Leading The Way

Guest (Male): Challenging words from international Bible teacher and best-selling author Dr. Michael Youssef as he begins this episode of Leading The Way.

Dr. Michael Youssef: Don't just be curious about the end times. Be prepared for it because we find that the core of the problem that the Book of Revelation addresses in the first century is the very core problem that the 21st-century church is facing. Do you know what I'm talking about? It's one word: compromise.

Guest (Male): Today on Leading The Way, experience the last pages of the Bible, Revelation, with Dr. Michael Youssef as he encourages you to firmly seek and grasp the truth found in God's word. Please do remember that Leading The Way and the worldwide ministry by Leading The Way teams are made possible through your prayers and generosity. Learn many ways that you can stand with Dr. Youssef. Give us a call. We're at 866-626-4356, or when you visit ltw.org. Do that a little later though because right now, here's Dr. Michael Youssef to begin today's Leading The Way audio.

Dr. Michael Youssef: When the Apostle John was privileged to be given this unique revelation and to put it down in the Book of Revelation, he was living under one of the greatest persecutions of his day. This great persecution is vitally important for you to understand as a background to this book. In fact, understanding the historical background to the Book of Revelation will help you to understand the book better, and not just pick and choose little things that some so-called prophetic preachers pick and choose. You've got to understand the book as a whole.

So let me give you a very quick historic background. In the year 70 AD, Jerusalem was besieged by the Roman army under the leadership of General Titus. And what happened in Jerusalem and to the Temple is exactly in details what Jesus had predicted was going to happen 40 years earlier in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24.

General Titus was the son of Vespasian, who was the emperor at the time. And after Vespasian's death, Titus became the emperor of Rome, but within two years he died of a mysterious illness. And so his brother, Emperor Domitian, became emperor, and he demanded that everyone must worship him as God. He said people should burn incense in front of his statue in every town in the Roman Empire. They must burn incense and they must say, "Our Lord God, our Lord God."

Now, by the time Domitian became an emperor, all of the disciples died a martyr's death. They suffered and died for Christ except for John. John was the only one of the 12 who was still alive. Peter and Andrew were crucified. Thomas was killed in India with a spear. Nathaniel was executed by an axe in Syria. Philip was hung in Africa, and Paul was beheaded in Rome. John is the only disciple who was left at this time. And remember this, he was in his early 90s.

John was the pastor of the church in Ephesus. John stood up to this pagan worship of emperor worship. He stood up and he warned the believers and he told them not to do that. "Do not bow to idols. Do not bow to the emperor. Do not burn incense." He kept on preaching that Jesus only to be worshipped and adored. Jesus only is the way to salvation in a middle of idolatry. Jesus only is the giver of eternal life in the midst of a polytheistic culture. Jesus only is the truth in the midst of "everything goes" society.

And so the Emperor Domitian wanted to silence John, and so he sent him to exile in the island of Patmos. Patmos was actually a thriving Roman colony with army and with temples. While John was free in the island, he could not leave it. As long as Domitian is an emperor, as long as Domitian was in charge, John is to stay on that island.

Now, here's something that you must know and you must understand: that the books of the Bible—that's Genesis to Revelation—is the whole history of mankind. It describes in the Book of Genesis humanity's fall because of sin, and in Revelation describes how those who be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ will be restored in fellowship with God.

Revelation completes our understanding of God's purpose for history. We are not wandering aimlessly. We are not wandering haplessly. We have a purpose, and history has a purpose, and it may look like it's out of control; it's not out of the control of God. He is reigning and ruling even now. And that is why the Book of Revelation kind of divided itself into four sections.

Section one is chapters one to three, and it’s a warning and encouragement to the church. Secondly, section two is chapters four to 17: God's judgment against sin that is going to be poured out upon the earth. And then section three is 18 to 20: the final defeat and the destruction of Satan and evil. And in section four, which is chapters 21 and 22, is the coming of the new heaven and the new earth, which I can't wait for.

Now, turn with me please, if you haven't already, to Revelation chapter one. I want you to look at verse 10 with me. For there, John tells us that he experienced his vision while he was in the Spirit. You see, the Roman emperor sent John into exile. Why? To punish him, to silence him, to banish him, to get him out of the way, to show him who's boss. The Roman emperor thought that he defeated John, but John would not be defeated.

Exile may have separated him from his loved ones, but it never separated him from the Lord Jesus Christ. Exile may have removed him from Christian fellowship, but it never removed him from fellowship with the Holy Spirit of God. Exile may have isolated him from everything that is near and dear, but never isolated him from the Holy Spirit of God. The emperor thought that he could break John's spirit, but John was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he would not be broken.

John yielded to the Holy Spirit. John was comforted by the comforter, the Holy Spirit. Now, beloved, no matter what you are going through right now, no matter what tough circumstances you're experiencing, no matter how much pain you are enduring right now, no matter how much grief you are experiencing right now, nothing shall separate you from the love of God in Jesus Christ. Amen. Give God glory.

