Even in the worst disasters such as the fiery destruction of Lahaina, Maui in Hawaii, the God of the Bible (Yehovah Elohim) raises up his humble and often unlikely servants to be his spiritual light and to offer hope to those caught in the middle of horrific tragedies. Elohim is always there if you just open your eyes and will see him. Yes, we may lose everything in fires, floods, winds, wars and the like, but Yeshua (Jesus) is always there, and no one can take that away from us, and our faith in him does make a huge difference in this life and in the next life!
How many of you actually share the gospel with others on a regular basis? This is not a popular topic, even though Yeshua/Jesus commanded us to do so in the Great Commission. Why are you afraid to point others to the gospel? You are missing out on one of the greatest blessings in life, when you share Yeshua with others. How is this? In this video, Nathan shares how to overcome the fear of being a “fool” for Yeshua, so that you can become a river of life blessing to those around you and receive heaven’s blessings on your own life as well.
The Spirit of Antichrist Is Rising Up and Taking Over
Can’t you see it? Can you hear it? The dust clouds and the sound of marching feet from Satan’s foot soldiers who are driven by the spirit of Antichrist intent of conquering the earth. These determined warriors are on a murderous warpath and in the crosshairs of their weapons of mass destruction are the saints of the Most High Elohim. What are the saints supposed to do about this?
The pounding of jackboots of Satan’s fascistic thugs can be heard everywhere as they advance relentless across the face of the earth. They have a thousand faces and numerous front organizations carrying their banner and supporting their nefarious cause. In their wake is death, darkness and the destruction of everything that is good, honorable, decent and righteous: the family, marriage, godliness, law and order, civility, honor and respect for others, love of truth, and the fear of Elohim and his ways. Usurping its place is atheism, secularism, leftism, deprivation of civil liberties, extreme hedonism, lawlessness, licentiousness, anarchy, chaos and death. The driving force behind it all is a rabid hatred of Elohim, Yeshua the Messiah, the Bible and anyone who is remotely associated with these. And no surprise. Yeshua and his apostles prophesied that this would occur in the last days just prior to his return. We can read these prophecies in Matthew chapter 24, the book of Revelation, in John’s first epistle and elsewhere. Moreover, these satanic armies are empowered and financed by the most powerful and seemingly unstoppable forces that control this planet. So is there anything that the true followers of Yeshua can do about this? If so, what should our response be?
In the Face of Evil and Death, What Did the Biblical Saints Do?
The Bible is full of stories of YHVH’s people facing overwhelming odds in the face of their enemies. For example, think of the Israelites against the Pharaoh and his armies, or confronting the Canaanites guarding the Promised Land, or Gideon against the Midianites, Samson against the Philistines, David against Goliath and the list goes on. But let’s be honest. To most of us, the biblical record of the valiant heroism and victories of YHVH’s saints over their enemies are nothing more than wonderful stories from dim antiquity and have little or no relevance to us today in our present situation. However, if we scroll forward in history closer to our time, we might find some biblical scenarios that are more analogous to the times in which we are now living. For example, in the book of Acts, when the Jewish murderers of Yeshua were on a rampage against the disciples of Yeshua, what was the saints’ response? Run and hide cowering in a corner? No. We read,
Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Yeshua.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of Elohim with boldness. (Acts 4:29—31)
Their prayerful plea to heaven wasn’t, “O Lord protect us from our enemies.” Rather, it was, “O Lord, grant us boldness to preach the gospel with signs and wonders following as Yeshua commanded us to do in Mark 16:15–18 and Matthew 28:19–20.”
