This, know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men would be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” 2nd Timothy 3:1 – 3
In the realm of the spirit, the time we are now shows the beginning of the end. How do I know? I look at verse 2 of the above scripture. From this verse, we can pick out some signs of perilous times that we are manifesting in our days:
Men will be lovers of themselves: Is there anytime like now when we have men who are just selfish. We are thinking of nothing but us: me, myself and I alone. Not even their wives and family. How would you explain a man who has a wife and children and refuses to take care of them? How would you explain a man who leaves his family and spends his time at the night club?
Love of money: These days, people can kill for money. In fact, people do kill for money. There are assassins everywhere. People tell lies, sell their bodies to married men and married women. They throw caution to the winds and with all recklessness they go against God’s commandments because of money.
Pride: Some people say of them selves: I am a proud man. To me, that is a curse they are releasing upon themselves. God resists the proud. He hates pride and he brings them down. But He gives grace to the humble. Anybody who says he is proud is indeed foolish, because pride is the way to death. Pride comes before destruction. Therefore, if you will be wise, you have to release pride from your life. Pride is a sign of the time. It is controlled by a spirit and other things controlled by evil spirits are as listed above in the scripture quoted. They are all over the world now, operating freely and looking for where to manifest.
But there is a way to live above this evil of becoming above yourself, lover of money, boaster, as some people can truly boast. They tell you: I have ten cars, I have five houses, my wife is worth this and that. They are simply empty vessels and proud for nothing.
Disobedient to parents: Let me ask: when was the last time you sent money to your father or your mother? Most people have forgotten their parents in the village. There is a foul spirit that makes people not to remember their parents.
Unthankful: These days, we see people who are very ungrateful. No matter what people do for them, they are not thankful. God likes a thankful heart – a heart that says, thank you, not just to God, but to man.
Unholy: When you tune on the television these days, you will find nudity and immorality everywhere. People are living like pigs, living as if there is no God who created them to be holy. People are doing incredible things, taking drugs, overdosing themselves and drinking alcohol and doing all kinds of unholy and unspeakable things.
Unloving, unforgiving: You still remember what they did to you 20 years ago. Your husband walked out on you and that bitterness is still eating you. Unforgiveness brings sickness and it locks the heavens over you; it will make it impossible for God to hear you. He says that if you do not forgive others, He will not forgive you. There is a spirit of unforgiveness that is holding people everywhere, and that is why it is so difficult for people to forgive each other.
Slanderers, without self control: Have you seen young girls sleeping with many men these days – no self control, doing what they want to do, sleeping with who they want to sleep with – man, woman, dog. They drink, eat and smoke unholy things. The Bible further describes them as brutal, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. That is the in-thing . Drink and party all night; have sex all night – lovers of pleasure.
Society men, marrying multiple wives and husbands, having concubines. They love pleasure, they do not think about God. John the evangelist said that the love of life is evil to God. Any man that loves life (pleasure) is an enemy of God. By this, He means the kind of pleasure that we have mentioned above, the pleasure that will bring damnation to your soul.
Having a form of Godliness but denying its power: The Bible also says that from such people, turn away. There are people who still live like the description above. Such people should not be your friends if they do not want to change because they are going to lead you away from God, to hell fire. People that live like this can never go to heaven. Of this sort are those who creep into households and make captive of gullible women. Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now, as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith. But they will progress no further for their folly will be manifest to all as theirs also was. (verses 4 -8)
Friends, this is the spirit of the end time. This spirit is jumping into people; and it is getting worse. The only power that can keep you from coming under the influence of these devils is faith in Jesus Christ. You need to get to a point in your life when you know that you need a new life in Christ. You say to yourself: My life cannot continue like this; I’ve got to do something.
In your own strength, you can do nothing. But thanks be unto God that through Christ we have the victory and you, too, can have the victory over the devil, even right now, if you make up your mind to give your life to Jesus. Do not say tomorrow. Pray right now, meaning it from your heart and the peace of God will come over you.
Say: Lord Jesus, be merciful unto me, a sinner. I am tired of living the way I am living without You. The days are evil. Save me. I believe You died for me. I confess Your lordship over my life. I thank you. You said I will not be put to shame if I come to You. Accept me Lord Jesus and write my name in your book. Amen.
Father, for that brother or sister that took the decision to follow You by that prayer, let their sin be forgiven. Show them that you are God. Show them that you died two thousand years ago for their peace and freedom. From this moment, let old things pass away. Let all things become new. I thank You for answered prayers in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
NB: First published November 2013