Creflo Dollar - The Behavior and Character of the Last Day Society - Part 6
It's the last days, and some people don't recognize it. It's the last days. And you're thinking, "Oh, this is just a... this just, you know, this just our generation doing something". This is the last days. Ain't no generation quite did nothing like this one. These people crazy. They are out of their mind. I don't even know what they saying. I sit down listen to some people talk, I'm thinking like, "What did they just say"? I'm like, "Lord, have mercy". That's a sign of the time. Let's go to the next one. Well, let me show you one more Scripture before we go to the next.
2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 20 through 21. 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 20 through 21. My hats are off to preachers who are now standing up and preaching the gospel, even if somebody leaves their church. But see, see, this is what happen and I know it's what's happening to me. When you spend a year, over a year, preaching to empty chairs, you ain't scared no more of 'em. So you can preach, you know, very comfortably and say everything that you believe God want you to say. And if you don't like it, go drift somewhere else. But I'm not gonna be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I'm not gonna be ashamed of believing what I believe. And I'm gonna believe what I believe, amen? I'm gonna believe it. I ain't gonna change. I'm gonna still do it, I'm gonna be, I betcha I'm gonna be in heaven. I'm going to heaven. Are you sure if you were to die right now?
See, I'm praying that Jesus will hurry up and come, so whatever tomfoolery you're gonna do, you better hurry up and do it, 'cause I'm praying every day, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Come quickly, Lord Jesus". Don't let him catch you in your mess, uh-huh? "There's a storm cloud on the ocean and it's movin' this way. If your soul's not anchored in Jesus, you will surely drift away. Drift away, Lord, drift away. You will surely drift away. If your soul's not anchored in Jesus, you will surely drift away". I ain't drifting nowhere. You need to make sure your soul is anchored in Jesus. That's how they used to say it. "Get anchored in Jesus," amen? "'Anchored in Jesus,' what that"? That means you drifting away, that's what that mean.
Look at 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 20. He says: "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto," what? "Honour," what? "Sanctified, and," what? "Meet for the master's use, and prepared unto," what? "Every good work".
Number nine, the ninth thing that it mentions here, signs of the time: slaves to their desires. You're gonna see a society that has been enslaved to their desires. I found an interesting translation, the Contemporary English Version, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 5. I love the way this reads. He says: "Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God". "Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God". Now I'm telling you, man, the Bible's very clear about not being a slave to anything or any person. The question is not, you know, "Are eating oatmeal cookies wrong"? Hah, the question is, "Are you a slave to a cookie"? See, we've been asking the wrong question. "Is this wrong? Is that right"? No, are you a slave to it? Don't be a slave to anything. 1 Thessalonians 4:5, that's the Contemporary English Version: "Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God".
Now look at 1 Corinthians 6:12-14 in the NLT. 1 Corinthians 6:12-14. You gonna see this. This is a sign of the time, being a slave to their desires. Verse 12 through 14 says: "You say, 'I am allowed to do anything,' you say, 'I'm allowed to do anything', but not everything is good for you. And even though 'I am allowed to do anything,' I must not become a slave to anything. You say, 'Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach was made for food.' (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them,)" wow. "But you can't say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead". Man, I'm not gonna continue to allow this mindset to go on that says it's okay to be a slave to your desires. It's not. Don't be a slave to your desires.
Now look at Titus chapter 2 and 12. Titus chapter 2 and 12. Say out loud, "I will not be a slave to my desires". The Bible, go up to verse 11. Let's start there so we can read this. He says: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men". So the salvation has appeared to all men. "Teaching us", now, salvation has appeared to all men, but the Holy Spirit is only teaching those who are born again. He's not teaching all men; he's only teaching those men who have been saved. And what is he now teaching us? He's teaching us three things. "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts," so the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of grace, will teach you how to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. A lot of times, you try to do it in your own effort. Grace will teach you how to deny ungodliness and grace will teach you how to deny worldly lusts. And he says: "And we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world".
So the grace of God will teach you how to live soberly, the grace of God will teach you how to live righteously, and the grace of God will teach you how to live godly, that's the second thing. But then, look at the third thing, next verse, verse 13. He says: "Looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ". The grace of God is gonna teach you how to live your life every day in expectation of the glorious appearing of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. The grace of God will teach you how to do that. And I've been wondering what's been going on. It's like, "Oh my goodness, I'm"...
