Be Ready For The Times To Come
– A Prophetic Word for 2013

In times of deep darkness, tribulation, oppression and deception; let us be encouraged as we trust in the LORD, press on in faith and perseverance, fixing our eyes on the Almighty God in all things, drawing close to Him for strength, encouragement, protection and breakthrough in the storms of our life.

The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness, and He will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure (Isaiah 33:5-6).

In past generations, He allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet, He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:16-17).

The times of ignorance, God overlooked but now; He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this, He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great King over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet (Psalms 47:-3).

Gather together, yes, gather, O shameless nation, before the decree takes effect — before the day passes away like chaff — before there comes upon you the burning anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the LORD. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD (Zephaniah 2:1-3).

What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory — even us whom He has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed, He says in Hosea, “Those who were not My people I will call ‘My people’, and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved’. And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God’. And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the LORD will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay” (Romans 9:22-28).

“The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”, says the LORD (Mark 1:15).

God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how He appeals to God against Israel? “LORD, they have killed Your prophets, they have demolished Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace (Romans 11:2-5).

Jesus says, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:15-19).

“Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you”, says the LORD (Revelation 3:3).

Jesus warns, “But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:39-40).

Jesus also warns us against religious leaders as He said to the crowds and to His disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, practice and observe whatever they tell you — but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honour at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:1-12).

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent”, says the LORD (Revelation 2:5).

“But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then, let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light (Romans 13:10-12).

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Dear Brethren, God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with Him (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).

Paul said, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:12-15).

For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness (1 Thessalonians 5-5).

The Holy Spirit also spoke to me that the Babylonian invasion is not over and we are in the process of seeing greater judgment from on high.

Pride (arrogance) is Babylonian’s characteristic sin. Babylon is the symbol of all evil in Scripture. Proud nations and people will eventually fall because they believe in self-sufficiency and themselves. For they refuse to recognise and acknowledge God, the Creator of all things in heaven, on earth and the universe, as the ultimate power.

Money is not evil in itself but people fall into greed and abuse. Money will not save us in the day of wrath.

They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing. Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity (Ezekiel 7:19).

“Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (Proverbs 11:4).

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”, says the LORD (Matthew 6:19-21).

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Jesus asked His disciples (Matthew 16:26).

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the true vine and our Father in Heaven is the vinedresser (John 15:1). The Lord says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love” (John 15:4-9).

Together, we shall stand on the promise of the LORD, the God of Israel, who says, “Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of Me in their hearts, that they may not turn from Me” (Jeremiah 32:37-40).

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith” (1 John 5:4).

To God be the praise, the glory, the honour, the power and dominion forever and ever.

Amen and Amen!