THE COUNTERFEIT GROOM
ARE YOU READY FOR JESUS TO RETURN?
Originally appeared in We Are Beautiful Magazine in August of 2016.
We all know there’s an upcoming Eternal Wedding on the horizon, but there’s a little-known twist to this Love story, brides. The question is… how well do you know your Groom?
In a prophetic vision given to John in the book of Revelation, he sees the approaching wedding feast of the Lamb of God and His beautiful, victorious Bride:
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, ‘Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he saith unto me, ‘These are the true sayings of God’” Rev. 19:7–9 KJV.
John’s prophecy reveals that the Bride has already made herself ready. What must we do on our part as the Bride to partner with the Holy Spirit in bringing forth the manifestation of this prophecy and to avoid deception? This is a good time to ask ourselves the following three spiritually vital questions. Let’s begin!
1. WHO IS THE BRIDE?
Not all within the Church are the overcoming Bride! I understand, this is not a comforting thought. Allow me to explain this, friends. Jesus taught in the parable of the weeds, in Matthew Chapter thirteen, until the final harvest of souls, the wheat (God’s children) grow up next to the weeds (enemy”s children). Not everyone who claims he is a follower of Christ is walking in the light of truth. Jesus taught his believer’s, we will know them by their fruits and their love. We are warned repeatedly, throughout the scriptures, to be on guard for wolves in sheep clothing, false teachers, and shepherds who scatter God’s flock (his children – the church). What separates the purified Bride is her understanding of the End Time truth, which is the seal of God in her mind and her obedience to it. This prevents her from being deceived. (We will discuss this in further detail in a bit). The Bride is a group of believing Saints (within the Church) who scripture characterizes as someone who has ears to hear – “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…” Revelation 2:7
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Has overcome – “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations” Revelation 2:26 KJV
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Has made themselves ready (for their Groom’s return) – “…for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saint.” Revelation 19:7-8 KJV
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Has come out of tribulation and is clothed in white (their righteous acts) – “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, ‘what are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?’ And I said unto him, sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, ‘These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:13-14 KJV
These scriptures do more than just describe the Bride, friends! They also illustrate what she is getting ready to do: witness and serve while waiting and enduring the tribulation… unto the end.
2. WHAT MUST THE BRIDE PREPARE FOR?
The Bride must prepare for an appointed spiritual deception approaching the kingdom of God’s people in the form of… a counterfeit groom! Only the purified Bride who is prepared with this knowledge (Anti-Christ returning first to masquerade himself as Jesus, our true Groom) will know not to be deceived. She will then be equipped to overcome this apostasy (Greek definition: defection from the truth; Merriam-Webster definition: abandonment of previous loyalty). You cannot be deceived if you know the truth!
Satan does not return to come against Christ as much as he returns to IMITATE Him! Apostle Paul warns us before the true Christ comes, the son of perdition (Greek: death) must come first with his deception plan to imitate Christ as groom. Paul cautions us the day of the Return of the Lord (our true Groom) will not come to pass until the son of perdition returns first with his falling away, or apostasy.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him… Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away (Greek 646: apostasy) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 3-4
Many Christians believe the Church will be “raptured” to the wedding feast (traditions of man) before this apostasy, or deception plan, takes place. However, Paul warns us yet again that flesh and blood cannot obtain the Kingdom of God. , where do you think the wedding feast will take place?!… That’s right – IN God’s kingdom!
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” 1 Corinthians 15:50
So, if our flesh bodies are not qualified to obtain the Wedding Feast, when do we change into spiritual bodies? We are not changed into spiritual bodies until the last trump sounds (the 7th) for the Second Advent, or our true Christ’s Return. This is proof that the Church WILL be here throughout the Tribulation. This is why the Bride must endure as the Master tarries, by witnessing/serving in and waiting through tribulation… unto the end (Christ’s Return).
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last (Greek: furthermost out, final) trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52
3. HOW MUST THE BRIDE MAKE HERSELF READY FOR JESUS’ RETURN?
Study – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6A KJV
Watch – be dressed and ready – Matthew 25: In this parable, the five foolish virgins symbolize those who are spiritually asleep and unprepared. The five wise virgins, who waited for their Groom, represent those with the Father’s seal of the knowledge of the End Time truth. They have been set free to discern the appointed hour of temptation (Rev. 3:10). This helps ready them to recognize the true Groom returning, avoid the apostasy, and run immediately to receive Him.
Work together, Church! – “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” John 17:22-23 KJV
The power of unity activates dormant gifts in one another! This paves the way for powerful miracles and mysteries to be revealed that would otherwise be dormant and wither on the vine of our destinies.
Sweet friends, in our excitement to spiritually wed our King upon His return, can a moment in history, when the world assaults us with the uprising of horrific evils and super sensationalism, shroud our bridal eyes from knowing which Groom is which? Don’t worry, friends – within our faith lies embers of a greater love that the gates of hell SHALL NOT PREVAIL. Fan the flame of those embers by understanding the upcoming deception, which will help us discern our true groom!
DO YOU HAVE A GLORY STORY?
I am so happy to welcome you into a spiritually, safe venue, where you can share your amazing glory stories, (actual life stories where you’ve seen the power of God’s, supernatural spirit, and or supernaturally divine visitations whether in visions or dreams) to not only glorify our Father, also to be a vessel of Jesus’ light, love and encouragement! So come on in friends we can’t wait to hear your amazing glory stories! Shine on!