

If you watched the supplemental video within the Embrace Your Design session, then you met Kimmie, my favorite “people.” She’s now a Faith Forward Press (my publishing company) team member, my new best friend, and sister. Our relationship was established and blossomed because of our world’s chaos. Because she did see what I saw and because most in my life didn’t, God gave her to me as a gift.

Since then, she’s been a sounding board and source of sanity when I felt crazy along the way. We have shared videos and articles and then discussed them. We’ve learned together and grown together in our ability to tell what we now know. We even practice on each other in advance of a tough conversation ahead. We are there for one another and accept each other when rejected by others who don’t want to hear what we have to say. It’s happened before and will likely continue to happen to us. What’s changed about us is that, while fear still surfaces for us both, it now has an ever-lessening grip than before.

I can’t recommend enough finding your person and people. Jesus knew the power of the partner. In many places in God’s Word, we read of the importance of believers linking arms.

“Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come” (Luke 10:1).

“And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

“…not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25).

This concept of finding your people and gaining strength in numbers is vital to embrace in the early stages of preparing to tell. If you don’t have anyone locally, you can find online like-minded believers. There’s something about others seeing what you see and knowing what you know that brings comfort. Just last night I was on the Rapture Forums discussion site. I haven’t been there in a while, but I did notice how I walked away from reading many forum conversations with a sense of comradery. I can see others are out there seeing what I’m seeing, doing what I’m doing, and saying what I’m saying. Give it a try if you find yourself standing alone in your family and group of friends.

One final positive note before we move into the topic of fear: You don’t have to tell all you know. You’ll find it a mistake if you do spew it all at once: the rapture, the one-world government and religion and economy forming, artificial intelligence, technology for the mark, the coming financial collapse, and supply chain issues. (Whew! That’s pure craziness seeing it all in writing.) The reason I know you don’t tell all of this in one conversation is because I’ve done it, vomited everything I knew to wide-eyed friends. Trust me; don’t do that. What you need to do is learn a few conversation starters based on your audience, something we will discuss in Part Two. Then you build up to more over time.

Now that we have two reasons to fear less, having our people and knowing we don’t have to tell it all, let’s look fear right in the face and find our way past it.

Fear of rejection and pushing people away

Because I’m such an isolationist, you would think rejection wouldn’t bother me as much. In many ways it doesn’t, but we all have an internal desire to be liked and accepted. God calls us to be in fellowship with other believers, so when we feel cast out, it stings. If you attend a church where most don’t see what you do, where we are on God’s kingdom calendar, then for you to stand alone will take monumental, even supernatural courage. If you didn’t have the Spirit of God as a believer in Jesus, then I would concede that you don’t stand a chance. Thing is, we as believers do have the power that raised Jesus from the grave within us, so as He was enabled to do His mission here, we can be empowered to do ours if we’re willing.

Since we know He was rejected, we can’t be surprised when we are rejected too. He warned us we would be.

“He came to his own, and those who were His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11).

“The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me” (Luke 10:16).

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18).

Jesus spoke truth no matter the rejection and consequences He knew He would face, consequences that were well beyond what we will ever face in our stiff-necked churches. This sounds like platitudes and church-speak, but truly, He will provide the courage we need when we need to speak up. I can’t tell you the number of conversations I’ve dreaded in advance, only to arrive at them and find myself speaking truth in a bold way no matter the undercurrent of rejection I’ve felt.

There are some things we do from a place of love that are sacrificial on our parts. We suspect what the outcome will be, yet we love the person enough to take on the pain of loving them well. The idea of the kinsman redeemer comes to mind. It cost the kinsman something to help out a brother. It will cost us as well. We know Jesus was our New Testament model of this Old Testament principle. We can talk all we want about being like Jesus in loving others, but if there’s zero willingness to sacrifice our own hearts for the life and safety of others, then we may need to revisit our capacity to love. Love sacrifices. Sometimes that sacrifice is found in rejection by the people we care about.

