The term Armageddon appears in the Bible only one time (Revelation 16:16). It has reference to the concluding battle of the seven-year tribulation period. It is a mistake if we fail to see that this battle actually represents the entire period that prepares the world for this concluding act of God’s judgment. In other words, Armageddon is better represented as the entire “End Time Cataclysmic Period” which will end in the valley of Megiddo (Har-Megiddon, Strong’s Concordance). Please note the Holy Scripture that describes the preparation for this event.“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” (Revelation 16:13-16)

I believe the preparation for this final judgment is already in progress. Satan’s crowd must prepare and John the Revelator clearly described that fact. “For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.” (Revelation 16:14) Of course, this unholy trinity (Satan, Antichrist, and Anti-spirit) believes that they can win against the great God Jehovah. We have interpreted a statement in Revelation 12:12, “he knoweth that he hath but a short time,” to suggest he expects defeat. Instead it should be understood that he knows he has only a short time to win before God will conclude his last chance to take control of the world.

The entire “One World Government” and “One World Religion” that Satan will promote and control is his grand scheme to create such a world power and spiritual (evil) force that he can finally succeed in defeating God and take his seat as the “Supreme Authority.” You may say it is crazy to believe that Satan is expecting to win. How can you read his grand design for world control, economic mastery (by his controlling all buying and selling), and the entire religious harlotry of Biblical prophecy, and not believe Satan plans to win? Satan is preparing the ultimate effort to remove God from His throne, to defeat the Lord Jesus as the Savior of men and to defile the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit of Holiness. Believe the Word of God; Satan will lose.

The Satanists Are Preparing Their Followers
A noted author of pyramidology occultic materials wrote the following in his book, The Armageddon Script:

“Their script is now written, subject only to last minute editing and stage direction. The stage itself, albeit as yet in darkness, is almost ready. Down in the pit, the subterranean orchestra is already tuning up. The last minute, walk-on parts are even now being filled. Most of the main actors, one suspects, have already taken up their roles. Soon it will be time for them to come on stage, ready for the curtain to rise. The time for action will have come.” (Peter LeMesurier, The Armageddon Script.)
Biblical terminology literally fills the writings and language of the New Agers and occultic leaders. They talk about the number 666, about saving the world (not souls), and about a harmonious, peace-loving age when everybody lives happily ever after. Read the following statements by these “spirits of devils” going forth to “the whole world to gather them” (world population) to this awesome hour of the final conflict between the true God and the idiot god, Satan.

“The blueprint for a peaceful, loving and harmonious world has been drawn. Prayer, meditation, positive affirmations, spiritual families and global healing events such as Live Aid and the December 31st World Peace Event all contribute to this blueprint.” (Harmonic Convergence Brochure.)

“I have come to believe firmly today that our future, peace, justice, and fulfillment, happiness and harmony on this planet will not depend on world government but on divine or cosmic government…my great personal dream is to get a tremendous alliance between all major religions and the U.N.” (Robert Muller, former director of the United Nations and now president of “Peace University.”)

“Humanity is on the verge of something entirely new, a further evolutionary step unlike any other: the emergence of the first global civilization.” (Thomas Berry, Catholic theologian.)

“I (see) images of a new heaven and a new earth…THIS WORLD will be saved. The planet will be healed and harmonized. We can let the kingdom come…which means that THIS WORLD can be transformed into a heaven right now…This is no fantasy. This is not scientific or religious fiction. This is the main event of our individual lives.” (John Randolph Price, Organizer of the World Instant of Cooperation.)

“…Every major religion of the world has similar ideals of love, the same goal of benefiting humanity through spiritual practice…The most important thing is to look at details of theology or metaphysics…I believe that all the major religions of the world can contribute to world peace and work together for the benefit of humanity if we put aside subtle metaphysical differences, which are really the internal business of each religion…The undying faith in religion clearly demonstrates the potency of religion as such. This spiritual energy and power can be purposefully used to bring about the spiritual conditions necessary for world peace.”(Dalai Lama.)

“All human institutions, professions, programs and activities must be judged primarily according to the extent they either obstruct and ignore or foster a mutually enhancing human-earth relationship. That is how good and evil will be judged in the coming years.” (Donald Keys, President of Planetary Citizens.)

