Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is of God.
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not of God; and such is the spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already it is in the world.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
They are of the world; therefore they speak of the world, and the world heareth them.
We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby we know the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. I John 4: 1-6
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.
I John 2:18 NKJV
Antichrist
- “Anti” means In place of/replace
- ++in opposition to/against
“Christ”
- “Christos” (Greek) means Christ
- “Mashiach” (Hebrew) means Messiah
- Both mean “anointed one”
Three Biblical Antichrists
- The spirit of antichrists
- The Antichrist
- many antichrists
End Times Antichrists
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.
I John 2:18 NKJV
1). The spirit of antichrist
and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.
1 John 4:3 NKJV
2). The Antichrist
(over 20 different biblical names).
- “The Antichrist”
- “Little horn”
“And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.
His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
Daniel 8:23-24 NKJV
Nine marks of this antichrist:
1. Strong personality- “bold face”
2. Intellectually gifted- “understands riddles”.
3. Empowered by Satan- “great power.
4. Successful
5. Competitive, no equals- “destroys mighty men”.
6. Persecutes and antagonizes Christianity- “destroys those who are holy”.
7. Cunning
8. Deceitful/manipulative
9. Arrogant- “consider himself superior”.
- “The Beast”
Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and then horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
Revelation 13:1 NKJV
This title is used 36 times in Revelation.
3). “Many antichrists”
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.
I John 2:18 NKJV
1. They _desert_ the church.
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 2:19 NKJV
Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
Acts 20:30 NKJV
2. They _deny_ Christ.
Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son have the Father also.
I John 2:22-23 NKJV
For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:4 NKJV
3. They _deceive_ Christians.
These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.
I John 2:26 NKJV
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:4-5, 24
How do you discern and antichrist spirit?
How do you know what is right or wrong?
1. You have the _anointing_.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
I John 2:20 NKJV
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
I John 2:27 NKJV
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
II Corinthians 1:21-22 NKJV
TRUTH:
++The anointing in you is not a special power, it’s a _person_!
2. You have the _truth_.
I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
I John 2:21 NKJV
“It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere?”
Right or wrong??!!
TRUTH:
You can be sincere,
++and be sincerely wrong!
3. You have the _teaching_.
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
I John 2:27 NKJV
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
John 14:26 NKJV
So how do you know/discern what is right or wrong?
You have Jesus, the anointed one in you.
You have Jesus, He is the way, the truth, and the life.
You have Jesus, the giver of the Holy Spirit, who teaches and guides you.
Here’s what we/you must do today (the last hour). . . . .
You must _stay_ in the Bible and let the Bible _stay in you_!
Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us- eternal life.
I John 2:24-25 NKJV