The “Foolishness” of Preaching the Gospel
Preaching the gospel seems like a bizarre and foolish if not an insane response to those who are intent on depriving us of our God-given or “inalienable rights… [of] life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” to quote the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America. This is because:
[T]he natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of Elohim, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:14)
It is also because the ways of Elohim are not the ways of men.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says YHVH. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa 55:8–9)
And as Paul stated,
Because the foolishness of Elohim is wiser than men, and the weakness of Elohim is stronger than men. (1 Cor 1:25)
For YHVH has chosen the “foolish” method (in the eyes of the world) of gospel preaching to advance his kingdom and to confuse the world.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of Elohim. For it is written: “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND BRING TO NOTHING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRUDENT.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not Elohim made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of Elohim, the world through wisdom did not know Elohim, it pleased Elohim through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. (1 Cor 1:18–21)
Moreover, not only has YHVH chosen the seemingly “foolish” method of preaching the gospel to expose the genuine foolishness of this world’s “wisdom,” but he has chosen the “foolish” people (in the world’s eyes) to do the preaching.
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But Elohim has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and Elohim has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised Elohim has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. (1 Cor 1:26–29)
Are You Willing to Be a “Fool” for Yeshua Like Paul?
So are you willing to be a “fool” for Yeshua? Paul, the great apostle who help to turn the world upside down for Yeshua the Messiah (Acts 17:6), considered this label to be a compliment.
We are fools for the Messiah’s sake, but you are wise in the Messiah! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! (1 Cor 4:10)
One verse earlier, Paul declared that in preaching the gospel “we have been made a spectacle [literally, a public spectacle as in a theatrical performance] to the world, both to angels and to men” (1 Cor 4:9).
This is a pretty heavy duty thing for most people to consider doing. You may be thinking,“What will people think if I become a fool for Yeshua like Paul?” Or, “I’m not cut out for this. This isn’t my calling.” Or, “I don’t have the personality for preaching the gospel to others.” Well, frankly, there’s no end to the excuses that people can invent NOT to do what Yeshua has called and commissioned his disciples to do! Go ahead and rip that page out of your Bible and ignore Yeshua’s command to “Go ye therefore into all the world and preach the gospel.” If you do, you do NOT have a Holy Bible, but a Holey Bible, the Swiss Cheese Version—one with holes in it with pages that you have ripped out of it. Moreover, what did Yeshua say? “If you [really] love me, keep my commandments…He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:15, 21). One of his commandments was to preach the gospel to the whole world. The whole world starts just outside your doorstep…
How to Overcome the Evil One
Some of you will stop reading right here, and that’s your choice to dismiss truth that challenges you out of our disobedient and lukewarm complacency. You might be saying, “He has gone too far this time.” Well, your argument is not with me but with the Word of YHVH Elohim and Yeshua the Messiah. He may be your Savior, but his he your Lord and Master? Are you doing what he told you to do, or only those things that suit YOUR fancy? For those of you who are serious about your spiritual walk and about serving Yeshua your Master who bought and paid for you with his blood, read on. Remember, we are discussing how to confront the spirit of this age—the demonic spirit of Antichrist that is sweeping relentlessly across the globe a tsunami. What are you going to do about it? Cower in the corner or run and hide, or occupy until Yeshua until he comes not living your life unto death? Or are you going to confront this evil spirit with the most powerful and life-changing weapon that has the full force and power of the Most High Elohim, the sovereign and all powerful Creator and Ruler of the universe behind it? This is what John wrote of those end time saints who deigned to stand up against Satan and his henchmen:
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our Elohim, and the power of His Messiah have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our Elohim day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Rev 12:9–11, emphasis added)
A major aspect of overcoming the evil one and his minions in the last days involves “the word of our testimony.” A word is something that is spoken to others and involves sharing the gospel message with others including your personal testimony of what Yeshua has done for you. This may mean that you have to put yourself out there past your comfort zone and even do what doesn’t come naturally to you. In this regard, what has YHVH promised to do for those who step out in faith and obedience trusting him as they share the gospel with others?
