A Call for Divine Strength
Jesus, we desperately need your power and strength to do what you’ve asked me to do tonight. I ask humbly now to give me the courage to help me say it from my heart without fear and trembling. In Christ’s name, amen.
A Warning of Persecution
God’s placed me here tonight to warn of the coming persecution. The Holy Spirit is my witness; this convention tonight is being warned Here and Now of an intense hour of persecution for all Spirit-filled Believers. Prepare to be hated, rejected, maligned, and ridiculed
Belief in Prophecy
Now, if you believe Acts 2:4 about a special inum of power from on high, then you’ve got to also believe Acts 2:17, “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions.” I saw a vision this past April so frightening it staggered my mind, and for the past three months, I’ve tried to shake it off, but I can’t do it. I’ve only had two in my life. The first, 15 years ago, took me to the streets of New York, and every fact of that vision has been fulfilled. I’ve been terribly afraid to share this vision up until tonight for fear I’d be called a fanatic. But the same Holy Ghost that prompted me 12 years ago to share the story in “The Cross and the Switchblade” has prompted me tonight to share this vision with you.
Five Calamities
In this vision, I saw five terrible calamities coming to America and the world.
Economic Recession
First of all, a worldwide recession caused by economic confusion. I saw in my vision at most a few more fat flourishing years and then an economic recession that’s going to affect the lifestyle of every wage earner in the world. The world economists are going to be at a loss to explain what’s happening. It’s going to start in Germany, spread to Japan, and finally to the United States. Large and trusted corporations are going to go bankrupt, many churches are going to go into bankruptcy, and some missionary projects are going to flounder. One of the clearest messages I’ve ever received from God in my life is this: Use the next few good years left to prepare for a financial crisis. Get your house in order because hard times are coming.
Natural Disasters
Number two, I saw nature having labor pains—supernatural signs and changes that can’t be explained by men. Worldwide disasters that we’re witnessing right now, I see as labor pains in nature, which are going to become more and more frequent and more intense the closer we get to the birth of the kingdom of God. I saw major earthquakes coming to the United States. I saw worldwide famine, especially in China, India, and Russia. I saw the world’s food supplies completely dwindled, millions starving. I saw coming a new kind of cosmic storm appearing as a raging fire in the sky, leaving a kind of vapor trail. Tornadoes, hail storms, floods, and hurricanes are going to pound the earth with such intensity and violence that all of mankind is going to have to admit the world is under supernatural siege.
Moral Decay
Number three, a flood of filth and a baptism of dirt in America. America, I see the prophecy of Nahum coming to pass in the very near future. God said, “I’ll pour abominable filth upon you.” This means triple X-rated movies on cable television after midnight. This means R-rated movies within the next few years on network television. This means our newsstands are going to be flooded with such filth that Playboy magazine will look like a puritanical piece of trash. It means sex education classes in school will be using animated cartoons and filmed dramatized sexual intercourse. Just when it appears there’s going to be a successful campaign against smut, just when the Supreme Court seems to be ruling against pornographers, when it appears the nation’s returning to old-fashioned moral standards, suddenly the floodgates are going to swing open and Satan is going to vomit filth out of hell, and it’ll be just as it was in the days of Lot and will vex the souls of God’s most devout saints.
Rebellion in the Home
Number four, rebellion in the home. I see the new number one youth problem in America and the world as hatred toward parents. Now, I’m reading this tonight for fear I changed a single word of what I’ve seen and had to write down as the Holy Spirit laid it on my heart. A man’s worst enemies will be those of his own household. The Bible says children are going to turn against their parents with a passion. Parents are going to be betrayed and will die a thousand deaths at the hands of children who learned to despise their hypocrisy. There could be millions of stay-at-home runaways who need not go away anymore and run away from home because their parents are going to give them what they choose and what they want as long as they stay home. Kids will not even be expected to communicate with their parents. They’re going to live under the same roof but will be like enemies at war living under a truce. This is the clearest vision I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s going to be bigger than drug addiction, bigger than sex abuse, or alcohol or any other youth problem. In a recent survey we did of 5,000 kids in 12 major cities, over 45% said, “I hate my parents already.”
