Overcomers in This Life

Dear God-seekers,

I want to encourage you today to be overcomers in this life. If you have been born again and come to know Jesus Christ, that's what He has made you to be. But you've got to persevere until the end, in order to make it to heaven. It is not enough to merely give you life to Jesus, or to begin following Him initially, but then fall away when things start to get difficult. It is only those who endure to the end that are saved. Jesus said:

"You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” (Mat 10:22)

He also said, "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Mat 24:13; Mk 13:13).

The Greek word for "endure" in these verses is "hupomeno", meaning "to stay under (behind), that is, remain; figuratively to undergo, that is, bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere: - abide, endure, (take) patient (-ly), suffer, tarry behind." (Strongs).

With that in mind, we have a divine mandate to endure to the end. The Lord has commanded us to endure patiently (see Rev 3:10, NIV). Unless we do so, we will not achieve the goal of your faith, which is the salvation of your soul (1 Pe 1:9). Therefore, I’d like to share with you some keys to overcoming.

Twelve Keys to Overcoming
There are many keys to being an overcomer that are given in Scripture, but here are twelve of them:

1. They overcame the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony:
The apostle John said, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.’” (Rev 12:10-11)

In the passage, the devil is thrown down to the earth. With such an evil foe seeking to work them woe, they cannot fight him in their own strength. There are three ways cited, in which the saints who are on the earth overcame the accuser of the brethren. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

Make it your daily practice to plead the precious blood of Jesus. Plead His blood upon yourself and upon your loved ones. One single drop of Jesus' blood is more powerful than satan and all the demons of hell combined! He shed His blood for us on the cross, and it was through the cross that he made a public spectacle of the devil, as well as his subordinates, known as the world rulers and authorities. The Lord not only made a public display of them through the sacrifice of Himself, but He disarmed them and triumphed over them through the cross.

It's amazing how God allowed His Son to be beaten, humiliated, nailed to a cross, and brought to the point of greatest weakness that any man has ever known. He allowed the devil to take his best shot at Jesus. But satan could not defeat the Lord, even in that condition. Instead the Lord gave up His life -- nobody took it from Him. He conquered death, and took the keys of hell and death from the enemy. Then He came back to life and lives forevermore. His blood is alive, and the devil cannot stand the blood of Jesus. Therefore, we are victorious through His blood.

In addition to pleading His blood, you also need to testify for the Lord, because the saints overcame the accuser by the word of their testimony. That's when you tell others what the Lord has done in your life, including salvation, deliverance, healing, and whatever else the Lord has done for you. You overcome the accuser by the word of your testimony. And likewise, whenever you make Personal Proclamations of Faith in the face of the enemy, this too defeats them.

Lastly, there is self-denial. The saints overcame the accuser, because they did not love their own lives unto death. When you do not love your life, even to the point of death, then the devil cannot defeat you. The worst thing he can do to a person is to kill them, and this has happened to many martyrs down through the centuries, who have been put to death for their faith in Christ. But the devil could not defeat them any more than he could defeat Christ on the cross. So don't love your life, even unto death, and you will be victorious.

2. Faith in Christ, Who has overcome the world 
The second key to overcoming the world is our faith in Christ. Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (Joh 16:33). He said we would have trouble in this world, but no matter what kind of tribulation we face, we can be courageous, because our Lord has overcome the world.

The apostle John said, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1Jn 5:4-5)

Likewise, the book of Hebrews is full of conditions for reaching heaven. These conditions are indicated by the word "if" in many passages of that book. For example, Paul wrote, "But Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end...For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end," (Heb 3:6,14). We are exhorted to hold fast our confidence until the end, as well as the beginning of our assurance and the boast of our hope. Only if we hold fast these things, keeping the faith, will we become partakers of Christ.

3. Trusting in Him Who is in You
The third key to being an overcomer is related to the second one. Trust in the One inside of you, who is greater than the devil who is in the world. His presence makes the difference.

