End Time Deception

Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author   Close Window

My concern is that these movies and books on the end give the impression that all believers go in the rapture when it happens. Only the body of Christ goes and that is a very small percentage of believers. There will be a lot who are left behind saying, "That was not the rapture because we are still here! Remember even the movies and the books said we would go." It will fuel the anti-Christ and, of course, this will lead a lot of people the wrong way and some will then back slide. It is such a shame that what could be a great tool ends up being used for evil more than good again.

The first 3 chapters of Revelation talk to the church and not the body of Christ. Is it possible that is because all that is left for the great tribulation is the church?

We are told that the body of Christ has the power and wisdom of God, and all that are saved by the blood of Jesus are of the church, but they are not also of Christ until they make the decision to walk with God in all areas, and ask for the anointing (Christ).

2 Thessalonians 2

6. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.
11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

That, which withholds the anti-Christ in place until his time, is the power and wisdom of God at work on the Earth. Until that is removed the anti-Christ is in check.

1 Corinthians 1

24. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

To be of Christ (some call it the in-filling of the Holy Spirit) is to be totally saturated, in, on and through by the Spirit of God. To be saved and of the church is to have the Spirit in you only. Some call it the "in-filling" of the Holy Spirit.

The apostles were saved after Jesus ascended but were not of Christ (the Anointing) until the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-5).

Since so many believers spend more time with movies, books, and television and have the world embedded in them more that the Word, you can guess which will come to the surface for them when needed. In such, they will believe lies before the truth because they have been sown with the lies of this world more than the Word of God.

Remember the truth can only set you free in those areas where you know the truth.

Listed below is what the Church is and what Christ is:

Let us find out together what church is;

Matthew 16:15-18

Matthew 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

• Remember in our study on Christ, Christ is a Greek word, which in English means "The Anointed One" (Luke 4:18, Is 10:27) .

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Jesus told Peter here that he did not understand or come to know the Christ (The Anointed One) by mental knowledge, or being there with Jesus. It was revealed (a revelation) to him by God; so Peter had a revelation in his spirit.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Here is where Jesus named Simon as Peter and in Greek the word is Petros;

     Strong's Number: 4074-GSN 
 
     Transliterated:  Petros 
 
     Pronounced:      pet'-ros 
 
                      a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than 
                      3037 GSN); as a name, Petrus, an apostle: 
                      KJV--Peter, rock. Compare 2786 GSN. 

• Notice it is a 'piece of the rock', not "the rock". Jesus is the Cornerstone, but the rock is revelation knowledge from God via the spirit of who Jesus is as the Christ and Son of God.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Now the Greek word for rock here is petra;

Strong's Number: 4073-GSN

 
     Transliterated:  petra 
 
     Pronounced:      pet'-ra 
 
                      feminine of the same as 4074 GSN; a (mass of) 
                      rock (literally or figuratively): KJV--rock. 

As you can see 'PETRA" is the rock.

So what is the rock (petra) to which Jesus is referring? It is not Peter, because Peter is a piece of the rock. Jesus said, "upon this rock". Well, He was just talking about the revelation Peter had. So the church is built upon the revealed (revelation) knowledge from God of Jesus as the Christ and true Son of God. "Jesus" translated is "Salvation". So if you are of Jesus you have salvation, and when you are of Christ you are of the Spirit of God, in, on and through you. The Son of God refers to our inheritance in God's kingdom.

So we are the church as far as the revealed knowledge goes, but we are not the church. The church is when we are connected to God through he spirit, and operating in the revealed knowledge of Christ.

"Christ" is a Greek word that means "The Anointed One and His Anointing". "Anointed" means being rubbed in and on. Jesus told us that being anointed was having the Spirit of the Lord upon Him:

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the LORD {is} upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the good news (gospel) to {the} poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to {the} captives "

I Cor. 1:24 "but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, The Anointed One and His Anointing (Christ) the power of God and the wisdom of God."

We are told that Christ, or the Anointed One and his Anointing is the power and wisdom of God.

In Is. 10:27 (KJV) we are told that the anointing removes burdens and destroys yokes. A yoke is anything that weighs you down, like sin, sickness, debt, etc.

All through the old testament times the Jews were told of a coming of the Anointed, and how when the Anointing came it would bring yoke destroying, burden removing power. Remember what I Cor. 1:24 says, "Christ (The Anointed) the power and wisdom of God." Who else could destroy yokes? God, of course! So the Jews were looking for the Messiah, which is Hebrew for "the Anointed One". The Jews admit Jesus was a prophet and a teacher and that He did great works; they just don't admit He was the Christ (the Anointed One).

So what do we know so far?

Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) in mean The Anointed One (English).
To anoint is to rub on and in, so "Anointed" is already rubbed in and on.
The Spirit of God comes to us from and through His Spirit (Anointing) and what it brings is the power and wisdom of God. So Jesus did what He did via the Holy Spirit because He was anointed (rubbed in and on) with God's Spirit (power and wisdom of God).

In the next Bible Study I will go deeper into how we are anointed of God and what it means to and for us.

Until then read the following:
Is. 10:27 (KJV only)
Is 61:1-3
Luke 4:18-20
John 14-15
I John 2:20-27

Jesus is the word become flesh John 1:14, God is the soul (mind, will and emotions) of the trinity. Christ was the manifestation of God on Jesus. And if we are of Christ we are of the manifestation of God on, in, and through us.

My prayer for you is:

3 John 1

2. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth

Remember to show faith when you pray, then praise and give thanks.

God Bless You as you hear His words and follow His leading.

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