Read 2 Timothy 3:13

But evil people and impostors will flourish.
They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.
(2 Timothy 3:13)

We are living in difficult times. Better stated, savage times. One of the greatest difficulties we face, ironically, is getting Christians to recognize that fact. Why? Because we do not fight flesh and blood, but the battle is against our adversary, the devil and his legions of demons. Furthermore, because our enemy is invisible, we often don’t take him seriously. Even when we do think of Satan, most people picture him entirely unlike he really is.

Satan is not ugly, horned, and carrying a pitchfork. Rather, he masquerades as an angel of light. He is one of the most beautiful and brilliant creatures God ever created. Satan’s beauty is, in fact, what led to his prideful downfall (Ezekiel 28:14–17; 2 Corinthians 11:14). Furthermore, the devil is not warning us of going to hell or destruction. Rather, he dangles deceptive salutations in our faces like bait on a hook. He is so winsome that he even lured a third of the angels with him when he fell from heaven (Revelation 12:4). These have become his demons, supernatural creatures that carry out their insidious, sinister plans against the church of Jesus Christ. Their strategy of mass deception is right on target. They mislead Christians into thinking, Oh, we’re doing so great! But we are not doing great. Remember? We are living in difficult times.

The apostle Paul wrote to a younger pastor, Timothy, about the last days, which include the times in which we live. But those words—although powerful—were just warnings that the church needs to realize. Reading those warnings isn’t enough. We can do word studies based on the descriptive terms in those verses. We can examine the literary and historical contexts in which they were written. We can even form discussion groups about the sociopolitical implications of the dangers. But merely hearing of danger isn’t enough. It’s incomplete. The church must do more than realize the threats. What is missing? The right response.

Taken from The Church Awakening by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2010 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Faith Words, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.