[New post] The Wicked Antichrist and his Deceiving Spirit
davidwpalmer posted: " https://open.spotify.com/episode/3h3mQuxh4wQBuluvmcLw8b?si=hN0RNGFiRP2xSyGFuMyhEw David W Palmer (Matthew 24:23–25 NKJV) "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. {24} For false christs and false prop" Following Jesus Today
(Matthew 24:23–25 NKJV) "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. {24} For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. {25} See, I have told you beforehand."
Jesus is still in the process of answering the three questions asked by his apprentice apostles in the days prior to his crucifixion (See:Mat. 24:3 NKJV):
"When will these things be?"
"What will be the sign of your coming?"
"What will be the sign of … the end of the age?"
Jesus warns us very specifically about false christs, false prophets, and their deceptive signs and wonders. In tandem with this, the Holy Spirit warns us about the ultimate false christ; the Antichrist. He also warns that many minor "antichrists" will appear in the lead up to the big Antichrist:
(1 John 2:18 NKJV) Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
These smaller, but prolific, "antichrists" are spreading here now; and some have appeared throughout history. This passage says, "Even now, many antichrists have come." The "last hour" is now; we will certainly encounter them. To help us understand how to recognize and deal with these antichrists, along with the spirit that's behind them, the Holy Spirit added:
(1 John 2:22 NKJV) Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
(1 John 4:3 NKJV) And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
(2 John 1:7 NKJV) For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
From a quick read of these four passages, we can easily see:
Antichrist is a spirit that is already at work in the world
It is a lying spirit, a deceiver
It denies the Father and the Son (and probably the trinity)
It does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
It manifests through many [smaller] antichrists
Let's stay alert, and not allow this wicked spirit to deceive us. Don't let a deceiving, seducing spirit draw you off into any doctrines that are far from the time-honored core beliefs of Christianity:
(1 Timothy 4:1 AKJV) Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.
In the Aramaic in Plain English translation, this reads:
(1 Timothy 4:1 APE) But The Spirit speaks plainly that in the last time they shall depart one by one from the faith and they shall go after deceiving spirits and after the teachings of demons.
Here the Holy Spirit highlights that "they" shall depart from the faith, "one by one." This implies a gradual, surreptitious, and regular falling into error and deception by a steady stream of un-vigilant Christians. This could, and I hesitate to say probably will, happen to people you know, if it hasn't already. This is serious. Again, the Holy Spirit warns us:
(1 Peter 5:8–9 NKJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. {9} Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
Again the Holy Spirit advises us to remain vigilant:
(Colossians 4:2 NKJV) Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.
In other words, keep talking to God, and remain on alert for the devil and his schemes. Keep him out of your garden, so to speak.
Regarding the ultimate Antichrist, the faithful Holy Spirit reveals that when he, the "lawless one," is fully revealed; he will come with "all power, signs, and lying wonders":
(2 Thessalonians 2:9 NKJV) The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders.
Of course, his lawless work is progressing "secretly" at the moment; the "time" for his full appearing is revealed in the following passage:
(2 Thessalonians 2:6–8 NLT) And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. {7} For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. {8} Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.
The lawless one who has a brief period of "all power, signs, and lying wonders" will come out of secret into full revelation between:
The time the "one who is holding it back steps out of the way," and
The time of Jesus's splendorous coming; when he will "kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him."
God's amazing book of Revelation confirms that this king of ultimate, malicious wickedness will have a "short time" of reigning:
(Revelation 17:10 NKJV) "There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time."
We hope that many Bible scholars are right when they say the church will be "raptured" before the short time of the Antichrist's reign. These teachers are good and sincere people with lots of verses to back up their version of events. However, many other good and sincere teachers believe that the church will still be here during the Antichrist's reign. They are also nice people with lots of verses to back up their version of events.
Let's hope we go before we need to deal with the worsening lawless wickedness of the Antichrist and have to face all that persecution, but let's also heed very deeply what our Lord said:
(Matthew 24:36 NLT) "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows."
(Matthew 25:13 NLT) "So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return."
Jesus simply says to "keep watch," stay alert. He doesn't tell us the "day or hour" of his return. Truly, the list of those who don't know this is fascinating: us, angels, and Jesus. That's right, not even Jesus knows the day or hour of his return. Jesus is the Word (See: John 1:1–3, 14); if he doesn't know, then it's not in the word. However, the wonderful Holy Spirit does tell us that we can detect the season of Jesus's imminent return:
(1 Thessalonians 5:1–6 NKJV) But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. {2} For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. {3} For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. {4} But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. {5} You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. {6} Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
Today, I encourage you to heed all of these warnings. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Watch out for the seducing spirit of antichrist; don't allow it to deceive you into the "doctrines of devils." Stay in Father's secret place, and keep your ear close to Jesus's heartbeat. Also, keep God's word as your priority; remember, sitting at Jesus's feet and listening to him speak to you is the "one thing" that he says is "needful" (Luke 10:42 KJV).
I humbly offer the following words from Jesus to conclude. Please do not feel condemned by them; they most probably don't apply to you. But if they do apply—even in the smallest way—take the action he prescribes … immediately:
(Revelation 3:2–3 NLT) "Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. {3} Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don't wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief."
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