Holding Back Lawlessness
The lawlessness we see right now in our cities is a sign that the day of the Lord is at hand. The Bible is very clear that lawlessness is sin. In Romans 6:19, “Because of the weakness of your human nature,” Paul’s talking about the Roman Christians before they came to Christ. Because of the weakness of your human nature, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led even deeper into sin. The word “lawless” in this Romans passage means “a state of open defiance to the laws of God or to live as if there were no laws.”
Here in America, we’re accustomed to seeing pockets or outbreaks of lawlessness from time to time in some part of the world or another. Like COVID-19 seemed to come on us suddenly, the lawlessness is alarming because it’s gone global overnight. A spirit of lawlessness has been unleashed on the world.
Could it be that we are seeing a dry run of the anti-Christ before he plunges the world into a final futile war against God and the people of God as spelled out in the Book of Revelation? Concerning the events of the end times, Paul picks up his pen and writes to the church in Thessaloniki (who had been told that the Lord had already returned and they were left behind) “Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed.” ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3)
That “man of lawlessness” is the anti-Christ and we won’t know that we’re fully in the end times until he has been revealed. He will be a specific individual. He will have a name. He will emerge as a world leader who promises to bring justice and peace out of global chaos.
Please listen to me. I’m not saying he’s about to be revealed. I’m not saying the anti-Christ is around the corner. Not saying any of those things at all. I’m saying the global unrest that is happening around the world, is perhaps a dry run of the spirit of lawlessness, the demonic spirit that ultimately will be behind the anti-Christ.
This lawlessness is not just reserved for the end of the world. “For this lawlessness is already at work secretly. It will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7) Prophetically, Paul is saying, “There’s coming a time when the limits will be pulled away.” The lawlessness will be without check and without any balances.
Who is the one who is holding back global lawlessness right now? Who is currently restraining the demonic spirits of this age from taking over completely? Who has the power to hold back the catastrophic coming of world-controlling evil and wickedness that will characterize the end times?
There’s only one with that kind of power. It’s the Holy Spirit. He’s been sent from the Father and the Son. When he steps out of the way, literally all hell is going to break loose on the earth that will make again, the three months we’ve walked through look like a picnic. Just read the Book of Revelation. Rampant and unconstrained lawlessness then is what God will use to set up his final confrontation with darkness and evil and the final defeat of the enemy and the ultimate victory that has been promised.
The Holy Spirit is the only one right now who’s holding back complete lawlessness.
Who is the temple of the Holy Spirit? We, the body of Christ, are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16). He’s resident in the body of Christ. We are his temple. We are the salt and light of the temple.
If what is restraining, unchecked lawlessness is the Holy Spirit and if the Church is the temple of the Holy Spirit, then the Spirit and the Church are what is currently holding lawlessness back from taking over entirely.
Our destiny is inextricably linked to the role of the Holy Spirit. One of the Spirit’s roles is to hold back lawlessness. Do you see the place of importance God has placed for his people at this very hour?
The Church cannot and will not fight against the powers of darkness if they are placid, cold of heart and unable to marshal resistance. And, they cannot fight the powers of darkness if they are shut down with fear and confusion. Our only hope, as the Church, to be the force that’s necessary in the hands of the Holy Spirit, the kind that restrains lawlessness and advances the kingdom of God, is if we are a revived and on fire people.
It’s time for a Church-wide call to repentance. I’m convinced that repentance is the only thing that God looks on in the midst of chaos. He’s not going to respond to our appeal to please get things back to normal. He’s only going to be responsive to a heart and a church that is walking in repentance. Repentance is always the gateway to revival. And, we must be alive and effective to partner with the Spirit in holding back lawlessness. Oh, Spirit, revive your Church!