Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptural quotations are from the King James

Version of the Bible.

All scriptures marked ASV are taken from The American Standard Version. Public
domain.

All Scriptures marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version of the
Bible © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

All Scriptures marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible,
New Testament, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963 by The Lockman Foundation. All
rights reserved.

All Scriptures marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible © 1971. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IIlinois 60189. All rights
reserved.

Scripture quotations marked Phillips are taken from The New Testament in Modern
English by J. B. Phillips, copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Administered by
The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England. Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living
Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All
rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked RIV are taken from Renner’s Interpretive Version,
copyright © by Rick Renner.

Last-Days Survival Guide: A Scriptural Handbook To Prepare You for These

Perilous Times

ISBN: 978-1-6803-1410-6
eBook: 978-1-6803-1416-8

Copyright © 2020 by Rick Renner

8316 E. 73rd St.

Tulsa, OK 74133

Published by Harrison House

Shippensburg, PA 17257-2914
www.harrisonhouse.com
1 2 3 4 5 / 24 23 22 21 20

Editorial Consultants: Cynthia D. Hansen and Rebecca L. Gilbert

Text Design: Lisa Simpson, www.SimpsonProductions.net

Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No portion of this book
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other —
except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written
permission of the Publisher.
 ENDORSEMENTS

If a Christian were to read only one book other than the Bible during
the remainder of his lifetime, this should be the one! Simply put —
Last-Days Survival Guide by Rick Renner mirrors the Scriptures,
giving timely instructions on how to stay on track during the last
days. Using biblical principles, heavenly wisdom, and spiritual
insight, Rick summons the Church to truth, discernment, and
Kingdom living as he sounds the clarion call during perilous times.

Marcus D. Lamb
Founder and President
Daystar Television Network

What a marvelous opportunity it is for me to write an endorsement

for Rick Renner’s book Last-Days Survival Guide. His message in
this timely book is defi-nitely a “must” for every Christian, especially
now. Each chapter will thrill you as you open your spiritual ears to
hear what the Spirit is speaking to you and open your spiritual eyes
to see what He wants you to see. There are choice morsels of
revelation in each chapter that will absolutely thrill you as you see
God’s love being manifested to us, showing us the truth about the
end times.

Be sure you take advantage of all the wonderful action steps that are
written in this book to help you evaluate where you are spiritually at
this time. Make the appropriate changes, and share this book with
others who are in fear of the end times. Above all, enjoy the
wonderful hope that is shared in this survival guide! Use it for an
“over the top” Bible study, and know that God is on your side!

Marilyn Hickey
International Bible Teacher
Marilyn Hickey Ministries
Denver, Colorado

I don’t know of a better teacher than Rick Renner to help you

navigate the treacherous end-time storms based on the deep Greek
meaning behind each word of the end-time prophecies in Scripture. I
highly recommend Rick’s book Last-Days Survival Guide.

Sid Roth, Host

It’s Supernatural! Television Program

Rick Renner is a gift to the Body of Christ. His books have inspired
many over the years — and he has done it again. His newest book is
not just an important book that is “on time.” Its contents are
prophetically empowering to effect change in the heart of the
believer — and in the Body of Christ — in order to rise to the
challenges of this very late hour.

This book is a must-read to bring sober-minded perspective by the

power of the Spirit concerning a last-days stormy sea. And it will
equip you to powerfully navigate these end-time waters. You don’t
have to be storm-tossed, weak, or confused. You were born for this
time.

Tag — you’re it! Read Last-Days Survival Guide, and embrace the
season!

Mike Bickle
International House of Prayer of Kansas City

We are living in challenging times — so challenging that many even

in the Church are being ensnared by the deceptions of the day.
Jesus made it clear that human behavior in the last days would
become extremely volatile and sinful and that it would be
commonplace for people to fall prey to the schemes of darkness. But
falling into such evil doesn’t happen suddenly and knowingly. It
happens slowly and unknowingly. Last-days deception is about
luring people into certain mindsets and ideals that are devoid of truth
while they don’t realize it’s happening.

Author Rick Renner, one of the most prolific teachers and Bible
scholars of our time, has done a masterful job with this writing. Last-
Days Survival Guide is a must-read that will arm every believer with
the necessary tools and strategies for the times in which we live. Let
this book help you avoid becoming another “last-days statistic.”
Instead, become empowered to rise above as a last-days survivor!

Hank Kunneman
Pastor-Prophet, Conference Speaker, Author, Publisher, Broadcaster
Lord of Hosts Church and One Voice Ministries
Omaha, Nebraska

Rick Renner is one of my favorite programmers on GOD TV. He has

an amazing anointing on his life to impart scriptural understanding
and insight regarding what God is saying and doing in this hour. His
teachings have touched hundreds of thousands of people around the
world, including my own. His in-depth explanation of the Scriptures
has been a daily resource for me personally.

Rick’s book Last-Days Survival Guide is a common-sense, scriptural

handbook to guide us through these prophetic end times in which we
are living. This book is timely; it’s urgent; and it’s now.

Rick’s message is loud and clear: Perilous times are here, and you
don’t have to be caught unaware or off-guard. We are the generation
chosen for this hour, and it is our destiny to close out this age! And
Rick doesn’t just identify the problems; he also gives sound answers
for thriving in these perilous last days. So stop everything you are
doing, and read this Last-Days Survival Guide now! Your family’s life
could very well depend on it.
Ward Simpson
President and CEO of GOD TV

We have been in the last days since Jesus died and rose again, but
as we approach the last of the last days, things here on earth will
intensify in every way. Will we be ready? Will we be equipped?

In this very readable and practical book, rather than setting dates or
preaching a theology of escapism, Rick Renner shows us how,
through the Word, we can be fully equipped to remain victorious. In
the Lord, we have everything we need to thrive in the midst of chaos
and collapse. Read this survival guide, and learn how to be a last-
days overcomer!

Dr. Michael L. Brown

Host of the Line of Fire Radio Broadcast
Author of Jezebel’s War With America
 DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to Dr. Roger Harmon, a precious man whose

teachings gave me a love for studying the end times when I was a
younger man. Dr. Harmon is now in Heaven with his wonderful wife
Rose-Ann. Nonetheless, his influence continues to impact me as I
study and teach the Bible. It was Dr. Harmon who helped me see
that the Scriptures clearly forewarn us about events that will
transpire as we approach the last days of the Church Age, and how
they instruct us to prepare for them.
As I sat in Dr. Harmon’s Bible study many years ago and listened,
he opened the Scriptures to us about the last days as I had never
heard it before. I was captivated by the way he showed us how up-
to-date, timely, and relevant the Bible is at all times and how it
speaks directly and precisely to us about the very times in which we
are living.
So as an expression of my gratitude for this godly man’s
influence on my thinking about this last-days season we’re living in, I
wish to dedicate Last-Days Survival Guide to Dr. Roger Harmon.
 CONTENTS

Acknowledgments
Preface
Foreword

CHAPTER 1
‘TAG – WE’RE IT!’
Where We Are in Time — God Really Wants Us To Know
What Does the Word ‘Last’ Really Mean?
The ‘Last Port’ in the Journey
Keep Your Head on Straight About the Last Days
Living in This Phase of History
Action Steps To Build a Wall of Protection Around Your Life

CHAPTER 2
WHY GOD CALLS THE LAST DAYS ‘PERILOUS TIMES’
A Lost Society in Fierce Times
We Are Called To Triumph in Jesus Christ
How Should We Respond to the Holy Spirit’s Warning?
This Is Our Time To Rise and Shine!
Action Steps To Become a Person God Will Use To Touch People
in Need

CHAPTER 3
WHY THIS WARNING TO THE CHURCH?
Taking Our Place as Victors at the End of the Age
Why God Gives Us Prophetic Scriptures
Reaching People Who Are Blind to the Truth
Characteristics of a Society With No Anchor
The Supremacy of Self at the End of the Age
 Misdirected Love
Misdirected Money
The Altar of Self
Action Steps To Help Determine Whether You Are Affected by the
Self-Focused Spirit of the Age

CHAPTER 4
BOASTFUL, PROUD, BLASPHEMOUS, AND DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS
End-Time Boasters
A Worldwide Mutiny Against God at the End of the Age
What Is Stopping All of This From Happening Right Now?
The Role of Free-Floating Ethics in the Devil’s Plan of Seduction
‘Proud’ — an Attitude of Superiority as a Mark of a Last-Days
Culture
The Role of Blasphemy in the Last of the Last Days
The Mouth Is the Great Revealer
Disobedient to Parents — Disrespect for Authority in the Last of
the Last Days
You Can Recover Your God-Assigned Position as a Parent
Action Steps To Protect Your Heart, Eyes, Ears, and Family

CHAPTER 5
THE DARK CONNECTION BETWEEN ‘UNTHANKFUL’ AND ‘UNHOLY’
Unthankfulness — When Thankfulness Is Canceled
A Society Where ‘Everyone Owes Me’
A Society in Which Feelings Are King
Jesus Called Unthankfulness ‘Evil’
Unholiness in the Last Days
The Process Leading to a Reprobate Mind
Darkened Minds and Foolish Thoughts
The Foolish Heart of a Reprobate Society
Released To Rebel Against God’s Ways
 A Reprobate Mindset in the Making
The Progression From Unthankful to Unholy
What We Believe Affects Our Actions
Society’s Slippery Slope
Action Steps To Avoid Unthankfulness and Unholiness

CHAPTER 6
THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FAMILY, WIDESPREAD DIVORCE, COVENANT-
BREAKING, AND THE DEVIL IN THE COURTROOM
Disjointed Families and the Disintegration of the Home
Making the Decision To Redeem Time
Truce-Breaking and the Violating of Covenant
The Short- and Long-Term Ramifications of Divorce
What To Do in Light of All of This
Make the Devil Regret He Ever Messed With You!
The Widespread Breaking of All Types of Covenants
An Overloaded Court System
Transforming the Present and Shaping the Future
Action Steps To Protect Your Marriage and Family and To Avoid
the End-Time Thinking of the Accuser

CHAPTER 7
‘INCONTINENT’ — WHEN SOCIETY CASTS OFF RESTRAINT
Examples of ‘Incontinence’ in Our World Today
NO ABILITY TO STOP EATING
The Scales Don’t Lie
The Source of Overweight and Obesity
Other Dilemmas Connected to Obesity and Being Overweight
Lasciviousness
NO ABILITY TO STOP SPENDING
A Lack of Fiscal Restraint
Drowning in Debt
 Making More and Having Less
NO ABILITY TO RESTRAIN EMOTIONS
The Pandemic of Incivility
NO ABILITY TO STOP ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
Mind-Altering Substances: The Fleshly Attempt To ‘Fix Oneself’
A Burgeoning Detox and Rehabilitation Industry
A World With No Restraint
Action Steps To Avoid an ‘Incontinent’ Attitude in Your Life

CHAPTER 8
FIERCE, DESPISERS OF THOSE THAT ARE GOOD, TRAITORS, HEADY, HIGH-
MINDED, LOVERS OF PLEASURE MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD
Are We Living in the Most Barbaric Society in Human History?
Violence Against Society’s Most Defenseless Human Beings
‘Despisers of Those That Are Good’
An Age of Hopelessness — or an Age of Abounding Power and
Grace?
Traitors — Fair-Weather Friends
Headiness and Emotional Intemperance
High-Minded
‘When, Why, How’ — Asking the Right Questions
A Love of Pleasure That Supersedes a Love for God
Believers, Beware!
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Action Steps To Avoid These End-Time Tendencies and Trends

CHAPTER 9
THE LAST-DAYS MASQUERADE AND A FINAL SHOWDOWN
An Apostate Church in the Last Days
A Departure From the Faith
What Does ‘Creep Into Houses’ Mean?
What Does ‘Silly Women Laden With Sins’ Mean?
 Who Were Jannes and Jambres?
What Does ‘Reprobate’ Mean?
Minds That Become Corrupted Over a Period of Time
False Teaching Spreads Like a Spiritual Disease
A Final Showdown at the End of the Age
Action Steps To Protect Yourself From Error That Tries To Creep
Into Your Personal Space

CHAPTER 10
HOW TO VICTORIOUSLY NAVIGATE LAST-DAYS STORMY WEATHER
The Power of a Personal Example
The Power of Staying on Track
The Power of God in the Scriptures
The Creativity of Heaven
The Music of Heaven
The Fragrance of Heaven
The Example of a Balloon
The Miraculous Potential of the Holy Scriptures
Totally Outfitted and Equipped for Last-Days Sailing!
What Will You Do With God’s Word?
God’s Word Will Equip Us To Navigate Any Stormy Weather
God’s Word and His Kingdom Will Rule
Will You Shine Your Light or Shrink Back in Fear?
The End Is Much Like the Beginning!
Action Steps in Response to This Final Chapter
A Final Prayer
A Final Confession of My Faith
Prayer for Overcoming These Perilous Times
Prayer To Receive Salvation
Prayer To Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
About the Author
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am thankful for the minds, eyes, and hands that have gone over
this manuscript with me. James 3:1 says those who teach will be
held to a higher standard pertaining to the spiritual fare they offer the
Body of Christ and the extent to which they apply what they teach to
their own lives. For this reason, I take the act of teaching and writing
very seriously. In fact, I take it so seriously that everything I teach
and write is submitted to scrutinizing eyes and minds that help
assure me that I am consistently providing teaching that people can
trust.
I wrote this material after many years of study on the subject;
nonetheless, when it was time to put this teaching to paper, I
deliberately passed on its contents for review to editors, co-workers,
and fellow Bible teachers so that the eyes of others could help
ensure its accuracy. I wish to especially thank Cindy Hansen for her
editorial work on this book and my senior editor, Becky Gilbert, for
her final editorial touch. I am profoundly thankful for each member’s
comments, contributions, and suggestions. This marvelous team has
worked alongside me for many years, and I count you all a precious
part of this serious process. A big thanks also to Maxim Myasnikov,
my long-time Moscow assistant, who verified the accuracy of my
Greek word studies in this book.
In addition, I want to express my gratitude to my wife Denise for
hovering over every word with me, and to Paul Renner and Joel
Renner for also carefully reading every word on each page before
this book was approved to be printed.
Because of the nature of this book, I asked my attorney Dan
Beirute to read large sections of it as well. I am grateful to Dan for
his legal, professional insights, along with his common-sense
approach to the Bible. I also want to express my gratitude to my
publisher, Don Nori, along with Brad Herman and the excellent team
at Harrison House Publishers. I am thankful for your partnership in
the Gospel as we each do our part to present every man perfect in
Christ Jesus both near and far (see Colossians 1:28). Together we
are fulfilling the mandate to proclaim the truth and the power of the
Gospel with excellence and to challenge Christians to live
victoriously, grow spiritually, and know God intimately.
 PREFACE

One may ask, “Rick, why did you write this particular book at this
specific time?”
To be honest, even though this book is only now reaching your
hands, I have been planning to write it for many years. It was
percolating in my spirit for a long time, and I began the process of
putting words to paper a few years ago. Then in the fall of 2019, I
actively began to focus on developing this material. With recent
events that have shaken the world, I can see why the Holy Spirit
compelled me to do that in order to get this manuscript published as
soon as possible. Because of these worldwide, life-altering events,
nearly everyone has been awakened to the fact that we are truly
living in perilous times.
More than ever before, we need a common-sense, scriptural
handbook to guide us through the prophetic times in which we are
living. Truthfully, the Bible is the ultimate Handbook we all need, but
many people don’t know how to read or understand the prophetic
warnings in Scripture or know how to apply them practically to their
lives.
So in this book, I have delved deeply into the Holy Spirit’s last-
days warnings that are written in Second Timothy 3. In that chapter,
the Holy Spirit forecasts precisely what will happen in society at the
very end of the age. Those prophecies were not written to scare us;
they were written to prepare us so we would be protected from a
plethora of ways that evil will assault society in these closing days of
the Church Age. You and I are chosen by God to live in this hour, so
these verses are especially important to us.
This book is jam-packed with insights and even statistics to
demonstrate how accurate and timely the Holy Spirit’s warnings are
for us. It also provides numerous examples of scriptures from my
still-developing Renner’s Interpretive Version (RIV) of the New
Testament.
 I urge you to read each chapter to its conclusion, because every
word in this book has been carefully crafted to help you see what the
Holy Spirit is saying and know how to move forward with a faith-filled
response. Furthermore, each chapter concludes with seven action
steps designed to help you evaluate what you have read in light of
your own walk with God and understand how to apply these truths to
every area of your life in the days to come.
Perhaps you know already that I have written several other books
related to events that will occur in the last days. Besides the Seven
Letters to the Seven Churches series (A Light in Darkness and No
Room for Compromise), two other books in this category are Signs
You’ll See Just Before Jesus Comes and How To Keep Your Head
on Straight in a World Gone Crazy. I am amazed at the accuracy
with which the Holy Spirit enabled me to write these books. If you
haven’t read them — especially Just Before Jesus Comes and How
To Keep Your Head on Straight — I urge you to get them as quickly
as possible because the insights contained in the pages of these
books will greatly aid you in knowing how to interpret what is
happening all around you today.
Last-Days Survival Guide specifically addresses the issues that
you, your family, your friends, your church, and your society are
confronted with every day, simply because you were born into this
end-time generation. However, this book doesn’t just identify the
problems; it provides you with sound answers about how you should
respond to the events all around you in order to live safeguarded
from the ills that will dominate society in the last of the last days.
So now — it’s time for you to get started reading Last-Days
Survival Guide. I advise you to get a pen or pencil so you can
underline and write notes in the margins of this book and at the end
of each chapter. I believe you will find this book to be filled with
revelation and practical insights to help you know how to
successfully navigate the challenging and exciting days to come!

— Rick Renner
Moscow, Russia
March 2020
 FOREWORD

This carefully crafted, researched, and easy-to-understand book

is destined to become an essential resource for all believers of
various denominations and non-denominational backgrounds. It is
not just another book on “the last days.”
First, Rick Renner is a scholar when it comes to the Koine Greek
language, the original language of the New Testament. Rick is a
master at taking the words of an entire paragraph and breaking them
down into their original meaning inside their contextual, historical
settings. This allows for the reader to learn the original intent of a
verse and sheds an amazing light that is often not found, for
example, in reading the Word in English with a Western mindset.
This book is a treasure chest of word studies that will awaken the
spirit of any believer hungry for the truth.
Second, Rick understands the historical setting of these
passages and how they were understood by the early Christians. He
is writing concerning the last days, the times in which we live, which
makes this a “right now” message.
Third — and this is important — throughout various chapters,
Rick skillfully gives you methods and instructions on how to apply
what you are learning in a practical way. He lists the most important
things you must do to make it through the perilous times ahead.
Discover how to protect yourself and your family as you are guided
through the times by having faith in the Word of God.
It is with great joy and excitement that I recommend this book to
you, Last-Days Survival Guide.

Perry Stone Jr.

Founder of VOE, OCI, and ISOW
 This know also, that in the last days perilous times
shall come.
— 2 Timothy 3:1

You emphatically and categorically need to know

with unquestionable certainty that in the very end of
days — when time has sailed to its last port and no
more time remains for the journey — that last season
will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, and menacing
times that will be emotionally difficult for people to
bear.
— 2 Timothy 3:1 (RIV)
 1

‘TAG – WE’RE IT!’

hen I was a boy growing up, my friends in the neighborhood

W would occasionally congregate in our large backyard to play
tag. If you grew up playing that game, I’m sure you remember
how it is played.
The game of tag begins when someone in the group starts to
chase others in an effort to touch or tag them. I remember the glee
each of us felt when we were “it,” and we finally touched another
player and yelled, “Tag, you’re it!” In that moment, the person tagged
became “it” for the next round of the game.
My friends and I would play tag for hours. We didn’t quit until
every kid had been tagged — and when that happened, it was our
signal that the game was done!
As a boy, I really liked to play tag for several reasons. It was a
group game; it was fast; and it required us to strategize about how
we would dodge and outrun the person designated “it” to avoid
getting tagged. A rambunctious game of tag caused my heart to
pump with excitement as I dashed here and there to stay out of
reach.
I also liked the game of tag because if anyone had to sit out for a
round, he or she could then jump back in the game to begin playing
again. What I didn’t like so much were the times I was the one who
got tagged. However, in the game of tag, everyone eventually got
tagged before the game was over. Whether we liked it or not, at
some point each of us was going to be “it” for a round of the game.
The reason I tell you about this simple childhood game is that it
reminds me of the significance of this strategic time we are living in
right now. For the last 2,000 years, the Church has been living in the
midst of a time frame that is technically called “the last days.”
 However, now we have come to the very last of the last days — a
time frame unlike any other that has preceded us in history. And God
has chosen you and me to be part of the generation born at the very
end of this age. You and I are “tagged” to live in this last round of the
prophetic game. In a very real sense, God is saying to us, “Tag,
you’re it!”
Others in Church history were “tagged” by God to be “it” in their
generation, for their own time. I could make a long list of such men
and women who helped change the course of history to His glory
during their time on earth. But now it is time for us to play our part as
we serve Jesus in the wrap-up of this prophetic season. For you and
me to come out winners as God has destined us to do, we’ll need to
learn how to move quickly and hear accurately as the Holy Spirit
gives us strategies to dodge the enemy’s attacks and combat the evil
influences that are trying to affect so many in society right now.
The fact remains that we are living in the last round of this end-
times age. That means we must know what God has specifically
stated about events in society in the last days — and we must
receive divine guidance to maneuver accurately in the midst of the
attacks the enemy is waging against every stratum of society.

We are living in the last round of this end-times age.

That means we must know what God has specifically
stated about events in society in the last days — and we
must receive divine guidance to maneuver accurately in
the midst of the attacks the enemy is waging against
every stratum of society.

One evening of watching the news is all that’s needed to confirm

to yourself that an all-out assault is being waged against the human
race and against godliness. Society today is filled with violence,
decadence, financial crises, political feuding beyond anything we
ever imagined possible, and heightened tensions among the world’s
political leaders. Natural disasters occur with increasing regularity all
over the earth.
These combined and cumulative events seem so overwhelming
that it can feel like our very well-being is under continual threat. If it
were not for the peace of God that rules our hearts and minds, we
could easily be thrown into a state of panic, shaken by all of these
disturbing developments. (See my book Signs You’ll See Just Before
Jesus Comes to learn of all the events Jesus predicted in Matthew
24 that we will see in the world prior to His next coming.)
Many of us remember growing up in a very different world, where
life was slower and kinder — and so safe that we didn’t even lock the
doors to our houses. We didn’t fear our neighbors, and we never had
a single thought about terrorist activity. Does that description
resemble the childhood you remember decades ago?
But the world has changed dramatically in the course of our
lifetimes and has become a far different place than the one we grew
up in years ago. What happened to the world we once knew? How is
it possible that so many things could change so fast and so
dramatically? Who of us in our growing-up years would have ever
imagined that we’d see the day when so much nonsensical thinking
would dominate society?

What happened to the world we once knew?

How is it possible that so many things could change so
fast and so dramatically?

My parents, along with our local church, reared me to believe the

Bible, so we knew that we were most likely living in the last days. But
now years have flown by, and the reality of these last days has hit
with explosive force! It’s no longer imaginary; it is upon us. Whew!
We didn’t know that life could change with such speed!
But change it did, and the slower, kinder, safer world we grew up
in is nearly gone. With every new day, it seems like society is being
inundated with new, once-unthinkable absurdities that have left many
people bewildered and perplexed.
Whether we like it or not, times have changed — very rapidly.
During our childhoods, it would have been hard to envision that
things could change so much in relatively so little time.
But God knew these times were approaching, and approximately
2,000 years ago, His Spirit spoke very clearly to alert us — we who
live in the last days — that such times would come. He wanted this
generation to know that “perilous times” would emerge in society at
the very end of the last days.

WHERE WE ARE IN TIME — GOD REALLY WANTS US TO

KNOW
In this chapter, it is my intention to focus on Second Timothy 3:1.
I want to dissect and examine it piece by piece to help you grasp
exactly what the Holy Spirit is communicating to us in this powerful
scripture.
As the apostle Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, he said
this in the opening verse of chapter 3: “This know also, that in the
last days perilous times shall come.” But let’s begin by looking
closely at the first part of the verse, where the Holy Spirit says, “This
know also.…”
The word “know” is a translation of the Greek word ginosko,
which in this verse means to know something definitely, emphatically,
and with absolute certainty. But it is also important to know that the
tense used here depicts something so urgent that it MUST be
known, MUST be recognized, and MUST be acknowledged.
In other words, what the Holy Spirit is saying in this verse — and
in the passage that follows — should not be considered optional
information for us to retain or not to retain at our discretion. The
Greek tense makes the message of this verse strong. It is almost as
if the Holy Spirit is raising His voice to get our attention. He is
reaching out from the pages of Scripture to grab us, shake us, and
cause us to sit up straight, hold our heads high, and open our eyes
and ears so we truly grasp what He is about to communicate.
 In this verse, the Holy Spirit speaks loudly, authoritatively, and
emphatically because He wants us to fully grasp what He is about to
say. His urgent desire is that we will be prepared and not taken off-
guard when last-days events begin to take place with increasing,
rapid-fire frequency.
What was coming in the future — in the very time in which you
and I are currently living — was so ominous that the Holy Spirit really
wanted to warn us in advance that perilous times were coming. His
purpose was not to scare us, but to prepare us so we would be
informed and spiritually equipped to navigate a last-days
tempestuous storm. If we’ll listen to what the Holy Spirit says in this
verse and in the verses to follow, we’ll be able to prepare ourselves
— as well as our loved ones and friends — to sail victoriously
through these stormy waters. And we’ll not be overcome by the evil
that Scripture says would inevitably emerge and become widespread
in society as the age approaches its end.
Friend, God has “tagged” you and me to live in this time! And
since He has chosen us for this late round of the game, we can be
assured that He has also supplied us with everything we need to live
in this season victoriously. If we’ll pay attention to what the Holy
Spirit has said in Second Timothy 3 and receive divine strategies
from Him, we’ll be able to:

• Shine as lights in a world growing ever darker.

• Build a hedge of protection around our families.
• Teach our children and grandchildren the Word of God so
that while they live in this world, they will not be of this
world or be negatively impacted by it.
• Stay unaffected by the changing moral landscape in
society around us.
• Be protected and safeguarded by Scripture that has been
stored in our hearts.

God has “tagged” you and me to live in this time!

 And since He has chosen us for this late round of the
game, we can be assured that He has also supplied us
with everything we need to live in this season
victoriously.

In Second Timothy 3:1, the Holy Spirit pointed His prophetic

finger 2,000 years into the future to prophesy that perilous times
would come in the last days. In this pivotal verse and the passage
that follows, the Holy Spirit lucidly forecasted that certain
characteristics would emerge in society at the very end of the age. In
no uncertain terms, the Holy Spirit said that perilous times would
come and that these disastrous developments would become
prominent and commonplace in a world gone crazy.
The Holy Spirit was warning those of us destined to live at the
end of the age about these things so that we’d be prepared to not be
taken off-guard. But I want to stress again that the Holy Spirit didn’t
give us this prophetic insight to scare us; rather, He gave it to
prepare us so we could avoid these detrimental end-time
manifestations and live as victorious believers until Jesus comes
again! Because the Holy Spirit has forewarned us of what is to come,
we will know what to do to reinforce our lives so we can live
victoriously as we await the glorious moment when Christ returns for
His Church.

The Holy Spirit didn’t give us this prophetic insight to

scare us; rather, He gave it to prepare us so we could
avoid these detrimental end-time manifestations and live
as victorious believers until Jesus comes again!

WHAT DOES THE WORD ‘LAST’ REALLY MEAN?

 Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul
prophetically wrote, “This know…” (2 Timothy 3:1). As noted earlier,
the word “know” in this verse describes something that is definite,
emphatic, and absolutely certain.
But Paul went on to add, “This know also….” It’s easy to read
over that word “also” and go on without paying any attention to it. But
in the Greek text, the word for “also” is very important. It is the little
Greek word de, which means indeed. The use of this word adds the
sense of something that is emphatic and makes this verse a
categorical statement. By adding this little Greek word, the Holy
Spirit is literally saying to you and me, “You emphatically and
categorically need to know with unquestionable certainty.…”
This unequivocally tells us that what the Holy Spirit is about to
forecast is not something that may or may not come to pass. This
verse clearly forecasts events that will definitely occur in the very
end of the last days. God’s intention in giving this scripture was not
only to speak to readers living in the First Century when this verse
was written, but also to especially inform us — those who would be
alive at the very end of the age when these events would take place.
In Second Timothy 3:1, Paul wrote, “This know also, that in the
last days perilous times shall come.” Because Paul used the word
“know,” which is a translation of the Greek word ginosko, and the
word “also,” which is a translation of the little word de, he
emphatically meant to convey the Holy Spirit’s message here in the
clearest and strongest of terms. It literally means, “You emphatically
and categorically need to know with unquestionable certainty.…”
But then the Holy Spirit dives deeper into His message and
becomes more specific by adding that “…in the last days perilous
times shall come” (2 Timothy 3:1).
What do the words “last days” really mean? The Greek word for
“last” used in this verse is translated from the Greek word eschatos,
a word that commonly depicts something that is final. It is the Greek
word from which we derive the word “eschatology,” the theological
study of end times or the study of last things. This Greek word
eschatos points to the very last or the ultimate end of a thing. It was
used by ancient Greeks to describe the point that was furthest away.
 In fact, the ancient world used the word eschatos as a seafaring
word to describe the last port of call for a ship. Although a ship in
transit stops at many ports en route to its final destination, the word
eschatos was used to depict the very last port. This last stopping-off
point signified that it was the end of the road and the journey was
finished. Thus, the word eschatos indicated, “This is the end, and
you can go no further.”
Let me give you a few examples of eschatos to demonstrate the
finality associated with this word. This word eschatos could be used
to describe the very last month of a 12-month calendar. It could also
refer to the very last week in a month or the very final day in a week.
In other words, this Greek word eschatos points to the very ultimate
end of whatever is being discussed.
In the discussion of the last days before the return of Jesus
Christ, the word eschatos points to the very ultimate end of the last
days. For this reason, Paul used it in this verse to point to the very
last of a long last-days season. We could call it the last of the last
days.
To be technically correct, I must point out that “the last days”
started about 2,000 years ago on the Day of Pentecost when the
Holy Spirit was poured out. In Acts 2:17, Peter responded to the
outpouring of the Spirit by quoting Joel 2:28 in which the prophet
Joel prophesied about the supernatural happenings in the last days.
Peter said, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I
will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…” (Acts 2:17).
So when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost,
it triggered a prophetic time frame called “the last days” that we’ve
been living in for nearly 2,000 years. But in Second Timothy 3:1, the
word eschatos points to the very end of that prophetic season — to
the days you and I are living in right now at the very ultimate end of
the age.

THE ‘LAST PORT’ IN THE JOURNEY

Make no mistake — the Greek word eschatos (“last days”) in this
verse means the very ultimate end or the very end of time, and it
points to the conclusion of the age. The Holy Spirit is literally saying,
“…In the very end of days — when time has sailed to its last port and
no more time remains for the journey.…”
This gives us a specific point of reference for the time frame we
are about to study in this chapter from Second Timothy 3, which is
solely concerned with events that will occur at the very ultimate end
of this age. The events Paul described in this Bible chapter will
hastily transpire in the very concluding days of the age. To this end-
time generation, it will feel as if time has suddenly accelerated and
end-time developments are quickly coming to pass at a speed that is
shocking to the natural mind.
Does that sound like our times? If you say yes, I remind you that
the Holy Spirit is saying, “Tag, you’re it!” for this exciting wrap-up of
the ages!

To this end-time generation, it will feel as if time has

suddenly accelerated and end-time developments are
quickly coming to pass at a speed that is shocking to the
natural mind.

Second Timothy 3:1 could therefore be correctly translated, “You

emphatically and categorically need to know with unquestionable
certainty that in the very end of days — when time has sailed to its
last port and no more time remains for the journey.…”
Then the Holy Spirit begins to expound on what will happen in
that concluding time frame called the last of the last days. He
vigorously states that “perilous times shall come” to be experienced
by people who live in that prophetic season. But before we look at
the words “perilous times,” we must first study the words “shall
come,” for they are very important in this text.
The words “shall come” are a translation of the Greek word
enistemi, which is a compound of the words en and histemi. The
word en means in, and the word histemi means to stand. But when
these are compounded into a single word, the new word means to
stand in, to stand in the middle of, to be surrounded by, to be
encumbered by, or to stand in the midst of whatever is being
discussed with the feeling that it cannot be avoided or that one
cannot escape from it. It depicts someone who is so encompassed
by whatever surrounds him or her that there is no way out of it.
By using this key word enistemi, the Holy Spirit prophetically
declares that those who live in this last season will feel as if they are
positioned in the very midst of — surrounded and encumbered on
every side by — inescapable developments. To the people who are
part of this end-time generation, it will feel like they are being
assaulted by “perilous times” from every direction. In other words,
there will be no escaping this period of time.
But remember — God “tagged” you and me to live in this
strategic season at the close of the age! That means we can rest
assured that His Spirit will enable us to dodge each of the enemy’s
attacks. He will also empower us to help others find freedom and
liberty from the darkness that is presently encroaching on society
across the entire planet.
As Paul wrote the words of Second Timothy 3:1, it is as though
he supernaturally peered through a prophetic window that allowed
him to see 2,000 years into the future — to the very time in which we
are living and the times directly before us. By the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, Paul revealed what he had seen as he painstakingly and
vividly wrote about the sweeping changes that would emerge and
become commonplace in society and culture at the very end of this
age.

It is as though he supernaturally peered through a

prophetic window that allowed him to see 2,000 years
into the future — to the very time in which we are living
and the times directly before us.
 Second Timothy 3:1 is crucial to what you are about to read in the
rest of this book, so I want to make sure you truly grasp what the
Holy Spirit has communicated in this verse. By alerting us to what
will occur in the last of the last days, God is lovingly preparing us for
what is coming. He desires that we would not be taken captive by a
spirit of fear. He wants each of us to retain a sound mind that can
wisely discern how to deal with the issues that will confront us.
But we must not hide from the world. Instead, we need to build a
spiritual wall of protection around us so we can live in this world
victoriously and not be brought down by it. Christ has called us to
rise up as mighty, Spirit-filled victors! We are called to shine His light
in the darkness, to rescue the perishing, and to do all we can to save
those who are spiritually dying.
And regardless of the moral dilemmas that confront us in these
times, you and I must never forget that we are called to be “more
than conquerors” through the power of Him who loves us (see
Romans 8:37). With the strengthening help of the Holy Spirit, we can
overcome all things through Christ who empowers us — even the
most intense battles in this prophetic season (see Philippians 4:13).

KEEP YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT ABOUT THE LAST DAYS

It is vital that each of us and our family members know how to
build a wall of protection around us as we approach the conclusion
of this age. With that in mind, I want to give you seven simple steps
to help protect you and your loved ones from what will become
rampant in society and culture at the conclusion of the last days.
This first verse in Second Timothy 3 plainly lets us know that
what the Holy Spirit is about to describe are events that will definitely
come to pass with absolute certainty. The apostle Paul by the Spirit
of God warned us of it in advance so that we would be prepared to
withstand the onslaught of evil that will diffuse itself throughout
society and culture in the very last of a last-days generation. Again, I
remind you that the Greek tense used indicates that what the Holy
Spirit was about to say through Paul is so urgent for those of us
living in the last times that He considered it something that simply
had to be known, recognized, and acknowledged.
 As you will see, the apostle Paul forecasted severe, abrupt
societal and cultural changes that will develop in the very end of the
last period of the age. You will recognize that all of these changes
are in evidence even now — at this very moment — because we are
already living in the final stages of the last of the last days. This
means we are approaching the last port, the last stopping-off point,
the end of the journey — and very little time remains.
The Holy Spirit wants you to know this information so you will be
prepared and not taken off-guard as these events become
commonplace. If you are informed and fortified by the truth of God’s
Word, you won’t be shocked or shaken when these events begin to
occur in a greater measure. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit does not
want you — or any of God’s children — to fall into the destructive
behaviors and symptoms that will be associated with a morally
sickened last-days generation.

You will recognize that all of these changes

are in evidence even now. This means we are
approaching the last port, the last stopping-off point, the
end of the journey — and very little time remains.

Because we are the ones living in this end-time generation to

which the Holy Spirit is referring, it should be obvious to us that
many of the things the apostle Paul wrote about are already
happening. But Paul didn’t write about these end-time events only in
Second Timothy; he also referred to them in Second Thessalonians
2:1,2.
Before we continue in Second Timothy 3 to see what Paul
specifically prophesied regarding the last days, I believe we must
first undergird ourselves with the truth he wrote to the Thessalonian
believers about this subject. These passages of Scripture are vital in
helping us keep our heads on straight as we walk through the
tumultuous developments that God says will occur as mankind
approaches “the last port” of this journey called the Church Age.
Apparently, some believers in Thessalonica were disturbed by
what they had learned of the events surrounding the coming of
Jesus. It seems those believers were so panicked that the apostle
Paul felt the need to write them to calm them down and curb their
fears.
In Second Thessalonians 2:1 and 2, Paul wrote, “Now we
beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in
mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as
from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”
Let’s dig into these two verses to see what we can learn from
them.
In verse 1, Paul began, “Now we beseech you.…” This is very
important, for the word “beseech” is a translation of the Greek word
erotao, which conveys the act of using one’s position to make a
strong request and to expect the listener to respond. The word is
used in other literature to depict the act of making an earnest appeal
or the act of sincerely and passionately entreating someone to do
what is being requested. This lets us know Paul was appealing to the
Thessalonian believers from his heart, asking them to do exactly
what he was requesting of them.
When Paul wrote about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
the word “coming” comes from the Greek word parousia, which was
sometimes used to denote the celebrated arrival of a royal
sovereign. The phrase “our gathering together” comes from the
Greek word episunagoge. This word is used in this context to point
to that moment in the prophetic future when God will quickly gather
or collect His people together to receive them to Himself at the
conclusion of this present age.
Then in Second Thessalonians 2:2, Paul added, “That ye be not
soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word,
nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.” It is
clear from this verse that Christians in Thessalonica were shaken
and troubled by the future events surrounding the very last of the last
days. So Paul wrote to these believers to calm them down and
assure them that being panicked is not the right response for any
Christian who hears that the end of the age is close at hand.
Paul told them, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled.…” The word “shaken” is the Greek word saleuo, and it
means to shake, to waver, to totter, or to be moved. The tense points
to events that cause shock or alarm.
The word “troubled” is from the Greek word throeo, and it
indicates an inward fright that resulted from whatever news the
Thessalonian believers heard that shocked them. The word throeo
depicts something that causes one to be filled with worry, anxiety, or
fear. However, this tense points to an ongoing state of worry and
inward anxiety resulting from something that was disturbing these
believers and disrupting their state of peace. It is as if there was no
reprieve from these shocking, debilitating, and nerve-racking things
they were hearing. The word throeo actually portrays a state of
jumpiness or nervousness, as if they were living on the edge of their
nerves.
Paul told these believers not to be shaken in “mind” — a word
that comes from the Greek word nous, which describes one’s mind
or intellect, will, and emotions or the ability to think, reason, and
decide. It is a fact that whoever or whatever controls a person’s mind
ultimately has the power to dictate the affairs and outcome of that
person’s life. Therefore, Paul was urging the Thessalonian
congregation to be careful to whom they listened or what they
opened their minds to when it came to last-days teachings. That
same warning has applied to all Christians throughout the Church
Age — especially to those of us who live in this end-time generation.

Whoever or whatever controls a person’s mind ultimately

has the power to dictate the affairs and outcome of that
person’s life.
 Then in Second Thessalonians 2:2, Paul added, “That ye be not
soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit.…” This word
“spirit” is a translation of the Greek word pneuma, which in this verse
refers to a spiritual experience or spiritual utterance that is out of
sync with the revealed Word of God. Some have even translated the
word to mean ecstatic utterances. Paul was here referring to strange
utterances, weird revelations, or euphoric proclamations that have
no root in sound doctrine and eventually produce the negative effect
of spiritually upsetting believers.
Paul continued writing, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or
be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us.…”
The word “letter” is the Greek word epistole, which is where we get
the word “epistle.”
It seems Paul was aware that people with fraudulent motives
were attempting to write their own epistles in the style of those Paul
had written to the churches. He was aware that some of these
imposters were even claiming that their epistles were written by Paul
himself. Others admitted writing the letters but then falsely alleged
that Paul had endorsed their epistles as written in his behalf. But
whatever it was that these believers were reading or listening to, the
counterfeit message was stirring up fear and alarm in their hearts.
Paul began Second Thessalonians 2:3 by saying, “Let no man
deceive you by any means….” The word “deceive” is the Greek word
exapatao, which means to beguile, to cheat, to trick, or to mislead
one to a false impression or a false conclusion. Paul was literally
telling the Thessalonian believers to use their minds and not believe
everything they heard — to keep their heads on straight when it
came to what and to whom they listened concerning the last days!

In light of all we’ve just studied, the following is

Renner’s Interpretive Version (RIV ) of Second
Thessalonians 2:1-3:

1. Brothers, listen carefully, for I am asking you in the

strongest of terms to hear what I am about to say and
to do exactly what I’m asking you to do. The
appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near. The
moment we have all longed and waited for is almost
upon us! I’m talking about that moment when Jesus
will finally gather us together for Himself.
2. Some things will be happening right before His
coming that could shake you up quite a bit. I’m
referring to events that will be so dramatic that they
could really leave your head spinning — occurrences
of such a serious nature that many people will feel
alarmed, panicked, intimidated, and even unnerved!
Naturally speaking, these events could nearly put
you over the brink emotionally and make you feel
apprehensive and insecure about life. I wish I could
tell you these incidents were going to be just a one-
shot deal, but when they finally get rolling, they’re
going to keep coming and coming, one after another.
That’s why you have to determine not to be shaken or
moved by anything you see or hear. You need to get
a grip on your mind and refuse to allow yourselves to
be traumatized by these events. If you let these
things get to you, it won’t be too long until you’re a
nervous wreck! You have to decide beforehand that
you are not going to give in and allow fright to
penetrate your mind and emotions until it runs your
whole life.
I also want to tell you not to be too surprised if
people start making weird spiritual proclamations
and off-the-wall utterances during the time just
before the Lord comes. All kinds of strange things
are going to happen during those days! It’s going to
get so bizarre that you might even receive a letter
from some person who claims that the day of the
Lord has already come! Who knows — he might even
attach my name to it, alleging to have my
endorsement, or he might even send it as if it were
written and sent from us!
 3. In light of these things, I urge you to refuse to
allow anyone to take advantage of you.…

What we are about to study in the rest of this book are prophetic
utterances concerning developments that will emerge at the end of
the age. The purpose of this book is not to make you feel alarmed,
panicked, intimidated, or unnerved. I am not on a mission to put your
nerves on edge or to make you feel apprehensive and insecure
about life!
However, we need to keep our heads on straight about the state
of this world in this day we’re living in. We must not bury our heads
in the sand and ignore what the Holy Spirit clearly wants us to
understand.
The radical changes in society that we are experiencing are just
the tip of the iceberg — just the beginning of a worldwide mutiny that
Paul prophesied about so long ago. According to the prophetic
teaching of Scripture, societal and cultural changes will worsen as
time passes.
The last-days spirit of iniquity is at work — and a steadily growing
mutiny against God and His Word is rapidly spreading across the
planet. A dark spiritual force is in full swing against the holiness of
God and the voice of Scripture.

We must not bury our heads in the sand and ignore what
the Holy Spirit clearly wants us to understand.

Can you see how the “mystery of iniquity” is spreading and

infiltrating the world with greater and greater moral decay? Does this
accurately describe what is happening in the culture of your time?

LIVING IN THIS PHASE OF HISTORY

People who are spiritually sensitive know that we have entered a
final phase in this prophetic season. They understand the times in
which they live and may feel disturbed by the destructive changes in
behaviors and lifestyles they see happening in society, even among
many who profess to be Christians.
But God spoke through the apostle Paul long ago to enlighten the
eyes of those who profess Christ and to help His people understand
what the world environment would be like in the concluding moments
of the age. This knowledge is intended to help believers recognize
the time in which they live and live soberly, with eternity in view. God
wanted His people to be alert and awakened to this reality —
especially the generations actually living in that time!
The time is short. That has often been said over the course of
time, but it has never been more true than in this present hour. For
this reason, we must use the time that remains wisely and shine the
light of the Gospel into the hearts of those whom Satan has blinded
(see 2 Corinthians 4:4).

The time is short.

That has often been said over the course of time, but it
has never been more true than in this present hour.

Do you have friends or family who are unsaved and blinded to

the Gospel or who have wandered from the truth? Now more than
ever before, it’s time to fervently pray for God to open their spiritual
eyes so they can see the truth for themselves and be transformed by
the power of Jesus Christ.
The floodgates of evil are swinging open wide as society races
toward a cataclysmic collision with crises of a magnitude never
before seen. Societal attitudes and moral standards have shifted and
plummeted to depths that are almost unimaginable. As I wrote in
Signs You’ll See Just Before Jesus Comes, Scripture clearly teaches
that natural catastrophes of unusual proportions will be witnessed in
the last of the last days. Of equal concern will be the changing
spiritual climate in which accommodation of the world system will
become the norm — and the world will become increasingly hostile
toward and intolerant of those who stand for moral absolutes.
The Bible prophesied that the last of the last days would be
characterized as “perilous times.” Few would doubt that this
describes the age in which we live. But remember, you and I are
ordained by God to live in this time.
We may not want to hear that the end is quickly drawing near, but
the truth is, someone’s generation has to be the last days.
“TAG — we’re it!”

We may not want to hear that the end

is quickly drawing near,
but the truth is, someone’s generation
has to be the last days.
 CHAPTER 1

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO BUILD A WALL OF PROTECTION AROUND YOUR
LIFE

I
n the following paragraphs, I want to suggest action steps you can
take to help build a wall of protection around your life so you are
protected in this last-days environment. If these action steps are
not already established habits in your walk with God, you should
begin to implement them immediately to help you stay spiritually
garrisoned even in the most troublesome of times.
These action steps are simple, but when acted on consistently,
they will produce great power and spare us from all types of troubles
that otherwise would invade our lives. Especially in these last days
when evil abounds, it is essential that we make these simple
elements a rock-solid wall of protection around our lives.
Of course, there are many more beneficial steps you should take
to protect your heart and soul. However, these easy steps are a very
good starting place to reinforce the spiritual wall of protection you
must establish about your life and the lives of your family members
in these last of the last days.

1. Pray every morning.

Start your day every morning with prayer as part of a plan to build
a wall of protection around your life. In Psalm 5:3, David wrote of his
commitment to spend time with God every morning. He said, “My
voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I
direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
Notice that the last part of that verse says, “…and will look up.”
David was surrounded with enemies both inside and outside his
home, and he was tempted to struggle emotionally. He knew he
needed to start every morning by “looking up,” or things would
escalate that could take him down.
Likewise, you need to start every day with the Lord “looking up”
— or life will quickly take you down. If you ignore this spiritual
principle, you’ll end up troubled, nervous, and worried — and you will
lack spiritual power in your life. On the other hand, if you do this,
you’ll remain in a state of abiding peace, able to walk through each
day in confidence. You’ll know you’ve done what is right, and you’ll
experience power to overcome the daily problems you face in life.
You can actually learn to live in a continual state of fellowshipping
with the Lord in prayer. Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying always…” You
may say, “Is that really possible?” Yes, it is, but you must learn to do
it. Becoming intentional about beginning each day with prayer
confirms that you are serious about your commitment to God. It
opens your heart to receive from Him, and it sets the tone for your
day as you expect God’s guiding presence and His goodness to
manifest in your life.
As you set your heart to begin each day in prayer — and to stay
in a prayerful frame of mind the entire day — you’ll find yourself
becoming more spiritually attuned to the things around you. A
prayerful mindset will heighten and sustain your spiritual sensitivity
— which is exactly what you need in these last days.

2. Read the Bible every day.

Make a commitment to read the Bible every day as part of a plan
to build a wall of protection around your life. In Psalm 119:105, the
psalmist wrote: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path.” You must determine that the Word of God will be the guiding
light that leads you down every path and in every decision you make
in life.
 God told Joshua in Joshua 1:7: “…Turn not from it to the right
hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou
goest.” According to this verse, a great part of your daily victory
depends on you faithfully sticking with the Word of God and not
allowing other voices or other ideas to sidetrack you along the way.
By taking time to read the Bible and allowing its words to enter into
your heart and mind, you give God the ability to do a supernatural
work in your heart and to keep your soul free from the enemy’s
entrapments.
If you don’t know where to start reading, find a Bible-reading plan
to help keep you on track as a type of personal accountability. The
Bible will feed you, help you, ensure that you stay on course, and
keep your heart soft before the Lord.
I urge you to make God’s Word the highest priority of your life.
Put it before your eyes every morning. Let it fill your eyes, flood your
mind, touch your emotions, and become your guide. Your life will be
strengthened and changed if you will do this.
Hebrews 4:12 reveals the transforming power of God’s Word:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any
twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.” In these last days, it is vital for you
to have the Bible in your heart and at your disposal to successfully
defeat the demonic forces that will continually try to accost your
mind.

3. Quickly confess sin and receive the cleansing of Jesus’

blood.
Learn to quickly confess sin and receive the cleansing blood of
Jesus as part of your strategic plan to build a wall of protection
around your life. We all commit sin, some unintentional and, at times,
some even intentional. Regardless, as soon as you realize that
you’ve done something or meditated on something inappropriate,
you must quickly act on First John 1:9, which says, “If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
 Proverbs 28:13 states it clearly: “He that covereth his sins shall
not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have
mercy.” When we ignore or try to hide sin, it negatively clogs our
spiritual lives and makes us susceptible to the attacks of the enemy.
But by quickly confessing sin and submitting to the cleansing power
of Jesus’ blood, it keeps us free of self-condemnation and attack and
keeps our hearts pliable.
Don’t let your heart become hard by allowing unconfessed sin to
build in your soul. Quickly confess sin and submit it to the cleansing
power of Jesus’ blood. As you do, you’ll immediately receive
forgiveness and mercy as the blood of Jesus cleanses you from any
act or thought that has grieved the Spirit of God. This is how you
stay spiritually free and help your soul stay free in these last days.

4. Put on the whole armor of God.

Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye
may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” God has
provided mighty spiritual weapons for you with which you are to
continually arm yourself. Each element of this spiritual armor — the
loinbelt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of
peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the
Spirit, and the lance of prayer and supplication — is a vital, effective,
and powerful weapon for you to use every day against the devil’s
assaults against you.
So put on the whole armor of God as part of a plan to build a wall
of protection around your life. The devil will try to wage attacks
against you, but you have at your disposal this full array of spiritual
weapons — ready for you to wield and to win the victory every time.
Especially in these last days as spiritual conflicts become more
and more intense, you need this God-given spiritual weaponry to
enable you to successfully withstand every attack and drive the
enemy out of your space. With these “weapons of your warfare” in
place (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5), you are more than able to defeat
any foe or demonic stronghold that would challenge your faith!
(To know more about spiritual weapons, I advise you to read my
book Dressed To Kill. This book is entirely devoted to the subject of
spiritual warfare, including how to use your spiritual weaponry to stay
free from every attack of the enemy waged against you.)

5. Make a covenant with your eyes.

Very often, evil finds access into your mind and imagination
through your eyes. So make a covenant with your eyes as part of
your deliberate plan to build a wall of protection around your life.
Psalm 101:3 says, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.…”
Matthew 6:22 (NLT) says, “Your eye is like a lamp that provides
light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is
filled with light.” If your eyes are focused on what is healthy, it will
bring good things into your mind. However, if your eyes are focused
on what is unhealthy or foul, those vile things that gained entrance
through what you allowed your eyes to see will enter into your mind
and affect you negatively.
An ancient saying tells us, “The eye is the window to the soul.”
Although this saying is not found in the Bible, it is true that your eyes
are the gateway to your mind and imagination and to what positively
or negatively affects your thinking.
We are living in the last days, and that, for one thing, means we
are living in an environment where wicked things — especially
sexually lewd things — are constantly on display before our eyes. If
you don’t stop those images from entering your mind, you give the
devil a tool to use against you. It is therefore essential that you make
a covenant with your eyes, determining that you will not give
permission for any wicked thing to be displayed in your sight.

6. Maintain a strong relationship with those to whom you are

spiritually accountable.
You need to keep your relationship strong with those to whom
you are spiritually accountable. This is a vital part of your plan to
build a wall of protection around your life. Proverbs 11:14 says,
“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of
counsellors there is safety.” Proverbs 24:6 also says, “…In multitude
of counsellors there is safety.” According to these verses, a person
who has godly counselors in his or her life is a wise person.
 The fact is, everyone needs someone to whom he is spiritually
accountable and to whom he can turn for counsel in time of need.
That person could be your pastor. It could also be someone who is
further along in spiritual maturity than you, whose counsel you
respect, and who is trusted, confidential, and mature.
In Psalm 54:4, David said, “Behold, God is mine helper: and the
Lord is with them that uphold my soul.” Whom do you have in your
life who strengthens you in your soul — helping you think right about
the situations you’re facing and align your emotions with God’s
Word? You need people in your life like that.
There are times we all need someone to speak into our lives who
will watch out for our souls. We need these trustworthy individuals
who will pray with us, speak the Word to us, be honest and forthright
with us, and hold us accountable. This is a healthy ingredient of our
lives in God — especially in these last days when the enemy will do
all he can to wage warfare against our soul.
By having such people in your life — those with whom you can
talk and confide — you are provided a safety net to help you in times
of need and to keep you strong. As David said, you need those who
“strengthen your soul” during these last days when many will be
tempted to fall into various temptations.

7. Regularly attend a church that teaches from the Bible.

You need to regularly attend a church where you will be
encouraged from the Bible and strengthened in the presence of the
Holy Spirit as you worship God with other believers. This is another
essential part of a plan to build a wall of protection around your life.
Psalm 119:28 marvelously depicts the powerful effect of God’s
Word to divinely energize a person who otherwise would feel
physically or emotionally weak. In fact, when the psalmist was
confronted with his own humanity, he knew that the Word was the
ingredient that would strengthen him to rise above it. That is why he
said, “…Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.”
The importance of finding a local body where you can receive a
steady, healthy diet of God’s Word cannot be underestimated in your
life. In fact, the amount of spiritual fire you have burning at your core
is directly related to how much of God’s Word is planted in your heart
— and where you regularly attend church is a vital factor in that
equation.
Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for every
problem you will ever face. The Bible can bring new life to your
heart, establish order in your mind, and refresh your soul when
unruly emotions or tormenting thoughts threaten to disturb your
peace. It is essential that you allow God to lead you to a company of
other believers where you can receive a strong foundation of God’s
Word and commit to living out its truths within the spiritual family
where He has placed you.
When you hear the Scriptures expounded by the anointing of the
Holy Spirit and take it by faith into your heart, its supernatural power
is unleashed. And when that happens, every part of your being —
your heart, will, thoughts, emotions, and memories — are all touched
by God’s power.
Satan knows the life-transforming power that is locked inside the
Bible. That’s why he fights so hard to get believers and churches to
back away from it, trying to convince them to water down, modify, or
even eliminate the Bible from its critical role in the life of every local
body. (I discuss this demonic attack in-depth in my book How To
Keep Your Head on Straight in a World Gone Crazy. I urge you to
obtain that book and read it.)
So I want to ask you — are you attending a church where the
emphasis is on a solid foundation of Bible truth? In a world where
deception is proliferating and growing darker all the time, this issue is
more important than ever. You must fortify yourself and your family
by sitting under preaching and teaching of the Word that encourages
you, confronts you, and helps you conform to the likeness of Jesus
Christ.
If you are currently attending a church where the Word of God is
not taught in power, or where a weakened and watered-down
version of the Bible is preached, I urge you to begin looking for a
pastor who will feed you the Bible in a way that leads to personal
transformation. In these last of the last days, you must have the
spiritual strength and vital support found in a church that is led by a
pastor and filled with believers committed to biblical truth.
 2

WHY GOD CALLS THE LAST

DAYS ‘PERILOUS TIMES’

od speaks to His people well in advance to warn them of what

G they need to know about the future. That is exactly what we find
in Second Timothy 3. In this powerful passage of Scripture, Paul
prophetically forecasted events that would occur when time had
sailed as far as it could go and the end of the age had reached its
culmination. Verse 1 begins, “This know also, that perilous times
shall come….”
As we have already seen, even the words “shall come” in this
verse are very important. These words are a translation of the Greek
word enistemi — a compound of the words en and histemi.
In review, the word en means in, and the word histemi means to
stand. When compounded into a single word, the new Greek word
formed is enistemi, which means to stand in; to stand in the middle
of; to be surrounded by; to be encumbered by; or to stand in the very
middle of whatever is being discussed, with a sense that it cannot be
avoided. This word enistemi depicts being completely encompassed
about by something to the extent that one feels as if there is no way
out of it and no way to escape it.
Even though prayer is powerful when believers pray in faith — in
fact, God’s Word commands that we pray — prayer cannot keep this
prophetic season of “perilous times” from happening in the last of the
last days. It will be inescapable. Prayer can, however, help us live as
overcomers in Christ in the midst of these times and provide
deliverance and protection for those we love.
For those of us living in the close of the age, it will seem as if we
are surrounded and encumbered on every side with events that are
difficult, hazardous, and hurtful. But because it is an end-time
season destined to transpire on God’s prophetic clock, we can know
that we have been chosen and anointed to sail through these
challenging times in His victory!
The word “encumbered” is a good rendering of the word enistemi,
translated “shall come” in Second Timothy 3:1. It describes precisely
what the Holy Spirit forecasted in this verse about events that would
overtake the generation living at the very end of the age. It also
reminds me of the words Jesus spoke to His disciples regarding end-
time events.

Because it is an end-time season destined to transpire on

God’s prophetic clock, we can know that we have been
chosen and anointed to sail through these challenging
times in His victory!

I discussed this last-days discourse between Jesus and His

disciples in my book Signs You’ll See Just Before Jesus Comes. I
wrote:

In Matthew 24:4-7, Jesus catalogued a list of signs

that would confirm the end of the age and His return
was at hand. These signs are occurrences Jesus said
would happen with greater frequency and intensity
as we approach nearer and nearer to the wrap-up of
the last days.
Then in Matthew 24:8, Jesus stated that all of these
types of events would signify the beginning of
sorrows. What did Jesus mean by using this word
“sorrows” to describe this final slot of time?
The word “sorrows” in Matthew 24:8 is translated
from the very same Greek word that is used to
describe the contractions a pregnant woman
experiences as the time of her delivery draws near.
Although there are exceptions, it is generally true
that in the beginning stages of labor, a woman’s
contractions are spaced sporadically apart. Those
early labor pains unpredictably come and go with
irregularity. But as she comes closer to her moment
of delivery, those contractions occur more frequently
and with greater regularity and intensity as her body
prepares for the task of bringing a baby into the
world.
Jesus used this phrase “the beginning of sorrows” to
tell us that as this period entered its last phases, the
signs He was about to enumerate would occur
irregularly at first. But by using the word “sorrows”
— the very Greek word for a woman in travail —
Christ was telling us that when the moment of His
return and the conclusion of the age is right upon us,
these signs will occur with greater regularity and
intensity, almost like a woman in the pains of
childbirth. Finally, when it seems the pace and pain
of these events can grow no worse, this period will
end, Christ will come, and a new prophetic time
period will be birthed.
According to Jesus, these last-days “contractions”
will begin slowly at first, just like the early stages of
labor for a pregnant woman. Then these events will
occur closer and closer together — like birth pains —
until they will seem like they’re happening rapidfire,
one after another.… These “sorrows” will be felt in
the earth’s atmosphere, in the physical structure of
the earth, in politics, in world events, and in society
at large, especially as this age wraps up in its final
moments.
Jesus stated that no one but the Father knows the
exact day or hour when Christ will return (see
Matthew 24:36). But Jesus said it’s possible for us to
know when we’re approaching the outer boundaries
of the age by looking at the signs (see Matthew 24:4-
7). There are many such indicators to alert us that we
have already entered the territory of the closing of
this period in history. And we will see many more
signs or events that will occur in the years, months,
and even days leading up to Christ’s return for His
Church.
One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to show us
things to come so we’ll know what to expect as we
move forward in time (see John 16:13). Armed with
knowledge, we can protect ourselves, our families,
and our loved ones from the destructive trends that
will be associated with the closing days. And we can
resolve to stand strong and do the will of God,
shining as lights in the darkness that will certainly
increase just before Jesus returns….
Most of us already sense the shifting and changing
that is occurring in the world today — and that
unsettling impression is producing a heightened
sense of urgency concerning the time in which we
live. Most committed Christians who know and
believe the Bible are certain about where the signs
are leading us. Many are seeking God with
unprecedented fervor for His intervention in the
affairs of man — for His purposes to be wrought in
this generation and His plans to be consummated on
the earth.
Just as the disciples wanted to know when the age
was going to close, believers today want to know
what the signs are that will pinpoint this culmination
and the Lord’s imminent return. There’s no question
that Jesus will return, and we have never been closer
to that moment than we are right now!
 The Holy Spirit wants us to know about the signs on
the prophetic road that we’ll see as we enter this new
territory of the wrap-up of the age. He wants us to
know the signs to prepare us for the times ahead.1

The fact that you’re reading Last-Days Survival Guide right now
is evidence to me that you’re among the serious believers who want
to know what the future holds. This book answers one aspect of that
question, focusing on what the Holy Spirit prophesied would take
place in society itself — across the board — as we come to the end
of this age. But if you haven’t read my Signs book I just quoted from,
I urge you to get a copy, because it covers many types of signs we’ll
see just before Jesus comes that are not covered in this book.
Using this Greek word enistemi (“shall come”), the Holy Spirit
prophetically declares that those who live in this last season will feel
as if they are completely surrounded and encumbered on every side
by dark and inescapable developments. It will seem like they are
being assaulted from every direction by the backlash of these
“perilous times,” with no possibility of escape. Yet those who have
listened to the Holy Spirit, fortifying and equipping themselves for the
days ahead, will live victoriously and unaffected by the disturbing
developments that seem to surround them on every side.
Consider that moment when the angel of death passed through
the land of Egypt prior to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt (see
Exodus chapters 11 and 12). God warned His people in advance —
as He always does — of the difficult times that were coming. He told
them clearly what actions they needed to take in order to avoid being
negatively impacted by the judgment that was to come upon the land
of Egypt. They were to smear the blood of a lamb upon the door
lintel and side posts of their homes so the death angel would see the
blood and “pass over.” As the Israelites obeyed, they would be
unaffected by the judgment that would fall upon all in Egypt who
were not under the covering of the blood of the lamb.
When death visited Egypt that night, it infiltrated every Egyptian
home, from the greatest to the least, and took the firstborn of each
family. Egypt was so surrounded by death that even the firstborn of
all the animals died that night. Yet not a single firstborn child among
the people of God was touched, because they had heard what He
said and heeded His instructions.
By telling Israel what was about to happen, God was not trying to
scare His people, but to prepare them. His desire was to protect
them and to tell them what to do so they would not be negatively
affected in that critical hour. Because God told the Israelites in
advance what was coming — and because they heard,
acknowledged, embraced, and followed His explicit instructions —
every one of them lived through that perilous night when death came
to visit a nation.
If the children of Israel had chosen to ignore God’s prophetic
warning to them, they would have been affected in the same way the
Egyptians were that night. But they seriously heeded God’s merciful
warning in advance, and they took action to prepare for what was
coming. The Israelites’ decision to both hear God and obey His
instructions allowed them to live in the midst of destruction, yet
remain unaffected and completely untouched by it.

Egypt was so surrounded by death

that even the firstborn of all the animals died that night.
Yet not a single firstborn child among the people of God
was touched, because they had heard what He said and
heeded His instructions.

Likewise, God is speaking to us in Second Timothy 3:1 as a way

to prepare us regarding events that will occur in a last-days society.
The voice of the Holy Spirit in this prophetic scripture is urgently
calling out to anyone who has ears to hear — warning God’s people
in advance that perilous times are coming at the end of the age.
We can hear, heed, obey, and be protected — or we can ignore
the Holy Spirit’s tender, yet impassioned pleading. If we choose the
latter, we will be affected along with the rest of society by the
perilous times that will encumber the world as the time approaches
for Jesus’ return.
The words “last days” in this context unquestionably point to the
very conclusion of the age — to that moment when we’ve reached
the end of the prophetic road and we can travel no further in this
period called the last days. But as believers, our response is not to
hide from the evil that is prophesied to emerge on a scale unlike
anything we’ve imagined. We who believe in the authority of the
Bible and the power of the Holy Spirit must remain committed to the
truth of Scripture and steadfastly advance to shine the light of God’s
Word in an end-times world that lies in darkness.
This is not a time for us to get into fear — it’s a time to hear the
Holy Spirit’s voice. We must also fortify ourselves with the Word of
God so that we, like the children of Israel, will live through this last-
days period with no ill effect. It is time for us to use our heads, apply
both spiritual and common sense to our lives, and responsibly build
walls of protection around ourselves, our families, and our friends.
Such spiritual walls can shield us and those we love from evil forces
that are already prevalent in the world around us.

This is not a time for us to get into fear —

it’s a time to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice.

A LOST SOCIETY IN FIERCE TIMES

In Second Timothy 3:1, the Holy Spirit points toward a worldwide
global future and prophesies that in the last of the last days, there
will arise a unique period of time filled with risk and danger. He
makes it very clear that these destructive characteristics will become
prominent and commonplace in society.
In the chapters to come, we will focus on the specific
characteristics that the Holy Spirit lists as societal and cultural
characteristics in a last-days generation. We’ll see how these
scriptural predictions line up with the present environment — and
how they are developing and increasing before our very eyes, even
at this present moment.
But, first, we need to understand what the Greek word translated
“perilous” means. What kind of “perilous” times actually await us?
When you understand the original meaning of the word “perilous”
in the Greek text, I believe you’ll see why it’s so imperative that we
commit our lives to God and seek His face diligently in this hour.
You’ll also better understand what you must do to protect yourself,
your loved ones, and your friends, as well as how to reach out to
those the devil wants to destroy and ravage in a wandering, last-
days society.
The word “perilous” in Second Timothy 3:1 is translated from the
Greek word chalepos — a word that is used only one other time in
the New Testament. This Greek word describes something filled with
danger, risk, and hurt or something that is wounding. It is the very
word used in the literature of New Testament times to depict wild,
vicious animals that are unpredictable, uncontrollable, and
dangerous. It portrays a deadly menace or anything that has the
potential to be treacherous or hurtful.
This Greek word chalepos was also the word used to describe
words or actions that are emotionally difficult to bear. It expresses
the idea of any action, place, person, or thing that is harsh, harmful,
cruel, ruthless, cutting, or wounding. Significantly, this word chalepos
was also the word used to describe a geographical region filled with
so much risk and danger that it needed to be avoided at all costs. To
knowingly go into a territory that was chalepos was an action that
would put one’s life at risk of suffering something harsh, harmful,
cruel, ruthless, cutting, or wounding.
In ancient Greek secular texts, the word chalepos carried the
entire range of all those meanings — and this is therefore how
Second Timothy 3:1 is translated in Renner’s Interpretive Version
(RIV).

Taking all the varied meanings

in these first two chapters into consideration,
the RIV of Second Timothy 3:1 is as follows:
 You emphatically and categorically need to know
with unquestionable certainty that in the very end of
days — when time has sailed to its last port and no
more time remains for the journey — that last season
will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, menacing times
that will be emotionally difficult for people to bear.

However, to get a sense of this word chalepos as it is used in

Second Timothy 3:1, we need to go to Matthew 8:28, the only other
instance where it appears in the New Testament. When you see how
chalepos is used in that verse, I believe you will begin to get a “feel”
for the reason the Holy Spirit used this particular word to describe
the societal and cultural developments that will emerge in the very
last of the last days.
In Matthew 8:28, we are told, “And when he [Jesus] was come to
the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two
possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so
that no man might pass by that way.”
In this verse, Matthew related the story of two demonized men
who lived in the country of the Gadarenes. In the gospels of Mark
and Luke, they only reported one demoniac man in this same
account, but Matthew’s gospel clearly says there were two
demoniacs. Matthew’s account gives a broader picture of the story,
while the gospels of Mark and Luke focus on the one who was the
most demonized of the two. But Matthew’s account uses the words
“exceedingly fierce” to describe these men and the fear they
imposed on the people of that region.
These words “exceeding fierce” are translated from the word
chalepos — the same Greek word translated “perilous” in Second
Timothy 3:1. This emphatically means these demoniacs presented
danger, risk, hurt, hazard, and potential wounding to people who
passed through the territory where they dwelled. The behavior of
these demoniacs was like wild, vicious, and uncontrollable animals.
They were unpredictable and dangerous. In fact, they were
potentially treacherous and hurtful to anyone who tried to pass by
that way. As a result of their well-known, dangerous behaviors,
people found this situation emotionally hard to bear. Make no
mistake about it, the Greek word chalepos means these demoniacs
were harsh, harmful, cruel, ruthless, cutting, and wounding.
This is why Matthew 8:28 goes on to say, “…There met him
[Jesus] two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs,
exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.”
The word “way” is a translation of the Greek word hodos, which
means a road. This perfectly matches the history and geography of
the country of the Gadarenes during the First Century, where a road
ran along the entire eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. Just beyond
the far side of the road was a cliff with caves and tombs, and this
was where the demoniacs dwelled. Even today in that location are
the ruins of a Fifth Century church built on this site to commemorate
the biblical event that occurred there.
But before Jesus liberated the demoniacs, they’d made a habit of
charging out of the caves and tombs to terrify people who tried to
pass by on the seaside road that ran along the east seashore near
their dwelling. These men presented a real danger. They were
vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable,
harsh, harmful, cruel, ruthless, cutting, and wounding. All of this gave
rise to a local situation that was emotionally hard to bear for the
people who lived in the region and had to deal with these men — as
well as for all the travelers who needed to pass through that area by
way of the seaside road.
Matthew informed us that people in that region tried to avoid this
area and to keep a distance between themselves and those
demoniacs. The local population was aware that if they ventured into
the territory where the demoniacs lived, they were walking into a
hazardous situation. As a result, people tried to steer clear of that
“perilous” region where these “exceeding fierce” and demonized men
lived.
This is why the words “exceeding fierce” in Matthew 8:28 are
translated from the Greek word chalepos — the same word the Holy
Spirit uses in Second Timothy 3:1 when He forewarns that perilous
times will come in the very last of the last days. This unmistakably
means that the Holy Spirit is forecasting that the close of the age will
be “exceeding fierce” — vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly,
uncontrollable, unpredictable, harsh, harmful, cruel, ruthless, cutting,
and wounding — and that it will be a time that people will find to be
emotionally hard to bear.
But remember — nothing takes God by surprise. And the events
that are going to happen — and that are happening around us today
— are no exception. God knew 2,000 years ago that this wrap-up of
the age would be filled with peril, and that is why the Holy Spirit used
this word chalepos to tell us well in advance that these things would
occur. These prophetic words were given so we wouldn’t be taken
off-guard. God’s desire is that we are alerted to take action in order
to become established, strengthened, steadied, and protected even
in the midst of these last-days events as they begin to take place.

WE ARE CALLED TO TRIUMPH IN JESUS CHRIST

In Second Corinthians 2:14, Paul wrote to believers who were
encumbered with societal ills and problems that were assailing them
in their generation. Because of the outside pressures that were
besetting the Corinthian congregation from every side, Paul wrote to
remind them that they were victorious in Christ despite the difficulties
they were encountering. He told them, “Now thanks be unto God,
which always causeth us to triumph in Christ….”
The word “always” is important in this verse. Paul used it to
underscore the fact that we always have victory in Christ, regardless
of what is trying to assault us from without. The word “always” is a
translation of the word pan-tote, a word that emphatically means at
all times, in every place, and in every way. Paul’s use of this word
leaves no room for misunderstanding — it means we are at all times,
in every place, and in every way triumphant in Christ!
But pay attention to that word “triumph” in this verse. It is a
translation of the Greek thriambeuo — a very special word that was
used only to depict a triumphal parade designed to honor and
celebrate a military commander who victoriously returned home from
battle.
This was the custom in ancient Rome. When news reached the
city that an enemy had been defeated, the planning for the return of
their victorious commander and his army commenced. And when the
gates of the city finally opened to welcome the victors home, a grand
celebration began that was called a triumphal parade.
Triumphal parades were carried out at great expense to
commemorate these exceptional victories won by notable
individuals. To be honored in this way was the single greatest military
honor that could be given in the Roman Empire.
Such landmark parades were extravagant, elaborate celebrations
intended to be recorded as historical events. Because triumphal
parades occurred very rarely, no one was in a hurry to see such a
special occasion concluded when they did take place. This is one
reason why historical records show that some triumphal parades
lasted for days!
When the parade commenced, the larger population of Rome
gathered along the route of the procession to fix their eyes on the
defeated foe — the leader of the enemy forces who had been taken
captive. This defeated commander would be bound in heavy chains
and made a spectacle for the onlookers to mock and disdain. Back
behind the now-defunct commander trudged his allied leaders, also
chained and made objects of mockery and ridicule before the
masses of onlookers. Next came the enemy soldiers who had been
taken captive and were headed to prison or to execution.
Behind all the defeated captives followed oxcarts that overflowed
with weapons, armor, gold, silver, statues, monuments, and other
treasures confiscated by force from the enemy’s territory. Next in the
parade came the city’s regally dressed senators, magistrates, and
other high-ranking officials, marching in the parade to demonstrate
honor to the returning commander.
Finally, the commander being honored joined the procession as
the climax of this momentous event. Riding in an ornate chariot that
was pulled by a team of four majestically adorned horses, the
triumphant leader stood in the chariot, draped in sumptuous purple
garments embroidered with gold and with a laurel crown on his head.
The chariot moved slowly to give spectators along the route the
opportunity to see him as he rode toward the grand finale. The
celebrated victor majestically rode along the parade route as throngs
of people threw flowers and jubilantly shouted relentless exultation.
All of that was a part of a triumphal parade — and everything you
have read in the previous paragraphs is included in the word
“triumph” that Paul used in Second Corinthians 2:14 to depict the
victory that belongs to you and me in Jesus Christ.
This means that in Christ, we are mighty champions. God sends
us to invade the enemy’s territory to plunder him! And regardless of
what type of season you and I are living in right now, Christ’s power
enables us to overcome every obstacle, barrier, and difficulty and to
victoriously share in Christ’s triumph over the enemy. That is what
Paul meant when he said, “Now thanks be unto God, which always
causeth us to triumph in Christ.…”
I believe this is important for us to keep in mind as we study what
the Holy Spirit prophesied about the “perilous times” that will occur in
the last days. We are not victims — we are victors! It is vital to never
forget that Christ has given us a position of victory. And if we will
reinforce ourselves with the Word of God, avail ourselves to the
power of the Holy Spirit, use the weapons of warfare given to us, and
learn to lean on others who are in the fight with us — we can live as
triumphant victors, even in these last days!

As we study what the Holy Spirit prophesied about the

“perilous times” that will occur in the last days, it is vital
to never forget that Christ has given us a position of
victory.

But God loves us so much that He wants to let us know key

developments that are to transpire in the future so we can protect
ourselves and our loved ones from the harmful effects and
influences that will try to engulf a last-days generation. By telling us
these things in advance, God in His love is awakening us to what is
coming so we will do what is necessary to maintain victorious living
in the midst of the unprecedented challenges of this end-time
season.
Before Jesus left the earth, He said that one of the ministries of
the Holy Spirit would be to show us things to come (see John 16:13).
In Second Timothy 3:1, that is precisely what the Holy Spirit does
when He speaks in an emphatic and categorical tone about what is
coming at the end of this age.
As we saw earlier, Second Timothy 3:1 could be interpreted to
mean, “You emphatically and categorically need to know with
unquestionable certainty that in the very end of days — when time
has sailed to its last port and no more time remains for the journey
— that last season will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, menacing times that will be
emotionally difficult for people to bear.”
I think of how God prepared Esther in the Old Testament to step
into her role at just the right time in history. So we, too, were born
and destined to live in this age “for such a time as this” (see Esther
4:14). Jesus is coming back soon for His Church! And the last days
of the Body of Christ on this earth will be her best days as she is
equipped by God to bring the light of Christ to those who are in
darkness and to deliver those who are bound. God is faithful who
promised it!

The last days of the Body of Christ on this earth will be

her best days as she is equipped by God to bring the
light of Christ to those who are in darkness and to deliver
those who are bound. God is faithful who promised it!

HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT’S

WARNING?
How should we respond to events that the Holy Spirit prophesied
would come at the end of the age? Should we stay in our homes,
close the blinds, and hide from the world? Should we become
reclusive and disappear from society? What should be our proper
response to a world that seems to be sinking all around us? Does
God have an expectation of us in this last hour?
First — we must refuse to allow fear to grip our hearts.
We are honored to live in this season that prophets foretold so
long ago. Rather than run and hide, we must follow Jesus’ example
when He came into the region of the Gadarenes where the
demoniacs lived. That region was filled with chalepos — risk, danger,
and peril — but Jesus stepped into that moment to exercise His
authority and to cast the demons out of those men, thus freeing an
entire population from the fear that had paralyzed them for so long.
Jesus is our Example. What terrified others called Him to action.
The same should be true of us today.
Others would have turned around, gotten back into their boat,
and sailed away to get out of the area. But Jesus was called to that
place at that time to bring deliverance to the demoniacs in the
country of the Gadarenes. Had He run away from that divine
assignment, He would have missed the opportunity to set an entire
region free. As “perilous” and “exceedingly fierce” as those
demoniacs were, Jesus pressed forward in the power of the Spirit
and with the weapons of God, and He transformed that dire situation
with the glory of God!
Likewise, in these last days, we need to hear God’s Spirit
beckoning us to step forward with the authority of Jesus Christ to
bring deliverance, freedom, and peace to people and places where
the devil has tried to bring chaos, hazard, and hurt. People need us,
and that makes this our greatest hour!

Jesus is our Example.

What terrified others called Him to action.
The same should be true of us today.
 It is certainly true that not everyone desires freedom. But there
are multitudes of hurting, confused people who are wounded by the
chaos of the hour in which we live — and they are crying out for
someone like you and me to bring them the answers to the
destruction that is wreaking havoc in their lives.
It’s time for us to do what Jesus did. We must fearlessly press
forward, advance against the enemy’s strategies, and allow the
power of God to flow through us to cause God’s purposes to prevail
in every situation!

THIS IS OUR TIME TO RISE AND SHINE!

In Isaiah 60:1 and 2, the prophet Isaiah also prophesied of this
age. He said, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the
Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the
earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon
thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”
Although this prophecy first referred to Israel arising to a place of
prominence, it has a dual meaning, speaking of the Church’s
assignment to “arise” and “shine” during a future dark season that
will attempt to cover the earth in the end of the age. This means that
when this season of “gross darkness” arrives, Christians will be
needed more than ever before.
God has called, chosen, and anointed us to live for Jesus in
these times, so we must lay hold of God’s promises and rise up in
this hour to let our light shine. We must wake up and realize that we
are the generation called to close out the age. We were chosen for
this hour — it is our destiny!
If you’ve been tempted to feel hopeless about the changes
occurring in society all around you in this age, it’s time for you to tell
that hopelessness to leave in Jesus’ name. Instead of allowing
hopelessness to dominate your thinking, it’s time to embrace the
challenge and ask God to help you bring delivering power and
freedom to those who are confused and gripped with confusion in
our times. People are looking for hope — and you have hope to give
them!
 We must wake up and realize
that we are the generation called to close out the age.
We were chosen for this hour — it is our destiny!

Instead of retreating in fear, it’s your responsibility as a believer to

step forward and face the challenge, just as Jesus did when He
encountered the demon-possessed men of the Gadarenes. What
terrified others and made them retreat in fear is what beckoned
Jesus to action.
In this hour, we must not retreat. Rather, we must charge forward
into the darkness in the power of the Spirit and, with faith-filled
hearts, set people free. The situation that exists in the world today is
our opportunity to let the power and glory of God manifest through
us!
Although the world sinks deeper in darkness, this is our hour to
let the glory of God shine through us! So instead of yielding to fear,
we must command it to stand down and leave us in Jesus’ name —
acknowledging that fear itself is evil (see 2 Timothy 1:7) and that it
has been defeated by Jesus Christ. Then we must embrace the
opportunities we encounter to bring deliverance and freedom to
people who are gripped with the spirit of fear in this last-days age.

What terrified others and made them retreat in fear is

what beckoned Jesus to action.

Think of it — God says you are “always” in a “triumphant” position

in Christ Jesus! You are not a victim — you are a victor. He has
gifted you, empowered you, and deemed you well able to fulfill His
purposes for your life in the midst of the last days! So embrace the
honor, and determine to be everything He needs you to be in these
final hours of this age.

1 Rick Renner, Signs You’ll See Just Before Jesus Comes (Tulsa, OK: Harrison
House, 2018), pp. 23-24,26.
 CHAPTER 2

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO BECOME A PERSON GOD WILL USE TO TOUCH
PEOPLE IN NEED

L
iving in the last of the last days is a guarantee that you will meet
people with serious needs. These end times you live in are going
to become increasingly filled with hurt and pain — with people
who are crying out for the answers you carry because you have the
Holy Spirit residing within. At any time, you can tap into His divine
power to help family members, friends, and individuals you
encounter who are under assault. There are people all around you
who need God’s healing touch, and you can give it to them.
If you’ll act on the following seven simple steps and make them a
consistent part of your life, they will help you become more spiritually
sensitive to recognize those whom God has put in your path to help.
Practicing these steps as a way of life will help you get your mind off
yourself and become more focused on the needs of others. All of
these steps are a vital part of your becoming a vessel of deliverance,
healing, and power whom God is well able to use to help struggling
people become strong and get on their feet again.
These points are simple, but if you will practice them, you will
position yourself for God’s power to flow through you to others.
There are so many needy people in our time, and God wants your
voice to become His voice to those who are crying out for answers.
Your hands can become His hands to bring deliverance and healing
to those who need a divine touch. Your feet can become His feet to
bring answers to those in darkness whom Satan has tried to keep
blinded to the truth.
For you to become a highly effective instrument in God’s hands to
bring His love to hurting humanity, I suggest the following simple,
life-transforming action steps.

1. Get your eyes off yourself.

You will become a person God can use to help people in need
only when you get your eyes off yourself and start focusing on those
around you. Philippians 2:4 says, “Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others.”
Perhaps you are dealing with certain issues that seem like
mountains in your life — but always remember, there are people
around you who are facing much more difficult challenges than you
are right now. A trick of the devil is to get you so self-focused that
you are swallowed up in your own needs and fail to see the needs of
those around you. God wants you to shift your focus to others so you
can enter the territory that the devil has gained in people’s lives to
set them free and help them take back what he has stolen.
As you surrender to the Holy Spirit, He will empower you to bring
help to those around you, and He will also meet your needs.
Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
Never forget that the law of sowing and reaping is true. It will go
into effect for you when you begin to focus your attention on others.
As you meet their needs, God will see to it that your own needs are
met as well.
So I encourage you to ask yourself these questions:

• Who are the people in my life who need my voice to bring

an encouraging word to them?
• Who are those individuals who need my hands to impart a
healing touch to them?
• Who are the ones who need my feet to bring them
strength and support?
 In these last of the last days, you are going to meet many people
who need answers and help that only God can give, and He most
often uses His people who have become yielded instruments in His
hand. You are called to be one of those instruments. However, to be
effective in that divine role, you must shift your focus off yourself,
open your eyes, and allow the Holy Spirit to show you the needs of
others whom He will send across your path.

2. Evaluate the spiritual environment around you.

You must learn to evaluate the needs of others — their spiritual
needs and their level of spiritual receptivity — if God is going to use
you to help people. Jesus referred to this type of sensitivity with a
very unusual example in Matthew 10:16. He said, “…Be ye therefore
wise as serpents.…”
The word “wise” in this verse is from a Greek word that means to
be prudent, careful, cunning, discerning, thoughtful, intelligent, or
sensible. It is a perfect word for Jesus’ illustration of snakes that He
used to instruct us on how to be His representative on this earth, for
snakes are careful, discerning, intelligent, and prudent in how they
act.
For example, when a snake moves into new territory, it lies low,
stays quiet, blends into the environment, and evaluates the situation
to see opportunities in the area. That is a wise strategy to adopt
when God is asking you to touch someone’s life who is new to you.

• Move carefully as you begin to step out to obey the Lord.

• Lay low, stay quiet, blend into the environment for a while,
and evaluate that person’s spiritual needs and spiritual
condition before you act.
• Allow the Holy Spirit to give you insight and wisdom on
what He is asking you to do to help that person. Then
when you sense a green light from Him and you have a
sense of what your part is in reaching out to that person,
seize the opportunity to reach out.
• Don’t ignore the Holy Spirit’s prompting when it is time to
act. Become the source of help that individual needs at
 that moment. If you wait too long, the opportunity may
pass because you didn’t act in God’s timing.

In the closing days of this age, you’ll find yourself in all kinds of
spiritual environments and will meet people with all different types of
spiritual needs. So apply yourself to learning to discern the Holy
Spirit’s leading in your spirit. Allow Him to develop spiritual
discernment in you so you’ll know when and how to administer help
at the right time and in the right way.

3. Get rid of judgmental attitudes toward people.

You must free your heart of judgmental attitudes if you are to be a
person God can use to help people who are in need. Having sound
and reasonable judgment is not the same as being judgmental.
Having sound judgment refers to being able to comprehend a
situation clearly so you can arrive at an accurate conclusion about
that situation. On the other hand, being judgmental refers to
maintaining a negative, nitpicking, disapproving, condemning, and
hypercritical attitude regarding a situation or a person in need.
If you are going to be a person God uses to help others, you
must be able to judge a situation without being judgmental about it.
In John 8:3-11, we read where Jesus was confronted with a
woman who had been caught in the act of adultery and was being
condemned by religious leaders. When Jesus saw the judgmental
attitude of those religious leaders, He intervened in the situation to
save her life. It’s important to note that Jesus never condoned her
behavior; He acknowledged it was wrong. But then He spoke words
of liberation as He told her to go and sin no more. Jesus judged her
situation but was not judgmental of her, as were the religious
leaders.
Frequently Christians get confused about the difference between
making a sound judgment and being judgmental. You must be able
to come to a reasonable judgment about a person’s situation in order
to help that person. But if you are judgmental toward the one who
needs your help, it will hinder the love of God from flowing through
you to that person.
 Especially in these last days when people’s morals have become
confused, it is important for you to be able to judge situations without
being judgmental. So be diligent to rid yourself of judgmental
attitudes so you can remain a clear channel that God is able to
continually work through to bring help and deliverance to others.
Take Jesus as your Example. Do what He did when He was
confronted with that woman caught in the act of adultery. Evaluate
each person and situation; see that person’s situation in light of
God’s Word; and then come to a conclusion without falling into the
trap of being judgmental in your attitude. This will keep your heart
free to be a channel through which the love of God flows, and you’ll
become a ready help to those in need.

4. Assume everyone needs encouragement.

You must develop the mentality that everyone you meet needs
encouragement if you are going to be someone God uses to help
people. You are surrounded every day by people who are struggling
in their personal lives, in their minds and emotions, and in their
relationships. They may not open up to you about it, but many
people you know are deeply struggling even now as you read these
words. They need your encouragement, even though they may not
realize it themselves.
In this end-time hour we’re living in, so many people have morally
veered off track. So many people’s lives are not built on a solid
foundation. More than ever, people need the help and strength that
Jesus Christ offers them. Very often, God will provide that strength
and encouragement through His obedient children. And He wants to
use you.
I advise you to play it smart and assume that everyone you know
needs some type of encouragement.
In Romans 14:19, Paul exhorted us to get busy finding ways to
“edify” other people. That word “edify” is a translation of the Greek
word oikodome, which is a compound of the words oikos and doma.
The word oikos describes a house — fully built and complete. The
word doma pictures the roof of a house. When compounded, the
new word oikodome pictures a specific, well-thought-out plan to
construct a well-built house from its foundation all the way to its roof.
In other words, this word depicts the complete building process from
start to finish.
To build a house well all the way to its conclusion leaves no room
for sloppy, last-minute planning. Careful consideration of every detail
is required. Likewise, there is no room for careless thinking when it
comes to edifying and encouraging others.
God knows exactly what is needed to encourage those whom He
brings across your path. The Holy Spirit — who is the Chief Architect
and Engineer — wants to show you how to edify those around you.
So ask yourself:

• Am I ready to receive His plan?

• Are my spiritual ears open to hear His plan?

The Holy Spirit is ready to give you that plan — if you will listen
and allow Him to work through you to encourage those who really
need it. Romans 14:19 states clearly that this is the will of God. So
get in agreement with Him about your assignment, and start learning
today how to become a continual source of encouragement, ready to
edify and encourage those in your life who need it — and more
people need it than you think!

5. Surrender to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

You must surrender to the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are resident
within you if you are going to be a person God can use to effectively
help people in need. In First Peter 4:10, we are told, “As every man
hath received the gift…” According to that verse, every believer has
received gifts from the Lord that empower him or her to minister to
others (see Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10,11).
The words “every man” in this verse are translated from the
Greek word hekastos, which is an all-inclusive word that literally
means every single person, no one excluded. This means that every
person who has been born of the Spirit and who declares that Jesus
is Lord has been supernaturally graced or endowed from on High
with divine gifts — and that includes you!
 But the verse continues, “As every man hath received the gift…”
The word “received” is from the Greek word lambano, and it means
to receive into one’s possession or to take into one’s own control and
ownership. It carries the idea of taking hold of something, grasping
onto something, or embracing something so tightly that it becomes
your very own. This means that God wants you to accept and take
ownership of spiritual gifts as your own.
As a child of God, you’ve been richly endowed with gifts that
have the power to make a powerful difference in someone else’s life.
But you must embrace those gifts and allow them to flow through
you if they are going to benefit those near you who are in need. For
you to become an effective instrument whom God can use to help
people, it is imperative that you surrender to these remarkable gifts
and allow them to flow through you by the power and leading of the
Holy Spirit.
If you will yield to the Holy Spirit in this area, these spiritual gifts
that lie resident within you will flow from you to bring His help to
those in need right when it’s needed. These gifts are intended to
help people — so make the decision today to become skilled at
yielding to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and allowing His gifts to flow
through you to those who are in need of a divine touch from Heaven.

6. Don’t let fear stop you.

You have to say farewell to a spirit of fear if you are going to be a
person God uses to help people in need. In Second Timothy 1:7,
Paul said, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind.”
The word “fear” in this verse is translated from the Greek word
deilia, which depicts a cowardly and timid person. If this is how you
feel about yourself, it is time to rid yourself of that feeling once and
for all! Second Timothy 1:7 clearly says that God did not give you a
cowardly or timid spirit. You have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you,
and He will give you His supernatural gumption to do whatever God
needs you to do!
For God to be able to use you to effectively help others, it is
essential for you to tell cowardice and timidity farewell forever. If you
don’t, that timidity will stop you in your tracks when it’s time to help
someone, because you’ll be too afraid to step out of your shell and
do what is necessary. That timidity is a satanic trap to stop you from
ever becoming a person God can use.
So boldly use the name of Jesus, and rebuke the spirit of fear in
that great name! Take authority over intimidation, and tell it goodbye
forever! Quit being robbed of resolve! For God to use you to touch
those in need, you have to allow Him to develop an unshakable core
of Holy Ghost boldness on the inside of you!

7. Remember that you are always on assignment.

You must remember that you are always on assignment if you’re
going to be a person God uses to help people who are in need. In
First Peter 3:15, the apostle Peter wrote, “But sanctify the Lord God
in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man
that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness
and fear.”
The words “be ready always” are a translation of the Greek words
that mean to be ready or to be prepared. It is an attitude that is
always set to go, eager, prompt, and raring to get started. It is a
perpetual mindset of being ready to take on a challenge or ready to
take initiative of some sort. Inherent in this command to be ready is
the idea that one must do everything in his power to equip himself for
that moment when he is to be called to action.
This perpetual mindset to “be ready always” is made even clearer
by the use of a tiny Greek word in this verse that means always, at
all times, constantly, or perpetually. Peter was urging us, “…Be
constantly and perpetually ready, set to go, and prompt to act…”
Peter continued to say, “…Be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in you…” The
word “answer” in Greek means to answer back, to reply, to respond,
to explain, or to defend. Peter unmistakably was telling you that as a
Christian, you must “…be constantly and perpetually ready, be set to
go, and be prompt to answer every man who asks a reason for the
hope that is in you…”
 Especially for those of us who are living in these last days when
fewer people were raised in church and so many have so little
knowledge of the Bible, we should not be surprised if people ask us
about our faith. In fact, we should anticipate that they will ask. This is
why this verse urges us to be prepared and ready to answer. In other
words, we need to embrace the fact that we are always on
assignment!
This is a prerequisite if you want to be used by God to be His
instrument of love and help in people’s lives. You have to accept the
fact that you are always on assignment — regardless of where you
are or what you are doing.
So ask yourself:

• Am I willing to be on perpetual assignment to help anyone

in need whom the Holy Spirit asks me to help?

If you can say with conviction, “Yes, I will accept this assignment,”
God will use you mightily in the lives of people who so desperately
need the power of His love and presence that you carry.
 3

WHY THIS WARNING TO THE

CHURCH?

n the city of Pisa, Italy, stands the renowned Leaning Tower of

I Pisa. When architects began to construct it in 1172, they
miscalculated the depth needed for its foundation. Because the
foundation was defective, the tower started to noticeably lean as
early as 1178. To remedy the problem, a decision was made to
compensate for the tilt by building its upper floors with one side taller
than the other. But with each subsequent floor, the tower leaned
more off-centered and further off-balance. Millions of tourists from
around the world have traveled to see the Tower of Pisa and have
been reminded of what happens when anything is built on a flawed
foundation.
In this chapter, I will show you from verses in Second Timothy 3
what happens when society is built on a flawed and faulty
foundation. But before we proceed, let me remind you again that
Second Timothy 3:1 (RIV) is interpreted as follows: “You
emphatically and categorically need to know with unquestionable
certainty that in the very end of days — when time has sailed to its
last port and no more time remains for the journey — that last
season will stand in the midst of uncontrollable, unpredictable,
hurtful, treacherous, menacing times that will be emotionally difficult
for people to bear.”
The Holy Spirit gave this urgent warning to the Church so that
those who would actually live in the very last of the last days would
be mentally and spiritually alert and well-equipped to overcome
whatever the devil tries to throw against them. The Holy Spirit’s
desire was also to position and empower God’s people to help
anyone victimized by the evil that would emerge in society at the
very end of the age.
This is so important for us to grasp. For those of us who know
Christ and are established in His Spirit and His Word, we are
presented an ongoing, powerful opportunity to reach out to those
shattered by the devastation that can result from living in the last of
the last days.
In the chapters to come, you and I will study exactly what the
Holy Spirit prophesied regarding society and culture and how events
will unfold as we approach the end of the age. Rather than hide in
fear, we must get God’s perspective about what is going to happen
and what we need to do to help people who have already been
victimized.
Each one of us must take responsibility for building a spiritual
wall of protection around ourselves, our family, and our loved ones
that will guard us against the enemy’s attacks. We must take steps to
become instruments God can use to help those who are being
devastated by the times. Our intimacy with Jesus and our personal
knowledge of Him is what will make the difference and serve as our
sustaining force in the days that lie ahead.

Our intimacy with Jesus and our personal knowledge of

Him is what will make the difference and serve as our
sustaining force in the days that lie ahead.

TAKING OUR PLACE AS VICTORS AT THE END OF THE

AGE
In recent years, our ministry team has noticed that the prayer
requests that come into our office are much graver in nature than
they were in the past. What used to be a serious prayer request is
now relatively minor compared to the new level of dire problems
people are asking us to pray for regarding their marriages, families,
jobs, finances, and so on. The evil already working in the world has
infiltrated homes and families — the core of society — and is
attempting to penetrate every sphere of life.
Because we are in the world, we cannot avoid the times we live
in or the challenges that are currently facing society. Hence, it is
essential that we prepare ourselves spiritually to walk as overcomers
in life. The Scriptures and the power of the Holy Spirit are more than
enough to make us victorious even in these perilous times.
We are living in an end-time era that is brimming with all types of
hazards and danger. Only those who live by the Word of God and
the power of the Holy Spirit will escape the peril that will confront this
last-days generation. This is the message we must boldly believe
and herald!
This is also the reason you need to be attending a church that
adheres to the uncompromised teaching of the Word of God that will
strengthen your heart and mind, reinforce your beliefs, and transform
your life. You also need friends who are committed to the Bible and
to living their lives as authentic disciples of Jesus. More than ever
before, it is essential that you practice a consistent walk with God of
personal Bible study, local church attendance, and fellowship with
committed believers in order to keep your head on straight and
successfully navigate the age that is upon us.
All around us, the world is changing at a staggeringly rapid pace,
and events long ago foretold in Scripture are unfolding before our
eyes. In light of the increasing turmoil in the world, it could be
tempting to succumb to feelings of uncertainty or anxiety regarding
the future.

It is essential that you practice

a consistent walk with God of personal Bible study,
local church attendance, and fellowship with committed
believers in order to keep your head on straight and
successfully navigate the age that is upon us.
 But we don’t have to wonder what the future has in store because
the Holy Spirit has laid it out for us very clearly in Scripture. Our task
is to know those Scriptures and to hold fast to God’s higher
perspective as we take our place, positioned as victors in this hour
— no matter what is going on around us! God’s Word not only
provides us with a clear picture of what we can expect in the coming
years, but it also gives us every spiritual tool we need to face in
these turbulent times. We are fully equipped to remain victorious!

WHY GOD GIVES US PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES

As we continue exploring further into Second Timothy 3, we will
see that the Holy Spirit has enumerated for us the characteristics
that will emerge at the very end of the age. These are intended to be
“signposts” to let us know we have entered the final stage. If we see
these characteristics occurring on a wide-scale basis, we should
take it as a signal that we have “turned a page” and have entered the
final chapter in this present age.
We may not be able to pinpoint the exact time of Jesus’ coming
— but thank God, by studying the Scriptures, we can identify where
we are on God’s timeline. Because He loves us, He spoke to us by
His Spirit to enlighten our eyes and help us see what the world
environment — and, specifically, society — will be like in the
concluding moments of the last of the last days.
Having this knowledge helps us live soberly and with eternity in
view. Because the time is short, we must use the time that remains
wisely and shine the light of the Gospel into the lives of those whom
Satan has blinded (see 2 Corinthians 4:4).
As a committed Christian, you have a responsibility to live with
your eyes wide open to the events that are occurring around you.
And if you have friends or family who are unsaved, backslidden, or
blind to the truth, it is time for you to fervently pray for God to give
them eyes to see and ears to hear!

As a committed Christian, you have a responsibility to

 live with your eyes wide open to the events that are
occurring around you.

REACHING PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND TO THE TRUTH

I once watched a television interview with a very famous
individual who is well known for his public opposition of biblical
teaching. During the conversation, the interviewer asked this
famously rich person for his opinion about the state of the world
today. I was shocked to hear how he answered!
The man replied that the world in general had never been in
better shape than it is in right now. As evidence to support his claim,
he specifically mentioned the shift of morality away from traditional
values, the widespread acceptance of same-sex marriage, and the
emergence on the political and economic scene of a one-world
system that he believed will turn the planet into an altogether better
place. I was stunned at his answers. I wondered, How can anyone
be so blind to what is taking place in the world today?
There does seem to be a very real form of blindness that causes
a person not to see what is happening in this modern age. What
really amazes me is that often the people who make these
comments are actually intellectually brilliant! As I listened to this man
speak, I wondered, How can people be so smart and yet so blind to
the truth? But the Holy Spirit reminded me of Paul’s words in Second
Corinthians 4:4, where he wrote, “In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them.” According to Paul, some people really are blind to the truth!
When Paul wrote that Satan has “blinded” the minds of
unbelievers, he chose the Greek word tuphloo for the word “blinded.”
This is very important because the word tuphloo doesn’t just depict a
person who is unable to see; rather, it vividly portrays a person who
has been intentionally blinded by someone else. Someone has
deliberately removed that individual’s eyes and permanently blinded
him. This person hasn’t just lost his sight; he has no eyes to see.
 Paul continued by saying that Satan “…blinded the minds of them
which believe not…” This word “minds” is the Greek word noema,
which is a form of the word nous. The word nous simply means
mind. However, as the word noema, it no longer refers to the
physical mind, but rather denotes the thoughts, reasoning, opinions,
feelings, beliefs, or views that a person holds. Thus, Paul’s words in
Second Corinthians 4:4 explicitly state that Satan has “gouged out”
the spiritual eyes of skeptics and unbelievers to such a degree that it
has affected their ability to see things correctly. Their thoughts,
reasonings, opinions, feelings, beliefs, and views of what they
experience and perceive are obstructed, hindered, and impeded. As
a result, they are blinded from a correct view of the way things really
are.
If you have any friends or relatives who are either unsaved or
backslidden Christians and they seem “blind” to the truth, this verse
may explain why they can’t seem to see the true state of things. Pray
for the Holy Spirit to open their spiritual eyes so they can see the
truth. The fact is that we are living in the last of the last days, and the
world around us is changing very quickly. Events that were long ago
prophesied in Scripture are unfolding before our very eyes. We have
turned a page and have entered into the final chapter of history as
we know it.
Thank God that by studying the Scriptures, we can identify the
time and exact age in which we live. With this knowledge before us,
we can live soberly with eternity in view. Time is short, so we must
wisely use the time that remains and shine the light of the Gospel
into the lives of those whom Satan has blinded. The moment they
believe, the Holy Spirit creates eyes for them to see. That is why it is
so important that we don’t stop preaching the Gospel — even if
people act like they don’t want to hear it.
As committed Christians, we must determine to live with our eyes
wide open to the times we live in and to the events that are occurring
around us. If we have friends or family who are unsaved and
therefore blind to the truth, it is more urgent than ever that we
fervently pray for God to give them eyes so they can see the truth
that will save and deliver them.
 Thank God that by studying the Scriptures,
we can identify the time and exact age in which we live.
With this knowledge before us,
we can live soberly with eternity in view.

Soon Jesus will come, and everything will change forever. Until
then we have time to pray for those whom Satan has blinded. It isn’t
that they are naïve — they are blind. Satan has gouged out their
spiritual eyes, blocked their view, and affected their minds. They
have no eyes to see. Spiritual eyes are created for them to see only
as the Gospel is preached and the Holy Spirit opens their hearts to
receive its life-transforming truth.
Are you someone God wants to use so people’s eyes will be
opened to see the light of the Gospel? Maybe it’s time for you to quit
praying for others to fill that role and recognize that God is asking
you to be the one to share Jesus with those who don’t know Him and
bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. Keep your eyes open for
opportunities to help the spiritually blind see, and the Lord will
accommodate you with people who are hungry to listen and ready to
open their hearts and receive new spiritual eyes.
Are you the one God wants to use to share the message of Jesus
with the people you encounter? Are you the vessel He will use to
minister a piercing word that causes their eyes to be opened to
truth? Will you administer words of true hope that others can grasp in
the midst of these turbulent times?
If you’re praying for someone else to fulfill that holy responsibility,
maybe you should just accept what your heart already knows: that
God is asking you to share the Gospel with those who come across
your path. But you don’t have to do it on your own! He has
thoroughly equipped and empowered you by His Spirit to be His
witness to a lost world in these very last days of the age!

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SOCIETY WITH NO ANCHOR

 Let’s move on to see what Paul prophesied will be the chief
characteristic of man’s fallen nature in a world gone astray at the
conclusion of the age. Pay careful attention to what you are about to
read — for what the Holy Spirit mentions first is foundational to
everything else that He will foretell regarding what will ensue during
this time. As Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he
enumerated 25 points that will tragically become mainstream
characteristics in society as we draw closer to the very end of the
age.
In my book Signs You’ll See Just Before Jesus Comes, I discuss
in-depth another distinctive last-days list: the signs that Jesus said
we would see on a worldwide basis just before He returns for the
Church. Jesus’ explanation of these signs can be found in passages
of three gospels: Matthew 24:4-14, Mark 13:5-13, and Luke 21:8-19.
According to these three accounts, the following list includes the
events or conditions that Jesus prophesied would escalate in the last
of the last days. Some of the signs He spoke of have been occurring
to a certain degree throughout the ages. But Jesus forecasted that
these particular signs would escalate in intensity and experience a
worldwide increase as mankind approached the very end of the age.
The following include the signs Jesus told God’s people to watch for:
deception, signs in the heavens, economic instability, great seismic
activity, prosecution and imprisonment of Christians, warring political
systems, famines, wars, pestilences, commotions, ethnic conflicts,
emergence of false prophets, the love of many waxing cold, fearful
sights, unknown diseases, and rumors of wars.
Years later, the apostle Paul would write a second epistle to his
spiritual son, Timothy, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In this
second letter, Paul would enumerate 25 characteristics that would
develop in society and that we who live in the last of the last days
would witness. In other words, when all of these dark characteristics
of society and culture are manifesting simultaneously, it should be
taken as a big “welcome” sign that announces we’re no longer
journeying toward the last of the last days — we have finally entered
them! We can know that one part of our journey is over and that
we’ve finally crossed over into the territory of the very last days.
 When all of these dark characteristics of society and
culture
are manifesting simultaneously, it should be taken
as a big “welcome” sign that announces we’re no longer
journeying toward the last of the last days — we have
finally entered them!

The following list found in Second Timothy 3:1-9,12, and 13

enumerates the characteristics of a lost society that has run amuck.
These are the signposts the Holy Spirit has given to alert us that we
have entered the last of the last days. As I read what Paul wrote by
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit nearly 2,000 years ago, I am
amazed at the accuracy of the Holy Spirit found in these verses:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times

shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without
natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and
lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away
with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to
come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes
and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also
resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate
concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no
further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men,
as theirs also was.… Yea, and all that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men
 and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving,
and being deceived.

As we take each characteristic one at a time and dig into the

original Greek meanings, I believe you’ll discover just how accurate
the Holy Spirit truly is in these verses and how clearly the words He
chose describe our present-day society that is edging ever closer to
the conclusion of this age.

THE SUPREMACY OF SELF AT THE END OF THE AGE

In Second Timothy 3:2, Paul began with the chief characteristic
that will mark an end-time, off-track society. Verse 2 says, “For men
shall be lovers of their own selves….”
The phrase “lovers of their own selves” alerts us to the principal
sign that will let us know we have entered the very last of the last
days. This glaringly evident sign will be inordinate self-love. In this
verse, the Holy Spirit depicts a society that is self-focused, self-
centered, self-absorbed, and self-consumed.
Let’s look more deeply at the words “lovers of their own selves.”
These words are a translation of the Greek word philautos — a
strange compound of two Greek words that don’t seem to fit together
for reasons you will see. But in spite of the oddity of this word, this is
precisely the word that the Holy Spirit chose to use to make this
significant point about society at the very end of the age.
This word philautos is a compound of the Greek words phileo and
autos. The word phileo means to love or to be fond of, and it denotes
the love, fondness, attraction, or romantic feelings one has for
another. This word describes a deep and profound love that is
directed toward someone else. The second part of the word is autos,
which is the Greek word for oneself.
But something strange and curious happens when phileo and
autos are joined together. As a compound, they become philautos —
a weird word that doesn’t seem to make logical sense. As noted
above, phileo denotes love, fondness, attraction, or romantic feelings
that one has for another. It describes a deep and profound love that
is directed toward someone else.
 But when it is combined with autos, the meaning is dramatically
altered to picture a deep and profound love of self. Rather than
possessing love, fondness, attraction, or infatuation for another,
those who fit the description portrayed by this aberrant word
philautos are in love with themselves. In other words, they possess
an excessive self-fondness or self-attraction, and they are
inordinately self-focused and self-infatuated.
As used in this verse, this word projects an end-time society that
has become smitten with itself — self-absorbed, self-focused, and
self-consumed. Flowing out of this idolatrous worship of self, society
will veer into a wide range of catastrophic miscalculations. Indeed,
this trait of inordinate self-love will be the catalyst to cause all the
other societal dangers Paul talks about to come spilling forth into
every facet of the world.

MISDIRECTED LOVE
Paul began this last-days list with the word philautos to let us
know that there will be a gross misdirection and misuse of love at the
end of the age. The use of the words “lovers of their own selves” —
the Greek word philautos — suggests that what is fundamentally
wrong with these people is that their love is misdirected to self rather
than to others as was intended. This misdirection puts self above all
others — and when self is made the central focus of one’s life, all
else goes astray.
By saying, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves,” the Holy
Spirit foretells that people at the end of the age will be loyal to
themselves above all else. Their chief loyalty will not be to God or to
their nation, to their family, to their employer, to their employees, or
to those whom they call friends. A self-consumed, end-time society
will be populated with those who are chiefly loyal to themselves and
whose lives are consequently and fundamentally lopsided, off-
balance, and off-center.

This trait of inordinate self-love will be the catalyst

 to cause all the other societal dangers
Paul talks about to come spilling forth
into every facet of the world.

I think of what I’ve observed in a major city of the former USSR.

In that city stands a horrible architectural monstrosity. When the
planners started to build it, they were in such a rush to complete the
project that, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, they inadvertently built
the first floors off-balance. As the building rose higher and higher, it
became evident that they had constructed a huge tower that was
lopsided, off-balance, and off-center. The building was dangerously
crooked because the foundation wasn’t right.
Today that building has been standing empty in a prime location
for decades because it is too dangerous to occupy. It is used as a
massive, ugly “billboard,” with gigantic advertisements painted on its
tower, and it stands as a glaring reminder of what happens when a
faulty foundation is laid before a building is ever erected.
In the same way, when self is the foundation of a person’s life —
or of society as a whole — it causes everything in that person’s life
or in that society to become off-balance and lopsided. Nothing that is
built afterward will go quite right because the foundation is bad.
The words, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves” point to
just such a flawed foundation that will come to exist in society in the
last of the last days. These words in Second Timothy 3:2 carry the
idea, “For men shall be self-focused, self-centered, and self-
absorbed.…” In this verse, we see that the Holy Spirit is depicting
self-consumed individuals whose own wants and needs are the
center of their lives above all else. Their first consideration is always
and at all times their own self-interest.

When self is the foundation of a person’s life — or of

society as a whole — nothing that is built afterward will
 go quite right because the foundation is bad.

The message the Holy Spirit is giving us is plain: In the last days,
society will be consumed with love of self. If this is the case, it means
people will be philautos — their focus and love will be primarily
directed toward themselves. This means in the last of the last days,
society itself will be narcissistic, self-consumed, off-balance, and
faulty at the core.
But Paul’s words are plural — “lovers of their own selves” —
which implies that this characteristic will be widespread and
prominent in the last of the last days. This means that not only
individuals, but also society itself will be built on a flawed foundation
of self-love, thus eventually becoming lopsided. Since this list in
Second Timothy 3 begins with this type of misdirected love, it is
logical to deduce that everything else that follows will continue to
build on this off-centered foundation, causing society to lean further
and further off-balance as the conditions enumerated become more
developed and pronounced.
If you question the preeminence of this modern fixation on self,
try visiting a local bookstore and walk through the
Christian/Psychology/Motivational sections of the store to see what
titles line the shelves. You’ll see that those sections are filled with
books that encourage people to love themselves first and foremost.
Certainly, there is nothing wrong with loving ourselves. Jesus
said we should love our neighbors — our fellow man — as we love
ourselves (see Matthew 22:39). It is important to maintain a healthy
love of self.
But in Second Timothy 3:2, the Holy Spirit is not referring to a
healthy self-love. Rather, He is forecasting a self-love that is
completely out of balance, similar to the plight of the Tower of Pisa
and the horrendous tower in the former Soviet republic I referred to
earlier. A person or a society who continues to build on such a
flawed foundation will become more and more off-center and
unbalanced until the situation becomes critical and potentially very
dangerous to everything else around it.
 That is what the Holy Spirit prophesied regarding an end-time
society. The result of this “leaning syndrome” eventually results in
selfishness on an epic scale. That leads us to the next point in this
prophetic list given to us by the Spirit of God.

MISDIRECTED MONEY
Out of this misdirection of love, the other vices included in this
passage of Scripture flow. For example, Paul next stated that society
at the end of the age will be “covetous” (see 2 Timothy 3:2). This
word “covetous” is the Greek word philarguros — another very odd
word similar to the word philautos used to depict “lovers of their own
selves.”
It’s odd because it is a compound of the words phileo and
arguros — two words we also would not expect to find used together.
As we saw earlier, the word phileo means to love or to be fond of,
and it denotes the love, fondness, attraction, or romantic feelings
one has for another. This word describes a deep and profound love
that is directed toward someone else.
But the second part of this word is arguros, which is the Greek
word for silver or money and could refer to material possessions. But
something strange and curious also happens when philos and
arguros are joined together. Compounded, these words become
philarguros — a word that depicts an inordinate love for money; an
abnormal preoccupation with money; or a profound fixation on
material possessions.
In ancient Greece, this word commonly depicted individuals who
had money, but they were so self-absorbed with their own wants that
they refused to share their resources and wealth with others. Hence,
the age-old ideas of self-embellishment and greediness are
conveyed in this Greek word philarguros, the word translated
“covetous” in Second Timothy 3:2. The word can also be said to
depict an insatiable desire to always have more and more.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, “He that loveth silver shall not be
satisfied with silver….” The reason this kind of person is never
satisfied is that the covetous soul always wants more and will never
be satisfied, regardless of how much he embellishes himself.
 I must add here that I am completely convinced it is God’s will to
bless and prosper His people. However, we must never forget that
the Bible warns us, “…If riches increase, set not your heart upon
them” (Psalm 62:10).
Deuteronomy 8:18 tells us, “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy
God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may
establish his covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this
day.” Establishing God’s covenant on the earth should be a chief
financial priority for a committed Christian! But if any believer has
fallen into the trap of self-consumption — never satisfied and always
wanting more — that believer needs to evaluate whether he or she
has fallen prey to the spirit of the age.
We must guard ourselves from ever falling prey to this covetous
tendency that will be entrenched in society at the end of the age. It is
vital for us to determine that, first and foremost, we will dedicate our
resources to God and stay ready to give into His work as He leads.
Each of us is responsible to take part in advancing the preaching of
the Gospel around the world, funding missionaries and organizations
that are focused on taking the Good News to their neighbors and to
the ends of the earth!
In Matthew 6:21, Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there
will your heart be also.” In this verse, Jesus made it clear that where
a person’s treasure is — that is, the value that person places on his
money and what he does with his money — is the great revealer that
truthfully reveals where his heart is.
So if you want to know where your heart is, follow your money
and you’ll find out — because money really does tell the truth.
This may sound simplistic, but the words of Jesus are true. If I
were able to follow the trail of your money — or if you were able to
follow mine — we could each discover what the other loves and
cherishes above all else.
In light of what Jesus said, what does your money trail reveal that
you love and cherish above everything else? What does your money
say about you?
 If you want to know where your heart is, follow your
money and you’ll find out — because money really does
tell the truth.

THE ALTAR OF SELF

In the ancient pagan world, when a person came to worship a
god, he brought sacrificial offerings to demonstrate his devotion to
that god. These were often extravagant offerings. But because a
last-days society will be self-fixated and self-worshiping, that end-
time generation will extravagantly sacrifice at the altar of self and will
demonstrate that they adore and love themselves more than
anything else.
Because the people the Holy Spirit describes in Second Timothy
3:2 are philautos — that is, in love with themselves — it logically
follows that they will also be philarguros. In other words, they will be
devoted to using their resources primarily for themselves and will
know no limitations for selfaggrandizing and self-embellishment.
They will be self-lovers who invest more in themselves than in
anything else. They will be the center of their own world; hence, their
resources — including money, giftings, and time — will be
consecrated to meeting their own self-cravings.
With all this in mind, the RIV of the opening words of this verse is
interpreted as follows: “Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with themselves more than
anyone else. As a result of this self-love, they will be driven to obtain
more and more and more.…”
No condemnation is intended, for we have all veered off track into
selfishness from time to time. We all make mistakes along the way
with money and resources. But to help us stay on track spiritually, it
is healthy to do a self-examination and allow the Holy Spirit to search
our hearts to show us if self is too highly exalted in our lives.
We have discussed at length the first two characteristics —
lovers of self and lovers of money — that Paul said would become
epidemic as signs of a last-days society. Both of these are the result
of a love that is misdirected and lopsided, focused on self rather than
on God and others. The pervasive, poisonous influence of these
characteristics will produce a faulty foundation that causes the entire
structure of society to lean dangerously off-balance. And it will not
remain a static situation — it will worsen. The Bible says society will
lean further and further toward the brink of collapse as we draw
closer and closer to the end of the age.

To help us stay on track spiritually, it is healthy to do a

self-examination and allow the Holy Spirit to search our
hearts to show us if self is too highly exalted in our lives.

Now let’s continue in Second Timothy 3 to see how misdirected

love negatively affects everything else in both the life of a person
and in society as a whole. The Holy Spirit spoke emphatically that
these developments will occur in the last of the last days. If we are
living in those days — and I’m convinced that we are — we should
be able to see these developments all around us.
Meanwhile, we must make sure that we ourselves do not fall prey
to the self-focused, self-absorbed spirit of the age. God is urgently
calling each of us to take action to guard ourselves so that
selfishness and covetousness never find a place in our lives!
 CHAPTER 3

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO HELP DETERMINE WHETHER YOU ARE AFFECTED
BY THE SELF-FOCUSED SPIRIT OF THE AGE

I
n Second Corinthians 13:5, Paul told us it’s wise to “examine
ourselves” from time to time to see if we are in the faith. This is
especially true as we witness the alarming direction that society is
headed in these last of the last days.
That word “examine” is the Greek word peiradzo, which actually
refers to an intense examination. This could include a test by fire, a
test based on questions, or a test that includes some type of self-
examination. This last option is the most pain-free of the three, even
if the questions you must ask yourself require answers that are
uncomfortable to confront.
So today why don’t you do a little self-examining and see how
well you fare? Open your heart, be honest, and talk to yourself and
to God about these questions. They are designed only to help you as
you consider possible areas of your life in which you need to change.
All of the following questions require you to be honest with
yourself in order to get to the real answer. God already knows all the
answers, but you need to know them as well. After pondering each
question, determine what steps you need to take in order to make
any necessary course correction. And remember — the Holy Spirit is
your ever-present Helper, Counselor, and Guide to assist you along
the way!
1. “What do I give financially into the work of God’s Kingdom?”
Since actions speak louder than words, take a look at your
financial giving and see what it reveals about whom you love most.
Be honest as you ask yourself this revealing question:

• Do I give the tithe on all my increase, as commanded by

Scripture (see Malachi 3:8-12)? Or do I regularly make
excuses for not giving and then use the money elsewhere
for my own needs and personal pleasures?

Remember, if you follow your money, you’ll discover where your

heart is (see Matthew 6:21).
In this last-days season when people will tend to be selfish, you
can guard against this in your own life by periodically asking
yourself:

• If someone followed my money today, would it reveal that I

love God or that I primarily invest only in my own
interests?

This is an awkward question, but it’s one you need to ask

yourself to make sure you haven’t fallen victim to the spirit of this
end-time age. God already knows the truth. He doesn’t need your
answer — but you need it so you can see what adjustments you
need to make to stay free in this critical hour.

2. “What do my spending habits reveal about me?”

This question follows the first: Take a look at the money you
spend on your hobbies, personal possessions, and other non-
essentials; then compare it to the amount of money you invest in the
Gospel.
After your evaluation of your finances, ask yourself:

• What do my spending and giving habits reveal about my

love for God and concern for others who need to hear the
saving message of Jesus Christ?
 We can all mislead ourselves into thinking we are generous, but if
God Himself gave His view of what your spending habits reveal
about your priorities, what would He say about you? Would He say
the Gospel is most important to you, or would He say your spending
habits reveal that your driving motivation in life is simply pursuing
comfort and pleasure?
This, too, is an awkward question, but it is a healthy question to
ask yourself. God already knows the truth. But you need to know the
truth so you can see if you have been affected in any way by the
self-focused age in which we live.

3. “What do I do with my time?”

Because the Bible says people living in the last days will be
prone to being self-consumed, you should honestly evaluate what
you do with your time. Ask yourself:

• Do I spend my time mainly on myself and my own

interests, or do I use significant parts of my time to serve
my church and others?
• Do I spend time with God as a top priority in my life? Or do
I complain that I don’t have time to pray or read the Bible,
yet somehow I find time to watch television, go to the
movies, and do other things I want to do?

God is watching you. From what He observes about your use of

your personal time, what would He say you love most?
I realize this is also an uncomfortable question to ask yourself.
However, asking ourselves probing questions of this sort is very
helpful, as long as we answer honestly, in evaluating whether or not
the selfish spirit of the age has affected us. You don’t want to be a
victim of the enemy’s agenda for this time, so I encourage you to
answer truthfully and then listen for the Holy Spirit’s wisdom on how
to begin to make any necessary adjustments.

4. “What do I do to serve others?”

 Words are easily spoken and often do not match reality. So it is
important to ask yourself:

• Do my words and life reveal that I am genuinely doing my

best to be a blessing by serving other people?

Christians know that they are called to serve others, and usually
they even say they want to do it. But life itself shows the truth of the
matter about this question. In this last-days environment, we need to
honestly evaluate whether we are only self-interested or whether our
actions reveal that we are interested enough in others to make a way
to serve them even above our own interests.
It is amazing how many people say they want to be a blessing
but never seem to be able to make time in their schedule to serve
God in a practical way in a local church or in meeting the needs of
others. Again, words are easily spoken, but actions prove a person’s
sincerity.
This is another awkward question, to be sure — but there is a
fuller, richer walk with God on the other side of the answer! So
evaluate your way of life, and decide whether God would say that
your actions prove you are more devoted to your own needs and
interests — or that your life demonstrates you are in love with His
Church and are giving of yourself to serve others.

5. “When I pray, do I pray about myself only, or do I pray for the

needs and dreams of others?”
The tendency to be self-focused and self-obsessed can even
manifest in your prayer life. So ask yourself:

• When God hears me pray, what does He hear?

• If God were to relate the things He hears me pray about,
would He report that I am an unselfish person who is
concerned about the needs and dreams of others? Or
would He report that I am primarily concerned only about
myself and my own needs?
 It’s easy to focus on your own needs and desires, but how often
do you focus your prayers on the concerns of others?
This is another uncomfortable but important question to ask
yourself. Listen to yourself when you pray to see how self-focused
you are in your prayer life. There is certainly nothing wrong about
praying for your own needs and plans. But especially in this area of
prayer — as in every area of your life — you must avoid at all costs
being affected by the self-focused spirit of the age in these last
times!

6. “What personal sacrifices do I make to serve the Lord?”

If God opened the books to reveal the sacrifices you have made
for Him or others, would the record reveal that you care deeply for
God and live in obedience to His commands? Or would it show that
you are unwilling to inconvenience your life in any way or sacrifice
any of your private plans?
It’s important to stop and honestly assess your past record in this
area. Ask yourself these questions:

• How long has it been since I gave up something or

changed my schedule to help someone else or to walk in
obedience to God’s plan?
• Can I honestly say that I am picking up my cross and
dying to my own interests in order to serve others and to
make a difference in someone else’s life?

Here we have another uncomfortable question, but it’s one you

need to ask because it is a very revealing question. If you never give
up anything to serve the Lord or to serve others, God will find
someone else to step in and take your place. But He wants to use
you, so I encourage you to answer this question truthfully. It’s crucial
to determine if you need to make any adjustments in order to stay
free of the self-focused spirit that is running rampant throughout
society in this last-days hour.

7. “What am I sacrificing to be obedient to God?”

 Finally, we come to the last important question.
Ask yourself:

• Is there anything I am personally laying down in order to

walk in obedience to God and His Word? Or would I have
to honestly say that I don’t sacrifice much for God or
others?
• Am I willing to be inconvenienced to help someone else or
to serve in the church — or am I unwilling to jeopardize my
own comforts and pleasures?

When people are self-focused and self-consumed, they often

aren’t willing to make any personal inconveniences to serve God or
anyone else because they are all about themselves. Is that true of
you, or can it be said that you are doing whatever is required to
serve God as your highest aspiration in life?
The things you do for Jesus are the most important things you’ll
ever do. They are the things that last forever. Are you spending your
life on temporal or eternal things? Since eternity is ever in front of
you, I urge you to make sacrifices and investments now that will
count for all of eternity.
All of these questions require a high level of honesty with yourself
to get to the real answer. I remind you — God already knows all the
answers, but you need to know the answers so you can ascertain
whether or not you have been affected by the spirit of the age in
these last days. After pondering each question, ask the Holy Spirit to
help you determine what steps to take to make a necessary course
correction. Never forget — you don’t walk this path alone as you
secure your footing for the critical days ahead!
 4

BOASTFUL, PROUD,
BLASPHEMOUS, AND
DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS

e have seen what the Holy Spirit prophesied through the

W apostle Paul — that perilous times would emerge in society at
the end of the age. In the first three chapters, we have studied
in-depth the exact words in the first two verses that were used in the
original Greek text to depict happenings in the last days.
So far we have seen that the RIV of Second Timothy 3:1,2 reads
as follows:

You emphatically and categorically need to know

with unquestionable certainty that in the very end of
days — when time has sailed to its last port and no
more time remains for the journey — that last season
will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, menacing times
that will be emotionally difficult for people to bear.
Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more.…

After Paul finished prophesying that a self-consumed and

covetous society would become widespread in the very last of the
last days, he continued to prophetically forecast other disturbing
developments that would emerge and be predominant in society at
the end of the age. Paul went on to write that the end-time society
would be influenced by vast numbers of people who are “…boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents…” (2 Timothy 3:2). As
we continue, we’ll look successively at each of these words Paul
listed.

END-TIME BOASTERS
In the King James Version, Second Timothy 3:2 says, “For men
shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.…” We’ve
already covered “lovers of their own selves” and “covetous,” so let’s
proceed now to the word “boasters.”
The word “boasters” is a translation of the Greek word alazon. It
carries a wide range of meanings, including that of a braggart or one
so committed to his own self-promotion and personal agenda that he
is willing to exaggerate, overstate the facts, stretch the truth,
embellish a story, and even lie if it will have a positive effect on his
position or situation.
Today we would call this an example of situational ethics — that
is, the hurling away of fixed ethics or moral absolutes to embrace a
“floating ethics” mode that is easily adapted to whatever one deems
necessary. A good example of this would be politicians who change
their ethics and policies to fit whatever the populace wants to hear
them say. A person with this mindset will nearly do or say whatever
is needed to further a personal agenda, even if it clashes with
conscience, conviction, or truth.
Unfortunately, today this amoral philosophy is being proliferated
in media, education, and in nearly every sphere of society. Evidence
abounds revealing how far delusion and a widespread mutiny
against God and His Word have already advanced in the world
today. Today we are witnesses of a society that has gone morally
adrift and is regretfully being led by “boasters.” In other words, these
leaders hold views that continually float, fluctuate, and shift. Their
beliefs are affected by the ever-changing current of thought and by
the most recently accepted norms, whatever they may be.
 This way of thinking is being perpetuated in the education of
children and young people in schools and universities. In addition,
through the media and every other avenue possible, this world view
is being aggressively pushed by “progressives” who believe they
have the right to subject everyone else — including Christians — to
their new moral code.
Those believers who stick with the Word of God and refuse to go
the way of the world have already been awakened to the reality that
they are on a collision course with a culture in decline. So-called
“progressives” are hurling away fixed ethics and moral absolutes and
are trying to move society to a “floating ethic” mode.
But there is a larger satanic plan at work that even these
progressives are unaware of. It is a plan to lead society along the
prophetic route to a day when the Antichrist will be revealed to the
world.

Believers who stick with the Word of God and refuse to

go the way of the world have already been awakened to
the reality that they are on a collision course with a
culture in decline.

It is impossible to overstate the influence that this attitude of

“floating ethics” exerts as the world heads toward becoming
“lawless.” It’s all about getting mankind primed and prepared for the
ultimate manifestation of the Antichrist at the end of the age.
You will see in the following section that since the beginning of
time, the devil has been looking for a way to unseat God’s authority
in the earth. Satan has been conspiring to enact a master plan — a
hidden and long-laid agenda, plot, and conspiracy — intended to
clandestinely lead the entire world into the lap of the Antichrist. This
operation is so stealth that the population of the world will bite the
bait without comprehending that it is being led astray.
 A WORLDWIDE MUTINY AGAINST GOD AT THE END OF
THE AGE
The apostle Paul said that a mutinous attitude against God and
all things godly will emerge in the very last of the last days as a part
of this demonic, stealth operation to seduce the world into a state of
lawlessness. Paul wrote, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for
that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…” (2
Thessalonians 2:3).
This verse lets us know that the Christians who live in the end of
the age will be witnesses to this abandoning of morals and truth as a
worldwide mutiny arises against God and His Word, along with an
all-out assault against morality and godliness on a broad scale. We
are living in those days, which is why we see an abandoning of
godliness in society today.
This verse is so important in understanding the climate of this
end-time hour that we must delve deeply into it. The words “falling
away” are translated from the Greek word apostasia, which depicts a
falling away or a widespread revolt. The ancient writer Plutarch used
the word apostasia to describe a political revolt against authority.
Other documents written during the time of the Old Testament use
this word to describe a turning away from the Lord. This word also
occurs in the Septuagint version of Joshua 22:22, where it also
describes rebellion against God.
Now in Second Thessalonians 2:3, Paul — a scholar who
understood the meaning of this word apostasia — used it to forecast
a rebellion, mutiny, or insurgency against God that would occur on a
worldwide basis against God in the very end of the last days as the
age comes to a final conclusion.
But Paul continued to say, “Let no man deceive you by any
means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away
first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.…”
Paul called the Antichrist “that man of sin.” The word “sin” in this
case is anomia, which is actually a form of the word nomos, which is
the Greek word for law, used to depict the standard of what is legally
or morally correct.
 But when an “a” is attached to the front of this word, it becomes
anomia. That a has a canceling effect. So rather than depict law or a
correct moral standard, the word anomia holds the opposite meaning
— that is, without law or lawless — and it pictures people who
possess no fixed moral standards. It depicts those who live void of
standards, without law, or in a state of lawlessness. It is used
prophetically to depict a last-days society that will throw out all
previously agreed-upon moral standards and depart from God’s well-
established laws at the very end of the age.
The Bible tells us that as part of a last-days scheme, society will
construct a new world order that has few, if any, hard and fast rules
of what is morally right and wrong. In essence, this will be a lawless
world — that is, a world free from the “outdated” voice of the Bible.
Society will attempt to disconnect from most moral standards that
were once held to be the common rule and view of society.
That is what lawlessness means. That is the atmosphere in which
these end-time boasters will proliferate. (In the pages that follow,
we’ll read more regarding these boasters and how they help set up
this free-floating state of lawlessness in society as a whole.)
Because Paul used the word “sin” — the Greek word anomia —
in connection with the Antichrist, we know that this individual will be
void of standards and without law. He will throw out all previously
agreed-upon moral standards and rise as an aggressive proponent
of departing from God’s well-established laws. He will not be just a
person with a lawless attitude; he will be the man of lawlessness —
the epitome of one who has fully discarded God’s well-established
laws to become Satan’s perfect candidate to lead a mutinous world
that has likewise rejected the voice of God and of Scripture as its
internal compass.
The current trend toward lawlessness — that is, the construction
of a new world order with morals contrary to those stated in God’s
Word — will eventually produce a collective mindset in society that
no longer feels the pain or conviction of sin and is numb to its
consequences. And according to Paul, that mutinous society will be
primed and prepared for the Antichrist to be “revealed” at that time.
 The word “revealed” referring to the man of sin in Second
Thessalonians 2:3 is the Greek word apokalupsis, a compound of
apo and kalupsis. The word apo means away, and the word kalupsis
refers to something that is veiled, covered, concealed, or hidden. But
when these words are compounded into apokalupsis, the new word
depicts a veil that has been removed, exposing what was behind the
veil and concealed or hidden from view. It is clear that Paul used this
word to inform us that a day is coming when the Antichrist — who
until this time has been concealed and hidden from public view —
will suddenly appear and step onto the world stage for all to see.

The current trend toward lawlessness — that is, the

construction of a new world order with morals contrary to
those stated in God’s Word — will eventually produce a
collective mindset in society that no longer feels the pain
or conviction of sin and is numb to its consequences.

Paul also called the Antichrist the “son of perdition.” The word
“perdition” is a translation of the Greek word apoleia, and it speaks of
something doomed, rotten, ruinous, or decaying. Although the
Antichrist will claim to lead the world into a more progressive future,
what he will bring to the world is doom, destruction, rot, ruin, and
decay. There will be absolutely no redeeming values in anything
produced by his rule.
It is also important to note that the Greek text uses a definite
article before this individual’s name, and this signals that he will be in
a category like none other before him. This is not simply an evil
person; this is the son of doom and destruction.

When we take all of these original word

meanings into consideration, the RIV of Second
Thessalonians 2:3 reads as follows:
 In light of these things, I urge you to refuse to allow
anyone to take advantage of you. You ought to know
by now that this day cannot come until first a
worldwide insurgency, rebellion, riot, and mutiny
against God has developed in society. Once that
occurs, the world will then be primed, prepared, and
ready to embrace the Man of Lawlessness, the one
who hates law and has rebellion running in his blood.
This is the long-awaited and predicted Son of Doom
and Destruction, the one who brings rot and ruin to
everything he touches. When the time is just right, he
will finally come out of hiding and go public!

Then in verse 4, Paul described the Antichrist as one “…who

opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing
[declaring] himself that he is God.”
The word “opposeth” is translated from the Greek word
antikeimai. It is a compound of anti and keimai. The word anti means
against, and keimai means to set or to lay in place. When the two
words are compounded, the new word depicts an entrenched
position against everything established. The tense paints the picture
of a continual, unending, and perpetual resistance, revealing that
rebellion is ingrained in this individual. He is antichrist — from the
prefix anti and the word Christ. The prefix anti, which means against,
in itself alerts us that this evil person will have a deeply rooted
rebellion ingrained in his disposition that sets him against Christ and
against everything that Christ represents.
If you add the name antichrist to the Greek word antikeimai —
the Greek word translated “opposeth” in Second Thessalonians 2:4
— it categorically tells us that the Antichrist will be brazenly against
every previous godly way of thinking. He will lead a lawless world in
an effort to bulldoze former dogmas and established codes of
morality out of the way. His goal will be to construct a new world
order — one that is utterly free of God’s influence.
Furthermore, the Antichrist will be one who “exalteth” himself.
The word “exalteth” is translated from the Greek word huperaino and
means highly exalted. Thus, when the Antichrist finally appears on
the world stage, he will quickly begin to exalt himself in the eyes of
the world — to such an extent that he will even sit in the “temple” (v.
4).
The word “temple” is from the Greek word naos, the word used to
depict to the innermost part of the temple in Jerusalem. It may also
refer to the Holy of Holies in a future, rebuilt temple. Consequently,
some scholars assert that a day will come when the Antichrist will
enter a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, go into the Holy of Holies, and
decree himself to be God.
Paul wrote that the Antichrist will “shew” himself as God. The
word “shew” is the Greek word apodeiknumi, which means to vividly
portray, to point out, to illustrate, to show off, or to make a vivid
presentation. In some way, the Antichrist will declare himself as God
and will use all possible means to demonstrate his power to “shew”
himself as God — including signs and lying wonders (see 2
Thessalonians 2:9).

Taking all of these amazing Greek words into

consideration as they are used in Second
Thessalonians 2:4, we come to the RIV of this
verse:
Do you understand who I am talking about? I’m
describing that person who will be so against God
and everything connected with the worship of God
that, if you can imagine it, he will even try to put
himself on a pedestal above God Himself — sitting in
God’s rightful place in the temple and publicly
proclaiming himself to be God!

WHAT IS STOPPING ALL OF THIS FROM HAPPENING

RIGHT NOW?
Paul stated that the only reason Satan has not already brought
this end-time evil leader on to the world stage is the active
restraining force that has hitherto stopped this diabolical move. In
Second Thessalonians 2:6, Paul wrote, “And now ye know what
withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.” There is a force
that “withholdeth” this personification of evil from being manifested.
This word “withholdeth” is a translation of the Greek word
katecho, which is a compound of kata and echo. The word kata
gives the ideas of domination or suppression. The word echo means
to hold or to embrace. But when these two words are compounded
into katecho — which in this verse is translated “withholdeth” — it
means to hold down or to suppress something. It depicts a
restraining force that puts forth its energy to hold down this evil and
to suppress it from rising to a place of prominence.
So again, this means that the sole reason the Antichrist and his
accompanying evil has not already been fully unleashed into the
world is that there is a restraining force holding back the
manifestation of this satanic agenda. Paul stated that this restraining
force works to stall, delay, and postpone this end-time evil. The
apostle also wrote that one day the restrainer will be removed — and
in that moment, evil will be unleashed with full force into the world.
As we saw earlier, the word “revealed” comes from the Greek
word apokalupsis and pictures a veil that has been suddenly
removed, exposing what was behind the veil that was concealed or
hidden from view. Thus, a day is coming at the conclusion of the age
when the restraining force will be taken out of the way. When that
removal occurs, this evil leader and the wickedness that
accompanies him will make an entrance onto the world stage.

The sole reason the Antichrist and his accompanying evil

has not already been fully unleashed into the world is
that there is a restraining force holding back the
manifestation of this satanic agenda.

The Bible says the revealing of the Antichrist will happen in his
“time,” which is from the Greek word kairos. This emphatically tells
us that there is a prophetic, appointed moment when the restraining
force will be removed and the manifestation of the Antichrist will
quickly occur. The veil that has concealed his identity will be
removed, and he will step out from behind the curtain to be seen by
all.

There is a prophetic, appointed moment

when the restraining force will be removed and the
manifestation of the Antichrist will quickly occur. The veil
that has concealed his identity will be removed, and he
will step out from behind the curtain to be seen by all.

In light of these remarkable Greek words in

Second Thessalonians 2:6, the RIV of this verse
reads as follows:
Now in light of everything I’ve told you before, you
ought to be well aware by now that there is a
supernatural force at work preventing the
materialization of this person and the disclosure of
his identity. This restraining force I’m referring to is
so strong that it is currently putting on the brakes
and holding back the unveiling of this wicked person,
stalling and postponing his manifestation. But when
the right moment comes, this evil one will no longer
be withheld, and he will emerge onto the world
scene! The screen that has been hiding his true
identity and guarding him from world view will
suddenly be pulled back and evaporate — and he will
step out on center stage to let everyone know who he
is.

Then Paul added, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:
only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way” (2
Thessalonians 2:7).
 What is the “mystery of iniquity?” The word “mystery” is the
Greek word musterion. It communicates the idea of a higher
knowledge that is known only by a limited number of individuals or a
knowledge that is not available to the general public but only to those
who have been specially initiated and invested with insight. It is a
plan, thought, or arrangement that is held in the hands of a few. In
this case, the word implies a secret plan or some type of secret
arrangement known to spiritual powers but held so confidentially that
they are able to execute the plan without anyone catching on to what
they are doing.
Once again, the word “iniquity” comes from the Greek word
anomia — depicting a people or a world that is without law or
lawless. It pictures people who possess no fixed moral standards
living in a lawless world, free from the “outdated” voice of the Bible.
The use of “iniquity” (anomia) in the same phrase as “mystery”
(musterion) tells us that the current state of affairs in our time is the
result of a secret plan set in motion long ago. Current society did not
accidentally arrive at its present sad state of affairs. Its downward
trend has been strategically orchestrated step by step, year by year,
and century by century by a devious satanic plan designed to
prepare the way for the man of lawlessness.
The word “already” in this verse affirms this is a plan that has
been working for a long time. The word “work” is translated from the
Greek word energeo. As used here, it describes a secret plan that
has been supernaturally energized to keep things moving toward the
fulfillment of its demonic agenda over the ages, like a force
propelling something toward its conclusion.
Certainly it’s true that believers of every generation have had to
deal with issues of moral degradation and societal ills in the world
around them. But in these last of the last days, it seems as if all
restraints have been thrown off and society is galloping along on a
collision course with disaster. And the closer we get to the end, the
deeper this lost world will sink into deception and depravity.

Current society did not accidentally arrive at its present

 sad state of affairs. Its downward trend has been
strategically orchestrated step by step, year by year, and
century by century by a devious satanic plan designed to
prepare the way for the Man of Lawlessness.

Rather than fear or run looking for a place to hide, we must press
into Christ and clothe ourselves with the power of the Holy Spirit so
we can make a mark for eternity in as many lives as possible before
this current age ends. The opportunity before us is remarkable and
unprecedented.
But we must also stay alert to the fact that we are living in the last
minutes of the age when the devil is attempting to groom and modify
society as a whole so that it will receive the man of lawlessness. The
world is largely unaware of how it’s being used to fulfill a satanic
agenda. Regardless, a massive undertaking is being executed to
lead the world into a state of epic lawlessness so it will more readily
embrace this Satan-inspired individual. Everything is being primed
and prepared at this very moment for that time.
In the midst of this profound process of a worldwide shift, we will
witness things changing around us more and more. Evil spiritual
forces will seek to set an entire spectrum of destructive fires,
designed to consume as many lives as possible. But as Paul stated,
until it is time for the Antichrist to be revealed, a restraining force will
be present in the earth to stall the manifestation of this evil one.
Paul used the word “let” in Second Thessalonians 2:7 to describe
this restraining force: “…Only he who now letteth will let, until he be
taken out of the way.” This old English word is translated from the
Greek word kathecho — the same Greek word translated
“withholdeth” in verse 6 to picture the restraining force that is stalling
and postponing this end-time evil leader and the unprecedented
wickedness that will accompany him.

Rather than fear or run looking for a place to hide, we

 must press into Christ and clothe ourselves with the
power of the Holy Spirit so we can make a mark for
eternity in as many lives as possible before this current
age ends. The opportunity before us is remarkable and
unprecedented.

Paul stated that not only has the restrainer been restraining in the
past, but also “will let” — in other words, will be a restraining force —
in the future. That function will continue until this round of the end-
time game reaches a conclusion. In fact, Paul wrote that the
restrainer will keep restraining until the moment comes when that
force will be “taken out of the way.”
At that split moment in time, the restrainer will suddenly be
removed. In that moment, evil forces that have long been
suppressed will be abruptly energized, and the devil’s wicked plans,
purposes, and desires will break free of all restraint. (We will look at
just what — or who — this “restrainer” is in the pages that follow.)

As we combine the meaning of all these original

Greek words in Second Thessalonians 2:7, the
RIV of this verse reads as follows:
These events have been covertly in the making for a
long time, but the world doesn’t realize that a secret
plan is being executed right under their own noses.
The only thing that has kept this plan from already
being consummated is the supernatural force that
has been holding it all back until now. But one day
this force will be removed from the picture — and
when that happens, these events will quickly
transpire. The removal of this restraining force will
signal the moment when the Lawless One will finally
make his grand appearance to the world.…

THE ROLE OF FREE-FLOATING ETHICS IN THE DEVIL’S

PLAN OF SEDUCTION
 What I described in the previous section both biblically and
prophetically pinpoints where the world is headed. But let’s go back
to Second Timothy 3:2 now. Paul wrote that “boasters” will play a
role in this satanic end-time scheme.
Again, that word “boasters” is a translation of the Greek word
alazon. As mentioned earlier, that word means a braggart or one so
committed to his own self-promotion and personal agenda that he is
willing to exaggerate, overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish
a story, and even lie if it will have a positive effect on his position or
situation. The “boasters” the Holy Spirit portrays will play a big role in
how the devil will pull off all of this and bring end-time lawlessness
and nonsense into the mainstream of society.
You see, as fixed ethics, or moral absolutes, are hurled away and
society is shifted to a “floating ethics” mode, everything once
believed to be morally correct begins to be erased. In its place, a
“progressive mindset” is promoted that purports to be an upgraded
way of thinking, yet in reality has disastrous consequences.
If you’re skeptical about the prevalence of “floating ethics and
morals” in modern society, simply ask the youth and young adults in
your life what is being promoted in their schools and on university
campuses. Ask college students about their classes. They will tell
you that although tolerance and free thinking should be encouraged
in universities, most professors are actually intolerant and disdain
those who stick with more traditional ways of thinking. Tolerance is
usually only extended to those who embrace the new morality, with
widespread intolerance of those who adhere to biblical morality and
traditional Christian beliefs.
Unless your children or grandchildren are being home-schooled
or educated in a Christian school, I think you already, by experience,
know this to be the truth. Sadly, this state of “floating ethics” is even
finding its way into mainstream churches. (I urge you to read my
book How To Keep Your Head on Straight in a World Gone Crazy to
understand how to avoid being seduced into the deception trying to
invade the contemporary Church today.)
I will add one more point about “boasters” before we proceed
further into Paul’s list in Second Timothy 3 of a wandering end-time
society. The only other place the word “boasters” — the Greek word
alazon — is found in the New Testament is in Romans 1:30, where
Paul described a lawless world. Romans 1:29-31 depicts a godless
society as follows: “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful.”
In these verses, I italicized the word “boasters” for emphasis. In
Romans 1, it is positioned right in the middle of a horrendous list of
godless behaviors exhibited by a world that has thrown fixed moral
absolutes to the wind.
This situation with “floating ethics” is so common that it doesn’t
even shock us anymore when politicians, for example, change their
political platforms regarding their stance on moral issues or when
major corporations change their policies to fit an ever-changing
moral environment. Many applaud such a move as forward progress.
But, in truth, this constant changing of moral standards and the
easy modification of what people believe or stand for could be
included in this word “boasters.” The word “boasters” (alazon)
includes all the “situational ethics” meanings we have discussed,
including flip-flopping on issues of morality, drastically altering one’s
belief system, and vacillating on issues of right and wrong. All of
these will be signs of “boasters” in the very last days of this age.
This is an unstable and unreliable path that floats on changing
trends rather than on faith that is fixed in absolute truth. Those of us
who stick with what we have always believed may be accused of
being narrow-minded simply because we adhere to a fixed standard
from which we will not budge. Consequently, some may harbor ill
feelings about our strong stance and think us to be antisocial,
contrary, noncompliant, intolerant, narrow-minded, nonconformist,
inflexible, obstinate, and uncompromising.
If you feel hostility from those who don’t agree with your
unwavering stance of faith and conviction, don’t let it disturb you too
deeply. It just goes with living in perilous times. Rest assured that the
Holy Spirit will reinforce and equip you to become a lighthouse that
attracts people who have been devastated by the destructive
progressive thinking of this age. There are multitudes who are
seeking answers that only the Word of God can provide about how
to recover from the ravages of the age. As you continue to stand
strong on God’s immutable truth, you will be in a position to help
those who come across your path.

‘PROUD’ — AN ATTITUDE OF SUPERIORITY AS A MARK

OF A LAST-DAYS CULTURE
Paul went on to tell us that an anti-God, anti-Bible end-time
society will also display a “we know better than you” attitude toward
those who adhere to biblical truth as their standard. Does this sound
anything like the attitudes of “progressives” who are attempting to
erase the moral slate and reset a new moral agenda for the rest of
the population?
This is why Paul next listed the word “proud” in his list of
characteristics that will emerge in society at the end of the age. In
Second Timothy 3:2, he wrote, “For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud…”
The word “proud” is a translation of the Greek word
huperephanos — which is a compound of the words huper and
phanos. The word huper means above or depicts something that is
superior. The word phanos means to be manifested. But when these
two words are compounded, the new word portrays a person who
sees himself as above the rest of the crowd. This represents an
arrogant, haughty, impudent, snooty, high-and-mighty, insolent
attitude, possessed by people who believe they are intellectually
advantaged and therefore possess the right to set the agenda for
everyone else.
What an accurate description of those who would like to force
their liberal agenda on the rest of us! This Greek word huperephanos
— translated in the King James Version as “proud” — is especially
seen in the media, the political world, and the courts, in which many
“snootily” vaunt themselves as the vanguards of society. These
leaders see themselves as a more sophisticated set of people than
the rest of us, touting themselves as the rightful agenda-setters for
society, culture, and the world.
The visible roles of leadership that were once allocated to pastors
and church leaders has been transferred to those in the mass media
or to those who “have the ear” of the general public. Through
legislation and laws that are enacted — often without our knowledge
— this group forces its way forward to set the agenda for the rest of
us. The role of pastors and church leaders — those who once set
the moral tone for the nation — has become mocked and disdained,
while new agenda-setters have tried vigorously to set aside spiritual
leaders as irrelevant. At the same time, this “superior lot” arrogantly
promote themselves as champions of enlightened thought and the
new moral code for the world.
Of course, this is not true of all judges, politicians, and media
personalities, so I don’t want to sound like I am categorizing them all
as such. But to a great and very disproportionate extent, those who
have access to the airwaves are the ones who are trying to set the
new agenda. Forgive me for being so blunt, but it seems that
visibility in front of the world has gone to the heads of these liberal
influencers. As a result, they are abusing their trusted positions to
force their own liberal and progressive views and agendas on the
rest of us. From their public platforms in the media and in Hollywood,
their podiums in the courtrooms, and their lecterns of university
classrooms, they haughtily mock, sneer, disdain, disparage, and
scorn people they deem relics of the past who stay true to their
biblical convictions.
These agenda-setters see anyone who holds fast to past moral
codes and beliefs as a hindrance to the new world they want to
create. And in truth, that is the case! We who refuse to budge from
our Bible-based convictions are part of the restraining force Paul
referred to in Second Thessalonians 2:6,7. As we hold to our stance
of faith and shine the light of the Bible into a darkened world, we are
forestalling the onslaught of evil that will eventually be released into
society in full force.
But before we proceed to the next word that Paul listed in Second
Timothy 3:2, let’s see how all the words we have studied so far could
be interpreted.