Persecution of Christians
Spirit-filled Believers
Number five, a persecution madness against truly Spirit-filled Christians who love Jesus Christ. Now, I don’t have time tonight to go into all the details of these four calamities I’ve just mentioned. However, the Holy Spirit has prompted me tonight to go into detail and share with you what I see coming in the way of persecution. It was Jesus himself who told us to tarry for a Pentecost. Jesus himself told us the Holy Ghost would fall upon us. Jesus himself promised us power from on high. But it was also Jesus Christ himself who predicted persecution was coming for all true Spirit-baptized believers. Jesus predicted it in John 15:13. Jesus said, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own, but because you’re not of this world but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world will hate you. Remember the word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” Here is another one: “The brother shall deliver up the brother to death, the father the child. Children will rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death. You shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake, but he that endures to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee to another. Because I tell you, you will not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of Man comes. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master.”
Purpose of Persecution
Now, the purpose of this coming persecution that I see in the spirit will be to separate and scatter the true believers from the false. Time is running out, and the gospel still has to be preached to all nations before Jesus comes. Now, the Holy Ghost has been poured out upon thousands, but just as in the early Pentecostal outpouring, disciples still sit around singing and rejoicing and sharing only with each other. Among us are still those who talk in tongues and still live like the devil. But he’s going to lay the axe to the root. He’s going to separate the wheat from the chaff. He’s going to scatter his seed to the far corners of the earth, and God’s word will be fulfilled. 2 Timothy 3:12: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” You quote the scripture: “They shall be filled with the Holy Ghost. They shall speak with tongues.” Go all the way if you’re going to be a charismatic Christian. Read it all, accept it all—all, all, all—all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
The Coming Persecution
Persecution Madness
Let me share with you what the Holy Spirit’s revealed to me in vision concerning this persecution. Number one, it’s going to come as a persecution madness on the earth. I see a persecution coming such as mankind has never before witnessed. This will be a persecution of true Jesus believers, and it’s going to rise like a many-headed monster out of the sea. It’ll start slowly, subtly, coming in a time when religious freedom appears to be at a peak, but it’s going to spread to the United States, Canada, the entire world, and finally become a kind of madness. That madness is already upon us. The Antichrist spirit is entering the hearts of certain men in high places—already government and the judicial system—and it’s led to a spiritual wickedness in high places. This spiritual wickedness in high places will eventually and soon lead to harassment not only of officials but those in churches, missionaries, and ministers. There’s already evidence of this harassment. I see a time coming when nearly all evangelical missionary projects, all religious radio and television programming, all incorporated missionary societies are going to be so closely monitored, questioned, and badgered by government agencies they’ll be cautious and worried about moving or expanding in any direction.
The Rise of a Super World Church
Number two, I see rising a super world church. I see the formation of a super world church council consisting of a union between liberal ecumenical Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church joining politically hand in hand to create one of the most powerful religious forces on earth. This union is going to start as a cooperative charities program and it will end in a political union. This visible super world church is going to be spiritual in name only, freely using the name of Jesus Christ, but will in fact be Antichrist and political in many of its activities. This powerful church union will be deeply involved in social action, tremendous charity programs, and ministries of compassion. Its leaders will make statements about meeting human needs. They’ll send out a call for social action, political intervention, and a greater voice in world affairs.
A Mysterious Chain of Events
Fourthly, there’s going to be a sudden mysterious chain of events. Just when it appears the ecumenical movement is nearly dead, a rather mysterious chain of events will bring about the framework for this union. Rome is going to insist upon and receive concessions from the Protestant ecumenical leaders. The pope will be considered more of a political rather than a spiritual leader of this church union. Protestant leaders of the ecumenical movement are going to insist upon and receive concessions from Rome. Protestants will not be asked to consider the Holy Father as the infallible head of the church. They will accept his political leadership without accepting his role as Peter’s successor. I’m not suggesting that the pope or any of these church leaders involved in the super church will be engaging in Antichrist activity. The Bible talks about something along that line, but I can’t get into it now.
