- 5 weeks ago
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00:00Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, why did God allow Islam to rise?
00:05I know, it sounds like a bold question, but stick with me for a moment.
00:10It's a question that many have pondered, yet few have dared to truly dive into.
00:17Why would God allow a religion that denies the divinity of Christ,
00:22a religion that has been in conflict with his people for centuries, to exist at all?
00:27Here's the thing, Islam didn't just come out of nowhere.
00:31Its rise wasn't an accident.
00:33In fact, the Bible has something powerful to say about it,
00:36and surprisingly, Islam was already part of God's plan.
00:40But how? And why?
00:43These aren't questions we can answer on the surface.
00:46We need to dig deeper.
00:48So, let me ask you, what if Islam's existence is not a mistake, but a part of God's divine purpose?
00:55Now, I know this might challenge some of your beliefs, and that's okay.
01:00But stick with me as we go on a journey, one that starts thousands of years ago,
01:04with a man named Abraham, who had two sons, two promises, and two paths that would shape the future of humanity.
01:13You see, Islam's roots trace back to a promise God made to Abraham,
01:17but it's a promise that came with a twist,
01:20one that would later reveal itself in ways we could never have imagined.
01:23I want to take you through this story, not just as a historical account,
01:28but as a reminder of God's sovereignty,
01:30and how his plans unfold in ways we often don't see coming.
01:35This is not just a story about ancient history,
01:37it's a living truth that affects us today, shaping the world we live in.
01:42So, what if I told you that the rise of Islam wasn't just a test of faith,
01:47but a prophetic sign from God?
01:50A sign that tells us something deeper about the end times and the ultimate victory
01:55that we, as believers, are called to stand firm in.
02:00I'm going to show you how the Bible speaks directly to this,
02:03and by the end of this video, you'll understand why God allowed Islam to exist,
02:08what it means for us today,
02:09and how we can navigate these challenging questions with faith and clarity.
02:15So, grab a seat, open your heart, and let's dive into this journey together,
02:19because the truth, as we will see, is even more incredible than you could have imagined.
02:25Stay with me as we unpack this powerful story that goes all the way back to Abraham
02:31and moves us into the very heart of God's plan for the world.
02:37Have you ever wondered why Islam exists in the first place?
02:41It's a question many people shy away from because it challenges our thinking.
02:46Islam, a religion that denies the divinity of Christ,
02:49that has waged wars throughout history against God's people,
02:53why would God allow such a faith to rise?
02:56It doesn't seem to fit the narrative we expect
02:59when we think about God's plans for the world.
03:02But, as difficult as it is for us to understand,
03:05there's a profound reason behind it,
03:08a reason that we see all throughout Scripture.
03:11The existence of Islam is not a coincidence.
03:15It's part of God's divine sovereignty,
03:17part of His greater plan,
03:19a plan He has had in motion since the beginning of time.
03:22Now, this might seem shocking at first, but stick with me.
03:26You see, God is sovereign.
03:29He rules over all nations,
03:31all peoples,
03:32and all religions.
03:34Nothing happens outside of His will.
03:37In the Bible,
03:38we see time and time again
03:40that God raises up nations, kingdoms, and peoples for a purpose.
03:45Think about the rise of Babylon in the Old Testament.
03:47God used a foreign nation,
03:49one that didn't believe in Him,
03:51to discipline His people when they turned away.
03:53God wasn't endorsing Babylon's false gods,
03:57but He was using them to bring His people back into alignment with His will.
04:03And in the same way, Islam,
04:04though it doesn't align with the truth of Christ,
04:07is part of God's sovereign plan for humanity.
04:12From the very beginning,
04:13we see that God had a plan to test His people's faith.
04:17In the book of Deuteronomy, God warns the Israelites,
04:20For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love Him
04:24with all your heart and with all your soul.
04:27Deuteronomy 13-3
04:29In other words, God allows challenges, other voices,
04:33and alternative paths to rise up
04:36so that His people can prove their love for Him
04:39and their commitment to the truth.
04:42And just as Israel had to choose between the true God
04:46and the idols of the nations around them,
04:49we too are faced with choices.
04:52Islam's rise is one of those choices,
04:54a test of faith,
04:55a challenge to see who will stand firm in the truth of Christ.
05:00But why Islam?
05:01Why this particular religion with all its power and influence?
05:06The answer is simple but profound.
05:08God allows Islam to exist as part of His plan
05:10to refine His people,
05:13to sharpen our understanding of what it means to follow Him
05:16and to remind us of the power of His grace.
05:19It's a test, a test to see who will choose faith in Christ alone
05:24and who will be swayed by the allure of a works-based religion.
05:28You see, the story of Islam isn't just about the rise of a religion.
05:31It's a reminder that God's sovereignty is over everything.
05:35He doesn't make mistakes.
05:37His plan is unfolding exactly as He ordained.
05:42And while we may not fully understand the why and how of it all,
05:45we can trust that God is in control.
05:47Just as He used the Babylonians, the Assyrians,
05:50and even the Roman Empire to shape the world
05:52and bring about His purposes,
05:54He is using Islam today.
05:57Not to affirm its doctrines,
05:59but to fulfill His greater purpose of testing the hearts of all who seek Him.
06:03In this we see that God is not distant.
06:06He is present, actively involved in the affairs of the world.
06:11He knows the end from the beginning,
06:13and He is working all things,
06:16even the rise of religions like Islam,
06:19together for His glory.
06:20And while we may not see the full picture now,
06:23there's comfort in knowing that He is sovereign.
06:26His ways are higher than ours.
06:28His understanding beyond our comprehension.
06:30But we can trust that His plan is perfect,
06:33and that, in the end,
06:35it will all point to the glorious return of Christ.
06:38So,
06:39as we journey through this discussion,
06:42let's keep that truth in mind.
06:44Islam's existence
06:45is not an accident.
06:47It is a part of God's plan,
06:49a plan that will ultimately bring about His glory
06:51and the fulfillment of His promises to His people.
06:55And while Islam's rise may be a challenge,
06:57it is also an invitation to strengthen our faith,
07:01to stand firm in the truth of Christ,
07:04and to hold on to the hope we have in His ultimate victory.
07:08As we dive deeper into this,
07:10let's remember that God is in control.
07:12Islam's rise,
07:15like everything else,
07:16is part of His sovereign will.
07:19The story of Abraham is one that holds deep significance for us all,
07:22especially when we begin to understand
07:25the incredible promise God made to him.
07:27You see,
07:28God didn't just promise Abraham a son.
07:30He promised that through His descendants,
07:33all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
07:36But there was a twist.
07:37Abraham, like many of us,
07:39struggled with impatience.
07:41He and his wife Sarah were well beyond the age of having children.
07:45The years dragged on,
07:46and the promise seemed like a distant dream.
07:49In a moment of weakness and doubt,
07:50Sarah took matters into her own hands,
07:52suggesting that Abraham have a child with her servant,
07:55Hagar.
07:56And so,
07:58Ishmael was born Abraham's first son,
08:01but not the son of promise.
08:03But here's the thing,
08:04even though Ishmael wasn't part of the original plan,
08:06God did not forget him.
08:08In fact,
08:09God spoke to Abraham and made another promise,
08:11this time to Ishmael.
08:14I will bless him,
08:16and make him fruitful,
08:17and multiply him exceedingly.
08:20He will father twelve princes,
08:22and I will make him a great nation.
08:24Genesis 17, 20.
08:26This was God's plan for Ishmael and his descendants,
08:29and it set the stage for the future of the Arab nations.
08:32But God's plan didn't stop there.
08:35After Ishmael,
08:35the child of impatience,
08:37came Isaac,
08:37the son of promise.
08:39Isaac was born to Sarah
08:40when she was well past the age of childbearing,
08:43a miracle of God's grace.
08:45Through Isaac,
08:46God's covenant would continue,
08:48and the lineage of Israel would be established.
08:51Now,
08:52in Abraham's household,
08:54there were two sons,
08:55two promises,
08:56two paths.
08:57One son was born out of human effort,
09:00a decision made in haste,
09:01and the other was born out of divine intervention,
09:05a promise fulfilled by God's timing.
09:07As Isaac grew,
09:09the tension between the two sons began to show.
09:12On the day that Isaac was weaned,
09:14Ishmael,
09:15now a young teenager,
09:17mocked Isaac.