The RIV of Second Timothy 3:2

up to this point in the text reads as follows:
Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more. These boasters are so committed to their
own agenda that they are willing to exaggerate,
overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a
story, and even lie if it will get them the position,
advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant,
haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent.…

THE ROLE OF BLASPHEMY IN THE LAST OF THE LAST

DAYS
Paul continued to say, “For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers….”
Each of Paul’s points in this passage are built on subsequent
points. So when he listed “blasphemy” next, we can conclude that it
is connected to “boasters” and “proud,” which he used to depict
arrogant intellectuals who deem themselves a cut above the rest of
society and believe they have the right to set the agenda for
everyone else. Although blasphemy in general will be widespread, it
seems Paul was implying that especially this group will become
blasphemers.
The word “blasphemers” is translated from the Greek word
blasphemeo, a form of the word blasphemos, which means to
slander, to accuse, to speak against, or to speak derogatory words
for the purpose of injuring or harming another’s reputation. It
signifies profane, foul, unclean language. It can refer to blaspheming
the divine, but the broader meaning includes any type of debasing,
derogatory, insulting, nasty, shameful, ugly speech or behavior
intended to humiliate someone.
 It must also be noted that the word blasphemeo was used in
ancient literature to depict those who use foul language, including
“curse words,” as a regular part of their conversation. But it can
depict blasphemous behavior in general — a point that is important,
for not all blasphemy is spoken. Some demonstrations of this word
are behavioral or in graphic form, yet they are nonetheless
blasphemous.
When people hear the word “blasphemy,” they generally think of
something spoken that is blasphemous about God. Certainly this
word can refer to this meaning. But overall, the word “blasphemy”
used in Second Timothy 3:2 depicts people who will go unhinged in
the closing days of the age in their use of debasing, derogatory,
insulting, nasty, shameful, ugly speech or behavior to humiliate
others. Because this word blasphemeo is used in its plural form, it
signifies widespread blasphemy in the last of the last days.
This broader definition of the Greek word blasphemeo, translated
“blasphemy,” perfectly depicts what I recently viewed in political
hearings on television. I was shocked at the blasphemous words and
behaviors spoken by politicians — ugly words and repulsive
behaviors broadcasted right onto TV screens, computers, and
mobile devices to invade our private lives.
Has there ever been a time in our age when political parties and
various warring ideologies have been more uncivil? Shocking is the
only word I can think of to describe the embarrassing public behavior
of politicians that displays such a sharp descent from respectful
disagreement to an ugly mess of intolerance and mudslinging. To
make it much worse, a widespread weaponizing of the media is
being used to perpetuate this indecent assault. This is the type of
debasing, derogatory, insulting, nasty, shameful, ugly speech or
behavior designed to humiliate that is conveyed in the word
“blasphemy” in Second Timothy 3:2.
Historically, profanity was considered blasphemous and
punishable. I’m talking about language that is called a variety of
names, such as cursing, swearing, cussing, and using expletives.
But that has all changed in today’s toxic environment.
 An online website that is tasked to study political officials has
tallied up how many times politicians publicly use obscene language.
The statistics show that obscene words used by politicians publicly
have hit an all-time high, up more than 100 percent in recent years,
and that the use of profane expletives by politicians on their social-
media platforms is off the charts.2
Let’s not forget the biblical principle that whatever is on the head
of a nation will eventually come on the nation (see Psalm 133). If
those who are leaders of nations have mouths filled with expletives,
why would it surprise us that profanity has come upon these nations
to infiltrate nearly every sphere of life?
In fact, blasphemous language has become such a regular
component of speech in our time that even taboo words — once
considered vulgar and extremely offensive — have found their way
into mainstream conversation. Historically such language was
considered to be impolite and rude. But we have devolved so terribly,
and the use of foul language is so prevalent on television, that
computer programs are now available to install on your television to
“bleep” the profanity before it is broadcast into our homes and our
ears. Someone who uses this “bleeping” program testified that when
the “bleep” is activated on his television set, there are sometimes so
many words “bleeped” that he cannot make sense of the
conversation he is hearing!
Neurologists and psychologists who study patients with
Alzheimer’s and degenerative dementia have noted that when the
mind is in a state of degeneration, despite the loss of many language
skills, patients still often retain the ability to swear and use profanity.
That means profanity and swearing can thrive in a degenerating
mind.
Another scientific study revealed that the use of profanity
generally produces profane behaviors. This tells us that when the
bar is lowered regarding what comes out of the mouth, the bar is
also lowered concerning people’s behavior or other actions. It is also
interesting to note that there is scientifi-cally proven correlation
between profanity and dishonesty.
 Some may argue that governmental censors prohibit obscene,
indecent, or profane language. But so much of what was once
considered obscene, indecent, or profane is no longer included in
the profanity category. The bar has been lowered to such an extent
that what was once shocking to people no longer produces the same
shock effect because they have become desensitized. Society has
descended into such a moral abyss that blasphemous language in
private life and in public forums goes nearly unnoticed.
I feel no judgment, but it saddens me to know that people have
become so uncultured that they think this is acceptable. As my wife
and I dine out for an evening together and we hear foul language
being spoken at a nearby table, it grieves us. When I await a flight at
the airport, I am frequently stunned by foul language used by people
sitting near us. I wonder, How can anyone think it is normal to
subject everyone around them to this language? But this verbal
sewage is what the Holy Spirit prophesied would become
commonplace at the end of the age in Second Timothy 3:2.
Most reading this book would agree that blasphemous language
is excessive in modern movies and in television programs. But how
about the foul language that has found a home in the mouths of
news anchors and news commentators who employ rude, crude
words, even though it is unnecessary and insults the ears of their
viewers and listeners? This epidemic of profanity is in comedy,
satire, talk shows, news, movies, literature, and musical lyrics.
But the problem is not limited to blasphemous language; it
extends to blasphemous behaviors. Without making a long list of
immoral behaviors, let me simply state that what was once immoral
— that is, behaviors and lifestyles not condoned by the Bible — is
now paraded before us on television, in Hollywood, in the press, and
in the courts. What God judged Sodom and Gomorrah for is now
brazenly applauded and celebrated by eminent professors,
celebrities, educators, media, and the courts and is being
propagandized to a younger generation. This falls into the category
of “blasphemers.”
Not long ago I saw a news program about transvestites who are
now invited to read fun stories to children in public libraries. Men
dressed as women, with outrageous outfits, hairstyles, cosmetics,
and false breasts were shown seated in front of children — reading
stories to and entertaining the young impressionable listeners. The
liberal plan is to desensitize children to the shocking image in front of
them by providing a fun time with a man dressed as a woman. The
message conveyed to the children by the experience is clear: There
is nothing wrong with a man wanting to be a woman.
I feel compassion for anyone who is trapped in deception, and I
believe we have the message to bring people freedom. So please
don’t misread me as being judgmental. But we need to realize that
this is an assault against impressionable minds. Such behavior was
considered blasphemous not so long ago — a perverse, deviant
behavior that was even viewed as a psychological illness by many in
the medical profession. But now the taboo has been eliminated, and
hell is parading its confused and twisted behaviors with no shame.
Taking this even further is the assault on gender and the
blasphemous belief that gender is not a sacred gift, but rather
something that can be changed by elective surgery. (For more on
this, read pages 22-36 in How To Keep Your Head on Straight in a
World Gone Crazy.)
But before I conclude this point, please let me take this one step
further. Because the word “blasphemy” points to a culture of
disrespect, I want to remind you that in a time not so long ago, when
we were younger, our parents taught us to speak respectfully to
elders. We were taught to say “yes, sir” or “yes, ma’am” when
addressing elders or those who were in authority. But society has so
thoroughly tossed respectful speech to the wind that even basic
elements of respect in language are disappearing from the
vocabulary of children. Society claims to be sophisticated and
progressive, but evidence shows that language is being debased
and emptied of long-valued terms of courtesy, manners, and basic
respect. This is so pandemic that when a child says “yes, sir” or “yes,
ma’am,” it stands out because manners and verbal respect are so
out of sync with the majority of younger people today.

THE MOUTH IS THE GREAT REVEALER

 But in Second Timothy 3:2, the Holy Spirit clearly warned us that
increased “blasphemy” would evolve in a last-days society — a
prophecy regarding an end-time culture of dishonor and disrespect.
But this issue of blasphemy does not just involve a person’s mouth
or actions. Blasphemous behaviors and language are symptoms of a
deeper problem. In Matthew 12:34, Jesus said, “…Out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
This means the mouth is the great revealer. If a person’s mouth
is filled with foul language, one can surmise what lies at that
person’s core. Jesus clearly taught that the mouth is the outlet for
what is inside a person.
You see, there simply is no spiritual “law of gravity” powerful
enough to permanently hold down and confine what is at the core of
a person’s being. What is on the inside eventually comes out. And
what lies at the core of an individual will ultimately come out of his
mouth because the mouth is the great revealer of what is at a
person’s core.
So the problem with blasphemous language is deeper than bad
language itself. As the last days progress and society becomes more
spiritually darkened, the mouth will pour forth the spiritual darkness
that lies within.
Language is spiritual because it flows from a person’s inner
being. Therefore, considering the spiritual nature of language and
how it reveals the contents at the core of a person or of a society, we
can safely predict an inevitable outcome as the heart of society
becomes darker and the conclusion of the age draws near. It is a
certainty that debasing, derogatory, insulting, nasty, shameful, and
ugly speech will become more and more pervasive as a revealer of
what is transpiring throughout society from the inside out.

There simply is no spiritual “law of gravity” powerful

enough to permanently hold down and confine what is at
the core of a person’s being. What lies at the core of an
individual will ultimately come out of his mouth because
the mouth is the greater revealer of what is at a person’s
 core.

The use of this kind of language was once considered

inappropriate, but today it is heard regularly coming out of people’s
mouths. This should be no surprise, for the Holy Spirit prophesied
that blasphemy would become commonplace as we approached the
end of the age.
Given the state of this last-days society, I offer this counsel to you
if you are serious about your spiritual life: Be very careful about what
you allow into your eyes and ears. Remember that Lot was
negatively affected by “seeing and hearing” blasphemous activities in
Sodom (see 2 Peter 2:8).
Even current statistics prove that if a person watches enough filth
on television, his sensitivity to it will become numbed. If a person
watches enough pornography, in time that person will lose his
sensitivity to the wrongness of this behavior and become numb to it.
What we watch and hear determines what we eventually become.
Lot watched and heard so much wickedness in the activities that
transpired around him on a regular basis that he became numb and
hardened to the evil of it. In fact, he became so calloused in his heart
to the wrong he continually witnessed that he was able to live in the
midst of it for an extended period of time. The Bible says that by
persistently hearing and seeing wrong images, he eventually “vexed
his righteous soul.”
This word “vexed” is a translation of the Greek word basanidzo,
which is the Greek word for torture. The word basanidzo tells us that
at least at first — before Lot became numbed to his environment —
seeing and hearing those sinful activities internally tore him to
pieces. By willfully living in that dark and sinful environment, where
he should not have lived, and by accommodating what he knew to
be wrong, Lot subjected his mind and soul to unrelenting torment —
eventually reaching the point of inner torture.
I remember hearing the old rhyme when I was a child that said,
“Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see…. Oh, be careful, little ears,
what you hear…Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say.… Oh, be
careful, little hands, what you do.… Oh, be careful, little feet, where
you go.…” In this last-days society, people have become
irresponsible about what they look at, listen to, say, touch, and do.
But let’s take this rhyme to heart and determine to use caution so
that we do not also become victims to the spirit of the age.
Blasphemous words and behaviors are not acceptable in God’s sight
and should not be practiced by us. Words and behaviors have
consequences, so let’s not minimize this behavior. Let’s make sure
our eyes, ears, hands, and feet are looking at, listening to, touching,
and headed in places that God’s Spirit would condone!

If we add the Greek word blasphemos to the

previous words listed in Second Timothy 3:2, the
RIV of this verse would read as follows:
Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more. These boasters are so committed to their
own agenda that they are willing to exaggerate,
overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a
story, and even lie if it will get them the position,
advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant,
haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They
disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone who
stands in the way of their ideology and freely use foul
language….

DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS — DISRESPECT FOR

AUTHORITY IN THE LAST OF THE LAST DAYS
But Paul continued in Second Timothy 3:2 to give us the next
characteristic that will be evident in a last-days generation gone
astray. He wrote, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents….”
In a last-days society where situational ethics reign, fixed moral
absolutes are thrown to the wind, and foul language and
blasphemous behaviors become commonplace, there will also
emerge an epidemic of children who are “disobedient to parents.”
The word “disobedient” is a translation of the Greek word
apeithes, which is formed from the verb peitho, a word which means
to persuade or to convince. But when an a is attached to the front of
peitho, it is transformed into apeithos. That little a at the front of the
word has a canceling effect. Rather than being persuadable or
convincible, it means unpersuadable, uncontrollable, or
inconvincible. It means no longer able to persuade, control, lead, or
exercise authority over. It depicts a loss of control or a lack of ability
to persuade, to lead, or to influence. The word “parents” is the plural
form of the Greek word goneus, a word that means a begetter or a
parent, and it is used to picture biological parents and those who are
also entrusted with the responsibilities of raising a child to adulthood.
The phrase “disobedient to parents” prophetically forecasts an
unusual period at the end of the last days when children — whose
parents have been given the God-given responsibility to raise them
to adulthood — will become unpersuadable, uncontrollable,
inconvincible, or unable to be led. The Holy Spirit says parenthood
will come under assault as parents begin to feel the loss of ability to
persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority over their own children.
This means a day is coming — and in large part, is already here
— when children will no longer submit to or follow the leadership of
their parents. They will deny their parents’ right to lead them, often
disrespectfully. They will even assert their own right to make
decisions for themselves without parental influence or intervention —
including decisions that in many cases will be life-altering or
detrimental to their long-term well-being.
In other words, Paul was saying that a day would come when
children in many homes would no longer submit to or follow the
orders and leadership of their father and mother. Certainly there are
cases when parents have lost their parental rights as a result of their
own wrong lifestyle choices. This type of situation may certainly
increase in the last days due to a rise in selfish, self-focused living.
But the Holy Spirit is speaking of a more all-encompassing
phenomenon that will occur in homes throughout society in the last
of the last days.
The Bible prophesies in this verse that parental authority in the
home will be compromised at the end of the age. Regardless of why
it will occur, many parents will find themselves attempting to
negotiate with their children rather than leading them as God expects
them to do.
In the beginning of this book, we saw that the foremost
characteristic of a last-days generation will be “lovers of their own
selves.” I stated that when society is self-focused and self-absorbed,
people become self-centered and selfish. This includes children who
have been indoctrinated in school and by liberal propaganda that
they are in charge of their own lives and destinies, have their own
rights, and should not allow their parents to enforce rules or tenets of
faith on them that they don’t find agreeable.

Parental authority in the home will be compromised at the

end of the age. Regardless of why it will occur, many
parents will find themselves attempting to negotiate with
their children rather than leading them as God expects
them to do.

If you speak to any family counselor, he or she will affirm that the
problem of eroding parental influence is widespread, even in
Christian homes. And if this is true in Christian homes, how much
more in a lost world that has no biblical foundation? In this verse, the
Holy Spirit forewarns us: This issue of lost parental influence will be
on the rise as we come closer to the very last of the last days.
Already today some parents are hesitant to discipline their own
children, lest the children press charges against them and get them
arrested for child abuse. And certainly many children have been
rightfully protected in cases of real abuse. But the fact is, laws are
being enacted that put children in a superior position over parents in
the eyes of the legal system. This weakens the leadership of parents
to teach, discipline, and lead their own children. Already many
children have used these laws to sue their parents. Just as Paul
prophesied, the day has come when parents are under pressure to
surrender their God-given parental authority to lead and influence
their own children.
Law states that children are entitled to a safe environment, good
nutrition, health care, and education. Although parents have the right
to raise their children as they see fit, they are responsible for their
safety. If the state does not agree with the way the parents are
carrying out that responsibility to keep the child safe, the child can be
forcibly removed from the home and the parent can legally lose
parental rights. This is right and good — until the situation is
interpreted by legal authorities who are virulently progressive and
liberal in their view. Take, for instance, the cases where children
sued their parents for trying to force their faith upon them, and the
court stood by the children.
I wish the following story was an exception, but this kind of
situation is occurring with greater regularity. I personally know
parents who had their daughter removed from their home for several
years because a schoolteacher was alarmed by the respectful
attitude the child demonstrated toward everyone in authority.
Their daughter’s respectful attitude to anyone in authority was so
vastly different compared to the attitudes of other children that the
teacher surmised that the daughter was being abused by her parents
at home! The teacher reasoned that the only explanation for that
level of respect toward authority figures had to be due to fear.
A complaint was privately filed with child services of alleged child
abuse — and as a result, godly parents lost their daughter because
she was taught to be respectful! She was actually removed from the
home and the parents’ rights were forfeited until the courts were
convinced the allegations about them were false. For the entire legal
process that took more than two years, these parents had no access
to their daughter.
It is good to help children who are abused, but this is not what the
Holy Spirit was referring to in Second Timothy 3:2. This situation of
children turning away from parents’ leadership is so painfully real
already that if you interview school teachers who have taught in
public school for decades, they frequently will testify that they have
witnessed the trend — a gradual transfer of parental authority to the
children themselves.
It may seem bizarre to think that children will no longer be
required to follow their parents’ leadership, but this is just another
development that stems from the self-love we studied at the
beginning of Second Timothy 3:2. Paul vividly stated that society
runs amuck in every sphere when it places self and love for self
higher than anything or anyone else.

YOU CAN RECOVER YOUR GOD-ASSIGNED POSITION AS

A PARENT
I want to tell you from Scripture that you absolutely have authority
in the lives of your children. You have a God-given parental
responsibility to raise them in the way they should go — and the
Bible says that when you do it, they will not depart from it when they
get older (see Proverbs 22:6). Your God-ordained authority in your
home is not just a right; it is your God-given duty and responsibility.
And you must exercise that authority according to biblical instruction
— not only for the sake of your children, but also for the sake of
generations to come.

Your God-ordained authority in your home is not just a

right;
it is your God-given duty and responsibility.
And you must exercise that authority
according to biblical instruction —
not only for the sake of your children,
but also for the sake of generations to come.
 I’m amazed at the number of parents who feel they have no voice
in their children’s lives — even parents who have been saved for a
long time. Many parents wrongly believe they have no right to tell
their children what to do or what to believe! For example, they are
very hesitant and reserved about telling their children they must go
to church. These parents believe that to demand church attendance
would be infringing upon their children’s free will and individual
rights. They hold to the notion that everyone should be able to make
his own decisions — even a child, who is too young to make
important life decisions by himself.
But a child needs training and guidance from his parents — and,
believe it or not, he desperately craves it!
As a pastor and minister, I’ve actually said to some of the parents
I’ve counseled over the years, “Do you give your child the freedom to
choose whether or not he goes to school every day? No, you don’t.
You probably say, ‘Get out of bed, brush your teeth, get dressed, and
put on your shoes. You’re going to school.’ Why? Because you
believe in school and in education. Therefore, you make school
attendance a requirement.” Then I’ve had to gently explain to these
parents that since it would be irresponsible for them as parents to let
their children miss school — why would they let their children think
it’s acceptable to skip church?
But in the last of the last days, the Holy Spirit says parental
authority will come under assault and many children will become
disobedient and disrespectful to parents. And often that attitude
might be attributed to parents’ abdication of their authoritative roles
in the lives of their children.
But none of this has to be true concerning you and your family!
If you’ll recognize the schemes and methods of the enemy — and
steer yourself and your family clear of those things that are designed
to steal, kill, and destroy (see John 10:10) — your family can be
whole, healthy, and happy even in these last days. The enemy will
try to oppress and take over the minds of people in this generation
until they are given over to all kinds of extreme self-love,
covetousness, boasting, pride, blasphemy, and disobedience. But
those who make God’s Word their priority and the Lord their refuge
will enjoy peace, joy, strength, abundant life, and victory!
If your family has fallen victim to these perilous times — if your
home is out of order or if your children no longer respectfully listen to
what you say — you need a breakthrough and a drastic change. I
can assure you from the Word of God that to reassume your position
as the leader in your home and regain your children’s obedience and
respect is possible. You can turn things around in your home and
family.

If you’ll recognize the schemes and methods of the

enemy — and steer yourself and your family clear of
those things that are designed to steal, kill, and destroy
— your family can be whole, healthy, and happy even in
these last days.

First, ask God to forgive you if you have failed to assume or

maintain your place of authority in your home. Then determine to
consistently act on what God says in His Word pertaining to His
divine order in the family — and do it in a spirit of love. It’s possible
to maintain a solid upper hand in your home while treating your
children with tenderness and dignity. It’s amazing how they will in
time emulate your behavior and begin themselves to show honor
where honor is due — to you as their parent and to your parental
authority over them in the home.
This characteristic of “disobedient to parents” is widespread in
the world today. Everywhere we travel in the world, we see children
speaking disrespectfully to their parents and disregarding their
parents’ authority. Many assert that they don’t want their “rights”
violated by parents telling them what to do — and in certain cases,
as mentioned earlier, the court system has even stood by children’s
rights to sue their parents. As I’ve stated, this has put the children in
a superior position and weakened parents’ ability to teach, to
discipline, and to lead and guide their own children and their
households.

Combining all the words we have studied so far,

the RIV of Second Timothy 3:2 reads as follows:
Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more. These boasters are so committed to their
own agenda that they are willing to exaggerate,
overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a
story, and even lie if it will get them the position,
advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant,
haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They
disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone who
stands in the way of their ideology and freely use foul
language. In this climate, parents will no longer be
able to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority
over their own children.…

These characteristics we’ve studied are all blaring prophetic

indicators that the very last of the last days are upon us. Based on
Scripture and the Greek word meanings we have studied thus far,
take a moment to stop and consider: Is it not clear that the marks of
a last-days society are on clear display in the world around you?
But just because this is what will happen in the very end of this
age, that doesn’t mean it must happen to you and me. We are in the
world, but we are not of this lost world’s system (see John 17:15,16).
Since the Holy Spirit warned us of these things in advance, we must
take heed to His prophetic words and take action to protect our
families and homes from the taint and effects of these end-time
conditions.
Instead of shrinking in fear at what is happening in the culture
around us, this can be our greatest hour. We can live as overcomers
if we will keep ourselves pure in God’s love, maintain the moral code
of God in our hearts and homes, watch over our mouths, diligently
teach the Word to our children, and shine the light of Jesus into the
darkness that has flooded nearly every corner of society. We can live
above the evil that is besetting the world at the end of this age.
People are looking for solutions to their deeply embedded moral
dilemmas, and we have the answers they need. We must walk in the
light and be the light others so desperately need to see.

Instead of shrinking in fear at what is happening in the

culture around us, this can be our greatest hour.

2 “Potty-Mouthed Politicians,” November 30, 2018, GovtPredict.com,

https://www.govpredict.com/blog/potty-mouthed-politicians/.
 CHAPTER 4

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO PROTECT YOUR HEART, EYES, EARS, AND FAMILY

1. Be careful not to allow “floating ethics” into your life.

W
e’ve discussed what the Bible says about the widespread
tendency in the last days to hurl away fixed ethics, or moral
absolutes, and move to a “floating ethic” mode that is easily
adapted as one deems it necessary. So I want you to ask yourself
these questions and prepare yourself to receive God’s answers:

• Am I sticking with the Word of God and refusing to go the

“floating ethics” way of the world in every arena of life,
regardless of the consequences?

Doing so may put you on a collision course with people you know
who have gone astray or with a culture in decline. But God calls on
you to be unmoving in your commitment to biblical truth. So ask
yourself:

• Am I staying rooted in the Bible?

• Or have I allowed myself to “float” regarding certain basic
principles of the Bible that should be fixed forever in my
heart and mind?

Because the spirit of this age is so seductively leading people off

track, I urge you to intentionally ask the Holy Spirit to awaken you to
any area in which you have allowed your morals and beliefs to go
“afloat” in any measure. If He begins to reveal what you need to see,
commit yourself to doing whatever is necessary to get firmly
anchored again in the truth of God’s Word.

2. Be careful not to be duped by a deceived world in these last

days.
Since the Bible says there will be a “falling away” at the end of
the age and we are living in those times, we can know that we will
see this degenerating process displayed all around us. It is this
generation that is witnessing the effects of seducing spirits
attempting to cause society to disconnect from most moral standards
once held to be the common rule and view of society.
For this reason, it is wise for each of us to take time to examine
our thinking and make sure we are sticking with the never-changing
Word of God. We are the guardians of our own minds, so it is our
responsibility to ensure that we are not being duped with the rest of
the world as it is being modified to think in ways that God calls
lawless. We must not allow the spirit of the age to deceive us, along
with so many others, to think the Bible is an outdated relic of the past
with no relevance to the modern world.
So set aside time to really think through what you believe. Ask
yourself:

• Is there any stance I have taken on a subject that may not

agree with Scripture?
• Have any thoughts begun to creep in that cause me to
wonder if the Bible is out of date or if I should perhaps be
more “progressive” in the way I view certain subjects?

The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword (see

Hebrews 4:12). If you use it correctly, humbly setting yourself in
agreement with it and allowing it to work in you, it will keep every hint
of deception out of your life as it spiritually sharpens you.

3. Be careful not to be contaminated by the spirit of this age.

 Those who live without a biblical foundation have chosen an
unstable and unreliable path that floats on trends rather than on faith
that is fixed in absolute truth. But those of us who stick with the Bible
have a solid foundation.
As you take time to evaluate your spiritual walk, ask yourself:

• Am I adhering to the fixed standard of God’s Word in every

area of my life?
• Have I made a rock-solid commitment to that standard —
one that I will never budge from?

If your answer is yes to those questions, prepare yourself for the

possibility of being misunderstood in this life. The world may accuse
you of being antisocial, contrary, noncompliant, intolerant, narrow-
minded, nonconformist, inflexible, obstinate, and uncompromising.
Regardless, stick with your commitment. Refuse to be contaminated
by the spirit of the age.
Also ask yourself:

• How do I respond when I feel hostility from those who

don’t agree with my unwavering stance of faith and
conviction? Do I let it disturb me too deeply?

Be careful not to be affected by the spirit of the age. Dig your

heels into the bedrock of truth, and the Holy Spirit will reinforce you
with the strength you need to endure victoriously to the end.
There is often a price for sticking with the truth. Ask yourself:

• Am I willing to pay whatever price is needed to hold fast to

the truth?
• Or have I been tempted to budge a little on the truth to
protect myself?

As the days proceed, this question will become more and more
urgent and pertinent to the times, so it’s good for us to examine
ourselves on this question now.
4. Be careful about what you allow in through your ears.
In this chapter, I noted that scientific studies reveal that the use of
profanity produces profane behaviors. Society today is inundated by
foul language. Unfortunately, people hear so much of it that what
was once shocking no longer has the same shock effect. Whether
we realize it or not, we have become desensitized.
Evaluate yourself honestly:

• What do I do when I hear foul language?

• Do I diminish its significance and pass it off, almost as
unnoticed? Or does it grieve me to hear offensive words
and nasty speech that should not be tolerated?
• Am I able to sit through foul language in a movie or
television program without being deeply disturbed by it? Or
do I get up and leave or change the channel to avoid
letting that filth into my ears?

Your ears are so important that even faith comes to you through
your ear gates (see Romans 10:17). What you allow yourself to
listen to determines what you think, what you believe, and what you
accommodate in your life. So make a practice of asking yourself:

• Is God pleased with what I am allowing in through my

ears?

Especially in these last days when verbal sewage abounds, be

careful to ensure that you can always answer that question with a
strong affirmative!

5. Be careful what you allow in through your eyes.

As we discussed in this chapter, Lot saw so much wickedness
that transpired around him on a regular basis that he became numb
and hardened to the evil that his eyes continually beheld. In fact, he
became so calloused in his heart that he was able to live in the midst
of it for an extended period of time. But the Bible says that by
persistently hearing and seeing wrong images, he eventually vexed
his righteous soul (see 2 Peter 2:7).
This word “vexed” is a translation of the Greek word basanidzo,
which is the Greek word for torture. By constantly seeing sin all
around him — and accommodating what he knew to be wrong — Lot
subjected his mind and soul to unrelenting torment, which eventually
reached the point of inner torture.
Especially in these last days, you must be careful what you allow
in through your eyes. The devil wants to wage warfare against you
— and if you allow evil images into your head through your eyes, you
will open the gates for the enemy to attack you in your mind. What
you look at has consequences, so be careful about what you allow in
through your eyes.
As part of your self-evaluation, take some time to look through
your entertainment archives and files. Ask yourself:

• What do the films and the TV programs I’ve been watching

say about my commitment to God and His Word?

You are the guardian of your eyes, so be honest with yourself

about what you are allowing to flood into your mind through your
eyes.

6. Be careful to spiritually lead your family and children.

The Bible clearly forecasts that the home will come under assault
in the last days. It even forecasts an unusual period when children
will become unpersuadable, uncontrollable, inconvincible, or unable
to be led. Parents will feel the loss of ability to persuade, control,
lead, or exercise authority over their own children. But that doesn’t
have to be true of you!
Since we know a day is coming when children will deny their
parents’ right to lead them and will even assert their rights to make
decisions for themselves without parental influence or intervention,
we must take steps now to safeguard our homes to make sure this
does not affect us.
 The Bible categorically tells us that an assault on the home will
occur in the last days. But if you will listen to the Holy Spirit, He’ll
steer you and your family clear of those things that are designed to
steal, kill, and destroy so you and your loved ones can be whole,
healthy, and happy in this critical hour. As you make God’s Word
your priority and the Lord your refuge, you and your family will be
safeguarded, even in the midst of these tumultuous times.
Have you already experienced hardships in your family? If so,
first seek God for forgiveness in any area that you have failed Him
along the way. Then open your heart to receive the empowerment of
the Holy Spirit to begin implementing His plan of restoration for your
family.
In this area, as in the other areas mentioned earlier, honest self-
evaluation is a crucial step in discovering God’s ways to move
forward. It may be painful, but it would be wise and healthy for you
— and for your spouse, if you are married — to answer these
questions to see how well you are providing spiritual leadership for
your home.

• How often do I read the Bible to my children or with my

family?
• How often do I pray with my family?
• How often do I take time to help family members think
through difficult subjects and see what the Scriptures say
on important topics?

One thing is an inescapable certainty — you must be careful to

take your position as a leader to lead your family spiritually in these
last days!

7. Be careful not to give way to a spirit of fear.

As noted above, shrinking in fear in the face of all that is
happening in the culture around you is not the correct response.
Instead of running for cover, you need to realize that this may be
your greatest hour to help people around you who are in need.
As a part of a healthy self-examination, ask yourself:
 • Am I being proactive in sharing God’s truth and light, or
am I afraid to step out because of possible retribution?
• Do I find myself cowering in fear from what is happening in
the world, or am I taking the posture that I can shine light
into the darkness to help others find truth and freedom?
• What am I doing to help others? How am I becoming an
instrument that brings healing and restoration to those who
have been hurt by our times?

Wringing your hands and giving in to fear helps no one. This is

your opportunity to shine the light of Jesus into the darkness that has
beset so many you meet every day in life. People are looking for
solutions to their deeply embedded moral dilemmas, and you have
the answers they need.
Especially in these last days, you must be careful not to give in to
the fear of man. Instead, determine to seize every opportunity to
wisely and lovingly speak truth to those who so desperately need
your voice!
 5

THE DARK CONNECTION

BETWEEN ‘UNTHANKFUL’ AND
‘UNHOLY’

n Second Timothy 3:2, Paul continued to expound on his prophetic

I insights regarding what will transpire in society at the end of the
last days. He wrote, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents.…”
These are the six words or phrases in this verse that we have
covered so far. But there are two more words in the verse we have
not studied. The rest of verse 2 says, “For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.”
Before we proceed to discuss what the word “unthankful” means,
we need to see what “thankful” means in the original Greek language
of the New Testament. The Greek word translated “thankful” that is
primarily used throughout the New Testament is charistos. The word
charistos is a derivative of the word charis, which is the New
Testament word for grace. However, when the word charis is
transformed into charistos, it more fully expresses the idea of one
whose heart is thankful, grateful, or appreciative for various reasons.
The Greek word charistos depicts an inward awareness of having
been fortunate or well-treated. Thus, the word “thankful” —
translated from charistos — projects the deep inward feeling of one
who is thankful, grateful, or appreciative for what one has received or
how one has been treated by others.
Let’s look at those three words thankful, grateful, and
appreciative for a moment. The word thankful is concerned with a
person’s attitude toward his good fortune rather than his feelings
toward anyone responsible for it. It suggests that someone is
relieved or pleased about a situation or a turn of events. Someone
who is grateful realizes that someone else has helped him or treated
him kindly, and he has warm feelings toward that person. Thus, the
word grateful suggests more of an impulse to thank someone than
thankful does. The word appreciative shows that a person
recognizes the merits or appeal of something and expresses his or
her recognition of it.
Thus, all of these — thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation —
are the expressions of a person who is thankful that he has
experienced blessings in some form, is grateful toward the person or
people who treated him kindly, and wants to express how
appreciative he is for the kindness shown. All of this is included in
the word “thankful,” which is translated from the Greek word
charistos.

UNTHANKFULNESS — WHEN THANKFULNESS IS

CANCELED
But now let’s look at what the Holy Spirit is referring to when He
says society at large will become “unthankful” in the last days. The
word “unthankful” is the Greek word acharistos, which is the word
charistos with an a affixed to the front of it. In Greek, that little prefix
a has a canceling effect. Although a person was once thankful,
something has occurred and his thankfulness has been canceled. A
person who was thankful has become unthankful. The meaning of
charistos — the Greek word translated “thankful” — is radically
altered when that little a is attached to the front of it. That little a
literally changes its meaning from thankful to unthankful.
In other words, the use of the Greek word acharistos alerts us
that although a thankful attitude previously prevailed, for some
reason now the same person has lost his thankful, grateful, and
appreciative attitude and is now unthankful. Thoughts of
unthankfulness, ingratitude, and unappreciativeness now fill his heart
and mind. This person is not thankful for the good he has
experienced or for the blessing he has received. He is not grateful
toward the person or people who have treated him kindly. He has
become unthankful, filled with ingratitude, and unappreciative of
what others have done for him. In other words, the Greek word
acharistos pictures an ingrate.
The word “unthankful” is profoundly important. It is imperative
that we understand what Paul was prophesying concerning a last-
days age in which people will become so unthankful, ungrateful, and
unappreciative that they feel entitled to everything.

A SOCIETY WHERE ‘EVERYONE OWES ME’

When a person feels entitled to everything, he loses his
thankfulness for nearly everything. Why should a person be thankful
when he feels he is entitled to anything he is ever given? This sense
of entitlement is destructive to individuals, and it leads society as a
whole into a state of unthankfulness — exactly what the Holy Spirt
prophesied would emerge in society at the end of the age.
Today society is filled with people who are ruled by a sense of
entitlement. One writer correctly stated that such individuals have
“an unrealistic, unmerited, or inappropriate expectation of favorable
living conditions and favorable treatment at the hands of others.”3
The following quote is a brilliant statement about those who fit that
description, listing the signs that indicate a person is ruled by a
sense of entitlement. For example:

“…These individuals will make infeasible demands of

others around them, including relatives, friends,
colleagues, lovers, etc. That’s the first sign.
“…When someone’s disposition consistently
changes when they fail to get their way, this is a clear
indicator of entitlement. People who suffer from a
sense of entitlement also tend to see the people
around them as competition and struggle to
compromise or negotiate on mutually beneficial
agreements.
“…Ultimately, the individual with a sense of
entitlement takes, but they rarely give. They prioritize
 themselves over others at virtually all times and
fancy themselves as superior to others.
“…A sense of entitlement is one of the defining traits
of a narcissist….”4

It is important to note the use of the word “narcissism” in this

context. There are key signs to indicate that a person is narcissistic.
In fact, one psychotherapist and author has identified what she calls
the “seven deadly sins” of narcissism. They are as follows:

1. Shamelessness: Shame speaks of “the misery of a

pervasive personal flaw.” In narcissists, shame is so
intolerable that the means have been developed not to
experience it at all. They may come across as indifferent
and amoral until a minor incident or social slight unmasks
what they really are — extremely shame-sensitive without
the ability to process shame in healthy ways.5
2. Magical Thinking: Narcissists often create an alternate,
romanticized reality they can manipulate and control in
which they play an idealized role, using distortion and
illusion known as magical thinking. A more hurtful way
they can distort reality is to employ projection — a process
by which they transfer to someone else whatever evokes
shameful feelings in themselves.6
3. Arrogance: For a narcissist “…if someone else’s stock
goes up, theirs automatically goes down. Conversely, if
they are feeling deflated, they can reinflate themselves by
diminishing, debasing, or degrading someone else. This is
the reason narcissists are often judgmental, perfectionistic,
and power-hungry.”7
4. Envy: A narcissist may try to use contempt, often
unconsciously, to minimize a person’s achievements, often
presenting a laundry list of that person’s flaws so the
narcissist is restored to a superior position.8
 5. Entitlement: Narcissists hold unreasonable expectations
of particularly favorable treatment and automatic
compliance from others because they believe they are
uniquely special. Defiance against their will or what they
want is to them an injury that deserves a display of rage or
self-righteous aggression.9
6. Exploitation: For a narcissist, “exploitation can take many
forms but always involves the using of others without
regard for their feelings or interests. Often the other
person is in a subservient position, where resistance
would be difficult or even impossible. Sometimes the
subservience is not so much real as assumed…. It may or
may not involve deceit but quite often includes distortions
of reality.”10
7. Bad Boundaries: Narcissists do not recognize that they
have boundaries “…and that others are separate and are
not extensions of themselves. Others either exist to meet
their needs or may as well not exist at all. Those who offer
the possibility of some sort of gratification will be treated
as if they are part of the narcissist and will be expected,
automatically, to live up to that person’s expectations. In
the mind of a narcissist, there is no boundary between Self
and other.”11

Whew! This list sounds a lot like the last-days society that the
Holy Spirit forecasts in Second Timothy 3:2 — a society that will
become self-focused, self-absorbed, and self-centered to the
detriment of others. It’s a society that does not understand
boundaries, that lives for self-embellishment, and that is
characterized by a pervasive sense of entitlement. In other words,
when a person — or society itself — embraces a sense of
entitlement, it produces a “Me! Me! Me!” attitude. Those who are
consumed with self, as the Holy Spirit forecasts about society at the
end of the age, will possess a sense of entitlement that has self at its
heart. Whether these people are cognizant of it or not, they believe
that “it’s all about me.”
 A SOCIETY IN WHICH FEELINGS ARE KING
When people live with an unrealistic sense of entitlement, they
rarely feel grateful for what they receive because they think it’s theirs
by right anyway. And no matter how much they receive, they expect
more. They believe they are entitled simply “because” — regardless
of their performance or having done anything to merit it.
Furthermore, they are so skewed by their self-love and self-focus
that they actually believe their “wants” are “needs” and misinterpret
their “feelings” as “facts.”
Those with a sense of entitlement base what they believe on
what they feel even if it does not match reality. For example, they
may feel treated unfairly if they are not able to start out with the
lifestyle it took their parents 30 years to achieve. They may feel they
have a “right” to material things — assets, security, a home, a
privileged lifestyle — that others have to work hard to attain. They
may feel they have a right to entertainment and a life full of
excitement and fun. And then they may feel that life is boring when
nothing “exciting or entertaining” is happening.
People who believe they are entitled may feel the need for others
to give them positive reinforcement and reaffirmation of their self-
worth, whether or not they merit it. They also don’t usually respond
well to criticism, even when it is constructive. They usually feel an
inherent “right” to question and challenge authority figures and
institutions, as well as the ethics and legitimacy of people who run
those institutions — especially if they feel that they have not received
benefits they assume they are entitled to receive.
An entitlement mentality is a blight on any society that can
eventually undermine a nation’s economic stability, because it
focuses on taking, not giving. Not only can this mindset erode a
country’s economic system, but it also hinders men and women from
reaping the benefit of God’s higher system of effort and reward.
Since an entitlement mentality veers from the Lord’s original
intention and design, it has a detrimental, undermining effect on a
person’s soul that can skew the way he sees life, himself, others,
and even God.
 An entitlement mentality is a blight on any society that
can eventually undermine a nation’s economic stability,
because it focuses on taking, not giving.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not talking about people

who need assistance and cannot help themselves because of some
temporary setback or even a permanent disability. We are called to
bear one another’s burdens and to help the poor, thus fulfilling the
law of Christ (see Galatians 6:2). Scripture commands us to help the
poor — not only in our own nation, but also around the globe. It is
difficult to fulfill our commission to preach the Gospel when people
need the basics of food and water satisfied first before they can even
hear us!
But it is clear that in recent years, Western nations are being
groomed to live under a system of entitlement and benefits at the
government’s and taxpayers’ expense. It’s as if there has been a
cultivated dependency mindset that has bridged generations, making
the cycle of entitlement more entrenched into people’s way of
thinking as it has been perpetuated for years on end. How this has
progressed so far and made such a mark on our culture would make
for an interesting discussion that I’ll not go into here. I believe many
factors have contributed to the idea embraced by large segments of
our population that little or no effort or work is required to obtain the
things they crave.

There has been a cultivated dependency mindset that has

bridged generations, making the cycle of entitlement
more entrenched into people’s way of thinking as it has
been perpetuated for years on end.
 For example, as a society, we are rewarding hard work and
excellence in workmanship less, instead of adopting the mentality
that “everyone wins,” no matter what. I’m sure you’ve seen firsthand
or heard of situations in athletics in which one or two players couldn’t
be singled out for their outstanding performances because it might
hurt the feelings or affect the psyches of the other team members.
The result has been that every player receives a trophy “just for
showing up,” with no distinction made for those who excel.
All of this is a result of an attitude of unthankfulness and
entitlement, which produces a narcissistic mindset that continually
says, “What’s in this for me?”
But in Second Timothy 3:2, the Holy Spirit uses the Greek word
“unthankful” — the Greek acharistos. As I wrote earlier, that little a
cancels a thankful attitude and turns it into the word “unthankful.”
This means at the end of the age, society — even though the
population at one time exhibited the quality of thankfulness — will
depart from a thankful attitude and gradually transition into a state of
unthankfulness. Yes, we will see an unthankful attitude rise until its
grip has seized society at the end of the age.
Many today are seeking their own rights and their own ways, and
it is leaving them dissatisfied, empty, and disillusioned. Although
those who fit this description are on an endless quest to please self,
they have found true, lasting pleasure always to be just beyond their
grasp. As much as these people possess — and as much as will be
heaped on them in the form of benefits they didn’t have to labor for
— they don’t feel thankful, because they feel entitled to it all. They
have never learned the spiritual law that happiness is only obtainable
where there is a thankful heart.

JESUS CALLED UNTHANKFULNESS ‘EVIL’

Unthankfulness is so wicked that in Luke 6:35, Jesus connected
it with evil. He said, “…Love ye your enemies, and do good, and
lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and
ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the
unthankful and to the evil.”
 Jesus’ words position the characteristic of being “unthankful” in
the same category as being “evil.” This categorically tells us that an
unthankful attitude is evil in God’s sight. The way God sees it, it is in
truth spiritually criminal not to be thankful for what we have in life,
even if it seems like we have little compared to someone else’s
blessings.
Even if we believe we’ve worked hard and earned what we have,
we still should be profoundly thankful that all we have was given to
us by God. Our jobs and opportunities could have been given to
someone else, but they were graciously given to us.
Others who need a job and a salary would be thankful to have
your position and your income. There are people all over the world
who do not have shelter, warmth, or clean water, but you likely have
access to these blessings every day. When you remember that, it will
help you to be thankful for what you have and for every blessing that
comes your way.

Even if we believe we’ve worked hard and earned what

we have, we still should be profoundly thankful that all
we have was given to us by God. Our jobs and
opportunities could have been given to someone else,
but they were graciously given to us.

But unfortunately, we live in an end-time season when people are

so self-focused, self-consumed, and covetous that they are rarely
grateful for anything — and if they are grateful, that attitude is often
short-lived and soon forgotten.
The people of the Western world in particular are so blessed that
they take many of their blessings for granted. They don’t realize how
fortunate they are for what they have. Even though they may have
needs, they live comparatively more blessed than the rest of the
world. These lands overflow with material blessings. For example,
statistics show that America’s lowest income-earners are richer than
most of the rest of the world. In fact, the typical person in the bottom
5 percent of the American income distribution is still richer than 68
percent of the rest of the world’s inhabitants.12
The Bible commands us “be ye thankful” and “in everything, give
thanks” (Colossians 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Even if things
seem to be going wrong all around us, we can stop to count our
blessings! We may feel besieged by need at the present moment,
but the fact is, we each have many reasons to be thankful.
Nevertheless, in Second Timothy 3:2, Paul said that many in the
last days would become unthankful.

With our understanding of the original Greek

words used by the Holy Spirit thus far in Second
Timothy 3:2, the RIV of this verse reads as
follows:
Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more. These boasters will be so committed to
their own agenda that they are willing to exaggerate,
overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a
story, and even lie if it will get them the position,
advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant,
haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They
disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone who
stands in the way of their ideology and freely use foul
language. In this climate, parents will no longer be
able to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority
over their own children. And although people were
once thankful and appreciative, they will generally
become void of gratitude and unappreciative of
everything.…

Now it’s time to proceed to the next characteristic that the Holy
Spirit gives in this verse to depict society in the last days —
unholiness. I will show you from the Bible the cause-and-effect
nature of these last two characteristics in this verse. We will see that
any person, nation, or society who has become unthankful is headed
down a destructive path that will eventually lead them into a state of
unholiness.

Any person, nation, or society who has become

unthankful is headed down a destructive path that will
eventually lead them into a state of unholiness.

UNHOLINESS IN THE LAST DAYS

In Second Timothy 3:2, Paul continued, “For men shall be lovers
of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.”
The word “unholy” in this verse is translated from the Greek word
anosios. This word is based on the Greek word hosios, which
depicts a person or group of people who are reverent, respectful,
and God-fearing. But when an a is attached to it, this prefix has a
canceling effect, which means what was once holy has become
unholy, what was once reverent has become irreverent, and what
was once God-fearing has lost its fear of God.
This word anosios can thus be translated irreverent and
disrespectful. It depicts those who have lost all fear of God and
whose way of thinking and outward actions have become ill-
mannered, impure, unclean, lewd, indecent, crude, coarse, vulgar,
offensive, and rude. It depicts words or actions that are unholy,
unsacred, impure, and unsanctioned by God.
The Holy Spirit uses this exact word anosios in Second Timothy
3:2 to describe the thinking and behavior of society at the very end of
the age. It depicts a group of people, a nation, or a society who once
revered and honored what was holy, sacred, pure, and sanctioned
by God, but they no longer do. They have let go of what they once
revered as holy and sacred, and their thinking and behavior have
become supportive of that which is unholy, unsacred, and impure.
They have swapped positions and have embraced attitudes and
actions that would never be sanctioned by God or the teachings of
the Bible.
Thus, the Holy Spirit prophesies here that society will become ill-
mannered, impure, unclean, lewd, indecent, crude, coarse, vulgar,
offensive, and rude — and that people will develop a casual attitude
toward words, actions, and behaviors that are unholy, unsacred,
impure, and unsanctioned by God. It actually depicts a time with no
“checks and balances.” As the fear of God becomes more and more
extinct, society will throw off moral restraint and engorge itself in
areas that are condemned in the sight of God.
Romans 1:32 says, “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they
which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same,
but have pleasure in them that do them.” This verse portrays a
society that has knowledge of the Bible and is well-versed in what
the Bible says. But because the people do not find that knowledge
convenient or amenable to what they desire to do, they will not only
discard it and put it aside, but they will also seek to encourage and
promote unholy activities to others. In other words, there will be a
global public-relations campaign to endorse sin and to encourage
the unrestrained acceptance of every immoral lifestyle, regardless of
how it conflicts with the time-tested, authoritative voice of God’s
Word.

As the fear of God becomes more and more extinct,

society will throw off moral restraint and engorge itself in
areas that are condemned in the sight of God.

When society throws off holiness and embraces unholy

behaviors, it eventually causes a complete reversal of society —
turning it from a godly, moral position to one that is godless and
immoral. And at the end of the age, a proliferation of unholiness will
penetrate deeper and deeper into society.
Think of it — we have seen things change radically even within
the span of our own lifetimes. In just a few short decades, society
has devolved from sanctioning open prayer in public schools to
outlawing God altogether in those places. And abortion — the killing
of nearly two billion babies worldwide in the last century — is now
endorsed by governments around the world. Same-sex marriage, a
concept totally ungodly and unholy according to the Word of God, is
now law according to the U. S. Supreme Court. Now the whole
situation has developed so profoundly that people are confused
about genders and are submitting to surgical procedures to attempt
to turn themselves into their “gender of choice.”
In the Western world especially, there is a biblical foundation in
society, and people generally know what God says so clearly about
these things in Scripture. But man has chosen to walk a different
route from what he once recognized and knew to be the right path.
When God is ignored or removed, society begins the downward
plummet into depravity. This is precisely what is happening in our
times.

When God is ignored or removed,

society begins the downward plummet into depravity.
This is precisely what is happening in our times.

As noted in the previous chapter, an evening of watching

television reveals that impure, ill-mannered, improper, unclean,
indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and rude behaviors
are infiltrating every sphere of society. Even immoral conduct is now
found in children’s cartoons as part of a public-relations campaign to
change the way children perceive what was once considered
abnormal and perverse behaviors. What was once vulgar and
immoral now fills the world of entertainment at every age-group level.
 But just because you live in the last of the last days does not
mean that you should be affected by this moral downslide. By
making God’s Word your standard and upholding it in your life, you
can stay free from the spiritual corrosion that is eating away at the
world today. What is happening to a lost society does not have to
happen to you or your family. I remind you that you can build a wall
of protection to keep yourself and your family safe even in these
treacherous times.
To remain untouched by the moral degeneration we’re seeing in
society today, we must make the decision to keep our eyes on Jesus
and live to please Him with our obedience to His Word. We must
choose to make God’s Word the guide for our hearts and never
permit ourselves to entertain in our minds or find as funny those
things that God deems “unholy.”

To remain untouched by the moral degeneration we’re

seeing in society today, we must choose to make God’s
Word the guide for our hearts and never permit ourselves
to entertain in our minds or find as funny those things
that God deems “unholy.”

Movies and sitcoms may make light of these kinds of lifestyles,

but this condition isn’t funny — it’s spiritually deadly and damning.
Unfortunately, the world laughs while it goes to hell. A lost society is
oblivious to the deception that is dragging mankind lower and lower
into depravity and judgment. There is nothing humorous or funny
about this scenario.
But, you see, when man becomes “unthankful” — even ceasing
to acknowledge God’s goodness and to be thankful for His blessings
— it triggers a moment when he begins to sink into decadence and
to act “unholy.” People become self-focused and self-absorbed —
seeing themselves as the center of their universe.
 And when a sense of entitlement rules society, the people in that
society even begin to embrace the notion that they have a right to
experience any form of sexuality they feel is right for them, with no
fear of violating the law of God. Such people revolt against scriptures
that confront their behavior and even seek unscriptural theological
positions to affirm them instead of change them. They claim that the
Bible — which is equivalent to the voice of God — has no right to
infringe upon their feelings.
A Christian may not slide quickly into the depths the world has
fallen into. But if unthankfulness works its way into the life of any
believer — and as a result, he or she becomes dissatisfied,
ungrateful, and unthankful — that person will begin to lose a healthy
fear of God in his or her life. Once that happens, that person is
susceptible to accommodating behaviors that God does not condone
— and thus, the decline can happen to him or her as well.

When a sense of entitlement rules society, the people in

that society even begin to embrace the notion that they
have a right to experience any form of sexuality they feel
is right for them, with no fear of violating the law of God.

THE PROCESS LEADING TO A REPROBATE MIND

There is a clear and defined process that occurs when a society
chooses to throw off the eternal moorings of truth found in God’s
Word and go its own way. We can find that process in the first
chapter of Romans.
In Romans 1:21, the apostle Paul broached this crucial subject by
the Spirit, explaining with great clarity what happens when society
turns from God. Paul wrote, “Because that, when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain
in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
The word “knew” depicts acquaintance or general knowledge, not
personal knowledge, such as the knowledge possessed by a person
who knows Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. In this verse, the
word “knew” pictures a society that previously possessed a general
acquaintance, a general knowledge, or a God-fearing attitude. This
lets us know that even if society was not predominately comprised of
authentic Christians, at least the vast majority of people recognized
and acknowledged God and His blessings upon them.
Paul used the word “knew” in the past tense, which indicates he
was referring to a society that had lost its acknowledgment and
sense of dependence upon God. The first part of this verse could
thus actually be translated, “Although they once had a general
acquaintance with and knowledge about God and about things
related to God…”
So in verse 21, Paul was describing a society that in large part
has arrived at the conclusion that a common acknowledgment of
God is out of fashion with the times. As a result, people have
progressively put God off to the side and out of sight. More and
more, the societal trend is to stop giving Him the recognition that is
due Him. This errant path that deviates away from man’s
dependence upon God triggers a widespread condition of spiritual
and moral wandering that becomes more and more pronounced over
time.

DARKENED MINDS AND FOOLISH THOUGHTS

Paul went on to describe the consequences of this destitute
spiritual condition. When the vast majority in a society decides that
the acknowledgement of God is no longer intellectually fashionable,
people eventually become “vain in their imaginations.”
The word “vain” is the Greek word mataioo, which means ruined
and, in this case, depicts something that is error-filled. The
“something” that is filled with error is the people’s “imaginations.” The
word “imaginations” is from the Greek word dialogismos, a word that
unmistakably refers to mental activity — a person’s reasonings,
deliberations, calculations, or thinking processes.
When these various Greek words are used together in the phrase
“vain in their imaginations,” a specific meaning is produced. Paul
was explaining that when society sets God aside, error is released,
eventually leading to ruin on multiple levels. It is like an inevitable
“chemical reaction” that will always occur if the right elements are
mixed together.
Scripture tells us that wisdom begins with the fear and knowledge
of God (see Proverbs 1:7). It is an inevitable “cause-and-effect”
pattern based on spiritual law. Thus, if society respects, recognizes,
and acknowledges God, it results in enlightenment.
But the opposite is also true and carries with it its own inevitable
cause-andeffect pattern. When the fear and knowledge of God is
diminished and society begins to move away from Him, a spiritual
“chemical mix” is produced that will always result in an environment
where intellectual nonsense — conclusions that don’t make either
rational or spiritual sense — become the inevitable consequence.
Eventually error begins to breed and multiply, spilling into every
sphere of society — courts, education, families, entertainment,
business, government, and religion. The deceptive process
continues until man’s intellectual reasonings, untethered to God’s
eternal truths, has tainted all the deliberations, calculations, and
thinking processes of the general population.
We each need to face this reality of what man is without God.
When the knowledge and fear of God is removed, a vacuum is
formed, causing intellectual and spiritual darkness to flood in and fill
the void.
I’m not saying unbelievers are unintelligent. Obviously, the world
has a great number of unbelievers who possess great mental
capacity. But Paul stated that when intellectually brilliant people drift
far from the truth, they eventually cast off restraint and pass into the
realm of foolishness and deception. They see themselves as highly
intelligent progressive thinkers. But because they reject the truth of
Scripture and embrace the flawed conclusions of their own making,
God says they actually become fools (see Romans 1:22). In fact, in
verse 21, Paul wrote that “their foolish heart was darkened” as a
result of turning away from God and His standards.
 We each need to face this reality of what man is without
God. When the knowledge and fear of God is removed, a
vacuum is formed, causing intellectual and spiritual
darkness to flood in and fill the void.

This word “foolish” is translated from a form of the Greek word

asunetos. In actuality, it is the word sunetos with an a attached to the
front of it. The word sunetos describes supreme intelligence or
conclusions and understandings supported with correlating evidence
or facts. It pictures a person so mature in his thinking that he has the
ability to accurately see a full picture. But in Romans 1:21, this word
sunetos has an a attached to the front of it, which has a reversing
effect. Rather than portray intelligence, this word portrays a person
who has lost his intelligence or who has a lack of intelligence.
Paul used this word asunetos to tell us what happens when
people turn away from God: Rather than getting smarter, they
regress and become more and more diminished and off-base in their
reasoning, deliberations, calculations, and thinking processes.
According to Paul’s cogent argument, inspired by the Holy Spirit, a
society that moves away from God always moves toward deceived,
defective believing and reasoning processes that are dominated by
the manipulative lies of demonic forces at work.

THE FOOLISH HEART OF A REPROBATE SOCIETY

Paul went on to say that a society that moves away from God
acquires a “foolish heart.” The word “heart” in Greek is kardia, which
is the word for the physical heart. The use of this word at this
juncture is very important, as you will see.
As you know, the heart pumps blood throughout the circulatory
system of the human body. Its pumping action is so powerful that
virtually every part of the body has blood in it. But in Romans 1:21,
Paul didn’t refer to the physical heart; rather, he used the word
kardia to depict the collective “heart” of a people. In other words, in
this context the apostle was talking about the very core that both
receives and supplies the beliefs and values that fuel and define a
lost society.
Paul revealed that when society moves away from God, its heart
fills with foolishness. Then just as the human heart pumps blood into
the various parts of the physical body, the heart of a wayward society
will begin to pump foolishness and flawed thinking throughout its
“circulatory system.” Eventually every stratum of that society
becomes touched with the destructive effects of the foolishness
produced and disseminated when man separates himself from his
Creator.
Paul says such a society will eventually become “darkened.” That
word “darkened” is a translation of the Greek word skotidzo, which
denotes physical or spiritual darkness. But metaphorically it is used
here to depict a world or society flooded with darkness that
eventually spawns depravity, immorality, and a myriad of other
ungodly behaviors.
As these God-rejecting societies sink deeper and deeper into this
moral abyss, Romans 1:22 says the so-called leaders of the godless
world will claim that the opposite is the reality. They will boast that
society is on the cutting edge of a new future and a new order, free
of past moral restraints. But that verse also reveals God’s
perspective of this baseless claim: “Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools.”
The word “professing” and the tense used in this verse tells us
that these alleged progressive thinkers continually assert that they
are wise. These are people who never stop pushing their agenda or
putting themselves forward as leading the way for the so-called
“benefit” of the rest of society.
The people Paul was referring to in Romans 1 assert to be
“wise,” which is the Greek word sophos. This was the same word
often used to portray highly educated people, such as scientists,
philosophers, doctors, teachers, and others who were considered to
be the super-intelligentsia of society. It depicts a class of individuals
who believe themselves to be clever, astute, brilliant, intellectually
sharp, or especially enlightened.
 Paul again referred to this same category of so-called
progressive thinkers in Second Timothy 3:2. In that verse, he called
them “proud.” This is a translation of the word huperephanos, a word
that pictures a person or group of people who see themselves as
intellectually advantaged and positioned above the rest of the crowd.
It portrays uppity, arrogant, haughty, high-and-mighty, impudent
people who carry an attitude of insolence. Such people believe they
possess the right to decide what is right or wrong or what should be
viewed as antiquated and out of fashion. This is a person or a group
of people who could accurately be called intellectual snobs.
In Romans 1:22, Paul stated the reality — that these people are
“fools.” Forgive the bluntness of this statement, but the Greek word
for “fools” is moraino — which is the word for one who is mentally ill
or mentally deranged. It is the same word from which we derive the
word “moron.” This means that in Romans 1:22, when Paul wrote
that these alleged intellectuals are “fools,” he minced no words and
made no apologies as he declared that such people are, in reality,
intellectual morons.

With all this in mind, I’d like to share the RIV of

Romans 1:21,22:
Although society once had a general acquaintance of
God, a general knowledge of God, and a reverence
for things related to God, a time came when people
found it no longer fashionable to give God His due
reverence. Rather than be grateful to God for their
blessings, they forgot who blessed them and ceased
to be thankful. They turned from God, and as a result,
they began to veer morally, which resulted in their
thinking becoming laced with error that affected how
they reasoned about everything. They alleged it was
all right to believe things that are not supported by
correlating facts and evidence, and eventually their
conclusions became totally out of touch with reality.
A normal heart pumps blood, but the heart of a God-
rejecting society pumps and proliferates foolishness
 until it is filled with darkness that eventually spawns
depravity, immorality, and godless behaviors. The so-
called leaders of a God-rejecting society constantly
assert that they are brilliant intellectuals of a new
way of thinking, even though it is difficult to fathom
how they could claim such a thing. Regardless of
what they assert, their words and their ways of
thinking make them sound like those who are
mentally ill or mentally deranged. How could anyone
think what they propose is normal? Make no mistake
about it — those who think this way are clearly
morons.

RELEASED TO REBEL AGAINST GOD’S WAYS

As Paul continued, he stated in Romans 1:28 that a God-
rejecting society does not “like to retain God in their knowledge.”
Unlike the situation in Romans 1:21, this isn’t a case of being only
generally acquainted with God or His standards. These people really
knew Him; they simply no longer wanted to retain that knowledge.
This is a depiction of a person or a group of people who were
once familiar with God and His standard but who at some point find
that standard inconvenient for the new morality they are bent on
constructing. Because they no longer want to retain God in their
minds and lives, Paul informed us in Romans 1:28 that “God gave
them over.”
Does this phrase mean that God abandoned these people or
pushed them away, as some suggest? Scripture reveals that God
holds out hope for everyone and is not in the habit of giving up on or
abandoning anyone. So what does this phrase mean? The Greek
words used in Romans 1:28 would be better translated, “God
released them.” God did not give them up or abandon them; He
simply released them to follow their wayward inclinations because
that is what they wanted to do.
God’s Spirit will plead with people not to abandon truth and go
another direction. But if society chooses to do so, He will release
them to follow their inclinations. That is precisely what the words of
Paul mean in Romans 1:28.

God’s Spirit will plead with people not to abandon truth

and go another direction. But if society chooses to do so,
He will release them to follow their inclinations.

In verse 28, Paul described a God-rejecting society that

ultimately develops a “reprobate mind.” A common concept that
comes to mind when we hear the word “reprobate” is of a person
who is sick, disgusting, twisted, or perverted in some way. But in this
verse, Paul used this word to describe an entire society that has
deteriorated into this condition called reprobate. In Romans 1:28, he
wrote, “…Even as they [society] did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…”
I want to make it very clear from this verse what God did not do.
This verse does not say God gave them a reprobate mind; it says He
“gave them over” to a reprobate mind. The difference is very
significant. The words “gave them over” is translated from the Greek
word paradidomi, which means to hand over — or, in this case, to
release or to transfer.
This means God will not hold society hostage against its will.
Instead, He honors people’s choices and releases them to follow the
path of their choosing — even if they choose to follow their wayward
instincts that He knows could have seriously damaging effects.
When people do not want to retain God in their knowledge, He
simply releases them to do as they wish. And as they walk away
from God’s spiritual laws and His well-established biblical principles,
they put themselves in a position to become “reprobate.”

A REPROBATE MINDSET IN THE MAKING

The word “reprobate” is translated from the Greek word
adokimos. The word dokimos means approved, fit, reliable, and
trustworthy. However, when an a is attached to the front of this word,
making it adokimos, it reverses the meaning and instead depicts one
who is disapproved, unfit, unreliable, and untrustworthy.
This depicts a society that has been exposed to a negative
spiritual influence for so long — and in such heavy doses — that it
has become compromised, impaired, ruined, and no longer
trustworthy. This is the meaning of the word reprobate as used in the
New Testament. And in Romans 1:28, it specifically depicts the
collective mind of a society — or even the mind of an individual —
that has become so tarnished, tainted, hardened, and both spiritually
and mentally compromised that it loses its ability to arrive at
sensible, godly conclusions.
Although God gives people marvelous minds worthy of great
esteem, the word translated “reprobate” speaks of minds that have
been damaged by continuous exposure to evil influences and by
repeated bombardment with wrong ways of thinking. Consider the
sobering implications revealed in Romans 1:28. A person’s mind,
created by God to gloriously function, can become unfit if it is
regularly exposed to toxic environments and collective mindsets that
deviate from and defy the truth of God’s Word. That person can
ultimately lose his or her ability to discern what is morally right and
wrong.
That person’s mind may remain brilliant in many respects, and
the person who possesses that mind may be an exceptionally
talented individual. Nonetheless, if that person’s mind has become
reprobate, it is now morally debased and twisted in its thinking. In
God’s view, such a person — or even an entire society — has lost
the ability to think correctly and has become unfit to separate good
from evil or to judge what is right and wrong.
This is why it is so important to guard what you expose your mind
to. You also have a responsibility to teach your children and
grandchildren how to guard their minds against immoral or negative
influences. Help them understand the downward spiral that results
from this type of destructive exposure — how it will dull their
conscience and exact an increasingly damaging toll on their minds
— minds that God intended from the start to work brilliantly and at
full capacity.
This downward spiral that eventually positions a society to
collectively embrace a reprobate mind is sadly the current state of
affairs we find ourselves in today as we approach the close of this
age. People’s minds are being inundated with false information and
a celebration of various forms of immorality, including a plethora of
false propaganda about human sexuality.
This is a last-days attack of seducing spirits bent on modifying
the collective mind of society and creating a way of thinking that is
free of moral restraint. It’s a demonic strategy that is both intentional
and proactive, spreading its tentacles into every sector of society.
Even people who grew up in church are being deceived to adopt
mindsets that contradict God’s truth and change how they view
issues that should be set in stone in their lives.
Largely unaware of the danger, the people of this age ingest an
unrelenting mental bombardment from every aspect of society of
wrong people, wrong sources, wrong information, and wrong spiritual
influences. It’s all part of the satanic war being waged against the
human race (including believers) to adversely affect people’s thought
processes, to undermine their core belief system, and to damage
and disfigure their minds until they can no longer see what is wrong
about wrong. Ultimately, this process results in people choosing
sides that are opposed to those who adhere to long-held biblical
truths.
As a result of the collective mind of society being modified — that
is, seriously distorted and sin-damaged — that society will eventually
end up “…do[ing] those things which are not convenient” (Romans
1:28). The words “not convenient” simply mean people will do things
that are not morally right or fitting.
This is the satanic strategy that is actively operating in these end
times. As God’s people, we must be alert to the fact that Satan is
loosing hordes of seducing spirits with doctrines of demons in these
last days to lead an entire generation into delusion. Satan has
launched a covert operation to seize minds — especially young
minds — to lead them off track.
 The enemy is using the voices of influential people in
entertainment and the media to beguile and seduce. These pawns in
Satan’s evil game are those who already have been beguiled and
seduced to believe a lie — and the lie they have swallowed
themselves is propagated with ease to an unwitting audience being
groomed to believe the lie.

God’s people, we must be alert to the fact that Satan is

loosing hordes of seducing spirits with doctrines of
demons in these last days to lead an entire generation
into delusion.

The devil’s goal is to victimize a last-days generation and lead

them into ways of thinking and behaviors that damage their minds
and steal, kill, and destroy on as many levels as possible. (Note: I
also write about this study of Romans chapter 1 in my book, How To
Keep Your Head on Straight in a World Gone Crazy, which I
encourage you to read as an aid and a powerful companion to this
book you hold in your hands.)

THE PROGRESSION FROM UNTHANKFUL TO UNHOLY

Romans 1:21 says all this began when mankind ceased to
recognize God and glorify Him as God. That is precisely what we
see in Second Timothy 3:2. Never forget that unthankfulness always
leads to unholiness and to thinking and actions that are ill-mannered,
impure, unclean, lewd, indecent, crude, coarse, vulgar, offensive,
and rude.
In other words, the people who choose to forsake their
knowledge of God and to be unthankful eventually become calloused
and lose a sense of consciousness about their wrong attitudes and
actions — to the extent that they begin to actively engage in them
with pleasure. And to think, it all started with an attitude of
unthankfulness!
 Don’t fall into this end-time mindset of unthankfulness. It is a trap
the devil wants you to fall into because he knows where it will lead
you — it will darken your mind and, ultimately, your life. You must
resist it and determine to continually maintain an attitude of
thankfulness, regardless of the circumstances surrounding you at the
moment.
Whether our circumstances are good or not so good, the
goodness and the character of God change not (see Malachi 3:6)!
Therefore, it is always a good time to thank and praise Him for who
He is — and it’s never time to draw back and refrain from thanking
and praising Him (see Hebrews 13:15)!

Don’t fall into this end-time mindset of unthankfulness. It

is a trap the devil wants you to fall into because he knows
where it will lead you — it will darken your mind and,
ultimately, your life.

When people possess thankfulness and a reverence for God —

when they recognize that He is the Source of their blessings — it
causes them to live more uprightly and soberly. On the other hand,
history shows that unthankful people are generally not God-fearing
people.
When people lose their thankfulness and fear of God, they end
up drifting far from their spiritual origins. A hatred of sin is lost, along
with a dread of judgment. In fact, “judgment” — although there is
such a thing as true, biblical judgment — becomes an unpopular,
unwelcome subject. These people either want to hear that God is
okay with everything they do, or they simply stop caring what He
thinks about it.
When people lose their fear of God, they begin to tolerate what
was once intolerable and ultimately do what they once condemned
as wrong and displeasing to Him. It’s simply a fact that when a
person ceases to be thankful and loses his or her reverence for God,
a process begins in which that person spiritually regresses and
eventually become unholy.

When people lose their fear of God, they begin to tolerate

what was once intolerable and ultimately do what they
once condemned as wrong and displeasing to Him.

Hence, the word “unholy” depicts a person or nation that has

gone through a degenerative transformation. In some way, over a
period of time, the people have slowly become irreverent and
disrespectful and have lost their fear of God. Those who are in this
dire spiritual condition venture into thoughts and activities that are
unholy, with no fear of consequence or repercussion.

WHAT WE BELIEVE AFFECTS OUR ACTIONS

A person’s actions are deeply affected by what he believes. For
example, if a person believes that he will give account to God for his
life, that belief will affect the way he lives his life. He or she will live
with eternity in view and with accountability in mind.
Conversely, if a person doesn’t believe he will give account to
God for his life, this belief will also affect his conduct. In essence,
that person’s mindset reduces him to living for temporal things —
often on the level of a mere animal — and to doing things that are
contrary to the Word of God with no concern for eternal
consequences.
But, friend, judgment is a reality that every one of us will face.
Believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, and
unbelievers will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment (see
Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15). One of the
basic doctrines of the Church is eternal judgment (see Hebrews 6:2).
Knowing these truths — and staying ever aware of them — will
greatly impact the way we live! Ignoring these truths will throw open
the door for us to live in an unholy manner with no thought of
accountability or of ever answering for our deeds.
It is so important that we understand that some form of judgment
— a future accounting for our choices in this life — is a reality each
one of us faces.
Living life without consequences, both temporal and eternal, is a
hallucination. In understanding what lies ahead, we can seek God
today, draw near to Him in love, and make choices for our lives
accordingly.

It is so important that we understand that some form of

judgment — a future accounting for our choices in this
life — is a reality each one of us faces.

Let’s take this one step further.

Many Christians believe that God loves them so much that He
will ignore their sinful choices and never hold them accountable for
their wrong actions or behavior. After all, they conclude, that would
be far too unpleasant of an outcome to square with a loving God.
Certainly, God does love us — so much so that He gave His only
Son for our salvation (see John 3:16). But the thought that in His
love, He won’t hold us accountable is an irresponsible view that
produces irresponsible living.
Yes, God loves us. But that does not mean He condones the sin
for which Christ died! If He did, Jesus’ death would have been in
vain.

Yes, God loves us.

But that does not mean
He condones the sin for which Christ died!
 If He did, Jesus’ death would have been in vain.

But I can assure you that Jesus’ sacrificial death in our stead was
not in vain! Without His death, we would be doomed to an eternal
hell. His condemnation, death, and resurrection secured our release
from the power of sin and gave us the ability to be made new by His
Spirit so that we could stand, having been made righteous, before a
holy God.
A casual approach to God is usually an irreverent approach that
doesn’t include the thought of accountability or of eternity. This
explains why some Christians do things that are unacceptable to
God without any sense of shame or conviction. They don’t believe
God will ever hold them accountable for their actions. Therefore,
they do whatever they wish, believing that God will simply overlook
it.

SOCIETY’S SLIPPERY SLOPE

This principle doesn’t apply only to individuals; it also applies to
society. For example, if society loses a fear of God and develops a
casual attitude toward God and His holy instructions, it will be just a
matter of time before it will begin to conduct itself in ways that violate
God’s moral code. And people will do it blatantly — with no fear of
accountability for their actions. This total disregard for God’s holiness
can cause a person, a generation, or a nation to become impure, ill-
mannered, unclean, lewd, indecent, crude, coarse, vulgar, offensive,
and rude.
All of these ideas are included in the Greek word translated
“unholy” in Second Timothy 3:2 that lists characteristics of the last-
days age. This word suggests that those who practice these things
have undergone an ungodly transformation. They have become
something vastly different than what they were in the past.
Indeed, when God is put to the side in society, it will begin a
slippery, downward slide into unholiness.
 Think of the unholy transformation that has taken place in your
lifetime — just in the media, for example. Blinded by Satan, a lost
world is oblivious to the deception that is taking it lower and lower
into depravity and judgment over the airwaves and Internet as well
as in every facet of society.
Let me give you examples of what spiritual drifting in society can
do. These points are presented here simply to demonstrate what
happens when society becomes self-focused, unthankful, and unholy
and ceases to be God-focused.
When you were growing up, could you have ever imagined that:

• Society would go from praying at the beginning of our day

in school to outlawing references to God in school?
• Public recognition of God in educational institutions could
result in legal action?
• Significant scriptures would be labeled as hate language
and in some nations a Christian could be prosecuted for
reading those scriptures — especially Romans 1 —
publicly?
• Private business owners who use their own hard-earned
profits to support Christian-based organizations would
suffer blasphemous attacks and boycotts against their
businesses?
• Small-business owners who refuse to do business with
groups whose stated agendas violate their moral
consciences and biblical convictions would be sued,
threatened with violence and death, and put out of
business — just because they believe the Bible?
• Religious freedom could come to mean freedom from
religion or a God-free society?

These things were fantastical thinking a mere generation ago, but

the Holy Spirit alerted us that a godless, immoral society would
emerge at the end of the age. Did He tell us so we would hide from
it? No, He told us these things in advance so we would be proactive
in building our lives on the unshakeable foundation of the Word of
God to avoid the sinking sand of selfishness that will rule society in
the last days.
By giving heed to the Holy Spirit’s warnings, we can build our
lives to stand on solid ground. We’ll escape the ground that is
shifting beneath the feet of society today and empower our lives to
be solid, stable, healthy, productive, and happy.

He told us these things in advance so we would be

proactive in building our lives on the unshakeable
foundation of the Word of God to avoid the sinking sand
of selfishness that will rule society in the last days.

The RIV of Second Timothy 3:2 in entirety thus

reads as follows:
Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more. These boasters are so committed to their
own agenda that they are willing to exaggerate,
overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a
story, and even lie if it will get them the position,
advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant,
haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They
disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone who
stands in the way of their ideology and freely use foul
language. In this climate, parents will no longer be
able to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority
over their own children. And although people were
once thankful and appreciative, they will generally
become void of gratitude and will be unappreciative
of everything. Impurity will seep into society and
cause it to become impure, ill-mannered, unclean,
 indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and
rude.

The Holy Spirit foretold all of this to alert us to what would

happen and to awaken and prepare us to live victoriously, even in
the last days. And what the Holy Spirit prophesied nearly 2,000
years ago in Second Timothy 3:2 is coming to pass before our eyes,
exactly as He foretold.

3 Robert Porter, “The Psychology Behind Sense of Entitlement,” March 11, 2020,
betterhelp.com, https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/personality-disorders/the-
psychology-behind-sense-of-entitlement/.
4 Ibid.
5 Sandy Hotchkiss, LCSW, Why Is It Always About You?: The Seven Deadly Sins
of Narcissism (New York: FreePress, 2002), pp. 4-6.
6 Ibid. pp. 7-9.

7 Ibid., p. 11.
8 Ibid., p. 15.
9 Ibid., p. 20.
10 Ibid., p. 25.
11 Ibid., pp. 27-28.
12 Tim Worstall, “Astonishing Numbers: America’s Poor Still Live Better Than Most
of the Rest of Humanity,” June 1, 2013, forbes.com,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/06/01/astonishing-numbers-
americas-poor-still-live-betterthan-most-of-the-rest-of-humanity/#4a1af2854ef0.
 CHAPTER 5

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO AVOID UNTHANKFULNESS AND UNHOLINESS

I
t’s important to ask the following reflective questions to determine
your own level of thankfulness. You must protect your heart at all
costs from the godless attitude of entitlement that is making its way
into the lives of so many people today.
I encourage you to take your time as you ask yourself these
questions. Don’t rush through them. As you read them, let them sink
in deeply so the Holy Spirit can help you evaluate your spiritual
condition and see what adjustments you need to make to stay free
from the spirit of the world that is working with such virulence in
society today.

1. Do you feel treated unfairly because you are not able to

quickly achieve the lifestyle it took your parents’ generation
30 or more years to achieve?
As I described in this chapter, an ungodly sense of entitlement
veers from God’s original design of effort — work — and reward.
This mentality has an undermining effect on a person’s soul and can
skew the way he sees life, himself, others, and even God.
So it’s important to ask yourself:

• Have I allowed myself to be affected by the spirit of the

age that says I inherently have a “right” to things that
 others had to work hard to get?

The Bible teaches that even God rewards every man “according
to his works” (see Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; Revelation 22:12).
Although every born-again person will go to Heaven, everyone who
goes to Heaven will not automatically receive equal rewards. The
Bible teaches that some will receive greater reward and others
lesser — all to be based on obedience to God’s will during their
earthly life.
If God Himself rewards us according to obedience and
performance, then shouldn’t it be safe to assume that what we earn
and obtain in life should also not automatically come to us because
we are “entitled” to it? The only thing we are entitled to is to live, to
do something with our lives, and to lay hold of promises that are ours
in Jesus Christ. Yet even our life’s breath and our strength and ability
to apprehend and fulfill God’s will is a gift from our Creator. The truth
is, everything is a blessing from Heaven for which we should be
grateful, thankful, and appreciative.
So be honest as you ask yourself:

• Do I exhibit gratitude for what God and others have done

for me?
• What about my children and/or grandchildren? Do they
have a feeling of entitlement, or do they understand that
they need to work hard to be rewarded and to be thankful
for what they have received in life?

These are important questions because we are living in a last-

days age when society will trend toward a mindset of entitlement and
unthankfulness. It is therefore important to probe your own heart to
make sure an attitude of entitlement and unthankfulness has no
place in you or in the lives of your family members. If you’ll ask the
Holy Spirit to help you be honest with yourself, He will graciously
enable you to see if you need to make any adjustment in this area of
your life.
And, really, even if we’ve determined before God that this is not a
problem for us personally today, it is something that can creep in on
any one of us at any time as the sway of the world grows stronger
and stronger. We have to stay with the Word and in fellowship with
Him to guard our hearts at all times and to stay on top of this
spiritually so that this dark attitude doesn’t subtly creep into our lives.

2. Do you require others to give you unending positive

reinforcement and reaffirmation of your self-worth?
There is nothing wrong with needing encouragement from time to
time. We all need it. I need it at times, and when I need it, I usually
tell someone close to me that I need encouragement. But other
people need positive reinforcement and encouragement as well.
Take stock of your life and ask yourself:

• Do I expect others to pour encouragement into me all the

time as if no one else needs it but me?