The apostle John said, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1Jn 4:4)

4. In the Name of the Lord Jesus
A fourth key is the name of the Lord. We overcome the enemy in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mk 16:17-18).

There is power in the name of Jesus. "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.'" (Lk 10:17, NIV)

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe." (Pro 18:10)

"For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Rom 10:13)

Also see Ps 118:10-12; Joel 2:#2; 

5. Christ’s Authority
Another key, which is directly connected with the name of the Lord, is using the authority that Christ has given to us. When you speak in Christ's name, you speak in His authority.

When the disciples returned rejoicing that even the demons submitted to them in the name of Jesus, He said, "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.” (Luk 10:19)

6. Overwhelmingly Conquer Through Him Who loved us
A sixth key is that it is through Him who loved us that we conquer, not in our own strength. Paul said, “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” (Rom 8:37).

The Greek word for "overwhelmingly conquer" here is "hupemikao", meaning "to vanquish beyond, that is, gain a decisive victory: - more than conquer." (Strongs). Hallelujah! This is possible through Him Who loved us. We gain a decisive victory through Him.

7. Being strong in the Lord
A seventh key is to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and to have His Word abiding in you.

John said, “I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1Jn 2:14). These young men were strong in the Lord, and the word of God was abiding in them. That was how they overcame the evil one.

Paul said, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” (Eph 6:10-11)

King David wrote, "The God who girds me with strength And makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like hinds' feet, And sets me upon my high places. He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great. You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped. I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed. I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise; They fell under my feet. For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, And I destroyed those who hated me." (Psa 18:32-40)

8. Taking Up the Full Armor of God and Standing Firm in Christ against the enemy
An eighth key is to take up the armor of God daily and trust in it to protect you in the evil day, as well as standing firm in Christ against the enemy.

Paul said, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Eph 6:13). 

9. Pray at All Times in the Spirit
A ninth key is to pray in the Spirit at all times.

Paul said, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” (Eph 6:18)

10. Be Sober and Alert
A tenth key is to be sober and alert.

The apostle Peter said, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1Pe 5:8).

Being sober is not possible when you are under the influence of alcohol. It is also not possible when you are caught up in foolishness and silliness. May the Lord help us to be a sober people, who are on the alert, so that we can overcome our adversary, the devil.

11. Resist the devil, firm in your faith
Another key related to the last one is to resist the devil, who is seeking someone to devour.

Peter said, “But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” (1Pe 5:9). There is great power in simply resisting the devil.

12. Submit to God
Finally a twelfth key to overcoming, which is related to resisting the devil, is submitting to God.

James wrote, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (Jas 4:7).

More Keys
I have given you just twelve of the keys to being an overcomer, but you can find many more in Scripture, if you search for them, and I encourage you to do so. For example, wisdom is another important key (Pr 21:22, NIV), as well as the way of the Lord (Pr 10:29). So is the baptism with the Holy Spirit (Ac 1:8), as well as the baptism with fire (Ps 97:3; Mt 3:11). I recommend reading Baptized with the Spirit and Holy Fire Baptism, as well as The Way, Will, and Word of God.

Eight Promises for Overcomers
I began by saying I wanted to encourage you to be an overcomer, and I hope that this message is doing that for you. Now I want to give you the following promises that the Lord made to those who overcome, which I believe are sure to encourage anyone who sincerely desires to do so:

1. The Right to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.' (Rev 2:7)

2. Protection from the second death
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.' (Rev 2:11)

3. Hidden Manna to Eat, a White Stone, and a New Name
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.' (Rev 2:17)

4. Authority over the nations
'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; (Rev 2:26)

This promise is for he who overcomes, and he who keeps the Lord's deeds (works) until the end. For more on keeping the Lord's works, I recommend reading my articles, Practicing Your Righteousness and Faith Works! 

