ESOCS Devotional 12 November 2025 -Difficult Times Will Come
MEMORY VERSE: “But realise this, that in the last days difficult times will come.” 2 Timothy 3:1
TEXT: 2 TIMOTHY 3:1-END
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
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Now, when Paul is talking about difficult times, his attention isn’t upon the economy. He isn’t saying that the times are tough because we don’t have any jobs. His attention isn’t upon the natural disasters that will come. He isn’t saying that the times are tough because of climate change. No, Paul’s attention is upon the attacks that will come upon the Church! Difficult times are coming for the Church. Men will arise and attack the Church. There is great opposition to Christ and to His servants but we are to persevere because God will win in the end. Persevere because this is our calling. So, fan the flame, Timothy. So, fight the fight, Timothy.
In Chapter 1, Paul tells of how he was in prison because of the gospel (2 Tim. 1:8). Paul’s call to Timothy was this: “… join with me in suffering for the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:8). In Chapter 2, Paul tells Timothy to “suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2:3). Paul’s call to Timothy was to “endure” in your suffering (2:12). And now, in Chapter 3, the message is the same. Difficult times will come, but know that they will be hard (3:1-9) and continue faithful until the end (3:10-17).
The command that dominates this entire portion of scripture is found in verse 1: “Realize this”. It’s a verb of knowledge. Literally, it means, “Know this” (NKJV). But, the thrust of the paragraph brings in other translations here: “Understand this” (ESV); “Mark this” (NIV). I love the way that The Message paraphrases it: “Don’t be naïve.” In other words, “Timothy, know that it’s going to be like in the last days. Don’t be taken by surprise! Things are going to be hard. Expect it, so that you can deal with it.”
It wasn’t with accident that Paul called Timothy to “suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Those who are fighting in a war know that it’s going to be hard. Those troops that are sent to Iraq know that they are going into a battle zone. They know that they need to be ready to suffer hardship. Those troops that are sent to Afghanistan know that they are going into terrorist territory. They know that they will be in for a difficult time. And so, when things get hard, they don’t go running home to their mommies. No, they have been trained for this. They have come to expect this.
So also, is Timothy’s call: He is in enemy territory and must be ready for the difficult times that are coming. Jesus said, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16). How much of readiness do you possess even as you are about stepping out this morning. Child of God, it’s no longer business as usual; begin to ask for grace to survive this end time.
CHALLENGES
- Let steadfastness in faith be your garment and you will win the raging war and the enemy.
PRAYER POINT
- Father, every grace required to succeed this end time, give it to me. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Job 14:20-22; 16:1-End; 2 Tim 4:1-12
ESOCS Devotional 12 November 2025
