SEEKERS IN THE STORM?

SEEKERS IN THE STORM?

Growing up in Church, and a good one at that, I used to always hear that usually Christians don't tend to be motivated to seek the Lord during times of ease, but they do during times of trouble because those are times that reveal our deep need for God. While I think this can be true, and have seen it at times in my own life and in the lives of others, there are also times when storms and trials seem to be the very thing that threaten to derail our faith and drive us away from God, because the ease we long for isn't found while seeking Christ in those times. Far from motivating us to seek Christ, storms and trials often seem to motivate us in the quickest direction away from someone who is asking us to take up our cross, to die daily, and to trust Him in the midst of trials that sense and reason cannot make head nor tail of. Specifically, there are some storms so outwardly wild, chaotic and grievous, that the leadings of the Spirit seem to have to contend with maelstroms of emotions that constantly cause great distress, and an inability to keep our focus firmly fixed on a spiritual reality that just seems so removed from the reality we have to contend with in the present, a reality that seeks to defy any other truth through the screaming voice of awful feelings. That is why preparation in the way of spiritual truth is necessary for the coming time, so that we will be armed against the feelings that will arise and attack us from within when faced with such severe circumstances (Gal 5v17).

In Luke 8 we have a great example of just how deadly sudden great trial and the feelings that bring can be:

Luke 8v22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”


In just ONE quick instance of a great swelling of storm and trial, instantly it appeared that the disciples' emotions and emotional response had suddenly taken away all of their faith; "Where is your faith?". This is what it will seem like for a lot of us in the future. Because many don't believe that the winds that are now blowing signal a coming storm, what is coming in the future will completely rock them, or 'rock their boat' so to speak. All many will think is, 'we're going to drown!' Without an acceptance of what the Lord is speaking about prophetically at the moment, Christians in general will have no knowledge of the context of such things, no knowledge of the reasons for such things, no understanding of the signs of the times they're in or what the Lord is doing, and so will just react out of overwhelming emotion, being convinced that even the life of the Lord within them will be subject to being defeated by the storm around them. Therein will we see that much of our faith has in fact just been, itself, emotion. Without a firm fixation on Christ when the storm hits, all we will hear is the inner turmoil of our own fleshly nature, and that is the real storm that we will need to face. At the end of the day no outward storm can affect us inwardly if we keep our eyes on Jesus.

After the storm the disciples realised a spiritual truth that many now would rather ignored: "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." Yes! Jesus does direct the wind! He does create tornados and storms to do his bidding, He does create calamity for His purposes (Is 45v7) (+not all of which are revealed to us!), He does judge the world and His people (1 Peter 4v17 + Rom 1v18), He does disciple those He loves (Heb 12v6), He does bring disaster on cities (Amos 3v6)- HE does all these things! The Lord is even now judging His people in many ways, to discipline them, to change them, to warn them, and to ensure they remain abiding in Him. The Lord is even now judging the world in righteousness; giving over many to their sin and it's effects, and pouring out His wrath as He sees fit (even while grace and mercy abound as well!). It is time to get prepared doctrinally, and get ourselves firmly rooted in the truth of these things in the Word, because if we don't, we will have no boat of truth to comfort and steady us in the days to come. We will have no boat to guide us through the maelstrom of emotions that will rise up to attack and overthrow us, and only God's goodness will be that which keeps us.

Many have in their boats of faith, doctrines for grace, doctrines for peace and mercy, doctrines for blessing and doctrines for provision. But how many of these doctrines, when the storm REALLY STARTS TO BLOW, will be able to hoist such things to use as their sails to guide and direct them? When all such doctrines stand stunned in the sight of other aspects of our God's nature, what shall be our reaction? What shall be our response? It is probably safe to say that most of us will respond in the same way that those in the book of Job did. Only Job himself realised what many of us probably want nothing to do with knowing or dwelling on:
Job 2:10 "Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?"

This time Church, God will be coming to speak to us out of the whirlwind and out of the storm, because He is and He will be in such things, whether we choose to recognise them as being from His hand or not. When God spoke to Job out of a whirlwind He showed His people one very important truth. He showed us that there are truths in the Word that appear exactly like a whirlwind: chaotic, violent, illogical, irreconcilable, unfriendly and contrary to all those other things about God that we naturally love and embrace. And yet He showed us that though they appear and always will appear to us like that (this side of eternity), they are nevertheless TRUE, and GOOD, and RIGHT, and in the midst of such things, God has his perfect way. He doesn't expect that we will fully be able to grasp everything about His ways, His nature and His truth (for we see in part and know in part), but He does expect us to fully trust that He is, in every way and in all times, trials and storms, still God.