5. Clothed with White Garments, Name in Book of Life, and Name Confessed Before the Father and His angels
'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Rev 3:5)

6. Be an Eternal Pillar in God’s Temple, the Name of God Written Upon Him, and the Name of the City of God, and the Lord's New Name
"'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name." (Rev 3:12)

7. To Sit Down with Jesus on His Throne
'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Rev 3:21)

8. An inheritance, Jesus Will Be His God, He will Be Jesus’ Son
"He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. (Rev 21:7)

Since I do not want to add or take anything away from the words of the prophecy given in Revelation, I recommend reading the entire book, in order to get the full context of these promises. If you do, you will receive the blessing promised to those who read the words of that prophecy, and heed the things which are written therein. "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near." (Rev 1:3)

Putting it All Together
Now that we have received the Lord’s command to endure to the end, and we know that it is the only way to be saved, we must obey Him. We have at least twelve keys to overcoming. They include overcoming the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony; not loving your own life even when faced with death; faith in Christ, who has overcome the world; trusting in Him who is in you, in His name and authority; our faith in Christ is the victory; overwhelmingly conquering through Him who loved us; being strong in the Lord and His Word abiding in you; being strong in the Lord and the power of His might; taking up the full armor of God and standing firm; praying at all times in the spirit; being sober and alert; resisting the devil, firm in your faith; and submitting to God. But there are many more like wisdom, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and the baptism with fire.

And not only will the Lord save those who overcome and who endure to the end, He has even given eight promises in Scripture for overcomers. The promises include the right to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God; protection from the second death; hidden manna to eat, a white stone, and a new name written on it; authority over the nations; being clothed with white garments, your name in the Book of Life; the Lord confessing your name before the Father and His angels; being an eternal pillar in God’s temple, the name of God written upon you, and the name of the city of God, as well as the Lord's new name; to sit down with Jesus on his throne; and receiving an inheritance. Indeed for the one who overcomes, Jesus will be his God, he will be Jesus’ son.

Armed with this knowledge, and with the full armor of God, let us go forth, marching to Zion. Let's stay the course and press on toward the goal. If God is for us, who can be against us? No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper.

As the lyrics of that old song by Acapella say, "We've been made more than conquerors, overcomers in this life. We've been made victorious through the blood of Jesus Christ." -- More Than Conquerors.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted. Other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, where noted. The "Homecoming" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note:  I invite you to visit these related articles of mine: Overcoming the World, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Taking Heaven by Force, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, Pressing on Toward the Goal, Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian, The Straight and Narrow Path, Ask for the Ancient Paths, You Must Be Born Again, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Aim for Perfection, The Way, Will, and Word of God, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, Righteous Deeds and White Robes,  Faith Works!, Practicing Your Righteousness, Keeping Power of God, The Lord Will Rejoice Over You, The Afflictions of the Righteous, Even if it doesn’t happen like we expect, Doing What is Right, and Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth? I also recommend my daughter's poem, Reward of the Overcomer. You can access more articles like this from the Home page of this blog, and you can also find my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The End Has Come

I know that people don’t like to hear doom and gloom.  They want to hear messages that comfort them.  But the Word of God contains warnings of gloom and doom for the wicked. There is only one solution – only one remedy that will bring comfort -- if we don’t want to experience the gloom and doom in those warnings, and that is to repent. So if you are afraid of these messages, then examine your heart, and repent before the Lord.  Don’t look at any sin as being small.  They are all great in God’s sight and if you continue in them, they will land you in hell.  Only the righteous will be spared.  The Lord spoke to me recently through the following verses in Ezekiel:

The end has come!
The Lord is saying, "The end has come! The end is now upon you."  Here is the passage:

“‘The end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land! The end is now upon you, and I will unleash my anger against you. I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices. I will not look on you with pity; I will not spare you. I will surely repay you for your conduct and for the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Disaster! Unheard-of disaster! See, it comes! The end has come! The end has come! It has roused itself against you. See, it comes! Doom has come upon you, upon you who dwell in the land. The time has come! The day is near! There is panic, not joy, on the mountains. I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against you. I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices. I will not look on you with pity; I will not spare you. I will repay you for your conduct and for the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes you.'"  (Ezekiel 7:2-9)

This was the warning given then to Israel, the people of God.  And it applies just as much today to the Church, God's people.