09:19Sarah saw this,
09:20and immediately recognized the threat it posed.
09:22In her eyes,
09:24Ishmael's actions were not just childish teasing,
09:27they were a challenge to Isaac's future,
09:30to the promise God had made.
09:33Sarah,
09:34in her frustration,
09:35turned to Abraham and said,
09:36cast out this slave woman and her son,
09:39for the son of this slave woman
09:41will not share in the inheritance
09:43with my son Isaac,
09:44Genesis 21.
09:46Sure,
09:47imagine the heartache Abraham must have felt.
09:50Ishmael was his son,
09:51his flesh and blood.
09:53How could he cast him out into the wilderness?
09:55But God spoke to Abraham,
09:57reassuring him that this was part of his plan.
10:00Do not be distressed about the boy.
10:02I will make him a great nation also,
10:05Genesis 21, 12, 1, 3.
10:08And so,
10:08with a heavy heart,
10:11Abraham sent Hagar
10:12and Ishmael away,
10:14not knowing exactly what would happen next,
10:16but trusting that God had a purpose for them.
10:19And indeed,
10:20God protected them
10:21in the wilderness,
10:23providing water and shelter
10:25and fulfilling his promise
10:27to make Ishmael the father
10:29of a great nation.
10:31This story of Abraham,
10:33Isaac,
10:34and Ishmael
10:35is more than just a family drama.
10:37It's a story about the two paths
10:39that would shape the future of the world.
10:42On the one hand,
10:42you have the path of Isaac,
10:44the child of promise,
10:45through whom the covenant of God's people
10:47would be established.
10:49On the other,
10:49you have the path of Ishmael,
10:51the child of human effort,
10:52the beginning of a great nation
10:54that would rise in the desert
10:55and eventually give birth to Islam.
10:58These two sons,
10:59though brothers,
11:00represent two very different ways
11:01of relating to God.
11:03Isaac's path is one of divine grace,
11:06a path of faith and promise,
11:07not based on human effort,
11:09but on God's perfect timing.
11:11Ishmael's path,
11:12on the other hand,
11:14is one of humans striving
11:15the path of works
11:17where salvation is sought
11:19through effort and deeds.
11:21And here's where it gets personal.
11:23The story of Abraham's two sons
11:25is not just ancient history.
11:26It's a story that mirrors
11:27the choices we face today.
11:30In many ways,
11:31we are all faced with these two paths.
11:34One path leads to grace
11:36where we receive the gift of salvation
11:39through faith in Jesus Christ,
11:41not by what we do,
11:43but by what he has already done for us.
11:45The other path is the one of works,
11:48the one that tells us
11:49we have to earn our way to God,
11:51that we have to prove ourselves
11:52worthy of his love.
11:54But the truth is,
11:55we can never earn our way to God.
11:58No amount of works,
11:59no amount of effort
12:00can bridge the gap
12:02between us and a holy God.
12:05The path of Isaac,
12:06the path of grace,
12:07is the only way.
12:09It's the way of faith,
12:12the way of trusting in God's promise,
12:14just as Abraham did
12:16when he placed his trust
12:17in the God who keeps his word.
12:19And here's the challenge for us today.
12:22Which path will we choose?
12:24Will we choose the path of grace,
12:26the path of faith,
12:27and the promise of Christ,
12:28or will we try to do it on our own,
12:30relying on our own strength,
12:32our own works?
12:34The story of Abraham's two sons
12:35is a reminder
12:36that we can't walk both paths.
12:38There is no middle ground.
12:41And as we look at the world today,
12:43we see that the descendants
12:44of Isaac and Ishmael
12:45are still on their separate paths,
12:47still living out the promises
12:49God made so many years ago.
12:51But as believers in Christ,
12:53we are called to follow
12:55the path of Isaac,
12:56the path of grace,
12:56and to share that message
12:58with the world around us.
12:59As we continue our journey
13:01through this story,
13:02remember that the promise to Abraham
13:04wasn't just about land or descendants,
13:06it was about a deeper truth,
13:08a truth that would eventually
13:10be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
13:12The path of Isaac
13:13is the path of salvation,
13:14the path that leads to eternal life,
13:16and it's the path
13:17we are called to walk today.
13:18So, let's keep moving forward,
13:22knowing that God's promises are sure,
13:25His plan is perfect,
13:26and we can trust in the path
13:28He has set before us.
13:30As we continue our journey
13:32through the Bible
13:32and the unfolding story
13:33of God's plan,
13:35we must face
13:36an uncomfortable truth.
13:38Sometimes,
13:39God allows things to happen
13:41that challenge us,
13:42test our faith,
13:43and shake us to our core,
13:46and one of the most significant tests
13:48in our modern world
13:49is the rise of Islam.
13:52Now,
13:52I know that for many,
13:53Islam can seem like an enemy,
13:56a religion that rejects
13:57the divinity of Christ
13:58and has been in conflict
14:00with Christianity for centuries.
14:03But what if I told you
14:04that Islam,
14:05like every other part of God's plan,
14:07serves a purpose
14:08in His grand design?
14:11What if this rise
14:12is not just a challenge,
14:13but a test,
14:14a test to see
14:15who will truly stand firm
14:16in their faith
14:17and hold fast
14:18to the truth of Jesus Christ?
14:20When God allowed Israel
14:21to be tested
14:22by foreign nations
14:23throughout history,
14:24He was not simply punishing them,
14:26He was refining them.
14:28In the book of Deuteronomy,
14:29God told His people,
14:32For the Lord your God
14:33is testing you to know
14:34whether you love Him
14:35with all your heart
14:36and with all your soul.
14:38Deuteronomy 13-3.
14:39God doesn't make things
14:41easy for us.
14:42He doesn't promise us
14:43a life without struggle
14:45or opposition.
14:46Instead,
14:47He allows challenges
14:49to come our way
14:49and He uses those challenges
14:51to strengthen our faith.
14:53He allows us to face
14:54the difficult questions,
14:56to wrestle with our beliefs
14:57so that we can grow deeper
14:58in our relationship with Him
15:00and that's exactly
15:01what Islam represents
15:02for the church today,
15:03a test of faith.
15:05Islam,
15:05with its rejection
15:06of Jesus Christ
15:07as the Son of God,
15:09presents a real challenge
15:11to the church.
15:13It's a test that asks us,
15:15Do you really believe
15:16Jesus is the way,
15:18the truth,
15:18and the life?
15:20You see,
15:20Islam doesn't just offer
15:22a different path to God.
15:24It offers a path
15:25that denies the very heart
15:27of the Christian message.
15:29Islam acknowledges
15:30the existence of God,
15:32but it denies
15:33that Jesus is the Son of God,
15:35the Savior of the world.
15:36It teaches that salvation
15:38comes through works,
15:40not through grace,
15:41and that Jesus was merely
15:42a prophet,
15:44not the divine Son
15:45who died for our sins.
15:46This, my friends,
15:47is a test for the church.
15:49When Islam rose
15:50in the 7th century,
15:52it didn't just appear
15:53out of nowhere.
15:54It was part of God's
15:56sovereign plan
15:57to test the hearts
15:58of those who claim
16:00to follow Him.
16:01Just as the Israelites
16:03were tested by the idols
16:04of surrounding nations,
16:05the church today
16:06is tested
16:07by the rise of Islam.
16:09Will we hold firm
16:11to the truth
16:12of Jesus Christ,
16:13or will we be swayed
16:14by a religion
16:15that presents
16:15a false version of God?
16:17Will we continue
16:18to declare that salvation
16:19is by grace alone,
16:21through faith alone,
16:23in Christ alone,
16:24or will we fall
16:26into the trap
16:27of believing
16:27that salvation
16:28is something we must earn?
16:30These are the questions
16:31that Islam forces us
16:33to confront.
16:34But here's the beautiful
16:35part of this test.
16:37God doesn't leave us
16:39to figure it out
16:40on our own.
16:41He has given us
16:42the truth,
16:44and He has made it
16:45abundantly clear
16:46through His Word.
16:47In the Gospel of John,
16:49Jesus said,
16:51I am the way,
16:52and the truth,
16:54and the life.
16:55No one comes to the Father
16:57except through me.
16:58John 14 to 6.
17:00That is the truth
17:02the church must stand on.