An Army of Career People
As far as I’m concerned, though, I see something that frightens me to the very core of my soul. I see an army of career people invading the most influential posts in this super church. They’re going to be ungodly, Antichrist people obsessed with the idea that this super church must become a big political power strong enough to defeat anybody who opposes its actions. While those that are in leadership are speaking about miracles and love and reconciliation, these hirelings who work under them are going to be harassing and persecuting every religious organization that does not come under their leadership.
Acceptance of Homosexuals and Lesbians
Fourthly, I see homosexuals and lesbians being welcomed to the super church union. I see this super world church, in the guise of misunderstanding, accepting homosexuals and lesbians into its fellowship. Homosexual and lesbian love will be vindicated by the leadership of this church union. Homosexuals will not only be welcomed, but they’ll be encouraged to continue in their practices. Homosexual and lesbian ministers will not only be ordained and given places of authority, but they’ll be heralded as a new breed of pioneer evangelists introducing new concepts of love and evangelism. I see in nearly every major city of the United States and around the world homosexual churches catering exclusively to the spiritual needs of their own kind, with full recognition from organized religion. Their Sunday school and church literature distributed to their children will suggest to teenagers that homosexuality is a normal and acceptable form of Christian practice.
New Dancing in the Church
New dancing in the church in some of these member churches will be excused as an artistic form of worship. Men are going to become worshipers of the creature more than the Creator, and God will be forced to give these kinds of worshipers over to their sins. As a result, many will be given over to reprobate minds, creating a new form of mental illness that will not respond to any kind of treatment. Now, God will not let that go unanswered. Although new dancing will not become widespread, it’s going to be accepted by many church leaders in the future as a legitimate expression of worship.
Occult Practices within the Church
Next, I believe this super world church will condone certain occult practices. They’ll set up study committees to defang the devil and remake his image into one of a non-entity, someone not to be feared. Now, in some of the most respected wealthy churches in America, seances will replace prayer meetings. That’s already happening. More and more ministers are going to be intrigued by the supernatural claims of the spiritualist and Satanist groups. I see the day coming when certain ministers who’ve never been too close to Jesus will get very close to the devil. Satan is going to appear as an angel of light to deceive, if it were possible, the elect, the chosen of God. Satan’s own ministers will appear as these angels, and they’ll try to spread the message within the church that the enemy, Satan, is not to be feared. The super church will never officially accept occult practices outright, but psychology, palmistry, fortune-telling, and horoscopes will be widely respected and accepted.
The Rise of Another Super Church
The Invisible Church
Next, I see the rise of another super church, a supernatural invisible church, a union of deeply spiritual followers of Jesus Christ bound together through the Holy Spirit, mutual confidence in Christ and his word. The supernatural church of true believers will become a kind of underground church and will include Catholics and Protestants of all denominations, young and old, black and white, and people of all nations. While this visible super world church gains political power, this invisible body of believers will grow tremendously in spiritual power. This power will come from persecution. The persecution madness that’s coming upon this earth will drive these Christians closer together and closer to Jesus Christ. There will be less concern about denominational ties and more concern and emphasis on the coming of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will bring together in one all people of all faiths and walks of life. Although this supernatural church already exists around the world, in the days coming soon it will become politically almost invisible. It will not speak out much on social issues, but as persecution becomes more intense, this body of true believers will become almost radical in its evangelistic efforts. This invisible church will receive supernatural unction and Holy Ghost power to preach the gospel to the four corners of the earth.