We need to realize that the Lord Jesus is coming back right away.  In 2009, He said to Angelica Zambrano,  "I am no longer at the door; I am beyond the door.  I will come soon; My coming is near.  My people have left Me and gone back to worldly things...Tell My people to return to the old paths."

The apostle Peter said the same thing, "The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer." (1Pe 4:7)

Silver and Gold in the Streets
People will throw silver and gold into the streets.

“‘They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath. It will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs, for it has caused them to stumble into sin." (Ezek 7:19)

Gold will be considered an unclean thing.  So if you're putting your trust in gold, silver, or other precious metals, you need to know which direction that's headed in. The Word makes it clear that it's not a good direction.

Wicked Abominations in the Church
The Lord showed Ezekiel some things that shocked him. There were wicked abominations committed in the temple.  The elders were guilty of these things!

He said to me, "Son of man, now dig through the wall." So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance. And He said to me, "Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here." So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around. Standing in front of them were seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his censer in his hand and the fragrance of the cloud of incense rising. (Eze 8:8-11)

It's sad to say, but today in the Church, there are wicked abominations being committed by those who profess to be Christians, even elders and pastors! That should bother you.  If it doesn't, you're in a dangerous place.

Grieve and lament
We need to grieve and lament over the detestable things done in the church. Begin with yourself and your own sins, and then cry out to God concerning the sins of others.

Ezekiel said, "Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side and said to him, 'Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.' As I listened, he said to the others, 'Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.' So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple." (Ezek 9:3-6)

The "men" in this passage are angels.  One man has a writing kit with which to place a mark on the Lord's people who grieve and lament over these abominations.  And the other men have deadly weapons to kill all those who profess to be people of God, but do not have this mark.  And the Lord has instructed the angels to take no pity on the people without the mark.  They are to show no compassion.

The Lord has determined to pour out wrath.  It's coming and all who are walking in sin in the Church will be struck by it.  Judgment must first begin with the house of God (1 Pet 4:17).

Holy Fire
We need to love the fire of the Holy Spirit and desire it in our lives, so that we may be purified by it.  The Lord is sending His fire to the Church now to purge us of all that will not pass through the fire as purely from Him.

When the Lord commanded the man in linen, “Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.) Ezekiel 10:6-8

I encourage you to read more about the fire of the Holy Spirit in my blog on this topic (see here).

Worldly Standards
The people of God conform to worldly standards today, just as in the days of Ezekiel.

"Thus you will know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes nor have you executed My ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you."'" Ezekiel 11:12

There are still those who walk in obedience to the Lord, obeying His commandments as Jesus taught us to do.  But many in the Church today copy the behavior of the world, and conform themselves to those standards, rather than God's Word.

It will not be delayed any more
The prophet Ezekiel had to deal with an attitude among the people of God.  While they may have believed he had the word of the Lord, they thought it was for the distant future.

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.’ Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”  Ezekiel 12:26-28

The same is true today.  There are those who say that this message in this blog is not a "now" word for today.  There is still plenty of time, and the Lord is delaying His coming.  But the Lord says that none of His words will be delayed any longer.

Angelica Zambrano

A young lady from Ecuador, named Angelica Zambrano, had a visit to heaven and hell in 2009.  While in Heaven, Jesus said to her, "I will come for a holy people and I will come soon for My church."  But later, following her return to earth, the Lord told her, "Daughter, I take pleasure in what you are doing, that you are fulfilling what I have given you, but do not tell My people that I am coming soon.  Tell My people that I am coming right away." Again the Lord said, "Tell My people that I am coming right away and that I am coming for a holy people.  Tell My people that only the holy ones, only the holy ones will see Me!...And do not be silent: Keep on declaring what I have told you."

