"The ruler of the kingdom of the air." This is why we meet the Lord in the air. The Kingdom of God is established first in the air.

After the great tribulation the saints will be caught up to take their places on the thrones vacated by Satan and his angels and will descend with the Commander-in-Chief, now being authorized and competent to destroy the wicked from the earth and to establish the Kingdom of God, bringing all the saved nations into obedience to Jesus Christ.

Beginning now, and continuing until the time of the coming of the Lord Jesus with His saints, God will shake the heavens and the earth. The shaking has to do with self-will, with obedience to the Father.

God has washed His Church in the blood of Christ. God has poured out His Spirit on the Church. Now the Church has the authority and the power to possess the thrones that govern the creation.

The next step is for the Church to learn obedience to God—stern, uncompromising obedience to God.

This is where we are today. We are washed in the blood. We have God's Spirit in us. Now we must learn obedience.

Antichrist is the personification of self-will, of man making himself his own god. This is the spirit that is filling the earth today. The people of the world are being led away from obedience to authority into self-government, into the desire to do as they please. This is true also of the Christian people. They are being advised that since they have access to the power of the Spirit they are to go out and build the Kingdom of God. They suppose it no longer is necessary to wait until we hear from Jesus. We just read the Bible and do what it says.

God is calling to His true saints to cease from their self-will and enter His rest, into the place where they are totally dependent on Christ for every breath they take, every word they say, every task they perform.

In order to teach us total, stern, uncompromising obedience God brings us into difficult situations. We are denied that which we fervently desire—perhaps for many years. We are compelled to remain in circumstances that are distasteful to us—perhaps for many years.

This is how we learn obedience. It is our personal cross that teaches us obedience. Even Jesus Christ learned obedience by the things He suffered, thus being brought to perfection.

The question is one of truth and choice. Either we grasp the truth and choose to obey it, or else God sends delusion upon us.

The shaking is taking place now. The gifts and ministries of the Spirit are in abundance. But the Spirit has not come to the churches to give but to take. He is looking for the true Bride and He, the Spirit, is ready to bring her to the Bridegroom.

To be continued.