ECONOMIC SANCTIONS: WHEN YOU CAN’T BUY OR SELL! Did you know that economic sanctions will be imposed on the people of God? A time is coming when we must decide which side of this cosmic battle between good and evil we want to be on. There is no middle ground. Choose the winning side!

For those on the winning side, our march orders for the present day are found in the three angels’ message of Revelation chapter 14; read it!

Their message makes up the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Their messages are the present truth for our time.

Thus, we are studying the messages surrounding these three angels as it relates to the gospel and present truth, truth as it relates to us.

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Seeking God’s Protective Care

Father in heaven, help us to understand that adversity and trials are training grounds designed to strengthen our faith and love for you. Help us take hold of your promises and recall during hard times how you have helped us in the past. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

In one of our previous lessons, we saw that Satan has been at war with Christ ever since his rebellion in heaven. Revelations 12:7 tells us that war broke out in heaven. Satan instigated this war.

7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, (Revelation 12:7)

Though Satan and a third of the angels in heaven were kicked out. The war between Christ and Satan continues. His plan is the same today as it was when he and his angels were kicked out of heaven. His aim is to obtain control of the entire universe. Satan wants to control us and our minds.

Satan, once called Lucifer, son of the morning, wants full control of everything. He wants God’s position. Isaiah 14:12–14 tells us why he was kicked out of heaven.

12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!

13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ (Isaiah 14:12-14)

Satan’s plans have not changed. He still wants to rule the universe. His strategy in the end times is to attack God’s people. This is the point of Revelation 12:17 when it announces that the dragon, which symbolizes Satan, is angry at the woman, which symbolizes the church.

17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17 NKJV)

So, the dragon fights against the rest of the woman’s off-springs. This expression, “the rest of her offspring, is also translated as “the remnant” in the King James Version. The remnant means that which remains. Therefore, “the rest of her off-springs” “the remnant of her seed” are those who remain loyal to Christ. This group of people obeys the truth as it is in the Bible and remains faithful to God’s mission. Their hope is in God’s promise of eternal life.

The remnant is thus symbolic of God’s end-time church, His end-time people. Revelation 12:17 lets us know who they are and what they do that makes them different from everyone else.

In Revelation 12:17, we see Satan (the dragon) is angry with the woman, God’s end-time church. The devil is angry because this group of people keeps God’s commandments. So, Satan will do everything he can to destroy them.

Therefore, we discover in Revelation 13:14–17 that economic sanctions are placed on the people of God. Satan uses political leaders to put laws in motion that are designed to prevent them from buying or selling. His anger and rage do not stop there. He leads men to have the people of God thrown into prison or put to death.

14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,

17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:14-17)

The point is Satan tried to destroy Jesus. And he failed. So, now Satan is trying to destroy the thing that Jesus loves most: His church, his people.

Thus, the final war on earth will not, as many think, happen in the Middle East. The final war is centered in the minds of God’s people scattered over the entire world. Satan wants our worship. This war is between two opposing forces. The forces of good and the forces of evil. It is a war between Christ and Satan. It is a war within the mind because everyone on earth must choose a side. Whom will you worship? God or Satan? No one can remain neutral. You are either on God’s side or Satan’s side.

Therefore, the most important questions in this final war are: “Who has our loyalty and love? Who has our hearts?” Has Jesus’ love touched your heart? Where is your allegiance? Have you been saved by His mercy and grace?

Have you given your life to serve Him? Does His Spirit control your life? Do you obey His commands? Are you willing to die for the One who died for you?

Believe it or not, the final war is coming. You may even notice that this battle is already going on in your life. If you have chosen Jesus, you have chosen the winning side. The choice is ours.

Chose Jesus. Satan is a loser! In the end, Jesus wins.

 Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church

 7902 Wheatly Street

Houston, TX 77088

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