As I read it and the light of the italicized statement above began to sear its way into my
spirit I felt the need to pray for clarity and in the process of so doing was
left with a fun homework assignment: researching the phrase ‘spirit of
Antichrist’ in the Bible. This article is a summation of my researched homework.
As time continues to track into the future, I pray I shall have further
illumination to this topic and if so I shall amend this article to reflect the
light. The ultimate and significant reality of his notation was that I had
always wondered how we would identify that ‘spirit of the antichrist’ in our
day as we move ever closer to the edge of this world – the proverbial ‘Eve of
Destruction’ and the time when the church will be caught away.
The theme scripture
“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye
have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”—1John
4:3
Clearly, the words written above, though
apparently relevant in John’s day, now 1930 years later, must be all the more
relevant today. Picture yourself seated at an outside theater and the horizon
is your focal point. The feature playing is ‘Last Days’. As you are chomping on
your popcorn the screen begins to creep ever slowly up from the horizon and
reveals scenes from actual news from all over the world with voice over
explanations of what you are seeing. In between topical discussion are scriptures
from the Bible that support the events happening. As you watch you are unaware
of the involuntary cessation of all body movements including a nonblinking
stare, a holding of your breath, a need to grab hold of something solid as your
knuckles begin to turn white….
“And he shall speak great words against
the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to
change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and
times and the dividing of time.” – Daniel 7:25
It is true this was written a very long time ago yet
it was written for a time still in the future, perhaps, the future of many
living today. What is meant by “shall wear out the saints of the Most High”? It
appears to mean that they will be harassed constantly, persecuted, eventually
wearing out the saint in a mental sense. That says a lot. We can take much
emotional and physical trauma but at some point the mind is beyond its capacity
to endure and this is what is indicated the antichrist will do to the saints of
the Most High. Notice it is for a specific time: a time and times and the
dividing of time. 3 and a half years, or half of the Tribulation.
Characteristics of the antichrist: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is
the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” – 1John
2:22
More characteristics of the antichrist; antichrist
lies, denies Jesus is Chris and denies the Father and the Son! Further we see
by this verse “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and
an antichrist.” [2John 1:7] the antichrist is a practiced deceiver. The antichrist
has many lies with which to deceive the world. Perhaps the most scary point is
found in 2Thess 2:1-12, where the antichrist has accomplished such a level of
deception that many ‘so called Christians’ fall for the big lie and as noted in
Revelation 13, some of these will eventually take the mark of beast, thus
giving worship to the antichrist and not to Christ who is due all honor and glory.
[Rev 5:6-14]
“ Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and
sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled
or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word
of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already
come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for
that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of
lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is
called God or is worshiped,
so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these
things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he
may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of
lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will
continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the
lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the
breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The
coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs
and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that
wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be
saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful
delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who
have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”--2Thess 2:1-12
Please study this selection of scripture thoroughly.
Pray for discernment and wisdom that you may clearly identify the lie. Do not
succumb to the lie. We do not know how much more this world will be broken and separated
from what was always understood as TRUTH--replace by the ideology now which is a fluid
altogether subjective notion of whatever truth floats your Gullywhumper. If you
do not study GOD’s Word, if you do not pray to GOD for knowledge, wisdom, understanding
and discernment, how will you withstand the sinister lies and deceptions thrown
your way?
To be clear, those who are raptured may not be
present for this particular event. This article is about the ‘spirit of the
antichrist’ already in the world according to John some 1930 years ago. Imagine
the manifold lies being fomented now that we more easily understand as lies. But
we have entered a time when Isaiah’s words are so very applicable: “Woe to
those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and
light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” [Isa
5:20] Acceptable cultural traditions from centuries of practice have been
labeled all sorts of bad and condemned by proclamation of some ‘mob’ or shamed
out of the current culture via cancelation. It is easy to see how some could be
easily manipulated or even coerced – bullied, intimidated, strong armed, even
terrorized into believing the lie.
Jesus was queried by his disciples in Matt 13 as
to why HE taught in parables. He explained HIS thoughts about seeing and
hearing – or the impediment to seeing and hearing, as a fulfillment of Isaiah 6:9
but concluded is explanation with this statement:
“For assuredly, I say to you that many prophets
and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and
to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” [Matt 13:17] May we be deeply
grateful that we are privileged to see, to hear and to understand what the
prophets and righteous men desired but had to wait.
As a reminder the ‘spirit’ of the antichrist is
already at work please consider 2Tim 3:1-5 from the Message Bible: “ Don’t be naive.
There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be
self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of
parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage,
cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and
allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re
animals. Stay clear of these people.”
As the end of the movie begins to
roll its credits you may blink and no
longer be on earth! †
NOTICE: If you are feeling inclined or
feeling led to want Jesus as your Savior, your leader, your King, your source
of Peace and Joy but are feeling woefully inadequate, uninformed on how best to
get to know HIM, or find yourself at wit’s end because you believe yourself
trapped and in need of GOD, please know Jesus stands ready to welcome you with
HIS Holy Spirit. Believe these words: “16 For God so loved
the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “—John 3:16
“Repent therefore and be
converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may
come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He
may send [c]Jesus Christ, who was [d]preached
to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until
the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the
mouth of all His holy prophets since [e]the world began.” –
Acts 3:19-20
“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when
he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is
born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of
God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you,
‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you
hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So
is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:3-8
If you need help, please feel free to leave a
comment and I will respond. †
DISCLAIMER: The thoughts published on this
blog, in total, are the opinions, thoughts and considerations of the
writer/author of every post published. It is assumed that research by the
reader will lead the reader to their own conclusions. It is not the writer’s
intent to make a judgment of anyone but to allow GOD’s Word to do what it does.
“For the word of GOD is alive and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints
and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the
heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from GOD’s sight. Everything
is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give
account.” – Hebrews 4:12 [NIV]
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