While prosperity continues, few will believe that a great storm is on its way. But remember that before Job faced what was likely to be one of the worst trials that man has ever faced, He was one of the most blessed and contented man to have ever lived. No doubt he thought that because his prosperity and ease had endured for so long, that it would've continued to his dying day, but that obviously wasn't the case. Make no mistake, a day of great trial is on its way, prosperity and ease will end, and then only the ship made of true faith and truth, and the faithfulness, good and grace of our God will keep us till its end. Today may be the day of ease, but its already starting to blow a gale, and the maelstrom is on its way. Today may be a day of blessing and prosperity, but store up and prepare for what is on its way.

UPDATED: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DREAM FROM GOD, AND A DREAM THAT ORIGINATES IN US

Tim Price

38 seconds ago · 

• 
  
  For some reason this was on my mind this evening, so I thought I'd share some thoughts. Not that people don't already know this, but if anyone has had a dream and thought it has been from God but wasn't sure, here are a few ways you can test to see whether it is:
  
  1) Because God is not the author of confusion, Godly dreams often follow a logical progression and a logical narrative, that is, they make sense because there is an overall message to be gleaned from it. The events in the dream will also usually link up with each other and will be able to be understood in connection with each other (although sometimes dreams may have multiple components to them, but even those components will make sense standing by themselves).
  
  2) Godly dreams can often be remembered very clearly and very precisely. This is again because God is not the author of confusion, and if God is wanting to make His will known, He will not make it impossible to remember and recall once we are awake.
  
  3) Godly dreams ALWAYS have a foundation in scripture. If the supposed message coming from a dream cannot be based on scripture, it isn't from God.
  
  4) Dreams from God usually always speak to us personally, about family or friends, about the world, the state of the Church, or the future (all the things the Lord is concerned with speaking about)
  
  5) No matter what, they will always spur us on to love others and Himself more.
  
  6) Dreams from the Lord will always have some kind of relevance for us as followers of Him.
  
  7) Dreams from the Lord usually always have literal and metaphorical elements and interpretations to them, just like the parables Jesus told. 

  8) They will ALWAYS have a spiritual message to them, no matter how many parts of the dream may be speaking about literal events and occurrences. 

  9) God has often confirmed that certain dreams He has given me were of Him by confirming them to me by biblical numbers, the most common of these being the number 3, which, as we know, is the number of the trinity. God confirmed to the Apostle Peter that a vision was from Him by giving him the vision 3 times (Acts 10v¹⁶ This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.. Also, the Word says that in the presence of two or three witnesses let every word be confirmed (2 Cor 13v1). If anyone is wondering how this usually happens, it happens in a very humble way, usually even by being woken up after the dream at exactly 3:30am or 3:33am.

  9) Dreams often come as pictures or parables, because a picture speaks 1000 words!
  
  10) Dreams from the Lord often appear as riddles, and that is often why many people don't have time for them or want anything to do with them. They think that if it comes as a riddle (mystery) it can't be from the Lord, because He always speaks plainly. But this isn't the case. The disciples even said to Him at one point that to them He had been speaking in riddles to them (John 16v29). God often speaks in mysteries and riddles so that He can test who truly wants and desires the truth, over those that couldn't care either way. Also, the Word says that it is the glory of men to search out a matter that God has hidden:
  
  -Prov 25v2: It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
  (seek and you shall find!)
  
  -Numbers 12v6-8:
  “When there is a prophet among you,
  I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
  I speak to them in dreams.
  7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;
  he is faithful in all my house.
  8 With him I speak face to face,
  clearly and not in riddles;
  
  One of the greatest, if not the greatest prophetic revelation of all time that was given to the Apostle John was nearly all one big parable and one big riddle that is only opened by the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
  
  11) Sometimes we won't be able to necessarily understand the whole revelation of the dream or vision straight away, but will need to wait for a revelation from the Lord to understand it (just like with the Revelation given to the Apostle John). Sometimes the understanding comes later when the needed time comes along. Sometimes the Word reveals it, sometimes the Lord gives Holy Spirit enlightenment to the mind and sometimes He uses natural circumstances in our lives to reveal what the dream or vision meant.