If your answer is yes, it’s time for you to start getting your eyes off
yourself. You are too self-focused.
Philippians 2:4 says, “Look not every man on his own things, but
every man also on the things of others.” The word “look” in Greek is
the word skopeo, the verb form of the word skopos, which pictures
an intense look or a scrutinizing look. It is where we get the word
“telescope.” A telescope enables a person to zero in and focus on an
object that is distant. It is also where we get the word “microscope.”
A microscope enables a person to take an intense and penetrating
look at something that is very small and up close. But in Philippians
2:4, Paul uses the word skopos to mean we should not have a self-
scope. In other words, we should not be constantly zeroing in on
ourselves, so self-focused that we cannot see the needs of others
around us.
Because we are living in the last days when society will be self-
focused and self-absorbed, it’s important to carefully evaluate your
life to make sure you are not demanding that others provide nonstop
positive reinforcement for you as if there is no one else who needed
it. And if you find that you come up short in the evaluation, be
assured that the antidote for such a problem is quite straightforward
and simple: You simply need to get your eyes off yourself and begin
to look around you for others who need encouragement and
reinforcement as much as you do.
If you’ll learn to think of others, it will free you from a great deal of
inner struggles — and it will bring you joy to know you’ve made a
difference in someone else’s life. If you’ll ask the Holy Spirit to help
you change in this area — to become a giver and not just a taker in
the area of positive reinforcement, encouragement, and affirmation
of worth — He will enable you to become an amazing encourager for
others who really need it.

3. Do you feel that you have an inherent “right” to question and

challenge authoritarian figures and institutions and the
ethics of people who run them — especially if you feel you
have not received benefits you believe you are entitled to
receive?
Because we are living at the end of the age, we are witnessing a
time when disregard for authority is pandemic across society. The
Bible clearly teaches that as the prophetic clock ticks toward the final
countdown, widespread disrespect for authority will grow to become
even more out of control and serve as a sign that we are reaching
the cusp of this end-time age. As Christians, we must be awakened
to what God says about authority so we do not fall prey to the spirit
of the age. Just because the world wanders astray does not mean
we should wander with it.
Many years ago, I wondered what Peter and Jude were referring
to when they wrote that people at the end of the age would engage
in speaking “evil” against authorities (see 2 Peter 2:11,12; Jude
1:9,10). The word “evil” is a translation of the Greek word
blasphemeo, which signifies derogatory behavior that involves nasty,
shameful, or disrespectful speech.
In these verses, Peter and Jude stated that even angels do not
dare to speak disrespectfully to established authorities — yet at the
end of the age, people will dare to do what even angels will not do.
In other words, a full venting of disrespect will be unleashed in
society as people engage in railing against all forms of established
authority.
We are living in an hour when this is taking place. None of this is
news to those of us who have been keeping up with the constant
stream of ugly political discourse that populates our TV screens,
computers, or mobile devices. People are railing against every
imaginable position of authority, using every possible means of
communication to bring a public platform to their fleshly rant. It’s a
clear example of the enemy’s end-time strategy revealed.
However, it remains as true as ever that everyone who wants to
do well in life must learn to cooperate with and respect those who
have been invested with authority and learn to get along with others
in life. In the majority of environments we live and work in — whether
church, school, workplace, family, etc. — there is usually one who is
the final authority, although there may be several others in a given
area of life who are also in positions of authority over us (e.g.,
father/mother, senior pastor/pastoral team, employer/management
team, principal/teachers, etc.). Regardless, we all must learn to work
in harmony with whomever is over us in life.
Understanding biblical submission to authority and getting along
with all forms of authority are essential if you want to do well at
whatever station you are at in life. Those who refuse to cooperate
with the authority figures they are subject to will never advance well
in life unless they choose to change. If they decide to stay discordant
and continue to refuse to submit to authority, it is likely they will be
uninvited from participating in the future.
With this in mind, I urge you to do a self-evaluation of your
attitude — and your mouth. Ask yourself:

• Am I perceived as respectful or disrespectful by what

others hear coming from my mouth?

Make a decision to make any necessary adjustments in this area

as soon as possible so you can remove yourself from the strong pull
of rebellion toward authority that pervades this last-days society. You
may disagree with an authority figure on some matter, but that does
not give you the right to be disrespectful toward that person in
authority over you — even when you’re not in that person’s
presence. Disrespect is a manifestation of this end-time age. As a
child of God, you surely do not want to fall into the trap of a
wandering world that thinks it has a right to challenge authority
figures in a godless, ugly manner.

4. Do you express thankfulness for what you have and for what
others have done along the way to help you in life?
Here’s an important question to ask yourself:

• How long has it been since I stopped to thank God for

what He has done for me or for the people who have been
a blessing to me in life?

In the last days when people will tend to be ungrateful,

unthankful, and unappreciative, we must be intentional about being
thankful.
In Ephesian 1:16, Paul wrote about people he was thankful for in
his life. He said that he made it a point to always “give thanks” for
them. The words “give thanks” comes from the Greek word
eucharisteo, a compound of the words eu and charis. The word eu
means good or well. It denotes a general good disposition or an
overwhelmingly good feeling about something. The word charis is
the Greek word for grace or freely granted favor.
When these two words are compounded into one, they form the
word eucharisteo. This compound word describes an outpouring of
grace and of wonderful feelings that freely flow from the heart in
response to someone or something. This Greek word eucharisteo is
the word Paul used in nearly all his epistles when he “gave thanks”
for people.
In Colossians 1:3, Paul used the same Greek word when he
wrote, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, praying always for you.” In First Thessalonians 1:2, he again
used the same Greek word when he prayed similarly for the
Thessalonian believers: “We give thanks to God always for you all,
making mention of you in our prayers.” In Second Thessalonians 1:3,
he used this word again when he wrote, “We are bound to thank God
always for you…”
The fact that Paul used the word eucharisteo when he prayed for
people tells us that we must be thankful for the people God has put
in our lives. Whenever we think of our closest circle of friends, a
deep sense of gratefulness, thankfulness, and appreciation should
well up within us!
So here’s another important question to ask yourself:

• When I pray, do I focus only on the “problem people” who

bother me and steal my peace? Or do I always make
certain to take the time to thank God for the faithful ones?

The fact is, there are a lot of people who have been good to you
along the way in life and you need to be intentional about being
thankful for them.
Why not take a little time today to write down a list of all the
people God has specially used to help you in life? Then stop to tell
the Lord how grateful you are that He sent each one of them into
your life. Stop for a moment and reflect on all God has done in your
life through those who are closest to you. When you realize how kind
people have been to you, it will help you to joyfully and unreservedly
thank God for kindly placing helpful people in your life at key
moments.

5. Do you have a serious attitude about sin and its

consequences, or have you become too casual about
godless behaviors that are not sanctioned by God?
The Holy Spirit prophesied that societal behaviors in the last days
would become ill-mannered, impure, unclean, lewd, indecent, crude,
coarse, vulgar, offensive, and rude. He also informed the Church
ahead of time that people would develop a casual attitude toward
words, actions, and behaviors that are unholy, unsacred, impure,
and unsanctioned by God. Discarding the fear of God, society would
throw off moral restraint and participate in things that are condemned
in the sight of God.
Because we are living in the last days and are watching society
become more and more tainted with these unholy traits, we need to
make sure that we do not become casual about sin along with the
rest of the world. A casual approach to sin is the reason some
Christians do things that are unacceptable to God without any sense
of shame or conviction. When a person loses the fear of God and
develops a casual attitude toward sin, it’s just a matter of time before
that person begins to conduct himself or herself in ways that violate
God’s moral code.
Since the Holy Spirit prophesied that people would begin a
slippery, downward slide into unholiness, it is wise for you to
examine yourself with this question:

• Have I become casual about any issues that God is NOT

casual about?

You do not need to be self-condemning, but a self-examination of

this type may awaken you to areas where you have slipped in your
convictions.
Let the Holy Spirit help you evaluate yourself. If you find nothing
has slipped, then rejoice — but if you discover you have become a
little casual about things God is not casual about, let the Holy Spirit
put you back on course through His Word and prayer.

6. Do you ever seriously contemplate that eternity is in front of

you and that you will give an account to God for your
activities in life?
Because we are living in a last-days age when people will be self-
focused and consumed with self-gratification, they often forget that
eternity lies before them. In Second Corinthians 5:10, Paul reminded
us, “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that
he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” It is always good for us to
remember that eternity is in our future.
 The word “appear” in Second Corinthians 5:10 is a translation of
the Greek word phaneros. In this verse, it is a verb that means to be
apparent, revealed, visible, or manifest. That means when you stand
before the Judgment Seat of Christ, what you have done in your life
will be clearly revealed. Also in this verse is the phrase “everyone” —
the Greek word hekastos, meaning all-inclusive; no one excluded. It
means every believer — which means that you will stand before
Jesus to have your works evaluated.
In Matthew 25:19, Jesus taught that a day is coming in all of our
futures when the books will be opened and He will “reckon” with us
regarding how we lived our lives. The word “reckon” is a
bookkeeping term that means to compare accounts, and it pictures
an accountant who put together a profit-andloss statement and
performed a thorough examination of the books.
That means a day is coming when each of us will give an account
for our lives. We will be evaluated to see what we did with the gifts
and talents God gave us and whether we lived only for momentary
pleasures or for eternal things. The fact that we are standing before
Christ means we are already in Heaven, so an eternity in Heaven is
not in jeopardy. However, rewards will be determined on the basis of
that examination.
So ask yourself this question, and take some time to honestly
assess the answer:

• How often do I think of eternity — or am I primarily “now”

focused?

You must be intentionally cognizant of the reality that eternity is in

front of you. If you do this, it will affect what you think, what you say,
what you do, how you use your time, and how you spend your
money. It will make you want to live your life with a view toward
eternity.

7. Do you think Jesus finds you to be a grateful, thankful,

appreciative person?
Finally, I simply ask you to present yourself with this question:
 • Do I think that Jesus — on the basis of what He hears me
say and pray and the attitude I demonstrate in life —
thinks that I am a grateful, thankful, and appreciative
person?

No one knows you better than Jesus. He watches you, listens to

you, walks with you, and lives in you by His Spirit. As One who never
leaves you nor forsakes you, He is your constant Companion. As
such, no one knows you better than Jesus.
So ask yourself:

• Does Jesus see me demonstrate gratitude?

• Does He see me being thankful for what I have in my life?
• Does He see me showing appreciation to others who have
been a blessing to me?

Jesus already knows the truth. This last action step is not for Him
— it is for you. Be honest with yourself. If you find that you could be
more grateful, thankful, and appreciative, ask the Lord to forgive you.
Then take action to begin developing gratitude, thankfulness, and
appreciativeness in your heart, attitude, words, and actions.
 6

THE BREAKDOWN OF THE

FAMILY, WIDESPREAD
DIVORCE, COVENANT-
BREAKING, AND THE DEVIL IN
THE COURTROOM

e have already covered much of what the Holy Spirit

W forecasted in Second Timothy 3 — but there is more to learn.
In this chapter, we will continue to dig further to see what else
He had to say in Second Timothy 3 to help prepare God’s people in
the last of the last days.
First, however, I want to remind you of what we’ve seen
regarding Second Timothy 3:1 and 2. Let’s take in all we’ve
discussed and then build from there.

From all we’ve learned thus far, the RIV of these

two verses is as follows:
1. You emphatically and categorically need to know
with unquestionable certainty that in the very end of
days — when time has sailed to its last port and no
more time remains for the journey — that last season
will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, menacing times
that will be emotionally difficult for people to bear.
2. Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
 self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more. These boasters are so committed to their
own agenda that they are willing to exaggerate,
overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a
story, and even lie if it will get them the position,
advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant,
haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They
disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone who
stands in the way of their ideology and freely use foul
language. In this climate, parents will no longer be
able to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority
over their own children. And although people were
once thankful and appreciative, they will generally
become void of gratitude and will be unappreciative
of everything. Impurity will seep into society and
cause it to become impure, ill-mannered, unclean,
indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and
rude.

It’s amazing to realize all the profound treasures of meaning that

lay hidden just below the surface of the words in just these two
verses! What a wealth of truth we’ve already gleaned to help arm
and equip us for these last of the last days! But let’s now go on to
Second Timothy 3:3. There is much more to discover about what the
Holy Spirit prophesied in this chapter to help prepare us to live as
this age nears its conclusion.

DISJOINTED FAMILIES AND THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE

HOME
As Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he
prophesied that the majority of people in the last days would become
“without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good.” In this chapter, we will look
at the words without natural affection, trucebreakers, and false
accusers to discover what these words mean, especially for those
who live in the last of the last days.
 The words “without natural affection” are derived from the Greek
word storgos. This word storgos is a Greek word that depicts
devotion and commitment to one’s family. But in this verse, it is
actually the word astorgos. When an a is added to the front of the
word, it has a canceling effect; hence, it pictures a lack of devotion to
family, an absence of commitment to one’s family, the deterioration
of family relationships, the loss of family affection, or the breakdown
of the family. Furthermore, the word astorgos was a word that
especially denoted individuals who had drifted so far apart that they
had at last reached a point of irreconcilable differences between
themselves. As a result, they found it was easier to part than to stay
together.
The words “without natural affection” inform us that the
deterioration of traditional family and the home will become
pandemic as this age races toward its conclusion. The word
astorgos unquestionably portrays disjointed families who have lost
the closeness that was once exemplified in the traditional family. It
no doubt portrays a day when individuals and families will drift far
apart. As a result, differences that develop gradually between them
over a period of time will become so difficult to fix that they will find it
easier to keep drifting — or even to part — than to stay together and
make things work out. That is the word that the Holy Spirit used in
this verse to alert us that families at large in the last days will
become disjointed and lose the closeness that was once a
characteristic of the family unit.
It is a fact that today — all across societal stratum — families are
under attack and are in a state of terrible deterioration. The Holy
Spirit spoke clearly about this so that those who live in the last of the
last days would be aware of this development and would take
precautions to protect their families from this tragedy. We must have
ears to hear what the Spirit is saying and respond with wisdom so
that our families will remain free from this end-time attack.
If we pay heed to what the Holy Spirit says and build our homes
according to God’s Word, we can have strong families even in the
last of the last days. Because we are living in this end-time hour, it is
vital that a hedge is built around our marriages and families. If we
use caution and exercise faith, we can do our part to withstand the
spiritual attacks that are waged in the last days to tear families apart.

If we pay heed to what the Holy Spirit says and build our
homes according to God’s Word, we can have strong
families even in the last of the last days.

We are all well aware that many marriages and families have
already been torn apart. The devil has done his best to create
devastating situations that have broken hearts, shattered children,
and left families decimated financially. I know this well, for when my
wife and I were first married, we led a large single-adult ministry that
had a special emphasis on ministering to those who had suffered
divorce. In those years, I learned about the trauma of divorce.
Almost no one wants to go through divorce. No one gets married
to have a failed marriage with children torn between two separated
parents. To this day, my heart goes out to those who suffer the
trauma of divorce and as a result have become fractured.
Perhaps your family has experienced such a devastating attack.
Or perhaps you are still together as a family, but you have lost the
closeness you once knew as a family. Maybe you are just now
beginning to sense that life is spinning out of control and that a
disruption of some sort is about to encroach upon you and your
family members. Or perhaps you are doing all you know to do, but
your spouse seems to be headed in another direction that is deeply
disturbing to you. It is very difficult when one spouse is committed to
making a marriage work, but the other spouse is not. If that
describes you, God is with you, and He will empower you to make
right choices along the way.
Perhaps your family is strong, but you see your children or
grandchildren suffering in their family life. It is difficult — to say the
least — to watch a child, grandchild, or sibling go through hard times
in their own families. It is especially difficult when you know that you
could help them, but the door is not open for you to speak into their
lives; you must remain silent on the sidelines because your counsel
is not welcomed. In such cases, it is vital that you accept your silent
role as a prayer partner to undergird them before the throne of God.
As you stand in faith for your family members, God will move on their
behalf and will eventually open a door for you to become the help
you desire to be.
As I write on this subject, please know there is not even a hint of
condemnation or judgment for anyone who has already experienced
the deterioration of his or her family. But the Scriptures were written
to warn us in advance of this development that will emerge in society
in the last days so we would respond. Because these are the last
days, it is obligatory that we do all we know to do to build a wall of
protection around our homes and relationships so we don’t succumb
to the family-assaulting spirit of this age.
Today traditional families and homes are threatened by over-busy
schedules, financial pressures, more than one job in a home, as well
as multiple cars, televisions, digital devices, etc. Although some of
these may appear to be blessings, these factors can create an
entirely separate path for each family member if they are not
properly managed.

Because these are the last days, it is obligatory that we

do all we know to do to build a wall of protection around
our homes and relationships so we don’t succumb to the
family-assaulting spirit of this age.

If precaution is not taken, parents end up going in one direction

while children go another direction — and often husbands and wives
each have their own separate directions as well. Because of varying
schedules, family members are rarely at home at the same time or
eating a meal together. And when they are home, they are all looking
at different TVs, computers, or gadgets in different rooms of the
house. The family may technically live under one roof, but they do
not truly share life because they are all going in different directions.
I’m not being negative; I’m being realistic about the challenges
facing families today — challenges that did not exist even one or two
generations ago when people lived simpler lives. Just know that this
assault to pull the family apart is not happening only to you; it is
happening to families everywhere across the globe. Because you
care about the health of your family, it would be wise to evaluate the
state of affairs in your home right now.
For example, be honest with yourself as you ask: If things keep
going the way they are right now, what will be the long-term impact
on my family? Are we going to grow stronger or drift apart?
The statistics in the following paragraphs are changing every
year, so they will probably be out of date even before this book
reaches you. But by looking at these facts, you will see how many
developments in our age have contributed to the breakdown of the
family — including Christian families. Much territory has already
been lost on the home front. For the vast majority, the downward
spiral has been unintentional. Regardless, much has been lost that
can only be regained through repentance, smart decisions, and wise
planning.

It would be wise to be honest with yourself as you ask: If

things keep going the way they are right now, what will be
the long-term impact on my family?
Are we going to grow stronger or drift apart?

The Holy Spirit prophesied the breakdown of the home, and it is

happening right under our noses, just as He prophesied it would in
the last days. But we can prevent that trend in our own homes and
even recapture and restore what has already been lost.
Any parent or family has an opportunity to change a downward
trajectory in their home life. They need only be willing to conduct an
honest evaluation, allowing the Holy Spirit to be their Guide to help
them arrive at truth and be willing to do whatever is necessary to
make their families strong again. As they take steps along this path,
they may see much repaired that has already been damaged and, in
many cases, they may see their families become whole again.
The following are some facts, along with probing questions —
uncomfortable questions — to help you make a truthful analysis
about your own home life and what action steps you may need to
take to recapture what has been lost and to make your family
stronger than it has ever been. If your marriage and family have
already been negatively affected, the Holy Spirit will also show you
what action steps to take personally so you can become strong and
healthy in your soul again. Only you know the answers to these
questions. I do not even suggest that I might be able to provide
counsel on what your family should do. However, these are healthy
questions to ask yourself.
The information that follows is based on 2019 U.S. statistics;
however, these are similar to statistics found in the majority of
Western nations. So here we go…

Television
Statistics show that in the United States, there are nearly three
televisions per household. Many families today have a television in
the family room, kitchen, bedroom, and often even in the kids’
rooms. The day of the family sitting together to watch a TV program
is almost gone. Instead, people gravitate to various television sets in
different rooms of the house to watch what they wish, irrespective of
the activities of the other family members.
Although you need not be against television in itself or against
being financially blessed sufficiently to own several TV sets, you
should ask yourself: Do the multiple television sets in our home
contribute to my family’s spending time together, or do they
contribute to pulling my family apart?

Computers
 More than one-third of American households have three or more
computers in their homes. Do each of your children need one, or can
you share among yourselves?
Although you certainly do not need to be against computers or
against being financially blessed to own several of them, you should
ask yourself: Are all those computers contributing to my family’s
spending time together, or do they contribute to pulling my family
apart?

Digital Gadgets
Statistics show that the majority of Americans spend up to 12
hours a day in front of some type of screen and that the average
person consumes five times more information every day than he or
she did 50 years ago. How many members of your family have
digital gadgets that distract them from interaction with each other?
Although you need not be against digital gadgets or being
financially blessed to own several of them, you should ask yourself:
Are all those digital gadgets contributing to my family’s spending
time together, or do they contribute to pulling my family apart?

Multiple Cars
More than 35 percent of American households have three or
more automobiles. The fact is that life has become so scheduled and
busy that it is challenging to live without multiple cars in one family.
The father goes one direction; the mother goes another direction;
and as kids reach the legal age to drive, they want their own vehicle
so they can be free from depending on their dad and mom to take
them everywhere they need or want to go.
Although you certainly need not be against cars or being
financially blessed to own several of them, you should ask yourself:
Are those multiple cars contributing to my family’s spending time
together, or do they contribute to pulling my family apart?

Mobile phones
Statistics show that more than one-third of Americans have three
or more smart phones in their homes. This inevitably leads to family
members being consumed with calls, texts, or social media. Family
members often don’t even talk to each other when they sit down for
a meal because they are too busy reading, sending texts, or surfing
the Internet.
How many mobile phones are there in your family? Although you
need not be against mobile phones or being financially blessed to
own several of them, you should ask yourself: Are mobile phones
contributing to my family’s spending time together, or do they
contribute to pulling my family apart?

Internet
Statistics show that 90 percent of Americans regularly access the
Internet. Nine out of every ten homes have access to the Internet.
Further studies show that the average usage of the Internet is nearly
seven hours per day per person of those who have access to it in
their homes. This includes accessing the Internet on smart phones
and every type of digital gadget. Life has become so intertwined with
the Internet that we cannot easily live without it today.
How many hours does your own family spend on the Internet?
Although you need not be against the Internet, you should ask
yourself: Are the hours my family members spend on the Internet
contributing to our spending time together, or do they contribute to
pulling my family apart?

Social Media
How many people and families are addicted to social media? The
latest statistics show the average social-media user spends two and
a half hours a day on various social-media platforms. What effect do
you think this has on family relationships and real-life friendships?
What would be the response of your family members if you
required a forced fast from social media for a month? Why don’t you
try it and see what happens in your family during the time you shut it
down? Although you need not be against social media, you should
ask yourself: Are the hours my family spends on social media
contributing to our spending time together, or do they contribute to
pulling my family apart?
Extracurricular Activities
Statistics reveal that six out of ten children among average
American households are involved in hours of extracurricular
activities. These could include an endless list of school activities,
sports, music, art, and so on. Although these activities are deemed
important, what is required to get the kids to these activities often
puts both financial stress and scheduling challenges on the family. It
often leads to a disconnect between spouses because they don’t see
each other as a result of the time spent driving kids back and forth to
events. Often these activities pull the family apart and frequently add
nothing to their adult lives later on.
Although you need not be against extracurricular activities, you
need to ask yourself: Are the hours my family spends on
extracurricular activities contributing to our spending time together,
or are they a distraction that contributes to pulling my family apart?
Sociologists have determined that all of these things I just listed
are among the factors that have contributed to:

• Deteriorating marriages and spouses drifting apart as a

result of lifestyles that are so fast-paced that husbands
and wives don’t regularly take time to interact in a
meaningful way.
• Children who feel neglected or unwanted.
• Disorders in children who are rushed from one place to the
next or who spend too much time watching television,
computers, or digital devices rather than relating with
parents and siblings.

Chemical Addiction
I must also mention the devastating role that addiction to
prescribed medication and chemical addictions are producing in the
family today. This has truly become a pandemic situation that is out
of control. More than 50 percent of the American population annually
misuses prescription drugs. Rising abuse of prescription opioids,
which has led to heroin use, has fueled a record number of drug-
related deaths.
 This epidemic has forced the Center for Disease Control to issue
a mandate that calls on physicians to look for other ways to alleviate
pain before prescribing opioids and to limit the duration of the first
prescription.13 The consequences of this abuse have been steadily
worsening and is reflected in increased treatment admissions,
emergency-room visits, and overdose deaths.
Just ask any professional family counselor or experienced
schoolteacher about the state of families and children, and the
majority of them will tell you that the family today is under attack and
in serious trouble. All the sociological studies and statistics
irrefutably show that there is a downward trend for the traditional
family and home over the past decades that is deeply disturbing.
But, thank God, there are those who are willing to wake up to this
last-days development! Faithful believers who submit to the authority
of the Scriptures and are willing to do whatever is necessary to build
a hedge of protection around their homes do not have to fall victim to
this destructive end-time attack on families. And if the enemy has
already gained ground in their families, they can stand on God’s
Word and use their authority in the name of Jesus to take back that
territory and recapture whatever has been lost! We’ll look at
addictive behaviors in greater depth in the following chapter.

Faithful believers who submit to the authority of the

Scriptures and are willing to do whatever is necessary to
build a hedge of protection around their homes do not
have to fall victim to this destructive end-time attack on
families.

MAKING THE DECISION TO REDEEM TIME

I want to encourage you that if you haven’t taken the time with
your family to build strength in each member individually and in the
family as a whole — and if your family has suffered as a
consequence — you can begin now to ask God to help you “redeem
the time” (see Ephesians 5:16). He will show you how to make the
necessary time to strengthen your family. And as you follow His
leading, He will increase the positive impact of that time and fortify
you and your loved ones to become a solid, robust family in Christ,
devoted fully to Him.
Instead of living in regret about what you could have done better
in the past, you can lay hold of this moment to make wise decisions
about your present and future. If you simply live in a state of regret,
that negative emotion will only make things even worse, dragging
you down into a state of discouragement and self-condemnation. It’s
so much better to just lift your hands and rejoice that you still have
an opportunity to redeem the time that has been lost! Don’t let the
devil lie to you and tell you that it’s too late. It’s not too late.
Ephesians 5:16 commands us to get busy “redeeming the time.”
Time can be either lost or wasted, depending on what we did with it.
But if we have wasted or lost time or precious opportunities in our
past, the end is not over! Ephesians 5:16 clearly says we can
“redeem” time.
The word “redeem” in that verse is a translation of the Greek
word exagoradzo. The word agoradzo is the Greek word for a
marketplace that is cluttered with products and with a vast array of
opportunities to spend far more time and money while shopping
there than one ought to spend.
It was the same in the markets of ancient times as it is today. If a
person wasn’t careful, he could become lost roaming through the
shops, wasting precious time. But that word ex means out. It’s where
we get the word exit. When ex is added to the word agoradzo to form
exagoradzo, it paints the picture of finding what you need,
purchasing it, and getting out of the marketplace quickly. In other
words, do what you need to do and then make an exit!
But Ephesians 5:16 says we are to redeem the “time.” That word
“time” is a translation of the Greek word kairos. In this context, it
refers to the brevity of time we have available and our need to be
time-conscious in the way we conduct our lives. It depicts someone
who is learning to make full use of time because he is conscious that
his time is limited and he must use it wisely. Paul was saying that by
implementing diligence and commitment, we can redeem time — or
buy back time — that we have frivolously lost along the way.
The good news is this: If our lives have become cluttered and
we’ve lost precious opportunities in any area — including time lost
with our families — we can still reverse this condition. Through our
recommitment to ourselves and to the Lord, we can buy back time
that has been lost, wasted, or forfeited. And with the Holy Spirit’s
supernatural help, we can accomplish in a short time what we
thought was forever lost. We can redeem that time and get back on
course!
I want to encourage you — if your children are grown and you
find yourself regretting your past attitudes and actions toward your
family, God is still in the business of redeeming the time. If you’ll
seek His face and, if needed, seek counsel to help you get things
back on track, God will honor your humility and your prayers. You
can see God’s power work to restore what has come under attack in
your marriage and in the lives of your children.

Through our recommitment to ourselves and to the Lord,

we can buy back time that has been lost, wasted, or
forfeited. And with the Holy Spirit’s supernatural help, we
can accomplish in a short time what we thought was
forever lost.

I encourage you never to take the attitude that it’s too late for
your family or your loved ones. You can’t change history or go back
and relive seasons that are long past. But you can pray for God’s will
to be fulfilled in the season you’re in now — and you can expect that
He will work to restore hearts and lives according to His design and
plan.
It is so important in these last days — regardless of the mistakes
of our past or even our victories — that we commit ourselves as
never before to obey God and what He has revealed in His Word,
walking in every bit of light we receive as we seek Him. If we fail to
honor and uphold the sacrificial work of Christ and His infallible
Word, we risk falling in with the tide of the world and experiencing
firsthand the fierce harshness that surrounds us in modern society.
But if we stick with the immutable Word of God and let it be a lamp to
our feet and a light to our path (see Psalm 119:105), it will lead us
back onto the path of stability in every area of our lives — including
our families!
If you have already suffered loss in your personal family, don’t
forget that there is still great opportunity for a divine turnaround! Our
God is a Redeemer! He has the amazing ability to redeem what has
been lost and to restore both time and opportunities that were lost
along the way. And if you believe that you need someone to help you
work through shattered emotions or brokenness, don’t be afraid to
find someone who is qualified to help you. God may heal your heart
through a qualified person’s godly counsel. There are gifted
individuals He has prepared to help you make it through this
personal trauma and get back on the path to wholeness.

It is so important in these last days — regardless of the

mistakes of our past or even our victories — that we
commit ourselves as never before to obey God and what
He has revealed in His Word, walking in every bit of light
we receive as we seek Him.

I want to make sure you clearly understand that the phrase

“without natural affection” (astorgos) pictures a lack of devotion to
family, an absence of commitment to one’s family, the deterioration
of family relationships, the loss of family affection, or the breakdown
of the family.
By using the Greek word astorgos, the Holy Spirit is incontestably
prophesying that the traditional family and home will come under
severe attack in the very last of the last days. This first part of
Second Timothy 3:3 could thus be translated, “Love for and
commitment to family will disintegrate.…” The good news is, we can
guard against it!

TRUCE-BREAKING AND THE VIOLATING OF COVENANT

But as Paul continued to forecast end-time societal
characteristics in Second Timothy 3:3, he added that in the last days,
people will become “…truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good.”
The Holy Spirit adds the word “trucebreakers” to the list. The
word “truce-breakers” is built on the Greek word spondos, which
depicts a covenant or those who are in some type of covenant with
one another. But in Second Timothy 3:3, the word is not spondos; it
is the word aspondos. Remember, when an a is added to the front of
the word, it has a canceling effect. Now it depicts the undoing of a
covenant or one who breaks a covenant. The King James Version
translated it as “truce-breaking,” but it is actually the Greek word for
covenant-breaking. It is very significant that it immediately follows
the prophesied breakdown of the family at the end of the age. By
using this word aspondos, Paul pictured the ultimate breakdown of
covenant in the form of widespread divorce that will become rampant
in a last-days society.
It’s amazing to me that the word “trucebreakers” — translated
from the Greek word aspondos — is the very word ancient Greeks
used to describe relationships that had reached a point of
irreconcilable differences. By using this word, the Holy Spirit
prophesied that a season would emerge at the end of the age in
which individuals in covenant relationship will drift apart until they
reach a point of irreconcilable differences between themselves.
These individuals will find that the less complicated solution is to
walk away from the relationship — hence, breaking their truce or
breaking their covenant.
I am well aware that some situations become so complicated that
parting may be the only solution that remains viable in a covenant
relationship. But in this verse, the Holy Spirit prophesied this to alert
us so we would do all we can to guard against this tragic outcome in
our own personal lives.
Remember, the phrase “without natural affection” forecasts the
deterioration of the family. Then Paul built upon that point by telling
us the extent to which this deterioration will go.
The word aspondos categorically means that covenant-breaking
will become commonplace in the very last of the last days. And as
noted earlier, the word aspondos, when applied to marriage,
describes spouses who are no longer able to come to terms with one
another. These are married couples who feel that they have become
incompatible or that they have reached a point of irreconcilable
differences. In this verse, Paul predicted a rampant outbreak of
divorce in the very last of the last days.

THE SHORT-AND LONG-TERM RAMIFICATIONS OF

DIVORCE
The introduction of no-fault divorce in the 1970s was a huge
contributor to rampant divorce because it made the process easier
than it had been in the past. Statistics show that the introduction of
no-fault divorce opened the floodgates by allowing easier dissolution
of marriages.
Often the relative ease in dissolving a marital union causes
marriage agreements to be entered into with less-than-reverent
attitudes about the sacred institution of marriage, although this is
usually not the case for a couple who are both serious believers.
This lack of reverence for the covenant of the marital union is
especially prevalent among younger people who have not been
reared in a godly environment. They know that they can rather easily
“get out of it” if marriage doesn’t meet up to their expectations.

Often the relative ease in dissolving a marital union

causes marriage agreements to be entered into with less-
than-reverent attitudes about the sacred institution of
 marriage.

Through the years since that law was passed, many spouses
have experienced deep heartbreak from a divorce they never wanted
and never dreamed would happen to them, and the “lovers of their
own selves” syndrome prophesied by the Holy Spirit has been a
great contributor to this moral mess. Because of the rampant self-
centeredness in society today, many view marriage merely as a
vehicle of self-gratification through romance and intimacy. In this new
psychological approach to married life, one’s primary obligation is
not to one’s family but to one’s self. Hence, marital success is
defined not by successfully meeting obligations to one’s spouse and
children, but by a strong sense of subjective happiness in marriage.
When the rule of personal happiness becomes the supreme
dream, those who feel they are in unfulfilling marriages tend to feel
justified in divorcing their spouse, acting on the modern ethic of
expressive individualism. One social historian has observed, “The
dissolution of marriage offered the chance to make oneself over from
the inside out, to refurbish and express the inner self, and to acquire
certain valuable psychological assets and competencies, such as
initiative, assertiveness, and a stronger and better self-image.”14
The result is that divorce has become a booming industry,
especially since the 1970s. There are currently approximately 1.1
million divorces every year in the United States, and in some
countries, the rate is even higher. One source estimates the divorce
industry revenue will grow 1.2 percent annually, soon to exceed
$11.3 billion annually. More than $40 billion is spent every year on
child support and alimony, and there are currently more than 60,000
professional workers in this “industry” — administering dissolutions,
facilitating negotiations, enforcing payment arrangements, etc.15
Meanwhile, this pandemic of divorce has also fueled the growth
of government, as federal, state, and local governments spend more
money on police, prisons, welfare, and court costs, trying to pick up
the pieces of broken families. One study shows that the public costs
of family breakdown exceed $112 billion a year.16
Since the 1970s, nearly 1 million children per year have watched
their parents go through divorce — and it is statistically proven that
children who are exposed to divorce are two to three times more
likely than peers to suffer from serious social or psychological
pathologies. Sociologists have concluded that 31 percent of
adolescents with divorced parents dropped out of high school,
compared to 13 percent of children from families with no divorce.
Also, studies showed that 33 percent of adolescent girls whose
parents divorced became teen mothers, compared to 11 percent of
girls from continuously married families, and that 11 percent of boys
who come from divorced families end up spending time in prison
before the age of 32, compared to 5 percent of boys who come from
intact homes.17
Researchers have also found that remarriage is not usually a
healing balm for children of divorce. One leading sociologist found
that “children whose parents have remarried do not have higher
levels of well-being than children in lone-parent families.”18 Often the
establishment of a step-family, or blended family, results in yet
another move for a child, requiring adjustment to a new caretaker
and new step-siblings — all of which can be difficult for children, who
thrive on stability.19
Studies show that when children see their parents divorce for
whatever reason — because they have drifted apart, because one or
both parents have become unhappy, or because a parent left to
pursue another partner — the kids’ personal confidence in love,
commitment, and marriage is often shattered. In the wake of their
parents’ divorce, children are also likely to experience a family move,
marked declines in their family income, a stressed-out single mother,
and substantial periods of paternal absence. All of these are factors
that put children of divorced families at risk. In other words, the great
majority of divorces involving children in America are not in the best
interests of the children.20
Sociologists estimate that if the United States enjoyed the same
level of family stability today as it did in 1960, the nation would have
750,000 fewer children repeating grades, 1.2 million fewer school
suspensions, approximately 500,000 fewer acts of teenage
delinquency, about 600,000 fewer kids receiving therapy, and
approximately 70,000 fewer suicide attempts every year.21 Those
are staggering statistics! Studies have also proven beyond a hint of
doubt that divorce contributes to generational cycles of divorce.
We now know that adult children of divorce are 89 percent more
likely themselves to divorce, compared to children who were raised
in families with no divorce. Children of divorce who marry other
children of divorce are especially likely to end up divorced. Of
course, the reason children of divorce are more likely to end their
own marriages is precisely that they have often learned all the wrong
lessons about trust, commitment, mutual sacrifice, and fidelity from
their parents.22
The fact is that within the Christian community, there is also a
very high rate of divorce. This shows how the spirit of this age has
penetrated the lives of God’s people and the reason why those who
are married must do all they can in these last days to build a hedge
of protection around their marriages. Just to give an example,
statistics show that approximately 35 percent of Christians have
experienced divorce, which is similar to the percentage of non-
Christians in the same category.23 Reports also show that 23 percent
of Christians get divorced two times or more.24

WHAT TO DO IN LIGHT OF ALL OF THIS

First, what should you do if you are struggling in your marital
relationship? God will use His Word, the power of His Spirit, and
those who have the wisdom to help you bring healing and restoration
to your marriage — if you both want it. It will take work, time, and
willingness on the part of both you and your spouse. But with the
help God provides, the two of you can see Him work a miracle in
your marriage. You do not have to fall prey to the epidemic of divorce
that is so rampant in the world today.
If you have already fallen victim to the heartbreaking ordeal of
divorce, God’s grace is present and available to restore you. He
loves you. He cares deeply about the wound that this painful
experience has inflicted in your soul — your mind, your will, and your
emotions — as well as in the souls of your children. With the help of
God and the empowerment of the Spirit, it is possible for you to fully
recover from this trauma. God is always present to help those who
call and wait upon Him in time of need.
It may not be you who has experienced divorce. Perhaps it is
your child, grandchild, sibling, or another loved one who is dear to
you. If you know someone who is going through this very heart-
wrenching ordeal, let the Holy Spirit use you to pray for that person.
Encourage the one who is experiencing such pain that he or she will
come out on the other side of this struggle and discover God’s
redemptive plan. In some cases, with repentance, prayer, time, and
qualified counseling, what seems lost can be restored.
I realize some situations do not seem fixable. One spouse may
have a commitment to work through the problems and keep the
marriage together while the other spouse remains unwilling to do
what is right. The sad truth is that sometimes in this fallen world, the
issues that can cause a broken marriage relationship just do not get
worked out.
All you can do is your best, so I encourage you to give your
marriage your best. That should be your focus. You cannot answer
for another’s heart or what your spouse is unwilling to do, but you will
answer for your own heart and your own obedience to the Lord.
Therefore, make sure you have done everything He has required of
you so you are able to truthfully say you did all you knew to do to
make your marriage work.
If you are looking back at a past divorce and you now realize that
you also contributed to the failure of the marriage, it is important for
you to acknowledge and repent for what you did wrong. Remember,
God’s arms are open wide to embrace you, forgive you, and restore
you. Even more, He wants to give you a fresh revelation of the
holiness and the blessing of marriage. The union between a
husband and wife is His most precious gift of relationship besides
the gift of a relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ.
 The truth is, Jesus stands ready to breathe new life into any
“dead” or hard places in your life. He wants to place you upright on
your feet again so you can be a light and a witness for Him in the
darkened world around you. All you have to do is sincerely ask!

MAKE THE DEVIL REGRET HE EVER MESSED WITH YOU!

If you’re still married, it’s not too late to submit all areas of offense
or hardness to Him and to believe Him for godly, lasting change.
God’s power is ready and willing right now to go to work on any
marriage that is submitted to His Word, His authority, and His power.
Never forget that God specializes in raising dead things back to life
again.

Jesus stands ready to breathe new life into any “dead” or

hard places in your life. He wants to place you upright on
your feet again so you can be a light and a witness for
Him in the darkened world around you.

The devil may have attacked you or your family, but just
determine to see it as God sees it — as an amazing opportunity for
you to take advantage of, armed with His strength and grace! You
can become an instrument He can use to bring healing to those you
love. You can make the enemy sorry that he ever messed with you
or your family! With the Word of God as your guide, the Holy Spirit
as your Teacher, and the support of brothers and sisters in the
Christian community, you can rise above anything the enemy has
waged against you, and you can live the rest of your life victoriously.
(To strengthen you in your journey in this area of marriage, I
recommend my wife Denise’s book Who Stole Cinderella? The Art of
Living Happily Ever After. Don’t let the title mislead you to think it is
only for women, because Denise’s amazing book has many
strengthening truths to help husbands as well. Her book The Gift of
Forgiveness is also a powerful tool to help empower your stance of
faith.)
Perhaps you feel lonely at times because those you love are no
longer near. Or maybe you feel stressed because of a lack of
finances. Whatever you’re facing right now, this is not the time for
you to give up. On the contrary — it’s time to jump back in the race
and run with all your might to fulfill your God-given purpose and
destiny!
God loves us so much that He forewarned us of these last-days
events nearly 2,000 years in advance. He did it so we could prepare
ourselves by drawing near to Him and walking by faith in the victory
that was won for us in Christ’s death and resurrection. We don’t have
to be dejected or afraid — this is truly our hour on the earth to shine!

THE WIDESPREAD BREAKING OF ALL TYPES OF

COVENANTS
I need to add that the Greek word aspondos in Second Timothy
3:3 does not only apply to the breaking of marital vows and divorce.
The word is so all-encompassing that it could picture the breaking of
any form of covenant — including business covenants, contracts,
relational covenants, and marital vows. Please understand that the
Holy Spirit uses this very specific word to inform us that at the very
end of the age, there will be widespread truce-breaking on every
imaginable level. Whereas a person’s word or handshake was once
considered to be a guarantee one could rely on, it will come to mean
nearly nothing in the last of the last days.
The word aspondos could even depict the breaking of a deeply
felt covenant bond between two or more friends. With life moving so
fast, it is more difficult than ever to sustain a strong bond with the
friends we are closest to, let alone maintain a deep relationship with
those people. As the close of the age approaches, relationships will
become “easy come, easy go” — reflecting the self-focused, self-
absorbed spirit of the age that only sticks around for what is self-
gratifying.
This Greek word aspondos could also refer to one who breaks a
covenant with a local church. We can see that we live in a day when
believers’ commitment to their local church continues to grow weaker
and weaker as people pull up roots and transplant themselves from
church to church. And this is just one more example of what truce-
breaking will look like in the very last days of this age. A disregard for
covenant relationships will eventually infiltrate all facets of society —
resulting in en masse divorce, contractual breaches of all kinds, and
every other form of covenant bond being fractured or destroyed.
Because this pattern will be so rampant, it therefore stands to reason
that it will also try to infiltrate the Church.

In light of all this, the RIV of Second Timothy 3:3

reads this way:
Love for and commitment to family will disintegrate,
and divorce will become epidemic, with irreconcilable
differences being a major factor in tearing families
apart. In fact, every imaginable type of covenant will
be regularly violated….

But where there is covenant-breaking, there is also widespread

legal action and lawsuits — which leads to the next point Paul gave
in his list of characteristics that will be indicative of society in the last
of the last days. Pay close attention, because you will find this point
very interesting. You will see again that the Holy Spirit was
absolutely accurate in what He forecasted about society at the end
of the age.

AN OVERLOADED COURT SYSTEM

In Second Timothy 3:3, Paul added his next point. He wrote that
people in the last days will be “trucebreakers, false accusers….”
The words “false accusers” are translated from the Greek word
diabolos, which is most often translated in the New Testament as
devil, accuser, or slanderer. But as it is used in Second Timothy 3:3,
it depicts a court system that is overrun with accusing and
slanderous lawsuits.
The word diabolos — normally translated devil — in this
particular verse portrays a court system that is overrun with lawsuits.
Hence, the Holy Spirit shows us that in the last of the last days,
people will feel as if the devil himself has been released with full
force into the court system as an accuser and slanderer. Paul surely
used this word to forewarn of a strange time at the end of the age
when people would excessively accuse and slander each other,
finding it easier to sue in a court of law than to sit down and work out
their disagreements or difficulties.
The facts show that in our time, we are witnessing more litigation
than ever before as people go about suing and being sued. That is
exactly what the phrase “false accusers” forewarned us of in Second
Timothy 3:3. It vividly warns us that in the last of the last days, the
devil will find easy access into courts to accuse — and it will be a
recurring pattern that increases more and more. That last season of
the age will be a time when the legal system will become overloaded
with lawsuits of all kinds as more and more people refuse even to
attempt reconciling their disputes or differences.
Let me give you some statistics that are shocking. These are
based on the current situation in the United States, but a similar
pattern is transpiring as well in other Western nations. More than 100
million civil lawsuits are filed annually — and this is only civil
lawsuits, which does not take into account other types of legal
action. A nearly unfathomable $429 billion was spent in 2016 on
costs and compensations in the U.S. tort system, which is equivalent
to 2.3 percent of the gross national product.25
The possibility of being sued in America has made it one of the
scariest places in the world to do business, because a person is
always at risk of someone suing him or her. As a result, America now
has the most costly legal system in the world. Its legal system is so
out of control that it impedes the ability to grow the economy and to
even create jobs.
The impact of pervasive lawsuits in America — and the
reputation of being easily sued — has made the nation unattractive
for many international companies. This has put the U.S. at a
competitive disadvantage.26 One official report states that the effects
of lawsuit abuse extend beyond America’s borders. High liability
costs make U.S. businesses less competitive internationally. Another
study found that liability costs in the U.S. decrease manufacturing
competitiveness.27
Fear of being sued has affected nearly every profession — and it
has radically affected the medical profession. Defensive medicine
now costs the United States $650 billion per year — which means
approximately 26 percent of every dollar spent on medical care goes
into protection against lawsuits. In addition, “a new study reveals that
the cost of medical malpractice in the United States is running at
about $55.6 billion a year — $45.6 billion of which is spent on
defensive medicine practiced by physicians seeking to stay clear of
lawsuits.”28
Slander or defamation lawsuits are also much more prevalent in
today’s society — up 40 percent in some markets.29 The worldwide
associated costs of such lawsuits — counselors, doctors,
professional help, detectives — is truly astronomical.
The potential of being sued is foreboding to a majority of
Americans. In fact, a recent national survey shows that 87 percent of
American voters view the number of lawsuits in the country as a
problem and that 69 percent say there has been increased abuse of
the legal system over the past decade. Furthermore, one in three
voters — and 43 percent of small-business owners — report having
either been threatened with or involved in a civil lawsuit. Only 14
percent of those who were part of a class-action lawsuit reported that
they received something of meaningful value, such as a cashed
check or redeemed coupon, as a result of the lawsuit. In contrast,
four in five voters that had been involved in a civil lawsuit said that
lawyers benefited the most from class-action lawsuits.30
The age of decency is dead. This is the age of slander and
accusation.
A self-focused age of entitlement, as we saw in Second Timothy
3:2, lends credence to society’s claim that an individual has a “right”
to get all he or she can out of every situation. Of course, there are
times when a lawsuit is required and valid, but Second Timothy 3:3
prophesies a day of inordinate suing as the devil goes wild in the
legal system.
 But today we are living in an age when employees sue
employers; children sue parents; parents sue children; parents sue
schools; patients sue doctors; different minority groups sue for
reparations; and shoppers sue business owners. And more and
more, Christian believers sue other believers — even though Paul
wrote in First Corinthians 6:1 and 2, “Dare any of you, having a
matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before
the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and
if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the
smallest matters?”
The “I’m going to sue you” mentality is the type of low-level carnal
Corinthian behavior that the apostle Paul pleaded with us as
believers to avoid. Paul clearly stated that we should be able to work
out any differences between ourselves. But in today’s modern
society, even believers often turn to the courts as a first recourse. It’s
true that heart-wrenching times do occur in which no other option is
available but to turn to the courts for help — but this should never be
a Christian’s first choice or course of action!
We are living in a day when the devil is in the court system —
weaponizing the law to accuse, attack, slander, vilify, and ravage
others financially. There has been a descent into indecent behavior
and the loss of ability to negotiate, to come to terms, to settle
differences, or to decently solve disagreements with others. It’s a day
when people freely and readily turn to the courts almost without
hesitation. The devil has used people to increase this trend that is
running rampant throughout society to destroy lives.
The word “false accusers” is a translation of the well-known
Greek word diabolos, normally translated devil. In Revelation 12:10,
the devil is aptly described as the accuser. The name “Satan”
additionally depicts the devil as the one who accuses, slanders, or
conspires against; the adversary.
The very fact that the word diabolos is used in Second Timothy
3:3 tells us clearly what will happen in the last of the last days: The
practice of accusing and being accused will get so out of control that
it will seem as if the devil himself has infiltrated the courts and
released his fury! And if we’re honest with ourselves, we’d admit that
this sounds similar to the world we live in today. (Even if you haven’t
experienced this kind of accusing in a court of law, you need only go
to any social-media platform to witness a form of fierce accusing and
public decrying that closely resembles both the judge and jury of a
courtroom!)
But despite this disturbing trend, God wants you to keep your
head on straight. He wants you as a serious believer to learn how to
come to terms with others and to settle differences maturely.
We need to understand that there are times when it is better to
be wronged than to wrong Jesus’ reputation or our witness for Christ.
There are times when it is better to trust God and refuse to sue for
self-advantage or even self-defense. Let’s not forget that forgiveness
is a chief characteristic of the Christian message and the Christian
life!

We need to understand that there are times when it is

better to be wronged than to wrong Jesus’ reputation or
our witness for Christ. Let’s not forget that forgiveness is
a chief characteristic of the Christian message and the
Christian life!

Adding the Greek word diabolos to this mix of

divinely chosen words in Second Timothy 3:3,
the RIV of this verse thus far reads:
Love for and commitment to family will disintegrate,
and divorce will become epidemic, with irreconcilable
differences being a major factor in tearing families
apart. In fact, every imaginable type of covenant will
be regularly violated, and the court system will be
overwhelmed as people go overboard, suing and
being sued.…
 TRANSFORMING THE PRESENT AND SHAPING THE
FUTURE
As I read Paul’s list of signs that indicate the last of the last days
is upon us, I am astounded at the accuracy of the Bible!
Approximately 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit warned us in
advance of these developments so we could safeguard our hearts
and our homes and prevent these destructive trends from corrupting
our families and our relationships.
You may have already experienced the damaging effects of these
particular characteristics of modern society that were long ago
foretold by the Holy Spirit. Although there’s nothing you can do to
change the past, the power of the Holy Spirit can transform your
present and shape your future. Just because the devil has
successfully waged and won attacks against you in the past does not
mean he will be allowed to do it in the future!
God’s redeeming and restoring power is always present to save
and deliver. And as you keep your focus on Him, He will empower
you to yield to His Spirit and take hold of His Word to stand your
ground for a better tomorrow than you could have ever dreamed
possible. God is a Specialist in turning broken lives that have
suffered the enemy’s attacks into marvelous, gleaming examples of
His power and grace!

As you keep your focus on Him, He will empower you to

yield to His Spirit and take hold of His Word to stand your
ground for a better tomorrow than you could have ever
dreamed possible.

13 Jaime Rosenberg, “More Than Half of Americans Misuse Prescription Drugs,”

September 11, 2018, ajmc.com, https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/more-
than-half-of-americans-misuse-prescription-drugs.
14 Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, The Divorce Culture: Rethinking Our Commitments
to Marriage and Family (New York: Vintage Books, 1996), p. 5.
15 “Family Law & Divorce Lawyers & Attorneys in the US Industry Trends,” May
2019, IBISWorld.com, https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-
reports/family-law-divorce-lawyers-attorneys-industry/.
16 W. Bradford Wilcox, “The Evolution of Divorce,” (quoting economist Ben
Scafidi), Fall 2009, nationalaffairs.com,
https://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/the-evolution-of-divorce.
17 Ibid.
18 Andrew J. Cherlin, The Marriage-Go-Round: The State of Marriage and the
Family in America Today (New York: Vintage Books, 2009), p. 22.
19 Wilcox, “The Evolution of Divorce.”
20 Ibid.
21 Margaret McCarthy, ed., Torn Asunder (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 2017), p. 53.
22 Nicholas Wolfinger, “Understanding the Divorce Cycle: The Children of Divorce
in Their Own Marriages.” 2005, researchgate.net.
23 “Born-Again Christians Just as Likely To Divorce as Are Non-Christians,”
Barna.com, https://www.barna.com/research/born-again-christians-just-as-likely-to-
divorce-as-are-non-christians/.
24 Ibid.
25 “Law Abuse Impact,” U. S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform,
https://www.instituteforlegalreform.com/issues/lawsuit-abuse-impact.
26 Ibid.
27 Ibid.
28 Rick Ungar, “The True Cost of Medical Malpractice — It May Surprise You,”
forbes.com, https://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2010/09/07/the-true-cost-of-
medical-malpractice-it-may-surprise-you/#3b7c971a2ff5.
29 “Judicial Statistics, 2017: Issued Defamation Claims Up by 40%, Highest in
Three Years,” Inforrm’s Blog, https://inforrm.org/2018/06/26/judicial-statistics-2017-
issued-defamation-claims-up-by-40-highest-for-three-years/; Roy Greenslade,
“23% Increase in Defamation Action as Social Media Claims Rise,” October 20,
2014, theguardian.com,
https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/oct/20/medialaw-social-
media.
30 “U.S. Legal System Is World’s Most Costly According to a New Study,” May 14,
2013, U. S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform,
https://www.instituteforlegalreform.com/resource/us-legal-system-is-worlds-most-
costly-according-to-a-new-study.
 CHAPTER 6

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO PROTECT YOUR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY AND TO
AVOID THE END-TIME THINKING OF THE ACCUSER

B
efore we go on to the next chapter, we must pause to ask some
reflective questions. It’s so important to take the time to
determine the state of our families, our marriages, and our
attitudes in this end-time season when people so freely accuse and
sue one another.
I encourage you to not rush through these questions. Ponder
them deeply so the Holy Spirit can help you evaluate what
adjustments you need to make to protect your family, safeguard your
marriage, and keep your life free from the spirit of the world that is
working in society today. Pay careful attention to the questions that
represent the action steps you need to take in the event that your
family and marriage have already been negatively impacted by the
devil’s attack on families in this last season of the age.

1. What is the state of your family right now?

As we have seen, the Holy Spirit prophesied that in the last of the
last days, many families will lose the closeness once exemplified in
the traditional family and will begin to drift apart. It is a fact that
today, all across the social stratum, families are under attack and in
a terrible state of deterioration.
 Since the phrase “without natural affection” informs us that the
deterioration of traditional family and the home will become
commonplace as the age races toward its conclusion, I want you to
do your best to answer honestly as you ask yourself these questions:

• Is my family strong, or are we beginning to be pulled

apart?
• Is my family free of this assault that threatens our
closeness — or can I see clear evidence that a war is
being waged against my home to cause us to drift apart?
• Have I taken the time to seek God and receive His
strategies for keeping my family strong in a world that
offers so many avenues of distraction from quality time
spent together?

The Holy Spirit spoke clearly about this so we who live in the last
of the last days would be aware of this development and take
precautions to protect our families from this tragedy. We must have
ears to hear what the Spirit is saying so we can respond with wisdom
and keep our families free from this end-time attack.
If you take heed to what the Holy Spirit says and build your home
according to God’s Word, you can sustain a strong, godly family
even in these last days. But because you are living in this end-time
hour, it is vital that you build a hedge around your marriage and
family. If you use caution and exercise faith, you and your family will
withstand the spiritual attack being waged in the last days to tear
families apart.

2. If you’ve strayed, what changes do you need to make to get

your family back on course?
The Scriptures warn us that families will be assaulted in the last
days, so you must respond by building a hedge of protection around
your family. There is no need to be afraid, but this warning requires
proactive steps. You must do all you know to do to build a wall of
protection around your home and your relationships so you and your
loved ones don’t succumb to the family-assaulting spirit of this age.
 As noted earlier, today traditional families and homes are
threatened by over-busy schedules, financial pressures, multiple
jobs in one home, and multiple cars, televisions, digital devices, etc.
If all of these factors are not properly managed and precautions are
not taken, they can create entirely separate paths for each family
member. Parents go in one direction while children go in another —
and often husbands and wives don’t even go the same direction.
Because of varying schedules, family members are rarely at home at
the same time and rarely eat a meal together. And when they are
home, they are all looking at different TVs, computers, or devices in
different rooms of the house. The family may technically live under
one roof, but they are not truly sharing life because they are each
going in a different direction.
So ask yourself these questions:

• When I look at my own family, do I see that we are all on

the same page and headed in the same direction? Or are
my family members so pulled apart by schedules that they
are beginning to take separate paths?
• Do we regularly eat meals together as a family?
• Do we enjoy spending evenings together, even if it’s
watching a movie or a TV program together?
• Do we talk to each other when we are together, or is our
family time constantly interrupted by text messages and
alerts on social media?
• Are we doing more than living under the same roof? Are
we truly sharing life together?
• What changes could we make to our daily schedules and
to our choices in how we live that would help mend any
“breaches in the wall” that are beginning to show up and
help enhance our closeness as a family?

How long has it been since you really made an evaluation of your
home situation to see what is good, what is not so good, and what
needs to be brought back into alignment with God’s plan for your
family? Besides your personal walk with Jesus, nothing is more
important than the health of your family. It is wise to evaluate the true
state of affairs in your home.
If you don’t know what steps to take to build a stronger wall of
protection around your home, I urge you to receive help from a
trusted mentor or counselor who can teach you how to do it. It may
feel humiliating to ask for help — but just stay willing to follow God’s
leading wherever He directs you along this path to strengthen your
family. After all, if your body is sick, wouldn’t you go to a doctor to get
help? Likewise, if your family is sick, it’s common sense for you to
seek counsel from someone who is qualified to help you get your
family back into a healthy state.

3. What steps are you taking to “redeem the time” that has
already been lost?
Living in a state of regret changes nothing. In fact, it only
produces negative emotions that make things even worse. We have
seen that Ephesians 5:16 commands you to get busy “redeeming the
time.” That means if you have wasted or lost both time and precious
opportunities in your past, you can “redeem” that lost time as God
gives you new opportunities.
Time is a precious commodity. In context, it refers to the brevity of
time you have available and urges you to be time-conscious in the
way you conduct your life. It depicts someone who is learning to
make full use of time because he is conscious that time is limited
and he must use it wisely. Paul was saying that by employing
diligence and commitment, you can redeem, or buy back, time that
you have lost along the way — even time you frivolously lost.
The good news is this: If your life has become cluttered and
you’ve lost precious opportunities in any area — including time lost
with your family — you can still reverse this condition. Through your
recommitment to the Lord and to His perfect will for your life, you can
buy back time that has been lost, wasted, or forfeited. And with the
Holy Spirit’s supernatural help, you can accomplish in a short time
what you thought was forever lost. You can redeem that time and get
back on course.
 If your children are grown and you find yourself regretting your
past attitudes and actions toward your family — I want to encourage
you that God is still in the business of redeeming the time.
So ask yourself:

• Am I fulfilling my part to seek God diligently for His wisdom

regarding my family?
• Am I ready and willing to do whatever God tells me to do,
step by step, to redeem any time that’s been lost and to
help my family become all that He intends?
• What principles do I already know to do from God’s Word
that, if applied, would help build strong, loving
relationships within my family? Am I walking in full
obedience to those divine commands?

God may lead you to seek out godly counsel to help you get
things back on track. Just follow His plan, and He will honor your
humility and your obedience. You can see God’s power go to work to
restore all that has come under attack in your marriage and in the
lives of your children.

4. What is the state of your marriage right now?

If you have already become victim to the heartbreaking ordeal of
divorce or separation, God’s grace is available and present to
restore you. God cares deeply about the wound that this painful
experience has inflicted in your soul.
If this describes your situation, ask yourself:

• Am I employing the full power of the Holy Spirit within to

help me get free of all past hurts and offenses?
• Have I asked Him for wisdom concerning where to find
support from qualified people who can help me fully
recover from all past trauma?
• Is there anything God has asked me to do to help heal my
relationship with my spouse (or my former spouse) that I
have not been willing to do?
 It may take time to come out on the other side of the hurt you
have experienced in the past. But as you seek Jesus diligently, you
will find that He is the Healer of broken hearts — not the patcher, but
the Healer!
Perhaps you are currently married but struggling in your
relationship with your spouse. If that is your situation, healing and
restoration is available to you — if you want it — through the truth of
God’s Word, the power of the Holy Spirit, and those qualified to help
to whom He might lead you.
It will take time, work, and sustained commitment on the part of
both partners in the marriage. But with the right choices made and
the help God provides, you both can see Him work a miracle in your
marriage. You do not have to fall prey to the epidemic of divorce that
is so rampant in the world today.
So ask yourself:

• Can I honestly say I have done my personal best to work

on my marriage relationship and to make it all God intends
and desires it to be?
• Have I diligently sought the Lord to know His perspective
about my marriage?
• Have I allowed Him to talk to me about how I may have
contributed to the problems?
• Have I acknowledged what I did wrong and humbly
repented for it before God and before my spouse?

As I said earlier, all you can do is your best, so give your

marriage your best. You are not answerable for the unwillingness of
a drifting spouse or for what another person is not willing to do. But
you are responsible to do all you can do to ensure that you did your
best to make it work.
You cannot answer for another’s heart, but you will be confronted
with your own heart.
Never forget that God does not condemn you, and His arms are
open wide to embrace you, forgive you, and restore you. So if you
are still standing in faith for God to work a miracle in your marriage
and turn things around, remember that He specializes in raising
dead things back to life again!

5. What are you doing to make the devil regret he ever messed
with you?
It’s time for you to make the devil regret that he ever touched
you, your marriage, or your family. Regardless of the havoc the devil
has tried to wreak in your home, God can turn the situation around
and make you a mighty weapon in His hands to repel the enemy’s
attack!
If your marriage appears to be under siege, God is able to turn it
around. He is certainly not behind the problem, but He is able to
miraculously make something beautiful out of a bad situation. As
Paul said, “…We know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”
(Romans 8:28).
If the devil has attacked you or your family, it’s time for you to
make the enemy sorry he ever messed with you! With the Word of
God in your heart, the Holy Spirit as your Teacher, and the support of
those who are qualified to help you, it is possible for you to rise
above anything the enemy has waged against you. Furthermore, you
can press onward and live your life victoriously! This is not the time
for you to surrender to discouragement and give up — it’s time to
give it your best! God wants you to fulfill the purpose and destiny He
has appointed for you on this earth!
So ask yourself these questions:

• What steps am I taking to blast the enemy by helping

others who are in need?
• What am I doing to demonstrate victory over my
circumstances, even in the midst of this attack?
• Have I consciously surrendered control to the Holy Spirit
so He can show me how to deliver myself and my family
from every attack?
• Am I willing to exercise my authority in Christ and wage an
assault against the devil that will make him regret he ever
 messed with me?

Your call as a believer is to become a shining example of God’s

grace and power that will make others stand in amazement. Whether
or not you fulfill that call is entirely up to you and the choices you
make along the way to adhere to God’s Word and His way of
confronting every obstacle and withstanding every attack.

6. What is your attitude about commitments and covenants?

As we saw earlier, the Holy Spirit prophesied that “truce-
breaking” will become commonplace in a last-days society. The
Greek word that the Holy Spirit used is so all-encompassing, it
pictures the breaking of every form of covenant — including
business covenants, contracts, relational covenants, and marital
vows. The Holy Spirit let us know that there will be widespread truce-
breaking on every imaginable level.
In the end of the age, relationships will be “easy come, easy go”
as a result of the self-focused, self-absorbed spirit of the age that
only sticks around for what is self-gratifying.
We’ve seen that truce-breaking in the very last days will infiltrate
all facets of society — resulting in divorce, contractual breaches of
all kinds, and every other kind of covenant-breaking. The word
“truce-breaking” can even refer to one who breaks a covenant with a
local church. Because this spirit of covenant-breaking will be so
rampant, it therefore stands to reason that it will also try to infiltrate
the Church.
This is such an important issue that it is wise for you to allow the
Holy Spirit to honestly speak to you about it. Take some time to
evaluate your own life in this area, and ask yourself:

• Does my life show that I have fallen into this spirit of

covenant-breaking — or that I am truly committed to keep
my word to do all I can do to stay in covenant with the
relationships God has placed in my life?
• Would others say I am a person of covenant — or that I
am a friend who walks away in a time of need?
 • Am I being faithful to the commitment I made earlier to my
local church?
• Have I been faithful to my local church in good and bad
times? Or am I among the many who uprooted and moved
elsewhere when times got tough?
• Through my actions and my attitude, have I stayed in
covenant or broken covenant with my church family —
even though previously I was sure the Lord had led me to
enter into that covenant?
• Would I want my children to be like me in this area of my
life?

The Holy Spirit knows if you are on track in this area of your life
or if you need to make a self-correction. And if you do need to self-
correct, He will show it to you and empower you to do it.

7. What is your attitude about suing another Christian and

using the legal system to solve your problems?
In Second Timothy 3:3, Paul wrote that people in the last days
will be “trucebreakers, false accusers.…” We’ve seen that the phrase
“false accusers” is translated from the Greek word diabolos, which is
most often translated in the New Testament as devil, accuser, or
slanderer. But as it is used in Second Timothy 3:3, it depicts a court
system that is overrun with accusing and slanderous lawsuits.
We are living in times when even believers turn to the courts as a
first recourse. It is true that there are situations where no other
option is possible but to turn to the courts for help. However, the
Bible clearly teaches this should not be a Christian’s first choice.
We who live in this modern day know it to be true — the devil is
in the court system, weaponizing the law to accuse, attack, slander,
and vilify. Accusing and being accused is getting so out of control
that it truly seems as if Satan himself has infiltrated the courts.
But God wants us as serious believers, to the best of our ability,
to learn how to come to terms with others and settle differences
maturely. We all need to understand that there are times when it is
better to be wronged rather than to wrong Jesus’ reputation or our
witness for Christ. There are also times when it is better to trust God
and refuse to sue for self-advantage or even self-defense.
So it would be very beneficial for you to honestly ask yourself:

• What is my attitude about suing and using the courts as a

first recourse, especially if people close to me are urging
me to sue another party?
• Am I tempted to rush to a lawyer right away, or do I first
earnestly seek the Lord, ask for others to help mediate if
needed, and try to find a way to settle the issue maturely
without turning to the legal system?

There are moments when the legal system is required. But in this
age when the devil has been unleashed to accuse, slander, and vilify
others, it is imperative that we guard our hearts and our thinking. As
the Church, we are not to fall into the debilitating, last-days pattern of
accusing and being accused and then suing as a result!
 7

‘INCONTINENT’ — WHEN
SOCIETY CASTS OFF
RESTRAINT

e’ve already discovered a great deal about what society will

W look like in the last of the last days. Let’s start this chapter by
taking into account the words we’ve studied in the last chapter
from Second Timothy 3:3.

We’ve seen that the first part of this RIV verse

can be interpreted as follows:
Love for and commitment to family will disintegrate,
and divorce will become epidemic, with irreconcilable
differences being a major factor in tearing families
apart. In fact, every imaginable type of covenant will
be regularly violated, and the court system will be
overwhelmed as people go overboard, suing and
being sued….

Now we must move to the next word that Paul listed in his
prophetic projection about the close of the age. In Second Timothy
3:3, the apostle prophesied that people in the last of the last days will
become “without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.” We have
already looked at the words “without natural affection,”
“trucebreakers,” and “false accusers.” Now let’s go on to unlock the
original and applicable meanings of the word translated “incontinent”
in this verse.
 When one thinks of the word “incontinent,” it usually brings to
mind some form of a lack of control. In a medical sense, it describes
a person who has lost control of his or her bladder or bowels and, as
a result, experiences involuntary accidents. But the word
“incontinent” can be used more widely to describe any loss of
control.
To understand this word “incontinent” more fully, let me give you
its original, historical meaning and then show you how it is applicable
to the times we live in today. In English the word “incontinent” refers
to one who lacks moderation or one who lacks self-control in any or
every sphere of life, resulting in indulgent behaviors.
Now let’s look at the original Greek word akrates that is
translated “incontinent” in Second Timothy 3:3. This word akrates is
derived from the word kratos — one of many Greek words that
depicts power. But when an a is added to the front of it, that a has a
canceling effect. Now rather than picturing power, the word shifts to
picture a person or society who has lost power over self and
therefore has no self-control. It refers to the inability to exercise
control, a lack of control, a lack of self-restraint, no willpower, or the
inability to say no.
This is the picture of a person or a society that has lost the ability
to control itself and has abandoned self-restraint. The word
“incontinent” — from the Greek word akrates — perfectly describes a
person or group of people who live with an “I just can’t say no”
mindset that ultimately leads to destruction because it produces life
with few boundaries and restraints.

An “I just can’t say no” mindset ultimately leads to

destruction because it produces life with few boundaries
and restraints.

There are many issues with over-indulgence today — and it

seems accurate to say that these particular problems are pandemic
and proliferating by the day. Let’s pause and look at the statistical
facts to determine whether or not the majority of people today are
“incontinent,” as the Holy Spirit prophesied would occur in the very
last of the last days.
I’ve given you the original meaning of the Greek word translated
“incontinent.” Now I will provide you with the applicable meaning this
word has for you and me and why the Holy Spirit chose to use this
word to depict society in the last of the last days. Read carefully.
When you are finished with the following section, you can then
decide if the word “incontinent” describes the vast majority of people
in our age.

EXAMPLES OF ‘INCONTINENCE’ IN OUR WORLD TODAY

Before we proceed further, it is vital for you to see the connection
between the word “incontinent” and the word “lasciviousness” listed
as a work of the flesh in Galatians 5:19.
The word “lasciviousness” is translated from the Greek word
aselgeia — a word that describes excess but primarily refers to the
excessive consumption of food or wild, undisciplined living that is
especially marked by unbridled sex. The behavior of “lasciviousness”
is so destructive that Second Peter 2:6 lists it as the principal sin in
the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
When we think of Sodom and Gomorrah, we usually think of
cities filled with sexual perversion. Because the word
“lasciviousness” — the Greek word aselgeia — also refers to the
excessive consumption of food, we can conclude that in God’s mind,
it is just as perverted to overindulge in food as it is to engage in sinful
sexual activities! How does that make you feel about a lifestyle of
unbridled overeating?
Flesh that is not conquered by the Spirit of God has one aim in its
fallen state: total domination and destruction. If permitted to run its
full course, the flesh will consume the territory of a life once beautiful
and transform it into an endless expanse of perpetual “badlands.”
This is the very opposite of God’s process and intended outcome in
a person’s life. Lasciviousness produces a twisted, barren mess in
every arena of life, which explains why God equates the word with
perversion.

If permitted to run its full course, the flesh will consume

the territory of a life once beautiful and transform it into
an endless expanse of perpetual “badlands.”

Because the word “incontinent” refers to those who have lost self-
control, it could depict:

• A person who has no ability to stop eating.

• A person who has no ability to stop spending.
• A person who has no ability to restrain emotions.
• A person who has no ability to stop addictive behaviors.

These various types of lack of restraint could all be depicted by

the word akrates, which is translated “incontinent” in Second Timothy
3:3. So in the sections to follow, we will examine each of these forms
of incontinence very factually and with ample documentation. Our
goal is to determine if the characteristic of “incontinence” is currently
affecting this last-days society as the Holy Spirit prophesied. I ask
you to stay with me, even if you think it’s an overload of information.
If you will read the following facts and statistics, I believe you will see
that we are indeed living in a last-days time frame in which self-
control and self-restraint have been tossed to the wind, resulting in
indulgent behaviors that are eventually wreaking destruction in lives
on a massive scale.
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says, “Where there is no vision, the people
perish.…” Both the New King James Version and American Standard
Version state it this way: “Where there is no revelation, the people
cast off restraint.…”
This verse is relevant for this discussion about casting off
restraint. It tells us that when a person lacks any vision of what life
should be or could be, he or she throws off self-control and self-
restraint, which often causes that person to perish exactly as this
verse says.

When a person lacks any vision of what life should be or

could be, he or she throws off self-control and self-
restraint.

Remember this as we look at examples of how a last-days

society is throwing off restraint. Let’s begin with the consumption of
food and calories in our time. Get ready, because what you are
about to read is shocking.

NO ABILITY TO STOP EATING

Before I dive into this section, I want to share an experience from
my own life that was very unpleasant. Although I didn’t enjoy it when
it happened, God used it to produce a significant, necessary change
in my life.
Years ago, my family confronted me about the fact that I had
gained a great deal of weight. They knew I needed to do something
about it for my health’s sake. But as is usually the case with those
who are overweight, I had looked at myself in the mirror long enough
to become accustomed to what I saw and I did not see what others
saw — that I was seriously overweight. I had dressed in black for
years and felt that I had covered up my problem, at least to some
degree. But my family saw the unhealthy condition I was in and
loved me enough to confront me and help me take action to lose
weight. I will forever be grateful for it.
To start my weight-loss program, I went to a doctor to be
examined. As he filled out my chart, the doctor looked at my weight
on the scale — and as he scribed the number on the chart, he
mumbled the words “morbidly obese.”
 I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. I asked him, “What did you
say?”
He answered, “Sir, you are morbidly obese.”
“I’m what?” I asked him again.
He answered, “Sir, you are morbidly obese.”
If someone had slapped me, it couldn’t have stunned me more.
“Morbidly obese?!!”
The doctor was right, and I needed to hear it. Those words that
were so difficult to hear pierced me in such a way that I made a
quality decision to change my life right then and there.
The reason I am telling you this is that I want you to know I have
a sincere compassion for those who struggle with their weight. There
is not an ounce of judgment or condemnation in what you are about
to read. The fact is that if you — or someone you know and love —
are overweight or obese, you know that it is a prison in which one
feels trapped and doesn’t know how to get out.
But you can walk free of that prison!
For me, I personally needed to see and hear the truth. And I’m
not alone. We often have to be confronted with truth as a catalyst to
produce needed change — even if we don’t like to hear that truth.
That is exactly what happened to me, and I’m so thankful for it.
In this section, I am not trying to confront you, although you may
feel confronted. I am simply attempting to give you an example of
how the “incontinent” spirit of this age can negatively affect all of us.
This self-indulgent throwing off of self-control and self-restraint is a
symptom of these last of the last days.

We often have to be confronted with truth as a catalyst to

produce needed change — even if we don’t like to hear
that truth.
 I remind you of the RIV interpretation of Second
Timothy 3:1:
You emphatically and categorically need to know
with unquestionable certainty that in the very end of
days — when time has sailed to its last port and no
more time remains for the journey — that last season
will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, menacing times
that will be emotionally difficult for people to bear.

Remember, the Holy Spirit gave us this warning so we’d be wide

awake and take preventive measures to keep ourselves and our
families safe from the manifold types of harm that will be indicative of
the last days. Society may throw off control and restraint when it
comes to food consumption — a decision that can often prove fatal
— but we must resist this destructive tendency in our own lives.
I want to use several examples to demonstrate how a lack of self-
control and self-restraint is afflicting the world today. However, I will
begin with the issue of the vast numbers of people who are
overweight or obese today. Here we go — gear up for what you are
about to read.

Society may throw off control and restraint when it

comes to food consumption — a decision that can often
prove fatal — but we must resist this destructive
tendency in our own lives.