17:04Islam may present
17:05a different path,
17:06but it cannot change
17:07the fact that Jesus
17:08is the only way
17:09to the Father.
17:10Islam may deny
17:11Christ's divinity,
17:13but it cannot erase
17:14the fact that Jesus
17:15is God,
17:16that He lived,
17:17died,
17:18and rose again
17:18to offer us
17:19eternal life.
17:21This test is not
17:22just about Islam,
17:23it's about who we are
17:24as believers.
17:26It's about whether
17:27we will stand firm
17:28in the truth
17:28that salvation
17:29is a gift from God,
17:31not something we can
17:32earn through works.
17:34It's about whether
17:35we will proclaim
17:35Jesus Christ
17:36as the Son of God,
17:37the Savior of the world,
17:38no matter how much
17:39opposition we face.
17:41This is the test of faith
17:42that God is allowing
17:43the church to face today,
17:45and it's one that
17:46we must not take lightly.
17:48But here's the good news.
17:49God has given us
17:50the strength
17:51to pass this test.
17:52He has given us
17:53His Word,
17:54His Spirit,
17:55and His promises,
17:55and through all of this
17:57we can stand firm
17:58in our faith.
17:59So as we face
18:00the challenge of Islam
18:01and all the other tests
18:02that come our way,
18:04let's remember
18:04that these are opportunities
18:06for us to deepen
18:07our trust in God,
18:08to grow in our understanding
18:10of His truth,
18:11and to boldly proclaim
18:13the message of salvation
18:14through Jesus Christ.
18:16Islam is not a mistake
18:18in God's plan,
18:19it's a part of the test.
18:20He has allowed
18:20to refine His people
18:22and to call us
18:23to a deeper,
18:24more committed faith.
18:25And when we stand firm
18:27in the truth,
18:28we will be able
18:29to proclaim with confidence
18:30Jesus Christ is Lord
18:33no matter what the world
18:34or any other religion
18:35may say.
18:36As we continue
18:37on this journey,
18:38let's remember
18:39that God is sovereign
18:40over all things,
18:41even the rise of religions
18:43like Islam.
18:44His plans are perfect
18:45and He uses everything,
18:47even the challenges
18:48we face,
18:49to shape us
18:50into the people
18:51He has called us to be.
18:52And through it all,
18:53we can trust
18:54that He is with us.
18:55guiding us
18:56and strengthening us
18:58to stand firm
18:59in our faith
19:00to pass the test
19:01and to glorify Him
19:03in everything we do.
19:05As we continue
19:06our journey,
19:07we come to one
19:07of the most profound
19:08differences
19:09between Christianity
19:10and Islam,
19:11the contrast
19:12between works
19:13and grace.
19:15This is not just
19:16a theological debate,
19:17it's the very foundation
19:19of how we understand
19:20salvation,
19:21how we relate to God
19:23and how we live out
19:24our faith
19:25each and every day.
19:27In Islam,
19:28salvation is largely seen
19:30as something
19:31that must be earned.
19:33It's a path
19:33where the believer
19:34must strive,
19:36do good works,
19:37fulfill obligations,
19:39and hope that
19:40in the end,
19:41their good deeds
19:42outweigh the bad.
19:43There are the five pillars
19:44of Islam,
19:45faith,
19:46prayer,
19:47charity,
19:47fasting,
19:48and pilgrimage,
19:50and these are seen
19:51as essential acts
19:52to ensure a place
19:53in paradise.
19:54In this way,
19:55Islam offers
19:56a path
19:57of human effort.
19:58It's a path
19:59where you do all
20:00that you can
20:00to prove yourself worthy,
20:02hoping that your actions
20:03will be enough
20:03to please God.
20:05But Christianity
20:06tells us something
20:07radically different.
20:09Christianity
20:09is not about
20:10what we can do
20:11to earn God's favor.
20:12It's about what God
20:13has already done for us.
20:14It's not a path
20:15of works,
20:16but a path
20:16of grace.
20:18Grace,
20:19as we know,
20:19is the unmerited
20:20favor of God.
20:22It's a gift,
20:23not a reward.
20:25We can't work
20:25our way into heaven
20:26no matter how many
20:27good deeds we perform.
20:29The Bible makes this clear
20:30in Ephesians 2-8-9
20:32where Paul says,
20:33For it is by grace
20:34you have been saved
20:36through faith,
20:37and this is not
20:38from yourselves.
20:39It is the gift of God,
20:40not by works,
20:41so that no one
20:43can boast.
20:44We are saved
20:44not because of
20:45what we've done,
20:46but because of
20:47what Jesus has done
20:48for us.
20:49He paid the price
20:50for our sins
20:50on the cross
20:51and through his sacrifice
20:52we receive forgiveness,
20:54not because we deserve it,
20:55but because he loves us.
20:57This contrast
20:58between works
20:59and grace
20:59is not just theological,
21:01it shapes
21:02how we live our lives.
21:04If you live by works,
21:05you live with
21:06a constant sense
21:07of uncertainty,
21:08there's always
21:09the nagging question,
21:10have I done enough?
21:11Islam teaches
21:12that salvation
21:13is uncertain,
21:14that it depends
21:14on the balance
21:15of one's good
21:16and bad deeds,
21:17but in Christianity
21:17we don't have to wonder,
21:19we don't have to question
21:20whether we've done enough.
21:22We don't have to measure
21:23our lives
21:23by a scale of deeds.
21:26Because of Jesus
21:27our salvation
21:28is secure.
21:29We are saved
21:30by grace alone,
21:31through faith alone,
21:33in Christ alone,
21:34and this is where
21:35the beauty of Christianity
21:36shines through.
21:38It's not about
21:39what we can do,
21:41it's about what God
21:42has already done.
21:44It's about the fact
21:45that while we were
21:46still sinners,
21:47Christ died for us.
21:50We didn't earn it,
21:51we didn't deserve it,
21:53but God in his love
21:54and mercy
21:54reached down to us.
21:55This is the gospel,
21:57that salvation
21:57is a free gift.
21:59It's available
22:00to anyone who believes,
22:01who accepts Jesus Christ
22:03as Lord and Savior,
22:04not because of their works,
22:05but because of God's grace.
22:08Now, I know this might
22:09sound simple,
22:10but don't let that
22:10simplicity fool you.
22:12This truth is revolutionary.
22:14It's the reason
22:15the Apostle Paul says
22:16that we are saved
22:17by grace,
22:18through faith,
22:18and not by works.
22:20Works can never save us
22:21because no one
22:22can ever be good enough
22:23to meet God's
22:24perfect standard.
22:25But grace,
22:27grace changes everything.
22:29Grace says,
22:30you are forgiven,
22:31not because of
22:32what you've done,
22:32but because of
22:33what Christ has done
22:34for you.
22:35It's a free gift
22:35and all we have to do
22:36is accept it in faith.
22:38This is where the test
22:39lies for all of us,
22:40especially when we
22:41consider the rise
22:43of religions like Islam.
22:45Islam teaches
22:46that salvation
22:47is earned through works,
22:48through striving,
22:50through fulfilling duties.
22:51But Christianity teaches
22:53that salvation
22:53is a gift
22:55freely given by God.
22:57And that's where
22:58the two paths diverge.
23:00One path is about
23:01human effort and works,
23:03while the other is about
23:04divine grace and faith
23:05in Jesus Christ.
23:07And this is the
23:08fundamental difference
23:08between the two religions.
23:10So,
23:11as we walk through
23:12this journey of
23:13understanding Islam's role
23:15and God's plan,
23:16let's remember this
23:16contrast between
23:17works and grace.
23:19Islam may offer
23:21a path of works,
23:22but Christianity
23:22offers a path of grace.
23:24And it's this grace,
23:26the grace of God
23:27through Jesus Christ,
23:28that makes all the
23:29difference in our lives.
23:31When we embrace grace,
23:32we embrace the truth
23:34that our salvation
23:35is secure,
23:36not because of anything
23:37we've done,
23:38but because of everything
23:39Christ has done for us.
23:41As we continue,
23:42let's remember that
23:43the kingdom of God
23:44is not built on human effort,
23:46it's built on the grace
23:47of God.
23:48And it's through grace
23:49that we can experience
23:50the fullness of His love,
23:52His forgiveness,
23:52and the eternal life
23:53He promises.