Persecution of Charismatic Catholics
This makes me tremble, and I fought with the Lord for three weeks now saying I can’t say it. The Lord said you say it. Charismatic Catholics who consider themselves members of the invisible supernatural church of Jesus Christ face the most grievous hour of persecution of all. The Roman Catholic Church, I predict in the spirit, is about to pull in the welcome mat to all Catholics who speak with tongues and who lean toward the Pentecostal teachings concerning the Holy Spirit. High-level political pressure will be placed on priests at the local level to put the fire out. Watch for the pope to take a negative stand against the charismatic movement within the Catholic Church. The honeymoon is about over. Catholic magazines will soon begin to speak out against the movement within its ranks and call for a purging. It will begin as a very slow trend but will gather quick momentum until all Catholics in this movement will eventually face real persecution from within their own church. The charismatic movement within the Catholic Church will become so powerful and widespread it will appear to some leaders as a threat to those who don’t understand what it means. I see more than 500,000 involved in the Catholic charismatic movement within a short time, and those not in the movement will be accused of lacking social concern and being too oblivious to the traditions of the church. They’ll be accused of turning away from the Virgin Mary and negating the authority of the pope. Every charismatic Catholic who boasts about a baptism in the Holy Ghost, prepare for persecution. It’s not going to happen overnight, but most assuredly the day is coming when every single Catholic who’s experienced the spiritual awakening will have to understand where his loyalties are. Some will be forced to return to tradition, allowing the experience to be frozen. Many others, however, will soon discover that they have more Christian love, fellowship, and spiritual rapport with other Spirit-filled Protestants and Catholics who have now centered their lives around the person of Jesus Christ, the fullness of the Holy Ghost, and his soon return. Many will not believe me, but I see the day when Catholics, Lutherans, and many others of all denominations are going to have to come out from among them. These new Christians will not call themselves Protestant or Catholic but simply renewed Christians. Their fellowship will not be based on the experience of speaking with tongues but will be centered on the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. That is our fellowship.
Media Persecution
Media Struggle
I see a persecution through media struggle. There’s at present tremendous freedom for preaching the gospel on radio and television. Never have the doors been more open to minister Christ in the media. Christians even own and operate their own radio and TV stations. They’re at liberty to pray for the sick, raise money, and promote the gospel in any way they see fit. But watch out—persecution and harassment are already beginning. There’s a sound of change in the air. Christ-centered radio and TV programming will become the target of satanic forces determined to force every one of them off the airwaves. Already there’s a behind-the-scenes movement to establish a kind of rating system for all religious radio and TV programming, and the liberal leaders of this super church council will soon attempt to establish a kind of screening board and force themselves on the FCC as the final authority on all paid and sustaining religion on the media. They want no program to be aired without their approval. The doors that are now wide open are slowly but surely going to close. Christian radio and TV stations should begin to expect persecution and harassment. Atheistic and Antichrist forces are even now preparing litigation against certain religious stations. I see Satan trying to bog down these programs and stations in red tape, legal proceedings, and tax problems. Satan will use every tactic at his disposal to remove all Christ-centered programs from the media. The message I have for all of you who minister in the media is this from the Holy Spirit: Work while it is yet day, for the night cometh where no man can work. And that’s a message for the media.
Persecution from Hollywood
Watch for Hollywood to step up its attack against true religion with more expose-type films. The film “Marjoe” was the most brazen attempt by the devil to put down and ridicule all religion having to do with the blood of Jesus Christ. Never in American history was it done before. Revivalists and Evangelical ministers are going to be stereotyped as Elmer Gantrys, charlatans, cheats, money-mad comedians. More and more movie makers are going to attempt to debunk our morals. Gospel-preaching churches and ministers are going to come under special attack while at the same time the occult and witchcraft will be glorified and sensationalized.
Persecution from Television Comedies
TV comedy shows, the Holy Spirit has shown me, will become bolder and bolder and will poke fun at Christ and all true Christians. Comedy writers are going to strike God blow after blow, designed to put down sacred traditions. Eventually these shows will be punctuated with four-letter words and anything will go on television. Television programmers will become absolutely blasphemous, and many millions of unbelievers will sit in front of their TV sets laughing and mocking as subjects once considered sacred are undermined, mocked, and ridiculed. Last night on the “Today” show it was brought home so vividly as impressionist David Fry maliciously mocked Billy Graham as a money-raiser and a money-grabber. It made my blood boil. Marjoe sat there knocking Oral Roberts and Billy Graham, and it came home to me so hard. David, this is just the beginning. Talk shows everywhere, movies, theaters debunking Christ and his blood and glorifying the devil.