THE SCALES DON’T LIE

Let’s start with a worldwide view of this subject of obesity, looking
at changes that began in the 1970s. According to the World Health
Organization, worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. In
2016 — the date of the most recent analysis at the time of this
writing — more than 1.9 billion adults 18 years and older in the world
were overweight. Of that number, 650 million were obese.
That same 2016 report states that 41 million children under the
age of 5 were overweight or obese and that more than 340 million
children and adolescents ages 5-19 were overweight or obese. One
updated study from 2017 shows that 39 percent of adults, ages 18
years and over, were overweight and 13 percent were obese. As
alarming as these statistics are, they are not current, and experts
believe the numbers are now much higher.31 The facts prove that the
Western world is overweight and gripped with a mushrooming
condition of morbid obesity.
But what does the term “overweight” actually mean? Forgive the
technical answer, but if a person has a BMI (Body Mass Index) of
18.5-24.9, that person is generally considered to be at a normal
weight. When a person’s BMI is between 25 and 29.9, that individual
is generally considered to be overweight. It is true that one may be
technically overweight due to muscle mass, but this is the exception
to the common reasons that people are overweight.32
But what about the “obese” category? What does this term refer
to? If a person has a BMI (Body Mass Index) exceeding 30, they are
defined as obese. Research shows that approximately 70 million
adults in America fit in this category.
I don’t want to focus only on the United States, but statistics for
this nation are the most available and proven to be true. So let’s look
at statistics regarding the overweight and obese in the United States.
A recent study stated that 160 million Americans are overweight or
obese. That’s about one-half of the entire adult population! Think of
that number — 160 million! Yet this actually doesn’t take into account
the 30 percent overweight or obese individuals who are under the
age of 20, so the actual totals are much higher.33
According to the most recent report from the CDC (Center for
Disease Control) issued in 2018 (also not current), 42.4 percent of all
adults age 20 and older in America were overweight or obese.34
Being overweight presents a risk of developing a number of
health conditions, but the obese are the most greatly endangered.
The website of the CDC states that people who are obese are at
increased risk for many serious diseases and health conditions,
including:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels
of triglycerides (dyslipidemia)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within
joints)
• Sleep apnea and breathing problems
• Some cancers (endometrial, breast, colon, kidney,
gallbladder, and liver)
• Mental illness, such as clinical depression, anxiety, and
other mental disorders.
• Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning.
• Low quality of life
• Many causes of death (mortality)

The CDC further states that obesity and its associated health
problems have a significant economic impact on the health-care
system. Medical costs associated with being overweight or obese
may involve both direct and indirect costs. Direct medical costs
include preventative, diagnostic, and treatment services related to
obesity. Indirect costs relate to mortality and morbidity costs,
including a decrease of productivity. Those who are overweight or
obese as a whole are more often ill, absent from work, and lose
physical mobility that hinders their ability to function normally in life.
But in addition to these costs, data also shows that obesity
affects the ability of the armed forces to recruit new men and
women. In 2007-2008, 5.7 million men and 16.5 million women who
were eligible for military service exceeded the Army’s enlistment
standards for weight and body fat.35 In other words, millions of young
men and women are too overweight or obese to serve in the armed
forces. Because that statistic is from 2007-2008, experts know the
numbers are now much higher. This national plague of obesity is
producing destruction on countless levels in personal lives, but this
statistic demonstrates its detrimental effects even on a national level.
In a very real sense, it means overweight and obesity is becoming a
national-security issue!

THE SOURCE OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY

The fundamental causes of overweight and obesity are an
increased intake of unhealthy foods, widespread overeating, a
decrease in physical activity, and the sedentary pace that
characterizes so many people’s workplaces, schools, and lives. Let’s
look at each of these in order.

Unhealthy Foods
As I told you earlier, the issue of weight has been a struggle for
me at various times in my life. Part of my problem through the years
has not only been too much intake, but also eating incorrectly. My
wife loves to eat like a rabbit and has tried to convince me through
the years to eat all kinds of “green things” that I personally do not
enjoy and have no desire to eat. My attitude through the years was,
Denise can eat like a rabbit all she wants, but that is not my idea of
enjoying food! Nonetheless, I have had to adjust that attitude, learn
how to eat more correctly, and not give in to the pull of this modern
society to overindulge in unhealthy foods.
Statistics reveal that this struggle to eat correctly affects a large
percentage of the population, with a majority eating wrongly.
Research shows that people who struggle with weight usually eat too
many processed foods, indulge in too many carbohydrates, ingest
too much sugar, do not eat enough whole foods, and engage in a lot
of unhealthy yo-yo dieting.36 This type of fad dieting has been
proven not to have lasting results, but instead to often produce a
worse situation in the long term.
 It is true that a small percentage of cases of obesity are caused
by certain health conditions. However, the majority of cases can be
traced to a common root cause: a widespread surrender to the
cravings of the flesh and the abandonment of self-control and self-
restraint, leading to a lifestyle of self-indulgent eating.
The Center for Disease Control reports that almost 40 percent of
Americans eat fast food during any given 24-hour period. To be
specific, 45 percent of those from 20 to 39, almost 38 percent of
those ages 40 to 59, and 24 percent who are over 60 fit in this
category.37
Although it seems the diet and wellness industry is booming with
popularity, recent data states that 90 percent of adults don’t eat
enough fruits and vegetables and obesity rates continue to tick
upward. The popularity of fast and processed foods suggests that
Americans may not always be following through on their intentions to
eat healthier.38
The U.S. weight-loss market is now worth a whopping $72 billion
a year, but the number of dieters has fallen, largely as a result of the
push for “size acceptance.”39 While the number of those who are
overweight and obese grows larger, the actual number of people
trying to lose weight has declined as the message being
communicated more and more is that people must learn to accept
themselves as they are.

Although it seems the diet and wellness industry is

booming with popularity, recent data states that 90
percent of adults don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables
and obesity rates continue to tick upward.

Those who struggle often say they’ll fix it with exercise or by

joining a fitness club or gym. In the United States alone, the fitness
industry is worth billions annually. There are nearly 40,000 gyms and
approximately 37,000 health clubs that generate $28 billion
annually.40 That sounds good, but when you dig deeper, you find that
82 percent of gym members go to the gym less than 1 time per
week; 22 percent completely stop going 6 months into their
membership; and 31 percent say they never would have paid had
they known how little they would use it.41 Billions of dollars are spent
on good intentions that are never realized.

Widespread Overeating
Let me give you more “wake-up facts.” In the 1970s — before the
rampant increase of those who are overweight or obese began —
the average caloric intake of an adult in the United States was 2,077
per day, which is about the right amount of calories needed. Even
today it is recommended that men in their 30s should eat around
2,200 calories and moderately active women require about 1,800 to
2,200 calories each day for a healthy weight maintenance.
Sedentary women only need around 1,600 calories to maintain their
weight.
But Americans today are consuming nearly double the daily
amount of calories that are needed — nearly 4,000 calories a day. In
short, the biggest contributor to excess weight and obesity is simply
overeating. This fatal trend doesn’t occur only in America; it is also
being witnessed in much of the Western world. An overview shows
that America is eating itself into health problems, physical immobility,
and impaired lifestyles that could be avoided if self-control and self-
restraint were put into place.
Can you see how the spirit of this age is producing a widespread
condition of “incontinence” that is producing widespread destruction?

An overview shows that America is eating itself into

health problems, physical immobility, and impaired
lifestyles that could be avoided if self-control and self-
restraint were put into place.
 Since the mid-1970s, food portions have changed dramatically.
My family is made starkly aware of this issue of food-portion sizes
when we entertain a foreigner in America. Those from abroad nearly
gasp when they see how much food is served on one plate. They
even ask “why” would any restaurant serve such large portions of
food to a single individual.
Research shows that portion sizes began to grow in the 1970s
and have continued in sync with the ever-increasing sizes of bodies.
Food companies, restaurants, and fast-food chains promote larger
items. Restaurants use larger dinner plates and sell larger muffins or
provide endless complimentary bread. Pizzerias sell larger pizzas,
and fast-food companies sell larger burgers, larger portions of
French fries, and larger drinks.
Industry experts predict portions will continue to grow larger
because that is what clients want. This has even affected car
manufacturers, who must install larger cup holders in new cars to
accommodate the larger sizes of cups. Mountains of evidence show
that the portions of foods and beverages have rapidly increased over
the past decades and that, in fact, larger portions have become
typical.
Furthermore, people eat out much more than they did in the past.
Competition has become so fierce between restaurants and fast-
food chains that larger portions of food are offered to obtain a larger
market share of diners. Many restaurant owners report that
customers want more and more food for their money. Consumers
increasingly choose restaurants on the basis of larger food portions,
which they view to be a better bargain. This view is contributing to
the intake of excessive calories, which adds to the obesity epidemic.
Think how many restaurants today have “all you can eat” buffets
or salad bars. These “all you can eat” bars are frequently filled with
people who are already overweight or obese but who prefer eating at
such places because it is cheaper and they can consume all they
want.
People often allege they are going to an “all you can eat” salad
bar because they are dieting. However, many items that entice the
eaters are high in calories. And after piling gobs of calorie-laden
salad dressing on top of their heaping portions of salad — along with
croutons and bacon bits — the entire notion of eating less or being
moderate is tossed aside. Because this type of restaurant offers a
“salad bar” and portrays the notion of a healthier option, people
deceive themselves into thinking they are doing well in their eating
habits, even as they keep going back for multiple servings.

Decreased Physical Activity

What about a decrease in physical activity? Let me ask — does
the neighborhood where you live even have sidewalks? Relatively
few new neighborhoods have sidewalks because people no longer
use them.
Most households have cars (as we saw earlier, up to three cars
per household), so people simply do not walk as they once walked.
Since the advent of cars, the number of neighborhood schools,
stores, and churches have continued to decrease until they nearly no
longer exist. People drive long and unwalkable distances to reach
stores, schools, and other locations that are part of their daily or
weekly routine.
Walking has almost become a thing of the past. If you see
someone out walking, you can surmise they have intentionally
decided to walk. In most places in America, there is no reason to
walk unless you are trying to get exercise. Most people use their legs
to walk from the chair to the kitchen, to the bathroom, to the
bedroom — or they walk to the car to drive somewhere.
People are so out of the habit of walking that even when they
drive to the store, to the mall, or even to church, they drive circles
around the parking lot to look for a space closer to the entrance so
they won’t have to walk. They often sit in their cars in the parking lot,
waiting for a space to become available closer to the door so they
don’t have to walk further to the entrance.
Does this sound familiar to you?
Inactivity — a lack of regular, physical movement — is a great
contributor to weight gain, obesity, life-crippling immobility, and
health problems that would generally disappear if people would
simply become more mobile. The problem of overweight, obesity,
and immobility is so out of control that malls and groceries stores
provide motorized carts to assist those who can no longer walk
sufficiently to shop for their needs as they motor around to purchase
food and goods. It is worth noting that in other parts of the world
where cars are less available and where people are required to walk
as part of normal life, the percentages of the overweight and obese
are radically lower.
Do you recall when it was an unusual sight to see obese
individuals riding in motorized carts? But now it seems those carts
are all around us. In fact, I was recently in an American grocery store
and felt like I had to dodge motorized carts as I walked the aisles.
Certainly it is right that such devices are provided for those with
physical challenges, and I don’t hold a shred of judgment for people
who are overweight or obese. Many are overweight or obese for real
medical and physical reasons. But the scenario I am describing did
not exist on the scale it does today a generation ago.

Inactivity — a lack of regular, physical movement — is a

great contributor to weight gain, obesity, life-crippling
immobility, and health problems that would generally
disappear if people would simply become more mobile.

Sedentary Workplaces and Schools

The workplace environment has also changed. Now people sit for
hours in front of computer screens without moving much during their
work day. Not only is staring at a screen for hours mentally
unhealthy, it contributes seriously to weight gain and the loss of
physical mobility. The common practice of daily sitting for hours in
front of a computer screen while drinking soft drinks and eating
snacks is another huge factor in the burgeoning weight gain that is
being witnessed among Western populations today.
Due to budgetary challenges, even in most public schools, gym
classes have been eliminated. As a result, many children have less
physical activity than they had years ago. Plus, millions of children
are sitting for hours in front of TVs, computers, and digital gadgets
rather than spending time engaged in physical activity at home and
in their neighborhood.
Factor in the wrong eating habits that result from parents working
and the kids fending for themselves in terms of what they eat till
mom and dad get home (often eating too much fast food), and you
discover why experts tell us that the physical size of children is
growing rapidly in the Western world. Young children as a whole do
not physically move as they did before the age of technology
invaded their spaces!

OTHER DILEMMAS CONNECTED TO OBESITY AND BEING

OVERWEIGHT
Accommodating a large population is a serious challenge. For
example, airlines are faced with the dilemma of what to do with the
expanding size of passengers. This epidemic of obesity has had a
substantial impact on airplanes, trains, and all other forms of public
transportation.
Certainly those who are larger must be accommodated, but think
of how this affects the transportation business. At present, nearly
every form of transportation is in the process of retrofitting seats and
aisle widths to accommodate the growing size of passengers. The
airline industry is struggling with this issue, asking such questions
as: Should individuals who are larger be required to purchased two
seats? Should they be charged more if providing a larger seat for
them means someone else cannot be seated? Does this open the
airline to a lawsuit?
The situation has become so serious that some have suggested
a “fat tax” to compensate for lost seating due to accommodating
physically larger people. Absolutely no one should ever be “fat-
shamed,” but the truth remains that this situation has created a real
and serious challenge for transportation companies that rarely
existed just a few decades ago. And the trends indicate that the
physical size of the population will only get larger in the future. On so
many levels, the prospect is dire.
 Then there is the issue of public venues — theaters, public
auditoriums, and even churches — that are faced with how to seat
the growing size of the public. Even in churches, wise planning is
required to scatter larger, oversized seats in various places of the
auditorium to seat church members who can no longer fit in normal-
sized seating. Every pastor wants every person to come to church as
Scripture commands, but learning how to accommodate a myriad of
body sizes can be a challenge to a local church.

The trends indicate that the physical size of the

population will only get larger in the future. On so many
levels, the prospect is dire.

Even the fashion industry has had to make changes to

accommodate the growing size of the population. They have resized
everything in a process called “vanity sizing.” The intent is to reduce
the real-life measurements in order to make those wearing larger
sizes feel better about their clothing size. A graph in a Good
Housekeeping article reveals:

• A women’s size 20 in 1970 was made to fit a woman with

a 33-inch waist. In 2011, that same dress size 20 was
worn by women with 40-inch waists. That’s a 7-inch
increase for one dress size in approximately four decades.
• A women’s size 16 in 1970 was worn by women with 29-
inch waists; in 2011, that same dress size accommodated
women with 36-inch waists.
• A women’s size 12 in 1970 was worn by women with 26-
inch waists; in 2011, a women’s size 12 was worn by
women with 32-inch waists.
• A women’s size 8 in 1970 was worn by women with
approximately 24-inch waistlines. In 2011, that same size
 8 accommodated women with about 30-inch waists — an
expansion of about 6 inches within that same dress size.

As I’ve stated, most brands have applied “vanity sizing” to their

clothing labels, making these items sound smaller than they actually
are in order to make customers “feel better” about their size.42 But
make no mistake — this is a delusion that isn’t helping anyone in the
long term.

LASCIVIOUSNESS
I remind you that this word “lasciviousness” is a translation of a
Greek word that refers to the excessive consumption of food or wild
and undisciplined living that is especially marked by unbridled sex
and was listed as the principal sin of the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrah. Again, it was one of the chief reasons why God
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah — and this word includes the
excessive consumption of food! From a linguistic point of view, this
means that in God’s mind, it is a perversion to overindulge in food.
I believe that when you honestly assess the damaging effects of
excessive eating and what it does to a person or to a nation, you will
better understand why God would view this as a perverting act that
destroys human life. As I told you earlier, God delivered me from the
bondage of this stronghold, so I address this subject from a
compassionate point of view and as one who knows firsthand how
destructive it is on multiple levels. If you or someone you know is
currently struggling with the issue of excessive eating, be assured
that it is not a life sentence. It may take time to overcome this habit,
but I am a living witness that freedom is possible.

When you honestly assess the damaging effects of

excessive eating and what it does to a person or to a
nation, you will better understand why God would view
this as a perverting act that destroys human life.
 In Second Timothy 3:3, we are emphatically told that a last-days
society will become “incontinent” — translated from the Greek word
akrates — depicting a loss of self-control. But, again, this does not
have to be you!
As noted, it could depict a person who has no ability to stop
eating, to stop spending, to restrain emotions, or to stop giving in to
addictive behaviors. Now that we’ve seen one example that clearly
demonstrates a loss of self-control and a loss of self-restraint, let’s
look at another vivid example that makes it clear we are living in the
midst of a last-days generation that is “incontinent.”
But before we proceed, I want to share an important reminder:
Remember that all works of the flesh can be forgiven — but before
forgiveness comes, sin must be acknowledged. This is God’s
requirement.
Once you confess your sin, God will forgive you. From that
moment forward, you can be set on a route to freedom and move on
with your life! If your “incontinence” has created problems at home
for your spouse, your family, or anyone else, pray for God’s grace to
be upon your loved ones to forgive you and upon you to ask for their
forgiveness. Then begin to take whatever steps are necessary to
make your life healthier than ever before.

Remember that all works of the flesh can be forgiven —

but before forgiveness comes, sin must be
acknowledged. This is God’s requirement.

I remind you that the word “incontinent” in Second Timothy 3:3 —

the Greek word akrates — depicts a lack of self-control and self-
restraint.

The RIV version of Second Timothy 3:3 thus far

reads:
 Love for and commitment to family will disintegrate,
and divorce will become epidemic, with irreconcilable
differences being a major factor in tearing families
apart. In fact, every imaginable type of covenant will
be regularly violated, and the court system will be
overwhelmed as people go overboard suing and
being sued. People will generally lose the ability to
say no and will be unable to control their instincts in
nearly every area of life.…

NO ABILITY TO STOP SPENDING

Because the word “incontinent” depicts those who have lost self-
control, it could also specifically describe a person who has a fiscal
lack of control or the inability to say no to self-indulgent spending.
We saw in Chapter 5 that a pervasive sense of “entitlement” will
be indicative of a last-days society. As noted in that chapter, the Holy
Spirit forecasted a self-focused, self-absorbed, self-centered society
in the last days that will be filled with people ruled by a sense of
entitlement who do not understand boundaries and live for self-
gratification. These people will want what they want when they want
it, with no regard for the value of patience or, in the case of
covetousness and the mismanagement of money, the consequences
of accrued debt to obtain it before the time.
As we discussed earlier, the word “incontinent” absolutely refers
to the inability to exercise control, a lack of control, a lack of self-
restraint, no willpower, or the inability to say no. And I remind you
once again that the word “covetous” depicts an insatiable desire to
always have more and more.

The Holy Spirit forecasted a self-focused, self-absorbed,

self-centered society in the last days that will be filled
with people ruled by a sense of entitlement who do not
understand boundaries and live for self-gratification.
 A serious end-time societal condition is revealed when we
connect the meaning of the word “covetous” to that of the word
“incontinent.” We find a prophetic warning that a pernicious and
pervasive fiscal lack of control will emerge in the very last of the last
days. As a self-entitled society throws off all restraints, people will be
hurled into excessive living, exorbitant spending, and mindless
consumerism.
Anyone could fall into this trap, and there is no judgment if you
are among those who have succumbed to the spirit of the age when
it comes to the handling of money. But if you have fallen into the trap
of self-consumption — if you are never satisfied and always wanting
more — you must heed the Holy Spirit’s voice as He tries to wake
you up. He wants you to realize that the enemy is trying to drag you
into a financial cesspool that has the potential to ruin you financially
and put undue stress on your family and relationships.
If you or someone you know is caught in the trap of debt and
lack, just know that this, too, is not a life sentence. It may take time
and your sustained obedience to the wisdom of God, but freedom is
possible.

If you have fallen into the trap of self-consumption — if

you are never satisfied and always wanting more — you
must heed the Holy Spirit’s voice as He tries to wake you
up.

A LACK OF FISCAL RESTRAINT

Remember, these warnings were not given to scare anyone, but
to help each of us know what is coming at the end of the age so we
can take precautions to guard ourselves from falling into end-time
traps. Let’s proceed to see if the word “incontinent” that is used in
Second Timothy correctly describes the financial situation in society
today.
 The world as a whole — especially Western nations — has
generally thrown off fiscal restraint. However, I cannot focus on all
the ailments of every country in the world, so I will stay close to
home (for many of my readers) and focus on the United States. As
the world’s richest nation, the United States should be in the best
shape of all. So let’s look at the facts and see if even America is
fulfilling the Holy Spirit’s prophecy about society becoming
“incontinent” at the end of the age.
For the next few paragraphs, we’ll focus on the debt in both the
national and personal spheres of America. Get ready. This is
shocking information.
At the time of this writing, the U.S. government’s public debt
exceeds $23 trillion — the highest it has ever been. That amounts to
$69,999 for every person, young and old, $179,695 for every
household, or $792,000 for every single U.S. tax-paying citizen. In
fact, the U.S. debt is so out of control that it now exceeds its gross
domestic product.
It is important to understand that these were the most recent
statistics as of the end of 2019, so these shocking facts were already
out of date by the time this book was sent to the printer. The U.S.
national debt is growing at a rate of approximately $45,000 per
second, so it is impossible to print current debt numbers that are
accurate. 43
As a result of this exponential growth of debt, the Congressional
Budget Office projects the U.S. national debt will reach at least $30
trillion by 2030. Even the government has become “incontinent” and,
as a result, is selling the next generation into debt slavery.
But it’s not only the government. Americans as a whole are
digging deeper into debt. In fact, the total household debt in the
United States — including mortgages, auto loans, and credit-card
and student debt — climbed to $14 trillion in 2019.44 The average
American has a credit card balance of $4,293, and total credit-card
debt is also at its highest point ever — surpassing $1 trillion.
 Even the government has become “incontinent” and, as a
result, is selling the next generation into debt slavery.

In a recent survey, more than 1 in 3 people — which nationally

equates to 86 million Americans — said they’re afraid they’ll max out
their credit card when making a large purchase, and most of those
polled considered a large purchase as anything $100 or more.45 The
fact that most of those surveyed view a $100 expenditure as a large
purchase shows how much debt is already piled on their credit cards
and how closely they are living to the edge.

DROWNING IN DEBT
Even though the median U.S. household income is $61,372, a
majority of Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck and
spending everything they earn.46 This is a prescription for disaster. In
fact, this is madness!
Americans are drowning in debt! As difficult as it is to
comprehend, the total mortgage debt rose to a staggering $9.4
trillion; total auto debt passed $1.3 trillion; student-loan debt sadly
reached a record $1.48 trillion; and credit-card debt is unimaginably
between $1 trillion and $1.5 trillion.47
And the lure to get more credit cards never stops as credit-card
companies mail or email offers for new credit cards to lure you into
their trap. They may try to get your attention by saying you are
“preapproved” for a 0%-interest credit card or a valuable sign-up
bonus or that they want to offer you their fancy “gold” or “platinum”
card. But what they don’t blatantly tell you is the information they
hide in tiny print, hoping you won’t read too closely.
Often credit-card companies offer cash bonuses or several
thousand airline miles for simply opening an account. However, you’ll
usually need to spend a certain amount within a specified time
period to qualify for the cash or the promised airline miles.
 Be careful about using credit cards. Although you may intend to
pay off your balance each month, most people do not. Over a period
of time, most consumers usually get pulled into accumulating a
terrible burden of debt and regretting that they ever started down the
path of depending on credit cards.
Eleven percent of American teenagers already have their own
credit cards. When most of us who are adults were teenagers, we
didn’t even know what a credit card was! But according to U.S. News
and World Report, banks and credit-card companies pay schools
more than $1 billion annually to gain access to students’ names and
addresses so they can lure students to get their first credit card.

Be careful about using credit cards. Although you may

intend to pay off your balance each month, most people
do not. Over a period of time, most consumers usually
get pulled into accumulating a terrible burden of debt and
regretting that they ever started down the path of
depending on credit cards.

Most teens get into deep trouble with credit cards by using them
for routine spending. Teen “shopaholics” are at special risk because
they use “retail therapy” to get over mood swings. This often
becomes an addictive behavioral pattern that quickly gets these
teens into big financial trouble.48
Statistics show that more than half of college students get their
first credit card as freshmen — and more than 80 percent owe more
than $3,000 by the end of their senior year. It is shocking, but more
people between the ages of 20 to 24 years declare bankruptcy than
graduate from college, and much of it is due to the wrong use of
credit cards!49
Students with minimal financial experience buy into the idea of
making a “minimum payment” — not realizing how quickly the
amount of interest that builds up on unpaid balances each month.
The average back-to-school expenditure runs about $3,400, which
takes 39.5 years to pay off in minimum payments at 18-percent
interest, incurring an additional $9,100 in interest alone.50
Outstanding student-loan debt has also tripled in the last decade
and has now exceeded $1.5 trillion. Education has become so
expensive that a college education is now the second-largest
expense an individual is likely to make in a lifetime, second to
purchasing a home.51 Projections are that as much as 40 percent of
borrowers will likely default on their student loans by 2023.52 Of
those who file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protections, 32 percent of
them carry student-loan debt.53
What is equally unthinkable is that more than 3 million senior
citizens in the U.S. are still paying off their student loans. That’s right
— 3 million Americans aged 60 and older owe more than $86 billion
in unpaid student loans that they are trying to pay off with social-
security benefits!54

MAKING MORE AND HAVING LESS

The fact is that Americans are making more than ever before, but
they feel like they have less. The majority do not have an emergency
fund, are not saving for their child’s college education or for their own
retirement, and are constantly worried about their financial situation.
But because they want to live the American dream, they feel they are
entitled to have everything they want. So instead of practicing
restraint, they borrow too much and exercise little or no self-restraint.
They put themselves into devastating circumstances as they
regularly eat out, go to the movies, overspend on clothes, take
vacations, and purchase newer cars at the expense of future needs.
Financial-management experts state the problem is not usually a
lack of money, but exorbitant spending and using money in
undisciplined and self-indulgent ways.55
For example, what would be wrong with learning to be satisfied
with the house you have right now rather than going into deeper debt
for a larger one? Is your house really that unsatisfactory? But
America is famous for its cars, restaurants, theme parks, fashion —
and big houses. Because of what foreigners have seen in movies,
they usually think of America as the land of big houses.
Houses in the U.S. are among the largest in the world, and the
sizes keep growing larger and larger. At present, the average size of
a house in America has more than doubled since the 1950s.56 But
although Americans are already living in the world’s biggest houses,
a recent study has found that 43 percent of Americans surveyed are
not pleased with the size of their current home and would prefer
something larger.57 About 29 percent of people in homes larger than
3,200 square feet stated that they would like to get a bigger house.
But let’s also dig a little deeper into the state of car debt in the
United States. As stated earlier, the outstanding auto-loan debt held
by Americans was more than $1.2 trillion at the end of 2019.58 The
facts show that at least
84.6 percent of new vehicles purchased in the United States in
2019 were financed.59 This means about 35 percent of American
adults rely on auto loans to pay for their cars.60 Because most car
owners purchase newer cars to replace their current car before it is
paid off, they end up in perpetual debt for their vehicles for most of
their lives.
As mentioned earlier, Americans are drowning in debt and are
living from paycheck to paycheck while earning more than ever
before. Many have sold themselves into financial slavery by going
into debt on TVs, furniture, computers, clothes, knickknacks, and
other material things that quickly lose their appeal.
For example, when the financial crisis hit the United States in
2008, I wondered how it would affect the number of people who eat
in restaurants. But the restaurants remained packed in spite of the
fact that people were financially struggling (unlike the more recent
crisis in which so many restaurants were required to temporarily shut
down). Do you know why? They were eating on credit cards.
The amount of consumer debt connected to eating out is
enormous. The most recent statistics show 81 percent of restaurant
customers pay with a credit or debit card, and restaurant owners
report that only 19 percent of customers pay with cash.61 Within
hours of eating that delicious meal, the food passes through a
person’s system and is flushed away. It becomes nothing more than
a memory soon forgotten, yet it can cost that person interest
payments for years.
In Second Timothy 3:2, Paul said people in the last days would
be “lovers of their own selves, covetous,” which portrays people who
are self-focused, selfcentered, self-absorbed, self-consumed, and
who live with an insatiable desire to always have more and more.
Then in verse 3, Paul added the word “incontinent,” which depicts
the inability to exercise control, a lack of control, a lack of self-
restraint, a lack of willpower, or the inability to say no. Paul’s use of
these words clearly forecasted a fiscal lack of control that would
emerge in the very last of the last days.
If you have yielded to the spirit of the age that says you can have
whatever you want, whenever you want it with no consequences,
there is no condemnation against you. This is simply a snare of the
current world system — a pattern that multitudes have become
entangled in, producing long-term financial havoc and stress in their
lives and in their relationships.
But you — and anyone else you know — can get free of any
financial trap if you choose God’s way and allow Him to change you.
This behavior is a work of the flesh that can be forgiven and
overcome. Once again, sin must be acknowledged, but once it has
been confessed, God will forgive you and empower you to move into
a life of freedom!

To review, the word “incontinent” in Second

Timothy 3:3 depicts a lack of self-control and
self-restraint, and the RIV version of this verse
reads:
Love for and commitment to family will disintegrate,
and divorce will become epidemic, with irreconcilable
differences being a major factor in tearing families
apart. In fact, every imaginable type of covenant will
be regularly violated, and the court system will be
overwhelmed as people go overboard suing and
 being sued. People will generally lose the ability to
say no and will be unable to control their instincts in
nearly every area of life.…

NO ABILITY TO RESTRAIN EMOTIONS

In Chapter 5, we saw what Second Timothy 3:2 forecasts: that
society in the last days will become self-focused, self-absorbed, and
self-centered. It will be an end-time world that does not understand
boundaries and that lives for self-embellishment with a sense of
entitlement. Now let’s see how all of these characteristics of an end-
time society pertain to a lack of emotional restraint.
Those who are consumed with self-will possess a sense of
entitlement — even believing that they have an inherent right to
express their emotions however they wish, regardless of how it
sounds, who it hurts, or how destructive it is to themselves or others.
And whenever an individual or society throws off emotional restraint
in this way, the result is ill-mannered, impolite, uncivil behavior.

THE PANDEMIC OF INCIVILITY

Uncivil behavior is defined as being rude or as engaging in
antisocial speech or behavior. This can include rude gestures, vulgar
language, offensive manners, continual interrupting, and loudly
having private discussions in public spaces.62
One national survey found that 70 percent of Americans believe
uncivil behavior has reached epic proportions. It is so widespread
that 43 percent of Americans reported to expect an experience with it
in the next 24 hours. Another recent poll reports nearly 50 percent of
those surveyed said they were done with political conversations
because of the incivility and bullying that followed. Another recent
poll found that Americans claim to encounter uncivil behavior on
average 17.1 times per week, or 2.4 times every day.63
Another report brings further light to the dire state of civility in
America. It said 50 percent of American parents report that their
children have experienced uncivil behavior at school. Approximately
69 percent of Americans have either stopped buying from a
company or have reevaluated their opinion of a company because
someone from that company was uncivil in their interaction. Further,
58 percent have advised friends, family, or co-workers not to buy
certain products because of uncivil, rude, or disrespectful behavior
from the company or its representatives. Finally, 69 percent of
Americans report that cyber-bullying is getting worse, and 72 percent
worry about children being cyber-bullied.64

The Impact on Politics

A recent study shows that 80 percent of Americans believe that
the growing trend of unrestrained emotional behavior in politics has
become a debilitating problem in our national conversation.65
Research has linked political incivility to reduced trust in the
legitimacy of political candidates, political polarization, and policy
gridlock. Examples in political discourse include, but are not limited
to, name-calling, derisive or disrespectful speech and vulgarity,
intentional lies, and misrepresentation of truth and facts.66 One poll
states that 58 percent of Americans expect the ugly behavior in
politics to get worse.

The Impact on Journalism

Because of the Internet — and online media platforms where
people are bolder to express themselves than in face-to-face
encounters — online ugliness is also becoming more prominent and
hostile. According to the Pew Research Center (PRC), 73 percent of
online adults have seen someone being harassed in some way, and
40 percent have actually experienced it. In a general poll of Internet
users, 92 percent believe that interaction on the Internet emboldens
people to be more rude and aggressive compared with their face-to-
face experiences. In fact, a Pew Research Center survey found 70
percent of 18-to-24-year-olds had experienced harassment on the
Internet.67

The Impact on the Workplace

Disrespectful behavior has become commonplace in the
workplace too.68 According to recent data, 98 percent of all
employees report experiencing this type of negative behavior in the
workplace, with a sharp increase in frequency over the past several
years.69
At an annual meeting of the American Psychological Association,
researchers reported that workplace incivility is on the rise.70 Such
behaviors are characteristically rude and exhibit a lack of regard for
others.71 Examples of this ugly behavior can include making insulting
comments, spreading false rumors, and engaging in social isolation.
One researcher of organizational behavior at the University of
Maryland says, “When it comes to incivility, there’s often a
snowballing effect. The more you see rudeness, the more likely you
are to perceive it from others and the more likely you are to be rude
yourself to others.”72
This snowball effect is having a tremendously negative effect in
the workplace, since a culture of rudeness can cause employees to
be chronically distracted, less productive, and less creative.73 For
example, one survey found that 48 percent of victims intentionally
reduced their work effort (resulting from the fallout of offense, strife,
etc.), 38 percent intentionally decreased the quality of their work, 66
percent experienced reduced job performance, and 78 percent
reported reduced levels of commitment.74
There is no question that this ever-growing proliferation of ill-
mannered behavior lowers trust, sparks feelings of anger, fear, and
sadness, and even leads to depression. But the “snowball is rolling,”
and professional researchers are struggling in vain to find ways to
stop the spreading effects of uncivil, rude, and unrestrained
emotional responses.75
This out-of-control behavior is pandemic. In fact, another survey
found almost 50 percent of all U.S. workers report that they have
experienced or witnessed some kind of bullying — verbal abuse,
insults, threats, screaming, sarcasm, or ostracism. Studies now
estimate that the annual costs of bullying in the workplace is more
than $200 billion (resulting from more people calling in sick to avoid
situations, etc.). As bad as this sounds, it’s not the full picture. The
Workplace Bullying Institute reports that 40 percent of the targets of
bullying never told their employers.76

The Impact on Families

“Incontinent” emotions — that is, unrestricted emotions — are
also affecting the family. Because the family is losing its ability to
negotiate with each other, it is leading to massive expenditures in the
offices of marriage and family counselors.
If your marriage needs counseling, you would be wise to admit
that you need help and find someone to help you.
But the facts show that marriage and family counseling is a
burgeoning industry. Today there are more than 50,000 marriage and
family therapists who treat individuals, couples, and families
nationwide.77 As a result of unmanageable emotions at home,
revenue for the marriage and family industry was projected to reach
$18.6 billion annually by 2019.78
The average fee for seeing a family counselor is between
$60-$120 per hour, depending on where one lives. Because few
insurance companies cover costs associated with family counseling,
those who need it often must come up with cash to pay the
counselor. This frequently adds more stress to the preexisting
emotional situation, because many don’t have the available funds to
continue seeing the counselor as long as is needed. Many who need
help start out well and have good intentions, but they fail to continue
therapy because they simply cannot afford it. This can add a sense
of failure and frustration that often compounds the problems at
home.

The Impact on Everyday Life

People are also experiencing increasing levels of this emotional
lack of restraint in their everyday lives as “outrage speech.” This
unrestrained verbiage includes name calling, insulting, character
assassination, mockery, and other types of emotional displays.79
It’s even evident on the road in the form of “road rage.” CNN
reports that road rage has been on the rise for years. In fact, it has
become so serious that fatal car crashes linked to aggressive driving
climbed nearly 500 percent in 10 years, according to the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
One news organization that tracks gun violence found the
incidents of drivers who pulled out a gun in a threatening manner or
fired a gun at another driver or passenger rose from 247 in 2014 to
620 in 2016. Although this statistic is now outdated, in the first six
months of 2017, they tracked 325 incidents — nearly two a day. It’s
difficult to believe that people on such a wide scale could be so
emotionally out of control — but these are hard facts!
The American Automobile Association’s Foundation for Traffic
Safety found that nearly 80 percent of polled drivers said they
expressed serious aggression, anger, or road rage while driving at
least once in a year.80

• 51 percent of respondents admitted they tailgate on

purpose. That’s 104 million drivers willing to take the risk
of riding another driver’s car bumper!
• 47 percent of those polled admitted they yell at other
drivers. That’s 95 million hollering hotheads ready to spew
defamatory remarks at other drivers!
• 45 percent of drivers admitted they honk in anger or
annoyance. That’s 91 million angry, honking drivers on the
road!
• 33 percent or 67 million drivers admitted they gesture
obscenely at other drivers. That’s 49 million drivers ready
to make obscene gestures at other drivers they’re upset
with!
• 4 percent of drivers admitted to actually getting out of their
cars to confront other drivers. That’s 8 million hotheaded
drivers willing to go to those lengths to vent their anger!
• 3 percent of drivers are guilty of ramming another car on
purpose. That’s 6 million drivers capable of using their
vehicles as a weapon if they get angry enough!

But wait — there’s more!

 • 6 percent admitted they threw objects.
• 6 percent admitted they actually got in a physical
altercation with another driver.
• 5 percent admitted they deliberately sideswiped another
vehicle.
• 5 percent forced another driver off the road.

This out-of-control road rage not only results in ugly

confrontations, but people’s lives have been lost as a consequence.
In 2006, there were 80 fatal crashes related to road rage, but that
number grew 500 percent in 9 years. It may be difficult for us to
fathom, but from 2013 to 2017, 136 people were actually killed in
firearm-involved road-rage incidents. The American Automobile
Association (AAA) linked more than 12,500 injuries to driver violence
out of 10,000 car accidents since 2007.81
There is nothing normal about what you have read in this section
regarding the inability to say no to acting on wrong, negative
emotions. But the Holy Spirit prophesied clearly that people living in
the last-days society would become “incontinent” in the last days. He
unquestionably forecasted the epidemic of emotional explosions we
are witnessing on so many fronts in this day.
This horrible, unrestrained behavior has an accumulated negative
effect on any person over a period of time. It makes one more
susceptible to heart disease, diabetes, a weakened immune system,
insomnia, and high blood pressure. It consumes huge amounts of
mental energy and clouds a person’s thinking, making it harder to
concentrate or enjoy life. It can also lead to stress, depression, and
other mental-health problems.

The Holy Spirit prophesied clearly that people living in

the last-days society would become “incontinent” in the
last days. He unquestionably forecasted the epidemic of
emotional explosions we are witnessing on so many
 fronts in this day.

Lashing out alienates your colleagues, supervisors, or clients and

erodes their respect. It causes lasting scars in the people you love
most and gets in the way of friendships and work relationships.
Explosive anger makes it difficult for others to trust you, to speak
honestly to you, or to feel comfortable around you. And such
behavior is especially damaging to children.82
As ugly as this type of destructive behavior is, it is simply a work
of the flesh — and as is true regarding all works of the flesh, it can
be conquered by the Spirit of God. All who are tempted to give in to
emotional impulses — to throw off emotional self-control or self-
restraint — and who think they have an “inherent right” to express
whatever they feel at any given moment are walking down a path
that leads to disastrous consequences. But as with any work of the
flesh, if sin is acknowledged and these individuals are willing to
change, the flesh and emotions can be brought back under control
as they submit their mind, will, and emotions to the Lordship of Jesus
Christ.

NO ABILITY TO STOP ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS

But as destructive as it is to lose one’s ability to control his or her
emotions, perhaps the most heartbreaking of all “incontinent”
behaviors are those connected with addictive behaviors. We already
covered the addictive consumption of food — but let’s look at other
addictive behaviors that have become so widespread in these last
days of the present age.

As destructive as it is to lose one’s ability to control his

or her emotions, perhaps the most heartbreaking of all
“incontinent” behaviors are those connected with
 addictive behaviors.

There is a broad array of destructive addictions, including

addiction to alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, pornography, sex, the
Internet, social media, video games, shopping, risk-taking behavior,
etc. The facts show that addiction is raging out of control, impacting
millions of lives, and killing thousands of people every year.
Addiction destroys marriages, friendships, and careers and threatens
a person’s basic health and safety.
As noted several times already in this chapter, the word
“incontinent” depicts the inability to exercise control, a lack of control,
a lack of self-restraint, no willpower, or the inability to say no. It
pictures a person or a society that has abandoned self-restraint and
lacks moderation and self-control in every sphere of life, resulting in
self-indulgent behaviors.

MIND-ALTERING SUBSTANCES: THE FLESHLY ATTEMPT

TO ‘FIX ONESELF’
But in the last section of this chapter, I want us to see how
society has thrown off restraint in regard to various addictive
substances. Before we begin to see how widespread alcohol and
drug abuse has become, I want to point out the meaning of the word
“witchcraft” in Galatians 5:20. This word is a translation of the Greek
word pharmakeia, which is where we get the phrase “pharmaceutical
drugs” or the word “pharmacy.” In the New Testament, it was the
Greek word used for medicines or drugs that inhibit a person’s
personality or change his behavior. We would call these mind-
altering drugs.
When the Early Church was being established in the First
Century, pagans embraced demonic religions that used drugs to
alter the state of one’s mind. You see, heathen worshipers came to
pagan temples to find relief from a wide spectrum of sicknesses,
mental-stress factors, and a myriad of other personal problems.
Rather than confront the true needs of the heathen worshipers and
identify real solutions for their problems, the priests of these pagan
religions poured hallucinogenic drugs into vials of wine, stirred it all
together, and then gave the mixture to the worshipers to drink.
After the recipients were medicated and under the influence of
these mind-altering drugs, the priests would send them home, telling
them that they would feel better. However, once the drugs wore off,
the worshipers found themselves facing the same or even worse
problems.
The only way these seekers found continuing relief from their
problems was to return again and again to the pagan temples to
receive more doses of these mind-altering drugs, which gave the
people temporary relief but offered no permanent solution. The
priests were powerless to heal and incapable of solving anyone’s
problems. All they could do was continue to offer the worshipers
more drugs, thus temporarily altering the state of their minds and
giving them a brief respite from their problems and pain. However, in
the long run, the drugs offered by the priests only prolonged the pain
of those they pretended to help.
How does this apply to you and me today?
The flesh still doesn’t know how to fix itself. It will try to convince
a person to ignore his problem, to hide it with some superficial
covering, or to drink alcohol or take drugs to make himself feel
better. The alcohol or drugs may give that person a brief hiatus from
reality — but when the effects wear off, he will still have the same
problems to deal with that he had before.
If your doctor has prescribed medication for you, be faithful to
take your medication. But don’t let your flesh tell you that you can
keep covering up your problems with temporary solutions. Those
temporary solutions will eventually wear off or run out — and when
they do, the same issue you faced before will resurface again.

The flesh still doesn’t know how to fix itself. It will try to
convince a person to ignore his problem, to hide it with
some superficial covering, or to drink alcohol or take
 drugs to make himself feel better.

Based on Galatians 5:20, we find that the misuse of drugs — at

least in God’s mind — is the equivalent to witchcraft. But like any
work of the flesh, this, too, can be dealt with victoriously by the Spirit
of God in the life of any believer who is willing to subject himself to
the Holy Spirit’s control.
But let’s go on to see exactly how society has dived head-first
into the widespread abuse of alcohol and of both prescription drugs
and illegal drugs in our age.

The Impact of Alcohol

Facts show that alcohol is the most widely abused substance in
the world today. Alcohol abuse includes drinking-related behavior
that may cause people to physically endanger themselves or others;
get into trouble with the law; experience difficulties in relationships or
jobs; and fail to fulfill major obligations at work, school, or at home.
A mere generation ago, alcohol was not so available as it is
today. It was primarily purchased in alcohol stores. But today alcohol
is evident everywhere. It can be purchased at grocery stores,
convenience stores, kiosks, malls, most restaurants, and in nearly
every hub or venue of commercial transportation. My intention with
this subject is not to focus on the United States, as this is a
worldwide problem. However, statistics from the U.S. are most
readily available, so let’s see both worldwide facts and statistics from
the U.S. regarding the impact of alcohol.83

• Every year worldwide, alcohol abuse is the cause of 5.3

percent of all deaths (or 1 in every 20 deaths).
• Nearly 300 million people worldwide have an alcohol-use
disorder.
• Recent statistics show that 30 Americans die every day in
an alcohol-related car accident, and six Americans die
every day from alcohol poisoning.
 • About 15 million American adults have an alcohol-use
disorder. That’s about 6 percent of the population at the
time of this writing, and the trend continues to spiral
upward.
• In 2017, 2.4 million Americans between the ages of 18 and
25 started to drink alcohol. However, statistics show that
alcohol consumption generally begins between the ages of
12 and 17.

The Impact of Drugs

But today millions of people struggle with addiction. Studies show
that more than 50 percent of the American population annually
misuses prescription drugs.84
Many are addicted as a result of prescription medication that
unintentionally resulted in addiction. But there are also millions of
people who are addicted to analgesics, depressants, stimulants, and
hallucinogens. Analgesics are narcotics such as heroin, morphine,
fentanyl, and codeine, among others. Depressants include alcohol,
barbiturates, tranquilizers, and even nicotine. Stimulants include
cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy, among others.
Hallucinogens include LSD (acid), peyote (mescaline), psilocybin
(magic mushrooms), marijuana, ketamine, phencyclidine (PCP), and
salvia divinorum (diviner’s sage), among others.

• Almost 21 million Americans have an addiction to at least

one drug.
• Drug-overdose deaths have more than tripled since 1990.
• Recent statistics show that alcohol and drug addiction cost
the U.S. economy over $600 billion every year.
• About 20 percent of Americans who deal with depression
or an anxiety disorder also additionally have a substance-
abuse disorder.
• The problem is so widespread that 90 percent of people
who have an addiction started to drink alcohol or use
drugs before they were 18 years old, and Americans
 between the ages of 18 and 25 are most likely to use
addictive drugs.85

The Impact of Misused Prescription Drugs

There are a myriad of causes for the misuse of prescription
drugs. Often it is related to health, stress, work, family, relationships,
and finances. Frequently because people do not know how to
manage their situations or emotions, they are turning to prescription
medication in record-setting numbers to find peace and to help
control their feelings.
Prescription opioids have especially garnered national attention
because it has fueled a record number of drug-related deaths.
Opioids are a special concern because they are an ingredient in
many pain-relieving medications. In 2017, doctors issued
191,218,272 opioid prescriptions, a slight decline from the
200,000,000 opioid prescriptions that they issued every year from
2006 to 2016. Since 1999, the sale of opioid painkillers has
increased by 300 percent.
This epidemic is so serious that the Center for Disease Control
issued a mandate for physicians to look for other ways to alleviate
pain before prescribing opioids and to limit the duration of the first
prescription.86

• Approximately 130 Americans die every day from an

opioid overdose.
• From 1999 to 2017, 399,230 Americans lost their lives to
opioids.
• In 2017 alone, 47,600 fatal overdoses occurred that
involved at least one opioid.
• Approximately 20 to 30 percent of people who take
prescription opioids misuse them.
• Approximately 10 percent of people who misuse
prescription opioids become addicted to them.
• Approximately 2.1 million Americans have an opioid-use
disorder.87
The Impact of Illegal Drugs
A generation ago, when we thought of drug abuse, we often
thought of heroin users whose arms looked like they were nearly
rotting from dirty needles or hippies whose minds were wasted on
LSD. But today drug abuse — even the use of heroin — has moved
into the mainstream.
Heroin is a powerful, addictive opioid — especially heroin mixed
with fentanyl — and it is a major contributor to the opioid epidemic.

• In 2017, approximately 494,000 Americans over the age of

12 were regular heroin users.
• In 2017 alone, 886,000 Americans used heroin at least
once.
• Approximately 25 percent of people who try heroin once
go on to become addicted.
• In 2017, 81,000 Americans tried heroin for the first time.
• More than 15,000 Americans died from a heroin overdose
in 2017.
• In addition, drug violations count for a large proportion of
incarcerations in local, state, and federal facilities and
represent the most common arrest category.

Marijuana is becoming increasingly legal throughout the United

States for medical reasons. However, it is still widely used as a
recreational drug and may be addictive and cause serious health
problems. Studies show that:

• Between 30-40 million Americans smoke marijuana every

year.
• In 2017, 1.2 million people between the ages of 12 and 17
and 525,000 Americans over the age of 26 used marijuana
for the first time.
• As unthinkable as the following statistics seem, studies
also show that in 2018, 13 percent of eighth-graders, 27
percent of tenth-graders, and 35 percent of twelfth-graders
had used marijuana at least once in the past year.
 • Approximately 30 percent of those who regularly use
marijuana have a marijuana-use disorder.

Cocaine is so addictive that some cocaine users become

addicted after using the drug only once. Its continued use can
damage organs, produce mental disorders, and cause respiratory
failure. Studies show that:

• Approximately 5 million Americans are regular cocaine

users.
• According to a 2017 survey, 2.2 million Americans used
cocaine at least once that previous month; cocaine was
involved in 1 out of every 5 overdose deaths in 2017; and
the percentage of cocaine-related overdose deaths
increased by 34 percent between 2016 and 2017.
• Americans between the ages of 18 to 25 use cocaine
more than any other age group. In 2017, 1 million
Americans over the age of 12 used cocaine for the first
time, and in 2018, almost 4 percent of twelfth-graders
admitted to having used cocaine at least once in their
lives.

Methamphetamine is a controlled substance that has a high

potential for abuse, addiction, and overdose. Although
methamphetamine has been proven to be highly addictive and
dangerous, studies show:

• Approximately 774,000 Americans are regular users of

methamphetamine.
• Of that number, approximately 16,000 of these users are
unimaginably between the ages of 12 and 17.
• In 2017, approximately 195,000 Americans used meth for
the first time.
• The number of fatal meth overdoses nearly tripled from
2011 to 2016.
 Hallucinogens are illegal, mind-altering drugs that carry great risk
of hallucinations, impaired judgment, and reckless behaviors.
Although these risks are well-known, studies show that:

• Approximately 1.4 million Americans are hallucinogen

users.
• In 2017, 1.2 million Americans — a number that includes
344,000 minors between the ages of 12 and 17 — used a
hallucinogen for the first time.
• As recent as 2018, even 2 percent of twelfth-graders
admitted to trying a hallucinogen.

Inhalants are readily available because they are usually

household objects like nail polish, glue, hair spray, leather cleaner,
and spray paint, but they can have permanent mind-altering or brain-
damaging effects. These solvents, gases, and aerosol sprays are
inhaled by people to get high and can cause a person to lose
consciousness or develop an addiction.

• More than 23 million Americans have tried an inhalant at

least once in their lives.
• Approximately 556,000 Americans are regular inhalant
users.
• Almost 9 percent of twelfth-graders in 2018 admitted to
using an inhalant.
• Inhalants contribute to approximately 15 percent of deaths
by suffocation every year.88

The Impact on Families and Children

As a result of the widespread consumption of alcohol and misuse
of prescription drugs and illegal drugs in today’s society, thousands
of families have suffered greatly from the havoc wreaked by addicted
family members. This has contributed to a deepening disintegration
of the family unit because of the confusion and disconnection these
addictions produce in relationships.
 In fact, research shows that children who grow up in
environments of addiction struggle deeply within themselves with
brokenness. If the children don’t succumb to addiction themselves,
they often isolate themselves from others as a form of self-
protection, which also contributes to the disintegration of the family.
As of 2017, approximately 8.7 million children aged 17 or
younger in U.S. households were living with at least one parent who
had a substance-abuse problem. This shows the breadth of the
problem. And when one considers the additional “baggage” that
often accompanies substance abuse — including mental illness,
poverty, and domestic violence — it becomes clear that the situation
for the children who live in these households is horrific.89
It is common knowledge that those with substance-abuse
problems often struggle financially. This can create a lower
socioeconomic status that produces increased difficulties in
academic and social settings and in functioning within the family unit.
One reason addiction is associated with financial crisis and
poverty is that many addictive behaviors are used as a form of
escapism. This means that those who are addicted spend exorbitant
amounts of money on these substances to escape from the realities
of life.
Because those with addictions often have health problems,
mental struggles, and emotional imbalances, addicts also miss work,
which contributes to the overall dysfunction of their financial
situation. Their responsibilities at home are also often overlooked,
leaving other family members to compensate. This causes
imbalance in the home structure and even chaos — and, at times, a
lack of needful attention to a family’s financial affairs as a result.
As the downward spiral progresses, the financial side effects
begin to snowball with bad credit, missed payments, debts, and late
fees. The addict slides into deeper poverty, with a host of other
problems propelling the decline — such as marital troubles, divorce,
loss of job, and possibly arrest and criminal charges. In short, the
impact of addiction creates a never-ending, losing battle for financial
survival that often leads to financial ruin.90
 Studies show that children in these struggling families are at risk
of parental abuse or neglect and often suffer from indirect
consequences, such as living with inadequate household resources.
Research has found that children of parents with an alcohol-use
disorder are at greater risk for depression, anxiety disorders,
problems with cognitive and verbal skills, and parental abuse or
neglect. Research has also shown that children of parents who have
a drug-use disorder are at higher risk for mental and behavioral
disorders and functional impairments.
To deal with this situation, these children often eventually begin
self-medicating themselves as a way of trying to deal with their
unresolved pain and their wounded self-worth and self-esteem. As a
result, the next generation also often limps through life, struggling
with substance abuse.
The facts show as many as 20 percent of current abusers grew
up in abusive households themselves. Thus, the long-term impact
this has upon children cannot be overstated.
Ask any professional family counselor or experienced
schoolteacher about the state of families and children, and the
majority of them will tell you that the family today is under attack and
in serious trouble. All the sociological studies and statistics
irrefutably show a downward trend for the traditional family over the
past decades that is deeply disturbing.
But, thank God, there is great hope for those who are willing to
wake up to this last-days development and submit to the authority of
the Scriptures! They do not have to fall victim to the downward pull of
addiction and its disastrous consequences on the rest of the family.
They can surrender their lives fully to the Lord Jesus Christ and
begin to take back the territory the enemy has taken! They just have
to be willing to do whatever is necessary to build a hedge of
protection around their homes and to recapture what has been lost.

Thank God, there is great hope for those who are willing
to wake up to this last-days development and submit to
 the authority of the Scriptures!

A BURGEONING DETOX AND REHABILITATION INDUSTRY

Because of this “incontinent” situation where restraint has been
thrown to the wind, new industries have emerged to try to help cope
with the problem. For example, today in the United States,
rehabilitation centers for drugs, alcohol, and other types of addiction
are so numerous that the industry is bringing in approximately $35
billion annually!
There are 14,000-plus treatment facilities, and this number is
growing. Approximately 2.5 million persons go to these rehabilitation
centers for treatment — not only for alcohol and drug abuse, but also
for all types of unrestrained addictions, such as sex addiction,
gambling, Internet addiction — and the list goes on and on.91
But the detox and rehabilitation industry has become so varied
that one can choose which one he or she wishes to go to based on
personal preference or income. Basic programs run approximately
$5,000. But an individual could choose a high-end detox/luxury
rehabilitation center that offers the full gamut of services —
acupuncture, aromatherapy, equine therapy, golf, spa treatments,
pools and hot tubs, massage therapy, nutritional counseling, music
therapy, expressive arts therapy, exercise therapy, gourmet meals,
private rooms, and exercise facilities.
That person will pay between $30,000-$65,000 for a month-long
stay! Yet the disappointing reality is that 40-50 percent of those who
go through detox and rehabilitation relapse back into substance
abuse and have to return to undergo treatment all over again.
The flesh cannot fix itself, but through the power of His Spirit and
His Word, Jesus can bring deliverance, hope, and new life.

A WORLD WITH NO RESTRAINT

To do justice to the word “incontinent” and the many ways it is
manifesting in this last-days society, we could keep discussing a
seemingly endless list of areas where people in this present age
have lost self-control, abandoned self-restraint, and given in to the
whims of the flesh. This chapter is by no means comprehensive.
However, based on what you have read, what are your own
conclusions? More and more:

• Are people losing restraint with food?

• Are people losing restraint with spending?
• Are people losing restraint with emotions?
• Are people losing restraint with addictive behaviors?

If your answer is yes, remember what the Holy Spirit prophesied

in Second Timothy 3:3 — that people in the last days would become
“incontinent,” lacking self-control and self-restraint.

Let’s review again the RIV version of Second

Timothy 3:3 — at least to the point we have
discussed so far:
Love for and commitment to family will disintegrate,
and divorce will become epidemic, with irreconcilable
differences being a major factor in tearing families
apart. In fact, every imaginable type of covenant will
be regularly violated, and the court system will be
overwhelmed as people go overboard suing and
being sued. People will generally lose the ability to
say no and will be unable to control their instincts in
nearly every area of life.…

Consider the last part of the interpretive version above: “…People

will generally lose the ability to say no and will be unable to control
their instincts in nearly every area of life….” Does that sound like the
society we are living in today? If so, you can know that this scripture
is a divine alert for us! God wants us to know that we are living in the
last of the last days — right at the end of the age before Jesus wraps
everything up!
31 “Obesity and Overweight,” April 2020, World Health Organization,
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.
32 “How Much Should I Weigh for My Height and Age?,” Medical News Today,
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323446.php.
33 “The Vast Majority of American Adults Are Overweight or Obese, and Weight Is
a Growing Problem Among U.S. Children,” IHME, http://www.healthdata.org/news-
release/vast-majority-american-adults-are-overweight-or-obese-and-weight-
growingproblem-among.
34 CDC: Prevalence of Obesity 42.4 Percent in 2017 to 2018,” February 27, 2020,
MedicalXpress.com, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-cdc-prevalence-
obesity-percent.html.
35 Fritz Dufour, MBA, DESS, The Adult Obesity Epidemic in the United States: A
Comprehensive Approach (2018), p. 37.
36 “9 Reasons You May Be Gaining Weight Unintentionally,” Healthline.com,
www.healthline.com/nutrition/unintentional-weight-gain#1.-You-eat-too-many-
highly-processed-foods.
37 “Almost 40% of Americans Eat Fast Food on Any Given Day, Report Says,”
time.com, https://time.com/5412796/fast-food-americans/.
38 Ibid.
39 “The $72 Billion Weight Loss and Diet Control Market in the United States,
2019-2023, February 25, 2019, businesswire. com,
www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190225005455/en/72-Billion-Weight-Loss-
Diet-Control-Market.
40 “Health and Fitness Club Companies by Revenue in the United States 2018,”
statista.com, www.statista.com/statistics/922841/us-health-clubs-by-revenue/.
41 “Are Gym Memberships Worth the Money?,” January 5, 2019, TheHustle.com,
https://thehustle.co/gym-membership-cost.
42 Penny Travers, “Chart Shows Shocking Change in Clothing Sizes,” August 17,
2015, GoodHousekeeping.com, www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/fashion-
beauty/a556302/chart-shows-shocking-change-in-clothing-sizes/.
43 Drew Desilver, “5 Facts About the National Debt,” July 25, 2019,
PewResearch.org, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/24/facts-about-
the-national-debt/.
44 Richter Felix, “This Is What Nearly $14 Trillion of Household Debt Looks Like,”
November 25, 2019, World Economic Forum,
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/11/u-s-household-debt-climbs-to-13-95-
trillion/.
45 John S. Kiernan, “91 Million Americans Fear Maxing Out Their Credit Cards on
Large Purchases,” January 28, 2020, WalletHub.com,
https://wallethub.com/blog/large-purchases-survey/57193/.
46 G. E. Miller, “The Shocking Percentage of Americans That Live Paycheck to
Paycheck,” January 21, 2019, 20SomethingFinance.com,
https://20somethingfinance.com/percentage-of-americans-living-paycheck-to-
paycheck/.
47 “Key Figures Behind America’s Consumer Debt,” Debt.org,
https://www.debt.org/faqs/americans-in-debt/.
48 “Why Teens Get in Trouble With Credit Cards,” crchealth.com,
https://www.crchealth.com/troubled-teenagers/credit-cards/.
49 Ibid.
50 Ibid.
51 Jessica Dickler, “Consumer Debt Hits $4 Trillion,” February 19, 2019, cnbc.com,
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/21/consumer-debt-hits-4-trillion.html.
52 Judith Scott-Clayton, 2018 Brooking Institution Report, “The Looming Student
Loan Default Crisis Is Worse Than We Thought,” January 11, 2018, brookings.edu,
https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-looming-student-loan-defaultcrisis-is-
worse-than-we-thought/.
53 Mike Brown, “Study: For Those Filing for Bankruptcy, Student Loan Debt
Lingers On,” 6/11/19, lendedu.com, https://lendedu.com/blog/student-loans-
bankruptcy/.
54 Kelly McLaughlin, “3 Million Senior Citizens in the U.S. Are Still Paying Off Their
Student Loans,” May 3, 2019, businessinsider.com.
55 “This Is How You Know You’re Living Above Your Means,” August 16, 2018,
WashingtonPost.com, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/08/16/this-
is-how-you-know-youre-living-above-your-means/.
56 Margot Adler, “Behind the Ever-Expanding American Dream House,” July 4,
2006, npr.org, https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5525283.
57 Andrew Soergel, “Go Big and Go Home: Many Americans Want a Larger
House,” February 26, 2015, USNews.com,
https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/02/26/trulia-survey-many-
americans-want-a-bigger-house.
58 Jenn Jones, “Auto Loan Statistics 2020,” January 10, 2020, LendingTree.com,
https://www.lendingtree.com/auto/debt-statistics/.
59 M. Szmigiera, “Share of New U.S. Vehicles With Financing 2017-2019,” April 2,
2020, statista.com, https://www.statista.com/statistics/453000/share-of-new-
vehicles-with-financing-usa/.
60 Niall McCarthy, “Over 100 Million Americans Have Auto Loans,” January 4,
2019, statista.com, https://www.statista.com/chart/16520/the-number-of-car-loan-
accounts-in-the-us-by-year/.
61 Kristen Gramigna, “The Cost of Being a ‘Cash-Only’ Restaurant,” June 2015,
FSRmagazine.com, https://www.fsrmagazine.com/expert-takes/cost-being-cash-
only-restaurant.
62 Shelly D. Lane and Helen McCourt. “Uncivil Communication in Everyday Life: A
Response to Benson’s ‘The Rhetoric of Civility,’” Journal of Contemporary
Rhetoric, Vol. 3, No. 1/2, 2013, pp. 17-29.
63 Weber Shandwick, “News — Civility in America 2013: Incivility Has Reached
Crisis Levels,” webershandwick.com. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
64 Ray Williams, “The Rise of Incivility in America,” raywilliams.ca,
https://raywilliams.ca/the-rise-of-incivility-inamerica/.
65 Daniel Cox and Robert P Jones, PhD., “Americans Say Elections More
Negative Than Past, Lack of Civility as Major Problem,” November 11, 2011,
ppri.org, https://www.prri.org/research/americans-say-elections-more-negative-
than-pastlack-of-civility-as-major-problem/.
66 Tony M. Massaro and Robin Stryker, “Freedom of Speech, Liberal Democracy,
and Emerging Evidence on Civility and Effective Democratic Engagement,” April
18, 2012, SSRN, https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2042171.
67 Ray Williams, ibid.

68 Lynne M. Andersson, Christine M. Pearson, and Christine L. Porath, Assessing

and Attacking Workplace Incivility, Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp.
123–137, © 2000 Elsevier Science, Inc.
69 Christine Porath and Christine Pearson, “The Price of Incivility,” Harvard
Business Review, January-February 2013, https://hbr.org/2013/01/the-price-of-
incivility.
70 Lois. M. Collins, “Incivility Turning More Workplaces Toxic,” August 10, 2011,
Deseret News, https://www.deseret.com/2011/8/10/20208714/incivility-turning-
more-workplaces-toxic.
71 Lynne M. Andersson and Christine M. Pearson (July 1999). “Tit for Tat? The
Spiraling Effect of Incivility in the Workplace,” The Academy of Management
Review, Vol. 24, No. 3, July 1999, pp. 452-71.
72 “Why Are We Being So Rude to Each Other?,” June 26, 2018,
WashingtonPost.com.
73 “When We Fight Fire With Fire: Rudeness Can Be as Contagious as the
Common Cold,” June 26, 2018, WashingtonPost.com,
www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2018/06/26/when-we-
fight-fire-with-fire-rudeness-can-be-ascontagious-as-common-cold-research-
shows/.
74 Porath and Pearson, “The Price of Incivility.”

75 “When We Fight Fire With Fire: Rudeness Can Be as Contagious as the

Common Cold.”
76 Ray Williams, “The Rise of Incivility in America.”
77 “Employment Outlook and Career Guidance for Marriage Family Therapists,”
careersinpsychology.org, https://careersinpsychology.org/employment-outlook-
guidance-marriage-family-therapists/.
78 “Psychologists, Social Workers, and Marriage Counselors in the U.S. Industry
Trends (2015-2020),” March 2020, IbisWorld. com,
https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/psychologists-
social-workers-marriage-counselorsindustry/.
79 Sarah Sobieraj and Jeffrey M. Berry, “From Incivility to Outrage: Political
Discourse in Blogs, Talk Radio, and Cable News,” February 8, 2011, Taylor &
Francis Online,
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10584609.2010.542360.
80 Tamra Johnson, “Nearly 80 Percent of Drivers Express Significant, Anger,
Aggression, or Road Rage,” July 14, 2016, AAA Newsroom,
https://newsroom.aaa.com/2016/07/nearly-80-percent-of-drivers-express-
significant-anger-aggression-or-road-rage/.
81 Taylor Covington, “Road Rage Statistics in 2020,” February 25, 2020,
TheZebra.com, www.thezebra.com/road-ragestatistics/.
82 “Anger Management,” helpguide.org,
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/anger-
management.htm.
83 “Statistics on Addiction in America,” Addiction Center,
www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/addiction-statistics/.
84 Jaime Rosenberg, “More Than Half of Americans Misuse Prescription Drugs,”
September 11, 2018, AJMC, https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/more-than-
half-of-americans-misuse-prescription-drugs.
85 “Statistics on Addiction in America.”
86 “More Than Half of Americans Misuse Prescription Drugs.”
87 “Statistics on Addiction in America.”

88 “Statistics on Addiction in America.”

89 “Report Reveals That About 1 in 8 Children Lived With at Least One Parent
Who Had a Past Year Substance Use Disorder,” August 24, 2017, SAMHSA,
https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/201708241000.
90 Jessica Bosari, “The Cost of Addiction on Families,” June 19, 2012, Forbes,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/moneywisewomen/2012/06/19/the-cost-of-addiction-
on-families/#7fb8d8145097.
91 Leah Miller, “Benefits of Long-Term Drug Rehab Facilities and How To Find
One,” May 13, 2020, National Rehabs Directory,
https://www.rehabs.com/treatment/120-180-day-long-term-rehabilitation/.
 CHAPTER 7

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO AVOID AN ‘INCONTINENT’ ATTITUDE IN YOUR LIFE

B
ecause this is the end of the age, it is easy to fall into traps of
vice that the devil has set for a last-days society. But if you’ll take
the following action steps, your deliberate pursuit to stay honest
with yourself and to stay true to God’s Word will help you avoid any
display of incontinence in your personal life. These steps will help
you stay spiritually alert to any area in which you have become
susceptible to the spirit of this delinquent age. If these action steps
are not already established habits in your walk with God, you should
begin to implement them immediately in order to stay spiritually
garrisoned even in the most troublesome of times.
As in every chapter so far, these action steps are simple to follow.
And if you’ll open your heart to the Lord and determine to faithfully
implement them, they will awaken you to areas that need change.

1. Confront yourself about your real condition.

The word “incontinent” in Second Timothy 3:3 pictures a person
or society who has lost power over self and hence has no self-
control. It describes the inability to exercise control, a lack of self-
control, a lack of self-restraint, no willpower, or the inability to say no.
It perfectly describes a person or people who have the “I just can’t
say no” attitude that ultimately leads to destruction because it
produces life with few boundaries and restraints.
 After reading this chapter, now it’s time to personalize what you
have learned by looking at your own heart to make an honest
examination. Ask yourself:

• Am I living with self-control and self-restraint — or do I

show a lack of exercising self-restraint in my inability to
say no to myself regarding unhealthy desires?

I realize this is not an enjoyable question to ask yourself —

especially if you already know the answer and it isn’t one you’re
thrilled about accepting. There is no escaping the fact that heart
conviction can be uncomfortable.
But if you see a need for change in your personal life, God isn’t
responding with judgment or condemnation. That type of response
does nothing to help change you! The Holy Spirit will convict you of
the need to improve in this area, and it will be your responsibility not
to ignore it. When He convicts you, He also gives you the power that
is necessary to make needed changes!
So today ask the Holy Spirit to help you conduct a sincere
examination of yourself. As you do, ask yourself:

• Have I fallen into a pattern reflective of an out-of-control

end-time society? Or am I free and on track?

2. Confront yourself about the way you are eating.

We’ve seen that in one survey, 1.9 billion adults 18 years and
older in the world are overweight and that 160 million Americans are
overweight or obese. But I encourage you to take the painful step of
personalizing these statistics by asking yourself:

• Where do I fit in this number? Am I overweight or obese?

More than 50 percent of the American population is overweight or

obese. That means if you live in the United States, there is a 50-
percent chance, based on this statistic, that you are overweight or
even obese. If that is true concerning you, it means you don’t feel
your best; you don’t look your best; and you certainly don’t feel good
about yourself when you put on your clothes and look in the mirror.
And when you meet people, you may even wonder if they’re thinking
that you are overweight. Ugh! I understand that feeling. Friend, it’s
time to take action.

• First, confess to God that you have not properly managed

your eating habits. Ask Him to give you the wisdom and
power you need to get things in balance.

It may be difficult to get started, but once you have begun losing
weight, you’ll feel better about yourself — and you’ll be much
healthier!

• Second, if you don’t know which steps to take to get out of

bondage in this area, ask someone you trust to help you.

I guarantee that there is someone close to you who has already

faced this battle and gotten victory in this area of his or her life. Ask
that person for help and make yourself accountable to him or her. If
you’ll do this, it will help you! If you need to go to a doctor to get help,
take that step. Just do whatever you need to do to get the ball rolling
on good body management!
God has a good plan for your life and a long race for you to run.
For you to finish your race, you have to take action to get yourself in
shape. If you don’t, you could jeopardize your ability to finish your
race well. I know you don’t want that to happen, so right now ask the
Holy Spirit to give you the courage needed to assault this problem
head-on and to walk into freedom!
As you eat every meal, remember the wisdom found in First
Corinthians 10:31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever
ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Before you eat, always ask
yourself:

• Can I eat this kind of food and this portion of food to the
glory of God?
 I have personally found that confronting myself with this question
helps keep me focused and on track when it’s time to eat — and I
believe it will help you too.

3. Confront yourself about your sedentary lifestyle.

This action step can be tough, but it is really important. If you’re
overweight and out of shape, it’s going to require a change in your
thinking and in your habits of physical movement to get you into
better shape.
Look at your life. Ask yourself:

• How often do I physically move?

• Do I sit all day long?
• Do I work many hours in front of a computer?
• How often do I get out of the house and walk?
• Am I willing to do what is necessary to make a change in
this area of my life for the sake of my health?

Never forget that your body is an instrument given to you by God

— but to keep it working in good shape, you have to use it and move
it.
When I started to lose weight, I knew that I also needed to start
physically moving. I needed to physically exercise, but I didn’t know
how to get started. So I began to work with a trainer who knew all
about the body and physical exercise. But for this man to help me, I
had to be willing to submit to him and recognize that he knew more
than I knew about exercise and fitness. I never argued or refused to
obey this man; I just did what he told me to do, whether I understood
it or not. He had authority to speak to me, and I had made a decision
to listen and to obey.
Little by little, I began to move more freely, and today I do
exercises every morning with enjoyment. I feel better, and I know it is
prolonging my life. In fact, I feel better today than at any other time in
my entire life. But this process began with a decision to find
someone who could help me, to submit to that person’s knowledge
and experience and obey his recommendations, and to keep moving
consistently day after day, whether I felt like it or not.
How about you? Are you really ready to change in this area of
your life? Don’t cut your life short by not taking care of the physical
vessel God gave you to live in. Find someone qualified to help you;
follow his or her instructions; and stay faithful to the task. Little by
little, day by day, you’ll begin to gain more freedom in movement.
And you’ll be so thankful that you made the decision to increase your
level of physical exercise!

4. Confront yourself about how you spend your money.

The word “covetous” depicts an insatiable desire to have more
and more. The Scriptures give us a prophetic warning that society
will throw off restraint in the last days — feeling entitled to everything
— and as a result, many will be hurled into mindless consumerism.
If you have fallen into this trap, there is no judgment toward you
at all. However, you must be willing to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice in
your spirit as He works to wake you up. The Holy Spirit wants you to
recognize the enemy’s agenda as he tries to drag you into a financial
cesspool that has the potential to ruin you financially and drag you
into the slavery of debt.
Perhaps you’ve gotten into financial trouble because of things
that were beyond your control. Sometimes that happens. Maybe you
had to help a child or a parent or you lost your job and it affected
your ability to keep up financially. Those things do happen in life, but
the Holy Spirit has the wisdom you need to make adjustments to get
over the hump and to experience more financial freedom. So ask
yourself:

• How do I fare when I analyze my income versus my

expenditures?
• Am I willing to do what is needed to self-correct and bring
my affairs back into order financially?

Working to find answers to these questions is always painful.

However, your efforts will produce good fruit if you will do what is
necessary to establish a workable budget designed to get your
finances back to a healthy balance.
My wife and I have had to cut back many times, and it has never
been easy. But it has always borne good fruit, and we’ve been glad
we did it.
Hebrews 12:11 (NLT) says, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is
happening — it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful
harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” Living on
a budget may be hard to do at first, but this self-discipline will
produce marvelous fruit and an ever-increasing measure of financial
freedom.
If you’ve done wrong in the way you’ve spent your money, quickly
confess it as sin and receive the cleansing work of the blood of
Jesus as part of your strategic plan to get back on track. First John
1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” By quickly
confessing sin and submitting to the cleansing power of Jesus’
blood, you’ll stay free of self-condemnation. This will keep your heart
pliable, and you’ll be in an effective position to bind the devil off your
finances and to give freely into the work of God’s Kingdom as He
directs!

5. Confront yourself about your emotions.

God gave you emotions to help you feel passionate, alive, and
joyful. He even gave you emotions to alert you when something is
wrong. But your emotions don’t need to be controlling you! As long
as you are the one controlling your emotions, they can be a mighty
blessing. However, if you let your emotions take over and manipulate
you like a puppet, you’ll end up as a slave to your emotional whims
— up one day and down the next.
But Second Timothy 3:2 forecasted that the last-days society will
not understand boundaries and will throw off restraint of every kind
— including emotional restraint! This will put people in jeopardy of
losing so much in terms of relationships, opportunities, and personal
joy.
 People in the last days will think they have an “inherent right” to
express whatever emotion they may feel at any given moment,
regardless of its negative impact on themselves or on others. That is
why it’s imperative that we make sure we have not fallen into this
vicious trap along with the rest of the world.
God wants you to experience a life of joy, so it is essential that
you understand where you are in this area of emotions. Today I urge
you to analyze your life and your emotional behavior over the past
few years. Ask yourself:

• Am I in charge of my emotions — or are my emotions in

charge of me?
• Do I say things when I’m frustrated or upset that I would
never want anyone to say to me?
• Do I exercise respect in the way I speak to others? Or do I
freely say whatever I wish because I think I have a right to
do it?

For you to enjoy life and enjoy others — and for others to also
enjoy you — you must deal with this question head-on. If the Holy
Spirit shows you that this is an area in which you need to make a
change, don’t moan and groan about mistakes of the past that you
can’t do anything about. Simply ask for forgiveness and repent. Then
commit yourself to the process of self-correcting in this area of your
life. You can trust the Counselor who resides within to help you get
the victory!

6. Confront yourself about negative addictive behaviors.

In this chapter, we’ve seen that we’re living in a world of
addictions — to food, alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, sex,
the Internet, social media, video games, shopping — and the list
goes on and on. Addictions of all types are raging out of control,
destroying marriages, friendships, and careers, and threatening the
health and safety of society as a whole.
When we talk about addiction, we’re talking about self-indulgent
behaviors that have gotten out of control. So ask yourself:
 • Are there any behaviors, acts, or attitudes that have gotten
hold of me and are robbing me of the good life God wants
me to have?

The answer to that question could be something as small as

watching too much TV or being in the unhealthy habit of participating
in gossip. But no matter how inconsequential that bad habit seems, it
is destructive to your walk with God and your ability to fulfill His plan
for your life. So if any type of addiction has the ability to control your
decisions, your actions, or your thoughts on any level, it’s time for
you to break free of that addiction and to step into the freedom Jesus
Christ intends for you to experience in your life!
This action step involves confronting yourself. Set aside time to
scrutinize your life. Thoughtfully and honestly ask yourself:

• Are there any areas of my life in which I am living in

bondage?

It’s possible that you’ve lived with a self-indulgent, negative

behavior so long that you don’t even see it anymore. So ask the Holy
Spirit to help you see areas in which you need to enjoy more
freedom. Then repent for allowing bondage of any kind in your life —
or addiction to anything that is displeasing to the Lord — and with
His help, begin to develop a plan to walk out of that behavior.
The Holy Spirit is inside you, and He will empower you to do what
is right. If you need help from someone else to walk into full freedom
in that area, find someone you trust to talk to about your need to
change. Ask that person to pray with you and to help hold you
accountable to carrying out the decision that Jesus has alerted you
that you need to make!