You see, John was in the spirit, even in Patmos. Even in Patmos, it doesn't matter. The location makes no difference. And whatever your Patmos is, your Patmos cannot separate you from the Holy Spirit, that you can live by and in and through the Holy Spirit's power. In fact, it appears that this great and magnificent, spectacular Book of Revelation would not have been possible if it wasn't for Patmos.

Did you get that? Remember, your greatest blessing can be in your Patmos. Your greatest effectiveness can be at your Patmos. Your mystery of the ages was only possible in Patmos. The enemies thought that they could banish John and silence the message of the gospel, but God turned it into the most powerful heavenly vision for all of eternity. Because John yielded to the Holy Spirit and not to his circumstances, God transformed his punishment into praise. He transformed his pain into gain. He transformed his stagnation into revelation.

Because John yielded to the Holy Spirit, not to his difficulties, God swept him into the future eternity itself. He became a time traveler. He was transported to the Lord's Day. And here comes something else in the background about the Book of Revelation. When he said "the Lord's Day," so what is this Lord's Day that John is experiencing? The Lord's Day, as you see it throughout the scripture, is the day of the Lord's judgment. It’s judgment day. The Lord's Day is the final day when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead. And John was privileged by Jesus to see that final day with his own physical eye.

Now, some of you might remember this. In that very last chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus was in the sense farewelling his disciples. And he said to Peter about how Peter is going to suffer and die for Christ. And then Peter wanted to start a gossip club. Do you know how you start a gossip club? Start talking about other people rather than talking to them. And Peter wanted to start a gossip club, so he looked at Jesus and said, "What about him? What are you going to do with John? I want to know. I know what you're going to do, but what are you going to do with John?"

And here's what Jesus answered—please trust me when I tell you, literally it's stronger than what I'm going to say, but here's what Jesus said: "None of your business, Peter." Really, literally. None of your business. He said, "If he, if it is my will for him to remain until I returned, what is that to you?" And the disciples were puzzled. It says in the scripture, they were puzzled. "Oh, is John going to be around when the Lord returns?" But what Jesus was saying at the last chapter of the Gospel of John, he was expressing his will for John to witness the future event of Jesus' return in a vision, which is the Book of Revelation. And he did.

Now I told you in the last message that as the 21st-century church departs from its biblical moorings, as some churches now are skeptical and embarrassed about biblical prophecies, as some Christians are pretending that Revelation doesn't even belong to the Bible, this tragedy is because so much of the Book of Revelation is relevant for today. Without a doubt, Satan is behind all of the turmoil and the confusion in the world today. And believe it or not, C.S. Lewis predicted this situation in his magnificent book, Screwtape Letters. There is a dialogue between a demon by the name Screwtape and his nephew, Wormwood. And here's what C.S. Lewis said—Screwtape saying to Wormwood:

Guest (Male): I have great hopes that we shall learn in due time how to emotionalize and mythologize their science to such an extent that what is in effect belief in us, demons, though not under that name, will creep in while the human mind remains closed to belief in the enemy. If once we can produce our perfect work, the materialist magician, the man not using but veritably worshipping what he vaguely calls forces while denying the existence of spirits, then the end of the war will be in sight.

Dr. Michael Youssef: And now, we live in those days that C.S. Lewis has predicted in this dialogue between those two demons. For you literally have to be living in another planet not to see how the media and the opinion makers are telling us that you can have miracles without God, that you can be spiritual without the Holy Spirit, that you can have salvation without the savior, that you can have power without prayer, that you can have morality without the Bible, that you can worship the creation and ignore the creator, that you can worship the forces and deny God, that you can follow false prophets and false teachers, all the while treat God's word as a myth.

Satan has deceived so many who call themselves Christians and go to church on a regular basis. And one of the most popular authors—and one of Oprah's favorites—is a man by the name of Eckhart Tolle. Do you know that he is followed by so many church goers, millions of church goers? Listen to what Tolle said: "We need to understand here that heaven is not a location but refers to the inner realm of consciousness. This is the esoteric meaning of the word, and this is also the its meaning in the teaching of Jesus."

Give me a break. He knows the teaching of Jesus. This is, beloved, a satanic gospel, just like C.S. Lewis predicted. The very word that Jesus used in John chapter 14, the word "topos," and it means a physical location. Jesus did not say, "I go and prepare for you an inner realm of consciousness, and when I have an inner realm of consciousness ready, I'll come and get you."

Beloved, I want to plead with you: Don't just be curious about the end times. Be prepared for it and be ready to invest of yourself in your children and your grandchildren. Because we find that the core of the problem that the Book of Revelation encounters—the core of the problem that the Book of Revelation addresses in the first century—is the very core problem that the 21st-century church is facing. Do you know what I'm talking about? It’s one word: compromise. Compromise.