23:55Grace is the key
23:56to salvation,
23:57and it's this grace
23:58that makes Christianity
24:00so beautifully different
24:01from every other religion
24:03in the world.
24:04When we talk about
24:05the rise of Islam,
24:07it's easy to look at it
24:08as just a historical event,
24:11a part of the world's
24:12religious landscape.
24:13But when we turn
24:14to the Bible,
24:15we begin to see
24:16something much deeper,
24:17something much more
24:18purposeful.
24:19The Bible,
24:20from the very beginning,
24:21offers us a framework
24:22to understand
24:23the rise of nations,
24:24religions,
24:25and even the eventual
24:26coming of the end times.
24:28It's a prophetic roadmap
24:29that guides us
24:30through history,
24:31pointing us toward
24:32God's ultimate plan
24:33for the world.
24:35And believe it or not,
24:36Islam's destiny
24:37is not left out
24:38of that divine plan.
24:40You see,
24:40the Bible isn't just a book
24:42about ancient history
24:43or theological teachings,
24:44it's also a prophetic book
24:46full of visions
24:47and words from God
24:48that reveal His will
24:50for the future.
24:51From Genesis
24:52all the way
24:52through Revelation,
24:54God speaks to us
24:55about the coming
24:56of nations,
24:57the rise and fall
24:58of kingdoms,
24:59and the ultimate victory
25:01of Jesus Christ.
25:02And as we look
25:03at Islam today,
25:04we can see how it fits
25:05into that bigger story
25:06just as God
25:07has always intended.
25:09Let's take a moment
25:09to go back
25:10to the very beginning
25:11of the Bible,
25:11to the story of Abraham.
25:13In Genesis 12,
25:14God makes a promise
25:15to Abraham,
25:17I will make you
25:18into a great nation
25:19and I will bless you.
25:21But that promise
25:22didn't just apply
25:23to Abraham's son Isaac.
25:25God also promised Abraham
25:27something very important
25:28about his other son,
25:29Ishmael.
25:30In Genesis 17, 20,
25:32God says,
25:33As for Ishmael,
25:34I have heard you,
25:35I will surely bless him,
25:37I will make him fruitful,
25:39and will greatly
25:40increase his numbers.
25:41He will be the father
25:43of twelve rulers
25:44and I will make him
25:45into a great nation.
25:48God was laying
25:48the foundation
25:49for two distinct paths,
25:51one through Isaac,
25:52the other through Ishmael.
25:55One path would lead
25:56to Israel
25:56and the other
25:57would lead
25:58to the Arab nations
25:59eventually giving rise
26:01to Islam.
26:02This promise
26:03made thousands
26:04of years ago
26:05wasn't just about
26:06the physical descendants
26:07of Abraham,
26:08it was about
26:09the unfolding
26:09of God's plan
26:10for humanity.
26:13We see that
26:13through Isaac,
26:15God's covenant people
26:16would come,
26:17but through Ishmael,
26:18God would also
26:19create a great nation
26:20and that nation
26:22would play
26:22a significant role
26:23in the story
26:24of the world
26:25just as Islam
26:26plays a role today.
26:28When we look
26:29at the Bible's prophecies,
26:30we see that
26:31the rise of Islam
26:32was not an accident.
26:34It was part
26:34of God's plan
26:35to fulfill
26:36his promises
26:37and to work
26:38in ways
26:39that we may not
26:40always understand.
26:41The Bible speaks
26:41clearly about nations
26:43that would rise up
26:44in opposition
26:45to God's people.
26:46In the book of Ezekiel,
26:48we are told
26:49about a time
26:50when nations
26:51will come together
26:52to attack Israel
26:53in the last days.
26:54And we can see today
26:56how the nations
26:57surrounding Israel,
26:59many of which
27:00are Muslim-majority countries,
27:02fit into that
27:02prophetic picture.
27:04But it's not just
27:05about the nations
27:06surrounding Israel.
27:08The Bible also speaks
27:09about the role
27:10of the church
27:10and the challenges
27:11it would face
27:12in the last days.
27:13Jesus warned
27:14his followers
27:15that there would be
27:16false prophets,
27:18deceptive spirits,
27:19and many voices
27:20that would try
27:21to lead people astray.
27:23Islam,
27:24with its rejection
27:25of the divinity
27:25of Christ,
27:27is one of those voices.
27:28But in God's sovereignty,
27:30he allows these voices
27:31to rise up
27:32to test his people
27:34and to refine
27:35their faith.
27:37Just as the Israelites
27:38were tested
27:38by the false gods
27:39of the nations
27:40around them,
27:41so too the church
27:43today is tested
27:44by the rise of Islam.
27:46In the New Testament,
27:47Jesus made it clear
27:48that he was
27:49the only way
27:49to the Father.
27:51In John 14-6,
27:52he said,
27:53I am the way
27:54and the truth
27:55and the life.
27:57No one comes
27:58to the Father
27:59except through me.
28:00Islam may acknowledge
28:02Jesus as a prophet,
28:03but it denies
28:04his place
28:05as the Son of God,
28:07the Savior of the world.
28:08This is the key difference.
28:10The Bible is clear.
28:12Salvation is found
28:13in Christ alone
28:15through faith in him,
28:16not through works
28:17or adherence
28:18to the law.
28:19And while Islam
28:21offers a path
28:22based on works,
28:24Christianity offers
28:25a path of grace.
28:27It's this difference
28:28that serves
28:29as a test of faith
28:30for the church.
28:30But let's not miss
28:32something incredibly
28:33important here.
28:34God uses these challenges,
28:36these tests,
28:36to refine us.
28:38In the book of Daniel,
28:39God says that
28:40he raises up kings
28:41and brings them down
28:43according to his will,
28:44Daniel 2-21.
28:46Islam's rise,
28:48like every other power
28:49on earth,
28:50is under God's control.
28:52It may seem like a threat
28:54to the truth
28:54of the gospel,
28:55but it is also
28:56an opportunity
28:57for believers
28:58to stand firm
28:58in their faith
28:59and to declare
29:00with boldness
29:01that Jesus Christ
29:02is Lord.
29:03And what is the ultimate
29:04purpose of all this?
29:06The Bible tells us
29:06in Revelation
29:07that at the end of time
29:08every knee will bow
29:10and every tongue
29:10will confess
29:11that Jesus Christ
29:12is Lord,
29:13Revelation 19-16.
29:15That day is coming
29:16and while the rise
29:17of Islam may seem
29:18like a challenge today,
29:19it is a reminder
29:20that God's plan
29:21is unfolding
29:22exactly as he said
29:23it would.
29:24Islam is not
29:25a contradiction
29:26to God's plan.
29:28It is part of it,
29:29part of the divine tapestry
29:30that God is weaving
29:32throughout history.
29:34And in the end,
29:35Jesus will triumph
29:36over all.
29:38So,
29:39as we look at
29:40the rise of Islam
29:40and its role
29:41in the world,
29:42let's remember
29:43that the Bible
29:43has already foretold
29:45these things.
29:46God has a purpose
29:48for every nation,
29:50every kingdom,
29:51and every religion.
29:52And though we may not
29:54fully understand it,
29:55we can trust
29:56trust that God
29:57is sovereign
29:58and that his plan
29:59is good.
30:00Islam's rise
30:01is not an accident.
30:03It's a part
30:03of God's greater story,
30:05one that is leading
30:06us to the return
30:07of Christ.
30:08And as we continue
30:09to walk in faith,
30:10let's hold on
30:10to the truth
30:11of the Bible,
30:12knowing that God's word
30:13is the ultimate authority
30:14in understanding
30:15the world around us.
30:17As we continue
30:18our exploration
30:19into the rise
30:19of Islam,
30:20we must come
30:21face to face
30:22with a powerful
30:23and sobering truth.
30:25God sometimes
30:26uses nations
30:27and even religions
30:29as instruments
30:30of discipline.
30:31This is not
30:32a new idea.
30:33It's a theme
30:34that runs
30:35throughout the pages
30:36of scripture.
30:38God,
30:38in his sovereignty,
30:39uses every circumstance,
30:40every rise and fall
30:41of kingdoms
30:42to shape the hearts
30:43of his people,
30:44to bring them back
30:45into alignment
30:46with his will.
30:47And this,
30:48my friends,
30:48is where Islam
30:49enters the picture.
