"EVIL has an agenda! ... But GOD ..."

 The naive believe that evil, if it exists, has no agenda, no plan.  Those of us who believe that Satan is real, that there are demonic powers at work in our world and that the majority of mankind is being deceived are called "conspiracy theorists." But while it is true that some go beyond reality to imagine that Satan is hiding behind every bush, evil DOES exist in our world and Satan and those whom he is deceiving DO have an agenda!

Remember God's warning to the early Christians through Paul's letter to the Ephesians:  "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Not only does evil exist in our world today, but God tells us that as we approach the return of Jesus Christ, deception will grow and the forces of evil in both the spiritual realm and the physical realm will unite in an attempt to establish a "kingdom" that is in every way opposed to the kingdom of God and to God's anointed King, Jesus Christ!!

In my book, " ... the end.", I explain in detail what God's Word says about this evil agenda.  In Chapter 3 I write about the one whom Daniel predicts will arise, a "prince" who will establish or confirm a "strong covenant" with many, including Israel, for seven years.  Those who refuse to enter the covenant, or treaty, will be subject to great opposition.  While there is an attempt to bring peace to the Middle East, wars will spring up in other places of the world.  There will be famine and disease and death on a scale previously unimaginable.

All of this is part of the agenda of evil to establish a one-world government and a one-world religion that will "take over" the world for the welfare of mankind.  In the middle of this seven year covenant or treaty this "anti-christ" will actually be "possessed" by Satan and will stop the sacrifices at the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and will declare himself to be God, performing signs and wonders to deceive the population of planet earth.

The Apostle Paul spoke of this time in his second letter to the Thessalonians:  "That day (the day of the LORD) will not come, unless the rebellion (apostasy) comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to BE God!" (II Thessalonians 2:3-4).

He goes on to say, "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of His mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of His coming.  The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thessalonians 2:8-12).

Evil is real, and it has an agenda:  to take over the world and to establish a "kingdom" that excludes the one true God.  Just yesterday, a Democrat congressman, Emanuel Cleaver, prayed the opening prayer for Congress and prayed to "the one monotheistic god," and then closed the prayer by saying, "A-men ... and A - woman," revealing an ignorance that is so deep that it is clearly the result of intentional deception.  "One monotheistic god" is intended to include Jews, Muslims and Christians, even though their belief about Jesus is radically different and impossible to reconcile.  And as far as saying, "A-men and A-woman," such ignorance of the meaning of the word "amen" would be laughable if it weren't that so many people applaud what he prayed.  "Amen" is the Hebrew word for "truly" or "certainly."  It has NOTHING to do with GENDER!!!!!

Evil has one agenda:  to deceive in order to control.  In our nation today evil is using deception in churches who believe the "social gospel" or the "prosperity gospel" are the true gospel.  In our nation today evil is using deception to make people believe that government control is a better form of government than freedom and true representative government.  In our nation today evil is using deception to convince people that the "freedom" to kill unborn babies, to reject the fact that there are TWO genders, male and female, that sexual immorality, greed and self-centered living of all kinds is better than living according to God's laws and the morality given in His commandments.  The transition from a nation based on Biblical principles to a nation of lawlessness is almost complete ... and most people will not see it because they choose not to see it.  Their eyes are closed and their hearts are darkened by the pandemic of sin that affects the entire human race ... BUT GOD!!

There is a remnant of the human race, chosen by God, known by God, who are being saved and who are speaking truth to the world.  We, too, were "by nature children of wrath. ... BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by GRACE you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4-5).  This is the only escape from deception:  God's truth, found in His Word, the Bible.

We know that evil has an agenda, but we also know that GOD, our Creator, has a plan that supersedes all that Satan and his evil host attempt to do.  Yes, evil is growing and will grow as we draw near to Jesus' return.  Speaking of Daniel's "70th week," the final seven years prior to Jesus' return, Jesus says "there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.  And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved.  But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short" (Matthew 24:21-22).

These things will happen, and even now are beginning to happen, just as God says they will.  BUT GOD has a plan to save all those who are His, who by His grace believe in His Son Jesus Christ.  Though we will be persecuted, as many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have been in the past century, and are being even now, our God will be with us as we continue to proclaim the truth that sets people free, the true Gospel of forgiveness and life through faith in Jesus Christ.  As the events of this week unfold, know this:  while evil has an agenda, GOD has a plan to ultimately overrule evil and to establish His eternal kingdom where righteousness is the standard by which all His chosen people will live.

Take heart today in God's promise to be with His children and know that He is at work to accomplish His purpose IN you and THROUGH you for His glory as you serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ!  He will reign and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of our Father in heaven.  Know Him today and trust Him for tomorrow.  Put your hope in Him and do not be afraid.  Trust in the Lord and He will give you perfect peace as you rest in Him!!

Evil has an agenda ... BUT GOD!!!