You remember I told you, you know, I think it's Brother Oscar's got the telephone that has these trumpets when it rings, "Du-da-da-dah". But he has it on low and I heard it real low again this morning, "Du-da-da-dah". But I heard it. I'm like, "He might be coming". I'm in expectation. Like, I thought the horns would be a little louder than that, but you know. I'm in expectation. I'm looking for that blessed hope. But the grace of God will teach you how to be in earnest expectation of the appearing of God. The grace of God will teach you how to live godly. The grace of God will teach you how to resist ungodliness. It's this grace that will do it. It's not by living the law of Moses, no, it is accepting Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, the spirit of grace now, is gonna teach you those three things: how to live godly, how to resist ungodliness, and how to look for the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, I pray that over your lives right now that the grace of God starts teaching you right now and that you allow him to teach you these things, amen? And then 2 Peter chapter 2:19. 2 Peter chapter 2:19 in the NLT. He says: "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he bought into bondage". Now go to NLT. 2 Peter 2:19. He says: "They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are slaves to whatever controls you". What's controlling you? What have you allowed to control you? You are slaves to whatever controls you. Are you allowing your appetite for certain things to control you? Are you allowing your anger to control you? Are you allowing even your hurt and brokenness to control you? Whatever controls you is what defines whether or not you're a slave or not. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. Don't let it happen.
You know, I figured out one day if I could not have authority over an oatmeal cookie, I'm probably not gonna have authority over a devil. And there's gonna be lots of demons coming out. Some of you have never seen it before. You've never seen it in operation. You will see it. You will see it. I'm gonna take plenty of time to make sure you see it. There are people who are demonically oppressed and they want freedom. The problem is, is that the people who are depressed, or the people who are... let me say it like this: the people who are possessed are comfortable with the company that lives in 'em. You've gotta want freedom. You've gotta want freedom so bad. I never forget I never, I think it was here or maybe overseas, a woman ran up to me and she says, "I have a demon. Please, please help me to be free of this". And because she wanted it so bad, it was a piece of cake. There was weird stuff going on and weird manifestations that happened, and a stench that wouldn't quit, but you should be casting out demons.
But what happens if we have a whole society, they don't even believe that no more? Devils are real. Angels are real. Heaven's real, hell's real. Wait 'til you die. God's real. Satan's real. And now's the time for us, as believers, not just me as pastor, but us as believers, to take hold of our authority, lay hands on the sick, cast out devil, heal the sick, raise the dead. It's time for you to do that. No more of just coming, we think church is the sum total of sit down, listen to a message, give my offering, and I've done my church duty. No, it is about you coming, learning, and going out and walking in authority every day of your life. Walking in authority when they messing with you at work. Walking in authority when you encounter somebody that's demon-possessed. Walking in authority, praise God. Hallelujah, amen.
I think I got time for these last two. Number ten, haters of what is good and haters of what is right. You will see in these last days people who hate what's good, and people who hate what's right. You'll see that in these last days. Make sure you're not a part of that. Make sure you're not a part of that. Now for time's sake, I'm gonna give you the Scripture and just tell you what it says, so write it down. In Micah, Micah chapter 3 and verse 2, they hated good and loved evil. In Micah chapter 3 and 2, they hated good and loved evil. I'm sure you know somebody like that, people that hate good and love evil. Psalms 120 and verse 6, they hate peace. They hate peace. Proverbs chapter 1, 22 and 29. Proverbs 1:22-29, they hate knowledge. You know that there are people in this society that hate knowledge. "I won't learn nuttin' about no God".
Proverbs 5:12, they hate instruction. And I'm talking about these are saved folks, Christian folks. They come to church and you sit in a teaching like this, and they're like, "I won't learn it". They hate instruction. Now if I was up here hoopin' and hollerin' and giving a show, "Oh, he preached". You have nothing. You have nothing. You have nothing. You have chill bumps and you're excited and you're doing cartwheels but you know nothing. You have nothing 'cause you won't get any instruction. So when the devil come and attack you at home, you don't know what to do. You don't know what to do 'cause you hate instruction. In Proverbs 12:1, they hate reproof. You go to reprove the people, some people will leave your church if you bring about correction and reproof. "Well, I just don't agree with that and I don't appreciate what he said". I just read the Bible. "Well, anyway, I just don't wanna hear that".
