Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
5/9/2022
Who holds back the tide of evil today?
Courageous is tonight 7 PM
Who or what is this person or entity who is restraining evil to overtake our present days? Some would say, who is keeping the Antichrist from coming now?
I think the answer is not very hard. Who could restrain evil from completely overthrowing the good in this world or hold back the coming of the Antichrist? Of Course, the answer is God the Holy Spirit. But we also know that God has chosen to work through his people, the church.
However divided or weak we may think the church is today, he has always delivered a remnant, a core group of people, prayer warriors, believers, intercessors, and priests to stand in the gap for his bride. The Church. Romans 11:5, “Even so then, at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
For this reason, we believe the restrainer in 2 Thess 2: 6:7 is not just the Holy Spirit but God working through his bride the church. Scriptures in Gen 6:3 and in Gal 5:16-17 show God’s restraining power at work. “We are the salt of the earth” Matt 5:13 We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The influence and ministry of the Holy Spirit is forever indwelling and working through his people in this present age, and it is the power that holds back the darkness of these evil times. We know that evil will continue to grow and scorch the earth but God’s remnant who are faithful to his calling stem the tide until the day of the Rapture. Both 1 Cor 3:16 and 6:19 teach us the Holy Spirit lives in each of us.
Father God removed Noah and his righteous family before the great flood. I believe that God’s chosen people today will be exempt from the coming tribulation period. (1 Thess 1:9 -10; 5:9; Rev 3:10) I believe the nature of the Tribulation is God’s judgment against a rebellious world. The wrath of God against sinful man. Gen 18:19 shows the rescue of Lot and his family from Sodom and Gomorrah. I believe that God’s character shows that he will not destroy the righteous with the wicked when his judgment comes.
In Rev 3:10-11 God’s promise of deliverance from the great tribulation is very specific. Revelation 3:10-11
“Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have,
so that no one will take your crown”.
Regardless of whether you personally believe in Pre Trib or Post Trib, we can agree on this: Just as God will protect his people in that worldwide testing so he lives in his children to hold back the day evil will be fully unleashed into the world at the time of the Antichrist. He continues to use you and me as part of that remnant to point His light as the illumination of our paths in the days ahead. Do not lose heart. Remain faithful as he is faithful, and God will use your light on a hill to do his will and show forth his grace and glory.
Lord use me this week that I might be both a voice and a light to show forth your love and greatness. Help me to walk both in your peace and your power to touch others in your name.
Worthy is the Lamb Hillsong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCPP-qovLtI&list=RDVhrxRccU3Lw&index=2
