The world’s problems are getting bigger, more complicated, and increasingly beyond man’s ability to solve. The end of this age will be marked by cascading problems that have surpassed any human ability to deal with them. This is the ultimate fruit of man trying to live without God. Not only man, but the whole creation will forever be able to look back on the history of the earth and see what the results are when trying to live without God. In the midst of this, there will be a testimony of what it is like to live with God.
In spite of the way that man has rejected God, God has not rejected man. He continues to offer answers to the pressing problems that are the result of our own selfishness and rebellion. He still causes His sun to shine on the just and the unjust. He still gives His rain to all. That is the remarkable God we serve. The testimony of who He is, and what He is like, is abundant throughout the creation. It will become even more clear and brilliant through the darkness that is coming.
As stated previously, God’s judgment at the end is not from vindictiveness at having been rejected, but His judgment was set from the beginning in the simple truth that we must all reap what we sow. This had to be so. There could be no true authority given to man if there were not also true responsibility. There could be no accomplishments if there were not also consequences.
The catastrophic problems that will be man’s judgment will mostly be of our own making. One thing that will become clear to the discerning is how closely the spiritual and natural worlds are linked. With the spiritual pollution, there is corresponding pollution of the natural world as well. With each spiritual disease, there seems to be a corresponding natural disease that reflects it as well. We will discuss this in more detail later, but it is a basic truth.
In spite of man’s foolishness, rejection of God, and rebellion against Him, the Lord will offer man solutions to even the greatest problems right up to the end. The Holy Spirit is called “the Helper” (see John 14:26) and His nature will never change. He remains faithful even when we are unfaithful. He will never stop trying to help, and neither should we.
When the Lord healed the ten blind men, only one of them even returned to thank Him. The Lord, who knows all things, knew that this would be their response when He healed them, and He healed them anyway. He healed them because He wanted to help them whether they acknowledged Him or not. As Peter said in Acts 10:38, "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.” It does not say that He healed those who would turn to Him, but “all.” What an amazing God we serve!
As our calling is to be like Him, and do the works that He did, we need to be willing to help everyone we can, regardless of whether they turn to the Lord or not, and regardless of whether they are even thankful or not. If we would determine every day to do good and to help someone, we would be amazed at how much more fellowship we would be having with the Holy Spirit.
While the devil is releasing his hordes to do evil, to oppress and destroy, God is raising up an army that will do good, save, and liberate. As the world enters into increasing chaos, it will be very familiar ground for the Holy Spirit. When He first moved upon the earth, it was in chaos, but look at the beautiful creation He made out of it. He thrives in chaos! As we see the chaos in the world rising, we should see it as an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to move again.
One of the most important things we can do at this time is to grow in our faith in the Holy Spirit to deal with chaos. We need to view every trial in our personal lives as an opportunity to grow in this faith. Regardless of the chaos in our families, our jobs, our schools, our cities, and in the nations, the Holy Spirit can handle any of it with ease. We must not waste these trials, but grow through them. That is why they have been allowed in our lives.
As Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” We can be sure that the Lord will finish what He begins. This is true of us and everything He does. Every university that was begun for the purposes of Christ will return to Him before the end, and will be perfected in its purpose. Many of these are now being used for the devil more than for the Lord, but that will change. The same is true of man in general, and that too will change. In the end everything God began to do with man will be completed, and perfected, as will be the case with everything else He began to do.
This is what Peter referred to as “the restoration of all things” in Acts 3:21. Mankind and the earth will be restored to their original purpose and condition. This will be true of “all things.” This is why the Lord came to the earth, and why He went to the cross. If we are going to be like Him, and do the works that He did, we must be fundamentally committed to redemption, reconciliation, and a complete restoration.
When Israel crossed the Jordan they were entering the land that had long ago been given to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but which had been possessed by heathens. The same is true of many things since. Science, the study of the creation, is something that the Lord wants man to do. However, much of it has been possessed by the heathens, but it will be reclaimed. God is currently raising up some to retake biology, chemistry, physics, and all other forms of science. In many ways they will have to have the courage, resolve, focus, and wisdom of the great generals. They will fight until all of the enemies have been driven out of this land.
There are others being raised up to take back the media, music, movies, television, cities, and even nations. These will be some of the greatest conquerors who have ever walked the earth. They will be true knights of the Holy Spirit, who fight for the King of kings.
What are you fighting for? This is a question we must all soon answer. We are here to fight, and to conquer. The emerging church will not be content to just hold its ground. It will be looking for land to retake for the coming kingdom. We will do much of this by having the answers to the world’s worst problems. We will have the light that dispels the darkness. His people will have the helping hand that will pull others out of the quicksand. However, we cannot pull others out until we ourselves are standing on solid ground. Let us build our fortifications upon that which cannot be shaken, and then go forth from them to the sound of the battle.
