Matthew 24:3-14 (NKJV): 3 “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’ And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for [a] all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, [b] pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Passages like these are not in scripture to scare us as believers; but to prepare us because we are believers. End Times Prophecies are not just predictions. They are meant for production: readiness, holiness, etc. The question people are asking is: Are we living in the last days? A Better Question: “Are We Ready for Them?” 

The Last Days Will Be Marked By Deception

Matthew 24:4-5 (NKJV): “And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many.’”

The first sign Jesus gave was not war, famine, or earthquakes. The first warning was deception. 

The enemy’s greatest end-time weapon is not persecution –It is confusion.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NKJV): “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first…”

1 Timothy 4:1 (NKJV): “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”

The enemy does not always try to get people to reject Jesus completely; he just tries to get them to accept a different Jesus, a different gospel, and a different standard.

The Last Days Will Be Marked By Troubles, Wars and Rumors of Wars.

Matthew 24:6 (NKJV): “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass…” Jesus never promised a trouble-free world before His return. In fact: He told us the world would shake, and there would be wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and distress among nations. Luke 21:25-26 (NKJV): “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

2 Timothy 3:1 (NKJV): “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.”

Even though perilous times come,  it doesn’t mean God has left you, he’ll never leave you. 

Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV): “…He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” This means be aware but not afraid, watchful but not worried, ready but not ruffled.  The world may be getting darker, but the church should be getting brighter.

The Last Days Will Reveal The Condition Of Hearts.

Matthew 24:10-12 (NKJV): “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”  Jesus said one of the signs of the last days would be cold love. Not just bad headlines, global crisis, spiritual deception, But people’s hearts growing cold.

People would move from loving others to loving themselves, money and pride.

2 Timothy 3:2-5 (NKJV): “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud… having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Revelation 3:15 (NKJV): “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot…”

The greatest danger in the last days is not just what happens around us, but what happens inside us. The enemy wants believers offended, divided, distracted, and spiritually numb.

Closing:

If you are prepared for what’s to come; you won’t have to be repaired when it does.