The Lord allowed her to see what the early Church was like, so she could see the stark contrast with the current state of the Church.  He pointed with His finger and said, "Daughter, look, they praise Me; they worship Me!  My people no longer do as they did before.  My people no longer praise, no longer worship Me; no longer seek Me as before.  That is why I told you, Daughter, to go and tell My people to seek Me, for I will go, I will go, I will go - for a people that seeks Me in spirit and in truth, for a people that are ready, for a holy people!" And weeping He said, “I am coming, I am coming!"  Angelica said, "Then I understand why He was weeping, because He is coming, but not for those that are half-hearted.  He will return only for a people that is seeking Him in spirit and in truth."

This is consistent with what the Lord has been saying through many other people, who have seen the Lord, had visions, been to heaven, and been to hell. This is definitely a now word, if there ever was one!

Warning to the false prophets
Just as there were false prophets in Ezekiel's day, there are such people today in the Church.

The Lord gave a warning: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!" (Ezek 13:2-3)

The Lord is still speaking through His holy prophets on the earth today.  But many of these prophets are no-name, unheard-of, little people of no account.  And most of the big, important people in the Church are not listening to them.  Instead they listen to the big-name prophets, who are recognized and who have their own ministry, website, or television program.

Be careful, people!  If the devil wants to take out a lot of people, what is easier -- for him to go after a single sheep or a leader?  Obviously it is easier to take out a leader.  If he can compromise a well-known prophet that people trust as a reliable voice for the Lord, then he can use that person to deceive many people.  Test every prophecy.  These famous prophets with big ministries are under pressure to hold back negative words, because people don't like to hear such things.  This could affect the prophet's ministry support.  Not all prophets are affected by this financial pressure, but I'm sure some are.  They are human and subject to these common temptations, especially in a day of financial crisis.  So if they give words from their own imagination, which the Lord is not speaking, it may sound like a bright future lies ahead.  But that's not what the Lord is saying, my friend. 

“Peace” when there is no peace
The false prophets say, “Peace” when there is no peace. But for a few years now, the Lord has been consistently warning us of impending judgment and His soon return.

The Lord says, "My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord. Because they lead my people astray, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash."(Ezek 13:9-10)

The Lord goes on to say, "Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken."

A true watchman is supposed to warn the people.  If the wall is weak in a certain place, the watchman should instruct the people to fortify it, so that the enemy will not be able to break through that weak spot during a future attack.  But a false watchman will simply put a fresh coat of paint on the wall to make it look good.  This is what some prophets do today.  They give a word that makes it seem as though the Church is in good condition, and they cover over the dangerously flimsy sections of the wall.  They cover over and beautify the sins of men. And they do so as if the Lord has spoken through them, when in fact He has not spoken. Beware of those who say there will be peace and prosperity, because that's not what the Lord is saying. 

When a righteous person has gotten into sin, and hears the message of peace and prosperity from these false prophets, he is encouraged not to turn from his sin.  He thinks that all will be well.  When the righteous person who is living right hears such words, they discourage him from continuing to walk this way.  He may be tempted to think, "What's the use!  Why bother?  I see all the wickedness around me in the Church, but the Lord doesn't seem to care.  He is going to bless us with peace and prosperity anyway!"

Don't be led astray by these lies uttered by false prophets.  There is no peace outside of a truly righteous life in Christ.

Idols in their hearts
The Lord showed Ezekiel that the elders had set up idols in their hearts.  He said, “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?" (Ezek 14:3)

Brother John Mulinde

The same is true today.  There are elders, pastors, prophets, and others in places of influence in the Church, who have set up idols in their hearts.  I'm sure these people may say, "I have no idols in my life!  I have never bowed down to a statue or any kind of image.  I worship God alone."  But they have set up idols in their hearts.  This is what happened to brother John Mulinde, who was a famous pastor in Uganda with a successful ministry.  The Lord showed him that he had idols in his heart, which he didn't even realize were there.  I encourage you to listen to his whole testimony, which will surely change your life! (see here).

