I am a conservative writer who uses superlatives sparingly. I do not beat people over the head with what I believe. Why the urgency in the title for this post? I assure you the emphasis does not begin to convey what I feel in my spirit.
In the night I had a simple dream of the digital currency that is about to be introduced. I had the sense that it was enacted already and in place. I was looking down at my debit cards in the dream and thinking how flimsy and easy to lose (or have stolen) they were. In the dream the implication was that something more “permanent” was about to be put into place, and the world would see it as the best idea ever. If you don’t get my allusion, the “mark” that could be used for buying and selling would “solve” the issue of the cards that could be lost.
I know there are readers who believe the church will not be here when the mark of the beast comes. I am not here today to argue that point, but to point to these warnings: the Holy Ghost will be required for being raptured, and the Holy Ghost will be required for going through any persecution and tribulation that we are to endure. I believe we will be here until Jesus returns “at the last day.” I won’t further delve into that here, but if you feel you need to do so, refer to Bro. Ken Raggio’s in-depth writings and videos at KenRaggio.com, and Pastor John Bowen’s Facebook page, Acts Ministries.
When I speak of your needing the Holy Ghost, I mean the way it came in the Bible days, with repentance, water baptism in Jesus’ name for the remission of your sins, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. There are many other teachings on this as well, but your Bible in the book of Acts is the best one. (The websites listed above also offer further teaching, as do the books I have available from my homepage and a complete Bible study on this site as well.)
Rather than focus on how the Holy Ghost comes or whether that is what God intended for you, no matter what you were taught in the past, let us look at why the experience of the Holy Ghost will be vital from this day on. I do not refer to the beautiful initial experience of receiving the joy and peace and love of God sheds abroad in our hearts the first time, as I currently am celebrating from thirty-seven years ago this month. I refer, rather, to walking in the Spirit.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh, Galatians 5:16.
The Holy Ghost, (the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit), will do many things for us once we receive it according to the Scriptures: most notably, the Holy Ghost will sanctify our hearts by helping us respond to the Word of God honestly and openly, convicting us of any sin we have committed and giving grace to repent and be cleansed. Even better, the Holy Ghost will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, enabling us to avoid temptations and traps set by the enemy of our souls.
Where I want to focus today though is the discernment that the Holy Ghost will bring, as we daily walk with God. There is much more to this than what I can relate in this morning’s dashed-off communication, but you will need this guiding power of the Holy Ghost for what lies ahead more than anything you have ever needed.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, I Corinthians 2:14
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil, Hebrews 5:14
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not, Malachi 3:18
Many other Scriptures point to the Word of God and the Spirit of God working inside the believer to help avoid the spirits of this world sent to deflect us from God’s divine intentions for His church.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world, 1 John 1:4
You are facing the most creative deceptions ever foisted on the world at large. The enemy of our souls, the devil, is pulling out all the stops in these last days. I have heard it preached recently that there are special deceiving spirits reserved for this last hour, and it does not surprise me to hear that such are being released to work even deeper deception than ever before. A spirit that is intending to deceive works on our feelings and our thoughts. It takes the Holy Ghost and the Word of God to know if a certain sense of things is or is not accurate.
This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you, Galatians 5:8
There is a persuasion that even a sincere person can have that is not of God.
The devil works tirelessly to craft deceptions for anyone seeking to know Truth. The 30,000 plus varieties that all claim to be the right way to God comprise the prime example of camouflage he has employed throughout history to deflect seekers from the simple Word of God that can save them. Now, he knows he has but a short time and is employing ever more sophisticated means to deceive.
Beyond the action of any lying spirit to influence our thoughts and emotions, we now have new advancements in tools that can be bent to that purpose. I know our understanding of technology and its implications vary widely between generations but understand this: the ability exists today to transmit what appears to be the representation of a person speaking when that person did not do so. The image is so realistic that even those who know the individual are not altogether sure which is the true and which is the fake. This technology is being released to the world, and any glitches inherent in the early phases are being removed.
Several early proponents of this artificial intelligence (AI) are even expressing concerns about its potential and ability to deceive. I wrote in Death of Truth? awhile back on the shrinking certainty of ascertaining what is real and what is not as we encounter information on the internet through news sites, social media, or elsewhere. That was only referring to the written word or pictures taken out of context and embellished. How far we have come in just four years.
Are you comfortable that in your human ability or shallow experience with the things of God you are able to understand and determine the difference between a real leader and an image of one? Are you ready to withstand the apparent calling down of fire from Heaven by one who claims the Word of God no longer matters? This technology is only one weapon that will be used to deceive, but how easy it will be to finish the deceit on those who are already weak in their ability to stand for the Truth of God’s Word with it, or with the “next thing” that is coming to pass, whatever that may be.
There is much, much more I could say, but know this: God was planning and preparing for this day long ago. He will bring about the end of all things in His own time and way. But, I tell you that when I received the Holy Ghost in 1986, I remember thinking how remote the mindsets and systems that would need to be in place for the end-time events to come to pass seemed to be. I knew it would come but had trouble picturing how things could change so radically from what they were then. I assure you I no longer have any trouble at all picturing the last days unfold, because the technology and hearts of men are ripe for that very thing.
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand, Daniel 12:10
None of the wicked shall understand. The Spirit of God residing in an humble, obedient, submitted child of God will produce the wisdom required to understand.
No one will know truth from error without the Holy Ghost. One cannot know the difference now, but the light will dim and the chance to even get what is needed will narrow.
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? Isaiah 44:20
If your experience with God is not what I have described above, there will come one of several responses to what I am saying:
“What do you mean I need the Holy Ghost?? Who are you to say there is only one way to do what needs to be done? Are you saying I don’t know God?”
OR
“God, I may not understand all this, but if You have more for me and I need it please show me!” What you show me I will obey!”
For those in the latter category, I will be more than happy to help you move forward or point you to where you can. If you are not sure, or do not know where you can go to get this kind of teaching and the preaching that goes with the Acts 2:38 gospel message, you are welcome to reach out to me. Most of all, set your face to seek God: ask Him earnestly what He would have you do and where to go to do it. Search the Scriptures to know these things are true. I was fasting and praying when I was shown what I needed, thirty-seven years ago. I can recommend no less to you. God is faithful to answer when you seek Him with all your heart. He never turns away a hungry, insistent soul.
Remember, the Holy Ghost is for you and will make you what God wants you to be.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God, Romans 8:14.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, Acts 2:38