7. Confront yourself about your vision or lack of vision.

We saw that both the New King James Version and American
Standard Version says, “Where there is no revelation, the people
cast off restraint…” (Proverbs 29:18).
When people have no revelation of what God has created them
to be or to do, they are reduced to a rather low-level existence in life.
In fact, when they lose their sense of purpose, they become slothful
and begin to cast off restraint, permitting things in their lives that they
know are not permissible in the eyes of God. This is often why
people eat wrong, spend wrong, tolerate addictive behaviors, and
allow emotions to pull them down and control them.
So you need to ask yourself:

• What is God’s plan for my life?

• Have I lost touch with the purpose God placed me on this
earth to accomplish?

If your answer is yes to that last question, you can safely

conclude that it’s a primary factor in the reason you’re struggling with
self-control regarding your weight, finances, behaviors, and/or
emotions.
Furthermore, you should ask yourself these important questions
in your time of self-evaluation:

• Do I have a vision for improving my eating habits and my

overall health?
• Do I have a vision for healthy finances and freedom from
debt?
• Do I have a vision for strengthening my emotional
balance?
• Do I have a vision for walking in an increase of self-control
and self-discipline in my life?

These are not sideline questions; they are very important

questions with which you need to confront yourself and answer
truthfully. God already knows the truth, so your honesty is not for
Him — it’s for you. You’ll never change in these areas until you see
and accept the truth. But when you see the truth, the Holy Spirit will
begin to help restore your vision in these crucial areas of your life!
If you have a difficult time asking yourself these questions — and
answering them honestly — find a faithful, loving, trusted friend you
can ask to help you complete this personal inventory. When divine
vision for your personal growth begins to flood back into your life
again, you’ll be so glad you chose to press through and do it!
 8

FIERCE, DESPISERS OF
THOSE THAT ARE GOOD,
TRAITORS, HEADY, HIGH-
MINDED, LOVERS OF
PLEASURE MORE THAN
LOVERS OF GOD

n Second Timothy 3:3 and 4, Paul continued to describe what

I society will look like in the last of the last days. People will become
“without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady,
high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.…” In this
chapter, we will continue examining these words to see how they
apply to those of us who are living in the last of the last days. Let’s
start with the word “fierce” and the phrase “despisers of those that
are good.”
The word “fierce” is a translation of the Greek word anemeros,
which is formed from the word hemeros — a word which means
civilized, cultivated, cultured, gentle, mild, polished, tame, or well-
behaved. But when hemeros becomes anemeros — as Paul used it
in Second Timothy 3:3 — it pictures a person or society that is cruel,
fierce, harsh, savage, uncivilized, vicious, or violent.
When most of us think of barbaric practices in history, our minds
are often riveted to some despotic ruler who was responsible for the
torture and slaughter of thousands of people. Or we might think of a
particular period of history, such as ancient Rome, when society as a
whole embraced many monstrously barbaric practices.
 I’ve traveled to many Roman stadiums and theaters where
barbarism and atrocities occurred during the imperial period in the
form of cruel entertainment that the population loved. The ancient
Romans packed those venues, stomping their feet and cheering with
glee as blood was spattered and spilt in the arenas below. It is hard
to fathom the unimaginable tortures and religious persecution that
took place in these locations, especially against early Christians who
had come to believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as the
Church was born in the midst of a pagan environment.
I think of the gladiators who fought one another to the death, and
the ravenous lions and other wild beasts that ripped people from limb
from limb and devoured them — flesh, blood, and bone — right in
front of the crowd. With each victim felled by the savage weaponry of
a gladiator or the pounce of a starved, vicious beast, the audience
would cheer and applaud loudly, while those who were dying writhed
about in their own blood.
Some people have seen glimpses of similar scenes in various
movies as they were growing up. For example, who could ever forget
the scenes from the movie “Spartacus” in which barbarians
mercilessly killed each other as Romans spectators roared with
delight?
In early history — from Rome, to the Middle East, to the northern
shores of Africa, and all the way to Spain and to Britain — scenes of
this kind of Roman violence were performed and enjoyed in the
stadiums as entertainment. Throughout the empire, adoring crowds
erupted with thrilled delight at the sight of the shedding of human
blood. In fact, such bloody spectacles provided the most popular
form of amusement of that time! Although the Romans claimed to be
the great, sophisticated educators and “civilizers” of the world in their
day, they were actually monstrously barbaric in many ways.

ARE WE LIVING IN THE MOST BARBARIC SOCIETY IN

HUMAN HISTORY?
But in our own time — at a time in modern history when we seem
to be so sophisticated — we have taken the barbaric behavior of the
ancient world to a new, unprecedented level. We may seem to be
more sophisticated. But in reality, we no longer have to visit stadiums
and other venues to experience violence and bloodshed, because
now we bring huge doses of violence directly into our homes through
television, digital devices, and the Internet. Although the means by
which we receive our entertainment may be more technologically
sophisticated, this generation is as barbaric, or even more so, than
previous generations. It is simply barbarism manifesting in a different
form.
We can look back at ancient Roman society and wonder how
they tolerated such savagery and cruelty. Yet in Second Timothy 3:1-
4, the Holy Spirit pointed His prophetic finger toward the future and
prophesied that in the last of the last days, violence would become
even more widespread and commonplace in society. And we are
seeing this come to pass.
This present generation has seen so much brutality as
entertainment on screens in front of them that they have become
numb to its hideousness. Today people purchase tickets to movie
theaters to watch scenes of human carnage play out before their
eyes as thrilling entertainment.
So I ask you — if we regularly feast our eyes and emotions on
enacted scenes of human bloodshed, does that really make us more
civilized, even though more sophisticated, than the ancient world that
once reveled in the live scenes played out before them?

Although the means by which we receive our

entertainment may be more technologically
sophisticated, this generation is as barbaric, or even
more so, than previous generations. It is simply
barbarism manifesting in a different form.

In my book How To Keep Your Head on Straight in a World Gone

Crazy, I write about the numbing effects that evil has on a mind that
is continually bombarded by it. In that book, I used the example of
Lot. Lot was a righteous man who dwelled in the evil environment of
Sodom for so long, he became numb to the evil in the city until it
didn’t bother him as it once did.
The Bible says that Lot was a “righteous man” who was “vexed
with the filthy conversation of the wicked.” The word “vexed” is a
translation of the Greek word kataponeo, which is a compound of the
words kata and poneo. The word kata carries the idea of domination,
and the word poneo means to work to the point of exhaustion. But
when these words are compounded, the new word denotes total
exhaustion. It can actually be translated to wear out, to tire out, to
break down, or to bring to a place of total and complete exhaustion.
The use of this word lets you know that the activities of Sodom
began to wear out, break down, and exhaust Lot’s strength to resist
it.
Even the strongest believer can be worn down by the constant
onslaught of evil surroundings. This is the reason why God urges His
people to “flee” from evil (see 2 Timothy 2:22). Unfortunately, Lot
stayed in that depraved environment so long — living in the midst of
it, hearing and seeing its evil effects day by day — that he finally
succumbed to it. In fact, in some fashion, Lot became an accepted
part of that polluted environment by occupying his own seat at the
city gates.

Even the strongest believer can be worn down by the

constant onslaught of evil surroundings.

Likewise, current statistics prove that if a person watches enough

violence on television, his sensitivity to violence will become dulled
and he will become numbed to acts that would otherwise prick his
conscience and vex his soul. The same statistics reveal that if a
person watches enough pornography, in time that person will lose
his sensitivity to the wrongness of this behavior; once again, he will
become numb to it.
 This is what happened to Lot. He watched and heard so much
wickedness in the activities that transpired around him on a regular
basis that he became numb and hardened to the evil of it. Eventually
Lot became so calloused to the wrong around him that he was able
to live in the midst of it for an extended period of time.
But today this calloused, “vexed” condition has infected an entire
generation whose souls have been continuously bombarded by
anemeros images — that is, by “fierce” images and behaviors,
exactly as the Holy Spirit foretold in Second Timothy 3:3. This time,
however, the violence is not in Roman stadiums but in temperature-
controlled movie theaters, in the privacy of our in-home TV rooms, or
on our children’s devices that they stare at for hours on end.
Consider these facts:

• The escalation of violence in entertainment is now so

widespread that by age 18, a child will have seen more
than 200,000 acts of violence on television and witnessed
more than 40,000 simulated murders.92
• The average seventh-grader watches more than 4 hours
of television per day — with more than 60 percent of the
programs containing violence.93
• The same average seventh-grader plays electronic games
4 hours per week — with more than 50 percent of games
categorized as “violent.”
• In most of the industrialized world, 90 percent of homes
with children have more than one television, not to
mention video-game equipment, a personal computer, and
high-tech cell phones with the capability of showing
movies. This means parents can watch television in one
room while their children sit unsupervised in another room
with access to “entertainment” that projects violence into
their young minds.
• Violent video games have created a thirst for violence. In
fact, statistics now reveal the majority of children select
“fantasy violence” as their favorite type of video games.
• Further studies reveal that the more frequently children
practice fantasy acts of violence on video games, the more
likely it becomes that they will carry out real acts of
violence.
• These games are so similar to the programs used in real
military training that one expert has stated, “We’re not just
teaching kids to kill; we’re teaching them to like it.”
Advertising boldly tells children, “Let the slaughter begin!”
and awards them points for each person slaughtered
during the game.
• The desensitizing effect of these words and images on
young minds is proven to numb them to the seriousness of
brutal acts committed against others.
• Today’s music is filled with violence. All we have to do is
listen to popular music or stroll down the aisle of almost
any music or computer-game store to have this truth
confirmed.
• The average teenager now listens to more than 10,500
hours of music during the years between the seventh and
twelfth grades — much of which is violence-related.94
• This means violent words and acts are being routinely
poured into the minds of teenagers under the guise of
music. This destructive influence is very difficult for
parents to control, and many of them have no idea what
their children are listening to on the radio, CDs, and the
Internet.
• As a result of the widespread use of the Internet, youth are
regularly exposed to violent words, violent music, violent
images, and pornography. There are literally thousands of
websites specifically dedicated to foster racial hate,
bigotry, violence, and pornography to the younger
generations.
• Research shows — beyond any shadow of doubt — that
violence in the media has a direct link to youth violence.
 One expert stated it well: “To argue against it is like
arguing against gravity.”95

In this present-day culture, this escalation of violence has spread

beyond the Internet and the screens of movie theaters, television,
digital devices, and computers. It is now infiltrating society as
“shooters” take aim at innocent people in public venues across the
nation. One would think in this time when terrorism and bloodshed is
so widespread that people would shun such entertainment. In reality,
the opposite is true. Entertainment based on violence has only
increased in popularity, and great masses of people are finding
pleasure in thrillers filled with carnage. Just as the ancient Romans
had a taste for blood, modern society pays money to sit and be
entertained by murder, barbarism, and bloodshed.
As society is more and more obsessed with images of violence, it
is seeping into the mainstream. Anyone with spiritual eyes opened is
aware that violence is on the increase.
But the Church was forewarned long ago. The Holy Spirit
prophesied that violence — from the Greek word anemeros — would
indeed escalate in the end of the age, and we who were born in this
end-time generation are witnesses to the unfolding prophetic
fulfillment of this truth.

As society is more and more obsessed with images of

violence, it is seeping into the mainstream. Anyone with
spiritual eyes opened is aware that violence is on the
increase.

Once a Christian leader told me to make time to go see a movie

that he “raved” about. When I went to see it, I was so shocked that I
walked out of the theater in the middle of the movie. There was so
much blood-letting and killing in the movie that it grieved me. I
wondered how this person could recommend it when it so blatantly
glorified killing.
You should not expose your mind, emotions, and imagination to
such violent, bloody images. Yet the cinemas are filled with such
entertainment.
Unfortunately, scores of Christians who regularly pay to watch
movies with this type of violence are searing their minds with the
dark images contained in them. And just as Lot became desensitized
to Sodom’s evil environment, many are becoming numb to the horror
of violence. Their minds have been bombarded by such images for
so long, it has become “no big deal.” As I’ve drawn near to the Lord
over many years, I have come to see these types of movies as
deeply grieving to my spirit.

Many are becoming numb to the horror of violence. Their

minds have been bombarded by such images for so long,
it has become “no big deal.”

And what about children? How have they become affected by the
images of violence that bombard them?
Do you allow your children to view violent acts and images in the
media, disregarding the negative impact it has on their minds,
emotions, and souls? Do you really want your children to watch
endless hours of bloodshed through various media or to listen to it in
secular music? Have you considered how it desensitizes them and
affects their relationship with the Holy Spirit?
But there is another way in which violence has escalated that is
both shocking and alarming. I believe the following information
illustrates perfectly how uncivilized society has become in our time.
Stay with me, and I believe you’ll understand why I have chosen to
make a point from the following subject.
 VIOLENCE AGAINST SOCIETY’S MOST DEFENSELESS
HUMAN BEINGS
Some years ago, the Holy Spirit impressed me to address the
subject of abortion in our Moscow church. I had never spoken on
that subject, yet I knew the Holy Spirit was compelling me and that
this was a message my congregation needed to hear. When I began
to study for this message, I came to understand why the Spirit had
impressed it upon me so strongly.
Before I cover the statistics you are about to read, I want to say
that if you have ever terminated the life of a child — or if you know
someone who has done this — there is forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
Just as there is forgiveness for every grievance against God, there is
forgiveness for this wrong decision of aborting an unborn baby. If you
will ask God from your heart to forgive you, you can be assured of
His promised forgiveness (see 1 John 1:9). Because He loves you
so deeply, He will forgive you, cleanse you from all unrighteousness,
and heal every broken place in your soul so the enemy cannot use it
against you.
But as painful as it is to state the enormity of the cost in lives and
personal destinies that abortion has exacted upon mankind, I believe
it is necessary. As believers, we can’t just hide our heads in the sand
like ostriches and pretend this holocaust of human life hasn’t been
an ongoing horror in our world over this past century right up to the
present day.
As I prepared to minister to my congregation, my research began
with the actual number of abortions that had occurred in the world
since the earlier years of the Twentieth Century. Because I was
speaking to my own congregation in Moscow when I first delivered
this message, I decided to start my research with a study of how
many abortions had occurred in the Soviet Union.

• Because accurate numbers of abortions were not kept in

the Soviet Union before 1957, I started counting from 1957
to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In those 34
years, I found that approximately 306,457,000 abortions
were performed in the Soviet Union.96 This number is
 larger than the entire population of the USSR when the
USSR dissolved in 1991.
• Then I turned my attention to China to see how many
abortions have been performed there. However, because
records for the numbers of abortions performed in China
before 1970 were unavailable, my research had to begin
with 1971, when the best information became available.
Those records revealed that from 1971 to 2020 — a span
of nearly 50 years — 489,936,650 abortions were carried
out in China.97
• Let me help you comprehend that number. The current
population of the United States is approximately 328
million. This means from 1971 to 2020, China aborted the
equivalent of the entire population of the United States —
and nearly 162 million more. That second number is
almost equivalent to the entire populations of Canada and
Mexico combined! So if you add the 328 million and 162
million abortions carried out in China, the total number of
infants killed in the womb during that time period is
actually approaching the equivalent of the entire human
population from the Arctic to the southern border of
Mexico! That is the magnitude of the number of babies
who were aborted in China in an almost 50-year span of
time.
• Then I turned my attention to the United States to see how
many babies had been aborted since 1973 when abortion
was legalized by the Supreme Court in the famous case of
Roe v. Wade. Since 1973, nearly 62 million abortions have
been performed in the United States!
• But hold on — the most solid information shows that the
worldwide number of abortions over the last 40 years
(1980-2020) is estimated to be close to 2 billion. Think of
that horrifying landmark number modern society has
reached — 2 billion abortions carried out globally in a span
of 40 years!
 • To help you grasp that number, try to imagine this: If all the
people were killed who are currently living in North
America, Central America, and South America — plus all
of Europe, Russia, and Australia! — the total number of
deaths still would not amount to the number of babies who
have been aborted worldwide in the last 40 years!
• Although these statistics are already mind-boggling, by the
time you read this, they will be outdated, because 125,000
abortions are carried out every day worldwide.98

Although some contend that the world today is technologically

more advanced and more sophisticated, this slaughter of nearly 2
billion babies shows that we are not more civilized; rather, barbarism
is escalating on an unthinkable scale. Infants are routinely brutally
burned to death by chemicals injected into a mother’s womb or torn
to pieces in the womb by medical forceps.
Almost every minute of every day in sterilized hospitals and
clinics around the world, this barbaric act occurs. This is worldwide
savagery of the worst kind that makes all other holocausts and
genocides pale in comparison. This is murder on a scale so massive
that no fiction writer could have ever imagined it. Yet this is reality in
our present-day age.
So although we may think the mass killings that occurred at the
hands of Nero, Domitian, Hitler, Stalin, or other cruel leaders were
barbaric and cruel — a fact that no one would argue with — those
barbaric times do not come close to the magnitude of the horrific
cost of lives that abortion providers as a whole are responsible for —
murdering nearly 2 billion babies through the act of abortion. This is
the mass annihilation of those who cannot scream, who cannot be
heard, who cannot defend themselves, and whose mutilated bodies
are thrown into garbage cans, sold for parts to the highest bidder, or
recycled to be used in shampoos or cosmetics.
When godly advocates raise their voices against this genocide,
those who are pro-choice often portray them to be narrow-minded,
right-wing fanatics. These advocates for life are attacked with a
vengeance by the pro-choice faction that wants to intimidate, silence,
and render powerless the opposition and retain the legal right to
terminate the life of a child.
Make no mistake — this present generation is tainted with the
blood of innocent children. And one could argue that this generation
as a whole is largely guilty of the most heinous and barbaric
behavior perhaps in the entire history of mankind because of the
murder of these 2 billion unborn children.
In Second Timothy 3:3 and 4, Paul stated that society in the last
days will become “fierce,” translated from the Greek word anemeros,
which I tell you again pictures a person or society that has become
cruel, fierce, harsh, savage, uncivilized, vicious, or violent.
Just as the Holy Spirit prophesied, a last-days society has
developed a great fascination with violence and, as a result, is
possibly becoming the most violent generation to ever live on the
earth. I have only highlighted a few ways that this word “fierceness”
has emerged in society — media violence (which statistically leads
to increased real-life violence) and abortion. As you read on, you will
likely think of other ways that society in our times has become
increasingly violent and uncivilized.

Just as the Holy Spirit prophesied, a last-days society

has developed a great fascination with violence and, as a
result, is possibly becoming the most violent generation
to ever live on the earth.

‘DESPISERS OF THOSE THAT ARE GOOD’

But Paul went further in Second Timothy 3:3, stating that many in
society at the close of the age will become “despisers of those that
are good.” This phrase is the next prophetic characteristic that the
Holy Spirit tells us will become an end-time reality. But what does
“despisers of those that are good” mean?
 The phrase “despisers of those that are good” is a translation
from a very strange Greek word — the word aphilagathos. This
rarely used and very odd word is used to depict a land where laws
seem to primarily defend and protect the rights of offenders — or
those who are evil or immoral — rather than the rights of good
people, often leaving the good with no defense. This word is so
unusual that it is used only here in the New Testament when the
Holy Spirit prophesies what society will be like at the end of the age.
Many today believe we are living in a time when society fights to
defend offenders and even make excuses for them, while at the
same time often leaving the rights of victims and law-abiding citizens
in jeopardy. Perpetrators and those who harm innocent people are
often protected and given “sanctuary” while the victims are left with
very little sympathy and very few rights. Although that practice
seems to belie common sense, this is precisely what Paul
prophesied in this verse would occur at the end of the age.
Society today is filled with moral dilemmas. It seems there are a
plethora of laws to protect law-breakers and a wide range of
instances in which criminals are aggressively protected and are even
released to go free while their innocent victims suffer. Certainly,
everyone wants every person to have a fair legal defense, but often
in our time, it is increasingly difficult to prosecute offenders. But
according to Second Timothy 3:3, the world in the last days will not
only be violent and savage, it will also become morally confused as
to what is right or wrong. It wouldn’t be a difficult task for you to think
of other ways this has application to the world we live in today.

When all these Greek word meanings are

considered, the RIV of Second Timothy 3:3 reads
as follows:
Love for and commitment to family will disintegrate,
and divorce will become epidemic, with irreconcilable
differences being a major factor in tearing families
apart. In fact, every imaginable type of covenant will
be regularly violated, and the court system will be
overwhelmed as people go overboard, suing and
 being sued. People will generally lose the ability to
say no and will be unable to control their instincts in
nearly every area of life. People will become savage,
and it will eventually feel like there are no laws to
protect the innocent.

AN AGE OF HOPELESSNESS — OR AN AGE OF

ABOUNDING POWER AND GRACE?
It may seem like we live in an age of hopelessness amidst a
fallen world that has run amuck. Yet these are the days we were
appointed by God to live in, and He has not abandoned us to
turbulent times. We have the Word of God to keep us firmly founded
and the Holy Spirit as our Teacher, Mentor, and Guide. We also have
other brothers and sisters in the Christian community upon whom we
can lean for support and receive help when it is needed. With all that
God has provided, we are well able to live victoriously for Him in
these last times!
It’s not time for you to throw in the towel in despair in difficult
days. Instead, there’s never been a better time to throw up your
arms and shout your victory! You and I are called by God to be part
of a chosen generation at the end of the age. This is history’s
greatest opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and to
help bring in a last-days harvest of souls before the age concludes.
What a privilege God has given us!
We must arm ourselves with God’s Word and the weapons of
warfare He has provided. Then we must allow the Holy Spirit’s power
to flow through us so we can each run our race with endurance all
the way to the end! And before we conclude this spiritual race and
make the big exit, we must do all we can to tell the Good News of
Jesus Christ to people we encounter so we can take as many people
with us to Heaven as possible. Amen!
I want to encourage you to renew your commitment to live your
life according to the truths set forth by the Bible, to continually
reinforce yourself in the Spirit, and to take a bold stance against any
part of society’s moral code that is in conflict with the Word of God.
When everything else teeters and passes away, the Bible and its
unchanging truth is the sure foundation that will remain. So make the
decision that, no matter what, you will align yourself with its
immutable principles and hold fast to the eternal and powerful
promises of God!

TRAITORS — FAIR-WEATHER FRIENDS

But wait — there is still more that the Holy Spirit adds in His
prophetic list of characteristics that will be indicative of society in the
last of the last days. The Spirit also foretells that much of society will
become “traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than
lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:4,5).
The word “traitors” in verse 4 is a translation of the Greek word
prodotes, which is a word that specifically denotes one who is a
traitor to an oath; one who betrays or abandons a friend; a lack of
commitment to oaths or relationships; one who is treacherous in the
context of an oath or a relationship; a fair-weather friend.
By using the word prodotes — translated here as “traitors” — the
Holy Spirit warns that in the last of the last days, a lack of
commitment to relationships will develop and proliferate throughout
society en masse. Friendships will not be what they used to be.
Being self-lovers, people in society will make themselves their
own first priority. If they’re faced with having to personally sacrifice
something to keep their commitment to someone else, their
response will tend toward breaking off the relationship that requires
the commitment. People who fit this description are often called “fair-
weather friends.” As long as the “weather” is good in the relationship,
he or she will be there. But if storms arise or the relationship is no
longer convenient for that person, the solution is to walk away. This
is what the Holy Spirit prophesied we could expect to see at the end
of days.
These “traitors” are likely people who seem to be friends as long
as things go well. But the moment the relationship hits a bump or a
problem is encountered along the way, they break their oath of
friendship. In this sense, they are faithful to keep an oath only as
long as it doesn’t personally inconvenience them or cost them more
than they had planned when they first made their oath. Thus, the
oath was on shaky soil even when it was first made. It really shows
the lack of commitment to relationships that will come to exist en
masse in the last of the last days.
Simply ask people today to honestly assess the level of
relationships they have in their lives. You may be shocked to hear
that so many feel a great deficit in the area of relationships. Even
more surprising is the realization that vast numbers have felt
abandoned by people they once really thought were friends. This
“shallowness factor” or lack of commitment is a prime sign that we
are coming close to the end of this age before Jesus comes for His
Church.
The Greek word prodotes demonstrates the lack of commitment
and the shallowness of relationships that will develop between
individuals at the end of the age. Most people who read these words
will agree inwardly that this characteristic is the case today. It is just
a fact that commitment to relationships is not what it was some years
ago.
If you have five friends who have been in your life for five years
— and who remain as friends to this present day in your life — you
are blessed. Statistics actually reveal that most people do not have
five relationships that have lasted longer than five years.
Relationships in modern society often end in disappointment. The
Holy Spirit prophesied that this would be indicative of the last of the
last days.
There are many contributing factors that produce shallow, short-
lasting relationships. For example, years ago, people lived in the
same house, on the same street, and attended the same church for
years. Neighbors knew each other and the kids on the street knew
each other. But today people frequently move from place to place,
making it difficult to make and maintain stable relationships.
Today people not only relocate from one home or apartment to
another, but they also frequently change jobs, and the relationships
they made in the former workplace are often forgotten as they move
to a new place of employment. Unfortunately, people are not even
committed to their churches as they once were. They move from
church to church, leaving behind people to whom they had
supposedly felt a deep commitment. All of these factors have
affected the quality of long-term relationships that once existed
between people.
This mobility was not possible before the advent of the
automobile and highways. Before that, people walked or traveled by
horse and carriage — which made their world very small. But with
the arrival of new technologies, people began to move far and wide.
Even their need to attend a “local” church was largely removed,
since people could drive to attend a church that was a great distance
from their neighborhood. The development of sophisticated
highways and transportation eliminated the need for people to attend
a church in the neighborhoods where they had been raised and
where they once served.
All of these wonderful technological advancements have
ultimately contributed to the ease with which people change
locations, change jobs, change churches, and so on. They are also
reasons why so many feel a shallowness and a lack of longevity in
their relationships. The Holy Spirit prophesied that this would happen
at the end of the last days.
If you have been personally disappointed or hurt by shallow
relationships, ask the Holy Spirit to heal your heart. God does not
want you to live in brokenness for the rest of your life. In fact, He
wants to lead you to other godly people who, like you, are seeking
deep and meaningful relationships.

HEADINESS AND EMOTIONAL INTEMPERANCE

After the characteristic of “traitors” or lack of commitment in
relationships, the Holy Spirit then adds to the list of signs that will
become more and more prevalent in the very last days. He says that
near the close of the age, people will not only become “traitors,” but
they will also become “heady” (v. 4).
The word “heady” in this verse is a very poor translation of the
Greek word propetes. This is a word that depicts people who are
wholly given to violence, who enjoy violence, and who have become
known for their violent, reckless, rash, emotional intemperance. The
Holy Spirit is prophesying of a time to come when people would be
given to violence and unable to control their tempers.
We have already seen that violence is the hottest-selling ticket
today on the Internet, in music, and in video games. We are also
witnessing the long-term impact on society as acts of violence
steadily increase in every part of modern culture. In Chapter 7, we
learned that instances of “fierce” road rage and random shootings in
public places are increasing. These are examples of the reckless,
impulsive acts of madness that the Holy Spirit warns will take place
at the end of the age.
If Jesus tarries and future historians look back on our time, what
will they write about us? Will they remember us the way we
remember the Romans and their taste for violence? The Holy Spirit
was forecasting that violence in the last of the last days would
become more and more widespread, until both man’s lust for
violence and his acts of violence became more prevalent on the
earth than at any other time in human history since the earliest days
of the Bible.
I believe this is precisely what the Holy Spirit intended to say in
this verse as a warning to prepare the Church. Unfortunately, it’s true
that this present “civilized,” “sophisticated,” and “technologically
advanced” generation has become the generation that is most
“wholly given to violence” in human history. Violence is glorified on
television, on the Internet, in music, and in video games, and
violence is the hottest-selling ticket at the box office. Children across
the world play to kill with video games that realistically emulate
murder. The long-term result is evident, as actual acts of violence
are increasing in every part of society today.
As I’ve stated several times, God is not in the business of scaring
us, but He does want to prepare us so we can insulate ourselves
and our families against the madness that will assault society as it
nears the end of time. As He makes us aware of what’s going to
happen in a lost society that no longer lives according to godly
standards or moral absolutes, we are then empowered to protect
ourselves and our children and grandchildren from the ever-growing
influence of violence that is occurring around us. This is why it would
be wise for each of us to take a good look at our lives to see if we
have become affected by this alarming and growing trend of
“headiness” and violence in our culture.

As He makes us aware of what’s going to happen in a lost

society that no longer lives according to godly standards
or moral absolutes, we are then empowered to protect
ourselves and our children and grandchildren from the
ever-growing influence of violence that is occurring
around us.

I truly believe that if we will listen to the Holy Spirit, we will hear
His voice pleading with us to turn off violence in our homes —
through all forms of media. He wants us to maintain hearts free from
the desensitizing rot and decay that is occurring in these last of the
last days. The degenerative effect of violent words and images on
children, teenagers, and adults is unfathomable — and this is even
before taking into account the destructive influence that such sights
and sounds have on the rest of society, including increased acts of
crime.
Everything you are reading in this book simply presents a
common-sense response to what the Holy Spirit prophesied would
occur at the end of the age just before Jesus returns. But let’s focus
here on the Holy Spirit’s specific warning regarding this quality of
being “heady.”
It would be wise for each of us to take an honest look at
ourselves to see if we have become affected by this alarming trend
that reveals an increasing appetite for violence in our culture. And
what about our children or grandchildren? How might they have
become affected? Do we allow them to view violent acts and images,
forgetting the negative impact it will have on their minds and
emotions? Do we really want our children to watch endless hours of
bloodshed through various forms of media? And by the way, don’t
overlook the violence that is broadcasted for hours every day in
cartoons to the very youngest among us!
If the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart, I urge you to respond
to Him. Since we are indeed approaching the end of the age, it is
imperative that we respond to His warnings and keep ourselves clear
of the clutter that, along with the lost world around us, can cloud and
confuse our minds and harden our hearts.
In light of all these things, I must ask you:

• If you took an honest look at your media cabinet or your

digital storage of movies, television programs, songs, and
so forth, how many do you think Jesus would be willing to
watch or listen to with you? Is it time for you to go through
and discard everything that would grieve the Holy Spirit?
• Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you to stop tolerating violent
scenes and soul-desensitizing messages in your life and in
the lives of your loved ones? If so, what action are you
going to take to obey Him? Why not “clean house” and
remove the movies, programs, and music you have that
would grieve or offend Him and desensitize your own soul
to the things of God?

Since we are indeed approaching the end of the age, it is

imperative that we respond to His warnings and keep
ourselves clear of the clutter that, along with the lost
world around us, can cloud and confuse our minds and
harden our hearts.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of
it, are the issues of life.” It is imperative that each of us set a guard
over our hearts, minds, and emotions and that we do not allow evil to
gain access to us. To do this, God says we have to get serious about
the matter and become very diligent in our pursuit!
 HIGH-MINDED
Then the Holy Spirit adds the next word in Second Timothy 3:4 to
describe many in a last-days society. He says many will be “high-
minded” — a word translated from the Greek word tuphoo. This is a
description of one who is inflated with pride or one who is puffed up
and clouded by his own sense of self-importance. It comes from the
Greek word typhoo, which is where we get the word typhoon —
something very important to note!
Think about what happens when people are informed that a
typhoon or hurricane is coming. They begin preparing for its arrival
by picking up and putting away things that could be damaged or
destroyed. Windows are boarded up; vehicles are moved to higher
ground; and loved ones are taken out of harm’s way. The closer the
storm gets, the darker the skies become and the more violent the
winds rage. Everything looks ominous and foreboding.
By using the word tuphoo, translated here as “high-minded,” the
Holy Spirit is telling us that in the end of days, there will be moments
when it will look like society is rapidly degenerating right before our
eyes into one huge mass of people who arrogantly deny God and
are self-inflated with pride. It will seem almost like a typhoon when
massive dark clouds, destructive winds, and heavy rain are moving
in from the sea and over the landscape.
When such a violent storm arrives, everything is affected except
for those who have taken appropriate shelter or who have fled from
the storm. But the good news is that typhoons or hurricanes never
last long! They are short-lived and eventually pass. Just as they blow
in, they also blow out.
As we’ve viewed the sudden shifts in political and moral climates
over the course of recent years, we’ve probably all had the feeling
that dark clouds are filling the horizon. We’ve seen things occur that
most of us have never seen before in our lifetime. And many of us
have thought, It seems like the very atmosphere is changing, and it
doesn’t look as if it’s going to stop.
By using the word typhoo, the Holy Spirit plainly warns us that
many people, within many spheres of society, will emit a proud, God-
defying attitude. This is especially true of those who fit the category
of intellectual elitists, disdaining those of us who hold to the
immutable truth of the Bible. God’s Spirit warns us that at the end of
the age, this intellectually snobbish attitude will try to blast onto the
scene in full strength, much like the dark clouds and destructive
winds of a typhoon.
But although typhoons bring great destruction, they always
eventually pass from the scene, leaving the task of rebuilding to the
inhabitants of the impacted region. Likewise, it may seem that an evil
society comprised of evil people is going to have a lasting impact —
but these times will pass when the King of kings returns with His
people to establish His Millennial reign on the earth (see Revelation
19:11-20:6)!
Instead of “hunkering down” and trying to hide from these “signs
of the times,” it’s our time to shine as bright lights in a sin-darkened
world.
The stormy season of the very last of the last days is when we
are needed most — and we have the power of the Holy Spirit to
empower us to face any challenge and to conquer any foe. It’s never
a question of if we will win this battle; it’s only a question of when
we’ll win.
Never forget — in the end, the Lord will come to set up His
Millennial reign, and we will have the great honor to reign with Him
(see Revelation 20:6). Ultimately, the victory is ours to claim! Amen!

‘WHEN, WHY, HOW’ — ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

Through these prophetic verses, the Holy Spirit is encouraging
us. His message is that regardless of how things look in the world
around us, the situation is temporary. This current culture is a
temporary culture.
We may question when things are going to change or why things
are not changing when we think they should change. But the bigger
question should be this: How should we live and conduct ourselves
in times when ominous, dark clouds are blowing in — changing the
face of nations and the very atmosphere around us?
 The Bible is clear on the matter. It instructs us on how to ensure
that we’re equipped to live victoriously and make a difference in this
world in the last days. It is not an instruction manual on how to
hunker down and try our best just to survive.

We may question when things are going to change or

why things are not changing when we think they should
change. But the bigger question should be this: How
should we live and conduct ourselves in times when
ominous, dark clouds are blowing in — changing the face
of nations and the very atmosphere around us?

For example, if you have children, how do you raise them in the
midst of modern society’s typhoon situation? What are you as a
parent to do in these perilous times in which pride, insolence, and
animosity toward the things of God seem to hold sway in politics, in
the media, and on college campuses across the nation?
We must raise our children “in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord” (see Ephesians 6:4) and teach them how to cultivate a
relationship with God for themselves that is personal and intimate.
We should train them in such a way — and live godly lives before
them — that they’ll know how to separate themselves from these
perilous conditions as young children and adolescents and also later
after they grow into adulthood and leave home.
While our children are living with us, we must take responsibility
for instructing them in how to guard their hearts and minds from the
treachery of the world we’re living in. It’s our job to shield them from
harm — spirit, soul, and body — and to teach them how to protect
themselves and to walk accurately on the right path in the midst of
the crooked and perverse world that surrounds them.
These are exactly the times we’re living in now — times that are
perilous, marked by twistedness and perversity. The words of the
Holy Spirit are being fulfilled before our very eyes, so we need to be
especially alert to what He has said. Although we live in this world,
Jesus said we’re not of the world (see John 17:14-18). We must
make every effort to steer clear of the world’s attitudes and teach our
children and grandchildren how to do the same.
The events that the Holy Spirit is describing in these verses may
seem overwhelming when we read it and deeply understand it, but
He reminds us that just as a typhoon passes, these events will also
eventually pass. And those who have taken shelter in Jesus will be
safe!

The words of the Holy Spirit are being fulfilled before our
very eyes, so we need to be especially alert to what He
has said. We must make every effort to steer clear of the
world’s attitudes and teach our children and
grandchildren how to do the same.

With all this in mind, the RIV of this first part of

Second Timothy 3:4 reads:
People will find it easy to walk away from
commitments and to easily throw away relationships.
They will become reckless, impulsive, and known for
their enjoyment of violence. They will become full of
pride and inflated with a sense of their own self-
importance — to the extent that it may end up feeling
like society is being hit by a typhoon; however, those
menacing winds of change will eventually blow out
like a storm that comes and goes.

A LOVE OF PLEASURE THAT SUPERSEDES A LOVE FOR

GOD
But now let’s look at the last phrase in verse 4, where Paul wrote
that people will become “…lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God.” These words are packed with insight about what will happen to
society in the last days, including trends that will negatively emerge
among many Christians.
The phrase “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” is
translated from the Greek word philodonos, which is comprised of
the word philos, meaning love, and the word hedone, meaning
pleasure. The word hedone is the root of the word hedonism, which
denotes individuals who give themselves to the unbridled and
unrestrained seeking of pleasures of any type.
Thus, the word philedonos — translated here as “lovers of
pleasure” — means to live for the fulfillment of one’s pleasure. It is a
picture of people who are completely preoccupied with their own
self-gratification or people who make personal happiness their
highest aspiration in life. The dictionary says a hedonist is a person
who believes the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in
life. Thus, he is a nonstop pleasure-seeker. Hedonists are self-
centered, self-focused, self-consumed, and self-obsessed.
When verse 4 says that people will be “…lovers of pleasure more
than lovers of God,” even the words “more than” are very important
to note. This phrase is translated from the Greek word mallon, which
means more than or more than what it is compared to. This word
involves the ranking of comparison with something else — in this
case, the higher and more important priority over the lower and the
less important.
So when Paul wrote that the people would be “lovers of pleasure
more than lovers of God,” he was not saying these people won’t love
God. Rather, his intended meaning was that their love of pleasure
would have a higher rank than and would exceed their love for God.
To be clear, God’s highest call for you is not that you are happy.
Just seeking pleasure and having happiness is not His greatest will
for you. His greatest will for your life is that you truly love Him and
are obedient. If you are wholeheartedly doing God’s will, you will find
joy in doing it.
Never forget this: Every form of happiness is both temporary and
an unreliable measuring stick for determining how pleasing we are to
God or for how well we are walking in obedience to Him. But
according to Second Timothy 3:4, the unending, unobtainable pursuit
of happiness will become a chief goal of people at the end of the
age. In fact, Paul says that the love of pleasure will become so
widespread that people will be more devoted to pleasures and to the
pursuit of their own happiness than to their love for God and their
pursuit of Him.
The fact is that there has never been a generation in history with
more material possessions and comfort than this present generation.
Yet in spite of our abundance of goods and ongoing pursuit of
pleasure, the worldwide happiness index is at the lowest point on
record — especially in industrialized nations where wealth abounds.
As believers, we cannot let the errant doctrine that we are entitled to
be “happy” drive our lives. Pleasing God and obeying His Word must
be our heart’s cry!

As believers, we cannot let the errant doctrine that we are

entitled to be “happy” drive our lives. Pleasing God and
obeying His Word must be our heart’s cry!

But when the Holy Spirit speaks of “lovers of pleasure more than
lovers of God” in Second Timothy 3:4, He is forecasting a society
living to attain personal pleasure or happiness as the very highest
aim or aspiration in life. You might even say it depicts a wandering
world that is obsessively addicted to happiness and to the attainment
of pleasure.

BELIEVERS, BEWARE!
Paul prophetically declared in Second Timothy 3:4 that society in
the last days will become consumed with themselves to the point
that they’ll be driven to unparalleled levels of selfishness.
It’s not just the unsaved population that is susceptible to an
unbalanced love of pleasure and an overemphasis on “self.” Many
Christians are so obsessed with comfort that they don’t want to be
asked to do anything that would inconvenience them or jeopardize
their comfort. As the decades have passed, this condition has greatly
affected churches, where it has become more and more difficult to
find people who are willing to serve in church as volunteers.
Furthermore, teachings abound that make it “sound” like God’s
greatest and highest will for your life is that you are happy. But I’ll
say it again: Being “happy” is not God’s ultimate will for your life. If
you are happy, that is great. But God’s ultimate will is that you do
what He asks you to do, regardless of whether or not your obedience
makes you happy.
The attainment of happiness is a delusion that is part of the great
deception of the last days — with people in mad pursuit of a dream
that is unattainable or unsustainable because it is only a fleeting
emotion. In fact, I would encourage you to do a study in the Bible of
the word “happy.” You’ll find that the only way we can be truly happy
is by doing what God has asked us to do. Every other form of
happiness is temporary and an unreliable measuring stick in
determining how well we are pleasing God.
But according to Second Timothy 3:4, the unending pursuit of
happiness will become the chief goal of people at the end of the age
— even of many who profess to be Christians. The reason we know
that Paul was talking about Christians can be found in the use of the
phrase “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” According to
this phrase, the people Paul was talking about will have an affection
for God, but their love of pleasure or happiness will exceed their love
for God. That doesn’t mean they won’t love God. It simply means
they will love pleasure more than they love God.
When Paul wrote that people will be “lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God,” the words “more than” were used to draw a
drastic comparison between two points. In other words, it doesn’t
mean these Christians won’t love God; it simply means that they will
love the pursuit of their happiness and the pleasures of life more
than they love God. Although they may claim to know Christ, their
devotion to pleasures will far surpass their devotion and service to
Him and to His Church.
 The people Paul was talking about will have an affection
for God, but their love of pleasure or happiness will
exceed their love for God. That doesn’t mean they won’t
love God. It simply means they will love pleasure more
than they love God.

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

I don’t know any Christian who would openly confess that he
loved pleasures more than he loved God — but a person’s actions
speak louder than his words. Actions reveal the truth about what a
person loves and values most. As I just noted, pastors all over the
world can testify that people are becoming less and less willing to
serve in the local church. This is an indication of how the Church at
large can be influenced by a last-days demonic agenda.
Oh, we must care deeply about those matters that mean most to
God! Especially as we draw near to the time of Jesus’ return, we
must do everything we can to guard our hearts and keep them free
from selfishness and greed so we can remain focused on His
coming. We must set our hearts and minds on Jesus and keep our
priorities aligned with His Word so that when He comes, He will find
faith in our hearts that we nourished and nurtured as we waited in
anticipation of His appearing (see Luke 18:8; 2 Timothy 4:8).
The fact is, soon everything in this world will pass away. Only
those things that were done in obedience to Jesus will last for
eternity. In light of this awesome truth, it’s imperative that we
examine our hearts to determine our true spiritual condition. If we
find areas that need improvement and we are willing to yield to the
Holy Spirit’s leadership, He will help us know how to bring correction
to those areas in our lives that are out of harmony with Him.

We must set our hearts and minds on Jesus and keep our
 priorities aligned with His Word so that when He comes,
He will find faith in our hearts that we nourished and
nurtured as we waited in anticipation of His appearing.

As I’ve said before, there’s a reason the Holy Spirit wants us to

know that we know, of a certainty, that these things will indeed come
to pass (see 2 Timothy 3:1). He wants us to know them in advance
for a reason! But He’s not enumerating all these last-days signs to
scare us; He’s letting us know what to expect in order to prepare us
for what’s ahead. He is doing His part to ensure that we won’t be
overcome by the evil that will develop in the world in the last of the
last days.

So in conclusion and with all we’ve discussed in

mind, the following is the RIV of Second Timothy
3:4 in its entirety:
People will find it easy to walk away from
commitments and to easily throw away relationships.
They will become reckless, impulsive, and known for
their enjoyment of violence. They will become full of
pride and inflated with a sense of their own self-
importance — to the extent that it may end up feeling
like society is being hit by a typhoon; however, those
menacing winds of change will eventually blow out
like a storm that comes and goes. Meanwhile, people
will become fixated on the unobtainable pursuit of
happiness and pleasure even more than they love
God.

92 Sandra L. Bloom, Creating Sanctuary: Toward the Evolution of Sane Societies

(New York: Routledge, 1997), p. 204.
93 Marketing Violence to Children: Hearing Before the Committee, United States
Congress, Senate, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 2001.
94 Joshua Leeds, The Power of Sound: How To Be Healthy and Productive Using
Sound (New York: Healing Arts Press, 2010).
95 Judith Levine, Shooting the Messenger: Why Censorship Won’t Stop Violence
(New York: Media Coalition, Inc., 2000), p. 2.
96 Alexandre Avdeev, The History of Abortion Statistics in Russia and the USSR
from 1900-1991 (Paris: University of Paris, January 1995), pp. 64-65.
97 William Robert Johnson, “Historical Abortion Statistics, PR China,”
JohnstonsArchive.net, http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-
prchina.html.
98 “Abortions Worldwide This Year,” Worldometer.com,
https://www.worldometers.info/abortions/.
 CHAPTER 8

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO AVOID THESE END-TIME TENDENCIES AND TRENDS

I
n this chapter, we have seen the amazingly accurate prophetic
statements the Holy Spirit made regarding society in the very last
of the last days. For those of us living in this generation, it is
evident that we’re in the season when time has almost reached its
last port and only a sliver of time remains for the journey. At this very
end of the age, society will drift far off course in many serious ways.
But just because the world drifts off course does not mean you or
your family should drift off course!
We see that the Holy Spirit emphatically and categorically
prophesied that society at the close of the age would be filled with:

• Many who have become “fierce” — that is, uncivilized and

savage in many aspects.
• “Despisers of those that are good” — that is, those who
will cause it to seem like laws protect only the offenders,
and law-abiding citizens will be left without defense.
• “Traitors” — that is, “fair-weather friends” who specialize in
shallow relationships.
• Many who are “heady” — that is, those known for being
both reckless and rash and given to an intemperate
enjoyment of violence.
 • Those who are “high-minded” — that is, those who defy
God and are filled with their own self-importance,
producing a pervasive sense of foreboding that a spiritual
typhoon is filling the horizon.
• Those in society and even many in the Church who have
become “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” —
that is, addicted to the pursuit of their own happiness more
than they desire to pursue God Himself.

So I want you to honestly ask yourself the following seven

questions. Examine yourself to see if you have been affected by any
of these characteristics that we’ve discussed in this chapter so you
can build a wall of protection around yourself and your family against
the onslaught of destructive tendencies and trends that continue to
grow in intensity in this last-days society.

1. “Have I become numbed in my response to images of

violence, or does such graphic violence still trouble me?”
We live in a world today that is filled with images of violence.
Violence is pervasive throughout society — in the movies, in the
news, and throughout the Internet. Because it seems to be infiltrating
every realm of the society we live in, we must be careful not to allow
ourselves to become numb to violence until it no longer disturbs us
as it once did in the newness of our walk with Jesus.
Can you say that violent and graphic images still disturb you, or
have you become so desensitized to them that such images no
longer bother you as they once did?
Certainly there is no reason to feel self-condemned. But if you
see that your tolerance level for violence and bloodshed — even in
entertainment — is greater than it once was, it is entirely possible
that your soul has become calloused in this area of your life. That is
not a small thing. The calloused soul is a serious condition, because
the person who possesses such a soul finds it more difficult to hear
the tender voice of the Holy Spirit.
I ask you today to reflect on your own level of sensitivity to things
that grieve the Spirit of God. See if you have become affected by this
trend toward violence in the world around you. If you find that you
have become too tolerant of images that are offensive to the Spirit of
God, I urge you to take time to ask the Holy Spirit to soften your
heart. Then make the decision to eradicate such images from your
own realm of visual contact.

2. “Have I considered how Jesus would feel about the movies I

watch?”
I know this is not an enjoyable question, but it is an important
question for you to answer. Remember that the Holy Spirit lives
inside you — and you subject Him to the things you allow to go into
your mind through your eyes and your ears.
Can you honestly say that the Holy Spirit is pleased by the things
you are subjecting Him to that you watch in movies, on TV, on digital
devices, or on the Internet? Can you imagine asking Jesus to sit on
the sofa next to you to watch the things you are watching, or would
you be embarrassed to ask Him to join you? The truth is that Jesus
is always with you, and you are subjecting Him to whatever you are
watching.
I know you don’t want to grieve Jesus and the Holy Spirit who
dwells within you. So I encourage you to take some time today to
evaluate what you need to eliminate from your viewing habits. If it
isn’t something you’d want to invite Jesus to watch with you, you
don’t need to be watching it anyway.

3. “Have I allowed my children or grandchildren to watch

images of violence that could possibly sear their conscience
and desensitize them?”
Even cartoons today are filled with graphic violence and
disrespect. The devil is clearly targeting children because he wants
to desensitize them to these carnal things from an early age.
What are your children or grandchildren watching on television,
on their gadgets, or on the Internet? Do you know what they are
focused on when they watch their screens or play their digital
games? Would Jesus commend you for being a faithful guardian
over your children or your grandchildren in this area? Or would He
reprove you for allowing them to be tainted with soul-destroying
images and attitudes?
It is easy to let children sit in front of the TV and digital gadgets
as a way to keep them occupied. However, you have a God-given
responsibility to be a guardian over their young souls. What they put
into their eyes and minds will eventually produce a harvest in their
lives. Are you absolutely certain what they are watching as
entertainment will produce a good result?
I urge you today to deeply ponder this question. What have you
been allowing the children under your charge to take into their eyes,
their ears, and their minds? If you find that you’ve been too lenient in
this area, it’s time for you to self-correct and begin to take your
responsibility as guardian very seriously. It’s better for you to take
action now than to have to repent later when the children produce a
bad harvest from the violence and the wrong attitudes and actions in
the movies and the games you allowed them to engage in as
entertainment.

4. “Have my friendships with others become more shallow over

time? Am I possibly viewed by some as a fair-weather
friend?”
For many reasons we discussed in this chapter, relationships
have become shallower and more short-term for many people.
Maybe that’s a trend you can relate to. You may even feel that your
closest friends have drifted away because they have moved,
changed jobs, or switched churches and didn’t maintain their
relationship with you. Or they may have experienced a change in
marital status, and your relationship was negatively impacted
because the friendship was forsaken — something that often
happens today.
I suggest you take the time to explore this question further by
asking yourself these questions:

• Have I experienced this sense of loss in the area of close

relationships with friends?
• If so, what kind of deficit has this created in my life?
 • Who is my closest friend? To whom do I turn in times of
need? To whom do I turn when I feel a need to do
something with someone I trust?
• Do I have a friend I can spend time with and with whom I
can open my heart with no fear of my trust being
compromised?
• Just as important — to whom am I a friend these days?
Can someone else say he or she looks to me as a trusted
confidant and friend?
• Have I been able to maintain close relationships with
others, or have I been affected by the spirit of the age to
the extent that I have become unreliable as a trusted
friend?

People everywhere — including you — need close and trusted

relationships they can depend on for years and years. These
relationships are precious gifts. Do you have them in your life? Can
someone else say that you are that trusted friend they need?
The Church today is filled with lonely people who are lacking in
this very important area of close relationships. So I urge you to take
this question seriously and conduct an honest, thorough evaluation
of your own relationships. Even if the world has drifted in this area of
close, long-lasting relationships, God wants you to be among those
who are rich with faithful friends and who are counted as faithful
friends to others.

5. “Have I felt like the horizon before me in society is getting

darker and darker?”
If your answer is yes, there is a simple reason for what you’ve
been sensing. It is growing darker and darker, just as the Holy Spirit
prophesied it would be at the end of the age. But rather than wring
your hands while you worry and fret, this is your opportunity to rise
and shine and show the power and the love of God to those around
you (see Isaiah 60:1)!
Take some time to honestly answer this question:
 • In what ways am I shining the light of the Gospel to those I
know who are in darkness and who are making wrong
decisions right now?

It is entirely possible that God is waiting on you to step up and

shine the light of Jesus Christ into their lives to help them see more
clearly what is right and wrong. If you don’t know how to do that, the
Holy Spirit certainly does. If you’ll lean on Him and follow His
instructions, He will show you how to shine the light to those who so
desperately need it.
Here are some other important questions to ask yourself:

• Who are the people I know who really need me to shine

the light to them?
• Can they depend on me to lovingly show them the way?
• Can they count on me to speak the truth to them in love?
• Or have I been failing them as God’s voice and as a family
member or friend?

As time goes on, darkness will continue to creep into many

people’s lives. However, this means the light you possess will be
easier to see if you are willing to let yourself shine out to the world
around you.
Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to use you as a light-bearer to
people you know who really need the light? This question will
become more and more important as time goes by, so I urge you
today to examine your heart to see if you are hiding your light under
a bushel or if you are allowing the Holy Spirit to shine the light of
God’s Word and of Jesus’ love through you to others.

6. “Have I allowed the driving force in my life to become the

pursuit of happiness, or is obedience to God still my chief
passion?”
You don’t want to rush through this question, because this is
about sustaining your first love for Jesus (see Revelation 2:4). It is
vital that you conduct an honest self-examination and ask yourself:
 • Considering how I live my life each day, which is greater
— my desire to please God in all that I do, or self-
gratification?

To help yourself answer accurately, I suggest that you take an

honest look at your calendar, your checkbook, and your service at
church. Where is the majority of your time and money being spent?
This is a real-life indicator of what is truly motivating your life. How
often do you attend church, and how often do you faithfully volunteer
in some way to help others?
I made this statement earlier: God’s highest call for you is not that
you are happy. His greatest will for your life is that you are obedient.
When you read that statement, do you agree or disagree with it?
Does it aggravate and frustrate you, or does it confirm and resonate
with what is already in your heart?
Take a few moments to pray as David prayed: “Search me, O
God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you
find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of
everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23, 24 TLB). Listen for what the Holy
Spirit speaks to you. If He shows you any areas in which you need
improvement, repent and surrender those things to Him, taking any
action steps He reveals.

7. “Has the message gotten through to me that Jesus does not

want to scare me, but He does want to prepare me to live in
victory in these last days?”
Second Timothy 1:7 states that God never gives anyone a spirit
of fear; therefore, we know that God is not in the business of scaring
anyone. However, as a loving Father, He does want to prepare every
one of us for what we need to know to stay sound, healthy, and free
from the evil that is lurking in the world at the end of the age.
John 1:5 says that the darkness doesn’t have the power to
overcome the light of God inside you and me. However, we have a
responsibility to make sure we do not allow darkness to have a voice
in our lives. We must live according to the light of God inside us so it
can radiate its glorious and powerful presence through us to those
around us.
Although you do not need to be afraid, God does want you to
wake up and to be continually vigilant because the devil really is as a
roaring lion who walks about, seeking to find those he can devour
(see 1 Peter 5:8). For you to avoid the enemy’s attacks, you must
learn to keep your eyes open spiritually, stay in tune with the Spirit of
God, stay in close fellowship with a local church, and stay under
protective spiritual authority.
With all of that in mind, this is a good time to thoughtfully ask
yourself:

• Am I taking all the necessary steps so I don’t become

assaulted by the evil that is working in the world today?

This is so important that I urge you to thoroughly evaluate how

you are taking precautionary steps to make sure you are not being
affected by the spirit of this end-time age.
And now I leave you with this final question to ask yourself before
we move on to the next chapter:

• Can I honestly say that I am diligently working on my

spiritual life and that I am making good spiritual progress?

This question is of paramount importance to the longevity of your

spiritual health, so I urge you to really take it to heart.
In conclusion, I want to add a word of encouragement. You’ve
done well if you didn’t skip over or take lightly any of these Action
Step questions. If there were some questions that left you feeling like
you’ve fallen short, just take a moment to ask God for forgiveness,
which He gives freely. He will help you find a plan of action so you
can make needed corrections that will strengthen your spiritual
health and help you navigate the challenges of this last-days season
that looms on the horizon.
And now let’s go on, for there is more to learn from Second
Timothy 3!
 9

THE LAST-DAYS
MASQUERADE AND A FINAL
SHOWDOWN

n this chapter, we will examine the final characteristics that the

I Holy Spirit enumerated concerning a last-days society. So far
we’ve seen that the Holy Spirit gave us a prophetic heads-up in
Second Timothy 3 regarding the very last of the last days. We have
discussed certain specific characteristics revealed in these verses
that will mark society as the age approaches its conclusion.
The characteristics of an end-time society at large will generally
become:

• Lovers of their own selves

• Covetous
• Boasters
• Proud
• Blasphemers
• Disobedient to parents
• Unthankful
• Unholy
• Without natural affection
• Trucebreakers
• False accusers
• Incontinent
• Fierce
• Despisers of those that are good
 • Traitors
• Heady
• High-minded

Now let’s examine the final characteristics in Second Timothy

3:1-13 that will emerge in a last-days society as they are enumerated
by the Holy Spirit in this portion of Scripture. This does not
necessarily mean that this represents an all-inclusive list; however,
these last characteristics do conclude the list given by the Holy Spirit
in this particular section of Scripture.

AN APOSTATE CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS

We have seen that when Paul wrote about end-time events in his
second epistle to Timothy, he forecasted an astonishing sequence of
changes that will come about in society at the very end of the age.
Although there will be a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those
in the Church who are hungering for it, the apostle also prophesied
that chief among the elements of this seismic shift in society would
be an extremely serious spiritual defection that takes place within a
large segment of the Church.
In Second Timothy 3:5, Paul wrote, “Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” The word
“form” is the Greek word morphosis, and it means an outward shape
or form. This verse prophetically states that many in the last days —
including this portion of the Church Paul alludes to — will have all
the right words and forms in their religious practices. However, these
same people will lack the power of God because they will “deny” its
operation.
To explain what this means, let me begin by using the example of
a mannequin to make my point. Today mannequins nearly look
human. Some are so developed that they would outwardly pass for a
real human being to a casual onlooker. I’ve personally had the
experience of turning to speak to someone in a store, only to
discover it was a mannequin! It had such a dimensionally accurate
outward “form” that it passed momentarily for a real human being.
The form was correct, yet it was nothing but an empty form with no
life.
This mannequin example vividly depicts the idea presented by
the word “form” in Second Timothy 3:5. The Holy Spirit is foretelling
that some religious groups at the end of the age will have a “form” of
godliness, but they will lack the inner power that makes godliness
real. It will look good and even sound good, but at the end of the day,
it will be devoid of spiritual power and will lack spiritual effectiveness.
The word “godliness” is a translation of the word eusebeia, which
in this case denotes piety or religiosity. This “outer form” used to
depict this notion could possibly include clerical clothing, religious
styles, religious actions, religious phrases, religious symbols, and
other external religious trappings that people associate with
someone or something that is religious or even spiritual.
On the other hand, this modern age offers countless, multi-
generational streams of ministry outside the traditional
denominations. Therefore, the “outer form” of a minister might not fit
our stereotypical image of “religious” attire and trappings at all.
In truth, it all boils down to the condition of the heart for any
minister or believer in any part of the Body of Christ. The outer attire
and trappings may seem convincing; the personality of the person
claiming to be spiritual may be appealing. But if that person’s inner
life is devoid of the life of God, he or she has only the “form of
godliness” to dispense to the world.

The Holy Spirit is foretelling that some religious groups

at the end of the age will have a “form” of godliness, but
they will lack the inner power that makes godliness real.

In the context of verse 5, the Holy Spirit is saying that there will
be people at the end of the age who possess all the external
paraphernalia of godliness — the right words, the right symbols, and
the right actions. They may wear religious clothing or have a cross
draped around their necks and a Bible in their hands. They may
even have a strong social-media presence with pious-sounding
posts. But these people will be like “spiritual mannequins” dressed
up in religious clothing — having the outward “form of godliness” but
lacking the inward, life-giving power of God.
Imagine a mannequin dressed like a minister — in religious attire
with a gold-chained cross draped across its chest — posed with a
Bible in its hands. A good mannequin artist could dress it to bear a
striking resemblance to a real minister of the Gospel. In fact,
someone might even actually mistake this mannequin for being a
real minister. It would certainly have all the right outward trappings.
Yet it would be nothing more than a shell — a form dressed in
religious clothes. (Note: This is not to say there is anything inherently
wrong with wearing religious attire. For some very godly ministers, it
is simply their custom or preference to do so.)

These people will be like “spiritual mannequins” dressed

up in religious clothing — having the outward “form of
godliness” but lacking the inward, life-giving power of
God.

By using this illustration, Paul was prophesying by the Holy Spirit

that a time would come at the end of the age when some within the
Church would dress themselves in religious paraphernalia or “look
the part” — but, like mannequins, would be empty shells, inwardly
lifeless. Paul also wrote that these particular individuals would “deny”
the power of authentic godliness. The word “deny” in this context
means to reject or to renounce. By using this word, Paul forewarned
of a time when this particular category of spiritual leaders, confronted
with truth and power but no longer embracing it, would reject and
rebuff its operation.
This is the Holy Spirit’s prophetic warning found in Second
Timothy 3:5 — that the end of the age will see apostasy emerge
inside the Church. It will dress itself in the guise of the Christian faith,
but like a mannequin, it will contain no life or power. When
confronted with the true power of the Gospel that can transform
lives, this particular category of what the world calls a “Christian” will
“defect” from God’s truth and embrace a lie. This is a picture of an
apostate Church.
When I was a young man reading this verse, I wondered, Who
could this possibly refer to? I knew of no denomination that denied
outright the basic doctrines of the Bible, so it seemed like a far-
fetched idea to me at that time.
But today this is no longer an unlikely concept. We are living in a
strange age when “spiritual mannequins” are all around us —
whether dressed in religious garb or sitting in our pews. They speak
in religious terms; they even use Bible language and symbols. But
because they have stepped away from the Scriptures and from the
authentic power of God, they are not true, living witnesses of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ; they are simply hollow shells that imitate the
real Church.
In fact, Paul wrote that this last-days apostate Church will be
guilty of “denying the power thereof.” The word “denying” in Second
Timothy 3:5 is the Greek word arneomai, which means to deny, to
disown, to reject, to refuse, or to renounce. It means a time will come
when some spiritual leaders will reject and rebuff the genuine
operation of God’s power. When confronted with the true power of
the Gospel that can transform lives, these “defecting” individuals will
reject God’s truth and embrace a lie.

The end of the age will see apostasy emerge inside the
Church. It will dress itself in the guise of the Christian
faith, but like a mannequin, it will contain no life or power.

Many traditional denominational churches were born in revival

and in the power of the Spirit. They were pioneered by men and
women who believed the Bible and gave their lives for the preaching
of the Gospel. But not all traditional churches have stayed loyal to
their original, God-given message and mission. Although their
doctrinal tenets and creeds remain largely unchanged, the actual
practice of their faith represents a shocking departure from those
foundational truths of the Bible.
In order to meet the new cultural norms that exist in modern
society, errant denominations have gradually moved in the direction
of modifying the Gospel wherever needed to avoid controversy or to
better “fit in.” As a result, a watered-down Gospel is being presented
in these “last of the last days” that marginalizes sin and does not
recognize the need to repent. Instead, those who propagate this
false Gospel suggest that the real problem with human beings is
psychological or medical and can be treated by acceptance,
inclusion, right conditioning, and even medication.

Many traditional denominational churches were born in

revival and in the power of the Spirit. They were
pioneered by men and women who believed the Bible and
gave their lives for the preaching of the Gospel. But not
all traditional churches have stayed loyal to their original,
God-given message and mission.

This trend to throw open the doors to every possible lifestyle —

no matter how unscriptural — under the banner of God’s love and
tolerance is creeping into historical denominational churches all
across the world. Truly we are living in an end-time society when
“spiritual mannequins” have become the order of the day in large
segments of the Church.

A DEPARTURE FROM THE FAITH

We are seeing the departure from the faith that Paul prophesied,
and it is snowballing with the passing of time. At first, this departure
was a slow drift. However, the trajectory has become more
pronounced in recent years, accelerated over the past several
decades by influential portions of the historical Church choosing to
abandon the clearly stated, foundational truths of the Bible.
I am thankful for the strong spiritual heritage that many traditional
denominational churches have forged within the Church at large. Of
those denominations that were born in a strong move of the Spirit,
there are still those that contend for the faith and pour multiplied
millions of dollars into worldwide evangelism.
The denomination in which I was reared is a strong example of
this latter category. I am myself the by-product of this denomination,
which not only fervently teaches the Bible, but also tirelessly gives
and labors to fulfill the Great Commission around the world. But
today even this denomination is under intense pressure to modify
itself to meet current social norms, even if they are contrary to the
teaching of Scripture.

Of those denominations that were born in a strong move

of the Spirit, there are still those that contend for the faith
and pour multiplied millions of dollars into worldwide
evangelism.

It is true that many traditional churches have stayed loyal to their

original God-given message and mission. Yet although the historical
tenets of some traditional denominational churches remain largely
unchanged, the actual practice of their faith represents a shocking
departure from those foundational truths.
Ironically, those same foundational doctrines that are being
dismantled in actual practice often remain intact within the manuals
and creeds of these denominations. Yet those tenets were originally
written in part to define the framework and substance of their faith —
to defend and keep the faith!
 This trend to try to avoid controversy and “fit in” has gone so far
that the apostle Paul would be hard-pressed to recognize the Gospel
message in what is preached from the pulpits of many of these
denominational churches. The pure truths of Paul’s epistles have
largely been replaced with an alternate gospel of inclusion. This
“form of godliness” within the modern-day Church emphasizes social
justice and social action on a wide range of societal problems
instead of offering the life-transforming power of God that
accompanies genuine repentance from sin and dead works and that
can transform a society from the inside out.
The result of these many modifications is a watered-down gospel
that is presented in these last days as truth. But it is, in fact, a
“mannequin” of a gospel — one that marginalizes sin and does not
recognize the need to repent, Instead, as mentioned earlier, behavior
that was once commonly acknowledged as sinful is now labeled a
psychological or medical issue.
The need to be washed in the blood of Jesus and transformed by
the power of the Holy Spirit is not even on the radar of these
particular denominations. This ominous departure from the truth of
Jesus Christ has swung so far that now these denominations are
promoting inclusivity as if that is the message of the Church in this
hour.
An example of this ominous departure can be seen in the
Washington National Cathedral in Washington DC. The leadership of
the National Cathedral proudly states that it is a long-time supporter
of the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people
in the life of the Church and considers LGBTQ equality one of the
great civil rights issues of the Church in the Twenty-First Century.
(Note: LGBTQ is the acronym for “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, and Queer.”)
The Washington National Cathedral website states, “As one of
the nation’s most iconic faith communities, Washington National
Cathedral strives to be a house of prayer where all are welcome. As
we live into that expansive, inclusive identity, we at the Cathedral
want to be as clear as we can be that all means all. Every person is
loved by God. We can preach that from the pulpit, but the most
emphatic way we can say it is to live it by uniting same sex couples
in marriage at the altar in our Cathedral.”99

This ominous departure from the truth of Jesus Christ

has swung so far that now these denominations are
promoting inclusivity as if that is the message of the
Church in this hour.

Certainly it’s true that every person is loved by God. In fact,

mankind was so loved from the beginning that God sent His Son
Jesus to die as the ultimate Sacrifice for sin in order to reconcile us
to Himself and purchase our eternal freedom (see John 3:16). But
equally true is Ephesians 5:5, which tells us that fornicators, unclean
persons, covetous, and idolaters have no inheritance in the Kingdom
of Christ and of God. Ephesians 5:12 stresses that it is a “shame” to
even speak of such things among God’s people, let alone to bring
those sinful ideas and lifestyles in as an accepted part of the church.
Celebrating same-sex wedding ceremonies at our altars is a slap
in the face of Scripture. Everyone should be loved and respected,
regardless of his or her lifestyle choices. All must be seen as
precious souls for whom Jesus died and who can be changed by the
power of God. But our responsibility to love and respect a person
does not mean we are required to endorse everything that person
does.
I wish the example of the National Washington Cathedral was an
unusual case, but it’s not. This trend to throw open the doors to
every possible lifestyle, no matter how unscriptural, under the banner
of God’s love and tolerance is creeping into historical denominational
churches all across the world. This movement is attempting to
infiltrate nearly every major denomination with a demonic pressure to
conform to the new social norms. Churches are under increasing
pressure to accept and endorse same-sex marriage at the altars of
their churches — even though it is a clear violation of Scripture.
 The creeds of most traditional denominations are similar and
remain, for the most part, historically correct. However, in practice,
certain denominational churches have stepped away from — and in
some cases have actually denied — what their biblical creeds state.
They have departed from God’s immutable truth in order to
accommodate a society in sin rather than to confront it as His
prophetic voice.
This is certainly not true of all traditional denominational
churches, but the evidence is very clear: Liberal, progressive
thinkers are negatively affecting the way many churches practice
their faith. Even more grievous to contemplate is the fact that this
departure from basic truths of the Bible is occurring in denominations
that were once considered to be holdouts for the true Gospel and the
power of God. The same could also sadly be said for some non-
denominational and non-traditional churches as well.
Paul declared that apostasy would arise in the Church at the end
of the age. It would dress itself in the guise of the Christian faith, but
like a mannequin, it would contain no life or power.
Have you ever encountered a “spiritual mannequin” in the form of
a denomination, a local church (denominational or otherwise), or a
Christian leader? The Holy Spirit will help you discern what is truly of
Him and what is merely dressed in religious garb (see 1 John
2:26,27). You will know the “hollow shell” from the real — and you
will be responsible for your response to that knowledge. The apostle
Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write, “…From such turn
away” (2 Timothy 3:5).

Paul declared that apostasy would arise in the Church at

the end of the age. It would dress itself in the guise of the
Christian faith, but like a mannequin, it would contain no
life or power.
 As I note in my book How To Keep Your Head on Straight in a
World Gone Crazy, a departure of this magnitude takes place slowly
over a period of time and can often go unnoticed until the departure
has swung far from the foundations of Scripture. Seducing spirits
with doctrines of demons have gradually lured believers away from a
rock-solid position on Scripture in order to accommodate the moral
mess in the world rather than to change it (see 1 Timothy 4:1). It’s a
little here, a little there — a small modification here, a minor
alteration there — until finally a church or a denomination that
started out blazing hot with the fire of God becomes a hollow shadow
of its former glory, an outward form with no power.
This drift begins so gradually that those who are in the process of
departing from the faith will probably not even realize what is
happening. But little by little, bit by bit, over a period of time, these
people are involved in a transition that is moving them away from
what they once believed and adhered to — and toward a very
different positioning before God.
Eventually this process of departure reduces a church or
denomination to little more than a humanistic goodwill organization
that lacks the power of God and endorses only the portions of
Scripture that society finds comfortable. As a result, people stream
into hell, rarely confronted in life with the truth they need in order to
repent and be regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This drift begins so gradually that those who are in the

process of departing from the faith will probably not even
realize what is happening.

This modern-day “departing from the faith” that I’ve just outlined
didn’t explode on the scene overnight while the Church slept. It
began as a slow drift in some religious circles. However, over the
past decades, the pace has accelerated until today it often manifests
as a blatant rejection of Scripture if a particular issue is at all in
conflict with the modern moral mindset.
The pressure to modify faith has existed from the very inception
of the Church Age. Pressure still exists today to dilute the faith to be
more accommodating to the lost world. This is nothing new. But we
must not allow that pressure to accomplish what the enemy has
designed it to do. It is not our faith; it is the Lord’s. We do not have
the right to adapt the faith — only to keep it.
We must therefore refuse to deny the faith — the eternal truths
and time-tested doctrines of the Scriptures. We must protect that
faith, guard it, and hold tight to it, even if it requires giving our lives
for it.
It is indeed possible for a church to become a thriving religious
organization with little or no operation of the Bible or the work of the
Holy Spirit. In fact, the Holy Spirit Himself warned us of this danger in
Second Timothy 3:5, where He states that there would be a rejection
of the Bible and of the true power of God in the last of the last days
— not in all churches, but in many places.

The pressure to modify faith has existed from the very

inception of the Church Age. Pressure still exists today to
dilute the faith to be more accommodating to the lost
world.
This is nothing new.
But we must not allow that pressure to accomplish what
the enemy has designed it to do. It is not our faith; it is
the Lord’s.
We do not have the right to adapt the faith — only to keep
it.

In Second Timothy 3:2-4, Paul says we are to “turn away” from

such people and such churches. The words “turn away” are a
translation of the Greek word apotrepo, which is a compound of the
words apo and trope. The word apo means away, and trope depicts
a turn.
When these two words are compounded, they form the word
apotrepo, which means to turn away from and depicts a mental,
spiritual, or physical turning. The Greek tense is so strong that it
cannot be misunderstood. Paul was urging his readers to withdraw
from this atmosphere immediately.
The Holy Spirit is commanding us in this verse to mentally and
spiritually turn away from spiritual mannequins that have the right
spiritual form but lack the genuine, life-changing power of Christ. But
because the word apotrepo also depicts a physical turning, we can
know that if need be, we must also physically turn away and remove
ourselves from that apostate environment. The message of this
verse can thus be stated, “If you’re a part of an apostate group,
detach from them mentally and spiritually, and, if need be, physically
remove yourself from their company.”

With all this in mind, the RIV of Second Timothy

3:5 reads:
Although they may possess an outward form of
religiosity, they will rebuff, refute, refuse, and reject
the authentic power that goes along with genuine
godliness. I urgently tell you to mentally, spiritually,
and physically turn away and remove yourselves
from such people.

How about you? Have you become a spiritual mannequin? Are

you just going through the religious motions — talking the talk and
looking the part? Or are you truly loving and serving God with all of
your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind, and all of your strength?
And what about the church you attend? Are you a part of a
religious denomination that retains correct doctrine in its historic
creeds but has in practice departed from those historical tenants of
faith to become more compatible with a world that is morally
wandering in these last days?
 No one is immune to becoming a mere “form of godliness.” Even
the most sincere and devoted believers can gradually become
spiritual mannequins over time.

No one is immune to becoming a mere “form of

godliness.” Even the most sincere and devoted believers
can gradually become spiritual mannequins over time.

It is up to you to keep the fire of your relationship with Jesus

stoked and burning brightly. How do you do this? By pulling away
daily to spend time in His presence and in His Word. I encourage
you to invite the Holy Spirit to breathe new life into you every day,
and you will truly begin to thrive in this end-time age!

WHAT DOES ‘CREEP INTO HOUSES’ MEAN?

Second Timothy 3:6, Paul went on to say, “For of this sort are
they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden
with sins, led away with divers lusts.”
The phrase “of this sort” refers to those who have a form of
godliness but deny the power of authentic godliness. According to
Paul, these end-time truth modifiers will attempt to “creep into
houses” at the end of the age.
The words “creep into” are a translation of the Greek word
enduno, which in this case means to dress in a disguise by wrapping
oneself in a garment. It describes the stealth operation of one who
wears a disguise to make himself or his message more appealing so
he or it can gain access into people’s private spaces. The word
“houses” in this verse is a translation of the Greek word oikia, which
describes households, homes, or residences. This depicts a
clandestine or an undercover operation to gain access into people’s
homes.
In years past, the idea of “creeping into houses” left many
wondering what Paul meant. This is an example of how words once
difficult to understand can mean so much more with the passing of
time. From the vantage point of our present, high-tech age, we see
that the Holy Spirit was likely referring to the age of the technology
when radio, television, cable systems, and the Internet create an
environment that makes “creeping into houses” very easy.
For example, at the time I am writing this chapter, there are
approximately 4.33 billion people who are active Internet users in the
world. This means approximately 57 percent of the world’s
population has access to the Internet. Even those who live in remote
places on the planet can tap into a seemingly limitless source of
information and media through all kinds of devices, including
computers, tablets, and cell phones. This must be what the prophet
Daniel alluded to when he said that “knowledge shall be increased”
in the last days (see Daniel 12:4).
On one hand, we would all agree that this easy digital access to
information has created wonderful possibilities. However, it has also
opened the floodgates for nonsense to “creep into houses,” just as
the Holy Spirt foretold in Second Timothy 3:6. Because of this
nonstop infiltration of information, we must use caution about “what”
and “who” is channeled into our devices and into the privacy of our
homes.
In fact, this makes Paul’s words in First Thessalonians 5:12 about
knowing “who” ministers to you even more important. Paul warned,
“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among
you.…” The word “know” in this verse is a translation of the Greek
word oida, which means to fully perceive or fully comprehend.
Paul used this word to tell us that we should really know
something about those we allow to speak into our lives and permit
access into our private spaces. Since this was true 2,000 years ago
when Paul wrote that verse, how much more true is it today when so
many are looking for ways to “creep into houses” via various media?
It is extremely important for you to know “who” is speaking the
Word of God to you through the various media that is coming into
your home or private space. Are you sure you know who they are?
Are you confident in them? Do you know what they really believe on
topics that are non-negotiable to you? Don’t wait until you are
tainted, defiled, or vexed in your soul to find out what they really
believe concerning basic doctrine and the moral absolutes of the
Bible!

It is extremely important for you to know “who” is

speaking the Word of God to you through the various
media that is coming into your home or private space.

