The minute the nation of Israel was attacked, I expected the doomsday deceivers to come out of the woodwork to tell us the new predicted time of Jesus’ coming with fervor.  It happens with each war that breaks that draws the attention of the world—especially when the ugly devastation and atrocities of war against humans caught in the “crossfire” happens in the area where Jesus’ walked the earth, died and rose again for our sins, with a promise to come back again to claim His own.  “It must be time!” some will say as they line up all the prophecies with an attempt to calculate and predict the Day.

But Jesus teaches a different perspective that many miss…

Luke 21, The Message

Watch Out for Doomsday Deceivers

^5-6 One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said, “All this you’re admiring so much—the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of rubble.”

⁷ They asked him, “Teacher, when is this going to happen? What clue will we get that it’s about to take place?”

^8-9 He said, “Watch out for the doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, ‘I’m the One,’ or, ‘The end is near.’ Don’t fall for any of that. When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end.”

^10-11 He went on, “Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You’ll think at times that the very sky is falling.

^12-15 “But before any of this happens, they’ll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail. It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. You’ll end up on the witness stand, called to testify. Make up your mind right now not to worry about it. I’ll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters.

^16-19 “You’ll even be turned in by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be killed. There’s no telling who will hate you because of me. Even so, every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your head!—is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The greatest battle of all will be the war for our minds.  The evil one knows where we are weak and strikes where it hurts the most.  The prince of darkness will attempt daily to distract and deceive our thinking in an effort to change our minds against the God, who created us and His Son who redeemed us.  Don’t fall for what the Deceiver says!

There will be battles among our most intimate relationships.  As if we don’t conjure up enough assumptions about what our loved ones think with presumptions of how much they love us, the evil one uses our human thought to “plant” landmines of anxious opinions for us to consider as we relate to each other.  His purpose is the destruction of all loving relationships within our families.  His ultimate goal is to destroy the relationship between God and His children.  Yes, yours and mine!

As I write, I’m recalling a true story from a pastor’s wife, speaking to us at a learning event for all pastors/spouses.  This well-known, confident speaker came in late to the session with trembling hands.  She offered this explanation:

“I was just on the phone with my son who is a pastor in a large city in Arizona.  He insisted that we talk and considered this as an urgent plea for prayer.  Her son related how a new believer from his church was at a local park with her child when she saw a group of people who seemed to be gathering in a circle to pray.  She thought how awesome it would be to join the group with her testimony of giving her life to Jesus!”

“They welcomed her into the group just before they began to circle and pray.  She shuttered in fear as she held hands with the “worshipers” who began to pray to Satan, asking for the destruction of all the Jesus-believing pastors’ families in their city.  They prayed that the war would be won if all believers in Jesus could be stopped in living their life for Jesus.”

“The speakers son was so distraught he called his mom to tell us in the session gathered there that day to pray for his family, his church families, all pastors in his city, and for these deceived believers in the evil one. Pray for our wisdom to not panic but to pray for ‘Greater is the One in us than he who is in this world.’”

At once, we all got on our knees and prayed.  There is power in prayer! For indeed greater is He who is in us than he who is waging war on our minds!  (See 1 John 4:4)

“Don’t panic,” says Jesus.  Keep your minds stayed on Him.  Isaiah, the prophet of God, wrote, “In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song:  Our city is strong! We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation. Open the gates to all who are righteous; allow the faithful to enter. You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”  Isaiah 26:1-4, NLT

Jesus is Prince of Peace!  Israel sings once more after the battle, but this time the emphasis is on righteousness and peace. We cannot experience true peace apart from righteousness, and we can have no righteousness apart from God’s salvation in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21–31). It is at the Cross that “righteousness and peace have kissed” each other (Psalm 85:10). When Jesus Christ reigns on earth, the promise of Psalm 72:7 will be fulfilled: “In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.” Jesus Christ is our true King of Righteousness and King of Peace!

Jesus tells us to be ready; for it will happen. He assures all believers that God cares deeply for us and protects us in the battles for our hearts, minds, and souls.  He knows what we are going through.  Nothing on earth escapes the His notice.  Despair will overwhelm us as our loved ones turn against us for believing in Jesus. Our hearts will break when a loved one turns to the enemy in sheer complacency or rebellion against righteousness. Our greatest weapon is prayer—to remain in Him as He remains in us.  

Keep believing no matter what because God has already won this war!  Jesus defeated death, went to hell and back for us, and rose again in victory for our souls!  However, this Enemy who is filled with every way of thinking and behaving that is not of God, is determined to tempt us to retreat from victory in Jesus.  “Even so, every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your head! —is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.” –Jesus, the Victor!

Hang on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!  The war for our souls began with Adam and Eve.  But God was, is and always will be in control.  The warring characteristics Jesus stated have been happening in every age of the church, for from the beginning there have been counterfeit messiahs, national and international upheavals, and religious persecution. But these things will increase and intensify as the time of Jesus’ coming draws near. There will be religious delusion as Jesus relates in this passage and others.   There will also be international skirmishes. Finally, there will be religious persecution, both official and personal.  Decide now whose side you will choose to follow—God or the Enemy?  The One who has already won the war or the one who thinks there is still a chance to draw us away from the Victor?

WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE?  STAY! 

Stay on the Rock of our salvation.

Stay firm in our belief of Jesus as the Victor over evil. 

Stay grounded and so connected to God that we may hear His voice above all other voices and follow Him.

Stay in God’s Word so that we may be able to answer those who are falling for evil.

Stay expectant for the return of our Savior and Lord without the need to know the exact Day.

Lord,

Thank you for this lesson that reminds us to stay.  I believe and I will stay with You.  Why trust anyone else than the lover of my soul?  Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.  Give me wisdom with words from you to help others “stay”.

In Jesus Name, Amen