If you read the whole of Matthew 24, you’ll see that all Jesus prophesied would happen in the end times are already happening around us. The last days are days of evil, worse than the days of Soddom and Gomorrah and the days of Noah before the great flood.
The devil knows his time is almost up and he will be cast into the Lake of Fire. So he wants to take as many of God’s children as he can with him. He is going around deceiving people with worldly pleasures and getting them rooted in sin to keep them in darkness before the Lord comes
He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer – Mark 9:29
Matthew 24:14
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the
whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
As Christians, we have to be watchful. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Let’s look at some of the signs of the last days that Jesus tells us to watch out for.
- The spirit of deception: “Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:5). In the days of old, God’s prophets and apostles suffered terribly for their faith, from being crucifying on crosses like Jesus to getting thrown in boiling oil. These days the devil has a new way of attacking God’s people—through deception. You need to have the spirit of discernment to know the difference between a shepherd and a wolf, especially in the house of God. There are three spirits you should be able to discern: the spirit of man, God, and the devil. If you’re a praying person God will give you the spirit of discernment and protect you from deception.
- Many believers will abandon the faith: “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other” (Matthew 24:10). In the last days, there will be a great falling away from the church as people who once claimed to follow Christ will allow the devil to deceive them and lead them astray. That’s why it is important to be in a prayerful relationship with God. This will help keep you grounded at all times. A true Christian will stand for God in the last days, even in the face of persecution. You can’t do it alone, though. That’s why we were given the Holy Spirit. He will be your guide and help you bring down demons and powers of darkness.
- There will be widespread lawlessness: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37). If we read the account of Noah and the flood, it is clear why Jesus likened His second coming to the event. While Noah was building the ark and preparing for the flood, other people were mocking him. They made merry while disaster loomed. Then suddenly the heavens burst open and the waters came and swept them away. The moral of the story for us today is to remain watchful. While we do not know the exact hour of Christ’s return, we have to keep ourselves holy as we wait, lest we be caught unprepared and left behind.
- The good news The Lord’s coming is imminent. He will establish His kingdom here on earth soon; a kingdom of joy, peace, and everlasting prosperity. He wants us all to be part of it. He said in John 14:2, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”
However, Christ said He wouldn’t return until the gospel reaches all the corners of the earth. That’s because He wants everyone to repent and have a relationship with God. So, let’s join hands
to spread the good news to everyone around us. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” – Matthew 24:14
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