Inflation is ruining the pocketbooks of many homes, as the prices of everything are rising sky high. Families are struggling to pay for gasoline, food, electricity, and housing. In the future, there will be spiritual inflation, in which the cost of following Jesus will be astronomically high.
God revealed king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to Daniel. In it, the prophet saw a massive rock shattering a giant statue comprised of various materials. The statue represented all the kingdoms of man. The rock represented the kingdom of the Son of God. In the future, “the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. It will crush all those kingdoms [of men] and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Daniel 2:44)
We are excited about this, so we shout, “Hooray. Come, Lord Jesus.” But before we rejoice too soon, there is another prophetic word of the Lord. God revealed in another dream that before He sets up His everlasting kingdom, the Antichrist will “wage war against the saints and defeat them.” (Daniel 7:21)
A similar vision is recorded in the book of Revelation. The Antichrist will be “given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them,” forcing “everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead. No one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:7, 16-17)
Christian parents will face starvation, unable to feed themselves or their children. Some will experience a death other than starvation. “I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands.” (Revelation 20:4)
Times will be bleak. Through all of this, God is giving the world one last look at the differences between His rule and Satan’s rule. Jesus promotes righteousness and grace. Satan promotes hatred and violence.
Still, even though Christians are conquered, they are not defeated. Jesus warned us, “All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:22) and, “I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.” (Luke 12:4)
My purpose has not been to scare you but to warn you of what’s ahead. Whatever the devil will throw against Jesus-followers, the victory is still ours. “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12:11)
You may have already “paid a price” to be a Christ-follower. It may have cost you some friends, a promotion, or popularity. But not many of us have been beaten and jailed for our faith. In the future, all that will change. The cost will include the loss of life and liberty if you hold on to the testimony that Jesus is your Master.
Whatever our situation, we are to always remember the exorbitant cost it was for Jesus to take our sins to the cross – torture, mockery, injustice, and being nailed to some wood for all the world to ridicule. We are called to faithfulness to Jesus today. He will help us through whatever circumstances confront us in the future.
If you have not yet received Jesus, before the Antichrist comes on the scene, the Lord wants to establish His kingdom in your heart and life. Bow your knee to Him, repent of your sin, and ask Jesus to take up leadership in your life.
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