When our children see us compromise, they walk out on the Christian faith altogether. So let this be a warning for every one of us. You see, when Emperor Domitian said, "Burn incense at my statue," many Christians said, "There's not much harm done in burning little incense. Surely we still go to church on the first day of the week. It would save us a whole lot of trouble. It will save us losing our job. It'll save us losing these deals. It would help us be popular in the culture. It would certainly avoid accusations that we're haters and that we hate people. Surely it's not going to hurt to just burn incense to Domitian but then be at church on Sunday."

But John's message was very clear: Take a stand, especially as you see the Day of the Lord drawing near. As I already mentioned, this type of compromise has been on the increase numerically in this country, let alone the rest of the world. In this country, at an alarming speed, by more than 64% of so-called Christians deny that Jesus is the only way, which is the very core of the Christian faith.

You see, this type of teaching—and I want to show you how it happened historically in the 80s, when the New Age movement broke out. Many people snickered at them, even the comedians making fun of them. They laughed—we all laughed at the New Agers. But they are now the main principles of living in America in the 21st century. In fact, the New Age movement back then pretended to agree with Jesus, and they invaded the churches. And now Satan's in charge of many a church. Stand firm, my beloved friends, for the day is drawing near. Don't bow to the emperor, whoever the emperor is in your life. Don't bow to him.

In fact, the message back then went something like this: God loves us all. God lives in us all. And the answer to our problem is not repentance but higher consciousness. And when we become enlightened, when our spiritual eyes are open, we become like God. This—this is the oldest trick in the book. And that is why the Book of Revelation is for today, for it shows us the ultimate fate of Satan and those who are deceived by him.

You remember me saying this many times: Whenever Satan comes to convict you of your past sins that you know were covered by the blood of Jesus, as he comes to remind you of your past, you remind him of his future. And the Book of Revelation is the best place for that. You see, those people who doubt the prophecies of the Book of Revelation are the very people who fall for the lies spread by the gospel of pluralism. Stand firm.

Now, I want to conclude by telling you a true story. It's a true story that will make every parent and grandparent sit up and take notice. Above their education, above their material well-being, above all the trinkets that we give our children, knowing and loving Jesus should be the number one priority for parents today.

There was an accomplished woman by the name of Ruth Montgomery. She was one of the most respected journalists in Washington, D.C. In 1945, she was the only journalist who was invited to attend Franklin Roosevelt's funeral. In 1950, she was voted as the president of the Women's National Press Club. In 1959, she accompanied Vice President Nixon to the Soviet Union. She personally interviewed six presidents.

In her biography, Ruth Montgomery said that her parents took her to Sunday school. They took her to Sunday school. Some people say when they take the kids to Sunday school, their job is done. In fact, she said, "I dreamed of one day of becoming a missionary." But then, in the 60s, she befriended two famous psychics: Jeane Dixon and Arthur Ford. And she became fascinated by the reincarnation. In fact, once she claimed that in former life, she was the sister of Lazarus, the friend of Jesus whom raised from the dead. And she used automatic writing to channel her books through demon spirit guides. She made a whole lot of predictions; one of them is that World War III will take place in the 80s.

And when she died in 2001, she was no longer a respected journalist, but beloved, another victim of Satan's deception. That is why we need to be equipped. For if we need anything these last days, it would be not just teaching and instructing, but modeling Christ to the next generation by not compromising our conviction, regardless of the cost.

Guest (Male): You've joined Dr. Michael Youssef on the program known across six continents in 28 of the world's most spoken languages as Leading The Way. Listen now for an information about Dr. Youssef's recent book, An Unholy Alliance.

Dr. Michael Youssef: You have seen the wave of extremism on college campuses, in conversation with some young people in your life, even in many churches. Two radical ideologies, once enemies, now they're marching together. They shut down debate, excuse violence, and they target biblical truth. That alliance is real, and it is deliberate.

In An Unholy Alliance, I explain what these two radical opposed forces are, why they are working together, and also give you the 1,400-year back story many people are entirely ignorant about that is shaping today's headlines. And you need to be aware of it. Politics cannot stop it. Wishful thinking won't make it go away, but there is something that you can do, and there is hope. This is my most well-documented book and perhaps my most urgent message in 50 years.

Guest (Male): Order your copy of Dr. Michael Youssef's eye-opening book, An Unholy Alliance, today for your gift of any amount. You'll discover why two ideologies radically opposed to one another are working together to undermine faith and freedom. How this alliance is advancing on college campuses, in the media, and in public institutions across America. What history, scripture, and documented evidence reveal about where this alliance leads, and what you can do about it. How Christians can respond not with fear or outrage, but with courage, compassion, and gospel truth. Order your copy of An Unholy Alliance today for your gift of any amount to Leading The Way. Your generosity will help reach the lost for Christ and call the church to revival.

Ordering and content information is available at ltw.org, or you can place your order with a helpful ministry representative when you call 866-626-4356. This program is brought to you by Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef. Connect further with audio and video content at ltw.org.