True Comfort :: By Edwin Tan

There is no letup in the slew of negative news that spews from print media, cyberspace, the airwaves and the “Telly” as the pandemic shows modest signs of easing. Tossing aside misinformation plus misinterpretation, the factual material is more than capable of severely straining multitudes of mentally exhausted souls to the point of a major freak-out!

Perhaps there are a fair number of similarities if there is a comparison with that which happened in the Somme and the Ardennes forest. Soldiers and civilians found no respite from incessant shelling plus seemingly never-ending rounds of bullets. Not quite different when the various media sources portray a grim reality almost 24/7. One could mount a temporary escapade by maybe the Tube or MP3, but the tenacious cognizance of the unavoidable still rattles many veins.

In places like New York or London, the ever-present nature of the sullen truth is even much harder to shake off. The ominous screech emanating from an emergency service vehicle which could be interspersed with loud chatter about mass burials cannot be shrugged off as just another bad dream. Finding respite in these hard-hit epicenters of the corona virus would sound more like a luxury.

For the frontline folks in the thick of the action, reality is more like getting involved in a furious firefight. The seemingly unending toll numbers in the form of seriously ill cases is quite like a ceaseless barrage in unison with fusillades of a smaller caliber. Outcomes are not very distant from the aftermath of an epic battle. Colleagues succumb, some to the point of mortality. Burnout which can lead to almost irreparable psychological damage is almost a certainty as coping capacities diminish in the face of mounting pressures!

While a significant proportion of the above-mentioned crowd could be walking in circles as they ponder and try to make sense of the malaise they are in, there are some who question the relevance of the Living Word in the light of the prevailing black hole. Cynicism could then cloud some minds as desperation seeps in. For those with a smattering where Scriptural knowledge goes, that urge to throw in the towel and totally give up hope appears to be the sole option.

No fault of theirs because nobody told them what they needed to know about hanging tough. Worst of all, misinformation in league with warped interpretations of the Truth probably placed them in this parlous position – the next step could be depression and even suicide!

Maybe their church skipped it because they were not comfortable with it or it crossed the mind which was in a state of disbelief, but here is the comforting Truth:

“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1Thess 4:14-18, English Standard Version).

It is in the New Testament and very easy to understand, but how many really believe that it will happen – let alone in their immediate lifetime! It even gets better; all that we witness currently points to the nearness of this great and wonderful happening. Luke 21:28 (quoting again from the English Standard Version) states this: “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Amidst the torrent of gloom and likely doom, there is a genuine hope. The only issue here is whether there is wholehearted belief. If the parting of the Red Sea and the feeding of the thousands took place, would it not be fair to say that the Rapture of the church is going to happen?

It is therefore straight and simple, the prospect of it being around the corner is real. A lot of individuals do not know it because they turned their back on Bible Prophecy. Knowledge makes a critical difference between a sound and resilient mind versus a psyche bent on self-destruction. In the past, there was this thing about Bible Prophecy being confusing and difficult to comprehend. Many have turned their backs on the book of Revelation, equating it with a horrific blockbuster!

Take a look at the current situation, which is much more frightening. The book of Revelation plus the prophetic sections of the Bible give hope versus the newsfeeds and the deteriorating nature of things.

All for His Coming Kingdom,

Edwin

edwinuk13@gmail.com

Matthew 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” 

Seeing how we are the End-Times Church living in these Last Days, certain verses like the one above help us to know that there is an unseen realm that is more real than what we can see right here in front of us in the physical.

That unseen realm involves Spiritual Beings, both Holy and Unholy!  

The Unholy Demonic Horde are Demons who are Satanically Inspired. They are the ones that involve the Principalities, Powers, Rulers of Darkness of this World, and Spiritual Wickedness in high places. These Wicked Beings may seem to have ‘free reign’ in this World, but God sovereignly reigns in and limits any power they may wield against us!

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.“ 

The Holy Angels of God are the Mighty Host of Heaven. These Angelic Beings are incredibly strong and powerful, more than any human being can fathom! These are God’s Colossal Warriors that have been serving Him, by aiding us, alongside the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit ever since the Church Age began!

Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”

Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

Psalm 68:17 “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.”

With all the distressing events that have transpired in recent months, it is hard not to become anxious, even as Believers. God’s Word tells us not to be anxious about anything, but in all things by Prayer, Supplication, and Thanksgiving let our Requests be made known unto Him, and the Peace of God which surpasses all understanding will Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Our prayer, then, is for God’s Holy Spirit to restrain all Evil as much as He Will until we are taken out of the way and for the Gates of Hell not to prevail against His Church! 

So, let us reflect on the statement that the ‘Gates of Hell will not prevail against His Church.’ Gates of Hell relates to the realm of the Dead; meaning Spiritually Dead, Lost Souls, and Demons. The ‘Gates’ allude to an opening, entrance, portal, or veil, if you will, from this side to the next. On the one hand, it means that our enemy ‘Death’ will not prevail against the Church of Christ; and on the other hand, it means that the ‘Realm of Evil’ will not prevail against us either!

This, in turn, connects us to the scripture which tells us that when the Restrainer (the Holy Spirit’s restraining influence, along with the Church—the body of believers who are indwelt with the Holy Spirit) is taken out of the way, then the Lawless One, the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, the Antichrist will be revealed.  

The Devil and his minions will be set loose to wreak havoc on this Earth, the likes of which we have never seen before and never will see again! The Enemy knows that his time is limited, because God’s sovereignly has him on a ‘short leash’ of only 7 years to carry out his evil carnage and destruction on the souls of men. While at the same time, God’s Wrath will be poured out on an Unrepentant, Lost, and Unbelieving World!

Amazingly, these lost souls will refuse to repent, because their hearts and minds will be darkened through their practice of witchcraft, sorceries, pharmakeia, and of all sorts of wickedness! They will blaspheme God, even with all the Signs, Wonders, Trumpet Blasts, and Announcements from the Host of Heaven! Incredibly, they will refuse to Honor God, refuse to Repent, and thereby refuse to be Saved! Choosing instead to damn their souls to Hell for all of Eternity!

When we are taken out of the way, literally all Hell will break loose! 

2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”

2 Thessalonians 2:7-10 “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the LORD shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the LORD so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

In the meantime, we the Church, the Ekklesia, the Called-Out Ones, are to Occupy, to Run our Race, to Serve our King, and to Carry Out the Great Commission while there is still time! We can do this because we know that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength and because we know that Jesus told us that the Gates of Hell will not prevail against us!

Like the apostle Paul said, Pray without Ceasing, be Thankful in all Circumstances, and Rejoice Always because this is God’s Will for us in Christ Jesus!

Until next time… Maranatha!

(JESUS = THE WAY, THE TRUTH, & THE LIFE!)