End Times Obsession And Focusing On The Enemy

There are many "End Times" websites. Some are "Christian" based, and some are not. One thing that most of them have in common is reporting the news.

It's true that there is allot of Biblical end times prophecies being fulfilled presently in our lifetime. In fact, no people, no world, no generation has been closer to Jesus' return than we are right now. We know this based upon what God himself taught us in the mount of olives, as well as many other Old and New Testament prophecies. It's also true that the "news" often tells us about such things happening around the world (even though they usually do not attribute events to end times prophecy fulfillment.) But focusing on the news, and allowing all that they have to tell us into our minds can be a problem.

About 5 years ago, I found a Christian based end times website that was giving news reports usually daily. They also had a large community of forum members that would tell people about disasters, politics, new age movements, false religious leaders, wickedness, evil, abomination reports, apostate, etc... All of this sectioned into different categories. It was suppose to be showing us that since all of this is happening, we are getting closer and closer to Jesus' return. It was also suppose to educate us for our own protection. I found myself going back day after day, sometimes several times daily, filling my mind with all manners of horrible and upsetting news. I would then share that upsetting news with family. I became obsessed with it, and did not even realize that it was dragging me down into a pit of wickedness (literally).

My mistake, and their mistake....

What I didn't realize at the time, is that what I was doing was focusing on the enemy, and his works rather than God. I was thinking (whether consciously or not) like the end times was under enemy authority, as if based upon his evil works, he would decide when Jesus Christ would return. The enemy would make a move, his people would follow, and we would think: "That's end times stuff! That proves that Jesus will return soon!". Yes Jesus did warn us about people doing evil and turning into evil in the end times. We have specific prophecies we can watch for. But that does not mean that Jesus is waiting for the enemy to fulfill wicked things in order to return. Jesus is not waiting for the enemy! The enemy may be doing things that is fulfilling end times prophecies, but that does not mean that he will decide when Jesus will return! Rather than waiting upon and focusing upon GOD, I was waiting upon and focusing upon the enemy. This is wrong...

In the process, what I was continuing to fill my mind with was news of horror and traumas, information that I DID NOT NEED TO KNOW ABOUT, and I was becoming more and more upset, depressed and oppressed. Oppressed is defined as "...to lie heavily upon (the mind, a person, etc): Care and sorrow oppressed them." That's the "pit" I found myself in.

It's true that news may have an important part in our lives (at times). Hearing about disasters and other horrible information is obviously just part of life these days. But Christians especially should consider keeping it in perspective. A wise man once said: "If you want to be happy, don't read the newspaper." Monitor and pay attention to what types of effects the news is having on your life and the lives of your family (emotions, mentality, spirituality). And realize, there are some things that Christians do not need to know about. The more evil you know about, the more evil you know about! Do you need to know about it? Will it help you?

We have the power to turn away from papers, headlines, ads and articles. Jesus Christ says: "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 King James Bible).