House of Hope Online

July 6, 2025

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Last time we talked about the prospects for peace and prosperity in the Middle East and what implications that might have on the timing of End Times events, particularly the Gog-Magog war and the Rapture.  Ezekiel 38 and 39 tell us that Israel will be at peace when she is invaded and attacked by a Russian led alliance that includes Iran, Turkey, Libya, and other enemies.  God wins that war by destroying the enemies of Israel.  If Israel today is in fact entering a period of peace and prosperity, then it follows that the Gog-Magog war could be imminent.

Some End Times experts believe the Rapture will occur just before or soon after the Gog-Magog war, which means, if that war is imminent, then the Rapture is imminent.  The word imminent means it could happen at any time and nothing else needs to happen before it happens.  It does not necessarily mean it will happen tomorrow, but it could.

In addition to the Rapture and the Gog-Magog war, we also discussed some key events of the Tribulation, and the Second Coming of Jesus at Armageddon, when He comes on a white horse to defeat the world leaders and their armies which will assemble to make war against Him.  He will also cast the antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire and brimstone, thus defeating all forces of evil in the earth. 

Today, I want to address the question: what should we as Christians be doing in the meantime as we await the Rapture?  As the Apostle Peter asked in 2^nd Peter 3:11: “…what sort of people ought you to be…?  How can we be rapture ready?

Be Rapture Ready

In their book, “What’s Next? Preparing for the Rapture,” (Tipping Point Press, copyright 2024), Pastors Jimmy Evans and Mark Hitchcock provide the following six exhortations to help guide us as we await that great day.

1. Live with Urgency and Expectancy

The Rapture is not just a doctrinal debate but is a promise of deliverance by our Lord and Savior, Jesus.  Therefore, we should live with an urgency and expectancy.

Romans 13:

 11 ¶ And this [do,] knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.

 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to [its] lusts.

Awake from sleep, lay aside the deeds of darkness, put on the armor of light, and behave properly.  Notice verse 13 says do not take part in strife and jealousy.  So often we get caught up in useless stiving and petty jealousy, especially regarding the worries of life.  Verse 14 encourages us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, meaning we are to dwell in the Holy Spirit.  The flesh is our selfish nature, where our pride dwells, where strife dwells, where anger, hatred, and jealousy dwell.  In Galatians 5, Paul teaches about our fleshly nature and warns that if we practice the deeds of the flesh, we will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:

 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

If we constantly walk in the flesh and practice such things, Paul says we will not inherit the Kingdom of God, which means we risk not being rapture ready.  To hear the shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet, we need to be crucifying the flesh by spending time in God’s presence and walking in the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 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.

Let us live by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit!

In Romans 8, Paul again emphasizes why we should make no provision for the flesh.

Romans 8:

 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so];

 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

If we spend time in the presence of the Holy Spirit and make no provision for the flesh, we will hear the shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet sound.  He will quicken our spirits at the proper time.

• Pursue Holiness and Purity

If we crucify the flesh by pursuing the Holy Spirit and fixing our hope on Jesus, the scripture promises we will purify ourselves.

1^st John 3:

 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.

 3 And everyone who has this hope [fixed] on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

The way to purity is to fix our hope on Jesus!

• Invest in Eternal Rewards

Look for ways to invest in God’s work here in the final days.  It is increasingly important that we spread the Gospel to unbelievers, lest they perish due to ignorance of the word.  Jesus spoke this advice in Matthew 6.

Matthew 6:

 19 ¶ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

 20 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

 21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Investing in ministries to spread the Gospel and praying for the unsaved is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved.  The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, encourages us to pray for all men.

1^st Timothy 2:

 1 ¶ First of all, then, I urge that entreaties [and] prayers, petitions [and] thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

 2 for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

• Endure Suffering Faithfully

The Bible promises that we are not destined for God’s wrath but also makes clear that we will endure hardships.  Here are some encouraging words as you persevere.

Romans 8:

 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Keep your eye on the ball, and the ball is Jesus, and Jesus is the glory that is to be revealed to us at the Rapture.

Romans 5:

 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

James 1:

 2 ¶ Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

 4 And let endurance have [its] perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

John 16:

 33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

• Look for His Appearing

Have a mindset that expects and looks for the Lord to appear.  Have an eternal perspective in your decision-making.  Practice your faith by looking for Him to appear.  Wait on Him.  Hope in Him.

Lamentations 3:

 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.

Romans 8:

 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees?

 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

The Greek word for “hope” in this passage means to anticipate with pleasure, or to expect confidently.  Hope is an expression of faith.

• Encourage One Another

It is important that we encourage one another in our faith, especially as we approach the day of the Rapture.  The devil will be determined to shake our faith, to attack our families and to steal, kill, and destroy.  Hebrews 10 tells us to stimulate one another – I love that word choice.

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.

Paul writes in 1^st Thessalonians 5 that we should encourage and build each other up.

1^st Thessalonians 5:

 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

 10 who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.

 11 ¶ Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Closing

To summarize, let us await the Rapture together with the body of Christ by following the exhortations contained in scripture to be Rapture ready.

1. Live with Urgency and Expectation
2. Pursue Holiness and Purity
3. Invest in Eternal Rewards
4. Endure Suffering Faithfully
5. Look for His Appearing
6. Encourage One Another

If we do these things, we will hear the shout, the voice of the archangel, and the sound of the trumpet on that great day!  Glory to Jesus!

Let us pray.

Father God, thank You for the coming day of the Rapture, when Jesus will come for us, and we will be caught up and carried away by Him forever.  We praise Your eternal plan, and the prophecies of the End Times, which are a lamp unto our feet.  We fix our hope on Jesus and seek the presence of the Holy Spirit to help us live in a state of urgency and expectancy, in holiness and purity, with a mind to invest in eternal things.  Help us to endure any challenges faithfully, as we look for Jesus’ coming and encourage each other in our walk of faith.  In His holy name we pray.  Amen.