Staying Focused in the End Times
Christians may disagree about many aspects of God’s end-time plan, but one thing is sure, we need to get the Gospel out to people so that they can be saved.
By Tom Shanklin
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14, AV)
Matthew 24:14 has got to be my all-time favorite end-time scripture. Do you know why? Because it is the one scripture that captures the purpose of God for these last days and gives me clear direction for my life and ministry.
We may debate about the identity of anti-Christ or the timing of the rapture, but in Matthew 24:14, we see the one sign that must be fulfilled before Jesus returns—the Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached in all the world. If we stay focused on that task, we will stay in step with the reason that Jesus came to the earth—to bring people into the family of God.
Christians may disagree about many aspects of God’s end-time plan, but one thing is sure, we need to get the Gospel out to people so that they can be saved.
“The end” He speaks of here is the end of the age. The end of this age will usher in a new beginning. God will make all things new (Revelation 21:5), and there will be no more wars, fighting, social problems, crime, or abuse. This is the part of the kingdom of God that is future … not right now.
Birth Pains for a New Beginning
Jesus said these sorrows must come to pass. You must have birth pains to have a birth.
Jesus described the wars, rumors of wars, famines, disease, earthquakes, and troubles that we read about every day in the news as “the beginning of sorrows.” If we look deeper into the Greek word for sorrows, we see that it means “birth pains.” Folks, we are going through birth pains, and we have been for quite a while.
Jesus said these sorrows must come to pass. You must have birth pains to have a birth. Just as a woman who goes into labor doesn’t know how long her labor will last, we don’t know how much longer these birth pains will continue.
But one thing is sure, one day, our Father will say, “It is time,” and Jesus will return. Just as multitudes of biblical prophecies have come to pass, so this prediction will certainly be fulfilled in its time.
The Kingdom of God that is operating in the present time is within the hearts of people who have submitted themselves to Jesus Christ as Lord, of all ages, genders, nations, and tribes.
As Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; “nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21, NKJV)
Not Called to a Physical Fight
We are not called into a physical fight to establish the Kingdom of God. According to the Bible, the only fight we need to fight is the “fight of faith.”
Jesus also made this statement about His Kingdom: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight…” (John 18:36, NKJV)
We are not called into a physical fight to establish the Kingdom of God. According to the Bible, the only fight we need to fight is the “fight of faith.” This conflict is very simple. The devil wants to steal your faith, and God wants you to keep the faith. This is the battle that we are in today!
If we are going to do anything of lasting value for mankind, it will be by helping people to have faith. And we know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. So, the greatest thing that we can do for anyone is to live a godly life before them and share the Good News with them so that they might have faith in Jesus. We need to tell them that God loves them, that He sent His Son to die for their sins, and if they will make Jesus the Lord of their life, they will receive eternal life.
This IS the Gospel of the Kingdom! No one can come into the Kingdom without making Jesus their Lord. Therefore, our number one job is to exalt Jesus and let people know about God’s love and forgiveness through His death and resurrection.
Jesus did not say, “Go into all the world and get all the governments of the earth to do things My way.” He did not say, “Make all the educational systems and business operations submit to me.” No, He said, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.” It’s only the Gospel that sets people free. It’s only the Gospel that changes hearts. The Gospel is to be our focus, not sideline issues!
Certainly, the Gospel can change many external things. Many powerful social movements have been birthed out of the faith of believers. For example, the abolitionist movement that brought an end to slavery in Great Britain and the United States was initiated by Christian believers and ministers.
But nothing will be perfect until the Lord comes back and sets up His eternal kingdom. Until then, our primary job is to focus on preaching the Gospel so that hearts can be changed.
Kingdom When?
You may bring some change through human efforts, but as much as you push, someone will be pushing back.
There is an idea that has had a great influence on the body of Christ in recent years called Dominion Theology or Kingdom Now. The idea is that we are going to take over the government, take over the educational system, take over the arts, take over the news media, and thereby build the Kingdom.
No, you’re not!
You may bring some change through human efforts, but as much as you push, someone will be pushing back. Jesus said that before He comes, there will be “wars and rumors of war.” This would include wars between nations, wars within nations, and wars within systems. Wars of people with diverse ideas wanting their way. Wars!
Now, it is true that Christian believers do have authority. We can bring change by using our authority in the realm of the Spirit. For example, I believe that the iron curtain in Eastern Europe came down through the prayers of God’s people. As a result, many people came to know Jesus. But at present, we see a very demonic operation in that part of the world. So, once again we pray to bring forth God’s will and do what we can to help those in need. But again, things will not be perfect until Jesus returns.
What Shall We Do?
If we correctly discern the season that we are living in, then we will recognize that now is the time to preach the Gospel.
Meanwhile, we have birth pains. So, what shall we do? Hide in a bunker? Start an insurrection? Attack and denigrate people who think differently than us? No, we fight not against flesh and blood. All such battles are of the flesh and are counterproductive to the cause of Christ. We are called to live in obedience to the King and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom.
If we correctly discern the season that we are living in, then we will recognize that now is the time to preach the Gospel.
People are in need and looking for answers. We can help people in their distress and give them the Word of God. But if we are distracted by futile and carnal battles, we will fail to fulfill our mission. We must stay focused and do the things that Jesus told us to do—love people and preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.