  12) If you've ever received a vision, there is usually absolutely no doubt that it has come from the Lord, as either an image or a video like sequence will be presented before you that is crystal clear (though obviously you must test it by the Word of God to know for sure)

DREAM: 9/11 TYPE TERRORIST ATTACKS ARE COMING

John 14v29: I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. John 14v29

John 14v27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

A couple of days ago I had one of the most vivid dreams I've ever had. In the dream I saw two high rise buildings. Next I saw a plane come in from the right hand side, just like on 9/11, and slammed into the side of one of the buildings, and a massive explosion of fire and smoke erupted from where it had hit (so much so that it came very close to where I was in the dream). Then another plane came in from the left hand side and slammed into the other building, creating nearly exactly the same explosion. Even before I had seen the first plane, I knew that I had seen this type of terrorist attack before, so I somehow knew what was going to happen before it took place.

In the dream I went to help those that were high up in the building. They were on sitting precariously on a small ledge, but they didn't seem to want to move from the ledge so that they'd be saved. One person suggested that they jump off of the building and so be safe and others seemed to agree that this was a good idea.

Then there was another building nearby where I was trying desperately to tell people that they needed to get out of the area, because the floors above them would soon collapse and crush them. However, none of them believed me, no one listened, and in fact they all just ignored me. Giving up, I myself fled to hide from the destruction I knew was coming. From a distance I saw a massive wall of fire come towards me from the scene I'd just been in, and I knew it was a result of the collapse of the towers I had seen in the first scene of the dream. The wall of flame completely destroyed the building I had just been in, and I knew it would've killed those that I'd tried to warn. I hid behind a small object that I used as a shield, and even though I felt the warmth of the flames, they didn't hurt or kill me.

While I don't pretend to entirely understand everything about this dream, as the Lord often speaks in ways that represent spiritual realities and also speak on more than one level, I do strongly feel that this dream is at least indicating that 9/11 type terrorist attacks are coming. I share this again because I have already received a dream that was very similar to the one above a few months ago, where it was shown me that 9/11 type terrorist attacks would be happening around the world. My opinion, and this isn't a 'thus saith the Lord', is that terrorists will once again use planes to attack high-rises around the world (though I think the dreams could suggest other types of terrorist attacks not using planes). I think most people now, including myself before having the dreams, would've thought that such a time of terrorism has well and truly gone, but the Lord is showing that that isn't the case.

There are some in life that think that jumping off a high spiritual walk with the Lord is the answer to being safe in the time to come, but this isn't the case at all. To jump off a high spiritual ledge at the moment will result in spiritual destruction in the coming time. There are also many that are close to experiencing the results of this terrorism in the future if they stay where they are spiritually at the moment. They are on the 'ground-floor,' or walking an earthly, fleshly walk with the Lord, and they need to heed the warnings the Lord is given, or they too will be caught up in the terrorism that is coming. The Lord is wanting to keep His people on a high spiritual ledge with Himself, and also warning them to flee a fleshly walk, so that He'll be able to protect them in the time to come. If they don't, they'll experience physical and spiritual destruction.

The Lord gives these warnings so that we might be walking rightly with Him, so that we'll be kept in the coming time. It is quite possible, just like the dream I had, that no one will listen to this, and that everyone will ignore it, but still the Lord is faithful to warn, because He loves His people too much to let them walk according to a sinful path.

COUNTERFEIT

2 Thessalonians 2v9:
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

'Counterfeit' definition: 'Made in exact imitation of something valuable or important with the intention to deceive or defraud.'

It is now getting extremely difficult to discern the true from the false in many of the Church's teachings today and even amongst many Christians that are all too ready to present 'bits' of truth that are given no context. Unbeknownst to us, the enemy has infiltrated much of the teaching that now circulates, and it seems that he's done it with relative ease. The reason for this is quite simple, the scripture above says that there will be people now that no longer 'love the truth.' They love aspects of it, but this isn't enough. If Jesus had just known or loved aspects or 'sections' of scripture when he faced the enemy in the wilderness, it seems as though, if he were anyone else, he would've been quite easily deceived. If He had only known and loved the scripture: 'For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" , He would've been deceived into thinking that it was ok to tempt God's grace, when it wasn't. Jesus knew this precisely because he knew more than one section of scripture. In answer to the devil He said in Matt 4v"7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]” In a day where the enemy will come in appearance as an angel of light, looking as though His power is so close to the real thing, will we as a Church be able to tell the difference between his power and working and God's power and working? The only way to know for sure is to know as much of the Word as we can and to couple that with a LOVE for it.