No Holiness
The Lord went on to tell Ezekiel, "Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them." (Ezek 22:26).

Again, this is true today, not only of Christian priests, but pastors and elders in the church.  They don't distinguish between that which is holy and the common.  This is true of music, clothing, videos and various other forms of art and entertainment, just to name a few.  The Lord says there is a difference.  But when we do not act like it and we teach that there is no difference, the Holy Spirit is grieved. For more on this, please see "Holy Living in a Perverted World" and "Garments of Godliness."

And the same priests and pastors shut their eyes to keeping the Lord's Day holy.  They mix common activities in with holy ones on Sundays, including spending money, working, and playing games.  They don't teach people how to properly keep Sundays holy.  The Lord says He is profaned by this, which means He is treated with irreverence. For more on this, see "Keeping Sundays Holy."

Arrogant, Overfed, and Unconcerned
Listen to the charges God made against unfaithful Israel.

“‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen."  (Ezek 16:49-50)

Israel would never consider Sodom to be her sister, but the Lord said she was indeed related.  And the Lord named the sins of Sodom.  We all know Sodom was filled with homosexuality -- a sin which God still hates (Rom 1:24-28; 1 Cor 6:9).  But here the Lord singles out the sins of Sodom: They were arrogant, overfed, unconcerned, not helping the poor and needy.  They were haughty and did detestable things. That's why He did away with them. He said that unfaithful Israel had more corruptly in her conduct than Sodom and her daughters (Ez 16:47-48).

The same is true today in the Church.  The Lord is grieved at what He sees.  His Church is dirty. I encourage you to watch the testimony of a sister from Cameroon, named Claire Andoun.  The Lord showed her that His Church is dirty (see here).

Many professing Christians today are arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned, not helping the poor and needy. They are haughty and do detestable things. The only solution is to repent.

The righteous may perish, the wicked may be saved
I know that some people do not believe a righteous person can perish.  But it does happen when a righteous person continues in sin.  For more on this, please read my post on "Drifting Away." (see here).

Here is what the Lord told Ezekiel: "If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die." Ezekiel 18:26-28

The Lord told Ezekiel that he MUST warn the people.  If he did not warn them, then their blood would be upon his hands.  When the apostle Paul finished his ministry, as an old man, he said that he did not have any man's blood on his hands, since he had faithfully preached the full counsel of God. This was the same thing the Lord told Angelica Zambrano.  He allowed her to see her own relatives headed for hell, and he said, "Daughter, they are walking to this place, but go and them where they are walking, go and tell them they are walking to hell.  Go and tell them that I have chosen you as my watchman...I have chosen you as my watchman, for it means that you are to tell the truth.  You must go and tell all that I have shown you.  If you do not speak out and something happens to that person, his blood will be poured over you, but if you go and do as I have told you, then that person has an account with me.  If the person does not repent, then the responsibility resting upon you will be lifted, for the account will rest upon that person and his blood will not be poured over you. "

The Lord said, "Daughter, there are also people who know Me, that are walking to this place." I asked, "Lord, how can people who know You also come here?"  He replied, "That person who has left My ways and that person who is living a double life."

My friend, don't keep this word to yourself!  Share it with others!  You must warn them, even if they know the Lord or are a professing Christian.  If you are a pastor, don't hold back from declaring anything the Lord gives you. Warn the people.  That's why I am writing this blog, in spite of it's unpopular message.

Repent! Turn from your idols
The message the Lord gave Ezekiel for the people was simple.  “Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!" Ezekiel 14:6

He also said, “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!" Ezekiel 18:30-32
 
This is the same message John the Baptist preached, and the same message Jesus preached.  The apostles also preached it.  This is a now word for today!

