Terrorism attacks have increased in different parts of the world in recent months, and since the start of the Ramadan two weeks ago, there have been reports of terror attacks occurring almost every day.
These events point to the imminent return of Christ on earth, says Christian pastor and author Phil Hotsenpiller.
Pastor Phil, who wrote 'One Nation Without Law' and considered as an expert in end-times prophecy, said acts of terror and chaos are sure signs that we are indeed living in the end times.
The founder and senior pastor of Influence Church in Orange County, California said one of the indicators that marks the end times is the manifestation of the spirit of lawlessness.
"Lawlessness is more than lawbreaking. It is a spirit that began with Lucifer before the creation of man and it runs completely through our Biblical narrative and history, culminating in Revelation chapter 18," he said, according to CBN News.
Pastor Phil also revealed something about terrorist attacks: they do not happen in random locations. He believes territorial spirits have something to do with acts of terror, and that these occur in places with a history of terrorist or violent activity.
"I looked at the police shooting in Dallas. That shooting was one three-tenths of a mile away from where JFK was shot," he explained. "Then I looked at Munich 1972, where the Israeli Olympians were captured by a Palestinian terror group and assassinated and that was only about four-tenths of a mile from where the McDonald's shooting took place last year."
"Then I looked at Manchester. In 1996, the Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated the largest bomb ever in the city center in Manchester—which was three tenths of a mile away from the Ariana Grande concert."
These events show the "repetitive nature of terror acts in the same places." Territorial spirits stay in these places and "replicate their terror" when the time is right, he said.
Pastor Phil gave a stern reminder to the church that, to address these problems, the church needs to examine the root cause: the battle that goes on in the spiritual world. Much of the chaos in the world today are caused by "unrestrained demonic forces" manifesting in the physical world.
Strategies developed to put a stop to terrorist activity, no matter how well intentioned, will not work because, ultimately, the problem is of a spiritual nature, he explained in an article he wrote for Charisma News after the Manchester attack.
He called on believers to pray and fast to "bind the strong man," and to urge lawmakers to amend or repeal laws that propagate wickedness.
"Jesus empowered His followers with authority over evil spirits (Luke 9:1; 10:17)," he wrote. "The church, the bride of Christ, is called to bind the strong man in every nation, state, city, neighborhood, school and home. Jesus has commissioned us to go in His Name with power and authority."
This is the purpose for Jesus' handing over to believers the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, he said.
"It is interesting that Jesus referred to keys. The exact number of keys is not stated, yet the plural form suggests that there are multiple doors in the kingdom," he said.
"As I was praying and asking for insight about this, God revealed to me that there are an unlimited number of keys available. With each key comes greater responsibility and authority to make a positive impact in the spiritual realm."
Pastor Phil added that believers can overcome the spirit of lawlessness by seeking "greater access" to the power and authority of Jesus.
He said lawlessness will not spread gradually but will advance quickly and cause people to feel despair and fear, but this gives the church the perfect opportunity to stand up for righteousness.
"We have the greatest power in the world. We have the greatest assurance in the world, but somehow we fail to use it because somehow we think we have to appease everyone," he said. "I think it's time for us Christians to get involved in politics like they did in the American Revolution. It's time for us to be loud and bold and strong, but loving in and kind."
Finally, he warned that if Christians do nothing to stop evil in the world, the Manchester attack will become "the new normal."