Many today however seem to believe that the Word of God, and knowing it thoroughly is completely redundant because all we need to do is love God and love others, and everything else will sort itself out. Let me just state what should be unbelievably obvious: WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO LOVE GOD AND LOVE OTHERS WITHOUT FIRST KNOWING THE TRUTH. PERIOD. Every bit of love not based on truth is COUNTERFEIT love (human love which comes from a fallen state + evil- coming from the devil), and, not only is it worthless but extremely deceptive, because counterfeit love will accept every piece of scripture quoted by the enemy just because IT SOUNDS LOVING. What the enemy said to Jesus SOUNDED LOVING. Think about it, whether it was about commanding stones to become bread (so Jesus' hunger could be satisfied), offering Kingdoms and their glory to Jesus (to give Him what He deserved and was rightfully His anyway), or trying to offer Jesus an opportunity to show everyone He was God by throwing himself off a high temple, what the devil seemed to do to Jesus, on the appearance of things, SEEMED to be perfectly loving. He even backed up what he was offering and trying to get Jesus to do with scripture! So why is that we think the enemy will work any differently with the Church at large? The answer is is that he doesn't work differently, we just usually never perceive it because we have placed a 'love of love,' before a LOVE OF THE TRUTH. Truth is that thing which sets a man free, then he is free to love in the vein of that truth, according to the wisdom that is spiritual and not fleshly (which bases itself purely on feeling and pleasure). If we place a love of love before anything else, we will love anything purely because we believe that such love is the highest standard for truth, but that is entirely false, and can end up making someone follow the devil rather than Jesus. People will even use scripture to justify that type of love and believe they are worshipping Jesus, when in fact they may be serving and worshipping the enemy and not even know it! While this kind of love may parade itself as so unselfish and caring, because it places the love and care of man before God, it turns itself into an idolatrous love, which actually misrepresents God to be something He is not and dishonours Him to the highest degree, because while fulfilling small truths taken out of context (ie 'love others'), it disobeys others, forgetting that God is to be first and foremost in EVERYTHING.

Make no mistake about it, the enemy has a power of his own that he strives to make just like Jesus' in every way. He strives to make it look wise, he strives to make it look angelic, he strives to make it appear pure, to make it seem reasonable and just, and he strives to reason even with God's people to make them see his way! How can we combat this? We must be diligent to know the Word of God, and we must desire to love the truth, no matter what cost it may bring us! As soon as we begin to only accept that which won't cost us anything or that which promises not to grieve us in any way, we make a deadly compromise that the enemy can work with in order to harm us spiritually. The enemy wants to make an exact imitation of the truth to deceive God's people, and make no mistake about it, that counterfeit truth is alive and well- just look for anything that places man at the centre of anyone's life, and that places the concern and care for men above the cares and concerns of the Lord. That which sees scripture's use as only that which should take care of men and his needs and desires, does not have the Lord as the centre of its worship, but its own interests and those interests of the enemy.

The Good Things That Are Coming

THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE COMING!

Isaiah 30:
20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” 22 Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!”

Duet 16v3:
Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste--so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.

Numbers 11v1:
Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused.

Often the thing we want least in our lives, is that very thing the Lord gives us so that we can gain the best thing for our lives. The Lord will allow His people to go through great affliction in the future, but this will bring us good things. One, it will mean that those that are really true teachers of the Word, who share truth as it really is, will be made 100% clearly known to His people. No more will there be great doubt and tossing to and fro with many winds of doctrine, because only the truth can stand in the fire. When people really suffer, then they come to understand what is true and what is not, because what is true sustains people through hard times, but what doesn't sustain is easily shown to be false because there's no real life and substance to it. Nothing but Jesus, who is the true bread of life, will be able to sustain His people in the days to come, and so all the doctrines of men and all those things which are mere hype, will die a quick and sudden death, and only the good stuff will remain!