God has entrusted you to be the guard of your ears, your eyes,
and your mind. Especially in these days when there is an inundation
of new and unfamiliar voices being broadcasted into people’s private
spaces, it is imperative that you take Paul’s admonition to heart to
really know who you are allowing to speak into your life.

WHAT DOES ‘SILLY WOMEN LADEN WITH SINS’ MEAN?

It is in the context of these last of the last days when the
floodgates of information have been opened — and a deluge of new
voices, new personalities, and new ideas are flooding into people’s
private spaces — that Paul specifically prophesied the next part of
verse 6. He stated that the devil would attempt to “lead captive silly
women.” These are strange words to our eyes and ears, so let me
walk you through their meaning in the original Greek so you can
understand what the Holy Spirit is saying to us.
The words “lead captive” comes from an old Greek word used to
depict a moment when an enemy would thrust the point of a spear
into the back of a captive to push him in any direction he wished him
to go. It came to denote the idea of manipulation by mental or
spiritual suggestion. It can present the idea of a person mentally or
spiritually manipulating people to get them to do what he or she
wants. Thus, the Holy Spirit foretold a time would come when the
devil would begin to manipulate people with information that creeps
into their homes under the guise of help.
 The words “silly women” seem offensive to our modern mind, so
we must understand what Paul meant. These words are a translation
of the Greek word gunaikarion, which describes needy women or
weak women. It is absolutely true that women in the First Century
were less educated than men. Education was simply not available to
most women at that time in history. However, it is unlikely that the
word gunaikarion in this verse is about women being foolish or
ignorant. This word more than likely refers to women who feel an
acute sense of need in their lives. For this reason, this phrase could
be accurately rendered “needy women.”

The Holy Spirit foretold a time would come when the devil
would begin to manipulate people with information that
creeps into their homes under the guise of help.

But as Paul continued, he described these particular women as

being “laden with sins.” The word “laden” is a translation of the
Greek word soreuo, which depicts one who feels burdened, loaded,
or overwhelmed. The word “sins” is a translation of the Greek word
hamartia, which means to miss the mark of what was hoped for.
In this context, this phrase “laden with sins” actually depicts
personal failures, problems, or disappointments in life. It describes
women who feel disappointed, frustrated, and overwhelmed. The
high hopes they’d nurtured for life, marriage, family, or career didn’t
happen as they had dreamed. So here in verse 6, the Holy Spirit
prophesies that certain women at the end of the age will feel
particularly vulnerable and overwhelmed by life. The inference is that
this vulnerability will cause these women to become targets of
manipulation.
Paul continued by writing that these women will “be led away with
divers lusts.…” The phrase “led away” is a translation of the Greek
word ago, which means to lead, but it often depicted animals that
were led by a rope tied around their necks and that followed
wherever their owner led them. It pictures being led by a gentle tug
or pull. It is also the root for the Greek word agon, which describes a
conflict or a struggle of the human will. It seems the Holy Spirit is
warning of the vulnerability of women who wrestle on many fronts in
life and whose hearts and emotions are easily tugged on because of
inner struggles.
The word “lusts” is a translation of the Greek epithumia, a word
that pictures a person’s deepest longings. These would include
longings of every type, some of which originate from an area of
brokenness or deficiency in a person’s life. It could include a deep
desire for help that might come in a variety of forms, whether it’s
counsel for troubled marriages or broken relationships, for better
health, for more finances, etc.
The use of this Greek word indicates that many women will be
desperate to find help — and often, unsafe voices will appear to tug
on their hearts and manipulate their emotions to lead them in a
wrong direction in the guise of help. It paints a picture of women in a
weakened, vulnerable condition within the privacy of their homes.
With access to media and the Internet, they sincerely and
desperately search for answers to their pain and their inner struggles
— and then suddenly something speaks to their sense of need.
With the modern proliferation of radio, television, Internet, and a
sundry of digital devices, it is now very easy to see how wrong
voices can “creep” into anyone’s private space. All it requires is the
simple click of the button on your TV remote, your computer, or your
cell phone — and, suddenly, those who wish to speak to you are
right in the middle of your house, your family, your head, and your
heart.
So the Holy Spirit essentially prophesied that the devil would offer
false help to frustrated women who feel overwhelmed with
disappointments concerning their marriage and relationships, their
finances, and their dreams. Of course, we know that such a
vulnerable state is not exclusive to women. Certainly men can also
harbor brokenness or unresolved issues that give access to the
“creeping in” of wrong voices and negative influences. Nevertheless,
it is no random accident that the Holy Spirit warned that certain
women would be a special target of deception at the end of the age.
The devil is well aware that if he can find an inroad to influence the
minds of women, it will open the door for him to “creep into homes”
and begin to influence entire families.

It is now very easy to see how wrong voices can “creep”

into anyone’s private space. All it requires is the simple
click of the button on your TV remote, your computer, or
your cell phone — and, suddenly, those who wish to
speak to you are right in the middle of your house, your
family, your head, and your heart.

Of course, our modern means of communication sets the stage

for great blessing as well. We thank God for the wonderful ministry
that is now coming into homes and people’s private spaces because
of technology.
My own ministry reaches people through these avenues. Many of
my personal friends also minister through the various forms of
media, and I am so thankful that we all have the ability to reach into
the heart of people’s needs right where they live with the life-
transforming truth of God’s Word.
Nevertheless, Paul warned us all to be especially careful about
incorrect voices that would try to creep right into the midst of our
home environments, and especially into the homes of those seeking
answers for the complexities of their lives. And he foretold by the
Spirit of God that this would happen in the last days — specifically to
vulnerable women.
In Second Timothy 3:6, Paul sounded the alarm regarding
Satan’s desire to exploit women at the conclusion of the age. It’s true
that Satan wants to exploit both men and women — but in this
context, Paul’s message comes through loud and clear: Those with
wrong messages will come on the scene, seeking to pull on the
heartstrings of certain, more vulnerable women with the aim of
influencing them to go in a wrong direction. And isn’t that just like the
enemy to try to exploit a person’s pain, weaknesses, and
vulnerability?
According to the Holy Spirit’s warning, there will be a certain
category of women who are influencers in the home whom the
enemy will attempt to lure and lead into a web of deception. The
devil is the ultimate opportunist, and he will seek to take advantage
of an end-time situation in which many women feel frustrated and
disappointed in life and in their family situations and will go in pursuit
of help. These women will be targeted by those who creep into their
spaces with erroneous answers.
Just look at what is being said on daytime talk shows or written in
publications targeting a female audience. You will discover a deluge
of propaganda bombarding women today to modify what they
believe and to lead them into a more “progressive” way of thinking
that is completely contrary to the teaching of Scripture. The devil
knows that women are powerful influencers — very powerful. That’s
the reason he seeks them as a primary target.

The devil knows that women are powerful influencers —

very powerful. That’s the reason he seeks them as a
primary target.

The truth is, women in general are demonstrably more diligent

than are men in their search for answers to life’s problems. But the
category of women referred to in Second Timothy 3:7 are those who
will be “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of
the truth.” The word “ever” is the Greek word pantote, which means
at all times or endlessly. In this context, this pictures those who are
desperately seeking for answers but are searching in the wrong
place or hearkening to the wrong voices — or their hearing is
obscured, and they are hearing these false voices through the filter
of their pain and disappointment.
 What a vivid reminder of why it’s so important for the Church to
raise its voice and herald clear answers in these last days for people
who are struggling. If the Church does not raise its prophetic voice to
speak as God’s spokesman in these times, other voices will fill the
vacuum.
This should also prompt you to evaluate your own life in this
regard. Here’s an important question to ask yourself and then to
thoughtfully ponder the answer: What can I do better to speak more
effectively to the needs of those around me?

If the Church does not raise its prophetic voice to speak

as God’s spokesman in these times, other voices will fill
the vacuum.

Putting the meanings of these words together,

the following is the RIV of Second Timothy 3:6,7:
These sorts of people project themselves as “help”
with the intention of gaining access into people’s
homes to manipulate them — especially targeting
some sincere women who feel overwhelmed by
frustrations and disappointing failures in life and
whom the manipulators find easier to influence
because they have so many unmet longings. These
women are endlessly doing their very best to gain
insight needed to help them navigate life, but they
are perpetually unable to come to right conclusions
based on truth.

As Paul continued in this passage of Scripture, he gave us a

concrete scriptural example of those who have a “form of godliness
but deny the power thereof.” To do this, the apostle used an example
from Old Testament history regarding two well-known enemies of
God.
 WHO WERE JANNES AND JAMBRES?
In Second Timothy 3:8, Paul wrote, “Now as Jannes and Jambres
withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt
minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” According to Paul, those who
have a “form of godliness” will be similar to Jannes and Jambres. So
who were Jannes and Jambres?
Jewish intellectuals who lived in the ancient city of Alexandria,
Egypt, wrote that Jannes and Jambres were the two leading
sorcerers in the book of Exodus who attempted to “withstand”
Moses. As residents of Alexandria, these Jewish intellectuals had
access to Egypt’s historical records. By studying the ancient
archives, they identified Jannes and Jambres as the sorcerers who
opposed Moses (see Exodus 7:11,22; 8:6,7).
In fact, Jannes and Jambres were so well-known in the ancient
world that even Pliny the Elder wrote about them.100 The historian
Eusebius also wrote about these two men.101 The noted theologian
Origen wrote about them as well.102 In addition to these sources,
“the names Jannes and Jambres appeared frequently in other
Jewish, Christian, and pagan sources in Arabic, Aramaic, Greek,
Hebrew, Latin, Old and Middle English, and Syriac.”103
Paul wrote, “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so
do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate
concerning the faith” (2 Timothy 3:8). The word “resist” is translated
from the Greek word anthistemi, which means to stand against or to
stand in opposition. It demonstrates the attitude of one who is
fiercely opposed to something and therefore determined to do
everything within his power to resist it, stand against it, withstand it,
or defy it.
Paul says these evil end-time influencers will have “corrupt
minds.” However, the Greek tense causes it to be better translated
“corrupted minds” — meaning that they will have minds that have
“become corrupted” over a period of time.
The word “corrupt” is the Greek word kataphtheiro. This is a
compound of the word kata, which means down, and the word
phtheiro, which means corruption, degeneration, or deterioration.
Hence, the word depicts individuals whose minds have become
“corrupted” — that is, their minds have progressively moved
downward into a state of collapse, deterioration, and ruin.

WHAT DOES ‘REPROBATE’ MEAN?

In Second Timothy 3:8, Paul wrote, “Now as Jannes and Jambres
withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt
minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” Although they were Egyptian
sorcerers, as these two men embraced spiritual delusion, their minds
progressively moved into a state of degeneration and deterioration
until they became “reprobate concerning the faith.”
The word “reprobate” is translated from the Greek word
adokimos. The word dokimos means approved, fit, reliable, and
trustworthy. But when an a is attached to the front of this word,
making it adokimos, the meaning is reversed and the new word
instead depicts one who is disapproved, unfit, unreliable, and
untrustworthy.
This depicts a society that has been exposed to a negative
spiritual influence for so long — and in such heavy doses — that it
has become compromised, impaired, ruined, and no longer
trustworthy. This is the meaning of the word reprobate as used in the
New Testament. And in Romans 1:28, it not only pertains to the
collective mind of a society, but also to the mind of an individual
living within a society. Whether collective or individual, this mind has
become so tarnished, tainted, hardened, and both spiritually and
mentally compromised that it loses its ability to arrive at sensible,
godly conclusions.
Consider the sobering implications revealed in Romans 1:28.
Although God gives people minds worthy of great esteem, the word
translated “reprobate” speaks of minds that have been seriously
damaged by long-term, continuous exposure to evil influences and
by a continual bombardment of wrong thoughts. A person’s mind,
created by God to gloriously function, can thus become unfit if it is
regularly exposed to toxic environments and wrong types of thinking.
It can lose its ability to discern what is morally right and wrong.
 That same mind may remain brilliant in many respects, and the
person who possesses that mind may be a marvelously talented
individual. Nonetheless, if that person’s mind has become reprobate,
it is now morally debased, unfit, and twisted in its thinking. From
God’s perspective, such a person — or even an entire society — has
lost the ability to think correctly, to separate good from evil, or to
judge what is right and wrong.
We are living in a day when people’s minds are being inundated
with false information and a celebration of various forms of
immorality, including a deluge of counterfeit propaganda about
human sexuality. We are witnesses to a last-days attack of seducing
spirits, bent on modifying the collective mind of society and creating
a way of thinking that is free of moral restraint.
This modification process is spreading its tentacles into every
sector of society. Even people who grew up in church are now
becoming affected. Many are changing how they view certain moral
issues that should be set in stone in their lives, grounded on the
rock-solid truth of God’s Word.
This has come to pass as a result of an unrelenting mental
bombardment by wrong people, wrong sources, wrong information,
and wrong spiritual influences. It’s all part of a demonic strategy
being waged against the human race (including believers) to
adversely affect people’s minds and to damage and distort their way
of thinking until they can no longer see what is wrong about wrong.
Ultimately, this process results in people choosing sides that are
opposed to those who adhere to long-held biblical truths.
As a result of the collective mind of a last-days society being
mentally modified — that is, seriously ill-affected and sin-damaged
— more and more people within that society will begin to “…do those
things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:28). The words “not
convenient” simply mean people will do things that are not morally
right or fitting.

We are witnesses to a last-days attack of seducing

spirits, bent on modifying the collective mind of society
 and creating a way of thinking that is free of moral
restraint.

The devil knows he just needs to find a point of access into the
mind of a person or into the collective mind of a society. If he
succeeds in finding that inroad, it won’t be long until the behavior of
that person or the overall behavior of that society will conform to a
new and deceptively appealing way of thinking — one that is far from
the well-established, time-tested standards God clearly states in the
Bible.
As God’s people, we must be alert to the fact that Satan has
launched a covert operation to lead society off track in this hour,
loosing seducing spirits with doctrines of demons assigned to lead
an entire generation into delusion. The enemy is using the voices of
influential people in the media and educational institutions — those
who already have been beguiled and seduced to believe a lie. His
goal is to victimize a last-days generation and lead them into ways of
thinking and behaviors that damage their minds and steal, kill, and
destroy on as many levels as possible.
I remind you of Isaiah 5:20 (NASB). It speaks of a coming day
when people “…call evil good, and good evil; who substitute
darkness for light and light for darkness…” This forecasts a time at
the close of the age when society will become reprobate and lose its
ability to discern the difference between right and wrong — even to
the point of justifying bad as good and good as bad. This is the day
in which you and I live — an end-time moment that the Holy Spirit
specifically warned us about.

As God’s people, we must be alert to the fact that Satan

has launched a covert operation to lead society off track
in this hour, loosing seducing spirits with doctrines of
demons assigned to lead an entire generation into
 delusion.

We are already living in the age of the reprobate!

MINDS THAT BECOME CORRUPTED OVER A PERIOD OF

TIME
But Paul said these individuals will be reprobate concerning “the
faith” (2 Timothy 3:8). That means their minds will no longer think
correctly when it comes to the faith. But wait — because the phrase
“the faith” includes a definite article, this is not talking about raw faith,
such as faith for miracles. The definite article in the Greek text tells
us that the phrase “the faith” instead refers to the long-held, time-
tested teaching of Scripture or the non-negotiable doctrines and
tenets of the Christian faith.
First Timothy 4:1 is another important text where the Holy Spirit
spoke of the future: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils.” In this verse, the Holy Spirit
categorically forecasts that in the conclusion of the last days, a
breeding ground for error will fester not only in the secular world, but
also within the Church. And as we discussed earlier, we are seeing
this even in this day. Already in the Christian world are many spiritual
leaders who seek a dangerous truce with the world under the guise
of inclusiveness and compromise.
These leaders may have once held strong doctrinal positions. But
over time, they began to shape their beliefs to meld with the
changing moral climate of society — and in the process, they
produced a Gospel message very different from the one presented in
the Bible. Along the way, they embraced compromising positions and
allowed their thoughts to be affected with the errant mindsets that
promote such positions. Their minds thus became progressively
more “corrupted” until they actually came to believe and embrace the
nonsense they promoted.
 This is the destructive track that much of the Church is on as
man’s natural reasoning strives to reach a generation who is
unfamiliar with the Bible and considers the dictates of the Word
restrictive and out of date. Regrettably, we must call this what it is: a
departure from Scripture. That is what Paul was referring to in
Second Timothy 3:8 when he stated that these individuals would be
reprobate concerning “the faith.”

Man’s natural reasoning strives to reach a generation

who is unfamiliar with the Bible and considers the
dictates of the Word restrictive and out of date.
Regrettably, we must call this what it is: a departure from
Scripture.

The Holy Spirit is forewarning believers of a dangerous, demonic

plot that the Church will have to contend with in the last of the last
days. There have been many attacks against the Church throughout
its 2,000 years of history. But the Holy Spirit sounds the alarm that
this end-time attack will be unlike previous ones and will be
especially severe. Yet this last-days assault against the Church will
be so insidious that the Holy Spirit spoke in advance about it in
absolutely clear, unmistakable, and definite words.

FALSE TEACHING SPREADS LIKE A SPIRITUAL DISEASE

Paul went on to say, “They shall proceed no further: for their folly
shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was” (2 Timothy 3:9).
Pay attention to the word “proceed” in this verse. It is a
translation of the Greek word prokopto, which means to advance or
to make progress, but this very word was used medically to denote
the advancement of spreading disease. Paul used this word to tell us
that people who are “reprobate concerning the faith” will spread their
ungodly belief system until it is like a disease out of control if they
are not stopped.
 Understand that it only takes a few spiritual leaders getting off
track to affect larger segments of the Church. Never forget that
physical infections begin at the microscopic level with a relatively
small number of contagions and that many are often very treatable if
they are addressed in their early stages. However, if they are left
untreated, infections can quickly grow out of control and lead to
serious physical complications or even death.
Likewise, when spiritual infection finds its way into the Church, it
quickly begins to multiply inside unless it is swiftly addressed and
stopped. Ultimately, if these destructive forces — these doctrines
that are scripturally errant — are allowed to propagate within a local
church, they will gain strength and spread to the entire congregation.
A spiritual leader who is infected with false doctrine is only one
person — but because he is an influential person who touches many
lives, it is likely that others will be contaminated through his touch.
His diseased influence will spread like germs until it infects people
who gather to worship.
If correction doesn’t come to the errant leader’s life, his words
and teachings have the potential to become food that makes others
sick. Because his influence is strong, it is likely that those who are
close to him will pick up whatever has contaminated him and
become infected with the same spiritual problems. The point is that it
doesn’t take too many erring individuals to transmit sickness to an
entire church body when they hold positions of influence.
But Paul was telling us that the “spiritual disease” of these
leaders will progress no further because “…their folly shall be
manifest unto all men…” (2 Timothy 3:9). The word “folly” is the
Greek word anoia, which comes from the Greek word nous — the
word for the mind. But that little a attached to the front of it has a
canceling effect. This means it is no longer the picture of a normal
mind; instead, it means mindless. The King James Version translates
the word as “folly,” but it more accurately depicts the idea of
madness, irrational thinking, or brainlessness. Here we find that error
develops from one stage of “bad” to a worse stage of “bad.” In fact, it
eventually becomes so extreme that people can begin to recognize
the lunacy of its conclusions.
 This is why Paul said that what these leaders espouse and
promote is so ridiculous that it will eventually become “manifest” to
all men. The word “manifest” is a translation of the Greek word
ekdelos, which means to become obvious or to become
unmistakably clear. Hence, these errant leaders’ lunacy will
eventually grow out of control. And a time will come when many will
be able to clearly see that what these degenerate individuals are
believing and peddling is sheer madness.

Putting the meanings of all these words together,

the RIV version of Second Timothy 3:8,9 reads:
Now as Jannes and Jambres fiercely opposed and
defied Moses, these also will be fiercely opposed to
and will defy the truths of Scripture. They will be men
with minds that have been ruined — defective,
malfunctioning, and reprobate concerning the
teachings of Scripture. But the advance of spiritual
disease they spread will be halted, and their irrational
way of thinking — their lunacy, madness, and
spiritual nonsense — will become unmistakably clear
to all men, as theirs also was.

A FINAL SHOWDOWN AT THE END OF THE AGE

In Second Timothy 3:9, Paul tells us that Jannes and Jambres
resisted, stood against, withstood, and defied God’s power. And just
as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, at the end of the age
there will be well-known personalities — religious, social, and
political — who will emerge on the scene to oppose the Gospel and
present an alternative message. It will be a part of the end-time,
worldwide mutiny that Paul prophesied about in Second
Thessalonians 2:3 (see pages 90-91).
Friend, the Scriptures makes it clear that this last-days
development will occur. But Paul said that just as Pharaoh’s
sorcerers were unable to compete with the power of God, so, too,
these end-time wanderers will be unable to compete with His mighty
power.
 Herein is a prophecy of a final showdown at the end of the age —
one in which the power of God will prove to be unbeatable in the
face of evil. Sinister forces are already gathering like a dark,
foreboding storm on the horizon. Before this final contest of powers
is over, society will experience the effects of these devastating winds
of revolutionary change to a greater and greater degree.
The demonic lies that fuel this spiritual typhoon will attempt to
creep not only into homes, but into universities and into new laws
that will negatively impact God’s people. These so-called
progressive leaders will do everything they can do religiously,
socially, and politically to modify and defy the teachings of Scripture
and to actually deny the true operations of God’s power. A
sophisticated counter-gospel will be offered, mingled with a
dangerously wayward political system.
But in the end, God’s power will show up. And just as Jannes and
Jambres were ultimately revealed as a threat to God’s purposes,
end-time enemies of the faith will be exposed and overshadowed by
the power of God, and the Church will emerge victorious. Paul was
prophesying in Second Timothy 3:8 and 9 that as the power of God
worked through Moses to confront the powers of evil in his day, that
same divine power will flow mightily through a remnant in the last-
days Church. And as God’s power is made manifest, the folly of
warped ideologies and last-days doctrinal nonsense will become
evident for all to see. Just as Moses’ rod “swallowed” the rods of
Jannes and Jambres (see Exodus 7:12), God’s power will ultimately
devour and humiliate the power of the enemy.
But Paul also prophesied that the activities of evil men — those
with a form of godliness but who deny the power of it — will spin
further out of control as time passes. In Second Timothy 3:13, he
wrote, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived.”
The word “wax” is again a translation of the Greek word prokopto,
the word we have already seen that was used medically to depict the
spreading advancement of disease. This lets us know that the
apostate Church will become sicker and sicker as time passes —
going from bad to worse — or as Paul said, they will go about
“deceiving and being deceived.”
The word “deceiving” is a translation of the Greek word planao,
which pictures a wandering from an established moral path or one
who has veered from a solid path. This very word was used
historically to picture a lost animal that got so lost that it could not
find its way back home. By using this special word, Paul informed us
that some will become so spiritually misleading — and they will
wander so far off track — that they will not be able to find their way
back without help. Instead, Paul wrote, they will go about “deceiving
and being deceived.” This means they will not only spread
deception, but they will also buy into it themselves and become the
by-products of the delusion that they themselves promote.

With all that we’ve discussed in mind, the RIV of

Second Timothy 3:13 reads this way:
But these wicked men — real, bona fide frauds who
masquerade as spiritual leaders — will lead people
off track as they spread their deadly teachings and
put people under their magic spell. Over time, they
will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being self-
deceived by the nonsense they communicate to
others.

In these last of the last days, God calls on you and me to speak
clearly and authoritatively from His Word — holding tightly to what
the Scripture says and not to what a wandering end-time society will
attempt to dictate or direct. In order to avoid being taken captive by
the infectious deceptions that pretenders will try to peddle, we must
keep our minds renewed daily with the Word of God, stay connected
in a vibrant, on-fire church that accurately teaches the Scriptures,
and stay filled with the Holy Spirit.
We have now come to the conclusion of the characteristics that
the Holy Spirit prophesied would emerge in society in the last of the
last days. Read the following carefully and digest the full impact of
what the Holy Spirit has said to you and me in these verses!
 The following is the full RIV version of Second
Timothy 3:1-9,13:

1. You emphatically and categorically need to know

with unquestionable certainty that in the very end of
days — when time has sailed to its last port and no
more time remains for the journey — that last season
will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, menacing times
that will be emotionally difficult for people to bear.
2. Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more. These boasters are so committed to their
own agenda that they are willing to exaggerate,
overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a
story, and even lie if it will get them the position,
advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant,
haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They
disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone that
stands in the way of their ideology and freely use foul
language. In this climate, parents will no longer be
able to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority
over their own children. And although people were
once thankful and appreciative, they will generally
become void of gratitude and will be unappreciative
of everything. Impurity will seep into society and
cause it to become impure, ill-mannered, unclean,
indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and
rude.
3. Love for and commitment to family will
disintegrate, and divorce will become epidemic, with
irreconcilable differences being a major factor in
tearing families apart. In fact, every imaginable type
of covenant will be regularly violated, and the court
system will be overwhelmed as people go overboard,
suing and being sued. People will generally lose the
ability to say no and will be unable to control their
instincts in nearly every area of life. People will
become savage, and it will eventually feel like there
are no laws to protect the innocent.
4. People will find it easy to walk away from
commitments and to easily throw away relationships.
They will become reckless, impulsive, and known for
their enjoyment of violence. They will become full of
pride and inflated with a sense of their own self-
importance — to the extent that it may end up feeling
like society is being hit by a typhoon; however, those
menacing winds of change will eventually blow out
like a storm that comes and goes. Meanwhile, people
will become fixated on the unobtainable pursuit of
happiness and pleasure even more than they love
God.
5. Although they may possess an outward form of
religiosity, they will rebuff, refute, refuse, and reject
the authentic power that goes along with genuine
godliness. I urgently tell you to mentally, spiritually,
and physically turn away and remove yourselves
from such people.
6. These sorts of people project themselves as “help”
with the intention of gaining access into people’s
homes to manipulate them — especially targeting
some sincere women who feel overwhelmed by
frustrations and disappointing failures in life whom
the manipulators find easier to influence because
they have so many unmet longings.
7. These women are endlessly doing their very best
to gain insight needed to help them navigate life, but
they are perpetually unable to come to right
conclusions based on truth.
 8. Now as Jannes and Jambres fiercely opposed and
defied Moses, these also will be fiercely opposed to
and will defy the truths of Scripture. They will be men
with minds that have been ruined — defective,
malfunctioning, and reprobate concerning the
teachings of Scripture.
9. But the advance of spiritual disease they spread
will be halted, and their irrational way of thinking —
their lunacy, madness, and spiritual nonsense — will
become unmistakably clear to all men, as theirs also
was….
13. But these wicked men — real, bona fide frauds
who masquerade as spiritual leaders — will lead
people off track as they spread their deadly
teachings and put people under their magic spell.
Over time, they will go from bad to worse, deceiving
and being self-deceived by the nonsense they
communicate to others.

In the final chapter that follows, we will look at God’s solution to

help us remain spiritually robust so we can thrive as we fulfill our part
in His purposes at the close of this age. God inspired Paul not only
to identify the problems that would assault a last-days generation,
but also to outline what is needed for us to successfully navigate the
end-time waters we are called to sail upon in our times!

99 Gary Hall (Former Dean), “LGBT Advocacy,” https://cathedral.org/initiative/lgbt-

advocacy/.
100 Pliny, Natural History, 30:11.
101 Præparatio Evangelica,” ix. 8.
102 Against Celsus.

103 David Noel Freedman, ed., The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol. 3 (New York:
Doubleday, 1992), p. 638.
 CHAPTER 9

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM ERROR THAT TRIES TO
CREEP INTO YOUR PERSONAL SPACE

B
ecause this chapter is filled with especially thought-provoking
material, I believe it would be wise for you to take some time to
ponder and digest what you have just read.
God has given you the responsibility to protect yourself and those
you love. The following action steps are therefore designed to help
you think through what you need to do to block all wrong voices from
finding access into your space. They will also help you identify and
eradicate every wrong voice that has already found its way into your
life and into the lives of those you love.
You can see why these action steps are so important to take
seriously. So I encourage you to take the time to reflect on the
following questions as you ask them of yourself. Do your best to
come to an honest, personal conclusion on each one.

1. “Whom do I think of when I read about a ‘form of godliness

but denying the power thereof’”?
When you read about those in the last days who will have a “form
of godliness” but deny the power of it, does anyone immediately
come to your mind? Do you know anyone who fits the description of
a spiritual mannequin? In other words, do you know of any spiritual
leader or group — or even an individual — in the Christian world who
may be adorned with all the right words and who may have an
outward appearance of being spiritual, but who lacks the authentic
power of God that goes along with genuine godliness?
After you’ve pondered the answer to those questions, make the
matter personal. Instead of dwelling only on others who fit this
description, what about you?
Ask yourself:

• Did I allow the power of God and the gifts of the Spirit to
operate through me more in the past than I do in my
present walk with the Lord?
• Have I in some way become a spiritual mannequin that
verbally and outwardly looks right but no longer operates
in the power of God?
• Have I personally fallen prey to the trend to update or
modify the faith so I can better “fit into” a society that is
changing its foundational moral code?

These may be difficult questions to ask yourself, but they are

wise ones to ask. After all, the Holy Spirit forewarned that this will be
the tendency that develops in the last-days generation — and you
are now part of that last-days generation.
If you find it difficult to honestly answer each of these questions
with a resounding no, it is time for you to get honest with God about
your situation. Allow the Holy Spirit to examine your heart. Make
sure your ears are open to hear what He has to say to you.
It is certain that if the Holy Spirit has something to say to you, He
only wants to help you. So determine to stay absolutely honest with
yourself as you ask yourself these questions as well:

• Do I have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit wants to say to

me about my own spiritual condition?
• Am I willing to allow the Holy Spirit to examine my heart
and my life regarding these important questions?
2. “Is there any particular person or group I need to ‘turn away
from’ after reading this chapter?”
Many people attend churches that are right on target in creed but
in practice have stepped away from the clear teaching of Scripture.
In Second Timothy 3:5, the apostle Paul has a strict admonishment
for believers who find themselves in this type of detrimental church
environment: They are to spiritually, mentally, and physically remove
themselves from that spiritually negative situation and relocate to a
body of believers who are holding fast to the Scriptures and the
power of God.
I encourage you to take the time to seriously assess your own life
regarding this matter, and then ask yourself this question:

• Since this is what the Bible commands, what does this

mean for me personally?

Perhaps all is well for you on this account because you attend a
church that is committed to the Bible and open to God’s power
working in your midst. But what if your church or denomination does
not fit that description? What if the spiritual company you are
connected with has stepped away from the foundational doctrines of
the Bible and has progressively modified itself to fit the world’s
degenerating moral culture? What are you going to do with Paul’s
admonition to spiritually, mentally, and physically remove yourself
from that environment?
This is not my personal recommendation — rather, it is the
command of Scripture.
Your spiritual life and that of your family is so very important.
What you pour into yourself or allow to be poured into loved ones
under your charge will eventually produce a harvest. So ask yourself:

• If I keep myself and my family in the spiritual environment

we are in at the present time, what kind of harvest will it
produce in us in the future?

Everything is at stake when it comes to being in the right or

wrong spiritual environment.
 With all this in mind, it’s now time to ask yourself this question:

• Am I committed to a church or denomination that fosters

love for the Bible, faith in the infallible and immutable Word
of God, and the operation of God’s power?

If you cannot answer yes to that question, you need to face the
very real possibility that you are in the wrong place. God has said in
His Word that He requires you to relocate to a safe place where
these things will be nurtured in your life and in the lives of those you
love. Be assured that He will lead you to the right place as you seek
Him for guidance.
One day when you face trouble and need a foundation to stand
on, that critical moment will reveal if, by your past decisions, you
received all you needed to face the fires of life. If you are in a church
or denomination that is pouring faith-filled teaching into you, you’ll be
equipped to face anything. But if you are in a church or denomination
that isn’t teaching you to stand on the Scripture and walk in the Spirit
by faith, you will be ill-prepared to overcome when you encounter the
next challenge or hardship.
So ask yourself this:

• What is the Holy Spirit prompting me to do personally in

response to Paul’s admonition in Second Timothy 3:5?

I encourage you to keep seeking the Lord until you know what
He’s asking you to do and how He’s asking you to do it. This is vital
in order to accurately position yourself and your family for the serious
days ahead.

3. “Whom am I allowing to infiltrate my private space?”

The Holy Spirit forecasted that a time would come at the end of
the age when evil would “creep into houses.” With the development
of technology, it is so much easier for all kinds of voices to “creep”
into your personal spaces. That’s why it is very important to ask
yourself:
 • Whose voices am I allowing to enter my private space and
speak into my life through various forms of media and
digital devices?

God commands you to know those who minister to you (see 1

Thessalonians 5:12). So what do you really know about those voices
you’ve allowed on your TV, computer, or other devices? Who is really
speaking into your life? Do you know where they stand on matters
that are (or should be) non-negotiable to you? Are you allowing
someone who is safe to speak into your spiritual life, or are you
permitting someone who is possibly spiritually corrupted to influence
you?
God has made you the guardian of your eyes, ears, and brain.
This is a sacred trust. Your mind is the central control center of your
life, so whoever influences your mind will ultimately affect your entire
life.
So ask yourself:

• Am I satisfied that safe voices are speaking to me?

• Have I done my homework to know who they are, what
they believe, and the true nature of their affiliations?

If you are confident that you are receiving teaching from safe
voices with whom God has connected you, stick with them and
support them. They need your help and financial support, and you
need what they have to give you.
Always do your due diligence in these matters, ensuring that you
really know who is speaking to you. Remember, you are the
“watchman on the wall” of your mind and of your heart, from which
flows the very issues of life (see Proverbs 4:23).

4. “Who comes to mind when I think about those whose minds

have become corrupted over a period of time?”
On this topic of spiritual leaders whose minds have become
corrupted over a period of time, I can definitely think of some leaders
who once walked in the purity of God’s Word, but over time they
have veered to embrace so-called alternative “truths.” When I see
where these leaders have landed in their belief system, it is difficult
to comprehend how they could have ended up in such errant
positions. What is even more shocking is that their minds have
become so affected by nonsensical thinking that they adamantly
believe the nonsense they espouse and promote!
Do you know anyone whose mind has been tainted and
corrupted over a period of time? It doesn’t have to be a spiritual
leader. It might be a parent, a spouse, a friend, a sibling, or someone
you know who once worshiped alongside you at church but over time
slowly drifted into a misguided belief system that is unthinkable to
you. People who fit this description are actually espousing what they
once believed was wrong — and many of them are even more
adamant about the unscriptural positions they have embraced than
those people who have never believed in the God of the Bible!
It is deeply disappointing and personally hurtful to see someone
veer from his or her faith to embrace the deceptive nonsense that is
becoming popular in society today. But through Paul, the Holy Spirit
prophesied this would occur in the last of the last days.
If you know a person (or a group of people) whose mind has
been corrupted by the popular thinking of our modern society, ask
yourself this question:

• What steps am I taking in prayer to see those who are

currently walking a path of deception turn around and be
restored?

If you see a problem with deception in a person’s life, it isn’t

enough to wring your hands and worry about it. God expects you to
move into action to intercede for that person. Jude 23 says you are
to reach into the fires of destruction to see such people delivered.
One of the best ways you can do that is by praying for them.
The people you’re praying for may not want to hear what you
have to say, but they cannot stop you from praying for them. It is
possible that their deliverance will be won because you stood in the
gap to intercede for them. (I encourage you to read Chapter 11 in my
book How To Keep Your Head on Straight in a World Gone Crazy. It
specifically shows you how to intercede for people in your life who
are in trouble.)
Are you praying for those you are concerned about? If not, take
this action step as the Holy Spirit’s charge to add those people to
your prayer list. Recognizing the need and the fact that just wringing
your hands or talking about it will not change a thing. But when you
begin to pray, God moves! He will begin to work in people’s lives in
response to your prayers of faith, helping them see the deception
that has drawn them away from His eternal truth.

5. “Whom do I think of when I consider people who have

refused to budge from the non-negotiable doctrines of the
Christian faith?”
We can easily think of people who have become apostate in their
beliefs. But who comes to mind as those who have remained
steadfast and unchanging, holding fast to the non-negotiable, central
truths of Scripture? It’s not enough to think only of those who have
made devastating spiritual errors. We need to recognize the rock-
solid examples of spiritual leaders and friends who have dug their
heels into Scripture and into the power of God and have refused to
ever budge from what the Scriptures teach!
These faithful warriors for Christ need others like you to voice
and show your support for their righteous stance. And within that
number, those who are ministers of the Gospel need people like you
to join them as partners and friends, sowing into their work for the
Kingdom and encouraging them to press ahead as they shine the
light of God’s Word into a world that is increasingly dark.
Ask yourself these questions:

• Who comes to mind when I think of people who are bright

and shining lights — true examples of spiritual stability
whom I can always count on to be scripturally dependable
and spiritually stable?
• What individuals “shine as lights in the world” and “hold
forth the truth,” as Philippians 2:15 and 16 says, for others
 to see and to follow in the midst of a society that is diluting
and distorting truth?

It would be healthy for you to actually make a list of those you

know who qualify as faithful contenders for the faith. Even more, it
would be an excellent idea for you to take time to express your
thanksgiving to them and to even begin to partner with them in the
ministry.
Everyone needs a boost of encouragement! Why not think of
ways you can give that boost to such brave and consistent soldiers
in the faith? Strengthen them in their fight of faith as they provide
such a valuable example of solid spiritual leadership for you and for
others!

6. “Whom do I know who is qualified to help me discern if what

I am listening to is healthy or unhealthy for my spiritual
life?”
With so many new faces and voices entering our private spaces
these days through so many different forms of media, it is important
for you to feel safe with those you are listening to. If you don’t know
how to discern between safe or unsafe voices, ask yourself this
question:

• Who is a person in my life to whom I can turn for help in

discerning whether the people I’m listening to are healthy
or unhealthy for my spiritual life?

There has never been a more important time for you to be

connected to people who are strong in the Word of God and whose
sense of discernment is trustworthy. So ask yourself these questions
as well:

• Do I have such trustworthy individuals in my life?

• Am I a member of a church that is a safe haven for me?
• Do I trust the spiritual leadership of my pastor or spiritual
leader?
 If you cannot answer these last three questions with a solid yes,
then here is the next question you should honestly ask yourself:

• Why am I still going to a church that is not a safe haven for

me, sitting under leaders I can’t trust to spiritually lead
me?

If that is your situation, you need to find the voice of a shepherd

you are willing to follow, just as Jesus taught in John 10:4,5.
Certainly there is no such thing as a perfect pastor, just as there is
no such thing as a perfect church member. But you need to have a
solid sense of confidence in whomever you have entrusted with the
role of leading you spiritually in a local church.
I urge you to find that person or persons whose discernment you
trust when you have questions about the spiritual diet you are
ingesting. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit is your Guide. But as you learn
to let Him lead you in life, He surrounds you with the right people to
help you when you are having trouble discerning between healthy
and unhealthy spiritual food.

7. “Whom do I know who needs to read this chapter?”

When we read a chapter like this one, we often think of someone
who needs to read the truth it contains. Maybe you know someone
who is starting to go in a wrong direction. Ask yourself these
questions:

• Is there someone I know in need of having their eyes

opened to the process of deception they have bought into?
• Could the discussion in this chapter possibly be the help
needed to get that person I know back on track again?
• Is the Holy Spirit leading me to give a copy of this book to
that person so I can let the book do the speaking for me —
especially the material in this particular chapter?

We are living in a time when friends and family members need to

speak up and speak out to help their loved ones stay on course.
Sometimes knowing what to say is difficult. A book like this can do
the job for you. That’s why I’ve included this last action step — to
consider using this book as a tool to “stay the plague” of spiritual
infection in the lives of people you know who are susceptible to
deception and the devastating effects that will inevitably ensue as a
result of that kind of spiritual contamination.
You could give this book to someone who fits this description
either personally or anonymously, whatever way seems to be wisest
as you are led by the Holy Spirit. And as you get this book to those
who are vulnerable to the deception of this age, it will provide an
open door for the Holy Spirit to come through, wielding His mighty
sword of the Word to attack any error they are being tempted to
embrace and thus eradicate it from their lives!
 10

HOW TO VICTORIOUSLY
NAVIGATE LAST-DAYS
STORMY WEATHER

s we come to the close of this book, it has become clear through

A our discussion that turbulent winds will blow through society at
the very end of the age. Scripture prophesies that these spiritual
tempests will spread out across the entire world with far-reaching
consequences.
For us to catch a glimpse of what it may be like to live through a
last-days spiritual storm, we’d do well to consider the patterns and
effects of a hurricane. As a hurricane approaches, its impending
presence can be felt by the torrent of pounding rain and the rising
sea tides that precede it. These raging rains and swelling tides can
be sufficiently deadly by themselves — but they are merely
symptoms of the real storm that is still gathering strength and
preparing to hit land.
As the massive storm pushes the sea toward land, the swell of
the waves grows higher and usually strikes the land before the
devastating winds of the actual hurricane. When these rising tides hit
the shore, everything in their path is in danger of being ravaged with
catastrophic consequences.
Hurricanes consist of multiple belts of rain and wind that pound
the land in sequence, one after another, with relatively brief pauses
in between each violent phase. Individuals who are caught in the
tempest but don’t understand how hurricanes behave may wrongly
assume that the storm is calming down after each belt passes. Yet
more belts of rain and wind are inevitably on the way to strike with
equal or even greater intensity.
 When the eye of the storm arrives, the sky may appear blue and
clear, giving the illusion that the storm has passed. In this brief
moment of calm, some find a false sense of security in thinking the
storm is over. Yet in reality, the fiercest impact of the entire storm
system is still approaching — on the backside of the eye wall as the
hurricane continues to move inland.
Some people mistakenly assume that the worst has passed
during the eye of the storm. They emerge from their places of safety,
not realizing that the hurricane is far from over, and consequently
they place themselves in harm’s way. Much of the physical and
human loss in a hurricane results from people mistaking this
temporary calm as a sign that the storm has passed. Because they
misread the signs overhead, they face the full force of the
hurricane’s backside unprepared. Many get swept away in the
ensuing floodwaters or hit with deadly debris that would have had no
effect on them if they had stayed in a place of safety just a little
longer.
Yet this is still not the full picture of a hurricane’s impact. Another
major outcome of hurricanes is the turbulent weather systems they
create in their wake, which affect huge geographical regions. These
storms often spawn tornadoes that angrily sweep across large
swaths of land or produce torrential downpours that cause
widespread, devastating floods and destroy homes, farmland, and
buildings far from where the hurricane first struck land. By the time
the storm system has run its course, hundreds or even thousands of
square miles have been affected and many people have been
displaced, have suffered damage to their personal property, or are
missing or deceased.
I believe this accurately describes the various effects we may feel
as we live in a tumultuous last-days environment. As we’ve seen
from the Word of God, we are in the last of the last days, and the
spiritual weather is becoming stormier and stormier. We know that
according to the Holy Spirit’s prophetic predictions, a spiritual storm
will slam against society with devastating consequences at the very
end of the age. There may be times when we think the worst has
passed and that the storm is over — but the strongest winds are still
on the horizon before us.
At times we will feel the full force of the turbulent spiritual winds,
whereas at other times, it will feel like there has been a pause from
pressure. This temporary pause will give the incorrect impression
that the worst is over. But we must always keep in mind what the
Holy Spirit has clearly prophesied: that a dramatic change in society
will occur at the end of the age, which will cause the winds of
opposition to rise up against the Church with serious consequences.

According to the Holy Spirit’s prophetic predictions, a

spiritual storm will slam against society with devastating
consequences at the very end of the age. There may be
times when we think the worst has passed and that the
storm is over — but the strongest winds are still on the
horizon before us.

As I told you at the beginning, this is why I have written this book.
We must wake up and become spiritually prepared to not only
survive, but to thrive during the stormy season that lies ahead as we
sail through to the last port in this last-days season.
Just as a hurricane affects large geographical areas far from
where it first hits land, the spiritual storm that will strike in these last
days will affect large sections of society. In fact, according to the
Holy Spirit, by the time this last part of the storm system has run its
course, every part of the world will be affected.
Between now and the time of Jesus’ triumphant return, society
will race toward a cataclysmic collision with end-time events. Even
now the spiritual climate is dramatically shifting. Yet you and I have
been chosen by God to live in this crucial hour — and as part of His
Church, we have a spiritual inheritance to lay hold of that will
empower us to live as overcomers in the midst of the storm. As we
listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying and prepare ourselves by
standing on the promises of God’s Word, we can expect to
experience the empowering strength of the Spirit of might upholding
us and seeing us through to victory in every situation.

You and I have been chosen by God to live in this crucial

hour — and as part of His Church, we have a spiritual
inheritance to lay hold of that will empower us to live as
overcomers in the midst of the storm.

In the past chapters, we’ve studied the long list of all the signs
that will characterize society in the last of the last days. One might
be tempted to become alarmed or concerned as the weight of all that
is being revealed hits home. But remember what I have emphasized
throughout the pages of this book: The Holy Spirit’s intent was never
to scare us but only to prepare us. He pulled back the curtain of time
and gave us a glimpse of what was to come in order to show us:

• How to overcome personally in the midst of it.

• How to protect ourselves and those we love.
• How to help others position themselves in a place of
sustained victory in Christ in the midst of great peril and
pain.

In Second Timothy 3:1-9, we’ve seen how Paul outlined the

various types of turbulence that will be experienced by those of us
who live in the last-days society. But as he kept writing, Paul also
included a powerful reminder that we have everything we need —
including every promise God has given us — to successfully make it
through the rough waves of this season. So let’s continue on to
discover God’s “navigational instruments” that He has provided for
us to utilize so we can make it successfully to our ultimate
destination without becoming a casualty of this age!

THE POWER OF A PERSONAL EXAMPLE

 Paul gave instructions to Timothy that are also crucial to us
because they provide God’s divine solution for living victoriously in
the midst of dark, negative events that many will face in the
environment of the last days. After hearing what is coming in the
future, Timothy may have wondered if he had the strength of spirit
required to overcome in such a last-days stormy season. We may
wonder the same thing about ourselves when we read Paul’s words
in Second Timothy 3.
But Paul backed up for a few moments and began to personally
remind Timothy of how he himself had victoriously endured perilous
times in his own life. Paul wanted the younger minister to take his
personal example as proof that Timothy, as well as every other
believer, could come through the most perilous of times victoriously.
Timothy had served closely alongside Paul for many years and
had seen the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit sustain
the apostle throughout many difficult circumstances. This is why Paul
wrote to him, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life,
purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions,
afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra;
what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered
me” (2 Timothy 3:10,11).
Paul used himself as the example to demonstrate how anyone
can survive and even thrive in perilous times. The apostle knew that
if he could be victorious in doing what he had done for the Kingdom,
given the intensity of the battles he had faced, anyone could do the
same. So drawing on his own personal example, Paul told Timothy,
“But thou hast fully known…” (v. 10).
The words “fully known” are a translation of the word
parakoloutheo, a word that depicts one who has closely followed
someone else with the intention to replicate his or her life.
The first part of the word is from the Greek word para, which
speaks of closeness and portrays the side-by-side relationship that
Timothy enjoyed with Paul. By using this word, Paul emphatically
reminded Timothy that from a very close proximity through many
years, the younger man had been close enough to observe moments
when Paul was assailed from without.
 Timothy also witnessed how the apostle remarkably overcame in
the midst of each one of those onslaughts time and time again. Paul
used this word parakoloutheo to remind Timothy that he had closely
observed how God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit had been
sufficient to empower, sustain, and give Paul, his mentor and
spiritual example, the strength to overcome in every situation,
regardless of the enormity of the challenge.

Paul used himself as the example to demonstrate how

anyone can survive and even thrive in perilous times. The
apostle knew that if he could be victorious in doing what
he had done for the Kingdom, given the intensity of the
battles he had faced, anyone could do the same.

It’s important to identify whom God has placed in your own life to
fulfill this role of mentor and spiritual example, just as Paul filled that
role in Timothy’s life. So I suggest you take a moment to ask yourself
these questions:

• Is there anyone to whom I am close enough to observe

this kind of personal victory in his life?
• Is there a leader whom I respect and admire so greatly
that I’d want to emulate his example as an unwavering
warrior in the fight of faith and endeavor to be like him in
my own walk with Christ?
• Is there one certain leader producing the type of fruit in his
life that I long to see generated in my own life?
• If so, who is that leader?

You may wonder if it’s right to follow someone so closely that you
actually start emulating him or her. But the Bible is replete with
scriptures that instruct us to be followers of spiritual leaders. One
such instance is Hebrew 6:12: “That ye be not slothful, but followers
of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
It’s important to note that this scripture says we are to be “…
followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises.” The word “followers” is taken from the Greek word
mimetes, from which we derive the English words “imitate,” “mimic,”
and “mime.” However, the best translation of this word is actually the
word “actor.”
Therefore, the command to “follow” isn’t referring to a casual type
of following. Rather, it implies an intentional study of the deeds,
words, actions, and thoughts of another person (how that person
thinks) in an attempt to fully understand that person and then to
replicate his attributes in one’s own life.
This type of focused, deliberate following enables a person to
think like his subject, walk like his subject, mimic his subject’s
movements, make the vocal intonations of his subject, and act like
his subject in a masterful way. However, this can only be achieved
by those seriously committed to the act of replication.
Of course, in a serious disciple’s commitment to act, mimic, or
replicate a respected spiritual leader, his full focus is on replicating
the leader’s godly character and his walk with Christ. That is the
process and the result of true discipleship. With all this in mind, we
could actually translate this phrase: “…But skillfully and convincingly
act like those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” In
other words, the disciple is to do it in such a way that he too —
through faith and patience — inherits the promises of God!
A good actor studies the character and life of another for the
purpose of portraying that person on a stage or on film. In the
process, the actor obtains every bit of information he possibly can
about the person in order to better portray him in his acting role.
Then the actor begins to practice acting just like that person — trying
to talk like him, think like him, and even walk and dress like him. If
the actor acts long enough and consistently enough, the character
role he is playing can actually become a part of the actor’s own
identity. That’s the power of acting!
 In a serious disciple’s commitment to act, mimic, or
replicate a respected spiritual leader, his full focus is on
replicating the leader’s godly character and his walk with
Christ. That is the process and the result of true
discipleship.

It is for this very reason that Paul reminded Timothy, “But thou
hast fully known….” The Greek actually means, “You have followed
closely in order to replicate my life.” Paul wanted to remind Timothy
that the younger man had witnessed a good example and that if he
would replicate what he had seen Paul do, he could have the same
victorious results. And that principle applies today to anyone willing
to “follow closely” so that he can “fully know.”
Paul continued by reminding Timothy, “But thou hast fully known
my doctrine….” The word “doctrine” is translated from the Greek
word didaskalia. It depicts teaching that is applicable to one’s life.
Paul’s doctrine — all of which was solidly founded on God’s words
as revealed to man — was not only theological, but it was also his
very foundation and the reason he was able to overcome every
circumstance. Doctrine — that is, what Paul believed, embraced,
and acted upon — was the bedrock of his life.
In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus spoke of this bedrock of eternal truth
that is the essential foundation of every believer:

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine,

and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man,
which built his house upon a rock: And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was
founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth
these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be
likened unto a foolish man, which built his house
upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the
 floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that
house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Jesus warned that rain, floods, and winds will come in life. But if a
person has built his life upon the solid foundation of God’s Word, he
can survive any storm, because all that he is and possesses is built
on that immovable rock.
On the other hand, if a person has built his life on a bad
foundation, it is like building a house on sinking sand. When the
rains, floods, and winds come to beat upon that person’s life, he will
experience great loss because his shaky faith won’t be sufficient to
hold him in place.

Jesus warned that rain, floods, and winds will come in

life. But if a person has built his life upon the solid
foundation of God’s Word, he can survive any storm,
because all that he is and possesses is built on that
immovable rock.

But if your faith is built on solid rock, you can withstand any
storm. That is the importance of having right and wrong doctrine in
your life!
Paul’s doctrine — what he believed — was so powerful and rock-
solid that it held him through every circumstance in life, enabling him
to withstand all the rains, floods, and winds that came against him. In
his epistle, he reminded Timothy of this truth to encourage the young
man that those who have a rock-solid faith can outlast any storm.
That is why Paul said to Timothy, “You know my doctrine.” He
wanted Timothy to be reassured that his rock-solid faith had carried
him through — and that it would carry anyone through who is
established on such a foundation. For those living in perilous times,
this is a very important message!
 But Paul next reminded Timothy, “But thou hast fully known my
doctrine, manner of life….”
The words “manner of life” are translated from the Greek word
agoge, which is used by Paul to depict how he had conducted
himself in various experiences in life. The use of this word lets us
know that there were no secrets between Paul and Timothy and that
Timothy had been close enough to personally witness the effect of
Paul’s doctrine in the way he lived and in the way he had braved
multiple perils in his own life. As a close observer and pupil, Timothy
was near enough to Paul to see how his leader’s faith and doctrine
carried him victoriously through every imaginable kind of situation.
By using the words “manner of life,” Paul was in essence saying,
“Timothy, the proof of my doctrine is evident in the way I have lived
my life and have victoriously survived everything I have faced.”
Paul then added, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner
of life, purpose….”
The word “purpose” is a translation of the word prothesis, which
depicts a purposeful plan. This lets us know that Paul’s life had not
been happenstance; rather, he had lived very purposefully. Paul
knew he was born for a purpose and had consecrated his life to the
fulfillment of that divine plan. Regardless of the bumps he
encountered along the way, the apostle had held fast to the vision
God had given him (see Acts 26:19). Paul reminded Timothy that if
he could stay steadfast and on track with his God-given assignment
and purpose, then Timothy — and anyone else — could do it too.
Then Paul went on to write, “But thou hast fully known my
doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith….” The word “faith” is the
Greek word pistis, and the very nature of this Greek word for “faith”
implies a powerful force that is forward-directed and never in retreat.
Paul was telling Timothy that his own faith was aggressive and
always forward-directed. The apostle possessed such a powerful
faith that he had never retreated or surrendered. On the contrary, he
had continued to press forward, regardless of opposition and even in
the face of multiple assaults orchestrated against him.
 Paul knew he was born for a purpose and had
consecrated his life to the fulfillment of that divine plan.
Regardless of the bumps he encountered along the way,
the apostle had held fast to the vision God had given him.

Because Timothy was so close to Paul, the younger man had

personally observed this unbendable and unbreakable faith in his
mentor. Paul reminded Timothy how he had seen faith work in his
own life and then stressed that the same faith would enable Timothy
— or anyone else who put their trust in Christ — to make it through
any season of life.
Paul continued, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner
of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering….” In the apostle’s ministry, he
had seen many people do things that disappointed him. But rather
than let it sour him, Paul had supernaturally been able to extend
longsuffering to others, even in the face of disappointment. Timothy
had been close enough to his mentor to see the demonstration of
this quality on many occasions, so Paul reminded him that God’s
power was enough to sustain him, even if others failed him or did
things that were disappointing to him.
The word “longsuffering” is a translation of the Greek word
makrothumia, which depicts the patient restraint of anger. It can be
translated forbearance or patience. Longsuffering is likened to a
candle with a very long wick that can burn an extended period of
time. A person who possesses this quality is ready to forbear and to
suffer long as he patiently waits for an event or result to transpire.
Paul used his own example to tell Timothy that, when it comes to
fulfilling the will of God for one’s life, it doesn’t matter what other
people do or what disappointments may come in relationships.
Regardless of those factors, each person is faced with the choice to
surrender to the Holy Spirit. As Timothy made that right choice, he
would be sustained by the powerful fruit of longsuffering.
 When it comes to fulfilling the will of God for one’s life, it
doesn’t matter what other people do or what
disappointments may come in relationships. Regardless
of those factors, each person is faced with the choice to
surrender to the Holy Spirit.

What a powerful message for those who will live in the last of the
last days and who may see many people commit acts that are far
below their expectation of them!
Paul next reminded Timothy, “But thou hast fully known my
doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity….”
The word “charity” is a King James Version translation of the
Greek word agape, which is actually the New Testament word for the
love of God. It depicts a love that gives even if it’s never responded
to, thanked, or acknowledged. It knows no limits or boundaries in
how far, wide, high, and deep it will go to show that love to its
recipient. It is a self-sacrificial love that moves one to action.
Paul reminded Timothy that this was the type of love that had
worked in his life and in many different circumstances. It is certain
that in Paul’s own ministry, others had failed him and responded in
ways that were below his expectation of them. But because agape
love worked so profoundly in Paul’s life, he was able to keep on
loving, even when his actions of love were not responded to,
thanked, or acknowledged.
Divine love knows no limits or boundaries in how far, wide, high,
and deep it will go to show that love to its recipient. It was that kind
of love that enabled Paul to be self-sacrificial for others.
In the last days when society — and even many in the Church —
will be prone to be selfish and self-seeking, it is imperative that we
learn to function in this type of high-level love. Paul reminded
Timothy that if he, Paul, could love even difficult and disappointing
people, Timothy could too. And the same is true for you and me!
 Divine love knows no limits or boundaries in how far,
wide, high, and deep it will go to show that love to its
recipient. It was that kind of love that enabled Paul to be
self-sacrificial for others.

Paul further wrote in Second Timothy 3:10, “But thou hast fully
known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering,
charity, patience….” The word “patience” is an unfortunate
translation of the Greek word hupomone which would be better
translated “endurance.” It pictures the ability to stay or to remain in
one’s spot; the ability to keep a steadfast position; or the attitude of
one who has resolved to maintain territory that has been gained at
any cost.
In a military sense, this word hupomone was used to picture
soldiers who were ordered to maintain their positions even in the
face of fierce combat. It means to defiantly stick it out, regardless of
the pressure mounted against the one who is holding fast. Hence, it
pictures staying power or “hang-in-there” power. It is the attitude that
holds out, holds on, outlasts, perseveres, and hangs in there, never
giving up, refusing to surrender to obstacles, and turning down every
opportunity to quit. It pictures one who is under a heavy load but
refuses to bend, break, or surrender because he is convinced that
the territory, promise, or principle under assault rightfully belongs to
him.
Paul faced unremitting persecution. Every day he and many other
believers were confronted by hostile powers that were arrayed
against them. Culture, pagan religion, government, unsaved family
and friends — all these forces were arrayed against them, putting
constant pressure on them to forfeit their faith and return to their old
ways.
I want to point out that the Early Church called this type of
“patience” the “queen of all virtues.” Early Christians believed if they
possessed this one virtue, they could survive anything that ever
came against them. It is this same virtue that is sustaining believers
today who live in godless regions of the world — and this virtue is
exactly what you need to victoriously outlast the pressures and
ordeals you may be dealing with today.
The determination inherent in the word hupomone is clearly seen
when it was used in a military sense to picture soldiers who were
ordered to maintain their positions even in the face of fierce combat.
Their order was to stand their ground and defend what had been
gained. To keep that ground, they had to be courageous to do
whatever was required — no matter how difficult or long-lasting the
assignment. Their goal was to see that they survived every attack
and held their position until they had outlived and outlasted the
resistance. These soldiers had to indefinitely and defiantly stick it out
until the enemy forces realized those soldiers couldn’t be beaten,
thus deciding to retreat and go elsewhere.
Although the King James Version translates this Greek word
hupomone as “patience,” a more accurate rendering would be
“endurance.” Two accurate ways to translate the word in our modern
vernacular would be staying power or hang-in-there power. Both of
these translations adequately express the correct idea about
hupomone — because this is an attitude that never gives up! It holds
out, holds on, outlasts, and perseveres.
The Early Church called patience the “queen of all virtues” for
good reason. Believers knew that as long as they had this character
quality working in their lives, it wasn’t a question of if they would win
their battles — it was only a question of when.
Hupomone — that is, endurance, staying power, hang-in-there
power — is one of the major weapons you can wield to outlast any
difficulty or time of stress and pressure that comes your way.

The Early Church called patience the “queen of all

virtues” for good reason. Believers knew that as long as
they had this character quality working in their lives, it
wasn’t a question of if they would win their battles — it
 was only a question of when.

Paul reminded Timothy that if he as his leader could walk in this

supernatural force in his day and time, so could Timothy — and so
can anyone else. Especially for those of us who live at the end of the
age, it is imperative that we possess and walk in this unbeatable
force!
Then continuing on in Second Timothy 3:11, Paul wrote,
“Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at
Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all
the Lord delivered me.”
The word “persecutions” is a translation of the Greek word
diogmos, which is a derivative of the word dioko, a hunting term that
denoted the actions of a hunter who strives to follow after, to
apprehend, to capture, or to kill an animal. It means to strategically
hunt or pursue an individual or a group of people. It depicts a well-
planned strategy to track down in order to abuse, hurt, or apprehend.
Paul used this word to remind Timothy (and us) that much of what
happened to the apostle had been the intentional evil devices of
people who wanted to do him harm. The word “persecutions” — the
Greek word diogmos — affirms that people had intentionally tried to
harm Paul along the way.
Furthermore, Paul added the word “afflictions” to this statement
about persecutions. The word “afflictions” is a translation of the
Greek word pathema, a word that depicts all types of suffering but
really speaks of emotional struggles or mental agony as a result of
circumstances or what others have done. The use of this word
means that circumstances and even other people had put Paul
through a lot of emotional and mental grief. Nonetheless, it had all
passed and he had remained unaffected, secure in the love of God
and possessing a sound mind in spite of it all.
What a powerful testimony! If Paul could remain unaffected when
difficult circumstances or opposition arose from without, that means
anyone can remain unaffected. This is a strong and pertinent
message for those of us who live in perilous times and who may feel
let down and disappointed by people who we believed were with us
or for us!
That word “endured” is a translation of the Greek word
hupophero, which is a compound of hupo and phero. The word hupo
means under, and the word phero means to bear. When
compounded, the new word means to bear up under as one who is
under a heavy load. However, it is used to depict a strong
undercurrent of a river that carries one downstream to a place of
safety and away from danger.
Although Paul had experienced many negative assaults, the
power of God had always transported him along safely to his next
destination. In fact, when Paul was referring to all the things he had
faced and overcome, he declared, “…Out of them all the Lord
delivered me.” (2 Timothy 3:11). The word “out” in Greek is the word
ek, which depicts an exit or an escape from difficult circumstances.
The word “all” is all-encompassing. This was Paul’s declaration —
that he had escaped from every single event as the Lord
miraculously “delivered” him.
The word “delivered” comes from the Greek word hruomai, a
word that means to rescue, to deliver, to snatch or even to drag out
of danger, or to save in the nick of time. This depicts an intervention
or a rescue operation intended to snatch a person out of physical or
spiritual peril.
Paul’s message was clear — that if he could experience such
delivering power time and time again, that same power will work for
anyone who will believe it and embrace it. As Timothy read Paul’s
dreadful litany of societal ills that would develop in the last days, the
younger minister possibly would have wondered how anyone would
be able to escape it all unharmed. This, then, led to Paul’s
declaration that God’s intervening and delivering power will work for
anyone who is willing to cooperate with it.

Although Paul had experienced many negative assaults,

the power of God had always transported him along
 safely to his next destination.

That’s God’s promise to those of us who have been chosen to

live in this last-days perilous period. We can expect to experience
His delivering power and to escape the negative effects of a last-
days stormy season!
This, of course, doesn’t mean the devil won’t try to affect us. He
will do his best to drag the entire world and even the Church into his
snare. Paul was open-eyed about the devil’s attempts to attack even
the godly. This is why the apostle went on to write, “Yea, and all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy
3:12).
The words “shall suffer persecution” is a future form of dioko,
which is again the hunting term to denote the actions of a hunter who
strives to follow after, capture, or kill an animal, and depicts a well-
planned strategy to track down in order to abuse, hurt, or apprehend.
This lets us know that Paul was not naïve about the devil’s tactics.
He forewarned Timothy — and those of us who live at the end of the
age — that there would be hardships to endure before it is all over.
But just as Paul was supernaturally aided by the delivering power of
God, we will also experience His intervening power in our lives if we
will stay on track and refuse to be moved by what we feel, hear, or
see.

THE POWER OF STAYING ON TRACK

After Paul reminded Timothy of how God’s Word and power had
always sustained him in the past and never failed him, the apostle
went on to explain the necessary requirement for overcoming in any
season of life. In Second Timothy 3:14, Paul wrote, “But continue
thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of,
knowing of whom thou hast learned them.”
The word “continue” is a translation of the Greek word meno,
which means to be unwavering and unmoving. It depicts a resolute
decision to remain steadfast and pictures one who refuses to budge
even in the face of pressure. It describes one who holds his ground
even to the point of fighting back and projects the idea of one who
firmly endures and is immovable, unshakable, and consistent in what
he believes. By using this word, Paul instructed Timothy — and you
and me — to continue in what we believe and to resolve that
regardless of what is happening around us, we will not change our
positions or abdicate our faith when it comes to what the Bible
teaches!

Just as Paul was supernaturally aided by the delivering

power of God, we will also experience His intervening
power in our lives if we will stay on track and refuse to be
moved by what we feel, hear, or see.

As you will see in the paragraphs that follow, something

significant happens when a believer holds fast to the Word of God
like that and consistently continues in it. That strict adherence to the
Word of God is the trigger that releases the power of God into the life
of that believer. Paul knew this, which is why he urged Timothy to
“continue in the things thou hast learned.”
The words “thou hast learned” is a form of the Greek word
manthano, a word that depicts a relationship between a pupil and his
teacher. Since Paul had been Timothy’s teacher, he used this word
to remind Timothy of his relationship with him. The apostle then
added, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and
hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.”
The words “hast been assured of” is a form of pistoo, a Greek word
that refers to something that a person has found to be irrefutably
reliable, true, trustworthy, and worthy of being established in one’s
life.
Paul reminded Timothy, “knowing of whom thou hast learned
them.” The words “of whom” are translated from the word para, and
it depicts the close relationship that existed between Paul and
Timothy. The word “learned” is again manthano, the Greek word that
pictures the relationship between a pupil and his teacher. Paul
reminded Timothy that everything the younger man knew about faith,
he had learned as a pupil walking alongside the apostle himself.
Through Timothy’s up-close observation of Paul’s life, he had seen
that these principles and truths were irrefutably reliable, true,
trustworthy, and worthy of being established in his own life.

The RIV of Second Timothy 3:14 reads as

follows:
But you continue consistently, firmly, steadfastly, and
unmoving in the things you learned at my side as a
pupil. By your close observation of me and my life,
you know for a fact that what you’ve been taught is
unequivocally true, reliable, and worth being
incorporated into your own life. You saw all of this in
me, and as a result of your close, up-front
observation of my life, you know it is true.

In addition to Paul’s powerful role and influence in Timothy’s life,

Timothy had also been powerfully influenced by a godly mother. In
Second Timothy 3:15, Paul wrote, “And that from a child thou hast
known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
The word “child” in this verse is translated from the Greek word
brephos, a word that pictures an infant or a child who is still nursing
at his mother’s breast. From the record in Acts 16:1, we know that
Timothy’s mother was a Jewish woman who had come to faith in
Christ. Apparently she had become a Christian either before Timothy
was born or when he was “still nursing at his mother’s breast.”
Taking advantage of his tender and teachable age, his mother
schooled Timothy in the “holy Scriptures” from the time he was an
infant.
Paul reminded Timothy that even when he was a nursing child,
his mother gave him a heavy dose of respect for the “holy
Scriptures.” This shows the important role that a godly mother plays
even in the life of a babe in her arms.
The words “holy Scriptures” in Greek is hiera grammata. The
word hiera comes from the root word hieros and describes
something that is sacred, set apart, or holy. It is the word used in the
Old Testament Septuagint to describe the sacred, consecrated, and
set apart instruments that were used in various elements of Old
Testament temple ritual and worship. Once those manmade
instruments were consecrated, they were considered sacred and
placed in a holy category — forever set apart, never to be used
again for common purposes.
The word “scriptures” is translated from the word grammata,
which is the plural of the Greek word gramma. The word gramma
depicts not only every letter of the alphabet, but it also includes even
the marks above or below each letter, along with every tiny jot or
mark in the text. All the ink on the page falls into the category of the
word gramma.
By using the word grammata, Paul let us know that every letter,
character, jot, and mark — even the smallest scribble in the Bible,
and, in fact, all the ink on every page — is holy, sacred, and filled
with the awesome and remarkable power of God. We also learn that
Timothy had been taught to believe this truth ever since he was an
infant.
Paul further added that these amazing, awesome, remarkable
Scriptures are so powerful that they “are able to make thee wise unto
salvation.” The phrase “which are able” is translated from the word
dunamis, which is the very specific Greek word for power and carries
the idea of explosive, superhuman power that comes with enormous
energy and produces phenomenal, extraordinary, and unparalleled
results.

Even the smallest scribble in the Bible, and, in fact, all the
ink on every page — is holy, sacred, and filled with the
 awesome and remarkable power of God.

But wait — the word dunamis is also the very word used to depict
the full might of an advancing army. In this verse, Paul intentionally
used this word to let us know that when the Bible is believed and
embraced and its power is released into a person’s life, it produces
powerful, impressive, incomparable, and “beyond human” results.
The Holy Scriptures are so powerful that when the door to one’s
heart is opened and God’s words are given a grand reception, the
power in those divine words is released to march forth like an
advancing army that drives back every trace of evil and takes new
territory for God’s rule in a person’s life!
In fact, Paul says the supernatural ability inherent in the
Scriptures has the power to make one “wise” unto salvation. The
word “wise” is a translation of the Greek word sophidzo, which
depicts the process required to obtain special insight.
When used in a non-biblical context, this word sophos portrayed
highly educated people, such as scientists, philosophers, doctors,
teachers, and others who were considered to be the super-
intelligentsia of society. It depicts a class of individuals whom the
world would call intellectually brilliant, sharp, clever, astute, smart, or
especially enlightened. It described those considered to be
intellectually impressive and a cut above the rest of society. Paul
intentionally used this word to affirm that when the Scriptures are
believed, embraced, and acted upon, they have the power to
transform someone to become wise, even intellectually a cut above
the rest of society!

The Holy Scriptures are so powerful that when the door

to one’s heart is opened and God’s words are given a
grand reception, the power in those divine words is
released to march forth like an advancing army that
drives back every trace of evil and takes new territory for
 God’s rule in a person’s life!

But Paul specifically said wise “unto salvation.” Even the word
“unto” is important in this verse. It is translated from the Greek word
eis, which gives the idea of something that is progressive. The more
a person embraces the Scriptures, the more he will progress forward
“into” the fullness of all that salvation is intended to be. The word
“salvation” is translated from the Greek word soteria. It depicts not
only eternal salvation, but present deliverance and wholeness in
every part of life.
This means the Bible itself contains the saving and delivering
power of God. And if you’ll believe it, embrace it, and act upon it, the
latent power in His words will be released to cause you to
progressively experience more and more deliverance, healing, and
wholeness in every area of your life!
We’ve seen that in the last of the last days, people’s lives will be
assaulted, twisted, and negatively affected by the moral craziness
that grips a wandering society. But this is the hope that God presents
to us: that even in the midst of such perilous times, any person who
has been negatively affected can be restored if he or she will
believe, embrace, and act on the Holy Scriptures! His delivering,
healing, miraculous power that is resident in His Word is ready to be
released into the life of any person who will simply believe, embrace,
and act on what He has said.

The Bible itself contains the saving and delivering power

of God. And if you’ll believe it, embrace it, and act upon
it, the latent power in His words will be released to cause
you to progressively experience more and more
deliverance, healing, and wholeness in every area of your
life!
 THE POWER OF GOD IN THE SCRIPTURES
This is why Paul made his next statement in Second Timothy
3:16,17: “For all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished
unto all good works.”
The word “inspiration” is translated from the Greek compound
word theopneustos, a compound of the Greek words theos, which
means God, and pneuo, which is where we derive the words spirit or
breath. When compounded, the new word means God-breathed.
However, there is much, much more to this word that you absolutely
must understand. The following paragraphs will help you grasp the
truth that God’s presence is actually held inside the Scriptures — to
be unlocked and experienced by anyone who is willing to dive deep
into them.

God’s presence is actually held inside the Scriptures —

to be unlocked and experienced by anyone who is willing
to dive deep into them.

THE CREATIVITY OF HEAVEN

Let’s focus on the Greek word pneuo for a moment. It is the
foundation for the word pneuma, which is the word used in the Old
Testament Greek Septuagint to describe the creative power that God
released to create the world and to make Adam a living soul.
The word pneuma carries a profound range of meanings,
including life, force, life-force, energy, dynamism, and power. The
Jews considered the pneuma to be the powerful force of God that
created the universe and all living things — and the force that
continues to sustain creation. In the Old Testament, the pneuma of
God would sometimes move mightily upon a person, enabling him to
do supernatural feats.
 Indeed, this word pneuma is the very word used in Genesis 1:2,
where we are told that the Holy Spirit brooded upon the face of the
deep and then released creative power to bring order to the chaos
that covered the face of the earth at that time. When the pneuma of
God was released in that moment, such a torrent of creative power
was released that restoration came into the world in a split second of
time. Unimaginable levels of divine and creative power were
unleashed in that instant when the pneuma of God moved upon the
face of the deep!
The Greek word pneuma is also the word used in the Old
Testament Septuagint to describe that moment when God breathed
into Adam, and, in a split second, the man became a living soul (see
Genesis 2:7). Adam lay on the ground, perfectly formed, but had no
life in him. Until he was touched by the creative pneuma of God, he
was little more than a mannequin made of clay. But when God’s
pneuma — that is, His creative power — entered into Adam’s
nostrils, the man was awakened to become a living soul.
So in both instances in the opening chapters of Genesis, we
discover that the word pneuma is used to depict the creative power
of God and the breath of the Almighty that gives life! Keep this in
mind as you recall everything Paul wrote about in Second Timothy 3.
In this prophetic chapter that we’ve been studying, Paul clearly
enumerated all the dark, malevolent characteristics that will mark the
last of the last days.
The pneuma of God moved upon the earth with creative power to
restore a world that had become chaotic. In a similar fashion, the
last-days society will be full of people who have been traumatized
and wounded and who desperately need the pneuma of God.
When the pneuma of God that is locked inside the Scriptures is
believed, embraced, and acted upon, its latent creative powers are
unleashed to bring restoration to anyone who has been negatively
affected by life. And even if a person feels numb as a result of
chaotic and hurtful life experiences, the divine pneuma of God that is
resident in the Scriptures has the power to revive that numbed soul
to become a living, thriving soul once again!
 As mentioned earlier, this word pneuma is a form of the word
pneuo, which is used in the word theopneustos to describe the
“inspiration of God” in connection with the Scriptures. This lets us
know that creative power is contained in every page and in every
mark of ink contained in the written Word of God.
So when the Bible tells us that all Scripture was given by
“inspiration of God,” it’s telling us beyond all doubt that Scripture
itself carries within it the very creative power and nature of God
Himself!

Even if a person feels numb as a result of chaotic and

hurtful life experiences, the divine pneuma of God that is
resident in the Scriptures has the power to revive that
numbed soul to become a living, thriving soul once
again!

THE MUSIC OF HEAVEN

But wait — there is still more to this Greek word pneuo that you
must understand. The word pneuo also communicates the concept
of the dynamic movement of air. For instance, it can mean to blow,
as to blow air or to blow air through an instrument to produce a
distinct musical sound.
For example, in ancient times when a musician wanted to play a
musical instrument, such as a pipe or flute, he would lift the
instrument to his lips and breathe into it to produce a musical sound.
The breath he breathed into that musical instrument was called
pneuo, which is the same word we are looking at right now.
Although the musical instrument was perfectly formed, it was
unable to produce beautiful music by itself. The instrument was
totally dependent on the breath of a musician in order to come alive
and produce the sound of beautiful music. If there was no breath,
there was no musical sound to be enjoyed. But if a musician lifted
that instrument to his lips and breathed into it, suddenly it would
begin to produce melodious sounds for hearers to enjoy. The mere
breath of the musician could change an atmosphere when breathed
into a pipe or flute.
The word pneuo is the Greek word that describes a musician’s
breath when breathed into a pipe or flute. But here in Second
Timothy 3:16, Paul used this word to describe God’s musical
presence in the Scriptures!
Just as a musician would blow into an instrument to produce a
distinct sound, God’s Spirit mightily moved on those who wrote the
Scriptures. And in those divine moments, these individuals
temporarily became the instruments through whom God expressed
His heart and His will. They were the writers, but God was the Great
Musician who, over centuries of time, breathed upon each one, His
chosen instruments. It was in this way that the Bible became God’s
message delivered through human writers to you and me.
And today, in the same way, the Word of God can still release the
sounds of Heaven into your life. When the breath of God in the
Scriptures is received, embraced, and acted upon, that pneuma can
begin to produce beautiful, new sounds in your life that supersede all
the old sounds you’ve been hearing.
Perhaps you are tired of the mood swings and the unpleasant
sounds that swirl around at times in your head, your life, or your
home. If so, know that it can all be changed in a moment as you
unlock the music of Heaven that lies “latent” inside your Bible,
releasing the power of God’s unchangeable Word through your own
mouth!