Persecution through Taxation of Churches
And you listen to me: There’s coming an attempt to tax churches and church-related organizations. These atheistic forces, with the help of the Civil Liberties Union, are going to push this matter to the Supreme Court. They’re going to have a temporary setback, but it’s not going to stop them from pressing for congressional action. A legal setback in the courts will not stop it. In spite of court decisions, we are eventually going to have taxation of our churches. I see it coming as an insignificant, very small kind of property tax, but it’s soon going to burgeon into a monster-sized tax that will push some independent churches and missionary societies to the brink of bankruptcy. The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) one day, I see, becoming one of the most powerful weapons against the Church of Jesus Christ. It would then be possible for government agencies to maintain a stranglehold on churches, and government agencies even now are delving into the private books of almost every nonprofit religious organization in America, including ours. Right now, every color is going to be political harassment, red tape, acute financial problems, federal and state aid going to come with more and more strings attached to it.
Education and Student Movements
Christian Education Institutions
Secondly, an almost unexplainable student mood: apathy, unrest, and disrespect for leadership. Thirdly, you can expect the faculty to be infiltrated by teachers and professors who become the unwitting tools in the hand of Satan to undermine the foundations of faith and leadership. Satan is going to attempt to wrest the leadership of these schools and institutions out of the hands of true men of God and place them in the hand of compromising liberals who will not attempt to check the movement toward agnosticism. The leadership of Christian educational institutions had better prepare themselves for difficult times financially and spiritually.
Jesus Revolution
Next, the Jesus Revolution is going to go sour. The Jesus Revolution will become a Jesus revulsion movement. Oh, hear me, my friends. I have never in my life ministered with more of the unction of the Holy Spirit, have never felt more divinely called to speak his word than I do here and now. The Spirit of God is upon me, and I prophesy now, and hear it: The Jesus Revolution among young people will stagnate and undisciplined followers are going to return to their drugs, their free sex, and their old ways of life. Persecution is coming to separate the sheep from the goats, and only totally surrendered disciples will be left standing when the fog clears. The time is soon coming when it will no longer be popular to be a Jesus person. The Jesus songs will not be on the hit parade. His name will no longer be a commercial asset to Broadway or Hollywood. The world that once used the name of Jesus so promiscuously is going to turn on him and put him down. I see a replay of the first recorded Jesus movement in history. Remember when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey to the hails and hosannas and the praises of thousands that were caught up in this Jesus movement? Young people ripped branches from palm trees and spread their jackets on the ground so a little donkey could walk over. They cried, “Jesus, Jesus, hosanna, our King is coming!” But that first Jesus movement soon went sour. Very short time later, that same Jesus stood before that same angry crowd, and now they were screaming, “Crucify him, away with him!” The same crowd turned against him. The modern Jesus movement has had its crowds and its excitement. They sang the praises of Jesus, and Jesus was really in. But look what’s happening now: The joy poppers are going back to drugs, and a Jesus revulsion movement is now springing up as a result of the dual practices of young people in our schools. Young devil worshippers have started nuclei of hate Christ clubs in our schools already. Hate Christ clubs, whose chief aim is to harass Jesus people and refute the claims of Jesus Christ.
Persecution of Jesus People
Oh, but friends, out of this Jesus movement is coming a hard core of Jesus people who have completely given over their old ways of life. They’ve forsaken their old habits and committed their lives to the service of Jesus Christ. My message to you Jesus people today is loud and clear: Get ready to be persecuted. Prepare to face these hate Christ clubs in your schools. In many places, Christian young people who take an open stand for Christ will be verbally stoned by those their own age. This revulsion movement against Christ is going to be personally directed by the devil himself and carried out by those who are committed to his worship. Jesus people are going to be not only considered freaks, they’re going to be called all manner of names. They’re going to be spat upon in the corridors of high schools and college campuses. The day will come when Bibles will be plucked from their arms and ripped apart by a laughing crowd of mockers. The harassment is going to eventually become so violent and widespread that Christian young people will either harden themselves like steel and stand up and witness against it or crumble before it and deny their faith. And this is what persecution is all about.
