How Do We Skip the Tribulation?
The Prerequisite for Effective & Enduring Leadership™
Why is there a prerequisite for this book? Because this book is intended to help Christians have a more significant impact on earth as Christ's ambassadors and Effective & Enduring Leaders™. Without an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, it just won't make sense. There may be some differing opinions about the timing of the Rapture but, the Bible is clear that there will be a Rapture and a time of Tribulation and Great Tribulation here on earth. It is important for Christians to understand how their relationship with Jesus Christ will help them during these times.
What is the Great Tribulation and why should we skip it? Matthew gives us good insight via the words of Jesus. In chapter 24 verse 21 Matthew documents Jesus' words, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” What will happen to mankind during the Great Tribulation? Again, we turn to the 24th chapter of Matthew and the words of Jesus, verses 4-7, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” The Tribulation period lasts seven years however, the Great Tribulation is the final three and one half years and is filled with great calamity for mankind. If we wish to avoid this great calamity, we should seek to Skip the Tribulation!
Jesus tells us in Luke 21:36 to be ready for these events, “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” and in Matthew 24:36 Jesus tells us why we should always be ready, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” If we don't know the timing of these events, it makes sense that we should always be ready for them.
During the Great Tribulation (the second 3-1/2 years) the anti-christ will rule on earth according to Revelation 13:1-8. The Bible tells us that satan and his protege, the anti-christ, will be wreaking havoc on the earth during this time. God's Word uses the image of a 'beast', a terrible beast, to describe the anti-christ. In fact though, the anti-christ will be human like the rest of us … just under the influence and control of satan. The anti-christ will be given authority over mankind for forty-two months (3-1/2 years) and it will wage war against God's people and all inhabitants of the earth will worship it … except for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
The Great Tribulation will be a terrible time on earth for mankind and for those who come to know Jesus Christ as their savior during the seven year Tribulation period. I say during the Tribulation period because all of God's people were removed from the earth in the Rapture just prior to the Tribulation. The people who come to know Jesus during the Tribulation period will be subjected to much persecution. However, those same people will have the hope and joy of knowing they will spend a wonderful eternity in Heaven with their Christian brothers and sisters. At the end of the Great Tribulation, God's people will again be removed from the earth into Heaven. Those remaining, who rejected God, will face an eternity of torture in hell.
How do we Skip the Tribulation? God's people will be spared the Tribulation and will be removed from the earth into Heaven via the Rapture immediately prior to the start of the Tribulation period. After the Rapture, those people who remain on earth will be those who have rejected God and have not received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
“Every saint has a past – every sinner has a future.” ~ Oscar Wilde
How can we be assured of our place in the Rapture? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 describes how God's church, both the living and the dead believers will be raised into Heaven at that time, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 speaks of the immortality of believers in Christ, “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?””
So again, how do we assure our place in the Rapture and Skip the Tribulation?
It is simple really, God sent His Son to die for us so that our sins may be forgiven. In John 14:6 Jesus tells us that the way to the Father is through Him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” God the Father is in Heaven and the only way to get into Heaven and to the Father is through Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:13-14 explains, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” The famous passage in John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Acts 4:12 assures us that Christ is the only solution for our redemption, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” To assure our place in the Rapture and Skip the Tribulation we must engage in a three-step process through prayer as follows:
~ Admit we are sinners.
~ Express our belief that Jesus died for our sins and ask forgiveness.
~ Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.
If you know in your heart that you are ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please join me in this prayer:
“Father in Heaven, I admit that I am a sinner, I repent of my sins and ask for Your forgiveness. I acknowledge that your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins and was raised from the dead and now sits at your right side. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Father, I accept your Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior and I receive your Holy Spirit into my life to empower me. I commit to live the rest of my life for Your purposes. AMEN!”
If you prayed that prayer and sincerely mean it with all your heart, CONGRATULATIONS! You are now one of God's people and assured of your place in the Rapture and you will be spared … YES you will get to Skip the Tribulation! 1 Peter 1:3-4 talks about the hope and inheritance we have as God's people, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,” This experience is called 'salvation'. Your salvation experience is just the beginning of your Christian life on earth and eternity in Heaven. Because you meant the prayer above with all your heart you are now called to leave your old life of sin behind and start a new life seeking to live in a Christ-like and Christ-pleasing manner. How do you do this? I recommend the following steps:
~ Join a good Bible teaching church.
~ Join a good Bible study group.
~ Read your Bible daily.
~ Fellowship with other Christians.
~ Read Rick Warren's book, “The Purpose Driven Life”4 at least three times.