30:51Now,
30:52I know this may be
30:52difficult to hear.
30:54We might ask ourselves,
30:56how could Islam,
30:58a religion that
30:58rejects Christ,
30:59be used by God
31:00for anything good?
31:02But the Bible is clear.
31:04God can and does
31:06use even the most
31:07unlikely instruments
31:08to fulfill his purposes.
31:10Take,
31:11for instance,
31:12the story of
31:12ancient Israel.
31:14Time and again,
31:15God allowed Israel
31:15to be conquered
31:16and oppressed
31:17by foreign nations
31:18as a form of judgment.
31:20When the Israelites
31:20turned away from God,
31:22he sent prophets
31:23to warn them,
31:25but when they
31:25ignored the warnings,
31:27God allowed nations
31:28like the Babylonians,
31:29the Assyrians,
31:31and the Romans
31:32to come and discipline
31:33his people.
31:35These nations,
31:35though far from
31:36perfect and often
31:37worshiping false gods,
31:39were used by God
31:41to bring Israel
31:41to repentance.
31:43And in the same way,
31:44Islam,
31:45though a religion
31:46that rejects
31:46the core truths
31:47of Christianity,
31:48has been allowed
31:49by God
31:50to challenge
31:50and discipline
31:51the world
31:52and especially
31:53the church.
31:54You might be wondering,
31:55how could this be
31:57part of God's plan?
31:58The answer lies
31:59in God's righteous judgment.
32:01In the Bible,
32:02we see God
32:02warning his people
32:03about the consequences
32:05of sin and disobedience.
32:07In Deuteronomy 28,
32:08God tells Israel
32:09that if they turn away
32:10from him,
32:10they will face consequences.
32:12The Lord will bring
32:13a nation against you
32:14from far away,
32:16from the ends
32:16of the earth
32:17like an eagle
32:17swooping down
32:18a nation whose language
32:20you will not understand.
32:22Deuteronomy 28 to 49.
32:24It's a clear warning
32:25that God can use
32:27foreign nations
32:28as instruments
32:29of judgment
32:29when his people
32:30stray from his truth.
32:32And we see this
32:33played out in history.
32:35Islam's rise to power,
32:37especially in the
32:387th and 8th centuries,
32:40took many by surprise.
32:42But for those
32:43who are paying attention,
32:44it's part of a larger story.
32:47The rise of Islam
32:48coincides with a time
32:49in history
32:50when Christianity,
32:51particularly in the West,
32:53was becoming
32:54increasingly complacent,
32:56divided,
32:57and lukewarm.
32:58The church had lost
32:59its fire,
33:00its zeal for the truth,
33:01and its commitment
33:02to living out the gospel.
33:04The message of grace
33:05had been replaced
33:06by religious ritualism,
33:08and the love of Christ
33:09was often drowned out
33:11by political power struggles
33:12and theological disputes.
33:15In many ways,
33:16the church had strayed
33:18from its first love,
33:19just as Israel had done
33:21many times before.
33:22It was during this time
33:24in the 7th century
33:25that Islam began
33:27to spread rapidly
33:28across the Middle East
33:29and beyond.
33:30It wasn't just a religion
33:31that grew by conquest,
33:33it was a wake-up call
33:34to a world
33:35that had forgotten
33:37the truth of God's word.
33:39Islam, in a sense,
33:40served as a tool
33:41of discipline,
33:42a reminder to the church
33:44that we cannot stray
33:45from the truth of the gospel
33:46without facing consequences.
33:49God used the rise of Islam
33:51to challenge the complacency
33:53of the Christian world
33:54just as he had used
33:56other nations in the past
33:57to call his people
33:59to repentance.
34:00But here's the thing,
34:02God's discipline
34:03is not punitive in nature,
34:05it's restorative.
34:07God doesn't discipline us
34:08to destroy us,
34:09he disciplines us
34:10to bring us back
34:11into right relationship
34:12with him.
34:14In Hebrews 12-6,
34:15it says,
34:15For the Lord disciplines
34:16the one he loves,
34:18and he chastises
34:19every son
34:20whom he receives.
34:22God's discipline
34:23is an expression
34:24of his love,
34:25a love that desires
34:26for us to return to him,
34:28to walk in truth,
34:29and to live according
34:30to his word.
34:31And this is where
34:32the rise of Islam
34:33becomes a reminder
34:34for the church.
34:35It's a call to wake up,
34:37to return to our first love,
34:38to rediscover the truth
34:40of the gospel,
34:41and to stand firm
34:42in the faith.
34:43You might be asking,
34:44but what about
34:45the rest of the world?
34:46Yes, God uses nations
34:48and religions like Islam
34:49to discipline his people,
34:51but his judgment
34:51is not limited
34:52to just one group.
34:54In fact,
34:55in the book of Daniel,
34:56God says that
34:57he removes kings
34:58and sets up kings.
35:00Daniel 2-21,
35:02he is sovereign
35:03over all the nations
35:04of the earth,
35:05and he can use anyone,
35:08anything,
35:08to accomplish his will.
35:11We see this
35:11in the rise of Islam,
35:13but also in the rise
35:14of other global powers,
35:16and we must understand
35:18that God's discipline
35:19is not just for Israel
35:21or the church,
35:21it's for the world.
35:23His ultimate goal
35:24is to bring all nations
35:25to the truth of the gospel
35:26and to prepare the world
35:28for the return
35:29of Jesus Christ.
35:31So,
35:32what does this mean
35:33for us today?
35:34It means that
35:35we must look at
35:36the rise of Islam
35:37not as a mistake,
35:38but as part of
35:39God's sovereign plan.
35:41It's a challenge,
35:42a wake-up call,
35:43and a reminder
35:44that we are to remain
35:45faithful to the truth
35:47of Christ.
35:48God's discipline,
35:50whether through Islam
35:50or any other means,
35:52is an opportunity
35:53for us to examine
35:54our hearts,
35:55to repent
35:56where we have gone astray,
35:58and to return to him
35:59with all our hearts.
36:00As we continue
36:01to walk through
36:02this journey,
36:02let's remember
36:03that God is in control.
36:05Even when things
36:06seem confusing
36:07or difficult to understand,
36:09we can trust
36:10that his discipline
36:10is always for our good.
36:13It's a call
36:14to turn back to him,
36:15to return to the truth
36:16of the gospel,
36:17and to live
36:17in the light
36:18of his grace.
36:20And as we do,
36:21we can have confidence
36:22that God will ultimately
36:23bring about
36:24his perfect plan,
36:25and that the victory
36:26will belong
36:26to Jesus Christ alone.
36:28Let's stand firm
36:30in our faith,
36:31remembering that
36:32God's discipline
36:32is not meant to harm us,
36:34but to draw us closer
36:35to him.
36:36The rise of Islam
36:37is part of God's plan
36:38to purify his church,
36:40and through it,
36:41he will bring us back
36:42to the truth
36:42of the gospel.
36:43So,
36:44let's embrace
36:45his discipline
36:46with open hearts,
36:47trusting that he is
36:48using it to prepare us
36:49for the day
36:50when he will return
36:51in glory.
36:52As we continue
36:53to reflect on the role
36:54of Islam
36:54in God's plan,
36:56we must also look
36:57at the bigger picture,
36:58the global influence
36:59of Islam,
37:00and what it signifies
37:01in the context
37:03of Bible prophecy.
37:04There's no denying
37:05that Islam
37:06has become
37:07one of the most powerful
37:08and widespread religions
37:10in the world today.
37:11With over 1.8 billion followers,
37:15it spans continents,
37:17shapes governments,
37:18and influences
37:19millions of lives.
37:20But as we take
37:21a step back
37:22and look at history
37:23through the lens
37:24of scripture,
37:25we begin to see
37:26that Islam's global rise
37:27is not just a historical
37:29or political phenomenon,
37:31it is also
37:32a prophetic sign,
37:33a marker
37:34pointing to the end times.
37:37The Bible,
37:38particularly in the books
37:39of Daniel,
37:40Ezekiel,
37:40and Revelation,
37:41speaks about
37:42the rise of nations
37:43and powers
37:44that would play
37:45a significant role
37:46in the final days
37:48of this world.
37:49In Daniel 2,
37:50we read about
37:50a vision
37:51of a great statue
37:52with different parts
37:54representing various kingdoms
37:55throughout history.
