"But understand this, that in the last days will set in perilous times of great stress and trouble - hard to deal with and hard to bear."
II Timothy 3:1 (Amplified Bible)
Here, Paul gives Timothy a prophetic understanding and warning of what it will be like in the last days. He goes on to say, throughout this chapter, that wicked men will go from bad to worse. His final exhortation to Timothy at the end of this chapter is, to hold fast to the Holy Scriptures, which he had learned from a child. The Word holds promise for every believer who puts his whole heart and trust in it. Our connection and faith to the Word of promise is what will keep us above all the pressure of the world and what it is experiencing. The pressure is on, and many are being squeezed out of measure. The stress of work and making a living with an upside down economy has pressed many of God's people, not to mention the full details of all the calamities happening in the world.
Jesus said that fear would fill the hearts of men for the things coming upon the earth (Luke 21:26). We, as Christians, must not allow the world's pressure to dictate our lives. God has made a way for us to live above it and to continue to the end with victory. The Word of promise is supernatural, and that is what it will take for supernatural living. The Lord also said, "But he that endures unto the end shall be saved (Matt. 24:13). This kind of enduring is supernatural in essence. The word, endure, in the Greek is HUPOMENO, which means to abide under, (which I will tell you what to "abide under," further in this message); to bear up courageously under suffering. There's much that Paul exhorts to the churches on how to deal with hardships and afflictions. He always points them to the supernatural Word of promise.
All this holds true for us today if we are to endure to the end. Many ministers and saints alike need a "breakthrough" on what really counts in life. This temporal life is a great disappointment to many because it is not dictated by the Word of God. His Word brings order and peace to our surroundings, while the world is in a chaotic mode, spiraling downward. Our hearts should be full of what is valuable and precious, eternally; for the temporal things of this world are passing quickly, with no value, pending the final judgments of God. When we value what really counts, then we are candidates for supernatural living above it all.
Here is a word of exhortation to usher you into this divine life of being above it all. Let's go to Hebrews chapter twelve. Here the writer is telling his listeners that they have not come to a natural mountain, but a supernatural mountain, among the city of the living God. Abraham's journey in this life was far above his natural surroundings because he looked for a new city. His values were intact. The writer goes on to say that the saints have also "come to the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels" (which are able to do for us supernaturally what we can't do naturally), as well as "to Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant and the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel." Abel's voice cried out for vengeance. The Lord's voice speaks "mercy." There is no greater time than now to look to the blood of the everlasting covenant, and claim our right for God's mercy. He told us to "come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16).
The Ark of the Covenant was called the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled over it. It was overshadowed by two Cherubims of glory. We, as saints, are to be under the shadow of his wings, where his mercy is released over us while facing every hardship and affliction on this side of heaven. The book of Psalm says, "He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psa. 91:1). It would behoove every one of us to camp out in this chapter until we can boldly say of the Lord, "He is my refuge, and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust" (v. 2).
