"When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus."

Revelation 12:13-17 (NIV)

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people."

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV)

The Last Days

Everyone is talking about the End of the World—what Christians often refer to as the Last Days.

Here is the shocking truth of this passage:

Where the people of God are concerned, Satan is permitted to pursue the people of God in numerous attempts to destroy them.

"The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born."

Revelation 12:4b (NIV)

The Evil One had been at work attempting to circumvent the birth of the Messiah.

Genesis: tried to destroy the lineage through whom the Messiah would come!

Noah and the Flood: Influenced all men toward wickedness so that God would destroy all that he had made, cancelling out the very people through whom redemption would come!

Haman’s Plot: in Ancient Persia—where an edict is passed to eradicate all Jews in a socially declared genocide.

Assyrians, Babylonians, Canaanites, Midiannites, etc

The real power behind all of these genocides, including the Holocaust, is Satan.

• Satan seeks first to destroy the people of God physically.

• Satan seeks second to destroy the people of God spiritually and thus put them at enmity with God.

"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

'Now have come the salvation and the power

and the kingdom of our God,

and the authority of his Messiah.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,

who accuses them before our God day and night,

has been hurled down.'"

"They triumphed over him

by the blood of the Lamb."

Revelation 12:10-11a (NIV)

"Therefore rejoice, you heavens

and you who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,

because the devil has gone down to you!

He is filled with fury,

because he knows that his time is short."

Revelation 12:12 (NIV)

"Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus."

Revelation 12:17 (NIV)

For every move Satan makes, God has a more powerful and more effective counter move.

"But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent."

Revelation 12:14 (NKJV)

"Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, 'This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.'"

Exodus 19:3-4 (NIV)

"So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth."

Revelation 12:15-16 (NKJV)

"Do not let the swift flee away,

Nor the mighty man escape;

They will stumble and fall

Toward the north, by the River Euphrates.

“ Who is this coming up like a flood,

Whose waters move like the rivers?

Egypt rises up like a flood,

And its waters move like the rivers;

And he says, ‘I will go up and cover the earth,

I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.’"

Jeremiah 46:6-8 (NKJV)

"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

Matthew 16:18 (NIV)

"And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

Revelation 12:17 (NKJV)

"The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away."

Matthew 13:20-21 (NIV)

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."

James 1:12 (NIV)

If you...

• Lean into a time with God each morning…

• Decide to discover your spiritual gifts and use them for the sake of Christ’s kingdom…

• Feel the conviction to join a community group…

• Decide to read through the Bible in a year…

Satan will try to nab you while you’re in the infancy stage.

Sometimes, your conversion puts a target on your back.

Sometimes, your baptism puts a target on your back.

“It seems to me that I would be better off just to remain nominal.”

Nominal: A person who identifies as Christian-by family tradition, culture or church attendance—but lacks a personal, transforming faith in Jesus Christ.

"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

'Now have come the salvation and the power

and the kingdom of our God,

and the authority of his Messiah.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,

who accuses them before our God day and night,

has been hurled down.'"

"They triumphed over him

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony;"

Revelation 12:10-11 (NIV)

"The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.'"

Luke 10:17 (NIV)

"Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

John 16:23-24 (NIV)

Make a Decision