Two, we as Christians will hear the voice of the Lord clearer and more intimately than we have ever heard it before! Is 30v21... says that, 'whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you...' The Lord's presence will be more real to us than ever before, for we will need such a thing. Before the apostle John witnessed the suffering of the Lord at the cross, the Lord first took him to a mountain to see His glory and to hear the voice of the Father, and so to will the people of God experience manifestations of His presence that will be exceedingly great (Jon 14v21+23), in order to encourage and strengthen us in our faith for the time ahead.

The manifestations of His presence and His voice will not only encourage, but will give us clear direction, namely, to LISTEN to the Son. In verse 23 of Is it says that this voice will say, "This is the way; walk in it." Both when the Spirit came down upon Jesus and heaven was opened, and when Peter and John were on the mountain with Him before his crucifixion, the Father said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well please, listen to Him!" His people will once again be encouraged to give their full attention to the Son and His Word, as we will need to train our spiritual ears to hear like never before. This will bring great fruit, as the Lord will tell us exactly the way to go in the time ahead. This will not just be a general thing, but a very specific thing. This is one of the prime ways the Lord will protect His people, even in every day circumstances, and on a continual and very specific level in their lives, because that's exactly what will be needed many times to keep His people safe in His will. God will not abandon His people, but will be as good and caring a Shepherd in the future as He is now, but we will often see it more clearly and more evidently!

Three, those things that we have made idols in our lives will be done away with, because we ourselves will want to do away with them! Is 30v22 Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!” We will have such great evidence of His presence, His care and His glory, that we will have hatred for anything that would offend the Lord and take our hearts away from Him. We will hear His voice and know His presence more keenly than in the past, and these things will all the more serve to endeavour our hearts and minds to Him. The Lord will create fervent and passionate hearts for Him!

We may immediately be tempted to complain about our hardships to the Lord in the days to come, but we must realise that the affliction that is coming is designed by the Lord to bring about good things in our hearts and lives, and so if we know this, we'll bear the afflictions patiently, knowing the good intentions of the Lord. We may eat of the good things the Lord has for us in the days to come in the midst of trouble and affliction, but it will be worth it!

Unexpected Desert

Matt 4v1-2:
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 

If Jesus had been anyone else, I'm sure everyone could agree that the trip to the desert would've been extremely UNEXPECTED. There are times in our lives where we all of a sudden arrive in a desert and it completely throws us; we ask ourselves, 'How did this happen?' 'Where are we going?' 'What is God doing?' 'Where is God?' 'Where is His goodness? 'Why does nothing make sense in the natural?' 'Where are the outward signs of hope and purpose?'- mainly because we haven't been aware of the Spirit's dealings with us at those times, and have been unaware that it has been God's will in leading us to those places. Those times are also times we usually fight against and try and do everything in our power to get out of. I know I'm that guy that keeps giving bad news, but unfortunately the reality is that there is a time coming where for so many of God's people what happens next will be completely unexpected. This isn't because God's Spirit hasn't been leading, or speaking or guiding, but because we have been unaware, and usually unwilling to accept His will and His leading because we don't want to suffer. And so it is now- no one wants to read or accept what God is speaking about the future, simply because people don't want to accept that it is God's will that we be led to such a place of suffering. It's God will that none of His people be unaware about what He is choosing to reveal about the coming storm, because part of how He keeps His people is to prepare them spiritually in order that they be able to face what comes.

What wasn't an unexpected journey for the Lord, would've been for most of us, but that's not where it would've ended. What happens next and will happen next will shock most of us to our core. This will be the case because it won't just be ONE trial, but MANY, VARIOUS and ONE AFTER THE OTHER. Jesus experienced three types of trials in the desert, and so will we. The first one was a trial to the stomach of the flesh (worldly loves and comforts which we feed on often). In response to Jesus' hunger in the wilderness, the enemy tempted him with providing food for himself. Jesus didn't though because to do so would've been to use His power for His own stomach, and Jesus knew that it wasn't God's will that He do so. So with us, whatever ordinary, earthly desire, strength and wisdom (which really is no wisdom at all) we have been given, we MUST NOT use in the future in order to satisfy our fleshly stomachs if it in any way means disobeying the Lord and His Word. When we are driven to tough times which really start to take a toll on the body, we must not let that drive us to gain earthly bread or comforts via means and ways which are unbiblical, rather we must trust that God will feed us with what we need. God may let us suffer in this area, so that we are deprived of what we have been used to in the past, but instead of trying to fill ourselves in a way He doesn't desire, we must run to God and feed on spiritual food: Matt 4v4: Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'

