Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this “coming” he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. (2 Peter 3.3-10, NIV)
When we see what is happening in the world today, the fulfilment of so many Bible prophecies, most significantly the rebirth of Israel as a nation in May 1948, and how close we are to the return of Christ, we need to act fast. Remember the Great Commission of Christ: ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel!’ – Mark 16:15. Remember also that the Bible says: ‘For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.’ – 1 John 3:8. In order for us to participate in these things and to see the fulfilment of all that God, rather than the devil, wants to do in these last days, we need God’s vision. As the Bible says: ‘Where there is no vision the people perish’ – Proverbs 29:18 – they don’t know where to go, what to do.
Remember that God has always had a clear plan and strategy in everything He does. From creation to salvation, nothing has happened in heaven or earth without the foreknowledge of God. An important part of the strategy which God has for today is that He wants to show that His power is not just in heaven, but also demonstrated very powerfully on earth.
We know that in His personal relationship with you, He loves, He heals, He forgives – you, personally. But there is something God wants more than your healing, more even than your salvation – what God wants right now is to see Jesus so powerfully exalted, so powerfully glorified, so that when He returns at His Second Coming – every knee shall bow and the whole world will worship at the name of Jesus – which is going to happen in the near future.
God wants to use you to bring glory to the name of Jesus! This means that there must come a time when we stop asking God for what He can do for us, and begin to ask what we can do for Him!
Our Christian lives need to change from the passive to the active. God wants to put power into YOUR life.