It tells you that your good works are filthy rags, your righteousness is worthless, and your only hope is the mercy of God found in the blood of Jesus Christ. That’s not a popular message. That’s not a seeker-friendly message—but it’s the only message that saves.
If we’re going to endure what’s coming, we must get this right. You cannot survive the fire with a false gospel. You cannot stand in the face of persecution if you’ve been trained to believe that Christianity is all about prosperity and comfort.
The tribulation will be the great sifting. And many who filled pews, sang songs, and wore crosses around their necks will be exposed as frauds. Because when the cost is too high, they’ll walk away. Why? Because they were never truly His.
So examine the foundation. Test the message you believe. Is it rooted in the Word of God or in cultural convenience? Does it call you to die, or does it promise you your best life now? The gospel is not about you. It’s about Christ.
Until you embrace that truth, you will not stand. You will not endure. You will not overcome. The tribulation will reveal what you truly believe and who you truly follow.
We have produced an entire generation of believers who have no theology of suffering. They’ve been taught that following Christ is supposed to be easy, that faith protects them from hardship, and that a blessed life is one free of difficulty.
This is not biblical. This is not Christian. This is deception.
The Bible does not hide suffering from the believer. It prepares him for it. Jesus did not say if trouble comes; He said, “In this world you will have tribulation.” Paul didn’t suggest persecution might happen. He declared, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
And yet we have people sitting in churches all across the world who have no idea how to suffer well—because they’ve never been taught what the Bible says about affliction.
Instead of being prepared for the fire, they’ve been promised ease. They’ve been told that if they just pray hard enough, tithe consistently, and declare blessings over their lives, then nothing bad will happen.
So when sickness strikes, when tragedy comes, when the world turns against them, they don’t know what to do. Their faith collapses under the weight of reality because it was never rooted in truth. It was built on sand, not stone.
The early Church rejoiced in suffering. They counted it a privilege to be beaten, imprisoned, and even killed for the name of Christ. Why? Because they understood suffering is not a detour from the Christian life—it’s part of the path.
They knew tribulation purifies, strengthens, and conforms us to the image of Christ. But in the modern Church, we see suffering as a sign that something has gone wrong—not that something is going right.
This is why most Christians today will not endure the tribulation. We’ve raised them on cotton candy instead of the meat of the Word. We’ve protected them from pain instead of preparing them for persecution.
We’ve convinced them that suffering is a failure of faith instead of a fruit of faith. So when the tribulation begins—when believers are hated, hunted, imprisoned, and even killed—many will walk away.
Not because Christ failed them, but because they were never told who Christ truly is.
Jesus suffered. The apostles suffered. The early Church suffered. Why would we think we are exempt?
The same Jesus who calms the storm also slept through it. He didn’t promise us comfort. He promised us a cross.
And yet pastors today avoid this truth because it doesn’t fill seats. It doesn’t build brands. It doesn’t sell books.
But truth is not measured by how popular it is. It’s measured by how faithful it is to the Word of God.
And here is the hard truth: a faith that cannot endure suffering is not a saving faith.
If your Christianity only works when life is good, then it will fail when life turns dark.
The tribulation will be unlike anything the world has seen. It will crush the superficial and expose the shallow.
Only those who have been trained to suffer well, who have anchored their hope in eternity, will endure.
So stop asking God to take away the fire. Ask Him to refine you in it.
Stop measuring your faith by how easy your life is. Measure it by how faithfully you cling to Christ when everything else falls apart.
Because the days are coming—and they are near—when suffering will no longer be occasional but constant.
And when it comes, the question will not be whether you go to church, whether you post Bible verses, or whether you sing worship songs.
The question will be this: Can you suffer for Christ and still rejoice? Can you lose everything and still say, “He is enough”?
If you cannot answer that now, you will not endure then.
One of the greatest reasons most Christians will not endure the tribulation is because they love the world far too much.
Their hearts are tied to the comforts, the pleasures, the systems, and the approval of this present age.
And Scripture is clear: you cannot serve two masters. You cannot love the world and love God.
