Revelation 13:9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
The carnal man looks at death as a bad thing yet every Christian proclaims once we die we then go to Heaven which is a good thing. Yet most all Christians attempt to perpetuate their physical lives by any medical means necessary. “I want to go to Heaven, just not too soon!” would be a better way to put it. That is because the carnal man plants the fear of death and dying into the mind. Men of great courage deny that fear consciousness to come when they are face to face with death. The Sons too must die but they die to the fleshly nature, that carnal man. They are to die by the sword of THE SPIRIT!
In the last 40+ years I have heard many proclaim the imminent return of Christ and several projected dates have come and gone. Should we focus on the calendar or our own spiritual state of growth? As for me, I will focus on the latter for if my focus is on the external, the internal will be hindered from growing and maturing into Sonship. The external will ultimately take care of itself and my placement is assured by FATHER’S Plan. If I die a physical death before the unfolding of the final slaying of the dragon, then I will be among the cloud of witnesses in Heaven. Since I was delivered from certain death on May 9th, 2012, I know that my purpose was not yet fulfilled on earth. Clearly I aspire to be counted among the Sons who are called to serve all of mankind but that cannot and will not be first and foremost as my priority. My priority is to fully embrace and immerse myself in the revelation of HIS Love and reflect HIS Full Character… to fulfill John’s revelation- “As HE is, so are we!”
The carnal man wants to set a time for the return of Christ. He wants to schedule it, mark it on the calendar, and keep your focus on that future event so that you will possibly become lax in your own spiritual development. Compromise becomes the name of the game. Since the next major event will not happen until such and such date in the future, you can take care of other pressing matters. We must remember John was in the Spirit and the 3 1/2 years is a spiritual term not a literal earthly term even though we want it to be time-sensitive. 3 1/2 years is half of seven which denotes an incomplete time. Seven represents completion and there are 49 sevens mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The beast will thrive during an incomplete span of time but will not fulfill or bring anything into perfection. The carnal nature wants to predict when FATHER is going to bring HIS Plan to fruition. Don’t sweat it, simply prepare yourself for it. Be content with the here and now! You should not totally disregard the time aspect we live in but it should not redirect your focus away from the true priority of Spiritual maturity. The book is about revealing Jesus Christ and our destiny to overcome the world and its beast systems. Our redemption and restoration is assured. This book reveals the bookend of other 3 1/2 years of Christ’s ministry.
7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe,tongue, and nation.
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
For a period of time, the beast makes war with the saints. What a great training plan for overcomers! How else could you be tested if it weren’t for your enemies bringing forth the trials and tribulation in your life? The term “overcomer” requires us to face challenges, some of them with great odds against us. Jesus, the first Son, overcame the world thus we are called to overcome the world as well. The beast system provides the perfect training ground to accomplish this Spiritual growth. We will not worship the beast as the earth dwellers do. We are among those who ascend to the higher realm and see the beast for what it is. We are no longer deceived by the beast because FATHER in HIS great grace and mercy has opened our eyes to see and ears to hear. Jesus spoke of this time “in” the world in John 17:
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world
Most Christians want to be spared any confrontation with the beast. They want to be raptured up and sit on a cloud somewhere without any stress or pressure. Growth does not come without pressure. Jesus understood this when He prayed the words in the above passage. We have been sent into the world to overcome it, not run from it. We will only embrace this calling as we fully place our trust IN HIM. How can we fully trust HIM unless we fully comprehend HIS Divine Intent of Love? We only trust someone if we know his or her motive. You can’t trust a thief, a liar, or a thug. Their motives are self-serving. Can you trust someone who is always trying to extract money or resources from you? Our Heavenly Father needs nothing from you but desires a Loving relationship with each and every one of HIS children.
The beast makes war with the saints and it is all out spiritual warfare. We must put on the whole armor of GOD mentioned in Ephesians 6:
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
This portion of the vision specifically addresses the spiritual warfare against the beast system. We are called to be strong in THE LORD, not run and hide when presented with the challenges posed by the world. We are called to be Spiritually mature and not be moved by what our natural eyes see. We must place our trust in FATHER and we will overcome the worldliness in us as well as the world around us. At a personal level, either we overcome or we will be overcome. It is FATHER’S Will that we all stand against the wiles of he devil and these “wiles” are manifested in a mature form in the beast’s system. Yes, the beast will have temporary victories over the saints but we must remember that the time is incomplete or temporary when these victories occur. The beast may win some battles but we will win the war and overcome the world, both at an individual level and a corporate level. The result will be the same- we will overcome worldliness.