The woman, the dragon, the manchild, the beast, the false prophet — these are not fantasy characters. They're the final cast of characters in the most serious drama in human history. This supplement helps you see the Tribulation period clearly: who's involved, what's happening, and what it means for how you live and prepare today.

If you're willing to study God's promises and build your faith to receive what Christ has already provided through redemption, you can break free from these afflictions. Sadly, many Christians endure these curses unnecessarily—often because of false teaching.

We've emphasized repeatedly that Christians suffer many things they don't have to because of unbelief and willful rejection of plain truth. If you continue rebelling against the very truth that would set you free, no one can help you John 8:31-34.

Here's what needs to change: you need to lay aside those unreasonable, unscriptural theories—ideas like "it's God's will for me to live in defeat," or "I should be resigned to suffer the devil's work because others have suffered," or "I don't have the faith and power to help myself," or "it's just so hard to get things from God." Once you let go of these lies, you'll find yourself on the victorious side of life.

If you would quit cooperating with Satan and turn fully to God, refuse to be satisfied with the devil's work in your life, and try half as hard to have faith as you currently try to maintain unbelief, everything would change. If you'd set aside the many man-made fallacies that lead to defeat and seek excuses to receive God's benefits half as much as you seek ways to excuse your failures, you'd experience the glorious benefits of the gospel that are ready for all who believe.

Jesus said to those who believed on Him, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" John 8:31-36.

The first step is becoming acquainted with the truth. That's exactly what we've been making clear throughout these lessons and supplements—that salvation from sin, sickness, poverty, and all the works of the devil is the heritage of every child of God.

If you never learn this and freely accept it as truth, you cannot be helped to full freedom in Christ. As long as you believe and accept lies as truth, you'll remain bound and defeated. Think of it like this: just as truth makes you free, lies bind you. Just as truth builds up faith, lies tear it down and instill unbelief.

False theories will never set you free because they keep you constantly questioning God's will. They produce fear, unbelief, doubt, and failure. They become a constant source of worry about whether you're on the right track.

When you find yourself in such a state, it's clear evidence that you're following false theories instead of truth. But when you know the truth, you become settled in life and consecrated to obey it. You develop deep convictions about your duty toward God and man. Your actions become based on truth, and you're set free from worry, fear, constant complaining, doubting, and the unsettled conditions that caused so many failures before you knew the truth.

There's not much argument about this question today. Most people in our land believe that Jesus Christ died to save all men from their sins.

Some argue about whether people can really get a "know-so" salvation—the kind that actually saves them from the power and dominion of sin. But this cannot be disputed with Scripture. The Bible makes it very clear that God does save men from sin and keeps them from going back into the sin-business, provided they cooperate with Him.

The great question for many is whether God wills to heal today. The question isn't really about whether He can heal, but whether it's His will to heal.

Why anyone would question God's willingness to heal is beyond me, but doubt seems to arise whenever someone has been taught false concepts about God and His love. Any theory questioning God's will to heal should never have been stated in the first place.

Here's the truth: the Bible not only teaches that it's God's will to heal, but that He will heal all men, in any age, who come to Him through Jesus Christ and have faith, nothing wavering. One of the main reasons God doesn't heal more often is that people don't understand it's His will to heal. God has made full provision to heal all who come to Him in faith.

As long as you doubt God's will in the matter of healing, you certainly won't receive it. James said, "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord" James 1:5-8.

Isn't it clear from this passage what's required if you want answers to prayer? Do you really believe God will break His own law to answer you when you doubt? Do you think God is going to make a special pet of you and do what He said He wouldn't do?

Let's be honest here: if you don't get an answer to prayer, it's because you don't believe. It's because you waver.