The second trial and temptation that we'll be faced with, will be the urge to live recklessly in the grace of God. Matt 4v5:
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God, he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" We must act wisely in the time to come, and although we should be trusting to His protection, we must also realise that His protection does not mean that we'll have a licence to live as though there will be no consequences and no harm come to those that are not living by THE WORD of God, both by eating it and being directed and comforted by it. We will not be able to live as though there is no enemy, for the enemy will be revealed in the days to come as 'a roaring lion,' seeking those that he desires to devour. There are times when the Lord chooses to allow the enemy to SEEMINGLY have sway over our lives and be present to confront us in a very real and immediate manner. This will also mean that who and what the enemy is in the coming time will also be made extremely plain to us, so we must continue to watch. We must be aware that such a time like this is coming, and we must be very wise in how close we are to the Word of God in that time, so that we will not think that we can simply live idly in the grace of God, not knowing the dangers that will be surrounding us. God has given His Word so that we will know how to defend ourselves in the days to come. We will not be able to live and survive in the coming time if we are not holding His Word close to us. To simply believe that God will do it all and that we'll be able to be ignorant sheep is extremely foolish, because God has called us to STAND and GIRD OURSELVES with His Word. What we may be able to get away with today, living in a time of peace and prosperity, we very likely will not be able to get away with tomorrow. Again, for many this will be extremely UNEXPECTED, but it needn't be.

Trials

Matt 4v8: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

The most the enemy can do to the people of God is to tempt them with all that the world has to offer, and the most powerful of those temptations; power and the splendour of the kingdoms that now reign. While the devil took Jesus to a mountain top to see all their was of those things, now he takes advantage of TV, where the kingdoms of this world and their splendour are on full display (not saying TV is evil, only that the enemy often tries to use it to tempt our hearts away from spiritual desires onto earthly desires). If we do not use such a thing wisely, the enemy will have a great advantage over us, because TV is usually a constant add for anything the world loves and holds dear, and not least because TV reveals just what society and the world considers to be true and upright. 

However, the enemy doesn't always say to the people of God, 'If you will bow down and worship I will give you these things,' no, sometimes he comes masquerading as an angel of light, and that is how sometimes we can be deceived. This happens because 'the splendour of this world' has no warning label attached to it, and because, like an angel of light, it always seems so good, pure and trustworthy. This is especially the case when we are in a desert for the flesh, that is, when we feel in great need, particularly when it comes to emotions, feelings and the desire that those things be fulfilled and satisfied. While the world says that those things should be satisfied at all times, the Lord says that those things should be satisfied only according to the context of spiritual truth, and often we'll need to deny ourselves of such satisfaction, take up our cross, and follow Him. 

The solution to this trial and temptation is straightforward, and summed up simply by the Lord: ...'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." (Matt 4v...10). So we see that the solution must be ACTIVE, in that we must be actively worshipping the Lord, and SERVING him. If we are living our daily lives in those two contexts; worshipping and serving, that will always be the best defence against what the enemy tempts us with in a time of great trial and testing.

In the coming time of trouble, both of persecution, terrorism and war (and other things), the people of God will be brought to a time when we are tested much more intensely than ever before. This will mean much hardship for the flesh, and it will mean that temptations that haven't been a trial for us before (because we've been satisfied in areas that didn't need filling), will suddenly become a trial for us. This 'unexpected journey' which the Lord sometimes takes his collective bride through (Israel in the wilderness and the persecuted Church in Acts), will be a journey where WORSHIP and SERVICE will be so important as a people to focus on. Those two things will be our 'saving grace' so to speak. Jesus said in John 4v34: "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.' And this will be our food in the coming time to. If we seek to increase in these areas in the time we are living in now, we will be much better prepared for what is coming, and God's grace will be sufficient for us. Jesus didn't get freaked out before He was led into the wilderness, and because of His life and power, we have no reason to either. He didn't even freak out when the devil appeared to Him! And we'll have no reason to fear the enemy coming as either a roaring lion or an angel of light if we follow in the Lord's footsteps.