A noted New Ager, Jose’Arguelles, presented a 25-year plan to set up the New World Order. His plan began in 1987 at an event called “Harmonic Convergence.” They have promoted two World Prayer Days the last being on December 31st, 1991. Every religious thought or faith was invited to participate. Their basic philosophy is an idea called “Global Consciousness” in which they teach we all must help make changes. God, to the New Ager like Arguelles, is not personal but the global community of consciousness. If we can change our thought patterns to peace, harmony, and goodwill to everybody (except those religious maniacs called Jesus followers) we can evolve to the next round on the evolutionary scale, so they teach. It’s called a “paradigm shift in consciousness.” It is nothing but Satanic delusion. The word “paradigm” is the biggest new word in the language of the liberals. Beware of anyone who uses it.
Spiritual Warfare

While Satan is preparing his agents on a worldwide scale in a visible and religious political manner, there is a subtle, but deadly warfare going on in the spirit world. It has always been a spiritual battle to obey the Holy Scripture and serve Jesus Christ as Lord. Scriptures are extremely clear that “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.” (Ephesians 6:12) If this has been true in the past, how much greater is this warfare presently. Jesus clearly stated that,“As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:36) There were demons (sons of God) who appeared in visible form during Noah’s day, who even cohabited with women producing giants and clearly terrorizing the last inhabitants before the terrible judgment of the flood.

I believe we are in for a flood of filth and wickedness that will be overwhelming to any man or woman that is not covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Ghost. Fear and torment is already the scourge of this generation. Don’t think that the “Bride of Christ” will escape seeing the horrible prelude to the tribulation period. I’m expecting Jesus to return any moment, but I know that until He returns there will be an ever increasing activity of Satanism and his dark beguiling demons.

Any believer who expects to escape deception and confusion must submerge himself or herself in the Holy Scripture and learn to lean on the abiding presence of God’s Holy Spirit. Christians must refuse to listen or entertain “the counsel of the ungodly.” (Psalm 1:1-6) Don’t spend a moment in any atmosphere where Jesus Christ is not Lord or the infallible Bible is not the final authority.

Increasing Demonic Activity: Warning To The Church
The prophecy of Revelation clearly describes this increasing tide of Satanic powers. While this prophecy places the time period in the tribulation after the Rapture has occurred, it certainly suggests that the early stages will be visible before the actual seven-year period begins. Notice chapter 16 and the verses I presented at the beginning of this article. In verse 12 the activity begins in the Euphrates River (Babylon sits on its original banks) and proceeds to show “unclean spirits, like frogs,” which proceed from the mouths of Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. They go forth to deceive and prepare the world for this forthcoming war between heaven and hell. Then, suddenly, the Holy Spirit inspires John to speak to the church. “Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garment (wedding attire) lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15)

There is only one reason He placed this great warning in the midst of such a clear description of Satan’s evil power that will reign in the dark period before the final battle of Armageddon. We in the church waiting for the “Rapture” are now witnessing the rise of these evil forces. They will continue to increase until the Rapture and then explode after the church Bride is gone. Paul was clear to state that the Bride of Christ filled with the Holy Ghost is the only restraining power on this earth.

“And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 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.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)

This Scripture does not suggest that Satan cannot do anything toward his goal of world control before the Bride of Christ is gone, but rather that he is limited. History will certainly confirm that he has had great power to destroy; but, also, that he has never been able to create world domination like he will do when the restraints are lifted. Here’s how Apostle Paul describes what will happen when the Bride has escaped.

“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. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Whatever wickedness we can now identify, it will be many times worse after the “First Resurrection out from among the dead.” “If by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead (out from among the dead).”(Philippians 3:11) No wonder Paul constantly labored to be ready to escape the things coming to pass and to stand before the Lord.

Revelation Chapters 8 and 9
These two chapters describe in detail the flood of demons and their activity during the end. The entire picture is preceded by an explanation of the power of prayer. “And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censor; and there was given him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censor, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” (Revelation 8:3-5) It is evident that the seven trumpets that were mentioned in verse two before the scene of prayer/power were held in check until the church was safe and her prayers remembered. We are always at the heart of His action.

The Seven Trumpets all suggest great consternation upon the earth. The first four deal with the earth’s resources and the Heavenlies. Then follows the unleashing of the inhabitants of the damned and the spirits bound in their prisons. Jude stated, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6) These are very likely the sons of God who invaded Noah’s world (Notice Jude said, “left their habitation.”) and were shut up until the present to protect the earth from their utter destructive powers. Whoever they represent, they are to be released in the end to receive their justice in judgment.

