BRACING MYSELF, FOR WHAT? By Rayola Kelley

I was recently reading one of my Facebook posts that was four years old. It was about the fact that we needed to brace ourselves. One might ask why must we brace ourselves, but I knew it was in light of the upcoming elections and the unstable issues taking center stage in 2020. I thought at the time it was good advice, but I had to wonder beside the obvious, what else did I need to brace myself for. I was aware that tumultuous waves were presently, and would be, hitting the shoreline of our nation. I also realize that the Bible is clear that there will be incredible shaking taking place and anything that is not established on the eternal Rock will fall (Hebrews 12:26-29).

As I considered that advice four years ago, I had to ask myself if I am still bracing myself. I look over the past four years and shake my head. We may have a sense of what we need to brace ourselves for, but we can’t even begin to imagine how long or against what must we brace ourselves against. If you ask me if I have learned anything from bracing myself, I can say, “Yes I have.”

Think about what it means to brace yourself. To do it there has to be an awareness that something is coming at you and without proper support you will not be able to stand in it and endure it. It is true that there are different ways in which to brace yourself. Bracing yourself can include bracing yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually.

As I initially pondered bracing myself, I was reminded how when I was stationed in Hawaii I would go to the ocean with my friends. I quickly learned in order for the waves to go around me instead of taking me down, I had to face them and brace myself by making sure my feet were firmly planted, and as they were about to hit me, I had to jump up and in them. It was amazing how they would go around me as I landed on sure footing because I had properly braced myself.

This example showed me that I must face whatever waves were going to hit the shoreline of my life. I also had a contrast that reminded me of how dangerous waves can be if they are not properly faced and confronted. I was at the ocean one day and I surmised I was far enough away from when the waves last receded, so I assumed they would not reach me. I was casually walking when suddenly a wave hit me from the side and knocked me over. I felt myself rolling with it as it was quickly taking me out into deeper waters. A friend had witnessed the event and ran and braced himself in front of my body to keep me from being taken out and cast about. I later learned a riptide had me in its clutches and that very day four girls had become victims of it and drowned.

I asked myself, have I been bracing myself for the last 3½ years? When you are bracing yourself, you are basically holding your breath while waiting for the “shoe to drop.” You are not sure what shoe needs to drop but you figure you will know it when it does. But, to brace yourself for almost four years sounds tiring. However, I keep remembering Daniel 7:25, “And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

Think about what is being said, the patience and the resolve of the saints will be worn down by the anti-Christ and his system. Compare this to Revelations 3:7-13. This was in regard to the church of Philadelphia. Note what verse 10 states, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” It is also important to point out what is said in Revelation 3:8, “I know thy works; behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength and kept my word, and has not despised thy name.” The saints of Philadelphia had little strength left but they had kept His word and not despised His name. As a result, the Lord set before them an open door to escape through and find safety and no one would be able to close it.

We are told in Daniel that the saints during this time will be given into the hand of this world leader for a time. With great accusations against God, he will try to wear down the faith of the saints. As we know, faith is what allows us to patiently endure the trying of it in fiery ovens (Hebrews 6:12-15; 1 Peter 1:5-9; James 1:3). It is also our faith which will enable us to possess our souls in patience as we watch our God be accused, our faith tested, and times and laws adjusted to fit wicked agendas in order to silence the people of God, and the futile attempt to wipe out any witness of our wonderful Creator (Luke 21:19).

It is for this reason I become quite concerned with Luke 18:8 after Jesus makes it clear that He will avenge his own elect, and said, “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily, Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Will Jesus find true faith on earth when He comes? These words have echoed in my soul ever since I first read them. I realize that the brace in our Christian walk is unfeigned faith directed towards God, established on the truth of His Word, confirmed by His Spirit, and manifested in an obedient life. It is not a cane we lean on or a crutch that holds us up; rather, it is the inward resolve to stand on hope, withstand with truth, and continue to stand in light of the unchanging promises of life and glory. It braces us in a physical way because our life is in Christ, and He has shown us the way in which to walk. It supports us mentally because we know there is no future in this world and that our hope rests in the next. It enables us to stand and face the trying waves of our time, our generation, and the spiritual season we are in because we know that our Lord will be the victorious One in the end as all enemies are brought under His feet, and we will be left standing not only on His side but on the right side of eternity (1 Corinthians 15:23; Hebrews 10:13).

Let us come back to Jesus’ question in Luke 18:8. Will He find true faith in what or who? We are told in Hebrews 11:6, only true, active, obedient faith towards God will please Him. Will He find faith in those who call themselves Christians or has it become an empty religious title many hide behind? Will He find those who believe the absolute authority of His Word, for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, or has the sword of His Word been rendered ineffective by those who have dissected it into pieces to fit the cultural and religious narrative of the day (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 4:12)?

