In part 5 of 5 of our interview with One Voice Magazine, we conclude “Why Should Israel Matter to Me?” with the a pressing issue on the minds of so many Christians today, how should we individually prepare for what is coming? You can find the original post here: https://onevoicemagazine.com/why-should-israel-matter-to-me-part-5-of-5/
Why Should Israel Matter to Me? (Part 5 of 5) HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS INDIVIDUALLY PREPARE FOR THE END TIMES? An Interview with Christopher Mantei by Nicole Gusto
It’s been an exciting series on Israel, the Church, and the End Times. Last week, we discussed the supernatural origins of Anti-Semitism and the growth of the Gospel in Israel with Pastor Christopher Mantei, author of Flee to the Mountains: The Church’s Responsibility to Israel in the Final 7 Years of The Age. In today’s post, we will talk about how Christians must individually prepare for the Last Days.
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To me, it boils down to 2 things:
1) You need to prepare spiritually. Make your spiritual preparations. Number one, first and foremost: prepare yourself in a way that you will never deny Christ. Never deny Jesus. No matter what. That’s what really matters.
Everything else is temporary. We’re not supposed to think [worry] about what we’re going to wear or eat. If it comes down to Jesus or your food for the day, it should be an easy answer for you.
But the pressure during the tribulation hour is going to be so profound—especially in the areas around Israel. It’s going to be incredibly difficult to be a Christian in the Last Days.
You must decide beforehand that you’re going to stand; that you’re going to stay with Jesus no matter what. You will never deny Him, no matter what happens to you or even your family—whether they’re against you or are threatened because of your faith.
Medicine, food, shelter? Prepare to lose comfort. Prepare spiritually to never deny the Lord. Grow in intimacy with Him. No matter how bad it gets, suffering will always be temporary (2 Corinthians 4:17). You’re never going to regret staying with the Lord.
2) You need to prepare Scripturally.
Be Scriptural in your preparations. For example, the Bible provides details of what is coming and what our responsibilities as believers will be. And as we’ve previously discussed, one of our responsibilities is to provide a place for the fleeing Israeli people in the mountains. (Revelation 12:6, et al.)
We have very specific information from the Bible, so we must stick with what Scripture does say. Don’t rely on what it doesn’t say.
Stand on that. You’re specifically warned by the Lord many times. Watch and don’t be deceived.
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5).
And He tells us to never deny Him.
So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10: 32 – 33).
On Judgment Day, Jesus will ask, “What did you do to me—to my people? When they were in need, when they needed food, clothing, and shelter— what did you do? (Matthew 25:35-40)
When the end comes, I would rather be sure that Jesus would tell me, “Well, done, my good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21). You did exactly what I told you to do. You followed exactly what I wrote. You paid attention.”
Dig into the Word. Stay on mission. Stay on point. Stay Scriptural. And you can’t go wrong because the Holy Spirit will help you! He will reveal the details. He is going to make sure you’re equipped! (John 16:13)
Without the LORD, without the Holy Spirit, our endeavors in the Last Days will fail.
Prepare by being in a conscious, daily communion with Him. Prepare spiritually. Prepare Scripturally. The Lord will help us.
Is there anything else you want to say to our readers about your book?
I would like church and ministry leaders to be reading this.
It’s time to revisit all of these Scriptural messages because it’s not going to be easy the farther we go into the Last Days. Personally, I believe that the closer we get to the return of the Lord, the harder it will be to get on board with His plan.
We must seize the opportunity now to prepare for it and to sync our plans with His.
He’s the God of the last second shot. He waits till the very last millisecond; that none should perish so that all could come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
Thank God that He’s like that.
But we are also responsible. It’s good to have all this information about the End Times, but God has also put it in His Word that we should be active.
We shouldn’t only be hearers of the Word, but doers of it (James 1:22-25). And that takes maturity.
So I’d hope for church leaders in particular to think about this. I hope my book can be like the first shot across the bow of a much larger effort in the conversations that must take place, even in the church.
I am humbled and honored to do it.
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To purchase his book, Flee to The Mountains: The Church’s Responsibility to Israel in the Final 7 Years of The Age, check out Christopher Mantei’s website at Wings of The Eagle.