My dad served in the military for 30 years as a dentist. He kinda had a thing about us brushing our teeth regularly as kids. I still remember the slide projector he would bring home occasionally, setting up the carousel of slides he brought from work. They were color images on slides that he would project up on the screen of some of the most horrific mouths of mangled, rotten teeth you had ever seen. All he would tell us was they were pictures of people’s mouths who did not brush well after eating. We would usually spend extra time in the bathrooms on those nights brushing our teeth with a renewed fervency and dedication. 

 I remember my first science fair project in 7th grade had to do with tooth decay explaining how plaque contributed to the erosion of the enamel on our teeth. It’s really not that complicated. Plaque is a sticky substance of film with bacteria that forms on our teeth and becomes a habitation for more bacteria to begin eating away at the hard shell of the tooth, eventually working its way in to the root, gums, etc. Left untreated, teeth die, gums rot and it just gets quite nasty in there. Why, I bet some of you remember taking those red tablets as a child every year during dental care awareness week in school. My dad had a stash of them at home as well. 

 The idea was after we brushed, we’d let one of those red tablets dissolve in our mouths. Then upon inspection, wherever there were darker red spots on our teeth, it was an indication of where we had missed brushing,  or failed to do a good job of cleaning the first time. So back to the bathroom we went for round II. 

 To be quite honest with you, this is a decent illustration as to how sin works in our lives when we don’t deal with it. Sin attracts ‘spiritual bacteria’ that works its way into our hearts and begins the erosion and rotting process, bringing disease and all kinds of stench and foul odors and decay and eventually death. Do you think Paul was kidding when he wrote that those who continue to live according to the flesh nature will die? (Rom. 8:13). For most folks, the process is gradual. But that is not always the case and I really cannot explain why that is. But make no mistake about it...sin brings death. Period. (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1). 

 But here’s the good news: Jesus is the cure that sets us free from sin. And He’s not a toothbrush. He actually empowers us to go and sin no more...or else, something worse may happen to us. (John 5:14) He came preaching a message of repentance telling us that unless we repent, we would all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3,5). In that passage in Luke, He pointed out how some died quicker and more violent deaths...NOT because they were any ‘worse sinners’ than anyone else. He just drives home the point that the soul that sins will perish. (Ezek. 18:20). So why would anyone resist or refuse the truth He came to bring that we could be set free of sin and be free indeed? (John 8:32-36). But you can’t do this on your own...you have to abide in Him continually if you want to live a life where you sin no more. (1 John 2:6; 3:6,9). That’s the power of this gospel. And as I asked the other day: “Why would we NOT want to abide in Him continually?” 

 Do you recall what John the Baptist came preaching early on, warning people to ‘produce fruits of repentance’ or else the ‘ax’ which was “already laid to the root of the trees’ would cut down every tree that did not bear this fruit of repentance. (Matt. 3:10). Oh, and what is it we are to repent of? - Sin, and our sinful flesh nature. We turn from sin and turn TO Jesus who empowers us with His grace to walk like He did.(1 John 2:6) And there was one other thing John warned those religious folks who were comfortable with their self-righteous mindsets, not realizing how deceived they were. HE asked them: “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Mt.3:7) 

 That is the same ‘wrath’ that Paul preached IS...already being revealed from heaven against ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness of men...” (Rom. 1:18). In fact, that is the same wrath that is already on everyone who does not believe and obey Jesus. (John 3:36). And this wrath is the same wrath that Hosea warned is poured out like a ‘flood’. (5:9). Which brings me back to the question we left off with yesterday regarding this ‘flood’ that Jesus likened the days leading up to His return would see. He taught us it would be ‘as it was in the days of Noah before the flood came...and took them all away to destruction...’ (Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:27). So what is...the ‘flood’? 

 Well, we know it is not water given the promise God made back in Genesis. Can I just go ahead and tell you what this ‘flood of wrath’ is? Think in terms of ‘spiritual bacteria’ that is attracted to any and all sin. But instead of it being ‘bacteria’, it is actually the powers of darkness, demonic forces and spiritual wickedness. You know, all those ‘principalities and rulers of darkness’ that Paul wrote about in Eph. 6:12? 

 I realize it can be an uncomfortable subject to discuss, let alone acknowledge. But we live in a world that is strongly influenced heavily by an unseen ‘spiritual component’ that the bible has much to say about. And just because you don’t believe in such a thing does not negate the existence of a ‘spiritual world’ that we are part of. If you could travel back in time to the dark ages knowing what you do today about hygiene and bacterial and microscopic germs and such, you would be hard pressed to convince most people of that time period of what they were dealing with when it came to common sicknesses of that day. The same could be said today with us modern, ‘educated and intellectual’ folks who can find an answer to explain anything these days; but ‘demons spirits’ do not usually fit into the equation. 

