Restraining

2 Thessalonians 2:3-8 AMPC

Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of doom (of perdition), [4] Who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and insolently against and over all that is called God or that is worshiped, [even to his actually] taking his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God. [5] Do you not recollect that when I was still with you, I told you these things? [6] And now you know what is restraining him [from being revealed at this time]; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own [appointed] time. [7] For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, [but it is] restrained only until He who restrains is taken out of the way. [8] And then the lawless one (the antichrist) will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by His appearing at His coming.

Our monster pup is nearly 11 months old and bursting with boisterous energy. As soon as the boot of the car door is raised we have to restrain him from bounding out while we get hold of his lead. We have to stop him from being free to cause all sorts of havoc!

It is quite a task as he is so determined and strong. The two of us have to put our whole body as a barrier in front of him to prevent him escaping.

That's the current mission of the Holy Spirit against the forces of rebellion being unleashed by the evil one in this world.

The Holy Spirit is restraining the darkness and currently preventing the revelation of the "lawless one", the "son of perdition", the "anti-christ" at the moment.

So, even though we see the build up of evil in society, it actually is nothing to what will happen when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way.

We Christians are earthen vessels containing the Holy Spirit, proclaiming the good news:

2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

May our lives display Jesus and restrain the darkness until we, with the Holy Spirit, are taken out of way.