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. (Ps 81:10)
Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of Elohim. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of Elohim.…Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. (Luke 12:8–9, 11–12)
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me. (1 Cor 12:9)
“This is the word of YHVH to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says YHVH of hosts.…For who has despised the day of small things? (Zech 4:6, 10)
Acts 17:6, Turned the world upside down. Can it be said of us that we have turned the world around us upside down for Yeshua with the message of the gospel? Has the reputation that we are “Bible thumpers” and “Jesus freaks” preceded us as it did these saints in the book of Acts? Are we, as they were, persecuted and badly treated because of the witness of our faith?
Acts 17:11, Searched the Scriptures daily. Let us not forget that the only Scriptures the saints at this time was the Tanakh or Old Testament, which, in itself, contains the entire gospel message and all that humans need for salvation. The Testimony of Yeshua or New Testament is simply “frosting on the cake” in that it merely confirms the Truth of the Tanakh and is the only divinely inspired commentary on the Tankah.
Acts 17:17, Reasoned [discussed or disputed]…in the marketplace. What is our modern market place? With whom in the public arena are we discussing the gospel on a regular basis? Are we being lights on a hill and being salt and light to the world as Yeshua instructed? Let’s be honest. There is always room for improvement in our fulfilling Yeshua’s command, known as the great commission, to go ye therefore into all the world and to preach the gospel.
Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. The missionary minded saints of Athens placed themselves in the marketplace of ideas where they reasoned or disputed with the proponents of the leading philosophies of the day including Epicureanism and Stoicism. By that day, belief of divine influence (i.e. god and goddess worship) was waning and humanistic philosophies involving individualistic paths of spirituality were the fad of the day that were replacing organized religion and the superstitious belief systems that accompanied religious systems. This is not unlike our day where church attendance is down and people are seeking spiritual alternatives to fill the void that irreligious lifestyles and secular mindsets leaves in their wake. The saints’ response to this religious confusion in society was to preach the gospel and to reason with those who were lost and confused.
In light of this present societal condition, what is the evangelistically mind saint supposed to do?
Before answering this question, an issue first needs to be discussed. A problem exists in our day that did not exist in the days of the first century believers. The secular Greeks had never heard the gospel message before, and so it was a new and potentially exciting philosophy. We, now, are confronted with the reality that most people have heard of Christianity, about the Christian church and know something about the gospel, even though it may only be a sparse tidbit of information or some twisted caricature of the truth. Nevertheless, most people, based on this scanty or misguided perception, have chosen to reject the message of Yeshua the Messiah, and so preaching the gospel to those who have wilfully closed and hardened their hearts and minds to the good news provides a challenge to those seeking to fulfill the great commission of Yeshua to preach the gospel to the world.
Upon closer look, the philosophies of ancient Greece are not all that dissimilar than many of the prevailing and popular spiritual and philosophical paths that people are following in our day. For example, Epicureanism was a philosophy that sought to enjoy this physical life to the fullest without going to extremes. It championed the idea of self-fulfillment and trying to be a basically good person, while, at the same time, indulging the physical senses and satiating the basic pleasures of the flesh. Does that not sound like a lot of people we know who try to live a good life while having fun and refusing to be constrained by the strict and rather archaic values and morals of the Bible? Its chief competitor was Stoicism, which can be summed up as rolling with the punches while trying to be a good person. Let’s look at these philosophies a little closer and then compare them with what we see going on around us today.
“Epicureanism is a system of philosophy founded around 307 BC based upon the teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus. Epicureanism was originally a challenge to Platonism. Later its main opponent became Stoicism… Epicurus was an atomic materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. His materialism led him to a general attack on superstition and divine intervention. Following the Cyrenaic philosopher Aristippus, Epicurus believed that the greatest good was to seek modest, sustainable pleasure in the form of a state of ataraxia (tranquility and freedom from fear) and aponia (the absence of bodily pain) through knowledge of the workings of the world and limiting desires. Correspondingly, Epicurus and his followers generally withdrew from politics because it could lead to frustrations and ambitions which can directly conflict with the Epicurean pursuit for peace of mind and virtues…Although Epicureanism is a form of hedonism insofar as it declares pleasure to be its sole intrinsic goal, the concept that the absence of pain and fear constitutes the greatest pleasure, and its advocacy of a simple life, make it very different from “hedonism” as colloquially understood…Epicureanism flourished in the Late Hellenistic era and during the Roman era, and many Epicurean communities were established, such as those in Antiochia, Alexandria, Rhodes, and Herculaneum. By the late 3rd century CE Epicureanism all but died out, being opposed by other philosophies (mainly Neoplatonism)” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicureanism).