~ Read this book, “Effective & Enduring Leadership … Visions of Greatness™”, at least three times.
~ Read the excellent books listed in the Bibliography.
“I have decided to follow Jesus. The world behind me, the cross before me. No turning back, no turning back.”16
Please note that if you did not mean the above prayer with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”), then it was an empty prayer and not received by God. Your salvation is a life-changing event and not something to be taken lightly or just for your convenience. Romans 10:9 explains that we must believe in our heart, “If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” I encourage you to begin the above seven steps immediately so that you may gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian and then, when you sincerely feel it in your heart, come back and pray this prayer again and continue your Christian life.
What happens to the people who go through the Great Tribulation?
Daniel 12:1-3 tells us what to expect, “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel, one of the great prophets, tells us that those who come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior during the seven year Tribulation period will be raised into Heaven to enjoy everlasting life there with God. Those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior during the Tribulation period will suffer “shame and everlasting contempt”. In other parts of the Bible, we are told that non-believers will suffer an eternity of torture in hell such as Malachi 4:1 which says, “"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them.””
You may be wondering about that anti-christ character? Revelation 19:20 gives us the good news, “And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” This is echoed in Revelation 20:10, “and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
What does Skip the Tribulation have to do with Effective & Enduring Leadership? Just EVERYTHING! If a person does not recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they cannot possibly implement the E & E Leadership™ principles in this book. Effective & Enduring Leadership is based on the truth of God's Word and a foundation of faith and belief in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Our faith and belief in God are our hope and realization of eternal life in Heaven after we leave our temporary homes here on earth. It is the job (indeed a calling from God) of Effective & Enduring Leaders to make a difference in the world by creating and leaving Godly legacies that will ensure the preservation of Jesus' church for future generations and the continuing winning of souls for Jesus Christ.
Skip the Tribulation Prayer:
“Father in Heaven open our hearts to receive You and Your love for us. Teach us to act on the
urgency of the situation and to accept Your Son, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Teach us to help others to receive Christ as their Savior. Thank You for loving us. In Jesus Holy Name, AMEN!”
If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ or not sure of your relationship, I encourage you to reach out to a local Christian leader ASAP ... time is of the essence! If you cannot find a local Christian leader to reach out to please call 1-888-NEED-HIM or 1-888-633-3446 or go to www.chataboutjesus.com or reach out to us at www.skipthetrib.com.
NOTE: My personal study and knowledge of scripture supports the chain of events described above.
This is also supported by most interpretations of the prophesies in Daniel 9:24 and Daniel 12:1-2.
What is the Great Tribulation and why should we skip it? Matthew gives us good insight via the words of Jesus. In chapter 24 verse 21 Matthew documents Jesus' words, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” What will happen to mankind during the Great Tribulation? Again, we turn to the 24th chapter of Matthew and the words of Jesus, verses 4-7, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” The Tribulation period lasts seven years however, the Great Tribulation is the final three and one half years and is filled with great calamity for mankind. If we wish to avoid this great calamity, we should seek to Skip the Tribulation!
Jesus tells us in Luke 21:36 to be ready for these events, “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” and in Matthew 24:36 Jesus tells us why we should always be ready, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” If we don't know the timing of these events, it makes sense that we should always be ready for them.
During the Great Tribulation (the second 3-1/2 years) the anti-christ will rule on earth according to Revelation 13:1-8. The Bible tells us that satan and his protege, the anti-christ, will be wreaking havoc on the earth during this time. God's Word uses the image of a 'beast', a terrible beast, to describe the anti-christ. In fact though, the anti-christ will be human like the rest of us … just under the influence and control of satan. The anti-christ will be given authority over mankind for forty-two months (3-1/2 years) and it will wage war against God's people and all inhabitants of the earth will worship it … except for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
The Great Tribulation will be a terrible time on earth for mankind and for those who come to know Jesus Christ as their savior during the seven year Tribulation period. I say during the Tribulation period because all of God's people were removed from the earth in the Rapture just prior to the Tribulation. The people who come to know Jesus during the Tribulation period will be subjected to much persecution. However, those same people will have the hope and joy of knowing they will spend a wonderful eternity in Heaven with their Christian brothers and sisters. At the end of the Great Tribulation, God's people will again be removed from the earth into Heaven. Those remaining, who rejected God, will face an eternity of torture in hell.