Spiritual Awakening Behind the Iron and Bamboo Curtains
I see coming also a spiritual awakening behind the iron and bamboo curtains. While the free nations are experiencing this wave of persecution, the iron and bamboo curtain countries will experience a short period of spiritual awakening. Those who have lived under terrible religious persecution are going to enjoy a limited time of freedom. God’s Holy Spirit is going to split the iron and bamboo curtains, and he’s going to seek out and find hungry hearts in Russia and China and Eastern Europe. No doubt about it, God’s promise to pour out his Spirit upon all flesh did not exclude these nations. God is bringing to pass a temporary truce between East and West for the express purpose of getting the gospel into these communist countries. Japanese and Korean Christians will be used of God to reach thousands in China. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in West Germany is to reach through to East Germany. The outpouring that’s taking place in Finland now is destined to spread through Northern Russia—a tremendous move of the Holy Spirit. Ironically, while the doors have begun to close on this side of the curtain, the doors will open on the other. After a short period of freedom and spiritual awakening, the doors will suddenly close, and those nations will be cast into horrible persecution.
The Gossip War
Finally, one of the most important of all, and this comes down close to every pastor and every Christian in this building: I see already started now many of these things I’ve talked about tonight are mountain peaks that I’ve seen. I do believe that they will all be fulfilled in this generation—not all at the same time. Some of these things are beginning to happen even now. But one thing that is already a reality, and I see it clearly: I see a gossip war. I know now that Satan has declared war on every true minister of Jesus Christ. He’s going to leave no stone unturned in his attempt to discredit and shipwreck every man of God who’s determined to stay true. Those ministers and priests who refuse to cheat on their wives, who refuse to indulge in the freedom of the new morality—they’re going to be the target of the most vicious, malicious gossip of all times. The devil’s going to raise up gossip mongers to harass and malign and lie against you. I believe that Billy Graham and other great gospel ministers throughout the world are going to face more and more ridicule, gossip, and misunderstanding by the press and by liberal people in the media. Every motive is going to be questioned, every statement is going to be examined and cross-examined. They’re going to be mocked and maligned by comedians on television, and ministers who once thought they had no enemies in the world will one day wake up to find out that someone’s talking about them. They won’t understand where it comes from. Pastors of churches especially are going to face the most malicious gossip of all. There will be innuendos, lies, false statements that will float around that come from the very pits of hell. It will be a supernatural demonstration of demonic power. There will not be a single true minister of the gospel immune. The wives, hear me now, the wives of those ministers who are married are also going to come under the attack of malicious gossip. Legions of lying spirits have been turned loose upon the world with the single purpose of accusing Christians through gossip and slander to rob them of their victory and faith and trust in Jesus Christ. This gossip war will not only be waged against ministers but against every true spiritual believer of Jesus Christ. Even the teenagers are going to see what it’s like to face malicious gossip.
Final Words from the Lord
And now I come to my final words from the Lord. You have no idea, you could not begin to know the battle I’ve had to stand here and say what I’ve said tonight. I’ve had the enemy tell me, “Everybody will call you a fanatic. Why risk 15 years of a certified ministry where people respect you and stand out like a fool?” But friends, I can’t stand here tonight honestly and just tickle your ears. The ends of the world have come upon us, and I’ve always been a positive preacher. I’ve never preached much about judgment, but my friend, you can’t talk about the coming of Jesus Christ until you open your eyes and see that all that’s happening around us now. The Lord is saying, “Look up when you see these things begin to happen and rejoice because your redemption draws nigh.”
When I received this vision of calamities, it so frightened me and so transfixed me before God. He’s kept me up night after night, again last night in the middle of the night. I asked the Lord about all these things: “How are we going to do all that we’re supposed to do when so many are forsaking you, and people are going into hiding, and they’re afraid the ship is sinking? What do we do, Lord? Do we abdicate? Do we turn this whole world over to the devil and just let him have his way? Do we pay off all our bills and stash away a couple of reserves in the bank, buy a little farm, and escape and try to ride out the storm hoping a better day will come? Do we just give up? How can you look at all the tornadoes and the weather forecasts, and how can you see all the calamities that every prophet of God has predicted? How can the Christian remain sane? How can he keep his fortitude? How can he be objective? How can he be rational in an age that’s falling apart? Lord, where do we stand now?”
