Living in the Last Days

II Thessalonians 2:9–12 has been on my mind lately. That passage speaks directly about the last days—and according to Acts 2:17, we’ve been living in the last days since the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost.

Peter said:

17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…’”

Since that day, we’ve been living in the era Scripture labels as “the last days.”

But then Paul warns in II Thessalonians 2:9–12 (emphasis mine):

9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity… according to the work of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders,

10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth…

11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,

12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

What Is Truth?

The Holy Spirit had revealed the truth, yet they refused it. And that raises the question that sits at the center of everything: What is truth? Jesus answers it plainly in John 14:6:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Many reject His truth and create their own. And believers—even sincere ones—sometimes wrestle with His truth too.

A common way this shows up is when someone tries to force Scripture to say what they already want it to say. It looks like explaining away a clear passage because we don’t like its implications. I’ve done it. Most believers have.

Growing Spiritually in Layers

Not because we want to defy the Holy Spirit, but because spiritual growth isn’t a straight line. Early in my walk, every insight felt like an unshakable revelation. Over the years I’ve learned those “revelations” come in layers—built like a house, one level at a time. And yes, full of mistakes along the way.

There was a season when I felt special—important, even. The Holy Spirit had to unwind that pride and teach me humility. I am still learning it. But the love of truth is what keeps me teachable. Whatever He wants to correct, I want corrected. Every tradition He wants to tear down, I’ll hand Him the sledgehammer.

What I don’t want is to drift into the Pharisaical mindset—where tradition and personal understanding get elevated above the Holy Spirit’s leading. Yes, you can’t accept every new idea. Discernment matters. Deception is real. But being “open-minded” in the sense of accepting everything without filter? No thanks.

The Trap of Noble-Sounding Lies

As a teenager, I heard about a movement in San Francisco where people tried to say “yes” to everything—whatever anyone asked, the answer was yes. Sometimes I wonder if that spirit still hangs over the place, because its moral compass seems wildly different from mine. Everything apart from God is Good? Really?

Those who reject the Holy Spirit’s leading often cling to ideals wrapped in moral-sounding packaging. Noble ideals can become bait. If they don’t align with the Gospel, they’re not righteous—they’re beguilement. Once someone embraces the noble-sounding lie, the lie can be expanded endlessly. Anyone who disagrees becomes “evil.” We’re watching this unfold everywhere.

And over time, repeatedly rejecting the Holy Spirit leads to a frightening biblical outcome: God gives them over. He confirms their chosen delusion.

If You Fear Delusion, You Are Not Deluded

If you fear that might have happened to you—it hasn’t. That fear itself is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). When He is silent… that’s when you should worry. If He is speaking, you’re not deluded.

The world, of course, calls anyone who hears the Holy Spirit “delusional.” That’s part of the enemy’s playbook.

If a family member or friend seems lost in delusion, please hear this clearly: It is not your fault. They made their choices. Release the guilt. Guilt is one of the enemy’s most effective distractions.

Your role is prayer—intercession, pleading for softened hearts and new seeds of truth. And trust the Holy Spirit.

The Rise of ‘My Truth’

A new friend of mine, Charlene, recently shared a story of someone who tried to win her to their “truth” by arguing and belittling her. When she didn’t immediately accept their view of reality, they called her crazy. This is increasingly common—people believing the only “truth” is their truth, and every dissenting view is insanity.

That mindset is its own delusion.

The only truth I accept without question is Scripture. If my interpretation is off, the Holy Spirit can fix it in His timing. He doesn’t run on deadlines and isn’t in a hurry.

The Gardner of Our Souls

Spiritual growth works like a plant—seed, sprout, stalk, fruit and I am a garden. I don’t always know whether my sprout is wheat or tare. The fruit isn’t for me anyway. The Holy Spirit is the Gardner. He knows what needs pruning, what needs watering, and what needs uprooting. My garden has weeds—I know that—and He’ll address them at the right time. Don’t yell at me if the pruning isn’t done to your liking and in your timing.

So don’t yell at someone else’s garden. Don’t cancel them either. Let the Holy Spirit be the Gardner in their life too.

Paul captured this beautifully in I Corinthians 2:2–5:

2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Paul embraced his own weakness and relied on the Holy Spirit. Paul’s garden continues to bear fruit even today.

A Culture Drifting Into Delusion

Which leads back again to II Thessalonians 2—this unsettling reality of a God-sent delusion.

We are flooded with appeals to pursue knowledge. But corrupted knowledge is one of the enemy’s oldest tactics. Twist what is taught, distort what is true, and confusion becomes widespread. Evil hid itself for generations—but in our time, it’s flaunting itself openly.

I saw glimpses of it years ago. As a young man in a bar, hearing people shout AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” something in me whispered, “What are you doing?” That was the Holy Spirit—His patience astounding.

The delusion Paul warned about has existed since he wrote those words, but today it feels louder, more visible. Maybe it really is worse. It sure seems that way.

When Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023—slaughtering civilians and even babies—I was stunned that much of the world did not condemn it. Many justified it, even some so-called Christian organizations. Something was deeply off. And then, as if to underline the point, I learned that October 7 is Vladimir Putin’s birthday.

Then came the campus unrest—students and even Christians joining the chorus against Israel. For decades, Western culture taught that antisemitism and racism were wrong. That we judge individuals, not entire groups. Now the opposite is happening. Refusing to agree with the cultural orthodoxy is treated as the moral crime.

Cancellation is only the beginning.

Repentance still matters and hopefully that news is not too late. Mercy is abundant in Scripture, but it flows after repentance. And today, repentance is nearly extinct. Beware of the delusion.

Anchored to Scripture Alone

So anchor yourself in Scripture.

Ephesians 5:25–26 says:

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.

The Greek word Logos translated “word” here points us to Jesus Himself—John calls Him the Word made flesh. The Word cleanses. It washes. It frees. It breaks delusion.

Reading Scripture is dangerous to anything anti-Christ—but life-giving to anyone seeking freedom.

Filter everything through Scripture. Invite the Holy Spirit to teach you. Listen and be humble. Stay teachable.