How do we Skip the Tribulation? God's people will be spared the Tribulation and will be removed from the earth into Heaven via the Rapture immediately prior to the start of the Tribulation period. After the Rapture, those people who remain on earth will be those who have rejected God and have not received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
“Every saint has a past – every sinner has a future.” ~ Oscar Wilde
How can we be assured of our place in the Rapture? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 describes how God's church, both the living and the dead believers will be raised into Heaven at that time, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 speaks of the immortality of believers in Christ, “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?””
So again, how do we assure our place in the Rapture and Skip the Tribulation?
It is simple really, God sent His Son to die for us so that our sins may be forgiven. In John 14:6 Jesus tells us that the way to the Father is through Him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” God the Father is in Heaven and the only way to get into Heaven and to the Father is through Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:13-14 explains, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” The famous passage in John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Acts 4:12 assures us that Christ is the only solution for our redemption, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” To assure our place in the Rapture and Skip the Tribulation we must engage in a three-step process through prayer as follows:
~ Admit we are sinners.
~ Express our belief that Jesus died for our sins and ask forgiveness.
~ Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.
If you know in your heart that you are ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please join me in this prayer:
“Father in Heaven, I admit that I am a sinner, I repent of my sins and ask for Your forgiveness. I acknowledge that your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins and was raised from the dead and now sits at your right side. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Father, I accept your Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior and I receive your Holy Spirit into my life to empower me. I commit to live the rest of my life for Your purposes. AMEN!”
If you prayed that prayer and sincerely mean it with all your heart, CONGRATULATIONS! You are now one of God's people and assured of your place in the Rapture and you will be spared … YES you will get to Skip the Tribulation! 1 Peter 1:3-4 talks about the hope and inheritance we have as God's people, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,” This experience is called 'salvation'. Your salvation experience is just the beginning of your Christian life on earth and eternity in Heaven. Because you meant the prayer above with all your heart you are now called to leave your old life of sin behind and start a new life seeking to live in a Christ-like and Christ-pleasing manner. How do you do this? I recommend the following steps:
~ Join a good Bible teaching church.
~ Join a good Bible study group.
~ Read your Bible daily.
~ Fellowship with other Christians.
~ Read Rick Warren's book, “The Purpose Driven Life”4 at least three times.
~ Read this book, “Effective & Enduring Leadership … Visions of Greatness™”, at least three times.
~ Read the excellent books listed in the Bibliography.
“I have decided to follow Jesus. The world behind me, the cross before me. No turning back, no turning back.”16
Please note that if you did not mean the above prayer with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”), then it was an empty prayer and not received by God. Your salvation is a life-changing event and not something to be taken lightly or just for your convenience. Romans 10:9 explains that we must believe in our heart, “If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” I encourage you to begin the above seven steps immediately so that you may gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian and then, when you sincerely feel it in your heart, come back and pray this prayer again and continue your Christian life.
What happens to the people who go through the Great Tribulation?
Daniel 12:1-3 tells us what to expect, “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel, one of the great prophets, tells us that those who come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior during the seven year Tribulation period will be raised into Heaven to enjoy everlasting life there with God. Those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior during the Tribulation period will suffer “shame and everlasting contempt”. In other parts of the Bible, we are told that non-believers will suffer an eternity of torture in hell such as Malachi 4:1 which says, “"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them.””
You may be wondering about that anti-christ character? Revelation 19:20 gives us the good news, “And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” This is echoed in Revelation 20:10, “and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
What does Skip the Tribulation have to do with Effective & Enduring Leadership? Just EVERYTHING! If a person does not recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they cannot possibly implement the E & E Leadership™ principles in this book. Effective & Enduring Leadership is based on the truth of God's Word and a foundation of faith and belief in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Our faith and belief in God are our hope and realization of eternal life in Heaven after we leave our temporary homes here on earth. It is the job (indeed a calling from God) of Effective & Enduring Leaders to make a difference in the world by creating and leaving Godly legacies that will ensure the preservation of Jesus' church for future generations and the continuing winning of souls for Jesus Christ.
Skip the Tribulation Prayer:
“Father in Heaven open our hearts to receive You and Your love for us. Teach us to act on the
urgency of the situation and to accept Your Son, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Teach us to help others to receive Christ as their Savior. Thank You for loving us. In Jesus Holy Name, AMEN!”
If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ or not sure of your relationship, I encourage you to reach out to a local Christian leader ASAP ... time is of the essence! If you cannot find a local Christian leader to reach out to please call 1-888-NEED-HIM or 1-888-633-3446 or go to www.chataboutjesus.com or reach out to us at www.skipthetrib.com.
NOTE: My personal study and knowledge of scripture supports the chain of events described above.
This is also supported by most interpretations of the prophesies in Daniel 9:24 and Daniel 12:1-2.