 God uses Satan and his minions, demonic forces of evil, that come to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’...to carry out His wrath. Psalm 78:49-50 would be a good verse to underline. And we should also know perfectly well, that those demonic forces do not work independently of God either. They do Nothing without his knowledge or permission. In fact, God could remove them in a heartbeat from the face of this world and will indeed do that at some future point. What do you think hell was created for? (Matt. 25:41). But in the meantime, He allows them to roam about...like a ‘roaring lion’, as Peter mentioned in his first letter. (5:8). These are the same spiritual influences that control the whole world today. (1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:9). They are the ones who carry out the curses that you read about in Deut. 28. 

 They can attack any area of sin in our lives that they see or detect. It is their ‘food’ they feed upon. Why do you think they tempt us all the time? And why do you think Paul said to ‘give NO place to the devil’? (Eph. 4:27). We are not supposed to be ‘ignorant of his schemes and devices’ either. (2 Cor. 2:10-11). If you are not careful, he can ‘take advantage’ of you.  We are to resist them, not ignore them.

 Do you know who these unclean spirits cannot attack and touch? Those who abide in Jesus. (1 John 5:18). That’s why Jesus said Satan had ‘nothing in or on Him’ ...because He did what the Father told Him to do. That’s what God’s children do, believe it or not...they obey Him. (John 14:30-31; 1 Pet. 1:14; Rom. 8:14: John 10:27; Luke 6:46). It is the ‘sons of disobedience’ whom the wrath of God comes upon...despite what you may hear elsewhere. (Eph. 5:6). It can be quite the eye opening experience to begin putting all these passages together that are right there in your bible that talk about this. I wonder why they have been hidden to us for so long? (2 Cor. 4:3-4) Maybe we have been busy seeking after and being entertained by so many other appealing things out there? And why did God say HIS people were ‘destroyed’? (Hosea 4:6) 

 Friends...we are living in that day that all the prophets from Samuel on wrote about. The writers of the NT continued to preach those same warnings...that whoever did not hear and do all that this ‘Prophet’ (Jesus) instructed would be ‘utterly destroyed’. Peter preached that in Acts 3:22-24. 

 And what did Jesus say the ‘flood did’ in Luke 17:27? –(destroyed them all) So imagine the implications here when Jesus said it would happen again prior to His return...how this ‘flood’ would be unleashed and come and ‘take away’ everyone who is ‘not in the ark’. But today, it’s not a boat made out of wood or constructed by man. To be ‘in the ark’ is to be ‘In Christ’. And IF...anyone is ‘in Christ’, he is a ‘new creation’...(2 Cor. 5:17) born again of incorruptible seed and partakers of His divine nature’ which means they no longer practice sin. (1 Pet. 1:22-23; 2 Pet. 1:2-4; 1 John 3:6) 

 That passage from Acts 3:23...where Peter said all who did not do everything Jesus instructed would be ‘utterly destroyed’...sounds so dramatic, does it not? So turn to Matt. 7:24-27 and see if it does not plainly tell you which ‘house’ was destroyed when the ‘floods came and beat against that house’. It was those who ‘heard the word of God’ but failed to act upon it and do it. And ‘great was its fall’ we are told in vs. 27. 

 For many reading this today, I would imagine this has to be blowing your mind. You probably find yourself thinking that this is so far off the reservation and could not be true because if it was...then why are you not hearing anything similar being preached from your pulpits with a sense of urgency? And that is a very good question to ask. You’ll find those answers as well in your bible. (Jer. 23:16-20; Ezek. 13; 1 Thess. 5:1-3) 

 The thing about floods...is they can come like a giant tidal wave out of nowhere, but more often than not, they come with increasing rains as creeks rise and overflow and before you know it, they are sweeping away everything in their path. There is a ‘spiritual flood’ that is being unleashed today and you can write it down...the forces of evil are being turned loose. How did Isaiah say the ‘enemy would come in like?’ (59:19). How is God’s wrath poured out like according to Hosea 5:19 and Nahum 1:7-8? Did Daniel not say the end would be like a ‘flood’? (9:26) 

 When Jesus warned to ‘go and sin no more or else...something worse may come upon you’ (John 5:14), He wasn’t kidding around. He meant it. He knew what was being unleashed...it was the flood of God’s ‘wrath’. And guess what Jesus came to ‘save’ us from? The ‘wrath of God’. (Rom. 5:9). And despite His pleas to ‘come to Him’ so He could gather us from the coming storm, most were simply not willing. (Matt. 23:37; Ps. 91; John 3:17-21)

 If you are reading this, count yourself blessed and forewarned. God’s word is your ‘red tablet’. Spend some time allowing it to soak in and expose areas in your heart where that ‘sinful plaque’ has built up. It really needs to come off...and out. And you won’t do it on your own. You better come to Jesus with ‘all your heart’. The great Physician is waiting for you. Turn to Him now. (Luke 5:31-32)