There are different kinds of repentance.  There is half-hearted, insincere repentance.  God sees right through that kind.  You cannot fool God.  Forgiveness can only follow true repentance, which is the true, sincere, deep, heart-felt kind.

Listen to some more of the words the Lord spoke to Angelica Zambrano:

The sin of unforgiveness --

During her visit to hell, the Lord said, "There is no other opportunity [for those in hell]; there is still opportunity for those who are alive."  I asked Him, "Lord, why is my great-grandmother here?  I don't know if she ever knew you.  Why is she here in hell, Lord?"  He replied, "Daughter, she is here because she failed to forgive...Daughter, he who does not forgive, neither will I forgive him."

I asked, "Lord, but You do forgive, and You are merciful." And He answered, "Yes, Daughter, but it is necessary to forgive, because they have not forgiven many people, and that is why many people are in this place, because they failed to forgive...Go and tell humanity that it is time to forgive, and especially My people, for many of My people have not forgiven.  Tell them to rid themselves of grudges, of resentment, of that hatred in their hearts, for it is time to forgive!  If death were to surprise that person who has failed to forgive, that person may go to hell, for no one can purchase life." When we left that place, my great grandmother was engulfed in fire and she screamed, "Aaaah," and began to blaspheme the name of God, she would curse Him; every person in hell blasphemes against God.

Fornication, idolatry, greed, and lying --
She was very surprised to see Pope John Paul II in hell, and she asked about it.  Jesus replied, "Daughter, no fornicator, no idolater, no one who is greedy and no liar will inherit My Kingdom."

Jesus said, "Look, Daughter, there are many idolaters in this place.  Idolatry will not save, Daughter.  I am the only One who saves, and outside of Me, no one saves.  I love the sinner, but I hate sin, Daughter.  Go and tell humanity that I love them and that they need to come to Me."

In heaven, she saw Mary, and Jesus told Angelica, "Daughter, she is Mary.  Mary, who gave birth to Jesus Christ, Who I am.  Daughter, I want to tell you that she has no knowledge of the things happening on Earth.  I want to tell you that you must go and tell humanity, tell idol worshipers that hell is real, and that idolaters will not inherit My kingdom, but go and tell them that if they repent, they can enter My heavenly dwelling place.  Go tell them that I love them and tell them that Mary has no knowledge of anything [happening on Earth] and the only One that they must exalt is Me, because neither Mary, nor St. Gregory nor any other saint can offer salvation.  I am the only One who saves and outside of Me – nobody, nobody, nobody- saves!" He repeated it three times - that nobody could save; only He saves. 

Animated cartoons --
Jesus said, "Daughter, these animated cartoons, those movies, those soap operas that are seen daily on TV are satan's instruments to destroy humanity...

The Lord told me something that is very sad and very painful.  He said, "Daughter, there are many children in this place because of animated cartoons, because of rebellion."  I asked Him, "Lord, why are animated cartoons to blame for this?" And He explained, "Because they are demons that carry rebellion, disobedience, bitterness and hatred to children; and other demons enter these children, so that they do not do good things, but do that which is bad: whatever children see on TV, they want to do in reality." 

I encourage you to read or watch her entire testimony, and take to heart what she says.  (see here and here)

Ask the Lord to give you true contrition for your sin.  Ask Him to give you tears of repentance.  Cry out to Him with mourning and wailing for your sins.  Change your ways!  Don't just say you're sorry, but stop what you've been doing.  True repentance always produces fruit.  God is looking to find the fruit of repentance in our lives.  But we need to produce that fruit.  John the Baptist said to produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

The Rapture
I would like to share with you one final word regarding the rapture -- the moment when all the holy ones will be snatched up to meet the Lord in the air.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." (1Th 4:16-17)

I realize many do not believe in the rapture, and others think there are still many signs to be fulfilled before the Lord returns.  I am here to tell you that it may happen at any moment, so be ready.