John warns, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
Yet the modern church is full of people whose affections are more aligned with culture than with the Kingdom.
Their identity is shaped more by trends and politics than by truth. Their loyalty is to self, not the Savior.
They speak of Jesus with their mouths, but their lives testify that He is not Lord.
They want salvation without surrender, blessings without obedience, heaven without holiness.
But Jesus said plainly: “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”
That’s not a message of worldly ease. That’s a call to die.
And dying to this world is not optional. It is essential.
When the tribulation begins, the dividing line will be unmistakable. Allegiance to Christ will mean rejection by the world.
It will mean losing jobs, status, rights, and freedoms. It will mean being hated, slandered, and hunted.
And those who have grown comfortable in the system of this world will not stand. Why? Because they’re not willing to let go.
They’ve built their lives around careers, entertainment, influence, and comfort. They’ve put down deep roots in a dying world.
So when they’re faced with the choice between Christ and comfort, many will choose comfort.
When following Jesus costs them their position, their wealth, their family, or even their life—they will walk away.
Just like the rich young ruler.
This is why the love of the world is so dangerous. It numbs you to the urgency of eternity. It seduces you with temporary pleasures while blinding you to the coming judgment.
It makes you feel safe while you’re drifting toward destruction.
And the devil doesn’t need to convince you to deny Jesus openly. He only needs to convince you to value the world more than you value Him.
That’s enough to make you fall.
We live in a generation that treats Jesus like an accessory—something to wear when convenient, something to display on Sundays, but not something to define every part of life.
But Christ is not a supplement. He is not an add-on. He is King. And He will not share His throne with anything or anyone.
The tribulation will demand exclusive loyalty. There will be no room for divided hearts.
You will either bow to the Lamb or to the beast.
You will either walk by faith or live in fear.
And many will take the mark not because they hate Jesus, but because they love the world more.
We must examine ourselves now. What are we holding on to that we would hesitate to lose for Christ?
What comforts are we unwilling to surrender? What opinions of man are we afraid to lose?
If there’s anything we would not gladly give up for Him, then our hearts are not ready. And if our hearts are not ready, we will not endure.
The tribulation will not create compromisers. It will reveal them. It will expose every false allegiance and every idol we’ve hidden behind religion.
And those who love the world will find themselves standing outside the Kingdom—not because God failed them, but because they never truly followed Him.
They followed safety, success, popularity—but not the Savior.
So if you would endure the tribulation, you must let go of this world. You must cling to Christ with both hands.
Because when the shaking comes, only those who have forsaken the world already will have the strength to stand.
One of the most sobering realities about the coming tribulation is that most who profess Christ will not endure because they lack the Holy Spirit.
That may sound offensive to a generation raised on emotional experiences, spiritual catchphrases, and feel-good worship services—but the truth must be told.
There are many who attend church, raise their hands in praise, speak Christian language, and even serve in ministry—yet they are spiritually dead.
They have religion, but they do not have regeneration. And in the day of testing, that absence of true indwelling power will be their downfall.
The Holy Spirit is not a feeling. He is not goosebumps during a song or tears during a sermon.
He is the third Person of the Trinity—the Spirit of Truth, the seal of salvation, and the power that enables the believer to endure, to overcome, and to obey Christ even in the face of suffering.
Without Him, you cannot stand. Without Him, you cannot remain faithful when the cost becomes unbearable.
The tribulation will not be survived through human effort, emotional hype, or group identity. Only those filled with the Spirit of the Living God will endure to the end.
Jesus said in John 14:17 that the world cannot receive the Spirit because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
And today much of the visible Church is worldly. They are captivated by emotions, programs, lights, and culture—but they have no intimacy with God.
They know the language of the Spirit but they do not know the Spirit Himself. They talk about power but live in defeat. They speak of revival but continue in compromise.
This disconnect is not just dangerous—it is damning.
The Spirit of God does more than make you feel spiritual. He sanctifies you. He convicts you of sin. He produces fruit—real fruit:
Holiness. Boldness. Endurance. Love of truth. Hatred of sin. The ability to suffer for Christ without turning back.
