BECOMING THE CHURCH OF THE FUTURE

2 Thessalonians 2

WE ARE ALL PRECIOUS FOR THE FUTURE PLANNED BY GOD

HOW SHOULD THE CHURCH PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE?

THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE A LETTER WHERE HE TOLD THE CHURCH ABOUT FUTURE EVENTS THAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE EARTH

ON THIS LETTER HE WARNS THE CHURCH THAT BEFORE THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST THERE WILL HAPPEN SP,ETHING ON THE EARTH THAT WILL CHANGE THE FACE OF THE WORLD.

2 THESSALONIANS 2 1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our

being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

THERE IS A REBELLION COMINGWHAT IS IT?

THE GREAT REBELLION WILL HAPPEN BEFORE THE DAY OF THE LORD (WHEN JESUS COMES AS KING TO REIGN)

THIS REBELLION WILL BE DIRECTLY AGAINST GOD, HIS WORD, AND ALL KINDS OF SERVICES TO GOD (AGAINST THE CHURCH TOO).

THE HEAD OF THIS REBELLION THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS WILL BE

REVEALED, THE MAN DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION. (THE ANTICHRIST; THE OUT-OF-LAW))

HE WILL OPPOSE AND WILL EXALT HIMSELF OVER EVERYTHING THAT IS CALLED GOD OR IS WORSHIPED, SO THAT HE WILL SET HIMSELF UP IN GOD’S TEMPLE, PROCLAIMING HIMSELF TO BE GOD.

A POWER IS WORKING IN SECRET 5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used

to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

THIS IS THE POWER OF REBELLION THAT ALREADY WORKS IN THE WORLD

A SECRET POWER THAT PRODUCES DELUSION

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

EVICT THE REBELLION FROM OUR HEARTS - 2 Thes. 2:3

WHAT IS BEHIND THE REBELLION? THERE IS A SPIRITUAL DARK PRINCIPALITY

WHO HOLDS AUTHORITY AND GOVERNMENT IN THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS. IT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ONES UNDER SATAN (EPHESIANS 6:10)

EPHESIANS 6:12

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

EVICT THE REBELLION FROM OUR HEARTS - 2 Thes. 2:3

THE REBELLION NOW OPERATES AS THE SPIRIT OF DISOBEDIENCE IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE. (EF. 2)

REBELLION HAS A RULER POSITION IN THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS. HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SYSTEM OF THE WORLD (THE WAYS OF THE WORLD) TO MAKE PEOPLE TO REBEL AGAINST GOD AND HIS WORD AND COMMANDMENTS. THAT IS HIS MAIN TASK.

HOW REBELLION OPERATES NOW

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.” (Ephesians 2:1-3)

EVICT REBELLION FROM YOUR LIVES- 2 Ts. 2:3

THIS PRINCIPALITY OF REBELLION IS IN PREPARATION TO OPERATE IN THE WORLD IN FULL MODE UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF SATAN.

HE IS ALREADY AT WORK AS THE HEAD OF THIS OPERATION, BUT IN A CONTROLLED AND LIMITED WAY.

THERE IS STILL A CONTROL

THE HOLY SPIRIT ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHURCH CONTROLS AND DETAINS THE OPERATIONS OF THIS PRINCIPALITY.

WHEN THE CHURCH GOES TO HEAVEN, THAT LIMIT AND CONTROL WILL BE LIFTED. THEN, THIS PRINCIPALITY WILL HAVE FULL AUTHORITY AND FREEDOM TO COMPLETE HIS THIS SATANIC OPERATION AND TO PROMOTE THIS GREAT REBELLION.

THIS POWER IS HELD BACK

“For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.” (vs. 7)

THIS TIME IS CRUCIAL

AFTER THE TIMES WE LIVE IN, THE PERIOD OF GOD’S FAVOR IT WILL BE MUCH DIFFICULT TO DETAIN THE POWER OF REBELLION.

SO, THESE TIMES ARE CRUCIAL. WE HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE

TIMES AND WARN PEOPLE ABOUT THIS REBELLION.

HOW TO OPPOSE REBELLION NOW?2:13-17

1. SAVE THEM 2. SANCTIFICATION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

(PRAYER AND DEPENDENCE) 3. BELIEVE IN THE TRUTH. LISTEN TO THE

WORD OF GOD AND NOT TO THE WORD OF THE WORLD.

“2:10- “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”

STAND FIRM

  13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and

sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

STAND FIRM

BE FIRM AND HOLD TO THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST

GUARD THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR HEARTS

ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER TO STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH AND IN THE WORD OF GOD.

PRACTICE SUBMISSION

WE HAVE TO BE CHILDREN OF THE OBEDIENCE IN OPPOSITION TO THE CHILDREN OF THE DISOBEDIENCE.

WE HAVE TO BE EXAMPLES OF OBEDIENCIA TO CHRIST AND HIS WORD.

OBEDIENCE IS A SEED. WHEN WE PLANT OBEDIENCE WE HARVEST SUBMISSION.

WHEN WE PLANT DISOBEDIENCE WE HARVEST REBELLION.

OPPOSE THE REBELLION

&

SUBMIT TO GOD