Dear friend, you’ve got to hear what the Holy Spirit said to me—just five little words but so powerful they awakened in me a glorious new hope and faith, and I woke up shouting. Those five little words that blazed in my heart were these: “God has everything under control.”
Assurance in God’s Control
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! This is what I got: All of nature is under control. We hear of earthquakes, famines, pestilence, hail storms, killer heat waves, floods, drastic weather changes breaking all past records. It looks like nature’s out of control, but God’s word has clearly predicted it would happen. The wrath of God is to be outpoured on this earth through an unleashed fury of nature because God is warning mankind that judgment is coming. These are labor pains, and the closer we get to the birth of his kingdom, the more frequent and intense they will get until the birth of the kingdom of God.
It was God who told Job that he shut up the sea with doors. The sea can’t cross the door. He set bars and doors to stay the proud waves. God said he took hold of the end of the earth that the wicked might be shaken out of it. He reserved the treasures of hail and snow against the day of battle. He’s divided the watercourses for the overflow of the waters—that’s the flood. He set the domain of the earth and the ordinances of the heaven. He sends forth lightnings and he scatters the wind upon the earth. Who does it? God does it. Child of God, in these days to come, the Holy Spirit would say to you, don’t fear the fury of nature. God is still king of the flood, and you look upon those floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes and say to yourself, “That’s my God talking. He’s calling, he’s chastising, and he’s saying, ‘Get ready.'”
Control Over the Devil
Even the devil is under his control. As with Job, God may permit him to touch every material, physical thing around you, but you hear it: Satan cannot possess you or rob you of your faith in God. The devil’s power is limited. The Bible said even a baby Christian can put him to flight simply by resisting him through the word and the blood. The Bible said, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Does that sound like defeat? Does that suggest a victorious devil? Never. God has everything under control, and we’re under his control, so we are not afraid of the devil. It is the fear of the Lord that’s the beginning of wisdom. God’s message is this: “I have not given you the spirit of fear, but of love and power and a sound mind.”
Everything Under His Control
You and I and everything that touches us is now under his control. No matter how things look in this drunken world, all things are still working together for good to everyone who loves God and is called according to his purpose. All right, let the dollar fail, let the depression or recession come, let there be unemployment and pollution and inflation and wars and rumors of war. Let the fabric of society disintegrate. For the true child of God, everything is under control. It doesn’t matter—nothing can harm you. He said, “Look up and rejoice and be happy.”
The Future is Under His Control
And in closing, the future is under his control. God has everything pre-programmed. He knows the exact moment that Christ will return. The final tribulation, the judgments, the battle of Armageddon are all on his calendar, and he’s blocking them off one at a time. The God who controls all of heaven and earth says to us, Christian, spirit-filled, the nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as small dust in my balance. The nations of the world are just a drop in a bucket. All nations are as nothing before me; they are less than nothing. Don’t worry about worldly powers—I’ve got it all programmed. God is still counting the hairs on our heads. He’s still counting the sparrows that fall. He’s still hearing petitions before they’re asked. He’s still answering before being called. He’s giving abundantly more now than we could ever ask or think. So, saints of God, wake up. He’s still saving and healing and baptizing and getting his house in order. To fear is to blaspheme. Now you can go home tonight and go to sleep and say to your heart, “God has everything under control.”