If these things are not present in your life, you need to ask yourself: Am I truly born again?
The tribulation will be a furnace—and only those who are Spirit-filled will survive the heat. The counterfeit will be consumed.
Many will fold not because they didn’t love the idea of Jesus, but because they never truly belonged to Him.
Romans 8:9 is clear: “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.”
This is not optional. This is essential.
In that day, your denomination will not save you. Your church attendance record will not shield you. Your emotional memories of past services will not sustain you.
Only the indwelling Holy Spirit—the very power of God at work in you—will enable you to say no to fear, no to compromise, and yes to Christ even when it costs you everything.
We must stop assuming that people are saved because they look the part.
We must return to the biblical truth that salvation is a supernatural work. It’s not behavior modification. It’s not religious performance. It’s spiritual resurrection.
You were dead—and now you live—because the Spirit of God made you alive with Christ.
If you are not walking in step with the Spirit now, you will not stand later. If you are not led by Him today, you will be led astray tomorrow.
The time to be filled is now. The time to cry out for real conversion is now. The time to stop pretending and start repenting is now.
Because when the tribulation comes, the test will be spiritual—and only those who possess the Spirit will pass it.
All others, no matter how religious they appear, will fall. Not because they were weak, but because they were never truly His.
The tribulation will not be endured by those who are addicted to comfort and safety.
That may sound harsh—but it is the hard truth that must be spoken.
We live in an age where modern Christianity has been wrapped in luxury, convenience, and personal peace.
People do not follow Christ to die anymore. They follow Him to be comfortable. They’re not seeking holiness—they’re chasing happiness.
They’re not looking to suffer with Him—they’re hoping He’ll protect their lifestyle.
But the gospel never promised safety. It promised a cross.
Look around at the Western Church today. We have built entire ministries on the idea that God’s main goal is to protect us, bless us, and make our lives easier.
We pray more for traveling mercies and job promotions than we do for strength to endure persecution.
We ask God to give us peace in our circumstances—but we rarely ask Him to give us courage to suffer faithfully.
This is not the Christianity of Scripture. This is a religion of comfort.
And when real tribulation begins—when following Jesus means losing your job, your house, your freedom, or even your life—this kind of faith will collapse in an instant.
The early Church did not chase comfort. They met underground. They worshiped in caves. They risked death to preach the gospel. They sang while in prison. They rejoiced when beaten.
Why? Because they had already counted the cost. They knew the value of Christ outweighed everything this world had to offer.
But most modern Christians haven’t counted the cost. They’ve never had to.
So when the heat rises and Christianity becomes a threat to your survival, the comfortable will flee.
They’ll make excuses. They’ll redefine truth. They’ll compromise with culture. And eventually, they’ll deny the very name they once claimed to love.
Comfort has become an idol in the modern Church. We’ve confused ease with blessing and silence with peace.
We measure God’s faithfulness by how well He protects our lifestyle—instead of how well He conforms us to the image of Christ.
But tribulation will confront this idolatry.
It will rip away the illusion that we can follow Jesus and still hold tightly to our security.
It will reveal whether we are clinging to Christ or clinging to our comfort zones.
Let’s be clear: when tribulation strikes, the pressure will be intense. You may have to choose between feeding your family or taking a mark, between keeping your freedom or standing on God’s Word, between living in hiding or denying your Lord.
And if you have been trained by ease, you will not be ready for hardship.
If your Christianity has always been comfortable, it will not endure when it becomes costly.
This is why Jesus said, “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.”
The cross is not a symbol of comfort. It’s a symbol of death.
It means dying to self, dying to approval, dying to reputation, dying to the right to live life on your terms.
And many who profess faith today are not carrying crosses. They are carrying cushions. Soft, easy, unchallenged faith.
But that kind of faith will not survive the shaking.
We must prepare now.
We must train our hearts to treasure Christ above comfort, to embrace suffering as a gift, and to trust God when safety is stripped away.
