How do we come out of the harlot?
Part 19 of the Harlot of Babylon Series
While writing this book, I asked the Lord many times what to put in this chapter. I have received some insight from the Lord, and I continue to receive more insight as time goes on. Here is a list of what I think are the most important points. Each person’s situation is different, and we all struggle with different things. Many good books have been written on each one of these points so I will just list them with a couple comments here.
Worship. The most important point is worship. Measure the sanctuary and those who worship there. The two-witness company of overcomers are worshipers. They are those who have gone beyond the veil into His presence. They are granted authority and power. Worship is required. All those who come out of the harlot will be worshipers. This is the church in Philadelphia. They are kept from the hour of testing that is coming upon the whole earth. I put before you an open door which no one can shut.
Prayer. The incense is mixed with the prayers of the saints.
Rev 8:3 Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Pray that you may have the strength to escape the harlot and stand before the Son of Man!
Luke 21:36 But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. This is critical. He will direct us on what to do and what not to do. He will keep us from making mistakes. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. We must ask the Lord to teach us to listen. He wants to speak to us. He wants to lead us. We must ask for ears to hear Him. We must learn to shut out all the other voices that attempt to drown out His voice.
Prepare your heart now. Don’t wait until the crisis hits. We must all start to consider that we may have to choose between our job and Jesus. Our home and Jesus. Our wealth and Jesus. Our family and Jesus. Remember the words of Jesus to His disciples.
Luke 18:29 And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Today, already, many Christians have left jobs because they refuse to compromise their faith. Some have been forced out, others have left voluntarily, others have been sued. If our employment requires us to support abortion, transgenderism, or other sinful activities, we must seek the voice of God on getting out. It will only get harder to do so as time goes by. Compromise is easy. Making our stand when it costs us is not. Our commitment will be an inspiration to others and the Lord will bless us.
Prepare to end living luxuriously. We Christians, especially in the Christian west, live a life of luxury that has never existed before in the history of the world. We worked hard for our possessions. We enjoy them. However, the time will come when we must choose between Jesus and our luxurious lifestyle. For those who keep the word of His perseverance, these luxurious possessions will be taken away soon. Can we walk away from this life and follow Him? Or will we be like the rich man who could not follow Jesus because he had many possessions? The possessions are not the problem. Our desire for them is. We must become like Paul and learn the secret. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Prepare to end living sensuously. Sensuous living is living in a way to please the senses. I love pleasing my senses. In the past, and throughout most of human history, pleasing the senses meant having enough food, water, and shelter to survive the day. Today, it has become TV shows, movies, video games, music, sports, fast food, drugs, and alcohol.
The harlot has taken over most of what we today call entertainment. We must understand that to follow Jesus in the last days will cost us everything, including our sensuous living.
I John 2:15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Get together with likeminded Christians. Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as you see the day approaching. We cannot do this alone.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Churches must make a bold and uncompromising stand against sexual immorality, including homosexuality, now. Not talking about it is not a solution. Silence is compliance. If your church does not make a stand then go to the elders. If they fail to act, then ask the Lord what to do next. Making a stand against sin will get harder and harder as we go into the last days.
Be filled with the fruit of the Spirit. Spend more and more time every day with Him. Become intimate with Him. Make Him your source of peace and joy. Only then will the things of the world lose their grip on our lives.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Fear not. The Bible says many times to fear not. Jesus said He will never forsake us or leave us. When suffering comes upon a Christian, I believe the heavens are opened unto him. This is the secret grace that comes upon those who are persecuted and killed for the faith. This is a special anointing that enables Christians to endure suffering. This special anointing is why the Spirit could say to the church in Smyrna, do not fear.
Rev 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
Stephen was martyred for the faith. He spoke the truth and they killed him for it. The heavens were opened unto Stephen.
Acts 6:15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
Acts 7:54 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
During the time of Stephen’s suffering, his face was like the face of an angel! Stephen saw the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God! This is the secret grace that many of us will experience in the coming years. This is why the Spirit can say, do not fear, even when a Christian is confronted with suffering and martyrdom. During our time of suffering, the heavens will be opened unto us, and we will see Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He will be looking intently at us. The suffering will be real but there will be no fear. Perfect love casts out fear. As He gazes into our eyes, all we will see is His perfect love. Do not fear.
Focus on the rewards in the kingdom. As I said, do not focus on the suffering that may take place. We will get the secret grace to endure it when it happens and not until then. Focus instead on the rewards we will be given for following Jesus. Hebrews chapter 11 and 12 talk about suffering and how Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; 6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.” 7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Let us not take the discipline of the Lord lightly. Those whom the Lord loves He disciplines. Discipline is not joyful, but sorrowful. Yet those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. At the end of the Bible the Lord says He is coming quickly.
Rev 22:12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.
