God is still in charge as He sets the stage and time for our Rapture to dwell with Him forever, “eternal in the heavens” (2Cor. 5:1b) and then for the manifestation of the real person of Antichrist on earth.

Like us today, many of Paul’s genuine grace-age believing members of “the body of Christ” at the time of his writing his II Thessalonians letter had heard what Paul tells them were ‘false’ reports. There were lying teachers, lying spirits (of demons) and a phony letter as it from Paul with misinformation. Fake news is nothing new with Satan as seen in this verse where Paul begins to set the record straight.

“That ye Be Not Soon Shaken In Mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by [a phony] letter as from us, as [if] that the day of Christ is [already] at hand.”  (2 Thessalonians 2:2 (KJV)

The false reports were that these believers must have missed the Rapture and were in now the Tribulation period. This was so because they mistakenly viewed the early birth pangs of the end time decay and sufferings they saw and were enduring as the “day of the Lord,” (such as we may see today). They thought they were in the end-time judgements of the 7-year Tribulation period wherein God inevitably will pour out His long-delayed wrath and vengeance.

We can be assured that we will be Raptured to Heaven BEFORE Antichrist actually appears with his powerful “Signs and Lying Wonders” so as to deceive the whole world. Paul made this assurance in his 1^st letter to the Thessalonians.

“For God hath NOT appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (KJV)

I believe there will then be increased lying ‘Mary apparitions’ and UFOs in the heavens and much more. The RCC Vatican Observatory, one of the oldest astronomical research institutions in the world, has its headquarters at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, outside Rome. The Roman Catholic Church will likely then, in the Tribulation period, speak of these UFO’s as ‘good aliens sent by God,’ even proposing to baptize these extraterrestrials. You can read several articles about this here with it links at the end: http://www.thelivingmoon.com/49ufo_files/03files2/Monsignor_Corrado_Balducci.html

Thankfully, today “The Holy Spirit” is still holding back or restraining Satan and his Antichrist’s coming… UNTIL the Rapture when the Lord Removes us and the Holy Spirit in us… from Planet Earth. More time permits more souls to be saved. But relatively soon after our Rapture, Antichrist will sign to “confirm the covenant” of peace with Israel and its neighbors. This act marks the very beginning of the 7-year Tribulation period.

“And he [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [7-years]: and in the midst of the week [at 3-1/2 years] he shall cause the [temple] sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it [the temple] desolate, even until the consummation [of the 7 years], and that determined [judgment prophesied] shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27)

³ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the end time “day of the Lord”] shall not come, except [until] there come a falling away first [Grk. apostasia, religious apostasy], and that MAN OF SIN [Antichrist] Be Revealed, The Son of Perdition;

⁴ Who opposeth [God] and Exalteth Himself Above All That Is Called God, or that is worshipped; so that HE AS GOD SITTETH IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, SHEWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD.

Paul in the nine verses below tells these Thessalonians what they should have already “Known” from Paul’s earlier communication with them in (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (KJV) … and perhaps telling them of the work of the Holy Spirit in restraining Satan’s Antichrist and only later releasing to “be Revealed In, His Time” AFTER the Rapture of “the church” called “the body of Christ.”

“² That ye Be Not Soon Shaken In Mind, or be troubled, neither by [a lying] spirit, nor by [a lying] word, nor by [a phony] letter as [if] from us, as [if] that the day of Christ [Rapture to heaven] is at hand [ongoing, already occurred].”

³ Let no man deceive you by any means: for ‘that day’ [the end time “day of the Lord’s” judgment] shall not come, except there come a [religious] falling away [Grk. apostasia, apostasy] first, and that MAN OF SIN [Antichrist] be Revealed, the Son Of Perdition;

⁴ Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

⁵ Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I [Paul] told you these things? ⁶ And now Ye Know what WITHHOLDETH [so] that he [Antichrist] might be Revealed [only] In, His Time.

⁷For the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work; only he [the Holy Spirit] who now letteth [Gk. katecho, restrains] will let [restrain Satan], UNTIL he [the Holy Spirit] be taken out of the way.

⁸ And then shall that WICKED [the ANTICHRIST] Be Revealed,

whom the Lord shall [later] consume with the Spirit of His Mouth, and shall destroy [Gk. kartargeo, shall make him of no effect in ‘the lake of fire’] with the Brightness of His [2^nd] Coming:

⁹ even [that is] HIM [the ANTICHRIST], Whose Coming Is After the Workings of SATAN with All Power and Signs and Lying Wonders.”

¹⁰ And with all deceivableness [delusion] of unrighteousness in them that perish; because They Received Not The Love Of The Truth, That They Might Be Saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:2-10, emphasis added)

The Holy Spirit Is the Restrainer:

One role of the Holy Spirit to restrain evil as seen in the following passages, even during the Tribulation period:

“(7) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter [Holy Spirit] will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (8) And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove [convict] the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me; (10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” (John 16:7-11)

The grace believing “body of Christ” will have been Raptured but Many kingdom gospel believers of the Tribulation period will oppose the Antichrist at that time and will be martyred for opposing him (Revelation 6:9-11. 20:4). The Holy Spirit will help Christians at that time to sustain their opposition even when under duress. In fact, the Holy Spirit will help and empower them.

“¹¹ But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.” (Mark 13:11 (KJV)

- By Arthur J Licursi-