The fifth and sixth trumpets deal with this region of the darkness and opens up their prison doors to the earth. The entire physical earth comes under siege from hell’s inhabitants. Seal five describes an undisclosed number who are under the kingship of the angel of the bottomless pit. His name is Abaddon in Hebrew or Apollyon in the Greek tongue. These “damned creatures” take on the appearance of locusts who look like horses with destructive powers so great that the men they attack seek death as escape. John said, “And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months.” (Revelation 9:10) The sixth seal is worse. This second company of fallen creatures is connected with Ancient Babylon and the deception of the ages. They are numbered at 200,000,000 and are charged to kill the third part (l/3) of mankind. The entire picture is of an invasion out of the subterranean shadows of the earth where the wicked dead and fallen angels have festered with hatred, vileness and anger at everything within their reach. They will scourge the earth to torment and wreak havoc on all living beings.

Preparing For The Final Battle
No question but that Satan is preparing for the end time drama with the expectation of winning. It’s evident that he will use all of his resources. The wicked living will serve him. The apostate church will offer their worship as he presents himself as their god. The Antichrist and false prophet will succeed in blinding and convincing the world for the new false “trinity.” Joining these will be the fallen angels, the wicked dead turned loose for a short period, and the army of demon spirits under Satan’s control. It will be a dreadful company of the vilest creatures ever assembled. No wonder the name “Armageddon” holds such ominous vibrations. Even Satan’s present followers on earth are anticipating this occasion.

Jesus Christ Returns To Fight
The mighty Redeemer becomes the Warrior King. He appears out of the Heavenlies like a God/Man with celestial attire. He rides an awesome stallion of spotless white and leads an army of triumphant saints. He is no longer the broken reed of Calvary, bleeding for sin’s cleansing. He is now the judge of all who spurned His reconciling sacrifice. He comes to set right the rebellions of all creatures. It’s time for righteousness to show its transcending authority. While He does tread the winepress of wrath and experience the bloodstain of battle, it’s a quick victory and all rebellion is brought to judgment. Satan’s well planned schemes and multitude of support has been of no avail. He is defeated and the King of Kings begins His triumphant takeover.

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must loosed a little season.” Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”(Revelation 20:1-3, 6)

When a person understands the truth about Biblical Holiness, it becomes the most desirable possibility in all of human experiences.  There is nothing so beautiful, so satisfying and so natural in all of human life.  The very reason for your creation, the purpose for which God made you and the most complete life, is found in Biblical holiness.  It is not just a standard someone is trying to live. It certainly is not legalism or narrow-mindedness.  Holiness is the work of the Holy Ghost by the Word and by the Blood.  It actually lifts man into the image of God.  In holiness, we become God-like and God-filled.

No, No, I’m not talking about righteousness.  Righteousness is what happens in our body, soul, and spirit when we begin to experience holiness. Righteousness is the work of Holiness. Righteousness is the joy of obedience to God’s ways that results from the inner work of holiness. Holiness cannot start or continue or be completed by righteousness in the many expressions of our living. Holiness is never subject to righteousness.  Instead, righteousness is subject to Holiness.  The only righteousness that man can produce without Holiness is what the Bible calls self-righteousness and it is deplorable to God Himself. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…”  (Isaiah 64:6).

Jesus Rejected The Pharisees
Biblical Holiness is why Jesus died on Calvary.  He did not die to produce another sect of Pharisees.  He had just rejected the sect He already had to deal with.  In fact, it was the Pharisees that helped bring Him to trial and death. These men did not break or disobey even one of His laws of righteousness. The great Apostle Paul, said of his condition before He met the Lord, “As touching the law, I was blameless.”  (Philippians 3:6).  But, this apostle-to-be was not holy, he was righteous, self-righteous, empty, and even repulsive. Much of our religious world has at least some semblance of righteousness, but Holiness?  I fear not.

Holiness is a relationship in Jesus Christ in which the individual is being transformed into an ever-expanding likeness of Christ Himself.  This relationship has no point of action except in the sanctifying blood of the exalted Son of God.  A holiness person is not seeking after holiness, but after Jesus Christ, because there is no other source of Holiness.  Holiness is the nature of Jesus Christ manifest by the work of the Holy Ghost applying the Word of God made alive by His blood.  People that seek Holiness as its own object will often add one legalistic addition after another.  Every great Holiness movement has always destroyed its own self by transferring the hunger for “HIM” to a hunger for perceived Holiness.

This is why the Apostle Paul that had experienced the righteousness of the law before the Damascus turnpike was careful to never fall into the trap again.  He bellowed out, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”  (Galatians 6:14).  His “righteousness of the law” before he met the King had no comparison to the “holiness” of his Christ-centered life.  In his righteousness of the law, he had to crucify himself.  In the holiness of knowing Jesus Christ, he was dead to the world.  Herein lies the difference between the multitude of strict religious people and the genuine remnant of godly people. God’s people do not want the world because its nature is so unclean.  It’s like walking through a dump after one has showered and dressed in sparkling clean clothes.  The scene alone is almost unbearable.

