“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens,
his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”
(Acts 17:16)
“That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as
from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”
II Thessalonians 2:2
his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”
(Acts 17:16)
“That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as
from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”
II Thessalonians 2:2
When the Apostle Paul entered Athens, he assessed that the city was a cesspool of idolatry. There were idols to every god imaginable. Paul’s spirit was grieved, irritated and exasperated to the point of righteous indignation. He did not just turn and leave the city, but what he saw moved him to action. Idolatry was the very thing that God punished Israel for over and over again. Being stirred in his spirit, he went to the synagogue and began to preach Jesus. It is here the Apostle Paul delivered his famous speech about the identity of "the Unknown God” whom they ignorantly worshiped.
Our day is no different from then. Idolatry is widespread throughout our nation. Although we may not bow down to little statues, we see idolatry throughout the world. Idolatry can be defined as the worship or reverence given to any created object or person other than the true and living God.
What should be the response of the born again believer in these evil, perilous times? Paul, in II Thessalonians encouraged the church not to be agitated or shaken by false prophets and teachers who taught against the Day of the Lord. Paul exhorted them to keep their focus and not be agitated or disturbed in their minds even in the midst of people falling away from the faith and the anti-christ exalting himself above “all that is called God” (II Thessalonians 2:4). He admonished them to stand firm and not waver from the faith. He also encouraged them rather to pray that the word of the Lord have “free course and be glorified” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). Paul warns of the ‘great falling away’ because of the spirit of deception and the lying spirit.
In these last days, we must awake and be cognizant of what is transpiring in our world. We cannot allow the evil and wickedness to cause us to fall away from the faith or be disheartened. But, rather like the Apostle Paul, we should be stirred in our spirit to action. We must be active in prayer and intercession and sharing the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not the hour to be complacent, passive, lukewarm and neutral. We must be steadfast and unwavering even in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Do not allow yourself to be shaken by the headlines. These things must be to fulfill the scripture. Rather be stirred to action.
Our day is no different from then. Idolatry is widespread throughout our nation. Although we may not bow down to little statues, we see idolatry throughout the world. Idolatry can be defined as the worship or reverence given to any created object or person other than the true and living God.
What should be the response of the born again believer in these evil, perilous times? Paul, in II Thessalonians encouraged the church not to be agitated or shaken by false prophets and teachers who taught against the Day of the Lord. Paul exhorted them to keep their focus and not be agitated or disturbed in their minds even in the midst of people falling away from the faith and the anti-christ exalting himself above “all that is called God” (II Thessalonians 2:4). He admonished them to stand firm and not waver from the faith. He also encouraged them rather to pray that the word of the Lord have “free course and be glorified” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). Paul warns of the ‘great falling away’ because of the spirit of deception and the lying spirit.
In these last days, we must awake and be cognizant of what is transpiring in our world. We cannot allow the evil and wickedness to cause us to fall away from the faith or be disheartened. But, rather like the Apostle Paul, we should be stirred in our spirit to action. We must be active in prayer and intercession and sharing the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not the hour to be complacent, passive, lukewarm and neutral. We must be steadfast and unwavering even in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Do not allow yourself to be shaken by the headlines. These things must be to fulfill the scripture. Rather be stirred to action.
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