The Lord told Angelica Zambrano, "Daughter, you have to return to Earth...Daughter, I am going to show you something: How I am coming to Earth for a holy people.  I am going to show you how the day of the Rapture will be." 

The Lord told me, "Daughter, in those days, death will flee; Daughter, in those days the Holy Spirit will no longer be on Earth." (See Rev 9:6)

He told me, "Daughter, look, this is how everything will happen."   And He showed her how terrifying it will be on that day, when many professing Christians, and even pastors, are left behind.

But sadly the Lord said, "It will be too late.  The time to repent is now...Daughter, go tell humanity to seek Me, for during that time there will no longer be opportunity.  (Isaiah 55:6)  Daughter, it will be too late for all those that stay behind." When Jesus observed how people were left behind, He began to weep and said, "Daughter, I will go to Earth as it says in 1 Thes.  4: 16-17."

Putting it All Together
I wrote this warning under the leading of the Holy Spirit on June 11, 2012.  Then on June 25, I happened to find the following prophetic warning of the exact same thing, when I wasn't even looking for it (see here).  I believe this confirms with certainty that this is a word from the Lord, so please be sure and read it!

When Jesus came the first time, it was to bear sin.  Now He’s coming again, but this time, He’s coming to save the righteous and punish the wicked.  He’s coming in anger and wrath. I'm not giving any dates.  But the day of the Lord hastens! The end of days have come.

John the Baptist was God’s chosen vessel to prepare the way for the Lord.  He paid the price (no wine at all, no fine clothes, no social life, no comfort, no pleasant foods, constant fasting, etc).  He didn’t fear men or seek to please men in what he preached.

He could have said, “I will still preach the message, but I will have a glass of wine now and then.”  Or, “I will still obey God, but I will live in Jerusalem and live in a normal home. I will have a preaching point in the city.”  Or, “I will eat like everybody else, but preach with all my heart.”  Or he could have avoided any scathing remarks to the hypocritical religious leaders of his day, so that he could win their approval, and improve his ratings with the people.  Or he could have avoided saying anything to King Herod about his adulterous relationship with his brother’s wife.  But he made no compromise.  He delivered everything the Lord gave him to say.

Because of his faithfulness to the call of God, not just in speaking the right words, but also in his lifestyle, when he preached, people were cut to the heart.  He preached with fiery passion from the Holy Spirit.  He was full of the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit convicted his listeners.  They repented and prepared their hearts for the Lord’s coming. 

Today we need men like John the Baptist.  We need men who will prepare the way for the Lord. He is coming back immediately, and many people who profess to belong to God are not ready.  It’s just like the days of John the Baptist.  The Lord has sent the spirit of Elijah into the land once again.  He is turning the hearts of His children back to the Father.

The message is still the same: “People, get ready! Jesus is coming! Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. Turn from your wicked ways.  Forsake the world.  Pursue righteousness.  Seek holiness.  Seek His face.  Seek the Lord while He may be found.”

Regardless of what you think of Angelica Zambrano and her experience, this message is still true.  Even if you remove from this post all excerpts from her testimony, the Word of God still warns us clearly.  But if you reject her message, there are many others to whom the Lord has been speaking the same thing.  Hers is not an isolated incident. It's one of many things the Lord is doing to deliver the final warning message to wake up the Church and call us back to holiness. So be careful what you say about Angelica and the others through whom the Lord is speaking this message.  In the same way, they treated the prophets of old.  This may be your last opportunity to turn back before it's too late.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: Another key article I discovered several days after I wrote this post is called The Most Annoying Shofar, written by Hannah Weiss and posted on Christians Together. I urge you to read that one, too. You may also want to read my other post called, "Very Few Will Hear the Trumpet".  Then check out "Grieve and Lament for the Church" and "Are You Rapture Ready?

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.