Watching and Praying Non Stop
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to be with him: I beg you, my friends, not to be so easily confused in your thinking or upset by the claim that the Day of the Lord has come. Perhaps it is thought that we said this while prophesying or preaching, or that we wrote it in a letter. Do not let anyone deceive you in any way.
For the Day will not come until the final Rebellion takes place and the wicked one appears, who is destined to hell. He will oppose every so-called god or object of worship and will put himself above them all. He will even go in and sit down in God’s Temple and claim to be God. Don’t you remember? I told you all this while I was with you?
While watching and praying non-stop, Paul told the Thessalonian believers to not be bewildered about the Day of the Lord, rather, they should gain an understanding of the promise of Christ return so not to be carried away by what they heard. He reminded them of what he taught them about the “Day of the Lord” as listed:
- Concerning times and season brethren you have no need that I should write you- For it is not for you to know times and season which the Father has put in His own authority. (1 Thessalonian 5:1 Acts 1:7)
- For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you dot not expect. (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3 Peter 3:10, Matthew 24:44)
- Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for the day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. Jesus said: Take heed, watch and pray for you do not know when the time is. (2Thessalonians 2:2, Matthew 13:33)
Paul exhorted the brethren and expounded on the Lord’s return; in order to negate the rumor that stated the Day of the Lord had already begun. Paul told the brethren to not believe the rumor, because the day of the Lord would not occur until two things happen: there will be a time of great rebellion against God, and then the man of rebellion will come- the son of hell; who would defy the sacredness of worship from objects of adoration, to the temple and even to a point of claiming to be God.
Paul covey truth to set the brethren free from false rumor: a false epistle in Paul’s name, the imminent return of Christ, which may have caused some to fear and put some in a state of chaos – a strategy of the Father of lies. Jesus said :”And I give them eternal life , and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand”.
Watching and Praying Non Stop, Paul conveyed truth based on the word of God, to renounce lies, to set men free. “The day of the Lord shall be one day , which is known to the Lord, with no distinction between day and night but when evening comes there will be light. But of that day and hour no one know, not even the angels of heaven, but only our Father. (Zechariah 14:6, John 4:20-24, 2 Peter 3)
Pause& think
- What does scripture say about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? ( Matthew 24:7, 27, 30, 37,39,42,44, 25:13,31,1 Corinthians 15: 50-58, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Luke 17:23, )
- What was the fake rumor about the Day of the Lord? (2 Thessalonians 2:2, Mathew 24:6,26 Luke 17:23,)
- How can you identify a false Christ or false prophet? (Colossians 2:8, 16-232 Thessalonians 2:3, Matthew 24:5, 23, 24)
- What events must take place before the Day of the Lord? (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9, Matthew 24:15)
2 Thessalonians 2:6-8
And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
God know the end from the beginning, He holds time and seasons in His hands. He determine times and seasons, and changes times and season to orchestrate events on earth to conform to His predetermined plan -the counsel of the Lord stands forever, nothing can thwart the plan of God. Nobody knows when Jesus will return, but God. Satan and his cohorts are subservient to God’s power and authority and are restrained from doing anything on earth, unless they are permitted to do so.
In the dispensation of time, the lawless one shall be reveal, even though the god of this age, the prince of the powers of the air, principalities, power, spiritual host in heavenly places are evasively among us manifesting temporal powers, lying signs and lying wonders to deceive, turn, and entice believers away from God. Let us be examine study to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ to discern truth from lies, deception and lying signs and wonders.
Little children, it the last hour; as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrist have come by which we know that it is the last hour.
Who is an antichrist? Every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ has come in flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist ( 1 John 1: 18,22-23,2:7, 4:3) which you heard was coming into the world and is now already in the world. While every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God (1 John 4:2) Paul admonished believers Jesus will consume the lawless one, with the breath of His mouth and destroy him with the brightness of His coming.(1 Thessalonians 1:8)
Pause& think?
- Who is the lawless one, how can you identify a lawless one? (1 John 2:18, 2:22, 1 John 4:3)
- How is the power of the lawless one at work among us? (Jude, 1 timothy 1:3-7, 3:1-9, 4:1-9, 6:1-5, Titus 1:16, Ephesians 4:14)
- Who shall reveal the lawless one and what is his end? (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and those who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness shall be condemned.
While watching and praying non-stop,Paul identified the deceiver as Satan who displays false miracles, signs and wonders to serve lies to deceive those who do not believe in truth. They are perishing because they suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness, they do not glorify God as God, they have futile thoughts and debased mind with darken hearts. Since their hearts are not washed with the water of the word, and sanctify by the Holy Spirit, they yield to deception of wickedness- uncleanness, exchange of truth for a lie, lust, turn the grace of God into lewdness and refuse to retained the knowledge of God
Its only the love of God, couple with the fear of Him and obedience to His word can save us from lies
While watching and praying non-stop, may we lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive the implanted word of God, which is able to save our souls. As pillar of truth, may we yield to the works of the Holy Spirit of truth to overcome the works of the flesh, the deception of sin, and hardiness of hearts. May the Spirit of truth give us more revelation of Christ to empower the body of Christ to interpret the signs of the times, to identify false Christ, false prophets, antichrist, deceiving spirit, and doctrine of demons and resist them.
Let us watch and pray, because, we do not know the hour in which the Son of man is coming, therefore, we should be ready in and out of season, preaching the gospel to every nation and every creature as commissioned by Jesus Christ. Thanks be to Christ, who give himself up for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for Himself, a people zealous for good works.
Why would God send delusion to men when He desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth? Continual resistance to the word of God does not negate the love God has for men -who does not have pleasure at all in the death of the wicked. ” Sinful death separate men from God forever;death is the last enemy to be destroyed.” The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. (Romans 6:23)
Our compassionate Father who is patience sends His word, his prophets or His servant to convey truth to convict the hearts of men of sin, judgment and righteousness through His Spirit to produce repentance that leads to salvation of souls. However, when resistance to the truth meets its threshold, God will send delusion to those who refuse His word because they choose to believe a lie, choose to delight in wickedness, and choose to dwell in darkness rather than light as depicted King Ahab life (1 King 22.)
Jesus said :The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel. ( Mark 1:15)
Jesus said : I have come as light into the world , Whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness.(John 12:46)
If we say we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in light as He is the light , we fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from all sin. ( 1 John 1:6-7)
Now as ambassadors of God, we implore men to be reconcile to God through Jesus Christ. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life, come. If we confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”.
I declare to you : God is light and in Him there is no darkness. As children of light ,may we walk in light and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them to the glory of God: who desire all men to be saved and come the know of truth through Jesus Christ our Lord and savior, Amen.
Pause & think
- How should the coming of Christ and the unveiling of the lawless man influence our preaching of the gospel?(Mathew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20)
- How can you identify the working of Satan with its power, signs and lying wonders? (Deuteronomy 13: 1-5, exodus: 7-8-12, Daniel 2:2)
- The lawlessness of Satan seek to corrupt the wisdom of God, how does the gospel unveil the pervasive nature of the secret of the lawlessness in our midst? (Romans 1:16-32, Jude)