37:57Each of these kingdoms
37:58represents a stage
37:59in God's unfolding plan.
38:02And if we look closely
38:03at the world today,
38:04we see how these ancient prophecies
38:06are coming to pass
38:07with Islam
38:08playing a central role
38:09in the geopolitical landscape.
38:11In Ezekiel 38-39,
38:14the prophet speaks
38:15about a time
38:15when nations
38:16will rise up
38:17against Israel
38:18and a coalition
38:19of forces
38:20will be assembled
38:20to wage war
38:21against God's people
38:22in the last days.
38:24Now,
38:24when we read
38:25this prophecy,
38:25we see that
38:26many of these nations,
38:27many of the players
38:28in this final battle
38:29are directly connected
38:31to the modern
38:33Muslim world.
38:34Persia,
38:35which is mentioned
38:36in Ezekiel's prophecy,
38:37is none other than Iran.
38:39Cush,
38:40Put,
38:40and other nations
38:41in North Africa
38:42are also predominantly
38:44Muslim today.
38:46And if you look
38:46at a map of the world,
38:47you can see
38:48how these countries
38:49encircle Israel
38:50just as the Bible foretold.
38:52But why is this significant?
38:54Why does it matter
38:55that the Bible speaks
38:56about these nations
38:57and their role
38:58in the last days?
38:59Because it shows us
39:00that God's word
39:01is unfolding
39:02before our eyes.
39:04The rise of Islam
39:05and its deep influence
39:07in the Middle East
39:08is part of a greater
39:09divine plan.
39:11It's not just about
39:12a religion.
39:13It's about the fulfillment
39:14of prophecy.
39:15It's a reminder
39:16that the end times
39:17are drawing near.
39:20Now,
39:20some may wonder,
39:21how exactly does Islam
39:23fit into this
39:24prophetic picture?
39:25The answer lies
39:27in the Bible's portrayal
39:28of the final conflict.
39:30In Revelation 16, 14,
39:32it speaks about
39:33the spirits of demons
39:34performing signs
39:36and how these spirits
39:38will go out
39:38to gather the kings
39:39of the earth
39:40for the battle
39:40of Armageddon.
39:42We are told
39:42that these kings
39:43will be united
39:44by a common cause,
39:46a common belief system.
39:47In many ways,
39:48the rise of Islam
39:49and its unification
39:50of nations
39:51around the belief
39:52in one God, Allah,
39:53is part of this
39:54end-time gathering
39:55of powers.
39:56But Islam's influence
39:57is not just confined
39:59to the Middle East.
40:00It stretches
40:01across the globe,
40:03affecting international relations,
40:04global economics,
40:06and even cultural dynamics.
40:08Islam's rapid expansion
40:09through both population growth
40:11and migration
40:12has made it a global force
40:15to be reckoned with.
40:16And while we may not
40:17fully understand
40:18all the intricacies
40:19of how this fits
40:20into the broader picture
40:21of prophecy,
40:22we can't ignore the fact
40:23that Islam's influence
40:25plays a significant role
40:27in the shaping
40:27of the world stage today.
40:29In Matthew 24,
40:31Jesus speaks about
40:32the signs of the end times.
40:35Wars, rumors of wars,
40:37nations rising against nations,
40:39and the gospel being preached
40:41to all nations
40:42before the end comes.
40:44As we look around
40:45the world today,
40:46we see the fulfillment
40:47of many of these signs.
40:49Conflicts between the West
40:51and the Muslim world
40:52have been at the forefront
40:53of global headlines
40:54for decades.
40:55The tension between Israel
40:57and its neighbors
40:57continues to escalate,
40:59and Islam's growing influence
41:00in the global South
41:01is impossible to ignore.
41:04The Bible's predictions
41:05about the rise of nations
41:07and the gathering of powers
41:08in the last days
41:09seem to be unfolding
41:11right before our eyes.
41:13But while this may seem
41:14like a cause for fear,
41:15it's actually a call
41:16to vigilance.
41:18Jesus told us
41:18in Matthew 24 to 33,
41:21when you see all these things,
41:22you know that it is near
41:23right at the door.
41:25The rise of Islam,
41:26the conflicts we see
41:27in the Middle East,
41:28and the increasing global
41:29influence of Islam
41:31should not cause us
41:32to despair,
41:33but to look up,
41:34knowing that our redemption
41:36is near.
41:37These are the signs
41:38Jesus spoke about,
41:39the signs that tell us
41:40that the end of the age
41:41is drawing closer.
41:42And while we don't know
41:43the exact timing,
41:45we know that God
41:45is in control.
41:47In 2 Timothy 3 to 1,
41:49Paul warns us
41:50that in the last days,
41:52there will be difficult times,
41:54filled with deception,
41:56false teachings,
41:57and conflict.
41:58Islam's denial of Christ
42:00and its embrace
42:01of works-based salvation
42:03is just one of the many
42:04false teachings
42:05that will arise
42:06in the last days.
42:08But even in the face
42:09of these challenges,
42:11we can have hope.
42:12God's word is sure
42:13and his plan is perfect.
42:16Islam's rise
42:17is not an accident.
42:18It's a part of the unfolding
42:19of God's greater story.
42:20And in the end,
42:21Jesus will return
42:22and every knee will bow
42:23and every tongue
42:24will confess
42:25that Jesus Christ is Lord.
42:27So, as we watch
42:28the world unfold around us,
42:30as we witness
42:31the growing influence
42:32of Islam,
42:33let's remember
42:33that this is a sign.
42:35It's a sign
42:36that the time is near.
42:38It's a call
42:38to remain faithful,
42:40to hold fast
42:40to the truth of Christ
42:41and to be ready
42:43for his return.
42:44And as we do,
42:45let's share the hope
42:46of the gospel
42:46with the world,
42:47knowing that the ultimate victory
42:49belongs to Jesus Christ alone.
42:51As we draw closer
42:52to the end of our journey,
42:54we must face
42:55the sobering reality
42:56that the rise of Islam
42:58and its influence
42:59on the world
43:00points us
43:01to a much greater
43:02spiritual battle
43:03that is unfolding
43:04before our eyes.
43:06This battle
43:06is not just a political
43:07or religious struggle.
43:09It is the final conflict
43:10of all time
43:11as described
43:12in the book of Revelation.
43:13The Bible has a lot
43:15to say
43:15about the last days,
43:17about the ultimate
43:17confrontation
43:18between good and evil
43:19and about the final victory
43:21of Jesus Christ.
43:23And while Islam
43:24as a religion
43:25plays a part
43:26in this narrative,
43:27it is important
43:28to remember
43:29that it is not
43:29the ultimate force
43:30that will prevail.
43:32In the end,
43:33the kingdom of Jesus Christ
43:34will stand
43:35and every other power
43:36will be defeated.
43:38In the book of Revelation,
43:40we are given
43:41a vivid picture
43:42of the final battle,
43:43the battle of Armageddon.
43:45This is the ultimate
43:46confrontation
43:47between the forces
43:48of Christ
43:49and the forces
43:50of evil.
43:51Revelation 16, 16
43:53tells us,
43:54Then they gathered
43:55the kings together
43:56to the place
43:56that in Hebrew
43:57is called Armageddon.
43:59In this battle,
44:00the nations of the world
44:01will unite
44:02under the banner
44:03of the beast
44:04and they will fight
44:05against the armies
44:06of heaven.
44:07It is a battle
44:08for the soul
44:09of the world
44:09and Islam
44:11along with
44:11other forces
44:12that oppose Christ
44:13will play a role
44:15in this final conflict.
44:17But the good news
44:17is that we already
44:18know the outcome.
44:20Throughout the Bible,
44:21God has been preparing us
44:22for this final clash.
44:25The Old Testament
44:26prophets
44:26like Ezekiel
44:27and Daniel
44:28spoke of a time
44:29when the nations
44:30would gather
44:31against Israel
44:32and the forces
44:33of evil
44:33would rise up
44:34to challenge
44:35God's chosen people.
44:37The modern day
44:38Muslim world
44:38with its long-standing
44:40opposition to Israel
44:41and its denial
44:42of Christ
44:42fits into this
44:44prophetic picture.
44:45But while Islam
44:46plays a significant role
44:47in this final struggle,
44:49we must remember
44:50that it is not
44:51the ultimate victor.