Well, fine, I can preach to empty seats. One more ain't gonna hurt. Man, I'm free; I am not going to heaven in bondage to people. I'm not doing that. My advice to everybody at the sound of my voice, those of you who are here and those of you streaming in, is to get your house in order. Get your life in order. Serve God like you never served him before. Do things for the kingdom so that when you get there, you won't be a regret. Taffi and I wanna go as hard and fast as we can to make sure we're doing everything that we are called to do for God so when we see Jesus there won't be no regret. Don't be living in your past. I told you last week, have a funeral for your past. Put a gravestone on your past 'cause ain't nothing you can do about what you have done, but there's plenty you can do about today and going forward, praise God.
So when you die and it's time for you to see the Lord and you enter into eternity, you'll do it with no regrets. "I did everything, Lord, I felt like I needed to do. I got up every morning and I set my will, forgive everybody for anything, Lord. I will have no regrets when I see Jesus". See, you don't think about that. You are going to die one day, and all this stuff I'm preaching right now that you may receiving or may not receiving, you're gonna die one day. And you're gonna bump into Jesus if you don't walk right past him 'cause you don't know him. And I guarantee you if you don't know him here, you won't know him when you get to heaven. You'll be like, "Was that Jesus"? Get it right now. Get it right now. Get it right now. Repent now. Change now. Be transformed now. Do it now. Do it now.
We're right slap in the dap, that middle of the Bible prophecy. This stuff is coming to pass, it is intensifying every single day. It is getting more intense and more frequent and more intense and more frequent and you think it's just what's happening. No, it's Jesus is getting ready to come back. These are signs of his time. It's not that all these people just acting like this. He prophesies that they will act like this. He said it before it happened. "Well, we'll see". See, you're scoffing and making fun and in the Scripture it says there are gonna be people just like that. Say, "Well, they've been talking about Jesus coming. How come he ain't came yet"? 'Cause you ain't got your stuff together yet, and he's so loving and so patient and so kind, that he's trying to keep putting it off so that he can get as many people in as he possibly can. That's the love of God. That's the love of God. He's coming. He's coming.
Micah 3:9 says that there'll be people that will twist everything that is straight, they'll twist it. They'll twist it, intellectual people, and they'll twist it. Proverbs 13:19, people hate turning from evil. They hate turning from evil. They hate turning from evil. They'll be committed to a club, yeah, committed to a club. But not committed to what God wanna do, uh-huh. You know, Christian people didn't used to go to club but everybody in there now, apostles, prophets. Let's get this last one real quick. Here's the last one. This is very serious one. In the last days, you're gonna see this: betraying a friend. They will betray their friends. A society that betrays their friends. And there are spiritual consequences that those committing betrayal will face.
Very quickly, Proverbs 19:5. Proverbs 19:5 says this: "A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape".
Matthew 24:10, why am I giving you these Scriptures? Because I want you to go home and read 'em and study 'em and let God give you revelation on 'em, as you make your mind up, "I'm gonna change some things. I'm not gonna be a part of this last days society". He says in verse 10: "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another".
Psalms 41:9. Psalms 41:9. He says: "Yea, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me". People that you let in your Holies of Holies, he says, in the last days they'll betray you.
Psalms 55:12-13: "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, it was a man, it was my own equal, it was my guide, it was my acquaintance". It was my friend.
And the last one, Matthew chapter 6:14-15: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses".
We know that's according to the law. We know that the Bible says because he's already forgiven us, we receive his forgiveness and since God has already forgiven us, then he's empowered us to forgive other people. And we will sow the do-good seed and regardless of betrayal or any kind of thing that happens to you, because God has forgiven you, you make sure you live your life in constant forgiveness of other people. Set your will to forgive, no matter what. Stay in that posture. I know it hurt, I know it was painful, but stay in the posture. I set my will to forgive anybody. No matter what they've done, no matter what they said, I set my will to forgive. Forgiveness is a decision. Let's pray.
Father, I thank you right now in the name of Jesus that we are not only preparing for your return but we are preparing to recognize the signs of the time and to stand boldly in your Word to make sure that we don't become a part of the sign. But we need you, Holy Spirit. We need you to help us. We need you, Holy Spirit, to help us to walk in godliness. We can't do that without you. We need you, Holy Spirit, to help us to resist ungodliness and to deny ungodliness. We can't do that right without you. We need you, Holy Spirit, to cause us to live every day in the expectation of the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can't do that without you. And so we don't come to you in our own efforts and we don't come to you in our own self, in our own abilities, but we come to you humbling ourselves, saying, "Help us, Lord. Help us to not demonstrate these things and help us not to be a part of this last day society, that we prepare ourselves". We give you praise, Lord. We honor you, we magnify you. You are His Majesty the King, in Jesus's name we pray, and everybody said, "Amen".