The Word of God can still release the sounds of Heaven

into your life. When the breath of God in the Scriptures is
received, embraced, and acted upon, that pneuma can
begin to produce beautiful, new sounds in your life that
supersede all the old sounds you’ve been hearing.
 This means depression can go, mood swings can be positively
changed, and the unpleasant sounds in your life or home can be
altered! You just have to tap in to the power of God that is resident in
your Bible and bring that power into your private space through the
words of faith in His Word coming through your own heart and
mouth.
If you will unlock and release God’s Spirit — His pneuo that is
locked inside the Scriptures — He will change the sounds in your life
completely, and you will be invaded with the sounds of Heaven!

THE FRAGRANCE OF HEAVEN

But there are also places where the word pneuo is used in
ancient Greek literature to depict a fragrance. We can deduce, then,
that just as the pneuo of God can change the sounds in our lives, it
can also change the “odors” in the atmosphere around us! And
because the word pneuo can carry this idea of a fragrance, we can
know that the Word of God also holds within it the fragrance of
Heaven.
If you are tired of the “stink” in your life — in your home, your
relationships, or any other area — know that it can all be changed.
When you receive, embrace, and act on the Scriptures, your
obedience will unleash the fragrance and aroma of Heaven in every
area of your life.
People buy a lot of difference fragrances for their homes, yet their
Bibles sit untouched and unopened. But the truth is, nothing will
change the “odors” of wrong words and attitudes and of stale, carnal
living in their homes more quickly than opening the Word of God and
acting on it. That Word — once received, embraced, and acted upon
— releases heavenly fragrances to replace the foul smell of strife,
frustration, and carnality that have lingered too long in people’s lives.

Nothing will change the “odors” of wrong words and

attitudes and of stale, carnal living in people’s homes
more quickly than opening the Word of God and acting
 on it.

What I want you to see is that the breath of God is resident within
the Scriptures! That means God’s creative and restorative power, the
music of Heaven, and the perfume or aroma of Heaven are all
locked up inside your Bible. If you find yourself lacking in any area,
you can release the Word of God — which is infused with the very
breath of God — into your life.

• The creative ability of God is available to you through His

Word to change situations and circumstances.
• When you bring the Scriptures into your home and speak
them out of your own mouth, they bring the music of
Heaven into that place.
• If you will release the Word of God into a situation that’s
“stinking,” the perfume of Heaven will eradicate the smell
of whatever it is you’re dealing with.

The very atmosphere and conditions of your home, your

marriage, your children, your health, and your finances can be
changed through the breath of God contained in the Scriptures and
released through your mouth!
All of this can be found in this word pneuo, the Greek word
translated “inspiration” in Second Timothy 3:16. All Scripture is given
by inspiration of God — which means the very breath of God Himself
is inside the Bible!
By the Spirit of God, Paul was speaking to us today — to the
generation who would be living in the last of the last days on earth
just before Jesus returns. Paul was telling us that the very creative
power, the music of Heaven, and the aroma of Heaven itself can
invade our lives and utterly change what we experience in our time
on this earth from this moment on!
 The very creative power, the music of Heaven, and the
aroma of Heaven itself can invade our lives and utterly
change what we experience in our time on this earth from
this moment on!

THE EXAMPLE OF A BALLOON

Let me give you another illustration to demonstrate the power
contained in the Scriptures. Suppose you have a balloon that has
never been inflated. If you pick up that balloon and begin to blow air
into it, it will begin to take shape, and eventually the balloon will
assume a new form. If you continue to blow more air into the balloon,
little by little it will continue to expand and grow bigger and bigger.
In a similar way, God took human language and lifted it to His lips
and began to breathe into it in order to impart divine revelation to
mankind. And just as a balloon expands a little at a time as a person
continues to breathe into it, God continued to breathe revelation into
the hearts of men chosen for the task, little by little over vast periods
of time. And the Scriptures continued to grow larger — until finally a
moment came when the Old and the New Testaments were
complete.
To expound on my balloon illustration a bit, I want you to imagine
someone lifting a balloon to his lips and blowing into it to inflate or
expand it. Once he is finished, he ties a knot at the opening of that
balloon so that it retains its shape.
But let’s think a minute about the contents of that expanded
balloon. At first, you might say it is filled with air. But upon deeper
examination, you would find that it holds much more than mere air.
Something else besides air is trapped inside — the very breath of
the person who blew into it. In fact, if you were to have the contents
inside that balloon scientifically analyzed, you’d find the DNA of that
person’s breath. The balloon would contain the very substance of the
person who breathed into it!
 In much the same way, when God took human language and
lifted it to His lips, He breathed on the writers as they wrote and the
Scriptures began to take form. That’s what Paul meant when he
wrote that the Bible was given to us by the inspiration, or the breath,
of God Himself.
Initially man had only the first five books of the Bible. But then
God began to breathe His revelation into the hearts of other
individuals ordained to record what they heard — and man’s
knowledge of God grew broader. God then breathed again and again
upon the prophets of the Old Testament, and revelation continued to
expand. Again God breathed, and His inspired words were penned
by chosen writers of the First Century to reveal and unfold the New
Covenant, purchased by the redemptive act of His Son.

When God took human language and lifted it to His lips,

He breathed on the writers as they wrote and the
Scriptures began to take form.

Through the years, the knowledge of God kept growing and

growing and growing — much like a balloon expanding to its fullest
capacity. Finally, God breathed upon the man named the apostle
John, and the book of the Bible ordained to be the last was written.
The divine gift of the Holy Scriptures to man had been completed, at
which point God “tied a knot on the end of the balloon.” From that
moment till today, mankind has possessed a Book that isn’t just
human words about God — it actually contains the very presence of
God Almighty!
This means every one of God’s words carries the creative power,
the perfume, and the music of Heaven. When we release these
words into our lives and act on them, they bring dynamic change into
our homes, our families, our churches, our jobs, etc.
Just as a person ties a knot in the bottom of a balloon to trap the
air when he finishes inflating it, God “tied a knot” on the end when
He finished breathing out revelation that was destined to be
contained in the Scriptures. And just as a balloon is filled with the
DNA of the person who used his breath to inflate the balloon, the
Scriptures — the Word of God — are filled with the divine breath of
God.
This means the Bible is not just a book like any other book; the
Bible is a book that actually contains God Himself!
Do you really grasp the magnitude of this? God didn’t just
breathe on the Scriptures — He breathed into them. God is in the
Bible — His life and substance and all that He is in power, creativity,
music, and fragrance. God Himself is contained in the pages of the
Bible! That’s why it’s such a shame that people have Bibles all over
their homes — in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in their bedroom, and
even in their car — yet they don’t pick up their Bible to read it and
unlock the powerful presence of God that resides within!
When God breathed out the Scriptures, every word, every
paragraph — every part of it — was infused with His divine
presence. There’s not a word in the Bible that is void of the presence
and power of God. And by meditating on and studying God’s Word,
we begin to release the presence of God that is in the Bible directly
into our lives.

God didn’t just breathe on the Scriptures — He breathed

into them. God is in the Bible — His life and substance
and all that He is in power, creativity, music, and
fragrance. God Himself is contained in the pages of the
Bible!

This is why I teach the Scriptures verse by verse and even word
by word. Every word, every character, every jot and tittle (see
Matthew 5:17) in the Scriptures is filled with divine power — because
God Himself is contained inside the Bible.
 This is also why Satan takes such a fierce stand against the
Bible. The devil is adamantly opposed to the propagation of the Bible
because he knows its power. Satan knows that anyone who takes
hold of this Book — who reads it, receives it, meditates on it, and
acts on it — will experience the very life and being of God impacting
his or her life for good.
You rarely hear of groups trying to remove the books of other
religions from public schools — because the devil doesn’t care
whether those books are propagated. There’s no life of God resident
in those works. They contain no power to transform human life and
thereby threaten the enemy’s kingdom.

The devil is adamantly opposed to the propagation of the

Bible because he knows its power. Satan knows that
anyone who takes hold of this Book — who reads it,
receives it, meditates on it, and acts on it — will
experience the very life and being of God impacting his
or her life for good.

And it doesn’t matter the condition of the society you live in.
When the Word of God is working in you, it will heal you, remove the
hidden scars in your soul, and undo anything that a calloused world
or society has done to you. What a word for us to claim, especially
for us who are living at the end of an age that is destined to be
known as perilous times!
The Word of God carries creative, restorative power that can
deliver us from every power of darkness and infuse our lives with the
music and aroma of Heaven. Everything we need is in God’s Word. If
we would simply unlock it and release what’s in it, it would supply
answers to every problem we face and provision for every one of our
needs.
When Paul wrote that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God,”
he was reminding Timothy — and every believer till the end of the
age — that if a person has the Bible, he possesses the greatest
source of life-giving power and energy that exists in this earthly
realm! A person simply needs to delve into the Word — tapping
deeply into its internal resources and allowing the life of God in it to
flow up, out, and into every part of his being. And in that moment,
enough divine power will be released to change what needs to be
changed in that person and in any difficult situation he is facing.

Everything we need is in God’s Word. If we would simply

unlock it and release what’s in it, it would supply answers
to every problem we face and provision for every one of
our needs.

THE MIRACULOUS POTENTIAL OF THE HOLY

SCRIPTURES
Next, we will see that Paul listed all the ways that the Scriptures
will bring benefits to the one who receives it, embraces it, acts on it,
and taps into its inherent power. In Second Timothy 3:16, Paul
stated, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished
unto all good works.”
It is essential to understand the meaning of the word “profitable”
in this verse. It is a translation of the Greek word ophelimos, which is
a word that has multiple meanings, including something that is an
absolute requirement, essential, mandatory, or obligatory and, if
embraced, will be beneficial, profitable, and to one’s advantage.
This word ophelimos categorically tells us that God’s Word must
be viewed as being an absolute requirement, essential and
mandatory in one’s life. Furthermore, anyone who believes it,
embraces it, and acts upon it will experience immeasurable benefits
that are to his or her advantage. Because the Bible actually contains
God’s presence and power, it is loaded with supernatural and divine
benefits.
As already noted, it can release the creative power of God into
any person’s chaotic life or situation. It has the ability to replace
discordant sounds in any person’s life or situation with the sounds of
Heaven. It can supernaturally release the fragrance of Heaven to
replace any stinking smell in a person’s life or situation.
But for these wonderful benefits to be realized, the Bible must be
embraced as ophelimos — an absolute requirement, essential,
mandatory, and obligatory.
Paul then specifically stated that the Bible is mandatory for
“doctrine.” What does the word “doctrine” mean in this context? It is
a form of the word didaskalia, a Greek word which pictures well-
packed teaching that has full applicability for every part of one’s life.
This means Scripture is not to be relegated to simply being a
book about theology. Rather, it is full of God’s wisdom that has
practical application for every question and situation life could ever
present us. People often ask if that is actually possible — if it can be
said that the Bible truly addresses every question. The answer is
yes.
The Bible answers every question directly, or it answers every
question by principles that are demonstrated in Scripture. A person
may not enjoy the answers, but the answers are there.
The Scriptures are jam-packed with the answers we need — and
that includes the answers we desperately need for tricky problems
that are rampant in a last-days society. God’s Word provides
answers to even life’s most difficult problems — as long as one is
willing to search it out and then walk in obedience once the answer
is found.

Scripture is not to be relegated to simply being a book

about theology. Rather, it is full of God’s wisdom that has
practical application for every question and situation life
could ever present us. People often ask if that is actually
 possible — if it can be said that the Bible truly addresses
every question. The answer is yes.

When a believer opens his heart to the Word of God, the

Scriptures often bring correction. This is why Paul said, “For all
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction.…”
This particular word for “correction” is very important — and its
meaning is probably not what you think. It is especially important for
a last-days society — and even a last-days Church — that has been
assaulted on so many fronts at the end of the age.
But before I delve into the meaning of this word “correction,” first
let’s quickly review the RIV (Renner’s Interpretive Version) of Second
Timothy 3:1-7 so we can see why the Church and society at the end
of the age will need the Word of God to bring “correction.”

The RIV of Second Timothy 3:1-7 shows Paul

prophetically stating:

1. You emphatically and categorically need to know

with unquestionable certainty that in the very end of
days — when time has sailed to its last port and no
more time remains for the journey — that last season
will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, menacing times
that will be emotionally difficult for people to bear.
2. Men will be self-focused, self-centered, self-
absorbed, self-consumed, and in love with
themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this
self-love, they will be driven to obtain more and more
and more. These boasters are so committed to their
own agenda that they are willing to exaggerate,
overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a
story, and even lie if it will get them the position,
advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant,
haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They
disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone who
stands in the way of their ideology and freely use foul
language. In this climate, parents will no longer be
able to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority
over their own children. And although people were
once thankful and appreciative, they will generally
become void of gratitude and will be unappreciative
of everything. Impurity will seep into society and
cause it to become impure, ill-mannered, unclean,
indecent, coarse, vulgar, offensive, crude, lewd, and
rude.
3. Love for and commitment to family will
disintegrate, and divorce will become epidemic, with
irreconcilable differences being a major factor in
tearing families apart. In fact, every imaginable type
of covenant will be regularly violated, and the court
system will be overwhelmed as people go overboard,
suing and being sued. People will generally lose the
ability to say no and will be unable to control their
instincts in nearly every area of life. People will
become savage, and it will eventually feel like there
are no laws to protect the innocent.
4. People will find it easy to walk away from
commitments and to easily throw away relationships.
They will become reckless, impulsive, and known for
their enjoyment of violence. They will become full of
pride and inflated with a sense of their own self-
importance — to the extent that it may end up feeling
like society is being hit by a typhoon; however, those
menacing winds of change will eventually blow out
like a storm that comes and goes. Meanwhile, people
will become fixated on the unobtainable pursuit of
happiness and pleasure even more than they love
God.
 5. Although they may possess an outward form of
religiosity, they will rebuff, refute, refuse, and reject
the authentic power that goes along with genuine
godliness. I urgently tell you to mentally, spiritually,
and physically turn away and remove yourselves
from such people.
6. These sorts of people project themselves as “help”
with the intention of gaining access into people’s
homes to manipulate them — especially targeting
some sincere women who feel overwhelmed by
frustrations and disappointing failures in life whom
the manipulators find easier to influence because
they have so many unmet longings.
7. These women are endlessly doing their very best
to gain insight needed to help them navigate life, but
they are perpetually unable to come to right
conclusions based on truth.

This passage in Second Timothy 3 makes it clear that the last-

days society will exist within a messed-up world desperately in need
of a course correction. Those words lead right up to the word
“correction” in Second Timothy 3:16. In Greek, it is the word
epanorthosis, which means to correct, to set straight, to erect, to set
upright, or to put back on an even level. This word “correction”
therefore depicts the supernatural ability of the Word of God to lay
hold of a person who has been knocked flat by life and, through
correction, set that person upright on his feet again!
That is good news in a world where today so many challenges
threaten to knock people down. People have been hurt before they
came to Christ, and people have been hurt after they came to Christ.
But believers’ hearts and minds are to be infused with the Word of
God. And as they let that Word work inside them, it doesn’t matter
how many times they’ve been knocked flat by life, Scripture has the
power to put them upright on their feet again.
The Scriptures are profitable and powerful to rectify you and your
circumstances — to correct you and put you back on your feet again
— when they are released into your life by faith!
God’s very breath resides in every word of the Scriptures. That
means each word holds the power to make you strong, keep you
strong, enlighten you, change your circumstances, and even pick
you up off the ground and correct your course if you’ve been
knocked flat on your back by the trials of life.

God’s very breath resides in every word of the Scriptures.

That means each word holds the power to make you
strong, keep you strong, enlighten you, change your
circumstances, and even pick you up off the ground and
correct your course if you’ve been knocked flat on your
back by the trials of life.

Even if you’ve been knocked off your feet by your own actions, by
the actions of others, or by some attack of the enemy, God’s Word
has the inherent ability to raise you up and make you stand again on
more solid footing than you’ve ever had before. So regardless of any
sin, hurt, or failure of the past, stand full of expectation concerning
God’s ability and His desire to “correct” you. As you yield to His
working in you through the correction of His Word, He will stand you
upright on your feet again and bring great blessing into your life.
Paul then went on to add, “For all scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness.” Let’s look at the phrase “instruction in
righteousness” to see how vital this particular role of God’s Word will
be for an erring last-days generation!
The word “instruction” is a form of the Greek word paideia, which
means to train, to educate, or to give a child everything necessary to
prepare him for life. It depicts the laborious process of getting a child
ready for life so he can later be sent out fully equipped to live
successfully. In the time of the New Testament, it became the word
to describe all types of instruction essential to the success of
children or adults.
By using this word paideia, Paul was saying that when the Bible
is applied to a person’s life, it has the supernatural ability to get that
person ready to be a success in life. It doesn’t matter how many
failures this person has experienced or how many times he or she
has faltered in life. If that person is willing to believe, embrace, and
act on the Scriptures, he or she will release all the power needed to
set that faltering life back on the road to success.
God’s Word will work like the consummate parent in the lives of
those who will submit to it — equipping them with teaching,
understanding, and sufficient wisdom to help them make a course
correction. And from that moment of decision onward, they will be
headed toward their sure destination — leaving the place of failure to
reach the pinnacle of victory!
Paul further stated that God’s Word will give instruction or life
training that will lead the recipient to a life of “righteousness.” The
word “righteousness” in this verse is the word dikaiosune, which is
the word for right living and epitomizes those who live by a righteous
standard that results in upright living.
More and more, this world we live in seems upside down, turned
inside out, and put on its head by the destructive tendencies of the
last days. In the midst of it all, God’s Word has the inherent ability to
take an unsuccessful, knocked-flat individual and set him upright on
his feet again. And God doesn’t stop there! Through the truth
contained in His Word, God so thoroughly equips that person by His
Spirit that he moves from wrong to right living.
That is the manifested power of God’s Word when it is believed,
embraced, and acted upon. That is how much power is resident
within the Holy Scriptures. And that is why Satan is so determined to
nullify the Word and remove it from society — because the eternal,
unchangeable Word of the living God is the answer to all of society’s
dilemmas!
 God’s Word has the inherent ability to take an
unsuccessful, knocked-flat individual and set him upright
on his feet again. And God doesn’t stop there!
Through the truth contained in His Word, God so
thoroughly equips that person by His Spirit that he
moves from wrong to right living.

TOTALLY OUTFITTED AND EQUIPPED FOR LAST-DAYS

SAILING!
Before we proceed into Second Timothy 3:17, I must remind you
again how the Holy Spirit started in this chapter.

Let’s once again return to the RIV of verse 1 in

this prophetic portion of Scripture:
You emphatically and categorically need to know
with unquestionable certainty that in the very end of
days — when time has sailed to its last port and no
more time remains for the journey — that last season
will stand in the midst of uncontrollable,
unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, menacing times
that will be emotionally difficult for people to bear.

In other words, the Holy Spirit began by telling us that the very
end of this age will be filled with an unprecedented level of stormy
weather.
But God has given us what we need to help us successfully sail
through that tumultuous season! His Word — if believed, embraced,
and acted upon — will release its supernatural ability to outfit any
person with all the equipment needed to sail victoriously through the
turbulence of the last-days storm.
Paul specifically stated that the Word of God will work to make
“perfect.” This particular word “perfect” is from the Greek word artios,
which means complete, mature, or fully functioning. This
emphatically means the Scriptures have the ability to bring us into a
place of greater maturity than ever before and to so equip us that
we’ll be able to handle any challenge we ever encounter in life.
When God’s Word is working in a person’s life, that person is no
longer a spiritual invalid. Instead, he becomes the fully functioning
believer God knows he can be! Although the days ahead may be
filled with unsettling events that shake the world, those who allow the
Word of God to do its full work inside them will be completely
prepared and fully functioning to successfully navigate the chaotic,
stormy times that lie ahead.
Paul finally added, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

When God’s Word is working in a person’s life, that

person is no longer a spiritual invalid. Instead, he
becomes the fully functioning believer God knows he can
be!

The phrase “thoroughly furnished” in this verse is translated from

the Greek word exartidzo, which means to completely deck out or to
fully supply. In one of its oldest senses, it was used frequently to
describe a boat. But it didn’t refer to just any kind of boat. It depicted
a boat that was completely outfitted or thoroughly furnished for long-
distance sailing, even through the roughest of waves.
This word exartidzo literally pictures a simple boat that was
previously ill-equipped for long-distance sailing or rough waves —
until its owner decked it out with new equipment and gear.
Consequently, that simple boat was transformed and became
thoroughly furnished to sail a long distance and through any type of
bad weather. This was a boat that was completely equipped and fully
supplied.
 So let’s use this example of a boat for a moment. There are many
different kinds of boats. Some are made for rowing short distances.
But let’s face it — a simple boat won’t get you very far off the shore,
and it won’t take you through rough waters. You can’t depend on it in
stormy, turbulent conditions because it is not equipped to handle
large, tumultuous waves.
But what happens if you take that simple boat and retrofit it —
thoroughly furnishing and completely outfitting it for long-distance
sailing? Suddenly what was once a simple boat with few abilities is
so transformed that it can travel great distances and outlast any
storm. With a sturdy sail and all the other equipment needed, it can
go a long distance and even navigate those tumultuous waves! This
is exactly the picture that Paul presented in Second Timothy 3:17
when he said the Word of God can “thoroughly furnish” a simple
believer “unto all good works.”
As a believer consistently ingests the Word of God into his heart
— and as he keeps it working in his heart, meditating on its truth and
allowing those truths to renew his mind — the life and power in that
Word equips him. That Christian is no longer a short-distance
traveler with no ability to make it through rough waves. Rather, he
becomes thoroughly furnished to go the whole distance, divinely
equipped to make it through any storm that comes his way.
I must refer to my father for a moment. Dad loved to fish, so he
purchased a boat many years ago. He started out with a basic boat,
but then added a fish locator, a trolling motor, and all kinds of high-
tech equipment. He even replaced the engine with a more high-
powered engine. After a period of time, my dad’s simple, basic boat
was transformed into one that was completely outfitted and
thoroughly furnished to take him anywhere he wanted to go on any
lake and through almost any weather! Dad kept adding to that boat
and improving it until, in the end, it was a totally different boat from
the simple one he started with.
Similarly, before we came to Christ, we were broken, confused,
and ignorant of spiritual things. Then we got saved and embarked on
our spiritual journey — but we were just getting started. We were like
a simple boat. But when the Word of God began to be implemented
into our lives, we began to be steadily changed. The Word gave us
new equipment that outfitted us for anything that we would ever
encounter along the way.
Empowered by the ever-present help of the Holy Spirit, God’s
Word contains all that is needed to thoroughly furnish us. With that
supernatural equipment, we are able to leave the shore and launch
out into the deep of God’s call on our lives and do whatever is
necessary to successfully complete our journey in Him.

As a believer consistently ingests the Word of God into

his heart — and as he keeps it working in his heart,
meditating on its truth and allowing those truths to renew
his mind — the life and power in that Word equips him.

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH GOD’S WORD?

This is God’s promise to us. When we allow His Word to do its
work in us, the power in that Word enables us to excel at long-
distance sailing and equips us so we can endure, survive, and even
thrive in the worst of storms.
When you allow the Word of God to take its rightful, paramount
place in your life, you position yourself to be thoroughly furnished —
completely equipped and outfitted. You are ready to set your sails,
take new territory, maintain an anchored position if needed, and fulfill
with joy and victory any task or assignment that God gives you to do!
How I long to help you understand what a vast treasure is waiting
for you within the pages of your Bible. The apostle Paul had that
same passion — to help people know that God’s Word was full of His
supernatural presence and power! This is why it is so unfortunate
that the very thing society is attempting to remove — the truth found
in the Holy Scriptures — is the very ingredient that has the power to
totally recreate, redeem, and restore society.
 Friend, if you want your family to be protected in these last days
— and if you want to make it all the way to the end of your own God-
ordained journey — you must make a commitment to believe,
embrace, and act upon the Word of God. The Holy Scriptures are
filled with the power to “thoroughly furnish” you for the critical days
ahead.

When you allow the Word of God to take its rightful,

paramount place in your life, you position yourself to be
thoroughly furnished — completely equipped and
outfitted. You are ready to set your sails, take new
territory, maintain an anchored position if needed, and
fulfill with joy and victory any task or assignment that
God gives you to do!

GOD’S WORD WILL EQUIP US TO NAVIGATE ANY STORMY

WEATHER
Years ago, I made a personal commitment to the Word of God. It
was a fresh commitment to one I’d made much earlier in my
Christian walk — that there would be no higher priority in my life than
the Bible. From that time years ago until the present, I have lived by
a self-imposed rule: “No Bible — no food.”
In other words, I made a personal commitment that no food at all
would go into my body until I’d read and meditated on God’s Word to
get it in my heart first thing every morning. I simply made a decision
to put the Word of God first and make it my highest priority, even
more than my necessary food (see Job 23:12).
This is not a biblical rule. It’s my own rule based on my own
personal conviction, because I needed to establish it for my own life.
Matthew 4:4 says, “…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” I had to ask
myself, Why do we eat bread or natural food? We eat it because
that’s what our body needs to maintain its strength and good health.
Then I realized, If our bodies need food every day, our spirits also
need the Word of God every day for strength and spiritual vitality!
It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about a Christian who
lived in the First Century or one who lives right now in the very last of
the last days — God’s people have always lived in a sin-darkened
society. And the solution God gives His people to ensure that they
are not hardened by the sinful environment that surrounds them has
always been the same: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I
might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).
We must continually saturate our hearts and our minds with the
truths of God’s Word, allowing that Word to release into our lives the
very substance of God contained within its words. We have to open
our Bible like we would open a treasure and allow Who is inside it to
permeate every part of our being. As we do that, the Bible has the
power to put us back on our feet again, secure our foundation, heal
us, make us whole, protect us, and set our marriages and families on
the right course.

We have to open our Bible like we would open a treasure

and allow Who is inside it to permeate every part of our
being.

So I encourage you today to renew your commitment to the Word

of God like never before. Determine that in these last days, you will
continually fill
your heart and your mind with His creative, restorative substance
— His very Person and nature — that provides you with healing,
wholeness, deliverance, protection, and all the answers you need for
life. Then the life resident within His Word will flow into and through
you as a river of blessing to others. And as that river flows, it will
release God’s power, creativity, music, and fragrance of Heaven into
your life and into any situation you face. God’s Word will thoroughly
furnish you for all good works.
 The Bible has a sobering effect on God’s people and helps them
keep their head on straight while walking through the turmoil of the
times. It helps them overcome in the challenges of life, bear fruit to
the glory of God, and stay calm and stabilized in times of great
instability and uncertainty.
Just as Paul told Timothy, you and I must continue in the things
that we have learned (see 2 Timothy 3:14). If we do, we’ll reap the
reward of faith and stability as we victoriously sail through the last of
the last days.
When all is said and done, the Word of God is the only thing that
truly has the power to save us, heal us, deliver us, and transform our
lives. I promise you that no matter how tumultuous the sea of your
life may become — and we all encounter life’s storms at one time or
another — God’s Word will never fail you. It will outfit you to sail
victoriously to the other side of your test or trial every time, where the
reward of faith awaits you!

GOD’S WORD AND HIS KINGDOM WILL RULE

Anytime I’ve been inwardly troubled about the “signs of the times”
that are emerging at such a rapid speed all round us, I’ve laid hold of
two verses that have always brought me comfort: Psalm 46:1 and
Psalm 56:3. In Psalm 46:1, we read, “God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.” And Psalm 56:3 tells us, “What time I
am afraid, I will trust in thee.”
In times of trouble, God is near to His people. Psalm 46:1
promises that He is a very present help in trouble. That is a promise
I’ve claimed for myself through the years more times than I can
count. And whenever I’m personally disturbed about something or
tempted to be fearful, I always turn to David’s words in Psalm 56:3
and pray them out loud: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee!”
I recommend that you put this same strategy into practice and
make these verses a ready part of your own spiritual arsenal. You’ll
see how God’s presence is released to shift the atmosphere as you
speak those scriptures out loud. Those words of life will help bring
peace to you when you feel tempted to be fearful during the perilous,
troublesome times in which we live.
 One thing is sure: We were not born at this time in God’s
prophetic timeline by accident. Rather than fret because the world
seems to be going haywire, we need to embrace the anointing God
has made available for each of us who are part of this last-days
generation! Regardless of what we see, hear, or feel, these truths
remain: Jesus is Lord, and God’s Kingdom and His Word will prevail.
Nothing will ever change that!

Regardless of what we see, hear, or feel, these truths

remain: Jesus is Lord, and God’s Kingdom and His Word
will prevail. Nothing will ever change that!

The Bible even says God sits in the Heavens and laughs (see
Psalm 2:4)! Why? Because He knows that no matter how much the
devil or wicked men try to dominate the world, He still sits on the
throne. And He knows the end of the story! He isn’t worried about or
surprised by anything that happens around us.
All of the troublesome events we see today are clear signs that
Jesus will soon return for His Church. So while we actively wait and
seek to be busy about our Father’s business, I encourage you to lay
hold of those words in Psalm 56:3: “What time I am afraid, I will trust
in thee.” And boldly declare Psalm 46:1 on a daily basis as a
continual reminder to yourself: “God is my refuge and strength, a
very present help in trouble!”

WILL YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT OR SHRINK BACK IN

FEAR?
All the dark signs we have read about in Second Timothy 3 are
without a doubt already occurring in these last days. But that doesn’t
mean these things have to happen to you and to me. We are not a
part of this lost world system. And since the Holy Spirit warned us of
these things in advance, we have the opportunity to take heed and
take action to protect our families and our homes while we march
forward with speed to preach the Gospel to those who are lost
without Christ.
Even if it seems the conditions in the world around us “wax worse
and worse” (2 Timothy 3:13), God wants this to be our greatest hour!
We must never forget that people near us are looking for solutions to
their deeply felt troubles. You and I have the answer they need — so
let’s let our light shine!

All the dark signs we have read about in Second Timothy

3 are without a doubt already occurring in these last
days. But that doesn’t mean these things have to happen
to you and to me. We are not a part of this lost world
system.

In Philippians 2:15 and 16, Paul said, “That ye may be blameless

and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the
world; holding forth the word of life….”
This is our hour to shine as lights in the world and to hold forth
the word of life. As we await the glorious day of Jesus Christ when
He returns for His Church, we must not allow negative events to
cause us to draw back or to shrink back in fear. God has chosen us
to live in these prophetic times, and He has anointed us to live in
them victoriously!
As a Christian, you are anointed to help others who are struggling
with what seems to be a sinking world all around them. You are
called to be a part of a company of faithful, fearless believers in
Jesus Christ who will act as His “hands and feet” and “His voice” in
the earth. You can reach out to those who need strength and
guidance in these perilous times. It’s certain that you know people
who need to see the light of Christ in you. You can be a source of
deliverance and great comfort to them.
 God wants us to recognize the season we are living in right now.
In Second Timothy 3, the Holy Spirit has vividly shown us signs that
will be evident all around us as we approach the close of this age.
However, God doesn’t want us to shrink back in discouragement or
fear because of what we see happening around us. He wants us to
stay awake spiritually and learn to live fully in Him. He is calling us to
shake off the dust of despair and to rise to our fullest potential in
Christ — the One who gives us light. That’s how we will shine as
lights to this lost world and help draw all men unto Him!

God doesn’t want us to shrink back in discouragement or

fear because of what we see happening around us. He
wants us to stay awake spiritually and learn to live fully in
Him.

THE END IS MUCH LIKE THE BEGINNING!

When Jesus came to earth as Savior, the world was very
troubled, as it is today. The Romans had conquered the then-known
world, and Israel was a captive nation. Subjugated to Roman rulers,
Israel’s citizens were treated atrociously. It was during this very
tumultuous time — a truly catastrophic moment in history
approximately 2,000 years ago — that Jesus was born to bring
deliverance.
It seemed as if hope was lost and the darkness was getting
darker. But then suddenly the Son of God was born into the earth
and hope was born anew. What a miraculous moment that was in
history!
Jesus was born into troubled times, and He is near to us in our
troubled times today. Soon Jesus will come again — and when He
comes, He will put down every evil force that has exalted itself
against God’s eternal plan. But until then, we must trust Jesus with
our future as we lean upon the Word of God and the power of the
Holy Spirit. We must not forget that God is a very present help in
time of trouble to anyone who calls upon Him (see Psalm 46:1;
Hebrews 4:16).
Remember that everything you see in the earthly realm is
temporary and fleeting (see 2 Corinthians 4:18) — but God’s Word
and His Kingdom are unshakable and unchanging (see Hebrews
12:28). None of what you see happening in the world’s system will
last long anyway — so just keep drawing on His strength, and refuse
to allow the outward circumstances you see and hear about to keep
you in a state of inner turmoil.
Don’t let the devil steal your joy. The Holy Spirit warned us in
advance that all of this would happen, so focus on the fact that God
has anointed you to live victoriously in this late hour. You can live as
an overcomer, no matter what is going on in the world around you.
In recent times, events have occurred throughout the earth that
have shaken the nations of the world and filled men’s hearts with
fear. I am convinced that part of this worldwide assault has been the
devil’s attempt to put believers in fear so they will retreat from this
global advance of the Gospel.
But we are never to react in fear. Fear is never the answer, for it
results in blurred thinking and bad decisions. And God’s Word
promises a “sound mind” — if we will claim it (see 2 Timothy 1:7).
The phrase “sound mind” is a translation of the Greek word
sophronismos, which is a compound of the words sodzo and
phroneo. The word sodzo is the Greek word for salvation and
includes the ideas of deliverance, protection, and soundness. The
word phroneo is the root for the word mind. When these two words
are combined as in this verse, the new word is translated sound
mind. The idea presented is a mind that is saved and protected or a
mind that is sound. It is just the opposite of a mind given to fear,
panic, or unfounded and unreasonable thinking. This word describes
a mind that is thinking correctly!

We are never to react in fear. Fear is never the answer, for

it results in blurred thinking and bad decisions. And
 God’s Word promises a “sound mind” — if we will claim it
(see 2 Timothy 1:7).

Because God has given us a “sound mind,” we can think

correctly about how to live in these last of the last days — a time that
Second Timothy 3:1 predicted will be “perilous.” As we have seen,
the word “perilous” is the Greek word chalepos, and it literally means
something that is difficult, dangerous, or filled with risk. This was
given as a prophetic warning to let us know that those who live in the
very end of the age will be confronted with a strange period of time
such as mankind has never seen before. It will be a time filled with
difficulty, danger, and risk.
The very fact that we are living in these end-time days should be
a wakeup call to us all that we must develop an ever-greater
sensitivity to the Spirit of God. Romans 8:14 declares that one of the
privileges of being a son of God is that His Spirit desires to lead us.
But we must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. The Holy Spirit will
assume the position of Leader and Guide in our lives only as we give
Him this right.

The very fact that we are living in these end-time days

should be a wakeup call to us all that we must develop an
ever-greater sensitivity to the Spirit of God.

Just try to imagine how many times the Holy Spirit has wanted to
be our Leader, but we went our own way and suffered the
consequences as a result! He knew exactly how to lead us in order
to circumvent every attack. He knew how to avoid each strategy of
the devil!
Jesus also said that the Holy Spirit would “…shew you things to
come” (John 16:13). The word “shew” is the Greek word hodegeo,
which is the word for a guide who shows a traveler the safest course
through an unknown country. This means the Holy Spirit wants to be
our Guide through this end-time territory. He knows exactly the way
we should go; He understands how to avoid every trap and obstacle
along the way.
The Holy Spirit wants to show us how to take the safest route. He
knows exactly how to get us safely to our future point of destination.
He knows the future and wants to enlighten us with all the
information we will need in every situation. This is part of His ministry
to you and me.
As we obey the Word of God and listen to the Holy Spirit’s
leading, we will have wisdom to know every step we need to take in
the days ahead. All we have to do is obey God’s instructions, and He
guarantees us blessing and provision even in difficult times. But if we
try to take another approach, there is no guarantee for us to claim.
We must do what God says if we want to be assured of His divine
blessing and protection.
As a leader and friend, I want to encourage you to commit to the
regular intake of the Word of God. I guarantee you that this one
decision will immediately begin to increase the level of your faith.
Especially in challenging times, we must stand on the Word of God,
exercise faith, listen to the Holy Spirit, and obey what He tells us to
do.

All we have to do is obey God’s instructions, and He

guarantees us blessing and provision even in difficult
times. But if we try to take another approach, there is no
guarantee for us to claim. We must do what God says if
we want to be assured of His divine blessing and
protection.

There is no doubt that we are living in some of the most

challenging days the world has ever seen. But you and I can face
these times victoriously. God has given us a sound mind; He has
given us the promises of His Word; and He has given us the
leadership of His Spirit. Never has there been a more crucial time for
you to operate in faith, refuse to fear, and believe for a mighty move
of God to take place on this earth!
If we’ll listen to what the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and
obey His leading, we won’t see this last-days season only as days of
peril on the earth. Instead, we’ll see this time we’re living in as days
filled with greater opportunities than ever before to preach and teach
the good news of the Gospel! We’ll see fresh opportunities to win the
lost, strengthen the weak, disciple believers in God’s Word, and be
used as instruments of God’s power to demonstrate the miraculous
where His delivering touch on people’s lives is so desperately
needed. We’ll see hell move out of the way and the windows of
Heaven opened to pour out God’s blessings into our lives and the
lives of others in unprecedented measures in the days ahead.

If we’ll listen to what the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts

and obey His leading, we won’t see this last-days season
only as days of peril on the earth. Instead, we’ll see this
time we’re living in as days filled with greater
opportunities than ever before to preach and teach the
good news of the Gospel!

For those who listen to and obey the Lord, this day we’re living in
will be a season of great victory. Conversely, for those who don’t
know God or who do
not heed His instruction, these days will be difficult. Without the
foundation of the Word of God set beneath them to establish and
stabilize them in these unsteady times, they will become easy prey
for the enemy to terrorize them with reports of failing economies,
political turmoil, new cases of potential pandemics, global unrest,
insane violence, and a future filled with bewilderment and
uncertainty.
 As the children of God, we need to be alert to the dangerous
days in which we live. But more importantly, we need to be ever
mindful that when we’re obedient to God and His Word, His power
will enable us to live victoriously, even in perilous times, in ways that
are far beyond what we could ever conceive or imagine!
 CHAPTER 10

LAST-DAYS SURVIVAL GUIDE

ACTION STEPS
IN RESPONSE TO THIS FINAL CHAPTER

I
n this book, we have dealt with the Holy Spirit’s prophetic words
regarding society at the end of the Church Age. As I have noted
again and again, it was never the Spirit’s purpose to scare anyone,
but to prepare us — especially those of us living at the end of the
last days who would see and experience the madness He said would
erupt as the age came to a close.
This chapter contains the solution to sailing victoriously through
this last season of the Church Age. In response to what you have
read, I’d like you to ask yourself the following seven questions, which
contain very important final action steps for you to act on in order to
“land on your feet” as you turn the last page and move forward into
the exciting and challenging days ahead.

1. “What person has been the greatest influence in my spiritual

life?”
In this chapter, we saw the role that Timothy’s mother and the
apostle Paul played in contributing to his spiritual development. So
ask yourself:

• Looking back on my life, who has been the person who

has contributed the most to my spiritual life?
 When I think of who influenced me, I cannot help but immediately
think of the role my mother played in my life. But in addition to my
mother, I was also influenced by other Sunday school teachers, by
my childhood pastor, and by the pastor I served many years ago
when I was a pastoral assistant. I cannot over-exaggerate the role
that each of these individuals played in contributing to who I am
today. Much of what God has done in my life can be attributed to the
investments these people made into me at a young, impressionable
age.
It would be good for you to take time to remember those who
have made a spiritual contribution to your life. And then take a step
beyond just recalling who they are. Take time to reach out to these
individuals. Thank each of these significant people in your life for
being such a positive influence and for helping to form a solid
foundation for your life.
So many times people invest in others, but they later lose touch
with the people they poured themselves into and never hear the
good reports regarding the good fruit their spiritual contributions
produced. It makes me think of the ten lepers that Jesus healed.
Only one took time to come back and thank Jesus for what He did
for him (see Luke 17:11-19).
So ask yourself:

• Am I among the nine who walked away helped and

changed, but never made the effort to return and say
thank you?
• Or am I the one who took the time to come back and
express my gratitude to the one who made a difference in
my life?

Consider this: If someone came back and thanked you for your
influence in his or her life, wouldn’t that mean a lot to you? Don’t be
guilty of robbing someone else of a blessing that you could easily
give by saying thank you. Take time to act on this action step, and
remember those who contributed to your spiritual formation. Reach
out to them to say thank you for what they did for you to help prepare
you to fulfill God’s plan for your life.

2. “What exactly did I learn from that person who influenced

me?”
Paul reminded Timothy that his mother taught him to respect and
to revere the Holy Scriptures from the time he was young. He also
reminded Timothy of his own personal example in the younger man’s
life, for he had taught Timothy that the Word of God has the power to
sustain anyone in any situation that he will ever confront in life. It is
clear that Paul believed Timothy needed to reflect on what he had
learned from those who had spiritually influenced him.
Again, I think of my mother. I remember as a young child how she
taught me (just as Timothy was taught by his mother) about
repentance from sin, how to give my life to Jesus, and how to serve
Him and His Church as my highest priority in life.
I also think of my childhood pastor — how he demonstrated
spiritual authority to me and imparted to me a respect for the Word of
God.
Finally, I can never overlook or forget how the pastor I served as
a pastoral assistant took time to develop me, correct me, and help
me learn how to mix anointing with scholarship and be consistent in
my daily spiritual habits.
There are simply not enough words to express the powerful
impact these individuals made on my spiritual growth.
When I think of all the ways they influenced me, it makes me
think of my own influence in the lives of others around me.
Consider your role as an influence in other people’s lives. Ask
yourself:

• How have I influenced others?

• What kind of difference have I made in someone else’s
spiritual growth?
• Am I making a difference in someone else’s life right now?
• Have I been too self-focused to do this for others?
 • Is there anyone who would say I have played a positive
spiritual role in his or her life?

These are very important questions. We saw clearly in this book

that a last-days society will be tempted to be self-focused and self-
absorbed. You do not want to become so self-absorbed that you live
your life without helping others along their spiritual journey the way
someone helped you.
Let your action step be to honestly evaluate what you have
contributed to the lives of others. If you find that you have become
too self-absorbed or distracted to give this kind of focused attention
to help someone else, it’s time for you to change that and to start
thinking more about the welfare of others. And by the way, when you
get your attention off yourself and focus on others around you, that
very change of focus in itself will cause blessings and power to flow
back into your life. It is the law of reciprocity, and it always works!

3. “What am I doing to ‘continue’ in what I learned?”

There are many temptations today to drift from those foundational
truths that were placed in our lives. In my book How To Keep Your
Head on Straight in a World Gone Crazy, I delve deeply into the
activity of seducing spirits that will lead even many in the Church off
track in these last of the last days. So ask yourself this:

• Am I staying on track and continuing in the things I learned

earlier in life?
• Or am I starting to drift from those foundational principles
and truths that made me who I am today?

What are those principles you were taught earlier in life that still
have an impact on you today? For example, were you taught:

• That the Bible was to have primary authority in your life?

• To read, embrace, and act on the Scriptures?
• That you are to live your life in obedience to the Word of
God?
 • To read your Bible every day so it would strengthen you
and renew your mind to godly thinking?
• To pray in the Spirit regularly to build up your faith?
• That you were to love your local church and to serve it
regularly?
• To live a holy and upright life that pleases the Lord?

These questions may seem elementary — but can you say that
you have continued to consistently follow these principles over the
years? Or have you drifted from one or more of these essential
practices as so many other Christians have done?
The pastor for whom I served as an assistant many years ago
often told me, “Many people begin with a bang but end with a fizzle.”
If God were to tell you what He thinks, would He say you started with
a bang but have become kind of a fizzle? Or would He say you’ve
been pushing forward and diligently staying on track all of your
spiritual life?
Let this action step be a time of evaluating the level of your
consistency to do what you know to do in your spiritual walk. Ask
yourself:

• Have I stuck with the basics over the years since I was
first born again, consistently practicing the basic principles
that I know God has commanded me to do?
• Or have I allowed myself to get off track along the way?

Most who get off track do it very gradually and ultimately feel like
they are failing spiritually. However, that negative pattern can quickly
be changed when a person asks for forgiveness, repents, and gets
back on track with God again.
This is exactly why Jesus told the church of Ephesus,
“Remember therefore from whence thou has fallen, repent, and do
the first works…” (Revelation 2:5). This is a good time for you to
remember and, if needed, to repent. Then be diligent from this point
on to do the things you were taught to do when you first got started
in your walk with God.
4. “What kind of commitment do I really have to sustaining a
regular intake of the Bible?”
When we get busy, it is often the case that we begin to give the
daily intake of the Bible a lower priority in our lives than we did in the
beginning of our Christian walk. Then when our power and joy begin
to wane, we wonder why. But the truth is, we have departed from the
very Scriptures that are infused with God’s divine presence, ready to
fill us with His power and joy!
Even those in the ministry must make a firm commitment to make
the daily intake of the Bible a priority. In my book A Life Ablaze, I
vividly outline what happens to a believer who determines to put
God’s Word as the highest priority in his or her life. Suffice it to say
here that the results of this decision are so far-reaching that it cannot
be over-exaggerated.
If you want to walk in divine power, you must walk in the Word of
God. And for that to happen, you have to set aside time to take in
God’s words through your eyes and ears. Your eyes and ears are the
door to your heart. If you are not opening your eyes and ears to the
Word of God, then that Word is not being firmly planted in the soil of
your heart and throughout the recesses of your mind. Only as you
continually hear the Word and put that Word before your eyes will it
be able to release its divine power to transform you, energize you,
empower you, and keep you on fire!
So ask yourself these questions:

• How much time do I spend reading my Bible every day?

• How does the daily amount of time I spend in the Word
compare to the amount of time I spend surfing the Internet
or social media or watching television every day?
• How much does my life demonstrate that I believe the
Bible is important?
• Would I like others to know how much I actually read my
Bible?
• How much importance would God say I give to ingesting
His Word into my life?
 Years ago when I got very busy doing lots of “good things” for the
Lord, I inadvertently got so busy that I stopped making time for God’s
Word in my daily life. As time passed, it affected me so greatly that I
became spiritually weak. As a result, the Holy Spirit spoke a strong
word of correction to me, and I responded by repenting and self-
correcting. I made a strict commitment to read my Bible every day as
a first matter of priority before I do anything else. This one action has
permanently changed my life.
Today I suggest your action step is to be honest with yourself —
and with God — about the level of importance you have
demonstrated in your life for the daily intake of the Bible. If you
honestly conclude that you have slipped in this area, please don’t
condemn yourself for it. Self-condemnation is a waste of time that
produces no change in anyone’s life.
If you have slipped in this area, simply ask for forgiveness,
repent, and make a firm decision to change. Give your time
communing with God in His Word the highest priority in your daily
schedule! If you need help in knowing how to get started, contact our
ministry (renner.org), and we’ll provide you with a daily Bible
reading plan that will help you get started again!

5. “What demonstrations of God’s power have I experienced as

a result of God’s Word working in my life?”
One of my favorite scriptures is Ecclesiastes 8:4. It says, “Where
the word of a king is, there is power.…” The Bible unquestionably
teaches that the Scriptures are full of God’s power!
In fact, in this chapter, we have seen very clearly that the Bible is
not just a Book about God — it is actually a Book that contains God
within its pages! When a person opens the Bible, ingests it,
embraces what he reads in it, and acts upon it, the power that is
locked inside the Bible is supernaturally released into that
individual’s life. That is a promise!
Take some time to reflect on your own personal walk with the
Lord, asking yourself in what ways the Bible has been a source of
God’s power and inspiration for you. Then ask yourself:
 • Have I made a consistent choice to ingest and act on the
truths I read in the Bible?
• Has that choice:
□ Changed the way I think?
□ Empowered me to walk free of sin?
□ Supplied me with supernatural direction?
□ Given me confidence and boldness?
□ Provided me with answers I needed?

The promise in Ecclesiastes 8:4 is that “where the word of a king

is, there is power.” Therefore, it’s clear that if the words of the King of
kings are in us, those words will release power in our lives.
There is no higher authority in our lives than Jesus! Every time
we declare “Jesus is Lord,” we are acknowledging that He is the
King in our lives. And according to Ecclesiastes 8:4, His Word is
guaranteed to release divine power into our lives and into every
situation we find ourselves in at any given moment.
As part of this action step, take time to remember how your life
has been empowered in those times when you made God’s Word a
daily priority in your life.
Ask yourself:

• Can I think of times in my life when I experienced God’s

power in amazing ways?
• Do I see a correlation between those special times in my
walk with God and the daily intake of the Bible into my life
or to times when I was consistently obeying what the Bible
commanded me to do in some situation?

Words are containers, and the words of the Holy Scriptures are
filled with the life and power of God. It therefore makes sense that as
you consistently take the words of the Bible into your heart, those
words will release into your life the torrents of God’s power that
reside within them.
6. “What long-term ‘correction’ have the Scriptures produced
in my life?”
We have seen in Second Timothy 3:16 that the Scriptures have
the power to “correct” us when needed. We have also seen that the
Greek word for “correction” in Second Timothy 3:16 actually depicts
a person who has been knocked flat in life, but who has miraculously
been set upright on his or her feet again. It is a picture of total
restoration!
This means that even if people have been hurt or wounded in
some way, they don’t have to stay down. If they will believe,
embrace, and act upon the Word of God, the power in the Bible will
release its miraculous and supernatural ability to help these broken,
disappointed individuals. They may feel knocked flat by some event
or by several events in life — but they will rise again! That inherent,
divine power will begin the process of picking those individuals back
up and setting them upright on their feet once more!
This “stand-again” power can be seen throughout the Scriptures.
It is available for any person who makes the decision to believe,
embrace, and act upon God’s Word (see Micah 7:8)!
This makes me think of Second Corinthians 4:9, where Paul
wrote that he had been “cast down, but not destroyed.” Paul was
writing from personal experience. He knew how it felt to be knocked
down and nearly knocked out, because it happened to him on
several occasions. But the power in God’s Word kept picking Paul
back up and setting him upright on his feet again. That is why he
could confidently write, “…We may be knocked down but we are
never knocked out!” (2 Corinthians 4:9 Phillips).
So ask yourself these questions:

• When I think on my own life, can I recall times when I have

been knocked flat — and, naturally speaking, when I
should have been permanently knocked out?
• In those times, what happened to me? Did I stay down, or
did I eventually get back on my feet again?
• Did the Word of God cause me to get up and to get
moving again?
 Maybe you feel knocked flat right now. If so, then it’s time for you
to believe, embrace, and act upon the Scriptures! The Bible has the
power to pick you up, set you back on your feet, and get you moving
again.
This is what Second Timothy 3:16 calls supernatural “correction”!
So the last part of this action step is for you to answer this question:

• Even if I do feel somewhat knocked flat right now, what am

I going to do about it today — and every day hereafter! —
to release the power of God’s Word in me?

It would also be good for you to take time to recall those amazing
and wonderful moments in your past when you personally
experienced the resurrection power of God’s Word as it
supernaturally put you back up on your feet. Never forget — the
Scriptures are full of instances of God’s “stand-again” power, which
has the innate ability to pick you up, set you upright on your feet, and
get you moving forward again!

7. “What is my personal response to all that I have read in this

final chapter?”
Now we come to the final action step in this book. It is an action
step that I myself must take, for I have been personally confronted
with the truths in this chapter, even as I have been writing it.
Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I believe the Bible truly represents God’s Holy

Scriptures? That is, do I believe that every letter,
character, jot, and mark — even the smallest scribble in
the Bible, and, in fact, all the ink on every page — is holy,
sacred, and filled with the awesome and remarkable
power of God?
• If my answer to the above is yes, how will this truth affect
the way I personally manage the role of the Scriptures in
my life going forward?
 According to Paul, every letter, jot, and tittle written on the pages
of God’s Word is filled with the awesome and remarkable power of
God. It is not just a Book about God; it is a Book that actually
contains God’s presence and power. So what kind of role should this
knowledge have in each of our lives as Christians?
We are living in the last of the last days, which is the stormiest
season in the history of mankind. Those who embrace the Bible and
allow it to play the central role in their lives will be “thoroughly
furnished” to navigate the turbulent waves of these times until they
make it all the way to the other side.
Unfortunately, there are many believers who will make it to the
other side but will struggle along the way because they have not yet
given God’s Word its rightful place of priority and authority in their
lives. Yet that one decision would equip them to sail through these
end-time waters with everything needed for a journey filled with
blessing and victory!
God has not appointed us to failure. In fact, Second Peter 1:3,4
clearly states that God has given us exceeding great and precious
promises in the Scriptures. These divine promises are designed to
empower us to escape the corruption in the world around us and to
enable us to partake of His supernatural life. And the Scriptures
pertain to everything in our lives! That means if we will believe,
embrace, and act upon the Scriptures, we will supernaturally have
every answer and all the power we need for living victoriously in life
— even at the end of the age when it seems life is messed up all
around us!
In this last action step, there is a quality decision to make about
the Bible and its role in your life. Will you continue to give the Word
of God the same level of importance that you have thus far in your
spiritual life? Or if your self-assessment has found you lacking in this
area, will you now give God’s Word the highest and most important
place of priority in your life from this day forward?
I cannot think of a more important action step for you to take than
to carefully consider and prayerfully answer this question. I
personally believe it is the most important question you can answer
as a Christian. And it’s not only your answer — it’s how you follow
through on that answer that will determine the nature of your journey
going forward. Will you sail through these last of the last days with
smooth and peaceful accuracy? Or will you struggle all along the
way until you finally reach your ultimate destination? It all depends
on how well outfitted you are for the trip.
So make the quality decision today that you’re about to become
one of the most thoroughly outfitted vessels on the face of these last-
days waters. Then “anchors away!” — time to raise your sails! There
is much territory to take for the Kingdom of God — right in the midst
of the gathering storm!
 A FINAL PRAYER

Lord, as an end-time believer, I need to be filled with faith and

not with fear. Help me fill my heart with Your Word, stand on
Your promises, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and
exercise my faith more than ever before.
I know that fear has blurred my thinking in times past, but it
will not have any place in my life from this day forward! Instead,
I release my faith and confidently expect to be a partaker in the
last and greatest harvest of souls ever to be reaped for the
Kingdom of God! Holy Spirit, help me rise to the occasion as I
become an instrument God can use in these last days.

I pray this prayer in Jesus’ name!

 A FINAL CONFESSION OF MY FAITH

I confess in Jesus’ name that I am filled with faith and not fear
and that I am called, anointed, appointed, and excited to live in
these last remarkable days of the Church Age. God has chosen
me to live in the most challenging days the world has ever seen,
and He has provided everything I need to navigate these times
victoriously.
God has not given me a spirit of fear, but He has given me a
sound mind, the promises of His Word, and the supernatural
leadership of His Spirit to guide me. Therefore, I will not retreat
in fear or panic. Instead, I declare that I am chosen by God to be
a source of healing and deliverance to others who need it in this
last-days season. Even more, I declare that I will be a
participant in the mightiest harvest of souls that history has
ever seen!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 PRAYER FOR OVERCOMING THESE
PERILOUS TIMES

I believe that by reading this book, it is clearer to you than ever

before that we are living in the perilous times the Holy Spirit
prophesied about so long ago. It is my prayer that this book has
helped awaken you to take the action steps necessary to stay the
course spiritually and to protect yourself and those you love from evil
that lurks in society in the last of the last days.
We know that the Holy Spirit is not in the business of scaring
anyone. He spoke all of these things in advance so those who
actually live in the end of the age can safeguard themselves against
these end-time developments.
First John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
faith.” If we know what the Bible teaches — and respond to it in faith
— we are more than able to overcome anything that we face in the
present or in the days to come. God doesn’t want us to just survive
— He wants us to thrive, even in the end times. We can do it!
This is the greatest hour for the Church of Jesus Christ! But the
Scriptures show that events will occur at the end of the age that will
shake the nations of the world and fill men’s hearts with fear.
Although we need to be wise and do what we can to protect
ourselves in times such as these, we do not need to react in fear.
Fear is never the answer, for it results in blurred thinking and bad
decisions.
God’s Word promises you a sound mind if you will claim it.
Second Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of
fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
The words “sound mind” come from the Greek word
sophronismos. It is a compound of the words sodzo and phroneo.
The word sodzo is the Greek word for salvation. It means
deliverance, protection, and soundness. The word phroneo is a
Greek word for mind. When these two words are put together, as in
this verse, the new word is translated sound mind. The idea
presented by the word sophroneo is a mind that is saved and
protected or a mind that is sound. It is just the opposite of a mind
given to fear, panic, or unfounded and unreasonable thinking. This
word describes a mind that is thinking correctly!
Because God has given you a “sound mind,” it means you can
think correctly about how to live in these last days — the very time
that Second Timothy 3:1 predicts will be “perilous.” But because we
live in the last of the last days, it is also important that we be led by
the Holy Spirit. He knows exactly how to lead us past every attack
and how to avoid each strategy of the devil plotted against us. Jesus
promised that the Holy Spirit would show us things to come (see
John 16:13).
The word “shew” is the Greek word hodegeo and is the word for
a guide who shows a traveler the safest course through an unknown
country. This means the Holy Spirit is your Guide. He knows the way
you should go. He understands how to avoid every trap and obstacle
along the way. The Holy Spirit wants to show you how to take the
safest route. He knows exactly how to get you safely to your future
point of destination. The Holy Spirit knows the future and wants to
enlighten you with all the information you need in every situation.
This is part of His ministry to you and me.
As you obey the Word of God and listen to the Holy Spirit’s
leading, you will have wisdom to know every step you need to take in
the days ahead. All you have to do is obey God’s instructions, and
He guarantees you blessing and provision even in difficult times. But
if you try to take another approach, there is no guarantee for you to
claim. You must do what God says if you want to be assured of His
divine blessing and protection.
As a spiritual leader and friend, I want to encourage you to
increase your level of faith, especially if you are facing challenging
times. Stand on the Word of God; exercise your faith; listen to the
Holy Spirit; and obey what He tells you to do. As you do these
things, God’s supernatural blessings will kick into action, and you will
soon find a river of supernatural power, protection, and divine
provision flowing to you.
We are living in some of the most challenging days the world has
ever seen. But you can face these times victoriously because God
has given you a sound mind; He has given you the promises of His
Word; and He has given you the leadership of His Spirit. And you
have faith to overcome the world! Never has there been a more
crucial time for you to operate in faith and not fear and to believe for
a mighty move of God to take place on this earth!
As you conclude this book, I urge you right now to pray this
prayer with me:

Lord, as an end-time believer, I need to be filled with

faith and not with fear. Help me fill my heart with Your
Word, stand on Your promises, follow the leading of
the Holy Spirit, and exercise my faith more than ever
before! I know that fear has blurred my thinking in
times past, but it will not have any place in my life
from this day forward! Instead, I release my faith and
confidently expect to be a partaker in the last and
greatest harvest of souls ever to be reaped for the
Kingdom of God! Holy Spirit, help me rise to the
occasion as I become an instrument You can use in
these last days. I pray this prayer in Jesus’ name.
 PRAYER TO RECEIVE SALVATION

When Jesus Christ comes into your life, you are immediately set free
from slavery to sin! If you have never received Jesus as your
personal Savior, it is time to experience this new life for yourself. The
first step to freedom is simple. Just pray this prayer out loud from
your heart:

Lord, I can never adequately thank You for all You did
for me on the Cross. I am so undeserving, Jesus, but
You came and gave Your life for me anyway. I repent
for rejecting You, and I turn away from my life of
rebellion and sin right now. I turn to You and receive
You as my Savior, and I ask You to wash away my sin
and make me completely new in You by Your
precious blood.
I thank You from the depths of my heart for doing
what no one else could do for me. Had it not been for
Your willingness to lay down Your life for me, I would
be eternally lost. Thank You, Jesus, that I am now
redeemed by Your blood. On the Cross, You bore my
sin, my sickness, my pain, my lack of peace, and my
suffering. Your blood has removed my sin, washed
me whiter than snow, and given me rightstanding
with the Father. I have no need to be ashamed of my
past sins because I am now a new creature in You.
Old things have passed away, and all things have
become new because I am in Jesus Christ (see 2
Corinthians 5:17).
Because of You, Jesus, today I am forgiven; I am
filled with peace; and I am a joint-heir with You! Satan
no longer has a right to lay any claim on me. From a
grateful heart, I will faithfully serve You the rest of my
days! I pray this in Jesus’ name!
 If you prayed this prayer from your heart, something marvelous
just happened to you. No longer a servant to sin, you are now a
servant of Almighty God. The evil spirits that once exacted every
ounce of your being and required your all-inclusive servitude no
longer possess the authorization to control you or dictate your
destiny!
As a result of your decision to turn your life over to Jesus Christ,
your eternal home has been decided forever. Heaven will now be
your permanent address for all eternity.
God’s Spirit has moved into your own human spirit, and you have
become the “temple of God” (see 1 Corinthians 6:19). What a
miracle! To think that God, by His Spirit, now lives inside you!
Now you have a new Lord and Master, and His name is Jesus.
From this moment on, the Spirit of God will work in you and
supernaturally energize you to fulfill God’s will for your life.
Everything will change for you as you yield to His leadership in your
life — and it’s all going to change for the best!
 PRAYER TO RECEIVE THE BAPTISM IN
THE HOLY SPIRIT

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a free gift to everyone who has
made Jesus Savior and Lord of his or her life (see Acts 2:39).
After you made Jesus your Lord at the time of the new birth, the
Holy Spirit came to live inside you, and your old, unregenerate spirit
was made completely new. This subsequent gift is the “baptism into,”
or an immersion in, the Holy Spirit.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit supplies the supernatural power of
God for witnessing about Christ, for enjoying a deeper, more intimate
relationship with the Holy Spirit, and for victorious Christian living.
Receiving this precious gift is easy. Before you pray to receive
the infilling of the Holy Spirit, you might want to read and meditate on
the Scripture references I provide at the end of this prayer. Then
expect to receive what you ask for the moment you pray!
If you would like to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak with
new tongues (see Acts 2:4), simply pray the following prayer and
then act on it!

Lord, You gave the Holy Spirit to Your Church to help

us fulfill the Great Commission. I ask You in faith for
this free gift, and I receive right now the baptism in
the Holy Spirit. I believe that You hear me as I pray,
and I thank You for baptizing me in the Holy Spirit
with the evidence of speaking with a new,
supernatural prayer language. Amen.

As a result of praying this prayer, your life will never be the same.
You will grow in operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You will learn
to experience Jesus’ victory as a living reality every day.
Scripture References for Study and Review: Mark 16:17; Luke
24:49; Acts 1:4,5,8; 2:4,39; 10:45,46
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RICK RENNER is a highly respected Bible

teacher and leader in the international Christian
community. Rick is the author of a long list of
books, including the bestsellers Dressed To Kill
and Sparkling Gems From the Greek 1 and 2,
which have sold millions of copies in multiple
languages worldwide. Rick’s understanding of
the Greek language and biblical history opens up
the Scriptures in a unique way that enables
readers to gain wisdom and insight while learning
something brand new from the Word of God.
Rick is the founding pastor of the Moscow Good News Church.
He also founded Media Mir, the first Christian television network in
the former USSR that broadcasts the Gospel to countless Russian-
speaking viewers around the world via multiple satellites and the
Internet. He is the founder and president of RENNER Ministries,
based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and host to his TV program that is seen
around the world in multiple languages. Rick leads this amazing
work with his wife and lifelong ministry partner, Denise, along with
the help of their sons and committed leadership team.
CONTACT RENNER MINISTRIES
For further information
about RENNER Ministries, please contact
the RENNER Ministries office nearest you,
or visit the ministry website at:
www.renner.org

ALL USA
CORRESPONDENCE:
RENNER Ministries
P. O. Box 702040
Tulsa, OK 74170-2040
(918) 496-3213
Or 1-800-RICK-593
Email: renner@renner.org
Website: www.renner.org

MOSCOW OFFICE:
RENNER Ministries
P. O. Box 789
101000, Moscow, Russia
+7 (495) 727-14-67
Email: blagayavestonline@ignc.org
Website: www.ignc.org

RIGA OFFICE:
RENNER Ministries
Unijas 99
Riga LV-1084, Latvia
+371 67802150
Email: info@goodnews.lv

KIEV OFFICE:
RENNER Ministries
P. O. Box 300
01001, Kiev, Ukraine
+38 (044) 451-8315
Email: blagayavestonline@ignc.org

OXFORD OFFICE:
RENNER Ministries
Box 7, 266 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7DL, England
+44 1865 521024
Email: europe@renner.org
 BOOKS BY RICK RENNER

Chosen by God*
Dream Thieves*
Dressed To Kill*
The Holy Spirit and You*
How To Keep Your Head on Straight in a World Gone Crazy* How To Receive
Answers From Heaven!*
Insights to Successful Leadership
Last-Days Survival Guide
Life in the Combat Zone*
A Life Ablaze*
A Light in Darkness, Volume One, Seven Messages to the Seven Churches series
The Love Test*
No Room for Compromise, Volume Two, Seven Messages to the Seven Churches
series
Paid in Full*
The Point of No Return*
Repentance*
Signs You’ll See Just Before Jesus Comes*
Sparkling Gems From the Greek Daily Devotional 1* Sparkling Gems From the
Greek Daily Devotional 2* Spiritual Weapons To Defeat the Enemy*
Ten Guidelines To Help You Achieve Your Long-Awaited Promotion!*
Turn Your God-Given Dreams Into Reality* Why We Need the Gifts of the Spirit*
The Will of God — The Key to Your Success*
You Can Get Over It*

*Digital version available for Kindle, Nook, and iBook.

Note: Books by Rick Renner are available for purchase at:
www.renner.org
 SPARKLING GEMS FROM THE GREEK 1
In 2003, Rick Renner’s Sparkling Gems
From the Greek 1 quickly gained
widespread recognition for its unique
illumination of the New Testament through
more than 1,000 Greek word studies in a
365-day devotional format. Today
Sparkling Gems 1 remains a beloved
resource that has spiritually strengthened
believers worldwide. As many have
testified, the wealth of truths within its
pages never grows old. Year after year,
Sparkling Gems 1 continues to deepen
readers’ understanding of the Bible.
To order, visit us online at:
www.renner.org

Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-6774 or visit

www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 SPARKLING GEMS FROM THE GREEK 2
Rick infuses into Sparkling Gems From
the Greek 2 the added strength and
richness of many more years of his own
personal study and growth in God —
expanding this devotional series to impact
the reader’s heart on a deeper level than
ever before. This remarkable study tool
helps unlock new hidden treasures from
God’s Word that will draw readers into an
ever more passionate pursuit of Him.
To order, visit us online at:
www.renner.org

Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House

at 800-722-6774 or visit
www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 A LIGHT IN DARKNESS
VOLUME ONE
Step into the world of the First Century
Church as Rick Renner creates a
panoramic experience of unsurpassed
detail to transport you into the ancient
lands of the seven churches of Asia.
Within the context of this fascinating —
and, at times, shocking — historical
backdrop, Rick outlines the challenges that
early believers faced in taking the Gospel
to a pagan world. After presenting a
riveting account of the apostle John’s
vision of the exalted Christ, Rick leads you
through an in-depth study of Jesus’
messages to the churches of Ephesus and
Smyrna — profoundly relevant messages
that still resonate for His Church today.

Rick’s richly detailed historical narrative, enhanced by classic

artwork and superb photographs, will make the lands and the
message of the Bible come alive to you as never before. Parallels
between Roman society of the First Century and the modern world
prove the current relevance of Christ’s warning and instructions.

In this first volume of the Seven Messages to the Seven Churches

series, you will discover:
• In-depth scriptural teaching that makes the New
Testament come alive.
• A more than 800-page beautifully designed full-color
hardback book — filled with photos shot on location, plus
 photos of classic artwork, artifacts, illustrations, maps, and
much more.
• A comprehensive, completely indexed reference book.

A Light in Darkness, Volume One, is an extraordinary book that

will endure and speak to generations to come. This authoritative first
volume is a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge — a definitive go-to
resource for any student of the Bible and a classic must-have for
Christian families everywhere.

Faced with daunting challenges, the modern Church must give

urgent heed to what the Holy Spirit is saying in order to be equipped
for the end of this age.

To order, visit us online at: www.renner.org

Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-
6774
or visit www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE
VOLUME TWO
No Room for Compromise: Jesus’ Message
to Today’s Church is Volume Two of the Seven
Messages to the Seven Churches series. It
presents an engaging exploration of the pagan
culture of the First Century Church, with an
emphasis on the city of Pergamum. Against this
historical backdrop, Rick Renner highlights
Jesus’ message to the church of Pergamum
when He appeared in a vision during the apostle
John’s imprisonment on the island of Patmos.

With superb photographs, many of which were

shot on location in Turkey, Rick guides readers
through a fascinating, detailed explanation of Jesus’ message to the
Pergamene church as he prophetically declares the critical
significance of this message to the Church in these last days before
Jesus returns. Rick also gives the reader a larger context within
which to frame the pivotal moment when Jesus appeared to John on
that isolated island. Rick takes the reader through a revealing
overview of the first three centuries AD in which the infant Church
grew amidst much opposition within a pagan world, demonstrating
that darkness can never overcome the light, life, and power that the
truth of Jesus Christ offers all those who believe.

Volume Two is a comprehensive, completely indexed reference

book and provides:
• In-depth scriptural teaching that makes the New
Testament come alive.
• Over 400 pages, including 330 beautifully designed, full-
color pages.
• Nearly 400 images — including over 100 shot on location
— classic artwork, artifacts, illustrations, and maps.

To order, visit us online at: www.renner.org

Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-
6774
or visit www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 SIGNS YOU’LL SEE JUST BEFORE JESUS
COMES
As we advance toward the golden moment of
Christ’s return for His Church, there are signs
on the road we’re traveling to let us know
where we are in time. Jesus Himself foretold
the types of events that will surely take place
as we watch for His return.

In his book Signs You’ll See Just Before

Jesus Comes, Rick Renner explores the
signs in Mat-thew 24:3-12, expounding on
each one from the Greek text with his unique
style of teaching. Each chapter is written to
prepare and embolden a last-days generation of believers — not
send them running for the hills!

The signs on the road are appearing closer together. We are on the
precipice of something new. Soon we’ll see the final sign at the edge
of our destination as we enter the territory of the last days, hours,
and minutes just before Jesus comes.

To order, visit us online at: www.renner.org

Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-
6774
or visit www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT
IN A WORLD GONE CRAZY
The world is changing. In fact, it’s more
than changing — it has gone crazy.

We are living in a world where faith is

questioned and sin is welcomed — where
people seem to have lost their minds
about what is right and wrong. It seems
truth has been turned upside down.

In Rick Renner’s book How To Keep

Your Head on Straight in a World Gone
Crazy, he reveals the disastrous
consequences of a society in spiritual and
moral collapse. In this book, you’ll
discover what Christians need to be doing to stay out of the chaos
and remain anchored to truth. You’ll learn how to stay sensitive to
the Holy Spirit, how to discern right and wrong teaching, how to be
grounded in prayer, and how to be spiritually prepared for living in
victory in these last days.

Leading ministers from around the world are calling this book
essential for every believer. Topics include:
• Contending for the Faith in the Last Days
• How To Pray for Leaders Who Are in Error
• How To Judge if a Teaching Is Good or Bad
• Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Demons
• How To Be a Good Minister of Jesus Christ
 To order, visit us online at: www.renner.org
Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-
6774
or visit www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 DRESSED TO KILL
A BIBLICAL APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL WARFARE
AND ARMOR

Rick Renner’s book Dressed To Kill is

considered by many to be a true classic
on the subject of spiritual warfare. The
original version, which sold more than
400,000 copies, is a curriculum staple
in Bible schools worldwide. In this
beautiful volume, you will find:
• 504 pages of reedited text
• 16 pages of full-color illustrations
• Questions at the end of each
chapter to guide you into deeper
study

In Dressed To Kill, Rick explains with exacting detail the purpose

and function of each piece of Roman armor. In the process, he
describes the significance of our spiritual armor not only to withstand
the onslaughts of the enemy, but also to overturn the tendencies of
the carnal mind. Furthermore, Rick delivers a clear, scriptural
presentation on the biblical definition of spiritual warfare — what it is
and what it is not.

When you walk with God in deliberate, continual fellowship, He will

enrobe you with Himself. Armed with the knowledge of who you are
in Him, you will be dressed and dangerous to the works of darkness,
unflinching in the face of conflict, and fully equipped to take the
offensive and gain mastery over any opposition from your spiritual
foe. You don’t have to accept defeat anymore once you are dressed
to kill!
 To order, visit us online at: www.renner.org
Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-
6774
or visit www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 A LIFE ABLAZE
TEN SIMPLE KEYS TO LIVING ON FIRE FOR GOD
Do you struggle to keep the fire of the Holy
Spirit burning in your heart as it may have
burned earlier in your life? Do you
sometimes feel like all that’s left are a few
small glowing embers — and that perhaps
even those embers are starting to die out
and become cold?

How do you stoke the embers of the fire

within you so that those flames begin to
burn red-hot in your heart again? Once you
have that fire burning hot and bright, how
do you sustain and grow the intensity of
that inner fire for the rest of your time on
this earth?

In A Life Ablaze, Rick teaches you about the ten different kinds of
fuel you need to stay spiritually ablaze for years to come. As you
learn about these fuels, you will discover how to throw them into the
fire in your heart so you can keep burning spiritually.

Topics include:
• What is the real condition of your spiritual fire right now?
• What to do if your spiritual embers are about to go out.
• What to do to help others whose flames are burning low.

To order, visit us online at: www.renner.org

Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-
 6774
or visit www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 THE WILL OF GOD — THE KEY TO YOUR
SUCCESS
POSITIONING YOURSELF TO LIVE IN GOD’S
SUPERNATURAL POWER, PROVISION, AND
PROTECTION
A faith-filled adventure awaits you as you
step out to do what God is beckoning you to
do. It may seem daunting at first, but once
the journey begins, you’ll never regret that
you left your comfort zone to follow His
leading! But as you step out in faith, it’s
essential that you stay on track with God’s
plan if you want to experience His power,
protection, and supernatural provision.

Author Rick Renner writes: “If you are

seeking to know the will of God for your life,
I believe this is a book that you will find very
helpful in your journey of faith. It is important for you to understand
that knowing the will of God and actually being in it are two very
different things. Many know God’s will, but they struggle to comply
with what He has revealed about the path He has ordained for them
to walk in.”

So get ready for an eye-opening undertaking as Rick delves into the

journey of the apostle Paul and other key Bible characters as they
sought to walk out God’s will for their lives. Along the way in this
fascinating process, Rick will reveal vital lessons to help you in your
own pursuit to fully align with God’s will for your life — which is the
key to your lasting success!
 To order, visit us online at: www.renner.org
Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-
6774 or visit www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity
discounts.
 CHOSEN BY GOD
GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU FOR A DIVINE ASSIGNMENT
— WILL YOU DARE TO FULFILL IT?
Rick Renner’s book Chosen by God will help
you overcome your limited thinking about
following God’s plan for your life. Rest
assured, God has a plan! And He will
thoroughly prepare you to fulfill it if you’ll say
yes with all your heart and stir yourself to
pursue it.

God is calling you to do something significant

in the earth for Him. What’s holding you
back? This book will thrill you with the
possibilities that await — because you are
chosen by God!

To order, visit us online at: www.renner.org

Book Resellers: Contact Harrison House at 800-722-
6774
or visit www.HarrisonHouse.com for quantity discounts.
 The Harrison House Vision

Proclaiming the truth and the power

of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with excellence.
Challenging Christians
to live victoriously,
grow spiritually,
know God intimately.
 Connect with us on
Facebook @ HarrisonHousePublishers
and Instagram @ HarrisonHousePublishing
so you can stay up to date with news
about our books and our authors.

Visit us at www.harrisonhouse.com
for a complete product listing as well as
monthly specials for wholesale distribution.