Even if the fruit of the Spirit do not bloom, and the Holy Spirit is taken, and the world is void of the Gospel of Christ, I will still rejoice in the Lord.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills…” Habakkuk 3:17-19

This verse is describing the absence of the Holy Spirit within the world.

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines…” is describing the absence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit are spiritual qualities such as peace, meekness, gentleness, faith, joy, goodness, perseverance, patience, self-control, love, kindness, goodwill, etc. Galatians 5:16-26 urges us to walk in the Spirit and not by the flesh. Jesus warns us of the day when love becomes cold because of lawlessness, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Matthew 24:12 Imagine a world living opposite of the fruit of the Spirit, a world of conflict, aggression, harshness, not expressing hope, wearing sad faces, having a perverted/destructive sense of humor, wicked, impatient, impulsive, “flying-off-the handle”, no perseverance in Godliness, hateful, cruel, and filled with malintent towards others. Sounds like something that already permeates this world.

“Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food…” is describing the fruitlessness of spreading the Gospel of Christ, through the Holy Spirit, as people are not responsive to the word of God. Today’s culture are the fields where the food of the Holy Spirit, the Gospel of Christ, is not well received. The seed of the Holy Spirit, for sowing the Gospel, is falling by the wayside and being eaten by birds, some are falling on stony places and the sun scorches them, and some fall among the thorns and are being choked out. Click here for the Parable of the Sower. Our Lord Jesus says this, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:4-5

“Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls…” is describing the followers of Jesus Christ being cut off from one another and the extinction of Christianity. Click here for a post on the extinction of Christianity from Revelation 12. “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb…” Revelation 13:6-8 The “he” in this verse is the beast of the image and mark of the beast.

Today’s culture, which is global, serve the entity with power over physiology to give people what to think, feel, say, and do. They welcome this entity to enliven the image of the beast to speak and live through them. Because of this entity’s influence in the world, the churches have abandoned the Gospel of Christ, government lawmakers no longer integrate the values of the Bible into their laws and policies, the educational system does not allow the teaching of the Bible in classrooms, and Christianity is not welcomed in any sector of society. Today’s culture is groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

With Habakkuk, through Jesus Christ and in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we can say that we will rejoice in the Lord, the God of our Salvation. Even though the fruit of the Spirit is absent in the world, even though no one listens or responds to our testimony of the Gospel of Christ, even though we have no fellowship with other Believers, we still find our strength in the God of Jesus Christ. He enables us to walk gently, meekly, and peaceably in this world so that we can walk on the heights of His Holiness.

The Holy Spirit is He who restrains lawlessness, and when He is taken from this world lawlessness is unleashed, For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 Click here for a post on the “Lawless One”.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1