09/04/2021
BEHOLD, THE HOUR HAS COME NOW, ALL SPIRIT-FILLED CHRISTIANS ARISE AND PROCLAIM GOD’S KINGDOM
" … As the father has sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21)
"Death has climbed in through our windows and has entered our fortresses; it has removed the children from the streets and the young men from the public squares" (Jeremiah 9:20)
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In this stressful time of the deadly Corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic plague that sweeps across the world today, Spirit-filled Christians must stand out as lampposts and liberators throughout this calamity.
The angel of death is unleashed from the abyss another time again in the history of mankind. The pangs of death pierced all four corners of the world; from East to West, and North to South. Loud wailing of mothers can be heard from all corners of the earth, like the Egyptians mothers in the days of Pharaoh, or mothers of Bethlehem in the days of King Herod. Millions of lives are wiped out from the face of the earth by the plague and is continuing to do so. What happened? What has gone wrong? Where has the world gone to?
Knowledge have increased exponentially as the Holy Scriptures says it would; “…knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4). We are in the space age. Men have reached the moon and send space probes beyond the moon into outer space making amazing discoveries in astronomy which were thought impossible before. Unlike in the past, men have come up with numerous powerful inventions and discoveries today that make life much easier. Theses inventions and discoveries have expanded the horizon and boundaries of men’s thoughts and abilities beyond imagination. Philosophy and reasoning have reached new heights supporting and validating Big Bang Theory, and in every way shuns and dismiss the existence of the Supreme Being, God the source and creator of the universe. Mankind has worshipped the created things rather than the creator. “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator …” (Romans 1:25).
Men’s wickedness has reached extreme heights, much wicked and sinful, black as the darkest night, seventyfold more than S***m and Gomorrah. Men do not only approve wickedness but discover new ways to invent them as the scripture says: “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, depravity… they do not only continue to do these very things, but approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:28 – 32). Mankind has rebelled against God and provoked him to anger.
Our own inventions and discoveries to make our lives easier have turned against us. We have deviced our own destruction. We are unaware of the deadly catastrophes we have created, looming at the horizon. Covid-19 pandemic is just the beginning and more will follow. This pandemic is a wakeup call. God’s voice is thundering now. Men must repent from his wickedness and make a full 360 degree turn to God for his mercy and forgiveness.
God often speaks to us in the midst of calamities, creating opportunities for men to repent of his sinful ways and be saved. “But those who suffer he delivers in their sufferings; he speaks to them in their afflictions. He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food” (Job 36:15 – 16).
“For God does speak – now one-way, now another…in a dream in a vision of the night … or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in his bones…” (Job 33:14 – 19).
God often raise leaders to liberate his people from such trying times and calamities. In recent history, in the United States, Martin Luther King Jr. led the civil (black) rights movement to address racial discrimination, disparity, and segregation in the USA. Nelson Mandela of South Africa who successfully led the end of the apartheid in South Africa, and Mahatma Gandhi, the social activist, who famously led a non-violent independence movement against British tyranny and oppression in India.
In biblical times God raised similar leaders to lead his people to freedom. God raised Joseph to save Joseph’s own family – which was to be the great nation of Israel later in history – from famine. God raised Moses to deliver Israelites from slavery in Egypt. God raised Samson to deliver Israelites from the Philistines. God raised King Saul to deliver Israelites from the neighbouring barbaric tribes. God raised Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem and gather and unite the exiled Jews. God raised Esther to save the Jews from a likely holocaust at the hands of King Xerxes. In calamities and tribulations God often raise leaders to lead and deliver his people.
God in his divine wisdom raised and prepared spirit-filled Christians of today; the custodians of the Gospel; as leaders to lead and save mankind from such calamities as the Covid-19 pandemic now. The hour has come; all Spirit-filled Christians must arise like Peter and the eleven disciples on the day of Pentecost, and boldly proclaim the salvation message in the name of the Lord. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Behold! Lest we forget the holy scriptures; before the coming of the Son of man, the world will go through great suffering; wars, famines, pestilences ...(Matthew 24:4 – 14). In recent times the world has frequently suffered many wars, famines, natural disasters and pandemic pestilences and continue to do so. Do you think these are coincidences? The answer is a big NO! The word of God is fulfilling. We are in the end times. All of these “signs” will come to pass before the Son of man returns in his glory.
“Kingdom of God is at hand”. The time has come now for all spirit-filled Christians to rise up and advance God’s kingdom. All men must receive the promised Holy Spirit in order to inherit God’s kingdom, for God’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom “…for flash and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1Cor 15:50).
Spirit-filled believers must proclaim the salvation message; in towns and villages; on the rooftops and in the alleys; on high-ways and byways; on the mountaintops and in the valleys; for all men must repent, baptize and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to be saved. “Repent and be baptised, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38). The great commission must be fully accomplished before the return of the Great Commissioner (Jesus Christ).
Everyone must receive the Holy Spirit, the seal of God’s ownership; “And when you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13); which will protect and deliver men from calamities like the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the ‘law and the prophets’ was different, as in the story of the Passover; blood of lambs was used to mark, identify and protect God’s people from the plague that killed every first born Egyptian child. “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13.
Now God give something far greater, more precious than the mere blood of animals, something more valuable, God’s Holy Spirit received through repentance and baptism, to protect men from such plagues. Spirit-filled Christians must arise now and proclaim the salvation message. Everyone must receive the Holy Spirit to be saved, not only from the pandemic and other worldly calamities but far more importantly, to enter God’s kingdom when the final trumpet sounds.