Because if your god is comfort, you will betray Christ to protect it.
But if Christ is your treasure, you will endure—no matter what it costs.
[Final section with biblical literacy and deception during tribulation to follow in third message]
Here is the final section of your message, continuing the short paragraph formatting:
The tribulation will be the great refiner. It will test every motive, every heart, every idol.
And in that day, the only ones who will stand are those who have already died to this world. Those who have already given up their right to comfort for the glory of Christ.
All others will fall—not because they were weak—but because they were never truly surrendered.
One of the most overlooked yet devastating reasons why most Christians will not endure the tribulation is simple: they are biblically illiterate.
They do not know the Word of God.
They may carry a Bible. They may quote a verse out of context here and there. But they do not study it. They do not meditate on it. They do not hide it in their hearts.
And because they do not know the truth, they will be unprepared for the lies. Because they are not rooted in Scripture, they will be swept away by deception.
The tribulation will not just be a time of physical persecution. It will be a time of spiritual confusion.
And only those grounded in the Word will survive.
We live in an age of shallow sermons, catchy phrases, and theological fast food.
Many believers today would rather be entertained than educated, inspired rather than instructed.
They want stories, not sound doctrine. They want charisma, not conviction.
As a result, churches are filled with people who can tell you the plot of a Netflix series—but can’t explain the gospel.
They can recite motivational quotes from social media—but can’t walk through the book of Romans.
They know what their favorite influencer said—but they don’t know what God has said.
This biblical ignorance is not a minor issue. It is a fatal flaw.
Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
In the wilderness, when Satan tempted Him, Jesus didn’t argue emotionally. He responded with Scripture.
If the Son of God leaned on the Word in His hour of trial, how much more must we?
But we are raising a generation that doesn’t even bring a Bible to church anymore.
They don’t need to—because the preacher puts a verse or two on the screen, tells a few stories, and sends them home.
Week after week, Christians are being starved of truth—and most don’t even realize it.
The tribulation will be a time of intense deception.
Jesus warned in Matthew 24 that false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders—so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
He wasn’t talking about card tricks or stage magic. He meant real, terrifying displays of power that will sway the masses.
And if you are not anchored in Scripture, you will fall for it.
You’ll think miracles mean truth. You’ll think crowds mean God’s blessing. You’ll mistake the voice of the serpent for the voice of the Shepherd.
We are told in 2 Thessalonians that God will send a strong delusion on those who did not love the truth.
Not just those who rejected it—but those who didn’t love it.
That’s the issue.
Do you love the truth? Do you cherish the Word? Is it your daily bread, your foundation, your weapon, and your delight?
If not, you are vulnerable.
Because when the world is falling apart, when fear is gripping every heart, when the pressure to conform becomes unbearable—the only thing that will keep you grounded is the unchanging Word of God.
This is not the time for casual Christianity. This is not the time to skim your Bible and scroll your feed.
This is the time to dig deep—to study, to memorize, to meditate.
Because the tribulation will not give you time to get ready.
You must be ready.
And readiness begins with the Word.
If you don’t know what God says, you won’t know how to recognize the enemy’s voice.
If you don’t know what is written, you won’t know how to respond when tribulation comes.
And when the storm hits—and it will hit—it will not matter how many worship songs you’ve sung or how many church services you’ve attended.
What will matter is whether or not the Word of God is written on your heart.
Those who are biblically illiterate will be the first to fall—not because they hated God, but because they never truly knew Him.
And you cannot follow a Shepherd you do not know.
The tribulation will not be the time to figure out if you’re truly saved. That time is now.
Do not wait for the shaking to see if you’ll stand. Test yourself today. Examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith.
The tribulation is not the problem.
The problem is a church that has been playing games with God.
It’s time to wake up. It’s time to repent. It’s time to prepare.
Because when the storm comes—and it will come—only those who are rooted in Christ will stand.
Not those who sang the songs. Not those who posted Bible verses.
But those who knew Him, loved Him, followed Him, and endured to the end.