We Christians are not to fear tribulation or the Antichrist. Our only fear is that we will grow careless in the present hour and not store up enough of the "grain" of spiritual strength to enable us to stand in the evil days that soon are to fall on the earth.

There are three problems facing us in the future:

The hour of temptation.

The great tribulation.

The day of the wrath of God.

The problem to be feared the most is the hour of temptation. The hour of temptation was spoken of by the Lord in the following manner:

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)

After the testimony of the latter rain revival has been concluded there will come an hour of temptation, an abounding of moral lawlessness. Most of the people who have professed faith in Christ will fall into sin. One of the greatest of the deceivers (if not the greatest) will be sexual lust. After that will come the love of money and of the comforts of the present world.

The Lord Jesus will guard us throughout the hour of temptation provided we guard the word of His patience. To guard the word of Christ's patience is to take up our cross and follow Him each day. It is especially necessary that we watch and pray so sexual lust and the love of money do not touch our spirit. Such watchfulness requires extreme consecration and diligence.

It appears that there are not many Christian believers today who are serving the Lord Jesus with anywhere near the diligence that is necessary if they are to stand in the hour of temptation.

One reason why the believers are not preparing themselves is that they are being taught false doctrine, doctrine advising them that extreme diligence and consecration are not necessary. One expression of false doctrine is that of the so-called "pre-tribulation rapture." Another expression is that of unbalanced grace—grace that does not require righteous holy living and stern obedience to God. The ministers of the Gospel who are teaching these two errors are constructing a horrible future for themselves and their followers.

It is the coming hour of temptation that is to be feared. The great tribulation is not to be feared. We enter the Kingdom of God through much tribulation. Tribulation is Divine chastening and serves to perfect the believers, separating them from sin and from the lukewarm, institutional church. What is there to fear in this?

No individual who truly is abiding in the Lord has anything to fear from the day of wrath. Unlike the great tribulation, the purpose of the day of wrath is not to perfect the believers. The purpose of the day of wrath is to punish and destroy the wicked. It will be a period of unimaginable suffering.

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 4:1)

When both the wheat and the tares have come to maturity the Lord will return. Then those who have been true and faithful witnesses, and who have helped others through the night, will serve God eternally as His judges, priests, and kings of the new Kingdom Age. (from The Clock Starts Ticking Again)