The other prevailing Greek philosophy was Stocism. This philosophy is also alive and well in our day, even as Epicreanism is. Defined, “Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BC. It is a philosophy of personal ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world. According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to eudaimonia (happiness, or blessedness) is found in accepting the moment as it presents itself, by not allowing oneself to be controlled by the desire for pleasure or by the fear of pain, by using one’s mind to understand the world and to do one’s part in nature’s plan, and by working together and treating others fairly and justly. The Stoics are especially known for teaching that “virtue is the only good” for human beings, and those external things—such as health, wealth, and pleasure—are not good or bad in themselves (adiaphora), but have value as “material for virtue to act upon”. Alongside Aristotelian ethics, the Stoic tradition forms one of the major founding approaches to virtue ethics. The Stoics also held that certain destructive emotions resulted from errors of judgment, and they believed people should aim to maintain a will (called prohairesis) that is “in accordance with nature”. Because of this, the Stoics thought the best indication of an individual’s philosophy was not what a person said but how a person behaved. To live a good life, one had to understand the rules of the natural order since they thought everything was rooted in nature” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoicism).
As we can see, the influences of Epicureanism and Stoicism are still with us today. Should we be surprised? After all, there is nothing new under the sun!
So now returning to our original question, what is the saint to do in light of the societal trend to abandon the Christian religion, church and biblical values for any one of a number of popularly trending philosophies or admixtures thereof that are bobbing about on the seas of human ideas and vicissitudes? The bottom line is that in reality nothing has changed. Humans are still humans. They are still sin-bent, still have a hunger for spirituality, while at the same time rebelliously disinclined to submit to the instructions and laws of the Creator as found in the Bible. At the same time, Yeshua’s marching orders to his disciples have never changed: preach the gospel message of hope and love, be salt and light to those around us, love one another and those around us by manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, lift up the name of Yeshua and the message of the cross, and be a spiritual seed planter wherever one goes. Let YHVH through his Spirit do the watering and fertilizing of that seed by convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. YHVH will bring in the harvest to his kingdom how and when he wants. It is our job to be our Father’s business and to leave the rest to him.
Acts 17:24–32, Paul’s model for one-on-one evangelism. In Paul’s encounter with the Greek philosophers on Mars Hill, he uses the five step evangelistic approach that Yeshua used as recorded in his encounter with the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17–22). This five-step approach is as follows:
Paul first establishes the character and nature of the one true YHVH Elohim who is the Creator of all things and man should seek him, for man owes all to him (vv. 24–28).
Then Paul shows how the Greeks have not been following the true Elohim, but have been sinning by worshiping false gods (i.e. idolatry), which is a violation of the Torah (v. 29).
Next, Paul further alludes to the Torah by establishing that Elohim’s divine nature or character (which is revealed in the Torah) transcends idols, material possessions or anything else devised by men whether artistic or philosophical in nature (v. 29). These things were the chief false gods of the ancient Greeks, for which Paul was taking them to task.
Paul then tells the Greeks that Elohim is calling men to repentance for ignorantly following man-made idols and philosophies, (which is sin, or Torahlessness, 1 John 3:4) (vv. 30–31).
After this, Paul points the Greeks to Yeshua (vv. 30–31).
From this evangelistic encounter, Paul gained some converts (v. 34).