Hopefully, you will find ways to express and share what you know in a way where rejection isn’t the immediate outcome. Your goal should be to build a bridge you can cross over with time. Remember, just because you fear the worst doesn’t mean the worst will happen. Some people will surprise you and listen. You will find others whose eyes will widen as they tell you they see what you see. Not everyone will flat-out reject what you’re saying. Many are looking at this world with a sense of knowing something is terribly wrong. Until you open conversations, you just can’t know for sure, but if you’re willing to take the risk, you just might add to your people.

Something I’ve come to realize lately is this: When I assume the worst of someone, that they won’t listen, I’m not doubting them; I’m doubting what Jesus can do in them. What if, over time and with more happening in the world, the seed I plant grows into broader understanding for someone who seemed to reject what I told them? I’m just a seed planter. I need to allow the Lord to be the Seed Grower. And I need to allow Jesus to be the Comforter that He is to me when rejection is the outcome of a conversation.

Fear of being ridiculed and considered crazy or stupid

Being called stupid strikes a nerve for me. I’ve actually had a close family member laugh at me and belittle me and ask, “You mean you think you’re smarter than Dr. Fauci?” I can’t remember my exact response to his question, but I held my own in the moment. Still, the comment stung since a major issue that the enemy has used to deter me over the years has been my lack of education. I never felt “smart enough” by the world’s standards, even when I knew on the inside that I was naturally bright. That’s not boastful. That’s me knowing that God has given me the ability to learn and comprehend things that have no basis in formal education or training. That’s called being naturally bright by the Spirit, Him illuminating my understanding.

Because I have become a student of God’s Word over the years, the Spirit has had room to expand my abilities far beyond what I learned through my early education. That’s all you need, the Author of the Bible, to teach you and grow your natural abilities and understanding. You need to follow responsible Bible prophecy teachers and preachers. Many I watch are listed under the Last Days Study tab on the Daybreak.Team website. I don’t mean “prophets,” those who claim to be hearing from God. Those guys scare me. Since Covid struck, I have heard some off-the-wall comments by some off-the-wall people.

Stick to pastors and teachers who are looking at our current world through the lens of Scripture alone. Sure, it’s fine to hear those trusted teachers’ perspectives and how they see things playing out, but their plumbline must be God’s prophetic Word. I steer clear of those who share what they think they’ve heard from God about election outcomes and such. I’m not saying people don’t hear from Him, but I know it’s safest to stick to the Word of God as our source of what’s to come.

There’s safety in sticking to what Biblical prophecies say. When we do, we’re not stating our opinion; we’re only sharing what God has already said will happen. In doing that, our rock to stand on if others do ridicule us is the eternal Rock, Jesus. I know when I speak the truth of God’s Word, it will not return void. Even if they do not believe me and try to make me feel ridiculous, I know better. I know Whose side I’m on and Who’s on my side.

“The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).

I wish I could say I’m not an I-told-you-so person, but I think deep down I am even when I don’t verbalize it. Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but I will since it may be something that will help you. I know there will come a day when we’re all raptured and standing before Jesus. The stunned believers who’ve been dismissive to me here will finally be forced to believe. I’ll be perfected then, so I’m sure it won’t even cross my perfected mind to say I told you so. But for now, at least I do know I’m right. They can belittle and ridicule me here, but someday the Lord will show them as fact what we tried to help them to see.

I need to know that more than anything, that I’m right. That’s not at all said from the position of pride. I have to KNOW what I believe is true, that I’m right and not following false teaching, something there’s plenty of out there. I spent much of 2020 and 2021 reading and studying and confirming what I believe. Without that I wouldn’t be able to stand my ground with hurtful people. Once you know that you know that the end is near, then it’s easier to feel sympathy for others who don’t see what’s coming. This is a great segue into our next fear.