44:52Revelation 19, 19, 2, 1
44:54gives us
44:55the glorious conclusion,
44:56Then I saw the beast
44:58and the kings
44:58of the earth
44:59and their armies
45:00gathered together
45:01to wage war
45:02against the rider
45:03on the horse
45:04and his army.
45:05But the beast
45:06was captured
45:06and with it
45:08the false prophet
45:08who had performed
45:10the signs
45:10on its behalf.
45:12With these signs
45:13he had deluded
45:14those who had received
45:15the mark of the beast
45:16and worshipped
45:17its image.
45:18The two of them
45:19were thrown alive
45:20into the fiery lake
45:21of burning sulfur.
45:22This final battle
45:24is not one of equal powers.
45:26The forces of evil
45:27symbolized by the beast
45:28and the false prophet
45:29will be utterly defeated
45:31by Christ.
45:33And Islam
45:33which denies
45:35the divinity of Christ
45:36and opposes his kingdom
45:37is part of that opposition.
45:39But it is ultimately defeated
45:41by the power
45:42of Christ's return.
45:44Jesus, the rider
45:45on the white horse
45:46will triumph
45:46over all forces
45:47of darkness.
45:49His kingdom
45:49will be established
45:50forever
45:51and all those
45:52who have chosen
45:53to follow him
45:53will reign with him
45:54in glory.
45:56Now
45:56you might be asking
45:58why does God
45:59allow this battle
46:00to take place
46:01in the first place?
46:03Why does he allow
46:03Islam
46:04or any force of evil
46:06to rise up at all?
46:07The answer is found
46:09in the wisdom
46:10of God's plan.
46:12He allows these forces
46:14to gather
46:14because he is giving
46:15everyone
46:16the opportunity
46:17to choose.
46:19Throughout history
46:19people have had
46:21the choice
46:21to follow the truth
46:23or to follow deception.
46:25The rise of Islam
46:26like the rise
46:27of other false religions
46:28is part of that choice.
46:31God does not force
46:32anyone to choose him.
46:33He allows us
46:34to choose
46:35whom we will serve.
46:37But in the end
46:37we know that those
46:38who choose to follow Christ
46:39will be victorious.
46:41As Revelation 17.14
46:43says
46:43they will wage war
46:45against the Lamb
46:46but the Lamb
46:47will triumph over them
46:48because he is
46:49Lord of Lords
46:50and King of Kings
46:51and with him
46:52will be his called
46:53chosen and faithful followers.
46:56And that my friends
46:57is the ultimate victory.
47:00Islam along with
47:01all other false religions
47:02will be defeated.
47:05The forces of evil
47:06led by the beast
47:08and the false prophet
47:09will be thrown
47:09into the lake of fire
47:10never to rise again.
47:12The kingdom of Christ
47:13will be established
47:14and all those
47:15who have placed
47:16their faith in him
47:17will live with him
47:18forever.
47:20But what about us
47:20right here,
47:21right now?
47:22What does this final battle
47:23mean for us today?
47:25It means that we must
47:26stand firm in our faith.
47:28We must hold fast
47:29to the truth of the gospel
47:31even in the face
47:32of opposition.
47:34Islam along with
47:35other false religions
47:36will continue to rise up
47:38but we know that
47:39Christ has already
47:40won the victory.
47:42He has already defeated
47:43sin, death
47:44and the devil.
47:46The final battle
47:47is already decided
47:48and now
47:50we are called
47:51to stand as witnesses
47:52to the truth
47:53proclaiming the victory
47:54of Christ
47:55until he returns.
47:57So,
47:57as we watch
47:59the world around us
47:59and witness
48:00the rise of Islam
48:01and other forces of evil
48:03let's remember
48:04that these are the signs
48:05of the times.
48:06The final battle
48:07is coming
48:07but it's not a battle
48:08we need to fear.
48:10We already know
48:10the outcome.
48:11Christ will return
48:13and he will reign
48:14as king of kings
48:15and lord of lords
48:16and every knee
48:17will bow
48:17and every tongue
48:18will confess
48:19that Jesus Christ
48:20is Lord.
48:21As we continue
48:21our journey
48:22let's remember
48:23that the ultimate victory
48:24belongs to Jesus Christ.
48:27The rise of Islam
48:28and all that it represents
48:29is part of God's
48:30sovereign plan
48:31but it will not have
48:32the final word.
48:33The final word
48:33belongs to Christ
48:35and his kingdom
48:36will never end.
48:37So let's hold on
48:38to that hope
48:39stand firm in our faith
48:40and look forward
48:41to the day
48:42when Christ returns
48:43to claim his victory
48:44once and for all.
48:46As we come to the final chapter
48:47of our journey
48:48it's important to pause
48:49and reflect
48:50on the incredible hope
48:51that we as believers
48:52have in Christ.
48:54While we've talked
48:55about the rise of Islam
48:56and its place
48:57in God's prophetic plan
48:58there's one truth
49:00that stands above all else
49:01the ultimate victory
49:02belongs to Jesus Christ.
49:04When we look
49:05at the world around us
49:06with all its conflicts
49:07struggles
49:08and uncertainties
49:09it's easy to feel
49:11overwhelmed
49:11but we must remember
49:13that God's kingdom
49:14is not of this world
49:15and his victory
49:16is assured.
49:18Jesus Christ
49:19the King of Kings
49:21and Lord of Lords
49:22will reign forever
49:23and his victory
49:24over sin
49:25death
49:26and all the powers
49:28of evil
49:28is already secured.
49:30The final battle
49:31as we've seen
49:32may seem daunting
49:33but the outcome
49:34is already decided.
49:36In Revelation 19
49:37we are given a beautiful
49:38and powerful picture
49:39of Christ's return.
49:41The Apostle John
49:42describes Jesus
49:43as a mighty warrior
49:44riding on a white horse
49:46with the name
49:47Faithful and True
49:48written across his chest.
49:50He's coming to judge
49:51the nations
49:52to bring justice
49:53and to establish
49:54his kingdom on earth.
49:56The armies of heaven
49:57follow him
49:57and he strikes down
49:58the nations
49:59with the sword
50:00of his mouth
50:00but this is not
50:02a battle of uncertainty.
50:03No, this is the battle
50:04where Jesus
50:05the Lamb of God
50:06crushes all his enemies
50:07and establishes his reign.
50:10The victory is his
50:12and he shares that victory
50:13with all who follow him.
50:16This is the kingdom
50:17we are waiting for
50:18the kingdom of Christ.
50:20It is a kingdom
50:21that will never fade
50:22never be shaken
50:23and never be defeated.
50:25Unlike the kingdoms
50:26of this world
50:27which rise and fall
50:29the kingdom of Christ
50:31is eternal.
50:33In Philippians 2
50:34to 9 to 11
50:34we are told
50:35therefore God
50:37exalted him
50:38to the highest place
50:39and gave him the name
50:40that is above
50:41every name
50:42that at the name
50:42of Jesus
50:43every knee should bow
50:44in heaven
50:45and on earth
50:46and under the earth
50:47and every tongue
50:48acknowledge that
50:49Jesus Christ is Lord
50:51to the glory
50:52of God the Father.
50:54One day
50:54every person
50:55every nation
50:56every power
50:57will bow before him.
50:59Every knee will bend
51:00and every tongue
51:01will confess
51:02that Jesus Christ
51:03is Lord.
51:04There is no power
51:05no ruler
51:06no religion
51:06that will stand
51:07in the way
51:08of Christ's
51:09ultimate reign.
51:10His kingdom
51:11is not just a hope
51:12for the future
51:12it is a present reality
51:14that we can live in today.
51:16As we consider
51:17the rise of Islam
51:18and other forces
51:19that seem to oppose
51:20Christ and his church
51:21let us not forget
51:23this truth.
51:24The battle
51:25is not ours
51:26to fight
51:27the victory
51:28is already won.
51:30Jesus Christ
51:31has conquered sin
51:32he has conquered death
51:34and he has conquered
51:35the grave.
51:37He has already secured
51:39the ultimate victory
51:40for us.
51:41Our job
51:42as believers
51:43is to remain faithful
51:46to hold firm
51:47to the truth
51:48of the gospel
51:49and to live
51:50in the light
51:51of his victory.
51:53This victory
51:53is not just
51:54for the end of time
51:55it is for now.