Another of the great warnings of the Scripture is the need to never allow His holiness in us to lose His love for the unclean.  Of course, as long as we truly have His holiness, we will love His world.  When you walk in the power of His Holy Ghost’s cleansing, you will weep over the world, instead of turning your nose up at its repulsiveness.  This was the miserable failure of Judaism in the Lord’s day.  Jesus was condemned for “eating with publicans and sinners” (Mark 2:16).

Are You Ready To Be A Holiness Christian?
Some have witnessed the hard holiness people that seek holiness of itself and find its value in endless lists of “no-no’s.”  Others are lovers of themselves and want no experience with God that requires the death of self.  The multitudes have no idea of what we are talking about and will never take the time alone with God to experience Him in the truly “Born Again” life.  Most people who claim to be born again have nothing but a head-religion.  Somebody told them to just say that they believe in a few Bible points and then take for granted that they are now Christians.  Most of our so-called altar calls are like fast food shops.  There are multitudes of church members have never been transformed by the power of God.

Joy Unspeakable Awaits The Hungry Soul
Please do not take my word for the information about whether or not you are truly “born again.”  How can you have the joy of the Christian life as promised in Holy Scripture?  Nothing in the world will give you the joy that a transformed life will give you.  “. . . Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”  (1Peter 1:8b).  It is peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7).  He wants to completely change, cleanse, renew, and leave you a brand new person.  He wants to make you a new creature.  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  (II Corinthians 5:17).

Holiness can be understood by remembering how you feel after coming home absolutely filthy from a long workday, ballgame, or overnight camping in the woods and then you get a soaking bath.  Once you are completely clean, even soaked, and have put on good smelling, freshly washed clothes, you feel like a new person.  That’s what the Word, the Blood, and the Holy Spirit does to your whole person inside and out.  You are completely transformed into a pure, blood-washed individual.

True Biblical Holiness
True Biblical holiness is not hardness, legalism, or mean-spirited people making everyone miserable with their own list of concocted standards.  The Bible is a Holy Book from Genesis to Revelation and every standard set in Scripture is the joy of transformed saints.  Godly women or men will separate themselves from activities that are declared off limits by the Holy Bible.  No godly woman wants to look like a man or dress like a man.  The same is true of godly men.  The body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and He dwells in every saint to possess them, body, soul, and spirit.  There is no such thing as being a partaker of God’s grace, while the body is left to wallow in sin.  You cannot possess the true faith in your spirit and leave the body in the clutches of unclean living.  A born again person is repulsed by the suggestion that they can continue the old lifestyle of breaking the commandments of God while still professing righteousness.

Listen Carefully!
At the same time, genuine born again Christians are repulsed by the hardness of many ministers and laity in conservative church circles.  These modern day Pharisees disobey the truth of God by adding to the Word and creating their own “doctrines of men.”  It is just as wrong to add to the Scripture as to take from the Word.  John the Revelator stated, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19).  It is serious to add one line, one idea, or one restriction to God”s Word and teach it as an obligation in the Christian life.

There are many good people who have become slaves to the hardness of modern Pharisees.  The true standards of godliness suffer when the self-proclaimed police of hardness are allowed to operate among the saints.  These men and women are out to make disciples for themselves and to gather around their feet clones of their own self-righteousness.  Apostle Paul warned us of this kind of deception.  “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”  (Acts 20:30-32).

The Word of God is Pure
The standards of holiness are set forth in Scripture in a plain and clear fashion. Isaiah describes the “Highway of Holiness.”  “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”  (Isaiah 35:8).  The prophets of hardness will pick words out of the plain statements of truth and exaggerate them to support their doctrines of men exactly like the Pharisees did in Jesus” time.  These hard teachings are always based on some highly suspect method of interpretation. Isaiah’s statement precludes this kind of religious fantasy.  He said that God’s “highway of holiness” was so plain and so pure that a wayfaring man though a fool (simple-minded) should not err therein.  If you have to produce a scholarly sounding defense for your doctrine of hardness to prove your point, you have already disproved yourself.  The way of purity and holiness is simple and available for the uneducated mind.  Just obey the plain Word of God, adding no intricate meaning or disobeying no simple truth.  Holiness is the standard of God’s laws and commandments produced in the heart by the sanctifying Blood of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion
Bible holiness is beautiful.  There is a remnant of godly people that the Father Himself has reserved to Himself for this end-time generation.  These saints are both pure in lifestyle and attitudes.  They do not seek attention nor are they ashamed of their testimony.  The Bible is there “paper pope” and they live by every Word of God.  Jesus said, “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4:4).