In 2012, the Lord gave me five stages that our nation and the world will have to go through to reach the Tribulation and realize the full kingdom of God.
Stage One: Confusion
“Disaster has come for you who live in the land! The time has come; the day of confusion is near. There will be no happy shouting on the mountains” (Ezek. 7:7, NCV). This passage is talking about a time of unrest. Clearly, we have seen a time of massive unrest sweep America that shows no sign of stopping.
The church has been lulled to sleep and has not kept its watchful eye on society. The more our parishioners fall away from the faith or continue to sleep, the more it will become increasingly difficult to evangelize and sound the watchman’s trumpet.
Stage Two: Explosions
Merriam-Webster’s second definition of the word “explosion” is “a large-scale, rapid, or spectacular expansion or bursting out or forth.” In 2012, the Lord told me these explosions were referring to the rapid expansion of this confusion. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3-4, KJV). But there is hope! Jesus says that “he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13).
Stage Three: Deception
It is because of deception that our definition of normal has been changed. The prophet Isaiah put it bluntly: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isa. 5:20a, MEV).
We are now living through a war on words unlike any generation before us. In the last decade we saw the definitions of “marriage,” “gender” and “identity” changed, along with the widespread acceptance, endorsement and even celebration of abortion.
We must continue to stand. Stand for truth. Stand for life. We must endure to see God’s will through, especially since there are still two more stages to come.
Stage Four: Depression
Deception will eventually cause personal depression and also a global economic depression. Thoughts of suicide, as well as feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, increased throughout 2020. Plus, over 20 million jobs were lost in America, and hundreds of thousands of businesses failed. The U.S. national debt is well over $30 trillion, and it will soon be time for the nations of the world to collect.
For a nation built on the Word of God, we have ignored many warnings. The love of money is the root of all evil, according to 1 Timothy 6:10. Jesus equally warns that, “No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matt. 6:24).
Stage Five: Collapse
There is a worldwide economic collapse coming. Stock markets will close for a final time and never reopen. Entire organizations, stores, banks and even churches will shut their doors for good. The resulting chaos will funnel people into the streets, sparking riots, demonstrations, looting, mass confusion and eventually warfare. This is the final prerequisite that must happen before the Antichrist can be revealed on this earth.
We are standing now at a crossroads, and there is still something you can do. First, heed the warning: “Then I heard another voice from heaven saying: ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you partake in her sins, and lest you receive her plagues. For her sins have reached up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities’” (Rev. 18:4-5). Second, do not conform to the things of this world. Think of godly matters and Scripture rather than gossip and worldly news. The key to our survival is threefold: Remain in Christ, keep His commandments and remain in His body, the church. Escape is not an option. Endurance is our goal.
Jim Bakker has authored more than a dozen books and is considered one of today’s experts on the book of Revelation. The Jim Bakker Show is an hour-long daily broadcast available to up to 1.6 billion people throughout 200 countries around the world. Visit MyCharismaShop for more information about his most recent Charisma House book, You Can Make It.
