I John 4:3 NKJV
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 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. You are of God, little children and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of the truth and the spirit of error.
I John 4:1-6 NKJV
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Antichrist
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“Anti” means
- ++In place of/replace.
- ++In opposition to/against.
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“Christ” means
- ++The anointed one.
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An antichrist is the one who opposes or seeks to replace or come against Christ.
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Recognizing the spirit of antichrist:
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1. The spirit of antichrist is a duplicating spirit that deceives you.
++7 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.
II John 1:7
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Remember:
++Satan can not create, but only can corrupt, deceive, and destroy by duplicating.
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2. The spirit of antichrist is a denying spirit that seek to destroy you.
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22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
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23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
I John 2:22-23
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No Son, No Father
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3. The spirit of antichrist is a _disgusting_ spirit that _devours_ you.
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13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
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14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
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15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
II Corinthians 11:13-15 NLT
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8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
I Peter 5:8 NKJV
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Some people fear the devil or ignore or under estimate him.
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Peter urges believers to be _aware_ and not be _ignorant_.
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- Dangerous “your enemy”
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
John 10:10a
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- Cunning “prowls”
in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Ephesians 2:2
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Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
John 12:31
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- Powerful “roars”
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
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Why does Satan disguise himself?
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4. The spirit of antichrist is a _dividing_ spirit that will be _defeated_.
18 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.
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19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
I John 2:18-19
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When _division_ is present, we are falling victims to the spirit of antichrist.
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Why did Jesus pray for oneness?
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21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one- as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
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22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.
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23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
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24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
John 17:21-24 NLT
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7 reasons the spirit of antichrist’ primary strategy is to create division.
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1. Division of ten turns believers against believers.
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Takeaway: We don’t threaten Satan when we are shooting each other in the back.
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2. Division _distracts_ from God’s purposes and plans.
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Take away: Division is most often an inwardly-focused diversion.
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3. Division hurts our witness before a broken, fractured world.
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Take away: Supernatural unity is a witness of God’s Spirit.
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4. Division reveals our personal _idols_.
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Take away: Selfishly clinging to what we want without regard for others, including God- that’s idolatry.
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5. Division discourages church leaders.
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Take away: The scar and anguish of division can be a long-lasting pain that reaps negative influences for ministry.
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6. Division effects _generations_ from the church.
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Take away: The biggest excuse and reason to avoid church today is division, hurt and hypocrisy.
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7. Division gives the enemy _victory_.
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Take away: We ignore Satan’s demonic strategy and follow his lead when we turn against one another.
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The answer and eternal solution for victory over the spirit of the antichrist is Jesus who powers you through the Holy Spirit.
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But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
I John 4:4 NLT
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1. As children of God, Christians have the Holy Spirit as a _check_ against false teaching.
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2. Christians have been given the authoritative Word of God to _test_ all teaching.
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3. A lack of fellowship and neglect of love for the church _exposes_ the rise of false teachers.