A Final Vision and Call
Hallelujah. No clapping, please. I finished my vision. The Bible said, “In the last days, your young men shall see visions, they shall prophesy.” You’ve heard a vision. Some of you read the first one in my book, and I really don’t care what anybody thinks of me tonight. I’m fully convinced that what I’ve seen is true. But if even just a part of it is true, then we’re right there at that last moment of time. Some of you aren’t ready for persecution. You can’t even run with the horsemen. What are you going to do when the flood comes? You know what it’s going to be when we stand before God—not so much that there are so many sinners, just so many strangers bogged down by a love of pleasure. God’s not against your campers, your surfboard, your nice clothes, but he is against you having all these things and not enough time for him. You can sit and watch television, come here and clap your hands, and sing about the good things of God. You can sit here and share a wonderful time together, but friends, it better dawn on you soon—the ends of the world are upon us. This is the hour we’ve all preached about. If you’re truly Spirit-filled, if the spirit of Christ that bears witness with you right now, what I’m saying strikes a chord in your heart. I look at some of you dear gray-haired folks and some of you preachers here with white hair. You’ve been preaching this for years, and I think this is the most exciting time in the world to watch the last generation unfold. We are the last Christians, and it’s the most exciting thing to see all that we’ve heard and read over the centuries coming to pass right before our eyes. And some of you still sit there not knowing what’s happening. Friend, Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming, and he’s getting his house in order.
A Call to Young People
Hallelujah. Now, no begging, no pleading. I already don’t know what the Lord has prepared for us at this moment, but I do know I have felt led of the Holy Spirit to have every young person 21 and under to stand right now. Quietly, please stand on your feet. Please open these drapes. Come on, young people, look me right in the eye. I’ve got only one minute and one gift, and that’s to young people—the gift of faith to believe God to touch your heart. I told you that the number one youth problem coming to America is hatred and bitterness toward parents. A man’s enemies will be those of his own house. The children will betray their parents, and some of you are able to sing and shout and even talk in tongues, but you don’t clean your room. You hassle your parents, and you have hatred and bitterness right now. That makes you a phony. You’re one of those 95% Christians. You’ve given 95% for Jesus, but you’ve held back this 5%. You can’t even handle that, and I don’t believe you should get just an emotional joy pop. There comes a time when you can sing and shout and praise the Lord, but there comes a time when you’ve got to see how apocalyptic this age is. And you say, “I want to be ready for persecution. I want to be so in love with Jesus that this persecution that’s coming will only drive me closer and closer to him. It’ll rob you or it’ll touch you—drive you closer to him or further from him. And I tell you, things better be right in your home. Things had better be right between you and your dad and mom. If you stand here right now having a root of bitterness toward your dad and mom, my Bible said that’ll spring up and choke you. Isn’t it a shame that you would be persecuting your parents in an hour we’re talking of persecution? You’d be guilty of persecuting your parents because you say they don’t understand you.
This is the ministry the Lord’s laid on my heart lately because with all of that talk about persecution coming in our homes, the Lord has also said he would send forth the spirit of Elijah. He would also restore the hearts of the children to their parents, the parents to the children. There’ll be a coming together of those who are sincerely asking and seeking. Here’s what I want you to do: We’re going to just acapella with no music. We’re going to sing that beautiful chorus, “Oh, How I Love Jesus.” And as we love him, I want to give you an invitation to step out of this crowd, come right up on stage. You say, “David, this message touched me, and I’ve been a phony. I’ve been a 95-percenter. There had been a root of bitterness in my heart toward my dad or mom, and I want it out tonight. I want to be a 100% Christian, and I want to be ready no matter what the hour’s like. I want to face the coming of Jesus with godly assurance in my heart.” I want you, while we’re singing this after I pray, to just step out of the crowd and come right up these steps and stand behind me, facing me. I’m going to ask God for a miracle tonight in this place. I’m going to ask God to raise up firebrands and put something in your heart so aflame and so bright no demon or devil in hell can touch it.
Heavenly Father, we sat under your voice, your word tonight. Your Holy Spirit is calling and working and moving. Lord, there are dozens and dozens of young people standing here right now. They’re not ready for that hour of persecution. They’d crumble under it, Lord, because they’ve been following you afar off. They’ve been phonies, just 95-percenters, maybe 70%, but there’s been a percentage that’s not been yielded. And Lord, you said you want it all or nothing. No more games, no more phoniness. Oh, God, an hour of decision and of not just decisions but disciples tonight. Holy Spirit, call dozens of young people to take this walk tonight and say, “I step out of this crowd to say, ‘Jesus, here I am. Consume me. Take out the roots of bitterness and anger and rebellion. Set me on fire.'”