SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15
Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:7-15

2 Thessalonians 2:7-15 says, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” Who is restraining that mystery of lawlessness? That would be the Holy Spirit in us. Do we know the God who can consume us with the breath of His mouth? Do we know the God Who slays the wicked with the words of our mouth? Do we recognize the workings of satan with all power, signs and lying wonders? Do we recognize the unrighteous deception that is growing in the earth? Do we recognize the strong delusion that God is pouring out, even in various nations, causing people to believe lies? Most of us likely know a brother or sister in Christ that believes the lies that “global warming” justifies job-killing policies or that abortion is OK and somehow not the shedding of innocent blood. The biblical is clear that God’s armor contains lighting, wind, snow and hail, which can comprise our weather! There are strong delusions growing in the earth. And there are people prophesying devastation and destruction as God’s judgment for lawlessness. But if we get to know Jesus the Judge, we can invoke the covenant of Sure Mercy in prayer. We can pray mercy on the nation and judgment on the perpetrators, as Moses did for Israel. If the church does not get to know Jesus the Judge then we may well see the devastation and destruction that is being prophesied in parts of our nation. Do we know the Jesus of 2 Thessalonians? It is imperative that we get to know Him and very, very quickly.