Finally, are we spiritually prepared to stand? The truth is if you are not spiritually prepared to stand, you will find that physically the challenges will be like a tsunami that might appear at first as if there is no danger, and then a great wave will come in that will confront you at every angle. You will not be able to stand against it in your own strength. You can only run to higher ground or anchor yourself to something that can’t be taken out by the forces of the times.

As believers we know only God has provided the high ground and the immovable Rock, but have we been preparing ourselves to ever come higher in our life with Christ? We are seated positionally in high places with Christ, but are we pressing towards it like Paul, and are we like David who stated, “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens” (Psalm 123:1). When everything of this world is crowding me in, I relate to David’s prayerful cry in Psalm 61:2, “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (Ephesians 2:6; Philippians 3:14).

When the wave comes, if you are awake and walking in the light, you might see it on the horizon but by the time you discern it, it will be on top of you. You must be wise to brace yourself by ever ascending and moving to higher ground in your understanding and relationship with the Lord before it hits. It is only the heights of God that will allow you to face it from His perspective. I love what Job 39:27-29, “Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.” To brace in, and for, this time of uncertainty and testing, we must be situated on the Rock where we can behold from afar.

What about bracing mentally? The mind is the place where the greatest failure can take place (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Hebrews 12:3). It can become fearful and hide instead of prepare. It can become overwhelmed and close down instead of face a matter for what it is. It can become despondent, causing the heart to become cold because all appears hopeless. However, we are told that we must have the mind of Christ. This is a transformed mind that is renewed daily by the Spirit and the Word. It is no longer conformed to this world’s way of thinking, but has been set free to soar in the heights of the possibilities of an Almighty God and the heavenly promises of that which is eternal and glorious (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:23; Philippians 2:5).

For years I have been hearing dates. Right now, it is July 11, 2024 at 5:43 pm. Noting a date and time does not make it significant. It simply is a marker for me to remind me that certain things must be done within a time-frame if I am going to meet important deadlines. I have to admit, I have heard some interesting dates, but some of the stuff attached to them seem a bit off. For example, July 18 of this month is supposed to be important. Do I think it is important? It might be. Do I think something will happen? It is possible, but keep in mind I have heard of other dates where things were going to happen and nothing significant occurred. However, I take stock in some of these dates, not to panic or put any real credence to them, but I always question myself. If something were to happen that day, would I be prepared? Do I have everything done I can do to make sure I am not caught off-guard by sudden events and left in a quandary because I procrastinated and failed to redeem the time? In a way, this is how I brace myself. I take note of the day, but it is to wisely take stock in the present so I can be prepared for the unknown future.

Lately, I heard another interesting date, mainly a year. We all know that we will not know the day or hour Jesus is coming. There are reasons for it due to the appearance of the new moon which starts the new day for the Jews, but it does not say we can’t know the year or even the month. Many believe that Jesus will come sometime during the last three feasts that take place in September or October in order to fulfill them. In fact, they believe He will come on the Day of Trumpets which is the first day of the month as a call to the assembly to prepare for the Day of Atonement, observed ten days later, and then Feast of Tabernacles a few days after that.

The Apostle Paul talks about the last trump sounding in 1 Corinthians 15:51-56 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 when we will receive our new bodies and the idea of the last trump can also take us to the last of the seven trumpet judgments in Revelation 8:2. However, according to the information we received about this latest date, they have taken figures from Daniel and according to Jewish calculations which are different than ours, Jesus is coming back in the year 2028. Is it true? I don’t know. I hold all such things lightly. After all, I recently heard the prophecies in Daniel being applied to Biden’s presidency. It was amazing how the commentators ignored that Daniel’s prophecies center around Israel and not America. It was also interesting to hear them skip Jesus’ second advent and go right into the Millenium. Sadly, they represent much of the heretical days we live in.

Do I take the year 2028 seriously? No, but it is interesting and like many other things I hear I put it on the shelf to ponder it at a later time when God brings my attention to certain prophetic events. Meanwhile time marches on, often revealing the limited foolishness of man as I take note of some interesting dates, not to cling to them, but to brace myself to consider if I am ready if it happens that day. If nothing significant happens, I might be a bit weary with all of the nonsense and speculation, but I know I am still ready and I have done what I can to redeem the time. After all, I am not preparing myself for a particular day, but for a particular event. Haven’t you heard? My Jesus is coming for me at any time now, and I want to be ready.