Fear that you don’t know enough to explain

It nearly drove me crazy early on, that sense of knowing and seeing all that was happening, yet living with the fear that I didn’t know enough to explain. I didn’t. When it came to all the prophetic verses and terminology, I understood what I was hearing and reading but didn’t have the fundamentals down enough to feel as if I could explain them. I’m not saying I’m great at it now, but I have basic talking points down and can share what I do know and offer to send teaching links to anyone who is willing to listen to more. I finally concluded that a witness can only tell what they’ve seen. Without doing my own investigation, I didn’t have enough information to share with others.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to learn and study and find out the truth of what is going on, even if only at a broad level. That’s why I’ve provided so many links for you under the Investigate tab and then updated links under the Week in Review tab. When we present information clearly and without outlandish generalizations, our audience will be more apt to listen. The truth of prophecy sounds odd enough to us as seasoned believers. Imagine what it sounds like to believers who’ve never been taught prophecy and how it will be received by the lost.

Know and present facts. People can’t argue with that. Well, they can and will, but at least you’ll have truth on your side whether they listen or not. When you send them links on topics such as the World Economic Forum and Agenda 2030, you’ve given them facts, a true conspiracy and not conspiracy theories. If they choose to bury their heads, then only time and increasingly worsening world events will have to make them face reality.

Fortunately for me in those early days, I did have deep faith and belief in the truth of a pretribulation rapture, so that was a good place to start. Where is your starting place? Do you have that deep belief that Jesus will come for His bride prior to the beginning of the tribulation? If not, that may be your place to begin. In order to solidify your belief in the rapture, I suggest you visit the Rapture page to learn more from knowledgeable, reputable sources such as Pastors JD Farag, Tom Hughes, David Jeremiah, Dr. David Reagan and others.

Ultimately, until you know more, this area of fear will understandably hinder you. The more you learn and the more you talk these topics out with others, the more courage you’ll find to speak up and out. Remember, all you need to do is learn how to open conversations with people and encourage them to watch what you’ve watched and read what you’ve read. If your lane isn’t teaching on Biblical prophecy, then leave it to the pros who do have that gift and calling. I can’t express the freedom I’ve found in sticking to my own lane. You will find the same freedom. Just learn some and share some and leave what you don’t know up to the Lord and the pros to help others see.

Your assignment prior to Part Two of Elevate Your Voice is to investigate what’s happening in this world and learn facts you can share that prove last-days prophecies are being fulfilled. Helpful resources are provided under the Investigate and Week in Review tabs. And study more on the Rapture if your belief is shaky.

Also, as you’re learning, take some time to address through time spent in prayer the fears I mentioned above. Which ones are most keeping you silent? Get started on finding your people. A reminder the Lord has repeatedly whispered into my heart since long before Covid is, “Time is of the essence.” It is. You don’t have time to waste on fear. Hurdle it. Get informed. Get to speaking.

In Part Two, we will look at the how-tos and how-not-tos of elevating your voice. Trust me, I’ve done plenty of the how-not-tos. I hope to give you some tips and suggestions to help you find and utilize your unique-to-you voice.

I am blessed to join your journey.

Lisa

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Elevate Your Voice: Part One is part of the How Do I Share What I Know series.

Daybreak, Last Days of Light helps the reader learn more about the rapture and the players in this last-days world through the lens of an exciting fiction story. The Daybreak ebook is always offered for free here: Daybreak Free Download. Share it as a means of telling what you know.

About Daybreak:

In this ripped-from-the-headlines action adventure, Paige discovers the world isn’t what she thinks it is. After an urgent phone call from her dad, she sets out on a mission to find the absentee father who walked out of her life only weeks after her mother’s untimely death.

Wyatt, the soldier her father sends to protect her, sounds just like her dad, raving of conspiracies and warning of impending doom. This team, these loyal-to-her-father men, will stop at nothing to locate their leader.

Nothing about Paige’s life will ever be the same after that knock on her door and Wyatt’s two-minute warning.

About Lisa:

As an author, Lisa Heaton is a storyteller with a heart for truth. Her greatest desire in her fiction and nonfiction work is to challenge the reader to discover the truth of who Jesus is and who they are to Him. Now, here as we wait for the any-minute arrival of Jesus for His church in the rapture, Lisa’s latest mission is to warn the lost and wake the found and to help others discover their unique voice to share the truth of our times. More at LisaHeatonBooks.com and Daybreak.Team.