"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith" (2 Pet. 1:5).

"...adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith" (2 Pet. 1:5 AMP).

We read in 2 Peter, chapter one, that you are "to give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall (v. 10). These things, as Peter had listed in verses 5-7, are to be added to your faith. As we read in verse 4, God has made a way for us to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.

In today's world, corruption has brought about depravity. There is an inordinately strong desire in mankind for the things of this world. More than ever before, we are seeing people filled with lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.

In addition, we have watched people become consumed with the love of money, which Scripture says is the root cause of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10).

Mankind has become depraved to such an extent that in many ways we have seen our great nation fall away from its foundation principles. God has been shut out of schools and removed from public policies.

The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ has been attacked as the hordes of Satan have been unleashed into this nation. As a result, we are seeing the breakup of the family, the rise of crime and the collapse of this nation's economy. These results are based more upon what has happened spiritually than what has been done naturally. People have turned from Almighty God.

We are seeing the depravity of Satan's attack upon our country, because this nation has been the lighthouse of the world. Cities, in particular, are feeling the brunt of this assault.

It's a fact that in our cities people go to church more than anywhere else. Satan knows that, so he wants to attack and wipe out those who are spending more time in the house of God.

But this country can be restored!

The Finest Hour!
The only way this will happen, however, is when the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ decides to no longer be caught up in the world's corruption. We must consider the calling of God and the work of the Lord to be more important and more valuable than the things of this world.

As God's people, we must be willing to win the lost by getting the Word of the Lord out into the world and bringing people into the Kingdom. We must consider God's ways to be more important than the jobs we hold, the vacations we take, the fine homes we have - more important than anything else in our lives!

The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ must become single-minded.

The Church must understand that it is called and anointed by God for a mission, that this mission is coming close to its finest hour, that this mission requires diligence.

God is saying throughout the Church, "Church, I don't want you to stumble anymore. I don't want you to fall down again."

The Lord is getting His Church ready for its finest hour. He is preparing us for the time when things will get worse and worse in the natural realm.

In chapter twenty-four of Matthew's gospel, Jesus told us that when summer is nigh we can look for the return of the Lord (v. 32). That "season" in the Bible began May 14, 1948, when Israel returned to its homeland and became a nation again. The summer has come!

God's Wrath Against Sin
Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and an abundance of them, and many more occurrences of natural disasters. That means men and women all over the world will become more depraved, seeking more things of the flesh.

In the first chapter of the book of Romans, we see the apostle Paul describing the wrath of God coming against sin:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

...when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
(Romans 1:18,21,24-27)

More and more these days, mankind is going after the flesh - men lying with men, women lying with women, babies by the millions losing their lives through abortion. The world today is continually moving further and further away from God's truth.

The Glorious Church!
The enemy shall come in more and more like a flood against the remnant of the Church that has decided to add to its faith, diligently making its calling and election sure, esteeming the things of God more highly than the things of this world.

This part of God's people will be spending more time in prayer and fasting. They will be listening to the Holy Ghost and obeying His voice.

When He tells them to be a witness in their community, sharing Jesus with others in their neighborhood and on their job, they will be obedient.

When He says to go across town and visit with someone, they will follow His instructions.

When He says to call a friend on the phone and minister to that person, they will do it.

When He says to spend time in intercessory prayer, praying for the world, for the nations, for the lost, they will be quick to obey.

That Church is the glorious Church!

When the enemy comes in like a flood against the rest of the world, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him (Isa. 59:19).

That "standard" will be the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ flowing in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Church will be used by God like never before.

Source: Success Strategies From Heaven by Keith Butler
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers