As we pray daily, “thy kingdom come”, we must understand that the great persecution will come first before the return of the Lord. Men that are not prepared will fall away from the faith.

Jesus Christ our Lord told us.

Matthew 24:9-14

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,  and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,  but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Paul also mentioned it.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of doom (of perdition).

If those days have not been cut short, no one will be able to bear it. But it will be cut short for the sake of the elects. The return of Christ will cut short the days.

Matthew 24:21-22, 29-31

For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.     “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.    “Immediately after the distress of those days    “ ‘the sun will be darkened,    and the moon will not give its light;    the stars will fall from the sky,    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’       “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth    will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.  And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

We must prepare for it because it is part of the package of our faith.

Philippians 1:29

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.

We are destined for them.

1 Thessalonians 3:3

so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them.

It is the pathway to the kingdom.

Acts 14:22

strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

It will be greatly rewarded by the Lord.

Matthew 5:11-12

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

We must remain faithful even to the point of death.

Revelation 2:10-11

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.     Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

We must look forward to it.

Philippians 3:10-11

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

We have been told ahead so that we will not stumble when it happens.

John 16:1 AMP

I HAVE told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter, or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.]

Be prepared!

~ Ibiyemi Araoye.

Shalom!!!