As we have stated, the believers already are succumbing to the sin that is increasing in the democratic nations while they, with no scriptural backing whatever, are waiting to be delivered from tribulation by means of a "pre-tribulation rapture."

The word "temptation" employed in Revelation 3:10 appears also in Matthew 6:13: "lead us not into temptation." It is the same word in the Greek text. Again, in Luke 4:13: " And when the devil had ended all the temptation."

Revelation 3:10, which is one of the bases of the rapture myth, has nothing to do with deliverance from tribulation. Rather it is referring to the Lord's promise to keep His patient, cross-carrying disciples from being overcome by sin.

Satan has managed to convince the believers of the wealthy nations of our day that God does not want them to suffer and therefore will remove them from the earth (contrary to Christ's prayer John 17:15). Meanwhile a multitude of the Christian people who are waiting to be raptured have already been overcome by Satan, who is employing the lust of their flesh, the lust of their eyes, and their pride of life. We see from this that Satan indeed is a crafty opponent.

Antichrist cannot overcome the saints by superior force but he will succeed in destroying the testimony of the elect by means of guile. He already has done so in many instances.

And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace [ease; security] shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:24,25)

Antichrist will not conquer the saints, the holy people, the elect, by means of war but by means of "peace" (careless security; ease; prosperity). He already is accomplishing this in the wealthy nations. The ruinous, so-called "prosperity message" is an example of Satan's tactics and also of the ease with which the saints can be overcome.

Samson, a type of God's anointed witnesses, was not overcome by force but by "love."

"Love not the world!" God commands and warns us. But Satan is telling the elect today they can prosper in the world and still abide in Christ.

It is by cunning temptation and deception that God's witnesses will be overcome.

It is very true that Antichrist and the babylonish (manmade, man-centered, man-directed) churches of the last days will use violence against the saints. But Christian saints throughout history have suffered every kind of persecution and torture and have emerged stronger than ever. It is not pain that is the danger, it is luxurious living.

One of the problems is that God's sheep are confident they will be able to discern and resist the temptations of the last days. This is not true. The deception will be so demoniacally subtle it will not be possible to distinguish between what is of God and what is not of God. Only the Lord Jesus is able to develop in our personalities the knowledge of what is of God and what is not of God. The believers of today are vulnerable to deception and they do not understand this.

To be continued.