51:56As we walk
51:56through this world
51:57we can live
51:58in the peace
51:59and assurance
52:00that the kingdom
52:01of Christ
52:01is advancing.
52:03Even when the world
52:04seems to be in turmoil
52:05we can trust
52:06that God is at work.
52:07The forces of evil
52:08may rage
52:09but Christ
52:10has already won
52:11the victory
52:11and as his followers
52:13we are part
52:14of that victory.
52:16So,
52:16what does this mean
52:17for us?
52:18It means that
52:19no matter what
52:20challenges we face
52:21no matter what
52:22opposition we encounter
52:23we can rest
52:24in the knowledge
52:25that the ultimate victory
52:26belongs to Christ.
52:28When we face trials
52:30we can look to Jesus
52:31the conqueror
52:33and know that
52:33we are on the winning side
52:35and this victory
52:36isn't just about the future
52:37it's about today.
52:39Christ's kingdom
52:40is here
52:40and it is growing.
52:42Every time
52:43we share the gospel
52:44every time
52:45we stand firm
52:46in our faith
52:46we are participating
52:48in the advance
52:49of his kingdom.
52:50We are part
52:51of his victory story.
52:53The book of Revelation
52:53doesn't just end
52:55with the defeat of evil
52:56it ends with
52:56the eternal reign
52:57of Christ.
52:58Revelation 22-5
53:00tells us
53:01there will be
53:01no more night
53:02they will not need
53:04the light of a lamp
53:05or the light of the sun
53:06for the Lord God
53:07will give them light
53:08and they will reign
53:09forever and ever.
53:11This is the promise
53:12we hold on to
53:13this is the hope
53:14that sustains us.
53:15One day
53:16we will reign
53:16with Christ
53:17in a kingdom
53:18where there is
53:19no more pain
53:19no more sorrow
53:20and no more death.
53:22It will be
53:22a kingdom of peace
53:23of justice
53:25and of righteousness
53:26and it will never end.
53:29So
53:29as we look
53:30at the world
53:31and the challenges
53:32that lie ahead
53:33let us not be discouraged.
53:35The victory
53:36is already ours
53:37in Christ.
53:39Let us keep
53:39our eyes fixed
53:40on him
53:40the author
53:41and finisher
53:42of our faith
53:42and let us live
53:43each day
53:44in the light
53:44of his victory.
53:46Jesus Christ
53:47is king
53:47and his kingdom
53:49will never be shaken.
53:50The kingdom
53:51of Christ
53:51is not just
53:52a future hope
53:53it is a present reality
53:55and as we walk
53:56in his victory
53:57we can trust
53:58that we are
53:58part of his plan
53:59that we are
54:00advancing his kingdom
54:02and that his
54:03ultimate victory
54:03is our victory too.
54:05So
54:06let us hold on
54:07to that truth.
54:08Let us stand firm
54:09in our faith
54:10and let us look forward
54:12with anticipation
54:13to the day
54:13when Christ returns
54:15to make all things new.
54:17The kingdom of Christ
54:18is coming
54:19and it is a kingdom
54:20that will never end.
54:21It is a kingdom
54:22we are invited
54:22to be a part of
54:23a kingdom
54:24where Jesus Christ
54:25will reign
54:26forever and ever
54:27and that is
54:27the ultimate victory.
54:29As we bring this
54:30journey to a close
54:31I want to leave you
54:31with a simple
54:32but profound question
54:34which path
54:35will you choose?
54:37In a world
54:38filled with so many voices
54:39so many paths
54:40and so many teachings
54:41it can be difficult
54:42to discern
54:43what is true
54:44but the truth is
54:45there is only one path
54:47that leads to eternal life
54:48and that path
54:49is through Jesus Christ.
54:51Throughout this video
54:52we have seen how
54:53Islam
54:54along with many
54:55other belief systems
54:56offers a path
54:57that leads
54:58away from the truth
55:00of Christ.
55:01It denies
55:02his divinity
55:02his sacrifice
55:04on the cross
55:05and the gift
55:06of grace
55:07that he freely
55:08offers to all
55:09who believe.
55:11But Jesus himself
55:12said
55:12I am the way
55:13the truth
55:14and the life
55:15no one comes
55:16to the Father
55:17except through me
55:18John 14 to 6
55:19In a world
55:20full of deception
55:21and confusion
55:22it's easy
55:23to be led astray
55:24to be pulled
55:25in many directions.
55:27The rise of Islam
55:28along with other
55:29ideologies
55:30is a reminder
55:31that we are living
55:32in a time
55:33of testing
55:34just as God
55:35allowed the nations
55:36to rise up
55:37to test his people
55:38in the past
55:39he is allowing us
55:41to be tested today.
55:43The question is
55:44will we stand
55:45firm in the truth
55:47of Christ?
55:48Will we hold
55:49on to the gospel
55:50the truth
55:51that has been
55:51passed down
55:52to us
55:52or will we
55:53be swayed
55:54by the voices
55:55of deception?
55:56Choosing the truth
55:57is not always easy
55:58it requires courage
56:00it requires conviction
56:01and it requires
56:03a heart
56:03that is willing
56:05to stand
56:05for what is right
56:06even in the face
56:08of opposition.
56:10But here's the good news
56:11we don't have to
56:11make this choice alone
56:12Jesus is with us
56:14every step of the way
56:15he has given us
56:16his word
56:17his spirit
56:17and his promises
56:18and through these
56:19we can navigate
56:20the challenges
56:21of this world
56:22and remain rooted
56:23in his truth.
56:24The truth is not
56:25just something
56:26we believe
56:26it is someone
56:27we know
56:28Jesus Christ
56:29is the truth
56:30and when we choose
56:31to follow him
56:32we are choosing
56:33the path
56:34that leads
56:34to life.
56:36So my friend
56:36I urge you today
56:37choose the truth
56:39choose the truth
56:40that is found
56:41in Christ alone.
56:43the world
56:44will offer you
56:44many alternatives
56:45many paths
56:46that seem right
56:47but in the end
56:48they all lead
56:48to destruction.
56:50Only Jesus Christ
56:51offers the way
56:53to eternal life
56:54and he is calling
56:55you today
56:56to follow him
56:57he is calling
56:58you to choose
56:59his truth
57:00to stand firm
57:01in your faith
57:02and to be a witness
57:03to others
57:04of the hope
57:04that you have in him.
57:06As we close
57:06I want to challenge
57:07you to take a moment
57:08and reflect on
57:09where you stand.
57:10Are you standing firm
57:12in the truth of Christ
57:13or have you allowed
57:14the deceptions
57:14of this world
57:15to lead you astray?
57:17Now is the time
57:18to make your choice.
57:20It's never too late
57:21to turn to Christ
57:22to accept his gift
57:24of salvation
57:24and to choose
57:25the path
57:26that leads to life.
57:27If you are ready
57:28to choose Christ
57:29to accept him
57:30as your Lord
57:31and Savior
57:31I invite you
57:32to pray with me now.
57:34Ask him to come
57:35into your life
57:36to forgive your sins
57:37and to guide you
57:38on the path
57:39of truth.
57:39He is waiting
57:41with open arms
57:41ready to welcome you
57:43into his kingdom
57:44and for those of you
57:45who already follow Christ
57:47I encourage you
57:47to stand firm
57:48in your faith.
57:50Don't let the pressures
57:51of the world
57:51or the rise
57:52of false teachings
57:53shake you.
57:55Keep your eyes
57:56fixed on Jesus
57:57the author
57:58and perfecter
57:59of your faith
57:59and know that
58:00he has already
58:01won the victory.
58:02As we move forward
58:03let's remember
58:04that we are called
58:05to be a light
58:06in the darkness
58:06to share
58:07the truth of Christ
58:08with those around us.
58:10The world is watching
58:11and they need to see
58:12the truth in us.
58:14Let's live out
58:15that truth every day
58:16knowing that
58:17the ultimate victory
58:18belongs to Jesus Christ
58:20and that he is coming soon
58:22to make all things new.
58:24Thank you for joining me
58:25on this journey today.
58:26I pray that you will
58:27stand firm
58:28in the truth
58:29walk in the light
58:31of Christ
58:32and be a witness
58:33of his love
58:34and grace
58:35to the world.
58:36May God bless you
58:37and may his peace
58:38be with you always.
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